StephieL's Comments (15)

“I quit watching the channel after it was decided that wrestling was an appropriate programming choice for a network which was designed to showcase science fiction and other similar types of programming. Now, it's become a muddled collection of lame "reality" shows and even more of those crappy made-on-a-­shoestring­-critter-o­f-the-week movies.

I much prefer watching DVD's of classic sci-fi TV shows, thank you!”

“While it's true that, as Mr. Lux writes, "there is no question that progressive-minded folks have also engaged in political violence. The Revolutionary War, the Civil War and World War II were all led by progressives and you don't get much more violent than a war (not that I would have opposed those wars, I would have supported them).", what separates the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and World War II from the domestic terrorism which claimed the life of Dr. Tiller, is that these wars were fought on the foundation of the principle of the "General Welfare", which is the bedrock of our nation's Constitution.

Dr. Tiller's murder was premeditated, cold-blooded murder, but what makes his murder so stunning is the air of rejoicing within the conservative "Religious Right". The psychology of the "victim" is very much alive and well, and Christians who see themselves as "victims" of a society which has "forced" them to accept such things as abortion, gay rights (including marriage), embryonic stem-cell research and other medical technological breakthroughs, secretly yearn for someone who will exact payback upon society for having "persecuted" and "victimized" them.

When someone is murdered on the specious principle of "payback for persecution", then, what's to stop the level of political violence which some in the right-wing media openly advocate from escalating to the point where a person can be murdered simply because he doesn't believe in the prevailing doctrine of the day?”

“It's weird, but every time someone talks about Jon and Kate, the phrase "watching a train wreck" keeps coming to my mind,

Although I don't watch the program, the fact that this couple and their "reality" T.V. show has so captured the attention of a vast majority of Americans, while at the same time, the nation's healthcare system and economy are in a rapidly progreessing state of deterioration and collapse, is a reflection of the rampant, unashamed narcissism which has saturated our culture, and has created the 21st Century version of ancient Rome's "bread and circuses".

Makes me wonder if someone from ancient Rome would feel right at home if he/she were to visit America in the 21st century.”

“Thank you, Arianna, for so beautifully summing up what Obama's Presidential victory will mean for America and the world.

We had no vision from our current President; just eight years of fear, hopelessness, demoralization and despair, and we were about to perish under a dreadful and unnecessary war, an economic crisis which enriched the few at the expense of the many, and the politics of division, antagonism and suspicion.

Barack Obama has the opportunity to change all of that, and I pray that he will give us a clear vision not only of who we are, but, most importantly, what we can become. I am neither cocky or excited, but I realize that we need to summon our confidence and faith in ourselves if this Presidency is going to succeed, because Obama already made it clear that his Administration is going to be a partnership where all of us work together for the "common good"... and when was the last time you ever heard a President lay down this kind of challenge to the American people?”

“Yesterday, I spoke with a friend of mine who is a dyed-in-the-wool Republican, and when I asked him who he was planning to vote for in the upcoming election, he told me (much to my surprise) that he was going to cast his vote for Barack Obama, instead of John McCain.

When I asked him why he was voting for Obama, he told me, "Steph, after having watched McCain go through three debates where he came off as mean-spirited, abrasive and a little too hot-headed for my liking, I want a President who will listen toother viewpoints, who will use diplomacy to make positive change, rather than boming a nation out of pettiness, and who realizes that the wealth of our nation doesn't come from the things we own, but through the development of the nation's citizens, and will empower the American people to move toward a bright future. Sen. Obama presents that vision of a better America in a powerful and persuasive way, where McCain doesn't.. I agree with Gen. Colin Powell -- Barack Obama's the right man to become our next President, and I'd feel a lot safer with him in the White House, rather than John McCain."

It was certainly a surprise to hear my Republican friend tell me this, and it was incredibly refreshing to hear how intelligence was able to overcome fear.”

“Not only did the CCC provide six million unemployed men and teenaged boys with meaningful work, but they were also much healthier, due to the regular meals they were served, as well as the hard physical labor they exerted performing vital tasks of infrastructure rebuilding.

When we consider the troubling issue of rampant obesity among American teenagers, a CCC-type program which includes physical labor, including the rebuilding of various infrastructure projects, as well as providing educational programs for men and teenaged boys who dropped out of high school, would go a long way towards improving the physical and intellectual health and well-being of millions of Americans.”

“It's bad enough that many senior citizens, disabled people and single mothers with young children -- the ones who rely most on Medicare and Medicaid -- have seen budgets for both of these programs be ruthlessly slashed by four Presidents, and now McCain, for all intents and purposes, wants to get Medicare and Medicaid to the point where they will be shells of the programs they once were.

Obama got it when he stated that health care is a "right" to which every American is entitled to. Under McCain, health care would become a luxury which fewer and fewer Americans would be able to obtain, let alone afford.”

“Once again, Arianna, you hit the nail on the head with your accurate assessment of this second Presidential debate.

Obama presented himself as a calm, cool, extremely reasonable and quietly confident man who gave serious, thoughtful answers to the questions posed to him, while McCain's answers were mean-spirited, petty and petulant, especially when he referred to Obama as "that one". His rudeness and hostility were plainly evident, and I give Obama credit for refusing to lower himself to the same type of infantile "Romper Room" politicking which has become more and more obvious with each new election cycle.

I've got to give this second debate to Obama, hands-down. His confidence and grace under pressure was both refreshing and impressive.”

“At this point, if Obama decides to pledge his allegiance to Wall Street, instead of Main Street, by wholeheartedly embracing the proposed "bailout", while McCain plays the "maverick" card by boldly defying his own party and declaring that he's standing with Main Street against the "bailout", there's a very good chance that Obama's current supporters -- as well as those voters who are currently undecided -- will flock to McCain due to the perception that he's showing "leadership" in dealing with the economy by refusing to go along with the bailout.

