Two-Early Voting

Two days until "the people" decide if Bush should get a second term at the helm.

While the pundants are depending on polls to determine the outcome of the election. Those of us watching locally are paying close attention to the early voter turnout which is showing record results in several key states: Arkansas, Colorado ,Florida, North Carolina, Texas, National View

Credit has to be given to the Republican and Democratic efforts to successfully mobilize the people to get out and vote.

A big problem is that the conservatives are using fear and intimidation to affect voter turn out.

I wonder how many of these were registered Republicans? GOP Challenges Voters
GOP accused of using poll challengers to target blacks

In this intentional targeted voter intimidation mailer. Voters are threatened they may face inprisonment if they show up to vote. Bogus NAACP Letter

There has also been some unintended poll taxing and voter intimidation. In Arkansas, voters face the shock and threat of parking tickets while waiting in line to vote.
Early AR Voters Upset About Unfair Parking Tickets

The big question is will the early voter turnout help Bush or Kerry?

Usually during the general election I email and text message my friends and family around the country reminding them to vote.

This year after hearing so much in the media about blogs. I decided to start my own to express my personal and political views.

Have you done anything special this year to try and motivate your friends and family to get out and vote?

Count Down

So I missed my chance to comment on the third Presidential debate.
The results of that debate were no surprise.
Kerry was headed for a clean sweep.

Now we are counting down to November 2, 2004. The country will decide does Bush get another term to complete/continue his current "projects," or do we give him "tha boot" and come in with a new quaterback or pitcher to bring home the win?

As for me, Bush has had enough time to prove that he doesn't have any idea of how to accomplish his goal(defeating terrorism). I agree with the rhetoric on the left that says Bush continues to be in denial about the mistakes made under his administration when it comes to the war in Iraq. And even more so the relationship of the Saddam regime to terrorism. The connection, as heart felt as the right is to wish it into being is not there. The insistence that the relationship exists makes them come off as a bunch of loony war mungers!

One thing we can say for sure that Bush has accomplished during his presidency, is that he (while I admit his "followers" extreme right wingers like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mike Reagan, and so on hype up daily doses of hate talk) has divided America. He has pit us against ourselves.

If re-elected I do not see this changing. I predict the divisiveness will become worse. If we experience another domestic terrorist attack we will unite when it comes to striking out against the terrorist. However, we will continue to be at odds with each other over conservative vs. liberal approach to terrorism. America has a big decision to make. Are we going to continue on the path of pre-emption? Or do we work harder towards compromise and form strong world wide allegiances?

The only solution to unite us will be if John Kerry wins.

What do you think?
Will we unite under a new President?
Will Bush finally find language and policy to demonstrate that he is a uniter?

Round Two

Tonight was the second debate between Bush and Kerry

Shar

Both these veterans came out with some powerful lines!

From... Bushes "It's just not credible, you can't believe it", in response to details of Kerry's domestic plan. Kerry's Plan
or my favorite...

"I know how these people think..." (hum, these people?)

To... Kerry's "They don't have a plan" to Bushes criticisms of the "Kerry" plan(s).

and my favorite,

"More of the same" Kerry's response to the Bush Plan.

(what really are the details of the Bush plan, does anybody really know? Is it really more of the same?)

So let's get down to the issues.

The site www.factcheck.org has been getting pushed by the media as the site to confirm the factuality of the statements of the candidates.

This site, though it has been around since 1994 Fact Check History, grabbed national attention when bolstered by Dick Cheney during the veeps(vice presidential debates).

Where Bush looses me is wanting to persuade the people that we should judge Kerry by his Senate record over the last 20 years but not judge him for his record as President over the last 4 years.

Would someone tell this "dude" that Kerry as a Senator was elected to serve the state and interest of the state of Massachusettes. It is the citizens of that state to whom he owes an explanation of his record over the last 20 yrs. I mean come on, credible? Now the Republicans are anti state?

It is the President who is elected to serve all the people, not a Senator. I would certainly hope that my US Senators (Texas), the great Patriots that they are, are great statesmen FIRST!!

The First Debate

Tonight was the first debate between Bush and Kerry.

The biggest thing that bothers me right now is for months the Bush campaign has taken a line from the Democratic primaries and used it as a slogan for their re-election.

It is amazing the only thing the President of the United States has going for him in this election is the idea that his challenger shifts positions.

Are there really people out there...

Who can say they have not changed their mind on important professional and/or personal matters.

Are there really conservatives out there,

That admire people who will not admit when they are wrong?

