The Election Thing

It's finally over and a new President was sworn in on January 20th to face a multitude of problems. The election, however, though historic in the election of Barack Obama, again revealed the divisive nature of American society.

Americans prefer to think the best while excluding any thought of the worst in anyone. This election, however, displayed the Republican Party at its worst. John McCain did a complete turnaround from his year 2000 position and with his snarling partner, Sarah Palin, became a "its only business" campaigner. Their campaign seemed desperate, disjointed and unfortunately, McCarthyistic in both tone and action. Attacking personalities became more important than debating ideas further illustrating the limited intellectual capacities of both candidates. Sarah Palin's rhetoric empowered cries of "traitor," "Arab," "Communist," and other derisive terms towards Obama coupled with her denial to be the cause of it.
Palin cannot dispute a singular fact released by the Secret Service: her utterances caused a sharp increase in death threats towards President Elect Obama. This, alone, should cause the Republican Party to stop and reflect upon the dirty tactics utilized and to what end. Governor Palin needs to reassess her position in this election and drop the offended position towards the media. She was responsible for the hatred rise and should address that immediately. Overall, the greatest responsibility is held by John McCain who displayed his true moral character not only foisting Sarah Palin upon the American Public, but disdaining any opposition towards lack of credentials, ethical problems and importantly, her utterances. The real John McCain came forth and was rejected in mass by voters.

The Republican Party, guided the past few years by neocons, has not rejected the hate generated by the McCain Campaign Committee. Seemingly, it has begun soul-searching on the election loss and disconnect with the public. The most obvious answers seem to elude Republican leadership-Americans just became tired of the flip-flops, hate spewing, transparent tactics and lack of issue discussion. The primary issue was and still is the economy; an issue McCain avidly avoided since it was the singular one the election could be lost on. The lack of specifics and noticeable effort to keep Sarah Palin away from any press questioning doomed the Republic effort. They are a party in turmoil both morally and emotionally.

Discussion of Sarah Palin being a frontrunner is an affront to the voters' intelligence. Obviously, if she cannot withstand press questioning, how can one rely upon her to discharge the Presidency? Secondly, her own ethical problems created bonafide character doubt intensifed by her affiliation with the Alaska Independence Group, an anti-American group, church affiliations, and abuse of power as governor. These doubts are only doubled by a definite lack of domestic and international knowledge a presidential candidate must possess.

John McCain needs to retire since it is obvious major credibility has been lost and Sarah Palin needs to remain in Alaska where, though her popularity has waned, she can be with those who appreciate her.

The United States needs to be unified, not disunited by these two who would do almost anything to be elected. To paraphrase, one can understand giving your soul to God, but to Washington D.C.?

The Sarah McPalin Press Conference

Ladies and gentleman, we are proud to present the Governor of Alaska bordering on Russia and also on Canada, which she can see out of both windows on a cloudy day when Russian planes aren't flying over, Sarah Palin
 
