The AmeriBlog

2012 Elections Yield More Victories for Gay American Rights

2012-11-07T11:57:00.000-05:00

The fight for Gay American Rights continues and the 2012 Elections yield major victories in the ongoing battle.

Maine and Maryland both approved gay marriage as the first two states to approve the notions by popular vote. Main and Maryland are now the seventh and eight states that allow same sex marriage in the United States.

The state of Washington also voted on gay marriage, but results are not immediately determined.

Minnesota defeated a proposed constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage in their state.

As this is still a fight, opposition is always around the counter. "At the end of the day, we're still at 32 victories," says Brian Brown of the National Organization for Marriage. "Just because two extreme blue states vote for gay marriage doesn't mean the Supreme Court will create a constitutional right for it out of thin air."

President Obama Gets Four More Years!

2012-11-07T11:10:00.000-05:00

By now you already know! I think the American people know that Obama could not have possibly rebounded this country completely in four years, nor could anyone else have for that matter. To take him out of office would have been the single most unjustifiable action against him and completely unfair. Whereas the Romney campaign was lie after lie after lie, we have now a President who has for the most part delivered on his word. Nothing happens over night.

Barack Obama, make this country proud! When I am old, I want to tell people who awesome the first African American President of the United States was. I want you to be the American Hero that this country needs so bad right now! In one word: Forward!

God Bless America!

The News 100 Days After the Romney Administration Takes Control of the White House

2012-11-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

10 Things Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Paul Ryan

2012-11-03T23:16:00.000-04:00

Contributed by MoveOn.org...

Most people don’t know just how bad Romney’s VP choice is. So we made this list of 10 things to know about Paul Ryan. Read it, then share it with everyone. The future of America is on the line—from a woman’s right to choose to our economy.

A MoveOn original. Paid for by MoveOn.org Political Action.

10 Things to know about Paul Ryan

1. His economic plan would cost America 1 million jobs in the first year. Ryan’s proposed budget would cripple the economy. He’d slash spending deeply, which would not only slow job growth, but shock the economy and cost 1 million of us our jobs in 2013 alone and kill more than 4 million jobs by the end of 2014.^[1]

2. He’d kill Medicare. He’d replace Medicare with vouchers for retirees to purchase insurance, eliminating the guarantee of health care for seniors and putting them at the mercy of the private insurance industry. That could amount to a cost increase of more than $5,900 by 2050, leaving many seniors broke or without the health care they need. He’d also raise the age of eligibility to 67.^[2]

3. He’d pickpocket the middle class to line the pockets of the rich. His tax plan is Robin Hood in reverse. He wants to cut taxes by $4.6 trillion over the next decade, but only for corporations and the rich, like giving families earning more than $1 million a year a $300,000 tax cut. And to pay for them, he’d raise taxes on middle- and lower-income households and butcher social service programs that help middle- and working-class Americans.^[3]

4. He’s an anti-choice extremist. Ryan co-sponsored an extremist anti-choice bill, nicknamed the ‘Let Women Die Act,’ that would have allowed hospitals to deny women emergency abortion care even if their lives were at risk. And he co-sponsored another bill that would criminalize some forms of birth control, all abortions, and in vitro fertilization.^[4]

5. He’d dismantle Social Security. Ironically, Ryan used the Social Security Survivors benefit to help pay for college, but he wants to take that possibility away from future generations. He agrees with Rick Perry’s view that Social Security is a “Ponzi scheme” and he supported George W. Bush’s disastrous proposal to privatize Social Security.^[5]

6. He’d eliminate Pell grants for more than 1 million low-income students. His budget plan cuts the Pell Grant program by $200 billion, which could mean a loss of educational funding for 1 million low-income students.^[6]

7. He’d give $40 billion in subsidies to Big Oil. His budget includes oil tax breaks worth $40 billion, while cutting “billions of dollars from investments to develop alternative fuels and clean energy technologies that would serve as substitutes for oil.”^[7]

8. He’s another Koch-head politician. Not surprisingly, the billionaire oil-baron Koch brothers are some of Ryan’s biggest political contributors. And their company, Koch industries, is Ryan’s biggest energy-related donor. The company’s PAC and affiliated individuals have given him $65,500 in donations.^[8]

