Originally I was planning on making Saturdays post all about women and especially focus on mothers for Mothers Day today. I achieved a pretty good lineup of stories going for the part of the blog post about women in general ...Let's see how it goes....!
I was first going to cover the story out of DeTroit, Michigan about how the under wire of a woman's battle ready armor stopped a speeding bullet in its path. Then I was going to cover how a Marks and Spencer's department store in Britain put out a campaign entitled "We Boobed" to apologize for the previous $3 handling fee attached to shopping for bras that exceeded the Double D size and then offered a 25% discount too.I was then going to segue into something about us bois (gay or straight) love of motor boating and fascination with this particular part of the female anatomy to the pointe of impersonation (this one is for Fetcho) and modification with silicone inserts versus our (gay & straight bois) utter disgust toward the other distinctive portion of female anatomy, a vagina, which we spend hours finding alternative names for on a regular basis.
(Photo: Rob Lowe and Andrew McCarthy)
The post was then going to close that portion by taking in a quick recap of the FaceBook Scandal regarding an advert for And Then Came Lola [WEBSITE] a threesome lesbian movie produced by Ellen Seidler and Megan Siler of Fast Girl Films, which was finally resolved because of a TWITTER campaign which spilled out across the GLBT blogosphere. (Source: QMUSER)
It was going to be a long drawn out graphic post and then I hit a road block when looking up some history on our Country's founding mothers. There are no songs about America's founding mothers that are not either derogatory towards women or indemnifying of their contribution to the history of this Country. I have looked all over and I dug through volumes of Americana songbooks and have not been able to locate a single song dedicated to the sacrifice that women have made in the founding of this great nation that doesn't degrade them for being a temperamental bitch.
Clementine drowned in a pool;
Dixie has a dissociative and cant tell that she's lost;
Susanna is mourning the loss of her loved one in war;
Dinah is busy in the kitchen giving someone a blowjob;
Kentucky is bipolar and suicidal looking for a glimer of hope;
Kansas is a housewife that has a voyeur fetish for ruminant mamals;
Indiana is a drunk grubby gold digging wench watching your every transaction from a distance.
Georgia is so sweet and evil she is considered a demon who preys on innocent men's brains aka a succubi;
California is waiting for you to tell it to fuck off it likes to be dominated even if it has the largest population;
There is more but you get the basic idea on the basis of each State's song but it doesnt end there. You will find that even the songs that do immortalize certain women's accomplishments is usually in tandem with their less feminine attributes or in direct reflection against their feminine nature. There are not any songs about Dolly Madison "saving a snapshot of Georgie and his wooden dentures as the Executive Plantation Manor burned to the core", during the British burning of Washington D.C. in the War of 1812. Which she then made sure to whitewash six times over to hide the burn marks. In that spirit isn't it about time we made a song for her too?
Virginia Foxx got one in 48 hours for her hatred toward & ignorance of a young gay man left on a fence to die.
What about Betsy Ross?
By creating the first American flag she "bled with our bois in battle as she diligently weaved the banner to which we now yield our hearts toward in honour and our mind in reverence". That banner that always used to give hope to weary soldiers and citizens alike was first created by the sweat and tears of one woman. I did find one (video 6:35 mark on) satirical comedy routine Everybody Wants To Be An Art Director by Stan Freberg from his 1961 Capital Records project Presents the United States of America, Vol. 1: The Early Years which broke into a musical bit between the banter.
I am all for Free Speech and for the Nothing Sacred Rule, unless proven otherwise; but this is proven and true, by all of our young men and women whom have shed their blood into its fabric throughout time and eternity. Every time a flag is burned in disrespect you are allowing the honourable memory to fade from existence, the blood stain to be washed out and hardly recognizable to future generations.
We have garnered so much pomp and circumstance toward the ceremony and take our legacy for granted. How easily do we forget the meaning behind the words by Francis Scott Key to The Star Spangled Banner? Any time We The People allow our Government to grow without accountability we defame the honour that this flag represents. This Country that was established to provide a more perfect union, a Union of People, where all, are created equal and endowed with their rights by our Creator; not entitled to them by Society or assigned to them under law!
That struggle and journey to live that Inherent Truth every day will never be completed. However we cant only just go forward from here either, we've got to remember to look back and clean up our messes and failures every once in a while too. What is really even more sad is the original purpose of Mothers Day that of peace not war has been completely forgotten. May we not forget to love and honour in a lasting legacy our mothers both historical and biological. May our nation find peace so that no ones son or daughter has to die again.
QUESTION: Which historical women should receive the privilege of an American Folk song in their honour?
