Today we got this email from the Obama campaign, titled "Lies to Nowhere".
"The McCain campaign has finally admitted that this election is about change.
"Their new ad uses what news organizations are calling "naked lies" to reinvent two politicians whose records embody the same culture of corruption and far-right policies we've seen from the Bush administration.
"The biggest whopper in the ad (that's still being repeated day after day by McCain and Palin on the campaign trail) is that Governor Palin stopped the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere" -- in fact, she supported it, and even hired a lobbyist in Washington to get more pork-barrel projects like it.
"If the McCain-Palin campaign wants to have a debate about who is prepared to bring the change we need, we're more than ready.
"Here are the facts ...Sarah Palin was a vocal supporter of the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere" -- the symbol of the Republican culture of corruption -- turning her back on it only after the project's bloated pork-barrel waste was exposed."
We may need to go to the dictionary on what the word "lie" means, but we understand Palin did stop work on the bridge project and no bridge is being built. The whole objection to earmarks is on money being spent on bad projects that could be saved or at least spent better. Presumably thought the projects she supported were good projects. So where is the "lie?" Nowhere that I can see.
We've noticed that Barack Obama says he wants to stop the Iraq War, but also says he wants to continue it for 18 months after he takes office. And send more troops to Afganistan. That's the same kind of "lie" he's accusing Palin of.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Fighting John McCain
John McCain ended his speech at the Republican convention with this call:
"I’m going to fight for my cause every day as your President. I’m going to fight to make sure every American has every reason to thank God, as I thank Him: that I’m an American, a proud citizen of the greatest country on earth, and with hard work, strong faith and a little courage, great things are always within our reach.
"Fight with me. Fight with me.
"Fight for what’s right for our country.
"Fight for the ideals and character of a free people.
"Fight for our children’s future.
"Fight for justice and opportunity for all.
"Stand up to defend our country from its enemies.
"Stand up for each other; for beautiful, blessed, bountiful America.
"Stand up, stand up, stand up and fight. Nothing is inevitable here. We’re Americans, and we never give up. We never quit. We never hide from history. We make history.
"Thank you, and God Bless you."
What about the Democrats? Hillary Clinton's speech at the Democratic National Convention contained this stirring passage:
"My mother was born before women could vote. But in this election my daughter got to vote for her mother for President. This is the story of America. Of women and men who defy the odds and never give up.
"How do we give this country back to them? By following the example of a brave New Yorker , a woman who risked her life to shepherd slaves along the Underground Railroad. And on that path to freedom, Harriett Tubman had one piece of advice.
"If you hear the dogs, keep going.
"If you see the torches in the woods, keep going.
"If they're shouting after you, keep going.
"Don't ever stop. Keep going.
"If you want a taste of freedom, keep going.
"Even in the darkest of moments, ordinary Americans have found the faith to keep going. I've seen it in you. I've seen it in our teachers and firefighters, nurses and police officers, small business owners and union workers, the men and women of our military - you always keep going. We are Americans. We're not big on quitting.
"But remember, before we can keep going, we have to get going by electing Barack Obama president.
"We don't have a moment to lose or a vote to spare."
"I’m going to fight for my cause every day as your President. I’m going to fight to make sure every American has every reason to thank God, as I thank Him: that I’m an American, a proud citizen of the greatest country on earth, and with hard work, strong faith and a little courage, great things are always within our reach.
"Fight with me. Fight with me.
"Fight for what’s right for our country.
"Fight for the ideals and character of a free people.
"Fight for our children’s future.
"Fight for justice and opportunity for all.
"Stand up to defend our country from its enemies.
"Stand up for each other; for beautiful, blessed, bountiful America.
"Stand up, stand up, stand up and fight. Nothing is inevitable here. We’re Americans, and we never give up. We never quit. We never hide from history. We make history.
"Thank you, and God Bless you."
What about the Democrats? Hillary Clinton's speech at the Democratic National Convention contained this stirring passage:
"My mother was born before women could vote. But in this election my daughter got to vote for her mother for President. This is the story of America. Of women and men who defy the odds and never give up.
