Musical Sanity Break- Under Pressure

This Musical Sanity Break- UNDER PRESSURE, by David Bowie and Queen- is dedicated to the upcoming debate between Barack Obama, the 44th and current President of the United States and Mitt Romney, Republican candidate and former governor of Massachusetts.

Romney, whose campaign has largely become a series of missteps, is banking his hopes for winning the election on his performance at the debates. It is quite a gamble when you look at all of his gaffes and the possibility that he could fail under the stress is, indeed, high. On the other hand, Obama has repeatedly shown that he is able to maintain his poise when challenged. So it should be interesting.

This 1981 song is one of my favorites, by the way. For a popular song, the lyrics are pretty impressive. 

Why can't we give ourselves just one more chance?

Why can't we give love just one more chance?

'Cause love's such an old fashioned word

And love dares you to care for

The people on the edge of the night

And loves dares you to change our way of

Caring about ourselves

This is our last dance

This is our last dance

This is ourselves... 

under pressure.

Unions and Citizens United: What Romney Doesn't Want You to Know

by Nomad

I

n a desperate attempt to find some issue that he can talk about- apart from foreign policy, Medicare,  gay marriage, social security, health care, tax reform or any of the other subjects he considers "political landmines"-  candidate Mitt Romney has selected an easy punching bag- teacher unions. 

Last week, Romney recently made clear his contempt for both teachers and for free speech at a roundtable discussion. He began to lecture the attendees with his opinions on teachers unions and the voucher system. When one member of the group offered her opinions on the subject, he silenced her with the imperious statement “‘I didn’t ask you a question." 
This was a monologue, not a dialogue. This conversation went one way only.

Yesterday while attempting to take another shot at teachers unions he, sadly, revealed his complete ignorance (or his hypocrisy) on one of the most important and damaging court decisions of our times.

(CBS News) Republican nominee Mitt Romney said Tuesday that Democratic politicians have a conflict of interest in dealing with teacher unions because the unions contribute so heavily to their campaigns. He suggested that money should somehow be diverted or cut off, although he did not offer details.

The bigger problem, Romney said, is that "the person sitting across the table from them should not have received the largest campaign contribution from the teachers union themselves ... [It's] an extraordinary conflict of interest and something that should be addressed."

He later added that "we simply can't have" elected officials who have received large contributions from teachers sitting across from them at the bargaining table "supposedly" to represent the interests of children. "I think it's a mistake," Romney said. "I think we have to get the money out of the teachers unions going into campaigns. It's the wrong way for us to go. We've got to separate that."

There’s a very good reason why Romney should feel embarrassed to have such a remark. He appears uneducated to the full scope of the 2010 Citizens United decision. 

The Bain-Fisher Effect: When Romney Visited Marshalltown, Iowa

by Nomad

I

n the clip below from a recent interview for a local Iowa radio station, we hear Romney doing what Romney likes best- talking about Romney and his love for the common people. He talks about his familiarity with the area, throwing in a lot of famous local landmarks to improve an illusion of sincerity and personal connection. 

More interestingly, he explains to the DJ how he himself once worked in Marshalltown, Iowa as a consultant. He mentions that he worked with a company called Fisher Controls.

http://bit.ly/PHMmfj

So I decided to take a moment to look into the history of Fisher Controls. 

Aesop and The Republican Party's Problem

by Nomad

Throughout the ages, the humble slave, Aesop was famous for his simple stories that revealed a hidden truth about human nature. I found this fable about trying to please others.

The Man and His Two Wives

In the old days, when men were allowed to have many wives, a middle-aged man had one wife that was old and one that was young; each loved him very much, and desired to see him like herself. 

Now the man's hair was turning grey, which the young wife did not like, as it made him look too old for her husband. So every night she used to comb his hair and pick out the white ones. 

But the elder wife saw her husband growing grey with great pleasure, for she did not like to be mistaken for his mother. So every morning she used to arrange his hair and pick out as many of the black ones as she could. The consequence was the man soon found himself entirely bald.

As I was reading, it struck me how much it seemed to apply to the dilemma that Republican party faces. 

Musical Sanity Break- Two by CCR

Don't Look Now

Who will take the coal from the mine?

Who will take the salt from the earth?

Who'll take a leaf and grow it to a tree?

Don't Look Now, it ain't you or me.

Who will work the field with his hands?

Who will put his back to the plough?

Who'll take the mountain and give it to the sea?

Don't Look Now, it ain't you or me.

Someday Never Comes

First thing I remember was asking papa, why,

For there were many things I didn't know.

And daddy always smiled and took me by the hand,

Saying, someday you'll understand.