Trail Obama

I received in an email the following press release about a new site. It was started by a college graduate who has lost his job in the new economy. I checked it out and it looks interesting. Give it a read.

As the world looks on in awe at the new day among us, a new era has begun in America. The folks at TrailObama.com are well aware of the fascination with President Barack Obama and his every move. TrailObama.com provides the public with insight into exactly what President Obama is doing day-to-day.
The TrailObama staff selects the most relevant, unbiased content to showcase action items that the President is acting upon. Interestingly enough, the TrailObama team is comprised of both democrats and republicans in a bi-partisan effort to show the people that you can indeed come across the aisle to achieve a common goal. "Our goal is to get down to the meat and potatoes - to sift through the most relevant eye catching action items of President Obama so that the user can decide whether or not Barack Obama is doing a good job" says TrailObama content manager Bryan Bloom. The site was created when the TrailObama team noticed that when trying to keep up with current Presidential happenings, they couldn't easily find what's been checked off the President's to-do list. TrailObama gives you the uncanny ability to cut through opinions and hearsay and get straight to the facts so you can formulate your own opinions about his actions.
Currently, the site allows you to get a daily serving of the President's tasks at hand, vote on weekly polls regarding the presidency, peruse news pertaining to President Obama from a variety of sources, scroll over a visual timeline of President Obama's first 100 days in office, and discuss each news item with other visitors. The team is expected to roll out a slew of new features and content over the next weeks, months, and years, including stock charts to see how the economy and each specific market has fared since Obama took office on January 20th, 2009. Beware of our Obama look-a-like contest coming soon!!!

The Morning After

I didn't stay up last night to watch Obama's speech, but I did watch McCain's. I thought he gave an eloquent and well thought out speech. I like John McCain, even if I disagree with him. His speech last night reminded me of why I like John McCain.

There are three reasons I didn't vote for John McCain:

1. He said he didn't believe in gay people adopting children. People who think that are too narrow minded -- yes, Arkansas, I'm speaking to you -- to be able to think clearly.

2. His healthcare plan.

3. Sarah Palin.

Here's what I'm hoping will now happen to the Republican Party while they're at home licking their wounds. Maybe, they'll try to get back to the Republican Party of Lincoln and Roosevelt. Maybe, they'll come back even stronger and with fiscal responsibility on their lips. I love it when an uninformed moron says to me that Democrats are tax and spend while we have the highest deficit ever.

Obama has a long way to go to help fix our broken America. We didn't allow our nation to be torn to pieces overnight and we won't be able to fix it that way, either.

I like the way McCain said he's going to work with Obama. I like that he said we're all Americans, because that's what is important. If we all work together, we can build this great lady back to the shining nation she once was.

God Bless

Confusion -- Thanks Walter!

I received this in an email and it hits the nail right on the head, so I'm posting it here. BTW, if you wrote it, please contact me. I think we have a lot in common. In the interest of full disclosure, I cleaned up some spelling and grammar mistakes and I added a couple of notes.

I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....

· If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're "Exotic, different."

· Grow up in Alaska eating moose burgers yours is the quintessential American story.

· If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.

· Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.

· Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.

· Attend 5 different small colleges graduating, you're well-grounded.

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

· If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people (where less than 1,500 actually voted in the election), 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive and next in line behind a man in his eighth decade.

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

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

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

· If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with neither option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.

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

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

OK, much clearer now.

Bill O'Reilly

I don't always agree with Bill O'Reilly and most of the time I think he's a jerk (but I love watching his visits on the View). I'm going to push this aside. I found the below quote on Time magazine's website. If Bill O'Reilly has to come to the Obama's aid, you know the media has NOT been unkind to the GOP. But don't tell them that. They are so out of touch with America that they don't know good coverage when they see/hear/read it.*

For anyone to say that Barack Obama consciously compared Mrs. Palin to a pig is unfair.

• BILL O'REILLY,
• Fox anchor, blasting the McCain campaign and the media for insinuating that the Democrat's use of the phrase "lipstick on a pig" referred to the Republican vice-presidential nominee

God Bless

* But, after watching the GOP destroy this nation for the last eight years, I wouldn't really expect them to do anything more than whine that they're being unfairly treated.

I can't defend this...

I'm not going to lie and make you think I completely support Obama and Biden. Joe Biden released 10 years worth of tax returns that shows he donated .2% of his income to charity. For last year, he donated a whopping $995.00. How can that be? He made more than $300,000 and he gave less than $1,000. That's less than I gave to charity last year.

Now, don't think this means I'm not going to vote for him, I'm just disappointed in his lack of giving.

On the other hand, where are Sarah Palin's tax returns? At least Biden has released ten years of his tax returns. Palin has released none. McCain has released two years compared to Obama's seven.

