Obama RIPS into Fraudulent Economic Imbecile McCain

The details are here. Excerpt:

"Can you afford to take a chance on someone who's voted against the minimum wage 19 times," Obama asked a crowd of thousands under a blazing sun at a rally in western Colorado at the start of a swing through contested Western states. "When it was $4, he was against it, when it was $5 he was against it, when it was $6 he was against it."

The nation's economic anxieties were sharpened by a historic upheaval on Wall Street with the announcements that financial giant Lehman Brothers was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy while titan Merrill Lynch was being bought by Bank of America for about $50 billion.

Charging that McCain was out of touch, Obama said, "He doesn't get what's happening between the mountains in Sedona where he lives and the corridors of power where he works. Why else would he say that we've made great progress economically under George Bush. Why else would he say that the economy isn't something he understands as well as he should.

"Why else would he say, today of all days, just a few hours ago — think about this, we just woke up to news of financial disaster — and this morning he said that the fundamentals of the economy are still strong. Sen. McCain, what economy are you talking about?"

Palin, the LYING Earmark Queen

That noted left-wing Commie Hippie Pinko publication The Wall Street Journal has the details here. Seems that the Rape Kit Queen of Wasilla has asked for almost ONE MILLION FREAKING DOLLARS A DAY, on average, for every day she's been governor. And remember, Alaska receives $1.84 in federal benefits for every $1 Alaskans pay in federal income tax, making it the biggest WELFARE CLIENT in America.

Ah, those right-wing "values" strike again--lying, hypocrisy, psychological projection, and fantasies about a world that has no relation to reality at all.

Want to See All The McCain-Palin DAMNED LIES in One Place?

Check this out!

Actually, there might be a few they missed.

Yes! More Like This, Please.

Yes, Palin's Town Government DID Charge Rape Victims for the Cost of a Rape Kit!

The damning story is here.

And of course, Palin has flat out lied about this.

These people are sick and perverse, and I am dismayed by the fact that there's about a 50-50 chance they could win.

God help our country. And PLEASE CONTRIBUTE MONEY TO OBAMA AND BIDEN!!

Give generously HERE.

Brazen Liar McCain Running the Most Dishonest Campaign in Modern U.S. History

Steve Benen gets it out straight right here:


But there's just something breathtaking about John McCain's 2008 campaign, and it's not just because he's running in part on his reputation for candor and integrity. We're talking about a candidate who's been lying about everything -- his record, his running mate, his opponent, his agenda, his past, and his policies. He'll lie, get caught, and then repeat the same lie. He'll lie, get caught, and then lie about lying. He'll lie about some things in which the truth was just as good, but lying came more naturally. And he seems to be lying more as the race unfolds.

Will the media call him on it--and help save our country from the disaster of a McCain-Palin presidency?

The Swiftboat Scum Are Ready to Strike Again

The Washington Post has the story here. The effort is being funded by many of the same ultra-right wing Texas fanatics that launched the campaign of lies against John Kerry.

And Karl Rove is acting as a consultant.

A storm of despicable filth, slander, and smears is already being thrown at Obama. Now these bastards intend to add to it.

Stay tuned.

John McCain and Sarah Palin's PATHETIC LIES

1. Palin claims she went to Iraq. LIE. She never got past Kuwait.
2. Palin claims she was opposed to the so-called "Bridge to Nowhere". LIE. She campaigned for it, and after it came under fire, she kept the money that had been earmarked for it.
3. McCain claims Palin is against earmarks and pork barrel spending. LIE. Alaska gets more federal aid per person than any other state in the Union.
4. McCain claims he has never approved earmarks. LIE. He has regularly sought special funds for Arizona.

5. McCain claims Obama wanted to teach sex education to 5 year olds, a lie he specifically defended on "The View" on ABC. LIE. DAMNED, FILTHY, OUTRIGHT LIE.

6. McCain claims Obama ignored wounded U.S. soldiers when Obama visited Germany. LIE.

7. McCain claims that Obama wants to raise everyone's taxes. LIE. Obama will CUT taxes for 95% of the working people of America.

8. McCain claims that since Alaska is next to Russia that Palin has  foreign policy expertise. LIE. Palin has never been to Russia, has never met any Russian leaders, has never studied Russian history or politics, and does not speak Russian. Some expertise.

9. McCain claims that Palin is America's foremost energy expert. LAUGHABLE, RIDICULOUS LIE.  She knows more than T. Boone Pickens? More than the heads of our oil, natural gas, nuclear, and alternative energy industries? More than the directors, for example, of General Electric and ExxonMobil. Seriously, how stupid does he think we are?

10. McCain says he supports stem cell research. LIE. The Republican platform specifically opposes it. 

11.  Palin claims she's ready to be president. LIE. Even many conservatives are dismayed by the shallowness of her "knowledge" of world affairs and national issues.

12.  McCain claims to be a reformer. LIE.  McCain's campaign directors ARE ALL LOBBYISTS. McCain's chief advisors ARE ALL WASHINGTON INSIDER CON ARTISTS. This lie is so brazen that it borders on breath-taking.

13. McCain claims to be an agent of change. LIE. He has been one of George W. Bush's most fervent supporters since 2001.

14. McCain claims to be "principled" and "honorable". LIES, BOTH OF THEM. He has switched positions on more than 70 issues, always choosing the most fiercely right-wing view, in order to suck up to the Republican "base". And in his campaign of lies, he has shown himself to be a dishonorable, wretched jackal.

McCain and Palin are running the ugliest, most atrocious campaign of lies in American history. The victory of such morally bankrupt people would be a tragedy and a near fatal blow to our nation's future. All patriots who love America should now rally to Obama and Biden. The alternative is unthinkable--literally.

It's Not Just Who Palin Is; It's What Her Selection Says About McCain

The Republican Convention in Brief

Tragic and Disgusting: Charging Rape Victims for Cost of Evidence Gathering

USA Today is on top of it here. Palin denies that she had anything to do with it, but since she lies about EVERYTHING ELSE, I don't buy it. Excerpt:

In 2000, there were 497 rapes reported in Alaska, FBI statistics show. That's a rate of 79.3 per 100,000 residents, the highest in the nation.

Nationally, victims' advocates have for years reported scattered instances of rape victims being required to pay for their forensic tests, says Ilse Knecht of the National Center for Victims of Crime in Washington. Those complaints have subsided somewhat after Congress in 2005 passed a law requiring states to provide rape exams free of charge or reimburse victims for the costs, says Knecht, whose group supported the provision.

"The reason we passed the legislation was that we saw it was prevalent enough to be a pretty considerable problem," Knecht says. "There are no other victims of crime that end up being billed for evidence collection."

The Senate version of the legislation that included the rape-exam provision was sponsored by Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, the Democratic vice presidential nominee. Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama was one of 58 co-sponsors; Republican presidential nominee John McCain was not.

[Emphasis fiercely added by J. Miller.]

