NRA makes U.S. World leader in mass shootings

The United States represents only 5% of the global population but accounts for 31% of all mass shootings. With more mass shootings than days in the calendar to date, we will end 2015 admitting to the rest of the world that its supposedly most civilized country is actually run by a bunch of thugs who are gun nuts.

NRA condones terrorists buying guns

Republicans, commandeered by the NRA, are blocking a bill (The Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2015) that would prevent "known and suspected" terrorists from buying weapons. Can you believe that? Think about the fact that were the GOP/NRA not against responsible gun legislation, the San Bernardino killing might not have happened. Get this:

"The nonpartisan Government Accountability Office recently released a report showing that from 2004 to 2014, people on terrorism watch lists successfully purchased guns no fewer than 2,043 times."

Even more: "There are 700,000 people on the terrorist watch list, and when these people tried to legally purchase guns, they had a success rate of 91%."

The NRA's creed remains...the right to guns is more important than human life.

NY Daily News hits the target

Pathetic Republican Presidential candidates Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham and Rand Paul, plus new House Speaker Paul Ryan, rush to God for help when they should be shutting down the NRA for shootings like San Bernardino, CA and Savannah, GA.

Bernie Sanders Sayings

The media, which informs and shapes our perceptions of social problems, is owned by a very small number of powerful corporations with deeply vested special interests.

Famous people who were Democratic Socialists

Did you know that Helen Keller was a Democratic Socialist?

Another mass shooting on Wednesday

Wayne LaPierre 

Well, the NRA was certainly busy yesterday as the patron to another mass shooting, this time in Savannah, Georgia. The gunman shot four people, killing one. The first one was in San Bernardino, California where at least 14 were killed and 17 injured.

ISIS changes American strategy

ISIS no longer plans attacks on the United States. The NRA gun crazies are doing their job for them. The latest from San Bernardino.

Obamacare and mental health

"Obamacare has been a huge help for mental health care," according to Alan B. Miller, CEO and Chairman of Universal Health Services. "This year, an estimated 3.7 million Americans with significant mental illnesses now have coverage and access to care through the insurance exchanges or extended Medicaid — they have moved from the shadows and into needed treatment." A sign that something is being done about this problem as has been demanded by the NRA and other gun rights organizations and supporters.

It's now time for these same people to come to grips with and support responsible gun legislation like background checks, banning assault weapons, closing the gun show loophole and halting gun straw purchases. Time to put your common sense to where your mouth is.

George W. Bush was not a legitimately elected President in 2000

Florida laws under the supervision of Sec. of State Katherine Harris, and supported by then Governor Jeb Bush, wrongly disenfranchised thousands of otherwise eligible voters that eventually swayed the election in favor of George W. Bush. The 2000 election led the way for other states controlled by Republicans to pick up on the illegal tactics used in Florida and prevent valid Democratic voters from going to the polls all over the country. An excellent article here from The Nation.

Bernie Sanders Sayings

Our democratic institutions are so endangered that a clear-eyed observer might well conclude that we live not in a democracy but an oligarchy.

Famous people who were Democratic Socialists

Did you know Albert Einstein was a Democratic Socialist?

Bernie Sanders sayings

The middle class is shrinking, the working class is scraping by, and the poor are even more deeply mired in poverty. Think about it.

Famous people who were Democratic Socialists

Did you know Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Democratic Socialist?

Bernie Sander Sayings

In America we have the most inequitable distribution of wealth in the entire industrialized world. Think about it.

Famous people who were Democratic Socialists

Did you know that novelist Jack London was a Democratic Socialist?

Bernie Sanders Cited For NOT Lying

With most politicians, particularly the GOP, you can never tell what they stand for, and if you did, it would conveniently change the next day. Enter Bernie Sanders, who hasn't changed his positions on the issues he supports since, well, the first days of his political career. I have collected a number of my blogs on this subject here. But Alternet has come up with a great assortment of crucial topics making the claim that most politicians lie about them...but not Bernie Sanders.

1. Bernie Sanders says that many in the banking system are too big to fail and should be broken up.
2. Sanders supports the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare but thinks it doesn't go far enough. He wants to establish a nationwide, government-operated single-payer system like Sweden.
3. Thumbs down on the Trans Pacific Partnership, primarily because of the loss of jobs.
4. He's hell-bent on changing the growing inequality, exclaiming that the more the American middle-class erodes, the less spending power it has.
5. Raise the minimum wage; it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out.

