Another False Accusation

I have a question. With less than a week to go before the election is the McCain/Palin ticket so desparate to win that they will have Palin say anything that pops into that pretty little head of hers?

Now, she's accusing Obama of being friends with a professor that has PLO ties, which both Obama and the professor denies. According to CNN.com , the professor said "I am not speaking to the media at this time, and certainly not until this idiot wind passes."

Are they just throwing crap and hoping something sticks?

What it comes down to is what I think will happen with Obama.

Under the current administration (and McCain has voted with the current administration 90% of the time), we haven't put any money into our own infrastructure. We've been too busy rebuilding Iraq's (and not doing a very good job of it). We haven't made America safer. Think about it -- the children of Iraq who have lost mothers and fathers will be adults. And, what will they know? They will know that America bombed their country and then didn't rebuild. They will here that we're evil and some of them will grow up to become terrorists. So, just how did we make America safer in the last eight years?

I'm hoping with Obama that he will seek ways to build a good relationship with the Iraqis as we withdraw our troops.

And, as all things do, it comes down to money for me. John McCain is proposing to tax the healthcare benefits provided by my employer to the tune of costing me and in the end, I will end up paying an extra $821.84 per year. Under Obama -- if he's true to his word -- he's proposing a tax break to the tune of around $600.00 per year.

Which one would you chose?

God Bless

California Family, Friends and Readers...

I received the following email today.  I'm passing it on to all of you.  We can't accept a swipe at tolerance in our great nation.  We need to find equality.  Gay people bleed like you do, we pray to the same God and we have the same wishes for our children.  If you live in California or know someone who does, please encourage them to vote NO on Proposition 8.  It's a tossup right now -- don't let the fear and hatemongers win.

God Bless

Dear ACLU Supporter,

I'm angry and heartsick about what may happen in California on November 4th.

In the most personal way possible, I'm writing to ask you for a favor: help us ensure that gay couples all across California keep their fundamental right to marriage -- the basic right to be treated just like anybody else.

I hope you will forgive the indulgence when I speak from the heart and tell you my personal story.

You see, I grew up in a loving and supportive household, where my family believed I could be anything I chose -- anything except being an openly gay man. Neither of my parents finished high school, and yet, they believed I could accomplish all I set out to do as I went off to Princeton University and Stanford Law School.

They got me through the toughest of times, scrimped and saved, and always believed that failure wasn't in the cards for me. They had more faith in me than I often had in myself. Whenever my parents visited me at Princeton, my Dad would slip a $20 bill in my pocket when my Mom wasn't looking. I never had the courage to tell him that the $20 wouldn't go very far towards my bills, books and tuition. But, it was his support and belief in me that sustained me more than the tens of thousands of dollars I received in scholarships.

When I finished college, they were hugely proud of my -- and their -- accomplishments. That was until I told them I was gay and wanted to live life as an openly gay man.

Though I always knew I was gay, I didn't come out to them for many years, as I was afraid of losing the love and support that had allowed me to succeed against all odds. When I did tell them, they cried and even shouted. I ended up leaving their home that night to spend a sleepless night on a friend's sofa. We were all heartbroken.

When my Mom and I spoke later, my Mom said, "But, Antonio (that's the name she uses with me), hasn't your life been hard enough? People will hurt you and hate you because of this." She, of course, was right -- as gay and lesbian people didn't only suffer discrimination from working class, Puerto Rican Catholics, but from the broader society. She felt that I had escaped the public housing projects in the Bronx, only to suffer another prejudice -- one that might be harder to beat -- as the law wasn't on my side. At the time, it felt like her own homophobia. Now I see there was also a mother's love and a real desire to protect her son. She was not wrong at a very fundamental level. She knew that treating gay and lesbian people like second class citizens -- people who may be worthy of "tolerance, " as Sarah Palin asserts, but not of equality -- was and still is the last socially-acceptable prejudice.

Even before I came out to them, I struggled to accept myself as a gay man. I didn't want to lose the love of my family, and I wanted a family of my own -- however I defined it. I ultimately chose to find my own way in life as a gay man. This wasn't as easy as it sounds even though it was the mid-1980s. I watched loved ones and friends die of AIDS. I was convinced I would never see my 40th birthday, much less find a partner whom I could marry.

