...tax cut?

PZ Myers looks at a funny comic about the path of Republicans.



If you have watched Republican talking points over the last decade and earlier it is amazing how consistent the call is. Whether in or out of power, in a boom or bust, with surpluses or deficits. The same damn choice offered. That, and increased military spending.

Measle mania

As certain groups seek to attack and avoid the critical need for vaccination, trouble brews around the world.

Dr. Plaitt:

...

However, for the outbreak in Switzerland, it does look like antivaccination insanity is to blame:

Switzerland has been affected by measles outbreaks more than other European countries in recent years because of the relatively low level of vaccinations and the presence of educational and religious communities that decline vaccination.

The outbreak described here indicates that anthroposophic communities are an at-risk group, because many parents in these groups choose not to vaccinate their children with the MMR [measles, mumps, rubella] vaccine. Anthroposophy, based on the writings of the social philosopher Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), combines human development with an investigation of the divine spark found in all of nature. Anthroposophical doctors emphasize nature-based therapies that support the body’s innate healing wisdom.

Antivaxxers. For whatever reasons they believe what they do, they’re wrong. A previously healthy 12-year-old girl died of measles-induced encephalitis in a Geneva hospital last week. In 2008, a child in Minnesota died due to a disease that was preventable through a vaccine. Measles is on the rise in the UK. And some people are all too happy to spread the lie that the vaccines are causing all sorts of health problems, when it’s been shown pretty conclusively that they aren’t.

...

I see a horoscope in your future.

Dr. Plaitt takes a further look at the hooey of horoscopes.

Apparently there has been attempt to prove its validity through the Amazing James Randi.

Randi had thoughts on all this.



EDIT: To note, the horoscope part starts around the 5 minute mark, according to Plaitt, but the rest of the video is good, if you are a fan of Randi or the topics he commonly covers.

Brain dead, but good to go.

Feministing and PZ Myers have noted a troubling stand in Italy (well, one of many).

Italy is experiencing its own version of the Terry Schiavo case. A woman, Eluana Englaro, was in a car crash 17 years ago that caused catastrophic brain damage — she's been in a vegetative state ever since, and the family has been engaged in a legal fight for many years to pull the plug and allow her to die with a little dignity. They finally won that battle recently, and are easing her off life support and a feeding tube.

Cue the right wing. Silvio Berlusconi, Bush-like Prime Minister of Italy, has rushed to impose an emergency decree blocking the suspension of life support, a decision made after consulting with the Vatican. Here's a good rule: never consult the priesthood of a death cult before making a life-and-death decision. They always give stupid and evil advice.

...

Ah, Berlusconi stepping in and forcing his opinions yet again. Seems he and the Church are in agreement, if you can make use of a woman's body to produce children...she's good to go. But this is the church, what other use to they really ever see in women?

... The fact that the Italian Prime Minister (after consulting the Vatican, which was obviously a terrible idea) is using her reproductive capacity as a reason to deny her the right to die is absolutely absurd. This kind of logic really makes me wonder if more people than I'd previously thought really do see women as fetal containers.

Making nice with deniers.

As you may have seen the Pope wants to make nice with a sect of the church that was pushed aside in the past for various issues, including denying the holocaust. Yup, priests who refuse to accept fault on the part of Nazi for the deaths of Jews, and others, in those chambers in those camps.

After pressure it seems the Vatican is demanding a recanting of the claims. The response, he'll look into it. Can't even lie about his bigoted beliefs. He's dedicated, to being asinine. And he will take his time...to look at the evidence...you really don't hear about this type looking at or being shown this evidence and actually changing their minds, it's already well set. And now he is given a huge platform to spread his position and piss poor arguments. Great.

But Ratz wants to be inclusive...to all but the secular world. They he wishes to Hell. To bad it doesn't exist.

Obstruction

What does the whole of the Republican party want at this time. Mainly, POWER. Obama is in the way, so they attack. They lack a congressional majority so they clog the works. Reality is not on their side, so the try and clog the airwaves.

To this end, they try and scare any moderate from working for solutions, as bad as the solution may look from the left end.

Calling them wusses. Top GOP Strategist: Saving the economy through bipartisanship is for "wussy Republicans"

Turning to talk radio and Rush's army to do the dirty. The RNC begs for help on right wing talk radio

Plus they have got their new chairman out saying stupid things. Steele Address: Cut Taxes, Don't Spend, To Stimulate The Economy. Yeah, great idea. Keep using our ideas until things go bad. Then keep using our ideas until things are better. See our ideas are the right ones. Rinse and repeat.

Followed by the twit McConnell and his vow.

Mitch McConnell has released a statement saying that while he hasn't seen the full compromise plan, he has seen enough to say that Senate Republicans will still oppose it. ...

But now something more palatable.



AMERICAblog:

An excerpt on jobs creation, noting what's going to happen in different states:

From the beginning, this recovery plan has had at its core a simple idea: Let's put Americans to work doing the work America needs done. It will save or create more than 3 million jobs over the next two years, all across the country – 16,000 in Maine, nearly 80,000 in Indiana – almost all of them in the private sector, and all of them jobs that help us recover today, and prosper tomorrow.

Jobs that upgrade classrooms and laboratories in 10,000 schools nationwide – at least 485 in Florida alone – and train an army of teachers in math and science.

Jobs that modernize our health care system, not only saving us billions of dollars, but countless lives.

Jobs that construct a smart electric grid, connect every corner of the country to the information superhighway, double our capacity to generate renewable energy, and grow the economy of tomorrow.

Jobs that rebuild our crumbling roads, bridges and levees and dams, so that the tragedies of New Orleans and Minneapolis never happen again.

Stein the Martyr

The Chronicle of Higher Education has an article on Stein's ouster from speaking in Vermont.

The commentary is almost funny, if not so sad. This is a academic journal about academia, but the comments seem to have amazingly quickly devolved into a the big mean evolutionist and elite liberals pout fest. Apparently Dr. Fogel of the university is one of the main villains.

You sometimes forget the reach of ignorance.

Where is support for the package now?

Pollster.com has been looking at polling on support for the Stimulus package. Newsreaders and conservative pundits have been harping on a drop in support. Though the Gallup poll has remained steady, but that one isn't fitting the media narrative.

Of note:

...

Second, notice that both CBS and Gallup changed the dollar amounts, Gallup on their second of three surveys and CBS this week. Perhaps more important: CBS also made a subtle change in their verbiage. The old CBS question references a "775 billion dollar economic stimulus package." The new question calls it an "economic stimulus bill costing more than 800 billion dollars" (emphasis added). They needed to change the amount, but why change the sentence structure? And more important, does adding "costing" make some respondents realize that proposal is not a government giveaway but rather something they might have to pay for someday? Without a split-form experiment, it is hard to know for certain.

...

