This sums it up; What a Liberal Does on the Fourth of July

I've posted this same article for a few years now, it's a blast from the past that unfortunately needs stated time and again. Conservatives and the right- wing don't have a monopoly on patriotism or pride in their country. And in this age of Trumpism it will be the liberals that just might save us from totalitarianism.


By Dan Bimrose,Founder, LiberalFix.com
Post @ Huffingtonpost.com
6/30/11

For certain elements of society the word liberal has become interchangeable with such words as communist, socialist and fascist.

While liberals such as myself choose to associate themselves with such historic figures as Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, those same elements of society would suggest that each of us tree hugging "ne-er do wells" have a secret room with a secret wall painted red and devoted to displaying pictures of Hitler, Mussolini and Lenin.

On a day when we should all celebrate our nation and some of us recount historically accurate stories of our nation's birth, there are members of society who find it difficult to imagine that it would be possible for self-styled liberals, progressives and Democrats to find cause for celebration on the Fourth of July.

This all too common charge that those like us are unpatriotic and un-American is an allegation that I take great umbrage with.

By definition conservatives and liberals do not think alike and that is just fine. The idea, however, that liberals are unpatriotic is absurd. Those who say such things are guilty of one of two things, they are either ignorant or they are lying with the intent of influencing your opinion so that it more closely represents their opinion.

Liberals do find it difficult to stomach the assertion that our founding fathers believed that there is an inherit bias toward discrimination in the documents and actions produced by those very same founding fathers.

I will allow that the 3/5 compromise which allowed for slaves to be counted as 3/5 of a white man for the purpose of determining a states representation in Congress, and the lack of a provision guaranteeing women the right to vote were monumental fails in regards to discrimination. The need to compromise to achieve a bigger goal allowed for these fails to exist.

Time, acquired wisdom, and progress would eventually fix these wrongs. Liberals respect, honor and cherish the Constitution as an evolving document capable of being changed when we as a nation are ready for change.

We believe that the founders had it right when they said in the Declaration of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." We believe this to be the very worthy intent of our founding fathers.

We acknowledge conservatives love the Constitution as well. Well, they love certain parts of the Constitution. Different conservative groups would love to repeal a variety of amendments including the 8th, the 14th, the 16th, the 17th, the 19th and possibly the 26th amendment.

Liberals do believe that children born in the inner city or poverty stricken rural areas deserve the same access to health care as blue bloods spending the holiday on Martha's Vineyard. We are not unpatriotic because we believe this. Perhaps you could call us compassionate, but not unpatriotic.

We understand that we pass on more to our children than just budgets and balance sheets. We also pass on the environment and the planet to our children and grandchildren. Regardless of whether or not we feel that global warming is real or a myth we still value clean water and clean air.

We may not appreciate the wars we are currently fighting in the Middle East, but we love and respect our soldiers. After all they are our brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, wives and husbands.

We believe that teachers, policeman and firefighters should be paid and paid well due to their value and service to our community.

We believe that all of our children deserve libraries, gym class, and the opportunity to star in their school play.

We believe our country is great because we are a melting pot, not in spite of it. We value diversity. This is the American Way. This was the American dream.

We pay our taxes, but think that the wealthiest amongst us and the most profitable industries can share in bearing a little extra burden to fix our government's mistakes.

We believe that our senior citizens are people who have served our countries and their families well. They deserve not just our respect, but the ability to retire with the reasonable assurance that their health needs and financial needs will be met.

No, we do not agree with everything and most of the time we do not agree with anything, but it is not necessary to call each other unpatriotic or un-American. Liberals do not think conservatives are evil, we just think they are wrong. Perhaps some of the name calling conservatives out there will learn that liberals are Americans too.

What will I be doing this 4th of July?

More than likely my children will wake me up early so that we can go to the local parade, but before we leave for the parade I will hang our flag outside.

I am assuming and hoping the day will be filled with at least two Italian sausages smothered in onions, one elephant ear, and multiple lemon shake-ups. At the parade I will shake hands with a few elected officials, but reserve my support and encouragement for those politicians that are Democrats. In my part of Indiana, they need all the help they can get.

I will conclude the day by watching the local fireworks display right before rushing home to put the kids in the tub so I can clean off the cotton candy that has become caked on their faces. With any luck I will not have to get out the tweezers to remove a roasted peanut from my youngest daughter's ear.

We will go straight from the tub to the bedroom where we will sing songs and the kids will say their prayers before being tucked in and given strict orders to "sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite".

So what do liberals do on the 4th of July?

Pretty much the same thing everyone else does.

Happy 4th of July and God Bless America.

Why Does Donald Trump Appeal to Voters? FEAR

2016 Democratic Dream Team

"...The team at “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” unleashed the sultry Calvin Klein-style photoshopped advert, which appears to feature the open-shirted Virginia senator apparently giving Clinton a piggyback on a beach Friday...." - Huffington Post

Orginal image Samantha Bee Full Frontal

What a Liberal Does On The 4th of July

A blast from the past that I think sums it up pretty well.

