BuzzFlash Mailbag for September 03, 2008
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Subject: Palin.....her problems..or McCains?
There is a very interesting article in our St. Louis paper today regarding this. It is written by a very intuitive man...who usually pretty much thinks along our lines. He says that Palin is a distraction...just like Swift Boating...Guns, Gays etc. ... and all the other things that have come from the far right wing. He says that we are all better off not even paying attention to it...we should be only zeroing in on what is WRONG in this country, more than what is WRONG with Sarah Palin and her family. I am trying to not even say her name ... because I remember the swift boating of Kerry, the flip flopping of Gore and now...whatever they can throw that sticks to Obama/Biden. Obama...being the intelligent person that he is, is steering pretty clear of this entire mess...and trying to concentrate on all the trouble in the country and in other countries...the enemies we have made over the past 6 years. It is hard when I hear what Rush Limbaugh has done to Obama...by splicing tapes together of every single ... ".er...ah...and uh" he has uttered and had right-wingers actually believe it...they would never listen to him during an actual speech...sooooooooooo the idea here is drum into everyone that it does not matter who he has running with him ... it is, how is he going to clean up the mess that Bush/Cheney have visited upon this country in the past 8 years...that is the only thing that matters.
And, if McCain does have cancer...and she has to step in and do it herself...then we can REALLY worry...
Until then...let's get Obama elected. It is the most important thing...we will ever do!!
Shirley
St. Louis, Mo.
Subject: John Adams DVD set
Did you really mean to have a glowing review of a series about our 2nd President? Adams was about as undemocratic as our current one. He threw members of the press in jail because they disagreed with him. This series didn't even mention the Alien and Sedition Acts. It wasn't an honest representation of history. --Lucinda Lewis
Lucinda Lewis
New York, NY
Subject: Obama's sit-down with Rupert Murdoch, Roger Ailes
Dear BF,
Remember all the outrage a few months ago
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/...
Should we be outraged, or is it okay now?
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: Glen Beck
Did I hear Glenn Beck call himself "white trash" and by inference Palin and her family? Yesterday on CNN, but I have not been able to find a copy or reference to it since - is there a cover-up?
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: Palin
It is obvious that Palin was only cursorily vetted. Next week after her formal nomination she will have access to TOP SECRET information. How is this going to legally happen when she doesn't even have a minimal clearance?
Note: It takes weeks to be cleared at that level and the agencies have not yet begun.
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: RNC
Question: How many of the "law enforcement officers" operating in Mpls. St. Paul are Blackwater?
[BuzzFlash Note: None that we know of.]
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: Staying Focused
You know, while we ponder the qualifications of John McCain's VP pick, he has accomplished what he set out to do: take us off the focus of our primary goals. I want to remind all of us to stay focused on our ultimate goal: and that is to ensure that Barack Obama and Joe Biden are elected in November!
How do we do that? We keep mindful of what's at stake and continue to spread the word and remind people of the failed policies of the Bush Administration. Remind our friends and family that a vote for John McCain is still a vote for Bush. Stop worrying about them and focus on us. Keep our eyes on the prize. Continue to spread the news that our candidate is more than qualified and he is ready to lead from day one. Keep talking about the issues.
Get out the word that EVERYONE needs to ensure that they have not been purged from the voter rolls. They need to get out and vote. We need to ensure that we have an honest and fair election. OK, I may get slammed for saying this, but I want a fair election, and win or lose, it shouldn't be because people were disenfranchised. So I encourage people (no matter what political affiliation) to ensure that it's fair.
So please, stay focused, continue to remind people of the cost of the war, gas prices, failing economy, etc. It hasn't changed because of McCain's choice in a running mate.
STAY FOCUSED !!!!!
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: Sarah Palin's experience qualifications
Of all the ridiculous comments made by Palin supporters, the one that amuses me most is that her two years of executive experience (governor of Alaska) far outweigh Obama's political experience as an organizer, state legislator and U.S. Senator. Given that impeccable logic, George W. Bush, with six years as the governor of Texas was three times as qualified as Sarah Palin. Yeah, look what that got us.
Mark Gaskill
Worthington, Ohio
Subject: From those wonderful folks who gave us Dan Quayle
Well, folks, here it is again--the inevitable, every-four-year Republican hissy fit, pitched because--Omigod!--women are still having abortions. And walking away from them without the well-deserved Divine Justice of perforated uteruses. Ms. Palin addresses the subject as if pregnant women were being kidnapped and chained to gurneys while their fetuses / embryos are tortured to death--without having developed a nervous system. (Odd that the right wing is so righteously indignant about the "torturing" of embryos, while bestowing its imprimatur on torturing prisoners--who do come equipped with nervous systems.)
The non-judgmental GOP's, whenever the subject of Roe v. Wade rears its ugly head, do so as if it were a Democratic / godless-elitist / dirty Commie plot that's been systematically destroying the country since the early seventies. I can't help wondering if the Ms. Palins of the world are aware of the fact that abortions were perfectly legal in this country until the late 1880's. Prior to that, newspapers had nary a qualm about printing advertisements for abortifacients. Nor, apparently, did their readers.
In addition, it's heartwarming that the also-ran Miss Alaska expresses pride in an adolescent daughter who couldn't keep her knees together. I seem to recall the "abstinence-only" agenda being touted as an unprecedented triumph by Jesus's minions over Satan. (Satan, of course, is currently being played by Obama and Biden.) Sheesh!
Ellie Remoer
Monroe, NY
Subject: Best We Elect Barack Obama + A Democratic Congress
"Otherwise?"
"The abyss."
"Based on?"
"The Fascist trap-door is being slammed shut on us, what with these preemptive police and FBI strikes on war resisters, last week in Denver and this week in St. Paul."
"The kind of civil rights violations which, if they were to occur in countries on our government's s--- list, would be strongly condemned by the Bush administration."
"But even if John McCain wins there's always the 2012 election."
"Don't count on it."
"Why not."
"He orders our armed forces to attack Iran and very likely martial law will be declared."
"For sure if he nukes Russia?"
"And that'll be it for life on earth."
"But some progressives (Chris Hedges, for example) are saying that there's no significant difference between Obama & the Democrats compared to McCain & the Republicans."
"Also suggesting that voters support third party candidates such as Cynthia McKinney or Ralph Nader."
"Why?"
"To teach the Democrats a lesson so that next time they won't ignore us."
"Except McCain wins and even if there is a next time, who knows how many of us progressives will be around, what with all these detention centers under construction?"
"But how can we be sure that Obama will be any improvement upon McCain in terms of dismantling Empire-USA plus turning things around here at home."
"We can't, but based on what Obama's been saying over and over, that change has to come to, not from Washington, there's reason to believe that he'll listen to us."
"Meaning?"
"That with Obama there's a chance for survival."
"Whereas with McCain there's no chance."
"And since any chance is better than none."
"Obama's the one."
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: Governor Palin and her "second" Grandchild?
Okay there is a lot of speculation about whether or not Governor Sarah Palin is the grandmother of her fifth child with down-syndrom, Trig.
Based on what I have read and heard so far, this is what I think happened.
Bristol Palin admitted to her parents that she was pregnant. Out of concern for her daughter's future and possibly her own personal political career Sarah Palin sets out to conceal the pregnancy. The Palin family decides to have the baby adopted. Citing an illness Palin takes Bristol out of school when she is about 5 months pregnant. However tests show that poor Trig has down-syndrome making it very unlikely that he will be adopted. Still wishing to conceal her daughter's condition, the Governor announces that she is pregnant. This could explain why she made no mention of it until the 7th month and there were no previous signs of her pregnancy.
Here is where the story unravels. The Governor travels to Texas for a conference where she admits that her water broke. She then goes on to give her speech, fly to Alaska then drive 40 minutes to deliver her son at a clinic. A clinic that has provided no evidence that the child was actually born there. Ok, here is the one fact that blows everything away. If she were 8 mos pregnant, Palin could have easily excused herself from the conference for any reason. It didn't need to be as dramatic as her water breaking. I don't know what is worse, making up an elaborate story about being pregnant to cover for your teen daughter or endangering the life of your "son" to fly to Alaska to give birth.
Okay to make this all go away Sarah Palin announces that her daughter is now 5 months pregnant. How convenient, exactly one month sooner than the birth of Trig.
Here is what I think what will happen. Bristol will marry this Levi kid (those poor young people) and a child will be produced after Christmas or there will be no child at all. Perhaps she is pregnant again. Either way the issue is totally forgotten. Whether McCain or Obama wins the White House. Because one thing that Republicans are good at is, making scandals go away.
On a side note, I agree with Obama that family should be left out of political debates. But do you recall Edwards getting a pass for his extramarital affair? I don't think so, in fact the right wing media was practically frothing at the mouth. There is still such a disgusting double standard in the media.
Anyway thanks for letting me rant and thanks for all you do.
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: McCain/Palin/GOP
We won't forget McCain's ugly remarks about Chelsea Clinton. Or, for forgiving Bush for trashing his adopting daughter, in 2000. He has no shame.
America first, no! With McCain dirty politics comes first. He has proven as much.
McCain the hero, is definitely not the same McCain today.
His pick for VP (was it his choice?) shows he cannot make rational decisions, not now, not ever.
If this choice was not his, McCain was stripped of decision making, taking away the most important core of the man.
GOP's convention is one big mess. Compared to Obama/Biden's convention that was spot on. McCain/Palin is a joke. A bad, serious, crazy joke.
McCain/Palin have truly messed up their own families and they want to force themselves on ours?
This show of the GOP is an abomination of the worst kind!
God save us from these horrendous fools.
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: PALIN
HOW DO WE REALLY KNOW THAT PALIN'S DAUGHTER IS 5 MONTHS PREGNANT ???? CONVENIENT THAT THE BIRTH WOULD NOT OCCUR TILL AFTER THE ELECTION !!! SO MAYBE THE ALREADY BORN BABY IS REALLY THE DAUGHTER'S & PALIN COVERED IT UP ..... LOTS OF THINGS COULD STILL HAPPEN ..... MISCARRIAGE, ETC. TO COVER UP TIME FRAMES !!! HMMMMMM .....!!!!!
SHIRLEY ZARDA
BLUE SPRINGS
Subject: Republican Convention & Family Values
Amazingly, I've been able to stomach the Republican Convention for almost an hour or so, although incredulous by most of the outlandish claims being made by most of the speakers.
Tim Pawlenty, Governor of Minnesota, and a rumored VP short-lister was interviewed and asked about Sarah Palin. Pawlenty was indignant about the controversy swirling about Palin's qualifications.
Pawlenty specifically brought up the issue of Bristol Palin's pregnancy. Pawlenty is incensed that Sarah Palin is being held responsible for her daughter's welfare and insinuated that Bristol is the intransigent in this instance.
I always thought that, legally, parents are responsible for a child until that child leaves the family home and attains the age of majority. Flash for Tim Pawlenty: The age of majority in Alaska is 18. Bristol Palin is 17.
If her parents are not responsible for their children's behavior until they reach age of majority, then who is? There are states where parents are jailed if their even younger children break the law or are habitually truant.
What is going on here? Do the Republicans have any idea of what family values really are?
Lisa Johnson
Tacoma, WA
Subject: Red Neck Music/Gov. Palin
Speaking as an active Progressive Democrat--I am suggesting once again that you editors tone down this kind of gossip and bigotry. Most of the time you run a great source of information but the things I am calling to your attention (again) are not helping you and most importantly are not helping us to win elections.
So now I suppose you are angry with me (again). Still you might think about it. What Obama said about families was correct. Do not cloud over all this woman's terrible positions on the issues with personal smoke.
Edith M. Conrad
Asheville, NC
Subject: Republican Convention
Tuesday afternoon -- 5:30 PM PDT -- just turned on the Republican Convention to see what is happening.
First impression: It's amazingly white -- the sea of faces is 99% white.
Not a true cross-section of what this country really looks like.
And -- incredibly boring. Snoozefest.
Lisa Johnson
Tacoma, WA
Subject: Sarah Palin
There's been a lot of tongue-wagging about the situation of Bristol Palin, Sarah's 17 year old daughter who is five months pregnant and not married a la Jamie Spears -- she has also plans to marry her "baby daddy." I really do believe that the issue of Ms. Palin herself should be off-limits as Mr. Obama has said.
However, what should be looked at is her mother's complicity in the situation and her mother's positions on responsible birth control and real sex education which doesn't translate into abstinence only.
Sarah Palin has been Governor of Alaska for roughly a year and a half. That means then that Bristol became pregnant since her mother has become governor. What was happening on the homefront at the time? Was her mother not there when Bristol may have needed her mom available for advice and guidance? Would a responsible mother of a teen-aged daughter who obviously had a boyfriend not consider that her daughter and her boyfriend were having sexual relations?
Would a responsible mother of a teen-aged daughter not have a heart-to-heart talk with her daughter and counsel her about having sexual relations without protection to prevent not only pregnancy but also STDs?
The fact is that abstinence only does not work and it never will. Teenagers are young people who are growing and maturing physically and their hormones are raging. Logic should dictate if any parent thinks about where they were at, at that same age, that having sexual relations with a boy or girlfriend is likely to happen.
It seems as though it's reasonable to come to the conclusion that Sarah Palin's judgment and intellectual development is questionable. Sarah Palin risked her own child's life (yet again) when she was last pregnant herself. She's in her 40s -- and was determined to be carrying a baby with Down Syndrom -- yet stayed in Texas to give a speech after her own water broke, then instead of getting to a hospital in Texas for medical attention flew back to Alaska to give birth. She was a high-risk pregnancy for heaven sake.
We should have serious reservations about the maturity of thinking of a woman who is playing games with the lives of her children based on her own personal religious beliefs. Frankly, if she wants to screw up her own family, that should be her business, but that does not mean she -- nor anyone else -- has the right to screw up anyone else's family or life.
This woman is scary. A lot of people (GOPers, religious fruitcakes) seem only to be looking at her superficially because she, in some circles, looks pretty and spouts the right words. Her lack of qualifications is glaring and just a quick review of what she's said and done verifies that.
Lisa Johnson
Tacoma, WA
Subject: "Executive experience?"
How have former governors performed as Presidents vs former Senators as far as the economy, governance, war & peace? Take Clinton out of the equation because we all know, according to the rethugs, he was the worst President in history.
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: So where is the Sierra Club, the Greens, enviornmentalists on Palin?
Why haven't they weighed in on the Palin VP selection? Are they still picking themselves up off the floor or do they really favor "pistol-packing-mama over the Dem ticket?
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: "America First" ...After ALASKA.
The idea that the VP nominee supported a party that favored pulling the state of Alaska from the USA is revolting.
Today is the day we help expose Palin's ties to the RW separatist group Alaska Independence Party:
Palin's Address to the Party: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4iCDBIAde8
Palin & the AIP, Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHFY1otOWjQ
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9RDjKN8t4w
The video notes mention that AIP advocates infiltrating the major parties to achieve AIP's aims for Alaskan independence.
Print stories:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection20...
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/members...
homer hooker
Bethesda, MD
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