John McCain: Crazy, Stupid, Genius Or Just Crazy, Stupid .........
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Artist:
So much for the 'Post Blighter'. Guess I needed the right muse.
I will freely admit when I heard the news that John McCain had picked a women for his Vice President I thought, "What a coup." Here the Republican candidate was doing something Obama couldn't do, he got a women on the ticket. "Fecking Brilliant!", I told my Republican co-workers followed by exclamations of "Now it should get interesting!" Well that was then and this is now and I feel a bit different since I got to know Sarah Palin a little more.
We all know it's not hard to find conjecture on the Internet, Rumors fly at the speed of keystrokes and someone's name can be dragged though so many kinds of mud in a matter of minutes if not seconds. So I will try to stay away from conjecture and far out suppositions. I will endeavor to remain neutral-ish (I like good theatrics as much as anyone else) in the post, but anything goes in comments.
Fact: Sarah Palin has a Bachelors Degree in journalism from Ohio State.
Fact: Sarah Palin got her first passport last year.
Fact: The state of Alaska has a total population of around 640,000.
Fact: Sarah Palin's 17 year old daughter is pregnant out of wedlock. This is the daughter of a woman who supports abstinence-only education and says she is for "Traditional Family Values"
Fact: Sarah Palin is under investigation for the wrongful firing of a state trooper who happens to be the ex husband of Sarah's sister.
Fact: Sarah Palin is very interested to get oil companies to begin drilling in ANWR. She is also against protecting salmon fisheries from harmful mining runoff.
Fact: Sarah Palin has no, I repeat, no foreign policy or diplomatic experience. I hardly equate a trip to visit troops as diplomatic experience.
Fact: Sarah Palin's running mate is 72 years old. If elected John McCain will be the oldest sitting president in 2008.
Fact: Sarah Palin said she has no idea what the Vice President does. Honestly, she's not the only one, many people including sitting VP's who don't know what the Vice President does.
Fact: She has admitted to smoking pot when it was legal under Alaskan Law but illegal under Federal Law.
Sure there is more but I will leave it to you to bring what you have learned to the table.
Locating MOG account...
Comments (79)
Crazy or genius like GG Allin?
Take your pick lak.
crazy like grabbing at straws in order to get more votes. Not sure why he chose her, but I really think he did not get enough advice before doing so.
Certainly not crazy or genius like Bjork...
I still trying to figure out if you called me stupid.
damn, dude we must be on the same thought pattern,,, i just posted about this. I think it will hurt Obama.
http://mog.com/dharmachris/blog/187772
Who called who what?
The whole affair is quite mystifying, eh?Does the GOP find assess itself so far behind that this last ditch, high stakes move is their only shot? That selecting someone so "normal" is the only way to attract enough independents? How is it this high stakes, high powered party could choose one so far out of their club? Is the selection, which appears sheer idiocy on the surface, really hold much more cunning calculation?
I certainly don't see how, yet I have already heard those who are already sworn GOP supporters say "they like her".
Well, she is kinda cute and fiesty, and we haven't seen much domestic drama on Pennsylvania Ave. for some time....
I'm kind of in the same process here. My first thought was that it was a stroke of genius, but the more we here, you have to wonder how much thought was actually put into some of this. I will say this: most of the things you mentioned don't bother me. Her daughter is pregnant. so what? I think it's irrelevant. My parents taught me a lot of right-from-wrong stuff, but that doesn't mean I always listened. And it doesn't mean my mistakes are their fault, or that they should be held accountable for them. The fact that she wants to drill to me actually lends more credibility to the position--Maybe it's just me, but I doubt someone in Alaska would willingly want to do something to damage their own backyard. Everything I've seen about her shows she has a commitment to the outdoor lifestyle, and she has already weighed in on this issue, citing that it can be done "right". I'm willing to listen on that end.
