The Reluctant Candidate

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As the Republican party get closer to officially nominating their candidate of choice for president, many former candidates are now supporting Mitt Romney they had smeared, attacked, and exposed. From the disgraced former speaker of the house Newt Gingrich, who called Mitt Romney a moderate and a liar, now believes he (Mitt Romney) is best suited to "defeat (President Barack) Obama in November.
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Mitt Romney gained his fortune the old-fashioned way: he inherited it. Mitt Romney avoided the Vietnam war by doing missionary "work" at a chateau in France. Mitt Romney's only success in business was turning around troubled companies by gutting them or buying them out to turn for a profit at the expense firing most of the workers (mostly hourly). Most of all, Mitt Romney cannot connect with the middle-class.
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Michele Bachmann blamed Mitt Romney for "providing the blueprint for Obama care..." and suggested that Romney "would be another Obama" (whatever that means), then feigned excitement when introducing Romney as "the next president" to be elected in November. Rick Santorum was also reluctant to give his support to Romney citing he (Romney) "had more funds to run negative TV ads", but then noted he (Santorum) had to leave the campaign trail to care for his youngest daughter with a rare genetic disorder. Let us pray for Rick Santorum's daughters' wellness and quick recovery.
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The only one candidate left in the running is Ron Paul. Although virtually silent, Ron Paul is still speaking at "town hall" meetings speaking to Republican and Independent voters. The use of quotation marks on town hall is on purpose. When holding a "town hall meeting", it is to speak to all of the people, not just a specific group.
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For the Republican party itself, the GOP (Grand Old Party) cannot hide their disdain for the former Massachusetts governor. The GOP itself has splintered into many subgroups that real conservatives can no longer voice their concern without drawing fire from the fringe elements that have outnumbered them within the party and threatened to "vote them out of office" for not being "right" enough. They are now hostages within their own party.
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The Republican party and the RNC (Republican National Convention) have no real policy to present other than to continue their mutiny by making President Obama a one-term president by any means necessary. Republicans in the House and Senate refuse to work with Democrats and refuse to give the president any credit for the success of turning the economy around, revitalizing the US auto industry, putting millions Americans back to work in meaningful permanent jobs, and the death of Osama Bin Ladin.
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Under a Romney administration, jobs will again leave American shores, corporations will be able to send their profits to off-shore tax shelters (Ryan budget plan: "Territorial Tax"), unions will be broken up, and Romney will continue to enjoy his hobby of firing people at will. It was noted that recently on the campaign trail, a Romney "practical joke" led to a chamber maid to be fired by hotel management when a e-mail was sent to complain about "poor services and short sheets on the bed". Even though the "joke" was conducted by Romney's staff members, the maid lost her job with no (reported) attempt from the candidate or the Romney team to correct the matter.
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The RNC know that Mitt Romney will lose because there are no issues he (Mitt) can win against President Obama. So, with fake smiles and feigned support, Mitt Romney has become the GOP's reluctant candidate.

The Affordable Healthcare Act and the Supreme Court

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The Affordable Health Care Act (AHA), signed into law in 2010, was modeled closely after the Massachusetts Health Care act that ensured health coverage for most, if not all, state citizens. Mitt Romney, as governor of Massachusetts, believed that everyone should have some affordable insurance provided by the state if people could not afford or do not have health coverage. President Barack Obama, with the help of the writers and designers of the Massachusetts health insurance law, designed and developed the Affordable Health Care Act for an entire nation.

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Republicans were quick to label the AHA "Obamacare" as an insulting negative slur, only to realize that brother Romney also had passed and signed into law the same mandate in Massachusetts (Romneycare, anyone?). What Republicans do not want of this new law is to share in the benefits what they have been using since the Nixon administration. Politicians such as Boehner, Cantor, McConnel, Issa, Bush, and the rest have always taken advantage of free federal health care. It would not surprise anyone to know that even Cheney uses the free federal health care more than Limbaugh abuses Oxycontin.