As years passed, my Mom, Dad and I came to a peace, and they came to love and respect me for who I am. They even came to defend my right to live with equality and dignity -- often fighting against the homophobia they heard among their family and friends and in church.

The right to be equal citizens and to marry whomever we wish -- unimaginable to me when I first came out -- is now ours to lose in California unless we stand up for what's right. All of us must fight against what's wrong. In my 43 short years of life, I have seen gay and lesbian people go from pariahs and objects of legally-sanctioned discrimination to being on the cusp of full equality. The unimaginable comes true in our America if we make it happen. But, it requires effort and struggle.

One of the things I love about the ACLU is that it's an organization that understands we are all in this together. We recognize that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

Given what's at stake in the outcome of this election, I am personally appealing to you for help to fight the forces of intolerance from carrying the day in California next Tuesday.

If you have friends and family in California, please contact them right now, and ask them to vote NO on Proposition 8. You can send them a message here.

We need to make sure people keep in mind that gay people are part of every family and every community -- that like everyone else, gay people want the same rights to commit to their partners, to take care of each other and to take responsibility for each other. We shouldn't deny that, and we shouldn't write discrimination into any constitution in any state. Certainly, we can't let that happen in California after the highest court in the state granted gay and lesbian people their full equality.

Unfortunately, due to a vicious, deceitful $30 million advertising blitz, the supporters of Prop 8 may be within days of taking that fundamental right away.

To stop the forces of discrimination from succeeding, we have to win over conflicted voters who aren't sure they're ready for gay marriage but who are also uncomfortable going into a voting booth and stripping away people's rights. With the ACLU contributing time, energy and millions of dollars to the effort, we're working hard to reach those key voters before next Tuesday.

If you have friends and family in California, please contact them right now, and ask them to vote NO on Proposition 8. Share this email with them. Call them. Direct them to our website for more information.

Don't let other young people grow up to be afraid to be who they are because of the discrimination and prejudice they might face. Let them see a future that the generation before them couldn't even dream of -- a future as full and equal citizens of the greatest democracy on earth.

As Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded us, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." As we strive to defeat Prop 8 and the injustice it represents, the ACLU is trying to make that arc a little shorter.

On behalf of my Mom and family, and on behalf of all the people who will never face legally-sanctioned discrimination, I thank you for being part of this struggle and for doing everything you can to help.

It is a privilege and honor to have you as allies in this fight for dignity and equality.

With enormous appreciation,

Anthony D. Romero
Executive Director
ACLU

P.S. All the polls show that the vote on Prop 8 could go either way. By making just a few calls or sending just a few emails, you could help make the difference. Please, don't let this fundamental right be taken away. Send an eCard to everyone you know in California.

Palin and the GOP

There's a lot of talk about Sarah Palin's role in the GOP.  Some people believe she was bad for John McCain's campaign and some people believe that she has tapped into the GOP's base -- anti-gay, pro-gun, right wing Christian believers.  I think Palin's days in the GOP are numbered.  When people aren't sure whether or not they can keep their homes, they suddenly don't give a rat's ass about gays getting married.  When people are worried about putting food on their tables, they don't much care about being able to buy Uzis at gun shows.

That's where the GOP is now.  If McCain loses this election, the GOP is going to need to do some heavy rebuilding.  This election is proving that the GOP can't count on the gun, anti-gay crowd to get them elected.  If the GOP not only loses the Presidential election, but loses the ability to fillibust in the Senate; they'll really have to go back to the drawing board.

In the last eight years -- and possibily even before -- the GOP's base didn't care what happened as long as the politician was pro-gun, anti-gay and right wing Christian.  Start a war in Iraq, fine by us -- just don't let those queers get married.  Give tax breaks to the rich, but keep spending like there's no tomorrow -- you got it, just let me buy my assault rifle.

I left the GOP behind a long time ago.  Had I been able to vote, I would've voted for Reagan -- both times.  I made Alex P. Keaton look like a liberal back in those days.  But, I've had to leave my beloved party behind because more and more they've lost sight of what makes a great Republican.  They've forgotten that it was Lincoln who freed the slaves.  Theodore Roosevelt was progressive. 

