http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rHP9W9FI-0
Ah, Michael Moore...I had really hoped when Obama got elected, his appetite would finally be sated and we could go a few years without hearing from him. But he's back, with a new film that strikes at the economic system that's been the engine of this country for roughly 230+ years.
Here's the quote that gets me...
“...an economic system that is unfair, it’s unjust and it’s not democratic. And now we’ve learned it doesn’t work.”
Well, gee, when the left seems to be gumming up the gears, taking hammers to the engines, and spending hard-earned tax money (earned by capitalism, I’d like to point out) like cokeheads in Colombia...yeah, it’s easy to see that the system currently isn’t working. If you left the system alone and fixed it by not doing anything, then you’d see it running along with a Ferrari again.
Capitalism didn’t fail. Greed won. Yes, bankers and corporate CEO’s fleeced their companies and walked off with a bunch of money. Because they got greedy. There is a difference between “I work hard for my money and I’m going to do all I can to keep it” and “I worked hard for money and now I’m going to illegally make a whole bunch more!” The people who bankrupted companies and broke laws probably don’t equate to 1% of 1% of the American workforce, but what they are...are targets, plain and simple.
It’s like having a squad of soldiers willingly invade Mexico on a land grab, get stopped, and wanting to disband the entire United States Armed Forces as a result.
People got greedy. That doesn’t mean the system didn’t break. I mean, the Communist rulers of the Soviet Union made a good chunk of change while their country starved too, but I don’t hear anyone on the left saying THAT system is broke.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Random Thoughts 7/29/2009
In light of President Obama inviting Officer Crowley and Professor Gates, I wish more disputes were settled over beer.
Seriously, imagine how the whole Arab/Palestinian/Israeli dispute could be worked out if everyone just got together and had a beer or two. After all, the earliest written evidence of beer was found in Egypt dating back to 9000 BC. The earlier chemical evidence of brewing can be found in the western of mountains of what is now known as Iran, once Persia, from around 3500 BC. Even today, Taybeh Beer is brewed in the West Bank, with a non-alcoholic line specifically for practicing Muslims. So there is a precedent of beer consumption among the Arab/Persian people. If the Arabs and Palestinians
They made it, and us Celts delivered it to the rest of the world.
First, the summit would have to be held on a Thursday night, so the Israelis have the Sabbath to fully recover. Second, the summit would have to be held on neutral ground. Switzerland’s out for the Israelis. Rio de Janerio would offend the heck out of the Arabs. Perth, Australia would be the best location, a beautiful city with access to hundreds of beers. You distract the United Nations by telling them “hey, the Western Sahara situation’s still unresolved, why don’t you guys go over there and do nothing?” Once the Arabs and Israelis have arrived, you set them down in a bar. You don’t shut the bar down, you just have very good bouncers to keep the idiots out and remove the jerks who get way too drunk. Music, pub fare, and girls. You put down the first round and tell both sides they have the evening to settle everything.
Now, at first, things are going to be awkward. For the Israelis, it’ll be like meeting the ex-boyfriend of your current girlfriend, the ex who still calls and sends texts at 3 am. For the Arabs, it’ll be like meeting the current boyfriend of your ex-girlfriend, the guy who stole her from you and was there when she lost 50 pounds and got a boob job. That’s what the first beer is for. It helps smooth things over a little bit, taking that edge off. Now, the guy across the table...he ain’t so bad. You still don’t really want anything to DO with him, but you can put up with him.
But more importantly, according to my good friend “Your Hero” Danny Daniels, you may run into this problem. You see it here in America more than anywhere else, since we have a monopoly on sub-par domestic brews. If one guy’s a Coors fan and one guy’s a Miller fan, it won’t end well. So, you need a baseline beer, a good solid brew that everyone can agree on and enjoy. Something that isn’t too heavy like a stout or too bitter like a pale ale. Now, if there’s ONE country in this world where everyone gets alone and life’s a little easy...that leaves us with Jamaica, and their well known brand of Red Stripe lager.
The second beer is where the edge goes away. You never met the guy, you’ve just heard bad things about them. But now that you’ve had a second brew, his jokes? Aren’t so bad. His job? It’s just like yours. Your girlfriend? Yeah, she can be a BIT of a bitch sometimes. The second beer, that’s where common ground is discovered. The initial feeling of awkwardness and discomfort is gone, and now, it’s just two friends drinking.
The third beer is where deals are made. By now, you’ve got a reproach with the guy across the table. Where the first Red Stripe removed the edge and the second forged links, the third beer makes that connection. You like the guy sitting across from you, he’s actually not a bad fellow. Yeah, he badmouthed you, but you badmouthed him too. And you have a lot in common! You both know your girlfriend has issues, but hey, you BOTH have issues too! You both think Def Leppard is the greatest band in history! You both know that killing each other until that final trumpet blows won’t accomplish a damn thing. And you both agree that the Austrians and the Ottoman Empire should have just sat down, had a couple of drinks, agree to stop stabbing each other in the back, and then kicked the living crap out of Venice. That’s a “Empire: Total War” joke that maybe 3 people here will get, but screw you, it’s staying in.
The fourth beer is your upper limit. Beyond that, you better have eaten some food or else it’s going to get messy. It’s the high end of the “deal making” spectrum. Hands are being shaken, shoulders are being clapped, and jokes are being laughed at. And here’s where you still have some control over your emotions, and more importantly, you recall the details of the evening. More importantly, the fourth beer Is where one has the best chance to find out those “moments of clarity.” We’ve all had them, those little experiences where you sit up and “holy crap, I need to make a change!” Or “Well spit, that’s what I was doing wrong.” Or “Huh, THAT’S the change I believe in.” In this case? “We’ve been blowing up our best and brightest for no reason!” “They have a point...they have to live and work here just like we do! And we really don’t need that extra closet space on the West Bank...”
