That should have been the intro given in Media, PA this past week when Sarah Palin took the stage in a rally at the Philly suburb. Throughout the entire canned speech, in which Gov. Palin told the audience that her #3 goal as Vice President would be to help special needs kids, Arlen Spector and Joe Lieberman stood behind the candidate clapping and smiling and chorusing along in her bizarre back and forth conversation with the crowd, like they were loyal congregants at B'nai Palin. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, Joe and Arlen both enthusiastically chanting 'Drill Baby Drill' along with the minions. Unreal. As I became more confused at the specatacle I started wondering, what would happen if Joe's son Matt or either of Arlen's sons Shannin or Steve had brought this woman home.
I'd think the conversation would go something like this:
Senator: Son, I thought your mom and I brought you up better than this. I mean, it doesn't matter what religion your girlfriend is, we just feel that her values are not aligned with what you were raised, what our family stands for. Your grandparents didn't flee the progroms for you to bring home a girl who would rather hunt for dinner than read a book!
Son: But dad, look at her, she's gorgeous!
Senator: Gorgeous shmorgeous, take the glasses off and let her hair down and she wouldn't even win first place in Miss Alaska. The point is, you were raised to value education and to treat people of other faiths with respect, and that science is fact, not opinion. We raised you to be curious about the world and we took you on trips across this country and others to show you that it's vital to learn how others live. I mean this woman hasn't even been out of the country! Has she even been east of the Rockies?
Son: It doesn't matter that she hasn't traveled, look at her resolve! She's got chutzpah!
Senator: But has she ever even met a Jew?
Son: Alaska shares a narrow maritime border with Russia, home to nearly 1/3 of the world's Jewish population!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Unless you're in utero . . .
There are more important issues in this election than abortion. Period.
In my discussions with people across the board, it seems that there are still a group of people out there that plan to vote Republican purely on the ticket's reported stance on abortion and their desire to overturn Roe v. Wade. I have to say I don't understand how this ethical/religious issue could EVER outweigh putting someone in office who has the intellect and ability to fix the more present wrongs in our country like the increasing class divide, a growing number of uninsured, our position on the world stage, and the economy shifting horrifically in the wake of regulations that only serve corporations and not the greater population.
You see, not many of us are affected when a woman chooses to take the morning after pill. Many of us, however, are affected when we experience a drastic tightening of the economy or when the price of heating our homes increases, or when selling our homes becomes difficult, or when finding new jobs is hopeless, or when education takes a back seat to a war that has no defined 'victory'.
Can't we just agree to disagree on abortion, just for the next 4 years? Can't we maybe all work together to address and solve the root causes of abortion instead of merely casting a vote for a candidate who vows to overturn a single court case?
Did you know that since 1990 the number of abortions performed per 1,000 women in the population has been in steady state of decline? In fact, at the current rate of decline by 2015 or so there will be the same abortion rate as there was before Roe v. Wade. Source: http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html/
Looks like the abortion conversation we've been having in election years might have been manufactured as a bit of a wedge issue, or a SPlINter issue if you're into naming things like I am.
In my discussions with people across the board, it seems that there are still a group of people out there that plan to vote Republican purely on the ticket's reported stance on abortion and their desire to overturn Roe v. Wade. I have to say I don't understand how this ethical/religious issue could EVER outweigh putting someone in office who has the intellect and ability to fix the more present wrongs in our country like the increasing class divide, a growing number of uninsured, our position on the world stage, and the economy shifting horrifically in the wake of regulations that only serve corporations and not the greater population.
You see, not many of us are affected when a woman chooses to take the morning after pill. Many of us, however, are affected when we experience a drastic tightening of the economy or when the price of heating our homes increases, or when selling our homes becomes difficult, or when finding new jobs is hopeless, or when education takes a back seat to a war that has no defined 'victory'.
Can't we just agree to disagree on abortion, just for the next 4 years? Can't we maybe all work together to address and solve the root causes of abortion instead of merely casting a vote for a candidate who vows to overturn a single court case?
