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I think these blog posts are great and so important right now! I'd like to invite you to feel free to post similar posts, or cross post, over at queertoday.com - an online community of queer activists and straight allies. We'd love to have you - and I will personally feature your blog posts at the front page of our site. I hope you'll consider it - it only takes a few seconds to join. The more radical content on queertoday the better!! ( and of course you can promote this site, and the cpusa site, or any of yoru other blogs and events there too!)
Seriously though. I consider myself to be a moderate conservative. I say moderate because I believe the government should stay out of our wallets and our bedrooms. It's these type of activists that give the gay community a bad name. The majority of gays want to be accepted BUT also want to be left alone. This in your face activism is pissing a lot of non gays off. If you're gay that's great. But don't shove it in our faces.
I don't support CPUSA; they are weak compromisers who support the capitalist Democratic Party.
Nice job completely ducking my point to post an inflammatory non-statement though. I detect a pattern among you reactionary conservative types. All emotion, no substance.
Welcome toastmasters, June 13, 2033.
Today Rick Campbell, one of our senior members at age 87, is here to reminisce a bit and give us a history lesson. He says he is so old that he learned to drive an internal combustion engine car (remember those) with a manual transmission. He once owned a typewriter. He remembers when bicycles had one speed, phones had two-party lines, and cameras had something called film. As incredible as this may seem, he says that when he was young, it was common for people to smoke in restaurants and public places. He is from a different time; almost a different world. I'm sure all of us are far too familiar with the tragic events of 2010, so Rick is going to give us a personal look back at the conditions which led up to that fateful year, in a speech titled '2010 Was Not A Good Year To Be President.
''2010 Was Not A Good Year To Be President'
Yes, 2010 was long ago and far away.
As we look back on history, it appears that some Presidents had an easy ride- times of growth and stability. Teddy Roosevelt, Warren G. Harding, Dwight Eisenhower, Bill Clinton come to mind. Those were good years to be President.
Others were elected just when the Republic was facing terrible crises: Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt, George W. Bush. They rose to the occasion, even though they were controversial and widely hated while in office. Not such good years to be President. Just a few years prior, in 2008, the country began foundering. We were in the sixth year of the Iraqi liberation, and the economy was flat. The mainstream press clearly wanted a Democrat elected.
Although we didn't know it until some years later, oil producing nations had colluded to secretly buy their own oil on the open market, driving oil prices to shocking levels above the true demand price- reaching a high of $162 a barrel in October, 2008, just before the general elections.
Their purpose was simple: to effect regime change in the United States..And of course, the U.S. economy was already in a real estate slump and also suffering the curse of stagflation! ; slow growth and high inflation.
There were a million home foreclosures. Independent truckers went under by the thousands. Airlines failed. Airlines with names now long-forgotten: United, Delta, Northwestern, American. All now merged, of course, into the one lone U..S. carrier we love so much: Southwest.
Against this backdrop of weariness of the war on terror, and economic distress, the American people were ripe for a demagogue, and they certainly got one in Barack Hussein Obama.
He and his running mate Kathlene Sibelius inspired them with vague notions of hope and change; of a world in which diplomacy settled all international problems, of free universal health care, of abundant alternative energy, of peace and love. It was a vision too good to resist. The Republican nominee, a name you probably haven't heard in years anyone? Yes, it was John McCain, an obscure Senator from Arizona had no clue how to run a national campaign, and a platform nearly as liberal as Obama's.
The selection of Condoleeza Rice as his running mate looked brilliant at first. Unfortunately, black voters viewed her as white, and women voters viewed her as one of the guys.
Even so, the McCain/Rice ticket would have won the election if it weren't for the fact that 16 percent of conservative Republicans voted for anyone remember? That's right, Bob Barr, another name that's a footnote in history.
After Obama's narrow win, thanks to recounts in Broward County, Florida, the country was positively giddy. A Democrat House, Senate, and President. At last an end to gridlock in Washington. Camelot! When Congress convened in January, 2009, the 44th President of the United States did something unique in history: he made good on his campaign promises. Certainly most Americans never really thought he was serious during the campaign. But whether because of inexperience, idealism, or simply incompetence, he followed through.
In Obama's first One Hundred Days, the Congress passed his initiatives, and he signed them into law as he said he would. He repealed the Bush tax cuts, and increased capital gains taxes. He enacted a windfall profits tax, and instituted price controls on gasoline and diesel fuel. He passed universal health care, which added an additional 10 percent tax increase on all working Americans.
