Recently in Politics Category

I watched a bit more of the RNC and some of the highlights tonight.  I have to say I'm fairly pissed.  As someone who qualifies as a "community organizer" what the F was the funny look from Mr. 9/11 Giulinani about regarding community organizers?  Is he not aware of what one does?  And that ignorant Palin and her comment that insinuates that community organizers have no responsibilities.  Obviously she's never been one or she would know otherwise.  Maybe she's too busy putting lipstick on a pit bull?

It just befuddles me how out of touch these people can be...

I've been listening to some of the RNC coverage on CSPAN - you know, the liberal media.  I found it interesting that one of the chants was "Drill baby, drill!"  I thought most people had decided that was a stop-gap measure at best.

I also noted that the woman from eBay was talking about how bad things were in the economy and for families.  Is she aware that Republicans have been in control for most of the past 8 years?  And she spoke about investments and how their value has fallen.  There's something most Americans can get behind.  Investment values...

And then there's the typical hypocrisy..

The rhetoric of the political campaign is heating up with a new charge that Obama is sexist because of comments about Palin's level of experience.  What a load of crap!  Sexist?  I suppose he's also anti-male because he questions McCain's experience as well.  Wait, he must also be anti-veteran because McCain is a veteran.  You know, Bush graduated from Yale so Obama must be anti-education as well.  No, wait..  Obama went to Columbia and Harvard, so it must just be anti-Yale.  OMG!  McCain is straight - he must be anti-hetero as well.  All horsecrap..

Seriously, you can level just about charge at anyone if you connect dots that don't make logical sense.  More old politics.  Is this what we want for the next four years - a game of illogical connect the dots?

(sources: McCain defends Palin selection process; Who2 Biography: George W. Bush; About Barack Obama)

Tonight, Bill Clinton said something that defines this election:
"Clearly, the job of the next president is to rebuild the American dream and to restore American leadership in the world."

As much as I like the John McCain that I've seen on TV and sometimes in the political world, I don't see him as someone who can make that monumental kind of change.

He also said something that I think needs to be said:
"What about the military families pushed to the breaking point by multiple, multiple deployments? What about the assault on science and the defense of torture? What about the war on unions and the unlimited favors for the well-connected?  And what about Katrina and cronyism?  My fellow Democrats, America can do better than that."

(source: MSNBC coverage, Bill Clinton's Convention Speech - NY Times)

I just watched Michelle Obama's speech, and for me, it was something that struck home. I related to what she was saying, and what she talked about of Barack Obama.

First I think the speech overall was delivered very well. She spoke well, came across as candid and genuine, and made the case that she set out to accomplish. One of the things I connected with was the comments she made about the world as it is and as it should be.

"Barack stood up that day, and spoke words that have stayed with me ever since. He talked about "The world as it is" and "The world as it should be." And he said that all too often, we accept the distance between the two, and settle for the world as it is -- even when it doesn't reflect our values and aspirations. But he reminded us that we know what our world should look like. We know what fairness and justice and opportunity look like. And he urged us to believe in ourselves -- to find the strength within ourselves to strive for the world as it should be. And isn't that the great American story?"

I just read an article about how the speculation over vice presidential candidates is reaching a "fever pitch." A what? I guess if you are engrossed in this process it could be overly exciting. I'm still burned out from the primary process and the poor political dialogue going on from the presidential race itself. You know, the one where Obama caused high gas prices? Anyway...

So who are they going to pick?  I'm sure whoever it is that person will be scrutinized like a virus under a microscope.  I'll be more interested in knowing why the candidate picked the VP.  Is he trying to court a base?  Is he choosing someone safe?  Or is he choosing someone who will provide leadership and has a vision?

I'm thinking this fever is only going to get worse over the next few months.  Let's just hope the patient can survive.

I was reading about the gay marriages taking place in California, and how some people in the wedding industry are conflicted about the whole thing.  Some people believe it's wrong so they make the choice to not participate.  Others believe it's wrong, but choose to benefit from it anyway.  Take Eric Nelson, a photographer and minister, for instance.

"Nelson has already booked a same-sex wedding in July, but his religious beliefs and his business sense took him in two directions.

So he'll only be taking the photos. He will not officiate gay weddings, which he said conflict with his Christian beliefs."

He also likens gay couples to people who are on drugs or involved in crime.

"The ... photographer-minister said he would likewise turn down officiating weddings for heterosexual couples who he knew were involved in drugs or crime."

So in effect, to complete the analogy, he would then take pictures for a couple who was on drugs or involved in crime. 

So these are the values the high and mighty want us to aspire to?  Object to it all you want especially if it's amoral, but make money off of it if you can.  No wonder our country is so messed up right now...

(source: LA Times - Gay weddings are not quite a piece of cake)

Clinton campaigns on...

"We are still arguing, aren't we, for counting all the votes back in 2000, and we should be just as passionately arguing for that principle today, here in Florida and in Michigan," Clinton told retirees in Boca Raton.

Does this mean that she'll still be campaigning in 2016?

As she spoke, an elderly man sitting behind her, directly in the eye of television cameras, yawned deeply, rubbed his eyes and battled to stay awake.

I think this says it all.

(source: Clinton campaigns as attention wanders elsewhere - Yahoo)

I was listening briefly to Air America Radio on the way home from work tonight and I heard something interesting.  Apparently Randi Rhodes has been taken off the air for making abusive and obscene comments about Clinton and Ferraro.  (I read she called them f-ing whores)  I listened to Rhodes for awhile, but quickly grew sick of her ranting comments that often seem to go off course and exaggerate issues.  I remember one time listening to her talk about someone on the air and just going on and on, comparing them to a Nazi and blah blah blah.  She's often mean to or simply drowns out her callers. I thought to myself, she's kinda like an Ann Coulter of the left.  Well, now unfortunately for her she's paid a price for that.  And Mike Malloy did her no good service tonight calling a listener a god damn freak for defending Clinton.

You know I think a lot of people are sick of divisive politics.  I'm sick of them coming from the right, and now I'm sick of them coming from the left.  I have no problem with either side defending their positions or people, but let's all act like adults, can't we?  Or can we?

I hope Rachel Maddow isn't getting sucked into this crap.  She's the one redeeming person I listen to on Air America at all anymore...