My Zen Arcade

No, you twit. Liberals hate what you’ve done to the word. Patriotism used to mean beliving in your country and standing up for it. You and your cronies have changed the definition to mean “blind obedience, regardless to consequence or even fact, to the standing powers that be and hatred for those who don’t fall in line”.
Michelle Malkin » NPR journo suggests politicians quit using the P-word.

So, politicians, please make no mention of patriotism on Independence Day. Liberals hate it when you say the P-word.

I think I love these guys (sorry that I’m late on this one)

McCain has already done this to a degree, and he will probably up the ante on it as well.
I believe GW honestly feels his own stances on homosexuality are right. While I think that position is insane, it is at least sincere. McCain, however, is willing to treat an entire section of humanity as trash to get votes.
Think Progress » Fred Barnes’s Advice To McCain: Revive Your Struggling Campaign By Using Gay-Bashing As A Wedge

BARNES: In particular, gays in the military for one. We know Barack Obama is for allowing gays in the military, and Bill Clinton tried to do, but backed off. This is not a popular issue. Gay marriage is another one. These are both issues that I think McCain’s going to have to use. You can’t ignore the right. If he does, he’ll lose.

Yes, don’t forget, it looks like McCain may be breaking federal law

Of course, that doesn’t matter.  What matters is Obama changed his mind, completely legally, to do his own fundraising, completely legally.  Again, there’s these cries of ‘flip-flop’.  I don’t understand that.  I suppose mindlessly sticking to whatever decision you made in the past, no matter what changes, is admirable if, say, you are…wait…no, it really isn’t admirable at all, is it?  It borders on suicidal.  And, in the case of Still-President-Bush, homicidal.

But I digress.

Obama takes part in legal activites and people smack him around.  McCain may have broken federal law, no one cares.

Our media, ladies and gentlemen.

Of course.  Because we always think about the children.

On the plus side, it looks like the states are about the tell GW to go to hell.  It stuns me that an elected official would put restrictions on how states dole out healthcare.  Oh, right, don’t want to screw those big insurance companies that donate so much money and have such powerful lobbyists.

GAO says Bush violated federal law (again)

The Bush administration violated federal law last year when it restricted states’ ability to provide health insurance to children of middle-income families, and its new policy is therefore unenforceable, lawyers from the Government Accountability Office said Friday.

Since 9/11, there’s been a theme in the U.S. that if you are critical of U.S. policies, you are basically a terrorist.  This, of course, has dimished significantly as those people opposed to things like the Iraq war have been shown to have been correct in their predictions.

But in a similar vein, it seems that if you oppose Israel’s policies you must then be an anti-semite.

Now, as a jew (and a rational person), I find that pathetic. 

Most people in the U.S. disapprove of the policies in place in China (many of them).  Does that mean most people in the U.S. hate the Chinese?

I think that England is being too soft on the issue of Sharia law.

Does that mean I’m anti-anglo?

I think that Communism doesn’t work.  Do I then hate all communists?

Obviously, the situation is extreme.

Tossing around extreme words does not help.

During the summer, McCain proposes that the $0.18 per gallon tax be dropped.  Now, lets just forget how much this will cost and how many government programs will suffer.

Lets also forget

The federal gasoline tax represents a flat fee of 18.4 cents a gallon nationwide. With gasoline currently averaging $3.39 a gallon, the tax represents a mere 5 percent of today’s pump price. While that’s not trivial, consider that gasoline prices have more than doubled since 2004.

The problem is that lowering gasoline prices at the pump would encourage more consumption. So in the long run, it would push prices up.

Here’s what will happen.  As above, the price drops, then, as consumption increases, the price rises.  At the end of the summer, the tax is returned so the price rises another $0.18.  Everyone complains, the oil companies say “Hey, it isn’t out fault the price is so high.  They brought the tax back.”  Neglecting to remember that they raised prices all summer. 

