The Death of Our President

            Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Today, My Dear Readers, I was confronted with the very reason that I started this blog back on March 22^nd, 2010. Since the campaign that catapulted Senator Obama to become President Obama I have been troubled by voices. Voices coming from the extreme fringe of the Republican party. Elements of this radical fringe have engaged in hyperbolic rhetoric. They have created doubt about; the citizenship of President Obama, the legitimacy of his election, elements of his past, and even his (self-described) Christian religion.

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Never before, in the history of our nation, have there been so many hyper-partisan voices. Never before has there been disingenuous claims of such a personal and insulting nature leveled at a President of the United States. In my lifetime there has never been a more determined and uninformed group of Americans, literally, Hell-Bent on public ridicule of a Presidential candidate nor sitting President. It is this terrible shrill of hate-filled and hyperbolic rhetoric that motivated me to start this blog.

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Today, I saw the ugly culmination of nearly a decade drumbeat of angry rhetoric, in the demand for blood of our sitting President! It is this of which I speak:

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        ““Obama is not president as far as I’m concerned," the woman can be heard saying in the clip. "He should be executed as an enemy combatant.”[1]

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Uninterrupted, the woman went on to say:

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        “He is shipping Muslims into our country…”

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And:

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        “he (President Obama) has no authority, NONE!”

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Now, this is happening at a ‘Town Hall’ held by Rep. Jim Bridenstine ® Oklahoma. (See video of this Town Hall here: http://youtu.be/Wxr4cEC9IXw or just below, here)

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[youtube=http://youtu.be/Wxr4cEC9IXw]

(Woman Demands Execution of President Obama)

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At no point did Rep. Bridenstine attempt to stop this woman’s call for blood. Actually he sought to build on this woman’s delusional rant by proffering (as a Congressman of The United States of America):

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        “Everybody knows of the lawlessness of this President… he picks and chooses which laws he’s going to enforce or not enforce…”

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Hang on… can we get some clarification here for everyone. The President is the head of the Executive Branch of our government. There are three branches to our Federal Government;

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1. 1.    The Legislative Branch – Charged with passing legislation and ‘holding the purse strings’ of our Federal Government. This branch works as a legislative body to pass pieces of legislation that are made into our nation’s laws.


2. 2.    Executive Branch – As the Head of the Executive Branch our nationally elected President takes Legislation passed by Both Houses of Congress and signs them into Law. The Chief Executive, President, oversees a Cabinet. The Cabinet is made up of the 14 Secretaries from the executive departments and the Attorney General.


3. 3.    The Judicial Branch -  Made up of the Courts System and in charge of ENFORCING THE LAWS.

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Now, anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of our Three Branches of government understands (as you do now) that it is the Judicial Branch that is charged with “enforce or not enforce…” laws, and not the President of the United States.

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I am flabbergasted that this elected and duly sworn Congressional Representative made no effort, whatsoever, to correct this woman or attempt to stop this woman from demanding the blood of our President. I have actively watched Presidential politics for as long as I can remember. I have distinct memories of watching speeches from President Eisenhower, and clearly remember a televised debate between Senator Kennedy and Richard Nixon.

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Never in my life have I ever witnessed such bloodlust. For the past three years, I have used this blog to warn. Warn against this type of hyperbolic and hyper-partisan rhetoric. Rhetoric  and the potential damage it does to our political dialogue and our government. Let me give you a little comparison in contrast. .

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During the Presidential campaign between Senator Obama and Senator McCain I distinctly remember a ‘Town Hall’ that Senator McCain held, in I believe Arizona. Senaotr McCain was taking questions from many of the people in attendance. He walks up to a woman, a woman clearly of an age we would refer to as a senior. The woman starts out saying:

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    “President Obama is an Muslim… and I do not think… “

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To his credit, and to make my point, Senator McCain STOPS the woman in mid-sentence and corrects her!

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    “President Obama is not an Arab, he is a decent family man that I happen to have disagreements with…”[2]

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That happened in October 10th 2008. I am deeply disturbed at how far we, as a nation, have fallen in just five years and four months. My Dear Readers, I apologize… but it is only one political party… one party that seeks to garner and hold political office… this way. It is just elements of the Republican Party that resort to these low-handed tactics to endear voters. It is just the Republican party that allows such hyperbolic rhetoric to have become the bread and butter of their party.

