At least one case of "Moderate" Arab Muslims' bigotry - defeated [Arabism's racism]
Bret Stephens on http://www.foxnews.com/journal/"hits & misses", The Fining of UAE over denial of visa to Israeli tennis player is a "defeat for bigotry"
WTA fines Dubai Open organisers after Israeli Shahar Peer denied visa - Feb 20, 2009 The Women's Tennis Association has fined the Dubai Open organisers $US300,000 ($A465,000) after the United Arab Emirates refused to grant a visa to Israeli ...
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25086276-23209,00.html
Under-fire UAE likely to give Israel's Andy Ram a visaIsraeli doubles specialist Andy Ram is likely to be granted a visa by the United Arab Emirates to play in the Dubai Championships next week, which could prevent a major crisis for tennis..."To discriminate as the UAE did against one player in this way smacks of bigotry and racism," the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organisations said in a statement. "This must be declared unacceptable by the WTA and all international sporting associations. As we learned in the past, failure to condemn such actions and take corrective measures, proves destructive to international sporting competition."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/atptour/4692024/Under-fire-UAE-likely-to-give-Israels-Andy-Ram-a-visa.html
Sponsors pull out of Dubai Open after UAE deny visa to IsraeliRACISM ROW: The Wall Street Journal Europe and the Tennis Channel have revoked their sponsorship of the WTA Dubai Open because the UAE denied a visa to Israeli player Shahar Peer.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,25072951-5005401,00.html
Tennis: Racism Rears Its Ugly Head Shahar Peer is an Israeli tennis player. The United Arab Emirates barred her from participating in the Barclays Dubai tournament
http://ballhype.com/story/tennis_racism_rears_its_ugly_head/
United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has no diplomatic links with Israel, denied her an entry visa into the country. "To discriminate as the UAE did against one player in this way smacks of bigotry and racism,"
http://www.javno.com/en-sports/jewish-leaders-call-on-wta-to-sanction-dubai-event_235390
When Barack Obama admitted during his campaign that he used cocaine and marijuana, nobody went after him to “tarnish” his career. We all voted for him because drug use is a sign of the times.
Using drugs is not a crime, disease, or disorder. It’s normal human behavior in the Electro-Chemical Age in which we live. However, President Obama passed a judgment against Alex Rodriguez’s recent admission to using performance-enhancement drugs.
To penalize a sports figure for using steroids is about as sensible as it would be to penalize a sports figure for having a body part replaced with one that is robotic and outperforms a typical human body part. I somehow don’t see future generations sitting down to evaluate electronic body parts to determine whether or not they played a role in improving the performance of a major league baseball player. If it was a heart that had been replaced would that make it more acceptable than an arm or a leg? Hmm?
I find it commendable when someone reveals that they used a chemical substance to enhance their performance. I appreciate their honesty, which is a value we need to instill in the younger generations. We should be more concerned about such virtues in our athletes than whether or not they used a drug.
Once again: the solution is Drug Use Education. Students who learn about drugs PROPERLY are not going to be impacted by the revelations of a role model. At least the younger generation will be inspired to tell the truth. Are we supposed to bring a career to a halt based on irrational drug policy? Drugs are part of human evolution.
If we are ever going to break free from the Nixonian Era, we must look for the fear within us, understand why it exists, remove it, and toss it away!
K.C. Cristian's audio book entitled: "WE" the Power and the Power of "Oui" will be released on CDBaby.com before Inauguration Day. This audio book highlights the monumental feats of none other than President-elect Barack Obama and the 2008 World Champion Boston Celtics. Both Barack Obama and the Boston Celtics had the audacity to believe in the power of unity and the magic of the word "YES" in order to make their "impossible" dreams come true. This audio is sure to make you laugh, cry, think, and think again.
Stay tuned because "WE the Power" will surely be released very soon.
The following exchange between Barack Obama and a small business owner regarding his tax policy and the concept of progressive taxation should be watched by all because its fascinating and revealing in several respects:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFC9jv9jfoA
First, I think Obama makes a compelling case for the sensibility and equity of his tax policy and progressive taxation principles in general.
Second, I think this exchange provides great insight into what kind of leader Barack Obama is and how he walks the walk on his promise to elevate the civility and discourse in this nation and rise above politics. In short, he was confronted by a person obviously opposed to his policies and rather than shun him or ignore him or call him names/stupid, Barack engaged him, respected his views and tried to explain in very real concrete ways, ways that the person himself can relate to, as to why his policies were good ones and might in fact be beneficial to the questioner. In the end, even if the man was not converted (unsure), it was clear they both walked away from the exchange better informed and with more respect for each other. Related to the last point, it's a great contrast to how we see the right and McCain/Palin treat their opponents. If a person opposed GOP tax policies, he/she's either ignored altogether or just demonized as a socialist in favor of income redistribution - there is simply no acknowledgment by McCain/Palin that there may be merit to the position or respect warranted. This civility in discourse is something we've seen in all Barack's appearances, including the debates. I do not think we can underestimate how important a "Change" this is and how much further it'll bring us as a nation as we aspire to bridge divides and heal wounds of partisanship.
Third, I think this shows that Barack is not scared to tackle tough issues, where others may run away from these challenges. Dems have often run away from frank discussions of tax policy or arguments for "progressive taxation" because they were afraid of making the case for it. Barack made a good case for it in a realistic context.
I have always thought that Progressive Taxation is a no-brainer for any civilized society that wants to be successful in the long term. I think the struggle has always been over how to frame the issue and explain it in a way that makes sense. As I said, I think Barack did a good job above. But I also think beyond appeals to fairness and equity, another line of argument can be that Progressive Taxation is misbranded as socialism. In reality, it's actually a capitalistic enterprise that we see play out in all walks of life.
One way to think of this and explain it to every day folks is through an analogy to how a sports franchise runs its business - no doubt a capitalistic endeavor. Think of what we see in ticket pricing all over the map. A sports franchise sets its policy with a set budget (expected revenue) in mind. It realizes that some seats are better than others and offer more amenities (better views, more comfort, proximity, etc.). It recognizes that its constituents are not all equally positioned from a financial perspective. It recognizes that if its cost is too severe in either direction, it risks alienating the top or the bottom and losing revenue. It recognizes there is alternatives to doing business with it (cable, other franchises, minor leagues), albeit remote (just like a taxpayer can be potentially disincentivized and choose to do less/no business or take his/her business out of the country - things that are possible, though they require effort). And it's key to realize that this is just illustrative and not meant to be exact, but the counter-argument that one has the choice to say no to higher prices with regard to buying tickets is really not a valid distinction or inapposite here, because just like that - I'd argue that the ones who are complaining (i.e., the rich) do not have to benefit from the great US economy (or make millions of dollars so as to qualify for higher taxes) if they don't like the tax consequences.
The key here is that in every instance, what you see as the solution that emerges is a progressive (not proportional or flat) pricing policy that charges significantly higher prices for the better seats and lower prices for the worse seats so that it can keep these seats affordable for all. A flat rate simply wouldn't work because of the reality that the landscape is unequal. A proportional rate simply won't work for much of the same reason, because too many folks get priced out at the bottom end. So in effect, what you get is redistribution/subsidizing. The pricing is tweaked (by reacting to the market reactions - free market) to hit the spot that you achieve your revenue goal and sell-out the place.
At the end of the day, despite gripes (nothing is ever easy) most recognize the inherent necessity and fairness of this concept in this context - so hopefully they can see the translation. The tax policy can be likened to this in every respect. The progressive tax rates are tweaked to achieve rates that invite maximum participation and obtain the desired budgetary revenues. The benefit of the bargain is still worth it, and more people get to benefit/participate.
To view this blog post with music and Barack Obama messages taped on his podcast in the past access this link
By Daniel Kurtzman, About.com
"They say I need to be seasoned; they say I need to be stewed. They say, 'We need to boil all the hope out of him -- like us -- and then he'll be ready.'" (Watch video
********************************
'Eye Without A Face' by Mark Bellinghaus, Copyright 2008
Life is all about signs...seeing the signs....understanding the signs...acting upon the signs
--Mark Bellinghaus
Extract & Photo caption/description posted on OUR MARILYN BLOG - you can find the entire blog article here: blog.ourmarilyn.com/2008/08/31/marilyn-monroe-would-have-voted-f .. and also here: my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/markbellinghaus/gG5W75 Ella Fitzgerald & Marilyn Monroe, in 1955 (above) and in 1962, (below), the year Marilyn Monroe passed away. In 1955, when racism was still a big issue in the United States of America, Ella Fitzgerald became the first African-American to perform at the Mocambo, after Marilyn Monroe had lobbied the owner for the booking. The booking was instrumental in Fitzgerald's career. Marilyn would promise the owner that she would appear every night (and be on time), and this way also fill the house--and she did, she was there every night, and she filled the house and: she was always on time! Their close friendship lasted for many years and Ella would sing Marilyn Monroe's famous 'My Heart Belongs To Daddy' in honor of her wonderful friend Marilyn Monroe, who died almost 34 years before she passed on in 1996, at age 79. Barack Obama Quotes: 'They say I need to be seasoned; they say I need to be stewed. They say, 'We need to boil all the hope out of him -- like us -- and then he'll be ready.' 'I have nothing to hide, I enjoy being myself. I'm not going to change who I am just because it's Halloween." -appearing as himself on Saturday Night Live as part of a skit that featured Hillary Clinton dressed as a witch at a Halloween party * 'It's like I was shot out of a cannon. I'm so overexposed that I make Paris Hilton look like a recluse.' 'Hillary is not the first politician in Washington to declare 'Mission Accomplished' a little too soon.' Marilyn Monroe singing Happy Birthday to President John F. Kennedy, who was a Democrat
------I have already emailed a copy to the NY Times, LA Times, USA Today, and Washington Post------
Please feel free to forward the text of the below letter to any news organization or sports franchise. I don't really know how to go about obtaining contact info. for newspapers and quite honestly don't have the time. The hockey game at which Palin is supposed to be at is Oct. 11. Also, feel free to submit to any other blogs, message boards, etc...Please reply with what you have done with this letter (who you sent it to, where posted, etc...) THANK YOU!!!!
