Trayvon Martin: Death and Insanity

A little more than a moth ago, Trayvon Martin was killed on the streets of a gated community by a neighborhood watch psycho.  It leaves me with a few questions about Florida, such as WHY DO THE REST OF US BOTHER WITH THAT SHITHOLE?  I think it is time to stop visiting Florida, stop spending our money of Florida exports, and keep it up until this official license to murder, the "Stand Your Ground" law.  Florida has been fucking the rest of us for that last decade and a half.  Dear crazy Floridians:  Piss off!  

Pukeface Trump

I think of "The Donald" and I throw up a little.  I guess that's better than dubya.  

Reality Check

I overheard a conversation between two women today.  Not intentionally, but situationally. One woman told the other about a myriad of health concerns that were potentially fatal.  She was young, maybe 40. The conversation moved to her four children.  She began to sob. She said that "I just cry all day.  What am I going to do with my kids?"  The woman shook, while her friend just held her. It was such a powerful reminder that most of the things that have a negative effect on my day are pretty fucking pointless-priorities can shift or be shifted for you.  I hope that woman survives. 

Something is fucked up at Sprint/Nextel

I attempted to text message the Ed Show tonight on MSNBC. I do this regularly, for a couple of reasons:

#1: I love text messaging. Nothing makes me happier than a text message in the middle of a boring meeting at work, or a funny picture from my sisters, or a dirty joke from a friend. It breaks up the day.

#2: To support liberal media. Ed Schultz shares many of my personal values. I want to help show how many of us rely on MSNBC for a liberal approach to the beltway crapfest of the day.

Tonight, like many others, I texted 662639 to answer the daily question, "will tax cuts for the rich help or hurt the poor?" A for yes, B for no.

I texted B. Instead of the usual thanks for voting and stay tuned sort of return text, I received this:

"This service is not available to Sprint Nextel subscribers; please call Sprint Nextel support (1-888-211-4727) for more information."

I called Sprint Nextel customer service. The nice kid on the other end told me that it was not Sprint Nextel but the company that handles MSNBC's text messages, Single Point, that was the issue.

I called Single Point. A very patient customer service rep explained to me that, to simplify, Sprint Nextel is charging MSNBC to receive my text and send me a response. So to be clear: I pay to send and receive a text. Sprint Nextel is double charging, causing MSNBC to decline Sprint Nextel text messages. Hmmm. ESPN and MTV are also joining in on the fun.

This is not okay. I pay plenty for my phone plan, even becoming a "premier customer" whatever that is. But I can't text my liberal news text polling. Goodbye Sprint Nextel. And kiss my ass.

Back

Back. With a vengence. Check out my new article at elijahmoon.newsvine.com

Election Rejection!

Well the Dems were hammered in the Gov. Races of New Jersey. Is this a sign of things to come? Is there a long,dark shadow hovering over us? Dare I even write it down? Brace yourself. I will whisper it...1994.

The year that Newt Gingrich and his whacky band of Repubs stormed the capital and shoved their "Contract With America" down our throats.

Here is a list of the happenings from Wikipedia:

The Contract had promised 10 bills to implement major reform of the Federal Government. When the 104th Congress assembled in January 1995, the Republican majority sought to implement the Contract.

In some cases (e.g. The National Security Restoration Act and The Personal Responsibility Act), the proposed bills were accomplished by a single act analogous to that which had been proposed in the Contract; in other cases (e.g. The Job Creation and Wage Enhancement Act), a proposed bill's provisions were split up across multiple acts. Most of the bills died in the Senate, except as noted below.

[edit]The Fiscal Responsibility Act

An amendment to the Constitution that would require a balanced budget, unless sanctioned by a three-fifths vote in both houses of Congress (H.J.Res.1, passed by the US House Roll Call: 300-132, 1/26/95; rejected by the US Senate Roll Call: 65-35, 3/2/95, two-thirds required), and legislation (not an amendment) provide the president with a line-item veto (H.R.2, passed by the US House Roll Call: 294-134, 2/6/95; conferenced with S. 4 and enacted with substantial changes 4/9/96 [1]). The statute was ruled unconstitutional in Clinton v. City of New York, 524 U.S. 417, 118 S.Ct. 2091, 141 L.Ed.2d 393 (1998).

[edit]The Taking Back Our Streets Act

An anti-crime package including stronger truth-in-sentencing, "good faith" exclusionary rule exemptions (H.R.666 Exclusionary Rule Reform Act, passed US House Roll Call 289-142 2/8/95), death penalty provisions (H.R.729 Effective Death Penalty Act, passed US House Roll Call 297-132 2/8/95; similar provisions enacted under S. 735 [2], 4/24/96), funding prison construction (H.R.667 Violent Criminal Incarceration Act, passed US House Roll Call 265-156 2/10/95, rc#117) and additional law enforcement (H.R.728 Local Government Law Enforcement Block Grants Act, passed US House Roll Call 238-192 2/14/95).

