Politics

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2012/69_of_gop_voters_say_palin_helped_mccain If that's the case, it looks like Obama may already be set for a second term

http://gawker.com/5082235/keith-olbermann-enrages-view-ladies-by-not-voting I respected Keith Olbermann to a degree, until now. He didn't vote. What a jackass.

Well all of the McCain conspiracy crazies I know are all up in arms about Obama's citizenship status. So I've been playing backboard with their accusations and questionables, and in the process I noticed that I have no idea how a president's citizenship is actually validated. It would appear to rely on public forces to challenge citizenship in our courts, which appear to simply throw out these cases with what amounts to "it's not my job". So, what is the process by which we validate presidential candidate's citizenship? What about the legislative branch; how are they verified? I've been trying to search on this subject, but I keep getting Obama related arti…

Let’s talk about change. There are two major changes I'd like to see in the US that I’ve been chewing on for years. Any major change is viewed as radical in the US, and thus most politicians steer clear of them. We’re now seeing that, in hindsight, moderate changes in our energy policies thirty years ago would have helped us a great deal to avoid our current oil dependencies and the need for radical change. This is probably the best political climate EVER to gain support for some sweeping changes we can make now to avoid regrets later. The first change I’d like to see is in the military. Back in the 60’s, Sen. Stuart Symington (D-MO) proposed unifying the milita…

Who do you think will actually win? (Bascule has a thread started here where you can cast your vote for who you think SHOULD win. This one is for who you think will be declared the winner.)

Evidence of Obama's desire for moderacy and aisle-crossing came today in the selection of Rahm Emanuel for Chief of Staff. Emanuel is a prominent member of the centrist New Democrat Coalition and one of the bigger names behind the party's move to the center and sweeping up of persuadable moderate voters that produced Obama's victory. He's a House member at the moment, but was a senior adviser in the Clinton administration, and, in a fact which I'm sure will infuriate many, headed up Clinton's failed health care strategy. That will be an interesting battle, given that the issue of universal health care has become a moderate/centrist position and is no longer an extr…

Mod Note: Individual poll answers are visible to all. We've had a poll for who you think will be elected and a poll for who you are planning to vote for. This one is for who you actually voted for. I suspect it will be pretty close to the other polls, but it should be at least slightly different since it takes into account: Not all voters in previous polls were of age to vote. Not all voters in previous polls were citizens of the United States. There is no "undecided" option. So, who did you vote for?

Obama has set up a web site for the "Office of the President Elect" http://change.gov I've got to say, I really love how much Obama works the Internet and electronic communications.

There's bee a lot of speculation that Democrats might get the 60 seats needed in the Senate to have a cloture vote and thus prevent filibustering. The polls don't show that as being particularly likely. 538 projects the Democrats may get 58 seats, but it's far more likely they'll get 57. What do you think?

There has been some rumblings lately, mostly from Congressional Democrats, about reviving the Fairness Doctrine. For background, it was an FCC policy that existed from the 1940s up through 2000, that stated that broadcasters had to present contrasting viewpoints on controversial issues. In 1969 it survived a Supreme Court challenge on First Amendment grounds with an 8-0 decision, with the stipulation that it could never actually restrain speech, it merely had to give a "chance to respond." It would also only apply in cases of "limited channels." In other words, it applied to radio and broadcast television because there are only so many frequencies, but not to newspapers, …

I thank all Americans for doing the right thing: voting for Barack Obama. Let's hope he lives up to the promise, although I think that the positive feeling that the world got today is already invaluable.

Just curious if anyone else is getting beaten up by robocalls from candidates today. I got twelve this morning alone.

Yesterday reports came out that the GOP has spent $150,000 on outfits for Palin alone, a remark Palin called sexist. Today the New York Times reported that McCain's top staffer is... Palin's makeup artist, who was paid $22,000 for the first two weeks of October alone. Is any of this substantive, or is it just a bunch of mindless bluster? In my opinion it's indicative of how the McCain campaign has its priorities wrong.

Yes, out came the S-word! An aspiring young wingnut asked McCain why we have a progressive tax structure. McCain's answer seems to describe Obama's tax plan...

http://www.rove.com/election And in other news, http://FiveThirtyEight.com is now showing Obama's chances of victory at 98.1% I think it's all wrapped up at this point... Obama is the next President of the United States Hooray!

