Life As a Rat

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Military voter's

So, who is receiving more of the money donated by the troops? Mr. McCain? Or, Mr. Obama? This of course is a trick question. During the debate last Friday night, we were treated to a story by Mr. McCain about how he was invited to a re-enlistment ceremony in Iraq. Now, for those of us who have been in the military, and specifically those of us who are veterans, that a large number re-up in the zone is not really a news item.

There are a couple of reasons that stand head and shoulders above all others for this action. The first is that you get a bonus for re-enlisting in the zone. Second, your bonus is tax free. Now right off the top, that is a big deal. If you are a lower grade enlisted man/woman you aren't being fairly compensated for your effort in the first place. So, that money becomes a very important item.

The answer to the question at the top is, if you've not been paying attention to such matters, is Mr. Obama. This may not portend a preponderance of military votes directed to Mr. Obama during this Presidential election cycle. However, it does indicate a higher number of those engaged in the political goings on within the military are his supporters.

So, nice try there Mr. McCain. As with most of what you say, it's just more bullshit, stacked on top of a very large manure pile.

Republican Party Platform

"We do not support government bailouts of private institutions."

Of course, very damned few ever really read the platform of any party. But, since Mr. Bush and his group have decided to pull a play from the old "Shock Doctrine" play book, it should be brought to the attention of others.

One of the bullshit lines of the Republican Party is how the Democrat's are Socialists in blue clothing. So, who exactly is the Socialist Party here? Secretary Paulson claims that we must with great haste, spend $700 billion of taxpayer money to bail out those who made very poor business...make that gambling decisions and lost their asses.

There should of course be none of that socialist shit about helping out the consumers. For people making millions by setting up and running ponzi schemes though, there should be every available used to mitigate any possible loss.

In addition, Mr. Paulson wants to assist those who haven't had any losses. And, wants to bring in foreign banks doing business in the United States. So, banks who did well would be able to step up to the public trough and eat to their hearts content.

There is, as of tonight, some who are calling for more time to consider our options and perhaps come up with some better ideas on how to handle the present situation. Of interest here is one Republican Senator of note. Senator Shelby is calling bullshit on the whole mess, the plan and the people trying to foist it upon the taxpayers. I may never again agree with Senator Shelby. But, this time, there is no doubt whatsoever that we are politically aligned by our revulsion of this whole fiasco.

With so many people losing their homes and our tax base dwindling. It seems to me that one of the things to be done is the opposite of what the Bush cabal is offering as our best option. How about we fund those who are about to lose their homes? Keep them in their homes and paying taxes. Albeit much less than was indicated by the original loan. The cost will be about the same.

And, this time, let those who profited so handsomely from selling bullshit loans, figure out how to save their own sorry asses.

$700 Billion

It is thus decided. Secretary Paulson can spend up to $700 billion of the taxpayers money. And, no one can review, or make changes to the final decision. In addition, there is nothing to be done about the action after the fact.

Capitalist Socialism. That is where we stand. We the taxpayers are not only on the hook for a trillion dollars worth of unnecessary war, we now we are going to be handed the bill to bailout those who gambled and lost. The war is brought to us by Halliburton, KBR and an assortment of others who have profited handsomely. We have paid Dick Cheney and his ilk with our blood and treasure. Now, for the elite, and this would of course be Mr. McCain and company, we get to give them a lot of money for being the very worst of businessmen and women.

It is going to be very interesting to hear politicians of every stripe step up and proclaim that this was in the best interest of the country. Tomorrow should offer us the finest in spinning from left, right and everywhere in between. They will come before us and claim with straight faces that this was the best course available and it took great courage to make this momentous decision. They may in fact be right. I sure as hell don't know. But, what I see is $700 billion of taxpayer money being given to those who caused the problem in the first place. We are going to reward crooks for malfeasance and ineptitude. And, there isn't one damned thing we can do about it. Right or wrong.

$700 Billion.

Lehman, Merrill, et. al.

Some great fun on Wall Street this morning. Lehman has filed bankruptcy, Merrill would have except for a quick sale of itself to Bank of America. And, AIG is begging for cash and may in the end follow along after Lehman or Merrill.

So, I'm just wondering here, after decades of corporations before citizens politics. Particularly the last eight. After more give aways than can be counted to companies large and small, for any reason whatsoever. How is it that that we are watching a collapse in the financial markets? Certainly it couldn't be that it was all bullshit, sold as golden apples? Perhaps now would be a good time to ask Mr. McCain's financial guru? Or, better yet. Let's ask Mr. McCain, that giant among men who feels he is the best the country has to offer in good judgement. Hmmm...Graham, Palin...kind of a losing proposition looks like to me.

