I’m leaving for Tyler, Texas tomorrow to work on the get out the vote initiative for the Obama Campaign. I plan on being there through election night March 4th. I’m told I’ll be doing some doorbelling, phone banks, poll monitoring, and Texas two step caucus monitoring. In case you live in a closet, the Democratic primary in Texas involves voting in the primary at the polls and returning the night of the election to participate in a party caucus. To be eligible to participate in the caucus phase you have to had voted in the primary. It all seems very convoluted, but it helps having gone through the Washington State “primacacus” that sounds just about as dumb.
This is the Democratic Party establishment’s way of limiting broad based participation pure and simple if you ask me. We have got to get a uniform system established in Washington State before the next presidential elections that will better guarantee voter participation and convenience.
I’ve been boning-up on what’s happening in Texas the last few weeks and trying to read all of the relevant press reports. One great source I’ve found is The Burnt Orange Report. Lots of great stuff about the excitement of the race and the mind blowing early voting turnout plus the Democratic Texas political scene in general. I hope I can get out to hear some music even.
I’ll be taking my camera and hope to be reporting what I can from East Texas. It be great to see Barak himself along the way perhaps. Yes we can!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Clinton’s “Because I’m A Woman” Excuse Gains Popularity
Please don’t hate me in the morning but I got to just say it.
Hillary Clinton does all women a disservice by using surrogates to spin her newest last gasp excuse. Namely that she is losing her bid for the Democratic nomination because she a woman. Unfortunately, women are apparently being sucked into believing this line of crap. During a visit via satellite by Clinton to the Helen Degeneres show Helen led off with this softball question: “do you think your losing because you’re a woman?” Clinton answered by referencing a SNL sketch. “Well, I’ve never been offered a pillow”, apparently referring to a segment of a candidate debate sketch on the show where one of the CNN debate moderators, who is supposedly bias towards Obama, ask if Obama, "would like a pillow".
Her non sequitur answer shows that she would never actually say that she is losing because of her sex. Because the sex discrimination excuse is basically a fallacy and misrepresents the fact that the reason she is losing is because she has not run an effective campaign or given voters more of a reason to vote for her over Barak Obama, and she knows it. This is one more attempt by the Clinton campaign to fly another trial balloon excuse to cover their failures. It also is an attempt to rally the women voters who still harbors hope that Hillary can be elected the first woman president. It goes like this: the poor woman is being picked on by the male dominated world and she need us to support her now. It’s the warm and fuzzy girl power to the rescue strategy.
Clinton’s campaign also has been using the SNL sketch lately, as it’s main proof that the media has been bias to her campaign. Even though it’s theatrical fiction. Sounds hauntingly similar to the broad right wing conspiracy excuse she used when Bill got caught with Monica. But her spinning really doesn’t fly in the originality or bona fides department.
The MSM has even started to echo this pabulum. Every wannabe feminist talking head on TV seem to be inserting the theme into their daily psychobabble. One of them quoted tennis star Billy Jean King as saying that the demise of Clinton meant, “That my life has been a total waste”. Dee Dee Myer, the former Clinton White House press secretary, was on the morning talk show circuit promoting her new book, “Why woman should rule the world”, (funny I thought they already did) and putting forward the glass ceiling for presidential candidates myth.
I agree that in other areas of life there is definitely sex discrimination. But I’m simply not buying that it exists in the field of presidential politics in 2008 that Clinton would like us to buy. The main point is that most people in the media and in the Clinton campaign are reluctant to admit is that she was not a very effective candidate period. Her experience, record and built in Clinton presidential era negatives have lead to her being at the brink of being eliminated.
In the last few days the Clinton campaign has attacked the press for being overly bias to her campaign. The constant whining has been insidious every sense her highness lost the Iowa caucuses. Which actually happened because of overconfidence, being totally out maneuvered by the Obama ground game in Iowa and elsewhere and Obama’s clearer and more inspired message.
Not because she was a woman. Remember she was the overwhelming favorite at the start of the race and the playing field was tilted in her favor by the party establishment. By attacking the press and inserting the gender bias theme she is attempting to paint herself as the poor helpless woman fighting against a overwhelming male establishment. She may try and take that to the bank to save her legacy later. It also devalues the judgment of women who support Obama because they think he the better candidate.
If she continues this tack she’ll do more damage to women's participation in politics in the future. Instead of laying the blame on her incompetence at running an effective campaign against a formidable opponent, overconfidence and lack of a consistent campaign message, she’ll blame it on being born in the wrong body.
Hillary Clinton does all women a disservice by using surrogates to spin her newest last gasp excuse. Namely that she is losing her bid for the Democratic nomination because she a woman. Unfortunately, women are apparently being sucked into believing this line of crap. During a visit via satellite by Clinton to the Helen Degeneres show Helen led off with this softball question: “do you think your losing because you’re a woman?” Clinton answered by referencing a SNL sketch. “Well, I’ve never been offered a pillow”, apparently referring to a segment of a candidate debate sketch on the show where one of the CNN debate moderators, who is supposedly bias towards Obama, ask if Obama, "would like a pillow".
Her non sequitur answer shows that she would never actually say that she is losing because of her sex. Because the sex discrimination excuse is basically a fallacy and misrepresents the fact that the reason she is losing is because she has not run an effective campaign or given voters more of a reason to vote for her over Barak Obama, and she knows it. This is one more attempt by the Clinton campaign to fly another trial balloon excuse to cover their failures. It also is an attempt to rally the women voters who still harbors hope that Hillary can be elected the first woman president. It goes like this: the poor woman is being picked on by the male dominated world and she need us to support her now. It’s the warm and fuzzy girl power to the rescue strategy.
Clinton’s campaign also has been using the SNL sketch lately, as it’s main proof that the media has been bias to her campaign. Even though it’s theatrical fiction. Sounds hauntingly similar to the broad right wing conspiracy excuse she used when Bill got caught with Monica. But her spinning really doesn’t fly in the originality or bona fides department.
