Snazel Blog Feedback

We don't get many comments on this blog, but when we do, it almost always provides great feedback.

For example: Culture Vulture commented recently on my thread about generational politics entitled Generation We vs. Generation X vs. Baby-Boomers. The comment is listed below...

As many prominent experts have noted, Obama (and you, born in 1963) is a member of Generation Jones–born 1954-1965, between the Boomers and GenXers.

Here is a column by Clarence Page about GenJones in last week’s Chicago Tribune.

And this new 5 minute GenJones video features many top pundits (including David Brooks, Clarence Page, Dick Morris, Juan Williams, Karen Tumulty, Howard Wolfson, Michael Barone, etc.) specifically talking about Obama (and Palin’s) membership in Generation Jones, as well as the surprisingly big role that GenJones is now playing in this election. Link to the video is here
-- CultureVulture

The next comment comes from Geoff who writes his own fine blog here.

Geoff wrote a couple of comments, but the one I'd like to highlight is the following, he wrote this in response to my rant about how "old school" and "Washington Insider" Obama's tentative cabinet choices look to be. A link to the original thread is here

Geoff's comment is below:

I think Obama is overcompensating for people's concern that he does not have enough experience. With the absurdly inexperienced Gov. Palin on the Republican ticket, Obama is not the one people are worrying about as far as experience goes. Agreed, Obama should reject this list. The old hands have failed us time and time again. He needs to put the power in new hands, starting with his own.
-- Geoff

Thank you both for the comments.

Cabinet List is a Disaster

Politico has apparently come up with a list of possible cabinet members in an Obama administration. The list was compiled from inside information from those close to Obama, and others are purely speculative.

You can read the list here.

MY COMMENT: The list is an utter disaster.

Whoever it is in the Obama camp that is snitching on this issue, needs to be muzzled, punished and kicked out of the campaign. The list presented here, entirely contradicts the “Change” message of the Obama campaign.

This list reads like a “Who’s Who on the Inside of Washington”, a list of bureaucrats, old codgers and inside-track Democrats, that don’t suggest change at all. Rather, they seem to suggest Obama’s administration would quickly descend to “same old Washington”. This list should be dismissed officially by Obama, they need to get in front of it fast, because this is superb fodder for McCain’s campaign.

Also if many of these rumors are true, I am utterly disappointed. When I vote for Obama, I was not endorsing the Clinton administration, and this list looks largely like a sequel to a lot of the ineptitude of the Clinton administration, a presidency which made an utter mess of the Middle East process, and utterly ignored the growing threat of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Thank goodness Janet Reno isn’t on the damn list, or I would seriously be considering changing my vote.

John Kerry as Secretary of State? Are you kidding me? I could write volumes on what an utter disastrous pick this would be. Rahm Emanuel? Can anyone tell me what this rubber-necked, poll-watcher actually believes in, other than protecting his own job and ducking for cover when the tide gets a little rough? Tom Daschle? Who on God’s green Earth, thinks Daschle represents change? The man is a cowardly rat, and represents all that is partisan and dirty in Washington and is knee-deep in lobby influence.

We are not voting for Obama, just so old, liberal hacks, that have failed us for decades, can suddenly get a payday. For the most part, the “progressives” on this list, represent the old liberal dogma that was rejected by voters before and will be rejected again, if it is slammed down our throat. We expect more than just the same old tired bureaucrats of yesterday.

Somebody in the Obama campaign, I beg you, disavow this list, it’s a disaster and makes your campaign look like a complete charade. “Change” does not mean we reward Dean, Daschle, Emanuel, Kerry and half of the Clinton cabinet with cushy new jobs, and major policy influence. Those names don’t represent one iota of change, and most of them were rejected by voters for executive power.

If the list is true, Obama should prepare for a one-term presidency immediately, because this crap won’t fly in this new electorate.

