Dear Senator McConnell:
On second thought, I do understand why you want to bypass Senator Reid and go directly to President Obama. (Note: understanding doesn't mean I condone.) When trying to understand you, it is necessary for me to consider how children think.
When my daughters were fifteen and four, the fifteen-year-old's name not-so-mysteriously appeared on the dining room wall. Since there were only three of us present in the house when this occurred, I knew I did not do it, and I was positive the fifteen-year-old would not have omitted one of the seven letters in her name, I was 99.9% certain the four-year-old was guilty.
You would be the four-year-old in this situation. Unfortunately, President Obama would be the parent who wanted to find some way for you to save face and, consequently, probably not learn enough to never try to pull something like this again. He would allow you to say, "My fifteen-year-old sister did not create this mess," instead of forcing you to admit that you did write on the wall.
I wish President Obama would finally recognize and admit to all of us the sad truth that you do not have our best interest at heart, that you are not his friend or a friend of the people, and that you are impossible to work with. I believe he owes us that honesty.
In my opinion, your plan begs permission to pretend you aren't doing what you are doing, and is as ridiculous as my example of stating that everyone else did not do something instead of admitting that you did. I am asking you to stop the insanity and do what is right for this country. In all ways that truly matter, it would also be what is right for you. Either sign a clean bill as you did when you were a Bush puppet, or let the Bush tax cuts go, because that is the only action that would truly be a fair compromise.
Sandy
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Even the Children Are Disappointed In You, Senator McConnell
Dear Senator McConnell:
Who do you think you are? The amount of gall it takes for you to think that you can snub Senator Reid and demand to speak only with the President after you have done nothing but obstruct, lie, and ignore the people who have tried to contact you disgusts me.
I honestly believe you have demonstrated sufficient concern for “The American People” to demand that your mental competency be tested. We deserve to know if you are too sick to perform your duties or if you are simply a traitor. When you care more about a pledge to Grover Norquist or proving that you will sacrifice the will and best interest of the people for your personal vendetta against the President, I believe that makes you a traitor.
“The American People” have been unable to get through the phone lines to your office, although you and I both know that you will only lie and deny that you received calls from people who disagree with you. Same goes for writing, hence this blog. And trying to visit your Louisville office is a huge disappointment since they only allow two people each day to enter.
On Tuesday, after President Obama asked that we contact our representatives, I took my granddaughters with me to do just that. We went to Congressman Yarmuth’s office first, where the office staff welcomed us and allowed us to speak with Congressman Yarmuth via Skype. At ages 8 and 10, those little girls noticed that Congressman Yarmuth did not say everything some of the visitors wanted to hear, but that he kindly explained why and everyone left respecting him and understanding his position.
We then walked over to your office where the guard refused to let us enter. The ten-year-old wrote her first letter to the editor which was not printed but I include it here for you to read:
July 26, 2011
Dear Editor,
I am 10 years old, and just wanted to let you know that today I went with my grandmother and some other concerned citizens to some representatives’ offices* as the president asked. Before that we were holding some signs by a curb in front of Congressman Yarmuth’s office and got a few honks and waves, but the main thing starts after the sign holding. We went into Yarmuth’s office first but he was in Washington, so since we were in a group they Skyped him for us and we got to talk him on Skype. He listened to our questions and was polite and helpful. We talked to him for a while and then he had to go.
So after Yarmuth we went to McConnell. Now this is a very nice article . . . well at least until now. We went in and the first person had a folder pressed up against her chest and the court security officer said no signs allowed or megaphones. We left all of our signs and our one megaphone out in the alcove and went in. We didn’t tell him anything and he said only 2 people could go to the office (and Senator McConnell wasn’t even there!) if you’re in the same group and we never told him we were. We were from a lot of different groups, we told him we were from different groups but there for the same reason – because the President asked us to go. He thought we were crazy after that because he thinks it was the same thing as being in the same group. So we said okay we’ll go 2 at a time and he said no, 2 period. So we let 2 with letters go in, while we waited in the alcove because they wouldn’t even let us go through screening. I’m really disappointed that I haven’t even seen Senator McConnell in my life and I wish he cared enough to let us in his office.
Sincerely,
Fiona
• This Gramma’s heart swelled with pride when she saw the apostrophe after the ‘s’
We returned to your office on Friday, in a large group of people from many groups: KJWJ, MoveOn, Planned Parenthood, a peace group, a healthcare group, and some passers by who decided to join us . . .
