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R (Saint Petersburg, FL)

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One, young, blue collar firefighter speaking his mind, hopeful for change, and tired of more of the same.

Firefighters for Obama!

By R - Oct 28th, 2008 at 6:44 pm EDT

Not sure if you guys have seen this, but it would be great thing to pass on. I, as a firefighter, just received a video from the IAFF (International Association of Firefighters) regarding their Firefighters for Obama campaign. It's a 30 second ad that could really serve as a strong reminder why Obama is for the common, true blue. American.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlHrS9o2vS4

Enjoy!

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Another misleading ad from the campaign trail...

By R - Oct 13th, 2008 at 12:06 pm EDT

Cue dramatic music, borrow cinematic themes from films such as "Syriana", "Munich", and "Traffic, add lots of grainy backgrounds with strobe like text, repeat the word "terrorist", invoke the numbers "9-11", say "radical", embellish on peoples fears and misunderstandings and there you have it...a new campaign ad, full of distortion and made in poor judgement.

Do they really think Americans will just take what they say at face value? Are they implying that we won't and/or can't read? They know the facts are out there and easily accessible. I take offense at politicians who who believe we are just to dumb, to busy, to uninterested to fact check. Well McCain, Palin, we're not that stupid, we're not that lazy, 10 minutes out of our day is not that long. It's more than enough time to call your latest Ayers Obama ad, and furthermore your unwillingness to cease and desist your campaign of fear - i.e. Obama "palling around with terrorists", to the carpet.

There's a few great sites out there, non-partisan fact checkers like politifact.com, factcheck.org and snopes.com who serve as wonderful resources to debunk the misinformation coming from both sides. Let's take a look at the latest McCain/Palin ad using dramatic cues and frightening imagery to sell there case that Obama cohorts with terrorists. Turns out (drum roll please) it's misleading! I know, I know, big surprise there. But please, DO NOT TAKE MY WORD FOR IT! See for yourself the huge spread that factcheck.org has so graciously prepared for you - the inquisitive, the curious public, the non sheep, the trend setters, the champions of truth and awareness.

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/he_lied_about_bill_ayers.html

Point of interest (warning article spoiler!):

"Voters may differ in how they see Ayers, or how they see Obama’s interactions with him. We’re making no judgment calls on those matters. What we object to are the McCain-Palin campaign’s attempts to sway voters – in ads and on the stump – with false and misleading statements about the relationship, which was never very close. Obama never “lied” about this, just as he never bragged about it. The foundation they both worked with was hardly “radical.” And Ayers is more than a former "terrorist," he’s also a well-known figure in the field of education." www.factcheck.org

Facts to take note of:
- Barack Obama was 8 years old at the time of Ayers started the Weatherman
- Bill Ayer's is a professor in the College of Education at the University of Illinois Chicago, holding the title of Distinguished Professor (wikipedia.org)
- Regarding the bombs set off by the Weatherman "Nobody was killed, due to evacuation warnings the Weathermen sent out in advance."
- The education fund referenced in the ad is not "radical" and had prominent republicans and educators serving alongside Obama.

Read the article for yourself. Have the knowledge to defend yourself against McCain/Palin scare tactics. Don't let them disgrace the events of 9-11 by not reflecting on them, not respecting those who lost their lives, not mourning that day, not humbly acknowledging the loss we as nation incurred that day. Don't let them capitalize on the numbers of 9-11, using them for their own good, their own prerogative. Shame on them for continually dropping the word terrorist, believing you'll be naive enough to buy into their attacks just by playing on your pain and your loss caused by the terrorist attacks of 9-11. Realize their tactics for what they are. Every time we hear 9-11, every time we hear the word terrorist, they are forcing us to recall that day, which we should never forget, and than bastardizing that image by trying to place it like a dark blanket over things that aren't related and that aren't the same. They are desperate, they are losing ground and down in the polls (RCP average Obama 49.8% - McCain 43.0%). They are playing on our fears and our sorrow. It's offensive, it's wrong, it's misleading.

Pass this on to all that you know so that they can not be led astray by "groundless, false, dubious" attacks.
-R

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Today is the last day to register to vote in Florida...here's my effort...

By R - Oct 6th, 2008 at 1:28 pm EDT

I created a flyer today to notify my immediate neighbors and neighboring apartment buildings that today is the last day to register to vote in Florida.

If you live in Michigan, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania or Virginia today is the day for you to tie up all the loose ends and register...

Let your voice be heard!!!!

This was my effort on this last day to register here in Downtown St. Petersburg, Florida...enjoy:

-R

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Drill Baby Drill? A chant for the uninformed...

