We're in Big Trouble

We're talking to ourselves.

And we're not saying anything that's going to help win this election.

Everyone who cares knows that Sara Palin is a born again, right wing Republican. That she's a right-to-life, anti-gay, anti-global-warming, book-banning kind of gal.

No one seems to care.

The package and not the content is what's attracting interest. How cute she is when she says it. How cute she is when she skins a caribou. How cute are those barely grown expectant children of hers.

My first instinct was to scream from the roof tops that no self respecting woman was going to fall for this McCain manipulation. But apparently, plenty have. Plenty share her views and the crowds and the TV ratings are growing. The same way they grow for American Idol and other reality shows. Seems like we would rather watch ourselves, however diminished, on TV and in the public eye than people watch people with actual skills and talents. Watching people just like ourselves eating bugs and falling into vats of peanut butter has become a favorite American past time. And apparently, we would rather have an ill informed, inexperienced leader than one with experience and education. Experience has been denigrated to the level of liberal as a word. It's to be laughed at and ridiculed. And a lot of people are buying it. And we're supposed to slink away, like the nerd in high school being attacked by the football player.

But this isn't high school and we're supposed to know better. We have got to take back these words and what they stand for. Leaders need to be chosen from the most talented among us, not from the bottom of the barrel. And we shouldn't be afraid to say so.

What kind of misplaced chivalry would keep the Democrats from calling Sarah Palin what she is? An ignorant, misinformed, inexperienced, bigoted fraud. And unless we find a way to do it, she will be running the country before we have time to turn around.

This will not be easy. I spent hours on the telephone to Ohio Democrats last presidential election. There was no way I was going to convince these working class Democrats that they were wrong to vote for Bush. Kerry scared them. And no manner of logic would turn it around. They voted against their own economic interests, against college for their kids, against their own medical care, against their first amendment rights. Why, because they had been told that Kerry was going to challenge their belief systems. He was "for abortion", "against the troops."

We're going to have to frame the argument in the same way. Who is Sarah Palin? A woman for sure. The package is nice, but the content is out of date and spoiled. If she gets anywhere near power we can expect global warming, the destruction of the constitution, the end of Choice, and books banned in our libraries. And we've got to make people understand this. And even if we can frame it this way, the question remains, are there many Americans who would care? Enough to sustain the constitution? Life as we know it?

I am terribly afraid that we are counting on good sense, and decency and it has gone the way of the ten cent subway ride. We are not thinking about each other. We are thinking about ourselves. Why else would we even consider a woman who tried to get her brother in law fired from his job for daring to divorce her sister. Who tried to get a local librarian to remove books she disapproved of from the library.

Politeness is not in order. We need to be scared. Terribly scared. We need to pull out all the stops. She's not going to self destruct in front of an audience who likes these things about her. Who abhors the clarity and thoughtfulness of Obama. There is no drama in it. There's drama in teenage pregnancy, political scandal and moose hunting.

McCain seems to have known just what he was doing. Now the question remains, do we?

Comments

[DaveNorthwest]

McCain and Palin represent change as much as that big cabbage stuffed egg roll you had last night represents real Chinese food. But to a lot of people, they can't tell the difference. So if we do end up with 4 more years of GOP nonsense, I don't want to hear any "swing" voters out there complaining about gas prices, global warming, budget deficits, mortgage problems, low wages, poor health care, high grocery bills, or poor education for your children. If we constantly vote against our own interests, don't we get what we deserve?

[Gingersp]

Obama has never changed his story about his religion. He is not and never has been Muslim.
Sarah Palin called HERSELF an "average hockey mom". That pretty much sums it up.
The press needs to go after her just like they would any other candidate. She'll show her true colors. So far, everything has been scripted. I don't think she'll make it when she has to answer the tough questions without a speech that somebody else wrote in front of her.
But you are right -- if she should win and some day become President, I think I'll move to Canada!!! She is SCARY!!

[obamaluv]

Then lets quit. We are acting like wimps and cowards. Take this on. Take it to the people. Get out the vote and we win.

