John DeProspo

Syrian Refugee Crisis…What Would The Ancient Rabbi Do?

November 17, 2015 By John DeProspo 4 Comments

There are a number of things in this world I don’t understand. One of the most perplexing conundrums for me is how American Christianity has become so divorced from the teachings of the wise rabbi they venerate as their god.

Anyone with even the slightest familiarity with the teachings of Jesus Christ knows that his message is one of kindness, love and empathy for one’s neighbor. As the Bible teaches us:

Matthew 25:35-40 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

Republicans are seeking to play on the fears of their mostly Evangelical base by proposing the United States reject the plight of Syrian refugees and bar them from our shores. It doesn’t matter that the U.S., as opposed to other countries, is taking in a relative small number of the millions of refugees (10,000).

It doesn’t matter that a refugee entering the U.S. undergoes a security clearance check that could take several rounds, an in-person interview, approval by the Department of Homeland Security, medical screening, a match with a sponsor agency, “cultural orientation” classes, and one final security clearance. This all happens before a refugee ever steps on American soil.

The masters of the wedge issues are at it again. The message is simple: Syrian refugees are terrorists. They are coming here to kill us.

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz is planning to propose legislation that would bar Syrian Muslim refugees from entering the country. Christian refuges would be allowed to enter the United States, however. Perhaps there is a Christian data bank I am not aware of?

What Republican presidential nominees and GOP governors are doing to block Syrian refugees from entering our country is beyond shameless. That their message resonates with their religious base is shameful. It only amplifies how American Christian fundamentalists have perverted the message of their purported savior.

Photo | statisticbrain.com

The Greatest Threat To American Democracy?

November 16, 2015 By John DeProspo Leave a Comment

American democracy is under siege. A confluence of factors has created a “perfect storm” that seriously challenges our form of government as never before.

So what is the greatest threat to our system of government? Is it income inequality, social injustice, voter suppression, religious fundamentalism, terrorist threats, gun violence or could it be Citizens United?

No. While the above forces are all tugging at the fabric of our democracy, the greatest threat is something more basic: cynicism.

I’m talking about the kind of cynicism that leads many Americans to believe participating in our representative form of government is meaningless. It’s the often heard, “What does my vote matter anyway; all politicians are corrupt.” The sad fact is that many otherwise intelligent individuals are simply turning off and tuning out.

Conservatives from the time of Reagan have hammered the message that government is bad; that government is the problem, not the solution. Through their obstructionism, which has prevented government from performing its role in promoting the public good, conservatives have turned Reagan’s mantra into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Our government is bad. It does not work.

It is actually understandable why many Americans feel hopeless given our current political climate. But voting and being engaged in the governance of our country are the bedrocks of a participatory democracy. When people stop caring, they quit paying attention. Not paying attention is the moral equivalent of turning your back on America, on democracy.

Conservatives are shrewd. They’ve had a game plan for years and are executing it to a tee. By getting voters to be disgusted with their government and to believe all politicians are the same, they get the result they want: control of our nation by their rich and powerful overlords.

Wake up people. Enough with the cynicism and pessimism. Become an informed citizen … and vote!

Photo |theharlemvalleynews.net

Democratic Debate … Second Verse, Same As The First

November 15, 2015 By John DeProspo 4 Comments

As with the first Democratic presidential debate hosted by CNN, the second debate sponsored by CBS did not produce a clear winner. Hillary supporters will claim she won the debate; Sanders supporters will say he was the winner and O’Malley supporters, all seven, will give him the nod.

Unlike the case with the Republican presidential candidates, there are very few policy differences among the Democrats. It is more about the details of those policies, whether it’s on healthcare, Wall Street, campaign finance or a fairer tax system.

The dynamics of the Democratic race have not changed. Barring an act of god, a Bill Clinton sex scandal or damaging revelations about the Clinton Foundation (Clinton Foundation … The Real Hillary Scandal), Hillary Clinton will become the Democratic presidential nominee.