Maybe, if the GOP gets back to the idea of a better government -- one that supports rights for all Americans and doesn't believe in subsidies to large businesses, maybe the Republican party can survive.  When that day happens, the anti-Conservative Conservatives will have to fall by the wayside.  There won't be any room for Sarah Palin in the mix.

If they don't dump the far right ideas, the Republican Party won't survive.

And that would be a sad day indeed.

God Bless

Give a Little Love

Earlier today, I wrote a nice little piece on the economy but when I went to publish it, something went wrong and I received an error message.  Since I was short on time, I decided not to rewrite the piece.  Just a little while ago, I checked my email and saw that the obituary for a co-worker's brother was in my inbox.  I thought of my own younger brothers and cried.  I can't imagine the loss my co-worker must be feeling.  Then, I saw again Jennifer Hudson's face plastered on the front page of CNN regarding the losses in her family.  I can't imagine the sorrow the Hudson family must be feeling.

And, I thought, I'm not going to post anything on my website today about the economy or the election.  I'm going to steal that title from the Judd's song -- Give a Little Love.

So, here's what I want all of you to do today -- Give a Little Love to someone you know.  If you don't know anyone, give a little love to a stranger.  Smile at someone -- give a word of encouragement -- hold a door open -- tell a joke -- hug your wife, husband, son, daughter, grandchild and, heck, if you're close to them, hug your neighbor.

Life is so precious and so fleeting and we all (me included) spend so much of it fighting with each other.  The thought of spending even one day on earth without my brothers being here saddens to me to no end.  (and, yes, Scott, I would miss you.)  We should take one day at a time.

Does that mean I won't be complaining tomorrow -- no, that's not even possible -- but for a little while today, I'm going to look for the joy and I suggest you do too.

God Bless

Sarah's a bad pick...

If you can't see the video, here's Cafferty's blog location.

Sarah, don't lie to the American Public...

According to Sarah Palin, McCain will balance the budget by the end of his first term.  No, no he won't.  With Iraq costing us $10 billion per month, how is he going to do that?  When he claims he's going to give tax breaks?  With the interest on our loans costing $100 million a year?  When we still owe money from WWII, just how is he going to balance the budget? 

Is he going to cut payouts?  Is he going to hurt the American Public during hard economic times?

The truth is that if McCain becomes President, he won't balance the budget by the end of his first term.

God Bless

At five Colleges, Palin never learned the roles of the Vice President? Even I did that much!

Did Palin NOT take a politics or history class during her time at those five colleges? How could she think this? The Vice President doesn't "get in there" and make any good policy. I'm sure Vice Presidents have acted on the President's behalf to work with Senators, but I don't think in the way she mentioned. And, I do know that the Vice President is President of the Senate, but that doesn't mean much besides the tie breaker vote.

Just what the heck did she study at University of Hawaii-Hilo (although the school has no record of her), Hawaii Pacific University in Honolulu, North Idaho College, Matanuska-Susitna Community College and University of Idaho? I know she has a degree in journalism, but I would think a journalism major would have to know the role of the Vice President of the United States of America. But, then, I've never taken journalism classes, so maybe I'm wrong.

See video below (Sorry, Zeta, no transcript available):

God Bless

Attended 5 colleges and now she's running for Vice President

This is to all the Palin supporters out there. All those people who think she'd make a heckva Vice President and a terrific President.

I want you to think about what I'm about to say long and hard. Sarah Palin attended five different colleges before finally sticking to one and graduating in 1987 -- two years after she should've. I attended five different colleges before finally sticking to one and graduating in 2006 -- 17 years after I should've.

Would you want me to be the President of the United States? Or, even Vice President?

I didn't think so.

As much as this pains me to say, statistically speaking, John McCain has a 20.93% chance of not finishing out his term. We have had 9 Presidents in US history to not finish their terms -- 4 were assassinated (Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley and Kennedy), 4 died in office (Harrison, Taylor, Harding and FDR) and one resigned (Nixon). We've only had 43 men sitting in that oval office chair. ((9/43)*100 = 20.93%)

So, would you feel the same if she was going to be President? If McCain is elected, she has a 1 in 5 chance of being our 45th President. Did anyone else feel a chill go down their back at the thought of President Palin?

