Only one week until election day. In the meantime I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. A recheck for my recent surgery (see my other blog.)Tomorrow is also the fifteenth anniversary of the first date that Jen and I went on. That was all thanks to a personal ad I placed in The Stranger. We're suffering from a dearth of babysitters lately, so our plan is to have dinner at Marie Callender's with Justin in tow. Once he goes to bed we'll curl up and watch a movie at home. Ah domesticity! On Monday I have jury duty, which usually wouldn't stress me out, but I have to be in Kent at 8 a.m. and that part feeds my anxiety. Other than the drive I'm sure I'll get a lot of reading done while I'm simultaneously fulfilling my civic duty. Tuesday is the much awaited Election Day and I'm thinking that will be an all-nighter. On Wednesday I have a dentist appointment (cavity to be filled) and a doctor's appointment to check my blood pressure and whether my new medication is having the desired effect.
Today the AP published tips for relieving stress about the upcoming election. A little late aren't they? With one week to go I don't see how changing my eating habits at this point will lessen my pre-election anxiety. I have managed to refrain from talking to my parents about political issues lately and that's a big help. Otherwise I'm in the nearing the end of a really good book (José Saramago's Blindness) and I'm getting as much rest as I can to deal with the residual pain from my recent surgery. The pain of Obama losing the election on Tuesday may be a little more difficult to deal with.
And now an important message from BarackObama.com
h/t aarynbelfer.com
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Pathetic Little Man
Oh jeez! Two weeks until election day and the Repugs just keep getting uglier and uglier. Thanks to Michelle Bachmann, a representative from Minnesota, who proposed that the media start investigating congress to sort the pro-American from the anti-Americans, Elwyn Tinklenberg, her previously unknown opponent, has now raised more than a quarter of a million dollars since her appearance on Hardball last Friday. Then I believe it was Saturday when Nancy Puff'n'Huff stated that the Democrats situated in Northern Virginia didn't represent "real Virginia." Today it was Mel Martinez of Florida comparing Obama's tax plan to Castro's Cuba, virtually calling Obama a Communist. It's disgusting and insulting to state that if you disagree with the Republican mindset than you must be anti-American. Look at the smears that have been hurled at Colin Powell since he endorsed Barack Obama on Meet the Press. Rush Limbaugh, Pat Buchanan, and George Will have all claimed that the endorsement was all about race. So I guess when McCain claims that he wants to reach across party lines and unite the country he's talking out his old wrinkly ass. Speaking of asses: Here is John McCain today trying so hard to be righteous and just looking downright foolish.
Even after he pries his expensively clad foot from his mouth the crowd still manages to cheer. What a sad, pathetic little man.
Even after he pries his expensively clad foot from his mouth the crowd still manages to cheer. What a sad, pathetic little man.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Colin Powell's Endorsement
I am not a fan of Colin Powell. His stature helped legitimize Bush's false claims of WMD's in Iraq, and the subsequent invasion that has taken thousands of lives. It has been rumored for quite some time now that he would endorse Barack Obama for president and the moment came today on NBC's Meet the Press. I may not agree with Powell's overall politics, but his endorsement this morning nailed it right on the head, even covering the injection of fear and anti-Muslim sentiment that has been stirred up by McCain and his cohorts. Here is his endorsement:
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Campaign of Hatred
There are less than three weeks until the presidential election on November 4th. If McCain ever was an honorable man he is no longer. I find myself thinking, With a blond trophy wife worth $300 million, why is he so persistent in his desire for the presidency? Well, I think the keyword is ambition. He admitted it himself in one of his memoirs. He calls himself a “maverick,” because he has sometimes opposed those in his own party, but the truth of the matter is: that opposition has only come when it was politically advantageous to McCain. He brags about the fact that Sarah Palin ran against an incumbent from her own party to become the governor of Alaska, but if your ambition is to become governor of Alaska then it makes sense to challenge anyone who gets in your way. Now it seems that the same ethics violations that she charged the incumbent with, she herself has been practicing as governor. The same holds true for McCain. All of the smear tactics and attacks below the belt attacks that he denounced in the 2000 campaign for the presidency — for the most part orchestrated by Karl Rove — are now being used to the utmost by the McCain campaign.
I’m a little tired of pundits like Chris Matthews, saying that he basically believes that McCain is a decent and honorable man being swayed by a horribly managed campaign staff. There’s a reason that candidates must state they approve all messages run by their campaign. Is he asleep at the wheel? I doubt it. Just witness his direct answers about the recent use of the 60’s radical Bill Ayers, or the accusation that ACORN (The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) is trying to destroy the “fabric of our democracy.” He actually states with a straight face that these are serious issues that have to be explained by Barack Obama. And even when Barack Obama explains whatever tenuous ties there may be he still isn’t believed, because that wouldn’t serve the purpose of the smear campaign against him. The desperate tactics of McCain would be pathetic and laughable if there still wasn’t a sizable population of ignorant voters (like my parents), who believe whatever right wing propaganda that they are fed.
