Having spent a day combing through the post debate spin and enjoying Joe's 15min of fame (okay not really) I just have the following observations:
1. McCain does not like (or respect) Obama...he simply tolerates him.
- he is so convinced that the presidency is something he is "owed" that the fact some young "whippersnapper" is possibly in danger of stealing the prize he deemed to belong to him has thrown him into an emotionally unstable angry tizzy. All of his behavior towards Obama while at times cordial on the surface was dripping with disdain...he allowed himself to be beaten (in this debate...which he definitely started out stronger in) by his own anger and sense of entitlement.
2. Obama has mastered "the art of cool"
- while I think Obama's general temperament is fairly even...he took the ability to "never let them see you sweat" to new heights. the fact that he didn't treat McCain to an open-handed slap in the mouth for some of the foolishness he said about him and his associations shows a level of self-control and restraint that is enviable (I know I don't have it....somebody would have gotten the 47th st Beat down if it was me). While there are some who want Obama to "go off" to prove he is "passionate" enough to be president...I think they are nuts. I prefer my leaders to be cool and able to lead without becoming overly emotional. If nothing else this grace under pressure made Obama look extremely "presidential"
3. Negative Attack Ads do not a campaign make
- Is it just me or did McCain spend the last hour of the "debate" (using that term loosely) basically running a medley of his greatest attack ads hits? Ayers, ACORN, Abortion, "tax and spend", and the worse of all sins..."liberal". What I heard was a lot of McCain rehashing his past week's attack ads and very little in terms of substance or any new ideas. And the idea that he even brought up John Lewis and wanted Obama to repudiate his remarks (the free willed, unsolicited, opinions of a man with absolutely no connection to Obama's campaign) was to me preposterous. First of all...I was reminded why I don't like the Republican party as a whole. They are a party of Bullies...they can dish it out but they truly cannot take it. when they get called on their BS (which for once I am glad the Democrat is doing that) they turn into a whiny little girl, and play the victim role. And then I couldn't believe that with all the REAL problems we are facing...the economy collapsing, oil dependence, the WAR that McCain chose to take the low road. I used to respect McCain even when I didn't agree with him because he WAS an honorable man and had good opinions on a variety of topics but now he is simply the quintessential "grumpy old man"
4. "Joe the Plumber" is exactly what is wrong with this country in general and the GOP specifically.
we have "Joe the Plumber"...who asked a what was supposedly a legitimate question of Barack Obama while he was out campaigning...he said he was preparing to purchase a business that made $250-270K and he didn't like the taxes under Obama's plan (I'm paraphrasing...but really who hasn't heard this story)...he feigned indignation...Obama was respectful and at least told him even if he didn't end up with his vote he still wanted to work for him. Enter John McCain who takes up "Joe" as his cause celeb...tossing his name out at the debate more than the economy, the middle class, and Osama Bin Laden combined. McCain used Joe as a cheap ploy to illustrate everything that was wrong with Obama's tax plan and campaign of course the joke ended up being on him. Turns out "Joe" isn't actually making anywhere near $250K....at Joe's current income and status he would actually get a tax break from the Obama plan...Joe apparently doesn't like paying taxes now (as he owes over a grand in back taxes to the state of Ohio)...Joe has a very limited understanding of the way government works and the average person's role in it (judging by his answer's in the Diane Sawyer interview)...and of course Joe isn't actually a legal licensed plumber. This grasping at the sensational superficial story without doing any research or having any knowledge is exactly what is wrong with the current GOP and with McCain's campaign and to me why he is imploding currently.
So those are my thoughts at the moment...I think things look better for Obama...but he and his supports must keep fighting the good fight...never underestimate the power of pissed off white people struggling against the last remaining vestiges of assumed white superiority. 20 days!!!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
VP Debate Fallout...with a "wink" and a nod
I'm a little late with this post but I couldn't let things go any further without at least offering a few comments
As I expected Sarah Palin rose from the depths of her mediocrity to exceed the (knee high to a grasshopper's eye) expectations people had for her performance. That was a good (and basically necessary) thing. However I just have the following observations:
* Was it just me or did her insistence on NOT answering the questions drive you crazy. this was a DEBATE not a campaign commercial. For anyone who did Student Congress or Debate at my high school these answers simply would not have been tolerated by the Nuns...they would have exiled us from the room crying and told us not to come back until we were better prepared.
* I was PLEASANTLY surprised by Joe Biden...he was personable (bordering on charming), emotional, forceful, succinct and most importantly managed to keep his foot out of his mouth the whole time
* What was with the winking???....I almost felt slightly violated by her incessant flirting with the American Public and as a result me. For someone who is supposedly picking up the mantle of feminism through her campaign her shameless abuse of her "womanly wiles" has set women back at least 25 years. The winking and shameless flirting is cute when Tina Fey does her impersonation...but in an actual candidate it is just embarrassing
* The folksy phrases and stories (along with her nasally high pitched whine) have got to go...if I ever hear the words "hockey mom", "Joe six-pack" or "main street" one more time I thought I was gonna scream!!! I understand wanting to connect with the people but that cannot be your whole platform at some point you need to give some specific answers...after all you are running for the second highest office in the land...I expect you to demonstrate a wider range of knowledge and understanding on a variety of subjects...I'm not asking you to be a "Washington insider" or "east coast elite" but I do want you to demonstrate you can string coherent thoughts together and show some ability to think on your feet.
