WiserBlog

Dare I hope that the Palin Lovefest is winding down?

"Palin’s recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity, and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League. No one hates saying that more than I do. Like so many women, I’ve been pulling for Palin, wishing her the best, hoping she will perform brilliantly. I’ve also noticed that I watch her interviews with the held breath of an anxious parent, my finger poised over the mute button in case it gets too painful. Unfortunately, it often does. My cringe reflex is exhausted."
--Kathleen Parker, right-wing columnist, and one of Sarah Palin's biggest fans from the beginning, in her column for National Review Online (NRO), September 26, 2008.

What a Surprise!

So, now we know that a bailout plan has been in the works for "months," but I am curious (and aren't you?) what anyone was doing to help correct the problem??? Head it off?

Apparently there is just "no time" to waste, none at all, for careful consideration on this monumental decision. Not now. Not for us. Not for the American people. Not for Congress. We are in danger, grave danger... so, no time for any any naysaying, fact-checking or investigating... and certainly not for implementing any provisions to hold anyone accountable should things turn out to be um... not quite the way they've been represented to us.

No, while these people were holed up for months designing this comprehensive $700 billion (possibly trillion dollar) bailout plan none of that was considered. And, sorry, people, really, we wish it were otherwise, but there is just no time now. Next time we'll know better.

Sound familiar?

Invading Iraq, shoving through the Patriot Act, etc... it's just all part of our new way of doing things courtesy of the Bush administration. By the time the accurate or complete facts come trickling down, the damage will be done and can't be undone. of course, that's if anyone even remembers or gives a sh*t by then.

Who cares if Sarah Palin is a Birch Society member?

In the three-ring binder in front of Sarah Palin is an article from a John Birch Society publication. The photo appeared recently in the New York Times, leading observant readers to speculate about whether she is a John Bircher.

So, is Sarah Palin a John Birch Society member?

Well, the John Birch Society (JBS) posted a statement on their website that doesn't exactly say one way or the other, but suggests that she is not. What it says specifically is that:

"It does not connect her to The John Birch Society any more than a copy of the New York Times sitting on her desk would connect her to the New York Times Company."

Well, that's some fine logic considering the readership numbers of the New York Times and JBS newsletters respectively and, of course, the fact that the New York Times is a NEWSPAPER and the JBS is an membership ORGANIZATION. But whether Ms Palin is a card-carrying member of the John Birch Society or not, I really don't care.

The John Birch Society presents "From Homosexual Marriage to Bestiality"

"Bestiality has become widespread enough that the Humane Society, medical and veterinarian organizations and publications, and animal rights groups are treating it as a serious problem. Evidently, the zoophile lifestyle is spreading and progressing from vicarious satisfaction via video on the Internet to actual bestiality at pay-for-action farms. ... if same-sex marriage is legalized, the battle lines simply will be moved further down the slope. Those who proudly identify themselves as "polymorphous perverse" will not be satisfied even if every vice is freely permitted; it must then be accepted and promoted (by government, with taxpayer funds) as natural and good. The great danger is that these perversions are so absurd, repellent, and beyond the ken of most Americans — and are festering just far enough beneath the surface — the average person will not see the threat (or allow himself/herself to believe it could possibly be that real or that serious) — until it is too late."
--From an article in The New American by William F. Jasper entitled, "From Homosexual Marriage to Bestiality."

Westbrook Pegler on Eleanor Roosevelt

More from the guy that Sarah Palin likes to quote but would not name.

Fair Enough By Westbrook Pegler
From The Washington Post, February 12, 1942

Mrs. Roosevelt's Public Life

"For all the gentle sweetness of my nature and my prose, I have been accused of rudeness to Mrs. Roosevelt when I only said she was impudent, presumptuous and conspiratorial, and that her withdrawal from public life at this time would be a fine public service."

The um... Lynching Story?

More from the guy that Sarah Palin likes to quote but would not name.

The Lynching Story
by Westbrook Pegler

[From 'T Ain't Right, 1936, pp. 256-259]

As one member of the rabble, I will admit that I said "Fine, that is swell," when the papers came up that day, telling of the lynching of the two men who killed the young fellow in California, and that I haven't changed my mind yet for all the storm of right-mindedness which has blown up since. I know how storms of right-mindedness are made.

The city editor calls a fellow over and tells him to call up a lot of names on the office right-mindedness list and get about a column of expressions of horror and indignation.

