Woo hoo!!! Watching the wheels fly off the Straight Talk Express is better than sitting in the far turn at Daytona.
Check out this article on CNN.com
"Trouble in paradise, my friends. My running mate, and boy I can't wait till the folks in Warshington meet her, is straying off the reservation. She is a maverick, jest like me."
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Dottie Foote and Herb Gullatt from Mount Airy NC are Great Americans!
Check this letter, in response to the one below. Folks, this election is creating change.
The letter that appeared in the Mt. Airy News, to the Editor on 10/14/08, from Mr. Garland Smith took me by surprise. I did not think the newspaper would print anything so openly full of spite and prejudice. What a disappointment.
But I would like to reassure Mr. Smith that with Barack Obama, he has nothing to worry about.What we all must be cautious about are the following: ignorance, smear tactics, half truths, lies, racism and irrational fear. Let’s be respectful of everyone’s freedom to vote their conscience. There’s no need to call people dumb or brain washed if they don’t agree with your choice. Mud slinging like that doesn’t do your candidate any good.
Enough already! A little mutual respect will go a long way. Maybe then we can get all the way to election day behaving like thoughtful adults.
Thank you,
Dotty Foote, Mount Airy
And this from Herbert Gullatt:
To the Editor,
No where in my letter (published in The Mount Airy News Oct. 15) did I object to The Mount Airy News right to publish Mr. Smith’s letter nor did I object to Mr. Smith’s right to say what he did.“Free speech exercised both individually and through a free press is a necessity in any country where free people are themselves free.” Theodore Roosevelt 1918
Those who call for the murder of a sitting President or the murder of candidates for that office should not be surprised when the Secret Service knocks on their door as the Secret Service does not take this lightly. If Mr. Smith meant this when he wrote “at all costs” then that is Mr. Smith’s problem.Just as shouting “FIRE” in a crowded theater is not protected speech neither is calling for the assassination of the President or a candidate for that office just ask the Secret Service as they have hauled people to court who made passing threats in a bar.
The McCain/Palin campaign is appealing to the worst elements in our society when they permit people at the rallies to call for the murder of a candidate as neither McCain or Palin have given any objection to this.When you sow the whirlwind you should be prepared to reap the fury that at times comes with it. And that fury will come both from the extremists on the right and the left if and when they get their wish.They know they can not win on the issues so they sling mud. The McCain/Palin campaign themselves have said this and that the only chance they have of winning is to sully Obama character.
Herbert Clayton Gullatt
Senior Chief, U.S. Navy Retired
The letter that appeared in the Mt. Airy News, to the Editor on 10/14/08, from Mr. Garland Smith took me by surprise. I did not think the newspaper would print anything so openly full of spite and prejudice. What a disappointment.
But I would like to reassure Mr. Smith that with Barack Obama, he has nothing to worry about.What we all must be cautious about are the following: ignorance, smear tactics, half truths, lies, racism and irrational fear. Let’s be respectful of everyone’s freedom to vote their conscience. There’s no need to call people dumb or brain washed if they don’t agree with your choice. Mud slinging like that doesn’t do your candidate any good.
Enough already! A little mutual respect will go a long way. Maybe then we can get all the way to election day behaving like thoughtful adults.
Thank you,
Dotty Foote, Mount Airy
And this from Herbert Gullatt:
To the Editor,
No where in my letter (published in The Mount Airy News Oct. 15) did I object to The Mount Airy News right to publish Mr. Smith’s letter nor did I object to Mr. Smith’s right to say what he did.“Free speech exercised both individually and through a free press is a necessity in any country where free people are themselves free.” Theodore Roosevelt 1918
Those who call for the murder of a sitting President or the murder of candidates for that office should not be surprised when the Secret Service knocks on their door as the Secret Service does not take this lightly. If Mr. Smith meant this when he wrote “at all costs” then that is Mr. Smith’s problem.Just as shouting “FIRE” in a crowded theater is not protected speech neither is calling for the assassination of the President or a candidate for that office just ask the Secret Service as they have hauled people to court who made passing threats in a bar.
The McCain/Palin campaign is appealing to the worst elements in our society when they permit people at the rallies to call for the murder of a candidate as neither McCain or Palin have given any objection to this.When you sow the whirlwind you should be prepared to reap the fury that at times comes with it. And that fury will come both from the extremists on the right and the left if and when they get their wish.They know they can not win on the issues so they sling mud. The McCain/Palin campaign themselves have said this and that the only chance they have of winning is to sully Obama character.
