Paying Taxes

I don't like paying taxes anymore than the next person, but I pay them because it is my civic duty to do so.

There is an ad on television that comes on almost every evening around news time and my blood pressure rises each time! It shows well-dressed, smiling couples bragging about how much a company called Associated Tax Relief has saved them on their taxes by battling the IRS. The people readily admit that they owed the tax and brag about how little they actually paid. For example, one couple said they owed $ 114,624 but thanks to Associated Tax Relief, they paid only $20,688. That's only 19 cents on the dollar!

I call it cheating and morally irresponsible -- they call it "tax relief."

So I went to the company's website, clicked on the contact tab which opened a contact sheet. I filled in my name, email address, my "problem" (drop down list -- income taxes, estate taxes, payroll taxes, etc. -- I checked "other"), and entered the following comment:

I am outraged that your media advertising glories "beating the system" and not paying 100% of tax owed. It is a shame that people are able to negotiate their way out of paying their fair share. The people in your ads appear proud of not paying their taxes -- what a sad commentary on their moral values and lack of civic responsibility. Please consider using less offensive advertising. People should feel ashamed of this situation, not proud.

If you would like to see the ads and comment on this practice, go to their website.

John McCain, Maverick

So just what is a "maverick" anyway? I love dictionaries and I love to look up a word, then look up one of its synonyms, then another one of those, and so on. Today I started with "maverick" and look where I ended up!!

Maverick, unbranded, unorthodox, non-conformist, unusual, non-traditional, unacceptable, contrary, oppositional, unfavorable, careless, to assail, detached, outsider, resistant, resists authority, unconventional, repugnant, insane, crazy, psychotic, inclined to disagree, unexpected, undesirable, opposite, counter to, conflicting, not common, without thought, moving forcefully, moving rapidly, without care, stubborn, pettish, to do as one wants without regard for consequences, unreasonable, illogical, insipid, weak, prone to change or fail, sudden mood changes, irregular, inconstant, unpredictable, impetuous, rash, impatient, fly-off-the-handle, outlier, unthoughtful, willful, irrational, wishy-washy, unstable, off center, changeable, lacking guiding principles, gut reaction, flounder, outside the norm, rebel, running wild, flip-flop, my way the only way, isolated decision-maker, loner, John McCain.

Sarah's Lack of Intellect

I read an excellent article at Newsweek.com by Sam Harris a few days ago and another one by Goldie Taylor published as an opinion piece by EbonyJet.com. Both writers talked about Sarah Palin and how unfit she is to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency.

Sam Harris, an avowed atheist, did not attack Palin on religious grounds, but rather on her lack of "intellectual preparation" for the number 2 position in the United States Government. Harris states that there is no indication that Sarah Palin even sees a "role for careful analysis or a deep understanding of world events when it comes to deciding the fate of a nation."

Harris declares that the problem with all this lack of intellectualism is that half the population thinks it is great to have the gal next door lead the country. Scary thought, isn't it? So just what are those folks thinking? Why do we demand high standards, education and training in other sectors -- teachers, engineers, scientists, accountants, and on and on -- but when it comes to leading this nation we are willing to settle for any average or below average citizen from Texas, Alaska or any of the other 48 states? 

I highly recommend Sam Harris' article as a thoughtful look at "mediocre" in politics.

The blog that became an opinion piece on EbonyJet.com, brought me to tears. Goldy Taylor not only told her personal story of challenge and triumph, but did so in the context of the feminist movement. She very pointedly shows why a vote for any ticket with Sarah Palin on it will be a step backward. Sarah Palin is anti-feminism and doesn't even get it. Goldy Taylor clearly outlines the issues that by all indications Palin, by her silence, knows nothing about -- inner city problems, HIV/AIDS, Hurricane Katrina, the infant mortality rate in Appalachia, and more.

Taylor quotes a recent Gloria Steinem article in the Los Angeles Times that clearly defines feminism: "Feminism has never been about getting a job for one woman. It's about making life more fair for women everywhere. It's not about a piece of the existing pie; there are too many of us for that. It's about baking a new pie." Both Taylor and Steinem deplore the political tactic by the Republicans that women will vote for any woman on a ticket, regardless of who she is. 