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When I started this blog, this was the concern that motivated by actions. I genuinely feared the day when this kind of hyperbolic and antisocial behavior be seen as the ‘politically correct’ way to register one’s discontent for a Presidency. I appeal to you, MY Dear Readers, to see this woman’s action (and the inaction of Rep. Bridenstine) as reprehensible and unacceptable. When you; speak in your community, post on Facebook, write in any social media and even in conversations with friends and family never allow hyperbolic rhetoric (like this call for bloodlust by this woman) to gain purchase. To strongly resist the infection of your; community, political circles, and/or your home by this disease. We the People must stand United against this kind of social disease, this bloodlust.

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We must, together, stand against the spread of this kind of socially reprehensible behavior in our homes and in our communities. You see, My Dear Readers, that if you remain silent… your silence will be seen as acceptance. We cannot allow our nation’s political dialogue to be so poisoned. There is no intrinsic value to this woman’s words. There can be no acceptance for these bitter and  deeply disturbing demands.

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As Senator McCain said, “we disagree on a great many policies” but we cannot allow disagreement to be so deeply warped into some kind of ignorant hatred. As Americans we owe it to our posterity to keep our national political dialogue free from such bloodlust and angry ignorance. Our nation is strong. Our nation is proud. That strength can be tapped by allowing angry bloodlust to flourish. Our pride can quickly turn to shame, if we ignore or even support such hyperbolic and hyper-partisan hate filled rhetoric.

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I am in terrible pain, My Dear Readers, and I am in real need of rest. I could not rest until I made an effort to publish… and speak strongly about this injustice to our nation, and our political dialogue. I so much love my country, that I could not find rest before I addressed this terrible injustice. You may well think “this is jus the words of one woman….” What is the big deal? Where is the real need?

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That is now it starts, My Dear Readers. It starts with us just looking away. Then while our backs are turned.. it grows… and in the darkness it grains power. Then it becomes larger than any of us ever imagined, and then it is too late to stop. I have made my stand, I have written as much as I possibly can…  I have made every effort I am capable… and I have appealed to every American’s better nature. Do not let thoughts and words like these gain a foothold in your community. Do not allow this kind of bloodlust for a President take root in your community, your family, your life and your heart.

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As always I am deeply honored that you come here and read my work.

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Thank YOU!

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P.S. I am still without much food in my home. I do my best, honest I really do. I am not lying about how much money I make… I do not lie about the lack of food I suffer. I sincerely apologize for even mentioning this problem. However, it was a good friend that told me… “Danny, if you don’t tell people your needs… there is no way those that want to help, know when they CAN help.” I am asking for help. I have written in many articles how to help. One way is to click the link below to my eBay Store for The Other Shoe. Please… if you can… Please do help.

. [PayPal account is Daniel Hanning enzomatrix@earthlink.net all contributions are private and greatly appreciated Thank you]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="234"] The Other Shoe eBay Store[/caption]

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[caption id="attachment_2296" align="aligncenter" width="630"] The Other Shoe's Daniel Hanning[/caption]

 

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[1]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/08/jim-bridenstine-town-hall_n_4752337.html?ncid=txtlnkushpmg00000037

[2]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRq6Y4NmB6U

The Least Productive Congress in HISTORY!

The Least Productive Congress in HISTORY!

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             Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Let’s start, today, with a question… shall we? If you were the least productive; person in your office, salesmen on the floor, or worker in your store would you have a job? Answer honestly. Nope, you most likely would not have a job. If you had the lowest sales, the lowest productivity numbers, did the least amount of work in your job you would (most likely) not have a job, correct? Then why is it that right now, today, Republicans still have jobs as Congressmen and Senators on ‘The Hill’?

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            “The 113th Congress is going down as the least productive group of Washington legislators in modern history.”[1] (PBS)

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            “The 113th Congress has passed 55 bills into law this year, seven fewer at this point than the 112th Congress, making it, at least for now, the least productive Congress in history.” [2].(Huffington Post)

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            “Even the infamous “Do Nothing Congress” of 1948 did more.

Washington lawmakers this year have approved just 55 laws and, with only a handful of days left, will almost certainly go down as the least productive crop of legislators in modern history.”[3] (Boston Globe)

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            “The 113th Congress has passed all of 55 laws so far this year, seven fewer at this point than the 112th Congress — the least productive Congress ever.” [4] (New York Times)

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Now, My Dear Readers, that is four independent sources all saying the same thing about the 113^th Congress. When I was in high school, and learning journalism, we were told to use three independent sources, I have provided you with four. If I wanted to, I could fill this entire article with quotes from over fifty different sources, all stating the same thing. The 113^th Congress of these United States of America have been this single least productive legislators in the history of our Republic. Now, let me get back to the question I started this article with, shall I? If you sold… Closed the least number of sales of homes would you still have a job as a real estate agent? No, most likely you would not. If you processed the least number of loans, as a loan agent in a bank, would you still have a job? No, most likely you would not. Then why is it, My Dear Readers, why is it that Republicans are still in control of the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America? For two years in a row now Republicans have distinguished themselves as being the least effective and least productive legislators this nation has seen it in its entire history. Gript with intransigence, focused on purity, and repeating this same task over and over and over again this Congress has distinguished itself as being completely ineffectual at the jobs to which they have been hired.

