Entitlement?!

Okay, so I am sitting here watching Rachel and once again thinking how amazingly smart she is. She said something tonight about Medicare being an entitlement (not her words but the meaning I took from them). All of a sudden I started thinking about all the things that the Republican's are calling entitlements that need to be cut......so here goes, we get medicare (which we pay for), social security (oh, yeah we pay for that too).............I am at loss.....I cannot think of one thing the working class american gets as an ENTITLEMENT.

On the other hand I can think of all the things we don't get with all the money we pay in taxes (federal, state, sales, property, etc.) we do not have decent schools, there are still children that do not get enough to eat, or a safe place to live, we do not have quality, inexpensive insurance......I could go on but WHY?

Wake up American......back your democratic candidate and lets see if we can control all the top decision making spots and see if things change........I mean could they really do a worse job?

I just want to end this with a message to my best friend.......I love you honey and just know that I am here if you want to talk or just breathe together over the phone.......let our friend take care of you and don't be too much of a bear....take comfort in each other and know that I send love to both..

Have a blessed day and a better tomorrow

Does This Sound Familiar?

Lately I have been referring to Republicans as "Nazis". In all fairness and wanting to re-educate myself I googled the history of nazis and this is what I found:

Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich,^[3] is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party.

On 30 January 1933, Adolf Hitler legally became Chancellor of Germany, appointed by President Paul von Hindenburg. Although he initially headed a coalition government, he quickly made Hindenburg a figurehead and eliminated his non-Nazi partners. The Nazi regime restored economic prosperity and ended mass unemployment using heavy military spending while suppressing labor unions and strikes. The return of prosperity gave the regime enormous popularity, and no serious opposition ever emerged to serve as a challenge to its rule. The Gestapo (secret state police) under Heinrich Himmler destroyed the liberal, socialist and communist opposition and persecuted the Jews, attempting to force them into exile while taking their property. The Party took control of the courts, local government, and all civic organizations except the Protestant and Catholic churches.^[4] All expressions of public opinion were controlled by Hitler's propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels, who made effective use of film, mass rallies, and Hitler's hypnotic speaking.^[5] The Nazi state idolized Hitler as its Führer ("Leader"), centralizing all power in his hands. Nazi propaganda centered on Hitler and was quite effective in creating what historians call the "Hitler Myth" – that Hitler was all-wise and that any mistakes or failures by others would be corrected when brought to his attention. In reality, Hitler had a narrow range of interests and decision-making was diffused among overlapping, feuding power centers; on some issues he was passive, simply assenting to pressures from whomever had his ear. All top officials still reported to Hitler and followed his basic policies, but they had considerable autonomy on a daily basis.^[6]

Hitler's foreign policy during the 1930s used a diplomatic strategy of making seemingly reasonable demands, threatening war if they were not met. When opponents tried to appease him, he accepted the gains that were offered, then moved on to his next goal. That aggressive strategy worked as Germany pulled out of the League of Nations (1933), rejected the Versailles Treaty and began to re-arm (1935), won back the Saar (1935), remilitarized the Rhineland (1936), formed an alliance ("axis") with Benito Mussolini's Italy (1936), sent massive military aid to Franco in the Spanish Civil War (1936–39), annexed Austria in the Anschluss (1938), took over Czechoslovakia after the British and French appeasement of the Munich Agreement of 1938, formed a peace pact with the Soviet Union (Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact) in August 1939, and finally invaded Poland in September 1939. Britain and France declared war, resulting in the start of World War II - somewhat sooner than the Nazis had prepared for or expected.^[7][8]

During the war, Germany conquered or controlled most of Europe and Northern Africa, intending to establish a "New Order" in Europe and elsewhere of complete Nazi German hegemony. The Nazis also persecuted and killed millions of Jews, Romani people and others in the Holocaust. Despite its Axis alliance with other nations, mainly Italy and Japan, by 8 May 1945 Germany had been defeated by the Allied Powers, and was occupied by the Soviet Union, the United States, Britain and France.

Hitler, the Nazis and their Holocaust became the symbol of evil in the modern world. Newman and Erber (2002) write, "The Nazis have become one of the most widely recognized images of modern evil. Throughout most of the world today, the concept of evil can readily be evoked by displaying almost any cue reminiscent of Nazism....

I truly did not realize how closely the Republican politics resembled the Nazi regime, but now I am even more depressed and afraid then I was before.....however, I still believe that it is better to know than not know. My question is this.......we rescued the Jews in Germany from the Nazis....who will rescue us? Just a thought...........

Have a blessed day and a better tomorrow.

TTFN

Are You Happy Now!

I have tried to maintain my silence on the current events happening on the East Coast, but I have to ask "are you happy now"? When the elections happened and the Democrats stayed home or voted republican expecting a change I ask "was this the change you wanted"?

When Hitler took over he started small.....by identifying the unacceptable and then he moved on to taking away the rights of those that he considered unacceptable or subhuman......he then went further and attempted to eliminate all those that would oppose him and that he deemed unacceptable........and then we all know the next step.

