[ TALK TO THE MIKE ]

Here’s a truth for you: And think about this one real hard. Behind closed doors, the Republican leadership is laughing hysterically at the ignorance of the Republican voter. They are preying on you and your hatred of Obama like a vulture capitalist on a financially solvent company. And they are out to ruin you in the name of saving you. You give them a kind of Conservative blood lust. You are the target of the Republican Leadership feeding frenzy!  In dark paneled rooms that smell of worn leather, old cigar smoke and even older whiskey, the Party apparatchiks jostle their drinks and elbow each other, shake their heads in amazement at the success of their own cleverness.

“We damned sure screwed it up for the regular folks,” chuckles one gazzillionaire. “How long do you think we can keep convincing those schmucks that we are FOR THEM?”

“Forever, if we can keep spending all we want on adds that are so false nobody even cares,” chimed in his gazzillionaire brother. “I told you, our people only care about the little lie. Our people always buy the big lie. Whose idea was the birth cert thing, anyway? Was that you Charles? God, that was a good one.”

“And half of all Americans are willing to pretend we didn’t even do it to them.”

“Biggest case of denial I ever saw.”

“And they would gladly give us back the White House while calling us patriots and heros!” snickers another gazzillionaire friend, as he shrugs his neck into his shoulders and raises his hands in mock supplication.

In unison, a dozen or more of the richest and most powerful Republicans in America all stop and stare off into space for two seconds and then nearly fall over laughing.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/05/dnc-god-jerusalem-platform_n_1859200.html

There are many ways to look at this. You could be pleased and relieved that the Dems included God statements into the platform. You can appreciate that as a Dem you can be religious and that your religion has some sway under the Party Tent. Or, you can be pissed that the “enlightened” party “caved” and added God statements into the platform. You rant and rave about religious influences in government. You can accuse your own party of being weak in the face of the pressures from the religious right.

But a third way of viewing this might be far more valuable. The decision to include God language into the platform was done to appease the 5% of voters who will have more impact on the election than any other group: That independent group who is waiting to see who speaks for them best? That 5% that will swing the election one way or the other. And for Democrats–indeed for Americans–the other is unthinkable! The Democrats truly do have a big tent. We are diverse. We welcome people who disagree. Reluctantly some times, but eventually we welcome them. We don’t all agree on everything. And while that may make us awkward and slow to make decisions and makes us appear to be divided sometimes, it makes us stronger. It is this very acceptance of language that some in the party find objectionable that keeps the vast majority of Americans identifying with the Democrats and supporting the President.

So, while you are criticizing your own party consider the other side and what they stand for. In the shaping of the Republican Platform  do you suppose they even considered the non-religious views of Americans? Do Republicans even think the non-religious ARE Americans? Did the Republicans have debate and open discussion over a woman’s right to choose. In their platform documents they mention God 12 times in 10 different places.  They rely heavily on the Bible’s Old Testament and their own errant versions of religious doctrine for their policies on Women’s rights, education, health care, marriage, civil rights for all (more accurately for some), the economy, justice and the their view of America’s role in the world. Did Republicans consider Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, atheists or only Jews and Christians? We all know the answer to that one.  At least the Democrats considered leaving God out of the platform this year. They “Ran it up the flagpole to see who salutes,” so to speak. But they realized that the complete removal of God from the platform would be inconsistent with the majority of Democrats as well as Republicans. Many of us, myself included, tend to forget that.

So before you get too upset with your party, try to consider the expedience of the decision. Will this affect the Democrat base? Not really.  Will it affect the Republicans? Of course not. Will it affect independents and swing voters? Perhaps. And that is where this election will be won or lost.

I hope you all heard The First Lady’s speech tonight. What an example for all of us! She showed us tough and gentle. After this speech, I will always think of her as The Mother-In-Chief. She may just end up president one day. Obama 2016?

I listen to her tell her story about how she and ‘Barack’ live, and I feel pretty good about America. The first Lady and the Mayor of San Antonio showed a picture of America that I understand. I relate. What a vivid contrast to everything the Republican Party insiders are/think/do. The RNC and DNC both had speakers who spoke of the American Dream. The difference is that the Democrat’s speeches spoke of expanding opportunities for all. They gave passionate appeals for the need to invest in our young people and our working class so that they, too, might enjoy all that America has to offer in this and the next generation. I sensed a better honesty and a deeper sincerity from the Democrat’s stars and rising stars than I got from any of the Republicans.

