la ventanita at Wall Street Café

Possible Move?

2010-03-16T11:09:00.002-04:00

It has been almost a year since my last post here, and frankly I've been very busy to post here, or at Babalu or at my personal family blog. So I'm thinking that I need to do something.

Babalu is on Wordpress.

My personal blog is also on Wordpress.

And while blogger has been a great platform, I'm thinking of moving to Wordpress as well. I will not quit my political side for two reasons: one is I need an outlet and two is that this blog was and is in memory of father's business in Cuba. So emotionally I cannot close this down.

As the summer comes nearer....and I will have time to get organized, and schedule in weekly if not daily blogposts, I'm thinking of moving platforms.

What do you think? (If there is still anyone out there reading this......)

Healthcare Warning

2009-07-17T18:32:00.003-04:00

While liberal Democrats are pushing to implement the Massachusetts healthcare model nationally, in spite of the CBO warnings that it will raise cost, Massachusetts has just realized they can't afford their statewide healthcare initiative.

I don't advocate government regulation; but if they are going to do anything about healthcare, it should start at regulating the COST of healthcare. Lack of insurance is not the problem; it's the symptom. Another issue creating higher healthcare costs that should be looked at are fraudulent malpractice suits, not enough doctors, and non-payment for services.

Fix those first, and then it won't really matter if people have or no insurance. Why? Well for starters the cost of healthcare would be lower and more affordable, and making healthcare affordable will automatically make insurance affordable. People will be able to get off HMO plans and go back to a major medical insurance model.

The OAS is being a hypocrite

2009-07-04T11:47:00.002-04:00

With all the hoopla surrounding Honduras, the OAS is the organization that comes out losing. They are losing credibility and influence (if there was any left) by the second.

I don't agree with throwing Zelaya out of Honduras, but his arrest was legally and politically well founded. Yet the OAS, and the US, can't keep themselves from supporting Zelaya and telling Honduras what they should do.

My disbelief is best expressed through the words of Ed:

However, it seems more than odd that the OAS has made such a fetish out of Zelaya while they’re preparing to admit Cuba, with its military junta firmly in place for the last 50 years. After all, even if the Hondurans botched the removal of Zelaya — and they did — the legislature and the courts have solid grounds on which to remove him. And while the military conducted the arrest and the extra-legal expulsion of Zelaya from his country, they did not seize power and install a military junta. Instead, they followed the orders of the civilian government, which retained political power all along.

If Cuba belongs in the OAS, then Honduras belongs as well, and on their own terms. If the OAS and the Obama administration want to defend democracy, they should stop isolating the democracy that fumbled the legal and justifiable removal of a renegade executive and focus on the dictatorship in Havana.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Hey, Whatever Works

2009-06-25T09:56:00.002-04:00

In North Carolina they have a new anti-pregnancy program in high school. It's made up of a 90 minute class where abstinence AND contraceptives are discusses, plus if they don't get pregnant they get paid. Yes you read right PAID. I could find many arguments on why this is wrong, but psychology has ONE argument on why this is right.

Rewards are more effective at changing behaviors than punishment. So, in a very strange way, I hope this program is a success.

Now let's see....

2009-06-24T13:52:00.002-04:00

Isn't this what got us into so much trouble the first time around?

Unbelievable

2009-04-30T15:52:00.003-04:00

So what do you do when the Mayor of one of your cities belong to the other party? Well, if you are Hugo Chavez, you simply give the mayor a coup! Sorry I haven't found an English link yet.

And the people just stand idly by...I don't know what is more shocking, that these caudillos still exist or that latinos have not yet learned the lesson.

If you can't take the heat...

2009-04-28T12:49:00.002-04:00

Switch Parties! I've never been a fan of Specter, but this is ridiculous. He had a different choice, he could've ran as an independent. Instead, he chooses to turn his back on a majority of his voters, because they are throwing their support behind a challenger.

Real classy Specter. In any case, I am glad that at least someone in congress is feeling challenged. Maybe this will create an accountability trend.

Right Wing Extremists

2009-04-14T14:38:00.005-04:00

Update 2: Found the one on Lewtwing....will read and report.
Update: Read the report; figured out what's sparking the outrage. The problem with this report is the footnote on page two, in which Rigtwing Extremism is defined:

Rightwing extremism in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, movements, and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups), and those that are mainly antigovernment, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, or rejecting government authority entirely. It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration.

In my view this is too broad a definition, and this is what's sparking outrage across conservatives of all levels. I think the DHS needs to have a clearer and more specific definition of Rigthwing Extremism. In addition, they should release an equal report that concentrates on Leftwing Extremism which also flourishes in economy downturns by fiercely advocating union workers rights, also opposing free trade, also attacking banks, also believing in Jewish domination conspiracies and engaging in anti semitism, and anarchist actions which are antigovernment and reject federal government authority proposing a new world order.

I also find the report very "light" and not offering anything new or that is not common knowledge. What is the purpose of this report? Why link the shooting of the officers in Pittsburgh with this? Am I the only one who read the story where the Mom evicts the son, and calls the police so they can forcibly remove him?

Yes the guy was a wacko anti-semitic conspiracy theorist. But he didn't have a premeditated plan to kill those cops. He didn't call the cops so they'd come and he could have a shooting spree. His dog peed in his Mom's carpet. That's how that got started.

Look, Militia or White Supremacist groups are dangerous. We all know that. They flourish in downturn times as much as Anarchist Left Groups, we all know that. But I can't say this report is necessarily well intentioned. Not in particular with the current ridiculization on MSNBC of the "tea parties", the attacks on Limbaugh and Beck - which are not newcomers - and the Left wing Blogosphere blaming Right Wing rhetoric for the death of the Pittsburgh policemen. I'm not one to believe conspiracy theories, but this is clearly a Rovian tactic executed by Axelrod to discredid the conservatives as a whole. This is nothing more than fearmongering tactics in advance of the 2010 election. They are manipulating and preying upong peoples fears; fear the Republicans, fear the conservatives, elect the leftists!

I know there was a Leftwing Extremism report during the Bush years. I can't find it. If anyone finds it please send me the link; I'd like to compare the too.

Original Post
W ow! I'm a right wing extremist because of my beliefs? I had no clue. Is that what we are calling the opposition now, extremists? Are you kidding me?

Now, I haven't read the whole thing, but I will. However, the lack of specifics in this report is frightening. It gives the government to call all those right of center extremists. I wouldn't have a problem with this if it was equally applied to the left.

So I'm an extremist because I believe in fiscal conservatism and don't believe in abortion.

What the heck is this?

Interesting and true

2009-04-11T12:07:00.002-04:00

I've always hated identity politics when they are based on ethnicity or the color of our skin. I find them counterproductive.

This whole thing about being different groups and victims of an oppressor just really doesn't go with me; I was never a fan of the victim mentality, and I abhor people who love to play victim. To me keeping people in the victim mentality is nothing more than taking the power away from a group to integrate and move forward. It's a subtle way of maintaining the oppression.

Klavan agrees and exposes his idea in a very concise editorial. My favorite quote is this:

Leftism, which sees people as victim groups rather than individuals, which sets us one against another according to the color of our skins rather than distinguishing us by the contents of our characters, which is so eager to manipulate our guilts and grievances in order to form bases of support for an ever-expanding state, has derailed the natural American movement—the natural human movement—toward assimilation and unity and replaced it with ghettoizing multi-culturalism and infantilizing “diversity.”

He is very right. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to say that every leftist is purposely doing this. I'd venture that some leftists honestly believe they are helping people by this. Just like not all rightwingers are racists. Some of them are.

Both sides love to paint the other side with quite a WIDE brush. This was most noticeable during the Bush years...and it's continuing during the beginning of the Obama years. Where the left finds an incessant necessity to paint the right as wackos and parody all their actions, and the right is going into ODS much like the left went for BDS.

Still, through all this, I agree that leftism is racism. And we need to address if we truly want to help disadvantaged groups become part of society.

Tea Party

2009-04-09T21:47:00.002-04:00

So I'm thinking about going and taking hubby with me. I've never EVER been part of a protest or any kind of civilian action, and I think this would be a great opportunity to see our freedom of expression and of opposition in action. I also think it would be a great picture opportunity as well.

So, should I stay or should I go?

Why Code Pink is a problem

2009-04-09T17:06:00.002-04:00

The left embraced them as free anti Bush campaigning. What they failed to see then, was that Code Pink does not protest; they disrespect. They don't engage, they attack. They are not a positive force or energy for any type of political discourse. The left was too busy loving the attacks on Bush and the Republicans, to see into the future and how this could eventually become a problem.

The other day they stormed on stage while a business man was speaking; now they did it to "one of their own" White House National Economic Director Larry Summers.

Can someone please take care of these idiots so that they learn some manners?

GBDS - Glenn Beck Derangement Syndrome

2009-04-07T22:45:00.002-04:00

Can someone please explain to me the rather recent hysteria among the liberals regarding Glenn Beck? I mean c'mon, the guy was on CNN for a while with his own show. Same guy, same stance.

Now because he has a president he disagrees heavily with all of a sudden Glenn Beck exists? Will the hysteria die over if a Republican president gets elected?

I just find this hilarious. It's as if the right would forget about Bill Maher and Keith Olbermann only because there is no president for them to criticize. Oh but wait, they criticize Republicans! Yes and Glenn Beck has been criticizing Democrats and Republicans since his CNN days.