[Deparis]

Another reminder folks, that people need to sign up to volunteer as if their life depended on this election, because at the end, it actually does for millions in this country. Donating money (which is great) alone wouldn't be enough. Folks, you need to get out to get out (redondence intended) the votes come Nov. 4. You already know where you stand, but do you know where your cousins, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, friends and neighbors stand? Those are the people who would help put Obama/Biden in the White House after Nov. 4, and prevent our democracy to become a theocracy.

Obama/Biden 08

[way out left in san francisco]

Thanks. you made my day with your observations, ""Who is Sarah Palin? A woman for sure. The package is nice, but the content is out of date and spoiled. An ignorant, misinformed, inexperienced, bigoted fraud"

The MSM will not defrock her because they are to building up their "American Idol" reality show viewing base.
Obama and Biden are in a tricky spot because the MSM is poised to call any insightful observation of Palin - an anti-women attack - because it gets ratings.

How can we on the thoughtful voters from the coasts help get new voters in battleground states?

[kellygrrrl]

Voters are blinded by the Shiny New Object.

Focus People!!!

get out there and help young voters in battleground states
they need to get their documents in order - even if they have to go re-register and KEEP Registration Card.
They need photo ID - preferably 2 forms of ID

Suppression of young voters is already starting in OH and VA.

donate your airmiles to Campaign or sponsor and intern to work on the ground

[wdw101]

tell me how anyone's vote is being suppressed in ohio

[jaynevada]

Sounds like the delusional Obama supporters are finally smelling the coffee...

McCain 08

[HRG]

The really delusional ones are those who believe that something will change with McC in the White House and that Palin is capable of being leader of the free world. And they accused Obama of being a celebrity - ha!

[wilder5121]

Thanks, jaynevada. Your comment inspired me. I just sent Obama another $25 and went to lunch, where I convinced two more co-workers who were leaning McCain to vote for Obama. And all I had to do was remind them of the facts about Republican­s...and John McCain. Simple as that....th­ey GOT IT. I asked them to each pass it on, and wake up at least one other person...s­o your gift will keep on giving, jaynevada. THANK YOU. Write another comment...­and I'll do the same tomorrow. Thanks again...I feel GOOD.
REAL good.

[rightnproud]

Wilder5121,

So are you going to drive these co-workers to the polling station and hold their hand while in the booth? Unless you are in the booth with them when they vote, you don't know how they are gonna vote. Perhaps they just said what you wanted to hear so they could get back to enjoying their lunch.

[thesimulacra]

This is the problem with American democracy. Instead of actually doing what it's supposed to do - give people the opportunity to evaluate political strategies fairly and filter out the bad ones, it's just all about "framing" and "re-framing" the "debate". This is linguistic acrobatics. What we're really talking about is TRICKING idiots into voting the way we want them to.

You know why progressives lose political battles? Because conservatives don't mind lying to win. They do it with a straight face, and they sleep like babies at night afterwards. When it comes to ignorant people, you're always going to convince them more easily with a lie than with the truth. The truth is always more complicated, and thus, less interesting to them. A lie can be tailored to be something these people will actually listen to. Like dangling keys in front of a baby. If you dangled, say, a tax plan in front of a baby, they're much less likely to look at you and smile.

I'm tired of this. If America really wants John McCain and Sarah Palin, who are we to stop the punishment we deserve? Maybe if we're lucky, they'll destroy America so well that we'll actually have the opportunity to remake it into what it should've been in the first place.

[nutty4tahoe]

Amen. A liar wearing lipstick is still a liar.

Eight years ago and again four years ago I was just appalled at the apathy of the American people. Their campaign tactic worked so well on this group of kneejerk Republicans that this year we get more of the same. Different liars, scammers and backstabbers, but more of the same. If this is what Americans really want for their children and grandchildren, wow. As you say, like junkies we will have to hit rock bottom before we see the truth, if then.

I'm sick of it too. I'm sick of being surrounded by people running in herds, being led by liars and cheats. There are none so blind as those who will not see.

