Gender Identity Politics And Free Speech; Hillarynauts To Gag Dissent

BY MICHAEL LINN JONES

How many times have you heard that we need a president who "can bring us together?" Those dissatisfied with the current course of the country lament the fact that public discourse has become so poisonous during the Bush 43 years.

In the words of that great American philosopher, Gomer Pyle, "Surprise, surprise, surprise!" It isn't going away; it's just crossing the street. It is difficult to articulate what I've witnessed since the 3% landslide victory of Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire. I've read more than one column that has morphed a primary election cycle for the presidency into a national litmus test for sexism. As in anything politically correct, the judges are also the accusers.

Frankly, there ARE no current candidates who convince me that they belong in the White House. Joe Biden was the most serious, but he's unelectable precisely because he has the presidential timber for the job, warts and all. Obam's rhetoric is soaring, but there's a difference between preaching and working. John Edwards' message resonates with people, but corporate America will shun him, and this is a corporate state.

So I'm skeptical but haven't ruled anyone out for my vote. Except one candidate, and that is Hillary Clinton. As I read recent articles portraying "attacks" on Clinton as anti-feminist viciousness, I'm reminded of how anyone opposed to a flood of illegal aliens into the country is a "nativist" or "xenophobe." One applied in haste, that tar and feather treatment is hard to rub off.

My allergic reaction to Bill Clinton began after he took office. I had hope because that was what he offered. He lied. He lied for 8 years, wrapped in a cocoon of selfishness that placed him in my mind as the worst president since Lyndon Johnson. He was easily exceeded by George W. Bush.

But, I DO remember seeing William Clinton and Albert Gore on the ballot. I do NOT remember seeing Hillary Clinton on it, nor can I find anything constitutionally that provides a role for the first spouse.

I knew Hillary Clinton was not a "stand by your man kind of woman like Tammy Wynette" because she said so. I did NOT know that there was a "co-presidency," underlined by the quote, "WE are the president." The healthcare debacle at the beginning of the Clinton presidency had a large bearing on the 1994 Congressional elections, resulting in our first taste of the Rabid Republicans forming a posse that rode on for years.

I remember the unseemly details of the "travelgate" fiasco, which while not illegal wss an example of the exercise in power. A power derived through a MARRIAGE LICENSE to the President of the United States. There was the ridiculous and false claim in 1995 that Hillary Clinton was named after Sir Edmund Hillary, six years before he was known outside of New Zealand.

There was the convenient purchase of a home in Chappaqua, New York some months before the end of the Clinton presidency in 2000. Bill Clinton pardoned 16 Puerto Rican terrorists, members of FALN, responsible for 120 bombings in the U.S. It need not be mentioned that a large number of Puerto Ricans live in New York City. It was an insult to the victims of the FALN bombings, as well as to the patriotism of Puerto Ricans, which is strong. But it was a bald-faced attempt to secure votes for a candidate for the U.S. Senate, one Hillary Clinton.

There is enough to fill a book. What I know is that I have one vote in November. It will not be wasted on someone who wants the world to work both ways at once and at the same time. One thing Bill and Hillary Clinton have in common is a unique ability to fold, spindle, and mutilate people in acquiring what they seek.

But now.....the fog horns of "feminism" are blaring out the message that any criticism, any questioning of Hillary Clinton is an attack on women. Bull. Shit.

I've watched for 30 years the campaigns for "womens' rights." Unfortunately the women I've worked with were untouched (and unthought of) by these "brave" attempts to break glass ceilings in corporate boardrooms. The women in the offices and factories worked just as hard as the men, were mistreated just as badly as the men, and their miserable pay and conditions were the same as for the men.

I wonder how many of these suddenly gender-concious women voted for Ronald Reagan in 1984, unlike a fascist pig like me who voted for Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro.

But that's not relevant. Eaten bread is soon forgotten. The message I see popping up now is: Hillary is teflon because she is a woman. She's human. She deserves special consideration. She was tired and exhausted. Sure, like John Edwards, Barack Obama, and Bill Richardson were sleeping for the last few months.

Hillary Clinton may be a marvelous candidate. Big deal. I've seen many "marvelous" candidates turn out to be lousy office-holders. Apparently, though, in 2008 neither I nor anyone else is to feel free to express their opinion. That is, unless it is approved by those in an elite position to know what's best.