My friend Minnie read a letter that she had written to you. I post it here for you to hear for yourself although I have no doubt you will totally ignore her message and continue your lies about “The American People” that you obviously do not know or want to know.
Who do you think you are? The amount of gall it takes for you to think that you can snub Senator Reid and demand to speak only with the President after you have done nothing but obstruct, lie, and ignore the people who have tried to contact you disgusts me.
I honestly believe you have demonstrated sufficient concern for “The American People” to demand that your mental competency be tested. We deserve to know if you are too sick to perform your duties or if you are simply a traitor. When you care more about a pledge to Grover Norquist or proving that you will sacrifice the will and best interest of the people for your personal vendetta against the President, I believe that makes you a traitor.
“The American People” have been unable to get through the phone lines to your office, although you and I both know that you will only lie and deny that you received calls from people who disagree with you. Same goes for writing, hence this blog. And trying to visit your Louisville office is a huge disappointment since they only allow two people each day to enter.
On Tuesday, after President Obama asked that we contact our representatives, I took my granddaughters with me to do just that. We went to Congressman Yarmuth’s office first, where the office staff welcomed us and allowed us to speak with Congressman Yarmuth via Skype. At ages 8 and 10, those little girls noticed that Congressman Yarmuth did not say everything some of the visitors wanted to hear, but that he kindly explained why and everyone left respecting him and understanding his position.
We then walked over to your office where the guard refused to let us enter. The ten-year-old wrote her first letter to the editor which was not printed but I include it here for you to read:
July 26, 2011
Dear Editor,
I am 10 years old, and just wanted to let you know that today I went with my grandmother and some other concerned citizens to some representatives’ offices* as the president asked. Before that we were holding some signs by a curb in front of Congressman Yarmuth’s office and got a few honks and waves, but the main thing starts after the sign holding. We went into Yarmuth’s office first but he was in Washington, so since we were in a group they Skyped him for us and we got to talk him on Skype. He listened to our questions and was polite and helpful. We talked to him for a while and then he had to go.
So after Yarmuth we went to McConnell. Now this is a very nice article . . . well at least until now. We went in and the first person had a folder pressed up against her chest and the court security officer said no signs allowed or megaphones. We left all of our signs and our one megaphone out in the alcove and went in. We didn’t tell him anything and he said only 2 people could go to the office (and Senator McConnell wasn’t even there!) if you’re in the same group and we never told him we were. We were from a lot of different groups, we told him we were from different groups but there for the same reason – because the President asked us to go. He thought we were crazy after that because he thinks it was the same thing as being in the same group. So we said okay we’ll go 2 at a time and he said no, 2 period. So we let 2 with letters go in, while we waited in the alcove because they wouldn’t even let us go through screening. I’m really disappointed that I haven’t even seen Senator McConnell in my life and I wish he cared enough to let us in his office.
Sincerely,
Fiona
• This Gramma’s heart swelled with pride when she saw the apostrophe after the ‘s’
We returned to your office on Friday, in a large group of people from many groups: KJWJ, MoveOn, Planned Parenthood, a peace group, a healthcare group, and some passers by who decided to join us . . .
My friend Minnie read a letter that she had written to you. I post it here for you to hear for yourself although I have no doubt you will totally ignore her message and continue your lies about “The American People” that you obviously do not know or want to know.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Love at First Sight, Tom Degan
These words about Mitch McConnell on Tom Degan's "The Rant" blog won my heart. So glad I found him and I'm anxious to read more.
"In fact you really have to scrape the bottom of history's barrel in order to find someone as thoroughly corrupt and as mean spirited our boy Mitch (and if you give me a month or two I might be able to come up with a name)."
Check out the full article here. WARNING: Scary picture
"In fact you really have to scrape the bottom of history's barrel in order to find someone as thoroughly corrupt and as mean spirited our boy Mitch (and if you give me a month or two I might be able to come up with a name)."
Check out the full article here. WARNING: Scary picture
Friday, July 15, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Everybody Knows
Dear Senator McConnell:
"Everybody Knows" works well as a title for this beautiful Engelbert Humperdink song.
It does not work to make me believe your lies, nor does it make me think I must be the only person who doesn't agree with you when I hear you use it. Instead, it makes me angry that you assume I can't see through your feeble attempts to fool the public. And your ignorant use of everybody knows is as annoying as your use of, THE American People as if you have the slightest clue what average Americans think or how we live. There is probably not anything that everybody knows so you look like a fool for saying it.
