Amazing! President Barack H. Obama and Vice President Joespeh R. Biden. Welcome also our new First Lady Michelle Obama and the Vice President's wife Dr. Jill Biden A new time in America. Check out the new web page:
Heh, it even has an RSS feed. You can go there and leave some nice words of welcome for our new President.
Bye Bye George
His official photo:
The new first family:
Yayyyyy for America. Once again we all can hold our heads up and be proud to be Americans. Our dark eight years of shame are over and it's time we all get to work to assist our new President in helping heal our country.
Yes, today the SCOTUS denied Donofrio v Wells. This was for an emergency stay only. A stay designed to stop the Electoral College from certifying Obama as President. Now, Donofrio may still file a writ for certiorari but good luck with that. What a maroon.
Of course, he's not the only one enlisted in the tin foil hat brigade. There's also P. Berg and Alan Keyes and a host of other sycophants ready with their time-wasting BS petitions. All this birth certificate nonsense is just that---nonsense.
No matter how many fact checkers have shown there's nothing wrong with Obama's BC these freepers would still rather see this:
HA!
Oh yes, and some think it's highly weird that Justice Thomas (the absolute worst SCJ eva) referred this silly thing to the full court for consideration--- it's not. Let's be clear on the process here, Donofrio handed this garbage to Justice Souter and he denied it. Now, the next action was for Donofrio to take it to another Justice---which he did. Weird? No.
Per SUPREME COURT OF THE U.S. - RULES ..Part V. Motions and Applications, Rule 22.4 :
4. A Justice denying an application will note the denial thereon. Thereafter, unless action thereon is restricted by law to the Circuit Justice or is untimely under Rule 30.2, the party making an application, except in the case of an application for an extension of time, may renew it to any other Justice, subject to the provisions of this Rule. Except when the denial is without prejudice, a renewed application is not favored. Renewed application is made by a letter to the Clerk, designating the Justice to whom the application is to be directed, and accompanied by 10 copies of the original application and proof of service as required by Rule 29.
Of course, I don't expect the insanity to stop as long as Obama is President. Meanwhile, the freepers' heads explode as they think up another stupid trick to make them more irrelevant. Alas, they're sinking fast, hoping against hope for a marvelous outcome that will deny Obama the Presidency. So, while they're sinking I'll throw them this
John McCain and Sarah Palin have spent the last few days slamming Barack Obama for his comment to Joe the plumber. Needless to say they have completely left out the context of the entire conversation. McCain has used this as a talking point to press his idea that it means higher taxes on small business and middle class people. This is false. If your net income is $250,000, yes, your taxes would be higher but that is NOT middle class. He's throwing the word "socialism" around a great deal and so are his supporters. I highly doubt many of them know what that word even means but it's a good buzz word. Alas, here's a what socialism really is:
Social and economic doctrine that calls for public rather than private ownership or control of property and natural resources. According to the socialist view, individuals do not live or work in isolation but live in cooperation with one another. Furthermore, everything that people produce is in some sense a social product, and everyone who contributes to the production of a good is entitled to a share in it. Society as a whole, therefore, should own or at least control property for the benefit of all its members.
Barack Obama, raising taxes on those making $250,000 or more is not socialism. No one has proposed nationalizing anything. In fact, it will only be a 3% raise to 39%---back to where it was during Clinton's Presidency when we ended up with a surplus.
For some reason McCain , this election season, doesn't think the rich should pay higher taxes. But that's NOT what he thought in the year 2000. Watch this video and question from a Doctor's daughter.
Here's a partial transcipt from McCain's remarks to that young lady:
But I believe that when you really look at the tax code today, the very wealthy, because they can afford tax lawyers and all kinds of loopholes, really don't pay nearly as much as you think they do when you just look at the percentages. And I think middle-income Americans, working Americans, when the account and payroll taxes, sales taxes, mortgage pay -- all of the taxes that working Americans pay, I think they -- you would think that they also deserve significant relief, in my view...
I did notice that young lady shaking her head. Guess she doesn't think wealthy Daddy should pay more. Maybe Daddy needs to manage his money better. Our progressive tax code does make those making lots of money pay more as they should. I'll never understand how someone making lots of money has the temerity to whine. My husband and I certainly don't whine about what we pay. We expect to pay more because of the money my husband makes. It is patriotic to pay your taxes.
Interestingly, in 2000, McCain thought wealthy people should pay more. Ah, but now he sings a different tune. I guess John doesn't understand yet that you tube exists and what he says is actually recorded! Just another one of McCain's flip flops, er, changes of mind. Yeah, right.