By Dan Bimrose,Founder, LiberalFix.com
Post @ Huffingtonpost.com
6/30/11

For certain elements of society the word liberal has become interchangeable with such words as communist, socialist and fascist.

While liberals such as myself choose to associate themselves with such historic figures as Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, those same elements of society would suggest that each of us tree hugging "ne-er do wells" have a secret room with a secret wall painted red and devoted to displaying pictures of Hitler, Mussolini and Lenin.

On a day when we should all celebrate our nation and some of us recount historically accurate stories of our nation's birth, there are members of society who find it difficult to imagine that it would be possible for self-styled liberals, progressives and Democrats to find cause for celebration on the Fourth of July.

This all too common charge that those like us are unpatriotic and un-American is an allegation that I take great umbrage with.

By definition conservatives and liberals do not think alike and that is just fine. The idea, however, that liberals are unpatriotic is absurd. Those who say such things are guilty of one of two things, they are either ignorant or they are lying with the intent of influencing your opinion so that it more closely represents their opinion.

Liberals do find it difficult to stomach the assertion that our founding fathers believed that there is an inherit bias toward discrimination in the documents and actions produced by those very same founding fathers.

I will allow that the 3/5 compromise which allowed for slaves to be counted as 3/5 of a white man for the purpose of determining a states representation in Congress, and the lack of a provision guaranteeing women the right to vote were monumental fails in regards to discrimination. The need to compromise to achieve a bigger goal allowed for these fails to exist.

Time, acquired wisdom, and progress would eventually fix these wrongs. Liberals respect, honor and cherish the Constitution as an evolving document capable of being changed when we as a nation are ready for change.

We believe that the founders had it right when they said in the Declaration of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." We believe this to be the very worthy intent of our founding fathers.

We acknowledge conservatives love the Constitution as well. Well, they love certain parts of the Constitution. Different conservative groups would love to repeal a variety of amendments including the 8th, the 14th, the 16th, the 17th, the 19th and possibly the 26th amendment.

Liberals do believe that children born in the inner city or poverty stricken rural areas deserve the same access to health care as blue bloods spending the holiday on Martha's Vineyard. We are not unpatriotic because we believe this. Perhaps you could call us compassionate, but not unpatriotic.

We understand that we pass on more to our children than just budgets and balance sheets. We also pass on the environment and the planet to our children and grandchildren. Regardless of whether or not we feel that global warming is real or a myth we still value clean water and clean air.

We may not appreciate the wars we are currently fighting in the Middle East, but we love and respect our soldiers. After all they are our brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, wives and husbands.

We believe that teachers, policeman and firefighters should be paid and paid well due to their value and service to our community.

We believe that all of our children deserve libraries, gym class, and the opportunity to star in their school play.

We believe our country is great because we are a melting pot, not in spite of it. We value diversity. This is the American Way. This was the American dream.

We pay our taxes, but think that the wealthiest amongst us and the most profitable industries can share in bearing a little extra burden to fix our government's mistakes.

We believe that our senior citizens are people who have served our countries and their families well. They deserve not just our respect, but the ability to retire with the reasonable assurance that their health needs and financial needs will be met.

No, we do not agree with everything and most of the time we do not agree with anything, but it is not necessary to call each other unpatriotic or un-American. Liberals do not think conservatives are evil, we just think they are wrong. Perhaps some of the name calling conservatives out there will learn that liberals are Americans too.

What will I be doing this 4th of July?

More than likely my children will wake me up early so that we can go to the local parade, but before we leave for the parade I will hang our flag outside.

I am assuming and hoping the day will be filled with at least two Italian sausages smothered in onions, one elephant ear, and multiple lemon shake-ups. At the parade I will shake hands with a few elected officials, but reserve my support and encouragement for those politicians that are Democrats. In my part of Indiana, they need all the help they can get.

I will conclude the day by watching the local fireworks display right before rushing home to put the kids in the tub so I can clean off the cotton candy that has become caked on their faces. With any luck I will not have to get out the tweezers to remove a roasted peanut from my youngest daughter's ear.

We will go straight from the tub to the bedroom where we will sing songs and the kids will say their prayers before being tucked in and given strict orders to "sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite".

So what do liberals do on the 4th of July?

Pretty much the same thing everyone else does.

Happy 4th of July and God Bless America.

Thanksgiving Planner Info Chart

If you've just started planning for Thanksgiving you're running a little behind but it isn't too late.

Huffington Post

Why New Jersey Is the Most Hated State

If you haven't read the Huffington Post lately you probably missed Jennifer Legra's blog post explaining why New Jersey is the most hated State in the nation according to a poll conducted by YouGov.

The bottom line as to why New Jersey is so hated by so many, is because the state and it's residents are awesome and others are jealous of all our awesomeness ! Whether it's the state's unique place in American history, it's many parks and farms, the tough "Jersey Attitude" (that so many of us project) or geological location, there are plenty of reasons not to like New Jersey if you're not from New Jersey.