The MSM has even started to echo this pabulum. Every wannabe feminist talking head on TV seem to be inserting the theme into their daily psychobabble. One of them quoted tennis star Billy Jean King as saying that the demise of Clinton meant, “That my life has been a total waste”. Dee Dee Myer, the former Clinton White House press secretary, was on the morning talk show circuit promoting her new book, “Why woman should rule the world”, (funny I thought they already did) and putting forward the glass ceiling for presidential candidates myth.
I agree that in other areas of life there is definitely sex discrimination. But I’m simply not buying that it exists in the field of presidential politics in 2008 that Clinton would like us to buy. The main point is that most people in the media and in the Clinton campaign are reluctant to admit is that she was not a very effective candidate period. Her experience, record and built in Clinton presidential era negatives have lead to her being at the brink of being eliminated.
In the last few days the Clinton campaign has attacked the press for being overly bias to her campaign. The constant whining has been insidious every sense her highness lost the Iowa caucuses. Which actually happened because of overconfidence, being totally out maneuvered by the Obama ground game in Iowa and elsewhere and Obama’s clearer and more inspired message.
Not because she was a woman. Remember she was the overwhelming favorite at the start of the race and the playing field was tilted in her favor by the party establishment. By attacking the press and inserting the gender bias theme she is attempting to paint herself as the poor helpless woman fighting against a overwhelming male establishment. She may try and take that to the bank to save her legacy later. It also devalues the judgment of women who support Obama because they think he the better candidate.
If she continues this tack she’ll do more damage to women's participation in politics in the future. Instead of laying the blame on her incompetence at running an effective campaign against a formidable opponent, overconfidence and lack of a consistent campaign message, she’ll blame it on being born in the wrong body.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Youngstown Ohio
Bruce Springsteen's song about the decline of the economy of Youngstown and the Ohio rust belt. It seems that in our declining economy today we see the same boom and bust cycle that inevitably hits the working class first and the hardest.
We blame it on poor trade policies like NAFTA and runaway companies taking jobs where the labor is cheapest. We need our government to be willing to fight for the middle class now more then ever. Workers don't really want handouts, they just want a hand and not to be kick when they're down.
Workers want their government to be creative and marshal the country's resources to over come poverty and economic turn downs. We need new ideas, not more protection for bloated corporate profits or tax cuts for the wealthy.
We blame it on poor trade policies like NAFTA and runaway companies taking jobs where the labor is cheapest. We need our government to be willing to fight for the middle class now more then ever. Workers don't really want handouts, they just want a hand and not to be kick when they're down.
Workers want their government to be creative and marshal the country's resources to over come poverty and economic turn downs. We need new ideas, not more protection for bloated corporate profits or tax cuts for the wealthy.
Clinton Campaign Tactics Contemptible
I’m so pissed at Hillary Clinton right now I’ll probably end up voting for Ralph "Wrongway" Nader if she ends up being the democratic nominee. I can't stand this phony pandering person anymore period. Her campaign’s behavior today has literally pushed me over the edge.
The Drudge Report today posted a photo emailed to them by Clinton campaign staffers showing Barak Obama dressed in the garb of a traditional Kenyan tribal elder. Obama wore the garments while on a goodwill trip to Africa in 2006 after they were given to him as a gift. The clothing consists of a tunic and a turban. Drudge infers that members of the Clinton campaign staff intentionally circulated the photo in a attempt to create controversy and the obvious intent is to paint Obama as a Muslim.
The intended damage done here goes beyond just Clintons desire to save her candidacy by winning primary elections in Ohio, Texas. It also gives ammunition to the conservatives who want to further fan the false rumors about Obama’s phony Muslim connections in the general election. Simply put it’s reprehensible. It proves Clinton will do whatever is necessary to win at any cost and to further her personal agenda to be President even if it ends up doing permanent damage to the Democratic Party.
Clinton should go away for the good of the party before she and her lame ass husband do anymore damage to our chances of winning in November or bringing about the desperately needed change most of us are seeking.
The Drudge Report today posted a photo emailed to them by Clinton campaign staffers showing Barak Obama dressed in the garb of a traditional Kenyan tribal elder. Obama wore the garments while on a goodwill trip to Africa in 2006 after they were given to him as a gift. The clothing consists of a tunic and a turban. Drudge infers that members of the Clinton campaign staff intentionally circulated the photo in a attempt to create controversy and the obvious intent is to paint Obama as a Muslim.
“On the very day that Senator Clinton is giving a speech about restoring respect for America in the world, her campaign has engaged in the most shameful, offensive fear-mongering we've seen from either party in this election. This is part of a disturbing pattern that led her county chairs to resign in Iowa, her campaign chairman to resign in New Hampshire, and it's exactly the kind of divisive politics that turns away Americans of all parties and diminishes respect for America in the world." David Plouffe an Obama campaign spokesman told the press today reacting to the leaking of the photo.The Clinton campaign when contacted by the Associated Press did not deny the accusation. The desired effect Clinton is after here is certainly obvious. Paint Obama as a Muslim or a Muslim sympathizer in the run up to the primaries in the conservative states of Texas and Ohio. It is racist, despicable and offensive. It is beyond Carl Rove tactics. It’s stinks! Hillary owes us all an apology and those responsible within her campaign should be fired immediately.
The intended damage done here goes beyond just Clintons desire to save her candidacy by winning primary elections in Ohio, Texas. It also gives ammunition to the conservatives who want to further fan the false rumors about Obama’s phony Muslim connections in the general election. Simply put it’s reprehensible. It proves Clinton will do whatever is necessary to win at any cost and to further her personal agenda to be President even if it ends up doing permanent damage to the Democratic Party.
