HELEN:
Margaret, when you hear a fool talking nonsense you can either call them on their bullshit or just shake your head and smile. Clearly I am the former which gets me into trouble and I need remind myself that maybe I should be a little more of the latter. It was nice to see Joe Biden has already figured that out. God love him, I thought he did well considering he had to be having a Déjà vu evening. Paul Ryan, like Sarah Palin, is difficult to suffer.
While I watched the debate, I often wished that Joe would stop smiling at Ryan and just reach across the table and slap the shit out of him. But, like I said, the Vice President is wiser than this old broad. Just like Palin before him, Ryan believes he has all the answers. Unlike Palin, Ryan is smart enough that he should know better.
Now I am sure comparing Paul Ryan to Sarah Palin is a stretch for some but when you are as old as Margaret and me you see these things a little more clearly. Nothing is more apparent to an older person than a younger person blinded by their own youth. With age comes wisdom. If you doubt me, just wait.
Four years ago, Palin debated Biden and painted the world in black and white – oil and snow. This time Ryan painted it in red and black – debits and credits. Everything gets all summed up in rows and columns where nothing matters but the bottom line. Life has yet to throw him any problem that can’t be solved with a calculator. During the debate, Ryan seemed to boil almost everything down to how much something costs. And the only thing that doesn’t seem to cost too much to Ryan is the price of war. I found that odd considering how tightly he wraps himself in his religious beliefs… which we’ll get to in a bit.
What does it say about the Republican Party that despite our being the richest country on the planet, all they can worry about is how expensive it is to take care of our elderly, our sick and our less fortunate? What kind of statement are they making when they focus almost exclusively on how much richer we could all be if we just spend a little less money on the sick and the elderly? There are more billionaires in America than in the next 10 richest countries combined. We are actually millionaires when it comes to the number of millionaires with almost 5 million Americans having that distinction – more than the next 10 countries combined. But the way Ryan describes it you would never know that the tax burden for American workers is one of the lowest on Earth… or that our defense budget is ten times greater than the next closest country.
The federal budget that Ryan apparently keeps next to his bible has a revenue line of more than $2 trillion dollars. That would be a two followed by twelve zeros. Twelve. It seems to me that Ryan should have a whole lot more than Medicare and Social Security to discuss before he gets to that last zero. We are debating the price of Medicare and Social Security but not the cost of war. I guess that’s why I am not a math person. The bottom line has never had all the answers for me.
All in all, I thought it was a good debate, but the point in the evening that had me on the edge of my seat was near the end when Martha Raddatz asked the two men how their Catholic faith affects their politics.
Ryan seemed not to understand the concept of a separation of church and state despite his infatuation with Iran – a country that clearly can’t separate the two. I think his exact words were: “I don’t see how a person can separate their public life from their private life or from their faith.” As a good Catholic he doesn’t believe in abortion or birth control and can’t separate that from his political life. Four times he has voted to defund Planned Parenthood, and his proposed budget would completely defund birth control, STD screenings, and cancer screenings for low-income women available under Title X.
Considering there are more than 300 religions practiced by Americans including 35 different Christian religious denominations a separation of church and state should make more sense to Ryan than it does. (By the way, I include Mormonism in that 35 even though many Republicans don’t.)
Compare Ryan’s answer to that of the elder statesman sitting to his right: “My religion defines who I am, and I’ve been a practicing Catholic my whole life… But I refuse to impose it on equally devout Christians and Muslims and Jews, and I just refuse to impose that on others, unlike my friend here, the — the congressman.”
I know Biden can’t exactly say what I can. That’s the curse of being a politician. So I am happy to say it here for him…
Mr. Ryan. You seem like a nice guy. Given a little time your heart might actually catch up to your brain. Until then, kindly take your spreadsheets, your bottom line and your religious intolerance and shove them up your ass. I mean it. Really.
