Aftermath of the Vice Presidential Debate at Work

Thanks John McCain and Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Mr. 911 whats-his face, Fox News, et. al., you got me in big ol' trouble at work for supporting Obama/Biden today. I was nearly assaulted the Friday following the day of the V.P. debate by a coworker snarling at me, "I hate that man! [Obama]"!

Seems you spent today spreading a year-old discredited smear, telling MY FELLOW Americans that Barack Obama said U.S. forces in Afghanistan were out-n-out bombing civilians. You then would express outrage at such a remark and claim it disqualified him to be President. Problem is, you're lying.

You even produce a video clip of Obama in the middle of answering an audience question on the subject of Afghanistan. It was topical because at that time, Hamid Karzai was in the United States on a mission to persuade a change of tactics. But rather than go through the rigamarole of explaining this, you just say Obama was calling our troops murderers and that he needs to apologize.

Now, last night, you had your Barracuda, Sarah Palin, restate this LIE in the Vice Presidential debate. Though few people can remember now what she is referring to, she is indeed referring to Obama's remarks during Karzai's visit caught on video supporting a change in tactics due to unacceptable civilian deaths in Afghanistan. This time, instead of calling for an apology, you call for Obama to be "disqualified" from running for President!

Now, I've been supporting and listening to Obama for a year and half now and I have never heard him put down our forces in any way. If anything, he has made me MORE patriotic and given me HOPE that our war on Terror can be a just war.

What prompted Hamid Karzai's visit was the fact that U.S. operations were resulting in more civilian deaths than the operations and activities of insurgents, warlords and the Taliban. We had come to rely on the tactic of last resort over there: air strikes. Can you say "Collateral Damage"?

The high amount of collateral damage was turning public support back to the Taliban in Afghanistan, reversing all progress. Not only was Hamed Karzai pleading with our President, our commanders were asking for more troops as well, in order to afford a switch in tactics and also to get back to building schools and roads. They needed to be able to bring together the far-flung people of the country and reduce the influence of regional warlords that force farmers to grow opium poppies.

All our allies were joining in this call, too. Obama merely was promising that if elected President, he would honor these pleas and was stating that the collateral damage was unacceptable. That remark was aimed at our President, not the troops.

Below is a video produced at the time the smear first surfaced.



http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/templates/ademmain.aspx?articleid=705&zoneid=8

Hold it, please! Don't let Palin tell you who supports marriage equality!
Assembly Democrats Applaud California Supreme Court Ruling

I'm "balls out" for Obama/Biden, as a night coworker put it to me, but it was another friend I ran into Friday was horribly dejected the next Friday over one of the 2 lovefests Biden and Palin had in the V.P. debate. In the debate, Palin pushed Biden to agree with her that gay marriage should never be recognized as legal. She, with Biden's help, had possibly chased my friend's vote over to the Green Party or the Peace and Freedom (Black Panther) Party.

The Democratic Party, however, is supporting gay civil unions in this election cycle. Gay civil unions meet some of the basic human needs of permanent partnership, like visitation rights in a hospital. But there's the proverbial 500 lb. gorilla in the room.

The recent California Supreme Court that ruled for same sex couples pointed out what a joke civil unions are legally. Civil Unions are practically "pretend" and can be ignored.

I believe the Democrats are on the right path and will, in time, recognize what we face under the law is inequality and discrimination and it is wrong. Democrats are trying to reach out to "middle America." Must we assume intolerance or a fundamental belief in CERTAIN inequalities is still what you need to show to America to get their vote? Might middle America be tired of being scared about gays so much it'll vote for illegal wars and the reckless fiscal policy? A lot of middle Americans know gay couples and may be starting to question their assumption that good societies stop them from being able to legally marry. Many people might be wondering that if even the most screwed up straight couples can do it, why shouldn't straight-laced, peaceful, proper gay couples with paid off mortgages be allowed as well. I don't have stable relationship worthy of marriage myself, but I know people who do, and I want them to have equal rights. More people are getting the balls to stand with us. I see it every year, such ardent and open support we never could've even begged for 20 years ago.

California's Democratic Party is totally on our side, but the National Dems lag behind California's. Meanwhile, the leftist third parties offer unequivocal support and sometimes the Libertarians do, but probably not this election cycle under Bob Barr. Unfortunately, third parties under the American political system are make believe.

They would be legitimate under the Parliamentary Democratic system. Under that system, you vote for whatever party. If they win 12%, then the party gets to send 12 members to, say, a 100 member Parliament. When these party members get to Parliament, they have two missions, to coalition with other parties to form a "government" (aka a majority) or join an "opposition". Their other mission is to advance their own agenda, so they coalition in hopes that rubbing someone's back will get something in return.

In the American political system, known as a Presidential Democracy, a very strong executive (The President) has so much say and power, parties don't coalition with each other to form governments after the election. In America, parties fight to win the power of the Presidency. When politics fails to get an equal right in place, the only recourse is the judiciary, under our system of government.

Third parties often champion concerns that deserve attention, but they also have very nutty ideas that undermine their cause. Beggars can't be choosers. I think it's great the Green Party recognizes marriage equality, but if you vote for them, the opposition just wins the Presidency.