The Senate's LBJ Room: The Sistine Chapel Of The West It's Not. From TRMS

The Sistine Chapel Of The West It's Not...

In the 1850s, in what is presently the Senate's LBJ Room but what- at that time- was to be a library, the decorating decision-makers planned on showcasing four library-relevant-themed Neoclassic fresco-style paintings.

The four themes were to be: 1.) History 2.) Geography 3.) Philosophy and 4.) Print.

The first two paintings had been finished when, in the 1860s, the library plan was shelved (no pun intended - initially) and the room was, instead, to be made into a Post Office.

With the change of purpose, the latter two of the four themes were changed.

The four themes became: History, Geography, Physics and... The Telegraph.

I'm sure that the decorators/painters felt that their vision for the themes - particularly the last two paintings - showed reverence and respect for the exceptional painters/works from history... with a few upgrades.

End result? America is (metaphorically-speaking) depicted as the pinnacle of Health, Vitality and - as evidenced by the inclusion of a steamship and a train in the background of the "Physics" painting and the placement of a telegraph line in the hand of a cherub and placement of a telegraph pole in the background of the "Telegraph" painting - Modernity.

Hey! Look up... What's that? Oh, I know... It's Lady Liberty... and - whoa! - She's Hangin' Ten... and doing so noplace other than atop the crest of the latest wave of technological advancement!

I kid you not.

It's kinda weird - not that there's anything wrong with this variety of "weird" - but, in a trippy/quircky American History sort-of-way.

Check it out in the brief clip from TRMS that you'll find below.

Enjoy!

Peace,
L. :)

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Burn, Baby, Burn: 9/11 1st Responders Healthcare Bill Finally Passes (Post GOP-Gutting)

The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act - the Bill extending medical benefits to the heroic men and women who toiled for days/months/up to a year and did so tirelessly (after being told, incredibly, by the EPA that the air at Ground Zero was safe to breath without the use of traditional breathing apparatus/oxygen tanks) - all the while inhaling toxic fumes, smoke, soot and ash after the collapse of the two burning skyscrapers - has been floating around the Halls of Congress for a year, now.

Why?

Now, that's an exceptional question.

For - despite claims made by GOP Senators to the contrary - Yes! The Zadroga Bill had been heard and passed through a Congressional Committee (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee) and Yes! It was paid for (by closing a corporate tax loophole).

So, what's the hold-up?

According to Senator Jon Kyl (R) of  (yep, you guessed it) AZ : To make Senate Republicans keep working this close to December 25th or to make them come back to work between Dec. 25th and Jan. 1st (*After all of the Obstructing or Just Plain Nothing they've done over the past 18 months) would be offensive to Christians. (Yes, Virginia, he said that.)

Really?
So, what you're saying Mr. Kyl, is that, basically, for anyone to expect you to fulfill your sworn duty as a Member of Congress (allegedly "for the people") is "offensive to Christians"?

You know what, Senator Jon Kyl? That isn't what's offensive...

It is you, who are offensive.
(And, not just to Christians).

And, not only that, let me clarify something else:  Both you and your fellow perpetually-filibustering Senators are nothing more than political cowards, incompetents and putzes.

Whew!  I feel better now!

And, Heeeeere's Some Really Good News:
The Senate just passed The Zadroga Bill into Law! (Hurray!)

And, Heeeeere's Some Rather Bad News (Sorry, I'm only the Messenger):
In order to be able to get the Bill successfully passed, Senate Democrats were forced by Senate Republicans to "... shave it from $7 billion in benefits to $4.3 billion in benefits".

I don't think the Senate Republicans realize what a deeply-disgusting and utterly-revealing victory this is for the GOP:

The Grand Ol' Parasites Party has held Every Piece Of Legislation in Congress hostage, that is, until they got their demand of extending the $700 Billion Bush tax cuts for the top 2% of billionaires for two more years.

They got their pieces of gold for their gold-plated patrons...

But... When it came to asking them to simply approve a bill that would provide (paid-for) health benefits for 9/11 First Responders who are not only suffering, but dying, from ground-zero related cancers and lung and brain diseases...