And viola. From there, the seeds of an agreement can be reached.
Now, of course, we all know that we’ve had those moments of clarity, and then sometimes fail to follow up on them. We forget them, or pass them off as a crazy idea . Well, this is where your sober friend comes in. The logical designated driver, who has the unpleasant task of remembering everything you said or did the night before. In this case, though, he’s the one who makes sure to get everything in writing and on camera so, the next morning, you can play it back. And this way, you’ll get the Israelites, Palestinians, and Arabs doing that awkward head scratch and going “um...er...did we really say that? Huh. Well, we did it, that’s our signature, and if it’s on film...guess it counts!” In this case? The Koreans are perfect to be the sober ones. Hell, if everyone agrees to peace while drunk, within five minutes, the Koreans’ll have it on Youtube for the entire world to see.
Now, you stop at the fourth beer, and this is KEY. Because beyond that, you’re risking a fight. The fifth beer is where you leave the “moment of clarity” zone and enter the “kick someone’s ass” zone. You’re drunk by this point, you’re wobbling, and your reaction time is JUST a bit off. And by now, because you’ve knocked into things and maybe made an ass out of yourself by spilling your Red Stripe, you’ve gone from “happy go lucky” to “must prove I’m a man!” This is the danger zone, because all it would take is one word to send all three parties barreling into each other...
Actually, wait. Adding something new here. The Australians are the hosts, the Koreans are the keepers of the records...the Irish are the moderators. We’re in charge of keeping everyone on a nice even keel, and if anyone gets out of line, who better than an Irishman to stop the drunk from coming to blows? Seriously, you’re looking at a people who’ve spent years kicking the crap out of each other on our small little island, arguing over land, religion, taxes, football, we’ve argued over everything but beer. So if things get out of hand, us Irish are right there to keep things nice and calm. No Red Stripe for us, though. Bring forth the Guinness!
But that’s it. Beyond the fifth beer, you’re in dangerous territory. Because the sixth beer is the embarrassment beer. It’s the “everything is a good idea” beer. This is where you think you can drive home, or that the blonde over in the corner wants to hear about your level 80 Blood Elf Paladin with the Time-Lost Proto Drake. In this case, the Israelis might think picking a fight with Iran is a good idea...and the Arabs and Palestinians back them up. Or everyone decides to pile in a F-16 and go egg Putin’s house...
The last beer, being shoehorned in just because I have the idea and I’m throwing it out there. This is the “ideas that sound great now, but we’ll NEVER EVER do in a million years.” This is the “let’s all form a band” beer or “if we all moved in together, we’d save a fortune on our mortgage! This is the beer where Danny Daniels suggests the Arabs agree to buy New Mexico from the United States and the Israelis promise to move there and make a new Holy Land for the Chosen People...yeah, this idea get throws out about 15 minutes before last call, when everyone’s plastered, but the Israelis won’t show up the next morning with 50 million U-Hauls and the Wailing Wall disassembled for reconstruction in Santa Fe...
*****
Yeah, but let’s be honest. Here’s what’s gonna happen at the summit. Officer Crowley will finish his Blue Moon, and then Rahm Emanuel will come in. “Officer, that beer you just drank is poisoned. If you want the antidote, you will say exactly what we want you to say tomorrow morning, and then you can go crawl back into your cubicle in Cambridge and never speak of this again. ARE WE [BLEEP]ING CLEAR?!?”
Seriously, imagine how the whole Arab/Palestinian/Israeli dispute could be worked out if everyone just got together and had a beer or two. After all, the earliest written evidence of beer was found in Egypt dating back to 9000 BC. The earlier chemical evidence of brewing can be found in the western of mountains of what is now known as Iran, once Persia, from around 3500 BC. Even today, Taybeh Beer is brewed in the West Bank, with a non-alcoholic line specifically for practicing Muslims. So there is a precedent of beer consumption among the Arab/Persian people. If the Arabs and Palestinians
They made it, and us Celts delivered it to the rest of the world.
First, the summit would have to be held on a Thursday night, so the Israelis have the Sabbath to fully recover. Second, the summit would have to be held on neutral ground. Switzerland’s out for the Israelis. Rio de Janerio would offend the heck out of the Arabs. Perth, Australia would be the best location, a beautiful city with access to hundreds of beers. You distract the United Nations by telling them “hey, the Western Sahara situation’s still unresolved, why don’t you guys go over there and do nothing?” Once the Arabs and Israelis have arrived, you set them down in a bar. You don’t shut the bar down, you just have very good bouncers to keep the idiots out and remove the jerks who get way too drunk. Music, pub fare, and girls. You put down the first round and tell both sides they have the evening to settle everything.
Now, at first, things are going to be awkward. For the Israelis, it’ll be like meeting the ex-boyfriend of your current girlfriend, the ex who still calls and sends texts at 3 am. For the Arabs, it’ll be like meeting the current boyfriend of your ex-girlfriend, the guy who stole her from you and was there when she lost 50 pounds and got a boob job. That’s what the first beer is for. It helps smooth things over a little bit, taking that edge off. Now, the guy across the table...he ain’t so bad. You still don’t really want anything to DO with him, but you can put up with him.
But more importantly, according to my good friend “Your Hero” Danny Daniels, you may run into this problem. You see it here in America more than anywhere else, since we have a monopoly on sub-par domestic brews. If one guy’s a Coors fan and one guy’s a Miller fan, it won’t end well. So, you need a baseline beer, a good solid brew that everyone can agree on and enjoy. Something that isn’t too heavy like a stout or too bitter like a pale ale. Now, if there’s ONE country in this world where everyone gets alone and life’s a little easy...that leaves us with Jamaica, and their well known brand of Red Stripe lager.
