I hope that people latch on to this blog, for it will convey through my own eyes the ebb and flow of news and impact as it happens.
And I hope that the same sort of casuallness can be expected from a reader of this blog as anyone browsing the headlines -- but I try to put it all together.
Ok I'm officially tired of hearing complete lies about Obama. First off, OBAMA IS NOT A MUSLIM OR A TERRORIST AND HE IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH ANY FORM OF TERRORIST OR TERRORIST GROUP! It pisses me off when people say crap like that. Another thing I wanna talk about is his economic plan. Ok first off Obama's plan does NOT include taking from the rich and giving it to the poor for the love of God. Yes, he will tax the rich but he's not gonna give it straight to the poor, so for all of you people who are too lazy to do any research and just post random stuff about Obama taking money from the rich and giving to the poor YOU ARE WRONG! His plan includes taxing the rich and cutting taxes for the poor. But the money that comes from the rich will be invested in various projects/programs. It WILL NOT pay for universal healthcare because Obama doesn't even support universal healthcare, he supports helping families AFFORD healthcare. So please do research on this stuff before you start trying to make an argument about it. Another minor issue is abortion. Obama(as well as other democrats) does not SUPPORT abortion, he supports the law and abortion is part of the law(and YES there is a difference). If abortion was not part of the law and was illegal, then Obama would support that. These are some issues that have aroused today and those are the facts about them. For all those who read this, please send to naive Mccain supporters or undecided voters OR just read for your own pleasure to verify in your brain that Mccain is a moron,
Written by:
Alex Mears
Proud Supporter of Barack Obama
I wrote this in order to at least pretend that I'm an "informed voter." Too often, we vote with our guts or our feelings.
While guts and feelings are important, I decided to make a facts-based list about the issues, along with each senator's previous records and future promises.
1. Income Taxes
Obama: By 2012, middle-income taxpayers would see their after-tax income rise by about 5 percent, or nearly $2,200 annually.
Those in the top 1 percent would face a $19,000 average tax increase--a 1.5 percent reduction in after-tax income.
Permanent cuts for people making less than $200,000 income, $250,000 for couples.
McCain: By 2012, middle-income taxpayers would see their after-tax income rise by about 3 percent, or nearly $1,400 annually.
But, in sharp contrast to Obama, he would cut taxes for those in the top 1% by more than $125,000, raising their after-tax income an average 9.5 percent.
SOURCE:http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/UploadedPDF/411750_updated_candidates_summary.pdf INCOME TABLES:http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/numbers/displayatab.cfm?DocID=1975&topic2ID=40&topic3ID=89&DocTypeID=7http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/numbers/Content/Excel/T08-0210.xls[ I looked up my own situation. If Obama is elected, I will get a $502 decrease in taxes. Under McCain, I'd get no tax cut. If you are married and jointly make $150,000, you will get $1000 more from Obama than you would from McCain.]
2. Domestic Saftey
Obama and Biden fully support the COPS program to put 50,000 additional police officers on the street and help address law enforcement issues in local communities.
They also support efforts to encourage young people to enter the law enforcement profession, so that our local police departments are not understaffed.
McCain voted against the COPS program 7 times during 1992 to 2006. He voted to eliminate it in 1995 (Senate vote # 571), even though it had proven to be successful.
In 2008, McCain indirectly opposes the COPS program, by promising "to veto every spending bill including earmarks."
Much of COPS funding comes from earmarks. (Not all earmarks are bad -- the system should be reformed, not eliminated.)
http://www.mccainpedia.org/index.php/Police
3. Education
Obama creates new scholarships to recruit and retain the best teachers for American classrooms.
His plan also creates a new Career Ladder initiative that will reward teachers for success in the classroom. He also supports the Head Start program.
Obama will make college affordable to all Americans, increasing Pell Grants and offering a $4000 annual credit to use towards college tuition in exchange for community service.
McCain repeatedly voted against putting 100,000 new teachers in our classrooms to reduce class size. He also voted against the Head Start program.
McCain repeatedly voted against efforts to make college more affordable, including reducing student loan costs and providing college tuition tax credits.
4. Foreign Policy
This issue only requires you to ask a few questions. Who is the candidate that is most likely to restore foreign relationships with our friends?
Would countries like Germany or Turkey be more likely to help us in a war if McCain is president, or if Obama is president?
Our ability to fight wars by ourselves has diminished -- both candidates admit to that. Who is more likely to restore alliances?
Furthermore, we must talk to our adversaries -- there is no debating that fact.
