After Zev Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles County cannot stand another big government, tax-and-spend, pro-union progressive socialist democrat like Sheila Kuehl …
A professional politician, Kuehl is your prototypical progressive socialist democrat …
6 years in the California State Assembly, 8 years in the California State Senate until she left the legislature under California’s term limits statute
Harvard-trained lawyer
First openly lesbian legislator to be elected to the California legislature
bigger government
stronger rules and regulations
tax-and-spend
pro-union
subverting the will of the majority to pander to minorities and illegal aliens
And, even worse, Kuehl backs additional red light cameras – the ones that generate municipal revenue, but do little or nothing to make your drive safer …
According to my friend Jim, a noted consumer advocate and the editor of the famed anti-red-light camera rip-off website, www.highwayrobbery.net …
No on Kuehl, on June 3.
To those whole live in San Fernando Valley, Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, the City of West Hollywood or Hollywood, I urge a NO vote on Kuehl for County Supervisor, on the June 3 ballot.
During her career in the California Legislature, Kuehl made three attempts to pass bills to allow the use of automated speed enforcement (photo radar) in California.
If she becomes a Supervisor, she will have a seat on the MTA/Metro board and she will be a vote to continue and expand their huge (101 cameras, so far) red light camera system.
Americans for Democratic Action, Southern California
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 36
Beverly Glen Democratic Club
California Association of Professional Employees
California Federation of Teachers
California Nurses Association
California State University Northridge Young Democrats
Communication Workers of America, Southern California Council
Consumer Federation of California
Democrats of Pasadena Foothills
Democrats for Israel
Democrats for Neighborhood Action
Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley
East Area Progressive Democrats
EMILY’s List
International Cinematographers Guild, Local 600
International Longshore & Warehouse Union, Southern California District Council
LA Grassroots 4 Obama (LAG4O)
Latino Democrats of Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County Democratic Party
Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters
Los Angeles County Lifeguard Association
Mexican American Bar Association
Miracle Mile Democratic Club
National Organization for Women, California
National Union of Healthcare Workers
National Women’s Political Caucus, California
National Women’s Political Caucus, Los Angeles Metro
National Women’s Political Caucus, Los Angeles Westside
National Women’s Political Caucus, San Fernando Valley
North Valley Democratic Club
Pacific Palisades Democratic Club
Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project
Progressive Democrats of the Santa Monica Mountains
Progressive Leaders for Democratic Action
Santa Monica Democratic Club
Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights
Sierra Club
Stonewall Democratic Club
Teamsters Joint Council 42
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 770
United Teachers Los Angeles
UniteHere! Local 11
West Hollywood Beverly Hills Democratic Club
Bottom line …
Los Angeles County cannot afford another big government, pro-union, tax-and-spend progressive socialist democrat who, in spite of being a lawyer, supports rights for illegal aliens. I urge a “No” vote for Sheila Kuehl for County Supervisor.
Full disclosure: I met Sheila in the early sixties while both of us were at UCLA (and still owe her a quarter for the Coke Machine that was located in the URC). And, while our politics and worldview is diametrically opposed on many (if not all) political issues, Sheila is nice, smart, and wonderfully compassionate and caring. If she were running for a lesser office, with far less impact on a failing county, I would probably vote for her. But the stakes are too high to set aside the fact that Kuehl and her progressive socialist democrat cohorts have nearly bankrupted the State of California and appear to want to do the same to Los Angeles County with their public policies.
[X] NO ON BOBBY SHRIVER FOR L.A. COUNTY SUPERVISOR:
For the very same reason, I do not support Santa Monica activist and professional Kennedy, Bobby Shriver, another progressive socialist democrat. Shriver, one of those "do as I say, don't do as I do" limousine liberals cannot be trusted to do much -- other than pander to the unions, environmentalists, and big government crowd.
-- steve
“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it! "Acta non verba" -- actions not words
“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw
“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”
“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius
“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell
“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar
“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS
Please, someone tell the progressive socialist democrat gun control advocates to STFU …
Elliot Rodger, Pathetic Perpetrator …
Yes, everyone acknowledges there was a tragedy in that a mentally ill person killed six innocent people,wounded 13 others, and then killed himself. A rare occurance that is blown out of proportion by the 24/7 news cycle and stories that seem to recount every other gun-related tragedy for political purposes.
However:
His first three victims were stabbed to death by the same gun-wielding nutcase, a fact that is not mentioned by those calling for stricter gun control. Among the weapons recovered: a knife, a machete, and a hammer.
California already has some of the strictest gun control in the nation, and it did not stop a mentally-ill person from legally purchasing firearms.
His parents, his mental health professionals, and others did nothing to list him with any state agency as being mentally impaired – something that might have stopped the purchase of his guns, but would do nothing about his obtaining knives or using his vehicle as a weapon.
The police actually visited the perpetrator and apparently took no action – even after disturbing videos started appearing. The authorities allegedly, according to Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown, left the residence because the suspect seemed "quiet and timid . .. polite and courteous." Nothing was released about the deputies and if they asked about weapons, searched his room, or checked the California State weapons registry.
The bottom line …
You cannot control criminals and crazies anymore than you can control the sun, moon, and the oceans. All of the existing regulations, even if there were no guns anywhere, would have not prevented the first three deaths by stabbing. And, what the progressive socialist democrats do not seem to understand is that you do not make people safer by creating a larger pool of potential victims because criminals and crazies will never follow the law or will use alternative means to subdue, injure, maim, or kill their victim.
