... A Thousand Words

Robert Arial's cartoon cleverness here.  Found on Facebook.

No Brainer

(from Codeblack Comedy/Facebook)

Earth Day 2014

I'll never forget a Native American Medicine Wheel gathering in the mountains of Alabama where a major emphasis was on honoring the Earth Mother and showing respect for her gifts.  I can still hear the chant, "The Earth is our mother, we must take care of her...the Earth is our Mother, we will take care of her."  Well, we humans must be a disappointment to our Earth Mother.  But it's not too late to rededicate ourselves to taking care of her.  There's nothing like "the urgency of now," and the urgency is real—regardless of what the right wing naysayers would have us believe.  Earth Day is the perfect day to commit to a higher state of consciousness— the perfect day to begin advocating for protecting our Earth Mother.  She needs our voices.  Stay tuned to environmental legislation and call or email your Congressmen and Senators before votes are taken.  Contact your state legislators and governor for state issues.  Join an environmental protection group.   "The Earth is our mother, we must take care of her...." 

 

 (Image from the Rainforest Site via Facebook)

"Women Should be Secretaries"

Yep, this headliner statement was voiced as a put-down of our gender, sister Lefties.  And of women of all political persuasions.  It implies that being a secretary is somehow a "lowly" job and/or that women should work in that capacity rather than seeking other professions that require advanced degrees, etc.  Having worked as a secretary myself, I can attest that being a secretary is a highly responsible position requiring an array of skills beyond computer savvy and basic grammar; these jobs tend to come with far more responsibility than compensation in most organizations.  And, by the way, both men and women work as secretaries in today's labor force.   I will admit to agreeing with this opinion—in this instance: Ginny Deerin should be South Carolina's Secretary of State.  She'll make a fine one.

 

Ginny plans to do four essential things: Cut fees, cut the budget, cut regulations and improve customer service.  Her deep experience in the non-profit sector will serve the citizens of South Carolina well.  She knows what services need improving, which processes need streamlining, and how to extend efficient, respectful service to all citizens of the Palmetto State. 

This candidate has my vote and support.  Only wish more of my support could be in monetary form.  But this grassroots candidate is grateful for all support, in whatever amounts—so don't hold back if you can't give big bucks.  Visit her web site, "like" her Facebook page, donate some cash, some time —volunteer, recruit supporters.  We need her as Secretary of State!   www.ginny4sos.com

 

Here's what "grassroots" is all about!  Corporations are not people.  They shouldn't be influencing elections with huge contributions, much less deciding them. Every vote will count more than ever since the Supreme Court's most recent ruling giving bazillionaires more freedom to fuel campaigns of candidates likely to do their bidding when elected.  

 

 

Let's prove, in this instance, that people still have power; individuals can still make a difference in election outcomes.   Let's power Ginny Deerin to victory.   I'm enthusiastic about returning to grassroots "power to the people"— one woman one vote— politics.  Here's an opportunity to do just that.  Visit Ginny online, send a donation, tell her you'll volunteer.  Go, Ginny!  We've got your back.

Excellent Question

(from Represent.Us/posted on FB)

Answer:  Very small minds wearing suits with deep pockets. 

Start Speading the News

...and the news is no surprise to Lefties.   Justice will be served when all women are shocked and angered enough to get to the polls to see to it that  Republicans are awed that they've been defeated!  By women. We have the power; we only have to vote—let's ALL use it to voice outrage over this vote—and the GOP's patronizing, disrespectful attitude toward women in issues affecting us.  Vote for Democrats.  Support Democrats by volunteering and contributing to campaigns as much as we can...monetarily or in-kind.  Talk to friends, family, neighbors and strangers.  We can't let this vote go unnoticed, and we need to bring it up again when election time rolls around.  Carry on!

Image from Occupy Democrats/Facebook. 

How the World Has Changed

I'm still counting on graphics to do most of the talking at Lucy right now.  Hope to dive back into commentary before too long. Some of you know that my brother John passed away last month; the night of the day he died, my sweet mother fell, breaking her hip and right shoulder.  She's had a partial hip replacement, and the shoulder just has to heal on its own.  She's undergoing physical therapy at a healthcare facility in Columbia, SC, and I've been keeping the road hot between here and there.  Siblings and I are being vigilant, trying to  ensure she doesn't suffer the kind of pain she has experienced on some occasions.  She's a stoic, strong woman, despite her 80 pounds and 90 years.  We're proud of her attitude and  determination. 

This picture that paints a thousand words is thanks to my friend Kaye Lingle Koonce's FB post yesterday!

Don'tcha love it?

If Churches Paid Taxes . . . .

One of my greatest annoyances is that churches meddle in state affairs on a regular basis, taking strong positions on pending legislation and regulations...and initiate legislation (through its lobbyists or "representatives"), often impacting social issues that infringe on privacy and other rights.  AND YET churches don't pay taxes.  Zip.  They contribute nothing to the financial well-being of our country.  I was happy to see this posted on Facebook via the Progressive Secular Humanist Examiner page.   What's your thinking on this?

Justice Breyer Says . . .

(from Demos/Facebook)

Down a Dangerous Road

So, corporations are people and money is speech?  The Supreme Court now has said “yes” to both.    These rulings are taking our Democracy down a dangerous road—only dangerous if we want to remain a true democracy.  If we don't want the outcome of our elections to rest in the hands of the super-rich donors.  These donors apparently have run out of hobbies and can't find enough playgrounds to occupy them—so they've taken up a new pastime:  king-maker.  (Given most of these super donors' political persuasions, I'm doubtful there will be many "queen-makers.")

A man dear to my heart told me that his liberal hackles are up today, after yesterday's Court's ruling.  I imagine most liberals' hackles are up.  Mine surely are. The ruling, of course is the one removing caps/limits on the aggregate contributions a donor is allowed to give any candidate.  Republicans are elated—including, no doubt, the presidential wannabes who accepted bazillionaire Sheldon Adelson's invite to Vegas, apparently to "audition" for Adelson's monetary favors.  Video clips reveal more verbal bowing and scraping than I can remember hearing/seeing in my lifetime.  How many times in a very few minutes can a fella drop the name of his potential benefactor?  Stunning, jaw-dropping to watch grown men groveling like that.

 

Today all the GOP talking points include the words "free speech" and "first amendment rights."  Holy hell, really?!  What's happening makes no sense whatsoever to me.  But for sure it "ain't good" and my blood is boiling. What do you think about the 2010 Citizens United (corporations are people) ruling and yesterday's McCutcheon ruling (individual donor cap removal)?  Do share your thoughts in a comment if you will.

Gail Collins closes her NY Times opinion piece on yesterday's ruling with this:

Watching events in Russia and Ukraine, you can’t help noticing all the stupendously rich oligarchs with their fingers in every political development. It’s a useful word, connoting both awesome power and a group you don’t really want to have around.

 

In the former Soviet Union, the money elite generally get their power from the politicians. Here, it seems to be the other way around. But the next time casino zillionaire Sheldon Adelson invites the Republican presidential hopefuls to go to Las Vegas and bow before his throne, feel free to say they were just off honoring an oligarch. Apparently, the founding fathers would have wanted it that way. 

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/03/opinion/surprise-the-rich-won-one.html?action=click&contentCollection=Politics&module=MostEmailed&version=Full&region=Marginalia&src=me&pgtype=article