The only things that make me wonder if McCain really thought this through are her lack of experience, and the firing of her ex-whatever he was. Considering how much he touted Obama's lack of experience and how terrible that was, this seems like a bonehead move, start to finish. and the firing? Well, I'll admit I don't know a lot about it, but it just seems like a bad idea for McCain to choose someone who already comes with baggage that could haunt him. Even if she did nothing wrong, it's not something he needs right now.
Wow this is what happens when you go for a glass of lemonade.
Annie, you can't be serious. There is no way I would ever call you stupid. Seriously, where does that come from. Your golden in my book no matter what. If your hurt chalk it up to a gross misunderstanding.
Coop, do you think it's a gambit? I certainly do. A bad one at that.
Mike, Word.
Scotty, see my reply to Coop. I am now officially baffled.
Chuck, I agree with you. For me most of the things I wrote is a non issue.
Basically I am looking for a response.
The thing that bothers me the most is her lack of experience. She is just a heart palpitation away from becoming Prez. That is the deal breaker right there.
Obama can't bring up her lack of experience without opening himself up to the same question.
She wins the populist 'working class' blue collar nascar scranton hometown vote by sheer dint of who she is. Joe Biden has cuff links for petes sake.
This was a total calculated political move to energize the social conservatives and the populist working class/blue collar/old Reagan Democrats.
Any media attention will be spun by Rove et al as the work of an out of touch elite liberal media, and will be successful in getting the populist voter. She will be portrayed as the underdog with a compelling family story that shows she is just like all the voters they need, the old Reagan Democrats.
The Republicans have been somewhat successful in portraying an African American, raised by a single mom, scholarship earning, up from the bootstraps guy, as an out of touch arugula-eating, latte chugging, Whole Food shopping elitist.
baggage? as if McCain himself doesn't have baggage (keating 5 anyone?)... all politicians have baggage .... here's an interesting opinion .... I think his highlighting the ambition angle is cogent.
McCain/Palin ... yeah it scares me.
Gambit? For sure. Every move they make is totally calculated, for better or for worse, on both sides. I agree with Groon on some of the issues here. In a nutshell, McCain has more experience than everyone else combined, so he injected some vitality in to his campaign, some youth and inexperience - to try and look more like Obama to pull in the indies, thought being: if you're leaning towards this candidate for this reason, then hey - you can consider us for the same reasons... I mean, it's a pretty predictable move actually, since the book is still out if Hillary united the party, and the real genius move would have been for Obama to set up the dream ticket of Obama/Clinton, IMHO.
Having said all that, I'm still for Obama in '08 - but am looking forward to the debates, and hearing "How" each candidate are going to get things done. I also am interested in seeing Obama's cabinet picks, because really, every four years you hear the same rhetoric in speeches over and over agian.
Hokey Smokes, where did you come from Nick?
Polarization! Gets the votes out there doesn't it?
We see this stuff all of the time. Issues brought up to divide and polarize.
Oh yeah Van. I think Biden will spank Palin in debate.
That is if he gets the chance to do so.
and do you really think Palin would be running things if McCain croaks? .... is Bush running things right now?
oh and another thing ... Good Night ... and according to the stats I will be the first person to listen to your track tonight.
Nice one!
So your right. Night man. Good to see you even if it was briefly.
Constitutionally speaking she will have the power, but who controls that power is anybody's guess.
Choice Max Romeo. "You take my kindness for weakness, my weakness for granted...."
What is, at the very least, her friendliness to the Alaskan secessionists is what really rings the alarm bells for me. For all the bullshit that has been spouted about Obama's "really being a Muslim" who hates this country (right, people who loathe our ideals run for the highest office in the land every day), these secessionists truly don't get what democracy means. To me, the doctrinaires who believe that government is always the problem and never the solution are the ones who really have a problem with our system of government. But I think that is a part of her appeal to a part of the electorate - clearly the part that McCain wants to court. These are, I am sorry to say, what I think of as the Bush Republicans; in some ways, she is the true Bush surrogate, not McCain himself. Bush's bad decisions over the past eight years, it seems to me, are the result of a profound lack of respect for our system. Why not have someone profoundly unqualified named to a position like vice president or head of FEMA? It's not like it matters....May as well give it to somebody who can win you a vote or two, or someone to whom you owe a favor, or somebody who agrees with your ideology. These are the true wages of cynicism about America. Yeah, I know I'm babbling....
