The Traditional Light Bulb Vote Must Be Huge . . .

Meet Joe Barton.

He desperately wants to be chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. You may of course, remember him for apologizing to BP following their causing the largest environmental disaster in the history of the United States.

FSM help us if he does.

In a speech yesterday to The Heritage Foundation he laid out his agenda -

Repeal Healthcare Reform

Fight the EPA

Fight Net Neutrality

Fight "Radical Environmentalist

Defend the Traditional Incandescent Light Bulb

Err, umm. . . what was that last one again?

Yes, he is out to fight for the traditional values of incandescent light bulbs, to prevent government regulators from replacing it with "the little, squiggly, pig-tailed ones".

Boy, they're not even trying anymore, are they?

He recently compared his fight against the Democrats to Davy Crockett and the defenders of the Alamo. I'm not sure exactly what he means by that . . . the Mexicans won a decisive victory at the Alamo, and every last one of the defenders was killed.

Hmmmmm . . . Mr. Barton, you keep using that analogy, . . I don't think it means what you thinks it does . . . .

It's Almost Over

Our long National nightmare is about to come to an end.

It's yet to be seen if the Republic will survive the devastation of the Bush years, but millions of Americans and millions more worldwide are hopeful.

That hope is personified in one man.

Thank you Mr. Obama, for accepting this burden.

Confessions of an 8 Year old Liberal.

From the mouths of babes . . . .

My niece, (8 years old) wrote the following paper for school. She is obviously being raised right.

(with clickable goodness)

The text, slightly edited for spelling clarity:

If I Were President

If I were President, I would make it free to go to the hospital and I would stop people from polluting and I would help the poor. I would also help the people that don’t have any clothes or food or toys, and if children don’t have enough money to go to school I’d let them go for free. I would make it where people that rode motorcycles would have to wear their helmets. I would make it were they can’t cut down rainforest. I would make it were people couldn’t smoke. I would lower gas prices and tell people to recycle. I would help the animals that need help and that’s what I would do if I were President.

What do you think folks?
She has my vote.

Let The Carnage Continue

The Freepers want to boycott Fox.

Bwahahahahahahaha

They Eat Their Own, Don'cha Know . . .

Priceless . . . The McCain camp is already throwing Palin to the sharks.

Stay tuned guys, I have a feeling the feeding frenzy has hardly begun.

NEWSWEEK has also learned that Palin's shopping spree at high-end department stores was more extensive than previously reported. While publicly supporting Palin, McCain's top advisers privately fumed at what they regarded as her outrageous profligacy. One senior aide said that Nicolle Wallace had told Palin to buy three suits for the convention and hire a stylist. But instead, the vice presidential nominee began buying for herself and her family—clothes and accessories from top stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. According to two knowledgeable sources, a vast majority of the clothes were bought by a wealthy donor, who was shocked when he got the bill. Palin also used low-level staffers to buy some of the clothes on their credit cards. The McCain campaign found out last week when the aides sought reimbursement. One aide estimated that she spent "tens of thousands" more than the reported $150,000, and that $20,000 to $40,000 went to buy clothes for her husband. Some articles of clothing have apparently been lost. An angry aide characterized the shopping spree as "Wasilla hillbillies looting Neiman Marcus from coast to coast," and said the truth will eventually come out when the Republican Party audits its books.

Ahhh, Schadenfreude.

Well Done America, Well Done

I'm still too numb to think clearly, (and exhausted, I was up very, very late) so here are a few images and random thoughts.



The diversity in the crowd in Chicago was a beautiful thing to see. The look of joy and hope on those faces of so many colors and, even more importantly, so many backgrounds, gives me hope. Hope for an America that values every citizen.




When I saw this on my TV screen, this is when my own tears started. This is the second time this man has brought tears to my eyes. His Democratic Convention address in 1988 did it, and then when I saw those tears streaming down his face last night, my own started. I don't always agree with him, and he has some problems, but he has been fighting not for this night, but for the opportunity this night represents, for most of his life. Thank you, Mr. Jackson, you deserve those tears. Hope is alive.

What a beautiful first family. I'm so proud for the world to see America tonight.

Hope is a beautiful thing.

Finally, It's Today

We somehow have made it to election day.

Good thing, I'm not sure I could have lasted much longer. I haven't really had a good night's sleep since Friday. The stress and anxiety are killing me.

The ugliness of this campaign has shocked even a jaded cynic like myself. The Rev. Wright ads were plastered all over prime time last night on at least two major networks. The willingness of the Republican party to look America in the eye and lie may someday be their undoing.

I wish that were already true, but as long as there is hatred and bigotry in this country, the Republican party will be there to exploit it.

Please go vote.

Vote straight ticket D. Give the party of lies and hate a clear message that this country is ready to care for all of it's citizens, no matter what color they happen to be or what tax bracket they happen to fall into. Tell the thieves and criminals that have been overseeing the most massive redistribution of wealth since the gilded age that Haliburton and Blackwater can no longer siphon money out of the treasury at will.

Defend the constitution, defend the environment, defend a woman's right to make her own health decisions.

Give Barack Obama a clear and resounding mandate for change.

Yes, we can.



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OK - This was going to be a serious post, but I just couldn't resist . . . . . .

If you need a voting guide, see below:


And then, there is this.

Well?

Did You watch Obama's 30 minute program?

I confess, I teared up a little.

I want this so bad. He is what this country needs, and has needed. It's a damn shame Bush's deficit and fucked up economy will take away what could have been spent on a true progressive agenda.

America may just survive.

Go vote.

Still Undecided?

