I came across an excellent web site that carefully follows and examines the religious rights' various delusions:

www.theocracywatch.org/

They're looking at Sarah Palin's religio-ideological-Christian Dominionist policy pronoucements as we speak. Check it out.

Palin is Pro-Life. ...but is a member of the NRA. ... Why would ANYONE who is pro-life, need a gun? .... Things that make you go hmmmmmmm? OH!!! I get it, once they are born, it is open season on them!! ...because Iraq was 'God's' plan... but ALL human fetuses are 'God's' plan too.... Or just irresponsible human beings?....
People of France and other communities that support critical thuoght-- We hear you. We are disgusted too.

Bible belt? ...They are 45 miles south of Denver!... Which is why it is SO easy for some of them to use our lovely male escorts... to ... you know... thump something other than their bibles....

Read Thomas Frank's "What's the Matter With Kansas?" and his new book "Wrecking Crew". Along side, read George Lakoff's "Don't Think of an Elephant" and "Whose Freedom?". America has been undergoing a "French Revolution" in reverse for decades. Some say it started in the late 1950s, others such as Frank in 1968, and still others like myself say more like 1980 when it became obvious enough the culture war was beginning to compete with the economic class war. Still, others could argue 1994 or even 2000. Regardless of when it started, we need to return to economic populism and DEFEAT the phony cultural "populism" war that is killing this nation faster than Rome falling. If that means voting 3rd party, so be it.

I guess Joe Lie man would have been too liberal for Hitlers Nazi party too! This shows you how dangerous these people are.

McCain did not pick Palin; the religious right known as Focus on (Whose) Family selected her and told McCain she was "his" choice. That's why he and Palin were in Colorado Springs this past weekend.

A person who believes in aerial blowing away of wolves and bears is not pro-life. She is pro using anything she needs to to force her issues and questionable beliefs on other people. I cannot even imagine being a young girl impregnated by her father, or raped by some other monster, and because of Sarah Palin's beliefs, unable to have a choice as to what to do.

Which brings up another matter. IF we have *personhood* from the moment of conception, does that make me 9 months older than I am? How does this affect social security and other retirement issues? I am a classic Virgo and yet now I have another sun sign. And if a woman miscarries in say her 5th week, will she be obligated by law to notify the authorities and hold a burial for the bloody sheet? I want answers and I'm sure that either Palin or some misguided MALE will be happy to tell me what to do with the contents of my uterus.

Oh and one more thing: Rather than be born again how about just GROWING UP?

Juliann

9% of former Clinton supporters have moved over to the McCain voters camp. This is HUGE! (and quite honestly is 4-5% more than I thought it would be). It was NEVER about getting huge numbers of Clinton supporters; it only takes closing the gender gap by a few percentage points to matter in this election cycle. Palin was chosen for this reason, and also of course to get those 4 million voters who voted for Bush last time who were evangelicals to be enthusiastic for the ticket.

The most common Sunday prayer among the Evos today must be for McCain to die in office.

Considering among the first of USA's white settlers were religious extremists, the Pilgrims, it is no surprise that America has the highest rate of religiousity in the First World. A sub-par educational system aids this trend, as faith is easier to embrace without the mental clutter of scientific fact that can cause one to do the most dangerous act amongst the "faithful," question. Ever since the Repugs made their corrupt bargain with the Evangelicals (dating back to Grandpa Caligula, Ronald Reagan), similar to the alliance the Wahhabis made with the House of Saud in 1744, both parties have joined at the hip and have led the USA down a path that has enriched Corporate America. The Karl Rove imposed placement of Sarah Palin is merely the latest act in this sordid passion play.

"If God did not exist, it would be necessary for man to invent him." Voltaire

There is nothing inherent in the religious right, or even amongst conservatives that could not have been dealt with a full on truth telling by the Democrats. They abandoned the working class constituency, and any semblance of populist economics.

Instead of pointing out how the war is destroying the US economy, Obama talks about stealing Iraqi "surplus" on the extreme right wing FOX's O'Reilly - and actually suggests (even if in jest) about them both going to Iraq to steal some of that "surplus" and bring it to the US.

