Sandra Fluke VS. Jenna Jameson (Sorry, no mud wrestling here...)

Sandra Fluke was accused by right wing radio shock-jock Rush Limbaugh of being (among other things) a "slut" and a "whore" because she spoke to Congress in favor of healthcare laws that would permit coverage of contraceptives.

Jenna Jameson is widely known as the "Queen of Porn"... She has starred in such films as "Cum One, Cum All", "Convention Cuties", "I Love Lesbians", "Wicked", "Jenna Loves Pain", "Exposure" and "Dirt Merchant".

Here's what they have to say about the upcoming Presidential election:

Sandra Fluke: "I'll be standing with President Obama in Colorado because I believe we must defend [basic healthcare] rights for all women.When Obamacare takes full effect, we'll never again be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition like being a survivor of domestic violence or breast cancer, or having had a Caesarean section. Nor will we ever again be charged more than men for the same insurance just because we're women."

Jenna Jameson: "I’m very looking forward to a Republican being back in office... When you're wealthy, you want a Republican in office."

Nothing ironic about THIS situation, eh?

Long time until November...

Has Obama Changed Washington (or has it changed him)?

I am writing this note to my friends (and their friends) today because I want you to think about the long arduous battle we have ahead of us in 2012. Thanks to the conservatives on the Supreme Court, there will be an influx of campaign cash in our politics like we've never seen before. In a ruling called "Citizens United V. The Federal Elections Commission", Supreme Court Justices like Scalia, Roberts and Thomas basically opened up Pandora's Box for corruption and propaganda at its worst.

Moderate and Independant voters will be faced with the age old question, "Republican or Democrat?" and conventional wisdom tells us that they are inclined to lean toward Republicans. To make matters more ominous for Democrats, state level politics experienced an influx of hard-right Republicans in the 2010 elections and this includes Governors and State Houses that will be re-rigging the voting laws, the way the districts are drawn and even the processes by which votes are counted in key states.

What Democrats need right now is a strategy and a clear message... We need to be on the offense and the defense simultaneously. Mostly, we have to bring something to the table. Voters are no longer interested in Kennedy's sentiment that they should "ask what they can do for their country". They now sing a tune more akin to the Janet Jackson song, "What have you done for me lately?"

We must attempt to answer this question for voters because it just happens to be the Achilles Heel for conservatives and Republicans... The truth is, what little the Democrats have been able to accomplish has aired on the side of the working middle class... the side of the voters. Republicans cannot truthfully claim anything of the sort. Here are a few examples that are actually quite impressive:

• 1) Barack Obama is the first American President to issue a "Taxpayer's Reciept".


• 2) The United States under leadership of Obama captured and killed the terrorist responsible for collapsing the World Trade Center.


• 3) Democrats alone trailblazed a path for making healthcare a fundamental aspect of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.


• 4) Thanks to President Obama and the Democratic Party, Gays & Lesbians can openly serve in the armed forces while knowing that they are protecting true freedom without exceptions made for personal prejudices.


• 5) Thanks to President Obama and the Democratic Party, the mother of a hate crime victim will have her anguish validated by the law when she buries her son or daughter. The Government will not tell her that it's her fault.


• 6) President Obama has given options to Native American Women who are the victims of rape and violent attacks on their reservations so that they may access law enforcement and see justice for the first time.


• 7) It is Democrats, NOT Republicans, who continue to insist that the Government protect consumers from predatory banks, lenders and credit card companies.


• 8) Both civilian casualties and armed services casualties in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan are (from what I can tell) about 30% of what they were yearly under the leadership of George W. Bush. The ongoing occupations seem to be slowly turning into the "peace-keeping" missions that Republicans promised but could never manage to deliver.


• 9) Women who do the same work as men at their jobs must now be paid equally according to the law for the first time in America's History and once again... that was Democratic legislation.


• 10) For the first time since the crisis began, our Federal Government has a strategy to treat HIV/AIDS in the United States and to prevent new infections from increasing in frequency.

Tomorrow - World AIDS Day

Click On Graphic To Make Larger - See Next Post To Read About Florida's Cuts To ADAP

The Bizarre Self-Abusing Psyche of Michael Steele

The Mainstream Media was all a flux with the latest diversion from the Proposition 8 trial at the beginning of this week: Another non-scandal dreamt up by Karl Rove - The Harry Reid talking point.
The GOP had hoped that it would turn into something big enough that they could call "Negro-gate".

Alas, as usual with the Republican Party, it blew up in their faces when Michael Steele was interviewed by Face To Face with John Ralston. Steele did his best to perpetuate the latest accusation against the Democratic Party but what resulted was a stunning revelation that Steele himself is an anti-black racist who just happens to be black. Furthermore, he seems to hold a significant amount of jealousy against the President for a perceived ability to "pass" as white.

Many liberals have regarded Steele's entire chairmanship to be a desperate attempt by the Republican Party to prove a lack of racism within their ranks. Although history and commentary illustrates otherwise, Steele's participation in the GOP must still at least represent some modicum of acceptance, right?

Let's go straight to the interview:

Ralston: "You didn't think Trent Lott should step down for his remarks? You think he used a poor choice of words? But you think Harry Reid should step down?"

