Bushonomics or Obamanomics?

"We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals, we now know that it is bad economics"  - Franklin D. Roosevelt, hero to John McCain

Today Barack Obama is meeting with the nation's top economic advisors, then going to the White House to meet with George Bush. Laura will meet with Michelle, hopefully telling her about the charity programs that she has been endorsing. It took seven years for Laura to come into her own, and she's even been feuding with Dick Cheney over the creation of an international wild-life sanctuary. The wives of the Presidents probably have done more for charity than any other public figures, they don't get the publicity that their husbands do over their slightest pronouncements, and it can be argued that they do more goodwill. Here's hoping that Michelle will hit the ground running and not be so intimidated by being in Washington.

In the last quarter, Americans have lost 1,179,000 jobs, not factoring in places like AMG, or Lehman Brothers. Just about every worker in the country is fearful that their job may be next on the chopping block. Here in Colorado Springs, places like Intel have left, many of the restaurants are closing,  and even groups like Focus on the Family have laid off employees. It's almost an insurmountable task that lies ahead for the next President.

Ford has posted a 2.9 billion dollar quarterly loss, GM has posted a 2.5 billion loss, yet the oil companies posted a collective 44.7 billion dollar profit. This might explain the sudden drop in the price of gasoline. Newt Gingrich's slogan "drill,baby,drill" is really just the opposite of what the oil companies want. They haven't applied for an application to build a new refinery in over 30 years, and have cut back in current refining capacity. They haven't exercised their current offshore leases, nor has the coal industry figured out how to extract oil from shale at a reasonable price. The lazy nuclear industry hasn't come up with a better way to dispose of spent rods other than burying them in Utah. And this, during a rabid pro-greed, pro-deregulatory administration.

Paul Krugman, the Nobel Prize winning economic journalist, has written a good opinion piece on what Obama should do next. He says that its best to go with what has been promised and not listen to the critics and naysayers, especially in taxes and health care. In fact, our deficit may go higher for the first two years, up to a trillion dollars, but if it helps pull us out of this tailspin, it will have been worth it.

Presidential Puppy, Paranoid Colorado

The big story in the news today is over the search for the Presidential Puppy. In showing how little girls rule the world, Obama's daughters got him to promise them he'd get them a puppy if he won the election. At his speech in Chicago, he announced that they would indeed get their puppy. Personally, I think he should show some bi-partisanship and also get a kitten.

Some 71.5 million people watched Barack Obama win in Chicago. President Bush, who didn't vote for McCain, promised an easy and smooth transition. As most of Obama's transition team used to work for Clinton, they've all done this together before. The sooner the Cabinet personnel is chosen, the better to concentrate on economic and foreign policies that take precedence over all else.

Colorado may have turned out for Obama, but not without a lot of kicking, screaming, and plain old whining from those whose views fall right of the centerline. Republican losers are huffing that Mr. Obama had better do this, and make sure he does that, as if their opinions matter anymore. I read a lot of blogs, and the amount of vitriol and intolerance is astounding. I'm thinking that there is by far too much anger that is not being dealt with, it may be our national sickness. My sister's grand-daughter came home and told me that she has a couple of friends who's parents said, that if Obama won, they'd pack it up and move. What is there to say to that, other than don't let the door hit your butt on the way out... And, to add to the misinformation and paranoia, sales of handguns have gone through the roof, dealers cannot keep enough merchandise on the shelves.

What does New York's Michael Bloomberg and Russia's Dmitry Medvedev have in common? They both are trying to circumvent term limits so that they can be in power longer. In Medvedev's case, he is trying to pave the way for Putin's return for the next 12 years, and in Bloomberg's case, he just doesn't want to go home alone. So far there hasn't been a deployment of missiles ringing New York City...

Congragulations Barack Obama

It's freaking amazing, and I never thought that it would really happen in our country, but we have elected our first Black President. Congragulations Barack Obama! I was glued to the television set, flipping channels trying to get as many reactions as possible. I didn't break down and cry, but I did mist up a bit... Cameras cut to show the Rev Jesse Jackson and Opera Winfrey in the crowd emotionally reacting to his speech, and it was the culmination of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech as well. We give a lot of talk in this country about equal opportunity, but rarely do we walk the walk, and, in the words of someone before me, for the first time in my life I am truly proud to be an American.

Not only have we elected a President for ourselves, but we have brought a symbol of hope to the rest of the world. So many of the leaders in areas of conflict are hoping that Barack Obama and his new administration will lead them to a peaceful resolution, and many whom we consider enemies wish for reconciliation. This is a rare moment that I hope will be taken advantage of, one that Vladimer Putin should be paying attention to instead of braying his current sword-rattling bluster.