9. He opposes gay rights. Ryan has an abysmal voting record on gay rights. He’s voted to ban adoption by gay couples, against same-sex marriage, and against repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell.” He also voted against the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which President Obama signed into law in 2009.^[9]

10. He thinks an “I got mine, who cares if you’re okay” philosophy is admirable. For many years, Paul Ryan devoted himself to Ayn Rand’s philosophy of selfishness as a virtue. It has shaped his entire ethic about whom he serves in public office. He even went as far as making his interns read her work.^[10]

If there was ever any doubt that Mitt Romney’s got a disastrous plan for America—he made himself 100% clear when he picked right-wing extremist Paul Ryan as his running mate. Paul Ryan is bad for America, but we can’t beat him if Americans don’t know everything he stands for. Share this page with all your friends.

Sources:
1. “Ryan’s Budget, Robin Hood in reverse,” Economic Policy Institute
2. “12 Things You Should Know About Vice Presidential Candidate Paul Ryan,” Think Progress, August 11, 2012
3. “Ryan Budget Would Raise Some Taxes; Guess Who Gets Hit?,” Off the Charts, April 12, 2012
“Middle class could face higher taxes under Republican plan, analysis finds,” The Washington Post, June 19, 2012
4. “Statement on Mitt Romney’s Selection of Rep. Paul Ryan for His Vice-Presidential Running Mate,” NARAL, August 11, 2012
“Paul Ryan’s Extreme Abortion Views,” The Daily Beast, August 11, 2012
“Paul Ryan Sponsored Fetal Personhood Bill, Opposes Family Planning Funds,” Huffington Post, August 11, 2012
5. “12 Things You Should Know About Vice Presidential Candidate Paul Ryan,” Think Progress, August 11, 2012
“Ayn Rand would have HATED Paul Ryan,” Daily Kos, August 12, 2012
6. “Pell Grants For Poor Students Lose $170 Billion In Ryan Budget,” Huffington Post, March 27, 2012
7. “Ryan Budget Pads Big Oil’s Pockets with Senseless Subsidies,” Center for American Progress, March 20, 2012
8. “Koch brothers have Paul Ryan’s back,” Politico, August 11, 2012
9. “Paul Ryan as VP Matches Mitt Romney on Homophobia,” The Advocate, August 11, 2012
10. “Paul Ryan And Ayn Rand”, The New Republic, December 28, 2010

Hypothetical Presidential Race: Who Would Win Between Jon Stewart & Stephen Colbert

2012-11-03T22:30:00.000-04:00

This is something that I just had to share...

In a hypothetical head-to-head presidential matchup between Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, Republicans would vote for Colbert 3-to-1 while Democrats would vote for Stewart 3-to-1.

Source: UpWorthy

Is Superstorm Sandy Really the Result of Global Warming? You Betcha!

2012-11-03T13:05:00.001-04:00

Superstorm Sandy has caused quite a media storm (get it?) but of course, the truth is always hardest to access. I feel in my heart that weather is something that we contribute to but cannot fully control, although technology has been invited that can manipulate it.

Does global warming contribute to climate change? That's not even the question. Of course! The real question that we need to consider is: Is Sandy a natural or man made storm? A hurricane could be a silent act of war, way less obvious than a bomb...

But getting back to the question at hand, actual scientists (those smart people with intelligent advice that we as a country ignore at all costs) have a cute, idiot friendly video on the subject...

Lucas Gray Made An Excellent Animated Short with Obama's Speech

2012-10-26T22:31:00.000-04:00

Lucas Gray, animator for The Simpsons and Family Guy, made this awesome animated short with President Barack Obama's speech:

Ellen Degeneres On Bic Pens for Women

2012-10-26T13:30:00.000-04:00

I think my vagina would be quite insulted, if I had one...

Watch this funny Ellen Degeneres video on Bic For Her Pens.

OMG - Video Illustrates How Yesterday's Propaganda Techniques in Smoking Industry Are Applied to Global Warming Today

2012-10-25T12:01:00.000-04:00

This video illustrates how the same people and the same tactics used to promote a scientific confusion, if you will, in the smoking and tobacco industries are at it again with global warming. It is seriously eye opening and quite a shock!

Yes, it will make you feel like a tiny ant in a big world full of angry giants...

We have got to get politics out of our science. Money destroys everything. Apparently, the entire world...

