Casualties of War

I am not in a good mood. Truth be told, I haven’t been in a good mood since the Wisconsin recall fiasco, it is so bad that I promised to take a few days off from politics, but it is easier said than done.

I encountered a person in Facebook that confronted me saying that I have to be less aggressive, more persuasive and basically to go with the flow, this person obviously doesn’t know me; otherwise that would have never been suggested. I can never hide or masquerade my ideals in order for others to like me. I can carry a debate, we can have a difference of opinion but I will not change my values and if I am wrong, I will be the first one to admit it. I will try my best to offer the other person all the facts I may know or have at hand, but I will never lie in order to make others happy or others to like me. No one pays my bills but me, I have to be honest with myself first before I can be honest to others, those that don’t agree can either accept me for what I am or leave, as most things it’s a matter of choice.

I keep hearing that President Obama might lose the elections because the unemployment rate went up by half a point. I can’t believe that people are so stupid! How can they be so blind and not realize that the private companies are purposely not hiring in order to get rid of our President? To me it is so obvious, so clear that makes it incomprehensible that people are so quick to flip… and Latinos, Latinos are beginning to flip because they think Mitt Romney will be more pro immigration than Obama! They will hit Mexico before they can say “Orale” and if they vote for Romney, it will serve them well… I hope they enjoy the ride.

For those Latinos that haven’t done their homework, I will provide them with this entry from Wikipedia about where Mitt Romney stands on Immigration, gay marriage and minimum wage from the time when he was the governor of Massachusetts, I truly don’t think his views have changed any and if they have, I can assure you they are now worse, not better.

Illegal immigration

Romney vetoed a bill in 2004 that would have allowed illegal immigrants to obtain in-state tuition rates at state colleges if they graduated from a Massachusetts high school after attending it for at least three years and signed an affidavit affirming that they intended to seek citizenship. Romney argued that the bill would cost the state government $15 million and that Massachusetts should not reward illegal immigration. A study by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation predicted that the legislation would generate over $5 million in state revenues; the Massachusetts Coalition for Immigration Reform disputed this conclusion. In 2005, the bill was reintroduced to the House and brought to a vote on 11 January 2006. The legislation was defeated 96-57.

On December 2, 2006, it was reported that a landscaping company Romney contracted to perform yard work at his home had been suspected of employing illegal immigrants. Romney said that he was unaware of the immigration status of the company's employees. A year later it was reported that the same company was still using illegal immigrants to work on Romney's estate. After this second report, Romney fired the landscape company.

Later in December 2006, Romney signed an agreement with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency that would have allowed Massachusetts State Police troopers to arrest and seek deportation of suspected illegal immigrants they encounter over the course of their normal duties Under the terms of the agreement, a group of 30 troopers would have received specialized training allowing them to question and detain suspected illegal immigrants, charge them with a violation of immigration law and place them in removal proceedings.

The executive order pertaining to state police was consistent with Section 287(g) of federal immigration law. Section 287(g) is a program of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 that deputizes state and local law enforcement personnel to enforce immigration matters.

The agreement was never implemented because governor-elect Deval Patrick, who had expressed strong opposition to the agreement before it was signed, revoked it a month later when he was sworn in.

Minimum wage

As a candidate for governor in 2002, Romney proposed indexing the minimum wage to inflation and raising the hourly pay for the state's lowest-paid workers from $6.75 an hour to $6.96 an hour starting January 2004, saying, "I do not believe that indexing the minimum wage will cost us jobs. I believe it will help us retain jobs.”

In July 2006, the legislature passed a bill increasing the minimum wage to $8.00 an hour, and he vetoed it. "I have spent hours reading a wide array of reviews on the minimum wage and its impact on the economy, and there's no question raising the minimum wage excessively causes a loss of jobs, and the loss of jobs is at the entry level," said Romney when he vetoed the bill. He proposed an increase to $7.00/hour (which represented a 25 cents an hour increase over the existing rate.) The legislature voted on July 31, 2006 to override his veto (unanimously in the Senate) thus setting the minimum wage at the higher amount.