Yes, the Republicans have been born again - but instead of criticizing them, they should be lauded for responding their base constituency. Obama refuses to respond to democratic base, and instead, panders to the extremist right wingers.

http://www.counterpunch.org/blum09062008.html

***Obama has lost much of the sizable liberal/progressive vote because of his move to the center-right (or his exposure as a center-rightist), and he now may have lost even his selling point of being more strongly against the war than McCain -- if in fact he actually is -- by appointing Joe Biden as his running mate. Biden has long been a hawk on Iraq (as well as the rest of US foreign policy), calling for an invasion as far back as 1998.[1] In April, 2007, when pressed in an interview about his vote for the war in 2003, Biden said: "It was a mistake. I regret my vote. ... because I learned more, like everybody else learned, about what, in fact, we were told."[2] This has been a common excuse of war supporters in recent years when the tide of public opinion turned against them. But why did millions and millions of Americans march against the war in the fall of 2002 and early 2003, before it began?****

http://almusawwir.org/resistance/

Good posts: GIA, NATE W & FREDERICK JOHNSON.

I hope this article raises the radar on those who make it seem that the sizable numbers of the Christian Reich are not just "useful idiots." The implication they are not a FORCE to be reckoned with, and it's a force that would indeed find reason to burn women who are uppity, or not going along with rigid patriarchal religion, as witches AGAIN.

I tried to google for Ms. Sarah's birth date. Does anyone have it? I'd love to get a take on what makes this crazy tick? She's one of those people UTTERLY convinced she's right, and IN the right; and those types are the MOST dangerous, particularly when they are equally convinced (and sports plays powerfully into this mindset) that they are on the RIGHT side of God, as in, the "right" team! There is no room for shades of gray. She did the Bush two-step, "You're either with me, or against me," in her own limited state politics, and the Republicans, lo and behold, found another true believer, one just like them... and she came with the opposing genitals, perfect for the false symmetry the party is using as effective (or the polls suggest) P.R.

I still believe IF the public really was given the truth about what she stands for, believes in and how she behaves when given a little authority... the poll numbers would slide. Of course Obama has really done a ridiculous two step, more like a dyslexic cha cha cha (only going backwards), and lost whatever legitimacy he might have had with INTELLIGENT voters. It is terrifying to see our nation become this calamity, this bad comedy that's all too tragic. I always believed the path to enlightenment came from living a balanced lifestyle, and being a writer and teacher... but since media has been so thoroughly co-opted, the majority of its "expert" voices touting a CONTAMINATED view of reality, one that makes war into the "intelligent" decision, and views contrary options as unpatriotic... well, if good debate is food for thought, we know we're eating shit in areas other than "Fast food."

The Democratic National Convention was also a "born again" event. Both parties have adopted pandering to crowd who worship and pray to the Great Poo Bah in the sky. As for Volarire saying ""If God did not exist, it would be necessary for man to invent him." He doesn't, and, man has.

"Many evangelicals believe in the absolute literal nature of the Scriptures"

Except for the no lyin', killin' and stealin' parts, of course, or the part about ALL of mankind being of God.

Let's hope Palin turns out to have some fun facts in her past - lesbian cocaine pot orgies at Moose University (the real origin of her nick Barracuda?) A couple of high school abortions maybe? It's gotta be something juicy, because, clearly, the religio-nuts have no problem with her hypocrisy, lying, and stealing of taxpayer funds...

One of the first things to do if Obama gets in is to remove tax exemption for organized religion if they are found to use their "not for profit" status for political subversion.

In fact, any organization that uses it's member contributions for other than non profit purposes should have their tax exemption revoked.

I have been surprised, even outraged before because of the public attraction to Reagan and Nixon. I have been angry over the American public being in love with Ollie North and Jesse Helms.

This is the first time I have been afraid. The likes of Romney, Rove, Cheney, McCain, Palin, etc. as presented by Fox news being the darlings of voters who seem to still be living in the Jim Crow South makes my blood run cold.

Reagan demonstrated how capturing the public imagination could make issues, facts, even the truth irrelevant. If we let them get away with pitting a war hero and a female Davey Crockett against Sambo and an old Washington insider, they could pull it off again.