Khalidi "Scandal" is Last Straw

I personally don’t agree with some of Mr. Khalidi’s views, and I confess he argues for the Palestinian cause with great fervor. I also confess he has criticized Israel for failing to work towards a two-state solution. However, this does not make him a terrorist, nor does it link him to the PLO and it certainly does not make him an anti-Semite.

To make matters even more deplorable, John McCain chaired a committee which handed half-a-million dollars to an organization which Khalidi founded, so this campaign pointing any suspicious fingers towards him is utterly hypocritical.

There are several other aspects of this charade that bother me:

1) The idea that anyone with Palestinian heritage is somehow ‘un-American’, anti-Semitic or connected to the PLO is ridiculous.

2) The fact such serious accusations can be leveled by a presidential campaign with no proof, is unacceptable. I blame the media for this, for providing validity to the story, instead of clearly reporting the facts. Mainstream media has to stop merely being an echo chamber for campaign managers (both left and right).

3) Even worse, the insinuation that because Obama appeared at a banquet with Khalidi, means Obama is also in league with the PLO and is working to destroy Israel, is a new low.

4) Why hasn’t McCain criticized “Joe the Plumber” for suggesting, a vote for Obama would mean the “death of Israel”?

There was a time I had great respect for John McCain, but that is no longer the case, after this garbage. I really hope the Republicans get their soul back in future elections, because their current status and desperate tactics are beneath all of us.

Anti-Semitism is a serious charge that should never be reported by the media without definitive proof. The phrase “he will bring the death of Israel” is a phrase that must be substantiated immediately by a campaign, or withdrawn and apologized for profusely.

Goodbye John McCain, good riddance, your biggest failure is you actually made the wing nuts at DailyKOS seem like they were right all along, by running the lowest presidential campaign in history.

If you have any doubt of Khalidi, I invite you to watch the following debate he has with a former Israeli ambassador. And again, while you may not agree with some of his points of view, at least concede he argues his case reasonably, as any American should be permitted to do in a free society...

We vs. X vs. Baby-Boom

Everyone should see this, because even if you don't agree with the message, it should certainly spark a worthy discussion...



I have much to say about this, and while some of my commentary is quite negative, overall I have to say, I applaud this video. It may be a little cheesy, self-righteous and presumptuous, but it has its spirit in the right place, and it also signals the death of political power dominated by the baby-boomer generation, (which personally I cannot wait to see).

Personally, I am just two years younger than Obama, which puts me right at the cusp of "Generation X" and the end of "Baby Boomer". I've always considered myself as "Generation X" because my parents were born in the middle of World War II. I grew up with, recognize, and identify with much of Gen-X culture.

I have to say, I think a new generation finding its own identity and purpose is a good thing. What I especially like about the video above, is how often they suggest that their generation rejects partisanship.

If this is true, how will the cheerleader blogs and media (DailyKOS, Huffington, Rush Limbaugh, NRO) captivate this new generation? If all they do is attack the other side, demonize ideas contrary to their own, how can they expect to capture this new generation of voters?

I wonder how long it will be before JWR, KOS and other sites like it, will be seen to be as anachronistic as Dick Cavett, Donovan and Catcher in the Rye?

Hopefully not too much longer, because the need for true bipartisan and intelligent dialog (rather than pom-poms and rhetoric) is sorely needed. I sincerely hope this "Generation We" brings true bipartisan dialog to the internet.

Rovian Tactics RIP?

It seems that this time around, (if polls are to be believed), that “Rovian” tactics are simply out of date. There have been many editorials of late that discuss “what went wrong”. Putting aside these editorials are jumping the gun a little, I think it is still it’s a worthy discussion.

My favorite editorial on this topic recently can be found here.

My favorite quote in this editorial comes at the end…

Two years ago, I wrote a book imploring the Republican Party not to follow its worst elements off a cliff—not to evolve, in short, into an insular party with little-to-no appeal outside of the rural, the southern, the Evangelical. As the McCain campaign flames out in a ball of Rovian disgrace, scorching the center in an attempt to fire up the base, it's difficult to reach any other conclusion than that the battle for the soul of the Republican Party has been lost.
- Ryan Sager

MY COMMENT: As much as I wish this election to put a stake in the "energize the base" politics of Rove and Kristol, I have a feeling, we haven't seen the last of this gang. They are plotting their triumphant return to power in 2012 already I am sure.