In this world where everything must have a root cause and assigned blame, the fact is that this is one of life’s unpredictable moments. Nobody other than the perpetrator is to blame.
And, those corrupt and partisan politicians that rush to the media or attempt to craft legislation, are examples of the worst kind of representative. No law will curtail criminals and crazies – and those who try to tell you different are lying.
In fact, you might wish to note which politicians are spouting nonsense and vote against them in the upcoming elections. Not only are they insulting your intelligence with their gun control drivel, they are actually making you and your family increasingly unsafe.
-- steve
P.S. I know it is somewhat insensitive and too early to speculate, but I wonder how many of the victim’s families will exploit this tragedy to form non-profit foundations and seek to raise funds while they take a significant salary and travel around the country first class?
“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it! "Acta non verba" -- actions not words
“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw
“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”
“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius
“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell
“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar
“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS
How the hell did America get to the point where race and gender trump honesty, integrity, and competence?
We have a media and a significant portion of the media that is afraid of being labeled “racist” for telling the half-black emperor that he is not wearing clothes. It does not take much more than a review of the current scandals: Fast and Furious, IRS, NSA, Benghazi, and now the Veterans Affairs scandal to see that our current President is both detached and incompetent. Both characteristics independent of his race, color, and ideology. The man is nothing but an empty suit that can deliver a TelePrompTered speech as well as any other telegenic actor. His supporters cry racism whenever he is attacked for his abysmal performance. But the truth remains, Obama is nothing more than a detached, incompetent, and corrupt fool playing the part of the President of the United States. Even worse, any openness
Hillary Clinton has a record of dishonesty, incompetence, corruption, and detachment …
How can any American look at the disgrace Bill Clinton brought to the Office of the Presidency and picture his return to the White House in any capacity?
How can any American fail to note that Bill Clinton was giving expensive speeches in foreign lands to foreign governments while Hillary Clinton served as the Secretary of State? Who is demanding an audit of the millions of dollars flowing through the various Clinton enterprises, rife with cronyism and corruption?
How can any American fail to note that from her earliest days in the Governor’s Mansion in Arkansas to the present day, Hillary Clinton was and is buried in a morass of financial and ethical issues?
And, how can any American forgive Hillary Clinton knowingly lying to the American public and stone-walling inquiries on the 9/11 terrorist attack on Benghazi?
The 2016 Democrat presidential hopeful has a long history of lies, cover-ups, obstructions and character assassinations, all for political greed. And she didn’t start down that path with the 2012 Benghazi terrorist attacks.
Jerry Zeifman, an admitted lifelong Democrat, was Hillary Clinton’s supervisor as she worked on the Watergate investigation. Zeifman fired Clinton from the investigation and refused to give her a letter of recommendation for a new position. Zeifman was the counsel and chief of staff of the House Judiciary Committee during the Nixon investigation.
Zeifman explained, describing the reason for the firing and refusal to recommend the 27 year-old Hillary Clinton,”Because she was a liar.” He added, “She was an unethical, dishonest lawyer.”
“She conspired to violate the Constitution, the rules of the House, the rules of the committee and the rules of confidentiality,” Zeifman said, underscoring her complete disregard for ethics.
Zeifman explained that Hillary Clinton conspired to deny Richard Nixon the right to counsel during the investigation, in order to keep Howard Hunt from testifying about “the goods on nefarious activities in the Kennedy Administration.”
In his book, “Hillary’s Pursuit of Power,” he explains that Hillary Clinton “engaged in a variety of self-serving unethical practices in violation of House rules.” Hillary Clinton engaging in self-serving practices regardless of any ethical considerations?
Hillary Clinton constructed the “nuts and sluts,” campaign, a real “war on women” against the victims of her husband, fellow Democrat Bill Clinton’s unwanted sexual advances (see: Paula Jones, Kathleen Willey, and Juanita Broaddrick). <Source>
Managing the media …
Even if the progressive mainstream media were not enthralled with the idea of an historic event, the election of the first woman president, they have proven to be unreliable and partisan in the coverage of both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Failing to accurately report on significant cronyism, obstruction of justice, and potential illegal acts such as providing military-grade weaponry to our enemies; the media often softens fails to report the news until it reaches scandal proportions, softens the reporting and suggests that there is a partisan brouhaha, or buries the item along with the trivial news.
The Clinton’s are media-savvy. Holding back audience-generating interviews until they find friendly reporters and commentators who will offer-up softball questions and fail to ask the hard follow-up questions.
Where are the demands for the autopsy results for our Libyan Ambassador, Christopher Stevens, whose body was allegedly desecrated by his attackers in a most brutal and sexual manner? It is one thing to withhold the Osama bin Laden kill pictures because it might serve as a rallying cry of Muslim terrorists, but it is quite another to withhold evidence of what happened to our Ambassador for political reasons.
What reporter is asking exactly why that facility was designated as a diplomatic outpost, why no security was provided, why it was being used as a weapons transfer point, why was the Ambassador there on the anniversary of 9/11 (a major danger date in the Muslim world), what was he discussing with the Turkish Ambassador, and if this event rises above and beyond the Iran-Contra scandal?
There is so much that we do not know about Hillary Clinton, who unlike Barack Obama, has few sealed documents off-limits to the American people. But, what we do know should be deeply disturbing to an honest media that cares for the future of the United States. How can they support a person who wants to limit political free speech and control the media?
