The Report Republicans Don't Want You To See

This is the report that was pulled out due to the pressure from the Republicans in Congress.  The reason you may ask... Well, it's quite simple: The Republicans in Congress do not want you to learn that what has been for decades their theory that Reaganomics is what creates jobs its not true.  The trickle-down theory simply does not work, it is a scam to benefit the rich.  

Their economic theories are false and the only purpose it has served is to hurt this country, the middle-class and making the gap between the middle-class and the very wealthy wider and wider while sinking the working class into poverty.  That is the Republican Party for you, their only interest is for the rich not their constituents, not "we, the people."

I decided to post it this way instead of just the link to the report (which you can find at the bottom) because I am sure that it will not be available for long.

 

 

 

To read the report directly on the Congressional Research Service site, click here

The True Meaning of the Symbol

I Voted Today

When I woke up today I was all excited because I was going to vote, first time I was to vote early.

I took my morning shower and wore my blue t-shirt with Forward on the front and Obama on the back along with Obama-Biden 2012; I embellished the t-shirt with some buttons mocking Romney and Ryan and got on my way to my precinct.

The precinct is in an affluent area. As I drove into the parking lot with my car full of stickers reflecting my political views, I got a mixed reaction from the people walking by. Some, not that many, gave me a thumbs up, others… well, let’s just say that if looks could kill, I would not be writing this right now.

When I got there the line that was already about two blocks long. Flustering as if moths attracted to the light, there were people from both parties representing almost every candidate in the ballot, providing last minute propaganda as to why you should vote for this or that candidate. I find this to be a waste of time, funds and paper, since at this point in the game most people have already made up their minds, but I guess it’s part of the “tradition”, like movies and popcorn.

There were some angry faces in the group. A tall, black haired woman that was obviously Hispanic (not because of her looks, because she was speaking Spanish) looked extremely upset. Apparently someone had mentioned that president Obama was slightly ahead in the polls. She kept saying that we couldn’t afford four more years of the same. I found her comments outrageous, but decided to keep my mouth shut. I was determined not to give them the pleasure of saying we Liberals or Democrats were not civil… I had resolved to behave and I was going to stick to my guns.

There was an elderly couple behind me. The woman was sporting a t-shirt from a local radio station that I know it’s Republican. We began to talk; they told me that she was a Republican and her husband an Independent. 

Anyway, I was committed to be a civil citizen. To behave as they certainly weren’t expecting from a Democrat, from a Liberal. I smiled all the time that I heard them say all the bullshit they kept repeating and that we all have heard so many times.

Then she touched the economy and how “mighty” Romney will “save” our economy. I allowed her to finish praising the Lord of Kolob and after she had finished her well learned rhetoric, I asked her if I could offer my opinion and of course, she said yes. I said, well more than my opinion I want you to answer one question. If Romney is going to cut the tax rate by 20% across the board (she nodded, very happy), if he is going to give tax cuts to corporations (again, a grim on her face and more nodding) and in top of that he is going to triple the budget of our military, which by the way is the largest budget in the world… Can you explain to me how can Romney get us out of debt if all he has offered as a budget plan is giving money away instead of producing any income? How can he say that he will bring down the deficit when he will have to borrow from that “hateful China” in order to triple the military budget? Her reply stunned me. She said, I know it sounds illogical, but Romney can do it. I told her that it was mathematically impossible and she said that it was not impossible with Romney’s mathematics... I laughed and said: sorry, but numbers are numbers and 2 +2 will never equal 7. She persisted, against all logic, that Romney could do it.