11 May 2009
May all you Mothers be remembered Maybe
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Labels: And Then Came Lola, Battle Ready Armor, Betsy Ross, Dolly Madison, Fetchy's Bantering, History, Mothers Day, Music, The American Flag, Women
04 May 2009
Why does the Government really want 2 change the name of the Swine Flu? & Other stories surrounding the outbreak of unkosher politics and canned Spam!
So why did the United States Government change the designation of the swine flu to H1N1? Because the Pork Industry was loosing business. Nope! It was because they are afraid of when We The People realized that indeed pigs did in fact fly and what we allowed our Government to get away with in our name.
With new scandals breaking almost every 60 hours if not shorter on both sides of the Congressional isle, and out of the White House, and even in local politics, one would begin to wonder if there is in fact an actual reset button somewhere in the Constitution or one of the other founding documents.
Fortunately there is but it involves the very sensitive topics of congressional apportionment which I covered on a previous post (14th ip, look for the Ford Truck and continue reading) as well as secession on this other post I wrote on the Libertarian Party of Allen County blog. As for now, just watch out for flying barrels of spam (deep fried pork product) coming from both sides of Congress and the White House, and then consider voting for third party (Libertarian or Green, especially) candidates in 2010 when Congress (every House seat and a third of the Senate) comes up for reelection.
ONE HUNDRED DAYS AMERICA!
How do you measure a man? Elton John and Clay Aiken (videos) sing about it in the form of conditional (eg: if this then that) questions or statements that more references the spirituality of the masses rather than providing an answer. But based on the criteria in their songs, how does it make sense to measure a President by his first 100 days in office? The format only started seventy plus years ago under Franklin D. Roosevelt whom managed to get Congress to pass 15 pieces of "New Deal" legislation in the 14 week time frame, and since then the press has usurped that mile stone and just over analyzed it for all other Presidents after him. So aside from trying to assign a grade point average of 81% percent or 60% depending on which poll numbers you read, or more accurately, hear on cable television news we need to take an honest look at what the Administration has and hasn't done.
From a GLBT perspective, especially with recent activity on the White House's website under Civil Rights/Liberties policy statements regarding Don't Ask Don't Tell (Links: Joe My God: Post 1, Post 2, Post 3, Post 4, in order from oldest to newest) amongst other issues, proves that the Administration is performing less then satisfactorily when it comes to keeping promises to Gay and Lesbian Americans and its continuing willingness to minimize the struggle of GLBT Americans in their public policy statements and decisions. Fortunately the offense was modified in the end to both return the original language but also blend it in with the revisions.
This is the seventh time that I can count where the Administration has blatantly put its foot in its mouth regarding GLBT issues and tried to stop choking on it only to leave a trail of drool and dismay from the cover up. There will probably be another press release to brush over the trail of tears and explain it away to the public this week.
Talking about putting ones foot in ones mouth, then leads us to Congress whom also had an eventful week during the 100 Days festivities. The Senate was forced by the outbreak of the Swine Flu to finally confirm Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius to head the Department of Health and Human Services, regardless of previous Republican objections due to her record on abortion issues. Meanwhile the House of Representatives, decided to take on the *Hate Crimes Bill, which passed 249-175. This resulted in another outcry against bigotry from and calls for the resignation of North Carolina Representative Virginia Foxx who took to the floor of the House and called the consideration of a 10 year old murder of 19 year old Matthew Shepard as a hate crime, "a hoax", with Matthew's mother Judy present in the lobby area above.
Besides being misinformed and insensitive no amount of apology will do Ms. Foxx until you acknowledge that what happened to Matthew was, and what happens to thousands
of GLBT persons annually is, a hate crime; and that gays and lesbians deserve equality under the Constitution and Declaration; and personally apologize to both Judy Shepard and publicly to the Queer Community, from the floor of the House under oath with the penalty of perjury applicable, then we can begin to forgive you for your absolute misrepresentation of the facts of record and the insensitive nature by which they were put forth from the floor of OUR Congress.
This also leads me to one other question of ethics and concern. You Ms. Foxx are not allowed to excuse your actions based solely on bad information, We The People elect our Representatives to serve as our voice not just their own bias that ignores the proven facts of history and official record. To insist that your bad information was a result of an incomplete Google Search, is to say that you failed in due diligence of your job duties to find all the information, and instead followed talking pointes which were neither collaborated or researched with any depth. Ms. Foxx it is time to be a woman of character that you claim to be and either apologize from the floor of the House under oath or resign from office based on your incompetence to perform the full duties of the office to which you were elected.