But the metaphor used by Taylor that evoked such an emotional response in me, was that of a brick layer. Taylor talks of being able to walk on the bricks laid by other women before her and she vows to vote for "people who lay bricks for people like me" regardless of gender, theology or experience . That bricklayer, she says, is Barack Obama.

(Special thanks to my son-in-law for introducing me to Sam Harris by way of his book, The End of Faith, and to Erica for forwarding an email via Michele with Goldy Taylor's work.) 

The Longest Week in Politics

It has been a long week since my last entry, partly because my satellite receiver is on the blink (for the second time in 9 months -- dial up is lookin' good!) and partly because of all the shenanigans being employed by McCain. As he continues to spout that he is a maverick, McCain can't seem to figure out where he stands on anything! First he is against bailing out AIG; then he is for it. First the "fundamentals of the economy are sound"; then he declares it such a crisis that he must suspend his campaign, can't debate, and must flying into Washington like superman to the rescue! 

McCain does actually find himself in a tough spot -- don't look like a Republican (people may think you're like Dubya) and don't sound like Obama (just take his ideas and mix the key words around a bit and act like you know what you're talking about).

His brand of Maverick is not what I want in a President. His judgement and decisions would fuel any crisis rather than solve it. Let's face it, folks. John McCain has NO IDEAS of his own -- he has NO LEADERSHIP ability in or out of a crisis -- he has NO DECISION MAKING ability, only off the cuff pronouncements.

John McCain's brand of Maverick brought us Sarah Palin; lies and deception; double-talk, not straight-talk; and a campaign led by the biggest lobbyists in the world! They have even succeeded in out doing Karl Rove when it comes to dirty politics. How dare he and his campaign strategists refuse to speak to the media, refuse to answer questions, refuse to give the American public any details to any so-called plan they have.

John McCain is first and foremost an opportunist -- taking any course that will promote his candidacy at any cost. He is using a real financial crisis to attempt to save his sorry butt. Worse than that, I believe that the main reason he wants to postpone the debate until October 2nd is to push back the date for the vice presidential debate because Sarah hasn't had enough time to memorize the script! What a bunch of losers!

Anyone giving odds on whether or not McCain will show up in Mississippi Friday night??

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

Yes, I'm talking about you, Sarah Palin, damned conservative saint -- 

who lies about the bridge to nowhere, 

lies about pork, 

lies about funding for special needs children, 

lies about overseeing 20% of America's oil production,

lies about attempts to censor books,

lies about troopergate,

lies about your foreign travel,

lies about your tanning bed,

lies about your "open, transparent" governing,

lies about everything.

Yes, I'm talking about you, Sarah Palin, pit bull, barracuda --

firing people who tell you the truth and hiring high school pals,

revenge-seeker,

holier than thou,

absentee mother,

never go anywhere without "First Dude" looking over your shoulder,

(why isn't he home with the children??),

anti-feminist throw-back,

hillbilly version of a Stepford Wife!

Do you honestly believe that if you tell a lie a bazillion times it becomes a truth?

Do you honestly believe that you know  better than the scientists who have studied global warming for decades?

Do you honestly oppose abortion even in cases of rape and incest?

Do you honestly believe that you and "first dude" are above the law and can ignore subpoenas?

Do you honestly believe that since Russia is close to Alaska you have foreign policy experience?

Then, how in the name of hell can you possibly believe that you could ever represent me?

Ping-Pong McCain

Picture a game of ping pong. On the right of the screen is Senator John McCain, the old Republican. On the left of the screen is Presidential-candidate John McCain, the old, new Republican. Ping -- the ball starts on the right with "Deregulate Now!" Pong -- the ball goes to the left and changes to "Regulate Immediately!" 

Ping -- Straight Talk / Pong -- Smoke and Mirrors 

Ping -- 90% Bush  / Pong -- Politics of Change

Ping -- Drill, Baby, Drill  /  Responsible Use of Energy

Ping -- No Equal Pay  /  Pong -- I have a woman on my ticket!

Ping -- Economic Principles are Strong  / Pong -- Obama has no economic plan

Ping -- Negative ads and rhetoric / Pong -- Democrats waging a negative campaign

 

Are you dizzy yet? Can't keep up with McCain's flip-flops? Reminds me of the quote, "I really didn't say everything I said." But really that wasn't John McCain, nor Sarah Palin. That was Yogi Berra!