I have given this a lot of thought and I wonder (but I no longer hope) if people are going to stand up in the next election and send a message to those that would like to make the average working American extinct.......THIS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED or will they just lay down and let the Republican's (Nazi's) walk all over them? Have we become so lazy and uninvolved that we will just take whatever Washington wants to dish out?

I (for a brief moment) felt great Pride when I saw the protests that have been happening and then I remembered that the wrong people were in power and that they could protest all they wanted and it would not make a difference........because we voted away our voice!

I will try to be positive but moving to a deserted island is looking better and better everyday.

I hope everyone gets their HEAD OUT OF THEIR ASS and make the 2012 elections count. Do whatever is necessary to register to vote, start early (the Republican's are making it harder to vote Democrat) jump through whatever hoops they set up so that your vote counts and we can send the Nazi's (oops, I mean Republicans) back to their corporations and out of Washington.

I hope you have a blessed day and a better tomorrow!

TTFN

I have been watching and listening to what is happening in the world today and have been getting more and more depressed. I was extremely happy to see that the demonstrations in Egypt have not turned into a bloodbath and that the People have actually accomplished the goal of outing someone who did not have their citizen's or their country's best interest at heart. Due to their success it has made me even more disgusted and depressed about our country. When are American's going to stand up and hold Washington accountable?

When are we going to deal with the education problem, the healthcare problem, the homeless problem, the unemployment problem, child abuse, elder abuse, etc....we have enough to do in our own backyard that we need to stop being the POLICE for the world and clean up our own backyard.

I am so SICK and TIRED of hearing the politicians argue and hold hostage programs that we need to initiate and programs that would work if they were fixed until they get their BIG piece of the PIE that benefits no one but the richest in this country. The Republicans (if anyone is paying attention) are trying to create an even bigger distance between the classes. They have almost totally obliterated the middle class, so that we are left with hard-working (almost destitute) people and the rich get richer and blame the hard-working people for the problems we are facing.

According to the Republicans (who claim they are for fiscal responsibility) if we just get rid of Obamacare, medicare, welfare, foodstamps, making work programs, etc. Everything will be better..........my question and yours should be "better for whom".

A country is judged on its care of the young, old and ill. We, as a country, are FAILING on every level that is pertinent and we need to STEP IT UP.

How will you face judgment day? How will you make a difference in the world today (or just your corner of it)? Are you a sheep or are you willing to stand up for what you believe?

Hug your kids, kiss your partner and try to make your corner of the world a better place. Have a blessed day and a better tomorrow!

TTFN

Let's Be Honest!

Let's be honest........the reason that we started having to pass so many regulations and the reason the government has gotten so big is that.......when someone develops a product, service, etc., they start out with the best of intentions (often, not always) with the intention of making a better life for their community, family and friends. However, what we have found to be true in most cases is that once they start making more than a comfortable living, then the thirst for power that comes with obscene wealth kicks in. Once this particular demon takes over you get someone who is no longer concerned with his community (only himself), you get someone who is ready to use and step on everyone he feels is beneath him, you get someone who doesn't want to pay it forward (but keep it all for himself and a SELECT few), in short, you get someone who does not have America's best interest at heart........you get a REPUBLICAN.

I watched Michael Steele on Rachel Maddow and was (shocking to say) impressed. He is a very articulate and witty guy. I do not agree with his politics, but I like (even if I am not sure he believes it) what he had to say. I am all about equality, about being able to have civil, respectful and open dialogue about things that are important in this country. Until we, as people and politicians, can do this there will be no PEACE, there will continue to be WAR and we will continue to make God weep.

Let's get it together people, stand up and be counted, speak up until you are HEARD. Kiss your kids and love your partner, treasure your family and friends.

I hope you have a blessed day and a better tomorrow.

TTFN

Blessings

Yesterday was a really bad day for me however, last night I started thinking about all the blessings I have in my life......I am blessed to have beautiful, healthy, intelligent grandchildren, 2 beautiful daughters, a dog that I adore and 2 cats that I love (even when they get on my nerves) and an often neglected but understanding husband. But, the thing that I am most grateful for and feel most blessed to have is my best friend and the love of my life. My life has been greatly enriched having him in it......my hope for him is that he will live to see the changes necessary for him to be at peace and that will only happen when this country starts to treat all of its citizens equally.

It drives me crazy when "white" people say that racism is not an issue in this country today?!? Did they not listen to the "blatant racism" that was displayed during the recent election? When are "people of color" going to be able to be proud of being American? We have so many problems in this country that need to be solved before we try to solve other country's problems.

I think the politicians can take the advice my daddy used to give me "before you start trying to clean up someone else's backyard....make sure yours is done". I think that the powers that be in Washington ought to worry more about our backyard.

When we as a country have solved the homeless issue, the insurance issue, the unemployment issues, the gun issues, the education issues, etc...... then we can worry about helping the rest of the world.

