State News Writer Willfully Distorts Truth

Poorly Formed Opinions No Surprise From Declining Publicatio

I guess it's a good thing that Mr. Thieleman is indifferent to torture, because getting through his most recent column was just that. It was so bloated with generic political invective I could have sworn that it was pieced together from crumpled up pieces of paper and cum-rags from the wastebasket in Glenn Beck's office.

For the record, Obama has:

Stopped the Great Recession from becoming and Apocalyptic Depression.

Saved the auto industry, which is now making green cars and turning a profit.

Reversed the federal ban on stem cell research.

Invested in green energy jobs and ordered new government buildings to be zero emission.

Reformed and expanded federal student aide, saving families $9 Billion.

Funded American cities that struggle with gang violence to fight against it..

Ended federal prosecution of Medical Marijuana users.

Preserved two million acres of wilderness that were threatened by loggers, miners and polluters.

Passed a stimulus bill that helped build and restore highways and railroads, which has been especially needed here in Michigan.

Cut taxes for the middle class and small businesses.

Moved health care further along than any President.

Saved Americans from pirates near Somalia.

Called for an end to "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell", a heinously bigoted policy of discrimination.

Engaged the world in a more thoughtful and effective diplomacy.

Made his administration the most accessible and open in history.

And, he talks to Americans like they are intelligent adults. But even that can fall on deaf ears and numb skulls.

I cannot be sure what Mr. Thieleman and the right-wing ignorentisa have against making sure for-profit insurance is also for-people insurance. The President wants to keep insurance companies from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions and see to it that access to health care is affordable for all. But, Mr. Thieleman’s ilk doesn’t mind that in the world’s richest country, people have to make the choice between food and medicine or staying alive and going into bankruptcy. That doesn’t happen in France, Germany, Sweden, or the U.K.

Mr. Thieleman would probably say that those countries are socialist. What does he imagine the quality of life is for people in those nations? They aren’t eating gruel or drinking from puddles. The truth is, their citizens experience a quality of life that matches or exceeds that of those in the United States. Drawing examples from what other nations do right isn't unpatriotic, it's something a President does when he loves his country and wants to see it prosper. I for one do not doubt our current Commander-In-Chief in this regard.

“Change” and “Hope” continue. Obama’s approval ratings are a virtual mirror to what Reagan endured politically early in his Presidency. The difference is, this President is charismatic and in addition, possesses a remarkable intellect.

President Obama has tried to work with a radical political minority that has been fueled by an angry and misinformed mob that feels marginalized by having an educated, intelligent, and black President. This group is most represented by people who show up to Presidential events with assault weapons and misspell “Socialism” and “Fascism” on their protest signs.

Despite this, he is the only President to go live on television and take questions from hostile and partisan adversaries in an effort to get something done. Obama will work with people who are willing to work with him, and finally he is calling out people like Mr. Thieleman for engaging in willful distortion and intentional disinformation. I suppose I shouldn’t accuse him of malice; Mr. Thieleman may simply be among those who aren’t educated or intelligent enough to know the difference. In which case, he has my pity.

As for “saving our own," Mr. Theileman doesn't even want the poor in this country to have access to health insurance, nor affordable education, nor a helping hand when they lose their job. The assertion that he wants to take care of people at all is absurd.

We can save the people facing impending doom in Haiti and the people struggling to keep their homes and get ahead in the U.S. Each ambition has a different objective and each mission uses different sets of resources. It's like saying that you can't mow your lawn and also donate to Goodwill.

Recovery at home would go along much faster if Mr. Theilman’s friends in congress didn't insist that The President needs 60 votes to sneeze and that 41 Senate votes justifies the total derailment of legislation directed toward economic recovery and improving people’s quality of life.

Unfortunately, Mr. Thieleman's and his right wing allies operate under the belief that short-term political gains are more important than moving the nation forward.

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This is a response to an Opinion written by Eric Thieleman in the State News on February 1, 2010.
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OBAMA WINS
The Only Thing Better Than Victory Will Be Success

It's not hard to think highly of John McCain, especially when he is as gracious and high-minded in defeat as he was last night.

I know that Barack Obama wants to usher in an era of unity and healing, but it's important that we never forget that Barack Obama is the president-elect DESPITE the fact that the McCain campaign promoted fear, xenophobia and racism because he believed that peoples ignorance was the margin of victory.

John McCain deserved to lose, and today is a good day because of that.

In the coming months, watch for John McCain distance himself from his conduct during the financial crisis, Sarah Palin, and the assertions that Barack Obama was too black, too shady, and too much of a secret terrorist to be President.

While McCain deserved to lose, Barack Obama deserved to win. That makes today a great day, and because he won, I have faith that many more are ahead.

Barack Obama changed how campaigns are run and he has set a new standard for 21st Century Presidential candidates. Obama brought progressive politics into the mainstream by making his case to Middle America. His policies are a huge departure from the status quo, and he has inspired us and prepared us for the Change We Need.

Not everyone voted for Obama, but I have a feeling that deep in the hearts of many that they are rooting for him to do a good job.

I have supported Barack Obama's campaign for president ever since hinted that he might be interested running back in October 2006 on Meet The Press. The only thing better than seeing him win will be watching him succeed.

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FINAL PREDICTION: Obama by 7%, 384 Electoral Votes.

OBAMA Will Win Most Decisive Election In A Generation.

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John McCain Est Un Sac De Douche
Insults Are An Important Part Of The French Language, No?

The other day in French class, we were learning how to describe things. (Il est/Elle est = He is/She is).

One of the exercises included finding five ways to describe a celebrity. The choices included Will Smith, Michael Phelps, Charles De Gaule, George Bush, Barack Obama, Sarah Palin, and John McCain among others.

A fellow that sat behind me said that he was going to describe John McCain and said "Il est indépendant, Il est intelligent". Which, of course, is total bullshit in any language.

When he was done, I said "John McCain? Il est douchebag!". Most of the class laughed including the youngish instructor. I admit that it was a cheap shot and that a majority of the class was more impressed by my used of the word "douchebag" than my criticism of John McCain.

After class, the guy who lavished praise upon McCain in the language of romance walked by my desk as I was packing up to leave.

" [COUGH]douchebag[COUGH]faggot[COUGH]" he muttered.

Yep, he did the thing where he coughed an insult. What's worse is that as he did it he walked away. I was mostly offended because he thought he could insult me and that I would pretend that I didn't hear it just to avoid escalation. As Bugs Bunny said, "He don't know me too well, do he?"

"Excuse me?", I said to him. He didn't acknowledge me, and his back was to me was he walked to the teacher.

"Excuse me! Did you have something to say to me?" I said to him as I picked up my pace without his acknowledgement.

Finally, I stepped in front of him and leaned over into his face.

"Excuse me? Did you have something to say to me?"

He looked at me, but he didn't say anything. Still in front of him, I reiterated.

" Because I am right here."

"Uh, your outrageous comments, uh. . ."

"Outrageous? I think what you said was outrageous! You put your opinion out there, and so did I. I even did it in French! But you, you went ahead and insulted me, and you thought I would ignore it.

He was silent and clearly jarred.

"Maybe next time if you have something to say to me, you'll say it to my face? How's that sound?"

He didn't say anything.

I jetted off in a fuming rage, because this Pugsley Adams looking bastard draped in his American Eagle reminded me of every half-thinking spoiled Detroit-burb moron who thinks that John McCain is the cats pajamas.. He looks like the kind of guy whose interests, outside of Republican politics, include taking dates to Fazoli's and then raping them in the Pontiac Vibe that his dad, an Oakland Country lawyer, bought for him.

Obviously, politics shouldn't escalate to this kind of personal confrontation. But, I am emotionally invested in this election, and after seeing how mean spirited and ruthless the Republican's have been in winning elections and fighting the culture war, I decided that I should be no less cruel or dangerous.

It's a shame that this Preidential election has become so contentious that it almost came to fisticuffs in a French class.

But, that fucker will probably never cough & walk ever again.

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Evan Bayh

The Indiana Senator and Former Governor Offers Political and Practical Payoff

Evan Bayh isn't my first choice for Vice President but I haven't offered a more coherent way of choosing a running mate for Barack Obama. The biggest challenge is that it's been hard to find someone who can both balance his strengths and who doesn't highlight his perceived-weaknesses.

For instance, it's been hard to find someone who can reaffirm Obama's brand of "Change" and who also has a great depth of old-school experience, (the Tim Kaine/Kathleen Sebelius challenge) Likewise, it's been hard to find someone who balances Obama on experience-perceptions but who doesn't obscure the "Change" brand (the Joe Biden challenge).

Ultimately, Barack Obama is at the top of the ticket, and people are going to be voting for him or against McCain. Evan Bayh does not directly reaffirm Obama's “Change” message. He's been in politics for 20 years as a popular two term Governor of Indiana and winning two terms to the U.S. Senate. But, Evan Bayh is a moderate-centrist Democrat, exactly the kind I don't vote for at the top of a ticket.

But Bayh has the background to help make an Obama Administration highly effective and successful. Between his experience cutting taxes while balancing the budget along with his decade-long experience and relationships in the Senate, he can do a lot to making Obama's inspiration-cast vision into a strong legislative and administrative strategy that Obama will need if he is to truly bring substantive Change to Washington. Don't think for a minute that that isn't still on the table.

Bayh also has served on the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, and also the select Committee on Intelligence, so his brain trust can give valuable insight as Obama forms foreign policy decisions with guys like Joe Biden and Bill Richardson. Yes, Bayh voted for the war and has at times had a hawkish stance, but Obama has always said that he wants a Vice President that will challenge him and express disagreement. At the end of the day, the decisions on war and peace as well as prosperity and wellness will indeed be Obama's to make, and can he have more confidence in those decisions knowing that they have been tested and challenged by people who are competent and achieved.

What really sets Bayh apart from other contenders is that he is good at not bringing too much attention to himself, because rarely does a showy running mate bring positive attention to the top of the ticket. He has done a decent job of not making it look like he wants it too badly.

Obama is in a position to win Indiana. A Democrat hasn't won Indiana since 1964, but the map has been changing. Some congressional and state legislative races in 2006 showed Indiana to be veering Democratic, and most polls show Obama with a slight lead there. This is especially remarkable because Indiana went for Bush by a margin of 60% to Kerry's 39%. Also, North West Indiana is in the Chicago Media Market, and they have seen Obama in local media for many years and they know him very well there, and they like him, as evidenced by his performance in the primary.

Evan Bayh is a popular former Governor who has twice been elected to the Senate from that state with huge margins. If Obama wins Indiana, McCain is toast unless he picks up Pennslyvania, Minnesota or Wisconsin. At the very least McCain will have to spend money to keep it Red, which means he spends less time and money on Ohio, Nevada, New Mexico, Michigan, Virginia and Florida.

* Evan Bayh balances the ticket with his experence in:
* National Security and Intelligence
* The Economy & the Budget
* Formulating legislative strategy
* Being too mellow to cause trouble
* Being a Hillary supporter who can help heal remaining rifts.
* Winning statewide elections in Indiana.

Between his experience and mellow demeanor, Evan Bayh can balance Obama on the ballot and in the White House much the same way Al Gore balanced Bill Clinton.

Then again, it COULD be Delaware Senator Joe Biden.

(theTruthOrSomethingLikeIt.blogspot.com)

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