Today, the report on Sarah Palin's unethical behavior as governor of Alaska came out.
So, I hold my breath. Will the American people care?
"The belief that enhanced understanding will necessarily stir a nation or an organization to action is one of mankind's oldest illusions."
- Andrew Hacker
I felt so hopelessly deflated the first time I read this quote. I think it is my fundamental problem. I feel like if people understand, then they couldn't possibly...
But, it isn't true.
A friend of mine from high school recently wrote a blog where she said, "I will have to admit to my kids that this was the first election where I could not give two shits about the little guy, as I was far more concerned with building a nest egg for the family I would eventually start..."
So, she gets it, but is fundamentally more concerned with herself than the welfare of the nation?
Sist-A's boyfriend, KhakiRepublican, tried to justify women having to pay for rape kits in Wasilla by saying "they probably got a lot of false reporting."
While I adamantly disagree with KR's politics, in general, he's not a complete dumbass. He's capable of intelligent conversation, but is he blind or just willing to justify any sort of behavior as long as it's a Republican who does it?
I accept that people have different beliefs than I do. I'm not one of those people who feel like I need to surround myself with people who only believe as I do in order to validate my own opinions.
But, at my core is the belief that you have to care about other human beings. If we care about the lowest common denominator, then the collective welfare of the people improves. I believe that compassion and helping one another out is a good thing.
There are people who don't believe that. They look at the situation and really only care about themselves. It is not only an accepted notion, but an encouraged one in our capitalistic society.
So, back to my original point... will anyone care that Sarah Palin has been called out by her home state for being unethical? The Republican pundits will push their talking points "Obama is a terrorist" and fan-wank for Sarah. To be fair, if the situation were reversed, Democratic pundits would probably do the same thing.
I guess I have to hope Heather is wrong and "hockey moms" and "Joe Six-Packs" do care about crazy things like facts... or at the very minimum factual sound bites that are easily digestible.
I'd apologize for the long, rambling nature of this post, but nobody's forcing you to read it, jackass.
Showing posts with label Please explain Republicans to me. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Please explain Republicans to me. Show all posts
Friday, October 10, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Can you understand the words coming out of my mouth?
McCain doesn't think very highly of Barack Obama's intellect tonight.
He has used the phase, "I don't think Senator Obama understands..." at least twice tonight.
Way to be condescending, mother fucker.
ETA: He just did it again. Bastard.
ETA: Four times (at least). Son of a...
He has used the phase, "I don't think Senator Obama understands..." at least twice tonight.
Way to be condescending, mother fucker.
ETA: He just did it again. Bastard.
ETA: Four times (at least). Son of a...
Did you know...
... that McCain was not elected Miss Congeniality?
Odd, I thought he was... oh that's right. It wasn't him it was his running mate.
My mistake.
Odd, I thought he was... oh that's right. It wasn't him it was his running mate.
My mistake.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
That's Weak, Mr. Senator
This blog (or most of it) wasn't written by me. It was written by my dad. I've added some links to articles and comments in italics, but otherwise the wisdom you see here is his. Thanks D! Enjoy!
John needs to nap a little more.
As John McCain speaks out on more reform in Washington DC, he is now going to put in “new” regulations to protect us from the financial abuses that has led to the recent financial meltdown. The Senator is on top on his game. Here is a quote from a speech today (September 16, 2008):
“Americans put a lot of trust in the bankers and brokerage firms of Wall Street. They depend on the financial service sector to protect their savings, IRA's, 401k's, and pension accounts. But many leaders in finance have proven unworthy of that trust. Government has a clear responsibility to act in defense of the public interests, and that is exactly what I intend to do. We are going to make sure that American's accounts are protected. I pledge that FDIC and SPIC will have all the support they need to fully back the savings of the American people.”
(Here is a link to the rest of the speech)
A couple of problems here John.
1) It is SIPC not SPIC and either way they are NOT regulators they are INSURERS! Palin may not know what the Bush Doctrine is, but even she knows it is SIPC (I hope). BTW, he said SPIC in three different speeches today.
(Also, SPIC is an ethnic slur used for a person of Hispanic descent. Although I doubt McCain meant it that way, it makes the speech more interesting... AND I doubt if Palin knows what SIPC is.)
2) John, you have been in Washington for how many years? Were you not there when the regulations were taken apart? Isn’t Phil Gramm still one of your top advisors? You know the Phil Gramm that led the charge to remove most of the depression era Glass-Steagall Act regulations that were SPECIFICALLY designed to prevent the types of abuses we are experiencing now. Senators, how did you vote:
a. McCain – Yea
b. Biden - Nay
c. Feingold – Nay (Just had to throw a little bone to the fine Wisconsin Senator)
Scarily enough, McCain has hinted that Gramm might become the Treasury secretary if elected. Ewww!!
