6% Is a Lot: Obama Must Go After Nader

That there is a chunk of voters Obama could seriously tap into and in Harrogate's opinion, at no risk with the centrists he is courting.

We've already seen the results of Nader wreaking havoc in New Hampshire. Harrogate likes to call it "8 years of George W. Bush." But look at the Michigan numbers!

It's simple. Say Ralph Nader's name. Attack Nader specifically by agreeing with him.

Poor Little Rich Girl

Speaking of working mothers...



Like Angelina Jolie, Michelle Williams is feeling a bit overwhelmed these days. It seems that single motherhood and a busy work schedule are wearing on her, and she needs a break. So, Michelle, who "stopped feeling creative a while ago," plans to "take a year off"--she hope to develop a hobby, like embroidery, and to "daydream."

I wish that the press wouldn't bother us with stories like this. Yes, Michelle has had to deal with Heath Ledger's death and the responsibility of raising their daughter on her own. This is very sad. However, I don't want to hear about her plans to take a year-long vacation because the stress of work and raising her child are getting to her.

Most working mothers' idea of a break from their everyday responsibilities involves a bath or a movie or a night out with their girlfriends or their significant other. So, please spare me the complaints of the rich and famous and their plans to take a year or so off of working. We should all be so lucky.

Obama Campaign: McCain is "cynically running the sleaziest and least honorable campaign in modern presidential campaign history"

Yep. And since this will only become truer and truer in the coming weeks, it will need to be said more and more.

Yes, it Has Come to This: Harrogate Takes A Page from LBJ; Or, a Response to Solon's Black Hole Post

Except that unlike the purpose of Johnson's draconian anti-Goldwater Ad, Harrogate posts this not to persuade viewers to do anything more than, perhaps, join him in saying:

Sigh.

Roe Roe Roe Your Boat

Again, it is important that Americans not allow Abortion Rights to be a sleeper issue in this election. This election is likely the Climax, so far as Roe v Wade is concerned. This is what the Palin pick was about. McCain sent his signal loud and clear that Abortion Rights would be kneecapped under his administration.

If this is what Americans are ready to do, then that is one thing. Harrogate will still be horrified at it, as he hates the idea of civil liberties being put to a vote in individual states. He thought that was what the Bill of Rights was for.

But then again, not everyone sees Abortion as a civil liberties or as a womens' rights issue. Some see it as a murder issue.

And so back to the point. If Americans are ready to see Roe overturned, and to see this issue thrown to the States. We are talking State-By-State Warfare here. Violence highly likely. But if the country is ready for it, then that is one thing.

But if the Plurality is not ready for it. If instead the Plurality is Pro-Choice, but not single-issue zealots in the ballot box. Then we have a real Breakdown in our System coming.

See Pat Buchanan's recent article. This sums it up. Ole Pat wants Roe overturned and all Abortion criminalized. Despite, or perhaps even because of this bias, his description of what this election means for Abortion Rights, is clear and true.

A final word on this. Oh the irony, Sarah Palin is attracting Independent Women voters in droves, according to every poll out there. And most of the Women polled in those Polls, say they are Pro-Choice but do not care, because they just admire Sarah Palin so damned much. And so. A charming woman, Palin. Pretty, and indeed "likeable enough," as the saying goes. In other words the Perfect Weapon against womens' rights.

Someone explain to Harrogate again how Sarah Palin is not the most Just Punishment Imaginable, for Liberal America and It's Fetish for Identity Politics.

God exists, has a twisted sense of humor, and sometimes pays attention to American politics. Sarah Palin and her impact on this election proves it.

Dishonorable Mention

John McCain has a serious problem. Each day McCain presents the American public with a new lie. Here are the current flat-out lies presented to the American people that were exposed to day:

Claim: McCain states 23,000 people show up to his rallies. Reality:Bloomburg news says that number cannot be confirmed and, in reality, is much lower.

Claim: Sarah Palin has been to Iraq. Reality: according to The Boston Globe, she has not.

This is on top of the Censorship, the Earmarks, and The Bridge to Nowhere. Classy Campaign McCain.

Thought You Should Know

There's a Notre Dame football player named Golden Tate. No, it's not actually Golden Taint, but the announcers sure like saying it as if it were.

Apparently . . .

there are multiple versions of the "Bush Doctrine," which means that Sarah Palin isn't such an idiot after all.

