Obama's Secret White Constituency

My hometown has fewer than 3000 citizens. The average income is less than $30,000 per year. The economy is hurting here as it is in most areas of the United States. Recently, I have been trying to gauge how people here will be voting in the Presidential Election in November. Although our county is very strongly Republican, I have heard many people quietly talking about supporting Barack Obama. When I say "quietly," I mean that literally. A few days ago, I got into a discussion with an older gentleman about the Presidential election, and when he began talking about his support of Barack Obama, his voice got very quiet and he became very aware of who was around us. There is a very real intimidation from the McCain supporters that is felt by people who live here. Rather than face public ridicule from those McCain supporters, people are quietly supporting Obama. They are not putting up the yard signs or putting bumper stickers on their cars, yet they are secretly but certainly going to vote for Obama/Biden. I am only guessing, but I believe that this "quiet support" exists in many predominantly white rural communities throughout the country. Obama may not have the majority of votes in these areas, but it may well be enough to give him a commanding victory in November.

"COUNTRY FIRST" - Not for this American

Recently John McCain gave a speech to supporters in front of a large banner that said, "COUNTRY FIRST." I am certain that particular theme plays well for many people in the United States, but not for this citizen. For me, God and family are placed above "country." My "allegiance" to God and family will always trump my allegiance to country if ever those loyalties are opposed to one another. The Republican Party has repeatedly confused and substituted the term "government" for the term "country" making it even more difficult for me to profess my devotion to our country. My country - the United States of America - is NOT the government of the United States of America. It is disheartening that John McCain and so many other Republicans do not understand this. The territory of the United States and the people who live within its borders are this country. It is not the monstrous government and those who control it that define the term country.

What's more is that John McCain is from the party that supposedly wants "less government." Yet, the current Republican administration has reached deeper into our homes, our wallets, our churches, and virtually every other part of our lives than any other presidency in the history of this nation.

Recently, I had a very long, thoughtful, and friendly discussion with a friend of mine who happens to be a conservative southern Democrat. On practically every issue we agree - except one, the war in Iraq. Although we agree that we should never have gone into Iraq - unlike me, my friend believes that since we are there, we need to "finish the job." I have serious problems with his reasoning. Saying that we need to "finish the job" in Iraq, is like saying that a surgeon who has begun amputating the wrong limb should "finish the job." Of course, this is absurd. The surgeon should do his best to undo the damage he has done, and get out. That is exactly what we should do when it comes to Iraq. We should do our best to correct the damage we have done and get out. If the Iraqi people are not willing to fight for their liberty, then why should we? You can not "hand" democracy to a people and expect them to appreciate it. In every instance, where democracy has succeeded, it is because the people were willing to demand it and, in most cases, fight for it. This has not happened in Iraq.

My friend made an interesting statement during our discussion. He said, "You know, Lon, there are only two things that I am passionate about. The first one is my country - because country is 'home.' The second is my woman." I replied, "I would add God to the top of my list. Before country would be my wife and family - because they ARE my home, no matter where we live. If I am with them, I am at home." My friend smiled and said, "I respect that. I'll have to think about it. It makes sense."

Couric Continuing as Republican Mouthpiece

Katie Couric is continuing to help the Republican cause by her attacks (although well veiled) on Barack Obama and her support (not as well veiled) for John McCain. In recent interviews with both presidential candidates, Couric is very pointed in her attempts to get Senator Obama to admit that the "surge" in Iraq has worked, while basically ignoring the points he makes in why he did not support the surge. She completely ignores the other options - instead of sending more troops and money into Iraq - that were available to us at the time. Couric also does not challenge McCain at all in her questioning of him about the success of the "surge." For example, she could have asked:

• Senator McCain, isn't it possible that the success of the surge is only temporary?
• Senator McCain, do you believe that this increased presence of American troops in Iraq will have to be sustained for weeks, months, or years to come in order to keep the violence levels low?
• Senator McCain, is it not possible that the surge will create new resolve for those who have been the cause of violence against our soldiers in Iraq to fight even harder or find new opportunities to attack them?
• Senator McCain, are there better ways that the money being spent on the surge could have been spent to secure a peace in Iraq and help the citizens here in the United States?