...on foreign policy, anyway: http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=9689 I'm something of a fan of the Cato institute, more on social than economic issues, so I suppose this doesn't come as a surprise to me. However, the Cato institute is generally regarded as being conservative-leaning, and while the article certainly criticizes Obama, it was interesting to see the final judgment was that Obama is better than McCain. This was also interesting: It's nice to see the idea that more experience isn't always better acknowledged. McCain may have more experience, but that doesn't necessarily make him the better candidate.

Linking a politician to atheists is a winning strategy in the US. http://www.wspa.com/spa/news/local/article/kay_hagen_sues_elizabeth_dole_over_campaign_ad/10464/ Not sure I agree with the lawsuit, but I do agree with the sentiment

The last poll had some flaws that were helpfully pointed out, and I am interested in the results so we're going to do this poll a bit more professionally this time. All the candidates who have filed with the Federal Elections Commission are listed, and you can only vote once. Furthermore, the voting is limited in time, so after the time is past we can actually get a winner and then do an actual "election." Select the one candidate you you would support as nominee for President of the United States from the Democratic Party. Obviously, it misses the point if you vote for someone you don't like because you don't like Democrats. Vote for the candidate you could honestly…

A short 10-minute scrap book of highlights: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27508380#27508380 h/t Greg Laden

http://www.gallup.com/poll/111655/Americans-Split-Redistributing-Wealth-Taxing-Rich.aspx In this Gallup article it says that 58% of Americans are for spreading the wealth, while 37% of americans are against it. Mind you, this 'spreading the wealth' that gallup polled on was by levying heavy taxes on the rich and giving to the poor. Am I the only one terribly outraged by this? There is no way that is can be right to take someone's money, just because they have a lot of it, and give it to the poorer people. They earned that money, it is theirs, it is fundamentally wrong to take it, just to supplement someone who doesn't work hard enough/isn't smart enough to…

Okay here's the funniest story you will read regarding Joe the Plumber. It's the New York Times struggling to dish up some dirt on the guy. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/17/us/politics/17joe.html Oh my god, look at the smear! This guy is just a working stiff like the rest of us, he's not stumping for McCain! And yet here's the great and powerful NEW YORK TIMES hammering the guy for having a couple of liens or whatever. Hilarious! The far left is outraged over this guy, but I have no idea why. He's just a guy who wanted to ask a freaking question. The far left tried to tell us that we had to tolerate Cindy Sheehan's politics because she lost a son in Ira…

We've all heard John McCain and Sarah Palin asking this question on the campaign trail, trying to stir up fears in the populace and distract us from the issues. If it weren't so frustrating and infuriating, I would find their approach funny... but, it's not. We've had nearly 2 years to get to know the man and his family. Either way, people are still trying to raise doubts, and since they can't seem to compete on the real issues facing our nation and our planet, the focus has been on character, personality, and associations instead. In response to these attacks, the Obama campaign has released this video. Give it a look, let us know what you think, and how/i…

Second attempt after feedback... Obama –election scenarios What do you think is most likely out of these scenarios? option 1. Obama will be elected president, without vote rigging. And without knowingly deceiving the public. option 2. Obama will be elected president, without vote rigging. But with knowingly deceiving the public. option 3. Obama will be elected president, with vote rigging, and without him realizing that it’s being rigged. option 4. Obama will be elected president with vote rigging, and with him realizing it’s being rigged. And with him knowingly deceiving the public. option 5. Obama won’t be elected.

Fascinating story in Newsweek out today, talking about how closely the rest of the world is watching our presidential race. http://www.newsweek.com/id/166910 I no longer find this perplexing, but like many Americans I do find it somewhat troubling, and have a tendency to feel that they don't have any say in our elections just as we don't have any say in theirs (and kudos to our overseas SFN members for respecting our feelings in this regard). But I think it's important to understand how the world perceives us. We've been playing the game of world politics very badly of late. We're too insular, too unaware of what the world thinks of our actions and behaviors (even…

This race for president has somehow become a race to become vice president sine there have been 1 attempt and and 1 plan to assassinate Obama and most of us know McCain's going cold over the first year probably so, lets vote vice presidents!,im very sorry but just select the presidentual canidate thaat you belive has the best running mate, sorry.