"How do we give this country back to them? By following the example of a brave New Yorker , a woman who risked her life to shepherd slaves along the Underground Railroad. And on that path to freedom, Harriett Tubman had one piece of advice.
"If you hear the dogs, keep going.
"If you see the torches in the woods, keep going.
"If they're shouting after you, keep going.
"Don't ever stop. Keep going.
"If you want a taste of freedom, keep going.
"Even in the darkest of moments, ordinary Americans have found the faith to keep going. I've seen it in you. I've seen it in our teachers and firefighters, nurses and police officers, small business owners and union workers, the men and women of our military - you always keep going. We are Americans. We're not big on quitting.
"But remember, before we can keep going, we have to get going by electing Barack Obama president.
"We don't have a moment to lose or a vote to spare."
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Miles to Go, Promises to Keep
In Barack Obama's convention acceptance speech last week, he got into some specifics as to what he would do as President:
(1) Stop giving tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs overseas, start giving them to companies that create good jobs in America, and close corporate loopholes and tax havens.
(2) Eliminate capital gains taxes for the small businesses and the start-ups that will create the high-wage, high-tech jobs of tomorrow.
(3) Cut taxes for 95% of all working families.
(4) End our dependence on oil from the Middle East in ten years.
(5) Tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power.
(6) Help our auto companies re-tool, so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here in America, and make it easier for the American people to afford these new cars.
(7) Invest 150 billion dollars over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy - wind power and solar power and the next generation of biofuels.
(8) Invest in early childhood education, provide every child a world-class education, make sure every young American who commits to serving community or country can afford a college education.
(9) Recruit an army of new teachers, pay them higher salaries, give them more support, and ask for higher standards and more accountability.
(10) Provide affordable, accessible health care for every single American by lowering your premiums if you have health care and by granting the option to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves if you don’t.
(11) Make insurance companies stop discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most.
(12) Help families with paid sick days, better family leave, and equal pay for an equal day's work.
(13) Change our bankruptcy laws to protect pensions ahead of CEO bonuses.
(14) Protect Social Security for future generations.
(15) Go through the federal budget, line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less.
(16) Send more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we have them in our sights, and finish the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan.
(17) End the war in Iraq responsibly and remove our troops from Iraq.
(18) Rebuild our military to meet future conflicts and only send our troops into harm's way with a clear mission and a sacred commitment to give them the equipment they need in battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they come home.
(19) Renew tough, direct diplomacy to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression.
(20) Restore our moral standing and build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation, poverty and genocide, climate change and disease.
This week, John McCain had his own list:
(1) Keep taxes low and cut them to help small businesses grow and create jobs, and to help American companies compete and keep jobs from moving overseas.
(2) Open new markets to our goods and services.
(3) Make it easier for more Americans to find and keep good health care insurance.
(4) Double the child tax exemption from $3,500 to $7,000.
(5) Cut government spending and get rid of failed programs.
(6) Open new markets and prepare workers to compete in the world economy.
(7) Help workers who’ve lost a job that won’t come back find a new one that won’t go away, and prepare them for the jobs of today using our community colleges to help train people for new opportunities in their communities and, for workers in industries that have been hard hit, helping make up part of the difference in wages between their old job and a temporary, lower paid one while they receive retraining.
(8) Shake up failed school bureaucracies with competition, empower parents with choice, remove barriers to qualified instructors, attract and reward good teachers, and help bad teachers find another line of work, andgive parents a choice in the education of their children - a better public school, a private one, or a charter school - schools that answer to parents and students.
(9) Produce more energy at home by drilling new wells offshore, building more nuclear power plants, developing clean coal technology, increasing use of wind, tide, solar and natural gas, encouraging the development and use of flex fuel, hybrid and electric automobiles, and creating millions of new jobs in industries that will be the engine of our future prosperity and be there when your children enter the workforce.
(10) Establish good relations with Russia so we need not fear a return of the Cold War.
(1) Stop giving tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs overseas, start giving them to companies that create good jobs in America, and close corporate loopholes and tax havens.
(2) Eliminate capital gains taxes for the small businesses and the start-ups that will create the high-wage, high-tech jobs of tomorrow.