... Thanks to the reader who caught something I missed. Rasmussen also changed the wording of their stimulus question. In their first test in early January, the question identified only "Barack Obama" as the sponsor. Beginning with their 1/27-28 survey, that changed to "Barack Obama and the Congressional Democrats" (emphasis added). I have corrected the table above to reflect the changed wording

That change is important: While "congressional Democrats" are earning slightly better ratings than their Republican counterparts, their numbers are nowhere near as positive as Obama's. On the CBS survey, or example, Obama 62% approve of his performance as president, but only 48% rate the "congressional Democrats" favorably. Nancy Pelosi's favorable rating, using the tougher CBS format (that encourages respondents to report when they are unfamiliar), has dropped to just 10% favorable, 30% unfavorable).

...

Trouble in AntiVac world?

Dr. Plaitt is noting indicators that that godfather of the anti vaccination hysteria may not be so clean. I say that, but of course the research before and since his has already shown the fault in the opinions he's put forward. But it seems to be one more damaging point against them of the No pointy and No ouchies sect.

On the plus side for them it gives the nutters a new fact to deny and/or ignore.

Go! Barbara! Go!

With all the two faced whiny episodes with Lindsey Graham and others we just need to be so happy we have people with gumption like the grand Barbara Boxer. She calls out all the theatrics.

...

Imagine. After six years of Democrats being shut out of conference committee meetings, Lindsey has the audacity to clasp his bosom and clutch his pearls. (Here's the smelling salts, Lindsey!)

On Hardball, he was also crying to Tweety that the American people were opposed to this bill - as if, you know, the right-wing talk radio demigods didn't whip people up into a frenzy for that specific purpose.

So I really enjoyed watching Barbara Boxer call him "theatrical" and remind him of how few objections he had when George Bush sent enormous bills to the Senate, calling for a same-day vote.

"I will put my ability to speak my mind to my party up against anybody," Lindsey retorted, "including you, Senator. I have been up on this floor many times about policies I disagreed with."

Well, here's the thing. Much like my own Senator, Arlen Specter (R-Self Interest), Graham is most famous for his posturing on the floor, his principled indignation in front of the TV cameras - and his very reliable vote for the very legislation that seemingly so troubled him.

Painting himself as a "moderate, reasonable" Republican is his schtick!

So yes, Barbara Boxer is right when she calls his tactics "theatrical." That's the Republican game. It's never because they're obstructionists, it's that the Democratic bills are always without merit. They're not opportunists, it just so happens that they'd love to work on legislation with the Democrats - as long as they don't include anything that isn't a tax cut.

...

What makes me sicker the patent lies and fakery of Reps these days, or watching the likes of CNN and MSNBC newsreaders sopping the crap up like a fine sauce.

Setting the stage

It has been annoying seeing the media pushed seemingly willingly to embrace a conservative opposition of the stimulus package and economics in general. But to start to take on a Dick Cheneyesque approach to our defense is getting to be a bit much. Politico, looking for easy stories and having a former VP down the hall seem to be in hog heaven.

As Glenn Greenwald notes for Maddow, it seems to be about laying out an argument for why Obama is a failure in the aftermath of a potential terrorist attack. Now, GW wasn't after 9/11 for some reason, he even gets some strange cred for it, but the argument is being made preemptively against Obama. Really that is SO Dick Cheney.

Beck continues being a mad clod.

Glen Beck is a twisted jerk wad. He has given us all plenty of examples of it. And he has been trying to build a goofy little point of the socialist/communist ends of Obama's plans. But now he has veered back over to Stein territory, the Nazi's are back. And they are Al Gore.

Al Gore is creating another Hitler Youth, Glenn Beck feverishly warns

Gore has a gain went to kids to improve the world, go out and be active. To Beck this is mind control and Orwellian...asking kids to get active. You may know that this is a motif of Gore's going way back. He likes to talk at schools at inspire the young to know they have a voice and an impact.

Now when Rick Warren blantantly says he wants to have youth rise up exactly like those in Nazi Germany or Mao's China, nothing, no comment. But Gore is apparently evil.

Blair explains it all

In AMERICAblog, they have taken note of Tony Blair's "great advise to the world. Bring More Religion.

...

Tony Blair gave an extraordinary speech about the global importance of religion yesterday, telling an audience which included the newly-inaugurated President, Barack Obama, that faith should be restored "to its rightful place, as the guide to our world and its future."

...

Yeah, more religion. More prevention of family planning, more ignorance of disease control and prevention, more stoning people for defying religious commandments, more blasphemy laws, etc. Yeah, Tony, sharp thinking.

New Deal/Big Deal

Crooks and Liars looked at the continued claims being made against the FDR era New Deal. It deals often with a claim that they spent all that money back then, and it did nothing.

But as noted it is not so. Roosevelt was convinced to cut back on spending, to our lament.

...

You can read the mandatory rebuttal from Paul "Unlike Right-Wing Hacks, I Actually Won A Nobel Prize for Economics" Krugman here (I know, it's silly and old-fashioned of me to think Krugman might actually know more about the subject matter):

Net stimulus of around 3 percent of GDP — not much, when you’ve got a 42 percent output gap. FDR might have been more of a Keynesian if Keynesian economics had existed — The General Theory wasn’t published until 1936. Note in particular that in 1937-38 FDR was persuaded to do the “responsible” thing and cut back — and that’s what led to the bad year in 1938, which to the WSJ crowd defines the New Deal.

Implications for Obama: be inspired by FDR, but don’t imitate him slavishly. In particular, your economic policy should be bolder, not more cautious.

...

Bothersome is that a number of skeptics agree with this misread of history. People like Michael Shermer, who I generally find myself in agreement with, have a certain strange streak that leads them to be critical here and more partial to an embrace of just stepping back and letting the invisible finger and the mysterious forces of mercantilism make things right. It is odd. Reminds me of hearing Hitchens talk wittily about the flaws of religion and then segue into Middle East politics, he just veers into madness.

The conservative voice

Bernard Goldberg, has chosen to be a crank for a number of years now. He's been making the right wing rounds. The outright manipulation in his books have been noted, though not on these shows he visits. But he looked to be ready to go to talk to an actual media critic, Howard Kurtz, on CNN's Reliable Sources. Then he cancelled. Crooks and Liars looks at Kurtz's sharp reaction and challenge (Bonus points for adding Lou Dobbs to the list of conservatives that Goldberg feels safe with.).

Then you have Dick Army, who is noted now for his nasty demeanor to a female opponent. Are conservative so dried out of ideas they just have the cheap shots. What a Scarborough.

Having clout

Recently the University of Vermont announced that Ben Stein would be the Commencement speaker. This displeased a whole lot of people. Not because of his dilly economic opinions, or bashing of Obama. No, it was Expelled, and the all the bad science and bad attitudes he worked damn hard to spread. So scientist on campus and around the country complained. But it seemed to be of no avail.

