Complete Despicable

Update: Fowler apologizes by shooting the messenger

As if this wasn't horrible and bad enough, at least it could be dismissed as "fringe". But the fact that higher ups are repeating the same thing, well that's just downright wrong, insensitive and a host of other things.

To rejoice in the wake of a possible natural disaster that is bound to affect thousands of people because it hurts your opponent, this coming from the supposed "party of the people" - yeah, that is not self interest. Nope. Not.At.All.

And why is this not in the news? Why is it not getting national coverage? I betcha that if the parties were reversed, meaning it was the GOP making these comments about Gustav and the DNC, all the major news stations would be all over it. So far only Cleveland is reporting it.

Hypocrites.

Censorship? You be the Judge

I've been following this story at Malkin's blog, and have to admit I'm quite distraught. Surprised, not really, but distraught yes.

One of the pillars of our country has always been freedom of speech. It also applies to the press, the New York Times is living proof of that. However, I've argued before that freedom of speech comes with responsibility.

In this case, as far as I've been able to research everything the ad says is factual. The implications may not be true or factual, but that is for the viewer to decide. As it stands, the ad states that Obama has ties to Ayers and tells viewers who Ayers is. Dime con quien andas y te dire quien eres.

This is very common in politics - ad that state facts and implications. What is not common is a campaign flexing legal muscle to get an ad off the air because they don't approve. And ad that is again, factual in the information it presents leaven the connections open to interpretations.

That a presidential candidate promoting Hope and Change and a New America would attempt this is embarrassing at the least frightening at worse. We'll see how these legal fight, being played under the disguise of funding irregularities, plays out.

Eerily Reminiscent

It has been 44 years since Kitty Genovese, and New Yorkers did not learn anything.

It is appalling that this has happened yet again.

McCain and the One Term Hoopla

I was talking to my husband this morning about all these calls for McCain to run only "one term". After all according to most recent polls his age is of concern to many voters. So I was thinking, if McCain made the one term promise for sure he would win the election. Of course, I had not had my morning coffee before I stated such a statement.

My husband, full of reason with or without coffee, just retorted "No, if he did that then they'll slam him saying what can he possibly do in four years?".

And he was right. Age or no age, McCain cannot promise a one term deal and he isn't.

What if I told you?

You can't move to another state; even stronger you can't move to another city within your state. The ACLU would probably come to your defense and accuse the government of violating your civil rights. You probably have never even thought about moving within the US as "immigration".

In Cuba however, it is illegal for you to change cities or provinces without government approval. An recently, about 20K "illegal" residents of La Habana got "deported" back to their places of origin.

But don't fret, after all they have free health care.

This and That

So as you all know I successfully proposed my dissertation (yay!) and unfortunately for me I've not had the free time I expected. This week I have a battery of interviews for a job starting Fall 2009 (double yay!).

I'll try to start blogging from the road to get back into the rythm of things; after all this is an election year and there are all sorts of topics to discuss.

See you soon!