There is an old saying about rats jumping from a sinking ship. And, most of us have a pretty good idea of what that looks like. But, at this very moment, we have the opportunity to see it as it will one day appear in encyclopedia's and dictionaries.
Today, the latest and greatest of the rat's did a swan dive from the good ship S.S. McCain. It turned out to be the Number 2 on that ship, Ms. Palin. Now that in and of itself should be no surprise to anyone who has watched the movement aboard the ship since Ms. Palin was selected for her post.
There have been the common ongoing leaks to the press, the backstabbing, the resume's sent out from people at the top. But, this one was clearly way past what one would expect from any #2. Except, Ms. Palin.
That she is ambitious is a given. That could be said of anyone who enters the game. That is an opportunitst we know from her dealings in Alaska, long before she became the GOPVP candidate. That she ould stab people in the back to move ahead, we also know from her previous performance. That she would take it to the national stage and pull it out in the most crucial time of the election cycle is absolutely astounding.
Ms. Palin made it clear today that if the S.S. McCain/Palin goes down in '08, she, Ms. Palin, will be part of the '12 Presidential election cycle, because she wasn't doing this for naught. Never mind that this she is one of the most mismanaged, ill-conceived ideas ever to be brought to any American Presidential election. She has thrown Mr. McCain under the bus, and in fact is now driving said bus.
Ms. Palin. You are in fact a Rat. And I, for on, am ever so hopeful that you do loose yourself from the anvils which are at this moment being tied to your feet, and go to the top of the Republican Party. I hope that you do in fact take charge of what is now known to be a corrupt and useless idiology. Because, that would almost single handedly make it possible for the Democratic Party to take this country back where it belongs. To a place where we are looked at as a nation of good ideas and ideals. And, not the biggest fish in the cesspool that we are now in due to the Republican Party.
Life as a rat ain't all it's cracked up to be, Ms. Palin. Is it.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Corporate Socialism
We have been told, for the past months, that we needed to bail out (insert industry) because if we didn't the world would collapse around us and we would all die. Pretty dramatic. And, if you're standing there watching the economy implode, it also sounds pretty credible. What the hell do we do next?
Then, out of the intertubes comes this little gem from Rachel Beck and Joe Bel Bruno. "Despite the Wall Street meltdown, the nation's biggest bans are preparing to pay their workers as much as last year or more, including bonuses tied to personal and company performance."
WTF? A couple of things jump out here. First, the same as last year? Second, based on performance? How in the hell do you reconcile those two? Why would a business who is collapsing be paying employees at any level anything like last years salary? Or, if the bonuses, (bonuses?) are to be paid on performance, why aren't the employees paying the company?
Now this should be obvious. Even if you're a dyed in the wool Friedman capitalist. When the Government (read you and I) bales out a company, it is corporate socialism. If we bought the company, then why in the hell are we paying people for work they did not do?
Let's start with socialism. At this very moment, Mr. McCain and Ms. Palin are screaming at the top of their lungs that Mr. Obama is a socialist. By the way. In my world, that is a good thing. Yet, they have given away billions to corporations of all sorts in the way of tax breaks and the like, to make them viable. How in the hell is that not socialism?
The second sentence is for me, what he thing is all about. The bastard's cheated and lied and stole from other people. You don't pay such people. You incarcerate them. For those who are of the Republican Reich wing variety, ya put the fuckers in jail.
We may be able to pull ourselves out of this mess. But, I for one, am going to start planning my exit strategy. There is on-going discussion in this family about farmland. It is beginning to appear as though the time is drawing near for us all to start bringing those discussions to a close and act upon them.
Then, out of the intertubes comes this little gem from Rachel Beck and Joe Bel Bruno. "Despite the Wall Street meltdown, the nation's biggest bans are preparing to pay their workers as much as last year or more, including bonuses tied to personal and company performance."
WTF? A couple of things jump out here. First, the same as last year? Second, based on performance? How in the hell do you reconcile those two? Why would a business who is collapsing be paying employees at any level anything like last years salary? Or, if the bonuses, (bonuses?) are to be paid on performance, why aren't the employees paying the company?