Bottom line …
When it comes to the safety, security, and economic growth of the United States, there is no way Americans can trust anyone who does not have a record of engagement, competence, honesty, and integrity. All of which rule Hillary Clinton out of any elected or appointed office. She has a stunning record of cronyism and corruption that would make her succession of President Barack Obama a disaster.
In the final analysis, Hillary is smarter, more media savvy, and more politically adept than President Obama. But, one the other hand, she is measurably more corrupt and pro-socialist. Definitely not Presidential material – and I would suggest, not fit for any public office.
-- steve
“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it! "Acta non verba" -- actions not words
“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw
“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”
“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius
“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell
“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar
“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS
Dishonest distractions … using American soldiers as a backdrop to a political photo-op …
Protected by the Secret Service, in a closed hangar facility, meeting with selected and disarmed soldiers. Can you imagine Patton afraid to meet with armed soldiers?
Neck deep in the Veterans Hospital scandal – as well as others involving the subversion of the Constitution of the United States and obstruction of justice -- what better way to distract the American public than visiting the troops on Memorial Day, the hallowed day of remembrance. Even better, using a country western star, Brad Paisley, to provide the enthusiastic response that he could never receive on a solo visit.
What can you say about a corrupt, incompetent, disinterested Command-in-Chief who was off doing heaven knows what while Americas were under fire in Benghazi. Personally complicit with lying to the American people about a non-existent “protest over a video,” that he knew was a lie. During the attack, the only thing we know about Obama’s location was that he was not in the White House Situation Room and someone, perhaps a civilian like Valerie Jarrett, gave a stand-down order to prevent any rescue attempt of Americans under attack.
Here is a man who would waste millions on a photo opportunity in Afghanistan that lasted approximately four hours.
Here is a man who would stand before troops who he put in danger by pre-announcing the time schedule of our withdrawal from the country. Emboldening our enemies who need do nothing but sit back and wait until we withdraw to take back the country. Or, even worse, kill our withdrawing soldiers since there are only a limited number of routes out of the country.
Here is a man who would deny honors and medical benefits by refusing to award the Fort Hood soldiers a Purple Heart – preferring to designate the attack “workplace violence” rather than a terrorist attack by a radicalized Muslim soldier.
How the White House spun the trip …
"We Stand in Awe of Your Service": President Obama Makes a Surprise Trip to Thank Troops in Afghanistan
President Obama made a surprise visit to Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan today to thank the American troops and civilians stationed there for their service. Following an opening performance by Brad Paisley, the President addressed about 3,000 troops in a hangar on the base.
He let them know that he was there "on a single mission" -- and that was to say thank you.
"I thank you as your Commander-in-Chief because you inspire me," the President said. "Your willingness to serve, to step forward at a time of war, and say 'send me,' is the reason the United States stays strong and free. Of all the honors that I have serving as President, nothing matches serving as your Commander-in-Chief."
The President went on to say that, after more than a decade of war, we're at a "pivotal moment" in Afghanistan.
Last year marked a major milestone -- for the first time, Afghan forces took the lead to secure their own country. And today, you’re in a support role -- helping to train and assist Afghan forces. For many of you, this will be your last tour in Afghanistan. And by the end of this year, the transition will be complete and Afghans will take full responsibility for their security, and our combat mission will be over. America’s war in Afghanistan will come to a responsible end.
The President also noted that our progress in Afghanistan has come "at a heavy price."
Tomorrow is Memorial Day. At bases here in Afghanistan and towns across America, we will pause and we'll pay tribute to all those who’ve laid down their lives for our freedom. And that includes nearly 2,200 American patriots who made the ultimate sacrifice, that last, full measure of devotion, right here in Afghanistan. I know you’ve stood in front of those battle crosses. I know many of you carry the memories of your fallen comrades in your heart today. We will honor every single one of them -- not just tomorrow, but forever.
In closing, the President described how, in spite of all our country has been though, "our flag is still there."
... Our flag is still there because when our nation was attacked, a generation -- this generation, the 9/11 Generation -- stepped up and said “send me.” Our flag is still there because you’ve served with honor in dusty villages and city streets, and in rugged bases and remote outposts, in Helmand and Kandahar, and Khost and Kunar and Paktika and Nuristan. Our flag is still there because through this long war you never wavered in your belief that people deserve to live free from fear -- over here and back home. Our flag will always be there, because the freedom and liberty it represents to the world will always be defended by patriots like you.
Following his remarks, the President also visited with wounded troops in the military hospital at Bagram Air Base. Read the President's full remarks here.
Insulting slap in the face from a petty dictator …
Karzai refused to meet Obama at Bagram Air Base, says US official
Afghan President Hamid Karzai was offered a meeting with President Barack Obama at Bagram Air Base outside Kabul but declined, a US official said Sunday. The official said that Washington was not surprised that the meeting did not work out at short notice, after Obama arrived at the base on a surprise visit after night fell on Sunday. <Source>
We give this asswipe, Karzai, billions of dollars and he is seen cozying up to Iran and China. What the hell did President Obama say about the wasted billions of dollars, the lives lost, and the enemy victory he guaranteed? Wasn’t this Obama’s war – the right war for the right reason, as opposed to what former President Bush did in Afghanistan. And, now he is walking away – “mission accomplished” without the banner. And, it doesn’t hurt to remember that the Taliban was created and financed by our alleged friends in Pakistan, perhaps the very same ones who sheltered Osama bin Laden in a military city?
The right war?
History has a habit of getting in the way of president’s grand visions and the presidency of Barrack Obama is no exception. Obama rode to electoral victory in no small part because of his opposition to the ‘bad war’ in Iraq. He argued that American needed to focus on the right war in Afghanistan, but that war now threatens to eclipse his domestic agenda.