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Score Another Point for Brooks

For the second day in a row David Brooks scores a worthy quote. I don't always agree with this man, but this quote is precisely how I feel right now:

I have nothing against partisanship, but I do have something against self-deception. In the final months of a campaign large majorities in the country simply shut off all information that doesn’t confirm their own candidates superior virtue and intelligence. I’m amazed at the number of pundits I see who are simply campaign mouthpieces. I’m amazed at the bloggers who have lost all independence and are simply operatives.
-- David Brooks, New York Times

I challenge anyone who reads this to dial up a site that contradicts your established point of view and give it a read. If you are left-wing, dial up Michelle Malkin, Hugh Hewitt or the National Review. If you are right-wing, dial up Markos, Huffington or "The Nation".

For us independents, this is a daily exercise, trying to read both partisan hype-machines, and then attempting to discern the truth amongst the cheerleaders and echo chambers.

It's not easy, but it is what responsible voters do.

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Swines Compete for the Swill...

The bailout is now the hottest lobbying game in town.
-- MARTIN CRUTSINGER, Associated Press

Cunning Realist links to an AP story that is truly frightening.

MY COMMENT: Swines, competing for the swill.

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No Shame in Science

Christopher Hitchens is the kind of editorialist many people loathe. He is loathed by some, because he is both a conservative and an atheist, he’ll cross any party line when it suits him, and because he can make eccentric arguments with great cunning and reason. Now, I don’t always agree with Hitchens but there are times he writes with great clarity and wisdom, and this is one of thos times.

My favorite quote from his latest editorial is:

This is what the Republican Party has done to us this year: It has placed within reach of the Oval Office a woman who is a religious fanatic and a proud, boastful ignoramus. Those who despise science and learning are not anti-elitist. They are morally and intellectually slothful people who are secretly envious of the educated and the cultured.
-- Christopher Hitchens

A link to the full article is here

My comment: One of many positive possibilities from this election is that fiscal conservatives who value civil liberties more than religious dogma, might finally get their lungs back in the Republican party.

If Republicans would simply diminish their slander of science and secularism, this would make them a far more attractive political party for many independent voters.

However, if Sarah Palin is dragged out of the Alaska wilderness and is offered to voters again in 2012, the Republicans will officially become a farce. The choice belongs to Republicans and it will be interesting to see which way they turn.

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David Brooks is Right

David Brooks.

DailyKOS rails against him, and questions his intelligence. Republican cheerleaders have ostracized him, for refusing to tow the party line.

So in other words, he annoys both extremes of the spectrum, which in my eyes, means he's probably doing something right.

Well, he did something right with his Sunday editorial I thought, my favorite quote is below:

...some of us hoped McCain would take sides in the debate now dividing the G.O.P. Some Republicans believe the G.O.P. went astray by abandoning its tax-cutting, anti-government principles. They want a return to Reagan (or at least the Reagan of their imaginations). But others want to modernize and widen the party and adapt it to new challenges. Some of us hoped that by reforming his party, which has grown so unpopular, McCain could prove that he could reform the country. But McCain never took sides in this debate and never articulated a governing philosophy..."
-- David Brooks

The full editorial is here.

Trite "Wardrobe Scandal" Hides More Obvious Truth

It was a stupid and trite distraction to begin with, but the Palin “wardrobe scandal” has now come full-circle.

Recognizing the media went for the item (which first appeared as an item on Politico.Com for 24 hours before picked up by mainstream media), and now trying to distance herself from the damage the story scored, Sarah Palin is now washing her hands of the entire fiasco, with a classic denial story.

Earlier today, Kristol, (ever the Palin-apologist), even insinuated the clothes were purchased without any knowledge of Sarah Palin.