If you want more elitism, more authoritarianism, more divisiveness, then vote for Hillary Clinton. Insist that there is no connection whatsoever between herself and her husband. She's just a warm and fuzzy innocent who wants to be president so badly she could just cry. Amazing how one can be so tought yet a victim at the same time.

Demanding obediance to some speech code is anathema to what America is, or was. I reject it and if that offends some, I can only remind them of the 1st Amendment. The horribly inconvenient thing about Americans is that they have a bad habit of refusing to be told what to think. Or say.
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Cross-posted at Michaellinnjones.com

CNN Live Democratic Debate

The fire is in the air and the candidates are no longer being absolute friends and playmates anymore. Two words, About TIME!

This is a rambling typing so forgive my typing errors and grammar. I had to kick the kids off of Disney for kids to get to CNN and missed the first thirty or so minutes.

Denis Kucinich slammed John Edwards on the China tainted products being shipped into the USA with the fact that Edwards is a trial lawyer and should know what liability is.

Obama fired one over the bow with a fact of what the Japanese do to have trade with China, they send inspectors to China before the products ship. We should do the same.

Hillary doused the question on the so called “Boys Club” issue with her campaign for President pointing out that it has been the achievements of woman in her lifetime that have made it possible for a Latino, an African American and a woman to be able to run for President.

Biden blew his top with the fact that none of the people on the stage know that the WTO agreement with China has the enforcement written into the agreement to shut China down till they clean up their act. He is calling to shut down the agreement today!

Edwards pointed out the fact that we do not need to elect or replace a corrupt corporate Republican government with a corrupt Democrat government.

Richardson blew the Nuclear waste and not in my back yard issue off the table with the fact that we need to stop giving incentives to oil, coal and nuclear energy corporations and change our nation to renewable energy incentives.

Audience / Questions

Biden called for Bush impeachment on the lack of a full vote from Congress to go to war in Iraq.

Edwards wants to stop the Bush, Cheney Neocons with stopping the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. He was the only one that stated God bless you and your mother for your service to the questioner.

It’s Bill Richardson birthday, pointed out by a questioner. He would pull out all of the private contractors and our troops within the year. War in Iraq has bled our military and he would renew the GI Bill. New VA health care card for veterans care anywhere not just at VA hospitals and including mental health care. Mental health care for our troops does not get the coverage they need.

Harassment of immigrants. Edwards wants to review Patriot act and racial profiling. Close Guantanamo, and no more torture as President. Restoring respect for America.

Kucinich on the patriot act… I did not vote for it because I actually read it! He slammed all of the opponents on flip flopping on everything from Iraq to Nafta and the border. Richardson called him on the carpet that he is just a Governor.

Biden voted against funding Gitmo. Called for closing it three years ago. What are the other candidates going to do to change things now.

Mexican border… Richardson, deals with immigration locally. Two years ago declared a border emergency and is against the fence. Secure the border, detection equipment, employer prosecution. Mexico needs to give jobs to your people and stop handing out maps to the easiest place to cross the border.

Chris Dodd, Spanish… have no freaking clue what he said to the questioner. Oath of office is not about giving up rights.

Baby boomers retirement. Pensions and many will not have them. Social Security and Medicaid. Protecting Social Security

Obama, not raising age requirement is the way to go or failing to adjust the income cap is wrong, Warren Buffet pays less in tax and higher income needs to be looked at. Medicare… Premiums up 78% under bush, health care for all.

Clinton raising tax on higher income levels to fund Social Security and Medicare and she fuddled against it. Crisis with healthcare and Medicare. Fiscal responsibility is the way to go. Bipartisan commission to look at the entire issue. Not for lifting the cap on higher income. Trillion dollar tax increase if that is the route taken.

Obama slammed her on the top six percent of income earners paying into Social Security and Medicare. Hillary went back to Reagan and Tip O’Neil on bipartisan committees to solve the Social Security and Medicare problem back in 1983. Double speak and avoid the question.

Dodd on the Supreme Court… Against anyone that would even think of overturning Roe Vs Wade.

Biden, enough proffesors on the Supreme court bench. Wants real people on the SCOTUS bench. Wants someone with real life experience and not

Would you support abortion? Richardson, yes, Kucinich, great divide in our country, we need a healer in the White House? Clinton, privacy is inbedded in the constitution. Yes! Kudos to Biden on this issue from Hillary. Slammed Bush. Obama, What makes a good justice, outsider and poor vunerable, wants an outsider. Edwards, for privacy, back bone in judges and respects that courage and wants that in SCOTUS.

Middle East divided electorate, what message can unite our country?