[edit]The Personal Responsibility Act

An act to cut spending for welfare programs by means of discouraging illegitimacy and teen pregnancy. This would be achieved by prohibiting welfare to mothers under 18 years of age, denying increased AFDC for additional children while on welfare, and enacting a two-years-and-out provision with work requirements to promote individual responsibility. H.R.4, the Family Self-Sufficiency Act, included provisions giving food vouchers to unwed mothers under 18 in lieu of cash AFDC benefits, denying cash AFDC benefits for additional children to people on AFDC, requiring recipients to participate in work programs after 2 years on AFDC, complete termination of AFDC payments after five years, and suspending driver and professional licenses of people who fail to pay child support. H.R.4, passed by the US House 234-199, 3/23/95, and passed by the US Senate 87-12, 9/19/95. The Act was vetoed by President Clinton, but the alternative Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act which offered many of the same policies was enacted 8/22/96.

[edit]The American Dream Restoration Act

An act to create a $500-per-child tax credit, begin repeal of the marriage tax penalty, and creation of American Dream Savings Accounts to provide middle-class tax relief. H.R.1215, passed 246-188, 4/5/95.

[edit]The National Security Restoration Act

An act to prevent U.S. troops from serving under United Nations command unless the president determines it is necessary for the purposes of national security, to cut U.S. payments for UN peacekeeping operations, and to help establish guidelines for the voluntary integration of former Warsaw Pact nations into NATO. H.R.7, passed 241-181, 2/16/95.

[edit]The "Common Sense" Legal Reform Act

An act to institute "Loser pays" laws (H.R.988, passed 232-193, 3/7/95), limits on punitive damages and weakening of product-liability laws to prevent what the bill considered frivolous litigation (H.R.956, passed 265-161, 3/10/95; passed Senate 61-37, 5/11/95, vetoed by President Clinton [3]). Another tort reform bill, the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act was enacted in 1995 when Congress overrode a veto by Clinton.

[edit]The Job Creation and Wage Enhancement Act

A package of measures to act as small-business incentives: capital-gains cuts and indexation, neutral cost recovery, risk assessment/cost-benefit analysis, strengthening the Regulatory Flexibility Act and unfunded mandate reform to create jobs and raise worker wages. Although this was listed as a single bill in the Contract, its provisions ultimately made it to the House Floor as four bills:

• H.R.5, requiring federal funding for state spending mandated by Congressional action and estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to cost more than $50m per year, was passed 360-74, 2/1/95. This bill was conferenced with S. 1 and enacted, 3/22/95[4].

• H.R.450 required a moratorium on the implementation of Federal regulations until June 30, 1995, and was passed 276-146, 2/24/95. Companion Senate bill S. 219 passed by voice vote, 5/17/95, but the two bills never emerged from conference[5].

• H.R.925 required Federal compensation to be paid to property owners when Federal Government actions reduced the value of the property by 20% or more, and was passed 277-148, 3/3/95.

• H.R.926, passed 415-14 on 3/1/95, required Federal agencies to provide a cost-benefit analysis on any regulation costing $50m or more annually, to be signed off on by the Office of Management and Budget, and permitted small businesses to sue that agency if they believed the aforementioned analysis was performed inadequately or incorrectly.

[edit]The Citizen Legislature Act

An amendment to the Constitution that would have imposed 12-year term limits on members of the US Congress (i.e. six terms for Representatives, two terms for Senators). H.J.Res.73[6] rejected by the U.S. House 227-204 (a constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds majority, not a simple majority), 3/29/95; RC #277.

[edit]Other sections of the Contract

Other sections of the Contract include a proposed Family Reinforcement Act (tax incentives for adoption, strengthening the powers of parents in their children's education, stronger child pornography laws, and elderly dependent care tax credit) and the Senior Citizens Fairness Act (raise the Social Security earnings limit, repeal the 1993 tax hikes on Social Security benefits and provide tax incentives for private long-term care insurance).

Well, we know what happened then. Clinton was a fairly weak leader. He was ran over by Newt and Tom Delay. Then they decided to back up and run him over again. Think about it folks. Newt is a man that screamed FAMILY VALUES while having an affair. They are liars. But Clinton bowed down and gave them welfare reform. They gave him impeachment. They fought for the rich. He threw roses at their feet. Mr. Obama, we elected you to change policies. We don't really care if Republicans are happy about it. They weren't particularly concerned when they pretended it was the McCarthy era and blacklisted anyone that didn't agree with our countries' former dunce in chief, GWB. Those that screamed that you were not a patriot for dissenting are the same weirdo tea baggers that now live in fear of losing their white privledge. Democrats, wake up!

Shiver me timbers!

I am so excited. Why you ask? Because the TEA BAGGERS ARE COMING TO TOWN!

Friday at the Western Washington Fair Grounds. Get ready kids! It should be a real freak show full of dumbasses!