Professor Richard T. Hughes writes in today's Huffington Post on "Christian America and the Kingdom of God" and laments how the Christian Right has perverted America's understanding of Christianity and itself. Hughes is the professor of religion at Messiah College. His column is a must read, especially on his observations of how a Mormon,Glenn Beck, and Sarah Palin became the spokespeople for the Christian Right. He correctly notes that Beck, according to fundamentalists, belongs to a cult. Hughes' critique is that the Christian Right's agenda is almost exclusively non-Christian and never addresses the fundamental New Testament issue of the poor. He says that the original Christian Right avoided the issue of the poor and unfortunate among us in theory but now they have done so in practice. All you have to do is listen to Christian Right Congressman Steve King from Iowa criticize extending unemployment benefits because the "unemployed are too lazy and don't want to work."
Hughes cites theologian Paul Tillich about the necessity of a religion to be universal and not simply parochial in its outlook in order to have legitimacy and validity. Hughes addresses the overwhelming evidence ignored by Beck and the fundamentalists that the gospel is a social gospel and that the Kingdom of God is linked in the New Testament to our treatment of those less fortunate than ourselves. According to Hughes, Jim Wallis of the Sojourners and author of "God's Politics" while in seminary scissored out all elements of the New Testament that referred to the poor, the sick, the hungry and homeless and had little text left over.
The problem with the hegemony of the Christian Right over America's perception of Christianity is that it corrodes American support for those more humane aspects of Judeo-Christian values that support the idea of the general welfare and the common good. A side effect, in my opinion, is that the younger generation is fleeing Christianity in the United States not because of the appeal of a more secular philosophy but rather because of the bigotry, homophobia, and the downright hate shown the poor by Christianity's most vocal proponents. This has led to the "shriveling of the American soul".
And speaking of which, Judge Henry Hudson, an appointee of George W, ruled today in Virginia that the individual mandate of the healthcare bill was unconstitutional. This was the case brought by Christian Right Attorney General of Virginia The Cooch. So that's 3 to 1 so far in favor of the healthcare reform bill. As I said yesterday, the GOP finally found the friendliest judge.
And just down the street from my office, a grand jury is sitting here in Alexandria to indict Julian Assange of something. Lawyers have said that the Espionage Act of 1917 is a little moth-eaten to be used against Assange and Wikileaks. So we'll see how imaginative the court is.
ABC has a story today that demonstrates what's wrong with the press. The article is whether the rejection by Republican Governors of the high-speed jail money jeopardizes OBAMA's PLANS. It jeopardizes alot of things like several thousand jobs but the high-speed money is being parked in California and Washington and Florida. At least part of the national network will get built. I look forward to riding the Vancouver-to-San Diego run.
But the story is really about the states' affected--Wisconsin, Ohio and New Jersey. I read a blog by an Ohio Democrat, who blasted Kasich's decision. The writer pointed out that the high-speed rail was an integral part of the state's redevelopment plan. It was to link Cleveland to Columbus and then to Cincinnati. The immediate effect of "not taking federal funds" is the layoff of 10,600 workers. The Wisconsin newspapers are going nuts over their new Republican Governor turning down the high-speed rail. Here the regional plant for making the tracks,etc. will have to relocate to Illinois and over 6,000 people will be laid off.
One thing we know about Bobby Jindal is that, whatever ideology, he never turns down money for an infrastructure project. The Stimulus money for the rehabilitation of the rail system and new trolleys for New Orleans has brought in 11 private sector dollars for every Federal dollar. We call that the multiplier effect, which is exactly what was going to happen in the Midwest states, which have been in a state of Depression since the Clinton days. Challenge to Obama's Plans--not the way I would look at it.
