Friday, September 26, 2008

McCain Voters, I Have to Say....

In the course of my election blogging I have tried not to be sophomoric or crass in my approach to express my opinion. However, I believe I may have let my tact override what I really want to say and based on the events that occurred yesterday, I'm afraid I can no longer hold it in.

This will be the only sophomoric statement in my note I promise. (Sarcastic wit does not count): People who STILL plan on voting for McCain; even after all of this, are either racist, blind & deaf(symbolically), fundamental nutcases, or just plain idiots. Now I'm all for freedom of speech and expressing your opinion but Jesus Christ have you been paying attention?

I'm sure that statement may have offended those of you who are considering the Arizona senator and so I apologize but trust that I will make my points sound and logical by the end of this note. Furthermore, if you're going to vote for McCain regardless, why do you care what I think?

Let's start with the fundamentals, after reading both candidates' plans and stances on the issues, I found McCain's to be lacking quality and depth for that matter. What Obama spelled out in a 33 page booklet [Obama's blueprint for change] McCain left to one paragraph per topic, or worse a few sentences that said more about his "personality" than any actual plan.

McCain's record has clearly supported corporations over people. No, I didn't get this information off Obama's web site or any other "liberal" news station. How your congressmen vote on any proposed bill is public record. We are a democracy, which means we have the power to hold our representatives accountable. You wouldn't let your attorney plead guilty for you if you wanted to plead non-guilty. But I digress, McCain has voted against equal pay for equal work, the quote he made about women needing more education and training is true, he's supported tax cuts to big companies, including Big Oil, he's against Roe v. Wade and thinks the constitution should be interpreted exactly as it was written (in the 18th century); his words from his mouth.

McCain opposes hate crime legislation that would protect women and LGBT citizens in the workplace, housing market, and on the street. Now I don't care if you think gays are going to hell because God sent you a memo saying so; no one deserves to be mistreated or beaten and tortured for who they are, no exceptions! The Matthew Shepard Act and the Employee Non-Discrimination Act would be a big step for marginalized people in this country and it's a shame that people let their religious beliefs trump their humanity.

McCain opposes a woman's right to choose, his running mate is even so staunch to oppose it in cases of rape & incest. Again, this is a big issue to a lot of folks but let's lay out the one fact coming from either decision: Women who want an abortion will find a way to get it, legal or illegal. Now, the fact that the law itself even has to be drawn out on the books is sad but I won't take up too much time debating. I'll just say, until we make it illegal for post-pubescent men to walk around without a permanent condom on, we cannot seriously consider punishing only half of the equation.

McCain has a record of making rash decisions, (Ahem, Sarah Palin, etc.) lying and backing it up with more lies, running a sleazy campaign with false, defaming ads and avoiding speaking about policy. If you haven't been paying attention he's trying to duck out of the debate tonight. It's not because there's an economic explosion/crisis (another lie) because he was fine with schmoozing and partying while the levees were breaking in New Orleans. In fact, the whole dog & pony show yesterday was a pathetic attempt at trying to make himself look good; which brings me to my next point.

In the past few weeks, John McCain has made moves ONLY to advance his political career. Country First has become Campaign First. Why do you think he showed up to that theatrical meeting yesterday with a campaign adviser? Obama came with a legislator, you know, those folks who make laws. So who was trying to advance his political career? Likewise, do you really think McCain picked Palin because he honestly thinks she is qualified to run? She's less "informed" than Bush (which is a nice way of saying she's ignorant). Laura Bush even said she had little experience but was a "quick learner". You wouldn't want a first year, or shall I say 18 month, med-student performing your brain surgery, why would you want someone running our country who needs practice?

With regards to this economic "snafu" (which is a nice way of saying ‘there goes my retirement’) McCain has tried his best to look like the hero who's saving us all; when in reality, his haste back to Washington and the alleged suspension of his campaign was stalled by not one but two speaking engagements in NY. He dissed Dave Letterman because he just "had to get back to Washington" but then did a Katie Couric interview at the same network, at the same time! McCain is not even on the committee responsible for re-doing the ridiculous 2 1/2 page proposal. In fact, until yesterday he hadn't even read it, furthermore, congress mentioned repeatedly that they did not need either of the candidates to reach a decision. The Bush photo-op yesterday actually hindered progress on the bill.