Unfortunately for Democrats, there is some significant resistance against a Clinton nomination among progressives within the Party. Some have said flat out they would only vote for Sanders in the general election. It is hard to believe, but some progressives have a hatred for anything Hillary that almost rivals that of some Republican conservatives.

This could be problematic if progressives stay home on Election Day and do not support their party’s nominee.

All Democrats need to take a deep breath. The presidential election is just about one year from now. Passions will surely cool among progressives given the possibility of a President Trump or Carson or Cruz or Rubio or Bush or…!

Photo | AP

Paris Massacre, Obama’s Fault … As Usual

November 14, 2015 By John DeProspo 5 Comments

It didn’t take long. While paramedics were still attending to the dead and injured in the Paris massacre, the word was out: it’s all Obama’s fault.

The radical right, in essence, blamed President Obama for failing to thwart the Paris terrorist attacks. In fact, some commenters on the blogosphere suggested our Muslim, terrorist- loving president was glad to see the carnage take place! The usual suspects labeled our Commander-in-Chief weak and detached. A modern day Neville Chamberlain, if you will. As one writer observed, “We should have nuked Syria when Assad crossed over Obama’s red line.”

In an ironic juxtaposition, many blog sites today carried the story of ex-CIA George Tenet and Cofer Black’s blistering critique of the Bush administration’s failure to heed warnings, in the spring of 2001, of an impending Al Qaeda attack within the U.S.

In a bombshell interview with Politico, the former CIA director during President George W. Bush’s administration claimed his department informed White House officials over imminent Al Qaeda attacks months before the president received the infamous “Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.” presidential briefing.

But the Bush-Cheney team didn’t seem to care much about the intelligence the CIA chief was making known them.

“To me it remains incomprehensible still,” said Black, the CIA’s chief of counterterrorism. “I mean, how is it that you could warn senior people so many times and nothing actually happened? It’s kind of like The Twilight Zone.”

What many Obama-blamers do not comprehend is that the world is the mess that it is due directly to the actions (inaction) of the Bush administration. They do not see the link between Bush’s destabilization of the Middle East with a war of choice against Iraq and the hell that is the Middle East today. They do not understand that in reality, Bush, not Obama, is responsible for the terrorist attacks in Paris.

Whether Bush and his gang of neocons willfully ignored the pre-9/11 warnings or were grossly negligent in responding to those warnings needs to be determined once and for all. Whether Bush & Company fabricated the WMD story as a pretext for war, we as Americans deserve to know. And if war crimes were committed, those responsible need to held to account so that justice can prevail.

A Cheney behind bars and a Bush committed to a mental institution would send a powerful message to the world about American values.

Photo | northcountrypublicradio.com

Open Letter To The People Of France

November 14, 2015 By John DeProspo 4 Comments

We Americans are shocked and saddened to learn of the massacre that has taken place within your country. We mourn for the dead and those injured in this most senseless, cowardly act by a bunch of Islamic radicals. Hopefully you will go through your period of grief and find the strength and resolve to go forward. Hopefully your political leaders will take the measured steps necessary to respond to this attack and not make the horrible mistakes made by our leaders after 9/11.

Please understand that there is a minority fringe in this country that will use your tragedy to further their political agenda. They will exploit your misfortune for their gain. Some will be elected officials, including current Republican presidential candidates.

These heartless, embarrassing excuses for human brings do not represent the vast majority of Americans. As a nation we stand with you, one of our country’s greatest allies. We are fortunate to have a president who will undoubtedly do all he can for your country during this dark moment.

Please accept that when a politician, such as Newt Gingrich, blames your citizens for this massacre partly because your people do not carry concealed weapons, you are hearing the logic of an idiot.

Please realize that when a Republican presidential candidate, Ted Cruz, calls for the indiscriminate use of air strikes “against the enemy,” he is catering to a frightened American populace for political advantage. Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter to many conservatives in this great country that Sen. Cruz does not specify where these airstrikes should take place or what they should be targeting.

Above all, we pray that your citizens do not fall prey to your own political extremists and opportunists who will seek to exploit your loss and divide your country for their own political advancement.

