Monday, January 21, 2013
Martin Luther King Day
[1738 - Ethan Allen, Revolutionary War General, leader of Green Mountain Boys, born in Litchfield, Connecticut]
[1824 - Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, Confederate General, born in Clarksburg, Virginia (now West Virginia)]
[1897 - J.(Joseph) Carrol Naish, actor, born
in New York City]
[1922 - (David) Paul Scofield, Academy and Tony award-winning actor, born in Hurstpierpoint, Sussex, UK]
[1922 - Telly (Aristotelis) Savalas, Emmy Award-winning actor, born in Garden City,
New York]
[1924 - Benny (Alfred Hawthorne) Hill, comedian, born in Southampton, England]
[1925 - George 'Moose' Connor, College and Pro Football Hall of Fame tackle, linebacker, born in Chicago]
[1926 - Steve (Stephen L.) Reeves, bodybuilder, actor, born in Glasgow, Montana]
[1939 - Wolfman Jack (Robert Weston Smith), disc jockey, born in Brooklyn]
[1976 - Concorde SST aircraft begins regular commercial service]
The widespread dissatisfaction with government incompetence that swept Barack Obama into the presidency in 2008 was not quieted by his first term baby steps, even those in the right direction. Many of his supporters remain impatient with a leader whose natural style seems to be coalition building when what we hoped for was some serious ass-kicking of the paid-for politicians and Wall Street Banksters who ran the nation's economy into the ditch. Indeed, coalition building requires willing partners, and Washington remains populated with zealous ideologues so that the initial Obama approach did not work.
So, one might have expected the GOP to field a center-right 2012 candidate who could give the sitting president a serious run for the nation's highest office. That did not happen. A field of GOP hopefuls emerged consisting of right wing comservatives whose only ideas about solving our economic woes were the thoroughly discredited policies of deregulation, and reliance on run amok free market capitalism that Bush and Company followed to bring on the 2008 financial meltdown. None of those policies address the income inequality that has savaged the middle class and shattered the American dream for millions of citizens who have lost their homes, lost their jobs, and can't send their kids to college. The idea that the one-per center, Romney, who clearly didn't understand or give a damn about the 99%, and holds almost half the country in contempt as freeloaders, could take on the rich and powerful elite, (who have largely bought and paid for all three branches of government), was ludicrous.
It is high time, Mr. President, for you to provide the principled leadership of a Teddy Roosevelt, (himself a product of the privileged class of another century), and break the stranglehold that current elites have gained on our Nation. I fear that if you fail in this challenge, the more violent elements of our society may seize on the continuing disillusionment among the public to turn things in an ugly direction. We know that they don't really like Blacks, Mexicans, illegal immigrants, legal immigrants, gays, Muslims, non-Christians, and women who will not stay home and breed. They are well-armed with lots of semi-automatic assault rifles and the clips to go with them, and they own more than half the nation's wealth.
William's Whimsical Words:
Time is running out, Sir.
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