The "let them eat ash" GOP Senators said "NO!".

And, after using blatant extortion to get their expensive tax cuts extended, Senate Republicans then demanded that the amount of (paid for) benefits/coverage for those 9/11 First Responders be cut nearly in half.

* IMHO ~ It would be such a Beautifully Karmic Moment Of Justice if - should any of those GOP Senators' homes happen to catch fire in the coming 2 years - the Firefighters would decide to send the proposal of heading out to risk their very lives to fight those particular GOP home conflagrations through a Committee Hearing, first .

And, after that, they would hold a vote on the proposed response to fighting that fire and requiring - not a simple majority - but, a Super-Majority of their number to vote in favor of doing so. Noting that, without said Super-Majority, they'd have to let it burn.


Burn, Baby, Burn.

Hey...Listen, I'll bring the marshmallows! We'll make s'mores!

Peace,
L.

Here's a link to a TRMS clip on Senate Republican stall tactics...
The War On Work After Christmas

And, here's a link to one of the first articles announcing the passing of the Republican-reduced Zadroga Bill:
The 9/11 bill passes -- but should it really have been this hard?
by Ezra Klein of The Washington Post. 

President Obama Lashes The Left - And It Just Ain't Right. (Perhaps he's feverish? Or possessed?)

Ugh...

I feel sad, sickened and a bit like I've been sucker-punched.

I'm nearly overcome with disbelief and disappointment in President Obama right now.
Sure, I still admire, respect and even Love the man - but, gawd, if he hasn't broken my heart.

Ask anyone and they'll confirm that I'm an avid supporter and practitioner of artful cooperation, peaceful negotiation, balanced give-and-take, etc.

Anyone who knows me can confirm that I've had a life-long aversion to heated conflict - whether verbal or physical.

With that said...
If there's one thing the Midterm Election results clearly proved (other than the existence of a remarkable number of uneducated people who vote), it was this:

If you have declared yourself a "Progressive"/"Liberal"/"Democrat"; you have been elected to public office and you want to stay in that office ~ Well then, it's certainly in your best interest to prove that it's True - consistently - by taking definitive progressive actions (R.I.P. "Blue Dog Dems").

Which is why I am heartbroken and utterly at a loss as as far as understanding why President Obama - in private meetings with GOP leaders - disregarded the statements made by the Dems in Congress (who are still the majority); those made by progressive media and even those made by us - his fellow Progressive Americans...

Statements made by Senate Democrats about (finally!) drawing a line in the sand and standing their ground... About holding True to their convictions...  About forcing the Republicans reveal how wrong they really are to the entire country... About not repeating the same behavior over and over and expecting a different result... About not caving in to the GOP's ridiculous demands and public threats of (legislative) extortion... About recognizing/acknowledging/accepting the words that have been spewed by the GOP leadership publicly and shamelessly regarding the GOP's:
A.) Having Zero Interest In Compromise (Well, Duh!) and
B.) Their 2-Yr. Plan/Goal  (as proven by their actions - blocking every piece of legislation; Doing/saying any/everything they can to discredit the President - over the last 18 mos.) of trying to prevent him from being re-elected.

Despite All Of This... Despite The GOP's Ongoing, Blatant Disrespect Of Both President Obama, Himself, and the office which he holds... Despite The Fact That He Didn't Have To Do It (not right away, anyway)... and Despite All of Us Expressing That We Didn't Want Him To Do It...

Despite Everything... President Obama caved to the GOP's s X-mas List Item of Continuing the Bush Tax Cuts For The Uber-Wealthiest 2% of Americans for 2 more years.

As if that weren't bad enough... after he caved, the President called for an unscheduled press conference...

A press conference in which President Obama stepped up to the podium and immediately  launched into an assertive remarks regarding the potential for future "fighting" with Congressional leaders and how he was "itching for a fight".

???

Uh, o.k..  If you say so, sir.  Ah... "Itching for a fight", you say?