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Clinton Foundation … The Real Hillary Scandal?

November 13, 2015 By John DeProspo Leave a Comment

Hillary Clinton supporters were beyond giddy after her epic smackdown of Rep. Trey Gowdy and his band of Republican henchmen during the House Benghazi hearing last month. She was universally declared the winner of the eleven-hour inquisition.

After her stellar performance, Clinton saw her poll numbers rise and political pundits started questioning Bernie Sanders’ continued viability as a presidential candidate. Barring some act of god, they said, she will be the Democratic presidential nominee.

Well, I don’t know about an act of god but there is something in Hillary’s past that could derail her hopes of reaching the While House. It’s called the Clinton Foundation.

The $2 billon charitable organization set up by the Clintons in 2001 could turn out to be, as one political analyst described it, “The Mother of all Clinton Scandals.”

While the foundation has done some praiseworthy work around the world, its finances have come under renewed scrutiny in recent months amid reports of extensive donations by foreign governments to the foundation while the former First Lady was Secretary of State in the Obama administration.

Hillary opponents have long questioned the operation of what many have called a “criminal enterprise.” They have suggested it is just a slush fund for the Clinton clan. There have been allegations that the Clintons have siphoned off foundation money for personal and political use by utilizing creative accounting tactics.

But the allegations that the foundation received donations from foreign governments while Clinton was Secretary of State could be the most problematic. Because of admitted accounting “irregularities,” the foundation will soon be filing amended returns for at least the last two years. The new returns are sure to come under heavy scrutiny.

While Hillary has brushed off any question about the foundation’s activities and finances, she has not addressed the organization’s admission to Reuters earlier this year that it did not comply with an ethics agreement Clinton signed with the Obama administration in 2008 in order for her to become Secretary of State. That agreement required the names of every donor be published annually, with the State Department ethicists screening new funding from foreign governments. Some of the foundation’s charities did not do this or did so incompletely, citing “oversights”.

Stay tuned folks as this real, potentially crippling scandal unfolds. As Rachel Maddow is apt to say, “Watch this space!”
Photo | Tannen Maury/Bloomberg News

Udder Delight – New Jersey Bans Bestiality!

November 12, 2015 By John DeProspo Leave a Comment

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie finally made good on his promise to join the majority of states that outlaw bestiality. By signing the bill into law this Monday, animal lovers, in the strict sense, are no longer welcome in the Garden State.

The new law, which goes into effect immediately, makes bestiality a crime punishable by 18 months in jail and a fine of up to $10,000. Penalties could get more severe in cases involving abuse or injury to the animal.

While most New Jerseyans support the governor’s action, not everyone is happy with the new law.

Newton farmer, Bobby Giles, thinks this is just another example of government overreach. “I own my animals and I don’t need some politician to tell me what I can and can’t do in the privacy of my barn,” said Giles. “Plus, this law is a violation of my religious beliefs. Who the hell is Christie to tell me I can’t know my animals ‘in the Biblical sense?’ You know I’ve been a widower for 15 years.”

Asked if he would comply with new law, Giles said, “Not as long as I have this shotgun in my hand!”

On another note, experts are predicting the sale of goats within the state will decline by 35%.

Photo | cambridgevets.co.nz

Disagreeing Candidates Agree On One Thing – It’s Hillary

November 11, 2015 By John DeProspo Leave a Comment

Last night’s fourth Republican presidential debate produced some fireworks but no clear winner. Each candidate was able to hold his (her) own. In lively back and forths, the candidates disagreed on taxes, military spending, foreign policy, immigration and bank bailouts.

But to a man (woman), they all seemed to think Hillary Clinton would be the Democratic presidential nominee. The candidates painted the Democratic front-runner as just your typical tax and spend liberal. They suggested a Hillary win would be a continuation of the failed Obama presidency.

But in a rare occurrence for a Republican presidential debate, Hillary Clinton’s name was invoked more often than that of Saint Reagan.

