Catholics Warn Gingrich, Santorum On Race Baiting

The signers of the open letter, which was released Friday (Jan. 20), cited Gingrich’s repeated criticisms of Barack Obama as a “food stamp president” who encourages government dependency for the poor, especially for African-Americans.

They also criticized Santorum’s statement that he does not want “to make black people’s lives better by giving them somebody else’s money.” 

“Some presidential candidates now courting ‘values voters’ seem to have forgotten that defending human life and dignity does not stop with protecting the unborn,” the authors write.

“We remind Mr. Gingrich and Mr. Santorum that Catholic bishops describe racism as an ‘intrinsic evil’ and consistently defend vital government programs such as food stamps and unemployment benefits that help struggling Americans.”

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, [over] one-third of food-stamp recipients are white, while 22 percent are African-American and 16 percent Hispanic. Some 41 percent of all recipients live in households where family members are employed. Surveys show that strong majorities of Americans say they do not want food stamp programs cut.

Food Stamp Participants: http://www.fns.usda.gov/ora/MENU/Published/snap/FILES/Participation/2010Characteristics.pdf

Catholics issue warning on racism: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/20/catholics-ginrich-santorum-race_n_1220152.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl7%7Csec3_lnk2%26pLid%3D129191

“As much as you don’t like talking about Calllista Gingrich,” [Meghan] McCain told the panel of guests on “Now with Alex Wagner,” “I think the fact that she was a third wife and a mistress and is coming off somewhat icy and [her] reputation of being somewhat controversial within their campaign is doing damage. Maybe just to politicos, but I think it’s something that people, and especially values voters, will bring into the race.”

But those criticisms could equally be applied to [Meghan] McCain’s mother, Cindy McCain, who was subjected to intense media scrutiny during Sen. John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign.

Cindy McCain began dating Sen. McCain in 1979, nearly a year before he filed for divorce from his first wife, Carol McCain.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/20/meghan-mccain-unleashes-o_n_1161179.html?ref=politics

But recent research may spread even more light on that.  It may be the double whammy of your parental environment combined with the genes handed down by the parents.

It also definitely explains the day and night difference in conservative vs liberal broadcasts. Conservative broadcasts are almost by rule focused on spreading fear.  Recently, the policies of Bush and Cheney were frought with motivation through fear.  And fear-mongering was a basis for the McCain and Palin campaign.

Excerpt:

Two of these trends are that liberals tend to have more activity in parts of the brain known as the insula and anterior cingulate cortex. Among other functions, the two regions overlap to an extent by dealing with cognitive conflict, in the insula’s case, while the anterior cingulate cortex helps in processing conflicting information. [10 Things You Didn't Know About the Brain]

Conservatives, on the other hand, have demonstrated more activity in the amygdala, known as the brain’s “fear center.” “If you see a snake or a picture of a snake, the amygdala will light up — it’s a threat detector,” said Iacoboni.

A study of British subjects earlier this year supported these past imaging studies with measurements of brain structure. The study showed that on average the amygdala is bigger in conservatives, likely indicating greater use of it in neurological processing. In contrast, liberals often possessed larger anterior cingulate cortexes.

Altogether, these findings suggest liberals can more easily tolerate uncertainty, which might be reflected in their shades-of-gray policy positions. In the U.S., those typically include being pro-choice and lenient on illegal immigration.

Conservatives, meanwhile, have a more binary view of threats versus non-threats. 

http://www.livescience.com/17534-life-extremes-democrat-republican.html

It’s too late to make the lists of top 2011 memes, but parodies of Rick Perry’s “war on religion” ad are shaping up to be a good one nevertheless.

You can see the original Rick Perry “Strong” ad here. The ad also inspired a Twitter hashtag, #XmasWarDiaries, which encouraged those fighting in the “front lines” to tweet their observations about taking elves hostage and using candy canes as weapons.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/arts-post/post/rick-perrys-war-on-religion-ad-becomes-a-meme/2011/12/09/gIQA1XbTiO_blog.html

Christians Winning ‘War on Christmas’

http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/13/9421835-war-on-christmas-waning-list-shows

The American Family Association, a Christian group, has taken the leading role in alerting the media to the grave danger posed by retailers who avoid using the word “Christmas” in marketing materials in favor of the more neutral “holidays.”

Anyone whose faith is shaken by someone saying “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” is someone who’s faith is tenuous at best.  It’s these frail whining brats that drive people away more than win them over.  It’s not appealing. I don’t want to be associated with idiots like that, few people do.

Jesus spoke to me and he said he doesn’t give one rat’s ass whether retailers say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays.  He said he cares what actions you take during your day.  He said he is more concerned with feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and healing the sick.  Not petty bickering by spoiled Americans about how some retailer greets them.

The difference between someone who gets upset at “Happy Holidays” and someone who gets upset about a drawing of their prophet is….almost nothing.  Both are over-sensitive children whose tantrums contribute nothing.

On the less-funny front: People are really supporting these people.

Back to the enjoyment:

Jesus Responds to Rick Perry’s “Strong” Ad

How can you possibly be both a presidential candidate AND be unprepared to talk about Libya???

How can you possibly have to clarify “which Libya” we’re talking about??  What the hell?  Herman Cain….what an idiot.  That is approaching the idiocy of Palin not being able to answer where she reads about current events (reading stuff….hell, reading words and such is for fancy elitist Democrats).

Unlike some of the accusations, this dumbfulness (already TM this word) I can see with my own eyes.  Watch him looking at the ceiling (no, Jesus ain’t gonna help you run your damn head or help you make up crap) and watch him jumping around in his chair.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRb40YAXpzg

I thought for sure this was the end of Rick Perry.  But he knew – it wasn’t the end.  His handlers looked around at the other evolution-denying idiots he’s running with and (accurately) said “these other GOP candidates are just as stupid as this one. We’re fine”.  And they’re RIGHT.  This kind of shit would be a killer for any Democrat, because the bar is MUCH higher.  Hell Howard Dean was killed by the Dems for far (far) less.  It’s nutso.

Here’s what I thought was the end of Rick.  How can a serious presidential candidate say he would get rid of the department of EDUCATION.  It’s….I’m (almost) speechless:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBMaBGOq2dU

If not maybe this one. If you show this to someone who doesn’t know who Rick Perry is, that person will bet 10:1 that this person is totally hammered.

http://gordonkeith.wordpress.com/2011/10/31/was-rick-perry-drunk-on-friday-night/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/10/occupy-uc-berkeley-police_n_1086195.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl15%7Csec3_lnk2%7C111624

There is no way a presidential candidate said this.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/10/herman-cain-obama-beat-him-with-a-cain_n_1087026.html