He signed the Immigrant Amnesty bill which created 12 million new citizens instantly, each with entitlements.
He closed the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, and summarily released all the detainees. He repealed the Patriot Act, and cut funding for espionage, and eliminated all terrorist listening and wiretaps. Most important, he began the complete and immediate withdrawal of all American troops from Iraq. He ignored the advice of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who wanted to retain bases in Kuwait and Qatar. Instead, he went with the recommendation of Secretary of Defense Dennis Kucinich, and ordered all troops back to U.S. soil. Viola! In One Hundred Days, by May of 2009, it was all done, and the vision was complete. He did exactly what he said he would do. And so it was in the summer of 2009 that things began to unravel for Obama. Of course, the economy needed a tax cut, not an increase, and unemployment quickly rose to 12 percent. Even attorneys and economists were put in the bread lines. Hard times. Price controls on gasoline immediately led to shortages and gas lines. The global cooling trend we have seen for the past 25 years first became obvious in 2009, exposing the CO2 global warming very expensive fraud. People were justifiably angry. Federal deficits increased massively because thousands of baby boomers, facing job loss and much higher taxes, simply gave up and took social security. Although the superb U.S. health care system was thrown into disarray, the bright spot was the creation of the Federal Department of Health care, and the immediate hiring of 250,000 administrators, inspectors and auditors, the only job growth in any economic sector in 2009.
By February 2010, the U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq was complete. It was a very expensive undertaking. And then in March, the gradual Shiite insurgencies from Iran turned into a true Iraqi civil war. In May, Iranian tanks crossed the border and quickly took Baghdad. Although the exact number is not known, at least 230,000 Sunni Iraqis died as we stood by. Iran also quickly moved into undefended Kuwait. President Obama did exactly what he said he would. He sent Secretary of State Maria Cantwell to Tehran to meet with Iranian President Ahmadinejad. After two weeks of high level talks, the United States agreed to allow Iran to retain Iraq and Kuwait to create stability in the middle east, with the understanding that Israel would not be disturbed. Cantwell returned to Washington, and explained the agreement in her famous speech, in which she proudly noted that the Obama administration had finally achieved 'peace in our time' in the Middle East. So there was some surprise at the rocket attacks on Tel Aviv on August 14th. President Obama said, 'This is not the Mahmoud Ahmadinejad I knew.'
The Obama administration decided it would be de-stabilizing to take sides in the conflict, and approximately 29,000 Israeli civilians died during the summer and fall. American Jews were appalled at the inaction. Yes, in 2010 most American Jews were Democrats, but because of 2010, they are solid Republicans today.
As awkward as it was, everything might have turned out all right for the Obama administration going into the fall mid-term elections of 2010, if it hadn't been for the dirty bomb in the Port of Long Beach. The administration had cut funding for the inspection of containers, because they felt it showed a 'lack of trust' in the international trading community. It wasn't really a very big bomb, and thank goodness, not a real nuclear device, but nonetheless it contaminated some expensive real estate- Newport Beach, Palos Verdes Estates- and ultimately caused the death of 14,000 Americans. People were especially annoyed that Disneyland had to be closed for decontamination. And so, in the midterm elections, Republicans regained control of both the House and Senate, and the rest is history.
The impeachment proceedings against President Obama for 'failure to protect and defend' were swift and nearly unanimous. Vice President Sibelius resigned. Newly-elected Speaker of the House, J.C. Watts, became the 45th President of the United States.
But you know the rest of the story well. Republicans finished the war on Islamic fundamentalists, largely by aiming ICBM's at Mecca and Medina.
No Democrat has been elected President since. Republicans have held both Houses of Congress. History of Western Civilization and Economics are now taught in all public schools, and in English only. Marriage is defined as one man and one woman. And there are border fences, north and south. We old codgers remember the ancient Confucian curse: 'May you live in interesting times.'
Well, 2010 was an interesting year, but it was not a good year to be President.'
BTW - As I type, Senator John McCain leads Obama in most of the polls. I guess people are starting to see what an empty suit Mr. Obama truly is.
I know this has been asked before, but hows that communism working in Cuba, Russia, China and North Korea? If ignorance is bliss you guys must be very happy people.
