The Good Democrat

In Retaliation, Syria Is Removing Soldiers From Borders

Thanks to the Bush administration, Syria is punishing Iraq and America for crossing its border and attacking its citizens, killing about eight of them. Syria has decided to reduce its forces on the border with Iraq, exactly the WRONG thing to do to stop cross border attacks from Syria on US forces.

Way to go, Bush. Way to really think through the consequences. Stupid, dumb bastards.

109 Year Old Daughter of Slaves Votes for Barack Obama, America’s First African American President

Can you imagine what she has seen in her lifetime. Amazing.

Barack Obama’s Infomercial

I thought it was quite good, very well produced, and, most importantly brimming with hope about America’s future. This optimism is what made Ronald Reagan so memorable to Americans. It will be what makes life under Obama’s leadership better than anything Republicans could provide with any of the candidates they had for president this year. I like that they kept it very positive without nary a word about McCain. This is just about Obama and the future of America.

Go out and vote for Obama, America.

The Stupidity of Conservatives Continues

These guys better stop this. I mean, surely this man knows at least something about the Constitution and about the founding of our great nation. Dennis Prager, everybody, says the following about “equality.”

Equality, which is the primary value of the left, is a European value, not an American value. Let me tell you that right now. I know this sounds offensive to half of my fellow Americans, because they have been Europeanized in their values. The French Revolution is not the American Revolution. The French Revolution said Liberty, Fraternity, Equality. The American Revolution said Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. We have lost touch with what our distinctive American values are. We have distinctive American values. … We have a better value system, and this is being protected by one of the two parties: the Republican party.

Uh…as Ali Frick notes, the Declaration of Independence states:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal

Of course the Constitution also promotes equality by design. Why are conservatives so stupid these days?

More Palin Supporters Showing Their True Colors

Free speech is great and all, but, well, where is decency? This is from supposed followers of Jesus Christ.

Odierno Threatens Iraq With Withdrawal If They Don’t Sign SOFA

Please let it be so.

What’s funny is that General Odierno’s priorities are what they are. He would rather weaken Iraq, create more instability, stop the reconstruction in Iraq just so that Iraq signs this SOFA which would essentially allow the American military to continue acting above the law in Iraq. This says a number of things.

1. The American military’s actions within Iraq have been so extra-legal (i.e. so many innocents killed, so many houses destroyed, etc) that giving Iraq the right to hold Americans accountable is absolutely unacceptable to Odierno.

2. Odierno and the military don’t seem to be caring too much about making Iraq stable. It’s not very high on the priority list.

3. Odierno may realize that he doesn’t have the best hand here. The Iraqis do. See, the Iraqis will actually survive without the Americans. They can afford the Americans leaving. But can the American military afford to leave Iraq before they deem it ready?

Personally, I hope the Iraqis stand firm and maybe the Americans might just have to leave before Obama is even president. That would be beautiful.

Sarah Palin Pals Around With Felons

Oops.

Why The United States Attacked Syria

Because they could, essentially.

Mad that things are not going their way as they are about to leave power, the Bush administration essentially gave the Syrians the one finger salute, a little f*** you to really prove how petulant and childish Bush and Cheney truly are. I doubt we will see them take a parting shot at Iran, because they know Iran can strike back hard against our interests in the region. But Syria, well, we hit them because we could. What a bunch of assholes are running our country right now.

I’m Giving Up on the San Francisco 49ers If They Do This…

If they hire Condoleezza Rice. Seriously guys, what has she done that would convince you she can actually run a football team organization? She’s utterly inept. She’s plain awful.

My Thoughts From Two Years Ago on Gay Marriage

Guy Murray’s post reminded me of my two posts on gay marriage from 2006. I wanted to link to them here just as a reminder of what I believe about the subject, seeing all the rage today about Prop 8 in California.

These two posts are a discussion with a friend of mine from California.

Legality vs Morality in Regards to Gay Rights

What is Natural vs What is Right and the Role of Judges

College Republicans Passed This Image On to Drudge

And once it is in Drudge’s hands, a firestorm awakens. Nice work College Republicans.