Now this should be obvious. Even if you're a dyed in the wool Friedman capitalist. When the Government (read you and I) bales out a company, it is corporate socialism. If we bought the company, then why in the hell are we paying people for work they did not do?
Let's start with socialism. At this very moment, Mr. McCain and Ms. Palin are screaming at the top of their lungs that Mr. Obama is a socialist. By the way. In my world, that is a good thing. Yet, they have given away billions to corporations of all sorts in the way of tax breaks and the like, to make them viable. How in the hell is that not socialism?
The second sentence is for me, what he thing is all about. The bastard's cheated and lied and stole from other people. You don't pay such people. You incarcerate them. For those who are of the Republican Reich wing variety, ya put the fuckers in jail.
We may be able to pull ourselves out of this mess. But, I for one, am going to start planning my exit strategy. There is on-going discussion in this family about farmland. It is beginning to appear as though the time is drawing near for us all to start bringing those discussions to a close and act upon them.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
I Cast My Ballot
Yesterday, as it was the first day of early voting in Texas, I cast my ballot. Significant? Perhaps not to many. To me? You bet your sweet ass. In the claimed home state of George W. Bush, I cast my ballot for the next President of the United States, Mr. Obama. A Democrat. That is delicious to me.
After suffering through the worst Presidency in the history of the nation, I, among many others, have begun the process of dragging this country back from the abyss. It will be a long and arduous road we take. It will require that we include those who earlier had cast us aside as traitors and unAmerican. It will require that we sacrifice and compromise. Most of all, it will take time.
There is much to be done here. We must end the occupation of the sovereign nation of Iraq. We must begin to rebuild our economy. And, follow by rebuilding our wealth. We must return our Constitution to it's place as the guiding document for the nation. And, most of all rebuilding our faith in our nation and it's leaders.
Under those headings there are a host of items to be dealt with. Torture, spying on our own citizens, reduction of the Patriot Act to something reasonable, perhaps the demolition of the Homeland Security Agency. These are just a few, of course. But, it gives us an idea of what we have to deal with over the next many years.
So, yesterday, I cast my ballot for the next President of the United States. Mr. Barack Hussein Obama. Please get yourself and all of those around you to the polls. This election matters. Cast your ballot.
After suffering through the worst Presidency in the history of the nation, I, among many others, have begun the process of dragging this country back from the abyss. It will be a long and arduous road we take. It will require that we include those who earlier had cast us aside as traitors and unAmerican. It will require that we sacrifice and compromise. Most of all, it will take time.
There is much to be done here. We must end the occupation of the sovereign nation of Iraq. We must begin to rebuild our economy. And, follow by rebuilding our wealth. We must return our Constitution to it's place as the guiding document for the nation. And, most of all rebuilding our faith in our nation and it's leaders.
Under those headings there are a host of items to be dealt with. Torture, spying on our own citizens, reduction of the Patriot Act to something reasonable, perhaps the demolition of the Homeland Security Agency. These are just a few, of course. But, it gives us an idea of what we have to deal with over the next many years.
So, yesterday, I cast my ballot for the next President of the United States. Mr. Barack Hussein Obama. Please get yourself and all of those around you to the polls. This election matters. Cast your ballot.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Whining
Whining, that age old way of trying to put the blame somewhere else, is alive and well within the confines of the Republican Party. We were just treated to it this afternoon by Mr. McCain, Whiner-in-Chief.
Earlier today, Mr. John Lewis, a Representative in US House, and one of the last remaining giants of the Civil Rights Era, made his displeasure of the racist tactics of the McCain/Palin campaign known.
Within a very short time Mr. McCain was whining about how Mr. Obama should do something about Mr. Lewis and his remarks. And, that they needed to stay focused on the issues. This after the blatant racism and bigotry we have heard loud and long from the McCain/Palin campaign. Mr. Obama was ready and stood up. He said that some of what Mr. Lewis said, he didn't agree with. However, he also said that Mr. Lewis was correct in calling the behavior of the right wing for what is was. On top of that, he also said that what needed to be done, was to make sure that all took the high road.
