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Comments Posted By BourneID

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Boehner as Bipartisan Hero: Imagine!

Hi MTS. I like this. Very often the “What if” articles are far more powerful than summarizing ugly truths. There certainly are enough of those to choose from.

Before I proceed, I’ll cover my behind with a caveat saying that what I suggest could happen does not necessarily reflect my personal views, but it’s getting closer. John Boehner is very fortunate that the position of authority he holds is in this country. In four of the five countries I’ve worked in, he would already have been been removed from office and not by a special election but by the means they’re quite adept at, as witnessed in Lybia.

He sees the electorate as invited guests watching from the gallery in the House Chamber. We witness the rape of our country while the Democrats we elect do nothing and are complicit by their silence.

You have earned your title as a true satirist. Well done.

Bourne

» Posted By BourneID On July 24, 2013 @ 2:03 pm

Rallies in St. Louis for Peace, for Justice, for All the Trayvons

CL

I am not satisfied that the successes you cite are large enough to validate that rallies, whether peaceful or violent, are as effective as they once were. I admire people like Murph who, by standing for what they believe in, honor those who have paid too high a price. It serves the better good in society but little justice will ultimately come to Trayvon Martin and all of the other thousands who die every day by gunfire. But not standing with others in public protest does not imply disinterest or disengagement. We voice our outrage every day on POV, HP, and the myriad other sites that offer opportunities to speak. We must question if we’ve become too comfortable in our presumption that rallies and the thousands of comments we post are halting the diminishing values that are destroying our society. If they are not, then it’s time we change our methods or start thinking smarter.

Understand, CL, the purpose in my response to Murph’s article was only to question whether or not public protests produce the desired result, not to measure small or large successes. And, it would be disingenuous if I did not say to you now that I questioned whether or not I should even read your reply given our recent heated VOX discussion on a matter that was of interest only to our community. We were inappropriate and rude and ignored the protocols of public discourse. As Murph says frequently on HP, “It is possible to disagree without being disagreeable.” It’s advice worth following.

Bourne

» Posted By BourneID On July 25, 2013 @ 6:54 am

You are correct. Poverty does not discriminate. In the piece I wrote this morning, I address the reality of poverty in terms of both people of color and white. I suggest that it is easier for a white person to escape the environment into which they were born. They are offered a choice not available to people of color. I is not easy, but they can get through the door and If they do succeed, we admire their efforts and hold them up as models for others.

I do know the statistics. And, I do not disagree with you that we must continue to push on, but success has proven temporary. Look at where we are 50 years after “I have a Dream.”

» Posted By BourneID On July 21, 2013 @ 4:18 pm

Hi BFF

I hope this gets posted elsewhere. I know you write on a number of other sites.

This morning I wrote a piece and my opening line was, “There are two kinds of abuse: the abuse of privilege and the abuse of poverty. I won’t quote the entire opening because it’s long, but I name privilege as the most damaging because it limits peripheral vision and makes no demands. Poverty equalizes. Both have their own color and we know what those are. Perhaps the privileged do not attend the rallies because there is nothing really for them to lose.

Maybe we should look for a way to change the pattern of protests. It started in Wisconsin at the state capitol; incredible support for the effort to stop an overzealous governor; it fizzled out; nothing changed. Then there was Wall Street; impressive until people couldn’t use the streets that were so filled with protesters; that fizzled and Wall Street is doing just fine. There have been protests on local issues all over the country. The most recent over Trayvon’s death and the acquittal of Zimmerman brought out angry groups of young people, black and white, who destroyed property (LA, Oakland, SF). Was it a game or serious? How many of those rioters carry guns? I would think a lot. Shall we factor fear as one of the reasons many don’t show up?

Are we so exhausted from reading and watching the horrible news everyday that we’ve allowed malaise to set in? You are the exception to the rule. That is why I have such respect for you. You are a man of conviction. You don’t just say; you do. I say a lot and don’t. It’s so easy to find reasons to do nothing.

You know that I taught in Del Paso Heights, one of the three areas heavily populated with black, Mexican, Hmong, and Vietnamese. The school I taught in had about 10% to 15% white students. There was no sense of color difference. This is where I see poverty as an equalizer. Hate and prejudice are taught; the poor are too busy surviving; they’re all in it together. When I taught college classes, I did not detect a sense of prejudice among the young students of different color. Is the problem our generation? TV makes all of this unreal and our presence unnecessary. We know we can watch everything on the 6 o’clock news, and there will always be a Chris Matthews to explain to us what we just saw. Is there a better way to do this?

I’m in California, 3,000 miles away from the real pain and emotion of the killings in the past year. I grieve for our country.

Thanks for what you do.

» Posted By BourneID On July 21, 2013 @ 11:51 am

Please Sign the NAACP Petition for Peace and for Justice

Good morning MTS,

You are proud to be an Independent Progressive, and i am proud to be your friend. You appeal to our better instincts with the same care and genuine concern that inspire us to move outside of our own safe places and do what is right. We must speak with one voice to bring our country back to its full greatness.

This is not our Last Hurrah. If we are to presume that there was some purpose in Trayvon Martin’s death, then we must make certain the short life of this young man and all of the thousands of others we lose to gunfire every day become more than a footnote in this chapter of our history.

Thank you, as always, for mapping the right direction for us to follow.

» Posted By BourneID On July 17, 2013 @ 8:42 am

Keeping World War III a Secret

AdLib

Please check the Help Desk; there’a note for you – important.

B

» Posted By BourneID On May 3, 2013 @ 1:50 pm

Gutless Shame in the American House of Lords

Hi

Just saw your reply in my inbox. i’m sure under those circumstances having a weapon in the home would have made many feel secure, but I think there was so much confusion with sudden evacuations and no time to grab anything let alone a weapon. When they did return to their homes, most near the scenes stood at their windows and shot footage of the activity. A tribute to Bostonians for shootng pictures; i can think of a few places in this country where some might have fired their weapon believing they were helping law enforcement.

I’m anxious for the first release of info from the interviews of Jabar. It may be weeks but the best of the best are in that hospital room with him, and they are very, very good. I expect without his brother to influence him, they will learn a great deal. Most important will be how many cells and in what cities. They need to neutralize them – and fast.

» Posted By BourneID On April 22, 2013 @ 12:52 pm

Choice, where have you been? I have’t seen you on Vox for the past two or three weeks, unless your logging in late.

Nice to see yo.

Bou7rne

» Posted By BourneID On April 22, 2013 @ 12:20 pm

Hi friend,

I just responded to Adlib’s reply to you. I suggested we must find the weakness in the NRA position about arming everyone old enought to hold a weapon. My question to them is how could anyone with a weapon have been able to do anything to stop what happened in a event of this magnitude with people screaming, running, falling, injured? You know I am a student of SunTzu who reminds us that one of the most important ingredients in winning wars is “the art of timing your surprises.” No one in Boston, Newtown, VA Tech, Aurora and every other place were people were slaughtered woke up in the morning and wondered if this was the day they were going to die. Only then would one make certain to have the fire power necessary to protect himself/herself and others.

Now let’s go after Congress…

See you on Vox.

» Posted By BourneID On April 19, 2013 @ 2:49 pm

AdLib, this is the dangerous message of what was once a respected and necessary organization that victimizes an entire country to promote the interests of the manufacturers who fill their coffers. In your reply to Murph’s column yesterday, you said that we can turn this around and that we will win. I hope you’re right but all of us have to commit to this, but one of the LEAST of our strong points as citizens is patience. Let’s find the weakness in NRA’s message – the one that will give us the collective voice we need to start bringing reason back in the conversation. I will offer my first question to the NRA. Given the panic, mayhem, fear of an unexpected act of terror of this magniude, how would anyone with a gun in hand have been able to react quickly enough to defend anyone in that moment? The act of timing one’s surprises served their purpose Sunday and Lanza’s purpose in Newtown – and all the other who murder just for the helluvit.

i’m now going to post to Murph’s reply to you. See you on Vox tonight.

» Posted By BourneID On April 19, 2013 @ 2:34 pm

KT my friend, we have not spoken for some time. Your quote is one that is found in the Tao. Yes? I think we see in the simplicity of its language the wisdom that does not replace one’s faith but adds dimension to it.

