Indecision 08 Wingnut thread

[tyrannosaurus vex]

I'd buy that Powell didn't really want a war in Iraq, but it's plainly obvious that Bush did. Powell isn't a Neoconservative, he's a "pragmatist," most of whom are of the opinion (now) that going into Iraq was a mistake. Saying now that Bush didn't want to go to war then is probably just Powell trying to save a little face with the millions of Republicans who are pissed off at him now.

As for the endorsement, it's great and all but it probably won't move any numbers. Endorsements have more effect on the news cycle than they do on actual votes, which is still good for Obama. Of course it won't have any effect on the overheated base of the GOP, who will undoubtedly see this as a "Black thing," whether they come right out and say so or not. Expect all those people who say they're not racist because they'd vote for Colin Powell if he ran to write this off as Powell losing his "Conservative Edge," whatever that is, and not following his example with their votes.

[Cain]

Powell may be more pragmatic, but he's no less of an idiot.

I've seen first year undergraduate papers with a more sophisticated and critical grasp of von Clausewitz than that poor excuse for a general.

He's also a proven political coward, who tried to whitewashed the My Lai massacre, and had a role in the Iran-Contra affair (supplying missiles to the CIA that were traded to the Iranians). 

[the last yatto]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA6_k3NtXZs

this video makes my head hurt

[AFK]

Reminder:  Colin Powell was also very recently backing Ted Stevens, testifying on his behalf in his corruption trial.  I wager dollars to donuts that Sarah Palin will be bringing this up in the next couple of days. 

[the last yatto]

this might be her fnord moment so she may be forced not to sell out her own state. then again if it proves a point that politics is corrupt then hmm would be a nice footbullet to watch over the news tho

Rush Limbaugh reacts: "I am now researching his past endorsements to see if I can find all the inexperienced, very liberal, white candidates he has endorsed."

then again she did turn down that wonderful rap SNL wrote for her so

[Iason Ouabache]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA6_k3NtXZs

this video makes my head hurt

I fucking hate that guy.

[Cain]

[Iason Ouabache]

I'm sure that the state of Ohio would be interested in talking to those "Joe the Plummers".  Maybe they will help the original Joe the Plumber pay his back taxes:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aWDHvDjnDnTs&refer=home

And surprising no one but her running mate, Palin is in favor of a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage:

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/20/palin-and-mccain-disagree-on-federal-gay-marriage-ban/

[the last yatto]

Chicago Sun-Times
FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS

MADISON, Wis. — The Racine school district's use of an eighth grade textbook that includes a chapter on Democrat Barack Obama but nothing on his opponent John McCain is unfair and troubling, the Wisconsin Republican Party argued Thursday.

A parent complained on an Internet blog about the textbook that includes a chapter on Obama called ''Dreams from My Father.''

The school district said in a statement that it has received no complaints about the book, which it first used last school year. Even so, the 21,000-student district said it was reviewing its policies regarding the book's use in a literature class.

The textbook, ''McDougal Littell Literature,'' is published by an arm of Houghton Mifflin Co. A spokesman for the publisher, Richard Blake, said the book was compiled in 2005 before Obama ran for president.

The latest version of the textbook, with a 2009 copyright, and all future versions will not include the Obama chapter to avoid any appearance that the publisher supports one political campaign over another, Blake said.

Wisconsin Republican Party executive director Mark Jefferson accused the Racine district of being a ''satellite campaign office'' for Obama. Deciding to use the textbook was at best very poor judgment and at worst intentional indoctrination of students in Democratic politics, he said.

''That offends a lot of people in our party and justifiably so,'' Jefferson said. ''You don't have to look very far outside of the Democratic presidential nominee to come up with other stories of inspiration as well.''

Phil Walzak, spokesman for Obama's campaign in Wisconsin, declined immediate comment.

The chapter in question includes an excerpt from Obama's 2004 speech at the Democratic National Convention and a portion of his 1995 autobiography.

The book was chosen by a group of teachers because of how well it meets the state's academic standards, the Racine district said in its statement.

''The choice of this selection was to provide a contemporary and multicultural figure to explore the unit on community,'' the district said.

[Suu]

I got in a copy of the Rhode Island ballot for my district in today...Please note this is my first time voting in RI.

In Florida we had actual MACHINES that I got to poke holes with and then feed into a counter and it was oodles of fun and I got a sticker and a cookie at the end...





....This one is a fucking multiple choice test that allows the citizen to manually draw an arrow to the candidates of choice or just simply do a straight ticket between Democrat or Republican even though it lists every presidential candidate from EVERY PARTY, which is something the Florida ballot never did.

I fucking KNEW the votes didn't matter here! HAR!

[Eve]

CT used to have fun voting machines, you got to flick little switches and all that. In CA I had a paper one with some weird special pen. Now CT's apparently going all out: fill in the circle next to your candidate of choice! Like the SATs! Somehow this is more secure. 

[Suu]

Florida has touch-screens now...I can't IMAGINE the old people being able to FUCK THOSE UP. 

I think I'm just going to do a Democrat straight ticket and head home with my sticker, which is, as we all know, the best part about voting, getting and wearing the sticker for the rest of the day.

[Cain]

Is that sticker so roving gangs of Freepers and other brownshirts know who to jump?

[Cramulus]

When I voted in the primaries, I was literally scowled at. The Dem line stretched out the door, and I was the only person in the Republican line 

The woman at the Repub table was so pleased to see a young republican - she was grinning ear to ear! Her expression changed when she saw me taking some practice coin-flips. I forget what I said exactly, but it was something like

"Which booth do I enter to participate in the tyranny of the majority?"

"Um, that one," she said.

As I left, I shouted at the room, "Good luck with your, um, what do they call it now? Good luck with your democracy."

[Iason Ouabache]

CT used to have fun voting machines, you got to flick little switches and all that. In CA I had a paper one with some weird special pen. Now CT's apparently going all out: fill in the circle next to your candidate of choice! Like the SATs! Somehow this is more secure. 

Indiana has been doing scantron ballots for awhile now.  They seem secure but I can see how the system could be scammed.

Florida has touch-screens now...I can't IMAGINE the old people being able to FUCK THOSE UP. 

There is no way to make an idiot-proof system.  The world keeps coming up with better idiots.