Religion, Rhetoric and Why Doesn't She Just Go Home!

It has been a while since my last posting. I really do have several excuses -- post-election euphoria and bronchitis. The euphoria continues and I finally got some meds for the bronchitis!

There are three issues currently bothering me; hence the title: Religion, Rhetoric and Why Doesn't She Just Go Home!

Religion

I just finished reading Ken Follett's World Without End, the sequel to his The Pillars of the Earth. Both are historical fiction set in the 1100's to 1400's with a major theme of religion, politics and power in England. Great stories that once again give us an historic perspective of unethical and immoral religious power at its worst -- the use of religion to control common people. Now you are asking yourself, "So what's her point?"

The point is -- it still happens today. Aren't we slow learners! The Associated Press has reported on a catholic priest in South Carolina who told parishioners that if they voted for Barack Hussein Obama (yep! he used the full name!) they can't receive communion because he is the "most radical pro-abortion politician...," and voting for him "constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil." Holy Shit! Whatever happened to separation of church and state? Why should his parish (or any other for that matter) be tax exempt? Secondly, what an idiot! He doesn't know the difference between pro-abortion and pro-choice! President-elect Obama is pro-choice. He has never said that he would push, force or compel anyone to have an abortion. Don't like abortion? Don't have one! Priests can abuse children for years and the church keeps it hush-hush and pays off victims. But women make their own choices? Never! What hypocrisy! Isn't it time to quit clinging to religion?

Rhetoric

Wow! I can't believe how naive I've been. I used to think that Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity were just idiots that a few bigots listened to. Then someone told me about Media Matters for America. I had no idea just how many radio programs are broadcast every day in the country that preach hate and intolerance, tell lies and swear they are true.... and millions of people listen to them every day and take it all in as "gospel truth." These are gun-toting, religion-clinging, "I'm patriotic and you're not," kind of folks. Katie Couric should have skipped the question about what newspapers Palin reads and instead asked her what radio programs she listens to!

Media Matters for America has documented a nationwide network of conservative radio hosts engaged in an all-out effort to foster hate and suspicion of Barack Obama. But these same radio hosts also lash out at women, the LGBT community, the poor, minorities, progressives and even autistic children. Since I usually only listen to NPR or CBC2, I had no idea how bad it was out there on talk radio. The Media Matters website documents hundreds of these programs that are indeed shocking. I'll do additional blogs on this issue over the next few weeks, but here are just a few:

Dennis Miller: "Women on the left hate" Palin "because to me...it appears that she has a great sex life."

Chris Baker: Called Obama a "little bitch" who "won't even stand up to "smoking-hot" Palin.

Chris Baker: "I don't think homeless people should vote;" "I'm not that excited about women voting."

Bill Cunningham: on Democratic women -- "A lot of women who are single are vulnerable; they need like a daddy government to keep an eye on them."

Jim Quinn: Called NOW the "National Organization for Whores" and said that Philadelphia Daily News columnist, Fatimah Ali, should "get an American name."

Why Doesn't She Just Go Home!

Just when you think that the election is over and you'll never have to listen to another speech by Sarah Palin -- she's baaacckkk! So now she says that she will run for president in 2012 if god tells her to. "Hey, Sarah, this is like, you know, god speaking to you, just DON'T DO IT! You betch ya!" Poor Sarah just doesn't know when to call it quits. She has given more press conferences and interviews since the election than she ever thought of giving before the election! 

Actually, part of me feels sorry for her. I don't think she understands how very badly she was used by John McCain and the RNC. Instead, she believes that she really is equal to Hillary Clinton. Yikes! 

Oh, What a Night!

.... and it's a great day to be an American!

Now the really hard stuff begins. The November 4th editorial in the New York Times, "So Little Time, So Much Damage," says it all -- we still have 76 days to go with Bush in office. The editorial lists all of the important areas where the Bush administration could still make last minute policy changes that would potentially wreck havoc on us for years to come. Here's a list of the areas and their major points of vulnerability:

Civil Liberties:

Mukasy put through new guidelines last month that give FBI agents the authority to investigate without any probable cause, lie, and intimidate. In an even more upsetting decision, The Homeland Security Department's Office of Legal Counsel used the most convoluted, misuse of logical thinking to justify ignoring the law that requires the department's privacy officer to account annually for any activity that could affect our privacy. The Times classic comment on this one was, "Orwell couldn't have done better."

The Environment:

We have seen most of these changes in the news, but not widely disputed. The administration is busy weakening regulations on clean air and clean water and endangered species protection.

Abortion Rights:

Leavitt, secretary of health and human services, is expected to announce very soon some rule changes that further limit access to abortion, contraceptives and even to information about reproductive health care options. Unbelievable!! Furthermore, they want to extend the existing law, the so-called right to refuse, that allows medical personnel to refuse to participate in an abortion, to a very wide-range of health care areas: abortion referrals, unbiased counseling, birth control pills, emergency contraception, etc. 

