She abruptly resigned?!?  What could that mean?!?  Rumors abound, and the most viable seems to be the emergence of a corrupton scandal.  She had to get out of Dodge, or Juneau, as the cas emay be.  Although someone pointed out in a comment Sarah may just be getting bored with being Governor.  She's gotten a taste of the big city and the bright lights and she really likes it.  Rather then go with the corruption suggestion, let's ignore that and focus on ambition, and the GOP playbook.  Sarah is more useful to them out of office then inside.

Sarah becomes much more impressionable out of office then as governor.  As governor, it's difficult to say, "I was out walking the Appalachian Trail" and then emerge from a plane that last landed in Argentina, for instance.  Sarah can now disappear with no accounting to anyone.  As governor she was much easier to track.  She was obligated to reveal her whereabouts, at least occassionally.  She even had to reveal where she gets he rmoney, also.  Unencumbered by office, she can now go where he pleases, and receive money as she pleases as well.

Money buys influence and Sarah is eager to learn how to run with the big boys.  So she will allow herself to be influenced in what to say and how to say it.  Her jedi training is just beginning.  She will use the Force, and the Force is strong with that one. 

Where have we seen this in the past?  I believe the Illusional Leader meme originated by accident, when Ronald Reagan began losing his marbles.  Some have said towards the end he gave speeches believing he was back on the silver screen performing the "role" of President, rather then actually being the President.  It enabled HWBush to control the government and it worked!  George W Bush was the same way.  He was put up as the Illusional Leader of the government, but there are many who would say that Cheney was in charge.  So how would things be run with Ms. Palin? 

Palin will have the time and the luxury of studying really hard to be the Illusional Leader for the GOP.  No one in the GOP has anywhere near her popularity within the party.  Sure, we the educated elite are aghast that anyone would propose someone could be readied to be President of the Uniteed States of America because they went to Rove University for four years, but Rove did it with W!  He can do it with Sarah.  Afterall, they do not need to really win.  They only need to have it close enough to steal, as Randi Rhodes used to say.

It seems to this writer that the structure is in place to perpetuate the party goals, having imbedded innumerable Zom-Bushes throughout the various governmental agencies.  These moles will be activated if Sarah can get into office.  Right now, she does appear to be their best hope.  She can really work the fascist mob.  The American masses are so shallow, and she's fighting for God, don't forget, so the carnival trailers will be visiting every GOP-loyal Christian community just as they did with W.  You can bet the pastors and preachers will not be reminding anyone their Pro-Life agenda hardly moved when the Reich controlled the House, Senate and White House, but the GOP will promise to do it this time, for sure.

The way I see it, this is the future the GOP wants, to put up a candidate that moves the masses, but the issue of corruption may be emerging.  The Dems may want to bury this issue on the tundra.  We have health care issues to promote and we don't need Sarah Palin sucking all the air out of the room.  Yes, she sucks.  We, the educated, liberal elite know that, but we knew it about W too, and it did not prevent his reaching the presidential pinnacle, where he was ever so useful to the Reich.  The GOP is looking for their next tool. Sarah could very well be that next tool, also. 

Can we not see the forest for the trees?!? 

The one left standing will be the One. 

Who is left?  Ron, Mitt, and Jeb. {Let's not forget, there's another Bush in the forest.}

There can be only ONE!!!

It's really an intersting dynamic for me, how I read a post and it prompts another, and many times my post is received better then the posts that originate without the influence of others.  But we shall see.  My post today was prompted by this one here,

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/noblecommentdecider/2009/07/gun-toting-nra-supporter-disar.php?ref=reccafe  One good post deserves another.

It occured to me that this phrase, medical tourism, is so quaint that it has gone virtually unmentioned until today.  It came about because one of these "tourists" brought a gun with him for protection when he went to India to get a hip replacement.  He brought a gun to India!!!  Clearly this fool has lost the perspective that most human beings on this planet abhor weapons.  Yes, we read about a terrorist incident in India and it scares us, but there are a billion unarmed people there we do not mention.  So all we know about India is this one incident.  We need to take the time to know more about India then that this incident occurred.  Seriously, there's more to life then running terrified of shadows hiding a weapon just in case.  But that issue is for the above-referenced post.  I recommend you read that too.  This post is about medical tourism.

Medical tourism sounds so adventurous and pleasant.  It suggests an exploration of a foreign land and gathering a trinket to help us later to remember the trip.  Going to India one might think of bringing home a plastic Taj Mahal, or a hand carved tiger.  One might also think of the great meals: curries; tandoori chickens: and lhassis.  Not to mention the weather.  I hear it gets pretty hot in some places.  Then there are all the cultural influences to experience seeing people in their native clothes, unless they caught the American bug of course and wear jeans and a T-shirt.  {Oh, how rich we are as a culture.  A T-shirt and jeans, and perhaps a baseball cap.  No, I don't think people come to the US to experience our culture.  Frankly, it seems they enjoy our seemingly endless nature, particularly attractive to Europeans who have so little left.}

A real expression for these travelling people might be more serious.  How about medical refugees?  Financially oppressed people who could not bear the outrageous costs of our medical system.   It might suggest other experiences then the ones above-mentioned.  For instance, there is no exploration of the land, there is a visit to a hospital to explore it's barren hallways filled with gurneys, wheelchairs, and the infirm.  Great meals?  Hospital food, you mean?  Oh, the only time hospital food motivates people to move is motivating them to leave the hospital, or to smuggle in something from outside.  As for the weather, the hospital probably has a climate-controlled environment.  It will probably feel a lot like hospitals here, except that sucking sound is less severe around our wallets, or purses.  Finally, the clothes.  There is nothing ethnic to a hospital gown.  The flap at the back is a stark reminder of the frailty of our humanity.  For as revealing as those gowns may be, there is nothing seductive about them.  It's quite the opposite really.  A souvenir, a trinket?  It's an artificial hip.

