That’s right. Vote.
Use your voice.
Be heard.
And then when it’s all over, STFU and live with it because we all have a voice…and once that voice is spoken, we have 4 years….and yes, I’m even talking to myself.
Thankfully, I won’t have to follow my own advice…GO OBAMA! 🙂
Either way, Team America! Fuck yeah!
NSFW (duh)
Mayor Bloomberg, from his endorsement for President:
“When I step into the voting booth, I think about the world I want to leave my two daughters, and the values that are required to guide us there. The two parties’ nominees for president offer different visions of where they want to lead America.
One believes a woman’s right to choose should be protected for future generations; one does not. That difference, given the likelihood of Supreme Court vacancies, weighs heavily on my decision.
One recognizes marriage equality as consistent with America’s march of freedom; one does not. I want our president to be on the right side of history.One sees climate change as an urgent problem that threatens our planet; one does not. I want our president to place scientific evidence and risk management above electoral politics.”
I’ll admit, whatever happens, I’m ready for the election to be over. I do believe that we’ll get 4 more years of Obama. But if we don’t, I’ll survive…just like I survived the Dubya Era. Man, Hillary…please tell me you’re gonna run for 2016? PLEASE!?!
In other news, we’re gonna be having a giant multi-family yard sale at the Compound tomorrow. It’s gonna be a long night and long day. Probably there will be Bailey’s in my coffee in the morning. If you stop by, you’ll get a special discount if you bring me a Bloody Mary!
Okay, I have a lot (and I mean A LOT) of conservative friends. Many of them are socially liberal and fiscally conservative.
Yesterday, one of my dear friends from high school started to tease me on my Facebook Status that it was a sign that it was time for me to join the republican party.
Then another friend chimed in…and it was all in good fun and we had a great time teasing each other. Finally one of my friends asked me what was so scary about Mitt Romney. (which, I’ll admit, seems pretty obvious to me) and I asked him if he really wanted to know why I was voting for Obama over Romney. (btw, my next choice is Jill Stein…the Green Party Candidate…) I said that I would happily answer as long as they really wanted to know and as long as it didn’t turn into a battle of trying to change each others’ minds…because let’s face it, that rarely happens.
So I answered them…and I thought I’d share my answer with you….
Romney has forgotten what his true stance is on Women’s rights in regards to birth control, abortion and universal healthcare. Up until he ran for president, he was quite moderate and could have possibly been a choice I would consider. I can not consider him a viable candidate since he’s now only willing to serve his Borg Master as oppose to run on his own core beliefs. McCain did the same thing. Had McCain gotten the nom instead of Dubya, I would have voted for him because he was moderate…which is why he didn’t get nominated. Then when he ran against Obama, he just became the puppet to the Republican party (who was pandering to the Tea Party) and completely ignored everything he once believed in. That’s just not okay with me. It seems to me that we are dangerously close to taking a giant step back when it comes to Women’s rights. Romney won’t even say he would have signed the Lily Ledbetter act! I mean, seriously? He won’t overturn it, sure. But had he been president, it looks like he wouldn’t have signed it. Women seem to be a lesser entity…only good for making breakfast and making babies.
The idea of ‘smaller’ government that the party discusses is laughable! I mean, if they want less government, then why won’t they get out of my body? If they want less government, then why are they blaming Obama’s adminstration for not doing enough for the country. You can’t say you want less government then blame the government for not doing enough.
I am in favor of the DREAM act…which allows children brought illegally into the US to be exempted from deportation and granted work permits and to seek higher education. This can only help America. They can join our military and fight for our country and I think this is a humane and just thing to do for these kids who were brought here for a better life by parents who risked everything to give their kids something they couldn’t give them legally. Romney just wants to deport everyone. He opposes allowing them amnesty for college but hey, he’d let them fight and die for our country. He has no compassion.
Romney was all for stricter gun laws in 2004 when he signed a ban on assult weapons in Massachusettes. Funny how he’s changed his mind on that. Assault weapons should be regulated. I am for the right to bear arms…100%, but something has to be done about assault weapons.
Obama wants to change the requirements left over from that POS No Child Left Behind… It is a joke and has done nothing but hurt our educational system. Guess who supports it? Romney. He thinks teaching to test is awesome!
Obama is for civil rights for all humans. Health care, marriage rights, and benefits to same-sex couples. Romney isn’t…of course.
I have a real problem with Romney’s tax plan…the one he won’t tell us about. I have an issue with the trickle down theory that the party pushes, especially since that doesn’t work…we’ve seen that in the past and if he’s mirroring Dubya’s plan, that’s what got us where we are now! Also, he’s all about less regulation…well considering how that worked out when Dubya deregulated the banking industry, I’m thinking this is not the best of ideas. Especially since that deregulation cost me my house, my savings, and other things.
