I'm sure I'm not the only one out there who is tired of Politicians whose agenda is run by Corporate Lobbyists. Who are more concerned for granting exorbitant interest rates, fuel prices that are crippling our economy and devastating our personal ability to survive much less attempt to get ahead.
I do believe in making a profit but Never at the expense of the Citizens of this great country. I love our country and it really gets me when we see over and over again that the people put in office to serve and protect us put Lobbyists and Corporations first and foremost.
I know that we as a people and a Nation can achieve greatness and set an example for the world. An example built on greatness not by sucking the life out of everything and everyone so that only a few will experience the economic gains that greatness can achieve.
Fear keeps us from growing to a healthy and prosperous America that unfortunately the current administration has done and exactly that. Knowing that we can achieve greatness is one thing but putting that into action is the way as that grows corn. What do I mean by that?
Well Native Americans and most Indigenous cultures understand that we on this little planet we call home are Caretakers on not only the planet but for the future generations to come.
There is nothing wrong in taking action by doing things with the future generations in mind in fact it's the responsible thing to do. Responsibility for the future of this planet and our children and their children is ours and now not later or yesterday for yesterday is past and we should learn from the actions of the past to change to correct things for the future.
It's when we do now for only ourselves not taking into account what effects it may have on the future that we live and perpetuate a fallacy. It is when we look into our hearts and realize that the Divine the Sacred is first with us so that we can recognize it without that we can learn to love ourselves and our fellow humanity. For what greater gift is there than love unconditional so that we heal and be healed and to take the steps needed to grow as a people and a Nation into the Greatness that we can achieve.
It's not by being independent but dependant on the Source of life, each other and the future of our children and theirs. In fact to do things with 7 generations in mind is a good thing.
So in my humble thoughts of life for the betterment of mankind do actions that grow corn. That feed the people that insure growth and through all this we will be a strong economic America to be proud of for we do have the ability to set the standard. But do we have the commitment and the stamina to do so? I think we do.
Well enough of my ramblings. Personally I'm looking forward to our New President of the United States one that I feel has the ability and the commitment to do Greatness. The fact that Obama has done all of this without Lobbyist or Government Funding, the fact that you can hear Truth in his voice and see it in his eyes tells me that we as a Nation have the ability to achieve Greatness and it's exciting.
Of course the lies are out there as is the misinformation. But that's due to fear that loss of control, loss of a few filling their pockets on the expenses of the people know their golden parachute has holes in it. A thief strikes out when cornered, and always blames others for their action. I believe Obama to be a man of action and seeing what's been achieved makes my heart sing and now it's time to make the polls sing.
I look forward to addressing Senator Obama as Mr. President and look forward to the America he represents.
A Prerequiste For the White House
There is a very revealing moment in the oft replayed Sen. McCain biography on CNN. With a smile on his face, Sen. McCain recounts the events of one of his plane crashes while in the navy. He goes on to say that he realized only during the crash that he had not read the critical information on ejection during a crash. McCain had somehow made the determination that the chapter or chapters on emergency ejection were optional reading. This decision is worthy of note.
Intrinsic intelligence is a baseline requirement for the highest office in the US and, arguably, the world. Intelligence does not necessarily translate into leadership success but it is a pre requisite in the rapidly changing environment of the 21st century. More than ever, the president of the ‘free world’ must have the intellectual girth and depth to devour and synthesize vast amounts of information in real time and make decisions that can profoundly affect the US and the world.
Our current circumstance offers clues as to the need for intellectual fortitude in the Whitehouse. President Bush gleefully told the American people that he was proof that a ‘C’ student can make it to the White House. He won the presidency by using the well worn path of some of his Republican predecessors. He told the masses that the Democrats were for big government, big deficits, high taxes, more spending; that they are soft on security and low on family values. And then for good measure, he applied a good dose of vile negative attack ads.
George Bush, with the aid of a sidekick who can recite the Republican ideology text in his sleep, won the day, and the results of their stewardship and the application of Republican ideals to new global realities are clear for all to see – except for those who believe that even a comatose Republican is better than any Democrat in the White House. History will provide many reasons for the failure of the Bush presidency. But many will posit that a lack of intrinsic intelligence and the attempt to substitute ideology for knowledge are the real reasons for the Bush debacle.
It is time for the American people to make the ultimate choice again. John McCain, like Bush, finished at the bottom of his class. Like Bush, McCain ended up in a prestigious school only because of the last name he bears. In 2000 and 2004 many voted for G. Bush because he was ‘the kind of guy you could have a beer with or invite over for a BBQ.’ In order words, G. Bush is the genuine American article and deserved to be president in spite of his dwarfed intellectual stature. Today some plan to vote for Send. McCain because they feel ‘comfortable’ with him. Meanwhile, those who voted for President Bush are yet to share a beer with him but are drunk penniless, thanks to his policies.
In Obama we have a man with an earned intellectual pedigree, of humble origins and one who is firmly rooted in the realities of middle class America. He is a man who would know that it is important to read Ejection Procedures before getting into the cockpit of an aircraft. He is a man who knows that it is important to properly vet the Vice President because the Vice President is a heartbeat away from the presidency and the VP decision is the first critical judgment call a presidential nominee makes. And Obama will not use ‘Joe the Plumber’ to score cheap political points without vetting ‘Joe the Plumber,’ an unlicensed plumber who is bold enough to lie about his earnings and stands to gain more from the Obama tax plan.
