145 posts tagged “politics” (page 2)

No matter what you think of Michael Moore, I am posting this mostly because he has a voice that is so much louder than mine.  He's heard by so many more people than mine is on my silly LJ and VOX... and what he said about the choice of Palin and what they're trying to say about women = YAY!  Thanks Michael Moore for calling them out. 

Because I know mom doesn't have HBO and because at the end of New Rules he champions John Edwards and points out what we missed by not having him at the DNC...

My mom always find it either cute or disturbing when I'm ranting and mad heh, so mom umm you might want to skip this post ;)

Being a big news and politics junkie this election cycle is teaching me something.  Our country is even more screwed up than I thought.  I didn't think that was possible.   I already knew there were lots of racist, sexist, homophobic, idiotic, hateful people in our country.  But, I guess  that deep in my heart I truly believed we'd come a lot further than we have.  We did come very far in nominating, officially, a black man as a candidate to a major party's ticket last night.

BUT...

Since McCain announced Palin as his running mate it feels like being a woman has been turned into an insult of some sort.  For the first time in my life I do actually feel like a second class citizen.  A few of Hillary's supporters started this movement, but now, I just want to throw something.

Clearly Palin's main role is to energize the religious right.  And that's fine, she'll do that.    But that's not what today is about... The entire coverage today is, in a much smarter way than I am saying, claiming that women are stupid creatures, with no brains, who are not capable of thinking for themselves and who are only capable of voting for women because they're emotional idiots.  And SHE fed into that.  She used Hillary and Geraldine Ferraro's names and told women basically hey hi, I'm here now instead. 

I am a woman.   However, when I vote, I am not my gender.  I am my brain.  I am not my skin colour. I am not my nationality.  I am just my brain.  I am my opinions.  What I think about the war.  What I think about health care in this country.  What I think about social issues like gay marriage, abortion, etc.  I do have opinions on those things.  On who will most closely respect my stand on said issues.  I don't care if the person on the ballot has boobs or a penis or  both.  Shocked?  I'm not.  I'm shocked that so many people think I'd vote based simply  on the fact that someone is male or female.  White or black.  It's insulting.

I don't know about how everyone else was raised, but I was raised to think.  To have an opinion.  By a strong woman who may not always agree with me but always wants me to think for myself anyway.   By a woman who really did teach me that white or black, male or female, gay or straight, it doesn't matter, we're all equal.  I'm ashamed that so many supposedly strong women "leaders" are on my tv today telling me to vote for a woman who doesn't believe in what I do simply because she is a woman.  And yes, they are saying that flat out -- in pretty flowery words they think I'm too stupid to understand but I do understand them and I want to vomit.  This is what they think women are worth?  This is what being a strong woman leader is about?  This is what those "18 million cracks in the glass ceiling" are for?  To tell women not to think, to give up everything they believe in, to vote for a woman even if they don't believe in what she does at all?  Just overlook all of that and say hey she's a girl too how cool!  I should vote for McCain he's got a chick on the ballot with him!  Soooo coool. OMG!  Look at her hair, so pretty.   Wonder where she gets her clothes.  Aww look a baby! She's a mom.  Issues?  What?  But ohh her shoes!  *gag*

Thanks for insulting me all over the news today.  Too many of you to name.  Mostly women.  :(

I guess that works for some, but not for me.  I honestly don't think I've been more insulted during this election season than I was today, and I've been pretty shocked and insulted and ranty this year.

What was McCain thinking? 

I realize she'll make his party happy with him again.  But what was he thinking, really?

She does seem to have a rep for fighting good old boy networks.  Which is good... BUT...

