Last night, for the bagillionth time in the last nine months, my president made me proud. It's like Obama is on some sort of quest to make me proud of my country again or something...

I hope you watched the speech on healthcare to Congress last night. I hope that any questions or fears were allayed and I hope you went to sleep feeling a little better about our possibilities of solving this decades old dilemma. Most of all I hope something positive comes from this.

If you watched, you were treated to the latest in Republican self-implosion techniques as Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) shouted "You lie!" and "Not true!" during the speech. I thought my head was going to explode! Since when is it okay for members of Congress to shout down a president during a speech? I don't care what party is in power--it is not appropriate.

Thanks Joe Wilson for adding another shovel of dirt on your party's already heaping grave. You guys are making this effortless.

Big ups to the members of the GOP who all but broke a leg to rush out of the chamber and denounce their colleague with demands for apology. However, they weren't fast enough to keep up with Wilson who blazed a trail reminiscent of the Road Runner before them. Wilson has issued an apology, but that may be little comfort to his party today as they try to distance themselves and defend him all at the same time. Should be an interesting news cycle, no?

Anyone spot Eric Cantor outside the chamber pourin' one out for his homies? Anyone? Nobody.

fucking sarah palin....

I'm so frustrated about the health care debate, or lack thereof. I should say instead that a debate on health care is trying to occur but some loudmouthed, fear mongering, flag-waving nationalists are hijacking the effort.
I follow a few politicos on Twitter and have been keeping up with how their town hall meetings have been going in the last few weeks. It seems to me that the few minutes of outrage (fake or otherwise) is surpassing and overshadowing the progress that is being made during these efforts. Poor Claire McCaskill from Missouri. Prior to her town hall this week I know she was trying to diffuse any possible ruffles by speaking in terms that were extremely inclusive and giving the benefit of the doubt to the rabble rousers. Her efforts were in vain, and the few minutes of turmoil at her meeting were promptly featured on the news. You can feel the frustration in her post to tumblr: "I'm sad that way too much time has been spent on those 3 minutes and not enough time on the other 117minutes."
I think that is how most of us feel. The squeaky wheel needs to shut up. If the squeaky wheel had a valid, logical argument then okay! squeak away, but it doesn't and therefore should be banished to the junkyard. When squeaky wheel has a real squeak it may come back. Okay..done with the wheel analogy.
And then there is Charles Grassley from Iowa who from one side of his face supports and helped craft the bill, and from the other side of his hypocritical face he says this:


He is even using the very words that the president used in his own town hall meeting earlier this week. Unconscionable and reckless.
Grassley's comments came ballsilly (yes I said it) AFTER Obama held his own town hall meeting refuting the "death panel" claims stirred up by that piece of crap that we just can't get off our shoe, Sarah Palin:
"Let me just be specific about some things that I've been hearing lately that we just need to dispose of here. The rumor that's been circulating a lot lately is this idea that somehow the House of Representatives voted for "death panels" that will basically pull the plug on grandma because we've decided that we don't -- it's too expensive to let her live anymore. And there are various -- there are some variations on this theme.
It turns out that I guess this arose out of a provision in one of the House bills that allowed Medicare to reimburse people for consultations about end-of-life care, setting up living wills, the availability of hospice, et cetera. So the intention of the members of Congress was to give people more information so that they could handle issues of end-of-life care when they're ready, on their own terms. It wasn't forcing anybody to do anything. This is I guess where the rumor came from."

It's times like these that show our intelligence. Dissent is patriotic. Freedom of speech is essential. That speech should however, be informed, intelligent and not based on fear and sour grapes.

After watching this ridiculous clip, I have one question: Has anyone checked this lady's birth certificate, because last I heard aliens from space weren't official citizens. I'm just sayin'...

This sign has nothing to do with the video clip other than it is equally as hilarious. Just had to share because, well it's funny in so many ways! This is the brain trust we are up against people!

fun with the nutwings

Make sure you print yours today!
Oooh! Don't forget to carry it in a baggy! And dust off your tinfoil hat too!

Forgive me for being a couple of days late on this, but it is still in the news and timely nonetheless.

Now, please forgive me for making this face as I read Jake Tapper's CliffsNotes version of all the hubub.

Goody! Been looking forward to getting the skinny on Obama's Plan for Gay Rights.

