AMERICAN ANGST

This was the week of the first presidential debate. Though disappointing to many, I thought everything went as planned. Michel started a discussion here for those who want to discuss the apparent missteps of the president.

I myself thought it was perfect. When you set the bar that low you can only go up. When you pretend to be a horrible debater, then come back in round two on fire, you will surprise and grab America's attention. If this wasn't a planned drama I'd be surprised; Obama is now the underdog in the debates and Americans love underdogs.

While we wait to see if there's anything to my reasoning, at least we can have some real fun watching Congressman Ryan and Vic-President Biden duke it out, that one will be great fun. Are you ready to rumble? If so, Thursday should quench that thirst.

Congressman Paul Broun, a republican out of Georgia, got up on the wrong side of the bed and decided that all science is "lies straight from the pit of hell." Evolution, Embryology and the Big Bang, all the devil's doing. Normally I'd see the big "R" on his lapel and not expect anything real spouting out of his blowhole, but this gentleman deserves special attention; he is a high ranking member of the House Science Committee.

Someone slap me and wake me from the nightmare.

For every setback, someone takes a step forward. The Tea Party's "True The Vote" organization is being criminally investigated because of their activities. Senator Barbara Boxer, a democrat out of California, started the ball rolling with a letter to True The Vote and the Justice Department.

Senator Boxer wrote, "At some point, an effort to challenge voter registrations by the thousands without any legitimate basis may be evidence of illegal voter suppression."

It is about time someone started looking closely at the conservative move to purge voters. Representative Elijah E. Cummings, a democrat out of Maryland and on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has picked up the ball and is running with it.

This is more troublesome than all the anti-voting legislation being passed in conservative led states. Those laws have been either struck down, or put on hold until after the election. True The Vote is different. This organization is mobilizing a national network of volunteers to go to the actual polls and challenge and intimidate voters on election day. 

I hope anyone seeing any criminal activity like this when they go to vote will stand up to the criminals. You know they will only go after those they think they can intimidate. The voter fraud initiative has been a disease from the beginning, hopefully it will finally end with some of these fine citizen criminals being locked up for a good long time.

Unemployment dropped to 7.8% giving the Obama administration a nice boost after the not so good debate. Psychopath and ex-GE CEO Jack Welch goes into emergency denial mode about the good news for the country, which is always bad news these days to conservatives. He tweets, "Unbelievable job numbers..these Chicago guys will do anything..can't debate so change numbers." The usual conservative mantra, if we don't like it it can't be true. Like science, conservatives are unable to grasp anything that might damage their disgusting world view.

Even worse for conservatives is that the federal deficit dropped 200 billion dollars. The deficit is now 1.1 trillion, which is the lowest since 2008 when the financial crisis started that brought about the great recession. A conservative nightmare that makes life oh so sweet for the the reality crowd.

GOD'S GREATEST

At the end of September, Pat Robertson spoke at the Americans for Jesus 2012 rally. The old crazy guy happily looked out at a crowd of 8,000 to 10,000 - I'm sure Pat thought there were millions there; it's a miracle! - and said "I don't care what the ACLU says or any athiest says, this nation belongs to Jesus." There there Pat, it will be okay. The two day event was organized by the group One Nation under God. They are the bumbling numb minds that in the 1980's were credited with helping to start the religious right movement in this country. Happily the statistics show in the past that they used to get crowds of a half million; apparently Jesus is losing his appeal. 

Pastor John Hagee is back to being somewhat more unbalanced than he normally is. It was this gentleman that stated the Nazis were sent from god to hunt the jews. His newest endeavor is Global Evangelism Television; an internet business where all things idiotic are featured. He recently set out an email to all christians and people of faith - maybe Chick-fil-A bosses as well - that centers on the impending destruction of America if Obama wins. Be more afraid than usual people. 

Delirious quotes from the fine pastor:

“First, I want to express my profound appreciation to President Barak Obama for doing what all of the Republican candidates have not been able to do for months: he unified the Bible-believing church in America in one week over the issue of abortion.

“When the president ordered the Catholic Church to provide contraceptives to prevent the birth of new life, he hit a nerve in the heart of every true Catholic and evangelical."

“Being a politician, he will attempt to compromise his position until after the election and then release the full power of government to force the church to obey the state. Think about this! If he made this bold statement before the election, consider how brutal he will be if he is re-elected!"