That admire someone who will not take responsibility, or make a retraction when they have publicized false and inaccurates as fact?(No I'm not talking about Dan Rather, he's admitted his mistake)

Let me say now, I have never supported the war in Iraq.

I remember vividly discussing this with a conservative "evangelical Christian" co-worker back home in Little Rock, AR back in late 2002 and early 2003 during the arms inspections and debates leading up to the war.

I told her then, (of course she was for the war) and will say it now, "We were gonna go to war with Iraq whether the American people wanted it or not. I do not trust the President."

I shared with her that I was suspicious, (well to put it bluntly "I don't believe that shit") of the intelligence reports that Iraq had "weapons of mass destruction".

I don't know why it is so difficult for some people to believe that government agencies under the direction of the President of the United States have and will commit crimes and lie to the people(Watergate).

The war, which we know now, there wasn't a chance in hell there would be a war with Iraq, we actually went to war in(not with) Iraq. I believe the President knew Saddam was not capable of a war against the United States. He thought it was going to be an easy win and that there would not be any opposition to US occupation.

I believe he did not plan and was not prepared for the insurgency. And make no doubt about it, there will be a civil war in Iraq.

Tonights debate did not move me. I was pretty much decided after it was confirmed that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction.

We find out that even scientists that led Iraqs nuclear weapons research program admit that Saddam's program has been disarmed since as early as 1991.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4485970

I did not want to be right about the weapons being some made up justification for the war.
The conservatives spin these scientists like Jafar Dhia Jafar as their see, he did too have weapons guy.

DUH!?

Since you're gonna be too much of a wimp to say it, I'll say it for you, Saddam was not a THREAT!!!

Mr. President, would you and your spin masters please stop spinning the subject of the campaign away from your failed domestic policies? The state of economy needs addressing.

Within the last few days several major companies with high paying tech jobs have announced thousands of lay-offs.

Computer Associates-900, Motorola-1000, AT&T-10,000( AT&T Lay-Offs), Nortel-3250, EDS-20,000 (over next 2 yrs EDS Annoucement)

Read 'em and weep!!

Second debate (Veeps) coming up October 5, 2004!!!

Same Sex Unions

Well I promised to write on this subject and what better time than the present?

Recently there have been stories about a mailer sent out by the Republican Party to Arkansas(my home state).

In this mailer the RNC claims that if conservatives(the target of this mailer was Christian conservatives) don't get out and vote, the Bible will be banned and same sex marriages will be legalized.

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/nation/9748985.htm?1c

I'm ot even going to comment on the madness of believing that the Bible could one day be banned. Though, we have allowed the government to ban books, movies, paintings, and other forms of personal and religious expression and art in the past on the grounds of moral obscenity. Crusaders for these types of bans have been warned too often that eventually their own expression would stand at risk of being banned.

My opinion on same sex unions?

I have found this to be a very controversial subject. Even among my friends that I consider the most open minded, this subject without a doubt turns them into religious right leaning fanatics!

I am for the right of adults in serious relationships having a right to form a legal and binding contract with each other.

I am for this right even for couples of the same sex.

The general basis I find that most of my frieds agree with. That if you are dating someone and you have become serious, but really don't want the ceremony and spiritual binding that is constituted upon your union by the church, you and your significant other should have the right to a civil union. But, if this is about couples of the same sex, I have found that the idea sickens these same friends. Lots of people just feel that homosexual relationships are not right.

I have found however that they can agree to this under a certain set of circumstances...for example.

You have a good paying job with benefits and your sibling/relative or best friend of the same sex does not. You work for a company that recognizes life partners and extends benefits to these partners as well as their dependents.

These same friends see no problem with the same sex union if it is to allow a friend or relative to qualify for benefits.

What do you think?

Are you for or against same sex unions?

Do you feel there should be federal or local laws that prohibit same sex unions?

Cowboys In Arlington

It's that time.

The time that my friends and family know that I hold dear. National Elections.

This is one of many articles I will post about topics on local and national elections.

I live in Arlington, Texas. One of our big ballot issues this year is the Dallas Cowboys Stadium. For several months the Dallas Cowboys have worked to entice local cities in the d-f dub into a partnership to build a new stadium. (For whatever reason they are ready to get out of Irving)

Talks with the city of Dallas were abruptly halted. Talks with Dallas

It was annouced they were in talks with the City of Arlington.
Talks with Arlington

The county put in their two cents worth: Tarrant County Ups the Ante

The Nay Sayers: What's Bad about Cowboys Stadium?

In just a few weeks they had a deal. Cowboys and Arlington Strike Deal

The people voiced their Opinions: From the People

The details (according to one source): Arlington Stadium Details

My view: I havent' decided if I'm voting for or against the resolution.

