This country is fully of wusses: From CNN:

A new national poll suggests that a bare majority of Americans support President Barack Obama’s health care plan.

But the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Wednesday morning indicates that most people are worried that their health care costs would go up if the administration’s proposals are passed and only one in five think that their families would be better off under the Obama plan.

Fifty-four percent say their medical insurance costs will increase if the Obama plan becomes law, with 17 percent feeling their costs will decrease. Around one in four say their costs will remain the same. And only one in five say their family will be better off if the president’s plan becomes law, with 35 percent feeling they would be worse off, and 44 percent saying they would be about the same.

It all comes down to taxes and fear, doesn’t it? Imagine if we lived in a country where EVERYONE realized that countries do not run on fumes and the majority’s gut reaction wasn’t based on being an absolute shivering little coward.

When you’re talking about healthcare reform, there is, of course, a million ways to skin a cat. The republicans - over two decades - have had ONE idea - let the insurance companies and the drug companies do their thing. Unfortunately - for anyone but the stupidest in our nation - this is the same as being lazy and not doing anything. Furthermore, it doesn’t work. We’ve had this approach for as long as we can remember and people are suffering because of it.

Clinton tried his best to make the change but got bogged down in a healthcare plan that the republicans could attack easily. Then he backed away from it and that was that.

While I don’t bow down to fear or the creeping psychology of it (I was in Manhattan during 9/11 and saw things no one should have to see), I do worry that this might be the last good chance in my relative youth for universal healthcare to break through. It goes without saying that it’s a necessity. Every advanced country has some form of it. Hell, we do too! (Medicare/Medicaid).

The ONLY thing that stands in the way are the fears of a large minority, the willingness of the republicans to take advantage of that fear and this fantasy some people have that this country that taxes are unnecessary. Hey PEOPLE! Don’t want anymore taxes? Watch your infrastructure crumble. See your parents and grandparents die because there’s no social security check in the mail. Watch millions of children and poor adults homeless on the street, dieing of things no one has died from in 200 years because hospitals won’t take them, and watch the republican’s largest supporters laugh at you as they clink their wine glasses together and pat each other on the back at how great the free market has worked for them.

Taxes won’t hurt you. Fear of the unknown will. Get a backbone and support Obama’s plan and think about what you’d be offered if McCain was president.

Current News, Politics cnn poll, healthcare reform, Obama, republicans

John McQuaid from Huffington Post makes a few good points about Cheney’s re-emergence and how pathetically self-serving it is:

Besides embellishing a legacy, the current Cheney campaign seems aimed at one thing: setting up Obama for the stab-in-the-back treatment in the event of another terror attack. Please. Terrorism is a serious problem. It requires real strategic thinking. Such posturing may be catnip to the press, but it’s virtually irrelevant to the world we live in, and unhelpful to the hard work of protecting us.

I live next door to a 62 year old man who doesn’t speak to me because I told him not to throw his beer cans on my property. His age is important because it illustrates that even at a point in his life when he should have learned a few things about politeness, the treatment of others and common sense, he’s obviously failed to take anything from these lessons.

Dick Cheney is the same type of person. He’s ALWAYS right. Anyone who disagrees is either naive or not as committed as he is. Anyone who wants to have a real discussion of complex issues doesn’t deserve to be in the same room with him.

This prick spent 8 years acting like a scared child, reacting to difficult circumstances with a concrete mindset and dividing this nation not out of belief but aggressive necessity. It was his way or the highway and, I’m sorry, that’s not acceptable in this country. When you show as much disregard for the people who elected you - and even the one’s who didn’t - you have no invitation to speak to us again. Most of the country HATES you and rightly so.

What Dick Cheney needs is not a soapbox that the media happily gives him but a strong, hard punch in the mouth. Maybe a few. His actions have resulted in countless unecessary deaths and pain for more families than can be counted. What this elderly child needs is to feel a bit of pain himself and a few good punches would do that. It won’t immediately force him to keep his beer cans on his side of the property but, over time, it might deter him from throwing them in the first place.

