Senator in COngress reads "Night before Christmas" Healthcare reform style!

2009 BOOTLICKER/BACKWARDS INSIDE OUT COCONUT HALL OF FAME

OK, I am starting a new tradition here on my blog. Each year, I will give out certain awards. The first award, will be going out to what I consider the top bootlickers/inside out coconuts. This award goes to what we mostly like to call "traitors" and "embarrasments". These are both men and women, or organizations, or groups from both the public and the private sector that have bowed to the 7 deadly sins.

These are:

• Gula (gluttony)
• Fornicatio (fornication, lust)
• Avaritia (avarice/greed)
• Tristitia (sorrow/despair)
• Ira (wrath)
• Acedia (acedia)
• Vanagloria (vainglory)
• Superbia (Pride)

Now there are so many who qualify this year, that it was really hard to get a real idea of who, was going to win the coveted award.

However, for your amusement, pleasure, and joy, here is my  choice for this years award.

WINNER 2009 Bootlicker/Backwards inside out coconut of the Year award goes to:

 Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele 

Yes, Mr. Steele qualified at the top of this list in every catagory? Why? Well, isn't it obvious. Because like a good bootlicker he was willing to be the puppet boy for the racist, kkk agenda to make sure that he was safe from lynch mobs, after the tea party folks took over the country. 

I mean, does any one remember Sarah Palins comment to Katie Couric about how the Jewish poeple should be allowed to expand anywhere they wanted becasue she expected a "mass exodus of them" soon, flooding into the country, then gave one of her famous winks, and cheek clucks as she grinned from ear to ear. Yep, the racist GOP. Out in full bloom and glory. Andf good old Michael steel willing to be their puppet, and be mastered by them.

Of course, due to his ethnicity and racial makeup we have to also give him the top inside outside coconut award as well, for a man that has not only spit on the graves of all of his ancestors, but actually sat on the heads of every single African American person in the world.

Yes, Michael Steele gets our reward with flying colors.

But what has this to do with the 7 deadly sins you might ask> Plenty.

Here is how it breaks down, kids.

ENVY. Michael Steele has a LOT of envy. He always wanted to be white, and respected. He wanted what the white poeple had. White poeple could be mean, say whatever they wanted and be bigoted becasue it was expected of them. THis, to Mr. Steele was real freedom, and he wanted in.

LUST...lust for POWER. Mr. Steele wanted it so very badly that he literrally sold his soul to get some

GLUTTONY...like all the other elephants, he wanted to eat from the trough of the rich and opress the poor, so he could feel equal to the opressors. Way to go, Steele!

WRATH...I assume someone did not want him in a protest march or something, or made fun of his socks or he couldnt dance, or something was up with his "blackness level". Something had to trigger this insane need to bootlick at the feet of the KKK...um, sorry I mean ytthe OPatriots...err, Sarah Palin...er, I mean the REPBUBLICANS

SORROW...he felt very veyr very very very veyr very very very sorry for himself. He also felt very sorry for the poor, opressed white poeple as well. He wanted to be their savior. But they said he could only be head of the GOP until they found a suitable white replacement, or Sarah Palin accepted the job.

Vain/glory/pride/greed

Oh please this is a no brainer. The man was greedy, the man had pride in that he could do what no other person of color could do. Represent the racist white southern baptist minority in this country. Vain/glory/. Yep, thats Michal. very vain, and hoping for glory. He wants to be Martin Luther King Jr.....for the White Caucasion Racist Southern RIght Wing Supremacist Patriot Gun toting South.

So, again, to Michael Steel, we congratulate you. We hope you covet this award, since that is also part of the 7 deadly sins. Perhaps you might eat it with shoyu, or maybe lust after it, or be greedy with it and not show it to anyone.

Whatever you do with it, please, just keep on doing what you are doing.

We liberals are grateful.

Have a great 2010.

Should Costco Accept Food Stamps? Join the debate.

