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Super Tuesday...At Long Last!!!
Super Tuesday is finally here! A lot may be decided today.
But, who cares about Super Tuesday when you can skip studying the issues, or learning about the candidates' positions on those issues, but instead you can grab a brew and watch the latest hockey game on ESPN? And heck, who wants to actually learn about the science behind global warming, or the history of Reaganomics, or the history of the Vietnam War, or the people involved in PNAC when it's much more interesting to watch the demise of Britney and Amy Winehouse. (Insert sarcasm tag)
We have to face it. Our country is suffering from a serious illness.
It's called, "Ignorance and Apathy."
Ignorance and apathy... It's what got us in this mess to begin with!
The picture is from Hayden Berkeley's website and the title on the post is called, "Ignorance." Hayden Berkeley is an eighteen year old senior entering college next year. In her post about "Ignorance" she discusses her views of Super Tuesday and how politics is viewed at her school.
Here's what she says:
If there is one thing in the world which I cannot tolerate, it is ignorance. I hate ignorant people…with a passion. I hate when people tell me that they are watch Super Bowl instead of Super Tuesday because, “Pshhh…who cares about politics?” Politics is something that affects your life every single day, and you’re telling me that you don’t even care? So what do you care about? (snip)
When was the last time a normal teenager watched the news and actually look for the important informations, like the economy, politics, or foreign news instead of the new Britney Spears headline or “Heath Ledger died of overdosed drug?” 90% of my schoolmates wouldn’t even be able to tell me what Super Tuesday means! And what’s worse, they don’t care! Super Tuesday is about the biggest event of the the second biggest election in the United States, to choose a candidate for the Democratic and Republican parties! It directly affects the candidates for the November election, directly affects the future president of America, therefore directly affecting their lives, and they couldn’t care less! Why, most of them don’t even know the presidential election is in November! How can we make society better if the people that society is counting on in the near future don’t have a clue, and don’t really have any desire whatsoever to get a clue?
How many of my schoolmates, or any teenager for that matter, actually knows that their parents should be expecting a check from the government as part of the stimulus package to help raise our economy, and that we are possibly nearing a recession? If they don’t even know that, how would they know that the check wouldn’t be $600-$1200 because most of their parents make way more than is qualified for the check? And does it matter to them at all that countries from all around the world are suffering as well because their largest consumer, the United States, is having a problem with its economy.
On the surface, Hayden and I have very little in common. We're from two different generations; We have different experiences in life. But, I have to agree with her assessment perfectly! I hate ignorance, too!
Hayden points out, politics affects the future directly; whereas, the Super Bowl, the Orange Bowl, the Stanley Cup, (etc...) affect nothing in the long term. Nothing.
Yet ignorance and apathy about politics, education, science and history lead to disastrous results--things like 9-11, wars and occupations, poisoned food and water, flooding and climate change across the globe! People don't understand what Reagan's policies were and yet the media has them convinced that Reagan was a demi-God! People don't understand the impact of the Vietnam War and Watergate, and yet our enemy Saddam Hussein did! People don't understand how the media was suppose to represent the First Amendment and protect us from criminals in power. Heck, the ignorance is so steep that they don't even understand the Constitution at all!
It would be nice to know who we could blame for the ignorance and apathy in this country. Sure, we can blame the media; we can blame the politicians; we can blame the educational system; and we can blame the people themselves!
But the point is, after we get done pointing the finger at someone, we have a terrible mess on our hands, and we have to clean it up.
Like Hayden said so well, "who is it going to take to clean up after years and years of children raised with “ignorance” planted in their blood?"
Super Tuesday isn't the end of the cleanup process. It's only the beginning.
This Super Tuesday, change is in the air. So let's fight together to end the ignorance and the apathy.
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I have to go. Sorry for lack of posting.
Huckabee wins West Virginia GOP caucus
CNN reporting "John McCain supporters in West Virginia go for Huckabee, blocking Mitt Romney"
WHOooooooooooaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!
btw, Happy Mardi Gras everyone...