So in short, we’re meant to believe Sarah Palin doesn’t even know where the clothes she wears at public appearances came from; which even it was true, speak volumes on her leadership, naivety and accountability.

There is a much larger truth related to this story though. The real truth is, *all* political campaigns are obscene. They float massive payrolls to political hacks, custom jets, top-tier hotel rooms and 5-star restaurants.

It is laughable, that both parties stood in front of us, and tried to tell us they sympathized with middle-class America, while their personal expenditures and per-diems soared the roof, often to the tunes of millions of dollars a day.

If Obama was any kind of leader, he’d take half of that 150 million he earned this month in donations, and put it in a fund to fight cancer. I personally know of a great colon cancer study he could invigorate for years, with just 1% of the money he earned in a single month.

What do you say Obama? Will you recognize the funding of these campaigns has become obscene, and put some money where it is needed most?

And Sarah, I know the story was just a stupid distraction, from a lazy media, but just how naïve do we think we are? Are you not responsible for your own campaign, or are you trying to show us that real leaders duck, cover, and then blame their own friends and party when things get rough?

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Franken Unfit for Senate

One major drawback to the Democratic tide, (that is apparently sweeping the country if polls are to be believed), is that idiots like Al Franken get to ride it into the senate.

Having read Al Franken's disgusting slander in his book, Lies (And the Lying Liars Who Tell Them) and having listened once or twice, to that dreadful, partisan, snobbish and inaccurate "news" show he moderated on "Air America", I can tell you it saddens me this comedian, turned leftist-cheerleader is about to be elected.

He is a hateful, biased and narrow minded man, who advocates a dogmatic approach to every problem, and can't see beyond his left-of-center bias. He demonizes those who do not goose-step to his own narrow politics, he writes and says sexist things, and then ducks for cover when they cause him controversy.

If you need more evidence this man is a terrible choice for senator I offer you this:

Al Franken was taking on the vast right-wing conspiracy before other people even admitted it existed," Mrs. Clinton said.

That statement should be speak volumes to anyone with an independent mind.

Party cheerleaders find no comfort on this blog, and Al Franken is a dangerously narrow partisan, that is completely unqualified for the Senate.

Cheap Sentiment Hurts Gay Rights

I was at a gay wedding in Vancouver, British Columbia, just a few years ago. I watched as two beloved friends of mine (whom I both consider as family), said their vows, and exchanged rings.

Let me tell you: Had you seen the beauty of the service, and the sincerity of the love at this ceremony, it would be difficult to advocate any kind of constitutional amendment against it.

Alas, in California, this is exactly the kind of amendment on the ballot in November. So obviously, I am eager to see this initiative defeated, and the constituion of California left alone.

All men and women, be they gay or straight, should be able to enjoy the legal and social advantages of marriage.

One small problem though, and that is gay advocacy groups in California, are botching their campaign with schmaltz like this:



Ads like this cheapen and trivialize the beauty of any marriage, be it gay or straight. Ads like this come across as the cheap sentiment that they are, and they hurt the cause for gay rights rather than help.

Such a serious issue, deserves a far more serious treatment than this. A hackneyed pull at the heart strings, will only galvanize the homophobic even more.

This issue, needs honest, unapologetic advocacy for basic human rights, not heart strings, pathos, sentiment and a really bad soundtrack from "Rent".

Someone in California, please I beg you, give Gay Rights, a better voice than this.

And shame on the state politicians of Washingston State, for refusing to tackle this issue! Given the cowardice and petty nature of our current race for Governor however, is it any wonder, both have ducked for cover on this issue?

Impressive vs. Squabbling

I slam the Democrats, because I am skeptical of any political party, and view partisanship, as a dogmatic solution to problems that require a pragmatic approach.

It's hard however to criticize the Democrats current political success however. An illustration of which is best described here:

I just got back from the Obama rally at Civic Center Park here in Denver. The Denver Post estimates the turnout was 100,000 people, which is really just astounding considering the total size of the city is about 550,000 people.
-- David Sirota, Huffington Post

The full blog post can be seen here.

