Hey GM, Hire Me!

Hey GM! Guess what? That 14 million dollars you paid your CEO Rick Wagoner last year? You might as well handed out that money to everyone who was unfortunate enough to buy one of your cars because what has he done to earn that money? Send you into bankruptcy? I have an idea, hire me instead.

By the way, that 14 million dollars per year could have been used to pay 400 workers 35,000 per year. See, it's all about dollars and sense!

I guarantee I could run any of the big three automakers better than the guys who are running them now. First off, I would save them 13 million dollars per year right off the bat as I would only require a 1 million dollar salary (I know, it sounds like a lot but I would have to live in Detroit, that's worth at least 500G). How could I do worse? What's the worst that could happen, you go bankrupt?? Well, that's what 14 million dollars a year and private jets is getting you now so why not try?

Here's your problems:

A. Your Corporate brass makes too much money and they apparently don't earn what they make and don't know how to run an auto business. Yes, the CEO of Porsche tops the auto industry in compensation but he knows how to make and market cars and his company is profitable so he deserves it. If fact, if you don't hire me, hire him! But when you look at Japanese companies, the ones who are really kicking your ass, they don't make nearly as much as the top executives at the big three.

B. Your workers make too much money. I agree that a janitor or button pusher at one of your plants doesn't need to make $50,000 plus full pension and medical benefits. Not in the global economy. That being said, workers in Japan and Germany and even workers of foreign auto companies in the US make living wages.

C. You are competing against companies which come from countries whose governments tax the rich CEOs in order to provide health care for everyone. If you were smart, you would stop taking marching orders from the oil industry and start taking them from the people who are lobbying for Universal Health Care. In fact, instead of paying lobbyist to convince congress not to enforce fuel economy and safety standards, have them lobby for Universal Healthcare which could eliminate 11 Billion dollars of health care expense for the industry as a whole. Duh!

D. One of your biggest expenses is health care for working and retired individuals. For Honda, every vehicle sold costs the company approximately $107 in pension and health payments. But for General Motors, the cost is approximately $1,360. Again, your biggest lobbying push should be for Universal Health Care and I am not talking about Obama's lame plan.

E. You suck at making cars. You used to be good at that and made tanks and munitions during WW11 even better; you know, when the government was telling you what to do. I admit, since the mid 90's the quality of your cars has improved and is up there with most European cars yet still can't top Toyota and Honda or their luxury lines. In essence, hire better designers and engineers, make a better product and when you get rated at the top of the reliability indexes, your resale values will go up, your warranty liabilities will go down, you will have fewer recalls and you will sell more cars as they will have more value. People want value. Hire Toyota's engineers! When the Colts couldn't get past the Patriots they hired Vinatieri away from New England; same concept.

F. You make cars nobody wants. Instead of looking at what sells throughout the world, you stubbornly make the same cars over and over again. Sure, the Minivan, the SUV were both great when gas was $1.30 a gallon but it's the 21st century, time for something new. There is only a shortage of ideas not a shortage of consumers. Sure, everyone could already listen to high quality, portable music but the Ipod came along, made it easier and more efficient and changed everything. You need to make the next Ipod. Hire some young, hippy, pot head, computer geek, kids from California to design your cars, they'll come up with something.

G. You can't sell these cars nobody wants. Hire a marketing department or a better ad agency or Don Draper even. Don't bitch about how nobody wants to by your Hummers anymore. Do you have salesman? Do you have a marketing department? Look at VW ads compared to the ads of the big 3. VW created a market for their cars. They went to young, educated, white urban dewllers with a little cash and said our cars are cool and you will buy them, and guess what they bought them. For the most part you let local market auto dealers do your advertising for you. Typically these commercials are done in someone's living room and consist of some guy jumping around talking about financing and as his voice echoes, you see about 9 of the cars they are trying to all sell driving sideways with weird camera angles. Not exactly, "you had me at hello". Selling your product is half of the ball game. So, no one wants your cars? Convince them they need it. Always Be Closing! So, nobody wants to buy the same brand you have been selling for the last 70 years? Trash it, come up with a new car. No one wants to tell their first date they drive an Oldsmobile or Mercury! Do consumers say they don't need a new car, well the people who bought the Iphone didn't need a new phone but they still bought an Iphone. In fact, the Iphones don't really work all that well but they are still flying off the shelves because they are new and add "value" to peoples lives. If European cars are selling, make cars that look like European cars instead of just buying those companies who make them and continuing to make your same old bullshit. You did this with the Taurus in the 80s, you can do it again. If Japanese cars are selling, make cars that can compete with those. If luxury and top of the line sports cars are selling, if Porsche is the most profitable company out there, guess what kinds of cars you need to be making and selling?

I do admit, I love the throw back muscle cars like the Mustang, Challenger and especially the Camaro, that’s the innovation I am talking about but I think you can see the problem with making a new 8 cylinder Muscle car with 450 HP when gas is $4.00 per gallon and the economy sucks. Porsche, however, manages to make high end "muscle" cars with 4 and 6 cylinders and would blow the doors off your GTOs, or V8 Challenger or Charger. It’s not that people aren't buying cars, they just aren't buying your cars! Guess what, the economy is never bad for rich people, you know this, you are the rich people. You buy luxury shit all the time no matter how bad the economy is. You need recession proof automobiles! Luxury cars are just that.

Penetrate new markets! Sure, you have the redneck, grandparent and gang banger market cornered but when was the last time a gay guy, yuppie, young JAP or hippy bought one of your cars? Make cars for people who live in the city since that's where the majority of consumers live. Sure the Focus was a good effort but I would still rather drive a Jetta.

H. You gambled your employee pensions away in the stock market. Ever hear of CDs or bank interest? Good thing we didn't do this with Social Security. Again, the difference between the free market and regulation. Don't do that again.

I. You put all your eggs into the SUV basket while Toyota and Honda were developing small fuel efficient hybrids and even hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, AKA cars people want. When gas went up to $4.00 a gallon guess what happened to your market? It didn't take a psychic to see that coming. We did invade a country that had the third largest oil reserves in the world.

J. You should also use those lobbyist to keep imports from getting into the country or at least get them to even the playing field for US made products. For example, by the year 2000, Korea exported more than 400,000 cars per year into the United States but only imported 739 American made cars. Since 2003, Korea’s imports on foreign cars has tripled to almost 54,000, only 6,235 were made by the big 3. Is this what they are calling free trade? With the kind of numbers you are asking for, I would hardly call it free.


And let's get this straight; It's not the Unions fault that you are running out of money. Now, they did get greedy and lazy in the late 70's and early 80's but they are not the reason you are in the situation have created. The United Auto Workers Union was founded in 1935. If the Unions were the cause of all your woes you would have went belly up years ago. Germany, Italy, Japan and Britain all have to deal with Unions. Now, you could say that the big 3 suck at negotiating as much as they suck at making cars but the Auto Union members were never going to go work for a different Big 3 or go to some other country to work. You were still the only game in town for these workers but that's something you apparently failed to realize.

Don't go to congress with your hands out when you personally make millions of dollars per year and got there on a private jet. This is the stupidity I am talking about.

All this being said, we have no problem loaning you money. Loaning. I would rather give it to an industry which provides 10% of all US jobs than give it to rich people on Wall Street who thought it was a good idea to give loans to homeless people. We helped out Chrysler about 30 years ago and they came up with the mini-van and paid their loans back early. I have no problem with this it's just I don't know if we really trust you to do the right or smart thing in this situation. Maybe there is too much competition. Maybe we should close the doors on Korea and let the big 3 become the big 2 making them leaner and meaner and allowing them to share more technology between them and cutting executive pay rolls by a third. Chrysler is private so it wouldn't really hurt the stock market as much to let them go as it would GM or Ford. I just hope they let GM make the Dodge Challenger.