It is a conflict that the young president did not start, but it is one that he ultimately decided to embrace. The challenge facing Mr. Obama is to manage the conflict in such a way that he continues to redress the critical security situation on the ground, whilst forging a sustainable long-term engagement strategy rather than escalating the conflict beyond a reasonable effort proportion of effort as the Johnson Administration did in Vietnam. <Source>
It appears that the progressive socialist democrats are about as competent to prosecute a war to a victorious end than the cheese-eating surrender monkeys idolized by Secretary of State John Kerry, himself a progressives socialist democrat with disdain for the military he claims are “baby killers.”
Bottom line …
Truth be told, Hamid Karzai is a corrupt kleptocrat who serves more as the Mayor of Kabul, in his protected compound, rather than the President of Afghanistan that is ruled by tribalistic war lords and the Taliban. I would not be shocked if Karzai bugged-out to a safe haven with his billions and became a featured speaker at Bill Clinton’s Foundation events.
While the Clinton’s and their cadre of progressive socialist democrats were known to have great disdain for the American military, it appears to be nothing like the contempt Obama has for our troops.
Despite Hillary's reputation for shading the truth, Brian Lehrer believed her explanation. And no wonder. After all, it seemed incredible that a First Lady would attempt to ban the wearing of military uniforms in the White House.
And yet, that is exactly what Hillary had tried to do in the spring of 1996. At that time, all military personnel serving in the White House wore business suits, except for the one day a week on which they were required to don their uniforms. There were only two exceptions to this rule: junior officers who served at White House social events wore dress uniforms; and military aides who carried the nuclear "football" containing the top-secret codes the President needed in case of nuclear war wore their service uniforms.
"Hillary tried to change the tradition where military aides wore their uniforms when accompanying the President with the nuclear football," said air force lieutenant colonel Robert "Buzz" Patterson, who served as President Clinton's senior military aide. "There were five military aides--from air force, army, navy, marines, and coast guard--and she wanted us to wear business suits when we were carrying the football.
"The directive came down from Hillary through the President's chief of staff, Leon Panetta," Patterson continued. "Secret Service agents opposed her plan, because they wanted us to be easily identifiable by our uniforms in the event that something critical went down. We military aides were not just responsible for the nuclear codes, but also for evacuating the President and accompanying him to safe houses."
"Eventually, Hillary relented. My opinion is she was trying to downplay the military in and around her husband. It's ridiculous for her to claim that the story was the result of some young staffer who, in a lapse of judgment, said something critical to someone in uniform. It was all Hillary's doing from beginning to end." <Source>
And, this is the same progressive socialist democrat, Hillary Clinton, that is attempting to succeed President Obama, another progressive socialist democrat?
President Barack Obama and his cadre of socialist democrats are fooling nobody except the Kool-Aid drinkers who relish style over substance. remember this shameless exploitation when deciding the fate of progressive socialist democrats and their RINO (Republican In Name Only) cohorts in the voting booth.
-- steve
“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it! "Acta non verba" -- actions not words
“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw
“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”
“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius
“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell
“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar
“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS
California’s progressive socialist democrats: lying liars who lie …
So much for the openness, transparency, and accountability promised by California’s progressive socialist democrats. It is ironic that a State Senator, accused and arrested of public corruption and gun running fought to release the very information the progressive socialist democrats are trying to hide from the public. Information that would show which lobbyists and special interests met with politicians and would allow an enlightened citizenry to compare that information with the legislator’s voting record.
Leland Yee: State refuses to release legislative calendar of disgraced state senator
In the wake of state Sen. Leland Yee's arrest on public corruption charges, the powerful Senate Rules Committee insists on shielding his official activities from the public by refusing to release his legislative calendars.
The committee's response to three recent requests from this newspaper echoes a consistent line the California Legislature has articulated over the years: The public is better served by keeping lawmakers' activities secret, it argues, than by shining a light on them. Not even the intense interest in Yee, the subject of an FBI sting, justifies public scrutiny of the company he kept.
Objecting to disclosure of the official activities of an indicted politician?
Darrell Steinberg – Democrat California Senate Majority Leader
Excuse me! The legislators work for their constituents and we are dealing with public records …
Once again, we find the arrogant progressive socialist democrats and their RINO cohorts who run this state and plunder California’s treasury on behalf of the unions, the special interests, and illegal aliens are anything but ethical, honest, open, and transparent.
Who are these Senate miscreants?
Senator Darrell Steinberg (Chair) – (Professional Politician) Democrat Majority Party Leader and President Pro Tem of the California Senate. He was a big pro labor advocate, serving as an employee rights attorney for the California State employees union. He represents Sacramento and some of the surrounding area.
Senator Jean Fuller (Vice Chair) – (Professional Politician) A RINO (Republican In Name Only), Fuller is a big pro Education advocate, having served as the Superintendent of the Bakersfield City School District.
Senator Holly Mitchell – (Professional Politician) Democrat representing parts of Los Angeles. Past service included acting as the Executive Director of one of the largest childcare agencies in California, Crystal Stairs. – (Professional Politician)
Senator Steve Knight– (Professional Politician) Republican representing parts of the Antelope Valley is a proponent of public employee unions and served as a Los Angeles Police Officer for 18 years.
Senator Ricardo Lara – (Professional Politician) Democrat with an affinity for pro-Hispanic causes; served as staff for both Fabien Nuñez and Kevin de León. Lara is an openly gay man who supports gay causes.