Today we are heading to the tax vote, which looks like it will pass the Senate. Again this vote is framed as a challenge to President Obama. I sort of understand but one of this year's resolutions for the press is to refrain from making every little political event a "challenge", a "hurdle", a "test" for Obama. Think back to the 2008 campaign, we have not had a single day since when Obama wasn't being tested over something and placing everything in jeopardy if he doesn't triumph. I don't remember anyone saying "Torture presents a serious challenge to George W."
Meanwhile, Republicans are trying to throw a new spanner in the works on the START Treaty. They want longer hearings over the Star Wars provisions in the treaty. Since they have lost all reputable Republicans on the merits, might as well revisit the past with the Gipper.
The Dream Act would save from $2-3 trillion on the national debt. It passed the House but is being hung up in the Senate because Republicans oppose it. Over the weekend, Republican congressmen were caught in flagranti making racist comments on the bill. Curiously, some of these were self-identified Christian Right members. Lest we forget, this bill was first generated with massive bipartisan support under the W regime. After all, if an undocumented immigrant volunteers and serves in our military, don't you think they should have a crack at citizenship? Or should we ensure they die and award it to them posthumously? I give this bill very little chance to pass.
The new House will bombard us with anti-abortion legislation. They have one specifically aimed at defunding Planned Parenthood. They have another one, which is really tricky, aimed at preventing any insurance company that covers abortions in other medical programs from participating in any of the healthreform programs such as the state exchanges. And of course, they have a Stupak on Steroids bill, which will prevent any government entity anywhere for all time to even contemplate abortion. Just last week we heard people like Senator Coburn claim that there were problems with the Defense Appropriations Bill because it "might" allow abortions under TRICARE. He didn't say it did. Coburn pulled this stunt with aid to Haiti, where he made the same claim, which proved to be faolse but held up aid to the country for months.
In Haiti are Sarah Palin and Billy Graham's little boy, Franklin, to do missionary work. Ms. Palin learned that Haiti was poor and Americans have it so much better. FYI--this makes here now as qualified in foreign affairs as George W was. She's been to Hong Kong and Haiti; he was to Mexico and China.
Showing posts with label Jim Wallis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jim Wallis. Show all posts
Monday, December 13, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Born on a Mountaintop in Tennessee
A NATION MOURNS. Fess Parker, the TV figure "Davy Crockett", died at the age of 85 in his home in Santa Ynez Valley. How will we go on?
Radio Free America continues undetected by the authorities. The midwest-based radio show has recruited new "listening cells" in Boston, Baltimore, Princeton,Washington,D.C. and southern Virginia. Wednesday's show highlighted the Buzzcocks, the Stooges and the Dead Boys. And, yes, local high school students have caught on to the music.
Just don't tell Glenn Beck. Jim Wallis of the Sojourners wrote an extremely polite letter to Mr. Beck requesting a sitdown to explain to him the Christian view of "social justice". This man is extremely tolerant, polite and kindly. He comes off as a gentle soul. So what was the response of Glenn Beck? He could have accepted; he could have turned the request down. No, he unleashed FOX NEWS to investigate everything Wallis has ever done, all his writings and his "associates"as if Wallis is the "opposition". So be prepared to have a man who looks like Santa Claus attacked regularly on television. Even Joe McCarthy never had such a wide audience to broadcast witch-hunts.
Yesterday Glenn Beck had the Christian revisionist historian on Fox to show a letter by Thomas Jefferson signed in the "Year of our Lord Jesus Christ". While I always thought this was just a customary sign off from an older age. Historians claim this letter--which Mr. Barton claims is an original--is a forgery and that there is absolutely no historical record that Thomas Jefferson ever signed any such letter and certainly not with such a slogan. They also point out that the extensive record of Jefferson's correspondance reveals he never wrote such a letter. Yet, Beck is on the air deliberately spreading malicious lies. He didn't tell his audience that Thomas Jefferson has been expunged from Texas history books because he advocated a separation of church and state.
