Thursday, October 16, 2008

Obama Has The Intelligence, Dedication And Dignity Of Jackie Robinson

This is my reaction to Marlene Phillips' Article on The Huffington Post:

WOW! You hit it right on the head!

A year ago, I worried that America may not be ready to vote for a Black man. Thankfully, a majority of Americans have proven me wrong. Obama's calm demeanor and temperament are just as important as his policies. McCain's demeanor is just scary. He looks for excuses for his actions and the actions of his followers. How in the heck does Obama NOT agreeing to McCain's 'town halls' have to do with all of the negative ads from the Republicans? The only 'negative' ad that McCain could site was one attacking his POSITION on an issue. (he was far too afraid to go after the Keating ad.)

We've had 8 years of bad decisions made in haste, and those are from a President with a far calmer disposition than that of McCain. Imagine 9/11 with McCain as President.... Iraq would have been bombed, IMMEDIATELY. No fact-checking, no checking with intel, just load up the bombs and cut 'em loose.

This country needs a thoughtful, calm, intelligent person to be President; someone who will carefully evaluate the situation and make decisions based on what is truly best. Not an unbranded cattle that can be steered into the nearest herd depending on where things stand at the moment, for that is the true definition of a maverick.

About Barack Obama
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Sunday, October 05, 2008

You can't put lipstick on THIS pig

This floored me this morning:
This morning on CNN Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer Leslie Sanchez, a Republican strategists, talking about the economy moving the public against the party in power and towards Obama and not any of his policies, said "let's call a spade a spade."

One of the other 'talking heads' on this show was Donna Brazile.

The Republicans were quick to go after Obama for his 'lipstick on a pig' line, a line McCain himself had used earlier this year, they should catch some flak for this gaff.

I do not think that this woman is an outright racist, but she sure as hell lacks any tact. (But there is no getting around the racist implications of that phrase)

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Prez debate SHOULD be postponed!!!

Yes, I am calling on Obama to join McCain in postponing the Presidential Debate, scheduled for tomorrow (Friday the 26th) to next Thursday, October 2nd. This will allow the two senators to be sure that a compromise plan completely passes both houses and is signed by the President.

But, in order to be fair to the cities, universities, and other entities that have spent millions of dollars in preparations for the debates, the Vice Presidential debate should be moved to tomorrow night in Oxford, Mississippi and the Presidential debate should take place in St. Louis.

Of course Johnny-Mac and Palin will each shit a ton of bricks as they mumble, bumble and stumble their way though various reasons as to why that wouldn't work. That press conference alone would be worth watching!

Nobody is this F-ing stupid, are they??

Really, does Johnny-Mac really think that we are so stupid as to believe that this woman is qualified to be a 72-year old heartbeat away from the Presidency? Only people as dumb and Sarah Palin seems to be would fall for this line of utter bullshit.




To paraphrase the principal in the movie Billy Madison:

Governor Palin, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone on the internets is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no votes, and may God have mercy on your soul.


Saturday, September 13, 2008

The PALIN STANDARD!

Alaska's proximity to Russia has been touted as Palin's foreign policy experience and thus her creds to be Veep. Here is an exchange from the Gibson interview with Palin:
GIBSON: What insight into Russian actions, particularly in the last couple of weeks, does the proximity of the state give you?

PALIN: They're our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska.
Well, with such strong foreign policy experience making her qualified for veep, I think that I am now ready to serve in a McCain administration! Now, let me be clear, I am not asking for some fluff post like a minor ambassadorship nor am I looking for a 'Brownie' type political appointment to a post that I am not qualified for. No, I am seeking a top level cabinet post for which I am clearly qualified, using the Palin qualification standard!

Here are the posts that I am applying for and my qualifications:


Sec. of Education: I was a teacher for over 16 years, all of it at the middle school level(heck, that is a stronger combat cred than being CinC of the AK National Guard). My degree is even IN EDUCATION (though this matters not under the Palin Standard, and it may even may make me over-qualified)

Sec. of Transportation: This summer our family vacation saw us take the train to Los Angeles, rent a van and drive to San Francisco, where we rode taxis and cable cars. after driving back to LA, we flew home to Tucson. I've coordinated several trips by Greyhound over the past 2+ years for my wife and kids.