Clinton should go away for the good of the party before she and her lame ass husband do anymore damage to our chances of winning in November or bringing about the desperately needed change most of us are seeking.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Nader Becomes Captain Wrongway Peachfuzz Of Presidential Politics
Maybe he should officially change his name to Captian Ralph "Wrongway" NADIR. As many of you familiar with the old Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon series remember Ralph Nadar's new namesake was the owner and captain of the S.S. Guppy and has no clue what he's doing. On his last voyage, he and his crew spent an entire election cycle going in a circle. They went for a sail around the America only to end up discovering they were still in the bay in Florida. In fear of their lives, his crew installed a fake captain's wheel so that Captain Peachfuzz only "thought" he was steering.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Stick It In Your Earmark
Bill Moyer Journal and Expose, America’s Investigative Reports, hammered Democratic Senator Patty Murray, Representative Norm Dicks and Brian Baird on the Friday evening show in a documentary aimed at the abuse and the lack of transparency involved with the practice of using congressional earmarks.
Both Murray, Dicks and Baird's screw-ups were brought to light by local investigative reporters who revealed that millions of dollars in earmarks given to state businesses, for such things as coast guard patrol boats and helmet mounted battlefield computer displays, ended up being unusable for the purpose for which they were originally intended.
The disturbing thing about the story is that Murray, Dicks and Baird have also received campaign contributions for the various companies who got the earmark money and produced the useless or damaged goods.
As a Democrat I don’t think that earmarks are necessarily a bad thing. Most earmarks provide money, I think it can be shown, for what are very worthwhile projects. The problem is that most earmarks are added off the record and in the dark which opens up the likelihood of waste, corruption and abuse.
They are added in conference committee reports or by direct request from a member of congress and they often give the appearance of a "you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours" deal or arrangement. The receiving entity gets the government money and the politician gets a contribution. Earmarks are ripe for accusations of influence peddling, corruption or even bribery. Especially when campaign contributions are made to the ear marker by the entities who end up received the money, often sums in the millions, for their pet project and/or some would argue boondoggles.
Barak Obama as the nominee of the Democratic Party will probably be in a better position to defend against any McCain attacks on abuse of earmarks. The reason is Obama has worked hard to get the members of congress to disclose earmarks, as he has done, in a attempt to improve overall government transparency.
Under a transparent system elected official would probably be less likely to request earmarks for frivolous or boondoggle projects and voters could more closely examine the influence money has on the actions of their representatives.
Senator Murray, Representative Dicks and Baird owe us all a full explanation why they were not more diligent when it came to spending our money. They also owe us a explanation of what part, if any, contributions played in the debacle exposed on Moyer's show.
But, I suspect that there's probably a snowflake's chance in hell they will make the effort to do so unless someone forces the issue. The least they can do is work to offer changes in the law that would open the practice up to the full scrutiny or the voters and the press. So we the people can. if we choose, connect the dots if necessary in the future when it comes to the use of congressional earmarks.
Both Murray, Dicks and Baird's screw-ups were brought to light by local investigative reporters who revealed that millions of dollars in earmarks given to state businesses, for such things as coast guard patrol boats and helmet mounted battlefield computer displays, ended up being unusable for the purpose for which they were originally intended.
The disturbing thing about the story is that Murray, Dicks and Baird have also received campaign contributions for the various companies who got the earmark money and produced the useless or damaged goods.
“The report focuses on how earmarks for some products were added to the defense appropriations bill even in cases in which the military didn't want them in the first place. They end up selling a product to the military that they're not even using."John McCain, the presumed Republican nominee may have trouble with his dealings with too may lobbyists but he also has made eliminating earmarks one of the main themes of his stump speech rhetoric. McCain claims to have never used an earmark as a elected official and has stated, if elected president, he will veto any bills that contain them.
As a Democrat I don’t think that earmarks are necessarily a bad thing. Most earmarks provide money, I think it can be shown, for what are very worthwhile projects. The problem is that most earmarks are added off the record and in the dark which opens up the likelihood of waste, corruption and abuse.
They are added in conference committee reports or by direct request from a member of congress and they often give the appearance of a "you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours" deal or arrangement. The receiving entity gets the government money and the politician gets a contribution. Earmarks are ripe for accusations of influence peddling, corruption or even bribery. Especially when campaign contributions are made to the ear marker by the entities who end up received the money, often sums in the millions, for their pet project and/or some would argue boondoggles.
Barak Obama as the nominee of the Democratic Party will probably be in a better position to defend against any McCain attacks on abuse of earmarks. The reason is Obama has worked hard to get the members of congress to disclose earmarks, as he has done, in a attempt to improve overall government transparency.
“Obama's criticism of Washington's insider culture is a linchpin of his campaign; he supports earmarks only for public entities such as schools and hospitals. He secured $3.3 million in earmarks through his own sponsorship, and collected $88 million in concert with other Illinois lawmakers.”Hillary Clinton is near the top of the list when it comes to earmarks. McCain has been mocking Clinton on the campaign trail about a million-dollar earmark to build a museum at Woodstock, New York that would commemorate the rock festival that took place there in 1968. The press has a field day reporting on expensive studies aimed at the life cycle of hibernating squirrels or how rats procreate. These media reports leave one with the distinct feeling that millions of dollars are being wasted on worthless projects.
“Clinton helped secure more than $340 million worth of home-state projects in last year's spending bills, placing her among the top 10 Senate recipients of what are commonly known as earmarks, according to a new study by a nonpartisan budget watchdog group.”The problem seems to be that at the very least the practice of earmarking should come out into the light. Members of congress should be required to disclose earmarks so that constituents can see where the money is being spent. Voters could then make the connection between the contributions a elected official is receiving and the earmark.
Under a transparent system elected official would probably be less likely to request earmarks for frivolous or boondoggle projects and voters could more closely examine the influence money has on the actions of their representatives.
Senator Murray, Representative Dicks and Baird owe us all a full explanation why they were not more diligent when it came to spending our money. They also owe us a explanation of what part, if any, contributions played in the debacle exposed on Moyer's show.
But, I suspect that there's probably a snowflake's chance in hell they will make the effort to do so unless someone forces the issue. The least they can do is work to offer changes in the law that would open the practice up to the full scrutiny or the voters and the press. So we the people can. if we choose, connect the dots if necessary in the future when it comes to the use of congressional earmarks.