So, in effect, this plan will really allow the oil companies to raise prices without the bad PR.

McCain, please, leave economics to people smarter than you.

Some days, after hearing about McCain not supporting the GI Bill expansion, after watching the MSM rip into Obama because of some poorly chosen (though ultimately accurate) words, after seeing Clinton use that same cheap attack, after watching some of the worst political reporting in history, I almost want to move into the mountains and set up an armed compound.

And on the topic of Clinton…please…drop out.  You will not become president this round.  I’m sorry, but its true.  There are only two ways this can go for you.

1. You don’t win the nomination.  And so you don’t become president.
2. You win the nomination by getting enough super-delegates to overcome Obama’s lead, basically over-riding the will of the people.  That splits the party.  McCain wins.  You don’t become president.

Personally, a big-ass disaster for the Democratic party might be just what we need.  My concern is the timing.  The fact of the matter is that McCain is a promise of 4 more years of a failed administration.  McCain is completely unqualified in knowledge, experience, and temperment for the office of president.  We have real people with real problems.  Its time we started acting like they matter, like the 57% increase in foreclosures matters, like the fact that there’s no end in sight to the bloodshed in Iraq, like the fact that the rich get richer and the poor are just shuffled off.

McCain doesn’t care.  Maybe he used to care, but he’s decided he gets more votes from the filthy rich who don’t have any problems.

Hm.  I think I always get a little pissed at the rich around tax time.  Not because they make more than i do.  But its the complaining.  Look, I make a decent living.  I’m not rich, but I’m doing pretty good, probably better than my parents ever did.  I consider myself to be part of the ‘group that always gets screwed’ when it comes to taxes.  Not enough wealth that anyone cares about me, not poor enough to be a cause.  And I’m OK with that.  I pay my taxes.  I do so, basically, without complaint (I don’t necessarily think we spend our money wisely…).  I can’t stand people making twice what I do who then bitch because maybe this year they can’t buy the third house so they can vacation on the east coast AND west coast.  That sickens me.

I like being part of this country.  I like having roads, and hospitals, and firemen.  I like having services and defense and all that.  I know that my taxes going to help the poor also helps me, and that someday I may need that same help.   I am an American, and I am a patriot.  And I believe we should stand together or not at all.

What about you?

Apparently, Giuseppina Pasqualino di Marineo was hitchhiking around the Middle East in an attempt to prove the kindness of the common person (or some such).  I believe that this attempt was, to say the least, naive, but the woman ended up murdered.  Please note the wonderful compassion shown by LGF blogger Charles Johnson:

A sad, pathetic story of a moonbat Italian artist with a big idea that got her killed

‘Moonbat’. 

Nothing like taking shots at a murder victim.

McCain Asks For Donors To Pick Up Rudy’s Tab

“The Giuliani campaign is trying to retire the debt they incurred during the primary campaign. As the leadership of this campaign, the Senator and I are asking you to help in this effort,” wrote Davis, who praised the former New York City mayor as “a national hero” and thanked him for his “dedicated support” of McCain.

According to the most recent March 20 filing with the Federal Election Commission, the Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee reported more than $4 million in cash, but more than $3.1 million in debt.

So, if you are a homeowner who has gotten screwed (regardless of how), you have to take personal responsibility for how you and your family are losing your home.  Obviously, you gambled and lost.

But, if you run for the Republican Nomination (which, I think we can say, is a bigger gamble), you realy shouldn’t be held accountable for your wasting of money.

3.1 million dollars.

Over 150 families could each receive 20K towards keeping their homes.

Rudy, millionaire, obviously needs the money more:

Giuliani reported assets of between $18.1 million and $70.4 million. Because the FEC allows candidates to report assets within ranges, the actual value of his assets lies somewhere between those figures.

(By the way, I’m not saying that I understand the complexities of campaign finance.  Its entirely possible that this HAS to get paid off through donations.  However, I think it does illustrate a point)