Open letter to all professional sports owners and league commissioners:
It is disgraceful to me, and I’m sure many Americans, that owner Ed Snider of the Philadelphia Flyers is using the 20 million dollar tax payer-funded Wachovia Center to promote his personal politics in an election year. Owner Ed Snider is a GOP (Republican) donor and is involved with the group Freedom’s Watch. Freedom’s Watch believes that President Bush’s Iraq War policies should be supported. Freedom’s Watch is engaged in lobbying.
When the residents of Philadelphia and the State of Pennsylvania funded this venue to the tune of 20 million dollars, it seems highly inappropriate to allow any political party the right to use the venue during a sports event when the overwhelming majority of people in the audience aren’t there to engage in partisan politics. People watch sports and attend live events to support their team. To many, viewing sports either live or on television, serves as a means of escapism. To have Sarah Palin, or any other politician seeking our Nation’s highest offices by allowing them to ‘drop the puck, throw-out the first pitch, opening coin toss, etc…’ at this time in an election year shows poor judgment because you selfishly want to impose your partisan politics on those in attendance and watching on television. This has nothing to do with hockey or hockey moms, just your own political agenda and it makes me sick!
Furthermore, what is the opinion of the NHL Mr. Bettman? Do you think this is a good idea? I’m also curious to know what other pro sports organizations and leagues think about this. To voice your opinion to the NHL, you can call (212) 789-2000. To tell the Philadelphia Flyers what you think (215 )465-4500.
Sincerely,
Scott Smith
I spent years representing this great country in international trampoline athletic events all over the world - in about 20 countries. I did my best to represent my country with dignity and grace. I did so by playing fair, impressing with my talent and hard work, accepting success with humility, earning World Titles and, finally, making friends with everyone I worked with the world over, regardless of where they were from.
I competed internationally from the early 70’s to early-eighties and after a 12 year hiatus, one last time in 1994. In the beginning, the US Team would always get the biggest cheers - roars! - from the international crowds during the Opening Ceremonies as we marched into the arenas. It made me so proud. That’s the kind of patriotism that only the lucky few get to experience. It overwhelmed me. I am truly blessed. It inspired me to train hard to be the best I could and to make the world proud of me, not just my country.
However, as the time went on, the applause faded. Then, in 1994, just after the first Bush era (1989-93), the cheers basically disappeared. It was disheartening. Today’s young trampolinists have never experienced the loud and exciting welcomes that I remember and as long aswe stay on this path, they never will. It’s sad.
However,there is hope that America will be loved again. Barack Obama is that answer. He understands what “Country First” really means. It means displaying respect world-wide, the way I know it. And NOT by fighting everyone that gets in his way. It’s about caring for others, not looking down on them. It’s about community, not individualism. It’s about sharing, not greed. We need that respect back.
www.leighhennessy.com/lagniappe/
Does John McCain’s Experience Matter?
A Political Blog
By
James Myers
The Entertainment Critic
I was asked by a young Obama neighborhood organizer to write an article about an argument he was running into as he went door to door in Lake County, Indiana. The problem: How do you respond to someone who is considering voting for John McCain based on his ‘experience?’
After all at age 45, Barack Obama is not the youngest presidential nominee or chief executive. William Jennings Bryant was a Democratic nominee at 36; John F. Kennedy was 43 when he was elected, Theodore Roosevelt was 42 when he was sworn in. Nor is Barack the most inexperienced nominee or president ever. Wendell Willkie had never held any public office before he became the Republican nominee in 1940. Woodrow Wilson had been governor of New Jersey for only 2 years before ascending to the Presidency in 1912. George W. Bush was governor of Texas for only 6 years before becoming President. Lincoln had only served a brief time in the Illinois Legislature and only 2 years in the House before becoming President.
Time served is therefore not the issue. The real question is judgment. Who has the most active voting record? Who made the right decisions when it counted? Who has made more misjudgments? Who is the more unstable, more unpredictable? Who is smarter about the judgments they have made in the past on critical political issues?
What I would say to my young organizer friend is that you should first ask the prospective voter if they are happy with the way things are in our country today? If they are better off now than they were 8 years ago? Ask them if they realize that John McCain has voted 95% of the time with George Bush? Ask them if they are ready for 8 more years of the same failed policies? Tell them that it is time for a change. If they want details, show them this article.
There are 3 basic arguments: First, in a head to head comparison, Barack’s voting record and judgment are more consistent; Second, McCain’s opinion is flexible (he flip flops too much); and finally you have to consider the tremendous errors he has made just during the course of this campaign.
If we look at a head to head comparison, Obama has been in the Senate 3.5 years, McCain has been in the Senate 26 years. Obama’s name is on 606 bills to 128 for McCain. In other words, Barack is much more active. Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored 570 bills in the 109th and 110th Congress. 15 of those have become law. He has introduced amendments to 50 bills, 16 of which were adopted by the Senate. From a blog in the Daily Kos by Heleann dated February 21st, 2008 entitled “I found the BEEF-Obama’s Senate Record” Here is what I found:
Of the 15 bills Senator Obama sponsored or co-sponsored in 2005-7 that became law:
Two addressed foreign policy: Promote relief, security and democracy in the Congo (2125) Develop democratic institutions in areas under Palestinian control (2370).
Three addressed public health: Improve mine safety (2803) Increased breast cancer funding (597) Reduce preterm delivery and complications, reduce infant mortality (707).
Two addressed openness and accountability in government: Strengthening the Freedom of Information Act (2488) Full disclosure of all entities receiving federal funds (2590)
Two addressed national security Extend Terrorist Risk Insurance (467) Amend the Patriot Act (2167)
One addressed the needs of the Armed Forces Wave passport fees to visit graves, attend memorials/funerals of veterans abroad (1184).
Of the 570 bills Senator Obama introduced into the Senate during the 109th and 110th Congress (Senate Bill numbers are in parentheses), they can be summarized as follows:
25 addressed Energy Efficiency and Climate Change Suspend royalty relief for oil and gas (115) Reduce dependence on oil; use of alternative energy sources (133) Increase fuel economy standards for cars (767, 768) Auto industry incentives for fuel efficient vehicles (1151) Reduce green house gas emissions (1324) Establish at NSF a climate change education program (1389) Increase renewable content of gasoline (2202) Energy emergency relief for small businesses and farms (269) Strategic gasoline and fuel reserves (1794) Alternative diesel standards (3554) Coal to liquid fuel promotion (3623) Renewable diesel standards (1920) Reducing global warming pollution from vehicles (2555) Fuel security and consumer choice (1994, 2025) Alternative energy refueling system (2614) Climate change education (1389) Low income energy assistance (2405) Oil savings targets (339) Fuel economy reform (3694) Plug-in electric drive vehicles (1617) Nuclear release notice (2348) Passenger rail investment (294) Energy relief for low income families (2405)
21 addressed Health Care Drug re-importation (334) Health information technology (1262, 1418) Discount drug prices (2347) Health care associated infections (2278) Hospital quality report cards (692, 1824) Medical error disclosure and compensation (1784) Emergency medical care and response (1873) Stem cell research (5) Medical Malpractice insurance (1525) Health centers renewal (901, 3771) Children’s health insurance (401) Home health care (2061) Medicare independent living (2103) Microbicides for HIV/AIDS (823) Ovarian cancer biomarker research (2569) Gynological cancers (1172) Access to personalized medicine through use of human genome (976) Paralysis research and care (1183)
20 addressed Public Health: Violence against women (1197) Biodefense and pandemic preparedness and response (1821, 1880) Viral influenza control (969) End homelessness (1518) Reduce STDs/unintended pregnancy (1790) Smoking prevention and tobacco control (625) Minority health improvement and disparity elimination (4024) Nutrition and physical education in schools (2066) Health impact assessments (1067, 2506) Healthy communities (1068) Combat methamphetamines (2071) Paid sick leave (910) Prohibit mercury sales (833, 1818) Prohibit sale of lead products (1306, 2132) Lead exposure in children (1811, 2132)
14 address Consumer Protection/Labor Stop unfair labor practices (842) Fair minimum wage (2, 1062, 2725, 3829) Internet freedom (2917) Credit card safety (2411) Media ownership (2332) Protecting taxpayer privacy (2484) Working family child assistance (218) Habeus Corpus Restoration (185) Bankruptcy protection for employees and retirees (2092) FAA fair labor management dispute resolution (2201) Working families flexibility (2419).
