Friday, September 25, 2015

You'll Care About This When It Happens To You . . .

The Gadfly would like to talk about a subject a bit outside the realm of politics, even though, in reality, it is a subject that is quite intertwined with and directly affected by politics.

The Gadfly just returned from a trip to visit family in his home state.  The Gadfly was struck by how many family members who had been touched by the scourge of cancer - and believe The Gadfly when he tells you, it was more than the fingers on both hands could be used to count.

The Gadfly is not going to get in to the business of speculating as to the causes of this seeming epidemic, but he does want to discuss the subject of cancer, it's treatment, the for-profit health care system in this country, and the devastating economic effects it is wreaking on people.

Please watch this NBC video.  The Gadfly knows the man who is the subject of this NBC video - his name is Stuart Chapin, he lived next door to The Gadfly many years ago, he was a wonderful friend to The Gadfly's family and children before he relocated to the east coast.  The Gadfly and his family attended Stuart and his wife Vanessa's wedding reception.  He is a good man.  Hear his story:






Stuart Chapin, by virtue of this country's morally bankrupt idea that capitalistic profit always trumps any issue, is having discussions with his wife about committing suicide so that his family will not be left destitute because of the ongoing, accumulating medical bills associated with treating his life threatening illness.

The Gadfly hears these right wing conservatives always braying about their "pro-life" views and they are so concerned with a tiny little unformed zygote in a woman's womb, but ask them if society, and by virtue of such - government, should help someone like Stuart, a very alive, and sentient human being, their eyes go blank, they give you the cold shoulder and just chant meaningless mantras about the holiness of the free market magically fixing everything.

The Gadfly is tired of these people's ignorant, cold hearted bullshit.  So fucking tired.  Stuart Chapin should not have to go fucking bankrupt and lose his home, nor should any other American, because his health care and medications cost so goddamn much.  A society that allows something like this happen is not a civilized society -- it is a sick, sociopath society.

Every single Republican candidate will publicly state that they are willing to let Stuart Chapin lose every thing he has, possibly even the life they so piously claim to cherish, just so that the Pharmaceutical and medical insurance industries can get their capitalistic blood money.

If that is ok with you dear readers, then by all means, vote Republican.  Just remember --- there but for the grace of god go you.



----TFG



The Party Of Lincoln Inches Closer To Openly Internecine Warfare . . .

Well dear readers -- now that the Tea Party has finally managed to nab John Boehner's scalp, it has prompted The Gadfly to wonder just how long it will take for them to make a full scale frontal attack aimed at bringing the machinery of the world's greatest deliberative body and democracy to a screeching halt.  Trust The Gadfly -- their primitive, albeit fevered little imaginations are on steroidal overdrive plotting to do great harm to the institutions of government, now that their main sectarian obstacle will be out of the way.

Don't take this the wrong way, but Boehner has been, for all intents and purposes, the GOP's pre-Iraq invasion version of Saddam Hussein - in other words, not a very likable character, but he was the enforcer that was keeping the crazies under some semblance of control and at bay from tearing each other's throats out and wreaking chaos from within.

The stark reality is that with Boehner's waving of the white flag, it pretty much leaves the nut cases in the House as the ones most likely to quickly and forcefully elbow their way in to that congressional power vacuum.

The Gadfly says "nut cases" because face it dear readers -- assholes like this following clown pretty much have become the ugly and hateful face of the GOP base these days:

Jon Ritzheimer, a member of the "Oath keepers"who describes himself as an "American Patriot who has everything to lose," has threatened to arrest lawmakers who support the Iran nuclear deal, beginning with Sen. Debbie Stabenow.
Ritzheimer, the organizer of the armed Anti-Muslim rally  held outside of a Mosque during prayer time in Phoenix earlier this year, is seeking donations for gas money so he and an armed militia can travel to Michigan to arrest Stabenow for treason, then travel to other states in order to arrest other elected officials who voted in support of the Iran Peace Deal.
Capitol police are now investigating an open letter written by Ritzheimer which states, "We are planning on arresting Senator Debbie Stabenow, who voted yes to the Iran Nuke Deal. She will be arrested for treason under Article 3 Section 3 of the Constitution," Ritzheimer wrote, Roll Call first reported.
"We have chosen her as our first target due to our strong ties with the Michigan State Militia and their lax gun laws that will allow us to operate in a manner necessary for an operation like this," the letter continues…
Roll Call reports:
Ritzheimer, 31, claims that after successfully detaining the Michigan Democrat, he and his armed militia "will continue to move across the country and arrest everyone involved with the Iran Nuke Deal" including the president.
http://crooksandliars.com/2015/09/oath-keeper-wants-arrest-lawmakers-and


Here's a picture of this mentally unstable fuckstick:






So essentially --- Ritzheimer and his creepily narcissistic ilk are the ones demanding that The Gadfly trust them with the levers of governmental power to shape the future of The Gadfly's children's and grandchildren's lives huh?  Not if The Gadfly has anything to say about it, and most certainly over The Gadfly's dirty, dead, liberal fucking hippie body if a dire strait of affairs ever calls for it.

On the bright side, The Gadfly isn't going to be getting too worked up over this buffoon Ritzheimer's shirtless threats.  The fact that he is reduced to panhandling for "gas money" to fund the mobilization of his red, white and blue jihad pretty much epitomizes what a colossal loser he is and as far as The Gadfly is concerned, he is the kind of loser who truly is the consummate poster child face of the right wing conservative movement in America today and it really cannot be that bad of a thing that the more the country sees and hears from ammosexual morons like him, the likelihood of democracy remaining in the hands of the sane adults "should" be reinforced.

Nonetheless, Boehner's political blood, arguably (some say it began with Eric Cantor), is the first to be spilled, and as someone who has spent the better part of the past 7 years observing and analyzing the actions of the right wing conservatives, The Gadfly can tell you that it most definitely is not going to be the last.



----TFG



Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Where In The Hell Is The Frolicking Gadfly??...

The Gadfly is alive and well dear readers - fret not.

For the past couple of weeks, The Gadfly has been enjoying some personal vacation time combined with taking a few extra days off from covering the mind warping insanity of modern day conservative politics in this country.

Stay tuned though - The Gadfly is just beginning to rev up his Frolicking turbine engines and will be back in his familiar keyboard commando role shortly.

Until then - here's a little clip to tide you over - basically a spot on analysis of how the first GOP debate came across to The Gadfly's senses.  Enjoy.




No - really -- that is exactly how it all sounded and appeared to The Gadfly.



----TFG