The issue is debated here, read the posts and lets get the ball rolling on this conversation

Of course you might guess my take on this issue. It is especially offensive to me that Costco seems to be for some sort of higher end shopper. Becasue that is not how they sold themselves to Kaua'i, No indeed-ee. They said they were here to help Hawaiis large families, and ESPECIALLY Native Hawaiins.

They make items that families cannot really afford enticing, and then refuse to allow food stamps to be used to purchase bulk items, which would of course help larger local cfamilies to stretch their budgets for food, which is exactly what they testified on when they wanted to build here.

Can you say Pinochhio? Or liar, liar pants on fire? How about elitist? Cutting off your nose to spite your face? But now, COstco, far from keeping its "high- makamaka" (yes, I Hawaiianized that. get over it) nose in the air, they are now whistling a different tune now that profits are punching out their teeth in record numbers in the all important bottom line.

Let us really take the Costco mentality to its fullest consclusion. Let us assume that the argument that Costco is private, and should not have to give "charity" to food stamp "people" who "probably can't afford to buy the bulk items anyway",  Now let us assume that everybody who sold food in a store had the same idea. Let us assume, that in costcos perfect little world NO ONE accepted food stamps.

Think about that. 38 million Americans who qualify for help, including the sick, elderly, children with disabilities, the disabled and the WORKING poor had no where to go to buy food.

COuld you imagine that? Well, apperently Costcos has changed its mind and is now accepting food stamps at at least half of their stores nationwide. Why, you ask? Becasue they did some sort of a no brainer "test" that showed that poeple with foodstamps came in to buy food. Apparently Costco executives were SHOCKED.

When elitist, conservatgive organizations and corporations try to shut out the poeple of this country from shopping for a bargain, watch out. Eventually you will feel the pinch.

After all, we are the back of the land. The spine. The maka ainana for a reason. WIthout your back, you fall flat on your face.

Ok, comments will be moderated. You know the rules.

What Did George W Bush Accomplish in His first year? Find Out.

With everyone giving our Prez a hard time, lets just back up and look at what he is actually doing right now.

First of all, he is taking care of state dinners, flying all over the world trying to better our image, handling healthcare, and trying to get the war in afghanistan from turning into another 8 years. Everyone is whining. But this isn't done yet, and this isnt done yet. Oh, cut it out, kids. The man has four years you know.  If you ask me he is doing a pretty monumental job. Not only that he is still charming, young, handsome, has a wonderful family and tucks his kids into bed at night and loves his wife, ok? So knock it off.

Look, you could always have another Dubya on your hands. Would you prefer that? I found this great website, here is the link: showing Dubyas accomplishments in his first year in office.

For Your viewing pleasure, I have c and pd it right here, so lets just sit back, relax, and peruse this list, shall we?(Bad stuff is marked with an asterick (*))

 George W. Bush's first year in office (List of 77 accomplishments)
www.redpepper.org.uk ^ | 3/25/02 | Red Pepper staff

Posted on Monday, March 25, 2002 8:14:09 AM by LarryLied

In George W. Bush's first year in office he:

1. Significantly eased field-testing controls of genetically engineered crops.*
2. Cut federal spending on libraries by $39 million.*
3. Cut $35 million in funding for doctors to get advanced pediatric training.*
4. Cut funding for research into renewable energy sources by 50%.*
5. Revoked rules that reduced the acceptable levels of arsenic in drinking water.*

6. Blocked rules that would require federal agencies to offer bilingual assistance to non-English speaking persons. This, from a candidate who would readily fire-up his Spanish-speaking skills in front of would-be Hispanic voters.*
7. Proposed to eliminate new marine protections for the Channel Islands and the coral reefs of northwest Hawaii (please see San Francisco Chronicle, April 6, 2001).**
8. Cut funding for research into cleaner, more efficient cars and trucks by 28% *
9. Suspended rules that would have strengthened the government's ability to deny contracts to companies that violated workplace safety, environmental and other federal laws. **
10. Approved the sending of letters by Interior Department appointee Gale Norton to state officials soliciting suggestions for opening up national monuments for oil and gas drilling, coal mining, and foresting.  *