The Free Republic crowd has announced there are holding a Second Continental Congress --this time in Dallas, Texas. They sent a letter to Homeland Security, claiming they have no intention to overthrow the government but want to form a parallel structure and hope to co-exist. In their release, they advocate adopting the same Constitution, minus the Amendments adopted immediately after the Civil War providing for equal protection and the rights of black Americans. If you didn't know what you were looking at, you would miss that this Constitution is the project of the white nationalist movement and has been hanging around for years.
It goes back to the sovereign citizen notion. Because I am white, I have all natural rights. Anyone given rights "artifically" by the constitution are truly second-class citizens. Therefore, Barack Obama is not a legitimate President of the United States. This really is the argument of Moldova-born Orly Taitz, Queen of the Birthers, concerning Obama's eligibility. Our Free Republic crowd realised one slight problem--the rights of women--so they accepted their right to vote.
Rep Broun of Georgia lambasted the "Yankee aggression against the South during the Civil War" in a speech yesterday in the House, ostensibly about healthcare reform.
This debate now has become the civil rights struggle all over again. Chris Matthews had the head of Americans for Prosperity on Hardball and told him that over 30,000 Americans would receive health insurance for the first time. The response--"Why are we wrecking the finest health care system in the world for those people". Those people are not African-Americans as the conservatives suggest and want people to believe, but predominantly,white middle class people as Obama has pointed out. By and large,the poor are taken care of through Medicare.
Last week, the Republicans attacked the Senate parliamentarian--who they themselves appointed; this week it's the Congressional Budget Office. When the CBO figures showed the healthreform bill more than paid for itself, Republicans attacked the CBO as lying and unreliable. They also claimed that the healthcare bill didn't cut the deficit enough. The CBO has put out figures on some of the Republicans major initiatives in the past. The lowering of the top income tax bracket would increase the national deficit by $1.5 trillion; Medicare Plan D increase the deficit for $385 billion the first year; and the first Bush tax cut by another $380 billion the first year. All the current Republicans in both the Senate and the House voted for all of these well aware of the CBO's findings.
The most problematic for everyone is the attack on the CBO by Republican Pat Ryan, whom I've mentioned before. The CBO has cost out his Republican budget proposal and found it running huge deficits for ten years and destroying Scoail Security and Medicare. If--God forbid-- the Republicans take over the House anytime soon, it is Ryan's budget that the GOP will pass. From yesterday's performance, it's quite clear the GOP will attack the CBO and its findings. It is extremely important that people be aware of the fatal dangers the Ryan Plan poses for the future of the country--that is no exaggeration.
"Tan Man" Boehner reiterated the GOP's "commonsense health plan". This would involve getting rid of malpractice suits, having insurance sold cross state borders, and the usual pap. The CBO actually costed this one out and found that it increased the deficit and only enlarged the number of insured by 2 million. And, besides, most of the key points are already in the bill.
Barack Obama poured it on at George Mason today to a joyous crowd.In addition to the usual arguments for his plan, he tried to invoke our "better angels" and a vision for the greater good. But he put some knives in also--he referred to the healthcare plan as the largest middle class tax cut in history and the largest deficit reduction bill since the 1990s. A little ju-jitsu on his Republican opponents.
His tactic is now reminding me of the days leading up to securing the nomination. Hour by hour they are leaking out more "yes' votes from the undecided Democrats. Sort of like the release of the superdelegates during the primary process. Finally, he seems to be choreographing the events the way he used to.
When the CBO figures came out yesterday, 200 advocacy groups and medical associations jumped into endorse the plan. These are groups with real living and breathing individuals as members as opposed to the corporate front groups.
The Republican madness continues. Senator Tom Coburn threatened that he would put a hold on any Democrat who is defeated this November , who voted for healthcare reform, and is appointed to a federal position. Tom, you might be in jail by then. Coburn is part of the whole Senator Ensign scandal, which has moved into the Grand Jury stage, and Tom was the guy who negotiated the pay-off to the cuckholded husband.
