Wednesday, September 17, 2008

As America faces our biggest financial crises since the Great Depression...

I thought the following was interesting. Some of you may have seen a version of this email that is going around. I have been laying off the political posts. I wanted to say something about Palin's ABC interview but was so angry I decided for my mental health not to write it. ha

But with the market's dive yesterday and one of the largest investment banks America shutting down (Lehman Brothers) after 100 years and another financial company in trouble, AIG, I can't sit back chilling in Rome like it doesn't impact me. I might not have much money in the market (I'm broke) but the ramifications of this are severe not just for Americans but for the world markets. That this disaster is a direct result of some of Bush's economic policies is even more reason to say NO to McCain/Palin. That Palin thinks it's okay to be a VP and not even know what the Bush Doctrine is, is so mind blowing to me I cannot believe it's even a discussion that McCain made a terrible and cynical choice. The country is hurting and the Republicans wants to run an election based on a "cultural war".

I hope enough people will see through the hypocrisy. Like I said before, the Democratic ticket isn't perfect but I feel like they actually know WTF is going on. That people are losing their homes, that for the 8th month in a row in the U.S. we lost a slew of jobs, that the fact that companies have to hire large number of illegal immigrants for jobs American won't do and a large number of legal ones for jobs Americans are unable to do is a major problem. I hope American voters prove Rick Davis (McCain's campaign manager) wrong. He said to the press that this election is not about issues. Something tells me after yesterday's terrible news folks might start to care about the issues.

The Republicans have done a great job so far flaming the "cultural war".

* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're 'exotic,
different.'
* Grow up in Alaska eating moose burgers, a quintessential American story.


* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
* Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.


* Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.
* Attend 5 different colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.


Now, let's get down to Moose-meat, here we go...

* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first
black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive
that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law
professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with
over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human
Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a
state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the
Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs
committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.

...however...

* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council
and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as
the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to
become the country's second highest ranking executive.



* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2
daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real
Christian.

...however...

* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your
disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.




* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the
proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.

...however...

* If , while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other
option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen
daughter ends up pregnant , you're very responsible.



* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a
prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community,
then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent
America's.

...however....

* If your husband is nicknamed 'First Dude', with at least one DWI
conviction and no college education, and he didn't register to vote until age
25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska
from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.

OK, much clearer now.

Now let's talk about socio/psycho-pathic preachers, which at my count stands two to one...

31 comments:

Michelle | Bleeding Espresso said...

It's the economy, stupid? Anyone? Mah. Hard to stay sane when you watch the polls, I tell you.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

michelle - I know.

These are serious times. We need people in the White House who understand this. McCain's pick was not serious. What happened to the McCain I knew from before? Who is this guy?

Korie said...

Thinking about this election and the possible repercussions of how easily the American people can be fooled literally makes me nauseous. I plan on voting via absentee ballot but I really can't follow the rest of it. IT gives me migraines and makes me sick. The amount of hatred I have for right wing America is unhealthy.
But at least I recognize that I guess.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

lilacspecs - I just received my absentee ballot in the mail. I have Republican friends and they're not sure what happened to their party. It's very hard for a Republican to win national office without the support of the far right. A few years again McCain said that group was hurting the party, now he's courting them.

Michellanea said...

Couldn't agree more!

erin said...

i'm gritting my teeth, my lips are pursed together, and i'm shaking my head...I wouldn't be surprised if acutal smoke was coming out of my ears too.

Anonymous said...

This is serious business. People have a right to be scared.

And on that note- yesterday some idiot advisor in the McCain camp, when pressed for an answer to something that McCain did to help the economy in his 26 years in the Senate- held up his blackberry as he gave McCain credit for creating it!!!!! The blackberry!!!!!!!!!!

Wha???? For real???? He doesn't even use the internet!!!! And the blackberry is from Canada!!!!

I feel like I am watching an Abbott & Costello routine instead of a Presidential election.

glamah16 said...

Scary times. Thats why its healhty to let all out in these posts. I love reading them because you say it so well. You broke it down . I see in your commnets that you wondered what happened to the old McCain.This is not the man I watcheed with some slight curiosity and interest before. Hes just given in .

Anonymous said...

Preach on, sister. Have you read
http://www.redroom.com/blog/tim-wise/this-your-nation-white-privilege
It's hard to believe that there are so many delusional Americans.

Anonymous said...