McPalin: Thank you, everyone, you betcha I can see those things and I want to remind the kindergarten Alaska legislature that they get extra credit for this press conference.
Press: Governor Palin, you have been criticized for your inexperience and overall lack of knowledge particularly in foreign affairs. How do you respond to that.
 McPalin: Moose hunting this year was very good and I tracked one into Canada which meant a discussion with  Canadian Customs was undertaken. They were nice and I came home rich with bountiful foreign affair experience. Those moose are so cooperative when it comes to diplomacy.PRESS: Governor, you indicated prior that you would cooperate fully with the Alaska Legislature investigating Troopergate, but have let McCain campaign lawyers stonewall the inquiry. What did you decide to do this contrary to your earlier statement?McPalin: Being a hockey mom who fires people who don't sign personal loyalty oaths means wearing a different hat when confronted with situations. Alaska is a energy producing state which I became governor of and dedicated myself to reforming the wasteful type of government that existed. John McCain wants to do the same, but can't find Alaska. He has been lost for several decades, but no one has noticed and I will ride his coattails hopefully to the White house in lieu of climate warming which is only partially manmade, but some. (Wink, wink, nod, nod, elbow to the ribs)Press: Governor, you didn't answer the question at all. Please do so.McPalin: Now, I may not answer the way you want, but will be straight with the Russian people living near Georgia since they can't be seen from Atlanta. This tussle over Troopergate is simply an internal matter which has become partisan due to a few deciding I wasn't hard enough on my ex-brother-in-law, a former trooper. Its a drop in the bucket compared to my taxes.Press: You were hesitant to release your taxes and your assets really don't match your earnings. However, you claimed $15,000 on per diem payments working out of your house and used state money to fly your children on vacations. This doesn't seem to be quite legal according to the Alaska Tax Commissioner and the IRS.McPalin: What have they got to do with it? I am a hockey mom who needs to set rules for my children and the same for the state. I have reformed a good old boy network, cut necessary waste like naughty books in libraries and terminated some who didn't agree with me. Oh, gosh, Harry Potter is so satanic and librarians should expect criticism. My taxes are in order since I deem them so and support our troops in Iraq. My children are precious and I take them with me as much as possible in spite of Alaska forcing me to save money by charging the state.Press: Governor, a lot of what you are saying is disjointed and to be honest, doesn't really make sense. You are sounding like someone who makes rules for themselves and then screams upon getting caught. Your interview answers have been uninformed, problems with taxes and ethics have arisen, and you have difficulty answering the simplest questions. Don't you see that as an impediment to the McCain campaign?McPalin: John McCain is an honest man who only made occasional propaganda broadcasts for the North Vietnamese while a POW to secure more privileges. Wait....oh, I wasn't supposed to say that...oopsie, sorry.....never mind about that....Anyway, he has been a solid friend to MIA/POW activists....what, oh, oopsie, sorry, never mind about that either....I along with John McCain support our Veterans....what, damn ear mike, he voted against Veterans bills 27 times....oopsie, what the hell can I say..okay...Sorry about that....I support John McCain having numerous lobbyists in his campaign since they are so charming and very well informed and approved by Karl Rove.Press: Have you ever answered a question directly?McPalin: I have always wanted to eradicate hunger and poverty and make people happy. That is why I have chosen to participate in this vice-presidential pageant. It is an honor to represent my state....what, oh, oopsie, wrong answer....Yes, I answered directly during my wedding ceremony with an I do and have been happily married for some years with 5 beautiful children...a hockey mom who supported Alaska secession, wearing different hats while frowning upon polar bear rights and urging oil companies to drill, drill, drill even if it means my own teeth.Press: How do you expect to proceed in the Vice-President's position, a heart beat away from the Presidency, if elected, with this type of management style.McPalin: I am opposed to same sex marriage and understand that seagulls are gay. They will be banned from the White House lawn. Also, as Mayor of Wasilla, I undertook extensive reforms to achieve federal earmarks which resulted in a debt of $20 million in a city employing 63 people. I am opposed to earmarks unless the money can be kept like the funds for our wonderful bridge. It is called the Bridge to Nowhere, but to me is the Bridge to Somewhere....just waiting for someone somewhere to finish the wonderful concept I began and supported, but didn't support since I am a NRA hockey mom who wants to be vice-dictator....oopsie...president.
 Ladies and gentleman, the Governor will take a final question now.
 Press: Governor Palin, what exactly have you achieved towards vice-presidential experience?McPalin: My husband, Todd, entered snowmobile races yearly, but should have perhaps been watching our teenage daughter who is now pregnant. You betcha I talked to him about that. Dick Cheney and Henry Kissinger have advised me, but I really don't know what they said, but will do as they say. The Vice-President's office should be unitary, all by itself, contrary to the Constitution which is just an old document anyway. What do old documents have to do with running a country? It's the same as running a PTA which I haven't done either. Anyway, my executive experience makes me well qualified to achieve more monetary gain as vice-president. I am so excited about a pay raise and all those other ways to get more money quietly Dick told me about.

Thank you for inviting me to this press conference and I hope we have many more to develop understanding in achieving the eradication of hunger, poverty and those pesky Russians flying over Alaska. Oh, and a vote for the McCain/Palin ticket is a vote for something somewhere like my bridge. Over and out, you betcha.

The John McCain Spin

Well, well, well......the politicos are rolling and as usual, the people take back seat. Fred and Rudy have withdrawn and John McCain seems to be the Republican frontrunner. John McCain, the alcohol industry's best friend and avoider of anything resembling a Vietnam Vet is trying to convince us he is the man!!!