However, these questions nor any like them were asked of Senator McCain. Cowardice and complicity - apparently that is all CBS expects from Couric.

Why The Media Pressure On Obama?

The "Liberal Media Bias" is a complete myth. Case in point: the media's over-analysis of Barack Obama's choice for a Vice Presidential running mate. Where are all the questions about McCain's choice for Vice President? Faux News pounces at every opportunity upon the people chosen to help Mr. Obama select the best candidate for Vice President. The news networks have barely mentioned (if at all) the people helping McCain at the highest levels of his campaign staff. At least we know who is on Mr. Obama's team. Apparently, Mr. McCain is hiding his key staff. Republicans are showing themselves to be cowards. They are afraid to run on the issues. It is all about character assassination and innuendo. This may have been successful in the past, but this year it will not be a winning strategy. Try to "Swiftboat" Mr. Obama, and the Republicans will be rewarded with the loss of the Presidency and more seats in Congress. Honestly, that would not please me. I prefer to see a divided government - one party in control of Congress and another in the White House. It creates more accountability on both sides. However, if the Republicans keep using the methods of avoidance and character assassination, the Democrats will have a very good election year.

Paulson, Bernanke, & Bush Making Economy Tank

The proposed "economic stimulus package" from the Bush administration is "too little, too late" and actually exacerbates the underlying difficulties that Americans are currently experiencing. What is being proposed are tax cuts that will increase consumer spending, raise prices even further, and be of no assistance in the debt to asset ratio that is already hurting so many consumers caught in a severe mortgage crisis. It is a fact that higher prices in oil have already worked their way through the economy causing the consumer to pay higher prices for practically everything they need to survive. Meanwhile, higher wages are non-existent and healthcare costs also continue to climb.

What does the Bush "plan" actually provide to the average American taxpayer? Some analysts have suggested that most people will see a $250 tax break. Think about this. Two hundred fifty extra dollars in your tax return is not enough to make a mortgage payment. Even if the $250 is put back into the economy in the form of consumer spending, it will not stop the recession (which I believe began last quarter). When everything from groceries to automobile parts cost 30% more than they did 2 years ago, but wages have remained flat, there is no way to stop a recession from occurring. It certainly cannot be stopped by increasing inflation and sinking the dollar to new all-time lows against currencies of other industrialized nations. I don't know about you, but this is the first time during my lifetime that the Canadian dollar has traded at a premium to the U.S. dollar. Bush can talk all he wants about lowering taxes, but THERE IS NO GREATER FINANCIAL TAX THAT YOU CAN PLACE ON THE WORKING CLASS THAN INFLATION. And inflation happens when the dollar's value deteriorates - it takes more dollars to buy the same products.

So, what are going to about this? Are going to allow Bush & Co. to crap on us one more time, or are we going to scream bloody murder until they start addressing the real issues behind this recession? Remember, it was just 8 years ago that we had a balanced budget and no deficit spending. If we can have it under a Democrat as President, surely we can have it under a Republican if he sticks to the ideals of his party.

Elections: A Delegate Situation

Our election system has many flaws, the most serious of them - in my opinion - being the lack of accountability and security in casting and counting votes. However, another problem that is almost as important is the use of delegates to send to a convention where the candidates for the major parties will be selected. I have just looked at the numbers from the Iowa Caucuses, and I find them to be quite disturbing. See if they make sense to you.

For reference, the population of Iowa is 2,926,324. The percentage of the population who cast a vote in this caucus: 4%

On the Republican side:

• Delegates at stake: 40 
• Super Delegates: 0
• Total Votes Cast for Republicans (with 96% of precincts reporting): 116,114
• Percentage of Total Population Casting Republican Votes: 3.96%

Candidate Numbers (with 96% of precincts reporting)

• Mike Huckabee - Votes Received: 39,814 (34%)  Delegates Received: 30 (75%)
• Mitt Romney - Votes Received: 29,405 (25%)  Delegates Received: 7 (17.5%)
• Fred Thompson - Votes Received: 15,521 (13%)  Delegates Received: 0 (0%)
• John McCain - Votes Received: 15,248 (13%)  Delegates Received: 0 (0%)
• Ron Paul - Votes Received: 11,598 (10%)  Delegates Received: 0 (0%)
• Rudy Giuliani - Votes Received: 4,013 (3%)  Delegates Received: 0 (0%)
• Duncan Hunter - Votes Received: 515 (0%)  Delegates Received: 0 (0%)