The second beer is where the edge goes away. You never met the guy, you’ve just heard bad things about them. But now that you’ve had a second brew, his jokes? Aren’t so bad. His job? It’s just like yours. Your girlfriend? Yeah, she can be a BIT of a bitch sometimes. The second beer, that’s where common ground is discovered. The initial feeling of awkwardness and discomfort is gone, and now, it’s just two friends drinking.
The third beer is where deals are made. By now, you’ve got a reproach with the guy across the table. Where the first Red Stripe removed the edge and the second forged links, the third beer makes that connection. You like the guy sitting across from you, he’s actually not a bad fellow. Yeah, he badmouthed you, but you badmouthed him too. And you have a lot in common! You both know your girlfriend has issues, but hey, you BOTH have issues too! You both think Def Leppard is the greatest band in history! You both know that killing each other until that final trumpet blows won’t accomplish a damn thing. And you both agree that the Austrians and the Ottoman Empire should have just sat down, had a couple of drinks, agree to stop stabbing each other in the back, and then kicked the living crap out of Venice. That’s a “Empire: Total War” joke that maybe 3 people here will get, but screw you, it’s staying in.
The fourth beer is your upper limit. Beyond that, you better have eaten some food or else it’s going to get messy. It’s the high end of the “deal making” spectrum. Hands are being shaken, shoulders are being clapped, and jokes are being laughed at. And here’s where you still have some control over your emotions, and more importantly, you recall the details of the evening. More importantly, the fourth beer Is where one has the best chance to find out those “moments of clarity.” We’ve all had them, those little experiences where you sit up and “holy crap, I need to make a change!” Or “Well spit, that’s what I was doing wrong.” Or “Huh, THAT’S the change I believe in.” In this case? “We’ve been blowing up our best and brightest for no reason!” “They have a point...they have to live and work here just like we do! And we really don’t need that extra closet space on the West Bank...”
And viola. From there, the seeds of an agreement can be reached.
Now, of course, we all know that we’ve had those moments of clarity, and then sometimes fail to follow up on them. We forget them, or pass them off as a crazy idea . Well, this is where your sober friend comes in. The logical designated driver, who has the unpleasant task of remembering everything you said or did the night before. In this case, though, he’s the one who makes sure to get everything in writing and on camera so, the next morning, you can play it back. And this way, you’ll get the Israelites, Palestinians, and Arabs doing that awkward head scratch and going “um...er...did we really say that? Huh. Well, we did it, that’s our signature, and if it’s on film...guess it counts!” In this case? The Koreans are perfect to be the sober ones. Hell, if everyone agrees to peace while drunk, within five minutes, the Koreans’ll have it on Youtube for the entire world to see.
Now, you stop at the fourth beer, and this is KEY. Because beyond that, you’re risking a fight. The fifth beer is where you leave the “moment of clarity” zone and enter the “kick someone’s ass” zone. You’re drunk by this point, you’re wobbling, and your reaction time is JUST a bit off. And by now, because you’ve knocked into things and maybe made an ass out of yourself by spilling your Red Stripe, you’ve gone from “happy go lucky” to “must prove I’m a man!” This is the danger zone, because all it would take is one word to send all three parties barreling into each other...
Actually, wait. Adding something new here. The Australians are the hosts, the Koreans are the keepers of the records...the Irish are the moderators. We’re in charge of keeping everyone on a nice even keel, and if anyone gets out of line, who better than an Irishman to stop the drunk from coming to blows? Seriously, you’re looking at a people who’ve spent years kicking the crap out of each other on our small little island, arguing over land, religion, taxes, football, we’ve argued over everything but beer. So if things get out of hand, us Irish are right there to keep things nice and calm. No Red Stripe for us, though. Bring forth the Guinness!
But that’s it. Beyond the fifth beer, you’re in dangerous territory. Because the sixth beer is the embarrassment beer. It’s the “everything is a good idea” beer. This is where you think you can drive home, or that the blonde over in the corner wants to hear about your level 80 Blood Elf Paladin with the Time-Lost Proto Drake. In this case, the Israelis might think picking a fight with Iran is a good idea...and the Arabs and Palestinians back them up. Or everyone decides to pile in a F-16 and go egg Putin’s house...
The last beer, being shoehorned in just because I have the idea and I’m throwing it out there. This is the “ideas that sound great now, but we’ll NEVER EVER do in a million years.” This is the “let’s all form a band” beer or “if we all moved in together, we’d save a fortune on our mortgage! This is the beer where Danny Daniels suggests the Arabs agree to buy New Mexico from the United States and the Israelis promise to move there and make a new Holy Land for the Chosen People...yeah, this idea get throws out about 15 minutes before last call, when everyone’s plastered, but the Israelis won’t show up the next morning with 50 million U-Hauls and the Wailing Wall disassembled for reconstruction in Santa Fe...
*****
Yeah, but let’s be honest. Here’s what’s gonna happen at the summit. Officer Crowley will finish his Blue Moon, and then Rahm Emanuel will come in. “Officer, that beer you just drank is poisoned. If you want the antidote, you will say exactly what we want you to say tomorrow morning, and then you can go crawl back into your cubicle in Cambridge and never speak of this again. ARE WE [BLEEP]ING CLEAR?!?”
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
What NOT to do...
Taken from "Big Hollywood"
*****
The only thing worse than bad winners are sore losers, and we’ve had enough of them for the past eight years. So with that in mind, in the wake of today’s historic inauguration, here’s my Handbook For The Loyal Opposition, 2009 edition - a “To Don’t List,” if you will. Or even if you won’t.
DON’T question the motives - question the policy. When you disagree with Obama’s policies, say so, and make it clear why. But remember that President Obama is doing what he thinks is best for the country, as President Bush did. Both men love America and want what’s best for her. End of story.