MARGARET:
Helen, honey, at times like these I am reminded why we are friends. Bottom line for me – you’re the tops. And to smiling Joe Biden I say – my husband is asleep by 9 and the back door is unlocked.
Click here to support Margaret and Helen’s website.
Easier, thanks for the compliment. I think Obama is more of a blue dog than many want to admit. In the business world and DC, often times deals are done behind the scenes, so politicians can save their public face and appear to have not got what they wanted, but behind closed doors, they’re high five’n each other as both achieved mutual satisfaction. Where Obama and the dems stand out is their position on social issues, which is where the parties mostly differ. Beyond that, they’re very similar. You didn’t see Obama’s DOJ perp walk any of the big bank CEO’s and never will. You can’t tell me they didn’t know what was going on. They took out insurance CDO’s) fully well knowing those loans would default. That was where AIG came in and Fannie/Freddie too… the people running those organizations had to know they were being set up to fail, but Obama will never go after any big contributor to the political machine.. We the people have yet to realize, we’re screwed but many have a sinking feeling… The fiscal cliff will come soon enough. I’m estimating around 2016 to 2018 at this time, but I remain open minded to adjustments to that time frame… Market corrections will occur in that timeframe but I think something bigger is coming in about 5 years. Possibly a re-setting of the economy and dollar value. I’ll stop my predictions there as I don’t want to spook people too much..
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Obama win this election. I think the republicans really want Jeb Bush in 2016 which means they’d have to find a way to get Romney out of office and that wouldn’t look good (I could be wrong so vigilance is still necessary). Most people don’t realize, the dems ceded power to the republicans many years back. The attitude in DC is, the dems had their way to show how they would run the country with FDR and his policies that lasted for about 50 years, so the repubs were given (actually demanded) the reign’s to show how they would handle the economy and the social needs the next 50 years through about 2030… you don’t see the dems fighting that hard for that reason. They can’t, they need corporate dollars to run their re-election campaigns too and the people and unions just don’t have enough power anymore to make a difference. The goals of both parties is to play their bases with just enough red meat to keep us civil. All opposition organizations are heavily infiltrated with informants, so the only real threats come from the lone wolf types or the black ops meant to herd us further into submission.
By: Robert on October 15, 2012
at 5:08 PM
Jenny – if you believe as you do then please explain why we do not have funerals for miscarriages.
By: angelle2 on October 15, 2012
at 4:48 PM
Well said, JC!
By: Terri in NY on October 15, 2012
at 4:21 PM
Yes, but that’s the whole point: Sid should not have HER decisions limited by what YOU believe. If she gets raped, SHE needs to be in control of that situation, not Todd Akin, or Rick Perry or anon or you! Birth control is an even more private issue, and no ones employer or congressman or senator needs to be involved in any way. The drugs are LEGAL and should be available, to treat hormonal deficiecies or endometriosis or to prevent pregnancy if the principals so desire.
To borrow the Master’s own words, why don’t you worry about the beam in your own eye (nonsense gotta have a 6×6 in his) before you start digging around for the mote in your neighbor’s eye? God isn’t going to ask you to account for anyone else’s actions anyway, only your own.
By: JC on October 15, 2012
at 3:31 PM
Hi, Jenny – As I’m sure you know as well as anyone, abortion is a volatile issue, on both sides. (For the sake of clarity: I had one, before they were legal. I did have an IUD in place at the time, which probably lent some “medical credence”, shall we say, to the procedure – but it was an abortion, none the less. Also, I have never had the occasion to use the services of Planned Parenthood myself.)
If anyone “should” have gone through this blithely, without a care in the world, it would have been myself at the time: twenty-two years old, working in publishing and the arts in NYC; full of hippie liberalism and rising feminism; “living in sin” with my boyfriend, and thinking I was pretty darn cool.
