For wingnuts with no sense of humor THIS IS SATIRE! geesh - it's always had a comedy tag.
Hi,
Are you the kind of person who watches The Colbert Report and nods in agreement with everything he says while wondering why everyone else is laughing their ass off? Does watching Tina Fey's impersonation of Sarah Palin piss you off? Do you still think Bush has done a 'heck of a job' and Democrats are responsible for everything bad that happens? Then you are out of touch, and you must be a McCain-Palin supporter.
We are one week from the most important election in our lifetime, so why is it that most of you still continue to believe the outrageous lies being spread about Barack Obama? It seems to me that you have formed your opinion of why John McCain should be president based on how bad you think Obama is from the false claims that he's a Arab Muslim terrorist baby killing socialist. Do you have any clue how stupid this sounds, or are those accusations just excuses that you use for not voting for the black guy? Hardly any of you can say why McCain would make a good president, but you sure know a lot about the people Obama barely knew and will easily ignore all of McCain and Palin's questionable associations. Hypocrisy is a way of life with you isn't it?
After Barack Obama is President, why don't you and all your right-wing extremist friends follow Sarah Palin back to Alaska, join the Alaskan Independence Party and secede from the United States? You all want your own fascist Christian theocracy that forces everyone to look, behave and believe just like you do, so this is the perfect solution. You can call your new country "Wingnutia".
You can write your own Constitution and laws without all the things that you seem to hate so much like freedom of speech, separation of church and state, due process and the right to privacy.
In Wingnutia, anyone and everyone who wants any type of gun can get one regardless of their background or mental capacity, so that should be fun - kinda like the wild west only with automatic machine guns and a lot colder.
Abortions will be totally illegal, so you'll have plenty of unwanted kids to fill your population. Many will be the result of incest so you won't be the smartest nation, but you like stupidity don't you because people are easier to control when they're idiots.
Nobody will ever question your leaders, so there will be no responsibility for any of you to bother to vote or even pay attention to what's going on - something you already seem to be good at. You can make Palin Queen of Wingnutia, and bow down to her and the corporations who will make you their slave at her behest.
Don't forget you can also shoot and kill any animal for any reason you want in Wingnutia and use up all the natural resources with no regard for the environment at all. Waging war will be an everyday aspect of life there when your leaders invade any country whose leaders look at them funny.
The best thing about your new country will be that you can continue to ignore reality without any pesky liberal intellectual elites proving you are wrong again and again with their annoying facts and truth.
If you choose to follow my advice, remember one thing. When Putin 'rears his head' - don't come asking for the USA to help. You've got your own foreign policy 'expert' as your glorious leader who can see Russia, so she must know what to do. Get Sarah Palin to deal with it because you're on your own.
Sincerely,
A proud, and fed up liberal.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Obama a socialist?
The McCain/Palin campaign wants you to think that Barack Obama is a socialist. That is a lie.
To understand this accusation we need to know exactly what socialism is. Let's look at the definition of the word according to Merriam-Webster online dictionary:
That doesn't sound like any of Obama's plans or policies to me, and believe me, I know them inside and out. His health care plan doesn't even require a mandate for coverage except for children. There is absolutely nothing in Obama's voting record resembling socialism either other than the recent bipartisan bailout bill which was also voted for by McCain. So, where did this accusation come from? They took one quote from Obama out of context when he was speaking with the now infamous "Joe the Plumber" and said:
That's right, that one quote about spreading the wealth around (taken out of context) is the basis for their entire claim that Obama is a socialist.
When Obama said it's good to "spread the wealth around" all he meant was that he's going to let the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 5% of Americans expire. This will shift some of the tax burden off of the middle class and increase income taxes for those making over $250K a year up a whopping 3%. That's it, not some grand sinister plan to destroy our capitalist democracy. It's a fair plan (the same as under Clinton), and when you look at the history of our tax system, Obama is actually to the right politically of Presidents Carter, Ford, Nixon, Johnson, Kennedy, and Eisenhower on how much the wealthiest Americans should pay in taxes.
Interestingly, socialists don't think Obama is a socialist:
Experts don't think Obama is a socialist. From McClatchy:
From the Chicago Tribune:
Even this very anti-Obama wingnut says Obama is NOT a socialist:
The claim that Obama is a socialist is just another fear-mongering technique to scare people into thinking that he is somehow anti-American and it is a despicable tactic. I have to say, it's no surprise from John McCain's dishonorable campaign that has been full of lies, smears and character attacks while ignoring the problems we face as a country. So, how about getting past the fear-mongering and try to focus on the real issues people? Have you ever heard the term "united we stand, divided we fall"? Then stop trying to divide our nation just to win an election with baseless accusations such as Obama is a socialist, because it is simply not true.
To understand this accusation we need to know exactly what socialism is. Let's look at the definition of the word according to Merriam-Webster online dictionary:
Socialism:
1: any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
2 a: a system of society or group living in which there is no private property b: a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state
3: a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done
That doesn't sound like any of Obama's plans or policies to me, and believe me, I know them inside and out. His health care plan doesn't even require a mandate for coverage except for children. There is absolutely nothing in Obama's voting record resembling socialism either other than the recent bipartisan bailout bill which was also voted for by McCain. So, where did this accusation come from? They took one quote from Obama out of context when he was speaking with the now infamous "Joe the Plumber" and said:
"It's not that I want to punish your success," the Illinois senator told Wurzelbacher. "I just want to make sure that everybody who is behind you, that they've got a chance for success, too. My attitude is that if the economy's good for folks from the bottom up, it's gonna be good for everybody. . . . I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."
That's right, that one quote about spreading the wealth around (taken out of context) is the basis for their entire claim that Obama is a socialist.
When Obama said it's good to "spread the wealth around" all he meant was that he's going to let the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 5% of Americans expire. This will shift some of the tax burden off of the middle class and increase income taxes for those making over $250K a year up a whopping 3%. That's it, not some grand sinister plan to destroy our capitalist democracy. It's a fair plan (the same as under Clinton), and when you look at the history of our tax system, Obama is actually to the right politically of Presidents Carter, Ford, Nixon, Johnson, Kennedy, and Eisenhower on how much the wealthiest Americans should pay in taxes.
Interestingly, socialists don't think Obama is a socialist:
Brian Moore is the Socialist Party USA candidate for president who claims that Democratic presidential nominee, Senator Barack Obama, is not a socialist as the McCain-Palin camp would have us believe.
Experts don't think Obama is a socialist. From McClatchy:
Favoring higher tax rates for the wealthy than for the less fortunate isn't socialism, and if it is, then the U.S. has been a socialist country for nearly a century, under both Democrats and Republicans.
"The answer is clearly no, Senator Obama is not a socialist," said Paul Beck, a professor of political science at The Ohio State University. "We've had a progressive tax system for some time, and both Republicans and Democrats have bought into it."
From the Chicago Tribune:
"Obama is about as far from being a socialist as Joe The Plumber is from being a rocket scientist," said Darrell West, director of governance studies at the Brookings Institution. "I think it's hard for McCain to call Obama a socialist when George Bush is nationalizing banks."
And this from Bruce Carruthers, a sociology professor at Northwestern University: "Obama is like a center-liberal Democrat, and he is certainly not looking to overthrow capitalism. My goodness, he wouldn't have the support of someone like The Wizard of Omaha, Warren Buffet, if he truly was going to overthrow capitalism."
Even this very anti-Obama wingnut says Obama is NOT a socialist:
Calling Obama a “socialist” simply isn’t logical. He doesn’t share the belief that industries should be nationalized by the government or even taken over by the workers as many American Marxists espouse. He may not be as wedded to the free market as a conservative but he doesn’t want to get rid of it. He wants to regulate it. He wants “capitalism with a human face.” He wants to mitigate some of the effects of the market when people lose. This is boilerplate Democratic party liberalism not radical socialism.
The claim that Obama is a socialist is just another fear-mongering technique to scare people into thinking that he is somehow anti-American and it is a despicable tactic. I have to say, it's no surprise from John McCain's dishonorable campaign that has been full of lies, smears and character attacks while ignoring the problems we face as a country. So, how about getting past the fear-mongering and try to focus on the real issues people? Have you ever heard the term "united we stand, divided we fall"? Then stop trying to divide our nation just to win an election with baseless accusations such as Obama is a socialist, because it is simply not true.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Oh, the humanity! - Adventures of a Obamavenger
Recently I've subjected myself to the dregs of humanity who spew the most hateful and outrageous lies about Barack Obama. I regularly get comments about Obama such as he "wants to take my guns" or he's a "Muslim supported by terrorists", a "baby killer", and the "anti-christ". Where do I find such filth, and better yet, why do I even bother with such uninformed idiots? My hometown newspaper's website recently added a comment system so users can add their thoughts to articles that appear in their online edition. As to why, I post there to make sure their right-wing propaganda does not go unanswered in case a casual reader believes the lies. So far, I've been attacked, called names, and lied about by the regular commenters there, and by what I suspect is many of their duplicate accounts. This is not surprising since the things they believe are so far 'out there', it's no wonder that their tactics would be just as extreme.
I won't stress anyone with any of the more disgusting attacks on Obama and my responses, but here's the latest post that frequent contributor "TheDude" posted to hijack an article to promote his delusional wingnut views.
The article was about getting ready to vote on November 4th. (I won't post the links to the website where my ongoing struggle with these people is taking place. I don't think it's right that anyone else gets involved because of my blog, and believe me, you don't want to deal with these asstards!)
The first comment on the article is from username "TheDude":
His buddy (or duplicate account) "TLS" chimed in the next day around the same time as the first comment.
TLS is referring to me ASE = AllSeeingEye
"TheDude" replied a few hours later:
I'm sick of dealing with this punk from past conversations, but I had told him this election is not about him or me, it's about the issues. So, I posted the following:
I know I'll just get flamed again, but I can't let their obvious lies and hypocrisy go unchallenged! There have been a few other people who post occasionally there in support of Obama, and I even got a message today from a nice lady thanking me for standing up for Obama. However, the McCain/Palin supporters are always the most ignorant, hateful and despicable people I've ever heard and their views (if they actually believe them) are simply not based in reality. Until people wake the fuck up or just stop using fear, hate and lies to form their opinions I will continue to post there as a Obamavenger™!
