Jim Stillman

Lutz (Tampa), Florida, UNITED STATES


Joined January 23rd 2007

Number of Posts:
245

Number of Comments:
485

Karma:
10



About Me
Retired after 25 years with the Florida Department of Revenue. I am also a retired New York attorney. I have a part-time job to keep busy and do a bit of free lance writing to keep my mind engaged. I consider myself a social Liberal with leanings to Libertarianism. My motto: ALWAYS POSITIVE, SOMETIMES RIGHT.
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http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/20932/jim_stillman.html

http://jimspoliticalcertainty.worldblogosphere.com/


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Recent Posts

Reflections on revolution

November 7th 2009 20:38
What are the implications of the New Jersey and Virginia Gubernatorial elections this past week? What is the significance of the election in New York’s 23rd Congressional District? In my opinion, both Republicans and Democrats have read too much into the results according them far too much significance. Both parties have characterized these races as determinative of the direction the American voter is leaning; both parties are so busy perfecting the “spin” that some essential truths are being ignored.

I suggest that both Democrats and Republicans have allowed their respective parties to split into factions; the schism within the GOP has been far more obvious but Democrats have similar, although not so severe, issues. Both parties have examined the results of the elections without considering Tip O’Neill’s maxim that all politics are local. This is especially true in the New Jersey and Virginia races.

Both extreme fringes of the parties, comprised of ideologues on the left and on the right, treat all elections as being a referendum on the president, having only national meaning. In reality, most Americans are firmly ensconced in the middle, shifting slightly to the left or right candidate that appears to satisfy their comfort zone. My father, who appears to have gained wisdom as I grow older, was fond of explaining that the average man (or woman) on the street was not inclined to think in terms of international affairs or war; he or she merely wanted to be left alone to support and raise the children.

I have written extensively that America needs a strong, vibrant opposition party, one willing and prepared to govern – which entails negotiation and compromise. Since the Republicans are the minority at this time, it is necessary to check if the GOP is assuming that goal.

At the present, Republicans have allowed their party to be taken over by those for whom compromise, at least on social issues, is anathema. One of the consequences of this position is that there are internal conflicts that cannot be resolved.

One or two examples should be illustrative. One of the most basic tenets of modern Republicans is that there should be a severely limited role for the Federal, and to a lesser extent, state government. If one accepts this premise (and I am inclined to do so to some degree), then it would follow that the “right to be left alone” would allow a woman’s right to choose with respect to her own body and procreation; that same right would deny the power of the state to forbid same-sex marriage. Those restrictions are based upon religious beliefs and should not be imposed by Government on a non-believer.

Of the three elections, the New York Congressional election may suggest the attitude of the people with regard to the rejection of the extreme far Right approach to seat is now filled by a Democrat. The GOP candidate chosen by local party officials, Dede Scozzafava, who is hardly an ideologue Republican officeholder but a thoughtful GOP stalwart, was forced out of the race by the fringe right. Instead of Ms Scozzafava, Sarah Palin and the rigid right demanded that Doug Hoffman, a 100% true blue tea party, anti-abortion, anti gay rights, Obama hater be the GOP standard bearer. Mr. Hoffman did not live in the District and had no discernable talent for governance – but he hated in the “approved” manner. Result, a Congressional seat that had been held by Republicans for 150 years is now occupied by Bill Owens, a Democrat.

The moral is that the hysterical fringe of the Republican Party will not attract the vast majority of Americans who sit on the moderate right of center. Some benefit to the Democrats will and does follow, but the decision of the GOP to purge moderates from the party because of social conservatism will create more Independents, This has already been verified in Virginia and in Florida.

The antics of Republican leaders this past week, joining with the most irresponsible “Tea Baggers” calling for armed revolution and citing the Declaration of Independence (a document that does not form a government but rather states the reason why that government should be dissolved) is rhetoric which goes beyond the pale.