What I thought was interesting post debate was watching the GOP party faithful spin this draw at best into a win for Palin. They waxed poetic about her stunning performance, her "connection" to the American people, and how she exceeded their expectations all the while trying to avoid the VERY real truth that the American public didn't buy it. The polls (particularly among the undecided) were decidedly against her. The "wink" and nod Sarah Palin gave to the American people appears to have been poorly received by anyone not already firmly in her camp. but that's okay the tide is turning in this race and the GOP is starting to run scared (as evidenced by Palin bringing up Ayers and acts he did when Obama was 8 years old as a reason he is not fit to serve and trying to rehash the Rev Wright issues as if we didn't already discuss this ad nauseum) and I am proud of my America cause it looks like this time we won't be hoodwinked...there is still a ways to go and work to do but the winks and nods will not be answered this time.
As I expected Sarah Palin rose from the depths of her mediocrity to exceed the (knee high to a grasshopper's eye) expectations people had for her performance. That was a good (and basically necessary) thing. However I just have the following observations:
* Was it just me or did her insistence on NOT answering the questions drive you crazy. this was a DEBATE not a campaign commercial. For anyone who did Student Congress or Debate at my high school these answers simply would not have been tolerated by the Nuns...they would have exiled us from the room crying and told us not to come back until we were better prepared.
* I was PLEASANTLY surprised by Joe Biden...he was personable (bordering on charming), emotional, forceful, succinct and most importantly managed to keep his foot out of his mouth the whole time
* What was with the winking???....I almost felt slightly violated by her incessant flirting with the American Public and as a result me. For someone who is supposedly picking up the mantle of feminism through her campaign her shameless abuse of her "womanly wiles" has set women back at least 25 years. The winking and shameless flirting is cute when Tina Fey does her impersonation...but in an actual candidate it is just embarrassing
* The folksy phrases and stories (along with her nasally high pitched whine) have got to go...if I ever hear the words "hockey mom", "Joe six-pack" or "main street" one more time I thought I was gonna scream!!! I understand wanting to connect with the people but that cannot be your whole platform at some point you need to give some specific answers...after all you are running for the second highest office in the land...I expect you to demonstrate a wider range of knowledge and understanding on a variety of subjects...I'm not asking you to be a "Washington insider" or "east coast elite" but I do want you to demonstrate you can string coherent thoughts together and show some ability to think on your feet.
What I thought was interesting post debate was watching the GOP party faithful spin this draw at best into a win for Palin. They waxed poetic about her stunning performance, her "connection" to the American people, and how she exceeded their expectations all the while trying to avoid the VERY real truth that the American public didn't buy it. The polls (particularly among the undecided) were decidedly against her. The "wink" and nod Sarah Palin gave to the American people appears to have been poorly received by anyone not already firmly in her camp. but that's okay the tide is turning in this race and the GOP is starting to run scared (as evidenced by Palin bringing up Ayers and acts he did when Obama was 8 years old as a reason he is not fit to serve and trying to rehash the Rev Wright issues as if we didn't already discuss this ad nauseum) and I am proud of my America cause it looks like this time we won't be hoodwinked...there is still a ways to go and work to do but the winks and nods will not be answered this time.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Why Sarah Palin REALLY pisses me off
The blogs, mainstream media, and every single person I know seems to be talking about one thing.....Sarah Palin. On the eve of the VP debate it seems that people either can't get enough of her or have a new found hate for her.
Ever since her disastrous interview with Katie Couric, it has been interesting to listen to the myriad of opinions about her (I must admit I think Chris Rock on Larry King had my favorite comments about her) and to watch daily as she seems to prove that she may yet be an albatross around the neck of the GOP this election. They are sort of stuck...she is their girl...the handpicked (primarily for the most smarmy and cynical of political reasons) gun-toting, moose killing, lipstick wearing pit bull attack dog Annie Oakley from the west who was gonna come in and bring the win for the GOP on home. However she is turning into a bit of a one-trick pony. yes her speech at the RNC threw plenty of "red-meat" to the base, and she was able to effectively deliver a very personal (and unnecessarily snarky I might add) oration that was received well; but her interviews are quite frankly scary. The simple fact that she seems to have difficulty answering even basic questions (like what newspapers do you read) with a straight answer from a VERY gentle interviewer (Katie Couric is no Tim Russert...God I miss him!!) scares me. This woman wants to be a possible contended for the leader of the free world??? The fact that their campaign will cry foul and "sexism" when people are simply feeling out a candidate's position on the issues, and the fact that she had to be "chaperoned" by "daddy" McCain during an interview proves she is simply not ready for prime time. I think my thoughts were summed up quite well in the title of Fareed Zakaria's article in October 6 issue of Newsweek "Palin Is Ready? Please."
