October 2008 Archives

What is it with advertisements these days? I was riding BART today, and the posters were just hitting me the wrong way. First there was the poster for either an upcoming horror movie or video game, featuring a hand missing a finger as well as a good-sized chunk of flesh. Close up it's also a fetching shade of green. Nauseated, I turned and saw this ad at the rear of the car:

Don't get me wrong; I love pomegranate juice, and have nothing against this particular brand. But this image does not exactly conjure up positive images of life, health and tasty antioxidant-laden fruits to me.

Is it because it's near Halloween? Is it the economy? Since when did everything become so morbid?

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to my episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. First season, baby!

Obama just gave this speech in Ohio... I can't even begin to express how much I'm hoping right now, and how afraid I am that the country is going to go in the wrong direction Yet Again.

One week.

After decades of broken politics in Washington, eight years of failed policies from George Bush, and twenty-one months of a campaign that has taken us from the rocky coast of Maine to the sunshine of California, we are one week away from change in America.

In one week, you can turn the page on policies that have put the greed and irresponsibility of Wall Street before the hard work and sacrifice of folks on Main Street.

In one week, you can choose policies that invest in our middle-class, create new jobs, and grow this economy from the bottom-up so that everyone has a chance to succeed; from the CEO to the secretary and the janitor; from the factory owner to the men and women who work on its floor.

In one week, you can put an end to the politics that would divide a nation just to win an election; that tries to pit region against region, city against town, Republican against Democrat; that asks us to fear at a time when we need hope.

In one week, at this defining moment in history, you can give this country the change we need.

We began this journey in the depths of winter nearly two years ago, on the steps of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois. Back then, we didn't have much money or many endorsements. We weren't given much of a chance by the polls or the pundits, and we knew how steep our climb would be.

But I also knew this. I knew that the size of our challenges had outgrown the smallness of our politics. I believed that Democrats and Republicans and Americans of every political stripe were hungry for new ideas, new leadership, and a new kind of politics - one that favors common sense over ideology; one that focuses on those values and ideals we hold in common as Americans.

Most of all, I believed in your ability to make change happen. I knew that the American people were a decent, generous people who are willing to work hard and sacrifice for future generations. And I was convinced that when we come together, our voices are more powerful than the most entrenched lobbyists, or the most vicious political attacks, or the full force of a status quo in Washington that wants to keep things just the way they are.

Twenty-one months later, my faith in the American people has been vindicated. That's how we've come so far and so close - because of you. That's how we'll change this country - with your help. And that's why we can't afford to slow down, sit back, or let up for one day, one minute, or one second in this last week. Not now. Not when so much is at stake.

We are in the middle of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. 760,000 workers have lost their jobs this year. Businesses and families can't get credit. Home values are falling. Pensions are disappearing. Wages are lower than they've been in a decade, at a time when the cost of health care and college have never been higher. It's getting harder and harder to make the mortgage, or fill up your gas tank, or even keep the electricity on at the end of the month.

At a moment like this, the last thing we can afford is four more years of the tired, old theory that says we should give more to billionaires and big corporations and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. The last thing we can afford is four more years where no one in Washington is watching anyone on Wall Street because politicians and lobbyists killed common-sense regulations. Those are the theories that got us into this mess. They haven't worked, and it's time for change. That's why I'm running for President of the United States.

Now, Senator McCain has served this country honorably. And he can point to a few moments over the past eight years where he has broken from George Bush - on torture, for example. He deserves credit for that. But when it comes to the economy - when it comes to the central issue of this election - the plain truth is that John McCain has stood with this President every step of the way. Voting for the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy that he once opposed. Voting for the Bush budgets that spent us into debt. Calling for less regulation twenty-one times just this year. Those are the facts.

And now, after twenty-one months and three debates, Senator McCain still has not been able to tell the American people a single major thing he'd do differently from George Bush when it comes to the economy. Senator McCain says that we can't spend the next four years waiting for our luck to change, but you understand that the biggest gamble we can take is embracing the same old Bush-McCain policies that have failed us for the last eight years.

