Van 38

Joe Wilson Lies (Elephants are Slow Moving: Why the Right is Wrong)

“You lie!” 

“What’s that Joe Wilson?  Say it ain’t so.”

“You lie about covering illegal immigrants.”

“Actually I don’t.  Please see Article 246 of HR 3200”

Article 246 of HR 3200 states: Those living in the US illegally are not covered and would not be covered by the affordability credits in the plan.

Facts don’t matter to people like this.  They don’t matter to people like Betsy McCaughey, the woman who started the death panel rumors and then argued with John Stewart that death panels were indeed a part of the bill only to be shown that indeed they were not—not in the way she and the rest of the elephant whack jobs were claiming.

It is hilarious that the party that is allegedly for values and morals pull such crap.  Are these the family values we teach our children, to lie when it is convenient, to scare people when one is out of ideas and to heckle individuals while they speak?  It is absurd that the Republicans are talking about death panels and getting involved with the final days of a person’s life—anyone remember Terri Schiavo? 

If the Democrats do not reform health care it will be their failure.  They basically have the numbers to do so.  They should not let the party that stands for fiscal responsibility and less Government, so long as it does not apply to useless wars, rich people and corrupt business, to hinder them with their gorilla like attacks of smears and lies.  Apparently lies worked so well for W that the elephants got used to using them and saying whatever they pleased.  Apparently rumor, innuendo, scare tactics, smears and lies are the morals the right now wish to teach our impressionable youth, or are the type of Government influence that is necessary and appropriate.   

As President Obama reminded us all tonight Social Security faced opposition and socialist claims, so too did Medicare.  Elephants are slow moving creatures—they have been on the wrong side of these debates nearly twice as long as the Civil Rights Act has been in practice.  They continue to be on the wrong side and continue to use the same tactics that hinder this country.  It is strange that when one questions if a war is of necessity or choice they face the stones hurled by the right—“un-American”, or “against the troops.”  However, when one questions the basic right to medical assistance these slurs are nowhere to be found.  It is clear that one party stands for respect and decency as moral principals and one only claims too.  Remember the old adage that actions indeed speak louder than words. 

Colin Powell's Endorsement and What a Vote For McCain Means (DM)

It’s been a while and I’ve got more excuses for the van’s breakdown than Sarah Palin’s got newspapers, but no need for those excuses here.  My stomach is filled with breakfast tacos and coffee and although I should be wrestling with the loads of essays I have to grade I’m instead ready to tackle the latest political endorsement.  That’s right folks General Colin Powell one hour ago endorsed Barack Obama for President.

I can already hear the attacks calling Powell a traitor and saying he’s only endorsing Barack because they are both African Americans.  The reality of this endorsement is that a man who has been and labeled himself a Republican his entire life talked about the exclusive nature of his party, the dirty tactics of his party and the need for a generational change.  We cannot forget that an unqualified VP pick also factored in and caused Powell, as it has many Republicans, to question McCain’s judgment.   

Many people can relate to Powell’s concerns.  We’ve seen the destructive nature of divisive politics over the past eight years in this country.  We’ve seen the discrepancy between the haves and have-nots continue to grow.  We’ve seen the same old approach to the economy and taxes that Republicans have held their hat on for the past thirty years.  We’ve seen the world’s view of our great country plummet.  We’ve seen our jobs plummet, our banks crash and we continue to hear the incendiary remarks that Obama “Pals around with terrorists.”  That he is a Muslim, a communist at worst, socialist at best.  Words like Muslim and Socialist are for some reason dirty and Community Organizer is a great punch line.  The tactics of the right are terribly wrong and I can only hope that all voters think long and hard about what it says to toss your ballot in a box that embraces such behavior. 

The individuals that will no doubt call Powell a traitor need to check themselves.  They need to watch the thirty minutes he Meet the Press and listen to his reasons.  It was an obvious difficult decision for him.  It should be a difficult decision for you too.  The idea that voting for Obama is voting for defeat in Iraq is garbage, the notion that he will spend spend spend is unfounded; the idea that health care for all is socialist is crazy.  The only people willing to use the word victory while referencing Iraq are McCain and Palin and they do a disservice to our troops bringing up such an archaic notion of clear cut winners and losers in a war like this.  In terms of Government spending, when Bill Clinton left the White House we had a balanced budget the same will not be said after eight years of Bush 43.  Last, Health Care should be a right for everyone.  Obama’s plan of insuring the uninsured is fair and just, McCain’s desire to send Health Care into the private sector is scary and irresponsible.  As an individual with two degrees who has been without insurance several times I am fortunate to have never needed it when I lacked it.  However, I am a good example of the need for some type of National Health Care Plan.  I am educated, able and willing to work and damn good at the work I chose to do.  Still the only reason I am insured now is because I am married.  If it’s difficult for me to have insurance imagine the burden for the many individuals that did not come from the sort of privilege I did—middle class, college educated etc. 

