Monday, September 22, 2008

McCainomics, part 2

Paul Krugman points out this incredible statement from McCain, published in a current magazine, in relation to the issue of his health plan:

"Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

This in conjunction with the Wall Street/banking meltdown and his conflicting (by the hour) statements is just more proof of McCain's utter unreliability on the economy.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

What about me what?

Sarah Palin commented on what a Palin/McCain administration will do in the White House. I'm sorry, who's running for president? Oops.

Which Rapids are you in? Don't get out of Alaska much, do ya?

Someone needs to tell them that Palin Power has been grossly overshadowed by silly things like the economy and as soon as she opens her mouth, there's a drop in confidence of her ability as VP and possibly (God forbid) president.

How about Trooper-Gate? First Dude (as he's been called) refuses to testify and it looks like the kabosh is almost complete on this.

What does it tell us?

That McCain and Palin are not above the usual Bush-like political games to stifle the truth from coming out. Welcome to Bush III.

John McCain, in an interview with an affiliate of Spain's Union Radio, when asked about meeting with the prime minister of Spain, said he'd be happy to meet with anyone in Latin America and the region. This is the article from US News & World Report.

Further, when the interviewer said, But what about Spain, I'm talking about the prime minister of Spain, John's response was "What about me what?"

Did you know Spain (a NATO ally) is an adversary of ours? According to the McCain campaign they are.

Uh-huh. This is a man that is completely confused about who's where and where's where and he's been banking on his foreign policy experience.

Can I get another uh-huh? Amen.

Hey John, no president can fire the, uh, FCC chairman.

What does it say when Chuck Hagel, Republican from Nebraska, comments on Palin's lack of experience?

We want these people running the country?

Nope.

This is just too much to believe. You can't make this stuff up. Luckily we have Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann to help us sort it all out.

I wonder what other countries' residents think of us now?


Ed

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Walter Monegan was fired because...

A. He wouldn't fired Sarah's brother in law.

B. He tried getting federal funds to fight against rape in Alaska, the number one state in the country for rape.

C. He was insubordinate regarding budget issues.

The answer is...

B. Yes, today, Sarah admitted that she fired Monegan because he wanted federal funds to fight rape. You read that right. No, you're not on The Onion's website, nor is this The Daily Show website. This is not a joke.

This is the article from The Muckraker discussing what went on.

Sarah Palin (she of the female gender who believed because she was now on McCain's ticket all the Hillary followers would turn to McCain) charged rape victims for rape kits. Got that? A woman gets raped in Alaska and she must pay to get tested for DNA. Charge the victim? Isn't there something VERY wrong with that?

Do we really want her a "heartbeat" away from the presidency?

Nope. Not me. Not now. Not ever.


Ed

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

McCainomics, part 1

Lipstick and pigs aside, the real issues of this election need to be brought to the forefront of the discussion--and to the public's mind. Foreign policy, national security, energy independence, climate change and a myriad of serious issues facing the country all come to mind. And of course, health care and tax policy. As proven over the last couple of weeks the McCain campaign cannot win on the issues and is running on the politics of distraction. What should be important to all Americans are the radical changes that a McCain-Palin administration would bring to the country. Bob Herbert, in today's New York Times addresses the issue of McCain's tax policy and how it would effect, quite disastrously, millions of Americans who have employer based coverage. In short, his proposals would consider these health plans as income and tax employees who have them. This from a man who believes that capital gains taxes should be lowered and those who gain that kind of unearned income should, in effect, pay less than those with earned income (ie. from actual work). Of course, this is all part of a plan to move Americans from employer based health care to the private marketplace which, according to the authors of the study that Herbert cites in his piece would, "tend to raise costs, reduce the generosity of benefits, and leave people with fewer consumer protections."

The simple sound bite of this should be that McCain is going to raise taxes. And of course, the underlying reason for this is his proposed movement to marketplace insurance and a radical change in the insurance system. Certainly, this is change we DON'T need from 'mavericks' who subscribe to the traditional Republican right-wing ideology.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

News Flash: McCain is running for president

Contrary to popular entertainment and culture, it is John McCain, not Sarah Palin, running for president. John, who turned 72 this year, may be concerned about his health and therefore found a VP who is farther right than he is to carry on the Bush legacy should anything happen to him.

The truth seems to be that in this entertainment society we live in, the plights of a hockey mom turned politician captures more of our attention than the economy, Iraq, healthcare...you know, the issues that really affect us that the two candiates should be talking about.

