Roland Burris?

Blagojevich is expected to appoint Roland Burris, former Illinois Attorney General, to Obama's vacant Senate seat some time today.  Interesting move; what will happen now?

Burris is a 71-year-old African American, and was in fact the first African American to be elected to a statewide office in Illinois in the 1978. He was the state comptroller and then the state AG beginning in 1990, and is currently in a private law practice.

Blagojevich is a criminal and is only appointing Burris because he's an arrogant twit trying to stay relevant and maintain a false front of innocence.

The Senate has said they will not seat anyone Blago appoints - not to say they won't take Burris BECAUSE Blago appoints him, but they won't take him without serious consideration.

Consider: Obama's seat (now empty) will be up for re-election in 2010, so whoever goes in now needs to fit one of two roles. Either a) the new Senator needs to be a solid placeholder for Illinois to produce a superior Senator for 2010, or b) he needs to be a solid Senator who can work for two years and win re-election in 2010. Burris will be a recognizable, positive name to Democrats older than us, and would probably be a good choice despite not being in that famous short list of a few weeks ago. It's entirely possible that, if seated, he could be re-elected in 2010.

Back to the Senate's reluctance to seat a Blago appointee... they are running out of options. I think this appointment today is just a stunt to generate talk and for the governor to try and flex whatever pathetic political muscle he thinks he has left. However, with just three weeks until the new congress is sworn in, the pressure should be on for the Senate to seat another Democrat just to solidify their majority, especially with the Minnesota race looking more and more likely to swing our way.

Plus, if the Joe LIEberman ordeal was any indication, Harry Reid is basically a bitch and the Senate will end up accepting Burris by the end of the week.

Thoughts?

Hate: Part 2

One of the most divisive things which still exists in our country became evident in this past Presidential election. Unfortunately race and racism still seem to be factors in the minds of Americans. We witnessed ignorance bleeding over into hate speech when people would talk about President-elect Obama. People looking at his race creating a palette for which they could create jokes about Kool-aid, fried chicken, and welfare. Have we not moved beyond the times of Jim Crow laws and lynch mobs which themselves looked at these stereotypes to be decisive qualities of one specific race?

"We've got a tragic history when it comes to race in this country. We've got a lot of pent-up anger and bitterness and misunderstanding. ... This country wants to move beyond these kinds of things."

When he said this during his now famous speech given on March 18, 2008 I could not agree more, but do we actually see this in America?

When we hear about a laborer losing his small business because of migrant workers providing cheap labor, what race comes to mind? A news story breaks that a government building has been bombed killing hundreds including women and children, what race comes to mind? A grocery store is robbed where the owner is shot by one of the robbers who then escaped, what race comes to mind?

My guess is that you thought of one particular race in each of those instances in your mind when you were picturing these events taking place. Are those views not a part of our society? Anyone of any race can fit into these scenarios depending on their situation which forces us to look at race internally first. We must look to ourselves to fight racism and blind hatred which still exists in today's society.

This now leads me to my final point. Sometimes racism boils over into a hatred so fierce we see the ugly side of our nation. Groups like the Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Brotherhood, and other neo-Nazi organizations show an unwavering hate I could never understand. But now I ask, when their discussion talks about "preservation of the white race through the elimination of inferior races and peoples" how can this be protected as free speech? Law is a balance between individual rights and public safety and where is the balance? A crazed skinhead goes into a Jewish community center and kills children in a daycare center, or chases down a group of white teenagers and beats them near death because one of their friends happens to be black, how can this ideology be protected under "free speech"? I ask these questions once again looking for a healthy dialogue to find common ground on where American really stands on this topic of racism.

Hate: Part 1

So over the next few days I will be writing about something which I feel too many people look away from because of how severe it really can be. I will be looking at a few different issues related to specific groups of people. We may mask these issues with common phrases but they all boil down to one word, hate. Some may claim it as a lack of understanding, but those who look beyond the silver lining in everything know what these issues really come down to. These are my own opinions on the subject and I hope this spawns a further discussion because this is what is needed for these issues to be resolved.

Throughout the world's history, one idea has been something that has been debated for ages. If you ask someone what the definition of this idea is, they will never have the same two answers. It has perplexed even the most knowledgeable scholars and philosophers. It may be something of real world magic where there is no true explanation for why it happens. This thing which I am talking about is love. Now I am not going to talk about why or how it happens, but why some are not allowed to express that love.

"We must save the sanctity of marriage" as many people on the other side of this issue might say. What about divorce? It seems to me the ending of a marriage no matter who is involved with it, destroys the sanctity of marriage in a literal sense. Now to me I do not care on way or another what faith you are or if you even believe in a higher being. This debate has to be higher than that or else this is just an argument over who's imaginary friend is better.

To those who oppose gay marriage: What does it matter to you what two men or two women do at home? Why are they not allowed to share the same rights when it comes to hospital visitation if the person they have loved for their entire life is near death? Did Jesus say "Love thy neighbor as I have loved you"? Are you really loving your neighbor when you deny them the same rights as you?

To those who fight for the right to wed: Where is the passion over this issue? Why is there not a constant presence for all to see, showing what you are willing to do to gain those rights as your fellow citizens?

I am haunted by a bumper sticker that I saw the other day which states "No one is free while some are oppressed". I look back at November 4th now no loner as a day for celebration, but a black eye in the history of our nation. We made a vote for change through Barack Obama, yet across the nation, the right to marriage was denied to millions. We need to pressure the government to support the rights of all people regardless of sexual orientation and by standing by and not fighting for that right, we are just as guilty as those who oppress.

