Politics

What Obama made everybody feel safe about, was that race would not be important.

It was possible, before Wright, to believe that a smart, gentle, black man could be president in a white-enough way that there would be no more riots, race wars, inner city killings...all that.

That was a dream I could absolutely get behind.

My reluctance about him had only to do with me not being able to find anything specific on his site or elsewhere about how he would go about implementing programs such as affordable health care, social security and other practical matters.

But I really thought he could keep people feeling safe and inspired enough to vote for him.

Wright really did destroy that notion, in my opinion.

I fully acknowledge that I am way more left that any of the actual candidates, and that if Wright was running and fought the way he fights for gettin-old single women, including white ones, with no money or insurance, I would vote for him in a minute. But he is not running, and I firmly doubt he would fight for me if he were.

I certainly do not blame Obama for Wright. It doesn't even bother me that he protected him.

The halo is not off Obama personally, the halo is off the idea that there isn't a race war simmering very close to the surface.

Any side that regards the other side as the enemy doesn't take into consideration that you did not choose to be the race you are, it just happened. If you have been deemed the enemy, it would be stupid to think they will make an execption for you.

That is what Wright brought into the arena. And then came back and brought it in again. And then again.

Wright reminded white people that there are a lot of black people that are not fond of them. Like, at all.

Hmmm...last I heard I thought Obama was distancing himself from Wright. I hadn't heard that he was protecting him. I am curious about that.

I'll have to see how this plays out to see if race remains an issue. I certainly think if he got in the office, it would not be an issue. I'm assuming he'll get really good people around him to advise him, and he won't be like the current pres and ignore the smartest people in his cabinet and do whatever he damn well pleases.

Speaing of him...

More disapprove of Bush than any other president

If he got elected....that is the key there. I don't think he can get elected against McCain now.

Ohhhh...well I have way more hope then you for sure! I really don't think all is lost. Many things can happen along the campaign trail and once this gets out of the news cycle, people tend to forget.

Yes, the other side may bring it up again, but then it looks more sour grapes. I believe no new news will kick it aside.

Frazzle wrote:

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The halo is not off Obama personally, the halo is off the idea that there isn't a race war simmering very close to the surface.
Any side that regards the other side as the enemy doesn't take into consideration that you did not choose to be the race you are, it just happened. If you have been deemed the enemy, it would be stupid to think they will make an execption for you.

Exactly. I don't think Obama would have a chance against McCain considering this. Hilary? Maybe? Personally? I don't think this country is anywhere near being ready for a black president. I seriously would fear for his life, as I have said before, but now even more so considering the heavy focus on the Wright association and escalation of fear from non-blacks of what they can expect from Obama.

Did you all know that there are people so unhappy with our government in this country that they are now openly talking that when the right conservative leader surfaces, there are many Republicans and more conservative male Democrats that will be ready to take down the government via a revolution. It will take form initially via computer hacking, then who knows what the underground plan will be. Now that is scary. But, throughout history that is what the working class people have had to resort to when Government goes bad and continues to stay that way for too long...

Yeah, that was my point. Reality, not media spin, is what is the problem for Obama.

It isn't whether the media makes a big deal about Wright or not.

It is that all Americans, black, white, liberal, conservative, racist, pro-unity, all got reminded of the reality that unity is far away, from both powerful blacks and powerful whites (though white militants haven't had a spokesperson in the news regarding that issue at all. It doesn't matter. The reality is there. Most people, white and black are not militants, so the subject is very scary, especially for all people who want nice gentle lives, such as liberal democrats.)

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Did you all know that there are people so unhappy with our government in this country that they are now openly talking that when the right conservative leader surfaces, there are many Republicans and more conservative male Democrats that will be ready to take down the government via a revolution.

YEP! Do you blame them/ I am SICK of corporate America running this country and folks that is exactly what it comes down to. I am so sick of it we are looking into moving to New Zealand. I wish to hell I 'd done it years ago.
Because this is a fact if you happen to become very sick with a chronic illness and HAVE insurance. You are screwed. You will lose it all. How is that fair? I think the US should use France as a model. They are happy with the amount of taxes they pay and what they get for in return. Healthcare and all education for their kids. If you add up all the fees you pay on insurance , college tuition , etc you may as well pay more in tax and have it all.