So, Ford, GM, doesn't this sound like a better plan than what Rick Wagoner came up with? Begging! I have identified almost all of your main problems and have suggested some solutions as to how I would fix them. Wouldn't you want to cut 13 million in costs overnight? If so, hire me. I promise, I will at least do better than the schmucks you got in there now. How could I be worse?

Something to Post

Big Box Mart | Funny Jokes at JibJab

Here's Some Celebration Music

...And one of my favorite songs!

Things You May Hear on Wednesday if Obama Wins

-It's the Liberal Media's fault. They were in love with Obama and only attacked McCain. No one ever talked about Rev. Wright, Bill Ayers, his associations with ACORN, his lack of flag pins, experience, the chance that he may be a Muslim, etc. They only focused on negative attacks towards McCain and his past associates, his wives and extramarital affairs.

-If it weren't for Acorn, Obama wouldn't have received so many votes from dead people.

-Black people shouldn't be allowed to vote.

-It's not fair that such a small geographic area can decide our President. Look, most of the country is red!

-The vote was rigged by fraudulent Diebold voting machines (even though their executives are huge financial supporters of Republicans)

-We need to keep recounting the votes until we find a reason to throw out black votes.

-It's not fair to hold elections in states whose Governor isn't McCain's brother, the Secretary of State isn't the head of the McCain Florida campaign at a time when the majority of the Supreme Court was appointed by conservatives.

-It wasn't fair, white people were kept from voting by gangs of B branding Obama thugs. (AKA, we saw black people at the polling station and that scares us white people...they'll steal your wallet you know!)

-Seriously, this can't be real, a black guy named Barack Obama was just elected as President, stop joking, we all know that can't be true and if it is, someone cheated.

-It's not fair, we kept most black people from voting, told them the election was on Wednesday and Obama still won.

-Hmm, maybe it does help to be the son of an ex-head of the CIA, Vice President and President.

-We should secede from the United States again and form our own country.

-Of course he lost, look who he picked as a running mate.

-Great, now Obama is going to put on his turban and travel across the country killing babies and handing out checks to black people who don't work while planting bombs on all federal monuments and destroying Christmas.

-I, Sarah Palin am announcing that I will a candidate for President in 2012.

Things you won't hear:

-Too many people in rich, white, conservative suburban areas had to endure long lines, faulty voting equipment and inadequate facilities.

-People in black urban areas of Ohio were able to vote without waiting for three hours in the rain.

-I'm leaving the country for a better place that supports my third world way of fundamentalist thinking...Hello Saudia Arabia!

-For the first time since 1964 Indiana voted for a Democrat.

-The price of gasoline continues to fall from its 1 1/2 year low on 10/29/08.

-Ladies and Gentleman, the next President of the United States, John McCain!

Republicans Up to Their Old Tricks Again

As was the case in Ohio in 2004 and in Florida in 2000, the Republicans are still trying to keep black people from voting. This flyer, found in Hampton Roads, Va, is being passed out in black neighborhoods informing residents that they are to vote on November 5th. These enemies of Democracy, if found, should be hung for treason.

And in Nevada , Latino voters are receiving calls from Republicans and once it is learned that the voter intends to vote for Obama, they are told that they can place their vote over the phone.

Do Republicans really believe minorities are this stupid?? Ok, don't answer that; it's a redundant question.

I guess they believe that Democracy can only prevail when rich, white people are allowed to vote. This is a true indication of how vile and desparate they really are. What else are they willing to do to ensure their guy wins...again?

And you wondered how Bush got elected to a second term.

Housing Bubble

This release is from Whitehouse.gov. Some people try to blame the housing crisis on Barney Frank and the Democrats, some on Republican deregulation, some on the free market and greed, some on poor people who should have never bought a home to begin with, some on the people who handed out the loans to people who didn't qualify and some blame it on the people who then bought those loans from the mortgage companies; most, as I do, would place blame on all the above including the housing bubble. The bottom line here is that not one company was forced but the United States government to give a loan to someone who didn't qualify for it. No one was forced to give loans to homeless people and no investment bank was forced to buy that loan from the mortgage companies. What I find interesting is that no one is really blaming President Bush, at least not anyone in the conservative media. I have actually heard that Bush never signed any legislation that contributed to this crisis but again, you can't believe everything you hear on Fox News. So, I thought I would post this letter from President Bush which could add him to the list of culprits. So no, it wasn't just Democrats trying to increase home ownership rates among minorities.

National Homeownership Month, 2006
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

Owning a home is an important part of the American dream. During National Homeownership Month, we raise awareness of homeownership and encourage more Americans to consider the benefits of owning their own home.

Nearly 70 percent of Americans enjoy the satisfaction of owning their own home, and my Administration continues to promote an ownership society where the promise of America reaches all our citizens. The American Dream Downpayment Act of 2003 is helping thousands of low to moderate income and minority families with downpayment and closing costs, which represent the greatest barrier to homeownership. Since 2002, when I announced our goal to help 5.5 million minorities become homeowners by the end of this decade, the rate of minority homeownership has climbed above 50 percent, and more than 2.5 million minority families have become new homeowners. My Administration will continue to provide counseling and assistance for new homebuyers and expand homeownership opportunities for all Americans.

During National Homeownership Month and throughout the year, we applaud the men and women who work to achieve the dream of homeownership, and we are grateful for those who provide counseling, lending, real estate, construction, and other services to these individuals. The hard work, financial discipline, and personal responsibility of our country's homeowners help transform neighborhoods throughout our Nation and reflect the best qualities of America.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim June 2006 as National Homeownership Month. I call upon the people of the United States to join me in building a more hopeful society and recognizing the importance of expanding the ownership of homes across our great Nation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirtieth.

GEORGE W. BUSH


What the American Dream Downpayment Act of 2003 was designed for was to increase the home ownership rates of minorities by providing funds for down payments and closing costs. Many cite the elimination of mortgage companies requiring down payments as one of the first steps in the housing market free fall. It used to be that if you couldn't come up with 40k in the first place, you probably couldn't afford to own a house for the next 30 years or would at least be more likely to default on our loan, hence PMI. As it turns out, they were right.


That being said, I put down like 5% on my place and created a HELOC for the rest and then just refinanced at the top of the housing bubble to avoid PMI and get rid of the HELOC. I couldn't get away with that today so I guess I am one of the lucky (or smart) ones.

A Letter From 2012

By now, I am sure everyone has heard about James Dobson's Focus on the Family letter to his cult. Like many far reich wing loonies, the letter mainly focuses on a world run by homosexuals if Obama is elected. Now, some reich wingers like Ted Haggard and Mark Foley would welcome such a change but to many reich wing, compound living, pioneer costume wearing, born again Christians, the thought of 2% of the population doing things in dark places in California and not being persecuted for it, is too much to handle.

The letter even talks about guns, something Jesus violently supported and defended and would clearly support today. I mean, how else can you deal with Liberal homosexuals who are trying to recruit your children? The letter also addresses Supreme Court Nominees (homosexuals), home schooling (not homosexuals), Boy Scout Troop leaders (also homosexuals), prayer in school (restricted by homosexuals), homosexual adoption agencies, the supposed banning of religious speech on the radio and TV (but only of course when they talk about killing homosexuals), Abortion (the one thing homosexuals don't need), pornography (how Obama will put gay porn on prime time), military policy (the military without homosexuals), All the terrorist attacks which would be caused by homosexuals, although, they didn't say if these terrorist attacks would come from the Christian Reich or from Islamic militants (upset over homosexual parades), Health Care (it's only expensive because of AIDS stricken homosexuals; only homos can get AIDS), Taxes, the economy and the poor (Homosexuals raise taxes to pay for gay weddings), prosecution of the Bush Administration's officials by homosexuals (but if the shoe fits), the restriction of hate speech, etc., you know, all those things Jesus preached about. Well, actually, almost nothing Jesus taught about and almost nothing to do with Christianity and being Christ-like but everything about hating blacks, Muslims and obviously homosexuals, unless of course you have been cured of your homosexuality like Ted Haggard, for instance. Not only that, it basically says Obama is the anti-Christ and if you vote for him you will burn in eternal hell fire.