HOWEVER… That was not the case at the time, and I think about it, once in a while, even now. Part of me longed to have a child, even in circumstances that would have made it almost impossible for me to raise him or her. I made what I thought was the best decision at the time, and, although I sometimes feel a bit wistful at the thought that a little “me” didn’t come into this world, I do not regret that decision. A bit of sorrow, yes; Regret, no. And I can live with that.
My personal experience in this matter has led me to believe that no woman undergoes an abortion without at least a little shred of regret. That doesn’t mean the decision to have one is “wrong.” Having the freedom of “choice” does not mean that the choice is made without conflict and, possibly, some anguish. There are many choices in life like that… But to not have that choice, even with all the soul-searching it may entail, is worse, in my opinion.
BTW, a “troll” is someone who spends endless time on a blog with a particular orientation – as you can see that M&H certainly have – and does nothing but oppose that orientation, often in the most annoying, repetitive, and irritating fashion. And that makes people angry – which is just what the troll most enjoys doing. It’s the troll-posting, with all its pomposity and self-righteousness, that gets people mad – not thoughtful commentary like yours.
Thanks for writing. Women are lucky to have you around when they’re bringing a new life into this world.
Gato
By: gatodicima on October 15, 2012
at 2:53 PM
Robert and Pi, I admire you both. I thought there is a rift coming up! But, no, I see none really, that is how adults find common ground. Really appreciated your discussion. I believe if Obama hadn’t had to deal with “Blue Dog” Democrats, more of the liberal agenda would have been carried out for his first two years in office when both the House and the Senate were democratic. These “Blue Dog” Democrats only care about themselves and their upcoming reelections and would not support many of the bills introduced in the House especially, favoring any kind of programs from the left, that would have helped create jobs. As Colorado Blue pointed out, the executive branch only implements the bills voted by Congress and for the past two years, the obtstructionists agenda won the day. There is so little the President could do when bills are fillibustered.
By: Easier on October 15, 2012
at 2:06 PM
They report 3% of services are abortions. 10% of clients recieve them.That’s over 300,000 babies aborted in 2009. Even those numbers are too much. I will “butt out” now. I am in no way trying to interfere in anyone’s life. Just trying to stand up for those who can’t. What is a “troll” anyway? I’m just reading a blog link that I recieved on facebook and offering an opinion. Again, why all the anger? I’m certainly not making up scientific facts and footage. Done.
By: Jenny on October 15, 2012
at 2:05 PM
Anon, drawing from your own knowledge, what percentage of their business model is funding abortions?
By: Robert on October 15, 2012
at 1:46 PM
Jenny,
You are neither my God, my spouse, nor my doctor. Butt out of my life and worry about your own. Your “medical” observations are quite unfamiliar and I too am a clinician so I have a certain level of experience in this matter. Please parrot your abortion taking points on another blog. We’ve got enough trolls here already.
By: Denise on October 15, 2012
at 1:44 PM
I have 6 beautiful children. I care about women and children. If you think they are a clump of cells then you are blind, literally or figuratively. The research is there. Cutting edge research that filmed a fetus at 5weeks after conception. Clearly a human. A brain present, a heart beating,a liver producing lymphocytes. Have you seen an abortion? Some involve dismemberment. All involve an act of violence against a baby. I am a labor and delivery nurse and have also worked in postpartum and newborn nursery. I have seen women give birth to babies that they almost aborted due to down syndrome and the baby did not end up having the syndrome. Women should not fall prey to the “women’s rights” argument. The whole, “you can’t tell me what I can and can’t do with my body.” What kind of argument is that? I just don’t get it. A right to kill your child? I also do not get how you can compare a baby to a cancerous tumor. There is no need to get ugly with someone who has a differing opinion than yours. I also wonder where all this anger comes from? I’m the one who believes it is murder and hurting women. I should be the angry one.
By: Jenny on October 15, 2012
at 1:36 PM
If you’re gonna talk the talk, walk the walk: Get a vasectomy, and urge all your male friends to do the same.
We’ll all appreciate your commitment to your cause.