As Obama’s lead in the polls widens the ugly displays of racism and downright stupidity by McCain and his supporters seems to be increasing at a rapid pace. These folks are sore losers and the votes haven’t even been counted yet. The whole ACORN thing is such a non controversy. As if anyone is going to show up at the polls on Nov. 4th, claiming to be Mickey Mouse. This isn’t voter fraud. It’s voter registration fraud. Lackadaisical people independently hired by ACORN to register voters sometimes fill in fictional names themselves, because they get paid based on the number of voters they register. There is not anyone with those fictional identities to show up and vote. Now it seems that the Justice department, which has been highly politicized by the Bush administration, may have been working with McCain to press this non issue in order to stir up doubt and fear among voters. These power hungry Republicans will stoop to subterranean depths to hold onto their power.
Last week John McCain appeared on David Letterman’s show in an attempt at mea culpa for his last minute cancellation amidst the economic meltdown a few weeks back. He claimed to Dave that he had to rush back to Washington to try and help sort out the crisis on Wall Street, but instead he took the time to appear on television with Katie Couric. Plus the next morning he appeared at some Global Initiative conference run by Bill Clinton. Obviously he wasn’t in much of a rush. When he appeared on Letterman last Thursday Dave asked what happened, and his response was “I screwed up.” I’d say. He also screwed up when he decided to run the most dishonest and negative campaign in recent memory. He also screwed up when he picked a dim-witted former beauty contestant to be his running mate. If anything will be written about as being his ultimate downfall this election season it will be his pick of Sarah Palin. It shows a severe lack of judgment and a willingness to cater to one particular brand of Republican (right wing evangelical wackos) in an effort to “shore up the base.” McCain used to take pride in appealing to independents and even some right leaning Democrats, but by caving into the interests of the extreme right he wrote off a sizable chunk of voters. Probably enough to ensure his loss this November.
One thing I’m sure of is that Sarah Palin will come out of this alright. She may currently be ridiculed on the national level of politics and her career as governor of Alaska may be ending soon; but she will have a career as a paid speaker, making the circuit of the right wing think tanks and the venues of toxic Christianity. Leaders of right wing propaganda have put her on a rickety pedestal and revealed their hypocrisy for all to see. They accuse the “liberal media” of sexism, while they rate her attractiveness as one of her greatest assets. They tout her nomination as a triumph for women, while she is against abortion even in the cases of rape or incest. She even had the gall to institute legislation to force victims of rape to pay for their own evidence kits, while serving as mayor of Wasilla. The fact that John McCain mentions her participation in the PTA as one of her qualifications to be vice president is ridiculous.
I could go on and on, but there are only 16 days left until the election and I need to control my stress level. I was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure and prescribed some unpronounceable medication to treat it. This coming Wednesday I have surgery scheduled (I’m finally getting that much lauded “soul enhancement” operation.) On the bright side: I may be in a Vicodin haze for a couple of days, in which case I probably won’t give a shit about the latest antics by McCain’s campaign of hatred. I’ve been to the doctor more in the past two months than I had in the previous decade. I guess it’s all part of aging. I’ll be fifty in less than three years and I feel like my warranty in running out. A win by Barack Obama would be a big boost to my morale, and may even put a little skip in my step. I’ll continue to watch Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow over the next few weeks; and I’ll keep reading my favorite political blogs on a daily basis; but I will not let the hatred being fueled by the desperation of a faltering Republican party darken my skies.
Here are a couple of videos that give me hope and inspiration in my hour of need:
Thanks to Bob Cesca for putting together the bottom video, and for having a blog that I feel compelled to check at least a half dozen times a day.
I’m a little tired of pundits like Chris Matthews, saying that he basically believes that McCain is a decent and honorable man being swayed by a horribly managed campaign staff. There’s a reason that candidates must state they approve all messages run by their campaign. Is he asleep at the wheel? I doubt it. Just witness his direct answers about the recent use of the 60’s radical Bill Ayers, or the accusation that ACORN (The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) is trying to destroy the “fabric of our democracy.” He actually states with a straight face that these are serious issues that have to be explained by Barack Obama. And even when Barack Obama explains whatever tenuous ties there may be he still isn’t believed, because that wouldn’t serve the purpose of the smear campaign against him. The desperate tactics of McCain would be pathetic and laughable if there still wasn’t a sizable population of ignorant voters (like my parents), who believe whatever right wing propaganda that they are fed.