Even The Daily Show showed a portion of this video from 2000 to call out McCain.
Amazing how eight years have changed his tune. What's also amazing is how utterly ignorant so many of his supporters are of the tax codes and the deductions allowed.
Yep, 100,000 people showed up today in St. Louis according to the Wall Street Journal. Simply amazing.
I am so tired of Republicans trying to divide this country by calling those of us not supporting McCain/Palin anti-American or un-American. Yesterday we had Palin talking about pro-American parts of the country and Rep. Michele Bachmann(R-MN) asking the media to begin an in depth anti-American McCarthyesque expose on Democratic members of the House and Senate. Bachman's rhetoric may nail her as her opponent, El Tinklenberg, has raised over $177,000 ( at this time of writing and climbing ) from over 4000 donors in the 24 hours since she made her ignorant remark. You can donate to him here if you wish. I did because that woman needs to leave Congress. Then this afternoon we had Nancy Pfotenhauer say that Northern Virginia is not the real Virginia. Sheesh, what the heck is with these people? Desperation is not a pretty sight in the McCain campaign.
In last night's debate we heard about health care plans from both candidates. Now, as a nurse and respiratory care practitioner ( I'm retired now ) health care plans/insurance have always been of interest to me. I will agree that Americans have a responsibility to try and keep themselves healthy. However, there are health situations that can crop up unexpectedly and those situations can kill a family's finances. I've read both candidates' plans and McCain's plan is fraught with problems. Take a look at these 2 videos from last night.
Although my preference would be universal health care, I'll be happy with Obama's plan for now. Under his plan small businesses would be exempt from paying a fine for not having employee health care. Large businesses can afford to pay for employee health care. But I have seen and experienced, in the past, how large business reduces benefits in lieu of more profit. If you have an employer-based plan you would be able to keep it and if not you would be able to purchase insurance at a lower cost than you can now.
The annual premium that a health insurer charges an employer for a health plan covering a family of four averaged $12,100 in 2007.
If you didn't have employee health care and had to purchase it you could get a much lower rate by being able to purchase from a large national pool. As a singular family trying to buy insurance now you're screwed. You have no bargaining power or power to request a discount the rate. Another thing to keep in mind is that if someone gets ill and that amounts to many claims your renewal rate will increase or you could find your insurance nonrenewable at present. When you spread the risk over a large pool you pay less.
McCain's plan may sound good but in reality it's not. His plan has the potential to ruin the employer paid health care system we enjoy now. Where would you get the extra thousands to pay for your own plan? Plus, taxing that $5000 he'll give you as income just sucks. I was shocked when McCain condescendingly mocked "Cadillac" plans---oh, you mean like the plan YOU enjoy, John, through your job as a Senator? John likes to throw out that "government will control your health care" line but I don't hear him griping about his government plan.I'd like him to tell me what "transplants" he was mocking with that remark.
McCain's claim of being able to purchase insurance from out of state and of portability don't hold water. His idea is to open up health insurance to the market by deregulation just like the stock market. He actually stated that proposal in a magazine article last month. Needless to say that would be a nightmare. Turning this over to the individual states would be an insurer's dream because the disparity between state regulations on insurance coverage would turn into a circus. I can just see the mess that would create. How would he propose to get every insurer on the same page? How is he going to force insurers to not penalize people with pre-existing conditions? I can already see the Pavlovian insurance dogs salivating.
It's apparent to me that McCain just doesn't get it when it comes to health insurance. He's never had to pay for insurance on the market. Since the day he was born he's been covered by a government sponsored health plan. If he had to go out tomorrow and buy a private plan he'd be in trouble because of his pre-existing cancer. He'd either be paying through the butt, something McCain could actually afford to do, or un-insurable altogether.
This will not be an easy thing to fix but we must at least try to find a way to lower medical costs and provide affordable insurance. I'd welcome any feasible ideas.
In last nights debate Joe the plumber's name was mentioned approximately 27 times. Now, McCain's message was to leave the impression that Obama is a socialist with his "spread the wealth around" remark to Joe and Joe is average Joe-six pack, lowly working stiff. Not so fast. Let's examine who Joe is and what Obama's tax plan would mean to him.
First, here's the video of Obama talking to Joe in Ohio.
As far as I'm concerned the whole "spread the wealth around" comment was taken out of context. Plus if Joe is planning on purchasing a company that makes $250,000 to $280,000, he's not average Joe-six pack.