Now, not to many who live in the real world believe that the McCain/Palin camp will make any move toward the high road. They are losing badly in the polls and are rapidly losing the time to catch up. They are going to use every low end (Rovian) thing they can find to try and avoid talking about issues. And, remain instead, focused on character assassination and bigotry.
This offers Mr. Obama an excellent chance to just wait for it to happen, then point out very quickly and loudly, that Mr. McCain is not keeping his word about staying focused on the issues facing the nation.
So, tomorrow, I am willing to bet there is going to be a whole lot of whining from the McCain/Palin camp, in an effort to change the subject. Can't wait for it to happen and see how Mr. Obama responds. If he remains cool and focused, which is the way he has approached the whole campaign thus far, he will easily parry the whining and put McCain and company into an even less tenable situation than the one they face today.
Whining, as I said, is just a part of the Republican Party. How it is handled by Mr. Obama and the Democratic Party, will make a big difference in what we hear over the next 24 days.
Earlier today, Mr. John Lewis, a Representative in US House, and one of the last remaining giants of the Civil Rights Era, made his displeasure of the racist tactics of the McCain/Palin campaign known.
Within a very short time Mr. McCain was whining about how Mr. Obama should do something about Mr. Lewis and his remarks. And, that they needed to stay focused on the issues. This after the blatant racism and bigotry we have heard loud and long from the McCain/Palin campaign. Mr. Obama was ready and stood up. He said that some of what Mr. Lewis said, he didn't agree with. However, he also said that Mr. Lewis was correct in calling the behavior of the right wing for what is was. On top of that, he also said that what needed to be done, was to make sure that all took the high road.
Now, not to many who live in the real world believe that the McCain/Palin camp will make any move toward the high road. They are losing badly in the polls and are rapidly losing the time to catch up. They are going to use every low end (Rovian) thing they can find to try and avoid talking about issues. And, remain instead, focused on character assassination and bigotry.
This offers Mr. Obama an excellent chance to just wait for it to happen, then point out very quickly and loudly, that Mr. McCain is not keeping his word about staying focused on the issues facing the nation.
So, tomorrow, I am willing to bet there is going to be a whole lot of whining from the McCain/Palin camp, in an effort to change the subject. Can't wait for it to happen and see how Mr. Obama responds. If he remains cool and focused, which is the way he has approached the whole campaign thus far, he will easily parry the whining and put McCain and company into an even less tenable situation than the one they face today.
Whining, as I said, is just a part of the Republican Party. How it is handled by Mr. Obama and the Democratic Party, will make a big difference in what we hear over the next 24 days.
Friday, October 10, 2008
McCain/Palin Proctological Data Mining
Most of us in this country already know who the next President of the United States will be. On Jan 20, 2009, Mr. Obama will become POTUS #44. However, in the mean time we must slog through what is left of the McCain/Palin campaign.
Over the course of the past few days, the M/P campaign has taken to old tried and true Republican Party way of doing things. Race baiting, character assassination, fear mongering, and the ever popular and oh so common lying.
Tonight we had two interesting items pop up on screen. First, Mr. McCain had to try and walk back a group of supporters on the Obama as terrorist and all round bad guy theme. He was booed by his own people. Second came word from Alaska that Ms. Palin had indeed broken the law in firing the guy she (and the First Dude, Todd) were pressuring to fire their x brother-in-law, a State Police Officer.
As concerns the race baiting and the like? Keep screaming AYERS and ACORN. It's working. Keep it up. Of course that is pure bullshit, but we'll just keep that a secret between us.
The biggest problem with that sort of behavior, obviously, is that one of the wrong wing nuts may in fact take it upon him/herself and assassinate Mr. Obama or one of his many followers. There is in fact, a history of that sort of thing happening in this country. And, Mr. McCain knows damned well that to be true and further knows that he would be the one responsible. Thus the half-assed attempt at backing down his group of nuts.