Here is a link to this letter: http://focusfamaction.edgeboss.net/download/focusfamaction/pdfs/10-22-08_2012letter.pdf

I was going to write my own letter to rational, normal, smart, educated, secular people warning of the catastrophe it would be if Sarah Palin were to choose Supreme Court Justices and how only the rights of the Protestant Christian Reich would be protected and everyone would have to capitulate to their rule. I was also going to write about all the wars McCain was sure to start and how our great civilization, as all great civilizations have, would collapse under the McCain's war expansion plan and complete ignorance of the economy. I was going to write that letter but it would have ended up being 30 pages long like Dobson's and no one wants to read that shit.

Palin Going Rogue Even Though She is Not Qualified

Palin's 'going rogue,' McCain aide says
From CNN: 10/26/08

Here's the most intereseting part of the article where the McCain campaign admits that she is illinformed and not ready for the office of the Vice President:


The Politico reported Saturday on Palin's frustration, specifically with McCain advisers Nicolle Wallace and Steve Schmidt. They helped decide to limit Palin's initial press contact to high-profile interviews with Charlie Gibson of ABC and Katie Couric of CBS, which all McCain sources admit were highly damaging.

In response, Wallace e-mailed CNN the same quote she gave the Politico: "If people want to throw me under the bus, my personal belief is that the most honorable thing to do is to lie there."

But two sources, one Palin associate and one McCain adviser, defended the decision to keep her press interaction limited after she was picked, both saying flatly that she was not ready and that the missteps could have been a lot worse.

They insisted that she needed time to be briefed on national and international issues and on McCain's record.

"Her lack of fundamental understanding of some key issues was dramatic," said another McCain source with direct knowledge of the process to prepare Palin after she was picked. The source said it was probably the "hardest" to get her "up to speed than any candidate in history."

Really? Who could have known?

This is Something You Won't Find on Fox News...Although I am Sure These People Watch Fox News

Highlights:

"If Obama wins, the Blacks will take over" Well, technically, a "Black" will take over the White(black)House. So I guess she is on to something.

"He's not a Christian" Well, actually he is, always has been and goes to church about twice per month.

"This is a Christian Nation" Wrong again. The largest religion in the United States happens to be Christianity but we are officially a secular nation with mostly secular laws. The Constitution even states that the government cannot endorse a religion. It also says that there can be no religious test to hold public office. So, even if Obama wasn't a Christian, he could still legally become President. Talk about clinging to religion.

"When you've got a nigger running for President you need a first stringer, He's definitely a second stringer". No analysis needed really but didn't Limbaugh get into some trouble when he said something like this about Donovan McNabb? And would McCain be a first stringer if he were black or would that automatically put him on the bench?

"Palin is filled with the holy spirit." Palin has definitely been filled up with a lot of spirit but I don't think it's the holy spirit, I think it's Todd's spirit. Clinging to religion!

"He's related to a terrorist" You mean that white guy who is 20 years older than Obama? What, are they brothers or something?

"I don't like the fact that he thinks us white people are trash" No, he doesn't think white people are trash but he does think YOU PEOPLE are trash; you have just proven so with this interview.

"Drill Baby Drill" Ya, drilling in ANWR and in deep water makes so much sense when oil is below $70 per barrell.

Now you understand how voter suppression in black neighborhoods in Ohio became so rampant in the last election.

I have one question, what has Obama blown up, what terrorist organization did he belong to, what are his goals (terrorists do have a goal), how is Obama a terrorist because he has met a guy who was a terrorist 30 years ago (but Mayor Daley and the President of Northwestern University isn't) and Todd Palin and Sarah aren't America hating terrorists because Todd hasn't been a member of the Alaskan Secessionist Party since 2006?

Being sheltered here deep in a blue state filled with normal, free thinking, educated people, it's easy to forget that the type of people in this video actually exist, shit, I think I may have even grown up with some of them. I would like to think that not all rural, white, middle/southern American's are like this but when you hear the things they say at these rather large rallies, you have to wonder. Knowing the majority of the U.S. population is concentrated in urban areas makes me feel a bit safer but when you think someone who is running for President of the United States is really a terrorist or really kills babies, there is really no hope for them and no hope for talking sense into them. The problem is that these are the people who get married when they are 18, pump out 5 kids and the cycle continues with the next Wal-Mart shopping generation. These are the people who are reproducing. The funny thing is the shit they are most worried about doesn't affect them at all. No terrorist is ever going to hit some small town in Ohio, no one is ever going to force them to have an abortion, force them to marry another dude and they will never make the kind of money which would subject them to higher Democratic tax rates, in fact, with all those kids, they probably don't pay any taxes and probably get back more than they pay. How is it that the Republicans can always convince and scare these people into voting for them? John McCain has 0 in common with these people, 0! McCain isn't even a born again like Bush. How is it that these knuckle draggers end up voting for the richest of the rich who only do the bidding of the rich? Do they still think that if you lower taxes on rich people that those rich people will come to their town and put new tires on their homes or give them a job cleaning their 8 houses? And all you hear from the right is about all the hatred coming from the left. I just don't get it.

Bill Ayers Endorses John McCain for President!

Breaking news! I think I am one of the first to report this story!

Bill Ayers Endorses John McCain For President
From: Faux News 10/22/08


Bill Ayers at a rally with Sarah Paliin 10/22/08

Chicago, IL - In a surprise press conference on Wednesday, UIC Professor and former member of the Weather Underground, Bill Ayers, announced his support for John McCain for President. Ayers told the press that, in his eyes, John McCain is the only candidate shares his goal for America: its complete and utter destruction.

Ayers went on to say that in his days of playing revolutionary in the 60’s, his group could have never possibly dreamed of doing as much damage to America that has been accomplished under the last 8 years of Republican rule and what John McCain has in store for our economy and foreign policy. “In our wildest dreams, we really couldn’t have done it any better ourselves," Ayers was quoted as saying. He also stated that one of the turning points was McCain suspending his campaign to go back to Washington to ensure the state was able to secure its control and ownership of banking institutions. “This was a Socialists wet dream, I mean the Federal Government has grown over 60% over the last 8 years”, Ayers went on to say that the Socialists' goal of wealth redistribution, with the recent depletion of 401ks flowing to corporate bailouts, was as close to being realized as it has ever been since the Great Depression when the wealth of many was concentrated into the hands of the few, rich and powerful. Although, he admits that his ideal version of Socialism would have seen the wealth of a few dispersed amongst the many,  in the end he concedes, "it was just semantics". And as far as wealth redistribution is concerned, he said that it was impossible to find a better example of this than Palin levying a windfall profits tax on the oil companies and handing an extra $1200 check over to every citizen of her state who didn't work for it. "Every Socialist in the country should have a mural of Palin painted on the side of their building", Ayers went on to say. So, the first event which eventually led him to his support of McCain was the choice of running mate, Sarah Palin. Mr. Ayers said, “Not only was her husband a member of his own violent anti-American secessionist organization who also dealt with plastic explosives and refused to call themselves Americans, but Palin herself is essentially a ticking time bomb who could explode with ignorance at any moment. Hopefully, that moment will be in the Capital Building." He said, “she could just pick up where we left off.”

