VOTER FRAUD

The fabric of our democracy is at stake.  We must act now.

Republicans have been paying people to falsify voter records.  Arrests have been made.  Prosecutions to follow.

Forget ACORN...let's look at the real problem...that's right.  

The LA Times has the story here:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fraud20-2008oct20,0,3842357.story

Another group of super intellectual McCain/Palin supporters...

Here's a great video...great being the completely wrong word to use...

A must see video of Palin supporters...

Something I liked.

All you need to see...

Why anyone with children or a soul needs to dig deep before they vote for someone who has stated time and time again that they want war.

Peace should always be the first option.

You've got mail...

from the governor....don't tell anyone.

Why is it that vice presidential candidate and liar extraordinaire Sarah Palin has claimed executive privilege on over 1000 e-mails she wrote while governor of Alaska.  Such a privilege is only allowed under Alaska law if the e-mails themselves discuss policy.

The list of e-mails is here:

www.andrewhalcro.com/uploads/Foia.pdf

While a law-breaking republican claiming executive privilege is nothing new (I'm looking at you Dick Cheney), what is new is that a civilian, Palin's husband and first dude, Todd was ccd on dozens of these e-mails.  You know Todd, Union worker, fisherman, hunter...NOT IN ANY POLITICAL OFFICE AND A MERE CIVILIAN Todd.

How can she claim executive privilege when she was sending mails outside her administration and to her husband.  And what sort of policy was  being discussed in e-mails whose titles are the titles of her political opponents.

Sara Palin is obviously hiding something.

But, as Sara herself put it (over and over and over again),

"I said thanks, but no thanks, to that bridge to nowhere...."

The only thing Sara Palin has said "No thanks" to....is integrity.

The Far Right's Craptastic Voyage....

One of the biggest right wing talking points about Sarah Palin:

EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE

According the Romney, Giuliani, Huckabee, Thompson, Hannity, Limbaugh, even Palin and McCain themselves....this is somehow relevant.

Let's take a look at George W. Bush, shall we.  Had a LOT of executive experience.  He had 8 years as the Texas governor when he first ran in 2000, and had 12 years when he ran in 2004.  This doesn't even count all that executive experience he had at Arbusto energy, Spectrum 7, Harken Energy or the Texas Rangers....

THAT'S A LOT OF EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE.

And without any sort of judgment, what has that executive experience worth?  What we have right there is something Obama or Biden should start driving into the brains of voters immediately.  It won't take much.  

"Ya know, my opponent has been spending a lot of time talking about Palin's executive experience, I think they forget that in 2004 George Bush ran with 12 years of executive experience, and today, George Bush has 16 years of executive experience.  Without sound judgment, executive experience doesn't mean anything.  Heck, by the Republican's standards, George Bush would be the most qualified candidate for president today."

Talk about issues, judgment, and new ideas.  

Why being smart doesn't seem to matter anymore...

As a middle school teacher and parent, I have stressed the importance of education in my students and in my own children.

And now I wonder why....

Let's take some time to look at how the bulk of the U.S. views educated people.  Far right wing talkers have been chucking the phrase "pointy headed" and "elitist" out there in reference to educated liberals.  Usually in reference to people with advanced degrees, or people who attended Ivy League schools or just people who act smart.  I have spent a good deal of time thinking about this and am finally reaching some alarming conclusions.

The right (and many Republicans) don't want a fleet of smart people.  Intelligence, by its very nature, going as far back as Aristotle or Jesus, have encouraged their students and followers to ask questions.  Questions, whether or not they lead to answers, always lead to critical thinking and higher thought processes.  The more people we educate, the more questions will be asked, the more people will be inclined to look at the authority with questions rather than look at it as though it were infallible.

Along with politics and education, I intend to really dig deep into the general psyche of American beliefs and hypocrisies, of changing likes and dislikes, and of the things that make this country one to stand in awe of as well as shake our heads at.  

Onto the issue at hand, when did being well educated become a negative thing.  It certainly isn't something that is new, especially not when listening to people on the right.  Elitist and pointy headed are both code words for smart.  Somebody speaks well, they are pointy headed.  Suddenly we want our politicians to be stupid.  We want them to be like us.  I don't exactly know why, I couldn't even begin to understand it.  Going as far back as ancient Greece, people spoke of "philosopher" kings, people chosen to rule based on their superior intellect; in our democracy we have turned it into who can be the folksiest...who can be the most like us.   It's okay if you're filthy rich, it's okay if you don't have our best interests at heart, as long as you aren't intelligent, as long as you didn't graduate at the top of your class or get some kind of advanced degree.   

Why bother telling my students to try hard?  McCain finished near the bottom of his class, George W. Bush was barely a C student, Sarah Palin bounced her way through 5 or 6 colleges. McCain can miss almost 70% of his senate votes...the message is clear...school isn't important, working hard isn't important...float through your school, just scrape by.