I still think Obama is the best hope we have. Hilary and Mccain are all old Washington. Been there , done that.
Also people forget Obama's mother is white. Not that it matters to me. At this point I wouldn't care if he were from another planet. In the meantime I am looking to get out of here.

I hear you Aerwin, and yes I was a little surprized when talking casually to people that are gearing up for the "revolution". Do I blame people? No.
I think things have been going wrong via the government for decades, and now we are in such a mess that only someone that is willing to take a stand and make drastic, radical changes in our entire system is going to turn things around.

Do I really see any of these candidates as being willing and able to step up and do the right thing? Nope. I agree Obama is not tied into Old Washington, the PACS, etc's and would be the most likely to at least try some new approaches because I believe he has the balls and is committed to change. I just don't think he is going to get the support in congress to get things passed because they are all afraid of too much change there. That is why I do truely believe our entire political system needs to change. I don't know much about how some european countries' political systems operate...but, I do agree we need to take on some of their systems here to manage healthcare, immigration, taxes, etc. because they are proven to work. I am willing to sacrifice the way I live to make changes in the system. The problem is many people are scared shitless they will have to give up anything. God forbid they can't drive their Escalade or live in their 5,000 square foot homes...no offense to anyone here that happen to have those things. I don't blame anyone for getting comfortable with the riches America offers us all. I certainly have my share of excesses that I have taken advantage of without giving them
much thought.

It just seems really wasteful and excessive considering the available resources on our planet. This all seems very clear to me now after just travelling in Europe and seeing how people live over there. Why has'nt this country ever invested in a train system that would allow people in rural cities to travel inexpensively to cities and throughout the country? Probably because the US Auto makers would suffer and they are one of the most powerful PAC's around...

How does a country that has so many powerful interest groups that drive the economy get away from this mentality and start making decisions based on what is best for the planet and for humane treatment of all our citizens, not just special interest groups?

I want Luca to run.

They way things are now shaping up, what I hope Hillary does is campaign, if she is going to stay in the race, for Obama. Try to get those toughies who are liking her these days for her fighting spirit to see how they can also connect with Obama.

Tell her voters that a vote for her is a vote for Obama from this point forward (instead of a vote for her being a vote for McCain), or whatever insane slogan works to sooth her.

Yeah, I really am a hopeless idealist.

And I really need to move to France.

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I want Luca to run.

That would be a hoot! Only if you agree to be my campaign manager!!!

So Frazz...are you saying that you think Hilary is for sure, no way in hell getting the nomination? I know that is how it seems, but is it definitely over for her now?

I heard McCain speak today and my blood ran cold. Not a good sign...but I may vote for him anyway if he comes out and makes a stand and says he will stop providing healthcare to illegal immigrants. That has got to help put more dollars towards helping uninsured citizens who are in need of services, and billions of additional dollars in the budget to address healthcare costs and other important healthcare issues in this country. We have got to stop treating noncitizens better as far as healthcare coverage than we treat our working class Americans...no other country in the world offers free healthcare to noncitizens. We just have to start drawing lines somewhere...and I think this is an important place to start.

Both Hilary and Obama would continue to use our tax dollars to pay for illegals to continue to get emergency medical treatment here (not just if there is an accident, also includes specialized surgery, cancer treatment, intensive care treatment etc), so they will continue to come here in droves when they or their family members are sick and cannot pay for treatment. For example, in Mexico, if you cannot pay up front for a procedure, you don't get it. I really feel for these people that are in this situation, but the evergrowing financial burden of taking care of the rest of the world takes services away and diminishes assistance programs for the working poor and middle class citizens, e.g those of us who are paying for them here and that is just not right. This is a very important issue to me.

McCain won't get ME insurance.

And, really, that is my most important issue.

He will also make the zillions I have paid into social security vanish . They have dwindled to not much, but the Dems will help it not vanish altogether.

OBAMA for the win (I hope).

Yes, Hillary is officially not going to win. Obama would have to die (and if he does Clinton would have to not be behind it) for her to win the nomination.

Immigration is just not an issue that I see as having significant impact on my life. If they all got kicked out none of the money would come in my direction.

McCain does not support anything whatsoever that would benefit my life.

Plus he called his wife a cunt in front of reporters.