The above video is from O Virginia written by folk artist Lee Waters (links below), which is available in full performance quality download via 7Digital for one dollar, with all money going to the Matthew Shepard Foundation in the name of Virginia Foxx, as part of the growing online petition to censure or oust Ms. Foxx regarding these homophobic and insensitive comments.
I would love to see the look on Ms. Foxx's face when she hears the song for the first time. I also wonder, How much politics in Washington would change if members of Congress had to swear under oath before they spoke from the floor under penalty of perjury? What are your thoughts of how to improve our government?
Top Photo: Dominique Garny in Wedding Trough (1974, Belgium) [IMDB]
3rd Photo: Bad Behaviour Publishing Company [Website]
4th Photo: Virginia Foxx c/o Stephen Rader, Chicago
LEE WATERS: [Website][YouTube]
Matthew Shepard Foundation [Website]
Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Bill aka Local Law Enforcement Protection Act H.R. 1913
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Labels: Bad Behaviour, Barack Hussein Obama, DADT, Gays in the Military, Kathleen Sebelius, Lee Waters, Matthew Wayne Shepard, Rachel Maddow, Virginia Foxx
25 April 2009
Signs Of Equality From Iowa 2 Vermont & A Silent Summit City; Fort Wayne: Room For Dreams & Desires To Play Down Town; Remembering Bea Arthur

As marriage equality has been proven victorious in a recent decision by the Iowa State Supreme Court and an major majority vote by the Vermont legislature which overturned a veto by the Governor, another religious right hate group the National Organization for Marriage started to rear its head and put out a commercial citing old cases which have long since been proven inaccurate to stifle the conversation. They also began a campaign Two Million For Marriage (2M4M), which sent Rachel Maddow over the edge of her desk trying to hold back the laughter). Above is a video by Rob Tish which combats the misconceptions presented by NOM's advert.
Meanwhile in the Summit City, a small group gathered on the north side of Fort Wayne @ IPFW on the 17th to commemorate the National Day of Silence with a rally in the afternoon. On the 18th Fort Wayne PRIDE Committee held its 1st all ages PROM. On the 2nd of May United Sexualities of IPFW will be hosting "A Touch Of Pink" Dance Party @ Walb Ballroom starting at 8p with a general admission of $3 and free for IPFW students.
Random Observations: Driving Along Our Three Rivers
I was driving to my secret source for cheap cigarettes this evening and almost hit a jack rabbit that decided to bolt between the Court House and the City County Building. Every time you think Fort Wayne is a bustling metropolitan area you are reminded that no matter how big we get we are still a small farm community town at heart. Even though we have a thriving downtown area that is both dedicated and ready for future expansion to make the Downtown area truly a source of arts, entertainment, culture and diverse expressions, it is also within a fifteen minute bike ride of most of the urban areas of town. Now we just need to make it more accommodating to non vehicular traffic flow as that would improve both the access to and enjoyment by more citizens as a whole.
One of the things I noticed is that the capillary streets like Calhoun between Washington and Jefferson Boulevards should probably have a police officer directing traffic in all lanes as this is the major wrap around for traffic wanting to leave the Embassy Theatre, Grand Wayne Center, and Harrison Square, and head west instead of east. If they simply cut off this one block stretch of Calhoun to southbound traffic as people are leaving these venues and then allowed all three lanes to be used as a wrap around it would reduce congestion after these well attended events.
Room For Dreams But Nowhere To Rest Your Sore Feet
The other recommendations I would give is that as we are becoming more of a pedestrian - non automotive based economy in the Downtown area having a few courtesy officers on duty for out-of-towners and people not familiar with downtown to help guide people to their next destination would be the next appropriate step in improving the Downtown area. We need to establish crossing guards at key side street intersections as
people return to their vehicles, which are typically parked a couple of blocks away from the venue they attended.
One of the more refreshing things I saw was that people were just hanging around by the hundreds outside the Grand Wayne and the Embassy Theatre, after the events had ended. We need to do more to install benches and flowers, plants, and fruit trees, along our main thoroughfares and direct arterial streets.
I do agree with City Council President Tom Smith, we need to reestablish a sit down diner or two in the direct area; however we also need to consider, adding City certified street vendor at these locations to provide a quick beverage or sandwich as people linger and enjoy a strangers company or make new friends and reacquaint with olde ones. If the goal is to get people to not just come to the Downtown area but make our inner urban area a lifestyle choice and actually play downtown, we need to be more accommodating to allow people the leisure of staying downtown for several hours after an event and not just saying, "Thanks for coming and spending sixty dollars for a twenty dollar show, now go home where it is safe." by our lack of post event hospitality and recreation opportunities.