Further, as much as she's just like us -- you betcha -- she isn't. How many of us have five children? How many of us read whatever someone else puts in front of us? How many of us have a family income of $250,000 per year?

I'm betting not many.

Now, let's move on to a some things that're bugging me about Joe the Plumber. I've heard two rumors that I can't get the truth on: One, I hear he isn't a licensed plumber -- is that true? Two, I heard that he owes back taxes -- is that true?

But, the major thing that bugging me is that Joe the Plumber said that he's thinking of buying a company that makes $250,000 a year. Obama said Joe's taxes will go up, but I don't think he heard him right. Obama said that taxes will go up on people who earn $250,000 a year, not businesses. Plus, I thought Obama's tax plan wouldn't raise taxes on small businesses that earn $250,000 a year.

So, those "I'm Joe the Plumber" ads the Republican Party are running are full of crap. They're twisting Obama's words. Plus, sorry, if you're making $250,000 a year -- you have plenty and can afford to pay taxes. I could go on about that thought, but that's a post for another day.

God Bless

Homecoming Queen Redux

Last Thursday, I posted a video from CNN showing a girl with Down Syndrome being crowned Homecoming Queen for her high school. However; I neglected to post what was going on in the video -- as a stone-age reader pointed out -- so I'm just posting this to let you know what was in the video. They did a little interview with the young lady, her mother and some of her friends.

It melted my cold, cold cynical heart and made me cry.

God Bless

The Palin Factor?

I found this quote on CNN.com today in an article entitled "Could Palin factor save McCain?". I thought I'd just pass it along to see if everyone else feels the way I do about it.

Here's the quote:

"'It may well be that there is ... a group of people out there now who find it politically incorrect to be for Sarah Palin in public, but they're going to vote for her in the privacy of the voting booth,' said David Gergen, a CNN senior political analyst."

Here's my question and I think it is reasonable...Why is it politically incorrect to be a Palin supporter?

I mean, she's for guns, she's a woman, she's a hockey mom, she hates gays (supporting an anti-gay amendment means you hate gays, let's not pretend it doesn't) and she's a very right wing Christian.

What's so politically incorrect?

Here's my take: I'm supporting Obama. When asked, I say I'm supporting Obama. Was I happy about his choice of Biden, no, honestly, I wasn't, but hey, I've looked up Biden and I think he's an okay guy. But, in the end, I'm voting for Obama. Now, do I think he made a good choice with Biden. Sure, I trust that Biden could carry out the office of the President if, God forbid, Obama can't. But, let me make this clear, I'm not voting for Joe Biden. I'm casting my vote for Barack Obama.

Now, this Palin factor the article mentions confuses me, because she's not running for President -- in case people have to be reminded, John McCain is running for President. Now, do I think she's a good choice, HELL NO. Do I think he should've picked someone else? HELL YEAH! Do I think if McCain can't finish out his term that she could. NO FREAKING WAY! God help us all if that happens. Still, I know some people disagree with me and think she'd be a great VP and, if needed - oh, God FORBID -- she'd be a great President. I just don't understand where David Gergen thinks these people are.

But then, I've never understood dishonest people.

God Bless

Stimulus Package

Economists are calling on Washington to create yet another stimulus package. Bush previously said, "No" to the idea, but something has changed his mind and now he wants one.

Well, I can't imagine this being a good idea. Let's just put our deficit even higher. Our government all ready owes everyone and their brother money. The bailout has cost every American citizen $3,100 and now, they want to pass a $150 billion bill. How is this going to help? Maybe, we just need the economy to suck for a while. It'll come back, let's just sit, wait and see what happens.

If anything should pass, it should be to give states enough money to cover unemployment. I heard that Wisconsin is running out of money. Also, it should be to help the 7.5% of Americans who are or will be unemployed find training in other fields.