13 addressed the Needs of Veterans and the Armed Forces: Improve Benefits (117) Suicide prevention (479) Needs of homeless veterans (1180) Homes for veterans (1084) GI Bill enhancement (43) Military job protection Dignity in care for wounded vets (713) Housing assistance for low income veterans (1084) Military children in public schools (2151) Military eye injury research and care (1999) Research physical/mental health needs from Iraq War (1271) Proper administration of discharge for personality disorder (1817, 1885) Security of personal data of veterans (3592)
12 addressed Congressional Ethics and Accountability Lobbying and ethics reform (230) Stop fraud (2280) Legislative transparency and accountability (525) Open government (2180, 2488) Restoring fiscal discipline (10) Transparency and integrity in earmarks (2261) Accountability of conference committee deliberations and reports (2179) Federal funding accountability and transparency (2590) Accountability and oversight for private security functions under Federal contract (674) Accountability for contractors and personnel under federal contracts (2147) Resctrictions awarding government contracts (2519)
10 addressed Foreign Policy: Iraq war de-escalation (313) US policy for Iraq (433), Divestiture from Iran (1430) Sudan divestment authorization (831) Millennium Development Goals (2433) Multilateral debt relief (1320) Development bank reform (1129) Nuclear nonproliferation (3131,977,2224).
9 address Voting/Elections Prohibit deceptive practices in Federal elections (453) Voter access to polls and services in Federal elections (737) Voter intimidation and deceptive practices (1975) Senate campaign disclosure parity (185) Require reporting for bundled campaign contributions (2030) Election jamming prevention (4102) Campaign disclosure parity (223) Presidential funding (2412) Integrity of electronic voting systems (1487)
11 addressed Education Increase access of low income African Americans to higher education (1513) Establish teaching residency programs (1574) Increase early intervention services (2111) Middle school curriculum improvements (2227) Public database of scholarships, fellowships and financial aid (2428) Summer learning programs (116) TANF financial education promotion (924) Higher education (1642) Build capacity at community colleges (379) Campus law enforcement in emergencies (1228) Support for teachers (2060).
6 addressed Hurrican Katrina Hurricane Katrina recovery (2319) Emergency relief (1637) Bankruptcy relief and community protection (1647) Working family tax relief (2257) Fair wages for recovery workers (1749) Gulf coast infrastructure redevelopment (1836)
5 addressed the Environment Drinking water security (218, 1426) Water resources development (728) Waste water treatment (1995) Combat illegal logging (1930) Spent nuclear fuel tracking and Acountability (1194) Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act (Introduced in Senate)[S.726.IS ]
4 addressed Discrimination Claims for civil class action based on discrimination (1989) Domestic partnership benefits (2521) Unresolved civil rights crimes (535) Equality or two parent families (2286)
4 addressed Homeland Security Judicial review of FISA orders (2369) National emergency family locator (1630) Amend US Patriot Act (2167) Chemical security and safety (2486)
This would be an impressive record for anyone. It is a remarkable record for a junior Senator from Illinois. Senator McCain has said, “[T]his election is about trust and trusting people’s word…” Another blog from the Daily Kos, written by StuHunter titled, “DAMMIT…Tell me the Truth! UPDATED” traces McCain voting record, flip-flops and all:
Signing of the GI Bill: Now enthusiastically for it... after it passed. Previously attacked the Webb Bill. Didn't even bother to vote on it. http://bravenewfilms.org/...
Campaign reform: On political reform, McCain last January opposed a grassroots lobbying bill he once supported. In 2006, the "New York Sun" reported that his presidential ambitions led McCain to reverse his support of a campaign financial bill called McCain/Feingold. http://www.nysun.com/...
Alien Minors Act/Immigration: Last October he said he would vote against the development, relief and education for Alien Miners Act that he co-sponsored, and then said he would vote against an immigration bill that he introduced. http://www.youtube.com/...
Gay Marriage: In 2006, he said on "HARDBALL," quote, “I think that gay marriage should be allowed.” Then after the commercial break he added, “I do not believe that gay marriages should be legal.” http://www.youtube.com/...
Abortion: On abortion, 1999, publicly supporting Roe v. Wade, privately opposing it in a letter to the National Right to Life Committee. In the 2000 debates, he would change the GOP platform to permit exceptions for rape, incest, the life of the mother. May 2007, "flipped", ABCNews.com reported. http://abcnews.go.com/...
Nuclear Waste: No Storing Nuclear waste at Yucca mountain earlier. Now flipped http://www.lasvegassun.com/...
Negotiating with Kim Jong-Il: Negotiating with Kim Jong-Il not acceptable until President Bush did it last week. http://bondibox.newsvine.com/...
Negotiating with Cuba/Castro: With Fidel Castro acceptable in 2000, not 2008. http://vids.myspace.com/...
Negotiating with Hamas/Terrorists: ...with terrorists appropriate when Colin Powell went to Syria and in 2006 when McCain said sooner or later we‘ll talk to Hamas, but not appropriate now re: Obama's willingness to use diplomacy. http://bondibox.newsvine.com/...
Pakistan: Unilateral action against suspected terrorists in Pakistan; "Confused leadership" when Obama suggested it, not when Bush did it. http://www.crooksandliars.com/... Warrantless Wire-taps: Six months ago, presidents had to obey the law, not anymore. http://www.nytimes.com/...
Torture: Torture detainees, no way, except for the CIA. Hold them indefinitely, wrong in 2003, the right move in 2008. http://www.youtube.com/...
Iraq War: The Iraq war, the right course 2004, stay the course 2005. Today, McCain has always been a Rumsfeld critic. http://thinkprogress.org/...
Tax Cuts: In 2001, he could not in good conscious support them. Now he can. http://www.youtube.com/...
Estate Tax: 2006, "I agree with President Roosevelt who created it". In 2008, "most unfair". http://www.crooksandliars.com/...
Privatizing Social Security: This month not for privatizing Social Security, never has been. In 2004, he "didn‘t see how benefits will last without it". http://www.youtube.com/...
Balanced Budget: In February, promised a balanced budget in four years by April, make that eight years. http://www.perrspectives.com/...
Windfall Profits Tax: In May, glad to look at the windfall profits tax. By June, that was Jimmy Carter's big idea. http://flipfloptracker.blogspot.com/...
Offshore Drilling: In 2000, no new off shore drilling. Last month, it would take years to develop. This month, very helpful in the short term. http://thinkprogress.org/...
Coyotes..Bush Big Time Fund Raisers: The Bush fund-raisers McCain called coyotes breaking the law in 2000. By 2006, they were co-chairing McCain fund-raisers. http://abcnews.go.com/...
"Agents of Intolerance": Buddy Jerry Falwell...an "agent of intolerance in 2000". Kissed Falwell's ass in 2007... The Reverend Hagee and Parsley in, then out this year alone. http://www.youtube.com/...
Martin Luther King Holiday: In 1983, opposed Martin Luther King Day. Today, all for it. http://www.boston.com/...
Confederate Flag: In 2000, defended South Carolina's confederate flag as a symbol of heritage. Two years later, McCain calling it, quote, an act of political cowardice not to say the flag should come down. Quote, "everybody said, look out. You can't win in South Carolina if you say that." http://www.youtube.com/...
Evolution in Public Schools: In 2005, McCain said alternatives to evolution should be taught in school. "Evolving" the opposite position he had taken in 2000. http://thinkprogress.org/...
Restoring the Everglades: On June 5, John McCain traveled to the Everglades to win over Floridians and environmentally-minded voters. There he proclaimed, "I am in favor of doing whatever’s necessary to save the Everglades." Sadly, as ThinkProgress documented, McCain not only opposed $2 billion in funding for the restoration of the Everglades national park, he backed President Bush’s veto of the legislation in 2007. "I believe," he said, "that we should be passing a bill that will authorize legitimate, needed projects without sacrificing fiscal responsibility." http://www.crooksandliars.com/...
Swiftboating: McCain's sudden embrace of Swiftboating --- which today is synonymous with a concerted effort to lie about an opponent's history --- is all the more deplorable because he has hired retired Col. George "Bud" Day, a proud member of the group that Swiftboated Kerry --- and someone McCain once described as having "tunnel vision" --- to lead what McCain is calling his "Truth Squad." http://digg.com/...
