Common Good Upsets Some Folks

The National Parks Service is getting a little put out about plastic water bottles being strewn around their areas: "…. encouraging the parks to halt their bottled water sales."

This undoubtedly upset the bottled water manufacturers:

"Joseph Doss, president and chief executive of the International Bottled Water Association, said that even if the Park Service can legally use private money to pay for bottled water alternatives, it should be careful about subverting the (possible) will of Congress."

http://tinyurl.com/olorb3j

Oh, so the "will of Congress" (or the Supreme Court, for that matter) is the most important concept here. Sooooo…Right Wingers really should not be having a problem with everyone being able to vote, marriage equality, health insurance for Americans (rich or poor), a quality education system for all children, clean water to drink and clean air to breathe, women being able to control their own reproductive systems, everyone being able to make a living wage, and everyone being able to worship his higher being in his own way…..or not.

From selling plastic bottles of water, keeping the prisons filled, pushing false outrage over misleading PP, robbing the public education system to fill charter schools' coffers, demonizing "illegal immigrants" while applying for worker visas for their own cheap labor….the moneyed class is using Congress (and the Supreme Court, they hope) to build their own little utopia. And the only free market they really want to succeed is the one they control. Just ask the Kochs.

 http://tinyurl.com/onhfejh

Welcome to the oligarchy…it's been in the making for decades. If you have any doubts: http://tinyurl.com/olorb3j

 How many accomplishments are left to achieve?

Insure Tennessee Failed, But Lawmakers Doing Great

Folks in Tennesse remember this:

 "... the public has the right to know the Medicaid expansion program is going to bankrupt Tennessee.…..Now we’re taking it out to where the public can see it. As long as everyone is doing the right thing and following free-market principles they should have nothing to worry about.” http://www.knoxnews.com/news/state/americans-for-prosperity-planted-roots-in-tenn_83024661

Well, the public can see this and the hypocrisy emanating from it: 

"More former and retired Tennessee state legislators are covered by the state employee health insurance program than are current members of the General Assembly — including some who have moved on to other public office, others who haven’t served in more than 30 years and some who were convicted of crimes, state records show."

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/state/more-former-legislators-on-health-plan-than-current-members_09068609

Can't have the ordinary citizens and taxpayers footing the bill (subsiding low incomes) for these poor folks health insurance. Wouldn't be prudent. They need "some skin in the game." Or to quote a Tea Party member comment: 

"... doesn’t justify spending money we don’t have and forcing other people to pay for the medical care of people they do not even know." 

But as long as you've ever served the state of Tennessee…in any capacity for any amount of time….and are no longer there, for any reason, the taxpayer can foot YOUR insurance premiums. And the state can subsidize part of it, just like ALL employer-funded plans do.

"Former state Sen. Edgar Gillock of Memphis is enrolled; he left the Legislature in 1982 after being convicted of taking $130,000 for his influence in awarding government contracts."

Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, defended the state health coverage for sitting lawmakers Wednesday. But didn't seem to know the whole story: "That’s something I’ll have to check into and get back with you,” he said.

Yes, let's get it out there where the public can see it. Not that it matters. This Republican run state does exactly what it wants anyway…..voters be damned. 

"They (Americans For Prosperity) have a full-time staff, they've poured in a lot of money indirectly and directly," said Ingram, who was registered to lobby last session for a pro-Insure Tennessee business group. "It's largely to push whatever agenda they have and influence, frankly, our elected officials, our issues, disproportionately more than any of us as individual voters can.

But that's another continuing story….

"A Little Child Shall Lead Them.."

or at least that's what ALEC, the Koch Brothers and the Tea Party hope you will believe.

We all know how these cretins are buying our corporations, our legislators, and ultimately our entire government. We know they have no use for the EPA, unions, nonwhites, immigrants, women's health choices, and are using Conservative Christians to accomplish a lot of their dirty work for them….but the poor folks haven't caught on yet. And they certainly have no use for the education system here in this country: an educated populace able to think critically and research the facts instead of falling for MSM misinformation (propaganda) is a hinderance to them and their ideals. Besides: "free market."

In our daily paper, The Knoxville New Sentinel, was a letter submitted by a student waxing poetic about her "choice of a better school."

"Like me, many students across Tennessee struggle at their current school, and they simply need an opportunity to choose a better place to learn…..

Unfortunately, the high school I am zoned to attend is not the best fit for me, but that is about to change. I just received an opportunity scholarship from the Beacon Center of Tennessee to attend a private school……"

and of course, the kicker:

"We are already spending this money to educate each child. It makes sense that the money would follow the child rather than just fund the school system."

http://www.knoxnews.com/opinion/columnists/madison-ott-school-choice-lets-students-find-best-fit_91726990

The Beacon Center is part of the State Policy Network, a major player in the Koch Brother's ALEC, pushing their right wing, free market, no taxes agenda. It's president is Justin Owen, a Tea Party member as well.

http://www.beacontn.org/tag/knoxville/

"As the publisher of TennesseeWatchdog.org, The Beacon Center of Tennessee has hosted writers from the ALEC-connected Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, which screens potential reporters on their “free market” views as part of the job application process.^["

If you want to get the parents on board, have a essay contest, award a "scholarship", and begin your lobbying on the local level. People LOVE a heartwarming story about a hardworking, good student. Put her "essay" in the paper……that will get the attention they are seeking. 

UPDATE:
Now even the Romney gang has something to say about it: 

FEHRNSTROM: The governor believes that what we put in place in Massachusetts was a penalty and he disagrees with the court's ruling that the mandate was a tax.

TODD: But he agrees with the president that it is not -- and he believes that you should not call the tax penalty a tax, you should call it a penalty or a fee or a fine.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/02/eric-fehrnstrom-mitt-romney-individual-mandate-tax_n_1642951.html

Or more succinctly: 
The mandate functions in much the same way. It arises from Congress' ability to tax, but is not in and of itself a tax.

Daggone That Obamacare

Sometimes it takes everything you've got to push the facts out there. We all know the Repubs are like a well-oiled machine in spewing half-truths and misinformation. And some are more successful than others...

It's Just One Of Those Days

Sometimes it's the little things that make you want to pull your hair out. Usually it's the GOP, but other topics can do it too.

For example, here's the headline of a story I came across from my old "hometown" paper:

Buck Creek State Park drowning victim dies

Does anyone else see the idiocy here? Don't they have copy writers at this paper? This is the Dayton Daily News for Pete's sake. 

Then there is the matter of dealing with AT&T. (Yes, I'm going to go there....) I simply wanted to change my billing date as my direct deposits  aren't in my account until the second Wednesday of the month. Don't ask me who thought THAT up. AT&T's late date is the 3rd of the month. At this particular point in time, things are a little tight for us, and every dollar is accounted for in a timely manner. I simply wanted to make things a little easier to get payments there on time.

Did you know that AT&T does not have to be competitive..the girl on the phone said something to that effect. The billing date is based upon your phone number...???? To change that date you MUST GET A NEW NUMBER. You heard it here, folks. AND there is a $35.00 dollar charge to do so. Unbelievable.......

And the Right is trying to have us all believe that FREE MARKET and not the government is the ONLY way to get things done efficiently. And I'm sure they've already compromised English classes....

THIS COUNTRY, GOVERNED BY THE CORPORATIONS

Ok, that's not the way it was intended to be, not the way it was written. But as of this morning the Supreme Court of the United States just handed Aetna, Cigna, AIG, McDonalds, United Healthcare, Exxon, Microsoft, Apple, Blue Cross-just to name a few-majority control over our political process. Yes, I know, they have it already, but now it's really legal. Now they can pour ungodly amounts of money into the pot of what ever political party or behind whatever profit making scheme (for them, of course) and it's OK. See, corporations are now viewed not as separate entities but as citizens, with the same political rights. For every $25 you contribute to the party or cause of your choice, they have the right to invest $1,000,000 or whatever. You work hard for that sum. They can take it from their coffers. Of course, the political party or movement is going to take that into consideration when deciding what actions they are going to take. Yeah, right.

Right wingers think everybody should work for what they want in life: no "entitlements." God, I hate that word. Everybody should contribute to society, according to their talents, work, time and ability. Sometimes situations arise that are out of a person's control and we need to be able to help them over the rough spots. Now it's those with the biggest pocket books that will be getting what they want or need to the detriment of the rest of the country. Our representatives are only in it for themselves, I'm afraid. Or they're too chicken to fight for what's right. Don't get me started on healthcare reform, women's productive rights, immigration, or fate of our global economy. Big business rules the day, and the GOP is a friend of free market, big business, and big churches.

Members on both sides of the aisle (which is one big mess, at the moment) aren't too happy about this. But a lot of them are smiling. We've just been sold to the highest bidder. And that doesn't count China, Saudi Arabia, Japan........