My Official Endorsement

I thought it would be fitting that since this is my 100th blog, I would offer my official endorsement for President of the United States. I realize it's a little late and hundreds or even thousands of you have been anxiously awaiting this, so here it is: Barack Obama.

1) A fresh face. Cool, calculating and very smart. All this talk about 'socialism' is pure crap. He's going to be the president-not a dictator. If you're worried about too much government, worry about Congress-not the president. He can, however, do two important things:
Hand Iraq back to the Iraqi people; restore some sanity to the Supreme Court. That's enough for me.

2) These past few weeks have shown a side of John McCain that is very ugly. We don't want this guy in the oval office. I honestly believe he's a little unbalanced.

3) Do I need to say anything about Sarah Palin? She's the GOP's rendition of Joke of the Week! Go back to Alaska with your $150,000 wardrobe and shoot a moose (sorry, moose).

Two Things That Ticked Me Off Today!

1) Today started out very well until I got to McDonald's. The lady waiting on me spoke no English and had the nerve to get mad at ME for constantly asking her to repeat herself! You have no idea how long it took me to get across to her that I wanted Equal with my coffee. Sad situation.
2) On the Today show this morning there was a short clip of Liberal Democrat Barney Frank stating that he planned to introduce legislation that would limit how much money a person on Wall Street could make. I am absolutely not a conservative Republican but this guy is nuts. What right does the government have telling people how much they can make? None. He's the kind of Congressman that gives the Democratic Party its reputation.

A Moment of Silence If You Please

With this blog piece I call upon all Americans to bow their heads for a moment of silence. Why, you ask? Well as evidenced by this morning's appearance on Meet the Press, John McCain has completely lost whatever semblance of sanity he ever had. His appearance was marked by a complete loss of contact with reality-the very definition of insanity. Certainly there are other examples. One would be his decision to take the so-called straight talk express and run it into the gutter where he commenced to spend the rest of his campaign slinging mud & embracing the tactics of Karl Rove-the man who brought us Junior. Another example and the defining moment of course was his nomination of air-head Palin whereby he attempted to convince us that should he be elected President and subsequently croak, the next most qualified person in the Republican Party to be the President of the United States was her! That alone should have been enough to clinch it. Yes, my friends (to borrow a badly overused phrase), tis a sad day, indeed.

More Must Reading

Check it out. Do we want to run the risk of this person possibly being in the Oval Office some day??
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/25/mccain-aide-palin-going-rogue/

Who's Better At Math?

I just finished reading an article by the science editor of Newsweek magazine. She was responding to a statement she overheard a teacher make at some sort of gathering. It was this teacher’s view that a boy’s brain is ‘hard wired’ to be better at math than a girl’s. The author of the article strenuously disagreed and went on to cite a great deal of research that completely repudiates the view. It’s true that by middle school and later, boys tend to score better on a variety of mathematics achievement tests but the reason why is not because of ‘genetic’ issues.
As a retired teacher, both general classroom and specifically math, I can state without reservation that there is absolutely no physiological/neurological reason why a female should not be every bit as good at math as males. One important reason why they often are not is because of a phenomena called teacher expectation-like the one that science editor overheard! If a teacher expects a student to be unsuccessful, he/she will. If a teacher expects a student to be poorly behaved, he/she will. If a teacher expects that a whole group of students-be they female, black or blonde-are going to be ‘slow’ at something, they will. Teachers with these kinds of predisposed expectations unwittingly engineer the outcome so it fits their already engrained expectations!! It’s the Catch 22 of education. I’ve heard it stated over and over again in faculty rooms and at meetings. Having a daughter who could have been a mathematician had she chosen to was enough to get me fuming-usually resulting in a spirited discussion. That’s why I was so well liked!!! So if you ever hear someone say something that reveals unreasonable expectations or stereotypes, politely point out there is no basis in fact to it. And if they persist, ask to see the research. That usually puts an end to it plus you'll end up being as popular as me!!!

Wait For It

Wait for it. The reaction, that is, from the lunatic fringe to Colin Powell's recent endorsement of Barack Obama. How long will it take for the email forwards to start making their rounds to everyone's computer denouncing Powell, calling him every name in the book and linking him to every evil under the sun? After all, that is the strategy of the far right nut jobs, isn't it? Look what's making the rounds about Obama these days. Wait for it.

Sanity vs. Madness-You Decide!