GITMO/Habeus Corpus:Despite John McCain's outrage last week that the Supreme Court ordered Gitmo detainees know why they were being held, or released -- Political Base has stumbled upon a McCain appearance on Meet the Press in 2005 where he argued they deserved trials, going so far as to say "if it means releasing some of them, you'll have to release them." Shameless. http://www.politicalbase.com/...
Divestment from South Africa: During his June 2 speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), John McCain called for the international community to target Iran for the kind of worldwide sanctions regime applied to apartheid-era South Africa. Unfortunately, McCain’s lobbyist-advisers Charlie Black and Rick Davis each represented firms doing business with Tehran. Even more unfortunate, John McCain was frequently not among those offering "moral clarity and conviction" in backing "a divestment campaign against South Africa, helping to rid that nation of the evil of apartheid." http://thinkprogress.org/...
Opposing Hurricane Katrina Investigations: During a June 4th town hall meeting in Baton Rouge, John McCain answered a reporter’s question regarding Hurricane Katrina and the failure of the New Orleans levees by announcing:
"I’ve supported every investigation and ways of finding out what caused the tragedy. I’ve been here to New Orleans. I’ve met with people on the ground."
As it turns out, not so much. McCain’s revisionist history neglects to mention that in 2005 and 2006 he twice voted against a commission to study the government’s response to Katrina. He also opposed three separate emergency funding measures providing relief to Katrina victims, including the extension of five months of Medicaid benefits. And as ThinkProgress pointed out, "until traveling there one month ago, McCain had made just one public tour of New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina touched down in August 2005." http://thinkprogress.org/...
McCain On His Economic Abilities: "I have not. I have not. Actually, I have not." "I said that I am stronger on national security issues because of all the time I spent in the military and others. I am very strong on the economy. I understand it. I have a lot more experience than my opponent."
-- Sen. John McCain, in an interview on ABC News, when asked why he "admitted that you're not exactly an expert when it comes to the economy."
However, NBC News compiles past McCain quotes in which he said "The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should" or "I'm going to be honest: I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated." http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/...
On Criticizing Obama While "Overseas": Traveling in Colombia, he told reporters that he wouldn't criticize Obama while he was overseas, but on the plane, he blasted Obama’s opposition to the proposed Colombia free trade... http://blogs.abcnews.com/...
UPDATES from KOSsacks:
Temperament and Temper: "My temper has often been both a matter of public speculation and personal concern," he wrote in a 2002 memoir. "I have a temper, to state the obvious, which I have tried to control with varying degrees of success because it does not always serve my interest or the public's." Not true and not under control, according to many of those on the "W"rong side of McCain's famous temper. http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
Drilling For Oil and Automobile Efficiency: "Last week, Senator McCain reversed himself and said we need to drill more. Today, he has reversed years of failing to support more efficient cars, new energy technologies and green jobs. http://www.speaker.gov/...
Offshore Drilling: Two weeks ago, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) offered "a bit of a capitulation to the oil companies" by announcing that he would end the federal ban on offshore oil drilling. Not only is McCain’s move a break with environmental activist, but it is also "a reversal of the position he took in his 2000 presidential campaign. http://thinkprogress.org/...
Payroll Taxes: "When he was asked in 2005 whether he could see himself lifting the cap on the payroll tax, (McCain) said, 'I could.' Two years later, during a May 13, 2007, appearance on "Meet the Press," Russert asked McCain if he was still open to lifting the Social Security tax cap as part of a compromise. "Am I opposed to tax increases?" said McCain. "Yes. But we've got to sit down together and figure out what our options are, and tough decisions have to be made, Republicans and Democrats. And I know how to do that." Asked about the 2005 remark, a McCain spokesman acknowledged the tension with his current position while arguing that the Arizona senator's criticism of his Democratic rival is still valid because McCain has spoken out against higher Social Security taxes as a 2008 White House hopeful. http://blogs.abcnews.com/...
Ethics Reform and Abramoff: On the stump, Sen. John McCain often cites his work tackling the excesses of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff as evidence of his sturdy ethical compass. A little-known document, however, shows that McCain may have taken steps to protect his Republican colleagues from the scope of his investigation. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/... http://digg.com/...
Obviously experience for McCain has not resulted in the acquired trait of common sense. My friend, Karen Young, put it this way: “If you met a parent with 6 children, all of them malnourished, you would call them "experienced" parents, but would you accept parenting tips from them? The point: not all "experience" is good for America.” You’re right Karen, and McCain judgment has been proven over and over again to be something less than we need in our President, particularly after 8 years of George W. Bush. Recently, Jack Cafferty on CNN put McCain’s candidacy in prospective, “It occurs to me that John McCain is as intellectually shallow as our current president. One after another, McCain's answers were shallow, simplistic, and trite. He showed the same intellectual curiosity that George Bush has -- virtually none. Where are John McCain's writings exploring the vexing moral issues of our time? Where are his position papers setting forth his careful consideration of foreign policy, the welfare state, education, America's moral responsibility in the world, etc., etc., etc.?
John McCain graduated 894th in a class of 899 at the Naval Academy at Annapolis. His father and grandfather were four star admirals in the Navy. Some have suggested that might have played a role in McCain being admitted. His academic record was awful. And it shows over and over again whenever McCain is called upon to think on his feet.
He no longer allows reporters unfettered access to him aboard the "Straight Talk Express" for a reason. He simply makes too many mistakes. Unless he's reciting talking points or reading from notes or a TelePrompTer, John McCain is lost. He can drop bon mots at a bowling alley or diner -- short glib responses that get a chuckle, but beyond that McCain gets in over his head very quickly."
In the sole and only issue McCain relies on for his election, his military experience and judgment, his voting record is abysmal. Karen Young again pointed out the following to me:
** 2007 McCain only showed up for 4 of the past 14 senate votes on Iraq. Showed up for none this year ** April 2003 tabled a motion to provide over $1 billion of National Guard and Reserve equipment ** Oct 2003 he tabled an amendment to provide additional $322 million for safety equipment for US troops in Iraq ** March 2004 he voted against eliminating abusive tax loopholes that would have increased veterans' medical care by $1.8 billion ** March 2006 he voted against closing corporate tax loopholes that would have increased veterans' medical services by $1.5 billion ** April 2006 he voted against providing an extra $430 million for veteran outpatient care ** May 2006 he voted against $20 million for veteran health care facilities ** March 2007 he didn't bother to vote on a resolution to start redeploying troops from Iraq by March 2008 ** September 2007 he voted against Senator Webb's amendment that would specify minimum rest periods for troops in between deployments ** May 2008 he first spoke out against Senator Web's GI Bill and then didn't bother to show up to vote on it. But none of that stopped him from accepting President Bush's praise when the Bill ultimately passed. McCain hopes that the fact that he is a veteran substitutes for the idea that he has done right by veterans as a politician Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America give the following grade for voting records John McCain D Barack Obama B+ Disabled American Veterans grades the two candidates Barack Obama 80% voting record John McCain 20% voting record
In the single most important vote in the 21st Century, the decision to invade Iraq, John McCain was on the wrong side again. Not only did he vote to invade Iraq, he incorrectly stated prior to the invasion that Iraq and Suddam Hussein were involved with the 9/11 attacks. He has said that we could be in Iraq for ‘100 years.’ Spending $10 million dollars a month in an open ended war is not something the American people can afford to support. Barack Obama opposed this war from the outset. A war that has cost us over $5 Trillion and 4,000 dead, and countless injured and maimed. On November 25th, 2002, Barack said, “I think that us rushing into a war unilaterally was a mistake and may still be a mistake. (If we have invaded Iraq) then what the debate will really be about is what is our long term commitment there? How much is it going to cost? What does it mean for us to rebuild Iraq? How do we stabilize and make sure this country doesn’t split into factions…” (Article “Does Obama Have Enough Experience to be President” contained in the embedded You Tube Video found at http://www.obamapedia.org/page/Does+Barack+Obama+have+enough+experience+to+be+president%3F )
So what was John McCain doing while Obama was accurately predicting the future? One month after the invasion, he said Iraq ‘needed to be invaded.’ He called the handling of the war ‘magnificent.’ He praised Donald Rumsfeld and said if he were President, Dick Cheney would be in his cabinet. On the floor of the Senate in May of 2003, McCain said, “We won a massive victory in a few weeks and we have done so with very limited loss of American and Allied lives. We were able to end aggression with minimal loss of life, and we were even able to greatly reduce the civilian casualties of Afghan and Iraqi citizens.” In effect as commentators have pointed out, McCain declared victory in Iraq 5 years and 3 months ago. If this were true, his singular issue of the surge would not have been necessary. But instead we get his military bluster, all of which continues the Bush policy of undermining our diplomatic stature abroad.