A Quote from John McCain:

"I have had a strong and a long relationship on national security, I've been involved in every national crisis that this nation has faced since Beirut, I understand the issues, I understand and appreciate the enormity of the challenge we face from radical Islamic extremism," the Senator declared. "I am prepared. I am prepared. I need no on-the-job training. I wasn't a mayor for a short period of time. I wasn't a governor for a short period of time." [Emphasis gleefully added.]

Hmmmmm. Now which candidate for high office in this race was a (small town) mayor for a few years and has been a governor for all of a year and a half? Let me think. Who could that be?

Ha ha ha ha ha.

(HT: HuffPo)

Spread The Word About McCain's LIES!

Lying Fool Palin Says Iraqis Linked to 9/11 Attacks!

Man oh man, even BUSH doesn't say that any more. Here's the story.

My God. Are the Republicans ACTUALLY SAYING that this woman is the 2nd most qualified person in America to be president??

The Campaign of Sheer, Damned Lies

Dishonorable crook John McCain and his pathologically lying, right-wing nutjob VP candidate are conducting a campaign of such brazen, unhinged dishonesty that the Associated Press has taken notice:

Day after day [Palin] said she had told Congress "no thanks" to the so-called Bridge to Nowhere, a rural Alaska project that was abandoned when critics challenged its costs and usefulness. For nearly a week, major news outlets had documented that Palin supported the bridge when running for governor in 2006, noting that she turned against it only after it became an object of ridicule in Alaska and a symbol of Congress's out-of-control earmarking.

The McCain-Palin campaign made at least three other aggressive claims this week that omitted key details or made dubious assumptions to criticize Obama. It equated lawmakers' requests for money for special projects with corruption, even though Palin has sought nearly $200 million in such "earmarks" this year.

It produced an Internet ad implying that Obama had called Palin a pig when he used a familiar phrase, which McCain also has used, about putting "lipstick on a pig" to try to make a bad situation look better. McCain supporters said Obama was slyly alluding to Palin's description of herself as a pit bull in lipstick, but there was nothing in his remarks to support the claim. Obama accused the GOP campaign of "lies and phony outrage."

The lipstick wars were fully engaged when the McCain campaign produced another ad saying Obama favored "comprehensive sex education" for kindergartners. The charge triggered the sort of headlines becoming increasingly common in major newspapers and wire services monitoring the factual content of political ads and speeches.

"Ad on Sex Education Distorts Obama Policy," was the headline on a New York Times article Thursday. "McCain's 'Education' Spot is Dishonest, Deceptive," The Washington Post's "Fact Checker" article said.

...

With Palin giving McCain's campaign a boost in the polls, Obama supporters are nervously watching to see what impact the latest claims will have. Surveys already show that most people believe Obama would raise their taxes — a regular McCain claim — even though independent groups such as the Tax Policy Center concluded that four out of five U.S. households would receive tax cuts under his proposals.

Lie after lie after lie. The McCain-Palin campaign doesn't give a rat's ass about the truth. It only cares about winning at any cost. So what if by lying they're spitting in the face of the American people? They literally DON'T GIVE A DAMN.

Lousy ticket.

Filthy campaign.

Rotten human beings.

Seven Years After 9/11, Where is Osama Bin Laden?

For that matter, why have people seemingly forgotten this statement:

George W. Bush, on 6 August 2001, speaking to a foreign policy advisor who has just finished reading a presidential briefing entitled, "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in the U.S.":

"All right, you've covered your ass."  

(There followed a five week Bush vacation).

Oh, and one more thing: John McCain was calling for a war with Iraq within days of the 9/11 attacks, on the basis of NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER of Iraqi involvement in them.

Three thousand dead because the laziest, most irresponsible president in our history couldn't be bothered to get off his dead ass and do something.

And now the prospect that we might have, as his successor, someone who makes Bush look like a pacifist.

This nation is in terrible danger. There's no way I can sugar coat it. Unless we act, even more tragedy will befall us.

Period.

PALIN SAYS WAR WITH RUSSIA MAY BE NECESSARY

She says that Georgia should join NATO and if Russia invades it, we'll have to go to war.

With Russia.

Because Georgia is such a vital interest of the United States, I guess. That's news to me, btw.

She also says Ukraine should be admitted to NATO. I would like to point out that Russia would consider that an INTOLERABLE threat and would react according;y. It's an INCREDIBLY BAD IDEA.

This woman is as reckless, uninformed, dangerous, and irresponsible a candidate for high office as we have ever seen. There is a 50-50 chance right now she could win.

And a 1 in 6 chance she could become president in the next four years.

Yes, Obama and Biden are open to Georgia being in NATO (a bad idea, btw). But neither of them would ever be so reckless as to discuss the option of war with nuclear armed Russia with such disarming casualness.

And you say you don't have any time to help Obama and Biden?

Why Did Palin Let Her Town Charge Rape Victims for Their Own Rape Kits??

Let's find out.

Want a Laugh?

Imagine Palin trying to answer these questions.

Actually, maybe you won't laugh. If you consider that McCain has had multiple bouts with cancer, is 72 years old, and just might lie and cheat his way to victory, you could actually be terrified.

Calling BS on McCain's Lies and Hypocrisy

DAMN! Matt Damon NAILS IT!

Watch Palin Lying Again

HT: Josh Marshall

Glenn Greenwald Exposes the McCain Campaign of Lies and Fraud

The invaluable Glenn Greenwald is thoroughly disgusted by John McCain's ugly campaign of lies, smears, and distractions, and he unleashes both barrels on it here. It is well worth the few minutes of your time it will take to read it. His point is that in stirring up phony "controversies", the Republican Slime Machine is aided and abetted by a thoroughly complicit news media.

I get almost desperate when I think of the trouble this country is in, and how the Republicans so often grab the attention of the public with childish, idiotic lies, causing the public to ignore the terrible, multiple crises we face. Our financial system is close to meltdown. Our national debt--accumulated since George Washington was president--has grown by SIXTY PER CENT (60%!) under George W. Bush, whose economic policies McCain has completely embraced. Poverty in America has increased since 2001, Americans as a nation now spend more than they earn, and fifty million Americans are without health insurance. Our military is stretched thin, Pakistan is rapidly becoming more unstable, the war in Afghanistan is not going well, and the cracks in the wall we've managed to paper over in Iraq are threatening once again to widen. Our nation will face grave challenges in the coming years as climate issues, struggles for resources, and political upheaval in the Third World accelerate. In short, America is going over the cliff, and the Republicans, led by two of the most utterly shameless liars in our political history, are STILL trying to get us to ignore all of that and to focus instead on phony issues. 

Well, I'll say this: if the Republican tactics work again in 2008, we won't have to worry about our nation's future.

We won't have much of a future left.

John McCain: A Dishonorable, Lying Bastard

The latest piece of filth coming out of the McCain campaign is a commercial that comes very close to calling Barack Obama a sex pervert. The Republican ad lies so jarringly and blatantly that I am at a loss for words. The point of Obama's legislation in regard to kindergarten age children is to help them identify and avoid sexual predators. It is NOT about teaching condom use to five year olds. The commercial is a complete and utter distortion of Obama's law and is just about the lowest attack I have ever seen.