John McCain gave one of his best speeches, he was very gracious and generous in defeat. He earned a lot of respect for this, and it was universally noted. The only sour note happened when McCain mentioned Obama's name and there was some booing from the crowd, and John let it happen. In contrast, during Obama's speech in Chicago when he mentioned McCain's name, there was cheering. It showed the contrast in the moods and mindsets of the two supporting crowds.

As for Sarah Palin, she had already been angling for her next strategic move. In Alaska, she had called on Senator Ted Stevens to step down. Even if he should win re-election, which won't be known for a few days yet, he should step down so Alaskans can hold a special election to determine who, oh who would be a proper candidate to replace him...

So, next time you are in Coronado, California, and there is this blustery old man at the bar telling preposterous stories, don't be belligerent and call him on his bs, rather sit down and listen to those old war tales. Buy him a drink and together, you two can shed a tear over a Republican Paradise Lost.

Please Go Vote

PLEASE GO AND VOTE, IT IS YOUR RIGHT AS A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

Rewarding John McCain, the World is Not Enough

Today all of the Presidential candidates are scurrying around the country giving those bracing, inspirational speeches to encourage you to go vote for them. John McCain will end his campaign tomorrow in Prescott, Arizona, the home of Senator Barry Goldwater. And John is expected to lose in the largest landslide against a Republican since Goldwater's attempt in the 1960's. In a cruel twist of fate, the Goldwater family is supporting Barack Obama...

But John McCain has put up a good fight, came back a couple of times when he was counted down and broke, tried every tired, old, mean-spirited trick in the book to belittle and demonize his opponent, and still made a better showing than he should have. It's too bad that we can't reward him for his effort,say,  give him some downtrodden Caribbean country to run. Or, better yet, let's let him be mayor of Baghdad. He can show us just how well the Surge has worked, and I'm sure that he'd do a much better job than that hack L. Paul Bremer ever did...

It seems that most world leaders are not expecting much change in our foreign policies with Barack Obama, but he may surprise us with who he picks as Secretary of State. One of the most consistent things leaders would like, especially in the Middle East, is for the US to actually listen to them and their concerns, not blow them off as did the Bush administration. This factor alone could make a global impact.

Just think how different the Middle East situation would have been if the Bush administration hadn't invaded Iraq with an eye out to include Iran. If they hadn't been so embarrassed and pissed off being outmaneuvered by the false information about Iraq planted by Iranian intelligence (anyone remember Achmed Chalabi?), they could have reached out to countries like Iran and Syria, asking for their help in stabilizing the borders, and the region might be a lot more peaceful than it is today. The Kurds feel like they are about to be thrown under the bus by the US to placate Turkey, Hamas has imported 20 tons of rocket and bomb making material into Palestine, and this area is fast becoming the powder keg waiting to blow up in our face again. And Africa has been abandoned to stew in its bloody juices until it festers and a dozen new Idi Amins come to power.

But enough, tomorrow we go and make history...

Final Few Days Before Election

In the state of Colorado over 1/3 of registered voters have voted early, and record numbers have been set in other states like Florida and Ohio as well. No matter who's side you are passionately on, it has been a historic campaign, and the first that the Internet has played such a large role in. From raising campaign donations to the thousands of blogs and opinions, it has helped to spread the wealth around, and shown how everyone's opinion matters in true democratic tradition. Dirty tricks were immediately exposed and ridiculed, so were each campaign's strengths and weaknesses. 

If you get the chance, go to your County's election return center on Tuesday evening to watch the results in real time. It's a lot of fun, people are hyped up, with proponents from all Parties there to cheer on their candidate and issues. You might get invited to a celebration party, usually held somewhere nearby. It's the culmination of what so many people have worked and fought for over the last two years, with such elation and heartbreak, that you can't help but be impressed with the political process and our country. That this scenario plays out in every town in every state is amazing.

Probably no-one will read these political blogs after Wednesday, as post-election depression sets in, oh God, why did I vote that way? And the next administration has one of the most difficult tasks ahead of it, to pull us out of the thicket of Bushes, and to get back on the path of world leadership. Other countries look to us for well reasoned approaches to solving critical situations, and the un-diplomatic, right-wing reactionary crap over the last eight years has damaged our image and many of our allies have turned away from us. Nobody will play with the bully anymore.

If we can't get our own house in order, create a responsible and responsive government (not a larger one), and stabilize our economy so the global one will follow, then other countries will begin looking around for someone else to be pack leader. Russia and China are still there, breathing hungrily, waiting for their turn next.

