“Ease Up on Palin”? Why?

New Feminist‘s comment on this thread wasn’t seen fit to be posted, but we’ll say what we have to say anyway:

Palin was not a good choice because the cost of energizing the Republican ticket was alienating moderates – an inevitable problem, it’s true, and one that has little to do with Palin per se. A moderate choice wouldn’t have energized the Republican base, and had Lieberman been on the ticket, McCain would still have lost and the veep pick would still be getting part of the blame for that loss. So on that head, Palin is not to blame.

Nor is she stupid, but quite savvy; she is, however, willfully ignorant (who doesn’t know at least the name of at least one goddamn news source?)

Nobody demonized her; she hurt herself. Quit trying to protect the pretty lady and act like her ignorant comments wouldn’t have been any big deal until the media started … what? Twisting her words? Making stuff up? Hell, SNL’s parodies didn’t even have to change her words to be funny. It’s called reporting, people. Journalism majors, take note. Conservatives, stop bitching about the Mega Industrial Media Complex – you sound like liberals.

And finally, critiquing Palin’s effect on the ticket is not “making fun.” No dogs need be called off, because none were set. In any case, Palin is a hunter – she should be able to handle a little hunting.

Joe the Plumber, Tax Maverick!

The McCandidate’s Man of the Hour last night was Joe the Plumber, who’s concerned about having to pay more taxes under Obama. Joe wants a tax break. Funny – he’s already given himself one:

`Joe the plumber,” the Toledo, Ohio, man whose complaints about Barack Obama‘s tax plan were highlighted by John McCain in the final presidential debate, owes the state of Ohio almost $1,200 in back income taxes.

According to records on file with the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas, the state filed a tax lien against Samuel J. Wurzelbacher for $1,182.98 on Jan. 26, 2007, that is still active.

~ Bloomberg.com

No sense of civic duty, that’s what we see here. Taxes? Sharing for the common good? Ptah. Who needs a society where people work together and look out for each other, when we could have a society of proud individuals, hoarding their Preciouses.

How are the Mighty Fallen

McCain needs a game-changer. Tonight’s debate isn’t it.

He avoids eye contact with Obama; he will not name him beyond a jerk of the head and a reference to “this one.” He glares. He writes notes, stabbing the tablet so that the water in the glass on the shelf under the writing surface shakes. He makes “jokes” and nobody laughs. He reverts to tripe in his talking points, which increasingly reflect the stylistic influence of Sarah Palin (“uh, and also”).

His fans yell “Kill him [Obama]” and his vice-president doesn’t miss a beat. His ads pander to racism (“How disrespectful“). And his big campaign strategy is to turn himself into Hillary Clinton: A democrat for change + experience who has nothing to do with bad ol’ Bush – because that’s a proven strategy for success. At least Hillary is a Democrat; McCain just wants to be one if that’s what it takes to win.

David said it well: How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Johnathan, thou was slain in thine high places.

Full-Flavored Mavericks!

So round, so smooth, so fully packed! So quick and easy on the draw!

And best of all – that milder, smoother tobacco never leaves an aftertaste! They’re good for you!

Health Care that Covers Abortions?

There’s a possibility that Obama’s health care plan would cover abortions, if, that is, he gets elected and his health care plan goes through exactly as he wants it with no compromises whatsoever on controversial issues — which of course it won’t.

But that won’t stop people from getting offended at the possibility. They will squawk about THEIR tax money. They forget: Render unto Caesar those things that are Caesar’s.

Single-Issue Voters

Every single-issue voter whose single issue is abortion should themselves this question:

What good has my vote accomplished in the past?

Has voting for pro-life candidates, especially presidential candidates, helped to overturn Roe vs. Wade? Has it helped to change public opinion, which is still roughly 75% in favor of keeping abortion legal?

And if the answer is no – and it is – why are you going to vote that way again, in this 2008 presidential election?

That sounds like a rhetorical question, but it deserves to be asked and answered as a real one.