But PZ Myers has noted a change of heart. Incredibly it may be that one voice in particular had an impact, Dr. Richard Dawkins. He sent a letter of complaint, explaining the concerns so many have with Stein, a staucn opponet of science recently, and he got a response back apologizing and conceding. Apparently, he had to bad out. We owe a big thanks to him. As well, we have to marvel that there are still places in this country that esteemed, sharp, and witty people have some sway. Ironically, in a different speech Stein occasionally likes to give I think he would applaud that idea. Then again, maybe not.

Anyone have a conspiracy?

Brian Dunning on skepticblog looks at the latest of conspiracies. In this case involving the flight that went down in the Hudson River.

In looking at it you can see the classic claims placed on a somewhat commonplace moment, an emergency landing. As it is the plane went down, and a competent pilot and crew kept it in one piece, and then ushered everyone off admirably, then local rescuers and boats swooped in with due diligence. It isn't a miracle, and, so far, no evidence shows a mystery.

Yet people will have you believe it is a lie, it is a trick, and it didn't happen. Why? Not to worry that will appear. Really, if you look at conspiracies they build up in amazingly twisted ways.

It is sad.

Getting it right on Darwin.

I was in Barnes and Noble the other day and noticed the cover of National Geographic.

Unlike New Scientist, NGM actually gets it right.

What Darwin Didn't Know

Says it all? Darwin had limited access to data, and resources in his time. And he did not have his and other contemporaries work to start from. What a measured approach. Learn something New Scientist, hmm?

Submit...Submit....No, just the women.

Kathryn Joyce on Alternet has taken a look at a creepy new movement to "make things right" in our culture.

This October, more than 6,000 women gathered in Chicago for the True Woman Conference ’08: a stadium-style event to promote what its proponents call “biblical womanhood,” "complementarianism,” or -- most bluntly -- “the patriarchy movement.”

...

The Associated Baptist Press explains the relationship of biblical womanhood to feminism, highlighting an ambitious initiative that arose from the meeting: a signature drive seeking 100,000 women to endorse its “True Woman Manifesto,” which, the ABP writes, aims “at sparking a counterrevolution to the feminist movement of the 1960s.”

To outside observers of the patriarchy movement, the starkness of the calls for gender hierarchy often seem amusingly outdated (not to mention historically misleading: feminist blogs Feministing and Pandagon have deftly dismantled some of the speakers’ Leave it to Beaver idealizations of the 1950s as a time when women were universally protected).

Though only just under 3,000 women have actually signed the document since its unveiling on October 11, the fact that it exists, and the campaign to gather such a large showing of public support, reveals something important about this movement: that its followers don’t view themselves simply as a remnant of polite, churchy women, holding out against a crass culture, but rather as a revolutionary body waging “countercultural” rebellion against what they see as the feminist status quo.

...

The terms of the manifesto (downloadable here) serve as a good shorthand description of the aims and principles of the submission and patriarchy movement. Signers affirm their belief that women and men were designed to reflect God in “complementary and distinct ways”; that today’s culture has gone astray distinctly because of its egalitarian approach to gender (and that it’s “experiencing the consequences of abandoning God’s design for men and women”); and that while men and women are equally valuable in the eyes of God, here on earth they are relegated to separate spheres at home and in the church.

The “countercultural” attitudes that signers support include the idea that women are called to affirm and encourage godly masculinity, and honor the God-ordained male headship of their husbands and pastors; that wifely submission to male leadership in the home and church reflects Christ’s submission to God, His Father; that “selfish insistence on personal rights is contrary to the spirit of Christ”; and, in a pronatalist turn of phrase that recalls the rhetoric of the Quiverfull conviction, their willingness to “receive children as a blessing from the Lord.”

Finally, in a reference to the importance of woman-to-woman mentoring within the conservative church, they affirmed that “mature Christian women” are obliged to disciple the next generation of Christian wives, training them in matters of submission and headship, in order to provide a legacy of “fruitful femininity.”

...

And with that I am skeeved out. I can't help but imagine the guys in this church being big time fans of Gor.

And the business of women having there own, separate, place in the church should bring a smile to Rick Warren's face.

And some people claim feminist speaking out is unnecessary.

FINALLY, returning to the fight

Atheist Experience:

The first step in de-moronizing the Texas State Board of Education has begun. In past years the Democrats have ill-advisedly ignored the SBOE, preferring more high-profile races in Texas politics. But with the current board overrun by anti-science creationist wackaloons who are turning the entire state into fodder
for late-night comedians, the Dems are finally extracting craniums from rectums and realizing that the neocon theocrats cannot be allowed to gang-rape the education of an entire generation of Texas students.

...

So at long last Dem's are returning to take on the duties of fixing TX education. It is long overdo. There is a need for better leadership in decisions for books, courses, etc. Time for Texans to act and get these people on the board...for the children.

It's good to be the reverend

We have heard a lot of Warren and Haggard. They have been put down. But look what else they get. Haggard was caught with meth and a male prostitute and eventual lost his position. But his church covered as many of his sins as they could, including paying off a young man who Haggard had a relationship with.

For Warren, while he keeps women in there place and bars homosexuals from his church, he has had trouble with taxes. Now, for some reason, the clergy of America keep to deduct their housing expenses from taxes. But it is limited. This offended Warren, why should he have a limited tax deduction. Fair market value, pfffft. No he wanted to be given his whole salary as a housing expense, plus mortgage deductions beside, not internal to that. So he fought, bravely mind you. And he won. When the IRS went to appeal, things looked bad. The ninth circuit would even look at the validity of any tax break for clergy housing.

As noted in The Nation:

...

Seeking arguments on the constitutionality of the "parsonage exemption," as it was called, the Ninth Circuit panel appointed Erwin Chemerinsky as a friend of the court. At the time, Chemerinsky was teaching law at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles; today he is dean of the law school at the University of California, Irvine (and thus my colleague). Chemerinsky observed that the housing tax exemption applied only to "ministers of the gospel"--not to leaders of secular nonprofits engaged in humanitarian work. He noted that the rule was established in 1954, at the height of the cold war, after a Congressman argued that "in these times when we are being threatened by a godless and antireligious world movement we should correct this discrimination against certain ministers of the gospel who are carrying on such a courageous fight against this foe." Chemerinsky concluded that the exemption represented an intentional government subsidy of religion, and thus it violated the First Amendment's establishment clause.

...

But Congress raced in and unanimity enacted the The Clergy Housing Allowance Clarification Act of 2002. This put down better rules to help the clergy and ended the case and the potential risk to clergy. Thanks Congress. So..in 2002 this was a priority?

...

Religious denominations from Reform Jews to Southern Baptists expressed their support for the exemption. But their goal was preserving their own exemptions in the future, not defending Warren's past tax returns. The bill could have established the "reasonable" standard the IRS sought for the exemption without letting Warren off the hook. Or Congress could have waited to see what the courts would decide about the constitutionality of the exemption before acting on it.

...

So a famous pastor gets in a bind and the whole of Congress acts. For a guy who was looking to sneak as much money passed the IRS. If a rich guy like him did that on Wall Street we would boo. We should boo Warren to, as well for all the other crap he flings.


