Republican-Free America

How far has Lincoln’s party fallen, to no longer preserve a Union, to divide the country by race, religion and personal belief? Yet these values are the new backbone of the Democratic party leadership.

“With malice towards none and charity toward all”, sounds like a policy that Barack Obama would advocate. I cannot imagine it coming off the lips, from the heart of one Republican, save the first – Abraham Lincoln.

The Republican legislatorial stall of the executive branch solution to the economic crisis is unbelievable. It is not the posturing, but their substantial knee-jerk remedy – tax cuts. No critical rethink of high level Capitalism or the nature of Government.  A broken record of the last 8 years while trying to finance a mistaken and divisive war  while declaring tax cuts, all the while increasing government spending. This is Lincoln’s Republican party?

Change was not enough in the last election. For the population to survive it may be time to campaign for a Republican-Free America.

We have been pushed so far to the Right, there is nothing Left.

Thinking Ahead

Who are we now? Able to elect a president with 500 million dollars, able to use the Internet to outfox immediate fear. Yet will we be able to take on the lame-duck economy and the thousand misfortunes we are heir to? One hopes Barack will channel the Internet as a means of running the democracy. Of the many hopes, let’s hope we can help.

How Do you Feel?

Landslide Predictions

Here is the predicted McCain Landslide. My guess 18 hours out? The election will end decisively by 11pm PST.  360 – 178. Obama clearly victorious taking out most Republican Congressional seats. Why? The party never atoned for Bush. Instead the Winking Wonderwoman from Wasilla grandstanded Bush values without apology.

Obama wins through superior organization, sensationally effective use of the Internet, the lack of Presidential support for McCain, a decisive end to the war in Iraq, and standing hard on Barack issues.  His superior finance was drawn from the electorate with a risk, but loud message – no lobbyist influence. Barack earned his war chest. McCain drained his from petro-donors and pharma-dollars. Barack thinks as we – enough is Enough!

Two good voting tools. The statistically correct 538 with background here. The interactive LATimes. Mine is 360 – 178. What’s yours?

Why I Still Have a Cavity

We all need dentistry, and we should give our money to causes we believe in, especially locally. But when the professional tells me how I must feel politically when I open my mouth to say Ah, I draw the line. Morning at the strip mall for drilling my teeth, there is a sign on the window. Yes on 8, and I am feeling uneasy, as this is a divisive and discriminatory proposition. 18 XRays later, the doctor finds the cavity. But the horror of his lurking politics exceeds the disease in my mouth. Appointment set. A few days later I feel the lurk. Maybe the image of “drill baby drill” is why I call him. Just remove the sign. He is adamant about his position of “family values”, and no explaining of needing dentistry rather than politics works. In a democracy there are many voices, and he is one, but I pay for this service. So my wife and I talk it out and next day cancel our appointments in protest. Does anyone know of a not-in-your face dentist about politics in Escondido California?

Thinking. Am I the intolerant one? So I play this out. I too have a family. I believe in love. He does too. But our loves differ. Mine comes from tested experience that concludes value in possibility. His comes from untested root belief that values narrowing. Love is generative, and as Socrates says comes from a poor God. I feel no vindication, but conclude I am in the right. 

So my wife and my tooth’s ache. At least our comedians and artists are funnier to ease us than his. In the end it is a free market and we will contribute to the balance sheet of anyone who believes it better to live in a democracy than a republic. Maybe who drills what does not matter.  The bottom line of why I have a cavity is this examination: Who we give money to is a form of political capital. Which merchants deserve our dollars? To give better goods at the lowest rate may not be enough. Seek out to reward those who share your hard-won life beliefs. In this way, they will profit and their business will grow. Their families grow. This has the effect of propagating our common values. You can be part of evolution after all.

Nov 5 update: “I can’t believe people voted for the rights of chickens but not for gays”.

What to do: Evan Handler begin with boycott yet I moved to California to leave the states of intolerance in the South. No self-respecting Californian wants to to become the State of Georgia or Kentucky in this regard. If you talk about putting an embargo on these hoodwinking hotels and discriminatory businesses, it will happen somewhat naturally. My family just jettisoned my placard bearing YesOnH8 dentist. We should use the Internet as open registry of businesses that support YesonH8.

Voting to Rehearse the Part to Play

Here’s the big difference in McCainer and Obamer outcomes. The John winners just wants to go back to their houses, watch TV and count money. The Barack winners want to play a part in the next government of change. I assume a Barack win, though I continue to call and canvass – not for victory – but to rehearse how to work for this new democracy. This outcome – to feel the pride of the founding fathers is not a flag moment, but a freedom ringing era.  It is not one party wins all, it is all of us as party to a new American  democracy. Witness the NYT writing straight out of baseball stats and Health care. The parts to play are many that the new President must summon – erasing the war from the balance sheet, founding global economic principle, starting the energy revolution, monitoring the world environment, and healing the method actors of anger.

Here are people already playing Absolutely love this Blues for Take’n it  Back...

Why I am a Mac and Not a PC

Above the fold, on the Apple site.

Apple is publicly opposing Proposition 8 and making a donation of $100,000 to the No on 8 campaign. Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights — including the right to marry — should not be affected by their sexual orientation. Apple views this as a civil rights issue, rather than just a political issue, and is therefore speaking out publicly against Proposition 8.

This is Why He is Winning

As the caustic campaign of the Republicans drags down our spirit, here is why America will be strong on January 20 at 12 noon. Take six minutes, sit back and feel human again.

Thanks Andrew Sullivan for the reminder, and his essay on BO4POTUS.

And an update with President Clinton on fire at Kissemmee, Florida making one of the best cases for Barack Obama.

Where is Republican Anger When you Need it?

Revolutions, ours beginning in 1775 and the French of 1789, showed how bloody an imperial revolt can be with guillotines, riots, and killing. Almost a prequel to a current Republican rally. Not to put to fine a point on it, but real patriotic anger aims at the Kings of a country’s injustice.

Is Obama really worth stirring up anger, as the “new” Republicans would like you to believe? Or is this a clever misdirection of anger most properly directed to AIG, the extraordinary wealthy, and a horrible executive branch? If Republicans really want to win this election big, they should not redirect, but tap into the clearly seething American anger against the actual symbols of the forces that have betrayed our economy. They could out-Obama Obama here.

All of this is encapsulated brilliantly by Maureen Dowd inciting us to look at the continuing bailout excesses, and to put our Anger where it belongs. A partridge hunt at Plumber Manor in England? She ends it well. Heads must roll.

Blow out that hate, brother:

Eskimo Rap and Colin Powell

One, Two, Three!

My name is Sarah Palin, you all know me.
Vice President nominee of the GOP.
Gonna need your vote in the next election.
Can I get a Whoop! Whoop! from the senior section.

McCain got experience, McCain got style.
But don’t let him freak you out when he tries to smile.
Cuz that smile be creepy. But when I’m VP
All the leaders in the world gonna finally meet me.

How’s it go Eskimos! (Eskimo!)
Tell me, tell me what you know Eskimos. (Eskimo!)
How you feel Eskimos? (Ice cold!)
Tell me, tell me what you feel Eskimos. (Super cold!)

I’m Jeremiah Wright so tonight I’m the preacher.
I got a bookish look and you’re all hot for teacher.
Todd lookin’ fine on his snow machine.
So hot for each other we got no between.

In Wasilla we just chill, baby chill’a.
But when I see oil it’s Drill, Baby, Drilla.

My country ’tis of thee,
From my porch I can see
Russia and such.

All the mavericks in the house put your hands up!
All the mavericks in the house put your hands up!
All the plumbers in the house pull your pants up!
All the plumbers in the house pull your pants up!

When I say Obama, you say Ayers!
Obama! (Ayers!) Obama! (Ayers!)

I built me a bridge, it ain’t goin’ nowhere.
Oohhh!

McCain-Palin gonna put the nail in the coffin
Of the media elite.
She likes red meat! (enter moose)

Shoot a mother-humpin’ moose 8 days of the week!
(gunshots – moose drops)
Now you’re dead!
Now you’re dead cuz I’m an animal!
And I’m bigger than you!
Holding a shotgun, rocking the pumps.
Everybody party, we’re going on the hood.
La La, La La, La La, La La!

(gunshots)
Yo! I’m Palin! I’m out!