This is likely not the end of all the mess we are watching. It is entirely likely that what we are seeing is the beginning of the downsizing of Wall Street. And, by extension, the downsizing of the United States. Unless, and until, we get our fiscal house in order, this country is going to be the model for the rest of the world in what not to do to govern a country.

Lying

It absolutely confounds me how the Republican Party can continue to fool so many people. How can a party that has made one it's tenents, lying about anything and everything, hold onto such a huge number of voters?

There seems to be no subject that they will not lie about. Whether it is Mr. Obama's record, his background or his childhood. Whether its global warming, economics or support for the troops. It seems that the lie is preferred to any form of the truth.

It may just be that they have no truth to tell. No new ideas. Nothing positive to focu on. So, rather than admit that they are going to just follow along with whatever policy was put in place before them, they focus on the negative. And, lie.

That may be it. But, why in the world would people who have been so thoroughly duped over the last eight years be willing to extend their support for more of the same? We have lost our standing in the world as a perveyor of peace and goodwill. Our military has been used and abused until it is near the point of collapse. The economy is in shambles. So...?

Energy and Focus

It seems that over the last week or so, those in the trenches have lost some of their energy and focus. I don't mean that everyone has gone off to play video games and drink beer. What I mean is that too many have been paying too much attention to the Ms. Palin situation unfolding. It is important if you are a pundit and your livelihood depends on such crap. Or, if you happen to work for the Obama campaign and one of your issues is handling the circus that is Ms. Palin.

For the rest of us however, it seems to me that our energy and focus needs to be on making sure we get everyone who is available to vote, registered. That we are knocking on every door in the United States, to make sure that all who can, do. That if we can, we are putting our money into the campaign coffer.

Mr. Obama has a paid staff to take care of those things that we just really can't do a damned thing about. We need to make sure that we have our energy and focus where it is needed. We need to make sure that the day after the election, we have made The Change that we so desperately need and want.

Conventions. Over. Finally.

So, the Democrats held their convention. And now the Republicans have had their convention. It's finally time to get down to the election. Since, as is generally the case, nothing of import happens until after the summer is over and people get back home and start paying attention. Too bad, of course. A lot of very cool things have happened over the summer that were worthy of attention. Mr. Obama took the Democratic nomination from Ms. Clinton. Mr. McCain, once written off, is now the nominee for the Republicans.

Mr. Obama chose as his running mate Mr. Biden, a Senator of several decades and a foreign policy expert. Mr. McCain has chosen as his running mate, uuhhh...Ms. Palin, the 20 month Governor of Alaska. Who, previously was a mayor of a town of less than 10,000.

Next there will be the debates. Two between the two at the top of the ticket, and one by the VP choices. This is going to provide a lot of fun for everyone. Mr. Obama is a writer and orator. Mr. McCain is a mumbling, fumbling old fool. By the time the VP debate takes place, the Democrat's should have long since taken the muzzle off of Mr. Biden and...I'm not sure I want to see that.

The election itself is, in my estimation, the anticlimax of the whole election cycle. I fully expect Mr. Obama to win in a landslide. But, win he will. And, the United States will begin crawling back to a place of prominence and leadership in the world.

Mr. McCain's choices

Just back from a trip around the western states. Motorcycle performed flawlessly. Had the stuff good trips are made of. Heat, chill, dry, wet, windy and altogether wonderful trip.

Saw Mr. Obama's acceptance speech. The man can write his ass off. And, even better, he is an orator extrordinaire. That was really something to see and hear. When even Mr. Buchanan, the old racist, pays compliments, you have witnessed something that you will see and hear very few times in a lifetime.

So now there is this choice of Mr. McCain of Ms. Palin as his running mate. Uhh, right. Talk about your questionable choices. Mr. McCain has so far curtailed an interview that was to be done on CNN because they questioned his judgement on his selection. Last I checked that was the role of the press. Not that they have been very good at it the last eight years, but now is okay for me. Then we find out she was questioned by the vetting committee the day before the selection. Obviously a lot of information was gathered and a lot of vetting done. Let's put that CNN question back on the table.

The hot head that Mr. McCain is, he should be on fire by the time the debates are over and done with. Which means, as politely as I can put it, after he has been eviscerated by Mr. Obama in front of the entire world. He lacks every bit of judgement necessary to be a leader in the world we face. He selects a VP running mate because he he has t take a great risk if he has any chance of winning. After it becomes apparent that he has stepped in bigger shit than crashing five planes, he whines to his base that the media isn't being nice to him and his choice.