The other thing that attracted Ayers to McCain was his blatant disregard for the troops. Ayers said,"It's almost like he hates the baby killing troops as much as me; I mean, he is constantly voting against bills involving veteran's issues and not only wants to keep troops in Iraq for the next 100 years, which will clearly equal more dead troops, but he also wants to send them to die in Russia, Iran, Venezuela and North Korea too. Once the United States has depleted its military it will never be able to continue its quest of capitalist imperialism and will remain weakened and leave the door open for a Socialist take over from a country like Russia or France."

Ayers did note that although he met Obama back in the 90’s, Obama was way too level headed and possibly even ignorant to Ayer’s views and history. “I don’t even think that Uncle Tom even knew who I was or what I was capable of”, said Ayers, “That’s why I am not voting for him; when I was out planting bombs on public monuments trying to retake America, he was in Hawaii learning how to ride a bike”. Other voters, however, could discount Ayers rejection of Obama as an action of a disgruntled member of a children’s charity organization or as simply the support of one balding, washed up, historically insignificant, 60's era, white guy for another.

“And we have got to say to the world it doesn’t make any difference who you are and what you are. If you’re an American you’re an American if you are a former “terrorist” who never killed anyone while protesting an illegal war or a corrupt banker with political connections who rips the tax payers off to the tune of 124 billion dollars or a crazy preacher who thinks it should be legal for Christians to kill gays and Muslims, we are all Americans!” Ayers said.

Mr. Ayers support of McCain was not a surprise to people who know him well or who are within Chicago’s political establishment. The McCain campaign welcomed it as a powerful reassurance to voters that he is willing to reach out, work across the isle and go against his own party and not just because his own party was always wrong. 

Mr. McCain called Bill Ayers at 10 a.m. to thank him for the endorsement and told him “how honored he was to have it,” said a senior adviser to Mr. McCain. The two spoke for about 15 minutes.

McCain stated that he, Sarah and Todd "looked forward to taking advantage of his militant expertise and goal for an 'America on its knees' in the next two weeks and hopefully over the next four years", the advisor said.

What Ordering Pizza Will Be Like In the Future

This isn't new but probably pretty accurate.



http://aclu.org/pizza/images/screen.swf

Joe The Plumber

Here's the scoop on Joe the Plumber:

Although he isn't saying who he will vote for, he claims to be an admirer of McCain and did vote in the Republican Primary. Go figure.

Joe is currently not earning anything close to $250,000 per year and since he is below that, would actually be able to save more money to buy the business under Obama's tax plan.

He has no intentions of buying the business anytime soon.

He doesn't have a plumbers license.

He does clearly have a problem with taxes; he doesn't pay them. Lucas county court currently has tax leins against ol' Joe.

The business which consists of him and the owner, doesn't make anywhere near 250,000 in profits so they would benefit under Obama's plan.

A 3% (36%-39%) increase in taxes on $250,000 is $7500 per year, $625 per month, $31.25 per day or $3.90 per hour. No one was going to work for $3.90 per hour anyway so the argument that he wouldn't be able to hire new poeple is moot.

In fact, under Obama's plan, for every person you did hire you would receive a $3000 tax credit which then only comes out to be $2.34 per hour assuming you hired one person and was making over $250,000 per year in profit...in a one to two man plumbing business.

The United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters has endorsed Obama.

It all sounds very planted / Jeff Gannon to me...you know, without the gay prostitution web-site....as far as we know.

Candidates Paling Around with America Hating Terrorists

Sarah Palin is the VP candidate who scorns Obama for working in the same place as an ex "terrorist" name Bill Ayers, who 40 years ago belonged to a group who bombed monuments and buildings to protest the Vietnam war when Obama was 8 years old.
Sarah is married to Todd Palin who from 1995-2002 was registered to vote as a member of the Alaskan Independence Party whose conventions Sarah Palin would often address admiring their "good work".
The Alaskan Independence Party was a group that called for Alaska's secession from the United States and headed by a guy named Joe Vogler who ran for Governor in 1974. The AIP, at least at one time, had over 20,000 members.

Vogler had been quoted as saying the following:

"The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government. And I won't be buried under their damn flag. I'll be buried in Dawson. And when Alaska is an independent nation they can bring my bones home."

“My government is my worst enemy. I’m going to fight them with any means at hand.”

“When the [federal] bureaucrats come after me, I suggest they wear red coats. They make better targets. In the federal government are the biggest liars in the United States, and I hate them with a passion. There comes a time when people will choose to die with honor rather than live with dishonor. That time may be coming here. Our goal is ultimate independence by peaceful means under a minimal government fully responsive to the people. I hope we don’t have to take human life, but if they go on tramping on our property rights, look out, we’re ready to die.” "

"President Roosevelt had involved us in a war. He had to do something to make Americans mad. And I speak pretty frankly, I call him the dirty rotten son-of-a-bitch communist traitor, because he had involved us in that war that we had no business in.”

Kind of makes Rev. Wright look like Bryant Gumbel doesn't he?

In 1993, the government of Iran invited him to speak at the United Nations about Alaskan Independence and American tyranny.

Weeks before he was to speak against the United States in the UN, he was murdered during a plastics explosive deal gone badly.

Perhaps this, and Keating is why McCain didn't talk about Ayers, who has never been convicted of a crime, during the last debate.

So, Governor Palin, are you sure you want to play the "palinig around with terrorists" card? It's obvious that your families views are the ones which don't fit with the mainstream American's.

Cooky Pastors and Less Than Main Stream Churches and Politics

Here's a clip about a witch hunting pastor who speaks at Sarah Palin's church in Alaska:


This is a clip with he and Sarah Palin performing some sort of voodoo, anti-witchcraft something or another:


And you thought Obama went to a fringe church?

P.S.

Dear Mr. McCain,

Please give me a break with the suspension of your campaign. The 1864 and 1944 presidential candidates continued their campaign even through the Civil War and the invasion of Europe during WWII. Not to mention, you have the longest "no vote" streak in the Senate. You haven't been present to vote on a bill since early April. You yourself have admitted that you don't know anything about the economy. Neither you nor Obama are on any banking committees. You are expected to show up for the vote when indeed there is a vote on this matter, that is all you are required to do. Throughout your career you have said nothing but how the government should let businesses do what it wants and have continually pushed and voted for the deregulation of financial institutions. Your own advisor was the author of one of the bills that is at least partly responsible for getting us into this situation in the first place.

Please spare us from this political showmanship. Do you really think we are that stupid?

McCain's Flip Flop on Regulation

I think you have probably heard John McCain on TV lately talking about how there was no oversight in the mortgage crisis and the lack of regulation was to blame. Well, he should know because he helped make it that way. McCain voted for his former financial advisors bill, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act which prevented banks from offering investment, insurance and commercial banking services which lead to the collapse of AIG. This makes about as much sense as Hitler opening an investigation into the disappearance of all the Jews in Poland. It's almost laughable that he thinks people will fall for this crap.

So here are some McCain facts and quotes throughout the years:

The McCain of today: "We won't solve a problem caused by poor oversight with a plan that has no oversight"
The McCain of yesterday:

"I'm always for less regulation" - John McCain 2008

I'd like to see a lot of the unnecessary government regulations eliminated." - John McCain 3/08

"I don’t think anyone who wants to increase the burden of government regulation and higher taxes has any real understanding of economics and the economy and what is needed in order to ensure the future of this country.” - John McCain 4/23/08 Inez, KY

“I Understand Why The AFL-CIO And Maybe Other Unions May Oppose My Free Market, Less Regulation, Right To Work.” - John McCain 3/12/08

“We Need To Return To The Reagan Years… We Need Less Regulation.” - John McCain 2/14/08 (S&L anyone?)