Obama blah blah blah not answering. Restoring Habius Corpus?
Clinton… Working together, looking for common ground. There is differences but we can work together. Smart people can get involved and get back to being Americans again.

Biden… Gain respect with the truth. Repbulicans think this war and our policy stinks. Loyalty to bush is key. Republicans are afraid to take on Bush.

Richardson… Diplomacy and negotiations and talk to the world Syria and Iran and repair the last eight years.

End of the Debate… Man this was great but it sucked.

It was clearly evident that Hillary Clinton was the go to candidate by CNN and Wolf Blitzer. Obama was next and the rest of the field including John Edwards were second class candidates according to how the debate aired.

You could see that Biden, Richardson, Kucinich were pissed off that they were cut off time and time again because Hillary or Barack had the next question.

I do have to say that Kucinich impressed the crap out of me with his performance and you could actually see the passion and the reason why he does not want to be the soft candidate. Biden was cut off every single time he spoke and so was Richardson.

While Hillary was allowed to run on and on and so was Barack, anyone else was coldly cutoff. I would have liked to hear more from Biden and Richardson. Kucinich had the guts to call them all on the carpet for not having the ability to stick to a position and live with it.

Feel free to tell me what you thought about the debate!

Papamoka

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Presidential Race

Picture courtesy of Mount Vernon.org

Back in the day, running for President of the United States of America was not defined by the character of your bank roll but by the character of the person running for the office. If I lived in Iowa or New Hampshire I would no doubt see the evidence of what a bank roll campaign is all about on my television every other commercial. Air time is not cheap and money talks non stop into your living room but it isn’t the real deal when you think about it.

My impression from the MSM is that the candidates for the most part are reacting to what people want to hear and not offering much when it comes to what they need to hear. Running campaigns on popularity polls rather than personal convictions is convenient and easy if you have a campaign war chest that can fend off the latest double speak of your opposing candidates.

I was reminded by a close friend that in the past you had to have a history of real leadership. Kennedy was not only the son of a millionaire but he was also a man that served his nation in a time of war that did not work out for the best but he lead his crew to safety. Wrong or right, he lead. Eisenhower lead our troops through the most difficult possible war in our modern history and with that leadership came the loss of many lives, some if not all he felt personally responsible for. Wrong or right decisions he lead our nation as a General out of WWII.

You tell me what sacrifices in life that any of the candidates other than Senator McCain have made to be worthy of speaking on the stump to be President of the United States? This is not an endorsement for McCain, I thank him for his service in the military and in the Senate but his style of leadership does nothing for me. I’m by no means saying that you have to have served in our military to be our nations President but you have to have the ability to show leadership other than a damn sound bite on the television in the form of an advertisement. I’ll go one better, all the rehearsed answers during the debates do not sound genuine given the time limitations of the debate process.

I’m of the firm opinion that if you want to be my President then you had better know what you stand for on all of the issues. Flip flopping like Mitt Romney has for decades, dodging questions on Social Security like Hillary Clinton or giving lip service to our nations security by many of the other candidates does not fly with me. Our next American President needs to have a very well rounded background to heal our nations wounds and bring the country back from self destruction. Not just at home but around the world as well. This President will not only have to command respect around the world but also have the astute knowledge that humility is also an American virtue.

Tell the voters what you will do and let the chips land where they will. I’m looking at the stack of well polished, well groomed and highly educated people running on both sides of the equation and to me there seems to be just one true star amongst them all. When you look at all of the campaigns from the perspective of what really matters to you and your family then you come away with a very different perspective of the so called front runners. It almost seems as if most of them went down to the college store and picked up the cliff notes copy on how to be the next President. We do not need the best jingle, the best photo op or the best speech to let us know who a real leader is, we see it in their actions. We need someone with plans, the ability to work both sides of the political spectrum, and of course the ability to communicate the needs of all of the people so that it makes sense to all of the people.

Our nation is at war, our soldiers are coming home in not just coffins but in broken bodies and the solutions needed to help the ones that lived is more important than any of the candidates think. When our nation cares for its warriors wounded in battle then it is caring for itself as well. Contact your possible choices for President and ask them about fully restoring wounded Veterans medical coverage for life and follow your heart with your vote.

Papamoka

Joe Biden, Statesman Enough for You?