A vote for Obama puts our country first.  McCain does not put our country first, at least in this campaign he hasn’t.  Putting country first does not mean choosing a running mate based on gender who is grossly and uniquely under qualified for the job of VP let alone the big P!  Putting country first does not mean using terms like victory while referring to the war in Iraq.  Putting country first does not mean embracing a tax plan that further divides the people in our country.  And putting country first certainly does not mean attacking your opponent as un-American, insinuating that he is a terrorist or hurling the false claim that he is a Muslim.  As Powell said this morning and so what if he were?  We embrace the freedom of Religion.  We have Muslims fighting alongside Christians and Jews and Atheists in Iraq.  This is what makes our country unique, it is what potentially makes our country the greatest in the world.  Dividing people based on gender, race and religion does not.

I’ll be piloting the van consistently in the coming weeks and will more than likely return to this subject, but just in case a few last words.  I’m not conceded or delusional enough to think that the people who read this that may be undecided or might be leaning towards McCain will change because of my arguments, however, if there are people out there that actually see this as a difficult decision let me leave you with this:

The idea of uniting opposed to dividing is admirable.  The idea that 95% of Americans deserve either a tax break or no change in their plan is fair and just.  The notion that we should insure all our people is right.  The concept of setting our agenda on going green, as we years back set it on going to the moon is perfect; it shows the potential we have to make progress.  Finally, the thought of having a leader lead us, inspire us and call us together in unity should not be as foreign as it has become to us.  I’m not saying that four years under Obama will be filled with rainbows, cotton candy and pony rides, but that to strive for more should be expected of our leaders instead of settling for the status quo.  A vote for Obama embraces America as a land of opportunity, as a Nation that strives to be fair and just for all.  A vote for Obama makes you vulnerable because you take ownership of the idea for change, for unity, for solid leadership—something we have lacked for so long; an idea so alien to some of us that we mock the change Obama has embraced since he started his campaign, a change that the ever shifting John McCain has recently tried to embrace.  Words do matter folks and one person’s words have been steady and consistent throughout this campaign.  One person’s words have inspired and lifted us up and if there’s any chance on ending on a positive note I’ll have to negate addressing the hate filled and divisive tactics of what you would be embracing tossing your ballot in the box marked Republican. 

Bush, Beverly Hills Brats & Constant Corruption (DM)

Not being anything close to a Presidential Historian I can at least safely say that one would be hard pressed to find a more corrupt and terrible President and Administration in history.  I can make this claim similar to saying one would be hard pressed to find a serial killer worse than Jeffrey Dahmer.  This type of hyperbole used to bother me, but that was four years ago and about 500 hundred straws earlier.  The arrogance of Bush and this Administration is disgusting.  I think a student council body made up of Beverly Hills brats would be less arrogant and more just than Cowboy W. and his thugs.  (They would probably be less ignorant as well.)

The last statement made is a dangerous statement.  It is dangerous to consistently dismiss Cowboy W. as a moron.  It is easy to do and he may very well be a complete dumb ass, I’m certainly not saying he is not, however to just dismiss he and this Administration as morons leaves many questions to be asked.  How did these morons win a second term? 

I can only hope that lessons are learned across the board from this Administration’s constant corruption and arrogance.  It should have been no surprise to any of us when Cowboy W. commuted the sentence of Scooter Libby.  This Administration continues to behave like the jocks at a small town high school and the rest of the planet are the geeky kids, the poor kids, the weak and meek.  They continue to demonstrate their belief that they are untouchable, far beyond needing to explain their actions to the poor kids, the geeky kids when they push us into a locker, when they hold our heads in the toilet, and the saddest part of all this, thus far they are right.

My religious beliefs tell me to love those I dislike, so I struggle in not hating the corrupt Cowboy and his brats, much like I struggle in not hating Islamic fundamentalists.  Scary huh? 

Smoky Bars and Kitchens in Michigan (Dan Moyer)

It is hard to believe that nearly four years ago I sat in several smoky bars, drinking several beers, smoking several cigarettes, debating one sole issue: a potential invasion of Iraq.  Many things have changed in this time, high school freshman are now seniors, some who may be entering the Military in just a few months.  My girlfriend at the time who was consistently my main opponent is now my wife, and although we still find ourselves on opposing sides on a number of issues and ideas, we no longer are on Iraq.