I won't stress anyone with any of the more disgusting attacks on Obama and my responses, but here's the latest post that frequent contributor "TheDude" posted to hijack an article to promote his delusional wingnut views.
The article was about getting ready to vote on November 4th. (I won't post the links to the website where my ongoing struggle with these people is taking place. I don't think it's right that anyone else gets involved because of my blog, and believe me, you don't want to deal with these asstards!)
The first comment on the article is from username "TheDude":
John McCain and Sarah Palin are TRUE Americans with the back-up to prove it. They don't associate with known extremists, terrorists, and corrupt lobbyists and individuals. I believe they will lead our country out of economic troubles and move us forward in cleaning up our environment, keeping us safe, and helping the U.S. become a self-sufficient, clean energy nation. Your gut ought to tell you that somethin' ain't right with the Obama, Biden ticket.
His buddy (or duplicate account) "TLS" chimed in the next day around the same time as the first comment.
ASE must not have seen this comment yet, or he surely would have attacked you :) For the record though, I agree with you 100 %!
TLS is referring to me ASE = AllSeeingEye
"TheDude" replied a few hours later:
You may be right, TLS ... or he's drumming up a comeback right now, or I have no credibility again and he is not gonna waste his time. DOH!
I'm sick of dealing with this punk from past conversations, but I had told him this election is not about him or me, it's about the issues. So, I posted the following:
First, just because someone has a different point of view than you do, it doesn't mean they're un-American. That is nothing but fear-mongering, and the Republicans are rolling out this disgusting tactic just in time to try to steal an election by scaring people into voting for them. Yes, they're that desperate to distract you from the fact that McCain has no clear vision or plan for the future of this country other than more of the same failed Bush policies.
"They don't associate with known extremists, terrorists, and corrupt lobbyists and individuals." ?
John McCain's associations:
Rod Parsley - extremist
John Hagee - extremist
Michelle Bachman - extremist (Claims liberals in congress should be investigated for being "anti-American")
Richard Quinn - extremist (white supremacist)
La Raza - extremists
The U.S. Council for World Freedom - extremists
Charles Keating - conviced felon (McCain was one of the "Keating 5")
G. Gordon Liddy - convicted felon (Watergate) and extremist
Campaign manager Rick Davis - lobbyist
Chief political adviser Charles R. Black Jr. - lobbyist
Senior foreign policy adviser Randy Scheunemann - lobbyist
Senior advisers Steve Schmidt and Mark McKinnon - lobbyists
Fund raiser Tom Loeffler - lobbyist
Economic adviser Nancy Pfotenhauer - lobbyist
Congressional liaison John Green - lobbyist
National finance Co-chairman Wayne Berman - lobbyist
RNC's liaison to the McCain campaign Frank Donatelli - lobbyist
Sarah Palin's associations:
Alaskan Independence Party - extremists (wants Alaska to secede from the USA - Palin sent them video messages as governor saying "keep up the good work!")
Todd Palin - extremist (former member of AIP)
Thomas Muthee - extremist (Sarah Palin's pastor who boasts of hunting witches)
Ted Stevens - indicted Alaskan Senator
When people attack Obama for his associations while denying McCain and Palin's, it is the height of hypocrisy! I don't have to attack, I just point out the truth.
I know I'll just get flamed again, but I can't let their obvious lies and hypocrisy go unchallenged! There have been a few other people who post occasionally there in support of Obama, and I even got a message today from a nice lady thanking me for standing up for Obama. However, the McCain/Palin supporters are always the most ignorant, hateful and despicable people I've ever heard and their views (if they actually believe them) are simply not based in reality. Until people wake the fuck up or just stop using fear, hate and lies to form their opinions I will continue to post there as a Obamavenger™!
My Obama/Biden sign was stolen
Last night some coward stole my Obama/Biden sign which had only been up just over a week. The only location I have on my property to put a sign that can be seen from the busy highway nearby is quite a distance from the house, so it's next to impossible to notice if someone is stealing my signs. I've tried to make my presence known by going out on the front porch regularly to look over my sign's location, but last night some jerk grabbed it without me knowing. Sure, it could have been mischievous kids or an Obama fan who wanted their own sign, but I seriously doubt it. Where I live (in the heart of red state Alabama) there are no other Obama signs anywhere. I've seen a few McCain/Palin signs up the road, and interestingly they're still there today after mine was stolen.
Let me just say that the kind of person who would steal a political sign because they support someone else is a despicable individual. I would never even consider taking someone's sign and infringing on their right to free speech. But, this is the country we now live in, where those with opposing views are attacked rather than respected.
To anyone who would steal ANY political sign: You are the worst form of coward there is, and a criminal. You might as well go and find a Veteran and spit in their face because by stealing a sign you are only infringing on someone's constitutional right to free speech, which that Veteran served their country to protect. There are plenty of countries where you wouldn’t be bothered with problems like free speech. Please choose one and move there. You don’t deserve to live here. Also, every time you steal a sign I will donate more money to Obama - so you are only helping him get elected President.
So, what will I do? Put up my last Obama/Biden sign to be stolen again? Nope. Set a booby trap so the thief will get a hand full of razor blades or a foot full of nails? Nah - I refuse to hurt even the idiots who would steal a sign (plus it would be illegal). Instead, I'm currently making my own homemade sign out of a very heavy piece of plywood that will be attached to a big 2x4. It will be much harder to steal or destroy, and anyone who tries will have to make a lot of noise to do so. I am also setting up video surveillance to catch a perpetrator's face or license number. Hopefully, this will end my sign theft problem, and I'll post pictures when my sign is complete.
Another alternative is to print my own signs and post them everywhere on our property. Here is a nice resource for Obama/Biden printable signs in PDF format.
Let me just say that the kind of person who would steal a political sign because they support someone else is a despicable individual. I would never even consider taking someone's sign and infringing on their right to free speech. But, this is the country we now live in, where those with opposing views are attacked rather than respected.
To anyone who would steal ANY political sign: You are the worst form of coward there is, and a criminal. You might as well go and find a Veteran and spit in their face because by stealing a sign you are only infringing on someone's constitutional right to free speech, which that Veteran served their country to protect. There are plenty of countries where you wouldn’t be bothered with problems like free speech. Please choose one and move there. You don’t deserve to live here. Also, every time you steal a sign I will donate more money to Obama - so you are only helping him get elected President.
So, what will I do? Put up my last Obama/Biden sign to be stolen again? Nope. Set a booby trap so the thief will get a hand full of razor blades or a foot full of nails? Nah - I refuse to hurt even the idiots who would steal a sign (plus it would be illegal). Instead, I'm currently making my own homemade sign out of a very heavy piece of plywood that will be attached to a big 2x4. It will be much harder to steal or destroy, and anyone who tries will have to make a lot of noise to do so. I am also setting up video surveillance to catch a perpetrator's face or license number. Hopefully, this will end my sign theft problem, and I'll post pictures when my sign is complete.
Another alternative is to print my own signs and post them everywhere on our property. Here is a nice resource for Obama/Biden printable signs in PDF format.
Friday, October 17, 2008
The best videos of the Presidential election yet!
On Thursday night, Barack Obama and John McCain both attended the Alfred E. Smith dinner which is known for the humorous speeches and political luminaries who attend.
Obama's speech was one of the funniest things I've heard in a long time. He roasts McCain, himself, others, and jokes about everything that's been going on in this presidential election campaign.
McCain was funny too, and is very classy at the end when talking about Obama. Well done Sen. McCain!
There are more parts of their speeches from the dinner on YouTube for both Obama and McCain, but I thought these two were the most entertaining. With such a stressful election this time, it was really good for me to see both candidates lighten up for a night.
Obama's speech was one of the funniest things I've heard in a long time. He roasts McCain, himself, others, and jokes about everything that's been going on in this presidential election campaign.
McCain was funny too, and is very classy at the end when talking about Obama. Well done Sen. McCain!
There are more parts of their speeches from the dinner on YouTube for both Obama and McCain, but I thought these two were the most entertaining. With such a stressful election this time, it was really good for me to see both candidates lighten up for a night.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Meet "Joe the Plumber"
In the final presidential debate last night, John McCain threw a citizen into the spotlight when he mentioned "Joe the Plumber" - a real person who recently met Obama and asked him why his proposed tax plan would keep him from buying a company.
Here is the video of that meeting:
Obama deserves credit for being honest with the guy when he told him if he makes over 250K his taxes will increase. He could have pandered to him, but he didn't. He outlined his plan and how it will actually benefit him. Now that is some "straight talk" if I've ever heard it.
For the record, I'd like to mention that when Obama told Joe he'd "spread the wealth around" - Obama means he'll take the tax burden off the middle-class by getting rid of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans (that McCain initially opposed but later voted for). That is his plan, not any new revolutionary socialist ideal.
McCain must have heard something different from that meeting since he brought up Joe so many times in the debate. I think he wanted to make it seem like poor Joe won't be helped by Obama's plan that he wanted to paint as socialist.
But who is this guy and which plan will really benefit him more? Let's Meet "Joe the Plumber" shall we?
From the reporting that's come out just this morning I've learned the following:
• His real name is Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher (No wonder they just use "Joe") and he's from Toledo, Ohio.
• His name was misspelled in the Ohio voter registration database. This is one reason people worry about voter disenfranchisement with the purging of voter rolls since they are such a mess to begin with.
• He says he has no plumbing license and doesn't need one because he works for someone else.
• He is a registered Republican and McCain supporter and not undecided.
• Joe currently does not make more than 250K a year, so Obama's tax plan will actually benefit him now. As Obama points out, that means it will be easier for him to save to better afford to buy that company.
• If he does buy that business and makes more than 250K a year his taxes will increase by only 3% back to the level it was under Clinton. On health care, the company will still be classified as a small business and he'll get a 50% tax cut for his employees' health benefits. How does this keep him from buying that business? McCain will tax health care benefits for the first time ever.
• There is also evidence out there that Joe owes back taxes. Why does he care about tax plans when he doesn't pay his taxes?
