Links for Hillary Clinton

This may shock you: Hillary Clinton is fundamentally honest

I Was One of the Most Ardent Hillary Haters on the Planet…Until I Read Her Emails

It’s time to admit Hillary Clinton is an extraordinarily talented politician

Why I will vote for Hillary Clinton, without qualm

1. The email “scandal” is not an issue. She has admitted the private server was a mistake. The FBI had no indication that she intended to compromise classified information. Intent is 9/10ths of that law. By Presidential decree in 2009, the heads of the State Dept, Defense Dept, and CIA define what is and isn’t classified in their departments. As Secretary of State, by definition, anything she wrote unclassified is by definition unclassified. Conflict with other departments to be adjudicated by the President. Fact. That’s the way classified information works. The FBI’s opinion on the subject stopped at opinion. They had no evidence of a crime. Unintentional negligence is not a crime.

2. She has the experience required to be President acquired as Secretary of State, US Senator, and even as First Lady. She is qualified.

3. Her policies as Secretary of State more closely correspond to my own. Combating terrorism requires thoughtful and coordinated response. Open indiscriminate warfare against terrorism will not end it, it will breed more, as has been demonstrated by decades of Israeli/Palestinian conflict as only one example.

4. She has reversed position on TPP. That means she can listen to dissent, to the other side of argument, make reasoned positions and correct them when necessary.

5. She recognizes that tax cuts for the wealthy and spending cuts that cost jobs do not create jobs. People with money to spend do, particularly a healthy middle class.

6. She is pro-choice.

7. She objects to the Hobby Lobby decision that says religious corporations can avoid paying health care insurance costs.

8. She objects to the decision that removed voting rights protections.

9. She objects to the Citizens United decision that makes unrestrained spending of money on elections free speech.

10. She supports the marriage equality decision and objects to the other “religious freedom” bigotry sweeping through local governments.

11. She recognizes the need for national gun control laws and regulation.

12. She will likely be in position to select three Supreme Court justices. Her selections will better align with my views and the views of the majority of the people of this country.

13. Benghazi is not an issue. There was no “stand down” order. That was established through millions of dollars of Congressional investigation.

14. She has the personality to remain calm, to assess, and to respond intelligently to crisis.

15. People say she is a genuinely nice person one-on-one.

16. She is not running for President for personal glory.

Sure, she isn’t perfect. Her laugh makes me cringe sometimes but this isn’t a personality contest.

Nearly every one of these points is counter to Trump/Pence.

Voting for Hillary is easy for me.

Iraq, Daesh, and Obama

McCain pissed me off blaming ISIS/Daesh/ISIL on Obama.  So wrong in so many ways.  I found this, copied it and lost the link but here it is anyway.  I've said and read this many times in the last few years.

1. John McCain supported the war in Iraq. He was one of the most ardent fans of invading Iraq and every other step taking by the Bush administration.

2. In 2008, before President Obama took office, President Bush signed a Status of Forces agreement with Iraq. It established that U.S. combat forces would withdraw from Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009, and all U.S. combat forces will be completely out of Iraq by December 31, 2011.

3. The Iraqis wanted the US forces out of Iraq. They viewed us as occupiers. 75% of Americans wanted our troops to come home, too.

4. President Obama tried to renegotiate the withdrawal and leave 10,000 US troops in Iraq. The State Department’s lawyers said troops couldn’t stay in Iraq unless the Iraqi parliament authorized them to do so, including granting them immunity from Iraqi law. The Iraqi parliamentarians would never OK such a decision, with Iraqi popular opinion staunchly against U.S. troops staying.

5. Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki – who was the Bush administrataion’s choice to run Iraq – said this about troop withdrawals: “The incomplete sovereignty and the presence of foreign troops are the most dangerous, most complicated and most burdensome legacy we have faced since the time of dictatorship. Iraq should get rid of them to protect its young democratic experiment.”

6. Our troops withdrew in Dec. 2011 before ISIS.

7 Maliki attacked Sunnis across Iraq in the following two years. The sectarian violence was a key part of the rise of ISIS as the Sunni leadership abandoned Maliki.