Current News, Politics Dick Cheney, Obama, terrorism

Courtesy Local Crank

Terrific article on Associated Content regarding the republican’s current credibility gap:

I remember hearing from Sen. John McCain and every other Republican who could get a hold of a megaphone that Barack Obama would be soft on terrorism, and that he wasn’t prepared to lead the military. Yesterday, the President showed everyone how he leads: Decisively.

These people are the biggest bunch of crybabies I’ve ever seen. That’s supposed to be Democrat territory! I already know how this would be portrayed if Reagan had done it. The praise would be overwhelming. But it was the same when President Obama called for getting rid of all nukes. He was ridiculed for being naive (again) and dismissed as a liberal. Then I saw VIDEO of Ronald Reagan issuing the exact same call 25 years ago. See, that’s the real problem. It’s OK when they do it, not when others do it. They have a word for it: hypocrisy. Just how far is the far right going to go? At some point when people walk away from you in droves, you have to look at yourself. So good luck with that. It might show a little class to give credit to those who deserve it. You should try it sometime.

Neocons are always the same. Claiming strength when they act cowardly (take a look at all these pathetic morons at gun shows in the midwest. Little scared pantywaists afraid that the economy will collapse and the U.S. will become a free-for-all. They claim it’s about their right to protect themselves. I suggest it’s a bunch of little pussies afraid of their own shadows.

It’s incredibly rewarding to see Republican dead-enders being exposed for the shallow, callous hypocrites they are. Their lack of fairness, hatred toward the left and concrete thinking on nearly every subject is finally being viewed by the greater public as embarrassing, unnattractive and the mark of a crybaby. I know quite a few and not one of them will give Obama an inch - yet they continue to complain about the short shrift George W. Bush’s legacy has received (and still believe he will be redeemed).

I just don’t understand these people. I know there are many who enjoy being “led” in their thoughts and actions because they do not have the strength, character or courage to be individuals, but as someone who sees conformity as a weakness it’s like contemplating an alien from outer space.

Verbal Paintball john mccain, newt gingrich, Obama, pirates, republican crybabies, republican whiners

From CNN Ticker, here is a quote from a commenter named “Nelson” who’s view of our world is so completely off it’s mindboggling:

It is terrifying that this country is now being run by an ‘empty suit’ with nothing but left wing dogma directing his every move. America is in deep trouble and the liberals posting here with their hate filled rhetoric toward an American POW, Sen. John McCain and the talented and poised Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, says oh so much more about the characterless left. The DNC “hate Palin talk” is so canned (that’s program to the uneducated lefties in the ACORN crowd) that it is really sad they can’t find anyone with 1/2 a brain to speak intelligently or read a book or magazine to come up with some new talking points on their own.
The liberal media elected Obama this time, but they may not be so lucky in 2010. His intolerance to be questioned about his motives will soon be his downfall………patriotic, tax paying Americans are taking note.

Where do these people come from and what are they watching and reading to give them this sort of skewered reality. Obama an “empty suit.” The “the talented and poised Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin?” And, of course, “The liberal media elected Obama this time.”

Well, “Nelson” your ability to make excuses and absurd rationalities for how the world has worked in the past year is really, truly pathetic. Obama is hardly an empty suit. Want to see an empty suit, take a look at your former President. Sarah Palin showed no talent or poise on the campaign trail at all (especially when she was pumping up the racists at her rallies), and “the liberal media” didn’t elect Obama. Your fellow citizens did. THEY live in the real world, not your Hannity/Rush fantasy land where your failed and corrupt leaders are golden boys. Get a clue.

Current News, Politics john mccain, Obama, Sarah Palin

From CNN:

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md, insisted Tuesday that Congress, not President Obama, would decide whether to put more limits on earmarks in upcoming spending bills.

Asked about a statement by White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs Monday that the Obama Administration was formulating guidelines for earmark reform, Hoyer said flatly, “I don’t think the White House has the ability to tell us what to do.” He paused deliberately and quipped to reporters in the room, “I hope you all got that down.”