So what do you do when you're losing a match? You dance around the ring, you avoid hits and attack below the belt. I love how the Maverick's campaign suddenly had to come to a screeching halt (which it really didn't) once he started sliding in the polls. You really have to be completely naive if you don't see what he's doing. He’s already lying to you and he’s not even in office yet! Even “Fox Noise” is calling him out. Fox, his own propaganda machine, even thinks these Hail Mary passes are becoming a bit pathetic.

So, to you John McCain voters, if you're not convinced now that McCain has only McCain in mind and not you, just stay home on November 4th. Seriously though, this election is too important to stake on your ignorance.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

History Repeats to the Tune of $700 Billion

Friends and Family,

I'm sure if you've even remotely had your eyes open the past week or so you have witnessed our drastically failing economy. Now Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson wants us, the taxpayers, to write a blank check to give to Wall Street and Congress is actually considering it. What starts as $700 Billion dollars, which is already a huge chunk out of our pockets, can increase at any time according to the proposed bill. What makes matters worse, the bill calls for virtually no system of accountability, no checks and balances; we are just supposed to sign our livelihoods away to one guy and pray he doesn't screw up. I will note quickly that Paulson, we a significant part in why our economy is failing as badly as it is today. As CEO of Goldman Sachs, Paulson helped squander the once-firm economy even before he took office in Bush's cabinet.

I never thought I would see the day that capital interests came before human rights, but any of you who are familiar with the World Trade Organization know that day is already here. Implementing this bill as-is would be like burning our constitution. Paulson would have complete say over where the money, our money, is spent and cannot be held accountable for it.

So why say history is repeating itself? Let's time travel back to the Roman Empire, one of the greatest, if not the greatest, world power of it's time. What did Rome do when they got into trouble? They gave all the power to one man, Ceasar (a lot less friendly than the salad) and told him simply, "fix it". What happened? Rome fell.

Now for those of you who were skeptical about a mayor of a town of 9,000 potentially running a country, your hair has to be on fire about some CEO of a stock company that has already messed up big-time. Paulson will literally have no one to answer to, which means his decisions, trump our needs, everyone's needs. If you have an ounce of entitlement in your soul, please stand up to this proposed tyranny. We cannot afford to spend our money making the rich, richer while we're struggling to fill our gas tanks up.

Speaking of gas, did you know that yesterday Shell Oil opened an office in Bagdad, Iraq? It's been nearly fourty years since Iraq has allowed foreign oil companies into their lands. Now all of a sudden theyu're beginning to pop up. Does that raise some concerns for you? It should. Even scarier, the prime minister of Iraq says "they [the Bush administration] asked for a change in date (it would hve been 2010) due to political circumstances related to the domestic situation in the US." This quote was taken from the government's own public website www.opensource.gov. So for all of you who have been paying attention, let's see how many US oil companies pop up between 2010 and 2011; while our brave soldiers die and leave their familes with little to nothing, the oil companies have Christmas year-round.

Please let congress know that you do not support selling your freedom and soverignty to Big Oil. Start by telling them you want some accountability, start by telling them NO to the $700 Billion Bailout. Follow this link: http://ga3.org/campaign/congress_no_blank_check?rk=B7rG527qVZhPE to write your congressmen!

DO SOMETHING!

"A man who knows not his rights, has none."

Monday, September 15, 2008

Dr. McJekyl & Mrs. Palin

Before yesterday I was unsure that the republicans could get any uglier but I was sadly proven wrong. Gov. Palin's attempt to rally her troops at the convention also served as a big "Up Yours" to the rest of the American public. It was almost unbearable to watch; sure it was a good speech, but I hear so were Hitler's. At no point did she discuss policy, action, or plans; except, of course, in erroneously bashing Obama's policies.