Yes, his tax rate will increase 3% from 36% to 39%, a marginal hike, but that won't affect his hiring. Plus if his net personal income is over $250,000 then his business is wildly successful. Obviously this guy has no clue about business finance if he thinks this increase would be a deal killer and he either should never buy the business or get a better accountant ( he shouldn't be a schedule C filer if he's making that much money ). Has this man never heard of business tax deductions? Does he understand the difference between gross and net business income?
The other question is who is Joe the plumber? Well, he's Joe Wurzelbacher and says he's from Toledo, Ohio. He also thinks Obama's plan is socialism. Interesting how his interview with Obama went straight to Fox News and the next day he shows up in Neil Cavuto's show. While he says he's surprised his name was mentioned in a presidential debate, I think he's little more than an opportunist or how else would we have a photo of Joe watching the debate in his living room.
In an interview with Katie Couric last night he said:
WURZELBACHER:"I mean I have a pretty good idea who I’m going to vote for but you know that’s my - you know, the nice thing about going into the booth is only me and the lever knows," he said. "I think McCain did a fine job this evening, I think he brought up some good points. I do like his health care and I do like his, where he stands on taxes."
COURIC: Well, he supposedly will raise taxes only on people who make over $250,000 a year. Would you be in that category?
WURZELBACHER: Not right now at presently, but, you know, question, so he's going to do that now for people who make $250,000 a year. When's he going to decide that $100,000 is too much, you know? I mean, you're on a slippery slope here. You vote on somebody who decides that $250,000 and you're rich? And $100,000 and you're rich? I mean, where does it end? You know, that's - people got to ask that question.
That's bit weird because I can't imagine anyone dropping the amount of net pay to see a tax increase. But that's a line Republicans continually use. Basically he's a guy that's supporting McCain.
From the Couric interview he's billed as uncommitted. Baloney.
Here's another thing---how can this guy act surprised when he's already being interviewed as soon as the debate ended? Something smells here with this guy. This guy also gave an interview to the conservative web site Family Security Matters on Oct. 15.
PM: Do you fear this is the possibility of America turning more down the socialist road if Obama does become elected and if he is able to implement these policies?
JW: Very much so. You start giving people stuff, and then they start expecting it – and that scares me. A lot of people expect it now. They get upset when their check’s late, they get upset when they don’t get as many benefits as they used to, or when different government agencies are cut or spending is cut here and there for whatever reason – people get upset at that. And that’s because they’re used to getting it and they want more. I mean, everyone’s always gonna want more. People work the system left and right to get more out of welfare, to get more out of state assistance, federal assistance. And if government’s there for them, they’re gonna keep on trying to manipulate it to get more out of it. You got people that come along and say, “Hey, I wanna help you people,” I mean, they’re all ears! They’re like, “Hey, you can help me more, I don’t have to work as hard, I don’t have to do as much, and you’re gonna give me this? Man, that’s great, you’re a good guy.”
Good grief, what horse puckey! Again with the poor people or struggling are going to get hand outs. Tell me, Joe, that it wouldn't be "working the system" for you to find every way to legally reduce your taxes. Sheesh!
Today Joe is making the rounds on teevee shows. He said on Good Morning America that he's registered to vote. Yet when looking through the Ohio voters registration his name doesn't show up at all. Now some have said his first name is Samuel but I couldn't find anything under that name either. He also said on GMA that McCain had called him before all this and asked him to come to rallies. Interestingly his name doesn't show up in the Ohio License lookup as a licensed/registered plumber and you must be licensed/registered as a plumber to buy this plumbing business he talked about in Ohio. Some blogs are also reporting that he already owns some businesses but I haven't seen that substantiated yet, so who knows. I am puzzled as to who this guy is really.
Whomever this guy is there's something just not right about him so conveniently coming on the scene. I have news for this guy. He's about to be investigated by every news organization out there and if there's anything fishy going on it won't end well for Joe the plumber.
UPDATE: I just heard Joe on MSNBC say he was registered in the Natural Law Party. WTF? He also did repeat that McCain called and asked him to come to rallies. He's not a small business owner either; he's a worker bee like many others. He sounds like an advocate of the flat tax...Ron Paul anyone? I don't like this guy and his 15 minutes of fame needs to end. He doesn't speak for everyman. He certainly doesn't speak for the blue-collar workers in my family.
SECOND UPDATE: Gah, now it appears Joe is a registered Republican.
