The world we live in is nuts. It's a wacky world of train bombers, hijackers, pedophiles and the worst of them all, politicians. Here I take the news of the day, political and otherwise, and distill it for you. And I am a proud Liberal Libertarian! Neither left nor right wing.
There plenty of things to discuss. I have taken a great deal of time away from this blog due to things that are beyond my control. Needless to say, I'm glad to back blogging.I will not be posting me World War II blogs in their entirety here. I will also be starting a new blog about Internet Radio.
Recently, I switched from Windows Vista which is a ghastly excuse for an OS to Linux. Specifically, I went running to Ubuntu. I am happy to be rid of Windows at the moment but time will tell if Ubuntu is the right OS for me. There are compliance issues to resolve.
So, to move on and keep this short. It should not be news to anyone that Hillary is out of the race. Now we can get down to ripping Obama and McCain to shreds. May the last man standing be worthy of the office!It seems that things are getting considerably worse everyday. This is why I'm not really blogging. What do I have to blog about? There are more crises going in this country then I have blogs for! And I don't think I can add anything to the vitriol that is already stewing.
Since I'm not going to add to it, I'm going to just make a not of something. Seventy years ago (technically in April), something different popped onto the pop culture landscape. Was it a bird? Was it a plane? no, it was Superman!
Boy could we use you now!
The man in the red, yellow and blue kick started a new genre of storytelling and solidified a medium. There have been many superheroes since Superman that are as diverse as the writers who dream them up. But Superman was the quintessential superhero and many are variations on the theme.
I also want to note that from 1938 until some time into World War II saw the United States at the height of its pop art. Music, Film, Illustration and even photography, had some its finest hours during these years. Some might theorize that hard times make us hope for a better tomorrow but since we still have to live with the pain of today, a little escapism couldn't hurt.
Mike Huckabee was definitely the surprising force of the night. He started out winning West Virginia which had a convention. This began Mitt Romney's cry that there was some backroom deal between McCain and Huckabee. Here's why: the WV convention is basically run as two rounds of voting. After the first round, when the McCain supporters realized there was no way they could win, moved their support to Huckabee.
I will address this on two fronts. First, there has been some suspicion that McCain has bee n making deals ala Survivor to gain the nomination of the Republican Party. It has been suggested that he asked Thompson, who stood no legitimate chance of winning, to stay in through South Carolina to run interference for McCain. The same thing is believed to have occurred with Rudy Guiliani in Florida. Guiliani and McCain are known to be friends as Thompson is as well. McCain tends to appeal the center and has political friends who are centrists. I'll even throw Colin Powell in there though I've never read that they were friends but I can definitely see the two of them getting along. Hell, Joe Lieberman is running around with McCain!!! Maybe that bothers the conservatives: a liberal Connecticut Orthodox Jew is supporting a Republican.
Second, that's politics!!!! Anyone knows that those things happen. Its the nature of the game. Even though Romney outspent both his opponents by millions, it was all for not. And he cried foul after that West Virginia convention which was the first contest called of the day. What a whiny, little pussy!
Though I will grant this: McCain is winning for some unexplainable reason. He didn't win the conservative vote. The southern Cons went for Huckabee and the Northern cons went for Romney. He won amongst moderate Republicans who are anti-war (which he is not) and those in favor of aboritionrights (which I won't try to qualify him on. He is pro-life but has also been on record saying the alternative would be worse). I like him because he is pragmatic. I like someone who is more concerned with being practical and making sense than satisfying idealogues who want someone to do their bidding. McCain has been rebellious since about the age of 8 and is unapologetically so. I want a president who thinks for himself. The alternative is a government run by committee.
Radio blowhards are just attacking him. Conservative Talk Radio is just plain babble. These village idiots with their radio soapboxes are ranting about how they cannot stand the other side. Rush Limbaugh vilifies McCain for reaching across the aisle to work with the other party. All Limbaugh is doing is proofing the rest of the country right: Conservatives are smug, hateful and cold people who would rather hate their fellow American than learn to live with them.