America's religious leaders.


EDIT: I somehow had then renamed Haggard. It is fixed now.

Family Planning and Stimulus

It has been interesting to watch the hissy fits over the stimulus bill and family planning. As mentioned earlier Christopher Matthews followed the Christian Defense Coalition line about it taking lives away and making us like China. Others asked why it was there? This is a bill to spur jobs. And while it will do it to an extent, it is not as critical as others. So wile some have criticized newsreaders for questioning it, I was not as sure. That seems to be the narrative winning out in the MSM. This bill is for jobs, and that is it. Period. Really. Despite the fact the president has said repeatedly that it is not...That in a moment.

First, it is annoying to note how we are measuring job creation, "infrastructure." Nice word. What does it mean? To a lot of people it is the image of the road crew, out jack hammering, digging, and layering cement or asphalt, in your mind how many women do you see? When we are talking about putting America to work, do we just mean one part of it? If you look back to the New Deal, there were jobs to go around to men and women, to people of different skills. But we say infrastructure and a lot of people how only a certain group of people in mind. Women, white collar, tech sector, as well need to be put to work. But for some like Matthews it may just not stir the leg enough.

Back to family planning. They put up a fight on the grounds of job growth, but if you do listen and read to the presidents words, he is interested in hitting a number issues beyond jobs, including offering assistance to those that are struggling through this period. And that is where family service is invaluable. But they see it as a harm, they even have Limbaugh mocking Pelosi to further their point, not that that is new. Dem's have conceded on this, so it came out.

People are mad about this. But the president has tried to reassure people. It isn't over. Perhaps as early as next week we should see another bill dealing with health care that will include it. The fight continues and their chief argument will be gone, and they will have to fallback to their old ones.

SCHIP

Feminsting notes the SCHIP expansion. It has passed finally in the Senate. Took long enough, thanks to Bush.

Of course this is also an example that Republicans are trotting out now of how those mean Democrats won't let them get into some bills and turn them into pig;s brunches before voting on them. I mean, how unfair. How else are they going to sabotage health care for children, or support for those suffering in this economic wilderness we are in? Meanies.

Steele at the RNC

Michale Steele is the new head of the RNC. So a guy who onced pretended he was a Democrat to try and get votes is in charge of the RNC. Good for them.

Ce-le-brate

Since voting against stimulus for the country the Republicans seem determined to party. Apparently trying and failing to block aid, while offering up mist and vapors as an alternative is great. And I do mean that, as TPM notes the numbers they are using to attack and claim a better plan is ridiculous. And I have enjoyed the idea that some have pointed to apparent tax hikes in their plan. Yeah, celebrate a crappy plan of your own and general inaction and whining. I have a feeling inaction and whining are going to be growing traits for you.

Bipartisanship means not having to admot your not in power.

What is it about losing an election that has no bearing on Republican attitudes. Heck, they get worse. The president adds tax cuts, and they complain that there is too much spending and not enough tax cuts. Then he pulls out some spending they oppose and they complain and also mention the lack of tax cuts.

But the media is no help, to the president. Halperin who is too in love with the Republicans ideas, seems to see the president as a failure and far too partisan. Apparently not bending over backwards to kiss his own backside is a sign of being too rigid for Halperin, and others in the media. As John King and Chuck Todd have implied that the president needs a huge level of Republican consent to lead, or else.

I have to agree with the thinking on Crooks and Liars:

...

President Obama and the entire Democratic Congress were elected by the American people to change the direction our country is headed since conservatives have ruined our economy and most everything else under George Bush and the Republican led Congress. Villagers always fall back to their favorite term to smear liberals with. "Centrism." Only Democrats are supposed to be centrist in the minds of many Villagers, but never Republicans. Conservatives are the grownups and the left are dirty f*&king hippies who just want to trash the White House.

Listening to Mark Halperin in this clip should explain why blogs like C&L have gotten so popular. The Villagers are going to destroy this country. They helped Bush get elected over Gore, they led cheers for the Iraq war, and now they are supporting the Republican party at a time when this country faces a tremendous crisis.

Time and again. Dems need to concede on security, the military, the economy, leadership. Again and again, the presumption put forward by the media is that Dems don't know what they are doing and need the dad's in the Rep to lead and show the way. What is wrong with the media?

Obama wants the Republican input, to consider a range of ideas. But much of the media seems intent on selling the Republican approach. Bad media.

Not helping the debate.

As PZ Myers has noted, New Scientist has a new cover out.

It isn't helping anyone...that isn't a creationist.

This cover is going to be crowed over, copied, and sent around.

So, thanks New Scientist.

Still, if one actually reads the article it, as should be obvious, points to the need and reality that Darwin's work has been, challenged, changed, corrected, and surpassed in the years since, now, and in the future. It may well be worth the read for you, but the cover is going to give us all headaches for years to come.

Ledbetter

Hard not to be pleased to have the Ledbetter Act finally passed and signed.

Oh, the media

Some have noticed that the media been getting a bit more pissy. When they weren't allowed in CNN acted as if there was no media coverage of the second swearing in. This in spite of the camera and four newspeople allowed in. But they weren't there, nor was a video camera, so it doesn't count. And as the fight about stimulus has grown the media is strangely enamored of the Republican argument, one reader on CNN in the morning seemed to be getting downright livid about the state of tax cuts.

What's worse Matthews seems to be suffering relapses. As has been cited, he noted for two days how horrible family planning was.

Matthews: I don't know. It sounds a little like China. I, Congressman Gingrey I think everybody should have family planning. Everybody believes in birth control as a right. I'm for abortion as a right and all that. It's all right. But why should the federal government have a policy of reducing the number of births? I don't know why the federal government has an interest in that. They have an interest in freedom and people making choices but I just heard a case made by Congressman Wexler that it was in the national interest to have fewer kids. I don't understand that. (crosstalk) What did you mean by that? What did you mean by that? Why is it an economic stimulus...why are we talking about family planning as an economic stimulus program...(crosstalk).

Wexler tries to talk about education and assistance to families in need of information and help and all Matthews sees is baby killers...not that he is opposed to birth control or abortion rights...no. It's just family planning...kills babies... And what really annoys me is that they were in a discussion of spending and he jumped on this bit and would not let it go, then came back to it the next day. As was noted, the line about China comes write out of the works of the Christian Defense Coalition, who have decided that this topic is both racist and elitist. Way to pick sources Christopher.

None of this is helped by the notable lack of Democrats on the news. The trend has been to have Republicans and conservative thinkers and pundits on in far greater numbers. So when the R's ruled they were on the air, when the D's rule...why change things. Nice.

And sadly the rule of the hissy fit reigns, so the Republicans must be listened to and be right, so says too much of the MSM. Couldn't the newsreaders at least go on air without memorizing and using the latest Republican talking point fax? Come on. Particularly when it is easy to see how many of there numbers are being pulled from their collective ass.