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Cheney recently had a heart transplant, surpassing other younger patients waiting for an organ transplant. According to the American Medical Association (AMA), younger and more healthy patients have precedence to receive organ transplants first over older patients (usually in their mid 60's and older) regardless of wealth and status. This rule by the medical community was to insure that those with a better chance of survival would benefit greatly for themselves and their family. Apparently, rules do not apply to Republicans, especially Cheney. Obviously Cheney used the free "socialist" health Care paid for by tax payers and is now enjoying a heart he cut in line for. One has to wonder, how much was his deductible? Oh yeah! It was FREE!

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When "Obamacare" was enacted into law, some states implemented it on schedule or early, mostly in blue states with unheralded success. Red states continue to hold back with Texas being the last state to (yet) enact the law. Red states have challenged the AHA's constitutionality as a reason to not implement it, not admitting to the public that the AHA's intent is to curb insurance companies from raising their rates, denying coverage, or dropping customers because they got sick or injured. So much for the "helping hands"! If Cheney was a regular client with insurance some Americans have, he would have been dropped after his third heart attack.

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Now, we reach the culmination of the lawsuit challenge in the Supreme Court, and Republicans are quick to pounce on four of the justices as being "activist" in their decisions. One did not realize that Republicans were also mind readers! After days of hearing arguments. it was reported that five of the "conservative" justices, all of whom were appointed by Republican presidents (excluding Justice Sotomayor who was appointed by Dub'ya), are ready to invalidate the AHA law entirely despite 71% of public support in favor of the law. It seems there are "activist" justices on the Supreme Court bench after all: Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, John G. Roberts, Antonin Scalia, and Anthony M. Kennedy as a swing vote justice.

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According to the Code of Conduct of United States Judges (this includes Supreme Court justices), each justice must adhere to the five Canons under the code of conduct. One particular Canon states "A judge should perform the duties of the office fairly, IMPARTIALLY, and diligently", (click on the link: http://www.uscourts.gov/RulesAndPolicies/CodesOfConduct/CodeConductUnitedStatesJudges.aspx ).

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Although it may seem that the five listed justices are poised to strike down the AHA law entirely, it only raises the question of ethics and impartiality each one has sworn to uphold as Supreme Court justices. What does it say about the Republican party that wants to deny affordable coverage to all Americans and keep it for themselves? Is this truly a matter of looking after the best interests of the people, or to the best interests of the health insurance industry?

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According to one of the justices (Scalia) who opined the mandate as forcing people to buy the coverage is akin to forcing people to eat broccoli, what does it say about the "forced" requirement that people buy car insurance? Obviously it makes sense for people to get car insurance because you cannot buy or use a vehicle without some form of liability. However, you cannot buy a house without house or home owner's insurance. Maybe it was applied to "mobile" homes but was mandated for all forms of homes. Gotta have property insurance when you open a business; it's "mandated" by banks as well as local and state laws.

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If Republicans want you to believe there are "activist" justices, they are correct. They are: John G. Roberts, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito with Anthony M. Kennedy as the deciding justice.

Republicans' War on Americans

...Please read blog first.

In view of what the four current Republican presidential candidates have promised in their campaigns, it becomes more relevant that their agenda is more about control and those they summon to reign dominion over.

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Their actions and speeches are merely ideological rants of the Republican Tea Party, and the Republican Party itself, to ensure votes in support of an oligarchy government. The middle-class and working poor that support such a party are either overcome with their empty promises or are not intelligent enough to understand that they themselves are only pawns and will not benefit anything from another Republican administration except a return to high unemployment, an economy that only favors the rich 1%, another war, and (my favorite) "less government" with more government intrusion.

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In light of the Rush Limbaugh "apology", it was not intended to insight regret on his behalf to Sandra Fluke, a third-year law student, but to try to minimize his entire rant to two key words that he could not get away from; "slut" and "prostitute". Limbaugh's "apology" was only about him being a victim of the "liberal media". In case he missed it, he is a part of that same "liberal media" because of the liberty he takes to bully anyone who disagree with him and to bash President Barack Obama and his administration on the air.

