First up from the God Machine this week is a look at the extent to which the religious right movement is ignoring the Republican Party establishment and rallying in defense of Todd Akin's (R) Senate campaign in Missouri.
On Thursday, Mike Huckabee threw his support to the right-wing candidate, signaling broader support from evangelicals, but also note how far religious right figures like Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association were willing to go in backing Akin.
As Right Wing Watch noted, Fischer initially likened Akin criticism to the Pharisees' persecution of Jesus, but in this clip, the AFA leader went further, suggesting the congressman has practically been a rape victim himself. "You talk about a forcible situation, you talk about somebody being a victim of forcible assault, that would be Todd Akin," Fischer said.
Though that kind of rhetoric may be unique to the AFA, religious right support for Akin is broad and solidifying -- the Family Research Council and Concerned Women for America, among others, are defending the Republican from GOP attacks.
Some of this support appears to even push legal boundaries. Federal tax law prohibits tax-exempt religious groups from intervening in political campaigns, but Americans United for Separation of Church and State reported this week that the Missouri Baptist Convention has actually taken deliberate steps to get Akin elected, which the IRS may well find problematic.
The larger point, though, is that a meaningful schism is getting wider, with the Republican establishment on one side and evangelical social conservatives, who largely approve of Akin's bizarre understanding of biology, on the other.
Also from the God Machine this week:
* Political reporters were, for the first time, invited to attend Mormon church services with Mitt Romney and his family last weekend.
* Rep. Ben Quayle (R) of Arizona this week tried to argue on Fox News that the recent Republican shenanigans at the Sea of Galilee had a religious underpinning. "[S]ome people had been talking about, 'This is the only opportunity that we will be able to go into the sea where Jesus walked on water,'" he said.
* Rev. Grant Storm, a Louisiana-based Christian pastor known for his anti-gay activism, was convicted of obscenity this week after being caught masturbating at a public park near a children's playground.
* And E.J. Dionne sat down with Massachusetts Senate hopeful Elizabeth Warren this week, and covered her religious beliefs in ways most Warren interviews have not. Pay particular attention to the emphasis the candidate places on the Book of Matthew.
Leave a Comment:
So the Right has moved from physical to metaphorical "rape".
They should know, being long-time experts on raping my Constitution!
But is their metaphorical rape legitimate, or illegitimate?
Upton Sinclair had it right back in 1932: "When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross."
The E.J.Dionne article about Elizabeth Warren's religious beliefs is very good. Please take the time to check it out. It provides goods reasons why we should improve on the Affordable Care Act and the stupidity of repealing it.
What part of Akin's dogma is even in the Bible? The right is now just making stuff up and vaguely attributing it to an ever silent and accommodating god.
Tom51 ... It's also a good reason why we should should have gone--and still should go--to single payer. Most of these controversies would have been easily avoided had Obama and the Dems done the simple and sensible thing in 2010.
We wouldn't be discussing religious exemptions, and we wouldn't have this phony "Obama stealing from Medicare" line from the Repubs.
Raise the Medicare tax rate to 4%, 5%, or whatever it takes to stabilize the system and extend care to all. Our overall medical costs would drop. Overall health would improve.
@mpguy Re: #1.5
I agree that single-payer would have been the better way to go. BUT single-payer did not have the support of all of the Democrats and would never have passed.
At least we started the process of change to reform our health care system.
If single-payer had passed, we would not have had the same arguments. But it really would have been "socialized medicine" and we would still have had arguments about what should be covered. Plus we would have eliminated a whole industry sector - private health insurance.
For now, we give the new system a try, and fight to keep the single-payer system we have - "Medicare".
One of the Democrats that was instrumental in getting Congress to vote against the single payer system was Max Baucus, D, Montana. This is why:
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.php?cycle=Career&cid=N00004643
Universal healthcare was the only option that would have provided everyone healthcare and still kept costs down. But the Insurance Lobby is to big for that option to be even considered!!
So right, And when you see how money is shaping this election ...the insurance lobby would have been ruthless
I agree with all the above opinions about health-care. Single payer is the only way to go that makes sense to me. Since health-care is a basic necessity, there should be a national social contract for it.