Being on the left.

Juan Williams often is called one of the leftist voices on FOX News.

Feministing looked earlier at some comments he made about Michelle Obama.

WILLIAMS: -- she's got this Stokely Carmichael-in-a-designer-dress thing going. If she starts talking, as Mary Katharine suggested, her instinct is to start with this "blame America," you know, "I'm the victim." If that stuff starts to come out --

That is the liberal thought on FOX...so, can we all agree Juan Williams is not a liberal voice. I liked him back in the NPR days, he was pleasant to listen to on Talk of the Nation, but since he has been on FOX, he's not sounding so sweet. He's gotten shriller and almost seems to parrot O'Reilly. But a lot of people seem to go to FOX and it just does not have a positive affect on them.

I ain't afraid of no ghost...oh yes I am!!!

Dr. Novella looks at an interesting point that has long bugged the hell out of me.

As far as I know the mortality rate due to ghosts is zero. There are no credibly documented cases of anyone being injured or killed by a ghost. Besides - they are supposed to be immaterial, so how could they harm you? They might make you a bit chilly, or give you a severe case of the willies, but that’s it. I suppose they could frighten a weak-hearted person to death, in which case all we have to fear is fear itself.

...

And this is a common thing seen in the TV "reality" shows about ghosties. I understand the average person being jumpy with they saw something odd, it is a surprise, unexpected. But these shows...they jump, scream, and run. Granted they don't do it as much on Ghost Hunters, but it happens a little (Especially it was notable when they were in Europe with that Irish idiot, who was always running around panicked.). But on most shows they scream and run all over the place. They are trying, allegedly to gather evidence, and delve into the mystery, yet when their is a "physical manifestation" they bolt (I am looking you Ghost Adventures, bug brave guys yipping over bumps in the night, snakes, and prairie dog holes.). The moment they may be on the cusp of success they just quit it.

It comes off as kids playing pretend and getting themselves overexcited. Kids telling stories by flashlight, or by a fire. They try to act like adults, but... Maybe that is why I can almost find Most Haunted amusing. It is so ridiculous, it is hard to believe they want you to take it serious. But it is a silly. A video error is a ghost, a speck of dust is a ghost, a crack on an audio recording...a ghost!!!

As Novella notes, their is one hospital that has people claiming it is haunted and an exorcist is being called in. A place of medicine and science doing this. So psychologist around they could talk with? But we see this again and again, like in New Orleans after Katrina, the military brought in priests, for the buildings.

Buh...bye

New era

As has been noted on some sites. Check out the updates to Whitehouse.gov.

Change has come. Revitalizing. Welcome. It's a new era, with new images and ideas.

Sworn in and speaking up

(from CNN)

He's taken the oath. We know have a new president, Pres. Barack Hussein Obama, the 44th executive of these United States.

And he has spoken to the nation, and we have troubles, and we have work to do.

...

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

...

TPM has the speech up for reading.

New Day

It is a new day. Just one hour until the United States has its next change of leadership, the next presidency will begin. The city is filling up as a write this, and the mall is packed, the stars are in, and the President-Present and President- Soon-To-Be are walking into the capitol.

It is a new day. And hope and eagerness is in the air.

A lot of hard work will be needed. But today we all get some excitement and joy. Along with some long needed relief and contentment that some bad things have passed.

The first address

President-Elect Obama gives his first radio address, and his team has the video on YouTube.

Nader stays true

Yeah. Much as he has been doing for the past several years Ralph Nader seems to be more and more of a crank. Years of do gooding, and now this is what he choses to be at the end.

As Crooks and Liars (w/vid), and others have noted, Nader has chosen to unapologetically call Obama a potential Uncle Tom, if he doesn't do as Nader wishes. And he continued to hold to it on FOX News, leading Shepard Smith to actually stand up for President Obama. Smith has found himself in this role more and more, as McCain's camp has become harsher and more off kilter. And now this. Must be weird for Smith. But he might be getting a taste for it, and, maybe, he will continue into next with it...Maybe.

Krugman and the Monsters

Crooks and Liars points to a great piece by Paul Krugman on the Monster Years. Ah, those years of reality shaping.

I got chills reading this brief, but very truthful op-ed from Paul Krugman at the New York Times. Barack Obama's win last night was just one step into the future, lets hope Krugman's words ring loud and clear for future generations - Beware the Monsters...

Last night wasn’t just a victory for tolerance; it wasn’t just a mandate for progressive change; it was also, I hope, the end of the monster years.

What I mean by that is that for the past 14 years America’s political life has been largely dominated by, well, monsters. Monsters like Tom DeLay, who suggested that the shootings at Columbine happened because schools teach students the theory of evolution. Monsters like Karl Rove, who declared that liberals wanted to offer “therapy and understanding” to terrorists. Monsters like Dick Cheney, who saw 9/11 as an opportunity to start torturing people.

And in our national discourse, we pretended that these monsters were reasonable, respectable people. To point out that the monsters were, in fact, monsters, was “shrill.”! Read on...

Celebrating

Ever see the end of Return of the Jedi? The celebration on Endor in the original version feels like the way these election night parties usually go. The updated ending they have since added, with parties breaking out across the galaxy is the feel that exploded out last night. People were partying across the country and globe.

Crooks and Liars has video and pictures from Atlanta to Seattle. Parties sprung up everywhere, including on Pennsylvania Avenue. Fun times last night.

The Speech

A Victory Speech for '08

Yes we can.

It is odd. I have been watching politics since Carter. I have seen too many close runs to not be skittish. Carter, Mondale, Dukakis. Then Clinton came, but Perot had an impact. Then I saw Gore have it taken away, and Kerry lose it and walk away.

So tonight. Democrats, liberals, progressives, and those hopeful of change, have a clear win. Someone who gives us a reason to be optimistic. And a surge in Congress to help.

Time for a good nights sleep and ready for the days, weeks, months, and years to come. Republicans have already been taking their shots and declaring failure for Democrats. Time to counter this. And it is time to prove them wrong.

Nite.

44

Well after nearly two years, it is over.

Sen. Barack Obama has been elected. The threshold was crossed, and his count is continuing. McCain has conceded, though his audience was surly (I wonder why?).

But now we wait for Obama, President-Elect of the United States of America, to speak to America and the world.

Also the media has noted crowds are massing outside the White House. Ah, the neighbors. I think they want to help the Bush's pack.

A historic day.

I VOTED

And you can to.

Early voting is on, and hopefully everyone is registered and raring to go.



My Little Story, from earlier today.

Here is the county courthouse.

Here is the front door, inviting early voters in.

Here is me voting for change. Oh hell ya!

Get out and vote, when the polls are open next week.

This needs to be discussed more.

Crooks and Liars looks at Rachel Maddows interview with IAVA over McCain's abysmal support for veterans, for all of his talk.

Includes video.

Obama called it.

Here's a video showing Obama in July calling the Republicans on what they are doing now. Plus the McCain footage is spliced in at key points in Obama's speech tp punch the point home.

