Oh yeah

I probably should have done this months ago, but this blog has been moved

-Stickee

No Longer Separate, But Far From Equals: The Cruelty of the Democratic Party

In the eyes of the Democratic Party, those people who are labeled as “African Americans” are “special.” They treat an entire race of people as if they are mentally deficient children that are incapable of living as equals among everyone else. Like overprotective parents they have determined that you are perpetually unprepared to be treated like individuals. You just aren't ready to be judged on your own creativity, intelligence, determination and efforts. This treatment, by the Democratic Party, is the height of cruelty.

The Democratic Party, through their treatment of the “group” they refer to as “African Americans,” has taken on the role of a repentant abuser. Generations ago there was slavery and they have convinced themselves that they “broke” you and it's their responsibility to take care of you. They deny you the capacity to think and act as an individual. They have tried to tie an anchor around your collective necks in an attempt to keep you in perpetual subservience. You are their children and they love you too much to free you.

Special rules must be established just for you. You have to be given special consideration, because you're not good enough to compete on your own. You are pitied and therefore expectations are lowered for you. They pity you, but they won't tell you the sad truth. You can't respect somebody that you pity.

Like “special” children you are treated with kid gloves. You've been robbed of your pride, with degrading policies that make sure your achievements are made hollow because of “special treatment.” You work hard to achieve great things, but you have to deal with whispers like “affirmative action” and “quotas.” They rob you of a chance for victory, because they think you can't win without their help. They take pride in your achievements. Your hard work gives them the same satisfaction as donating to charity. You're no longer their slaves, but they are exploiting your labor.

To deny your individualism is cruel. To judge you based on just a small part of who you are is cruel. To treat you like a mentally deficient child is cruel. To rob so many people of their personal pride and sense of self determination ... it's the height of cruelty. The Democratic Party pities you. They can't respect people that they pity.

The Times: They are a Changing

The Gray Lady is on her last leg. Earnings continue to decline, as does readership. Instead of trying to battle News Corp, the New York Times should focus on marketing uses of their paper, besides reading. I've compiled a list of alternative uses of the paper that the NY Times may want to promote in order to increase their circulation.

-Beloved Prop: When looking for a successful vehicle for a pansexual dilettante, you can't go wrong with the NY Times.


-Origami: Use your copy of the NY Times to make a small piece of folded paper art that can demonstrate both your creativity and lack of a life.

-Book Cover: Nothing says trip me and call me a queer like wrapping a textbook in the NY Times

-Prison Body Armor: Provide your attacker with something to read while he tenderizes your internal organs.

-Fly Swatter: Nothing says class like sitting out on your favorite lawn chair and smacking yourself on your man boobs with the newspaper of record

-Poop Collection Device: Whether it's for the dog you're walking or a schizophrenic neighbor, you'll be prepared with the NY Times.

-Clever Disguise: The special person you're stalking suddenly looks in your direction. Nothing says nonchalant like holding the NY Times to cover your face, while facing the dressing rooms at Victoria's Secret..


-Stupidity Correction Device: When rolled up the NY Times is highly effective at stopping stupid behavior when applied vigorously to small animals and contributors at HuffPo.

-Housebreak a Puppy: Let's say you can't afford a taser or you've run out of batteries. Why not use the NY Times until the future licker of peanut butter is trained?

-Cage Liner: Whether for an exotic pet or an excitable liberal commentator like Chris Matthews, you'll always be covered with the NY Times.

-Fire Starter: The NY Times, especially effective for the arsonist who wants to avoid drawing attention.

-Diaper: Whether you run out of pampers for a baby or a drunk date decides to hit rock bottom, you'll be ready with the NY Times.


-Decorative Hat: When you want to let the rest of the people on the bus know that the voices in your head are especially loud today, throw on your hat made of the NY Times.

-Paper Mache Art: The love you feel for Barack Obama is hard to express. Why not make a life size paper mache sculpture of his lower torso?

-Airplane: A classic for all ages. The plane will entertain small children and those tripping on acid, while its flight path accurately portrays the future of the NY Times.


Best of luck, Gray Lady. There's always granny porn to fall back on.

Republicans Say The Sardonic Things

From the actions President Obama has taken, since he came into office, one must conclude that Socialism really works. Why else would he be expanding government management and regulation of markets, while redistributing billions of dollars? All this time Socialism actually was a viable economic model for developed nations. The question then becomes, why didn't anyone else try this? Did nobody else realize that this miracle system was available to them? I want to know who I can thank for opening my eyes to this hidden gem. I have never been more proud of my Government. The world must be green with envy at the brilliance of our dear leader.