McCain himself has recently said, “Good judgment will be at a premium in the term of the next American president.” Comparing his statements to Senator Obama’s you cannot help but conclude that John McCain made the wrong decision, and evaluated the possible consequences of our actions in a totally incorrect way. Even with his single issue of ‘the surge’ he has evaluated that incorrectly, too. If the surge has in fact worked, our troops would be home or at least we’d have the same troop level as we had before the surge. His judgment continues to be at best questionable, while Senator Obama once again is right on target.
What do their peers say about their judgment? Barack Obama’s fellow legislators have assessed his judgment in a positive light. Krik Dillard, a Republican Senator said, "Sen. Obama was someone who I thought — and I was right — could tackle extremely complex things like ethics reform, the death penalty or racial profiling by law enforcement." Dillard called Barack, “a full partner” n drafting and passing the state's first major ethics law in 25 years, Dillard says. Obama also helped pass laws requiring that police interrogations and confessions in capital cases be videotaped and creating a state earned-income tax credit.
Donne Trotter called Obama, “a quick read, a quick study.” His tenure as a constitutional lawyer, “prepares him to learn the intricacies and nuances of what the federal government is all about." Trotter picked up right away his savvy in the areas of universal health care and was most impressed by his ability to educate his fellow senators and become the author and leader of legislation. Obama "is a reader, a learner of different approaches and philosophies," he says. "He has the brainpower to absorb the facts … and make good decisions." Mel Brook, Democratic Chairmen in Littleton, NH perhaps said it best, "No doubt 20 years' experience is better than 10," he says." For some individuals, it might well be a drawback, but it depends on the intellect, the knowledge and the ability of the candidate," he says. "For Obama, inexperience is not a big drawback."
What do his contemporaries say about John McCain? Senator John Kerry thinks McCain’s judgment is dangerous. "John McCain has changed in profound and fundamental ways that I find personally really surprising, and frankly upsetting," the Democratic Senator from Massachusetts said on CBS' Face The Nation. "This is a different John McCain. This is not the Senator John McCain; this is want-to-be president John McCain. "And the result is that John McCain has flip-flopped on more issues than I was even ever accused possibly of thinking about! I mean, this is extraordinary what he's done: He's changed on taxes; he's now in favor of the Bush tax cut. If you like the Bush economy, if you like the Bush tax cut and what it's done to our economy, making wealthier people wealthier and the average middle class struggle harder, then John McCain is going to give you a third term of George Bush and Karl Rove. "If you like what has happened to oil prices, John McCain is going to continue that policy. If you like what you see about health care, John McCain has no health care plan. "I would have at least expected the John McCain that I knew back then to realize what almost every person in the Pentagon has admitted. There are very few who walk around and say, 'Going into Iraq was the right thing to do, and we should have done it, or do it again if I have the chance.' John McCain does. "I'm challenging Senator McCain's judgment," Kerry said, "that says, 'There's no violent history between Sunni and Shia.' That's wrong. His judgment that says, 'This is going to increase the stability of the Middle East.' It hasn't, it's made it less stable. The judgment that says, quote, 'This will be the best thing for America and the world in a long time. It's the worst thing that we've done in a long time. And he's turned his [focus] away from Afghanistan and al Qaeda and made America less safe. That's dangerous for our country." Kerry criticized McCain's continued support of the occupation, given the effect of a continuing presence of U.S. troops on the situation in Iraq and the region at large. He pointed to remarks by leaders in the Middle East who told him during a recent visit, "You, America, have served up to Iran Iraq on a platter." "They are outraged by the ineptitude of what has been done by those who decided it was smart to go into Iraq," said Kerry, who feels the Republican Party is now in turmoil over the "reality" of McCain's position, which is that "he has a plan for staying in Iraq and Barack Obama has a plan for getting out of Iraq."
Recently, a blog entitled “Obama’s Judgment is Right; the Conventional Wisdom is Wrong” by David Sanders may have summed it up best. The worst strategic blunder of U.S. History was invading Iraq. The Bush administration then advocated a policy of labeling opponents as “weak, inexperienced, and naïve.” Barack Obama defied conventional wisdom and opposed the Iraq invasion. He was told this would damage, maybe even doom his political future. Barack felt we were in the wrong place and we needed to be in Afghanistan where we could fight with the people who attacked us, Bin Laden and al Qaeda. He called it “a dumb war” that could result in an “occupation of undetermined length, and undetermined cost with undetermined consequences.” Barack was right; conventional wisdom was wrong. According to National Intelligence, Iraq is a mess; the threat to us is “persistent and evolving”, Al-Qaeda has a safe haven in Pakistan, Iran has grown stronger and ultimately Americans are less safe. Judgment: Obama.
Barack’s judgment has in fact already tilted the table from conventional wisdom in Washington on the issue of diplomacy. Washington through Bush and McCain have taken the position that we cannot talk to our advisories because that would reward them. The result? Iran has continued to build its nuclear weapons program, terrorize Iraq and support terrorists. Syria continues to ‘meddle’ in Lebanon and support terror. North Korea produced 6-8 nuclear bombs. McCain wants to use the conventional wisdom to continue this policy of blustery, loud brave talk at home, with no discussions abroad. Obama is right; tough skillful discussion with our enemies is the only way in the 21st Century to bring about a peaceful balance. Judgment: Obama
Supporting President Musharraf has only aided the terrorists. Nuclear attacks on terrorist targets via ratcheted up rhetoric based on McCain’s so called military experience goes against the conventional wisdom of Washington. Killing innocent Pakistanis’ and lower our prestige in the world is not good judgment. Judgment: Obama.
American foreign policy has been broken by supporting the Iraq War and failing to finish al Qaeda, and worse alienating the rest of the world with our arrogance. Conventional wisdom tells us that this is the stance we must take in ‘times of trouble.’ Barack Obama is clear that we must go another direction. We must end a war we never should have begun; get the real perpetrators of 9/11; we need to talk to our adversaries and end the blustery politics of loud talk with ‘no substance.’ “Barack Obama’s judgment is right. It is conventional wisdom that has to change.”
So what would I tell my young organizer? After they admit they are not happy with the way things are and they are not better off then they were 8 years ago, remind them that the best we can hope for with all of McCain’s so called experience is more of the same, and that it is time for a change. That when it comes to judgment, Obama is right on target and his record proves he’s the most viable candidate for a change.
Why You Should Vote for Barack Obama?
Because He Has Already ‘Tilted the Table’
By James Myers
A few months back I did an interview with Mr. Jonah Goldberg, The author of a book called Liberal Fascism. He used a term that has stuck with me, I believe that I have ‘tilted the table’ in the way history will view this topic from now on, is a rough paraphrase of what he said. Tilting the table means that you have changed the way people view a particular topic. The way historians will record the topic in the history books. It means that you have exerted such insight, that others have come to rely on your judgment. It much your thoughts were fresh, original, and without any question, now considered to be correct. Much like tilting a pin ball machine, you have changed the direction that the ball will travel.
The George W. Bush administration has been, to say the least, inflexible. They take strong positions and right or wrong (and as we have seen they are wrong more often than not) they stick with these positions, to the point of an uncaring arrogance. Convincing Bush to change his position is kind of like commanding pigs to fly; it just isn’t going to happen. Rigid to the point of infamy is more what you can expect from this group.
Recently there have been some changes in position by the Bush Administration; surprising changes. Even more surprising is the source from where these shifts in policy originate. A source of original thought. A voice alone in its objections to the Bush policies. A leader that who thinking, just by his espousing a position has ‘tilted the table,’ even with ‘W’s’ rigid tough guys. A history changer. None other than Barack Obama. Not the presumptive Republican nominee, but their opposition’s leader, Obama. The junior Senator from Illinois. And oddly enough, the area of foreign policy seems to be the area of the biggest shift in direction; the biggest tilt.
What policies have been affected?
· The covert political action in Pakistan he suggested that the Bush Administration put into action;
· The 12,000 additional troops Barack called for in Afghanistan, which the Bush Administration approved yesterday, August 20, 2008;
· Yesterday, Secretary of State Rice reported from Bagdad that there is an agreement between the US and Iraq to set a timetable for withdrawal of our troops from that country by the 30th of next June, something Mr Obama has repeatedly stated during his campaign for President;
· Recently, Bush has shown more of an acceptance to speak to those who are our opposition, then to ignore them as he had in the past. Clearly this is the Obama position.
Notice that the tilt has occurred in the area of expertise that is supposed to be McCain’s strength, foreign policy. But yet, despite stubborn resistance to most opposition by Bush and his cronies, almost to the point of ignorance, they have drifted towards Obama’s positions over McCain. They have adapted the Democrats position, in an effort to effect a pre-emptive strike.