These two articles talk about McCain's flip-flop on the regulation of Wall Street:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0308/9246.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26749280/
Also scary, this quote from John McCain in March, "I'm always for less regulation." AND "I'd like to see a lot of the unnecessary government regulations eliminated."
We are in SO much trouble if this man is elected!!
John needs to nap a little more.
As John McCain speaks out on more reform in Washington DC, he is now going to put in “new” regulations to protect us from the financial abuses that has led to the recent financial meltdown. The Senator is on top on his game. Here is a quote from a speech today (September 16, 2008):
“Americans put a lot of trust in the bankers and brokerage firms of Wall Street. They depend on the financial service sector to protect their savings, IRA's, 401k's, and pension accounts. But many leaders in finance have proven unworthy of that trust. Government has a clear responsibility to act in defense of the public interests, and that is exactly what I intend to do. We are going to make sure that American's accounts are protected. I pledge that FDIC and SPIC will have all the support they need to fully back the savings of the American people.”
(Here is a link to the rest of the speech)
A couple of problems here John.
1) It is SIPC not SPIC and either way they are NOT regulators they are INSURERS! Palin may not know what the Bush Doctrine is, but even she knows it is SIPC (I hope). BTW, he said SPIC in three different speeches today.
(Also, SPIC is an ethnic slur used for a person of Hispanic descent. Although I doubt McCain meant it that way, it makes the speech more interesting... AND I doubt if Palin knows what SIPC is.)
2) John, you have been in Washington for how many years? Were you not there when the regulations were taken apart? Isn’t Phil Gramm still one of your top advisors? You know the Phil Gramm that led the charge to remove most of the depression era Glass-Steagall Act regulations that were SPECIFICALLY designed to prevent the types of abuses we are experiencing now. Senators, how did you vote:
a. McCain – Yea
b. Biden - Nay
c. Feingold – Nay (Just had to throw a little bone to the fine Wisconsin Senator)
Scarily enough, McCain has hinted that Gramm might become the Treasury secretary if elected. Ewww!!
These two articles talk about McCain's flip-flop on the regulation of Wall Street:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0308/9246.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26749280/
Also scary, this quote from John McCain in March, "I'm always for less regulation." AND "I'd like to see a lot of the unnecessary government regulations eliminated."
We are in SO much trouble if this man is elected!!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Psst! The password is "Sexist"
Ah! It's been a couple of hours so, of course, the McCain camp is at it again.
He's calling the SNL skit spoofing Sarah Palin (Tina Fey) and Hillary Clinton (Amy Poehler) "sexist."
Why is it sexist?
Because it shows women in a bad light?
Because it is generally derogatory or dismissive of women?
Because it implies in some way that women are fundamentally less than men?
No, because it makes Hillary Clinton seem substantive and Sarah Palin, by contrast, superficial.
Um, okay?
To quote Inigo Montoya, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means, what you think it means."
Being a woman doesn't equal political Teflon.
The fact that you have marked any criticism (real, implied or imagined) as "sexism", seems kind of sexist to me McCain.
I am a woman.
I can stand on my own two feet.
I am strong and opinionated.
I know sexism. I have seen it and experienced it.
McCain making a light-hearted skit out to be sexism diminishes it. Makes it seem less than it is.
Easy to do, when you've never had to deal with it.
I started out more astonished and amused, but the more I think about it, the more angry it makes me.
Words have power. The words you use mean something!
The sad thing is that it is really only the beginning. The McCain/Palin camp are going to beat us over the head with that word until it's coming out our eyeballs. Until anything could be sexism and nothing actually is.
Here's the clip, if you'd like to judge for yourself. But, in the end, I'm not sure sexism is in the eye of the beholder.
He's calling the SNL skit spoofing Sarah Palin (Tina Fey) and Hillary Clinton (Amy Poehler) "sexist."
Why is it sexist?
Because it shows women in a bad light?
Because it is generally derogatory or dismissive of women?
Because it implies in some way that women are fundamentally less than men?
No, because it makes Hillary Clinton seem substantive and Sarah Palin, by contrast, superficial.
Um, okay?
To quote Inigo Montoya, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means, what you think it means."
Being a woman doesn't equal political Teflon.
The fact that you have marked any criticism (real, implied or imagined) as "sexism", seems kind of sexist to me McCain.
I am a woman.
I can stand on my own two feet.
I am strong and opinionated.
