In issue 8
Fraud Flushed & Faith
She’s Back!
Here we go again with Sarah Palin. Actually, she’s not back. She never went away. After a compromise had been reached on the economic stimulus bill, Associated Press reported that Palin said her state is ready to receive the $1B in earmarks (I’m assuming that’s as long as a Bridge to Nowhere isn’t involved) but was critical of increased funding for social programs that could cost her state money and ìdon’t necessarily stimulate the economy.î My guess is that if Palin spent a little less time reading all of the magazines and newspapers that are ever printed she might have been aware of easily understandable information that Rachel Maddow presented on a recent episode of her show on MSNBC. While it was difficult to focus on Maddow, who appeared to either be wearing way too much mascara and/or false eyelashes, the slides prepared from data at Moodys.com was clear: The Republican recommended tax rebates would yield $1.02 in economic stimulus for every dollar spent; President Obama’s recommended infrastructure spending would yield $1.59 per stimulus dollar spent and those pesky dollars to wasteful social programs, specifically food stamps, would only yield a paltry $1.73 in economic stimulus for every dollar spent. Social programs are shameless and wasteful, aren’t they? Can I get a, You betcha?
The Empire Strikes Back
The following remarks are made in respectful parody of George Lucas’ trademarks. Darth Cheney needs to realize that he is no longer the Emperor’s pawn. OK, so they got the roles reversed. Regardless, the Empire has been crushed and he is no longer entitled to the powers of the Dark Side. The days of making the American public cower into submission by scaring them with a terrorist threat are over. Retire, former Vice President Cheney. Please. Take Bush’s Brain (Karl Rove) with you and live happily ever after. We plan to.
The Wicked Witch of Where’s She From?
She who proclaims to know right from left apparently doesn’t know right from wrong. Republican darling Ann Coulter, as reported by New York Daily News, is under investigation for voter fraud for voting in Connecticut when she is registered to vote in New York. This isn’t her first time being accused of running amock with election law. Apparently she was also registered to vote in Florida and avoided prosecution because the statute of limitations had run out. In that case, according to Palm Beach Post, Coulter had registered to vote in 2006 at an address that wasn’t hers in a precinct in which she did not reside. She’s been described as being ìas innocent as O.J. — But with far fewer scruplesî at BradBlog.com.
No, it’s not a ìMission Accomplishedî banner, but the election of Jack Seiler as Mayor of Fort Lauderdale does mark the end of an error. Having a gay mayor would have been a delightful switch from Naugle, but the former Wilton Manors Mayor speaks positively of the LGBT community and hasn’t been on record recommending spending obscene sums of money to prevent gays from having sex in, of all places, public restrooms. There’s no doubt Mayor Naugle set a high standard. In spite of the joy felt at his being replaced, some may still find it difficult not to swear him out while Seiler is sworn in on March 17.
While on the subject of elections, I must confess I did not get the memo. Blue Dolphin Democrats distributed a handy reference guide of candidates for local office shortly before the election. Unfortunately I did not see the list before press time and left a few LGBT and LGBT friendly candidates out of the discussion last week. Thank goodness some people had the forethought to take the list to the polls with them! I’ll look for the list earlier next time.
President Obama has selected an openly gay man, Fred Davie, to serve on his Policy Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Jerry Falwell must be spinning in his grave. Time will tell whether or not this makes up for selecting Rick Warren to participate in the inauguration. I just hope that Davie has paid his taxes.
Davie’s selection proves the face of government is changing before our eyes. Out Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (WI), joined by Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL) and others, have asked Secretary of State Hillary to include same-sex partners in eligibility for travel and other benefits offered to Foreign Service Officers according to GayPolitics.com. The reintroduction last week of the Uniting American Families Act, a bill that would allow American citizens to sponsor their same-sex partners from other nations for legal residency, proves there is still reason to have hope and that we may have more brighter days ahead.