Part II coming 12/18

Just when I thought it was OK to be from Illinois.

Rod, you've done it again! Our governor, Rod Blagojevich, was ARRESTED today on numerous counts of bribery and fraud. Not even, like, the cops called him up and said, "Rod, we know what you're doing, we need you to just come in." NO. They went and put him and his chief of staff in handcuffs and took them away.

According to the AP, there is a 76-page FBI affidavit listing all the charges.

Seventy-six pages.

The worst part is, these charges revolve around the appointment of a new Senator to take over for Barack Obama. Just when I was feeling proud about Illinois, when I was proud to be from the same state as someone who's doing something good in the world... Rod had to fuck it up.

He's accused, through evidance on wiretaps, of putting "a for sale sign on the naming of a United States senator," said Peter Fitzgerald, US Attorney. He would accept bribes in cash or in the form of jobs.

From the AP: "The affidavit said Blagojevich expressed frustration at being "stuck" as governor and that he would have access to greater resources if he were indicted while in the U.S. Senate than while sitting as governor."

Well, congratulations, Rod. Now you won't be able to put yourself in the Senate and you won't have to be a governor any more either. Sounds like a win-win for the voters of Illinois!

For more, http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/09/illinois.govenor/index.html

Prop 8: The Musical

Way too funny, but sadly true.

Also, new layout obviously. I'm still making a couple edits here and there but tell me what you think via the poll.

Oh Happy Day!

So hey, I guess most of you are wondering why this mug is on the dems page. Well, good news. Her jaw is broken. Ok not nice, but its been wired shut, so totally awesome. That's all.

I Need Your Help!

This is a message to anyone who wants to make a difference for the future generations of ISU students!!!

So, this is my task--no, I believe it is better defined as a quest--I want to start a newspaper. One which actually delivers relevant news to students at ISU, and keep them updated on local news pertaining to Bloomington-Normal, ISU, McLean and Illinois.

We need a paper that works as an uncensored branch of SGA and local government, one which will use its words to inspiring action and uncover discrepencies and inefficiencies in school and local policies.

How much better would the early-voting had gone if the Vidette had made any attempts to investigate what was actually happening at the county clerk's office? Or how many more voters would ISU have had registered if someone had pointed out, early on, SGA's lack of effort in registering students?

It is possible to make a difference on this campus, all we need to do is to put in a little effort.

President Obama

The best thing about this campaign is how I feel right now. Aside from the exhaustion and pride, passion and disbelief, I have this unshakable conviction that it is not over.

The canvassing, fundraising, and phone calls might end with the campaign season, but I have invested in my candidate, in my country, and in my future, and I plan to hold myself and my new president accountable.

I met him. I talked to him. I creeped him on facebook. He will never know my name but I feel a connection to Barack Obama and his life story that encourages me to believe in him. Maybe it's naïve to trust a politician, but this man and everything his campaign embodies have given me new hope to wake up to tomorrow.

ELECTION DAY!!!!

Tomorrow...

As everyone who reads this knows, tomorrow is the big day. We have all worked very hard for the past weeks, months, and some of the past year. I have to steal a quote from Michelle Obama is stating for the first time in my life I am proud of my country. I feel for the first time in my life my generation has a renewed vigor in the political process behind Barack Obama. I feel racial inequality has finally had a chance to be cast aside for the most powerful position in this nation's government. Millions have taken an active part in a poltical campaign through both donations of money, but more importantly time. As I stated in my last post I was able to see the youth who cannot even vote stepping up and doing their part for their country.

This is what America is supposed to be. One transcending race, creed, age, and gender to put the best interests of this country and the rest of the world first. Our ability in this country to care for our fellow citizens if one thing which I feel set us apart from the rest of the world. We have an opportunity to continue this legacy tomorrow in the voting booth as we cast out ballots. But it cannot stop there.

Tomorrow will be a long day, a stressful day, but more importantly a day to make history. We can never forget this as we are dragging people to the polls and making sure they do their most precious of civic duties tomorrow. We must put our whole heart into it as we only have 33 hours left in this campaign, a campaign with one common goal, to change our nation. So now I leave you with the words of a man who is much more eloquent in his words than I ever wish to be.

"America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise - that American promise - and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess"

-Sen. Barack Obama
2008 DNC Acceptance Speech

The Home Stretch

Its odd to think that we are 8 days away from electing Barack Obama and Debbie Halvorson. Its been stressful, many times asking myself is it worth it. But now I look at this as the final mile of a marathon much as how I feel many supporters and volunteers may feel right now. We have worked so hard to reach this point but were are in the final stages of what this election season has become and we cannot let up.

2 years ago I would have never thought that I would have had the experiences I have had in the past months volunteering and working in the office to make a change. It sounds corny but I really think this will be one of my fondest memories. I have made some of the best friends and met some of the most amazing people ever since getting involved.

Today down at the office I had renewed hope in what I am working towards. There was a first time volunteer who came into the office today. He was wearing his Obama '08 t-shirt and looking forward to doing what he could. This may not sound out of the ordinary at first, but he was 14. He is unable to vote and will not be able to vote until 2012, yet he still finds Barack Obama to be a captivating person, enough so that he will take time out of his weekend to make phone calls in our last push before election day.