For those who don’t quite know, earmarks, as described by the Executive office of the President of the United States is:

Funds provided by the Congress for projects or programs where the congressional direction (in bill or report language) circumvents the merit-based or competitive allocation process, or specifies the location or recipient, or otherwise curtails the ability of the Executive Branch to properly manage funds. Congress includes earmarks in appropriation bills - the annual spending bills that Congress enacts to allocate discretionary spending - and also in authorization bills.

There’s a great scene in “The Untouchables” where Ness and his men decide to raid one of Capone’s secret alcohol supply warehouses. As Sean Connery’s character tells him, “Once you walk through that door, there’s no going back.” There is a similar situation Obama faces with congress over “business as usual” that never should have been so.

The fact that Congress believes they have the privilege to earmark monies is part of the continued residue of corrupt politics in Washington. All earmarks really are are Congressmen and women “paying back” the lobbyists who’ve funded their campaigns or other individuals they’ve personally networked with. It is NOT the honest way to appropriate our tax dollars and it must stop.

Will Obama have the will to put this practice to bed for good? I don’t know. I’m sure the American people would love to do so. I think the only way he might succeed is if he takes it to us and wages war against these career politicians. It would be a nice turn of the screw and I believe he’s trying to alude to that in his guideline reassessment. Personally, I think it’s long overdue and the trashbags in Congress, democrat and republican, need to start working for us again.

Current News, Politics Barack Obama, congress, congressional earmarks, corrupt government, earmarks, Obama, Steny Hoyer

From CNN:

“President Obama is somewhat more analytical, and he makes sure he hears from everybody in the room on an issue. And if they don’t speak up, he calls on them,” Gates said on NBC’s Meet the Press.

“President Bush was interested in hearing different points of view but didn’t go out of his way to make sure everybody spoke if they hadn’t spoken up before,” he added.

Gates also said with a chuckle that the difference between working for the two presidents sounded like the subject of a good book.

While Gates may not say it (yet - until his book) it’s pretty clear he’s suggesting that Bush wasn’t quite up to the job. There’s a bit of news we’ve heard before.

Hiring the right person for the job is critical in any company. Hiring the wrong person may not destroy the company, but could destroy your reputation. Hiring a truly incompetent person will cause your clients to question your company’s abilities, your competition to see your vulnerabilities and your company to question your abilities for bringing in someone so wrong.

Make that assessment count a hundred fold when we’re talking about the President of the United States and the position of head of the “company.”

It still incenses me to no end that this incompetent, incurious shallow man was in charge for so long. Let us take it as a lesson that we should NEVER elect another person who isn’t smarter, more analytical and more hands-on than we as a people are. The dangers of electing a “Bush” in the future is just too risky. Hopefully, we’ve not destroyed the company already.

Current News, Politics bush, bush stupid, Gates, incompetent, incurious, Obama, Obama more analytical, Robert Gates

From AP and Huffington Post:

The Obama administration, siding with former President George W. Bush, is trying to kill a lawsuit that seeks to recover what could be millions of missing White House e-mails.

Two advocacy groups suing the Executive Office of the President say that large amounts of White House e-mail documenting Bush’s eight years in office may still be missing, and that the government must undertake an extensive recovery effort. They expressed disappointment that Obama’s Justice Department is continuing the Bush administration’s bid to get the lawsuits dismissed.

There’s an old phrase: Once you get in a limo, you never get out.

We’ve seen it - the power and position of the office - transform past Presidents who’ve waved off the criminality of both earlier Presidents and members of their administration. There is, I’m sure, an empathy that develops once you’re in the same shoes as that prior person. Nonetheless, like any job, there are duties. The duty of our current President is to perform his job lawfully - and never disregard criminality elsewhere.