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Did you know, My Dear Readers, that in just the past two years Republicans have held nearly 45 votes to “repeal Obamacare… ”? 45 times they have brought the same nonsense to the floor of the House of Representatives. Remember that number, 45. Right now the 113^th Congress of the United States of America has passed 55 laws. If you remove all of the house keeping bills; naming post offices, naming national holidays, giving out awards you would be left with eight less pieces of legislation. That leaves us with 47 actual laws that affect the United States of America passed by the 113^th Congress. That is only two more than the times they have tried to repeal Obamacare. My Dear Readers the very definition of insanity is to repeat the same thing again and again expecting a different result. If we were to hold this body of legislators by the same standard as individuals are in our society? The Republican leadership of the 113^th Congress would fully qualify as being an insane body.

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Question? You are the least productive real estate agent. You are the least productive loan officer. You are the least productive; teacher, Gardner, firemen, policemen, hamburger jockey. You lose your job, correct? Then, my fellow Americans, our duty is clear. What must happen must be crystal clear to every single person in the United States of America. The Republican Party has been the majority of, held the Speakership in, and been in charge of the House of Representatives of the Congress for the United States of America for two sessions. The two least productive sessions of Congress in the history of our entire Republic. Our path is clear. Were they; a real estate agent, a loan officer, a teacher, a policeman, a burger jockey they would lose their job. So must the Republican majority of the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America.

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This is not about partisanship. This is about common sense. We can no longer allow the pursuit of political purity to impede the progress of this, the single most powerful nation in the history of mankind. No longer can political purity, Intransigence, and the pursuit of a singular goal preoccupy all the time of the People’s Congress of this great nation. While Republicans have held the House of Representatives in the Congress of the United States of America in some sort of temporal hold, does the world stands still? No, the world, its economy, its people, they all keep moving forward. The world around us keeps moving forward; its workers, its companies, they all continue to be productive. We cannot, we the people of the United States of America, in good conscience continue to support a party that has proven it’s pursuit of purity, its singular focus to be a detriment to the future of our nation and of our people.

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Again, this is not partisanship My Dear Readers this is just about common sense and the pursuit of productivity. How long can America… How long can the United States of America hold its preeminence as the single greatest superpower in the history of our species if the People’s body of the Congress of this nation is held in the grip of Intransigence and hampered by a historic lack of productivity? Quite simply, My Dear Readers it cannot. Republicans have proven, with their actions and their words, that the pursuit of party purity and the Fellowship of Intransigence are the hallmarks of their current leadership. That being said, we cannot in good conscience continue to present the mantle of leadership to that party. Now My Dear Readers I would be saying these very same words if it were the Democrat Party that had locked our Congress… The house of the people of this great nation... locked it in a pursuit of purity and the Fellowship of Intransigence. I would be calling for the ouster of every single Democrat legislator in that esteemed body. However, that is not the case My Dear Readers. The fact of the matter is, the 112^th Congress of the United States of America, the House of Representatives, was the least productive at the beginning of this year. Now that we come to the end of the year, and the end of another session of the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America, we find ourselves in a position where Republicans have out done themselves in the art of non-productivity.

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I have been writing about our nonproductive Republicans now for two years. Many outlets of our media. here in America and across the world. have been writing about the lack of productivity of Republicans while controlling the House of Representatives. The time for talk is over. The time for action is at hand. Let us not be dissuaded from the obvious task at hand. Let us not allow our nation to be gripped, yet another year, gripped by Intransigence with thoughts of party loyalty. It is now time for all of us, all voters of the United States of America, to stand shoulder to shoulder and in unison and kick the bombs out.

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It is my humble opinion that come November, of our coming year, no American, in good conscience, knowing what we know now… Knowing what I have put forth on this blog for two years… Knowing the real truth about the Republican leadership of the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America. No American in good conscience should be able to vote for Republican now sitting in the house of the people the Congress of the United States of America. Shakespeare put it best;

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            “To take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing, end them.”

