Wishin' and a-Hopin'

Ladies and Germs, we have a special treat for you tonight:
Sarah Palin!

If you like seein' people get the wind knocked out of them, you are goin' to love watching Sarah Palin going up during her interview with Katie Couric:

I'd like to introduce Sarah to the letter "g" and the important role that it frequently plays in properly ending verbs in the English language.

That aside, the woman appears incapable of making any sense.

Not so dissimilar to another pretty beauty queen:


Sarah Palin V. Miss Teen South Carolina...Now THAT'S a debate I'd like to watch!

Eve Ensler on Sarah Palin

This is a passionate op-ed from Eve Ensler on Sarah Palin. I particularly identified with this:

...everything Sarah Palin believes in and practices is antithetical to Feminism which for me is part of one story -- connected to saving the earth, ending racism, empowering women, giving young girls options, opening our minds, deepening tolerance, and ending violence and war.

I don't know anyone who has been kidded into thinking that Sarah Palin's selection is indicative of Feminism's triumphs. That is not to say that those people aren't out there, so it's good to be--and make--clear:

Sarah Palin's selection is indicative of her connections to a region with remaining oil resources and her connections to big oil companies. It's indicative of her willingness to do the wrong thing for the sake of a slick short-sighted buck.

I Did It for Sarah Palin!

For those who didn't see it, this is a very fun skit from Saturday Night Live with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler doing Palin/Hillary.

Lack of qualifications and ethics aside (we're clearly no strangers to incompetent and corrupt leadership), is America ready for a pageant pretty President? Because let's face it, McCain's game is not going to get any better in the twilight years of his life (which he is, not insignificantly, in).


Speaking of Palin, below is a great idea that I got in an email from a friend this morning:

Instead of (in addition to?) us all sending around more emails about how horrible she is, let's all make a donation to Planned Parenthood. In Sarah Palin's name.

Here's the good part: when you make a donation to PP in her name, they'll send her a card telling her that the donation has been made in her honor. Click here to donate $10 to Planned Parenthood in Sarah Palin's honor. You'll need to fill in the address to let PP know where to send the "in Sarah Palin's honor" card.

Which can be sent to the McCain/Palin campaign headquarters at:

John McCain 2008
P.O. Box 16118
Arlington, VA 22215

What a great idea! I don't know who started it (could've been Planned Parenthood, for all I know), but it doesn't matter. I did it, and I'm happy as a clam that in my own small part, I get to simultaneously sock it to Palin and support a great organization.

Drill, Baby, Drill?

Americans are divided. I feel it: They frustrate me. It's hard for me to understand where they are coming from, and what they are thinking. It's tempting to dichotomize.

Us/Them
Republicans/Democrats
Conservatives/Liberals

Items like the video below are little taps on the mallet, incrementally widening the difference between them and me, or us. I never voted for Bush, but I recall his promises: a political moderate who would work with both sides to reach consensus. He was anti-big government.

I am dumbfounded that people who I know well--people who voted for Bush and then eventually arrived at the conclusion that he is morally incompetent and has led the U.S. profoundly astray--are onboard with the McCain/Palin ticket.

This is hard for me to be okay with. Particularly because it makes me wonder:

If a person realizes that their past votes have resulted in terrible elected officials and/or bad policy, wouldn't that give any reasonable person pause to more carefully consider their choices in the future?

But then you see clips like this:



and it reminds you how many people in this country do not think for themselves. Rather, they adopt the agendas and mantras of their affiliations, and regurgitate the prescribed message. Even when they are obviously idiotic ones, like:

Drill, Baby, Drill!

Sure, the audience was probably comprised of oil industry professionals. But if that's who the Republicans are going to pack in their house, should we really let them keep the keys to ours?

"Essentially"? Or "Literally"?

So the Fed decides to spend U.S. taxpayer money to bail out AIG. I say if AIG is poised to go under, why not let them!? I'll drink to that. Besides, it's not like the Fed would extend the same courtesy to private citizens, or small business owners. No. When they go down, that's chalked up to a failing business model. Personal failure. But what about institutionalized failure?

Better luck next time!?

Something happens once you (and your shareholders) cross that magical big boy threshold: you become...untouchable.

"We're essentially continuing a system where profits are privatized and...losses socialized," says an NYU academic.


Until what point are we going to keep standing for this particular sort of crap?

Cheney's a Cheat

Just as you might have suspected, wherever Cheney goes, corruption follows.

Here, Cheney's Halliburton appointee admits to bribery charges in securing Nigerian oil deals.

Sarah Palin Acceptance Speech at the RNC

Part I:

Feelin' Queasy?

Part II:

If You Want to Throw Up a Little, at Least You're Not Alone

Part III:

Of course the crowd goes wild: anyone objective or otherwise thinking was arrested!


Part IV:

Gotta say, though...she's got a point about Obama authoring two memoires, but no major law during his time as Senator.

BUT...

• Obama will reduce the strength of America in a dangerous world?
• America needs more energy, and [Obama] is against producing it?
• Victory in Iraq is within our sight, and [Obama] wants to forfeit?
• Al Queda terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America, and [Obama] is worried that someone won't read them their rights?

Come on, now!

• Government is too big and Obama will grow it?

Wait a minute. Who claimed to be "moderate" and against big government...Bush, right? Now we have the Patriot Act and Homeland Security.

• Obama will increase the tax burden?

Well, what about profiting off half a trillion tax payer dollars for an illegal and bogus war? It's been eight years of Republicans and our government doesn't seem so small, the American dollar so strong, or our "victory" so "in sight."

Part V:

Country First? I call "BULLSH*T!"