Geez, get with the program people.

The Republican Budget Alternative

2009-04-01T12:08:00.002-04:00

I'll be very clear, I was really pissed off when Boehner presented an alternative plan with no numbers.

So I'm glad to see the WSJ report that apparently they do have a plan with numbers now that looks drastically different from the POTUS budget.

The letter published in WSJ is still not specific enough for me, I'm sure the version on the floor is. However, I really hope that Republicans have learned from their mistakes and the abandonment of principles that led to losses in 2006 and 2008. I hope they learned that people elect them based on the platform, based on the hope of truly being a more efficient government.

I like the tax plan; I think it's fair. Some of you will come back with the trite statement that the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts benefit the wealthy. Maybe so. But the wealthy are NOT the only ones benefitted from those tax cuts. I have many middle class friends with kids that were GREATLY benefitted under the tax cuts; and so were we. The sliding scale seems fair to me, in particular when in certain places such as NYC require you to have a six figure salary to be middle class.

We'll see what happens with this budget fight, but as long as Republicans stay true to this statement

In the recent past, the Republican Party failed to offer the nation an inspiring vision and a concrete plan to tackle our problems with innovative and principled solutions. We do not intend to repeat that mistake. America is not the greatest nation on earth by chance. We earned this greatness by rewarding individual achievement, by advancing and protecting natural rights, and by embracing freedom. We intend to continue this uniquely American tradition

then we as citizens might actually end up with a budget that doesn't increase our debt, and actually starts reducing it.

Baseball Players or Propaganda Tools?

2009-03-16T10:52:00.002-04:00

I'm on a roadtrip, but did not want this to go "unparticipated". Cuban athletes are many times Cuban slaves, subject to some of the harshest treatment of the regime. Please click on the image to read more on the situations of these so called heroes de la patria.

I can't believe I agree with Maureen Dowd

2009-03-04T12:23:00.004-05:00

but alas, I do.

Look, I'll be honest. I wish Republicans would've shown this outrage and this sudden memory of their fiscally conservative principles during the 8 year of President Bush. And yes I know that now this sudden attack of conscience is mainly due to a Democrat being the President. But hey, better late than never, and I really don't care about their motives right now - at least they are acting they way they should. Even more given our current economic situation.

It. Is. Not. Time. For. Wasteful. Spending.

I didn't vote for President Obama, but I do remember this quote that Dowd includes in her column:

You know, there are times where you can afford to redecorate your house and there are times where you need to focus on rebuilding its foundation,” he said recently about the “hard choices” we must make. Yet he did not ask Congress to sacrifice and make hard choices; he let it do a lot of frivolous redecorating in its budget.

Touche Maureen. President Obama should be getting blasted by his lack of aggressiveness in getting this bill to be less pork-laden. Yet he is not. This is hypocrisy at its best from a President that during his campaign promised "no more earmarks" and going through bills "line by line".

Education Reform

2009-02-28T11:20:00.002-05:00

I'm not big on government involvement, but I belief public education should exist. I also believe public education is in a dire state, and in Puerto Rico it is even worse.

As much as I can champion education reform so our students come out of high school better prepared and as competitive as eastern counterparts, I don't think a longer school year is the best approach.

American students are "at a competitive disadvantage" because the United States has shorter school years than other countries such as India and China.

"It doesn't matter how poor, how tough the family background, socioeconomic challenges," Duncan said. "Where students have longer days, longer weeks, longer years -- that's making a difference."

Having free days in the summer is not what is keeping us at a disadvantage Mr. Secretary. Curriculum, and curriculum enforcement is. Unfortunately longer academic year, will keep us at the same education levels, with schools from better districts offering better education than those in inner cities or poorer districts. It will only keep students there longer; oh yes and teachers too whom I'm sure will want hire pay for the added obligatory days.

If we truly want our children to be more competitive, start by overhauling the curriculum and making sure it is taught AND learned.

Every day I find more and more reasons, not only to send my kids to private school but even to start considering home schooling.

Friday Funny

2009-02-20T12:44:00.002-05:00

Cross posted at Babalu, although President Obama has since dismissed LaHood's "bright" idea.

Stimulus Payment Info.

"This year, taxpayers will receive an Economic Stimulus Payment. This is a
Very exciting new program that I will explain using the Q and A format:

Q. What is an Economic Stimulus Payment?
A. It is money that the federal government will send to taxpayers.

Q. Where will the government get this money?
A. From taxpayers.

Q. So the government is giving me back my own money?
A. Only a smidgen.

Q. What is the purpose of this payment?
A. The plan is that you will use the money to purchase a high-definition TV
Set, thus stimulating the economy.

Q. But isn't that stimulating the economy of China ?
A. Shut up.

Below is some helpful advice on how to best help the US economy by spending your stimulus check wisely:

If you spend that money at Wal-Mart, all the money will go to China .
If you spend it on gasoline it will go to the Arabs.
If you purchase a computer it will go to India .
If you purchase fruit and vegetables it will go to Mexico , Honduras , and
Guatemala (unless you buy organic).
If you buy a car it will go to Japan .
If you purchase useless crap it will go to Taiwan .
If you pay your credit cards off, it will go to bank management bonuses and they will hide if offshore. Same with stock investment.

Instead, you can keep the money in America by spending it at yard sales, going to a baseball game, or spending it on prostitutes, beer and wine (domestic ONLY), or tattoos, since those are the only American businesses still operating in the US.

Enjoy!

Not a Miracle Cure

2009-02-17T21:18:00.003-05:00

With Axelrod saying that a lift on federal funds for stem cell research could be down the pipeline, the timing of this story is quite interesting.

I guess stem cell therapy is not all it's cracked up to be; at least not yet.

It goes without saying that I vehemently oppose using federal funds for stem cell research. Then again I oppose using them to fund abortions too.

I'm still wondering if I could not pay my taxes on moral grounds.....but I have the feeling the IRS would really not buy into that.

Salary Cap?

2009-02-10T10:59:00.002-05:00

I don't have much time to read news these days, with finishing my dissertation and all. I thought the salary cap thing sounded somewhat fair, until I read how according to Jubak, it's a complete joke.

On the "Stimulus" Bill

2009-02-10T09:51:00.003-05:00

I don't agree with this behemoth of a bill, and think it should be trimmed down to those things that can work immediately and include tax cuts (hey I need those tax cuts, to at least have money to buy some Dunkin Donuts!).

However, if you believe 100% and agree 100% with Pelosi, Reid and Obama on this then you've become as blind as those who think a president can do no wrong.

I know this thing will be approved, and time will tell whether this was the right thing to do or not. I don't think it is, but then again I don't have a choice in the matter.

Walmart - Our best friend?

2009-02-09T09:20:00.002-05:00

I shop at a Walmart supercenter at least once a month; I'd shop more if it was closer. While it doesn't necessarily have the best price on everything, sometimes local supermarkets have better deals, they will honor them if you take the shopper with you (which I do).

The NY Post has a GREAT op ed piece (by a former Wired writer) of going undercover and working at Walmart...and discovering that at least his store was not the monster everyone makes Walmart out to be.

If more than one million Wal-Mart employees in the United States could be induced to join a union, by my calculation they'd be compelled to pay more than half-billion dollars each year in dues.

I've never been a friend of unions; I believe that they have served their purpose and need to change their business model if not cease to exist at all. And in case you are asking, NO I don't belong nor will I belong to the union of my profession.

Cartoons Always Say it Best

2009-02-01T22:57:00.001-05:00

No Comment needed, click on the image to enlarge

Esto es El Colmo!

2009-02-01T15:26:00.003-05:00

This, for me, is the straw that broke the camel's back and just really turns me off and away from any type of green environmental discussion.

I mean really, who the fuck has the right to tell me what the size of my family should be? Please, before ANYONE tells me how many children I should have, let's see some limits for welfare children first.

On The Money

2009-01-30T17:08:00.003-05:00

Great article today by the AP on this so called Stimulus bill that is not really a stimulus bill.

Like Mike says,

Some of the things in this bill are good. BUT THEY ARE NOT STIMULUS ITEMS THAT WILL CREATE JOBS. Those wish items are best left for another day and another vote.

I completely agree. And apparently at least one Democrat also thinks some of this spending should not be on a bill designed to stimulate the economy and create jobs:

But some Democrats, like Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, think the $3.5 billion in the stimulus package devoted to health research, or the $14 billion-$15 billion for boosting Pell Grant college scholarships by $400 to $500 would be better spent on additional brick and mortar infrastructure projects.

"You don't want to be against Pell Grants," Nelson said. "But the question is, how many people go to work on Pell Grants? Should it be in this legislation if it's about jobs?"

The article does a nice job of outlining all the extras that well, IMHO, should not be there. This is not a Stimulus bill; it sound more like a State Bailout Bill

On Record

2009-01-28T12:32:00.003-05:00

I've never been a supporter of government spending, duh I'm a Republican. But I can live with spending that is necessary if it is efficiently managed - something that hasn't happened for a while, and usually never happens in governments.

I was against TARP and still believe it was a mistake. I don't think it's done anything for us the consumers, but apparently it's done wonders for the companies that received the money. Only they can't tell us what.

Now we have the stimulus bill which according to the WSJ is not much of a stimulus but a lot of spending.