[OrganOfThought]

I understand your sentiment and feel as though you may be right.

The problem is that we'll be punishing ourselves and many innocents along the way. America is still the most powerful country on Earth. Our country can create great damage, hurt many people, and ruin our mortal lives meanwhile.

How many innocents in other countries will suffer and die because of American Foreign policies? How long do we have to go through this garbage here? The length of time required to turn this around may be longer than our lifetime.

I don't think we can just unplug the drain and start over. Too many innocents will suffer from such events.

I don't think there is even much support for these beliefs. In my heart I agree with the anti-war protesters outside the conventions, but had wished they would stop protesting against Obama (that is what they were doing in effect). They didn't seem to have much support either. Even listening to Pacifica, I got the impression that the numbers were small. There were more protesters in 2004 (and in the 60's of course).

I don't know what to do other than to prepare myself for another heartbreak like in 2004.

[renatam]

So, instead of focusing on the last 8 years -- John McCain has resurrected the CULTURE WAR infotainment strategy carnival, cynically and unpatriotically. Then, he finds a bigger LIAR than he is to help him package misinforma­tion/disin­formation for the lazy, duplicitous MSM circulate like a DRUG.

Nice.

Skip the lapel pin.

[redblackandGREEN]

ease up folks. . .
see the WHOLE thing through. . .

they WANT us to start pushing the panic button, drown in anxiety, and abandon the energy that has brought us to this point. . .

my suggestion?

download obama's acceptance speech at the dnc on i tunes. it's free. listen and remember. . .
we ARE on the right side of history AND on th right side of POPULIST media. . .
use these forums to prosper, not panis

[donkat]

Agree. Spalin should be called out for what she is. Another repub liar. She's a big girl, she shouldn't be handled with kid gloves. The American people are, unfortunately, by and large uninformed about the issues. Truth is, they don't seem to care much. That O has gotten this far says that there are more informed, intelligent voters out there than I ever expected to see. Time and time again, the electorate has fallen for the wedge issues the repugs so effectively pull out - not issues that have much affect on their lives. The world is complex, they know to toss them one single thing that they can hold onto. We expect people to see the forest, the repubs realize that most people don't want to see the forest, they want to focus on a vein on a leaf on a tree. It's time to stop fighting issue by issue - they don't care about the issues - and make the issue the fact that repubs lie. They cannot be believed, they lie. They paint us as elite (that's the forest), we have to respond and paint them to be the liars they are.

[renatam]

Sarah Palin has NOT treated anyone with respect since her announcement. She has come out blazing against Candidates and the MSM that have done her no wrong and only had good things to say. Bloggers and UWeekly are not the entire MEDIA.

So, since she hasn't returned to Alaska as the MSM was told -- to "be with her son" before his required deployment (either Iraq or JAIL due to his cutting brake lines on a school bus) -- all gloves should be off. I don't blame her for not returning to her fishbowl -- because there are probably more MSM there than entire population -- who will teach her what sharks and barricudas really are.

No, best to remain HIDDEN in the cocoon -- and throw rocks from behind a secure wall...and whine and LIE about what bullies everyone else, while SHE BULLIES, THREATENS, INSULTS EVERYONE ELSE!

Some President she will make. Ha!

[wdw101]

i agree.....­.vote McCain

[gregk991]

Obama will win with a voter registration/get out the vote effort. People who want to believe Palin is a good choice for VP will not be convinced otherwise. Her base of support is made of people who will ignore facts as a matter of faith. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen", they will ignore facts and conflate anything that happens which supports their religious worldview as "the will of God" and anything that happens against their worldview will be seen as "the devil's work". It's that simple. Many in the Chrisitan community believe that God has favor for people and he blesses them to remarkable things that the world says they cannot do. Before long Palin will be cast as David in the David and Goliath story-a young, righteous person who slays the evil giant (the Liberals and their liberal media). The religious right has co-opted the Christian religion and uses it to manipulate people who have suspended their ability to be rational human beings. Obama needs to reach the rational people, some of whom are also religious just not stupid, and get them signed up to vote. Then he should use he rather effective outreach campaign to make sure those people go to the polls on November 4. Believe me the right wing churches will now get out their vote because of Palin.