No matter how stressed out I may become, or disheartened by the tedious work, I cannot stop running for this last mile or everything I had worked for in the last months will be all for nothing. This is way to important of an event in history to take a back seat to in the final stages of this race. I will do my best to make sure people get the chance to make the difference they so desire by being able to vote November 4th. This is the only thing we have right now in our power to end the silence of the people for the last 4 years and tell not only the country but also the world that we are striving for change, we need to be better, and that no matter what, the inner strength of the American people cannot and will not be deterred.

Because of my experience I feel that my vote now counts more than just one time, it is also counted for the countless who live in this country who cannot vote due to age, criminal status, or other disenfranchisement of a voter. They are Americans too and I want you realize that your vote is not just your vote, it is a vote for everyone who cannot cast their ballot. If not for your sake, do it for theirs. Its their country, too.

ZING!

A hearty congratulations to Chris Williamson for dismantling his Republican opponent in last night's debate. On every issue, Chris stepped up with a smooth, concise response - eerily similar to our own Senator. While our Republican friend occasionally fumbled for words and rather often failed to produce new arguments, Chris brought out fresh material on every question and was an honorable representation of our future President Obama.

And now, pictures!


Chris zinging the middle class... I mean Matt.

Chris taking notes so he can say something intelligent in response to some "reiteration"

Chris owning the debate while Matt looks humbled.

Clean campaign, eh John?

So I guess when John McCain said he was against personal attacks labeling Barack Obama a terrorist he had his fingers crossed, or yelled "PHYCH!" without us hearing. Not only has the RNC tried to link Sen. Obama to Bill Ayers actions, now through the cover of this mailer, they are showing a connection to 9/11. I thought Rudi was out of the race.

I will not let an election get lost due to fear. This needs to be stopped at all levels. I thought you were the better man John McCain but I guess all of my respect for you is now gone.

Powell Endorses Obama

This past Sunday on Meet The Press, retired general and former Secretary of State, Colin Powell, came out of the political shadows and endorsed Senator Barack Obama. This endorsement, unlike many others, is actually important.

One of the key arguments which McCain poses towards Obama is that he is weak when it comes to national security. And since Powell is a highly respected Republican and former decorated general and Secretary of State, if McCain now tries to question Obama on national security he will in turn be questioning Powell as well.

This, essentially, takes away one of McCain's biggest arguments, and also will help sway those undecided votes who also questioned Obama's strength on national security.

On behalf of all Obama supporters....I thank you Gen. Powell.

In your dreams, John

hahahahaha!

aaaaand.... DRINK!

McCain supporters

Although I agree with Chris' last few posts - John McCain's attacks, and Sarah Palin's, have become increasingly overtly racist and fearmongering, we can't point the finger only at them. Yes, their allegations shape the perceptions of the conservative wing-nuts who can't process a logical thought on their own, so the mere mention of the word "terrorist" in an ad with Obama wires their brains to that despicable assumption.

That's the problem I have with many McCain supporters, the ones I see at rallies and town halls booing their own candidate when he tries to tell them to respect Senator Obama and the ones who believe, as my grandparents do, that he is inferior because of the color of his skin.

Racism, sexism, homophobia... all are a result of ignorance. In this day and age where anyone can access books, computers, and newspapers, there is no excuse for it. Fear and judgment of other classes of people stems from a forced ignorance, a willful lack of education, or at the very least, an utterly twisted selective perception.

What gets to me about the monkey-man is that he obviously knows he is wrong, or he wouldn't hide the toy from the camera. But his shame and embarassment at being called out for his inhuman behavior will not be enough to make him understand just how wrong he is.

People like that - people who judge Obama not on his politics but on his race, people who are too incompetent to understand the stakes of this election - do not deserve to have a leader who will succumb to their hatred. We need a new vision for America, where we are united as one people, where Americans will invest in their country and educate themselves, so we can overcome these barriers that are so disheartening in this decade.

We are well on our way, but there is more work to be done! Democrats must be elected to offices in the senate, the house, and of course the Presidency, to ensure that we can put our government back in the hands of the people beneath a great leader who will unite us and fulfill the promise of the United States of America.

Palin Abuses Power...But Still Within Her Authority

Yesterday, the final ruling on the "troopergate" scandal, involving VP nominee Sarah Palin, was released by the Alaskan Legislature and concluded that Palin did abuse her authority. At the same time, however, they also ruled that her actions were within her "constitutional and statutory authority."
So, this begs the question as to whether or not her supporters will be big enough to admit and acknowledge her mistakes. If I was Maverick, as portrayed by Mel Gibson. I would bet no. I would, however, bet that her supporters are going to use the argument that it was her right to do it...Well guess what, just because you have the right to do something...doesn't mean you should exercise it.
Sorry to keep this short, but I just wanted to make sure that everyone was aware of the recent ruling.

To John McCain (Rant of the Week Supplement)

Let me consider this a supplement to my previous rant of the week. There is no way I can let this go past me for another week or else I might just snap and kill an elephant the next time I'm at the zoo. The latest barrage of attacks by the McCain campaign relating Obama to Bill Ayers, citing his lack of patriotism to the point of calling him treasonous, and never letting up on such attacks is deplorable. I do not care if you are a republican or democrat, conservative or liberal, atheist or fundamentalist; you do not allow your crowds to say what they have said in the past few days.

