(Seven Posts in Seven Days – Day 2)
I cannot believe this is even close. How did America get so far off track that a week out from this election many still think it is too close to call?
It was either a few years ago or a few months ago… at my age it all blends together. But I remember it was all over the news and on the cover of all the magazines. One of those new ”starlets”… Paris or Brittney or Lindsey or Chutney or something like that – one of those starlets got caught getting out of a car without her under garments. That’s right. Photographers all around and her hoo-ha was out there for everyone and God to see because she forgot to put on a pair of panties.
I know you all know what I am talking about. It was all over the news. Scandalous they said. Out of control. She needs help. What is the world coming to? EVERYONE was shocked and EVERYONE was talking about it. How could she? What kind of a role model is she for young girls? I know you all remember it. If my scattered brain can remember it, I know you can. People didn’t have to be told how the cow ate the cabbage on that one. We all knew it instinctively.
Well imagine my shock and surprise today when I came across this little item. The latest polls show that only 55% of Americans think that Sarah Palin is not qualified to be President. 55%! FIFTY FIVE PERCENT! This about the woman whose best qualification for the job to date is that she can see Russia from her house. So what exactly does Sarah Palin have to do before the other 45% of this country is shocked enough to realize that she is a “whack job”? Please Lord don’t tell me she has to show her hoo-ha in public.
If, in fact, you are reading this blog and think that Sarah Palin is actually qualified to run the country… well I suggest you check and see if your panties are on because the joke just may be on you.
And as far as McCain goes. Panties or no panties, he’s got to be questioning what he has unleashed on the Republican party. That whack job isn’t going anywhere and the closer we get to election day who knows what she will try. So hang on to your panties everyone. There might be a few skid marks before this is all over.
Harold and I voted early and we voted for Obama. Margaret hasn’t voted yet. She is reading these comments and talking to me every night. If I had to guess today what she will do, I would say that on election day she is going to put her big girl panties on and tell the whack job to go to hell. See, Margaret loves animals and the whole shooting wolves from the air thing has her really upset.
Thanks for stopping by. Get out and vote. I mean it.
[...] found this as a comment at Margaret and Helen. It is written By: Patricia on October 29, 2008 at 8:53 pm from Trinidad & Tobago. Ok…let me [...]
By: From the Outside Looking In | Onedia In The Ozarks on November 29, 2008
at 4:59 PM
Last time I checked, she wasn’t running for president.
By: Sheila on November 3, 2008
at 3:57 PM
Helen, I know you are currently impatient with people who can not decide
but I have to tell you I can not decide on which of your post is my favorite!
I enjoy reading your posts and hope to read more and more and more of them!
By: crankyteacher on November 2, 2008
at 10:24 AM
Good for you! That’s 2 more Obama votes and let’s hope that Margaret follows suit!
I wish we could vote early here in PA! As it is, I have to wait until Tuesday…
Thanks for brighting my day, once again, Helen!
By: Cathy on October 31, 2008
at 8:32 AM
Helen, keep this up and I’ll need to read your column every day, like breathing. Hoo-ha indeed! lol Last time I used the term “Cow ate the cabbage” on a website, a friend of mine from upstate New York told me to leave Missouri as quickly as possible and don’t look back. rofl
Rock on!
By: Teresa on October 31, 2008
at 1:46 AM
OMG yal’ll are THE BEST ! This is THE BEST Blog i have read in a long time , I cant help but love ya’ll ! ROCK ON LADIES !!!
OBAMA 2008
By: Mindy on October 30, 2008
at 11:36 PM
Shari,
are you for real?? Do you take everyone literally? you are a sad case.
By: unbelievable!! on October 30, 2008
at 9:23 PM
Sarah Palin can’t see Russia from her house! There is only one place in Alaska where you can see Russia. CNN sent a reporter there and they have never seen Sarah Palin. In fact, it is so remote that most of them didn’t even know Sarah Palin was running for VP. Even if she could see it, it doesn’t qualify her to deal with international relations. I can see the moon from my window – does that make me qualified for space travel? I can see the top of Mt. Baker from my front porch – but I don’t think that qualified me to go mountain climbing. I, too, am amazed that only 55% think she is unqualified. I just don’t understand how even ONE person (other than family) can even be thinkiing of voting for McCain/Palin.