We now have a major political party repudiating an election and justifying the spilling of blood to back up that repudiation.
Much has been written about Michele Bachmann, the Republican who represents the Sixth Congressional District of Minnesota. She has, to be kind, extreme views that transcend reality, violently opposed to gay rights and unions, abortions of any nature refuses to accept any theories of evolution and insists on Creationism being taught in the public schools, believes that Democrats and “moderate Republicans” favor a socialistic One World Government and, naturally hates the President! As a bonus, she has conversations with and personal directions from God. According to Ms Bachmann,

God then called me to run for the United States Congress. And I thought, what in the world would that be for? And my husband said “You need to do this.” And I wasn’t so sure. And we took three days, and we fasted and we prayed. And we said “Lord, is this what you want? Is this Your will?” And after — along about the afternoon of day two — He made that calling sure.

So when Ms Bachmann incites a crowd with talk of revolution and a violent overthrow of the constitutionally elected president and majority political party, it may be deemed the rants of a crazy individual. But at their Tea Party rally this past week, she was joined by John Boehner, the Republican House Leader who displayed a remarkable bit of ignorance. Representative Boehner held up a small booklet which he identified as his personal copy of the Constitution:

I‘m going to stand with you and all freedom-loving Americans against [the Democratic health reform] bill. This is my copy of the Constitution. And I‘m going to stand here with our Founding Fathers, who wrote in the preamble, “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Of course, that language comes from the Declaration of Independence, a fine and noble document that serves to justify revolution.

What is significant is that, for the first time, the official Republican Party has adopted the ugly and horrific imagery that has been openly displayed at the Tea Party protests. Obama is the same as Hitler? The Democrats want to recreate the stacked corpses from the Nazi Death Camps? No more deniability, no more passing these views off as non-representative extremists.

Please, please look at these images:



Up to now, the absurdities of the rabid fringe, on this site and elsewhere on the Internet, have been just silly and shallow jokes, like calling President Obama “B.O. (B.S.)” or denying his American birth. But we are now seeking elected leaders of a major political party fermenting armed revolution?

And when you raise up a citizen mob, armed to the teeth, do you really expect to defeat the United States military? Do you expect the service men and women of the armed forces to mutiny against the civilian constitutional leaders? Is this what the protesters want?

This isn’t the America I want for my family.

Democrats have their far left base and that base fails, in my opinion, to appreciate the economic realities to increased and never-ending deficits. I will discuss those issues in a subsequent post. But in the meantime, be careful for what you wish; you may get the wish.







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Some protesters are self-defeating

October 22nd 2009 19:58


Back at almost the same time I became old enough to vote, a candy manufacturer, Robert Welch looked at the world and saw interconnected conspiracies all with one goal: the destruction of the United States and its being replaced by something he called the “New World Order”, a force dominated by Communists, the threat of the day. Mr. Welch saws things in “black and white”; there was no room for nuance, no allowing any differing opinions. There were only four groups into which all Americans fell:
"Communists, communist dupes or sympathizers, the uninformed who have yet to be awakened to the communist danger, and the ignorant."

There were then, as now, sincere patriotic Americans who felt the needs for a greater governmental role in everyday lives; the nation no longer was agrarian and in the 18th and 19th century. Whereas in the early days of the republic life was centered on small villages where “everybody knew your name”, the nation had become too large and expansive to rely on individuals or private organizations to provide care and services. Moreover, food safety, drugs and medicine safety, air travel, and a plethora of other services could not be left to the consciences of the industries involved. The unfettered market place, in theory, is a fine vehicle for self-regulation but in real life it, like pure Communism, will not suffice. Robert Welch saw and accepted none of this.

