Democratic-Republican-Party

The 300 million rescue plan

noreply@blogger.com (Ballard) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:53:00 +0000

So I haven't written in a while because that funny thing called life keeps getting in the way. Since I wrote last we have had a million different campaign revisions, insults and mudslinging. Way too many to address. What I want to talk about today is our fun little congressional bail out plan.

The president wants congress to approve a massive 700 billion plan to have the treasury secretary buy up all the debt caused by banks giving out and investing in bad mortgages. I would just like to ask a couple of questions about this massive expense to my tax money.

1. why in the world would we give a guy who was not elected by me or you the power and control of 700 billion dollars. Luckily the government moves slow and congress is fighting over this point, we need someone like warren buffet or another financial guru who has not lost money in times of economic turmoil to monitor and report back to the people what is going on. I will gladly take a small trouncing over the next week on my IRA to ensure the executive branch does not get full control of this money

2. If we buy up all this debt we better not pay full price. These company's are coming to the govt. in trouble and there is no reason we should be paying the full price for anything. Its time for the govt. and our 9 trillion dollar debt to start making some money. If we buy foreclosure homes or homes going into foreclosure that are the primary residence it should cost 25 cents on the dollar and then we need to go to the home owner and offer a flat rate mortgage for 50 or 75 cents on the dollar. This will allow the retards who cant pay bills on time and the people who may have lost their jobs to remortgage their homes at a price they can afford. I hate this crap, my wife and I have struggled to keep it going at times but my house is always paid for and my bills are very rarely late, usually due to forgetfulness, and we sacrifice at times to do this. But now I have to make sure everyone in America gets help from the govt. when I will get none.

3. I hate govt. control but it should be common sense that if your company is failing and you are at the helm you do not take more money out of the company. In order to save your company and in order to keep your reputation all CEO's that are getting bailed out should leave the golden parachute alone and if it was me, I would cut my salary to $1 a year until this is over. If you are smart enough to become a CEO you should be smart enough to live without that million dollar or more salary for a year. On wall street we have lost the thought process of we need our company to survive in order for a CEO to get hired again, and this is the down fall of our corparations. When a CEO knows that he/she will get paid to leave and picked up by another company for the same or more salary, why do a great job ?

Ok now I have a bailout plan that will save the tax payer billions and fix the economy in a heart beat. Instead of buying up this debt for 700 billion lets write up a bill to send out a million each to the people of the US and we will spend it better than the politicians will. Rules will have to be enacted that state if you get a million dollars you can not declare bankruptcy within 10 years but imagine how much of that bad debt will go away and the banks will be full of capital. I know I would pay off my house and probably by the house down the street that I kind of like. This will end up costing 30 billion instead of 700.

Thats my plan and I'm sticking to it

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Voting

noreply@blogger.com (Ballard) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:50:00 +0000

Obama and McCain are going to visit New York, NY to commemorate the anniversary of 9 - 11- 2001. At this time of dropping partisan politics they both need to hit on issues that effect all americans. I expect both of them to make compelling speeches that hit on national unity and the tragedy of the terrorist attacks.
Now during such a horrible pock mark on our country's history we need to remember what makes us such a great country. The country's that the terrorist came from have an absolute strangle hold on the citizens. We need to remember that a group of people crossing all sociological sections of the population got together and said enough. When they were told to suck it up and do what the mother country said they got mad and told England to screw off. The sticking point for the Revolutionaries wasn't that England was telling them what to do - it was that there was taxation without representation. This is what made our new government so impressive and dangerous, we listened to what the people wanted. This has not been perfect in any way, we decided that senators were not elected by the people - this has since changed. We decided that black and native americans had no vote and were not true americans, this has since changed. At different times in our history the dead and fake have been the ones to elect our candidates to office but when that happens we catch it and stop it.
What our present candidates need to do is remind the american people that its not just a right to vote but a need. In our last presidential election 64% of americans over 18 voted. This is a high turnout but really it takes so little time to stop in and register or just fill it out with your license as most states allow. Then take the time to stop and vote, make your voice heard.
We live in a country where majority rules, but really its just the loudest voices of the smallest groups is heard. Most lobbyist dont represent large groups and they are the ones being heard.