Not a friend of mine.

He also said:

"Do you know why Chelsea Clinton is so ugly?" he asked. "Because Janet Reno is her father."

Nope, not fond of him, at all. But mostly it is that the more Bushlike he becomes the more I do not agree with him about ANYTHING. None of his positions will make any part of my life better, and will help make my financial life worse. Outsourcing jobs in particular. It isn't the immigrants fucking up m work life, it is the jobs in web and computer stuff being sent to other countries that make my pay get smaller and my potential jobs less available. McCain wants to protect the profits of the people who ship those jobs out.

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The problem is many people are scared shitless they will have to give up anything. God forbid they can't drive their Escalade or live in their 5,000 square foot homes...no offense to anyone here that happen to have those things. I don't blame anyone for getting comfortable with the riches America offers us all. I certainly have my share of excesses that I have taken advantage of without giving them
much thought.

See I agree with you 200 percent on this. I personally think if you drive a Hummer you should be a rrested. We are some of the most wateful people on the planet. people are going to be FORCED to drive smaller cars because of the gas prices. We are part of the problem.

I don't really hold out much hope for Mccain taking away medical care for immigrants seeing as how he is for complete amnesty for them. I'm not a cruel person but I say get in line and become a citizen. and It makes my blood boil when illegals get everything free and people work their ass off and lose their shirt because of medical costs.

I am tellling you the middle class is the forgotten class in this country we get screwed everytime. The rich don't pay taxes because of loopholes and the poor can't . What kind of country does this leave my son to grow up in? I am very concerned about alll of these issues because of him.

Ok, so it comes down to Obama and McCain then...let the show begin. I am dying to hear what Obama has to say from here on out because he can easily sway me at this point if his plans for changes seem doable. McCain sounds like he is a typical military prick and I can't go there either...

Aerwin, you are probably right about Mccain not willing to take away the illegal's emergency healthcare since he is for complete amnesty. My main deal with this issue is if you or I get a catastrophic illness and require ICU care, surgery, and lengthy, expensive treatment...we will lose everything we have to pay for it-even if we have decent health insurance. If you don't? You are really screwed. Why should the working class folks like us go under and lose everything when someone who is here illegally gets their million dollar bill written off? Believe me, this practice and the explosion of the children of illegals on medicare affects the price of healthcare for all of us.

You know I keep scratching my head as to why Hilary insists on staying in this race. She cannot win. The numbers just don't add up. Then it dawned on me , she is setting herself up for four years from now. She is hoping for a McCain win she she can run again in four years. She does not care about the Democratic party and if they do well, only about herself. Which makes me ponder does she really care about the American people?

Good question. There is another twist though about her staying in...she could be hoping for the Vice President position on Obama's ticket. I know it sounds far fetched, but he may be forced to consider her if her numbers continue to prove she could bring a substantial number of voters out and the party forces Obama to make that choice.

I can't even imagine the fireworks that would go on behind the scenes if that happenned!

I actually hope Hillary winds up running as V.P.

Her newfound outrageous pugnaciousness will help the gentle Obama get elected.

Though I sure wouldn't want to be Obama under those circumstances, personally.

But I really doubt Obama will get elected without her, and maybe not even then. None of the other front-funning VP's currently mentioned will make any difference: (Webb, a military vet, fighter type...who is just way too much of a female turnoff) or Kathleen Sibelius the female governor from Kansas who is also gentle, just like Obama.

What Clinton has going for her, finally, is that the guys who like bar fights are actually on her side, where as they used to view her as the scolding school-marm. Now she is shit-kickin' granny, a much better image.

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What Clinton has going for her, finally, is that the guys who like bar fights are actually on her side, where as they used to view her as the scolding school-marm. Now she is shit-kickin' granny, a much better image.

The image of Granny from the Beverly Hillbilly's just came to mind! And Bill is the Jed to Hilary's Granny! Their voices are even similar!

LOL! Yep!

Now these are archetypes we Americans can get behind! ( I mean it)

And in that realm, Obama can be the Mr. Conklin (no wait, that is Our Miss Brooks)..something from the Beverly Hillbillies.

