SAYING PLENTY

Our youngest grandson is one and a half years old.  He was taken to the emergency room Tuesday night with a fever of 102F.  He'd been listless and hadn't taken food or drink all day.  Even his older brother, at three and half, noticed something was not right.  "What's wrong with K...?"  He asked his mother.

They've brought his fever down but he still refuses to eat or drink anything.  He was diagnosed with respiratory volume problems.  He's still in the hospital, his mom, who is expecting another, is staying with him.  Fluids are being administered mechanically and – fearing additional dehydration -- they won't release him until he is willing to eat or drink.

Naturally, we're worried about him.

I can't imagine how we'd feel if we lost him.  And what it would mean to his mother, father and brothers.  And little sister who is on the way.  She'd never get to fight with her missing brother.

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Neil Heslin did lose his six year old little boy at the Sandy Hook elementary school.  Unbelievably, Heslin was heckled by gun nuts at a hearing where he came to testify.  Having no sympathy for a man who has just experienced the worst that a parent can imagine says plenty about the inhumanity and gross stupidity of those people.  Plenty.

THE BIG O – 60%, HOUSE REPUBLICANTS – 27%, PERRY OF TEXAS --- FORGET IT

The most recent Washington Post/ABC News poll has Pres. O with an approval rating of 60 %.  Not bad for a second termer who has the Faux News echo chamber, Rush – where's my oxycontin – Limbaugh and the Obama hating bloggers to shrug off like small annoyances on a daily basis. 

Compare that to the Republicants in the House.  They get a measly 27%. approval rating.  Imagine, 73% of Americans think the House Repubs suck.

They're doing about the same as Rick Perry, the Texas governor who ran in the Republicant primaries along with the rest of the clown car.  62% of Texans say Perry should NOT run for re-election, including 39% of Republicants (presumably, the other 61% are slow learners, like some we have here in Ohio). And 80% of Texas voters say Perry should definitely NOT run for President again.  The Texans don't want to be embarrassed again.  First Bush, then Perry.  Come on, give a State a break.  Although, anyone who voluntarily lives in Texas proves they're NOT QUALIFIED to be president.

And speaking of low approval ratings, the lowest of the low heckled the father of a six year old boy murdered at Sandy Hook, Neil Heslin, at a hearing on gun control in Hartford, Conn.  What kind of scum yells "Second Amendment, Second Amendment" at a grieving father who just lost his little boy.

"He was a boy that loved life. Lived it to the fullest…He was my son, he was my buddy, he was my best friend." Heslin said.

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And in other gun news: Why do we need more thorough background checks?  Because from 1998 to 2009 only 1.7% of gun applications were denied for mental illness reasons; a wacko brought a loaded AR-15 assault rifle into a Charlotteville, Virginia Krogers store; a doctor was shot to death inside a Newport Beach, California examination room yesterday by his 75 year old patient; three people shot in an Arizona office; no shootings at gun appreciation events yet today but give 'em time.

FREUD, GUNS AND REPRESSED IMPULSES

A News Herald blogger appears to be in love with his snub-nosed handgun as he mentions it more often than his wife in his posts.  Apparently the man is unaware of the Freudian symbolism that a gun represents.  That's his problem and it's not our place to embarrass him.

But when he posts mis-information, knowingly or innocently, it is our job to correct the record.  Rather than 323 deaths from guns in 2012 as the blog Politics with Pete states, the actual number is much higher.  Since the murders of little children at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012 there have been 1318 people killed by guns.  You can verify that information HERE.

Wayne 'Call Me Crazy' LaPierre, well paid mouth piece for the NRA, complains that Obama's proposal to have all gun transfers recorded is too burdensome.  Wayne 'Call Me Crazy' LaPierre whines, "what about a kindly ole granpa who wants to give his grandson an antique rifle, should that transfer be recorded?"  Yes, Wayne 'Call Me Crazy' LaPierre, it should.  If granpa wants to give his grandson a 1949 Ford – guess what – it has to be recorded.

Wayne 'Call Me Crazy' LaPierre also whines about the gov-a-mint comin' ta take away all the guns if'n the ownership is recorded.  Guess what, Wayne 'Call Me Crazy' LaPierre?  the government knows where all the cars are but they haven't come to take those away.

Why do people like Wayne 'Call Me Crazy' LaPierre and the Politics with Pete blogger think their gun ownership is exempt from rules we apply to many other items?  What makes their guns so dear to them?