My concerns:

What is Irving going to do with a big empty ass stadium?
What will Arlington do with a big empty ass stadium when the Cowboys decide to leave?
What sacrifices did the City of Irving make to keep the Cowboys there for the years?
Irvings Sacrifices
What sacrifices will the City of Arlington have to make to keep the Cowboys?
Arlington's Sacrifices

This will be one of the key ballot issues that is sure to drive voters to the polls this fall...

AND I LOVE IT!!!!

School Drug Testing

School Drug Testing

In Bush's Saturday, July 17,2004 radio address, he suggested that schools should be allowed to drug test and proposed funding for this program.
 
"We know that random drug testing in schools is effective, and it allows us to identify kids who need help. In my most recent budget, I proposed spending an additional $23 million for school drug testing." George W. Bush, WASHINGTON, July 17 /PRNewswire. http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-17-2004/0002212115&EDATE=
 
Are we not more protective of our children’s privacy than this? To allow the very schools that we rant and rave are failing our children, keep tabs on which ones of our children have used drugs or alcohol? And where is this big database of our children’s "youthful indiscretions", going to be kept, and who will have access to this information?
 
This is the real problem with our children, this is really the reason that our schools are failing. It's not because of what the schools are not doing, it is because of what ALL we are expecting, allowing them to do.
 
There was a time when certain matters were family matters. When certain things were none of the school's damn business. When we had a since of protecting our fort. Our parents would NEVER have considered allowing the schools, a public bureaucracy, to test us for STD's let along drugs. But, then there was a time, they wouldn't have went for drug screening on their jobs either.
 
This seems to me that it could lead to future invasions of privacy. We don't know if we will be able to protect these test results from public disclosure. I can see some media organization taking this issue to court and winning. We see what is happening with professional athlete's, how their use of performance enhancers are being publicly disclosed.
 
I feel we owe it to our kids to talk to them about sex. To talk to them about drugs. To talk to them about their dreams, their goals. And I feel we have even more of a responsibility to protect them from bad public school policies. I do not believe we should entrust to the schools a medical analysis that should be made in the privacy of families along with the counsel of the child’s physician.

It's Shar! 

Bill's Beatin' Up On Blacks

After several days of deciding what I should post about first in my blog, I have decided to write about a subject that has been nagging at me for months now. Bill O'Reilly's offensive generalizations of the African American community.

He appears to go out of his way to promote negative social stereotypes of African Americans under the pretext that he is trying to help educate African Americans about their "situation". I am just about fed up with it!

The first time I noticed he had a distorted perception of "Black" America was in an interview he had with Tavis Smiley. Tavis Smiley is a writer for the AP, a regular on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, and former host of BET Tonight.

Bill was doing his best to try and coerce Tavis Smiley into admitting that African Americans are failures or lagging behind in our pursuit of the American Dream, because we come from single parent families, mostly headed by females. Tavis did not buy into this and reiterated several times that acheivement is tough for all children that come from single parent families.

His next attempt at pushing his anti-African American agenda was when he had a segment on his show were he wanted to badger a young African American Activist about statements that were made by Bill Cosby at a NAACP gala to celebrate the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education. Cosby expressed his opinion that "poor" African American parents are not taking the reigns when it comes to pushing their children to achieve in school and become successful, productive contributors to American Society.



Of course the statements drew lots of attention. Which was probably Cosby's intention. Though, he may not have intended to draw the attention of extremists with hidden agendas. Cosby made his comments at an NAACP function. Most NAACP functions get very little press. I doubt if there were very many "poor" Black's there. Probably about as many as can afford 500 hundred dollar sneakers, let alone two hundred dollars for hooked on phonics.

Bill also has a problem with most (probably all) hip hop artists. Specifically he has taken it upon his self to personally attack artists like Ludacris, 50 Cent, Nelly, and most recently Jay-Z. As part of his plan to affect their careers he has planned boycotts, and decided to harass BET about some of these artists music videos they play. O'Reilly calling the videos "soft porn".

Here's my message to Bill O'Reilly:

Until I see the African American woman you're married to, the African American orphans you've adopted, or the African American community you work in deligently to try and improve the lives of the residents, I will take your continued assaults on African Americans as just that. You may believe that you are helping, but you are not! Your show airs on a network, despite your denial, that has certain political and social lean. Masked deep within that lean is a cyst that festers with sick separatist ideology that finds justification for it's existence in these types of stories.

Ok so i'm playing around here to see what this picasa/hello thing is all about. Wondering to myself, how do I post video clips? Guess I've got more reading to do.