By: Shari on October 30, 2008
at 8:39 PM
Helen, you are amazing.
I hope to be as dead-on as you are some day.
And just as an FYI, Britney was the one without her panties.
By: nigel on October 30, 2008
at 6:09 PM
Margaret, I want to tell you that you are one of my idols. I love that you’re not afraid at all to tell the world how you feel, and not only that, but you’re able to back it up with solid facts! There are few McCain supporters who can say so much. One of my friends from high school recently posted a blog on Facebook making fun of Obama supporters, and he’s also commented on my profile about his perceived negative notions of Obama. I really want him to read your blog, so that he can learn how to back up his claims beyond “because I said so.” His blog post also made me laugh because it seems that the only argument conservatives can come up with in support of McCain’s insanity is that “he’ll go back to normal once he’s in office.” Personally, I’d like to see you write a blog on that; I’m interested to hear what you have to say about it.
Keep writing, I’ll keep following!
By: Gillian on October 30, 2008
at 4:08 PM
David, very good points but I will never become a socialist.
“Power always thinks it has a great soul, and that it is doing God’s service when it is violating all his laws.” – John Adams
By: Amazed on October 30, 2008
at 4:07 PM
tbrightwater 1) Actually what I mind is that I have to work three jobs so people who are on welfare collect their checks to buy cigarettes, alcohol and get their nails done while I work three jobs getting my kids through college.
2)The armed forces volunteered and is over Iraq.
3)As far as the government bailouts for greedy and short-sighted financial institutions…the house is mostly democrats that voted for that…what up with that?
4)The global warming, I am still not convinced that even exists. It was in the 30 degrees here yesterday and it’s still October!
5)The baby that is aborted could of been that person with all the answers. But we will never know because it was ripped out of a mother’s womb.
6)When your mom was asked who the president was and answered “jackass” are you sure she wasn’t referring to Clinton? I voted for Bill Clinton for both terms and haven’t admitted to that until now.
By: Amazed on October 30, 2008
at 3:56 PM
to Barry Lauterwasser:
thank you for giving the kid a shot.
god bless you.
from manila, the philippines
By: kouji on October 30, 2008
at 3:56 PM
Amazed,
It’s clear where your bias is toward. Watch a lot of Fox News, don’t you?
Since you brought up who’s liberal…
Let’s see what your republicans are doing… Trillion dollar tax cuts to the richest Americans. Capital gains tax cuts for the rich and big corporations. Instigating unnecessary wars and not willing to end them. Torturing prisoners and breaking international laws. Eavesdropping on Americans without a warrant. $500+ billion deficits. Happy to have a $10.2 trillion debt and unwilling to pay it off. Massive deregulation that has no transparency or oversight causing extreme corruption. Privatizing social security, medicare & healthcare, education, military, really everything. Continuous scandals. Keep pushing for oil drilling when we need alternative energy like solar panels for homes and electric cars. And bailing-out corporations when they fail by greed, corruption, and incompetence!!! I think Abe Lincoln would be so ashamed of this republican party. It looks to me the republicans are MORE LIBERAL than the democrats!!!
I don’t mind standing for the national anthem, but the hand over the heart is a bit much. And I will not say the pledge of allegiance, because I consider it idolatry.
You are dumb if you think McCain is for a change from Bush. Or that McCain will pick Supreme Court justices that do not agree with him.
You said, “In the past 50 years EVERY time a Democrat has been elected President taxes have gone up.” but……
Under President Clinton’s leadership, almost 6 million new jobs were created in the first two years of his Administration — an average of 250,000 new jobs every month. The economy created 7.7 million new jobs in the first 34 months of his administration. In 1994, the economy had the lowest combination of unemployment and inflation in 25 years. As part of the 1993 Economic Plan, President Clinton cut taxes on 15 million low-income families and made tax cuts available to 90 percent of small businesses, while raising taxes on just 1.2 percent of the wealthiest taxpayers. President Clinton signed into law the largest deficit-cutting plan in history — saving more than $1 trillion over seven years.
You must follow the republican spiel that raising taxes on the rich is the same as raising taxes on the working class.
