I watched both conventions and have to say that one was riveting, with intelligent, passionate speakers who showed much love and hope for America and the other had an old man talking to a chair.
There really was a difference. I've always known this but the conventions high-lighted the wide chasm between the two parties. The GOP was a gathering of mostly politicians talking about how wonderful they were. It was rather obvious that they didn't spend a lot of time singing the praises of their candidate, Willard Rmoney. Very telling too in that they, like us, don't really like him. Rmoney's wife, Ann, likes him so she was given the tall and unusual order of trying to convince all of us to like him too. Yikes. As a nation we can assume that the guy's wife likes him. We should be hearing from his confederates that they like him and we should too. That's not the message I heard. Chris Christie, the Governor of New Jersey and the Supreme Commander of The Golden Corral buffet, seemed to be auditioning for the 2016 nomination for the GOP. There is a school of thought that he would like Rmoney to lose this time so that he would have a far better chance after Obama fixes everything. If Mittens wins and does the horrible job it sure looks like he will, no republican would have a chance in '16. So much for pushing the 'hire and fire' agenda like the presidency is baseball or any other sport. If Rmoney does 'okay' and people buy the 'it was Obama's fault' that will again be the party platform in '16, Rmoney will get four more years and Christie will be shut out for EIGHT years and probably dead of a heart attack. I'm not being mean- he's a tub of cholesterol. You wouldn't believe he could run a marathon in three days, would you?
So, they trotted out other potential '16 challengers like Marco Rubio and even Jeb Bush. For the record, I think Jeb would have been a fine choice in 2000. We quite likely would have not had a 9/11 and the ensuing wars and that's probably why he wasn't their choice. That aside, I do not think it's good for the country for a family to have three of it's members as presidents. Sounds too much like a monarchy to me. They...had to kill two Kennedys to prevent this. Had Hillary prevailed in '08, we would have had a stretch of Bush's and Clinton's for a possible 7 terms, 28 years. As much as I like Bill and Hillary, that's a presidential pattern that probably wasn't in the founding father's plans and shouldn't be. I would back Hillary in '16 but, I don't think she'll run. She's served her country well already. All things being equal, we're owed another Clinton. I don't think Michelle Obama will run either, as the cable pundits have tossed around. I think she wants to get back to a normal life with her husband and children after '16. Would you blame her?
Julian Castro looks good in '16. So does Deval Patrick. Russ Feingold would be excellent. How about Jennifer Warren? Notice the pattern of diversity there? A Latino, a Black man, a woman and a Jew. No, that's not the opening line of a joke involving parachutes. That is a representation of the populace, of the 98%, something the GOP doesn't really provide, Rubio aside.
It was similar with the two audiences. All the races were well represented in Charlotte while the crowd in Tampa definitely needed some sun. The camera didn't have to look hard to find a black or Latino face in Charlotte. The GOP stationed a black attendee right behind the Rmoneys.
Also MIA in Tampa was George Bush. Didn't you laugh a little nervously when Jeb Bush said: "I love my brother..." his voice trailing off as if he were about to add "but..."? Other than Jeb, no one much mentioned GW. Pretty glaring. Pretty obvious. The party line (later) was that he had fully retired from public service and yada-freaking-yada and out of the spotlight. But, ya know they just didn't want to remind the country that their guy fucked everything up. That's the democrat's job anyway. You know those donkeys- they never forget! Also MIA was the darling of the '08 convention, Sarah Palin. It was cute the other day on FOX when, after John Kerry made a funny about her, Sarah wondered aloud: "How does he even know my name?" Well, saying dumb shit like that is one reason...
I was quite inspired by the DNC and all the speakers. I pay a bit of attention to politics and pretty much know what is going on. I can read a map and I know my compass so, I know not to trust republicans for directions. I only ask so I can determine where they think I should be going. That's politics. You have to know how to get there and how to not get there.
One convention was like an awards show, complete with a Hollywood icon completely out of his element and trying improv comedy.
The other was like a convention. It was about hope and change...and moving forward with the only man of a choice of two who can possibly move the people forward. I'm as convinced of that as I was four years ago. The country should be too. I cannot believe that this race is as close as it is.
7 comments:
I agree. Obama is a charismatic speaker.
What's this I'm hearing of people having their voting rights suppressed? How can that happen in a democracy???
Yes, Sue. It started with photo ID, allegedly to eliminate fraud which is about .0004%(!) of voting. Of course the idea was to make it harder for likely democratic voters (college students, seniors and blacks) to vote. Think of seniors and city folk that don't drive and don't have need for a photo ID. That's what they did. In fact, one representative from the state of Pennsylvania was caught on tape flat-out declaring that, because of photo ID, they had just given the state to Romney. He was quite proud and blunt. But, beyond ID's, many states also went with curtailing early voting and absentee ballots which affect the same people and doesn't require photo ID anyway. A kid who lives in one state but goes to school in another would have to return home to vote as he couldn't absentee ballot or register at school. With actual fraud so low, it was over-kill about nothing.
The federal government got involved and some of the state rulings have been over-turned. The republicans are fighting that as well. They know it's going to be close and keeping certain people from voting enhances their chances. Prior to Civil Rights in the 60's, our Southern states would curtail the black vote by requiring written tests, taxes and even knowing the EXACT number of jelly beans in a jar, AT the polling place for blacks to vote! This was in MY lifetime. The Voting Rights Act of '65 eliminated such absurd chicanery but they are working around it now.
Less than half of us vote anyway and fraud is practically non-existent. Though they argue that you have to show photo ID to cash a check, buy cold medicine, etc. these things do not equate to voting. Obviously you prove who you are when you register. To combat that they curtailed registration as well, shortening the window to turn in registrations from @10 days to 2. Worse, missing that 48 hour window was an arrestable offense! Black churches had historically registered their parishoners en masse and teachers, The League Of Women Voters and similar groups would do this as well. IT'S DISGUSTING! And, though we have a history of this, un-American. The previous administration likes to brag that, because of the war, we brought democracy to Iraq. They must have given them ours.
I'm surprised the race is this close, as well. It's kind of scary.
It is scary. When you consider how close it was in 2000 and how the USSC pretty much appointed Bush, how close it was in '04 and a decisive victory by Obama in '08, you can see how the GOP is compelled to cheat. Polls are everything someone wants them to be so, I discount them. However, it being close should inspire people to the importance of their personal vote. There is no reason to stay home because you think your guy has it in the bag or no chance.
I saw a nice link explaining the Electoral College and it's weirdness. Without it, in an election like this we would undoubtedly have the popular vote being contested in all 50 states.
I had a weird experience when I voted in June. I went to my usual polling place and i was not registered, but my daughter was, and she lives in Sacramento county. The church ladies who volunteer at the table just brushed me off, but I fussed and someone in charge who knew what he was doing finally had me fill out a load of paperwork and he put my ballot in a special case. I also wasn't registered in any of the other polling places, and I've always lived in the same neighborhood. Just the other day, I received a Jury Summons for my daughter. She last lived here in 2005. She's a registered Democrat. She's just going to make sure she's here on Nov. 4, rather than try to straighten out the mess at this late date.
It sounds like you did it exactly right, Barbi. The church ladies should have called on the official themselves. Voting is really so local. The first time I voted, a neighbor lady was working the poll (that sounds dirty! So I left it in. Wait a minute...)ANYWAY, she announced loudly, "Mr Ferrerman can vote!" I guess that's in case anyone objects. For a second, I thought I was getting married! But, even in the big city you are voting in your neighborhood where you are likely to be known. In your circumstance, I think that's a provisional vote to be counted in the event an election is close. Lots of *fraud* has been people moving and forgetting to change their registration. Heavens...
Wow, great post. I too agree. How can it be close? That truly is scary.
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