More from McCain's base

In PA, at a McCain rally. Feel the love.

Muslim! Commie! Terrorist! European!

I have finally heard someone ask it.

(So kudos to Matthews for questioning claims about Palin.)

Is Sarah Palin an energy expert? Well? McCain and his cohorts claim she is. But I have never heard support for it, except she is the governor of an oil producing state and been on a board dealing with oil production.

But is that make it takes to be an expert? Would you ask the CEO of IBM to fix your computer? Or someone on their board of directors? No. They have experts to do that. Plus, oil? If you know oil, you know energy. Does not compute.

So while McCain and Obama have actually spent years on these issues, which I would argue should make them informed, Palin can't claim this. But again. McCain has chaired a commerce committee in the Senate, and I have yet to find him all that informed on commerce.

Of course at this point Palin and McCain are standing on such a huge pile of BS that will anyone really notice this turd?

ACORN

Have you seen the scary stories about ACORN? Voter fraud?

Josh Marshall of TPM gives you the gist of what is really behind the story, and its long history of being used to bludgeon Democrats in an election year.

McCain-Palin base

Andrew Sullivan has been pointing to some interviews on YouTube, talking to Americans about Obama. They are instructive in showing just why they want to shout and repeat Obama's middle name, Hussein. And why they want to see him as mysterious. It sells to their base.

From a McCain-Palin rally.


I voted for Hillary Clinton!
He's an A-Rab.



This is not all of America, or, I hope, most of it. But whay portion of the populace is entwined in the thinking of either of these vids? How many of us stay uninformed, disconnected, and recessed in our little niches?

Double Points

David Gergen was speaking on CNN and seems to think that McCain deserves some credit for not bringing up Ayers during the debate.

Does he? He couldn't do it to Obama's face, not that he could bear looking at Obama much. And not like the polls the RNC was running didn't show that it was actually hurting him on the stump.

How about going on afterwards with Hannity to do it? Does he get double points for waiting to attack Obama with cheap shots until he got to the FOX news studio?

WTF is going on with McCain-Palin

You have no doubt heard or seen the dipsy duo of conservative failure stoking audiences in the last week. They have been trying to imply and now outright say that Obama is...bad...evil...a threat to America. And in response the anger they have played on has risen to screams of "terrorist" and "kill him."

And now...

TPM:

From NBC's FirstRead ...

As seen at recent McCain events, this afternoon's crowd was vocal in their support for McCain and their anger with Senator Obama. At one point one man could be heard yelling, "Off with his head," when McCain spoke about Obama's tax plan. That enthusiasm was even more present during Palin's remarks, and as other observers have reported in the past, today there was a sizeable number of people making their way towards the exit after McCain's running mate left the podium.

Like I said, I think it's going to take a few burning in effigies to catch people's attention at this point.

What are they trying to build to? What is McCain trying to wrought? Does he even care, if he gets a shot a winning? And where is the media at describing what these rallies are starting to now become? What is remotely pleasant, or positive? Is it not important to talk about? They are going after the media, and minorities in the media (shouting slurs at a black cameraman). Shouldn't they take a stand (Like in cases where news people are attacked in war zones. They complain and talk about it.)?

Palin on

As the election proceeds, Palin and McCain seem to have decided to that it is best for her to not face the press. Some people think it would be best for her to head back to Alaska, but who's listening to that. But it is interesting to see that is the path they have chosen to take.

As Andrew Sullivan notes:

This is how Putin behaves. It is anti-American. It has never been tried in modern times before. It is a chilling attack on an open society and the accountability of its leaders to the people they serve. The press has a duty to stand up against it - and to care more about the process than its own precious reputation in the mouths of Hannity, Steyn, Palin and the rest of them.

And as many have noted, why does the media acquiesce? They give her full and unvetted coverage when ever she speaks. What more pressure is there on her?

But Palin is nice enough to have a history and connections ripe enough to weave dandy conspiracies.

Go ahead. You don't need that tax exempt status.

Amato at Crooks and Liars has a good point.

There has been a move by a certain group of religious leaders to remove the shackles of the law when it comes to them backing candidates from the pulpit, or any other spot of authority. There has been talk for awhile, and a plan to have a mass of civil disobedience. The hope is to force the Supreme Court to strip the expectation that tax exempt organizations cannot be political backers of candidates (though I wonder how they feel about exempt organizations on the other side acting). They hope the court will back them up. Now they have had 33 ministers take the step and back John McCain. I had thought they had wanted to be bipartisan in this move.

But I agree with Amato.

They want this to be an issue. Just remove their tax free status (preceded by a lengthy, expensive audit) and be done with it for all those that break the law.

I have been all for taken away the status from these groups. But the audit...hadn't thought of that.

Polls and Credit

Reaction to McCain's plan is not so rosey.

TPM:

SurveyUSA has just completed a snap poll on response to John McCain's request to cancel or postpone the presidential debate.

Several questions. But two key ones.

What to do about debates?

Hold as Scheduled 50%
Hold with Econ Focus 36%
Postpone 10%

Suspend Campaigns?

Suspend 14%
Continue 31%
Refocus on Fin. Crisis 48%

Would canceling the debates be good for America? 14% say
yes.

Even FOX News results are not supportive.

And as was noted by insiders, via TPM:

A plugged in reader who's a Democratic lobbyist writes in with a good point:

The deal on the "bail out" is 98% done. Treasury has capitulated on almost every point. A draft is circulating on the Hill now. No one needs McCain to help do the remaining 2%....except the White House who has no standing on this matter on the Hill with either Democrats or Republicans.

So he may try and swoop in at the end and grab credit. And then avoid questions about how he helped get this trouble started. Stay classy.

McCain wants to step back...for America...right.

McCain seems to want to suspend campaigning and also the coming debate. He apparently wants to lead his party in talks. Of course, until now he hasn't particularly felt the urge to lead, last month, last week, yesterday...

Could it be the coming debate?

What's changed today in the financial crisis other than John McCain's poll numbers tanking? Isn't this the campaign equivalent of faking an injury when you're down late in the 4th quarter? Note too that McCain was in the midst of debate prep when he made this decision.

Look at what appears to have happened. Obama reached out to McCain privately to agree to a shared set of bailout principles. McCain went off the handle again and tried to use the crisis as a way to call off the debates.

...

And as AMERICAblog notes, "McCain "suspends" campaign only after he finishes his campaign events tomorrow." Yeah, he'll stop for the rest of the week, after he finishes campaigning midday Thursday. Then all the rest of Thursday is off, and Friday...oh, gosh and he won't have to debate...Shoot. Why call for this later on Wednesday? And why then...in an emergency...go one campaigning into the next day. Would it be rude not to? It smacks so soundly of a PR stunt.

And AMERICAblog also notes, "McCain to Osama bin Laden: I'm really busy, tired, a bit confused of late, and down in the polls, so please postpone your attacks for a while." Obama also just noted this. As president you actually have to multitask.