Obama has the nimbleness of mind, borne of intrinsic intellect and a true understanding of the human condition that is required to steer America into the 21th century. Obama is the one who represents the true face and reality of the American Melting Pot, and the convergence of the world. And with the support of most of the world already behind him, he can rebuild our image around the world and easily build the global alliances that are required to deal with the difficult challenges that confront the world today.
E. Tande
Debate September 26, 2008:
What I wish Barack Obama would have said at the debate or next time:
Obama: Some people say I was too tough on Senator John McCain at our first debate when I criticized him on what he said about talking to the leaders of Spain. I said he was totally out of touch with who our allies are and who is not. When pressed on this, McCain surrogates say he made a misstatement, he is a maverick, he is old and you have to give him a take back. I say: ‘do you get a take back when your finger is on the red button?’
You can’t win in Iraq because it is no longer a War, it is an Occupation costing us over $10 billion dollars a month. That is something that will bankrupt a country like it did the Russians in Afghanistan in 1989. John McCain says he wants to stay in Iraq another 100 years at this cost, and when pressed about it said make it a thousand years or ten thousand years.
President Bush declared victory in his “Mission Accomplished” flight onto an aircraft carrier, and we did win the war but failed in the peace because the President was out of touch with the conditions on the ground in Iraq. Just as Senator McCain is out of completely out of touch with his bellicose statements about staying in Iraq when the Iraqi government is asking us to leave.
It was disturbing to see John McCain say “Bomb, bomb, bomb---bomb Iran” to the beach Boys tune, and laughing about it. The question to the American people will be does he sing this song as President when his hand is on the red button. In case he doesn’t know it, what he says now as a candidate affects world affairs.
It was genuinely scary to see McCain talk about Russia and its Georgian incursion and nearly threaten them with war. He called this leadership and contrasted it with what the Obama campaign was saying; he even sent aides there ahead of what President Bush was doing and jeopardized our united diplomatic position. We have an occupation of Iraq, the war with Afghanistan, issues with Al Qaeda in Pakistan, John McCain’s commitment to bomb Iran---and he still wants to take on Russia. This is nothing short of insanity. It is the Republican idea that being in a state of perpetual war is good for the American economy and sending our young people to their deaths will get us out of the economy slump we are in now; just as “Drill Baby Drill” will get us out of the energy crisis. It is probably the best reasons not to elect a Republican this time.
Leadership is more than just running out in front of the troops and telling them: “to go over the top boys, for God and Country.” Sometimes it is talking through problems and understanding your opponent and their customs. Things that McCain has attacked me on. Leadership is not degrading your opponents because they are different. Teasing someone for being a Muslim or calling an oriental person a “gook” may be leadership to John McCain but it is not what I will do as President. McCain is a product of a different time in the world, when America had never lost a war and found itself in Vietnam winning all the battles and losing the occupation. Sometimes I think the way he approaches every challenge to American power across the world is to try again to win the Vietnam War. Victory in 1970’s Vietnam is through the Iran or Russia of today. It is insanity. Staying in Iraq forever is McCain’s maverick brand of leadership. It is insanity.
Some may call us Neville Chamberlin and Hitler appeasers---but these are false comparisons. We will be tough when necessary. But in no way will we be naïve or uninformed like the Bush Administration. We know what leadership is and what it is not. John McCain somehow doesn’t. He has a legendary temper that makes a tough leader but it also makes a stubborn leader like George W. Bush has been. Temper, arrogance and pride can keep you from thinking about what is right or saying you were wrong and correcting course like setting a reasoned timetable to get out of Iraq and to shift forces to Afghanistan. Having a surge into Afghanistan would be to George Bush and John McCain admitting that they were wrong, even if it is the necessary and best thing to do.
Veteran’s groups have taken John McCain to task for not supporting veteran’s benefits and for his bellicose talk in a time when the military is stretched to a breaking point. In fact, John McCain just led the fight against Senator Jim Webb’s G.I. Bill. Costs are being pushed to future generations and the American people were told that supporting the troops meant putting a yellow ribbon on your van and going to the mall to shop. If this is the leadership you want, then John McCain is your guy.
This election is just too important to hand it to John McCain as a reward for his military service to our country. We need to honor his service and his time as a POW but realize that service is not the end-all to leadership or the magic bullet of a maverick. The John McCain Story is a uniquely American one, but not the answer to the leadership woes of this country created by George W. Bush, a guy that McCain supported over 90% of the time, even when he was grossly wrong or just being stubborn and arrogant. If you want change and success then vote Obama-Biden. McCain is more of the same.
August 31, 2008
Words matter, speeches can change America; both are tools of great leadership. Leadership that has been absent these last eight years with a seemingly illiterate Administration.
Slogans sell. Remember “Remember the Alamo?”; “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too”; “The New Deal”; “The New Frontier”; and “The Great Society.”
Then there are the great quotations: “Anyone who trades liberty for security deserves neither liberty nor security”; “A day that will live in infamy”; “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. (Eisenhower).”
“A day that will live in infamy” ---allowed FDR to move a very unwilling and completely unready nation to war in World War Two.
Remember a “uniter not a divider”; compassionate conservative”, “I don’t believe in nation-building and won’t get involved in foreign entanglements”---famous words of George W. Bush that many people believed in and became the real basis of their vote in 2000. Things that can be proven today to be totally untrue about a leader some thought was ready to lead. Yet, you fell for them, hook, line and sinker.
"The great enemy of truth is very often not the lie - deliberate and dishonest --- but the myth - persistent and persuasive....." - John F. Kennedy.