Back to the week in god, how will the TeaHaddists rallying around Akin react to the other Republicans who are trying to disown him, notwithstanding their no-exceptions TeaHaddist platform. Could we possibly see a schism developing?
There must have been some incestuous relationships in the Quale fmily because Ben is even more stupid than his father.
Yeah, what part of "Go f*ck yourself - this is a Holy Site!" did he fail to understand?
He just wanted holy water for his son. That whole scandal wasn't the skinny dipping-- it was Sheldon Adelson paying for a fifth of our Congress to go on a propaganda tour to a foreign country.
After watching "The Mormon Candidate," a BBC documentary currently being shown on Current TV, it may be possible that Mittens may be protecting the Mormon Church by not releasing his taxes. The documentary is excellent (as most BBC documentaries are), and through interviews of Mormon officials, ex-Mormons and excommunicated Mormons the documentarian suggests convincingly that the LDS church does indeed operate like a cult. Indeed it seems very similar to the Church of Scientology although probably due to it's age more sophisticated.
It was interesting to see that in reality the LDS Church seems to be a combination of cult, Freemasonry (which is where the "magic underwear, secret signs etc., come from) and of a corporation. The two former aspects allow them to control their "flock" while maintaining loyalty and secrecy and the latter allows them to control and channel funds especially to the upper echelon of the church like Mitt. This may very well be why Mitt does not want his taxes released.
As far as his Presidential aspirations are concerned, it was shown that the church has used ex (and perhaps active) FBI and CIA agents to track and intimidate church members who have decided to leave the "flock" and that is very troubling to me.
Yet another reason why there should be a separation between church and corporations and the state.
The companion piece on Obama is also excellent. I urge everyone to track down "current TV" (Channel 215 on DISH) and watch!
I remember when my father, a 33rd degree Mason, walked into the Mormon Tabernacle (we were visiting friends in SLC) and looked around the main room, up at all the symbols. He turned and said "the guy who invented this religion stole liberally from the Masons."
Given that Masonry was very widespread in America in the 19th Century and particularly in the 1820-1840 period (which is why there was an Anti-Mason Party then), this makes a lot of sense. Convicted and confessed con-man Joseph Smith (confessed and given a sentence in 1824 for conning people that he could find treasure on their land) would have definitely known that stuff.
the religion started by valentine smith in "stranger in a strange land" steals liberally from mormonism.
a bit more about tithing and the value of the mormon church, via reuters
Relying heavily on church records in countries that require far more disclosure than the United States, Reuters and University of Tampa sociologist Ryan Cragun estimate that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints brings in some $7 billion annually in tithes and other donations.
It owns about $35 billion worth of temples and meeting houses around the world, and controls farms, ranches, shopping malls and other commercial ventures worth many billions more.
Active members are most likely to tithe, and the result is that from a financial standpoint at least, the church remains largely a venture of active American members, says Cragun, who adds that U.S. Mormon men tend to be wealthier than the average U.S. male.
"Most of the revenue of the religion is from the U.S., and a large percentage comes from an elite cadre of wealthy donors, like Mitt Romney," said Cragun.
"Mormonism is a religion that appeals to economically successful men by rewarding their financial acuity with respect and positions of prestige within the religion."
more at the source
http://news.yahoo.com/insight-mormon-church-made-wealthy-donations-110144212.html
Hum, convoluted, isn't it?
Would that mean the church isn't pushing Romney to the Oval office and isn't seeking to install the White Horse after all?
Did Romney just decide to run for president (it's his turn, after all) and if so, wouldn't he want or need to seek the church's approval? Would they give it, if they're so scared of Romney's tax return disclosures?
Considering, I imagine that yes, the church gave its "blessing" to have one of their own in the Oval office and no, it's not the church Romney is protecting, it's himself.
I led a girlfriend astray before joining the Army and shipping overseas. I took her to a church with my parents; a modest Protestant congregation. That set off a spark in her spiritual awakening.
Later I learned that she had joined the Jehovah's Witness denomination, and then later, left them to join the LDS.
When I was discharged three years later, I took it upon myself the "quest": To research the LDS faith and if need be, get her the hell out of there.