(3) Cut taxes for 95% of all working families.
(4) End our dependence on oil from the Middle East in ten years.
(5) Tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power.
(6) Help our auto companies re-tool, so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here in America, and make it easier for the American people to afford these new cars.
(7) Invest 150 billion dollars over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy - wind power and solar power and the next generation of biofuels.
(8) Invest in early childhood education, provide every child a world-class education, make sure every young American who commits to serving community or country can afford a college education.
(9) Recruit an army of new teachers, pay them higher salaries, give them more support, and ask for higher standards and more accountability.
(10) Provide affordable, accessible health care for every single American by lowering your premiums if you have health care and by granting the option to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves if you don’t.
(11) Make insurance companies stop discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most.
(12) Help families with paid sick days, better family leave, and equal pay for an equal day's work.
(13) Change our bankruptcy laws to protect pensions ahead of CEO bonuses.
(14) Protect Social Security for future generations.
(15) Go through the federal budget, line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less.
(16) Send more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we have them in our sights, and finish the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan.
(17) End the war in Iraq responsibly and remove our troops from Iraq.
(18) Rebuild our military to meet future conflicts and only send our troops into harm's way with a clear mission and a sacred commitment to give them the equipment they need in battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they come home.
(19) Renew tough, direct diplomacy to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression.
(20) Restore our moral standing and build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation, poverty and genocide, climate change and disease.
This week, John McCain had his own list:
(1) Keep taxes low and cut them to help small businesses grow and create jobs, and to help American companies compete and keep jobs from moving overseas.
(2) Open new markets to our goods and services.
(3) Make it easier for more Americans to find and keep good health care insurance.
(4) Double the child tax exemption from $3,500 to $7,000.
(5) Cut government spending and get rid of failed programs.
(6) Open new markets and prepare workers to compete in the world economy.
(7) Help workers who’ve lost a job that won’t come back find a new one that won’t go away, and prepare them for the jobs of today using our community colleges to help train people for new opportunities in their communities and, for workers in industries that have been hard hit, helping make up part of the difference in wages between their old job and a temporary, lower paid one while they receive retraining.
(8) Shake up failed school bureaucracies with competition, empower parents with choice, remove barriers to qualified instructors, attract and reward good teachers, and help bad teachers find another line of work, andgive parents a choice in the education of their children - a better public school, a private one, or a charter school - schools that answer to parents and students.
(9) Produce more energy at home by drilling new wells offshore, building more nuclear power plants, developing clean coal technology, increasing use of wind, tide, solar and natural gas, encouraging the development and use of flex fuel, hybrid and electric automobiles, and creating millions of new jobs in industries that will be the engine of our future prosperity and be there when your children enter the workforce.
(10) Establish good relations with Russia so we need not fear a return of the Cold War.
McCain Goes Back to Basics
John McCain outlined these core beliefs in his St. Paul convention acceptance speech:
Low taxes; spending discipline, and open markets.
Rewarding hard work and risk takers and letting people keep the fruits of their labor.
Strong defense, work, faith, service, a culture of life, personal responsibility, the rule of law, and judges who dispense justice impartially and don’t legislate from the bench.
Values of families, neighborhoods and communities.
Government that unleashes the creativity and initiative of Americans. Government that doesn’t make your choices for you, but works to make sure you have more choices to make for yourself.
Everyone has something to contribute and deserves the opportunity to reach their God-given potential.
Low taxes; spending discipline, and open markets.
Rewarding hard work and risk takers and letting people keep the fruits of their labor.
Strong defense, work, faith, service, a culture of life, personal responsibility, the rule of law, and judges who dispense justice impartially and don’t legislate from the bench.
Values of families, neighborhoods and communities.
Government that unleashes the creativity and initiative of Americans. Government that doesn’t make your choices for you, but works to make sure you have more choices to make for yourself.
Everyone has something to contribute and deserves the opportunity to reach their God-given potential.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Obama is Brother's Keeper and Sister's Keeper
Here's how Barack Obama defined the American Promise in Denver last week:
Each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have the obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect.
The market should reward drive and innovation and generate growth, but that businesses should live up to their responsibilities to create American jobs, look out for American workers, and play by the rules of the road.