Then there are the Pings with no Pongs:

Health Care -- just use the Emergency Room

Reproductive Rights -- Just say no

Poverty -- just get a job

Education -- just put sanctions on all public schools

Foreign Policy-- let's just put Spain in Central America and not talk to them

What part of Republican don't people get? 

McCain is a Republican who is trying to cross-dress as an Independent!! A vote for McCain/Palin )or is it (Palin/McCain??) is a vote for more of the same bull shit we have had for the past eight years!

Wake up, people! 

Service to Our Country

The first draft of my blog on Monday was titled "McCain's Service." In subsequent drafts I changed it to "McCain's Military Service." I wanted to be sure to specify just what service I meant. Ever since then my thoughts keep coming back to service: different kinds of service, the value of various types of service, and the many ways people serve our country and our citizens. In the process of clarifying my thoughts on the topic, I had several conversations with my son in Vermont regarding his service in the Peace Corps and I also thought about a book I recently read.

The work of the Peace Corps and similar volunteer organizations is a public service that not only benefits the countries they serve, but our country as well. There have been a total of 190,000 Peace Corps volunteers to date and currently 8079 volunteers are serving in 74 countries. These volunteers are working in agriculture, education, medicine, construction, small business, etc., with great results. And, by the way, with a current budget of only $330.8 million dollars. Less than a day of military warfare in Iraq??

I also thought about the work of Greg Mortenson that he describes in his book,"Three Cups of Tea." Since 1993 he has built over 58 schools serving over 24,000 students in Afganistan and Pakistan using no government money, yet gaining the trust of thousands of families in rural areas of those countries. His projects have been funded by American citizens. Greg believes that if you want to have a positive impact on a culture, educate the girls. His humanitarian service is of great value to our country and the world.

In my conversations with my son about his work in the Peace Corps, I asked him, "What did you leave behind in Paraguay?" He talked about the development work -- new latrines, wells, fruit trees, beekeepers, erosion control, reforestation, an understanding of agricultural chemicals, etc. Then he paused a moment and said, "But you know what, I think the most important thing I left behind is letting people know that gringos are just people, too. We are not Baywatch, Miami Vice, MASH, or any other old, dubbed show. We are just people. We are not Bush I or II, or Clinton, or any other government figurehead. We are just people who laugh, love and care. People that you can become great friends with."

Then I asked what he gained from his experience and he said, "Besides the obvious stuff like second and third languages, I gained perspective -- what it is really like to live poor in a third world country; what really makes one happy; needs vs. wants; looking at things from the perspective of another culture. Things like that." Then he added with a smile, "Finally, I gained my wife!" (also a former Peace Corp volunteer in Paraguay)

Later that evening Kent sent me the following email:

Mom,

I forgot to remind you about when I arrived in Paraguay. It was 2 months after the coup that rid the country of Alfredo Stroesner who had been president since the 1950's. He was a huge pal of the US because he hated communism despite gross human rights issues and a series of fixed "elections." Then Jimmy Carter put sanctions on Paraguay for human rights abuses. Reagan continued the sanctions and the Peace Corps remained. People feared the Policia Capital and many fled to Argentina. Lots of these people lived in my village of Caazapa. The general who took over after the coup unbelievably agreed to hold elections. The elections were interesting to watch. Many didn't know how to vote. Many were afraid. Some asked if I was voting! People died so that they could finally vote in a fair election. Meanwhile, how many people vote in the US each election? I don't think I have ever missed voting in my country since that first election in Paraguay.

Kent

Service to our country, service for our country. Have you seen Barack Obama's plan for service? Expand the Peace Corps and Americorps; connect senior citizens to volunteer opportunities; require service learning for students, and more. It's a plan that will serve our country and our citizens and help to restore our position of respect in the world community -- please read it and tell others about it. And please remember that our greatest service to our country and to ourselves is to VOTE!

McCain's Military Service

For many months now, every time Senator McCain is asked a question, no matter what the topic, somehow it comes back to, "I was a prisoner of war for five and a half years." To be perfectly clear, I have a deep and loving respect for those who serve our country in the military. Many close relatives and friends served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam and around the globe -- some gave their lives and some were disabled. I honor their service and the service of John McCain.

But those people I know who served have not used that honorable service for their personal gain. They have not hidden short-comings behind their service record. They have not sought pity nor fame by using their injuries.  John McCain has done all that and more.

John McCain was one of over 600 prisoners of war in Vietnam. He was a prisoner for not the longest nor the shortest length of time. He was not tortured any more or any less than the other prisoners of war. He did not suffer any more or any less than the other prisoners of war. All prisoners of war depended on each other and supported each other -- not just John McCain.

Granted, any prisoner of war is a hero -- whether they survive or perish, whether they come home broken or intact, whether they talk about it or not. Those who have experienced being a prisoner of war did not chose to do so, but in the face of what they had to endure, they showed persistence, resourcefulness, and courage. And many more war veterans who were not actual prisoners of war found themselves, nonetheless, imprisoned by the war upon their return.

On the sole basis of being a prisoner of war, John McCain would have us to believe that he is qualified to be President of the United States of America and is "ready to serve." If that is the case, then we have 599 other prisoners of the Vietnamese War who also qualify and are ready to serve. Since his service record is what is promoted as his qualification to lead the country, then we ought to take a closer look at that service: graduated near the bottom of his class at the Naval Academy, was lucky to graduate at all, was even luckier to have an Admiral for a father.

Many veterans, including my husband, a Vietnam veteran, are appalled by McCain's shameless use of his service to promote himself. Phillip Butler, a fellow officer and POW, says it best in his open letter. Jimmy Carter, who rarely denounces anyone, says that McCain is "milking" his service record.

Get off it, McCain. When you think you're looking good, you're looking bad! Your calculatedly soft-spoken, declarations about your service and POW status dishonor you and other service men and women who fought for this country and never used that service to garner power.

Tina Fey for VP

I'm proposing Tina Fey for VP on the Republican ticket! Good parody requires a degree of intelligence that Sarah Palin doesn't have. Just think -- Tina Fey can act like Sarah Palin (and therefore still appeal to the non-critical thinking people, the soap opera folks), but she's smarter! Can't get much better than that on a Republican ticket -- somebody with smarts!

Palin: Pit Bull or Pig?

Much has been written this week about Sarah Palin -- her lack of credentials, her well-documented lying, her pathetic interview with Charles Gibson, her shallow knowledge base, her dysfunctional family, her vengeful, calculating personality and her big-g god and guns philosophy. This whole phenomena of people going ga-ga over her has me totally baffled. I can't imagine why people want this woman to lead our country as she surely would lead wimpy McCain around by the nose! The media tells us that her popularity is because people can identify her, she is the woman next door. Oh, spare me! What about those of us who want something a little more dignified for a leader? Someone with real credentials, intelligence, compassion, ethics, experience and dignity? Palin has none of that.

Thank the small-g gods that her nomination is beginning to implode -- it is easy to track her lies and her strange world view and the media is on to her:  the bridge to nowhere and other earmarks; her bullying tactics; her non-trip to Iraq; her secretive budget process in Alaska; her firing of people she can't bully and hiring of high school chums she can control; her eBay sale; her support of Alaskan secessionists; and on and on. 

I'm reminded of one of my favorite JFK quotes: 

The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie: 

deliberate, continued, and dishonest; 

but the myth: 

persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic.

I'm bothered by all the McCain/Palin lies, but I'm even more troubled by the myths they (and their promoters) have perpetuated. The myths about themselves: reform mavericks, Country First, family values, we are just like you, experienced, ready to lead, have the answers, etc. They are persistent, persuasive and unrealistic. Myths aren't true, but they are very difficult to debunk.

Even worse are the myths the McCain/Palin ticket has promoted about Barack Obama: that he is a Muslim, an elitist, a sexist, not ready to lead, promotes comprehensive sex education for kindergarten students, will raise your taxes, etc. Again the myths aren't true, but they are persistent and persuasive and don't ever seem to go away.

Our only hope lies in the belief that the majority of voting citizens are smart, intelligent and able to think critically about the issues in this election. Anyone want to give me odds on this one? 