Find an issue that you care about or feel the govt. is doing wrong - research it a little, the internet is there and library's are free, and contact your representative or senator or local officials, let them know that you care about it and want change. We dont need a revolution to change how things are done we just need people to speak and when it is so easy to communicate with email, cell phones and still pen and paper. Its time we start paying attention and changing America with our voices.

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Gay Marriage

noreply@blogger.com (Ballard) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 01:35:00 +0000

Okay now that the conventions are all, I'm going to go through some hot topic issues and my opinions on them. I will provides facts as I can, but some of the stuff is just straight opinion.

Gay Marriage

I tend to aproach this issue from a different stance than most. I dont really care if you believe that homosexual's choose or are born liking those of the same sex, I want to look at what is best for the country. So here is a list of what Gay marriage will effect and what impact it will have

1. Economy
Study's have shown that married couples make more money, and also spend more money. Singles will spend more money on the service industry: restaurants, gyms, movies and rental property's. Married couples spend more on the big items:houses, cars, furniture and other long term items.

2. Children
By the nature of being homosexual natural reproduction is not the first choice. (The wording on this point is hard to come up) Marriage produces a stability that most humans crave to raise a child, and on the whole this is one of the sociological reasons we get married, to raise a family. With homosexual marriage more children who do not have a home will be adopted. Also and this is pure specualation on my part, homosexuals understand what it is to feel left out or left behind and will sympathize with children that are older will find homes. There are, according to some reports, 134,000 children in foster care that need to be adopted.

3. Money
Single's on average start saving for retirement around the age of 40, married couples start in the mid 20's. This means anyone that is married will be less of a drag on all govt. services including social security and medicare. 'Nuff said

4. Health
Married people are generally healthier than unmarried people, as measured by numerous health outcomes. This study that is linked shows everything much better than I can. The end product is health care is much cheaper for those of us married. One other effect std's and AIDS/HIV, although adultery does happen, the free love sex that people forget causes std's is much less common among married people.

5. Sympathy
How can anyone look at a couple who have been together for years, loving each other and say they cant have the same benifets that I do. Marriage is a right to live the rest of your life with one person, sharing in all of the fun that is life. Marriage is not a privelage to be given out by the govt.

I understand many have issue with the religious aspect of marriage but if that is your issue than take govt out of marriage. I say homosexual marriage has nothing but benifets for the country.

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McCain Speech

noreply@blogger.com (Ballard) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 21:09:00 +0000

Okay the conventions are finally over and here is the last speech. I got the speech from here

MCCAIN: Thank you. Thank you all very much. Thank you.Tonight, I have a privilege given few Americans: the privilege ofaccepting our party's nomination for president of the United States.Thank you. Thanks. And I accept it with..Thank you. I -- and I accept it with gratitude, humility, and confidence.In my life, no success has come without a good fight, and this nomination wasn't any different. That's a tribute to the candidates who opposed me and their supporters. They're leaders of great ability who love our country and wish to lead it to better days. Their support is an honor that I won't forget.

The usual thank you's and we honor all those who tried to get the nomination

I'm grateful to the president of the United States for leading us in these dark days following the worst attack in American history. The worst attack on American soil in our history and keeping us safe from another attack that many -- many thought was inevitable.

He must be a maverick to even bring up Bush

MCCAIN: And to the first lady...And to the first lady, Laura Bush, a model of grace and kindness in public and in private.

Everyone loves Laura - no one attacks her no matter the opinion on her husband

And I'm grateful to the 41st president and his bride of 63 years for their outstanding example...... for their outstanding example of honorable service to our country. As always, I'm indebted to my wife, Cindy, and my seven children. You know, the pleasures of family life can seem like a brief holiday from the crowded calendar of our nation's business. But I have treasured them all the more and can't imagine a life without the happiness that you've given me. You know, Cindy said a lot of nice things about me tonight. But, in truth, she's more my inspiration than I am hers. Her concern for those less blessed than we are -- victims of land mines, children born in poverty, with birth defects -- shows the measure of her humanity. And I know that she will make a great first lady. My friends, when I was growing up, my father was often at sea, and the job of raising my brother, sister and me would fall to my mother alone. Roberta McCain gave us her love of life, her deep interest in the world, her strength, and her belief that we're all meant to use our opportunities to make ourselves useful to our country. I wouldn't be here tonight but for the strength of her character. And she doesn't want me to say this, but she's 96 years young. My heartfelt thanks to all of you who helped me win this nomination and stood by me when the odds were long. I won't let you down. I won't let you down. I won't let you down. To Americans who have yet to decide who to vote for, thank you for your consideration and the opportunity to win your trust. I intend to earn it.