I went to local LDS church services with her several times. If I had been searching for spiritual food, I would not have found it - I would have gone hungry and starved. The core of the sermon/messages were dedicated to financial wealth and those who were succeeding in being blessed by God.
I took the standard series of lessons from missionaries over several weeks. I borrowed books, and finally took my friend to a professor of Theology at a Bible college in Portland, Oregon. He was an academic. Not a titled zealot of distorted opinions and information. My friend was looking for the Christian God. After that one hour meeting, she understood that she was in the wrong house.
Whenever I see video clips of Romney on the campaign trail, the stammer, nervous laugh, eye blinking, stiff movements; all I can think is this is a person who would not choose to run for president, if he were able/free to determine his own will.
NeedCoffee2,
In all my years and in all my various spiritual circumstances...I do not remember one time I have ever heard the words, "Jesus is a bigot!" used by believers or non-believers for that matter. Where do such attitudes come from amongst so-called Christians?
Romney does expect it is his time. In 2007, he so wanted the presidency that we spent campaign funding plus 40+ million of his own (family) money! To use his phrasing: "That's want, my friend." Moreover this time Mitt believes: (1) The republicans in Congress have stifled this President's ability to operate. (2) The RNC/Karl Rove/Billionaires are financing his campaign. (3) He believes he can swoop in and "take this" from out of this Pres. Obama's hands! Afterall, Romney is "old money" and this "new money" black President doesn't come a respected financial lineage.
And how much of that is spent on the general public, if any? That is why they should by no means be considered a charity. Romney does himself an undeserved honor by claiming his millions in donations to the Mormon church are "charity".
The GOP establishment is only angry at Akin for saying what he did on camera. His position is no different than what was in the Akin/Ryan abortion bill.....Was Pastor Storm spanking it for Jesus?
I met Mormon faith over 50 years ago.
I asked for a copy of the Book of Mormon and got it. Read from cover to cover. What I remember most is that Redskins and Blacks were not accepted by the church. I then asked about women. The answer was that they received their blessings through their husbands. When asked what happened to single women the answer was a shoulder shrug.
So women can not be part of the Mormon Church.
Things have changed since then. Now Blacks are accepted. I don't know if they are full members.
BTW, my encounter with the Mormon faith occurred in the 50's, in Argentina
For anyone who is looking for the Book of Mormon, just Google "The Skeptics Bible". It has the full Christian, Mormon and Qu'ran, along with some great observations. For instance: "And it came to pass" is used hundreds of times in the BoM, so much so that it simply becomes a parody of itself.
Scary times: First Candidate Obama gets blasted for making a "cling to their guns and bible" guffaw in '08, then Napolitano's DHS report warning of guns and bible toting terrorists gets blasted, and now we are witnessing those who were at the two previous blast sites coalescing around yet another explosive dogma on their agenda - punishing women!
Scary times: The Republican brand has gone from harboring unhinged far Right dogmatists to embracing them, voting for them in the primaries, and now running them to get power from 2012 onward - scary times! -Kevo
According to Grover Norquist "All we have to do is replace Obama. ... We are not auditioning for fearless leader. We don't need a president to tell us in what direction to go. We know what direction to go. We want the Ryan budget. ... We just need a president to sign this stuff. We don't need someone to think it up or design it. The leadership now for the modern conservative movement for the next 20 years will be coming out of the House and the Senate."
The Republican party wants to govern as a Republican Regime. If they get what they want, we as a country will know the year Democracy died.
I totally agree with this #6.1: Mitt is another Bush-weak figurehead who'll sign into law whatever his so-called buddies tell him to sign. He himself will make no notable contribution other than representing the US government with his empty photogenic face and making rich folks richer.
And as the primaries have shown, a nation full of "Biblical values" conservatives have relinquished every one of their principles to support a lying Stericycle Republican. They've dumped everything to vote for a man who stands for nothing.
While there is no doubt that Mitt is a rich businessman and will vote along the interests of the corporate line, much of those views intersect with the LDS church. I have now lived in several states and communities with a strong LDS presence and all of those communities have had church officials involved with and sometimes wholly controlling the government. One has only to look at states like Utah and Idaho just to name a couple to see what I mean.
