Amid CNN's coverage of the primaries there were various breaks with analysts and special guests. One of these guests was the eminent governor from the state of New Jersey, whose name I can't recall and wouldn't want to anyway.
New Jersey was seen as something of an unknown quantity to the democrats. Nobody had any clue which way the state was leaning. Preliminary polls had Senators Clinton and Obama at nearly equal. So, the powers that be invited this poor governor, a delegate from New Jersey, to come on the show and shed some light on the situation.
The interviewer asked governor "Jersey" which way he believed his state was leaning. The gov. replied that he'd already committed his support to Sen. Clinton. Then the interviewer asked, "What if your state's citizens choose to majority-support Sen. Obama?"
A dicey question indeed. What does a delegate do when they've already committed to a candidate and their constituents end up voting otherwise? Luckily, this scenario didn't play out, and Senator Clinton carried the state, albeit by a fairly small margin.
In any case, governor Jersey replied to the interviewer, "We intend to honor our commitments...New Jersey will do right by Hillary Clinton".
So, in the political tumult of the Garden State, by means of an innocent interview, the most horrific crime against our system of government was nearly enacted by the most public of parties. The worst fears of our founding fathers were on the table, and everyone remained as silent as a sack of churchmice tossed overboard.
This is the most terrifying of flaws in the Electoral College - that the people speak and are ignored.
Webster's would define this as a condition known as "tyranny".
Showing posts with label election. Show all posts
Showing posts with label election. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
Racial Sensitivity and Your President
Today, I was fortunate enough to speak with a young woman who happened to be African-American. We began discussing the upcoming election, and she voiced her obvious bent toward Obama's campaign - understandable, certainly.
Then she raised a point which I have been espousing for months now, ever since I knew that an African-American would be running for president. I have heard very few people bring up this point, and I have NEVER heard it mentioned in the mainstream media. Each time I discuss the election with my friends, I make sure to bring this point up, because it is absolutely crucial.
If elected, Mr. Obama could very well be murdered.
I said YES! God, thank you for saying this! I've been saying this forever but nobody seems to have thought of it!
To which she replied Nobody WHITE thinks about it. All my black friends are already praying for him.
Can this possibly be true? Is it a "White" thing? Are there Caucasians who don't recognize the severe racial hatred that still lurks around the south, the "Heartland", even the Northeast? How can anyone NOT be afraid of this scenario playing out to the most grisly of conclusions?
The Ku Klux Klan still exists. Hate crimes are committed every day in America. There are god knows how many backwater hillbillies with pointy teeth, just drooling at the chance to kill a black president. We must all be sensitive to the plight of this poor man because, though you may not have realized the possibility of his imminent demise, you can bet your soft ass that he wakes up in a cold sweat at the slightest sound that crosses his eardrum in the dead of night. God only knows what demonic plans are being hatched for him at this very moment.
And let's not forget the first lady.
There are a good many twisted rednecks who would swear a blood oath to be buried alive with their confederate flags before they saw a WOMAN as the commander-in-chief of this country's armed forces. Though I must admit - an attempt on her life seems a bit more far fetched. It would take a new and special breed of monster to kill a fairly innocent woman and mother.
It may be comforting to some would-be assassins to know that Hillary's first-man will be none other than Playboy Bill; the original "President-you-want-to-have-a-beer-with". Certainly, her life is in less jeopardy than poor Barack's, especially when so many Americans seem to believe that Mr. Clinton will be running the country if Mrs. Clinton wins the election for him (ask around - it's true!).
There have been no less than sixteen attempts on presidents' lives since 1865, which comes out to a roughly 36% chance of an assassination attempt to begin with, not considering racial or gender hatred. Some presidents have been targets more than once (officially). Four of these attempts have been successful (Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, Kennedy). That gives you a fatality rate of 9.3%. Compare that to lumberjacks at around .12%, and fisherman at .07% (both per 100,000). Being president is EASILY the most dangerous job in America.
But don't let this affect how you vote...
Then she raised a point which I have been espousing for months now, ever since I knew that an African-American would be running for president. I have heard very few people bring up this point, and I have NEVER heard it mentioned in the mainstream media. Each time I discuss the election with my friends, I make sure to bring this point up, because it is absolutely crucial.
If elected, Mr. Obama could very well be murdered.
I said YES! God, thank you for saying this! I've been saying this forever but nobody seems to have thought of it!
To which she replied Nobody WHITE thinks about it. All my black friends are already praying for him.
Can this possibly be true? Is it a "White" thing? Are there Caucasians who don't recognize the severe racial hatred that still lurks around the south, the "Heartland", even the Northeast? How can anyone NOT be afraid of this scenario playing out to the most grisly of conclusions?
The Ku Klux Klan still exists. Hate crimes are committed every day in America. There are god knows how many backwater hillbillies with pointy teeth, just drooling at the chance to kill a black president. We must all be sensitive to the plight of this poor man because, though you may not have realized the possibility of his imminent demise, you can bet your soft ass that he wakes up in a cold sweat at the slightest sound that crosses his eardrum in the dead of night. God only knows what demonic plans are being hatched for him at this very moment.
And let's not forget the first lady.
There are a good many twisted rednecks who would swear a blood oath to be buried alive with their confederate flags before they saw a WOMAN as the commander-in-chief of this country's armed forces. Though I must admit - an attempt on her life seems a bit more far fetched. It would take a new and special breed of monster to kill a fairly innocent woman and mother.
It may be comforting to some would-be assassins to know that Hillary's first-man will be none other than Playboy Bill; the original "President-you-want-to-have-a-beer-with". Certainly, her life is in less jeopardy than poor Barack's, especially when so many Americans seem to believe that Mr. Clinton will be running the country if Mrs. Clinton wins the election for him (ask around - it's true!).
There have been no less than sixteen attempts on presidents' lives since 1865, which comes out to a roughly 36% chance of an assassination attempt to begin with, not considering racial or gender hatred. Some presidents have been targets more than once (officially). Four of these attempts have been successful (Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, Kennedy). That gives you a fatality rate of 9.3%. Compare that to lumberjacks at around .12%, and fisherman at .07% (both per 100,000). Being president is EASILY the most dangerous job in America.
But don't let this affect how you vote...
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Slow and Steady
Let's call it fate that I chose to begin this blog during the nascent stages of perhaps the most highly anticipated election in recent memory.
On this night: the Michigan primaries have come off and there is one undisputed fact that is emerging as law for this election year - the voters have absolutely no fucking idea who to vote for. In an ugly twist of fate, Mitt Romney has taken the Republican primary in his late father's gubernatorial "turf". Thanks dad!
Most of us only know "Mitt" for two things:
1) He looks like the father in "The Munsters".
2) He's a senator from Wyoming.
If you thought number 2 was actually true, don't worry - most of the country doesn't know the difference either. Romney's claim to fame is that he was once governor of Massachusetts. Yippee. Oh, and his dad owned Michigan. Thanks dad! McCain came in second with a very respectable showing, and somebody else came in third.
As for the Democrats, Hillary pulled out a commanding victory with a whopping 55% of the vote. She's finally flexing her muscle as the rightful heir to the female domination crown, and it has been widely rumored that Queen Elizabeth has already started asking Hil to Sunday tea. Way to go, Presidentress!
It should be mentioned, however, that neither Obama nor Edwards put their name on the ballot for Michigan, and that 40% of voters were termed "uncommitted". Statewide ads were run on behalf of both Obama and Edwards pleading for voters to cast for "uncommitted" (since the Michigan primary seems to have broken Democratic National Committee rules). I'm not going to explain the logistics of this strategy here, but let's just say that the state is basically a waste for Democrats. Meanwhile, Hillary's won her second state (theoretically) and John Edwards is an inch from being pushed out of the race. Thanks dad!
Well that's perfect. Just as we are all agreed that Republicans are BAD and Democrats are GOOD, and that we must unite to make the country better, the Democrats have basically trashed one of their major primaries. I know there are a lot more states but COME ON guys, let's at least show that we've got our shit together!
But honestly - there is a great and terrible fear that is hidden behind a thin veil of confidence in the apparent "evil" of the current administration. All logical peoples of the United States are counting on the formerly illogical peoples to make the proper choices this time around, despite any philosophical arguments of "right and wrong". All Democrats believe, in their heart of hearts, that there is a great number of Republicans who have converted since the previous electoral abortion.
The fear is that this is not only completely untrue, but that the few Republicans who were impacted by the idiocy of the last few years are actually on the fence, and that it wouldn't take much to push them back to the dark side. So when they see that most of Michigan's voters all voted for Hillary, and the rest are completely uncommitted to any candidate, it doesn't bode well for the conversion ratio. The Christian missionaries had it right, thousands of years ago. They all believed in the same thing, they all spoke at the same time, and they kept the savages in the dark.
On this night: the Michigan primaries have come off and there is one undisputed fact that is emerging as law for this election year - the voters have absolutely no fucking idea who to vote for. In an ugly twist of fate, Mitt Romney has taken the Republican primary in his late father's gubernatorial "turf". Thanks dad!
Most of us only know "Mitt" for two things:
1) He looks like the father in "The Munsters".
2) He's a senator from Wyoming.
If you thought number 2 was actually true, don't worry - most of the country doesn't know the difference either. Romney's claim to fame is that he was once governor of Massachusetts. Yippee. Oh, and his dad owned Michigan. Thanks dad! McCain came in second with a very respectable showing, and somebody else came in third.
As for the Democrats, Hillary pulled out a commanding victory with a whopping 55% of the vote. She's finally flexing her muscle as the rightful heir to the female domination crown, and it has been widely rumored that Queen Elizabeth has already started asking Hil to Sunday tea. Way to go, Presidentress!
It should be mentioned, however, that neither Obama nor Edwards put their name on the ballot for Michigan, and that 40% of voters were termed "uncommitted". Statewide ads were run on behalf of both Obama and Edwards pleading for voters to cast for "uncommitted" (since the Michigan primary seems to have broken Democratic National Committee rules). I'm not going to explain the logistics of this strategy here, but let's just say that the state is basically a waste for Democrats. Meanwhile, Hillary's won her second state (theoretically) and John Edwards is an inch from being pushed out of the race. Thanks dad!
Well that's perfect. Just as we are all agreed that Republicans are BAD and Democrats are GOOD, and that we must unite to make the country better, the Democrats have basically trashed one of their major primaries. I know there are a lot more states but COME ON guys, let's at least show that we've got our shit together!
But honestly - there is a great and terrible fear that is hidden behind a thin veil of confidence in the apparent "evil" of the current administration. All logical peoples of the United States are counting on the formerly illogical peoples to make the proper choices this time around, despite any philosophical arguments of "right and wrong". All Democrats believe, in their heart of hearts, that there is a great number of Republicans who have converted since the previous electoral abortion.
The fear is that this is not only completely untrue, but that the few Republicans who were impacted by the idiocy of the last few years are actually on the fence, and that it wouldn't take much to push them back to the dark side. So when they see that most of Michigan's voters all voted for Hillary, and the rest are completely uncommitted to any candidate, it doesn't bode well for the conversion ratio. The Christian missionaries had it right, thousands of years ago. They all believed in the same thing, they all spoke at the same time, and they kept the savages in the dark.
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