Ahem.
With all due respect, Mr. President, but wasn't that you, who only a short while ago; while meeting behind closed doors with GOP leaders and without anyone landing a finger - let alone a punch on you...

Wasn't that you who carefully lay down on the mat and then feigned unconsciousness... Thereby throwing what had become a truly significant, important and worthwhile fight?

(Big Sigh!)

Here's the clip of the press conference and President Obama's continuing (and utterly excruciating to watch) attempts to appease "The Party Of 'No'" from TRMS:

(Understandably, I won't be saying "Enjoy!" on this one.)
L.

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House Democrats Approve Extension Of Unemployment Benefits Despite 168 GOP Members "No!" Vote.

On Friday, the House of Representatives successfully passed a motion to extend unemployment benefits for millions of unemployed Americans.

Most noteworthy is the outcome of the voting: 231 House Democrats voted In Favor of the extension (and 20 Dems - who should definitely be voted out of office ASAP - voted Against it.).

As for House Republicans, a stunning 168 members of the party devoted to extending tax cuts for the wealthiest 2%, voted Against the extension.

Remarkably, there are signs that some semblance of human compassion still exists in the GOP... At least in a grand total of three Republican members who actually voted in Favor of the extension. (*I Salute You Three, Whoever You Are.).

Now, the measure moves on to the Senate for a vote.

The last time the Senate voted on the extension, the Senate's Republican members said what they pretty much always have said - at least since 2006 - namely, "No!".

It has become excruciatingly obvious that every last one of those heartless and callous GOP Senators is in acute need of the experience of being unemployed and cut off, too.

Here' a brief clip on the story from MSNBC's Countdown.
Enjoy!
L.

House Dems Approve Unemployment Benefits Extension For Millions

Pentagon Releases Results Of Study On DADT/Urges Senate To Repeal NOW. No More Excuses, GOP Senators.

The Pentagon Has Released Results Of 10-Month Long Study Of Effects Of Ending “DADT” On Service Members.

115,000 troops answered the questionnaire as did several thousand spouses.

Results: Of those surveyed, 69% said they’d served with a gay service member. 92% said they were able to work together. 70% said allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would have positive, mixed or no effect. 30% had negative expectations – though many of them weren’t aware of having served alongside a gay service member.
 
Check out this clip from TRMS on the Pentagon’s Report and the statements of many GOP lawmakers prior to the study, saying that they wouldn’t vote to repeal until the results were back and the military brass supported doing so (Well, they’re baaaack,):
Enjoy!
Intransigent GOP Out Of Excuses On DADT.

The U.S. ban, known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was adopted in 1993 as some sort of compromise. It requires the military to expel gays and lesbians who are open about their sexual orientation or who have been “outed” – regardless of how long they have served, how many medals they have earned or what rank they have achieved.

According to the Pentagon, about 13,000 American service members have been discharged under the ban.

Question: In the face of two continuing wars in which our military have been forced to do repeated tours due to lack of personnel and considering the fact that there are several international hot-spots of military unrest – isn’t the fact that we have lost 13,000(and counting…) of our brave, devoted and patriotic service members a threat to our national security?

Meanwhile… throughout the rest of the World, 25 countries (incl. the U.K., Canada, Australia & Israel) allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in their militaries.

During their press conference, Sec’y of Defense Robert Gates, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair. Adm. Mike Mullen, Working Group co-chairs Defense Department General Counsel Jeh C. Johnson and Army Gen. Carter F. Ham, concluded the risk of repeal of DADT to overall military effectiveness is low. Sec’y Gates also urged Congress to achieve the repeal before the Courts overturn the policy.

*A Little Background: In 2006 (Before he campaigned for the Presidency and lost (sarah palin) to Barack Obama), Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) was clear about his position on the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. McCain stated that he would support repealing DADT if our top military brass declared they agreed with implementing the change.

And I Quote:

“The day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, ‘Senator, we ought to change the policy,’ then I think we ought to consider seriously changing it,”
- Senator John McCain, speaking in October 2006, to Iowa State University students.