There are quite a lot of billions that I'd take out of that bill. For example the Arts Endowment, the Global Warming research fund, the carbon capture fund, the government getting new cars, the money for the Smithsonian, that income-transfer fund, the $54 million going to programs who don't pass a basic audit, and the $66 billion in Education.

I'd keep the rest, including Amtrak (only because many people depend on it to let it go) and the renewable energy, help for the lower income families (unemployment, coupons, EIC, etc.). But is all this necessary NOW?

At a time, where even student loans are in danger where in this bill is the money to ENSURE that students can get their loans next year?

I don't think this bill should be all tax cuts, but I don't think all this spending will help the economy nor create jobs. This is not the right time for this. You want to increase spending, wait until we are past the recession and then run the deficit as high as you want. But please, in a time where the President says that we will cut out the programs that don't work, and basically in his inaugural speech tells us to gird our loins for the economic mayhem facing us, shouldn't this bill be geared towards helping the economy create jobs and move forward?

As it is the infrastructure projects, which do create jobs and are much needed, won't move the economy in the immediate short term (6 months).

I know Republicans came up with a bill of their own, but have not been able to find any links.....so if anyone out there has one, please forward so I can review.

In the meantime, I'll let my senators know exactly how I feel. I don't think it will make much difference, given they are Democrats and this looks like a party line vote.

On the Wrong Foot

2009-01-23T15:50:00.002-05:00

I give every incoming president the benefit of the doubt, but I gotta admit that Obama rubbed me the wrong way earlier than any other president that I can remember.

Let's see, we are in a hell of a recession, with a trillion dollar deficit, about to add another trillion to that deficit in an effort to "stimulate" the economy (personally, I think we need more immediate help that DOES not require increasing our debt), and what does the President elect to do in his third day in office?

Send money to other countries to fund abortion programs. Excuse me? I have enough problems as it is with the fact that federal funds, ie. taxes I pay, go to ending pregnancies and killing babies (something I vehemently and fiercely oppose), to now have to deal with the fact that my good American money WHICH SHOULD BE STAYING HERE, the one there isn't enough to go around is going to OTHER COUNTRIES to FUND ABORTIONS.

Hello????? Anyone home? What happened to austerity? I thought Democrats were the DOMESTIC policy kings. Nice going Mr. President.

The More Things Change.....

2009-01-21T10:02:00.004-05:00

the more they stay the same.

At this point I don't know whether to laugh at the stupidity or cry at the similarity.

Highly Disappointed

2009-01-07T13:27:00.002-05:00

My husband and I are very disappointed with Chile's current president Michelle Bachelet's decision of not meeting with Cuban dissidents on her upcoming Cuba visit. Even though my husband is fiercely anti-Pinochet and in his country he does not identify with the right wing, here he is a Republican. Go figure. In any case he understands that a dictatorship is a dictatorship no matter from which "wing" they govern.

He was more disappointed because he thought Bachelet would empathize given her own background of suffering at the hands of dictators.

Oswaldo Paya said it best:

"Es como decir que esta dictadura es buena y la de Chile (1973-1990) fue mala. Las dictaduras son todas dictaduras y en todas hay crímenes, hay sufrimientos del pueblo, hay desprecio por los derechos humanos" which losely translated means "It is like saying that this dictatorship (the one in Cuba) is good and the one in Chile (1973-1990) was bad. All dictatorships are dictatorships and in all of them there are crimes, suffering of the people, and disregard of human rights"

Right on Oswaldo; couldn't have said it better myself.

So Much for Bipartisanship

2009-01-05T15:52:00.003-05:00

I guess Democrats only want bipartisanship when they are the minority.

I really hope this doesn't pass; it would be in detriment to the country to exclude any kind of opposing dialogue or ideas.

A loophole for Cubans

2008-12-29T16:03:00.003-05:00

Couple of months back Spain announces la ley de nietos, in which grandkids of Spaniards who fled the civil war and the Franco dictatorship could claim Spanish citizenship. The only reason I followed this closely is that I am one of those nietos, so it peaked my curiosity that if I wanted I could get Spanish citizenship and of course an EU passport.

I did not think at the time of all the Cubans in Cuba who are like me, grandkids of a Spaniard who fled Franco. Luckily for these Cubans, they did. And now hundreds of Cubans are going to the Spanish embassy to start the paperwork, and hopefully this will give them a way out to a freer existence.

I'm Still Here!!!!!

2008-12-12T12:27:00.005-05:00

So sorry for the abandonment of the blog....it's been tough academic times over here. And that usually means my blogging suffers. But alas, semester is done so I will be posting more regularly again.

In the meantime I need help on something. As you all know, I. Have. A. Job. Isn't that great? And it will be taking us to upstate New York. Yes folks, we will be living in New York, but will not be "niuyorkinos".

However, I want to start (again) a family blog - happenings, recipes, things, you know the drill - and see if it finally catches on with the rest of my family. But....I. Need. A. Name.

I like Marta's title, My Big Fat Cuban Family..... yet we are not fat, my family is beyond not big and not all of us are Cuban.

I'm Cuban (well I was born in Puerto Rico of Cuban parents - although Papi was from Spain - , and raised in an enclave but that's really beyond the point), he's from Chile. I'm Catholic, he's Jewish. We are both conservatives. We both love to cook. We feel New Englanders now. My family has married Cambodians, American, Italian and Jewish. His family is all Chilean, with some Scottish heritage.

Somehow, My Skinny Small International Family just does not have a ring to it.

Can you help? Post your suggestions in the comments!

Comic Relief

2008-11-17T17:40:00.002-05:00

I like people who can laugh at themselves; I do and it is very liberating. This new Samsung commercial has to be the funniest moment of someone laughing at themselves. And yes the phone is cool too.

Go. See. It.

Sore Losers

2008-11-16T11:14:00.002-05:00

Gays in California are protesting, and even worse are supported by the Governator.

While I understand their first amendment right to free speech, they are sore losers. Prop 8 went to the ballot - for the second time mind you - this time to ensure it would be on the states constitution. And for the second time voters in California voted against same-sex marriages.

And for the second time, the losing side has opted to challenge it in court. What is the purpose of bringing something to a vote if you are not going to abide by its results if they are not what you expected?

Imagine if Republicans reacted as gays have, with marches and protests, refusing to abide by the election results. Much like Lopez Obrador did in Mexico when he lost to Calderon, when he took his supporters to the streets and said he was going to have a parallel government.

Can you imagine the negative press Republicans would endure? How come these activists are not enjoying negative press? Even worse, some of these activists speak about tolerance while directing hate, vitriol and vandalism to those who voted against same sex marriages.

I believe the root of the problem here is that supporters of same sex marriages cannot fathom how the same people that voted for Obama voted against same sex marriages. Surprise, surprise, Blacks and Latinos are not that keen to the idea. Then again neither is Biden so I don't know why the shock.

In short, do not be sore losers. You lost, for the second time. Now shut up and take your fight to a state that hasn't made up its mind yet. Your other option is to give up on using the word marriage, which is really what most people have a problem with.

Exteme Makeover - Republican Edition

2008-11-14T12:20:00.002-05:00

Though I voted for Bush both times, I have to admit the second time was less enthusiastic than the first. It was apparent to me, all through his second term that his "compassionate conservative" approach and the Republican platform were checked at a door somewhere. All of a sudden, we had a Republican president acting more like a Democrat with every passing day.

Americans, as we say in Spanish, gave him the bill by overwhelmingly voting anti-Republican in 2006 and this year's election. Finally, all of a sudden, the grassroots Republicans calling for a return to Republican ideals have found an ear to listen to them as everyone else's eyes within the party have been opened to exactly how far we have diverged from our platform and ideals - mainly smaller government and less spending.

I am glad to see, and fully support, that Michael Steele is running for the chairmanship of the RNC. Like the Democrats, Republicans need to bring new and young people into the party so that we don't see the same people over and over again - which is why I will not support Newt if he runs for the chairmanship.

Michael Steele's history embodies what the Republican party stands for - work hard and reap rewards. He is not afraid to say he is conservative, and will be quick to state that the term is not a perjorative. Besides, he truly believes in the Republican platform and as an ex-seminarist and practicing Catholic undesrtands the social justice aspects of politics as well as supporting a pro-life position.

Godspeed Michael Steele.

The Absence of Change

2008-11-14T12:10:00.002-05:00

Most of the MSM has been reported the lack of "change" so far in president-elect Obama's actions - from surrounding himself with old DC staples and clintonites to the rumor of maintaining the political office in the White House (Karl Rove's old ground).

Maybe, this was the change he was talking about. All humor aside, as a fan of social media technology and how it is changing marketing and how we communicate, I think it is way cool. It won't make me watch, then again I never listened to President Bush's either but I do believe curiosity will make most people go and listen.

Perhaps his legacy, though too soon to say, will be getting more Americans involved in the political process. That in itself, would be worth having him as POTUS.

On the Wrong Foot

2008-11-09T16:37:00.003-05:00

Update: I think I'm going to pass out..

Much has been made of Obama's first cabinet member Rahm Emanuel. As a new administration comes in, I step back and wait to see what is done and what isn't done.