Can't help that their is traction on the story of his campaign manager's business getting a nice monthly check from Frannie and Frannie up to August. For what is unclear. But it doesn't look all that clean.

Plus the polls are turning on McCain. People are not feeling as sure about him.


Guess it was just time for a patented John McCain gut check and pivot.

Econ Woe

This situation is serious. So it is hard to read governmental reaction. It is particularly hard in a crisis, to read hyperbole as legit or not. And it is hard for the people. How many times do you face hyperbole that backs lies and misinformation and still buy it. The distrust people have now is almost heartening, as I wondered if all the Palin-McCain lies would have impact. But it is important to be clear. This is a crisis.

But what does the White House want? No questions. No accountability. Again, that sounds uncomfortably familiar to those of us with a memory that goes back at least 6 years.

Crooks and Liars:

...

Don’t you find it interesting that Paulson asks for this huge government bail out as Bush’s term winds down? We all know Paulson and Bernanke just didn’t stumble onto this problem. If Congress was informed of this months ago, the fat cats wouldn’t have it so easy and there could have been enough time for a real debate to take place. Now, the sky is failing and you better sign off or we’re all doomed. We heard it during the run up to the Iraq war too.

...

The White House was dealing with this crisis for months. They knew, they stalled bringing the debate to the rest of government. And once the dam burst, they dropped their plan into Congress' lap and want them to just take it and pass it.

Even with Section 8. Which gives Paulson absolute control and no accountability. Again, echoes of Iraq. Can they try a new play book, please.

It is also troubling that the deal is such a sweetheart one for Wall Street. They will get paid for losses at a premium. No they won't be asked to take losses. That would be unfair. And more...

AMERICAblog:

These crooks are the most unpatriotic, America-hating people we've
seen. They are sending their friends and lobbyists to Washington to ask for what
could be a $1.8 TRILLION bailout to save the problems they created, yet no,
they're not willing to cut back one single penny. Not one. They still want their
hundreds of millions in annual bonus money and they still want their elite
lifestyle as though none of this ever happened. For Wall Street as well as Bush,
Paulson and Bernanke, it's perfectly acceptable that middle class Americans foot
the bill in terms of cut backs and higher taxes so America's royalty on Wall
Street can live well. Yep, they want you to pay for their mistakes as if they
had nothing to do with it.

...

So this plan as it, is poor. Dodd has some good idea, like he did at the tail end of his presidential run. I hope they use his ideas as a framework.

But remember, action is needed.

Obama's response

TPM:

The Obama campaign's response to Sarah Palin's speech, from spokesperson Bill Burton, acknowledges its clearly successful delivery but seeks to highlight its slashing and partisan nature in hopes of taking the gloss off her a bit:

""The speech that Governor Palin gave was well delivered, but it was written by George Bush's speechwriter and sounds exactly like the same divisive, partisan attacks we've heard from George Bush for the last eight years. If Governor Palin and John McCain want to define 'change' as voting with George Bush 90% of the time, that's their choice, but we don't think the American people are ready to take a 10% chance on change."

The speech was harsh and negative but we highly doubt that it'll be received this way, and this suggests one reason she was chosen. McCain needed someone who could go on the attack while simultaneously striking an every-mom pose that might galvanize Republican women and perhaps appeal to aging white female Hillary voters while reinforcing McCain's efforts to cast himself as far more culturally in touch with ordinary Americans than Obama is.

...

I have to agree with Josh Marshall's thoughts on what is next.

... Not only has their party been in power for 8 years. But every policy pushed by John McCain is the one embraced by George Bush. Economic policy, tax policy, Iraq policy, social issues, Bush style politicking, everything. I'm not sure how many people agree with me. ...

... And they say they're bringing reform? Smack it with ridicule and an undertone of contempt and it will fall right apart.

Obama has it right. Agreeing 90% of the time with Bush is the way to change? He seems pretty happy with so much of the current state of things. Sounds like status quo to me.

Palin analysis

Some moment by moment analysis of Palin's speech.

AMERICAblog

Andrew Sullivan

TPM:

Is Sarah Palin really comparing herself to Harry Truman since he only served as vice president for a few months?

...

... I've seen political events that I totally got and others that I thought I got but was totally wrong about. So who knows? But take this as a sign that the McCain campaign has abandoned an effort to compete for swing voters and go back to the base energizing strategy that worked for President Bush in 2004. ...

And just to remind you of the blatant and disproved garbage she was tossing about, a picture of her promoting the bridge to nowhere.

Slashing away...

She is mentioning she slashed at the wasteful spending...like helping teen moms. Should I mention she has a line item veto. That means she has the power to take a bill, and cut only parts out, not just veto the whole thing.

So she went into a bill saw this aid to young girls, pregnant and in need of help, and thought...screw 'em.


AND SHE MENTIONED HER BRIDGE!!!

You know, the one she campaigned for to win the governorship. That she was happy with, until the ethics issues arose. Then she took all the money she could keep to use, and not return to the Feds. The money she couldn't keep she spent under the rules and law. So it is that brave stand.

Man I thought she would just let it slide...but she put it there for us all to point at and call her a liar. THANKS, Sarah! Your the best.

How dare they!

Talk on Palin's family is juvenile. Particularly when her records, thinking, and claims give one a vast arsenal, especially when cross tabbed with McCain, his records, thinking, and claims.

So why, in the quest for privacy, is her daughter and son-in-law to being used as props? As TPM notes, they both got dragged to a meet and greet at the Minneapolis airport, where McCain got to lay hands on the guy and approve of him...just weird. And it points to the truth of this. The pregnancy and the ignominy are just grand tools to be used by McCain. Most of these mean stories on Palin are coming from Alaska and from Republicans. Yet McCain's campaign want to play these garbage as dirty tricks from Obama. How is this not desperation?

So for the real arsenal. TPM notes a good, physical, example of the earmarks Palin sought, got and bragged about. Then there is Palin's old church, which looks to have just wiped all the old sermons from their websites. Guess the antisemitic stuff might have come off ass...I don't know...negative?

Better still, because it has McCain going out to spout this garbage, is her foreign policy skills. He has followed his campaign's, and wife's, lead in declaring the proximity to Russia as proof over know how. Is that how desperate he is? It is sad.

So how about saying how dare her eagerness for earmarks be pointed out, or the sad grab for claims of experience be noted?

Forgot...

Almost forgot...to not forget about Ron Paul. I don't care much for him. But he is running a counter convention in the Twin Cities. He's rallying his supporters. It looks like Bob Barr hopes to grab some of them. So when it is claimed Reps are unified, they are as a rule, but the cracks are there, and a number in key states look tempted to make a point. McCain is embracing the Religious Right and the Neocons, for some Republicans that may just be too much. Of course the Log Cabin has just seen the Religious Right write the parties platform, and then endorsed McCain and it, so who knows how or when they start thinking for a second on their own.