At least we know the Democratic candidates have nothing to hide. McCain doesn't even file his taxes jointly with his wife because he'd like you to believe he's just like the rest of us. Well, the us that travels in private jets and earns $400,000 a year. Yes, all the candidates earn more than you and me, but some of them more than others.

It would be nice if Biden had given more to charity.

God Bless

Support Obama

I hadn't designed a shirt or mug in support of Obama because I wasn't going to get into the mess of designing campaign shirts, but this stuff with Palin has really gotten my panties in an uproar and I feel that I have to show my support for Obama. So, I've updated a couple of my earlier posts with links to the shirt and here's the new design. There will be more to follow.

Wondering...

The Republicans seized Obama's pig remark and claimed it was sexist and aimed at Sarah Palin. Can you see me rolling my eyes? This morning, Obama slammed the GOP for not discussing the issues and "seize on an innocent remark, take it out of context, throw up an outrageous ad because they know it is catnip for the news media."¹ And, that got me thinking. What if all these divisions between the red states and blue states are solely because of the news media?

Think about it, Obama and McCain debate each other and stick totally on the issues, how boring is that? How many news magazines would that sell? How many news stations want to cover an adult debate? How many papers would sell if it was only issues McCain and Obama mentioned? I'm going to do this when I'm President and my opponent wants to do something else. How many times a day would you check CNN if the breaking news was: McCain announces his healthcare plan?

I'm not sure who decided dirty campaigning made for better news, but isn't it time that the American public stopped paying attention? Don't click on the headline that states McCain slaps Obama or Obama sticks it to McCain. Click on the headline that says McCain's withdrawal plan for Iraq or Obama's solution for the North Korea problem.

And, while I'm on the subject, stop paying attention when they feed us stories about Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan and Britney Spears. Don't buy the magazine with Brad and Angelina's twins in it. For that matter, don't buy the one that tells you all about Jennifer Anniston's break up with John Mayer.

Buy the magazine that gives you real news, not eye catching headlines.

Then, maybe, we can deal with the issues.

God Bless

Could we discuss the issues?

I've got to say, I'm really, really tired of Sarah Palin. I'm tired of seeing her picture on magazine covers. I'm tired of hearing about her pregnant daughter. I don't want to hear about her religious past, present or future. I want to know what McCain plans on doing if he's elected President. I want to know what Obama plans on doing if he's elected President.

That said, since we're on the topic, I think Obama has taken the high road in all of this -- not that anyone will give him any credit for it. I'm not exactly sure where Obama was when he made the remarks -- the article is vague, but someone said that Obama should make a statement that candidates' families and religion were off limits. Obama responded that he had all ready said families were off limits. He, also, said, "... don't give people some sort of religious litmus test because I don't want somebody to question my faith and I'm certainly not going to question somebody else's."¹

Too bad no one took this into consideration when people decided to question Obama's Christian faith.

On the other hand, why is it that the GOP doesn't want us questioning Palin's faith? Why shouldn't we ask questions about what it is exactly she believes? Why did she belong to a Pentecostal faith for twenty years and then in 2002, she suddenly switches to a non-denominational church? What happened in 2002 that made her change faiths and churches, but not completely cut the Pentecostal out of her life?

If Obama had to take the punches about his religion and his religious beliefs, why shouldn't Palin?

Palin said just a couple of months ago: "Pray for our military men and women who are striving do to what is right. Also for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending them out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for -- that there is a plan, and that plan is God's plan."² She invokes God, so why shouldn't we ask her about her beliefs?

I guess we shouldn't ask her because Obama should have never been asked. Obama wants to take the high road. He wants us to leave Palin's family and religion alone, but no one will notice those remarks. Even the article from where I took the quote is leaning toward McCain: McCain camp angry over Obama's 'lipstick' comment. If you just read the first couple of paragraphs, you'd never know that Obama wants to leave Palin's family alone.

But, Obama takes the high road doesn't sell newspapers and it doesn't make you click on the article link.

Only 56 more days until this is all over.

God Bless

Matching to a Candidate

Powered by * Please note, the sender's email address has not been verified. I'm not sure if this will post correctly, but here's my results on the USA Today Candidate Match Game. Click the following to access the sent link: Candidate Match Game II* Get your EMAIL THIS Browser Button and use it to email content from any Web site. Click here for more information. *This article can also be accessed if you copy and paste the entire address below into your web browser. http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/candidate-match-game.htm?friendA=1,2,1.5-2,-1,1-3,2,1-4,-2,1-5,-2,2-6,1,0.666666666666667-7,-2,1-8,-1,1-9,2,1-10,-2,2-11,2,1-12,1,1-

GOP On Democrats and other thoughts...

Why is any news outlet interviewing Republicans about the Democratic convention? This isn't the week of the Republicans -- it is the week of the Democrats. Who cares what the other side has to say this week. They'll have their chance during their convention. Now, so no one can say I'm being unfair, I'll just state it now: I don't care what the Democrats have to say during the Republican convention. Can we hear the messages and speeches without hearing the twisting of words from the opposite side?