After all his "middle class" hype, and accusing McCain of serving corporate interests, I'm highly disappointed to see Rahm's first order of business be yet another bailout. I understand the risks of letting GM go under, but I have some questions for Rahm, Harry and Nancy:

1. Do we have a guarantee that if we bail GM and the auto industry out, they won't go under anyway?

2. Do we have a guarantee that they will be able to pay the government back?

3. With a trillion plus deficit is it really good policy to promote a bailout for which we as a country have to borrow the money from the IMF or even worse, not so friendly countries?

4. Will the government bail me out of my student loans? That would certainly help me spend more money

5. What the heck happened to protecting the middle class, and all those "kitchen table" discussions?

6. Do we have a plan for all the unemployed workers should this bailout if passed fail?

I'm sorry, but with the economy in shambles, people strapped for money, three corporate bailouts and counting, when are the Democrats going to focus on the little guy? I say let GM and everyone else go. Focus on the long term; be proactive for a change instead of reactive.

The US as a country needs to find a new industry it can call its own. It has to be an industry that cannot be replaced by machines. The auto industry lost its fight long ago, when exports became of better quality. Design a plan Mr. President Elect that will move us forward in the long term, even if we have to gird our loins in the short term. It will be a better legacy than another bailout, that more than likely will fail while increasing our debt.

Voter Intimidation

2008-11-08T19:13:00.001-05:00

Chavez has said he'd "take out the tanks" if the opposition wins the elections in one of Venezuela's states. In other words, vote for my people or I'll launch an attack and put them in the government anyway.

And this guys manages to say he follows a democratic process with a straight face.

Great News!

2008-11-05T19:20:00.001-05:00

I have a job! It starts Fall 2009 and it was the school I wanted, so I couldn't be happier!

Crossposted at Babalu

Following the Election

2008-11-04T16:26:00.002-05:00

I'm following two elections, and it seems the results will be split.

First I"m following PR's governor's election where (Thank God) it seems the incumbent governor will be left out in the cold. Maybe with this the economy will pick up a bit and I can finally sell my father's condo.

Second, as are we all, I'm following the presidential election. Unlike many of my liberal friends who will be ecstatic to see McCain lose or devastated if Obama does not win, I'll be hopeful no matter who wins. I believe in a higher power (God) and trust him to allow the best man for the next four years to win. And if the winner is not good, well then four years from now will get to vote again.

I just don't get these fanatics. It seems people in the extreme left hate the right wing candidates sometimes more than the extreme right hates the left wing candidates. In any case I don't hate anyone - I don't get that much invested in politicians. They are after all human just like us.

Not Surprising

2008-10-31T11:47:00.002-04:00

This would be funny if it wasn't so sad (via Babalu). The fact that there are people out there voting for a candidate without any knowledge of his policies is almost scarier than a one party government.

I sincerely hope that if Obama wins, Congress will remain balanced. Not only because of the old adage that absolute power corrupts absolutely, but because debate - heated or not - results in better legislation than if there is no opposition.

On Liberal Tolerance

2008-10-24T09:51:00.002-04:00

That liberals are somehow more tolerant than conservatives is a myth; they just pretend to be while conservatives call things like they see it. It's not intolerance, its just not hypocritical.

I've been meaning to write a post on how the attacks on "Joe the Plumber" were unfair; in particular when coming from the media, the liberal media or the hope and change crowd. That some average person would get so blatantly dismembered by asking a single question was beyond me. In particular when the Dems are supposed to be the champions of the blue collar workers.

But alas, Ruben Navarrete of CNN beat me to the punch. He has a great commentary on how the supposed "tolerant" liberals apples are falling very far from the tree. And it is spot on. Go read.

Best Gift Evah!

2008-10-16T11:05:00.005-04:00

Well not ever, no, but at least for now.

Yesterday was my birthday and I got the kickass tattoo that I have been wanting for over a year. It took a while to get the design right and even more time to find an artist I felt comfortable with and one that I felt valued my ink as much as I did.

So yesterday my hubby took me into Boston and I finally got it! And it looks great!

It's inspired in the Celtic Tree of Life which represents earthly and spiritual realm connections, and includes a Triquetra, which has been used to represent the Holy Trinity. In addition it represents the three roles of the Celtic goddess and has been used to symbolize all things three - such as mind, body an soul.

Here is a picture for you to see. It's not officially finished since I have to decide if I will add colors to it or leave it as an outline. It's top, side, bottom of my wrist respectively.

A New Presidential Candidate

2008-10-09T17:43:00.000-04:00

Got my vote.

(H/T Marisol)

A Somber Anniversary

2008-10-08T17:32:00.003-04:00

It was today two years ago that I arrived in Puerto Rico to find my father had passed away.

Much has happened in these two years that I will not get into. I just did not want this to go unnoticed.

I'm a half orphan and it has been really hard to come to terms with that. It seems like only yesterday he was still with us. Although in a way I know he is always with me.

I love you papi.

Brilliant!

2008-10-06T15:33:00.002-04:00

Yup, that bailout sure was a great idea.

The New Bailout Bill

2008-10-03T13:08:00.002-04:00

As the bailout bill will more than likely pass today, I must be clear in that I DO NOT support this.

Least of all do I support allowing for the recalculation of principal on mortgage loans.

Folks let's be clear, this is not a fair bill and it is a government intervention that should never happen. I'm draconian in this issue. Let the market fail. Let us look back and learn from our mistakes so that we don't fail again.

This is bad parenting and the precedent it sets is appalling and will likely come back and bite us in the ass.

Panic has been created; and our legislative branches have been urged. No financial bill amounting to $750 billion dollars should be taken lightly, with no investigation with no assurances this will not happen again. Or that this will even work and not add to the deficit.

As I write this, the bill is at the halfway mark of Yea's to pass. God help us.

The VP Debate and the media on Sarah Palin

2008-10-03T12:31:00.006-04:00

Debates are no longer about answering the questions but about exposing platforms and about seeing who can best trump the other's argument. In that light, I wasn't expecting to get much information yesterday, but I was apprehensive to see how Sarah managed Joe and vice versa.

I was pleased to see she handled herself well. I was also somewhat pleased to see Joe control himself, although I could see hints of the usual Biden (and my husband says he saw hints of Kerry via Joe's initial refusal to look at the camera).

I don't consider myself and intellectual but I do believe I am intelligent and have a firm grasp and understanding of various issues. My friends would agree. I'm also pursuing a Ph.D. which allows me to handle loads and paragraphs of big words without losing my mind. Why do I say this?

There were two instances in which Joe managed to lose me entirely. No, not as a voter, he never had me there. But as an audience, I lost track of his argument and could not make out what he was trying to say. One was when he was attacking McCain's plan of taxing health benefits as income, and the second on how as a young senator he had to come to terms with changing his beliefs.

My surprise was that I knew what he was talking about and still felt lost. Did this happen to anyone else? Because my feeling is if I couldn't follow how will more average people follow his argument?

I don't think either won the debate, I think it was a perceptual tie. They each did what they had to do. It was a lot more fun to watch than the first presidential debate and it allowed me to better see what has bothered me most of the criticisms hurled against Palin.

The inexperience factor? Nope. That is a legitimate area to attack. Sexism? Nah, that wasn't it. It exists, but it wasn't really bothering me. The attack on her views? A little. Personal views should be attacked with respect and not condescension. Aha! That was it. CLASSISM.

I looked back at some of the press clippings and some of the editorials and there it was staring me back in the face. Sarah Palin has been attacked for being average. For hunting. For dropping G's. For being folksy. For speaking funny. Not directly, although yes sometimes, but always there. One of the things they hate most about her is that she is average, rough around the edges, working middle class American.

But what about Joe Biden? He's from Scranton! Yes, but he went to private Catholic school, Palin went to Wasilla High.

Don't get me wrong, I went to Catholic School too. What I mean is that he had a privileged education even if he wasn't privileged, which he was able to continue through his Bachelor and his Juris Doctor.

I don't hold it against Joe for being polished, but Sarah should not be dismissed for being rough or plain. There are too many Americans like Sarah, so it would behoove the MSM who with the exception of Fox and sometimes CNN, is blatantly openly campaigning for the Obama-Biden ticket to remember not to alienate people.

I don't support the bailout

2008-09-26T16:53:00.003-04:00

And I'm glad there are Republicans who not only share my position on this issue but also my concerns. I have yet to find any Democrats that oppose this bailout. However, they are all very quick to blame McCain and the House GOP.

Is there truly no Dem out there that is against this?

A Bet

2008-09-24T13:09:00.003-04:00

I'm sure that now the constant hammering of Palin "she was for it before she was against it" on that Bridge to Nowhere will die a silent death: Both Obama and Biden, and 80 other dems voted for the earmark.

I'm not surprised they voted for this; what I am surprised is that they voted against diverting the funds to Louisiana for some post-Katrina reconstruction.

Abortion

2008-09-23T14:54:00.002-04:00

One of the biggest reasons I oppose abortion is because it is implicitly used as a form of birth control. What about teenage pregnancies? People always counterargue.

Well, it so happens that teenagers are the ones having the least amount of abortions. So what's the plan, sex ed for women?

Astroturfing?

2008-09-22T12:19:00.003-04:00

If true, this could potentially be very damaging if direct links can be evidenced. But not surprising considering Axelrod used FOIA to get California to release sealed child-custody hearings on Jack Ryan (R) to aid Obama's 2004 Illinois Senate campaign.

A shorter version available here and here

I'm sure bloggers from the right will push the MSM to investigate this story much like they did with Memogate in 2004.

We'll see what if anything results from this.