The best line I have heard or seen in the past week is one that comes from Maureen Dowd. She is a Republican Party backer, and usually tows the line pretty closely. Ms. Dowd's line? "They are not big enough for the moment." That, in a nutshell, says what is most obvious to most of us.
The McCain/Palin ticket is pathetically and hopelessly off course. With nothing but the same old shit left over from the failure that has been the past eight years.
These people have their head's up their asses and can't find a light switch.
Over the course of the past few days, the M/P campaign has taken to old tried and true Republican Party way of doing things. Race baiting, character assassination, fear mongering, and the ever popular and oh so common lying.
Tonight we had two interesting items pop up on screen. First, Mr. McCain had to try and walk back a group of supporters on the Obama as terrorist and all round bad guy theme. He was booed by his own people. Second came word from Alaska that Ms. Palin had indeed broken the law in firing the guy she (and the First Dude, Todd) were pressuring to fire their x brother-in-law, a State Police Officer.
As concerns the race baiting and the like? Keep screaming AYERS and ACORN. It's working. Keep it up. Of course that is pure bullshit, but we'll just keep that a secret between us.
The biggest problem with that sort of behavior, obviously, is that one of the wrong wing nuts may in fact take it upon him/herself and assassinate Mr. Obama or one of his many followers. There is in fact, a history of that sort of thing happening in this country. And, Mr. McCain knows damned well that to be true and further knows that he would be the one responsible. Thus the half-assed attempt at backing down his group of nuts.
The best line I have heard or seen in the past week is one that comes from Maureen Dowd. She is a Republican Party backer, and usually tows the line pretty closely. Ms. Dowd's line? "They are not big enough for the moment." That, in a nutshell, says what is most obvious to most of us.
The McCain/Palin ticket is pathetically and hopelessly off course. With nothing but the same old shit left over from the failure that has been the past eight years.
These people have their head's up their asses and can't find a light switch.
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Thirty Days
We are now down to the last 30 days of the '08 Presidential election cycle. We have seen some machinations of the polls over the summer, but it now appears that most of us have decided how this will play out.
Today we got an indication of how the McCain/Palin campaign will spend their last thirty days. It will be character assassination. It will be ennuendo. It will be the neocon's at their finest. It began today with Ms. Palin going back to the old, tired and now destroyed, except for the 30%, connection to Mr. Ayers. The connection took place when Mr. Obama was eight fucking years old. Pretty damned pathetic.
Mr. Obama, on the other hand. Simply stated that all of the noise that will come out of the right wing wurlitzer will be of no consequence. That what is important is health care, which hasn't been meaningfully addressed since '94. That those who have, and continue to suffer due to a lack of decent coverge will soon begin to see a change.
With pundits on the right now beginning to sound the death nell of the McCain/Palin campaign for the Presidency, it all now comes down to just how much of a legacy Mr. McCain will leave behind. If, as he has indicated, it will be negativity from here out, then it seems pretty clear how he will be treated historically. As a self-proclaimed maverick who never was. As a fraud who was influenced by lobbyists. Who took everything not nailed down, from his country. And, never repaid.
He has made hay over the years of his time as a POW. He, to this day, uses it as a ploy to gather unto himself the riches be believes are owed him. Now, everyone admits that he was/is owed a debt of gratitude for that. However, when the chance was given him to step up and help his fellow veterans, he turned them down.
That act, in my mind, made him a fraud of the worst kind. It took away every bit of credibility he had remaining. After a life spent at the trough, his words, of the American public. He voted against the New GI bill, bought by Senator Webb of Virginia.
So, here we are. Thirty days from the election to right our Ship of State, that has been so badly damaged by the Republican Party over the past few decades. It is now time to reflect on what has been said and done. On promises made. On the dreams that have been offered by the competing campaigns.
My decision is made. We must put the Obama/Biden ticket into office and give them all of the support we can. For indeed, they will no doubt need it.