I only wish that some other nation had tried this economic system before we began this journey into uncharted waters. Then we might know for sure that Socialism will work. What am I saying? Of course it will work. How could I even begin to question the judgment of such an inspiring man? Like great actors of yesteryear, he has been able to capture our hearts and speak to our very souls. Not since Ricky Martin has a person taken such control of a stage. Even his use of a teleprompter speaks to his willingness to embrace the future, while casting aside the outmoded method of familiarizing oneself with the material.

I count myself fortunate to have been alive to bear witness to the dawning of this new age. He has given new life to a dying nation and we will forever sing his praises. Like Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Lyndon Baines Johnson, and James Earl Carter, Jr., he will raise this nation to new heights. There's only one thing left to say. Yes We Can!


-The Political Pundito aka Harold Stickeehands-

A Letter to America

Dear America,

We felt it was about time that we told you exactly what we think of you. We believe you are just too stupid to be trusted. We tried to tell you who to vote for in 2004, but did you listen? No. Instead you re-elected George W. Bush, who is worse than Hitler and Rush Limbaugh combined. We tried our very best to show you how your troops could never win in Iraq. We tried to warn you that if George W. Bush was re-elected your body would no longer be your own. We tried to make clear to you that if you re-elected George Bush then there would be a war with Iran, a draft, and further eroding of your civil rights. We did all this in the hopes that we could educate you about the danger George W. Bush posed. We tried our best to tell you how stupid, ignorant, and uncultured he was, but you were too busy worrying about “issues” to listen.

Following Bush/Hitlers re-election, we decided that you could no longer be trusted to pick the next president. We decided it was time for more qualified people to decide who should be the next president. It was clear that in order for this to be a success we could no longer rely on our standard level of influence in order to make sure that our pick won. We decided to abandon the few remaining vestiges of objectivity we clung to like so many fig leaves. We weren't about to rely on Hope for the Change we wanted.

Some of the more bold reporting we made could be seen on MSNBC and NBC where our foot soldiers for change slowly built the hype around our pick until his persona became that of hybrid rock star who could captivate crowds with nothing more than warm words like Hope and Change. All he had to do was stick to the script and we would do the rest. With our help there would be no question that this storybook tale would have a happy ending. With support that stretched from Chris Mathews to Oprah and the New York Times to Newsweek, it was clear that we were leaving nothing to chance. Unfortunately we were forced to cannibalize one of our own, in order to make our dream a reality.

The way in which we consistently undercut Hillary's campaign as “negative,” while concealing the early negativity of the Obama campaign, was especially effective. We tried to make clear to her that the decision had already been made, but some lessons have to be learned the hard way. If our treatment of one of our own was any clue, the Republicans should have been aware of what they could expect. We weren't about to subject one of our own to the “Republican treatment” and then spare their nominee. They thought that by picking a moderate we would be less inclined to play favorites. They were wrong.

With our guiding hands we were able to lead you down the path of change. Finally we will be able to point to our president and tell ourselves how progressive and enlightened we are, while we continue to see diversity through the prism of race rather than ideas. We will have dinner with our European friends and seek their favor by pointing out our efforts to make sure our nation made the correct “choice.” Alas, our mission is not complete.

Having our golden child elected was just the first step. The risk of failure is too great for us to stop now. We have moved on to the next phase. If our golden child were to fail, it would be on our hands. He was our pick after all. His failure would be our failure. Luckily we have the power to make sure that never happens. Regardless of the decisions he makes, he will remain the bright shining hope for a better tomorrow. The praise for success will be his, while the scorn for failure will be placed squarely upon the shoulders of George W. Bush.

A new day has dawned in America. We are now in the drivers seat. And deep down, we think you like it this way. As mere shadows of your forefathers, it's easier if you continue to listen to us from now on. Regardless of how things actually turn out, we will make you feel good about your “choice.” And honestly, isn't that what matters most?


Sincerely,
The Press

We're Turning Japanese? Yes, I think so

First of all, the current economic decline is a natural correction resulting from the bursting of the bubble economy in the housing market. Instead of this being a short and severe correction, it will be a long and drawn out one. This is because we did not allow market forces to correct the situation by permitting bad banks to go under and be taken over by solid banks with good lending practices. This is no different that what happened in Japan in the late 1980's and 1990's, except that we have the advantage of crippling every other nation with our bruised economy.