• Last night he was interviewed by CBS and compared Obama to Sammy Davis Jr. with his supposed 'tap-dancing around the issues'. Not only was this subtly racist, he was obviously not watching the same debate that I saw. Obama had specifics on every issue and answered the questions in an intelligent and thoughtful manner. He plainly set the record straight with facts.
• Joe has been parroting McCain talking points in TV interviews.
• He believes, like McCain, that social security should be privatized. An idea that would have been disastrous if in place during our recent financial crisis.
• Also, it appears from one report that Joe may be related to none-other than Charles Keating! I think Joe's bias is showing.
Joe may love him some McCain, but I'll bet he's pissed now that he's in the center of a media circus and we're learning just who "Joe the Plumber" really is.
Here's a guy who basically came up to Obama and asked 'why should I vote for you if you're going to raise my taxes?' Obama didn't pander to him - he was honest when he told him that if he makes over 250K a year his taxes will go up 3% - to the same it was under Clinton. Even when he knew that Joe disagrees with him, Obama engaged him and outlined his ideas with details about how his health care plan will actually benefit him if he buys that company He also explains that if his policies had already been in place, it would be easier for Joe to save to afford to buy that company.
Isn't this exactly what we need right now in our President? Someone who is not afraid to tell the truth to a potential voter when his answer may not benefit them. Someone who will listen to and talk to those who may disagree with his point of view. Someone who speaks in specifics not generalities, and has common sense plans for our economy. Not someone, "that one".
Here is the video of that meeting:
Obama deserves credit for being honest with the guy when he told him if he makes over 250K his taxes will increase. He could have pandered to him, but he didn't. He outlined his plan and how it will actually benefit him. Now that is some "straight talk" if I've ever heard it.
For the record, I'd like to mention that when Obama told Joe he'd "spread the wealth around" - Obama means he'll take the tax burden off the middle-class by getting rid of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans (that McCain initially opposed but later voted for). That is his plan, not any new revolutionary socialist ideal.
McCain must have heard something different from that meeting since he brought up Joe so many times in the debate. I think he wanted to make it seem like poor Joe won't be helped by Obama's plan that he wanted to paint as socialist.
But who is this guy and which plan will really benefit him more? Let's Meet "Joe the Plumber" shall we?
From the reporting that's come out just this morning I've learned the following:
• His real name is Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher (No wonder they just use "Joe") and he's from Toledo, Ohio.
• His name was misspelled in the Ohio voter registration database. This is one reason people worry about voter disenfranchisement with the purging of voter rolls since they are such a mess to begin with.
• He says he has no plumbing license and doesn't need one because he works for someone else.
• He is a registered Republican and McCain supporter and not undecided.
• Joe currently does not make more than 250K a year, so Obama's tax plan will actually benefit him now. As Obama points out, that means it will be easier for him to save to better afford to buy that company.
• If he does buy that business and makes more than 250K a year his taxes will increase by only 3% back to the level it was under Clinton. On health care, the company will still be classified as a small business and he'll get a 50% tax cut for his employees' health benefits. How does this keep him from buying that business? McCain will tax health care benefits for the first time ever.
• There is also evidence out there that Joe owes back taxes. Why does he care about tax plans when he doesn't pay his taxes?
• Last night he was interviewed by CBS and compared Obama to Sammy Davis Jr. with his supposed 'tap-dancing around the issues'. Not only was this subtly racist, he was obviously not watching the same debate that I saw. Obama had specifics on every issue and answered the questions in an intelligent and thoughtful manner. He plainly set the record straight with facts.
• Joe has been parroting McCain talking points in TV interviews.
• He believes, like McCain, that social security should be privatized. An idea that would have been disastrous if in place during our recent financial crisis.
• Also, it appears from one report that Joe may be related to none-other than Charles Keating! I think Joe's bias is showing.
Joe may love him some McCain, but I'll bet he's pissed now that he's in the center of a media circus and we're learning just who "Joe the Plumber" really is.
Here's a guy who basically came up to Obama and asked 'why should I vote for you if you're going to raise my taxes?' Obama didn't pander to him - he was honest when he told him that if he makes over 250K a year his taxes will go up 3% - to the same it was under Clinton. Even when he knew that Joe disagrees with him, Obama engaged him and outlined his ideas with details about how his health care plan will actually benefit him if he buys that company He also explains that if his policies had already been in place, it would be easier for Joe to save to afford to buy that company.
Isn't this exactly what we need right now in our President? Someone who is not afraid to tell the truth to a potential voter when his answer may not benefit them. Someone who will listen to and talk to those who may disagree with his point of view. Someone who speaks in specifics not generalities, and has common sense plans for our economy. Not someone, "that one".
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Conservatives Blast McCain
In case anybody thinks that my posts here are all just my biased opinion, they should know that many conservatives and Republicans are jumping off the McCain/Palin bandwagon and some are even brave enough to denounce their inflammatory rhetoric. Here are their own words.
Joshua Trevino, co-founder of RedState.com, wrote on his blog:
Bill Kristol:
Republican Congressman Ray LaHood on Sarah Palin:
Republican Michelle Laxalt on Larry King Live:
Lincoln Chafee, a former Republican U.S. senator from Rhode Island:
National Federation of Filipino-American Republicans founder Perry Diaz:
Washington Post columnist George Will:
Former Republican Governor of Michigan William Milliken, who endorsed McCain during the primaries:
Former Repbulican governor of Wisconsin Tommy Thompson - When asked if he was happy with McCain's campaign he replied:
National Review columnist Christopher Buckley endorses Obama:
Conservative columnist Kathleen Parker:
Joshua Trevino, co-founder of RedState.com, wrote on his blog:
Do I believe in John McCain? Not as much as I used to. Do I believe in Sarah Palin? Despite my early enthusiasm for her, now not at all. Do I believe in the national Republican Party? Not in the slightest — even though I see no meaningful alternative to it.
Bill Kristol:
It’s time for John McCain to fire his campaign. He has nothing to lose. His campaign is totally overmatched by Obama’s... ...The McCain campaign, once merely problematic, is now close to being out-and-out dysfunctional. Its combination of strategic incoherence and operational incompetence has become toxic.
Republican Congressman Ray LaHood on Sarah Palin:
Look it. This doesn't befit the office that she's running for. And frankly, people don't like it.
Republican Michelle Laxalt on Larry King Live:
I'm sorry. This is not the Republican Party that Bill Buckley, that Paul Laxalt, that Ronald Reagan raised me on. And I don't believe the American people like this kind of dirty politics. If they can't win fair and square, they shouldn't trash the other guy.
Lincoln Chafee, a former Republican U.S. senator from Rhode Island:
Sen. Obama is the first Democrat I've ever voted for... ...As he geared up for this 2008 election, it became a different John McCain who was pandering to the base. That's what McCain is doing: dividing this country.
National Federation of Filipino-American Republicans founder Perry Diaz:
I endorsed McCain before the California primary believing that he was the right man for the job. I was wrong. His selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate and his decision a few days ago to resort to personal attacks on Obama's character and integrity run counter to my personal beliefs and core values. I have lost my respect for McCain and I believe that a McCain/Palin administration would only worsen the economic situation in the country.
Washington Post columnist George Will:
Under the pressure of the financial crisis, one presidential candidate is behaving like a flustered rookie playing in a league too high. It is not Barack Obama... ...It is arguable that, because of his inexperience, Obama is not ready for the presidency. It is arguable that McCain, because of his boiling moralism and bottomless reservoir of certitudes, is not suited to the presidency. Unreadiness can be corrected, although perhaps at great cost, by experience. Can a dismaying temperament be fixed?
Former Republican Governor of Michigan William Milliken, who endorsed McCain during the primaries:
He is not the McCain I endorsed. He keeps saying, 'Who is Barack Obama?' I would ask the question, 'Who is John McCain?' because his campaign has become rather disappointing to me. I'm disappointed in the tenor and the personal attacks on the part of the McCain campaign, when he ought to be talking about the issues.
Former Repbulican governor of Wisconsin Tommy Thompson - When asked if he was happy with McCain's campaign he replied:
“No,” and he added, “I don’t know who is.”
National Review columnist Christopher Buckley endorses Obama:
This campaign has changed John McCain. It has made him inauthentic. A once-first class temperament has become irascible and snarly; his positions change, and lack coherence; he makes unrealistic promises, such as balancing the federal budget “by the end of my first term.” Who, really, believes that?
Conservative columnist Kathleen Parker:
Palin filibusters. She repeats words, filling space with deadwood. Cut the verbiage and there’s not much content there... ...If BS were currency, Palin could bail out Wall Street herself... ...Only Palin can save McCain, her party, and the country she loves. She can bow out for personal reasons, perhaps because she wants to spend more time with her newborn. No one would criticize a mother who puts her family first. Do it for your country.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Why they want to be President
Both candidates' own words show the clear contrast between the two when it comes to why they want to be President.
The following is an excerpt from the book "Worth the Fighting For: A Memoir" (2002) by John McCain.
Barack Obama tells us why he wants to be President in a video statement sent to his supporters on January 16, 2007 to announce his candidacy.
I quoted this speech because it is the earliest example of Obama expressing why he wants to be President. Full text of his speech can be found here.
I'll admit that this isn't a very balanced article since I chose only one quote from McCain and a longer one from Obama, but I believe it is fair to show their own words to know exactly why they want to be President. I mean, come on, McCain admits ambition is why he's running for President and he thinks it's a 'prize'!
The following is an excerpt from the book "Worth the Fighting For: A Memoir" (2002) by John McCain.
I didn't decide to run for President to start a national crusade for the political reforms I believed in or to run a campaign as if it were some grand act of patriotism. In truth, I wanted to be President because it had become my ambition to be President. I was sixty-two years old when I made the decision and I thought it was my one shot at the prize.
Barack Obama tells us why he wants to be President in a video statement sent to his supporters on January 16, 2007 to announce his candidacy.
Running for the presidency is a profound decision - a decision no one should make on the basis of media hype or personal ambition alone - and so before I committed myself and my family to this race, I wanted to be sure that this was right for us and, more importantly, right for the country...