“I have said it before and I will say it again: the election on Nov. 6, 2012 for the office of president is the day of decision for America. Four more years of Obama will bring absolute socialism to America. Our children and grandchildren will never know the greatness of America that we have experienced."

“This must not happen! … I am asking the Christians of America to join us in 40 days of prayer for this presidential election. These 40 days of prayer will begin on Sept. 28, 2012. You can do it individually or in groups, but prayer is the most powerful force God has given us to bring our nation back to righteousness. I'll be saying more about this as the year progresses, but mark it on your calendar and start telling your family, friends, and church members now about the 40 days of prayer.”

Tickles me thinking about all the faithful wasting their time, and our oxygen, yammering to the invisible. At least it may keep them out of trouble.

The FBI has been taken over by gays. Another gentleman with a lack of critical thinking skills, Brian Camenker, is promoting the thought that gays are now in charge of not only the FBI, but the CIA as well. These well dressed enforcers of law are using their new found power to crack down on pro-family groups and citizens; if only. Read the whole article if you need laugh, this gentleman is very frightened. He runs a group out of Massachusetts called MassResistance, I wouldn't recommend going to the site, it is horrible.

The Army has launched an investigation into mandatory prayer. Apparently at Fort Sam Houston, a Suicide Prevention Awareness, Education and Training program was highjacked and turned into a revival. This important training was being held at other military bases around the country, but only this one decided to make it a religious event. Someone didn't realize that having a mandatory spiritual fitness and candlelight prayer is an assault on the separation of church and state.

Great news for those waiting for the return of Jesus. Christian television networks have setup camp in Jerusalem to broadcast live the return of Jesus. Continuing the longest running scam in history, Daystar TV and Trinity Broadcast Network have set up camera and studios overlooking Mount Olive where the messiahs return will supposedly take place. 

Filming the final battleground seems to be a bit odd, who will be left to watch it? Never mind that, it is still a great excuse to run christian programming 24 hours a day in the hope that the Jewish people can be converted to christianity.

EDUCATION ENEMIES

I'm becoming interested in a program called "Every Student, Every School." Apparently since adults get in trouble if they bring religion into public schools, there is now a program that teaches students how to evangelize on campus; let the brainwashing begin. 

The program is for junior high and high school students. If you go to their site, it teaches how to evangelize on public property. Corporations, and individuals, can "sponsor" a school, though who they may be is not disclosed. I looked up my local public high school, and yes, there are two corporations sponsoring the program. 

How insidious is this? If there's one thing you can always count on from the religious is they're constant sneakiness; especially evangelicals, who will do anything to promote the nonsense that keeps them financed.

FOOD FIGHT

In a discussion with a young liberal atheist, he was of the opinion that there are more conservative atheists than one, meaning me, might think. He knows several and insists that the liberal atheists that dominate the secular networking sites are an anomaly, that the conservatives are not represented because they do not reveal their atheism.

I thought the idea was not the brightest one I'd heard of lately, but after a little more thought, perhaps he could be right.

It doesn't seem to fit, since the faces of conservatism are usually more Gung ho than those tree hugging liberals are.  Could it be that liberals are more exuberant about atheism than their polar opposites? If you're conservative, perhaps you don't want the rest of the republican base to know that you don't believe in god, that if that was revealed you would not be accepted by your peers. 

What fun this would be if true, secular conservatives hiding while secular liberals get to control the conversation. Conservatives allowing the progressive community to be the face of reality, while they hide amongst the god followers. 

I really don't think there's as many as the young guy I was talking to thinks, but there is a slight joy in the thought that for once conservatives must hide their true thoughts. Besides too soon gone Hitchens, the only other prominent conservative atheists I can think of off immediately would be Penn Teller and - sorry to put in the same sentence - S.E. Cupp.

I didn't have a good argument I could use to rebuke his stance. Though wandering around the atheist networks for a few years, and finding a lone conservative here or there, it always seemed that liberals were the vast majority. A conservative could not really rally around the right these days, they may hang out with Randian economists but where else would they be accepted. 

Are there conservative atheists who think that a marriage is between one man and one woman? Are there conservative atheists who are pro-choice. And if I keep asking basic questions about their views and they answer in a manner that is compatible with liberal ideals, are they really a conservative?

Enjoy your week people.