Read what she has to say:

I was in newlywed type bliss having just arrived back home to New Jersey. Leaving the airport, I told my daughter to breathe it in, "Ahhh, do you smell that? Cologne and cigarettes." I was kidding of course; teasing the way one might tease your favorite cousin - with love and just the right amount of burn. A lady next to me heard me and chuckled, "Ha. I was just thinking the same thing. Jersey has a distinct smell." She wasn't talking about the refineries or the Turnpike (which is the only thing outsiders really know of NJ), she was talking about the familiar smell of home. This chick was from New Jersey, I knew it, because only a New Jerseyan would hear my joke, get it, and revel in it with me. I was home.

A day or two after our arrival, a recent poll by YouGov came out, identifying New Jersey as "the least liked state in America." Well, didn't that just take the wind out of my glad-to-be-home-in-NJ sails. Apparently, "New Jersey is the only state in the country which people tend to have a negative opinion of" to which I would say, "Nice going 'Jersey Shore' cast for depicting us as morons even though half your cast wasn't from New Jersey." But, hey, Jersey tomato - tomatoe. Since I was curious as to why New Jersey is the most hated state, I clicked further into the results and then investigated Jersey more on my own. After mulling it over a bit, I could see why we were the least liked state in America. Let's take a look...

AMERICAN HISTORY

Did you know that the first drive-in movie theater was opened in Camden and that the first baseball game was played in Hoboken, not to mention the first brewery in America was opened here too. Baseball? Beer? Boooooring. Talk about an unAmerican waste of time. More recently, New Jersey has been known for Carli Lloyd, the athlete who pulled out a hat trick at the 2015 World Cup Final, who people are saying might be the best US performance in a title game? And I don't want to mention Tim Howard from the Men's 2014 World Cup Team who might as well be Superman in fear that I might bore you all to death. So, you know, "thanks" New Jersey for producing such mediocre talent. And did you know that silly things like electricity and recorded sound were invented in Thomas Edison's New Jersey laboratory and that George Washington's crossing of the Delaware and victory in Trenton, NJ was the first major victory and a turning point in the war. I mean, Freedom from the Brits, really, who cares?

PARKS AND FARMS

And get this, New Jersey, the 46th smallest state, has 36 state parks. Of the 24 states shown below, only 10 states (mostly the bigger ones) have more. But let's be real, what are parks good for? NJ also ranks high in the production of blueberries (our state fruit), peaches, and cranberries and almost all garden vegetables like the well known Jersey Tomato and Jersey Sweet Corn which come from one of the 10,000+ farms located in this tiny, dumb, park and farm friendly state. Yummy fruit and veggies? What a waste of perfectly good green space.

ATTITUDE

The YouGov survey says that people from New Jersey are "unusually likely to take a hard-nosed attitude towards life" but since it doesn't explain what they mean by this I looked up hard-nosed. It means "realistic and determined; tough-minded." So I'll read that as having a realistic, determined, and tough-minded attitude towards life. G*d damn it, New Jersey. Realistic, really? Get your head stuck high up in those clouds and stop being so rational. And while you're at it, stop being so freaking determined too. Who likes determination anyway? And tough... wait, I have a separate category for that one....

Continue

What a Liberal Does on the Fourth of July

A blast from the past that I think sums it up pretty well.

By Dan Bimrose,Founder, LiberalFix.com
Post @ Huffingtonpost.com
6/30/11

For certain elements of society the word liberal has become interchangeable with such words as communist, socialist and fascist.

While liberals such as myself choose to associate themselves with such historic figures as Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, those same elements of society would suggest that each of us tree hugging "ne-er do wells" have a secret room with a secret wall painted red and devoted to displaying pictures of Hitler, Mussolini and Lenin.

On a day when we should all celebrate our nation and some of us recount historically accurate stories of our nation's birth, there are members of society who find it difficult to imagine that it would be possible for self-styled liberals, progressives and Democrats to find cause for celebration on the Fourth of July.

This all too common charge that those like us are unpatriotic and un-American is an allegation that I take great umbrage with.

By definition conservatives and liberals do not think alike and that is just fine. The idea, however, that liberals are unpatriotic is absurd. Those who say such things are guilty of one of two things, they are either ignorant or they are lying with the intent of influencing your opinion so that it more closely represents their opinion.

Liberals do find it difficult to stomach the assertion that our founding fathers believed that there is an inherit bias toward discrimination in the documents and actions produced by those very same founding fathers.

I will allow that the 3/5 compromise which allowed for slaves to be counted as 3/5 of a white man for the purpose of determining a states representation in Congress, and the lack of a provision guaranteeing women the right to vote were monumental fails in regards to discrimination. The need to compromise to achieve a bigger goal allowed for these fails to exist.

Time, acquired wisdom, and progress would eventually fix these wrongs. Liberals respect, honor and cherish the Constitution as an evolving document capable of being changed when we as a nation are ready for change.

We believe that the founders had it right when they said in the Declaration of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." We believe this to be the very worthy intent of our founding fathers.

We acknowledge conservatives love the Constitution as well. Well, they love certain parts of the Constitution. Different conservative groups would love to repeal a variety of amendments including the 8th, the 14th, the 16th, the 17th, the 19th and possibly the 26th amendment.