H/T: Dean's World, Hotair

Heh

2008-09-18T13:34:00.001-04:00

Who's stretching the truth now? Don't get me wrong; I don't have a problem with stretching the truth in politics it's pretty much what campaigns are all about. But please, at least practice what you preach.

So, who's really responsible?

2008-09-16T10:22:00.002-04:00

Obama camp says Bush's policies are responsible for the DOW diving 500 points yesterday due to Lehman's bankruptcy, BoA purchase of Merril Lynch and the overtake of Freddie and Fannie.

Others say that Bush actually tried five years ago to avoid this mess altogether yet it was Democrats who blocked the legislation for fear it would hinder minority's chances of owning a home.

Personally, responsibility lies on both parties for this mess and I really do not enjoy them talking about economic disaster when they host fundraisers upwards of $20k per person and when Biden who makes 6 times my husband's and I salaries gives less to charity than I do.

Did Obama Meddle in Iraq?

2008-09-16T09:52:00.003-04:00

Update: Amir Taheri responds to Obama

Yesterday the New York Post reported Obama had interfered with the US foreign policy, when asking Iraq to delay any troop withdrawal agreement until after the new administration was in place. The exact text read:

According to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Obama made his demand for delay a key theme of his discussions with Iraqi leaders in Baghdad in July.

"He asked why we were not prepared to delay an agreement until after the US elections and the formation of a new administration in Washington," Zebari said in an interview

I held off on the news, for two reasons. One it was the Post and two it was the Iraqi Foreign Minister so I thought something could've been lost in translation.

The Obama camp responded today to the article, but I'm not entirely convinced he didn't meddle, and actually after his response believe that this was not lost in translation:

In fact, Obama had told the Iraqis that they should not rush through a "Strategic Framework Agreement" governing the future of US forces until after President George W. Bush leaves office, she said.

He did not say "delay" but he did say "don't rush". Aside from the possibility of meddling in foreign policy affairs, what strikes me most is the possibility of personal gain out of this incident. I'd like to hear less about Palin, and a more thorough investigation into what he said. It would be quite telling about his character.

After all he is a politician and they all stretch the truth.

Oops Indeed

2008-09-13T13:51:00.002-04:00

Yesterday Obama announced they would fight back and released a new ad to portray McCain as old and out of touch. A very cheesy ad, but within the norms of your regular political attack.

But....Ooops! It seems there is a reason why McCain does not know how to send emails, due to war injuries he cannot type.

I don't think that was what they had in mind, and we'll surely see that portion edited out of the commercial soon enough.

Palin on ABC

2008-09-12T11:44:00.003-04:00

Although the interview questions were a bit loaded and out of context, I'll watch 20/20 today to get the full picture. However, the segment presented yesterday in ABC - which was taken out of the 20/20 full interview - is already creating buzz.

Personally I thought Palin held her own, and answered the questions quite well and truthfully. The media today has created all sort of distortions, even headline distortions (mainly WaPo). Ironically, a paper in Australia has been the one with the fairest coverage comparing Palin's answers to those of Obama to similar questions.

It is quite revealing. While the headline is loaded, the article goes to show that what the Palin criticism coming out of some media outlets is completely biased since Obama seems to hold the same beliefs.

The New York Post calls ABC on its mistakes and biases in the interview and calls for the media to ask real questions.

In turn, Beck exposes the lies in the media regarding Palin.

In Memoriam

2008-09-11T11:42:00.002-04:00

September 11, 2001 was an all around horrible day for me, and one I have no intentions of reliving. The whole day is too painful and numbing at the same time. It's hard to believe it's been seven years.

Rather than an extensive essay I will leave you with the revised version of Proud to be an American embedded with the happenings of that fateful day. It was one of my great solaces that day, and on the days that followed. For me, it is one of the most beautiful songs about this great country of ours.

About Civil Rights

2008-09-10T15:36:00.002-04:00

Talk about profiling of any kind. I wonder what would happen if that would be attempted here; yet there are those who believe Europe to be a "freer" society more respecting of civil rights than the US. U-huh.

Now I really don't care what the BBC poll says.

On Creationism

2008-09-10T13:31:00.004-04:00

I honestly do not understand what the big deal is - whether people want to believe that God created the world in seven days or the big bang did in millions of years is a personal thing - and most surprisingly, not mutually exclusive.

First, the time concept is a human thing. Far as I know, God has a very different concept of time.

Second, who's to say that the Big Bang was not caused by God?

Third, pesky Darwin and his evolution theory. From monkey to human because some jumped off the tree and decided to walk. And we all came from a one cell organism that lived in the water. Can anyone deny this wasn't God's plan after all?

I have no theories about how the world came about; don't subscribe to either creationism or big bang/evolution or the newly created intelligent design. Frankly I couldn't care less how we came to be; the fact is we are here now. Do I believe God made us? Yes I do, but I don't care how that happened either.

Being a doctoral student you learn two things: one is to challenge everything and the second is to adopt an epistemology - you know, a way of thinking. In my case I tend to be a Popperian - falsification theory - as well as Kantenian - subjective knowledge. But what I really pride myself in is that I read everything, learn everything. I strive to not be one-sided.

Some people apparently want to bring this to schools - creationism and intelligent design. The left jumps in uproar. Why? Isn't part of being a liberal and a progressive to challenge the establishment? to ask questions? to look at both sides? How come being inclusive of other mindsets, beliefs or theories is all of a sudden wrong?

Creationism and Intelligent Design are not science - on that I will agree. But they are theories after all. Including them in a curriculum could do no harm; it would allow everyone to learn what they are, stimulate debate and allow students to reach their own conclusions. I'd be all for adding a Philosophy class to the curriculum or at least discussing them as counter theories to the established big bang/evolution theory. Why not?

One of my psych professors one said something that was very true:

We in the left value and strive for diversity. The problem is we want diversity in the left.

So true. Yet the left can find nothing better than to belittle or ridicule people who go against the grain and believe in Creationism or Intelligent Design.

No he didn't!

2008-09-10T13:19:00.003-04:00

Are you kidding me? I cannot believe he would give the following as an excuse for not paying taxes:

that “cultural and language barriers” prevented him from understanding the finances of his Dominican Republic beach house, and vowed to repay several thousand dollars in federal taxes he owes after failing to report $75,000 in rental income from the villa.

Honestly, do politicians think we are that stupid? Even worse, how is it that the media is not calling him on this cheap ass excuse?

Hmmmm

2008-09-08T10:34:00.001-04:00

First, ObamaCamp dismissed Palin but know they've noticed they need some help.

Second, I don't think many people saw McCain getting such a bump out of the convention.

If this keeps up, this will definitely be one of the closest presidential races.

To All You Lawyers

2008-09-05T16:28:00.002-04:00

What is the difference between Mariano Rivera and the Yankees using "Sandman" when he comes out to pitch and this?

I understand you need an author's permission for commercial use such as in advertising, but at a convention, which is like a party? Do the Yanks have Metallica's permission?

What to make of this?

2008-09-05T16:12:00.002-04:00

Last week Obama garnered a record 38.3 (38.4 depending who you read) million viewers tuning in to watch his acceptance speech.

This week Sarah Palin garnered 37 million viewers tuning in to watch her acceptance speech.

Pretty impressive numbers for political conventions don't you think? But still not surprising since both Obama and Palin are great speakers.

But was McCain supposed to beat them both with 38.9 viewers tuning in to watch his acceptance speech?

On Sarah Palin's Speech

2008-09-04T19:36:00.002-04:00

On a history making night, Sarah Palin introduced herself to the world yesterday as quite possibly the future of the Republican party. She endured harsh press from her initial presentation last Friday and came out without missing a beat. She showed poise, wit and delivery. And she almost achieved Obama's TV ratings.

In a speech designed to as always promote the presidential candidate, Sarah came off solid and entertaining. I do not believe she was mocking Obama or community organizers per se, but mocking the idea that she was more inexperienced or that she had no experience. She was making her case. Besides, mockery and attacks are not above either party.

Palin did what she had to do, fire the base and unite the party under McCain. While it is true that McCain will need swing voters to win the election it is also true that without the evangelical right, and without the social conservatives - both of which were unexcited with the pick and willing to not vote - without them he didn't stand a chance. So Palin went out and delivered.

Biden came out this morning and said the following regarding Palin's speech:

Biden would only criticize “what was not heard” from Palin, pointing to a void he saw in the Republican’s speech last night.

“I didn't hear the phrase health insurance mentioned once,” he said. “I didn't hear, I didn't hear one time any reference to education. I didn't hear a single syllable about how hard it is for middle class folks to get to their kids to college. I didn't hear anything concrete about jobs and what's going to be done about stopping the export of our jobs.”

I watched Biden's speech. I watched him go through his biography, tell us about how Jane and Joe are financially tight, that Obama was right and McCain was wrong, and that McCain was more of the same. He was very passionate. But since I didn't remember any substance in his speech I went back and looked at the transcript. I found very substantive attacks on McCain, and as for the Democratic stance this is what he said:

Barack Obama will reform our tax code. He’ll cut taxes for 95 percent of the American people who draw a paycheck.
Barack Obama will transform our economy by making alternative energy a genuine national priority, creating 5 million new jobs and finally freeing us from the grip of foreign oil.

He’ll make college more affordable.

Barack Obama will bring down health care costs by $2,500 for the typical family, and, at long last, deliver affordable, accessible health care for all Americans.

