File this under "Duh..."

McCain Seen as Less Likely to Bring Change, Poll Finds

Why I despise Governor Sarah Palin.

Despite all of the obvious reasons (namely that she is a flat-out liar and completely inexperienced—nay—dangerously inexperienced), it is quite apparent that John McCain only chose Palin for reasons other than that she was the best choice for Vice President, because, honestly, who in their right mind could claim that they truly believe she has the necessary skills and level-headed judgement to most likely end up being our president when McCain's health gives out on him in the midst of the most difficult presidential administration this country has seen?

She was added to the ticket as a purely political move intended for the good of John McCain's campaign, NOT the good of the nation. Country First? Laughable. Sarah Palin claims to have said no to the "bridge to nowhere" but only after it was laughed out of congress, as she voted for it twice. However, she kept the money that was to be spent on said bridge. Another fact that enrages me is that, as Alaska has no income tax, taxpayers from the other 49 states foot the bill for all their earmark projects.

Huckabee claimed that Sarah Palin received more votes for her two terms as mayor of Wasilla than Biden did for his 1988 presidential run. Of course that was another lie. Sarah Palin received 616 votes her first term and 900+ votes her second, for a grand total of 1,500 and some change. Biden, on the other hand, received closer to 80,000 votes.

In all seriousness, I don't know how anyone can look at this woman—the same one who hired her own friends from high school to fill governmental positions in Alaska, and flagrantly lies about almost everything surrounding her political history and has absolutely no experience—and think that she is anything greater than a political pawn aimed at energizing John McCain's campaign which had all of the enthusiasm of a 72-year-old veteran. Had Barack Obama selected Hillary Clinton, you would not see Sarah Palin on the republican ticket, much less even know who she is. She has turned the campaign into a circus, but once the hype finally dies down, people will begin seeing her for what she is: a soccer mom, with all the political qualifications of a soccer mom.

Ignoring Subpoena's? Eerily presidential behavior, if you ask me.

Aides to Gov. Sarah Palin won't comply with subpoenas issued by state lawmakers investigating the firing of Alaska's former public safety commissioner because Palin "has declined to participate" in the probe, her attorney general says.

Full article here.

“I didn’t decide to run for president to start a national crusade for the political reforms I believed in or to run a campaign as if it were some grand act of patriotism. In truth, I wanted to be president because it had become my ambition to be president...In truth, I’d had the ambition for a long time.”

--John McCain (2002)

Full article here

Selective Amnesia? More like Generalized Senility.

Today Senator John McCain attacked Barack Obama, saying that he was not aware of any energy plan proposed by Barack Obama, other than inflating our tires. Of course, he is wrong, and if he was paying any attention to his opponent, or new how to use the internet (much less computers) he would know full well that Obama has a comprehensive energy plan.

The plan can be found on Barack Obama's website, here.

Once again, the Republicans are wrong.

"The Bush administration estimates that expanded offshore drilling could increase oil production by 200,000 barrels per day by 2030. We use about 20 million barrels per day, so that would meet about 1% of our demand two decades from now. Meanwhile, efficiency experts say that keeping tires inflated can improve gas mileage by 3%, and regular maintenance can add another 4%. Many drivers already follow their advice, but if everyone else did, we could reduce demand several percentage points immediately. In other words: Obama is right."

Read the full article.

Interview: Marilyn C.

1. Barack Obama had an eclectic upbringing, spanning experiences with his Kenyan background, his Indonesian sojourn and schooling as a child, and his Kansas, middle-America background and upbringing. He has seen how the rest of the world really lives and has a balanced, open mind when it comes to dialoguing with people of differing cultures and backgrounds. This makes him a more effective listener, and gives him some unique perspective when it comes to resolving issues. I wouldn't be afraid to let him off of Air Force One in a foreign country, like I have been of Bush, as I have confidence he would represent his country well, and won't make us all look like fools the moment he opens his mouth.

2. Steadfast opposition to a totally misdirected and wrong-headed war, this war, and I quote: "will require a U.S. occupation of undetermined length, at undermined cost, with undetermined consequences." He isn't campaigning as a prophet, but I think that pretty well sums up the outcome.

3. He is not afraid to rethink and alter a position when new information is brought to bear that obviously requires an adjustment of approach to an issue or a problem. He does not blindly hold to a position just to validate prior stated opinions.

4. He is a thinker, rather than a knee-jerk reactor. We desperately need a leader who can carefully analyze a situation and develop a reasoned response. Obama is such a leader.

5. At this point, anyway, he and his campaign are not so desperate that they are stooping to the crass levels the McCain campaign is in their attempts to convince us to vote for McCain by vilifying and marginalizing Obama. Good grief! It's more politics Bush-style by calling the opposition names when you can't deny their valid points on the issues.