Today we got an indication of how the McCain/Palin campaign will spend their last thirty days. It will be character assassination. It will be ennuendo. It will be the neocon's at their finest. It began today with Ms. Palin going back to the old, tired and now destroyed, except for the 30%, connection to Mr. Ayers. The connection took place when Mr. Obama was eight fucking years old. Pretty damned pathetic.
Mr. Obama, on the other hand. Simply stated that all of the noise that will come out of the right wing wurlitzer will be of no consequence. That what is important is health care, which hasn't been meaningfully addressed since '94. That those who have, and continue to suffer due to a lack of decent coverge will soon begin to see a change.
With pundits on the right now beginning to sound the death nell of the McCain/Palin campaign for the Presidency, it all now comes down to just how much of a legacy Mr. McCain will leave behind. If, as he has indicated, it will be negativity from here out, then it seems pretty clear how he will be treated historically. As a self-proclaimed maverick who never was. As a fraud who was influenced by lobbyists. Who took everything not nailed down, from his country. And, never repaid.
He has made hay over the years of his time as a POW. He, to this day, uses it as a ploy to gather unto himself the riches be believes are owed him. Now, everyone admits that he was/is owed a debt of gratitude for that. However, when the chance was given him to step up and help his fellow veterans, he turned them down.
That act, in my mind, made him a fraud of the worst kind. It took away every bit of credibility he had remaining. After a life spent at the trough, his words, of the American public. He voted against the New GI bill, bought by Senator Webb of Virginia.
So, here we are. Thirty days from the election to right our Ship of State, that has been so badly damaged by the Republican Party over the past few decades. It is now time to reflect on what has been said and done. On promises made. On the dreams that have been offered by the competing campaigns.
My decision is made. We must put the Obama/Biden ticket into office and give them all of the support we can. For indeed, they will no doubt need it.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Biden vs other
Well. Alright then. She came, she decided not to answer the questions asked by the moderator, and gave us exactly what we thought was there. A lot of bullshit, with no substance.
Anyone who believes that Ms. Palin won that debate, in any substantive way, had the sound off. She had only talking points which had been drilled into her. Nothing more. Which of course is why she refused to answer the questions of the moderator.
One of the times when she actually answered a question, she made it plain that she thought the VP should be given expanded powers. This after eight years of Mr. Cheney. That thought alone should drive every independent voter into the Democratic Party. Added to that was her belief that Mr. Cheney's only mistake was shooting his pal in the face. Not sure if she just doesn't know what happened in the country, or if she has drunk the kool-aid so long that she actually thinks that Mr. Cheney was/is one of the good guys.
We'll see how this all plays out over the next couple of days. But, it doesn't look like there was any damage done to either party. And, paraphrasing Ms. Maddow, the trajectories of the two parties will remain about as they have been. That would be, Mr. Obama's upward, and Mr. McCain's downward.
If ever there ever was a time to get involved in the political process, this should be a clarion call to every US citizen. For, the idea of Ms. Palin being anywhere near the levers of power are absolutely frightening. And, indeed she would be a 72 year old man's heartbeat away.
Anyone who believes that Ms. Palin won that debate, in any substantive way, had the sound off. She had only talking points which had been drilled into her. Nothing more. Which of course is why she refused to answer the questions of the moderator.
One of the times when she actually answered a question, she made it plain that she thought the VP should be given expanded powers. This after eight years of Mr. Cheney. That thought alone should drive every independent voter into the Democratic Party. Added to that was her belief that Mr. Cheney's only mistake was shooting his pal in the face. Not sure if she just doesn't know what happened in the country, or if she has drunk the kool-aid so long that she actually thinks that Mr. Cheney was/is one of the good guys.
We'll see how this all plays out over the next couple of days. But, it doesn't look like there was any damage done to either party. And, paraphrasing Ms. Maddow, the trajectories of the two parties will remain about as they have been. That would be, Mr. Obama's upward, and Mr. McCain's downward.
If ever there ever was a time to get involved in the political process, this should be a clarion call to every US citizen. For, the idea of Ms. Palin being anywhere near the levers of power are absolutely frightening. And, indeed she would be a 72 year old man's heartbeat away.
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