“Less Government, Lower Taxes, Less Regulation, Safer America Is What I Can Give America.” - John McCain 3/9/08

“I Am A Deregulator. I Believe In Deregulation.” - John McCain7/13/03

How can Republicans recover from the 2006 elections?: “By returning to the basic core principles of the Republican Party, very careful stewardship of tax dollars, less government is best government, less regulation, lower taxes, strong national defense, community and family values.” - John McCain11/8/06

“I Have A Long Voting Record In Support Of Deregulation.” - John McCain 6/5/03

“I’ve Been A Good Party Member. I Agree On Most Issues, Fundamentals Of Lower Taxes, Less Regulation.” - John McCain 9/13/99

"I am convinced that the best thing government can often do to advance the fortune of the private sector is to stay out of its way" - John McCain 10/3/2000

In 1996 he was one of 4 senators who voted against telecommunications reform citing it didn't deregulate the industry enough.

In 1999 he voted for the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act which deregulated post depression laws designed to keep companies like AIG from doing what they did. A bill Biden voted against.

In the 90s McCain tried to create a moratorium that would block any new federal regulation.


And by the way, the "fundamentals of our economy" quote was not a one time thing taken out of context:

McPain

Ya, I know, I need to write my own stuff and stop posting chain letters.


I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....

* If you grow up in Hawaii , raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."

* If you grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, it's a quintessential American story.

* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.

* Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.

* Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.

* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.

* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.

* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of an oil rich state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive and next in line behind a man in his eighth decade.

* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.

* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and then left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a true Christian.

* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.

* If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.

* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America 's.

* If you're husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.

White Privelege (Repost)

I didn't write this but it's pretty spot on so I figured I would post it.

From:September, 14 2008 By Tim Wise Tim Wise's ZSpace Page: http://www.zmag.org/zspace/timwise

* White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right tojudge 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 any one 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 insix years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed outof, 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 firstplace 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 enoughfor the founding fathers, it's good enough for me," and not be immediately disqualified from holding office--since, after all, thepledge 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 tohave 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 organizersand the work they do--like, among other things, fight for the right ofwomen 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 yearswhose pastors say that people who voted for John Kerry or merely criticize George 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 inspeakers who say the conflict in the Middle East is God's punishmenton Jews for rejecting Jesus, and everyone can still think you're justa 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 itseffect 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 andnuanced.

* 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 George 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, whichis very concrete and certain. White privilege is, in short, the problem.

And You Thought Bush Lied?

Republican Speeches

Ok, credit where credit is due; Palin gave a good speech and I would like to give credit to who ever wrote it for her. She recited it well.

Apparently being the Mayor of a town of 8,000 people in Alaska does make you more qualified to be president than someone who has more political experience than Hillary Clinton and Bush did before he was elected President and someone who graduated from Harvard and taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago, a University neither McCain nor Palin could ever even dream of attending. And apparently, Palin is even more qualified than the top of her ticket since he has never held an executive office and has never had to lead anyone. So, creating ordinances to deal with raccoons in people's trash cans is the type of experience America needs when that call comes in at three in the morning and the Russian bear in trying to get in through our door.

I didn't catch Romney's speech but what really stood out was Giulani's speech. Not only did he sound like he was telling his estranged children a bed time story which he made up as he went along but I was surprised about how either wrong he was about 90% of it or how he was flat out lying through his teeth.

Here's his speech and my retort in red:

Almost exactly one year ago during a Republican presidential debate in Durham, N.H., I said that if I weren't running for president myself, I'd be supporting John McCain. Well, I'm not, (Thankfully) and I do. How many times has he said "I do"?

Every four years, we are told that this presidential election is the most important election of our lifetime. This year — 2008 — IS the most important. It wouldn't have been if the Supreme Court hadn't handed Bush the job in 2000.

This has already been historic. It is the longest presidential campaign in history. And it sometimes felt even longer. Longer? As in one leg longer than the other? Reminds me of what happened to McCain's first wife before he cheated on her and then dumped her for a rich cheerleader 16 years her junior and then married a month after his divorce was final.

The American people realize this election represents a turning point. In two months they will decide the future direction of our nation. It's a decision to follow one path or another. In other words, the same path as Bush or a completely new one.

"We the people" — the citizens of the United States — get to decide our next president ... not the media, not Hollywood celebrities, not anyone else. Well, actually, in the past two elections it has been shady local governments, the Electoral College and the Republican appointed Supreme Court.

This is a time for choosing — and to those Americans who still feel torn in this election, I'd like to suggest one way to think about the choice you have to make in 2008:

You're hiring someone to do a job — an important job that involves the safety and security of your family. But isn't part of the job also making sure your family doesn't go broke and has food to eat and has an income? Imagine that you have two job applications in your hand — with the names and party affiliations taken off the top. They're both good and patriotic men — with very different life experiences that have led them to this moment in history.

You've got to make this decision right. Who would you hire? The Legacy student who got in to the Naval Academy because of his parents and grandparents and graduated 894th out of 899 from the Naval Academy or the one who got a B.A. in Political Science and International Relations From Columbia University and then later graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard with a law degree where he became the first black President of the Harvard Law Review managing a staff of 80 people?

On the one hand, you've got a man who has dedicated his life to the service of his country. He's been tested time and again by crisis. He's passed every test. Actually, you have two who have dedicated their life to the service of their country; one happened to do it with guns and firepower the other did it with his organizational skills.

Even his adversaries acknowledge that he is a true American hero. He loves America as we all do — but he's sacrificed for it as few do. It's not like he volunteered to be a POW. As a young man, he joined the military ... and being a "Top Gun" kind of guy, he became a fighter pilot. He was on a mission over Hanoi when his plane was shot down.

He was tortured in a POW camp, but he refused his captors' offers of early release. Because this is a man who believes in serving a cause greater than self-interest. He came home a national hero.

He had earned a life of peace and quiet, but he was called to public service again, running for Congress and then the Senate as a proud foot soldier in the Reagan revolution. His principled independence never wavered. He stood up to special interests, fought for fiscal discipline, ethics reform and a strong national defense. So where does the Keating 5 play into ethics?

That's one man.

On the other hand, you have a résumé from a gifted man with an Ivy League education. Ok, so he's a self made, smart, educated man. I can already see the contrast between him McCain and Bush. He worked as a community organizer, and immersed himself in Chicago machine politics. Except for the fact that he never held office in the city of Chicago. Then he ran for the state legislature — where nearly 130 times he was unable to make a decision yes or no. He simply voted "present." You mean like not being able to decide if condoms can help prevent the spread of AIDS or trying to decide how many houses you own?

As mayor of New York City, I never got a chance to vote "present." And you know, when you're president of the United States, you can't just vote "present." You must make decisions. McCain has made some "tough decisions" too. Such as, "should I divorce my old, fat, crippled wife for a young rich cheerleader who can launch my political career?"

A few years later, he ran for the U.S. Senate. He won and has spent most of his time as a "celebrity senator." As opposed to McCain and Giuliani who have both been on Saturday Night Live and are typically seen front row of big name boxing matches? No leadership or major legislation to speak of. Except his leadership in the community, his leadership of the Harvard Law Review, his state legislation on tax cuts for families with children, on making it mandatory for police to video tape murder suspect interrogations and his work with Lugar in securing Russia's nuclear arsenal and keeping it off the black market, among others. His rise is remarkable in its own right — it's the kind of thing that could happen only in America. But he's never run a city, never run a state, never run a business. Neither has McCain. McCain's story could actually happen anywhere. Children born to powerful families and marrying into wealth somehow shuttled him to the rank of the richest and most powerful people in the Senate.