Did Barack Obama Promise A New Kind Of Politics, But Played The Same Old Game? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/02/barack-obama-politics_n_1847947.html?ref=topbar

One of the storylines that seems to be gaining traction in the media, post Republican Convention, is the shaping of the narrative about Obama’s first term as president. This version says the action hasn’t been exciting enough, the plot has been too predictable and the lead character never seems to reach his full potential. The sub plots—Obama Care, Afghanistan, reigning in corporations, and crippling un-employment–leave even the Obama faithful frustrated and disappointed. According to this narrative all the Liberals grit their teeth, exhale sharply and admit privately that at his best Obama was ineffectual and at his worst he sold out. And then Steve Earle came to my mind.

…the man on my TV told me that it had always been that way
And there was nothin’ anyone could do or say.

And I almost listened to him Yeah, I almost lost my mind (Steve Earle)

If the last four years had really been that bad; If this exciting young president who I had supported both emotionally and financially had me fooled; If America had not moved in positive directions over the past four years; If all those things were to be believed, I would probably quit hanging on and go ahead and lose my mind. Call the guys with the white coats and get me a padded room. Feed me, roll me over a few times a day, wheel me outside to sit by a tree on warm afternoons. But I just kept saying to myself that Obama cannot be that bad. He can’t be. He’d better not be, because a Romney presidency is unthinkable. Unthinkable!

I agree, this administration did not accomplish everything Obama said he wanted to accomplish. But I also know that campaign hope and rhetoric are not promises. (I’m assuming anyone reading this doesn’t need an explanation, but if you want to discuss that we can.) Furthermore, pedestals are dangerous places to perch. They seem to be even more dangerous when others put you there. Obama is a man. By all accounts a smart man, a family man, a really good man, a man with a vision for the future of America. But he isn’t deity. He isn’t superhuman. He can’t make hateful people be less hateful. Others in history have tried that, too, but people get pretty upset when you challenge their hatreds. And in the midst of this thought another musician came to mind.

How long shall they kill our prophets
While we stand aside and look?  (Bob Marley)

I personally, cannot be satisfied to just “stand aside and look”. Repubs and even Dems are, admittedly with very different motivations, buying into this falsehood–that the Obama Presidency has not lived up to its promise. But that narrative is not true. (Well he did fall short if you thought he was Jesus and could literally perform miracles.) Are there truths in it? Yes. But is the overall portrayal of an ineffectual, sell-out-of-a-president true? Absolutely not! So let me paint a bit of a different picture, drawing liberally from all the other posters, bloggers, patriots and Americans who would remind the rest of us of what has been accomplished in the last four years:

From http://obamaachievements.org/

• Obama has overhauled the food safety system
• Advanced women’s rights in the work place
• Ended Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) in our military
• Stopped defending DOMA in court.
• Passed the Hate Crimes bill.
• Appointed two pro-choice women to the Supreme Court.
• Expanded access to medical care and provided subsidies for people who can’t afford it.
• Expanded the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
• Fixed the preexisting conditions travesty [and rescissions] in health insurance.
• Invested in clean energy.
• Overhauled the credit card industry, making it much more consumer-friendly.
• While Dodd-Frank bill was weak in many respects, it was still an extremely worthwhile start at re-regulating the financial sector.
• He created Elizabeth Warren’s dream agency: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
• He got help for people whose health was injured during the clean-up after the 9/11 attacks.

 This is the story the Republicans would love Democrat and Independent voters to buy into (and repeat): Barack Obama has not done enough. And if he hasn’t done enough don’t give him any more years to figure it out. And some Democrats are buying into it. Some Democrat journalists are even selling it. But again, it simply isn’t true. I know it is difficult for Americans to be constantly diligent about the truth in the face of massive ad buys designed to confuse. But sometimes it really isn’t that difficult–When the weather man tells you it’s raining and you look outside and see sunshine, who are you going to believe? He may be The Weatherman but what does he know?