What bothered me most was not her hypocrisy, which I'll speak on later, but her blatant alienation of everyone who has ever worked for change in our country. Hey Palin, those "community organizers" you so foolishly mocked last night are the only reason you're even standing there! Correct me if I'm wrong but "community activism" or rather the solidarity of the American people has been the cornerstone of nearly every major movement in this country! Let's list some shall we:

1. The Abolitionist Movement - Ended Slavery, Helped Establish 14th Amendment
2. The Suffrage Movement - Voting Rights for Women, otherwise Palin would still be her husband's property
3. The Civil Rights Movement - Yeah Palin Martin Luther King was a "silly community organizer" too right?
4. The Black Panther Party - Fed more children in 10 months than the government did in 10 years
5. Unions - Were formed by working "community organizers"
6. Planned Parenthood - Could have probably given your daughter some birth control
7. The Obama Camp - a nation full of "community organizers" you just insulted, and we're gonna make you pay for it at the ballot box!

How dare your party criticize Obama for being an elitist and, in the same breath, look down upon the pioneers of this great nation! This is just the start of your long list of hypocrisy.

You get on the news and say, keeping the baby was my daughter's decision and the people/media should respect it, yet you're running a campaign that lets the government take the decision from other women, other families, even in the case of rape on incest. Moms with young daughters have to know what's at stake. When, yes I said when, your daughter decides to have sex will she have access to birth control? Or will you have to come out of pocket to pay for them because the federal government doesn't require insurance companies to pay for it? Or will you have to drive half-way across town because the clerk at your local pharmacy reserves his religious right not to fill your prescription? With no sex education will your daughter even know the risks of NOT practicing safe sex?

You bash Obama's experience, he's been running a campaign longer than you're been governor! You tear yourself away from the "Boys in Washington" but you have them introduce you, defend you, and speak about how great you'll be. You call Hillary a whiner and in the same breath invoke her great accomplishments as a stepping stone in your career. You spew lies and make generalizations about Obama's policies while never documenting any of your own, or McCain's for that matter.

You, Madam Governor, are a hypocrite, a liar, and an elitist. Go ahead, keep making fun of the community organizers, we'll organize to call you out on your lies. Keep preaching your "sexism" defense when they ask you about your pastor who said the war on terror was God's revenge against the Jews because they did not accept Christ. I bet Fox News won't bring that up. Furthermore, I don't know what they teach out there in Alaska but Jesus Christ was a JEW! Christianity is a religion formed from his teachings so Jesus himself could not have been a Christian. No, Obama's name isn't on any bill in Congress, he was too busy trying to bridge the divide your party created. Go ahead and make fun of his momentous and historical speech last Thursday, more people will be watching NFL football than your candidate; the football game will probably have more substance. People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones; that goes the same for igloos!

It's not about Obama, as he himself so fervently put it, it's about the American people; the "community organizers" who got sprayed with water hoses, beaten, raped, murdered, bitten by dogs and criminalized so that you, Governor Palin, don't have to. You can just ride your high horse on the stage and dismiss everyone else. You might believe in Jesus but you aren't anyone’s savior.

It is ever more important now for us to rise up; show Palin and McCain that community organizers can and will win elections. Friends, tap your neighbors, your family; register them to vote! Explain to them why Obama is the representation of America's future and let's make the next 61 days count! Perhaps on November 5th, when we're declaring the first Black President of the United States, they'll take us seriously.

DO Something!

Global Warming or God's Mid-Life Crisis?

So I don't come off like an "Angry Leftist" as W so quaintly referred to us, I've decided to simply point out the fallacies of the McCain/Palin ticket with regards to policy. Global warming is such a hot button issue now because of the rising gas prices and melting ice caps and all that. Palin, who lives in ice-world, thinks global warming is simply a myth that the Left is manufacturing to thwart the billion dollar oil companies from making more money. Did none of these people pay attention in science class? (Bush is excused because in order to learn science you first have to be able to read the textbook) But the rest of these yahoos think this is just some natural act of God. Now regardless of your religious beliefs I think we can all agree that animals, as large as McCain's ego, once roamed the earth; either that or the Smithsonian is just really good at making a fake T-Rex. Furthermore, logic should tell you that there is significantly more pollution being produced on our planet than there was, say 100 years ago. I agree that there are natural events that influence the warming and cooling of the earth's surface, but I also know that if I fill my bathroom with hairspray and light a match I might be in some trouble.

And why would I even entertain the idea that someone from Big Oil Country would care about the environment? If I wanted to make a personal quip, I would probably mention the hypocrisy of Palin's whole outlook, how someone who opposes abortion is pro-hunting, but thank God I don't make those. I mean, if your idea of a fun Saturday morning is killing baby deer before protesting at an abortion clinic on Sunday then whatever floats your boat. Although the idea of taking life for sport offends me I'm going to let that discussion fall to another note, I digress...