The Candidates' Healthcare Plans in a Nutshell

"Obama has proposed a national insurance program to allow individuals and small businesses to buy affordable health care similar to that available to federal employees, funded by a tax on employers who don't provide coverage. Individuals would not lose coverage when they switch jobs."

View full article here.

McCain-Obama Tax Break Comparison

"Obama's plan gives the biggest cuts to those who make the least, while McCain would give the largest cuts to the very wealthy."

View the full article here.

Minneapolis Star Tribune analysis here.

McCain's new line of attack

It seems to me that John McCain is the last person that should accuse anyone of being out of touch.

"Although Mr. Obama has been under an intense public spotlight for the last year, he is still relatively new on the national scene, and polls indicate that for all the enthusiasm he has generated among his supporters, many voters still have questions about him, providing Republicans an opening to shape his image in critical groups like white working-class voters between now and Election Day."

Article here.

What does Obama represent to this country and those that would vote for him?

"Obama brings something no one else does to this moment. By replacing one of the most globally despised and domestically divisive presidents in American history with a young leader half-Kansan and half-Kenyan, America would be saying something to the world: Bush-Cheney is not who we are. America is not what it has come to appear to be."

Full post here.

"Thirteen Things to Know About McCain's Attack Ads"

"While the TV ad says that McCain is always there for the troops, he actually opposed the new GI Bill authored by Obama ally Jim Webb, the former Navy Secretary-turned-Virginia Senator. Webb, as it happens, is an old friend of McCain, who has called him "a legendary fighting man," as befits the most highly decorated Marine combat officer of the Vietnam War. McCain lost badly in the Senate on Webb's new GI bill, but he and President Bush later tried to take some credit for its passage."

Full article here.

"McCain's Ad Strategy"

"Team McCain--now led by savvy Bush-Cheney veteran Steve Schmidt--may be a lot less idiotic than the chattering classes suspect."

Article here.

Interview: Adam S.

"This is an election where it doesn't matter what they look like on paper."

"I'd rather have a president that adjusts his view as he gets new information than a stubborn one who won't admit he's made a mistake."

Interview: Nathaniel S.

Reasons enumerated
1. He's relatively new to the washington scene and has already risen to the top on leadership ability.

2. He's made that rise through grass-roots public support, not a well-funded political machine. As far as I can tell, he's nobody's placed puppet.

3. As the election has progressed, he has for the most part remained true to what he's always said was the best track for our country. McCain on the other hand started towing the party line :30 after he clinched the nomination

4. He's a candidate looking to bring practical transparency back to government. To bring accountability. To talk to the countries (like Iran) that we're having difficulty with.

5. He's noticeably uncomfortable with prepared remarks and contrived rhetorical situations. However when it comes time for him to speak from his mind, what he has to say is not only poignant, but relevant, inspiring, and actionable. I don't know if he will follow through on his aspirations for national change, but he has yet to put forth an idea that we couldn't actually achieve as a country under actual, dedicated leadership.

In a nutshell
I'm not voting for him because of his stance on any one issue, even though I agree with most of his stances, but rather because he consistently demonstrates a leadership ability with inherent good judgment. The reality of a presidency isn't following through on campaign promises. Rather, it's about what that leader does with the policy hand he's dealt and how he chooses to steer the country when unexpected situations arise.

Bush's stance on tax breaks, education, or even national defense didn't mean anything when 9/11 happened. What does matter is that he used his leadership position not to act in the country's best interests, but to prove something to his daddy and make his buddies lots and lots of money.

Issues matter, but I'm much more interested in his leadership ability and his philosophy as a human being. If he's guided by a desire to make this country better and to serve and protect the people that live here, that's what I need.

Any thoughts on the Republican party as it is now?
"What used to be a party of small, responsible government, has turned into a fear-mongering, nearly fascist, imperialistic dynasty."

"Obama links McCain to 'reckless' GOP economics"

"These anxieties seem to be growing with each passing day," Obama said on a campaign trip in this economically ailing battleground state. "We can either choose a new direction for our economy or we can keep doing what we've been doing. My opponent, John McCain, thinks we're on the right track."

Full story here.

Where Do the Candidates Stand On the Issues?

Follow this link to see a side-by-side comparison and decide for yourself.

Statement of Purpose

This blog will be short-lived. Its sole purpose is to catalog the myriad reasons why the people in my life have chosen to vote for Barack Obama rather than his Republican counterpart, John McCain.

The intent is to demonstrate that, yes, in fact, people voting for Obama have actual reasons to vote this way.