As far as I can determine, these are all professional politicians who have also served in the California State Assembly and who are linked to powerful special interests who would rather keep their association with branded politicians a secret.
Bottom line …
After decades of democratic rule in California, we have a near-bankrupt state being governed by the representatives of the special interests, and especially the powerful unions who are bleeding the state and its municipalities dry with their corrupt and mismanaged pension shenanigans. The books are cooked and full of financial slight-of-hand. And, “We the People” apparently have no seat at the bargaining table as the unions bargain – allegedly in “good faith” – with the politicians they have helped elect to office.
The solution to removing government corruption is to remove the progressive socialist democrats and their RINO cohorts from public office and in the many commissions, boards, and panels in which they hide after being disgraced, fired, or termed-out. We need to audit the public pension systems and re-compute the pensions of those who did not deserve that last-minute bump prior to retirement. We need to go after those who have “gamed the system.”
Does and progressive socialist democrat care that the California Pension systems are rife with corruption while the California Senate continues to protect corrupt special-interest-backed politicians?
Pension for FBI shooter of Todashev draws scrutiny in Oakland
The city of Oakland, Calif., is investigating the $52,000-a-year pension of a retired police officer who later joined the FBI and who fatally shot a friend of suspected Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev in May 2013.
Aaron McFarlane, identified last week as the agent who shot Ibragim Todashev during an interrogation in Orlando, has collected the pension since he retired from the Oakland Police Department in 2004 at age 31, say California officials. He apparently received the pension for medical reasons, court records say, though he passed the FBI’s stringent physical requirements when he joined the bureau four years later.
McFarlane stands to receive the money, with cost-of-living increases, for the rest of his life, say officials of California’s pension system for public employees. Court records say McFarlane retired after suffering leg injuries on the job. Officials said disability pensions for on-the-job injuries are tax free.<Source>
Time to clean up the corrupt cesspool that is ruled by progressive socialist democrats and their RINO cohorts. Remember that when you vote for the people who are telling you that they are going to eliminate government fraud, waste, abuse and corruption and bring a more transparent and accountable system to California. The self-serving bastards are lying.
-- steve
“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it! "Acta non verba" -- actions not words
“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw
“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”
“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius
“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell
“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar
“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS
We commemorate our brave soldiers who died or were grieviously wounded to safeguard our precious freedom.
Freedom that is being squandered by those self-serving traitors who are selling out our nation and its citizens in return for ephermeral political power.
While our troops fought to protect each other and our nation, today's political leadership, from the corrupt, incompetent, and uncaring Commander-in-Chief, and his cadre on progressive socialist democrats, down to the government executives in charge of the VA hospitals, are playing political power games with healthcare in order to earn bonuses, and refuse to fight equally hard to help distraught veterans recover their health and to adjust to civilian life.
Be grateful for your freedom and remember it should never be taken for granted. We have seen, in just a few cycles of progressive socialist democrats, our national resolve, our military strength, and our stature within the international community eroded by corrupt, incompetent, and uncaring progressive socialist democrats.
Remember who we are and what we stand for -- and kick the bastards that do not agree to the curb.
The Patriotic Kid wishes you and yours a pleasant memorial day …
and reminds you that it is not the government, nor the media, nor the community organizers; but our VETERANS: past, present and future who insure your safety, security and your Constitutional liberties.
And while our President decides that his political agenda is more important than leading our great nation …
our men and women in uniform, their civilian support services and all their families are sacrificing to keep this nation both strong and free.
Be safe, be well and take care of yourself and your family first.
WHEN YOU ENTER THE VOTING BOOTH ... REMEMBER THAT THE VA HOSPITAL SCANDAL -- IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE CARE SYSTEM PROPOSED UNDER OBAMACARE ... COMPLETE WITH DELAYS, DENIALS, AND DEATHS CAUSED BY THE BUREAUCRATS!
-- steve
“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it! "Acta non verba" -- actions not words
“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw
“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”
“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius
“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell
“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar
“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS
I am almost beside myself as I listen to Jerry Brown and his cadre of progressive socialist democrats once again promise Californians that they can be trusted to curb government fraud, waste, and abuse …
Democrat after democrat, even those involved in scandals, claim that they are the best qualified to govern our formerly golden state. A state that has never wanted to fiscal funding do to abundant natural resources, a seemingly never-ending supply of individuals and companies who want to relocate to California, and the enormous wealth created by a very healthy Silicon Valley. And, with each dollar that arrives in California’s treasury, it appears that some politician wants to use it to purchase votes by extending social welfare programs that are a magnet for the indigent, illiterate, and illegal. No other state seems to flout its own state constitution, laws, rules and regulations – not to mention federal laws – to welcome illegal aliens who have grown the public employee and union-dominated poverty industry, crime industry, and educational industry. Where public employee unions have so thoroughly corrupted California politics, that the state and its municipalities are virtually in bondage and struggling to fund ever-growing pension funds.
How many elected officials, especially progressive socialist democrats, have demanded that we audit public pensions – where vacation time earned at year one is paid-off like it was earned at year thirty; where public employees can purchase additional pension seniority by adding a clause to their contracts; where kiss-off pension bumps mean that employees are bumped-up to the next position as an undeserved bonus; and where double- and triple-dipping is common. Where pensioned employees earn an additional pension or do exactly the same work they did before as a highly-paid consultant.
Enough with the political class that does not have to suffer any economic downturn and whose future is guaranteed with a defined benefit pension rather than the 401-K pensions available in the private sector.