My God Chris, is there a rumor you won't repeat? But I guess that's Par for this course.
And of course your hatred/fear of Carl Rove, the most sucessful political strategist of our generation, is very telling.
Maybe you can get Ivylander to explain all the allegations made against the man over the years, he believes them all.
There is no rumor there Jeff. Verifiable fact. I can back up what I say.
Yes it is fear. Fear of Carl Rove and another 4 years of a Bush-like administration.
Don't take your eye off the ball..This is the Republicans vs. The Democrats! The same math remains true of this presidential race as in any other. Whichever candidate can turn out their voters will win. For years at the presidential level, Republicans have turned out better and won. If Obama can energize his base he wins and wins big because there are a lot more Democrats. It seems to me that Republicans have done a better job over the years of turning out voters..maybe Obama is the Democrats wake up call.
Don't take your eye off the ball..It's McCain vs. Obama. Republicans vs. Democrats. Whether either candidate delivers "change", the change will not be that large.
Don't take your eye off the ball..Republicans have had an incredibly rough 8 years in office and folks need to blame somebody and penalize the party that got us into the mess we're in. I think the best thing said at the Dem convention was this: How can you reward their party (the repubs) four more years heading the executive branch after what they did for the last 8? People may answer this question differently, but I bet its not "a nation divided" on this question.
Don't take your eye off the ball...Each party will present its narrative. Clearly the Republican narrative is reaching back to its underdog, silent majority days. How you can paint yourself as an underdog when you have all the money is beyond me, but evidently it plays in Peoria. The twist this year is that they are gonna "change Washington"...oh wait a minute, its not a twist, it gets said every time.
I just hope we get the largest turn out ever..
I don't, actually. And there are a lot more I don't find particularly meaningful or interesting. Is he drinking again? Did he worm out of military duty? Who gives a rat's ass? Has nothing to do with anything. Believing that a president's decisions are bad - and the condition our country is in after eight years of Mr. Bush's rule convince me that many, if not all, of them have been - is not the same as hating the president unequivocally and unreasonably. Or disrespecting the office. Or hating our country. But I have grown tired of trying to explain my positions - which I do not insist that you share - in response to your comments or posts. To you I am simply "one of them." And it's that us versus them mentality that, to me, is the poison that's killing political discourse in this country. You see everyone as an ideologue. I reject that label. It ain't me. And what you have said above is just crapping on people who don't see things as you do. Which, to me, is profoundly un-American. I'm finished with this shit.
Oh wait...
FACT: Palin has more executive experience than Obama, Biden, and McCain combined.
I think that disqualifies them all and Sarah Palin should be President today. It's about time Hockey became America's sport. Oh wait, this just in, I think she's secretly Canadian.
You see everyone as an ideologue. I reject that label. It ain't me. And what you have said above is just crapping on people who don't see things as you do. Which, to me, is profoundly un-American. I'm finished with this shit.
That's why you will never ever win an argument with 'those' people Bill.
Like I said, the facts above are facts, verifiable facts. It not rumor, I not blowing wind up someone's ass. The fact intelligent discourse deteriorates in a 'your lying, no your lying' argument is a real problem as well.
Show me the lie I wrote and i will take it off the post immediately.
Cody, you need a church brother. Your talents are wasted on us sycophants.
Oh hey Chris ... I'm still around, just that my life has become quite busy so I'm having to cut some things out for the time being.
Pastor CB ... show us the way.