He's never had to lead people in crisis. Neither has McCain or Palin. In fact, McCain has never had any combat command or ever led any troops into battle. His only executive assignment was a peace time flight squadron he trained.

This is not a personal attack ... it's a statement of fact — Barack Obama has never led anything. Again, except for an entire community and the staff of the prestigeous Harvard Law Review which is more than McCain can say.

Nothing. Nada. McCain, McCain

The choice in this election comes down to substance over style. John has been tested. Barack Obama has not. Well, McCain certainly doesn't have style and I would say it's a leap of faith that he has substance. This is a guy who dumps his wife for a rich woman 17 years younger than he and flip flops on everything from tax cuts, abortion, torture and his own religion. How's that for substance?

Tough times require strong leadership, and this is no time for on-the-job training. Which is why Palin needs to go back to Alaska and get her first passport signed.

It's about who can answer that crisis call — yes, Hillary, at 3 o'clock in the morning. McCain wouldn't even hear the phone ring.

Well, no one can look at John McCain and say that he is not ready to be commander in chief. Are you kidding, no one could look at him and say he wasn't ready for a nursing home.

So, our opponents want to reframe the debate. They would have you believe that this election is about change versus more of the same. But that's really a false choice. Because "change" is not a destination ... just as "hope" is not a strategy. So I suppose choosing to invade Iraq was a good strategy?

John McCain will bring about the change that will create jobs and prosperity. How? He will lower taxes so our economy can grow. He will lower taxes on people making over $200,000 per year but his tax cuts will actually be less than Obama's for everyone else. He will reduce government spending to strengthen our dollar. How, by spending 100 years in Iraq and giving more subsidies to drill for oil in deep water? He will expand free trade so we can be even more competitive. So CEO's severance packages will be more competitive. He will lead us toward an America that will be independent of foreign oil by an all-of-the-above approach, including nuclear power and offshore drilling. Really? So you are saying that America has enough oil reserves to meet all of our demands for the next 50 years; all we have to do is drill in ANWR?? If that were the case we would already be doing it. A Republican that will get us off foreign oil, that will be the day as Republican candidates wouldn't exist without oil money. They do what they are told, if that is invading Iraq that's what they do, if that's buying from the Saudi's that's what they will do.

This is the kind of change we need. Actually, a little change is all you will have left after McCain gives all your money away to top corporations who raise your gas prices and exports your jobs. Hopefully that change will be enough to pay your mortgage even though your tax dollars were already used to bail out banks and mortgage companies who thought it was a good idea to give loans to homeless people.

And he will keep us on offense against terrorism at home and abroad. Offense is what we are scared of. What would be nice is to actually attack the right countries and finish the job before we move on to our next conquest. For four days in Denver and for the past 18 months, Democrats have been afraid to use the words "Islamic terrorism." During their convention, the Democrats rarely mentioned the attacks of Sept. 11. But you sure do, in fact, your scare tactics are all you guys have. Not once in the Republican convention mentioned failure of intelligence in Iraq.

They are in a state of denial about the threat that faces us now and in the future. No actually, they are in denial of the made up threats such as Iraq and very aware of the real threats in Afghanistan which McCain and Bush both ignored. During the Democrats "denial" both Iran and N. Korea have gone or are about to go Nuclear. It appears the Bush policies of threat and intimidation have only made other nations realize they need to build nuclear weapons to deter the US from invading their country and taking their resources. Bang up foreign policy Mr. Republican.

You need to face your enemy in order to defeat them. John McCain will face this threat and lead us on to victory. Where, In Iraq, Georgia, certainly not in Afghanistan where the terrorists are.

Look at just one example in a lifetime of principled stands — John McCain's support for the troop surge in Iraq. But then there's his support for the war in Iraq which is the main question. And let's be honest, the troop surge is not the only or even main reason violence is down. When we stop paying off the militias we will see what happens. McCain thought this war would be over in 3 weeks. If you keep guessing, odds are you will eventually guess the right outcome even if it is for the wrong reasons. The Democratic Party had given up on Iraq. Or you could say they had given up on our soldiers being used as cannon fodder and Iraq sitting on billions of dollars while the American tax payer flipped the bill. And I believe, ladies and gentlemen, that when they gave up on Iraq they were giving up on America. No they were giving up on Imperialism, high oil prices, connected military contractors, spending 450 million per day and troops in body bags. The Democratic leader in the Senate said so: "America has lost." Quite the opposite, we said we won, let's go home. The objectives were to get the WMD's; there were none so we can check that off the list, remove Saddam, check, hold elections and install a new government, check check, train the Iraqi army and get oil prices to record highs, check, check. Mission Accomplished; albeit, 4 years too late.

Well, if America lost, who won? Al-Qaeda? Bin Laden? Wait, are we talking about Iraq or Afghanistan? Don't change the subject, Bin Laden was never in Iraq and Al-Qaeda wasn't there until we got there. Bin Laden certainly hasn't lost anything except he had to trade one cave for another. In the single biggest policy decision of this election, John McCain got it right, and Barack Obama got it wrong. No, McFrankencain was wrong about invading Iraq and Obama was right. Obama was right about meeting with Iran which Rice eventually did and Obama was right in saying that we should have never lost focus on Afghanistan and let the person who attacked us get away.

If Barack Obama had been president, there would have been no troop surge and our troops would have been withdrawn in defeat. If Obama would have been President there would have been no war in Iraq, there would be no terrorists in Iraq, oil wouldn't be at an all time high, the dollar wouldn't be at an all time low and Bin Laden would be dead now and Afghanistan would be secure. Iraq and Iran would have probably gone to war with each other agian taking care of both problems for us.

Sen. McCain was the candidate most associated with the surge. You mean the surge the administration was told they needed from the get go? And it was unpopular. And it is also not the only reason the violence in Iraq is down now.

What do you think most other candidates would have done in that situation? They would have acted in their own self-interest by changing their position. How many times have we seen Barack Obama do that? I don't know but I'll bet it isn't as many as McCain.

Obama was going to take public financing for his campaign, until he didn't. McCain was for abortion then against it.

Obama was against wiretapping before he voted for it. McCain voted against the tax cuts and now wants to keep the tax cuts; was against torture and then voted for it.

When speaking to a pro-Israel group, Obama favored an undivided Jerusalem. Until the very next day when he changed his mind. McCain was Episcopalian and then he was Baptist. Oh, and good thing neither of them are running for the presidency of Israel.

I hope for his sake, Joe Biden got that VP thing in writing.

John McCain said, I'd rather lose an election than a war. Because that's John McCain. Wow, he should have been a philosopher.

When Russia rolled over Georgia, John McCain knew exactly how to respond. How did he respond, by saying "we are all Georgians"?? Wow, Russia will think twice before they do that again. Way to stand strong against aggression and tyranny. Oh wait, you voted for Iraq... My bad.

Having been to that part of the world many times and having developed a clear worldview over many years, John knew where he stood. Within hours, he established a very strong, informed position that let the world know exactly how he'll respond as president. At exactly the right time, John McCain said, "We're all Georgians." That's what I thought. I am sure the Russians are trembling in their boots.

Obama's first instinct was to create a moral equivalency — that "both sides" should "show restraint." The same moral equivalency that he has displayed in discussing the Palestinian Authority and the state of Israel. And he is right. Fist off, I love how it's ok when we go to war for oil but when Russia goes to war for oil pipelines it's somehow evil. Israel shouldn't kill and displace any Palestinian on a whim or because God supposedly said they could.