It has been reported that in recent rallies for John McCain, when the attacks start and the mud starts flinging against Barack Obama, the crowd has begun to chant and yell out, "Kill him" and "Get him". Its common sense you do not say that about anyone on a political campaign, but when you do not denounce what is said and even pass the buck to lying in the sole responsibility to the crowd, you are running on the same mindset of a Nazi during the Nuremberg Trials. McCain has stated he cannot control what the crowd says, but he can be against what was said. Hmm, sounds like a familiar quote from only a few years ago.

In 1978, Bill Pierce wrote a book titled The Turner Diaries. The book revolves about a radical group who starts up a second American Revolution where the government is overthrown, and all non-white races and non-Christians are purged from America. One event in the book depicts the group bombing of the FBI headquarters in Washington, DC. A Turner Diaries inspired attack happened in Oklahoma City, OK on April 19, 2005. Tim McVeigh who was an open white supremacist with ties to the National Alliance (Bill Pierce's neo-Nazi organization) was the man who was behind the bombings. When he was arrested, McVeigh had a copy of the Turner Diaries in his possession. There are many other events which have been inspired by this book, but I don't have that much time to type.

Now you may be asking why I brought up Oklahoma City. Pierce after the attack stated, "No. No, I don't. I've—I've said that over and over again, that I do not approve of the Oklahoma City bombing." He blamed the action solely McVeigh and blames him completely while failing to notice the distinct connection between his own book and McVeigh's actions. Whether or not you approve of the action after it occurs does not matter. The fact you brought about that possibility and did nothing to stop it makes you as guilty as the person who set off that detonator.

So now I say to you John McCain, by inciting phrases of "Kill Him" and "Get him" at your rallies you will be just as guilty as the person who may try to inflict any harm on Senator Barack Obama. Last time I checked, angry mobs were not a showing of democracy. You love to make reference to your military past as your qualifications for president, well senator, this is conduct unbecoming an officer. You should be ashamed of yourself to even bring these possibilities of discussion onto the table whether you meant it or not. The African-American community has seen too many of its great leaders lost to hate, and by that thought even coming up in the race for president takes you to a new low I still cannot realize. Assassination is the black eye of American politics and too many great leaders have been lost too soon due to that blind hatred. That type of discussion does not make you the American hero you used to be to me. I had the utmost respect for you and what you had done in your career, but that John McCain is gone to me now. For your sake I pray to God that nothing happens Sen. Obama, because if it does, you will be Bill Pierce looking back at Oklahoma City.

Another WIN for Barack Obama

The talking heads are saying McCain needed a "game-changer" to win last night's debate, and it didn't happen - ergo, win to Senator Obama.

It's true that a game-changer didn't happen, because all we heard from John McCain was more of the same. Misleading smears about Barack's record and even some flat-out lies, while Barack openly and honestly defended his own record.

From the CNN.com fact checker on last night's debate....

1. Barack Obama claimed that business groups are rejecting McCain's health plan.
The verdict: TRUE.

2. Barack Obama alleged that John McCain claimed the Iraq war would be easy and short, and that this showed poor judgment.
The verdict: TRUE.

3. McCain claimed that Obama voted 94 times to raise taxes.
The verdict: MISLEADING. (many of those votes did raise taxes for a small number of Americans, but while giving tax cuts to many more)

4. McCain said that Obama has never taken on his party leaders.
The verdict: FALSE.

5. Obama pointed out that McCain's support for a Fannie/Freddie reformation bill was not a bill he authored, and the bill did not even pass.
The verdict: TRUE.

6. McCain claimed that Obama had the second-most donations from Frannie and Freddie in all of history.
The verdict: MISLEADING. (The donations come from employees of the company, and besides, Obama may have received more donations overall, but McCain has recieved more from them during this election cycle.)

If I'm counting right, that's Obama 6, McCain 0. Anyone calling this a "narrow victory" ought to check the facts.

My Rant of the Week: Vol 1

Ok so this is something which has been on my mind for weeks now. I have been out, along with many other ISU Dems, registering people to vote. We are constantly yelling at people asking if they are registered and for some reason we keep getting a response from a select few. "No thanks". Are you freakin kidding me? That is not an acceptable answer to the question. I'm not giving you a free coke or year old chewing gum.

It boiled over to a point yesterday. Here is a summarized transcript of the conversation

Me: Are you registered to vote? Tomorrow is the deadline.
Student: No, I'm good
Me: So you're registered?
Student: No I don't care about it
Me: Really?
Student: It doesn't affect me
Me: Of course it does, whats your major?
Student: Education
Me: So do you care about properly funded schools, No Child Left Behind, proper pay for teachers?
Student: Yeah
Me: So you should vote so you have a say in those types of issues
Student: It can't change through voting
To which the student started to walk away
Me: Don't let apathy destroy our country

Was it offensive? Not as offensive as someone who should be extremely active in the community because as an educator, thats your job. I get so sick of people who complain about things with this country, yet when they have their chance, they say, who cares. My grandfather didn't fight in WWII for apathy. My friends who have served and are still serving in Iraq didn't fight and die for apathy.

Do they have the right to not vote. Of course they do. But when you say it can't change through voting, you lose my respect. We have a chance everytime we walk into a polling booth to change our country and that is starting with who is in charge. Silence does not bring strength as Big Brother would have told you in "1984", it beings about tyanny and when the people of this country do not speak out in defiance when it is neccessary, we have lost what it means to be the country we are.