DON’T make it personal. We don’t need another Derangement Syndrome. We don’t need people doing things like emphasizing Obama’s middle name in a derogatory fashion. How anyone would think that’s beneficial to their cause, or to the country as a whole, is beyond me. Also, it’s not even clever. Neither are smushwords like BusHitler, or sillywords like Rethuglicans and Dhimmicrats.
DON’T cozy up to and champion foreign dictators and despots. Sean Penn is an ass. No reason to be like him. ‘Nuff said. (Corollary: Don’t cozy up to and champion foreign dictators and despots and then act outraged when people question your patriotism.)
DON’T pretend you’re being brave when you criticize your government. Not while people in other countries actually, y’know, DIE, when they do that.
DON’T use the word “divisive.” At this point, all that word means is “You disagree with me,” and the English language gets mangled enough these days.
DON’T use the phrase “speaking truth to power.” EVER.
DON’T move to Canada.
DON’T say you’re going to move to Canada and then stay here. (I know it’s too late for Stephen Baldwin, but not for the rest of you.)
DON’T apologize to foreigners and say things to them like, “I didn’t vote for Obama,” or “He’s not MY president.”
DON’T say or do everything in your power to drive this country apart and then claim you want unity when it’s your guy in power. This is like the convicted felon who conveniently finds God when he’s up for parole.
DON’T call people un-American one week, and then talk about how “We are not blue states or red states, we are the United States” the next. (This rule may only apply to Tom Hanks, but I put it in just to be safe.)
DON’T automatically think people who disagree with you are stupid or evil. Some of them are, of course. But most of them aren’t, and you might actually learn something if you listen to them.
And finally, DON’T use the fact that many on the left behaved abominably for the past eight years as an excuse to behave the same way. America needs adults. And if it bothered you when they did it, it’s a good sign that you shouldn’t do it.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Zombie Gap
Well, it's official.
Between "28 Days Later," "Shaun of the Dead," and now "Dead Set," the United Kingdom has officially passed the United States when it comes to zombies. I hearby declare a "Zombie Gap" and call for President-elect Obama to put aside the Big Three and picking his Cabinet and focus on getting the "World War Z" movie on the fast track, before the Brits leave us completely in the dust.
I quasi-legally, through what can only be described as "a personal website involving a cylindrical container," watched a 5-part mini-series that was broadcast on Britain's Channel 4 this past Halloween, called "Dead Set."
The program takes place in the Big Brother house, from the reality show of the same name, during an outbreak of the "Dawn of the Dead" remake-style zombies - fast runners, infection spread only through a bite, and will eat the flesh of anything living or dead that's not a zombie. The housemates have no idea that Britain (and maybe the world) is going to hell around them, and try to survive against the hordes that are growing daily outside their compound.
The premise itself sounds silly as all get out, but I was extremely surprised by how good it was! I don't know what type of programming Channel 4 usually shows, but this series made "Dexter" look like "Sesame Street." It was well shot (the camerawork was superb), the actors and actresses were spot on, and, as always, the ending is never a truly happy one.
And "Dead Set" was, to put it simply, really gory. For a show on television, there were gore shots that made even me, a long-time horror movie fan, wince and go "Jesus!"
For example, in one scene, one of the characters is hiding in a convenience store while a zombie pounds on the glass. Behind the zombie, an SUV pulls up, a woman gets out and takes aim with a rifle, and blows the zombie's head clean off. Standard fare, save for the fact that the body and what's left of the zombie's throat and chin hit the glass and slowly slide down with some kind of sickening squishy type noise...
The script was written by, of all people, a British film critic who despises "Big Brother," and of course, draws a lot of parallels between zombies and reality telvision, including its producers, stars, and fans. And yet, "Big Brother" supported the show and lent its house, sets, and even some past houseguests and interviewers to the project. There's something, as always, to be for people who "get the joke."
If you like zombies at all, I highly, highly recommend the series. It's out on DVD in Europe, but I'm sure there are...means...to watch it stateside.
Between "28 Days Later," "Shaun of the Dead," and now "Dead Set," the United Kingdom has officially passed the United States when it comes to zombies. I hearby declare a "Zombie Gap" and call for President-elect Obama to put aside the Big Three and picking his Cabinet and focus on getting the "World War Z" movie on the fast track, before the Brits leave us completely in the dust.
I quasi-legally, through what can only be described as "a personal website involving a cylindrical container," watched a 5-part mini-series that was broadcast on Britain's Channel 4 this past Halloween, called "Dead Set."
The program takes place in the Big Brother house, from the reality show of the same name, during an outbreak of the "Dawn of the Dead" remake-style zombies - fast runners, infection spread only through a bite, and will eat the flesh of anything living or dead that's not a zombie. The housemates have no idea that Britain (and maybe the world) is going to hell around them, and try to survive against the hordes that are growing daily outside their compound.
The premise itself sounds silly as all get out, but I was extremely surprised by how good it was! I don't know what type of programming Channel 4 usually shows, but this series made "Dexter" look like "Sesame Street." It was well shot (the camerawork was superb), the actors and actresses were spot on, and, as always, the ending is never a truly happy one.
And "Dead Set" was, to put it simply, really gory. For a show on television, there were gore shots that made even me, a long-time horror movie fan, wince and go "Jesus!"
For example, in one scene, one of the characters is hiding in a convenience store while a zombie pounds on the glass. Behind the zombie, an SUV pulls up, a woman gets out and takes aim with a rifle, and blows the zombie's head clean off. Standard fare, save for the fact that the body and what's left of the zombie's throat and chin hit the glass and slowly slide down with some kind of sickening squishy type noise...
The script was written by, of all people, a British film critic who despises "Big Brother," and of course, draws a lot of parallels between zombies and reality telvision, including its producers, stars, and fans. And yet, "Big Brother" supported the show and lent its house, sets, and even some past houseguests and interviewers to the project. There's something, as always, to be for people who "get the joke."