More of the usual thank you's and I love my family

And, finally, a word to Senator Obama and his supporters. We'll go at it -- we'll go at it over the next two months -- you know that's the nature of this business -- and there are big differences between us. But you have my respect and my admiration. Despite our differences, much more unites us than divides us. We are fellow Americans, and that's an association that means more to me than any other. We're dedicated to the proposition that all people are created equal and endowed by our creator with inalienable rights. No country -- no country ever had a greater cause than that. And I wouldn't be an American worthy of the name if I didn't honor Senator Obama and his supporters for their achievement.

This is why no matter if you agree or not, McCain is well respected by those he works with. This is probably the biggest night of his life and he brings Obama into his speech with praise. Whatever else you have to say McCain is an honorable man

But let there be no doubt, my friends: We're going to win this election. And after we've won, we're going to reach out our hand to any willing patriot, make this government start working for you again, and get this country back on the road to prosperity and peace. I know these are tough times for many of you. You're worried about Please, please, please. My friends, my dear friends, please. Please don't be diverted by the ground noise and the static. You know, I'm going to talk about it some more. But Americans want us to stop yelling at each other, OK? These are tough times for many of you. You're worried about keeping your job or finding a new one, and you're struggling to put food on the table and stay in your home. All you've ever asked of your government is to stand on your side and not in your way. And that's what I intend to do: stand on your side and fight for your future.

Sounds like the opening of a speech at the DNC - McCain is trying to pull those left leaning undecided to him

And I've found just the right partner to help me shake up Washington, Governor Sarah...Governor Sarah Palin of the great state of Alaska. And I want to thank everyone here and all over America for the tremendous, wonderful, warm reception you gave her last night. Thank you so much. She deserves it. What a great beginning. You know, she has an executive experience and a real record of accomplishment. She's tackled tough problems, like energy independence and corruption. She's balanced a budget, cut taxes, and she's taken on the special interests. She's reached across the aisle and asked Republicans, Democrats, and independents to serve in her administration. She's the wonderful mother of five children.She's -- she's helped run a small business. She's worked with her hands and knows -- and knows what it's like to worry about mortgage payments, and health care, and the cost of gasoline and groceries. She knows where she comes from, and she knows who she works for. She stands up for what's right, and she doesn't let anyone tell her to sit down.I'm very proud to have introduced our next vice president to the country, but I can't wait until I introduce her to Washington. And let me just offer an advance warning to the old, big- spending, do-nothing, me-first, country-second crowd: Change is coming. I'm not -- I'm not in the habit of breaking my promises to my country, and neither is Governor Palin. And when we tell you we're going to change Washington and stop leaving our country's problems for some unluckier generation to fix, you can count on it. And we've... We've got a record of doing just that, and the strength, experience, judgment, and backbone to keep our word to you. You well know I've been called a maverick, someone who..... someone who marches to the beat of his own drum. Sometimes it's meant as a compliment; sometimes it's not. What it really means is I understand who I work for. I don't work for a party. I don't work for a special interest. I don't work for myself. I work for you. I've fought corruption, and it didn't matter if the culprits were Democrats or Republicans. They violated their public trust, and they had to be held accountable.I've fought the big spenders...I've fought the big spenders in both parties, who waste your money on things you neither need nor want, and the first big-spending pork-barrel earmark bill that comes across my desk, I will veto it. I will make them famous, and you will know their names. You will know their names.

This is McCain pet cause and always has been - get rid of over spending - get rid of partisan politics

We're not going to allow that while you struggle to buy groceries, fill your gas tank, and make your mortgage payment. I've fought to get million-dollar checks out of our elections. I've fought lobbyists who stole from Indian tribes. I've fought crooked deals in the Pentagon. I've fought tobacco companies and trial lawyers, drug companies and union bosses. I've fought for the right strategy and more troops in Iraq when it wasn't the popular thing to do. And when the pundits said -- when the pundits said my campaign was finished, I said I'd rather lose an election than see my country lose a war. And thanks -- thanks to the leadership of a brilliant general, David Petraeus, and the brave men and women he has the honor to command...that -- that strategy succeeded, and it rescued us from a defeat that would have demoralized our military, risked a wider war, and threatened the security of all Americans. I don't mind a good fight. For reasons known only to God, I've had quite a few tough ones in my life. But I learned an important lesson along the way: In the end, it matters less that you can fight. What you fight for is the real test.