Same-sex marriage

Romney strongly opposed same-sex marriage during his governorship. He emphasized his desire to "protect the institution of marriage" while denouncing discrimination against gays and lesbians. "Like me, the great majority of Americans wish both to preserve the traditional definition of marriage and to oppose bias and intolerance directed towards gays and lesbians," Romney said in 2004.

Romney attempted to block implementation of the decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court that legalized same-sex marriage in 2003. Romney criticized the decision as harming the rights of children:

“They viewed marriage as an institution principally designed for adults. Adults are who they saw. Adults stood before them in the courtroom. And so they thought of adult rights, equal rights for adults…Marriage is also for children. In fact, marriage is principally for the nurturing and development of children. The children of America have the right to have a father and a mother.

Romney subsequently released a statement in support of a proposed amendment to the Massachusetts state constitution defining marriage as existing only between "one man and one woman" in order to overrule the court's decision. His statement said, "the people of Massachusetts should not be excluded from a decision as fundamental to our society as the definition of marriage."

While consistently rejected same-sex marriage, there was a rhetorical shift in other emphasis around this subject during his time as governor, culminating with Romney rarely talking about protecting gays from bias and instead characterizing himself as a conservative stalwart in the battle against same-sex marriage and in support of heterosexual families.

The above, according to Wikipedia, is Mitt Romney’s proven record. Don’t be a fool and believe that he has changed his mind about any of these so important subjects, keep in mind the “etch a sketch” analogy used by his campaign manager… nothing he says in his campaign is true, except that analogy.

Mitt Romney will be the worst thing that could happen not only to Latinos, minorities and the middle class but also to America as a whole. There is no question why the Koch brothers are backing Romney and most Republicans… they are trying to secure cheap labor and increase their already obscene wealth at whatever cost necessary. For them, you and I are just casualties of war.

We must vote in great numbers even greater numbers than in 2008. Those of us that are unemployed should volunteer to be an election’s worker – not only will you have something to do but you can use the time there to make sure nothing strange or corrupt takes place or go to the nursing homes and offer to help the elderly fill in their absentee ballots, be prepared, be informed and clarify any doubts they may have. Offer a ride to the voting sites to those that don’t have transportation. If they have a disability and can’t stand in line offer to stand in line for them, do whatever it’s necessary but move and vote, vote for the Democratic or Green Party… our way of life depends on it.

The Truth about Mitt Romney

The elections are less than six months away. Everything seems to indicate that Mitt Romney will be the Republican Presidential Nominee, and after several failed attempts the presidency finally is within his reach. It must be really exciting for Romney, after all, he doesn't care how he gets what he wants as long as he gets it, whatever means necessary.

Mitt Romney has changed his views and opinions about everything, and not throughout the years as many of us do, but from one event to another. It's the "etch a sketch" strategy we have heard so much about.  It is obvious that this man is not campaigning on his values or principles, rather he is telling the American people whatever is necessary and suitable at the time in order to get their vote.

Many will claim this is politics as usual, and up to a point I agree. However, every candidate has an opinion that he or she will defend and not change, but not Mitt Romney. Mitt Romney is spending his time accusing President Obama of not knowing how to deal with current issues such as unemployment, energy, education, budget, government and any other issue you can think of. Every candidate employs these tactics and it shouldn't surprise anyone that Mitt Romney does the same. What it is surprising is that when he is asked what are his plans to solve any of these issues, what strategy he will use to fix the problems he claims President Obama is not handling correctly, Romney will not answer.  It is at moments like this that a candidate will take the opportunity to show the American people that they have a viable plan or idea and in the process show their platform hoping it will appeal to as many people as possible.  Instead,  Romney shifts the discussion to economics and how brilliant he is at it, never replying to the question he was asked. Invariably, he mentions how many jobs he saved and created over the years, how many companies he helped create or advance.  On the 2007 elections the GOP mantra was "Drill, baby, Drill" it seems that today's mantra is "Economics, baby, Economics."  We all agree that there is a global economic crises, however, there are other equally important issues that are in desperate need of attention and that are equally important to the quickly disappearing middle class.  Mitt Romney doesn't care about those, all that he is willing to talk about is economics because that is the only thing he thinks he knows and gives him the setting to glorify himself.  The only thing he hasn't said, so far, is that he has the Midas touch... but give him time, the elections are still a few months away!