Sec. of the Interior: Well, with the Department of the Interior being in charge of National Parks, my visits to places like the Grand Canyon, Mt. Lemmon, Lake Powell, Golden Gate Bridge, Saguaro National Monument, et al shows my diversity of experiences with our park system. And since this department oversees the BIA, my 16+ years living and working on the Navajo Reservation as well as my 17+ year marriage to a Navajo really highlights my qualifications. Though, I will have to be honest, I've never exchanged sex for business favors but i am a pretty fast learner and more than willing to make this sacrifice in service to my country!


Sec. of Agriculture: When I was in high school ny mom rented two garden spaces in the community gardens @ the Botanical Gardens. We grew (well, attempted to grow) corn, tomatoes, and a couple fo other veggies that I can't recall. I even helped my in-laws plant corn near El Cap (algatha peak) north of Kayenta earlier this year. Knowing that agriculture is just more that veggies, I am also the great-grandson of a ranch hand that worked ranches in the White Mountains of Arizona in the 20's and 30's.


Sec. of Labor: well, I've never been IN labor (I left that duty to my wife, a job she did much better than I ever could have) I've been gainfully employed since graduating from college. I've even been an officer in a labor union and participated in labor negotiations several times. My father was even an officer in a local union in the 1960's. And if Johnny-Mac wants someone with LESS union-related experience, my grandmother, (yes,my dad's mom), was pretty much ANTI-Union.


Sec. of State: I traveled to Mexico a couple of times, and not all were college drinking trips to La Caverna (though there was at least ONE of those!) I've even went to Rocky Point as part of a marine Biology class in college.


Now, should John McCain win in November, I am willing, able, and using the PALIN STANDARD, more than qualified to serve in a McCain administration. So, if you want to see me in charge of any of the above listed posts, VOTE FOR MCCAIN-PALIN!!!!

But if you want people that are truly qualified for the cabinet, you should probably join me in voting for Obama-Biden. Though, I could use the raise!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

To Surge, with love,

McCain loves to tell us how the "surge" was his idea and how it worked and how it makes him a great leader. Of course, he ignores all of the other things that happened at the same time, the Anbar Awakening, Sadr standing his troops down, building trust and relationships with local leaders, $$$ for not fighting, etc.

Now we have an Admiral telling us that sending in more troops won't work in Afghanistan. He says we can't 'Kill our way to victory".

Admiral: Troops alone will not yield victory in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. is "running out of time" to win the war in Afghanistan, and sending in more troops will not guarantee victory, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Michael Mullen, warned Congress on Wednesday.

......"We can't kill our way to victory, and no armed force anywhere -- no matter how good -- can deliver these keys alone. It requires teamwork and cooperation," Mullen said.

......Until Afghan security forces gain the backing of local leaders to improve security, "we will only be as much as a crutch, and a temporary one at that," the admiral said.

"We can hunt down and kill extremists as they cross over the border from Pakistan, as I watched us do during a daylong trip to the Korengal Valley in July. But until we work more closely with the Pakistani government to eliminate the safe havens from which they operate, the enemy will only keep coming," he said.

Mullen also said roads, schools and courts can be built and repaired, but that work is not enough, either. Afghanistan needs more experts in commerce, agriculture, jurisprudence and education. The nation also needs "foreign investment, alternative crops, sound governance and the rule of law."

Until then, Mullen said, these institutions "will remain but empty shells."
Hmmm, why didn't we think of doing all of that in Iraq.... oh, we DID.... someone just forgot to tell John McCain.

Getting Screwed......


We've all felt the pinch of out-of-control fuel prices, but who knew that what while we were getting screwed at the pump by the oil companies, Department of Interior employees in charge of oil royalties were, well, getting screwed by oil company employees. (image: the new Phallic symbol)

U.S. oil officials accused of sex with energy company workers

WASHINGTON - Government officials handling billions of dollars in oil royalties improperly engaged in sex with employees of energy companies they were dealing with and received numerous gifts from them, federal investigators said Wednesday.

