In high school choir, our choir director used to say, “Sing out! If you’re going to make a mistake, make it big enough for everyone to hear!”  Her goal was to hear our sour notes so she could fix them.  I’ve often wondered if she inspired whoever is in charge of the GOP’s strategy – because they got the loud part down – mistakes or not.

As the Obama team continues to point out issues with Bain – including their seeming lack of regard for things like jobs,  the economy, or humanity — the Romney team hasn’t come up with any kind of strategy to respond other than screaming accusations like Mitch McConnell’s stunning “Obama hates capitalism!” charge.  What?  Bain bought up companies, ran them into the ground for profit, fired/layed off all the employees and ditched the dead business.  Romney made millions while many lost jobs. If that isn’t a perversion of capitalism, I don’t know what is!  Still – the constant name slinging and vague charges (“Obama is bad for business”) don’t really answer or counter the attacks on the GOP, they just sort of bounce the ball around until it loses momentum.

Any day now I expect Romney to face the camera and say, “I’m rubber, you’re glue….”

So while Romney profits off the backs of the poor, the House recommended cuts continue to ruin the economic recovery, and the GOP keeps fighting for the rich to keep their tax cuts — as yourself – Who really hates capitalism? And why?

Reading the news about the stunning cooperation and bi-partisan support for banning Eduardo Saverin from the US I thought perhaps the Democrats and Republicans had created some sort of utopia of understanding while I was go. But, no. Within a few minutes news of bickering over defense cuts, taxes on millionaires, and debt reduction started to pour in.  Noise: Lots, Progress: None.

Truthfully, I believe it is sad for Eduardo Saverin to give up his citizenship in this nation over money. Like most 8th graders – I had to read “A Man Without A Country” and was saddened by the poor man cursed to spend his life on the sea – never belonging to a nation again.  Saverin’s decision probably makes excellent business sense. But there are more things in life than money – and I think he is lacking, and will always lack them.

However, I do find a tremendous amount of irony in the GOP fighting so hard to ensure Saverin never comes back because he is a tax dodger, then turning around and nominating Mitt-swiss-bank-account-Romney, and refusing to tax millionaires at the same rate as every one else.   Something tells me if his name was Edward Adams, and he was an old billionaire who was stashing money in other countries and getting out of his tax bill – that the GOP wouldn’t be quite so angry.

So lets see what happens, while we all still have a country to call our own.

After last weeks big revelations, evolutions, and ideas I expected this weekend to be entertaining. I was not disappointed.  First – Romney speaking at Liberty University (the ultra conservative Christian school here in VA started by Jerry Falwell) promises he will never evolve on the issue of gay marriage.  That seemed usual considering Evolution is not a word they are allowed to say at Liberty!  However, it strikes me as odd that a Mormon is giving so much love and attention to a school who has in the past called Mormons false prophets, God makers and worse.

Then the laugh of the century as news outlets report an interview with Bristol Palin where she cuts down President Obama and talks passionately about how the Bible is against gay marriage.  Really?  When did she have time to read the Bible?  When she was pregnant before she was married???  Perhaps she read the clothing rules in Leviticus for women while she was on Dancing with the Stars.  Seriously, the only thing funnier than her opinion, was that anyone even bothered to ask her opinion.

This was the 200th Beaglez – and I have to say I enjoy writing and making this comic a lot.  Thanks to all of you who read it and particularly our friends who comment on it.   But – in order to give all the hounds  a rest and take a quick trip myself, the Beaglez are going to Holiday Barn Dog Spa for a week of walks, day camp and friends (“a howlin’ good time”).   We will see you next Monday with more barks and wags about our nation’s news.  See you in a week!

Wow – what a different a week makes.  Sunday night I was writing a comic based on how President Obama’s gay marriage waffling was a problem and by Thursday night – North Carolina banned it, Obama embraced it and the Post steals the thunder from both with a story that (shock of shocks) Romney was a rich young super-jerk in high school who did mean things (or played “pranks” depending on the spin). The President simply couldn’t pick a better time for his spontaneous “evolution” than this week.

And yet, with all this excitement  floating around like dandelion seeds — not much is really going to change.  North Carolina wasn’t really an “open and affirming” state to begin with – so they just merely made their backwards ways official.  Obama may get a little more enthusiasm for his “personal reckoning” but he didn’t promise anything, will change nothing, and the people who were going to vote for him had already made this evolution years ago.  People who weren’t gonna vote for him – still aren’t.  As for Romney – the media lightening bolt that he was a cruel insensitive teen isn’t really a shock to his supporters. He thinks its funny his dad closed companies and put people out of work, he put his dog on the top of his car, he makes $10,000 bets,  jokes about unemployment — what’s  news about the fact he was a jerky kid who grew up to be a jerky adult?  The people who support him don’t mind he’s a jerk now – why would they care about his jerky past?

So – Hurray for a President saying gay marriage is okay.  It’s not quite a step forward — but at least someone’s foot is on the floor.  I’ll take the Pepsi, please.

So the Tea Party is enlivened tonight as one of their own – Richard Mourdock defeated Sen Lugar.  That doesn’t bother me as much as the fact that Mourdock ran on a “no compromise” platform – pledging NOT to work “across the aisle” and shunning bipartisanship.  This kind of  “my way or the highway” approach to government is nothing more than bullying disguised as patriotism and for some reason – we are voting for it.  By refusing the “agree to disagree” and work together anyway, all the Tea Party is doing is ensuring more years of broken, disagreeable politics.