8. The Sunni-Shiite rift in Iraq and the Middle East has been going on since the 7th century.

9. The Iraqi army deteriorated.

10. The greatest catalyst for the rise of ISIS was the Syrian Civil War.

Finally, let’s remember that the GOP KNOWS all of thise. And that includes John McCain. But, rather than accept the facts and work together to fight the ISIS threat, the GOP blames the President.

Orlando Florida

Last weekend 49 people died and another 53 were wounded by a guy with a gun. This took place in a gay bar by guy who swore allegiance to ISIS in a phone call to 911. This guy had been on the FBI watchlist for terrorism. He had made a couple trips to Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage.

He was able buy two guns a couple weeks prior. 

The FBI wasn't told of the purchases. 

The purchases couldn't be blocked because he had ever been on the watchlist. 

You can't get on an airplane with a full bottle of shampoo but you can buy an AR-15 even if you are on the terrorist watchlist.

The 9/11 terrorists used airplanes as weapons and so access to airplanes is restricted.  

This attack against a Latino gay community is more about religious homophobia than Islamic terrorism. The religious right does not care about any of these people.

I want every gun registered. 

I want every gun owner trained, licensed and registered. 

I want every gun transaction recorded.

If that means the second amendment needs to be amended, so be it.

This is your objection to Hillary Clinton?

To my friends who object to Hillary Clinton as president.
So, my understanding is this.

Your objection to Clinton is that in the throes of a crisis some emails were written and sent that turned out to be classified in post crisis review.
You want a strong decisive leader but one that is incapable of making a mistake in an area where they are not an expert.

And some of you think Donald Trump is the answer?

Really?

Actually, she is the expert. As Secretary of State, she defined what is classified under the Department of State. If she sends an unclassified email, regardless of the server, it is by definition unclassified from a State Department point of view. If the DoD or CIA comes along later and says "oh, we'd like to keep that info protected"... fine. But that doesn't make the initial email classified. Nor was there a security violation.

Yeah, that's how it works.

Fuck that god.

I have no respect for a god that kills and maims children with parasites and disease. I have no respect for religion that causes people to kill and maim other people's children. I have no respect for a god who's imperfect body I am stuck living with. We are God's perfect creation?!? Are you JOKING? A brain susceptible to seizure at the slightest chemical imbalance, a nerve that controls the larynx that is routed from the brain to the heart and back up to the throat? Blood chemistry that allows for clogged arteries that kills my friend at 39 leaving two little girls without their father? 

 Fuck. That. God.

But then I don't believe that god exists. All of this is the evidence of evolution, the drawbacks of evolution, the consequences of evolution which is the beauty of life and our universe. I love life and how it works. I hate the false hope and delusions of religion.

Why Do I Dislike Ben Carson So Much?

I have to examine this to make sure I'm being reasonable. I don't need to consider why I dislike Trump, that is easy. The boorish bombastic loudmouth is easy to dislike for so many reasons. But calm, mild mannered Dr. Ben Carson?

I dislike him because he is either an ignorant fool or a liar.

On evolution, the spouted the trope that "mutations tend to lead to degeneration rather than improvement". As a medical doctor he should know that mutation can be benificial and natural selection can propagate that mutation. If not, he is ignorant, willfully. If so, he lied in the interview.

On guns, he thinks the Holocaust could have been prevented if the Germans hadn't demanded the guns Jews had. Or some such rot. "The Holocaust was a state-sanctioned outpouring of violence from the German public, so the idea that gun control stood in the way of Jewish survival “vastly overstates the effectiveness of a tiny minority resisting a genocidal machine,”"

Kim Davis is not a Patriot.

“The reason we separate Church and State is because the Founding Fathers believed government should be guided by a balance of morality and reason, not blind religious faith.  Practice your religion in freedom; just don’t make anyone else practice your religion.”

 

Am I Grateful?

At work they have these opinion pieces and viewpoints about our company and work.  This week they have one from a VP titled "Thirty Years and Still Grateful."