Mr. Garcia took the widely published picture of Ms. Todd with her injuries. He said he took several photographs with a digital camera to document what had happened. He said he only gave copies of the photos to police and Ms. Todd’s employer, the College Republicans. One photo appeared on The Drudge Report on Thursday, setting off a storm of media attention

Way to verify the story before throwing it to the world’s worst gossip monger.

Republicans: Obama is a Socialist, Communist Terrorist

Keep staying classy, Republicans. Thanks for showing your true colors.

Why Is The Church Tying Itself To This?

I ask this question solely because it sure is getting ugly. That’s some freaky, hateful stuff there. This isn’t in line with the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Why are we tying our good name to this? Why allow our religion to get so badly besmirched by the fallout of this? This isn’t how to “fight” against the evils of the world. This is ugly.

On Prop 8 in California: I Hope The Church Does Not Support This

Boy, this sure looks bad:

Leaders of the campaign to outlaw same-sex marriage in California are warning businesses that have given money to the state’s largest gay rights group they will be publicly identified as opponents of traditional unions unless they contribute to the gay marriage ban, too.

ProtectMarriage.com, the umbrella group behind a ballot initiative that would overturn the California Supreme Court decision that legalized gay marriage, sent a certified letter this week asking companies to withdraw their support of Equality California, a nonprofit organization that is helping lead the campaign against Proposition 8.

“Make a donation of a like amount to ProtectMarriage.com which will help us correct this error,” reads the letter. “Were you to elect not to donate comparably, it would be a clear indication that you are in opposition to traditional marriage. … The names of any companies and organizations that choose not to donate in like manner to ProtectMarriage.com but have given to Equality California will be published.”

The letter was signed by four members of the group’s executive committee: campaign chairman Ron Prentice; Edward Dolejsi, executive director of the California Catholic Conference; Mark Jansson, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and Andrew Pugno, the lawyer for ProtectMarriage.com. A donation form was attached. The letter did not say where the names would be published.

This is called blackmail. What is Mark Jansson, a member of the church participating in this for? This is not what the church stands for. And I won’t have any of it. I thought people and businesses were in their right to support legislation as they so see fit, without the threat of retaliation of any kind. This kind of pressure is un-democratic.

I hold the same standard to those on the left using any similar tactics. It besmirches the good name of democracy. However, individuals and groups on the left are not a religious organization, whose theology sets a very high standard of living and behavior. I expect far better from people who believe in this religion. And I ask, does the church support such blackmail?

A Part of Something Wonderful and Historic

A very touching story from Ben Smith as related by Laura Rozen from early voting in Florida.

Barack Obama: We Are All Pro America

I’m heartened by the poll numbers as we approach the election, that this country will choose the right candidate toward a better America.

Barack Obama’s Family Values

Sure sounds like what the prophets have counseled us.

Sarah Palin’s Cole Haan Boots

The New York Times reports on Sarah Palin’s new $150,000 wardrobe paid for by the Republican National Committee. One important point they make:

The Republicans spent about $150,000 on a clothing makeover for Ms. Palin and her family, according to financial disclosure forms. But looking at the before-and-after photos, it was not readily apparent what Ms. Palin got, exactly, from her shopping spree at Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.

What the number $150,000 suggests is that Ms. Palin traded up to designer versions of the clothes she wore before stepping onto the national stage, a surprising implication for a candidate who emphasizes her appeal to working-class voters.

Take for instance, this picture:

Those are Cole Haan boots she is wearing. I think this boot:

That’s a $600 pair of boots!

So how are those small town values holding up folks?

Al-Qaeda Endorses John McCain For President

No joke.

The reason? An impetuous, hotheaded president will exhaust his military by his constant warmongering. We know Osama Bin Laden released his tape at the end of October 2004 so that he could influence Americans to stick with Bush, and they did. See, Osama Bin Laden and his bunch don’t want an American in charge who will wage peace in the Middle East. No, they want an American in charge who will make war. Their greatest ambassador has been George W. Bush.

Alaska is America’s Most Socialist State

It’s quite ironic for McCain and Palin to go around claiming that Obama is a socialist for “spreading the wealth.” But think about this for a second, is there another state in the union that “spreads the wealth” like Alaska does? Does not every single Alaskan get money from the state? Does not every Alaskan get EXACTLY THE SAME AMOUNT like every other Alaskan? Talk about a welfare, communist state! Alaska is it.