5. Healthcare
Independent groups like the Commonwealth Fund found that McCain would cover an additional 2-million of the uninsured, while Obama would cover additional 34-million.
By 2018, McCain's plan would cost $1.3-trillion; Obama's plan would cost $1.6-trillion. "Obama's proposal for mixed private-public group insurance ...
has greater potential to move the health care system toward high performance than does McCain's proposal to encourage individual market coverage
through the use of tax incentives and deregulation," its report concludes.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2008/oct/14/sorting-out-truth-health-care/
McCain: Critics of McCain's plan argue that the tax incentives would lead "the richest and healthiest employees" to "opt out of their current coverage,
leaving employers covering the sickest workers - those with preexisting conditions - and likely lead companies to stop offering coverage."Obama: Would create a national health insurance program for individuals who do not have employer-provided health care and who do not qualify
for other existing federal programs. Does not mandate individual coverage for all Americans, but requires coverage for all children.
Allows individuals below age 25 to be covered through their parents' plans. Allows individuals to choose between the new public insurance program and private insurance plans that meet certain coverage standards.
The Obama campaign Web site says the coverage would have benefits similar to those offered to Congress through the Federal Employees Benefits Program.
Plan would expand eligibility for Medicaid and State's Children's Health Insurance Program.
6. Iraq
McCain interrupted a voter during a townhall meeting in New Hampshire telling him we could spend "maybe a hundred" years in Iraq and "that would be fine with me."
After the townhall meeting, he told a reporter "that U.S. troops could be in Iraq for 'a thousand years' or 'a million years,' as far as he was concerned."
[McCain Derry, NH townhall meeting, 1/3/08; motherjones.com ,1/3/08]The cost of the war is $10 billion per month. This could put 8000 police officers on our streets at home, or enroll 50,000 children in Head Start.
Obama plans to get us out in 16 months, unless generals on the ground say otherwise.
Even if you consider Obama's relative lack of military knowledge compared to McCain's, you must remember that Obama will be surrounded
by intelligent military officials, just as McCain would be. Again, it comes down to who can restore alliances abroad.
7. Small Businesses
McCain's healthcare plan would result in employers, particularly small businesses, dropping coverage. According to Factcheck.org,
"McCain's plan to tax workers on the value of their employer-provided health care plans and provide tax credits would encourage some employers,
mainly small businesses, to drop health benefits, say experts, and the proposal could eventually eliminate job-based insurance altogether."
In 2000, McCain voted against a tax credit for small businesses offering employee health insurance.
Obama and Biden will eliminate all capital gains taxes on start-up and small businesses to encourage innovation and job creation.
They will also provide a $500 "Making Work Pay" tax credit to almost every worker in America (in addition to tax cuts for 95% of Americans).
Self-employed small business owners pay both the employee and the employer side of the payroll tax, and this measure will reduce the burdens of this double taxation.
8. Energy
Obama's plan will ensure that we get 10% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2012, and 25% by 2025.
By enacting such a rigorous plan, America can once again strive together in achieving a common goal.
When Kennedy pledged to land on the moon within a decade, it seemed impossible, but it sparked a certain patriotism and work ethic across the country.
Obama's energy plan will do much of the same. Renewable energy represents our greatest potential to once again be
THE global economic leader, by producing clean energy here, and exporting it abroad.
Full plan: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/newenergy
McCain has repeatedly opposed alternative energy proposals that help both the environment and the economy
(Vote 157, 2005; Vote 309, 2003; Vote 94, 2002; Vote 213, 2005; Vote 212, 2005).
Full plan: http://www.johnmccain.com//Informing/Issues/17671aa4-2fe8-4008-859f-0ef1468e96f4.htm
Note: Notice I did not include issues relating to abortion or gay marriage.
This is because they aren't the most important issues in the discussion of presidential politics.
If you are pro-life, that's great and I commend you, but this cannot be forced onto anyone else.
Joe Biden put it best: "I am pro-life because of my FAITH, but it's not our right to tell anyone else how to run their family."
It speaks to the broader issues: when does life begin? This is a faith-based question, and will remain so for a long time.
Gay marriage has been an issue decided by each of the 50 states, not the federal government.
So let's talk about the economy, not about anyone's sexual orientation.
And if you want to talk about "family values," let's talk about child healthcare and education, not whether a kid should or shouldn't have 2 "moms" or 2 "dads."
It's not that these issues aren't important, but we need to get our priorities straight on this round.