Sooo…..what does one make of the third and final debate? First, no doubt about it, McCain was spoiling for a fight. This was his last chance to convince people he’s the right guy. But Obama countered with points of his own. He answered every one of McCain’s charges and continued to connect McCain with the failure of the last 8 years-in spite of McCain’s clever little comment about running against Junior 4 years ago. The real winner of course was “Joe the Plumber”. In interviews with him after the fact he seemed to express the same set of concerns as most other people. Whether or not Obama convinced him is another matter. But in spite of all the talk and all the words and accusations, here’s the thing that left me with the strongest impression: body language. Obama was cool, calm and relaxed. But did you see the look on McCain’s face and in his eyes as Obama was speaking? Very revealing. He looked like a mad man. Although a tad insensitive, he sometimes looked like he was being tortured again. Seriously. Wide open eyes, contorted facial expressions, mouth all twisted and ugly. The guy’s a nut job-no question about it. Do we want his hand that close to ‘the button’? I think not. I’ll take my chances with the lib-er-al!

My Reply

Hi Barack,
Sorry I missed your call last night. I was a little tired so I went to bed early. I know you're anxious about tomorrow's final debate with McCain so here, as promised, are some pointers. I hope you don't mind me posting them on my blogspot but I don't think McCain will see them. He doesn't seem to be reading my blog that often. OK, here goes.

First, get specific without being pedantic (look it up). All people want is a simple straight forward answer to the question. Stop being so theoretical. Remember: KISS, Keep it simple, stupid, is still the best advice there is.

Second, continue to tie McCain's policies to Bush/Cheney. Ironically, at this point they're your best allies!

Third, if McCain refers to you as 'that one' again, call him on it. Look at him and say, "Excuse me, my name is Senator Barack Obama." Demand respect.

Fourth, avoid mud throwing but don't be afraid to remind people briefly of the McCain/Palin tactics. Their recent strategy didn't go over well with people so help them keep it in their minds.

Fifth, be sure to be firm about your commitment to fight terrorism. This is the one area where people still feel uneasy about you. You need to be a little tougher on this point.

Finally, disassociate yourself from the lunatic fringe of people who claim to be your supporters but are really hurting you with their inflammatory remarks.

Follow these pointers and you'll be fine. Good luck!

ABSOLUTELY MUST READING

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_maverick_the_real_john_mccain

More Hypocrisy. Ya' gotta love it!

News Flash
           Connecticut Supreme Court Strikes Down Same Sex Marriage Ban
Among other legal points the court’s argument is that the illegal concept of  ‘separate but equal’ extends beyond education. It is illegal everywhere.
To me this whole thing isn’t particularly noteworthy.  To be completely honest I couldn’t care less if a person married his/her goat much less someone of their sex.  I just ask that I be left alone.  What is interesting though is to listen to the lunatic fringe conservative groups who are speaking out against the ruling.  They claim the CT Supreme Court completely failed to take into account the views (according to them) of the majority of people.  They have a problem that the case was decided on constitutional grounds alone.
What unbelievable idiots!!  They are the same people who scream that the Constitution is being corrupted by ‘lib-er-al’ courts but when the court does follow the constitution, they scream that it’s not fair.  They honestly don’t see the contradiction or hypocrisy of their views.  These are very dangerous people.  They need to be avoided at all costs. The press needs to stop giving them the audience they seek.  The inevitability of human evolution will eventually render these morons extinct leaving people like me to carry on the species but until then, take cover!

The Mark of Desperation

A candidate's desperation is directly proportional to the amount of mud he/she slings. Given the past couple of weeks, it is clear that John McCain is a truly desperate man. Not only does he have Sarah Plain and Tall running off at the mouth he's recently dragged his wife into it! The heck of it is, this tactic is going to backfire on him. Most voters are repulsed by such tactics and they are quite capable of seeing right through them. Three more weeks. Can't wait!

White Privilege

This is Your Nation on White Privilege
By Tim Wise
9/ 13/08

For those who still can't grasp the concept of white privilege, or who are constantly looking for some easy-to-under stand examples of it, perhaps this list will help.

White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and every one is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because "every family has challenges," even as black and Latino families with similar "challenges" are regularly typified as irresponsible, pathological and arbiters of social decay.

White privilege is when you can call yourself a "fuckin' redneck," like Bristol Palin's boyfriend does, and talk about how if anyone messes with you, you'll "kick their fuckin' ass," and talk about how you like to "shoot shit" for fun, and still be viewed as a responsible, all-American boy (and a great son-in-law to be) rather than a thug.