US Church Membership Numbers Show Little Growth
The National Council of Churches annual list estimating membership in the top 25 denominational churches showing gains and losses. Actual church membership is hard to measure because methods are apparently not very scientific and many nondenominational congregations are not counted. It's presents an interesting snapshot of organized church membership in America.
Click on image to enlarge
Click on image to enlargeFriday, February 22, 2008
Street Smart Obama Has The Experience
As a unadulterated Obama supporter I'm getting sick of the narrative that infers that he lacks the experience to be president. Jack and Jill Politics have compiled a list of Obama accomplishments. It's worth a review and shows that Obama has significant legislative experience both in the Illinois and US Senate.
You should be able to discuss his groundbreaking work to reform the Illinois death penalty including getting confessions videotaped against the objections of a Republican governor plus police and prosecutors.
You should be able to discuss his groundbreaking work to create easily searchable database of federal spending, the Google for Government, bill.
You should be able to discuss his nuclear non-proliferation law co-sponsored with Republican Dick Lugar.
Whether you support Obama or not, you need to visit barackobama.com Seriously. It is your duty as a citizen to be informed and no one is preventing you. Go to the issues page. Click on any issue (e.g. Civil Rights). This may sound hard, but I want you to read it. Jump to the bottom where it says "Barack Obama's Record" and you'll see
Now go to the Ethics page. And READ IT NOW. You'll find more on his record saying:
Now go to the Veteran's page.
You can compare Senator Obama and Senator Clinton on govtrack to get an overview of their success rate in the Senate. But both of them have done a solid amount of work. Most of their efforts never made it out of committee (to be expected in a GOP-controlled Congress).
Obama has more elected experience than Hillary Clinton. He's been accountable to voters for longer. All Obama supporters need to repeat this. It's true, she's been around a long time and has her hands on some great achievements, but her job was rarely at risk. While in the IL legislature, Obama sponsored over 800 bills, with most in healthcare, poverty and crime. Check this NY Times story and graphic.
John McCain. Mr 25 years in the Senate and 100 years in Iraq has surprisingly little to claim in the way of significant achievements. Big up to Matt Yglesias and Carpetbagger.
Thanks again to Jack and Jill Politics for this content.
You should be able to discuss his groundbreaking work to reform the Illinois death penalty including getting confessions videotaped against the objections of a Republican governor plus police and prosecutors.
You should be able to discuss his groundbreaking work to create easily searchable database of federal spending, the Google for Government, bill.
You should be able to discuss his nuclear non-proliferation law co-sponsored with Republican Dick Lugar.
Whether you support Obama or not, you need to visit barackobama.com Seriously. It is your duty as a citizen to be informed and no one is preventing you. Go to the issues page. Click on any issue (e.g. Civil Rights). This may sound hard, but I want you to read it. Jump to the bottom where it says "Barack Obama's Record" and you'll see
Record of Advocacy: Obama has worked to promote civil rights and fairness in the criminal justice system throughout his career. As a community organizer, Obama helped 150,000 African Americans register to vote. As a civil rights lawyer, Obama litigated employment discrimination, housing discrimination, and voting rights cases. As a State Senator, Obama passed one of the country's first racial profiling laws and helped reform a broken death penalty system. And in the U.S. Senate, Obama has been a leading advocate for protecting the right to vote, helping to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act and leading the opposition against discriminatory barriers to voting.
Now go to the Ethics page. And READ IT NOW. You'll find more on his record saying:
- Federal Ethics Reform: Obama and Senator Feingold (D-WI) took on both parties and proposed ethics legislation that was described as the "gold standard" for reform. It was because of their leadership that ending subsidized corporate jet travel, mandating disclosure of lobbyists' bundling of contributions, and enacting strong new restrictions of lobbyist-sponsored trips became part of the final ethics bill that was signed into law. The Washington Post wrote in an editorial, "The final package is the strongest ethics legislation to emerge from Congress yet."
- Google for Government: Americans have the right to know how their tax dollars are spent, but that information has been hidden from public view for too long. That's why Barack Obama and Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) passed a law to create a Google-like search engine to allow regular people to approximately track federal grants, contracts, earmarks, and loans online. The Chicago Sun-Times wrote, "It would enable the public to see where federal money goes and how it is spent. It's a brilliant idea."
- Illinois Reform: In 1998, Obama joined forces with former U.S. Sen. Paul Simon (D-IL) to pass the toughest campaign finance law in Illinois history. The legislation banned the personal use of campaign money by Illinois legislators and banned most gifts from lobbyists. Before the law was passed, one organization ranked Illinois worst among 50 states for its campaign finance regulations.
Now go to the Veteran's page.
Record of Advocacy: As a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Obama passed legislation to improve care and slash red tape for our wounded warriors recovering at places like Walter Reed. He passed laws to help homeless veterans and offered an innovative solution to prevent at-risk veterans from falling into homelessness. Obama led a bipartisan effort in the Senate to try to halt the military's unfair practice of discharging service members for having a service-connected psychological injury. He fought for fair treatment of Illinois veterans' claims and forced the VA to conduct an unprecedented outreach campaign to disabled veterans with lower than-average benefits. Obama passed legislation to stop a VA review of closed PTSD casespassed an amendment to ensure that all service members returning from Iraq are properly screened for traumatic brain injuries. He introduced legislation to direct the VA and Pentagon to fix disjointed records systems and improve outreach to members of the National Guard and Reserves.Media Matters offers a rebuttal to the Politico's argument claiming Obama's done nothing to affect people's daily lives. It as links to actual bills passed. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote in 2005 about Obama "shuns limelight, builds record" putting to rest this notion that he's been distracted by his presidential bid since arriving in the Senate In "Judge Him By His Laws," The Washington Post's Charles Pierce wrote "People who complain that Barack Obama lacks experience must be unaware of his legislative achievements. One reason these accomplishments are unfamiliar is that the media have not devoted enough attention to Obama's bills and the effort required to pass them, ignoring impressive, hard evidence of his character and ability." Finally, I implore you to check out this dailykos diary, "Yes, Obama has a lot of Substance (now with a graph!)"
that could have led to a reduction in veterans' benefits.