We need some imagery of our own. How about real change and long, loyal service against broken down childish senility and a power mad, vindictive banshee from he arctic tundra?

REPEATED AD NAUSEAUM in as many different ways, contexts, and associations as possible.

I'm envious that Margolis is in France. If he's smart, he'll stay there, away from the dangerous calamity the US has become.

And appropriate that he should mention Reagan, the first president to give evangelical, fundamentalist Christians political power, thus remaking his party to suit them and damaging the country for a long time to come. Reagan was also the first president to cite his belief in Armageddon as part of the reason for his extreme military buildup.

Save these comments. Say Amen----say hallelujah----------

And for those of you who have an Open and Intelligent Mind-----

GOD HAS NEVER SOLVED A SINGLE PROBLEM HERE ON EARTH----------

The Religious Right, Conservative Republicans, the enablers, the wealthy corporations that could care less what the message is as long as they get their money back with "juice" are all doomed to failure.

The major concern for the others should be whether those of us who "do not believe" will survive those "who do"?
Take the scene for example
Taxing the Religious institutions would be a start, but for one reason. It would cause them to prove the validity of their argument. They would be required to "prove God". "Put up or shut up".
God would have to appear at the "conventions", and "personally speak for the candidate OF HIS CHOICE" to the rest of us. A tell the "voters" why NOT to vote for the "other candidate".
DO NO SEND ANOTHER MESSIAH---the last one got killed, remember?
DO NOT SEND A 'SIGN'-----most of us cannot read the language, or understand so much---like why it is "OK" to save the thousands of babies "killed in abortions"----but bomb the hell out of those "unbelievers" "over there"----. Or really make the planet a mess, while we wait for the "Messiah, (you know, the one that got killed) to return ". Or kill off so many other life forms ---you know God, the ones you made in just six days----taking a rest on the seventh and all.
God would need to make an appearance ---just once----we could turn on the TV----and see the "close ups" I bet God's face is lined with deep signs of age and wisdom----his followers here on earth though seem pretty stupid when you look at all the stupid things they do-----.
Then the rest of us MIGHT understand and agree to go along.

Otherwise, it should be up to the "rest of us". To make every attempt possible to debunk the mythology of ALL RELIGIONS----pass laws to keep them OUT OF POLITICS AND THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS----they do not belong there, they belong at home, or the church AND NO WHERE ELSE-----.
We should ridicule every adult that speaks to us of a RELIGION, as we would an adult that speaks to us of Santa Clause, or the Easter Bunny---or Mickey Mouse-- (actually Mikey is a movie star so we should leave him out of it---along with the other movie stars).
The sooner RELIGION is removed from the public forum, as it has been done in most of Europe and elsewhere, the sooner we can move on to more important matters----like world peace, feeding the hungry, taking care of the sick and injured, saving the environment, you know?
STUFF GOD IS NOT TAKING CARE OF............

Say Amen----say hallelujah-----

"Frenchmen, being French, think she has nice legs."?????????????

Eric Margolis didn't even talk about French women, and the above quote is the best he can come up with to show the intelligence of the French friends of his he is using to represent the nation of France?

French Misogynists? Yup, with this article bearing witness, the most liberated women seem to have become in France is to walk around half naked. This way the men can not only admire them for their legs, but also their breasts.

Maybe soon CD can put on an article about French opinion that actually has some documentation worth it's salt?

Anyone else smell stinky man diaper after reading this article?

Thanks for the birth data on this "lovely." Aquarius CAN be the most enlightened eclectic Zodiac sign, and there's no question, they have charisma. (I will analyze her chart but here is off the cuff stuff).

When a person is not balanced they will show the worst characteristics of their sign. Let me give a few examples. I met a woman in Puerto Rico (Aquarius) who really believed she would never die. She misunderstood spiritual teachings... but was adamant about this. I have 2 friends who are Aquarians and big time into scientology. From what they've shared, it seems what draws them in is the way the "auditing" process works to effectively disable the conscience, so there's nothing in the way of their desire and how they go after it. I knew another Aquarian I taught school with who left her son home with his father so go have sex with her therapist and was utterly convinced she loved both of them.