[Pandemia]

HuffPost's Pick

We're in trouble, alright. The Palin juggernaut's got us so shaken we're tempted to give in and "go dumb". Are we really poised to abandon our great push against the "politics of the past" and dive into the Rovian miasma of political deceit and machination ?

Echoes of that old Nader argument -- are you willing to lose a big election today to give hope that a healthier politics could prevail tomorrow ? Or do we play the game to win today, only to reinforce a political dysfunction, making it ever more difficult to derail ?

Adam McKay's blog ("We're Gonna Frickin' Lose This Thing") speaks of the decimation of the fourth estate in this country. This vacuum is the environment in which the New Machiavellians do their work, and the essential discourses of democracy are their waste product. So are we gonna "call it" -- declare the practice of authentic debate dead, and commit ourselves to a future of cynical gamesmanship ? It it a case of "let's give in just this one time, in order to acquire the power to really things" ?

Given the current state of our media and how it's trending, things certainly don't look good for us. It's frightening -- we're facing down the death of principle.

-- Pandemia

[wdw101]

sounds like a plan......­vote McCain

[AlltheBuzzfromCali]

Political deceit and machination? Authentic debate? Healthier politics? Well la de dah. Try explaining this stuff to Ahmindinijad or Putin. The guy who says you are frickin gonna lose is correct, but only because the American gut says McCain and Palin will face off better with these goons than a fella who says deep thought is above his pay grade.

[rasthedestroyer]

good read..

[Jazzcomedian]

1. How working class people would want to be led by condesending, smirking, self-satisfied, bellicose multi-millionaires like Giuliani, and Thompson is beyond me. Do they really believe that they are concerned about their welfare?

2. Giuliani and Palin belittled Obama's community organizing background. Last I looked community organizing involved taking poor, and marginalized Americans, and trying to get them involved in getting their public officials to address some of their vital concerns regarding quality of life in their neighborhoods. In other words helping them participate in democracy. Why is that not viewed by Republicans in an admirable manner?

3. It stands to reason that Obama, a person who has worked with the poorest of our society as a community organizer, would be seen as able to relate to the serious economic concerns of working and middle class people much better than McCain, a candidate of immense wealth and privilege whose wife flaunts a dress and accessories worth over $300,000 in a convention during undisputed hard economic times. But somehow GOP voters don't see that.

4. I'm beginning to think McCain's advisor was right when he said that this election is not about the issues. I scoffed when he said that but it sure seems to be playing out that way so far.

[wdw101]

why is it the government's problem to deal with the poor....."­undisputed hard economic times" what?.....­my EMPs and I dispute hard economic times, i just hired one more shift and expanded the shop......­..oh ya.......i­t is real bad

give me a break please

[jacq8411]

The only people concerned about my welfare are my family as it should be. We don't want "help" that is going to keep us and our children enslaved. Govt. but out.

[Conniembz]

THIS IS what this election is all about --- it is about the next generation and our children's children and and their children's children. And McCain is way beyond thinking in those terms....t­his is about the next generations platforms "energy technologies". We've just left the "internet technologies" era. This country is going to need scientists and engineers and high tech thinking doctors and teachers etc, etc.
This is so above the McCain, Palin, Bush that they don't even know that they don't know. Let Barack Obama usher in and lead this country, because it is his generation, to a place of dignity and respect. We need to be respected in the world again, we need to be leaders again, like were were for the race to the moon. It spurs competition, creates jobs, supports the rest of us. We need to be able to educate our kids and their kids and give them the "chance" to succeed in what lies ahead for the USA. The rest of this chatter is utter nonsense. Palin has been in the woods for a long time---her answer to everything has been secede from the US (take her marbles and go home). I would like both she and McCaine to spend one day with my son-in-law, a resident doctor at Stanford and try and understand the conversations and complicated medical world and all of the new medical/biological phenomenon that is taking place there and around the world. Palin has no content.