Mr. Welch, after a flirtation with politics and politicians, founded the John Birch Society, an organization that has grown from 11 or 12 like-minded wealthy men to a membership that the Society claims exceed 100,000 with chapters in every state. The John Birch Society has lost whatever influence it might have had and was repudiated by intellectual conservatives, such as William F. Buckley, when Mr. Welch went to extremes. According to Mr. Welch, Presidents Truman and Eisenhower were communist sympathizers and possibly Soviet agents of influence. He said that President Eisenhower was a "conscious, dedicated agent of the communist conspiracy", and that his brother Milton was the President's superior in the communist apparatus. Finally, Mr. Welch surrounded himself and his organization with notorious racists and anti-Semites.

The John Birch Society became an object of ridicule. Its members refused to support or even consider the views of the most conservative office holders; none of the conservative politicians of the day was pure enough. Like Lancelot of Arthurian legend, only the purest of the pure, the chastest of the chaste were suitable. Compare this to the rants about RINO's!

The world was one big conspiracy aimed at destroying the United States and replacing it with a United Nations-led and managed group of internationalists, greedy bankers, and corrupt politicians. If left unexposed, the traitors inside the US government would betray the country's sovereignty to the United Nations for a collectivist new world order managed by a "one-world socialist government." Anyone who professed to see worth in any other country was suspect, anyone who accepted the notion that different good people could have different outlooks was a dupe or evildoer. The Society still believes this and, accordingly, has little or no influence in the Republican Party; extremism was and is its flaw.

The lesson that is being ignored today by thoughtful conservatives is that if a group is too far outside of the mainstream it will be marginalized and any claim of legitimately.

As satirist Tom Lehrer sang,

Oh, we're the John Birch Society, the John Birch Society
Here to save our country from a communistic plot

The CIA's subversive and so's the FCC
There's no one left but thee and we, and we're not sure of thee
Oh, we're the John Birch Society, the John Birch Society
Here to save our country from a communistic plot
Join the John Birch Society holding off the Reds

You cannot trust your neighbor or even next of kin
If mommy is a commie then you gotta’ turn her in
We only hail the hero from whom we got our name
We're not sure what he did but he's our hero just the same (© Tom Lehrer), “ there is nothing improper about this type of partisanship, it is our belief that this is not what the tea parties are about. Tea Party Patriots has worked very hard to be issue oriented regardless of political party affiliation. We support our core values: fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government, and free markets over any political party. In order to remain non-partisan, we must separate ourselves from organizations that are partisan and are attempting to raise money using the non-partisan tea party movement.* * * We have no room for those who attack grassroots organizers, use the tea party movement for partisan political fund raising, or who go out of their way to make offensive statements that serve only to drive people away from our cause.

I have written extensively in the past that during a Republican administration there is a need for a vibrant and strong Democratic opposition. Conversely there is a need today for a strong and responsible Republican opposition. By giving credence and attention to the loudmouths of the Fox News showmen, by giving weight to the bloggers who talk about Hitler and the Nigerian birth of the president, by granting the spotlight to those whose only qualification for public office is total and absolute ignorance, by continuing the foolish conspiracy theories of one-world empires, the influence of those thoughtful people on the Right is diminished.













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Let's go and kill a RINO

October 16th 2009 18:07
Let me tell you about a Republican whose positions are diametrically opposed to those in which I believe. For example, my subject


has been a military prosecutor and has little sympathy for persons accused of a crime and, indeed, often considers accusation and conviction as a unit;

is a proponent of the death penalty and limits on appeals by convicted criminals;

has voted for and advocated wiretaps without prior judicial authorization and warrant;
is an advocate and supporter of prayer in schools;

opposes same sex marriage and supports the Defense of Marriage Act;

objects to concerns about global warnings and opposes the Kyoto Protocols;

feels that the rights of habeas corpus do not extend to detainees held outside of the continental United States and has referred to the detention of American citizens of Japanese descent as a “model”;

does not accept any reasonable restrictions on gun control and has an “A” rating by the NRA;

has an 11% favorable rating by the NAACP and a 0% favorable rating by the Gay Rights group, the Human Rights Campaign, and the ACLU, while having an 82% favorable rating by the American Conservative Union.