In every one of these examples the ego bends the spiritual rules to suit its own agenda. That sounds like Ms. Palin.

By the way, Ronald Reagan was an Aquarian, but the better known ones are Jefferson and Lincoln who more truly emulate the HIGHER potentials of this potentially ground breaking, truth seeking sign. Examples of HIGHER Aquarians include Galileo and Darwin, both were highly controversial to the church... and still are!

I need to check the inner dynamics, i.e. her moon sign, etc. By the way our nation (July 4, l776) has its MOON (which rules the masses and their FEELINGS) in Aquarius... so that could explain why she's polling high. We also have to realize ours is a package-oriented, image-facilitating culture; and because she's a former beauty queen (to her credit, after 5 kids she kept her figure), that counts for a lot... in the eyes of a media-trained (Pavlov style) public.

The COSMIC picture of Ms. Palin:

IF she was born after 8 PM she'd have an Aquarian moon, but I presume it's in Capricorn. People born just before new moon (her case) experience what is known as the balsamic moon (or dark of the moon), and largely suppress their own emotions. If the Moon is in Capricorn, sign of Saturn (The planet I most relate to conservative thought processes, Daddy knows best, and the authoritarian mind set) that would explain why she is the way she is.

Her Mercury is in Aquarius and Mercury is the messenger... I don't LIKE that Jupiter favors this part of her chart in January 2009. Of course, she could end up with a great OTHER job offer? Her own TV talk show, losers club? Her Mars is also in Aquarius. One would expect Mars (principle of what we fight for) in the usually altruistic sign of Aquarius to point to a person more oriented towards humanitarian ideals, the SENSE of brotherhood/sisterhood. But her Mars is locked into what astrologers term a conjunction--the celestial equivalent of Siamese twins--with Saturn, that harsh authoritarian planet. (My father had Mars-Saturn and was militaristic and IN the military, as were most males his age as WW II was underway. I was married to someone with this signature and dated 2 other men who also had Mars-Saturn, and it's like perpetual boot camp.) Mars is the fire that springs our impulses into action; and Saturn resonates with guilt and fear. It tends to act as a caution light, or brakes. People with this combination have their own impulses under brutal raps, and often try to control others.

I took her for a Virgo before I got her data, and the reason she gives off a Virgo vibe is that her Uranus (it rules Aquarius, and thus is the signature planet in her profile, a/k/a birth blueprint) is in Virgo. Now that is true of millions since Uranus remains in a sign for 7 years. Her Uranus (represents high technology, future-oriented approaches) is close to Pluto (this can relate to spy work). If Valerie Plame could be a spy, why not this one?

In any case, the Aquarius radiates charisma and she has 4-5 planets in that sign! It comes off as "the people's friend," but in her case, due to a probable Moon in hierarchical Capricorn and the ruling planet Uranus in the rigid sign of Virgo, the narrowness of her perspective is explained.

I looked up Ann Coulter and at some point may publish a study on similar traits among authoritarians... Coulter has many planets in the religious-publishing sign of Sagittarius but all are negatively configured with Pluto, the planet of holding a grudge, or practicing vengeance. Ironic when you consider her patron saint Jesus taught the power of forgiveness and loving--as opposed to exploiting for commercial profit, one's hatred of--enemies.

Security........Religion..........Homeland...........Patriotism...............................Hitler was very big on all these. Nazism stood on this base..............lizard

I have yet to come across a Margolis column that somehow doesnt mention Reagan ! Eric ... your old friend and mentor is dead and gone buddy. The Cold War is over. Good article by the way. Its amazing how much one can change huh ? Who knew that one day you would be spouting 'liberal' mantras ?!!

Leea LOL !!! Margolis is an old Cold War scribe who could never stop singing Reagans praises. He was one of the 'boys'. Smoking cigras and stroking Reagans genitals. Sexism is deeply ingrained in his ilk.