Refreshing News; Reminders Of The Little Things
Last week when I was leaving this same secret location I noticed we had a new taxi company in town. The Yellow Taxi Cab Company Phone: 260-422-1010 headquartered off of East Pontiac Street was started approximately 9 months ago which is about the same time that the recession we are currently in hit full swing.
So there is yet another sign that no matter how crappy the economy is getting Fort Wayne's entrepreneurial spirit is alive, well, and kicking ass. The reason I bring this up is one thing we seriously lack at most of our entertainment venues, especially the three previously mentioned, is a dedicated taxi lane. Having a dedicated taxi lane and disabled person drop off area and escort service (perfect job duty for the previously mentioned courtesy officers) would better serve guests and people who didn't want to drive to an event personally. On a green note and taxis, the Mayor of Seattle has ordered all taxis in the city to be high mileage hybrids by 2013.
Thank you for being a friend. Traveled down the road and back again. Your heart is true your a pal and a confidant....
As most have heard or read by now the incomparable Bea Arthur, who weaved her way into the fabric of American social political commentary and back in April 2005 graced the stage of the Scottish Rite Theatre with Billy Goldenberg to perform her show "Just Between Friends", has finally greeted her last curtain call at the age of 86.
She was introduced to America on the small screen back in the 1970's as Maude in All In The Family where she challenged America by discussing the issues surrounding abortion and sexuality. Again she would change the hearts and minds of another generation of gay men young and old everywhere as part of the Golden Girls cast for seven years. If you ever witnessed a group of gay bois try to assign each other to their role of Blanche, Rose, Sophia, and Dorothy, you begin to understand the impact one voice and a woman with strong character can have on the hearts and minds of a generation.
Bea Arthur is within her own lifetime a legacy and in her own right a saint. No worries there is one slice of chocolate cheesecake left at the banquet table for you Dorothy.
Star Wars Holiday Special - Cantina Song
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Labels: Bea Arthur, DownTown Improvement District, Embassy, Fort Wayne, Gay Marriage, Grand Wayne Center, Harrison Square, Iowa, IPFW, PRIDE, Rest In Peace, Rob Tish, Things To Do In Fort Wayne, Vermont
19 April 2009
Going Green In '09: Will You Come Get Dirty To Make Fort Wayne Clean? Today from 11A-5P @ North Anthony Bridge
Yes We'll Gather @ The River, The Trashy and Winding River. Gather w/ Our Friends @ The River, That Flows From The Heart Of Town!
If you are reading this between 11A-5P you still have the opportunity to get trashy to make Fort Wayne clean. Save Maumee's 4th Annual Earth Day Project is going on along the Pemberton Dyke @ North Anthony Bridge (on the other side of where the sink hole was). There are tasks and opportunities to learn more for all ages. So please put down the Sunday pot roast and fried chicken and come out to clean up Fort Wayne on this Feast of Divine Mercy and end to the Solemn Octave of Easter.
Message From F6's EDITOR: Saturdays post was delayed due to waiting for an information dump in order to provide the most accurate knowledge possible on the scheduled topics in play plus a pastoral duty call that I had to participate in. My apologies.
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15 April 2009
While We The People fondle tea bags w/o loincloths on, Fort Wayne braces for bright lights today as d TINCAPS play Parkview Field for 1st time!
I think the title says most of what is going on right now and I do want to keep this blog post varied but concise. So with that in mind, lets roll back the AstroTurf and lay down on the grass, sip on some tea, instead of licking a politicians balls, and get back to the root cause of the matter, uncontrolled government spending and accountability.
The issue is not who promoted what but how we the people allowed the irresponsible activities in the first place and didn't force a correction 10 or even 20 years ago. Then within the last year, let some of the same people that caused the problems we are in right now, to be back in charge of the same government positions that once regulated the businesses they helped screw up and then allow them to turn around and bailout those businesses with taxpayer money. That is where the disgrace should lay is with We The People who were complacent in times of boom versus bust, who refused to participate in the process, and allowed their say in the matter to be whitewashed through a conservative and liberal media bias, the media did fail us but we let them fail us too.
I will be the first to admit that on some issues I would seem very conservative, and on others very liberal, in fact what I am is an American Traditionalist. I believe that there are certain principles which are inerrant from our Country's legacy and history, no matter how turbulent or controversial.