Both John McCain hand Barack Obama have shown a sense of humor, though not all of the time. Ms. Palin seems to most clueless when she's being pranked, though some of the cruel stuff has got to hurt. I think that McCain will retire from the Senate and have his rich wife take care of him when they move to California and get out of the desert of Arizona. If Palin goes back to Alaska, she may face more censure over the Troopergate mess; it will be interesting to see if she rises above it and continues to be the darling of the fringe.

Feeling Palinesque...

After Barack Obama's infomercial the campaigning seems to be less intense, as if a feel good balloon had burst. I was thinking that this weekend there would be riots, crowds bashing people waiting in line to vote early, young skinheads marching ready to battle anyone who doesn't have a mohawk, large black men waylaying young, plump white girls and carving unspeakable things on their cheeks, and Sarah Palin supporters making up their own signs of support, creating secret handshakes, and other cult-like manifestations.

And the Caribou Barbie (thanks to Maureen Dowd, I'm not worthy) has gone off on her own. There seem to be three Republican campaigns being waged right now, John McCain's, the RNC's, and that rogue Sarah Palin's. At a recent rally in Florida, there were no large signs for John McCain, but there were new ones for Palin, that proclaimed " Florida is Palin Country."

After the election there is supposed to be a secret meeting of top Republican poobahs to decide the fate of the party. I guess disbanding will not be an options and is why I have not been invited. Because Sarah has become such a fast learner, having gone from village idiot in the first press interviews to dominating over John McCain during the Brian Williams piece, she may continue being the public face of Conservative opposition to the Obama administration.

Here is a set of jokes I got off of the Internet:

The Conservative Palinguage Guide

If you’re a minority and you’re selected for a job over more qualified candidates you’re a "token hire."
If you’re a conservative and you’re selected for a job over more qualified candidates you’re a "game changer."

If you live in an Urban area and you get a girl pregnant you’re a "baby daddy."
If you’re the same in Alaska you’re a "teen father." (Actually, according to your own MySpace page you’re an F’n redneck that don’t want any kids, but that’s too long a phrase for the evil liberal media to take out of context and flog morning noon and night).

Black teen pregnancies? A "crisis" in black America.
White teen pregnancies? A "blessed event."

If you grow up in Hawaii you’re "exotic."
Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, you’re the quintessential "American story."

Similarly, if you name you kid Barack you’re "unpatriotic."
Name your kid Track, you’re "colorful."

If you’re a Democrat and you make a VP pick without fulling vetting the individual you’re "reckless."
A Republican who doesn’t fully vet is a "maverick."

If you say that for the "first time in my adult lifetime I’m really proud of my country" it makes you "unfit" to be First Lady.
If you are a registered member of a fringe political group that advocates secession that makes you "First Dude."

A DUI from twenty years ago is "old news."
A speech given without proper citation from twenty years ago is "relevant information."

If you’re a man and you decide to run for office despite your wife’s reoccurrence of cancer you’re a "questionable spouse."
If you’re a woman and you decide to run for office despite having five kids including a newborn with Downs Syndrome… Well, we don’t know what that is ‘cause THAT’S NOT A FAIR QUESTION TO ASK!

If you get 18 million people to vote for you in a national presidential primary, you’re a "phoney."
Get 100,000+ people to vote you governor of the 47th most populous state in the Union, you’re "well loved."

If you are biracial and born in a state not connected to the lower 48, America needs darn near 2 years and 3 major speeches to "get to know you."
If you’re white and from a state not connected to the lower 48, America needs 36 minutes and 38 seconds worth of an acceptance speech to know you’re "one of us."

If you give your wife a dap on stage, it’s actually a "terrorist fist jab."
If your daughter licks her palm so that she can slick down your youngest child’s hair on national TV it’s an "adorable moment." (Seriously, forget about abstinence only, teach these folks some grooming skills).

If your pastor rails against inequality in the United States of America, you’re an "extremist."
If your pastor welcomes a sermon by a member of Jews for Jesus who preaches that the killing of Jews by terrorists is a lesson to Jews that they must convert to Christianity, you’re a "fundamentalist."

If you’re a black man and you use a scholarship to get into college, then work your way up to being the president of the Harvard Law Review, you’re "uppity."
If you’re a conservative and your parents pay your way to Hawaii Pacific University . . . you only have four more schools to attend over the next five years before you somehow manage to graduate (it might be five more school over the next five years. No one has yet verified whether or not Palin was actually ever registered at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. But, you know how shady people are who ever attended any kind of school in Hawaii).

If you spend 18 months building a campaign around the theme of "Change," it’s just "empty rhetoric."
If one week before your party’s national convention you SUDDENLY make your candidacy about "Change," that’s "red meat."
Submitted by Jay, Long Island, Ny.