Words did matter for Barack Obama in every one of his 45 minute speeches, when the Neoconservatives picked out a sound byte and held it against him. In dozens of speeches so inspiring that they will guide history---they stand almost forgotten on his website. Worse yet, a small group of greedy right-wing self-interested anti-patriots can destroy our hopes, our dreams, and the change we can believe in by running ads with their carefully crafted sound bytes. Our hopes, our dreams, and the change we can believe in are the central core of the Obama campaign.
A theme echoed some 40 years earlier: "Some men see things as they are and say, why; I dream things that never were and say, why not." - Senator Robert F. Kennedy; 1968 Presidential Campaign.
Obama’s opponents dismiss him as a novice and unready; and even level the ridiculous charge of him being an elitist. Yet, the same was said of another President: “The free society who do not take care of its many who are poor will not be able to save it’s few who are rich.” - John F. Kennedy.
John McCain is a rebel not a maverick. A rebel is one that seeks to destroy the system and not work from within.
Sincerely,
William Henry Mee
Santa Fe, New Mexico
The insinuation of SOCIALISM by the McCain/Palin campaign of Barack Obama’s tax plan is simply ridiculous. There have been hundred of posts and explanations of why this is ridiculous and false. The best response that I have seen is by Colin Powell and worthy of posting to help spread the simple repudiation of this baseless and false claim that unfortunately many individuals will blindly believe. This repudiation is far simplier then trying to examine the prinipals of Socialism versus Obama’s tax plan on how there is nothing but fear mongering behind this latest claim of the McCain/Palin campaign.Feel free to quote Colin as I will the next time at the water cooler someone challenges me on why I “HOPE FOR CHANGE”.
"Now I guess the message this week is, "We're going to call him a socialist, Mr. Obama is now a socialist, because he dares to suggest that maybe we ought to look at the tax structure that we have."Taxes are always a redistribution of money. Most of the taxes that are redistributed go back to those who paid them, in roads and airports and hospitals and schools. And taxes are necessary for the common good. And there is nothing wrong with examining what our tax structure is or who should be paying more, who should be paying less. And for us to say that that makes you a socialist, I think is an unfortunate characterization that isn't accurate. I don't want my taxes raised. I don't want anybody else's taxes raised. But I also want to see our infrastructure fixed. I don't want to have a $12 trillion national debt, and I don't want to see an annual deficit that's over $500 billion heading toward a trillion. So, how do we deal with all of this?"See full transcript of endorsement interview on CNN.com
"Now I guess the message this week is, "We're going to call him a socialist, Mr. Obama is now a socialist, because he dares to suggest that maybe we ought to look at the tax structure that we have."
Taxes are always a redistribution of money. Most of the taxes that are redistributed go back to those who paid them, in roads and airports and hospitals and schools. And taxes are necessary for the common good. And there is nothing wrong with examining what our tax structure is or who should be paying more, who should be paying less. And for us to say that that makes you a socialist, I think is an unfortunate characterization that isn't accurate.
I don't want my taxes raised. I don't want anybody else's taxes raised. But I also want to see our infrastructure fixed. I don't want to have a $12 trillion national debt, and I don't want to see an annual deficit that's over $500 billion heading toward a trillion. So, how do we deal with all of this?"
See full transcript of endorsement interview on CNN.com
and 9 Other Joe's McCain doesn't speak about.
Wednesday night, I prepared to watch the last debate with a plate of pericos and some cold Dos Equis, and my lovely wife Nora (whom I call Scully--I'll save that story for later).
Scully has been a devout politico's wife for about ten years, a Chicago yellow-dog democrat, her father was a democrat, her mother was a democrat and she will die a democrat. She is also the one person fond of my affinity to watch every political news show and my willingness to talk politics with anyone -- anytime. For this someday she'll be awarded a purple heart, congressional medal of honor or a tall glass of Scotch, more than likely the latter.
In her eyes, I am, when it comes to politics, all-knowing, all-seeing, and can turn tap water into a great chardonnay at fundraising receptions, however , I am NOT infallible." So every election cycle (until I report for work at the great caucus in the sky), I make sure that the most qualified candidate receives 150% of my unequivocal, loyal, articulate and vociferous support (I reserve the other 50% for possible mid-cycle corrections or retreats--JK).
CNN -- Debates a la Boxing!
So it was this week, when I sat down to watch the much ballyhooed debate-to-end-all debates on CNN, that my Mexi-Mind began to wonder. With CNN HD you get the equivalent of HBO Boxing's Comp box, for each political pundit. Red/Blue dials tracking positive and negative points --LIVE! This is great, although I'd prefer totals discussed Larry Murchant and an interview with each fighter at the end.
After a some- day-dreaming about a rendition of a Jimmy Leonard-like introduction for each debater, (in this corner wearing blue satin shorts the Master Blaster against Economic Disaster, the Senator of Suave, Democratic Presidential Candidate, Barack Obama)---my mind returned to the Dos Equis and the salsa, only to be mildly irked by the introduction of "Joe the Plumber."
Joe the Plumber joins Joe Six-pack in McCain/Palin's portrait of America.
You see folks I hate glittering generalities, specifically I hate Palin's introduction of Joe Six-pack, and Holly Hockey-mom, or whatever her attempt to classify the sum of our American cultural and social experiences into some tacky image of mediocrity, is.
For a better understanding of my views on the Republican right's incessant attempts to instill fear, loathing and bias into American politics read my book, "It Is Not OK- put an End to Mediocrity!" (Publication Date -- sometime soon after I get around to writing it.)
As McCain pronounced the moniker 'Joe the Plumber', I winced.
