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This Is What Democracy Looks Like
www.NationalView.org's Note From a Madman
July 27, 2008
You Might Just Be a Racist
If you're a Democrat and are absolutely not going to vote for Barack Obama,
you need to ask yourself one question: Why? If the answer is because he's a
black man, then you're a racist.
It's just that simple.
I'm not saying there aren't just reasons to vote for someone else, even John
McCain (if you're so inclined) in the upcoming election. However, if you
can't think of one and still look at the color of a man's skin as an "issue"
then, to borrow from Jeff Foxworthy, you just might be a racist.
There are those of us on the Left side of the aisle who think that Senator
Obama is moving a little too far to the center for their liking. But
thinking that he will ever move as far to the Right as McCain has positioned
himself is surely ludicrous. McCain, for his part, has been moving further
and further to the Right in order to keep the true Bush "base of haves and
have mores" in the fold (not to mention his hope in getting a Bush-like
turnout from the Bush "Morals Voters".)
Many of us held our noses and voted for - as well as worked for - John Kerry
in 2004 without even thinking about the many reasons to do so. Those of us
who supported other candidates in the 2004 Democratic Primary flocked to
Kerry in an effort to get those who are killing our nation out of the White
House. Even though we failed, is there one of us who actually think that
placing Bush back in office was a good thing?
I doubt it.
During the heated primary battles of 2008, many of us who supported the
other Democratic candidates such as John Edwards (me included), Joe Biden,
Bill Richardson, etc, were already giving Hillary Clinton our "Second
Choice" support. We said things like, "I'm an Edwards supporter, but when
Hillary wins the nomination, I'll support her."
Senator Obama is not getting that benefit of the doubt from us all.
On every major, and probably all the minor issues, Senator Obama is closer
to our values than anyone who seriously thought of being the GOP nominee
would ever be. Obama's base is not the Bush "base of haves and have mores"
but a base of ordinary Americans looking for someone to step up to the plate
and take a swing for us. To think that the only reason some of us won't vote
for him is because of the color of his skin is not only upsetting, it's
terrifying.
What are the reasons you're going to tell you children or grandchildren that
you didn't vote for "the black guy"? We know that the only real chance
Universal health Care has comes in an Obama White House. McCain thinks "the
Market" is the only answer. And when the health care industry raises your
premium rates another ten, twenty, thirty percent, forcing you out of your
plan, what are you going to tell your sick child is the reason he or she
isn't getting the medical attention they require?
"Sorry sweetheart - but Daddy couldn't vote for the man with the dark skin.
Here - Take an aspirin."
As outsourcing, in its current form, continues in a McBush-like manner and
when more and more jobs leave our shores to India and China without even a
whimper from the next GOP-led White House, what are you going to tell your
recent High School or College graduate when they can't find a job?
"Don't worry kid - we'll fix up the basement for you. After all, Mommy
couldn't pull the handle for that black man."
And when your son (or daughter) joins the Army because there are simply no
other options for him here at home, and you watch him leave on a plane for
McCain's hundred-year war in Iraq, what are you going to write in the
letters you send him?
"Sorry Johnny - but it's better that you fight in a war for oil than my
voting for a black guy."
Perhaps Obama won't be the next greatest thing since sliced bread. Maybe you
simply don't believe the message of "Change" which has convinced so many who
never voted before to get out and vote - and even volunteer - for the first
time in their lives. Perhaps you truly believe that McCain is the answer.
But ask yourself this one question: Will we be better off with a McCain
presidency or a Barack Obama Presidency?
-Noah Greenberg
Why the GOP is Responsible for
Keeping Oil Prices High
Have you been wondered why oil prices been falling lately? Simple reason,
the Democratic Congress planned to pass a bill to release 10% of the
strategic oil reserve (SOR).
-The affirmative vote of 268-157 was along party lines and was not enough
for the supermajority needed for approval.
-The bill was seen as part of a move by House Democrats to prevent passage
of Republican measures to allow offshore drilling in the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge.
-The White House had threatened a veto of the Strategic Reserve bill had it
cleared the House and Senate. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the
Reserve was established as "the nation's energy insurance policy. We don't
think it should be weighted for purposes to try to manipulate price. It
hasn't worked."
So, what was the net result and has it worked in the past?
Oil prices reversed course and moved higher Thursday in U.S. trading after a
move in Congress to tap into the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve was
defeated. ... At a press conference before the vote, House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi, D-CA, pointed out that previous releases from the oil reserve had
knocked down prices, sometimes significantly: 33 percent in 1991, 19 percent
in 2000 and nine percent in 2005.
http://www.rttnews.com/Content/TopStories.aspx?Node=B1&Id=664428&Category=Top%20Stories
The next time the GOP complains about drilling, point out that they defeated
a short term measure that would have worked. Barack Obama is in favor of
releasing part of the SOR to drive prices down; McCain is not. Instead,
McCain has a goof ball idea of a gas tax holiday. Historically, such
measures do not drive down prices. It's clear who is the better choice for
President - Barack Obama - Yes We Can.
-Robert Scardapane
Politicizing Government
As you may know, Obama held a major rally in Germany this week attended by
over 200,000 people. What you may not know is that our State department
forbade their workers from attending it:
-Yesterday, the Washington Post reported that the U.S. Embassy in Berlin
"instructed Foreign Service personnel stationed there not to attend Sen.
