Barack said it best on the David Letterman show last week. What a ridiculous time we're experiencing in this campaign. I watched live on MSNBC while Barack used the "lipstick on a pig" metaphor. It didn't even dawn on me to think "Sarah Palin". When the issue was raised, I had to try to replay the line in my head...did he intend to imply anything with that comment? The more I watched it replayed on television, the more certain I am that the conclusions drawn by Republicans were dead wrong and melodramatic.
Where is the outrage at the ridiculousness of their objections? Did John McCain mean to call Hillary Clinton a pig when he made the same comment about her health care plan? Why hasn't anyone drawn that parallel?
Even more than the melodrama and feigned shock by the Republican party is the silliness demonstrated by McCain and his butchers in their willingness to risk the future of our country to win this election. They have no interest in discussing issues - only creating them. They have no interest in behaving in a way that would end partisan politics - only exacerbating it. They have no real interest in finding solutions to our country's growing problems - only using them to divisive ends.
Our country is facing seriously challenging times. Our economy is in a shambles. Even foreign investors are staying away now. The jobless rate is at an all-time high and still rising. We are mired down in Iraq spending millions of dollars each day, regardless of the "success" of the surge. Meanwhile other less-than-neighborly countries are beginning to press the envelope to see what advantage they can gain while "the world power" is preoccupied. Our schoolchildren are being out-taught and out-performed by schoolchildren of other countries while we struggle to afford the gasoline to run our schoolbuses a full five days a week. Many of our war heroes are homeless and broken, unable to afford even the basic care that they deserve.
AND YET- TWO ENTIRE DAYS have been spent on a simple metaphor. Can things get more ridiculous? What I believe to be "lipstick on a pig" is the campaign strategy employed by the Republican party and John McCain. They have outdone even the "swiftboating" of the 2004 election. Karl Rove only criticized McCain's behavior because it out-Roved him. The Republicans are trying to sell you that proverbial fish wrapped in newspaper. It still stinks! The biggest question is, are the American people going to buy what they're selling again in 2008?
At the last minute yesterday, I decided to attend the rally at Mehlville High School where Joe Biden would be speaking. I called all of my friends I could think of that might be off work - no go. I even phoned my republican parents and still no takers. So, off I went to experience this event on my own.
You see, the reason I can take off at a moment's notice is that I'm currently unemployed. I am a white-collar, college-educated, experienced and successful salesperson who was recently laid off in a corporate down-sizing. I figured, what better time to investigate what Barack Obama and Joe Biden can do for me? So, I went solo to the rally in hopes of getting some answers.
I arrived about 11:30 a.m. and the doors were supposed to open to seating at noon. I found a long line developing across the street from the high school. There were numerous Obama volunteers registering attendees and directing them to the line. As it turned out, the line was not allowed to cross onto high school property until noon, so I took my place and waited. Hawkers were selling buttons, t-shirts, hats, playing cards, and other Obama/Biden items. The media vans were lined up outside the gymnasium like crows on a fence. I found myself making small talk with others in line - the mother who took her children out of school to attend, proclaiming that this was "something that can't be taught in social studies", the retired school teacher with time on his hands, the elderly couple behind me that talked of travel abroad, and the twenty-something man that said he was "still undecided" as a voter.
When we as American citizens are called upon to work for and support not only our chosen Party, but the candidate that our Party has selected for the General Election, then that is what we must do, to do other wise is to commit a serious wrong. The Constitution grants us certain rights and common sense requires that we should exercise those rights.
As our forefathers before us and the succeeding generations since have accepted the truth that all men/women are created equal; that by the very citizenship granted by this the Government of the United States of America, they must participate in the political system that these same forefathers had designed, to fail to do so will allow a government that will gather onto itself powers other than those granted by the governed.
Hi All,
Covered by the FISA fiasco we weren't watching behind the scenes.
As Barack Obama was taking the big hits for voting "Yes" on the FISA bill (which it was known was already going to pass by a huge majority without his vote), nobody seemed to notice the Medicare bill and the number of Republican Senators that jumped ship and voted, "Yes" on it.
Many of us were wiping the tears from our eyes as if maybe Barack Obama had stood us up for a date. When in fact, as Barack is not President yet but we are very aware of his persusive bipartisan influence; the Medicare bill was being passed with a majority vote that George Bush cannot veto.
A huge victory for the people of this country. What happened? We all know the give and take of Washington politics, the behind the doors goings on which Obama says will Change when he is President. But, Obama is not President yet and still apart of the give and take of Washington Politics.
I would venture to gain that the give and take was a trade off on a FISA bill which was going to pass anyway, for a Medicaid bill which wasn't going to pass. A bill which will now help to pave the way for a badly needed Universal Health Care bill.
Who knows but, I say 3 cheers to mybarackObama!
Loveya,
Duane Kuehn
I stole this link from newday4us's blog.
As we all know, John McCain locked himself into the public funding system before he realized that the Republican Primary would be a "walk in the park" for him. Then he could not get out of public funding without explaining a few million dollars in loans and a few million in corporate jet transport through his wife Cindy.
We know that Barack made the right decision going with us, the people of the United States.
Unfortunately, as Barack said, the McCain campaign will have plenty of misleading advertisement from the "527's". More than that, he is recieving huge donations through the loopholes via the RNC.
Barack will be needing donations and lots of them. I have donated and hope to donate more with every monthly check. Now, I decided to open one of those fundraiser spots and hope some of you might help me out to reach that goal. I can't start donating in my own fundraiser thing until my next rather measly but not complaining check.
I hope that I get the links right and I hope some of you all will help me out with my fundraiser thing, though I know that ya'll already donate elsewhere. 5 or 10 dollars is great and will be very much appreciated by me and the campaign.
The link to the article about McCains funds:
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/archive/2008/07/07/for-mccain-money-talks.aspx
I tried to do a takeoff on the old saying and make it, "Wish in One Hand, Hope in the Other", kind of lame I guess.
The link (hopefully correct) to my fundraiser page:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/WishIn1Hand
by Ron McBride, 2 July 2008 It seems everyday, I have received emails from not only conservatives but self proclaimed liberals and progressives that continue to perpetuate slander about Barack Obama.
I was thinking today about how Obama supporters could show their dedication to the future and environment by physically planting trees all over the country, on both private and public (if allowed) land. Does anyone know if there is such a specific Obama initiative already underway? Some of us (such as my family) have farms that have an abundance of seeds that could be used as a start in our area. Even a small planting of trees would symbolize the unity of supporters and the connection to cross-cultural awareness and their significance of tree plantings (ex: some cultures tie plantings to marriage and religion).
Please email me if anyone has any existing information. Thank you!