I can't agree with the people who say the daughter's pregnancy is a non-issue. As you said, this is a woman who supports abstinence only education. Okay, well that didn't work. Yet, you're not re-thinking your strategy. Not a person I want in the white house. How does it go? Insanity is defined as doing the same thing and expecting different results? I'm sorry, if you don't have your own house straight, I sure don't want you running my country.
And, sure, it was a gambit. Soon as the media told us who the top 4 people in the running for his running mate were, I think most of us knew he would choose the woman. It was kind of a "Hey, we've got some of that 'CHANGE' thing going on over here to!" move. And it could have been a smart move. I'm an Obama supporter, and the Palin thing had me shook for a moment. Then, the dirty laundry started being aired. So, now McCain looks like the guy who chose a woman as a running mate just to get a few votes while not knowing anything about her. Rash decision. Someone you want in the White House? Not smart. A knee-jerk reaction that's going to bite him in the ass.
Now he has to decide either to keep her as running mate and weather the shit storm, or drop her and admit he fucked up and didn't do his research on the potential VP, just for the sake of appearing to bring some "change."
What do you think he'll do?
Get out the umbrella, I smell poo because we all know,"When John makes a decision he sticks with it to the end, he's that kind of American."
For better or worse, I think that's his best bet. I think admitting that he fucked up on this scale would do him in.
They're actually taking bets on it in the UK. http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20080902/pl_bloomberg/azjwbcginwsg
You are totally right...I can't be serious.
Whoa, I can't even comment on half the shit said. I think McCain made a knee jerk decision that will bite him in the ass. He chose a running mate, who like Obama, has very little experience which equals less dirt to dig up. He shot himself in the foot. If the Repubs think they can get past the Abstinence Only promoting governor with a pregnant teenager, they are so wrong. This is the same group of people who talked for the longest time about a blow job. You think this will just die into the back ground? These are the non-issues that the Rove's of this world thrive on. Swift boats, confederate flags, gay marriage - non issues on the national level, but devisive enough to disenfranchise enough people.
McCain is the candidate of reluctant compromise. Ever since he rolled over for bush after the S.C. "black child" incident, his career has been traced by the ugliest form of ambition. It's the Daffy Duck style of promotion - "I don't care who the maroons I step on to get up where I need to be, cuz I'm not coming back down!"
I guess the idea that you should make a decision and stick to it no matter what troubles me. Things change and there is also a chance that you are wrong. Major "thinkers", of say, the eugenics movement at the turn of the 20th century believed that northern Italians were superior to southern Italians, by nature of their birth. Millions of people supported this pseudo science! Eugenics cat Kenneth Roberts said:
The south Italians of to-day [are a] people almost as different from the north Italians of Nordic descent as an alligator pear is different from an alligator. People incapable of self-government and totally devoid of initiative and creative ability. Unrestricted immigration made a mongrel race of the south Italians…Unrestricted immigration will inevitably and absolutely do the same thing to Americans.
This hooey was offered to support immigration reform that led to a quota system that screened out Jews, Italians,Poles and other non-Nordic people from coming to the US...The "all men are created" congress of the United States passed the legislation.
We didn't change this policy until 1965! But thank God we changed our minds. If you think the policy of the United States government is wrong, it is your duty as a citizen to change it! If you think our policies are always right, then you are expecting too much from our human leaders.
There is no honor in sticking with a decision when you are wrong.
Also, it troubles me that Mr McCain seems to believe his own hype. He seems to be putting himself in a position that forces him (by virtue of being a maverick) to act unilaterally...That just doen't seem to be (Big D)Democratic.
It seems McCain looks to be more controlled by his handlers than even G.W. was. Do you really think he woud've mentioned Paris Hilton in a speech without their help? Palin looks like a decision by his comitee that he took their word on. The man is out of touch how news works via the internet. Non issues are the new issues. That Obama/Muslim email still gets traction, despite being completely false.