If you like zombies at all, I highly, highly recommend the series. It's out on DVD in Europe, but I'm sure there are...means...to watch it stateside.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Via America Novi
Well, it's all over.
After two years, fifteen major party candidates, a primary season that went down to the very end, $150,000 dollars worth of clothing, and a number of electoral votes still undecided, the screaming...the rabid crowds, the heated rallies, the talking heads, and the drunk-on-the-Kool-Aid screaming has stopped.
And for the first time in its history, the United States of America has elected an African-American to serve in its highest office.
On a mandate of sweeping change, Barack Obama (D-IL) is now President-Elect Barack Obama (D). He did what many people thought was impossible with a campaign that was nothing short of perfection, one that sets the new standard for all campaigns to come. He shattered the electoral map and turned red states to blue. He won in demographics previously thought were solid in the GOP's corner. He increased the size of the electorate and turned out a huge number of new voters, not just among the first-time-able-to-vote voters, but the never-gave-a-damn-until-he-came-along voters. And he gave the Republican Party a good, swift kick in the crotch, complete with follow-through.
The country moved towards the left in this election. Beyond Obama's electoral near-landslide, he was the first Democratic candidate in years to win a majority of the popular vote. In nearly every demographic one could possibly conceive of, more then 50% voted for Obama. Men, women, whites, blacks, high school educated, college educated, and every age group save seniors put the majority of their votes towards electing Obama. Victories rarely get more definitive then Obama's...it wasn't quite a Waterloo, but it was definitely a Leipzig. For better or worse, the Republicans have been exiled to a political Elba and are going to have to work hard to get back to where there were just a few short years ago.
So, now that it's all said and done...the people have spoken, the votes have been counted, the confetti has fallen, the balloons have deflated, and this morning, there probably isn't a single person in Chicago waking up alone...the big question becomes this.
Now what the hell happens?
*****
The Democrats have control of the House, the Senate, and the White House. They have a mandate for change. They have grand ideas. President-elect Obama said in his victory speech that he will attempt to heal divides and bring the country together, and continue to make America a driving force in the world.
To this, I say simply...Mr. Obama, show us that America made the right call.
We opposed your campaign because we believed you would spend recklessly, tax excessively, withdraw our troops foolishly, and weaken our values socially. A good majority of us who voted against you still believe these things. You ran an incredible campaign, got a huge numbers of voters, and most importantly, have inspired people with your words and deeds. I am not one of them. Realize that we will be watching your Presidency closely. Will you attempt to work with Republicans? Will you bring government spending back under control? Will you make health care more affordable without nationalizing it? Will your economic plan hurt or harm the engine of this country? We believe "no" on all these things. But maybe you'll surprise us. Maybe you'll appoint a Republican like Richard Lugar to your Cabinet as Secretary of State. Maybe your claims of providing tax cuts to the middle class (however it's been defined this week) will come to pass. Maybe you will go through the budget line-by-line and cut out pork and excessive spending. Maybe, indeed, you will build on your pledge of "hope" and make American better.
Personally, sir, I hope that you do.
I don't believe for a moment that you will.
Prove us wrong.
*****
The Republicans took it on the chin in this election. Losing control of Congress in 2006 was hard enough, but the electoral and voter shift brought about during this campaign is nothing short of a major step backwards for the GOP. The Presidency of George W Bush, at least from the perspective of the Republican's power, has been an epic failure. The loss by McCain can be laid more upon the shortcomings of the Bush Administration then anything else, which brought about a nation sick of the bumbling Bush Administration, the culture of corruption on Capitol Hill, and the K Street lobbyists shoving money and favors in the GOP's direction.
What the Republicans are facing right now is a dark night of the soul. In 1994, the GOP had their own mandate that swept them into power after nearly half-a-century of the Democrats running Congress. 14 years later, that mandate has been definitively repudiated. The "Solid South" has been broken by Obama. Secure Republican states have switched to the Democrats. And their power and image in Washington has been shattered.
It's time, right now, for the Republicans to redefine who they are and what they stand for. One of McCain's failures in his campaign was that he never was 'on message' for any length of time. He scattershotted on the issues, bounced from strategy to strategy, and never showed any consistency. As such, the public never realized what he stood for, and at times, the party faithful themselves never knew what he stood for, and maybe at times, even McCain may not have known what he stood for!
The bright shining light of the GOP Presidential run was the pick of Sarah Palin. For better or for worse, loved her or hated her, think she had the goods or think she was a bubblehead (and these were opinions within her own party!), she energized the conservative base of the Republican Party, a base that had felt very 'meh' about McCain. While one could make the argument that a pick like Mitt Romney or Tom Ridge would have appealed to more moderates then Palin, what the pick of Palin did was show that there still IS a conservative base in the Republican Party, the base that supported and carried the party during its last set of glory days under Ronald Reagan.
For the Republican Party to claw its way back to prominence, it needs to re-embrace and define conservatism for a new generation of voters. The very words "Republican" and "conservative" are besmirched by pop culture. Our leaders have been defined as "incompetent" and "buffoons" and in some cases, "evil." What's required is for the GOP to re-brand itself in a positive light - not as the "pro-war, pro-prisons, pro-rich, anti-immigration, anti-gay" crowd, but as the "pro-defense, pro-law, pro-prosperity, pro-legal immigration, pro-state" party, who wear the words "Republican" and "conservative" proudly.
The coalition of four groups that make up the Republican Party need to focus on suppressing infighting and work on bi-partisanship within their own party, and show new voters, and possibly soon-to-be-disillusioned Democrats, that there IS an option they can take.
Financial and small government conservatives need to focus on making sure the GOP is the party of smart budgetary and financial decisions. "Lower taxes for all, but responsible spending by the government."