Did you know that since 1990 the number of abortions performed per 1,000 women in the population has been in steady state of decline? In fact, at the current rate of decline by 2015 or so there will be the same abortion rate as there was before Roe v. Wade. Source: http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html/
Looks like the abortion conversation we've been having in election years might have been manufactured as a bit of a wedge issue, or a SPlINter issue if you're into naming things like I am.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Spinderella and the Dangerous Choice
I have had to wait nearly a week to post this because I needed some time to really process my thoughts and not just write attacks that could just wedge people away from reading. Sorry for the delay, but on to Sarah Palin. This election brings about new attention on the VP candidate because of McCain's age and past health issues. As a former actuary (or wannabe actuary)I can tell you, that the chance McCain doesn't last the 4 years he could be elected to is significant. Personally, I hope the man is around for decades to come, but we have to give some credence to the stats. So while you may hear pundits and the media dispelling the importance of the "bottom of the ticket" McCain's offering needs to be heavily scrutinized because she may very well be President. Below I've listed out the most troubling arguments against voting for Sarah Palin - none of them have to do with Bristol's pregnancy which I shame the media for chasing while ignoring these other points - and besides, it's kinda cute - like Father of the Bride Part II meets Commander in Chief. I dig it.
1. Experience does not make up for intelligence
Years of experience is not nearly as important as intelligence and skill. Palin has not demonstrated that she has that. I'd love to see her report card from the University of Idaho. We can compare that to Obama's school records from both Columbia undergrad and Harvard Law. If you were an employee at a company that was being run into the ground, who would you pick to replace the CEO? - someone ordained by the existing CEO with a few years of experience running one of the renegade divisions with little experience outside that division or someone who has degrees from some of the finest schools in the country with dynamic ideas and an inherent ability to lead and make sound decisions? Case in point - that jet on eBay. Who puts a $3 million plane on eBay? That's not how you sell an airplane. What would you even put in the shipping line? Can you put that in a box and send it off in 2 days? By putting the plane on eBay and leaving it there for a year - she cost Alaska at least $90,000 in interest payments!
2. Sarah Palin has led a sheltered life
Even more important than pedigree is life experience. Palin's been sheltered her entire life. She hasn't had the opportunity to live the melting pot that is America nor has she decided it was important to travel the world (or the country for that matter) to see how other people live life. What does that mean for us in the world stage? Is she going to know how to handle other world leaders when she's barely left her block? Does she understand how the world works having never left her comfort zone?
3. Education should be valued by our President
Like I said, I don't really care that Bristol Palin is knocked up - or filled with one of G-d's presents - but I do wonder why this family decides to shrug off education. What are 19-year-old Track's plans for college? What about Levi Johnston the Palins' son-on-law - he graduated high school last year, what does HE do? If Sarah Palin can't get her own children excited about education, what does that mean for her ability to lead our country which is in grave need of education reform?
4. You can't lie about being ethical
She bills herself as the "Ethical Candidate" but she hasn't demonstrated a single ethic other than not aborting a few fetuses. She takes credit for just about anything. Sun came up today? Sarah Palin did it! And it turns out not only does she take credit for things where it's not due, but she spins her own life events to make her look better! Case in point: her wedding. When she was announced as VP candidate one of the 7 sentences released was that she had eloped with her high school sweetheart to "save her parents money". Turns out, she was probably pregnant, since Track was born 8 months after her wedding. I don't care that she was the bride in a shot-gun wedding, I care that she spins it to make her look like a "real reformer". Need something with more substance? How about the earmarks for Wasilla, or the Bridge to Nowhere? Palin's argued that she's a be-lipsticked pit bull ready to fight the pork barrel spending. Turns out the woman got $27 million in earmarks for her tiny town of 9,000, and she LOWERED taxes there. Looks like she was out to help her own people, not putting the "country first". She took money from the country's coffers to replace having to tax her own people. Unbelievable. Oh, and that Bridge to Nowhere, after she got the money for it, she kept it - even though the Bridge was no longer going to be built. Nice.
5. Alaskan Hockey Moms are a different breed
While Sarah and the conservatives think she's one of the regular American people. She's not. She's an Alaskan. As such, she is NOT in touch with the problems facing every-day Americans, even other hockey moms. This past year each Alaskan was awarded over $3,000 from the state government as a bit of a "profit sharing plan" with the oil companies. Cute. While we all suffer in the lower 48 (and Hawaii) Alaska makes money off of our misery. Alaskans have the privilege of worrying less about the economy. Unemployment there is lower than the rest of the states, violence is less since there is little poverty. There is little diversity that is seen in most other parts of the country. I can guarantee you won't find billboards in Spanish in Juneau.