Linda Howe, executive director of the Lucas County Board of Elections, said a Samuel Joseph Worzelbacher, whose address and age match Joe the Plumber’s, registered in Lucas County on Sept. 10, 1992. He voted in his first primary on March 4, 2008, registering as a Republican.
So, a name misspelling. Another reason NOT to purge voting rolls until things check out.
Tsk , tsk dude, you should know better. Plus there's all kinds of stuff in public records.
FOURTH UPDATE: Joe works for A. W. Newell Inc. It was incorporated in 1996 and has a grand total of 2 employees...Joe and the owner. Last year the company listed $130,000 in sales. So, according to that if Joe bought the business he WOULD get a tax break under Obama. Oh, this just makes this guy a liar since he told Obama the company made between $250,000 to $280,000. Joe also says he has no business plan ready to purchase the business. What a jerk McCain needs to stop portraying this dude as a business owner...he's not.Sheesh, I really don't like this guy. I still say this all sounds fishy.
This is now the new line from Sarah Palin in her attacks against Barack Obama. But what she's doing is taking his statement out of context. His original statement from March 2008 was:
"When it comes specifically to HIV/AIDS, the most important prevention is education, which should include -- which should include abstinence education and teaching the children -- teaching children, you know, that sex is not something casual," he said.
"But it should also include -- it should also include other, you know, information about contraception because, look, I've got two daughters. 9 years old and 6 years old," he added.
"I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby,"
I hate to tell Sarah, but having a baby when you're not ready can be a punishment. If she doesn't care for the word punishment she can substitute that with many others. How about devastating. It's not the baby itself, it's the life situation of having that child at a young age that can be punishment. Her parsing of words completely misconstrues the message Obama was talking about. She ought to look at what life has in store for her own 17 year old pregnant daughter. I've seen that movie before in my own family.
My younger sister became pregnant at 16 and,like Bristol will have, had a shot gun wedding. It turned out to be a nightmare. Her education stopped. By the time she was 18 she had 2 children and a drunken, abusive husband. He beat her up the night they were married, pregnant and all. In the next 8 years of that marriage he not only beat her but the children as well. I saw what he did and was shocked. I implored her to leave but she was scared and thought religion demanded she stay married...to suffer through it. But it wasn't just her suffering; it was also her children. The final straw was the day he put a loaded gun to her head. That was when she finally had the courage to leave.
But the effects of her situation only became graver. Now she was on her own with 2 young children, no education and an ex that refused to pay the $50 a month child support the court ordered. For a time she sank into a world of drugs, alcohol and depression. She struggled to make ends meet; ended up on welfare for a time before finally settling into life as an underpaid, overstressed factory worker. Sadly, she'd had dreams of being an accountant; she had been amazing with numbers and bookkeeping in school but as a single Mom she had no money or time to think about going back to school.
Thankfully both her children turned out to be successful. One has graduated from college and the other manages a Walgreens. They had great support from the rest of us. However, not every family has that kind of support structure. But my sister? Today she's 53 years old and suffers from depression and is still fighting her way through life working 2 jobs...factory worker and maid at the hometown Hilton Hotel.
Now, this story is not to advocate for abortion. It's to advocate for education. Comprehensive, appropriate sex education to include the teaching of abstinence. Not simply abstinence only. It amazes me how so many think information will "cause" their child to have sex and that will lead to abortion. How silly. If teens have the correct information they are able to make better choices which can, in turn, reduce the number of pregnancies and abortions. But let me be clear, I do support a woman's right to choose but I want them all to be informed first.
If Sarah Palin thinks that teens being taught abstinence only and having babies so young is not punishment I have a bridge in Alaska to sell her.
In a letter to the editor in today's New York Times, the lead federal prosecutor of the Weathermen, William C. Ibershof, is not impressed with John McCain's attempt to link Barack Obama to Bill Ayers's acts of 40 years ago.
As the lead federal prosecutor of the Weathermen in the 1970s (I was then chief of the criminal division in the Eastern District of Michigan and took over the Weathermen prosecution in 1972), I am amazed and outraged that Senator Barack Obama is being linked to William Ayers’s terrorist activities 40 years ago when Mr. Obama was, as he has noted, just a child.
Because Senator Obama recently served on a board of a charitable organization with Mr. Ayers cannot possibly link the senator to acts perpetrated by Mr. Ayers so many years ago.
I'm pleased to see this letter but I doubt it will have any effect on the more rabid McCain/Palin crowds. Some of those people are irreparably damaged with hate.