Why is this important? He is a man; a black man, so called inexperienced man; a member of the hated and dreaded other party; a liberal; yet he has in his own persuasive manner, given them such cause to pause, that they are willing to change 8 years of harsh, stoic resistance to a more moderate approach, to attempt to avoid loosing an election. Based on conduct alone, you can only conclude that Barack Obama has tilted the table. He has already made a difference before he is elected to the Presidency. He is what we call in sports a difference maker, a gamer, the go-to guy. The playmaker. Why should you vote for Barack Obama? Because he has the judgment to change history. If he can persuade the Neo-Cons by his advocacy, just think about what he could do as President in dealing with our international problems. This is a lot more effective then the hot headed; let’s go to war, ‘I know how to win wars’ John McCain. This is not advocacy that comes at the end of a barrel of a gun. Barack can change minds. He can advocate. He is a history maker. In the world’s eyes, he is that table tilter that can make a difference.
August 24, 2008Obama Chooses Biden as Running MateBy ADAM NAGOURNEY and JEFF ZELENYWASHINGTON — Senator Barack Obama has chosen Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware to be his running-mate, turning to a leading authority on foreign policy and a longtime Washington hand to fill out the Democratic ticket, people told of the decision said.Mr. Obama’s selection ended a two-month search that was conducted almost entirely in secret. It reflected a critical strategic choice by Mr. Obama: To go with a running-mate who could reassure voters about gaps in his resume, rather than to pick someone who could deliver a state or reinforce Mr. Obama’s message of change.Mr. Biden is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and is familiar with foreign leaders and diplomats around the world. Although he initially voted to authorize the war in Iraq — Mr. Obama opposed it from the start — Mr. Biden became a persistent critic of President Bush’s policies in Iraq.The selection was disclosed as Mr. Obama moves into a critical part of his campaign, preparing for the party’s four-day convention in Denver starting on Monday. Mr. Obama’s aides viewed the introduction of his vice presidential choice– including an afternoon rally Saturday at the old State Capitol in Springfield, Ill., the same place where Mr. Obama announced his candidacy on a freezing winter morning almost two years ago, and a tour of swing states – as the beginning of a week-long stretch in which Mr. Obama hopes to dominate the stage and position himself for the fall campaign.Word of Mr. Obama’s decision leaked out hours before his campaign was scheduled to inform supporters via text and e-mail messages, and hours after informing two other top contenders for the vice presidential nomination – Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana and Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia – that they had not been chosen.As the selection process moved to an end, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, who Mr. Obama had defeated in his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, had slipped out of contention -- to the degree that Mr. Obama had ever seriously considered her.Mr. Biden is Roman Catholic, giving him appeal to that important voting bloc, though he favors abortion rights. He was born in a working class family in Scranton, Pa., a swing state where he remains well-known. Mr. Biden is up for re-election to the Senate this year and he would presumably run simultaneously for both seats.Mr. Biden is known for being both talkative and prone to making the kind of statements that get him in trouble. In 2007, when he was competing for Mr. Obama for the presidential nomination, he declared that Mr. Obama was “not yet ready” for the presidency, a line certain to show up in Republican attack ads.Although Mr. Biden is not exactly a household name, he is probably the best known of all the Democrats who were in contention for the spot, given his political and personal history (not to mention his regular appearances on the Sunday morning television news shows.) He first ran for the Senate from Delaware when he was just 29 years old.Mr. Biden has run twice for the presidency himself, once in 1988 and again in 2008, dropping out early in both cases. He was also the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee during two of the most contentious Supreme Court nomination battles of the past 50 years: the confirmation proceedings for Robert H. Bork, who was defeated, and Clarence Thomas, who was confirmed after an explosive hearing in which Anita Hill accused Mr. Thomas of sexual harassment. Mr. Biden led the opposition to both nominations, though he came under criticism from some feminists for not immediately disclosing what were at first Ms. Hill’s closed-door accusations against Mr. Thomas.Mr. Obama’s choice of Mr. Biden suggested some of the weaknesses the Obama campaign is trying to address at a time when at a time when national polls suggest that his race with Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, is tightening. Chief among Mr. Biden’s strengths is his familiarity with foreign policy and national security issues, highlighted just this past weekend with the invitation he received from the embattled president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, to visit Georgia in the midst of its tense faceoff with Russia. From the moment he dropped out of the presidential race, he had been mentioned as a potential Secretary of State should either Mr. Obama or Mrs. Clinton win the election.He is also something of a fixture in Washington, and would bring to the campaign – and the White House – a familiarity with the way the city and Congress works that Mr. Obama can not match after his relatively short stint in Washington.At 65 years old, he adds a few years and gray hair to a ticket that otherwise might seem a bit young (Mr. Obama is 47). He is, as Mr. Obama’s advisers were quick to argue, someone who appears by every measure prepared to take over as president, setting a standard that appears intended to at least somewhat hamstring Mr. McCain should he be tempted to go for a more adventurous choice for No. 2. He has a long history of making statements that get him in trouble. He was forced to apologize to Mr. Obama almost the moment he entered the race for president after he was quoted as describing Mr. Obama as “the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy,” a remark that drew criticism for being racially insensitive. While campaigning in New Hampshire, Mr. Biden said that ”you cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent.”Mr. Biden quit the presidential race this year after a barely making a mark; he came in fifth place in Iowa. He was forced to quit the 1988 presidential race in the face of accusations that he had plagiarized part of a speech from a Neil Kinnock, the British Labor Party leader. Shortly afterward, he was found to have suffered two aneurysms.He is also, at least arguably, a Washington insider, having worked there for so long, though he still commutes home to Wilmington every night by train.The choice by Mr. Obama in some ways mirrors the choice by Mr. Bush of Dick Cheney as his running mate in 2000; at 65, it appears unlikely that Mr. Biden would be in a position to run for president, should Mr. Obama win and serve two terms. Shorn of any remaining ambition to run for president on his own, he could find himself in a less complex political relationship with Mr. Obama than most vice president have with their presidents.Mr. Biden was born in Scranton, , grew up in the suburbs of Wilmington, Del., and went to Syracuse Law School. He also was, as a young man, in the center of a gripping family drama: barely a month after he was elected to the Senate, his wife and their three children were in a car accident with a drunken driver resulted in the death of his wife and daughter. His two sons survived and Mr. Biden remarried five years later.Carl Hulse and Jim Rutenberg contributed reporting.
BLACKS BANNED FROM BARS IN BEIJING DURING OLYMPICS!!! READ ARTICLES NOW!
This should cause a real flurry amongst Blacks around the world!
After working in China for five months straight, in 2006, I'm really shocked by this! Then, I took a good look at the facts. ALL THE SINGERS AT THE CLUBS WHERE I WORKED IN SHANGHAI were black. The musicians could be white, chinese or black, but the singer had to be BLACK to authenticate the jazz/blues/r&b. Amazing. The Chinese are racist from the word "GO!" But they understand the fact that it takes a BLACK WOMAN to make "the music" happen. Sheeesh!
Funny, I was working toooo hard to get some jazz gigs for many musicians in Beijing and Tianjin during the Olympics, but nothing worked, nothing happened.
The real rub is the number of Chinese, males and females, who asked me about coming to America. Everybody wants to come here. People hate living in their own country. They all think America is the land of opportunity. I've even started to write a book - WHAT DOES AMERICA MEAN TO US?
How many of us watched BLACKS IN AMERICA in the past two days?
Click the bold letters to read the stories.
www.fyicomminc.com/gaianews/speech78.htm
Based on my experience playing baseball aqnd basketball, this is what I have brought to this campaign...