You said, “Obama says he WILL NOT raise taxes unless you’re making over $250,000. That [big] company is going to have to cut jobs if its taxes are raised.” No, it won’t. Yes, corporations have a so-called “35% tax rate”, but they are not paying 35% corporate taxes. They find some offshore haven to cut their taxes. Corporate tax receipts dropped from an average of 4.8% of GDP during the 1950s to 1.3% of GDP in 2003. The U.S. collects the 3rd lowest of any country in corporate taxes by GDP. What we need is regulation of corporations! They shouldn’t tax dodge or pay executives tens of millions of dollars! No way should a corporation cut jobs and still pay millions in dividends to shareholders and pay millions in bonuses & salary to executives. BTW, income taxes are not the same as corporate taxes.
You said, “Anyone care about doctors?” Absolutely. When American society thinks it is ok to pay an actress $1200 an hour to portray a doctor on TV while a real doctor gets only $120 per hour, then something is wrong. BTW, hospitals cover malpractice insurance for their doctors, nurses, and other staff. Private practice doctors are not hurting either considering all the big homes and brand new mercedes that I see them buy.
You said, “the top 10% wealthiest people in America already pay 90% of our taxes.” GREAT!!!! They are still wealthy!!!!!!!!! Let’s break it down for you. Say there are 100 people in a town. 98 people get paid $30,000 to work at a plant owned by the other 2 people from town. The two owners get paid $1,000,000 each. Ok, so we need to raise $150,000 to repair roads and build infrastructure. Who do we tax? I guess your suggestion would be to a flat tax. But the 98 people who get only $30,000 a year are struggling to get by. Would it be better to tax the 2 owners 7.5% each or would it be better to tax everybody 3.1%? The struggling 98 would have to pay $940 with the flat tax which is nothing to the 2 owners. Or the 2 owners could pay the whole $150,000 ($75,000 each) which is still nothing to them, because they are now making $925,000 each! PLEASE STOP CRYING FOR THE WEALTHIEST AMERICANS!!!!
You said, “40% of people who make under 250,000 a year already don’t pay ANY taxes.” Despite all the republican bullshit they spew on TV, ALL AMERICANS WHO GET A PAYCHECK PAY TAXES!!!!!!!!!!!!! The poor may get most of it back in a tax refund, but they do PAY TAXES! The government uses the working poor’s hard-earned money to collect interest from banks when the poor need their money or could use it to collect their own savings interest.
You said, “If a company in America is going to keep getting taxed more and more for creating jobs… ” but….. Obama has already stated that he will cut taxes to business that create new U.S. jobs and will not give the current tax breaks to those that send American jobs overseas.
You said, “McCain suggests a different plan when it comes to taxes. Keep it the way it is.” Yeah, and the USA has a $500+ billion deficit, a poor economy that has a historic widening gap between the rich and the poor, a $10.2 trillion debt that taxpayers have to pay $1.24 billion in interest EVERYDAY, and guess what…John McCain doesn’t have any solutions for this and doesn’t want one.
You said, “All those taxes go to the government, the government decides what they pay for.” I would more likely trust Obama to eliminate excess spending from the budget than John McCain who has 59 lobbyists on his campaign staff and hired a lot of the Bush campaign staff.
You said, “During the next two years there will be what’s called a “Super Majority” in the Senate and in the House of Representatives.” GREAT!!!! The republicans have royally screwed up the country over the past 8 years and we need quick action from the democrats next year!!! The republicans have ONLY themselves to blame!!! A lot of the pork that Congress spends is from “compromising” with the other party!
You said, “Don’t vote for [Obama] just because he’s African-American…VOTE FOR THE MAN YOU THINK CAN LEAD THIS COUNTRY.” BTW, he’s half-white, but I already have voted for the best “man” to lead this country. I am a white Independent American male that has lived in southern Virginia all my life. Obama’s race has no bearing on my vote. In fact, I don’t even think he cares about what color his skin is.
By: David on October 30, 2008
at 3:39 PM
I don’t get why they say the polls are all over the place because where I’m sitting they are going straight up for Obama.
You should write Jack Cafferty on CNN with some of your responses to his questions. You’re my new hero.
