South Chicagoland Young Democrats: The Blog

Anyone reading this blog is probably already well aware of the Republican Party’s ability to openly contradict themselves. Usually, it takes some period of time for them to forget about what it is that they have said and then they say something that is the exact opposite. This week, however, Congressional Republicans set a new record in their ability for double talk by contradicting statements that they are currently making.

Both houses of Congress are currently working on a budget for next year, 2008. The Democratic majority is working to eliminate many of the tax cuts that President Bush passed during his first term in office. On the cutting block are primarily the tax cuts that favor the wealthy and those that are left are aimed more toward the middle class. Because of the elimination of these tax cuts, an estimated (and badly needed) surplus of $158 billion would be available to the treasury in the next five years.

This is where the Republicans opened their mouths and shoved their feet right in. When the Democrats proposed their new budget, Republican leaders countered “The best way to balance the budget is to control spending, not raise taxes.” The spending that is referred to here is the planned funding for defense contracts, veteran affairs, and schools. I now ask you how Republicans can complain about a proposed increase in spending (one that is not even set to happen until next year) on measures that are necessary for the protection and betterment of America while simultaneously begging for more money to continue the war in Iraq, an ever downward spiraling hell hole that has done little more than drain our economy and kill thousands of our soldiers.

When I first read the story I had to stop and laugh. Reading the news today I saw this article about the proposed budget for next year printed directly beside the article that has Tony Snow and Defense Secretary Robert Gates pleading for Congress to pass the emergency funding bill that would allocate $128 billion to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They complain about us wanting to spend roughly $150 billion for internal use while simultaneously asking for roughly $150 billion for use in a foreign and unjust war. Something seems very wrong in this situation.

From the brilliant mind of Mike Kean, your friendly Sergeant at Arms.

I have great news for you guys Thursday night.? Get lots of people to the meeting.

GK

Any remotely intelligent person knows that Ann Coulter is a liar. She has always been known to twist the truth and downright make things up in her books and newspaper columns. The other night, however, she extended her list of wrongdoings by adding one count of hatred. I know that most people are stopping to ask themselves how Ann Coulter could possibly be any worse, but she did it by calling Democratic Presidential candidate John Edwards a “faggot” in a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference.

In all honesty, the fact that Coulter would say something like this is not surprising to me, nor am I surprised that few conservatives, let alone those in attendance at the conference, spoke out against her use of that hateful word. In my opinion, this whole situation is a strong reminder of how hateful the conservatives in this country have become. Being openly opposed to gay marriage is one thing. I know several liberals who are against gay marriage. The extent to which the conservatives have taken this issue, however, is dispicable. No one should be allowed to call another American a faggot at a national convention at which the vice-president of the United States is in attendance and then go unpunished.

A few conservatives have had the decency to come out and openly condemn Coulter’s comment. One such person is presidential candidate John McCain, who called her remarks inappropriate even though he was not in attendance at the conference. Dick Cheney was in attendance, though, and he has said nothing even though he himself has a lesbian daughter. I hope that someday the Republican Party will distance itself from this message of hate that has become synonymous with their political position.

From the Brilliant Mind of Mike Kean, your friendly Sergeant at Arms.

Ice Cream’s Ben & Jerry Salute Flavor on “The Colbert Report”

Read the complete story here.