Herbert Clayton Gullatt
Senior Chief, U.S. Navy Retired
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Why Barack Obama Won't Likely Carry Surry County, North Carolina
Letter to the Editor
Mount Airy, NC News
Obama, the most radical ever to run for president. His election would lead to the destruction of our great country. Obama all his years of life has had relationship with terriost like William Ayers this good next door neighbor. His good friend Louis Farragut. His long Rev. Wright and his support of such groups as Hammas and the Plo who are out to destroy Israel. Obama wouldn’t even wear an American flag pin on his coat until last month.How can any true red blooded American be so dumb, so liberal and confused as to vote for Obama.Obama’s support is basically these young, liberals, 18 to 21 years who have been brain washed by the liberal teachers and professors.
Along with 90% of the blacks of our country are out to support the candidate that will offer and give them anything include government hand outs that we the really hard working true Americans work for.
America must at all cost see to it that Obama and his liberals are never elected to destroy our great country as president.
Garland Smith
Mount Airy
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Why Obama Matters
A colleague and friend, whom I highly respect, shared the following video with me. This, ladies and gentlemen, is why the Obama campaign is going to change the way we think about race in this country. Andrew Sullivan says in his Atlantic Monthly blog about this clip:
A pretty amazing speech by the AFL-CIO's Richard Trumka. To see a white union man take on rwant it to: acism this way is very moving. Something truly profound could happen in this election, if we want it to.
A pretty amazing speech by the AFL-CIO's Richard Trumka. To see a white union man take on rwant it to: acism this way is very moving. Something truly profound could happen in this election, if we want it to.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
The Obama Trifecta
Just finished watching the third and final presidential debate. You know, the one where President Barack Obama sealed the deal with the American people.
I cannot think of another election where, arguably, the debates played to the winning team's advantage. In all three settings, Obama looked cool, calm and collected. Just the kind of guy I want behind the big desk when the market goes down 700 points. Or, comfortable enough in his own skin and with his own cojones to be willing enough to sit down across from a nutcase like Chavez. Or Ahmadenijad. Can ya imagine him giving one of those guys the same, bemused look he lasered McCain with during tonight's debate? Priceless!
What is most impressive is that this guy comes to win. There has been no slacking on Team Obama. No overconfidence. No measuring of the Oval Office drapes. After tonight's win, Candidate Obama is back out and onto the huskings.
And I am confident he will bring that same drive back to the White House come January 20, 2009.
I cannot think of another election where, arguably, the debates played to the winning team's advantage. In all three settings, Obama looked cool, calm and collected. Just the kind of guy I want behind the big desk when the market goes down 700 points. Or, comfortable enough in his own skin and with his own cojones to be willing enough to sit down across from a nutcase like Chavez. Or Ahmadenijad. Can ya imagine him giving one of those guys the same, bemused look he lasered McCain with during tonight's debate? Priceless!
What is most impressive is that this guy comes to win. There has been no slacking on Team Obama. No overconfidence. No measuring of the Oval Office drapes. After tonight's win, Candidate Obama is back out and onto the huskings.
And I am confident he will bring that same drive back to the White House come January 20, 2009.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Professor Sam Sez . . .
Well, folks. We are three and a half weeks away from Election Day and being bombarded hourly (I don't think "minutely" is a word) with all kinds of news/op-ed pieces which is very hard for the Sleehster to track and add to Randompolitik.
That said, I think this article by Sam Wang of the Princeton Election Consortium (some say academic think tank, others say pointy-headed liberals in an ivory tower) is worth your reading. Essentially Prof. Wang is telling us:
That said, I think this article by Sam Wang of the Princeton Election Consortium (some say academic think tank, others say pointy-headed liberals in an ivory tower) is worth your reading. Essentially Prof. Wang is telling us:
- Best Uncle Grumpy and Gidget can do is blunt a blowout by Barack. I think he is thinking "Clinton vs. Dole" territory.
- Yer pissin' into a hurricane if you think $100 to either campaign is going to make a difference at this point.
- Focus on the margins -- at this point, House and Senate races are where the action are.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Blast From The Past
Dan Ackroyd, portraying Jimmy Carter on a SNL broadcast in 1980, delivered these words. Someone should forward them to the McCain campaign!
Good evening. On Tuesday, we Americans will have the opportunity to exercise our role as citizens in a free democracy. Yet, only a third of the eligible voters will actually cast ballots. The other two-thirds are, in a sense, very lucky. Because they do not know what's going on.
Last week, I delivered a message on inflation. Since then, the dollar has dropped in value, the stock market has sustained record losses, and the whole sow price index increased 0.9%. In other words, our economic system is screwed, blued and tatooed! We just have to face the fact that there is simply no way to fight inflation in a capital-intensive, highly-technological, conflict-riddled, anything-for-a-thrill world of today.