More on setting the story straight from one of my favorite sites–Please Cut The Crap:

“What makes the “disappointment” argument even more irritating is that it’s simply not true. He’s done nearly everything we elect a president to do, and he did it all with little support from the left, and massive obstruction from the right.

Is he perfect? No, he’s human. Does he deserve some criticism? Of course, but at this point, it really doesn’t matter.

What does matter is that this president has compiled a STELLAR record given the circumstances under which he took office. If you can look at this list of the president’s accomplishments and not be excited, you have a serious problem with perspective.”

• Within his first week, he signed an Executive Order ordering an audit of government contracts, and combating waste and abuse. http://1.usa.gov/dUvbu5
• Oversaw the creation of more jobs in 2010 alone than Bush did in eight years. http://bit.ly/hrrnjY
• Along with Democrats, and almost no Republicans, implemented an auto industry rescue plan, and saved as many as 1 million jobs. http://bit.ly/ibhpxr Many are of the opinion that he saved the entire auto industry, and even the economy of the entire Midwest. http://bit.ly/gj7mt5 This resulted in GM returning to its place as the top car company in the world. http://lat.ms/zIJuQx
• Initiated a $15 billion plan designed to encourage increased lending to small businesses.
  http://1.usa.gov/eu0u0b
• Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, saved at least 300,000 education jobs, such as teachers, principals, librarians, and counselors that would have otherwise been lost. http://1.usa.gov/ez30Dc
• Along with Congressional Democrats, provided funding to states and the Department of Homeland Security to save thousands of police and firefighter jobs from being cut during the recession. http://bit.ly/g0IKWR
• Ordered 65 executives who took bailout money to cut their own pay until they paid back all bailout money. http://huff.to/eAi9Qq
• Go to  Please Cut the Crap (PTTC) for a comprehensive list of Obama accomplishments you probably never heard about.

http://pleasecutthecrap.typepad.com/main/what-has-obama-done-since-january-20-2009.html

So, consider all the things Obama has accomplished in the face of the most obstructionist congress and opposition party in history and give him a little credit. As far as I know he can’t walk on water, but he is an effective president when judged as a human. Obama/Biden 2012

When I decided to get this site up and running, Sam, who is doing all the tech work, layout and design, pressed me to get as much content as possible ready for publication. So I went in search of things I had written recently on other posts and in journals, put some new thoughts down, handed it all off to Sam, and a web site was born. This is how I work. I tend to jump in with both feet and start learning on-the-job. And I do I have a lot to learn about this media form. Admitttedly, my social networking experience has been pretty limited to posting regularly on a few progressive blog sites. I don’t have a Facebook page and had never Tweeted. I never “liked” nor “shared” and couldn’t really tell you the difference between a “blog” and a “comment“. I had a few fans on Huffpost but didn’t “follow” or “friend” anyone. Now, almost suddenly, I find I am the proud owner of a blog site.

In my preparation for getting my own blog going, I found some some web sites that I would like to recommend. If they inspire me, I figure they might inspire you, too. If they anger me, they might anger you, too. I have two sites I particularly like.  If you have more recommendations that would help me, entertain me or inform me please add them to the comments for all to see.

http://obamaachievements.org/about

http://3chicspolitico.com/

Thanks for visiting and spread the word!

When you consider the recent Suffolk University/USA Today Poll http://www.suffolk.edu/offices/52955.html you realize that the VAST majority of Americans support Barack Obama.I know that, you know that, and you can be absolutely sure that the Republicans (and the Democrats for that matter) know it better than anyone.

With the Campaign Cash Cows spending hundreds of millions of dollars on their candidates and partisan issues they are going to do everything they can to minimize the risk in their investment. There are good number crunchers on both sides and they can see the “writing on the wall“: More voters equals more Democrat votes. If everyone in our country voted, it would be the end of the current phase of Neo-Conservatism. But knowing this, the most important strategy for all Republicans is to suppress voting in both subtle and overt ways.

The only–and I do mean ONLY–way the Republicans can possibly remain in power is to make absolutely sure that millions and millions of eligible voters don’t vote. Knowing this, they believe that any means necessary  justifies any and all ends. Sound like an ominous warning? It would appear that the suppression strategy sessions are long concluded and that it is all being fully implemented–or did anyone really think the voter suppression efforts in nearly 20 states were a coincidence?