These attacks against our principles are very easy to overlook and pass aside when they are done in moderate form, even by our own government. They are being done now by lobbyist and the media, they were done previously by Republicans and Democrats as well as the current Administration, because we as a collective people have either failed to be educated or were failed in our education to understand the history of this beautiful Country even within its stains and bruises on other peoples histories and freedom.
Therefore as the proverb goes because we failed to learn we are doomed to repeat the same events until we remember to tell the stories of our forefathers and the lessons we learned to our children once again.
As any recovering addict can tell you, moderation is not always the key to control any habit. In some cases it has to be cut off not just at the source but at the catalyst for the source and activity, and that was the message of the Boston Tea Party and 18 months afterward our Country's Independence from the Sovereign of Great Britian.
On the 16th of December 1773, the Sons of Liberty and other colonists, dressed as Native Americans took over three ships in Boston Harbor and threw the tea from the corrupt East India Company overboard in protest of the unhealthy monopoly granted to it by Parliament as a way of allowing the colonist to get a cheaper tea but at the same pointe pay the tea tax which they despised and thought to be illegal. This of course was the resounding cry of the time "no taxation without representation" and a hallmark of American ethics and law.
(Photo: Joseph Forshaw for One Day Equals PSA
by Steph and Alek of OhLaLa Magazine)
Quick Links: [WIKI] [EYEWITNESS HISTORY]
There are major lessons that can be learned from this and also correlated back to both Federal, State, and even Local Government issues today. Let us first cover the federal issues and then the local issues and I will let all the other bloggers worry about the state level issues for now.
The Historical Aspects Of Parliament:
allowed a major corporation to have a monopoly over a particular trading commodity;
forced 20 new taxes but after revolt by the people repealed all but one...tea...to assert privilege;
instructed said monopoly to reduce the price of commodity drastically but still expects people to pay in full;
got prissy when people refuse shipment and destroy product, forced trading area ceased until restored;
paid the salaries of the local officials rather than the people that they governed;
lowered the local taxes when times got tight but then forced the colonist to pay extra to prove a point;
signed off on a tax cut for the company let it expire and then signed off on it again;
used the tax code & price fixing to eliminate the black market and officials netzero pay balance.
The Application And Principles Of History To Todays Federal Government:
Democrat Admin and Republican Congress repeals 70 year old Glass Stiegel protection against financial monopolies in 1999 which allowed Securities Companies to own Banks and Insurance Companies as well.
Attempted 20 new taxes but kept only one...tabacco... because of childrens health care and because Marboro and others loosing money from people rolling their own cigarettes and or buying cheaper products.
Is going to get pissy when people stop buying cigarettes, and start growing own tabacco, will make it illegal.
Starts to bitch about corporate salaries and bonuses uses clout/tax payers money to assert business control
Supposedly lowered the taxes on the middle class but then raised it on the upper class who own the businesses that provide the services and employment that then causes the middle class to loose their jobs and homes.
Sets there own salaries with tax payer dollars and then throws taxpayer dollars to fix the same problems they caused so the taxpayer begins to depend on their own money, but Congress gets the privellege to do it again.
Using the tax code and price fixing and grant/loan stimulus plan aka taxpayers money to prop up failing companies and dog collar/pork barrel initatives and projects that special interests groups want to happen.
Do I need to continue spelling it out for all the punditry both liberal and conservative?
The connections between what was going on in the 1770's and now is obvious to me anyway.
We have made ONE BIG ASS MISTAKE AMERICA! We have two national automakers General Motors and Chrysler, which have received an unfair advantage over their competition, Ford. Their employees and retirees are loosing benefits they worked twenty years or more for, because first the federal government said they would insure and secure them and now they are saying nope they have to make concessions on that too. Because of all this subsidies and nationalizations, industry leaders, even Honda and Toyota which are made in Greensburg and Princeton Indiana are feeling a crunch along with five other previously solvent companies because we are subsidizing their competition. That is nationalism 101 it has been proven time and again to fail horribly. (Photo: Dan Turkette)
So how do we fix it? What is the solution to the economic collapse/recession that we are in?
1. Stay informed about national state and local legislative, judicial, and administrative actions. HOLD your elected representatives accountable and don't let them get away with taking away your rights and voice.
Watch this video from the Jon Stewart's Daily Show on Comedy Central last night whose guest is Elizabeth Warren the head of the Congressional Oversight Panel on TARP. She outlines the fact that of the original 350 billion, released by the Treasury Secretary Paulson, (who was the former head of Goldman Sachs before becoming Bush's Treasury Secretary and his predecessor who was Clinton's Treasury Secretary also), actually only collected originally 66% on the dollar of assets for troubled institutions, which has now further depreciated in value giving away 78 billion dollars plus the continued depreciation of value, without any possibility of recouping the loss.