Wait, I'm sorry. In fact, it does mean she is an idiot, just as this article in the Washington Post signals that many of Bush's employees are also idiots. Ok, Bush may have more than one policy in place. But every single person watching Palin's interview with Charles Gibson (can I say as an aside that I found it incredibly patronizing that she kept calling him "Charlie?") knew what doctrine Gibson was referring too--yes, that would be the doctrine to unilaterally spread democracy to "undemocratic" countries.

Saturday Music Tribute; Or, No Scorpions, Please!

Why John McCain is unfit for Office

He selected someone as VP who openly believes in censorship. Worse, the censorship in question stems from her religious beliefs. The McCain campaign is now acknowledging the incident though it is attempting to define the action narrowly. According to McCain, she who shall not be named, never asked to ban the books just inquired about the possibility:

Taylor Griffin, a spokesman for the McCain campaign, said Thursday that Palin asked the head librarian, Mary Ellen Emmons, on three occasions how she would react to attempts at banning books. He said the questions, in the fall of 1996, were hypothetical and entirely appropriate. He said a patron had asked the library to remove a title the year before and the mayor wanted to understand how such disputes were handled.

Records on the city's Web site, however, do not show any books were challenged in Wasilla in the 10 years before Palin took office.

Palin notified Emmons she would be fired in January 1997 because the mayor didn't feel she had the librarian's "full support." Emmons was reinstated the next day after public outcry, according to newspaper reports at the time.

Still, one longtime library staffer recalls that the run-in made everyone fear for their jobs.

"Mayor Palin gave us some terrible moments and some rather gut-wrenching moments, particularly when Mary Ellen said she was going to have to leave," said Cathy Petrie, who managed the children's collection at the time.

Recent outrage has been fueled by Wasilla housewife Anne Kilkenny, whose 2,400-word critique of Palin's legacy as mayor is widely posted on the Internet. Kilkenny described Palin's actions as "out-and-out censorship."

But the McCain campaign, in a statement, said the charge "is categorically false ... Governor Sarah Palin has never asked anyone to ban a book, period."

Emmons, a former Alaska Library Association president who now goes by Mary Ellen Baker, did not return calls seeking comment.

According to the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman newspaper, Emmons did not mince words when Palin asked her "how I would deal with her saying a book can't be in the library" on Oct. 28, 1996, in a week when the mayor had asked department heads for letters of resignation.

When public officials desire to ban books, they lack the judgment necessary to serve in office.

Thesis Statement: "What's Happening" Was a Great Television Show

Topic Sentence #1: The Opening Theme Was Sublime

Dueling Elections

As I struggle to stay abreast of the election happenings in the U.S., I'm also trying to figure out the Canadian system. Canada is also in the midst of an election, and unlike in the U.S., Canadian elections for Prime Minister are not preceded by a lengthy primary season. I admittedly know very little about Canadian politics and what I do know comes primarily from conversations with individuals I've met at CU Land, most of whom hold views very similar to my own.

Steven Harper, the current Prime Minister, is running for re-election, and he's been bombarding the airwaves with ads that don't say much about the issues. In fact, I don't think a single ad I've seen (and I've seen at least 5) mentions a single issue other than the economy. He seems to be taking his cues from his fellow conservatives in the U.S. and is running his campaign primarily on his identity. Here's an ad that, at least in my opinion, doesn't say much about his ability to improve Canada.

Gasoline: A Musical Tribute

Here's a little something from Sheryl Crow to reiterate the recently returned Paperweight's earlier post.

So Yeah

An almost $2.00 increase in gas prices overnight--I could use some lubricant please! Damn storm and big oil!

The President and Rhetorical Agency

This quote from the Service Forum should be enough to disqualify McCain as president:

“Second of all, I think the tone of this whole campaign would’ve been very different if Sen. Obama had accepted my request for us to appear at town hall meetings all over America.”

Translation- it is the fault of Senator Obama that I need to lie throughout the campaign because he ignored me. I cannot be expected to be accountable for me words if Senator Obama will ignore me and address the American people. I cannot discuss the most important issue of the day is no one will hear me.

Happy Birthday, Solon!

Lost in a Blizzard of Words...

That sums it up...

Mimesis: A Copy of a Copy of a Copy

Throughout his dialogues, Plato hates the poets because of mimesis: the repetition of thoughts without critical analysis. Well, for a long time I thought Plato referred to the poets. Tonight, I now know Plato wrote about Sarah Palin's first interview.