White privilege is when you can attend four different colleges in six years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed out of, then returned to after making up some coursework at a community college), and no one questions your intelligence or commitment to achievement, whereas a person of color who did this would be viewed as unfit for college, and probably someone who only got in in the first place because of affirmative action.

White privilege is when you can claim that being mayor of a town smaller than most medium-sized colleges, and then Governor of a state with about the same number of people as the lower fifth of the island of Manhattan, makes you ready to potentially be president, and people don't all piss on themselves with laughter, while being a black U.S. Senator, two-term state Senator, and constitutional law scholar, means you're "untested."

White privilege is being able to say that you support the words "under God" in the pledge of allegiance because "if it was good enough for the founding fathers, it's good enough for me," and not be immediately disqualified from holding office – since, after all, the pledge was written in the late 1800s and the "under God" part wasn't added until the 1950s – while believing that reading accused criminals and terrorists their rights (because, ya know, the Constitution, which you used to teach at a prestigious law school requires it), is a dangerous and silly idea only supported by mushy liberals.

White privilege is being able to be a gun enthusiast and not make people immediately scared of you.

White privilege is being able to have a husband who was a member of an extremist political party that wants your state to secede from the Union, and whose motto was "Alaska first," and no one questions your patriotism or that of your family, while if you're black and your spouse merely fails to come to a 9/11 memorial so she can be home with her kids on the first day of school, people immediately think she's being disrespectful.

White privilege is being able to make fun of community organizers and the work they do – like, among other things, fight for the right of women to vote, or for civil rights, or the 8- hour workday, or an end to child labor – and people think you're being pithy and tough, but if you merely question the experience of a small town mayor and 18-month governor with no foreign policy expertise beyond a class she took in college – you're somehow being mean, or even sexist.

White privilege is being able to convince white women who don't even agree with you on any substantive issue to vote for you and your running mate anyway, because all of a sudden your presence on the ticket has inspired confidence in these same white women, and made them give your party a "second look."

White privilege is being able to fire people who didn't support your political campaigns and not be accused of abusing your power or being a typical politician who engages in favoritism, while being black and merely knowing some folks from the old-line political machines in Chicago means you must be corrupt.

White privilege is being able to attend churches over the years whose pastors say that people who voted for John Kerry or merely criticize Georg e W. Bush are going to hell, and that the U.S. is an explicitly Christian nation and the job of Christians is to bring Christian theological principles into government , and who bring in speakers who say the conflict in the Middle East is God's punishment on Jews for rejecting Jesus, and every one can still think you're just a good church-going Christian, but if you're black and friends with a black pastor who has noted (as have Colin Powell and the U.S. Department of Defense) that terrorist attacks are often the result of U.S. foreign policy and who talks about the history of racism and its effect on black people, you're an extremist who probably hates America.

White privilege is not knowing what the Bush Doctrine is when asked by a reporter, and then people get angry at the reporter for asking you such a "trick question," while being black and merely refusing to give one-word answers to the queries of Bill O'Reilly means you're dodging the question, or trying to seem overly intellectual and nuanced.

White privilege is being able to claim your experience as a POW has anything at all to do with your fitness for president, while being black and experiencing racism is, as Sarah Palin has referred to it a "light" burden.

And finally, white privilege is the only thing that could possibly allow someone to become president when he has voted with Georg e W. Bush 90 percent of the time, even as unemployment is skyrocketing, people are losing their homes, inflation is rising, and the U.S. is increasingly isolated from world opinion, just because white voters aren't sure about that whole "change" thing. Ya know, it's just too vague and ill-defined, unlike, say, four more years of the same, which is very concrete and certain.

The Great Debate

Soooo.....what does one make of the Great Debate? Not much, unfortunately. I was really looking forward to either Biden or Palen talking themselves into the world of idiocy-but they didn't. Joe was on his best behavior, kept his answers fairly short and stuck to attacking McCain's tired old politics. On the other side, Sarah didn't come off looking like a total airhead although her effort to look like 'the rest of us' got a little old, stuck to the answers McCains' guys fed her and even managed to look like she had a clue as to what she was talking about.
All in all, Sarah probably came out with the most to gain because everyone was looking for her to screw up so all she had to do was stick to the script.
The bottom line about these debates is they don't really change any minds nor will they sway the undecided voter simply because I don't think there's anywhere near as many undecided voters as pollsters think. Hold the election tomorrow!