...America's faced big problems before. But today, our leaders in Washington seem incapable of working together in a practical, common sense way. Politics has become so bitter and partisan, so gummed up by money and influence, that we can't tackle the big problems that demand solutions.
And that's what we have to change first.
We have to change our politics, and come together around our common interests and concerns as Americans.
This won't happen by itself. A change in our politics can only come from you; from people across our country who believe there's a better way and are willing to work for it.
Years ago, as a community organizer in Chicago, I learned that meaningful change always begins at the grassroots, and that engaged citizens working together can accomplish extraordinary things.
So even in the midst of the enormous challenges we face today, I have great faith and hope about the future - because I believe in you.
And that's why I wanted to tell you first that I'll be filing papers today to create a presidential exploratory committee.
I quoted this speech because it is the earliest example of Obama expressing why he wants to be President. Full text of his speech can be found here.
I'll admit that this isn't a very balanced article since I chose only one quote from McCain and a longer one from Obama, but I believe it is fair to show their own words to know exactly why they want to be President. I mean, come on, McCain admits ambition is why he's running for President and he thinks it's a 'prize'!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Report confirms Palin's illegal abuse of power
Troopergate has just blown up in the face of the McCain campaign. On Friday, a bipartisan committee of Alaska legislators voted 12-0 to release a report stating that Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating state ethics law "by trying to have her former brother-in-law fired as a state trooper."
The report had four key findings, written by Stephen Branchflower, the chief investigator of the Alaska legislative panel.
The wingnuts are already trying to spin this as if she didn't break the law because the report finds her firing of Monegan "was a proper and lawful exercise of her constitutional and statutory authority to hire and fire executive branch department heads." However, before that, the report plainly states: "I find that Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 39/52/110(a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act." - She may have had the constitutional right to fire him, but the reason WHY she did it was an abuse of her power that violates the ethics law, so she broke the law plain and simple.
Also get ready from propaganda from the right that this was a politically motivated investigation full of Obama supporters. The facts simply don't back this claim up. The committee was majority Republican and they agreed to look into this matter well before Palin was chosen as the VP candidate by McCain.
The "right" has already been saying that anyone involved in the type of personal matter between Palin, her sister and ex-brother-in-law would do the same thing. This is absolutely no excuse for abusing the power of your office when there are perfectly legal ways to deal with the problem if there is any truth to the allegations against State Trooper Mike Wooten.
Finding four is interesting because they conclude that Palin has not cooperated with the investigation as she's claimed. If she had nothing to hide, why not turn over the emails Sarah?
What does this say about John McCain and his choice of Palin for VP? Did he not know about the investigation? If not, she was not properly vetted. If he did know, did he at least look into it to see if there was anything to the allegations or did he just trust someone he barely knows at her word alone? Maybe he doesn't care because Republicans and corruption go hand-in-hand.
I knew as soon as Palin was picked that the McCain campaign was doomed. Now, it is confirmed. How can anyone in their right mind be comfortable with this person being a 72-year-old cancer survivor's heartbeat away from the presidency? It's bad enough she's completely unqualified for VP or (GOD FORBID) president. Now, the only experience she has of being governor of the 47th most populous state for 20 months is forever marred with an ethics violation because of an abuse of power! Does this sound like more of the same to anybody!?!
The report had four key findings, written by Stephen Branchflower, the chief investigator of the Alaska legislative panel.
Finding One
For the reasons explained in section IV of this report, I find that Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 39/52/110(a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act. Alaska Statute 39.52.110(a) provides
The legislature reaffirms that every public officer holds office as a public trust, and any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest through official action is a violation of that trust.
Finding Two
I find that, although Walt Monegan's refusal to fire Trooper Michael Wooter was not the sole reason he was fired by Governor Sarah Palin, it was likely a contributing factor to his termination as Commissioner of Public Safety. In spite of that, Governor Palin's firing of Commissioner Monegan was a proper and lawful exercise of her constitutional and statutory authority to hire and fire executive branch department heads.
Finding Three
Harbor Adjustment Service of Anchorage, and its owner Ms. Murleen Wilkes, handled Trooper Michael Wooten's workers' compensation claim properly and in the normal course of business like any other claim process by Harbor Adjustment Service and Ms. Wilkes. Further, Trooper Wooten received all the workers' compensation benefits to which he was entitled.
Finding Four
The Attorney General's office has failed to substantially comply with my August 6, 2008 written request to Governor Sarah Palin for information about the case in the form of emails.
The wingnuts are already trying to spin this as if she didn't break the law because the report finds her firing of Monegan "was a proper and lawful exercise of her constitutional and statutory authority to hire and fire executive branch department heads." However, before that, the report plainly states: "I find that Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 39/52/110(a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act." - She may have had the constitutional right to fire him, but the reason WHY she did it was an abuse of her power that violates the ethics law, so she broke the law plain and simple.
Also get ready from propaganda from the right that this was a politically motivated investigation full of Obama supporters. The facts simply don't back this claim up. The committee was majority Republican and they agreed to look into this matter well before Palin was chosen as the VP candidate by McCain.
The "right" has already been saying that anyone involved in the type of personal matter between Palin, her sister and ex-brother-in-law would do the same thing. This is absolutely no excuse for abusing the power of your office when there are perfectly legal ways to deal with the problem if there is any truth to the allegations against State Trooper Mike Wooten.
Finding four is interesting because they conclude that Palin has not cooperated with the investigation as she's claimed. If she had nothing to hide, why not turn over the emails Sarah?
What does this say about John McCain and his choice of Palin for VP? Did he not know about the investigation? If not, she was not properly vetted. If he did know, did he at least look into it to see if there was anything to the allegations or did he just trust someone he barely knows at her word alone? Maybe he doesn't care because Republicans and corruption go hand-in-hand.
I knew as soon as Palin was picked that the McCain campaign was doomed. Now, it is confirmed. How can anyone in their right mind be comfortable with this person being a 72-year-old cancer survivor's heartbeat away from the presidency? It's bad enough she's completely unqualified for VP or (GOD FORBID) president. Now, the only experience she has of being governor of the 47th most populous state for 20 months is forever marred with an ethics violation because of an abuse of power! Does this sound like more of the same to anybody!?!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Alabama Gov's Voter Suppression List Exposed
Individuals convicted of a felony in the state of Alabama have had an easier path to get their voting rights restored since 2003. However, the Alabama constitution bars those convicted of a "felony involving moral turpitude" from voting at all. "Moral turpitude" is is a legal concept in the United States that refers to "conduct that is considered contrary to community standards of justice, honesty, or good morals".
Republican Alabama Governor Bob Riley recently decided to add hundreds of crimes to the list of felony convictions that bar a person from voting based on his interpretation of "moral turpitude."
Previously the Alabama Attorney General had determined that 70 of the state's 575 felony crimes qualify as such crimes which was approved by the Administrative Office of Courts. Now, lawyers for the Riley administration claim some 480 of those felonies are crimes of "moral turpitude."
According to the Birmingham News:
Suddenly, in an election year, Riley has decided that he alone knows what crimes are of a moral turpitude and it's almost all of them. In a time when Democratic voter registration around the country (including the south) has outpaced Republicans two to one, this is an obvious attempt by the Republican governor of Alabama to suppress votes.
If you don't believe me, take a look for yourself at some of the crimes determined by Riley to be of a moral turpitude and that (if convicted) will bar a citizen from voting in Alabama. Both lists from the governor's office and the office of the attorney general can be found in PDF format here.
Here are just a few of Riley's moral turpitude crimes according to the Associated Press:
First, I don't even see how anyone could be convicted of flag burning since it's protected as free speech as determined by the Supreme Court in Texas v. Johnson. The list also adds shoplifting as a crime that will deny your right to vote if convicted in the state of Alabama. That's right, shoplifting! Now, I agree that many of the crimes on Riley's list could be interpreted as being of a moral turpitude, but some are just ridiculous. This totally kills my plans to disrupt a funeral by setting an illegal brush fire. :P
The governor alone should not be making this determination, as the Anniston Star pointed out in a recent editorial:
Luckily, there's somebody fighting for our rights! The ACLU filed a lawsuit a few months ago against the state Alabama over this issue when the attorney general tried to add to the list or moral turpitude crimes.
The Associated Press writes:
The latest news on the ACLU lawsuit is is not good, according to the Associated Press, the judge may dismiss the case.
I'm surprised by the lack of reporting on this issue and the fact that people in my home state aren't outraged. I've had a few serious discussions about it on the comment board for my hometown newspaper, but other that that, very few are writing or talking about this.
One of the crimes the governor has on his list as a moral turpitude is the attempt to influence an election. Perhaps Bob Riley should have his right to vote taken away for his obvious attempt to suppress voters.
UPDATE: The Associated Press is reporting that today, October 10, 2008 the judge did indeed throw out the ACLU case against the state of Alabama.
If these allegations are true, I really wish the ACLU would get their act together. I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to find someone who has actually tried to register and were denied because of the voter suppression efforts going on which have been expanded by the governor. As far as I know, the ACLU has yet to file a suit based on the new moral turpitude crimes added by Governor Riley. I'm sure they'll have plenty of clients after voting day when thousands are turned away from the polls for some minor crime from their past, but then won't it be too late?
Republican Alabama Governor Bob Riley recently decided to add hundreds of crimes to the list of felony convictions that bar a person from voting based on his interpretation of "moral turpitude."
Previously the Alabama Attorney General had determined that 70 of the state's 575 felony crimes qualify as such crimes which was approved by the Administrative Office of Courts. Now, lawyers for the Riley administration claim some 480 of those felonies are crimes of "moral turpitude."
According to the Birmingham News:
A statewide computer system for the past 11 months has been noting convictions for more than 400 crimes that Gov. Bob Riley's administration deemed to be felonies of moral turpitude - even though officials with the Administrative Office of Courts said they were assured by Riley's office only a shorter list of 70 felonies developed by the attorney general's office were being checked.
Suddenly, in an election year, Riley has decided that he alone knows what crimes are of a moral turpitude and it's almost all of them. In a time when Democratic voter registration around the country (including the south) has outpaced Republicans two to one, this is an obvious attempt by the Republican governor of Alabama to suppress votes.