The hysterical lying by the Republicans has caused me to wonder if they will ever pay a price for this. Judd Gregg, whom I always thought was at least honest, has simply lied and lied repeatedly about the reconciliation process, which he advocated on C-Span for years. The constant lies--everyday and around the clock--by almost every elected Republican have to be factored in this fall elections. If the Democrats don't pounce on this, they are missing a golden opportunity. Why vote for this guy, you can't trust him because he's a liar. Deficit reduction--who can believe him? Just pick an issue. Health Care Repeal--how would that affect the deficit?
Is this having any effect? A recent poll in Florida indicates there may be some movement caused by this tea bag, obstructionist, lunatic nonsense. The Democratic candidate for Senate is one Kendrick Meek, whose campaign so far mirrors his last name. He is extraordinarily weak. He will be running against the young darling of the teabag movement and conservatives, Cuban Marco Rubio. Rubio is crushing Charlie Crist in the Republican primary. But polls show the Meek-Rubio contest is almost a toss-up. Maybe there is hope that there will be a backlash against politicians who both lie like crazy and are obstructionists.
Back to the issue of Israel. Netanyahu's brother-in-law called Obama an anti-semite and a threat to Israel on their army radio. Bibi himself is a Facebook friend of Orly Taitz, the birther Queen. Shimon Peres actually came out and critized the Israeli government for jeopardizing the relationship with the United States. What do Israelis themselves actually believe? Three polls done in the aftermath of Biden's visit and Bibi dissing the Vice President show that 70% and some actually higher believe that Obama has taken a "fair and balanced" approach to Israel.
For the record, it would truly be strange if Obama were anti-semitic since he kicked off his political career at the Southside Chicago home of a rabbi. The rabbi was a neighbor and Barack would teach classes at the Synagogue. This is contrary to the urban myth that he declared his candidacy for Senate at the home of Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dorhn. But you never know because as Bibi said, David Axelrod is another "self-hating Jew". And David didn't serve in the UDF.
Abe Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League must have heard the Bibi's dog whistle and attacked General Petraeus for his "dangerous" remarks on Israel before the Senate Armed Forces Committee. Politico speculates that the Jewish community will vote against Democrats this fall to "punish" the administration. Now how real is that? Abe Foxman himself warned in an ADL report that the teabaggers were infiltrated by neo-nazis, anti-semites and white supremacists. Now the Jewish community is going to run to embrace that?
Meanwhile Bibi has called Hillary to kiss and make up. Bibi is flying to Washington for a meeting and says he's preparing some initiatives to re-start talks with the Palestinians. Let's hope but I believe this little fracture can lead to bigger problems for Israel down the line.
Well, the last great tea party rally this weekend may have some problems capturing air time. the March for Justice will be happening the same time. This is the march for immigration reform. I hope they turn the corner and march into the teaparty gang, who will flee to avoid contamination with immigrants. Also, there is the first spring anti-war rally. I wonder which Fox will cover?
Meanwhile I wait for the new one from Johnny Lang. If you haven't listened to him before, just find Lie To Me,which is one of the finest rock albums ever.
Radio Free America continues undetected by the authorities. The midwest-based radio show has recruited new "listening cells" in Boston, Baltimore, Princeton,Washington,D.C. and southern Virginia. Wednesday's show highlighted the Buzzcocks, the Stooges and the Dead Boys. And, yes, local high school students have caught on to the music.
Just don't tell Glenn Beck. Jim Wallis of the Sojourners wrote an extremely polite letter to Mr. Beck requesting a sitdown to explain to him the Christian view of "social justice". This man is extremely tolerant, polite and kindly. He comes off as a gentle soul. So what was the response of Glenn Beck? He could have accepted; he could have turned the request down. No, he unleashed FOX NEWS to investigate everything Wallis has ever done, all his writings and his "associates"as if Wallis is the "opposition". So be prepared to have a man who looks like Santa Claus attacked regularly on television. Even Joe McCarthy never had such a wide audience to broadcast witch-hunts.