So let's get real.  There are no medical tourists, only medical refugees, and the UN is not going to do anything about them.  It is up to us, because evidently, the politiciamns are not about to do anything about them either.  The practice of medical refugees is becoming quite common, but there are no real numbers to quantify how prevalent this has become.  What would the medical industry do if they knew how many dollars were going elsewhere?  {How I loathe the fact that we have come to accept that our health has become a commodity.}   Well, if Bush were in charge he would put a stop to it, the same way he prevented people from getting prescriptions filled in Canada.

It's really disappointing that this nation appears so ignorant of the battle taking place in the halls of Congress as I write this.  We have a chance to radically transform our healthcare system.  We have several examples of vibrant industrialized countries that have single-payer systems.  We are talking about our future, the personal future of each and every one of us, as we age and endure our diminished vitality.  We will all want to be as comfortable as we can, living as well as we can, but this present system is failing so many.  The only ones who benefit are shareholders in an industry that exploits the misfortune of people who are sick or have been injured.  We can change this.  We can do it now.  Repeat after me, YES WE CAN and don't let anyone tell you any option is off the table.  YES WE CAN.  Stop the exodus. Good healthcare begins at home.

Washington DC is a favorite place to demonstrate, but our victory regarding healthcare will happen in the streets and it needs to be the street where there is a hospital.  No, it's not because of burns and pitchfork-related injuries.  It's because it is those voices that will make the most noise, the ones leaving the hospital 

Whose voices are those?  The Doctors?  The Nurses?  The Candy-Stripers?  Well, there have certainly been some heroes from the medical community who hve raised their voices, both here on TPM and at the hearings.  They raised a raucus before Baucus.  Those men and women advocated admirably.  I thought they were a good seed for a movement.  But we are going to need a big stick and for that we will need a big tree.  I propose we plant that tree on the street by the hospitals and we water that tree with the relatives and friends of the patients who need healthcare right now!!!

For a person to raise their voice requires the passion to do so.  Some of the most clear voices we hear here on TPM are those with passion, which is not isolated to screaming.  There are other passions.  In this instance, the passion is sympathy for those who suffer.  As relatives and friends watch helplessly, their loved ones suffer in these medical centers.  Not because the providers are incompetent, though there are a few of those.  They suffer because they are sick, period.  The observers are frustrated they cannot do more, that there loved ones are not made well immediately, that there is not a pill for the problem.

These people, the relatives and friends are the best recruits, and showing them the way to enhance the care of their loved ones is something they desperately wish.  These people will bring passion to the issue of healthcare reform.  These are the people who want better healthcare right now!!! 

MiddleClassBill and I were debating healthcare a day or two ago and he wanted to emphasize that people should have a choice whether they wish to be covered or not.  It seems to me the only ones who do not want covereage are those who have millions of dollars and those who do not need healthcare, right now!!!  Although I suspect those millionaires would also prefer to have insurance when they get sick so they only have a co-pay and not the whole bill.  Afterall, they did not become millionaires paying full prices.

The only leadership on this issue right now is Howard Dean.  His Democracy For America organization gathered 400,000 signatures, but there was no media coverage.  Does the media have an agenda?  If we read TPM, we certainly have a strong suspicion they do, especially when every 3rd commericial is for some drug to cure coxafloppin, or Restless Leg Syndrome.  

We might also ask, why are there not more providers advocating change.  Well, if there is no change, how will these providers get on the list the next time insurance puts together a Preferred Provider Directory?  I suspect there is a great deal of fear in them related to speaking out, but I also suspect they might forward funds to an entity with the right model.  Might that be Democracy For America?  I'm considering that as I write this, but the thrust of my message here is that we should be at the hospitals and medical facilities recruiting people to bring their voices to the issue of healthcare reform, because they are the ones needing healthcare, right now!!!   Nothing underscores the need for healthcare reform more poignantly then the real experiences of those in a critical health situation right now!!!!!  We need those voices to be heard and we know where they are, we just need to know where to bring them.  Any ideas, TPM?  DFA is standing right now!!! so is there a need to start from scratch?

When I opened the door to leave the buildng I heard that voice, the voice of America's most famous drug-addict, Rush Limbaugh.  I was at an RV dealership, of all places, an anomoly in these dire economic times.  I was accompanying a friend who had actually just bought one, for $50,000 less then it was worth.  So I thought I would see some SUV or a Cadillac, or something like it with one of those arrogant, self-absorbed, big money types getting out of their ride.  But what did I see?  A UPS truck!!!

The sight really stopped me in my tracks.  It was a Teamster!  A guy making close to $30/hour running around for the man listening to a guy tell the nation he makes too much money and his union should be disbanded because it impedes capitalism.    I had to resist laughing at him.  He seemed so serious and determined in his work.  He was focused.  He also had an air of anger about him.  So I thoughts about this.

It's commonly held that Rush Limbaugh and the rest of the Right-Wing Bobbleheads are purveyors of anger, doling out a rage-fix to people in need of something at which to direct their feelings.  It charges their batteries.  Sometimes I believe that I listen to Left Wing radio for much the same reason, but I can see how their agenda comports with mine.  What about this UPS Driver?  Doesn't he get it?!?!?