11. Appointed John Negroponte -- an unindicted high-level Iran Contra figure to the post of United Nations Ambassador.  *
12. Abandoned a campaign pledge to invest $100 million for rainforest conservation.  *
13. Reduced by 86% the Community Access Program for public hospitals, clinics and providers of care for people without insurance. *
14. Rescinded a proposal to increase public access to information about the potential consequences resulting from chemical plant accidents. *
15. Suspended rules that would require hardrock miners to clean up sites on public lands. *

16. Cut $60 million from a Boy's and Girl's Clubs of America program for public housing. *
17. Proposed to eliminate a federal program, designed and successfully used in Seattle, to help communities prepare for natural disasters. *
18. Pulled out of the 1997 Kyoto Treaty global warming agreement. 19. Cut $200 million of work force training for dislocated workers. *
20. Eliminated funding for the Wetlands Reserve Program, which encourages farmers to maintain wetlands habitat on their property. *

21. Cut program to provide childcare to low-income families as they move from welfare to work.  *
22. Cut a program that provided prescription contraceptive coverage to federal employees (though it still pays for Viagra).  *
23. Cut $700 million in capital funds for repairs in public housing.  *
24. Appointed Otto Reich -- an un-indicted high-level Iran Contra figure -- to Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs.  *
25. Cut the budget of the Environmental Protection Agency by $500 million.  *

26. Proposed to curtail the ability of groups to sue in order to get an animal placed on the Endangered Species List.  *
27. Rescinded the rule that mandated increased energy-saving efficiency regulations for central air conditioners and heat pumps.  *
28. Repealed workplace ergonomic rules designed to improve worker health and safety.  *
29. Abandoned campaign pledge to regulate carbon dioxide, the waste gas that contributes to global warming.  *
30. Banned federal aid to international family planning programs that offer abortion counseling with other independent funds.  *

31. Closed the White House Office for Women's Health Initiatives and Outreach.  *
32. Nominated David Lauriski -- an ex-mining company executive --- to post of Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health.  *
33. Approved a controversial plan by Interior Secretary Gale Norton to auction oil and gas development tracts off the coast of eastern Florida.  *
34. Announced intention to open up Montana's Lewis and Clark National Forest to oil and drilling.  *
35. Proposes to re-draw boundaries of nation's monuments, which would technically allow oil and gas drilling "outside" of national monuments.  *

36. Gutted the White House AIDS Office.  *
37. Renegotiated a free trade agreement with Jordan to eliminate workers's rights and safeguards for the environment.  *
38. Will no longer seek guidance from The American Bar Association in recommendations for the federal judiciary appointments.  *
39. Appointed recycling foe Lynn Scarlett as Undersecretary of the Interior.  *
40. Took steps to abolish the White House Council on Environmental Quality.  *

41. Cut the Community Oriented Policing Services program.  *
42. Allowed Interior Secretary Gale Norton to shelve citizen-led grizzly bear re-introduction plan scheduled for Idaho and Montana wilderness.
43. Continues to hold up federal funding for stem cell research projects.  *
44. Makes sure convicted misdemeanor drug users cannot get financial aid for college, though convicted murderers can.  *
45. Refused to fund continued cleanup of uranium-slag heap in Utah.  *

46. Refused to fund continued litigation of the government's tobacco company lawsuit.  *
47. Proposed a $2 trillion tax cut, 43% of which will go to the wealthiest 1% of Americans.  *
48. Signed a bill making it harder for poor and middle-class Americans to file for bankruptcy, even in the case of daunting medical bills.  *
49. Appointed a Vice President quoted as saying "If you want to do something about carbon dioxide emissions, then you ought to build nuclear power plants." (Meet the Press.")  *
50. Appointed Diana Roth to the Council of Economic Advisers. ("There is no gender gap in pay", Boston Globe, March 28, 2001.)  *