Side note: My mother keeps insisting the economy is chugging along and everything is fine. One of the things she says proves this is our unemployment rate. Right now, it's lower than 7.5% and it is lower than it was in the seventies, so things are okay. Well, I don't know a lot about the seventies, but I know now if you're unemployed and not on the unemployment roll, you're not being counted. If you are still employed, but looking for a full time job, you're counted as unemployed. If you took a job way below where you were before, you're not being counted, but you're not making your full pre-firing, pre-laid off wage. None of these are good for the economy. Another thing that isn't good was the high gas prices.

Now, if they are going to send sums home to people, let's send more than a lousy $600.00 per individual. Cheryl and I normally spend more than $1800 on Christmas between gifts, wrapping paper, Christmas Eve dinner and charitable donations, but not this year. We're cutting way back this year. We haven't been able to put money into our savings accounts like previous years due to various reasons -- the least of which included the high gas prices -- and we're going to need to use the Christmas fund to pay our home taxes. Now, I'm not complaining, we both have jobs, things are just tighter than normal. We'll get through it, just as many of Americans will.

But, the only way for the economy to bounce back is we need to put money into it. So, here's my suggestion -- partially stolen from Lewis Black -- let's build something, anything. Let's put money into our intrastucture. Let's improve our roads, let's update our railroads. If we're going to spend $150 billion dollars, let's use it to create jobs. How about create an energy company, solely owned by the government, that will research fossil fuel alternatives? What about a company that will invent a better running car? Something, anything that will create jobs. And, let's take a look at the hardest hit areas of the nations and put in training centers. Let's train our unemployed and underemployed for different jobs. Not only would we employ people as trainers, but we'll make our un and under employed citizens ready for the next jobs in their lives.

How can we pay for this?

Well, let's stop substizing oil companies and large farms (not family farms, the big guys) and I'm sure there's other things as well. Let's rollback the tax breaks on the upper 1%. We all know taxes have to be raised, so let's just get it over with. Hell, I'd chip in a little more in taxes to pay for something that benefits all.

But, it'll never happen.

So, if they do pass the stimulus, I hope it's enough money so we can buy some really nice Christmas presents.

God Bless

Sarah Palin

This is an open letter to Sarah "Pro-American" Palin:

"Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin told a fundraiser in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Thursday night:
"We believe that the best of America is in the small towns that we get to visit, and in the wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America, being here with all of you hard-working, very patriotic, very pro-America areas of this great nation," she said. "*

Dear Sarah,

Hi, I'm not from small town America, but that doesn't mean that I'm not pro-American. I don't believe we should've started a war in Iraq, but that doesn't mean I don't support our troops and it doesn't mean I don't love my country.

I believe that a woman should have the right to choose -- if only to prevent back alley abortions that do no good for anyone. And, I'm pro-American.

I believe that assault weapons are not needed by anyone, but law enforcement and military and I'm pro-American.

I've never been in a beauty contest and I'm pro-American.

I don't hunt and I'm pro-American.

I am the daughter, granddaughter and cousin of war veterans and I'm pro-American.

Real America isn't just in the small towns of America. Real America exists everywhere in our 50 states -- you do know there are 50 states, Sarah, right? It isn't all just Alaska.

The rest of the country should be insulted by your remarks.

God Bless, Sarah, you're going to need it.

* - taken from CNN.com.

Protesters and Veterans

I saw on YouTube and on another blog that Palin tried to quiet down "protesters" only to be told they were supporters wanting her to speak louder. Also, turns out that the "protesters" were calling out "Sarah." I saw a couple of versions of the YouTube video and Palin doesn't look happy. Now, a lot of people of making a big deal that Palin was so goofy that she can't tell supporters from protesters, but in what will probably be the only time I ever defend her, I don't think it's fair. Palin is being protested everywhere, I'm gathering, and if you or I were in the same position, we might make the same mistake. Since people sitting behind her appeared to understand what the crowd was yelling and Palin didn't, it is quite possible that she just can't hear as well as other people can.

Anyway, while I understand why Palin felt the need to "punish" the protesters, I don't understand why she said what she said. From what I can gather, she was at a regular campaign stop. She wasn't at a Veteran's Rally, yet she said, "I would hope at least that those protesters have the courage and the honor of thanking our veterans for giving them the right to protest."

What's that all about?