And now, despite his own public statements like the quote above and despite all of the considerable effort, consideration and hard work put into this 10-month long study by America’s highest military leaders…
On Meet the Press, the reigning poster-boy for Sore-Losers, Arizona’s Republican(‘t) Senator John McCain told host David Gregory:

“I will listen, as I’ve said for years, to our military leaders and not a [study] that is leaked, as we know this town’s been good at that.”

What?!  Dear Demented Senator McCain: The fact that some of the Pentagon Study’s findings were leaked… Does Not… I repeat… Does Not render said findings “flawed”.  Nor does the fact that you feel that the majority of your constituents support the continued (and unconstitutional) discrimination of gays and lesbians.

Or, as said by Servicemembers Legal Defense Network executive director Aubrey Sarvis, in response to McCain’s remarks: “Sen. McCain is clearly out of touch, not only with the American people, but also the Pentagon and our troops,”  “McCain seems to be saying he wants a do-over because he doesn’t like the findings and recommendations in the Pentagon report going to Secretary Gates.”

“In other words, McCain is telling the Pentagon: Keep working until you produce the outcome I’m looking for.”

HELLO?  U.S. SENATE?  Are You (Finally) Hearing This?  Are You (Finally) Getting It? No More Excuses.  The Question Has Been Asked And Answered.  Please Honor And Respect Our Top Military Leaders, Our Fellow Americans and The U.S. Constitution And Vote To Repeal DADT, Now!

*And, SHAME ON Those GOP SENATORS who claimed to be “open-minded” about Repeal and said they were waiting for the release of The Report. (It’s Released.) You who – even now, despite what’s been said and done – are already overtaxing your Petty, Pathetic, Prejudiced, Unpatriotic & Pointy heads in a rush to come up with any baseless challenge you can to call into question the legitimacy of the Pentagon’s report and to try to impede DADT’s repeal.


Dear Anti-Repeal Senate Republicans:  You do know what happened to your Ancestors, don’t you?  You know whom I’m speaking of:  I’m Talking About All Of Those Plodding Prehistoric Reptiles… The Ones That Were Infinitely Bigger, Much More Powerful & Way Badder Than You. Those Ancestors of Yours.  Remember them?  Yeah?  Good.  Well, Eventually, All Of Them Went Completely Extinct.  Gone… Poof… Almost Like They Were Never There In The First Place… Well, ‘cept for some ol’ fossilized bones.  And Guess What?  Someday (Thankfully) So Will You.

Peace,
L.

Obama Meets With GOP Leadership. Results: Twilight Zone-y. Same Meeting/Different Planets (Sigh.)

In A Continuation Of Their Shamefully Juvenile, Disrespectful & Inexcusable Behavior (on the bright side: at least they're consistent), Leading Congressional Republicans Rudely Rejected The White House's 1st Invitation To Meet With President Obama Following The Mid-Term Elections. The full-of-themselves flakes made weak references to "having other plans", or being "simply too busy"... to accept the invitation and meet with The President Of The United States Of America.
Heck, if they're that shameless, why not make it a bit more interesting and say something like...
"So sorry, Mr. President.  Unfortunately we've all already scheduled appointments to wash each other's cats on that day."?

Following Tuesday's (unfortunately closed door) 1st Meeting Between President Obama And Congressional GOP Leaders - In This, The Twilight Of The 111th Congress - Strangely Contradictory Comments About What Actually Transpired During The Meeting - Made By The Attendees, Themselves - (Quite Understandably) Resulted In Something Of A Flashback On TRMS To One Particular Episode Of Rod Serling's"The Twilight Zone" TV Series.

The Episode's Title?  "To Serve Man".
(As in, "To Serve Man... With A Nice Chianti.".)

* Here's the link to the related clip of Tuesday's "The Rachel Maddow Show":
Enjoy!
Obama Meets With GOP Leadership

It's a remarkably accurate analogy. As well as a somewhat aggravating one.

