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Wednesday, September 10. 2008
it’s God’s Will to Lie
Just heard the funniest thing on MSNBC “This just in from O.J. Simpson’s latest trial …”His latest trial … That’s funny! First there was the murder trial, then the civil trial that he lost to the Goldman family and finally his Las Vegas trial for kidnapping and robbery. Two of his confederates have already pled guilty in exchange for testimony and still the trial is expected to last five weeks.
Simpson’s murder trial lasted nearly 10 months. Simpson says he has faith in the jury system. And why not? There’s a good possibility that a guilty man was acquitted of murder. Regardless of the verdict, the jury system worked. They, the jury, voted on the evidence and testimony they heard and saw in court. The prosecution was out-played in the courtroom by the defense team.
It matters little that a guilty man may have been acquitted, we have convicted a large number of innocent people; experts say 13% of those on death row are innocent of the charges that put them there. Better that ten guilty men (or women) be set free than one innocent be convicted.
The jury system works. We’ll see just how it works in Simpson’s latest trial and just how much faith he will have in the system when it’s over.
Finally, the news media are beginning to dig into Palin’s past as a politician, question her claims of having not supported the “Bridge to Nowhere” and being against earmarks. About her claims that she sold the governor’s jet on eBay and John McCain’s claim that she sold it on eBay for a profit. Actually, she sold it through an aviation broker and took a half million-dollar hit in the sale. Here’s what really bothered me about the transaction: the broker, Turbo North Aviation, only received $31,000 commission. They sold the 2.7 million dollar jet for 2.1 million. That’s a commission of … let me do the math … 1.5 %. Jeez, that’s all they got? Sheesh, not only did the taxpayers take it in the shorts, but the brokers did too.Palin — and McCain — lied about Alaska’s plane being sold on eBay. Okay, it’s a pretty innocuous lie, no men or women were sent into a war and to their deaths over the lie, but if the McCain campaign is going to lie about something like that, what other lies will they tell that will truly impact us as citizens?
Well here’s a little fib that impacts us as taxpayers: McCain (and Palin) claim the Alaska governor is a “reformer,” that she “took on” the powerful Republicans in her state (see their latest TV commercial) and made “mortal enemies” of Senator Ted Stevens and Republican Congressman Don Young over the issue of earmarks.In 2008 Palin’s special counsel, John Katz, stated the governor has asked for 31 earmarks, down from 54 the year before. Oops, maybe she’s not so against earmarks as she claims. But it gets juicier. Palin’s administration has worked closely with Senator Stevens and Palin even co-chaired a “527” advocacy group that promoted Senator Stevens and his causes. On July 2 of this year, Palin and Stevens appeared in a joint press conference to dispel any rumors that they were “mortal enemies” and Palin said of Senator Stevens, “I have great respect for the senator and he needs to be heard across America, his voice, his experience, his passion needs to be heard across America so that Alaska can contribute more. I again have great respect for him and I agree there’s a big difference between reality and perception regarding our relationship.”
Yeah, there’s a big difference, especially if you and your surrogates, Governor Palin, are the ones putting those misperceptions out in the campaign. It was Senator Lindsay Graham, speaking for the McCain-Palin campaign, who referred to Palin and Stevens as being “mortal enemies,” and yet no one tried to correct him. Certainly not Wolf Blitzer who was conducting the interview of Graham.
So, just how against earmarks is Governor Palin? That remains to be seen, especially if she remains good buds with the poster child for extravagant earmarks, Ted Stevens.
Actually, I’m not really against them myself, although under Republican control of government earmarks ballooned to once unimaginable proportions.
And this just in Tuesday: Hillary Clinton supporters said the press should “back off’ Governor Palin. Well, she is vying for the job of Vice President of the United States so the “press” has an obligation to press Palin on a variety of issues, especially those the governor brings up — including her family. Questions on whether or not she can juggle the demands of motherhood with the job of being Vice President should be fair game if the governor uses that topic in her speeches.