The Obama team's response:

"It is shameful and downright perverse for the McCain campaign to use a bill that was written to protect young children from sexual predators as a recycled and discredited political attack against a father of two young girls - a position that his friend Mitt Romney also holds. Last week, John McCain told Time magazine he couldn't define what honor was. Now we know why."

I'll say it in plain language: I thought the Bush-Cheney campaign in 2004 set the standard for all-out dishonesty, but the McCain-Palin campaign is setting the all-time record for lying and smearing. An absolute out and out scumfest.

John McCain hasn't been an honorable man in 35 years. He's a slimy, grasping opportunist who will do ANYTHING and say ANYTHING to win, however loathsome. Adulterer, thief, con man, grifter, and political sewer rat are terms more suited to him than "honorable". If this is how the Republicans intend to fight, I say, let slip the dogs of war.

Oh, and one other thing. As Dick Cheney would put it:

Go fuck yourself, McCain.

UPDATE: From Kansas City.com:

What happened: A new 30-second TV ad attacks Barack Obama's record on education, saying that Obama backed legislation to teach " 'comprehensive sex education' to kindergartners." The announcer then says, "Learning about sex before learning to read? Barack Obama. Wrong on education. Wrong for your family."

Why that's wrong: This is a deliberately misleading accusation. It came hours after the Obama campaign released a TV ad critical of McCain's votes on public education. As a state senator in Illinois, Obama did vote for but was not a sponsor of legislation dealing with sex ed for grades K-12.

But the legislation allowed local school boards to teach "age-appropriate" sex education, not comprehensive lessons to kindergartners, and it gave schools the ability to warn young children about inappropriate touching and sexual predators.

Republican Alan Keyes tried to use Obama's vote against him in the 2004 U.S. Senate race. At the time, Obama spoke about wanting to protect young children from abuse. He made clear then that he was not supporting teaching kindergartners about explicit details of sex.

In shorter language: the ad is a goddamned lie.

And yeah, I'm really pissed off right now.

The Opponent is McCain. The Danger to America's Future is McCain

The candidate that has to be stopped is McCain. He's more dangerous and more reckless than George W. Bush, and I never thought I would say that. He MUST be defeated--for the sake of our country.

Paul Begala Tells the Harsh Truth

He was asked on CNN why Obama can't seem to make the story about McCain and Palin's lies "stick". His reply:

Because the press won't do its job, John..... It is the media's job when a politician flat out lies like she's doing on this bridge to nowhere so call her on it. Or this matter of earmarks where she's attacking Barack Obama for having earmarks, when she was the mayor of little Wasilla, Alaska, 6,000 people, she hired a lobbyist who was connected to Jack Abramoff, who is a criminal, and they brought home $27 million in earmarks. She carried so much pork home she got trichinosis. But we in the media are letting her tell lies about her record.

You can read the full post here.

Watch Palin Lie

Courtesy of Josh Marshall:



In another post, he states simply:

Think about that. On the stump, not a single word that comes out of her mouth -- or not a single word that the McCain folks put in her mouth -- is anything but a lie. I know that sounds like hyperbole. But just go down the list. None of them bear out.

DAMN! This Says It All About Republican LIES

Hunter, one of the top Kos writers, has an exceptional post today on the continuous and unashamed use of outright lies by the leaders of the Republican Party. Key excerpt:

We know, for a fact, that Sarah Palin lied about being "against" earmarks. As mayor of her small Alaskan town, she hired a Team Abramoff lobbyist to squeeze Washington for generous funds, funds far in excess of what the average American small town could expect. The lobbyist delivered nearly $27 million worth of earmarks to the town of less than ten thousand people: a fine haul, indeed. She said so herself, in her own handwriting.

So she lied. Baldly and repeatedly. McCain is now on a multistate tour, repeating the very same lies -- and for Republicans, they are applause lines. Huzzah to the "anti-pork" governor whose state is more dependent on pork than any other state. Hooray for the "anti-earmarks" candidate who made a name for herself as a champion of the earmark.

The question is: what of it?

There is absolutely no penalty for lying, in politics. None. Zip. Nada. Sarah Palin could stand atop a stage and declare herself moon-goddess of Endor, and it wouldn't make a bit of difference. Yes, the papers would correct her. There would be a few cable stories on how there was no prior record of her being declared a moon-goddess. In the end, however, it would not matter, and it would not matter because Republicans have decided that it does not.

The Republican Party is the Kingdom of Lies. It is this persistent, unapologetic lying on the part of the Republicans that causes me to have such utter contempt for them. The Republicans basically spit in the face of the American people every time they lie--and they do it again and again and again.  This constant lying is the most obvious sign that modern conservatism has become a national cancer--and America may be dying of it.

UPDATE: This comment on Hunter's post was tremendous:

The GOP is a crime syndicate--get used to the idea. And with any crime organization the best way to assure fealty is to ask initiates to commit a crime. Lying may not be a crime but, in partisan politics, it serves as a gateway to real criminality. Lying publicly and blatantly demonstrates that the individual is ready to enter the "family." Some Republicans like Larry Craig simply live a dual life that opens them up to blackmail. There's no need to worry about Craig's fealty to the GOP, is there? But others, like Palin and Pawlenty make a show of lying to win the right to commit real crimes. Once a GOP politician has committed a serious crime they they can be trusted to keep faith with the party.

Obama Nails Republican Lies

J. Miller's INSANELY Useful Action Page!!

Enough of the internal debate! Enough of telling each other how terrible the Republican ticket is! We already know this. We're the Democratic choir. It's now necessary for us for to reach out to every undecided voter, every independent, every wavering or apathetic Democrat, and every disillusioned Republican in America. We need volunteers. We need phone bankers. We need canvassers. We need MONEY $$$$$! We need to spread viral videos. We need to spread viral emails. We need to keep devising new TV ads and get them on local cable in every swing state. In short, there is no more need for talking to ourselves. Here, therefore, is my INSANELY USEFUL ACTION PAGE! Use it and go to war for Obama-Biden!

A. OBAMA-BIDEN CAMPAIGN OFFICE LOCATIONS

INDIANA:

Here.

Illinois people--YOU ARE NEEDED HERE.

WISCONSIN:

Here.

Illinois Democrats can help here as well. Milwaukee is 90 minutes from Chicago.

NEVADA:

Here.

Californians--YOU ARE NEEDED HERE. (Hawaiians too, for phone banking.)

COLORADO:

Here.

VIRGINIA:

Here

Kentucky and Tennessee Democrats--work where it will make a difference.

OHIO:

Here.

THIS IS THE ULTIMATE BATTLE GROUND.

MISSOURI:

Here

Illinois people are needed here, too!

FLORIDA:

Here.

MICHIGAN:

Here.

PENNSYLVANIA:

Here.

NORTH CAROLINA:

Here.

NEW HAMPSHIRE:

Here.

Massachusetts folks: if we had worked harder here in 2000, we'd be winding up Al Gore's 2nd term.

MONTANA:

Here.

Idaho and Wyoming residents: Work where you're needed

NORTH DAKOTA:

Here.

ALASKA:

Here.

Tell the lying right wing beauty queen to blow it out her ass, Alaskans!

B. PLACES TO CONTRIBUTE MONEY

My personal Obama contribution page. I'm going for $10,000. Help me make my dream come true!

Here

Act Blue

Here.

C. SOURCES OF EXCELLENT VIRAL VIDEOS

The Real McCain

Here.

Robert Greenwald's Brave New Films

Here.

D. SOURCES OF EXCELLENT VIRAL E-MAILS

Is this guy mentally stable?

Here.

The Senator Nobody Really Knows [McCain and corruption]

Here.

McCain's LOUSY Choice [thanks to Kossack Hudson!]

Here.

The Senator and the Terrorist

Here.

A Shocking Anti-Veteran Voting Record [Directly from Donkey O.D.]

Here

Senator Do-Nothing, the D.C. Fraud

Here.

Job Killer, American Dream Killer

Here.

Don't Like Women? That's OK, Neither Does He

Here.

How to Cheat on Your Wife and Profit From It

Here.

Letter from a POW

Here.

E. VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINES FOR EVERY STATE

Here.

You know what to do!

F. HOW TO CONDUCT A VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE

Here

G. FIGHTING REPUBLICAN VOTE SUPPRESSION AND VOTE FRAUD

Black Box Voting:

Here.

Brad Blog (This guy is a STAR!)

Here.

Secretaries of State

Here.

Obama's voter protection page

Here.

H. EARLY VOTING STATE BY STATE

Ohio is CRUCIAL here.

Here.

I. MEDIA ADDRESSES

A comprehensive list of 900 different outlets. Let them hear from you!

Here.

J. ADDRESSES OF PRO-OBAMA UNIONS :

AFL-CIO: Here.

SEIU:Here.

AFSCME: Here

NEA: Here.

AFT: Here.

K. A letter that I sent to dozens of Facebook friends:

Hey everybody, it's Joe Miller.

I've seen many elections in my long life, but I've never seen a more atrociously bad Republican ticket than the one that is now threatening our nation's survival. At the top is John McCain, Mr. 90% Bush Supporter, falsely promising change while he cozies up to every powerful special interest and lobbyist in America. McCain actually thinks that the whole Iraq War tragedy was a GOOD IDEA. He would do it ALL OVER AGAIN. He has said so himself.

And his candidate for Vice President is so dangerous that she makes me physically ill just thinking about her. Sarah Palin isn't some American Idol contestant. If McCain wins, THERE IS A ONE IN SIX CHANCE THAT PALIN WILL BECOME PRESIDENT. Those are the odds a 72 year old man faces within a four year period. Palin is a right wing fanatic of the worst kind, who is opposed to abortion even for rape victims and victims of incest. She is a creationist, an opponent of gay rights, and an End Times believer. She is even more fanatically pro-Bush than McCain is. She is supported by people who want to turn America from a Republic into a theocracy. She has been the governor of our 47th most populous state for a year and a half; her only other political experience was as mayor of a town of 6500 people (her term ended in 2002) and a member of the city council of that town. Most of you go (or have gone) to schools that have more people than that. Oh, and another thing:

She lies.

About everything.

About her record, about Obama, about her readiness for office. (See here:http://jamillerrampant.blogspot.com/2008/09/shes-simply-damned-liar.html)

McCain as president would be a disaster. He would continue ALL of the incredibly bad economic and foreign policies of the worst president in our history, George W. Bush. McCAIN WOULD BE BUSH'S THIRD TERM--PERIOD. But Palin as president would be a catastrophe. Anyone who is that grossly unprepared would be eaten alive by our nation's enemies and overwhelmed by the burdens of office. She would be a puppet of ultra-right radicals. She would be a blow from which our nation might not recover.

These two MUST BE STOPPED. The alternative is unthinkable.

So what can you do?

First, go to my blog and bookmark this page: http://jamillerrampant.blogspot.com/2008/09/j-millers-insanely-useful-action-post.html

There are all kinds of actions you can take using this as a resource.

Second, if you have $5 or $10 to spare (or know anyone who does), have them go to this page:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/JMiller

Urge your friends who feel as you do to also kick in $5 or $10. Urge them to hit my action page.

Just being angry and venting doesn't really accomplish anything. If Barack Obama and Joe Biden are to have a chance, it will be because millions of people like you cared enough about the country's future to help elect them. Please, please, please take action. I'm 56 years old and I've seen America go through some tough times, but I've NEVER been more worried about our country's future than I am now. Please don't wake up depressed on 5 November, wishing you could have done more.

The time for talk is over.

The time for action is now.

This is everything I could think of. If you have further suggestions, please add them in the comments.

The time for meaningless venting is done. The time for action is now.

She's Simply a Damned Liar

Hilzoy at Washington Monthly tells the truth about the shockingly dishonest Sarah Palin.

ANTI-MC CAIN E MAIL: An Alaskan Talks About Palin

Greetings:

Most of you live in what we Alaskans like to call the "Lower 48", and as such, had probably never heard of Sarah Palin before last week. If you've watched any news at all since last Friday, you've probably heard plenty about her by now. Well, allow me to provide you with a small reality check on my Governor. It's a long story, but hopefully an interesting one. I urge you to read this in its entirety, and share it with everyone you know.

You really can't talk about Sarah Palin without some background about her predecessor, Frank Murkowski. Frank had been Alaska's junior Senator since 1980. When he ran for Governor in 2002, columnist Mike Doogan noted his major accomplishments included "keeping a gray suit from falling down on the floor for over 2 decades." When you stand in the shadow of Ted Stevens though, it's awfully hard to get noticed here in Alaska. Oh, and Ted is a story all his own, but one for another time. In 2002, Alaska revenues were in decline as oil production on the north slope was dwindling. Talk of a state sales tax or income tax was in the air, but Murkowski would have none of it. He insisted that he would not raise taxes, along with other standards from the Republican playbook, and won the election over the incumbent Lieutenant Governor. Within his first month, he raised the state gasoline tax. When challenged about his campaign promise to not raise taxes, he responded that "the gas tax isn't really a tax - it's a user fee. If you don't want to pay it, don't use gas." Seriously. Talk about starting off on the wrong foot.

At the time, if a sitting U.S. Senator leaves office for any reason, the Governor selected a replacement. After claiming that he was going to cast a wide net and choose the most qualified candidate, he selected his own daughter, Lisa Murkowski, who had been a state legislator for a few year.

You've probably heard about "the jet." Frank wanted the jet because until that time, the Governor of Alaska had to travel around the state in a propellor-driven plane. It was slow, had a limited range, and didn't have a bathroom on board. But the State Legislature said "no, we're not buying you a jet." And although they wouldn't appropriate the money, he moved some around in the budget and bought it anyway. Average Alaskans didn't care for that decision either, and the jet became the subject of many jokes, including a contest to pick a name for it. I think the winner was "The Bald Ego."