Why?  Because despite the fact that they all attended the same meeting. And, despite the fact that they all speak the same language... Somehow, President Obama's accounting of the meeting and the GOP leaders' accounting of the meeting... completely contradict each other
(Pardon me whilst I slowly and repeatedly bang my head against the wall.)

Perhaps I'll try something much more constructive/much less self-destructive...

An Open Letter To The President Of The United States Of America:

Dear President Obama:
I agree with you, completely. Cooperation Is Most-Definitely Preferable To Contentiousness.
But, with that said, Please Remember This Very Timely Definition: "Insanity... Is Doing The Same Thing Over & Over And Expecting Different Results."

Simply put, Mr. President: The "Party Of 'No'" Has It Out For You. They've Said So On Numerous Occasions...
Publically And On The Record. Comprende?  Period.  Paragraph.  The End.

If I May Offer Some Advice...
If - At Any Point - Over The Next Two Years There Comes A Time When Any Of The Proponents Of The Grand Old Party Approaches You Wearing A Cheshire Grin And Extending Their Hand...
In all honesty,  I would tell you to slam the nearest door on their hand and on the Trojan traitor it belongs to. (Sigh.)
But, barring that option (and, besides, why should you lower yourself to their level?)...
Whatever You Do... Don't Count On That Hand To Be Holding Or To Present You With An Olive Branch.

Mr. President, Please Stop Trying To Placate Them. They've Only Been Trying To Play You.
Please Cease All Consideration Of Making Concessions Or Trying To Bargain/Reason With Them.
They Don't Deserve It. They Don't Deserve Anything For Being The Epitome Of "Unreasonable".

Set all past, present and/or future pretense made by any of them of being "moderate" or an "ally" aside.
Surely, you would agree that, over the previous 18 months, they've proven (and proven repeatedly) that they aren't the least bit interested in participating in anything that can even remotely be perceived as "Bipartisan".

The GOP Leadership Wants/Seeks One Thing And One Thing Alone: To Destroy Your Presidency.

Their Actions Prove What We've Known To Be True: That The Short & Long-Term Goals Of The Republican Party Are Their One And Only Priority.

If Not, Then Passing Legislation - Like The Bill That Would Have Extended Unemployment Benefits Which Are Necessary To Put Food On The Tables And Keep A Roof Over The Heads Of Millions Of Americans ... A Bill Which The GOP Members Of Congress Didn't Hesitate To Kill - Or Doing Anything In The Best Interest Of America and The Majority of Americans... Would Be Apparent On Their "To Do List"... And Be Proven By Their Actions Toward That End.

Anything that the GOP leadership thinks might be perceived as being a Success of your Presidency is something to be targeted. Something they will do anything to impede/weaken/destroy. Up to and including legislation which was originally created, submitted and/or supported by their fellow Republicans.

The GOP has shown their True Colors. And, as  it stands, the "Right" couldn't be more Wrong.

Mr. President: Please Trust and Know That The Majority Of Americans Are Behind You.
That the Majority Of Americans Support Allowing The Bush Tax Cuts For Billionaires & Multi-Millionaires To Expire.

It's Time For You To Get On The Offensive.

Simply Stand Before the American People And Tell Them The Truth.

All it takes to Destroy The GOP Leadership's Web Of Self- and Special Interest-Serving Lies Is The Truth/The Facts.

Please Don't Cave, Mr. President.
You Don't Have To.
We Don't Want You To.
 
~ Whew!  I needed that!  Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. L.~

What The Heck Are Republicans Whining About?

What The Heck Are Republicans Whining About?

Over the last 21 months - less than a full 2 years into the Obama Administration...
The 111th (Democratic-majority) Congress has accomplished a significant amount of work that they should be proud of and for which they should be respected and admired.

The cries, cracks and complaints of the most-shrill of the small-in-number/full-of-bluster and (frequently) apoplectic critics of President Obama's Administration and this Democratic Congress... the ones who have repeatedly displayed their expertise in the art of taking audio/video clips completely out of context and then creating a crisis where none existed... the ones who have, quite inexplicably, been given a spot in front of a functioning tv camera and/or radio microphone... have been singularly-obsessed with this Congress' significant, positive and yet, somehow, controversial, banner legislation: Health-care reform, Financial regulation, the (successful) Economic Recovery Act, etc....