I remember Bill Ayers because I was one of those "dirty effing hippies" at the time. However, no one I knew approved of the tactics taken by the Weather Underground. They actually did more damage to the get-out-of Nam-now and peace movement than the government infiltrators---yes, Nixon had people infiltrating the peace movement. Violence was not the answer. I'll never defend their despicable actions.
Regardless, Bill Ayers has done a great deal of good work in the fields of child education and juvenile justice since he and his wife emerged from hiding. Yet Ayers still remains unapologetic and has chosen to go on with life. In some small ways he has redeemed himself by positive contributions to society in the intervening years. But even that small amount is not acceptable to some. It amazes me to see that there is no room for any amount of redemption from certain Americans. Worse yet is that these ugly sentiments often times are coming from those identifying themselves as Christians and patriots. I'm not a fan of organized religion but their hypocrisy is astounding.
The whole truth about Obama kicking off his political career in Ayers's living room is never told by Republicans and unfortunately even by some unknowing Democrats. The truth is that Barack did not seek out Ayers and his wife. What happened was that in 1995 State Senator Alice Palmer was retiring and wanted to introduce her chosen successor to a group of people. It so happened that she chose the Ayers's home in which to do it. Both Ayers' were well known for opening their doors for political and academic discussions. In other words, nothing nefarious. That both Bill and Barack ended up serving on 2 charitable boards together and happen to live in the same neighborhood is of no consequence except in the minds of the terminally angry right. But the kicker is that if you had mentioned the name Bill Ayers to these same people over a year ago they wouldn't have had a clue who he was for the most part.
I can only hope that some rational people will read Ibershof's letter and think a little more clearly. This guilt-by-very loose association attack line is a sad condemnation of the state of our political discourse. John McCain would do well to examine some of his own very close associations with the likes of Charles Keating, G. Gordon Liddy ( both convicted felons and supporters ), and others before throwing accusation stones in OBama's direction.
First let me say this: Tom Brokaw needs to go back into retirement! So many times I wanted to reach through the teevee and slap him. I yelled SHUT UP TOM so many times my cats fled the room. Needless to say, he was annoying.
According to many polls, people felt that Obama won the debate. It wasn't a knock out punch debate. It was simply that Obama came across as calmer, more rational and more Presidential. Seriously,McCain wandered around the stage looking like an old man that lost his way. The difference, visually,between the two was stark. It became even more stark listening to them.
Unfortunately for John, he needed a huge game changer...he failed. His ideas sounded so last century...tired and worn. McCain has a problem in that when he speaks he comes across as condescending. I found it particularly weird that when he spoke to white members in the audience he was nearly in their lap. Much different was his approach to the AA man...kept his distance. He also does this tongue flicking thingy which annoyed me. The worst though is his incessant blinking!
Gah, it's like telegraphing HEY I'M LYING!
When John made his remark about buying up all the bad loans and re-doing them I think he lost 3/4 of freeper world. I wandered over to some conservative blogs and they were losing their minds over that remark. It should also be obvious that John has NOT read the $700 billion bail out bill. It has a provision in it for lenders to work with their borrowers in renegotiating their loans already. Can we say clueless? Ah, yep. However, all the freepers saw from that remark was OMG he's a socialist and wants to spend another $300 billion! Sweet! By the way, John never mentioned the word middle class once last night. Not. Once. McCain is clearly out of his league when it comes to the economy. Hence the reason you hear all the guilt-by-association ugliness coming from him and Palin.
Many people made reference to McCain referring to Obama as "That one." I found that quite condescending. As though Obama was an object and not a person. You see, I've usually heard that term used by my grandparents when they were being nasty or sarcastic towards someone. It was used dismissively; to objectify rather than humanize. It gives McCain the appearance of being annoyed that he has to even be in the same room as Obama---that young whippersnapper.
McCain's military position failed him because he still insists on that "victory in Iraq, don't bring them home in defeat" position. Geezez, this is not Iwo Jima where we plant a flag and scream yahoo, we won. I don't think McCain has a diplomatic bone in his body. Military might is not the sole answer to dealing with the problems in the world. Poor John is still fighting the Vietnam war. If he "knows" how to catch Bin Laden then why the hell hasn't he told anyone else for all these years? What nonsense.
Obama did himself proud. He was clear in his message and related well to the audience. I do believe he got the message across that he truly understands what people are dealing with these days. He came across as calm, pragmatic, thoughtful and Presidential. He wasn't afraid to tackle foreign policy and point out that Iraq was a mistake in judgment for McCain.