Throw Me Somethin', Mistah
Press Release: Act Against Iraq Poverty (Updated)
Iraq Solidarity Campaign (UPDATED)
The Baghdad section of the Iraq Solidarity Campaign is calling upon the international anti-occupation movements to mobilise in an act of unity and defiance, against the planned elimination of the Iraqi food rationing system. We are making this call, in response to the outcry by the Iraqi media, which has informed the international community, that the regime of Jalal Talabani, The Dawa Party and SCII, plan to eliminate the food rations by June of 2008, a system which was first put in place under the UN Sanctions and have since helped to save millions of Iraqi’s from starvation...
Sign our new International Petition!:
http://www.petitiononline.com/hattycat/petition.html
Here you go, Monkey!
I'll throw you something Mista!
Yall keep your fingers crossed, bad skies here. Real bad.
This storm cell is moving 50 mph with winds in excess of 60 mph. Tornados are almost certain.
Yup. Happy Mardi Gras!
CIA admits waterboarding:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7229169.stm
Interesting report by Rocky Mountain News, from the heart of Red California, Orange County:
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/feb/05/in-nixons-backyard-gop-voters-look-high-and-low/
Hello.
I'm home again. At 7ish est, maybe we can chat in the irc.
Hold on to your hat, Christy. Sounds like a bumpy night.
Be careful!
Ally,
Thanks for the Rocky Mountain article. I found some very amusing points in it.
Also, overall, all the Dems are 1000 x better than any of the Republican (conservative is what they're calling them now) choices.
GA went for Obama 18-44!
But msnbc might be calling it for Hillary in both states. (Still waiting. That's not unexpected news so far.)
Christy, be safe, girl!
Richard and I are sitting in my office right now and hoping that hope reigns.
Christy--keep your head down, woman!
Hope all the bad stuff passes you by...
And mucho thanks for that music, Carol! We needed the dance...
So far--MA and NJ is too close to call. (Given the double points Hillary had there a few weeks ago, that's pretty amazing.)
I just want to state--for the record or for any lurkers out there--that I will support Hillary or Obama if they win. Because, I firmly believe BOTH of them will bring us better opportunities than a Republican (McCain or Huckabee) would. I also believe that we need a Dem in office who will bring us a better Supreme Court if anyone retires.
McCain has already said he will appoint someone like Roberts or Alito. (That in itself is another reason why either Hillary or Obama would be fine with me.)
And if Nadar decides to enter the race, then if he ever comes to my town, I will proudly wear a sign for him that says, 'Your head is bigger than your chances of winning."
Ok. that's just off the top of my head.
Just off the press...Clinton gets TN.
Hillary won Oklahoma.
HAHA! Figures.
When will Calis results be called?
The tornados here are not that scary. F3, on a bad day. Maybe 4.
I was however born and raised to 12, on Tornado Ally. Those F5s are the real fun. I will take a Louisiana tornado anyday over an Oklahoma twister.
I just thank God I don't live in a place with lions. Now that would scare the total crap out of me.
'Your head is bigger than your chances of winning."
Ok. that's just off the top of my head.
That is a great line, you should use it.
Obama has won Alabama Georgia and Ill. and Delaware.
Clinton won Ark, Mass., Missouri, Okla. and Tenn. and New Jersey.
So far.
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/02/05/super-tuesday-open-thread/
What are we still waiting on?
Connecticut and Delaware might be called for Obama.
It's not the landslide for McCain that the press was leading us to believe it would be.
Kansas (of the 'What's the matter with Kansas' Fame) may be called for Obama.
Obama gets Alabama.
(I'm talking to myself here.)
Obama gets North Dakota. Looks like Idaho too. (Ok, with 20,000 people to see him, that doesn't surprise me.)
Well Obama still has lots of donors not maxed out - they still have money to compete nationally. Delegate numbers should be close. Latino voters going alot for Clinton but in some places he was getting 45% or so & in Illinois he got higher than that. More people need to know his record - race against time. Can't be written off yet.
If Clintons take it Obama will still be with us for awhile. This is history.