In short he is a traditional conservative Republican. He has made a serious and possibly career-ending mistake. He has tried to represent his state and country by attempting to work with others in his party and with Democrats and Independents to address, if not solve, the important issues of the day. In the “olden days” as my children used to say, real conservatives such as Utah’s Orrin Hatch could fashion needed legislation with the late Senator Kennedy, Tip O’Neill could share a drink with Ronald Reagan.


Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has discovered that these credentials are not enough for the Tea Party folks.




Senator Graham has now joined the ranks who the Rabid Right have labeled “RINO’s”, standing for Republicans in Name Only: John McCain and Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine and, perhaps, any others who dare to work with members of the opposite party for any purpose. Charlie Crist, Governor of Florida, comes immediately to mind. The website, on the Issues.org characterizes Senator Graham as a “hardcore” Republican but that isn’t enough for the new Republicans. Really Long Link


As one bit of dialogue at the rally makes clear, sometimes Senator Graham seeks bi-partisanship; this cannot be forgiven!

You want to reach across the aisle to the Democrats. It's you can you made a pact with the devil. My question is…when are you going to announce that you're going to switch parties?

Great move guys; Pennsylvania’s Arlen Spector was drummed out of the GOP because of what was a “moderate” voting record but, by any fair analysis, one that tilted toward traditional conservative views. If the Rabid Right has its way, the Republican Party will be comprised of six or seven Legislators and, perhaps, a few thousand individuals, many of whom write on Orble! (I can say this with certainty that none of them will read this post. Reading other views has been called by a certain writer as a “waste of time”)


This, in the opinion of this liberal, would not be good for the United States. We need a strong opposing political party, regardless of the party in power at any one time. If the Rabid Right gets its way, then perhaps Republicans whose views are intellectually consistent and honest will regroup into a new and vibrant party. There used to be conservative spokespersons who one could admire while disagreeing with their opinions. They have all gone, leaving the remnants of a party that once was honorable to those who equate the president with Hitler, all Democrats with Satan and any attempt at bi-partnership while enacting legislation as weakness.

Somehow the only people who cannot see this are Democrats who, in their hopeless liberal way, look for and even see rational and good behavior in these louts.
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Take a reactionary to lunch.

October 14th 2009 00:57
You really have to feel sorry for the Right fringe; perhaps we should each pick an acquaintance who believes that the President was born in Kenya, is a fascist, socialist, commie dupe of evil traitors and evil-doers and that any government operated health care option or program is a program that should be eliminated (but please don't touch my Medicare) and invite them for lunch. They have had a bad couple of weeks and warrant sympathy.

The heroes and spokesmen of the far Right have, in their desperation to find fault with Barack Obama, “jumped the shark”; they have demonstrated to the world that they are buffoons at best and racist at worst. All of their protestations that they are patriotic Americans and sincere advocates for the principles of freedom and liberty that are part and parcel of the American history and experience have been shown to be false


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But they cannot be allowed to be unchallenged!

If I have, finally, learned anything by writing political blogs it is that it is impossible to engage in rational discussions with those on the rabid right fringe. Fortunately, all the evidence seems to point to the impotency of their rants. Glenn and Rush and the stalwarts at Fox News spew irrational and inconsistent garbage, but garner only a miniscule proportion of voters and have no real influence in elections


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There are many loony fringe folks on this site, all devoted to faux News, paranoia and sheer hatred. None of them will read this post, upon fear of being exposed to a contrary thought -- or any thought at all.

There are a few readers who have a "foot in the door" of these other sites. Perhaps one of them will pass this on to the most rabid -- and then stand back


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I simply cannot resist this!

October 9th 2009 14:32
One of the limitations of the fringe right is that the members have no sense of humor and cannot stop the demagogue stuff even for a moment. I respectfully ask all liberals, progressives, independents and, even, S.L., to check this out

Really Long Link
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Hoax? Reality? You decide!