Am I on crack or was her I am all for drilling for oil everywhere preceded by my hubby works in oil drilling?  *blinks*

Why mention your son signed up for the military this past 9/11?  Not, my son enlisted and I'm so proud of him, that's why he isn't here.  But instead -- we're such a patriotic family, my son signed up on 9/11 *hint hint* you all know how important that day is.  Neither McCain nor Biden made a big deal of their own sons being enlisted.  Something about that just struck me as wrong.  Someone wanted it played up that her son enlisted on 9/11.  And it makes me wanna gag I must say.  Not sure if it was her or a speech writer or who but bad bad choice.

Invoking Democratic women led the way -- Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton did it first but they're not here now, and I am so come join me, I'm a woman too.   That was the vibe I got from the end of the speech anyway.   Ugh.

She seems to have a decent enough personality.  She'll appeal to who she's supposed to.  On social issues she's too Republican for me, of course, so she doesn't affect my vote at all.  She's pro-life (code word for anti Roe v Wade), against gay marriage -- sorry my Uncle's LEGAL marriage means a lot to me thank you very much and anyone who wants to remove that from him can kiss my ass ;)  I don't think we'll drill our way out of the oil crisis and ruining Santa Barbara's coastline again isn't something I want.  Etc. 

My advice to the McCain camp?  Lock in her a room from now until whenever you guys schedule a VP debate, Biden is gonna beat  the crap out of her otherwise.  Nice personality won't win people over.  Cheney had more power than any VP in history.  That is fresh in people's minds.  McCain is older with a history of cancer.  She will have to prove she can be president.  She didn't do that with her introduction speech.

I'm just waking up but McCain has made a shocking choice I guess... Sarah Palin.  All I know from her off the top of my head is she's Governor of Alaska and was investigated for abuse of power -- something about trying to get the man her sister was divorcing fired, I forget too lazy to look it up, no coffee yet....

I'm a little disturbed that Kay Bailey Hutchinson, an otherwise intelligent woman was just on MSNBC and in response to Andrea Mitchell's question about experience -- You guys can't attack Obama on experience if this is your VP choice -- said essentially VP doesn't matter so much.  Not her exact words of course.  But... Judgment.  McCain is OLD! VP  DOES matter.  IF, something happens the VP is the person who takes over.  McCain picked Palin for NO other reason than to try to grab up those pathetic "Hillary dems"  who, let's face it, aren't even dems that want a woman in the white house at any cost.  They're using her.  Why else would they pick a woman who, is best known nationally for an abuse of power investigation?  He had other women that were better choices.

8 years ago Obama couldn't even get into the DNC.  Tonight he gave a speech that McCain cannot top.  In fact the McCain camp released a response that MSNBC has read on air in its entirety only once (rare) and that had them basically scratching their heads in a "uhh huh?" sort of way and which left their commentators basically saying well we're sure they'll have a coherent response tomorrow.  Yeah... They didn't even know how to respond,  his speech was that good.   I mean even Pat Buchanan praised Obama tonight.  He did everything:  he explained why his life has been anything but that of the celebrity they try to paint him as, he gave details about  what he wants to do for the country,  he challenged claims about him not being patriotic,  he attacked every main issue he feels McCain is wrong on (including bashing him by saying McCain says he'll chase Osama bin Laden to hell but not to his cave).  You name it he covered it,  often in detail.  

I'll be watching the Republican convention next week and I guarantee I'll be bored out of my mind and probably angry when they tell me what a horrible person I am through the whole thing.  One of McCain's staffers was on MSNBC this week a lot talking about negative Dems would be that day and how they'd never be so negative.  I promise you the RNC will be very negative.  They cannot pull off what the DNC did.  It was more positive than negative.  It was uplifting.  And just wow.  And yeah I am a Democrat but even Pat  Buchanan is saying wow tonight.  Can McCain have that effect on Dem types next week, I doubt it.  Hmm I think I still have some alcohol in the fridge from the last time we drank.  I bet if I take HALF A SIP each time McCain says "My Friends" in his speech next week I can be plastered by the end of it.