I think Obama tried for those smaller states, knowing Clinton would get most of states like NY. Thankfully Democrats didn't do that stupid "winner take all" thing like the Republicans.
Unfortunately 9ui11iani's strategy is working but for McCain. McCain is ok on domestic, bad on foreign policy but to a Republican he's bad on domestic, good on foreign policy. & of course, I'm a Democrat.
I'm tired of hearing "Big night for John McCain" - will hear too much about him for the foreseeable future. I had hoped he would retire soon.
No word from Arizona, NM, and CA yet.
Suz
I will be a dittohead and say that I too will vote for Obama or Hillary either one against McCain, the guy who wants to stay in Iraq for 100 or 1000 or 1,000,000 years.
I think Obama is going to take Minnesota.
I don't think anything is going to be decided for the Democrats tonight.
Nope...no decision tonight. But I am very curious about the CA results but I can't seem to keep my eyes open any longer!
If things keep being protracted out through March or whatever, it'll give Obama more time to go around and get to know people - he was in a race against time. Clinton has all that name recognition. I think that helped McCain too.
Obama will probably carry Colorado. My brother is an Uncommitted district delegate and his wife is a Clinton delegate.
My uncle in MN didn't make it out to McCain (I tried to talk him out of it) because of the weather and he had vertigo.
California is "pretty close" - wish we knew. It's crazy - everything has to go to be counted overnight, I think. Obama's people say a close finish is what they hoped for. That was their spin but it's looking that way. They were considered to have no chance in CA yet it's close. Tally is 10 states for him though Clinton had the big delegate ones but aren't those proportional too? Even in places where they didn't win they really got some delegates in places where they were quite behind not long ago.
I'm glad we don't have "winner take all" like the R's - I think those are highly unfair.
Alabama Obama +15%
Arizona Clinton +12%
Arkansas Clinton +48%
Colorado Obama +31%
Connecticut Obama +4%
Delaware Obama +10%
Georgia Obama +30%
Idaho Obama +52%
Illinois Obama +32%
Kansas Obama +46%
Massachusetts Clinton +15%
Minnesota Obama +30%
Missouri Clinton +9%
New Jersey Clinton +10%
New York Clinton +17%
North Dakota Obama +24%
Oklahoma Clinton +24%
Tennessee Clinton +24%
Utah Clinton +1%
looks like I missed the chat, only Karen is in there now and she's away.
agreed with all your views that any Democrat is better in this race than any Republican.
CA (370 Delegates)
7% reporting
Hillary Clinton 375,581 55%
Barack Obama 224,732 33%
Puke McCain is talking (NPR)
I haven't watched a lick of television. It doesn't even function.
McCain is congratulating Huckabee and his supporters - of course - they helped him knock out Romney.
Romney won Minnesota. He gets the businessmen who want their tax cut, who formerly support 9ui11iani.
I don't like McCain's voice. I really hope that after this coming year to not hear it much.
Here comes Obama (speech).
I like his voice.
"THere is one thing tonight we do not need the final results to know .. our time has come"
"bellweather" state is close
91% reporting
Hillary Clinton 354,069 49%
Barack Obama 345,381 48%
John Edwards 15,431 2%
Clinton and Obama are roughly even but she has the big states but California is still undivided. Turnout was strong across the country.
California had alot of Latinos turn out - 29% of the electorate and could help Hillary as they go for her 2:1.
Obama is carrying the white vote by a small margin and the black vote by a large margin.
Older people are voting more for Clinton, younger people are voting more for Obama.
Among the Republicans, older voters tend to support McCain.
(This is all NPR)
McCain supposed to win Missouri - winner take all
Bellwether
Hello President McCain (barf)
It's a good night...we kicked butt here in Alabama. Laissez les bons temps roulez indeed.
This is a delegate game...but it's also an incredible application of the 50-state strategy. Voters in the smallest and reddest states are amazingly fired up to know their votes count. Time to do away with the electoral college in the general election!!
However...I refuse to vote for any Clintons or Bushes in the general election. That's what third party candidates are for, should it come to that.