Real Palin v. Parody Palin

The fact that one of these is parody and the other is real, scares me.

What We Could Be ...

Throughout our history as a nation we have grown, wept, and matured together. Under the tyranny of a distant ruler our people willingly spoke out against that king so much as to dissolve all bonds between them. We defiantly came to war with the most formidable opponent of the time and won. From the bottom up we became a nation based on the principles of equality, justice, and liberty. We struggled to find our own in the early stages of our birth but came out strong in the end and grew into something that had not been seen in the history of the world, a government chosen by the people for the people and ruled by the people.

As time went on we faced many challenges but we never backed down, always looking to tomorrow to be a brighter day knowing we had control of our own destiny. Be it slavery, war, poverty, or injustice we as a nation did our best to right the wrong and provide a better future for those who will come after us. Our own Constitution speaks of this right from the beginning stating that "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union". This job is not done and will never be done. Striving for perfection is something which must be on the mind of all Americans when dealing with the affairs of our country. No one will be perfect but we must always be willing to step up to the plate and do something in the words of President Kennedy "...not because they are easy but because they are hard."

The reason why I have recited this rhetoric of history is based on the fact that I have not given up hope in America yet. I look at where we are with a slumping economy, war costing billions and much more in human sacrifice, and a loss of hope within the people of this country for a better future and I manage to still see a better day ahead. The past few decades of our history have made us lose our path from what we meant to be as a nation 232 years ago when our forefathers wrote "with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." We have that chance every time we pick up a ballot. We must be willing to take our government back to the people because it is our empathetic duty to care for our fellow man. If we empower ourselves to be active in the process of making our country what it should be for the next period of time then we continue to strive for that more perfect of unions. We must make our choices based solely on our own terms off of our own intuitions.

I personally refuse to give my country up and let stormy seas chose where she will float to. I will not let a select few invoke fear on those who are already fearful. I cannot sit by and let what is collectively and rightfully the people's democracy be torn into a bureaucratic heap of what used to be the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And as one president of this nation said on the killing fields in southeastern Pennsylvania, "...the nation, shall have a new birth of freedom, the the government by the people and for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Obama and McCain go head to head

So, in case you haven't heard....Obama killed the debate. For those of you who didn't attend the ISU Dems debate party, let me tell you how it went.

This topical debate was centered around foreign relations, however, in light of the current economic crisis, the moderator, Jim Leher, found room for some relevant economic questions(Obama ruled with poise over these questions.)

As the debate surged forward, what was suppossed to be McCain's shining night, turned out to be a rude awakening of his poor understanding of the issues and realistic solutions for them.

Signature McCain moves used throughout the night:
-The awkward smile
-The awkward laugh
-The irrelevant historical reference
-The pointless name drop of numerous political figures

One would think, naturally, that with moves like that you could not lose...but you can....and he did. On an unfortunate note, CNN (my savior of network news programs) spun the debate to make it seem as if it was some sort of neck and neck fight. We heard things like "McCain held his own" and "McCain was on Offense"...I am not sure if we actually watched the same debate.

Check your voter registration status!

https://www.voteforchange.com/

Wow, it actually works! Make sure you're registered!

Palin Baby Name Generator

With children named Track, Bristol, Willow, Piper, and Trig, it makes you wonder... if you had been born a Palin, what would your name be?

http://politsk.blogspot.com/2008/09/sarah_13.html

If I were born to Sarah Palin, my name would be Flex Gunship Palin.

The Plain-Gibson interview

In her recent interview, conducted by Chalie Gibson, Palin put to rest any doubts...that she was the wrong person for the job.

Gibson asked Palin some top notch questions covering topics from the engery crisis to a prospective Israeli attack on Pakistan. Palin, without blinking, answered these question with the articulation of a senior in high school. I was blown away at the shallow, elementary answers given to some of Mr. Gibson questions. For intstance:

GIBSON: Do you agree with the Bush doctrine?
PALIN: In what respect, Charlie?
GIBSON: The Bush -- well, what do you -- what do you interpret it to be?
PALIN: His world view.
GIBSON: No, the Bush doctrine, enunciated September 2002, before the Iraq war.
PALIN: I believe that what President Bush has attempted to do is rid this world of Islamic extremism, terrorists who are hell bent on destroying our nation.

This, of course, is just a small excerpt, but I assure you that a multitude of her answers were worded in similar fashion.

If Palin expects the American people to fall for her as a legitimate political figure, she better throw away the hockey stick and pick up a book and figure out what it is she actually wants to reform.

More stains on Gov. Palin's record

I just received a link to this article, published by the NY Times, which uncovers some details about Palin's work in the Alaskan Government...it is quite interesting.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26691018/from/ET/

Boston Globe reports another lie from the McCain-Palin camp

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/09/13/palin_camp_clarifies_extent_of_iraq_trip/

More "clarification" of details that they originally insisted were fact. They call it clarification, I call it backtracking.

Sarah Palin and John McCain lied about Palin's foreign travel experience. She has officially ventured outside the borders of North America once - to visit a total of two countries. Originally, the McCain team said she was visiting Alaskan National Guard troops in Kuwait and Germany, and also stopped in Iraq and Ireland. Turns out, she never actually crossed into Iraq, she just chilled at a border crossing for a while inside the Kuwait side. (As if setting foot inside Iraq really counts as "visiting" anyway.) And Ireland? That was just a refueling spot for her plane.