Click Here to View 50 Hilarious Vintage Cigarette Ads

Update - All Charges Against Ehud Halevi Have Been Dropped

2012-10-24T19:41:00.000-04:00

I recently wrote about this incident and am so thankful to learn that all charges against homeless man Ehud Halevi have been dropped. Thanks was issued to over 100,000 people that signed the Change.org petition from Rabbi Moishe Feiglin.

Andrew Cuomo: No Law Maker Pay Raises Until Marijuana Decriminalized

2012-10-23T00:14:00.000-04:00

Yes, you did read that headline correctly...

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has been very vocal about the issue of decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana of residents in New York. Thousands of people in his city each year are criminalized, disproportionately black and latino, and Cuomo thinks that the "crime" of small possession is outweighed by the constraints and costs of the punishment.

Now Governor Cuomo has come and said point blank, "I would not even consider — even consider a pay raise — unless the people's business was being done in a thorough, responsible way," which referenced his "People's Agenda" and includes the decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana possession and a small pay wage increase for citizens.

You can read more about this subject at: http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-10-16/news/34505314_1_minimum-wage-cuomo-r-nassau-county.

NYPD Brutally Attack and Beat Homeless Man Ehud Halevi In Synagogue

2012-10-22T12:38:00.000-04:00

The NYPD is under fire again - guess why...

You can see in this video that the violence and the extent of the violence was completely uncalled for. They need to be fired after all of the charges are dropped. Watch the video and if this pisses you off as much as me, be sure to read and sign the Change.org petition below.

Sign The Petition

On October 8, 21-year-old Ehud Halevi was sleeping in a youth center run by the New York synagogue where he's a member. Ehud is homeless, so his Rabbi -- who runs programs for at-risk youth like Ehud -- had told him back in September he could sleep there.

In a video that's now gone viral on the internet, two New York police officers are shown waking Ehud in the early morning. Even though Ehud explains to them that he has permission to sleep at the center, they try to arrest him. Then, the officers beat Ehud for almost 5 minutes straight -- even after Ehud can be seen lying down.

And despite the NYPD's beating, it's Ehud who's being charged with assault, and he faces 5 years in prison.

Rabbi Moishe Feiglin feels terrible. This happened at his synagogue’s center and to one of his congregants -- and he just wants Ehud's nightmare to end. Rabbi Feiglin started a petition on Change.org calling for the Brooklyn District Attorney to drop all charges against Ehud.

So far, the NYPD officer who was most involved in Ehud's beating has only been minimally disciplined -- his gun has been taken away and he's been placed on desk duty -- but the other officer hasn't been disciplined at all. Rabbi Feiglin says this is unacceptable. Ehud was eventually arrested and charged with trespassing and assaulting an officer, even though the video shows he didn't fight back.

In the past several months, several tapes of NYPD officers engaged in disproportional and violent exchanges have drawn heat to the department. With pressure rising, Rabbi Feiglin thinks that the support of thousands of people behind Ehud now can get the charges against him dropped.

Click here to sign Rabbi Feiglin's petition calling on the Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes to drop charges against homeless youth Ehud Halevi, who wasbeaten by police.

Thanks for being a change-maker,

- Emilia and the Change.org team

Get Your Mitt Romney Condoms - He Is Trying to Screw You, Why Not?

2012-10-21T20:49:00.001-04:00

Well this is about the funniest thing I have come across since this election took full swing. At least I know that I can be safe when he tries to f*ck me...

Romney Condom 2 Pack $4.99

Romney Earned 15.3 Million from Auto Industry Bailout

2012-10-21T05:30:00.000-04:00

Click here to read the full article at The Nation.

Gay Veteran Speaks with Mitt Romney on Marriage Equality

2012-10-20T16:24:00.000-04:00

This is an excellent video to watch regarding Mitt Romney's stance on GLBTQ Rights. And you want to watch the whole thing so you can realize when Mitt Romney realizes what exactly is happening...

On the one hand, Mitt Romney does answer the man's question adequately, even more thoroughly than provoked. I don't feel his demeanor or interaction with this man was negative, he just simply stated to the man that he thinks he lesser of a human being than Mitt Romney because straight people are simply entitled to certain rights that homosexuals are not entitled to.

I agree with the man 100%, obviously, not that Romney was rude or anything, it's just how he thinks and who he is. Like must republicans, hatred and unconcern of those who are different comes naturally to him.