Yesterday Glenn Beck had the Christian revisionist historian on Fox to show a letter by Thomas Jefferson signed in the "Year of our Lord Jesus Christ". While I always thought this was just a customary sign off from an older age. Historians claim this letter--which Mr. Barton claims is an original--is a forgery and that there is absolutely no historical record that Thomas Jefferson ever signed any such letter and certainly not with such a slogan. They also point out that the extensive record of Jefferson's correspondance reveals he never wrote such a letter. Yet, Beck is on the air deliberately spreading malicious lies. He didn't tell his audience that Thomas Jefferson has been expunged from Texas history books because he advocated a separation of church and state.
The Free Republic crowd has announced there are holding a Second Continental Congress --this time in Dallas, Texas. They sent a letter to Homeland Security, claiming they have no intention to overthrow the government but want to form a parallel structure and hope to co-exist. In their release, they advocate adopting the same Constitution, minus the Amendments adopted immediately after the Civil War providing for equal protection and the rights of black Americans. If you didn't know what you were looking at, you would miss that this Constitution is the project of the white nationalist movement and has been hanging around for years.
It goes back to the sovereign citizen notion. Because I am white, I have all natural rights. Anyone given rights "artifically" by the constitution are truly second-class citizens. Therefore, Barack Obama is not a legitimate President of the United States. This really is the argument of Moldova-born Orly Taitz, Queen of the Birthers, concerning Obama's eligibility. Our Free Republic crowd realised one slight problem--the rights of women--so they accepted their right to vote.
Rep Broun of Georgia lambasted the "Yankee aggression against the South during the Civil War" in a speech yesterday in the House, ostensibly about healthcare reform.
This debate now has become the civil rights struggle all over again. Chris Matthews had the head of Americans for Prosperity on Hardball and told him that over 30,000 Americans would receive health insurance for the first time. The response--"Why are we wrecking the finest health care system in the world for those people". Those people are not African-Americans as the conservatives suggest and want people to believe, but predominantly,white middle class people as Obama has pointed out. By and large,the poor are taken care of through Medicare.
Last week, the Republicans attacked the Senate parliamentarian--who they themselves appointed; this week it's the Congressional Budget Office. When the CBO figures showed the healthreform bill more than paid for itself, Republicans attacked the CBO as lying and unreliable. They also claimed that the healthcare bill didn't cut the deficit enough. The CBO has put out figures on some of the Republicans major initiatives in the past. The lowering of the top income tax bracket would increase the national deficit by $1.5 trillion; Medicare Plan D increase the deficit for $385 billion the first year; and the first Bush tax cut by another $380 billion the first year. All the current Republicans in both the Senate and the House voted for all of these well aware of the CBO's findings.
The most problematic for everyone is the attack on the CBO by Republican Pat Ryan, whom I've mentioned before. The CBO has cost out his Republican budget proposal and found it running huge deficits for ten years and destroying Scoail Security and Medicare. If--God forbid-- the Republicans take over the House anytime soon, it is Ryan's budget that the GOP will pass. From yesterday's performance, it's quite clear the GOP will attack the CBO and its findings. It is extremely important that people be aware of the fatal dangers the Ryan Plan poses for the future of the country--that is no exaggeration.
"Tan Man" Boehner reiterated the GOP's "commonsense health plan". This would involve getting rid of malpractice suits, having insurance sold cross state borders, and the usual pap. The CBO actually costed this one out and found that it increased the deficit and only enlarged the number of insured by 2 million. And, besides, most of the key points are already in the bill.
Barack Obama poured it on at George Mason today to a joyous crowd.In addition to the usual arguments for his plan, he tried to invoke our "better angels" and a vision for the greater good. But he put some knives in also--he referred to the healthcare plan as the largest middle class tax cut in history and the largest deficit reduction bill since the 1990s. A little ju-jitsu on his Republican opponents.
