Rare mid-work blog

So, I'm sitting at work right now on my lunch break. Yeah, I leave work an hour after I get 'back' from lunch and I'm not eating, but I still call this lunch.

I was reading online, and I found a couple of things I wanted to note and comment on:

• Another high-profile endorsement for Obama. Really? former Reagan chief of staff Ken Duberstein? Yup, Ken Dubertein!
  

• And again, another endorsement, this time from The Economist.

• It seems the media is attacking Sarah Palin's freedom of speech. Or at least that is how she see it. I thank Glenn Greenwald for putting words together so well.

If anything, Palin has this exactly backwards, since one thing that the First Amendment does actually guarantee is a free press. Thus, when the press criticizes a political candidate and a Governor such as Palin, that is a classic example of First Amendment rights being exercised, not abridged.

This isn't only about profound ignorance regarding our basic liberties, though it is obviously that. Palin here is also giving voice here to the standard right-wing grievance instinct: that it's inherently unfair when they're criticized. And now, apparently, it's even unconstitutional.

According to Palin, what the Founders intended with the First Amendment was that political candidates for the most powerful offices in the country and Governors of states would be free to say whatever they want without being criticized in the newspapers. The First Amendment was meant to ensure that powerful political officials would not be "attacked" in the papers. It is even possible to imagine more breathaking ignorance from someone holding high office and running for even higher office?

And just for a certain former professor of mine:

"Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, or to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Okay, so I typed that from memory, and it wasn't as easy as it used to be. Did I get it close. Well, not an A+, but a passing grade. I screwed up several articles, messed up the punctuation and didn't capitalize government. Do I still pass Mr. Siebert?

Here is how it actually reads:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

• I would like to see both McCain and Obama on SNL this Saturday. How great for a country could it be that these two men and come together, laugh with America (most likely at themselves) while shilling for those last few votes? At least McCain will be there, it seems.
  

• Have you had enough of Obama after his 30 minute 'infomercial' or all the other ads? Well it seems the young people (and other viewers of the Daily Show) couldn't get enough.

Well back to work for me! Yay!

Is Obama buying the election?

Okay, so we've all heard the conversation turn to whether Barack Obama is buying the election. Now, looking past the fact that this talk started when the polls started showing Obama winning, lets talk about the money in his campaign.

First Obama decides to forgo public financing. And people are still talking about it, and I guess rightfully so. Maybe. As I see it (and of course, I'm bias), Obama said he would think about public financing. Then, making a political decision, he decided against it. But, when thinking about how to fund your political campaign, what other decision would you make other than a political one?

But when people hit on the topic on buying an election, I want to remind them of Mitt Romney. He spent a lot of money in Iowa and New Hampshire, but it didn't help him win either of them. Obama outspent Hilary Clinton in Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania, but Hilary won all three of those in the primaries.

But looking at Mitt Romeny and even Hilary Clinton who had to dip into their own pocket to pay for there campaign, no one talked about them trying to buy the election. But Obama gets $150 million in September alone off the strength of a $86 average donation, and he is trying to buy the election. With what? Money he got from...people who...freely gave it to them to...spend on his campaign. So yes, he is buying the election with money people (including me) gave him so he could buy the election. This is American politics and money equals power.

Money helps you get your message out, but if it isn't a good message or your message doesn't swing people away from your opponent, money isn't going to win you an election. I could even give you Ross Perot.

Speaking of Perot (and buying the election), we have Obama making his prime time solo debut. Now you have people, like Elizabeth Hasselbeck, blasting the idea of Obama having that 30 minute "infomercial" on TV tonight.

"Obviously both sides are trying to run and create image. So if we use this as, so they both have funds and are creating an image, making sure their candidates are where they need to be seen, as they need to be. I find it completely then repulsive to then - if we want to look at spending - see how Barack Obama now is going to spend what $3 million on two thirty minute ads that are going to run this week." - Elizabeth Hasselbeck

What I don't understand is why they are mad. Well, okay, not really. But it's Palin that wants to get around the "media filter" so why are they now kinda pissy about Obama going around the media? You have John McCain saying "No one will delay the World Series game with an infomercial when I'm president."

