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Frank J. Ranelli may be contacted at: fjranelli@columbus.rr.com SHARE
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Frank J. Ranelli is an independent scholar, skeptic and critic, author and essayist. His erudite and iconoclastic style of provocative writing has been extensively published in a variety of news outlets and across the Internet. These include the Naples Daily News, The Online Journal, Information Clearing House, Alternet, The Smirking Chimp, and the former progressive journal of thought, Wicked Philosophy.
(15 comments) SHARE Wednesday, February 20, 2008 George Bush's Approval Rating Plummets to Just 19%
Clearly voicing their discontent for George W. Bush, Americans are now reaching historic levels of undisputed antipathy for America's 43rd President. A new poll has Bush breaking a new nadir in presidential approval ratings, beating out Harry Truman's 22% for the lowest support among Americans in the nation's history.
(3 comments) SHARE Tuesday, February 16, 2010 When Religion's Apologists Attack!
As religion and its sycophants continue to crumble under the weight of science and reason, its exponents have dialed up the polemics and the deceit.
(12 comments) SHARE Wednesday, September 13, 2006 Defining Fascism, Then and Now
The Bush Administration continues its irrational endeavor into re-defining fascism, but does the disparaging label of 'Islamofacists' accurately depict the radical extremists that now occupy a portion of the Middle-East?
(12 comments) SHARE Sunday, August 22, 2010 On The Immorality of Christianity
The languid success of logic and facts to dislodge believers from their mistaken beliefs, calls for a new course in the claim for morality's mantle; religion fails humanity on ethics.
SHARE Tuesday, August 29, 2006 Bush Nixes Public Access to EPA Libraries!
In an all out effort to impede research and public access, the self-appointed "Decider", George W. Bush, has decided to "end public access to research materials" at EPA Regional libraries without Congressional consent.
(48 comments) SHARE Wednesday, January 23, 2008 Independent Study Finds Bush "Unequivocally" Lied U.S. into War with Iraq
In perhaps the most complete and damning evidence yet that President Bush deceived a nation into a baseless war, a nonprofit collaboration of two independent organizations has concluded that President Bush used at least 532 misleading and deceptively false statements to justify military action against Iraq.
(2 comments) SHARE Wednesday, August 23, 2006 Are We a Nation of Liars?
Famous falsehoods and fashionable lies is all the rage. In the lexicon of today's language, deception, not perception, is now king.
(1 comments) SHARE Wednesday, September 26, 2007 Terrorism Awareness Project: The 21st Century's "Red Scare" Movement
A radical faction of the right is attempting to reconstitute McCarthyism in the 21st century by spreading exaggerated falsehoods to college campuses, eschewing accuracy and espousing hysteria about Islam and the honest threat of terrorism. Their aim is simple: Envelope the next generation of young minds under the umbrella of constant panic and indoctrinate them with deceptive and ignorant fear.
(14 comments) SHARE Thursday, August 17, 2006 "Porn Again" Christianity
In another stunning display of heretical hypocrisy, a recent poll taken by the self-proclaimed "World's most Christian website", Christianet.com, found that a majority of Christian men, 50%, are addicted to pornography!
(3 comments) SHARE Thursday, December 3, 2009 Renowned Skeptic Michael Shermer: Deist or Just Disingenuous?
Dr. Michael Shermer, a world-renowned skeptic and self-proclaimed atheist, recently, in perhaps an act of atonement or appeasement, stunningly declared, “Religion and evolution can live side by side.†Has the once-luminary defender of skepticism, recast his lot with religion and thereby reclaimed his erstwhile lost Ichthys?
SHARE Monday, November 27, 2006 Crimes Against Humanity or "Just Following Orders"?
The moral, ethical, and human conditioning of how we moved in four short years from the idea of "defending a nation" to simply following "unlawful orders." The human, soul-searching questions we must now ask of ourselves, our leaders, and even our troops.
SHARE Friday, June 17, 2011 Theistic Bigotry: The Reality of Denying Fantasy
While religionists in the U.S. continue to enjoy a privileged status for their unfounded beliefs, unbelievers face increasing acts of life-altering prejudice and discrimination by America's pious.
(6 comments) SHARE Tuesday, October 2, 2007 Congressman Duncan Hunter's Message to Universities, "Be Patriotic, or Else!"
Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter brazenly attacks the world of academia, insistent on legislating an Orwellian doctrine and desires to return McCarthyism and blind nationalism to governing by censoring the thoughts of the American people.
(8 comments) SHARE Friday, October 3, 2008 Palin Delivers during VP Debate (And We All Saw It.)
Part II of my contrarians view as to why and how Sarah Palin was able to delivery for the McCain camp and reinvigorated the base once again.
(5 comments) SHARE Monday, September 18, 2006 How Bush Failed Jesus and the Return of the Christian Crusade
Why Bush's jumbled logic that Christianity is by "Presidential proclamation" divine, and Islamic beliefs are by utter existence provocative and depraved, has fueled an incendiary front of hatred and racial intolerance under the banners of Christianity and patriotism in America.
(1 comments) SHARE Tuesday, September 26, 2006 George Bush, Indefensible and Un-American: The Path to Treachery
Any government faction within the U.S. that claims it alone is supremely right is un-American. Any President seeking to monopolize lies as truth and claims an omnipotent capacity to do so, while denigrating anyone who dares to challenge his vile revision of history is treacherous.
(2 comments) SHARE Friday, August 22, 2008 Just who is Chet Edwards?
The Obama Democratic Veepstakes is approaching a frenetic and feverish pitch. Is it Joe Biden, Evan Bayh, or even Hillary Clinton? Surprisingly, and perhaps to the dismay of many progressives, liberals, and democratic voters the answer may be a resounding, "No."
(1 comments) SHARE Thursday, September 28, 2006 Sherrod Brown of Ohio Capitulates to Bush and Approves Torture!
Sherrod Brown, once seen by many as a true Democrat, a real liberal, and a viable alternative to Mike DeWine, forfeited his progressive values and the rule of law, in order to score election points. How? By yielding to the Bush cartel and voting for torture!
SHARE Friday, August 17, 2007 Former Ohio AG Jim Petro Likely to be Replacement for Deborah Pryce in OH-15
In the wake of the current Republican D.C. mass exodus, that now includes Ohio's own favorite Bush toady, Deborah Pryce; it appears that former Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro (R) will try his sorry hand at yet another republican political run. This time, for Pryce's soon to be vacated and soiled congressional seat.
SHARE Monday, January 14, 2008 Does Chris Matthews have a problem with women?
Is Chris Matthews of MSNBC waging a hostile, chauvinist's agenda against Hillary Clinton and women? His abject track record against women says, "Yes." It's time to end the misogyny of Matthews.
(2 comments) SHARE Saturday, October 28, 2006 One Nation Under "Whose God is it Anyway?"
From atheists to polytheists, from Allah to Buddha, just whose God is it anyway? How realism and not mysticism can deliver us from a dark time in our history.
SHARE Monday, September 29, 2008 Bush's Great Bailout is Merely Fear Du Jour
Bush's bail out of Wall Street is a leap into Robber Baron-style tyranny. Congress must reject this absolutist, radical proposal outright. Rewarding bad behavior on Wall Street, by theft of money obtained through taxpayers on Main Street, is more than perverse it is an insidious act of vile turpitude.
(26 comments) SHARE Friday, June 29, 2007 Christians' Addiction to Porn Blamed on Technology
The Religious Right's newest adversary of evangelicalism and outward disdain for pornography may have less to do with their distaste for it and more to do with the fact it is maxing out their credit cards.
(4 comments) SHARE Friday, December 29, 2006 Bush's Wonderland and through the Looking Glass of Iraq
Seduced by a powerful cocktail of intoxicating hysteria, America tumbled down the rabbit hole of Bush's Wonderland only to discover the looking glass was a window in reverse with a frightening view.
(1 comments) SHARE Tuesday, January 23, 2007 Bush by the Numbers
While fixated solely on a massively deteriorating situation in Iraq, Bush continues his irreverence and refuses to listen to the voice of America. Now, in a shockingly candid and irrefutable rejection of Bush's imperialism, a new poll makes clear American's umbrage with their 43rd president.
(4 comments) SHARE Wednesday, October 11, 2006 America: Dead-Democracy Walking
The apathy, silence and complacency of the 21st century American. Part III of the "American Democracy in Crisis" series.