That's why, tonight, I want you to try to look for, in inflation, an entirely new word: Inflation is our friend.
For example, consider this. In the year 2000, if current trends continue, the average blue-collar annual wage in this country will be $568,000. Think what this inflated world of the future will mean - most Americans will be millionaires. Everyone will feel like a bigshot. Wouldn't you like to own a $4,000 suit, and smoke a $75 cigar, drive a $600,000 car? I know I would!
But what about people on fixed incomes? They have always been the true victims of inflation. That's why I will present to Congress the "Inflation Maintenance Program", whereby the U.S. Treasury will make up any inflation-caused losses to direct tax rebates to the public in cash. Then you may say, "Won't that cost a lot of money? Won't that increase the deficit?" Sure it will! But so what? We'll just print more money! We have the papers, we have the mints.. I can just call up the Bureau of Engraving and say, "Hi! This is Jimmy. Roll out some of them twenties! Print up a couple thousand sheets of those Century Notes!" Sure, all these dollars will cause even more inflation, but who cares? Everyone will be a millionaire!
In my speech last week, I said that America would have to undergo an austerity program, but since this revolutionary new approach welcomes inflation, our economy will be free to grow, and we can spend, spend, spend!
Good evening. On Tuesday, we Americans will have the opportunity to exercise our role as citizens in a free democracy. Yet, only a third of the eligible voters will actually cast ballots. The other two-thirds are, in a sense, very lucky. Because they do not know what's going on.
Last week, I delivered a message on inflation. Since then, the dollar has dropped in value, the stock market has sustained record losses, and the whole sow price index increased 0.9%. In other words, our economic system is screwed, blued and tatooed! We just have to face the fact that there is simply no way to fight inflation in a capital-intensive, highly-technological, conflict-riddled, anything-for-a-thrill world of today.
That's why, tonight, I want you to try to look for, in inflation, an entirely new word: Inflation is our friend.
For example, consider this. In the year 2000, if current trends continue, the average blue-collar annual wage in this country will be $568,000. Think what this inflated world of the future will mean - most Americans will be millionaires. Everyone will feel like a bigshot. Wouldn't you like to own a $4,000 suit, and smoke a $75 cigar, drive a $600,000 car? I know I would!
But what about people on fixed incomes? They have always been the true victims of inflation. That's why I will present to Congress the "Inflation Maintenance Program", whereby the U.S. Treasury will make up any inflation-caused losses to direct tax rebates to the public in cash. Then you may say, "Won't that cost a lot of money? Won't that increase the deficit?" Sure it will! But so what? We'll just print more money! We have the papers, we have the mints.. I can just call up the Bureau of Engraving and say, "Hi! This is Jimmy. Roll out some of them twenties! Print up a couple thousand sheets of those Century Notes!" Sure, all these dollars will cause even more inflation, but who cares? Everyone will be a millionaire!
In my speech last week, I said that America would have to undergo an austerity program, but since this revolutionary new approach welcomes inflation, our economy will be free to grow, and we can spend, spend, spend!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
Keating Economics
Check out this 14 minute documentary about Sen. John McCain and his involvement in the S&L Crisis of the 1980s.
'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.' - George Santayana
'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.' - George Santayana
One Month to Election Day - What to Watch
Okay, here goes another rare "pure Sleehrat" look at the electoral billiard table.
1. Obama Makes Voter Registration in the right side pocket. Voter turnout is crucial for any election and some of the numbers -- well, hell all of them -- don't look good for the Republicans. According to our friends at the Volkischer Beobachter (aka Fox News): "In Pennsylvania, registered Democrats have grown by 350,000 since 2004. Registered Republicans have declined by 285,000.
In Florida, Democrats have added 130,000 new voters, while GOP has stayed even.
Nevada, Democrats have added 80,000 more voters than Republicans in a state that Mr. Bush won by 20,000 votes last time." The Obama ground game is working voter registration hard, especially in Red States. When Barack said in his 2004 convention address "Yes, we have some gay brothers and sisters in the red states" -- he wasn't kidding. Take THAT Rush!!!!!
2. Obama Makes Campaign Appearances in the right corner pocket. Karl Rove has a pretty simple axiom for running a successful national campaign: the more you can fight your campaign on your opponent's turf, the less he is able to fight on your's. I don't think there is any question that the Obama campaign has Uncle Grumpy on the defensive. Obama is building leads in Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, Colorado, Nevada, Ohio, Iowa, New Mexico -- all Bush states in '04. So, if you do the electoral math, we could win most -- not all of those -- and cede Pennyslvania and still win the election.