There are various standard lists in all shops. One is the list to be called up when some police captain in Boston bars some dirty book from public sale. This one includes a lot of one-book novelists who will say that the Boston police captain undoubtedly is just an ignorant cop who ought to be out shooting hoodlums.

There is another group to be called up for expressions on the restlessness of modern youth when some drunk gril falls out the window of a penthouse while drunk. There is a feminism list, a nudism list, an is-jazz-music? list, and so forth.

Do You Know the Way?

The Way International
"The Way is a worldwide, nondenominational Biblical research, teaching, and fellowship ministry headquartered in rural Ohio. It is designed to teach those who are hungering and thirsting for the truth how to understand the Bible."

"The Way is a practical teaching ministry, concerned with teaching people how to transform their lives from negative and fear-filled to positive and joyous.

Transformation occurs when people believe and apply the basic spiritual truths made known in God’s Word. For God’s plan in His Word to be made known, it requires someone teaching it to willing students—those who desire to know God’s will."

"The Power of Pentecost
God had waited through the ages
To be loved and worshiped by His children-
Dear ones of the Father, reconciled to be His family.
Now we love Him and we serve Him,
Proud and thankful to be called together
Standing in the household,
Looking forward to our lord’s return.

The day is fully come; now you are His sons!
The power of Pentecost-filled to overflowing,
The spirit of God in Christ within.
The power of Pentecost-proof that he is risen
And he is coming back again!

© 1986 by The Way International. All rights reserved."Download TheRenewedMindIsTheKey2.mov

Happy Constitution Day!

Well, today is Constitution Day. 221 years ago today, the founding fathers wrapped things up in Philadelphia--they completed the document and it was signed by a majority of delegates in attendance there at the Constitutional Convention. True, they didn't solve that little slavery problem for almost another 100 years. And only white, male landowners counted as "We The People," but you know... setting that aside for now, the U. S. Constitution is a very fine document. It was then, and still is now, a shining example of what enlightened human beings can conceive of for a society.

I guess we don't usually hear much about this particular anniversary, but given, the near-relentless attacks on the Constitution during the last eight years by the GWB admistration. And the frightening prospect of Sarah No-Separation-Between-Church-and-State Palin in the pitbully pulpit, I thought it might nice to take a minute show some appreciation for our Constitution. It's had a rough time after all.

"if you vote for this particular person, I question your salvation."

"Okay, now I don€'t know about you, I want you to remain standing, because church, we have got to pray about this presidential election coming up. I watched the debate. How many people watched the debate, debate number two? Man, I've never felt more grieved in my life. I mean, I've, every time I'€™ve watched the debate, you say, 'Well, this president here does this, this president this here.' You know it sounds like, sounds like a bunch of people leaving a church. When I was sitting there, I said, '€œGod, why do I feel so gut-wrenching??-- because that's the same spirit when people come into your office.'€

[Pause] Come on. It'€™s easy to find what'€™s wrong, but it takes a spiritual, developed, mature person to pray in what's right. Are you with me church? Church, I have never seen a line drawn like I did in presidential ele--, in this debate, number two. I'€™m tellin'€™ ya-- I'€™m not going to tell you who to vote for. But if you vote for this particular person, I question your salvation. I'm sorry man. I'€™m not sayin' a name, am I?

I'm tellin' ya, if every Christian would vote righteously, it would be a landslide every time. Church, we don'€™t need laws to change people, we need the gospel. And we got, we got, I'€™m tellin' ya we gotta pray right now. So why don'€™t we pray right now church for this presidential election that's coming up."

--"Pastor Ed" in his made in a sermon on October 10th, 2004 sermon, telling his congregation that they would go to hell if they voted for Senator John Kerry in the 2004 Presidential Election.

September 11, 2001

His Pet Goat and My Pet Peeve—As I said it one of my very first posts, September 11 happened on George W. Bush's watch. Whether another Commander-in-Chief could have managed his administration or our nation’s agencies in such a way to have prevented September 11, we will never know. [Of course, I feel pretty confident that September 11 would never have happened at all if not for George Bush, but whether evidence surfaces to corroborate this in my lifetime is another matter.] What we do know is that President Bush did not. So, how is it that the "American people" continue to believe that he and his ilk are best suited to handle national security? Okay, I know. But even so?