Do you remember 4 years ago when Republican Secretary of Treasury, Hank Paulson, submitted 2.5 pages of paper to Congress asking for $700 billion? Do you remember how he wanted $700 billion, to distribute as he saw fit, with no strings attached, and said that if he didn't get the money by Monday, the United States wouldn't have an economy?
Do you remember when the state of the economy was so drastic that John McCain "suspended" his Presidential campaign?
Do you remember when America was on the brink of another Great Depression, the economy was losing over 750,000 jobs per month, banks were failing, the housing market was collapsing, and the American automotive industry was on the verge of extinction?
Do you remember not having a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or a Credit Card Bill of Rights? Do you remember when Americans with pre-existing conditions couldn't get health insurance?
Do you remember when health insurance companies could place lifetime limits on care, rescind coverage whenever they wanted, and weren't required to disclose the reasons for rate increases or how much of a customer's premium actually went toward health care?
Do you remember when Americans could go bankrupt if they got sick?
Do you remember color-coded terror alert levels, "weapons of mass destruction", the "Coalition of the Willing", and the War in Iraq?
Do you remember waterboarding?
Do you remember when America was waging war against "Islamic extremism" instead of fighting a war against al-Qaeda? Do you remember when Americans traveling abroad were embarrassed to admit that they were Americans? Do you remember "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell"?
Do you remember 4 years ago? Do you remember how bad it was? Do you remember Osama Bin Laden?
Do you remember the Valerie Plame scandal, the lack of preparation for Hurricane Katrina, and the firing of U.S. Attorneys for strictly political reasons? Do you remember George W. Bush?
When voting this election, please remember how, in the midst of all these national crises, Republicans placed party politics above governance, and were merely obstructionists who, not only opposed but, filibustered almost all of President Obama's legislation. Please remember that Republican Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, said his top priority was to make Barack Obama a one-term president. Please remember that Mitt Romney's policy proposals are no different than George W. Bush's except that Romney has actually said he's not concerned about the poor, likes firing people, and that his job is not to worry about 47% of Americans. Please remember how bad it was when these Republicans were in charge, please remember how much better off the country is than it was 4 years ago, and please remember to vote for President Barack Obama.
Showing posts with label Election. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Election. Show all posts
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Not Too Impotent, Harumpa!
All right, finally an issue that lets me express my non-partisan, extremely moderate views...
It isn't right the way the "liberal media" is treating John McCain's "not too important" remark. (Now, just because I don't think that it's right doesn't mean that I think it's unfair. The "right-wing media" has been practicing this type of conduct for years so for the "left" to merely counter with the same maneuver is reasonable and, as the saying goes, "turnabout is fair play." But it does reinforce, and slightly justify, claims of a "left-wing media bias.")
But it's not right the way the press is blowing John McCain's "not too important" gaffe out of proportion because John McCain was making a perfectly legitimate point – the problem with Iraq isn't that our soldiers are there, the problem with Iraq is that our soldiers are continuing to die there, (and the stop-loss policy which requires them to serve against their will for an administration that opposes paying for their college education, but that's another blog). But what McCain said makes perfect sense – our military forces have been in Germany, Japan, and Korea way longer than they have been in Iraq but there isn't a nationwide uproar demanding that we bring our troops home from those countries because our soldiers aren't continuing to die on a daily basis in Germany, Japan, and Korea.
The problem with Iraq is that the controversial war there has been so terribly mismanaged that our brave men and women are continuing to unnecessarily die there.
The problem with John McCain is that, when doing interviews, he resembles a beginner stand-up comic at his first open mic, (and he's nuttier than squirrel shit, but again, that's another blog).
John McCain is like a guy who loves comedy, has studied all of the greats, and can recite verbatim his favorites' routines; he's a funny guy, he's written a lot of funny jokes, and he has what he thinks is a very tight set, but then, when he gets on stage, he bombs because he doesn't understand the practical nuances of stand-up comedy. Not only has he not figured out the dynamic between the comic and the crowd, but more importantly, John McCain hasn't realized that not all types of jokes work for all types of comedians – John McCain hasn't found his comedic voice.