Liberals do believe that children born in the inner city or poverty stricken rural areas deserve the same access to health care as blue bloods spending the holiday on Martha's Vineyard. We are not unpatriotic because we believe this. Perhaps you could call us compassionate, but not unpatriotic.

We understand that we pass on more to our children than just budgets and balance sheets. We also pass on the environment and the planet to our children and grandchildren. Regardless of whether or not we feel that global warming is real or a myth we still value clean water and clean air.

We may not appreciate the wars we are currently fighting in the Middle East, but we love and respect our soldiers. After all they are our brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, wives and husbands.

We believe that teachers, policeman and firefighters should be paid and paid well due to their value and service to our community.

We believe that all of our children deserve libraries, gym class, and the opportunity to star in their school play.

We believe our country is great because we are a melting pot, not in spite of it. We value diversity. This is the American Way. This was the American dream.

We pay our taxes, but think that the wealthiest amongst us and the most profitable industries can share in bearing a little extra burden to fix our government's mistakes.

We believe that our senior citizens are people who have served our countries and their families well. They deserve not just our respect, but the ability to retire with the reasonable assurance that their health needs and financial needs will be met.

No, we do not agree with everything and most of the time we do not agree with anything, but it is not necessary to call each other unpatriotic or un-American. Liberals do not think conservatives are evil, we just think they are wrong. Perhaps some of the name calling conservatives out there will learn that liberals are Americans too.

What will I be doing this 4th of July?

More than likely my children will wake me up early so that we can go to the local parade, but before we leave for the parade I will hang our flag outside.

I am assuming and hoping the day will be filled with at least two Italian sausages smothered in onions, one elephant ear, and multiple lemon shake-ups. At the parade I will shake hands with a few elected officials, but reserve my support and encouragement for those politicians that are Democrats. In my part of Indiana, they need all the help they can get.

I will conclude the day by watching the local fireworks display right before rushing home to put the kids in the tub so I can clean off the cotton candy that has become caked on their faces. With any luck I will not have to get out the tweezers to remove a roasted peanut from my youngest daughter's ear.

We will go straight from the tub to the bedroom where we will sing songs and the kids will say their prayers before being tucked in and given strict orders to "sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite".

So what do liberals do on the 4th of July?

Pretty much the same thing everyone else does.

Happy 4th of July and God Bless America.

There’s A Treatment For Heroin Addiction That Actually Works. Why Aren’t We Using It?

The Huffington Post has a really great feature article titled, "Dying To Be Free", that came about after a year long investigation into the heroin treatment industry. After reading it I think you'll agree, we're not doing enough to stop heroin addiction or the public health epidemic heroin has caused.

"...A heroin addict entering a rehab facility presents as severe a case as a would-be suicide entering a psych ward. The addiction involves genetic predisposition, corrupted brain chemistry, entrenched environmental factors and any number of potential mental-health disorders — it requires urgent medical intervention. According to the medical establishment, medication coupled with counseling is the most effective form of treatment for opioid addiction. Standard treatment in the United States, however, emphasizes willpower over chemistry..."

‎Suboxone‬ may not be a cure for ‪‎heroin addiction but it is the closest thing there is. Why aren't more addicts given access to it? The standard 12 step treatment methods employed by nearly all treatment centers don't work on their own and ignore decades of scientific research in the field of opiate addictions.

If there is someone in your life whether a family member or friend, take the time to read this article. It is fascinating and it will open your eyes to a better understanding of drug addiction.

Here is a list of doctors/treatment centers in NJ that prescribe Suboxone as a means of treating a patients addiction.

U.S. Economy Grew At Brisk 4.2 Percent In Q2

I'm posting this as a contrast to the previous blog post. The U.S. economy expanding and picking up steam. there many reasons why we should be happy and optimistic about the economy  heading into 2015.


From The Huffington Post via AP:

WASHINGTON (AP) — After a bleak start to the year, the U.S. economy grew at a brisk annual rate of 4.2 percent in the April-June quarter, the government said Thursday, slightly faster than it had first estimated. 

The upward revision supported expectations that the second half of 2014 will prove far stronger than the first half.

The Commerce Department's second estimate of growth for last quarter followed its initial estimate of 4 percent. The upward revision reflected stronger business investment than first thought.

The seasonally adjusted 4.2 percent annual growth rate for the gross domestic product — the nation's total output of goods and services — came after the economy had shrunk at a 2.1 percent annual rate in the January-March quarter. That was the economy's biggest drop since the depths of the Great Recession, and it reflected mainly the effects of a harsh winter that kept consumers away from shopping malls and disrupted factory production.

Many economists say they expect growth of around 3 percent in the current July-September quarter and for the rest of the year.

The government's upwardly revised estimate of business investment last quarter showed capital spending growing at an annual rate of 8.4 percent last quarter. That was sharply higher than the government's initial 5.5 percent estimate.

Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said the strength in business investment has likely extended into the current quarter, lending support to the economy.

In its second estimate of growth for last quarter, the government said companies' restocking of supplies contributed less than it had first estimated. But a higher trade deficit subtracted less from growth than initially estimated.

The downward revision in inventory building will likely help boost growth in the current quarter because it means that businesses may need to restock their supplies to meet demand....