In California:

Cal Supreme Court rules same-sex marriages constitutional

I know I truck in a different demographic world from most of us here (theater, artists, and my current job at AIDS Project Los Angeles) but in my world, the most loving and long lasting couples I personally know are gay guys (and at APLA I am starting to know of some really bonded lesbian couples, too. All my straight couple friends are going through widowhood, which is horrifying.

In my view, any two people who want to commit to being together forever, to live their lives supporting each other, deserve all the same legal and sentimental rights.

Myself? I suppose that is why I asked my previous question...

I think it is great gay couples can have legal marriages in California.

On Ted Kennedy and him turning out to have brain cancer:

Ted Kennedy is another rare celebrity I do not know personally that I have some profound feelings about.

Oh, yeah, I did meet him once, when I was somewhere between 11 and 13 (no recollection more specific), and Ted was first running or hoping to run for something. My father was a JFK idolizer, and took me to some function (something simple like Cancer Society of Boston fund raiser or something) and Ted was there. My father pushed me to get Ted's autograph at the event. I was mortified, but did it for Daddy.

Even at that age I expected that a person in Kennedy's position (aspiring to be elected to something) would be gracious in a Disney-like fashion.

He was not. He visibly recoiled at me, and then signed it, while acting like I had the plague. I was a pre-teen girl. I asked for his autograph.

Part of me didn't blame him, given that I certainly did not care about his autograph for myself, but part of me was wiser feeling, and thought he was behaving very stupidly for somebody purporting to want to win fans.

In any event, though the encounter did not come back to my consciousness until Chappaquiddick and learning of his appalling behavior after crashing a car in the water and leaving his groupie still inside while he immediately looked for ways to hide his drunken stupidity.

I was in college by then, and, amazingly, a fellow student friend of mine's mother's house was the one right next to the bridge where he could have, should have KNOCKED to get some help! The girl i knew was staying there that night, and they were up, and had their lights on. They did not notice any particularly strange sounds, but it was obvious, according to them, that somebody who had just crashed a car with a passenger who was in mortal danger would warrent a knock and a cry for help. Kennedy did not knock.

So, back to Ted and him having brain cancer now:

I like how Ted votes, more than anybody else, ever, who is mainstream.

I do not hate him as much as Woody Allen, on a personal level, but he is close.

But I love his votes.

I hate him.

I love his votes.

OK, that is my conflicted-ness.

Him turning out to have BRAIN cancer, the thing that killed a few other people close to me, after they had started behaving really horribly in the years before they knew that was what it was, and once it was found out I could look back and wonder if that was lurking for decades before, making them, back in the old days, only act that way occasionally back then...

Long story short...

Maybe Ted Kennedy had a brain malfunction when he behaved so ungraciously when I was a kid.

Life is full of complexities like that (in my life, anyway)...I need to UNDERSTAND (understanding being the booby trap of life, according to the one great therapist I ever went to, in trade for happiness, and mostly, these days, I believe that, too)...

So back to Ted.
The non-convoluted thing I believe, is that is is a terrible shame that he will be checking out (even if he lives for a while) before the November election.

What is at stake are the supreme court justices.

I am in the same conflict. I hate him as a person but agree with him politically.

Funny, my mom saw JFK in person when she was a teenager. He looked at her and her knees got weak. She's still totally obsessed with him.

I don't wish sickness on anyone. I am not that enamored with the Kennedy's per se as they all lack morals I think. But as far as they way they vote I agree with them. Whatever you think of him personally and i don't think of him much he has worked tirelessly for the underdog.

So Obama wins Oregan and Hilary wins Kentucky. Will this never end. The DNC clearly has no clue how to run their own party. He is only 100 votes within getting all the delegates.

I thought you all would like to know that one of my daycare dads is a pilot. Guess who he spent the last week flying around?? Obama!!

His name is Terry and sadly he needs back surgery. He has put it off so he could fly Obama and his family around. I couldn't believe out of all the people out there that Terry flies around that he ended up with someone running for president. Pretty exciting for him!

I hate Ted Kennedy. Finally that poor girl and her family get some revenge! Sorry, but what he did was so criminal and it sickens me that he got off scott free because he is a Kennedy Normally I would be very upset for anyone dealing with cancer, but THAT man - no sympathy at all.

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I thought you all would like to know that one of my daycare dads is a pilot. Guess who he spent the last week flying around?? Obama!!

COOL! What did he say about him?