The alleged transgressions involve 13 former and current Interior Department employees in Denver and Washington. Their alleged improprieties include rigging contracts, working part-time as private oil consultants, and having sexual relationships with — and accepting golf and ski trips and dinners from — oil company employees, according to three reports released Wednesday by the Interior Department's inspector general.

Hey, I hope they at least got a kiss out of it, nothing like getting F*&$ and not getting kissed.

Sunday, September 07, 2008

Obama, McCain: academia and service to community

And what about the academic records of the Presidential candidates?

In John McCain, we have a man that barely graduated from the Naval Academy, and most likely would have been expelled had his father and grandfather not been admirals. The Naval Academy is a fine academic institution, McCain just failed to take advantage of the opportunity that was given to him. This closely mirrors the record of GWB and Yale. McCain also attended the War College while undergoing physical therapy and rehab in DC (no word on any degrees).

In Barak Obama, we have a man that is a self-made man. He started out at Occidental College in Los Angeles and after two years transfered to Columbia University in New York City, graduating with a degree in Political science with a minor in International Relations. After four years in NYC, (college and working) Obama went to Chicago to serve as a community organizer (1985-1988). Obama then went on to attend law school at Harvard, one of the nation's premier law schools, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1991. Along with his experience working for law firms and a community organizer, he was also a member of the faculty at the University of Chicago.

McCain is trying to tout service to country, but yet dismisses the service that Obama has given to his country. He bypassed jobs at large law firms to serve the people of Chicago, keeping his promise to return after receiving his law degree. McCain worked as a liaison between the Pentagon and the senate, where his desire for politics began. When he moved to Arizona, McCain worked for his father-in-law's beer distributorship as the PR guy. He smoozed with the likes of Charles Keating and Fife Symington. (what was it about judging someone by the company he keeps)

Barak Obama's work battling the establishment led him to a career in politics as a means to help the community from within the system. John McCain's work WITHIN the establishment led him to his political career.

Who is truly the Washington outsider? The man who worked to build up his community and went on the local politics to further represent the people he had been serving for several years, or the man that worked behind the scenes in Washington, and 'moved' to a new community to make his run for political office?

College Smörgåsbord


Like many people, Sarah Palin changed colleges during her undergraduate years. Nothing remarkable about that on the surface. This is a little different, however. It seems that Sarah attended not two different colleges, but FOUR different colleges.

She started out @ Hawaii-Pacific in Fall of '82 as a Business Administration major. She spent only one semester there, as she transfered to North Idaho College, a junior college. After 2 semesters there (Spring '83 and Fall of '83), she transfered to the University of Idaho (home of Vandals, recently vanquished by Wildcats 70-0). After 2 semester, (fall of '84, Spring '85) she headed back to Alaska to attend another JuCo: Matanuska-Susitna College. After one semester (fall of '85), she returned to Idaho for 3 semesters, graduating with a degree in journalism

(source: VP hopeful Palin attended 5 colleges in 6 years)

Well, this raises questions about this candidate for VP. Did she stop her college education for her big run at Ms. Wasillia and Ms. Alaska? And why the switching from a university to a JuCo back to a university and then to another JuCo, and then back to the second university? Normally, one starts out at a JuCo/2-year college and transfers to a full university. And it is not that unusual for someone to start a 4-year school only to transfer to a 2-year school and then back to a university to finish a degree. This is usually done when the student has struggled with grades and/or academic standing issues.

Changing majors is not unusual for college students, changing colleges five times is. Thus raises legitimate questions about someone running for such a high office. I don't expect the VP to necessarily be a top-notch scholar, but I do expect them to show some scholarly background.


Compare her road to her degree, a BS in Journalism, the road Joe Biden took to his degrees. Joe graduated from the University of Delaware with a double-major in History and Political Science. From there, he attended law school at Syracuse University, receiving a J.D. in '68. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Widener University, leading a course in Constitutional law.

Who is more qualified to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency?

(BTW: Palin put down Obama's work as a community organizer, but her stint of non-political public service was as a member of her local PTA. Which role had more of an impact on their communities: creating job training programs or organizing bake sales?)

Thursday, September 04, 2008

Supporting special needs children..

with words, but not deeds.