That is actually not my problem with Palin. ARROGANCE plain and simple is what makes me angry about this woman. What really pisses me off is that she thinks she IS READY. The level of arrogance and cluelessness you have to have to think that, despite objective facts to the contrary is simply mind blowing. She has decided she wants something that was offered to her and damn the facts, damn her lack of knowledge, damn her complete absence of curiosity about the world (she makes travel seem like it is a bad thing last time I checked if you want to potentially be the leader of the free world...maybe you should have begun to see it prior to last year...and no you do not need a trust fund or wealthy parents to find a way to travel. I too have consistently held at least one job and usually two or three since I was 15 and yet I was curious enough about the world to get a passport and find a way to go a few places without the monetary assistance of my parents) she is going to get it. she is arrogant because despite being put on the ticket SOLELY as a female "affirmative action" candidate (and here I thought the GOP was against affirmative action)...She acts as if the vice presidency is somehow owed to her. She is Arrogant because she chooses only to see her limited white, middle-class, anti-intellectual, small town, Alaskan worldview and not only declares it as being the only correct and valid one...but derides all other points of view or life experiences (this would be why she delivered such a disparaging speech at the RNC). She is arrogant because she has long history of basically eliminating people from her employ who don't share her ideas (she feels somehow above normal employment rules and common courtesy)...it is her way or the highway. This is particularly dangerous in times like these we need all heads at the table (even when they don't agree). We need to be able to say while I disagree with you on a,b and c...I think there might be some common ground on d, e and f. We need someone who is secure enough in their position and view to allow it to be challenged and if need be to have their view refined. But no, Sarah is the original "Mean Girl" (watch out Lindsay Lohan)...she must rule the roost, and have her flunkies follow her with complete submission and she is completely intent on destroying people in her way even if it takes some falsehood to do it. I would no more want this type of poison in the White house than I would want to continue the anti-intellectual, secretive, deceitful policies of the Bush Administration (but that is a post for another day)....my only solace is that as the old folks say "God don't like ugly" and one can only hope that the ugliness she has sown will come back to haunt her very soon.
Unlike a lot of people I actually think she will do well in the debate....after all she is the gregarious prom queen type and the bar is so ridiculously low for her right now as long as she breathes in and out and forms complete sentences her side will call it a win...and Joe Biden (the original "mr foot in mouth" disease) is much more likely to have a major gaffe which will be exploited ad nauseum. But no matter what she does later tonight...I truly think this woman is poison and she really gets me pissed off...so pissed off that I donated some more money to Obama's campaign so pissed off I will be working in IN getting out the vote for the Democrats this weekend! So pissed off that I am writing this blog
So never mind miss Sarah don't you worry your pretty (and mostly empty) head about it...keep being you...I will keep being pissed off...being pissed off is a very, very good thing!!
Ever since her disastrous interview with Katie Couric, it has been interesting to listen to the myriad of opinions about her (I must admit I think Chris Rock on Larry King had my favorite comments about her) and to watch daily as she seems to prove that she may yet be an albatross around the neck of the GOP this election. They are sort of stuck...she is their girl...the handpicked (primarily for the most smarmy and cynical of political reasons) gun-toting, moose killing, lipstick wearing pit bull attack dog Annie Oakley from the west who was gonna come in and bring the win for the GOP on home. However she is turning into a bit of a one-trick pony. yes her speech at the RNC threw plenty of "red-meat" to the base, and she was able to effectively deliver a very personal (and unnecessarily snarky I might add) oration that was received well; but her interviews are quite frankly scary. The simple fact that she seems to have difficulty answering even basic questions (like what newspapers do you read) with a straight answer from a VERY gentle interviewer (Katie Couric is no Tim Russert...God I miss him!!) scares me. This woman wants to be a possible contended for the leader of the free world??? The fact that their campaign will cry foul and "sexism" when people are simply feeling out a candidate's position on the issues, and the fact that she had to be "chaperoned" by "daddy" McCain during an interview proves she is simply not ready for prime time. I think my thoughts were summed up quite well in the title of Fareed Zakaria's article in October 6 issue of Newsweek "Palin Is Ready? Please."
That is actually not my problem with Palin. ARROGANCE plain and simple is what makes me angry about this woman. What really pisses me off is that she thinks she IS READY. The level of arrogance and cluelessness you have to have to think that, despite objective facts to the contrary is simply mind blowing. She has decided she wants something that was offered to her and damn the facts, damn her lack of knowledge, damn her complete absence of curiosity about the world (she makes travel seem like it is a bad thing last time I checked if you want to potentially be the leader of the free world...maybe you should have begun to see it prior to last year...and no you do not need a trust fund or wealthy parents to find a way to travel. I too have consistently held at least one job and usually two or three since I was 15 and yet I was curious enough about the world to get a passport and find a way to go a few places without the monetary assistance of my parents) she is going to get it. she is arrogant because despite being put on the ticket SOLELY as a female "affirmative action" candidate (and here I thought the GOP was against affirmative action)...She acts as if the vice presidency is somehow owed to her. She is Arrogant because she chooses only to see her limited white, middle-class, anti-intellectual, small town, Alaskan worldview and not only declares it as being the only correct and valid one...but derides all other points of view or life experiences (this would be why she delivered such a disparaging speech at the RNC). She is arrogant because she has long history of basically eliminating people from her employ who don't share her ideas (she feels somehow above normal employment rules and common courtesy)...it is her way or the highway. This is particularly dangerous in times like these we need all heads at the table (even when they don't agree). We need to be able to say while I disagree with you on a,b and c...I think there might be some common ground on d, e and f. We need someone who is secure enough in their position and view to allow it to be challenged and if need be to have their view refined. But no, Sarah is the original "Mean Girl" (watch out Lindsay Lohan)...she must rule the roost, and have her flunkies follow her with complete submission and she is completely intent on destroying people in her way even if it takes some falsehood to do it. I would no more want this type of poison in the White house than I would want to continue the anti-intellectual, secretive, deceitful policies of the Bush Administration (but that is a post for another day)....my only solace is that as the old folks say "God don't like ugly" and one can only hope that the ugliness she has sown will come back to haunt her very soon.
