Absurvations

September 9, 2008

Why the Republicans Will Win

Twisting truth will not win this election for the Republicans.

Sneaky misrepresentations of the truth will not win this election for the Republicans.

But a gross lie that wholly misrepresents reality, that is clearly and obviously a false statement, and which goes, not merely unchallenged, but unnoticed, allowing it the opportunity to seep into the electorate's collective consciousness as an unspoken assumption: ah! now that will steal an election for you.

The McCain Campaign's latest ad, "The Mavericks," has rightfully attracted complaint and rebuttal.  True, Palin's claims about the Bridge to Nowhere are questionable at best.  True, the statements concerning the oil industry are misleading, at the least.  True, calling this pair mavericks is an insult to cattle everywhere

But nowhere have I heard even a whisper of questioning concerning the sixth line of the ad, to wit:

"He battled Republicans and reformed Washington."

WTF?  He has already reformed Washington?  Then why is he saying that he wants to change it?  Just when did this reformation take place?  I must have been asleep, missed the story in the paper, didn't get the memo!  The McCain Campaign claims the John McCain has reformed Washington.  Hallelujah!  Washington has been reformed by John Sidney McCain III ― although, truth to tell, it appears that no one noticed ― and now we can elect him President, you know, as a way of thanking him for the reformation of Washington, and then he can resign the Presidency after a few days of partying (perhaps to return to his avocation of pushing around women in wheelchairs), and Sister Sarah can assume the Presidency!

In grammar school, the nuns told me of European dictators who used the big lie to take and hold power.

In high school, the Jesuits reinforced the lesson.

And in a bar, after the 2004 Presidential election, my friend Iggy said: "Never underestimate the American electorate's capacity for behaving stupidly."

For the ad's script, click here.

To see the ad on YouTube, click here.

August 17, 2008

Muslim Monopoly of Evil?

Was I the only one who noticed?  The media has been gushing over John McCain's excellent showing at the Saddleback forum last night.  His answers were brief, to the point, sharp, clear ― and decidedly simplistic.  He got more applause than did Barack Obama.  He presented himself as the "Pro-Life" candidate.  He took every opportunity to tell war stories and remind people that he performed heroically as a prisoner of war forty years ago.

But . . .

When asked about the existence of Evil and the appropriate response to it, Barack Obama gave some examples of Evil, including genocide and child abuse.  He said that we must confront it, leaving the actual defeat of Evil to God, which, truth to tell, appears to be scripturally accurate.  He concluded with a caution to maintain humility when confronting Evil: arrogance in confronting Evil generates more Evil.

John McCain, on the other hand, said simply that the appropriate response to Evil is: "Defeat it."  The Senior Senator from Arizona then went on to rail against al-Qaida and claim that Iraq, Afghanistan and anywhere that al-Qaida may exist comprise the battlefield against Evil.  He cited "radical Islamic extremism" as the transcendent challenge we face.  This was John McCain's portrayal of Evil.

Which suggests that, in John McCain's world view, all perpetrators of Evil are Muslim.  He did not go so far as to say that all Muslims are evil; rather, he implied that the only Evil that we face today comes from a segment of Islam.

June 26, 2008

Bubba en Nude

Pssst!  Don't look now, but I think that Bill Clinton is out gallivanting naked!  Butt naked.  Free as a titwillow singing at dawn in the meadow ― flapping his wings, and whatever else flappable that he may have, for all the world to see.

Remember what Bill Clinton said way back in April?  Responding to complaints that Hillary was getting too negative, he said, "After the [debate], her opponents', oh, the people working were saying, 'Oh this is so negative, why are they doing this.' Well they've been beatin' up on her for 15 months. I didn't hear her whining....And, you know, they said some pretty rough things about me, too. But you know, this is a contact sport. If you don't want to play, keep your uniform off."

And this was not a new position for former President Clinton.  Two years ago, just before the midterm elections, he urged his fellow Democrats to get tough: "This is a contact sport, politics," he said. "You can't complain about being attacked."