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The premise of the Republican party and the RNC (Republican National Convention), is regression, not progress. It is clear in how red states are pushing their legislature to write and pass new Jim Crow laws by restricting the voting rights of minorities, students, women, the elderly, and the poor, based on a problem that does not exist. If the Republicans are so adamant of such voting restrictions, then they should have no problem exercising such restrictions in their primaries when they vote for their candidate.

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Now, at the forefront, Republicans want to eliminate a woman's right to choose and concentrating on eliminating Planned Parenthood entirely. Each Republican presidential candidate have expressly and clearly identified that organization and any "affiliate" associated with Planned Parenthood as a target to shut down if either one becomes president. Red states cannot shut down a government-sponsored organization such as Planned Parenthood because it would violate the Supreme Court ruling of Roe v. Wade. Instead, they have enacted laws to deny funding to such an organization that helps millions of working poor women.

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Although such laws are in violation of Roe v. Wade, it is an end-run around the federal law itself. Texas Governor "Doctor"Rick Perry seems to think he knows more about female anatomy than women and actual physicians do. Recently, Doonesbury cartoonist Garry Trudeau penned and sketched six panels depicting "Dr." Perry's new invasive sonogram law, only to have most newspapers deny publication and place alternative Doonesbury comics in place and, in some papers, relegated Doonesbury to the "Opinions" section of the paper.

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Without further adieu, here is Doonesbury, by Garry Trudeau (go back to top of blog):

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The Republican Warlords.

In the wake of women's rights for contraception in President Barack Obama's new health care law, Republicans chose to attack the plan under the ruse of "protecting" religious freedom. This is an example of an organization grasping at straws simply because Republicans cannot dispute any of the successes the president has achieved.

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Republicans cannot dispute a faster-than-expected recovering economy, a foreign policy that has mended relations with our allies, a successful military action that resulted in the death of Osama Bin Laden and Awal Al Maliki, ending the war in Iraq, passing a health care law that covers all Americans, reducing the need for foreign oil while expanding domestic oil exploration, thus exporting more oil than we consume, not seen since the 1960's, and now, a contraception plan that covers women's health and appeases churches.

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Now, drawing on a wedge issue that Republicans favor, is to use religion as a weapon to deprive a woman's right of equality by denying health coverage, contraception, and forcing laws that intrude on women's bodies. It was one's understanding that Republicans were for limited government but, as usual, are more inclined to take away their rights of choice by telling them what they can and cannot do to or with their bodies and force doctors to perform unnecessary intrusive medical procedures under the threat of arrest.

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It is bad enough that red states enacted their own destructive and intrusive laws to circumvent Roe v. Wade, but to force their will upon women amounts to nothing more that state sanctioned rape. Kansas virtually allows super pro life suspects to murder doctors who perform abortion or prescribe birth control related prescriptions. Although those suspects were caught, judged, and sent to prison, the state's Republican Attorney General was reluctant to administer the full extent of the law because he is "pro life". Texas Republican Governor Rick "See, I'm a bigger Christian and I carry a gun" Perry enacted redundant sonogram laws that are also intrusive and force doctors to demean and humiliate women who choose to abort a pregnancy and force them to wait much longer before performing the procedure.

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And now at the apex of the issue, Rush "where's the Oxycontin?" Limbaugh has resorted to attacking a third year law student by calling her a "slut" and a "prostitute" for testifying the need for women's contraception. Where is the proof to his conclusion? Limbaugh, through his rant against the student, wanted her to "have sex" and "post it on the internet so he could watch". Rush is now abdicating pornography.