If you don't believe me, take a look for yourself at some of the crimes determined by Riley to be of a moral turpitude and that (if convicted) will bar a citizen from voting in Alabama. Both lists from the governor's office and the office of the attorney general can be found in PDF format here.
Here are just a few of Riley's moral turpitude crimes according to the Associated Press:
But the governor's legal aides also classified about 370 other crimes as involving moral turpitude, including attempted arson, breaking and entering a vehicle, attempted burglary, criminal mischief, possession of burglary tools and burning a U.S. flag or cross.
The list also includes absentee balloting fraud, cruelty to a dog or cat, domestic violence, forgery, killing livestock illegally, leaving the scene of an accident with an injury, disrupting a funeral, ethics violations and conspiring to set an illegal brush fire.
The Administrative Office of Courts said the governor's office has no legal authority to classify so many crimes as involving moral turpitude.
First, I don't even see how anyone could be convicted of flag burning since it's protected as free speech as determined by the Supreme Court in Texas v. Johnson. The list also adds shoplifting as a crime that will deny your right to vote if convicted in the state of Alabama. That's right, shoplifting! Now, I agree that many of the crimes on Riley's list could be interpreted as being of a moral turpitude, but some are just ridiculous. This totally kills my plans to disrupt a funeral by setting an illegal brush fire. :P
The governor alone should not be making this determination, as the Anniston Star pointed out in a recent editorial:
Maybe Gov. Bob Riley is right. Maybe a person should be denied the right to vote if they are convicted of disrupting a funeral, caught attempting a burglary or are found to have engaged in criminal mischief. If these are felonies, and if the law is interpreted narrowly, then that is what should happen.
But is this a decision the governor's office should make?
Apparently not. After months of denying that the list was being used by registrars in that way, the governor's office admitted that it erred by allowing this practice. However, the governor's office dismissed as "absurd" the charge that this was "part of some conspiracy to prevent people from voting."
This page takes the governor at his word. However, conspiracy or not, people were told that they could not vote when apparently they could. And with the presidential election less than a month away, the office of the Secretary of State is trying to find out the extent of the problem and see what can be done to rectify it, if anything.
It's good that the Secretary of State is trying to address this issue. However, the problem will not go away until the Legislature clearly defines what "moral turpitude" is when it comes to denying anyone the right to vote and then lists the crimes that fall into this category.
Luckily, there's somebody fighting for our rights! The ACLU filed a lawsuit a few months ago against the state Alabama over this issue when the attorney general tried to add to the list or moral turpitude crimes.
The American Civil Liberties Union and ACLU of Alabama filed a lawsuit today challenging the state's voter disenfranchisement laws and practices as unconstitutional. According to its state constitution, Alabama may deny voting rights to individuals who have been convicted of felonies involving "moral turpitude." Although this term is not defined, the constitution clearly states that only the legislature can decide which felonies qualify under this category. In its lawsuit today, the ACLU charges that the state is disfranchising thousands of Alabamians under a much broader category of convictions than is permissible under the constitution, relying in part on an unlawful opinion issued by Alabama's attorney general.
The Associated Press writes:
The ACLU filed the lawsuit in July on behalf of three ex-felons who want to vote in the Nov. 4 presidential election. One of the three had actually tried to register in Jefferson County, but was never given a form because a registrar told her she couldn't vote.
The ACLU had hoped to turn the lawsuit into a class-action case on behalf of ex-felons statewide and clear up the confusion over voting rights.
At issue is a law passed by the Legislature that says felons who committed crimes of moral turpitude can't vote, but other felons can. The law does not classify which crimes are in each category.
The latest news on the ACLU lawsuit is is not good, according to the Associated Press, the judge may dismiss the case.
Voter registrars could have to wait awhile longer to learn which felons can vote — and just what constitutes "moral turpitude" — because a judge said Wednesday she may dismiss a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union over the issue.
With voter registration at record levels, county voter registrars have been struggling to figure out which ex-felons can sign up and which can't.
During a hearing Wednesday, Montgomery Circuit Judge Tracy McCooey told ACLU attorneys she is troubled that the ACLU's three plaintiffs filed suit before they filled out voter registration forms and were officially rejected by county voter registrars.
"You are asking me to have a role I shouldn't have," McCooey told the attorneys. She said she would issue an official ruling soon.
I'm surprised by the lack of reporting on this issue and the fact that people in my home state aren't outraged. I've had a few serious discussions about it on the comment board for my hometown newspaper, but other that that, very few are writing or talking about this.
One of the crimes the governor has on his list as a moral turpitude is the attempt to influence an election. Perhaps Bob Riley should have his right to vote taken away for his obvious attempt to suppress voters.
UPDATE: The Associated Press is reporting that today, October 10, 2008 the judge did indeed throw out the ACLU case against the state of Alabama.
A Montgomery judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union over registering ex-felons to vote.
Circuit Judge Tracy McCooey said Friday the ACLU's clients lacked legal standing to sue. Two had not tried to register to vote. The third client had attempted to register, but had not exhausted possible appeals in probate court before going to circuit court.
If these allegations are true, I really wish the ACLU would get their act together. I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to find someone who has actually tried to register and were denied because of the voter suppression efforts going on which have been expanded by the governor. As far as I know, the ACLU has yet to file a suit based on the new moral turpitude crimes added by Governor Riley. I'm sure they'll have plenty of clients after voting day when thousands are turned away from the polls for some minor crime from their past, but then won't it be too late?
I believe in hope, not hate in 08!
I just submitted this as a letter to the editor of my local newspaper. In case it's never published, it has been posted here for posterity.
In my opinion, John McCain is running the most dishonorable and sleazy campaign for president ever. He won't say it to his face, but McCain's surrogates' words and their advertising has been filled with smears and lies intent on destroying Barack Obama's character. At recent rallies, McCain and Sarah Palin supporters have been heard shouting the words "terrorist" "treason" and "kill him" in reference to Obama. This is a direct result of both candidates' inflammatory rhetoric, and neither McCain or Palin have said anything to denounce such hateful behavior.
Is this what we want from the next president and vice president of the United States of America, those who inspire hate rather than hope?
In all of Barack Obama's speeches and statements he has always expressed his belief that our country can come together and work for a greater future for ALL Americans. He inspires hope that we can do better and he knows that we can do it as the greatest nation on Earth. Obama inspires hope that we can overcome our economic troubles, have affordable health care, and use the right strategy for the war on terrorism by proposing specific and detailed plans to help the middle class and to go after those who were actually responsible for the attacks on 9/11. Obama is the personification of the American Dream who came from humble beginnings in a single-parent home and has dedicated his life to public service, and that gives me hope. He inspires hope by just being who he is at this time in history, and the amazing story of his life.
Barack Obama himself put it best in this quote from the 2004 Democratic National Convention:
People have a very clear choice on November 4th. The question is, will they go with hope or buy into the lies and hate in 08?
UPDATED with video added. This wasn't created by me, but I found it after writing this, and thought it was very appropriate. You have to sit through a minute or so of some McCain supporters' hate speech then it's all good.
In my opinion, John McCain is running the most dishonorable and sleazy campaign for president ever. He won't say it to his face, but McCain's surrogates' words and their advertising has been filled with smears and lies intent on destroying Barack Obama's character. At recent rallies, McCain and Sarah Palin supporters have been heard shouting the words "terrorist" "treason" and "kill him" in reference to Obama. This is a direct result of both candidates' inflammatory rhetoric, and neither McCain or Palin have said anything to denounce such hateful behavior.
Is this what we want from the next president and vice president of the United States of America, those who inspire hate rather than hope?
In all of Barack Obama's speeches and statements he has always expressed his belief that our country can come together and work for a greater future for ALL Americans. He inspires hope that we can do better and he knows that we can do it as the greatest nation on Earth. Obama inspires hope that we can overcome our economic troubles, have affordable health care, and use the right strategy for the war on terrorism by proposing specific and detailed plans to help the middle class and to go after those who were actually responsible for the attacks on 9/11. Obama is the personification of the American Dream who came from humble beginnings in a single-parent home and has dedicated his life to public service, and that gives me hope. He inspires hope by just being who he is at this time in history, and the amazing story of his life.
Barack Obama himself put it best in this quote from the 2004 Democratic National Convention:
I'm not talking about blind optimism here -- the almost willful ignorance that thinks unemployment will go away if we just don't talk about it, or the health care crisis will solve itself if we just ignore it. No, I'm talking about something more substantial. It's the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs; the hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores; the hope of a young naval lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta; the hope of a millworker's son who dares to defy the odds; the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too. Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of hope!
People have a very clear choice on November 4th. The question is, will they go with hope or buy into the lies and hate in 08?
UPDATED with video added. This wasn't created by me, but I found it after writing this, and thought it was very appropriate. You have to sit through a minute or so of some McCain supporters' hate speech then it's all good.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
"That One" - McCain's Disrespect and Gaffes
McCain's performance in the 2nd presidential debate was an embarrassment. He showed some serious disrespect for Obama, and certain gaffes give great insight into the REAL John McCain.
Probably the oddest and startling moment was when McCain called Obama "That One."
How disrespectful and dehumanizing! He has a title and a name, it's Senator Barack Obama, and McCain, you better get use to his soon-to-be NEW title: President Barack Obama! I believe the American people want a certain level of common courtesy between their candidates for president. They've both earned their position from votes of the people, and deserve to show respect for each other as peers out of respect for all Americans.
McCain also later refused to shake Obama's hand one final time.
As you can see, McCain touches Obama on the shoulder, and as he turns around he offers his hand directly to McCain who refuses to do the same, so Obama pivots and shakes Cindy's hand instead. An obvious sign of disrespect for Obama. I'm not sure what McCain thinks he's accomplishing from this attitude, I guess it's his strategy to make Obama look unimportant, but it ends up making McCain look like a total ass.
My personal favorite moment of the night was a lighter one after the questions were over at the end of the debate. Both candidates shook hands then stood together at center stage where they temporarily blocked the view of the teleprompter for the moderator Tom Brokaw. I believe that what Obama and McCain did next was the perfect example of their contrasting styles and could be an indication of how they will act as president when confronted with a problem.