Last night in her speech, Sarah Palin said that she would be a friend to families of special needs children. Great words, and coming from a parent with a special needs child, almost believable. Almost, that is, because her actions as governor of Alaska show otherwise. She cut spending for special needs by 62%.

Washington Monthly-fact checking Palin


McCarpetbagger, Palin, Rudy, tail-gunner Joe, and the failed actor with a small role all went after Obama for being all talk. Well, actions do speak louder that words, and Palin's as governor tells all.

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

A bull-dog and a pit bull...

but which is which.....

Palin is a good fit for McCarpetbagger: both use snarky, negative comments trying to belittle Obama's community service. I would rather have someone that went out into the community to work at the grass roots level to make changes in people's lives like Obama did, as opposed to McCain who fell in love with the power-broking that he saw behind closed doors in DC and made moves to run for congress and then the senate as soon as he could. (nothing like having a rich wife to buy you a house in a CD that has just come open)

Palin gave a rousing, rah-rah speech, but came off as bitter. McCarpetbagger will do the same.

People need to go back and recall Obama's speech. He pushed a positive image for America's future. Biden hammered McCain on how he voted and how is is aligned with GWB's policies, but he never went snarky or bitter.

Move-on was handed plenty of fodder tonight. Palin's speech was full of factual errors.

And it was funny to hear Rudy-G go on and on about HOW DARE THEY question her about time with family. THis came from a man that cheated on his wife... oh, that is the perfect man to speak about family values....

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Senile, or just letting the cat out of the bag

Ok, there are slips, mis-speaks, et al when one is giving impromptu speeches, but a foul-up like this when you have teleprompters????


This could mean one of several things:

1. She is senile.... nah, the Republicans would never have someone senile in a key position.

2. Palin is about to be dumped/resign she just came from a secret meeting where it was decided that Pawlenty will replace her.

3. They have created a superhuman Veep using DNA from Palin and Pawlenty.......

Monday, September 01, 2008

Well, Tedski, I bet we Know what Palin's favorite Beatles tune is!!


Last week Ted Prezelski blogged from the Democratic National Convention, asking vairous Arizona delegates several questions, notably "What is you favorite Beatles album?".

Well, not sure what Obama, Biden and McCain would answer, but it is clear that the Vee-PILF's answer would be:
HAPPINESS IS A WARM GUN!
(sing along, folks: Click here for the MIDI FILE)

She's not a girl who misses much
Do do do do do do- oh yeah
She's well acquainted with the touch of the velvet hand
Like a lizard on a window pane

The man in the crowd with the multicoloured mirrors
On his hobnail boots
Lying with his eyes while his hands are busy
Working overtime
A soap impression of his wife which he ate
And donated to the National Trust

I need a fix 'cause I'm going down
Down to the bits that I left uptown
I need a fix cause I'm going down
Mother Superior jump the gun (x6)

Happiness is a warm gun
(Bang Bang Shoot Shoot)
Happiness is a warm gun, momma
(Bang Bang Shoot Shoot)
When I hold you in my arms
(Ooooooooohhh, oh yeah!)
And when I feel my finger on your trigger
I know nobody can do me no harm
Because happiness is a warm gun, momma
(Bang Bang Shoot Shoot)
Happiness is a warm gun
(Bang Bang Shoot Shoot)
-Yes it is, it's a warm gun!
(Bang Bang Shoot Shoot)
Happiness is a warm, yes it is...
GUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!
(Bang Bang Shoot Shoot)
Well don't ya know that happiness is a warm gun, momma?
(Bang Bang Shoot Shoot)
Yeeeaahhh!

(thanks to local contributor to the Huffington Post, Marlene Phillips for sending me the pic)

note: yes, I know that they are just shooting pellet guns, but nothing says "trailer-trash" like smoking cigs, drinking canned beer (Schlitz?), guns and a dirty, mossy pond.

Beauty, yes... Brains, well...... who needs 'em.

Well, the more that comes out about McCarpetbagger's veep choice, the more I question our senator-in-absentia 's wisdom. (well, like I really needed more ammo).

Here are some wonderful tidbits from the VPILF:
From Michael Tomasky's Blog:
n 2006, the Alaska state branch of the right-wing Eagle Forum asked gubernatorial candidate Sarah Palin if she was offended by the inclusion of the phrase "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance:

Not on your life. If it was good enough for the founding fathers, its [sic] good enough for me and I'll fight in defense of our Pledge of Allegiance.

The Pledge of Allegiance was written in the late 19th century by a fellow named Bellamy (a Christian socialist no less!) as part of an effort to improve the circulation of the magazine he was with at the time and generally improve the condition of American boyhood, about which a certain amount of fretting was then underway about their collective constitution and resolve (widespread at the time; this was roughly around the same time Baden Powell started the scouting movement on your side of the pond).

So that's 100-plus years after the founding fathers were doing their thing. And even then, the words "under God" weren't inserted until the cold war, the better to highlight the difference between America and the Godless Russkies.

(From: Michael Tomansky: Idiot)

I guess it is too much to expect a journalism major to have any knowledge of US History. Wonder if she understands much about the role/duties of the executive branch:

What Exactly is it that the VP does?



Well, that is a very good question, if you were asking what it is that the CURRENT VP does on a daily basis, since he is kept in seclusion. But she wasn't asking about Cheney, she was just totally clueless about the duties of the VP.

Well, I recommend that Palin put the following items on her reading list:
McCain-Palin think that the public is just gullible enough to believe their line of BS about the executive experience she brings to the ticket. Well, she won election as mayor with something around 650 total votes. There are kids that gotten more votes for their high school class president and LOST the election. She won election to governor in a 4-way race. We had a 3-way race a few (22)years ago, and look what WE ended up with (Ev)!!

I still don't get how she was vetted. She is under investigation for abuse of power, she has flip-flopped on the 'bridge to nowhere' (her opposition to which is being touted as a strength). She touts the pipeline, yet she actually awarded a bid to Canadian company. (I guess we should expect something like this from a McCain pick).

Heck, even the newspapers in Alaska are questioning picking her. not to mention her mother-in-law. At least being an alum of Idaho, she probably knows how to spell potato!

Friday, August 29, 2008

McCain picks a GILF for VEEP

Well, John McCain pulled his Veep from left... no, make that RIGHT field by selecting a very conservative woman as his Veep, Alaska Governor Palin.

Interesting choice, I think. She is young, 44, conservative, and good looking. When the word started coming out that she was his choice, I 'used the google' to find out a bit more about her. On the Wonkette* blog, they refer to her as a GILF (Governor I'd Like to F***). It may be a bit sexist to say it, but yeah, I can see it..... (she is a former beauty pagent queen)

She is hot, but like too many beautiful women, she comes with some baggage:

She is a former mayor of Wasilla who became governor of her state in December, 2006 after ousting a governor of her own party in a primary and then dispatching a former governor in the general election.

More recently, she has come under the scrutiny of an investigation by the Republican-controlled legislature into the possibility that she ordered the dismissal of Alaska's public safety commissioner because he would not fire her former brother-in-law as a state trooper.

Source: AP Wire story on AZ Starnet.com

Biden will put chew this woman up and spit her out in the Veep debate......


*since then, the Wonkette has been unreachable...... look for the term GILF to enter the American politicial lexicon, at least out of earshot of the press.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Stealing 2nd

Ohio governor Ted Strickland just delivered a great line:

"George Bush came into office on 3rd base and he stole 2nd, and John McCain was cheering him all of the way"


Too funny! And too true!

Monday, August 11, 2008

TIME has gone today...

The TIME initiative will not be on the ballot come November:

TIME transportation initiative off the ballot

The Arizona Secretary of State's Office today disqualified the tax package from the November ballot, ruling that supporters of the measure failed to submit enough valid signatures.

The TIME coalition of business and political leaders, which counted Gov. Janet Napolitano among its backers, had submitted nearly 261,000 signatures to the state last month. But more than 42 percent of them were ruled invalid, based on checks by the Secretary of State's Office and counties, leaving the measure nearly 15,000 short of the 153,365 it needed.

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PoliticalInsider/29891
(My apologies to the Chambers Brothers)

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Another Crisis: Where's George?