Seriously, how can anyone know what the Bush Doctrine is when Bush changes it every month or so (whenever the polls for the decision to invade Iraq are lower than usual)
As for the economy, yeah, Bush is president, and ultimately the buck stops there, but it was a Democratic congress. Congress has something to do with the economic mess we are in. So do Wall street brokers, bankers, and unrealistic Americans who think that you can buy a house with ten dollars in the bank and no job.

Diana Strinati Baur said...

amen sister. It is really terribly insane, isn't it. The American need to have someone "just like them" in the White House -- aka the Disney Movie version of reality -- is pretty strong. Down home McCain and his huntin' fishin' girlie vp. But he ain't all that down home (ask his first wife) and hell, she don't care if your fourteen year old gets raped, she should have that baby!! Be careful what you want, America, you might get it. Which, in this case, might seal our fate as a modern - day Roman Empire, rotting slowly from the inside.

gibber said...

J. Doe...come on now :) Dems have been in charge of Congress for less than two years - with a SLIM majority. Kinda hard to overturn the crap the Republican-controlled congress did for the LAST SIX with a REPUBLICAN governor.

Please may the American people not be so stupid to believe that it was not a CONSERVATIVE AGENDA in charge for the last 8 years, because it WAS. And while McCain wants to pretend that he was fighting it all the way, a 90% voting record with Bush ISN"T GOING TO CUT IT. Wake up people!

Anyone who's in politics knows what the Bush Doctrine is. I don't expect folks "outside the beltway" to know, but I also don't expect those people to BE MY VICE PRESIDENT.

Aww, see sis? You got me YELLING and typing VERY angrily. The Lehman,AIG shit has me SCARED. I'm surrounded by smart policy people who've watched Wall Street for decades and THEY ARE FREAKING OUT.

Now is not the time to give the Republicans FOUR MORE YEARS to F*CK it up! Is the Obama/Biden ticket perfect? No, but is sure as hell is better that McCain/Palin.

Oh god. I'm so glad I have my French Passport...just in case people don't WAKE THE F*CK UP!

chris☆lewis said...

Right on. I have friends and family that share our perspective, and friends and family that don't. I've yet to hear a coherent, issues-based argument from those who don't have this perspective, and so am left to believe it has to do with years of indoctrination and a clinging to the belief that morality, as seen by the right, is something to be legislated. I'm preparing to have some engaged conversations with some of them, hoping to understand their steadfastness and hoping they will consider further introspection. Here's to hoping.

Kit Aerie-el said...

Excellent synopsis and comparison of the two sides of the ticket.

In addition, how about 'Troopergate'...beneficial for the Republicans and Palin? Seems that it's a good diversion from any light being shed on the minuscule sliver of experience and the (lack of) knowledge Palin has on international and economic affairs. Hey, but she can see Russia from her house. Well, that seals the deal for me then.

Anonymous said...

Well written post. I'll leave it at that.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

michellanea - I just read Palin's approval rating dropped 10 points since Saturday so maybe people are looking at the actually issues and not her family stuff. we'll see.

erin - I feel you.

my melange - I heard about that. Seriously it's like Nero watching Rome burn.

glamah16 - I know! Back in 2000 McCain was not like this.

rose - I haven't seen it. I'm trying to ease up on all the political stuff less I lose my mind. :)

j.doe - I do agree that some Americans did buy more house than they could afford. However, the majority of the problem was that the lenders were making some very risky loans. Interest only loans also became a problem. Keep in mind some people are losing their homes because they don't have a job. We are in a recession. regarding congress, gibber already spoke to that. Regarding the Bush Doctrine, I don't care if he changed it every hour. He is the head of her party and the President. She is running for VP. It is the defining foreign policy for our country. Palin should know what it is.

diana - I worked in politics in my 20s. I don't get the whole wanting to have a beer with the President thing. When did that become so important? I understand needing to feel like you know the person but could you imagine, FDR, Eisenhower, JFK or LBJ trying to run now? I want my President to be brilliant and a good manager. To have ideas and think about future. To represent my country positively around the world. To have compassion for those less fortunate, instead of only thinking about his oil lobby friends.

gibber - this wall street situation is no joke. I really worry about the unemployment numbers and high school dropout rates. The next President is going to have a very difficult time. I think McCain's trickle down economics will not work.

chris - same here. I understand why Evangelicals would vote for the ticket..it's about social issues. I don't understand the appeal otherwise given what Bush, Cheney & Rove have done.

aerie-el - yes she was a big distraction but I think those days are coming to an end. People are really hurting and they don't want to hear about Bristol drama when they are trying stay afloat.

ms. violetta - grazie.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

rose - I just read the body of that blog in an email someone sent to me. Tim is on point.

fromtheworld said...

this is brilliant! scary but brilliant!

