A Viewer's Suggestions to MSNBC

I enjoy most the the MSNBC line-up in the afternoon. I guess it goes without saying that Chris Matthews' Hardball program is safe. I will interject however, that I am SICK of Michael Steele as their token Conservative broadcaster. Aside from appearing as one of the more smug men on cable, I tire of his predictable recitations of the Conservative Agenda. Like the Liberal/Progressive community is not subject to those same views by every Mainstream Media Outlet, print or not, ad infinitum.

When Alex Wagner, Ari Melber, Joy Reid and Krystal Ball were portrayed more as "proteges" of Lawrence O'Donnell, I believe it allowed the younger group to spend more time on their stories and opinion pieces. Also, Lawrence always seemed to direct a very lively debate among them all. Their camaraderie, the sharing of ideas and concepts among them, was evident.

"Up" on the weekends attracts a different audience than prime time. I loved the show w/ Mr. Hayes and I love it w/ Mr. Kornacki...who I believe is one of the better analysts of the younger group.

Chris Hayes is suited more to a "magazine" type format. His recent coverage of Ferguson and the ensuing debate does not fit into a 2 to 3 minute segment. These problems are nuanced and require more thought, investigation and discussion. Perhaps that is where his talents are strongest.

As far as whom to cancel...I, like most MSNBC viewers, vote to "get rid of Joe". I turn to MSNBC because there are few news shows or stations which take a more liberal point of view. That is why I tune in, why I watch the commercials (which do NOT pursue a liberal/progressive audience most of the time) but, the inclusion of Morning Joe negates ANY chance of a lifetime liberal such as myself, finding a daytime News home at MSNBC.

I like Mika but, for whatever reason she seems beholden to "Joe the Jerk" if I may. His entire agenda seems to be collecting his paycheck while keeping his "conservative creds" w/ his buds at Fox Fantasy News.

Keep those who are reporting the "real" news and cut to some local segments on occasion (it couldn't hurt) on the morning schedule. Local, National News & Weather (along w/ local traffic) is why most people tune in to morning "news". Liberals are no different but it would be nice to hear it from those we are comfortable with, those who currently do "Way Too Early", "Andrea Mitchell Reports", etc.

Oh, lest I forget...Lose Chuck Todd...he and "Joe" should be walked down the same "plank" or hung from the same "yardarm"...if you get my drift.

Do NOT touch Rachel, Lawrence, Ed,or  "Up" Take the multitude of good, younger talent/analysis and put them into a format that does NOT include yet another "conservative" counterpoint as it detracts from their reporting/analysis/commentary.

Liberals are inundated at this time by the "conservative media", finding conservative commentary just about every where..Must we be inundated by the repetitions,. half truths and the rest by the ONE station we all go to to escape that very thing?

My advice as a long time viewer? Cut the "fence straddling", if you are reporting on the Liberal Agenda then by God, report on it with those who not only understand it but support it, doing said reporting. Of course, while always reporting Both Sides of an argument accurately. That is all we request or require.

Who Is Held to A Higher Employment Standard? Congress or Mickey D's?

I wonder, how many personal acquaintances, friends, relatives, etc.,do YOU know who have  gotten away w/ a DWI in the last three decades? Nobody comes to mind? I would hope not.

Yet, another of our "Elected Officials"  has side-stepped "the law", which demeans our government, our principles, and the foundations of our Constitution.

As the quality of those we elect to represent each of us diminishes (election after election), those who TRY to make our government work (public employees, firefighters & other agencies for instance) are chastised, belittled and demeaned by those who are the true perpetrators in sabotaging our Government which includes, ripping off taxpayers,

While teachers, firefighters and police are being laid off or fired...our Congress voted themselves yet another raise.  We all know that the last two Congress' have served a mere 30% of the hours which every other Congress has since their advent, and yet they continue to strive for the lowest standards and highest pay-off, possible.