*Work hard
*Come back stronger when under adversity
*Be consistent
*Support your teammates
*Don't worry about the crowd
Patrick Frank
(832) 372-8851
patrickgfrank@yahoo.com
I wrote this blog today in response to some comments that I read about people who are upset with the FISA vote and will not give money to the Obama campaign, but will vote for him in November: Like all of you I wish the Democratic Congress would behave as if they were Democrats. I am not a fan of arming the populous nor am I a fan of permitting unreasonable government intrusion into my personal communications under the false guise of protecting me for my own good from terrorists. What I know is this, plain and simple: I am unhappy with the way things are now. I do not like an American that tortures it's political prisoners, wastes it's natural resources, pollutes our air and runs a government based on scaring us opposed to representing our genuine interests. I'm tired of hearing men that shape our politics and our economics call us 'whiners' and tell us that our problems with the economy are all in our heads. These men represented by Bush and McCain want to preserve their way of life; which seems to include the eradication of the middle class at our expense. This trickle down economics, "the rich get rich and the poor get children" doesn't work and for the last 8 years has failed. And failed miserably. We are involved in wars that most Americans don't want, we have a mortgage crisis that effects us all, we have an energy crisis that threatens the planet, we have an economic crisis that threatens our existence. They line their pockets at our expense and they just do not care about the average person. There is really only one question that you have to ask yourself: Are you better off now than you were 8 years ago? Are you happy with the way things are? Is the future that McCain-Bush offers one that you want for your children, your grandchildren, your loved ones? Do they speak to you in way that gives you any positive hope for our collective futures or do you get a business as usual feeling. Barack Obama has presented us with a unique opportunity to change that vision of the future. He has presented us with a vision of hope. A couple of debatable missteps do not change that. He deserves our support. Understand exactly where we are at in this moment in history: This is a fight, we are backed into a corner; we are fighting a bully; there is not way out; we must fight our way out of this corner. We cannot just rely on others this time and hope it comes out ok. We have to be involved. We have to contribute. It will take all of our effort to win this fight. It is not a fight we have chosen; it is a desperate fight. A fight we cannot afford to lose. Our champion has chosen to run our fight on public funding. Part of the reason he has been hit on all sides is they are afraid of him; afraid of you; and afraid of me. If we don't contribute to his campaign, give generously, give our time and effort, get involved in this fight, then we will deserve what we get. Envision a Democratic Congress with a Democratic President and all they could accomplish for the people of our country. Then envision 8 more years of same old fill your pockets/self-interest politics we have now. Image expanding our war into Iran. Image being homeless. Image gas at $20/gal. Image an ever increasing class of poor people. Image the continued disrespect from other foreign countries. Image any war that last 100 years. Is there any part of what is going on now that can foreseeable occur in the future that you want to be a part of? It's time for a change. Fight back now while we still have a 1st Amendment. Give your money, your time, your support to our candidate of hope. He's not God. He's not Jesus. He's imperfect. But he is offering us a sincere and reasonable opportunity to change. A true 'pursuit of happiness.' Let's not lose this opportunity. Please contribute to Sen Obama's campaign. Please give your time. Please talk and write about your feelings. Persuade others to examine their views. Engage in dialog. The Audacity of Hope is a powerful thing. If we don't contribute now, we leave him open to the 528s; the Republican attack machine; the Swift Boaters. Give generously now. Fight back. Knock that bully on his ass. Ask yourself: Are you better off today then you were 8 years ago? Obama '08
I'm a little disturbed today to read some of the posts on Hillary's website, as I'm still seeing the anger at her loss and women voters who say they will never vote for Barack, and would rather vote for John McCain because they feel that the election has been stolen from them. I did some checking on his voting record with women, and Planned Parenthood says it is not very good.
The Planned Parenthood Action Fund is the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America: We work in the streets, in the states, and in Washington, DC to advance women's health.
THE TRUTH ABOUT JOHN MCCAINFor the past 25 years, John McCain has consistently voted against women's health. From opposing funding for family planning programs to voting against requiring insurance coverage of birth control, McCain has taken extreme positions. He has voted against women's health and has not supported legislation that would help reduce the rate of unintended pregnancies and the need for abortion. This has earned him a zero rating the lowest rating we give in the U.S. Senate.
"Sen. McCain believes government has the right to interfere with the most personal and often the most difficult decisions affecting a woman's health. Most Americans believe just the opposite and, as more voters realize Sen. McCain's ardent anti-choice position, this will be an issue for him in the general election." — Cecile Richards, president, Planned Parenthood Action Fund
Just as alarming, Sen. McCain wants to overturn Roe v. Wade, potentially putting the lives and health of women in jeopardy. Sen. McCain is out of step with America's pro-choice majority: 62 percent of all voters support Roe v. Wade and, by a 20-point margin, voters believe abortion should be legal.
In battleground states, the situation is striking. The Planned Parenthood Action Fund recently polled 1,205 women in 16 likely battleground states, finding that
Despite his extreme voting record, 51 percent of women voters in battleground states have no idea what John McCain's positions are on women's reproductive health issues. Forty-nine percent of women currently backing McCain express pro-choice views, and 46 percent of women supporting McCain over Obama/Clinton want to see Roe v. Wade upheld. In McCain-Obama/McCain-Clinton matchups, 36 percent and 38 percent, respectively, of pro-choice McCain supporters say they are less likely to vote for McCain when told that he opposes Roe v. Wade.
Learn more and spread the word on McCain's record.
Read More About McCain's Anti-Choice and Anti-Women's Health Record. The Planned Parenthood Action Fund has compiled a roundup of the worst that John McCain has to offer on women's health and family planning. Educate Your Friends and Other Voters! Let your friends know where Sen. McCain really stands abortion rights and family planning. Check Out Our Podcast and Radio Ads. The Planned Parenthood Action Fund is letting voters know about Sen. McCain's opposition to women's health. Join Us. The Planned Parenthood Action Fund is committed to mobilizing one million pro-choice voters and bringing them to the polls this November. Read About the Media Coverage. The word is starting to get out about McCain's rigid anti-woman's health record, but more women across the country need to know the truth. Newsweek: "A Maverick, But He's No Moderate" Newsweek: "Once Upon A Principle" CNN: "McCain Courts Women Voters" NPR: "Misperceptions About McCain's Abortion Stance"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNto3T1rDSE#
Based on this, I can only think that their anger must be addressed with McCain's actual record on women's issues. It may take some time, but I have faith in our guy to persuade them that he is the better choice on women's issues and he will not betray their trust. I belong to several blog groups and social networks. I'd like to write a blog on this issue. I know that Barack has an excellent to perfect record on votes involving women's issues. If you have info or links to that information, please send it me so I can complete my note.
In my view John McCain is worse than Bush, much more of a militant warmonger and we should wipe the floor with him in November. We have to begin that task now. Thank you for reading my blog and any help or direction that you can give me will be appreciated.
Senator Clinton, Her Supporters, and My Friends in Obama:
Thank you for such a beautiful moving speech, and the endorsement of Barack Obama. I can only hope that we bring our party and our country together now with this speech as a springboard. I will do my best to help to get Barack elected. I hope that you, your daughter, Pres. Clinton, and your supporters will be inspired to unite with us and work to make the hopes and dreams of the American people a reality. I hope to see you and yours working as hard for Barack as you did for yourself. Please accept my extended hand in friendship. Welcome to our fight. A fight none of us can afford to lose.
There are two different kinds of fights. There is the kind of fight where you are angry; you have been wronged and you choose to fight. A line has been drawn in your mind and you will back up no further, it is a matter of choice. Then there is the other kind of fight. The type of fight we are engaged in now. The type of fight we must wage against John McCain, George Bush and the out of touch, inhumane Republican Party. This is the other kind of fight. The other kind of fight is a fight you must fight. As my Dad used to say, “When you are backed into a corner” and you have no choice, where there is no way out and you opponent has made it impossible to negotiate or talk. This is a fight that has been forced upon you. It is the other kind of fight. It is the fight that you have to fight; where you must fight, where every fiber in your being tells you that there is no real choice any more; you must come out swinging. Not only must you make a showing, you must win. You can’t just show up to prove a point. You can’t mail it in. You cannot make an appearance, and raise your hand in some moral victory. No, this is a fight you must win to survive. For you to maintain your way of life, for you to effect change, for you to have the opportunity to even begin to resolve issues, you must be victorious. Make no mistake about it, this is a must fight, not a want to fight situation. This is an ‘I have to fight’ situation.
The fight against John McCain is a ‘must win fight.’ Let’s not kid ourselves about this. 7 years of Republican, George W. Bush politics is more than enough already; it has been too much. It is the threat to our American Way of Life that we should be the most concerned about. It has to go. Change must take place. We cannot afford another 4-8 yrs of the same old, same old any more. As Barack says, our time is now, we cannot afford to wait another 7 years, the time for a change is now.
We cannot afford the politics of the first war in American history, that the President of the United States has sent our men and boys into harms way by fabricating tales of weapons of mass destruction and the existence of evil al-Qaeda Forces in Iraq, and committing us to a war that he knew if we knew the truth, we would have never supported or consented to;
We cannot afford the continued policies of staying the course in this war that John McSame proposes even if it lasts 100 years while he is singing bomb Iran to an old Beach Boys tune;
We cannot afford the loss of even one more life to based on such a grossly negligent and criminal misrepresentation of a lie to the American People, where we have lost over 4,000 of our sons and daughters;
We cannot afford the cost of a war that we were told would last 6 weeks and has dragged on for over 5 years at a cost in excess of 3 Billion dollars and rising, when we could use those same monies to educate and support those same children here at home;
We cannot afford John McCain’s apparent program of more war and less jobs;
We cannot afford the loss of recognition as leaders of the free world, and we must return to the true examples of justice and freedom our allies and foes alike abroad, the politics of democracy forced upon other at the end of a gun must stop; We can no longer base our communications with foreign leaders on the basis of avoiding some policy of ‘appeasement’; We should never negotiate out of fear, but we should never fear to negotiate. It’s very simple isn’t it? How can you cling to a failed diplomatic approach and expect better results? It is a policy that has failed to make us safer. It is a policy that has motivated our Iraq to continue its nuclear policy. It has made the left wing insurrectionists in Iraq stronger. Our continued presence there threatens not only our safety, but Israel’s as well. This is McCain’s policy despite the fact that polls show the majority of Americans want talks with foreign leaders of countries we are isolating, like the type Barack Obama has expressed
We cannot afford to have the divisions that have been created in our country, that have been subliminally forced upon us by the practice of fear politics that have been used to divide us by race, sex, age, experience and education, we cannot afford the McCain-Bush practices of manipulation of one American against the other;
We cannot afford an uncaring, inhumane, unfeeling administration who has completely and totally failed to respond to the needs, concerns and agonized screams of it populous, as if they were a monarchy based on bloodline and not the elected servants of the people who are endowed with certain inalienable rights, the include the 1st Amendment right to free speech to engage in the free marketplace of ideas without fear of reprisal from our government; John McCain’s skin is so thin he is rumored to have his people already removing You Tube videos that make him look bad, including his recent come to Jesus speech in New Orleans, the site of the worst natural disaster in recent American history, where the Bush Administration deplorably neglected to respond, and McCain himself is said to have voted several times against aid to the people of that city, and against aid to help the needy and injured clean up their town far less restore their dignity; McCain voted twice against the creation of a commission to investigate the levy failures in New Orleans, and he voted against the Katrina response, investigations to find out what happened as a result of Katrina, to avoid a reoccurrence, in September of 2005 and again in February of 2006; or his vote against aid for the Katrina victims in 2005; his vote against extending for 5 months of Medicaid payments to Katrina victims or his vote against the $28 billion dollar emergency funding bill for Katrina victims. The government is there to serve the people and to act for the people, where the people cannot act for themselves. The government is there is to serve it people and to help where help is called for. Government that fails to answer the call the of its people is worse than no government at all. We don’t need another deaf government.