Government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves - protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and new science and technology.
Our government should work for us, not against us. It should help us, not hurt us. It should ensure opportunity not just for those with the most money and influence, but for every American who's willing to work.
We are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper; I am my sister's keeper.
Each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have the obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect.
The market should reward drive and innovation and generate growth, but that businesses should live up to their responsibilities to create American jobs, look out for American workers, and play by the rules of the road.
Government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves - protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and new science and technology.
Our government should work for us, not against us. It should help us, not hurt us. It should ensure opportunity not just for those with the most money and influence, but for every American who's willing to work.
We are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper; I am my sister's keeper.
Re: The Maverick Picks a Wildcat
From a correspondent in Washington, DC:
I do have to admit, Sarah Palin is very impressive. She is like a breath of fresh air. She has a real family with real problems. She has experience running something. She also knows something about energy in a way that will protect/promote state interests, even if drilling is allowed. Anyway, thought you should know that there are some Democrats out there that think she is so fresh.
I do have to admit, Sarah Palin is very impressive. She is like a breath of fresh air. She has a real family with real problems. She has experience running something. She also knows something about energy in a way that will protect/promote state interests, even if drilling is allowed. Anyway, thought you should know that there are some Democrats out there that think she is so fresh.
The Maverick Picks a Wildcat
When Sarah Palin took the national stage last week as the Republican nominee for Vice President, with her brown hair pulled back in a bun, and that librarian with eyeglasses look that has always melted us, we thought, “This is the one we’ve been waiting for.”
She’s a working mother. Her husband is a union guy, commercial fisherman and small businessman, and snowmobile racer. Her oldest son is in the military. She is from small town America, and clings to her guns and religion. You probably saw the video of her shooting an assault rifle at a military training facility in Kuwait - Mother of Five, Army of One.
If the Democrats try to foul her, they should remember that she sealed a championship in the Alaska state basketball tournament with a last minute free throw. Maybe she’ll follow Michelle Obama’s lead and take Barack out on the basketball court to see what kind of man he is. Sarah Palin's convention speech drew 37.2 million viewers compared to 38 million last week for Barack Obama and 24 million for Joe Biden. Joe has to debate Sarah on October 2, and we expect that will get big ratings too.
Is this a brilliant move to shore up the religious right and also get the Hillary vote? Probably the appeal to women is limited. Stay home and take care of your new baby seems to be the universal if unspoken response here in liberal Cambridge, Massachusetts. But don’t forget that a lot of men in those small towns voted for Hillary too. And Sarah Palin may just be the perfect female candidate for your average American male.
Sarah has had a rough week in the news media. But let’s face it. If your next door neighbor’s teenage daughter gets pregnant, people around town are going to gossip. If the town mayor’s teenage daughter gets pregnant, they’re going to be talking about that two towns over. If a Governor’s teenage daughter gets pregnant, well that’s news, and if that Governor is running for Vice President of the United States, .… But I think the overlooked story here is the personal one, the mother daughter issue that causes so much friction in American life. And here’s how I imagine that went down:
Sarah Palin arrives in her kitchen a week ago Thursday noon, with baby Trig in one hand and a bag of groceries in the other. Various children from age 7 to 19 and are sprawled around the kitchen table. You can hear the TV from the adjoining family room. The phone rings.
Sarah (to phone): Hello, Rick? Rick Davis? Oh yes, just a second. I just came in as you called. Let me put some stuff down. (to children around table) Kids, out to the car, get the rest of the groceries. Does Mommy have to do everything around here? Come on, Willow, Piper, get a move on.
Todd (from family room): Is that you honey? Could you bring me a beer?
Sarah: Track, get your Dad a beer, and get yourself one too.
Track goes to the refrigerator, grabs two six-packs and goes into the family room.
Sarah (to phone): Yes, yes, I enjoyed lunch with you and John the other day very much and I’m very glad to be hearing from you. (to Bristol) Here Bristol, take Trig. And find his diaper bag, he needs to be changed.