And I hate (not really, but it sure sounds good) to break it to Conservative Republicans but he is the last hope for your broken down, mean little party. This is the party that gave us Abraham Lincoln who felt that after the Civil War, the north should reach out to help the South and not grind the Confederate states under the northern boot. Somehow, I feel that empathy is missing.
Americans are tired of the "My way or the highway" approach to politics. It is fracturing this country and is leading us down the path of destruction. People are fed up with neo-conservatism. True conservatism, which is what McCain is closer to, is preferable compared to the shit that Bush, Limbaugh and all their ilk keep shoveling down our throats. I think they're poor sports and bad losers just like Romney.
On the Democratic side there isn't really much to talk about. Hillary lost her voice in the days leading up to the primaries. She was fighting a cold. She cried at one point on Monday. When all was said and done, she had won the more populous states whilst Obama had taken the less populous ones but more of them.
The races coming up on Saturday: Louisiana, the caucus in Washington, Democrats in Nebraska, Republicans in Kansas and as well as the Democratic primary in the Virgin Islands which like American Samoa, can vote in primary but has no voice in the general election. On Sunday, Maine holds its Democratic primary in Maine. There will be a Potomac primary is next Tuesday. This is a primary that I am more interested in. It is the states of Virginia and Maryland and Washington, D.C. Look for LOTS of press on that day. it won't be near the juggernaut that last night was but it will be important.
Tidbits: Clinton saying "missourah". She's from Illinois. She should be saying Misery.
I wrote this yesterday but due to forces that were beyond my control, it has been posted today. I leave it in its original form because I.... I don't care.
Tomorrow is possibly going to be one of the most frenzied days you may ever witness in your life. Not only do the New York Giants have their ticker tape parade tomorrow to honor the hard won glory on Sunday night in the Super Bowl. Not only is it Mardi Gras and therefore the last day of indulgence, frivolity and carnival before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. But it is also Super Tuesday, which due to it's inflated proportions, can also be called Super Duper Tuesday or Tsunami Tuesday. Tomorrow, There will 24 states and American Samoa running either a primary or a caucus for Democrats, Republicans and or independents. The Green Party is also running a caucus here in my state of Minnesota. This may be wrapped up tomorrow.
Or did you not know about this? I can't see how anyone could not have heard about this election. This cycle may be the most hotly contested in 40 years. Forty years ago the US was also embroiled in a very unpopular war. The Democrats were in power and they ended up losing power to Richard M. Nixon. We all know how that turned out.
It is coming down to two people in each of the two dominating parties. Barak Obama, the senator from Illinois, who is not a Muslim, is running in a dead heat with Hillary Rodham Clinton, the former First Lady and current senator from New York. The two are running so close to each other, we will be very happy that some primaries are not winner take all.
Hillary Rodham Clinton is losing steam it seems. And her voice. She is coming across as less liberal than Obama. Obama has some stylish endorsements in the form of the Kennedy clan deeming him JFK incarnate. He's had Oprah for some time. But now he has Stevie Wonder and Robert De Niro. Who knows who else he will get?
John Sydney McCain, III, is facing the same tough crowd he did in 2000. But this time its from Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter. Rush Limbaugh's smears of John McCain are not new. One particular sticks out during the 2004 election when he wasn't even running. Limbaugh attacked McCain on his radio show for not defending Bush over his service to the National Guard. He alluded to McCain being a POW at the “Kerry Hilton”. I'm not surprised that he still despises McCain.
I really don't understand why Republicans hate him. He's rather conservative but he's capable of thinking independently. Does this prove that Republicans are really happier with politicians who can't think on their own?
I won't hide my love for McCain. He's been one of my favorites for years. And you know a Political Science geek when they talk about politicians like they're teen idols in current issues of Teen Beat. I mean, I've adored him since I knew who he was... about the same time Fred Dalton Thompson hit Washington. He's a maverick and I thoroughly enjoy that. I cheered for him even when I was so staunchly Democrat, it bordered on fanatical. So, I'm glad to see him doing well. I will address my thoughts on McCain on a later date.
