Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Living in a Fantasy World

Read a couple of interesting takes today on why conservative radio (and the same could apply to conservative blogs and Faux News) actually hurt the conservative movement. The theory is that these entities have created an alternative reality -- one that is so much a fantasy world that the people who live in them can no longer understand what is really happening in the real world. Nor can they defend their own philosophy.

People who believe that Obama is a Muslim who faked his Hawaiian birth certificate and whose autobiography was ghost-written by a '60s-era radical and whose wife gave a speech in which she blamed "whitey" for everything are not able to put together coherent arguments for their side.

This is the Sarah Palin crowd -- no one but these nuts (and the media, which is obsessed with her when the vast majority of the public is NOT) could take a clown like Palin seriously.

Quite awhile back, liberal bloggers started calling themselves "proud members of the reality-based community" -- and it appears that is very, very true.

Ugly American

Ugh. This morning, on BBC News, an American stuck in the Bangkok airport was shown bitching out a young Thai woman because he was inconvenienced by the political action taking place there. She was patiently trying to explain that this was about her country and its future and all he could do was loudly bitch that tomorrow was a major holiday in the U.S. and she was messing up his life for this "cockamamie" protest. It was embarrassingly ugly. I can understand that the American was upset but to be so dismissive of Thailand's political turmoil because he was inconvenienced -- ridiculous.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

GOPers are just sad

Warms my heart to see what a mess the Republicans are these days. A couple of things exemplify this.

The Sarah Palin turkey thing is hilarious. I'm not like many Americans who don't want to know how that meat gets on their table -- I already knew that they put the birds head down in a funnel and chop off their heads. But the insensitivity of Palin to this image is what I find hilarious.

The video of conservative pod people thanking Sarah Palin for her commonsense conservatism -- OMFG.

The conservative women in minks calendar -- oy. Could anything say "we love the 1950s when white men were in charge and no one else existed (in our minds)" than heavily made-up, lacquered hair women in mink coats?

No links -- find these on your own if you must.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Obama on 60 Minutes

The Obamas were very good in their interview with Steve Kroft on "60 Minutes" last night. Worth watching.

Kroft: What have you been concentrating on this week?

Mr. Obama: Couple of things. Number one, I think it's important to get a national security team in place because transition periods are potentially times of vulnerability to a terrorist attack. We wanna make sure that there is as seamless a transition on national security as possible. Obviously the economy. Talking to top economic advisors about how we're gonna create jobs, how we get the economy back on track and what do we do in terms of some long-term issues like energy and healthcare. And how do we sequence those things in a way that we can actually get things through Congress?

Periwinkle is the New Red?

So it appears that red ties are out as symbols of power and periwinkle is in.

I'll never forget seeing Second City perform a skit about what ties really symbolize -- just think of what they are pointing to.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Favorite Election Moments -- McCain

I think my favorite election moment was when McCain "suspended" his campaign in an obvious political stunt (and it got even worse when he got to Washington and said and did nothing! Boy, did he look like an asshole). I think I knew at that point that his campaign was a mess and that he was going to lose badly.

I also loved the "we are all Georgians" statement that was completely absurd and again, indicated that he had no idea what he was doing.

In fact, I never understood why McCain was running for president, other than that it was his turn (in his mind). This was the same reason Bob Dole ran for president and we all know how that turned out.

Other great moments in the election, McCain version:
• "My fellow prisoners"
• "I couldn't agree with them more. I couldn't disagree with you more."
• the tarmac meeting with Palin's family, including the white trash Levi (wonder how that whole marriage thing is working out)
• the failure to make eye contact with Obama at the first debate
• the "that one" comment at whichever debate it was
• the response to the Crazy McCain Lady© that Obama was not an Arab, but a decent family man
• Obama breaking into a huge smile at some idiocy McCain was spewing at one of the debates -- made McCain look like the doddering old man he was

I'm sure there are more that I can't think of right now.

I had originally thought McCain would pull about 37% of the popular vote. I still think that was about right. What changed was the incredibly negative and vicious campaign they ran to appeal to angry, working class white men (and a few women) gave them the other 7% to bring it to 44%.

McCain should be ashamed -- he ran one of the worst campaigns in history, not just because it didn't work, but because it was based not on ideas but on ignorance and hatred.

He could redeem himself by using his time in the Senate to do something the country really needs (how about getting rid of the Electoral College?). But I doubt he's smart enough or cares enough to do that.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Its not my fault

So, today I got on the campus shuttle to go to a meeting and it was completely packed (as usual). I was the last person to get on and had to lean up against the little barrier behind the driver to balance myself. Despite my best efforts, I kept bumping into the person sitting in the first seat behind the driver. As the bus cleared out and I was able to turn around, I realized that the person I was practically smushing was Tyler Hansbrough.