George Bush's ineptness has reached a new low. While Russia more or less launches a full scale war on the democratic nation of Georgia, George Bush spent another day in Beijing, playing "sports fan in Chief" instead of commander in chief. And not content to be a gracious guest, he made sure to piss off his hosts by attacking their oppression of religious freedom from the steps of one of the few official churches in China. (I don't defend or approve of China's oppression of religious freedoms, but the President of the US should show more restraint and tact in his wording and location of such statements, especially at a time when there are far more pressing matters in the world).

Bush's long-distance management of this crisis is a series of one serious misstep after another:

  • When Georgia and Russia were just starting to shoot at each other in ernest, top diplomats from countries such as France were dispatched to Georgia to work on a means of stopping things before they escalated. The US State department: we will send in diplomats when the fighting stops.
  • While a Russian government official was telling Condi Rice that his nation wanted to topple the government of our ally Georgia, George Bush was hob-nobbing on a beach with the US Women's Beach Volleyball team.
  • While Russia was bombing the capital of Georgia in a clear and open act of war, George was watching the "dream team' defeat China. (and who says George Bush hates black people!)

This incident is not only another case of an incompetent Bush administration in inaction, it is also further proof that Putin, a man GWB said has a soul, is moving to return Russia to an iron-fisted bully that looks to control and/or intimidate her neighbors.

Meanwhile, back here in the good ol' US of A, both presidential candidates make statements asking Russia to withdraw from Georgia, and in fact talked with the Georgian president. Bush, who I sure did speak with Saakashvili, met with Bob Costas.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Stick a fork in Hillary,

She is DONE:

Edwards to Endorse Obama
.

Maybe now, Hillary will bow out gracefully so we can get on with getting the White House back!

Monday, February 25, 2008

Republican Rick Renzi Rejects Resignation

Embattled AZ Congressman Rick Renzi (R CD-1) has said he won't resign his seat, claiming that resigning would make him look guilty:
Through his press office in Washington D.C., Renzi said: “I will not resign and take on the cloak of guilt because I am innocent.”
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/hourlyupdate/226858.php

Rick, it is not any potential resignation that makes you look guilty, it is all of those charges after a lengthy investigation that makes you look guilty!

Friday, February 22, 2008

Forget the blanket, Linus can pull his Glock 9 to feel Secure

Well, leave it to the Arizona Legislature to try and find more reasons and places for folks to draw their guns.

Several years ago, it was guns in bars. Last year it was a bill allow guns in any public location, and earlier this session the bill to allow teachers to pack heat.

Now, they want to make it easier for folks to draw their weapons without breaking the law, as long as they feel or perceive a threat: Panel says pull your gun if you feel endangered.

I have no problem with someone defending themselves if their life or the life of a loved one is in immediate danger, but to basically allow folks to draw their guns if they perceive danger is plain asinine. Hey old lady, that Black kid makes you feel insecure? Pull out that .32 snubnose and show him whose boss! Teenagers all dressed in black make you feel awkward at the mall? Hey middle-aged white woman, just pull out your .25 from your purse and show them how secure you feel.

Gang-bangers carrying a gun? Cops can't touch you, because you were just showing everyone that you are not going to be intimidated.

Renzi Indicted


Yup, at long last, AZ congressman Rick Renzi has been indicted on numerous Federal charges.

From CNN.COM:

In a 35-count indictment handed up by a grand jury in Arizona, Renzi is charged with conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering extortion and insurance fraud.

The indictment stem from Renzi's efforts to use his position in Congress to promote land deals in Arizona by a former business partner, according to the sources.




He is officially toast.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Shadegg out: Is this a sign that McCain may resign?

February 22: Well, He changed his mind and will run for re-election.

FLIP FLOP.
------



John Shadegg is not running for reelection.

Speculation is rampant: priming himself to run for the Senate when McCain becomes President? Wants to avoid a tough race vs Bob Lord? Tired and wants to spend time with his family?

Until just a few minutes ago, I was certain that McCain wasn't going resign his seat unless he won the general election. Now I think that he may have told folks that he is at least thinking about resigning to focus solely on the White House.

If he let people know that he would resign his seat if he was the Republican nominee, it would make sense for Shadegg to announce now. He gives the party a chance to find a viable candidate to campaign and makes him readily available for appointment to fill McCain's seat until an election occurs.