So, once again, I say stand up and demand that everyone is equal and remind Washington who pays their salaries and demand that they get to work and make this country what we would like it to be......not what it is!

I hope you have a blessed day and a better tomorrow.

TTFN

Wouldn't That Be Great

I saw a clip of President Obama, while watching Rachel Maddow, of a speech he gave to a school in May 2010. While listening to him speak I was struck anew with how much I like, admire and respect our current President. I have had several people ask me why I supported him and why I like him so much........I finally have the answer!

The speech was on democracy and how we should be as a country. President Obama and I both believe that this country could be GREAT. As a democratic society our leaders should be able to debate the issues without hostility, our leaders should be able to show respect to each other (even when they disagree) and our leaders should be able to sit across from each other and negotiate/compromise on all key issues.

They are not children and as adults they should have learned by now that in order to have a democracy there will have to be negotiations and compromises on all issues. We are a country with 300 million+ people.........everyone knows that you cannot please everyone all the time. The solution for this is for Washington to GROW UP and get on with the BUSINESS of running this country in a way that it can reach its full potential and so that we stop being a JOKE to the rest of the world.

I am truly blessed to have been born in this country and was very proud when President Obama was elected..........and then ashamed of how he has been treated by the very people that are supposed to work with him.

My thoughts, prayers and hopes are with the President.

Hope you have a blessed day and a better tomorrow.

TTFN

Do we repeat history?

Just finished watching President Obama at the Memorial. As usual, he was articulate, sincere and motivational and while I was feeling comforted and, maybe, even a little hopeful for the future a commercial came on for Time Life advertising the DVD's for coverage of what Hitler and the Nazi's were like.

As I was watching I had a thought (it happens every few years whether I want one or not) has it occurred to anyone but me that the rise of Hitler is bearing a great deal of resemblance to the recent take over of the Republicans? Now I am not saying that the republicans are Nazis but it is scaring me to see all the similarities between these 2 groups (because contrary to popular belief, Hitler did not rise to power on his own).

Hitler did not start out letting everyone see how crazy he was (after all if crazy came out at the beginning.......he would not have got very far) but those that brought him to power and thought that they could control him found out that you can't control CRAZY. So I ask you "haven't you learned to recognize crazy before it gets out of hand?"

I know I have asked this before, but when are Americans going to wake up and stop being SHEEP? We don't need automatic weapons, we don't need Big Brother taking our money, we don't need the Republicans (or democrats, tea party members, etc.) telling us what we will take and what we will do without.

It is time for all Americans to stand up and say "NO" you work for me, you use my money to run the country and you will no longer be ALLOWED to steal my children's future from them.

I love this country and the people (the real people) of America and I believe that we can be great, if we just get off our lazy asses and start holding Washington accountable.

I hope you have a blessed day and a better tomorrow.

TTFN

Guns?

While watching information regarding the latest American Gun Massacre I am left with this thought.......WHY? Not why did it happen, but why do we still allow guns with the ability to fire so many rounds readily available to the general public? I am not saying that people don't have the right to BEAR ARMS but does the average joe need a gun that fires 30+ rounds? I have heard the arguments (especially living where I do) about our rights and hunting, etc. But, and I say this seriously, if you need an automatic weapon to hunt........perhaps hunting is not your thing and you should just run down to the Piggly Wiggly and pick up some meat! As with the many "rights" we have also comes, and here is a big word for some of you, RESPONSIBILITY. The responsibility to protect our children, the responsibility to treat each other with respect, the responsibility to keep guns out of our children's school and out of their hands.

We sit and watch the world going to "hell in a handbasket" and then say "well, that is not my fault".

I believe that it is our fault. It is our fault for not stepping up and saying that we don't need guns like that. It is our fault that lobbyists are still able to run this country and effect the decisions that are being made in Washington. It is our fault that we allow the people elected to represent us have public meetings where there is a call to arms......"if votes won't work perhaps guns will". It is our fault that people that are elected by us and paid by us to do a job are allowed to widen the distance between the races.

So, the bottom line is this, if you do not wake up and take a stand the next shooting might take the life of someone you love. One of my favorite sayings is this........"all evil needs to flourish is for good men to do nothing".

Hope you have a blessed day and a better tomorrow.

TTFN

Life Sucks

Today is one of those days when I just want to run away and stay away FOREVER. I am back on the babysitting circuit and had to cancel my personal training sessions. I love my kids and my grandkids but today I am wondering "when will it be my turn". I have been raising kids since I was eight and now that I am 48 I still can't make plans for my own schedule and am still at the mercy of everyone else.......I know that I am blessed and, for the most part, would not change anything (much) but why does it have to be so hard?

I guess the point of this "bitch rant" is that if you do not have children, think long and hard before you do.........because it does not end when they are 18.

Work was difficult today and tonight I am just feeling sorry for myself, this too shall pass

Have a blessed day and a better tomorrow

TTFN