These are the top five and the remaining five are just as important to Progressives. It will be interesting in the coming months just how important these ten issues become for the 2016 election.

UK PM David Cameron Catches Scott Walker in Lie

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who is considering running for President in 2016, says the UK's Prime Minister, David Cameron told him directly "that he’s unsatisfied with American leadership." Apparently Walker has been scurrying around the world to learn something about foreign policy, a trek that obviously failed. In trying to degrade President Obama, he told a group of Republicans "that world leaders, including Cameron, are worried about the U.S. stepping back in the world." He said he heard it from David Cameron at 10 Downing.

Cameron quickly suggested that Scott Walker "has no idea what he’s talking about." One of the Prime Minister's spokespersons added, "The Prime Minister did not say that and does not think that." Well, isn't that a revolting development for a man who wants to be President and is known for his gaffs. Back in February when he was asked about how he would handle ISIS, his response was “If I can take on 100,000 protesters, I can do the same across the globe.” The 100,000 he refers to are those labor protesters in Wisconsin. The National Review called his response "awful."

Guns and Violence-The Two Go Together

Both make headlines two days in a row. The first on Sunday at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York. Some irresponsible gun owner discharged the weapon in his pocket and the ricocheted bullet grazed a woman's head; she was probably a millimeter from death. Four other people were injured by shattered glass and debris, but there was no indication the man would be charged. Now this was an incident where someone was almost killed by a harebrained concealed gun carrier that apparently did not secure a weapon he was carrying around in his pocket. This is why gun control advocates want these guns off the street and kept in the home.

And yet another more violent incident in Columbus, Ohio, on Monday where a 16-year-old boy murdered four and injured one woman. The kid was charged with murder and kidnapping, the latter which police did not explain, nor did they disclose a motive. The same question arises, where did the boy get the gun? Until we can answer this following every gun death, the slaughter will continue.

Tattooed Christians are Doomed

A site by the name of Rapture Ready is saying real Christians shouldn't have tattoos. Here's the reference:

Lev. 19:28 says, “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.” Yet RR adds that DEATH is the number one tattoo.

Continuing, "it's not Christian, it is associated with paganism, demonism, Baal worship, shamanism, mysticism, heathenism, cannibalism and many other pagan beliefs."

RR says the Bible also condemns all rebellion, which is only realistic in a perfect world, not the kind we live in today. Further, "the tattoo has always been an indication of a spirit of rebellion and deviancy on its wearers," claiming that the Biblical passages "declare that rebellion is as bad as witchcraft."

Okay, I personally know several people who profess to be good Christians that have multiple tattoos. The site reiterates over and over that the tattoo has its roots in beliefs and practices that are demonic and pagan, continuing..."it is intended to put the human soul in harmony with supernatural forces."

I am sure the tattooed Christians I know have no idea they are headed for hell and damnation, but even the strongest of believers should wonder about some of the statements made on this site. Rapture Ready claims the end is very near so you tattooed Christians had better start scrubbing today.

Chris Christie Just Raised Democrat Chances in 2016

No matter who runs as the Democratic candidate in the 2016 General election, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a potential Republican candidate himself, just moved the Democrats closer to the presidency. Christie said, “Listen, first off, I thought that Elizabeth Warren wasn’t running for president. But when I listened to Hillary yesterday, it sounds like liberal political consultants put together that speech.” What this means is that both Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have moved Clinton further to the left where the Democratic voters will be in 2016.  Warren still claims she is not running but Bernie is hot on the trail and very close to being a highly competitive candidate to win the primary.

In the MSNBC article Christie questions whether Hillary Clinton really understands the everyday issues Americans face. She doesn't listen to them and she never answers questions he claimed. In a recent interview with NBC reporter Andrea Mitchell, Bernie Sanders made the remark that he didn't understand how anyone could run for president without answering questions. Bernie thrives on making it known what he stands for by being responsive to the public and the press. The big difference here seems to be that Hillary Clinton is carefully orchestrating her campaign with limitations that sometime reflect negatively on the candidate. Bernie Sanders, on the other hand, says simply this is what I am, what I stand for and ask me if there is anything you don't understand. Then, he answers them.