(Ok, I couldn't help it. I like acorn squash.)
Let's deal with the ACORN rumors, shall we? I think anyone who has worked with a non-profit will feel pain at reading this, because it is so often that when you are trying to do the most good for a non-partisan cause that bad nuts get into the batch. Whether they are employees or volunteers, sometimes your own people undermine your goals.
Does this make your efforts worthless? No. Does that mean that your organization is the problem? No. Is is frustrating and disheartening? Heck yes.
So, on to the reality check. I'm using FactCheck.org and the ACORN website as my sources.
WHAT IS ACORN?
WHAT IS THEIR PROCESS?
ACORN VOTER FRAUD
John McCain stated in the final debate that ACORN is "now on the verge of maybe perpetrating one of the greatest frauds in voter history in this country, maybe destroying the fabric of democracy."
Goodness, McCain - embellish much? FactCheck.org disagrees with this outlandish statement about the fabric of democracy being unwoven by voter registration. But I'll put it together for all of us (majority of information from FactCheck.org):
OBAMA'S CONNECTION TO ACORN
FactCheck.org says:
The ad says that "Obama's ties to ACORN run long and deep" – that he "taught classes" for the group, paid a "front" $800,000 for get-out-the-vote efforts, and was endorsed by ACORN for president.That last one's true – ACORN's political action committee did offer an Obama endorsement.It's also true that Obama has worked with the group in the past. In 1995, Obama helped represent ACORN in a successful lawsuit to require the state of Illinois to offer "motor voter" registration at DMV offices. Obama has said [but no longer says- LEB] that this is his only association with ACORN, but that's not the case – he has had other, though less direct[emphasis mine], interactions with the organization. After law school, Obama directed a Chicago registration drive for Project Vote, which works closely with ACORN. And when Obama was on the board of directors of the Woods Fund, the foundation gave grants of $75,000 in 2001 and $70,000 in 2002 to ACORN's Chicago office. The McCain campaign and the Republican National Committee cite an additional grant of $45,000 in 2000. The Woods Fund has not responded to our calls about their 2000 grants. The Obama campaign also paid Citizens Services Inc., a group affiliated with ACORN, more than $800,000 for get-out-the-vote (not voter registration) efforts during the primary election. The nature of CSI's services was initially misrepresented on the Obama campaign's disclosures to the Federal Election Commission, which the campaign describes as an oversight. The Obama campaign says it has not been involved with ACORN during the general election. As for "teaching classes" for the group, the McCain campaign cites a March 2008 Newsday article, which says that ACORN organizer Madeleine Talbot "initially considered Obama a competitor" when both were working to get asbestos insulation removed from a Chicago housing project, but that "she became so impressed with his work that she invited him to help train her staff." Newsday does not say whether Obama accepted the invitation. An article by Chicago alderman Toni Foulkes says that "we [ACORN] have invited Obama to our leadership training sessions to run the session on power every year" between 1992 and 2004, when the article was written. The Obama campaign says that Obama participated in two, one-hour trainings in a volunteer capacity. Foulkes could not be reached for comment.
The ad says that "Obama's ties to ACORN run long and deep" – that he "taught classes" for the group, paid a "front" $800,000 for get-out-the-vote efforts, and was endorsed by ACORN for president.
That last one's true – ACORN's political action committee did offer an Obama endorsement.It's also true that Obama has worked with the group in the past. In 1995, Obama helped represent ACORN in a successful lawsuit to require the state of Illinois to offer "motor voter" registration at DMV offices. Obama has said [but no longer says- LEB] that this is his only association with ACORN, but that's not the case – he has had other, though less direct[emphasis mine], interactions with the organization. After law school, Obama directed a Chicago registration drive for Project Vote, which works closely with ACORN. And when Obama was on the board of directors of the Woods Fund, the foundation gave grants of $75,000 in 2001 and $70,000 in 2002 to ACORN's Chicago office. The McCain campaign and the Republican National Committee cite an additional grant of $45,000 in 2000. The Woods Fund has not responded to our calls about their 2000 grants. The Obama campaign also paid Citizens Services Inc., a group affiliated with ACORN, more than $800,000 for get-out-the-vote (not voter registration) efforts during the primary election. The nature of CSI's services was initially misrepresented on the Obama campaign's disclosures to the Federal Election Commission, which the campaign describes as an oversight. The Obama campaign says it has not been involved with ACORN during the general election. As for "teaching classes" for the group, the McCain campaign cites a March 2008 Newsday article, which says that ACORN organizer Madeleine Talbot "initially considered Obama a competitor" when both were working to get asbestos insulation removed from a Chicago housing project, but that "she became so impressed with his work that she invited him to help train her staff." Newsday does not say whether Obama accepted the invitation. An article by Chicago alderman Toni Foulkes says that "we [ACORN] have invited Obama to our leadership training sessions to run the session on power every year" between 1992 and 2004, when the article was written. The Obama campaign says that Obama participated in two, one-hour trainings in a volunteer capacity. Foulkes could not be reached for comment.