Maybe they should do a bit of research on Freudian symbolism.  They might be surprised at what they discover about themselves.

TTFN SARAH, WE BARELY KNEW YE

1--The Faux News echo chamber and the Obama hating bloggers are upset that the US is sending four jets to Egypt.  The deal was negotiated in 2010 when US ally Mubarak was still in power.  As soon-to-be Secretary of State, John Kerry, said in response to a question from flat earther Republicant Senator from Kentucky, Rand – I didn't vote for my father – Paul:  "The fact that sometimes other countries elect someone you don't agree with doesn't give us permission to walk away."

What the Faux News echo chamber and Obama hating bloggers fail to understand is that these negotiations are BETWEEN COUNTRIES, not between individuals.  Obama didn't negotiate with Morsi, the USA negotiated with Egypt.  Get it? Duh.

2 -- Another flat earth Republicant embarrassment is Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.  He tried to out crazy other Tea Party regulars in his questions to Kerry about that favorite Faux News topic: Benghazi.  But Kerry made Johnson look like a fool.  When Kerry asked Johnson if he'd attend the briefing on Benghazi, JOHNSON ANSWERED … NO.

Whadaya mean …NO?

The guy doesn't want answers on Benghazi anymore than Faux News does.  What they want is an ISSUE, cause they ain't got nuthin' else.  

Kerry then explained to the dimwit: "… there was a briefing with tapes, those of us who went to it, which made it crystal clear. We sat for several hours with our intel folks who described to us precisely what we were seeing. We saw all of the events unfold. We had a very complete and detailed description."  Slap down on Johnson.

3 – Flat earth Republicants won't have Sarah Palin to adore anymore. As predicted HERE way back last year on Thursday December 6th, the mega-mind, former governor, possible vice-president of the US (I'm breaking out in cold seat) from Alaska who can see Russia from her front stoop has been axed by Faux News.  That's what's called a prediction that actually comes true, as opposed to the fantasies you read from the Obama hating bloggers, the same ones who predicted Romney's landslide.

TTFN Sarah, we barely knew ye.

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In other guns news: 4 children have been shot in Ohio since Newtown; 3 teenagers have been shot in Ohio since Newtown; 39 adults have been shot in Ohio since Newtown; NO shootings at Gun Appreciation Day festivities yet today but there's still time.

we gone get rid of dem damnation unions jest as fasts as we can

Union hating Republicants in state legislatures like Michigan continue their assault on middle-class workers who actually do the work in this country.  Republicants hate unions because the Republicants get their campaign cash from businesses and businesses don't like workers to be organized.  Organized workers are a pain in the butt to businesses because organized workers demand things like decent wages, safe working conditions, health insurance, paid vacations and a place inside to go to the bathroom.

Since Business and anti-union special interest groups finance the Republicants they get to call the tune and the Republicants obey, yes sir. 

Yassir, Mr. Business Owner, we gone get rid of dem damnation unions jest as fasts as we can votes on it, yassir.

On the other side of the middle-class squeeze we have people like Willard Romney.  It's hard to remember because it was soooo long ago – way back last November – and Willard was such a forgettable personality, but he was the Republicant nominee for Pres.  Remember?

The Republicants thought they'd found their savior in Willard and pundits on Faux News and Obama hating bloggers who know nothing about politics predicted Willard would win by a landslide.

Excuse me a moment while I laugh myself silly.  Willard.  Landslide.  Two words that should never be used in the same sentence.

Willard lost big time but his campaign exposed the way people like Willard – who've never created anything in their lives (unlike people in unions) – get rich.  They ship American jobs to other countries where the wages are low low low.   That's what Republicants found so appealing in Willard, he helped destroy middle-class union jobs.  

Here's a few products that no longer carry the MADE IN AMERICA label:

1-  American Flags – most are made in China

2- The Monopoly Game

3- Olympic Uniforms – Willard started this trend when he ran the Utah Olympics

4- Etch a Sketch – made in China, symbolic of the Etch a Sketch candidate – Romney

5- Levi Jeans

Thanks Republicants and your dear friend, landslide winner --- Willard Mitt Romney.

 
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In other gun news: A Philadelphia man was sentenced to 9–18 years in prison for the death of his son.  The four year old found daddy's gun and accidentally shot himself;  The New Mexico teen who killed his family also plotted to randomly shoot Wal-Mart shoppers; nobody shot at gun shows today but it's still early.

.