6. Sarah hearts Pat
She supported Pat Buchanan in the 2000 Presidential race. She's a fringe candidate not much different from him who fires people who disagree with her. Won't ban books? Watch it - I've got your job on the line. You opposed me in the race for mayor? You're out. I don't even want to begin to imagine what would happen of Justices Stevens and Ginsburg outlast McCain. Do you really think she would appoint someone who wouldn't legislate from the bench? We'd have mandatory concealed weapons laws and mandatory child-bearing.
If you made it this far, thank you! I'm sorry for the length of the post - there's just a lot to cover and that's even without going into all the witty banter about Palin - you know, like calling her Caribou Barbie or the Killa from Wasilla.
1. Experience does not make up for intelligence
Years of experience is not nearly as important as intelligence and skill. Palin has not demonstrated that she has that. I'd love to see her report card from the University of Idaho. We can compare that to Obama's school records from both Columbia undergrad and Harvard Law. If you were an employee at a company that was being run into the ground, who would you pick to replace the CEO? - someone ordained by the existing CEO with a few years of experience running one of the renegade divisions with little experience outside that division or someone who has degrees from some of the finest schools in the country with dynamic ideas and an inherent ability to lead and make sound decisions? Case in point - that jet on eBay. Who puts a $3 million plane on eBay? That's not how you sell an airplane. What would you even put in the shipping line? Can you put that in a box and send it off in 2 days? By putting the plane on eBay and leaving it there for a year - she cost Alaska at least $90,000 in interest payments!
2. Sarah Palin has led a sheltered life
Even more important than pedigree is life experience. Palin's been sheltered her entire life. She hasn't had the opportunity to live the melting pot that is America nor has she decided it was important to travel the world (or the country for that matter) to see how other people live life. What does that mean for us in the world stage? Is she going to know how to handle other world leaders when she's barely left her block? Does she understand how the world works having never left her comfort zone?
3. Education should be valued by our President
Like I said, I don't really care that Bristol Palin is knocked up - or filled with one of G-d's presents - but I do wonder why this family decides to shrug off education. What are 19-year-old Track's plans for college? What about Levi Johnston the Palins' son-on-law - he graduated high school last year, what does HE do? If Sarah Palin can't get her own children excited about education, what does that mean for her ability to lead our country which is in grave need of education reform?
4. You can't lie about being ethical
She bills herself as the "Ethical Candidate" but she hasn't demonstrated a single ethic other than not aborting a few fetuses. She takes credit for just about anything. Sun came up today? Sarah Palin did it! And it turns out not only does she take credit for things where it's not due, but she spins her own life events to make her look better! Case in point: her wedding. When she was announced as VP candidate one of the 7 sentences released was that she had eloped with her high school sweetheart to "save her parents money". Turns out, she was probably pregnant, since Track was born 8 months after her wedding. I don't care that she was the bride in a shot-gun wedding, I care that she spins it to make her look like a "real reformer". Need something with more substance? How about the earmarks for Wasilla, or the Bridge to Nowhere? Palin's argued that she's a be-lipsticked pit bull ready to fight the pork barrel spending. Turns out the woman got $27 million in earmarks for her tiny town of 9,000, and she LOWERED taxes there. Looks like she was out to help her own people, not putting the "country first". She took money from the country's coffers to replace having to tax her own people. Unbelievable. Oh, and that Bridge to Nowhere, after she got the money for it, she kept it - even though the Bridge was no longer going to be built. Nice.
5. Alaskan Hockey Moms are a different breed
While Sarah and the conservatives think she's one of the regular American people. She's not. She's an Alaskan. As such, she is NOT in touch with the problems facing every-day Americans, even other hockey moms. This past year each Alaskan was awarded over $3,000 from the state government as a bit of a "profit sharing plan" with the oil companies. Cute. While we all suffer in the lower 48 (and Hawaii) Alaska makes money off of our misery. Alaskans have the privilege of worrying less about the economy. Unemployment there is lower than the rest of the states, violence is less since there is little poverty. There is little diversity that is seen in most other parts of the country. I can guarantee you won't find billboards in Spanish in Juneau.
6. Sarah hearts Pat
She supported Pat Buchanan in the 2000 Presidential race. She's a fringe candidate not much different from him who fires people who disagree with her. Won't ban books? Watch it - I've got your job on the line. You opposed me in the race for mayor? You're out. I don't even want to begin to imagine what would happen of Justices Stevens and Ginsburg outlast McCain. Do you really think she would appoint someone who wouldn't legislate from the bench? We'd have mandatory concealed weapons laws and mandatory child-bearing.