So, before we get all wound up in trying to pin massive voter fraud on anyone, perhaps we should do our own reality check of the facts.
Can we get back to talking about real issues again?
(originally posted at Exponential )
Here is the video, Karaoke style.
Here are the lyrics.
I just sent this to "FightTheSmears.com" The McCain people are pouring on the gasoline on the social networks like Twitter and Facebook. We need better tools.
Dear FightTheSpears:
We made this page http://tinyurl.com/3qpqfm ...so people have quick, easily pastable facts about Obama, to use on Twitter and other social sites. I would strongly advise you copy this and make it official (or make your own). Social net users are doing this ad hoc, and it's very ineffective. Our items are now being posted regularly. If your provide a similar "Quick facts about Obama" page, millions would use it.
So, I don't talk on here about McCain a lot. In general, I don't like what he's been saying or doing lately. A few years ago - even five months ago, I might have voted for the man. But then he seemed to undo everything that I thought was quality about him and walk his party line...as well as its ethics.
One thing that really gets annoying when listening to him is how his "experience in Vietnam" somehow ties to his capability to be president. People deem him a hero, a patriot and more. Having personally experienced some military service, I'm not exactly sure how that correlates to being the president of a country and dealing with economic and social issues.
Besides, haven't we already made too many choices based on the fear of Iraq? Perhaps it is time to make choices that encompass Iraq as well as the OTHER parts of running a country.
But I never thought to question McCain's military history. It was so often repeated, ad nauseum, that it didn't occur to me that his Vietnam experience might just be another fabrication, another bit of mediocrity dressed up in a few medals and punchy words like patriotism and hero.
Rolling Stone put together a 10 page writeup on the "maverick" McCain, and makes one consider what being a hero and a reformer really means. This writeup, using McCain's own words, his voting and political history, is very insightful on the man currently campaigning to be president.
Things like his infidelities, his risky behavior, his tendency to deregulate on behalf of his buddies - these are disturbing to read. How can we not pay attention to the man behind the curtain of the "straight-talk express" when his whole existence is built on priviledge, self-serving choices, and flip-flops to fit whatever check is heading his way.
It shows just how ingrained his ambition is, and adding Palin to the ticket makes them an ideal couple.
Read it and weep.
(originally posted at Exponential)
I sent a letter to the editor of my local paper tonight. We'll see if it makes it in. See text below:
I have always believed in the right of people to form and hold their own political opinions, even if they don’t match my personal beliefs. However, I think that we must be very careful not to build on false foundations. In politics, as in religion, it is our duty to evaluate what we receive, to verify it, and to decide whether it is indeed worthy of incorporating into our own dogma.
In the event that you’ve been taken in by rumors and false emails, please take note: Barack Obama is not a Muslim. He is a long-time member of the Church of Christ. (Even if he were a Muslim, since when has religion dictated political capability?) Yes, I am more than happy to verify that the man is black. Does that matter to you? If so, shame on you.
He is an American. He earned scholarships and took out student loans and got a top ivy-league education. He then became a college professor, teaching constitutional law, followed by his state and national Senate posts. He is also not a terrorist. Do you honestly believe that the Democratic Party of the United States would not run a pretty thorough background check? SEE NEXT PAGE...
(To be sung to the tune of "Doin' what comes natur'lly", from the Broadway musical "Annie Get Your Gun", music and original lyrics by Irving Berlin. New lyrics by Gregory Bachelis.)
Folks are scared I’m not prepared
To govern if elected
But I’ll make a great V. P.
Doin’ what the Lord tells me
(Doin’ what the Lord tells her)
Gals like me could never see
The point of facts and figures
I’ve done well politic’lly
You don’t have to know much foreign affairs
When you can see Russia from your front porch stairs
From my earliest days in the PTA
Religious/social issues were my forte'
God advises me
(God advises her)
From Obama-Biden website, http://www.barackobama.com/issues/, PDF and onsite synopses of stated platform and objectives.