Steele: "Yes. When THEY [The Democrats] get caught, it's a quick apology, everyone pats eachother on the back, they roll out a few African Americans to defend them,and everything's good. But if a Republican says something like Trent Lott, he's gotta be drummed out of office [...]
I know Trent Lott, I don't know Harry Reid.
I don't think anybody in leadership in 2010 should refer to an African American as "light-skinned" and with a "negro" dialect that they can turn off and on."

Ralston: But isn't what Lott said [in 2002] that essentially if Strom Thurmond, who ran on a segregationist agenda, had been elected President that this country would be better off?

Steele: "I don't know what would have happened in 1948 but [Lott and Senate Republicans] were at a Birthday Party and the leader of the Senate was only saying nice things about the honoree [Strom Thurmond]. And all they do in Washington is pat eachother on the back and give eachother nice platitudes. [Lott] just got caught between his happy talk and the reality. So, I think [Democrats] are absolutely being hypocritical because this isn't 1948 or 2005. This is a different mindset and a different time. You have an African American running for President and all you can say about him is that he's light-skinned... You know, in the context that he could pass. You know... that's what [Reid] is really saying, he could pass..."

Now, as any gay person can tell you, there is always a small segment of any minority who tries to "play it straight" and identify themselves with the majority while ignoring their own minority status. In the gay world, we call this "being in the closet". In the black world, it's called "being an Uncle Tom". What Steele is doing here falls so far beyond the pale (excuse my pun) that he actually becomes racist against his own race.

Let's review:

Steele: The Democrats "roll out a few African Americans" to defend themselves.
(So he thinks that blacks cannot decide for themselves what to say or whom to defend.)

Steele: But when someone "says something like Trent Lott", they have to be drummed out of office. (So he thinks Segregation is defensible and that Trent Lott's comment was just fine.)

Steele: "This isn't 1948 or 2005" - it's a "different time".
(So 1948 and 2005 are in the same era as far as Steele is concerned, time moves much slower for him. And the age of a black President represents a drastically different era in his world.)

Steele: "I don't think anybody should say that he's light-skinned", "All you can say about him is that he's Light-Skinned."
(So the operative phrase that bothers Steele so much here is not the word "Negro" but rather "light-skinned". Evidently, Steele doesn't remember that our President is half white and chooses to focus only on the tone of his skin. It really bothers him. He's jealous.)

Steele: "You know... He could pass."
(This is the final analysis. Barack Obama (in Steele's view) could pass as white. According to Steele's messed up mindset, it's all about fitting in with white people. Steele believes that Obama has an edge in this strange competition that he's imagined. He feels robbed. After all, if you are willing to (as a black man) chair the Republican Party and defend segregation, that must count for something, right?)

And The Band Played On...

I’ve been looking for a cultural-anthropological expression for a while.

During that time I’ve watched Jarrett be politically active and read what he writes about.
Jarrett and I have known each other awhile- sorta well, mutual friends, that sorta thing. I’m older and used to be politically involved. While I’ve grown cynical, hope isn’t dead entirely, yet. When I suggested writing on his blog he was amenable. We may not always agree and we may play off each other. So here I am.

I chose to write under the pseudonym “Titanic Observer “as I may want to say more outrageous things than I normally would; I do have a job and clients, and a family. So far, no criminal record, though.

Then I chose the name because- we’ve hit the iceberg, folks. That’s done. Damage control is being exercised all around us, frantically, but it’s all rearranging the deck chairs. So that will allow me to point out elements of décor and style, as we observe this comedy of manners. I’m observing it, of course, from the 1st Class deck. Most of those people will be ok- that’s generally the way it goes.
There are several decks below; 2nd Class, Third, Steerage (you’ve all seen the movie).

There are only so many life boats aboard, and of course, they’re mainly on the 1/st class level:

Lobbyists earn healthy fees from bill
DAILY Business Review, Dec 31, 2009
By: Carrie Levine

"President Obama may have shunned lobbyists, but he gave them a big gift with his health-care plan.

From the moment he proposed overhauling the health-care system in February, the industry turned to K Street to help shape the plan.

It has been, without a doubt, the biggest lobbying campaign of 2009. Health care has translated into nearly $400 million spent on lobbying through September of this year, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Among the biggest winners: the Podesta Group reported $5.8 million in fees from clients lobbying on health issues in the first three quarters of 2009; Patton Boggs reported $6.9 million; Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck reported $1.32 million; and Holland & Knight reported $2.76 million.”

There are 435 members of Congress and 100 members in the Senate- that’s 535 members of Congress. Divide that into $400 million and it comes out to $747,663.55 per member, more or less. So who do you suppose is gonna benefit from Health Care “overhaul”? Let me point out the really expensive shoes moving about the slightly shaky deck @ the top of the ship; the dresses, the suits, costing thousands. It’s cool so we see some sable, fox-fur’s back in style- and some huge stones on the men and women. Absolutely fabulous! I leave this tableau as stewards arrange some chairs for their charges to wait for the life boats to be loosened (their families are, alas, in 2nd Class).