By R - Oct 6th, 2008 at 12:08 am EDT

Dear Friends,

I'm writing this for those who believe that more drilling, specifically in ANWR and off of our coast is a terrible idea, but more so for those who think it's a powerful and quick move towards solving our energy crisis. Let me take a second and clear some of disillusionment regarding drilling. It's a bad idea, it's not environmentally sound, do not believe the hype, "Drill Baby Drill" is a chant for the uninformed and....drum roll please...IT'S NOT A TIME SAVING MEASURE, NOR WILL IT SAVE US MONEY AT THE GAS PUMP ANYTIME SOON!!!

I keep hearing people pushing for drilling. During the RNC they loudly and aggressively chanted "Drill Baby Drill". On the other side of the spectrum I hear people speaking of drilling as an ineffective answer to our energy crisis specifically when it comes to places such as ANWR and the like. So who's right? I did some research on my own to answer this and here it is:

http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/servicerpt/anwr/introduction.html

This article is straight from the "Energy Information Administration" (EIA) which provides "Official Energy Statistics From The US government".

Opening up ANWR "is projected to increase domestic crude oil production starting in 2018". 2018!!! This is not a quick solution.

The other part of this to take note of is: The opening of ANWR is projected to have its largest oil price reduction impacts as follows (relating to three different cases presented in the report):

"A reduction in low-sulfur, light crude oil prices of $0.41 per barrel (2006 dollars) in 2026 for the low oil resource case, $0.75 per barrel in 2025 for the mean oil resource case, and $1.44 per barrel in 2027 for the high oil resource case, relative to the reference case."

This is in no way the large scale savings avid drilling supporters are touting. With a cost of crude oil presently above $90.00 a barrel, a savings totaling $1.44 per barrel is in no way effective enough. This is not the savings we've been told about. Even if you were so inclined to be satisfied by these tragically minimal saving, take into account that these savings are only projected to take place in 2027!!!

This is not energy efficient. This is not a quick and easy plan to save us from high gas pump prices.

It is prudent to also look at the long lasting effects oil has in the event of it reaching our shores. According (again to one of our own government agencies) to the NOAA who released this report in 2001:

http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/Quarterly/jas2001/feature_jas01.htm

Regarding the shoreline that the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill effected, in 2001 "Oil was found at 58 percent of the 91 sites assessed. "We should keep in mind that the Exxon spill was way back 1989...in 2001, oil is still present.

So, in closing, if the "Drill Baby Drill" sound waves rock Washington in favor of those who are pro drilling we can expect to not see that new oil for 10 YEARS! And minimal savings like (at the highest prediction) $1.44 on the barrel in 2027!!! This is laughable, absolutely laughable.

Alternative energy is available. If we as a country - government and citizens combined - want energy independence, we can have it. With the correct information, a high amount of drive, and the right people in office, WE can do this. We have the ingenuity, we have the technology, and we have the NEED. If we could set a 10 year time frame to put a man on the moon with 1960's technology and, mind you, achieve that, we can move out of the firm grasp oil has on us and our economy (while the oil companies post record profits at our expense). If we can drop $10,000,000,000 a month on war, we can certainly put money back into our country, our people to bolster the move towards energy independence. WE can do this.

That is all.

-R
P.S. - I challenge you to confirm this information. I encourage you to forward this. Get the real facts out there. People need to be able to cut through the hype and take hold of the truth. We have the will.
"Will Baby Will"

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Palins daughters pregnancy is not off limits, it's a conservative issue.

By R - Sep 4th, 2008 at 12:59 pm EDT

I responded to a post a little bit ago and I'd like to share it with you...

I guess Obama's camp doesn't have anything better to do that try to dig up dirt on McCain & Palin. They must be really desperate when a pregnant unwed 17 yr old is front page news when half the people in Hollywood (Obama pals) have broods with no marriage license. Straight shooters like McCain & Palin are always a threat to "politics as usual" candidates like Obama & Biden.

Posted by:______

My Response:

______,

This is not a desperate attack. Let's not get caught up here in the wrong argument. I will clear up some of the conservative backpedaling rhetoric for you:

This argument was never about how terrible it is for a 17 year old girl to get pregnant. The argument has always been about the irony, the hypocrisy, the juxtaposition of the republicans pick for VP's daughter getting pregnant when one of their major platforms is "ABSTINENCE ONLY"!

The fact is, they, the conservatives, the republicans, the religious right believe that this works!...hmmmm...

The argument has always been about this fact and this fact only.

"Abstinence programs, which cost $US176 million in 2007, have been controversial since a congressional committee report found teens were being wrongly taught that HIV can spread via sweat and tears, and that condoms failed to stop transmission of HIV up to 31 per cent of the time in heterosexual intercourse"

And now, we find out that after all the rhetoric, all the tax payer money, all the mis-information and after so many of us said that this program doesn't work, alas, it is proven that the program is a sham! The poster child of the conservative republicans platform's daughter is pregnant...the program didn't work!