You can compare Senator Obama and Senator Clinton on govtrack to get an overview of their success rate in the Senate. But both of them have done a solid amount of work. Most of their efforts never made it out of committee (to be expected in a GOP-controlled Congress).
Obama has more elected experience than Hillary Clinton. He's been accountable to voters for longer. All Obama supporters need to repeat this. It's true, she's been around a long time and has her hands on some great achievements, but her job was rarely at risk. While in the IL legislature, Obama sponsored over 800 bills, with most in healthcare, poverty and crime. Check this NY Times story and graphic.
John McCain. Mr 25 years in the Senate and 100 years in Iraq has surprisingly little to claim in the way of significant achievements. Big up to Matt Yglesias and Carpetbagger.
Thanks again to Jack and Jill Politics for this content.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Hillary Debate Closing Statement Stolen From Bill and John Edward's Speeches
Shocking! God I thought it was her best moment in the campaign. I thought maybe she's really not a robot after all. The real Hillary finally comes to the surface. Turns out the commander in chief of the plagiarizing police force stole part of her closing statement from first gentlemen in waiting Bill and John Edwards prior speeches. Roll the video and see for yourself.
I think she called it "change you can Zerox".
Here the Edwards content:
I think she called it "change you can Zerox".
Here the Edwards content:
What Democrats Should Do About The McCain Scandal
For Democrats it’s time to take the high ground. Perhaps Johnny boy had an affair. But who really cares? I don’t want to be the sex police when it comes to McCain or anyone else. It is not my business to question whether he broke his vows to his wife or not. It simply not anyone’s business what John McCain does behind close doors or on corporate jet trips.
The NYT story made me reflect back on the Bill Clinton and Monica scandal. I felt it was unfair for partisan Republicans to attempt to impeach Clinton for what was a rather stupid sexual indiscretion. It seemed stupid of Bill Clinton that he would get involved in something that would risk his reputation and legacy. History shows that such sex scandals are nothing new or for that matter that unusual.
The Clinton sex scandal more importantly raised certain questions about his ability, in his last two years as president, to effectively move forward the Democratic agenda. But again the sexual aspects of it were really not anyone's business outside the Clinton household.
The question remains for anyone attempting to judge McCain’s alleged sexual indiscretions is would you want your sex life to be judged in a similar way if you were caught in a similar situation?
I think the more important concern is did the alleged relationship influence McCain in his role as a US Senator and as the then Chairman or the powerful Senate Commerce Committee? The New York Times story really talks more about McCain’s apparent tendency to be blind to being manipulated by lobbyists because of his tendency to be rather arrogant about his image as the uninfluenced untouchable maverick when it comes to his relationship with them. It's the whole strait talk express image which, by the way, is beginning to wear a little thin.
But McCain may have read his own press clippings too much.
I think what's more important is the image of the true McCain that is emerging. I am the all mighty John McCain and how dare you question my integrity on anything. With the militaristic fly boy Johnny is very much about duty honor and integrity 24/7. Even if in the end your probably wrong. Just what we need another arrogant stubborn petulant presidency. This type of behavior got McCain sucked into involvement in the Keating Five scandal that almost cost him his political career a decade ago.
Today he defiantly denied any wrongdoing or that there was any liaison between him and Vicki Iseman the woman and telecommunication lobbyist at the center of the scandal. Time will tell if there is more incriminating evidence to show that Isemen unethically influenced McCain into helping out her corporate clients in the Senate.
McCain has a tendency to take the high ground on issues like torture and campaign financing, opposing tax cuts for the rich or accepting federal funding of his campaign only to crumble when it appears to be politically unpopular to the Republican base or his chances to be elected president.
So much for McCain being a REAL maverick.
When he is confronted about the apparent hypocrisies he gets angry that anyone would question his motives his honor or his integrity, a McCain personality trait that could prove fatal to his run for the presidency.
The NYT story made me reflect back on the Bill Clinton and Monica scandal. I felt it was unfair for partisan Republicans to attempt to impeach Clinton for what was a rather stupid sexual indiscretion. It seemed stupid of Bill Clinton that he would get involved in something that would risk his reputation and legacy. History shows that such sex scandals are nothing new or for that matter that unusual.
The Clinton sex scandal more importantly raised certain questions about his ability, in his last two years as president, to effectively move forward the Democratic agenda. But again the sexual aspects of it were really not anyone's business outside the Clinton household.
The question remains for anyone attempting to judge McCain’s alleged sexual indiscretions is would you want your sex life to be judged in a similar way if you were caught in a similar situation?
I think the more important concern is did the alleged relationship influence McCain in his role as a US Senator and as the then Chairman or the powerful Senate Commerce Committee? The New York Times story really talks more about McCain’s apparent tendency to be blind to being manipulated by lobbyists because of his tendency to be rather arrogant about his image as the uninfluenced untouchable maverick when it comes to his relationship with them. It's the whole strait talk express image which, by the way, is beginning to wear a little thin.
But McCain may have read his own press clippings too much.
I think what's more important is the image of the true McCain that is emerging. I am the all mighty John McCain and how dare you question my integrity on anything. With the militaristic fly boy Johnny is very much about duty honor and integrity 24/7. Even if in the end your probably wrong. Just what we need another arrogant stubborn petulant presidency. This type of behavior got McCain sucked into involvement in the Keating Five scandal that almost cost him his political career a decade ago.
Today he defiantly denied any wrongdoing or that there was any liaison between him and Vicki Iseman the woman and telecommunication lobbyist at the center of the scandal. Time will tell if there is more incriminating evidence to show that Isemen unethically influenced McCain into helping out her corporate clients in the Senate.
McCain has a tendency to take the high ground on issues like torture and campaign financing, opposing tax cuts for the rich or accepting federal funding of his campaign only to crumble when it appears to be politically unpopular to the Republican base or his chances to be elected president.
So much for McCain being a REAL maverick.