Obama's answer that health care was a right was awesome. It played well with those scoring the debate. Frankly, there's really no excuse that we don't have guaranteed health care in this nation. If we can waste $10 billion a month in Iraq, we can pay for health care. McCain thinks it's solely your own responsibility. Well, yes, it is a responsibility to stay healthy but there are things that happen that no one has control over...accidents, genetic disease, disease that comes with age, cancer, etc. I'd like John McCain to explain to me how one avoids getting a cold. I guess you need to lock yourself in your home. Being able to get good preventative health care actually saves money in the long run. Far too many never seek care until a health situation is terrible solely because they can't afford it. Plus, too many that have insurance now spend too much time arguing with the company over what gets paid. While I'd love to see Universal health care enacted, I'll settle for everyone being covered with good insurance that doesn't discriminate and is affordable for now.
Overall, the debate was sort of boring but Obama did well. He emphasized the "we" as opposed to McCain who told us that only "he" can solve things for us. It will take all of us working together to get this nation back on track. One man/woman can not do everything all at once. That's why Obama's talk of priorities rings truer than McCain's we'll do it all at the same time.
There will be pain over the next few years but I believe America will be better off in the long run under a President Obama. Change is coming and we'll all be a part of it.
QUICK EDIT: I forgot to mention the nauseating number of times McCain said "My Friends"...but only because I lost count after about 15! Gah, insane.
The ugliness is now on full display at McCain and Palin rallies. Yesterday's actions by some in the crowd were appalling. I was listening to Palin's rally when I heard that fool yell "KILL HIM." I assumed it was in reference to Palin yammering on about Bill Ayers but that's not really the point. The point is someone must be seriously disturbed to yell that kind of ugly garbage at a rally for a VP candidate. And it wasn't nastiness leveled only towards Ayers and Obama. It was also hurled towards the media covering the event. As Dana Milbank wrote in the Washington Post a sound man was treated to racially tinged remarks:
Worse, Palin's routine attacks on the media have begun to spill into ugliness. In Clearwater, arriving reporters were greeted with shouts and taunts by the crowd of about 3,000. Palin then went on to blame Katie Couric's questions for her "less-than-successful interview with kinda mainstream media." At that, Palin supporters turned on reporters in the press area, waving thunder sticks and shouting abuse. Others hurled obscenities at a camera crew. One Palin supporter shouted a racial epithet at an African American sound man for a network and told him, "Sit down, boy."
It made me ask myself what kind of people are attending the rallies. Is violent rhetoric really what the Republicans want to foment? Unfortunately I now do believe that's exactly the kind of ugly words they want to hear.
Now, McCain's rally wasn't much better. I also listened to him and heard someone yell TERRORIST after McCain questioned who Sen. Obama really is. Some people have said McCain looked surprised at that remark. I didn't see it that way. I thought he looked pleased with himself that he had elicited such a comment. It reminded me of the question asked of McCain during the primaries in reference to Hillary Clinton: How do we beat the bitch?
What I see playing out is the McCain/Palin team attempting to scare Americans by framing Barack Obama as "the other". As some kind of scary black guy with suspicious connections. Frankly, I find it disturbing. Disturbing that the party that behaves as though it owns Christianity can so freely hurl disgusting invectives. It's not a matter of simply disagreeing with political stances between the parties. It's the wholesale hatred that seems to embody a frenzied crowd. It's the hatred on display that some Republican supporters have for fellow Americans.
I've attended Obama rallies and you never hear the kind of garbage that was yelled at the McCain/Palin rallies expressed there. You'll hear boos when differing policies are mentioned but never the violent rhetoric. Obama's rallies are much more positive. And why shouldn't they be? After 8 years of Bush and crew we need to hope for a better future. We need to understand that it's going to take all of us, as Americans, pulling together to straighten out the mess we're in now.
It will not be easy to deal with what we have on our hands...2 wars, a financial nightmare, an outrageous lack of vision for America, no real plan for energy independence and a thousand other things that must be addressed. However, I'm not willing to succumb to the peddling of fear. I believe we can fix our problems and am ready and willing to do my part. I believe that with Obama as President we can all, once again, believe in what we can accomplish.
Ugliness will not help America recover from her ills. It only serves to drive us further apart. If this is all the McCain/Palin ticket has to say then it tells me they know they are losing and have no message to take America forward.