So caught up in their singular obsession, these perpetual panic button-pushers have completely overlooked a vast number of significant and effective pieces of legislation successfully-passed by this Congress. (Or, they didn't think they could be transformed into ranting-and-raving, ratings-boosting issues.)

Examples: Passage of several bills aimed at assisting all of our veterans, the 25 separate tax cuts passed, a land conservation bill (the most significant in 2 decades), the creation of the very first Consumer Financial Protection Agency, etc.

Another noteworthy and ignored fact: Contrary to the gloom-and-doom forecasts of: "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" by the far right-wingers...
This Democratic Congress has actually reduced federal spending and reduced the deficit, too.

And yet, despite these and other accomplishments, if one tunes in to a network news program or talk show, one will consistently be presented with clips of people considered to be "in the know" who've made predictions that - after the final tally of votes in tomorrow's elections - Republicans will have won a number of seats in the House of Representatives and, perhaps, a few in the Senate.

If their predictions turn out to be correct, the change would be an unfortunate one for our country.

Even though it was the Bush Administration and its Republican Congress who were wielding their political power/influence over all of us a mere two years ago, it seems that many Americans are suffering from a very specific type of short-term memory loss. The barely two years gone two-term Bush Administration definitely wasn't eight years of  "Happy Days Are Here Again" - unless, that is, you were one of the uber-wealthiest Americans gifted with big tax cuts.

Doesn't anyone remember those multiple tax cuts for the upper-echelon of wealthiest Americans (May they be allowed to Expire)?

How about those fictional findings fabricated and, repeatedly, shoved down our and the world's throats by Bush's war-mongers/profiteers as their justification for the utterly unprovoked multi-billion dollar Iraq War?

Of course, even before that happened, there was the (now-seemingly endless) Afghanistan War?

Or, don't any of those people recall a monstrosity/pile of bureaucratic crap Bush & Co. came up with called: "Medicare Pt. D"?

All of the above were obviously going to be mind-bogglingly expensive and, alas, not just at that point in time but, also, for the foreseeable future.)

Not only that... when it came time for the Bush Administration to present their budget... GWB's bean-counters were... ah, shall we say creative?

Like many members of the Bush Administration, these imaginative accountants were utterly unencumbered by commonly accepted concepts like "Reality" (and honesty, integrity, etc.). Without hesitation, they intentionally neglected to include the costs of the aforementioned, phenomenally-expensive items/actions. Why? Because doing so meant the amount of their deficit total would be much lower and - needless to say - completely inaccurate (their made-up total was, of course, many billions of dollars below the actual deficit total.)

(Sigh...) Regardless, I still hope for the best.
I have faith (hopefully not misplaced) that plenty of Americans, when standing alone in the voting booth, have enough good sense to differentiate between political bluster and basic facts.

Here's a Fun Fact:
Showing "The Right Stuff", certain members of the 111th Congress saw to it that important legislation - designed to be of long-lasting benefit for our country - was successfully passed. Not only that... they did so with the knowledge that, in the upcoming midterm elections, their Republican opponents would likely attack them for supporting that legislation and, in doing so, would possibly defeat them.

If actions speak louder than words, they showed themselves to be persons of considerable integrity, admirable character, backbone and that they were true patriots (rare traits in politicians).

They made a conscious decision to do what they'd been elected to do: They did what they knew to be in the best interest of Americans instead of doing what was in the best interest of prolonging their personal political careers. It's worth repeating: This type of  personal sacrifice is extremely rare - especially in politics.

Call it "Policy Ahead Of Politics".
(*I encourage everyone to take a moment to remember what such a sacrifice looks like and what it entails. Because it's possible that, after tomorrow, we may not see it again for a while.)

What other accomplishments, you might ask?
Want a brief but detailed summary?
(No problem. I would, too.)
Take a look at this: