Saturday, August 20th, 2011
My Dear America:
My friend, Larry, just went to see "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." He gave it a Thumbs Up and said he liked it a lot. Larry is not alone. Last Saturday, the day of the Iowa Straw Poll, the latest installment of the Planet of the Apes movie franchise was the highest grossing movie in our country for the second weekend in a row.
I still recall the first time that I saw Charlton Heston in the first "Planet of the Apes," movie toward the end of the film riding on a horse escaping from the apes and suddenly seeing the almost destroyed remains of the Statue of Liberty and realizing, along with the audience, that The Planet of the Apes was really planet Earth.
It was a very heavy scene and one that still gives me chills when I look around and realize that although we don't have a lot of apes running around the Earth, we certainly have our share of apes disguised as humans and a heck of a lot of apelike behavior by humans.
On the Planet of the Apes humans were subservient to apes and violent apes were generally in charge and very brutal. On our Planet of the Apes in 2011 we don't have to look very far to see brutish, stupid and apelike behavior.
Take the debate on the national debt, for instance. The Apes of the Republican Party and, in particular, the Tea Party, won by failing to debate and whipping what should have been a simple bipartisan political decision into a nightmare for President Obama and the Democrats, as well as the American people, by holding out for no taxing of the rich and extraordinary cuts of valuable programs. What Obama had to give up to get the Tea Party Republicans on board was too much.
In Iowa we finally had a referendum on who might be the Contenders for the Republican nomination for President. On Rise of the Planet of the Apes second weekend in the theaters some very fresh and interesting political theater was taking place in Iowa, as well as in South Carolina.
Just prior to the Straw Poll we saw a debate that took place there among the Republican Contenders. Tim Pawenty and Michelle Bachman, Minnesota's entrants in the Presidential race sliced each other up pretty well, Rick Santorum acted like a kid on the playground that wasn't picked for a game and Newt Gingrich sounded good but would not place well in the straw poll. Too many people were onto Newt's two faced, self aggrandizing brand of politics.
While Bachman stirred up her base in Iowa, like a shark circling its victims Sleezy Rider, Sarah Palin breezed into Iowa on her bus to attend the Iowa State Fair. What odd timing for her to come charging into Iowa. One would almost think that she was trying to take the spotlight away from the other Presidential Contenders. And, to some extent, It worked.
Also, in a state far away from Iowa, South Carolina, in fact, some additional political theater was taking place that was clearly designed to take the focus off the Straw Poll and put it on Texas Governor, Rick Perry. This strategy worked even better than Sarah Palin's, to draw attention to Perry's announcement that he was indeed going to be a Contender for the Republican Nomination for President.
The Straw Poll, itself, became almost an also ran. Michelle Bachman won it, Ron Paul came in second and Tim Pawlenty, third and Rick Santorum, the former Senator from Pennsylvania who had been tossed out of office by a bone chilling loss to Present PA Senator, Robert Casey, came in 4th. Pawlenty, quit the race after losing to Bachman, Ron Paul proved once again that his power in the Republican race is not with the party but with the people.
The rest of the large Republican field did not see their poor showing in Iowa in the same light that Pawlenty did. Some, like Rick Santorum, have nothing better to do, of course, but for him the 4th place showing breathes new life for his poorly financed and lackluster campaign. The rest of the Straw Poll losers left Iowa, not only discouraged by their showing the in straw poll, but also discouraged by the new look look of the Republican field of Front runners.
Michelle Bachman soaked up her victory on every Sunday Morning Television Political Talk Show that she could find. Her front runner status was quickly challenged by Rick Perry accepting a speaking engagement in Michelle's home town of Waterloo, Iowa. Although she had initially not accepted a spot on the speakers platform of this Republican Fund raising event, she quickly got herself added to the candidate spotlight show and raced home to Waterloo for the Sunday Fund Raiser.
Although the press and pundits seem to have made this race a three way race between Bachman, Perry and Romney, I think it is far too early to count out other candidates like Palin.
To tell you the truth it looks like an awful group of Republican Candidates, with the possible exception of John Huntsman and Ron Paul, but to be honest I don't think either of these candidates have a snowball's chance in hell.
What both Rick Perry and Michelle Bachman have going for them is that they both look good on Television and both can give a good speech. As long as no one is paying attention to what they are saying they are going to be good, strong candidates.
God Help Us, America. Suddenly John McCain is looking like a wonderful candidate in comparison to what is available so far in the 2011 Republican Field of Political Dreams.
Sincerely Yours
Jerry Gallagher
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Sarah Palin - Sleazy Rider
Monday, May 30th, 2011
Memorial Day
My Dear America:
While the swirls of Patriotism are in the wind on this special day, Memorial Day, 2011, into the hometown of the American Congress and President rides the stranger than fiction hot chick on a Harley, Sarah Palin. At a biker rally on the Washington, D.C. mall here comes Sarah dressed in biker chick clothing and wearing a military helmet. Can any sight be more patriotic than that.
She is also on the first leg of her "One Nation" bus tour and has just bought a house in Arizona, a place where they claim to understand Sarah Palin and her strange ideals.
When you think about it there is nothing short of amazement when you try to understand the transformation of Sarah Palin from the Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska to the Governor of Alaska, to Republican Vice Presidential Candidate in 2008, to Author and Fox News Analyst (Analyst - Right) to possible Republican Presidential Candidate and major obsession of the Republican and Democratic Party, as well as the American News media.
How in the world did we let this happen and allow Sarah Palin to dominate our lives for this long and allow her to progress to the point where she might end up being the 2012 Republican Candidate for President. Well, to be honest she is a step up from Donald Trump and Newt Gingrich, but not much of a step up.
Why are Americans so obsessed,, either positively or negatively, with Sarah. She apparently is just hard to forget. We seem to forget her embarassingly hokey stump speeches in 2008. We forget that John McCain's Campaign leaders were reluctant to let her talk to the media immediately after she was nominated at the Republican Convention. We seem to forget how she paraded her unmarried pregnant daughter and her future son in law, as well as her handicapped infant around the Convention and then the country. We seem to forget the embarassing answer to Katie Couric's simple (obviously Trick) question about her reading habits. We seem to forget that she was investigated in Alaska for her efforts to fire her ex Brother in Law from the Alaska Sate Police. We also seem to forget that when the pastures became greener (financially) Sarah dropped the Alaskan Governorship like a bad habit and made money hand over fist on the lecture circuit and from her first book.
Laurence O'Donnell makes a good point when he states that Fox news has fired other possible Presidential contenders like Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich but has kept on Sarah and Mike Huckabee, knowing full well that they will not run. That may well be true but oddly enough Roger Ailes, Fox News head has been quoted as calling Palin "Stupid".
The truth is that Sarah Palin, star of the Discovery Channel's enormously successful, "Sarah Palin's Alaska" series, may not be nearly as stupid as we all thought. She is an opportunist of epic proportions and as the list of Republican Presidential hopefuls dwindles, her name has suddenly risen to the top of recent Republican Primary polls and we should not make the same mistake we have made in the past, which is counting her out of the Presidential Race before she takes herself out.
The truth is also that the Republican Presidential Presidential Primary field is so riddled with awful, candidates that in a field like this Sarah Palin may once again prove that truth is stranger than fiction.
Watch out Republican Party, I don't think Sarah Palin is done with you yet nor are you done with her.
Sincerely Yours
Jerry Gallagher
Memorial Day
My Dear America:
While the swirls of Patriotism are in the wind on this special day, Memorial Day, 2011, into the hometown of the American Congress and President rides the stranger than fiction hot chick on a Harley, Sarah Palin. At a biker rally on the Washington, D.C. mall here comes Sarah dressed in biker chick clothing and wearing a military helmet. Can any sight be more patriotic than that.
She is also on the first leg of her "One Nation" bus tour and has just bought a house in Arizona, a place where they claim to understand Sarah Palin and her strange ideals.
When you think about it there is nothing short of amazement when you try to understand the transformation of Sarah Palin from the Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska to the Governor of Alaska, to Republican Vice Presidential Candidate in 2008, to Author and Fox News Analyst (Analyst - Right) to possible Republican Presidential Candidate and major obsession of the Republican and Democratic Party, as well as the American News media.
How in the world did we let this happen and allow Sarah Palin to dominate our lives for this long and allow her to progress to the point where she might end up being the 2012 Republican Candidate for President. Well, to be honest she is a step up from Donald Trump and Newt Gingrich, but not much of a step up.
Why are Americans so obsessed,, either positively or negatively, with Sarah. She apparently is just hard to forget. We seem to forget her embarassingly hokey stump speeches in 2008. We forget that John McCain's Campaign leaders were reluctant to let her talk to the media immediately after she was nominated at the Republican Convention. We seem to forget how she paraded her unmarried pregnant daughter and her future son in law, as well as her handicapped infant around the Convention and then the country. We seem to forget the embarassing answer to Katie Couric's simple (obviously Trick) question about her reading habits. We seem to forget that she was investigated in Alaska for her efforts to fire her ex Brother in Law from the Alaska Sate Police. We also seem to forget that when the pastures became greener (financially) Sarah dropped the Alaskan Governorship like a bad habit and made money hand over fist on the lecture circuit and from her first book.
Laurence O'Donnell makes a good point when he states that Fox news has fired other possible Presidential contenders like Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich but has kept on Sarah and Mike Huckabee, knowing full well that they will not run. That may well be true but oddly enough Roger Ailes, Fox News head has been quoted as calling Palin "Stupid".
The truth is that Sarah Palin, star of the Discovery Channel's enormously successful, "Sarah Palin's Alaska" series, may not be nearly as stupid as we all thought. She is an opportunist of epic proportions and as the list of Republican Presidential hopefuls dwindles, her name has suddenly risen to the top of recent Republican Primary polls and we should not make the same mistake we have made in the past, which is counting her out of the Presidential Race before she takes herself out.
The truth is also that the Republican Presidential Presidential Primary field is so riddled with awful, candidates that in a field like this Sarah Palin may once again prove that truth is stranger than fiction.
Watch out Republican Party, I don't think Sarah Palin is done with you yet nor are you done with her.
Sincerely Yours
Jerry Gallagher
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Newt Gingrich - Another Voice From The Bottom Of The Barrel
Tuesday, May 24th, 2011
My Dear America:
If there was one person that I would not want to see capture the Presidency of the United States it is probably Donald Trump. Certainly a close second in this Nightmare Scenario of Republican Roulette is Newt Gingrich. Gingrich is one of the most incredibly immoral liars and cheaters who has ever lived, never mind lived in the public eye.
How he has the gall to run for Presidency, let alone public office, is beyond me. Newt has been responsible for, if not starting, at least stoking the animosity between Republicans and Democrats to far beyond acceptable levels when he was Speaker of the House during the 90s. Newt was responsible for pushing the process until the Government shut down and strangely enough in a weird way helped to foster the Monica Lewinsky scandal which seriously tarnished the reputation of President Bill Clinton. Gingrich then took the opportunity to push hard for the impeachment of Bill Clinton for lying about cheating on his wife with Lewinsky. At the same time that Newt was leading the charge to root out the moral corruption of "Cheatin Bill," "Cheatin Newt" was doing the same thing, namely cheating on his wife with a staffer, who later on became his wife and eventually got the same deal from Newt that his first wife got, namely Newt cheating on her with a staffer and later marrying that person.
Newt told his first wife that he was divorcing her while she was in the hopspital fighting cancer. His second wife tells the tale of asking Newt how he could justify his lying and other reprehensible behavior and him telling her
"It doesn't matter what I do, It just matters what I say."
Newt now states that he has "done some things that he is not proud of." His explanation of his cheating, lying and other despicable acts is now that his "love for his country" caused him to do what he did.
Amazingly enough, to my mind, at least, Newt, the Sunday before last said on Meet the Press in answer to a question by David Gregory, that he did not support the Paul Ryan Plan to dismantle Medicaire. Gingrich stated that he found the plan an example of "Right Wing Extremism." By this Sunday, however, the outcry by the Republican and Tea Party Extremists had pushed Newt way back over to that same Right Wing Extremism that a week before he found so reprehensible.
Who knows whether Trump or Gingrich is indeed the most dangerous Meglomaniac in America. At the moment Trump has (supposedly) taken himself out of the Presidential race. Will that be the end of it for him. Let's hope so.
Gingrich is still in it, however, so clearly he is presently maintaining his spot at the bottom of the Republican Candidate barrel and I am sure he will be putting his foot in his mouth and trying to lie his way out of it many more times during this campaign.
How could the American Electorate be stupid enough to elect this guy. Well, in America, not once but twice they elected George Bush.
That, to my mind is enough to make me worry about Newt's chances in this election.
Sincerely Yours
Jerry Gallagher
My Dear America:
If there was one person that I would not want to see capture the Presidency of the United States it is probably Donald Trump. Certainly a close second in this Nightmare Scenario of Republican Roulette is Newt Gingrich. Gingrich is one of the most incredibly immoral liars and cheaters who has ever lived, never mind lived in the public eye.
How he has the gall to run for Presidency, let alone public office, is beyond me. Newt has been responsible for, if not starting, at least stoking the animosity between Republicans and Democrats to far beyond acceptable levels when he was Speaker of the House during the 90s. Newt was responsible for pushing the process until the Government shut down and strangely enough in a weird way helped to foster the Monica Lewinsky scandal which seriously tarnished the reputation of President Bill Clinton. Gingrich then took the opportunity to push hard for the impeachment of Bill Clinton for lying about cheating on his wife with Lewinsky. At the same time that Newt was leading the charge to root out the moral corruption of "Cheatin Bill," "Cheatin Newt" was doing the same thing, namely cheating on his wife with a staffer, who later on became his wife and eventually got the same deal from Newt that his first wife got, namely Newt cheating on her with a staffer and later marrying that person.
Newt told his first wife that he was divorcing her while she was in the hopspital fighting cancer. His second wife tells the tale of asking Newt how he could justify his lying and other reprehensible behavior and him telling her
"It doesn't matter what I do, It just matters what I say."
Newt now states that he has "done some things that he is not proud of." His explanation of his cheating, lying and other despicable acts is now that his "love for his country" caused him to do what he did.
Amazingly enough, to my mind, at least, Newt, the Sunday before last said on Meet the Press in answer to a question by David Gregory, that he did not support the Paul Ryan Plan to dismantle Medicaire. Gingrich stated that he found the plan an example of "Right Wing Extremism." By this Sunday, however, the outcry by the Republican and Tea Party Extremists had pushed Newt way back over to that same Right Wing Extremism that a week before he found so reprehensible.
Who knows whether Trump or Gingrich is indeed the most dangerous Meglomaniac in America. At the moment Trump has (supposedly) taken himself out of the Presidential race. Will that be the end of it for him. Let's hope so.
Gingrich is still in it, however, so clearly he is presently maintaining his spot at the bottom of the Republican Candidate barrel and I am sure he will be putting his foot in his mouth and trying to lie his way out of it many more times during this campaign.
How could the American Electorate be stupid enough to elect this guy. Well, in America, not once but twice they elected George Bush.
That, to my mind is enough to make me worry about Newt's chances in this election.
Sincerely Yours
Jerry Gallagher
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Donald Trump - Voice From the Bottom of the Barrel
Tuesday, May 17th, 2011
My Dear America:
Well, at least one impending Crisis of Doom has been averted.
That Crisis was the prospect of Donald Trump being elected President of the United States. I will never understand why this reckless, heartless, arrogant and clueless Egomaniac was ever allowed the airtime and media consideration that he was. Even in his statement yesterday he was allowed the gall of stating that although business is his true love, that if he had entered the race he was sure that he would have won the Republican Nomination and in the end would have also won the White House.
Throughout Trump's short Tease Campaign he spewed venom at President Obama, demanding, among other things that Obama, who had real matters of concern, like trying to get Osama bin laden, show his true birth certificate. Trump even went so far as to claim that Private Investigators Trump had hired found evidence of Great Concern about where the President was born.
To shut the Donald up Obama finally released his long form birth certificate, made a fool out of Trump at the White House Correspondent's Dinner and to top it off, engineered a mission to not only eliminate bin laden but also to haul away valuable intelligence information from bin laden's compound in Pakistan.
Certainly there were plenty of good reason's for Trump not to run. It is doubtful that, even if Obama didn't eliminate Osama, that Trump could have beaten him although the prospect of Trump even being in the race still gives me chills.
I am glad he is out of it, or at least out of it for the present, but like the Loch Ness Monster or Governor Schwartzeneger, I still fear that this opportunistic Egomaniac may still have it in his head that he will at some point say "I'll Be Back."
But for now, though, it appears as though the person who stopped Donald Trump's real or possibly false Political Ambitions was the President of NBC, the network that broadcasts Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice." When asked whether or not Donald Trump could be replaced on "Apprentice" the NBC President indicated that not only could Trump be replaced on "The Apprentice" but that he would be replaced and it would be easy to replace him.
Within hours of that statement by the NBC President, Trump had put out his statement throwing in the towel on his Presidential bid.
I wonder if one thing had any bearing on the other.
Goodbye Mr. Trump. And Good Riddance.
I guess The Donald didn't want to hear the head of NBC say to him "You're fired.
Sincerely Yours
Jerry Gallagher
My Dear America:
Well, at least one impending Crisis of Doom has been averted.
That Crisis was the prospect of Donald Trump being elected President of the United States. I will never understand why this reckless, heartless, arrogant and clueless Egomaniac was ever allowed the airtime and media consideration that he was. Even in his statement yesterday he was allowed the gall of stating that although business is his true love, that if he had entered the race he was sure that he would have won the Republican Nomination and in the end would have also won the White House.
Throughout Trump's short Tease Campaign he spewed venom at President Obama, demanding, among other things that Obama, who had real matters of concern, like trying to get Osama bin laden, show his true birth certificate. Trump even went so far as to claim that Private Investigators Trump had hired found evidence of Great Concern about where the President was born.
To shut the Donald up Obama finally released his long form birth certificate, made a fool out of Trump at the White House Correspondent's Dinner and to top it off, engineered a mission to not only eliminate bin laden but also to haul away valuable intelligence information from bin laden's compound in Pakistan.
Certainly there were plenty of good reason's for Trump not to run. It is doubtful that, even if Obama didn't eliminate Osama, that Trump could have beaten him although the prospect of Trump even being in the race still gives me chills.
I am glad he is out of it, or at least out of it for the present, but like the Loch Ness Monster or Governor Schwartzeneger, I still fear that this opportunistic Egomaniac may still have it in his head that he will at some point say "I'll Be Back."
But for now, though, it appears as though the person who stopped Donald Trump's real or possibly false Political Ambitions was the President of NBC, the network that broadcasts Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice." When asked whether or not Donald Trump could be replaced on "Apprentice" the NBC President indicated that not only could Trump be replaced on "The Apprentice" but that he would be replaced and it would be easy to replace him.
Within hours of that statement by the NBC President, Trump had put out his statement throwing in the towel on his Presidential bid.
I wonder if one thing had any bearing on the other.
Goodbye Mr. Trump. And Good Riddance.
I guess The Donald didn't want to hear the head of NBC say to him "You're fired.
Sincerely Yours
Jerry Gallagher
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Obama - One / Osama - Zero
May 5th, 2011
My Dear America:
Well, here we go again. The Race for the Presidency of the United States has begun once again and events in the beginning of May, 2011 are happening at Breakneck Speed and with Great Significance.
It has only been a few weeks since President Obama officially threw his hat in the ring and announced that he was, indeed, planning to be a run for a second term for President in 2012. One wonders why he would want to be a candidate with the incredible animosity he has received from his critics but I do not question his reasoning for his undertaking the race, I am simply grateful that he is doing it.
The State of the Union at the present time is, in many respects a disaster. Republicans in the House, especially Tea Pary Republicans, continue to try to dismantle the safety net for Poor and Middle Class Citizens that has been in place for many years thanks to primarily Democrats and those ancient beings that used to be known as Moderate and Progressive Republicans.
President Obama on today's date is clearly in the drivers seat heading for the 2012 Election after showing calm, deliberate and sensible leadership in the direction of a commando campaign into Pakistan which not only killed Al Quida Leader, Osama bin ladin but also took possession of bin ladin's computers and other files, which hopefully will lead to the killing or capturing of other Al Quida operatives wherever they may be.
Over last weekend President Obama did not display any signs that he was burdened by the coming operation to eliminate Osama. He sat at the main table on Saturday Night at the White House Correspondents Dinner and, along with Saturday Night Live Head Writer, Seth Meyers, skewered some of the leading Republican Candidates for President, with especially deserved ridicule aimed at Republican Poll Leader, Donald Trump. Trump was there in the audience glaring viciously at Obama and Meyers. It had been wonderful to watch Trump, who had spent a good deal of time on the campaign trail questioning Obama's place of birth earlier last week, put in his place by the President, who released his long form birth certificate and once and for all, at least for all reasonable people, put the matter to rest. Trump, classy guy that he is, did not apologize to the President but instead patted himself on the back for forcing the President to take time out from his genuinely important duties to deal with this Trumped up BS. Trump's next step was to start questioning Obama's intelligence and in so doing calling for Obama to release his college transcripts. Here again, only a stupid fool like DT would be foolish enough to question the intelligence of a man who graduated from Harvard Law School Magna Cum Laude and was the first black Editor of the Harvard Law Review.
Hey, Donald Trump, when are we going to see your college transcripts.
Tonight will be the first Republican Candidates Debate in South Carolina including only a few of the Republican Candidates for President. Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty and Ron Paul will be there along with a guy named Gary "Who".
I guess its never too early for Republicans to market themselves.
Sincerely Yours
Jerry Gallagher
My Dear America:
Well, here we go again. The Race for the Presidency of the United States has begun once again and events in the beginning of May, 2011 are happening at Breakneck Speed and with Great Significance.
It has only been a few weeks since President Obama officially threw his hat in the ring and announced that he was, indeed, planning to be a run for a second term for President in 2012. One wonders why he would want to be a candidate with the incredible animosity he has received from his critics but I do not question his reasoning for his undertaking the race, I am simply grateful that he is doing it.
The State of the Union at the present time is, in many respects a disaster. Republicans in the House, especially Tea Pary Republicans, continue to try to dismantle the safety net for Poor and Middle Class Citizens that has been in place for many years thanks to primarily Democrats and those ancient beings that used to be known as Moderate and Progressive Republicans.
President Obama on today's date is clearly in the drivers seat heading for the 2012 Election after showing calm, deliberate and sensible leadership in the direction of a commando campaign into Pakistan which not only killed Al Quida Leader, Osama bin ladin but also took possession of bin ladin's computers and other files, which hopefully will lead to the killing or capturing of other Al Quida operatives wherever they may be.
Over last weekend President Obama did not display any signs that he was burdened by the coming operation to eliminate Osama. He sat at the main table on Saturday Night at the White House Correspondents Dinner and, along with Saturday Night Live Head Writer, Seth Meyers, skewered some of the leading Republican Candidates for President, with especially deserved ridicule aimed at Republican Poll Leader, Donald Trump. Trump was there in the audience glaring viciously at Obama and Meyers. It had been wonderful to watch Trump, who had spent a good deal of time on the campaign trail questioning Obama's place of birth earlier last week, put in his place by the President, who released his long form birth certificate and once and for all, at least for all reasonable people, put the matter to rest. Trump, classy guy that he is, did not apologize to the President but instead patted himself on the back for forcing the President to take time out from his genuinely important duties to deal with this Trumped up BS. Trump's next step was to start questioning Obama's intelligence and in so doing calling for Obama to release his college transcripts. Here again, only a stupid fool like DT would be foolish enough to question the intelligence of a man who graduated from Harvard Law School Magna Cum Laude and was the first black Editor of the Harvard Law Review.
Hey, Donald Trump, when are we going to see your college transcripts.
Tonight will be the first Republican Candidates Debate in South Carolina including only a few of the Republican Candidates for President. Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty and Ron Paul will be there along with a guy named Gary "Who".
I guess its never too early for Republicans to market themselves.
Sincerely Yours
Jerry Gallagher
Saturday, February 12, 2011
And We Gazed Upon The Chimes Of Freedom Flashin
Saturday, February 12th, 2011
My Dear America:
Legend has it that Bob Dylan wrote his own personal National Anthem, "Chimes of Freedom", after an experience in which Dylan was caught in a Thunderstorm in New York City when he was down by the New York Harbor. Apparently, according to legend, Dylan was so moved by the awesome sight of lightning flashes and sounds of thunder over and around the Statue of Liberty that he was moved to write the song which is a celebration of Freedom in America for not only the Rich but the "Confused, Misused, Refused, Strung out ones and Worse, and for every hung up person in the whole wide Universe, And We Gazed upon the Chimes of Freedom Flashin"
Perhaps Dylan's National Anthem is on it's way to being an International Anthem. It is one day after one of the world's most vicious Dictators has been driven from power by the incredible bravery of his mainly young Countrymen, who, following the lead of Tunisia and several other middle eastern and African countries including Jordan, Yemen and others, shut down their country (Egypt) and refused to budge from their massive demonstations until the Dictator left and turned the country over to the Egyptian Military.
Yesterday was a day of unbelievable celebration in Egypt. Today is a day of cleaning up Tahrir Square (Demonstration Central) and making an attenpt to get back to what will forever, from this day, be thought of as Normal in Egypt. The Egyptians have taken back their country after 30 years of Tyranny.
What happens now is anyone's guess.
Sincerely Yours
Jerry Gallagher
My Dear America:
Legend has it that Bob Dylan wrote his own personal National Anthem, "Chimes of Freedom", after an experience in which Dylan was caught in a Thunderstorm in New York City when he was down by the New York Harbor. Apparently, according to legend, Dylan was so moved by the awesome sight of lightning flashes and sounds of thunder over and around the Statue of Liberty that he was moved to write the song which is a celebration of Freedom in America for not only the Rich but the "Confused, Misused, Refused, Strung out ones and Worse, and for every hung up person in the whole wide Universe, And We Gazed upon the Chimes of Freedom Flashin"
Perhaps Dylan's National Anthem is on it's way to being an International Anthem. It is one day after one of the world's most vicious Dictators has been driven from power by the incredible bravery of his mainly young Countrymen, who, following the lead of Tunisia and several other middle eastern and African countries including Jordan, Yemen and others, shut down their country (Egypt) and refused to budge from their massive demonstations until the Dictator left and turned the country over to the Egyptian Military.
Yesterday was a day of unbelievable celebration in Egypt. Today is a day of cleaning up Tahrir Square (Demonstration Central) and making an attenpt to get back to what will forever, from this day, be thought of as Normal in Egypt. The Egyptians have taken back their country after 30 years of Tyranny.
What happens now is anyone's guess.
Sincerely Yours
Jerry Gallagher
Saturday, November 6, 2010
You Say You Want a Revolution - We All Want To See The Plan
November 6th, 2010
My Dear America:
"It's All Over Now" is a Rolling Stones Song that seems to be appropriate to sing or listen to at this very low point, just a few days past the Republican Tsunami that washed over our Country this past Tuesday.
The Truth is, however, that although Democrats feel terrible right now perhaps this is the wake up call that we all needed to recognize that during the last two years while we have been complacent and uninvolved in the goings on in Washington, those Wackos and Wierdo's who inhabit Fox News and every State in the Union were busy as hell promoting their agenda, which was to kill the Obama and Democratic Agenda.
In Washington, the Congress under the leadership of John Boner and Mitch McConnell certainly did their part to kill every positive measure that the Democrats and, in particular, Barack Obama, came up with and looking back on things one would have to say they accomplished their tasks quite effectively.
In fact, Congress between 2008 and 2010 became an Inert, Do Nothing Body which one would have thought would have been punished in this past election
by throwing the Republicans, who were responsible for the inaction out on their collective rear ends.
One would have thought wrong.
Instead of the American Public recognizing the insanity of the Republican effort to claw their way back to the Bush or Reagan Eras where the Corporation was King and the little guy or the unemployed girl were fed table scraps from the Wealthy Corporate Banquet Table, The American Public rewarded Republicans.
If there is anyone out there who understands how or why Regular Decent Americans could be turned into Voters who Vote Republican in this two year period in which Republicans did not do anything for them other than try to smother every good idea which the Democrats Came up with, I would love to hear or see the explanation.
It is beyond me to understand what Americans were thinking when they voted for a party that had no use for them. Why in the Hell did they vote against their own interest.
On this day, one day after MSNBC Countdown host, Keith Olbermann, was taken off the air by NBC for violating NBC's policy by donating to Democratic Candidates, we must take a long, hard look at Fox News. Fox "Fair and balanced" News is nothing close to Fair and Balanced.
It is, and has been for some time, a propoganda tool for the Republican Party with not one of its Anchors or Analysts, with the possible exception of Juan Williams and occasionally Geraldo Rivera, fair and balanced. Fox lies and subverts the truth every day it broadcasts and still presents itself as a legitimate News Network.
Freedom of the Press certainly does have it's drawbacks. But what can we do about Fox. About the only thing we could do up to now is watch some other network with Anchor's willing to tell the truth and straighten out many of Fox's lies and half truths. Keith Olbermann, along with Rachel Maddow was one of those people willing to stand up to Fox. Now he is suspended indefinitely. Could Keith's Friend and MSNBC host, Rachel Maddow, be next to go. I hope not but new Corporate people are now running NBC and Keith Olbermann's "suspension" is not a good sign to me.
While Tuesday's bloodbath was a terrible blow to Democrats I think we have to give credit where credit is due. During the past two years, despite his sometimes maddening attempts to work positively with Republicans, Barack Obama tried his best to make good on his promises to you, America.
One of the strangest things to me looking back over the past two years was the incredibly transparent Republican obstruction of efforts to pass Health Care Legislation. In the end, at Republican insistence, there was no "Public Option" and the plan was so watered down that it was still a bonanza for Health Care Corporations but it still wasn't weak enough for Republicans not to run against it this past year and demonize it along with Speaker of The House, Nancy Pelosi.
Speaking of Nancy Pelosi, what about the influence of the Republican controlled Supreme Court's "Citizen's United" decision which opened the financial flood gates to unlimited money to be poured into Republican Campaign Coffers this year to pay for the seemingly unending negative ads that promoted lies, half truths and trash talk about Democrats all over the country. Yes the American People should have been able to see through this mountain of obvious garbage but they didn't, not this time.
So we have Nancy Pelosi, a truly outstanding American Woman and a truly outstanding Speaker of the House, villified throughout the 2010 Campaign along with those other Democratic Outlaws, Barack Obama, Joe Biden and to a lesser extent, Bill Clinton, throughout the race.
I must say I am proud of Barack Obama, Joe Biden and especially Bill Clinton for doing all they did to promote Democrats and try their best to be a Truth Squad as they worked to help Democratic Candidates throughout the County.
I salute them and I especially Salute Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer and other Democratic House leaders who I feel did their jobs as well as could be expected during the Republican Right Wing Obstruction in Congress for two years.
I also applaud Barack Obama and Joe Biden for doing their jobs well and putting the needs of the Country First.
Do we want a Revolution.
Yes, We need one.
But not one in which we are using guns to get our way.
I believe that somewhere out there are the same people who voted Democrats in in 2008. We need to find them, connect with them and begin our Revolution today to take back our Country in 2012.
It is certainly going to be an unbearable couple of years but as they always do they will pass very quickly. I don't think that President Obama will roll over and play dead. He will continue to show us that he cares and that he wants us to progress.
He can help us and I think he will help us take back the House, Keep the Senate and Keep the White House in 2012. But we must begin now. We can certainly lick our collective wounds but after we do that we need to reorganize and like the Tea Party, get back to Move On and other Democratic leaning organization's like the Democratic Party in every State, County, Town and District in the Country. Lets start working on getting good candidates like we had in Pennsylvania in Joe Sestak who came within two percentage points of beating Pat Toomey for Senate.
We can, should and I think will learn a difficult lesson from this Election and that is work hard and take nothing for granted. Get involved in Democratic Party Politics wherever you are. Run for Office. Recruit others to run for office.
Get involved.
Lets not ever have a bloodbath like this happen again to Democrats in our country.
Sincerely Yours
Jerry Gallagher
My Dear America:
"It's All Over Now" is a Rolling Stones Song that seems to be appropriate to sing or listen to at this very low point, just a few days past the Republican Tsunami that washed over our Country this past Tuesday.
The Truth is, however, that although Democrats feel terrible right now perhaps this is the wake up call that we all needed to recognize that during the last two years while we have been complacent and uninvolved in the goings on in Washington, those Wackos and Wierdo's who inhabit Fox News and every State in the Union were busy as hell promoting their agenda, which was to kill the Obama and Democratic Agenda.
In Washington, the Congress under the leadership of John Boner and Mitch McConnell certainly did their part to kill every positive measure that the Democrats and, in particular, Barack Obama, came up with and looking back on things one would have to say they accomplished their tasks quite effectively.
In fact, Congress between 2008 and 2010 became an Inert, Do Nothing Body which one would have thought would have been punished in this past election
by throwing the Republicans, who were responsible for the inaction out on their collective rear ends.
One would have thought wrong.
Instead of the American Public recognizing the insanity of the Republican effort to claw their way back to the Bush or Reagan Eras where the Corporation was King and the little guy or the unemployed girl were fed table scraps from the Wealthy Corporate Banquet Table, The American Public rewarded Republicans.
If there is anyone out there who understands how or why Regular Decent Americans could be turned into Voters who Vote Republican in this two year period in which Republicans did not do anything for them other than try to smother every good idea which the Democrats Came up with, I would love to hear or see the explanation.
It is beyond me to understand what Americans were thinking when they voted for a party that had no use for them. Why in the Hell did they vote against their own interest.
On this day, one day after MSNBC Countdown host, Keith Olbermann, was taken off the air by NBC for violating NBC's policy by donating to Democratic Candidates, we must take a long, hard look at Fox News. Fox "Fair and balanced" News is nothing close to Fair and Balanced.
It is, and has been for some time, a propoganda tool for the Republican Party with not one of its Anchors or Analysts, with the possible exception of Juan Williams and occasionally Geraldo Rivera, fair and balanced. Fox lies and subverts the truth every day it broadcasts and still presents itself as a legitimate News Network.
Freedom of the Press certainly does have it's drawbacks. But what can we do about Fox. About the only thing we could do up to now is watch some other network with Anchor's willing to tell the truth and straighten out many of Fox's lies and half truths. Keith Olbermann, along with Rachel Maddow was one of those people willing to stand up to Fox. Now he is suspended indefinitely. Could Keith's Friend and MSNBC host, Rachel Maddow, be next to go. I hope not but new Corporate people are now running NBC and Keith Olbermann's "suspension" is not a good sign to me.
While Tuesday's bloodbath was a terrible blow to Democrats I think we have to give credit where credit is due. During the past two years, despite his sometimes maddening attempts to work positively with Republicans, Barack Obama tried his best to make good on his promises to you, America.
One of the strangest things to me looking back over the past two years was the incredibly transparent Republican obstruction of efforts to pass Health Care Legislation. In the end, at Republican insistence, there was no "Public Option" and the plan was so watered down that it was still a bonanza for Health Care Corporations but it still wasn't weak enough for Republicans not to run against it this past year and demonize it along with Speaker of The House, Nancy Pelosi.
Speaking of Nancy Pelosi, what about the influence of the Republican controlled Supreme Court's "Citizen's United" decision which opened the financial flood gates to unlimited money to be poured into Republican Campaign Coffers this year to pay for the seemingly unending negative ads that promoted lies, half truths and trash talk about Democrats all over the country. Yes the American People should have been able to see through this mountain of obvious garbage but they didn't, not this time.
So we have Nancy Pelosi, a truly outstanding American Woman and a truly outstanding Speaker of the House, villified throughout the 2010 Campaign along with those other Democratic Outlaws, Barack Obama, Joe Biden and to a lesser extent, Bill Clinton, throughout the race.
I must say I am proud of Barack Obama, Joe Biden and especially Bill Clinton for doing all they did to promote Democrats and try their best to be a Truth Squad as they worked to help Democratic Candidates throughout the County.
I salute them and I especially Salute Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer and other Democratic House leaders who I feel did their jobs as well as could be expected during the Republican Right Wing Obstruction in Congress for two years.
I also applaud Barack Obama and Joe Biden for doing their jobs well and putting the needs of the Country First.
Do we want a Revolution.
Yes, We need one.
But not one in which we are using guns to get our way.
I believe that somewhere out there are the same people who voted Democrats in in 2008. We need to find them, connect with them and begin our Revolution today to take back our Country in 2012.
It is certainly going to be an unbearable couple of years but as they always do they will pass very quickly. I don't think that President Obama will roll over and play dead. He will continue to show us that he cares and that he wants us to progress.
He can help us and I think he will help us take back the House, Keep the Senate and Keep the White House in 2012. But we must begin now. We can certainly lick our collective wounds but after we do that we need to reorganize and like the Tea Party, get back to Move On and other Democratic leaning organization's like the Democratic Party in every State, County, Town and District in the Country. Lets start working on getting good candidates like we had in Pennsylvania in Joe Sestak who came within two percentage points of beating Pat Toomey for Senate.
We can, should and I think will learn a difficult lesson from this Election and that is work hard and take nothing for granted. Get involved in Democratic Party Politics wherever you are. Run for Office. Recruit others to run for office.
Get involved.
Lets not ever have a bloodbath like this happen again to Democrats in our country.
Sincerely Yours
Jerry Gallagher
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)