So to sum up the DNC -- All of the biggest names in the Democratic party want you to vote for Obama, of course.  For me the most moving endorsement?  John Lewis.  Don't know John Lewis?  You probably wouldn't unless you're older than I am, known more about the civil rights movement than MLK, Jr.,  or watch more political coverage than I do.  But you should.  He's a rep in Georgia.  Not relevant?  How about he was once bloodied by the police while leading a peaceful march during the civil rights movement in Selma...

Cindy McCain's sister is voting for Obama.  Sorry "Half Sister".  Sorry... Cindy McCain is an "only child".  *gag*  Family values.  La la la.  Myself, my sister, my brother we have different fathers.  Perhaps as little kids I MIGHT have heard the term "half"  but I can't remember using it (well maybe ONCE when I was really pissed lol).  They're just my brother and my sister.  And I'd consider them as such even if we'd not been raised together or met.  Granted we'd not be close, etc.  I'm not close with my brother at all.  I still say he is my brother.  Period.  The term half seems almost insulting to me.  And to not admit you have a sibling at all is pathetic.  Just say yeah I have a sister I don't really know, or I have a sister I hate, or whatever.  Sheesh.

And I talked about this with Melissa on LJ in comments but I'll put it in simple terms here quickly I hope (I know I ramble) --

There are religious, straight, never have / never would have an abortion Democrats.  The fact that we don't want religion in politics, want gays to have rights, want abortion to be legal doesn't make us evil.  Doesn't mean we want to force those things on you.  We respect your right to religion it's actually WHY we don't want religion in politics, to protect your religion -- imagine if yours isn't THEIRS and it mixes with theirs then what happens?  And plenty of non religious straight people marry, does that bother you?  I married when I wasn't religious, didn't work out, I divorced and now live with someone and won't marry, does that affect your marriage?  No?  Neither does a gay marriage.

I've never had an abortion and except for medical reasons probably couldn't, but there are millions of children, including children I would call babies, who aren't being adopted now because they're too old, too sick, not perfect.  There are women who would find ways to abort even if it weren't safe or legal.  I'd rather they have the choice of it being safe and legal and that you find homes for those troubled or older kids before you worry about these women. 

We're not evil, we don't hate your morals or your religion.  If anything we respect it more than you know, because the Republicans and others have told you that we HATE your religion, we want to kill your babies, we want to diminish your marriages.  I promise you that's not the truth.  There are millions of Democrats who personally feel about issues as you do, but politically and socially want to keep options open for others.  AND want to HELP those who are less well off.  Who want health care for us all.  Who want to end wars not create them.  Who want equality for women, gays, people of all colours.  The Democratic party has failed to defend itself when the Republican party makes vicious claims about what its views mean.  Well to me, that's what our views mean.  Not that you MUST have an abortion, you shouldn't... you should just leave the option open for the hopeless.  You shouldn't think I hate you for your religion, I don't!  I just don't think you should force it on political offices, because it's dangerous, including for YOU.  etc. 

*yawn*  well at least I slept til almost 9 instead of waking up at 6 this time, I'm still tired, I wanted to sleep until I dunno 11 or noon to get to more ME hours ;)  But I passed out early again *yawn*  Brian doesn't wake up well so he sets two cell phone alarms that end up going off forever.  Needless to say, I'm awake and he's not yet.  *yawn*  Well I'm half awake.

Link stolen from Kriselda: Del Martin Dead at 87.  RIP to her.  I have a family member here in California who would not be LEGALLY married if not for her fight.  Del Martin only got two months of legal marriage herself before she died.  I grew up knowing that my own family member loved his partner, but that he'd never be allowed to marry, she proved me wrong by fighting for his right to do so.  I'm just glad she got at least got the ruling and the wedding before her time was up.  There are people, mostly out of state groups from what I can tell, who now want to end legal marriages here.  I guarantee Californians will fight them. 