She told me that president Obama had 4 years to take us out of the recession and that during the first two years he had a Democratic Congress and had accomplished nothing. Really? I replied. Let me refresh your memory – I said - first of all we never had the majority in Congress – in case you don’t know it takes 60% to pass anything in Congress and we never had those numbers. She agreed, at least that was good. I continued saying that since day one, Republicans in Congress made it very clear and said publicly that their number one objective was to make of President Obama a one-term president. Again she nodded, agreeing with me. Also, the Republicans in Congress obstructed every single effort presented by the president that would have helped the middle-class and the country to prosper and to my surprise, she agreed with me! I mentioned that the country was in shambles when president Obama took office and that every economist was predicting another depression and that he, against all odds, had stopped this from happening. I asked her if she was going to vote any of those Congressmen out and she said no, that they were doing their “job” and that she agreed with them since President Obama was a Communist and he had to be stopped. I looked at her perplexed and told her: A communist? Nothing could be farther from the truth, he is a centered Democrat and those accusations are completely false! So you are going to reward them by keeping them there. You are going to reward their criminal behavior – she wanted to interrupt me but I didn’t allow her. I said, yes, criminal behavior because while they were getting paid to work for America they were golfing and doing nothing. Criminal because they ignored separation of Church and State and, all the bills that they have created in Congress have mainly been related to abortion and women’s issues, not jobs, not the economy not anything that will help the country move forward but you, you are rewarding them and telling them that their dirty tricks and irresponsible behavior is the way to go.

She looked at me and said, I’m sure that if Romney gets elected Democrats will do the same thing. I was fuming but maintained my composure. Let me remind you – I told her – that when Bush was in power the Democrats never used that tactic and I sure hope that if Romney wins, the Democrats in Congress pay back with the same. She got offended, told me that would be an awful thing to do because what mattered most was the country and not the different political ideals. Oh, so when Republicans do this it’s OK, but if Democrats do it then it is awful? Gosh… No wonder the country is the way it is!

The hypocrisy of these people is beyond reasoning. Their logic is inexistent and there is no way to reason with them. It is because of people like them that this country is going down the drain. It is because of people like them that nothing gets done.

Fortunately enough, it was my turn to vote and I walked away from that cancer that was eroding my self-control... one more second and I would have smacked her!

Silencing the Vote

Today I went to renew my driver’s license, which doesn’t expire for a few months but since I moved, I needed it to reflect my current address, I don’t want any problems on November 6.

I tried to get an appointment online, but all the appointments were for days after the election day and since my main concern was to have everything in order to cast my vote, I decided to go in person to the closest DMV.

I drove to the same office where I have renewed my license for years. To my surprise, it was abandoned, gone, closed. Facing that predicament, I checked on my cell for the closest DMV location in my area. Most of the well-known and accessible locations had been closed; precisely the ones located in the most populated and  central areas were no longer in existence. I found one at a mall that was within driving distance and I headed there.

I got in line with my passport and current driving license. When it was my turn I was asked for my birth certificate or passport, good thing I had my passport with me. Then I was asked for my social security card and two bills or mail with my current address and showing my name. I asked the DMV employee if that was something new, the social security card and the two different bills/mail, if everyone had to produce those documents or if I had mentioned that I needed to change my address. Well, it turns out that they are requesting this from everyone, renewals, new licenses, lost licenses, change of address or name, IDs, etc. I had to rush back home to get the social security card and two pieces of mail with my name and current address on it.

I am outraged at this new “law” that conveniently went into effect precisely on an election year. Even to get employment, a passport is good enough to prove your citizenship. After all, it’s a document issued by the government, with your picture, date of birth, signature, etc. Why the social security and two pieces of mail on top of your birth certificate or passport? There can only be one answer: silencing the homeless, the elderly and the poor.

Imagine if you lost your job and your home and you are living in your car (as so many do today), how on earth will you be able to get a driver’s license or ID if you can’t produce two pieces of mail showing your address? The very poor usually don’t have a passport or a credit/debit card, the only thing they have is an ID or driver’s license to show at the voting precinct and cast their vote. Now, thanks to this new “law” most of them will not be able to acquire a license or ID and therefore they will not be able to vote. This is just another way of suppressing the vote of likely democrats, to obstruct the most sacred right of every citizen of this nation.

To those that still have a current ID or Driver’s license but have moved, or your name has changed or are living in your car… Don’t try to renew your license now, wait until after election’s day. If your license is about to expire, ask a friend or family member to allow you to use their address or ask them for a notarized letter stating that you live at their house (this is allowed in lieu of correspondence). Don’t let them get away with this, do whatever you need to do to get that license or ID.

America is on life support and if the Republican’s tactic is successful, we will be witnessing the annihilation of Democracy by the hands of corrupt Republican politicians and we will need to be prepared to attend the funeral of our nation. Don’t allow this to happen… Vote!