Now when I’m talking politics I do so in smoky bars, drinking beer, and breathing in the secondhand smoke of others, I quit in the fall of 2005.  The lack of a Camel Light in my hand is not the only thing that has changed, I now admit the position I held in 2003, and for a few years after was dead wrong. 

You see, I was one of very few people around a college town you would find in favor, or at least who was vocal about his favor for the invasion of Iraq.  I did not believe Iraq, or Saddam had anything to do with September 11.  Nor did I view him or Iraq as a direct threat to America.  I did believe that they possessed those three grand words, weapons of mass destruction, okay I guess technically that’s four words, and technically they never existed.  I also favored the removal of a horrific dictator, but more importantly was my concern for the thirteen UN Resolutions that had been broken since the last invasion of Iraq.  I saw the potential war as sending a strong message and helping legitimize the UN, (something that still needs to happen) while removing a man who has killed more Arabs than anyone in our modern time.  The thought of a Democratic Iraq was a great thought, and yeah I would like to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but I’ve got the benefit of four years now that is clearly showing how unrealistic and naïve this proposal was.

Besides good friends and a good girl with a cold beer in a smoky bar, I debated the issue inside plenty of kitchens.  My girlfriend’s parents kitchen with her dad and his friend, my wife’s father’s friend’s kitchen on a cold winter night.  As the years passed my arguments shifted, because the situation shifted, but until a year or so ago I remained optimistic and overall in favor of the debacle in Iraq.  Yes, more than a year ago I was referring to it as a debacle.  Back to those kitchens though, there were quality arguments made on both sides, but the one that has stuck with me is the point that the Iraqi people showed no desire for freedom, they had not risen against a corrupt dictator and thus the argument that a free Iraq was plausible, was weak.  This theory, of course, was not born inside a kitchen in Michigan and had been expressed from the beginning, but as time wore on this argument was strengthened by the actions of the people in Iraq.  The second was my restating and rehashing the obvious, that plenty of Democrats voted to give the President the right to deploy troops, and no matter how they, or others tried to spin that vote, they too needed to be held accountable. 

Sooooooooooooooo, fast forward to present day.  Our President is by no means willing to be accountable for the failure in Iraq.  During his forty-nine minute State of the Union address he said that this is not the war we started, but it is the war were in.  Well genius, unless this was where you wanted the war you and our other elected officials got us involved in to go, then the war has been a failure and it is time for a change.  A real change, not the proverbial band-aid on a twelve by twelve gaping wound.  What we’re being offered is smoke and mirrors, it is not a new strategy and there is not a plan in place if this fails.  Telling us that failure is not an option is not an option, especially from a man who has failed in virtually everything he’s ever done.  Failure is an option Mr. Bush, it’s been your way of life and apparently you’ve grown quite used to it. 

So how do we get meaningful change?  Unfortunately I find it doubtful at best to think that the Democrats will bring about meaningful change.  This coming from the Party that ran a Northeastern rich man who voted for the war, which of course wasn’t a vote for the war, and bla bla bla.  Yes, John Kerry could put together coherent sentences, something our President is slowly working on, last I heard he’s at an eighth grade reading and writing level, but he could not put a consistent stance together on many an issue.  Now we hear that the Democrats have been put in power to save us all.   Anyone want to place a wager on how long it will take until they even attempt to cut funding for the debacle in Iraq?  C’mon now, look at my past record, I argued in favor of invasion, any takers?  I got never.  Senator Russ Feingold is actually concerned with implementing meaningful change, and take a look at the reactions he’s getting from such Democratic favorites as Hilary Clinton. 

In a recent article in The New Yorker John Edwards, who yes, basically voted for the war owned up to his vote.  He said he was wrong.  Wrong, just like W and his clan of Cowboys, just like Hilary and Kerry, and keep going down the list.  He also said that he was not tricked, that no one was tricked, that they all had the same information they based their decisions on.  As a citizen who was wrong, I am not attempting to be critical of their transgressions from four years ago.  What I am asking is that for once they stop the rhetoric Americans have heard from both sides for so long, and actually take a stand.  A stand that is not easy, that is not without risk, but a stand nonetheless.  If worst comes to worst give this change in strategy, which is no change at all, a six-month chance, and if it follows the standard GW trend and fails, then cut funding and get us out of Iraq.  Preferably that stand should start now, because cutting the funds for this war is just the first step in getting our soldiers out.  Those in our government from both Parties did not have the wisdom at the time to follow the lead of Senator Feingold and others before we invaded Iraq, hopefully they, unlike our President, will learn from their mistakes.