Vote for Obama today!

To Obama supporters: Please don't neglect to vote today. Many of the predictions are encouraging, but don't get complacent and think that you don't need to vote. Who knows, you might be in line next to an undecided voter, and you can talk to them about your choice.

To undecided voters: If you really exist, then I encourage you to vote your hopes instead of your fears, and not to let the Repubs scare you with whatever they're trying to scare you with today. All you hear from them are lies, smears, and personal attacks, because they can't stand on the issues alone.

No candidate is perfect, but Obama offers this country the best chance to move in a new, positive direction. Ending the fraudulent war in Iraq, giving tax relief to ordinary Americans instead of to corporate billionaires, and leading our country with intelligence and wisdom instead of continuing the idiocy of the last eight years -- these are only a few of the reasons to VOTE OBAMA.

What to do if you can't volunteer for Obama

There's a very simple way to contribute to this important and historic movement, and help to ensure that Barack Obama is elected over the lying, cheating, morally repugnant faction of Republicans that currently runs that party.

Contribute a small amount of money to the Obama campaign. Even $5 or $10 helps. Here's the thing: the deadline is TODAY. Final decisions about the Obama campaign's ground operation will be based on the financial resources they have on hand as of midnight on Friday (that's Thursday night).

Plus, if you donate $10 or more, you get a cool car magnet. If you donate $20, they'll send you an Obama/Biden t-shirt. So it's a win-win situation.

Soon it will be too late to contribute to the campaign. Do it now while you're thinking about it.

Palin is not qualified to be VP

I'm sorry, but it's more and more clear every day that Sarah Palin is not qualified to be anywhere near the Presidency. Here is the transcript of part of Katie Couric's interview with Sarah Palin:

COURIC: Explain to me why [Alaska's proximity to Russia] enhances your foreign policy credentials.

PALIN: Well, it certainly does, because our, our next door neighbors are foreign countries. They're in the state that I am the executive of. And there in Russia--

COURIC: Have you ever been involved with any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?

PALIN: We have trade missions back and forth. We, we do, it's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia, as Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where, where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is, from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there. They are right next to, to our state.

Why does this remind me of Miss Teen South Carolina? These are the responses of someone who doesn't know what the hell she is talking about. And actually, I'm not the slightest bit sorry.

How much satisfaction can $5 buy?

Saw this on a listserv today... what a great idea.

"Here's the deal-make a $5 donation to Planned Parenthood. In honor of Sarah Palin. The best part is (1) it's tax-deductible and (2) PP will send a card to Sarah Palin letting her know about your gift. Support a good cause (a necessary cause---PP is fighting for so many important services and issues) and send a message to the McCain/Palin campaign that you think choice is important, health care for women is important, sex and health education are important, etc. Donating $5 never felt so good!

To donate $5: https://secure.ga0.org/02/pp10000_inhonor

And enter Sarah Palin's name and the address of the McCain/Palin campaign.
John McCain 2008
P.O. Box 16118
Arlington, VA 22215"

Can you think of a better use for five dollars?

Edumacation

I found this on a message board and thought I'd share, even though I'm aware that some on the right claim that a lack of education makes one more fit to hold high office. I just don't understand the right's position that ignorance is something of which to be fiercely proud. Ow, my balls!

Obama:
Occidental College (Los Angeles) - 2 years studying Politics and Public Policy.
Columbia University (New York) - B.A. Political Science with a specialization in International Relations.
Harvard Law School - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude, Editor-in-Chief of the Harvard Law Review.

Biden:
University of Delaware - B.A. in History and a B.A. in Political Science.
Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)

McCain:
United States Naval Academy - Class rank 894 of 899.

Palin:
Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester - Business Administration.
North Idaho College - 2 semesters - General Studies.
University of Idaho - 2 semesters - Journalism.
Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester.
University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in Journalism.

McCain and Palin are liars

A story at AlterNet lists 20 of the McCain campaign's lies. From the story:

"John McCain is a liar. And so is the woman he now shares the Republican ticket with. Yes, Sarah Palin is a liar, too. Together they are responsible for one of the most inaccurate and misleading presidential campaigns, in a business known for inaccuracy and misdirection. But even by the standards of American politics, the McCain-Palin ticket seems to be in a race with itself to set new standards of low.

This isn't opinion, this is fact. Time and time again, on the campaign trail, in press briefings and in interviews, McCain and Palin flip-flop on the issues, propagate myths they know to be false, and flat-out lie to the American people."

I want the t-shirt

Someone writing on John McCain's website made a reference to "the pro-Obama Dungeons & Dragons crowd." I didn't even know there was such a crowd. Seems like somebody would have sent me an e-mail about it at some point. Does anyone have a link to where I can buy the t-shirt? I'd wear that t-shirt.

I think the comment was (somehow) trying to criticize opponents of McCain for perceived slights against McCain's military service, or something?

I'll say it again: I have great respect and humble gratitude towards those citizens who would put themselves in harm's way in service to our country, but doing so doesn't qualify them to be President.

UPDATE: Also, when you look closely, McCain seems kinda dumb.

John McCain plagiarizes speech from Wikipedia

There are several reports today that parts of John McCain's speech about the Russian invasion of Georgia were plagiarized from Wikipedia. Are you freaking kidding me? Lifting passages from an online encyclopedia is something we have to teach children not to do, and this elderly man who wants to be President thinks that it's okay to try to pass off Wikipedia's words as his own?

There is reporting of the story at The Washington Independent and AlterNet, but the story apparently originated from CQ Politics.

John McCain is not fit to be President. I have great respect for his service to the country, but being a POW does not by itself qualify him to be President. He demonstrates day after day that he is completely out of touch with reality.

Be courageous, America, and do not vote for this confused man.

McCain continues to be confused, part 2

This morning on Good Morning America, Diane Sawyer asked John McCain whether "the situation is Afghanistan in precarious and urgent", and McCain replied, "I think it's serious. . . . It's a serious situation, but there's a lot of things we need to do. We have a lot of work to do and I'm afraid it's a very hard struggle, particularly given the situation on the Iraq/Pakistan border."

I'll send you ten bucks if you can show me the Iran/Pakistan border on a map (hint: it doesn't exist). See the video here.

I know that McCain is an intelligent and honorable fellow, but does he really have the sharpness of mind necessary to be President? He's only going to get older over the next four years.

McCain continues to be confused

Earlier today, John McCain described his concerns about Russia's recent action of "reducing the energy supplies to Czechoslovakia." McCain, who wants to be President, apparently doesn't know that there is no such country as Czechoslovakia. It was dissolved politically in 1993. Fifteen years ago.

We shouldn't worry, however, that McCain is uninformed. The New York Times yesterday quoted him as saying that, although he himself has not yet "mastered how to use the Internet," his wife and his aides are there to help him to get online. The story quotes McCain as follows:

“They go on for me,” he said. “I am learning to get online myself, and I will have that down fairly soon, getting on myself. I don’t expect to be a great communicator, I don’t expect to set up my own blog, but I am becoming computer literate to the point where I can get the information that I need.”

So, don't fret about McCain being uninformed or confused by the realities of today's world. He'll be getting online all by himself... fairly soon.

McCain wants civilians dead

Pittsburgh, July 8, 2008:

Reporter: We've learned that the exports to Iran increased by tenfold during the Bush administration. The biggest export was cigarettes. Given that the [McCain looks surprised], yeah, that the, supposedly that the--

John McCain: "Maybe that's a way of killing them." (laughter)

I'm sorry, making jokes about the killing of civilians in another country is just another piece of evidence that McCain does not have the right temperament to be President. Is he also still confusing Shia and Sunni?

Please, potential McCain voters, give your vote some more thought. Don't let the Republicans manipulate you with the fear card.

Congress needs to hold Cheney accountable

"Congress must force Vice President Cheney to respond to its subpoenas. If he continues to obstruct justice and disregard the rule of law, Congress has no choice but to begin impeachment proceedings against him."

Sign the petition here.

Bumper Stickers

From the "What Breed of Liberal Are You" quiz comes these humorous bumper sticker ideas:

• I'm Already Against the Next War
• Nice Hummer — Sorry About Your Penis
• America: One Nation Under Surveillance
• Of Course It Hurts, You're Getting Screwed by an Elephant
• Evolution Is Just a Theory . . . Kind of Like Gravity
• May the Fetus You Save Be Gay

Yes Men sighting

Wired is reporting that The Yes Men have struck again, this time appearing at an oil industry conference to deliver a keynote address in which they proposed to keep fuel flowing in an oil shortage by transforming human corpses into oil.

I love these guys. Check out the Yes Men movie if you haven't seen it. The Yes Men should be watched, honored, and emulated by as many people as possible.

Restore Our Rights

To sign the petition yourself, visit this ACLU page.

"To My Members of Congress:

The Constitution and due process are in danger in America, as the Bush administration continues to run roughshod over our most fundamental constitutional rights.

We can no longer stand on the sidelines while the president extinguishes the light of American values, our civil liberties, and respect for law.

The America we know is disappearing, and the time to reverse this trend is now. I urge you to act immediately to:

1. Restore habeas corpus and due process.
2. Pass the Restoring the Constitution Act of 2007.
3. End torture and abuse in secret prisons.
4. Stop extraordinary rendition: secretly kidnapping people and sending them to countries that torture.
5. Close the detention center at Guantánamo Bay and give those held there access to justice.
6. Investigate wrongdoing and ensure those who broke the law are held accountable.
7. Restore American values and the rule of law.

Our commitment to freedom and fairness have made America the great country that it is today.

That is why we’ve come together to demand that you act immediately to preserve the hard-won rights that define us as a nation.

I stand with the ACLU and my fellow Americans, in person or in spirit, as we gather in Washington to restore our America this June 26, 2007."

A reminder for Americans

George W. Bush will look you in the eye and lie to you. Dick Cheney will look you in the eye and lie to you. Condoleeza Rice will look you in the eye and lie to you.

Actually, none of these liars will ever actually look you in the eye. They don't give a damn about you, or your family, or your neighborhood, or your town.

They're exploiting you, and they're using you, and they're getting richer every day at the expense of this country.

Just a friendly reminder.