The whole climate crisis that the Right tries to make a myth (maybe the gays are doing it with all their hot evil sex) is something we're going to regret in the long run. Both Palin and McCain have opposed environmental protection measures several times and since Big Oil is one of their campaign's biggest "gift-ers" I don't think they'll be changing their mind anytime soon. So, Jim Bob, keep driving your 2-ton diesel truck and burning all your trash and when your house gets berated by yet another Cat 5 hurricane, blame the Left for not praying hard enough!

Sarah Palin Experience, More Like SimCity

The population in Alaska according to the US Census Bureau 2007 tally is 683,478. The population of Rhode Island is 1,057,832; have you heard of a man named Donald Carcieri? He's the governor of Rhode Island, and he's a republican. The only thing I know about him is that he's not a woman, which is less than I know about Sarah Palin thanks to recent news. Our governor in Maryland, Martin O'Malley, effectively governs 5,618,344 people, Alaska's population is just 12% of the population in MD, just 8% of the population in New York City. They didn't want Mayor Rudy Guliani, why would we want Palin? Just think, if McCain dies, which is about as likely as a rain storm in Seattle, a person who's had the experience of governing 600 thousand people, will now have the responsibility for governing 305 million!

Now let's talk about Palin's radical policies, she is fanatically anti-choice. Her 17 year old daughter, Bristol, is five months pregnant. She will keep the baby and marry the father. Palin is noted as saying: "Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family." That's great Palin, a perfect example of why Roe v. Wade should be overturned right? What about all the girls out there who are getting pregnant at 17 and younger and don't have the luxury of a "soccer-mom". What about their children? What kind of life are they going to get, foster-care, group homes, projects, bad schools, poor nutrition, crime, poverty; gee every American must be as well off as you. Oh that's right, the cost of living in Alaska is about that of Arkansas, where you can buy a 5 bedroom house for $110,000.

Furthermore, what kind of life is your daughter going to have, a baby raising a baby, I'm 22 and I don't even want to babysit. Her life is over, anything she could have done as a single, young adult, won't happen. And why was your 17 year old not practicing safe-sex? Oh that's right, condoms are a form of abortion right? What the hell is wrong with you? Let me tell you all something, I believe that life is started at conception, but if I were 17, and got pregnant, best believe I would have an abortion. It would not be an easy decision and would most certainly be one that stayed with me the rest of my life. But at 17, I am in no shape to take care of a child. Now I would accept full responsibility for having unprotected sex with some guy (sorry had to gag for a min) but I would not further my irresponsible act by putting another life through something that's my fault. That's the reality of the situation, people try to make abortion so plain and simple but things aren't as black and white as they are in Alaska, or should I say dawn and dusk.

So what does Sarah Palin have to offer the US? Check out the population statistics in AK, http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/02000.html, it's about as demographically homogeneous as my old college, in Orange County. What could she possibly know about the hardships people in DC face, how about in New Orleans where people are still in FEMA trailers after 3 years? How about the south-side of Chicago?

What about Roe v. Wade, a bill she is so fanatically against? Roe v. Wade protected the right to privacy and was a major precedent in Lawrence v. Texas, the ruling banning sodomy laws on state books. If they rule that the government can have control over a woman's body, do you think they'll stop there? It will only be a matter of time before they're shutting down GLBT Alliance groups, and putting sodomy laws back on the books. Most of you think anti-miscegenation or anti-interracial marriage was taken off the books long ago, reality check, it was just passed in 1993. You think there's still not places where they try to bend the laws to criminalize interracial relationships? Have you been watching the news? You think it will stop there? Do you think that the Employee non-discrimination act will be passed with McCain's conservative Supreme court appointments? What about the Matthew Shepard act? Will we look at hate crimes now as simple assaults? Now this may sound like the same fear-mongering that the Republicans use but this is all logical conclusions drawn directly from the republican playbook.

Bottom line, I could run a town of 9,000; that doesn't mean I'm ready to run a country or for that matter understand all the dynamics of the great mixing bowl. We need a president who is for the people, all the people, and not just the ones you go to church with on Sunday.