My Twitter Account

I use My Twitter Account to:

• save articles I've enjoyed reading and want to remember and/or share 
• write my strongly held opinions 
• write humorous thoughts 
• write advice for myself in the form of advice for others 
• retweet others' tweets respond to others' tweets

Collectively, it should give you a picture of what's been on my scattered mind recently.  It's the closest thing I have done recently that resembles writing a book.  I invite you to take a look and let me know what you think. 

Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero by Chris Matthews

I just finished reading or, should I say gobbling up, the beautifully written book, Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero by Chris Matthews. There is a lovely short review here and you can order the book from, and read other reviews at, Amazon.com.

There are fascinating details about his life that not many people knew. He was very ill all of his life and he had to battle against his infirmities constantly. His heroism during World War II was not just a single act – it was a series of very brave and intelligent decisions made under terrifying circumstances.

The descriptions of the political strategies and considerations are enlightening. The book gives you a feel for what was this man like. He was different to different people in his life, but he was an enthralling personality to all of them. Many of them said he was the most charming man they had ever met.

He was a serious student of history his whole life and he earned a Pulitzer Prize for his wonderful portrait of political courage, Profiles in Courage which, by the way, I also highly recommend – it has lost none of its currency even though it describes actions taken generations ago.

I highly recommend this book.

Let me know how you enjoyed it.

Definition of a Politician

A politician is someone who:
1) asks you for a list of everything you want
2) promises to give you everything on the list if you’ll vote for him/her
3) gets your vote
4) forgets you, the list, & his/her promises

Some Thoughts on Religion

To All:

* Why not replace all religions with

• The Golden Rule
• Tolerance
• Kindness
• Individual freedom – limited by its not impinging on the freedom of others
• Peaceful conflict resolution
• Everything else is optional

* How would you judge God’s actions, inaction, and laws?
If you say, “that’s beyond human comprehension”, try
saying that to your wife when she discovers that you
put spoiled milk back into the refrigerator!

* What religion would you now be if you were born in India, China, … ?

* Why is God more likely to exist than other mythic figures?

* How’s your success rate with prayer?

* If you really believe prayer works, why not prayer for world peace and health … until it happens?

To Jews and Christians:

* Why did a loving God condemn all of mankind to suffer?

To Christians:

* How would the pope treat Jesus who looks like a hippie, hangs out with low-lifes, and hates clergymen?
* How would Jesus treat the pope who is surrounded by idols, demands obedience to man-made laws, has billions of dollars, and lives in a castle?

To Moslems:

* Where’s your tolerance for others’ beliefs? Even those in your own religion, but a different sect?
How do you justify Sunnis murdering masses of Shia pilgrims visiting a mosque?
* Oh, and BTW, where’s your sense of humor?

To Mormons:

* How can you possibly believe any of that far-out story? Come to think of it, I have the same question for anyone who believes in the Bible!

A Sneaky Way of Raising Taxes

A Sneaky Way of Raising Taxes

Reducing the size of a package is a sneaky way of raising the price. 
Reducing Gov't services is a sneaky way of raising taxes. 

When an individual, a class, or a corporation evades taxes, they shift the tax burden to others. This is another sneaky way of raising taxes on the unprivileged; either they'll pay more in taxes or receive less in services. 

Don't be fooled; when politicians talk about shrinking the size of government, they are proposing giving you less services. You'd be paying the same tax for fewer services. Your effective tax rate would increase. When pols propose returning a million dollars to the rich and a hundred dollars to others, they are raising the effective tax rates on the latter. 

Consider what actual effect politicians' sneaky proposals will have on your taxes, your quality of life, and your expenses. Not fixing bridges is a bad way to reduce government and taxes.

Being Fair to Israel

Most progressives use different standards to judge Israel & its enemies. That is bias. 

Most progressives don't criticize arabs' raining missiles on civilian areas or blowing up buses ... when it's done to Israel. That is #bias.

Criticism of Israel is not bias unless it is unfair. The most obvious kind of unfair criticism that which is false. The other kind is criticism based on different standards for opposing sides. The grossest use of unequal standards is when absolutely no standard is used for the Arabs - there is no criticism at all. 

Progressives, who pride themselves on being fair, should be fair to Israel.

Progressive Voices

Progressive Voices

Russ Feingold, former 3 term senator from Wisconsin, is the voice of American progressive politics. 

He has demonstrated by his courageous, principled votes that his actions are consistent with his words and his campaign promises. 

He is a true statesman who is not owned by corporate money. 
 
The following give articulate and passionate expression to progressive issues:
Keith Oberman, 
Dylan Ratigan,
Cent Uygur,
Glenn Greenwald,
Nancy Goodman

Progressives are true to their principles, not their party. So, being anti-Republican is not sufficient to be considered a progressive. Rachel Maddow is an eloquent anti-Republican spokesperson but doesn't criticize Obama sufficiently for his grossly anti progressive policies.