Later, after discussing it with his 300 foreign policy advisers, he changed his position and suggested that "the UN Security Council" could find a solution. Really, he has 300? Do they all travel with him on his bus and plane at the same time? Apparently, none of his 300 advisers told him that Russia has a veto on any U.N. action. That's because according to Article 27 of the UN Charter, a party involved in the conflict must abstain from voting. Surely with all of McCain and Palin's infinite wisdom on foreign policy and international affairs they would know that this is the case. Either they don't know, exposing their lack of knowledge on such affairs or they allowed Guiliani to lie on their behalf. Finally Obama put out a statement that looked ... well, it looked a lot like John McCain's. Which was of no significance to begin with and accomplished nothing.

Here's some free advice: Sen. Obama, next time just call John McCain. Unless of course you wan't to know how the UN works or want to learn about Iraq's nuclear weapon program.

Like Ronald Reagan, John McCain will enlarge our party. And like Bush, will also enlarge our government, tax burden and further decline America's staning in the world. He's the candidate with the real record of bipartisan cooperation. As is Obama. He's the candidate who can credibly reach out for the votes of Independents and Democrats. Or maybe just Lieberman.

In choosing Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, John McCain has chosen the future. The only future I see with her is a bunch of trailers parked out on the White House lawn. Gov. Palin represents a new generation...of white trash. She's already one of the most successful governors in America — and the most popular. She hasn't even completed one term and has fired all her adversaries. And she already has more executive experience than the entire Democratic ticket. I was the executive of my lemonade stand when I was 9 years old, it doesn't mean I am ready to lead the free world. She's led a "city" (small town) and a state. One of the least populous states in the union. She's reduced taxes and government spending. They pay taxes in Alaska?

And she's actually done something about moving America toward energy independence — taking on the oil companies while encouraging more energy exploration here at home. How, by marrying a guy who works for one? Ya, I am sure she is really tough on BP.

Taxpayers have an advocate in Sarah Palin — she even sold the former governor's private plane on E-Bay. She's the governor of Alaska, where would she possibly need to go? Does this mean she will sell Airforce 1?

And as a former U.S. attorney, I am impressed by her success in combating corruption — when she found unethical and illegal behavior among the power-brokers of her own party, (They can't be hard to find, she probably has a house next to Ted Stevens) she did not hesitate — she acted courageously and independently. That's the kind of reformer we need — she shook up Alaska. She'll shake up Washington. By the number of kids she has, I think she's been shaking more than Alaska.

And we sure need that. Well, with a little Viagra, I think that's what McCain is hoping for.

And as we look to the future never let us forget that — when we are at our best — we are the party that expands freedom. Such as the Patriot Act, Expanding wiretaping, and holding prisoners without charging them for years at a time. We began as a party dedicated to freeing people from slavery. Everything goes in cycles. ... And we are still the party that is willing to fight for freedom at home and around the world. Or at least fighting for the freedom of corporate interests abroad. We are the party that wants to expand individual freedom (unless you are gay, a woman, want to use the internet, watch tv or listen to the radio but if you want the freedom to take a gun to school we've got your back) and economic freedom (for Exxon and people who want to use offshore tax shelters and outsource American jobs) ... because we believe that the secret of America's success is not central government, it is self-government. Because self government worked so well for Enron, the mortgage and oil industries. We are the party that believes in giving workers the right to work...for less, especially if you are an illegal immigrant and it means higher corporate profits. The party that believes parents should choose where their children go to school. Everyone is free to choose where they send their kids to school. It's not illegal to move to another neighborhood or send your kids to any private school of your choosing. Where are you going with this?

And we are the party that believes unapologetically in America's essential greatness (And no one else's) — that we are a shining city on the hill, a beacon of freedom that inspires people everywhere to reach for a better world.

So my fellow Republicans and my fellow Americans — over the next eight weeks, remember that the results of this election are in your hands. You get to determine America's future. You can decide America's (same) direction.

Thank you very much. And God Bless America...and no one else.

With that much red ink, he would have probably received an F, if this were a High School paper.

McCain, The Maverick of the Economy

This is rich:

Let the Pandering Begin

Chicago Tribune is confirming McCain has chosen Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin as his VP. Yet another former beauty queen for McCain. His first wife was a model, his second wife was a cheerleader and Palin was a runner up in a 1984 Miss Alaska beauty pageant. Do you think Cindy should be worried?

And talk about inexperience...

And speaking of not knowing what you are doing, I have added this:

The Real John McCain

-John McCain was born in Panama in 1936. He is 71 Years old

-If elected, he will the oldest president ever inaugurated to the white house

-His net worth is nearly 40 million dollars making him one of the richest in the Senate

-He is a member of the Alfalfa Club, an exclusive D.C. group which only exists to hold a banguet each year honoring the Confederate General, Robert E. Lee

-His father and grandfather were both Navy Admirals who attended the Naval Academy

-He graduated from a private Episcopalian High School

-Being a legacy, he graduated 894th out of 899 at the Naval Academy

-Earned over 100 demerits per year while at the Naval Academy

-In 1965, he married a model named Carol Shepp one year after she filed for divorce from her first husband

-He crashed two planes before being shot down during a mission over Vietnam in 1968

-Captured, imprisoned and supposedly tortured by the Vietnamese and held until 1973

-In 1969, his wife Carol was severely injured, deformed and crippled in a car accident and thus gained weight during her rehabilitation and her inability to exercise

-In 1976, while stationed in Florida, John McCain had several extra marital affairs.

-In 1979, he met Cindy Lou Hensley, an ex cheerleader and rich beer distribution heiress, 17 years his junior and 16 years younger than his wife

-A month after his divorce from Carol, John McCain married Cindy in April of 1980, McCain’s children refused to attend the wedding

-Retired from the Navy in 1981 to work for Cindy’s father and run for Congress

-With his wife’s money and support from Charles Keating JR. and other convicted felons, he ran for Congress in 1982

-In 1982 he opposed the creation of a Martin Luther King Day

-In 1987 he got elected to the senate

-Also during the 80's he became a member of the “Keating 5” during the S&L scandal which cost the American tax payers over $124 billion dollars

-In 1993 and 1994, he voted to confirm Stephen Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the Supreme Court yet later said that he would have never picked those people to be on the Supreme Court

-While in the Senate he voted against raising the minimum wage 7 times

-In 2001, he voted against the Bush tax cuts

-In 2005, voted "NO" on a funding bill targeted at reducing unwanted pregnancies which would have also reduced abortions

-He has stated that Roe vs. Wade should be overturned

-In 2007, the Children’s Defense Fund rated him as the worst senator in Congress for children’s affairs

-In March of 2007, while in Iowa, he was “stumped” by the question of whether or not condoms could help stop the spread of AIDS. He basically said it was above his pay grade

-In 2007, Mitt Romney pointed out that McCain was originally against the Bush tax cuts, then for them, originally against Ethanol until he gave a speech in Iowa and then was for it, originally pro Roe vs. Wade and is now against it

-In a 2007 primary appearance in South Carolina, McCain announced that he was now Southern Baptist despite being raised Episcopalian

-In 2008, after himself being tortured while in Vietnam he voted "NO" on H.R. 2082, the Intelligence Authorization Bill which would have held the CIA to the same legal interrogation standards found in the Army Field Manual and later praised Bush for vetoing that bill.