Continue reading

The Extraordinary Will Inevitably Become Ordinary Once Shake Shack Goes Public

Sorry, but in my humble opinion if this rumored Shake Shack IPO becomes a reality a truly extraordinary burger will inevitably become ordinary. If you've ever tasted a ShakeBurger you know what I'm talking about.

From the Huffington Post via Reuters:

Shake Shack Preparing For An IPO

(Reuters) - Shake Shack, the fast-food restaurant chain famous for its hamburgers and milkshakes, is preparing to go public, seeking to tap stock market demand for popular casual dining companies, according to people familiar with the matter.

Shake Shack's majority owner, Union Square Hospitality Group LLC, has interviewed investment banks in recent weeks to appoint underwriters for an initial public offering, the people said on Friday.

Shake Shack, which started out of a hot dog kiosk in New York's Madison Square Park in 2004, is expected to post earnings of around $20 million next year, one of the people added.

The sources asked not to be identified because the deliberations are private. A Shake Shack spokesman declined to comment, while Union Square Hospitality did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Chef David Burke Cooks A Turkey In A Dishwasher

Thanksgiving is only a couple days away and if you don't have the cooking space or are looking for a time saver to prepare your Thanksgiving meal why not cook it in your dishwasher? Chef David Burke, owner of Rumson's Fromagerie restaurant explains how to cooks a whole meal, everything from the turkey to the pumpkin pie in a dishwasher, during this clip from yesterday's edition of Huffington Post Live.

It's a great idea and if my dishwasher (still under warranty and won't be repaired until next Monday) didn't crap out on me yesterday, I think I would give it(at least a portion) a try.

Barbara Buono To Receive Monmouth Dems Endorsement

Thursday night the Monmouth County Democrats will be hosting a 2013 New Years Party which will be  Co-Hosted by the Monmouth-Ocean AFL-CIO Central Labor Council at the IBEW 400 Labor Hall in Wall Township.

According to several reports this evening appearing in the Huffington Post, NJ.com and PolitickerNJ, Monmouth County Democratic Chairman, Vin Gopal will be using this venue to give his and the Monmouth County Democratic Party's official endorsement to state Senator Barbara Buono and her candidacy to become the next governor of New Jersey.

Buono has thus far garnered the support of the Middlesex and Somerset County Democratic Parties and is currently the only declared candidate for governor among Democratic elected officials. This early support behind Buono of the three Democratic County parties, will go a long way in solidify her position as the eventual party standard bearer, who will take on Governor Christie in November.

If other potential candidates, such as former acting governor Dick Cody or NJ Senate President Steve Sweeney, continue to drag their feet declaring whether or not they plan on making a run at Christie this fall, it may be too late and too hard for them to get the support they will need to win June primary.

Speaking of Senator Buono, Monmouth's Chairman Gopal is quoted by NJ.com's Mark Bonamo as stating,“She is a smart, progressive, independent woman who can really take on [Christie], issue by issue, in this election. She is not a second-tier candidate. She is a first-tier candidate, and the strongest candidate to challenge Governor Christie,” and adds in the Huffington Post piece, "She is a genuine progressive, she connects with middle class voters... She is not a second-tier candidate, she is a first-tier candidate. The fact that she is very independent makes her a great candidate."

As I've stated here before, don't underestimate Barbara Buono. She will be a formidable and as the  only woman seeking a governorship in the nation this year thus far, she would have a large backing from various women's organizations from around the country, which could theoretically at least,  pump a considerable amount of money her way.

I think she's terrific and she will have my backing (for whatever it's worth)!

Republicans Use Religion as a Political Tool

By John McCarthy
Cross posted from Huffingtonpost.com

The Republican Right has taken a break from their busy schedule of cutting services to poor people to tackle another hard hitting issue: The Democratic Platform didn't originally mention God once. Listen, I know we are working on building-up an economy and restoring a social safety net but this is important stuff. Thank God for the Republican Party! If they weren't spending their time combing through party platforms, I don't know how'd get by!

Republicans believe that life is a numbers game. We are only as religious as the amount of times we can fit God into a sentence. The bigger the American flag outside your house, the more American you are! You really want to support the troops? How about a nice yellow magnetic ribbon (Made in China) to throw on the back of your SUV? It's clear that the Republican Party focuses on quantity, not quality.

Let's dust off our Bibles and remember that as Jesus spoke to the multitudes at the Sermon on the Mount he reminded us, "Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter." That's right: Jesus didn't want us to simply write about the faith -- he wanted us to live the faith.

Republicans have been calling a lot of "Lord! Lord!" but it appears they really haven't given Christianity a shot. They've crafted a political rhetoric to take their political agenda and force-feed it to Faithful America. They do an awful lot of talking about values, God (the American one), faith, religion, big cars, guns, rugged individualism, bootstraps, righteous wars, freedom and touching stories about Sunday morning mass with their family. They'll tell you that Jesus died for America -- and ONLY America. They talk a good game, but it doesn't line up with the overarching teachings of any major religion.

The Grand Ole' Party is causing these distractions in hopes that America won't notice how different their values really are. The key to a Romney-Ryan Victory is America never finding out what they really stand for. Faithful America shows a great concern for feeding the poor, helping the unemployed, providing healthcare coverage and respecting immigrants -- all of which goes against the Romney-Ryan plan.

Republicans only listen to the faithful when it suits them politically. They'll continue to ignore the urgings of religious leaders to protect the "least of these," all while courting the faithful voter. They'll keep staging these choreographed political productions to paint the Democratic Party as anti-faith. Moral of the story: they're using religion as a political tool, and that's the real War on Religion.

----------------------------

John McCarthy is Chairman of the College Democrats at The Catholic University of America and Chairman of the Keansburg Democratic Party

Gun Control Legislation: Frank Lautenberg Readies Bill In Wake Of Aurora Shooting

by Sam Stein - Huffington Post

WASHINGTON -- In the immediate aftermath of the shooting in Aurora, the debate over gun control policy has more or less centered on whether it's an appropriate time to even have a debate.

Senator Frank Lautenberg

But several lawmakers have demanded that the government not shy about tackling the legislative issue. Mayor Michael Bloomberg set the tone when he urged the two presidential candidates to outline their policies with respect to federal gun laws. And now, Sen. Frank Lautenberg's (D-N.J.) office is saying that he plans to reintroduce legislation that would curtail the ability of a shooter to fire at length without reloading.

"If reports are correct and a high-capacity gun magazine was used to commit these awful murders, Senator Lautenberg will absolutely renew his effort to limit the availability of this dangerous firearm attachment," Lautenberg's communications director Caley Gray told The Huffington Post.

Lautenberg, one of the most vocal gun control advocates in the Senate, introduced a bill to limit high-capacity magazines following the shooting of former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. The shooter in that instance fired his gun more than 30 times without having to reload. The bill went nowhere.

Early reports have suggested that the accused shooter in Aurora, James Holmes, also used a high-capacity magazine on his assault rifle. And that alone could breathe new political life into the New Jersey Democrat's legislative hopes.

What a Liberal Does on the Fourth of July

I think this sums it up pretty well

By Dan Bimrose,Founder, LiberalFix.com
Post @ Huffingtonpost.com
6/30/11

For certain elements of society the word liberal has become interchangeable with such words as communist, socialist and fascist.

While liberals such as myself choose to associate themselves with such historic figures as Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, those same elements of society would suggest that each of us tree hugging "ne-er do wells" have a secret room with a secret wall painted red and devoted to displaying pictures of Hitler, Mussolini and Lenin.

On a day when we should all celebrate our nation and some of us recount historically accurate stories of our nation's birth, there are members of society who find it difficult to imagine that it would be possible for self-styled liberals, progressives and Democrats to find cause for celebration on the Fourth of July.

This all too common charge that those like us are unpatriotic and un-American is an allegation that I take great umbrage with.

By definition conservatives and liberals do not think alike and that is just fine. The idea, however, that liberals are unpatriotic is absurd. Those who say such things are guilty of one of two things, they are either ignorant or they are lying with the intent of influencing your opinion so that it more closely represents their opinion.

Liberals do find it difficult to stomach the assertion that our founding fathers believed that there is an inherit bias toward discrimination in the documents and actions produced by those very same founding fathers.

I will allow that the 3/5 compromise which allowed for slaves to be counted as 3/5 of a white man for the purpose of determining a states representation in Congress, and the lack of a provision guaranteeing women the right to vote were monumental fails in regards to discrimination. The need to compromise to achieve a bigger goal allowed for these fails to exist.

Time, acquired wisdom, and progress would eventually fix these wrongs. Liberals respect, honor and cherish the Constitution as an evolving document capable of being changed when we as a nation are ready for change.

We believe that the founders had it right when they said in the Declaration of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." We believe this to be the very worthy intent of our founding fathers.

We acknowledge conservatives love the Constitution as well. Well, they love certain parts of the Constitution. Different conservative groups would love to repeal a variety of amendments including the 8th, the 14th, the 16th, the 17th, the 19th and possibly the 26th amendment.

Liberals do believe that children born in the inner city or poverty stricken rural areas deserve the same access to health care as blue bloods spending the holiday on Martha's Vineyard. We are not unpatriotic because we believe this. Perhaps you could call us compassionate, but not unpatriotic.

We understand that we pass on more to our children than just budgets and balance sheets. We also pass on the environment and the planet to our children and grandchildren. Regardless of whether or not we feel that global warming is real or a myth we still value clean water and clean air.

We may not appreciate the wars we are currently fighting in the Middle East, but we love and respect our soldiers. After all they are our brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, wives and husbands.

We believe that teachers, policeman and firefighters should be paid and paid well due to their value and service to our community.

We believe that all of our children deserve libraries, gym class, and the opportunity to star in their school play.

We believe our country is great because we are a melting pot, not in spite of it. We value diversity. This is the American Way. This was the American dream.

We pay our taxes, but think that the wealthiest amongst us and the most profitable industries can share in bearing a little extra burden to fix our government's mistakes.

We believe that our senior citizens are people who have served our countries and their families well. They deserve not just our respect, but the ability to retire with the reasonable assurance that their health needs and financial needs will be met.