Only 900 people voted for her to become mayor.Only 100k votes to become governor.or as I like to say.."I can see the moon, I have astronaut experience!"
From CNN: Fact Check: Does McCain almost always agree with Bush?
Does McCain almost always agree with Pres. Bush?.
The Statement:
At a presidential debate Friday, September 26, in Oxford, Mississippi, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama attempted to tie Republican opponent Sen. John McCain to President Bush. "John, it's been your president, who you said you agreed with 90 percent of the time, who presided over this increase in spending," he said.
The Facts:
According to an analysis by Congressional Quarterly, McCain has voted for bills favored by President Bush 90 percent of the time. The nonpartisan publication, which has analyzed voting by members of Congress since 1953, said the report took into account all legislation that Bush had taken a clear position on. It spans from the beginning of Bush's term to Congress's recess in August.
In the 100-member Senate, 14 current members — all Republicans — voted with Bush more than 90 percent of the time, according to the report. Six others have a 90 percent rating like McCain's. The report shows Obama voting with Bush 40 percent of the time and his running mate, Sen. Joe Biden, voting with Bush 52 percent of the time during the course of his presidency.
Obama surrogates also frequently say McCain voted with Bush 95 percent of the time. This is a reference to the Republican senator's record in 2007. That was the highest percentage in the seven years studied. In 2005, McCain voted with Bush 77 percent of the time — his lowest percentage in those years. "The president and I agree on most issues," McCain said in a May 22, 2003 interview on Fox's "Your World with Neil Cavuto." "There was a recent study that showed that I voted with the president over 90 percent of the time, higher than a lot of my even Republican colleagues."
Verdict: True
I have a new favorite news show on TV. It's the Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC which airs nightly at 6 PM PT and repeats at 8 PM PT. Rachel Maddow is obviously partial to the Democratic cause and Barack Omaba, yet she is not afraid to call out both Democrats or Republicans on their prevarications, flip flops and erratic behavior. She always has the best guests like Bill Maher, Michael Isikoff from Newsweek, Pat Buchanan, Keith Olberman, as well as reporters from The Nation and the Washington Post, and various and sundry talking heads from Congress and the Media.
She also has a regular show on Air America which airs weeknights from 6 to 8 pm ET.
She holds a D.Phil in Political Science from Oxford University in Great Britain (yes, THAT Oxford University). It shows too, she is smart as a whip, funny, nervy and not afraid to ask the hard questions.
If you get the chance you should check out her show.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/
http://airamerica.com/maddow/
Open Letter My Obama Campaign:
I am a dedicated Democrat and have been a committed supporter of Senator Obama since his speech after the Iowa primary. I believe Obama represents legitimate hope that we, as a nation, can get this country back on course.
I also HOPE that you will continue to help end the abusive nature of political campaigns by leading by example. I expect you to run a more honest and honorable campaign. This means I expect you to present "the facts, just the facts" in campaign commercials and public statemnents. This means I expect statements about our positions and those of our opposition to be factual or reasonable interpretations of the facts.
I feel sick at my stomach whenever Factcheck.org or similar non-partisan" groups report that some of our statements are factually inaccutate and/or misleading. I want to trust that what you are telling the public, which includes ME, is an honest description or interpretation of the facts. and when mistakes are made, intentional or not, promptly admit it and correct it!
I want you to attack the banalities and deceptions of the McCain-Palin campaign. I want you to fight for what we are for and against with the intense "urgency of now." I want your/our campaign to wield truth and hope as weapons against the corruptions of our political status quo. But, by God, I also expect you to do it with facts and with honesty.
As a stakeholder in your campaign I am asking you to remain true to our stated values and goals Please vet any future commercials and statements with a "will this pass a Factcheck.org test" BEFORE you spend my/our money on a commercial or public events, and please remove or correct any current public claims that do not pass a Factcheck.org threshhold.
With deep respect, kindest regards, and HOPE,
Anderson (Andy) Orr, Raleigh NC
I decided to play around with some images and stats I've had kicking around for awhile on the economy. Then I heard an Obama supporter on TV use the perfect words to illustrate the difference between "raising taxes" and returning rates to what they were in the 90s, with some exceptions of course. I've told people over and over "if your wallet loved the Clinton years, it will love the Obama years", so here's my video.
It's not the most elaborate thing, just a beat and slideshow I made in about an hour. But let me know what you think, what I could/should improve, and what should come next. Thanks!
Matt
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-FD143-Ffc">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-FD143-Ffc</a>