More of McCain is a maverick and he stole the I fight for you from Clinton

I fight for Americans. I fight for you. I fight for Bill and Sue Nebe from Farmington Hills, Michigan, who lost... lost their real estate investments in the bad housing market. Bill got a temporary job after he was out of work for seven months. Sue works three jobs to help pay the bills. I fight for Jake and Toni Wimmer of Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Jake...Jake works on a loading dock, coaches Little League, and raises money for the mentally and physically disabled. Toni is a schoolteacher, working toward her master's degree. They have two sons. The youngest, Luke, has been diagnosed with autism. Their lives should matter to the people they elect to office. And they matter to me. And they matter to you. I fight for the family of Matthew Stanley of Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. Matthew died serving our country in Iraq. I wear his bracelet and think of him every day. I intend to honor their sacrifice by making sure the country their son loved so well and never returned to remains safe from its enemies.

The examples are nice but they belong in town hall's and campaign stops not the acceptance speech. Although I do love hearing someone mention a fellow New Hampshirian

I fight to restore the pride and principles of our party. We were elected to change Washington, and we let Washington change us. We lost -- we lost the trust of the American people when some Republicans gave in to the temptations of corruption. We lost their trust when rather than reform government, both parties made it bigger.We lost their trust when instead of freeing ourselves from a dangerous dependence on foreign oil, both parties -- and Senator Obama -- passed another corporate welfare bill for oil companies. We lost their trust when we valued our power over our principles. We're going to change that. We're going to recover the people's trust by standing up again to the values Americans admire. The party of Lincoln, Roosevelt and Reagan is going to get back to basics.

This is exactly what most Republicans need to hear. Those republicans or independent conservatives that have watched the party fall apart. The same group that put republicans into power in the 90's and were promised that the budget would be balanced have watched washington do the same old thing. Now if McCain can do it will be another thing

In this country, we believe everyone has something to contribute and deserves the opportunity to reach their God-given potential, from the boy whose descendents arrived on the Mayflower to the Latina daughter of migrant workers. We're all God's children, and we're all Americans We believe -- we believe in low taxes, spending discipline, and open markets. We believe in rewarding hard work and risk-takers and letting people keep the fruits of their labor.We believe. We believe -- we believe in a strong defense, work, faith, service, a culture of life...personal responsibility, the rule of law, and judges who dispense justice impartially and don't legislate from the bench.We believe in the values of families, neighborhoods, and communities. We believe in a government that unleashes the creativity and initiative of Americans, government that doesn't make your choices for you, but works to make sure you have more choices to make for yourself. I will keep taxes low and cut them where I can.

Hammering home the Reagan Republicans themes, bringing in the base to his plan

My opponent will raise them. I will open..I will open new markets to our goods and services. My opponent will close them. I will cut government spending. He will increase it. My tax cuts will create jobs; his tax increases will eliminate them. My health care plan will make it easier for more Americans to find and keep good health care insurance. His plan will force small businesses to cut jobs, reduce wages, and force families into a government-run health care system where a bureaucrat... where a bureaucrat stands between you and your doctor. We all know that keeping taxes low helps small businesses grow and create new jobs. Cutting the second-highest business tax rate in the world will help American companies compete and keep jobs from going overseas.

To0 much going after Barack, he could have easily just hammered home his plans without bringing the dem's into his convention - the rest of the speakers did that enough

Doubling the child tax exemption from $3,500 to $7,000 will improve the lives of millions of American families. Reducing government spending and getting rid of failed programs will let you keep more of your own money to save, spend, and invest as you see fit. Opening new markets and preparing workers to compete in the world economy is essential to our future prosperity. I know some of you have been left behind in the changing economy, and it often seems that your government hasn't even noticed. Government assistance for the unemployed workers was designed for the economy of the 1950s. That's going to change on my watch. Now, my opponent promises to bring back old jobs by wishing away the global economy. We're going to help workers who've lost a job that won't come back find a new one that won't go away. We will prepare them for the jobs of day -- of today. We will use our community colleges to help train people for new opportunities in their communities. For workers in industries -- for workers in industries that have been hard-hit, we'll help make up part of the difference in wages between their old job and a temporary, lower paid one, while they receive re-training that will help them find secure new employment at a decent wage.