When Brokaw told them they were "in my way of my script" Obama reacted quickly and he calmly stepped aside, smiled and waved. McCain took a second or two to react while clapping and then scurried off stage as quickly as possible in a hunched over manner. The result? Obama = smooth, McCain = erratic.
I don't usually over-analyze things like this, but when I first saw it, McCain's reaction caught my attention as unusual. Be sure to watch it several times focusing on Obama and McCain separately, and let me know what you think.
Overall McCain came off as the angry old man and Obama, as usual, was Mr. Cool. There was no "game-changing" moment for McCain and he knew it as he left the building well before Obama who continued to meet people in the audience. Obama has the momentum and will be our next president in a time of great turmoil. As I write this, financial markets all over the world are falling sharply because of the economic crisis. Things are about to get bad...real bad I'm afraid.
The choice for REAL change is clear. We must vote for "That One."
Probably the oddest and startling moment was when McCain called Obama "That One."
How disrespectful and dehumanizing! He has a title and a name, it's Senator Barack Obama, and McCain, you better get use to his soon-to-be NEW title: President Barack Obama! I believe the American people want a certain level of common courtesy between their candidates for president. They've both earned their position from votes of the people, and deserve to show respect for each other as peers out of respect for all Americans.
McCain also later refused to shake Obama's hand one final time.
As you can see, McCain touches Obama on the shoulder, and as he turns around he offers his hand directly to McCain who refuses to do the same, so Obama pivots and shakes Cindy's hand instead. An obvious sign of disrespect for Obama. I'm not sure what McCain thinks he's accomplishing from this attitude, I guess it's his strategy to make Obama look unimportant, but it ends up making McCain look like a total ass.
My personal favorite moment of the night was a lighter one after the questions were over at the end of the debate. Both candidates shook hands then stood together at center stage where they temporarily blocked the view of the teleprompter for the moderator Tom Brokaw. I believe that what Obama and McCain did next was the perfect example of their contrasting styles and could be an indication of how they will act as president when confronted with a problem.
When Brokaw told them they were "in my way of my script" Obama reacted quickly and he calmly stepped aside, smiled and waved. McCain took a second or two to react while clapping and then scurried off stage as quickly as possible in a hunched over manner. The result? Obama = smooth, McCain = erratic.
I don't usually over-analyze things like this, but when I first saw it, McCain's reaction caught my attention as unusual. Be sure to watch it several times focusing on Obama and McCain separately, and let me know what you think.
Overall McCain came off as the angry old man and Obama, as usual, was Mr. Cool. There was no "game-changing" moment for McCain and he knew it as he left the building well before Obama who continued to meet people in the audience. Obama has the momentum and will be our next president in a time of great turmoil. As I write this, financial markets all over the world are falling sharply because of the economic crisis. Things are about to get bad...real bad I'm afraid.
The choice for REAL change is clear. We must vote for "That One."
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Presidential Debate Round 2 - Initial Impressions
Barack Obama wins another debate hands down! My initial impression is that Obama had the answers with specifics for his vision of our future, and once again John McCain had nothing but generalities and no new ideas. The topics were a rehash of the first debate so we didn't get a lot of new information from either candidate. There were little fireworks, although McCain obviously wanted to pick a fight, and there was certainly no "game-changer" for McCain. He did refuse to go harshly negative, leaving the dirty work up to Palin and his surrogates. A cowardly decision by McCain.
From my notes here's the general message as it came across to me from both candidates over the course of the entire debate:
Obama - I get it! I understand. Here's what I'll do. Here's how we do it! (with specifics) We will do this together! (and he explained how) I can prioritize. These are the facts. Health care. Tax breaks. Real front of War on Terror. Solutions. McCain has poor judgment. McCain = Bush (both backed up with facts)
McCain - America is great. We can do it! I know how! Obama is bad. Obama doesn't understand. Look at our records. Reform. Earmarks. Spending. Drill. Slogans. Generalities. No specifics other than his past record.
I'll may or may not post more when the transcript is released, but anyone who objectively watched this debate has to see that Obama clearly won and absolutely nothing happened to slow his momentum. People want answers with specifics and plans for the future, not attacks and lies from your surrogates while you only spewed generalities about the important issues that affect our lives in such a dramatic way. McCain insults our intelligence by simply asking us to trust him even when he's running a dishonest campaign and has lost all credibility. Obama respects everyday Americans and shows that by giving them answers and solutions with specifics that amounts to TRUE "Straight Talk" and his policies consist of ideas that give us TRUE "Country First" decisions.
From my notes here's the general message as it came across to me from both candidates over the course of the entire debate:
Obama - I get it! I understand. Here's what I'll do. Here's how we do it! (with specifics) We will do this together! (and he explained how) I can prioritize. These are the facts. Health care. Tax breaks. Real front of War on Terror. Solutions. McCain has poor judgment. McCain = Bush (both backed up with facts)
McCain - America is great. We can do it! I know how! Obama is bad. Obama doesn't understand. Look at our records. Reform. Earmarks. Spending. Drill. Slogans. Generalities. No specifics other than his past record.
I'll may or may not post more when the transcript is released, but anyone who objectively watched this debate has to see that Obama clearly won and absolutely nothing happened to slow his momentum. People want answers with specifics and plans for the future, not attacks and lies from your surrogates while you only spewed generalities about the important issues that affect our lives in such a dramatic way. McCain insults our intelligence by simply asking us to trust him even when he's running a dishonest campaign and has lost all credibility. Obama respects everyday Americans and shows that by giving them answers and solutions with specifics that amounts to TRUE "Straight Talk" and his policies consist of ideas that give us TRUE "Country First" decisions.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Why McCain is so desperate.
According to Pollster.com the average of polls for electoral college votes now stands at Obama: 296 McCain: 163. Even if McCain got all the remaining tossup state's 79 electoral votes he would not make the required 270 to be elected President.
If the election was held today, Barack Obama would be the next President of the United States of America - by a landslide! That's why McCain wants to distract you with lies and smears...he's desperate, and willing to sell his soul to win.
UPDATE: Today the Pollster.com average of electoral votes shows Obama's lead has increased to O: 320 M: 163. It looks like a blowout at this point, but I hope supporters don't just assume Obama will win. Get out and vote no matter what the polls show!
If the election was held today, Barack Obama would be the next President of the United States of America - by a landslide! That's why McCain wants to distract you with lies and smears...he's desperate, and willing to sell his soul to win.
UPDATE: Today the Pollster.com average of electoral votes shows Obama's lead has increased to O: 320 M: 163. It looks like a blowout at this point, but I hope supporters don't just assume Obama will win. Get out and vote no matter what the polls show!
The facts about the Obama/Ayers smear
The McCain campaign knows they cannot win this election by talking about the issues (because they're wrong on ALL of them) so they are resorting to a desperate attempt to smear Barack Obama's character with guilt-by-association. Instead of laying out their vision for the future (if they actually have one) and specifics about their solutions of our failing economy, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the threat of terrorism, and our diminished stature in the world - they are launching 30 days of dishonorable tactics to try to make people second guess who Obama is - even though we've had a year-and-a-half to get to know him thoroughly.
Sarah Palin (like a pitbull in lipstick) has taken on the "attack dog" role by going after Obama on his connection to William Ayers. Recently, she claimed that Obama "pals around with terrorists" in reference to the 1960's radical activist who co-founded the violent Weather Underground group during the Vietnam era. Palin's use of the term "terrorist" is intended to inspire fear and can easily invoke racially charged thoughts from those whose mind immediately thinks of Muslims or Islamic extremists when hearing that word. It is simply a lie to say that Obama is friends with or "pals around with" terrorists.
The actual truth about this controversy shows something far different than what the McCain campaign wants to imply. The facts about Obama's association with Ayers are very easy to find by anyone with access to Google. Armed with these facts I will easily debunk this smear from the McCain campaign that Obama is friends with a terrorist.
Debunking the smear:
Barack Obama was 8 years old when Ayers was allegedly involved in domestic terrorism in the late 60's as a cofounder of the Weather Undergound.
Ayers was never convicted of a crime and went on to become a productive member of society. Ayers worked with Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley in shaping the city's school reform program, and was one of three co-authors of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge grant proposal that in 1995 won $49.2 million over five years for public school reform. William Ayers is currently a Distinguished Professor of Education and Senior University Scholar at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
How they're connected:
Obama and Ayers happened to live in the same neighborhood on the south side of Chicago.
In the mid-1990s, Ayers and his wife hosted a meet-and-greet at their house to introduce Obama to their neighbors during his first run for the Illinois Senate.
In 2001, Ayers contributed $200 to Obama's campaign.
Ayers also volunteered alongside Obama between December 1999 and December 2002 on the board of the not-for-profit anti-povertiy group, the Woods Fund of Chicago. That board met four times a year, and members would see each other at occasional dinners the group hosted.
There is no evidence that Obama knew of Ayers' radical past when the two knew each other.
Media conclusions:
CNN's review of project records found nothing to suggest anything inappropriate in the volunteer projects in which the two men were involved.
Internal reviews by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time magazine, The Chicago Sun-Times, The New Yorker and The New Republic "have said that their reporting doesn't support the idea that Obama and Ayers had a close relationship."
Associated Press: No evidence shows they were "pals" or even close when they worked on community boards years ago and Ayers hosted a political event for Obama early in his career.
New York Times: But the two men do not appear to have been close. Nor has Mr. Obama ever expressed sympathy for the radical views and actions of Mr. Ayers, whom he has called “somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago, when I was 8.”
Obama campaign statement:
"Senator Obama strongly condemns the violent actions of the Weathermen group, as he does all acts of violence. But he was an eight-year-old child when Ayers and the Weathermen were active, and any attempt to connect Obama with events of almost forty years ago is ridiculous."