And then these is the asswipe Jerry Brown, who wants people shoved into Moscow-like high-rises and using mass transit. The man who wants to build the crazy-train to nowhere anyone wants to go. A trillion dollar effort that benefits nobody but the unions and special interests. A high-speed rail system that will never be high-speed.
Corruption. Chaos. Criminality.
I would rather vote for convicted killer Charles Manson rather than Jerry Brown. The damage cause by crazy Manson would be less than the damage caused by crazy Brown.
Enough with these progressive socialist democrats. They fucked-up our state for decades and now they want us to believe they have the solution. Offering us Obamacare and to stop global warming in return for political power.
Bottom line …
These progressive socialist democrats cannot cure corruption because they cause corruption!
-- steve
“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it! "Acta non verba" -- actions not words
“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw
“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”
“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius
“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell
“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar
“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS
Every day I seem to receive more and more douchey e-mails polls that want me to vote for politicians or positions … but are only dodgy attempts to harvest your e-mail address or sign-up for a subscription to a publication …
Urgent Poll: Is Global Warming Fake?
Dear Reader, Senator Marco Rubio gave recent interviews to news media in which he proclaimed he does not believe human activity is the cause for dramatic climate change to the extent climate scientists have portrayed. He added that he believes proposed "global warming" laws will do nothing but destroy the economy and that the United States can do nothing to effect change without the participation of China and India.
PersonalLiberty.com, America's #1 news site for independent-minded individuals, is conducting an urgent poll to see if you believe, like Rubio, that man is not to blame for climate change. And to see if you believe that climate change (global warming) is real or actually a hoax perpetrated by the green energy industry. The results of the poll will be available to you after you submit your vote and we'll also share the poll results with major media outlets across the country. Thousands will vote, so take a moment right now to stand up and be counted. Your opinion matters!
Sincerely, Bob Livingston, Editor, The Bob Livingston Letter™ Founder, LibertyInvestor.com™
Should you wish to participate in the poll, you will be taken to a website that essentially is an e-mail harvesting operation … ‘'While the poll results may be amusing, they are unscientific and unqualified by any of the important demographics that would make this poll valuable and relevant.
Bottom line …
While I have no problem with e-mails offering free reports or information in return for e-mail addresses, poll offers being created to appeal to a particular publication’s e-mail list for the purpose of harvesting your e-mail address annoy me. I would suggest that “best practices” indicate that you should unsubscribe from an publication or e-mail campaign that attempts to gather your e-mail in a douchey manner. Because this is a third-party solicitation, you may wish to ONLY unsubscribe from third-party offers.
-- steve
“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it! "Acta non verba" -- actions not words
“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw
“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”
“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius
“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell
“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar
“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS
I know it is hard to believe that any American politician would openly and consistently lie to Americans in the age of videotape, cellphones, and the Internet, but then again, President Obama is not the traditional type of politician or President.
He was a dope-smoking slacker who claims that his laziness stems from his Hawaiian upbringing. As he told Barbara Walters, “There is a deep down, underneath all the work I do, I think there's a laziness in me. It's probably from, you know, growing up in Hawaii, and it's sunny outside and sitting on the beach."
Likewise, President Obama was raised among socialist and communist activists, and had chosen for his spiritual mentor a black liberation theology (socialist) pastor with a deeply disturbing streak of racism and anti-American viewpoints.
Due to the biased nature of the mostly progressive mainstream media who has bought into Obama’s progressive socialist democrat message, Obama’s failures, foibles, and outright lies have not been reported, distorted and excused, or simply buried among other more compelling content such as celebrity news.
It appears that President Obama and his cadre of progressive socialist democrat have demonstrated their disdain and distrust of the military and American fighting forces. Observing that they were the instrument to extend American colonialism and ill-will among the world’s citizens.
And, it also appears that President Obama and his wife Michelle are elitists, above the ordinary citizens that they trot out for photo opportunities and then suddenly retreat from when the cameras are not flashing. Some suggesting that they, by a quirk of historical circumstance, found themselves with both hands in the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and are helping themselves to everything they can grab.
Unfortunately, the Office of the Presidency or any of the past or ongoing historical events has not made the man. Obama continues to be an empty suit who believes his well-crafted TelePrompTered words should be taken as a sign of action.
The truth about the fraud, waste, and abuse at the Veteran’s Hospitals …
It was well known to Barack Obama who pretends that he just heard about the problem by reading the news like everyone else. And, he is shocked and appalled, demanding an investigation, and promising to hold people accountable. The same old playbook that he has used for the Fast and Furious scandal, the IRS scandal, and the Benghazi scandal.
The truth is that Candidate Obama used the mismanagement of the VA as an issue against former President Bush. Of course, at that time it was the lengthy time it took to enroll Veterans into the system, not about the present issue of secret lists and denial of care.
The truth is that President Obama knows that Eric Shinseki, himself a decorated and wounded soldier, who is the Secretary of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, has little control over the actual leadership (all members of the Senior Executive Service) or the VA Hospital bureaucracy (mostly unionized rank and file). Shinseki cannot simply walk through the doors and fire corrupt, incompetent, or under-performing leaders or workers. Imagine having to turn to Congress to create a bill to fire corrupt and incompetent people?
House Passes Bill to Fire VA Senior Execs
The House on Wednesday passed legislation that makes it easier for the head of the Veterans Affairs Department to fire and demote senior executives, in response to a growing scandal over allegations that VA employees falsified documents related to patient care.
