Back to the Future????

We've long thought that it takes extremes to move the mass. In the 60's the tension between groups like the John Birch Society and the Students for a Democratic Society polarized debate about the war in Viet Nam and some social issues. This dichotomy of ideas influenced the end of the war and the domestic policies of LBJ--the Great Society which incorporated civil rights and Medicare into our society. The mass in the middle needs the radical fringes to motivate it.

But what happens when those radicals become the voice of the people in a republic like ours?? What outcomes can be expected when the radical fringe assumes control?? We poked a little fun at the Hutaree Militia but the underlying threats posed by religious cults and right wing domestic terrorists is palpable. Remember Jonestown and Timothy McVeigh. A conservative group called Guardians of the Free Republics is under investigation for sending threatening letters to governors.

Most of these groups, and others in the conservative movement, rail against the growth of so-called big government. The latest documents from the Guardians talks about returning to the pre-1933 form of government. Let's see, wouldn't that be a return to the Great Depression??? Wonder if they'd provide dime a gallon gas and $.07 loaves of bread as well. Somehow we believe the circumstances of the world economy wouldn't permit that, nor would people work for the same wages. The poverty threshold in 2008 was higher than the average wage in 1932!!

The federal government grew with jobs programs, Social Security, and other innovations to get the country out of an economic meltdown in the period from 1932-1934. (In truth, full recovery and full employment came about because of World War II.) But the government interventions in the '30s moved the economy in the correct direction. The recent economic slowdown was exacerbated by the shrinking of government regulation since the 1990s. Wasn't the Republican Party, the conservatives led by Newt Gingrich and George W Bush in charge of the economy and government then? Isn't the lesson of history that less government intervention in the economy a recipe for disaster---see the history for 1929 and 2007 for examples.

So let the tea-partiers continue their tea-bagging and let Rush bombast to his heart's content. But don't for a minute believe them----we would NOT be better of if we revisited 1932!!!!!

Rebels and Rapture

We are concerned about this new story from Michigan. Seems there's a group of Christian militia that plotted to kill policemen to foment revolution and prepare for the second coming of the Savior. End of Days, the Rapture, Armageddon, Book of the Apocalypse (now called Revelations).

Just a couple of questions. First, other than the moneychangers in the Temple, when did Jesus advocate violent overthrow of the government?? Is this about that black Muslim non-resident we elected president?? Post-racial society?? Dream on.........

Next, where in hell did they dream up the name "Hutaree Militia"????? Did they mean Hatari, the 1962 movie starring John Wayne about hunting wild animals in Africa?? I doubt these people had the intelligence for that word-play---Obama, black, father from Kenya, spearchucker, anti-Christ, any other racial cliches you might favor... No, more likely "Hutaree" is a perversion of Mutara, as in Mutara Nebula from Star Trek II, The Wrath of Khan. That nebula is probably millions of parsecs closer to earth and reality than these wackos are!!!!!!!

Sorry if any words or phrases in this blog post offend anyone but in our opinion these are exactly how we interpret the intentions of groups like this, insofar as we can conceive of their thoughts.

Dead Horses

There's nothing to be gained in beating a dead horse, goes the old saw. So why do the conservatives continue to do so?? Their present dead horse is the growth of government as exemplified by "Obamacare." Funny, when Medicare/Medicaid was enacted I don't remember cries of foreboding about "Johnsoncare." Was it because we were not as clever then? Doubtful. Most likely it was because we were more civil then, at least in our domestic policy discussions. But I digress....

This morning I happened to catch Congressman Mike Pence (R-Ind,) on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program. Mr Pence is a conservative Republican and a winner of Conservative Man of the Year from the organization Human Rights. After the usual frothing about how health care reform as presently constituted will be a crushing blow to our economic recovery, Mt. Pence would NOT name any other government program than "Obamacare" that he would cut to help reduce spending at the federal level and the trillion-dollar deficit. This despite several instances of encouragement by the show' s panelist Mike Barnicle. Mr. Pence's stand is so typical of the conservative Republicans who got us into this mess in the first place---the Iraq War, the debacle named Afghanistan, the collapse of the financial system in 2007------the legacy of George W Bush and the Republican controlled congress (until 2006). And now it's Barack Obama's health care reform that is plunging us into the abyss???? I think not. I agree with David Frum---time for the conservatives to work within the system rather than merely being perceived as obstructionist if they want to make any headway in the November mid-term elections.