IRS:

In September the IRS restored tax breaks for banks that take big losses on bad loans inherited through acquisitions. The Times learned that some banks are planning to use their bailout funds for mergers and acquisitions that will take advantage of the new tax subsidy. So not only do they benefit from bailout funds, but they compound their good fortune with a major tax subsidy!!!

The problem is that some of these last minute, in-your-face, Bush administration "got cha's" will take years to dismantle and a constant diversion of resources to uncover. 

So don't fall for the "nice words" uttered by Bush this AM and assume that he is now "just a lame duck" -- he and his administration will continue for the next 76 days to be a plague upon us.

D Day

When Michele made her daily call to us at 8:00 AM, she called this "D Day." That is an apt name for today; or we could call it "anxiety day," "End of the Polls Day,"  "The End," or "The Beginning." For me it is an anxiety-filled, stay-glued-to-MSNBC and CNN, vote day and those that are STILL undecided probably aren't going to vote anyway!

If you have listened to James Carville recently, you know that he is very optimistic that Barack Obama will be President Obama at the end of the day. 

This morning Nate Silver at fivethirtyeight.com posted the following results:

Electoral Vote      Obama  348.6          McCain  189.4

Win Percentage    Obama  98.9%         McCain  1.1 %

Popular Vote         Obama  52.3%          McCain   46.2%

Senate                     Dems  57.1                Repos   40.9

And, by the way, Nate says to ignore exit polls -- they are notoriously unreliable.

And finally, my husband Jerry predicts Obama will have over 340 electoral votes!

It's a great day to be a Democrat!

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The Good

I just read a wonderful article in the Christian Science Monitor today that gave me goosebumps,  a lump in my throat, and tears on my cheeks:  "My Wife Made Me Canvas for Obama; Here's What I Learned" by Jonathan Curley.

First, the catchy title caught my eye. Then the tone of the article took over. Jonathan Curley is a self-professed conservative banker, a white guy who voted for both Bushes. He was upset when Bill Clinton was elected, but says that in the end he wished Bill could have another term. He really endeared himself to me with his response to his wife who asked him to spend a morning canvassing for Obama. He said, "But I did, of course, what most middle-aged married men do: what I was told."

I got the goosebumps when he talked about he and his wife knocking on doors in a predominately Black neighborhood and the overwhelmingly positive response they received.

And I got the lump in my throat when he wrote, "I learned in just those three hours that this election is not about what we think of as the big things.... I've learned that this election is about the heart of America. It's about the young people who are losing hope and the old people who have been forgotten. It's about those who have worked all their lives and never fully realized the promise of America, but see that promise for their grandchildren in Barack Obama."

And the tears started to roll down my cheeks as I read his last paragraph: "My wife and I went out last weekend to knock on more doors, But this time, not because it was her idea. I don't know what it's going to do the for Obama campaign, but it's doing a lot for me."

The Bad

The bad side of this final week of campaigning has to do with winning at all costs -- voter intimidation. I came across another article today, 'Tis the season for tricking voters," from the Associated Press, that talks about the use of confusing emails, disturbing phone calls and insinuating fliers to keep people from voting through intimidation or misinformation.

If you read my earlier blogs, you already know about the situation in New Mexico. But here are some more --

In Philadelphia, fliers have circulated in predominately Black neighborhoods warning that voters could be arrested at the polls if they had unpaid parking tickets or criminal convictions.

In Virginia, bogus fliers that looked real with the commonwealth seal and all said that because of the anticipated high voter turn out there would be two elections. Republicans should vote on Tuesday and Democrats on Wednesday!

In Pennsylvania, emails were received linking Obama to the Holocaust. According to the AP, the email was sent by a group calling itself Republican Federal Committee and said, "Jewish Americans cannot afford to make the wrong decision on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Many of our ancestors ignored the warning signs in the 1930's and 1940's and made a tragic mistake."

Additionally, intimidating leaflets were taped to benches at Drexel University in PA; phone calls to Latino voters in Nevada from so-called Obama supporters ready to take their vote, right then and there, by phone. It is not that this never happened before, but this time, according to those interviewed, it is much more widespread.

The Ugly

This is really ugly; it is in the category of "so upsetting I didn't know whether to spit or to cry." But, believe it or not, the ending lifts you back up again.

Zorn Redeems Himself

Remember last week when I was upset that the Chicago Tribune blogger, Eric Zorn, moved away from reasons why Obama would win to 08 reasons why McCain could win? Well, he has redeemed himself with his posting on October 30th -- Counterpoint: 8 reasons Obama will win.

1.  Obama's supporters are more energized. 

2.  Obama has a superior ground game.

3.  Obama has a superior air game.

4.  McCain has lost his brand.

5.  Sarah Palin is turning out to be the disasta' from Alaska.

6.  Obama hasn't lost his cool.

7.  McCain hasn't been able to fight the Bush head winds.

8.  Obama has been lucky.

Zorn's explanations, evidence and eloquence regarding each of these reasons are right on! Reading his blog certainly helped to restore my optimistic hope for a double digit win!