I pained. I pained, then I winced. (Repeat as often as he was mentioned)
So after 90 minutes of inconsequential jabber on the possible investment practices of one, Joe the Plumber (mentiroso, in this climate who's going to lend you the money?).
I began to thinking of the dozens of Joe's, McCain/Palin hope you don't meet.
Yes, like a retort to the PC v Mac commercials, I realized that Joe Six-pack and Joe the Plumber are everywhere. But not like McCain thinks. No, like GI Joe, they come with different costumes and sometimes a --kung-fu grip.
So allow me introduce you to the latest Joes:
Joe the Voter. After 8 years of failed public policies, the worst economic crisis in American history, seeing neighbors, friends and family sacrifice their sons and daughters in Iraq, sacrificing the amount of food, healthcare and education they and their children can buy, after seeing their civil liberties eroded, and the international image of America tarnished, Joe the Voter is you. He is your friend, family and neighbor. Folks, Joe the Voter is desperate for leadership and change.
Joe the Voter, also known as Knock-out Joe, is heading to the polls with a powerful jab, and a tremendous left-hook, and a furious right-cross. Joe heralds from Anywhere, USA, he weighs in on every important issue and is the current world heavy weight champion of the 'Liberty and Justice for All' belt, and the 'I Want my Country Back' Belt.
and John---he wants change, and he wants it now.
JJ Martinez
The question of the best way to build a sound economy is still one that befuddles and divides many Americans, largely along party lines. But, the concept of building an economy from the top down is not a new one. Coined "trickle down" economics, the term was widely popularized during the Reagan administration and its force is still felt today in the economy in the form of tax structures and how and to whom they are applied.
The theory is that if we make those at the top of the chain richer they will use the money ultimately to create more jobs for those lower in the chain. When the top is full, as the theory goes, reinvestment will eventually "trickle down" to benefit those below them. But what happens if that reinvestment fails to materialize or goes off-shore?
As I see it, the problem with Reagan's, then G.W. Bush's and now what has become a central theme in McCain's campaign is this describes accurately the relationship between the bourgeoisie and proletariat, or the merchant and worker class. Of course, this concept is not new by any means. It was first expressed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in The Communist Manifesto (1848). The general theory is that a centrally managed economy is better managed by those in power as they are the wisest and know what is best for the masses. I simplify here, of course, and the centrally managed economy of Marx is used merely as an analog for the quasi-central control of big business as proposed by inference in trickle down theory. But, and someone please correct me if I am wrong, those in control over the last 20 of 28 years have had ample opportunity to prove this inferred theory but have failed miserably on most all accounts. The only reprieve we had was the short respite, and a very lucrative one it was, under the leadership of Bill Clinton.
Of course, this subject is an involved one and certainly within the context of a blog is not one that can be reviewed with a full treatment of all the pros and cons. But, if anyone is guilty in this campaign of espousing socialist (or even communist) ideals, it is John McCain with his regressive, more-of-the-same supply-side economics.
I hope as a nation we can for once put partisan politics aside in favor of common-sense and what is best for the country in this time of turmoil. Toward this, I would posit that it is time to give "trickle up" economics a chance and do away with the failed ideas that somehow the economic crumbs will eventually fall to the Middle Class where all will feast. Clearly, the feast in not coming any time soon my friends and the only ones to have benefited from 20-some years of this are not the masses but the few and the wealthy. The income and class gap has widened in this country during this period, the policies never reached those that were promised it would eventually trickle down to and we find ourselves now in a bigger mess than at any time since the Great Depression. We've given these concepts 20 years of blind faith and I suggest it is now time to "Trickle up" by supporting policies that acknowledge and promote the validity of demand-side economics.
This election is about many things, and not least of all the economy which is on almost everyone's mind in the wake of the fallout on Wall Street and the housing sector. In this sense then it's about demand and how to create it, not supply. But, the McCain camp simply does not seem to understand that without demand there is no economy and the supply-side economics of Reagan's time are failed policies with dire consequences for all of us. (Actually, to McCain's credit he acknowledges he doesn't understand economics, which I understand he doesn't understand - and agree.)
We live today in an economic world where supply is created to meet demand from the buyer's side. The buyer does not and cannot wait any longer for trickle down money in the form of better wages granted by presumably generous employers to in turn purchase what his employer makes. Henry Ford pondered this delimma long ago and concluded that workers must be able to afford to buy what they make, hence the $5 per day wage and the beginning of the industrial era. This is and remains a great example of Trickle Up economics, and no one can argue that Ford and his company did not benefit greatly from it. Ford never argued that he needed a tax break from Washington to be successful. He argued instead that people must be able to afford to buy what they make then quickly stepped up to put his money behind the idea. The rest, as they say, is history. But it is an important lesson in history and demand-side economics that we need to remember now in this time of crisis.
This November I plan to cast my vote for the one with the best plan to lead us out of this mess, and I am sorry to say it is simply not John McCain. He doesn't get it that trickle down doesn't work and 20 years is enough for me, but not him I guess. Just four more years to prove it, ... give it a chance and see where it takes us ... this is not something that I am willing to do. Not now. Not this time.
If there is any doubt who handles the economy better please check this out. This history and their results are authoritatively reported by Dan Ackman of Forbes (a staunchly Republican-leaning publication) and others.
Does the "Joe the Plumber" story make your furious?
It should, it's fabricated, Joe is not a plumber, is not buying a business, if he did it would be a business small enough to have it's taxes decreased by Obama's tax plan, and Joe was a plant, orchestrated by the RNC.