When he is confronted about the apparent hypocrisies he gets angry that anyone would question his motives his honor or his integrity, a McCain personality trait that could prove fatal to his run for the presidency.
Los Angeles Skid Row An American Third World
A compelling video about Los Angeles's skid row asks the question how could this happen in one of the richest nations in the world. Los Angeles's police chief called their Skid Row "the worst social disaster in America." This segment is part one of five.
Via: Good Magazine Video By Lindsay Utz, Sam Slovick
Via: Good Magazine Video By Lindsay Utz, Sam Slovick
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
The Same Old Folks Doing The Same Old Things Won’t Do Anymore Or Why Overwhelming Pent-Up Demand For Change Should Carrying Obama To The Nomination
"This is our moment".
Apparently few in the old guard press or the entrenched political establishment get it and of course there's those women over fifty, Chis Matthews and Catholics who, according to exit polls, continue for some reason to support her highness Hillary even though she's supports a woman right to choose.
How could this upstart Senator from Illinois actually win the Democratic Party’s nomination? Daily expressions of astonishment from those inside the mental beltway indicate just how out of touch they are with the powerful political undertow that is now at the gates of the palace demanding a fundamental change in the way our government operates. How could this of happened?
WELL WERE SICK OF IT. We’ve had enough and we are showing up at the polls in record numbers desperate to take back our beloved country from the robber barons, phony politicians, party hacks, fringe groups, social conservatives, religious fanatics, gay bashers, jingoists and their big media lackeys, and the Bush Clinton Bush Clinton Bush Clinton line of succession.
Has a broad throw the bums out movement finally bubbled to the surface and taken form? I think the answer in part is yes and it may not be limited to the occupant of the White House. But there are certainly forces that are also serendipitously at work here that involve the timing and times and the ebbing of the boomer generation's power.
Because we all know that the presidency is not the only place where change is needed. In fact change is needed across the board. Harry Reid would be a good place to start in the Senate. How ineffective and useless has he been? Hopefully he'd be replaced by another democrat with a backbone and who hasn't been bought and sold by big business.
Barak Obama has masterfully tapped into this feeling for change in the country and he has become its standard bearer. The voters have demonstrated they do not want the same old cast of characters anymore and that they are willing to trust this relatively young and inexperienced principled idealistic young Senator from Illinois with the fate of the nation.
A big part of Obama's appeal is based in the perception that he is has not been jaded by years of political infighting and debauchery in Washington, DC. "They want me to wait till they've stew and boiled the hope out of me" Obama often points out in his stump speech. He also talks of Martin Luther King's reference to the "urgency of now".
After years and years of extremely bad government is it any wonder why this is happening. But the pundits and hack politicians who help create the mess just don’t get it. Stuck in their self-fulfilling echo chamber of divisive sound bites and gridlock politics they accept the broken process as the gold standard. They accept the politics as usual as the normal. They guard their mediocrity as if it were the arch of the covenant. They accept failure and government incompetence as the norm. They defend the reprobate politicians and spawn and promulgate their continuing existence and hold on power.
Meanwhile we have watched the leaders of this country for the last quarter century, both Republican and Democrat become more and more out of touch with the real aspirations of the people.
Let them eat tax rebates!
They often act oblivious to the obvious grievances of the people. It appears to the average American that nothing is really being done. We are fed up and we want something better. Isn't this one of the recurring American narratives of ridding ourselves of the rot at the top.
I think of supporters at the Obama victory speech after the Iowa caucuses chanting at the top of the lungs WE WANT CHANGE, WE WANT CHANGE, WE WANT CHANGE. Who wouldn’t after looking at the list below. Maybe we have finally had enough.
Apparently few in the old guard press or the entrenched political establishment get it and of course there's those women over fifty, Chis Matthews and Catholics who, according to exit polls, continue for some reason to support her highness Hillary even though she's supports a woman right to choose.
How could this upstart Senator from Illinois actually win the Democratic Party’s nomination? Daily expressions of astonishment from those inside the mental beltway indicate just how out of touch they are with the powerful political undertow that is now at the gates of the palace demanding a fundamental change in the way our government operates. How could this of happened?
WELL WERE SICK OF IT. We’ve had enough and we are showing up at the polls in record numbers desperate to take back our beloved country from the robber barons, phony politicians, party hacks, fringe groups, social conservatives, religious fanatics, gay bashers, jingoists and their big media lackeys, and the Bush Clinton Bush Clinton Bush Clinton line of succession.
Has a broad throw the bums out movement finally bubbled to the surface and taken form? I think the answer in part is yes and it may not be limited to the occupant of the White House. But there are certainly forces that are also serendipitously at work here that involve the timing and times and the ebbing of the boomer generation's power.
Because we all know that the presidency is not the only place where change is needed. In fact change is needed across the board. Harry Reid would be a good place to start in the Senate. How ineffective and useless has he been? Hopefully he'd be replaced by another democrat with a backbone and who hasn't been bought and sold by big business.
Barak Obama has masterfully tapped into this feeling for change in the country and he has become its standard bearer. The voters have demonstrated they do not want the same old cast of characters anymore and that they are willing to trust this relatively young and inexperienced principled idealistic young Senator from Illinois with the fate of the nation.
A big part of Obama's appeal is based in the perception that he is has not been jaded by years of political infighting and debauchery in Washington, DC. "They want me to wait till they've stew and boiled the hope out of me" Obama often points out in his stump speech. He also talks of Martin Luther King's reference to the "urgency of now".
After years and years of extremely bad government is it any wonder why this is happening. But the pundits and hack politicians who help create the mess just don’t get it. Stuck in their self-fulfilling echo chamber of divisive sound bites and gridlock politics they accept the broken process as the gold standard. They accept the politics as usual as the normal. They guard their mediocrity as if it were the arch of the covenant. They accept failure and government incompetence as the norm. They defend the reprobate politicians and spawn and promulgate their continuing existence and hold on power.
Meanwhile we have watched the leaders of this country for the last quarter century, both Republican and Democrat become more and more out of touch with the real aspirations of the people.