This is where organized labor has lost the war.  Obviously the UPS Driver does not get it, that Rush is adamantly opposed to his achieving the standard of living to which the driver has become accustomed and which the driver clearly takes for granted.  Somehow the Teamster fails to see that his employer would rather not increase his wages or benefits whenever that issue arises.  His memory must not include the strike fifteen or so years ago when that exact issue provoked his union brothers to leave the job.  He's drunk the Kool-Aid that unions are socialism and socialism is evil.  It is an affront to capitalism.  He somehow also fails to realize that strike did not break the company and UPS remains profitable.

Does the Driver realize his union is a capitalist enterprise?  Does he realize being organized is how he becomes a shareholder in the organization, and that his labor IS capital?  Does he not see that the employer is organized.  There is an entire management team to evaluate how he is treated.  They work together to achieve their ends.  So why is his cooperating with his fellow Teamsters any different?  Why should every employee have to fight alone when the company is all together about scraping whatever expenses they can away from the employee?  It defies logic, but there it is.

There was another lesson I learned yesterday as well, because I had bveen brought along to drive my neighbor's car back to his house as he brought home his new RV.  I was listening to the radio station he had been listening to the last time he drove the car.  It was Michael Savage.  Mr. Savage does not discriminate.  He hates everyone.  I felt the rage this merchant of madness was selling, but it was not toward the ones he described so bitterly.  My bitterness was toward Mr. Savage.  HIs screaming like Henny Penny that the nation is falling did provoke my emotions and I am very upset people like him and Rush have an audience, but I must agree, the nation is falling.   

Are there really Representatives out there saying, "We do not have the votes" and using that excuse as a reason not to support reform?  If Single Payer needs 4 more votes and a dozen Representatives have no opinion because the votes are not there, what does that mean, exactly?!?! 

It sounds like someone in high school not giving an opinion because they don't want to be unpopular.  This position lacks any principles.  The issue is whether we can improve the health care delivery system, and by that I mean delivering healthcare.  I am not concerned with delivering profits to shareholders.  The system would be better if the patients were the shareholders and no one BUT shareholders benefitted when income exceeded expenses.  The present system is about providing profits with providing healthcare as a necessary evil.  The dream of the shareholder is maximized profits.  Who cares if anyone feels better.  Give the shareholders a bunch of money and they feel better.  See!  The system works!

"I can't vote for this because the votes are not there" should be translated into "I am not voting for that."  It is really all that needs to be said.

WARNING:  This post will go into a very dark place, so be warned.  You will be disturbed, but such is the truth when one ventures into portraying combat and the residulas.  While I have no experience with war, I have a vivid imagination and want none of it.  I despise those who would encourage others to go to war.  I find no rational connection between any of these wars and making America safe.  For me, this war began for no other reason then to generate profit for private investors.  It was dressed in patriotism, but it really has done nothing to enhance our place in the world, either in respect to our safety, or reputation.  IMHO, if the government really wanted bin Laden, he would have been dead by now.  Seriously, we lack the capacity to find one guy of such enormous reputation?  I firmly believe that if we wanted bin Laden dead, he would be.  Now, to my post, War Gamers.

There was a post yesterday by Deanie Mills titled, "ON BEHALF OF A GRATEFUL NATION", and you can find it here if you have not read it already.

 "http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/deanie_mills/2009/06/on-behalf-of-a-grateful-nation.php?ref=reccafe

I read a single sentence, {Well, I read the whole thing} and it provoked this post, "In other words, that dark blue sedan is never going to pull up to YOUR front door."  Deanie wrote this to the Gamer,  the blue sedan is the vehicle for the military representatives to inform a family of their death of their son/daughter/husband/wife.  The remark took my mind to creating a game with a more realistic portrayal.  So be warned, graphic images are inherent to this post.

The first thought that came to my head, however, was that Deanie was attempting to provoke the Gamer with the idea that death affects the familiy.  It is a worthless endeavor, however.  Gamers check out of reality.  Their families are irrelevant.  The feelings of others mean nothing to them.  It is demented to enjoy a Game of death.  I agree with Deanie, to profit from these games is despicable.  I suspect that if we were to find the relatives of those who died at D-Day, they would be extremely upset by those video games.  While the wounds of the survivors are old and have healed to some degree, I am sure they are appalled.  It also dawned on me that the WWII generation has little appreciation for new technology and probably are little aware of the popularity of these games.  It is a disturbing fact that the War Games are so common and we have lost our disgust to the extent we have. 

Where are the Pro-Lifers now?  Somebody help!  Is there a Christian in the house?!?  Okay, that is a taunt, but anyone with any conscious could raise their voice and object.  Someone could generate a public opinion against these insults to humanity.  Sure, the businesses have the right to make the games, and those merchants of mockery to human life are welcome to our scorn. 

Here are some proposals as to how to make the game more realistic.  First, the Gamer has to sign a contract that they will not play any new games.  This is the last game they can own and play.  All previous purchased games may be played, but only in a very limited time frame, and only when their War Game situation allows.  If they survive the Game, they will be able to purchase new games, but with the possibility that they may have certain limitations with those games as well.  There is no negotiating with these terms.

Second, the Gamer must accept that the Game, once begun, cannot be abandoned to get a sandwich, or relieve oneself, or even answer the phone.  Until the Game allows one to go to sleep, the Gamer must participate.  It is agreed that games may last 2-3 days without rest.  This is unlikely, yet a distinct possibility in certain circumstances.

Finally, in the event the Gamer is wounded, they may be able in the future to purchase new games, but only after devoting a pre-determined number of hours to the Game, after which the Game will advise the Gamer they can once again add to their video entertainment library.  Again, this may be with certain limitations.

My uncle went to Vietnam when he was nineteen.  He was drafted.  He shared few memories of this part of his life, but one that stuck with him and which he has shared on occassion was his arrival in Vietnam.  He stated he was at the back of one of those big planes and when they opened the door, he felt the heat and humidity envelope him immediately.  He shared that there was an awful smell.  The order was given and he marched out onto the tarmac.  Immediately, he knew he was far, far, far from home.  Our Game can begin here, as the door opens to the new environment in which they wish to "play".  Unfortunately, the Gamer cannot experience the heat and the dust.

The Gamer can then be informed that they will be brought to their quarters.  They will then be sitting in their transport, vulnerable to whatever may occur.  Perhaps the TV screen will provide a view of the gun between their legs, with occassional panoramics of the desert.  There is a chance that they will be subject to gunfire, or an IED.  Maybe it will happen to their vehicle, maybe another vehicle with their convoy.  There are so many options.  This is a really BIG GAME!!! 

If they are subject to gunfire, the Gamer can experience the vehicle increase speed and take evasive action with the images flying across the screen .  They can only remain seatedfor the wild ride, and all they can do is grasp their gun helplessly.  Despite having a weapon, they are vulnerable and must remain in the speeding vehicle.  Maybe someone near them is injured or killed.  They may have the blood of that person next to them on their hands or clothes. 

Another possibility is that they are wounded themselves by gunfire.  They might fall to the floor of the vehicle where they have a view only from there of the world around them, the knees of the other soldiers, a view of the sky above the tailgate.  Unfortunately, there is no way to inflict the pain on the Gamer.  The manufacturer might apologize for their inability to realistically portray this aspect of the experience.  Then they might flash in large red letters on the screen, "PAIN!"  They might increase the size of those letters each time the vehicle turn or hits a bump.  The letters may increase with each bump until the screen is filled with the word, "PAIN!!!", or even grow to suggest the word is larger then the screen and still growing.  It might fill the screen with red at some point, depending on the place in which they were attacked.  {The location of the attack will be arrived at by a formula, like some lottery, and the distance to a hospital figured into the length of the journey to medical treatment.}  All along the way, they will hear screaming from their fellow travelers for them to stay with them.  Maybe someone will offer some comfort.  The Game will portray the travel for the entire half-hour, hour, or whatever.  There is no fast forward in this Game, none. 

It could just be a scratch.  Perhaps a pesky flesh wound, or a bullet that passed through their arm and simply broke a bone.  A six week tour of duty on the family couch for the Gamer until the Game finally reveals where they will be living while in the Game.  The Gamer might be handicapped in such a way that he might only see half of the screen, to imitate the loss of vision for some uknown reason.  At the hospital, later in the game, a surgeon might explain why they cannot see [have a half screen] more precisely.  The remainder of the game will be with half a screen. 

Or maybe, it is the guy next to him who takes a fatal bullet, and the gal on the other side who takes a fatal bullet as well.  Maybe the gal slumps over the lap of the Gamer and dies, maybe they slump over the lap of the Gamer and live, but clearly the life is leaving this new neighbor.  Maybe the Gamer has to look into the eyes of that person as they die for the next half hour, or hour. {Again, depending on when the Gaming System and it's algorithm inserted this attack}.  Maybe the Gamer observes that the young woman is beautiful but for the gaping hole aside her forehead.  Perhaps the Gamer watched the pain leave their face, and as the muscles relaxed, the dead only appeared to be sleeping.  Maybe the Gamer wished to be that calm now, but the Game has its rules and the Gamer has no opportunity to leave.  Remember, the contract to buy the game demands he remain at the "controls" until he is allowed to sleep.  There is no Pause, there is no fast forward.   

This may be the end of the game as well.  Their purchase money is not refunded, the terms remain in effect, and no more games, ever.  It may be that the screen simply goes black.  No explanation, no solemn words from a grateful nation.  Those words are not for the Gamer, but the survivors.  The Gamer will be stuck trying to figure out why their Game is not working.  They can check connections, they can smack the screen.  They can call for support.  Support will put them on hold, indefinitely and, having tracked the phone number of origin, every subsequent phone call will be met with the comment, "Please hold", and there is no music, no sales pitch for other games, nothing.  The Game will never work again, ever.  No more games, period.

But the Gamer may be "lucky".  He may make it to a hospital where they can treat him.  Then for days, weeks, or months, the Gamer will have to watch the screen until he achieves sufficient recovery for discharge.  He may be flown to the States where he will enter the VA system.  This will truly be a maze for him to negotiate.  Perhaps the game will respond with his performance increasing or decreasing dependent on the level of care.  Maybe he has some responsibility for this.  He may have ignored one doctor or another. Maybe a nurse told him he needed to see someone else, but he ignored the nurse.  Maybe he followed the advice precisely, but the doctor was wrong.  Maybe he recovers and is just fine, but for the missing leg.  There will be statistical probabilities for so many, many, many scenarios.  Maybe the Gamer can control his fate, maybe he can't.

If the Gamer is unable to return to the fight, he might be allowed to purchase games again, in several months, or years, but he may only be given the ability to play with one hand, or only half a screen.  He may only be able to play games with no sound.

The Gamer may be playing another game, maybe even another War Game, and find out he has just shot and killed his family.  He is being arrested aand taken to prison.  In this event, he may play those other games he had when he bought the original War Game, but maybe not.  Depends on his sentence, I suppose.

The most important feature of this game is that it demands attention.  There is no opting out.  There is no skipping through scenes.  From time to time, some scenes may be replayed regardless of the situation.  Perhaps the Game will state that the Gamer will be allowed to sleep shortly, and then cut to various scenes, over, and over, and over again, before the Gamer is actually dismissed and allowed toactually sleep.

Maybe the convoy gets to his Quarters just fine.  In which case, the actual activities of a new grunt will be portrayed with every intricacy.  No fast forward, no pause.  This is a life they have asked to experience, and in the military there are 24 hours in a day and not every day has "excitement".  It may be days before he actually sees any combat or action.  Rumors can be told.  Stories shared.  Victims observed.  But his responsibilities may be little more then standing guard inside the compound, for days, weeks, months.  We will have to consult the statistical probabilities to know whether he ventures into any combat, or whether he only hears explosions and gunfire from time to time. 

A thought that is stirring in my head is how the War Games might be imitating the comic books of years ago, influencing young people by creating this unreal, heroic image of war.  As a youth, I was intrigued by them.  As I grew older, I read about the Civil War and WWII, and much later, Vietnam.  Last night, I called my father for Father's day and he shared with me that his uncle was in WWII and returned to a mental hospital.  After he was releasede, for decades his uncle was barely functional, and an alcoholic.  He had been in the Third Army, in a tank. 

We forget to note that every war had its casualties.  I suspect that after the Civil War many "pioneers" moved West and left their homes because those were no longer the homes they recognized and they found no comfort there.  Nor would they find comfort in the West, or wherever they might travel, because it was instrinsic in their being after combat.  The experince of war was pervasive in their conscious and inescapable.

Gamers, it would seem, have no conscious, or at least detach to play these games.  But the truth is, the exposure is in their life and in their world, and there is no Pause button to their living.  They participate in these carnivals of death, whether anyone dies or not, whether anyone is wounded, or maimed, or driven to insanity.  I am not advocating the government step in to regulate these games, but maybe we should protest in front of the places where they are sold?  Maybe we could hold up gruesome pictures of what death and dismemberment really look like.  Maybe we could label them Child Killers. 

What can be done about these War Games, I really do not know, but I wanted to write about it and see how others might repond.  It seems there is a corollary here between these games and the abortion issue, in some ways, and it seems there is a corollary between the gaming businesses and the raging right wing talking heads.  TPM has a thoughtful readership and commenting.  I am interested in how a piece such as this effects people and whether we might effect more people to disabuse ourselves of these horrendous games.  

Lately there have been posts about Christianity and it always seems to come back to the quote, "By their deeds, yuo will know them."  Okay, skip the Bible, "actions speak louder then words".  Take a look through the videos TPM posted at this link.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2009/06/video_protests_in_iran.php?ref=fpblg

Here's what I saw.  The Basij militia took to the roofs and shot at people indiscriminantly.  Well, if you were on the street, then you were a "target".  They had nothing to say, carried no signs, made no declaration.  They were locked and loaded and letting the bullets fly.

Then there were the guys on motorcycles, just driving into crowds with a passanger behind the driver beating people with clubs.  Again, nothing to declare except I have a motorcycle and a club and if you are near me I will beat you.

In the middle there is an Italian reported saying I don;t knwo what, but protesters have taken a policeman into their protection and brought him away fromt the crowd to give him water and keep him safe from harm.

How long does it take to know where the Good Guys are, the Good Guys and Gals are?  How long does it take to realize, Muslims are not all terrorists and terrorists do not represent all Muslims?  Or even that Christianity has no monopoly on good deeds?   

Can anyone recall an instance where someone celebrated an abortion?  Does anyone know of an expectant mother who threw a party and invited their friends out for drinks after they aborted their fetus?  Come on, personally, by rumor, heard it through a friend about a friend that someone they knew had an abortion party?  No?  Why not, because the very thought is repulsive, disgusting, and reprehensible, maybe?  Is it because even though an argument is made that the fetus is not viable, there is a deep loss associated with the procedure?  

It is astonishing, really, how twisted some people have become around the issue of abortion.  Their emotions are so overwhelming they have lost sight of all the other lives associated with an abortion.  The expectant mother is demonized.  The doctor is demonized.  The entire Democratic Party is demonized.  But no one on this list ever celebrates that a pregnancy was terminated.  The feelings of grief, sadness, and loss are too strong to enable anyone to exhibit any joy or happiness related to the abortion.  To be unaffected by news of an abortion is inhumane.  It's a detached person who has no reaction to this kind of news.

These feelings arise out of compassion, of respect, of love, even.  The somber attitude surrounding the event is reflective of our common humanity.  It is good to feel this way, in this sense.  It is right to feel the loss, even if all that was sacrificed was the <i>potential</i> for life.  Succinctly, we recognize that this was a difficult choice that was made, regardless of the question was a human life taken, and we believe it should remain legal.

Now how about the <i>pro-Lifers?</i>  What is their response to the death of Dr. Tiller, a fully formed person.  How do they respond when a generous medical provider who served thousands of women during one of the most difficult times of their life, is killed?   Celebration!  It's time for hot wings and beer!  So what can be said about these people who profess to be Pro-Life when they are the only ones celebrating death? 

If I had been one to agree with their mission, this totally inapproriate behavior would have to make me think again.  The expectant mother, the doctor, the Democratic Party have all displayed more compassion, respect and even love for the unborn then these pretenders have toward the dead doctor.  They have shown sadness, grief, and loss, while these pretenders exhibit only joy in a very real, unquestionable loss of life.  Can their attitude be described as compassionate, respectful or even loving toward Dr. Tiller's life? 

We may never resolve the issue of whether an abortion represents the taking of human life.  That debate will continue forever, but Dr. Tiller was definitely murdered.  And, something that really confuses me sometimes, it was at the hands of a man who has never had to directly face the issue, because he has never been pregnant.  His entire mission is related to something he could never, ever completely understand and yet, with the help of one very emphatic support group, he was driven to murder.  The degree of dysfunction is astounding.

My hope is that people would take another look at how far some have gone to inject themselves into other people's decisions and personal life, and whether, given the bizarre response to the murder of Dr. Tiller, they might have lost their compassion, respect and even love of LIfe, because if one is to present that they love life, then Dr. Tiller's life needs to be acknowledged and an appropriate response made, one that ensures this travesty, this vigilante atrocity, never happens again.  Otherwise, the description, Pro-Life, no longer fits.

It's been too long since I posted and it's too late to really write a lot.  I spent my morning reading the stuff about Christianity recently written by Zipperusup and Stillidealistic, and ALL of those comments.  Fascinating discussion for so many reasons. 

What I took from the post of Stilli, even before the comments, was the problem that exists within Christianity in the USA.  Auntie Sam made a comment that people have the right to express their beliefs without criticism.  While I do agree with the rights, the right to express, the second part I do not find true.  I am not obligated to be silent when someone makes a statement of any kind.  There is no right to the last word because one hamade a statement of faith. I believe Clearthinker pretty much proved that, if nothing else. 

It is not here that "Liberal" Christians are failing, it is here that Christianity is failing, even our nation as a whole.  We are loathe to respond for fear of offending a believer.  It's a social custom.  It's root is in our political DNA, because we respect the right of others to have their religion.  But I think it is time to answer the call Stilli makes, believers or not.  It is time to respond to assertions and declarations to show how something stated might be questionable.

Originally, I thought I would post about how the MSM defines Christianity.  I was troubled by how much significance was given to James Dobson in the comments.  I have always been troubled by how much attention is given to American church leaders.  But to understand my perspective, I have to give some personal background.

My upbringing was in the Russian Orthodox Church.  Orthodoxy is arguably the second largest Christian body in the world.  It always confused me that this persepctive was overlooked when matters of fatih are reported in the news.  Instead, we get Dobson, or Robertson, or a handful of others.  The view is that of this homegrown faith, indigenous to the US for the most part, and it ignores more then half the world of Christianity.  It is as if Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and not in the Middle East. It is as if Christianity came here leaving empty and exhausted nations in its wake.  As though Chirstianity lives no where else but here in the good old USA and these people have the monopoly on understanding Jesus Christ.

Quite frankly, this whole issue of there being a moment in one's life where one is "saved" is foreign to me.  The teachings of the Orthodox Church revolve around a traditional form of worship and participation in the sacraments.  The evangelical practices of the Russian Orthodox Church was much different then what people think of when they hear the word missionary.  But I am not hear to say it is better or worse, more true or not.  I only wish to suggest that there are vast differences in Christianity, and if we are to discuss the issue, we should take a broader perspective on Christianity not simply historically, with a sense it moved from East to West, but realistically in that it exapnded not vacating any place it had been.

The MSM dictates what form of Christianity it wishes to portray, and frankly, I find it sorely lacking in any real, deep understanding of it.   But people give the MSM authority to make these declarations because the MSM has this authority related to so many other matters of importance.  One has to ask, though, are these the real leaders of Christianity, or the ones who with the most interest for their news cycle?  Does the MSM choose these people because of some spiritual need to express their love of God, or to attract more viewers and spectators? 

There needs to be a separation of church and state because, if for no other reason, we cannot agree what the church/mosque/synagogue is.  Our efforts to deconstruct religion into this faith-based assembly is doomed to failure because there is no democratic voice to whom these people shall be, rather they are appointed by a secular body, the government.  Based on what criteria are these representatives made and on what basis are others excluded.  It would be better not to form this body at all at the governmental level because it cannot possibly represent the people, or even Christianity, from a world view. 

When I heard what he said, I knew the spokespeople from the White House would have to make all the Sunday morning TV commentaries, no matter how distasteful they had become with their slovenly catering to the Right.  The words were crystal clear in their meaning and what was most shocking of all was that Obama said them himself.  It immediately accelerated the fear-spiral in which the conservatives have been swirling these past few months, each time getting more hysterical in an effort to revive the tremendous support they once had back on 9/11.  Those were good times, with everyone so fearful and maleable.  Now, the wheels have come off, however, and what is to be done?  Obama's <i>true</i> fiath has been exposed.  By his own admission, he has shown himself to be neither Christian, nor Muslim, although we have heard him make references to each at one time or another. The real story is that Obama is a god-made-man reincarnation of an ancient Egyptian deity!!!

As Obama was being guided through the pyramids in Egypt his entourage came upon a hieroglyph to which the President of the United States pointed and taunted, "It looks like me!  See the ears!"  Everyone was aghast!  It did!  Now I do not want to start any untoward rumors about this.  It does need to be confirmed, but I have the solution.  In the definitive work on ancient Egyptian archeology, the movie, <i>The Mummy</i>, we learn that the Egyptian gods are vulnerable to cats in their early days of their reincarnation on Earth.  So to verify whether Obama is an ancient Egyptian god, I propose at a press conference we ask him whether, now that the Obama family has a dog, whether they will also be getting a cat?  If they say no, then the truth is assuredly that Barack Hussein Obama is a member of the cult worshipping the ancient God, Ra, which is also the words his followers chant whenever he comes into their presence, "Rah-Rah-Rah"and sometimes, Her-Rah, when Michelle Obama is also present. 

One final way to confirm whether BHO is a follower of this pagan deity it to inquire with his dog, Bo.  Though we may have our many questions unanswered, if we inquired of the dog what the Obama's are doing at the upcoming solstice we should ask Bo, because Bo knows Egyptology.

***Okay, I figured it out.  I thought if I pressed "Enter" a couple of times in the Entry page it would take me to the body of the text.  It publishes!!!!  Sorry for the multiple posts.***

This post began while reading another post about Jack Tapper of ABC.  You can find it here:

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/sluggahjells/2009/06/perhaps-the-most-imbecilic-art.php?ref=reccafe. 

If you read the article Jack wrote here:  http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/06/abc-news-jake-tapper-and-sunlen-miller-report-the-other-day-we-heard-a-comment-from-a-white-house-aide-that-neverwould-have.html, you will find a comment on the blog, Posted by: Mark | Jun 4, 2009 12:06:54 PM

I don't know whether Barack Hussein Obama is Muslim or not, but I do know a direct, simple way to tell whether he is truly Christian or not: simply invite him to share his testimony of Jesus. A true follower of Jesus Christ will be made manifest by his fruits, as the Savior taught.
It is IMPOSSIBLE to fake a testimony of the Savior-especially to those who share such testimony! Let him tell us exactly WHY he is a Christian, and what it means TO HIM to be Christian. Tell us what is means TO HIM to have the Savior's Love and Mercy manifest in HIS life. If he has truly felt the Savior's love and healing power in his life, it will manifest itself in his testimony! So, Mr. Obama, tell ME what that Savior means to you. I'm listening!...

A few weeks ago I wrote a blog about Taunting Christians.  Because this post was so aggressive, I thought I would bring it up to illustrate the point from my previous post.  This is a classic example.  This is how Christians taunt people, how they are bullying people by being overpowering and demanding.  I'm not suggesting Mark has some Divine power in his tack.  However, the framing does have an authoritarian tone, so to the unquestioning mind, they submit to this illusion of authority.

The first sentence has one major red flag, which I always bristle at when I hear someone suggest they have, especially after reading Socratees.  Mark suggest that HE has the capacity to know if Obama is truly Christian.  It is pretty darn arrogant to suggest that one has the key to knowledge of another's faith.  That one can discern for that person what their faith is.  I would suggest he take others at their word.  That is unless there is some qualification about being Christian he wishes to impose on others and I question by what authority he believes that he has that capacity to the exclusion of any other, in particular the one who he is challenging.

Maybe Mark really means to say "I want to know if he is Christian enough, that Obama meets the criteria that he has for being a Christian.  This kind of reasoning demands that others have to meet Mark's standards, which are extremely arbitrary.  Prove to him that Obama is a Christian?  I don't share Mark's perspective on this and I resent his suggestion that Obama answer to him.  Mark is not the final authority on being Christian and it disrespects any other denomination's criteria of belief.  As I wrote in a recent post about the murder of Dr. Tiller, if Obama is a Christian, then by his deeds we will know him, and it seems to me is deeds are speaking very eloquently in that regard.  He need not respond to your provocation. 

It's very simple.  Colin Powell made a reference to it.  Essentially, you break it, you bought it, and it referred to Iraq after we obliterated the regime of Saddam Hussein.  Now, eventually, the Iraqis murdered Saddam Hussein, but we had nothing to do with that.  I don't condone the murder of Saadam Hussein, but I don't condemn it either.  I'm just saying we had nothing to do with that, if you know what I mean.

Interestingly, however, we have a new similar program.  It works a whole lot differently, but it sure sounds similar.  You break it, we buy it!  This is for corporations too big to fail.  It happened throughout the financial industry and, well, selectively, we bought a few of those, and the insurance industry, which was formerly unrelated to the financial industry as closely as it had becoem of late, and now GM and Chrysler. 

My question to the reader?  What should we call this?  The Burning Barn program?  The Horses-haveLeft-the-Barn,-but-ain't-this-a-Neat-Stable-WE-just-Bought Program?  I know there's soemthing witty to be said about this new progam.  Whaddya think?

Randall Terry is no Christian.  Puh-lease, don't even try to tell me he is a Christian.  If he is a Christian, then I'm the Pope!  Just because I say I am the Pope does not make me so.  There are things about being Pope that have to occur before anyone else will believe yme when I tell them, "Hi!  I'm Pope Gregor!"  The most important thing is the evening fire in Vatican City where white smoke emanates from the chimney at the end of some big sleepover with all the Cardinals.  Oh, and then you have to send out all those change of address cards too telling everyone you live in Vatican City too.  Barring these things and a few others, though, why would you ever believe I was the Pope?  For these same reasons I propose to you, Randall Terry is no Christian.

Now, I know it's unusual to go biblical and then quote the New Testament, as opposed to the old, but these are unusual times.  So, without going Chapter and Verse, I recall St. Paul saying something to the effect that people "ought not make a boast of being a Christian.  By your deeds they will know you are Christian,"  or something like that depending on whose translation you fancy.  Well, usually I'm keen on the first part and have suspicions about anyne who feels an oligation to tell me they are a Christian, or of any other faith for that matter.  My mind tends to reply silently, "So?!?" (and I'm not about to credit that term just to Cheney, but I do snarl in my mind when I think this)  "Why are you telling me this?  How are you expecting this to alter my previous impressions of you?  Do you know it's not doing you any favors? " But in the case of Randy Terry it's all about the second part, "by their deeds we will know them".

The news reports that this self-declared Christian neither condones nor condemns the murder of Dr. George Tiller, who offered abortion as part of his medical practice.  (Yeah, yeah, I can already hear the challenges, so why is this different then the historical Christianity?)  In fact, he suggested after making the announcement the audience join him for hot wings and beer.  My point is that the pretense is gone, not even lip service is paid to the fact someone lost their life at the hands of another person.  Mr. Terry's true nature is revealed.  He revels in the spilling of blood.  

Terry justifies the murder because the doctor had performed so many abortions, taken so many lives.  (Okay, now there's an argument that will not end anytime soon, whether a fetus is a person, but I digress.)  If we assume those fetuses were life, I have to wonder, who celebrated any of the abortions?  Is there a time on record when the doctor threw a party because he had just terminated his 100th pregnancy?  Was there ever an abortion that was a cause for joy?  No, I suspect not, but readers are welcome to share with us if they know of, or ever attended any abortion parties.  Not for the doctor, not for the one who was pregnant, not anyone felt any semblance of joy that they had made such a heart breaking decision.  It's curious, that we deny these fetuses were life, and yet grieve so deeply when someone has an abortion, but that is not the point of my post.  Again, life-not life, it's an argument that cannot end.  The point is that the only response of anyone I have ever known who has had an abortion is an overwhelming sadness. 

For a Christian, whether you love someone or hate them, at their death is no time to party.  So what does that make Mr. Terry, that he would celebrate this death?   Where is his offense that blood was spilled inside a church, no less?  There is none.  He is despicable.  A party to celebrate murder, now whose carnival is that?!? 

One more thought before I close.  As a Christian, if these are lives and they died without sin, don't they go to heaven straight away?  Well, if so, then what do they have be mad about?   If it's paradise, why all this complaining?  It makes no sense.  And, let's just suppose the doctor committed some sin.  Is there a limit to God's forgiveness or just their's?  Oh, that's two thoughts.  It's late...no, it's early...well, I just had this burning question, "Exactly what deeds has Mr. Terry done that would make him a Christian?" 

So, there I was commenting on this post,

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/observer2/2009/05/bpa-the-poisoning-of-america.php?ref=reccafe

when my next post hit me.  Rash Limbaugh!  It's the perfect description, reasily remembered and insidiously effective in treating the national disease that is Rush Limbaugh.

There have been many other attempts at how to mock the man.  Many have wondered if the Reich can name the Left, socialists, or rename their opposition party the Democrat Party, how will we respond?  I've done it!  We rename the Leader of the GOP Rash Limbaugh! 

Another recent renaming effort is to change what RNC represents.  It's not the Republican National Committee, well it is, but not the one Republicans elected, it's the RNC of Rush, Newt and Cheney.  They were not elected, but self-appointed.  That fits with their pasts in many ways.  Cheney appointed himself to be the VP candidate and we can question whether he was ever duly elected, either time.  Newt is demanding people refer to him as Speaker, even though this nation already has a Speaker elected by the majority part in the House.  As for Rush, well he has called himself the leader of the GOP.  So it makes good sense to lanbel the RNC for who they are until people actually within the GOP can refute them and not offer an apology after doing so.  

It is great fun finding derisive names for these clowns, but I feel this name is truly representative of the man and we can refer to their followers as having the ash and quickly characterise their positions as a malady.

Think about it!  A rash.  It's right up there with don't think of an elephant.  Ya did, didn't ya?  Also.  Rush/Rash is an irritant on the skin of this nation.  The more we scratch it the worse it gets.  It"s spread by mere contact, and it's not even necessary to contact the original cause, either.  It's contagious.  Scratching it spreads it further, and excessice scratching may lead to bleeding if left untreated.  It is time to provide treatment. 

To treat this rash will require empathy.  The first step in the treatment of anything is recognizing it is a problem.  Many people with the rash wear long sleeves or simply deny they have a problem. They declare, "I'm all right" or more succinctly, "I'm Right" and the problem persists.  But others can do something about this problem by first, pointing to the inflammed red skin and saying, "You've got the rash and you're sick.  You need help!  If you don't do something about this, it's not just going to get worse for you and it's going to make other people sick too.  Don't you want to feel better?  To have a little joy in your life, rather then being angry about things that have no impact whatsoever in your personal life?"

Scratching can drive people crazy, too!  And we have seen where scratching excessively can make people bleed.  And what do we see now?  Scratching has caused a fatality.  This weekend, someone was overcome with the rash and caused the death of a good man, a very good man indeed, as reported by those who actually knew him, Dr. George Tiller.  The rash has gone too far.  It requires treatment.  Won't you help this nation with the first step and help us cleanse ourselves of the pustule that is Rush Limbaugh, a disease that is infecting this nation and has led to such a disastrous result?  At this point, it is not going to far to say, it could save lives, real, living, breathing, fully formed lives.