By: gatodicima on October 15, 2012
at 1:25 PM
All I can say is thank you Helen and Margaret. I appreciate the fact that you care and rally us to care right alongside you. Hope the caring side wins.
By: Easier on October 15, 2012
at 1:12 PM
Anon, maybe one day when you carry and give birth and raise a child, somebody might care what you think.
We are talking about a little clump of cells. Now what if one day you woke up with a tumor on your face. It wont kill you but it will grow until it consumes your face, and what if I felt that those living cells were a gift from god, and passed laws that prevented you and your family from doing anything about it.
How might you like those apples tumor face?
By: sidney18511 on October 15, 2012
at 1:10 PM
Loved the comment about leaving the door unlocked! Ryan doesn’t have enough life experience to be a credible candidate; he needs to be defeated in his own congressional race. Having only worked as a congressman has kept him a bubble — he needs to get a job!
By: Victoria on October 15, 2012
at 1:09 PM
Imposing religious views on others is wrong but imposing death on babies is also. Planned Parenthood should be defunded. They lie to young women about the effects of abortion. There are other ways to help women.
By: Anonymous on October 15, 2012
at 12:57 PM
Terri- I agree . I don’t have TV but was at friend’s house on Friday who was tuned into that silly Fox rude-and-disrespectful routine on TV.
Had to excuse myself and go outside in the snow to laugh and cool off .
Robert- interesting isn’t it?
We pretty much move goal posts around these last and many years and announce left and right and all in relation to that- that outfit doesn’t move the basic lines. It moves the people and policies around to reflect shifts in ideas and actions against a static backdrop.
Pretty much agree with your take on the “where” Mr Obama has run his administration from- which pretty much blows the socialist-communist-end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it crap of those just to the right of him completely out of the water.
That doesn’t seem to get through though.Sigh.
Over the years, I come in , repeatedly, almost falling off the chart on lower left quadrant. World is never going to shift very far my direction but sure would like to see it shift some back towards a real center.
By: alaskapi on October 15, 2012
at 9:31 AM
My thoughts on the VP debate: Joe Biden gave a master class in non-verbal communication. I think his smile was intended to communicate that he wasn’t buying the BS that Ryan was selling. It’s amusing to listen to the Faux News people act so shocked and dismayed that Biden was being “rude” and “disrespectful.” That’s rich coming from people who have been calling Obama a failure and weak.
By: Terri in NY on October 15, 2012
at 8:51 AM
M&H HELP YOU NEED TO ADDRESS THIS NEW ISSUE. BIG REPUBLICANS THREATENING THEIR EMPLOYEES WITH LOSS OF JOB IF OBAMA WINS THAT HAS TO BE ILLEGAL. KOCH ? IS HE REALLY GOING TO LOSE MONEY? I DON’T THINK SO. AGGGGGGG THIS MAKE ME SO MAD
By: Majeral on October 15, 2012
at 7:32 AM
Helen and Margaret, I haven’t been to your site since the last election. What was I thinking? I guess I wasn’t. I love you both. Keep up the great work!
By: A. Zamudio on October 14, 2012
at 11:21 PM
Thank goodness Ambassador Stevens’ father has finally spoken up for Romney to stop politicizing his son’s death! I’ve wondered and wondered how it must feel to lose your son in such a tragic way, then to have a dumb-ass politician run around exploiting the murder, obviously happy this happened so that he could use it for his own agenda which is to stick it to Obama. Yeah, such a “compassionate” person you are. Now SHUT UP about it Romney and move on!!
By: Skyler on October 14, 2012
at 6:49 PM
Helen, thanks for pointing out what should be obivious to anyone who watched the debate. Maybe Joe shouldn’t have laughed, but I was sitting here shaking my head and wishing I could smack Ryan with his smug face. Have you ever noticed that he has just that one expression and has to raise his eyebrows because . . . I’ve never figured out why he does that. It doesn’t help. Why the one expression with his lips all thin and tight? I think it’s the only way he knows to look like he’s paying attention and knows what is going on. Someone should tell him it’s not working.