Grateful?

"After 30-years I remember one word. A word that describes best how I felt 30-years ago. That word is Grateful.
I am grateful to be part of a legacy. I am grateful to be part of the here and now—and also grateful to be part of the future. I am grateful to have had the lucky fortune to have been accepted into a great company. I am grateful to have served my nation through my service to that company."

Grateful?  I don't feel grateful.  After 35 years I've participated in successes and failures.  I've resolved problems and avoided creating many.  I have seriously supported our customers and made them successful (sometimes despite themselves), the direct ones who pay our contracts and the indirect ones who go into harm’s way almost daily since 9/11.  I've worked hard long hours for that success with teams who also worked hard long hours in support of our customers.  I'm proud of the things we did and do today.  I'm not grateful to anyone.  It's the country and company that needs to express some gratitude.  A 10" compound miter saw and a fancy dinner with a VP doesn't really cut it.

It continues...

This has been going on for 5 months now, 136 comments.

Countdown...

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We Then Me?

This was posted at work as one of those "voices of..." things meant to be inspirational.  Or team building or something.

like it or not, ***** ****** has been depicted in the past as an arrogant company. It doesn’t matter whether that characterization originated from competitors, the press, our partners or our customers — it’s out there. And if we want to change this perception, we must start with making a change within ourselves, rather than expecting others to change and conform to our standards.

As a coach for the “We Then Me” pilot program for the Quality Assurance organization, I am even more aware of how the “Me” mentality can be disruptive to those around us. To foster change, it must start with each of us as individuals. We have the power to change from a “Me Then We” to “We Then Me” culture. Little by little, if we all have that mindset, we can change the perception those have of us as individuals and as a company.

I was going to comment with: "Many of us have worked with positive impact for our customers for decades.  We've worked "we then me" with dedication to mission success and performance which is I hope why **** **** is where it is today.  The "me" part has been a little lacking with economic purchasing and political power declining.  The "we" part is important but as the Soviet Union showed, not viable by itself."  But I didn't comment.

I'm pretty tired of working for the good of the company and country.  All this effort and the country fails to support it's people, only supporting the welfare of those in power.

Another YouTube discussion :-)

lougalou04

You must have faith to understand, Tom. I can never get over how dark, pessimistic and negative so many atheists are. You have no joy in your heart. Perhaps that is the difference between many of the faithful and atheists. I hear Stephen Fry with his histrionics bashing religion, cursing God, and being all negative. Then I hear you doing the same. You all remind me of that character from 'Lil Abner" who had a cloud of rain following him wherever he went. No joy. No happiness. In fact, I practically feel sorry for you all. 


Tom Hail

+lougalou04 It must be that you only know atheists online where we take on and ridicule religious beliefs like the priest's video here. I and all atheists I know lead fulfilling, meaningful and happy lives. I bet you know atheists and don't know it. I live with a beautiful and incredibly patient special needs teacher, I have daughters and granddaughter who are making meaningful and productive lives for themselves without religion. I have the respect and love from friends and family who I respect and love. I support my family, community, nation and many peoples with my work and charity. I give my time and resources freely in charity and community works. I am not a special or uncommon atheist.

I rejoice in seeing Venus, Mars, and the Moon in a tight triangle, the flight of an owl, the power of waves crashing into rock that will eventually give way to the ocean. When I fly my plane I celebrate the ingenuity that created the engine, wings, avionics, and the training that gives me the confidence to climb into my flying machine and rise above the earth for a little while. Looking at a hillside of trees and grass I marvel at the trillions upon trillions of cells in all those plants busily turning sunlight into chemical energy and replicating themselves almost always perfectly.

No joy?! I laugh at you! You have NO IDEA how unrestrained I am, no fear of death, only of dying painfully before I'm ready. I attack religion for this very reason, I feel sorry for those who waste so much of their lives with it. So much human endeavour wasted in the wishful thinking and false hope of this bullshit. It is almost criminal. And then I attack religion for trying to control my life, to say what is moral when it has no moral standing to judge me by, to say what my purpose in life should be when it has nothing real to offer, to claim truth when it is obviously fantasy to control the masses. Faith is NOT a virtue in any sense, to believe without evidence is to give up your touted free will. Faith is to be despised.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+TomHail/posts/T5qVZXxpx1M

Just wanted to capture this in case Google crashes.

