The role that Barack Obama's race plays in the the 2008 election is being talked about more and more openly as Election Day approaches. Nicholas Kristof in his Op-Ed piece The Push to Otherize Obama, posits that "religious prejudice is becoming a proxy for racial prejudice. In public at least, it’s not acceptable to express reservations about a candidate’s skin color, so discomfort about race is sublimated into concerns about whether Mr. Obama is sufficiently Christian. "
But an AP-Yahoo News poll, conducted with Stanford University, found that racial prejudice is not too hard to identify: "The AP-Yahoo News poll that found one-third of white Democrats harbor negative views toward blacks — many calling them "lazy," "violent," responsible for their own troubles. The poll, conducted with Stanford University, suggests that the percentage of voters who may turn away from Obama because of his race could easily be larger than the final difference between the candidates in 2004 — about two and one-half percentage points. "
I'm sure that here in rural Pennsylvania, race will be a big factor in the election. In NY it may not be acceptable to express racism in public, but that's not the case here in Upper Bucks County PA. That the local newspaper would publish the letter to the editor (referred to in my earlier post Letter to the Editor from my 'Hometown Paper') in which the writer is afraid that "our great country is going to develop a bad case of BO," is evidence that racism is clearly acceptable here. It seems that race is another one of those polarizing issues - like abortion, gay marriage - that deeply divide the right from the left. While some of us look to a post-racial society, others still don't even believe in 'separate but equal.' In all likelihood, these are the same people who don't understand why it is important to learn another language. If all those who are embittered and "cling to their guns and religion," then Obama won't win Pennsylvania.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Anti Palin Rally in Anchorage - Biggest Rally EVER in AK
There's an e-mail going around with a description and pictures from an anti-Palin rally that was held in Anchorage on September 14. The story, pictures, and video of the rally are AMAZING. Bear in mind, that with more than 1400 participants, this rally was bigger than the "welcome home" rally that received so much publicity when Palin went back to Alaska.
The place to see all the good stuff is at Mudflats, the blog of an Alaskan who is "just a citizen who is paying attention."
Here is the video:
Here is a sample photo: 
Nice piece from Garrison Keillor (Prairie Home Companion)
I'll post the beginning and the end:
Keillor: The moose and I: On the loose in Sarah Palin country
Garrison Keillor
"I saw two moose on a bike trail in Anchorage last week and did not kill either one of them, neither the cow nor her calf, though under the Bush Doctrine I certainly had a right to, since the cow could have charged and pinned me to a tree and danced me to death ...
The president of Merrill Lynch raised a half-million for McCain before the company was sold last week for half its assumed value. But why do I bring this up? Why? You've heard all this before. So have I. I'm lighting out for the territories.
Keillor: The moose and I: On the loose in Sarah Palin country
Garrison Keillor
"I saw two moose on a bike trail in Anchorage last week and did not kill either one of them, neither the cow nor her calf, though under the Bush Doctrine I certainly had a right to, since the cow could have charged and pinned me to a tree and danced me to death ...
The president of Merrill Lynch raised a half-million for McCain before the company was sold last week for half its assumed value. But why do I bring this up? Why? You've heard all this before. So have I. I'm lighting out for the territories.
Letter to the editor from my "hometown paper"
The following letter was posted on the phillyburbs.com site today, under reader's voices for the Bucks County Intelligencer. It is offensive, racist, and reactionary. I can't believe that a newspaper would print a trashy letter like this one:
We can't afford "Chicago thug'
To the Editor:
Some say that come next January our great country is going to develop a bad case of BO that will only get smellier with higher taxes on everyone (no Democrat has ever lowered taxes on the middle class since the early 1960s), sanctioned infanticide, cowardice and total inexperience in handling foreign policy, refusal to utilize our own energy resources, commitment to appointing liberal, activist judges who won't base opinions on our Constitution, unsavory, un-American acquaintances and a resolution to eradicate any dissent. We can't afford the “Chicago thug” (Bill Clinton's term, not mine).
Let us pray that American voters will reject this sorry future and select experience, sanity and true compassion for our fellow citizens by supporting the McCain-Palin combination.