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It is now time, my fellow Americans, for all of us to take arms against the sea of troubles that has gripped our House of Representatives in intransigence. To take arms against the Republican Party that has caused this frozen democracy. To take arms and by opposing END their Intransigence. By opposing their lack of productivity. By opposing their pursuit of purity and their fondness for Intransigence. End them. End the intransigence. End this sorry lack of productivity.  END this frozen democracy.

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As always I am deeply flattered you come here and read my work.

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Thank you!

[caption id="attachment_1812" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Just a shot of a VERY thankful Danny in His Power Chair[/caption]

 

 

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[1]http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/12/113th-congress-on-track-to-be-least-productive-ever.html

[2]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/03/john-boehner-least-productive_n_4377930.html

[3]http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2013/12/04/congress-course-make-history-least-productive/kGAVEBskUeqCB0htOUG9GI/story.html

[4]http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/03/us/politics/least-productive-congress-on-record-appears-in-no-hurry-to-produce.html?_r=0

America's Future Is NOT in Its PAST!

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America’s Future Is NOT in its Past!

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That is true, America’s future does not lie in its past. Today the Untied States Supreme Court has made the worst decision since I’ve been alive. They have gutted the will of the American people to favor a party ready to die. Don’t be fooled by the numbers, of the SCOTUS decision. Because the ONLY woman (Justice Sotomayor recued herself due her ruling on a similar case) wrote the Dissenting Opinion on today’s ruling from this absurd court. Here’s a clue, that what I say is right, the dissenting opinion was LONGER and contained more Evidence and PROOF than the one written by Chief Justice Edwards.

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I will share as much as I can, from the dissenting opinion, today. However, I am so very much pain I wonder just how much I will be able to accomplish. Right now I will share, the single most salient and intelligent sentence in either opinion:

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“Throwing out preclearance when it has worked and is continuing to work to stop discriminatory changes is like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.”

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I am going to post this, right now, so that I have something out. I am working, as you are reading, to finish this piece. There is so much to be shared, so much to be said!

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Continued -

! Right now I have come back, to this article I write. For I have had a moment with out pain, and I must take advantage of that.

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Here is more from Justice Ginsburg’s dissent:

“But, the Court insists, the coverage formula is no good; it is based on “decades-old data and eradicated practices.” Ante, at 18. Even if the legislative record shows, as engaging with it would reveal, that the formula accurately identifies the jurisdictions with the worst conditions of voting discrimination, that is of no moment, as the Court sees it. Congress, the Court decrees, must “star[t] from scratch.” Ante, at 23. I do not see why that should be so.”

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SEE, there is a salient point,  that will be missed by most. That, in this decision, the Court has directed Congress to go back to the drawing board. However, this is NOT 1964 and the roles have changed. Justice Ginsburg put it best when she said:

“Congress’ chore was different in 1965 than it was in 2006. In 1965, there were a “small number of States . . . which in most instances were familiar to Congress by name,” on which Congress fixed its attention. Katzenbach, 383 U. S., at 328. In drafting the coverage formula, “Congress began work with reliable evidence of actual voting discrimination in a great majority of the States” it sought to target. Id., at 329. “The formula [Congress] eventually evolved to describe these areas” also captured a few States that had not been the subject of congressional fact finding. Ibid. Nevertheless, the Court upheld the formula in its entirety, finding it fair “to infer a significant danger of the evil” in all places the formula covered…”

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FURTHER:

“The situation Congress faced in 2006, when it took up reauthorization of the coverage formula, was not the same. By then, the formula had been in effect for many years, and all of the jurisdictions covered by it were “familiar to Congress by name.” Id., at 328. The question before Congress: Was there still a sufficient basis to support continued application of the preclearance remedy in each of those already-identified places? There was at that point no chance that the formula might inadvertently sweep in new areas that were not the subject of congressional findings. And Congress could determine from the record whether the jurisdictions captured by the coverage formula still belonged under the preclearance regime. If they did, there was no need to alter the formula. That is why the Court, in addressing prior reauthorizations of the VRA, did not question the continuing “relevance” of the formula.

Consider once again the components of the record before Congress in 2006”

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Some FACTS and NUMBERS before we continue: In 2006 The Senate voted 98-0 in favor of reauthorization and a Republican controlled House voted 398-3. It wasn’t like any other legislation, passed that year. It has near unanimous support from both sides of the isle. Yet SCOTUS (NOT elected representatives of the COUNTIES and States) expresses Judicial Hubris by placing their very limited experiences (outside their Ivory Tower), and total lack of knowledge of what  happens on the streets, and inflicted a wound to our Republic, our nation.