. . . sticks and stones? . . . don't think so . . .
Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein, two D.C. journalists for more than 40 years known for their carefully nonpartisan positions are saying that Congress is more dysfunctional than it has been since
the Civil War. They also name drop saying ". . . the Republican Party, has become an insurgent outlier —
ideologically extreme; contemptuous of the inherited social and economic
policy regime; scornful of compromise; unpersuaded by conventional
understanding of facts, evidence and science; and dismissive of the
legitimacy of its political opposition," they write in their new book, It's Even Worse Than It Looks. . . "
They also say, ". . . the media and elsewhere sometimes do a disservice to the reality. . . It disarms the electorate in a democracy when
you really need an ideological outlier to be reined in by an active,
informed public. . . "
This one'll be a must-read for me.
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Susan Reimer, columnist of the Baltimore Sun wrote the other day about the Catholic church. She wrote about birth control pills being forbidden, opposition to any legal standing for gay people, even opposition to their own nuns' spending too much time on social justice issues and not
enough time pounding home the message about birth control and abortion.
And now, the case of Amanda Dougherty. Anna, a
student at a Catholic high school outside Philadelphia, had the dress,
the shoes, the ticket and the guy for her junior prom. Until the guy
backed out. She was determined to pin a smile on her face and go
anyway, to have fun with her friends. Healthy attitude right? Wrong! The school and the
archdiocese told her that she couldn't go without a date. "For
them to say that we're not good enough to go unless we have a guy
standing next to us, it's just kind of sickening," Amanda told a CBS
reporter. In a statement, Catholic school officials said there
were plenty of high school events a student could attend without a date,
"but we view the prom as a special social event where a date is
required to attend."
And
an Indiana teacher at a Catholic school found that her contract had not
been renewed after she asked for some time off to pursue a second in
vitro fertilization. When Emily Herx of Fort Wayne pointed out
that her supervisor not only knew of her first attempt but was praying
for its success, and that no embryos were destroyed or frozen, the
monsignor in the parish told her she was a "grave, immoral sinner"
anyway.
Why
is the Catholic Church increasing their stress of doctrine in a world
already full of religious extremists of all stripes? Why would it stifle it's own inner circle which serves the weak and defends their rights? Why would it wound the faithful at their most vulnerable moments? Why does it exclude, when it could embrace?
According to their own scripture, Jesus said, "I have come that you might have
life and have it abundantly." He also said: "By this shall men know
that you are my disciples; not that you pass the test of traditional
orthodoxy, but that you love; and in loving bear witness that you can
give of the life that you have received." Personally, I like that.
What
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. . . (if you're near Frederick, MD) . . . Monday night . . .
For this week's Songwriters Showcase Monday
Oho will offer an extended set of Jay Graboski's original music in addition to a 'Gonzo' tune or two by Ray Jozwiak to begin and a host of other fine local and regional musicians April 30, 2012 at Brewer’s Alley beginning 7:15PM
Monday, April 30th @ 7:15PM Brewer's Alley Restaurant & Brewery (Songwriters Showcase-Upstairs) 124 North Market Street Frederick, MD 21701 Telephone: 301-631-0089 Fax: 301-631-1874 http://www.brewers-alley.com/
. . . enables us to immediately send messages about matters of interest and importance, to our loved ones instantaneously through the wonder of the internet (and utilizing the internet) and email . . .
". . JANUARY 1, 2013, THE US GOVERNMENT WILL BE REQUIRING EVERYONE TO HAVE DIRECT DEPOSIT FOR SS CHECKS. WONDER WHY? Subject: HR 4646
Watch for this AFTER November elections; remember this BEFORE you VOTE, in case you think Obama is looking out for your best interest. A 1% tax on all bank transactions is what HR 4646 calls for. Do you receive a paycheck, or a retirement check from Social Security or a pension fund and have it direct deposit? Well guess what ... It looks as if Obama wants to tax it 1% !!! This bill was put forth by Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA). YES, that is 1% tax on all bank transactions - HR 4646, every time it goes in and every time money goes out. Ask your congressperson to vote NO. FORWARD THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW! 1% tax on all bank transactions ~ HR 4646 - ANOTHER NEW OBAMA TAX SLIPPED IN WHILE WE WERE ASLEEP. Checked this on snopes, it's true! Check it out yourself ~ HR 4646. President Obama's finance team is recommending a one percent (1%) transaction fee (TAX). Obama's plan is to sneak it in after the November elections to keep it under the radar. This is a 1% tax on all transactions at any financial institution - banks, credit unions, savings and loans, etc. Any deposit you make, or even a transfer within your own bank from one account to another, will have a 1% tax charged. If your paycheck or your Social Security or whatever is direct deposit, it will get a 1% tax charged for the transaction. If your paycheck is $1000, then you will pay Obama $10 just for the privilege of depositing your paycheck in your bank. Even if you hand carry your paycheck or any check in to your bank for a deposit, 1% tax will be charged. You receive a $5,000 stock dividend from your broker, Obama takes $50 just to allow you to deposit that check in the bank. If you take $1,000 cash to deposit at your bank, 1% tax will be charged. Mind you, this is from the man who promised that, if you make under $250,000 per year, you will not see one penny of new tax. Keep your eyes and ears open, you will be amazed at what you learn about this guy's under-the-table moves to increase the number of ways you are taxed. Oh, and by the way, if you receive a refund from the IRS next year and you have it direct deposited or you walk in to deposit that check, you guessed it. You will pay a 1% charge of that money just for putting it in your bank. Remember, any money, cash, check or whatever, no matter where it came from, you will pay a 1% fee if you put it in the bank. Some will say, oh well, it's just 1%. Are you kidding me? It's a 1% tax increase across the board. Remember, once the tax is there, they can also raise it at will. And if anyone protests, they will just say, "Oh,that's not really a tax, it's a user fee"! Think this is no big deal? Go back and look at the transactions you made from last year's banking statements. Then add the total of all those transactions and deduct 1%. Still think it's no big deal? . . "
Then the nefarious email goes on to state that ". . . 1. snopes.com: Debt Free America Act���
Is the U.S. government proposing a 1% tax on debit card usage and/or banking transactions? ...It is true. . . "
. . but if you bother to really visit Snopes.com, you'll find they actually say it is FALSE! Go to http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/debtfree.asp
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'Beyonce named most beautiful woman'
It's truly a marvel of modern times that we have such wonderful publications as 'People' magazine to name the 'most beautiful' woman and the rag that brought that news itself to us afterward.
'Zimmerman needs protection, lawyer says'
The man who allegedly shot an unarmed seventeen year-old in 'self defense' in a state that has a law allowing murder when committed in self defense (and in the absence of witnesses) actually now needs PROTECTION?
'Doctor claims he’s found the G spot'
A supposedly respectable doctor claims to have found the famed "G" spot on the cadaver of a woman well into her eighties of whom he knows little to nothing of her genealogy, health or sex life. (Why is this news?)
'Trump to Scotland: Ax 'monstrous' wind farm plans'
Why is Trump EVER in the news?
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