We need to find out about her personal views and how they influence her public policy ideas. For instance, she believes the story of Adam and Eve (Genesis) should be taught in science classes and that “abstinence only” be the only sex education taught in the schools; she actually told her fellow parishioners to pray to God because God wanted the oil pipeline built in Alaska: it was “God’s will.” Click Here.
As is the war in Iraq. She says, in This Video, our military personnel are fighting in Iraq in a “task from God.” Really. Not even President Bush makes the claim (publicly) that God directed him to start the war. Not anymore that is.
The Obama-Biden campaign is going after Palin and her lies, as voiced by the McCain-Palin campaign, but they need to do more. Number One, they need to defend the good character of all those people who volunteer to do community service and those who eschew high paying corporate jobs to put their skills and education to work helping our communities. Obama and Biden are setting the record straight when it comes to the Republican claim that McCain and Palin are the original “mavericks.” Another point they ought to make clear is the false comparison of McCain who bucked his party and president (10% of the time) to Obama, who has rarely voted opposite his party’s positions.
The reason Obama hasn’t voted against his party is that the Democrats haven’t put forth legislation that does harm to America like that of Bush and the Republicans. It isn’t about which candidate bucked their party more, it’s about who did the right thing.
Finally, the double standard of the day: Senator John McCain has used the phrase, “... put lipstick on a pig and it’s still a pig ...” many times during this current campaign, one of the most recent was to describe Senator Hillary Clinton’s health care plan, in October of last year and then again in May of this year. No outcry from any of the Republican gender police about it. No outcry from anyone.
Senator Obama used it yesterday: “The other side, suddenly, they’re saying ‘we’re for change too!’ You can put lipstick on a pig. It’s still a pig! You can wrap up an old fish in a piece of paper and call it change. It’s still going to stink after eight years. We’ve had enough!”
Now, the Republican gender police are crying “SEXISM!” The reason, the gender police say, is that it is directed at the only woman in the campaign. Former Massachusetts governor Jane Swift called it “Disgraceful!” Palin is the only candidate who wears lipstick, according to Swift so — obviously — the comment was directed towards Governor Palin. Now, the McCain-Palin campaign — or should it really be the “Palin-McCain” campaign — has an internet ad out saying Obama owes Palin an apology.Bullshit! The Obama-Biden campaign hit back swiftly calling it another swift boat tactic from the Republican Rove smear machine. The comment wasn’t directed to one candidate, but to John McCain’s adherence to the failed policies of President Bush and calling it “change.”
Where was Governor Swift when McCain was using it directly about Senator Clinton? And for that matter, where was Governor Swift when there were signs and buttons at the Republican convention that said: “Alaska: Hottest Governor, Coldest State!”
Lies and the double standard rule the Republican agenda because that’s all they have. They can’t run on the issues because they will lose. McCain’s campaign manager said as much when he told the Washington Post the campaign wouldn’t be about issues, but personalities.
And remember when John McCain, “The Straight Talk Express,” promised the campaign would be about issues? How many times will McCain have to lie before the electorate sees him for who he is: just another political hack whose only ambition in life is to be president and will do and say anything to get there — pretty much like the current clown in the White House.
“The Straight Talk Express.” McCain should at least have the decency to take that off his bus.
This could be the best news of the day: One of my favorite comedians, Al Franken, has secured the Democratic nomination to run against incumbent Republican Senator Norm Coleman. Al has been a favorite of mine since he first appeared on Saturday Night Live and then as an original talk show host for Air America Radio. His books are not only factual, they’re funny too!
And I love Contessa Brewer of MSNBC. She cut through the crap and called Cedarburg what it is: suburban. Maybe she read my last entry!
P.S. There’s nothing wrong with Cedarburg, WI. It’s a really nice little ’burb.
And just for my gratification: Frank Zappa’s last interview, on NBC’s Today show: FZ.
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