Picture courtesy of Senator Biden office

For the record I kind of like Senator Joe Biden for a couple of reasons for President. He isn’t afraid to put his neck out on the line on any issue and he backs his stance up with the facts needed to do so. There isn’t an “Um, um, (cough, little bit of throw up there in the back of the throat) when he speaks when asked about any topic. His recall of facts immediately come forth and he tells the voters why he has the position he has and then follows up why the voter should have the same thought process.

Of all of the Democrat’s running for President I would have to favor Senator Biden over all of them when it comes to foreign policy. Unlike a former beauty pageant contestant, Joe Biden seems to know all there is about the world conflicts and he does not need a map to know where they are. I tend to doubt that the rest of the candidates other than Bill Richardson could go toe to toe with him on issues to do with conflict around the world.

Then there is the man that is Joe Biden and his style of campaigning that does not need one hundred million in the bank like Hillary or Barack. Knocking door to door, running for President in Iowa is as grass roots as you get.

Over at Yahoo News they have this story on what Senator Biden is doing for his bid for President of the United States…

By AMY LORENTZEN, Associated Press Writer
Tue Oct 2, 4:05 PM ET

DES MOINES, Iowa - Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden remains mired in single digits in Iowa polls, but he's racking up support from the state's legislators.

Biden has the backing of 10 legislators, including the House majority leader. That makes him at least competitive with top tier rivals Barack Obama, who has one more endorsement, and Hillary Rodham Clinton, who garnered the most endorsements. He also has more endorsements than John Edwards, who is vying with Obama and Clinton for the lead in Iowa polls.

Biden said the endorsements demonstrate that local politicians think he has a shot at gaining the nomination.

State lawmakers know the ins and outs of the caucuses, and they "wouldn't be endorsing me if they didn't think I could win in Iowa," Biden said in an interview with The Associated Press.

And, he said, their support could be crucial in the days leading to the caucuses.

"An endorsement in a caucus state from someone who gets out and knocks on doors and has an organization is significantly more valuable," Biden said. "You've got to be pretty dedicated to spend a couple of hours on a very cold January night somewhere in the 1,700 (caucus) precincts in Iowa."

Biden, who is making his second bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, has worked hard for the support. - Yahoo News

Our nations highest office has gone from George Washington who could have been the first American King to someone that thinks he is a King. Where George and Martha would put up visitors from all of the land if they ventured to Mount Vernon, George Bush would have the Secret Service have them arrested for trespassing. Granted the times and attempted assassinations on our President’s has made protection part of the job but the simple idea of being able to talk to your President no longer exists in America.

Has anyone actually talked to the current President, the past couple of President’s? Form letters in response to a letter you sent does not count.

If I had a choice of watching a television commercial of all of the candidates running for President or just one of them knocking on my door, I think I would be more persuaded to listen to the actual person standing in my kitchen or living room. Name twenty or more people that you would boast to about having a Presidential candidate in your home? Not on the television but he sat on your sofa or at your kitchen table and told you what he was all about. Then he asked you what you thought, holy crap! I would be telling the world.

You can spend millions on television and radio ads but nothing beats the one on one contact with the voters. In my lifetime I have met many politicians and the personal encounter is far different than what you will ever see in a thirty second advertising commercial. Not one person on this earth can have their entire message wrapped up in one television or radio commercial. Twenty minutes in your home breaks down a plethora of evils in the advertising dollars to be made on Presidential advertising.

Senator Biden is following a tried and true method of campaigning but the time for doing so is growing shorter. With many states vying to be first for bragging rights, the process of actually getting to know all of the candidates is lost. In doing so, the best person for the job of President ends up being in the hands of who can pay for enough advertisement.

It has been said that candidates for President love to press the flesh of the voters. In the same context, the voters need to press the flesh as well with the person that may just be the next President. Shaking hands with a man or woman that wants to be the leader of the free world is kind of important. You cant sell that or describe that emotional moment on television.

Carry on Senator Biden, I wish you luck and the opportunity to meet many interesting and concerned people that will welcome you into their homes in Iowa! Press the flesh my friend.

Papamoka

Cross posted at Bring IT ON!

UPDATE 10/21/2007: The Storm Lake Times endorses Joe Biden for President

It’s hard to go wrong with any of the candidates. We stand with Joe Biden because he has all the professional skills and, more important, the personal strength to get the job done unlike any other candidate.

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Brilliant Minds are not always on Talk Radio

Picture courtesy of the FCC.gov

With all the hype over Rush Limbaugh and his alleged bashing of the troops it makes me wonder why people blindly follow the words of one person. Talk radio hosts, President Bush, Teddy Kennedy, Move On.Org, Michelle Malkin and the list goes on. Somebody else is telling us all how to think, what to think about any issue and who is the enemy amongst us.