While there might not have been a clear winner in the Fox debate, there was a loser: Jeb. I say that not because Jeb Bush did not do well; he just did not do well enough. He sorely needed a strong, breakout performance but it never materialized. The problem with Jeb is that his personality is not suited for a debate stage filled with more aggressive, animated candidates. He will always look weak by comparison.

It is fairly certain, however, Jeb will live to fight another day. But the writing seems to be on the wall: barring some miracle, Jeb will not be the Republican presidential nominee.

Besides agreeing that Clinton will ultimately be the Democratic presidential pick, the candidates did agree on some basic Republican orthodoxy: cut taxes and eliminate regulations. They also all agreed that raising the minimum wage was a bad idea.

I did not see anything in last night’s debate that would cut into the poll numbers of the two Republican front-runners, Donald Trump and Ben Carson. I look for Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz to fight for third place … with old Jeb firmly ensconced as a second-tier candidate.

Photo | AP/Morry Gash

Watch Out For Carly In Tonight’s Debate!

November 10, 2015 By John DeProspo 2 Comments

What happened to Carly Fiorina? After great performances in the first two Republican debates vaulted her into third place behind the front-runners Trump and Carson, she’s gone AWOL. The media has all but forgotten about the only woman running for the Republican nomination.

After her middling third debate showing, the one-time media darling will be fighting for her political life in tonight’s fourth GOP debate sponsored by Fox Financial Network and the Wall Street Journal.

Fiorina, along with Trump and Carson, are the only candidates who are true Washington outsiders. But unlike Trump and Carson, Fiorina has not been able to exploit her political inexperience.

Fiorina’s claim to fame has always been her business acumen. But as her profile grew, thanks to a cooperative media that needed a new story other than Trump or Carson, so did scrutiny of her stint as the CEO of Hewlett-Packard. The picture presented by the media of the rising political star soon became that of a failed corporate executive.

Without a new narrative to take its place, her political fortunes took a dramatic turn for the worse. The most recent polling has Fiorina in the middle of the Republican presidential pack, in the low single digits, along with second-tier candidates Kasich, Paul and Huckabee.

Another possible reason for Fiorina’s dramatic fall from grace among Republican voters could be the simple fact that she is a she. While Americans have become dramatically more willing to elect a female president over the last quarter-century, there still remains some reluctance, especially among Republicans, as YouGov found in March.

Whatever the reason(s) for her collapse, look for a feisty Fiorina to come out swinging among the field of seven men who will be looking to land some punches of their own.

Photo | huffingtonpost.com

Cruz – I Start Each Day On My Knees

November 9, 2015 By John DeProspo 4 Comments

Speaking at the National Religious Liberties Conference in Iowa last week, Republican presidential candidate, Sen.Ted Cruz, was quoted as saying, “ Any president who doesn’t begin every day on his knees isn’t fit to be the commander-in-chief of this country.”

The statement was made after right-wing pastor, Kevin Swanson, introduced Cruz to the stage and asked him how important it was for candidates to submit to Jesus Christ as “the king of the President of the United States.”

Wow! Exactly how, and when, did the Republican Party become the Party of God? When did Jesus become a Republican presidential candidate? The MSM completely missed that one!

Of course, Christian fundamentalism is a big part of Cruz’s appeal. Since being elected to the Senate in 2012, he has railed against “radicals and liberals” trying to strip religion out of the public sphere.

The problem for Cruz, Carson and some of the other “holy” panderers is that there just aren’t enough “religionists’ to ever elect one of them president. Thank God!

What I pray for everyday, Sen. Cruz, is for the day when someone like you is not seen as a viable candidate for the White House but one for the psych ward; when a candidate espousing views like yours is deemed mentally ill and automatically disqualified to hold public office.

I know that day is in the distant future, but a man can dream cant he? I’m guessing that day of the “New Enlightenment” is 100+ years away.

Like Martin Luther King Jr., I dream of the day when politicians will not be judged by their professed belief in a mythical sky creature but by the extent of their rational faculties.

Photo | Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)