You've also probably heard about the natural gas pipeline. Although the north slope of Alaska is home to our country's largest oil reserves, it has even more natural gas. However, with the prices of oil and natural gas relatively low, it has not been economically feasible to build a pipeline for the gas. As energy supplies have diminished, the gas pipeline has moved closer and closer to becoming a reality. To move things forward, Frank Murkowski met behind closed doors with the heads of the three major oil companies that operate in Alaska, and put together what most folks think was a sweetheart deal. He tried to strongarm the legislature into approving the deal, but they didn't go along.

In the meantime, there were other ethical scandals in the Murkowski administration. His Attorney General, Greg Renkes, was found to have been involved in a financial conflict of interest and forced to resign. All of these events were eroding Murkowski's popularity here in Alaska, and by the end of his term, he was the least popular Governor in the country.

Murkowski had also hired the head of the Alaska Republican Party, Randy Ruedrich, to work on the oil and gas commission. It was discovered that despite signing a declaration, Ruedrich conducted Republican Party business on the State's dime. This was where Sarah Palin rose to notoriety, as a fellow commissioner, she blew the whistle on Ruedrich. He was forced to resign from the oil and gas commission, but amazingly enough, has been retained as the head of the Alaska Republican Party. I guess they figure: "Sure, he's an unethical jerk. But he's OUR unethical jerk, and he's effective." But out of this scandal came Sarah Palin: an ethical Republican.

She ran against the incumbent Frank Murkowski in the Republican primary in 2006, and won. Murkowski was so unpopular, he actually came in third. Palin then went on to defeat former Governor and Anchorage Mayor Tony Knowles. I didn't vote for her, but given her professed ethical standards, was willing to give her the chance to prove me wrong.

One of the first things she did was put the jet up for sale on eBay. Now, you may have heard John McCain say today that she "sold it on eBay... at a profit." That's not true. It did not sell on eBay, even after 3 tries there were no bids above the minimum amount. We ended up selling the jet through a broker, at a loss. But as the jet was a sore spot with Alaskans, we loved her for getting rid of it.

She did dismiss her personal chef, claiming it was an extravagance that she didn't need. Another popular move.

She worked with the legislature to come up with something called the Alaska Gas Inducement Act (AGIA), designed to solicit competitive bids to build the gas pipeline. In that sense yes, she did stand up to "Big Oil." After several state legislators had been indicted for taking bribes to keep oil revenue taxes low, she threw the existing law out the window and the legislature ended up raising those taxes a few percent, boosting state revenues. All of those legislators who have gone to trial have been convicted, by the way. Ted Stevens (mentioned earlier) has been indicted in connection with the same oil services company that bribed the other guys. Oh, Alaska politics is fun, you betcha.

Up until this point, I would have to say that I didn't have any serious complaints about her performance as Governor. That ended when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was considering adding polar bears to the Endangered Species List. Unless you've been in a coma for the past few years, you know that climate change has had a profound impact on sea ice, the primary habitat for polar bears. Every major climate model predicts that the Arctic Ocean will be ice-free in summer sometime during this century. The only real difference between the models is how soon it will happen. The bad news is that last summer was the greatest loss of arctic sea ice in recorded history, and that this summer may exceed 2007. Even worse is that these conditions are ahead of even the most pessimistic climate model. Yes, it's that bad.

The Palin Administration opposed listing polar bears as a threatened species. They published op-ed pieces in the local newspaper that, quite frankly, insulted our intelligence. Rather than deal in the science and biology of the issue, the focus was on the potential impact of the polar bear listing on economic development in Alaska. The opposition consisted of a series of specious arguments including, I kid you not, that once all the sea ice was gone, "polar bears would evolve to become land bears." Never mind the fact that there is already a land bear that occupies that ecological niche in Alaska. The polar bear has since become listed, and the State of Alaska has filed a lawsuit against the federal government to overturn that decision. This was the first major issue that caused me to part ways with Governor Palin.

Another incident which you may have heard about has come to be known as "Troopergate." Palin had appointed former Anchorage Chief of Police Walter Monegan to be the head of her public safety division. A division that includes the State Troopers. Then abruptly and without warning or cause, she fired him a few months ago. She initially claimed that she simply wanted a new direction for the public safety commission, but an alternate motive soon became known. Palin's sister was going through nasty divorce and custody proceedings with a State Trooper, and we learned that she may have canned Monegan because he refused to fire that Trooper, Palin's brother-in-law. She immediately denied any wrongdoing, and the State Legislature has started an investigation which she agreed to cooperate with. Shortly thereafter, it came out that one of her staffers had been recorded pressuring Monegan over the telephone. That guy has been put on paid leave until the investigation is completed.

Fast-forward to August 29, 2008, when John McCain announced that Sarah Palin was his pick for vice-president on the Republican ticket. It was big, no HUGE news here in Alaska. But all the attention and scrutiny dragged up Troopergate, as well as a lot of other stuff. As for her recent pregnancy and the birth of her fifth child, and her 17-year old daughters unwed pregnancy, I won't comment on them as they are family matters unrelated to her conduct in office. But now she has changed her mind about cooperating with the investigation. She has hired a personal lawyer, who is trying to stop or at least stall the investigation so that the results do not come out until after the November 4 election. They have also tried to stop other witnesses from testifying, and today the legislature has said that they will issue subpoenas to compel their testimony. For someone with nothing to hide, they are trying awfully hard to keep us from getting to the truth. And it was just discovered that they inappropriately accessed that Trooper's personnel file, and the union has filed an ethics complaint.

The thing that disappoints me the most though, is that she has shed her mantle as an "ethical Republican" if there ever was such a thing. She has leaped head-first into the cesspool of Karl Rove fear-and-smear politics, and is just wallowing in it. She has told repeated lies in the past week and during her acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday. She didn't turn down the money for the "Bridge to Nowhere," she welcomed it. And after it became politically unpopular, she decided not to go forward with the project, but the State of Alaska kept the money. Yet she keeps repeating that she said "Thanks, but no thanks." That simply is not true, and even though this point has been thoroughly debunked in the media, she continues to lie about it. As Mayor of Wasilla, she called the local librarian to inquire about banning books that she contained language she didn't like. We don't have a state sales tax, but many communities have a local sales tax, as their populations are too small to raise enough revenue through property taxes alone. She raised the sales tax in Wasilla, and still left office with a huge debt. And most troubling of all, as someone who campaigned under the banner of "Open Government," she will not meet with the media to answer any questions about these and a host of other issues. If she can't stand up to Larry King, how in the world can she stand up to Vladimir Putin, one might ask.

It will come as no surprise to you that I support Barack Obama for President. On issue after issue, ranging from the Iraq War to tax policy, he has shown superior judgement. Don't be fooled into believing that John McCain is a "Maverick." He may have been 8 years ago, but since that time, he has sold out his principles and been joined at the hip to George Bush and his disastrous policies that have ruined our economy, lowered the average incomes of middle-class families, overstretched our military, and put our credibility around the world in the toilet. Howard Dean said it best: "The John McCain of 2000 wouldn't vote for the John McCain of today." If you're one of the 26% who think George Bush is doing a good job, and the country is heading in the right direction, then all I can say is "wow." John McCain is your guy. But if you're like me, and think that we need change in Washington, then Barack Obama is the only candidate who offers the hope we need right now. And if you're on the fence between Obama and McCain, please don't let Sarah Palin sway you in that direction.