(5 comments) SHARE Monday, October 15, 2007 Bush administration was either incompetent or is guilty of malfeasance
George Bush has been likely caught in another lie, another cover up, and another scandal. One that may debunk his entire justifications for violating FISA, or worse yet, show that the 9/11 attacks were not prevented due to gross incompetence!
(3 comments) SHARE Friday, August 3, 2007 Former Speaker Newt Gingrich Eviscerates Bush, Calls War on Terror "Phony"
The contentious and conservative, erstwhile Speaker of the House bemoans how Bush has helped America become a country that is "no longer serious", harshly criticizes the Bush administration's handling of terrorist groups, calling the war on terror "phony", and claims hyper-partisanship is a "stupid way to run a country".
SHARE Monday, August 6, 2007 A Prescient Thought to Ponder, Especially for Republicans
A Bush proclivity for secrecy, a reputation for arrogance and power grabs, and openly flouting the rule of law has one conservative Republican asking, "Do we candidly desire reaping what we have sown over the past six-plus years?"
(6 comments) SHARE Tuesday, July 29, 2008 New Orleans vs. Iraq: If Only it was Just Billions
The Bush Iraq and Afghanistan wars will cost the U.S. $2.4 trillion, but some fiscal conservatives and anti-tax crusaders are still fixated on derailing the billions of dollars requisite to restore a city lost to Bush's incompetence and hubris – the city of New Orleans.
(3 comments) SHARE Thursday, October 4, 2007 The Fading of America: Failing our children, funding a president's war
Is anyone else feeling the intense hypocrisy, the thick, cold heartlessness of denying the cries of defenseless children? George W. Bush, just days after heretically eulogizing Monday as "Child Health Day", turned around silently and glibly vetoed a bill to aid millions of children through subsidized healthcare. The insincerity is more than real; it is now potentially lethal to millions of vulnerable children.
(14 comments) SHARE Monday, August 27, 2007 Chertoff to be Recess Appointed?
Claiming "exigent circumstances", Bush is likely to recess appoint Chertoff as Attorney General, breaking a deal with Senate leader Harry Reid.
(9 comments) SHARE Wednesday, July 25, 2007 Democracy Interrupted
Why we as a nation, have been titrated, which is the gradual increasing of dosage, pressure, and propaganda, till the desired effect – an inured and compliant society – have willingly bequeathed away our autonomy of self-government, embraced the genesis of tyranny, and begin our seemingly inexorable march towards dictatorship.
SHARE Friday, October 30, 2009 Race-Baiting or Race to the Bottom?
America has reached a new nadir in its pitiful ability to welcome a secular, ethnically diverse civilization, and embrace post-racial politics, not bi-racial antics and polemics.
(6 comments) SHARE Thursday, February 14, 2008 McCain Votes Against Banning Waterboarding, but Claims it is "Illegal"
Senator John McCain, the erstwhile prisoner of war, whose previous vehement opposition to torture stemmed from years of torment at the hands of the North Vietnamese, has voted against banning waterboarding while claiming it is illegal.
SHARE Saturday, August 11, 2007 A Real Call-up to Duty?
Conscription may be coming to a recruiting station near you soon! Bush supporters encouraged to be first in line.
(4 comments) SHARE Wednesday, February 13, 2008 Hillary Must Be the Right Women President, not Just a Woman President
Barack Obama has registered ten straight caucus and primary victories, taking the inevitability out of Hillary Clinton's campaign to win the White House. Many older female voters are now dismayed at the likely prospect of never seeing a woman president in their lifetime. But, is it Clinton's gender or her politics that has sparked Obama's incendiary ascent to front-runner status?
SHARE Friday, September 22, 2006 Broder Bashes Bloggers While Doing the "Bush Bash"!
Washington Post columnist, David Broder falsely declares Joe Lieberman and the recent Republican Senate revolt against Bush true independence, while bashing bloggers and re-defining the center ground of politics.
SHARE Friday, August 11, 2006 Civil Liberties: What's Your Asking Price?
Patriotic questions that must be asked if we are to remain a free society and understanding that ignoring your rights is an unpardonable invitation to tyranny and oppression - that silence is merely another form of consent.
(4 comments) SHARE Saturday, August 5, 2006 Americans, Iraqis and Congress Serve Rumsfeld Notice: Quit!