If you made it this far, thank you! I'm sorry for the length of the post - there's just a lot to cover and that's even without going into all the witty banter about Palin - you know, like calling her Caribou Barbie or the Killa from Wasilla.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Super-Spin Cycle
What is political spin anyway? According to the ever convenient wikipedia:
spin is a usually pejorative term signifying a heavily biased portrayal in one's own favor of an event or situation; it is a euphemism for propaganda.
There was a bit of this going on last night, some of my favorite from Rudy Giuliani, and that's because he's been around long enough to know the words he was reading were spin. Some other people may not have been privy to the truth.
The most dangerous point of spin from the third night of the RNC, in my opinion, was the ongoing jab that Barack Obama wants to raise taxes for all Americans when John McCain wants to keep taxes where they're at. This is blatantly not true. At all.
If your household makes less than $250,000 a year, you will pay less taxes with a President Obama than a President McCain. source
Interesting that Obama would be labeled an elitist, when he's the one who realizes people making less than $250k (the vast majority of the country) need a bit of a break.
spin is a usually pejorative term signifying a heavily biased portrayal in one's own favor of an event or situation; it is a euphemism for propaganda.
There was a bit of this going on last night, some of my favorite from Rudy Giuliani, and that's because he's been around long enough to know the words he was reading were spin. Some other people may not have been privy to the truth.
The most dangerous point of spin from the third night of the RNC, in my opinion, was the ongoing jab that Barack Obama wants to raise taxes for all Americans when John McCain wants to keep taxes where they're at. This is blatantly not true. At all.
If your household makes less than $250,000 a year, you will pay less taxes with a President Obama than a President McCain. source
Interesting that Obama would be labeled an elitist, when he's the one who realizes people making less than $250k (the vast majority of the country) need a bit of a break.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Republican spin machine
I'm sitting here watching the RNC, watching Mike Huckabee and I decided what a great time to start off on my little venture in the blogosphere. I wouldn't say I fit neatly into any political party. I'm libertarian in theory, liberal when it comes to believing we need big government to help with education and health care, and down right right wing when it comes to some policies. That's enough on my political leanings, I just wanted to point out that I'm not some fanatic supporter that refuses to see the other side on things. Like some people. Like some people who not only refuse to lend credence to the other side, but try to make it impossible to clearly compare the different sides of a story.
That's the Republican spin machine.
You can not introduce someone as a "Hockey Mom" who "raised 5 kids" and "eloped with her high school sweetheart to save her parents money" and then complain that attacks on her experience are SEXIST.
You can not call yourselves the party that respects all life from the moment of conception when you not only fail to consider the life of the woman that is charged to carry that fetus in her body but you also fail to see the validity in banning assault weapons.
You can't say that America is at war and needs to be protected when you created that war.
You can not say that Palin's daughter shouldn't be subjected to media coverage and then fly her boyfriend in from Alaska and invite the media to the photo opp.
You can't take Palin's commitment to birthing babies as a sign that she "walks the talk" without also acknowledging that maybe abstinence only education isn't working.
You can't criticize your opponent for being a "celebrity" and then inviting People magazine to your VP announcement.
All I'm saying is that let's have a real debate people. The country is in no state to have the "Spin Machine" run the campaign and make it impossible for citizens to make a fair decision. I'm going to help over the next 60 days. I'll do my best until election day to help clear things up.
That's the Republican spin machine.
You can not introduce someone as a "Hockey Mom" who "raised 5 kids" and "eloped with her high school sweetheart to save her parents money" and then complain that attacks on her experience are SEXIST.
You can not call yourselves the party that respects all life from the moment of conception when you not only fail to consider the life of the woman that is charged to carry that fetus in her body but you also fail to see the validity in banning assault weapons.
You can't say that America is at war and needs to be protected when you created that war.
You can not say that Palin's daughter shouldn't be subjected to media coverage and then fly her boyfriend in from Alaska and invite the media to the photo opp.
You can't take Palin's commitment to birthing babies as a sign that she "walks the talk" without also acknowledging that maybe abstinence only education isn't working.
You can't criticize your opponent for being a "celebrity" and then inviting People magazine to your VP announcement.
All I'm saying is that let's have a real debate people. The country is in no state to have the "Spin Machine" run the campaign and make it impossible for citizens to make a fair decision. I'm going to help over the next 60 days. I'll do my best until election day to help clear things up.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)