Something to Quack About

David Brooks, in Wednesday’s The Oregonian, wonders why Obama is even close in the contest for president and points to the lagging economy as though that was a fault of the Democrats. Was he sleeping under a tree the past 3 years as Republicans blocked every move to help the economy grow with stimulus dollars derived from taxing billionaires?

Voters are smart enough to know that Republican moves to reduce the debt have stymied growth. Blaming Obama for the slow economy is a part of “dog whistle politics” just as is calling Obama a “socialist.” These phrases stir the base who hear the real meaning: anything to defeat Obama, even lies.

An example of the need for separation of church and state is the current discussion of marriage. A secular state must allow for the beliefs of all its citizens, not just a vocal religious segment. If a gay couple want to get  married that causes no harm to non gay couples and should be allowed. A theocracy was not intended by the Founding Fathers, those men so often called upon by the religious right.

Nowhere in the Constitution is the Bible held up as a standard. Otherwise we all would be required to stone some of our neighbors. That is the problem with religious ideas, they are too narrow and exclusive. A republic must have laws that are inclusive. Christians have no problem in ignoring the commands of the Koran, and they should use the same logic when considering the laws they support based upon their Bible.

I find it baffling how anyone can voluntarily believe in a God that would destroy any of his creations who did not worship him in a particular way. I find it disturbing that people who believe in that kind of a god what to inject their beliefs into the governing of our society. These people claim to know exactly what God thinks on many topics and for them if the Bible says it then it is true.

This is a Bible that commands  stoning as a punishment for adultery and other so-called sins. Muslims have a similar belief and tend to carry it out more literally than present day Christians and Jews, but the command is there for all to read. Christians and Jews today cherry pick the rules they obey strictly, but the last time Christians had control of the government they burned at the stake people who disagreed with them.

We denigrate the Taliban for harsh adherence to their Koran, but are they any different than historical Christians and Jews? Secularism is the only protection from religious fanatics.

An interesting bit of reasoning from Lawrence M. Krauss’s A Universe from Nothing, p. 171-172

“If one argues, as many deeply religious individuals do, that without God there can be no ultimate right and wrong – namely that God determines for us  what is right and wrong – one can then ask the questions: What if God decreed that rape and murder were morally acceptable? Would that make them so?

“While some might answer yes, I think most believers would say no, God would not make such a decree. But why not? Presumably because God would have some reason for not making such a decree. Again, presumably this is because reason suggests that rape and murder are not morally acceptable. But if God would have to appeal to reason then why not eliminate the middleman entirely?”

I just finished reading A Universe from Nothing, which explains why there is something rather than nothing. The short version is simple. If there was nothing we would not be there to recognize it. We are in a multiverse of billions of universes, which have been coming and going forever and will continue forever. Eternity goes both directions.

Just take a look at a small part of it:

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120417.html

Republicans from Mitt Romney to John Boehner are saying the poor economy is President Obama’s fault. Thanks to the Rs we have had to borrow a trillion dollars to pay for the Bush tax cuts for the rich, who are not hurt by the down economy. Thanks to the Rs we have local governments hurting and laying off thousands of workers including teachers, firemen and police.

Every attempt by Obama to stimulate the economy has been blocked by the Rs, so it is disingenuous of  them to blame Obama. A cure for recession is stimulus spending, not austerity. This has been proven over and over in previous economic downturns. If the Rs should win the next election just watch them start spending to revive the economy. They will not be following the path which they now tread.

A former U.S. Marine was shot in his home by White Plains, New York police, who were responding to a medical emergency alert from Life Aid. During the night he had accidentally triggered  the alert. When the police arrived he told them through the door that he was OK and needed no help. The police ordered him to open the door and when he did not they broke down the door, shot him as he stood there in his boxer shorts and T-shirt. The bullet entered his side and he had no weapon.

The police used racial slurs in their commands for him to open his door, making it even less likely that the 68 year old man would open the door. This was a medical emergency and the fire department was present. It was not handled as a medical emergency and afterwards it was covered up and not investigated. Now, 5 months later the story is coming out.

Read more about it here: http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-04-04/news/31283015_1_official-police-version-grand-jury-cops

It is great to see Republicans getting upset over being called “social Darwinists.” All that means is that they are for unfettered free enterprise. What that means is they are for as little government regulation as possible, with none being the best. Herbert Spenser corrupted the scientific use of Darwinism and transposed his misinterpretation to social conditions. He took the obvious power of natural selection in nature and misapplied it to economics and society.

Nature has no morality, but society has always had rules to promote fairness or give hope to those who have given their all so that someone else can succeed, such as a poorly paid worker in a successful business such as Nike or Apple. Even people with jobs need a boost, to say nothing of those who are unemployed through no fault of their own. Social Darwinists would say ignore those who can’t make it on their own. Liberals say help those who are less fortunate, provide a safety net until they can get on their feet again.

Since the adults of our communities are choosing to not support schools, it seems only fair that the kids should be able to choose not to attend. This would help reduce the class size and perhaps those who do attend will stand a chance of getting as good an education as we who were educated in the 1950s and 1960s received.

In addition:

By the time I graduated from Jefferson High School I had a basic understanding of the world, knew how to type, and developed artistic skills, had learned to read music, knew how to write a research paper. I knew about our history and was aware of the problems developing in Southeast Asia which led to the War in Vietnam. I had taken classes where we read great authors and learned how to write and think critically about what we had read. I took an experimental physics course that helped me understand the scientific method.

We had P.E. classes that made us work up a sweat and taught us physical skills. Our sports programs were fully supported. I could go on, but suffice it to say I was ready for college classes and ready to apply for a job anywhere that was hiring a high school graduate. I could read, write, think, follow instructions, use initiative and work un-supevised.

My education was payed for by taxpayers who knew the value of education for all, not just for those who can pay for it privately.

The Constitution prevents the government from establishing an official religion and we have a secular government that allows anyone to believe or not believe in things unseen. Romney and Santorum would like to change  that and make religious views more dominant, but I ask, which religious views are we going to get? Religion based on what Catholics call Christian, or religion based on what Mormons call Christian?

The Republican candidates pander to religious folks with statements castigating secular government, but have any religious folks studied the history of past religious wars? Some of the most horrible times have been suffered under religious governments, especially by those who were not supporters of the particular brand in power. A secular government is all that saves us from religious rule where ancient punishments such as stoning are still practiced and are still part of the Bible.

Republicans are liars. They are against anything that Obama is for, even things that used to be Republican ideas.
Paul Krugman points out:

“Indeed, conservatives used to like the idea of required purchases as an alternative to taxes, which is why the idea for the mandate originally came not from liberals but from the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation. (By the way, another pet conservative project — private accounts to replace Social Security — relies on, yes, mandatory contributions from individuals.) ”

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/30/opinion/krugman-broccoli-and-bad-faith.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120330

We can’t have a viable democracy with Rs acting like anal sphincters. Republicans are rich enough to be able to live in a country where no one cares about another. Where schools are for those who can afford them. Where police protect the rich and shoot the poor. This is not the country the Founding Fathers had in mind. Republicans are true elites who use their money and tax breaks to keep afloat as they sink the rest of the country.