This is a game and we should be alarmed that such games happen and even more alarmed that it becomes the center piece of a presidential candidate.
McCain should be ashamed of himself and he is not. The ends justifying the means is his battle cry, a dangerous situation. Don't think we will win this election easily. It will be tough and I believe the polls are wrong, it feels wrong, something is up and I don't know what it is, but we need to make sure that we don't get another election stolen from us. We, in America should not be afraid of stolen elections, but we are afraid and for good reason.
So if this all makes your furious, do something about it and keep pushing to make President Barack Obama a reality.
I just submitted the following Letter to the Editor in my area/region. I thought others might like to read it:
To: Journal Newspapers, Washington Times, The Sun, The Washington Post, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Aerospace Daily, Aviation Daily
Letter to the Editor: Media fails to fulfill its role as watchdogs, allows vicious lies to spread by the McCain campaign and its allies
Dear Editor, Barack Obama was right when he stated that John McCain's negative ads and mud-slinging campaign say more about him than they say about Obama. I keep seeing more disgusting untruthful negative ads from John McCain, when just two days ago he paid lip service to the fact that the campaign should be about the issues. I am thoroughly disheartened and repulsed by the McCain/Palin campaign and its associates. Between the "robocalls," the untruthful accounts that Obama & Ayers "ran a radical education foundation together," and allowing interest groups to imply that Obama's association with Ayers makes him a terrorist, I have had enough and I am disgusted. Not to mention the misrepresentation of Obama's health care plan, his vote history (that he voted 94 times to increase taxes), the claim that Obama opposed a law that would have saved Gianna Jessen's life (as an Illinois state senator), and the bogus, deceptive research published by Jerome Corsi. It's as if the media treat Corsi as if he were a serious scholar. He has yet to be confronted with his manipulations of reality and his questionable sources, all the while, allowing falsehoods to spread. Where is the mainstream media on all of this? It seems that the profession to which I once aspired (yes, I hold a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication) has further proven why I chose not to pursue it. It is the media's job to debunk this kind of trash - not ignore it or sensationalize it.Americans across the country are tired of the lies, hidden truths and manipulation. Our founding fathers intended for us to be "one nation, under God, indivisible." The McCain camp and extremists like Corsi have sought nothing more than to divide and manipulate the American people. Let's stand up, unite and become one nation again. Let's refuse to be manipulated and treated as pawns. Let's put the lies and mud-slinging to rest. Let's be responsible in our research and reporting. And let's make our voices heard by voting for the change we need. Sincerely, Julie S. KimbroReference/Source: http://www.politifact.com from St. Petersburg Times & Congressional Quarterly
I am in total shock! I can not believe that McCain and Palin are saying that Voter Fraud is ocurring when it was Voter Registration errors. I am so sick of listening to the McCain campaign over and over talking about Ayers, Wright and ACORN.
ACORN was affiliated with McCain in 1996. But that is considered ok?!
Look at McCain onYouTube with ACORN:
It was ok for him but not Obama??? What is this McCarthism - Unbelievable!!!!
What about Ayers?!?! Look here:
Ayers is on the Annenberg board of Directors for the Annenberg
John McCain has on a list (on his website) the name of an Annenberg! Yes, you heard me right, those same Annenbergs that have given money to Bill Ayres, 50 million worth, therefore the Annenbergs must be terrorist sponsors!
Leonore Annenberg is one of the 100 U.S. Ambassadors who support McCain.
http://www.johnmccain.com/informing/news/PressReleases/1b838127-b4a0-4868-9906-62f555376089.htm
I think Obama’s relatively weak but nonetheless real interactions with William Ayers are a legitimate campaign issue. But Obama’s best response, after telling the facts of the relationship, is to point out who else supported him. Republican machers Walter and Leonora Annenberg$50 million. They also gave money to Rick Santorum, Strom Thurmond and Mitt Romney. Annenberg was Nixon’s ambassador to Britain. If Obama is “palling around with terrorists,” the Republican Annenbergs are funding them. gave the former terrorist Yesterday, the McCain campain put out a press release boasting that Leonore Annenberg had just endorsed him for president. Why is McCain happy to accept the endorsement of a funder of terrorism? http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/10/republicans-who.html
I think Obama’s relatively weak but nonetheless real interactions with William Ayers are a legitimate campaign issue. But Obama’s best response, after telling the facts of the relationship, is to point out who else supported him. Republican machers Walter and Leonora Annenberg$50 million. They also gave money to Rick Santorum, Strom Thurmond and Mitt Romney. Annenberg was Nixon’s ambassador to Britain. If Obama is “palling around with terrorists,” the Republican Annenbergs are funding them. gave the former terrorist
Yesterday, the McCain campain put out a press release boasting that Leonore Annenberg had just endorsed him for president. Why is McCain happy to accept the endorsement of a funder of terrorism?
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/10/republicans-who.html
He also fails to point out the close relationship the Annenberg family had with the Reagan’s…..
This is going way too far and I believe is destroying the fabric of our Nation.
John McCain is a POSER, during the debate of Sept 2008 he lied to American veterans when he said that he loved them and that he would take care of them!
When in fact as this video proves voted against Veterans health care needs time and time again!
Will his legacy of lies to our veterans ever catch up with him!
Only if you vote for Obama in 2008!