These are not the kind of statements that are due to misspeaking or gaffes. These are outright fabrications, stretching the truth to the tenth degree. The McCain-Palin team LIED ON HER RESUME that they showed to the American people.

When you apply for a job at McDonald's to pay for college and textbooks, if you fudge the truth about working an extra few months at Burger King when you really got fired for dropping a burger on the floor after three weeks, they will immediately disqualify you from the candidate pool for that job. But if a potential leader of the western world flat-out lies to the entire American public about her experiences, we let it go as long as they "clarify" and sound like maybe this time they're telling the truth.

America has a responsibility to ask more from our politicians and not to settle for this kind of lying, cheating, deceptive politics any longer. Hold your elected officials accountable, and more importantly, don't let these rotten apples in in the first place.

I'm fired up.

I'm voting republican

McCain's lies refuted

Here is a video I found on Daily Kos that looks at the recent lies the McCain camp has been using against Obama and lays out the truth for each.

Matt Damon on Sarah Palin

As much as I do not like celebrities being overly political, Matt Damon has a point.

State Treasurer Giannoulias at ISU

Today at 3pm, State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias spoke at a press conference in regards to new legislation to protect students from the deceptive practices of credit card companies. Making reference to specific practices like free frisbees, t-shirts, and food, Giannoulias is looking to make these companies more accountable for the way in which they approach students. Here are the main points of this legislation:

• Ban credit issuers from offering any gifts when marketing credit cards on campuses;
• Prohibit the selling or transferring of student names and personal information by colleges, universities, their foundations and alumni associations to credit card lenders;
• Call on state colleges, universities and their affiliates to disclose marketing agreements with banks that target students;
• Require colleges and universities to conduct financial literacy education for freshmen if the schools allow marketing or advertising of credit cards to undergrads.

Stating that this is the most comprehensive legislation on its kind in the nation, Giannoulias also stated that it is not bad for students to have credit cards, since they help build credit, but when irresponsibly placed in the hands of students, it can become payday for the banks, and lasting debt and financial problems for students.

ISU College Democrats President Katie Boundy spoke at the event speaking about how her parents taught her responsible behavior when it came to credit cards. Unfortunately for some students, fiscal responsibility is something that is hard. Take me for instance. 2 years ago I had nearly $3,500 in credit card debt. I was laid off from Best Buy and I had numerous school bills to pay. Credit cards were that answer for me at the time. It took me a year of not buying anything other than gas and the essentials to pay off that debt. In the end I spent nearly $4,000 counting interest. They were way too accessible for me and with parents who want me to learn by doing, I nearly failed.

So I tip the proverbial hat to you Treasurer Giannoulias for finally taking a stand against these companies and the easy money us college kids can be to them. Now I want to hear your opinion (or story). You can either post a comment, or we have a new poll to the right.

College Republican Leader Said What???

So, I was scanning some of the news headlines this evening when I came across "College Republican leader forced to quit over Obama remark" . Obviously, being a leader with the College Democrats, this grabbed my attention, so I took a look. The article can be found here:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080908/ap_on_el_pr/college_republicans_obama

21 year old Adam LaDuca who was the executive director of the Pennsylvania Federation of College Republicans, wrote on his Facebook page a couple of months ago that Obama has "a pair of lips so large he could float half of Cuba to the shores of Miami (and probably would.)"

What an asshole! But I digress. African-Americans have been stereotyped for their lip sizes for quite a long time in American history. In fact, many Americans claimed that Babe Ruth was black due to his full lips. Reference to the lip size of African-Americans has often been derogatory. Any reasonably educated person would know this fact.

Laduca is no stranger to controversy. He has been quoted as saying Martin Luther King Jr. was a "pariah" and a "fraud,". He also created controversy protesting affirmative action by holding a bake sale in which whites were charged more for cookies than blacks (Where can I buy?).

Laduca later said that "it was just a dumb move saying something like that in public." But I'll do him one better. I would like to say that it is a dumb move to say something like that in private as well. It's ignorant, intolerant, and just plain disrespectful and I'm offended. And the Republicans wonder why they have a problem with the African-American vote.

Students for Barack Obama Canvass Trip #1

First let me say thank you to everyone who came out today to make the trip to Terre Haute, IN. Between ISU and IWU students I know we made an impression on the campaign office in Terre Haute. I am going to tell you my story from the canvassing route and what this area means to the campaign in my eyes.

I began my journey by dropping off 2 different pairs of volunteers (who were awesome by the way, Adam, Rollin, Teresa, and Lisa) and then made my way to my first stoping grounds for the day. It was a working-middle class neighborhood where plenty of children were playing. I stopped my car, got out and went to my first home. As I started I began to realize what kind of area I was in, McCain country.

I honestly felt discouraged right away and wondered what the next person would bring. I went up to the simple one story house with toys in the front yard and rang the doorbell. A woman came to the door an appeared to be my contact opn the list. She was and I told her who I was and who I was with and she then stated, "Oh but im a Republican and definitley voting McCain." Oh great another one. But then I asked her what issues were important to her this election. She stated gas prices, the economy, and education. I attached right away to education being a history ed major and told her how I was studying to be a teacher and what education meant to me and why I supported Senator Obama when it came to education. I was then able to tie in the economy and gas prices and told her all the great things the senator was planning on doing.