Let them eat tax rebates!
They often act oblivious to the obvious grievances of the people. It appears to the average American that nothing is really being done. We are fed up and we want something better. Isn't this one of the recurring American narratives of ridding ourselves of the rot at the top.
I think of supporters at the Obama victory speech after the Iowa caucuses chanting at the top of the lungs WE WANT CHANGE, WE WANT CHANGE, WE WANT CHANGE. Who wouldn’t after looking at the list below. Maybe we have finally had enough.
- Were is Osama Bin Laden
- It's the economy stupid
- Endless war and confusing military priorities
- Bombing or innocent civilians during military operations
- Supporting despotic leaders
- Ignoring the constitutional
- Ineffective Foreign Policy
- Progress on domestic security
- No health care
- Unchecked domestic spying on citizens
- The destruction of our environment
- No national progress towards energy independence
- Widespread government corruption, scandals and inefficiencies
- Racial, gender and sex discrimination
- The intrusion of religion in the matters of the state
- Loss of our moral standing in the world
- Disintegration of our public schools and failing students
- Mistreatment of veterans
- No border security or cohesive policy on immigration
- Plundering of the treasury
- Unchecked corporate power
- Politics based on division
- Government sponsored torture
- Regressive Taxes
- Cohesive national election reform
- Crumbling national infrastructure
- Dependence on Automobiles
- Crime
- Bad trade policy
- Protection of the food supply
- Drug safety
- Treating illegal drug use as a health issue
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Hawaii Looking Like Obama Blowout Too
First results from Hawaii and later updates click here:
11:00 pm Hawaii first results Obama 77% (2258) Clinton 23% (666) 8% of precincts reporting
12:20 pm Obama 74.3% (5436) Clinton 25.6% (1875) 26% of precincts reporting
1:00 am Obama 76% (11691) Clinton 23% (3584) 51% of precincts reporting
11:00 pm Hawaii first results Obama 77% (2258) Clinton 23% (666) 8% of precincts reporting
12:20 pm Obama 74.3% (5436) Clinton 25.6% (1875) 26% of precincts reporting
1:00 am Obama 76% (11691) Clinton 23% (3584) 51% of precincts reporting
A Vote For Clinton Is A Vote For More Of The Same Old Shit
Do cheese heads in Wisconsin stand in the last gateway to a new and better future for liberal politics?
The horse race narrative loving media is giddy over the fact that the Clinton campaign has returned to the full contact Clinton school of below the belt politics. The producers over at CNN and MSNBC see it as a sure ratings booster and the end that justify the means I'm sure. F#*k journalistic relevancy fairplay or the good of the country. It's Bill finger waging, Hillary, Monica, Whitewater, the Clintons, Chelsea's honor and the rest of the whole freaking stupid Clinton dynasty soap opera.
Screw the real issues!
Like this asinine non-substantive argument generating from Clinton communication director Howard Wolfson and others about the supposed meaning of Barak Obama alleged plagiarism of a colleague’s speech.
This is total horse shit. How many poor people or workers is this waste of time helping? None.
But with the Bill and Hillary the facts are not really important. Which is of course Obama’s often made point. Sure Obama gives good speeches but his website and recently release follow up economic plans have reforced his rhetoric on exactly where he stands on the main issues of the day. These meat on the bones positions papers have existed from the beginning of his campaign on the web. If you listen to Clinton you'd think that being able to inspire people is a negative.
This ignores the fact that the bully pulpit of the president of the United States is often how things really change in this country. The president must have the ability to do the heavy lifting with presidential rhetoric as well as the political back room arm twisting. If a president can inspire and motivate people with speeches in favor of his ideas then he can also get his legislation passed by the congress.
The often-used Hillary argument over the difference in health care plans is at best nothing more then a hair splitting spin fest. Many experts actually think the Obama plan is better and god knows what either plan will look like once it has been through the congress in two years.
The Clinton message seem to be we need more of the same. And don’t get your hopes up either. Apparently vision hope and change is not that important if you listen to the Billary campaign machine rhetoric. More of the same old divisive them vs. us bullshit is just fine with them.
How dare we have dreams or actually be able to articulate them! More of the same infighting is what we need.
Yesterday Clinton attacked Obama for not agreeing to use Federal campaign financing, which he inferred he would consider last year. It so happens to also be the same spin the McCain campaign used to attacks Obama. Apparently the Clinton argument now is the that the Democratic nominee should be just as hamstrung as the Republican candidate when it comes to finance their campaign in the general election.
Bull shit.
Hillary co-ops the Republican argument to make political points knowing she wouldn’t agree to being limited in fund raising herself if the shoe were on the other foot in the general election. Just win the nomination baby and that crap will be out the window.
The Clintons are so desperate to maintain what they see as their rights as aire to the presidential throne that they will do and say anything. Frankly I can now see more clearly why the Republicans are so polarized against them.
Today there’s a story surfacing that the Clintons want to turn this into a knife fight by not honoring the loyalty of even the pledge delegates. Making overtures that they would attempt to get them to flip prior to or at the convention. The will of the voters who elected these pledge delegates is not to be honored because winning is everything.
Personally you’d have to rip my arm from my body and hold it in the air to get me to change my allegiance from Obama to Clinton were I a pledged delegate that made it to Denver. That’s unless I got offered the ambassadorship to the Republic of Ireland. Not!
I don’t know about you but I’m not interested in the politics of phony pandering anymore with the Clinton style of post feminist subtle under tones of racial or gender dividing. Take your Kevlar pantsuit-wearing ass out of here please. Haven’t your boomer generation based methods of dividing the electorate into camps done enough to totally gridlock the system already? It time for us citizens to move it on down the road when it comes to control of the government and the political parties.
Not only I’m I tried of the same old stupid arguments supporting the same right wing nuts, but I’m sick of the same old tired sixties era hair splitting arguments coming from the hacks on the left too. This means you. Get over yourselves for god sake for the good of the country the world and future generations. This is the same old politically divisive shit that the Clintons embody and continue to promulgate ad infinitum.