Also, with Congressman Dennis Kucinich taking a bold, principled stand by proposing real solutions and reforms to the economy which were the hallmark of FDR's solutions to the crisis, wouldn't it be a major shock to Obama's Presidential aspirations if some of his more influential supporters broke away from his campaign, and launched a grass-roots campaign to get Kucinich reinstated as the real Democratic Presidential candidate instead?”

“Thank you, Mr. Penn, for this insightful, thoughtful and equally thought-provoking article.

It's unfortunate that so many Americans have confused emotional responses, perceptions and reactions with actual knowledge, and no longer use their fast-fading powers of cognition and reason to make thoughtful, rational, important decisions when choosing a President, especially when the futures of the nation, themselves and their descendants are in serious danger of ceasing to exist if these current economic, financial, military and international policies (or more accurately, non-policies) remain in place..

Sadly, the McCain camp isn't focused on "issues" which are of real importance to the American people, but on easily generated emotional reactions, perceptions and responses designed to whip up the voters into such an emotional frenzy to the point where they will "vote" based strictly on emotional reactions, perceptions and responses, and not on which candidate has the ability, desire and political will to lead us out of this economic, financial and military quagmire which threatens to engulf our nation and the rest of the world.”

“Excellent article, Arianna, and you've definitely nailed it when you bemoaned the lack of righteous anger coming from Sen. Obama's campaign. This silly doctrine of "political correctness" is the WORST thing which has happened to American politics in the last one hundred years. Now, Sen. Obama can't bring forth the "righteous anger" and indignation which Dr. King so masterfully used to galvanize a nation to rally for civil rights for the least of America's people because it might "offend" a certain segment of the population, and the emotional reaction to what he said would be used by the Republicans into "scaring" America's 'Casper Milquetoasts" into embracing McCain, Palin and the same old politics wrapped in a prettier package.

"Political correctness" has managed to neuter and water-down bold, intelligent political discourse to the point where American politics has degenerated to the level of shallowness, and pure, unashamed emotional pandering to Americans' worst fears about themselves and each other. When will we stop yielding to what's "politically correct" and have a Presidential candidate who is willing and able to pay us the highest compliment there is by telling the truth, even when that truth is what we may not like to hear, and not being afraid to show righteous anger concerning what he/she truly believes in?”

“In the end, it all boils down to emotional perception, and how the American people have been conditioned to "think" with their emotions, rather than reason. When McCain and the media engage in their customary "Obama-bashing", especially when they see people in European nations flocking to him like a group of thirsty travelers who've finally found a pool of fresh, clear water after eight years of drought and deprivation, they're attempting to stir up those fears, suspicions and uncertainties about Sen. Obama's judgment, while at the same time, pandering to the latent xenophobia within the American population which never completely disappeared after the Sept. 11th attacks.

Europeans have had to suffer through eight years of George W. Bush, including his rudeness (remember his disgraceful conduct during the G8 summits?), blatant anti-intel­lectualism­, and his "lone cowboy" mentality, and they're desperately hoping that Americans will finally elect a President who is ready, willing and able to listen to the nation's allies, instead of dismissing them with a curt "screw you", and going off on his own pecular tangent. For them, Barack Obama is the U.S. President they've been yearning for, and they've made their desire to see him as our next President clear in no uncertain terms. Instead of complaining about it, we ought to be glad that Europeans have enough confidence in Sen. Obama to express the hope that he will become our next President.”

“While the Iraq War may be important, it's not as important to the vast majority of the American people who earn less than one-hundred thousand dollars a year. For these Americans, Topic #1 isn't the Iraq War; it's the economy, and this is what Obama must focus upon, tackling economic issues in the same way Hillary Clinton did during her candidacy. Also, another thing which Obama should focus on is the dismantling of the illegal, clearly unconstitutional Bush/Cheney "Unitary Executive" government, because no program to rehabilitate and strengthen the American economy will be effective as long as the "Unitary Executive" apparatus is able to undercut and cripple those necessary economic and political reforms.”

“Part of the "virtuous victim" mind-set which seems to permeate the minds of so many Americans is this need to exact some type of revenge against the "bad guys", and there have been far too many times when Hillary Clinton's campaign speeches sound more like "I'm a victim, just like you, and I'm gonna get rid of the bad guys because I want to be your "savior" ", instead of challenging Americans to stop playing the role of the insecure, paranoid "victim", rise up to the challenges which face us and to overcome them.

Sen. Obama is -- at least -- making an effort to challenge us to stop being victims of (and in) life and to rise above being mere "victims", and I wish he'd do it more often, because we need to be challenged to rise above our self-inflicted, passive "victimhood" and become the bold, innovative, confident people the Founders hoped we'd become..”

“Brilliant observations, Mr. Weber. Once again, you're spot-on!

During the last thirty years, the American Presidency has become a grotesque "puppet show", and Hillary has squandered what could have been a golden opportunity to present a different, more humanitarian face to the Presidency and free it from the manipulations of the powerful and wealthy and transformed it into a circus sideshow. I want to believe that Obama will be the kind of humanitarian President which we -- and the world -- so desparately need, but he's a blank slate who has too many questions hanging over him, and John McCain is a warmonger who's ready to blow Iran off the map on the flimsiest of provocations (if Hillary doesn't do it first).

I also find it highly ironic that Richard Mellon Scaife, the man whom Hillary Clinton accused of orchestrating a "vast right-wing conspiracy" against her and her White House spouse, is now one of her best buddies. We live in some very strange days, indeed.”