The 2014 VA Management Accountability Act (H.R. 4031) would give the head of the department “greater authority” to get rid of poor performers in the Senior Executive Service “in the same manner a member of Congress can remove a member of their staff,” according to background on the bill posted on the website of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. The VA secretary could also demote the senior executive to another grade within the General Schedule pay scale.
The vote was 390-33 in favor of the bill, giving it the two-thirds majority needed to pass. <Source>
The truth is that President Obama and his cadre of progressives socialists fear the union that runs the VA and will not take corrective action any time soon. Some have suggested that wounded warriors who have urgent needs be given a voucher for government-paid healthcare in the private system until the problems at the various VA hospitals has been resolved. This has scared the unions and they are rushing to their political contacts for cover.
Veterans Affairs employees union fears veterans will get care elsewhere because of scandal
With Congress looking for a way to fix the Veterans Affairs Department in response to reports of veterans dying while waiting for care, the union that represents VA employees fears that it will lose patient clientele.
The union's preferred solution is the hiring of more VA caregivers. "Until Congress gives the VA the resources to hire enough frontline clinicians to meet demand, our veterans will continue to face long waits," J. David Cox, Sr., president of the American Federation of Government Employees, wrote Thursday at the Huffington Post. "And to be clear, sending veterans to expensive health care providers outside the VA system on a massive scale will not fix the underlying resource deficiencies plaguing our veterans medical centers." <Source>
Of course, common sense tells you that one way to reduce the costs, the inefficiencies, and the waste, fraud, and abuse is to eliminate the public employees union at the VA. A union that rewards seniority over merit, makes firing corrupt, inept, and underperforming employees almost impossible, and imposes work rules that create more jobs for unionized workers rather than streamlining systems and seeking efficiencies. Demanding more and more money without any increase in competence, effectiveness, efficiency, or through-put productivity.
The mainstream media is muddying the waters with meaningless polling and continuing to protect Obama …
Should Eric Shinseki resign?
As pressure mounts on Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki, many Americans think he should have to resign over the VA hospital scandal, a new CBS News poll released Thursday shows.
Forty-five percent think Shinseki should have to resign, while 31 percent don't think he should, and 24 percent don't know enough to say. Republicans (56 percent) are particularly likely to say Shinseki should resign.
The average man-in-the-street does not have a clue to the political and union forces that are fighting to maintain the status quo and simply quash the current scandal. Preparing to throw Eric Shinseki under the bus rather than hold President Obama responsible for the scandals that have occurred on the President’s watch.
Bottom line …
Eric Shinseki appears to be the sacrificial lamb that the progressive socialist democrats hope will inoculate President Obama from this major scandal. A scandal that should shock every American who has been told that the United States honors its Veterans.
The only real resolution to any of the current Obama scandals is to eliminate the source of corruption. Remove the progressive socialist democrats and their RINO (Republican In Name Only) cohorts from the House and the Senate in 2014, the Presidency in 2016, and from the bureaucracy whenever possible. Starting with outlawing the socialist public employee unions who corrupt politics and remove the citizen/consumer from the bargaining table.
Enough with corruption. Enough with Obama. Enough with the progressive socialist democrats and republicans like John McCain and Lindsey Graham.
-- steve
“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it! "Acta non verba" -- actions not words
“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw
“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”
“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius
“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell
“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar
“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS
It appears that the progressive socialist democrats are moving faster and faster towards a centrally-planned and monitored socialist state with their unchecked surveillance plans …
The Obama Administration has proven themselves to be both corrupt and incompetent, willing to subvert the Constitution of the United States, obstruct justice, and use federal agencies for political purposes. But it now appears that they are “all in” on gathering all of your personal, private, and intimate details without your knowledge, explicit permission, or security safeguards.
Hidden in plain sight and insisting that access to real-time health information of all Americans is vital to our national security, here is the rather innocuous call for public comments on the project known as the “National Health Security Strategy”…
Call for Public Comments: 2015-2018 National Health Security Strategy
The purpose of the 2015-2018 NHSS is to provide strategic direction for health security system in the United States over the next four years.
The draft contains a vision, goal, guiding principles, strategic objectives, priorities, and implementation activities to enhance national health security.
The Implementation Plan (IP) will guide the Nation and facilitate coordination among stakeholders. Reviewers are encouraged to provide suggestions on:
Overall strategic direction of the NHSS;
The focus of the strategic objectives and priorities; and
Activities that various sectors can implement by 2018. Notional activities are currently placeholders in the IP. Activities should align with the NHSS strategic objectives and identify who should be involved.
This draft document is for public comment purposes only and should not be quoted or referenced. For questions or technical issues, please contact us via the NHSS Contact Form
Monitoring your every medical issue, including non-health inputs such as what you might be saying on social media or even if you have registered a weapon …
This is the Obama Administration, headed by a detached and incompetent President who leaves major decisions to his cadre of unsupervised progressive socialist democrats who continue to pursue a socialist/communist ideology as they confuse messaging with taking urgent action. This is the group that could not build-out a government website to commercial standards and spent over $1 billion dollars building a dysfunctional system devoid of even commercial-grade security to protect citizens personal, private, and non-public healthcare and financial information. Why should we believe that this group, and their progressive special interests should be trusted with a project that dwarfs the National Security Agency spying apparatus? Especially without statutory authority as provided under the Constitution (i.e. Congressional law-making rather than un-checked administrative agency rules and regulations) or Constitutional Safeguards for unreasonable search and seizure of our personal papers and other information. Even the claim that the government owns your health data by virtue of directing its payment and use needs to be examined more thoroughly and safeguards against personal, political, and profitable misuse established. This is a multi-billion dollar asset that could be given to the healthcare industry special interests in return for campaign donations – so we must be extremely careful that the program is not politically corrupted under any administration that puts politics before the public.