Helen Grim
Hilltown Township
We can't afford "Chicago thug'
To the Editor:
Some say that come next January our great country is going to develop a bad case of BO that will only get smellier with higher taxes on everyone (no Democrat has ever lowered taxes on the middle class since the early 1960s), sanctioned infanticide, cowardice and total inexperience in handling foreign policy, refusal to utilize our own energy resources, commitment to appointing liberal, activist judges who won't base opinions on our Constitution, unsavory, un-American acquaintances and a resolution to eradicate any dissent. We can't afford the “Chicago thug” (Bill Clinton's term, not mine).
Let us pray that American voters will reject this sorry future and select experience, sanity and true compassion for our fellow citizens by supporting the McCain-Palin combination.
Helen Grim
Hilltown Township
NY Times Op-Ed Columnists on the job for Obama/Biden
No holds barred in the New York Times this morning. This is GREAT STUFF, some really well-written, hard-hitting pieces calling out the lying by the McCain campaign and its cover-up by the mainstream media. Plus, some rationale as to why the lies have spread so successfully (Kristof points out "Almost one-third of voters “know” that Barack Obama is a Muslim or believe that he could be.")
So, check out these great Op-Ed pieces from the NYT:
MoDo comes through when she needs to:
Seeking a President Who Gives Goose Bumps? So’s Obama. By Maureen Dowd - Published: September 20, 2008 [the link and the front page of the Times site seem to refer to a different column - is this a mistake, or did Dowd change her mind?]
The Push to ‘Otherize’ Obama By Nicholas D. Kristof, Published: September 20, 2008
Truthiness Stages a Comeback by Frank Rich, Published: September 20, 2008
The Times also ran an editorial calling for the Appeals Court to uphold a ruling preventing an anti-abortion group from running an Obama smear ad:
Editorial: Right to Smear Published: September 20, 2008
SOME GREAT SUNDAY READING!!!!
So, check out these great Op-Ed pieces from the NYT:
MoDo comes through when she needs to:
Seeking a President Who Gives Goose Bumps? So’s Obama. By Maureen Dowd - Published: September 20, 2008 [the link and the front page of the Times site seem to refer to a different column - is this a mistake, or did Dowd change her mind?]
The Push to ‘Otherize’ Obama By Nicholas D. Kristof, Published: September 20, 2008
Truthiness Stages a Comeback by Frank Rich, Published: September 20, 2008
The Times also ran an editorial calling for the Appeals Court to uphold a ruling preventing an anti-abortion group from running an Obama smear ad:
Editorial: Right to Smear Published: September 20, 2008
SOME GREAT SUNDAY READING!!!!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
The only job for which confidence is the only required skill is con man (or woman)
Video of Sarah Palin "answering" a question at a Town Hall meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Some of the comments on youtube.com are terrific for this one! Warning: It is painful to watch.
New Agenda sparks fly
There's a raging conversation going on at the Trail at the Washington Post site over an article about a small group of 30 women who call themselves New Agenda. They are condemning NOW's endorsement of Obama/Biden.
A sampling of comments:
First, I am a middle-class white woman and this cliche of elitist, royalty-by-marriage women does NOT represent me. Furthermore, the reason I moved from supporting Sen. Clinton to supporting Sen. Obama is precisely because of women like this. The fact that they would support Palin-McCain, who stand against everything that HRC is for, tells me where their true allegiance lies and it's not to women.
Second, I am so sick of reading all the thinly veiled racist comments throughout the web, like the ones here, and hearing them on TV and radio. And these people call themselves Christians? Guess what? Jesus wasn't white. I can't decide if Country First means Money First or Race First, because it's hard to distinquish among those three as defined by the GOP ticket and its supporters.
Posted by: LauraC September 20, 2008 1:51 PM
As a woman with two doctorates, there is no question who the best intelligent candidates can be OBAMA/ BIDEN- they will continue defending women's right. If you are a self hating woman, who depends on hubbie to take care of you, can't think independently, or are racsist- it is obvious you don't have the brain to make intelligent decisions.
Posted by: mimi September 20, 2008 8:29 PM
Liberal women hate Palin so because they are so jealous of her. She is so attractive and the majority of liberal women should wear a sack over their heads.