Unlike a lot of people I actually think she will do well in the debate....after all she is the gregarious prom queen type and the bar is so ridiculously low for her right now as long as she breathes in and out and forms complete sentences her side will call it a win...and Joe Biden (the original "mr foot in mouth" disease) is much more likely to have a major gaffe which will be exploited ad nauseum. But no matter what she does later tonight...I truly think this woman is poison and she really gets me pissed off...so pissed off that I donated some more money to Obama's campaign so pissed off I will be working in IN getting out the vote for the Democrats this weekend! So pissed off that I am writing this blog
So never mind miss Sarah don't you worry your pretty (and mostly empty) head about it...keep being you...I will keep being pissed off...being pissed off is a very, very good thing!!
Blog-lazy
definitition: adj. describing the syndrome of lack of blog entries secondary to any of the following....work, distraction by my crazy life, general disgust at the world, spending too much time talking/yelling/screaming at the TV as unbelievable events unfold that you just simply cannot open your laptop to type...or all of the above.
Okay enough for the excuses....I will have to do better :-)
Okay enough for the excuses....I will have to do better :-)
Monday, September 15, 2008
The Great Flood of Albany Park
Some reflections on my "natural disaster" experience of the past few days.
I live in Chicago by all accounts an extremely diverse (although usually pretty segregated)city....in a wonderful neighborhood called Albany Park. Albany Park is an interesting neighborhood because of its incredible diversity. It is a port of entry for immigrants (both recent and not so recent) from all over the world. There are literally dozens of native languages spoken at the local high school. Within 5 blocks of my house I can go to 2 Koren restaurants, a half dozen Mexican restaurants, a Filipino restaurant, 6 middle eastern restaurants, 4 Chinese restaurants and a rib shack. The North branch of the Chicago river flows through the neighborhood and right next to my building. Usually it is just a slightly scenic trickle when it passes under my balcony but after 3 days of continuous rain the river was approaching a roaring rapid.
However, I never dreamed there would be a flood of minor biblical proportions in my neighborhood. Saturday afternoon around 4pm...there was about an inch of water in the storage area in the basement of the building....I figured hey my stuff is all in plastic tubs...it should be fine. Of course a mere 4 hrs later when I returned from dinner I returned to a LAKE. Water was knee deep in my front yard, a little more shallow in my back yard....and the area where my storage locker is (and unfortunately the lower level my neighbor's duplex) had about 5 feet of water. After debating (read...fighting) with Chicago's finest to actually get access to my street (which I still had to break at least 3 major traffic laws to do)...I got the lovely opportunity to wade through the water and climb the 3 flights (you will never again hear me complain about living on the 3rd floor) to my very dry home. Of course it was still raining. I went to bed thinking everything would be better in the am...WRONG! Apparently it rained ALL NIGHT! which just made things worse the next day. Eventually the worsening flood waters and rain caused the city (via the lovely reverse 911 call I received and them shutting off gas and electric) to force evacuation of the area. While it made for a sort of crazy day yesterday...I can't really complain. I was safe, everyone in my building was okay and my car avoided any water damage. The craziest thing that happened while I was out in the rain (thinking about building an ark and searching for two of every animal) was that I actually saw several fish swim by me as I was walking in the alley (yes...REAL LIVE fish who knows where they were going)...after I stopped screaming because I thought it was a rat I realized that was pretty cool.
What I was most impressed with in this crazy divisive, cynical world was that my mixed up diverse neighborhood of ethnic whites, Africans (from all parts of the diaspora), Latinos (from Mexico, the Caribbean, central and South America), Asians (from every possible country), Christians, Muslims and Jews had a spirit of helpfulness, togetherness and neighborhood spirit that transcended all the divisions apparent to the naked eye. People stayed up until all hours helping neighbors sandbag, everywhere I went people asked if I was okay and a really nice guy helped me carry things to my car.