**RAMBLE ALERT**

I am just sick of the way the media has been handling this whole Dick Cheney vs. Barack Obama farce this week. Let's take a sec and think about this:

• Where in the world was Dick the majority of the time he was actually IN office?
• If the argument is that the Bush administration was doing so much to protect us, then why did we get attacked in the first place?
• Why is it that since Obama was elected we are suddenly and completely unsafe although nothing has been changed as far as procedures of national security are concerned. We are still running things like the Bush Administration did. There hasn't even been time to change anything, so we can't be in more danger.
• The Cheney camp is trumpeting that "the people" should be involved in making the decision regarding our national security. Really? REALLY?! Seems to me that when the GOP was in power, we "the people" were TOLD what to do, what to think, and what to say. Oh and by the way you'll like it too! If you don't you'll be branded a terrorist or unpatriotic.
• Where were you, Dick Cheney, on September 11th? just wonderin'.
• Don't you dare bring up the point that "thousands were killed in the name of terror" when you used that horrible day to orchestrate the killing of tens of thousands in our name. Those people say the same things about us, and rightly so.
• Since when does simulating drowning get filed under "tough questioning"?
• I am insulted that the networks are demeaning Barack by sporting a split screen of him and Cheney all week. This is not a debate people. Obama is our president, not Dick Cheney.
• What does it say about the state of our media when the networks so effortlessly fall into the snare of promoting this ridiculous agenda of Cheney's? How pathetic and sad that no one is willing to grow a pair and say no. Bunch of fucking lemmings.

Is it just me or does the GOP look like a bunch of crazy, clueless, loons? Exactly how far do they have to go and how much do they have to go against the recovery plan before their base starts to wake up? I mean, is anyone in the Republican party, meaning real-life voters, willing to say they support this bunch of lost buffoons who feel it is more important to vote 'no' on everything and throw the well-being of the masses out the window?

When it comes right down to it, someone who is struggling to make ends meet or keep their house is going to take help from ANYONE and it won't matter which party they represent. I think it's safe to say that voters, if in dire straights are going to start experiencing the political equivalent to a "Come to Jesus" moment. I like to call it a "Come to Barack" moment if you will.

All of the sudden times are hard and only one person can help you out of the muck.

Ohh I am dancing around a touchy subject for most. I can hear you groaning. I've not only mentioned Barack Hussein Obama, (D) in the same sentence as Jesus (gasp) but I've also likened him to having or inflicting similar moments on the people.

Call me a pot-stirrer and button pusher. I'm cool with it.

pinch me

What a comforting sight.

Today's the Day

I woke up at 2:30 am this morning and wondered if Barack and Michelle were actually sleeping. If so, how in the world?! I'm not even involved or present. Heck I don't even have the day off and I can't sleep!

Now that I'm up and have had the chance to see what is happening in DC, I sure hope they got some sleep because this is only part of what is waiting for them today:

Absolutely incredible. Before the ceremonies start, millions of people from all over the world will fill the Mall in Washington, temperatures hovering in the high teens, wind chill in the single digits, all in effort to be a part of history as it unfolds. America and the world are desperate to feel good again. Yearning to feel proud again. Longing to look ahead with hope and confidence.

What a day.

Awesomeness of 2008

During the New Year holiday it's always easy to look back on the previous 12 months and point out some of the crappy things that have occurred. Lord knows that the last eight years have been bountiful in the crap department. So this year I wanted to share a few of the great things that I think helped fill the year with positivity for us as individuals, a people, and a community. I'd love to hear some of yours!

Happy New Year!

Barack Obama

We as a nation rose to the occasion, and elected our first African American president. Although the fact that we made history with that vote is not lost on me, I'm more proud of the fact that we elected the right person. We actually weighed the possibilities and used our intellect to cast our vote. Good morning, America.

Rachel Maddow You must be living under a rock or Fox News if you haven't heard about this awesome new addition to the political news landscape. Actually, I'm sure Fox News junkies know about her too. How can you miss such a fresh, smart, poised, confident face chomping at your heels?