So go to the tea parties, continue the "I'm NRA and I vote", and the "NObama" bumper sticker tirades. On with the racial epithets and gender preference slurs, on Rush, on Sean, on Glenn, on over the top screaming, and on to defeat with your beaten dead horse in November.

"...with a whimper"

So the Christians and tea-baggers go from the capitol. Health reform, or at least, health insurance reform, was passed by the House of Representatives late Sunday evening. And the debate was at such a level that all Amerikans should be proud----cries of "baby-killer", "nigger", etc. raining down on our elected representatives. Stand tall, Amerika. From water-boarding to torture to the total dissolution of any modicum of civility, your partisanship rises triumphant. I am as disgusted with the inexcusable performance of supposed "leaders" over the health care debate as I was over the Vietnam war. What a pathetic excuse for a civilized country. So shall we go to our just desserts, not with a bang but with a whimper.........or in a hale of racist or hateful epithets.

Road Trip with the Dad

So last Sunday I got to go with Dad and spend Monday in his office. We went back home Monday night. I wasn't especially into the office thing, either. And poor little Bertie had a very rough time of it.

But the road from Clovis to Las Cruces is fascinating. You start out at about 4300ft in Clovis--that's why it's called the "high plains." Think about it--that's almost 2/3rds of the way up Mt Washington, highest point in the Northeast, and a whole lot higher than Ohio where I was an unclaimed stray. You get to Roswell and then really start climbing---towns like Tinnie, Hondo, San Patricio---Can't you just see Roy, Gene, Mr. Eastwood, and "Duke" Wayne riding across your computer screens?????? Great town names.

You pass the Tunstall murder site then climb thru 6000ft. Ruidoso is the next town at 6900ft. Climb some more---Apache Summit is the apex--7591ft above sea level. And all the while you catch glimpses of Sierra Blanca, dominating the plains from its 11,000ft elevation.......Then the descent through the Mescalero Apache reservation into the Tularosa basin, about 4500ft. Alamogordo leads the way into the desert---White Sands National monument and the missile range---kick it out to 80mph. Then clear the San Augustin pass at 5719ft and descend into Las Cruces (3900ft in the valley where we live).

Mostly I sleep through the ride but I do get occasional phrases of the music from the iPod---"wrap your legs round these velvet rims and strap your hands cross my engines...i wanna know if love is wild and i wanna know if love is real...i wanna die with you Wendy on the streets tonite in an everlasting kiss..." or "roll down the window and let the wind blow back your hair/ the night's busted open and these two lanes can take us anywhere..." (Bruce S.) The man knows about dogs and cars. "Did an angel/ whisper in your ear/ hold you close/ take away your fears/in those long/ miles from here..." (Lucinda W.) or "Sometimes i wonder if i'm ever gonna make it home again/ it's so far and out of sight.."(Carole K.) Another favorite is "a woman is like a dresser some men are always runing though its drawers.."(Cream) or "Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike/ they've all come to look for America.." (S&G) And lastly "once a story's told/ it can't help but grow old/ roses do/ lovers too/ so cast your seasons to the wind.." (Boz S). Just road song fragments that I heard when I was awake, which wasn't often over four and a half hours driving through the night. But it's all worth it to spend the time with my Dad.

LOL

Leny

First Mate of the Pirate Dogs

Torturing

The sole purpose of this post is to torture the Fabulous Penguin. This person is a friend who recently visited us in Las Cruces. Their intent is to move here. There are some reservations they have---the availability of New York style pizza, the ease of acquiring green chile, the usual real estate issues in the present market. All legitimate concerns. AND AS OF TODAY-----all moot!!!!

FP, todays special at Zeffiro's N Y Pizzeria was GREEN CHILE MEATBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, couldn't resist rubbing it in...........How could Las Cruces be any MORE perfect?????