Even though the situation was a little bleak...people worked together. People didn't focus on their differences...just on their common goals. It is my hope that we can all learn this lesson from the great flood of Albany park! :-)
I live in Chicago by all accounts an extremely diverse (although usually pretty segregated)city....in a wonderful neighborhood called Albany Park. Albany Park is an interesting neighborhood because of its incredible diversity. It is a port of entry for immigrants (both recent and not so recent) from all over the world. There are literally dozens of native languages spoken at the local high school. Within 5 blocks of my house I can go to 2 Koren restaurants, a half dozen Mexican restaurants, a Filipino restaurant, 6 middle eastern restaurants, 4 Chinese restaurants and a rib shack. The North branch of the Chicago river flows through the neighborhood and right next to my building. Usually it is just a slightly scenic trickle when it passes under my balcony but after 3 days of continuous rain the river was approaching a roaring rapid.
However, I never dreamed there would be a flood of minor biblical proportions in my neighborhood. Saturday afternoon around 4pm...there was about an inch of water in the storage area in the basement of the building....I figured hey my stuff is all in plastic tubs...it should be fine. Of course a mere 4 hrs later when I returned from dinner I returned to a LAKE. Water was knee deep in my front yard, a little more shallow in my back yard....and the area where my storage locker is (and unfortunately the lower level my neighbor's duplex) had about 5 feet of water. After debating (read...fighting) with Chicago's finest to actually get access to my street (which I still had to break at least 3 major traffic laws to do)...I got the lovely opportunity to wade through the water and climb the 3 flights (you will never again hear me complain about living on the 3rd floor) to my very dry home. Of course it was still raining. I went to bed thinking everything would be better in the am...WRONG! Apparently it rained ALL NIGHT! which just made things worse the next day. Eventually the worsening flood waters and rain caused the city (via the lovely reverse 911 call I received and them shutting off gas and electric) to force evacuation of the area. While it made for a sort of crazy day yesterday...I can't really complain. I was safe, everyone in my building was okay and my car avoided any water damage. The craziest thing that happened while I was out in the rain (thinking about building an ark and searching for two of every animal) was that I actually saw several fish swim by me as I was walking in the alley (yes...REAL LIVE fish who knows where they were going)...after I stopped screaming because I thought it was a rat I realized that was pretty cool.
What I was most impressed with in this crazy divisive, cynical world was that my mixed up diverse neighborhood of ethnic whites, Africans (from all parts of the diaspora), Latinos (from Mexico, the Caribbean, central and South America), Asians (from every possible country), Christians, Muslims and Jews had a spirit of helpfulness, togetherness and neighborhood spirit that transcended all the divisions apparent to the naked eye. People stayed up until all hours helping neighbors sandbag, everywhere I went people asked if I was okay and a really nice guy helped me carry things to my car.
Even though the situation was a little bleak...people worked together. People didn't focus on their differences...just on their common goals. It is my hope that we can all learn this lesson from the great flood of Albany park! :-)
Friday, September 5, 2008
Reflections on the RNC
Okay....I have had a few days to recover from all the noise, commentary, discussion, debate and argument around the Republican National Convention.
I am someone who firmly believes that even though you may not agree with an opinion, it is important to hear the other side. As an American I will defend to the death your ability to express yourself even if that expression makes my blood boil. So even though at times it was difficult to watch the RNC I watched (almost) the whole thing. So here's what I have to say in light of that experience:
I was completely and constantly disturbed by the lack of diversity
This was probably the thing that made the greatest impression on me, and also made the RNC extremely difficult to watch. One of the things that I liked about the DNC (besides the better music and the fact that people could actually clap and stay on beat) was that looking out across the audience was like looking at a slice of America. There were basically equal numbers of men/women (okay I know a few more women...but I digress), a sea of faces of different colors, races and backgrounds reflecting the America I see on a daily basis and know and love. Contrasting that picture to the completely homogeneous RNC was a little jarring. It was almost as if the snapshot of that convention was taken from a page in the late 50s or early 60s. The lack of people of color (only 26-30 of almost 3000 delegates were reported to be black and frankly I never saw more than about 8 people myself), women (only 33% of the delegates) and variation in socioeconomic status of the participants was simply a throwback to another generation. This is disturbing to me because to not have a full complement of "Americans" at the table as you attempt to draft an agenda to move forward denies the movement of not only this country toward a multicultural society but makes whatever platform you develop weaker in light of our increasingly diverse global world. The other things that was disturbing was that the delegates there seemed to be completely comfortable with their homogeneity. That current factor will probably keep me away from the GOP for more than a minute.
"Party of Lincoln" my ass!
Put your money where your mouth is and actual produce a party (and a platform) that reflects this sum total of the diversity of this country and maybe, just maybe I will think about listening to your vision for our nation.
Sarcasm, Superiority and Negativity were the underlying tone
While I understand that conventions are by their very nature pep rallies to energize the base, does that require you to be sarcastic, negative and belittling? I couldn't help but be offended by Sara Palin and her silly smirk as she demeaned community organizing as not a "legitimate" form of work. Sorry, last time I checked every major political reform in this country (women's suffrage, unions and the 8 hr work day, civil rights, and the list goes on and on) all came directly as a result of community organizing. But as I listened to her speech, Rudy's and others what was constant in the tone was simply that the views and experiences of Barack Obama and others in the democratic party are outside of my life, my world view so therefore they MUST be defective. Apparently the GOP didn't get the memo that "different" does not equal deficient. Also the smugness of viewpoints expressed disturbed me. All of the speakers there seemed so convinced that not only were their views right (which I expect)....but that any one who did not hold their exact same view was an idiotic moron who didn't deserve to breathe the air on this planet and of course....crime of all crimes...was somehow UNAMERICAN!