See Video of McCain lying to the people of the United States during the debate!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_C-K5oSfCY
Juli Norwood
McCain needs to tell his followers, when the subject of hate and race comes up, a lot more then he currently says. He needs to say "Barack Obama is an American, a Christian and Patriot and he deserves the respect that any other candidate gets. Not to say this is to condone what these people are doing. McCain needs to reign in his campaign which has used "code" and other devices to encourage ethnic and racial divisiveness. Everyone knows what is gong on but the media is afraid to say it.
Here's a woman who needs to be put out of her misery and sent home. She's got a pregnant teenage daughter, a young infant baby with Downs syndrome, and several outstanding charges against her as governor, including the abuse of power rub and an $800m lawsuit from Exxon re: a pipeline contract dispute.
Sarah, I'm a woman and if you were a man, I'd tell you the same thing: You need to go home and tend to your personal and family issues, AND the state you were elected to run as governor. You have no time to be president or vice president of this country, and you are not capable of handling it even if you did have time.
Truthfully, I have a feeling that what's his name has thrown in the white flag of surrender on this election...he picked a poor choice for a running mate because no one wanted to inherit Bush's legacy alongside him, then he runs one of the most negative and dirty campaigns since Bush took him out for supposedly having a black child "out of wedlock." Then to top that off, his staff keeps walking out, Republicans keep converting or saying they want nothing to do with this election at all, the RNC was nearly a total disaster after it got hit with the very floods that they prayed on the DNC, then he goes to Ohio and tells the workers there that he can't stop a train wreck that he approved to send their jobs to a foreign country (now would be a good time for Obama to talk about NAFTA)...THEN HE PUTS THE ICING ON THE CAKE, and threatens the Sunshine State - with its 3.2 million retirees, of which I will be one of them in about 15-20 years - that he is going to cut off their Medicare, as well as he pulls out of Michigan and gets criticized by his own "too late" running mate for doing it. If Obama and Biden are not having some incredibly god-given good luck right now, I don't know what else they'd want to call it.
McCain may as well have threatened to cut off their social security AND any SSI benefits they made be receiving, said "f" you and I don't care if you have to live on the streets and die.
The banana state that hangs off the east coast all alone is FILLED with retirees who have worked all of their lives and not made anywhere NEAR the $5 million a year that McCain requires in order NOT to be considered "middle class." Then, he tells them OUT LOUD that he's going to pull the plug on the little they do have -- in a nation that spends $850 BILLION to bail out thieving CEOs and sends more than $80 BILLION to a nation that it raped and ravaged, which now has its own surplus funds?
Yeah - you betcha, say it ain't so, Joe Sixpack!
McCain is handing this election over to Obama for what reason? (Because I know he isn't stupid enough to make the mistakes he is making and still really want to be President. I realize he's out of touch, but so out of touch that he's just rank crazy? Say it ain't so John: Maybe you've changed your mind and don't want the job after all because "You can't be that stupid!" You are making this easy for the Obama staff and they were so looking forward to a real fight!)
[Especially with that Ayers stuff that happened when Obama was a kid, to a man who was acquitted and whom Obama had nothing to do with at the time; while you and Palin are guilty of consorting with, conspiring with, admiring and giving smiling and nodding approval to terrorists--abortion clinic bombers and state secessionists who hate this country--as full grown responsible adults who were in politics when you did it?! Man, that was going to be a party just taking you out on that one alone!]
Deep inside I think McCain likely knows Obama would make a better president, but he can't just toss in the reins after so much time and energy and money, to the tune of millions, has been spent on keeping the rich in their positions of power while they screw over the rest of us. They don't want that.
Heaven forbid the nation should be made fair for everybody and the American citizens given their lives and homes and jobs back and that damn stupid ass war ended because the real terrorists live here and they ain't Muslim, Islam NOR do they live in Iraq ... [http://www.alternet.org/asoldierspeaks/102352/].
God forbid America is actually big enough and "godly" enough to admit it made a horrible mistake in attacking those people and ask their forgiveness and work to right the wrongs so that God can bring us all peace again. Maybe not pre-911 peace, since Bush has been so instrumental in tripling the numer of terrorists out there BEFORE 9/11; but the kind of peace we should have had before Iraq was wrongfully attacked for no good reason.
People keep asking, well what if old John has a heart attack and God forbid something happens to Obama...which one of them there veeps is going to make a better president? Palin or Biden? Let's be honest and quit playing "gotcha" games with the obvious answer.
We most certainly cannot, will not, should not, turn this country over to the likes of Sarah Palin. Not now. Not in the future. Not ever. Her rising to the office of president if McCain got elected and something happened to him is NOT an option, at least not a viable one. That episode should call for an immediate recall or impeachment or whatever they do in Washington and call in the reinforcements to bring Hillary Clinton back if Palin gets in the Oval Office hot seat.
We've gotten used to George Bu//Sh** being President now...better him than her, for that matter.
The McCain Campaign will do anything to win this election. Never in my lifetime have I seen a presidential candidate embrace the views of those that hate. We have a moral responsibility to denounce the violent rhetoric that has pervaded recent McCain and Palin political rallies. The time has come for everyone one us to let our voices be heard. To say enough is enough. We must head to the McCain/Palin Rallies and defend Senator’s Obama and Biden. We must write to the letters of every major newspaper in this Country and make our voices heard. Tell the Editors of these Newspapers they must take a stance on this issue. We must call in to talk show programs, especially those headed by Radio Hosts that support this horrible rhetoric.
Are we not better people than this? Are we not a better Country than this?
John Weaver Senator McCain’s former strategist said that McCain is making a tactical mistake by letting abusive hecklers have their voices heard during his forums. David Gergen, a longtime Washington strategist, has warned that the rhetoric from these attendees could "lead to some violence.” Veteran Republican Congressman Ray LaHood criticized Sarah Palin in particular, saying her rhetoric did not "befit the office she's running for."