Not sure how Ms. Palin will play tonight in front of a national audience. But, it should prove to be interesting. In the end, however, I think it will be much ado about nothing. Which is what I think she offers the world at large.

Oh. And, this just in. An open mic puts Ms. Noonan on record as calling her selection a bullshit choice and signifying the end of the presidential race. Between the statements of Ms. Noonan and Mr. Murphy over an open mic when they thought they had gone to commercial, it's just one more view from inside the Republican Party. They see the choices of Mr. McCain and his, amd Mr. Bush's Party continuing what is going to be a long process of unwinding.

Welcome to the world of reality, Grand Old Party.

Mr. Obama's acceptance speech

Just got back from a motorcycle trip that took me over 6,000 miles and some absolutely spectacular scenery. From New Mexico, Yosemite Park, Northern Washington and Libby to Great Falls, MT. We should all go out and look at what this country is made of, it's worth a whole lot more than it costs monitarily.

Unless you just arrived from being dead for several days, you know that the Democratic Party held it's convention in Denver, CO the past several days with the acceptance speech of Mr. Obama delivered at Envesco Field last night before 84,000 people. Not to mention the other 38, ooo, ooo of us who eavesdropped by way of television.

It is my opinion that the speech delivered last night was one of the best political speeches we have heard in the last couple of generations. The man writes a lot of his own speeches and is without a doubt one of the great orator's of our time. Reverend King and Ms. Barbara Jordan would be extremely proud of the speech that came from Envesco last night.

Today we got what was supposed to be some sort of attention grab by the camp of Mr. McCain. He chose as his running mate, the Governor of Alaska, Ms. Palin. What it demonstrated, however, was that the lack of good judgement shown over time by Mr. McCain is alive and well. Four years ago, the woman was the Mayor of a small town, who while holding that position placed a $20 million dollar horse collar on the place. The cost for a sports complex. She should work well for the extreme right wing. Thank you Mr. McCain.

Speaking of disaster, the debates should be extremely entertaining for Democrat's, who have endured the worst of all outcomes the past two Presidential election cycles. Watching the evisceration of the two Republican sacrificial lambs is going to go a long way toward rebuilding the spirits of the Democratic Party faithful. Not only have they got Mr. Obama as the leader of the Party, but Mr. Biden, who, when unleashed will be a whole lot of fun to watch. The differences between Modern Man and the Neanderthal's is going to make for one helluva an entertaining fall.

YES!! WE!! CAN!!

Paris Hilton?

Anybody notice a cool sea breeze today? If you are politically inclined, of course the answer is hell no. As a matter of fact, it is getting a whole lot hotter as the days wear on.

Mr. Obama seems to have come out of the always a nice guy shell. Today after the tire pressure fiasco that is a great symbol of Mr. McCain's chole cam pain, Mr. Obama came down on him from several heights. Making fun of his flip-flopping on whether maintaining the proper tire pressure is a good idea, he brought examples of others backing the position. NASCAR, AAA, and of course every driver in the world. Whether you call it backstepping, flipping, or flopping, it was about as fast a dance as we've seen in a long time.

But, I must say, the Gold, today, goes to Paris Hilton. The piece she released bitch slapping Mr. McCain was well written, well delivered, and funny. The woman doesn't generally measure on my Interest 'O Meter, but this unexpected little gem is worth watching.

Definitely a good day for the Obama camp. Let's hope that they now flood the landscape for the next three months. It's almost over, friends. YES!WE!CAN!

Crap on a cracker

Abstinence-only. That's what I call crap on a cracker. But, RB, I'm told, that's what parents want taught in their schools. Allowing that there may possibly be one iota of truth to the statement, let's take a little look at some of what parents want. Seventy-one (71) percent of all parents believe that teens need to know that they can obtain birth control pills from family planning clinics without permission from a parent. Eighty-three (83) percent want youth to know how to put on a condom.

That may not tell some folks anything. But, it tells me that as parents, they don't want their kids out fucking everything that walks or approximates that. However, they realize that sex is a primal instinct. And, just like other animals, our children will, for the most part, be out there participating.

Abstinence-only. More, crap on a cracker. Abstinence-only education delays sexual initiation and reduces teen pregnancy. A federally-funded evaluation shows us that abstinence-only education is not effective at delaying the initiation of sexual activity or in reducing teen pregnancy.

The whole of the abstinence-only meme was pushed along by the Bush Administration to give some red meat to the Christian right wing of the Republican Party. And, given plenty of air and ink by the traditional media. Did they ever really believe that it would work? Can't say for sure. But, probably not.