I'm more talking about the way I think he would govern, CBW. Both McCain and Obama (and their handlers) are gonna do whatever it takes to be elected. Apologies to Apocylpse Now: The bullshit is gonna be piled up so high by November, you're gonna need wings to step in it. I don't believe Obama is going on O'Reilly for credibility, fer instance.
Oh well, everyime I get a little idealistic, realiy steps in and squahes it. sigh.
Am I wrong, or does the narrative of the loner/maverick kinda make it hard to be bipartisan? If he's a man who sticks to his "core" values how does he compromise with somebody, without compromising his values? Or, is it his way or nothing gets done?
He's as much a loner/maverick as Bush was a "beltway Outsider" or "One of Us".
Agreed. It's time to stop all this "faliure is not an option" shit, the hubris and arrogance is detrimental to our national security.
Would not an olive branch do more nowadays than more saber rattling?
Well now that he's leaving W is saying something truthful..it's hard to be President of the United States. Its also hard to make new laws that are acceptable to a majority of 300,000,000 people. It simply isn't sticking to your "core" beliefs that gets things done. I know hardly anyone wants to do it, but we have to stop lying to each other..It ain't that easy to run this country and its even harder to change it. Too bad most of everyones interest in governing shows up now, when there's a horse race. But will our ideas and values be in play when the next prez (whoever it is) closes the door to his first oval office meeting?
I am with Mr. Cutlery... Certainly not crazy or genius like Bjork...
I think he's a wimp who gets pushed around. I kinda feel sorry for the guy, and I think he seems like a nice guy IMHO.
I also think Palin is a ploy. That's about it, the rest is obvious. IMHO they all suck, now I gotta go and play my bass...
Am I wrong, or does the narrative of the loner/maverick kinda make it hard to be bipartisan? >>>>He's got a record of crossing the aisle to get things done.
But Chris, This is addressed to you. I should not have posted such a curt comment in my haste to finish and get to work. What I wanted to ask was how to you complie such a compendium of factoids so quickly? Did you do any research to verify any of these things. It seems some of them have been debunked in the time I was at work. Whatever. I think before you assert that something is a fact you should be sure it is. I'm not saying any of the above is or isn't fact, I don't know, and neither do you. So why repeat it? Indeed, why report it?
I fully understand the left's rabid fear of this woman. Its not at all sure that she'll be able to hang on in the face of such bitter opposition. But if she does, watch out. Do you understand why she is not the Feminist's poster child? She's evrything they espouse, no? Sucessful in her career? A homemaker? Powerful? Oh, she's conservative.
I remember when G. W. Bush assembled his first cabinet. He had more Women & people of color than any adminsitration in history. Did he get props from the diversity crowd? Hell no, they were all conservative.
When he toured Africa he drew Obama-like crowds, they love him. His administration has done more to combat AIDS in Africa than any two administrations. The networks didn't see fit to cover it though.
Whatever, It is interesting that you are so quick to jump on this (totally irrelevent) shit. Your protests of objectivity are suspect.
Concerning your factoids......stay tuned.
PS>>>>I wish I didn't piss Bill off so often.
Yeah DM, but when he's in the executive is he gonna cut loose the far right that might get him elected? W didn't despite his claims of being a uniter.
I'm just sayin' maverick means doing what you think is right despite what others might say and that doesn't jibe with compromise and bi-partisanship.
Oh yeah, who's afraid of Sarah Palin? The majority of what I hear is laughter..
Jeff you tell me which 'factoid' has been debunked.
I can find a source for all of them. Just let me know which one's you think are wrong and I will get you the sources you need.
Well, the "seperatist movement"?
And to add just a little more information on another point, The state trooper she wanted fired was found to have tasered his 10 yr old stepson. Yeah, I'd fire him. The only reason it became an issue was that the commisioner who refused to fire him was part of the largely discredited "old School" political machine. (which spanned both parties). He chose to make an issue of it and did so by cherry picking facts to release to the press. Whatever. She has an 80% approval rating with the voters in Alaska. She got that approval rating because she has cleaned up a notoriously corrupt political machine and has helped the working people and the businesses in her state. Its interesting to note that when the current spin is her pork spending, they talk dollar amount per capita because the actual dollar amounts are small compared to some others in the current election.