It's not change when John McCain wants to give a $700,000 tax cut to the average Fortune 500 CEO. It's not change when he wants to give $200 billion to the biggest corporations or $4 billion to the oil companies or $300 billion to the same Wall Street banks that got us into this mess. It's not change when he comes up with a tax plan that doesn't give a penny of relief to more than 100 million middle-class Americans. That's not change.

Look - we've tried it John McCain's way. We've tried it George Bush's way. Deep down, Senator McCain knows that, which is why his campaign said that "if we keep talking about the economy, we're going to lose." That's why he's spending these last weeks calling me every name in the book. Because that's how you play the game in Washington. If you can't beat your opponent's ideas, you distort those ideas and maybe make some up. If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run away from. You make a big election about small things.

Ohio, we are here to say "Not this time. Not this year. Not when so much is at stake." Senator McCain might be worried about losing an election, but I'm worried about Americans who are losing their homes, and their jobs, and their life savings. I can take one more week of John McCain's attacks, but this country can't take four more years of the same old politics and the same failed policies. It's time for something new.

The question in this election is not "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" We know the answer to that. The real question is, "Will this country be better off four years from now?"

I know these are difficult times for America. But I also know that we have faced difficult times before. The American story has never been about things coming easy - it's been about rising to the moment when the moment was hard. It's about seeing the highest mountaintop from the deepest of valleys. It's about rejecting fear and division for unity of purpose. That's how we've overcome war and depression. That's how we've won great struggles for civil rights and women's rights and worker's rights. And that's how we'll emerge from this crisis stronger and more prosperous than we were before - as one nation; as one people.

Remember, we still have the most talented, most productive workers of any country on Earth. We're still home to innovation and technology, colleges and universities that are the envy of the world. Some of the biggest ideas in history have come from our small businesses and our research facilities. So there's no reason we can't make this century another American century. We just need a new direction. We need a new politics.

Now, I don't believe that government can or should try to solve all our problems. I know you don't either. But I do believe that government should do that which we cannot do for ourselves - protect us from harm and provide a decent education for our children; invest in new roads and new science and technology. It should reward drive and innovation and growth in the free market, but it should also make sure businesses live up to their responsibility to create American jobs, and look out for American workers, and play by the rules of the road. It should ensure a shot at success not only for those with money and power and influence, but for every single American who's willing to work. That's how we create not just more millionaires, but more middle-class families. That's how we make sure businesses have customers that can afford their products and services. That's how we've always grown the American economy - from the bottom-up. John McCain calls this socialism. I call it opportunity, and there is nothing more American than that.

Understand, if we want get through this crisis, we need to get beyond the old ideological debates and divides between left and right. We don't need bigger government or smaller government. We need a better government - a more competent government - a government that upholds the values we hold in common as Americans.

We don't have to choose between allowing our financial system to collapse and spending billions of taxpayer dollars to bail out Wall Street banks. As President, I will ensure that the financial rescue plan helps stop foreclosures and protects your money instead of enriching CEOs. And I will put in place the common-sense regulations I've been calling for throughout this campaign so that Wall Street can never cause a crisis like this again. That's the change we need.

The choice in this election isn't between tax cuts and no tax cuts. It's about whether you believe we should only reward wealth, or whether we should also reward the work and workers who create it. I will give a tax break to 95% of Americans who work every day and get taxes taken out of their paychecks every week. I'll eliminate income taxes for seniors making under $50,000 and give homeowners and working parents more of a break. And I'll help pay for this by asking the folks who are making more than $250,000 a year to go back to the tax rate they were paying in the 1990s. No matter what Senator McCain may claim, here are the facts - if you make under $250,000, you will not see your taxes increase by a single dime - not your income taxes, not your payroll taxes, not your capital gains taxes. Nothing. Because the last thing we should do in this economy is raise taxes on the middle-class.