Colorado Blue and Gato, thanks for the reminders about all the issues. I knew some about the Koch Brothers and their crazy dad, but you pointed out even more. I just saw a thing from NPR that Koch Industries has sent out an email to their 50,000 employees telling them who they should vote for. I know that’s legal (I guess), but it shouldn’t be. It smacks of the old days when people owed everything to the Company Store and felt like they didn’t have any choice but supporting whatever the company wanted them to do.
Margaret, I agree with you about Joe and you made me giggle thinking about leaving the back door unlocked.
By: eeyore on October 14, 2012
at 3:45 PM
alaskapi, I tried that little quiz. I was surprised with the response as it put me real near Ghandi. I thought I was more moderate or middle ground than that. When I saw the results for Obama and Romney, at first I was surprised but then I thought, well of course that’s where Obama would be placed. He’s what the Republicans used to be like before they got hijacked by the religious right and now the TP.
By: Robert on October 14, 2012
at 3:39 PM
Love it! Great response.
By: John Rider on October 14, 2012
at 3:25 PM
I love your irreverent sense of humor..right on! The great thing is that not all of us white haired, older generation people have gotten close minded and tight fisted! We don’t have the attitude that we have ours and don’t care about all the others…
By: cobracruising on October 14, 2012
at 12:03 PM
wow, Blue – You can certainly call it like it is. Well done!
Gato
By: gatodicima on October 14, 2012
at 11:26 AM
Hi, Robert – You’ve obviously spent a lot more time inside the machine than I have. I’m just forcing myself to spend time on the phone and knocking on doors for my CT Senate candidate, Chris Murphy, who’s running against a multi-millionaire wrestling executive…
Agree that everyone succors from the same teat; well said. And that teat belongs to the corporate cow. (And no, I certainly don’t think corporations are “people”! The Citizens United decision was, IMHO, one of the greatest travesties foisted on this nation in recent, and not-so-recent, history – especially since it was based on some faulty “precedent” noted in headnotes by a SCOTUS secretary decades ago, who then went on to work for the very railroad that had been involved in the case. Additional irony: Milton Friedman based his entire economic philosophy, and his justification that corporations had no “social responsibility”, on the fact that he believed that corporations are NOT “people.” He must be twirling in his grave these days…)
But still, I sense some real difference between Obama and Romney. Romney seems torn by some inner conflicts that Obama doesn’t seem to have. Additionally, the Dems really LIKE Obama, even those who have been disappointed that he hasn’t channeled FDR as much as they’d hoped he would. The GOP doesn’t seem to really care much for Romney; he’s just what they’ve got – what they’ve settled for. He has to know that, on some level. He’s just so danged uncomfortable with all of this, consistently. He’s either withdrawn or manic.
I’m old enough to trust these instincts of mine.
Your posts are great, informative, and always get my attention.
Gato
By: gatodicima on October 14, 2012
at 11:19 AM
Once again, way to go, Helen…….spot on !!! Margaret, your “zingers” are way better than that fool Romney.
Let’s look at what we have, right now, Oct 2012: We have the lowest tax rate since 1917; a stock market hovering near 14 ( in 2007 it was near 5 ); a housing market that is on the rise in most states —-can’t help it if red states with red governors haven’t quite caught up to my state; more people are working, that’s means ENTERING the work force not leaving it—-Repubs don’t want to see Americans succeed so they have decided to scream ‘cooking the books’—-something THEY are VERY familiar with; one war has been ended with draw-down in Afghanistan to begin in 2014—OMG!! We can’t be without a war, can we? Republicans can’t stand it because how will their pals and Ryan’s family make money if we aren’t fighting someone and having to go in with defense contractors from our military industrial complex? Repubs plan to spend TRILLIONS which will go directly into the military industrial complex, something the pentagon says they do not need—-but, Paul Ryan’s family and his pals NEED that money to make them even richer. The Repubs will send YOUR children, grandchildren, moms, dad, uncles, aunts and cousins to be killed without a second thought. Their children won’t be the ones going. RICH PEOPLES’ KIDS DON’T GO TO WAR. George W. Bush did not go to war, he just liked wearing the outfits.