Abstinence-only. Yet, more crap on a cracker. Abstinence-only-until-marriage programs reflect American values. Even among those who abstained from sex until age 20 or older, eighty-one (81) percent reported having had premarital sex. That tells me that whoever is behind selling this bullshit doesn't have a clue about American values. And, they sure as hell don't know anything about biology.

Don't suppose there is any ideology driven programs being perpetrated upon our children and grandchildren by the Bush cabal, eh? Certainly, they wouldn't let the nuttiest of the wingnuts dictate a program so important to our very future? Or, would they?

Abstinence-only. Oh for Christ's sake. Another example of crap on a cracker. Virginity pledges delay the onset of sexual activity and protect teens from STI's (sexually transmitted infection (HIV, Gonnorhea, human papalomavirus). Let's see here. Hmmmm. Study says, sexual activity among pledgers was delayed by 18 months. And, those who took the pledge were 1/3 less likely to use to use contraception when they finally did succumb to their animal instincts.

So. What did we find out from this little exercise? That Abstinence-only. Or, crap on a cracker, is just exactly that. Shit. It's a complete fabrication of the truth. It does not lower the STI count. It does not reduce pregnancy. And, it leaves our children fumbling in the dark. So to speak. We know that it is a complete failure. And, it only cost us 1.5 billion dollars. And, of course, the miseducation of thousands of our children and grandchildren. Crap on a cracker.

Lemming Fever

Like a herd of lemmings, the citizens of the US are once again following the siren call of those who would spread bullshit. In this case its all about oil.

The last time lemming fever broke out, we ended up in Iraq. This time the leaders of this mess want people to believe that we can drill our way out of our energy problems. Of course, this is no more true than it was that there were WMD in Iraq. They are lieing. Their own Energy Department has told them so. Everyone who knows anything about oil, and isn't working for an oil company, has told them so. Still they appear all over the traditional media selling the drill meme.

So here's what I can't figure. They all know that climate change is real. They know that man has caused the majority of the problem. They know that burning fossil fuel is what drives the climate change issue. Yet, they (those who have picked up lemming fever) are falling in line behind the criminals who want more drilling for yet more fossil fuel.

So, just what have those advising against the drill meme said about all of this? First, if drilling started today, it would be several years before any of that oil, if its there, would appear at the pumps. Second, when that oil comes to market, if it were all kept here in the US, it would bring prices down about a nickel. Third, if all of that oil were to arrive at the pumps at the same time, it would give us a year or so worth of fuel. Fourth, all of that fuel would likely be put on the international market, where the oil companies could make the most money. Fifth, we would, for all the money spent, be no nearer to cleaning the atmosphere of the filth we have put into it. Sixth, we would have squandered precious time and resources getting to an energy plan that, at it's heart, would provide sustainable energy at the same cost. Minus the pollutants brought to us by fossil fuel.

So, here we are. Watching the march of the lemmings. All of those afflicted with lemming fever racing headlong for the cliff. And, what are we to do? First, it seems to me that we do something to reduce the lemming fever. We face bullshit with truth at every level and with every person we meet. Second, we blog swarm the issue. Force the traditional media to pick it up and present it truthfully to the public at large. Third, we promote those who have the biggest guns. Matt Simmons, theoilddrum, and all the rest who have the expertise and knowledge to face down big oil. For the truth is, big oil has big money. And, they will promote their bullshit about drilling our way out of our energy problems as long as they can. See tobacco companies for reference material. Fourth, blog, blog and blog.

Big Oil Lobbyists

John. John. John. It seems it takes relatively little to buy Mr. McCain in'08. A couple of million will suffice.

It seems that the big oil lobbyists have stood up for Mr. McCain, and that was enough, along with some cash, of course, to do the trick. Mr. McCain is now entirely on-board with drilling anywhere, anytime, as long as it produces. Cash, that is.

It was known, at one time, that Mr. McCain was against drilling off the coasts and in Alaska, since the offing was small and there was too much possibility of damage to the environment. Twenty nine big oil lobbyists came to Mr. McCain and provided new information, mostly in large bill, and what do you know. Mr. McCain is now in the drill our way out of the problem camp.

It should not surprise anyone that this has come to pass. Mr. McCain, it has become apparent, is willing to sell anything and everything, including his scruples, if in fact he had any left, to win a political race. Many of us have known this for some time. However, the big oil lobbyists have made it entirely clear to anyone interested in knowing.

So, what happens now? We the liberals, that would be me, are going to stay on this monkey until he crawls away to Arizona to one of his wife's houses and goes permanently into retirement.

Mr. McCain, what big oil lobbyists can buy. For the obvious reason, Mr. McCain is for sale.