Being a fundimentalist christian - unless she is far removed from most fundimentalists, Sarah Palin, by what would have been her most likely assessment of John McCain (based on the opinion of him from fundimentalists I've known) would be that she's now in bed (as in cahoots with - a running mate) with the devil.

siouxrose, i have read your posts for a while and believe that you finally feel comfortable enough now to let your astrological kookiness out of the bag. to your credit you have some interesting things to say, then fall off the deep end into nonsense. i find any credible assertions you make to be negated by the equivelant of some literal interpreting bible believer. sorry if this sounds like a personal attack, however, your spiritual guidance is, to me, not in the realm of reality.

"They oppose evolution and ecology"

Reasonable ways to oppose evolution: Wear a lead-lined suit; drink only distilled water; breathe only once per minute; have little or no unprotected sexual intercourse other than with close family members; keep a stable but low body temperature; consume only calorie-deficient foodstuffs.

As for opposing ecology, it seems God already gave Evangelists instinctive spiritual guidance for this.

GIA: I like your vintage (year); as two of the finest people I have ever known are both Virgo/l951. A lot of Virgo women are neat and orderly and can multi-mask, or manage a lot efficiently. THAT was why I took the woman for a Virgo; and also, as I mentioned in a previous post, whenever an individual has not found their own center (spiritual balance), they will act out the worst traits of their sign. In a Virgo, that can mean rigidity and a lack of tolerance for anything but a very specific concept of a right way of doing things, behaving, etc.

LAST DREGS: I would not criticize a surgeon unless there was grounds for malpractice. The truth is, the only criticism I take seriously in my field is that delivered from a peer who has the same knowledge I possess, and perhaps interprets the data differently. All opinions are NOT equal with regards to subject matter that requires profound understanding. I would not be offering the tidbits here if there WAS another place for them. But the same religious intolerance that sought to wipe out the WISDOM OF INTUITIVE WOMEN (and men who understood, too), is still VERY much a part of America. It's a Carl Rove all across; and by that I mean, the silencing of an area of scrutiny that looks to relationships that most people pass by, don't understand or are taught to be suspicious of in no way warrants your put-down.

And the subject is not science, but cosmic mathematics... the orbits of the planets influence our lives. The most obvious example is that we age in accord with the earth's revolutions around the sun, and most women menstruate in resonance with the 29 day lunar cycle. More subtle cycles are also understood, as for instance, the 3 times a year that Mercury turns retrograde are so likely to cause communication and/or electronic upsets, that many conventional media sources mention when these events are underway.

AS I often say, you don't have to believe in gravity either...

By the way, I brought up a point that resonates with Palin's chart and the extreme influence of the Christian fundamentlist sect; and both points intersect. What if CIA infiltrated this movement and put its pawns into positions, using access to media to create a following, utilizing a quite impressive publishing empire (including its own music stations: Christian rock, and so forth) to do to minds the equivalent of preparing the soil for a specific harvest.

We say this woman had an odd vetting process. How do we know that she wasn't some kind of special agent all this time? Alaska IS a power zone geo-politically for 2 reasons: escalating hostility towards Russia (and perhaps China), and the fact that global warming opens the frozen tundras to oil prospecting. Ms. Palin has influence in that area, knows the movers and shakers from her short stint as governor. And she's an obvious true believer loyaltist, that trumps competence with the Bush junta neocon ilk every time.

And St. Paul, who certainly knew how to keep women in their place, gave fundamentalists this gem, one single solitary scripture validating all previous Biblical authorship as automatic writing for God himself.

2 Timothy 3:16 "All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness"

To which in Psalms 137:8 & 9 we find:

8 "O Babylon, you will be destroyed.
Happy is the one who pays you back
for what you have done to us."

9 "Happy is the one who takes your babies
and smashes them aginst the rocks!"

The picture of a loving and caring god indeed!

Surely these verses justify born again George W. Bush to the atrocities performed on the children of Iraq.

George Walker Bush. The fundamentalist's right hand of God. Just ask any of them.

And how many of them know Bush said this, "The constitution is just a goddammed piece of paper."? And do they agree? Obviously they do. Just not necessarily in those exact words.

Peace

Sure doesn't look like a "clumsy ploy". In terms of political chess, I'd say brilliant ploy... women are flocking to Palin.

In any case, if Obama's poll numbers keep travelin south, you needn't worry about voting strategically fearing the worst, but rather pick a 3'rd party candidate with a good conscience.