It's Time for the nattering naybobs of negativism to shut up.

While surfing the evening news I once again found myself assaulted by what appears to be a growing number of naysayers who can’t wait to slam the President’s economic recovery act (aka – The Stim).

To say the US is in an economic tailspin is an understatement. The President, as he is supposed to do, is trying to keep an economic meltdown from happening. No one, even the President, has said the plan is foolproof. There will be loopholes big enough for any Wall Streeter to drive his Mercedes through. Those can be closed. There will be non specific verbiage in the package that will allow some local pol the ability to get recovery money to fix a city golf course or some other obviously pork project. The President has said time and again he will go after those stupid enough to misuse the Stim money.

I hope he goes after the bankers who used initial stimulus cash for things like retreats, trash cans and other baubles they somehow feel entitles to have courtesy of the US taxpayer. Taxpayers deserve to see those who misuse The Stim punished.

Flipping on the radio, the assault became more virulent as the Rush Limbaugh’s of the world don’t just talk about the flaws in the plan; they actively campaign for it to fail. Not only that, they openly lie about the provisions of The Stim so they can get their base angry and afraid.

That, of course, is the politics of the day – make your base afraid and fearful of anything the other side does.

And, they don’t offer a better plan. In fact, they offer no plan, only criticism.

Why are so many so bent on making sure this economic package fails? Has the ideological war become so virulent, so hate filled, so intent on destroying the other side that we can’t work together long enough to solve the problem.

What the hell is wrong with us?

This is a national problem. It transcends political, cultural and societal status. This economic crisis can make or break our country and our way of life. It’s already started to crush the American Dream. Jobs are being lost, pensions and retirement plans decimated, homes foreclosed and families ripped apart.

It’s time for Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians and every other political group to throw down their pens and microphones and start doing something positive to help the country.

Roosevelt said it best; “All we have to fear, is fear itself” There’s enough to fear right now without the pompous talking heads of TV Land, the microphone mavens of talk radio and the “my way or the highway” zealots of all political parties to start using their bully pulpit for good.

In this age of so much uncertainty, it’s time for our leaders to do what the American people have asked them to do, lead.

Intolerance Hits the Oklahoma State Capitol

Thank God (or whomever your Deity is) that we still have the Oklahoma legislature to give us a good chuckle during this nasty time in our nation’s history.

Who else but those Oklahoma legislative self righteous harbingers of religious political correctness would force a vote on whether to admit the daily prayer to the official record?

I guess the boys and girls at the state Capitol don’t have enough to keep themselves occupied.

Oh sure, they could have been working on ways to boost the state’s economy or improve common education or healthcare or a dozen other topics that actually mean something to the public.

Nope.

Apparently they always have time for a little gay bashing. And they used the cloak of their alleged Christian faith to excuse their anything but Christian behavior.

Led by the usual band of suspects, those legislators who consistently beat the public to death with their particular brand of religion, made the House stop considering the important issues of the day to vote on this prayer.

The prayer? It was your usual "before the session begins" prayer, asking for Divine guidance and help. There was just one difference. It was given by a gay minister. One who had the audacity to mention his partner (along with some others) before giving the prayer.

Why must these guardians of the “there’s only one way to believe and that’s mine” school of religious thought constantly try to shove their brand of religion down the throats of everyone?

I guess they forgot that about 48% of our state voted for an openly gay man (with partner) for the Corporation Commission. It would appear that a substantial number of Oklahomans didn’t find his sexuality or his partner offensive.

Why do they?

In their mind there is no tolerance for other beliefs or lifestyles, no room for someone different.

I guess they’re scared, so unsure of their own faith that they can’t allow anyone who doesn’t practice the tenants of their particular religion to be seen or heard. That person or persons must be shouted down; must be driven off to some other place lest we hear about a different belief or lifestyle.

God forbid someone might not see Christianity as these trouble makers do.

These bastions of their faith seem hell bent on forcing everyone to believe like they do.

Whether it’s Christmas or Easter or whatever the upcoming Christian celebration is, you can count these members of the current day Sanhedrin to demand public celebrations of their faith, shouting from the highest rooftop that the US and Oklahoma are Christian only states.

Apparently, according to them, we’re also a heterosexual only state.

God heard the prayer.

It matters not to God whether a gay person or a straight person offers a prayer.

It’s offering the prayer that counts.

Let’s hope He answers this one.