Most of all, I believe God should be left out of politics. Our country was formed for the purpose of religious freedom. The separation of Church and State is in place for a reason. All religions should be welcomed and celebrated in our nation, not just the Christian religion…and I can NOT in good conscience vote for any party that does not stand up and fight against the statement that “Rape is the will of God.” Sorry gang. Until they become more like the original republican party, they will never get my vote.
And end political soap box.
And there you have it. I’m always going to vote my social conscience over money. Everyone has their reasons for voting the way they do…and this is mine. No matter how you vote…just get out there and do it!
Speaking of TV… (this would be a reference to yesterday’s blog, fyi)
Go here and vote for this guy. He’s funny. And I would totally watch his show–if I still had cable.
Watch his audition. He’s pretty damn awesome.
Thanks to Stinkydog for posting this first and letting me steal it.
Even my 14 year old son is happy. This is a GREAT night. gObama! I am so proud of America…even if my state voted red. The good news is, my county voted blue. That’s something, right?
gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!
gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!
gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!
gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!
gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!
gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!gObama!
To my American friends…
I proudly stood in line over a week ago and voted early.
Have you voted yet? are you planning to?
I don’t expect Obama to win Arkansas (but boy that would make me a happy girl) but I do have high hopes he’ll win the election. Tomorrow is a new day…and either way this is a historical event. Our first African-American President or our first female VP. How exciting is it that we get to watch history in the making?
Even if you’re not planning to Barack the vote like I did, I do still hope you’ll vote. Too many Americans take this privilege for granted.
First of all, I twittered from the events in Oxford yesterday afternoon. You can go to my LJ blog where I import all my daily tweets and see pics and read commentary. It was an interesting night.
It was rumored that Oprah and the Governator were in town, but I never saw them. I also never saw anyone from the Daily Show or Colbert Report. I am disappointed in myself.
The debate was fun to watch. Overall, I felt like Obama was stronger. (apparently, so did much of America, according to the latest polls) He stayed on point more often than McCain and he actually answered some questions. I felt like McCain worked very hard to avoid answering most questions and also looked frustrated. He didn’t hide his irritation very well, constantly blinking and smirking. At one point, I thought his head might pop off his neck.
It was surprising to me that Obama wiped the Foriegn Policy floor with McCain. (don’t get me wrong, I was thrilled he did, but still very surprised.) I was disappointed in both candidates’ responses to the ‘Safety in America’ question. Neither did a good job with that. I expected more.
Obama hit at home with issues that are close to my heart: Middle class working America; Insurance; the war. He was dead on when he told McCain that if our enemy is Al Qaeda, then why were we focusing on Iraq and not Afghanistan. Al Qaeda wasn’t even in Iraq until we invaded. He was also right to say that McCain is acting like the Surge was the beginning of the war. Um, no. Yay for us! We’ve finally had some success…but the war started a long damn time ago. This is almost too little, too late. Sigh.
I was hopeful that McCain would stick to the issues, and not start spouting off inspirational stories about his awesomeness. However, my hope was crushed when McCain hit the trifecta: He called himself the Maverick, discussed the grieving Mom’s bracelet story, and in the end finally mentioned being a POW. It worries me that he thinks Americans are that sentimental in this time of crisis.
I loved it when Obama said, “I’ve got a bracelet too, John.” Awesome.
Personal rant following:
I find it ironic that McCain wants to keep government out of the insurance industry. Wow. Cuz that worked for the banking industry so well. And it’s also very amusing and not a little bit scary that McCain has no problem with the government regulating what a woman can do with her body. Why can’t extreme right-wingers understand that Pro-Choice is NOT pro-abortion. It’s PRO-CHOICE. It means allowing the individual to choose what is right for her. Pro-Choice means fighting government forced abortions, births, and birth control. Forcing someone to have a baby is just as wrong as forcing someone to have an abortion or forced sterilization. It doesn’t belong in the government. If you are against abortion–don’t have one! But don’t force your beliefs on another person. It’s not your place. It’s not the government’s place. And if you think big government is bad…what the hell do you call government forced births?
Here is a much more articulate opinion about Pro-Choice. Read it. It really does give you lots to think about.
/end Rant
There was no clear winner last night, though in my mind, Obama shined under the pressure. He was composed and gracious. McCain was tense and openly frustrated. If the rest of the debates are like this, there is no doubt who our next President will be.
I can’t wait for the VP Debate…what about you guys?
I’ve been traveling a lot lately. First, Sockmonkey and I went to Florida for 10 days. Which was Teh Awesome. We were home 1 week before I had to drive to Oxford for a few house showings.
The showings were positive, but no offer.
Last week, we had more calls, so I went to Oxford again. Another positive showing but no offer.