Christianity being exclusively linked to Republicans
This is probably the thing that makes me most angry. Somehow, a decade or so ago...when the democrats stopped discussing religion in the political sphere (which post Jimmy Carter was our own fault)...the Republicans hijacked religion and the religious right to win elections and bring about the "Republican Revolution" of the Regan years, and beyond. The extreme focus on narrow wedge issues that many Christian's have strong feelings about (such as Abortion and Gay rights) have been the engine that has driven the republican machine. Now never mind that as a whole many of the policies that have happened during republican administrations have a decidely un-Christian bent. These policies have increased the divide between the rich and the poor; driven jobs out of this country and overseas, started premptive wars, led to famine, disease and death in our country (have a chat with folks in New Orleans if you don't believe this one). To me this goes against the helping "the least of these" that we are commissioned by the gospel to help. As a Christian, I simply cannot support a party that feels that way. I resent the message seemingly at the undercurrent of the RNC that "good" Christians are ONLY found in the Republican party.
Well those are my thoughts now....stay tuned for more as this race progresses. Buckle your seat belts kids...it is gonna be a wild two months!!!
I am someone who firmly believes that even though you may not agree with an opinion, it is important to hear the other side. As an American I will defend to the death your ability to express yourself even if that expression makes my blood boil. So even though at times it was difficult to watch the RNC I watched (almost) the whole thing. So here's what I have to say in light of that experience:
I was completely and constantly disturbed by the lack of diversity
This was probably the thing that made the greatest impression on me, and also made the RNC extremely difficult to watch. One of the things that I liked about the DNC (besides the better music and the fact that people could actually clap and stay on beat) was that looking out across the audience was like looking at a slice of America. There were basically equal numbers of men/women (okay I know a few more women...but I digress), a sea of faces of different colors, races and backgrounds reflecting the America I see on a daily basis and know and love. Contrasting that picture to the completely homogeneous RNC was a little jarring. It was almost as if the snapshot of that convention was taken from a page in the late 50s or early 60s. The lack of people of color (only 26-30 of almost 3000 delegates were reported to be black and frankly I never saw more than about 8 people myself), women (only 33% of the delegates) and variation in socioeconomic status of the participants was simply a throwback to another generation. This is disturbing to me because to not have a full complement of "Americans" at the table as you attempt to draft an agenda to move forward denies the movement of not only this country toward a multicultural society but makes whatever platform you develop weaker in light of our increasingly diverse global world. The other things that was disturbing was that the delegates there seemed to be completely comfortable with their homogeneity. That current factor will probably keep me away from the GOP for more than a minute.
"Party of Lincoln" my ass!
Put your money where your mouth is and actual produce a party (and a platform) that reflects this sum total of the diversity of this country and maybe, just maybe I will think about listening to your vision for our nation.
Sarcasm, Superiority and Negativity were the underlying tone
While I understand that conventions are by their very nature pep rallies to energize the base, does that require you to be sarcastic, negative and belittling? I couldn't help but be offended by Sara Palin and her silly smirk as she demeaned community organizing as not a "legitimate" form of work. Sorry, last time I checked every major political reform in this country (women's suffrage, unions and the 8 hr work day, civil rights, and the list goes on and on) all came directly as a result of community organizing. But as I listened to her speech, Rudy's and others what was constant in the tone was simply that the views and experiences of Barack Obama and others in the democratic party are outside of my life, my world view so therefore they MUST be defective. Apparently the GOP didn't get the memo that "different" does not equal deficient. Also the smugness of viewpoints expressed disturbed me. All of the speakers there seemed so convinced that not only were their views right (which I expect)....but that any one who did not hold their exact same view was an idiotic moron who didn't deserve to breathe the air on this planet and of course....crime of all crimes...was somehow UNAMERICAN!
Christianity being exclusively linked to Republicans
This is probably the thing that makes me most angry. Somehow, a decade or so ago...when the democrats stopped discussing religion in the political sphere (which post Jimmy Carter was our own fault)...the Republicans hijacked religion and the religious right to win elections and bring about the "Republican Revolution" of the Regan years, and beyond. The extreme focus on narrow wedge issues that many Christian's have strong feelings about (such as Abortion and Gay rights) have been the engine that has driven the republican machine. Now never mind that as a whole many of the policies that have happened during republican administrations have a decidely un-Christian bent. These policies have increased the divide between the rich and the poor; driven jobs out of this country and overseas, started premptive wars, led to famine, disease and death in our country (have a chat with folks in New Orleans if you don't believe this one). To me this goes against the helping "the least of these" that we are commissioned by the gospel to help. As a Christian, I simply cannot support a party that feels that way. I resent the message seemingly at the undercurrent of the RNC that "good" Christians are ONLY found in the Republican party.