But Ann Coulter, on the other hand, has stated that she would not be able to vote for McCain. That she'd rather vote for Clinton before she'd vote for McCain. You can watch it for yourself.
In fact, I should find clips for all the candidates... hmm... Like McCain's Little Jerk comment. I guess I like my candidates to be spunky.
Anyways, last night, I attended the Ron Paul rally here at the University of Minnesota. It was a great thing to be with my fellow Libertarians. It's not something experienced often. We libertarians are solitary creatures it seems. But I know he can't win. I know. But he's the closest thing to how I really feel and so I had to hear him speak. Maybe in four more years. Maybe we'll get a Libertarian president. Maybe... I hope.
Back to the Blog!!!In the past month, the Primary season has started. Since that time we've had a few casualties in the race for President. on the Republican side, Thompson and Guiliani are gone. On the Democratic side, Richardson and Edwards are gone.
Feasably, this leaves McCain and Romney to duke it out for the Republican nomination with Huckabee trying to get in and Ron Paul throwing rotten tomatoes from the stands. I will reveal that I was pulling for Ron Paul in September. Since then I wavered. But we'll get to that...
On the Democratic side, its really down to two people: Hillary & Obama. I don't think a lot of people call her Clinton. Either we don't want to confuse some people, taint her or she's a woman and women weren't typically referred by their last name back in the bay. Whatever it is, I don't call her Clinton either.
I miss Edwards. He made me laugh. I am now torn between these two who impress me and then disappoint me in one breath it seems.... everyday. I suppose that is the nature of politics: Never getting exactly what you want. It ain't Burger King. Which reminds me...
Ok, one whopper later...
I want to talk a bit about my political history... yeah.... Back in the early '90's, I swallowed what my parents said and didn't think for myself. But eventually, I did. I decided to be pro-life, anti-gun (which my parents were, too), but particularly, anti-Christian coalition. Back in 1994, the Republicans took over Congress after decades of Democratic rule there. It was an orgy of Republican happiness. But the Christian Coalition bothered me. And I could not quite put my finger on it until I learned more about my country. The whole State and Religion thing. Its not wrong for someone to run according to their faith. But it is inherently wrong to run a country according to a person's faith. Why? Because even Baptists can't agree with each other!!! You think other faiths can, too? No, a secular nation with laws based on moral (not Christian) principles is best, in my ever so humble opinion.
I completely switched parties at the age of 16 which isn't saying much since I couldn't vote for two more years. But I started to pay attention and get to know people. I was interested in politics even then. And it was a lot harder to get immersed into something when the Internet was still crawling. We had access but there wasn't really information. Therefore, I watched a lot of CNN and a ton of C-SPAN. I had the C-SPAN schedule memorized. And when 2 came along, oh happy day!!!I eventually began to notice this guy from Arizona named John McCain. To be honest, I thought he was Catholic since his name was Irish. I didn't know much about things like that then. I just assumed Irish=Catholic. Period.
My Dad didn't like him. He served in the Navy in Vietnam and said the fire on the USS Forestal was his fault. And that he lost 4 planes. Well, considering my Dad was a SEaL and lost parts of his brain in 'nam, I'd say McCain made it out better.Anyways, I noticed him as early as 1995. The following year, I was disappointed that he didn't run for President. I thought he would have been perfect. I couldn't see voting for Bob Dole who looked like he was made of wood or was going to fall apart at a moment's notice. I guess I thought he was biding his time. I started collecting newspaper articles on the maverick Senator from Arizona and registered myself as a Democrat. And then I joined the Navy...
