Posts tagged “us politics”
I lay out my theory for defeating Trump: make him look corrupt, establishment, and above all, weak. His base elected a strongman who promised to fix everything, so amplifying his failures is key. Peel off his inner circle, obstruct from within, and starve his surrogates of airtime.
I don't think PRISM is a big deal, but here are eight things that genuinely threaten democracy: whistleblower persecution, National Security Letters, gutting the Voting Rights Act, partisan redistricting, corporate personhood, SuperPACs, attacks on abortion rights, and enshrining anti-gay discrimination in state constitutions. (Update: I was wrong about PRISM. Shut it down.)
I constructed a hypothetical dialogue with Rick Santorum using his actual public statements, walking through his positions on gay marriage. His arguments ultimately contradict themselves: he claims to support equality while opposing gay sex, civil unions, and any legal recognition of same-sex relationships.
Two recent Republican incidents have me baffled: one claiming Bush was remarkably gaffe-free, another comparing Obama's civilian corps proposal to Hitler. The GOP crazies aren't fringe voices, they're running the show. Good luck with that bipartisan unity thing, Barack.
Colin Powell's endorsement of Obama is powerful throughout, but his story of Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, a Muslim American soldier killed in Iraq at 20, is the most moving moment of the entire two-year campaign. It reframes the Muslim smear not just as false, but as fundamentally un-American.
Couldn't easily find the 2008 presidential debate schedule, so I'm posting it here for my own reference: three presidential debates in September and October, plus one VP debate on October 2nd moderated by Gwen Ifill.
Obama had the best week ever while McCain fumbled geography, endorsed nonexistent countries, and cancelled an offshore drilling photo-op due to a conveniently timed oil spill. This election is starting to look like a foregone conclusion.
Obama's the nominee. McCain's campaign is a shambles and his speeches are painful. Hillary's hanging around to pay off her debt. But Obama? I genuinely believe in him, without cynicism, for the first time in my life. For once, the good guy won. It feels wonderful.
Super Tuesday is behind us. Obama won more states and delegates, tied the popular vote, and cut Clinton's lead to under 100 delegates. For a challenger, that's a win. Momentum is ours. Many states still to come, and we're ready.
The US barely notices treason accusations while the UK nearly topples a government over accidentally lost CDs. Surely there's a middle ground somewhere between these two extremes of scandal reaction.
The Republican party is run by jocks. Bush, Rumsfeld, Rice, Hastert -- all serious athletes. This isn't coincidence; it's culture. Jocks get their way by force, distrust intelligence and analysis, and bully those who disagree. Sound familiar? Geeks of the world, unite. We need to take our country back.
The rule placing Election Day on "the first Tuesday after the first Monday" in November exists to avoid November 1st, which is both a Catholic holy day and the day merchants balanced their books. Big business and the religious right shaping US politics? Apparently a founding tradition.
I took a presidential match quiz and apparently Al Sharpton represents my views perfectly. I'm a crazy liberal, it seems. Kerry frequently tops the list when I adjust my answers, but I can't bring myself to support Dean regardless.
Bush challenges Michigan's affirmative action policy on "equality" grounds, while ignoring a study showing Black-sounding names get 33% fewer employer callbacks. Just watched Bowling for Columbine and I'm convinced institutional racism is at the root of America's problems. Highly recommend it, flaws and all.
The US government is now censoring scientific information to placate anti-abortion and pro-abstinence lobbies, on top of spying on citizens and trampling their rights. It's too horrifying to embellish. Land of the freaking free, indeed.
I almost respected Bush today. His administration, run by far cleverer people, has handled Al-Qaeda and Iraq surprisingly well. Still, Venezuela, Rumsfeld, and Ashcroft temper my praise. Credit where it's due, but let's not get carried away.
Living in the US right now feels like Sarajevo with a McDonald's. Snipers, anthrax, abductions... and Harry Belafonte wading into politics with a gloriously blunt house-slave metaphor aimed at Colin Powell. I disagree with his methods, but anyone who thinks Ashcroft is nuts is alright by me.
America's moved on from war coverage to kidnapped girls and cratering markets. Meanwhile, I start at IBM Hursley Monday, shirtless and clueless, since my boss hasn't called and my shirts are on the south coast. Crash, markets, crash!
Colin Powell caused a stir by supporting condom use for teens, which put him at odds with Bush's abstinence-only stance. Hard not to notice the hypocrisy of a former cocaine user and alcoholic preaching abstinence from something that hasn't hurt anyone.