I love my country and I support my troops, so why is it if I protest someone running for President somehow I need to thank a Vet? I don't get it. Is Palin saying by protesting her someone it is a slap in the face to a veteran?

Now, I've never served in the military -- as far as I know -- neither has Palin. If I was being protested, I wouldn't make a remark like that. Yes, I know, her son is going to Iraq, well, so are a lot of mothers' sons. Some of those mothers are not going to vote for McCain/Palin. Some of those mothers might even stand out in the sun and protest McCain and/or Palin.

Should those mothers thank a Vet?

And, then, I wonder, when was the last time Sarah Palin actually walked up to a man or woman in uniform and thanked them? I can tell you the last time I did. October 4th -- I ran into an Army SGT in Mitchell International Airport. I'm sure he thought I was a little nuts, but I thanked him for his service. When I saw him later waiting for a ride, I offered him one.

When was the last time she shook a Veteran's hand and thanked them for fighting in Vietnam or whatever war they fought in? I can tell you the last time I did. Well, I didn't shake his hand, I gave him a hug. It was September 19th (actually, early morning on the 20th). We walked out of the Last Chance Saloon at the same time and I gave him a hug.

Now, handshakes and hugs aren't really enough to thank our Vets for the service they gave our country, but it is better than nothing.

I just find it so offensive when someone makes the uneducated assumption that people who protest somehow don't care or don't honor our Veterans.

I can understand Palin's mistake in not hearing the crowd yell, "Sarah!" and realizing it was for her and not against her. But, I can't understand how she can equate protesters to someone who is truly un-American and doesn't support our troops.

God Bless

PS. In case you think I'm being too hard on her -- I didn't blog about how wrong her remark was -- The military DEFENDS our rights, they don't GIVE us our rights.

Homecoming Queen

Just when I think we can write off the human race as being greedy and horrible, something like this happens and my faith in humanity is renewed.

God Bless

St. Bridget Hispanic Ministry

I'll make this simple. Follow the below steps.

1. Read the article on CNN.com.
2. Get out your checkbook.
3. Write out a check to:St. Bridget Hispanic Ministry
4. Put said check in an envelope.
5. Address envelope to:
   St. Bridget Hispanic Ministry
   PO Box 369
   Postville, IA 52162
6. Put envelope in the Mail.
7. Go to sleep tonight knowing you've done something good for someone else.
8. Have pleasant dreams.

God Bless

PS. Any amount is a help, even if all you can spare is $5.00 -- it's something.

Oh, side note to anyone who is sending money to Focus on the Family -- send it to St. Bridget, you'll do more good.

To Straight California From Gay Wisconsin

I received in my mailbox an email from the Human Rights Campaign. According to the email, the anti-gay marriage ban is now winning by a 47 to 42 margin. Apparently, the Nazi groups such as Focus on the Family are blasting ads that convinced voters equal rights for all is somehow a bad thing.

Well, my fellow Americans, don't believe the crap. Gays haven't ruined traditional marriage -- how could we when we can't legally get married.

Further if these groups were the Christians they proclaim to be, they would be out helping their fellow man and not demeaning him.

It has never been easy to be a gay Christian, but groups like this disgust me in ways you can't even imagine. To be close to God is one of the most magical parts of life possible. I feel His hand in my life when I hear my grandsons' laughter, watch the sunrise or snuggle with my wife as we fall asleep. To vote Yes on Proposition 8 is to let the anti-Christ win.

Please, please, please don't let that happen. We blew it here in Wisconsin, please don't blow it in your own state.

God Bless and protect me from your "followers"

CNN Hero of the Year

Make History?

I just saw the most distrubing McCain/Palin ad on CNN. The premise compared women receiving the vote is the same history as a vote for McCain/Palin and -- in case you missed the connection -- a picture of the beauty queen waving is there. So, I guess this post is for my fellow women.

McCain/Palin are against Roe v Wade -- they want it reversed. A vote for them is almost a guarntee that it will. Afterall, the next President will get to replace at least one Supreme Court justice and possibly five.

McCain/Palin are against stem cell research.

McCain/Palin are against gay marriage and equal rights for all. They claim they're for equal rights, but that's a bald face lie. No gay marriage means someone doesn't have equal rights Period, end of story, game over.

