The Texas GOP Manifesto

Based on my reading of the 2010 Texas GOP Platform, I believe it to be a manifesto of bigotry and suppression. The document actual begins with material that is quite benign, or at least open to reasonable and spirited debate. The preamble contains language typical of the Republican party, but nothing unusual. In fact, the first few pages discuss limited federal government, and stress the importance of individual and property rights. These principles are perfectly reasonable, and most of us could agree that they are perfectly constitutional and legal.

Starting at approximately page six, the Texas GOP seems to forget — or blatantly disregard — the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution, as they call for legislation that denies marriage to couples based on genetic makeup, makes it a crime to issue a marriage certificate to a homosexual couple, and chips away at a woman's right to make choices about her body. The scapegoating of the gay population as a threat to traditional marriage, the family, and the moral fabric of society are Fascist in nature, and evoke images of Hitler's Germany. For clarification, I absolutely did just go there. To not draw a parallel would be irresponsible.

The construction of the document presupposes that readers won't read far beyond the first few pages, and find it to be reasonably in line with their Republican-Conservative values. What's frightening is that this is a public document that attempts to reach out beyond the party's typical base of right-wing extremists. Though it initially appears as a call to preserve and promote life, liberty, property, and individualism, it really calls for the antitheses of those ideals. I am optimistic that such a hateful ideology won't stand a chance in this state, but I never fail to be surprised by the bigotry of my fellow citizens, nor by their unwillingness to read. Feel free to read the two items I've included below, and note how the Texas GOP is promoting an ideology that — in some cases — is blatantly unconstitutional. This is your Republican party, fellow Texans.

Article XIV of The United States Constitution, Clause 1

1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Texas GOP Statement regarding Homosexuality

Homosexuality – We believe that the practice of homosexuality tears at the fabric of society, contributes to the breakdown of the family unit, and leads to the spread of dangerous, communicable diseases. Homosexual behavior is contrary to the fundamental, unchanging truths that have been ordained by God, recognized by our country’s founders, and shared by the majority of Texans. Homosexuality must not be presented as an acceptable “alternative” lifestyle in our public education and policy, nor should “family” be redefined to include homosexual “couples.” We are opposed to any granting of special legal entitlements, refuse to recognize, or grant special privileges including, but not limited to: marriage between persons of the same sex (regardless of state of origin),

custody of children by homosexuals, homosexual partner insurance or retirement benefits. We oppose any criminal or civil penalties against those who oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction, or belief in traditional values.

Posted via email from The Yodeling Dad

Cleaning and the Occult

Cleaning is a chore that Queen Kandis and I have managed to split into two main areas of concern:

1. Clutter
2. Dirt

The Queen believes that everything has its place in the home, and that certain things have no place in the home. It’s been the cause of a few spats, since clutter is not something that I acknowledge, though I do appreciate the work required to keep clutter under control. She does a splendid job of keeping the house organized and neat.

I, on the other hand, eradicate dirt and grime; it’s sort of my “thing”. (Sorry, I’m not for hire.) Something draws me to removing crud from surfaces. I’ve been through a few different mops, brooms, and cleaning agents over the years in an attempt to find the most suitable combination to tackle the different surfaces in our house when they are in need of a cleansing.

The other day, I started trying to figure out why I like getting rid of surface dirt and grime so much, and the answer is quite simple. I like magic tricks, and making dirt disappear is my magic trick. The great thing about this trick is that it never gets old, and I get to perform it a little differently each time. The trick results in a nice, clean habitat for us, but the outcome is not the primary force that drives me while I’m cleaning. Who knew that the occult played a role in cleaning? Time to get some wizard hats! My son likes cleaning as well; we apparently share the same love for the dark side of cleanliness.

Family Conversation

Scene: Cooper is building a “table” with his blocks, on the floor of the living room. Dad is observing from the couch, and mom is straightening the kitchen.

Dad: That’s a nice table you’re building. Working hard?

Cooper: Yeah.

Dad: Working for the white man?