Whereas Barack Obama can say that McCain would just be a third Bush term and it works, McCain tries to say that Obama would be a second Carter term and it doesn't. Not just because his statement causes the listener to realize that McCain was in his forties during the Carter administration, and not just because it's a little silly that a guy has to go back three decades just to be relevant, but because when McCain says it, it's forced.
Obama's routine flows – it's motivated and it appears natural. McCain's bits are clumsy – they aren't set up and he seems to be trying too hard. Instead of reacting to what McCain says we're left pondering why and how he said it.
The "not too important" comment stands out because it didn't really answer Matt Lauer's question. McCain wasn't trying to say that it's "not too important" for the next president to have a good estimate of when our troops can come home from Iraq, McCain was trying to say that the question Lauer asked was "not too important" because he had recently figured out how to deflect and neutralize such criticism. But because McCain couldn't wait to reveal the punch line, he bungled the delivery, and, as the saying goes, "timing is everything."
The real story behind McCain's recent comments is that they reveal that what is going on in John McCain's head is different than what is going on. Like a teenager who wants so desperately to be cool that he wears his brand-new, hip sweater to school even though it’s a humid 94 degrees out, John McCain can't wait to show off his latest one-liner because he honestly believes that a superficial quip is what secures 270 electoral votes.
McCain is grossly outmatched in this election but twisting his words is only counter-productive because it will cause his supporters to become emotionally involved with his defense. If this campaign is kept on an intellectual battleground, the current administration's philosophies don't stand a chance, but if this becomes another election against the "liberal media," the Democrats could be in trouble. And regardless of the issues, if McCain starts finishing his sentences with "hurumpa!," Obama won't be occupying the White House any time soon.
It's Sunday so yes, I'm still a little drunk,
Rocky
It isn't right the way the "liberal media" is treating John McCain's "not too important" remark. (Now, just because I don't think that it's right doesn't mean that I think it's unfair. The "right-wing media" has been practicing this type of conduct for years so for the "left" to merely counter with the same maneuver is reasonable and, as the saying goes, "turnabout is fair play." But it does reinforce, and slightly justify, claims of a "left-wing media bias.")
But it's not right the way the press is blowing John McCain's "not too important" gaffe out of proportion because John McCain was making a perfectly legitimate point – the problem with Iraq isn't that our soldiers are there, the problem with Iraq is that our soldiers are continuing to die there, (and the stop-loss policy which requires them to serve against their will for an administration that opposes paying for their college education, but that's another blog). But what McCain said makes perfect sense – our military forces have been in Germany, Japan, and Korea way longer than they have been in Iraq but there isn't a nationwide uproar demanding that we bring our troops home from those countries because our soldiers aren't continuing to die on a daily basis in Germany, Japan, and Korea.
The problem with Iraq is that the controversial war there has been so terribly mismanaged that our brave men and women are continuing to unnecessarily die there.
The problem with John McCain is that, when doing interviews, he resembles a beginner stand-up comic at his first open mic, (and he's nuttier than squirrel shit, but again, that's another blog).
John McCain is like a guy who loves comedy, has studied all of the greats, and can recite verbatim his favorites' routines; he's a funny guy, he's written a lot of funny jokes, and he has what he thinks is a very tight set, but then, when he gets on stage, he bombs because he doesn't understand the practical nuances of stand-up comedy. Not only has he not figured out the dynamic between the comic and the crowd, but more importantly, John McCain hasn't realized that not all types of jokes work for all types of comedians – John McCain hasn't found his comedic voice.
Whereas Barack Obama can say that McCain would just be a third Bush term and it works, McCain tries to say that Obama would be a second Carter term and it doesn't. Not just because his statement causes the listener to realize that McCain was in his forties during the Carter administration, and not just because it's a little silly that a guy has to go back three decades just to be relevant, but because when McCain says it, it's forced.
Obama's routine flows – it's motivated and it appears natural. McCain's bits are clumsy – they aren't set up and he seems to be trying too hard. Instead of reacting to what McCain says we're left pondering why and how he said it.
The "not too important" comment stands out because it didn't really answer Matt Lauer's question. McCain wasn't trying to say that it's "not too important" for the next president to have a good estimate of when our troops can come home from Iraq, McCain was trying to say that the question Lauer asked was "not too important" because he had recently figured out how to deflect and neutralize such criticism. But because McCain couldn't wait to reveal the punch line, he bungled the delivery, and, as the saying goes, "timing is everything."