But (in the words of Han Solo) it is completely not my fault that he is doubtful for the season opener.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Perception

Back when the Republicans supposedly had such a vast majority that the Democrats would never rule again, the total number of House seats held by Republicans was 232. Today, with a couple of seats still undecided, the Democrats hold 256 seats.

The Villagers Speak

Its been amazing watching The Villagers (the Washington press corps) claiming that America is a center right country and Obama must govern from the center right. Uh, no.

First, in poll after poll, the vast majority of Americans agree with liberal values as long as they are not labeled liberal (the Repugnicants have done a great job of making the word liberal poison -- they are good at peddling hate, aren't they?).

Second, if Americans wanted to be governed from the center right, why the fuck did they not elect the center right candidate?!!! They elected the left candidate, so clearly they expect governance from the left.

I also keep hearing these morons say that Obama can't push too much change. Hilarious! This is why he was overwhelmingly elected -- he has a mandate for HUGE change.

We need a better media in this country. Sheesh!!!

Stimulus

I keep hearing pundits say that Obama can't do all of his mandates at once. This is BS. In fact, we need to do all of these things at once to stimulate the economy and save the middle class.

We need that middle class tax cut and we need for the uber-wealthy to pay more taxes.

We need big government projects (think Apollo) to get the economy and people working again -- I suggest infrastructure repair/building and self-reliance energy programs (R&D especially).

We also need the health care problem resolved which would ease a huge burden on big companies and make them more competitive in the world markets.

And we need the stinking money pit wars ended.

Stop the Silly Salute

OK, this is a minor one for President (elect) Obama, but when you are president, could you please stop the silly salute when you exit the helicopter at the White House? Ronald Reagan started this nonsense but then, he thought he was in a movie. Unfortunately, every president since has kept this up. It is NOT tradition and it should stop. Its really, really stupid.

Friday, November 07, 2008

Shut the Eff Up

So I'm watching NBC Nightly News last night and they do a report on the Rahm Emanuel appointment. And the reporter says something about "some aren't happy" and interviews John Boehner! Who the fuck cares what John Boehner thinks about this?!!! He's a loser and so is his entire party. Of course, he's not going to by happy about this -- its not news to ask Boehner about this. Its just typical media suck up to the Repugnicants. BTW, they did not ask any Democrats how they felt about it. Again, who the fuck cares what John Boehner thinks about this?!!! Shut the fuck up. And get a better news media, America.

Also, fuck Joe Lieberman. He can't go away fast enough for me.

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Inspirational Music

In case you wondered what the music was that played after Obama's speech last night, it was from the soundtracks to "Remember the Titans" and "The Patriot" (the Mel Gibson movie). My movie fanatic daughter recognized both pieces.

I Got It

So chill

Blue Shift

This is a really cool representation of the country's shift to blue (Democratic):

NY Times Election Recap Graphic

Pinch Me

Its really true. Barack Obama will be our next president.

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

For the Worriers...

(which includes me)

Remember, Kerry states+Virginia+(NM or IA) does it.

Last polls:

Virginia
Obama +7

New Mexico
Obama +7

Iowa
Obama +14

We don't need Ohio, Florida, Indiana or Missouri to win with this scenario.

Monday, November 03, 2008

My Prediction

Electoral College:

Obama 373
McCain 165

Popular vote:

Obama 56
McCain 44

"What Will We Tell the Children?"

Back when the Repugnicants were wringing their hands over Clinton's dalliance, a frequent phrase they said to the media was "what will we tell the children?"

Yesterday, my daughter, after watching days of bobbleheads on TV in so-called news coverage leading up to the election said "Every Republican I see on TV does nothing but lie."

So what will we tell the children about the despicable Republicans? Well, we don't have to tell them anything -- they know. But we can say, " Yes, my dear, its true -- Republicans (at least the ones on TV) are lying sacks of crap." (With props to Stephanie Miller for that last insult.)

Saturday, November 01, 2008

Yes, It IS the Most Important Election in My Life

I have voted in presidential elections since 1972. That makes this year my 10th presidential election. And yes, this is the most important election in my life. We are on the cusp -- we can either fulfill our promise as a nation or we can degenerate into an oligarchy and no longer be the beacon of democracy for the world.

I lingered as long as I could on my vote for Obama, carefully and repeatedly filling in the oval. Now, we wait -- 72 more hours.