The Repubs:  Bless Their Little Hearts........

If you're from the South, you know darn well what THAT means, and it ain't complimentary. Just like everything else that the Dems and and the President have tried to do over the last four years, the Repubs have tried (and succeeded mostly) to throw a monkey-wrench into the forward movement.....and AGAINST the "will of the majority of the people" who they claim to work for 

"Just enforce the laws already on the books" they LOVE to scream. Of course, they don't want  anyone to KNOW about their consolidated efforts for decades to hamper the enforcement of such laws...and then BRAG about it.

" The "NRA-ILA puts a great deal of effort into protecting gun owners by urging the Congress to pass 'riders'… that help accomplish our agenda." An NRA press release from November 2011 heralded the riders in the ATF appropriation as "Twelve Big Wins for Gun Owners."

To fully understand the time and money the NRA puts into such efforts you might be interested in the following:

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/02/atf-gun-laws-nra

The investigative challenges are further complicated by a series of riders authored by then-Rep. Todd Tiahrt, (R-Kan.), in 2003 in collaboration with the NRA. One of the Tiahrt amendments, as they're known, requires the FBI to destroy information contained in Brady or NICS checks within 24 hours. When a felon purchases a gun, he commits a new felony. But the FBI now has only 24 hours to figure that out. In effect, the FBI is required to destroy evidence of a crime. "Obviously, bringing the record retention down to 24 hours would preclude any significant investigation," says Julius Wachtel, a retired ATF agent with 20 years of service. "One might as well not even bother."

Lawrence O'Donnell also points out one of their little attempts at hindering investigations of any crime relating to guns or gun powder."The NRA has successfully blocked any requirements for such taggants in gunpowder.."

Of course the Repubs are not totally stupid. They are going to present their own version of gun regulation, CONTAINING MANY OF THE SAME POINTS AS THE ONE PRES. OBAMA PUSHED FOR:

http://www.nationalmemo.com/watch-senator-joe-manchin-calls-nra-attack-a-lie/

"Republicans say they will offer an alternative bill, Grassley-Cruz, but only the fact sheet below has been released..."

Just like Medicare, Social Security, and everything else.....if Obama wants it, there're against it. They'll do it THEIR way.

GROW UP!!

UPDATE

Elitism Meets The South...Results Not Good

Sometimes it pays to "have been there." Sometimes it helps to put yourself in another's shoes. Sometimes it helps to have a few more years under your belt, or your Jimmy Choo's.

Sometimes it helps to understand the entire concept of a literary work, a movie, or a song. Such was the case when Brad Paisley and LL Cool J performed Accidental Racist at the ACMs the other night. Yes, an unlikely pairing, and maybe NOT the best of songs.....but the hoopla was uncalled for.

"My big issue lies with Paisley’s portrayal of some clueless rube sauntering into a Starbucks and not understanding why someone might object to his having a symbol of centuries of terror and enslavement emblazoned upon his t-shirt. I mean, for heaven’s sake, even the sole remaining member of Lynyrd Skynyrd has publicly repudiated the Stars and Bars.'   (Yes, after decades of soul searching.......ME)

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/04/11/brad-paisley-ll-cool-j-and-fans-defend-accidental-racist-video/

The author of this particular article, or some others,  obviously DOES NOT understand Southern Pride, even today. Right or wrong...to most objective minds....it is hard to disregard the past, and sometimes what was popular decades ago, even in music, cannot be forgotten. Remnants of that culture, and its popularity today (I love Lynyrd Skynyrd still and I'm NOT a teenager) is a given. NOTHING TO DO WITH RACISM OR THE LIKE....just the good Southern music. The Allman Brothers, Molly Hatchet, The Doobie Brothers, Marshall Tucker, 38 special, The Outlaws, Little Feat, Rossington Collins.....all of these groups had something to add to our present music culture. Not all rap is sex, hate, guns, and hating the white guy either. (And LL Cool J is a very good actor.)

Some people just do not like Country music or Rap. That is fine. Not everybody has the same taste. (Rap is a foreign language to me.....) But understanding the artists is paramount in getting the message from their work. To say what some have said...that this is some hokey Southern loser singer trying to make a name for himself.....could not be more wrong.

Brad Paisley has touched upon this sensitive subject over the years. I'll bet that all those that are yammering today have NO clue...

"I had a friend in schoolRunning back on a football teamThey burned a cross in his front yardFor asking out the home coming queen"

http://www.metrolyrics.com/welcome-to-the-future-lyrics-brad-paisley.html

Before all the know-it-alls go off with their noses in the air, condescension dripping from their pores, and words like RACISM spewing from their lips, you might want to take a look at this:

"You know everywhere has somethin' there known for
although usually it washes up on our shores
little Italy, Chinatown, sittin' there side by side
live from New York, It's Saturday Night!"
http://youtu.be/AfnFPNv1PPM

Mr.Paisley is an compassionate man of today: a family man, a realist, someone who knows that the past IS influencing the present...the end result is up to all of us. He knows that we all came from different places socially, culturally, and that we all bring something to the table.

I only wish we ALL were adult enough to recognize it.

Fueling Up To Sneak Away?

You all are quite familiar with this.....the feel-good, we're-in-this-together advertisements seen day in and day out from BP. After ruining the waters, wildlife, beaches, and livelihood of thousands of people in the beautiful Gulf states...as if Katrina wasn't enough. 

the

Seems like the fairy tale is wearing a little thin. 

My husband is an avid motorcycle rider: the Old Coots Riders, NOT the Hell's Angels. At three different BP stations around East Tennessee, he stopped to fill up...we have had a BP card for decades. All three stations were changed to Exxon, Mobil, or some private concern. When he asked what was going on these owners said that they were told at various business meetings that they had to pick another company to go with and change the name. BP WAS GETTING OUT OF THE GAS STATION BUSINESS IN ALL STATES BELOW THE MASON-DIXON LINE. All behind the scenes, no fanfare.....

Do not know what to make of this, but I can guess. Haven't been able to co-orborate up to this point.

"Way Down South In The Land Of Dixie....."

Living in the South..in the state of Tennessee exactly.....can be a mixed blessing. The Smoky Mountains are a whole world unto themselves, any time of year. People are friendly and hospitable. Food is wonderful and music of all genres is everywhere. Families have lived here for generations...even those who have lived in other states always seem to return.

But how do you explain the absolute thoughtless, heartless, selfish, and of course politically motivated, moves such as these:

Take food away from families if a child gets bad grades:
http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/320-80/16764-tennessee-advances-bill-that-would-tie-welfare-to-childrens-grades

Refuse to counsel troubled students:
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/tennessee-bill-allows-christian-counselors

Don't accept state-issued college ID for voting:
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/apr/04/bill-wont-allow-student-ids-for-voting/

Refuse to obey any federal legislation:
http://www.thepiratescove.us/2013/02/26/kentucky-senate-passes-gun-nullification-legislation/



And then what was my personal favorite:
http://news.msn.com/us/lawmakers-want-state-religion-in-nc-defying-first-amendment

Which has been topped by THIS:
http://www.upi.com/blog/2013/04/03/North-Carolina-bill-would-tax-parents-of-college-students-limit-college-vote/6961365017546/

"But Think Of The Children"

That's what the Right Wingers always throw out there to grab the heart of their believers when they want to run some dastardly scheme on them. If it helps their money-cutting agenda, or helps someone they don't feel any affection for......not-so-much.

How about taking the food away from families if their kid is not doing so well in school?

"The bill is sponsored by Sen. Stacey Campfield, R-Knoxville, and Rep. Vance Dennis, R-Savannah. It calls for a 30 percent reduction in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits to parents whose children are not making satisfactory progress in school.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/mar/31/bill-tying-student-performance-to-welfare-in/?partner=popular

".....the bill could help prod parents into having children assessed so that any learning disability can be diagnosed.

Nothing says love and caring like forcing families to go hungry because a child is having problems in school.

" the legislation targets “struggling families,” while there is nothing that addresses higher-income parents who ignore their children’s school problems."

And when the kids are finally able to go to college...if they've been able to eat the last twelve years......let's hope they don't have any reason to go to a counselor.

"College students are more prone to mental illness and suicide and could lose access to mental health care due to this hamfisted approach that may jeopardize student counselor programs for all students."

http://www.policymic.com/articles/30523/tennessee-bill-would-allow-college-counselors-to-refuse-to-treat-lgbt-students