But now, reports the Atlantic Monthly, Bill Clinton is "miffed" at Barack Obama.  One reason is that he feels that "Obama’s candidacy was essentially an anti-Clinton candidacy."  Duh!  He was running against a Clinton, remember?

The second reason that former President Clinton has gotten a case of the vapors is that, "Clinton is convinced that the Obama campaign went out of its way to portray the former president as a racist."  Which may in fact have occurred when the Obama campaign quoted him.  Imagine!  Using a man's own words against him!

And now Bill Clinton has decided that he doesn't want to play.  He has complained about being attacked.  He has shed his uniform and lounges about, sulking, declining to lend any support to Barack Obama other than one icy thin statement so brief as to just barely cover what decency requires.

Somebody, please, lend the former President a hanky to wipe away his tears.

May 25, 2008

Four Women

Two things distinguish the first three ladies named above from the fourth:

1. The first three attained political leadership of their countries.  Eva Peron did not, although it should be reported in fairness that failing health prevented her from converting her popularity to the vice-presidency of Argentina.

2. The names of the husbands of the first three do not readily come to mind, whereas Juan Peron was essential to the emergence of Evita.

May 20, 2008

Jesus vs. the Nazis!

Politicians say stupid things.  We all know this.  We all expect this.  Heck! if you're a politician and say the right kind of stupid things in just the right way ― you get elected.  And our Republican friends have this month sought to blaze broad, if not new, trails in stupidity.

George W. Bush (The W stands for "Where am I?") compared Barack Obama to Nazi appeasers because he is willing to talk to people who disagree with him.  This sounded silly as well as stupid, as if George had forgotten (or never learned) the definition of appeasement.

But the prize goes to Georgia Republican Party chairwoman Sue Everhart who first said, "John McCain is kind of like Jesus Christ on the cross," and then followed this with "I'm not trying to compare John McCain to Jesus Christ."

Huh?

Well, she explained that they both suffered great pain, and that Jesus did not deny God, while John McCain did not deny the United States of America.

Minor points of interest in the chairwoman's comparison:

May 4, 2008

Kentucky Derby as a Predictor of the Democratic Presidential Race

May 3, 2008

Jeremiah-mania

A talking head today justified the mainstream media's raging erection for all things Jeremiah Wright by saying that it is clearly a legitimate news story because it is getting so much coverage.  So, if you'd just STFU about it and instead discuss relatively minor matters like casualties in a war begun with a lie, a faltering economy, the lack of health care coverage that affects 47 million Americans, the abysmal state of education in America, the obscene war-profiteering in which Cheney-connected companies are engaged, the McBush opposition to a veterans' bill on the basis that it treats veterans too well, global warming, America's dependence on China for cash and on OPEC for oil, a bleeding job market, food riots on the other side of the world, race and racism in America, recession, stagflation, discernible conflict among the lower, middle, working, upper and corporate classes, the brutalizing effect that the Iraq War has had on American military readiness, etc., then it wouldn't be a newsworthy issue and you wouldn't cover it?

May 2, 2008

National Debate to Start November 5, 2008: Be There!

Thirteen per cent (13%) of the American electorate still think that Barack Obama is a Muslim.  When presented with this, Obama correctly cites his heavily documented Christianity and decries the fact that Islam is being used as an element of fear-mongering.  He does not even suggest the question: "So, what if I were a Muslim?  Would that really be important?"  Having at least some political skills, he clearly understands that this is a question he should not ask during a campaign.

So, on November 5, the day after the general election, we need to discuss this.  What religious faith, or position, if any, would or should disqualify a person from the presidency?  Muslim?  Buddhist?  Hindu?  Jew?  Scientologist?  Agnostic?  Atheist?  Mormon?  Drooling and raving are inevitable but are to be discouraged.

April 28, 2008

Personality Traits

She's a fighter, she never gives up, no matter what wise ones around her may say.  She twists truth, just a smidgen, here and there in order to curry favor with the majority.  She takes credit for the successes of Bill Clinton's administration but blames the failures on others.  She voted for war but blames the war on someone else because a "Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq" is really just a call for diplomacy, not war.  She characterizes those who disagree with her as out-of-touch and not understanding what needs to be done.