But I guess it is getting down to the wire. Even Barack Obama is calling out McCain's erratic message:

"Now, because he knows that his economic theories don't work, he's been spending these last few days calling me every name in the book. Lately he's called me a socialist for wanting to roll-back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans so we can finally give tax relief to the middle class. I don't know what's next. By the end of the week he'll be accusing me of being a secret communist because I shared my toys in kindergarten. I shared my peanut butter and jelly sandwich." - Barack Obama

So yeah, we are buying the election. How many peanut butter and jelly sandwich's you think it will take? Maybe he will ask for more peanut butter, jelly and bread. Then we'll win!

Damn fast bloggers

People, really, you have to stop posting blogs on topics I was planning on writing about. Now it's Matt Taibbi that be posting before me. God bless this man. I just bought his new book, The Great Derangement: A Terrifying True Story of War, Politics, and Religion at the Twilight of the American Empire. I am really looking forward to reading it.

But, the blog.

If, as expected, Barack Obama wins, we should all get ready for the emergence (one might say re-emergence) of a powerful new storyline in the right-wing media. There are going to be many stories circulated about the rise of Rachel Maddow, Keith Olbermann and other in-the-tank-for-BO media types. Complaining about media bias was already a national sport before this election season, but now that one of America's top TV commentators is an affable lesbian who rolls her eyes every time she reads a Republican talking point, you can expect the howls from the hills to be louder than ever.

It's started already and you can expect it to get worse. The basic theme is that Maddow and Olbermann are only the tip of the iceberg, symptomatic of a more broadly-ingrained media bias that infects the less obvious propagandists as much as or more than that notable twosome. This same complaint will be made in print and on the air roughly 500 million times between now and the next presidential elections, camouflaged in different forms.

The entire point has been bothering me for at least the last few days. So, I'm happy someone got out there. I only wish I could come close to making a better argument.

I just want to know where these people attacking the bias media four years ago? Where were they speaking out against FoxNews? Huh? Where?!

And speaking of Maddow, you all need to go check out her show. Cus it's great. And everyone should keep up on Rolling Stone, because Taibbi is a fucking great writer.

Quick little blog

I was listening to a podcast of the Ron Reagen Show today at work, that alone doesn't merit a blog post, but alas listening to that show, I started to cry.

Now, it's only a little less crazy than it sounds. Ron was talking with a guest about, what else, the election. They were going off about the crazy nut job questioning Obama leaving the campaign to see his ailing grandmother. Now, I've known about this for awhile, but it was when Ron mentioned that one of Obama's biggest regrets was that he didn't go see his mother in Hawaii before she died.

Now as a total mommas boy, this hit me hard. Then you also have to know, as much as I love my mother, I almost loved my grandma more. Now, she died from breast cancer in 1989 when I was 5. So, knowing the loss I still feel, thinking about anyone attacking anyone else for visiting an ailing grandmother after, after not visiting his mother when she was ailing and nearing death, it just hits me in the gut.

Left or right, can't we all respect a man who loves his late-mother and his ailing grandmother? PLEASE!!!

A real "uniter, not a divider"

In a presidential election where both sides are all worked up, who is pulling off the "I'm a uniter, not a divider" shtick George W. Bush really couldn't? Barack Obama. Really, you have republican's flocking to him like he was the second coming of Reagan or something.

You want a list? I got a list for ya! (mucho gracias a The Jed Report)

• William Weld - former Republican Governor of Massachusetts, "endorsed Democrat Barack Obama for president on Friday, citing the senator's good judgment, 'deep sense of calm' and 'first-class political temperament.'"
• Scott McClellan - former Bush aide and Bush press secretary, announced that he will be voting for Barack Obama.
• Alison Goldwater - granddaughter of Arizonan and Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater, early voted for Barack Obama, saying of John McCain, "I don't have respect for him." (John McCain has frequently called himself a "Barry Goldwater" Republican.)
• Arne Carlson - former Republican Governor of Minnesota, endorsed Obama for president, saying "He has laid out for this nation a vision for a national purpose."
• Colin Powell - former 4-star general, Reagan national security adviser, Bush Sr. chairman of the joint chiefs, and secretary of state, gave a full throated endorsement of Barack Obama and indictment of the McCain campaign and the Republican party.
• Michael Smerconish - conservative Philadelphian radio talk-show host and cable news regular, endorsed Sen. Barack Obama.
• Chicago Tribune Editorial Board - For the first time in the 161 year history of the Chicago Tribune, the paper has endorsed a Democratic presidential nominee: Barack Obama.
• Christopher Buckley - son of National Review founder William F. Buckley, and columnist for the National Review himself, endorsed Barack Obama, saying "this campaign has changed John McCain. It has made him inauthentic."
• Lilibet Hagel & Susan Eisenhower - Hagel, wife of Republican senator Chuck Hagel, appeared with Eisenhower, granddaughter of Dwight D. Eisenhower, to endorse Barack Obama, saying that this election is "not about fighting phantom issues churned out by a top-notch slander machine. Most importantly it is not about distracting the public - you and me - with whatever slurs someone thinks will stick."