Italiana Americana said...

D'accordo! Couldn't have said it better myself!! SAY NO! :D

Piccola said...

In the last 6 months I have lost 25% percent of my retirement fund. Lucky for me I'm young enough that I have plenty of time to gain it back. But, what about those people that are on the verge of retiring?? Scary shit.

NBC just did a little piece on Palin's foreign policy experience. I wish I had recorded it!! On her resume is a "visit" to Ireland and Irag. In fact, she had a layover in Ireland and came close to the Iraqi border, never having set foot in Iraq. They also went on to say that in her interview she said that there are probably lots of other VP candidates that have never met any foreign officials, when in fact almost all, except Spiro Agnew, have had contact with foreign diplomats. She's really reaching isn't she??

I also read that she voted to make rape victims pay for their own test kits. This bitch is evil!

And let me ask a stupid question in hopes that someone can give me a good answer..

Where the f**k did the U.S. government get the funds to bail out AIG?? China????? NO! SAY IT ISN'T SO!! The Italian told me I shouldn't bother taking Italian language classes. I should instead take Chinese. I'm beginning to see his point.

I'm so disgusted with all of this. If I may, I'd like to post this link and ask that everyone sign this petition.

http://womenagainstsarahpalin.blogspot.com/

Jen said...

Do you know there are folks over on Liz's blog asking for a mass exodus to your couch if McCain/Palin wins?

Ugh. I can't even fathom it. What I think is so SUPREMELY irresponsible is the odds of McCain even making it through the next four years is unlikely, and then leaving the country in the hands of someone so woefully underprepared. He clearly doesn't give a rat's patooie about the U.S.

I can't even write on these things anymore because I'm trying very hard to send out responsible messages about VOTING, which seems to be a foreign concept to many and I'm trying to temper my posts.

But I'm not tempered. Truly.

Great post, NYC. And yeah, that bit at the end - SO TRUE.

Sheesh, sorry for the rant.

Piccola said...

Me again. Sorry, just wanted to point you over to this blog by someone up in Alaska. Great blog chock full'o dirt!

http://mudflats.wordpress.com/

Can I get a spot on that couch?? Shoot, I'll sleep on the floor...

Claudia said...

Maybe the republicans need a new slogan: Double Standards! It's the American Way.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

fromtheworld - thanks for stopping by and the props.

italiana americana - Curious to see how the debates go. I hope people tune in to watch them.

piccola - I understand your concern. I also think about those who have to live off their pensions. Very scary indeed. I read that about Palin. Again I do not understand what she is doing on a national ticket. It's a mockery of the seriousness of the office. I am so offended and disgusted by McCain cavalier choice. AIG? Don't even get me started. Do Americans not care about how China is so involved with our debt? Is this the reason why we still have strong sanctions against Cuba but are all up under China another communist country with human right's issues? Piccola I've read both those blogs. Thanks for the links.

jen - I just saw that. Seriously I am going to take a break about this subject. See if I can go at least a week without writing another rant about this situation.

claudia - it's a great slogan.

Anonymous said...

I love that comparison...it is pretty clear to me! I know what you mean about trying to take a break on all of this but it has been impossible. I keep torturing myself watching clips of McCain and Palin and the love fest going on. I just hope that with the continued financial crisis, enough Americans will come out of their American Idol haze and see the real issues before it is too late. It really is a pretty clear choice if you take the time to take a good look at the two choices.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

girasoli - after the horrible news this week, I think more people are starting to ask serious questions.

Kit Aerie-el said...

PBS is doing an online poll to see if people think Sarah Palin is qualified to serve as Vice President of the United States. The poll went from 42% yes-60% no this morning to 50% yes-43% no this afternoon. Here's the link, no login or id necessary to vote.
http://www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html

Di Mackey said...

I'm kind of distraught over the whole deal and find myself blogging about politics, even while promising myself 'this is the last time I'm doing this'.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

aerie-el - thanks for the link. Several big name Republicans are coming out against her pick. Hmmm.

di mackey - I know what you mean.

Anonymous said...

That was by far one of the best political lists I have seen recently. Go you!!!! Just one more thing to add...
"I can see Russia from my house!" Tell me you saw that. =)

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

new - yes I did see that. It's like me saying I can see the moon from my window. I can run NASA.