His tactic is now reminding me of the days leading up to securing the nomination. Hour by hour they are leaking out more "yes' votes from the undecided Democrats. Sort of like the release of the superdelegates during the primary process. Finally, he seems to be choreographing the events the way he used to.
When the CBO figures came out yesterday, 200 advocacy groups and medical associations jumped into endorse the plan. These are groups with real living and breathing individuals as members as opposed to the corporate front groups.
The Republican madness continues. Senator Tom Coburn threatened that he would put a hold on any Democrat who is defeated this November , who voted for healthcare reform, and is appointed to a federal position. Tom, you might be in jail by then. Coburn is part of the whole Senator Ensign scandal, which has moved into the Grand Jury stage, and Tom was the guy who negotiated the pay-off to the cuckholded husband.
The hysterical lying by the Republicans has caused me to wonder if they will ever pay a price for this. Judd Gregg, whom I always thought was at least honest, has simply lied and lied repeatedly about the reconciliation process, which he advocated on C-Span for years. The constant lies--everyday and around the clock--by almost every elected Republican have to be factored in this fall elections. If the Democrats don't pounce on this, they are missing a golden opportunity. Why vote for this guy, you can't trust him because he's a liar. Deficit reduction--who can believe him? Just pick an issue. Health Care Repeal--how would that affect the deficit?
Is this having any effect? A recent poll in Florida indicates there may be some movement caused by this tea bag, obstructionist, lunatic nonsense. The Democratic candidate for Senate is one Kendrick Meek, whose campaign so far mirrors his last name. He is extraordinarily weak. He will be running against the young darling of the teabag movement and conservatives, Cuban Marco Rubio. Rubio is crushing Charlie Crist in the Republican primary. But polls show the Meek-Rubio contest is almost a toss-up. Maybe there is hope that there will be a backlash against politicians who both lie like crazy and are obstructionists.
Back to the issue of Israel. Netanyahu's brother-in-law called Obama an anti-semite and a threat to Israel on their army radio. Bibi himself is a Facebook friend of Orly Taitz, the birther Queen. Shimon Peres actually came out and critized the Israeli government for jeopardizing the relationship with the United States. What do Israelis themselves actually believe? Three polls done in the aftermath of Biden's visit and Bibi dissing the Vice President show that 70% and some actually higher believe that Obama has taken a "fair and balanced" approach to Israel.
For the record, it would truly be strange if Obama were anti-semitic since he kicked off his political career at the Southside Chicago home of a rabbi. The rabbi was a neighbor and Barack would teach classes at the Synagogue. This is contrary to the urban myth that he declared his candidacy for Senate at the home of Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dorhn. But you never know because as Bibi said, David Axelrod is another "self-hating Jew". And David didn't serve in the UDF.
Abe Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League must have heard the Bibi's dog whistle and attacked General Petraeus for his "dangerous" remarks on Israel before the Senate Armed Forces Committee. Politico speculates that the Jewish community will vote against Democrats this fall to "punish" the administration. Now how real is that? Abe Foxman himself warned in an ADL report that the teabaggers were infiltrated by neo-nazis, anti-semites and white supremacists. Now the Jewish community is going to run to embrace that?
Meanwhile Bibi has called Hillary to kiss and make up. Bibi is flying to Washington for a meeting and says he's preparing some initiatives to re-start talks with the Palestinians. Let's hope but I believe this little fracture can lead to bigger problems for Israel down the line.
Well, the last great tea party rally this weekend may have some problems capturing air time. the March for Justice will be happening the same time. This is the march for immigration reform. I hope they turn the corner and march into the teaparty gang, who will flee to avoid contamination with immigrants. Also, there is the first spring anti-war rally. I wonder which Fox will cover?
Meanwhile I wait for the new one from Johnny Lang. If you haven't listened to him before, just find Lie To Me,which is one of the finest rock albums ever.
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