This is the most important election in my lifetime -- and I'm old! Isn't it time we set the bar higher? Set our sights on hope, peace and opportunity, rather than on ignorance, fear and despair? 

The Politicizing of 9/11

Even after seven years, I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard about the first airplane flying into the Twin Towers in New York City. I'll probably never forget it. It was the day we began to understand that some people in the world really did hate us beyond just the usual "ugly American" stuff, but that most of the world was grieving with us. Why we were (and still are) hated by the people represented by the terrorist groups has been slower to creep into our understanding and denied by many citizens and in many ways by our government as well. Our government's reaction to 9/11 has done nothing to  improve our safety nor our standing in the world, but probably has done much harm in both areas.  They have failed to understand that the Muslims are not to blame, the people of Afghanistan and Iraq and Iran are not to blame. Our wars against Afghanistan and Iraq have not brought those responsible for 9/11 to justice at all. They have only served to strengthen the resolve of the terrorists. Power yielded without social  responsibility, compassion and foresight is immoral, unethical and just plain wrong.

On top of that, for the Republican Party to use Guilliani's speech and the images of 9/11 in their campaign convention to continue feeding the fears of the American people is also immoral, unethical and just plain wrong.

I didn't hear much buzz about it during or after the convention and began to think that I was just being over-emotional about it all -- until I heard Keith Olbermann last evening. His comments should be heard loud and clear by every American. The McCain campaign with its Rovarian play book should be ashamed. McCain has dishonored himself and negated his service to our country.

On this day of national mourning -- I say, "Enough, Enough, Enough!" No more politics of fear.

Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, R - Georgia

You may wonder why someone from the state of Washington is writing about a Congressman from Georgia. It's because I think everyone, everywhere should be aware of this man and others like him. Rep. Westmoreland was interviewed after Palin's acceptance speech and was asked to compare her to Michele Obama. (Dumb question, but....) In response Westmoreland called the Obama's "uppity." The reporter asked him to clarify -- did you use the word, "uppity?" Westmoreland responded, "Yeah, uppity." 

Well, as you can imagine there was quite an uproar, but it was mostly confined to the internet and places like the LA Times and NY Times -- not in your average American newspapers, nothing in the Bellingham Herald and probably not in the Oil City Derrick or the York Daily Record. 

So the next day, Westmoreland issued a statement saying that he didn't know that "uppity" was a common derogatory term used to describe blacks seeking equal treatment!!!! 

Can you believe that??? Here is a man born in Georgia in 1950 and raised in the segregated South and he claims he didn't know???

Does he think the American people are stupid enough to believe that?? Oh, right, he's a Republican. 

(His Republican buddies probably think that his only mistake was using the real word rather than the Republican-approved code word -- elitist.)

Friedman on the Environment

I have always admired Thomas Friedman (author of "The World Is Flat") and often read his column in the NY Times. His column from September 3, 2008, was excellent. Here is my short synopsis of "And Then There Was One" --

Friedman writes to an audience of "back-to-school" college students who may be voting for the first time and where there is no bigger issue than the environment. He says that at one time he thought that we would have two "green" candidates for president, but "that view is no longer operative --" due to the following:

• Sarah Palin wants to drill in ANWR
• She doesn't believe that people played any part in climate change
• McCain didn't vote on 8 bills to extend tax credits for wind/solar power
• He supports lowering the gas tax ("a reckless giveaway")
• He misleads people to think that drilling now = lower gas prices now

Friedman quotes Carl Pope of the Sierra Club: "Back in June, the 

Republican Party had a round-up. One of the unbranded cattle -- 

a wizened old maverick name John McCain -- finally got roped. 

Then they branded him with a big 'Lazy O' -- George Bush's brand, 

where the O stands for oil. No more maverick."

Welcome

I must credit my son Kent for spurring me out of the cut and paste dark ages and into a blog. I'm not really sure just what this blog will ultimately become, but I'll take his advice and use it for now to give you bullet points on the news of the day that I deem important.

I actually hate bullet points, even though I know that sometimes it's the only thing busy people read now. I prefer the "whole enchilada," the entire article. But I guess that's not how I'll get folks to listen. So, here goes, Kent. Just what you asked for ---