No, we do not agree with everything and most of the time we do not agree with anything, but it is not necessary to call each other unpatriotic or un-American. Liberals do not think conservatives are evil, we just think they are wrong. Perhaps some of the name calling conservatives out there will learn that liberals are Americans too.

What will I be doing this 4th of July?

More than likely my children will wake me up early so that we can go to the local parade, but before we leave for the parade I will hang our flag outside.

I am assuming and hoping the day will be filled with at least two Italian sausages smothered in onions, one elephant ear, and multiple lemon shake-ups. At the parade I will shake hands with a few elected officials, but reserve my support and encouragement for those politicians that are Democrats. In my part of Indiana, they need all the help they can get.

I will conclude the day by watching the local fireworks display right before rushing home to put the kids in the tub so I can clean off the cotton candy that has become caked on their faces. With any luck I will not have to get out the tweezers to remove a roasted peanut from my youngest daughter's ear.

We will go straight from the tub to the bedroom where we will sing songs and the kids will say their prayers before being tucked in and given strict orders to "sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite".

So what do liberals do on the 4th of July?

Pretty much the same thing everyone else does.

Happy 4th of July and God Bless America.

NJ Sen. Robert Menendez: A Letter to Santa Claus

I found the following Letter to Santa written by Senator Robert Menendez, posted over at the Huffington Post. The letter address his concerns over global warming. I think it is a cute and novel way to inform people of the problem that global warming presents.

In his letter Menendez lets Santa know that if he needs to relocate from the North Pole, due to the continuing melting of the polar ice cap, he would be happy to have him live here in the great State of NJ.

Senator Menendez also lets Santa (us) know that he is fighting to help put an end to global warming by supporting the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.


Dear Santa Claus,

I am writing out of concern, because you may have to move from the North Pole due to the dramatic melting of Arctic sea ice. The Navy's chief oceanographer says that by the summer of 2020 the North Pole may not have summer ice and other scientists project that an ice-free Arctic is possible as soon as 2012!

Scientists overwhelmingly agree that polar ice is melting because of greenhouse gas pollution and I am working hard to reduce these emissions. But there is probably nothing we can do in time to save the North Pole. I am worried about your safety and your ability to deliver billions of Christmas gifts if the ice cap on the North Pole no longer stays frozen all year. What will happen to your house, your workshop, the elves' houses and your reindeer barns?

I want you to know that if you want to relocate to the beautiful state of New Jersey, I would be proud to assist you. But given the climate you are accustomed to, I will understand if you would like to relocate to the South Pole. Just be sure not to move to the Antarctic Peninsula or West Antarctic ice sheet, areas that are also experiencing rapid ice melt.

Please know that I will work to mobilize the U.S. federal government to assist when you relocate. I am sure we can both agree that on a warming planet, we need to do all we can to save Christmas.

Sincerely,
Robert Menendez
U.S. Senator

Congressman Rush Holt: What a Real Government Takeover Looks Like

From the Huffington Post

As Congress convenes today to pass long-awaited health insurance reform, I'm reminded of one of the last times we voted on a Sunday: March 20, 2005, when Republicans forced an extraordinary vote to intervene in the case of Terri Schiavo.

To know what a real government takeover looks like, one should revisit that resolution. That midnight vote was a grotesque legislative travesty. For 215 years it had been a solid principle of this country that Congress not get involved in life-and-death issues like the tragic case of Ms. Schiavo. Yet, on that Sunday -- Palm Sunday -- Congress broke with tradition and inserted its own judgment. On that Sunday, the Republican Congress sent the message that it knew better than families, doctors, and hospital chaplains.

To my friends on the other side of the aisle who repeatedly claim that Congress is passing a "government takeover" -- I kindly remind them that's their work, not ours. Our work expands private insurance while increasing choice and competition and protecting consumers from the worst abuses of the insurance industry and leaving medical decisions in the hands of doctors and their patients. We intend that patients, families, and doctors -- not the government, not insurance companies -- have control over health decisions.

Chris Christie's 'Macaca Moment' on Health Care

John R. Bohrer - Huffington Post

New Jersey's off-year gubernatorial race has been pretty boring for outsiders, except for maybe the TV ad accusing Chris Christie, the Republican nominee, of "throwing his weight around." (Christie's on the heavy side.)

The ad was supposed to draw attention to the fact that Christie got away with some pretty obscene driving offenses, but really, no one cares about that stuff. New Jersey's race isn't about driving, it isn't about corruption, it isn't about President Obama -- it's about the state economy and taxes. The inability of Governor Jon Corzine, a Democrat, to find his footing on the economy has made him deeply unpopular for a long, long time. Pundits believe he's a surefire loser.

So do national Republicans. According to U.S. News & World Report, GOP strategists in Washington will milk a Corzine loss for all its worth, trying to delay the vote on health care reform in order to "[scare] moderate Democrats away from the Obama plan as they worry about their own re-election in 2010."

But like a lot of other outsiders, the Republicans in Washington haven't been watching this race closely enough.