As for the DNC yesterday.  Bill was also the old yesterday.  There had been rumours floating around in the Obama and Clinton camps that they were afraid there would be boos when he came out.  Instead he was greeted by several minutes of cheers.  I think he can thank his wife for her speech the night be before.  Dems are very forgiving and her speech the night before really did wash away so much of the Obama/Clinton anger.  Despite the fact that Mark Penn (someone blamed / credited depending on how you look at it) with much of the destruction in Hillary's primary campaign apparently helped with Bill's speech and despite the fact that the Obama camp didn't see it until minutes before Bill went on -- causing some nerves to go nuts I'm sure -- it was the old Bill for sure. 

Biden did his job too.  He bashed McCain.  He told his family story.  I heard he's worth something like 100-150k... after being in DC as long as I've been alive... that's including what he has invested in his house.  He talks like and acts like a "normal person"  His mom seems spunky for an old lady and the stories about how she raised him are funny.   His son is about to go to off to serve his country too.  He'll be hard to attack even though he's old school DC he's not one who comes off like he is. 

Hillary showed much class in calling off the roll call.  I know it was hard for her, all of this but she put on a brave face through it all and seemed sincere.  I've a new respect for her in how she handled it.  And I must say they raised Chelsea right, she seems like a very classy young lady.

McCain is supposed to *cough* leak his VP name today.  I still say he'll go with Lieberman to piss off Dems and to get some press.  And he knows how to lose, a lot.  Romney is too boring and obvious and Mormon (sorry my Mormon friends, I'm not sure Republicans like you, you're not Christian enough).  I think the official announcement is supposed to be tomorrow.  But rumour is it LEAKS today -- you know to try to upstage Obama and the anniversary of I Have A Dream.... I Have a Dream too... I have a dream that McCain loses :P

PS - Almost forgot -- They had a Republican Iraq war vet put Obama's name up for nomination at the convention, it doesn't get sweeter than that ;)

THAT was the old Clinton political family of the 90s.  w00t!

If her supporters still aren't on board with Obama they're flipping idiots. I mean seriously is there anything she didn't cover?  She flat out asked if you were in the election for HER or for ISSUES and if you were in it for issues, well she addressed them one by one and told you why you had to support Obama not McCain.  We'll see what Bill does tomorrow, but I think the old Clintons may be back finally.  Even if they were jerks when it counted for them most, they're stepping up to the plate now.   I mean Hillary basically said if you don't vote for Obama well then hey congrats you've screwed up your kids and grandkids futures, as well as the country in general, so please don't run to McCain.  That is what you call a targeted message.  The types that have been holding out. claiming they're Hillary "Democrats", but will probably go McCain -  IF they're really Dems they needed to hear what she said. 

If this Hillary sticks around she can continue to have a long political career.

Primary Hillary talking about hard working white voters was no good.  But  talking about health care, supporting equal rights for all, "No way, how how, no McCain" that Hillary = good. 

Sleep:  So my body could take no more of the MS exhaustion + lack of sleep and I passed out -- not slept, just passed out at about 9:30 pm.  We know that means I was sick'ish.  I don't sleep at night.  I woke up at 5 am, when I'm usually falling asleep.  My body is quite confused but I slept, and I had a dream but all I remember is drunk midgets in a drug store offering people shots of whiskey.  Look I dunno... it was weird.

DNC night 1 = success.  TAKE THAT Republicans.   Ted Kennedy = WOW.  Michelle Obama, cliche here but Home Run is the only way to describe it.  

Misc Politics: Ohh goodie some white supremacy meth heads wanted to kill Obama.  Story here.   It wasn't a credible threat of course.  They were sort of wishy washy with their plans.  Yeah because they're using meth.  People on meth are friggin nuts, duh.  Have you ever experienced someone on meth?  They might have killed him, they might have gone to clean their houses from top to bottom at 4 am. 

Have you seen the ad with the chick saying I am a Hillary Clinton supporter and I'm for McCain, blah blah blah.  It's ok Democrats you can vote for McCain?    Well here you go: