Palin 2012?

If Barack Obama wins the presidency on Tuesday, what do we have to look forward to besides a stronger, better, and freer America? Well, Palin in 2012.

Sarah Palin has said that she does not want to leave national politics if she and McCain lose this election. Scary, I know, but really, we don't have much to worry about. Sarah Palin is one of the reasons Obama is doing better in polls. She's not experienced, and people aren't going to forget that in 2012. Running as a VP for a losing ticket doesn't exactly add to one's qualifications. She'll never get the nomination after the Republican Party has seen how polarizing she has been outside and (especially) within their own party.

And as governor as Alaska, we might hear more from her than we used to, but she won't have a hand in our national governance, unless you include her continuing to "watch" Russia from her porch.

Here's CNN's story on Palin's plans:


Who know though? Maybe this is that change the Mayans were so concerned with.

Please Go Vote Tuesday!

UK's Nick Eriksen: "Rape is Like Being Force-Fed Chocolate Cake"

The UK's Nick Eriksen, who was the British National Party's candidate for the London Assembly this year, said the following in his blog:

Rape is simply sex (I am talking about 'husband-rape' here)... Women enjoy sex, so rape cannot be such a terrible physical ordeal... To suggest that rape, when conducted without violence, is a serious crime is like suggesting force-feeding a woman chocolate cake is a heinous offence.

This comment is incredibly offensive and cruel. Rape is never okay, including when the rapist is a husband or boyfriend. In fact, 85% of rape victims know their rapists, and 35% happen within the victim's family. (Concordia University)

Sentiment of this sort is dangerous to women. According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), 60% of sexual assaults and rapes are never reported. Data from Rape Crisis Scotland found that

• In 2002 the UK Home Office published the findings of a British Crime Survey to which 6,944 women has responded. Nearly half (45%) of rapes reported to the survey were committed by perpetrators who were victims' partners at the time of the attack. Strangers were responsible for only 8% of rapes reported to the survey.
• The survey also found that partner rape entails the highest occurrence of multiple rape (62%) and attacks by partners and ex-partners are more than twice as likely to result in some injury to the victim (39%) as attacks by strangers (19%).
  

So not only is rape by a spouse more likely to result in violence, but it's undoubtedly true that a large percentage of those non-reported assaults occur when a woman is raped by a boyfriend or husband, and is confused as to whether or not what happened to her was really rape. If a woman says 'No,' it is rape, regardless of who she is saying no to.

Another reason not taking rape seriously is so dangerous is the following statistic from RAINN: "1 out of every 6 American women have been the victims of an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime." 1 out of 6. That is equal to 17.7 million women, which is far too high.

This isn't the first time Eriksen has made such statements. He has pretty much said that rape is okay:

I've never understood why so many men have allowed themselves to be brainwashed by the feminazi myth machine into believing that rape is such a serious crime...

The BNP is trying to distance themselves from Eriksen's destructive comments by removing him as their candidate. However, when a candidate fucks up, people tend to blame not only the candidate, but also their party, much like Americans are weary of the Republican Party due to George W. Bush's inadequacy. In this case the British people have a good reason to blame the BNP, after they made this statement:

It was felt that no matter how much Nick Eriksen's blog comments, written back in 2005, had been distorted and taken out of the context of a blog which reflected our tough stance on all sorts of crime, they could still be perceived as trivialising the issue in a manner that many women in particular could have found extremely offensive. [emphasis mine]

The statements that Eriksen made are not taken out of context. The BNP's attempt to sugarcaot Eriksen's comments make the party just as responsible for what was said.

McCain uses baseball to try to score against Obama

I'm so very tired of John McCain and his bullshit. Seriously.

What is McCain's latest reason you shouldn't vote for Barack Obama? Baseball.

From BBC News:

Speaking in Pennsylvania, Mr McCain said: "Now, I'm not dumb enough to get mixed up in a World Series between two swing states.

"But I think I may have detected a little pattern with Senator Obama. It's pretty simple really. When he's campaigning in Philadelphia, he roots for the Phillies, and when he's campaigning in Tampa Bay, he 'shows love' to the Rays.

"It's kind of like the way he campaigns on tax cuts, but then votes for tax increases after he's elected."

What did Obama actually say?

"I've said from the beginning that I am a unity candidate, bringing people together. So when you see a White Sox fan showing love to the Rays - and the Rays showing some love back - you know we are on to something right here."

Seriously, that's exactly what McCain was referring to. So not only is McCain a liar, he pathetic. Maybe he thinks talking about baseball, America's favorite sport, will win him some votes. I doubt it.

McCain's strategy is becoming more and more like a disgruntled child who isn't getting what he wants.

Why Palin is Not a Fiscal Conservative

In case you missed it, Sarah Palin left the city of Wasilla with over $20 million dollars in debt. I think we can safely say we don't need a vice president with that hanging over her head.

The McCain-Palin Mob

Great job to the director of this video. It shows how unstable and politically uneducated some of McCain's supporters really are. The highlight's gotta be the blonde haired lady that is obviously mentally unstable. After all, according to her Sarah Palin has "Ten times more experience than Palin." Plus, she keeps shouting his name. Some more highlights:

One man says "I think he's a one-man terrorist cell"

When asked if Obama's a terrorist, one woman says "He's got the bloodlines. Just think about the name."

When asked if she knows Sarah Palin better than Barack Obama, she answers "There's more interviews with Sarah Palin than Barack that I've seen in the news"

Make sure you watch this. It's priceless.

Seriously? Up in arms over facial hair and pores?

I've said time and time again that Fox (Faux) News is a joke, but here's something else to add to the arsenal. Their latest target: Newsweek for not retouching a photo of Sarah Palin on the cover. Here's a closeup:
According to Fox (Faux) News, this is a "slap in the face" that shows Palin's "unwanted facial hair, pores, [and] wrinkles." Why can't the treat her like Barack Obama and practically put a halo around his head, as the host suggests.

According to one of their guests, the problem isn't just the un-retouched photo, it's that the headline reads "One of the Folks (and That's the Problem)". Instead of saying the obvious, that the point of the headline is to suggest that Sarah Palin is seriously lacking in any meaningful political experience, the good people over at Fox (Faux) News believes Newsweek is making a demeaning statement about the way she looks. Because ordinary people are ugly, or something to that effect.

One of the three people discussing the cover (I believe it was the one who was about to throw a tantrum) made the statement that this photo "highlights every imperfection that every human being has." Great point! I guess it never occured to them that the picture makes her look more real, maybe even more accessible to the American people at-large. It obviously hasn't occured to them since the same woman thinks that "any woman that sees this cover would be shocked and horrified," probably because women don't want to look real, but like ridicoulously smooth-skinned dolls. It seems like Fox (Faux) News is more concerned with making sure women are airbrushed to be unreal representations of men's "dream woman" than to do their job, which is supposed to be NEWS.

But if they reported on real news, they won't have time to talk about such a liberal elitist magazine that insults the "folks" in America. Julia Piscitelli from American University summed it up best - "What's wrong with showing women the way they actually look?"

Have a look at the discussion:

Is Obama "Too Risky"

From BBC News:

Republican presidential hopeful John McCain has ratcheted up his assault on his Democratic rival's character, with a new advert branding him "too risky".

The ad accuses Barack Obama of hiding ties to Bill Ayers, an ex-member of former militant group, the Weathermen.

The McCain campaign is probably getting a bit worried about new polls that say Obama is increasing his support, so he and Palin are trying to attack him with crazy claims that he's a terrorist, or at least supports terrorism. Just to clear things up, Obama is not a close friend to Ayers and have not "worked together for years" as the McCain campaign claims. Not only has Obama denied this, people outside of Obama's campaign has acknowledged that the accusations made by McCain/Palin are false.

Of course, I'm sure the truth won't reach everyone. I have an acquantice here at school that is still convinced that Barack Obama is an Islamic terrorist. She also believes this when he misspoke and said there were 58 states, that he was confusing the United States with some 58 terrorist groups he's a part of, or something to that affect.

In conclusion: If you believe in truth, vote Obama for president. If you religiously watch Fox (Faux) News and think Obama is a terrorist planted here when he was a child and is going to somehow destroy this country, vote for McCain. There's obviously no point in arguing with someone so ridicoulous.

Saturday Night Live's Debate

Canada's Green Candidate

The Green Party of Canada is making news today. Their candidate for prime minister, Elizabeth May, is going to participate in a major debate. Unlike America, Canada has a parliamentary system, which means there is more than two parties in power. However, the Green Party has not had great national-level success there. Things may turn around a bit after people are introduced to May and the Green Party.

The question we need to be asking in America is why we are still sticking with the only allowing the two major political parties participate in our debates.

Good lucky Elizabeth!

A McCain Administration = Secrecy

Republican VP pick Sarah Palin's inability to give interviews and talk to reporters is getting annoying. I also feel it's a good representation of what John McCain's administration, if elected, will look like.

Sarah Palin is being kept out of the spotlight, not to keep her away from the "sexist, angry media" as some have suggested, but because she doesn't know what she's doing. McCain is scared as hell that she will say something that is out of place and extreme, and as a result she will hurt his campaign. Her lack of experience and inability to do the job are the main reasons McCain shouldn't have even bothered, but he feels that Americans will be okay with it since she's a fresh face and *gasp* a woman.

If McCain is keeping Palin out of the spotlight because he's scared she'll fuck up, what does that say about the possible McCain presidency? Does it mean less press conferences and interviews with out president? Less transperancy than what we've had even with Bush? Probably. I want to know what my government is doing, and be aware of what my leaders are thinking.

Sarah Palin Bans Reporters From UN Meeting

John McCain & the Economy

One of my favorite political blogs, Crooks and Liars, has published a fantastic post written by Jon Perr called "McCain's 5 Stages of Grief Over the Economy." Be sure to check it out. Perr makes an especially good point about McCain's distress over the economy being probably the most important issue in this year's election. Watching McCain try to talk about the economy is like watching a dying fish struggling for air. He just can't do it. Repeating over and over that the "fundamentals of our economy are strong" isn't going to go over well with the thousands of Americans who are losing their futures. Then again though, Republicans do have a tendency to try to make things true. Sort of like with the Bush Administration's attempt to convince Americans Iraq and 9/11 are somehow connected. If they say it enough times, it must become true.

As a political science student, almost all of my classes has one point in common: Americans vote with their pockets. Money is the most imporant deciding factor in many American's lives, and if they don't think John McCain understands money (unless you count the houses and cars he and his wife have bought with her fortune), they won't vote for him. Granted, Obama isn't an economist, but he acknowledges that America's economy is in trouble, and something needs to happen to make it right again. He's much less likely than John McCain to just sit on his hand and let another depression settle over the land.

Fox Attacks Obama Like Kerry

Palin's Foreign Policy Experience

George Stephanopoulos: But she has no national security experience.

Cindy McCain: You know, she - the experience that she comes from is with what she's done in the government.

And, also, remember, Alaska is the closest part of our continent to Russia. So it's not as if she doesn't understand what's at stake here.

I don't really think I need to comment.

From the Magna Carta

Nullus liber homo capiatur, vel imprisonetur, aut disseisiatur, aut utlagetur, aut exuletur, aut aliquo modo destruatur, nec super eum ibimus, nec super eum mittemus, nisi per legal judicium parium suorum vel per legem terre.
Nulli vendemus, nulli negabimus aut differemus rectum aut justiciam.

No free man shall be taken or imprisoned or deprived or outlawed or exiled or in any way ruined, nor will we go or send against him, except by the lawful judgement of his peers or by the law of the land.
To no one will we sell, to no one will we deny or delay right or justice.

From the Magna Carta, 1215
If only the Bush Administration would agree

McCain's reasons for choosing Palin

On McCain's election site, there's a piece detailing just why Sarah Palin was chosen. I can't believe how weak this whole thing is. Seriously, the more I research Palin, the more I'm confused.

McCain chooses Palin as VP

So, police state or not? What do you think?

This is from a CODEPINK rally in Denver:


The officer has been pulled from the protests. Here's to hoping this hater of free speech will be fired.

More from Rocky Mountain News

Sarah Palin? What the Hell?

In case you haven't heard, John McCain has chosen his vice presidential pick. Is it Mike Huckabee? Nope. Mitt Romney? Nuh-uh.

It was Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin. Yeah, I've never heard of her either.

But apparently, McCain thinks she's going to be a great asset to his team. God knows why.

Here's a rundown on Governor Palin:

• She's a first term governor of Alaska, elected in 2006
• Prior experience: City council member and Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska (where?)
• She has an undergrad degree in journalism
• Opposes same-sex marriage (including support for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage), teaching creationism in school (which means she doesn't believe in science), supports the death penalty, pro-life
• She's being investigated over a possible abuse of power
• She has NO IDEA what a vice president is or does:
  
  "I still can't answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the V.P. does every day?"
• Palin supports drilling in the fragile Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
• She wears fur (ok, obviously not a major issue, but it's important to me).
  
  

So what the hell was McCain thinking? Was it that he'll get women's votes? Because I'm offended that he thinks women are stupid enough to fall for this. And Hillary Clinton's female supporters sure aren't going to switch their vote to someone so far right of Clinton. Second, McCain is old. Really old. And if he dies in office, she will be our president. She, who has no experience in Washington at all, will be our President. *shudder* Third, John McCain is a hyprocrite. How often have we heard the argument that we should vote for McCain because Barak Obama is inexperienced? Fourth, Biden will undoubtedly win the debates.

But on the other hand, John McCain may very well have given the election to the Democrats. In that case, yay! for Sarah Palin.

Update: According to FOX News (I never thought I'd be citing them for actual information), "The state of Alaska will sue to challenge the recent listing of polar bears as a threatened species, Gov. Sarah Palin announced Wednesday." Screw the polar bears, right? I guess if you acknowledge polar bears are threatened you can't really deny global warming.

Another Update: It's impossible to find her views on a lot of issues. Due to people like me trying to find out who Sarah Palin is, her website is unavailable, so I decided to try the site On The Issues. There's no information about her position on foreign policy, drugs, immigration or jobs. So not only did John McCain choose someone who has zero experience, but he picked someone that, as far as I can see, doesn't have many opinions either.

Green v. Democrat

The Green Party has put together a comparison of the McKinney/Clemente and Obama/Biden platforms. Granted, it only really covers health care and the economy/trade, but it's worth a read.

McKinney/Clemente and Obama/Biden compared on health care, labor, the economy

Where in the World is Osama bin Laden?