I cannot trust the good Senator from ill. when it comes to national security. this is not based on his experience or lack thereof in the field of national security. Its based on whom he has chosen as his advisers in this area.
The last few days have been dominated by the netroots pushing a stream of unsubstantiated smears into the mainstream media. After years of complaining that the right feeds propaganda into the media stream (via right-wing radio and the Drudge Report), the left has mastered this art as well. (Great news, America: Now everyone does it.) and those who need to believe, believe.
Jeff, this is the first time I have actually been pissed. I have expressed my disagreements - and, sometimes, my agreements - to you in a respectful way, and have frequently received in return a thumb in the eye. You're free to call me humorless, but I've noticed that you lose your sense of humor pretty fast when somebody offers up a criticism of Bush. Too many times I've seen you treat conservative talking points as God's truth and belittle anyone who questions them as ideological prisoners of the left. Chris is right - it's impossible to win that kind of an argument, if "winning" actually matters more than fairness or friendship or respect or curiosity or civility. I happen to value all those things greatly. If that makes me a pussy, so be it. But I can tell you with certainty that the Merry Prankster Of The Right thing has gotten tiresome. I refuse to play any more.
Apologies for the last sentence. It was low.
"Too many times I've seen you treat conservative talking points as God's truth and belittle anyone who questions them as ideological prisoners of the left"
I think that's a bit unfair. My views are cetainly conservative in some respects, but they are absurdly liberal in other respects. I have expressed many times where we (conservatives & I) part ways, and they are myriad.
I have, at times, thrown firebombs in there, but I have never knowingly belittled anyone personnally. I know you do not think of yourself as "a typical liberal" and I do not consider you one either. But you are left of center. Its hard to notice here because you're definitely in the vast majority.
A very long time ago, while I was singing the praises of Karl Rove you kindly sent me a laundry list of allegations, some dating back decades. The vast majority of which could be neither proven nor disproven, a certain percentage could easily have been seen as sour grapes. Whatever. It was mostly gossip unworthy of consideration. And for cying out loud he's a political operative! not a saint.
When Sarah Palin speaks tonight and emphasizes her record of reform and her commitment to bring ethical standards to Washington, she'll strike a deeply resonant chord throughout the nation. None of the "scandal" reflects ill on Sarah herself. They're the kind of family issues that bedevil many American women. That the media accords such prominence to them shows how fundamentally differently we treat women and men in politics.
Jeez Jeff, you still haven't come up with the goods.
What did I say above that was wrong or rumor?
On second thought forget it. I will prove that I did my homework.
Watch for a second post on this topic.
{comes in...takes a sneak peek...runs back into her rabbithole}
Ms. Palin gave a nice speech..While consistently claiming Barack is all talk and rhetoric, she delivered quite a bit of rhetoric herself. That is something that kills me. In many ways both sides are saying the exact same thing... "I'm not a politician, but please elect me to be a powerful politician. "
So much of what both sides say is bullshit!
Each side tries to control the narrative...
Here are simillarities-
Each side tries to paint a picture of themselves as outsiders..
Each side is not a member of the elite or knows how you feel..
Each side is treated unfairly by the media..
Each side says the other side lacks ideas..
Each side says they are willing to speak truth to power, if you elect them into power.
Each side says the other engages in the politics of personal destruction
Each side says they respect their opponent, then they say disrespectful things about them in the next sentence..
Each side says its all about you, the American people
Each side says this is the most important election in decades, or generations, or this century, or ever.
Each side attempts to buy your vote by saying it will lower your taxes or give you money through a subsidy.