3. McCain Misses Positive Messaging in Left side pocket. McCain has pulled out (left pundits prefer the word "surrender") of Michigan to put resources into Pennsylvania, a Kerry state in 2004 but one where, see above, registered Democrats have grown by 350,000 since 2004. Registered Republicans have declined by 285,000. Michigan is, arguably, the poster child of the declining US economy. THe state led us into recession and more jobs have been lost there over the past few years than any place else. This plays into Obama's hand as portrayng McCain as out of touch and just another politician who will spend his time and money where it counts, instead of where it means something. Country First? Please.
4. McCain Sinks a Difficult Negative Messaging in Right Side Pocket. Between now and November 4, expect McCain to make Tony Rezko and William Ayers both Barack Obama's running mates. Now, I award that shot to a right pocket because, if anything, it assures Uncle Grumpy of a good turnout in Texas, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee -- and any other state he is going to win anyway. A difficult shot because Obama has already begun preemptive advertising that labels the McCain attacks as out of touch with the REAL concerns of working Americans.
5. Obama Sinks an Easy Negative Message in the Left Side Pocket - with help from outside parties. Touche! And he doesn't event have to approve this message.
With a little help from the Democratic National Committee:
1. Obama Makes Voter Registration in the right side pocket. Voter turnout is crucial for any election and some of the numbers -- well, hell all of them -- don't look good for the Republicans. According to our friends at the Volkischer Beobachter (aka Fox News): "In Pennsylvania, registered Democrats have grown by 350,000 since 2004. Registered Republicans have declined by 285,000.
In Florida, Democrats have added 130,000 new voters, while GOP has stayed even.
Nevada, Democrats have added 80,000 more voters than Republicans in a state that Mr. Bush won by 20,000 votes last time." The Obama ground game is working voter registration hard, especially in Red States. When Barack said in his 2004 convention address "Yes, we have some gay brothers and sisters in the red states" -- he wasn't kidding. Take THAT Rush!!!!!
2. Obama Makes Campaign Appearances in the right corner pocket. Karl Rove has a pretty simple axiom for running a successful national campaign: the more you can fight your campaign on your opponent's turf, the less he is able to fight on your's. I don't think there is any question that the Obama campaign has Uncle Grumpy on the defensive. Obama is building leads in Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, Colorado, Nevada, Ohio, Iowa, New Mexico -- all Bush states in '04. So, if you do the electoral math, we could win most -- not all of those -- and cede Pennyslvania and still win the election.
3. McCain Misses Positive Messaging in Left side pocket. McCain has pulled out (left pundits prefer the word "surrender") of Michigan to put resources into Pennsylvania, a Kerry state in 2004 but one where, see above, registered Democrats have grown by 350,000 since 2004. Registered Republicans have declined by 285,000. Michigan is, arguably, the poster child of the declining US economy. THe state led us into recession and more jobs have been lost there over the past few years than any place else. This plays into Obama's hand as portrayng McCain as out of touch and just another politician who will spend his time and money where it counts, instead of where it means something. Country First? Please.
4. McCain Sinks a Difficult Negative Messaging in Right Side Pocket. Between now and November 4, expect McCain to make Tony Rezko and William Ayers both Barack Obama's running mates. Now, I award that shot to a right pocket because, if anything, it assures Uncle Grumpy of a good turnout in Texas, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee -- and any other state he is going to win anyway. A difficult shot because Obama has already begun preemptive advertising that labels the McCain attacks as out of touch with the REAL concerns of working Americans.
5. Obama Sinks an Easy Negative Message in the Left Side Pocket - with help from outside parties. Touche! And he doesn't event have to approve this message.
With a little help from the Democratic National Committee:
George Will on McCain: Not Ready For Prime Time
George Will writes in a recent Washington Post column: "Under the pressure of the financial crisis, one presidential candidate is behaving like a flustered rookie playing in a league too high. It is not Barack Obama." Will goes on to say; "It is arguable that, because of his inexperience, Obama is not ready for the presidency. It is arguable that McCain, because of his boiling moralism and bottomless reservoir of certitudes, is not suited to the presidency. Unreadiness can be corrected, although perhaps at great cost, by experience. Can a dismaying temperament be fixed?
Check out the rest here.
Check out the rest here.
Friday, October 3, 2008
In Time for the Holidays - Digital Gidget
Check out this site -- http://interviewpalin.com/
From the description:
This site is a parody. The answers are computer generated based on probabilities calculated from Sarah Palin's actual speech. The Markov chain [hey folks - YOU look it up and figure it out! -- Sleehrat] generated answers are surprisingly close to her actual answers.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Live from Des Moines - Its the Uncle Grumpy Show
Looks like John McCain is NOT a big fan of the Des Moines Register editorial board
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