I have tried to give you my honest, unbiased opinion about Governor Sarah Palin that includes both the good and the bad. In the end though, I have to say that she is not qualified to be vice president, and the thought of her in office, literally just a heartbeat from being the de facto leader of the free world, gives me the heebie-jeebies something fierce. She may be the darling of the conservative movement, but she is completely unqualified for the job. She doesn't believe in climate change, which is one of the most important issues facing our country and the whole world in the coming years, in my opinion. She doesn't believe in science, and would like to see creationism taught in schools. How can we hope to compete with China, India, and the rest of the world if we don't raise our children with a solid educational foundation? She believes that the Iraq War is a "task from God" which is just, for lack of a better word, nuts.

So after the excitement wears off, and we've all enjoyed a nice, tasty mooseburger, think about it. Former mayor of a small town in Alaska (population 7,000). Governor of the geographically largest, but one of the least populated states in the country, for less than 2 years. Has rarely travelled abroad. Has no foreign policy experience. No national security experience. Potential Vice President to a man who just turned 72 years old, and is a cancer survivor. If that doesn't scare the poop out of you, then you my friend have a mighty strong sphincter.

But don't take my word for all this.  Use "the Google" and look this stuff up. Read what other Alaskans are saying about her. Don't take anything anyone says at face value, because she has shown (me, anyway) that she will say anything to satisfy her own personal ambition. And as she continues to duck the hard questions from the media, remember that she's ducking the hard questions from you, too.

The truth of the matter is...

that McCain could have picked Charles Manson as his running mate and the right-wing columnists and talk show hatejocks would have been slobbering over how great he is and how he's more qualified than Obama. ("It takes guts and character to carve a swastika into your forehead! More guts than Obama would ever dream of having!")

I have seen some lousy VP picks in my life, but Palin takes the cake. Eighteen months ago she was running a small town in Alaska (and running it into the ground, by all accounts). [CORRECTION! Eighteen months ago she was essentially unemployed!] Now she wants to be considered one of the Big Dogs. Just don't make her answer any questions in an uncontrolled environment, and don't expect her to know a damned thing about anything. Oh, and one other thing: this cocky, arrogant little troll lies through her teeth every time she opens her mouth. She's one of these Republicans who thinks we should be living in a theocracy instead of a republic. She doesn't know how hard the real believers in America are going to hit back at her.

I really wanted to beat McCain before he picked Palin. Now, I want to crush them. She's rallied a base all, right.

It's called the Democratic Party.

Yeah Baby!

The Unbelievable Chutzpah of John McCain

The word chutzpah is a word borrowed from Yiddish. I'll let Dictionary.com give you its meaning:

1. unmitigated effrontery or impudence; gall.
2. audacity; nerve

John McCain's statement that the "special interests" are through when he comes to power is perhaps the most blatant example of chutzpah I have ever heard of. McCain is THOROUGHLY tied into the world of Washington power brokers, influence peddlers, lobbyists, and financial fat cats. Charlie Black, one of his top campaign people, is tied into several of the most murderous, brutal regimes on the planet through his lobbying. Phil Gramm, former senator and lobbyist extraordinaire, chief architect of our financial sector meltdown, is McCain's top economic advisor. McCain has as many as SIXTY lobbyists working with his campaign. Does he think, if people knew that, that anyone would swallow this garbage he's spewing about taking on the special interests?!? McCain IS the special interests.

When McCain also talks about the need to change Washington, who does he think has been in power for eight years? Who was that president he avoided talking about with whom he has voted NINETY PER CENT since 2001? How can McCain possibly, with a straight face even, say that he will take on a Washington Republican establishment of which he is an integral part? The mind reels.

There are many, many reasons why the Republicans need to go down in flames this year. But John McCain's unbelievable claims to the mantle of "change" are right near the top of the list.

Does he think we're more stupid or forgetful?

Sarah Palin Speaks!!

AMAZING! Republicans Won't Let Palin Do Any Interviews--EVER!

Jay Carney has the story here. They won't let the press ask any questions of the GOP's favorite pathological liar/beauty contestant/rightwing lunatic. Unbelievable! Will the press stand for this crap??

A True Patriot

Seen in the audience of the Republican Smearfest:

ANTI-MC CAIN E-MAIL: A Shocking Anti-Veteran Voting Record

McCain Refused to Support Sen. Jim Webb’s and Chuck Hagel’s new GI Bill--and then tried to take credit for it!

The bill, officially called the “Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2007″, would establish a program of educational assistance for members of the Armed Forces who serve in the Armed Forces after September 11, 2001.

Sen. Jim Webb has called on McCain to sign on as a co-sponsor to his GI bill

The bill has 51 co-sponsors – including 9 Republicans – but needs 60 co-sponsors to make it filibuster proof.

McCain Voted Against $19 Billion for Military Hospitals, Choosing Tax Cuts for Wealthiest Earners over Veterans.

In February 2006, McCain voted against an amendment that would have provided for at least $19 billion for military health facilities, paid for by eliminating tax cuts for the wealthiest earners.
*Senate Amendment 2735, Amendment failed.

McCain Voted Against Legislation to Provide $2.8 Billion For Medical Care for Veterans.

McCain voted against a 2006 Democratic amendment that would have provided $2.8 billion to increase veterans’ medical care.
*Senate Amendment 149, Amendment failed.

McCain Voted Against Establishing $1 Billion Trust Fund to Provide Improvements to Military and Veterans’ Health Facilities

McCain voted against an Amendment to establish a $1 billion trust fund to provide improvements to health facilities that treat veterans and military personnel paid for by allowing dividends and capital gains tax breaks, for those with incomes greater than $1 million to lapse on December 31, 2006.
*Senate Amendment 2735

McCain Chooses Corporations Over Veterans, Voting Against Adding $1.5 billion to Veterans’ Medical Services in 2007 Budget by Closing Corporate Tax Loopholes.

McCain voted against an Amendment offered by Democrats to increase medical services funding to veterans by $1.5 billion in 2007, to be paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes.
*Senate Amendment 3007

McCain Voted Against Mandatory Funding of $6.9 Billion in 2007 Budget and $104 Billion Over Five Years for Veterans’ Health Care.

McCain voted against a Democratic amendment to provide a mandatory stream of funding of $6.9 billion in Fiscal Year 2007 and $104 billion over five years for veterans’ health care; paid for by restoring the pre-2001 top tax rate for incomes over $1 million and closing various corporate tax loopholes.
Senate Amendment 3141

September 2007: McCain voted against the Webb amendment calling for adequate troop rest between deployments.

The legislation would have provided minimum periods between deployment of units and members of the Armed Forces deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
*Senate Amendment 2909

April 2006: McCain one of only 13 Senators to vote against $430 million for Medical Services for the Department of Veteran Affairs for outpatient care and treatment for veterans.