Why do people still think Al Gore said he invented the Internet? How come that sticks in people's minds, especially when it isn't true?

And, speaking of Al Gore, why do people still believe that Global Warming is fake, even when there is a mound of evidence to the contrary? Plus, how could anyone be against making air safer to breath and water safer to drink? What are these people thinking?

And, why is it that when I'm in the shower, I get great ideas for things to write, but the minute my feet hit the tile floor, the idea is gone? How could I do my best thinking in the bathroom?

Why do people think that because they attend church they're good Christians? I can stand in my garage, it doesn't make me a Buick.

One last thing: why is Halle Berry the first Black woman to receive a Best Actress Oscar and Barack Obama the first Black nominee for President when both of them are each 1/2 white? Why aren't they the first mixed race Best Actress Oscar winner and the first mixed race nominee for President?

God Bless

Interesting Politics -- Possible Running Mates

I went to log into my Roadrunner account and there's a bunch of headlines at the bottom. One of them says, "Sen. Joe Lieberman to speak at GOP convention." Well, that's an interesting way to start the day. If you know your recent history, you know that Lieberman ran for VP in 2000. When he lost the Democratic primary in his home state of Connecticut, he ran as an Independent and won. Now, there's talk that he might be McCain's VP choice. Lieberman certainly would be an attention-grabbing choice. And, McCain could use a little more attention.

On the other side of the fence, yesterday, I received a public email from Michael Moore to Caroline Kennedy begging her to consider becoming Barack's running mate. I don't know a lot about Caroline Kennedy. I remember a picture from her wedding day where she was standing outside the church -- looking radiant and beautiful as all brides do -- and she's trying to get the crowd of well wishers to be quiet. She looked really poised for someone holding her finger to her lips.

I wasn't alive nor were my parents married or even knew each other when John F. Kennedy was President. I didn't watch Caroline grow up like so many of my friends did. She doesn't feel like an old friend. Now, her brother, John, that was different. He was everywhere when I was growing up. He was like the older brother I wish I had. When he died in that horrible tragedy, it was the only time in my life I said a prayer for a famous person -- an honest to goodness down on my knees, please God, let him be okay prayer. I could see an Obama/Kennedy ticket if John were still here.

But, Caroline? She's never -- that I've noticed -- shown any interest in politics . She's written books and I know she's heading up the selection committee to help find Obama's running mate. She might be a good choice. She's the only one left from Camelot. She's shown in very hard times that she's level headed. (I don't think I could've been that poised on my wedding day if I had a bunch of people disrupting my service.) And, Caroline doesn't come with a lot of the baggage a different running mate might have. Also, because she hasn't held a political office, she would represent a big change.

Maybe, Michael Moore is right and Caroline should become the next Vice President of the United States.

God Bless

Celebrity and Campaigning

I haven't seen many campaign ads this year. Come to think of it, I've only seen one campaign ad - McCain's Celebrity ad. Have you seen this ad? He compares Obama to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, claiming that like Spears and Hilton, Obama has no substance.
Let the negative campaigning begin.
You know what ad I'd like to see? I'd like to see an ad where McCain blows smoke up my skirt to tell me how he's going to make my life better. I'd like to see the samething from Obama. I don't want to see negative ads.
But, as Bush proved in 2004, you don't win an election without negative ads. They resonate. Do you know there are still people in this country who believed the pack of lies sold by the Swift Boat attack ads on Kerry?
Couldn't we try something different? Couldn't we get a real understanding of our candidates?
Because based on this one ad, my understanding of McCain is that he has nothing to offer, so he's going on the attack.
God Bless

Again with the Economy

Perhaps, I'm missing something. I'm reading this week's Time magazine and they've included a voter's guide to Obama and McCain's plans for the economy. Under Obama's plan, he would end Bush's tax cuts for families making more than $250,000 (with which I agree), raise the capital gains tax and give tax credits to singles and families. McCain wants to make Bush's tax cuts permanent (which I oppose), reduce the corporate tax (as I mentioned last week) and here's a new one -- "He may be open to the possibility of a higher Social Security payroll tax." What does that mean?
8% of my salary goes to Social Security. Is he going to raise that? And, with that raise, is he going to guarntee that Social Security will be there when I retire? Or, is he going to lift the cap, so that those earning more than $92,000 a year pay on their whole salary? I would support lifting the cap.
Think about it. If you make $50,000 per year, you pay Social Security on that whole amount. That comes to $4,000 or 8%. If you make $100,000 a year, you pay only on $92,000, which comes to $7,360 or 7.36% of your salary. So, percentage wise, the person who earns less pays more than the person who earns the most. Does that seem fair to you?

God Bless