Ed

White Privilege (Republican Style)

Just in case you're wondering what white entitlement is, as applied to Republicans it's this:

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/contributors/1755

Ed

Truthiness, part 1

The Nation has put together this video delineating some of the McCain campaign's most egregious advertising lies. (This post is part 1 of probably many because the concept of truth is one that is certainly not respected by the McCain campaign at all this year).

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080929/adlies_video

Friday, September 12, 2008

Know the Facts

www.factcheck.org

Just a friendly reminder to always be informed.

Ed

The Palin Interview

I try to be unbiased. I don't try very hard, but I like to think I give people the benefit of the doubt. For the most part.

I watched the Gibson/Palin interviews and what struck me is that Sarah seemed to be repeating what she had been coached/prepped to say in response to questions without actually offering a single original thought. She never got mad because perhaps she was repeating what someone told her to say in answer to the questions and how could she get mad at that?. "If they bring up the bridge, just say that once congress pulled the plug you had to decide that it was time to let that project go."

Okay, if this wasn't the case, why did Gibson have to ask her three times about changing from the Bush economy and another three times on the bridge to nowhere? She had nothing to offer except Republican rhetoric. Her answers to the Bridge to Nowhere show that she doesn't even understand the question.

Offering up "I believe every woman should have the right to choose" and then saying she wants to create a "culture of life" suggests that she believes what's good for her is good for all. And explain how a culture of life includes guns. She is pro-gun/pro-NRA. I have an issue with being pro-gun (do guns kill or do people kill?) and wanting a culture of life.

Obviously, her stance on wildlife and the environment demonstrates that her culture of life only extends to humans and possibly, maybe to animals so long as they aren't in her way or on her dinner menu.

It might be apparent at this point that I will not be voting for the Republicans. If they ever stood for something I agreed with, I'd consider it. But under the circumstances of McCain wanting to continue four more years of Bush doctrine, there's no way I'm going to.

Have you gone to www.ontheissues.org? Go there and read up to see what ol' Johnny really wants.

Have a blessed day.

Ed

Thursday, September 11, 2008

A Place to Celebrate

This morning, I took a moment to remember the events of September 11, 2001 and what those people in the planes and in the buildings must've experienced. I said a prayer for them all and prayed that one day soon we would all live in peace.

Until we end war we will never find peace.

Until the wounded egos of those with power are healed so that they find peace within themselves and can thus allow others to live as they choose, there will be war.

Until we stop recognizing the differences that divide us as "a colorful rag is unfurled" before recognizing the oneness we all share as part of the human race we will never find peace.

Now is the time to put aside our fears, our hatreds and reach out to one another and live in peace and live from love.

You may say I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only.


Until we meet again
Ed Straker

The Veil of Deception

It turns out, if you live close enough to another country (so close that you can even see it from some remote island), it qualifies you in the category of foreign policy.

Are we on a mission from God? Sarah Palin said yes, then she said no, then she said she doesn't presume to know what God's plan is, only that we're a part of it. What?

Wanna bridge to nowhere? Sarah's going around using the same speech she used at the RNC, saying she said thanks but no thanks to the bridge.

Well, she's right. She said thanks, we'll take the money and build the bridge, but after second thoughts and other issues, she said no thank you, but we'll keep the money.

Weren't the Republicans the "Family Values" party? Since when did marrying off your unwed pregnant 17-year-old daughter become part of American family values?

Could someone tell Sarah that the Pledge of Allegiance wasn't around for the Founding Fathers. She said if it's good enough for the Founding Fathers then it's good enough for her.

I'm not one to pick on gender, but if the self-proclaimed pitbull with lipstick, she nicknamed Sarah Barracuda, can't take the heat of the political ring, she should step out now. Anyone who plays the "Oh, she's just a sweet hockey mom that the media keeps picking on" card is a bit out of touch with reality. She is attempting to become the first woman vice president. That qualifies her to be placed under the scrutiny of the media and everyone else in this country trying to make an informed decision.

As far as being able to make an informed decision...

Barack says McCain's economic plan is like putting lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig.

So why are the Republicans asking Barack for an apology? Why are the Republicans calling Sarah a pig?

I know why. It's the usual political deception to get Barack (and the rest of us) off the issues because simply put, the Republicans have nothing to stand on. While McCain touted his 20 years of experience, the last 8 of those agreeing and supporting W., he's now claiming he and Sarah are the party of mavericks, bringing change to Washington.

Fascinating, Captain.

Until next time...

Ed Straker