If you add up the 4 1/2 trillion going for supposed 20% tax cuts, but refusing to say how they will pay for it and the 30 TRILLION they plan to put into the military industrial complex for the war(s) they plan to start and can’t explain how they plan to pay for it, why are they whining about spending? It takes Paul Ryan too long to do the math—-winky, winky, you stupid middle class citizens will be paying for it. End of story.
The economy is slowly on the rise despite the best efforts of the Republicans in Congress to derail everything. Apparently none of the Repub supporters are smarter than a 5th grader because every kid who has learned about how our Democratic government works knows that the President does not make the laws nor does he allocate money to implement those laws. That is the job of the legislative branch of our government: The House and the Senate. For the last 3 1/2 years this bunch of extremist right-wing, Tea Bagging Repubs have filibustered every bill that would have helped to fast track our economy and help the middle class. REPUBLICANS WANT AMERICANS TO FAIL. In 2009 they went in front of the world and announced that their only goal through 2012 was to disrupt the presidency of Barack Obama. When asked they said that they did not care about the economy or the middle class. The needs of the American people were not important to them. Their only focus was jamming things up in the House and the Senate. This Republican congress has filibustered more bills than any in the history of our country. REPUBLICANS WANT AMERICANS TO FAIL.
The job of the Executive branch of government, the president, is to make sure the laws are carried out and to handle foreign policy. Barack Obama is one of THE most respected leaders in the world. The president of Israel, not to be confused with the figure head prime minister, said President Obama has spent more time with him than any other US president has. It was crystal clear during the debates that President Obama knows how to deal with world leaders who are difficult, deal in misdirection and are manipulative. You stop talking and arguing because you can’t debate a LIAR.
Romney has already pissed of England, France, Spain and the Middle East talking out of both sides of his ass and his running mate Ryan only knows enough about the world to know that you can hide your money in The Caymen Islands. What a pair !!!!!
Talk about not qualified to run: Ryan blah blahed about how they will be bi-partisan. They don’t even know what that word means. The only reaching across the aisle for them would be to reach across and choke a Democrat. Romney, as a failed governor of Massachusetts, was so partisan that he vetoed over 800 bills passed by his Democratic state legislature. Bi-partisan my butt !!! Romney was voted out after one term, leaving with a 32% approval rating and an economy ranked 47th. That was the last time this guy had a job !!!! Really !!!!!!
Believe me, Media Moguls and Big business have an agenda. The Koch Brothers who are largely responsible for the creation of The Tea Party and whose racist father founded The John Birch Society are THE most scary part of all of it. They head up the group of billionaires who desire to tear down our democracy in favor of a theocratic oligarchy ——get your dictionaries out and look those two words up. Former CEO of GE, Jack Welch, said during the Republican primaries that they didn’t care who the candidate was AS LONG AS THEY COULD MANIPULATE HIM. No shit Sherlock. They’ve got Romney out there flip flopping depending on the audience, lying and misdirecting under the tutelage of Carl Rove—–you remember him, the mastermind behind George W. Bush.
The Koch Brothers along with Jack Welch, Carl Rove and the rest of the Republican billionaires want POWER WITHOUT RESPONSIBILITY. They have their puppets in Romney and Ryan. Don’t be so stupid, Republican middle class. There is nothing in this for you, NOTHING. They say, elect us and THEN we will tell you the truth. NO, THAT IS NOT OK. How can you trust someone who changes his mind as often as he changes his magic underwear?? If you have a brain and an ounce of self respect you will NOT vote for these two selfish, lying Republican puppets.