Meanwhile in contrast, we have Bill Kristol whining. Suddenly Kristol sounds like the KOS "gang" in 2004, who whined and squabbled like wet mules after Kerry was defeated.

If Bill Kristol is the best conservatives can do for a spokesman, you can kiss independent voters like me goodbye. The sum of Kristol's argument, is that it was not Palin's inexperience, her botched interviews, her gaffes, or her scandals that made America reject her at the polls. No, it was the fact McCain "mishandled" her...



Most of all, it bothers me how Kristol refuses to blame himself for the mess. He was a loud, and powerful advocate for Palin, and rather admit he was wrong, he seeks to scapegoat his own party. It is political cowardice, plain and simple.

I argued just a few posts ago, that if Obama wins, the Republican response to his victory will be calculated, effective and vociferous, and that the Democrats will be ill-prepared for it as usual. However, if this is the best they can do right now, it appears the Republicans are not only losing, but they intend to squabble and whine about it, instead of counter-attacking.

This is not good news at all if you are a Republican, and I suggest humbly you get better spokesman than Bill Kristol moving forward, or it could be dark times ahead for your political party.

Meanwhile in Iraq...

Meanwhile in Iraq, failed negotiations are in a very dangerous position:

“Chief of the Kurdistan Alliance Fouad Masoum said if the agreement is not signed by the end of the year, U.S. troops will be left without legal cover from the UN. This means they will not have to perform security-keeping operations. This justifies concerns about the possibility of a coup. … Chief of the Accord Front Adnan Duleimi also warned of a coup toppling the government.”

Read this outstanding blog, for more.

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The "Fraud" Narrative Gains Momentum

I continue to harp about the inevitable Republican response to an Obama victory, which I predict will be: fraud, fraud, fraud!

We saw initial seeds planted last week for this narrative, and now we see mainstream slowly taking the bait.

A key quote from this article in the Washington Post:

Donors to the Obama campaign using false names such as Doodad Pro and Good Will gave $17,375 through 1,000 separate donations, with no sign that they immediately tripped alarms at the campaign. Of more concern, Cairncross said, are reports that the campaign permitted money from 123 foreign nationals to enter its accounts.
-- Matthew Mosk, Washington Post

As someone with a decade of electronic commerce experience in my career, I can tell you, there will be many examples of "suspicious" donations in Obama's campaign.

It won't matter that there was a serious effort to thwart the fraud, or that the vast majority of the contributions were probably legal, or that Obama was clearly the preferred candidate.

No, the narrative will be, that America's first black president, used "Chicago-style" politics to steal the presidency.

Sean Hannity is writing his first diatribe on this topic already, to be delivered within 24-hours of an Obama victory.

What is the left doing in anticipation of this? Nothing, they are popping champagne, laughing at SNL skits and saying stupid things like "leave nothing on the road, nothing".

It will be giddy cheerleaders versus a savvy, media-driven narrative to discredit the left's largest political gain in decades. I think it will be the cheerleaders that might end up "on the road:, if they don't start acting now to counter these accusations.

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A Worrisome Mess

A quote worthy of repeating, (and even shouting from rooftops if you have the energy):

We can go to the moon, split atoms to power submarines, squeeze profits from a 99 cent hamburger and watch football highlights on cell phones. But the most successful democracy in human history has yet to figure out how to conduct a proper election. As it stands, the American voting system is a worrisome mess, a labyrinth of local, state and federal laws spotted with bewildered volunteers, harried public officials, partisan distortions, misdesigned forms, malfunctioning machines and polling-place confusion.
-- Michael Sherer, Time Magazine

I have warned for a while now, how the outcome of this election will likely bring thunderous cries of “voter fraud”. If Obama wins, the validity of his victory be called into question, primarily because our election technology and voter audit procedures are sadly lacking.

Think of it: the first African-American President will have his legitimacy questioned, merely because our procedures can be called into question. That's just tragic, and we have only ourselves to blame.