Regardless of the fact that "most" Americans know the truth of their sloth, manipulation and lack of regard for the "American People" the perpetrators do not see a need to hide their lack of concern (or the fact that in many instances they are lying) from their constituency. In fact, even when caught lying it is rare to hear an apology for doing so. Rather, it seems to be an accepted strategy (mainly from the GOP&TP) to double down on their lies. Take Climate Change for instance and the manner in which those with major petroleum holdings (oil companies, the Koch Bros, John Boehner for instance) are financing the "opposite" side of Science.

Shouldn't those that "we the people" employ through legal elections be held to the same standard that almost ANY other employee is held to from their employer? I am speaking of the standard reasons for termination; theft, lying and NOT working a required number of hours? Of course we should!

Plus, do we want to allow one to serve (as our representative, supposedly in our name) after they've been convicted while in office or, (in some circumstances), during their Campaign for office?

"We, the people..." have lost control of those whose alleged "purpose" in running for office is to represent the entire country, not a minuscule percentage of us all and  NOT because of the size of ones' pocketbook either.

Shouldn't we demand of our "employees" (Congress as well as other elected officials) are held to  the same standards minimum wage employers such as  Walmart and MacDonald's demand?

Our elected representatives at the Federal level start off at $144,000/yr plus a huge perks package. For that kind of money, shouldn't we be "drug testing them? Given the recent track record of those serving in the House & Senate...percentage wise,

Why should taxpayers pay for the drug tests of those applying for Food Stamps and other assistance while we watch those of our Congress get away with THEIR cocaine busts, DWI's and the like?

That idea does not make sense to this voter.

http://bit.ly/1JSCUiZ

Can the United States Government be FREE to CARE about Americans ...for a FEW Years?

What was it Nixon used to say....and every President since?

"My Fellow Americans", is there a one of us who have identified as "Liberal", or "Democratic" or"Moderate" who were not appalled how we were "taken to the River"* (love the song, hate the concept) by THIS President, and Mr. Reagan and Bush 2.

Let's recap:

2007 AD  while Sean Hannity was telling us ALL on WBS-FM (I was in Atlanta) and every other affiliate how about how GREAT it was that "starter homes cost $250,000, while everyone listening  put their incredulity on hold.

That is until TWO DAYS later when he, Mr. Hannity, started telling everyone to "JUMP"  (out of the housing market) and it was President Obama's fault. Not yet, but soon to be.

Over the next year, our Country "elected" a black man as President. Of course that was overwhelmingly threatening to White American Men, and a group of our Representatives got together (much like the Cub Scouts sulking about punishment by their mothers) and declared they would not "allow" the newly elected President to ...now this is important..."would not allow the newly elcected President to perform adequately...if at all, within HIS Elected Position as President of the United States of America. The first President since Clinton to win with the POPULAR vote as well as electoral votes.

And while this should be one of the biggest stories of the 21st Century, I am currently watching HIGHLY paid pundits on MY FORMERLY FAVORITE TV STATION now bewailing the fact that N. Korea HACKED INTO ONE OF THE BIGGEST corporations in America, Sony ( yes, they started as a Japanese corp but ANYONE over the age of 50 knows how they affect American commerce) because they hacked a movie? A movie about the assassination of their leader, correct?

I hope that the insensitivity of the American public, who does not recognize the disdain those from another country may feel about a movie "killing-"off their leader. Maybe because many haven't woken up to HOW MANY TIMES Americans threaten our President, daily.erhaps it is because, just a few days after Conservative Protesters stood outside of our own White House, brandishing ropes with lynch knots and signs about 'lynching, murdering' the President of the United States' while....nothing seems to have happened to them. They are "traitors" by definition of law but...did anyone of them get investigated? I'm willing to bet (no more than 0.50) not!

How does THAT make you feel as an American, A voter, A Moderate, Progressive or Liberal?

AND, how does this make you feel Mr. or Mrs. Conservative...you who '"claim" to love your country? Perhaps you ought to find out what "loving one's country" actually means?

Why are we NOT watching information about how FOOD & MEDICINE are going to be taken away from the American public by the GOPTP? Why is it that we are to keep on hurting CUBA...who's decensdents many of us know?

What is important to the United States....? I will have to guess...the PEOPLE of the United States. Can we NOT get a dialogue where the needs of the AMERICAN people are first and foremost?

Grover Norquist & Crew Still Fighting Tax for Rich, Now Tariffs to Protect American Workers on Block

Saw a tweet which said, "Trade Vote is the Biggest Tax Cut of This Decade".

Well, whenever I hear "tax cut" I am pretty sure by now that it doesn't mean for my family but, for those at the very top. Don't get me wrong, my husband makes a very good living. My daughters however, are just starting out and over the last five years I have watched how their salaries have shrunk against that of goods, housing and gas. Not to mention they are both paying off some student loans for their college educations. Not as much as some, thank goodness but, they are there.

I clicked on the link and the first name I see is, Grover Norquist's, which always raises my ire. Mr. Norquist...the man who strong-armed a "vow of no new taxes" from the GOPTP "wing"* of our Congress. A vow which they ultimately held higher and much more passionately, than their Oath of Office.

To my mind, a man who purposely induces our Congressmen and Women to forsake the Oath taken in service of Our Country, replacing it with a partisan "vow" aimed at bettering the position of a particular lobbying group, is nothing short of a traitor. 

No vow, oath of fealty or special handshake should be held higher by our elected officials than the Oath taken when they are sworn into office. That Oath which demands respect to the Constitution (as it is NOW written) and loyalty to the United States of American and her people is supposed to be tantamount.  

I admit, anything Mr. Norquist backs...I find that I am against. The constant lowering of the tax rate for those who make more than most of us combined, is actually to blame for much of the infrastructure deterioration, our lousy schools, and above all...the ability of Big Business and Wall Street to walk all over the rest of us. Which they do with regularity.

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One reason nobody went to jail for the bamboozle known as the "Great Recession" is that the "anti-tax" movements shenanigans ensure that the enforcement arms of those agencies which could have, SHOULD have prosecuted those who almost brought down the entire WORLD economy, are now almost non-existent. The continual defunding of the enforcement arm of the IRS, SEC and other regulatory agencies means that those who willfully refuse to pay their fair (and more often than not, less than fair share) of tax escape prosecution. There just isn't the personnel to go after them.

Not to mention that there are not enough inspectors with the FDA to keep our food safe, Air Traffic Controllers are stretched thin and by the way...have you hit a pothole of late? Remember those folks who had Coal Ash dumped in their water supply from a Coal Plant who'd escaped inspection? Not enough personnel to check the toxic chemical dumping techniques, not enough environmental engineers to get to the bottom of the contamination, either. Those folks went more than a month, forced to purchase bottled water with which to cook, bath, wash clothing, etc. That's expensive if you didn't alreasy know. Oh, what happened to the company responsible? I believe they declared bankruptcy within weeks, changed their name...you know. The usual drill.

Highways and bridges in many cases are close to being declared dangerous by the engineers who monitor them. We have know this since "W" was in office. This is why President Obama's jobs bill, which would have created the jobs needed to repair our infrastructure (and at the time of the lowest interest rates in ages, too) would have been such a slam dunk. That is, if the GOPTP weren't so intent on denying him a "second term" and then "a legacy". I have children who drive and I am hoping they will both make me a grandmother. Which means, they will be driving over roads that were "almost" dangerous eight years ago yet, due to politics, they won't be fixed anytime soon. I do not know about any one else but, I object to having my family endangered because of "sour grapes" and "political power games" being practiced by those people I am paying to work in MY best interest!

But this is about tariffs is it not? The one's we have are not being enforced. Why? Because our Congress doesn't actually WORK for a living, as discussed above. As a result, inferior, and cheap S. Korean steel has been dumped on the market, causing the United States Steel Workers to shed jobs like a dog in summer. I must wonder what using that "cheap steel" does to the integrity of the high-rise it's used to build?

Intellectual property is frequently hijacked by the Chinese as well as other competitor countries. Inferior and counterfeit products are dumped on our markets all of the time as well. Tariffs are designed to "even the playing" field for the American Worker, to protect our markets from those inferior products as well as wages and jobs. Since NAFTA we all know that dumping cheap products from other countries without labor laws or protections, weakens our job market and thereby, our economy.

Yet, Mr. Norquist and company never seem to mention these aspects of what something like a tariff, or a regulation or a tax may have been designed to do and in most cases, accomplish. Their constant refrain is to just "do away with it" regardless of the effect on the other 99% of our country.

Their focus is to, as many have noticed, lower the American workers wage. When goods are dumped on our market, cheap and cheaply made, by workers in other countries who are beaten, forced to work in conditions you wouldn't wish on your in-laws (for those who love their in-laws, please disregard), the inevitable outcome is the lowering of the standards in all areas, for the American Worker.

And not just in manufacturing. This is the ONE area that "trickle down economics" actually seems to be effective. When the minimum wage is artificially depressed (does not keep up with inflation), ALL wages are depressed...well, except for the 1%. Those wages have gone up over 500% in the last two decades while the average American family has lost over $4000/yr since 2009! 

While it may seem counter-intuitive but, the fact that wealth is taxed at a MUCH lower rate than work now is (which was not the case until Reagan was elected...then Bush 2 clinched it) responsible for the "lower quality of life" so many in our nation feel.

Think about it, we talked about schools but our Public Services, Roads, Bridges, Pubic Parks....ALL of it, are dependent on the tax base. Where is it written that if I have to pay 30% on my salary, just because someone inherited a fortune they shouldn't have to pay at least 30% on what they make as well? Remember during the 2012 election? It was finally published that Mitt Romney's tax rate was around 12%? And they think this is fair? Enough about Mitt.

Due to lower taxes our Police departments have become inadequate, poorly trained and possibly ridden by violent individuals who may or may NOT have been given adequate psychiatric evaluations as a prerequisite to employment because...What Police Department Can Afford IT Any Longer? Some PD's have barely enough officers to cover shifts.

Blaming teachers and busting Public Unions are great diversions from the truth, which is...there are many reasons why our schools are not competitive with the rest of the industrialized worlds' but Public Union's are not the main reason,nor the 2nd, 3rd or 4th. Lack of money which means, low salaries (which do not attract the "best and the brightest" as it were), limited supplies, shorter schedules....these are problems one can point towards when wondering why our schools don't work and realize; it is because of the cut in property tax among the highest priced homes.

College and University graduates with the most promise many times, forsake teaching or social work or other worthy career pursuits, to go into, you guessed it...finance. 

Why? Who wouldn't with decreasing regulation within an industry where the word "entitlement" does NOT refer to Social Security but the overriding attitude (which some in this group attained at a young age) of it's CEO's; where time and again this group thumbs their nose at laws meant to protect the consumer....and then walk away with millions, if not billions of dollars which invariably, come from YOU, the tax payer. You DO remember the "bailout" of those Too Big To Fail Banks, don't you?

Alan Greenspan has recently admitted that there is no veracity, no fact...nothing credible...to the "theory" of Trickle Down Economics. Mr. Greenspan was one of the architects as well as the Head Cheerleader of that failed policy and yet, he now admits it was all, what's the word?...BS, its nicely I believe.

However, Mr. Norquist and company will continue to beat this drum of "limited taxation" for those "job producers" even while admitting that most of this recovery has come at the hands of the Small Businessperson who, by the way, is not the constituency that Mr. Norquist is fighting for...not quite big enough. Small business-people are still fighting for their share of "tax relief".

All this while the wealthiest industry in the HISTORY of the WORLD still gets approximately six billion dollars ($6,000,000,000) per year, in corporate welfare in the form of, yes...Tax Breaks. All while using Tax Loopholes which allow them to "defer" paying tax on the money they make outsourcing American jobs to other countries. 

If that weren't enough, the truly large corporations such as the Koch Brother's conglomerate have their own U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators who will not only introduce bills on a myriad of subjects (from taking apart regulations, to "Stand Your Ground" to other "tax break" legislation) which are written by the Corporation, for the benefit of the Corporation with NOTHING in them which benefits the American people. Oh right, Corporations=People, I forgot. Never learned that one in Sunday school.

Do you believe for one second that if they felt there were some "unfair" competition going on which hampered their ability to own several homes, a jet or two and umpteen cars, they wouldn't DEMAND the government put some sort of rule, law, tax or tariff in place to protect THEM?

But, when it comes to the life and livelihood of the American Worker, the goals of Mr. Norquist and friends are not quite as "protectionist" as it may be when thinking of their money, family, toys and such.

Aren't you mad yet?

The time has come for the American people to stop allowing a group of entitled, less than honest, selfishly motivated people, who have a vested interest in keeping us ignorant and fight any transparency, to convince us of "principles" and "economic theory" which have been proven to benefit only a very small percentage of our population. Them.

Additionally, it is the responsibility of every American, Soon-to-be-American and Want-to-be Americans, to spend some time investigating, researching the veracity of what we are told by those who claim to be "experts" on a particular subject. Particularly, when there are several other "experts" with a very different opinion. Do this on the issues most important to you and your family, become informed and the feeling of "powerlessness" so many of us have felt over the last few decades WILL be lessened. Remember what our teachers used to tell us, "knowledge Is power".

Plus, it's not like when we were kids and we had to go to the library or pour over encyclopedias. We now have the internet and if one tries, reputable sites are not that hard to find. Just don't take any recommendations from Fox News, Rush or the rest of these manipulative bandits. 

For TV, Radio and the Net one can start with CBS, NBC or ABC who, although they are mainstream media, are not rabidly partisan. As one goes from there, starting to speak with people who's opinions make real sense against the information you have uncovered, not just what gets one riled up or that ones' best buddy ascribes to (w/o research), other avenues one can trust will become evident.

But please, do not let this group of Charlatans fool us again. Remember, Dick Cheney used top spew this stuff, too. Does anyone trust his word any longer, in light of what we now know about Iraq 2?

Think of  our and our families best interests, the fragility of our planet and where you and your family would live if it were destroyed. Mr. Norquist hangs with the same folks who've been telling us for years that the "climate is just fine". They told that lie to keep from spending "their money" on cleaning up the mess they already have made and, to install the necessary equipment to discontinue the active polluting OUR plant.

We all know now, they lied because of money. With NO regard to the lives of the billions of people who reside on this planet. 

Funny thing, after the planet died...where were they going to go with all of that money? I guess they don't think that far ahead.

Maybe I'm Old, Maybe I See Time Running Out

I must ask. What did it take for our Revolutionary Fathers and Mothers, Daughters and Sons, Brothers and Sisters, to do what it took to establish the United States of America?

What did it take for those who found slavery abhorrent, to take up arms and fight their brother, to ensure it wouldn't happen again?

How is it that, after so many thousand of our own dead, at the hands of friends and relatives, do we find ourselves at the same crossroads...only seemingly, worse?

For those of us who are history buffs, the situation we find ourselves in as a country, should never have happened. The re-establishment of the racial divide, the worsening of monetary inequality to an extent which hasn't been seen since before the crash of 1929? 

How, how did this all come to pass?

In the 1960's many of us demonstrated, which sounds like such a pacifistic word but, allow me to guarantee to  you it was not. Many of my friends were hurt in these demonstrations. Many of us were arrested, many were hurt, some were shot and...some were killed.

Even so, not to the extent that we are now seeing and not in the context of a demonstration AGAINST anything. The injuries, arrests and irreparable harm we now witness we now see are only in the context of people walking down the street...people living their lives, as they can. As, the powers that be are allowing us to.

To insinuate that, because of how much money one earns or has, or where one lives, or the level of one's education OR that due to the color of one's skin that one's behavior is NOW suspect and that THESE factors are enough to allow the police to run rampant over us ALL, in one way or another, is not only ludicrous, it is antithesis to not only the concept of our country, but to the Constitution itself.

The actions performed by our Revolutionary Soldiers was treason. Yet, we not only as a nation revere their actions, we celebrate them every July 4th. However, anybody now who may express an opinion opposite that of our newly formed GOPTP, is now labeled either a "thug" or a "criminal" (these two words are used interchangeably and depended on color of skin), or...and I find this funny, "a traitor".

While the Conservative movement is anxious to take us into war, they are anxious to fight a "war" against any American who objects to having their "rights" infringed upon. 

I can only attribute this to the fact that "war at home" is no where near as profitable as "war abroad".

This will boil down to a "war" of sorts. While those factions who are against freedom, our right to vote, and the liberty our forefathers had envisioned keep on twisting the system which was created to give "Liberty to All", we must NOT lose sight of the big picture.

We must also call those who are the true purveyors of a type of "slavery" for us all, who wish to "own" everything within their sight, who haven't a clue about the worth of our environment, our children and their education and who bastardize "religion" as another club to beat back liberty; what they are. Fascists! 

This Earth has seen many different incarnations of the totalitarian rule but, in the United States of America? Not until the last forty years have these closet...Yes! Nazi's...thought that we were subservient enough to let them get away with this. Let us stand up, protect our children and grandchildren.

Are we going to let the Koch's, the Bachmann's, the Haliburton's the Cheney's and all of the other Rip-Off's...win? I certainly hope not!

Eric Gardner, NYPD and their "medics"

Having just watched the seven minutes of video, which I received via twitter, of Mr. Eric Garner's last few minutes on Earth, was very difficult.

While I am no stranger to death, I found myself fast forwarding through certain parts of this video. Why? I can only explain it this way.

I did work in the medical field, in various positions, for over fifteen years. My conscious attitude during those years was that, no matter what, I would treat each and every patient as I would want my family member or friend treated.

Why? Why would I approach my job in this manner? Because of two reasons: 1) Being a Catholic with plenty of Catholic guilt, and being rather young (18 when I started), I felt it was a Karma thing. If I treated others as I would want my family and friends treated, then others would treat MY family and friends similarly. 2) I felt as a "professional" it was my duty to do my best for those in pain, who were afraid and who came to "us" for help.

Watching the policeman who was responsible for Mr. Gardner's predicament, more or less acting like he was responsible for injuring a player on the softball field; or in other words, like they both were on the field of competition and they both had equal power to perhaps, injure each other in the "field of competition", struck me as not only ludicrous but...immature...in the extreme. The impression I was left with was that either the officer was coming down from an extreme adrenaline high (which he probably was) or he is immature in the extreme.

Another glaring aspect of this video is the laissez faire attitude of the EMT's when they approached Mr. Gardner. IF a patient repeatedly says, "I can't breath" again and again...AND if that is reported to the medical professionals who, should be, on their way to the scene Code 3, they should roll up with a gurney, respirator and prepared to start CPR, immediately! The fact that they did not makes me wonder what, exactly, was communicated to the EMT's? Certainly not that there was a main in extreme distress.

Last thing I am going to say right now. Are the Police of New York City trained in CPR or are they not? If they are not, then what is the point of their being called "First Responders"? If they are, what the Hell was going on in this situation? Did they think he was "faking it"? Did they think Mr. Garner "deserved it"? Why is it that any one of is has to "guess" what the NYPD was doing, killing a man over...cigarette tax?

Liberals MUST Fight. Fight to shed ourselves of Democratic "Consultants"!

It is obvious to many Liberal/Progressive/Democratic Voters/Blue Voters....that our common desires...our common good, has been diluted and misconstrued by "consultants", the "liberal media" and other entities.
It is our belief that these "entities" have either been directly "bought off" by the GOPTP or, (due to the influence practiced by the Conservative Corporate Owners of most "news" stations) as well as the myopia practiced by the DNC (among other groups), that the first principle of being a "party" (read: a team) was violated.
By throwing President Obama, the Democratic Party and the accomplishments of such "under the bus" prior to the 2014 midterms, the gains which Dems should have made were lost.
Was it some type of "plan" in hopes of disillusioning the electorate, so that they'd vote the opposite in 2016?
Who cares? Too many people are going to continue to suffer for two more years.
Many of us have decided to go "grassroots" to the extreme. Shunning and shedding "consultants" and their ilk.
We're hoping that those groups who solicited money from us all year, will be behind us, with us, in this endeavor. Negating the positive accomplishments of one's President is NOT the way to win elections.
Refusing to refute the blatant lies of the opposition is NO way to win an election.
And, allowing the misconceptions, lack of facts and, yes...lies, to go without correction is NO way to win an election.
We're going to try. Help us. Sign on.