Social conservatives need to realize that, in this day and age, the federal government can't and
shouldn't mandate social decisions. Matters of gay marriage, legalized gambling, abortion rights, medical marijuana, should be passed down to all 50 states to vote on.
Foreign policy conservatives need to realize that America can't and shouldn't be the world's policeman. Focusing on a strong defense while downplaying the United Nations and realizing that world events should drive foreign policy will go a long way towards fixing such skepticism.
The Religious Right needs to realize that it needs to quiet down. Right now, religion and politics do NOT go hand-in-hand. It is entirely possible to firmly state your values and beliefs without invoking the phrase "God's gonna smite you," which doesn't endear your position to one's opponents.
The "we're pro-America, liberals are anti-America" crowd, to put it simply, needs to shut the hell up. You don't help, you make the GOP look bad, and you continue to provide ink and paint to the image that the GOP currently has. If someone wants to legally come to this country and work hard, like our ancestors did, then we should welcome them with open arms. And liberals don't hate America. They may not like the current Administration, they may be vocal about things America does, but no one goes into the booth on Election Day going "Hah hah, with this vote, I'm going to ruin America forever! Hah!" Misguided, maybe. Hateful? No.
The journalists, the radio hosts, the bloggers, and the new media wing need to realize that the reason William F. Buckley was such a successful conservative to both his own party AND to the liberals across the way is that he was civil, charming, and respectful. To him, "liberal" wasn't a dirty word. He engaged his party calmly and intelligently in the Arena of Ideas, treating them with respect, as opposed to insulting them, screaming over their words, and denouncing them as "un-American." It's impossible to claim the moral and intellectual high ground when you're covered in mud, and damn near impossible to get anyone to listen to you when you're throwing a tantrum.
And, most importantly, the Republican Party needs to realize that it can not be a party of "insiders." Blacks, Hispanics, gays, young voters...they are all growing demographics, and to ignore them at the cost of keeping the voters your have is a recipe for doom. To quote "Star Wars," "the more you tighten your grip, the most star systems will slip through your fingers." Reagan's success came from a very simple concept. He said to those outside the GOP, "hey, you should be INSIDE the party, and here's why." And cue the Reagancrats and Blue Dogs.
Now is not the time for a book called "What's the Matter With Virginia?" No, now is the time for the GOP to look in the mirror, and say "Ok. We dropped the ball big time. Now's the time to go out there, provide a viable alternative for when the Democrats drop the ball, and be there to pick it up and run with it again."
*****
To the voters...take pride in what you've done.
Barack Obama's election is because you, the voter, got out there and voted. For whatever reason, you stood in line or voted absentee. You became part of one of the most historic elections in this country's history, whether or not your candidate(s) won or lost. Voting is something over 50% of the eligible population didn't do for over 100 years. Yesterday, over 75% of the population voted, with turnout as high as 80% in some states! Those numbers are incredible...but the key is to make sure that this isn't a one time deal, then when 2010 rolls around, and 2012 in four years, turnout is just as high.
While I'm disappointed in the results of the 2008 campaign, I'm delighted at the turnout. An informed, active electorate makes a country strong. It makes a country proud. It takes away the "why bother, my vote doesn't count" argument. Obama focused on getting every single vote he could, even until the very end, and it paid off in a big manner. It makes people feel involved in their government again, as opposed to being helpless at the hands of a bunch of suits in Washington DC.
Your job isn't done, voters. Be involved. Read the papers and watch the news. Hold the new President and Congress accountable for their actions. Call them out if they go back on their word, or flip-flop. Don't sit back and let things happen to you without letting your voice be heard again.
*****
If you think about it, every Presidential election is historic. But how many of them are truly important? You could say that the fact that Obama redrew the political landscape makes it important. The fact that so many new voters turned out makes this important as well.
But it took a very good friend of mine...a little older then me, a little wiser then me, and a lot drunker then I was...to put it into perspective.
This was the election where the torch was passed from the Baby Boomers to Generation X.
The Clintons are done. Unless Obama pulls an LBJ or a George W, Hillary won't run in 2012, and in 2016, the nominee would probably be Joe Biden. The Bushes are done, just by virtue of their last name. The Kennedys are done, due to Ted Kennedy's stroke. Robert Byrd's time is coming to a close. Ted Stevens will probably be replaced soon. In an election where a black candidate won, you heard barely a word from Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton this whole time. Dick Cheney is off to have his fusion reactor heart placed. John Kerry won't be nominated again. And soon, you'll see some of the Supreme Court Justices begin to retire.
In turn, we have Barack Obama, out of nowhere. We've had Sarah Palin. We had Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul, we had Mitt Romney. We have Mark Warner and Kay Hagan, and depending on how the polls shake out, we might have Al Franken. And in the wings, Bobby Jindal, Martin O'Malley, Tim Kaine, Tim Pawlenty.
All those new names, all ready to step up and make their mark upon this great country, as the politicians we all grew up watching on the news fade away. This is like the Teen Titans stepping up to replace the Justice League. New faces, new ideas, new concepts...
...more then anything else, this election, to me, was the time when Generation X, that generation vilified as slackers, disillusioned, meandering in the wilderness, got together, made a choice, and over candidates such as Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani, made a new player on the scene the President-elect.
This election was where Generation X, instead of saying "you broke it, you fix it," said "fine, WE'LL fix it."
This, ladies and gentlemen, is our time. No matter what your party affiliation, no matter if your candidate won or lost, this is where it's time to step up, or step aside. This is the time where you either side with hope and change, or try to fix what's broken and may be again. Now is the time where we say "no more war" or "keep us safe." Now is where we say "make the world better for us and our children." Now is where we say "spread the wealth" or "earn your fortune."