Mom: Honey, please don’t say stuff like that. I don’t want him repeating those kinds of things!

Dad: [Shakes head and rolls eyes]

Mom: I know you’re not stupid.

Cooper: Daddy, you stupid?

Power of Persuasion

“I did a great job!”

We seem to have opened a small can of worms by telling Cooper he’s done a great job upon completing a task. Specifically, Cooper’s taken to trying to convince us what a great job he’s done in eating anywhere from a quarter to a half of his dinner.

“That’s a pretty good job, but that’s not really a great job,” I have to remind him gently. He remains resolute, however, in an effort to procure some type of post-meal treat. Fail.

Cooper doesn’t realize that no matter how cute he may be, his power of persuasion has no effect on us. Undoubtedly, as he grows older, his bag of tricks will become more sophisticated. My brother, for example, once left the table and emptied his plate into the trash while our parents weren’t looking. He returned to his place at the table with a clean plate, and nearly convinced our parents that he had finished his meal. Since the gene for cunningness¹ seems to run in the family, Cooper will undoubtedly get the best of us more than once. For now, we’ll get some laughs as he practices.

¹ The noun form or “cunning”. It didn’t seem right to me, but Merriam-Webster assured me otherwise. That’s good enough for me at the moment.

Thank a Veteran!

I’m not feeling overly verbose today. Take a minute to pause and reflect on this Veteran’s Day. If you’re looking for ways to show some appreciation towards those who served, you can find some great ideas here. My heartfelt thanks goes out to everyone who has served.

Obesity in the Workplace

These days, employers are starting to penalize their workers for lifestyle choices by charging higher health insurance premiums. Obesity seems to be the hot topic these days — a condition which may or may not be the result of a lifestyle choice.

For the sake of argument, let’s assume that every obese person is fat because they choose to be that way. Please enjoy now as I briefly play the role of a bitter, hateful, anti-fat crusader. (Italics)

Every overweight person I know tells me the same thing when I ask them why they are draining the health care system dry with their fatness and such.

“I’m going to get up today, eat two 1/2 pound cheeseburgers and three pounds of fries, after a hearty breakfast of six ham and cheese omelets. Before bed, I’ll wind down with a tub of butter to help me wind down after six coffees and dinner that will consist of pizza and pig fat, because that’s how I roll up in here.”

I say let those employers bump up their premiums by 50%! That’ll learn ’em.

While we’re at it, let’s be sure to charge the following folks for their perceived, projected, or actual cost to health care plans:

• Those who work long hours: Working long hours exposes one to burn-out which can lead to depression, nervous breakdowns, and weakened immune systems which result in more physical illness.
• Those who don’t take enough of their allotted vacation time, for many of the same reasons listed above.
• People who drive too fast to and from work: The reasons here are self-explanatory. Allow employers to install hidden cameras in employees’ vehicles to monitor speed limits. Those who consistently exceed speed limits or engage in reckless driving will see a premium increase.
• Those who don’t brush and floss regularly: brushing and flossing are important to oral health. Poor oral health results in lost work time and productivity, and ugly, crooked teeth. Again, install a hidden camera in employees’ bathrooms. If there is a lack of oral hygiene in an employee’s routine, increase that employee’s health care premium.
• Employees who don’t wash their hands after excursions to the bathroom: The danger here is clear. Lack of hand sanitation exposes the employee to illness, and puts that employee’s coworkers at risk if the employee shakes hands, or touches coworkers’ belongings with his feces-laden hands. Raise that employee’s premiums by 75%, and require that employee to pay doctor’s visits for every coworker who develops an illness within a month of interacting with said employee.

Getting the obese in line is a good start, but to make a real dent in health care costs, the employer should to curb as many detrimental lifestyle choices as possible, but mostly just punish the fatties.

What better way to say “I give a shit about you, underling” than to penalize an employee for their lifestyle choices to insure that they work until they die from inhaling air pollutants or some unforeseen effect from global warming kills them in twenty years.