Her reply was something which makes me think for the rest of the neighborhood ( and the other "red" neighborhoods I visited). "I did not know those were his stances on those issues. I am going to have to take a real good look at him again since those match up with my thoughts." Was it really that simple? Did they just need to be educated? Why were they not finding out the truth of Obama's plans? While I do not know these answers it gives me hope to what these canvasing trips could bring. Each vote counts in an election like this and if her vote is that one vote, I can know I heped make a difference.

What I am trying to say here is this. Be smart. Know what the truth is and find it out yourself because politics has turned in to a massive game of telephone where information gets distorted untill the truth is lost. Get involved. The more people that are out there speaking to potential voters and informing them on the issues at hand, the better chance we have. I was able to turn a definite McCain vote into an undecided voter today. Is it a vote for Barack? No, but right now the seed of truth was planted for that young woman and hopefully it can flourish into a supporter who wants to get the truth out herself.

Obama on O'Reilly

As some of you may have seen, Barack Obama appeared on the O'Reilly factor last night to fulfill a promise to O'Rielly that they would have an interview. The first half (approx. 7 min) of the interview was aired and the rest will be shown throughout the next few episodes.

The interview began, as you would assume, with a mature and respectful greeting between both Obama and O'Reilly. Quickly, the interview turned towards the issues, beginning with "terrorism."

At first, O'Reilly and Obama seem to be on the same page...they agree that Al Qaeda and the Taliban are terrorist groups; they also agree that Iran is a prospective threat and that it is unacceptable for them to have control of nuclear weapons. It is not until the two begin discussing the path which the US should take towards Iran that things go south.

As Obama has repeatedly said,

It's sufficient to say I would not take the military option off the table and that I will never hesitate to use our military force in order to protect the homeland and United States interests.But where I disagree with you is the notion that we've exhausted every other resource.

With this being said, O'Reilly quickly retaliated by claiming, "Maybe. But that's just all hypothetical." Hearing this, I quickly yelled at the screen, nearly the exact words which Obama used to respond,..."EVERYTHING IS HYPOTHETICAL." This meaning that anyone could say, "what if diplomacy doesn't work and Iran tries to invade the US" or "what if we use military force and the rest of the world disagrees with us, and this eventually leads to a very secluded, weakened, and allyless US." The point is, is that anyone can make up a situation which would counteract any particular solution to said situation.

Going forward, as one would expect, the interview turned towards our current situation in Iraq. Surprisingly, O'Reilly admitted that "I think history will show it's the wrong battlefield, okay. And I think that you were perspicacious in your original assessment of the battlefield." (I would be lying if I said my jaw didn't literally dropped when I heard that.) To hear O'Reilly, as I am sure you all know Bill O'Reilly's stance on the war, say that Obama was correct in his original assessment of the prospect of a continuous campaign in Iraq really speaks to his character...well, it did...until I heard the rest of the interview.

When the surge is brought up, Obama, like a civilized candidate, explained that he thought that the surge had done well in lowering the violence and helping to extinguish Al Qaeda's presence. The conversation continues and...well, here is a segment of the interview which I think sums up how Bill O'Reilly was going to act for the rest of the interview:

SEN. OBAMA: Well, look --

MR. O'REILLY: No, no, no, no.

SEN. OBAMA: No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

MR. O'REILLY: If it were up to you, there wouldn't have been a surge.

SEN. OBAMA: No, no, no, no. Hold on.

MR. O'REILLY: You and Joe Biden -- no surge.

What Obama was trying to explain, was that when voting for the surge you would of had to taken into account the way the war had been managed by the administration thus far...needless to say, it has not been well. Keeping this in mind, a vote in favor of the same administration would have seemed like national suicide...to me at least.

Also, sure we have lowered the violence, but the Iraqi people still depend on the US; and we are still spending money. If we continue to be the crutch for Iraq and its government...their legs may never heal to allow them to stand on their own.

The interview ended with a pretty heated discussion about potential military force against Pakistan (it ended pretty abruptly, given that only half of the interview was shown last night.)

To give a quick overview of my own thoughts on the interview. I thought it was brave of Obama to go on such a notoriously right wing show, where O'Reilly is known for badgering people who are not of his political persuasion. And, from where I am sitting, it seemed like Obama really blew O'Reilly out of the water.

If you want to check out the interview for yourself, go to the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luA0AMP51Gc

Community Organizing

So apparently, the occupation of community organizing was the butt of many jokes at the Republican National Convention (aka Hypocrite Convention or White People's Party Convention) this week.


"I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a “community organizer,” except that you have actual responsibilities."
-Sarah Palin, Vice Presidential Candidate for the Republican Party


I found this rather interesting and perplexing. I tried and tried but I just could not find the humor in the joke. Perhaps it's my liberalism that is distorting my sense of humor. Afterall, we did learn from the Republican Convention that liberalism is the source of every problem you can imagine. Nevertheless, it got me thinking. So, I did some research and I wanted to find out more about community organizing and the individuals who have been involved in this occupation. I found that they make very low wages and the work is heavily demanding often requiring long hours. Just imagine trying to organize a community to come together and build up their economic infrastructure. Not easy work. I also found that a lot of recognizable people organized their communities. Here is a brief list of some people who have community organized.