It brings me to the conclusion that our leadership system in America is broken because we as a people are so strongly divided down the middle. There are those Americans on the Right and there are those Americans on the Left side of the political aisle. Stuck in the middle is the swing voter but the base on both sides is consistent. What is the common task or sentiment that all of us can agree on that is realistic? Be you Right leaning or Left leaning, what is the one thing that binds us when an event like 9/11 happens? You are an American without a doubt.

Our nation needs a healing President and the need to feel leadership from our government to it’s people is overwhelming. Our nation is in a political crisis where both parties are talking the same game but neither is offering solutions to bring the country and our people back together again. Blame the left, blame the right, blame anyone but it is not my problem is a scapegoat that you do not want to embrace. This is all of our country and the ones that actually participate in our government are the ones that matter.

On the air waves and around the web the swing is against the right side of the aisle because of the non stop excuses and political gamesmanship of Kings from the fifth century. My way or the highway immediately divided the nation. I voted for it before I was against it divides the nation from the left.

We are a divided people and there is not a Roosevelt or Lincoln on the horizon. I frankly do not get a warm fuzzy feeling from any of the current candidates for President because for the most part all of them are saying we have to stay the course. Bush got us into this mess and he has no plans to fix it so it is the next President’s problem to deal with. For the record, no candidate can predict or insist on a timeline for our troops getting out of Iraq or Afghanistan. Reality is funny like that. In the same respect no candidate can tell the people of America that there is a point in time when our troops are no longer needed in Iraq to hold back the terrorist.

My main point to this post is that you as a voter have a say as to whom is going to be the next President of the United States of America. If you need Rush Limbaugh or even a lowly blogger like myself to tell you what party to vote for then you need to look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself what you think. Get rid of the sound bites from both sides of the aisle and think about what America really needs in the next election.

From my perspective, I’m tired of seeing all our kids coming home in body bags and flag draped coffins for a people that have no clue as to what freedom really is. Iraq is lost, Afghanistan is lost. Bring our troops home alive and let’s focus on America once more. Put a strong military presence on our borders and that is defending America at home.

Papamoka

Cross posted at Bring It On!

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Politics and Presidents... And Money!

Politics and running for President is now more about what the people want to hear and not what the government they aspire to represent is all about. Somewhere in the translation of what our nation is really all about the message was lost. Hope and the transition to change for the people was left by the way side for the dreams and aspiration of just one individual to be elected to the highest office in the land.

While Fox News, or CNN of ABC is telling you who is the front runner the message is the same. They are telling you who to vote for by putting candidate X from party Y who you should vote for.

Following the money is an old tale to tell but it is just as true today as it was one hundred years ago when it comes to politics. Those with the largest war chest will have the most coverage and that in the television nation that we are will be the front runners in the election.

My point for this post is simple and it is up to you as an individual to sort out the wheat from the chaff. With our nation politics comes the opportunity to choose a leader for your nation. Whatever position you have on our military events across the world the time to speak you peace is by voting. Be you rich or poor the vote you have is your vote and nobody can ever take that right from you. Unless of course you fall pray to the MSM explanation as to whom is the pre determined winner before the vote ever happens.

America is riddled with a history of the millionaires amongst us that just happened to become President of the United States. It goes all the way back to George Washington. Reflection on our history proves that our nation is an experiment on economics that defends the powers that monetize the system best. Follow the money and that unfortunately is the American experiment.
It does not take a rocket scientist to see that no matter how much we bitch and complain about the loss of freedoms in this nation that we continually elect yet another millionaire President. Money is following money and KBR didn’t do that bad off by this President.

Think about it!

Papamoka

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Religion and Politics is Not like Honey and Bees

Picture courtesy of the White House

No matter who you think you are backing for President of the United States of America you really never know whom the real person is. Running for the highest office in the land is supposed to be of high morals and even higher expectations. I’m beginning to think that that is the problem with the current process. Is it not ironic to think that a candidate for President should mirror the values of all of the people and all of our faiths?

In the upcoming election for President there has been placed an abundance of attention on the candidates religion or practice there of. We even have a Reverend running for President in this latest round of political showmanship and who’s who on the Marquee of politics today that we call a ballot. Who is going to question a Reverend’s faith in God and weekly participation in a religious service? You should and that is who!