Both Murph and AdLib’s writings bring us a little closer to knowing what we must do get our country back. Here is a favorite from the Tao: “Only those who know when enough is enough can ever have enough.”

I think we’ve had enough; Now it’s time to get to work.

Aren’t we lucky to be in the company of such great thinking?

Bourne

» Posted By BourneID On April 18, 2013 @ 6:49 pm

Murph. I may the first, but I am confident, not the last to put on record my respect for this comment. Fact plus emotion are a powerful combination.

Your remarks regarding the unconscionable inaction of our elected representatives to do the willl of the 90% of us who want a reasonable bill that provides reasonable safety is spot on. Power is an aphrodisiac. It is addictive and dangerous in the hands of the wrong people. Many of them are the wrong people.

Well done, my friend. This with AdLib’s yesterday moves the discussion to higher ground. Now let’s all of us follow it.

Bourne

» Posted By BourneID On April 18, 2013 @ 10:42 am

Underground Enemies in America

Just heard the news out of Texas. Unbelievable.

you’re right. I did misread your comment re traitors and enemies. I have seen and heard it used again and again. It’s almost impossible to process so much vitriol

Bourne

» Posted By BourneID On April 17, 2013 @ 6:44 pm

AdLib,

I don’t recall using “traitors’ or “enemies” when referring to members of congress. I do hold to my opinion that when the entire body fails all are accountable. I know pretty much about how government functions and follow closely the activities of members of the Congress. In my view it is a combination of failed governance by both parties and a poorly informed press that provides more entertainment than than it does news.

I draw on remarks and conversations with friends I’ve know for years. I am especially interested in how those who live in Europe see us now. It is extremely difficult when I read that people who used to admire and respect America – and indeed wanted to live here – now see the shameful disrespect for the President; the self-serving behavior of the congress to one another and the President, and Supreme Court Justices who have forgotten why they’re there. And when they see the murders daily in our country, one said that they know America is no longer how they want to be. This matters to me, AdLib. How we are viewed by the rest of the world matters to me.

We all the product of our experiences and vantage points. Mine may not suit every reader, but they are mine.

In your comment on gun legislation, you say the majority in the Senate voted for background checks. Why is it not in the bill? I’m going to check with Murph on this. He’s done a great deal of research on the gun control bill. I don’t think we disagree that much about the members of Congress. You concluding paragraph is much the way I feel. We just write it differently.

Bourne

» Posted By BourneID On April 17, 2013 @ 5:58 pm

AdLib, September 11, 2001 began in Boston. Is there a message here? I think so. Hate is already here. Those underground vermin have surfaced -they could be next door, across the street, standing in line at the grocery store and even in our own families. It’s easy to teach hate. Let’s take one word: “Immigrant”…Change it to “alien” add an adjective, “illegal” and you have the recipe for hate. Hitler did it with “Jew.” Many of those elected officials you speak of have added the fuel as they pander to the stupidity of their constituents and the greed of the money men.

We have a 2nd rate media. Beautiful women dressed in Prada; handsome men with great voices – all news readers whose collective intelligence might reach 100 on the IQ scale. They don’t know history; they don’t understand the world they live in; the networks glut the channels with nonstop coverage, and we stop listening. Are we perhaps complicit by being drawn into the discussions on whether or not the President is right to use drones? We demand answers from the President of the United States on decisions he makes based on information he knows. When we publicly question the wisdom of our own leaders, we lower the standard of trust and create the image of weakness that precipitates what happened Sunday. We’re still apologizing for Hiroshima and Nagasaki, despite the fact that President Truman’s decision was based on the calculations from the Department of War that more than 250,000 Americans would die in the Pacific Theater if the war did not stop. We don’t learn history; we don’t refer to it; we are dismally uneducated on the facts of when and why we became a super power. My degrees are in history, specifically WWII and US foreign policy following its end. it fills in all the spaces, but what good are facts…

Michener said in his great book, Hawaii, that “Very few countries have beeen fortunate enough to lose a war to the United States.” How right he was. – We don’t put any distance between where we were and where we are now. And God forbid we should take that journey to how we got here. And history is not a journalist’s best friend.