I recall 20 to 30 years ago when a cult tried to take over the government in Oregon and everyone in that state practically took up arms in resistance to that takeover. However,the LDS church has slowly taken over several states now and no one really has noticed. Then again the Republican party itself has really become a theocratic party which is also problematic.
Separation of church and state is one of the hallmarks of our democracy and yet the Republican's certainly don't see a danger and in fact seem to embrace their theocratic ideals despite the fact that the majority of the population don't agree with almost everything they stand for.
I live in another state that has a high Mormon population, Arizona. Unfortunately I live in Mesa, AZ, which was founded by the Mormon's. Unless you are a Mormon, it is virtually impossible to get elected here. That bastion of political ineptitude, Russell Pearce (SB1070) lives here, as well as his spawn (also running for office).
You know, I get that the religious right would support Akin's position. It's no surprise that they feel abortion is wrong and should be illegal. But to support what Akin said makes no sense to me because the whole "legitimate rape victims don't get pregnant because the stress of the rape shuts down the female reproductive system" is just factually wrong. The real problem here, as I see it, is that no one is separating his position from what he actually said. There has been no condemnation of the fact that the man couldn't science his way out of a paper bag by Huckabee or the AFA or anyone else that has taken up for him, not that I can see.
Republican's like to pretend they believe in American ideals but they do not.
Take the women's choice issue. Democrats do not believe in or try to force rape victims, or poor women or anyone else to have abortions. They believe that the government has absolutely no right to interfere with peoples freedoms and choices. Democrats believe in freedom and liberty. This is what made this country great.
Republican's on the other hand do want to force women to have children even in the case of rape, incest (can you imagine forcing a woman to have her fathers or brothers child), or when her life or health is at risk. This is extreme like the Republican's themselves, and is based upon selective religious beliefs that they want to force upon everyone else in the country. This is the exact opposite of freedom and liberty and flies in the face of the Republican's constant whining about "big government" and government interference in peoples lives.
Recall the Teri Schiavo case where the Republicans would not accept the prognosis of multiple doctors who told them that her brain had deteriorated beyond recovery. One can imagine similar circumstances where a fetus would be dead but Republicans would demand that a woman carry it to term. I do not even know that in some cases where birth would be possible in this instance and since an abortion would be a criminal offense the woman and doctors would be put in an impossible situation.
This is the craziness and extremism of the Republican party.
And what branch of Fundamentalism (Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu) have you ever heard of worrying about facts regarding anything associated with their beliefs? Fundamentalism is its own religion, involving dogma, a myth of persecution by outsiders, the oppression of women and those "not us", and a willingness to resort to force to impose these beliefs on "unbelievers." Fundamentalism in all its branches is religious fascism.
Absolutely! Fundamentalism is all about power and control. It has little to do with actual spirituality.
Absolutely!
FundamentalismAll Organized Religion is all about power and control. It haslittlenothing to do with actual spirituality.Fixed it. (TC's Philadelphia Quaker grandpa knows whereof I speak!)
I might agree except in the case of Buddhism. They don't try to control or oppress anyone nor have they ever pushed any wars or violence. There is usually an exception to every rule.
Please don't except Buddhists. These are human beings in every sense of the word. Buddhists have their own history of atrocities and hatreds for other religions, particularly Muslims, against whom Buddhists have committed murder.
The exception to every rule of which you speak is utterly true however, as in all places and endeavors it stems from those individual human beings committed to kindness and peace and truth. It is they who uphold the exception within every single religion working today and it is they who make it so difficult to condemn or altogether abandon a corrupted religion.
One has to wonder if Buddhism is actually a religion, rather that a philosophy. One of the characteristics of a religion is belief in a god or at least in the supernatural. I don't think (and correct me if I'm wrong) that adherents to Buddhism consider Buddha as a god.
Can someone alert Paul Ryan that his idol would not vote for him.
Abortion: An Absolute Right
http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5105
I should point out that this article is about the fact that Ann Rand believed Abortion was a RIGHT and that the Government should stay out of a woman's womb. Funny how Ryan never talks about that part of Rand's philosophy.