From the Melbourne Age today - at the end of Super Tuesday and following a headline declaring Hillary the Democratic winner. These are the same readers who picked Kevin Rudd - but we didn't have to go through such gruelling campaigning.
Race for the White House
Who will be the next US president?
John McCain - 9%
Hillary Clinton - 37%
Barack Obama - 53%
Mitt Romney - 1%
Mike Huckabee - 1%
Total Votes: 1723
If Obama ran as a 3rd party Candidate, I could vote for him. But I'm not voting for a Nadar.
What is the chance of Obama running as a 3rd party candidate, anyways?
Obama will not run 3rd party...unless something incredibly ugly happens where the insiders deny him the nomination.
The way this is looking at the moment is that these two will go to the Convention pretty much neck and neck, and it will be the superdelegates who decide things. In my opinion, if the superdelegates were to swing the nomination to Clinton, and this process were to feel corrupt in many people's minds, all bets are off in November. You might well see Obama supporters abandon Billary for a third party. Obviously, putting Obama on the ticket would be insurance against this. But it's possible that things could get so ugly between now and September that this would not be feasible. And it's also possible that being a VP with Bill as First "whatever" is an extremely unattractive idea to many people.
The 3rd party candidate that you still have to be prepared for is Bloomberg. There are different analysis of this point, but I'm convinced that Perot helped put Clinton in the White House. And Perot self-destructed (the charges that HW Bush was bugging his daughter's wedding, etc.) during that first campaign - or he might have been a much stronger candidate on Election Day. Bloomberg is equally rich, and is a two term mayor of NYC. Unlike Giuliani, he also is not seen as a divisive figure in NY, especially in terms of race.
Tornadoes Rip Through South, Killing 31
Snip
The dead included 13 people in Tennessee, 11 in Arkansas, and a mother and father who died in Kentucky with their adult daughter. Those killed in Arkansas included another set of parents, who died with their 11-year-old in Atkins, about 60 miles northwest of Little Rock.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/06/tornadoes-rip-through-sou_n_85242.html
Damn.
"..agreed with all your views that any Democrat is better in this race than any Republican."
You know, I do understand how, in theory, any dem is better than....BUT...
Hillary is a dem already eyeing sending out daddy bush and her own hubby to coverup/clean up after georgie as her 'first act' as president.
No one 'hates hillary' because she is a woman, or because of bill, they can't stand her because she is an empty moral shell who's record is HIGHLY DISTURBING.
Some dems can not be seperated from republicans. Some dems, are in fact NO BETTER THAN a republican. Maybe they have better ideas, maybe they have better speeches, but in the end, the lesser of two evils is still...evil.
The true 'fracture' in this party will come if she is the nominee, because the majority of dems understand she is totally compromised and they will not compromise themselves to support her.
I am with V on this one, if she is the nominee, I will go 3rd party. I will never again vote for a clinton or a bush.
Do yall realize how much ammo they are handing us by making McCain their guy?
Do you realize how much ammo we will be handing them if she is our nominee...?
The one candidate left who cannot attack McCain on Iraq with any credibility is Billary. At least with Obama, he can claim he was right on the war. With Billary, we'll hear the old refain: she was for it before she was against it. She has zero credibility on this issue - in spite of alleged "experience" - and huge liabilities.
I do think that the dynastic angle is an important one. This isn't a tiny country, with a small group of men and women qualified to be President. Rather, this is a celebrity-obsessed country that grants attention simply on the basis of having received it previously. The Europeans have royalty and we have celebrity. Both stink, and both represent threats to the classical republican (not GOP) ideals that America was founded upon.
Twenty years of Bushes and Clintons are more than enough, thank you very much. How about we let some air into the Oval Office?
I tell you, there are times that I expect the Clintonistas to break out into song, to the words: Evita, Evita. The Hillary love has become cult-like.
Analysis: Diverging paths for two parties
Dems faces potentially divisive race, while GOP could rally around nominee
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23024795/
Ya mean, something like THAT!?!?