McCain/Palin is NOT a vote for History and how dare they even claim to be. We've had a white man and a white woman running on the same ticket, so the history's been made.

A vote for history would be a vote for Obama.

God Bless

Doesn't the Army have a Heart?

Read this article on CNN.com...I'll wait.

Done? Okay.

How could the Army not allow this SGT to bring home that beautiful dog? (Did you see the picture?)

Write your Congressman or Congresswoman.

Bring Ratchet to the United States. It can't possibly cost that much.

God Bless

Bush Wants to Work during Last 100 Days

"Bush: 'Lot of work to do' in last 100 days" says the headline on CNN.com.  No, President Bush, you've done enough.  Just go take another vacation and we'll let the big boys handle the issues.

I read the headline to Cheryl this morning and she says, "He's worried about his legacy."  What an understatement!  But, she is hitting it on the head.  When future generations judge Bush the Seconds reign of error, they will not be kind.  Gas prices more that doubled under Bush.  The economy is tanking.  A war in Iraq where he declared Mission Accomplished and yet, our men and women are still there fighting.  Now, we have $700 billion dollars added to our rising deficit.  To pay it off every man, woman and child will need to send $3100 to the Federal Government.  I don't happen to have that lying around to just send, do you?

Bush talked about an ownership nation, but he didn't mean the rich owned up -- he just meant the poor and middle class are on their own.

Now, he really wants to do something in his last hundred days.

Don't, Mr. President.  You've done enough.

God Bless

Merit Pay For Teachers

Merit pay is thrown around quite a bit.  In the Corporate world, it is used as an excuse to not give all employees the same and equal raise.  Supposedly, you "earn" your raise.  Now, with the exception of one position I've held in the past 12 years, I have always received a review that entitled me to either the top raise or close to the top raise.  Here's the kicker, because of where I was on the pay scale, I earned the top percentage, but received much lower because giving me the raise I earned would place me over the pay scale for my position.  (this was not at the one previously position where I didn't "earn" it.)  I've seen some people who might've deserved the best raise not get it because their manager was limited to how much he/she could give out.  Merit pay is an imperfect system and usually only works for the corporation.

Now, I've heard talk that they want teachers to receive Merit pay and I wonder, how is that going to work?  How does someone from the outside judge whether or not a teacher deserves a raise?  Nowadays, parents throw fits and fall into them if their little Johnny is flunked, but if Johnny can't read, shouldn't he flunk?  Parents forced a nine year old's baseball team to fold because their kids couldn't hit the pitches thrown by him. 

How would you base the Merit pay?  On how many students the teacher passed or on how many flunked?  If you hated a teacher enough, couldn't you blow your standardized test?  I never tried on them, why should any other kid?  (I used to just choose any answer because I truly didn't care except on history and English.  I always liked the reading parts.)

Our teachers are teaching in classrooms that are improperly funded and overcrowded.  Quite frankly, if just one kid in the room can read, I'm surprised. 

I don't know what the answer should be to weed out the bad teachers and keep the truly good ones, but I can tell you Merit pay isn't going to help.

God Bless

Who the HELL is Joe Six Pack?

I'm really getting mad about the news coverage, the bailout, personal things in my life, crappy health insurance, etc.  I'm getting so mad that Cheryl would like me to start taking pills, but frankly, I'd rather be mad than have no feelings.

What I'm mad about today is this notion that Sarah Palin represents Joe Six Pack.  According to this week's Newsweek, she seems to think that her being picked as a contender for VP means that Joe Six Pack will have representation in the White House.  So, if this is the case, who the HELL is Joe Six Pack?

You see, I always thought Joe Six Pack was the common man - like my dad.  He served his country, works hard, earns a decent (but not an abundant) salary, goes to Boy Scout meetings with his sons and is proud of his daughter and on Sunday afternoons, he sits down with a big bowl of popcorn and watches the Bears play.  God willing and the creek don't rise, he gets to retire.  To me, that's Joe Six Pack and that's my dad.

But, Palin in her short skirts and college education isn't Joe Six Pack.  She and her husband made $249,000 last year.  My dad never made that much.  Palin flips flops on the issues such as the bridge to nowhere and her now "pro-gay rights" stance she took in the VP debate.  My dad's never flip flopped on any issue in his life -- even when his daughter was yelling at him that he's wrong.