Now that I got that off my chest, I would like to talk about empowering grandma. THIS grandma just spent a week in an intensive care unit and learned how much she depends on Medicare. I would like for you to explain how being "empowered" to choose between a number of profit-making insurance companies that have already proven that they care more about profits than they do about providing services or keeping costs down will empower me in any way.
Please, for once, give details to support your rhetoric. So far, without any bills from the fourteen doctors who treated me, the cost of my hospitalization is about five years of my income. The hospital estimates that Medicare will pay 98% of the total. Please tell me which private sector insurance companies will offer the same for $96.50 a month.
Empowered by Medicare,
Gramma Sandy
"Everybody Knows" works well as a title for this beautiful Engelbert Humperdink song.
It does not work to make me believe your lies, nor does it make me think I must be the only person who doesn't agree with you when I hear you use it. Instead, it makes me angry that you assume I can't see through your feeble attempts to fool the public. And your ignorant use of everybody knows is as annoying as your use of, THE American People as if you have the slightest clue what average Americans think or how we live. There is probably not anything that everybody knows so you look like a fool for saying it.
Now that I got that off my chest, I would like to talk about empowering grandma. THIS grandma just spent a week in an intensive care unit and learned how much she depends on Medicare. I would like for you to explain how being "empowered" to choose between a number of profit-making insurance companies that have already proven that they care more about profits than they do about providing services or keeping costs down will empower me in any way.
Please, for once, give details to support your rhetoric. So far, without any bills from the fourteen doctors who treated me, the cost of my hospitalization is about five years of my income. The hospital estimates that Medicare will pay 98% of the total. Please tell me which private sector insurance companies will offer the same for $96.50 a month.
Empowered by Medicare,
Gramma Sandy
Monday, May 16, 2011
Rand Paul should stop using MD (with or without the periods) behind his name
I've been a little remiss in declaring my adoration for Lawrence O'Donnell this past week. It isn't because said adoration faltered a bit, it was only because I was tied up in an intensive care unit where real doctors who choose to treat Medicare patients saved my life, and where I had no access to MSNBC. Thank you, Lawrence, for not letting this weasel slide. His ignorance is an embarrassment to the medical profession and his position a disgrace to my state.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Judge Refuses to Dismiss Charges Against Rand Paul’s Headstomper
Dear Senator Paul:
I have wanted to contact you regarding this incident since it happened but couldn’t contain myself to appropriate words until yesterday, when the microphones were in my face. Microphones scared me before last month when, at a rally for union workers, I realized no one else was going to deliver my exact message. The same thing happened yesterday in Lexington, at Tim Profitt’s hearing, when I wanted to speak to how this incident changed the political scene for all of us and, if justice is not served, will endanger all of us.
First, I am terribly disappointed although not at all surprised that you have said so little about this crime. I know it is difficult to say much when you start with a lie since everything you say after that confirms your dishonesty. However, there are times when swallowing false pride and coming clean makes things better in the end. This could be one of those times for you.
I’m sure it was easy to develop super-star mentality and that you might have felt like Michael Jackson or Barack Obama while in the national spotlight. After reflecting, you probably realize, as many of us do, how ridiculously inappropriate it was for you to entertain the idea that you needed to arrive at political debates with a full entourage, much less your own satire-squelching security team.
To be fair, my background left me totally unprepared for anything like what I witnessed in your campaign. As a child, I spent a great deal of time in Democratic Party clubs. My parents took me to political events and allowed me to work political campaigns with them. I grew up believing political participation was a safe, family activity. The politicians I knew and admired attracted sane people whose ideas of “family values” did not include getting together for target practice or threatening or hurting others. They did include helping others instead of begrudging anyone who had less, practicing instead of preaching. In turn, my children and grandchildren were interested in politics at early ages and I always knew – until you – that it was safe to take them to political events.
My twelve-year-old grandson was present for the first Conway/Paul debate. You might have noticed him – the well-dressed, well-behaved, well-informed, extremely handsome young man in the crowd. (I may be a tiny bit biased.) I was disappointed to see that there were not more young people interested enough to attend but realize now that interest might not have been the problem. Maybe other parents and grandparents knew what I didn’t about your crowd.