When it comes to jobs, the choice in this election is not between putting up a wall around America or allowing every job to disappear overseas. The truth is, we won't be able to bring back every job that we've lost, but that doesn't mean we should follow John McCain's plan to keep giving tax breaks to corporations that send American jobs overseas. I will end those breaks as President, and I will give American businesses a $3,000 tax credit for every job they create right here in the United States of America. I'll eliminate capital gains taxes for small businesses and start-up companies that are the engine of job creation in this country. We'll create two million new jobs by rebuilding our crumbling roads, and bridges, and schools, and by laying broadband lines to reach every corner of the country. And I will invest $15 billion a year in renewable sources of energy to create five million new energy jobs over the next decade - jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced; jobs building solar panels and wind turbines and a new electricity grid; jobs building the fuel-efficient cars of tomorrow, not in Japan or South Korea but here in the United States of America; jobs that will help us eliminate the oil we import from the Middle East in ten years and help save the planet in the bargain. That's how America can lead again.

When it comes to health care, we don't have to choose between a government-run health care system and the unaffordable one we have now. If you already have health insurance, the only thing that will change under my plan is that we will lower premiums. If you don't have health insurance, you'll be able to get the same kind of health insurance that Members of Congress get for themselves. We'll invest in preventative care and new technology to finally lower the cost of health care for families, businesses, and the entire economy. And as someone who watched his own mother spend the final months of her life arguing with insurance companies because they claimed her cancer was a pre-existing condition and didn't want to pay for treatment, I will stop insurance companies from discriminating against those who are sick and need care most.

When it comes to giving every child a world-class education so they can compete in this global economy for the jobs of the 21st century, the choice is not between more money and more reform - because our schools need both. As President, I will invest in early childhood education, recruit an army of new teachers, pay them more, and give them more support. But I will also demand higher standards and more accountability from our teachers and our schools. And I will make a deal with every American who has the drive and the will but not the money to go to college: if you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford your tuition. You invest in America, America will invest in you, and together, we will move this country forward.

And when it comes to keeping this country safe, we don't have to choose between retreating from the world and fighting a war without end in Iraq. It's time to stop spending $10 billion a month in Iraq while the Iraqi government sits on a huge surplus. As President, I will end this war by asking the Iraqi government to step up, and finally finish the fight against bin Laden and the al Qaeda terrorists who attacked us on 9/11. I will never hesitate to defend this nation, but I will only send our troops into harm's way with a clear mission and a sacred commitment to give them the equipment they need in battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they come home. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century, and I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future.

I won't stand here and pretend that any of this will be easy - especially now. The cost of this economic crisis, and the cost of the war in Iraq, means that Washington will have to tighten its belt and put off spending on things we can afford to do without. On this, there is no other choice. As President, I will go through the federal budget, line-by-line, ending programs that we don't need and making the ones we do need work better and cost less.

But as I've said from the day we began this journey all those months ago, the change we need isn't just about new programs and policies. It's about a new politics - a politics that calls on our better angels instead of encouraging our worst instincts; one that reminds us of the obligations we have to ourselves and one another.

Part of the reason this economic crisis occurred is because we have been living through an era of profound irresponsibility. On Wall Street, easy money and an ethic of "what's good for me is good enough" blinded greedy executives to the danger in the decisions they were making. On Main Street, lenders tricked people into buying homes they couldn't afford. Some folks knew they couldn't afford those houses and bought them anyway. In Washington, politicians spent money they didn't have and allowed lobbyists to set the agenda. They scored political points instead of solving our problems, and even after the greatest attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor, all we were asked to do by our President was to go out and shop.

That is why what we have lost in these last eight years cannot be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits alone. What has also been lost is the idea that in this American story, each of us has a role to play. Each of us has a responsibility to work hard and look after ourselves and our families, and each of us has a responsibility to our fellow citizens. That's what's been lost these last eight years - our sense of common purpose; of higher purpose. And that's what we need to restore right now.

Yes, government must lead the way on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and our businesses more efficient. Yes, we must provide more ladders to success for young men who fall into lives of crime and despair. But all of us must do our part as parents to turn off the television and read to our children and take responsibility for providing the love and guidance they need. Yes, we can argue and debate our positions passionately, but at this defining moment, all of us must summon the strength and grace to bridge our differences and unite in common effort - black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American; Democrat and Republican, young and old, rich and poor, gay and straight, disabled or not.