51. Appointed Kay Cole James, an opponent of affirmative action, to direct the Office of Personnel Management.  *
52. Cut $15.7 million earmarked for states to investigate cases of child abuse and neglect.  *
53. Helped kill a law designed to make it tougher for teenagers to get credit cards.  *
54. Proposed elimination of the "Reading is Fundamental" program that gives free books to poor children.  *
55. Is pushing for development of small nuclear arms to attack deeply buried targets and weapons. This would violate the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.  *

56. Proposes to nominate Jeffrey Sutton, the attorney responsible for a recent case weakening the Americans with Disabilities Act, to federal appeals court judgeship.  *
57. Proposes to reverse regulation protecting 60 million acres of national forest from logging and road building. *
58. Eliminated funding for the "We the People" education program which taught school children about the   Constitution, the Bill of Rights and citizenship.  *
59. Appointed John Bolton, who opposes nonproliferation treaties and the UN, to Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security.  *
60. Nominated Linda Fisher, an executive with Monsanto, for the number-two job at the Environmental Protection Agency.  *

61. Nominated Michael McConnell, leading critic of the separation of church and state, to a federal judgeship.  *
62. Nominated Terrence Boyle, an ardent opponent of civil rights, to a federal judgeship.  *
63. Canceled 2004 deadline for automakers to develop prototype high mileage cars.  *
64. Nominated Harvey Pitts, a lawyer for a teen sex video distributor, to head SEC.  *
65. Nominated John Walters, a strong opponent of prison drug treatment programs, to be Drug Tsar. (Washington Post, May 16, 2001.)  *

66. Nominated J. Steven Giles, an oil and coal lobbyist, for Deputy Secretary of the Interior.  *
67. Nominated Bennett Raley, who advocates repealing the Endangered Species Act, for Assistant Secretary for Water and Science  *
68. Is seeking the dismissal of class-action lawsuit filed in the US against Japan by Asian women forced to work as sex slaves during WWII.  *
69. Earmarked $4 million in new federal grant money for HIV and drug abuse prevention programs to go only to religious groups and not secular equivalents.  *
70. Reduced the Low Income Home Assistance Program by 40%; it aided low-income individuals who need assistance paying energy bills.  *

71. Nominated Ted Olson, who has repeatedly lied about his involvement with the Scaiffe-funded "Arkansas Project" to bring down Bill Clinton, for Solicitor General.
72. Nominated Terrance Boyle, a foe of civil rights, to a federal judgeship.  *
73. Proposes to ease permit process, including environmental considerations, for refinery, nuclear and hydroelectric dam construction. (Washington Post, May 18, 2001.)  *
74. Proposes to give government the authority to take private property through eminent domain for power lines.  *
75. Proposes that $1.2 billion in funding for alternative renewable energy come from selling oil and gas lease tracts in the Alaska National Wildlife Reserve.  *
76. Plans on serving genetically engineered foods at all official government functions.  *
77. Forced out Forest Service chief Mike Dombeck and appointed a timber industry lobbyist. **


WELL HECK 77 OUT of 77 ARE THINGS OBAMA HAS TO FIX NOW.


WHAT DO YOU NAY SAYERS, WHINERS AND COMPLAINERS HAVE TO SAY NOW? 


I will be posting the other 7 years up here as well.
Ok, then...lighten up.


Its either HOPE or THE DOPE. Make up your minds

Daughter Is Chip Off The Old Blog

OK, so I have to do some mom praising stuff. Too bad if it embarasses the kid. Hey that is what parenthood was invented for, right?

I am so proud of my daughter carrying on our ohana legacy by getting involved with politics. She is recently joined an amazing group of young people on Kauai and around the nation called 

 The Young Democrats

To say that I was just proud would be an understatement. Not only did she join the Democrat Party and register to vote, after an entire lifetime of schlepping around with me, her mother to political events, meetings and campaign stuff and sign wavings something rubbed off on her! The most amazing part of it, is this recent move of hers I knew nothing about until she told me.