I know sexism. I have seen it and experienced it.
McCain making a light-hearted skit out to be sexism diminishes it. Makes it seem less than it is.
Easy to do, when you've never had to deal with it.
I started out more astonished and amused, but the more I think about it, the more angry it makes me.
Words have power. The words you use mean something!
The sad thing is that it is really only the beginning. The McCain/Palin camp are going to beat us over the head with that word until it's coming out our eyeballs. Until anything could be sexism and nothing actually is.
Here's the clip, if you'd like to judge for yourself. But, in the end, I'm not sure sexism is in the eye of the beholder.
DE-lusional!
I don't understand the fervent McCain/Palin support in this country. I was reading an article about Sarah Palin's interview with Gibson. Half of the comments on the story started, "You dems..." or "The liberal media..."
Sigh.
I'm weary just reading the kind of vitriol and hate that went into the rest of those posts.
Please explain to me why you love these two. Please?
I can't for the life of me understand why you would love a man who just yesterday said that he still believes the fundamentals of our economy are strong. That's right yesterday. When the DOW fell 300 points. When Merrill Lynch sold itself for 1/2 of what it's worth. When the Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy. Remember that?
John McCain said, "The McCain-Palin administration will replace an outdated, patchwork quilt of regulatory oversight and bring transparency and accountability to Wall Street. We will have transparency and accountability and we will reform the regulatory bodies of government."
Um, haven't you been in Congress for like a billion years? Where have you been on transparency and accountability for the last billion years?
I keep trying to find logical reasons in what John McCain says other than he's just a big fat delusional liar. I like to believe that although I don't always agree with the opposition, that at least we both want our version of what's best for this country.
Maybe that was my own naivete, because I'm finding it harder and harder to believe.
Sigh.
I'm weary just reading the kind of vitriol and hate that went into the rest of those posts.
Please explain to me why you love these two. Please?
I can't for the life of me understand why you would love a man who just yesterday said that he still believes the fundamentals of our economy are strong. That's right yesterday. When the DOW fell 300 points. When Merrill Lynch sold itself for 1/2 of what it's worth. When the Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy. Remember that?
John McCain said, "The McCain-Palin administration will replace an outdated, patchwork quilt of regulatory oversight and bring transparency and accountability to Wall Street. We will have transparency and accountability and we will reform the regulatory bodies of government."
Um, haven't you been in Congress for like a billion years? Where have you been on transparency and accountability for the last billion years?
I keep trying to find logical reasons in what John McCain says other than he's just a big fat delusional liar. I like to believe that although I don't always agree with the opposition, that at least we both want our version of what's best for this country.
Maybe that was my own naivete, because I'm finding it harder and harder to believe.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Horrifying
Every time I think they can't horrify me any more...
This is from the blog of the husband of one of my coworkers:
Absolutely unbelievable
Typically, it's much easier to blame the victim of a crime, rather than the criminal, because the victim goes to police and the criminal hides. It's also incredibly and obviously wrong.
Alaska routinely has the nation's highest rate of sexual assault. To lower the reported numbers, one small Alaskan town had and idea - charge the victims between $300 to $1,200 to report the crime. This was to cover the costs of rape kits (sample containers, swabs and other medical supplies used to collect evidence from women after they are attacked) and the forensic exams. The goal was to push costs of law enforcement onto the victims, which would discourage victims from coming forward, thereby lowering the number of reported cases of sexual assault.
This action was taken by only one small town, and was so abhorrent to the rest of Alaska that, once word got out in 2000, Alaskan state legislators immediately passed a bill making this practice illegal.
That small town was Wasilla. That would be the tiny town left $12,000,000 in debt by the irresponsible deficit spending of their former mayor. The mayor that oversaw the implementation of the "charge the victims" scheme and runaway spending was Sarah Palin.Of course, the neocon viewpoint of reporting on facts would be: Stop picking on our poor, innocent candidates. Bringing up their past record is such dirty politics, that now we'll spread lies about your candidates.
This is from the blog of the husband of one of my coworkers:
Absolutely unbelievable
Typically, it's much easier to blame the victim of a crime, rather than the criminal, because the victim goes to police and the criminal hides. It's also incredibly and obviously wrong.
Alaska routinely has the nation's highest rate of sexual assault. To lower the reported numbers, one small Alaskan town had and idea - charge the victims between $300 to $1,200 to report the crime. This was to cover the costs of rape kits (sample containers, swabs and other medical supplies used to collect evidence from women after they are attacked) and the forensic exams. The goal was to push costs of law enforcement onto the victims, which would discourage victims from coming forward, thereby lowering the number of reported cases of sexual assault.
