I am feeling the need to challenge some major conceptions that the Republicans and right wing hold as near and dear to their collective little hearts.  If we listen at all to the war cries of the right we will hear them praise with loving platitudes about their beloved great leader Ronald Reagan.  I view Reagan as a more eloquent and smooth talking George Bush. They both are stupid, unimaginative, shallow, vapid, simple, short-sited, business loving, gay hating, Jesus fearing pricks who are full of crap and whose base core beliefs are wrong and destructive.  I will demonstrate, for instance Reagan said, "Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves."  I would agree, however Reagan did not believe this, for if he had he would of supported Gay Rights, Legalizing Drugs, Abortion and women's reproduction rights, just to name a few.  It is the classic lip service that conservatives use all the time but when push comes to shove the only thing they really want government out of is their wallet, and their gun cabinet.  Now keep in mind his last quote and then think about this one, Reagan said, "Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged."  That sounds like a Theocracy to me, and Religion is not anything but a set of rules to protect us from ourselves and dictate how we live and what we do.  I know you can say it is for our own good, and fine say that, but it is a complete contradiction on the part of Reagan.  

    Here is another nice little quote from the father of the 30 second bite, "People do not make wars; governments do."  Who or what did Reagan believe a government was? Last I looked the government was ran by people, but I could be wrong.  Old Ronnie also said, "The problem is not that people are taxed too little, the problem is that government spends too much."  It is amazing how Republicans always feel this way until they see a new weapon system or fighter jet, or anything else they can spend hundreds of millions on that will kill other people.  Reagan hated to pay for poor people because that meant less money to use on killing people.  

    Then we have his core belief in government which is well summed up in this quote, "Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem."  I find it funny that the man chosen by the people to lead the country fundamentally did not believe that he had any purpose but to be a hindrance to his people.  This is the fundamental problem with Republicans, they do not believe in government, but I would ask them, because they love to quote the founders and especially Jefferson, why do they think the founders created a Federal Government at all if they found it to be a burden to everyone?  Were the founders just being cruel and trying to shackle the people into a permanent state of slavery?  No of course not, and unlike the assholes of the Republican Party and the Right Wing, government is not by nature good or evil, it is as good as the people running it and as long as we continue to elect people to office who fundamentally do not believe government can ever work, they will prove that proposition correct every single time.  

    I thought I was done bashing Reagan but I got to give you this quote as well, "Unemployment insurance is a pre-paid vacation for freeloaders." This is a nice sentiment from the old bastard is it not? I guess when Ron was President jobs where just like apples on the trees in the fucking Garden of Eden.  If you think this quote however is cold and heartless try this one from the wonderful God loving conservative, "What we have found in this country, and maybe we're more aware of it now, is one problem that we've had, even in the best of times, and that is the people who are sleeping on the grates, the homeless, you might say, by choice."  Nice right?  This is a truly compassionate Christian who values the life of all people and believes in the sanctity of life.  I personally believe that Reagan was one of the worst Presidents we have ever had, and I further believe he was a cold hearted man, who cared for nothing other than his and his own.  I believe you can trace the ruination of this nation back to all of his deficit spending, tax cutting, program chopping, corporate deregulation and complete disregard for the needs of America and its people.  I hope someday history will judge him for what he did, but unfortunately until then we are going to have to continue to listen to the Republicans kiss his ass and try and put his name on everything that doesn't move. How sad.

    Finally I come to the Philosopher of the Week, Richard Bach, who wrote, "In order to live free and happily you must sacrifice boredom. It is not always an easy sacrifice."  It is true to really enjoy what we want we must certainly sometimes take risks and as in the words of my youth say "fuck it" and just do what you desire.  Bach also said, "It is by not always thinking of yourself, if you can manage it, that you might somehow be happy. Until you make room in your life for someone as important to you as yourself, you will always be searching and lost."  This is the essence of love, and until you can love your partner like you love yourself you will never have a wonderful relationship.  Because it is Friday here is one more gem from Richard Bach who said, "The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it."  So I say my friends go out and enjoy a lovely moment for you and everyone deserves them.  Well until Monday goodbye...