Barack Obama will put more cops on the streets, put the “security” back in Social Security and never give up until we achieve equal pay for women. That’s the change we need.

I know that to some of you this may qualify as substance, but not to me. I have very high standards; I was one of the few people disappointed with Obama's speech b/c I thought it lacked "substance" and he missed an incredible opportunity to present his platform.

Here all I'm hearing from Biden are campaign promises. How is he going to approach this tax cut? How will he lower health costs? Do we need more cops in the streets? How do they plan to save social security since they scrapped the idea to allow me to do what I want with some of my funds? How will he make college more affordable when more and more state universities have continuously - including the Clinton years - increases tuition to attract more students and qualified professors?

Palin needed to introduce herself and her experience to all who watched last night. Her speech had a very different purpose than Biden's who we all met during the primaries. Sarah had to let people know how she got to where she was. That was her mission. In addition she did address the financial pinch we are all in by rising oil prices and the fact that we must become energy independent:

And families cannot throw more and more of their paychecks on gas and heating oil. Starting in January, in a McCain-Palin administration, we're going to lay more pipelines and build more nuclear plants and create jobs with clean coal and move forward on solar, wind, geothermal and other alternative sources.

We need -- (cheers, applause) -- we need American sources of resources. We we need American energy brought to you by American ingenuity and produced by American workers.

Now she goes on the trail, now she goes in the debates. It is now that she must bring the substance to the table and prove that she can not only deliver a speech with greatness, but survive unrehearsed.

I don't know what this election will bring, but I know this - it will change the politics of this country for ever. And not because of who is or isn't elected; the campaigns will change the politics. It is a history making election, the first Black major party candidate and the first woman on a Republican ticket.

While I do not look forward to the presidential debates, I have to admit I cannot wait for the Biden-Palin debate to see how "barracuda" or the lipstick wearing pitbull faces Joe Biden.

Stay tuned folks.

Lack of Respect

2008-09-04T16:28:00.003-04:00

One of the main reasons why I hate the "fringe" left and groups like Code Ping and MoveOn is their total lack of respect or as we say in Spanish falta de educacion.

These people had the balls to somehow get into the RNC and attempt to disrupt Sarah Palin's history making speech. I may be wrong, but I did not see any press coverage of people trying to disrupt Biden or Obama during their speeches.

The other thing I hate about some of these groups is their lack of respect towards private property - case in point those anarchist who are protesting outside the DNC who found nothing better than to attack delegates as they got off the bus. What the hell is wrong with these people?

Tasteless.

Hats Off

2008-09-04T12:53:00.001-04:00

I will post later on the Palin speech and the comemnts; I just want to go through it first.

However, hats off to Anderson Cooper for calling bias late last night when he stated that they haven't mentioned speechwriters or that speeches were written for the Democratic candidates in an effort to highlight the fact that they were overmentioning it for Palin's speech.

Amen to that

2008-09-03T19:03:00.000-04:00

Finally, some sanity somewhere.

Chris Matthews is an Idiot

2008-09-03T18:04:00.001-04:00

And a stupid one at that. One of the worst interviewers and political reporters I've ever seen. Just watched him interview Mike Fineman from Newsweek and someone else and frankly how very disappointing.

I miss Tim Russert.

On Abortion

2008-09-02T16:14:00.002-04:00

The pro-choice movement is about there being a choice, so why is it that when women decide to keep their babies it's an all out attack?

Yesterday I had a customer stop short of telling me that Bristol Palin should abort the baby because she wouldn't be taking care of the baby - meaning if Bristol went to college the baby would be in daycare. I was quick to point out that millions of women today leave their kids in daycare while they work.

The customer did not agree with the practice of leaving kids in daycare. Yet older women were not required to abort their babies.

This conversation struck a cord with me because it was illogical in its ideas. All the pro-choice women I've ever met have always been clear that keeping abortion legal is about a woman's right to choose. It is intertwined with women's rights and feminism. For someone to suggest that a baby should be aborted rather than placed in daycare, the latter done by the many women who work today, its just illogical. While I am no fan of daycare, children in daycare are no less loved, or nurtured. It just means parents have to work twice as hard to make up for the "lost" time.

One of my best friends' sister became pregnant at 18 with twins no less. Out of wedlock, from a conservative catholic family. The daughter of a doctor, so fully educated and with information on hand of how to practice safe sex. She finished college and is very happy with her twins. Is she less of a woman because she chose to have her daughters? Because she had to put them in daycare?

According to my customer, those two beautiful angels should not have been born either. I think the choice of having or not having the baby is purely the person's and no one elses. I do not condone abortion; I'm completely against it. To the point I once told a friend of mine I would raise her child. Unfortunately her mother forced her to abort. But if the left is not going to condemn teenagers for having abortions, then they should not condemn them for choosing life either.

That is what being pro-choice should be about.

Stupid is as Stupid Does

2008-09-02T15:59:00.002-04:00

Benicio has finally lost the itsy bitsy last spec of a marble he may have had. If I were Obama I'd be insulted.

The butcher (Che) may have been a coherent man, but in no way should he ever be compared to the Civil Rights movement. Mr. Che was a mercenary assassin, who believed in killing anyone in his way.

The Truth - Palin daughter is pregnant

2008-09-01T13:14:00.004-04:00

Update: I cannot believe some of the appalling comments this is getting on the abcnews thread; people really need to get over themselves and stop playing two sides.

While the left has spent its time claiming that Palin's baby was really her daughters, and recanting when faced with the evidence, Palin took a head on approach to squash the rumors.

She like many other parents in this country, has heard her daughter say Mom, Dad I made a mistake. Her 17 year old daughter is 5 months pregnant and will of course have the baby. While for many people this may be non-news - after all to how many families does this happen? - it will be interesting to see how both sides address the issue. For starters, this will be the talk of the town for the next couple of days.

My guess is the left will attack her from the abortion perspective - along the lines of she is not looking at the best interest of her daughter and is forcing her to have the baby - an unwanted pregnancy. Of course, I'm betting that the failure of abstinence will somehow make it into the argument.

The right will attack her from a moral perspective - how could she not take better care, or instruct her child better on this.

In the end, I think this will be a non-issue that will in fact end up helping Palin among blue-collar middle Americans - it is a situation they can relate to, it humanizes her and it backs up her beliefs.

Lack of Medication

2008-09-01T12:53:00.002-04:00

I'm guessing Sean "diddy" Combs (Puff Daddy) did not take his Lexipro this week.

Not only does he rant against Palin as the VP pick, now he pleads to Saudi Arabia to lower gas prices so he doesn't have to fly commercial. WTF?

Dude, and you are really worried about Black people? You are the one that is F- out. Get back to earth.

Complete Despicable

2008-08-31T15:20:00.005-04:00

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

2008-08-27T16:29:00.003-04:00

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

2008-08-25T13:35:00.002-04:00

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

2008-08-21T14:24:00.003-04:00

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?

2008-08-05T13:17:00.002-04:00

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

2008-08-05T13:13:00.002-04:00

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!

HypocriticAl Gore

2008-07-18T13:25:00.002-04:00

I'm not an environmentalist, though I believe we should reduce waste. In short I'm a firm believer of recycling. I'm also a firm believer of energy independence - not because of carbon footprints, but because I do not believe we should be so dependent on enemies resources.

That said, I also believe in alternative sources of energies because the price of gas is ridiculous, and if it helps keep cleaner air even better.

I walt to work (1 mile) every day under rain or exhausting heat. To save gas. I take the bus whenever possible. My husband will be taking the bus this fall to go to class and to work to save gas. We are in a pinch; financial yes, but a pinch nonetheless and we are willing to make the sacrifices to breathe easier (pun intended).

That is why it pisses me off that after Al Gore scared to death half the population of the world he is not even able to practice what he preaches. Do as I say not as I do...and his supporters seem to follow the same philosophy. But what is worse NO ONE calls him on it; except of course for the right. Where is the left outrage on this hypocrisy?

Race in America

2008-07-18T13:21:00.002-04:00

I saw the results of this poll the other day; I have not been able to read the entire article. However one thing strikes me: race is not an issue on the "white" side of the equation. As my husband aptly put it, who is the real racist?

The poll graphics speak very loudly about attitudes of blacks and whites, and frankly it seems blacks are a lot more racist than whites. Ah, but you will claim social desirability bias came into play. Maybe, but never to that extent to mark such a difference.

Racial Issue

2008-07-11T12:34:00.004-04:00

We've been having a good laugh at the whole "black hole" brouhaha. Honestly, some people just either love to play the victim card or are just really looney.

On the hills of that Wal-Mart today pulled the comic books Memin. Now, I have to say, in the caribbean - at least in Puerto Rico - we grew up with Memin. It was never meant to be racist; I've said many times race in the Caribbean was dealt with very different from here. Yes we made fun of it, but in an affective way. A sort of "Mama Ines" way or "Mama Dolores" way.

Back to Memin, I want to highlight this only because the comic got pulled after Blacks complained that it was racist. Here is where cultures collide, and probably why some times Blacks and Hispanics don't mix. We just have different ways of viewing things. I don't agree with Memin being pulled; but I'm just one person. I'm sure many Hispanics (like my friends and I) for example are having a laugh at this out of disbelief.

Racial politics need to end; I refuse to walk around eggshells when I speak.