By: lmannix on October 30, 2008
at 3:22 PM
“Obama said that when he appoints people to the Supreme Court he will base it on whether or not he feels they will make good decisions (thats in his opinion, in other words people who agree with him will get appointed)” -Amazed
Any Supreme Court pick still has to receive Senate approval. While Senatorial Courtesy is big we saw just recently with Bush that the Senate can and does disapprove of Presidential appointees…just an aside to help assuage random panic
By: Katie on October 30, 2008
at 3:17 PM
I’m with you. How can any sane, intelligent person possibly want Sarah Palin anywhere near the White House.
By: Jane on October 30, 2008
at 2:18 PM
To “Amazed”: Thanks for the insightful post. It is nice to see someone making points for or against a candidate’s policies, instead of attacking him/her personally.
I have voted Republican for Pres since I was 18, that’s over 25 years…but for this election I feel we need change… dramatic change.
This administration and it’s policies are why we are, where we are today…in a complete mess… One we’ll get out of for sure, but a complete disaster nonetheless. Their failure to monitor what’s going on, and relentless pursuit of dregulation, and McCain’s failure to admit it is a bad idea makes me cringe.
If McCain had been stronger on making a case for regulating and monitoring the financial system, and bothered admitting that perhaps the tax code had leaned a little to far to the right and need perhaps some adjustment, I’d probably be giving him a chance.
Like you, I do not like super-majorities, but we could change that in two years if these two get carried away, which I don’t think he will.
O’Bama strikes me as a thinker. A thoughtful person that will consider his moves, and consult with people that have more experience than him before making his decisions. I don’t know where you draw conclusions that he feels you have to agee with him or you’re out, but I haven’t seen it yet.
As far as being smooth talkers…we’ve had tons of those, including Ron Reagan, one of my favorite President’s of all time. And remember…the Nicaraguan rebels arms deals? that Ollie North took the fall for? I think we can all agree that all politicians have “stuff” in their closets that they’d like to keep there.
I’ve read the tax plans, listened to all the debates, educated myself to the eye-teeth, and I can not help it…I’m going to give the kid a shot. In the end, if he turns out the be the terrorist, marxist, communist that I read about on many blogs…well…there’s good old fashioned impeachment…
VOTE!
By: Barry Lauterwasser on October 30, 2008
at 1:24 PM
Thank you again. I too agree with the 55%, though I wasn’t polled. I think Sarah Palin is a IDIOT! I think John McCain is a very angry old man that needs to croak already. I’m sorry for his POW time, but he wasn’t the only one. I think he got a fair enough life to make up for his struggles. Afterall, he cheated then left his disabled wife to marry into a rich family. WOW!!! Now that’s the American Dream. I guess that’s what McCain will teach us how to do when he talks about giving everybody the chance to make the American Dream.
By: Felicia in Georgia on October 30, 2008
at 1:09 PM
You tell ‘em, Helen!
Amazed, you don’t like the government telling you how to spend your money, but you don’t mind it spending your money for you – on pointless wars and bailouts for greedy and short-sighted financial institutions? And then telling you what you can and cannot do with your own body?
If we’ve got all this money to bail out the banks, who got themselves (and us) into this mess, then we can find the money to clean up the environment and guarantee health care for everyone.
The Republican approach to problems like global warming and the high cost of health care has been pretty much twofold:
1) Deny that there is a problem.
2) Distract people by getting them anxious about things that aren’t problems, like other people’s sexual preferences and reproductive choices. Oh, yeah, and don’t forget Harry Potter – Heaven forbid children should learn about _real_ morality.
The fall-back position is that anyone who doesn’t agree with them is anti-American. I’ve had enough. “If this be treason, let us make the most of it!”
By the way, when I took my mother in for a psychiatric evaluation a couple of years ago (she had a stroke and suffers from dementia,) the doctor asked her a lot of questions to see just how “out of it” she was. He asked her what day it was, what month it was, the season and the year – she got all of those wrong. Then he asked her who the President was.
Her answer? “A jackass!” (And yes, she did know his name also) Her caregiver and I just about hyperventilated and I could see the doctor wondering if he should say “Well, she got one right, anyway.”
By: tbrightwater on October 30, 2008
at 12:26 PM
We’ve all heard it, it’s the most important election in history. Well I do think it’s important so I thought I’d throw some stuff around and see what you guys think. Please feel free to comment back, try not to get too out of hand. I’m just sharing some facts and some opinions. This election effects everyone so please be a part. Whether you’re a Democrat, Republican, or Independent (like me).