Thanks to the influence of some nice young gentlemen she knows (yes, there actually are some out there), and some nice young ladies she is involved on something very positive that will encourage her to move foreward and get involved. More importantly as she keeps telling me, she does have independent thoughts from me on the issues. That is just a tad un nerving, but I know my daughter. She is a died in the wool liberal.

Suffice it to say my pride cup is overflowing. Now if she could only keep her room neat!

Love, Mom

Keeping Up With Palin-And Some Palin Nostalgia

Here are some video updates on what Sarah Palin is up to these days. Check it out.

Also, if you are interested in doing a Palin Book burning with me, please email me and let me know!

This is the video that made me so proud of our young women in this country. It made me weep, as well. The most potent video against Sarah Palin EVER recorded. And you have it right here. THIS IS A PARENTAL ADVISORY! PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN VIEW THIS VIDEO WITH YOU> THEN AFTERWARDS, HAVE A DISCUSSION AND THEN GIVE THEM A BIG HUG AND TELL THEM YOU LOVE THEM> PARENTAL ADVISORY IS NOW OVER> ENJOY THIS VIDEO 


 


Here is the Huffington Post link to the video below.





THIS VIDEO IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR YOUNGER VIEWERS!!PARENTAL CAUTION STRONGLY ADVISED!! SUBJECT MATTER INVOLVES THE GRAPHIC DEATH OF ARCTIC WOLVES





OK THIS VIDEO IS RATED G SO ITS OK.
 

 

 


USE CAUTION WITH MINORS VIEWING THIS VIDEO! ADULT SUBJECT MATTER! PALIN INTERVEIW WITH COURIC DISCUSSING HER ABORTION VIEWS


(OK PARENTAL ALERT OVER)








STRONGEST PARENTAL ADVISORY! THESE ARE SOME VIDEOS OF SARAH PALIN AND SOME MCCAIN SUPPORTERS AT THEIR RALLIES IN 2008. BE STRONGLY ADVISED THERE ARE RACIST SLURS< RACIST COMMENTS AND SWEAR WORDS IN THESE VIDEOS AS WELL AS SOME RACIALLY INFLAMMATORY IMAGERY AND DIALOGUE IT IS STRONGLY ADVISED TO NOT LET YOUNG CHILDREN VIEW THESE VIDEOS!PARENTAL GUIDANCE IS A MUST!
(These videos are being put on this blog for education purposes only to an adult audience)



 

 
















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DON'T LET THE HATE REPEAT ITSELF. THE REPUBLICAN PARTY SUPPORTS RACISTS UNDERTONES, POLICIES AND IDEALS. PLEASE VOTE NO FOR THIS TYPE OF BACKWARD THINKING PHILOSOPHIES. 

More to come....................

Welfare Reform, Economics

Here is a great article about yesterdays food giveaway.  They have helped out my family through a few Thanksgivings, the food is fantastic and top notch, and we are very grateful!

Here is the link to the article:CLICK HERE

 Welfare Reform needs to be reformed. Here are some rules:

If You manage to find a full time job that pays 12 or 13 dollars, you are a single mom with 2 children(the average) these are your "rewards"

1. If your child(teen) does not attend school fulltime, or a combination of work and school, the ENTIRE family gets cut off from assistance. (No, I'm not kidding)

2. If you are a single parent with 2 children and find a fulltime job that pays you between 12 and 13 dollars an hour, you LOSE your public assistance, including foodstamps. (Remember, this is Hawai'i. Food prices are off the charts. At least 1/3 of your income will now be going to groceries. Any gains you could have made or money you could have saved will be going to food.

3. If you are also lucky enough to have a HUD or Housing unit, your rent will increase 30 percent of your GROSS new earnings. (I.e. your rent will increase)

4. You will not be eligable for gas allowances, or insurance coverage.

5. If you happen to become pregnant during any time during your receiving welfare assistance, that child will not receive benefits. (Pro-Lifers should LOVE this, huh? It practically encourages abortion, supports a father having no responsibility for the child, since the child will not be covered, and encourages giving up the child. If abortion was no longer an option here, this would almost certainly cause the breakups of families, mental health issues and unfair adoptions.)

