I think of this as a general-interest blog, which means I write about whatever catches my fancy at a given moment. A pattern on a shopping cart might remind me of Vernier scales, and why they were so economically important in the early industrial revolution. Or something about bicycling in cold weather, or the environment, or any number of things. My best explanation for blogging is a line from a House episode: “Me, I just like knowing stuff.”
But lately it’s been the presidential race ad nauseum. The relentless focus on Obama vs. McCain has me worn out. I want so badly for it to be over but I can’t ignore it. Among other things the thought of Sarah Palin choosing Supreme Court nominees, frankly, fills me with icy horror. The choice could not be more stark and yet half my countrymen are in thrall to an ex-POW version of our current president and his pretty-but-venomous sidekick.
And then there’s Barack Obama, who is the first presidential candidate I’ve really enthusiastically wanted to vote for since… Reagan. (That in itself worries me, since Reagan made me a Democrat.) I’ve known about Obama since he was a state senator and our own US senator Paul Simon – a very good man – wrote that he was unique and we should keep an eye on him. (Wish I still had that letter) The ensuing years have proven Simon right – Obama has piled up an amazing record in a short time. He has also set a standard for bringing opposing sides together, that all politicians would do well to study.
Anyway this election is a cliffhanger and a half, and like a lot of Democrats, I am as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. I’ve donated money and encourage you to do the same. And I also want to say how much I appreciate bloggers who have shown amazing stamina in keeping the spotlight on through the long campaign night: ***Dave, Dana, Paul, Les, Greg Laden, and countless (believe me I don’t mean to leave anybody out) others. I don’t know how they do it.
So here goes…
OUR TOP STORY tonight is from those two treasures, those wonderful ladies, Margaret and Helen: If you are undecided, you are not paying attention. An excerpt, which does not exempt you from savoring every delicious sentence:
…The idea of a progressive tax where the wealthy pay more in taxes than the poor is nothing new. Not even close. In fact 81% of economist agree with the concept… and here is a real eye opener – until he crapped his pants about losing this election John McCain supported the concept as well. Trust me, that dog don’t hunt, he will say anything to win at this point. De-regulation of banks? He was for it, but now is against it. He was for privatization of social security and now he is against it. He was for the estate tax and now he is against it. He used to have a spine and now he doesn’t. You know, at his age, he should know there’s medication for such personality swings…
And from ***Dave, this hard-hitting Obama quote on infrastructure. Needless to say, read the whole thing:
…One of the most frustrating things over the last eight years has been the ability of George Bush to pile up debt and huge deficits and not have anything to show for it, right? So, if you’re going to run deficit spending, then it better be in rebuilding our roads, our bridges, our sewer lines, our water system, laying broadband lines. One of, I think, the most important infrastructure projects that we need is a whole new electricity grid…
Attacks on ACORN are still turning out to be lies, film at 11.
Here’s Obama’s (or should I say; Count Barackula?) Halloween ad:
One correspondent asked; “Doesn’t Obama have hundreds of millions anyway?” and the answer is ‘yes and no’. It isn’t just his campaign fund, there’s also the RNC money. McCain is actually pulling up in some states – enough to be worrisome – and this is no time to take our foot off the gas. Or if like me, you prefer bicycles to cars, to stop pedaling:
Finally, supporting links to the assertions I made above about Obama:
- Obama in state Senate,
- Obama in US Senate
- and Obama working with opposing ideas – The Obama I know.
“I want so badly for it to be over, but I can’t ignore it.”
I can’t ignore it either; CNN is on constant play around here, as is my husband’s incredulous plea to news anchors and McCain-Palin supporters, “Bush bankrupted the world!”
And my stomach hurts.
The GOP have raised the art of crapping things up to new highs under Mr. Bush and his droogs. I still haven’t figured out why so many Americans fall for their lies, innuendoes, and failures. Yes, failures. I cannot think of a single worthwhile thing the administration has accomplished in the last 8 years.
Funniest (not Ha Ha) of all is the great “populist” outcry Mr. McCain makes against “socialism,” and how many of the great unwashed buy into it. Do they think they are gonna be rich? Why do they stick up for the rich so vociferously.
“Joe the Plumber” was the perfect example for the GOP, gave them something to rant about, and, of course, he, and the argument were a complete fraud.
I am hardly allowing myself to hope Obama will win.
I owe you a bit of thanks, George. You posted an article way back when that first alerted me to Obama and what a rare person he was to be involved in politics.
You know, it’s not so much his policies that are gripping. It’s that Obama is a rational person. A person who lacks the bizarre tastes of a drama queen. And a person who apparently listens to reason and evidence. All of that is such a huge change from the degenerate leadership of the past 8 years, which at the very least has been surreal.
I like that HuffPo article. It’s particularly encouraging. No one should put too much faith in one person of course, but Obama is undeniably a good choice to get this country pointed in the right direction.