Barack Obama’s [D-IL] public rally" in Tiergarten Park because the event is
"‘partisan political activity‘ prohibited under its regulations for those
serving overseas."...
The problem is that when McCain visited Canada, the same rules were not
applied:
-.. But the ruling ... appears to indicate a double standard from the State
Department. Last June, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) delivered a speech to the
Economic Club of Canada in Ottawa. The event was reportedly organized in
part by U.S. Ambassador to Canada David Wilkins, whom President Bush
appointed in 2005. But more than that, the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa confirmed
to ThinkProgress that Wilkins also attended the event.
-Not only did McCain make clear references to and critiques of Obama’s
policy positions in the speech, but he also referred to his own presidential
campaign six times.
This is the sort of disgusting politicization that has gone on throughout
the government since the GOP held the White House. It's another argument for
electing a Democratic candidate to office. The Democratic Party just does
not believe in politicizing the government.
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/25/state-obama-speech/
-Robert Scardapane
My Problem
We are occupying a country in a civil war. The whole “surge” concept and
execution is based on a book written by the General in charge. The concept
is based on the model of Vietnam, which is a different situation. The
argument should be: can we use the same tactics, to thwart an insurgency
from a foreign country, in the Iraq civil war? Can we stop the fighting and
secure peace by using tactics designed for a different manifestation? Maybe
we can maybe we can’t. But no one in the media is debating that. And to me,
that should be at the forefront.
My guess is the Vietnam model can be used only so far. Then other actions
must be taken before a secured peace. Even if the media took up the debate I
doubt if the real issue would be addressed. How do you stop two factions who
are religiously zealot over who the tooth fairy likes best (for the
non-conceptual out there this is a sarcastic euphemism)?
-Keith A. Dewey
In the ongoing Obama for President debate, Kelly Taylor writes:
Obama did NOT vote against the war in Iraq He couldn't vote because he was
not in the Senate yet! (A lot of people make this error.) That crucial vote
was taken before he became a senator. And once he became a senator, Obama
voted consistently to FUND the war every time it came up for vote in the
Senate (you can check the Senate voting record
- its all there.) It's important to get one's facts straight, with all due
respect.
And, as for Ginger's comment about questioning one's authenticity as a
Democrat because they criticize Obama:
Gee, I though questioning and debate were part of being a "Democrat" in our
democratic way of life. And just for the record, there are lots of us out
her who are sick to death over what our Democratic Party has allowed to
happen over the last 8 years. Scores of Democrats in the House & Senate have
aided & abetted the Bush Administration by voting WITH the Right Wingers on
extremely crucial issues. (I trust you've heard the expression, "Bush
Democrats".) So Democrats have INDEED helped shred the Constitution, and
Obama just did his bit by kicking the Fourth Amendment in the teeth with his
"yes" vote for the FISA bill.
That is our precious Right to PRIVACY, my dear, and we don't "give someone
the benefit of the doubt" when they are screwing with our Constitutional
rights. That is pure naiveté. I mean what price the Presidency?! So it's
horrible when the Bushes threaten our Constitution, but OK when Obama does
it? (This is "Obama for Change" mind you.) And bringing up Hillary's past
votes is totally moot. She ain't the one running for President right now.
Obama is!
And Victoria Brownworh writes:
Give Obama the benefit of the doubt for VOTING FOR BUSH'S BILL????????? I'm
sorry, but that's pure and unadulterated insanity. And please, stop
perpetuating the BOLD-FACED LIE that Obama voted against the war. He held no
office whatsoever when the war vote was cast. He never voted against the war
because he wasn't elected at that time. He said he was against the war, but
while in office his votes have not reflected that.
As for all those people who say Hillary Clinton voted for the war, yes, she
did. As did John Kerry and John Edwards and a host of other presidential
candidates WHO WERE IN OFFICE. The fact is, 82 percent of the Congress voted
for the war. Some have revisited that vote, like Clinton, others have stood
behind it, like McCain.
But the whole excuse Obama for everything he does wrong attitude is
dangerous. That's how we got two terms of George Bush and look how that
turned out. Take Obama to task NOW. Because once he's president, which the
press and himself have already anointed him, there will be no controlling
him at all.
And Madman responds:
In fairness to then-Senatorial candidate Barack Obama, he did, repeatedly,
state his opposition to the Iraq war while running for his seat. Note the
following excerpt from Politic.com:
"Obama's opposition to the Iraq war in 2003 is unquestioned. But what was a
sharp anti-war line on the campaign trail in 2004 – when he said he favored
voting against funding the war – turned into a more pragmatic Senate
performance, where Obama has taken a less aggressively anti-war tack than
fellow Democratic Sens. John F. Kerry (Mass.), Russ Feingold (Wis.) and
others.
"As a review of their votes by the website TPMCafe showed last week, Clinton
and Obama have almost identical voting records on Iraq in the Senate; they
cast different votes just once, when Obama voted to confirm Gen. George
Casey as the Army chief of staff and Clinton voted against his
confirmation."
-Ben Smith in Politico.com, April 3, 2007 (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0407/3414.html)
Both opposition to, and support of Senator Obama are valid. However, not
voting for Obama in the hopes that Senator Hillary Clinton will be the
nominee in 2012 plays right into the hands of the GOP.
And this ends this particular thread.
Send your comments to: NationalView@aol.com
-Noah Greenberg