Adlib, i worked for the US Government on 5 continents, in 5 countries. My screen name comes from the agencies I worked for. I believe we have to do what we have to do. In my view, the real danger are the 500+ people who sit in the two chambers of Congress…both parties. The Dems who did nothing in the first two years of the President’s first term,and the Republicans who have paralyzed the Oval Office.

» Posted By BourneID On April 17, 2013 @ 2:48 pm

Gay Marriage Undermines Christian Marriage…to the GOP

Sue, I’m going to check out the links you’ve given Murph. I had no idea Stanford offered courses at no cost. Great information.

Thank you.

Bourne

» Posted By BourneID On March 29, 2013 @ 7:27 pm

Thanks Murph. As expected, excellent. You lift the essentials that are on the table right now. Sadly,as you say, paralysis has overtaken the legislative branch and I wonder how long its leaders think they can continue to ignore us.

Given the news reports on an out-of-control North Korea, I wonder how long it will take them to decide if we have enough money in the bank to defend ourselves. Like most, I am disgusted with what we watch every day. Now, I am disgusted and afraid of whet we watch every day.

I wanted to rate your comment but I don’t see how, so I’ll just say well done.

Bourne

» Posted By BourneID On March 29, 2013 @ 7:21 pm

VAWA – There Should Never Have Been a Debate On It’s Merits

Good morning, Sue

I hoped to send my thanks and compliments to you earlier for this fine work, but I have a problem with staying on schedule some days. Your insightful, thoroughly researched, valuable summary of the dysfunction that paralyzes the Republican party is commendable. You’ve done a great service for all women, many of whom have been silenced so long that they need someone like you to speak for them.

I have asked time and again, “Where are the wives, mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts of these cavemen who control their lives?” Their silence stuns me as much as their submission to stupidity. I wish it were possible for them to read what you’ve written.

I enjoyed reading the short but concise CV printed above your article. I’m impressed with your professional experience and accomplishments. i’m still interested in meeting you and CL personally in the near future and hope we follow through on that. Benicia is just an hour away – that is, of course, if all the other cars stay out of my way

I’m logging in to Vox tonight. I hope AdLib has Ted Cruz on the agenda some evening – an ambitious, dangerous man. We could perform quite an intellectual autopsy on him. Talk to you this evening.

» Posted By BourneID On March 15, 2013 @ 10:17 am

John McCain Demands Investigation of His Own Sanity

Murph

i agree with your evaluation of the McCain we see now vs the McCain we’ve known for years. A once honorable man whose decline into irrelevance is accelerating with each outburst. We focus on his choice of Sarah as his running mate, but in my view it was his decision to suspend his campaign to rush back to DC to help his colleagues on the hill stop the bleeding of what he described as the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression. What we saw intead was a man walking the halls going nowhere and sitting in conference rooms doing nothing? He’s come unhinged and we laugh at the show. Was he not one of the two Senators who proposed term limits? Now he himself is demonstrating why that needs to be addressed.

» Posted By BourneID On November 16, 2012 @ 5:50 pm

Ryan’s Hot Speech: Liar! Liar! Pants on Fire!

Me too KT

I feel like I’ve entered the Dead Zone watching this convention. Can Mitt become any more boring than he already was/is? I turned off the TV when Clont Eastwood started talking. I think he’s one of the great film makers in Hollywood and watch all his films, but tonight I did not watch; the script was bad and the delivery worse.

Do you feel as saturated and disappointed as I with the monotonal sound of this convention? I hope President Obama is “fired up and ready to go.” I expect much more from the Dems. And yes, I look forward to the debates. At least we’ll hear some intelligible sounds coming from the master of extemporaneous speech.

Good talking to you.

Bourne

» Posted By BourneID On August 30, 2012 @ 7:44 pm

Hey Murph,

This is a fun topic.

Lying is an art form. The real Mitt and Paul will stand up next week, when they have to remember all the lies they’ve told this week. The thing about lying is that you have to remember so many details – not the lie itself – (with these two, lies come and go). but the details that make them sound true. You need the befors and afters…time of day – morning, Afternoon, witnesses? And if you’re Catholic and already guilt-trained, you know Sister Margaret Mary is going to use that ruler to beat the crap out of you next time she sees you. It makes you kind of nervous.