Over at the Pew Forum they have an interesting little piece on politics and religion and this little paragraph has my noggin a rocking…

The United States has a long tradition of separating church from state, but an equally powerful inclination to mix religion and politics. Throughout our nation's history, great political and social movements – from abolition to women's suffrage to civil rights to today's struggles over abortion and gay marriage – have drawn upon religious institutions for moral authority, inspirational leadership and organizational muscle. But for the past generation, religion has been woven more deeply into the fabric of partisan politics than ever before. - The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life

In politics and in the main stream media they keep bringing up the question of religion when it comes to our election process for President. It confuses me as to why they do that. If you were to walk up to anyone on the street and ask what that persons religion and practices are you better duck fast because either a shopping bag or a fist is coming your way. Why should it be any different for someone running for President?

We are a nation of many religions and many political factions and ideologies that would make a Suduko champion give up. In the cloth and puzzle that is America there is all of our religions and all of our political belief’s. Looking at any individual thread under a microscope only shows you the make up of that one strand that really isn’t America. Back away from the microscope and sit about twenty rows back on the fifty yard line and right in front of your eyes is the giant quilt that is America. All the faiths, belief, politics, ethnicity and personal choices are melded together to form something beautiful and a pleasure to the spirit of its people.

If our government is based on freedom of religion, freedom of speech and separation of Church and State, then why do people insist that religion should be a top priority for selecting our President today. If our Presidency is to govern to the Constitution as intended, but given the current religious litmus test to do so, then most of our past President’s would never have passed that test. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson would have been just a blip in our nations history as just a General that won a war and Jefferson was just an innovative thinker that lived and dreamed beyond his years.

Religion and politics do not mix for a reason. In one venue the ultimate truth is the ultimate truth and in the other is the combined agreement of man choosing the lesser of two evils that becomes the law of man. It isn’t perfect but it is what we call democracy.

Big difference, HUGE!

We should not vote based on our faith but vote our continued experience that is the American experiment. Faith in change is part of the never ending cycle of politics in America and that you can count on.

Papamoka

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One Word! Okay Tops Two!

Picture Courtesy of the White House

Elections are coming up fast and furious and people are talking and candidates are talking sound bites. This is your chance to participate in the sound bite. Just a little fun too!

List the Candidate for President of the United States of America first that you love or dislike and just ONE word... Okay TWO at the most.... to best describe how you feel about that candidate. Pro or Con on anyone running for President is acceptable. I'm not about to tally the results but it will be a fun read for all.

Post away in the comments and have fun! Just keep it clean...

I may need some help getting this moving so please email your friends and link back here.

http://papastraighttalk.blogspot.com/

Papamoka

Wake Up America

Every Presidential candidate out on the political trail has the same stump speech to give. What is wrong with America and how they are going to fix it? The only problem with that scenario is that they only want to fix that which affects them alone. Or for that matter what effects only the people at the top of the pig pile that is American politics.

Campaign speeches are nice but the fact of the matter is that no matter how much they talk about fixing the educational system in America, not one of them will be able to do so. It does not matter how passionate they are about fixing the health care crisis in our nation, they can not do it alone. All of the empty promises are for not if the White house is filled with a man or woman unable to govern for all of the people. If the Congress is not backing the President then the Presidency is a lame duck at the mercy of the Congress.

Turn the page, the Congress is having a mass migration of Republican Senators and Congressmen into retirement or resignation. The battle for America is on and the people have a chance to take it back. Republican political party leaders and current members are not the Ronald Reagan Republican’s. President Reagan hated corruption and waste in our government and frankly so do I. His idea of his political party has been hijacked by the worst possible dream that he could have ever envisioned. Corruption and arrest charges are not the Reagan Republican Party. That however is the current problem with the past political party affiliation of Ronald Reagan.

Times change, people change. Politics of yesterday can change in a heart beat but the honesty and respect that the American people will always look for can not and should not be taken for granted. While the flood gates of Senators and Congressmen from the Republican Party that are not seeking re-election opens up, in the next election the people need to decide who is telling the truth and whom is blowing smoke up the back side of your anatomy.

What is the ultimate beauty of our political system is that with your own vote you have the ultimate decision. Return the same ideology to our nation’s government or take a fresh breath and hope that the newbie will fulfill at least one or two election promises.

Papamoka

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You Tube Democrat Presidential Election Debate

Picture courtesy of CNN

For the most part this was the first time that I have ever seen such a great debate because the questions were from real people. I have to give CNN some serious kudos for hosting it and especially the folks that contributed questions to the event through You Tube.