Ryan wants smaller Government, yet wants the Government to control women's reproductive choices. No Government, State or Federal, should be able to FORCE women to carry a pregnancy to term. No one FORCES a woman who is pro-life to have an Abortion, we currently provide women the right to make the choice of terminating a pregnancy or not based on their situation, their family, their conscience and God. No where does the Government fit into that equation.
Ryan, like all Republican's claim they want smaller government but always vote for larger government. Just like they claimed they were going to create jobs two years ago but voted against every single jobs bill that came across their desk over the last two years.
They count of the public not paying attention and the media not informing them.
"Legitimate"-Rape-Public-CONs do want government to be small - small enough to fit right into women's vaginas!
"I see the problem. You have "Legitimate"-Rape-Public-CONs in your vagina."
Vulture/Voucher 2012
Proving Two Rights DO Make a Wrong!
;-)
This whole debate isn't really about abortion. It's more specifically about abortions for poorer people, especially minorities.
There will always be abortions. Those who are financially well off will always be able to make the unwanted baby go away. They always have. Even when abortions weren't legal, they'd make some secret (and expensive) financial arrangement with a local doctor, or even fly to a foreign country. It was all very hush-hush. So prim and proper.
Those with fewer financial resources don't have these options. They're stuck. Republicans work hard to cut social programs so that, once the baby is born, there won't be any financial assistance for the parents. After all, that baby is punishment for their "immoral" behavior, and they must endure it--and the financial problems that accompany it.
After all, the more poor people we have, the better for the corporate masters. Keeps wages down and the workforce compliant.
Oh I still think it's all about punishing women for promiscuity.Though yeah..that too.
I bet they want to do the LDS food pantries and loans for the poor thing in place of SS/Medicaid/Welfare. It's a plan to drive people back to the churches?
But isn't it amazing how, in all their banter about the sanctity of life, I don't see any of them objecting to the death penalty.
Pretzelogic -
Just followed your link..that's hysterical. And begs the question: Can that be cured with penicillin?
This makes perfect sense when you recall "small government" means "authoritarian government". The right defines "small government" as "more freedom" but the "freedom" the right want is to impose their values on everyone else and the freedom to thumb their noses at the rule of law. The right call constitutional authority to protect legal rights "big government" and hate it because it limits their ability to commit crimes.
in additional twig news
the fire that struck a christian church in southern ohio last friday has been ruled arson...the pastor believes that their support for gay members of the congregation was the reason they were targeted,
https://woub.org/2012/08/20/hocking-co-church-fire-ruled-arson
Rights are not rights if others make choices for you. Our laws are in constant change, and rightly so. We follow the law and change it if we do not agree with it if we can. But inalienable rights are just that. Bush took some of them away because he and Cheney sensed the mood of the country and deemed that he could get away with it. A bad precedent, and one that continues in this neverending argument. Woman's body, her choice on one side. Aborting a fetus is murder on the other. I'm for letting the woman decide, she's the one who lives with the decision, the others just pontificate and then move on...
No rights are inalienable, if human beings can take them away from other human beings. No rights are god-given, if that god makes no sound or move to protect them. There are nations all over this planet where rights and liberties do not flourish because the humans in power don't allow it.
We stand far too confidently on our rights being inalienable. The people working to subvert our republic know that "inalienable" stands only as long as Power allows it. Time We the People face that myth ourselves and not allow any Power to dismantle piece by piece what has taken this nation two centuries of sacrifice and blood and human toll to build.
here's some catholic news of possible interest
priests are not vatican employees, judge rules in sex abuse case
http://news.yahoo.com/vatican-win-judge-says-priests-arent-employees-212058131.html
and
catholics divided over nyc cardinal dolan's delivering the blessing at the republican national convention
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/cardinal-timothy-dolans-gop-convention-blessing-prompts-debate/2012/08/23/6d69c280-ed65-11e1-866f-60a00f604425_story.html
and
Anita Guzzardi. a finance executive who linked her $900,000 embezzlement from the Philadelphia archdiocese to the church's sex-abuse scandal was sentenced Friday to two to seven years in prison.
http://news.yahoo.com/pa-churchs-ex-cfo-gets-2-7-years-155702840.html
Mormons believe, rather ferociously, in magic undergarments. I listened to them explain why and it make no sense. I'll pass on religion and just try to keep my spiritual side intact. Emily Dickinson has a poem that starts, "Some keep the sabbath by going to church, I keep it staying at home..." that comforts me somehow. It's worth looking up, believe me...(or not, your choice)
I am comforted by the words of Ihab Hassan:
"Unknowingly, we plow the dust of stars, blown about us by the wind, and drink the universe in a glass of rain."