Shocking isn't it? And those are just 10. For me, the only republican I care about is my mother. And she has been for Obama from day one. "We need change." And she understands she will be saving more money under Obama's tax plan. Almost $1000 more. Really! Even Al the Shoesalesman gets a tax cut.

And why are so many people starting to see Obama as a great choice for president?



And when Barack Obama speaks to the nation Wednesday, it may just be the start of a real watershed landslide. But that only means we need to work harder. Vote, vote and get out and vote!

Tom Harkin!

Now, for a list of crazy and wierd reasons I won't go into here, I've never been the biggest fan of Tom Harkin. He has been my senator since I was 2 years old. One of politicians I agreed with, but really didn't like. And for similarly weird reason, I like Chuck Grassley but disagree with him on many things.

But, Tom Harkin has won me over. I actually like the guy and look forward to voting for him along side Barack Obama. Why?

Another Vile Attack by Tom Harkin.

Now, lets first talk about having a senator that knows how to use the tools of the next generation to talk to his supporters. Daily Kos? Posting blogs? Facebook?!?! Go Tom Harkin, go!

And now to the substance of what Harkin said. He stood up and called BS on these attacks on him and other fine Democrats and Americans, including Barack Obama. And Harkin gets more points than I can count for calling out Congresswoman Michele Bachmann.

But he doesn't just use his pulpit to attack back and call out the "McCarthy" types coming out of the woodwork. Like in New York. Or in North Carolina. So Tom Harkin is one of the new Democrat with an actual backbone.

And I will be proud. To vote for Tom Harkin, Leonard Boswell, and Barack Obama. And to stand up for what I believe, willing to fight alongside my allies Tom, Leonard, and Barack for the America I love.

25 years down...

While some of the voices in my head are telling me to tie my 25 years in this world into politics, I will fight that feeling. Or at least try not to make it all about politics.

25 years ago, Ronald Reagan (R) was President. Terry E. Branstad (R) had just been elected to be Iowa's 39th Governor. Roger W. Jepsen (R) and Chuck Grassley (R) were the Senators from Iowa.

Now, 25 years later, while George W. Bush (R) is president, we have a African-American, Barack Obama (D), set to become the 44th President of the United States. Chet Culver (D) is the 41st Governor of Iowa. Tom Harkin (D) and Chuck Grassley (R) are the Senators from Iowa.

This is a great example of how much has changed in 25 years. Even if Grassley did have to be the one guy against change. (Ha! I kid; I deeply respect Grassley for many things.)

25 years ago cell phones made their way into America.

25 years ago Microsoft Word was first released.

25 years ago Nintendo Entertainment System was first launched in Japan.

Over the last 25 years, many different people, places, things, and substances have shaped the way I see the world and the way I act in it. Since I can't really name everyone or everything, I'm just gonna play it safe and not mention anyone. But you all know who you are. Much love.

Looking back there are millions of things I would have done differently if I could, but I do not in any way regret my decisions. Were some of them bad? Of course. But those decisions made me who I am today, and I can't really fight the fact of the person I have become is pretty awesome. Are there things about me I still need to change? Hell yeah. Even awesome people can still become more awesome.

It's funny though. Looking back, I like to think I grabbed the path of being a journalist and/or a writer, but it's just not true. Writing grabbed me. I was writing stories and scripts when I first learned to write. I have a fun read of a Get Smart script I wrote back, I think, in middle school.

I was recommended to the journalism class in high school. And while I did kinda work to get on the high school newspaper, once I was in college, I just kept falling into it. My advisor signed me up for the Reporting class. And when we did our first story for class, mine was picked to run in the college paper.