Percentage of Voters Ignored by Delegates: 46%

On the Democrat side:

• Delegates at stake: 57
• Super Delegates: 0
• Total Votes Cast for Democrats: 2,497
• Percentage of Total Population Casting Democrat Votes: 0.09%

Candidate Numbers (with all precincts reporting)

• Barack Obama - Votes Received: 940 (38%)  Delegates Received: 16 (28%)
• John Edwards - Votes Received: 744 (30%)  Delegates Received: 14 (24.5%)
• Hillary Clinton - Votes Received: 737 (30%)  Delegates Received: 15 (26%)
• Bill Richardson - Votes Received: 52 (2%)  Delegates Received: 0 (0%)
• Joe Biden - Votes Received: 23 (1%)  Delegates Received: 0 (0%)
• Chris Dodd - Votes Received: 1 (0%)  Delegates Received: 0 (0%)
• Mike Gravel - Votes Received: 0 (0%)  Delegates Received: 0 (0%)
• Dennis Kucinich - Votes Received: 0 (0%)  Delegates Received: 0 (0%)

Percentage of Voters Ignored by Delegates: 22.5%

This is screwed up! It's RIDICULOUS! Less than 8% of eligible voters went to the polls to vote in this Caucus. In the Democrat's Caucus only 2,497 total votes were cast to win a total of 57 delegates. That's insane!! Only 44 votes per delegate?! Why? hmmm.... let's see. Could it be that the voters believe that their vote will count for NOTHING?!? Thirty percent of all Iowans are registered as Independents. They are automatically shut out of the Caucuses. This is abhorrent, but I will save that discussion for another time. The huge majority of the remaining registered voters do not vote in the primaries, and it is no wonder. If I had voted in the Republican Caucus for Fred Thompson (who received 13% of the vote), my vote would have been for NOTHING! Mr. Thompson will not receive a delegate from this Caucus. If I had voted in the Democratic Caucus for Barack Obama, my vote may well have been one of the 26% of the votes for Mr. Obama that will not be represented by a delegate. Again, I would have voted for NOTHING!

Everyday, the federal government steals more and more of our wealth, our freedoms, and our country away from us. If want it to stop, you cannot keep your mouth shut and sit on your hands.

The Forgotten Soldiers

As we hear the daily news from Iraq, many of us pay attention to number of soldiers killed in a recent attack. However, most of us ignore the other number - the number of wounded. This war is creating an epidemic. As of this date, September 10, 2007, the Pentagon has reported 27,767 soldiers wounded in Iraq. However, some experts believe that this number is low because it may not include those soldiers who are sent back into the field after recovering from an injury. These experts have estimated the actual number of wounded to be anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000. Still, if we accept the Pentagon's official count, it is certainly not negligible. These are soldiers who need extended medical treatment and rehabilitation. Many are not able to hold jobs after returning to civilian life. According to a recent AP article, thousands of soldiers have suffered traumatic brain injuries (TBI), and 20% of them will suffer "prolonged or lifelong symptoms and need continuing care." The article focuses only on that one type of injury - TBI. There are thousands more who have lost vision, hearing, use of limbs, etc. also facing the same need for continuing care. Does Bush care? No. The funding under his administration and the former Republican controlled Congress allowed horrendous conditions to exist in our Veterans Hospitals and rehabilitation centers. Things are improving, but the deficit created by GWB and company is monstrous and will take decades to correct. Of course, that is assuming that Americans are intelligent enough not to put another war-mongering puppet into the White House. And that is a big assumption to make.