The goal of the NHSS is supported by five objectives. For each objective, the strategy identifies key priorities to guide implementation through 2018:
1. Build and sustain health resilience. 2. Plan for and implement effective countermeasures. 3. Ensure health situational awareness to support decision-making before, during, and after incidents. 4. Create and sustain integrated, scalable public health, health care, and emergency management systems supported by a highly competent workforce. 5. Strengthen global health security.
OMG … [My comments in blue italic]
3. Ensure Health Situational Awareness to Support Decision-Making Before, During, and After Incidents
Scope
Health situational awareness is the active, continuous, accurate, and timely collection, analysis, interpretation, and sharing of data from multiple sources to support effective decision-making before, during, and after an incident with negative health consequences.
[Real-time, ongoing surveillance of all health-related data from both medical and non-medical sources to be shared with any third-party the government deems appropriate.]
Health situational awareness includes bio-surveillance and other health and non-health inputs (e.g., lab/diagnostics, health service utilization, active intelligence, and supply chain information, as shown in Figure 3), as well as systems and processes for effective communication among responders and critical health resource monitoring and allocation.
[Supply chain information could include information from drug stores, supermarkets, and in extreme cases, fast-food restaurants. Surveillance might be performed second-hand by analyzing your credit-card payment stream rather than actual records from fast-food restaurants, etc.]
Vision
The Nation will continue to develop and maintain a robust capacity for health situational awareness. Such a capacity will enable decision-makers to identify and understand environmental and emerging health threats and their potential consequences; to monitor available response capabilities and resources; to identify triggers for course correction; and to allocate and use resources efficiently and effectively.
Health situational awareness will include a focus on at-risk individuals with access and functional needs.
[I can anticipate a future when at-risk individuals are defined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to be those who are obese or who live in a home with a firearm.We have already seen gun control defined as a national public health issue as is obesity]
It will be user defined depending on what decision is being made, and by whom, so it will be relevant to different ‘consumers.’ In addition, health situational awareness will be flexible, adaptive, and dynamic in order to support decision-makers effectively as situations evolve and their information requirements change.
[It appears that each subscriber agency will be able to define their own information search, retrieval, and reporting requirements. I do not anticipate that any government agency or congressional oversight committee will regularly monitor for systemic abuses such as those that are routinely found to occur in almost all government agencies.]
Health situational awareness will be enabled by communications systems that facilitate the flow of information both among governmental and nongovernmental partners and among state, local, tribal, territorial, and federal governments.
Systems will be interoperable and have a high 300 degree of functional compatibility, particularly among states and localities. Many types of health-related and non-health-related data will contribute to situational awareness, as shown in Figure 3.
[This means that there will be a common core of information formats and transmission protocols that will enable authorized agencies to easily access information far beyond their geographical, and perhaps, jurisdictional boundaries.]
Situational awareness will involve collecting, aggregating, and processing data from both traditional and nontraditional sources (such as social media) and from various governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders, while ensuring that data from all sources are of high quality.
[This is one of the scariest parts of the program. One, we know that doctors code disease diagnosis and treatment codes to maximize financial benefits or to slip patients from uncovered to covered protocols – so the information is error prone and compromised. Two, we know that credit agencies have dodgy data that they fail to correct on a timely basis if at all – because negative information is a bigger selling point than positive information. And three, we know that nontraditional sources such as social media are totally unreliable.]
Health situational awareness will include the ability to interpret data to create relevant, tailored information that decision-makers can use.
[Qualified scientists can not even interpret climate data and reach a supportable conclusion, what makes anyone believe that healthcare monitors or agencies are not mining data to support a particular political agenda or specific program that needs funding.]
Decision-makers will have the capability to visualize and manipulate data from many sources to create an operational picture suited to the specific situation and the decisions before them. To facilitate the use and interpretation of data, processes will be in place to ensure that data (e.g., numbers, statistics) are translated into information (i.e., meaning and implications) and then into communications and messages (i.e., explanations of what needs to be done). In this way, decision-making will be enhanced so that resources are used efficiently and effectively, threats are prevented or mitigated, and public health is safeguarded.
Bottom line …
Any public surveillance program depends on the integrity, honesty, and goodwill of those creating, implementing, operating, and using surveillance programs. President Barack Obama and his cadre of progressive socialist democrats have proven corrupt, inept, and unworthy of leading a program of this size and scope. These socialist/communists have thwarted the Constitution of the United States, used government agencies against political opponents, conveyed favors to their special interests, and have clearly obstructed justice when their misdeeds were discovered.
Make no bones about it – this is a push for a national identification system, a personal dossier on every American, and an illegal intrusion in to personal and professional affairs of all Americans. This is the means to push a totalitarian, centrally-planned socialist/communist government forward. It is a clear and present danger to America and all Americans.
You saw how these progressive socialist democrats mucked up healthcare.gov – why would you trust them with surveillance over all Americans? Best practices dictate that we remove corrupt and incompetent progressive socialist democrats and their RINO (Republican In Name Only) cohorts from the House, the Senate and all branches of the government,.
-- steve
“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it! "Acta non verba" -- actions not words
“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw
“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”
“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius
“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell
“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar
“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS
