Day: May 18, 2008

McCain, Obama Move Closer Together On Iraq

After starting out with radically opposing views, White House hopefuls Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama appear to be moving closer together on Iraq as the election draws nearer.

Obama, who is leading the race against Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination, has recently taken a more cautious approach to his pledge to pull out of Iraq within 16 months of taking office in January 2009.

Amid warnings of the risks of leaving too early, the Illinois senator — a strong opponent of the war — said that he reserves the right to change this policy depending on the situation on the ground.

“I will always listen to our commanders on the ground with respect to tactics … we are going to proceed deliberately, in an orderly fashion, out of Iraq,” Obama said in a debate mid-April with Clinton.

“If they come to me and want to adjust tactics, then I will certainly take their recommendations into consideration. But ultimately, the buck stops with me as the commander in chief.”

Both Republicans and Democrats deny their positions are moving closer.

“There is no similarity,” said Steve Schmidt, an advisor to McCain. Another aide, Mark Salter, insisted the 2013 date was not set in stone: “He’s not saying ‘win or lose, they come home in four years’.”

Makes it easier to run the campaign in the Fall.  Looks like botht are trying to make the War the minor player in the general election.

Will Women Support Obama?

I have asked this question before and still do not have a good handle on the answer.  Do women have an obligation to support a serious woman candidate? Or is gender now simply an interesting but ultimately irrelevant consideration?

The Grrrl Power position was staked out early on by Emily’s List. Less than one hour after Clinton announced her candidacy in January 2007, the group issued an endorsement statement from president Ellen Malcolm. “I am one of the millions of women who have waited all their lives to see the first woman sworn in as President of the United States,” wrote Malcolm. “And now we have our best opportunity to see that dream fulfilled.” Of course, given that Emily’s List exists for the express purpose of electing women, it’s no surprise that Malcolm would so quickly embrace Clinton, a candidate so strong she was hailed as the frontrunner from the moment she entered the race.

But Malcolm and others have upped the ante, declaring that Clinton’s candidacy not only compels their personal support, but also that of all feminists. After Clinton’s disappointing showing in the Indiana and North Carolina primaries, Malcolm even wrote an op-ed declaring that Clinton herself had a “responsibility” to stay in the race. She owed it to all women to prove that she wasn’t a quitter. The sentiment echoed Clinton’s own comments on the stump, her declaration that “I am not a quitter. I do not give up.”

But OBama’s support among women will probably be a long generational divide–younger more educated women will probably support Obama and older women will most likely switch to McCain.

But beyond that, to support a candidate because of gender and/or race is just plain dumb…what about issues?  Obama’s issues and stands are so similar to Clinton’s did little difference can be found between the two.  I feel that to not support a candidate because of gender is just as moronic as supporting one because of race.

Maybe the voter should evaluate the candidates on their stands and not one their plumbing.

Yet More On The FLDS Situation

Yesterday I saw a report that there may not be as many under aged mothers as first thought. It appears that the whole case is falling apart before the law’s very eyes. But the disturbing part of the report was that they were separating children from their mothers. If a mother was under 18 she was aloowed to stay with her child, but over 18 they were separated.

The report continued with a part that stated that some of the women were told that if they left the compound and made a life away from it, their children would be returned.

Sorry, this whole situation is a bit disturbing to me. Whether you agree with their lifestyle or not, how do you justify separating children from their mothers? This whole thing smells like some sort of set-up. I have yet to see a report on the massive abuses that was first reported.

Forcing people to abandon their religion or beliefs is just not right. I agree with one of my commenters from an earlier post…….smells like something an authoritative regime would do.

To Reinvent A Party

The GOP seems to have lost its rudder.  The bad news has come from Illinois, Louisiana and Mississippi — a string of unexpected Republican defeats in congressional elections that have prompted GOP leaders to say, with candor unusual in politics, that the party is facing an outright catastrophe this November.

Increasingly, top Republicans are calling on their party to reinvent itself or risk driving away more voters and donors. The GOP image is so stale, said Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.), in a memo to colleagues last week, that “if we were a dog food, they would take us off the shelf” because nobody is buying it.
McCain’s approach — tough on taxes, but receptive to immigrants and committed to easing global warming — could help paint the GOP in new colors, more attractive to independent voters, Latinos and women. Some GOP leaders now say that by embracing McCain and his policy platform, Republicans would instantly “rebrand” and reinvigorate their party.

But with McCain, the GOP will move to more fiscal policies and try to distant themselves from the social conservatism of Bush.  The three races that they lost recently has shown that the American people are ready for some change and if the Party does not respond, then it will be a shoo in for the Democrats in November.

But the question is:  Can the GOP be reinvented in time to get the message to the voters?

What Congress Did Last week

This are the issues that Congress dealt with…some good…some not so…..

House

1. Strategic oil reserve (HR 6022): The House voted 385-25 to require the administration to stop filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for the rest of the year or until the price of crude oil drops below $75 per barrel. The Senate passed the measure 97-1. A yes vote supported the bill.

2. Farm bill (HR 2419): Voting 318-106, the House approved a five-year farm bill, providing farm subsidies and funding nutrition programs. A yes vote supported the bill.

3. War funding defeat (HR 2642): Voting 141-149, the House defeated an amendment to appropriate $162.5 billion for additional war costs in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many Republican members voted present — officially tallied as not voting — to protest being frozen out of deliberations. A yes vote supported the funding.

4. Iraq troop withdrawals (HR 2642): Voting 227-196, the House approved an amendment requiring the administration to start withdrawing troops from Iraq within 30 days of enactment, but setting no deadline for finishing the pullout. A yes vote backed the amendment.

5. New GI Bill (HR 2642): The House voted 256-166 to establish a GI Bill to pay post-9/11 veterans’ college costs and use tax increases to pay for the program. A yes vote supported the bill.

Senate

6. Farm bill (HR 2419): The Senate voted 81-15 in favor of a five-year farm bill. A yes vote supported the bill.

7. Republican energy plan (S 2284): Voting 42-56, the Senate rejected a Republican plan to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil drilling, as well as take other steps to increase energy production. A yes vote supported the plan.

8. Police and firefighter unions (HR 980): The Senate voted 69-29 to take up a bill granting limited union rights to police, firefighters and other public safety personnel in all states. A yes vote was to take up the bill.

Weekly News UpDate

Politics got interesting, more dynamite he said, she said, he said……but DAMN!……..

The following is the news that absolutely no one could possible use.

1–Who cares where Jenna and boy toy will live?

2–Earthquake in China–1000’s dead—-More dead in Burma

3–More fires

4–more cops caught being stupid on tape—maybe they should think before the react

5–Robt. Modavi, winemaker, dies–no–not from liver damage–he was 94

6–Polar bears put on endangered species list

7–Calif. Supreme Court overturns ban on gay marraige

8–Another preacher caught i a sex sting–this one thought he was gonna be humping a 13 yr old

9–And as usual, more plane, car and train wrecks

There it be….not any thing one could possibly give a crap about.