In this election, we cannot afford the same political games and tactics that are being used to pit us against one another and make us afraid of one another. The stakes are too high to divide us by class and region and background; by who we are or what we believe.

Because despite what our opponents may claim, there are no real or fake parts of this country. There is no city or town that is more pro-America than anywhere else - we are one nation, all of us proud, all of us patriots. There are patriots who supported this war in Iraq and patriots who opposed it; patriots who believe in Democratic policies and those who believe in Republican policies. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America - they have served the United States of America.

It won't be easy, Ohio. It won't be quick. But you and I know that it is time to come together and change this country. Some of you may be cynical and fed up with politics. A lot of you may be disappointed and even angry with your leaders. You have every right to be. But despite all of this, I ask of you what has been asked of Americans throughout our history.

I ask you to believe - not just in my ability to bring about change, but in yours.

I know this change is possible. Because I have seen it over the last twenty-one months. Because in this campaign, I have had the privilege to witness what is best in America.

I've seen it in lines of voters that stretched around schools and churches; in the young people who cast their ballot for the first time, and those not so young folks who got involved again after a very long time. I've seen it in the workers who would rather cut back their hours than see their friends lose their jobs; in the neighbors who take a stranger in when the floodwaters rise; in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb. I've seen it in the faces of the men and women I've met at countless rallies and town halls across the country, men and women who speak of their struggles but also of their hopes and dreams.

I still remember the email that a woman named Robyn sent me after I met her in Ft. Lauderdale. Sometime after our event, her son nearly went into cardiac arrest, and was diagnosed with a heart condition that could only be treated with a procedure that cost tens of thousands of dollars. Her insurance company refused to pay, and their family just didn't have that kind of money.

In her email, Robyn wrote, "I ask only this of you - on the days where you feel so tired you can't think of uttering another word to the people, think of us. When those who oppose you have you down, reach deep and fight back harder."

Ohio, that's what hope is - that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better is waiting around the bend; that insists there are better days ahead. If we're willing to work for it. If we're willing to shed our fears and our doubts. If we're willing to reach deep down inside ourselves when we're tired and come back fighting harder.

Hope! That's what kept some of our parents and grandparents going when times were tough. What led them to say, "Maybe I can't go to college, but if I save a little bit each week my child can; maybe I can't have my own business but if I work really hard my child can open one of her own." It's what led immigrants from distant lands to come to these shores against great odds and carve a new life for their families in America; what led those who couldn't vote to march and organize and stand for freedom; that led them to cry out, "It may look dark tonight, but if I hold on to hope, tomorrow will be brighter."

That's what this election is about. That is the choice we face right now.

Don't believe for a second this election is over. Don't think for a minute that power concedes. We have to work like our future depends on it in this last week, because it does.

In one week, we can choose an economy that rewards work and creates new jobs and fuels prosperity from the bottom-up.

In one week, we can choose to invest in health care for our families, and education for our kids, and renewable energy for our future.

In one week, we can choose hope over fear, unity over division, the promise of change over the power of the status quo.

In one week, we can come together as one nation, and one people, and once more choose our better history.

That's what's at stake. That's what we're fighting for. And if in this last week, you will knock on some doors for me, and make some calls for me, and talk to your neighbors, and convince your friends; if you will stand with me, and fight with me, and give me your vote, then I promise you this - we will not just win Ohio, we will not just win this election, but together, we will change this country and we will change the world. Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless America.

(The toddler requests music thusly)

I've gotten to go to a fair number of concerts over the last couple years, including the Decembrists, Manu Chao, Hot Chip, Hot Hot Heat, Death Cab for Cutie, Charlie Hunter, Spoon, Nick Cave, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival where I heard (if not saw) Elvis Costello and Gogol Bordello, and this week, Stereolab. I'm sure I forgot a couple more. Not bad for a mother, although most of the credit needs to go to my friend Edith, who keeps urging me to get out of the house and has an uncanny ability to score great tickets.

Next up: Charlie Hunter again, and Jonathan Richman...