Sounds a bit sociolist, maybe thats why John has not attacked Obama on the socialist agenda that all the right wingers are screaming

Education -- education is the civil rights issue of this century. Equal access to public education has been gained, but what is the value of access to a failing school? We need... We need to shake up failed school bureaucracies with competition, empower parents with choice. Let's remove barriers to qualified instructors, attract and reward good teachers, and help bad teachers find another line of work. When a public school fails to meet its obligations to students, parent -- when it fails to meet its obligations to students, parents deserve a choice in the education of their children. And I intend to give it to them Some may choose a better public school. Some may choose a private one. Many will choose a charter school. But they will have the choice, and their children will have that opportunity. Senator Obama wants our schools to answer to unions and entrenched bureaucrats. I want schools to answer to parents and students. And when I'm president, they will.

Excellent point but he needs to provide more details on how he will make schools and administrators answer to parents - this may be where he pulls the most indepents, since everyone cares about education

My fellow Americans, when I'm president, we're going to embark on the most ambitious national project in decades. We're going to stop sending $700 billion a year to countries that don't like us very much, and some of that money...We'll attack -- we'll attack the problem on every front. We'll produce more energy at home. We will drill new wells off-shore, and we'll drill them now. We'll drill them now. We'll -- we'll -- my friends, we'll build more nuclear power plants. We'll develop clean-coal technology. We'll increase the use of wind, tide, solar, and natural gas. We'll encourage the development and use of flex-fuel, hybrid and electric automobiles. Senator Obama thinks we can achieve energy independence without more drilling and without more nuclear power. But Americans know better than that. We must use all resources and develop all technologies necessary to rescue our economy from the damage caused by rising oil prices and restore the health of our planet. My friends...... it's an ambitious plan, but Americans are ambitious by nature, and we've faced greater challenges. It's time for us to show the world again how Americans lead.

Actually Obama and McCain dont really differ on this position at all - they have both said exactly the same thing

This great national cause will create millions of new jobs, many in industries that will be the engine of our future prosperity, jobs that will be there when your children enter the workforce. Today -- today, the prospect of a better world remains within our reach. But we must see the threats to peace and liberty in our time clearly and face them as Americans before us did: with confidence, wisdom, and resolve. We have dealt. We have dealt a serious blow to Al Qaeda in recent years, but they're not defeated, and they'll strike us again, if they can. Iran remains the chief state sponsor of terrorism and is on the path to acquiring nuclear weapons. Russia's leaders, rich with oil wealth and corrupt with power, have rejected democratic ideals and the obligations of a responsible power. They invaded a small, democratic neighbor to gain more control over the world's oil supply, intimidate other neighbors, and further their ambitions of re-assembling the Russian empire. And the brave people of Georgia need our solidarity and our prayers. As president, I'll work to establish good relations with Russia so that we need not fear a return to the Cold War. But we can't turn a blind eye to aggression and international lawlessness that threatens the peace and stability of the world and the security of the American people. We face many dangerous threats in this dangerous world, but I'm not afraid of them. I'm prepared for them. I know how the military works, what it can do, what it can do better, and what it shouldn't do. I know how the world works. I know the good and the evil in it. I know how to work with leaders who share our dreams of a freer, safer and more prosperous world, and how to stand up to those who don't. I know how to secure the peace. My friends, when I was 5 years old, a car pulled up in front of our house. A Navy officer rolled down the window and shouted at my father that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor. I rarely saw my father again for four years. My grandfather came home from that same war exhausted from the burdens he had borne and died the next day. In Vietnam, where I formed the closest friendships of my life, some of those friends never came home with me. I hate war. It's terrible beyond imagination. I'm running for president to keep the country I love safe and prevent other families from risking their loved ones in war as my family has. I will draw on all my experience with the world and its leaders, and all the tools at our disposal -- diplomatic, economic, military, and the power of our ideals -- to build the foundations for a stable and enduring peace.