The Bush Administration has been criminal in many ways. Sure, they’ve not been forced to confront it thanks to a Congress and Senate that are comprised of hundreds of the biggest cowards on the planet. But they have committed crimes. It would be a shame to read, 20 years from now when all this has long been aired, that our worst crime we’ve committed as a nation was ignoring their crimes. Had it not been for the subpoena Nixon’s tapes over the length of his Presidency we would be none the wiser as to his methods or crimes. Email is the new tape. It’s important that we make these people accountable for the crimes they’ve committed today so similar crimes in the future will be more difficult (hopefully).

Obama should know better.

Politics Barack Obama, Nixon tapes, Obama, Obama haters, republican blame, white house crimes, White House emails

My wife lost her job. During the last three years there have been 8 rounds of layoffs in her firm. This new round came just the other day. While the loss in business was steady through the last few declining years, I think it’s only fair to blame Barack Obama for this. He has been in office for almost a month.

Furthermore, my property and school taxes have risen over the past five years. My state has been receiving less money from the federal government due to the tax cuts. My taxes have risen from $4,800 in 2003 to $7,400 this last year. When I pay my next bill this week, I will blame Barack Obama. He was in office when I received that new statement. It must be his doing.

My stock portfolio had gone from something substantial in 2002 to petty change. I know Barack Obama has only been in office less than a month, but he IS responsible for the plunge of the stock market. The day he took office was the same day I received my Merrill Lynch statement. While it may have gone out into the mail before he took oath, it still must be his fault. Everything is, isn’t it?

My house is worth considerably less than it was in 2005. I know, I know. There’s been no regulation in this market and people with the same amount of petty change to their name that I currently have in my stock portfolio were being approved for loans. It’s true that those loans were sold in group packages to my broker, Merrill Lynch, and were then multiplied many more times as derivatives. It’s also true that George Bush was a great friend of business and felt oversight was unseemly. Still, even though my house went up in value in the last week, I blame Barack Obama. He should have known he was going to be President and everything was going to tank. Shame on him.

That guy who beheaded his wife last week? Well, that’s Barack Obama’s fault. He should have intervened. How dare he hold his head up high after not making some effort to thwart that tragedy.

The hundreds of thousands who’ve died in Iraq. You guessed it. His fault. It’s his responsibility now, so he should bear the responsibility for the entire war, even though he was against it. President Bush couldn’t be responsible. He’s too good a man. As we all know, everything bad that happened to him in the first five years of his Presidency was really Bill Clinton’s fault. The Republican congress and senate with their majorities? Nah. They couldn’t stop it. It was the Democrats who bullied them into this war. At the very least they were complicit since all the evidence showed Saddam has WMD’s.

Got a parking ticket the other day. It’s not my fault I parked facing out in the parking slot instead of in. Damn that Barack Obama.

Politics Barack Obama, blame game, George Bush, Katrina, Obama, political cowards, republican blame, stimulus, washington politics

I work in the ad industry. I began as an Art Director, but unlike many I entered the business through the commercial production department instead of the bullpen. I was originally a Production Coordinator on commercials but yearned for more control over the creative reigns. My skills were in organizing productions and video editing, but I had also mastered PageMaker, Photoshop and many other digital programs early in the game just for survival purposes.

When I arrived as the first digital art director at a very prominent ad agency in New York back in 1994, the production department there was abuzz. The daily debate with most of the mechanical guys (these are the men and women who would cut and paste together ads and brochures with xerox type, litho images and glue) was whether computers would take over their jobs. Most were unwilling to consider it, always promoting the benefits and accuracy of doing it manually, the flexibility you had with the client and the time necessary to get it right. All good arguments, but there was one thing some of them didn’t know that I did: it was already over for them.

I would try to coax some of them into learning a few things - Photoshop, Illustrator, Quark if they could. Others were too intimidated. Within a few years, all their jobs would be transformed into computer jobs.

You see, I learned early on that there are no givens in this world and if you don’t know which way the wind is blowing, you’ll be left behind with a flat sail in an empty ocean. Beyond that, just because you think you’re right one day does not guarantee it will be true the next. Even today, as one who runs his own agency, I’ve always got my ear to wall, looking for the next tools that will appear quietly and make many dinosaurs.