Sources:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/902213,CST-NWS-ayers18.article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Ayers
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D93KD6Q00&show_article=1
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/04/us/politics/04ayers.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Sarah Palin (like a pitbull in lipstick) has taken on the "attack dog" role by going after Obama on his connection to William Ayers. Recently, she claimed that Obama "pals around with terrorists" in reference to the 1960's radical activist who co-founded the violent Weather Underground group during the Vietnam era. Palin's use of the term "terrorist" is intended to inspire fear and can easily invoke racially charged thoughts from those whose mind immediately thinks of Muslims or Islamic extremists when hearing that word. It is simply a lie to say that Obama is friends with or "pals around with" terrorists.
The actual truth about this controversy shows something far different than what the McCain campaign wants to imply. The facts about Obama's association with Ayers are very easy to find by anyone with access to Google. Armed with these facts I will easily debunk this smear from the McCain campaign that Obama is friends with a terrorist.
Debunking the smear:
Barack Obama was 8 years old when Ayers was allegedly involved in domestic terrorism in the late 60's as a cofounder of the Weather Undergound.
Ayers was never convicted of a crime and went on to become a productive member of society. Ayers worked with Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley in shaping the city's school reform program, and was one of three co-authors of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge grant proposal that in 1995 won $49.2 million over five years for public school reform. William Ayers is currently a Distinguished Professor of Education and Senior University Scholar at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
How they're connected:
Obama and Ayers happened to live in the same neighborhood on the south side of Chicago.
In the mid-1990s, Ayers and his wife hosted a meet-and-greet at their house to introduce Obama to their neighbors during his first run for the Illinois Senate.
In 2001, Ayers contributed $200 to Obama's campaign.
Ayers also volunteered alongside Obama between December 1999 and December 2002 on the board of the not-for-profit anti-povertiy group, the Woods Fund of Chicago. That board met four times a year, and members would see each other at occasional dinners the group hosted.
There is no evidence that Obama knew of Ayers' radical past when the two knew each other.
Media conclusions:
CNN's review of project records found nothing to suggest anything inappropriate in the volunteer projects in which the two men were involved.
Internal reviews by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time magazine, The Chicago Sun-Times, The New Yorker and The New Republic "have said that their reporting doesn't support the idea that Obama and Ayers had a close relationship."
Associated Press: No evidence shows they were "pals" or even close when they worked on community boards years ago and Ayers hosted a political event for Obama early in his career.
New York Times: But the two men do not appear to have been close. Nor has Mr. Obama ever expressed sympathy for the radical views and actions of Mr. Ayers, whom he has called “somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago, when I was 8.”
Obama campaign statement:
"Senator Obama strongly condemns the violent actions of the Weathermen group, as he does all acts of violence. But he was an eight-year-old child when Ayers and the Weathermen were active, and any attempt to connect Obama with events of almost forty years ago is ridiculous."
Sources:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/902213,CST-NWS-ayers18.article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Ayers
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D93KD6Q00&show_article=1
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/04/us/politics/04ayers.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Sunday, October 5, 2008
The Real Original Maverick
John McCain and Sarah Palin love to call themselves "mavericks", but have you ever wondered where the word maverick comes from? Well, there once was a Texas cattle rancher named Samuel Maverick who refused to brand his herds. Those unmarked cattle were referred to by other ranchers as mavericks and the word eventually became a description for someone who is independent minded, a lone dissenter, a non-conformist or a rebel.
Samuel's grandson Maury Maverick contributed more than anyone to the now commonly accepted meaning of the word maverick when he served two terms in Congress (1935-1939) where he led a bloc of progressive Democrats who supported Roosevelt and the New Deal and even sought to push them to the left. In 1935 the Washington Herald labeled this posse of liberals “The Mavericks.”
Today, the Maverick family wants to take back their name that has been hijacked by the McCain campaign.
On the website RealOriginalMaverick.com Maury Maverick's granddaughter Fontaine Maverick is quoted as saying the following:
I find it really interesting that the word McCain and Palin choose to use to describe themselves so frequently has its origins from a liberal Democrat whose descendants are not happy at all by a Republican's use of their family name.
During the first two debates alone, John McCain and Sarah Palin used the word "maverick" 17 times. So, the next time you hear McCain or Palin use that word to describe themselves, remember where it came from and how the original Maverick family feels about their use of the term.
Samuel's grandson Maury Maverick contributed more than anyone to the now commonly accepted meaning of the word maverick when he served two terms in Congress (1935-1939) where he led a bloc of progressive Democrats who supported Roosevelt and the New Deal and even sought to push them to the left. In 1935 the Washington Herald labeled this posse of liberals “The Mavericks.”Today, the Maverick family wants to take back their name that has been hijacked by the McCain campaign.
On the website RealOriginalMaverick.com Maury Maverick's granddaughter Fontaine Maverick is quoted as saying the following:
It didn't bother us when Ford Motor Company used the Maverick family name for their new car. We didn't care that Tom Cruise's character in Top Gun was named Maverick, and we were amused when Madonna used our name for her record label. It is part of the American vernacular. But when McCain and the media placed it in a political context, using the maverick label as the centerpiece of his presidential campaign, each and every member of this family was appalled. We continue to be.
Maury Maverick was part of FDR's New Deal administration, which came into power in 1932 in time to literally save this country from the Great Depression with bold innovations and bold moves. John McCain has voted with Bush administration 90 percent of the time. It is this administration, and these Republicans, who are mostly responsible for bringing this country to it's knees with its foreign policy and it's economic policy. McCain is the antithesis of what we need to pull us out of this terrible situation.
I find it really interesting that the word McCain and Palin choose to use to describe themselves so frequently has its origins from a liberal Democrat whose descendants are not happy at all by a Republican's use of their family name.
As supporters of the Democratic candidate Barack Obama, whose values are much closer to their family tradition, members of the Texas family oppose the co-opting of their name to promote the current Republican Presidential ticket.
During the first two debates alone, John McCain and Sarah Palin used the word "maverick" 17 times. So, the next time you hear McCain or Palin use that word to describe themselves, remember where it came from and how the original Maverick family feels about their use of the term.
Friday, October 3, 2008
How about some specifics Governor Palin?
OK, I couldn't resist. I had to write a post about he Biden/Palin debate. If you're not into it, scroll down to my previous post for some comedy.
Any thinking person can plainly see that Joe Biden won this debate, and here's why. He had intelligent and informed answers for all the questions with specific details that made sense. It's as simple as that.
Sara Palin had an obvious strategy for this debate: If she didn't know the answer, she went right to a prepared speech. This didn't work in the few interviews she's given so far because the interviewer could ask more follow-ups demanding a specific response and the result of those interviews has been embarrassing. In the debate, Palin mostly spoke in generalities with very few details about McCain's policies. The most glaring example of this was her "answer" about an exit strategy for Iraq. Palin herself has said she'd like to see a clear exit strategy, but apparently she's yet to hear one from McCain because she had no answer and changed the subject.
The surge is not an exit strategy from Iraq Governor Palin! You have no answer because John McCain has NO exit strategy for Iraq. Also, we are NOT down to pre-surge numbers in Iraq. That is a lie.
Biden then gave an excellent response to what Palin said, and he actually answered the question.
Sarah Palin's next response was more of the divisive rhetoric that the Republicans have been using to bully others into following their failed policies for years.
That's right, just like McCain, Sarah Palin thinks that anyone who opposes staying in Iraq indefinitely is a traitor who wants to surrender. It's this kind disgusting talking point that makes me sick, and I can't even believe they think it works on the American people. How stupid do they think we are? Issues like Iraq aren't black-or-white, they're extremely complicated. The surge does not equal the entire war in Iraq - it is just a tactic. There are still plenty of problems there the surge has not addressed at all. The Iraqi government has yet to meet all the political considerations that the surge was suppose to allow them to do. That means the surge hasn't even succeeded - and there's no indication it will work anytime soon.
To all those who are buying into the McCain/Palin bullshit: WE'VE ALREADY WON IN IRAQ! Saddam Hussein is dead, they've elected their own government and we've trained hundreds of thousands of Iraqis to take over their own country's security. There is absolutely no reason for us to stay in Iraq. Who is attacking us there? Iraqis! Every National Intelligence Estimate that's been released shows that Al Qaeda makes up less than 5% of those launching attacks in Iraq. Therefore, Iraq is not the central front of the war on terror - and I don't care if the terrorists have said that it is. (Unlike Palin who brought that point up. Glad to know that you believe what Al Qaeda has to say Sarah!) There is no organized group that can be defeated in Iraq. It is a variety of foreign insurgents and Iraqi people who are tired of the United States controlling their country. Right now the Iraq war is nothing more than an occupation. You can't win an occupation.
So please, stop with the "We're gonna win" and "You want to quit and surrender" nonsense. It only divides our country and it's just plain wrong.
Obama and Biden have the best solution to get out of Iraq responsibly. A timeline for our withdrawal is the only way to put enough pressure on the Iraqi government to have them complete the political reconciliations and take over their own country's security. After two debates I still don't know what John McCain's plan for an exit strategy in Iraq is other than surging forever.
There were many other examples of Palin's inability to answer the questions and the lack of specifics astounded me. Anybody can stand up and say they'll work hard for the people and reform government and win a war but her being unable to give any details of HOW exactly they plan on doing any of that says a whole lot.
People, stop being fooled by slogans and generalities! In these desperate times we need new, detailed ideas from leaders who can express them in an intelligent way. That's exactly what Barack Obama and Joe Biden have done. In both debates so far McCain and Palin have failed to give specifics of how they'll be different than the Bush administration. That's because there are no differences.
Any thinking person can plainly see that Joe Biden won this debate, and here's why. He had intelligent and informed answers for all the questions with specific details that made sense. It's as simple as that.
Sara Palin had an obvious strategy for this debate: If she didn't know the answer, she went right to a prepared speech. This didn't work in the few interviews she's given so far because the interviewer could ask more follow-ups demanding a specific response and the result of those interviews has been embarrassing. In the debate, Palin mostly spoke in generalities with very few details about McCain's policies. The most glaring example of this was her "answer" about an exit strategy for Iraq. Palin herself has said she'd like to see a clear exit strategy, but apparently she's yet to hear one from McCain because she had no answer and changed the subject.
IFILL: You both have sons who are in Iraq or on their way to Iraq. You, Gov. Palin, have said that you would like to see a real clear plan for an exit strategy. What should that be, Governor?