Each side will bring Peace and Prosperity
Each side will create more jobs
Each side will change Washington
Each side wants the money out of politics,but spends most of its time raising money
Each side is pro-small business,but anti-BIG business
Each side wants to harness the creativity,ingenuity, and hard work of the American People
Each side is very much pro-alternative energy
Each side is pro-education that will make our children competitive in the 21st century
Both parties are run by ELITES.
So, why are we divided?
Oh yeah, the other side is dangerous..
Each side defines the other side-
Democrats according to Republicans : Ashamed of their country, believe the government can solve all problems, only live on the east or west coast, only live in cities,control the media, are against family farmers and small business, do not respect human life, are out of touch with American values, not resolute, can't wait to raise taxes, give too much respect to enemies, do not have the ability to conduct foreign policy, will not defend the country, are liars.
Republicans according to Democrats : war mongers, only care about big business, want to destroy the middle class, inject too much religion into politics,trample the constitution, rule by fear, are only old white men, do not care about poor people, want to destroy the environment, run for office from the center and govern from the right, are divisive, are stupid country folks, are liars.
Look, nobodys helping here..They both say they want to talk about issues, but they never really do!
Don't take your eye off the ball: the objective of politcal parties is to raise money and get elected. "Change" would cost a lot of people their jobs. These are jobs they want to keep.
The election is about Republicans vs. Democrats. In order to appeal to the 50,000,000 voters each party needs to win, either party has to create a very large coalition. There are arguments behind the scenes about what the parties stand for, but basically their platforms are an attempt to write down things that will please the interest groups that are needed to make the 50,000,000 votes.
Both parties claim to be against interest groups, but the fact is:
THEY ARE BOTH GIANT COALITION GROUPS!! looking for money or whatever they need from Washington by promising votes.
The problem for "the people" is that they are pitted against each other in smaller,less influential groups or are tied exclusively to larger "one issue" groups, while powerful,focused,elite,well funded business lobbies get exactly what they want.
Until the people reach up and grab their power they will not have a say in what goes on in Washington.
One truthful thing I've heard both sides say, is that it is hard to bring real change..they don't say it too much though, but when they do, they have a simple solution: ELECT ME.
Cody, is there room for me on that ticket?
I smell firestorm... Good sir, what have you done? ;-)
After reading this post and comments, I think I know why it's so quiet on mog today.
Eric you gotta read my latest post.
While you may not agree with the message I think your a bigger person who can appreciate the argument.
Annie, I almost feel nauseas because of it.
Much respect to deadmandeadman and Cody B in this thread. I enjoy very much reading your intelligent discourse on this subject.
Cody popped his cap. DMDM popped Ivy's cap.
You can see the emotion politics brings. I try to remain civil with the conversation, as long as no one curses to much or is terribly disrespectful the comments stay and stand on their own.
Girls!
Girls!
You're both pretty.
You both get to go to the prom.
Since I started voting in 1980...I felt compelled to vote against Reagan, I've been staunchly Democrat. I'm less staunch these days, only because I hate the "entrenchedness" of the 2 parties...
By registering so many new voters I believe (if they vote) that Barack might (I really want to believe) be able to begin the long comversation about what "the people" really want from their government.
Until people are honest about Americas strengths and faults, we can never change. Ask any alcholic or junkie..you must address your problems head on.
Fer Instance-
Are we dependent on Foreign Oil (despite calls to transform our energy use since Nixon) because of Democrats and Republicans? Because we Like cars? Because the Oil companies want us to be?
If we really want change, each issue that comes up (the same one's in every election) must be debated with maximum participation to see where we are really at. Solutions now are delivered in one sentence slogans, but as all sides have pointed out, change is not easy, and the answers are more complicated than we might like them to be.
Neither party has cornered the market on intelligence, righteousness, or being American.
We need an honest debate..I hope we get it. Both Obama and McCain say they want a goverment of the people,by the people, for the people.