HILLARY-- 10, REPUBLICANT IMPEACHMENT FANTASIES -- 0

The Faux News echo chamber has been drooling over the prospect of Hillary Clinton testifying before Congress about what happened in Benghazi, Libya when four American diplomats were killed.

The Faux News echo chamber was sure that Hillary would be caught in a web of lies and the Obama administration's coverup of the incident would FINALLY BE EXPOSED.

Wrong. 

The Obama hating bloggers who get their news from Faux were also positive that when Hillary had her Perry Mason Moment --- "Yes, you're right Congressman, we lied about everything, EVERYTHING" – the Republicant dreams of President Obama's impeachment would really begin to steam roll.

Wrong.Wrong.Wrong.Wrong.Wrong.Wrong.

These are the same blogging political know-nothings who predicted that Willard Romney would win by a landslide. What these dilettantes don't know about politics would fill the Grand Canyon:  just because they have OPINIONS they think they also know the score.

They don't.  Opinions are like belly buttons – everybody has them.

Anybody who knows anything about Hillary Clinton knows that she would make mincemeat out of the Republicants in the House and Senate who tried to make her look bad for their own political purposes.  And she did just that. 

Senators Paul of Kentucky and Rubio of Florida – two great leaders (huh?) who think they're ready for the White House (wrong) – looked like silly school boys being called to account by their teacher when they tried to cross-examine Clinton.  Paul even said he'd have relieved Clinton of her duties had he been the president.

News for Rand Paul: if he wants to fire Secretaries of State let him run for president and WIN.  Then he can fire all the cabinet members he wants.

There will be NO impeachment of Obama.  There was NO Republicant take down of Hillary Clinton at the Benghazi hearings. There was only the sight of even more Republicants looking like fools.  Something they have aplenty in the current GOP and in the community of know-nothings who support them.

In other gun news: 3 wounded in Texas college shooting, one dead in Rocky River shooting, nobody shot at gun shows yet today but there's still time

Go get 'em O

It was a fabulous Inauguration Day for Pres. Obama.  He hit all the right notes in his speech: doing something about global warming, protecting the country's safety net for those who experience hard times (even for those Obama hating bloggers too dumb to realize the Republicants would dismantle their precious Social Security benefits if given the chance),  equal pay for equal work (WOW! Whata concept.  Women paid the same as men for doing the same job.  Of course, voted down by the Republicants), taking it to the Romney/Ryan crowd about their disdain for the so-called takers, solving the immigration mess and Job Number One -- protecting our children and grandchildren from maniacs with guns.

Add to that impressive list Beyonce singing the National Anthem and it makes for a good time.

Unless you're a Republicant and a sore losers.  The sore losers refused to turn on their TV's (they probably couldn't find the remote).  And the Republicants split to Las Vegas rather than stay in Washington where their casino party included show girls.  That's the Republicant Morality Crowd, always good for a DUI or a dinner with strippers. 

 What a nightmare it would have been if Romney had won:  a speech about how we need to ship more jobs to China, provide bigger tax shelters for billionaires, how we will turn the Social Security fund  over to the PRIVATE SECTOR, how poor people need to pay more of their fair share.  Followed by Marie Osmond lip-synching Mormon Temple music. 

EEEKKK.  The thought gives me chills.

SPEAKING OF DEUTERONOMY

Another Viewpoint column by Dr. Benito A. Alvarez in Friday's (1-18-2013) News Herald is meant to be a cautionary tale.  Dr. Alvarez writes about how bad things happened in Cuba after Castro came to power and then took guns away from the good guys.

Dr. Alvarez asks "When exactly did I become the bad guy?"  Which is the wrong question to ask. 

The actual question for Dr. Alvaraz is – "Who exactly IN THIS COUNTRY (NOT Cuba) is coming, or proposing, to take away your guns?"

The answer is NOBODY.

Although you'd never know that by listening to the Faux News echo chamber or the hysteria professionally created by the NRA – lobby for the gun industry.  The fact is that the reasonable gun control measures proposed by Pres. Obama have nothing to do with confiscating guns.  But creating fear is what the NRA does best.

Why?

Because when people are afraid they won't be able to get guns they RUN OUT AND BUY GUNS.

And getting people to RUN OUT AND BUY GUNS is why the NRA exists.  In the 1960's the NRA stated in its official literature that "…the NRA is not affiliated with any manufacturer of arms or ammunition …"  But that was then and this is now and this ain't your grandpa's NRA.