Range Rover Lane Diving

I was late today, so late I got to CA85 after the car pool lanes opened up.  So I’m moving along 85 in the middle lane and notice I am third behind this Range Rover going a good 10mph less than everyone else, getting passed on both sides.  Idiot, time to merge right anyway to get on CA237 eastbound.  I then see I can’t do it comfortably, the El Camino off-ramp is backed up and into the right lane.  I weave back to the middle but the two in front of me have better brakes or something and do it.  Maybe I can get over after El Camino…  no, CA237 off-ramp is backed up also.  Crap. 

Huh!?! 

The Range Rover is lane diving from the middle lane into a gap in the CA237 off-ramp line up of cars.

Wow.  What an idiot.  I look at him as I pass and it is someone I work with.  It looks like anyway, it was just a quick glance but it sure looked like him.  

I missed the exit and had to go on to Hwy 101 and then get in the back way. I get into the parking lot of my building and there he is in his Range Rover.  Let it go.  Let it go…

He deposited a whole bunch of baked goods at the coffee mess that were pretty good.  

Facebook ranting again

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  Tom Hail Fuck this. And the fucking arrogance of ignorance in the comments. Holy cow the stupid burns in there!
  

  
  

  

  Yesterday at 10:05pm · Edited · Like
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  Lindsay O'Barr Tom--Someone has attained access to your Facebook account. The Tom Hail I have known for 30 years would never resort to a bumper sticker icon in order to display displeasure over an amusing photo. Also, he is far too eloquent to resort to profanity to express his dissatisfaction with the ridicule of the person who apparently is single-handedly destroying this country. Of course, all other presidents have had their umbrellas held for them at times. (It would be burning stupid to think otherwise. ) The difference is they have not held the American people and all we value in contempt. This contempt for the American people and our blessed Constitution inspires a contemptuous response. Again, Tom, find out who this person is and get him (or her) off of your account before he (or she) destroys the reputation you have as a thoughtful, intelligent person. And please, no more profanity--it merely drags the perpetrator down. Please note--this is written with love and concern.

  13 hrs · Like

My reply:

Ok.  I am offended by the stupid picture and am not amused at all.  I do not have a right to not be offended therefore cannot complain about the picture being posted.  Likewise you do not have a right to not be offended by my use of descriptive language of my offense.  However, it is your post and FB gives you the ability (as is your right) to delete my comment.  President Obama (who was elected and re-elected by large and larger margins) is the choice of the people of this country.  That is a value you don't seem to understand or value.  I truly do not see the "contempt" for the American people or Constitution you see.  No attempt has been made to take your 2nd amendment rights, millions more Americans have health care through a GOP designed plan, my (and probably your) property values are raising again, the rich are getting richer by the minute, regulation is the only tool the President has to control business since Congress (namely the GOP) won't do anything that might hurt short term profits.  Where is this contempt?  ACA?  I don't particularly like it myself, it should have been Medicare for everyone and the health insurance industry should die like buggy whip manufacturers.  The coal industry needs to die likewise.  Fracking needs to end as soon as possible.  The fantasy that tax breaks create jobs needs to end.  Energy conservation must become a priority and carbon emissions reduced regardless of what India and China do.  Infrastructure rebuilding needs to begin, bringing with it millions of jobs.  Research and development money needs to be 10x what it is today.   College tuition loans should be interest free, paid for by closing the loopholes business has.  Immigration reform has to happen, the 12 million allowed an immediate path to legal residence and eventually citizenship.  Why? Because the GOP wanted them here before that black atheist muslim anti-christ guy occupied the WH.  What is this contempt you talk about?  He is the elected President of the United States.  He deserves respect and I give it to him.  This is Tom Hail and I approve of this message.