As Obama’s lead in the polls widens the ugly displays of racism and downright stupidity by McCain and his supporters seems to be increasing at a rapid pace. These folks are sore losers and the votes haven’t even been counted yet. The whole ACORN thing is such a non controversy. As if anyone is going to show up at the polls on Nov. 4th, claiming to be Mickey Mouse. This isn’t voter fraud. It’s voter registration fraud. Lackadaisical people independently hired by ACORN to register voters sometimes fill in fictional names themselves, because they get paid based on the number of voters they register. There is not anyone with those fictional identities to show up and vote. Now it seems that the Justice department, which has been highly politicized by the Bush administration, may have been working with McCain to press this non issue in order to stir up doubt and fear among voters. These power hungry Republicans will stoop to subterranean depths to hold onto their power.
Last week John McCain appeared on David Letterman’s show in an attempt at mea culpa for his last minute cancellation amidst the economic meltdown a few weeks back. He claimed to Dave that he had to rush back to Washington to try and help sort out the crisis on Wall Street, but instead he took the time to appear on television with Katie Couric. Plus the next morning he appeared at some Global Initiative conference run by Bill Clinton. Obviously he wasn’t in much of a rush. When he appeared on Letterman last Thursday Dave asked what happened, and his response was “I screwed up.” I’d say. He also screwed up when he decided to run the most dishonest and negative campaign in recent memory. He also screwed up when he picked a dim-witted former beauty contestant to be his running mate. If anything will be written about as being his ultimate downfall this election season it will be his pick of Sarah Palin. It shows a severe lack of judgment and a willingness to cater to one particular brand of Republican (right wing evangelical wackos) in an effort to “shore up the base.” McCain used to take pride in appealing to independents and even some right leaning Democrats, but by caving into the interests of the extreme right he wrote off a sizable chunk of voters. Probably enough to ensure his loss this November.
One thing I’m sure of is that Sarah Palin will come out of this alright. She may currently be ridiculed on the national level of politics and her career as governor of Alaska may be ending soon; but she will have a career as a paid speaker, making the circuit of the right wing think tanks and the venues of toxic Christianity. Leaders of right wing propaganda have put her on a rickety pedestal and revealed their hypocrisy for all to see. They accuse the “liberal media” of sexism, while they rate her attractiveness as one of her greatest assets. They tout her nomination as a triumph for women, while she is against abortion even in the cases of rape or incest. She even had the gall to institute legislation to force victims of rape to pay for their own evidence kits, while serving as mayor of Wasilla. The fact that John McCain mentions her participation in the PTA as one of her qualifications to be vice president is ridiculous.
I could go on and on, but there are only 16 days left until the election and I need to control my stress level. I was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure and prescribed some unpronounceable medication to treat it. This coming Wednesday I have surgery scheduled (I’m finally getting that much lauded “soul enhancement” operation.) On the bright side: I may be in a Vicodin haze for a couple of days, in which case I probably won’t give a shit about the latest antics by McCain’s campaign of hatred. I’ve been to the doctor more in the past two months than I had in the previous decade. I guess it’s all part of aging. I’ll be fifty in less than three years and I feel like my warranty in running out. A win by Barack Obama would be a big boost to my morale, and may even put a little skip in my step. I’ll continue to watch Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow over the next few weeks; and I’ll keep reading my favorite political blogs on a daily basis; but I will not let the hatred being fueled by the desperation of a faltering Republican party darken my skies.
Here are a couple of videos that give me hope and inspiration in my hour of need:
Thanks to Bob Cesca for putting together the bottom video, and for having a blog that I feel compelled to check at least a half dozen times a day.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Daily Show Laughs
I used to watch the Daily Show quite regularly -- almost daily -- but these days I tend to catch the important bits online. Recently I caught the episode with Michelle Obama as the guest and it had one of the funniest moments I've seen in a long time. Stewart does a long bit about the second presidential debate, but the part I guffawed at is when McCain is shown wandering the stage and we get to hear what he is mumbling through the "isolated microphone." If you don't feel like watching the entire clip, the part I'm referring to happens right around 7:25.
Monday, October 13, 2008
A Righteous Moment
Ever since I put my "Obama for President" sign in my front yard I have been a little paranoid that someone would steal it, but -- as the saying goes -- just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that someone is not out to get you. Last week, while I was feeding my son lunch, I saw a battered mini-van drive north by my house and the drive immediately slowed and craned his neck to peer back towards my driveway. I immediately thought, "He's coveting my Obama sign." He turned around and pulled up just between our house and our neighbor to the south. I surreptitiously stepped outside and stood by our cars just about six feet from the campaign sign. The battered mini-van was spattered with gray primer and Seahawks stickers. The driver got out and walked over to end of my driveway and the second that his hands grasped the sides of Obama sign I exclaimed "Don't take that sign!" He popped his head up with its rooster like coif and wrap-around shades, obviously surprised at my presence. He tried to quickly regain his composure and asked, "Oh, are these easy to get?" I replied, "I don't know, but don't take that one." He slinked back towards his mini-van and I called after him, "We watch out for our neighbors around here." I didn't picture him as an embittered Republican looking to take out the oppositions campaign signs. He had the demeanor of a druggie looking to sell the sign for a few bucks. His vehicle wasn't sporting any McCain, or even Dino Rossi stickers, just football fan proclamations. I went back inside our house to give my son some company while he finished his lunch, and to brag about my little victory. My righteous moment for the day.