God Bless
Before Socialism can be developed, however, the society's industry must be strong and developed through a previous capitalist phase. Marx believed that a Socialist and later Communist state would only be possible in a truly developed capitalist society. The countries you mentioned previously are still in a state of transition; they haven't even reached true socialism as of yet, much less Communism; but it is interesting to note that many states such as China are experimenting with a mixed economy, allowing limited capitalist actions in order to further develop their industry and economy so that future Socialism will be possible.
On the flip side of your snide remarks, one may also ask: how is Constitutional Democracy doing in the United States? With all of these fixed elections, useless imperialist wars of aggression, the fiat money system, and many other violations besides, I'm sure it's doing just fine. As you said, "if ignorance is bliss..."
Since completing his trip Obama as DROPPED 15 points in ALL polling.
His trip to Western Europe and the Middle East was a distinct FAILURE.
Of course the CPUSA is ignorant of the reality that Communism has also failed unless led by dictatorships and fascist regimes.
With the issue of scarcity thus eliminated by Socialism, society can develop and grow out of the flawed ingrained behaviors it has maintained to that point, the state government can wither away to mere administrative functions, and Communism will result. Thus far, experiments in Communism have never been able to evolve past the Socialist phase because of a lack of strong industry and little history of democracy.
Just as feudalism gave way to capitalism, so too capitalism must eventually give way to Socialism; and then, Communism. The period of transition and the effectiveness of the Proletariat revolution are the only determining factors of when such a change will take place. The matter of it taking place is almost certain.
The issue of selfishness or egoism as you've postulated doesn't quite hold: no one has ever said that society will leap from capitalist, self-centered exploitation to a Communist utopia. As I have mentioned several times previously and as you've failed to comprehend (wilful ignorance), an intermediate Socialist phase is required to eliminate the factor of scarcity within society. No longer would industry produce for the purpose of private profit, but rather to meet the needs of society, and industry and the economic heights being held in common by the people, any "profit" that will accrue will be distributed among the workers and into society at large via social programs. Marx postulated that this Socialist phase will take hold in a highly industrialized nation with a strong history of capitalism, making the United States a perfect candidate for social change.
You may not agree with it, and you may not like it, but it is only a matter of time before Socialism takes hold here in the United States. The mechanism for its arrival is being built even as we speak, and it will eventually be the cure to the disease that the Bourgeoisie has become.
But I don't expect you to understand this; the best argument you can make is to call other people names, which only shows the limited nature of your comprehension.
Sounds great, but will never happen. As soon as every country supposedly "eliminates nuclear weapons", one country will pull nuclear weapons from behind their back.
W E Stewart
It's "than lose a war" NOT "then lose a way" dummy.
http://unrepentantcommunist.blogspot.com/
Lesser of two evils? I dunno, it's getting harder to make that argument about Obama with every passing day...
Do you understand the full economic severity of the financial crisis? If those financial institutions in the U.S. were to go bankrupt, there might not be a working class anymore! A huge percentage of middle-class people would be thrown out in the street as they would lose their mortgages. Obama has no choice but to support this bill... for it is meant to prevent irreversable damage to economies around the world!
Also, remember that a large portion of this crisis was created by the irresponsibility of the working class by embracing sub-prime mortgages. It is something that should have been monitored and regulated by the federal government, but was not. That is why Bush free enterprise notions failed.
What we are proud of we do not hide. The endorsement should be front page and public.
To be considered credible the endorsement of the Part must be publid, quit hiding!
How can I get a hold of Oprah and/or Buffet so they can spread their wealth to us poor people out here?
AND GUYS THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT FOR USA, YOU MR TARNER WITH A JEWISH LOOKING NAME, YOU BETTER EXPERIENCE COMMUNISM IN YOUR FLESH AND TAKE YOUR FAMILY WITH YOU TO ENJOY, BEFORE TRYING TO PUT THIS COUNTRY THROUGH THAT MISSERY ,OBSERVE WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO USSR, RUMANIA, HUNGARY, YUGOESLAVIA, CHEKOESLOVAKIA, CUBA, VENEZUELA, CUBA AND ALL COMMUNIST COUNTRIES, AND BESIDES YOU WILL NOT HAVE ANY ONE TO BLAME FOR YOUR INCOMPETENCES.