October 3rd 2009 23:50
Hoax? Reality? Either way, children are being “Left Behind”

It has been noted, in this space and elsewhere, that Florida schools do not rank well by standard criteria. All during the past year, Governor Charlie Crist, who lives for the chance on being Senator Crist, has been telling every audience that will listen that Florida’s rank has gone from 31st in the nation to tenth. There has been much criticism on the former level, the organization that examines the data changed its methodology but, in any event, it is universally accepted that Florida schools are underfunded and understaffed. While there is an abundance of relatively high priced administrators, staff in the trenches, teachers, aides, special education specialists, and others who actually interact with students are underpaid and under appreciated


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Those damn czars

September 22nd 2009 20:04
The Czar epidemic.

My favorite bête noire of political discussion, S. L. Bradish, posted a note in which she asserted that President Obama’s socialism was evident by his appointment of “czars” to oversee specified government programs and operations. The “czar” stuff has been around for a while but has become the latest reason to hate or fear this president


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We Americans are all

September 16th 2009 14:59
Yep, that's what we believe, that's what we are. Some of us deny it, some don't understand it, but all of us, in our heart of hearts, are thrilled to reap the rewards and benefits of socialism.

So let's start working on the real issues


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Recent Comments

Comment by Jim Stillman
on An Olympian-sized failure

October 13th 2009 13:08
OK, I get it.

The president was rebuffed by the international community as proof that he is weak, stupid and considered a joke by those with whom he has tried to engage. To the extent that President Obama was unsuccessful in having Chicago chosen, he made a fool of himself and weakened America. Yeah!

Then the president is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. This is proof that he is, in the eyes of the international community, smart, strong and serious by those with whom he has tried to engage. This puts America in a foolish and weakened position. Yeah!

I get it, now that it’s been explained.

Comment by Jim Stillman
on Tort reform and health care

October 13th 2009 12:52
I respectfully refer you to my post, written a year ago, and call attention to the examples of professional malpractice that are not limited, that by building contractors, lawyers, accountants and others.

Really Long Link

You may want to consider the fact that some states have placed draconian limits on medical malpractice lawsuits (Texas, New York, Florida for examples), and malpractice insurance premiums for physicians have not decreased!

My daughter and son-in-law are physicians in Florida, far more conservative than I. They agree that insurance industry greed is the culprit -- although they don't like lawyers either.

Comment by Jim Stillman
on Obama wins Nobel for not being George Bush

October 11th 2009 13:59
I agree with your basic assessment that President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace award because the atmosphere and hope of cooperation with other democratic nations as opposed to President Bush’s policies of unilateral actions was welcomed by the Committee and by the international community.

Many past recipients of the Prize have been honored because of that which they urged, even if success was not reached at the time. For example, in the first decade of the 20th century, the Prize was awarded 5 times to officials of the International Peace Bureau, an organization still in existence but one that could not stop two world wars. Woodrow Wilson won his prize in 1919 for his work in founding the League of Nations, an organization that had lofty aims but was incapable of stopping the rise of the Axis powers. In 1925 and 1926 the Nobel was awarded to the persons who created the Locarno Treaties which were unsuccessful in stopping the rise of Nazi Germany. Over the years, starting with Ralph Bunche in 1950, a number of prizes were awarded to those who urged the end of Palestinian-Israeli conflict and, as a final example of awards to those who stood for and sparked an atmosphere, Nelson Mandela who won the award for his aim to end apartheid in South Africa even though he was unable to accomplish anything concrete for another ten years!

One interesting fact that some who disparage President Obama for everything: one criticism is that he is alleged to be supportive of “one-world government”, an idea that the parochial interests of the United States should be the only rationale for our actions. So, when the International Olympic Committee turned down the United States’ bid for the 2116 Summer Games, it was treated as a personal defeat for Barack Obama and many of the far Right cheered. Rush called it the “best day of his life” and Glenn had a virtual organism. On the other hand, when the Nobel Committee, another “one-world” international group, awards President Obama an award, the two leaders of the talk show world see only doom!