Despite his vote against, it passed overwhelmingly, 84-13 (3 not voting). All 13 voting against were Republicans.
*Senate Amendment 3642

October 2003: McCain voted against an amendment offered by Senator Dodd that called for an additional $322 million for safety equipment for troops in Iraq.
*Senate Amendment 1817

April 2003: McCain voted against an amendment that would have provided more than $1 billion for National Guard and Reserve equipment in Iraq related to a shortage of helmets, tents, bullet-proof inserts, and tactical vests.
*Senate Amendment 452

August 2001: McCain voted against increasing the amount available for medical care for veterans by $650 million.
*Senate Amendment 1218

[Taken Directly from Donkey O.D.]

"In Dick Morris's Defense, He's a Lying Sack of Sh-t."

ANTI-MC CAIN E-MAIL: Is This Guy Stable?

Is this guy mentally stable?

The President of the United States wields awesome power. He’s got nuclear weapons at his command. He can send American soldiers into war at a moment’s notice. And his decisions can affect the lives of countless people forever. It takes a steady hand.

Does John McCain have a steady hand?

You tell me. Here are John McCain’s Top Ten Blow-Ups. BTW, please forgive the rough, crude, often obscene language here. I’m just quoting John McCain:

10. Senator Ted Kennedy - On August 6, 1993, the Boston Globe ran a story detailing a heated verbal exchange between Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy and McCain. Kennedy was at the lectern delivering remarks, when McCain began walking toward him from across the Senate floor, mocking the Massachusetts legislator. McCain shouted at Kennedy to "shut up." A stunned Kennedy fired back at McCain, telling him, "you shut up...and act like a Senator."

9. Democratic Rep. Marty Russo (D-IL) - In its December 1985 issue, Atlantic Monthly described an altercation that took place just a few years after McCain had been elected to the House for the first time. Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) found himself in the crossfire between the two Congressman, who were angrily shouting "seven-letter and twelve-letter" epithets back and forth at one another, when the exchange became violent and they began pushing and shoving one another. The two were separated from their tangle by a few other legislators who were nearby.

8. Former Phoenix Mayor Paul Johnson - Newsmax, the "conservative perspective" political publication run by Chris Ruddy, didn't cut McCain any partisan slack in a July 2006 article, in which it recounted a dust-up between McCain and some local government officials in his home state. Speaking at a luncheon at which McCain was in attendance, former Phoenix Mayor Paul Johnson was among a group of local mayors fielding questions from the Arizona Congressional delegation about local land issues. In the midst of one answer from Johnson, who helmed the city from 1990 to 1994, McCain blurted out, "Hold it a minute. Somebody write down everything this guy has to say. You know what, we need to record him. It's best to get a liar on tape."

Taken aback, Johnson offered the Senator a chance to speak privately, saying, "Senator, if you have a problem with me, why don't we go out in the hallway and talk about it."

McCain fired back: "You're God-damn right I have a problem with you! They've been treating you like a princess in Phoenix while they've been burning me over this damn deal, and I'm sick of it!"

7. Unidentified GOP Senator - Accounts of McCain's outburst at a Senate GOP policy lunch has reached near-epic proportion, having been written about by just about every blog and news site from Newsmax, to Daily Kos, to the Huffington Post, to Wonkette, and so on. During a vitriolic exchange between McCain and another unnamed Senator who took a position contrary to that of his colleague from Arizona. McCain became infuriated, jumping from his chair and calling his fellow Republican a "shithead," prompting an immediate demand for an apology. McCain stood up again and issued it...sort of. "Okay, I apologize," he said. "But you're still a shithead."

6. Senator Pete Domenici - Newsweek's February 21, 2000 edition highlighted an exchange between McCain and Republican Senator Pete Domenici of New Mexico, Chairman of the Budget Committee. In staunch disagreement with a particular portion of a budget amendment, McCain exploded. "Only an asshole would put together a budget like that." Domenici, who'd been in the Senate nearly 30 years by that point, gave a restrained reply, noting that even in the most heated debated throughout his entire career, no one had ever used that kind of language toward him. McCain didn't back down. "I wouldn't call you an asshole unless you really were an asshole."

5. Unidentified GOP Senator- In 2006, Ron Kessler of Newsmax wrote that much of McCain's unpopularity in the Senate stems from his 2000 campaign, when the vast majority- in fact, all but four- of his colleagues backed George W. Bush in the GOP primary. One of McCain's top aides recounted a telephone conversation between McCain and another Senator, who was explaining that he'd already committed to supporting Bush. When he finished, McCain bristled. "Fuck you," he said, and hung up, never to speak to him again.

4. Senator Strom Thurmond - In an article titled "Senator Hothead," The Washingtonian recounted one particular encounter between McCain and then-92-year-old Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina. McCain was giving an opening statement at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing when Thurmond, the committee chairman, interrupted to inquire as to whether McCain was finished so that the proceedings could be moved along. McCain glared at Thurmond and thanked him for his "courtesy." McCain later confronted Thurmond on the Senate floor, and a "scuffle" ensued. "The two didn't part friends."

3. Senator Chuck Grassley - The same Newsweek article that outlined McCain's confrontation with Domenici pointed to a similar incident with Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa. The two were debating issues related to soldiers who had been reported Missing In Action in Vietnam. After a blistering commentary by McCain, Grassley took offense. "Are you calling me stupid?" he asked.

McCain didn't miss a beat. "No, I'm calling you a fucking jerk."

2. Senator John Cornyn - On May 18, 2007, The Washington Post reported that McCain had locked horns with another one of his GOP colleagues, this time Senator John Cornyn of Texas. The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill of 2007 had caused an enormous rift among Republicans, and the two Senators found themselves on opposite sides. Cornyn objected to a provision of the bill that allowed for what he perceived as too many judicial appeals for illegal immigrants. McCain called his objections "chicken shit" and accused Cornyn of making petty tactics to sabotage the whole bill. Cornyn took immediate offense.

"Wait a second here. I've been sitting in here for all these negotiations and you just parachute in here on the last day. You're out of line."

Then McCain, who'd been spending a lot of time away from Washington on his presidential campaign, got a little more out of line. "Fuck you!" he shouted. "I know more about this than anyone in this room!" McCain apologized shortly afterword.

1. His Own Wife, Cindy McCain - In his new book, The Real McCain, Cliff Schecter, a journalist and frequent contributor at the Huffington Post related perhaps the most disturbing of McCain's tirades. During his 2000 White House bid, the Senator was joined on the campaign trail by his wife, Cindy, his aides, and three journalists who spoke to Schecter on condition of anonymity, but independently confirmed each other's accounts of the incident. Cindy McCain playfully ran her fingers through the Senator's hair and teased, "You're getting a little thin up there." McCain reddened and fired back, "At least I don't plaster on the makeup like a trollup, you cunt." After he'd cooled down, McCain apologized, saying he'd had a long day.


QUOTE FROM MISSISSIPPI REPUBLICAN SENATOR THAD COCHRAN:

"The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me."

As I said—is this guy stable enough to be president?

Not from where I sit.

NOW are you going to give money to Obama and Biden? Go here to contribute.

Rudolph Giuliani on John McCain (2008):

“[McCain] has never run a city, never run a state, never run a government. He has never been responsible as a mayor for the safety and security of millions of people, and he has never run a law enforcement agency, which I have done.”