The transcript to the interview is now available. If you enjoy war with a side a war and, for dessert, war, she will represent you well.

Maybe it is not too hard fighting a four front war. Even though it has not been done before, I think the U.S. can handle it if it is G-D's plan.

Lies, War, and G-d. That's what we'll get with McCain. And, "I was a POW."

Humor, and alcohol, is necessary at this point. I give you Monty Python, "Spam."

This is what democracy looks like

Republicans in Michigan plan on challenging who can vote on election day, which really is no surprise to anyone who lives in the country. Of course, their method is far beyond unethical [really, there is no word to describe this move. It is just another literacy test or moral character qualification]:

The chairman of the Republican Party in Macomb County Michigan, a key swing county in a key swing state, is planning to use a list of foreclosed homes to block people from voting in the upcoming election as part of the state GOP’s effort to challenge some voters on Election Day.

“We will have a list of foreclosed homes and will make sure people aren’t voting from those addresses,” party chairman James Carabelli told Michigan Messenger in a telephone interview earlier this week. He said the local party wanted to make sure that proper electoral procedures were followed.

I probably cannot express how much I despise this tactic right now. We are told this is the most important election and this is how the Republicans in Michigan treat voters.

Oh, I forgot, those who would most likely not be able to vote because of a foreclosure would not vote for Republicans.

The Macomb GOP’s plans are another indication of how John McCain’s campaign stands to benefit from the burgeoning number of foreclosures in the state. McCain’s regional headquarters are housed in the office building of foreclosure specialists Trott & Trott. The firm’s founder, David A. Trott, has raised between $100,000 and $250,000 for the Republican nominee.

The Macomb County party’s plans to challenge voters who have defaulted on their house payments is likely to disproportionately affect African-Americans who are overwhelmingly Democratic voters. More than 60 percent of all sub-prime loans — the most likely kind of loan to go into default — were made to African-Americans in Michigan, according to a report issued last year by the state’s Department of Labor and Economic Growth.

Is it legal? Possibly though it is as unethical as lying to get the country in a war.

One expert questioned the legality of the tactic.

“You can’t challenge people without a factual basis for doing so,” said J. Gerald Hebert, a former voting rights litigator for the U.S. Justice Department who now runs the Campaign Legal Center, a Washington D.C.-based public-interest law firm. “I don’t think a foreclosure notice is sufficient basis for a challenge, because people often remain in their homes after foreclosure begins and sometimes are able to negotiate and refinance.”

As for the practice of challenging the right to vote of foreclosed property owners, Hebert called it, “mean-spirited.”

In a close race, denying these citizens their right to vote can swing the election. The article notes that Republicans will try this tactic in Ohio as well. Even if they just challenge voters, which slows down the process, it could prevent people from voting. Inner-cities are notorious for having outdated machines while suburbs have plush machines that are fast and work correctly.

This must be stopped. Republicans are morally and intellectually unfit to govern.

Working Mothers I Admire, Book 1

Here's the theory:
The polarity of the current campaign has split everything in twain. As Harrogate reminded us earlier today, there are multiple "third parties," and their voters, who can still be satisfied by compassionate inclusion of their concerns into public debate. We have a bad habit of roughly halving all we're offered.

It isn't "us vs them."
There are more options than choosing between my proscribed path and the highway.
It never was Blur vs Oasis as the future of Britpop after all.
You don't have to be a T-guy or an A-guy; I know someone who likes feet in pies, for the love of Pete.
It's not paper or plastic. It could be both! For, like, I guess, big milk! Or several pre-wino-ed 40s. Or spend money to buy a reusable cloth bag not even big enough for milk! (God, who does that? Really?)

One bizarre side-effect--one that even seems to have infected this blog at times-- is the amazing pretense that two women ever have managed to:
A) own one (1) vagina
B) squeeze an infant out of said vagina.
C) be successful/important/notable

I would like to even hold up for consideration that the two women held up as paragons of A+B+C aren't even anywhere near ideal examples.

So,

Here's the proposal:

Let's do this call and response style and really use the commentary area. Who do you think of when you imagine both a successful mother AND a mother of import? Let's really tally here.

Suggested guidelines:
1-Ignore Palin and Clinton for now.
2-You (or your wives) are givens. No nepotism.
3- Same thing with your moms. You should have said it on her birthday; not here.
4- Eve, Mary, etc. Yeah, I get it. Move on.

I'll lead:
Benazir Bhutto