The single greatest action the Federal Government could have take to restore confidence in the system would have been to freeze spending on all government programs, while making strategic cuts to wasteful programs. By reforming the benefit system for social security, establishing a plan to gradually increase the retirement age, reducing the liability burdens on health care providers, and reforming the accounting practices in the Pentagon, the projected Federal deficit would have been significantly reduced. This would have demonstrated to the rest of the world that we were serious about making corrections to our reckless spending and that, in turn, would have restored the confidence of international investors in the American system. They would have then looked to the US as the responsible place to invest their money in these challenging economic times. An increase in capital investment would have resulted. The increase in capital investment would have triggered an increase in jobs and consumer confidence. That would have been the most efficient plan for a quick and responsible recovery.

Sadly the powers that be chose to go a different way and as a result they will all but guarantee a long and painful recession. The best we can hope to do now is to stop flushing money away through pointless bailouts, forget the failed policy of tax credits, and reform social security in order to prevent an even more painful situation in the coming decades. All of this is unlikely with a President Obama, since reforming social security would be the first courageous move ever taken in his life.

The people will likely demand further government action to relieve their pain in these times. The country is best served if this relief comes in the form of infrastructure projects that will benefit our economic future for decades to come. While government spending programs are, in general, a bad idea, the least offensive of these are public works projects. At the very least, all citizens will benefit from improved roads, more efficient communication lines and an updated energy grid, by reducing the costs of the private sector. Infrastructure projects, unlike welfare and other progressive social programs, actually benefit all citizens. The private sector is far more efficient than government bureaucracy and we would all be best served by competitive bidding that wasn't influenced by political considerations (yes, I'm looking at the union bosses). A consolation prize of sorts for America is that Obama's proposed stimulus plan isn't a complete waste.

Obama's plan does have a couple of good public works projects. Sadly, a couple public works projects are the only good things in the entire 700 billion plus proposal. What's worse is that Obama's plan will likely end up being even more of a pork riddled orgy of union handouts, cash to pay off credit cards, and green technology that will do little to help the economy. But, it will satisfy political interests on the left and give the perception that he cares. And really, isn't that all that matters.

The current economic crisis, in all its glory, was not anticipated by many. But, that is no excuse for the ignorance so many in power demonstrated in their subsequent responses. Some talking heads have now come around to the reality that the current crisis we are facing is quite similar to the one Japan faced (I so called it in my blog on that other site before you talking head bastards). Unfortunately, the talking heads have little to no understanding of why that recession dragged on for a decade and they are now recommending many of the actions that kept Japan in the recession. Japan could not, for cultural reasons, make the tough choices to allow some institutions to go under and for unemployment to rise in the short term. We, for political reasons, also seem to be incapable of making the tough choices that need to be made.

The connections of key members of the Bush administration to large financial entities that were involved in the market meltdown are largely to blame for the poor response to the crisis created by the democrats and their friends in the housing and mortgage industries. Until these ties are broken (and they won't be) there will not be the kind of reform that needed to take place months ago. In short, you're in for a long painful recession America. But on the plus side you now have something to discuss with your Japanese friends, besides the fine points of Bukkake.

Big Silly Goose

There once was a man from Nantucket and, thanks to years of practicing yoga, he was able to do amazing things. But, the real question is, was he violating sodomy laws by doing such amazing things? Speaking of sodomy, Prop 8 has been in the news. There is so much anger directed at those who voted for Prop 8. Well, you better direct some of that anger my way.

Californian's voted for Prop 8 and I was one of them. Now many will tell me I'm a horrible person and I'm discriminating against gay people. But, that's not the reason I voted for Prop 8. I voted for Prop 8, because I don't feel it's the right of judges to overrule the popular will of the people, and mandate gay marriage. Gay marriage is all about recognition. Gay people currently have all the same legal rights as straight couples, through civil unions, but that's not enough. They want their relationships to be sanctioned and accepted by the public.

I, for one, am more than willing to support a ballot proposition that recognizes the right of gay people to be completely retarded, like straight people, and get married. If they want to be miserable bastards and know the joy of a nasty divorce, that's fine by me. They will have my support, as long as the proposition also protects churches from having to betray their faith by recognizing something that violates their religious beliefs.

If gay people want the recognition and approval of the people, why don't they just ask for it? Why don't they craft such a proposition and ask Californian's to cast their vote in its favor? It's irrational to expect acceptance and recognition, from the public, if you try to force an agenda down their throats. Leave that kind of behavior in the Castro District, where it belongs.

If you want the acceptance and approval of people, outside the gay and lesbian community, you have to ask them for acceptance. You can't gain acceptance by using judges to force an agenda upon them that grants you the right to get married. You can't force someone to accept you. At best they just have to put up with you. If you want acceptance, you have to ask for it. GLAAD, and other organizations, seem to want a fight more than anything else. It's in their interest. Without a fight between gay and straight people, they don't have a mission.