Jeremy B. Smith
As we approach the finish line and, unsurprisingly, the McCain campaign turns much dirtier, I have serious concerns about what is going on.
First: the incitement of violence
It is NEVER appropriate of any candidate to incite passionate hate rhetoric against any other person, but especially against a colleague, and to use emotional manipulation of the crowds to elicit such responses as "Terrorist", or, "Kill him!" It us unworthy of any opponent to use these tactics and it is dangerous because that sort of tactic increases the risk of violence against the accused. This sort of hate rhetoric in the past led this nation to the loss of John Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. It is time to stop it, it is time for the McCain campaign to come out strongly to put an end to this stragegy by Gov. Palin or any other campaign leader.
Second: the "terrorist" accusation
This sort of accusation against a colleague, a person of the stature to campaign for the presidency under the banner of a major party and a US Senator is totally inappropriate. It needs to stop. If the McCain campaign doesn't stop, the Obama campaign has every right to defend itself and to raise questions about both McCain and Palin "palling around with terrorists".
John McCain has two connections that can be raised. First, one that discredits the accusation against Obama, it was the Annenberg Foundation that brought Ayers and Obama together on the same board, so does that mean that the Annenbergs also "pal around with terrorists"? And, since Mrs. Annenberg has publicly endorsed McCain and McCain has touted this endorsement, wouldn't that mean that McCain also "pals around with terrorists"? Surely, to call the "chief of protocol" at the State Department under President Reagan a terrorist, at least in the sense that the McCain campaign is doing so, demonstrates the ridiculousness of this campaign ploy. For more, read: "McCain trumpets endorsement from figure that established Ayers board": http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/08/mccains-trumpets-endorsem_n_132954.html. The Ayers campaign ploy should be dropped cold by the McCain campaign.
Far more disturbing is McCain's own political connection to the Council of World Freedom. In an article entitled "Why McCain's time with the Council of World Freedom matters", the author states, "Since Sunday, Democrats have been buzzing about the re-revelation that during the 1980s, Sen. John McCain served on the board of a far-right conservative organization that had supplied arms and funds to paramilitary organizations in Latin America." This really is a terrorist organization of the right-wing variety and it continues to be a danger to world stability. For more, read: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/why-mccains-time-with-cou_n_132470.html
And, of course, in the thread of "terrorist connections", there are Sarah Palin's own close ties to the Alaskan Independence Party. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. writes: "Palin's husband Todd remained an AIP party member from 1995 to 2002. Sarah can be described in McCarthy-era palaver as a "fellow traveler." While retaining her Republican registration, she attended the AIP's 1994 convention where the party called for a draft constitution to secede from the United States and create an independent nation of Alaska. The McCain Campaign has reluctantly acknowledged that she also attended AIP's 2000 Convention. She apparently found the experience so inspiring that she agreed to give a keynote address at the AIP's 2006 convention and she recorded a video greeting for this year's 2008 convention. In other words, this is not something that happened when she was eight!" Just in case you don't realize how seriously dangerous the AIP is, Kennedy tells us that its founder "Vogler was murdered in 1993 during an illegal sale of plastic explosives that went bad. The prior year, he had renounced his allegiance to the United States explaining that, "The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government." He cursed the stars and stripes, promising, "I won't be buried under their damned flag...when Alaska is an independent nation they can bring my bones home." Palin has never denounced Vogler or his detestable anti-Americanism." For more, go to: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-f-kennedy-jr/alaskan-independence-part_b_133261.html
A third concern: McCain's famous temper
The disdain which McCain demonstrated in the second campaign by calling Obama "That one!" was only a spark. He is well known for far more serious outbursts. In an article that I will return to on my fourth concern, it tells of an outburst of rage by McCain in public while gambling and at the end has a link to a video about his temper, stating, "Brave New Films released a new video focused on McCain's temper, featuring "original interviews with former U.S. Senator from Arizona Dennis DeConcini, former Arizona Republican Party Executive Director Jon Hinz, former Arizona Republic Editor Pat Murphy, and Eleanor Apodaca, sister of a Vietnam POW/MIA soldier. All four attest to McCain's explosive anger, three of them with personal anecdotes."" For more, go to http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/09/report-mccain-exploded-wi_n_133242.html
A fourth concern: McCain's gambling
OK, so as a Methodist I was brought up with a strong anti-gambling attitude. But would you trust your own money to a person with a gambling habit? Would you trust the nation to a person with a gambling habit? I will grant that the McCain family has enough money to throw away as much as it wants, but what bothers me is the judgement of a person who is a life-long gambler. I wouldn't want a gambler playing Craps with the nation's future, figuratively speaking. There are two articles that point to McCain and gambling. I have already mentioned one, but here it is again: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/09/report-mccain-exploded-wi_n_133242.html. The second is: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/martha-miller/mccains-tax-returns-hide_b_131675.html.
I urge you to read these articles, no matter how you vote. What do we know about McCain's character and judgement? Can anybody seriously want a person like this to be our next President and Commander-in-Chief?
Janet
A neighbor of mine sent me and a bunch of other people the email I have pasted below. You may have seen it. Really crazy. The response I sent to him, all those he included on the first cc and about 100 others is posted in the "Extended Post" section f this blog.