• Pro-8/Anti-gay crew tries to blackmail donors to No on 8. This is in addition to all the untruthing they've been doing (claiming that churches are going to lose their tax-exempt status and schools are going to be required to teach students about gay marriage.) I guess I missed the part of the Bible where it said, "Thou shalt extort money from thy enemies and lie your ass off in the name of the Lord. Amen." (It's also kind of like telling a gamer, "Give me $10,000 or I'm going to tell all your friends that you collect D&D figurines!")
• John McCain's brother called 911 to complain about slow traffic. Then he cursed out the operator when it was pointed out that this was a poor use of the emergency number, because it's for, like, you know, emergencies.
• Sarah Palin doesn't know if bombing an abortion clinic really counts as terrorism.
  

Oh well. For some reason, looking at this photograph makes me feel better. (Guess who it is?)

Somebody was showing me a video on YouTube that kept talking about the "Millenials" which I gather are supposed to be Generation X's (my generation's) grandchildren or something? According to this link, they're born between 1980 and 1995 (or perhaps between 1978 and 2000), which sounds more like Generation Y to me, but whatever. What stood out to me most, though, was the complaints about this generation (they're coddled, they're spoiled, they've been told all their lives how special they are, they're hard to tell what to do, etc.) sound very familiar. Yeah, I think that's what Generation X was accused of back in the late 80s and early 90s...

Anyway, either they're a nightmare in the workplace or the greatest thing since sliced bread, about to unleash transformative magic upon our national/global landscape...

...or perhaps they're just young, and young people are like that. For a while. Then they get older and start complaining about Generation Turquoise or whatever silly trend names are going to be made up next... "Kids today. Back in my day we didn't have holographic messaging!"

Ward: Did you ever run across an employer whom you found you liked, personally? He responded, in a way? LG: There were a few employers, some from the smaller warehouses, who v/ere not difficult to deal with. For example, a man I always liked was Adrian Falk. Later on he became quite prominent in the Chamber of Commerce. Adrian Falk was in charge of the S&W warehouse; an interesting duck. I think he came from an old-time San Francisco family, probably among the initial groups who came out here. I never felt that he was fundamentally hostile to the union. I don't think he ever took the attitude that his only purpose in life was to see that we were gotten rid of. I discovered in talks with him that if you could put together something logical you had one listener. The big bulk of employers, it made no difference what you said, they just weren't interested. The only time they finally sat down and dealt was when they had to.

...that I can't stop watching this damn sketch?

Classy.

This one's a real laugh riot too.

She says it way better than I ever could.

For purposes of my argument, it doesn't matter how you feel about abortion... Focus instead on the air quotes McCain used, the belittling wiggle of his fingers as he summarily dismissed women facing what's possibly the ultimate lose-lose situation: your baby or your life...Not only is John McCain saying we shouldn't have the right to terminate a pregnancy in the event that our lives are at stake, he's telling us he's skeptical that that happens at all.

Edited to add: This is a really good post too.

It is my understanding that McCain believes late-term abortion should be outlawed except when it is necessary to save the life of the mother. But when do you make that determination? When does "health of the mother" turn into "life of the mother," anyway? What organs would the infection have to spread to and shut down before I would be permitted to terminate my pregnancy? Would they wait until I was on a ventilator, or merely until my lungs were beginning to fill with fluid?

For reference purposes, here are the air quotes in all their glory:

Spotted on Andrewsullivan.com.

(The song is "I Don't Blame You" by Cat Power, off of You Are Free.)

FAQs about Proposition 8

Claim:
If Proposition 8 doesn't pass, you could be sued for your personal beliefs if you don't approve of homosexuality.
Fact:
California law already prohibits discrimination against anyone based on race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. You're not going to be sued for your personal beliefs.

Claim:
If Proposition 8 doesn't pass, churches could lose their tax-exempt status if they refuse to approve of gay marriage or conduct gay wedding ceremonies.
Fact:
The Supreme Court ruling stated "no religion will be required to change its religious policies or practices with regard to same-sex couples."

Claim:
If Proposition 8 doesn't pass, you will have no control over what your children are taught in school, and they will be taught about gay marriage.
Fact:
California law prohibits public schools from teaching students anything about health and family issues against the will of their parents.