So, is it me?  Am I wrong about Joe Six Pack?  He isn't like my dad?  Because, if I'm right, than Palin's wrong -- she doesn't represent Joe Six Pack.  And, if I'm wrong and she doesn't represent Joe Six Pack, than who the HELL is Joe Six Pack?

God Bless

Email I received...

From last Thursday until very early Saturday morning, I was in the Big Apple.  I wasn't there for fun, but I would like to say that everyone is really nice in New York.  I knew this from my last visit in 1994.  On Saturday, I returned and attended a co-worker's wedding reception -- very nice.  Sunday, I went to Cederberg with friends.  All in all it was a very busy four days and I didn't have a lot of time for blogging or emailing.  I did read the comments on my blog post regarding Sarah Palin and I'll be responding to those as soon as I can.

However; I found the following in my email box and I wanted to pass it on.  I haven't had a chance to check it out, but if you do, please let me know what you thought.  (Clicking the link will open a new window.)


In the face of a campaign promising to descend even further into the
mud, I present a political movement that voters of all political
affiliations can get behind:

I Poop and I Vote.

Check it out at http://www.ipoopandivote.com!

Because America needs a changing!

Downloadable posters and graphics are available at IPoopandIVote.com.
Please help me spread the word-and actually raise the level of discourse
in this campaign!

Dave Praeger
I Poop and I Vote
http://www.ipoopandivote.com

Also, I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I have become addicted to this video on youtube.  I'm including it here.

I could sleep for a week and I still would feel tired!

God Bless!

Sarah Palin Pisses Me Off!!!

There are two women on this planet who piss me off more than anyone else.  One I know and can't even stand the sound of her voice and the other I don't know, but I still can't stand the sound of her voice.  And, it is the second of these two women I'd like to discuss today.

Who is the second woman?  Come on, you've guessed it -- Sarah -- I'm a Bitch -- Palin.

I can't stand her.  Everytime she opens her mouth it's like someone is dragging their nails across a chalk board.  She stands for everything I'm totally against.  She lies about being pro-life, she did a shitty job raising her daughter (if she did a good job her daughter wouldn't have gotten pregnant out of wedlock) and she thinks that by being from our 3rd smallest state that means she knows something.

And, then, I hear in a CNN video where she makes a crack about how she's excited to meet Joe Biden because she's been listening to his speeches since 2nd grade.  No, no you haven't.  Joe Biden was elected to the Senate in 1972 when Palin should've been in 3rd grade.  And, oh, am I being to hard.  That's too damn bad because when it comes to women in public, we have to be smarter than everyone else.  We have to try harder than men and I'm not cutting her any slack.  Plus, I'm betting that she DIDN'T listen to any of his speeches.

And, I saw a headline that she won't tell anyone what newspapers and magazines she's reading.  Now, I don't really care about what anyone is reading, but if you asked me what I'm reading, I'd gladly tell you, so it makes me wonder -- what does she have to hide?  Why can't she tell us?  She answered she's read all of them.  Now, I'm not really sure just how many newspapers and magazines there are in the country, but I can bet a woman with FIVE kids isn't reading ALL OF THEM!  I have no children in the home and I barely make it all the way through TIME, Newsweek and US News & World Report. If US News hadn't switched to bi-weekly format, I'd never get done.

So, she can't name ONE newspaper or magazine, she claims that she gets her news from various sources AND she goes on to say Alaska isn't a foreign country.  I knew that last part.  I'm glad to see she does too.

I'm betting the woman reads Better Homes and Gardens (1-year) and Guns & Ammo.

See the video for yourself below.  Watch how Bay Buchanan tries to defend Palin.  It's pretty funny.  If the video doesn't appear below, click here.

Wait, it gets better.  She doesn't know what the morning after pill is. 

I don't want this woman a heartbeat away from the Presidency.  I don't want this woman representing me to foreign heads of state.  I don't want this woman to represent me as a member of Generation X and I sure the hell don't want this woman  representing me as an American Woman.

God Bless us everyone -- we need it.