I decided to write this post after watching the video I attached below. It is a forceful video that shows you exactly how Mitt Romney "saved" jobs. The caring that Mitt Romney has for the average American worker is the same a hungry shark would have for a lion seal. We are insignificant for him, spendable and the only thing that matters for Romney is the mighty dollar.  Now that he has amassed enough of it, he wants to buy a place in history by becoming the President of the United States.  What inspired him was not saving this country and certainly not saving our way of life and the middle class, to obtain what thus far has been unattainable:  to be the ruler of the most powerful nation in the world, the United States of America.

Obama-Biden 2012!

Etch A Sketch, a Bible or a Blackberry?

Ever since Mitt Romney’s Campaign Advisor, Eric Fehrnstrom, made the analogy of Romney's campaign with an Etch A Sketch no other statement has been more accurate or prompted the other candidates to speak their minds freely for us to have a better, clearer and irrefutable idea of what the GOP principles truly are: a never-ending adjustment to fit the needs of the audience but not what they truly mean or plan to do if they win the Presidency.

To begin with and thanks to that comment, we now know for a fact what up to now we suspected but had no tangible proof:  Mitt Romney will say and do whatever you want him to.  Like the Etch A Sketch toy, he shakes up and presents the image you want if by doing so he will get your vote.  What are Romney’s own ideals and ideas? Only he knows that for sure and even then I have my doubts, it must be really difficult to maintain your own concepts after you keep changing them to please others.

Now Santorum is claiming that to have an “Etch A Sketch” President, we might as well keep the one we currently have – I like his suggestion and I do hope that all the republicans out there listen and do exactly that: Vote for Obama over Romney!

I know that there are Independents out there that are undecided – Why? Beats me!  But they are.  Some say that they don’t like the “Obamacare” that will force them to purchase health insurance.  It’s funny that no one resents being forced to buy insurance for their cars or homes, if they happen to own their homes, but if they are forced to care for what is their main source of income – themselves – then it is the end of the world as we know it.  Others think that President Obama hasn’t done enough of what he promised, and resent him for it.  There are others that are not happy that we are still fighting wars and that Gizmo still is operating.  And the many excuses they provide for their indecision is endless.  I have a question for all of them, from all the Presidents that have led this country while you have been alive… Please, can you name one President that has fulfilled ALL his promises and all OUR expectations?  I am sure that there will be none and if someone provides me with a name, they will be lying because there is no such a thing here or anywhere else, not now not ever.

Having that hurdle cleared, we can continue to analyze what we are risking if we vote for Romney or Santorum in November 2012:

Mitt Romney: Considered the less extremist of the candidates on these primaries, Mitt Romney is offering a bureaucratic and protectionist approach towards big corporations and Wall Street.    Mitt Romney is a man that was born into wealth, not having to worry about a thing since the day he was born, he is your typical 1%.  For him it is normal for a person to own 5 luxury cars, an even great number of houses and have as friends the owners of Nascar or any other multimillion-dollar corporation, and these elites are his best buddies.  The "poor guy" doesn’t even know how to talk to the working class!  It is well known that you can judge people by the way they treat animals, specially their pets and we all know the answer to that one.  How can we expect compassion from a man that didn’t care for his own dog?  No.  He is heartless!  No wonder he says that he enjoys “firing people!”  It is a known fact that he will protect and promote corporations, not people; after all, he is a corporate man with no experience whatsoever on how to be a “regular” guy.  He also has a tendency to say whatever the people that is listening to him wants to hear and even his campaign manager agrees to this.  We owe Eric Fehrnstrom a great deal for the accurate description he gave of Romney’s campaign strategy as an “Etch A Sketch."  With friends like that… who needs enemies, right?