Claim:
"Acceptance of gay marriage is now mandatory."
Fact:
Nobody can be forced to accept something they don't want to accept. Your beliefs are your own.

Claim:
Passing Proposition 8 protects traditional marriage.
Fact:
There are multiple problems with this simple claim. For one thing, if marriage is under attack, shouldn't we be addressing all of those factors? Economic stress has been shown in studies to cause marital problems, yet Proposition 8 will do nothing to address this.

Another issue is that there are multiple definitions of "traditional" marriage. Marriage used to be a business contract uniting two families, with the purpose of producing heirs. The idea of romantic love as the primary basis for choosing a mate is a relatively recent one and is not universally accepted. (In fact, NPR has recently been profiling young Muslim Americans who are struggling with the issue of arranged marriages, and with the parents who wish to arrange them.) Also, many heterosexual couples choose to remain childless, yet are still very much considered married. On the other hand, adoption and medical technology gives infertile or same-sex couples a way to have their own children.

The one thing everyone seems to be able to agree on is that a solid marriage promotes familial and societal stability. So marriage should be a right available to everyone regardless of sexual orientation.

Claim:
Proposition 8 doesn't take away rights from gay people.
Fact:
If you are married, would you be happy to have your marriage referred to as a "domestic partnership" from now on? Most couples would not. Furthermore, "By taking away marriage rights from one group of Californians, Proposition 8 violates the principles of freedom, fairness and equality that are at the core of the State's constitution." says Republicans Against 8.

Claim:
Homosexuality is a choice. Couldn't gays and lesbians just choose to marry somebody of the opposite sex?
Fact:
Scientific studies have demonstrated that sexual preference is hard-wired from early in life, not a choice. However, religious preference/belief could be described as a "choice", but it is still a choice protected by law, as it should be.

Claim:
If gay marriage is legal, then it opens the door to allowing marriages between adults and children/animals/etc.
Fact:
This is simply not true. Children are not allowed to get married because they cannot legally consent. Nor can animals. There is no "slippery slope" here.

Claim:
"Four judges ignored 4 million voters and imposed same-sex marriage on California."
Fact:
Granting civil rights by popularity contest isn't such a great idea. Decades ago, polls showed that the majority of California voters opposed interracial marriage in California. The Supreme Court overturned laws banning interracial marriage, and today, the majority of Californians are no longer opposed. It doesn't mean that interracial marriage was wrong then and right now - but views have changed, as they do.

Furthermore, our country has a proud tradition of protecting rights even when they aren't popular. Freedom of speech, the first amendment in the U.S. Constitution, is a good example. It protects even speech that most people find objectionable, but it also protects people's rights to debates issues like Proposition 8 - on both sides.

Claim: Gavin Newsom is cocky and annoying.
Fact: Well, yes. But if that's a reason to take away civil rights from a subset of the population, none of us would have any rights...

Sources:
http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/1290701.html
http://www.republicansagainst8.com/faq/
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/109585159/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0
http://www.noonprop8.com/about/fact-vs-fiction

The normally wonderful emusic posts a Sarah Palin-themed compilation.

So I came up with a suggested playlist of my own (which I posted in a review, but you have to be logged in to see). Please note that these are all REAL songs available on emusic.

"Lying" - Chain Link Fence
"Lying" - Michael Watts
"Lying" - Whitney and the Tales
"Lying" - Joanna De Seyne
"Lying" - Vince Falzone
"So Full Of Shit You're Poisonous" - The Horror

This story on NPR this morning looks at New Hampshire voters and talks to a few of them. A couple of the comments made my jaw drop. The transcript of the story isn't available so I'm going to have to summarize, but basically, one lady said something along the lines of "John McCain knows what it's like to live through hard times; all Obama has known is the good life, and he was around during the Reagan years," the implication being that the Reagan years were flush ones.

Really, lady? You sure about that? The 80s were good to everybody? Because that isn't my recollection, and I'm even younger than Obama. And looking at the two candidates' biographies, I have trouble with her conclusion on which one is more familiar with the "good life".