If the people actually want that they can start by voting in huge numbers and then really get to work at making that truly Ameican ideal work. Democracy does not end when the campaign is over!
i'm scared. if we lose again, i'm amsterdam bound. not to live but to inebriate myself severely.
Stop in the East on your way over. I'll join ya.
i wouldn't give 'em the satisfaction of me leaving..To quote Curtis Mayfield: This is My Country..
Maybe he picked the wrong Palin:
I can't believe I read this all the way through, now it's time to listen to Lowell sing Apolitical Blues, once again...not to say I'm entirely apolitical but sometimes it all wears on me...
I though about that Chris. It was just a matter of time before someone made it happen.
Bruce, I frequently get that way. After going throught the Congressional business in my state I found things to be disenchanting to me.
I will still run for state office but I see holes in the political process and that's before the population actually makes it to the polls.
Seriously, the United States is broken politically. We have lost our way and I don't see a foreseeable fix for our future.
I try and do a bit of grassroots support around these parts but it's tough finding the time and energy, to say nothing of getting others to be interested, such a sense of apathy seems to have permeated our culture. i have a lot of respect for those of you that work within the system to stand up for what you truly believe, regardless of the party you support.
I can't stand the whining from those that don't at least try and fix things.
Bruce there are such barriers set up that actually prohibit 3rd party candidacy. Laws enacted by both Rep. and Dem. Pennsylvania is in court to keep the laws as is. They are fighting grassroots groups who want ballot access in the worst way.
You have to stop it Chris, you're turning me in to one of those godawful conspiracy theorists...the end is near ;)
I voted Nader the past two elections, (and no I don't believe Gore would have won had we not), just for the purpose of leveraging third party politics but not nearly enough people see the future in it, they seem just to be concerned with the here and now.
Don't get that way Bruce.
If you believe the message vote on it. Though I could fill volumes about the 3rd party vote, I don't feel it's so much conspiracy as it's self preservation.
There is very real blockades, I won't mince words.
If you vote your conscience the 2 party system will eventually fall.
I got also tell you I have seen it first hand. No joke.
I'm not really getting cynical, I'll work for whatever it is I believe in until the day I die and maybe even after that. The world can't be black and white forever, no pun intended.
That's the spirit.
definitely crazy and apparently impulsive as well. traits that could be good in the white house, but not in this case. definitely not genius. though there is wisdom to admitting you don't know the answer, McCain seems like a very dim light bulb. but, as we've seen with George W, that doesn't mean harmless or less likely to get us all killed...
Palin is pretty damn smart, but for EVIL!! the thought of giving her more power scares the bejeebus out of me. what's that called when someone gets too famous too fast and it leads to a horrible public display of grotesque behavior? complete with wake of destruction left behind? Brittney Spears? Palin probably wouldn't shave her head, but she might kill the last polar bear in a greedy rage. the LAST polar bear on earth. no more cute and cuddly coca cola commercials at christmas time.
oh, and dharmachris - that video made my day! indeed, somebody picked the wrong Palin. i might have voted for Michael Palin if he were eligible.
It seems to me, that the genius of the Republican strategy is that it gets folks to take their eye off the ball. And of course the timing..2 seconds after the Dem convention, was also genius. Barack said it himself in an interview last night...Republicans are good at getting elected and Democrats are better at governing..
The last 2 Democratic candidates should have won their elections, but they campaigned like they were in a bubble and above the fray. That was stupid. Elections are dirty and must be fought for from the ground up. The hope for dems is, that as a community organizer, Barack should know this.
Respond to attacks, but stick to your message. Don't get pulled into a name calling game about Sarah Palin! If the Dems stick to the forward thinking strategy of engaging voters at the grass roots with positive messages, all the while defending against attacks, they will turn out voters.
If they engage in bickering with their opponents they will disengage voters and that's what the Republicans want. Reupublicans know exactly who's going to vote for them and they know that if there's a big Democratic turnout, they will lose.
To win you need to stay focused and fight, don't get caught up in the other side's drama.
Cody: right on!