The horse race narrative loving media is giddy over the fact that the Clinton campaign has returned to the full contact Clinton school of below the belt politics. The producers over at CNN and MSNBC see it as a sure ratings booster and the end that justify the means I'm sure. F#*k journalistic relevancy fairplay or the good of the country. It's Bill finger waging, Hillary, Monica, Whitewater, the Clintons, Chelsea's honor and the rest of the whole freaking stupid Clinton dynasty soap opera.
Screw the real issues!
Like this asinine non-substantive argument generating from Clinton communication director Howard Wolfson and others about the supposed meaning of Barak Obama alleged plagiarism of a colleague’s speech.
This is total horse shit. How many poor people or workers is this waste of time helping? None.
But with the Bill and Hillary the facts are not really important. Which is of course Obama’s often made point. Sure Obama gives good speeches but his website and recently release follow up economic plans have reforced his rhetoric on exactly where he stands on the main issues of the day. These meat on the bones positions papers have existed from the beginning of his campaign on the web. If you listen to Clinton you'd think that being able to inspire people is a negative.
This ignores the fact that the bully pulpit of the president of the United States is often how things really change in this country. The president must have the ability to do the heavy lifting with presidential rhetoric as well as the political back room arm twisting. If a president can inspire and motivate people with speeches in favor of his ideas then he can also get his legislation passed by the congress.
The often-used Hillary argument over the difference in health care plans is at best nothing more then a hair splitting spin fest. Many experts actually think the Obama plan is better and god knows what either plan will look like once it has been through the congress in two years.
The Clinton message seem to be we need more of the same. And don’t get your hopes up either. Apparently vision hope and change is not that important if you listen to the Billary campaign machine rhetoric. More of the same old divisive them vs. us bullshit is just fine with them.
How dare we have dreams or actually be able to articulate them! More of the same infighting is what we need.
Yesterday Clinton attacked Obama for not agreeing to use Federal campaign financing, which he inferred he would consider last year. It so happens to also be the same spin the McCain campaign used to attacks Obama. Apparently the Clinton argument now is the that the Democratic nominee should be just as hamstrung as the Republican candidate when it comes to finance their campaign in the general election.
Bull shit.
Hillary co-ops the Republican argument to make political points knowing she wouldn’t agree to being limited in fund raising herself if the shoe were on the other foot in the general election. Just win the nomination baby and that crap will be out the window.
The Clintons are so desperate to maintain what they see as their rights as aire to the presidential throne that they will do and say anything. Frankly I can now see more clearly why the Republicans are so polarized against them.
Today there’s a story surfacing that the Clintons want to turn this into a knife fight by not honoring the loyalty of even the pledge delegates. Making overtures that they would attempt to get them to flip prior to or at the convention. The will of the voters who elected these pledge delegates is not to be honored because winning is everything.
Personally you’d have to rip my arm from my body and hold it in the air to get me to change my allegiance from Obama to Clinton were I a pledged delegate that made it to Denver. That’s unless I got offered the ambassadorship to the Republic of Ireland. Not!
I don’t know about you but I’m not interested in the politics of phony pandering anymore with the Clinton style of post feminist subtle under tones of racial or gender dividing. Take your Kevlar pantsuit-wearing ass out of here please. Haven’t your boomer generation based methods of dividing the electorate into camps done enough to totally gridlock the system already? It time for us citizens to move it on down the road when it comes to control of the government and the political parties.
Not only I’m I tried of the same old stupid arguments supporting the same right wing nuts, but I’m sick of the same old tired sixties era hair splitting arguments coming from the hacks on the left too. This means you. Get over yourselves for god sake for the good of the country the world and future generations. This is the same old politically divisive shit that the Clintons embody and continue to promulgate ad infinitum.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Just in Case You MIssed It Obama Supporters Should Vote In Primary
Why you may ask? Didn’t we just have a caucus? Well if enough Obama supporters don’t take the time to vote on February 19th and Clinton does well of even wins the primary you can be sure that the Clinton campaign will use the results to support her somewhat twisted argument that the caucus states are unfair and don’t really reflect the will of the people.
So Obamatrons make sure you fill out that absentee ballot or get down to your polling place. Also if your voting by absentee be sure to complete the political party declaration on the ballot envelope. Apparently many absentee voters are invalidating their ballots by not completing the declaration.
So Obamatrons make sure you fill out that absentee ballot or get down to your polling place. Also if your voting by absentee be sure to complete the political party declaration on the ballot envelope. Apparently many absentee voters are invalidating their ballots by not completing the declaration.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Was Obama Robbed In New York Primary Vote
There is a wild story in today's New York Post. Apparently many heavily African American legislative districts in Brooklyn and elsewhere showed 0 votes for Obama in February 5th primary. Recounts are underway that now give Obama the lead in these neighborhoods. What the fuck is up with that? NYT story here.
Republicans Pin Their Hopes On Hillary
One emerging Republican election strategy may hinge on the hope that Democrats will vote overwhelmingly in the remaining primaries for Hillary Clinton giving her the nomination. Because of the polarizing nature of the Clintons, conservatives are beginning to see it as a possible key to a Republican victory in November. The conservative magazine National Review cover story promoted the idea in the current issue.
How better to unify the party the argument goes than to nominate Hillary.
The fracturing of the Republican Party moderate, right and social conservative wings brought about by the likely nomination of the erratic grump John McCain could quickly heal should Clinton stage a comeback and win the Democratic nomination. Rightwing nuts would once again be energized in defiance at the thought of the Clintons once again occupying the white house. Crossover voting in the primaries could be crucial to making the nominating Clinton strategy viable.
The Wisconsin and Texas elections are open primaries that allow voters to vote for anyone regardless of their present party affiliation while Ohio is a modified primary that requires that the voters change party registration to crossover. The situation could be ripe for Republican cross over voting in these key states therefore rigging the outcome and bringing about what Republicans perceive would be the best match-up against McCain in November.
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