Tag Archives: government

POEM: Hard on the Poor

Hard on the Poor Our moral compass Goes south Skewering Those below Under lyin’ Poverty abashed Without abjections Needle US Too say Pricks Hand shakers And grand standers Razing just for fund He’ll freeze over Before changing any position Undertaking … Continue reading

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POEM: Unemployable

I am unemployable Partly because no one can afford what I’m worth Partly because I prefer to give it away This short poem harkens to a more organic way of relating to one another than contractual relationships.  What if people … Continue reading

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POEM: Government Listening

I’d like a government that listens More than listens in And NO, I don’t want fries with that! We need to truly listen to one another, in order to create together a democracy that represents us.  Democracy is an open … Continue reading

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SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER: A Christian Perspective on Justice

Here is a portion of a document that I drafted a couple of years ago while I was a board member of Toledo Area Ministries (TAM).  It was never adopted in any form, but I put a lot of work … Continue reading

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BP Tar Sands Refinery Expansion – PEOPLE’S HEARING Testimony

Below is my testimony at the PEOPLE’S HEARING to respond to the Ohio EPA’s sham public hearing on BP-Husky’ Draft Air Pollution Permit as part of their Oregon Ohio refinery re-tooling to process oil tar sands, the dirtiest oil on the … Continue reading

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Romney Campaign Bans Top Pun from Event

Today, the Mitt Romney campaign held a “victory” rally at the Seagate center in downtown Toledo, Ohio.  Top Pun ran into a mitt-full of cards as the Romney campaign drew a full house; but, as the rain fell, Top Pun … Continue reading

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Occupy Wall Street Buttons

I am finally uploaded a new batch of Occupy Wall Street designs.  This batch of 125 political designs is mostly Occupy Wall Street designs, but there are also a large series of “stop socialism” designs, a large series of Fox … Continue reading

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POLITICAL CARTOON: CEO Jesus – Rendering Unto Ceasar

CEO Jesus Loves Tax Time! CEO Jesus really loves tax time!  Of course, Jesus opposes Imperial Rome just as much as Jesus opposes Imperial United States.  And what’s the best way to bring down a government?  De-fund it!  If paying … Continue reading

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Feeling Clean and Safe in Downtown Toledo

Last Friday, while making a sweep of sign posting for Occupy Toledo, I had an encounter with the Clean and Safe Patrol.  Apparently, the Clean and Safe Patrol is an arm of the Downtown Toledo Improvement District, Inc., a 38 … Continue reading

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POLITICAL CARTOON: Doctor Jesus – Pre-existing Condition

Doctor Jesus on Call! Welcome to Dr. Jesus!  This is the debut week for Dr. Jesus.  Of all the incarnations in this Jesus comic strip, portraying Jesus as a healer is probably the closest to reality.  Of course, this comic … Continue reading

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Reality Television: Poverty Grows

Reality Television: Poverty Grows – POLITICAL BUTTON Reality Television: Poverty Grows – POLITICAL BUTTON This cool design is linked to a button, but other great Top Pun products like T-shirts, bumper stickers, mugs, caps, key chains, magnets, posters, and sticker … Continue reading

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Corporate Tax Dodger FirstEnergy, Toledo Protest

The corporate tax dodger FirstEnergy paid no income taxes on its over $1.2 billion of profits in 2010.  FirstEnergy provides electricity to Toledo and the surrounding area.  At noon today, about two dozen protesters gathered outside the corporate headquarters of … Continue reading

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American Spring Coming: Occupy G8 and NATO in Chicago

With the G8 and NATO summits coming to Chicago in the middle of May, the occupy movement is poised to jump start the American Spring.  The Occupy Wall Street movement has already called for a general strike on May Day, … Continue reading

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Obama Shifts Military Defense Cuts to Domestic Programs

George Zornick blogs in The Nation about Obama’s Plan to Save the Military From Cuts—at the Expense of Domestic Programs.  Here is an excerpt: “As budget wonks comb over President Obama’s outline for fiscal year 2013, a startling White House … Continue reading

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Violence Protects the State

Stephanie N. Van Hook, Executive Director of Metta Center for Nonviolence in Petaluma, California, has written a commentary in Znet on How Violence Protects the State.  Here is an excerpt: “Violence in opposition to the State relieves the State and … Continue reading

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Religious Liberty, Conscience Exemptions for Everything

With the Obama administration’s recent rules requiring organizations owned by religious groups to provide contraceptive coverage as part of their employees’ health insurance, conservative groups and the Roman Catholic Church have gotten all their panties in a bunch, which is … Continue reading

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Hope: Real People Fighting for Democracy and Workers

John Nichols of The Nation offers a hopeful look at real people making a real difference in fighting against impersonal political powers, non-person corporations, and real ingrate politicians, such as Gov. Walker of Wisconsin, in his article Twenty-Five Faces of … Continue reading

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Post Office Not Broke

Nation magazine blogger John Nichols (a former Toledoan for my Toledo friends) reports in The Post Office Is Not Broke about all of the hype about the post office and how it is supposedly going bankrupt, an antiquated institution, etc.  … Continue reading

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Hate Taxes? Avoid These 102 Tax-funded Enterprises

Tax time is around the corner, and it seems increasingly popular these days to hate taxes.  Of course, hating taxes is a simply a more palpable manifestation of hating government.  Further, I would submit that the bulk of government hating … Continue reading

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Toledo Protests Balancing State Budget on Backs of Working People and Families

This afternoon, about three dozen people from Northwest Ohio gathered in the chambers of the Lucas County commissioners at Government Center in downtown Toledo to protest Gov. Kasich’s State of the State address which balances the state’s budget on the … Continue reading

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