Aphorism: On Capital Punishment

By Madison S. Hughes (09.21.2011)

 

For Troy Anthony Davis, tonight is the night that the lights went out in Georgia. No doubt, “Tea Baggers” across the nation are cheering for yet another execution of which they so shamelessly demonstrated broad support for during a recent Republican clown show under the guise of a primary presidential candidate debate. Ironically, these same knuckle-draggers lost one of their own earlier today as a white supremacist met his Maker at the hands of the State of Texas. The mental midget, and Texas Governor Rick Perry must be so proud as he added yet another notch to his lipstick case of the growing record number of executions under his reign. No doubt, he will sleep almost as well as Troy Davis this evening.

The recantation of seven of the nine eyewitnesses that testified under oath in the trial against Troy Davis was apparently insufficient to sway the Supreme Court of the United States to stay the execution of a black man in Georgia. The State of Georgia killed Troy Davis by lethal injection at 11:08 p.m. Eastern Time, two days shy of the 2011 CE autumnal equinox. With the exception of the United States, the civilized world has long since banned the death penalty.

One may simply add this execution to the litany of unconscionable wrongs committed by this country, both foreign and domestically. If, in contemporary times, one is proud to be an American, then they are either uninformed, ill-informed, or misinformed, and obviously spend little to no time in serious reflection. But then again, the patriotic knuckle-draggers of today are mostly of the reactionary persuasion to begin with.

As for me, I cannot expatriate to Europe fast enough. Autumn in Paris, who could ask for anything more?

Aphorism: On Supply-side Economics

By Madison S. Hughes (09.20.2011)

Anytime the responsible idea of increasing taxes, or decreasing subsidies on corporations making record profits during times of economic recession caused by the economic policies implemented by the corporate masters, the specter of the “job creators” raises its ugly head in its usual punctual manner. The spurious “job creators,” especially corporations, have never, ever created a job. That is worth repeating, the spurious “job creators” especially corporations, have never, ever created a job. DEMAND creates jobs, not supply.

The idea that “job creators” create jobs, and must be kowtowed to so that they will give us the privilege of laboring for minimal sustenance is not only absurd on the surface, but it is utterly inconsistent with empirical evidence, particularly since the inception of the neoliberal experiment of the first 9/11 disaster of 1973. Supply-side economics has proven over, and over, to be an utter failure. Repeating supply-side economic mantras does not make them viable.

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (October 15, 1844 – August 25, 1900)
German Philosopher, Classical Philologist, Poet, and Composer, Atheist

It is impossible, as is commonly said, for us to ‘feel’ for others; we feel only for ourselves. The proposition sounds hard, but is not if it is correctly understood. One loves neither father, nor mother, nor wife, nor child, one loves the pleasant sensations they produce in us.

Job Creators

 . . . Boehner’s so-called “job creators” become “job destroyers” as they lay off people and close businesses. That is if we adopt the “employer” definition of “job creators” as opposed to the “consumer” definition . . . Representative Boehner is giving us meaningless political rhetoric rather than meaningful political solutions. Read more . . . 

Catholic Mum Lives in Terror of The Gays

She raged: We are responsible citizens. We live by the rules, we pay our taxes, we take care of our things. I’m supposed to be able to influence what goes on in my community, and as a voter I do exercise that right. But I’m outnumbered. I can’t even go to normal places without having to sit silently and tolerate immorality.

Oh the irony, of a Catholic speaking out about having to “live in terror” witnessing the affection of two consenting gay adults, yet she speaks not a word concerning the innumerable child rapes committed by Catholic Priests raping non-consenting little boys. I find the raping of innocent little boys to be quite more terrorizing than witnessing the public affection of two loving adults. [MSH] Read more . . . 

Obama’s Millionaire Tax is Class War, Say Republicans

Taxing America

• Last week the US census revealed that 46 million Americans – one in six – now live in poverty, the highest number ever.

• In 2010, the top 20% of Americans earned 49.4% of the nation’s income. The top 1% account for 24% of all income.

• About 47% of US people pay no federal income taxes, either because their incomes are too low, or because they qualify for enough tax breaks to eliminate their liability.

• People who make money from investments pay far lower taxes than those who earn it from their wages.

Read more . . .