Don't Let "the Elephants" Get You Distracted By "the BULL!"

This is the man who wants to send my 6 year old son to and keep him in Iraq.

If my son is fortunate enough to have children of his own,
this is the man who wants to send my grandchildren &
great-grandchildren there as well.

Last week, I stayed up WAY past my bedtime and watched the speeches given at the Democratic National Convention. Even though I have voted in every presidential election since 1992, this is the first time I actually watched the primary debates and the DNC. Although I don't particularly give two squats about what the Republicans have to say, I cannot allow myself to be one-sided, so I said I would make the same effort to watch the major speeches of the Republican National Convention.

There's only one problem ... They're not saying anything!

All of the time that has been equally alloted to the Republican National Convention that the DNC enjoyed has been thus far used to cover Hurricane Gustav. So, no speeches. No one stepping up at the beginning of the convention to talk about how full of shit the Democratic party and their candidates are. The Republican party has thus far proven themselves to be nothing more than the bully who starts a fight, then says "wait until after school," and then when the bell rings - has nothing but excuses as to why they can't fight. The Republican party slept on the "nicey niceness" of the first day of the DNC, but on the first day of the RNC, they have NOTHING to show for themselves in terms of fight - AND they're battling scandals right from the gate!

I'm sorry ... these Republicans are so self-delusionally full of shit that it's downright comical!

Now, I feel for all of the people who are suffering during Hurricane Gustav, but I have a problem with the fact that the Republican party has all but halted their convention activities; with the exception of their most important "closed door" meetings, and are using this natural disaster as a smoke screen to hide behind. There are approximately 1,350 miles that separates Louisiana from Minnesota. When we were attacked on September 11th, 2001 - business carried on as usual on the other side of the country. I see no reason why the Republican party could not proceed with its program while allowing the government to do its job. There is hardly anyone in Minnesota who is significant enough to make a difference in Louisiana. Hell ... all "G. Dubya" did was go to Texas - and it's not like he was welcome at the RNC anyway!

Last week I sat and watched the Republicans sit back and shit on everything the Democrats had to say. Michelle Obama talked about how her parents struggled to see that she & her brother received a quality education, and Republicans acted like they couldn't understand what she was talking about or where she was coming from. Hillary & Bill Clinton stood up and, in no uncertain terms, told every one of their supporters that they needed to get over the fact that Hillary lost the primaries and get behind Barack Obama as the Democratic Party's candidate for President, and the Republicans sat back and said that they weren't credible (while at the the same time putting out an ad made up of clips from during the primaries when Hillary was going at Obama, then saying "Hillary was right").

Oh ... I even remember some Republican busy-body saying that Hillary's speech wasn't effective because Sen. Ted Kennedy spoke earlier and neither was the speech given by VP Candidate, Sen. Joe Biden, because Bill Clinton spoke before him. And for Barack Obama's speech ... they spent more time talking about the setting of the stage than actually (legitimately) countering his points.

The day after Obama's speech, John McCain picked Susan Palin, governor of Alaska to be his running mate. WHO? ... Exactly. She's been Alaska's governor for just about two years and was a mayor of some podunk Alaskan town no one ever heard of. In my opinion, if John McCain did not choose this woman to try to snatch up those disgruntled female (& P.U.M.A. - Party Unity My Ass) Democrats who wanted Hillary to win the primaries, then I suppose there aren't people out there - specifically Democrats - who won't vote for Obama just because he is a black man.

AND TODAY ... as if she did not already come into this circus with enough problems - ALREADY being under investigation for allegedly firing a state employee under inappropriate circumstances, the news media releases the fact that this woman - who is all about abstinence - has a 17 year old daughter who is knocked up AND unmarried.

Now here is a perfect example of what I call the arrogance of their ignorance. The Republicans are applauding this woman for standing behind and supporting her daughter; which - granted - she should do as a mother, but why is she not being held to the "high and holy-must be sterling and perfect standard" that the Republican party is holding their Democratic opponents to? I mean, c'mon ... let's be - not "real," but just plain honest - had either of Obama's daughters been in that position, the Republican party would have "politely" labeled her a slut - as well as Barack & Michelle Obama as unfit parents ... and if Barack Obama cannot control his own sexually irresponsible daughter, how could he possibly be in charge of this country?

In the end ... I applaud Barack Obama for maintaining his stand that family members should be off limits and are off limits as far as he and his campaign is concerned. I observed an interview this evening in which he said flat out that he does not plan on using Gov. Palin's personal family situation to his advantage and he will fire anyone associated with his campaign who attempts to do so.

The Republican Party is running on fumes ... but if a spark (of fear) is strong enough, fumes are all that is needed to set off a horrendous fire.

Can America ... the America wherein which WE have to live ... afford to burn?