Jesus
Muhammad
Moses
Buddha
Founding Fathers of the United States
Martin Luther King jr.
Mother Theresa
Jane Addams
Saul Alinski
Betty Friedan
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Barack Obama
Martin Luther
Al Sharpton
Malcolm X
Paul Wellstone
Jesse Jackson
Mahatma Ghandi
Cezar Chavez
Nelson Mandela
Susan B. Anthony
Harriet Tubmannand
10's of thousands more that go unnoticed.

I guess according to the GOP, all of these people are clowns.

Palin Accepts GOP Nomination for VP

Tonight Sarah Palin accepted the Republican National Committee's nomination for Vice-President. She spoke of John McCain's desire to stick up for what he believes in, her own family's call to serve this country in the military, and a life story speaking to small towns (making reference to Democratic President Harry Truman).

But she lost me when she stated that a community organizer does not have actual responsibilities compared to mayor. Are you kidding me Sarah Palin? I have worked on the individual level doing volunteer work and many people in low-income, under-serviced areas depend on that help from community organizers. If a church volunteer group no longer has that food pantry, where do they get supplemental food? If an organization that is training people to get back into the job market leaves, who will help them learn to get back on their feet? Community organizers play a much more important role in the lives of everyday people more than a mayor to many people. In cities and towns across the country you see this on all levels.

She also made mention on how if you are on the outside, people do not appreciate you. You are not the only person still in this campaign trail who has been tested by the media. Your opponent Barack Obama had been criticized from day one for many of the same things you are being criticized for, like experience and personal life. It is a part of national politics unfortunately, and it is a life of get tough quick. You appear to be strong, but do not make yourself seem like the only person who was been looked at critically this election season.

Here are a few of her own talking points she stated about Republicans and Barack Obama:
"Leave this nation better than we found it"

Ok, Sarah Palin. Let's look at how your party will be leaving our nation when your party leaves the White House. A war on two fronts, one of which was waged under false pretenses. A slumping economy with $4 a gallon gas when in 2001 when the GOP took office gas was $1.46. Hmm, just on that it looks like America is doing much better than before. Next point.


Sarah Palin is against using foreign supplies of oil. I agree with this since we are helping fund nations who support Islamic extremists, but the answer is not more oil, it is new technology which I will get into later in this blog. But if we need oil, where will we get it. Alaska? But if we did that wouldn't that interfere with your staunch ethics stance against personal gains. I would think this would be a great asset to your home state of Alaska.

"Two memoirs, yet no reform or laws in Senate"

This is an outright lie. First, one book was a memoir. The second was a political theory book looking at what needed to be done and how to do it. Barack Obama passed one of the most sweeping ethics reforms in decades in the Senate as well as working across the aisle to pass a bill to keep nuclear arms out of the hands of terrorists and keeping all accounted for.

"Take more of your money" WRONG! See below with taxes.

"Against producing energy"

Barack Obama and Joe Biden have been for creating new "Green Collar" jobs working towards alternative sources of energy including building new nuclear power plants.

"Terrorists are looking for nuclear weapons, and meeting leaders without preconditions"

See above with Obama working to pass a bill to keep nuclear arms out of the hands of terrorists. And when it comes to speaking to world leaders, without conversation all you have is ignorance. And when you don't speak what happens is a war like Iraq. We have a VP candidate who called Slobodan Milosevic a war criminal to his face. Talk does not mean weakness, sometimes it takes much more strength to say something to an enemy than to never speak at all.

"Raise taxes" WRONG!

Apparently Sarah Palin was not watching last Thursday where Barack Obama stated he would LOWER taxes for 95% of Americans. He would tax windfall profits of big oil, and create incentives for the creation of small businesses.

So, now I guess comes my conclusion of what I saw tonight. I could not tell whether is was ignorance or an attempt at stand-up comedy. So many points Sarah Palin brought up were not only false, but outright lies. Stating a community organizer does not have responsibility was a statement from someone who has lost touch with their surrounding community. Organizers do have a responsibility at the same level you did Gov. Palin to your community. As you stated, politicians get involved to make their communities better, the same way organizers work from the bottom up to change their communities, and I will still do what I can to help change the communities I live in, even if I do not have any responsibility as you stated tonight.

I shall return with my reaction to Senator John McCain's speech tomorrow.

A Quick Word

Firstly, I want to say that the prospect of this reemerging blog is an exciting one.

Secondly, and on a more politically relevant note, I want to drop a quick word about the poll to the right of my post...you know, the one about the candidates children. Well, I just wanted to justify my vote (which was "no".)

I am a server at Ruby Tuesday, on a daily basis I am forced to interact with the fowl mouthed and disrespectful youth of the Bloomington-Normal area. This experience has aided in making me a firm believer that children, especially at a young age, are susceptible to the poor tactics implemented by their parents/guardians. With this being said, I think it is completely acceptable to analyze the offspring of a candidate, especially the candidate of such an important office as....I don't know...let's say...President of the US.

I am not advocating the revocation of a child's privacy simply because their parent is in the public eye. What I am suggesting, is that a look at a candidate's child may give us, the voters, a look at their executive experience behind closed doors. I hate to write in callous terms...but children are an excellent metaphor for a corporation.

I would like to know if anyone else shares, or opposes, my justification...feel free to let me know.

Welcome Back to the ISU College Democrats Blog!

As you can tell from our last post date, we have been gone a while. While this is just a quick, "We're back!" entry we want you all to please keep checking back here for more updates as we continue to work at bringing our page back up to date. But for now, there is a new ISU Dems Poll you can take on the right side of the page regarding children in campaigns. Dems '08!