Feel free to grab whatever you like from my response to share with others or research even further. I
A friend sent me this: This election has me very worried. So many things to consider. About a year ago I would have voted for Obama. I have changed my mind three times since than. I watch all the news channels, jumping from one to another. I must say this drives my husband crazy. But, I feel if you view MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News, you might get some middle ground to work with. About six months ago, I started thinking "where did the money come from for Obama".
I have four daughters who went to College, and we were middle class, and money is always tight and w2e make a fairly nice dollar. We (including my girls) work hard and there are lots of student loans.
So I started looking into Obama's life. Around 1979 Obama started college at Occidental in California. He is very open about his two years at Occidental, he tried all kinds of drugs and was wasting his time but, even though he had a brilliant mind, did not appl y himself to his studies. "Barry" (that was the name he used all his life) during this time had two roommates, Muhammad Hasan Chandoo and Wahid Hamid, both from Pakistan.
During the summer of 1981, after his second year in college, he made a "round the world" trip. Stopping to see his mother in Indonesia, next Hyderabad in India, three weeks in Karachi, Pakistan where he stayed with his roommate's family, then off to Africa to visit his father's family. My question - Where did he get the money for this trip? Nether I, nor any one of my children would have had money for a trip like this when they where in college. When he came back he started school at Columbia University in New York. It is at this time he wants everyone to call him Barack - not Barr y. Do you know what the tuition is at Columbia? It's not cheap! to say the least. Where did he get money for tuition? Student Loans? Maybe. And back then in 1981, they didn’t have loans available like they do now, doesn’t anyone remember, God I had to mortgage my future for 20 years for a lousy 20,000, how did he get all the money for Law school?
After Columbia, he went to Chicago to work as a Community Organizer for $12,000. a year. Why Chicago? Why not New York? He was already living in New York. By "chance" he met Antoin "Tony" Rezko, born in Aleppo Syria, and a real estate developer in Chicago.
On the same day Rezko's wife, Rita, purchased the adjoining empty lot for full price. The London Times reported that Nadhmi Auchi, an Iraqi-born Billionaire loaned Rezko $3.5 million three weeks before Obama's new home was purchased. Obama met Nadhmi Auchi many times with Rezko. Now, we have Obama running for President. Valerie Jarrett, was Michele Obama's boss. She is now Obama's chief advisor and he does not make any major decisions without talking to her first. Where was Jarrett born? Ready for this? Shiraz, Iran! Do we see a pattern here? Or am I going crazy?
Why aren’t we getting answers on this, why has the liberal press failed to ask these questions, we ask more questions when we buy a car then we are asking about this man, are we so stupid that because of color and race we aren’t asking the right questions? This doesn’t make sense? Could anyone of us been about to buy a 1.65 million dollar home with outstanding student loans and no capital or assets, isn’t this what got this country into trouble with the Mortgage markets now? Why isn’t anyone asking this important questions,
> On May 10, 2008 The Times reported, Robert Malley advisor to Obama was "sacked" after the press found out he was having regular contacts with "Hamas", which controls Gaza and is connected with Iran. This past week, buried in the back part of the papers, Iraqi newspapers reported that during Obama's visit to Iraq, he asked their leaders to do nothing about the war until after he is elected, and he will "Take care of things".
Oh, and by the way, remember the college roommates that where born in Pakistan? They are in charge of all those "small" Internet campaign contribution for Obama. Where is that money coming from? The poor and middle class in this country? Or could it be from the Middle East? And now we have case after case of fraud connected with contributions and fake names who donated money to the Obama campaign,.And another interesting piece of news, On September 7, 2008, The Washington Times posted a verbal slip that was made on "This Week" with George Stephanapoulos. Obama on talking about his religion said, "My Muslim faith". When questioned, "he make a mistake". Some mistake! If he is a Muslim, then say it, let the people judge themselves, who cares about his religion, there is something wrong here, and now Our country because its scared and pissed off at Bush is ready to elected the most unknown unqualified president in history, and the Dems say that Sa r ah Palin has no experience, well we know nothing about Obama and he has no experience!
I don’t know about you but I’m scared really scarred, this country is already turning socialistic, and now we are ready to elect a man that is so far left of Our capitalistic history , it goes beyond any novel you ever read about conspiracies,
Is Obama the man we should trust all because he promises to take away Our Problems> What ever happened to that Good Old Fashioned American roll up the sleeve and get to work mentality? Have we sold out to instant gratification and I don’t give a shit attitude that only concerns itself with “what’s in it for me?”
We need to really think about who we will vote for, will we vote for a mystery man who was raised and molded by socialists, who believes in taxing and redistribution of wealth, for everyone but himself, or we will we vote for a man who we may not agree with 100% but we know we can trust his service and loyalty to America?
If you agree, please pass this onto as many people as possible, we all need to know the truth.All of the above information I got on line. If you would like to check it - Wikipedia, encyclopedia,
Barack Obama; Tony Rezko; Valerie Jarrett: Daily Times - Obama > visited Pakistan in 1981; The Washington Times - September 7, > 2008; The Times May 10, 2008. > > Now the BIG question - If I found out all this information on my own, Why haven't all of our "intelligent" members of the press been reporting this? > A phrase that keeps ringing in my ear - > "Beware of the enemy from within"!!!
As we near the day, November 4th we must do all we can to support Barack Obama and make change for America. Please help me circulate this New Expose video of Angry John McCain, by Bravenewpac. It is 100% factual, and has testimony in it by the woman who saw John McCain slap the niece of a POW. While we respect his service to our country...we should not allow him to be a national security problem. Please watch and circulate!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAyK-enrF1g&eurl=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/09/report-mccain-exploded-wi_n_133242.html