The dinosaurs of today, in the political spectrum, are the Republicans. What they didn’t learn years ago was that their standard methods for doing business - disregarding reality unless it fit their expectations, governing through division and mistakening solidarity with their President as a strength - was predictably short-lived. Human beings can only stomach negativity for so long before wanting some relief. They can also only be scared for so long before becoming numb. The big mistake our current pathetic crop of Republicans make - day after day - is believing that the wind is at their back. Their aching need to obstruct and divide (which I feel is less ideology and more sour grapes) is the practice of old.

What many knew that even Karl Rove didn’t know is that no one could possibly welcome a permanent Republican majority, just as a permanent Democratic majority is fantasy. To attempt achieving one at all is a farce. Well, they attempted it - and look at where they are now.

Many of the folks I used worked with all those years ago are now either retired or computer production people. They changed with the times or packed up their T-squares. They were all good, decent people, some just short-sighted. There are also many decent Republicans, but, unfortunately, quite a few who are not (and, mark my words, you’ll see them very soon as lobbyists). They may not know it yet, but there are quite a few cardboard boxes waiting for them in their near future. Some of them may learn a few new tricks, find the religion of bipartisanship and save themselves. For those that don’t, we’ll see them in wax at the Museum of Unnatural History, debating with a neanderthal man over creationism.

Politics john boehner, Karl Rove, Obama, republican obstruction

From Salon.com, Alexandra Pelosi on interviewing Republicans during the McCain campaign:

Quoting a Republican from New York: “I drive through downtown Columbus, Ohio, and I see these iconic, artistic images of Barack Obama with the word ‘Hope’ under it, and I feel like I’m living in Castro’s Cuba.” I live in Union Square in Manhattan, and I walk out my front door and there are just lines of buttons, lines of T-shirt salesmen selling these artistic images of Barack Obama. I’ve been to Cuba. That’s exactly what it looks like. There are some things that they see that make them uncomfortable. And I think we have to respect that and understand that. Not say, “Oh, they’re just extremists. Oh, they’re just freaks. Oh, they’re just racists.” They’re not. They just don’t agree with us on, like, moral and cultural and political issues. They don’t agree with us on anything, really.

and here’s another nice tidbit (interviewer Mark Schone, interviewer, from Salon):

At one point, you’re talking to someone who describes Obama as the antichrist, and you say to him, “Do you want to maybe rethink that? Because I’m going to be accused, when this is on TV, of just looking for the craziest guy in the room.” And he ponders it and says, “No.” He’s OK with saying it. How often did you have that kind of conversation with somebody?

Every day. It was much more common than you’d think. In the heat of an election, people say some crazy things. And in the case of the gentleman you’re talking about, I have talked to him since then and this is just the way he sees it. I heard that every single day. It was much more common than you’d think. And I think that a lot of them were mimicking things they heard on right-wing radio.

While Alexandra Pelosi might have a bit of sympathy for these grieving Republicans, I can tell you without hesitation that I have none. Nada. Not one ounce of sympathy for people who would call Obama the antichrist.

While they might not say it, this is more than just simply disliking the candidate you didn’t vote for. This is hatred driven by fear and ignorance.The likelihood of this country becoming even the slightest bit more socialist than it already is - especially under a Democratic administration (which, consequently, gives more of a damn about people’s freedom’s and the independent spirit than the Republicans of today ever did) - is laughable. Sure, they’re serious. But they’re also stupid and are letting their prejudices rule their emotions.

Once again, I’ll tell it like it is since no one else will. These people, the good people of the red states who fear Obama, are prejudice. It may not register for them as that, but it is the core reason they cannot accept this man as their President they way George Bush was accepted by everyone after his election.

And I don’t care if they are grieving. Let them grieve. Let the world pass them by. If you are so childish as to call this man the “antiChrist” you deserve all the misery associated with his success. I will happily watch - and laugh - as these ignorant rednecks spin and twist with every success Obama has.

Politics, Verbal Paintball ignorant republicans, muslim, Obama, republican loss, republican racists