If they had been, they'd know that the Christie camp is deeply concerned about the health care debate hurting their candidate. A little more than a week ago, while the rest of the country was buzzing about the 'Look At That Fat Guy' ad, Corzine also started airing a TV spot informing voters that Christie supports health insurance companies who deny coverage for mammograms.

The ad must have hurt in the Republicans' polling, because in no time at all, Christie -- long the frontrunner in this race -- was forced to play defense.

In light of Christie's response, the Star-Ledger says Corzine's ad "happens to be true."

Final word on this? No way. Christie, when questioned by a cancer survivor, was emphatic when explaining why insurance companies should deny mammograms to young women. The cancer survivor tells him that in fact she had been diagnosed with cancer in her twenties. To that, Christie continues to defend the health insurance companies -- and even gets nasty and dismissive with the woman -- insisting that dropping mammograms is A-OK because "that's an exception."

This is Christie's 'macaca moment,' unleashing his nasty side to show people what Republicans really think about providing all Americans with decent, quality health care. He's saying that insured or not -- if you're a young woman who wants a mammogram, a health insurance company shouldn't have to pay because "that's an exception."

Christie's nasty attitude and dismissive tone toward the cancer survivor only makes it worse for him. In July, I wrote that Republicans were endangering Christie -- perhaps their only rising star in the Northeast -- by stalling the health care reform vote and carrying the debate into October. That was before the rancor and lies of August. New Jersey is still a very blue state, with many more Democratic-leaning independents than Republican ones. The GOP's angry rhetoric toward the President and his efforts to reform the health care system do not endear Republicans to these voters -- voters Christie needs to win this election.

Now Christie is on film, getting short with someone for daring to question the whims of the health care industry. He's going to have a tough time not looking like just another anti-reform Republican, disdainful for the economic concerns of average citizens just trying to stay healthy.

If Corzine plays his cards right, Christie will have a hell of a time keeping voters focused on the issues he wants. Christie will win this race if GOP opposition to health care reform doesn't become the leading issue; he may even win it if it does. But if Republicans in Washington believe they can continue their antics without paying the price for it, they may soon think again.

Video: Christie, Rove, and the US Attorney's office

It didn't take long for the Corzine campaign to come out swinging after the latest revelation concerning the Governor's opponent Chris Christie and his converations with Bush White House deputy chief of staff, Karl Rove.

Rove testified before the House Judiciary Committee on July 7, 2009 and acknowldged that he and Christie had conversations about a potential Christie run for the governorship of NJ while still acting an U.S Attorney.

Watch the video, then read the latest about this potential scandel from the Huffington Post:



"New documents about Karl Rove's involvement in the U.S. Attorney firing scandal have the potential to create ripples in the 2009 gubernatorial race in New Jersey.

In an on-the-record interview with the House Judiciary Committee on July 7, 2009, the former Bush strategist acknowledged that he had held several conversations with current GOP candidate Chris Christie over the course of several years regarding the possibility of running for the governor's chair.

Christie, Rove said, was interested in mounting a bid and "asked me questions about who -- who were good people that knew about running for governor that he could talk to."

The admission ties the former New Jersey-based U.S. attorney even further to the Bush administration at a time when his election opponent, Gov. Jon Corzine, has attempted repeatedly to push that connection. It also raises questions as to how apolitical Christie was in his prior job.

Appointed by President Bush to the role of U.S. Attorney in January 2002, Christie earned a stellar reputation for busting white-collar criminals including crooked members of the political establishment. His success led to speculation that he would mount a bid for the governor's chair, first against then Gov. James McGreevey, then against Corzine during the '06 election. He dismissed the talk by positioning himself above the fray.

"I am just concentrating on this job and working on this job," he told The Star-Ledger in November 2003. "I have absolutely no idea what the future will bring, but I feel I was given a job by the president, and I owe it to him to spend full-time concentrating on that job. And that doesn't permit me to sit around and speculate about what I will do."

In that same article Christie said he was being "extra sensitive" to avoid politics, lest those critics who accused him of being a Bush patronage appointee be proved correct.

Four years later, when talk came up again, the line was much the same. "I think about that only because people bring it up to me all the time," Christie said about the election speculation in 2007. "But I don't focus on that. If I do my job the best I can... The future will take care of itself."

Around that time, it turns out, he was at least partially focused on a run at the governor's chair. And he was turning to one of the GOP's most prominent strategists for advice. As Rove told the House Judiciary Committee: "I talked to him twice in the last couple of years, perhaps one time while I was at the White House and once or twice since I left the White House, but -- not regarding his duties as U.S. Attorney, but regarding his interest in running for governor." ...

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Quote of the Day: "Limbaugh...manipulating the G-spot of the neocon consciousness"

The last thing we all need are actors that express their political views, but I have to say that actor extraordinaire, Alec Baldwin, in an article posted on the Huffington Post hit this one on the head. 

"Until Limbaugh gets real, weans himself off the big salary and runs for office, he will always be nothing more than a poorly educated, marginally talented buffoon who has developed a real talent for manipulating the G-spot of the neocon consciousness and massaging the hate gland of so many economically displaced white voters in America."