This may be one of the best political ads I've ever seen. It is short, it is simple, and it makes a great point.



Go Vote.

I Voted Today!!!!

Early voting is open in Texas, and I voted today.

It didn't take very long, I only had to make one mark.

Wow, This Is Big . .

Did you see this?

Paul Krugman has been awarded the Nobel prize in Economics.

Hmm, I guess Phil Gramm wasn't on the short list.

The Candidates, in Pictures

Via Christine

All You Need to Know

Way too funny!!

This Is What's Wrong

Fucking Pigs at the trough, that's what unfettered capitalism has given us.

In a display of greed that is positively Enron-esque, Lehman Brother's paid out millions in executive bonuses, even as they were negotiating with the Bush administration for a bail out.

Again I ask, why aren't we rioting in the street?

It's A Trap!

Sigh

A couple of you have noticed that I've been avoiding politics lately. To tell you the truth, I'm still a little bit dazed and disillusioned over the primary nastiness. I'm even more disgusted that we aren't up by double digits at this point.

Make no mistake, if Barack Obama were named Barry Oliver, had the exact same credentials and a bit less pigment, we would have a 30 point lead in every poll. (But that rant is another post)

Today, let's talk Sarah Palin. Because, you know, by gosh she just hasn't been in the news much lately.

I think we need to be very, very cautious, This entire ordeal with her has the stink of a Karl Rove October Surprise to it. Let's face it, she is not ready to be President, and even if she were, FSM help us.

However, when every morning I see a new conservative pundit tell the world she is unprepared and, well, shall we euphemistically say, intellectually incurious, (Who does that sound like? - YIKES!), I think we are being set up. We are all aware of the phrase, "the soft bigotry of low expectations." The bar for her performance in the debate is being set so low, that if she goes up there and pronounces her name right, pundits will say she exceeded expectations, is a fast learner, and shows that she is capable of tackling any job in the face of adversity, etc..... ad nauseum .

Don't be fooled friends.

To anyone who tries to tell you she appointed herself well, ask them to imagine what a Palin presidency would look like.

I just threw up a little in my mouth when I typed that.

She's the worst of Bush mixed with the worst of Cheney. Think the last 8 years on steroids, with lipstick.

Things I Love

Bob Geldof

Read it all.

He's talking about the UK, but everything he says applies in the USA, and then some.

Still today, 800 years later, Magna Carta resonates: "To no man will we deny, To no man will we delay, Justice and Right." Is that not grand, worthy of your vote? Is habeas corpus to be traduced in one sad moment of political expediency? Do we not clearly deny and delay Justice and Right when we imprison a person for 42 days without charge?

What existential threat do we face greater than those of the past 800 years? What great terror exists today that not civil war, not world war, nor recent other terrorisms could make our forefathers change the fundamental basis of this state? What is so dangerous that our oldest statutes could be upended for such a ha'p'orth of momentary panic?

What terrorises the terrorists is our civilisation. What those unthinking fools of fundamentalism fear most are the freedoms our representatives now strip away. This "war on terror" is against Islamist forces that reject the Enlightenment.

How can we ever succeed, if we side with our opponents in rejecting those ideals? Every moment we are spied on by the invisible watchers, every time we are monitored, every time we are logged on databanks, they win. And every time we accept it, we lose.

What's not to love?
Oh yeah, and he did this too.

Like I said, what's not to love?

Should You Vote Republican?

There are so many good ones in this clip, I can't pick a favorite.


Enjoy -



Well, OK - I think I like “I’m voting Republican because women just can’t be trusted to make decisions about their own bodies" the best.

Meanwhile, Back at the Castle . . .

I'm not a member of any organized political party, I'm a Democrat.

Will Rogers

Whew!

I owe you lots of updates.

The convention was exhausting. Truly, truly exhausting.

It was disorganized, it was frustrating, it was expletive-inducing.

I had a great time.


Brave Sir Robin actually is engaging in the untold luxury of calling in sick today. I actually didn't wake up until 11:30 this morning. You have no idea how utterly impossible it is for me to sleep past 6:30 on most days.

A few brief observations:

It is all about back room politics and deal cutting in our State Party.

Chelsea Clinton is very pretty in person. She is charming, intelligent and classy. She was the high-light of the weekend.

It is time for new blood in our (State) Party Leadership.

Clinton supporters were, individually very nice and willing to be gracious, collectively they were petulant and acted like spoiled 4 year olds who didn't get their way.

Alternates have way more fun than Delegates.

The size of the venue and the poor lighting means the pictures will probably be awful.

Next time I'm wearing sneakers and a backpack that will will hold food and water. The schedule made it impossible to eat, or even grab a bottle of water.

Molly Ivins is revered and missed.

Obama will be our next president.

You won't see diversity like this at a Republican convention.

Convention Update

I'm in Austin, I'm checked in to the Hotel, and I'm going to get credentials.

Assuming there is wifi in the Convention center, I'll try to live blog as much as I can of tonight's events.

Either way, I'll check back in later.

Disgusting

Most of you know by now that I don't really believe in God. Certainly not as laid out in the Christian bible.

Ergo, I don't believe in Heaven or Hell.

But I really, really really hope I'm wrong about the Hell thing, because Michael Savage deserves to go there.

Scum.

Total scum.

This Man is My Hero

Is there any journalist in America who is more honest and brave than Keith Olbermann? Last night's special commentary is an absolute beauty. You'll want to watch it two or three times, I promise.




Like I said, this man is my Hero. Where are all of the other journalist? Why does this man have to speak alone? Every single thing he says is the truth. Wake up America.