The shifty and euphemistic Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, is now starring down a trifecta of oppostion to his woeful negligence involving Iraq. As Americans grows ever colder to the ethereal war on terror, Iraqis turned out in mass numbers in a show of solidarity to announce their resistance to the U.S. occupation. The message was clear – time for Rumsfeld to line up for his pink slip!
(3 comments) SHARE Thursday, September 20, 2007 Dystopian and Dysfunctional, Senate "Expresses the Sense" that Critical Thought Must Be Censured
While Republicans can openly and with applause deny soldiers equal rest at home for equal days in hell, the Democrats, gutless and apprehensive, are once again lulled into interpreting "supporting the troops" means suppressing dissent and kowtowing to Bush's brood of enablers.
(3 comments) SHARE Monday, September 17, 2007 Michael B. Mukasey as AG Appointee: Are all the wrong questions being raised?
Former federal judge, Michael B. Mukasey, is President Bush's decisive choice to head the Justice Department following Alberto Gonzales' resignation and departure. While ideological conjecture churns around his nomination, many may be already asking the wrong questions and ignoring the obvious specter that it simply may not matter who is Gonzales' successor.
(13 comments) SHARE Wednesday, September 12, 2007 Pelosi's Gavel Proves to Wield Little Power to End Conflict in Iraq
Amid disingenuous half-truths, an obvious penchant to submit to Bush's resolve to indefinitely stay in Iraq, and now cobbled together excuses instead of results, Nancy Pelosi has shown little true grit to exercise Congress' ability to end the bloodbath in Iraq.
(2 comments) SHARE Wednesday, September 6, 2006 The Cowardice of Congress
While angry America searches for assertive action, Congress placates the President and continually serves up more pointless platitudes amid a mix of abdications and felonious failures.
SHARE Sunday, May 21, 2006 America is Teetering on the Brink of Democratic Extinction
A radical and aggressive revision of our society has been underway and under wraps for over five years now during Bush’s reign. Where systematic brainwashing, fear mongering and forceful secrecy have imprisoned a whole nation and threatens our ability to self-govern. Part I of how a paradigm shift is needed now and why each one of us is responsible for the rebirth of a peaceful nation built on trust and hope not lies and fear.
(1 comments) SHARE Saturday, September 29, 2007 John Edwards Brings Populist Message Back to Ohio
Democratic Presidential candidate, John Edwards, brought his message of returning power to the people into Columbus, Ohio Friday evening. Speaking to a lively and engaged crowd of about 800 people, Edwards laid out his distinct vision for America.
SHARE Thursday, November 9, 2006 A Dawning of a New Day in America
Part II of the American dissenter's voice: Losing our fear, regaining our country. How and why Americans took back their country from a proto-fascist dictator, a smarmy Congress and gained a new sense of courageous optimism.
SHARE Thursday, July 20, 2006 America, a Hemorrhaging Democracy
As America bleeds, Bush continues to pour salt in an already cavernous wound that foretells a dim diagnosis for democracy.
(1 comments) SHARE Wednesday, August 2, 2006 "Terrorist Surveillance Program" Commandeers Civil Rights
The Bush Administration's highly criminal surveillance program of innocent Americans continues its assault to suspend civil rights under the guise of patriotism and false national security reasons.
SHARE Friday, July 28, 2006 Rigid Republicans Flip On Minimum Wage Issue!
House republicans try to blackmail democrats and America on minimum wage hike using cheap parlor tricks to diffuse a wedge issue in the up-coming November election.
(1 comments) SHARE Thursday, November 23, 2006 Freedom of Information Request on NSA's illegal domestic spying program denied!
WASHINGTON- In a lawsuit filed by People For the American Way Foundation (PFAWF), a federal judge ruled last night that the National Security Agency is not required to answer a Freedom of Information Act request about its domestic spying program.
(2 comments) SHARE Thursday, May 18, 2006 The Lawless President: Inside the mind of George W. Bush
How Bush personifies exactly what the framers of the Constitution feared and worked so feverishly to prevent by designing three, co-equal branches of government and placing limits on executive powers through a system of checks and balances.
SHARE Monday, December 18, 2006 Sounding the Alarm, Saving the Internet
A new instructional video from savetheinternet.com explaining 'net neutrality' and why some large telecommunications conglomerates want to abolish this virtual "equal rights" of the information super-highway known as the World Wide Web.