Today the NRA gets more than half its funding from the gun and ammo $12 billion a year industry.  There's big money in guns and good money in being a mouthpiece for the NRA. "Call me crazy" Wayne LaPierre takes home more than $1 million per year.

But mandatory background checks, one Obama proposal, is supported by 76% of NRA members.  And reducing the number of rounds to 10 per clip and eliminating Bushmaster type weapons (intended for use in wars) is supported by 56% of the American people.  It's significant that the maniac who killed the little kids at Sandy Hook elementary school had his choice of guns with high count magazines or hunting rifles.  His mother had both.  He didn't choose hunting rifles.  If he had the carnage would have been much less.
Fewer bullets means fewer killings.  Simple, huh.   

But, there is one sure way that responsible gun owners like Alvarez can guarantee that their guns WILL be confiscated.  It’s their choice. 

They can resist sensible gun control measures like those suggested by Obama and write editorials and simplistic Politics with Pete "Yahoo, I'm goin' shootin' at the shootin' range" blogs against them.  If successful, and sensible gun control measures are defeated, then one thing is inevitable.  Maniacs will continue to have easy access to lethal weapons and the mass murders will continue.  

Then, sometime in the future, an event or series of events will be so bloody and horrific the American People will rise up and say, "THAT'S IT.  WE"VE HAD ENOUGH."  And the Second Amendment will be repealed.  As it says Deuteronomy, "I have set before you life and death.  Now choose life."

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In other gun news: Celebrating Gun Appreciation day five people at gun shows were shot, one lucky victim right here in Ohio, and in Albuquerque a teenager shot and killed five people including three children.

WAKE UP AND SMELL THE HYPOCRISY

Obama was named Man of the Year by Time magazine.  His personnel approval rating is 59%, and 59% of Americans view Obama as a strong leader (Pew Research).

On the other side of the political divide is the Republicant … party?  Americans give Republicants the thumbs down.  49% surveyed have a NEGATIVE VIEW of the Republicants, just 26% have happy thoughts about them (NBC/Wall Street Journal).

That's not much of a party.

That's politics.  Obama up … Republicants down.  Some days you get the bear and some days the bear gets you.  A year from now the polls might be reversed.  The pres in decline and the House of Repubs soaring like eagles.  But it's unlikely.

Why?

Because the Republicants don't seem to yet understand that their policy ideas ARE HATED BY THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS AND THE REPUBLICANTS STILL CAN'T GET IT THROUGH THEIR HEADS THAT THE MAJORITY RULES.

Like what policies for example?

The Fiscal Cliff.  AAAAAUUUGGHHHHH … THE FISCAL CLIFF.  The majority of Americans blame the Republicants for almost pushing us over the Fiscal Cliff.  AAAAAUUUGGHHHHH … THE FISCAL CLIFF.

What else?

Raising the debt ceiling.  Wall Streeters – major backers of Republicants – have warned the Neanderthals in the House not to play games with the debt ceiling.  One of the Koch brothers has told them the same thing.  But they don't even listen to their own breed.  The breed that supplies them with $$$$$$$$ and private jets.

Sounds kinda stupid of them.

Yeah.  Stupid.  It goes on and on.  56% of Americans say they want tighter gun control laws since 20 six and seven year old children were massacred by a maniac last December.  But the Republicants on retreat (perfect word for them) in a Virginia resort say no one has even mentioned guns or gun control.

Why not?

They're too busy deciding which moron should next bring up the subject of legitimate rape.

Sounds kinda stupid too.

And the Republicants are obsessed with cutting spending – it's their second favorite subject of discussion, preceded by which medical procedures they should next inflict on pregnant women – yet they never specify what they want to cut or by how much.  They keep sayin' it's Obama's job to tell THEM what they should want to cut.

That makes no sense.

Of course it does.  See, Republicants don't really want to cut spending …

They don't?

No.

Well then what do they want to do?

They want to TALK about cutting spending.  It's much easier to TALK about cutting spending than actually cutting anything.

Where's your proof of that?

When the fiscal cliff deal was put together by Sen. Mitch McConnell (Rep. Kentucky) it contained billions in pork:

    $1.6 billion in tax free bonds for Goldman Sachs and Bank of America

    $9 billion in off-shore tax loopholes for banks and manufacturers

    $1.5 billion in tax credits for FOREIGN SUBSIDIARIES OWNED BY 
    US MULTI-NATIONALS.          
 So what you're saying is that if the Republicants really wanted to cut spending those give-aways to big corporation would never have been included by McConnell.