Ninz -
Lovely quote (and scientifically accurate, too!). Thanks.
Vulture/Voucher 2012
Proving Two Rights DO Make a Wrong!
;-)
Pretzel, would you do me the courtesy of a reply?
Requested here: ***Pardon me, while I "whip out" a somewhat lengthy reply.***
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/08/21/13399471-tuesdays-mini-report?commentId=69181385&__utma=154396583.1002071434.1345922217.1345922217.1345922217.1&__utmb=154396583.4.10.1345922217&__utmc=154396583&__utmx=-&__utmz=154396583.1345922217.1.1.utmcsr=(direct)|utmccn=(direct)|utmcmd=(none)&__utmv=154396583.|8=Earned%20By=newsvine%7Cnewsvine=1^12=Landing%20Content=Original=1^13=Landing%20Hostname=pretzelogicinphillypa.newsvine.com=1^30=Visit%20Type%20to%20Content=Internal%20to%20Original=1&__utmk=9595637#c69181385
and in a story related to both "twig" and politics in general:
In more than six years of spying on Muslim neighborhoods, eavesdropping on conversations and cataloging mosques, the New York Police Department’s secret Demographics Unit never generated a lead or triggered a terrorism investigation, the department acknowledged in court testimony unsealed late Monday.
http://www.salon.com/2012/08/22/nypd_spying_on_muslims_yielded_no_leads_or_cases/
I consider myself a religious person, a Catholic as a matter of fact and I find the religious right wing, especially in the south, extremely dangerous.
They don't get the fact that their views and actions are no different from the extreme radicals in the Middle East. How are these extremists any different than the extremists that called for Jihad against America? When you remove tolerance, you remove logic and sanity.
What don"t they get regarding "separation of church and state?"
The far right radicals that could defend Akin's comments and liken what transpired to being like "Akin was himself raped," is beyond indefensable! Maybe they need to be taught the definition of rape, every grusome detail both mentally and physically.
I like Huck's patriotic defense of the good soldier Akin. "We can't leave one of our own behind on the battlefield". It reminded me of what Cheney said to Bush when Scooter Libby didn't get a pardon. They are so patriotic is brings a tear to my eye.
globalove! -
I certainly share your frustration, but not your suggestion that anyone be subjected to rape, however "educational" it might be for certain hypocrites.
The fact that it's an inherent part of our society/government/tradition. It's not that they don't understand the concept - they simply deny that it's how our nation is intended to be governed. The explicit goal for many of them is to establish (or, in the context of their deranged view of our history) "re-establish" a Christian "Dominionist" theocracy...
Vulture/Voucher 2012
Proving Two Rights DO Make a Wrong!
;-)
Deferred draft dodgers talking about battle fields...
Hallelujah! We are in luck!
I have invented a gun that will shoot a frozen human embryo directly into the buttocks of pro-life conservatives. Additionally, these embryoes are genetically designed to attach and thrive in any tissue of the human body. Plus they all have AIDs and Hepatitis type C.
Currently working on a 100-shot refrigerated magazine in honor of the NRA. Just gotta engineer a workable cooling system that uses dry ice.
I call it the Conundrum Gun. As conservatives believe every pregnancy is a blessing from God, I intend to bless as many of them as possible.
By the way, Pretzel, would you do me the courtesy of a reply?
