Democratic Right

Posted on August 20, 2011 by Darrel

So you walk into the break room at work and your ol’ buddy is just leaving. Not being a Democrat he left his trash on the table, including a scratched and discarded scratch-off lottery ticket. Of course you have to inspect the ticket. It is one of those that have to be inspected closely and is actually a $20 winner. Ol’ Buddy doesn’t know it is a winner and no others are even aware of a ticket. You are holding in your hand $20 only you know about. What do you do? To whom does it belong?

I know what I would do because this came from a real life situation. If this had been $200 I would have done the same thing. The benefit of returning the ticket to your friend is a good feeling. It is always OK to do the right thing.

The reason most of us are Democrats is because we desire to do what is right. It is right that all children receive a quality education. It is right that everyone get regular meals and a safe place to sleep. It is right that everyone benefits from the great medical care provided by modern science.

Remember the lady at the Republican Convention saying, “We want to get people off the Social Security rolls.”? Many Republicans, including the Koch Brothers and most tea baggers, would like to abolish public education. Tea Party members oppose Social Security and Medicare. Tea Party on welfare, “Hell no.” If you want sources for this try Google.

So what happens if the Republican plans come to fruition? No education means more unemployed needing food and housing. More sickness in crowed conditions means, well more sickness. One NY Tea Party candidate wants to house them in prison dormitories. If you are concerned about the next meal you don’t have much time to worry about morals or ethics. Whatever it takes to get something to eat.

So then we have a large and expanding population with no education, nothing to eat and no place to sleep. What do they see as the “Solution to the Welfare Question”? Now I’m not saying any of these people are in favor of that kind of action but they seem to painting themselves in a corner.

And none of that is right. To be a productive member of society everyone needs to be educated, comfortable, healthy, and not hungry. It is right that we do these things.

If you want to keep that lottery ticket and think people who receive welfare should be housed in prison dormitories then you are probably not a Democrat.

You see some of the reasons I am a Democrat. I am still waiting for someone to give me two reason why I should be a Republican.

Posted in Democrats vs Republicans, Republicans, Tea Baggers | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Climate Change vs Weather Change

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Darrel

Back last winter and the winter before during a couple of cold spells letters were published in newspapers asserting this disproved global warming. In this record breaking heat wave those people are strangely silent.

The letter writers confused weather and climate. There will still be hot and cold, wet and dry. By the way, the correct term is climate change because although the worldwide average temperature will rise some area could see lower temperatures.

The vast majority of climate scientist believe climate change is happening and human civilization is one of the causes. Years of training and research were required for those scientist to reach those conclusions. All that is required to be an expert on the other side is to be a radio talk show host or someone who listens to talk radio.

Posted in Climate change, Environment | Leave a comment

Parker County Democratic Leadership Changes

Posted on July 17, 2011 by admin

Last week, the leadership of Parker County’s various Democratic groups changed significantly. On Monday, July 11, Jennifer Scott, president of the Parker County Active Democrats, resigned her position effective immediately. Vice-President Layla Arzanipour will act as President until PCAD’s next meeting on Aug. 8, when an election will be held to determine a new president. The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. at the 20th Century Club in Weatherford. Any member in good standing may vote and nominate candidates (including themselves). Call Layla at 817-714-7237 for more information.

Also, on Thursday, July 14, Jennifer Scott was elected chair of the Parker County Democratic Party. She replaces former chair Deb Cascino. Numerous volunteer positions are available for those who wish to work with the party, including precinct chairmanships, public relations, voter registration, community outreach, fundraising and more. Paid election clerk positions for the March primary and November general election are also available. Contact Jennifer at 817-694-2261 for more information.

Posted in Jennifer Acosta Scott, Parker County, PCAD | Leave a comment

Sanctuary cities bill

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Darrel

Watching the Texas state house debate amendments to HB 12, the “Sanctuary Cities” bill. They certainly have an easy job these days. All they need to know to vote is, is this a Republican or a Democratic bill? Makes voting easy if you don’t need to bother reading the amendment.

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Celebrating a Death

Posted on May 3, 2011 by Darrel

Osama Bin Laden is dead. I often wondered what would happen to Bin Laden when he was caught. Having him in prison and on trial would be the cause of much chaos.

Is it OK to celebrate the death of a human? I am a pacifist (but ready to defend when attacked) and am opposed to the death penalty, but I am proud of the actions that brought him to an end. Many of us who are opposed to the death penalty have the opinion the state shouldn’t kill people but it would be OK if the family of the victim killed the killer. We know that is unrealistic and we really don’t want it to happen, even though it would feel right. That is what happened in this case and it feels right. Killing him and burying him at sea was right. He is gone. I am celebrating his death and don’t feel at all bad about that.

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Democrat vs Republican

Posted on April 24, 2011 by Darrel

In a recent blog the author asked for three reasons why he should be a Republican. Judging from the lack of response that must have been too hard a task and so after a week the blog was deleted.

I will try again using different tactics. At Diffen.com I entered Democrat and Republican as the values to compare. Here are a few of the results and my opinion on those results.

Death penalty: Democrats oppose, Republicans support. Personally I can’t understand how anyone could support killing a human but it is hard to find Democrats who agree with me.

Abortion: Democrats support, Republicans oppose. Again a basic misunderstanding.
ALL Democrats I know are opposed to abortion. Most Democrats do support a woman’s right to choose and do oppose government interference in a personal decision.

Famous Presidents: Democrat- F. Roosevelt, Clinton, Wilson, Carter, Kennedy. Republicans- Lincoln, Reagan, T. Roosevelt, Bushes, Nixon. Lincoln belonged to the Republican Party of the mid-nineteenth century but his values and beliefs fit better in the twenty-first century Democratic Party. T. Roosevelt was a fighter for conservation, a modern Democratic value. I will let Nixon and the Bushes stand on their own merits.

Civil unions: Democrats support, Republicans oppose. As with abortion, Democrats are opposed to government interference in private matters. Republicans talk about less government intrusion in our lives but in these two areas they let religion influence their stands. Our constitution rightly restricts laws based on religion.

Democrats need to do better at battling the modern day McCarthyism.

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Bridge to Nowhere Returns

Posted on March 6, 2011 by Darrel

You remember the “Bridge to Nowhere”? It was funded in 2005 to connect Alaska’s Gravina Island to the town of Ketchikan, Alaska. Ketchikan has a population of about 8000, one third of the population of Benbrook, TX. The island has a population of 50. There is an airport on the island but $941 million (2005 price) is a lot to spend to connect 8000 people to an airport that can already be reached by ferry.

You think this is old news that disappeared during the 2008 elections campaigns. Think again. On March 2, 2011, just last week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to reject a Democratic proposal to strip funding for the bridge for HR 662:Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011. All of our North Texas representatives, including our own Kay Granger, voted no on the proposal to remove the funding. In fact house Republicans all voted in favor of keeping the funding in the bill. At this point the dollar amount is $183 million, but you know that is not the end of the requests for money. At one time the Alaskan government declined to build this bridge because they were embarrassed. Where are the tea baggers now?

On a side note, $183 million would make up for over 5% of the proposed Texas education funding cuts. I’m just saying.

Posted in Congress happenings, Republicans, Tea Baggers | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

National Debt Charts

Posted on October 25, 2010 by Darrel

This speaks for itself. National Debt Chart. From zfacts.com

This is a graph I made from information readily available on the Internet showing the growth of the national debt. Amounts are adjusted for inflation to 2009 dollars. They are taken from the end of each President’s final term. If you average the percentage of increase it comes to 22% for Republicans and .4% for Democrats.

Posted in Democratic Party, National Debt | Tagged | 1 Comment

Food Stamps for Immigrants

Posted on August 8, 2010 by Darrel

Word going around is illegal immigrants don’t have to fill out all those food stamp forms. They are asked on the first page about their immigrant status. I they mark themselves as undocumented they do not have to fill out the rest of the form.

After much Internet research I was shocked to find that is true! As soon as they check that illegal box they are through with the form!

Of course you have to take into account the fact that when they mark that box they can’t receive food stamps so there is no reason to fill out the remainder of the forms.

They help my Social Security too. Many mow lawns or do other day labor but if they are long term residents they need more reliable work. Some use fake, borrowed, or stolen SS numbers. They probably won’t be able to draw SS on those numbers but the money they pay in helps those of us who do draw SS.

Thank you to the undocumented who pay SS but can’t collect SS. As for me, I don’t do much anymore but the check comes all the same.

Posted in Immigration | Tagged | 1 Comment

Global Warmings Stops at the Border

Posted on July 27, 2010 by Darrel

There is a possible dilemma developing for our neighborhood tea-baggers. It is well known they are opposed to immigration by any brown skinned, Spanish speaking people. Now comes a scientific study that says global warming might cause those same brown skinned people to move to the U.S. of A. as their farms dry up.

Here is the dilemma; the tea-baggers and other conservatives know global warming is not happening. No studies or facts needed, they just know. If that is true then there can’t be an increase in border crossings caused by warming. I guess all those extra people will have to be ignored.

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