2. One of the biggest issues that caused the original tea party in 1773 and today is a failure in some peoples thought of a bloated legislature that is out of touch with the people they represent and levy taxes against. Currently each Congressional District covers on average 693,000 men, women, and children as of 2007.
In 1911, the number of Congressional Districts had risen to 435 and the House was becoming impossible to manage every ten years. It was decided to cap the total number of districts at that point and to instead reapportion them with each census so that they were roughly equal in size as the population grew and shifted. There are currently seven states that only have one Representative in the House: Vermont, Delaware, both Dakotas, Montana, Alaska, and Wyoming. Even back in May 2001, Representative Alcee Hastings (Florida 23rd) wrote a Dear Collegue letter to all the members of Congress, House of Representatives? Hardly!, in which he stated:
In the past 90 years, the U.S. has become the second most underrepresented democracy in the entire world, but the size of the House of Representatives has remained the same. In the past 90 years, U.S. population has more than tripled, but the size of the House of Representatives has remained the same.....The effect that an increase in the size of the House of Representatives will have on the American political system is obvious. Increasing the size of the House will result in a reduced amount of campaign spending, smaller Congressional districts, more personal interaction between Members of Congress and their constituents, and most importantly, better representation for the American people. (Fair Vote)
It is time for us as the American people to bring back the first amendment to the Constitution, which was never ratified by the States at the time the other ten were, with some revision of course, as the original platform [Text: Early America] would mean that we would have over six thousand people in Congress. Adjusting the Congressional Districts now after just under a hundred years of the current system would:1. Revise the appropriations of Congress from 435 to 761 or 75% increase in the Congressional Districts
2. Relocate the expanded Congress into two new Federal Districts in Denver and Philadelphia. You could either leave the Senators in Washington D.C. or put Juniors in Denver and Seniors in Philadelphia. This would also allow for a smoother transition of power if we were ever attacked because Congress is responsible for the transition of executive powers, the formation of the Army, they are the only ones who can declare war.
3. This adjustment would then allow the federal budget to be restricted to a certain amount per Congressional District as the numbers would be locked in at approximately 500 thousand in ten years time and an additional stipend per State that has to be agreed on by both Senators thereby reducing the amount of clout gained or chaos effected by just one member of Congress, and the federal budget might actual be balanced regularly, the national debts paid off quicker.
4. To control spending and income by District is essential; because otherwise, there is no accountability for extra resources being used by one part of the Country over another. In essence if District 421 generates 5 billion dollars in tax revenue but only uses 3 billion in Federal Tax Dollars, which isn't necessarily a bad thing just and issue of accountability, a. Congress would then have to validate why they are keeping 2 billion dollars of tax revenue to the constituents of District 421 or b. their Representative might get removed from office in two years for not maintaining transparency or accountability to his/her constituents.
5. By increasing the members and restricting the spending the process is opened up for all to have equal access to information and everyone is receiving a minimum amount of resources and any additional spending per district has to be brought out into the light of day rather than being peddled behind closed doors and private parties or lobbying efforts.
6. By forcing the Senators from each State to agree on their stipend budget spending, equal to that of two Congressional Districts, restores the original principles of their role as representatives of the State not just the people. There can also be a provision that any stipend earmarked by the Senators of each State must have an effect on a certain portion of the state 25%-66%, etc. so that way everyone is effected equally by their representation and advocacy.
It ultimately comes down to a question of, "Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How Much?"
There are some other things that can be done specifically by the earmark process (not all earmarks are bad) and the Truth in Legislation laws and the One Item per Bill laws and the Simplified Language laws that have watch dog groups with their loincloths crawling up their posteriors can start to readjust the process. But the main issue is that Congress was never intended to be either a. a life long career path or b. a place of secrecy and back room deals.We have allowed Congress to become a Leviathan of a creature when in fact it was suppose to be more of a pack of squirrels storing up and then dispersing our nuts between all the different knot holes.
Sorry that was a horrible tea bag pun.
That way We The People can still see them at work but at the same time not have to know everything right away, just every three months or so. We have allowed Congress to become corrupt and it is our duty as a people to correct it. Please contact your State Legislator today and ask them to start the process of forcing a Federal Constitutional Amendment to readjust Congress to serve the people and save the Country we all love. Call your Congressional Representative and ask them to have the 1911 Appropriation Act revised and updated.
That is enough about Federal Government and National Politics lets get to the more local stuff....