A Liberal Reading of the Constitution and a Can of Worms

A couple of weeks ago, a friend and I were having a discussion about public health care. Recalling a recent reading of certain sections of our Constitution, I argued that within the document, there are allowances for public health care. My friend proceeded to tell me that my interpretation of the Constitution was very liberal. No shit. (Neophytes, take heed. I am left of Democrat.)

My reading of the constitution may be simplistic, naive, idealistic, or — dare I say — misinformed. Here, I invite conservative readers to attack my interpretation of the Constitution. Let us start with the preamble, which defines the Constitution’s intent:

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

The short phrase I’ve highlighted is the basis for my case, but I realize that “welfare” is a loaded word. A small amount of research, however, revealed that in the context of the Constitution, the word “welfare” defined in the following manner: health, happiness, or prosperity; well-being¹. I’m inclined to look at the aggregate meaning of those words and argue that the Constitution allows for at least some form of government health care. If the electorate feels that health care coverage for all is necessary, then they are to cast their vote for someone who will uphold the spirit of the Constitution to the best of their ability

Additionally, the Constitution directs Congress to collect taxes for the following purposes (Article I, Section 8):

“The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;”

Liberals don’t generally oppose paying higher taxes, though we sometimes bitch and moan under our breaths about it amongst kindred spirits. If elected officials must raise taxes to promote the welfare of the people of the United States, or other purpose that serves the common good, then we remain content.

As a citizen, uneducated in constitutional law, I like to make informed arguments about that which I support. We elect officials to do a job for us, the people of the United States. If we say “public health care”, they’d better jump, or lose their seat in office. Appealing to the lowest common denominator and pitting us against one another with words like “socialism” or “death panels” will only work for so long before the people see through the thin veil.

Do yourselves a favor and read the document that defines the government’s duties, your duties, and your rights. Stop letting politicians tell you what to think.

¹ Definitions and Constitutional text gathered from U.S. Constitution Online.

Potty Training

Cooper’s potty training is moving along. Though we haven’t had any successful outcomes at home, we’re told he’s been going no. 1 regularly at school, and has even completed no. 2. That is encouraging news. We’re continuing to work consistently with him at home. For a while, I was a bit anxious about his progress, based on some thing we had heard from school, and from the success stories I was reading from other blogs.

My wonderful wife, however, recently sent a couple of links that put me at ease. The Mayo Clinic even states that if a child isn’t expressing interest in potty training by age three, that the parents might consider consulting a doctor for some tips. With that in mind, we’ve got a nice six month window, give or take, to make some great progress.

I’m posting two links below that provide some excellent tips on potty training. The Mayo Clinic provides broader, proven methods and tips. The second link offers direct submissions from parents describing what worked for them. It’s a good balance of clinical and anecdotal information. Enjoy, and feel free to share any others you’ve found useful!

• Potty training: How to get the job done
• 20 Best-Ever Potty Training Tips

Time to Turn Away Some Readers

I try to keep out of the business of pissing people off these days, but stumbled upon this interesting post on the Letters of Note Blog. This particular link was by Teller of the well-known Penn and Teller duo via Twitter.

Like Teller, I’ve often been told that Einstein was a religious person. I simply accepted that, as it was not a claim that I considered important enough to validate. In my mind, his religious convictions were not relevant to his scientific works. He would have been far too logical to let one interfere with the other.

I suppose the salient point here is that one shouldn’t accept hearsay as gospel. That’s a reminder for me, and a lesson for my two year-old. Feel free to interpret it as you deem appropriate!

Letters of Note: The word God is the product of human weakness.

N.B. Due to time constraints, I cannot validate the authenticity of the letter referenced below, but trust that the site’s owner has done the appropriate research to verify the contents. I also applaud him for the time and effort that he put in to the site.

A Short Conversation

The setting: Mom, Dad, and Cooper are on the way home from a dinner outing.

Cooper: [Squealing and shouting playfully, yet obnoxiously, and interrupting mom and dad’s conversations.]

Queen Kandis: Why did we have a kid again?

Rob: Don’t remember.