Rick Santorum:  All the sudden I have this urge to drop to my knees and pray… and I am agnostic!   Rick Santorum is a super religious man that envisions this country as a religious country.  For him, separation of church and State means that the State has no saying on what the church does but not the other way around.  If Santorum should win the elections, very remote possibility at this point, he will implement prayers in school and in every governmental office.  He will assign judges to the Supreme Court that shares his extreme religious views.  We can rest assure that he will push for banning abortions at all stages and there will be no exceptions to the rule.  It is a known fact that his wife had an abortion, to safe her life, but that doesn’t matter for this super religious freak if it is your life or that of your wife or daughter the one that needs saving.  All he cares is that there will be no abortions for any reason, so if the women in your life die... it was meant to be and, who are you to question God’s ways?

Santorum is not for the 1% but he is certainly not for the 99% either.  He is for small numbers, the smaller the better; his main purpose for running is to pay the debt and control the budget.  Very commendable if it was plausible at the times we are living.  Are we willing to do without enough police to protect us (I know, after the fiasco we are witnessing with the Trayvon Martin’s case we have to wonder if they are worth it); are we willing to lay-off half of our fire department?  Are we ok with the potholes on our roads?  A cut in our public services which will include public transportation, street lights, food stamps for those that are unemployed, Medicare and Medicaid for the elderly, a cut in our Social Security funds, reducing the unemployment benefits (which we have contributed to), etc.?  Most likely, Santorum will privatize most of the public services in order to cut expenses.  This means that we will have to pay if we want those services, otherwise, your house can burn to the ground before the fire department would do a thing about it – we’ve seen cases like this already in towns where they are privatizing fire departments.  Santorum believes that George W. Bush was a great president; that statement alone should raise all the flags! If Santorum gets his ways, government will have a saying on what transpires in a bedroom… talk about cutting expenses!! He believes that for the good of society, there cannot be pornography, he will prohibit them even at cheap motel rooms!  He is against antithetical sexual actions that according to him go against the traditional family… if it was up to him, he would monitor how we conduct ourselves while copulating.  He would probably fine us if we are wild and enjoying a good orgasm, since he probably doesn’t know what that is and envy can be a bad advisor.  He also has compared gay sex to bestiality and pedophilia.  What can I say?  The guy is a “jewel!”

President Barack Obama: If you ask me, he is the most sensible and reasonable candidate of all.  He inherited a chaotic presidency where the banking institutions were collapsing and where all the experts were foreseeing a financial calamity similar to the Great Depression.  He prevented that from happening.  That the economy has been awful?  True, but we didn’t fall into a Depression.  That he didn’t bring the troops home?  True, but we have no idea what the Generals on the ground have confided in him, I am sure there are good reasons for President Obama to continue that war and we will know one day.  President Obama has tried tirelessly to work for the American people, he had to compromise a lot in order to get things done, but he got them done.  That it could have been better?  Perhaps, but we have ourselves to blame, not him.  I blame all of us that thought we were invincible and stayed home during the 2010 elections hoping for others to do what it was our duty to do: VOTE.  So we failed and lost the majority.  That majority we enjoyed from 2008 – 2010 was not a true majority.  There were way too many blue dogs that sided with the Republicans and didn’t allowed things to progress.  From 2010 till now, with all the Tea Party representatives in Congress plus the old geezers from the GOP that remained, things have been even slower but still things are improving and things are getting done… Imagine what we can do if we had a stronghold in Congress, no blue dogs, just a super majority of real Democrats and Progressives, image what we can accomplish then!  So, unless you want the government to tell you how to make love and to control how many kids you can have; or unless you are one of the lucky ones that belong to the 1%... What are you thinking of?  There should be no doubt, no question in your mind.  Vote for the future, vote for Obama, after all… Etch A Sketch is so passé!