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Through the outrage and backlash from all sides, some Republicans had to repudiate Rush's tirade, even Rick "I was Tea Party before there was a Tea Party" Santorum said Rush's rant was "absurd". Although John Boehner had a chance to personally say something, he chose to let his spokesperson to speak for him. I thought he was the Speaker of the House and could "speak" for himself. The other Republican presidential candidates did offer some slight repudiation, but Mitt "I'm rich and you're jealous" Romney did not say anything for almost 48 hours after the backlash. It was recently noted that Clear Channel broadcasts Limbaugh's show and owns the the rights, but it is also known that Bain Capitol owns Clear Channel and Romney owns stocks and shares of Bain Capitol, essentially making him Rush's boss. This is clearly a "firing" offense for Romney to influence, but it becomes even more clear that Rush is the mouth piece for the Republican Party.

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Because of the backlash, Rush had to apologize. Rush's "apology" was more about himself than it was about being sincere to the young law student. I am sure suing Rush for Defamation of Character and Slander comes to mind from many law students and lawyers, but until then, Rush will continue to slander any one, group, or entity that is not "conservative". Rush should practice that term and conserve his one-man war of words against anyone with a different opinion while Clear Channel should consider firing him. Until then, Limbaugh will continue to speak for the Republican Party while the "candidates" allow him and his followers to continue to hate.

The Four Stooges of the Apocolypse.

"I pledge allegiance to Grover Norquist, to eliminate taxes for the rich and corporations.

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And to the Republic, for which it will no longer stand, under our Autocracy, in the name of the Republican Tea Party.

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One nation, under Ronald Reagan, divisible, with limited liberty, and justice for some."

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The perception of what the Republican party now stands for seems to reflect the fictitious pledge written. Their actions and speeches reflect the very notion that they do not represent all Americans as they vowed to do so in their actual oath of office.

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The Republicans have charged that class warfare was waged when Democrats, Independents, and few true conservative Republicans suggested that the very wealthy, and corporations pay their fair share of taxes to stimulate the economy and to help generate jobs. Under the existing Bush Tax cuts, most (if not all) economists and universities noted that the rich, corporations, and energy companies were the only entities that benefited from said tax cuts, loopholes, and deregulation of most industries. What little money that was returned to the middle-class, poor and working poor was merely a pittance afforded by the Bush tax code as a guise to get votes.

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Now, the onslaught is apparent based on what the four remaining Republican candidates now promise to their selected audience and donor(s). It is expected for each Republican candidate to demonize President Barack Obama, his policies, and his administration, but is it really necessary to call the president "a snob", as blurted by Rick Santorum? Where is his proof? How is it possible for "a snob" to help all Americans and actually work with Republicans through sharing and compromise? If anyone should be labeled "a snob", it should be directed at Santorum himself. Recently, Rick Santorum held a very private fundraiser in Texas at a very exclusive gated community, and only invited prescreened wealthy donors. Talk about being "a snob"!

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Under eight years of Bush and six years of a House and Senate under Republican "leadership", America, as a nation, came close to going bankrupt. Each Republican candidate has vowed to dismantle President Obama's policies and overturn recent laws passed to bring American overseas jobs back and get more long term unemployed and returning veterans back to work. Although the Keystone XL pipeline would help the unemployed, it is only a short term temporary fix to a long term problem and would not benefit anyone but the energy companies involved.

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Only we are in charge of our own destiny, yet there are Republican candidates who want to take that away. Red states are rewriting their laws that aims to eliminate women's' rights and voters' rights under the threat of nonexistent problems. Red states are also pushing for new laws that would circumvent President Obama's laws and policies that allows local and state law enforcement agencies to racial profile anyone they deem "non American". Now, you have Republican candidates who want to return to the Bush policies that brought America close to the brink of destruction.

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As each Republican candidate promises nothing for all Americans, their responses, retorts, and Obama loath speeches clearly points out the destructive nature each has planned to eliminate the middle-class entirely, from eliminating public education to eliminating Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and to secure an autocratic rule, the very same type of autocratic rule our founding fore fathers fought to secure us from. Apocalypse now, anyone?

...And The Hate Goes On!