Randy, do you see any consistency there?

Comment by Jim Stillman
on Ignoble Nobel Strikes Again

October 11th 2009 13:14
Lester and SL, just talk to each other -- keep busy and don't run with scissors or drop crayons on the carpet. The rest of us, being grownups, will discuss issues rationally while you jump up and down, sputtering.

Comment by Jim Stillman
on Ignoble Nobel Strikes Again

October 9th 2009 12:51
Your hate and viciousness have hit a new low. More importantly, you are a well-read and intelligent woman who has limited herself to any opposing viewpoints and any possibilities beyond slogans.

You and I address matters from different perspectives; however, I readily acknowledge that conservatives have an important and noble part to play in governing the country.

SL, please lose the B.O. (B.S.) silliness (Obama has never used the name of his step-father, ever, and I have provided actual documentary proof of that). Can you not just say, if you feel it appropriate, that you disagree with the Nobel Committee choice and leave it like that?

Comment by Jim Stillman
on Did I hear Right??

September 23rd 2009 19:59
No, what I said was that the term "czar" is a media invention to refer to advisers to a President, any President; that the term was first used in that connection nearly 100 years ago. Both Democrats and Republicans had them and, if you would just try to read something other than the Fox crap, you would know this. I think that Mr. Bush had more than President Obama but that really isn't material.

The only issue is the ability and competence of a specific individual. If you were rational, we could discuss the real issue like adults. But you aren't and you cannot.

Comment by Jim Stillman
on Did I hear Right??

September 22nd 2009 21:15

Lester and SL, you are a pair. “Communist czars”? The last Czar was hated and killed by the Communists. I know that SL won’t read my posts but, Lester, you once showed a smidgen of sanity. Grab hold!




Really Long Link

Comment by Jim Stillman
on Did I hear Right??

September 22nd 2009 15:32
Go back to sleep, the sky isn't falling, Massachusetts is not making Spanish the official language and you will not be forcded to ingest tacos without your consent.

From the Berkshire (Mass.) Eagle:

As some New York and New Hampshire officials consider making flu vaccinations mandatory for health care workers, health officials in Massachusetts are emphasizing the voluntary nature of flu shots.

DPH Commissioner John Auerbach stressed that "mandatory vaccination is not, and has never been, part of the plan or discussion in Massachusetts' pandemic response."

Most Berkshire County school districts plan to offer flu vaccinations this fall, according to Martin, but not without parental consent.

Of course, it's always easier to spread silly stuff and paranoia; a few people will believe it and, therefore, decide that the President is a socialist and proudly carry mis-spelled signs.

Comment by Jim Stillman
on Jesus Christ and Lehman Brothers

September 12th 2009 18:58
SL: What I wrote is bashing? Lady, when I do "bash" it'll be referring to ideas and not people. I do not respect or agree with your views and ideas; that's not personal as I assume that you are a nice person.

And I assure you that I notice quite a bit.

Have you anything cogent to rebut or add to any of the substantive points I made in the previous comment? I'd love to hear them.

Comment by Jim Stillman
on Jesus Christ and Lehman Brothers

September 12th 2009 16:11
I'm hurt. SL never invites me to comment on her site and,she never comments on mine, claiming that it's a waste of her time. I assume, but do not assert that it is true, that it's the policy of many Orble readers to read and comment on the writings of hose with similar viewpoints. Many will limit comments to like-minded writers to the "Atta Boy" genre, which is regrettable because ideas are validated by being challenged.

Like many Liberals, I am required by my own sense of reality, to read and take into account the views of those with whom I disagree. Those opposing views force me to consider and re-evaluate my own opinions. The Wall Street bailout, supported by both Presidents Bush and Obama is a complex one, and I have doubts as to whether it was and is a good idea.

How that equates to a fear of a health care reform bill, one whose terms have not been even written, escapes me.

I still wish some folks from the Right would take the time to visit me, but it won't happen.