By: Colorado Blue on October 14, 2012
at 11:14 AM
Hi, M&H – I so love your blog, and the fact that you are doing it, and all the wonderful stuff I get here, that I am jumping in myself with my own new blog at http://www.partyandsoul.wordpress.com. (Just wish I had a “Matthew” to help me with all the techie stuff!)
It’s not about politics – nobody deals with that as well as you do! Not sure quite what it’s really “about” yet, but would love to hear from any fellow porch sitters who’d like to take a look. I may even spike my lemonade from time to time, if the hour of the day seems appropriate. (It’s always 5:00 somewhere, as Jimmy Buffett likes to say…)
Thanks for the inspiration… And everything you have the guts to keep doing.
Gato
By: gatodicima on October 14, 2012
at 10:55 AM
Robert-
Rev Jackson drives me crazy but, no.
Andrew Jackson, President of the United States , proponent of white equality and superiority of whites over all others, and “Indian Removal ” architect.
I’ve been a registered Dem for 40 years and watched the shift towards what you experienced with much dismay.
I remember the exact moment I knew Lisa Murkowski was likely going to win our US Senate seat in the last election . I did the votebuilder data entry for my borough for the party and saw an abrupt shift in likely voter responses to the Democratic candidate.
The party folks ignored me and while the (extraordinary) candidate did very, very well in debates and public forums too many Dems and independents allowed themselves to be scared the TP candidate Joe Miller (nutball city) would win if they didn’t jump ship and “pool” with old-fashioned Rs and vote for Ms Murkowski.
Joe Miller never did gain any more ground than the tight TP and evangelical base he had which delivered the upset to Ms Murkowski in the primary but people piddled all over themselves in fear he might win per her super PAC’s message.
We had , finally after way too many years , an incredible candidate in Mr McAdams – in ways people outside Alaska might not understand- and people voting their fears gave us a mediocre voice in the Senate. Pffft!
The “debriefing” conference calls after the campaign ended up being the usual reminder to me that the state Democratic Party is pretty spineless . One of the big questions was why did/how did rural Alaska (code for Alaska Native constituency ) go almost completely to Murkowski and how did the Dems lose rural areas which used to be traditionally Dem.
I got shut up when I tried to explain some of the shifts and reasons because it was too lefty and non-moderate to talk about race, Native Corporations, and such like.
Incredibly, the Dem candidate was very explicit and sensible on those issues and impressed much of the Native community greatly but folks freaked over Joe Miller and voted for Murkowski.
And we didn’t get to talk about how to expand the openings the candidate had made and urged- no sirree. The Party plugged up its ears and la la la-ed its way through discussing why it was defeated. Double Pfft!
http://www.politicalcompass.org/index
You ever done this? Is somewhat interesting
By: alaskapi on October 14, 2012
at 10:29 AM
alaskapi, I registered as a democrat in 2004 and became a neighborhood rep (don’t remember the formal title) for the election season but changed back to independent after the election. I pissed off party affiliates too. I think they wanted me to be a grunt for the standard party business and I thought they should be more aggressive with the expectations of our elected representatives. I thought we should employ tactics like the religious right and say you want our vote, these are our expectations. After all, it seemed to work for them so I thought it could for the left. The message I got was they’re our friends, we can’t do that. So we had to tone down our request. I sensed no desire to change the way business was being done, so I gave up my position and don’t miss it. Even stopped listening to liberal radio except for Ring of Fire, I like that show and sometimes I like to listen to Mike Malloy as he is a lefty but see’s the party’s misgiving and is quite outspoken. We need that because the party isn’t going change if everybody just keep accepting the drift to the right that the left leadership is doing economy wise. Socially, I’m fine with the left.
When you mentioned “Jackson” I wasn’t sure what you meant? Jesse?
By: Robert on October 14, 2012
at 9:44 AM