This action was taken by only one small town, and was so abhorrent to the rest of Alaska that, once word got out in 2000, Alaskan state legislators immediately passed a bill making this practice illegal.
That small town was Wasilla. That would be the tiny town left $12,000,000 in debt by the irresponsible deficit spending of their former mayor. The mayor that oversaw the implementation of the "charge the victims" scheme and runaway spending was Sarah Palin.Of course, the neocon viewpoint of reporting on facts would be: Stop picking on our poor, innocent candidates. Bringing up their past record is such dirty politics, that now we'll spread lies about your candidates.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
The more you know...
The more I learn about McCain and Palin (like this, this and this, oh and this, too) the more they disturb me.
I think they are both fundamentally dishonest people.
Maybe it goes along with being in politics.
This election is making me crazy.
The hypocrisy is just so fucking rampant that it makes my blood pressure rise just thinking about it.
I hate Sarah Palin's "straight talk" because the more she speaks, the more she lies.
What is fucking wrong with the country?
We have just had 8 years with a douche bag who loves to tough talk with an accent and tell lies, Lies and MORE LIES!!
Are people just masochistic or what?
Who needs an economy?
Let's just continue to invest in the failed politics of the Republican party. It's like the over-the-top method of fighting World War I. They had to invent the fucking tank before they would stop sending soldiers "over-the-top" to be mowed down by machine guns.
Who needs the middle class?
In general, I don't support the idea that a political policy must benefit me to be something I support. Yet, there are scores and scores of people out there that vote Republican when their policies pretty much exclusively benefit the uber-rich.
Who cares about the environment?
Yes, let's stick our heads in the sand and willfully ignore the signs that we are destroying the only place we have to live. Let's drill the arctic... who really cares about endangered species and preserving nature? Let's drill offshore... who really cares about the consequences? I mean in 10 years we might see a 2% decrease in the price of oil. That's good enough, right?
Who cares about foreign policy?
Let's go to war with everyone. EVERY FUCKING ONE. It's really more important to make people feel important with bullshit tough talk than to work on actual solutions with crazy and foreign methods like diplomacy.
Did I mention that this election is making me crazy? C-R-A-Z-Y!!!
I think they are both fundamentally dishonest people.
Maybe it goes along with being in politics.
This election is making me crazy.
The hypocrisy is just so fucking rampant that it makes my blood pressure rise just thinking about it.
I hate Sarah Palin's "straight talk" because the more she speaks, the more she lies.
What is fucking wrong with the country?
We have just had 8 years with a douche bag who loves to tough talk with an accent and tell lies, Lies and MORE LIES!!
Are people just masochistic or what?
Who needs an economy?
Let's just continue to invest in the failed politics of the Republican party. It's like the over-the-top method of fighting World War I. They had to invent the fucking tank before they would stop sending soldiers "over-the-top" to be mowed down by machine guns.
Who needs the middle class?
In general, I don't support the idea that a political policy must benefit me to be something I support. Yet, there are scores and scores of people out there that vote Republican when their policies pretty much exclusively benefit the uber-rich.
Who cares about the environment?
Yes, let's stick our heads in the sand and willfully ignore the signs that we are destroying the only place we have to live. Let's drill the arctic... who really cares about endangered species and preserving nature? Let's drill offshore... who really cares about the consequences? I mean in 10 years we might see a 2% decrease in the price of oil. That's good enough, right?
Who cares about foreign policy?
Let's go to war with everyone. EVERY FUCKING ONE. It's really more important to make people feel important with bullshit tough talk than to work on actual solutions with crazy and foreign methods like diplomacy.
Did I mention that this election is making me crazy? C-R-A-Z-Y!!!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
McCain
I feel bad. I didn't watch much of his speech tonight and supposedly I care about this stuff.
I watched for a few minutes, but I kept screaming "Liar" at the tv Carol Kane style ala Princess Bride.
My blood pressure started rising and I was muttering under my breath.
So, I gave up and watched Kitchen Nightmares instead.
Man that Gordon Ramsey is something.
He loves to curse more than I do, which is really saying something.
Other people get to zen watching puppies or rainbows or some crap like that. Me? Watching Gordon Ramsey curse is like taking a breath of fresh air.
McCain who?
I watched for a few minutes, but I kept screaming "Liar" at the tv Carol Kane style ala Princess Bride.
My blood pressure started rising and I was muttering under my breath.
So, I gave up and watched Kitchen Nightmares instead.
Man that Gordon Ramsey is something.
He loves to curse more than I do, which is really saying something.