I've covered the Harrison Square debacle several times over, and every time I switch hands it does grow another inch, in the level of bad decisions and legal twists made by the developers of this project. The latest of course is the Courtyard by Marriott hotel which has been stalled for almost a year now due to White Lodgings inability to acquire financing and the Henry Administrations refusal to hold contract deadline requirements and fines against the developer, not to forget to mention that the requirements of the contracts have been side stepped almost every pivotal moment in the process.
The latest fiasco came up because another developer out of Valparaiso wants to build a 6 million dollar, 89 room, 4 story Towneplace Suites by Marriott extended stay hotel at the pending ICE CUBE, another regional sports arena, on the north side of town by Glenbrook Mall. This turn of events is being protested heavily by Linda Skaggs of the Northeast Indiana Hospitality Association as it would reduce the business at surrounding crappy and mid-level hotels in the same area.But the fact of the matter remains that they were able to get financing but yet White Lodging is still stalling on its requirements which are way overdue. When is City Council going to force this issue to go ahead or get our money back and go with someone else that actually plays ball and keep their promises?
...back to the local teabag parties for just a moment....
The LPAC Annual Income Tax Protest @ Main Post Office had approximately 7 people show yesterday. The tea party in Huntington had hundreds show up. Hoosiers For Fair Tax will be hosting a Tea Party at the Allen County Courthouse on Saturday the 18th of April from 11A-1P. Former Ambassador and frequent candidate for POTUSA, Alan Keyes will be the guest of honour. There will be a reception in his honour from 6-9P @ Don Halls Guest House with a donation of $10 or dinner @ 7:30P for $30 a plate.
<=====STAY TUNED FOR PART TWO=====>
F6 EDITOR: FOLLOW UP ON LOCAL INFORMATION/REPORTS COVERED
TEA PARTY COVERAGE:
hundreds showed up on Saturday; Keyes made points but rambled
18 April FTWP [Tea Party Thoughts] [Tea Party Photos][]
17 April FTWN Letter by Ric Runestad
HARRISON SQUARE HOTEL:
50% of financing secured supposedly by White Lodging
18 April WGDT Beyond The Field Of Play
16 April FTWP More Self-Serving Tripe From Hardball Capital
13 April FTWP Hoocoodanode? The Harrison Square Edition
TIN CAPS 1ST HOME GAME:
16K attend 3 game series, parking issues, positive feedback, awesome pictures
21 April FTWN NO Privacy @ Parkview Field
21 April BIFW Padres Brass Thoughts on TinCaps, Parkview Field
19 April AFWB [TIN CAPS 10-0] [Parkview Field Opening Day]
18 April BIFW At 8-0, TinCaps Are 1 of 3 MiLB Unbeaten
16 April BIFW Gallery from Opening Night at Parkview Field
15 April BIFW Kyle Day Comes Home to Christen Parkview Field
16 April WGDT Tin Caps Extend Win Streak To 7 In Opener
15 April WGDT [847 Days] [TinCaps Games To Be On Comcast Digital Cable]
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Chicken Scratched by
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Labels: Apportionment, Budget, Congress, FW TIN CAPS, US Government
13 April 2009
DADT: Gates wants to add 2.8K Special Forces and Employ 50K+ civilians but not protect the GLBT Service Members already sacrificing everything for US?
Gays and Lesbians are not people you can just "kick down the road" like a can of tuna in a street game of roller hockey, without expecting some sort of backlash.
Before his big budget announcement, Secretary Robert Gates stated "The President and I feel like we've got a lot on our plates right now and let's push that one down the road a little bit.", in an interview two Sundays ago with Fox News regarding "Dont Ask Dont Tell", which bars service members from proclaiming their sexual orientation and commanding officers from asking about it. However, the policy states that if it becomes known that a service member is gay, he or she is to be removed from the military. He went on to say, "the Pentagon will continue to enforce the existing policy...It continues to be the law and any change in policy would require a change in the law....We will follow the law, whatever it is." He also revealled that within the Administration "That dialogue, though, has really not progressed very far at this point in the administration."
(Source: Fox News)Sadly, as I stated before, the Obama Administration is going to wait for the Supreme Court (Major Margaret Witt) and Congress to fight it out rather than getting involved and using up what little political capital they have left with the American public. Some in Congress stated back in 2008 that they wouldnt deal with the repeal of DADT until 2010, according to a report by QUEERTY, even though there is already legislation, that was reintroduced in the beginning of March. The Military Readiness Enhancement Act (HR1283), authored by Representative Ellen Tauscher (pic to right) of California's 10th District , with 137 cosponsors, is making its way through the Congressional process. The MREA after a month is currently held up in the House Armed Services sub committee on Military Personel. You may contact the 60 members of the main Committee individually, especially if they are in your District, and ask them to expedite this legislation through the process for the sake of all our men and women in uniform.