Cuba and Canada

2008-07-09T13:18:00.002-04:00

Can you really be surprised by this? It is not the first time Cuba is in arrears and it will not be the last. There is a reason why USA only trades with Cuba in cash.

Big Day

2008-07-07T08:21:00.002-04:00

Today is THE big day in which I reach the milestone of defending my dissertation proposal. This means, I have about a year to graduate, finish and become a Ph.D. in Marketing.

Papi's passing almost prevented me from reaching this goal, yet at the same time motivated me to not give up. We are not quitter and that would've been an affront to the value Papi placed on education.

As my nerves awaken, and my anxiety heightens, I know he will be watching and keeping me company; and one way or another he will tell me how proud he is. With this behind me, I hope to not only restart my blogging here, but to actually re-earn my status as contributor at Babalu.

Wish me luck!

Reaching a Milestone

2008-06-28T12:47:00.002-04:00

On Monday July 7th I will reach a milestone within my PhD program - I will defend my dissertation proposal.

You have no idea how excited I am to reach this stage and how scaringly close I came to not reaching it at all.

Keep you posted.

Father's Day

2008-06-15T14:40:00.002-04:00

It's been two years. It only seems like yesterday when I wished him a Happy Father's Day and he answered:

"you called me so it already is a happier day"

That was Papi, happy with the simple things in life. I learned much from Papi, that money was not happiness, that you need a strong work ethic, and through his mistakes, that work should never come before your family. Yet at the same time, you have to make your time count.

I still struggle with Papi's absence, time passes but it takes a lot longer for you to heal. After all there is a void that just simply cannot be filled.

So today as I look up to the heavens to wish Papi a Happy Father's Day, for all you fathers out there, and all of you with your father still with us - please please enjoy this Father's Day. And remember Father's Day is just as important as Mother's Day.

Election 2008

2008-06-04T13:16:00.004-04:00

Well the Democratic primaries are finally over; sadly the party didn't implode. However, I do celebrate the first Black candidate - whether you like or hate the guy he has accomplished history. Hooray for us; it remains to be seen if the US is ready to elect a Black president.

Pundits have been abuzz everywhere with VP talks on both sides. They've shown us the lists, and the pros and cons of each. We anxiously await these announcements to see if our candidates benefit or not.

A major issue still is Hill - what will she do? Will she be the VP? Will Obama ask her? My dem friends actually believe it would be counter productive for Obama to select her for the VP. Why? They believe Obama would lose the independents and "republicans" he has attracted as Hill's presence would undermine his "change" paradigm. She's not new; she's politically mature; she's part of the Clintons therefore there is no change.

There is some truth to that. However, after last night's speech in which she did not concede, people are wondering what her next steps are. I found the following comment intriguing:

Senator Clinton: Please tell us that you are not considering an independent candidacy during the general election. This would be a loser for the Democratic party. The party is poised to win super majority in both houses of Congress. You can help insure this or destroy it. Most importantly your independent candidacy would insure victory for John McCain; a loss for America

Robert Moleski (Sent Wednesday, June 04, 2008 9:39 AM)

Isn't that interesting? Let me be clear, I do not put this past her; but I don't think the party will allow this and if she even thinks about it she would be under great pressure to not do this. Wouldn't that be fun though? A four candidate ballot?

My own conspiracy theory on this goes a bit too far. Humor me. There is been some talk that McCain should promise to only run for one term. There has also been some talk that he should reach across party lines for a VP to garner some more votes (if Obama truly stood for change, he should be the one reaching across party lines for a VP). If to that you add the praises Hill has been singing to McCain and vice versa - would it be too farfetched to think of a McCain-Clinton ticket? What would that do to the electorate, the Democrats and Republicans?

If you have an overactive imagination like me, these elections stand to be a lot of fun as long as no formal decisions are made. Speculating can lead you to quite the history making tickets and ballots.

Thoughts on Spygate

2008-05-14T12:06:00.005-04:00

Not since Canseco's publishing of Juiced has any professional sport been engulfed by a single story as the NFL, the Patriots and the infamous Spygate "scandal".

Information on the NFL's specific rules on videotaping is elusive (at least I haven't been able to find it in black and white anywhere), but through the various newstories and sportcasters I've been able to ascertain the following:

apparently, "legal" video taping did not have a specific location before 2006
In 2007, the NFL reiterated this new "location" through a memo distributed by Goodell

So we have a practice that was widespread - videotaping opposing teams from anywhere - before 2006, that was limited to "boxes" (those rooms with three walls and a glass window) in 2006, and forcefully enforced in 2007.

The brunt of this "scandal" has been that the Pats cheated by videotaping. Well, according to the league's rules, not exactly. Merriam Webster dictionary defines cheat: 1 a: to practice fraud or trickery b: to violate rules dishonestly

If we take the latter definition, they were certainly not being dishonest about it; if we take the former definition....well that's where things start getting iffy. See, the Pats broke a rule yes. But they did not break that rule because they were videotaping - and this is the fact that escapes every single newscast out there - they broke the rules because of from where they were videotaping not because they were taping. As "maverick" commenting at the Boston Herald apology aptly states:

'Spygate' needs to be renamed 'CameraHunt'. This entire affair is far closer to a Witch Hunt than it is about uncovering a secret spy ring. Taping is legal in a dozen other locations, in front of millions of people, just not from the sideline. Jimmy Johnson and other coaches have admitted to the exact same thing, and the Jets were caught doing sideline video, and the Dolphins were caught catching audio line calls.

Watch any football game and you'll see the coaches have pictures of the previous plays. Where do you think those come from? You will see coaching throwing a red flag to challenge a play. How do you think they figure it out if not by watching film from the "legal"location? So the filming or videotaping is not the issue here, it's the where.

With today's camera technology, could they have really gained an advantage by doing if from the sidelines? Not according to the NFL network's evaluation of the just released video tapes by Walsh. We do get nice close-ups of the cheerleaders sometimes.

Did Belichick break a rule? Yes he did. Did he deserved to be punished? Yes he did. Should Goodell have destroyed the evidence? No; we wouldn't be here if he hadn't. Does this amount to tantamount cheating? Hell no. Again, it seems it was an accepted practice by the league up until 2006.

As I sit here and torture myself watching Arlen Specter's press conference - the man I believe wants to singlehandedly destroy the NFL as a favor to Comcast - I want to see the coaches and owners in the NFL rank and file in line behind Goodell. No, I don't want this to go away because of the Patriots; I want this to go away because of my love for American Football.

One of Specter's arguments for his push for an "objective investigation" is that the Eagles beat the Pats by two touchdowns in the regular season and then lost in the Super Bowl. Gee, let's crucify everyone; I mean it's obvious there was cheating involved! Specter's indignation is laughable at best; the pats didn't even win all the games they recorded.

Please, this is football. In addition, he criticizes the fact that a Pats lawyer was present at the Walsh-Goodell meeting.....hello, deposition anyone? Who cares! The guy can say what he want without fear of reprisal, it's part of the deal.

Objective investigation? Is this investigation focused only on the Pats? Will this investigation look at all NFL teams? Will videotapes from all teams be solicited? I doubt it; so that is not really an "objective investigation". An objective investigation would put this into perspective and look at the league as a whole through all these years.

Owners and coaches, and players alike, need to at this time rank and file behind Goodell. There has been enough damage done already, and an investigation will only further damage the NFL. Matt Walsh and Arlen Specter need to go away. Spygate needs to be closed. Fans need to be able to enjoy the game again without having to hear about this every single day. This has gone on long enough; people have permanent opinions on this, no one's mind is going to change.

Exit Controls

2008-04-22T09:38:00.002-04:00

It's not the exit controls I've seen in almost every country I travel too, but it's a start. At least if they ever decide to follow up on people that don't leave, they'll have a starting point.

What were They thinking

2008-04-02T23:00:00.004-04:00

I've worked in advertising most of my professional life; mainly in US Hispanic advertising. One of the first things you learn is cultural sensitivities to the culture you are advertising to, but careful not to insult anyone else. However, I have to admit that I find this ad insulting to say the least; needlessly stirring the pot.

The ad obviously appeared in a Mexican magazine. As an executive I can't help but wonder what was Absolut thinking? I can't believe they thought this ad would only be viewed by their target market; or that they didn't know it would be controversial. However, do they really need to do this? Are they in such a place that they need controversy to sell the brand?

Changes in Cuba

2008-03-31T15:43:00.004-04:00

The media is abuzz and in a frenzy about all the changes taking place in Cuba under Raulito. Cubans can now buy cellphones. Cubans can now go into tourist hotels. Do you see a pattern? CAN NOW as in they COULDN'T BEFORE. Yet no matter how many times we spoke of the Cuban apartheid, we were laughed in our faces; dismissed as Batistianos or an elite group of exiles that wanted to take Cuba back to the Vegas era. Huh?

Not long ago I watched a "documentary" in the Discovery channel of The Mafia in Cuba. I love all things Cosa Nostra so I watched in order to visualize the stories I had heard from my father, the tropical ganster, about Meyer Lansky. Papi was a big Cosa Nostra fan. I digress. Somewhere in this documentary, because you know Batista had allowed the gangsters and Americans to take over Cuba, and I quote "Cuban women had no choice but to turn to prostitution" because of lack of resources - food, shelter, etc.