Just remember that when you hear about Giuliani attacking Obama's "lack of executive experience".

Joe Klein on McCain's Sudden War Against the Media

It's right here. Money quote:

There is a tendency in the media to kick ourselves, cringe and withdraw, when we are criticized. But I hope my colleagues stand strong in this case: it is important for the public to know that Palin raised taxes as governor, supported the Bridge to Nowhere before she opposed it, pursued pork-barrel projects as mayor, tried to ban books at the local library and thinks the war in Iraq is "a task from God." The attempts by the McCain campaign to bully us into not reporting such things are not only stupidly aggressive, but unprofessional in the extreme.

ANTI-McCAIN E-MAIL: McCain and Corruption

The Senator Nobody Really Knows

He’s a candidate for president, a big celebrity who has appeared on The Tonight Show and Saturday Night Live. He’s one of the best known people in America, and yet, what do we really know about him?

Yes, what do we really know about John McCain?

What do we know about McCain’s involvement in the Savings and Loan scandal in the 1980s that cost the American taxpayers $250,000,000,000?

Why did McCain HIDE—yes, HIDE—almost 750,000 documents related to the Republican criminal and con man Jack Abramoff? Was it to keep them from embarrassing him?

Did you know that McCain has almost SIXTY major lobbyists and Washington insiders working for him—more than almost any other Senator?

Did you know that McCain’s chief economic advisor, Phil Gramm, is responsible, more than any other person, for the financial mess in housing and banking??

Did you know that McCain lies when he says he’s never asked for any earmarks or “pork” for Arizona?

Did you know that McCain LIED when he said he never wanted to PRIVATIZE SOCIAL SECURITY?

Did you know that a CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN WEBSITE (here: http://www.searchbling.net/?c=90&q=McCain+mob+Hensley) accused McCain of being tied to ORGANIZED CRIME?

WHAT DO WE REALLY KNOW ABOUT THIS GUY???


DON’T BELIEVE ME? Follow the links!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/21/AR2008022101131_pf.html

http://www.truthnews.us/?p=1559

http://legalschnauzer.blogspot.com/2008/08/did-mccain-engage-in-abramoff-coverup.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-scher/mccain-lies-about-social_b_106862.html

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1989-11-29/news/mccain-the-most-reprehensible-of-the-keating-five/1

http://www.searchbling.net/?c=90&q=McCain+Phil+Gramm

I was mistaken: Palin NOT Anti-Contraception

But her backers believe the Pill to be an abortifacient. How long before ol' Sarah gets in line?

BTW, Johnny Boy wants insurance to cover Viagra--but not birth control pills.

Palin has excited all the right wing theocrats who want to see America's Republic destroyed. Her selection was a big. "F--- You" to everyone else.

Disgusting. Palin Slashed Funding to Help Pregnant Teens in Alaska

The story is here.

My GOD is this woman a piece of work!

Palin: Out-and-Out LIAR

A disgusted Bob Somerby has the details here.  The issue is whether Palin vetoed the grotesque pork barrel boondoggle known as "The Bridge to Nowhere". Excerpt:

Yesterday, we noted the obvious. In fact, Palin never “told Congress” a bloomin’ thing about that much-derided bridge or earmark; Congress had removed itself from the matter thirteen months before she took office. But just to establish the fuller record, let’s ask two more obvious questions. When did Palin “champion reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress?” And returning to her alleged defiance of Congress: When did Palin “tell Congress” that “if our state wanted a bridge, we'd build it ourselves?”

“If our state wanted a bridge, I said, we'd build it ourselves?” Question: When did Palin say or do something that dimly resembles that?

In our view, Palin’s statements about the bridge/earmark are essentially outright lies. Yesterday, though, the utterly hapless New York Times called them a “slight exaggeration.” But so it has gone in the past sixteen years, as lying became a Democratic disease in the press corps’ reliable scripts. In the journalism of the past sixteen years, Republicans have been allowed to misstate as much as they pleased. By way of contrast, the press corps has often invented lies, then pretended that Major Democrats said them. Covering Palin, hapless news orgs like the New York Times are enacting this drama again.

And no, that isn’t the only howler in Palin’s new stump presentation. In this passage from Friday’s speech, she gives an absurdly bowdlerized account of her vastly heroic work on behalf of Alaska’s tax-payers:

PALIN: Along with fellow reformers in the great state of Alaska, as governor I stood up to the old politics as usual, to the special interests, to the lobbyists, the big oil companies, and the good old boy network. When oil and gas prices went up so dramatically, and the state revenues followed with that increase, I sent a large share of that revenue directly back to the people of Alaska.

What a champion of the people! But Palin vastly misstates this heroic tale too. Once again, she has basically lied.

Dishonest. Liar. Utterly inexperienced. Right-wing fanatic.

Gee, it must have taken McCain about 15 minutes of research to come up with her. But it's not an important position. Just one that in nine instances has required its holder to become president of the United States. Just what in the hell kind of judgment is that?

You Need to Spread This Video Far and Wide

I NEED YOUR HELP!!

I'm sure you've all been following the developing political story about Sarah Palin with a mixture of disbelief and alarm. A variety of presidential historians and political scientists have pronounced her the least qualified individual to ever be on a national ticket. What you also need to know about her:

1. That she was a member of the Alaska Independence Party, a right-wing secessionist group, as recently perhaps as 2004.
2. That her selection by McCain was imposed on him by the so-called Council for National Policy, a semi-secret group that serves as an umbrella organization for the most fanatically right wing social conservatives in America, and which is led by Theocrats Tim LaHaye and James Dobson.
3. That she is a "no exceptions" person on abortion (even for rape or incest).
4. That she is a creationist, a global warming denier, and an "abstinence-only" opponent of sex education.
5. That her church's pastor believes the end of the world is imminent.


In short, she would be a fantastically dangerous person to have as Vice President serving under a 72 year old with a history of cancer. If by some misfortune she were to be elevated to the presidency, it would be a catastrophe. She would be utterly clueless in world and national policy and dementedly right wing in her outlook. And don't think the Republicans can't get it close enough to steal again--look what they were able to do with a twit like W. There is a real possibility that the the lunatic religious right is close to its goal--seizure of national political power.

She and McCain have to be stopped. There is no "maybe" about it.

Obama may be ahead where you live, but it's neck and neck in a lot places (like Ohio) that we MUST win. So here's what I'm asking. Loyal Rampant Readers, I'd like you to help spread the word that I'm fund raising for Obama. My goal is to raise $10,000. My contribution page is here:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/JMiller

Now is the time for action. Don't look back in sorrow on Wednesday, 5 November, wishing you had done more. Remember what Edmund Burke said:

All it will take for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing.

Again, Are You F---ing Kidding Me?

Question (in writing) to Sarah Palin:

Are you offended by the phrase “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance? Why or why not?

SP: Not on your life. If it was good enough for the founding fathers, its good enough for me and I’ll fight in defense of our Pledge of Allegiance

The Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892. The "under God" part was added in 1954.

[Hat Tip: JLFinch on DKos]