The 2000 election will go down as horrific on many fronts. But I can understand why McCain would be so angry at Bush even if they were in the same party. McCain does take things a little personally and in many cases its humorous and a little annoying. But from what I've read of the 2000 campaign, there were some reasons to take things personally. Someone ran a campaign to smear McCain using his then 9-year-old daughter, Bridget. Bridget is Bengali and was brought from Mother Teresa's orphanage by the Senator's wife, Cindy, when she was 10 weeks old. She needed medical treatment and they eventually were able to adopt her. But smear said McCain had had an illicit affair and father a black baby which in South Carolina was a hellworthy trespass, let alone, reason enough for conservative voters to swing toward Bush who had no black daughter to speak of. There were other smears like those directed toward Cindy's addiction to painkillers (Everyone has addictions to something legal or illegal. Get over yourselves). For this, I can see why McCain would carry some anger toward Bush. It benefited from the campaign and its fair to assume that it came from him.McCain stayed on and I began to lose hope.
In 2004, I was not in the Navy but starting College now, I was hoping he'd run. He must have made a promise or something because he didn't. Two years later, sitting in the parking lot outside my school, smoking a cigarette before Comparative Politics, I heard on NPR that McCain was gathering people who'd worked on Bush's campaign to work for his campaign. I groaned... Later, he was giving going to be speaking at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University commencement. I just about gagged. Didn't he once call him an "Agent of Intolerance"? I was rightly pissed. I may call myself a Democrat but I had carried a torch for John McCain for over decade at this point. I'd even enlisted in the same branch of military (just for the record: since BOTH of my parents were in the Navy, they would have shot me for joining anything else... well, maybe disowned me for joining the Marines).
But I took comfort in one small detail in all the rhetoric: he was running for President again. And Clinton by this point was known to be. I counted on Edwards and Biden who is perpetually running for president. I thought Kucinich was a freak of nature. I figured that Guiliani would be in there. I became annoyed that Thompson took so long to jump in. I thought Romney was a goof and Huckabee was too religious.
Ron Paul was closer to how I felt politically but I knew he'd never go the distance. I heard of Obama early in 2007. He was non-committal at this point. But he was starting to get his message out there. I remember watching his speech in front of the Old Capital Building to announce his candidacy. I had never heard someone allude to or say the name Lincoln in all my life. And probably never will again. [psst... he was a Republican!] But, did that stick in my memory. See, prior to 1994, I lived in Illinois for a few years and that was where my accent was finally cemented and my geographic identity was settled. I identify strongly with Illinois political values. And I love Lincoln. I was intrigued to say the least.
But now as we get down to Super Tuesday, the next couple of days will be interesting. Hell, the rest of the year is going to be interesting!!! This is what politics is all about!
One last picture. One of Edwards with his wife. They are saying good-bye. I'm posting it because we constantly treat politicians like crooks and liars. Every politician is a human. Every politician has problems and stresses in their life. Every politician has someone behind them. So, a nice photo to remember that there is someone who suffers through campaigns right along with them.
So... the last time I posted anything was on Veteren's Day. Instead of saying how much I suck, I'm just gonna gussy up and slog through. Even if no one is reading any longer. I want to talk about the Presidential Election. Its coming down to two people on either side (at least in my opinion). Here's my take on those that have weathered the storm of political wackiness that is our electoral process (a collective groan is appropriate).
I'll start with the Democrats. Bear in mind that this is based on my take on these people and may not actually be based on fact. Who cares about the facts anyway? This is politics! Let the wonks fight over the facts!!!
Hillary, or Billary.... I have supported Hill at times. I think she has good ideas like making sure that stay-at-home moms still have a retirement fund (who knows what will happen, eh?) but this has not received much press. I can see why: Everybody would be required to get her health care plan! And the people who'd pay for it? Those who make $250,000 or more a year. I'm not sure I like a compulsory health care plan. What about extending medicaid and medicare to everyone? Social Security was originally a plan set up for Widows and orphans. All FDR did back in the day was extend it to everyone. What is little known is that it is not legally required that a person have a Social Security number to live or work in the United States. Did you know that? Keep that in mind...
But I have a hard time with Obama. What the hell does he really stand for? What does he really plan on doing? Use over inflated hyperbolic speech for 4 years? He's got charisma, I'll grant him that. But what in God's name does he want to do?
Boy could we use you now!