Ah, the typical propaganda I thought as I screamed at the TV. How bad Cuba was before Fifo and what a fucking paradise it is today. So much of a paradise that things that had been called lies for years, the apartheid in Cuba in favor of foreigners, are now agents of change. Look at the new freedoms! Look at how good Raulito is!!! Look we are changing!

Where was all this press heralding when Cubans couldn't own cellphones nor couldn't go into hotels?

UnDemocratic

2008-03-31T00:08:00.003-04:00

Turkey stands out as a model of a secular Muslim country that other Muslim countries could eventually follow. However, as much as I understand the fear of becoming and Islamic Republic, the actions they are taking are quite dangerous.

The End of AAV?

2008-03-27T09:34:00.002-04:00

Just like that the federal probe against Puerto Rico's governor Anibal Acevedo Vila comes to an abrupt end.

Press conference is still going on so look for more info later. So far I believe he's being indicted on about 18 charges of fraud, including defrauding the IRS.

Sadly, one of Puerto Rico's most notable advertising agencies, Lopito, Ileana and Howie have also fallen withing this investigation.

The brunt of the charges is Election funds overspending. The indictment accuses AAV among others from spending beyond the $11million limit in order to pay a debt of the governor's previous election campaign for resident commissioner in which they overspend about $545K.

I've never liked AAV, and he's been a horrible governor for PR, so I'm glad to see him up to his neck and possibly having to resign. This can only mean that PR will surely have a change in command come the November elections.

Republicans 1, Democrats 0

2008-03-26T10:17:00.003-04:00

This elections are hard for me since no one candidate really excites me. Therefore, it is now where I start to watch them closely in order to help me decided which way I vote. Some of you might freak when you read this, but although my values lie with the Republicans their candidates don't always appeal to me. That being said....

McCain has just scored his first check mark in my pros column.

“it is not the duty of government to bail out and reward those who act irresponsibly, whether they are big banks or small borrowers.”

I couldn't agree more.

“Capital markets work best when there is both accountability and transparency,” he said. “In the case of our current crisis, both were lacking.”

Was McCain the subject of an alien abduction? It is refreshing to see someone rational on this issue.

“We must have greater transparency in the lending process so that every borrower knows exactly what he is agreeing to and where every lender is required to meet the highest standards of ethical behavior,”

In other words, let's push for more responsible lending in the future. I agree; many people fall prey of unethical lending practices and it is an industry that should be regulated so customers are not taken advantage of. However, this does not mean customers can borrow irresponsibly hoping the government will bail them out.

“Any assistance for borrowers should be focused solely on homeowners, not people who bought houses for speculative purposes, to rent or as second homes,” he said.

Touche (sorry don't know how to do the accents on the Mac). It goes without saying that I do not agree with the Democratic position on this issue.

Today March 24th my life starts anew

2008-03-24T11:58:00.003-04:00

No I didn't decide it; life decided it for me say about 5 seconds ago.

The past year and a half has been a roller coaster made bearable thanks to Celexa and Wellbutrin. But bearable does not mean enjoyable. My father passed away, I broke my hand, I got an entire year behind in my degree and I became a madrina.

A year and a half ago my life changed forever. No matter how hard I try I cannot recapture who I was before learning of my father's death. I've come to the realization, that I'm not supposed to go back but go forward. That person is gone and will never come back. Who I am today, is what I need to be concerned with; it's this new person I need to shape

It's been tough dealing with whom I've become, and its been tougher dealing with the lack of motivation brought about by the depression. It has been specially hard because for emotionally handicapped people like me, it takes a while to figure out what changed and how to accomodate.

So, forty pounds later, and depressant free I have discovered that I have a very wide range of emotion, and that I can albeit hard, push myself to accomplish my tasks and my goals.

Exercise, healthy eating and my proposal are my priorities right now. They should lead to pregnancy, a good job and graduation within the next year.

It's scary to feel the way I do; it's even scarier to still choke and break down with the slightest remembrance of my father. The pills have done their job, now it's time to do mine. So I welcome the new me to this world of uncertainties that scares the shit out of me, but that I don't want to miss.

Papi lived his life out of a bottle, and let it pass him by for the most part. I want to embrace ALL of it, the good and the bad. And for those of you that don't know me well this is a HUGE step for me.

I'm sure wherever he and abuela are, they approve; heck I'm positive it was them causing that surge about a minute ago.

Obama and Wright and wrong

2008-03-19T17:26:00.003-04:00

I'm not a fan of Obama, but I was rooting for him to win the Democratic nomination. I thought what a great thing it would be for a Black to win a nomination, and for Hillary to get shafted. I also wanted to see how the Democrats would handle the race issue and proved me right about Hillary: it's all about power no matter who is in the middle.

So in a way, I was very disappointed when I saw and heard Rev. Wright's now infamous diatribes about how we deserved 9/11, about how we invented AIDS for genocide (probably more how the white man invented AIDS to cleanse Africa of the brothers) and that hurtful phrase that I still can't believe any citizen would say - God Damn America. They are not light words, and for someone who wasn't running on race having your spiritual leader be all about race became an issue.

You read the MSM and get two points of view: the speech was either the second coming of Christ or it was filled with contradictions. I've seen more of the former than of the latter. Still, not that many people are holding Obama accountable and responsible for his pastor's comments. After all this is his pastor and his church for the past 20 years. If any priest at any church started anything like this, on the spot I get up and leave. Trust me, I've done it for less inflammatory things.

So, today, I was pleasantly surprised when Jeff Jacoby of the Boston Globe called Obama on his excuse of not thinking this was a problem before it affected his possible nomination. In college I wrote once about reverse racism (if there is such a term) of Blacks being racists with Whites while complaining of racism against them. That is a double standard that still exists and no one addresses - and is what makes this such a strong issue for me.

For example, Obama quickly stated Imus should be fired yet his pastor is "provocative". Even more, he stated

"There's nobody on my staff who would still be working for me if they made a comment like that about anybody of any ethnic group"

yet Rev. Wright is was part of his staff; and had these videos not made it to the public, he probably still would be.

I have no doubt that Hillary could possibly be behind this; yes even more so than Republicans. But it shows that Obama has a double standard; and as Jeff Jacoby so eloquently states:

Such a clanging double standard raises doubts about Obama's character and judgment, and about his fitness for the role of race-transcending healer. Yesterday's speech was finely crafted, but it leaves some troubling questions unanswered.

I really encourage you go read the whole article.

Tomorrow

2008-03-17T19:40:00.002-04:00

Update: It's official, my husband will become a citizen on April 7th!

Big day tomorrow!

Too Bad

2008-03-14T19:34:00.002-04:00

It is rare for me these days to find a journalist that writes an op-ed piece with which I agree 100%. Sometimes I watch the factor, but I don't always agree with O'Reilly. Sometimes I watch CNN but the bias can be too much.

However, Glenn Beck today nails it on the head. Too fucking bad. From Michigan to Florida, to open borders and borrowing from China Glenn calls out for responsibility.

Voters in Florida and Michigan should ask themselves one important question before they blindly follow their party: Why did no one seem to care about "alienating" them last year when the rules were intentionally broken? It's only now, when their vote really matters, that everyone is suddenly so concerned about "enfranchising" them.

Some of you will argue that the punishment was too hard. Maybe. But they knew it going in, and as Glenn states nobody seemed to care then. But when do politicians act or do what their constituents want?

If you want to talk about disenfranchised voters, then let's talk about why just 17 percent of Americans have a positive view of Congress. Let's talk about why we still have wide open borders despite most Americans wanting them sealed. Let's talk about why we keep selling out our sovereignty and our security by borrowing billions of dollars from-less-than friendly countries, such as China.

I couldn't have said it better myself. There is hope after all that someone out there still believes in personal responsibility; in following the rules and in being punished and sucking it up when you break them.

Racist Democrats?

2008-03-13T01:35:00.002-04:00

I know, I know. Saying that all Democrats are tolerant diverse embracing people is just as erroneous as saying all Republicans are prejudiced bigots. But truth of the matter is Democrats pride themselves in being tolerant and diverse embracing and are quick to call Republicans as prejudiced bigots.

It is under this premise that the Democrat primary has been so interesting and fun to watch: it is exposing the fact that there is racism among the Democrat lines. The Chicago tribune has a great article with interesting facts.

In the poll, 10 percent of white Democrats said they would cross party lines and support McCain if Clinton is the nominee. But twice as many—20 percent—said they would back McCain if Obama is nominated. White Democrats without a college degree were even more likely to defect if Obama is nominated: 24 percent said so.

In Ohio, a fifth of voters in the Democratic primary said race was an important factor in their vote, according to exit polls; voters favored Clinton, 59% to 39% suggesting that 12% of Democrats there are resistant to a black candidate. And that counts only voters willing to tell a clipboard-bearing stranger that race was an important factor in their decision to vote against a black man.

Interesting, don't you think? Especially when you consider the lengths Hill is willing to go to include those pesky FL and MI primaries.

Say What?

2008-03-12T14:52:00.001-04:00

You just cannot make this stuff up.

Words, Race and Politics

2008-03-11T15:14:00.003-04:00

Arianna Huffington, of the HuffPost, failed McCain on a litmus leadership test for the senator's lack of passion in disagreeing with racially charged insults hurled at Obama by one of the senator's backers.

How quickly the tides change. Let's see what grade the Clintonistas get.

Are you enjoying this as much as I am?