I was told by the then-Features editor I should sign up for the paper because I was a really good writer and reporter. So I did. And then at the end of that year she told me I should apply to be an editor because I would be great. So I did. And I got it. Features editor. Then news editor. Then, midway through my junior year, I fell into the design editor job. Then, actually showing some fight, became the Managing Editor my senior year. Then the paper won first place in general excellence at the Iowa College Media Association awards.

Now, coming up on being two-and-a-half years removed from college, I find my passion for life and writing continue. Why do I bring this up in my birthday post? Because I always followed my heart and mind. I have the feeling I should be writing more, but due to many reasons, I'm not sure of what path to take. So, for now, I am taking my own path. Writing as much as I can on my own, and in my own way, to become a better writer. And when my talent and the right time hit (and I'm always on the look out), I will shine like I always have when time and place meet.

Not many people can say they were at the right place, at the right time, with the right skill, doing the right thing. I already had one of those. My senior year of college. Now, I know I will have another one. But I'm not going to bitch and moan about a job I don't love 100%, or about my living situation not being what I wanted.

I am only 25. I have a good amount of time to make everything work. I wasn't really all that happy through my last years of high school and the first few of college. It was hard, it was lonely, and it was something I would never want to go through again. But those years led me to the door step of my perfect year; my senior year at Grand View.

So now, I'm not really all that 100% happy. It's a little lonely, but I have great friends. And while I would never chose to be tired, lonely and poor, I will take them on with pride if I am doing it in hope of the dream. It takes sweat and tears to make things change for the better.

Do you think it was easy for America to come from the time of Ronald Reagan to now be looking into the future with Barack Obama? Do you think it was easy for Democrats in Iowa to overcome a 30-year lock on the Governorship? Do you think it was easy to imagine and create cell phones, Microsoft Word or the Nintendo Entertainment System?

I'm personally looking forward to 2033 and waiting to see what the next 25 years will bring.

Socialism? Short post

Jon Stewart, you are a god and we only live with your greatness.



That is all. Really, that is all folks. Bye bye McCain!

I want someone who is smarter than a 3rd grader

So Mrs. Sarah "never a dull moment" Palin actually did an interview. I'm starting to see why she was better off not talking.

Q: Brandon Garcia wants to know, “What does the Vice President do?”

PALIN: That’s something that Piper would ask me! … [T]hey’re in charge of the U.S. Senate so if they want to they can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes that will make life better for Brandon and his family and his classroom.

Really?! Are you telling me that I got it wrong for the last 25 years I have been learning about government? My senior year of American Government in high school was wrong? My poly sci classes I took in college (including one on the Presidency) was wrong? Damn!

Article One, section three: "The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided."

Once again, I bow to the greatness of Keith Olbermann:



And Rachel Maddow:



I'm sorry to burst your bubble Governor, but I would like someone running for vice president that has an idea, based in reality and fact, of what their job might just be. Not to mention some depth and a real relationship with their running mate. Normally I would just post a passing hyperlink to this story, but I think it is TOO good not to really point out.

Go and read Jonathan Alter's piece where he talked to Biden. Biden’s Unified Theory of Biden. And not only does it touch on how Obama and Biden talked through what their professional relationship would be like, it was this that really caught my eye:

Biden says Obama reminds him of Bill Clinton in his "confidence, cognitive ability, judgment" and intellectual security—that he can listen and absorb advice without having to prove he's the smartest person in the room, a critical leadership skill. He says he experienced an "epiphany" during a recent conference call on the bailout bill with Bob Rubin, Paul Volcker, Warren Buffett, Paul O'Neill, Joseph Stiglitz, Larry Summers and Laura Tyson. "He [Obama] comes on the call and says, 'Well, folks, sorry I'm late. I've got four questions.' He was in total frigging command! Here's a 47-year-old guy in one of the most complicated economic dilemmas anyone has had to face since 1929 to '33. And it was like, 'Bang! Bang! Bang!' I called him afterward and said, 'You sold me, sucker!' "

I long for smart people to lead, but for those people also not to need to show off just how smart they are. I'm looking at you Al Gore.

So, Biden or Palin. Barack Obama or John McCain.

Lord, it's like asking a kid if he wants ice cream or liver and onions. You tell me what he's going to pick.