Now is where we stop saying "the world's screwed up" and start saying "the world's screwed up. Let's get to work."
The whole world is indeed watching, and our generation is on deck.
Batter up.
After two years, fifteen major party candidates, a primary season that went down to the very end, $150,000 dollars worth of clothing, and a number of electoral votes still undecided, the screaming...the rabid crowds, the heated rallies, the talking heads, and the drunk-on-the-Kool-Aid screaming has stopped.
And for the first time in its history, the United States of America has elected an African-American to serve in its highest office.
On a mandate of sweeping change, Barack Obama (D-IL) is now President-Elect Barack Obama (D). He did what many people thought was impossible with a campaign that was nothing short of perfection, one that sets the new standard for all campaigns to come. He shattered the electoral map and turned red states to blue. He won in demographics previously thought were solid in the GOP's corner. He increased the size of the electorate and turned out a huge number of new voters, not just among the first-time-able-to-vote voters, but the never-gave-a-damn-until-he-came-along voters. And he gave the Republican Party a good, swift kick in the crotch, complete with follow-through.
The country moved towards the left in this election. Beyond Obama's electoral near-landslide, he was the first Democratic candidate in years to win a majority of the popular vote. In nearly every demographic one could possibly conceive of, more then 50% voted for Obama. Men, women, whites, blacks, high school educated, college educated, and every age group save seniors put the majority of their votes towards electing Obama. Victories rarely get more definitive then Obama's...it wasn't quite a Waterloo, but it was definitely a Leipzig. For better or worse, the Republicans have been exiled to a political Elba and are going to have to work hard to get back to where there were just a few short years ago.
So, now that it's all said and done...the people have spoken, the votes have been counted, the confetti has fallen, the balloons have deflated, and this morning, there probably isn't a single person in Chicago waking up alone...the big question becomes this.
Now what the hell happens?
*****
The Democrats have control of the House, the Senate, and the White House. They have a mandate for change. They have grand ideas. President-elect Obama said in his victory speech that he will attempt to heal divides and bring the country together, and continue to make America a driving force in the world.
To this, I say simply...Mr. Obama, show us that America made the right call.
We opposed your campaign because we believed you would spend recklessly, tax excessively, withdraw our troops foolishly, and weaken our values socially. A good majority of us who voted against you still believe these things. You ran an incredible campaign, got a huge numbers of voters, and most importantly, have inspired people with your words and deeds. I am not one of them. Realize that we will be watching your Presidency closely. Will you attempt to work with Republicans? Will you bring government spending back under control? Will you make health care more affordable without nationalizing it? Will your economic plan hurt or harm the engine of this country? We believe "no" on all these things. But maybe you'll surprise us. Maybe you'll appoint a Republican like Richard Lugar to your Cabinet as Secretary of State. Maybe your claims of providing tax cuts to the middle class (however it's been defined this week) will come to pass. Maybe you will go through the budget line-by-line and cut out pork and excessive spending. Maybe, indeed, you will build on your pledge of "hope" and make American better.
Personally, sir, I hope that you do.
I don't believe for a moment that you will.
Prove us wrong.
*****
The Republicans took it on the chin in this election. Losing control of Congress in 2006 was hard enough, but the electoral and voter shift brought about during this campaign is nothing short of a major step backwards for the GOP. The Presidency of George W Bush, at least from the perspective of the Republican's power, has been an epic failure. The loss by McCain can be laid more upon the shortcomings of the Bush Administration then anything else, which brought about a nation sick of the bumbling Bush Administration, the culture of corruption on Capitol Hill, and the K Street lobbyists shoving money and favors in the GOP's direction.
What the Republicans are facing right now is a dark night of the soul. In 1994, the GOP had their own mandate that swept them into power after nearly half-a-century of the Democrats running Congress. 14 years later, that mandate has been definitively repudiated. The "Solid South" has been broken by Obama. Secure Republican states have switched to the Democrats. And their power and image in Washington has been shattered.
It's time, right now, for the Republicans to redefine who they are and what they stand for. One of McCain's failures in his campaign was that he never was 'on message' for any length of time. He scattershotted on the issues, bounced from strategy to strategy, and never showed any consistency. As such, the public never realized what he stood for, and at times, the party faithful themselves never knew what he stood for, and maybe at times, even McCain may not have known what he stood for!
The bright shining light of the GOP Presidential run was the pick of Sarah Palin. For better or for worse, loved her or hated her, think she had the goods or think she was a bubblehead (and these were opinions within her own party!), she energized the conservative base of the Republican Party, a base that had felt very 'meh' about McCain. While one could make the argument that a pick like Mitt Romney or Tom Ridge would have appealed to more moderates then Palin, what the pick of Palin did was show that there still IS a conservative base in the Republican Party, the base that supported and carried the party during its last set of glory days under Ronald Reagan.
For the Republican Party to claw its way back to prominence, it needs to re-embrace and define conservatism for a new generation of voters. The very words "Republican" and "conservative" are besmirched by pop culture. Our leaders have been defined as "incompetent" and "buffoons" and in some cases, "evil." What's required is for the GOP to re-brand itself in a positive light - not as the "pro-war, pro-prisons, pro-rich, anti-immigration, anti-gay" crowd, but as the "pro-defense, pro-law, pro-prosperity, pro-legal immigration, pro-state" party, who wear the words "Republican" and "conservative" proudly.
The coalition of four groups that make up the Republican Party need to focus on suppressing infighting and work on bi-partisanship within their own party, and show new voters, and possibly soon-to-be-disillusioned Democrats, that there IS an option they can take.
Financial and small government conservatives need to focus on making sure the GOP is the party of smart budgetary and financial decisions. "Lower taxes for all, but responsible spending by the government."