KIDS IN UNIVERSITIES READING THESE NOTES DO NOT BELIEVE COMMUNISTS THEY LIE TO YOU, PROMISE PARADISE THEN THEY KILL YOU TO SEND YOU TO HELL, BELIEVE ME I SAW THIS MOVIE BEFORE.
when he went to germany he did not even visit the wounded soldiers because the media was not going to be at the hospital.
tell me does he knows the national anthem of usa?, because he is known not to respect it.
now i see that you changed your names to progresists, like castro, chavez, russia , nicaragua, progresion to poverty, slavery and destruction
oh you talk about MCcain doing personal attacks, what about obama offending an old ill lady NANCY REAGAN WIDOW OF ONE OF THE GREATEST PRESIDENTS OF USA, when he claimed that she used to speak to dead people, he does not even know history, HILLARY Clinton was the one speaking to deceased presidents wives while in the white house
Apresident of this nation that does not know how many states USA has, he claims visited 57, he missed geography classes for sure.
YOU TALK ABOUT RACISM UP TO NOW OBAMA IS BETRAYING HIS OWN, NOR HE HELPED HIS ILLEGAL ALIEN AUNT IN BOSTON, NOR HE HELPS HIS BROTHER IN MISSERY IN KENYA.
BY THE WAY WHY HIS COUSIN TO WHOM HE HELPED A LOT DURING KENYAS RIOTS ,NAMED HIS SON FIDEL CASTRO ODINGA.
YOU mention the oppresin of USA against Mexicans, what about what they do against cubans escaping tyrant Castro when they send them back to be killed or thrown in Castro's jails to be tortured.
Why you do not ask about all the political prissoners that Castro has, like DR Elias Bisset physician in prisson for asking for the respect of human rights,pacifically is that what you communists go for, why are you so afraid of people that ask for human rights., i wonder.
Let's be honest with ourselves. Barack Obama will make some slight changes, most of which will only reflect the reality of current political developments domestically and abroad. In the end, he's still an agent of global capitalism.
The situation here in America is very good. All that we need is an effective organization of the working class and, when the time is right, a vanguard to lead the way to authentic change (revolution.)
Unfortunately, organizations such as the CPUSA are more focused on playing within the Bourgeoisie game and election process than establishing an effective organization paving the way for Socialism. It is a shame that such a historical organization has given way under the Capitalist pressure and has become yet another cog in the wheel of the system.
How is the Communist Party in your country? Have they caved, or are they still authentically Communist?
The CPUSA is an organization of commited working people who are actively attempting to advocate for socialism within the boundaries of REALITY. The basic framework of a socialist system already exists in this great country, If you are in a car wreck, the ambulance takes you to a hospital and you are treated, If you become disabled, you will eventually recieve SSI and Medicare. It is organizations such as the cpusa that attempt to ensure that the dispensation of these programs is considered a RIGHT of citizens, and not as an intolerable imposition on the 50% of the federal budget co-opted by the Pentagon. As to it not being "revolutionary" enough, tell that to the late Gus Hall who did almost a decade in Leavenworth for opposing something as blatantly unconstitutional as the Smith Act (which was it not overturned would have been used to imprison yourself) Talk of revolution does socialism no good. It is childish and non-productive. What we need is not berets and posters of Che, but an organized effort to correct rudeness and dismissiveness against persons who by virtue of misfortune find themselves in the unenviable position of needing to apply for social benefits in most of the country. It can be a frustrating demeaning and unproductive process much of the time. Socialism can be discribed as simply as using a portion of the enormous wealth of our nation, to aid citizens who are in need. The Republican types who will eventually pocket the vast majority of this "bailout" money, on top of what they stole and scammed over the last eight years while federal law enforcement and regulators were firmly directed to "look the other way", have with great expertise convinced the vast majority of people that to starve quietly is somehow noble, and to give them the majority of the wealth of the nation, divine. It took as vast a collapse as what is occuring to wake up some of to the dispossessed to the fact that it was THEM who were being scammed while being distracted by the waving flags. While every fat cat CEO of every mismanaged industry that refused to admit errors in Judgement as glaring as storage lots full of huge SUV's while there is a yearlong wait for a "SmartCar", refuse aid to forclosed homeowners with charges of "Socialism". It was H.L. Mencken who said "The American public know what it wants; and it deserves to get it , good and hard!' It is organizations like the CPUSA that seek to soften that blow by warning the working public about what is and has been done to them. There really IS nothing more that can be done