I’m not writing this piece to point fingers at who was for what and who had a better plan for any issue. This piece is about the process and what it takes to learn about the candidates you are leaning towards. This was a debate of the candidates like no other before and it was very informative to the voters.

I’ve always questioned the strict formats of the past Presidential election debates where a panel of reporters or only a moderator is asking the questions. Events like that seem canned to me and questionable and the questions presented to the candidates are not coming from the people but a reporter thinking that they know what people want to hear.

Tonight’s debate on CNN was all about the questions from the people that want to know where every single candidate stands on issues that actually effect them as an individual. Real people, real lives, real questions that the responses from the candidates showed the differences amongst them all.

I learned a lot and frankly I was shocked on some of the candidates answers. It never occurred to me that some of these folks are not totally against building new nuclear power plants. I didn’t know that some of the candidates are against scrapping the current No Child Left Behind educational program for our children. I did not know that some of the candidates are very green when it comes to our nations future energy policy. I did not know that the games played to fund political campaigns are still on and one of the candidates wrote legislation making that kind of political donation reportable.

Part of the process of picking a candidate is not just reading what they stand for but understanding where they stand for any given issue. Tonight it was clear who stood for what on several issues from socialized medicine for all and that includes illegal aliens. Confirming plans to sure up Social Security was an interesting point of the night and once again I learned something new when it comes to the cut off point in personal compensation that you no longer have to contribute to the system. Very interesting answers.

War, the war in Iraq was raised and they all have plans. Mix and match but there is a plan from all to bring our troops home from the Democrats and it was amazing to see how each candidate had a different avenue to accomplish the same objective. Passions were raised in each candidate on how soon it should be done but reality was also inserted into the debate on how soon it could actually be done. I for one did not know before tonight’s debate that the Pentagon has refused to answer questions on any plans for a pull out of Iraq? Does that mean that the Pentagon does not have a plan to get our troops out of Iraq? I don’t have that answer but the main stream media will cue up on that response to a grieving You Tube parent that lost a son in Iraq.

Religion and personal belief in God was raised and it was interesting to see that some of the responses clearly made a defined line in the sand that being President comes with the responsibility to know that church and state can not mix. Even Planned Parenthood had a question about teaching your kids on sex. I thought it was inappropriate but it was a legitimate question. I’m sorry to say but all of the candidates failed the question. When one went on the sexual predator trail they all grabbed onto the trolley car and rode it.

Public schools or private schools for their own children was brought up. Most people would think that the children of the candidates all went to private schools. WRONG! Surprised me too. Some did but it seemed more for personal religious choice, security reasons, and educational choice that every parent has. That leads me to ask the hypocrites if it is wrong to seek a better education for your kids if you as a parent choose to do so? I personally would love to enroll all five of my daughters in a Catholic school system. Does that make my political opinion null and void when it comes to public school education? Space shuttle to Houston, we have an educational system problem.

Winners of the debate tonight, you the voter. Many topics were covered and many questions were raised. I for one am very thankful to You Tube and CNN for hosting it. Tonight was not about canned answers to the media but answers to the people selecting a Democrat for President.

Transcript courtesy of CNN

Papamoka

*****The Moderate Voice has linked to this post...

Elizabeth Edwards, the Woman of the Century

Courage comes in many forms that some would call heroic and yet others would willingly argue the act portrayed was not courage but simple human emotion gone haywire. One can not explain why one man would toss himself onto the tracks of an inbound train to save a complete strangers life other than he just did what he felt was right. Then again in the same thought pattern you can never truly understand why the six Worcester, MA firefighters lost their lives trying to save what was thought to be homeless people supposedly still in the Cold Storage building fire not long ago. They were firefighters and that is what they do for their fellow man.

In both of the cases I’ve sited the individuals choose a road much higher and greater than the normal every day person would have. Self preservation would have been the normal attribute associated. In the case of the New York man diving to the rails to cover a fellow rider suffering a seizure there were many other people waiting for the same train and yet he alone let go of his children’s hands to save another’s persons life. The firefighters of Worcester knew the building was close to collapse and yet each of them knew there was still hope to save a life and walked into the heart and soul of Worcester’s history by paying the ultimate price as firefighters.

Elizabeth Edwards, with her second battle with cancer just on the horizon reminds me that some things in this life are bigger than oneself. She has the courage of her convictions and I could honestly picture her diving onto the tracks of an oncoming train or racing into a burning building if America’s future were at risk. Her personal and honest belief in her husband’s ability based on what he can do for America as President is that strong.