We should be pushing our leaders for reform of our electoral process, and provide a means by which we can all track our individual vote, and ensure it was recorded correctly.

The full diatribe from Michael can be seen here.

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Justice for All

This will easily be the most controversial thing I've ever posted on this blog, so be warned, this is an opinion that may not sit well with others.

The sum of my outrage over this is simple this: I don't want to become so tolerant in life, that I begin to tolerate intolerance.

On that note, I am disturbed by this:

Sharia Rules in England

One set of laws for all of us please, this idea that a segment of society gets access to an exclusive legal system, just so sexist Sharia laws can be enforced in divorce and property disputes, is wrong. This is not democracy and this is not multi-culturalism.

If we oppose the Ten Commandments in our courts (as we rightly should), and if we oppose Christian prayer in our public schols (as we rightly should), then we must protest this disastrous decision.

Separation of church and state is a fundamental tenant for democracy to thrive, and pandering to any religious extreme (of any persuasion) erodes our freedom.

If you scoff at the dangers of Sharia rule, or suggest my concern over this is somehow "racially driven", I invite you to read Ayaan Hirsi Ali's book: Infidel.

She, as a Muslim, and without apology claims the following:

Islam is in a period of transition, the religion as it is currently practiced is often incompatible with modernity and democracy. It must radically transform itself in order to become so.

"We in the West," she writes, "would be wrong to prolong the pain of that transition unnecessarily, by elevating cultures full of bigotry and hatred toward women to the stature of respectable alternative ways of life."

We are a secular society. We honor freedom of religion, but our schools, our laws and most especially our government, are separated from religion. We do this, so that all religions may flourish equally, and that no religious dogma is given precedence, or more power than another.

We cannot let the tolerance of democracy, allow an intolerant religion to demand and receive its own legal system, or become greater than the law of the land, simply because of their faith.

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McCain Finally Finds a Message

Andrew Romano of Newsweek writes an interesting analysis of the McCain campaign, suggesting that they have finally found a message that might work against “Obama Mania”.

You can find the article here.

I agree with the editorial only in part.

While I agree capitalizing on Joe Biden’s incredibly stupid remark in Seattle is political platinum; I am not so sure the “Joe the Plumber” message is working.

I suspect most voters are a little fatigued with "Joe the Plumber" already. Not to mention, that most of us in the middle class, don’t see a pending tax cut to our returns as “spreading the wealth”, we see it as necessary relief to shelter ourselves from the impending recession.

To be blunt: I want that tax cut, and I don’t consider myself a “socialist” just because I’d like a little relief, from this current economic climate.

However, I think Romano is right that Biden's inane comment earlier this week, provides a means whereby McCain can score points on foreign policy.

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Si Se Puede!

Clinton supporters claimed the Latino vote was one of Obama’s greatest weaknesses (among others), but as usual, the Clintons were wrong:

“Latinos make up 32.4% of registered voters in New Mexico, 11.4% in Nevada and 9.9% in Colorado. The institute examined data from eight polling firms and found that Obama's lead over McCain in Nevada would be 42.4% to 40.7% without Latino voters -- a difference that's within the margin of error. Include Latino voters, however, and Obama's lead grows to 50%, versus 43% for McCain.”
– Marjorie Miller, LA Times

The original/full article can be found here.

My comment: If things continue to tighten in Pennsylvannia and McCain continues to lead (and therefore win) Ohio and Florida, then these Latino voters in Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado could well decide who is president of the United States.

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Lions, Tigers and ACORN, Oh My!

Great quote from Lisa Lerer on this idea that ACORN is part of a vast conspiracy to destroy democracy:

“But faulty registrations rarely turn into illegal votes. While ACORN has admitted to errors in its registration process, documented cases of illegally cast ballots remain rare. A five-year investigation by the Bush administration resulted in the convictions of only 26 voters found guilty of voting more than once, registration fraud, or ineligible voting.” – Lisa Lerer

The full article can be found here