Requested here: ***Pardon me, while I "whip out" a somewhat lengthy reply.***
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/08/21/13399471-tuesdays-mini-report?commentId=69181385&__utma=154396583.1002071434.1345922217.1345922217.1345922217.1&__utmb=154396583.4.10.1345922217&__utmc=154396583&__utmx=-&__utmz=154396583.1345922217.1.1.utmcsr=(direct)|utmccn=(direct)|utmcmd=(none)&__utmv=154396583.|8=Earned%20By=newsvine%7Cnewsvine=1^12=Landing%20Content=Original=1^13=Landing%20Hostname=pretzelogicinphillypa.newsvine.com=1^30=Visit%20Type%20to%20Content=Internal%20to%20Original=1&__utmk=9595637#c69181385
Pretzelogic in Philly,PA:
I did not mean to suggest these radicals be actually raped. I meant to suggest that the religious right wing radicals be taught the effects, both physical and pychological of an actual rape. Akin being called to the mat by the media for his stupidy isn't even close to an actual rape.
As Letterman said, Maddow is one of the smartest woman on the planet ((-:
Sorry for not wording correctly.
http://consumerist.com/2012/07/report-32-billion-in-federal-aid-going-to-students-at-underperforming-for-profit-colleges.html
This is your money (taxes) at for profit colleges...
Don't you think the above paradigm fits nicely with many religious institutions (let's use for this example the mormon church)? 17% of the monies collected go for instruction. The rest goes to profit and marketing. What does the mormon church do with it's "profit"? I would think if gives it out to it's top "bishops", right?
So, certainly Twitt tithes big time to his churchy, right into his churchy bank account where. it is matched two or threefold from the churchy profits for his being a "outstanding performer" bishop. He gets to write off the contribution on his income tax and lo and behold he get's to keep the money and then some in some mormon bank.
Elizabeth Warren is surprised that the democrats don't want to tout the ACA. As I remember health care reform during the Clinton presidency it seemed to me over half of the democrats were in the health care industry's pockets, big time. Which is a big part of the reason I am the Socialist I am today...
Nothing very different, communion, no cross on the wall, but same and boring, wafers may be Wonder Bread though. (Joke)
I would love to see Elizabeth Warren get some speaking time at the Democratic Convention. In my opinion she is every good a speaker as Bill Clinton.
She's going to speak:
http://www.boston.com/politicalintelligence/2012/07/30/elizabeth-warren-speak-before-bill-clinton-democratic-convention-but-will-not-deliver-keynote/jpNDSF7zbfHoYdRI6MmEWM/story.html
I've brought up the point about the IRS several times before. WHERE ARE THEY?? This is the same agency that will gleefully turn a few hundred dollars of tax liability into a several thousand dollar debt with penalties and interest--then hound a taxpayer forever over it. They'll take away a tax exemption for a small non-profit organization over a technicality. They'll "pierce the corporate veil" to go into personal assets when a small business owner can't pay back payroll or corporate income taxes. They'll close down a business without a second thought for not filing some minor "information return" that has no tax impact.
However, with groups like the AFA, Crossroads, or these other "educational" groups that are thinly-veiled fronts for political activity, IRS buries its head in the sand.
Come on, revenue agents. Let's see you hold some of the powerful to the same letter of the law you enforce with such vigor against the little guy.
POTUS folks might offer Romney a 12 copies of Obama's birth certificat in exchange
for last 12 years tax returns
POTUS might offer 12 copies's of his birth cert. to Mr. Romney in exchange for 12 years of tax returns.
Todd Akin is in trouble with his fellow Republicans because he had the audacity to say out loud what the party line is.
Check out "The Repuglican War on Women" on "Grumbles From an Old Grouch" (grumblesfromanoldgrouch.com). You'll be amazed (and a bit frightened) how many anti-women bills Todd Akin and Paul Ryan co-sponsored.
http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/25/13476316-romney-ryan-reach-out-to-female-voters-ahead-of-convention?
They could not possible do it on their own "Women need our help.", the same way they
need your help when they are making decisions about their body and reproduction.
Leave it to Religious Right to point out victimhood among their own. You can see it play out-- Let's get our "troops" (the people in our pews) to defend the victim. But the guy was just saying what he meant and GOP shills got pissed because he spilled the beans about women lying about being raped.
Rachel: Why don't you give equal time to the Green Party's female candidates to see what they have to offer in this discussion? I'm tired of the same old crap from the male candidates!