We can no longer afford the economic practices of trickle down economics where the rich get rich and the poor die young, and the middle class ceases to exist, all in the names of irresponsible corporations, banks, and mortgage companies that give their failing executives huge golden parachutes while they take over your small business, deny you the help you need and foreclose on your home; John McCain like Bush will argue that the tax breaks to big business will help us all, but in the past 7 years our economic growth is at an all time low, our monetary crisis is acute, and our mortgage crisis is a national disgrace; all this is supported by Teflon John, who states he doesn’t know much about the economy. John, you’re right, you don’t know anything about the economy, except to parrot the failed philosophy of an uncaring, immoral, criminal administration that has done nothing except to line its own pockets and their lobbyist friends at our expense;
We can’t afford lobbyists like John McCain’s Phil Gramm who is the poster child for the mortgage crisis where McBush wants to take care of the banks and lenders and leave the homeowner who is being pushed out his/her home on the basis of an unconscionable mortgage contract with no bailout in sight; Gramm by the way as a lobbyist has made life easier for terrorists and our enemies; not something you heard enough about. He allegedly has provided tax shelters in foreign banks that support terrorists for rich people in the U.S. McCain call him a great American. (Here is a question John: If your guy has helped our enemies and the enemies of Israel, how can you with a straight face, take a tough stance on the enemies of Israel? By continuing to support Gramm, aren’t you indirectly supporting the enemy?) This hard line stance against terror backed by the global pursuits of profits at all costs, including against the best interests of the American People seems inconsistent to me. On by the way, another one of your guys, lobbyist Charlie Black has been busy lobbying for a Chinese energy company that has interests in Iran, kinda like Dick Cheney’s Halliburton. Hypocritical to the end when justifying the McBush foreign policy.
We can’t afford the continued practice of warrantless wiretaps on the phones, computers, and e-mails of ordinary American citizens, that break the law by claiming executive privilege under Article II of the Constitution, and using the politics of fear to justify these action as necessary against the war of terrorism, when in fact you are acting as Big Brother with these continued immoral, illegal, unjustifiable actions, that in effect violate 200 years of Constitutionally protected rights under the Bill of Rights, right that came into existence to protect the ordinary citizen against the exact kind of tyranny that President Bush practices and recently John McCain has embraced; “There are some areas where the statues don’t apply such as surveillance of overseas communications.”
We can no longer afford the practices of water boarding, or torture, or other inhuman practices with those we choose to detain and question as potential terrorist criminals; we cannot deny we engage in these practice if we do we have to own up to it and we cannot cavalierly dismiss them as fraternity boy pranks;
We can no longer afford the McBush policies of:
· The endless commitment to the war in Iraq;
· The endless commitment to occupation in Afghanistan;
· The endless commitment to the occupation of Pakistan;
· A policy against the expanding health care coverage to kids or uninsured adults;
· Tax cuts to the rich and multinational corporations and none for the middle and lower class;
· International fear of diplomacy with Americas enemies;
· Allowing the unfettered gasoline companies to dictate policy to the detriment of the American People;
· Allowing the unconscionable action of banks to dictate policy to the detriment of the American People;
· The opposition of a new GI bill because it might encourage soldiers to leave the service sooner, and ignoring that it may attract to the service sooner;
· The opposition of Roe v Wade and the right to an abortion and women’s rights in general;
· The appointment of Supreme Court Justices who also oppose Roe v Wade, and the guarantee of a anti-populist approach for years to come
· John McCain has a 95% voting record of going along with George W. Bush
We have a terrific juxtaposition of policies and we are at a definite crossroads in the history of our country. We need you help to overcome the policies of McBush. We need to ‘restore our image as the last best hope on earth’ not just for the United States, but for the whole world. Do we want more of the same? Do we need a change?
Make no mistake, we as democrats must unite, set aside our differences. We must fight. This is a must fight, fight. This is a fight against more of the same failed policies and anti-American philosophies that have failed us for nearly a decade. We must assure that the old neutral bad news guy does not win, for what is fresh, new and visionary. And more importantly, for what has become a mandatory imperative.
Barack has said it better than I can, but nonetheless, he is right.
There is no White America.
There is no Black America;
There is no Asian America;
There is no Native America;
There is no Male America;
There is no Female America;
There is no Educated America;
There is no Uneducated America;
There is no White Collar America;
There is no Blue Collar America;
There are no Hillary people;
There are no Barack people;
There is just us. United. Together. Fired Up and Ready to Go.
The Democratic party of Roosevelt and Kennedy.
The United Democratic Party of 2008
There is only one America, The United States of America.
We are the party of the United States of America.
We will no longer practice the politics of division in our country or in our party.
Welcome. We need your help against a powerful, dividing, all encompassing enemy.
Welcome to our ‘must fight, must win election.’
We are Fired Up and Ready to Go.
Yes We Can!
Welcome!
As we are all aware the nomination battle is essentially over and Senator Obama is now our nominee in waiting. Thankfully he has (although quietly) started to do all the appropriate things that the nominee does (go to swing states, attack the republican nominee and lavish with praise those who were his opponents but who are all Democrats).
Why you ask does the Clinton campaign and her supporters continue to battle and fight? I think much of the problem may be that they have picked the wrong sport's analogy. Now before you wonder if I have completley lost my mind (always possible) let me explain.
We hear many sporting analogies in politics, they go toe to toe, slugfest etc. Indeed this nomination process has been a gruelling tough fight. Could the reason she is staying in (and thinking she can win) be that the Clinton campaign has the wrong sport analogy.
I think Senator Clinton and her supporters still think that they are playing baseball. They think it is the bottom of th ninth and yes we are many runs behind but if we keep swinging the bat, getting singles and a few home runs (Kentucky, West Virginia) maybe we can get back in this game. Baseball unlike most sports however doesnt have a clock. It does keep going until the final out and only then is a winner determined. This however isnt baseball. This is more akin to basketball or even better hockey (Im a Canuck we have to always bring hockey up whenever possible).
In both those sports there is a timer. There is a defined end to the game. Yes you can use lots of timeouts, you can try to foul, to play tough etc but in the end the timer runs out. This is the game we are playing now. It is akin to being ahead by 20-30 points with a minute left. True you can make 3 point shots and make it look closer. Yes you might have some stats that look like you are doing better (rebounds, 3 pt percentage you pick) but in the end the scoreboard (delegate count) is all that matters. You cant add on 2 minutes of time (which is why it cant be soccer). The game is over when the whistle rings. For us the whistle is 2026 delegates. Perhaps the fouls called will make it a slightly higher number but the end result will be our team coming out on top.
So why is hockey the sport I wish it were, you ask. Because in hockey during the playoffs unlike most sports when the final buzzer sounds and the series is over do you know what happens. The two teams line up at center ice and shake hands. Anyone who watches hockey knows that in the playoffs things get very difficult. Teams are nasty, and do almost anything to win (see how this fits so nicely). However when it is over the teams congratulate each other and move forward. It is one of those great traditions in sports.
In the perfect setting Senator Clinton when the final buzzer sounds on June 3 will be like those hockey teams. She will shake hands and say Im good but the better team won. To carry the analogy just a little bit more he will have just one the conference finals and now he is on to win the Stanley cup. It is said to be the toughest trophy in team sports to win much like the Presidency.
So lets try to sit back, enjoy the game. Its 5-1 there are less than a minute to play. Lets now worry if their team has control of the puck, or even scores to make it look closer. We are the ones going to compete (and win) the cup.