The other one wasn't quite as mind-boggling, but still made me laugh at how differently two different voters can see things. There was an interview with a guy who was "tempted" by Obama, but hesitated because he doesn't like to be tempted, he likes a candidate with a cool head who is logical. And that would be...?!?!?

Very odd.

A cautionary tale from 2004. It ain't over until it's over, kids...

Seriously, this pastor has a bizarre view of G*d's interest in the political sphere...

Want to give yourself nightmares? Clicky here and watch videos of McCain/Palin supporters spewing hate and ignorance.

I know intellectually that there are two sides to every story, and that there is a logic to the Republican platform - not my logic, but logic nonetheless. But I'm not seeing any kind of logic or even an attempt at a coherent argument from the Republicans this time. They're down to "Ooh, look at the scary possibly Muslim man who wants to raise your taxes." And from what I hear about the rallies, their followers are being stoked into a frenzy.

My husband has a sobering theory. Maybe McCain/Palin are deliberated fanning the flames in the hopes of creating a security situation for Obama. At best, perhaps they hope that he will cancel many of his campaign activities out of concerns for his safety. There are darker possibilities, of course, that I don't even want to think about. It sounds insane so I won't go there. But with things so chaotic, who the hell knows...

They just can't win this time. There is a place for the Republican party, and maybe someday, if they get rid of the hateful crap they've filled up with, they'll be a force to reckon with again, in a good way. But for now, they need to be consigned to the dustbin of history.

1. Pick the right blog with the right audience for your message.
2. Make sure you can actually speak the language you are trying to write in.
3. Try not to sound like a perverted dumbass.

This one fails on all counts.

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She apparently can see Afghanistan!

"They are also building schools for the Afghan children so that there is hope and opportunity in our neighboring country of Afghanistan," she told several hundred supporters at a fundraising event in San Francisco.

One of the many mysteries about this campaign: where are all the people who were bitching about Obama saying this,

You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them. And they fell through the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. So it's not surprising then that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.

Why aren't they offended by Sarah Palin's "Joe Six-Pack" this and "Hocky Moms" that?

Because they should be...

A lower-middle-class male. For example, I don't think opera will appeal to Joe Six-pack; he'd prefer a rock concert. This disparaging term, first recorded in 1977, conjures up the image of a man in undershirt and construction helmet who will down all of a six-pack (six cans or bottles of beer sold in a package) in an evening.

Yeah, real flattering.

An unwelcome guest!

"Enough of you have whispered (advice) in my ear, 'John, take the gloves off' ... and it's going to be good," Palin vowed to a crowd of 1,300 Republican supporters, who responded with a standing ovation at a Burlingame fundraiser that raised $2.5 million on the second of a two-day campaign and fundraising swing through California.

Actually, Iif I had access, I'd be yelling in her ear, "Get the f**k out of California!"

This cracks me up "also"...

Palin was introduced to the adoring crowd Sunday by prominent Silicon Valley financier Tom Siebel as "the embodiment of pure, unadulterated good."

But on her second day in the nation's most populous state, Palin appeared slightly confused as to her location, telling the Peninsula crowd that people are "wondering what the heck we're doing in California anyway - especially here in Marin County."

The debate tonight: Palin didn't do as badly as in her interviews, but Biden did WAY better than I feared.

But I thought that Palin had a "Dukakis moment" that could end her career, and I'm not the only one. When Biden choked up while discussing the accident that killed his wife and daughter, and left him a single father of two boys, her reaction was to chirpily change the subject back to what "mavericks" she and John McCain are with nary a pause, let alone "I'm sorry for your loss, Senator, but I want to address..."

I hope voters take notice.

This morning he was on NPR claiming that (and I quote roughly) "this campaign would have been very different had Barack Obama agreed to stand next to me and speak to the American people" at his stupid Town Hall Meetings.

So it's all Obama's fault that John McCain is an impulsive, slandering, senile liar?

Is this the "personal responsibility" of which Republicans speak so fondly?

I would really like to see this guy's butt kicked very soundly in the polls come November.