Ready for Another Tough Campaign
Her Cancer Back, Elizabeth Edwards Remains Open and Upbeat
By Lynne Duke and Lois Romano
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, March 23, 2007

Not once did the shadow of fear cross her face. Elizabeth Edwards stood before the nation, a graceful fighter steeled for personal tragedy again. The cancer is back and in her bones, a lung and possibly elsewhere. The news seemed worse than bad. Yet Edwards conveyed no hint of being hobbled by an incurable cancer. Self-pity was nowhere on the scene.

Snip

A staunch advocate for her husband’s campaign and his closest adviser, she made clear yesterday she wanted her husband to continue campaigning because “it’s unbelievably important that we get his election right. And in my view, there’s nobody who’s offering people in this country a more positive and delineated vision about where we can go than John.”

“Of course” John Edwards would have offered to suspend his campaign, says Chris Downey, the former wife of former Rep. Tom Downey, who befriended the Edwardses when they first came to Washington, “because he cherishes her. He cherishes his family. That’s what he would do. He would stop everything.”

But Downey and other friends say it would be Elizabeth’s way to insist that her husband campaign on.

“Quite frankly, I suspect she was the one to say, ‘Don’t suspend the campaign.’ She is not a quitter,” said Debbie Dingell, a friend of Edwards. “She wouldn’t think of it. They are a total team. She’s sensitive to people, trends and political situations in a unique way. She is a very strong and a very decent woman.”

Edwards has long been the center of her husband’s world, the one whose advice he has always sought and for whom who he would practice his opening statements before a trial, said Bonnie Weyher, a friend from law school. She recalls a well-told story about Edwards having to make a split-second legal decision during a trial and looking to his wife in the gallery for her nod.

During the 2004 presidential race, Elizabeth Edwards almost always traveled with her husband, and aides knew she was the ultimate gatekeeper and her husband’s closest adviser. She sat in on every debate practice and “not as a cheerleader,” said one person involved in that campaign.“She was very well versed in all the issues and had no trouble telling him, ‘That was an awful answer,’ ” the source said. “He clearly relied on her heavily.” – The Washington Post

I’m finding that the more I hear of John and Elizabeth Edwards the more I believe that behind every great man is an even greater woman propping him up. I’m not saying that Mr. Edwards would be a lump of babbling political flesh without her support but she is the steel supports of his platform. She is the driving force of the Edwards campaign.

John Edwards first instinct upon hearing of her cancer was I’m sure to shut down his campaign for President and gather his family around the mother of his children to support her and be there for her during the toughest battle the human mind and body will ever face. That would be the simplest path to take and Elizabeth Edwards will never take that route and what more she will never allow the love of her life do so either.

John Edwards is facing an amazing and complex situation in his life and yet he has the greatest asset bar none that supports him for the greater good. His wife could have been selfish, self centered and cowering in the face of her Cancer and yet she is willing to go full steam ahead for him. I honestly admire them as a couple and my heart felt prayers are with them both through what will be a very difficult road to travel.

Elizabeth Edwards has redefined courage in a new way that defies logic until you really sit down and think about it. She alone has shown us all through her actions that even in the facing of ones own mortality you must still stand strong in support and defense of what you believe to be the best path for your nation. This my GTL friends is a very amazing woman and her husband has been blessed to be able to say that she is my friend, my best friend, and my wife.

God Bless you and your family Elizabeth Edwards. My personal best wishes for your own personal campaign against Cancer and with the political campaign of your husbands.

Papamoka

Cross Posted at The Gun Toting Liberal

Other people discussing this story…

Our good friend Steve Soto over at The Left Coaster has this to say… The best case scenario, given the fact that they saw a need for a press conference and cancelled an event earlier today is that Edwards sees a need to put the campaign on a hiatus in the coming weeks and months while they deal with whatever medical challenge she now faces. The worst case scenario is that she is facing a setback and, well, the campaign then becomes an afterthought.

Say your prayers tonight for the Edwards family.

Our good friend Joe Gandelman over at The Moderate Voice has this to say… John Edwards’ dramatic press conference announcing that his wife Elizabeth’s dreaded breast cancer had returned, but that the couple decided he should press on with the campaign anyway, truly seemed the real thing. It was a moment in Presidential campaign 2008 — which actually begun about a milli-second after the calender changed to 2007 — that transcended politics.

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