If Ron Paul Does Not Win the Republican Primaries

I know that most Ron Paul supporters do not want to begin to entertain the idea that Dr. Paul may not win the Republican nomination for President. However, I pride myself on basing my ideas and decisions on what is real. In keeping with that principle, I must consider the possibility that Dr. Paul will not be the Republican nominee. If that is the case, I can only pray that he runs as an independent because the hole that he will leave in the race for President of the United States will be a very large one. He is the ONLY candidate who has been CONSISTENTLY:

• Pro Individual Rights
• Anti Big Government
• Pro Entrepreneurship & Free Trade
• Anti War
• Pro Life
• Anti Tax & Spend
• Pro States Rights
• Anti Federal Handouts
• Pro Internet Free Speech (and all free speech for that matter)

There is no one except Dr. Paul in the Republican race who still believes in the rule of the law and the Constitution of the United States of America. He is the only Republican in the race who truly stands for the values on which the party was created. Without him in the race, I will be left once again without a candidate for whom I can cast my vote. If you believe in the values that I have listed above, PLEASE contact Dr. Paul's campaign and offer your assistance, and donate if possible. Do not think it is impossible to restore what the founders of this nation created. Dr. Paul is giving us the opportunity to become a beacon of hope to the world once again. Believe - then act upon your beliefs.

Journalists dole out cash to politicians (quietly)

Is This A Big Deal?

MSNBC published the above article about journalists who donate to particular candidates. I find this to be a NON-issue. The reason being that journalists are under editorial review. It does not matter what political views a journalist holds because the editor ultimately has final say. I am more concerned about where the heads of the news corporations are sending their money. That is more revealing about a news agency's political bent than where their journalists donate. For example, we all know that the Fox News staff donate to Republican candidates and causes. I do not really care. What matters to me is how much Rupert Murdoch is donating to the Republicans and being certain that all of it is properly documented.

Why I Don't Trust Conventional Media News

Publisher Murdoch gets nipped by his own paper | Lifestyle | Reuters

Rupert Murdoch is one of the bigger reasons that I do pay any attention to the Big Four media corporation's news outlets. In fact, I consider them to be the Big Three since MSNBC/NBC is so intimately in bed with FOX news. Whatever the situation, when people like Murdoch have control over what news we see and hear and what we don't, it is difficult to believe what comes across the wire. So much of it is twisted, watered down, or simply omitted that there is little reason to put faith in its validity. Murdoch, in particular, is one of the most twisted minds in corporate America. He wants us to still believe the lies that raised support from the American public for the war in Iraq, despite evidence from the current administration's own members that the intelligence was not trustworthy and in many cases, completely false. He wants us to forget about Darfur and the killing and torture of innocent Christian men, women and children there who refuse to convert to Islam. He wants us to believe everything negative about the Democratic candidates for the Presidency of the United States and especially about that dangerous, rogue Republican candidate, Ron Paul who dares to hold true to the original Republican values o small government, non-interventionist foreign policy, upholding the Bill of Rights and being true to the Constitution of the United State of America. Yes, Murdoch is a problem, along with the rest of the corporate media news outlets. If he ends up in control of the Wall Street Journal, I do not have an idea of who we will be able to trust in reference to financial news and information. Let's pray it doesn't happen.

Ex-Aide Details a Loss of Faith in the President

Who's the Flip-flopper Now, Mr. Dowd?

This piece about an interview by Jim Rutenberg of the New York Times with Matthew Dowd shows Dowd as man who switched parties to support Bush through 2 campaigns and a senseless war and then to become a critic who is now calling for withdrawal from Iraq (his son is to be deployed there). As usual, the Republican party draws the hypocrites. Had Dowd done this interview before the 2004 elections, I might have believed his supposed change of heart. However, now that we are half way through a second term with this lying, office stealing, thug of a president, and Mr. Dowd sees Mr. Bush's numbers falling through the floor, I have no faith in his change of heart. I hope that Mr. Dowd finds himself unemployed for the next decade. That might give him a taste of what Bush has put this country through.

After Trying to Burn Clinton, Republicans Want Their Privacy

It appears the the Party of Hypocrites is out in full force. Republican candidates like Newt Gingrich, John McCain, and Rudy Giuliani are calling for privacy during the presidential campaign. How do they keep from biting their forked tongues? These Republicans who constantly make personal character a central issue in their attacks on others want us to simply look the other way when it comes to their own personal lives! Do they really think we can take them seriously when they spew this garbage? I won't. I hope you won't either.