RL Posted by: Colorado September 20, 2008 8:29 PM
Here's a campaign slogan.
"McCain/Palin - Let Freedumb Ring."Posted by: Mmhmm September 20, 2008 7:49 PM
A sampling of comments:
First, I am a middle-class white woman and this cliche of elitist, royalty-by-marriage women does NOT represent me. Furthermore, the reason I moved from supporting Sen. Clinton to supporting Sen. Obama is precisely because of women like this. The fact that they would support Palin-McCain, who stand against everything that HRC is for, tells me where their true allegiance lies and it's not to women.
Second, I am so sick of reading all the thinly veiled racist comments throughout the web, like the ones here, and hearing them on TV and radio. And these people call themselves Christians? Guess what? Jesus wasn't white. I can't decide if Country First means Money First or Race First, because it's hard to distinquish among those three as defined by the GOP ticket and its supporters.
Posted by: LauraC September 20, 2008 1:51 PM
As a woman with two doctorates, there is no question who the best intelligent candidates can be OBAMA/ BIDEN- they will continue defending women's right. If you are a self hating woman, who depends on hubbie to take care of you, can't think independently, or are racsist- it is obvious you don't have the brain to make intelligent decisions.
Posted by: mimi September 20, 2008 8:29 PM
Liberal women hate Palin so because they are so jealous of her. She is so attractive and the majority of liberal women should wear a sack over their heads.
RL Posted by: Colorado September 20, 2008 8:29 PM
Here's a campaign slogan.
"McCain/Palin - Let Freedumb Ring."Posted by: Mmhmm September 20, 2008 7:49 PM
Friday, September 19, 2008
Understanding today's economy
For one view of what happened to the US economy, why it happened, and what it means for ordinary Americans, read this posting in the NY Times:
Diamond and Kashyap on the Recent Financial Upheavals, By Steven D. Levitt
One of their conclusions: The concern for the man on Main Street is not the bankruptcy of Lehman, per se. Rather, it is the collective inability of major financial institutions to find funding, which will slow growth.
Some of the comments I liked best:
"AIG: private profits, socialized losses." Posted by esmiles
"When the stock manipulation only affected the average guy i.e. to shoot the price of oil and gasoline through the roof or to lose one's house due to interest manipulation, this administration's answer was to let the market run its course. No need for the government to get involved. Now, when the big boys begin to get hurt, the government needs to do everything possible to stem the losses. The person who has lost his house, his job and sees his family hungry,does not see how saving these companies can now make a difference to him. These free market people sure move fast when their money and their friends money is on the line. No amount is to much for the people to spend. I guess the plan is right on track. " — Posted by jim
From Realty Check with Diana Olick on 1/25/08, re: FNMA’s mission statement:
The focus has clearly shifted from families:
In 2005: “Our public mission, and our defining goal, is to help more families achieve the American Dream of homeownership. We do that by providing financial products and services that make it possible for low-, moderate-, and middle-income families to buy homes of their own.”
to lenders:
In 2008: “We exist to expand affordable housing and bring global capital to local communities in order to serve the U.S. housing market. Fannie Mae has a federal charter and operates in America’s secondary mortgage market to ensure that mortgage bankers and other lenders have enough funds to lend to home buyers at low rates. Our job is to help those who house America.”
My questions are as follows:
1. Who authorized the change in FNMA’s mission statement.
2. What effect, if any, did this have in bringing down FNMA. — Posted by Annole
Another interesting article with a contrasting opinion: http://faculty.chicagogsb.edu/luigi.zingales/Why_Paulson_is_wrong.pdf
Diamond and Kashyap on the Recent Financial Upheavals, By Steven D. Levitt
One of their conclusions: The concern for the man on Main Street is not the bankruptcy of Lehman, per se. Rather, it is the collective inability of major financial institutions to find funding, which will slow growth.
Some of the comments I liked best:
"AIG: private profits, socialized losses." Posted by esmiles
"When the stock manipulation only affected the average guy i.e. to shoot the price of oil and gasoline through the roof or to lose one's house due to interest manipulation, this administration's answer was to let the market run its course. No need for the government to get involved. Now, when the big boys begin to get hurt, the government needs to do everything possible to stem the losses. The person who has lost his house, his job and sees his family hungry,does not see how saving these companies can now make a difference to him. These free market people sure move fast when their money and their friends money is on the line. No amount is to much for the people to spend. I guess the plan is right on track. " — Posted by jim
From Realty Check with Diana Olick on 1/25/08, re: FNMA’s mission statement:
The focus has clearly shifted from families:
In 2005: “Our public mission, and our defining goal, is to help more families achieve the American Dream of homeownership. We do that by providing financial products and services that make it possible for low-, moderate-, and middle-income families to buy homes of their own.”
to lenders:
In 2008: “We exist to expand affordable housing and bring global capital to local communities in order to serve the U.S. housing market. Fannie Mae has a federal charter and operates in America’s secondary mortgage market to ensure that mortgage bankers and other lenders have enough funds to lend to home buyers at low rates. Our job is to help those who house America.”
My questions are as follows:
1. Who authorized the change in FNMA’s mission statement.
2. What effect, if any, did this have in bringing down FNMA. — Posted by Annole
Another interesting article with a contrasting opinion: http://faculty.chicagogsb.edu/luigi.zingales/Why_Paulson_is_wrong.pdf
The "Watchdog of Democracy" is sleeping on the job
This comment was posted to an editorial in the Washington Post with the title "Day of Reckoning: Wall Street has lived beyond its means, but so has Washington" -
Arjuna9 wrote:
"So when are the media going to start telling the people what is really going on? The Republicans are practicing "Welfare for the Wealthy" at a cost that will increase the national debt astronomically! Then after the government is bankrupt, they can say that "entitlements" to the poor and middle class is the cause.
I was furious when the media did not examine the reasons for the war in Iraq before we attacked, and I am furious that they are sitting on their butts again! The "Watchdog of Democracy" is again sleeping on the job!"
Arjuna9 wrote:
"So when are the media going to start telling the people what is really going on? The Republicans are practicing "Welfare for the Wealthy" at a cost that will increase the national debt astronomically! Then after the government is bankrupt, they can say that "entitlements" to the poor and middle class is the cause.
I was furious when the media did not examine the reasons for the war in Iraq before we attacked, and I am furious that they are sitting on their butts again! The "Watchdog of Democracy" is again sleeping on the job!"
Gail Collins' Alpha Dogs Bark
In today's OpEd piece, with tongue in cheek, Gail Collins is liberal with her criticism of both candidates' responses to this week's economic meltdown. But at least she thought Obama's calm demeanor was soothing.
McCain's angry week is summarized by Collins:
Monday he blamed the financial crisis on greedy speculators.
Tuesday he blamed it on people who didn’t respect the American worker.
Wednesday he blamed the crisis on C.E.O.’s with golden parachutes until it was pointed out that one of his highest-profile advisers, Carly Fiorina, had sailed out of Hewlett-Packard with a 24-karat whopper.
Thursday he was mad at the head of the Securities Exchange Commission (or was that the FEC?) and accused Obama of responding to the crisis with “the kind of me-first, country-second politics” that “sees an economic crisis as a political opportunity instead of a time to lead.”
Friday McCain claimed that people like Obama were “too busy gaming the system” to fix things, and that the junior senator from Illinois, despite his brief career in Washington, was smack dab in the middle of a “culture of lobbying and influence-peddling” that created the whole financial crisis.
McCain's angry week is summarized by Collins:
Monday he blamed the financial crisis on greedy speculators.
Tuesday he blamed it on people who didn’t respect the American worker.
Wednesday he blamed the crisis on C.E.O.’s with golden parachutes until it was pointed out that one of his highest-profile advisers, Carly Fiorina, had sailed out of Hewlett-Packard with a 24-karat whopper.
Thursday he was mad at the head of the Securities Exchange Commission (or was that the FEC?) and accused Obama of responding to the crisis with “the kind of me-first, country-second politics” that “sees an economic crisis as a political opportunity instead of a time to lead.”
Friday McCain claimed that people like Obama were “too busy gaming the system” to fix things, and that the junior senator from Illinois, despite his brief career in Washington, was smack dab in the middle of a “culture of lobbying and influence-peddling” that created the whole financial crisis.
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