$176,000,000!?!?! I thought republicans were all about cutting useless programs and putting a stop to the big bad government reaching into our pockets? Seems like yet another flip-flop.

And then, in the end, after all the push by republicans and conservatives to stop teen sex (a futile effort) to advocate abstinence, one of their own their VP's daughter is pregnant! And what do they do? They turn a blind eye, they congratulate her on being a strong mom. Uh, Mom, Palin, excuse me, maybe if you had allowed your children the opportunity to have condoms, to take birth control, your daughters youth wouldn't be stripped away from her and she wouldn't be catapulted into mother-hood at...ummm...well....17!!!

I'm fine with her being pregnant. It happens. It'll be tough, it will be a challenge, but again, I never said that teenagers weren't going to have sex. I never advocated against the distribution of condoms when, in fact, we know teenagers have sex. I never stood up against birth control for teens.

The republicans did. The conservatives did preach against birth control, against condoms, against the little known fact that teens have sex, and fought hard for abstinence. There in lies the hypocracy, there in lies the irony, there in lies the argument. The fact that even in light of the VP's daughter preganant, a clear sign of the programs inadequacy, the republicans didn't turn around and admit fault. They just turn a blind eye and congratulated Palin on marrying off her 17 year old pregnant daughter.

The argument lies with the issues, not the daughter. So no, it's not desperate, and no, it's not off limits. The republicans made it fair game when they made teen pregnancy a platform issue, stood by a failing program, and watched as it failed one of their own, their rockstar, their beauty queen and her own daughter. That's an issue worth talking about, not a baseless attack.

-R

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I watched the Republican National Convention Last Night....

By R - Sep 4th, 2008 at 12:51 pm EDT

Yes, I did. I watched Palin, Guiliani, and a myriad of CEO's and American upper echelon.

It was a forced measure, I really had to just revert to appreciating the tactics of political battle. Their tactics were were somewhat effective, just as napalm was an effective tool to knock out the other side...the rub is this; We abandoned napalm long ago because it's dishonerable, it's ethically wrong, and a terrible way to wage an attack. The republicans used their most potent napalm full of anger, discredit, lies, forked tongues, and dirt. I believe the democrats will stay strong, stay effective, and won't follow suit. Reasonable people can tell that napalm is an over-zealous, lack of care or ethics, move of desperation. Desperation because there is no new platform, there is no new reform to come, their ideology continues to be that of tax cuts for the wealthy and old school trickle down uselessness. They know the democrats are planning on giving tax cuts to 80% of Americans in the middle class, affordable health care, and support of our troops by systematically and tactically bringing them home and out of harms way from a misguided war that's consistently been taking their lives, their youth, their limbs, and their innocence for the last 6 years...and you know what? The democrats plan on giving them effective and sound medical care when they get home.

The republicans don't have anything to say for this but more of the same. The only tactics they have are napalm and picking a women because, well, she's a women. A ploy to garner more of the female vote...which is downright offensive to most women. They believe they can hang a carrot in front of the female population and expect that they'll just follow. Sad how out of touch they are (how many houses does McCain have?). American women are stronger and more fortified in their stance than that...the republicans will need more than a carrot.

In closing, yes, I watched the RNC. It helps me to know 100% where I stand. It helps me to know my opponents. It gives me hope to see them yell, and snarl and stoop to the lowest common denominator. It shows desperations. When you've got no argument, as a last ditch effort, you take things to a personal level and bad mouth your adversary. Like a school yard bully calling another kid naughty names. You talk ill about things such as community organizing as if it isn't worth the air that was used and pushed out of vocal chords to form the sound of the phrase "community organizer". To quote from a recent email I received from David Plouffe:

"Community organizing is how ordinary people respond to out-of-touch politicians and their failed policies."

"Community organizing is the foundation of the civil rights movement, the women's suffrage movement, labor rights, and the 40-hour workweek. And it's happening today in church basements and community centers and living rooms across America."

Only in desperation do you mock things such as this, mock the power of the common person. I saw their desperation and it gave me hope (another word they seem to not grasp as they also mocked it as well), hope because they are scared, they're up against a wall, backed into a corner and there's no way out but truth.

The Democrats aren't ones to use napalm. They go from bunker to bunker, hunting out their adversary, methodically, effectively, and successfully, and with determination devoid of desperation. Tactics based out of honor, out of enjoyment of the hunt, and the republicans like Palin and Giuliani know it. They hope that images of fear will keep us down this time...they're wrong. We're not afraid. On the contrary, we're strong, aware, and our senses sharpened. We can smell their fear like a cheap cologne...it's scent? Desperation.
-R

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