PALIN: I am very thankful that we do have a good plan and the surge and the counterinsurgency strategy in Iraq that has proven to work, I am thankful that that is part of the plan implemented under a great American hero, Gen. Petraeus, and pushed hard by another great American, Sen. John McCain.
I know that the other ticket opposed this surge, in fact, even opposed funding for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Barack Obama voted against funding troops there after promising that he would not do so.
PALIN: And Sen. Biden, I respected you when you called him out on that. You said that his vote was political and you said it would cost lives. And Barack Obama at first said he would not do that. He turned around under political pressure and he voted against funding the troops. We do have a plan for withdrawal. We don't need early withdrawal out of Iraq. We cannot afford to lose there or we're going to be no better off in the war in Afghanistan either. We have got to win in Iraq.
And with the surge that has worked we're now down to pre-surge numbers in Iraq. That's where we can be. We can start putting more troops in Afghanistan as we also work with our NATO allies who are there strengthening us and we need to grow our military. We cannot afford to lose against al Qaeda and the Shia extremists who are still there, still fighting us, but we're getting closer and closer to victory. And it would be a travesty if we quit now in Iraq.
The surge is not an exit strategy from Iraq Governor Palin! You have no answer because John McCain has NO exit strategy for Iraq. Also, we are NOT down to pre-surge numbers in Iraq. That is a lie.
Biden then gave an excellent response to what Palin said, and he actually answered the question.
BIDEN: Gwen, with all due respect, I didn't hear a plan. Barack Obama offered a clear plan. Shift responsibility to Iraqis over the next 16 months. Draw down our combat troops. Ironically the same plan that Maliki, the prime minister of Iraq and George Bush are now negotiating. The only odd man out here, only one left out is John McCain, number one. Number two, with regard to Barack Obama not quote funding the troops, John McCain voted the exact same way. John McCain voted against funding the troops because of an amendment he voted against had a timeline in it to draw down American troops. And John said I'm not going to fund the troops if in fact there's a time line. Barack Obama and I agree fully and completely on one thing. You've got to have a time line to draw down the troops and shift responsibility to the Iraqis.
We're spending $10 billion a month while Iraqis have an $80 billion surplus. Barack says it's time for them to spend their own money and have the 400,000 military we trained for them begin to take their own responsibility and gradually over 16 months, withdrawal. John McCain -- this is a fundamental difference between us, we'll end this war. For John McCain, there's no end in sight to end this war, fundamental difference. We will end this war.
Sarah Palin's next response was more of the divisive rhetoric that the Republicans have been using to bully others into following their failed policies for years.
PALIN: Your plan is a white flag of surrender in Iraq and that is not what our troops need to hear today, that's for sure. And it's not what our nation needs to be able to count on. You guys opposed the surge. The surge worked. Barack Obama still can't admit the surge works.
That's right, just like McCain, Sarah Palin thinks that anyone who opposes staying in Iraq indefinitely is a traitor who wants to surrender. It's this kind disgusting talking point that makes me sick, and I can't even believe they think it works on the American people. How stupid do they think we are? Issues like Iraq aren't black-or-white, they're extremely complicated. The surge does not equal the entire war in Iraq - it is just a tactic. There are still plenty of problems there the surge has not addressed at all. The Iraqi government has yet to meet all the political considerations that the surge was suppose to allow them to do. That means the surge hasn't even succeeded - and there's no indication it will work anytime soon.
To all those who are buying into the McCain/Palin bullshit: WE'VE ALREADY WON IN IRAQ! Saddam Hussein is dead, they've elected their own government and we've trained hundreds of thousands of Iraqis to take over their own country's security. There is absolutely no reason for us to stay in Iraq. Who is attacking us there? Iraqis! Every National Intelligence Estimate that's been released shows that Al Qaeda makes up less than 5% of those launching attacks in Iraq. Therefore, Iraq is not the central front of the war on terror - and I don't care if the terrorists have said that it is. (Unlike Palin who brought that point up. Glad to know that you believe what Al Qaeda has to say Sarah!) There is no organized group that can be defeated in Iraq. It is a variety of foreign insurgents and Iraqi people who are tired of the United States controlling their country. Right now the Iraq war is nothing more than an occupation. You can't win an occupation.
So please, stop with the "We're gonna win" and "You want to quit and surrender" nonsense. It only divides our country and it's just plain wrong.
Obama and Biden have the best solution to get out of Iraq responsibly. A timeline for our withdrawal is the only way to put enough pressure on the Iraqi government to have them complete the political reconciliations and take over their own country's security. After two debates I still don't know what John McCain's plan for an exit strategy in Iraq is other than surging forever.
There were many other examples of Palin's inability to answer the questions and the lack of specifics astounded me. Anybody can stand up and say they'll work hard for the people and reform government and win a war but her being unable to give any details of HOW exactly they plan on doing any of that says a whole lot.
People, stop being fooled by slogans and generalities! In these desperate times we need new, detailed ideas from leaders who can express them in an intelligent way. That's exactly what Barack Obama and Joe Biden have done. In both debates so far McCain and Palin have failed to give specifics of how they'll be different than the Bush administration. That's because there are no differences.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Obama TV Season Lineup
Instead of writing about the bailout bill or the boring Biden/Palin debate (where I think Palin did great if you like nothing but generalities and folksiness) I thought we could all use a few laughs.
The Barack Obama campaign now has their own TV channel on Dish Network. (channel 73)
I'm proud to announce this season's scheduled lineup of award-winning programs featured on Obama TV!
Heroes
Barack and Joe use their super-human intellect to save the world from evil villains who have the ability to ignore reality and unabashedly lie at will.
Lost
McCain and The Others search for Jacob's mysterious cabin where they hope to find an October surprise. Palin finds herself alone in the hatch and can't figure out which button to push.
Desperate Housewives
Sarah regrets her decision to pair up with an older gentleman. Todd covers up for a deadly snow machine accident involving meth and a moose. Track is beaten up in school and wonders why he has such a stupid name.
Entourage
Ari offers Barack a new deal that could take his career to new levels. Joe and Turtle cruise Sunset Blvd and catch Drama campaigning for McCain.
Terminator: The Sarah Palin Chronicles
Sarah must protect Bristol from a virile hockey-playing robot from the future who plans to impregnate her with a Skynet hybrid. Barack and Joe infiltrate RNC headquarters to stop McCain's plans that will inevitably destroy the world.
Family Guy
John forgets which of their 8 houses they're currently living in. Brian professes his love for Sarah who lets him hump her leg. Stewie battles Trig. Quagmire moves in with the McCains and tries to get lucky with Bridget.
Project White House
Barack creates a one-of-a-kind health care package that wows his peers. John complains of bias when Tim Gunn disses his tax plan. Joe and Sarah get into an argument over whether dinosaurs and people existed simultaneously. One candidate is eliminated when it is learned they are a consistent liar who can't form a cohesive sentence.
The Big Bang Theory
"Pilot" Brilliant politicians Barack and Joe are the kind of beautiful minds that understand how the world works. But none of that genius helps them interact with people, especially women. All this begins to change when a free-spirited beauty named Sarah moves in next door and tempts them with her expert flute playing.
Battlestar Galactica
Capt. McCain (callsign "Gramps") crashes his Viper six times in a row and ends up in a Cylon prisoner of war camp where he admits he will indeed be more of the same. Meanwhile, an unprepared Sara Palin is sworn in as President and immediately jumps the fleet into a nearby star.
SpongeJohn SquarePants
SpongeJohn meets a squirrel named Sarah, who breathes air and doesn't believe in evolution. SpongeJohn and Squidward argue over a comprehensive solution to the economic crisis.
As you can tell, I'm a big TV geek and Obama fan. Feel free to add your own Obama TV shows in comments!
The Barack Obama campaign now has their own TV channel on Dish Network. (channel 73)
I'm proud to announce this season's scheduled lineup of award-winning programs featured on Obama TV!
Heroes
Barack and Joe use their super-human intellect to save the world from evil villains who have the ability to ignore reality and unabashedly lie at will.
Lost
McCain and The Others search for Jacob's mysterious cabin where they hope to find an October surprise. Palin finds herself alone in the hatch and can't figure out which button to push.
Desperate Housewives
Sarah regrets her decision to pair up with an older gentleman. Todd covers up for a deadly snow machine accident involving meth and a moose. Track is beaten up in school and wonders why he has such a stupid name.
Entourage
Ari offers Barack a new deal that could take his career to new levels. Joe and Turtle cruise Sunset Blvd and catch Drama campaigning for McCain.
Terminator: The Sarah Palin Chronicles
Sarah must protect Bristol from a virile hockey-playing robot from the future who plans to impregnate her with a Skynet hybrid. Barack and Joe infiltrate RNC headquarters to stop McCain's plans that will inevitably destroy the world.
Family Guy
John forgets which of their 8 houses they're currently living in. Brian professes his love for Sarah who lets him hump her leg. Stewie battles Trig. Quagmire moves in with the McCains and tries to get lucky with Bridget.
Project White House
Barack creates a one-of-a-kind health care package that wows his peers. John complains of bias when Tim Gunn disses his tax plan. Joe and Sarah get into an argument over whether dinosaurs and people existed simultaneously. One candidate is eliminated when it is learned they are a consistent liar who can't form a cohesive sentence.
The Big Bang Theory
"Pilot" Brilliant politicians Barack and Joe are the kind of beautiful minds that understand how the world works. But none of that genius helps them interact with people, especially women. All this begins to change when a free-spirited beauty named Sarah moves in next door and tempts them with her expert flute playing.
Battlestar Galactica
Capt. McCain (callsign "Gramps") crashes his Viper six times in a row and ends up in a Cylon prisoner of war camp where he admits he will indeed be more of the same. Meanwhile, an unprepared Sara Palin is sworn in as President and immediately jumps the fleet into a nearby star.
SpongeJohn SquarePants
SpongeJohn meets a squirrel named Sarah, who breathes air and doesn't believe in evolution. SpongeJohn and Squidward argue over a comprehensive solution to the economic crisis.
As you can tell, I'm a big TV geek and Obama fan. Feel free to add your own Obama TV shows in comments!
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