There is a five year LIFETIME allowance for welfare benefits. This causes severe economic hardships for mothers with 2, 3 and 4 children many of whom have been abandoned by the fathers.  In the past, you could always get help up until the child was 18, and you were not required to find a job or work until all of the children were of school age. Now, the law requires you to go to work or school by the time the child is 6 months old. With single parents this is very difficult, as separate childcare must be found, and not all childcare covers all of the costs of childcare. So once again, the system puts an undue burden on the mother.

6. Child support: The state of Hawaii is NOTORIOUS for NOT going after fathers for child support. CHild support issues in Hawaii are extremely complex as many single mothers are fleeing abusive spouses and marriages and partners with small children.  Under these circumstances welfare allows an exemption to go after the fathers in order to protect the family.

However, most fathers here, supported by bosses and family members are hidden and protected, while threatening the mother if they go after them they may fall into physical harm. Temporary Restraining orders and court proceedings further complicate the life and stress of mothers, who are also trying to comply with other agencies in order to keep a roof over their heads. Many end up homeless due to the loss of jobs because of absenteeism or stress and poor work performance.

All mothers are forced to reveal who the fathers of their children are, except when there is physical abuse threatened which must be proven. Many women have been threatened, so many women have this excemption, which the  fathers know will keep them out of trouble.  Many single mothers on welfare never get releif from the fathers of their children in Hawaii, becvause the physical abuse and threats are so prevelent.

Even when childcare has been ordered, many fathers in Hawaii get away with the minimum payment of 50.00 a month, which the mother never receives. It goes to welfare to pay back the system for the benefits she and her children have received.

After the welfare benefits have run out, a mother is still entittled to help from the state for a time to recover her money, and if there are any payments, sometimes they pass through to the mother. But most get out of paying this by working under the table, living with family members who do not reveal any information, or have sympathetic bosses who hide their true hourly wages and hours.

There is no way to track a father who is working under the table and hiding with relatives. Many will do it until the child is 18, and then resurface knowing that they have beaten the system and are now out of the woods. Most will drive illegally, or not have car insurance or bank accounts, or bills in their names. Many are supported in this by family members who do not care for the mother, and have no interest in the children, or who side with the man in these cases.

7. In general this is a paternalistic solution, asserting that basicly the mother is entirely to blame for her circumstances and it is she who must abide by dozens of rules and regulations from various agencies, with volumes of paperwork, appointments to keep, jobs to hold down, housing to secure and keep, ect. If one thing is not done correctly or something changes the whole house of cards can fall, and a single mother can lose everything, or worse end up homeless on the street, which happens a lot.

In conclusion, we all need to understand in this country that the rights of a mother just don't exist anymore. That undue stresses and burdens are put on women who have had the misfortune to have given birth to children that are unwanted by the fathers that were at least half responsible for them being here. With the Pro Lifers talking about how important it is to support the rights onf an unborn child, they seem to miss the fact that without a mother a child born into these circumstances will have at best a miserable existance, and doom them to poverty and unhappiness.It may force mothers to give up children, or lose them through the system. Then how does that bode for her other chilrdren? How can any human being survive this? Why are women being so archaiclly punished. Most women who now become pregnant during their 5 years on welfare, through unscroupulous men who offer partnerships or even marriage only to abandon them desperately now seek abortions to prevent giving birth to a child they are doomed to not be able to support. Is this what is meant by "right to life"?

So, this holiday season, perhaps read this blog article and think hard about the entire picture before judging, and understand that this is really what is causing the hardships on Kaua'i. Throw in the lack of affordable housing, plans to place limits on the number of years someone can live in public housing, the lack of jobs and it becomes even more dire.

So this holiday season, lets all reflect on being non judgemental about someone elses situation in life, and realizse that we are all in some way responsible for each other. It takes a village to raise a child, AND support the mothers as well. Let's reflect on that for a change.

If anyone is wondering why people are needing more help, these are some of the biggest reasons for the working poor.