Other people get to zen watching puppies or rainbows or some crap like that. Me? Watching Gordon Ramsey curse is like taking a breath of fresh air.
McCain who?
Double Standards
Jon Stewart is awesome.
That is beautiful. Hypocrisy in this age of media seems so dangerous, yet so rampant.
P.S. Thanks D
That is beautiful. Hypocrisy in this age of media seems so dangerous, yet so rampant.
P.S. Thanks D
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Sarah Palin, Glib and Predictable
I watched Sarah Palin, running mate of Republican John McCain in this election, give her speech at the RNC tonight.
She's quite a glib young lady. A snarky comment at every turn. If it were any other platform, she might be a girl after my own heart. This is how you unite our country? You try to pull people from across the aisle with your glib, snarky comments? It's so juvenile and how does it have a place in rational, adult discourse? It doesn't, unless you are pandering to the lowest common denominator.
She certainly pressed most of the Republican buttons on the podium...
... blah, blah "small government"
... blah, blah evil tax and spend Democrats
... blah, blah victory in Iraq
... blah, blah the real workers in America
Sigh. But, what did she really say?
(I think she seriously tried to convince me that if you are suspected of terrorism that you don't need to be read your rights... or perhaps even that they don't have any rights, who can tell? I guess you are innocent until proven guilty, unless charged with terrorism then you are just guilty by taint of accusation)
She introduced her family.
So what?
She talked about her son going to war.
So what?
(I will conceed she has a very good looking family. Congratulations, but so what?)
She introduced her parents.
So what?
She did a lot of talking about Alaska.
So fucking what?
(This is the point at which the husband got annoyed with me for continuing to ask "So fucking what?" every time she paused. His response, "Why do you keep asking me?")
What do you stand for Sarah Palin?
Palin is a virtual unknown to the political arena. I tuned in to find out more about her. Who is she? What does she stand for?
I didn't find anything out by listening to her speak that I didn't already know. That's disappointing, but not unexpected. No one can really bash what you say, if you don't really say anything of import.
A few random thoughts to wrap up:
We watched on ABC where the camera kept cutting away to Fake-bake Barbie and the Crypt Keeper... no wait, I think they were John McCain's wife and mother.
(I know it's mean, but seriously, they were kind of scaring me)
Also, did you see McCain walk out after her speech. I know everyone jokes about how old he is, but OMG did you see him? He's so OLD!! I wanted to grab a walker and a shawl and make sure he got back to "his chair" for "his programs."
I liked how they showed about 10 shots of her daughter licking her hand to mat down the hair of baby Trig. That was kind of awesome.
She's quite a glib young lady. A snarky comment at every turn. If it were any other platform, she might be a girl after my own heart. This is how you unite our country? You try to pull people from across the aisle with your glib, snarky comments? It's so juvenile and how does it have a place in rational, adult discourse? It doesn't, unless you are pandering to the lowest common denominator.
She certainly pressed most of the Republican buttons on the podium...
... blah, blah "small government"
... blah, blah evil tax and spend Democrats
... blah, blah victory in Iraq
... blah, blah the real workers in America
Sigh. But, what did she really say?
(I think she seriously tried to convince me that if you are suspected of terrorism that you don't need to be read your rights... or perhaps even that they don't have any rights, who can tell? I guess you are innocent until proven guilty, unless charged with terrorism then you are just guilty by taint of accusation)
She introduced her family.
So what?
She talked about her son going to war.
So what?
(I will conceed she has a very good looking family. Congratulations, but so what?)
She introduced her parents.
So what?
She did a lot of talking about Alaska.
So fucking what?
(This is the point at which the husband got annoyed with me for continuing to ask "So fucking what?" every time she paused. His response, "Why do you keep asking me?")
What do you stand for Sarah Palin?
Palin is a virtual unknown to the political arena. I tuned in to find out more about her. Who is she? What does she stand for?
I didn't find anything out by listening to her speak that I didn't already know. That's disappointing, but not unexpected. No one can really bash what you say, if you don't really say anything of import.
A few random thoughts to wrap up:
We watched on ABC where the camera kept cutting away to Fake-bake Barbie and the Crypt Keeper... no wait, I think they were John McCain's wife and mother.
(I know it's mean, but seriously, they were kind of scaring me)
Also, did you see McCain walk out after her speech. I know everyone jokes about how old he is, but OMG did you see him? He's so OLD!! I wanted to grab a walker and a shawl and make sure he got back to "his chair" for "his programs."
I liked how they showed about 10 shots of her daughter licking her hand to mat down the hair of baby Trig. That was kind of awesome.
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