The real story behind McCain's recent comments is that they reveal that what is going on in John McCain's head is different than what is going on. Like a teenager who wants so desperately to be cool that he wears his brand-new, hip sweater to school even though it’s a humid 94 degrees out, John McCain can't wait to show off his latest one-liner because he honestly believes that a superficial quip is what secures 270 electoral votes.
McCain is grossly outmatched in this election but twisting his words is only counter-productive because it will cause his supporters to become emotionally involved with his defense. If this campaign is kept on an intellectual battleground, the current administration's philosophies don't stand a chance, but if this becomes another election against the "liberal media," the Democrats could be in trouble. And regardless of the issues, if McCain starts finishing his sentences with "hurumpa!," Obama won't be occupying the White House any time soon.
It's Sunday so yes, I'm still a little drunk,
Rocky
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
"Time to Decompress"???
Barack Obama finally reached the magic number of primary delegates necessary for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination yet Hillary Clinton still refuses to concede or even explain her campaign's immediate objectives. And now she, (and the Right), are justifying her current stalling by saying that she can't make any decisions right now because she "needs time to decompress."
Really? "Time to decompress"? Are you kidding me?!!! For the past three months, even though she was all but mathematically eliminated, Hillary has been shouting at whoever will listen that she is the better presidential candidate yet now it's okay that she is without the capacity to make any decisions because she "needs time to decompress"?
Can you imagine FDR, JFK, or even Bill Clinton ever saying that he can't make any decisions right now because he "needs time to decompress"?
Picture George W. Bush explaining that he can't answer any questions about Scott McClellan's book because the past seven years have been very strenuous, and he has terribly mismanaged an unnecessary war, and his administration is involved in numerous scandals, and he really just "needs time to decompress."
The truth is, Hillary is such a narcissist that she needs to make it look like Barack's winning is her decision. She is such a control freak that she needs to be in charge, not Barack Obama, not the American voters, not the democratic process or even arithmetic, she, Hillary Clinton, is responsible for Barack Obama winning the Democratic Primary. And the irony is, she is responsible for Barack Obama winning.
She isn't as powerful as she thinks, she is as divisive, petty, and dishonest as the Right Wing Media said she was (before they magically (strategically) started praising her as the greatest thing since sliced bread), and honestly, she might be the only Democrat that the Republicans can beat this fall. Like Karl Rove said, her negative rating is too high for her to win a nation-wide election, and, as an extreme moderate and very liberal conservative Independent, I hope she just goes away so that America can get excited about positive politics again.
But, then again, I'm not an uneducated, hard-working white voter so obviously I'm gender-biased,
Rocky
Really? "Time to decompress"? Are you kidding me?!!! For the past three months, even though she was all but mathematically eliminated, Hillary has been shouting at whoever will listen that she is the better presidential candidate yet now it's okay that she is without the capacity to make any decisions because she "needs time to decompress"?
Can you imagine FDR, JFK, or even Bill Clinton ever saying that he can't make any decisions right now because he "needs time to decompress"?
Picture George W. Bush explaining that he can't answer any questions about Scott McClellan's book because the past seven years have been very strenuous, and he has terribly mismanaged an unnecessary war, and his administration is involved in numerous scandals, and he really just "needs time to decompress."
The truth is, Hillary is such a narcissist that she needs to make it look like Barack's winning is her decision. She is such a control freak that she needs to be in charge, not Barack Obama, not the American voters, not the democratic process or even arithmetic, she, Hillary Clinton, is responsible for Barack Obama winning the Democratic Primary. And the irony is, she is responsible for Barack Obama winning.
She isn't as powerful as she thinks, she is as divisive, petty, and dishonest as the Right Wing Media said she was (before they magically (strategically) started praising her as the greatest thing since sliced bread), and honestly, she might be the only Democrat that the Republicans can beat this fall. Like Karl Rove said, her negative rating is too high for her to win a nation-wide election, and, as an extreme moderate and very liberal conservative Independent, I hope she just goes away so that America can get excited about positive politics again.
But, then again, I'm not an uneducated, hard-working white voter so obviously I'm gender-biased,
Rocky
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