Well those are my thoughts now....stay tuned for more as this race progresses. Buckle your seat belts kids...it is gonna be a wild two months!!!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Sex, Race and random Baby mamas
I missed posting the last few days...probably because I have been spending so much time reading other blogs and keeping up with the ever changing information since the Palin VP pick and the start of the RNC. So I will try to offer my thoughts on the events of the past few days
First with regard to Palin's pick....okay that came outta nowhere. Props to Johnny Mac for the gangster move to steal Barack's thunder and convention bounce. That was a seriously strong political move...and now the compliments end.
How cynical and contrived a ploy is it to basically pick someone SIMPLY because she is a conservative woman. Women are not all interchangeable. To think that Ms. Palin (with her HIGHLY conservative, lack of national experience self) could somehow be a good alternative for Hillary Clinton supporters is seriously off. Anyone who think that these two have ANYTHING in common besides breasts and a vajayjay needs to get off the crack pipe they must be smoking. And to hear the republicans tout her "executive experience" makes me vomit in my mouth just a little bit. I mean she was mayor of a town of under 7,000. I know people who have run social organizations and clubs bigger than that. And she is governor of a state with less than 750,000 people. I mean there are fewer people in Alaska than on the south side of Chicago. While I'm sure she has some skills...let's not try and put lipstick on a pig or make a mountain out of a molehill. How can you desire to be the VP (who I am still not sure she knows what the job description entails) and a heartbeat (a weak questionable, multiple cancer survivor, former POW, 72yr old heartbeat at that) away from being the leader of the free world and you just got a passport last year and have only been to two other countries!!!??? Not to mention you have a relationship with an organization that was seriously advocating for Alaska ceding from the union (BTW didn't we fight this battle long ago). I mean SERIOUSLY is this the best and brightest the Republican's have to offer. You mean to tell me you passed over all the other qualified women like Olympia Snowden, Liddy Dole, Kay Bailey Hutchenson for this amateur. If I was a Republican woman...especially one who had held offices and been working for the party for all this time I WOULD BE PISSED!!!
And then there is the drama...how is it that this woman was the VP pick for less than 48hrs before the scandals started to break fast and furious around her and her family. Questions of her personal ethics with so called "troopergate", questions about her youngest child and her pregnant 17yr old with "Babygate"...and God only knows what else is coming. Clearly the vetting process (nonexistent as it now seem to have been) went horribly awry. I will let the investigative types deal with trooper gate and I don't want to pick on an innocent 17yr old but I will say this. The fact that supposedly John McCain knew about the daughter's pregnancy and still offered the position and more importantly the fact that Sarah Palin accepted the position knowing how that was going to completely screw with her daughter's life and privacy during this difficult time tells me all I need to know about these disgusting excuses for human beings. Any mother especially who willingly puts her own child who she claims to love in this type of no-win situation is a monster. How blind with ambition do you have to be to throw your own daughter, future son-in-law and grandchild under the bus like that. Sometimes the best answer is a simple thanks (for the offer of the job) but no thanks (I have too much on me and my family's plate now).
I especially love the hypocrisy of the hard core republicans. The same people who deride inner-city (read Black and Latino) youth for their lack of morals, judgement and intelligence for having children out of wedlock are now rallying behind Bristol Palin as a good kid who made an honest mistake and needs to be supported for her wonderful choice for deciding to bring the baby in to the world. We all know if Malia Obama was 17 and pregnant that Barack and Michelle would be toast...people would declare them unfit parents and thus unfit to lead and they would secretly say that is what happens to "those people" and in general ascribe that individual failure to the entire black race. Racial politics aside, what I hate the most is that the RNC and its cronies have turned this baby mama drama into a kindling to reignite the culture wars. Sarah and Bristol Palin are the new champions and symbols of the "pro-Life" movement. Funny I don't ever see these same people championing the teen mother's in Harlem or on the South Side of Chicago the same way. I don't see them rushing to offer them care and support. Could it be that the only lives that matter in the supposed "Pro-Life" movement are ones that are white? And how about as a party having republicans support policies that support life on the other side of the birth canal and deal with issues that address poverty, crime, hunger, housing and continued discrimination. I am a christian. I am pro-choice. (yes we are out here) I personally believe that abortion is wrong. BUT I also believe that it would be a colossal mistake to make it illegal. You cant reduce, control or keep safe what is underground. I believe we should all work to have abortion be legal safe and EXTREMELY rare. Most importantly I believe that we need to put more energy not into changing the laws around abortion but rather in changing the attitudes and circumstances that cause people to be in positions where that is something they are ever considering in the first place.
In general these wedge issues really tick me off. I am much more concerned about our economy, the lack of a decent health care system, the millions of uninsured, the collapse of the housing market, gas that will be $5 soon, ending the war in Iraq, keeping this country safe, finding Osama Bin laden, stabilizing Afghanistan, renewing our standing in the world, climate change,...and the list goes on and on. Instead of trotting out the same stale issues every 4 years (Abortion, gay marriage, patriotism, et al) and claiming that one party (the Republicans) are on the "right" side of the issue and therefore deserve to win compared to those people who are on the "left" side of the issue who will destroy your family, country and faith....instead of demonizing the brown baby mama's and praising the white ones....instead of pandering to people's fear and love of a woman (any woman) in office: could we please just think and for once use our head and vote on the issues at stake...not just the things people want you to fear or blindly rally behind in an emotional frenzy
First with regard to Palin's pick....okay that came outta nowhere. Props to Johnny Mac for the gangster move to steal Barack's thunder and convention bounce. That was a seriously strong political move...and now the compliments end.