Convention night

Another night of RNC with the RNC.

TPM notes the Mittmentum.

Massachusetts venture capitalist and governor Mitt Romney is lashing out
against the "eastern elite".
Now demanding change from the liberalism of the last eight years.
Calls Democrats party of Big Brother after embracing torture and domestic spying.
"Tyrannosaurus appetite of government unions" ... rolls off the tongue.

So, among other things, the last 8 years is because...of the liberals. Those years of a conservative prez and congress...nothing? And Dems are the big brother party...Huckabee also hit on big gov't = Dem as well. So the guys who want expanded powers for the FBI, to peek into your life, who want say over reproduction...they aren't the ones seeking absolute power...right...

As noted on AMERICAblog:

Well, hope you're all enjoying the rerun of the 1988 Republican convention - is there a single speech that you've seen tonight that couldn't have been given back in 1988?

...

Party of change and new ideas? Who really believes that?

I'll tell some who don't the Conservative punditry. Look what they accidentally said on open mics.


Peggy Noonan and Mike Murphey (Mike was making smug comments at the DNC last week, like after the Clinton speeches he said that both would be voting McCain, then he sat back hoping to provoke a fight and disrupt the analysis.) show just how much they are loathing the state of things. Delicious!

Here is the transcript from TPM:

...

And if you're interested, the transcript ...

Chuck Todd: Mike Murphy, lots of free advice, we'll see if Steve Schmidt and the boys were watching. We'll find out on your blackberry. Tonight voters will get their chance to hear from Sarah Palin and she will get the chance to show voters she's the right woman for the job Up next, one man who's already convinced and he'll us why Gov. Jon Huntsman.

(cut away)

Peggy Noonan: Yeah.

Mike Murphy: You know, because I come out of the blue swing state governor world: Engler, Whitman, Tommy Thompson, Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush. I mean, these guys -- this is how you win a Texas race, just run it up. And it's not gonna work. And --

PN: It's over.

MM: Still McCain can give a version of the Lieberman speech to do himself some good.

CT: I also think the Palin pick is insulting to Kay Bailey Hutchinson, too.

PN: Saw Kay this morning.

CT: Yeah, she's never looked comfortable about this --

MM: They're all bummed out.

CT: Yeah, I mean is she really the most qualified woman they could have turned to?

PN: The most qualified? No! I think they went for this -- excuse me-- political bullshit about narratives --

CT: Yeah they went to a narrative.

MM: I totally agree.

PN: Every time the Republicans do that, because that's not where they live and it's not what they're good at, they blow it.

MM: You know what's really the worst thing about it? The greatness of McCain is no cynicism, and this is cynical.

CT: This is cynical, and as you called it, gimmicky.

MM: Yeah.

Vetting

It seems McCain very little time into vetting Palin. Let us see the troubles that have arisen.

TPM:

...

* The news that Palin once backed the Bridge to Nowhere went national.

* It emerged that Palin has links to the bizarro Alaska Independence Party, which harbors the goal of seceding from the union that McCain and Palin seek to lead.

* The news broke that as governor, Palin relied on an earmark system she now opposes. Taken along with the Bridge to Nowhere stuff, this threatens to undercut her reformist image, something that was key to her selection as McCain's Veep candidate.

* The news broke that Palin's 17-year-old daughter became pregnant out of wedlock at a time when the conservative base had finally started rallying behind McCain's candidacy.

* Barely moments after McCain advisers put out word that McCain had known of Bristol Palin's pregnancy, the Anchorage Daily News revealed that Palin's own spokesperson hadn't known about it only two days ago.

* A senior McCain adviser at the Republican convention was forced into the rather embarrassing position of arguing that McCain had known about the pregnancy "last week" -- without saying what day last week he knew about it.

* It came out that Republican lawyers are up in Alaska vetting Palin -- now, more than 72 hours after it was announced that she'd been picked.

* Palin lawyered up in relation to the trooper-gate probe in Alaska -- a move that ensures far more serious attention to the story from the major news orgs.

...

Add to that that she ran a 527 group to back up Ted Stevens (You know, the guy she has routed out...sure.). Plus she has left huge debts in her wake and also grabbed up huge earmarks from the federal government. How great was that "Bridge to No Where"? She eventually did block it...taking the money anyway to use. Yet it is not noted that she did finish part of the bridge project. A road to the water. Why? The government was going to take that cash from her anyway if it wasn't used as expected, so she used it. Reformer?

And ties to Secessionist? How is that good?

Here is her friendly welcome to a group, that at least her husband was a member of.


And I do not care for getting into her families business.

It is hard to deal with surprise pregnancy. It is a personal issue.

The only trouble I have not commenting comes from the issue as it goes back a year or so now. Back to Jamie Lynn Spears. Remember her? Got pregnant, family said she was keeping it and getting married. And the Religious Right cheered.

Like now they talked of the brave and wonderful decision and choice. Decision. Choice. Gosh, ain't it nice when you get to choose? When you can decide? It must also be nice when your wealthy and well placed, makes it all the easier to handle.

With that I no longer care about her family, I only care about Sarah Palin's and the RNC's politics. Choice. The mutual goal here is to strip away the choice. Their is also talk of privacy, yet that is also to be striped away for the government to be involved. And if this absolutism of law were not enough, we have abstinence only. The charming idea of just telling kids to not have sex. Along with that you lie to them about how unsafe safer sex is and try to scare them. Guess what? It don't work. It just doesn't. Fails horribly. But has that stopped the Religious Right? Hell no. So there will be no recourse if a young girl or women becomes pregnant, and be sure emergency contraceptives will be out damn quick as well. So no options. And before that no education. Warning of the risks of sex, but also how to avoid illness or pregnancy.

Ignorance and Intolerance I believe they are both planks for the RNC aren't they?

So sure celebrate the wonderful choice, until you can strip all women of it. That is was the RNC is all about, outside of POW stories, 9/11, and fear?

EDIT:

Sorry I forgot a bit of crap irony from Palin I was going to add.

Andrew Sullivan:

She cut funding for a group that helps teen mothers.

Nice to rich, huh? I guess, as conservatives often think, it is something for the Church to handle.

Goodman arrested.

Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now!, was arrested in St. Paul this afternoon.

PZ Myers:

Events are off to a great start at the RNC: Amy Goodman, host of the TV/radio program Democracy Now! and a well-known activist for peace and human rights, has been arrested in St Paul by our power-mad authoritarian servants of the Rethuglican Party. Apparently, she was defending two radio producers who were being arrested on the charge of "suspicion of rioting", which sounds dubious right there. She has been charged with "conspiracy to incite a riot".

...

Feministing:

This is truly horrid! (The following is a release from Democracy Now!)

Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman was unlawfully arrested in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota at approximately 5 p.m. local time. Police violently manhandled Goodman, yanking her arm, as they arrested her. ...

Apparently now she has been released, as have her people. I guess, maybe they weren't rioting...ya think?

Yeesch.