The disturbing part is that, had I not been too ill to attend myself, I would have brought my grandson and/or a granddaughter the night that I will continue to remind everyone about until you have made a public statement that eases my fears. I was very disappointed to discover that you knew enough about your dangerous supporters to think it necessary to bring your own security in addition to official police patrol at the event, and that you did not consider alerting the public to this fact. That is the only explanation since Jack Conway could walk his wife and daughter through Democratic events without fear, and since there were no head-stompings, no threats, no assault rifles, and no fear-inducing moments at any Democratic event I attended or any Jack Conway campaign office I visited, even though Rand Paul supporters infiltrated and tried to start trouble at times. Clearly, the violence and vile-intent was on your side.
Since you aligned yourself with the Tea Party/Annie Oakley Brigade faction of the Republican Party, and they openly threatened and intimidated throughout campaign season, I believe you owe Lauren Valle and your constituents an apology for your poor judgment at the time, and an honest statement about your abuse of power. I believe you owe the country and the first amendment an apology as well. Satire is NOT a stompable offense, nor is pointing out a truth or an opinion that a political candidate would rather the public not see or hear.
As a result of what you and yours caused that night, the fight against violence has taken a giant step backwards. Others would speak of this totally in gender specific terms but I prefer not to do so. Violence is not acceptable, ever, regardless of gender. I would be as angry if the victim of your poor decision had been a man. However, I will address the gender-specific disappointments I saw in the aftermath of what you created. Women who supported you, and who previously gave lip service to things like family values and a belief that there is never any excuse for a man to hit a woman, and who knew absolutely nothing about Lauren Valle and had no understanding of Republicorp jumped immediately to the defense of the man who held her down and the man who stomped her neck, and blamed her.
Senator Paul, this speaks very poorly of the critical thinking skills, the intelligence, and the honesty of your supporters. If you truly care about Kentucky and/or the United States, you will surely want to do something to educate these people. I believe a great first step would be to address this in a public apology to Lauren Valle, stating that there was no excuse for anyone to physically harm her and that you were wrong to bring in security on the implication that you feared this young woman. You must, at least, admit that a bad back and protection of you are pathetically unacceptable excuses for stomping a girl after she has been knocked to the ground and was obviously no threat to anyone. And you must explain why you, a physician, offered her no assistance.
I am very pleased that the judge refused to dismiss charges against Tim Profitt. It would be a dangerous precedent to excuse violence in the name of third party protection and fall guy rights in light of the cross hairs, assault rifles, second amendment threats, and intimidation factors employed by your party.
After you’ve addressed these matters, I am also anxious to hear your response to Lawrence O’Donnell.
Sincerely,
Sandy
(Although the media labeled me a MoveOn activist when airing my statements, my association with MoveOn has absolutely no bearing on the opinions stated above nor was I speaking for the organization in my interview.)
I have wanted to contact you regarding this incident since it happened but couldn’t contain myself to appropriate words until yesterday, when the microphones were in my face. Microphones scared me before last month when, at a rally for union workers, I realized no one else was going to deliver my exact message. The same thing happened yesterday in Lexington, at Tim Profitt’s hearing, when I wanted to speak to how this incident changed the political scene for all of us and, if justice is not served, will endanger all of us.
First, I am terribly disappointed although not at all surprised that you have said so little about this crime. I know it is difficult to say much when you start with a lie since everything you say after that confirms your dishonesty. However, there are times when swallowing false pride and coming clean makes things better in the end. This could be one of those times for you.
I’m sure it was easy to develop super-star mentality and that you might have felt like Michael Jackson or Barack Obama while in the national spotlight. After reflecting, you probably realize, as many of us do, how ridiculously inappropriate it was for you to entertain the idea that you needed to arrive at political debates with a full entourage, much less your own satire-squelching security team.
To be fair, my background left me totally unprepared for anything like what I witnessed in your campaign. As a child, I spent a great deal of time in Democratic Party clubs. My parents took me to political events and allowed me to work political campaigns with them. I grew up believing political participation was a safe, family activity. The politicians I knew and admired attracted sane people whose ideas of “family values” did not include getting together for target practice or threatening or hurting others. They did include helping others instead of begrudging anyone who had less, practicing instead of preaching. In turn, my children and grandchildren were interested in politics at early ages and I always knew – until you – that it was safe to take them to political events.
My twelve-year-old grandson was present for the first Conway/Paul debate. You might have noticed him – the well-dressed, well-behaved, well-informed, extremely handsome young man in the crowd. (I may be a tiny bit biased.) I was disappointed to see that there were not more young people interested enough to attend but realize now that interest might not have been the problem. Maybe other parents and grandparents knew what I didn’t about your crowd.