Now you're beginning to smell the coffee.

WHY DO GUN OWNERSHIP RIGHTS TRUMP OTHER RIGHTS

1-- By a 55% majority Americans say they want tougher gun laws.  But the flat earth Republicants, the Faux News Echo chamber and the tottering anti-Obama bloggers don't realize this is a democracy and the majority rules.  A whining minority, they'll do whatever they can to keep America's murder rate the highest in the industrialized world.

2 -- We hear plenty from the NRA – the gun manufacturer's lobby – about Second Amendment rights.  How about the right of peaceful citizens to go to a movie without being killed.  Or the right of parents to send their six year olds off to school knowing the little ones will come home alive.  Or the rights of shoppers to enter a shopping mall with the expectation that they won't be gunned down.  Or the right of fire fighters to respond to an emergency call without having to wear body armor.  Why are those rights less important than gun owners' right to have 30 round clips?  

They're not – it's called the right to LIFE, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  Maybe you heard of it.

3 – The NRA – the gun manufacturers lobby – likes to use Hitler as an example of how bad things happen when they come to take our guns.  But it's a myth.  Hitler didn't restrict gun ownership HE EXPANDED IT. After WWI German gun ownership was banned by the Treaty of Versailles.  In 1938 Hitler reversed the rules, deregulated owning and transferring guns and ammunition, the legal age to own a gun was lowered to 18 and permits were issued for three years rather than one.

4 – Ronald Reagan – messiah to many Republicants – signed legislation that banned ownership of automatic weapons, prohibited carrying concealed weapons in public and supported a 15 day waiting period.

5 – 74% of NRA members support mandatory background checks for all gun sales, including gun shows.

6 – Making and selling guns is BIG BUSINESS. $12 BILLION A YEAR. 

7 – In 1967 NRA official literature stated " … the NRA is not affiliated with any manufacturer of arms or ammunition or any jobber or dealer …"  Not anymore.  Now the NRA gets more than half its funding from the gun and ammo businesses.  The NRA is NOT a club for sportsmen – it's a lobby for death.

8 – The mother of one little boy killed at Sandy Hook says when she went to identify him she recognized his hair and eyes but the bottom portion of his face had been blown away.  My cousin was killed in Viet Nam when he was 19.  He was a poor kid from Newark New Jersey who volunteered for the Marines.  His mother, my aunt, still thinks about him every day.  She says it's unnatural for children to die before their parents.  The parents, siblings and friends who lost loved ones in Sandy Hook will NEVER again have a Merry Christmas.

9 – It's telling that irresponsible gun lovers have little to say about the latest American gun massacre.  They never mention the children that were murdered.  All they want to talk about are their rights.

WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THIS ASYLUM?

The extreme right wing lunatic fringe in the House Republicant caucus is usually good for a laugh.  These are the Neanderthals who are threatening to close the government down rather than RAISE THE DEBT CEILING.

AAAAAUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH ….. THE DEBT CEILING.

Raising the debt ceiling, if you don't know, has nothing to do with the country incurring more debt.  Raising the debt ceiling means that the extreme right wing lunatic fringe in the House Republicant caucus and other Congress folks are authorizing the executive to PAY DEBTS THE CONGRESS HAS ALREADY INCURRED.

Not new debts. Old debts.  We already got 'em.  CONGRESS created 'em.

But with the patients being in charge of the asylum things could get messy. If the debt ceiling isn't raised the country might go into default and retired anti-Obama bloggers won't get their Social Security checks.  Neither will veterans and other members of the 47% of takers made famous by Willard Mitt Romney.

Who?

The Republicant savior of the Republicant party who became persona non grata to his followers the day after he was creamed in the November election.  Remember him?

Not really, but continue.

Also, if we default, the country's credit rating will take a hit, we'll look like morons to the rest of the world, and the world economy may crash sending everything into another recession. Little stuff like that.

Who are these idiots?

One is Michele Bachman (Minn. Republicant) who likes to say we should shut down the government until the government gets its spending in order.  Which is funny 'cause Bachman hasn’t gotten her own spending in order.  Bachman knocks down $174,000 a year as a member of Congress (3.48 times what the average American earns) yet she still hasn't paid some of her campaign staff from last year. 

Deadbeat.