If he had run for re-election, there is no way that his party could put his name on the short list for the governor. Janet would appoint him immediately to the Senate and hand the CD-3 seat to Lord.

If John does resign, he will wait until he has completely locked up the nomination. (Huckabee could still force a brokered convention, mathematically speaking).

That would give him something else against either of the Democrats during the general election, since it is not likely that Obama or Clinton would resign their seat.

Monday, January 28, 2008

My Letter to Sen. Aboud

As an educator I was absolutely appalled by your statement that you might be able to support Russell Pearce-Karen Johnson proposed bill that would allow teachers to carry guns in schools.

The actual cases where a gun in the hands of a teacher could have possibly prevented violence are few. Incidents at Columbine, Va Tech, UofA College of Nursing could possibly been mitigated by a teacher had they been armed. But only if the armed person had actually been close by and been able to get off a good, clean shot.

There is far more danger, however, in having teachers in a school carrying a firearm. Just last week at Rincon/University High School (where you used to teach) there was an incident that could have been deadly. Image that the assistant principal was one of those teachers that was carrying a firearm. She was knocked out when she fell and hit her head. Had she been armed, that would have left a gun within easy reach of some of the students who were fighting. What had been a fight between several girls could have quickly turned into a tragedy.

Imagine an over-worked, stressed out teacher with a gun. On a regular basis teachers that are otherwise caring educators 'go off' on a student or students. Teachers are human, and a confrontational situation could easily escalate into a deadly situation.

I have 3 kids in school here in Tucson (oldest is a junior at Rincon) and I sure as hell do not want them attending a school where the teachers might be armed.

Please re-think your support of this proposal.

Friday, January 25, 2008

Aboud owes an explaination.....

Russell Pearce is well known for sponsoring or supporting asinine legislation, so his latest legislative proposal should not come as to much of a shock. What is shocking is that there is a legislator from Southern Arizona that says she could possibly support it.

According to the Arizona Daily Star, the proposed piece of legislation from Rep. Pearce and Senator Karen Johnson would allow teachers, and some students to carry guns on campus. This is completely insane on so many levels. This, however is not the worst of it.



Paula Aboud, State Senator from LD28 seems to agree with Pearce:

But Sen. Paula Aboud, D-Tucson, said she might be able to support such a plan — but only if carrying guns were limited to teachers.

"I can see where she's coming from in light of the tragedies that we've had on the campuses," Aboud said, referring to incidents at Virginia Tech and Columbine High School.

But she said parents rightly would be concerned for their children if other students were carrying guns. Armed teachers present a different situation, Aboud said.

"I think teachers, depending on where they are teaching, experience a tremendous sense of fear," she said. "I think there's a potential for violence almost anywhere."

So Paula, a former educator, thinks that arming teachers would be a good thing. Many site incidents like the Virginia Tech shootings as a good reason to arm teachers. I don't buy it, but don't have the time to go into the problems with this part of their argument for arming teachers. Instead, I am going to use a recent local incident to show how deadly having teachers carrying guns on campus could be.

This past Wednesday there was a fight at Rincon/University High School. The fight started out small, but grew to involve 8 girls. Responding to the incident, one of the Assistant Principals went to break up the fight. She was either shoved, bumped or hit, which caused her to fall and hit her head. She was knocked out. Now imagine if she had been carrying a gun. One of the students could have easily grabbed that gun, quickly turning an simple fight into a tragedy.

I think that Senator Aboud owes us an explanation of why she would even think of backing this stupid and dangerous piece of legislation.

This explanation needs to be a good one, or I will work to get someone to oppose her in the primary.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Good Christian?

These days many politicians, especially Republicans, try and promote themselves as good Christians. Nothing wrong with that. But far too often this is just a facade, and like all things built on poor foundations, the facade comes crumbling down. A state legislator in Colorado is the latest to show his true colors.

A photographer for the Rocky Mountain News took a picture of this lawmaker praying during the opening prayer prior to being sworn in. The legislator, Douglas Bruce, then kicked the photographer, Bible in hand the entire time.

AP Story: Colorado Lawmaker Kicks Photographer

He must be stuck in the Old Testament, with all of that smiting of enemies!......