Those of us in Arizona realize McCain came to this state as a carpetbagger merely to be elected to the House of Representatives. He quickly became best friends with Charles Keating Jr., CEO, American Continental Corporation, until he was convicted of fraud, et.al., and then John backtracked very fast; discounting all those free vacations, et. al. Much effort was exerted sanitizing McCain from the Keating Five affair, but there were more serious issues.

McCain ignored Vietnam Veterans and their numerous plights to a degree many VietVets came to wonder what he was frightened of. Speaking from my own experience, the erstwhile now Senator almost preferred to steer clear of Vietnam Veteran issues as much as he did Vietnam Vets themselves. It was not uncommon to enter his Tucson office, find no one to greet us and even if so, end up waiting awhile to see a staff member. Forget about seeing McCain himself as broken appointments were his mainstay. He liked the hero mantle, but living up to it was difficult indeed since many of us saw through it; and came to openly question his sincerity and honesty. The conclusion was arrived that John McCain had been given things too easily as a result of his Silver Spoon status and was terrified of questioning Vietnam Vets destroying his self conceived legend. Symbolic of McCain was his Tucson Office Veterans Rep attending a community homeless meeting and openly discussing which country club had the better golf course. So much for caring about your brother and sister....I was there when it occurred. By the way, McCain has voted against Veterans bills 27 times indicating he is no friend much less advocate for those who serve.

John McCain's father was a Navy Admiral and of course, John enjoyed the privileges commensurate with being the offspring. In fact, he crashed aircraft during Navy flight training (2) who normally meant being hacked (cut) from the program. He wasn't (surprise!!) and even after being taken prisoner by the North Vietnamese, still enjoyed privileges. John was injured and while other Americans suffered, accepted a surgeon flown in from Moscow to operate on him and him alone. His operation and recuperation was in a Hanoi Officers Hospital....not the run of the mill enlisted shack. Never mind about the obvious violation of the Code of Conduct and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Apparently, he is afraid of those instances of him volunteering for propaganda radio broadcasts to the south (copies are available on the web) and narrating similar movies. Major, major violations of conduct, but he was an Admiral's son. There are other stories emanating from Hanoi Hilton inmates about McCain, but John avoids discussion. He is definitely afraid some of those former Prisoners of War may open up and sink the legend in his own mind war saga. In fact, he even went so far as to introduce a bill signed into law forbidding public access into prisoner of war records. By the way, McCain admits in his autobiography to giving the enemy military information, but no investigation much less an indictment followed.

McCain zealously denies the existence of any living prisoners of war following the end of hostilities. Again, he went so far as to attack POW advocates including being publicly rude and abrasive to Eleanor Apodaca, sister of a MIA-POW, during her testimony to a senate hearing in which he wasn't even invited. He went to Hanoi several times espousing the No POW line and the only memorable moment was hugging his former North Vietnamese captor.

John divorced one wife while she was ill and married the Beer King of Phoenix's daughter, Cindy Hensley. All his talk about not adhering to PACs seems rather transparent when one examines his record with the alcohol industry. Meanwhile, Cindy became addicted to prescription narcotics while head of a nonprofit, The American Voluntary Medical Team, which supplied these meds to needy children. She ended up in dire trouble with the law for not only pilfering narcotics out of the AVMT's coffers, but also for forging prescriptions in her employees' names. John soft-soaped the entire issue knowing very few would probably remember it in the future. A deal was made with the US Attorney to limit punishment to financial restitution and drug rehab entry. Meanwhile, those less fortunate would have been chastised and then served jail time. By the way, there is no evidence Cyndy ever went to rehab. It pays to be the Son of An Admiral's spouse.

What better example of McCain flip-flopping than the trashing he took during the 2000 South Carolina primaries by George W. Bush and Turdblossom. Instead of standing up to those leveling accusations about his military career and adopted daughter, McCain caved in. He learned to love his President and hoped everyone would be charmed by his outward show of affection. John McCain is not tough minded; he is confused.

John McCain is captivated by his demons and has earned the discomfort of Arizona voters by forsaking his senatorial duties during the recent presidential bid. His voting record is atrocious due to absences and flip-flopping seems to be his notoriety. Undoubtedly, he wants to be president to avoid the possibility of being voted out of office this next election. Its that serious!!

Should he be President? Judge the record for yourself, but demand full accountability for his past actions. Scrutinize his personal and professional life carefully.....beneath that veneer is another spoiled silver spoon boy whose father resurrected him continually after career demise....sound familiar?