And then there's Tim Huelskamp a Kansas Republicant who is so concerned about fiscal austerity he just voted AGAINST aid to people affected by Hurricane Sandy. He didn't think it was justified.  Fiscal austerity, that's Huelskamp's tune.  He hums it like he sees it.

Except Huelskamp's brother has received $1.6 million in gov-a-mint aid including $30 thou in disaster relief.

Huelskamp's parents have gotten $1.1 million in gov-a-mint aide.

And Huelskamp hisself  has pulled in $10,000 from the gov while getting $100,000 from farm lobbiests.  On top of his $174,000 yearly (3.48 times what the average American earns).  Huelskamp is emphatic about fiscal severity … for you … not for him, or his family.

Sounds like a Hypocrite.

Doesn't He?

13X 13X 13X

Gun owners fall into two main groups.  Group one is composed of responsible gun owners who know there is something wrong in a country that allows maniacs to get their hands on guns and kill little five and six year old school kids.  These gun owners want CONTROL of lethal weapons, and they don't think it's funny when someone says gun control means holding your rifle steady. 

One of these responsible gun owners is a lifelong hunter who just took his fifteen year old son out hunting for the first time and the boy got a deer.  The father was very proud, he says he was more excited than his son.

This gun owner and hunter says he's very much in favor of more serious gun control laws.  In fact, he told me that people with mental illnesses should never be allowed to own guns but he goes much further.  His position is that if there is anyone with mental illness in the home, NO ONE in that home is allowed to own a gun.

That's a serious idea that the NRA would NEVER endorse.

The other group of gun owners are lunatics.  They write blogs about how proud they are of their guns and how after the little children were massacred in Connecticut they prayed for their own grandchildren.

Here's a news flash gramps, in addition to praying that your own grandkids aren't murdered at pre-school, try getting behind serious gun legislation – it might save your grandkids' lives.
That's 'cause American kids are THIRTEEN TIMES more likely to be killed by a gun than in any other industrialized nation. 13X    13X     13X     13X      13X      13X      13X      13X

WAR HERO CONFRONTS HIS OWN POLITICAL PARTY

President Obama is the Commander in Chief, which infuriates the Usual Suspects: the Republicants, the anti-Obama bloggers, the Faux News echo chamber and of course Rush Limbaugh, the Blowhard in Chief.

As Commander in Chief Obama has the privilege of naming his Secretary of Defense.  And Obama just did that – he named former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel.  Hagel, if you don't know,  is a war hero, an enlisted man injured in Viet Nam.

You'd think the Republicants, the anti-Obama bloggers, the Faux News echo chamber and Blowhard in Chief Rushbo would be thrilled to have a Republican war hero as Obama's Secretary of Defense for Obama's second term.

But you'd be wrong.

You'd be wrong because the Republicants, the anti-Obama bloggers, the Faux News Echo Chamber and Rushbo are opposed to anything that Obama is for.  It doesn't matter what it is, if Obama is for it, the Usual Suspects are against it. 

If Obama announced that he'd found a cure for Alzheimer's the Usual Suspects would SCREAM that becoming senile is every American's right and Obama is just trying to besmirch the legacy of President Ronald Reagan.

So the Usual suspects have been attacking Hagel as the wrong man for Secretary of Defense.  John McCain, another Viet Nam war hero who -- since losing to Obama in 2008 – has become a cranky old war monger, is opposed to Hagel, as is South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham.  

Lindsey Graham, if you don't know, was called a middle aged lesbian (which is an insult to middle aged lesbians) by John Stewart.  Graham says that Hagel is outside the mainstream when it comes to international affairs and starting wars that the American people just can't get enough of.  Wars like in Iraq.  Maybe you've heard of it. 

But it's not Hagel who is outside the mainstream, it's Graham.  According to a recent poll 52% of Americans said the war was a mistake and 55% said it wasn't worth fighting.

Graham and McCain and other Usual Suspects were all in favor of the Iraq war, won't admit it was a mistake and they're lookin' for a new Secretary of Defense who thinks like they do.  A Darth Vaderish Dick Cheney or Rumsfeld clone just itchin' to send American youths off to fight and die most likely in the Middle East.  Iran comes to mind.

But they know Hagel won't play ball.

They know Hagel won't play ball because Hagel recognized the futility of the Iraq war, calling it "the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Viet Nam." 

Oops. 

That's a Republican war hero unafraid to stand up to his own party: a scary prospect if you're a Republicant, or an anti-Obama blogger, or a member of the Faux News Echo Chamber or Rush Limbaugh.