McCain will be the oldest man ever elected President
Obama could be the first African American elected President
McCain served four years in the House of Representatives and has served in the Senate since 1986.
Obama served three years as a Junior Senator.
McCain before entering government served in the United States Navy as a pilot during Vietnam, he was shot down and tortured. He was offered early release because his father was an Admiral. He chose to stay until every man that was imprisoned before him was released. (I wouldn’t have the balls to do that)
Obama before entering government was a “Community Organizer”. This job title included things such as providing hundreds of thousands of dollars to ACORN. ACORN is a group that registers inner city people to vote, it is also currently under investigation for voter fraud, they have been registering dead people and people who are under the age of 18 to vote for Obama.
McCain can’t raise his arms above his head because of his torture during Vietnam
Obama can’t put his hand over his heart during the national anthem because he believes it conveys a “war message”
Obama is the most Liberal Democratic Senator in the Senate (this means he only votes Democrat)
McCain is the most Liberal Republican Senator in the Senate (this means a lot of Republicans don’t like him because he votes both Republican and Democrat, he does this because he listens to both sides of the story before voting)
*** JOE LIEBERMAN (former democratic vice presidential nominee) says JOHN MCCAIN IS THE TRUE CANDIDATE FOR CHANGE this is an example of how McCain has support from both parties.
Obama said that when he appoints people to the Supreme Court he will base it on whether or not he feels they will make good decisions (thats in his opinion, in other words people who agree with him will get appointed)
McCain said that when he appoints people to the Supreme Court he will base it on how well they adhere to the Constitution. (that means whether they agree with him or not, he will appoint them on how well they stick to the Constitution)
Important things to remember…
In the past 50 years EVERY time a Democrat has been elected President taxes have gone up.
Obama says he WILL NOT raise taxes unless you’re making over $250,000. That sounds great to the average guy right? Well here’s the deal… 1) If any of you are in college and plan on working for a big company, guess what? That company is going to have to cut jobs if its taxes are raised. That would be bad news if your parents or someone you knew worked for a big company too! 2) Anyone care about doctors? Many doctors make over $250,000 a year. However, OBYNs and other doctors pay about $70,000 dollars in malpractice insurance. If on top of that they have to pay all of their other taxes plus more… well all of a sudden it just doesn’t become worth it to be a doctor anymore. THATS NOT GOOD 3) Lastly, i just thought you should all know… the top 10% wealthiest people in America already pay 90% of our taxes. 40% of people who make under 250,000 a year already don’t pay ANY taxes.
Think of it this way… If a company in America is going to keep getting taxed more and more for creating jobs… they’re just going to take their business to another country, like China. Its common sense and it’s already happening.
McCain suggests a different plan when it comes to taxes. He isn’t raising taxes on anyone. Not the middle class, not the upper class, not the lower class. Keep it the way it is.
One more point… All those taxes go to the government, the government decides what they pay for. Unfortunately a lot of it goes to government officials’ wallets. I.e. a $3,000,000 over head projector for Obama’s community center.
During the next two years there will be what’s called a “Super Majority” in the Senate and in the House of Representatives. What does this mean? it means that there are so many Democrats in Congress right now that:
if Obama was elected… anything that he wanted passed would go right through and Republicans wouldn’t be able to stop it, no matter how wacky it is if McCain was elected… any bills that he wanted to pass he would have to compromise with the Democrats. This means if a bill go through it would have to be fair for both Democrats and Republicans (this is how the government is supposed to work)
In Closing… just think about what kind of man you want as President. I will admit Obama is a very smooth talker. He’s nice to listen to, however Martin Luther King preached that you should not judge a man by the color of his skin but by the content of his character. Don’t vote for him just because he’s African-American that is just as racist as NOT voting for him simply because he’s African-American. VOTE FOR THE MAN YOU THINK CAN LEAD THIS COUNTRY
By: Amazed on October 30, 2008
at 12:18 PM
You are now my favorite blog in the blogosphere. Love for you both!
By: Rev. Hyperion on October 30, 2008
at 12:18 PM
If I could derail your fascination with Governor Palin for just a moment:
You and I are both old enough to remember the Carter years and the complete misery of hyperinflation, a prime rate of 18%, a miserable stagnant stock market, an unemployment rate of 10%, and a demoralized military that invited attacks and aggression from Russia, Iran, and others.
What is it about those days that you’re so eager to return to? If a pacifist foreign policy, high income taxes, high capital gain taxes, and high corporate income taxes didn’t work then, why will it work now?
If UPS gets its corporate income tax raised, will prices go up or down?
If UPS has to pay more for its SSI payroll tax, will prices go up or down? Will they be more likely to hire new people or not?
It’s fun to make up smacktalk about the opponents but I have yet to see anything in Obama’s economic policies that makes me think “oooh, that looks functional and neat.”
When I look at Obama what I do see is:
1) A mania for secret keeping that makes George Bush look open and honest.
2) A habit of throwing friends and colleagues under the bus the moment they’re not convenient
3) Some rather *special* methods of fundraising.
Be careful what you wish for. You might get it.
By the way, how’s Obama’s aunt doing?
By: whoisgoodwil on October 30, 2008
at 11:32 AM
Another political ‘article’ without one sentence discussing an actual issue.
By: Scott Fox on October 30, 2008
at 10:59 AM
Amazed…..
Here is why people are going OBAMA!!!!
These appear to be all Republicans talking…
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9rBg_tFkjE0
Also, something that I have picked up on is that every time OBAMA talks he talks about His ideas for the country, specifics on jobs, retooling closed up auto factories, plans for moving technology toward environmentally safe means of power, etc, and specifics as to what and what and how he plans to accomplish this etc…. He also speaks of Hope, Togetherness, of future days of being inclusive to All Peoples…
McCain has done nothing but bad mouth Obama, continue to tell his constituents that Obama will do nothing but increase everyone’s taxes… I have yet to hear, after all of this time, McCain talk specifically about his plans for the country, what and how, specifically he wants to do to make the changes that he speaks of.
Your vote is just that Yours, but remember, in his own words, McCain has “voted with Bush, over 90% of the time, and is one of the few Republicans to have done so”….. so if you are happy with how things have been going by all means…..
I think we need to reassess how we do things, and make some changes !!
By: Tess from Ohio on October 30, 2008
at 10:51 AM
I was undecided but after reading all these comments, my vote is for McCain/Palin. No one mention about the issues but useless information about fruit flies, moose meat, Palin’s teenage daughter, McCain being at death’s door…you get the point. If you want the government to tell you what to do and how to spend your money…I can see why you are voting for Obama; which is certainly your choice.
By: Amazed on October 30, 2008
at 10:01 AM
I’m not putting it past the McCain/Palin advisers to suggest inducing labor for her pregnant teen daughter sometime this weekend, just to get the spotlight off of Obama
By: Ken on October 30, 2008
at 8:59 AM
Just to add to point 1. above
Why was that even close?
By: Fi on October 30, 2008
at 8:50 AM
Hi Helen,
Hi to the undecided,
and Hi especially to the naysayers here.
I’m a member of ‘the rest of the world’. You know, all that part of the planet that is not America. How else can I put it? The majority of the earth.
I feel compelled to write a little something here to reiterate what has been said before. The rest of the world really does think the USA is a joke. Sorry, but it really is true. Individually you tend to be lovely people, but as a collective? Stupid mindless lemmings.
American stupidity is world renowned.
How has this come about? Well I’m not here to give diplomacy, international history or geography lessons, although I’m sure they’d help, but to point out 3 things.
1. A few years back, you guys had a close call between a jackass who is a very failed businessman among many other shortcomings, and someone who believes in tackling the big issues that affect everyone on this earth, like climate change.
2. We know who won, and EVERYONE knows that election was rigged. AND YOU LET THEM GET AWAY WITH IT!!!!
3. You are on the cusp of an amazing opportunity to turn your country around. Internally, for all citizens, and in the eyes of the world. Or you can continue further down the plughole.
Your choice.
Please folks, listen to Helen. She talks a lot of sense. Please vote. And please, do us all a favour and FFS vote Obama.
By: Fi on October 30, 2008
at 8:47 AM
M & H rock!
I see our next Secretary of the Interior and maybe a Secretary of Education in these pages.
Peace, out!
By: Hookers and Blow on October 30, 2008
at 7:30 AM