Therefore the gay community has a choice to make. They can either support the same combatant policies that have brought them to this point. Or, they can reject these negative tactics and instead try to make their case to the people why they should be given the privilege to marry. If you want my support, all you have to do is leave the lawyers at home, and ask. Sorry for the Castro district joke, but I couldn't resist.

Just How Far We Haven't Come

With the win of Barack Obama a great number of the people across this country, and the media in particular, are patting themselves on the back and cheering at just how far we have come as a nation. By electing a black man to the presidency, we have somehow proven that we aren't racists. Well, I for one, am not cheering.

What are the substantive differences between President Elect Obama and previous politicians that have been elected to the most powerful office in this country? Barack Obama is a rich, elitist with an Ivy League education. He began his political career in big city politics, while associating with some less than reputable characters. He came to office with political baggage, that was born out of his tendency to put political convenience before principle. How does any of this make him different from other politicians? The truth is, it doesn't. The only substantive difference between Barack Obama and other men who sought the office of the presidency, is the hue of his skin. What does it say about people when they consider a genetic trait, of which we have no control over, to be the most significant quality in the President Elect?

If racism was truly behind us all, there wouldn't be people like Chris Mathews patting themselves on the back, and leg, for electing a black man to the presidency. They would treat him like any other politician, and see beyond his race. But, sadly, that's not the case. Those who consider this such a significant event, based solely on the hue of President Elect Obama's skin, have demonstrated just how far we haven't come.

The day we can move beyond identity politics will be a day to celebrate. The day when people are judged by the content of their character, rather than the color of their skin, will be a great day in this nations history. Sadly, November 5th was not that day.

Rage, Rage Against The Dying of the Light

What does an inexperienced politician, with socialist tendencies, have to do to win the Presidency of the United States of America? Not much, apparently. But, he does require a lot of help. He requires a biased media that is blindly supportive of his candidacy. The help of the extremely rich, and famous, will also be required. Finally he will need the support of an astonishingly ignorant electorate.

His support in the media does not have to be complete. But, it helps when 90% of print and televised media is on your side. Where is the proof of this clear bias you might ask? Lets just look at the treatment that a fellow Democrat was subject to during the primaries. During this period of the election the media demonstrated their bias to such an extent that they began treating one of their former favorites like she was a Republican. It was so transparent and blatant that even the rocket scientists at Saturday Night Live felt the need to mock, the clearly over the top, bias within the media. When a Democrat gets the Republican treatment, it's clear to all, but the most willfully ignorant, that the fix is in. But, this is not enough for the candidate to win. They require help from some familiar, and some not so familiar, faces.

The role of the extremely rich, and famous, is to allow their star power and prestige to benefit the candidate they support. And, like in no other election, they made their presence felt. From the ridiculous get out the vote videos, to Oprah's endorsement of THE ONE, the Hollywood crowd have made their vacuous voices heard. But, let's not forget the role of the extremely rich. THE ONE has also benefited from the active help of one of the least ethical people on the planet, George Soros, and a future exploiter of the tax exempt foundation loophole, Warren Buffett. With the help of such men, THE ONE has enjoyed unprecedented support from 527's, and other nonprofit organizations, as well as undeserved confidence and credibility concerning economic matters. Even with the help of the rich and famous, THE ONE wouldn't have made it this far, without his greatest source of support, the masses.

Only with an electorate made up of the ignorant and emotional, could THE ONE even begin to HOPE to win. Thanks to a nation of voters that have been conditioned by shows like American Idol, THE ONE has been able to run a campaign on nothing more than affective language and imagery. How else could the people of this nation be convinced to vote for a candidate that embraced, a racist theology, a domestic terrorist, and a socialist ideology. All while accomplishing little of significance in his life, let alone his political career. His greatest accomplishment is a speech. Yes, the greatest achievement of note, by the next President of the United States of America, is that he was able to make a speech during the 2004 Democratic Convention. The ignorance and irrationality of the American electorate cannot be ignored, given the results of this election.

What brought us to this point on November 4th 2008? Nothing short of a perfect storm. Major media with an agenda, the rich and famous flexing their collective muscle, and a populous that has exercised their franchise in willful ignorance. This is a turning point in this nation's history, but we have a choice.