We have an estimated 65 thousand serving in silence and suffering the worst form of inequality and sacrificing their integrity and honour to assure our freedom and liberty. Another three thousand per year decide not to reenlist or enlist because of the discriminatory policy. The Congress is allowing the removal of 2 Service Members on average per day to be removed from their post for no longer living a lie. We owe them so much more than any talking pointes can conceive or contrive.
Meanwhile Democrats and Republicans are quibbling over whether or not the new Defense budget that is a 4% budget increase instead of a 15% increase, is in fact a cut or a 21 billion dollar increase in spending. Two weeks later the pundits, Congress, and military industrial lobbyist, are rambling on with no end in sight, as they try to save their pet projects in the budget proposal.
Or the other distraction caused by Senator Inhofe of Oklahoma, whom while standing in the middle of one of our airbases in Afghanistan, claimed that the new budget and Secretary Gates is "gutting the military". When in fact, as outlined by CNN's Rick Sanchez (video) place, Senator Inhoffe is actually upset over a military factory in his home state loosing a contract because the plan would discontinue the production of the controversial decade old faulty designed and 87 billion dollar budgeted Future Combat System's vehicle component. Along with other pundits bitching about the discontinuation of the F22 fighter jets and switching the force over to F35 Joint Strategic Air Ships
The Secretary's announced budget besides, the detail of a 28 hundred troop increase Helicopter Crews and Maintenance and in Special Forces Combat Units and switching the 50 thousands in previous held Defense Department positions by independent contractors to actual government employees and civil service agents, also increases the Cyber Squadron from 80 to 250 students per year as of 2011, and immediately stops the reduction of forces in the Air Force and Navy. His budget also proposes to maintain planned increase Army Brigade Combat Teams strength to 547 thousand personnel and eliminate use of stop loss to maintain battle readiness.
Before we add all those people to the ranks, would it not be a good idea to have them all on equal footing?
I am tired of reading the horror stories of this failed policy in enlistment processes and everyday life.
It would also be easier to call people back whom have already left the service, either because of or as a result of DADT, and who decided to come out in their personal life only to be kicked out a second time under DADT when you call them back in to fill in the gaps, which has happened on 20 separate occasions that I am personally aware of.
You have 35 thousand people at a minimum who are willing to serve whom you removed from their Civic Duty, usually based on rumors, false accusations, and the United States Military's refusal to actually make a legitimate argument regarding us queers serving with honour or from being harassed within the scope of personal, religious, and political, biases or prejudices.
We have one more option to change this bastard child of a federal law, described by Aubrey Sarvis the Executive Director of the SLDN, whom asserted the the following on FRONTLINES:
Mr. President, if I may address you directly, you've got another situation looming ahead that also should come as no surprise. It is not the same order of magnitude as the global financial meltdown, but like that meltdown it is predictable and it has the potential to be exploited for political gain -- not your political gain but your opponents'.
In five weeks the House Armed Services Committee will begin hearings on your Defense Department budget for 2010. Senate hearings will follow. You have a choice. You can take the lead and put language calling for repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell in the legislative budget -- or you can wait until your opponents bring it up. The opposition, which may be loud and ugly, will be out to ambush you, Mr. President. Alarmingly, there have been no signs that your administration is prepared for that.
The principle, the truth, is self evident, Congress, and Mr. President, "All Men Are Created Equal". Allow us queers the ability to serve our country openly as equals. After all, we have already been there and are currently on the front lines and are treated as less than equal even after having given twice as much, including our partners and our children, whom aren't able to receive the same support an unmarried mother of three children, each of different fathers, would receive.F6 Editorial Policy Statement
F6 has several resources and commentaries regarding GAYS IN THE MILITARY. As an issue of editorial policy, F6 will challenge any assertion that Don't Ask, Don't Tell is either Constitutional or proper policy in our great country, the land of the free and the home of the brave, especially in a place where all men are created equal!
Chicken Scratched by
F6's Editor
at
23:59
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Labels: Budget, DADT, Dr Nathaniel Frank, Economics, Ellen Tauscher, Gays in the Military, Government Waste, James Inhoffe, Rachel Maddow, Robert Gates, US Government
give medals 4 killing men but 4 loving men they wish you were dead?
thanks to the sacrifice of many the scourge of Dont Ask Dont Tell in the land of the free and home of the brave will be gone by the end of June!!!!