Now that there are only four Republican presidential "candidates" left, each one has ratcheted up their own talking points and wedge issues to attack and vilify President Obama. Not one candidate has truly offered to give any credit to the president where credit is due. It is embarrassing to the nation and to the world that a singular political party (Republican) would hold such contempt to a sitting president. It is the same language the Republicans said was unpatriotic and anti-American when Dubba-u Bush was in office.
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When Bush was in office, his policies (mostly Cheney's) were more self serving to himself and his rich buddies and their businesses while the middle-class lost their jobs to overseas outsourcing and the working and non working poor suffered even more. Industries were deregulated and rewarded more for sending jobs overseas to third and fourth-world countries. Ignoring the previous administration's intelligence and cherry-picking their own would lead to two unpaid for wars. The deregulation policies of the Bush administration resulted in a tainted food supply (mad cow disease), a runaway spending habit by Republicans in the House of Representatives and the Senate that led to increasing the deficit seven (7) times without complaint. The USA "Patriot" Act was passed to search for terrorists, only to be expanded to spy on Americans, mostly minorities and anyone not a Republican. "Homeland Security" was established to combine the efforts of the FBI, CIA, NSA, and other state and federal law enforcement agency to share information. So much for "smaller government"! And now there is the Bush "tax cuts" that only benefitted millioaires and billionaires, corporations, and Wall Street that resulted into the economic crisis we are now recovering from.
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Based on how each "candidate" has vowed to make the Bush tax cuts permanent and overturn the progress made by President Obama, each of their ideas is only focused to help only those who have the means to help themselves, restrict or overturn Civil Rights and womens' rights, and turn America into a rich and poor only society, thus eliminating the middle-class entirely.
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Ron Paul calls himself a "Libertarian", but is more Republican who harken to the days when isolationism was policy and overt racism was the norm. Ron Paul is more of a dottering old man who only lives in his own time and prefers his groundskeepers brown and his mansion staff black, and prone to putting his foot in his mouth.
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Rick Santorum is so staunchly "far right", he has finally gained the full support of Tea Party Republicans and evangelical Republicans by promising to end womens' rights by using abortion and contraception while suggesting a state religion. As long as he keeps suggesting that President Obama is anything other than what he actually is (American, Christian, etc;...), he will continue to gain higher Republican poll numbers. Santorum is the clown who always steps on the yard rake thus hitting his head with the handle.
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Mitt Romney is more business-oriented that his idea of America is to run it like Bain Capitol: to fire anyone at will, eliminate unions and curtail workers rights and pay. Romney is only in it for Romney. He would extend the business aspect and economics of the Bush policies. Romney has always had a life of privilege, his idea of "doing without" was reminicing about doing missionary work in France living in a three-star hotel, while other not-so-rich Mormon missionaries went to Africa. Based on his out of touch with reality and his inability to connect with the majority of the middle-class and poor, he continues to shoot himself in the foot every time he speaks publicly at a prescreened location.
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Last, but not least, there is Newt Gingrich. He is so full of himself, he continues to suggest he will be president by saying "after my second term,...". Gingrich, like Romney, is only in it for Gingrich, but will step over anyone to get what he wants. Just ask his last two wives: one whom he served divorce papers to while she was recovering from cancer in a hospital and the other mistress to wife who developed multiple sclerosis. Gingrich's jobs plan is to eliminate unions and overturn child labor laws in order to employ poor and minority children as school janitors under the premise of "teaching" said children a work ethic. Gingrich is the kind of guy who would pull the pin from a grenade, drop the grenade and throw the pin.
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In light of their stance against pro choice, Republicans will have to choose who will be their nominee. Based on their debates, their caucuses and the number of delegates, their public speaking, and each one's only doner and super PAC, President Obama is assured another term in office.

Goodbye Whitney, and God Bless You!

Like so many great artists of our times, sometimes they also leave so abruptly. Whitney Houston will now be forever remembered as one of the greatest legends who have touched so many lives with her voice. Within the triumphs of her success also came some tragedies with addiction. Her last triumph was overcoming those addictions and to proceed with her comeback.

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Goodbye Whitney, we'll miss you!