Bristol: Why me? Why do I always have to take care of Trig? Why not ask Track? It’s just not fair because I’m a girl and he’s a boy.
Sarah: Don’t be silly, Track is going to Iraq. (to phone) No, you’re not silly. Did you see that speech of Bill Clinton’s last night? Now that was silly. (to Bristol) Track can’t be changing diapers. He’s 19, a grown man, and he’s deploying to Iraq in just a couple of weeks. (to phone) Yes, Rick, Track is my oldest son. Yes, I guess you can say he is going to Iraq on September 11 – that is a couple of weeks. Yes, he enlisted a year ago. Yes, we could say that he enlisted on September 11 too. Good, good, glad you like that.
Bristol: It’s just not fair. You handed me Trig when he came home from the hospital last April and every day since. I laugh with my friends that it’s like he’s my own kid.
Sarah: Ha! Like you’re ready to have your own kid. That’s funny. Just work on changing this one’s diaper dear. (to phone). Yes, Rick, I can deliver the small town family values message. No, don’t worry about issues. Let me say that I would be honored, really honored, and I won’t let you down. Yes, I’ll hold while you get John.
Bristol: Actually Mom. There’s something I need to tell you.
Sarah: Not now, honey. I’m talking to the McCain campaign. You know Mommy’s up for Vice President. We talked about this. And sit up straight.
Bristol: I’m pregnant.
Sarah: No you’re not. You’re just putting on a little weight; it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Exercise more, dear, and it wouldn’t hurt to eat less.
Bristol: Mom, I’m five months pregnant. I’ve taken the home tests. I’ve been to the doctor.
Sarah: Do you know who the father is?
Bristol: Mother, Levi is sitting right here. You know we’ve been dating for over a year.
Sarah (shouts): Todd, Todd, come in here. Your daughter and her boyfriend have something to tell you.
Todd (from family room): What’s that? Can’t hear you. Track and I are going fishing. (A door opens and then slams)
Sarah: Well, Levi Johnston, what do you have to say for yourself?
Bristol (interrupts): We’re in love and we’re getting married.
Sarah: Oh, you’re getting married all right. Even if Dick Cheney has to hold the shotgun at the wedding, you’re getting married.
Bristol: Mom! He’s sitting right here.
Sarah: Even if Dick Cheney has to hold the shotgun on you, Bristol Palin, you’re getting married. How did this happen?
Bristol: You’ve had five kids yourself, did Grandma and Grandpa make you skip sex education too?
Sarah: Don’t talk dirty. Didn’t I teach you about abstinence? Levi, didn’t your mother and father teach you about abstinence?
Levi: That green absinthe stuff tasted funny. But it did give a nice buzz.
Sarah: Is that lip? Are you giving me lip? Do you have any idea what I’m capable of doing to you? Do you have any idea what this going to do to me?
Levi: No, Mrs. Palin. I swear.
Bristol: That’s it isn’t it. This is all about you and your I’m on City Council, I’m the Mayor of Wassila, I’m the Governor of Alaska, and your perfect little plan to become John McCain’s Vice President. Well guess what, Mom, your perfect little daughter, your perfect little 17-year-old daughter is pregnant and she’s isn’t even married yet. So you can kiss your perfect little Vice President dream goodbye. I am so sorry to embarrass my perfect mother.
Sarah: Oh, so you think I’m embarrassed. Well, I tell you what little missy, I’m going to take that Vice President slot. The whole world can watch you have your baby for all I care about your embarrassing me. How do you like them apples? Taste a little green don’t they? So pack your suitcase and find that diaper bag, you’re going with me to Ohio and Minnesota.
Bristol: Can Levi come too?
Sarah: I'll have to think about it. (pauses) Maybe that would work. He could join us in Minnesota. Let me make some calls. (to Levi) Levi, make yourself useful and go find your new father-in-law and brother-in-law, they’ve got to pack too. (yells out door) Willow and Piper, where are those groceries? (to phone) Hello, John? I’m so glad you called…
In the family room, the television is playing a Heart video:
“And if the real thing don't do the trick
You better make up something quick
You’re gonna burn, burn, burn, burn, burn to the wick
Ooh, Barracuda, Oh yeah”
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