* * *
Republican hypocrites love to label liberals as wussies and wimps unable to understand the inherent dangers in the world, but, speaking for myself, I'm a veteran and I own guns. I also think that right wingers with the loudest exhortations about the necessity of war should be the first ones drafted. No more lame excuses like having a boil on your ass preventing you from serving in the military (hello Rush Limbaugh.) No more daddies procuring cushy stateside posts for you, while your classmates volunteer for active duty (hello George W. Bush.) The list of right wing chicken hawks that send working class Americans to their death in foreign lands, but have managed to avoid service themselves, is nearly endless (Dick Cheney, Newt Gingrich, Fred Thompson, Mitt Romney, Rudy "9/11" Giuliani...) Somehow the Republicans have always managed to paint veterans on the left (Michael Dukakis, John Kerry) as wimps. If there really was a hell there would be a very hot room reserved for these hypocritical cowards in the Republican party, but since there is not a righteous god to sort out the wheat from the chaff, it's up to conscientious citizens to hold them responsible for their lies and the harm those lies have caused.
This election the Republicans have actually nominated a real veteran and former POW, but he doesn't have a very good record of supporting the troops on veteran's issues. McCain gets a D rating from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, while Barack Obama gets a B. The Disabled Veterans of America gave John McCain a 20 percent rating, while Barack Obama earned 86 percent. The most glaring recent example of McCain's non support was last year when he verbally opposed the recent G.I. Bill to stay in agreement with the Bush Administration. The when the bill was brought to the senate floor he did not even have the balls to show up. Instead he was at a fund-raiser in San Diego.
Republican hypocrites love to label liberals as wussies and wimps unable to understand the inherent dangers in the world, but, speaking for myself, I'm a veteran and I own guns. I also think that right wingers with the loudest exhortations about the necessity of war should be the first ones drafted. No more lame excuses like having a boil on your ass preventing you from serving in the military (hello Rush Limbaugh.) No more daddies procuring cushy stateside posts for you, while your classmates volunteer for active duty (hello George W. Bush.) The list of right wing chicken hawks that send working class Americans to their death in foreign lands, but have managed to avoid service themselves, is nearly endless (Dick Cheney, Newt Gingrich, Fred Thompson, Mitt Romney, Rudy "9/11" Giuliani...) Somehow the Republicans have always managed to paint veterans on the left (Michael Dukakis, John Kerry) as wimps. If there really was a hell there would be a very hot room reserved for these hypocritical cowards in the Republican party, but since there is not a righteous god to sort out the wheat from the chaff, it's up to conscientious citizens to hold them responsible for their lies and the harm those lies have caused.This election the Republicans have actually nominated a real veteran and former POW, but he doesn't have a very good record of supporting the troops on veteran's issues. McCain gets a D rating from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, while Barack Obama gets a B. The Disabled Veterans of America gave John McCain a 20 percent rating, while Barack Obama earned 86 percent. The most glaring recent example of McCain's non support was last year when he verbally opposed the recent G.I. Bill to stay in agreement with the Bush Administration. The when the bill was brought to the senate floor he did not even have the balls to show up. Instead he was at a fund-raiser in San Diego.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Video Politics
I don't have time tonight to seriously address the shit storm we are now in the midst of in America, but I wanted to post a couple of videos that I think are important to watch. The first one below is a moving and straightforward speech by the AFL-CIO's Richard Trunka on Racism and Obama.
The next video is the 13 minute documentary about John McCain's involvement in the "Keating Five" scandal produced by the Obama campaign and posted on the site Keating Economics. This is the scandal that Steve Doofy on Fox claims should only be covered on the History Channel, because it's somehow not relevant to our current economic meltdown. The release of this video is an action I would label "fighting fire with fire." If the so-called team of Mavericks want to throw stones they shouldn't live in those (very expensive) glass houses.
The next video is the 13 minute documentary about John McCain's involvement in the "Keating Five" scandal produced by the Obama campaign and posted on the site Keating Economics. This is the scandal that Steve Doofy on Fox claims should only be covered on the History Channel, because it's somehow not relevant to our current economic meltdown. The release of this video is an action I would label "fighting fire with fire." If the so-called team of Mavericks want to throw stones they shouldn't live in those (very expensive) glass houses.
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