But the real litmus test comes the next day when the Mean Machine, Fox News, wants to know what the heck you’re thinking and why the heck you’re saying it out loud.

Bourne

» Posted By BourneID On August 30, 2012 @ 6:42 pm

17 Ryan Factoids – unlike Eddie Munster, really scary

Hi Sue

I’m happy that you were able to buy the home you wanted. I don’t know if tha’s kismet or intervention from a higher authority, but however it happened, enjoy it. I only consider those possibilities if things go as I want them to – I have dozens of reasons to choose from in my Whining and Complaining file when they don’t.

Have you lived in a townhouse before? I enjoyed my experience. There were 20 in the complex. The grounds were lovely; They were in a residential area on Winding Way in Carmichael near Anerican River College and, most important, extremely well- soundproofed.

Hope you finish your unpacking soon.

Take care.

Bourne

» Posted By BourneID On August 14, 2012 @ 4:20 pm

MTS

Just saw ths. There is one thing in this that may be very likely and that is that Ryan’s association with Romney could very well end any hope he might have for the highest office at some future time. I’ve long believed that the greatest risk of sitting in the 2nd seat on a losing team carries a huge pricetag. American voters are a strange breed. By the time he might consider it, we will hopefully have removed the junk food from the menu.

His unlikability rating pretty closely matches Darrell Issa (no one could possibly exceed it).

Later,

Bourne

» Posted By BourneID On August 14, 2012 @ 12:16 pm

I do love the Munsters! I thought I was the only one who’s never left my childhood.

Know what? I really believe these two gentlemen will do all our work for us between now and November 6. There are so many places to punch holes in most everything they say.

The overkill comments from Fox and Rush pretty much seal the deal, but the President’s campaign staff needs to keep the tone civil and not get too gloaty (which I have a tendency to do). It’s hard not to be enthusiastic but words can always backfire.

Are you posting this elsewhere?

BTW, I watched Elliot Spitzer last night. One of his guests was the Catholic nun (cannot remember her name) who’s become very vocal and is leading a charge against much policy from outside the church…very impressive woman. Spitzer asked her about Ryan’s seeming disconnect from his Catholic upbringing and she commented much as I saw in AdLib’s response to you. His other guest was Bill Press, also extremely smart man.

Remind me when you have time what the sister’s name is.

Bourne

» Posted By BourneID On August 14, 2012 @ 12:09 pm

Hi Sue

Good to hear from you. Congrats on your new house. Where did you buy?

Having packed and unpacked half my lifetime, I send my sympathies to you. It is a horeendous job but so well worth it when you’re finally in and settled and life becomes sane again.

Still want to meet you and CL.

Enjoy your visit with your grandson.

Bourne

» Posted By BourneID On August 14, 2012 @ 11:53 am

Hi Sue

Hope things are well with you. I haven’t visited the planet very much this month; maybe Friday.

Bourne

» Posted By BourneID On August 14, 2012 @ 10:23 am

Good stuff MTS,

I’m sending to the Repub members of my family as well as the mentally stable members. I will also ask that they post on their FB accounts as Sue did.

More on gmail.

Later,

Bourne

» Posted By BourneID On August 14, 2012 @ 10:21 am

Ayn Rand’s Ryan and the Creed of the Elite

Hi MTS

I like your post very much. Now I have to reread Ayn Rand, which is not my favorite new self-assgned homework.

I’m replying here to your reply to AdLib because I also appreciate his establishing a very impressive connection between AR and the Mormon Church.

More elsewgere,

Bourne

» Posted By BourneID On August 14, 2012 @ 10:44 am

God’s Blog – 7-26-2012

AlphaB

Lve your comment. You do have highly developed snark speak.

Thanks.

» Posted By BourneID On July 27, 2012 @ 6:44 pm

Murph,

Thank you for this. It means more than you know. I’m glad I came here to read this. I’m not sure I’ll be at VP this evening.

Pat

» Posted By BourneID On July 27, 2012 @ 4:15 pm