Specter and Franken, Perry and Palin

Trickle-down economics work perfectly
(if you've been in a coma for the past 30 years)

Arlen Specter has made the wise decision of joining the Democrats. I had wondered why he had stayed with the Republicans for such a long time. He was one of the few pro-choice Republicans, and sided with the Democrats on many other issues. The GOP is a sinking ship, and Specter has wisely abandoned the pedophiles, warmongers, and all out fascists on that doomed vessel. He, like many former Republicans (and other conservatives), has hopped aboard the life boat of science, progress, and the abandonment of failed "Reaganomics".

This switch is very critical, as it puts the Democrats one seat away from having the entire legislative branch under their thumb. If Al Franken gets the Senate seat he's after, the Democrats will be completely immune to Republican filibusters.

I've also recently learned that Obama has a Supreme Court vacancy on his hands. This could potentially give progressives control of the Judicial Branch as well (which is crucial if some capitalist pig decides to litigate against a policy he doesn't like).

Progressive America is extremely close to having all three branches of government.

Oh their God... just imagine a progressive America. An America that is finally caught up with other civilized nations. Just sit and think about the diseases that can be cured, the environmental problems that can be solved (climate change), workers rights, the eventual destruction of the Bourgeois. We can finally become an atheist state like we were meant to be.

Final thoughts.

Rick Perry, the governor of Texas, and Sarah Palin, the bitch governing Alaska, have hinted at secession in response to Obama's so-called "big government" administration. Big fucking deal, I say. Please, secede! Good riddance to them!

If the red states left the union, they would remove science and reason from their government agenda. They would become a third world country in a matter of decades. A real third world nation. (I see America as a civilized third world nation right now, since we have a third world economy and health care system).

Good riddance to Texas, Alaska, and whatever other Jesusland states that decide to leave. Good fucking riddance.

Matt

Just some updates, then a little on the economy

I'll just do a quick update on things in my own life then move on. I've developed a taste for movie soundtracks recently. Thomas Newman has some good shit, for example. It's terrific music, both for working and relaxation. I'm not too fond of "weird" film soundtracks, like what you see in cheesy seventies horror movies. I really like the dramatic/epic stuff though.

We've been doing persuasive speeches in my public speaking class. One of my friends in there, who has close to the same political views as me, and I joked that we were going to play a game in there: we would bring some hard liquor to the room, and every time someone did a speech about Obama, we'd do a shot. Of course we were joking. I'm a teetotaler myself, and I think he is, too. I figured if we did play this game, we would die of alcohol overdose.

Much to my surprise, though, they actually gave speeches which showed some sort of... rational thought. It was the strangest damn thing. This one girl in there who I know is fairly far right actually gave hers on why she disagrees with creationism, AND on how she agrees with the conclusions Charles Darwin made (GASP!). After I picked my jaw up off the floor, this other person gave a speech supporting vegetarianism, and explained how corporate meat packing is contributing to environmental destruction and climate change.

Holy shit.

I've done some studying of the former Soviet Union. I find it quite fascinating. Now, I don't really believe the USSR had it right all the way. I don't think their coercive tactics were justified. However they knew what to do with religion, I think. Contrary to popular belief, they did not force their citizens to be atheists. Their government merely discouraged religion, and kept society secular. This concept is something that I believe the U.S. should adopt. A secular government will be compassionate for its citizens, and its society will be advanced and prosperous.

It's fascinating to know that there was once a country in this world that was an atheist state, I think. Like I said, I disagree with their tactics of coercion. Stalin wasn't right to murder his own citizens like he did. There has NEVER been a perfect communism in this world, and there never will be. I despise capitalism, but human nature will not allow communism. I believe a strictly regulated capitalist government may be key. Maybe a tame socialism. The free market capitalism we have does not work, though.

We're seeing this system fail because of its own shortcomings right now. The remedy to this problem is only things such as government takeovers of corporations and collective advancement of our society (socialist concepts). It's just like World War II. FDR told the automotive companies that they were no longer building cars, but now airplanes and other war machinery. That is ultimately what saved us from the depression. Using a crisis to stimulate industry. This solved the crisis (the war) and pulled America out of the hole it found itself in.

But what sort of crisis do we face today, that industry could be used to help solve with government intervention? Some sort of crisis... maybe a global crisis... that industry could solve if the government told it what it was going to do.

Oh, yeah, climate change!

Perhaps if Obama told GM it was now going to innovate and build vehicles that run on little or no fuel, or if he told agrarian industry they were going to return to natural, organic farming methods (not this genetically modified shit), or if he told Exxon they were now going to invest in hydrogen fuel cell technology, or if he told energy companies they were now going to pour some funding into wind turbine and solar energy, or if he told engineering firms they were going to invest in carbon dioxide scrubbing technology... maybe then we could solve this global crisis and get our economy back on its feet.

But that would be SOCIALISM (ominous music)! Can't have that! Fuck no! Just listen to those (blatantly astroturfed) "tea parties". Capitalist ideals are what will save us (nevermind the fact that they're what got us here).

After doing some studying of the USSR, I've learned that communism probably isn't the key to saving our economy, but after looking at our own history, continuing recklessly down the road of capitalism isn't going to pull us out of the fire, either.

The silver lining

Abortions, Vasectomies Increase as Economic Woes Continue

It may seem like an insensitive thing to say, but maybe there's a silver lining to this whole economic crisis after all. This is much like the protests that have erupted at the lavish homes of greedy AIG execs. For years the bastards have lived like fat cats, and now the public is raising a fist against them. Now, I'm not thrilled that capitalism has been dragging our nation down the economic shitter, and I do feel sorry for those parents who desired to have a child, but simply couldn't afford it (and kudos to them for making a decision to not bring a life into a poverty-struck home).

However, I think it's a good thing that the middle and working classes are rising up against the greedy fat cats and that people aren't bringing more into this overpopulated world.

We will emerge from this crisis a better nation, I think. I feel that the environment could benefit, as our (now competent) government turns to things like green energy and tougher economic policies. We could also see increased funding for contraception, which I feel is just as important in saving the environment as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and solar panels. Such funding has been relatively stagnant over the past few years. It has not kept up with inflation at all.

Michael Moore once commented on the financial catastrophe, "What we're seeing is the end of capitalism, and good riddance to it! It hasn't helped the people and it hasn't helped the planet!"

Couldn't have said it better myself.