Pushing Daisies So we got two seasons of smart witty television out of this show. I should be happy and thankful, but I'm kind of bitter and cranky about it. I wish we as viewers could handle fast-paced, smart, multiple storylined dialogue. But, apparently if it's not dripping in obvious humor, sappy uninventive love triangles, stethoscopes and lanes of Wisteria we just can't keep up. So, Pushing Daisies is to be relegated to the back room marked cancelled. I think there is an open seat next to Arrested Development.
Duffy and Adele In a year filled with more head shakingly awful hip-hop, emo boy bands wearing girls jeans, and yes another Britney comeback (blechh) we were so fortunate that the UK shared Duffy and Adele with us! These girls made it enjoyable to listen to an entire CD and appreciate an artist who can actually sing. Duffy's breakout single "Mercy" made the rounds on the radio and could be heard as bumper music for some TV shows which helped her sell an excellent album. Adele had the great fortune to be seen by millions on Saturday Night Live the night Tina Fey and Sarah Palin did "some fancy pageant walkin' " and her sales soared. Couple those events with an appearance on Ellen and I think Duffy and Adele have reached the audiences that deserve to know them! Are you in the know?
Fallout 3

What can I say about the game that has, at current count, taken 110 hours of my life? I think one word is--AWESOME! Post-Apocalypse DC never looked so good, played so well, and engaged me to the point that I recruited my lovely to play and now we are relegated to set a timer so we each get fair, measured exposure. 42 year old body...14 year old mind
3 months of a quiet night's sleep Anyone privy to our struggles here at the house with the students living next door know how wonderful it is for me to say that save for one or two nights, we have slept through the night for an entire semester! It's just amazing what can happen when the City Code Board gets involved...

dooce Although not new to me this year, dooce.com and it's creator Heather Armstrong continue to highlight my web experience and never fail to make me chuckle. You should check her out. This, people, is blogging done the cha-chingy way!

flailing economy

I like having extra cash and less worry, but it seems like we could come out better on the other side having learned lessons in true conservatism and frugality.

Hillary Clinton "Although we weren't able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it's got about 18 million cracks in it, and the light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a little easier next time."
It was an historic campaign and those eloquent words will be what I remember about this candidate. Hillary stood on that stage and delivered the most heartfelt speech of her career with words that hit me in the heart and made me proud to be a woman and a supporter.

Tina Fey

Tina, Tina, Tina...you just creeped right into our living rooms and made yourself at home didn't you? It's because of you that I even let that ridiculous Sarah Palin grace my television set.
I have always loved Tina and her highbrow brand of humor, and after she left SNL to branch out into her awesome show "30 Rock" I felt a little better about the state of the television sitcom. Kooky governors from Alaska will come and go, but Mom Jeans will always be in style!

Defeat of Prop 8 Would it have been nice to know that California would allow gay marriage after November? Sure. Am I disappointed? Of course. But I am reminded that something of this magnitude, something that will surely get the ball rolling for the rest of the country, will be met with resistance. No matter the resistance or failure, it is still a step forward. This too WILL pass.

yes we can

For weeks leading up to this historic election, we took pictures and video representing the mood in our Democratic little pocket of Florida, and my lovely conjured up with this incredible montage. Props to my girl who is becoming such a whiz on the MacBook!
If you like it, pass it on, post it, play it on a hanging bed sheet for your next outdoor BBQ, burn it to DVD and give it away for the holidays! The economy is rough, and gifts are hard to come by...you're welcome, happy to help. Enjoy.

post-election withdrawal

Doesn't it feel good to wake up today and know that our country will soon be in the hands of someone who has a plan, someone who surrounds himself with people who want a better America, someone who reads, someone who is curious, someone who cares? What a wonderful feeling.
Yesterday was pretty much a blur and reserved for the election hangover I thought I might experience. We rescheduled work so we could stay up all night and watch the results roll in. I had no idea it would be such an early evening, and I am not complaining. I just can't hang with the all-nighters anymore. More importantly, it was nice to go to sleep at a decent hour knowing who won. It actually felt like election nights are supposed to feel. Complete. Decided. Shenanigan-free.
I can't imagine how the media is going to shift gears after following things so closely for the last year+. I find it hard to shut off that part of my brain and I'm just a regular news watcher. In the last few months I have posted over 40 times about this election and my outrage/hope for our future. This blog was born from my frustration with the government and Bush in particular. I needed a place to rant and spew my thoughts. I was encouraged by my lovely to just get the thoughts, hopes and fears out via my fingertips. It has been a great thing, but wouldn't it be great if I never had to rant about anything political again? Pie in the sky, Brain, pie in the sky...

Wowee Wednesday

wow.

Take a look around today as we celebrate this incredible victory. Take a moment to think about who made this possible. Take a minute to reflect on the number of voices that shouted into this megaphone towards triumph, and the variety of persons that collectively made this hope a reality.

Caucasians, do not solely thank yourselves. It took a plethora of colors to make this happen. African-Americans, it was not solely you as a community that brought this man into power. It took a myriad of hands and faces to make this day possible. My point is, without each other we would never have prevailed. It took the courage of all of us to make this day happen. It took our conviction and courage to make this step towards erasing the ugly stains of prejudice from our country.

During the next few days, whenever possible, thank someone you know that took the time to vote and promote this new leader. We all did it, and without every color marching to the polls none of it would have been possible. Together we made it happen. We might want to take this recipe and make it a template for change in our world. Look what we can do when we work together!

Congratulations, America.

one more day

You voted, right?

gearing up

Going to see The Capitol Steps this afternoon in what kicks off the next few days of anticipation and celebration. It's weird how this week feels so much like a holiday week. We are going to a show, we are taking Wednesday off, Joe Biden is in town, I even got a new shirt to wear this week to encourage voting. It's gonna be a fun week!

Awww. there you go again Joe, readin' my blog...

Somebody's been peeping at my blog and taking my advice to shut up! I just didn't think he'd leave Grampy McSame hanging like this...

No-Show Joe

Thanks to Dave for this incredible video link. Pretty much says it all, ladies.

The Two-Legged Zoo

Lately the term "socialist" has been being flung harder than the poo in the monkey cage at the local zoo. Let's take a minute and refresh our vocabulary:

so·cial·ism (sō'shə-lĭz'əm)
1. Any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy.
2. The stage in Marxist-Leninist theory intermediate between capitalism and communism, in which collective ownership of the economy under the dictatorship of the proletariat has not yet been successfully achieved.

So, the first definition sounds pretty much like our tax system. Collecting taxes. Redistributing or sharing, if you will. In the current climate no one would dare agree to that being true, but somehow on the day of his Inauguration, Barack will have us in a Socialist state. Okay maybe I'm exaggerating, but certainly in the first month, no doubt.

When Barack used the term "sharing the wealth" to that GOP tool "Joe the Plumber", he opened a can of worms that seems to have played into the sweaty hands of McCain at first glance. However, as is with the majority of his campaign thus far, he is speaking before checking the clear facts around him. Lucky for us, my lovely found this article today. Check out this clip from an article in The New Yorker:

For her part, Sarah Palin, who has lately taken to calling Obama “Barack the Wealth Spreader,” seems to be something of a suspect character herself. She is, at the very least, a fellow-traveller of what might be called socialism with an Alaskan face. The state that she governs has no income or sales tax. Instead, it imposes huge levies on the oil companies that lease its oil fields. The proceeds finance the government’s activities and enable it to issue a four-figure annual check to every man, woman, and child in the state. One of the reasons Palin has been a popular governor is that she added an extra twelve hundred dollars to this year’s check, bringing the per-person total to $3,269. A few weeks before she was nominated for Vice-President, she told a visiting journalist—Philip Gourevitch, of this magazine—that “we’re set up, unlike other states in the union, where it’s collectively Alaskans own the resources. So we share in the wealth when the development of these resources occurs.” Perhaps there is some meaningful distinction between spreading the wealth and sharing it (“collectively,” no less), but finding it would require the analytic skills of Karl the Marxist.

Sounds pretty "share the wealth"ey doesn't it? Taxing someone with money and spreading it around to those without. How about McCain's 2000 Hardball appearance about higher taxes for the wealthy in an exchange with a voter:

McCain replied that “wealthy people can afford more” and that “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.” The exchange continued:

YOUNG WOMAN: Are we getting closer and closer to, like, socialism and stuff?. . .

MCCAIN: Here’s what I really believe: That when you reach a certain level of comfort, there’s nothing wrong with paying somewhat more.

First of all, don't you think wife Cindy smacked his bald little head for that last comment? heehee just visualize that...

Secondly, it's yet another case of this campaign taking an idea, making it seems demonic to suit their purposes, and not bothering to check themselves first. The hypocrisy is astounding.

The next time someone brings up the whole scary wealth spreading socialist point to you, arm yourself with these two facts and fire away. Both are documented quotes from the candidates.

There are only a few days left to endure this crap. Arm yourself with facts. The other side only has poo.