Well, it was a fun few minutes.  Joe Biden says on Meet the Press that he doesn’t care if men marry men, women marry women, or men marry women — all marriage is equal in his eyes.  WOW — 20 minutes and 50,000 facebook posts later his office comes out with some mumbo jumbo statement saying what Biden meant to say is his thinking is right in line with the President’s thinking which is what he didn’t say but meant to say instead of what he said.  Translation:  Don’t listen to Joe, he’s crazy.   Just to make sure we got that – Axelrod hit the trail running confirming to anyone who would listen – the POTUS is NOT in favor of gay marriage, is still working on the evolution,  and there will be NO TALK of GAY MARRIAGE while on the campaign trail.  (I think he personally sent a tape of that to Biden, who will pretend to watch it).

Here’s where the Obama Presidency shows its great selfishness. Obama keeps showing up at Gay dinners, pandering for those Gay dollars then pretending not to know us when the voting discussions come up.  He reminds me of when gay male musicians are still trying to keep their career going so they tell the press they are “Bisexual” – that way female fans can still fawn on them.  Once they get enough money, retire, or get caught in a bathroom sting operation — suddenly they are Gay, Out and Proud. (ha ha – that spells GOP — shhhh don’t tell anyone).  Obama keeps dodging the gay marriage issue so conservatives and swing votes can still fawn on him, but keeps hinting to the GLBT community that once he’s elected and there is no more need to worry – he will “Evolve” right on schedule. Except, he won’t. He’ll find other reasons to stay out of the battle, because once he has all the gay dollars, it won’t have any other use for him.

While Democrats and Republicans play “Whose the hypocrite” – the truth is -both sides are guilty of contradictory messaging.  Obama the diplmoacy-first peace prize winner runs ads bragging about his Osama Bin Laden decision as if he is some macho Chuck Norris type President meanwhile Romney is showing how much he loves his country be getting Swiss bank accounts and investing in the Cayman Islands.   Both candidates are radically out of touch. Obama picks NOW to get rid of the Buy America clause?  And why on earth would Ann Romney do an interview where she trys to humanize Rombot, and identify with American woman – in a T-shirt that cost more than many women can afford to pay for clothes in a year?  And WHY are we still interviewing and crediting Birthers???

Face it – no matter who you vote for – we are pretty much getting the same thing. Opportunism, in a suit.

In Imperial Rome times, when a victorious leader entered the city in a Triumph (a type of parade), a slave was stationed inside the leader’s chariot, holding a laurel over his head and saying repeatedly, “Remember you are only a man.”   This was supposed to remind the honored one that the Emperor was still above him, and that he shouldn’t get big headed about his accomplishments.   If only Newt had someone in his group to remind him of that.  But, then again, that kind of humility would definitely not fit a candidate who talked about himself as President even when his staff quit and he was losing badly.

Saddest of all for poor Newt, the news of his early release video thanking his supporters was in the lower third of most news websites today, and his “grand exit” is being over-shadowed by the trip to Afghanistan, TV ad controversy, Romney’s dog problem, Romney’s gay staffer quitting problem, Romney’s female voter problem, and Romney’s swiss bank account problem.   Newt is already erasing from our minds, as we dismiss his inflated ego and overreaching claims to pay attention to the problem of the day.

Fare Thee Well, President Gingrich.  Whoever you were.

The only thing more laughable than Jimmy Kimmel’s  “Pot smokers are a voting block” speech at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner (as if the Republican Party is going to usher in a new era of free love and high times), is the current war between the Romney and Obama campaigns on which candidate it more out of touch with modern Americans.   Of course they are out of touch! If we wanted a President who was in touch with what normal people like – We’d elect Survivor/Amazing Race producer Mark Burnett!

However, when it comes to smart moves, the GOP is currently winning the “farthest from getting it” award.  They continue to tout racist laws, have advanced over 400 pieces of legislation limiting the rights of women, and are in favor of doubling student loan interest rates, all the while stalling an economy that isn’t even providing college grads with jobs.  And what do they do for the white, male, older constituency they have left?  Promote the Ryan Budget that threatens to end Medicare and gut Social Security.    There’s no question Romney bought the nomination. But purchasing an electoral majority may be too pricey – even for him!

What’s wrong with Belle’s picture?  A BEAGLE sitting beside a bowl of food.  Beagles are natural chow-hounds, but Belle has always been kinda an odd dog, and she doesn’t pay attention to food.  What’s as weird as that? Poor people supporting the Paul Ryan Budget.  It guts almost every entitlement and kicks the money up to the 1%.

Ryan got a wake up call this week when Catholic Scholars from Georgetown wrote a public letter reprimanding him for saying it fit in with their ideas about what Jesus wants.  They made it clear that Christ as for helping the poor, not hurting them.  Now,  it’s one thing for Politico to fact check you – but when you get a letter from God’s people saying you’re messed up – that’s darn bad!!!

Still – it makes no sense to me that the Tea Party – who gets its numbers from a lot of poor, and less educated people – is backing up a bill that does nothing but encourage poverty, hunger and loss while giving kickbacks to the wealthiest people.   People can argue about Ayn Rand til the dogs come home – but the truth is – when you take food away from hungry people, you are NOT helping the nation.