Those of us who dissent can choose to call it a day and stop trying, or we can say NO. We can decide to never let this happen again. We can decide to make the day the Dem's are celebrating, the day we are preparing. We can focus on the elections in two years that will determine who runs Congress. We can decide to repeat the revolution of 1994, only this time we will learn from our mistakes. We will live up to our word and not spend like Democrats. We will not allow THE ONE to use Congress to get re-elected. We will prevent THE ONE from destroying this country from within and protect our Constitution from perversion.

In the face of a horrible loss, we can choose to be like our founders, stand up for principle and refuse to let what they fought so hard for, be destroyed for the sake of political convenience. We are Americans. We can do great things. Let's decide to prove that tonight by not letting defeat fill our hearts. Instead, let's allow our resolve to be further strengthened for the fight that will come in 2010.

Tonight is not a night to celebrate, but it is a night to join together for a common cause and realize that, while we have taken a hit, this is far from the end. There is a quote that states, “Everyone has a plan until they've been hit.” Well my friends, we have just been hit. It's our time to stand up, dust ourselves off, and prove that we will not be defeated so easily. As a great man once said, “The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted, it belongs to the brave.” Let's prove him right.

Improbable

Improbable. That's the word that best describes this election. No other descriptive term could be more accurate. We are talking about an election in which the Democratic Party will win because of the financial crisis. This becomes evident when looking at the polling trends since the crisis began to dominate news coverage.

What could be more improbable than a political party benefiting from a crisis they created? The Democratic Party created and pushed The Community Reinvestment Act. They shielded their friends in Fannie and Freddie from scrutiny and government reform. How improbable that a man who called for reform, John McCain, is rejected by the electorate, but a man, who lovingly embraced the source of the crisis, Barack Obama, is now going to be the next president.

If a screen writer were to submit a script, with this plot, it would likely be rejected. Why? Well, what sane person could believe that people would be so ignorant as to vote for the party, and candidates, that were responsible for the economic pain they are feeling? To believe that a person would have to conclude that they live in a nation of, at worst, masochists or, at best, idiots. I guess this is why they say nothing is impossible, no matter how improbable.

Why I cannot be an "Independent"

I first need to state that this in no way addresses people who are part of the American Independent Party. The focus on this political blog, or pog, are the anti-party “independents.” They are individuals who are opposed to political parties and reject identifying with them. They have come to the conclusion that political parties are the problem, or that, by identifying with a political party, a voter somehow stops becoming objective in their decision making process. This is a position that I could not disagree with more.

Significant portions of both parties still vote across party lines, for president. This also carries over to state and local politics. The strict party line voter is not the dominant force that some would have you believe. An individual does not cease to become objective once they join a political party. Those who are active political party members are simply more politically engaged and have reached firm conclusions concerning certain policies that inform their voting habits. The opposition to parties, by independents may simply be an overreaction to vocal hyper partisanship.

If it is the case that, these individuals have confused their opposition to hyper partisanship with an opposition to political parties themselves, they have made the mistake of throwing the baby out with the bath water. This is an often repeated error where one behaves in a rash manor and fails to realize that they are getting rid something good by rejecting something they dislike. They fail to realize that the symptom that they take issue with, hyper partisanship, is in fact not the result of the party system, but the result of the failure of them, and others like them, to get involved in party politics.

When people reject the party process they all but guarantee that the voices of hyper partisans will become dominant. By rejecting party participation you have acquiesced the decision making power to the hyper partisans that you oppose. Your rejection of party labels has allowed the hyper partisans to become the dominant voices in politics. You have cut off your nose to spite your face.

Primaries usually attract only the most passionate and interested voters. But, by not participating in primaries “independent” voters, have all but guaranteed that they will end up with major party candidates who don't represent them. Your opposition to participating in party politics is only hurting you.

One of the greatest benefits to joining a political party is the ability to influence the decision of who that party will put forward as their candidate. As a political libertarian, I am registered with the Republican Party. That party best reflects my positions concerning issues of federalism (if you think that is just about the federal government you should return your high school diploma), judicial philosophy and various fiscal policies.

I was able to cast my primary ballot for Ron Paul, the candidate that most closely reflected my positions on key issues, excluding Iraq. While Paul did not win, my vote expressed to my party that the issues Ron Paul addressed were of significant concern to me. The point of voting is not that your candidate always wins, but that your opinion is expressed and you have the opportunity to try to convince others of the value of your position. By being an “independent” you have thrown away a significant opportunity to express your views.

Calling yourself an independent has become “cool” in recent years. Many consider themselves more enlightened or open minded by adopting this label. I could not disagree more with their rational and I hope that this pog will inspire some to reconsider the value of the “independent” label.