Footage of Paul Ryan Washing Clean Dishes for Soup Kitchen Photo Op

2012-10-20T14:54:00.000-04:00

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America Needs A More Effective System of Government

2012-10-20T14:27:00.000-04:00

We need a more effective government that we the people run. As I continue to watch the 2012 Presidential Elections unfold, I am starting to really question the necessity of offices of power, like city mayors and even the President of the United States. I feel like our government should be our government, which we the people manage. I feel it is possible, thanks to today’s technology, to run this country without a President. We already have the CIA and military branches that govern security, and there is already a structure of command in place within it. We just need to streamline the way we vote and come up with a more effective way of making decisions in this country.

Throughout history, because of impossibilities in the accounting of mass votings and other constraints due to lack of technology, we have relied on a system that is supposed to be representative of the views of the majority of Americans. However, politics and power have turned our country into a for-profit, not for people, environment. People come into power for one set of reasons and try to sustain it for others. It is really time to take a new look at this country and reinvent ourselves to be smart, successful, efficient Americans that are accepting of all and together manage a profitable, prosperous country.

To do this, I think all Americans eligible and registered to vote should be required to vote once a quarter to maintain voting rights and voting should be done through an account accessible via internet so everyone can vote either at home, a friend’s house, the public library, wherever on their own time. Each voting American should be presented with all issues that they have not voted on since their last vote. All results need to be made available publicly and in real time. All voting history needs to be accessible to ensure that votes have not been changed, altered, or modified in any way. Although it would be a requirement to vote once a quarter, there should be no limited access to the account or the issues that are being voted on.

This may seem like a monumental restructure and even impossible, but could Americans voting for what they want be any less complicated than the system we have now, where Americans try to vote for what they want their voice may or may not be heard...

Preacher Speaks About LGBQT Rights

2012-10-19T23:57:00.000-04:00

Watch this video till the very end!

Anderson Cooper Crumbling the Foundation of the Romney-Ryan Tax Plan

2012-10-19T18:53:00.000-04:00

Anderson Cooper pretty much invalidates any validity of the Mitt Romney / Paul Ryan proposed tax plan...

Meryl Streep Draws the Line

2012-10-19T17:06:00.000-04:00

Rosa Perez on Mitt Romney's Latino Comment

2012-10-19T12:06:00.000-04:00

Reince Priebus Will Not Admit Fault

2012-10-18T20:29:00.000-04:00

Reince Priebus refuses to admit that he is wrong. Soledad O'Brien does an excellent job of illustrating exactly how and why he is wrong, he just refuses to believe it.

It's like when you are a Republican that supports Romney, the truth simply does not matter...

What If Mitt Romney Wins Election?

2012-10-18T14:14:00.001-04:00

It really is hard for me to imagine what it would be like if Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan actually pulled it off and won the election. You know that Fox News and all the hardcore republican media outlets are already working on their "Romeny Wins!" graphics...

When I watched the second presidential debates, there was a number of times that Mitt Romney actually appealed to me, briefly. It's because he sounds so good and what he says sounds so good - and really could work - you just have to remember to factor in the fact that he is a bad professional liar. Reread that last phrase, he's a professional liar, but he's no good at it!

I feel like Obama has this, not because of anything good he's done, but because Mitt Romney continues to paint himself as an awkward, unempathetic titan who is incapable of actually demonstrating concern for the well being of the middle or poor class.

The only reason I continue to be nervous about this election is because the few idiots that have Mitt Romney's back happen to have most of all the money in the world, which really could be an issue for ol' Barack, you, and me...

Paul Ryan's Fake Charity Photo Op

2012-10-17T21:10:00.001-04:00

It is really disgusting to me that Paul Ryan and the Mitt Romney team think that the American people are so ignorant to their schemes. Then again, it's disgusting to me that most of my family thinks that Romney is a hero (he's not)...

Paul Ryan had a picture taken of him doing dishes at a soup kitchen. The soup kitchen did not think the publicity stunt was cute at all. It almost disgusting to want a photo of the activity to be released, but if you are going to get a photo out of, take a couple of hours to forget about yourself for a minute and help a stranger, that's the point.

Every move the Romney team makes is another lie...

Beer Politics InfoGraphic

2012-10-17T14:56:00.000-04:00