This week, we took the plunge, marked the house down to FIRE SALE price and now I’ll be going back to Oxford on Friday…for what I hope will be the final weekend as Oxford homeowners.
So I’ve noticed a very scary trend while traveling lately. The route I drive from Little Rock to Oxford is trucker heavy. And I drive a little bitty Honda Civic hatchback. I feel like a mouse among elephants when I’m on the road.
Imagine how scary it is when I pass an 18-wheeler only to see that the driver is talking on a cell phone. Not using a bluetooth earpiece. Nope. On the cell phone.
I started counting on my drive home Monday. I counted 23 truckers talking on their phone. 23! Can someone tell me what is wrong with that picture? Yeah. Scary stuff.
Dear Truckers, get a bluethooth earpiece or get off the damn road. kthxbai.
For today’s election post:
Have you checked your facts today? (links for information on both campaigns, not just the for the candidate I’m voting for)
And for a completely biased opinion…please check out my friend, Gabrielle’s blog and my rant comment. Yes, I was feeling super passionate this morning. And yeah, there’s no question which side of the red/blue line I’m standing in this election.
I swore I would never get political on this blog. But I think I’m going to have to break that promise to myself. I have no problem discussing differing views, but NO FLAMING allowed. None. Not even toward the candidates. Sorry. It ain’t gonna happen on this blog. It’s okay if you have a different opinion than I do. It’s okay if you don’t like the candidates. It is NOT okay to personally attack anyone. K? I will initiate my autocratic right to delete any comment that I think is personal and inflammatory. You’ve been warned.
The one thing I want most in this world is peace. In my opinion the war we’re fighting has nothing to do with the attack on our country and everything to do with oil. It sickens me. (BTW, I said during the 2000 election that if W is elected, the first thing he’ll do is finish his daddy’s war. I’m smarter than a 5th grader.)
Seriously. I’m trying so hard to resist being political. You just don’t know.
So I’m going to give in. I am. I can’t hold it back any longer.
I’m scared that our country may not recover from its current state. I’m terrified that Sarah Palin may be in line to be the next President. (let’s face it: John McCain is old and not in the best of health.) Plus,I can not believe that more people are not outraged with the past 8 years, the state of our economy, and the state of our country.
It’s insulting that this woman was chosen. It was totally a political move. It’s not even about her experience or lack thereof, it’s about what she stands for. The more I find out about her, the more disgusted I am. This is NOT a woman I want to be in the White House.
While serving as Mayor of Wasilla, to save the city/community money, Palin billed sexual assault victims anywhere from $300-$1200 for their rape kits. Sure they used the excuse of being able to bill insurance companies when they could…Aw. thanks. Just one more reason for the insurance industry to raise premiums. And what about those victims who were uninsure? Tough titty. Of course, they would never charge a victim of a burglury for gathering evidence. I guess it’s cheaper to conduct an investigation of a house violation than a body violation.
She slashed funds by 20% for a program that gave teenage moms and their babies a place to live while they worked and saved money. It’s nice that she and her family can support Bristol’s choice but not every girl has a family to back them. And cutting almost $2 million from that program shows exactly how Palin feels about teenage pregnancy. Actions over words, madam.
Palin asked the Wasilla librarian about the process for having certain objecitonable books banned (no books were named) and when the librarian balked at any form of censorship–Palin fired her. NIIIIICE. Sure, she finally relented after a huge public outcry of the citizens, but come on…she FIRED HER for taking a stance against book banning. (NY Times article. You may have to register to read it, but it’s free) As a writer, this makes my butthole pucker.
This woman doesn’t belong in a position of power. I’m sorry. She victimizes victims, takes money from those who need it the most (but she allowed her family to expense $43,000 of instate travel. Yes, I know they’re allowed a per diem as the first family, but please, don’t talk about cutting “unnecessary state spending” by charging rape victims or taking money from teenage moms who are trying to get on their feet when you’re allowing your daughters to fly all over the state for dinners and parties.) And she is all for banning books. There’s other stuff out there…but these are the 3 things that tell me this woman doesn’t think before she acts and that is not a person I want to have control over the nuclear codes.
And this certainly isn’t the direction I think this country needs to head in. There. I feel better now. Thanks for letting me spew. It’s been killing me.
Now for some humor. Michael Palin for President
To continue my voting/apathy theme from yesterday. Here’s more information on how to choose your candidate…
Factcheck.org has done the work for you. Check out the candidates’ acceptance speeches and if their walk matches their talk. Do not go into this blindly. Exercise your right to use your brain.
Couldn’t find one for Biden’s speech, sorry. I’m sure it’s there…
About fact check (directly from their website)
Our Mission
We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit, “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases. Our goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.
Voting is important. Voting well informed? Should be mandatory.
Bitchin' Fiction: Musings by author Melissa McKenzie / Melissa Francis 