The disturbing part is that, had I not been too ill to attend myself, I would have brought my grandson and/or a granddaughter the night that I will continue to remind everyone about until you have made a public statement that eases my fears. I was very disappointed to discover that you knew enough about your dangerous supporters to think it necessary to bring your own security in addition to official police patrol at the event, and that you did not consider alerting the public to this fact. That is the only explanation since Jack Conway could walk his wife and daughter through Democratic events without fear, and since there were no head-stompings, no threats, no assault rifles, and no fear-inducing moments at any Democratic event I attended or any Jack Conway campaign office I visited, even though Rand Paul supporters infiltrated and tried to start trouble at times. Clearly, the violence and vile-intent was on your side.
Since you aligned yourself with the Tea Party/Annie Oakley Brigade faction of the Republican Party, and they openly threatened and intimidated throughout campaign season, I believe you owe Lauren Valle and your constituents an apology for your poor judgment at the time, and an honest statement about your abuse of power. I believe you owe the country and the first amendment an apology as well. Satire is NOT a stompable offense, nor is pointing out a truth or an opinion that a political candidate would rather the public not see or hear.
As a result of what you and yours caused that night, the fight against violence has taken a giant step backwards. Others would speak of this totally in gender specific terms but I prefer not to do so. Violence is not acceptable, ever, regardless of gender. I would be as angry if the victim of your poor decision had been a man. However, I will address the gender-specific disappointments I saw in the aftermath of what you created. Women who supported you, and who previously gave lip service to things like family values and a belief that there is never any excuse for a man to hit a woman, and who knew absolutely nothing about Lauren Valle and had no understanding of Republicorp jumped immediately to the defense of the man who held her down and the man who stomped her neck, and blamed her.
Senator Paul, this speaks very poorly of the critical thinking skills, the intelligence, and the honesty of your supporters. If you truly care about Kentucky and/or the United States, you will surely want to do something to educate these people. I believe a great first step would be to address this in a public apology to Lauren Valle, stating that there was no excuse for anyone to physically harm her and that you were wrong to bring in security on the implication that you feared this young woman. You must, at least, admit that a bad back and protection of you are pathetically unacceptable excuses for stomping a girl after she has been knocked to the ground and was obviously no threat to anyone. And you must explain why you, a physician, offered her no assistance.
I am very pleased that the judge refused to dismiss charges against Tim Profitt. It would be a dangerous precedent to excuse violence in the name of third party protection and fall guy rights in light of the cross hairs, assault rifles, second amendment threats, and intimidation factors employed by your party.
After you’ve addressed these matters, I am also anxious to hear your response to Lawrence O’Donnell.
Sincerely,
Sandy
(Although the media labeled me a MoveOn activist when airing my statements, my association with MoveOn has absolutely no bearing on the opinions stated above nor was I speaking for the organization in my interview.)
Friday, April 1, 2011
Ignorance Is No Excuse . . .
Ignorance is no excuse for Senator Rand Paul to mislead his constituents, nor is it an excuse for constituents to support a lying senator. With his record, there is no rational reason for anyone to believe a word that Rand Paul says. He has lied about so many things that a sane person would double check if he said his name is Rand Paul, and would not repeat a word he says until verifying claims like whether or not he voted on an issue (information that is available to all of us).
He lied about the Aqua Buddha situation, he lied about not knowing the man he hired to stomp a girl half his age and size, the man who is now trying to escape criminal charges because he believes he was justified in taking this action to protect Rand Paul from satire and truth. He lied about his positions when running for office, since they changed depending on the day and who he was speaking with. He lies. He lies easily and without conscience.
The citizens of Kentucky and of this nation do not deserve to have a liar in the Senate. Thank you, Lawrence O'Donnell, for calling him out on his lie this time. Please, continue to do so.
He lied about the Aqua Buddha situation, he lied about not knowing the man he hired to stomp a girl half his age and size, the man who is now trying to escape criminal charges because he believes he was justified in taking this action to protect Rand Paul from satire and truth. He lied about his positions when running for office, since they changed depending on the day and who he was speaking with. He lies. He lies easily and without conscience.
The citizens of Kentucky and of this nation do not deserve to have a liar in the Senate. Thank you, Lawrence O'Donnell, for calling him out on his lie this time. Please, continue to do so.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
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