How cynical and contrived a ploy is it to basically pick someone SIMPLY because she is a conservative woman. Women are not all interchangeable. To think that Ms. Palin (with her HIGHLY conservative, lack of national experience self) could somehow be a good alternative for Hillary Clinton supporters is seriously off. Anyone who think that these two have ANYTHING in common besides breasts and a vajayjay needs to get off the crack pipe they must be smoking. And to hear the republicans tout her "executive experience" makes me vomit in my mouth just a little bit. I mean she was mayor of a town of under 7,000. I know people who have run social organizations and clubs bigger than that. And she is governor of a state with less than 750,000 people. I mean there are fewer people in Alaska than on the south side of Chicago. While I'm sure she has some skills...let's not try and put lipstick on a pig or make a mountain out of a molehill. How can you desire to be the VP (who I am still not sure she knows what the job description entails) and a heartbeat (a weak questionable, multiple cancer survivor, former POW, 72yr old heartbeat at that) away from being the leader of the free world and you just got a passport last year and have only been to two other countries!!!??? Not to mention you have a relationship with an organization that was seriously advocating for Alaska ceding from the union (BTW didn't we fight this battle long ago). I mean SERIOUSLY is this the best and brightest the Republican's have to offer. You mean to tell me you passed over all the other qualified women like Olympia Snowden, Liddy Dole, Kay Bailey Hutchenson for this amateur. If I was a Republican woman...especially one who had held offices and been working for the party for all this time I WOULD BE PISSED!!!
And then there is the drama...how is it that this woman was the VP pick for less than 48hrs before the scandals started to break fast and furious around her and her family. Questions of her personal ethics with so called "troopergate", questions about her youngest child and her pregnant 17yr old with "Babygate"...and God only knows what else is coming. Clearly the vetting process (nonexistent as it now seem to have been) went horribly awry. I will let the investigative types deal with trooper gate and I don't want to pick on an innocent 17yr old but I will say this. The fact that supposedly John McCain knew about the daughter's pregnancy and still offered the position and more importantly the fact that Sarah Palin accepted the position knowing how that was going to completely screw with her daughter's life and privacy during this difficult time tells me all I need to know about these disgusting excuses for human beings. Any mother especially who willingly puts her own child who she claims to love in this type of no-win situation is a monster. How blind with ambition do you have to be to throw your own daughter, future son-in-law and grandchild under the bus like that. Sometimes the best answer is a simple thanks (for the offer of the job) but no thanks (I have too much on me and my family's plate now).
I especially love the hypocrisy of the hard core republicans. The same people who deride inner-city (read Black and Latino) youth for their lack of morals, judgement and intelligence for having children out of wedlock are now rallying behind Bristol Palin as a good kid who made an honest mistake and needs to be supported for her wonderful choice for deciding to bring the baby in to the world. We all know if Malia Obama was 17 and pregnant that Barack and Michelle would be toast...people would declare them unfit parents and thus unfit to lead and they would secretly say that is what happens to "those people" and in general ascribe that individual failure to the entire black race. Racial politics aside, what I hate the most is that the RNC and its cronies have turned this baby mama drama into a kindling to reignite the culture wars. Sarah and Bristol Palin are the new champions and symbols of the "pro-Life" movement. Funny I don't ever see these same people championing the teen mother's in Harlem or on the South Side of Chicago the same way. I don't see them rushing to offer them care and support. Could it be that the only lives that matter in the supposed "Pro-Life" movement are ones that are white? And how about as a party having republicans support policies that support life on the other side of the birth canal and deal with issues that address poverty, crime, hunger, housing and continued discrimination. I am a christian. I am pro-choice. (yes we are out here) I personally believe that abortion is wrong. BUT I also believe that it would be a colossal mistake to make it illegal. You cant reduce, control or keep safe what is underground. I believe we should all work to have abortion be legal safe and EXTREMELY rare. Most importantly I believe that we need to put more energy not into changing the laws around abortion but rather in changing the attitudes and circumstances that cause people to be in positions where that is something they are ever considering in the first place.
In general these wedge issues really tick me off. I am much more concerned about our economy, the lack of a decent health care system, the millions of uninsured, the collapse of the housing market, gas that will be $5 soon, ending the war in Iraq, keeping this country safe, finding Osama Bin laden, stabilizing Afghanistan, renewing our standing in the world, climate change,...and the list goes on and on. Instead of trotting out the same stale issues every 4 years (Abortion, gay marriage, patriotism, et al) and claiming that one party (the Republicans) are on the "right" side of the issue and therefore deserve to win compared to those people who are on the "left" side of the issue who will destroy your family, country and faith....instead of demonizing the brown baby mama's and praising the white ones....instead of pandering to people's fear and love of a woman (any woman) in office: could we please just think and for once use our head and vote on the issues at stake...not just the things people want you to fear or blindly rally behind in an emotional frenzy
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