-In a 2008 forum, he said that he would be ok with spending another 100 years in Iraq even though the first 5 years have cost us 573 billion dollars and over 4000 dead soldiers. On a side note, 100 more years at this pace would result in 80,000 American lives and over 11 Trillion dollars

-In 2008 was again stumped by the question of how many homes he owns. The answer is 7, worth approximately 14 million dollars. Now you know why he wants to cut taxes for rich people

-Speaking of rich people, he thinks that only people who earn more than 5 million dollars per year would be considered “rich”.

-In December of 2007 McCain said: “The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should". “I freely admit I am not an economist."

-Pat Buchanan was recently quoted as saying that if elected, “McCain would make Cheney look like Ghandi”

-According to Votesmart.com, Over the past couple of years, McCain has Supported the causes,efforts and legislation of the American Association of University Women, National Education Association, National Association for College Admission Counceling, National Association of College Admission Counceling, National Association of Elementary School Principals, 0% of the time or received the grade of F.

-Also according to Votesmart, McCain supported the causes, efforts and legislation of the Gun Owners of America 0% of the time, he reveived an F yet again.

-In 2007 McCain supported the interests of the Alliance for Retired Americans 0% of the time; Obama 100% of the time

-In 2006 the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of American gave John McCain a D for his support of their causes. Obama got a B+

-In 2006 McCain supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 20% of the time, Obama supported their causes 80% of the time.

-According to Bush and Carl Rove, he has an illegitimate black child. I can neither confirm nor deny that accusation

-He is a Muslim terrorist who hates America and is hiding Osama Bin Laden in one of his mansions and personally piloted the first plane to hit the World Trade Center...That's why he can't lift his arm above his head.

And you thought you didn't know Barack Obama??

The New Obama Attack Ad Clarified

I also heard Obama is an alien who has green blood and eats baby brains!

1. Obama was 10 years old and living in Hawaii when the Capital Building was bombed. If Ted Haggard can go from a meth smoking homosexual who hires prostitutes to a Christian family man overnight, can't someone who was involved in a shady organization 35 years ago also change?

2. Obama and Ayers used to both be on the board of a charity which helped poor people. Obama left that charity 6 years ago. So if helping poor people is "left wing" then I guess the Christian Children's Fund is also left wing.

3. Ayers has never been convicted of any bombings, murders or treason.

4. The Weathermen / Weather Underground never killed anyone in any of their bombing campaigns. Unlike Abortion protesters and Blackwater, civilians were never targets and warnings were given before all their bombings.

5. Like most University of Chicago professors, both live in Hyde Park in Chicago along with 30,000 other people who live in that neighborhood. If you check the sex offender’s website in Chicago, I am sure you will find that Obama also lives near rapists and child molesters, just as nearly everyone in the US does. It doesn't make Obama a rapist.

6. Just as many right wing organizations and radicals such as Hagee and Rod Parsley who have supported McCain, Ayers has made a $200 contribution to the Obama campaign. If you look hard enough, I am sure you can find someone who has actually been convicted of a crime that has also given him money as well as you could with any and every politician including McCain and his shady oil lobbyists.

7. The police killing referred to was by two former members on the Weather Underground who killed a guard and cops in a bank robbery, not a terrorist, anti-American plot. These killings took place in 1981 years after the Weathermen were disbanded. And if guilt by association is the law of the land, it must be noted that the brother of one of these murderers was nominated to the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals by President H.W. Bush. Are you saying Bush Sr. and Michael Boudin are all American hating terrorists too?

The ad should say "Do you know enough to not be this gullible?" Or perhaps, "Beyond the Houses and the flip flopping on his stance on abortion and his religion, how much do you really know about John McCain"?

A Jack Cafferty Repost

I never really thought of John McCain as a stupid man. I always saw him as a beacon of hope in the Republican Party until he flip flopped on his religion, his views on torture, abortion, etc. Still, I never thought of him as being intellectually shallow until I watched the pandering session that was held at the Saddleback Church the other night. Then, today I read the commentary by Jack Cafferty on CNN and he had the same reaction as I had and I don't think I could have summed it up any better, which is probably why he gets paid to write his thoughts and I write mine on my lunch break.

Any way, here it is:

NEW YORK (CNN) 8/19/2008 -- Russia invades Georgia and President Bush goes on vacation. Our president has spent one-third of his entire two terms in office either at Camp David, Maryland, or at Crawford, Texas, on vacation.

His time away from the Oval Office included the month leading up to 9/11, when there were signs Osama bin Laden was planning to attack America, and the time Hurricane Katrina destroyed the city of New Orleans.

Sen. John McCain takes weekends off and limits his campaign events to one a day. He made an exception for the religious forum on Saturday at Saddleback Church in Southern California.

I think he made a big mistake. When he was invited last spring to attend a discussion of the role of faith in his life with Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, at Messiah College in Pennsylvania, McCain didn't bother to show up. Now I know why.

It occurs to me that John McCain is as intellectually shallow as our current president. When asked what his Christian faith means to him, his answer was a one-liner. "It means I'm saved and forgiven." Great scholars have wrestled with the meaning of faith for centuries. McCain then retold a story we've all heard a hundred times about a guard in Vietnam drawing a cross in the sand.

Asked about his greatest moral failure, he cited his first marriage, which ended in divorce. While saying it was his greatest moral failing, he offered nothing in the way of explanation. Why not?

Throughout the evening, McCain chose to recite portions of his stump speech as answers to the questions he was being asked. Why? He has lived 71 years. Surely he has some thoughts on what it all means that go beyond canned answers culled from the same speech he delivers every day.

He was asked "if evil exists." His response was to repeat for the umpteenth time that Osama bin Laden is a bad man and he will pursue him to "the gates of hell." That was it.

He was asked to define rich. After trying to dodge the question -- his wife is worth a reported $100 million -- he finally said he thought an income of $5 million was rich.

One after another, McCain's answers were shallow, simplistic, and trite. He showed the same intellectual curiosity that George Bush has -- virtually none.

Where are John McCain's writings exploring the vexing moral issues of our time? Where are his position papers setting forth his careful consideration of foreign policy, the welfare state, education, America's moral responsibility in the world, etc., etc., etc.?

John McCain graduated 894th in a class of 899 at the Naval Academy at Annapolis. His father and grandfather were four star admirals in the Navy. Some have suggested that might have played a role in McCain being admitted. His academic record was awful. And it shows over and over again whenever McCain is called upon to think on his feet.

He no longer allows reporters unfettered access to him aboard the "Straight Talk Express" for a reason. He simply makes too many mistakes. Unless he's reciting talking points or reading from notes or a TelePrompTer, John McCain is lost. He can drop bon mots at a bowling alley or diner -- short glib responses that get a chuckle, but beyond that McCain gets in over his head very quickly.

I am sick and tired of the president of the United States embarrassing me. The world we live in is too complex to entrust it to someone else whose idea of intellectual curiosity and grasp of foreign policy issues is to tell us he can look into Vladimir Putin's eyes and see into his soul.

George Bush's record as a student, military man, businessman and leader of the free world is one of constant failure. And the part that troubles me most is he seems content with himself.

He will leave office with the country $10 trillion in debt, fighting two wars, our international reputation in shambles, our government cloaked in secrecy and suspicion that his entire presidency has been a litany of broken laws and promises, our citizens' faith in our own country ripped to shreds. Yet Bush goes bumbling along, grinning and spewing moronic one-liners, as though nobody understands what a colossal failure he has been.

I fear to the depth of my being that John McCain is just like him.

894th of 899? Compare that to someone with no political connections or millionaire wife, who became the first black President of the Harvard Law Review. Who would you rather have in the drivers seat?

Just because you got shot down over Vietnam doesn't mean you are qualified to be President.

Why I Have Decided to Vote Republican

After all, isn't Obama an America hating, muslim terrorist who hates white people?