Social conservatives need to realize that, in this day and age, the federal government can't and
shouldn't mandate social decisions. Matters of gay marriage, legalized gambling, abortion rights, medical marijuana, should be passed down to all 50 states to vote on.
Foreign policy conservatives need to realize that America can't and shouldn't be the world's policeman. Focusing on a strong defense while downplaying the United Nations and realizing that world events should drive foreign policy will go a long way towards fixing such skepticism.
The Religious Right needs to realize that it needs to quiet down. Right now, religion and politics do NOT go hand-in-hand. It is entirely possible to firmly state your values and beliefs without invoking the phrase "God's gonna smite you," which doesn't endear your position to one's opponents.
The "we're pro-America, liberals are anti-America" crowd, to put it simply, needs to shut the hell up. You don't help, you make the GOP look bad, and you continue to provide ink and paint to the image that the GOP currently has. If someone wants to legally come to this country and work hard, like our ancestors did, then we should welcome them with open arms. And liberals don't hate America. They may not like the current Administration, they may be vocal about things America does, but no one goes into the booth on Election Day going "Hah hah, with this vote, I'm going to ruin America forever! Hah!" Misguided, maybe. Hateful? No.
The journalists, the radio hosts, the bloggers, and the new media wing need to realize that the reason William F. Buckley was such a successful conservative to both his own party AND to the liberals across the way is that he was civil, charming, and respectful. To him, "liberal" wasn't a dirty word. He engaged his party calmly and intelligently in the Arena of Ideas, treating them with respect, as opposed to insulting them, screaming over their words, and denouncing them as "un-American." It's impossible to claim the moral and intellectual high ground when you're covered in mud, and damn near impossible to get anyone to listen to you when you're throwing a tantrum.
And, most importantly, the Republican Party needs to realize that it can not be a party of "insiders." Blacks, Hispanics, gays, young voters...they are all growing demographics, and to ignore them at the cost of keeping the voters your have is a recipe for doom. To quote "Star Wars," "the more you tighten your grip, the most star systems will slip through your fingers." Reagan's success came from a very simple concept. He said to those outside the GOP, "hey, you should be INSIDE the party, and here's why." And cue the Reagancrats and Blue Dogs.
Now is not the time for a book called "What's the Matter With Virginia?" No, now is the time for the GOP to look in the mirror, and say "Ok. We dropped the ball big time. Now's the time to go out there, provide a viable alternative for when the Democrats drop the ball, and be there to pick it up and run with it again."
*****
To the voters...take pride in what you've done.
Barack Obama's election is because you, the voter, got out there and voted. For whatever reason, you stood in line or voted absentee. You became part of one of the most historic elections in this country's history, whether or not your candidate(s) won or lost. Voting is something over 50% of the eligible population didn't do for over 100 years. Yesterday, over 75% of the population voted, with turnout as high as 80% in some states! Those numbers are incredible...but the key is to make sure that this isn't a one time deal, then when 2010 rolls around, and 2012 in four years, turnout is just as high.
While I'm disappointed in the results of the 2008 campaign, I'm delighted at the turnout. An informed, active electorate makes a country strong. It makes a country proud. It takes away the "why bother, my vote doesn't count" argument. Obama focused on getting every single vote he could, even until the very end, and it paid off in a big manner. It makes people feel involved in their government again, as opposed to being helpless at the hands of a bunch of suits in Washington DC.
Your job isn't done, voters. Be involved. Read the papers and watch the news. Hold the new President and Congress accountable for their actions. Call them out if they go back on their word, or flip-flop. Don't sit back and let things happen to you without letting your voice be heard again.
*****
If you think about it, every Presidential election is historic. But how many of them are truly important? You could say that the fact that Obama redrew the political landscape makes it important. The fact that so many new voters turned out makes this important as well.
But it took a very good friend of mine...a little older then me, a little wiser then me, and a lot drunker then I was...to put it into perspective.
This was the election where the torch was passed from the Baby Boomers to Generation X.
The Clintons are done. Unless Obama pulls an LBJ or a George W, Hillary won't run in 2012, and in 2016, the nominee would probably be Joe Biden. The Bushes are done, just by virtue of their last name. The Kennedys are done, due to Ted Kennedy's stroke. Robert Byrd's time is coming to a close. Ted Stevens will probably be replaced soon. In an election where a black candidate won, you heard barely a word from Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton this whole time. Dick Cheney is off to have his fusion reactor heart placed. John Kerry won't be nominated again. And soon, you'll see some of the Supreme Court Justices begin to retire.
In turn, we have Barack Obama, out of nowhere. We've had Sarah Palin. We had Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul, we had Mitt Romney. We have Mark Warner and Kay Hagan, and depending on how the polls shake out, we might have Al Franken. And in the wings, Bobby Jindal, Martin O'Malley, Tim Kaine, Tim Pawlenty.
All those new names, all ready to step up and make their mark upon this great country, as the politicians we all grew up watching on the news fade away. This is like the Teen Titans stepping up to replace the Justice League. New faces, new ideas, new concepts...
...more then anything else, this election, to me, was the time when Generation X, that generation vilified as slackers, disillusioned, meandering in the wilderness, got together, made a choice, and over candidates such as Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani, made a new player on the scene the President-elect.
This election was where Generation X, instead of saying "you broke it, you fix it," said "fine, WE'LL fix it."
This, ladies and gentlemen, is our time. No matter what your party affiliation, no matter if your candidate won or lost, this is where it's time to step up, or step aside. This is the time where you either side with hope and change, or try to fix what's broken and may be again. Now is the time where we say "no more war" or "keep us safe." Now is where we say "make the world better for us and our children." Now is where we say "spread the wealth" or "earn your fortune."
Now is where we stop saying "the world's screwed up" and start saying "the world's screwed up. Let's get to work."
The whole world is indeed watching, and our generation is on deck.
Batter up.
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