This is McCain's strong point - I dont think anyone can disagree with the fact that John has the most experience with foreign policy, plus the whole story part is pretty good

In America, we change things that need to be changed. Each generation makes its contribution to our greatness. The work that is ours to do is plainly before us; we don't need to search for it. We need to change the way government does almost everything: from the way we protect our security to the way we compete in the world economy; from the way we respond to disasters to the way we fuel our transportation network; from the way we train our workers to the way we educate our children. All these functions of government were designed before the rise of the global economy, the information technology revolution, and the end of the Cold War. We have to catch up to history, and we have to change the way we do business in Washington. The -- the constant partisan rancor that stops us from solving these problems isn't a cause. It's a symptom. It's what happens when people go to Washington to work for themselves and not for you. Again and again -- again and again, I've worked with members of both parties to fix problems that need to be fixed. That's how I will govern as president. I will reach out my hand to anyone to help me get this country moving again. My friends...... I have that record and the scars to prove it. Senator Obama does not.

McCain has found his real message, reform will be what he runs on and the real reason he chose Palin

Instead -- instead of rejecting good ideas because we didn't think of them first, let's use the best ideas from both sides. Instead of fighting over who gets the credit, let's try sharing it. This amazing country...This amazing country can do anything we put our minds to. I'll ask Democrats and Independents to serve with me. And my administration will set a new standard for transparency and accountability. We're...We're going to finally start getting things done for the people who are counting on us, and I won't care who gets the credit. My friends, I've been an imperfect servant of my country for many years. But I've been her servant first, last, and always. And I've never...I've never lived a day, in good times or bad, that I didn't thank God for the privilege.

Continuing with the maverick message and pulling in the right by thanking god

Long ago, something unusual happened to me that taught me the most valuable lesson of my life. I was blessed by misfortune. I mean that sincerely. I was blessed because I served in the company of heroes and I witnessed a thousand acts of courage, and compassion, and love. On an October morning, in the Gulf of Tonkin, I prepared for my 23rd mission over North Vietnam. I hadn't any worry I wouldn't come back safe and sound. I thought I was tougher than anyone. I was pretty independent then, too. I liked to bend a few rules and pick a few fights for the fun of it. But I did it for my own pleasure, my own pride. I didn't think there was a cause that was more important than me. Then I found myself falling toward the middle of a small lake in the city of Hanoi, with two broken arms, a broken leg, and an angry crowd waiting to greet me. I was dumped in a dark cell and left to die. I didn't feel so tough anymore. When they discovered my father was an admiral, they took me to a hospital. They couldn't set my bones properly, so they just slapped a cast on me. And when I didn't get better and was down to about a hundred pounds, they put me in a cell with two other Americans. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't even feed myself. They did it for me. I was beginning to learn the limits of my selfish independence. Those men saved my life. I was in solitary confinement when my captors offered to release me. I knew why. If I went home, they would use it as propaganda to demoralize my fellow prisoners. Our code said we could only go home in the order of our capture, and there were men who had been shot down long before me. I thought about it, though. I wasn't in great shape, and I missed everything about America, but I turned it down. A lot of prisoners had it much worse...A lot of -- a lot of prisoners had it a lot worse than I did. I'd been mistreated before, but not as badly as many others. I always liked to strut a little after I'd been roughed up to show the other guys I was tough enough to take it. But after I turned down their offer, they worked me over harder than they ever had before, for a long time, and they broke me. When they brought me back to my cell, I was hurt and ashamed, and I didn't know how I could face my fellow prisoners. The good man in the cell next door to me, my friend, Bob Craner, saved me. Through taps on a wall, he told me I had fought as hard as I could. No man can always stand alone. And then he told me to get back up and fight again for my country and for the men I had the honor to serve with, because every day they fought for me. I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else's. I loved it not just for the many comforts of life here. I loved it for its decency, for its faith in the wisdom, justice, and goodness of its people.I loved it because it was not just a place, but an idea, a cause worth fighting for. I was never the same again; I wasn't my own man anymore; I was my country's. I'm not running for president because I think I'm blessed with such personal greatness that history has anointed me to save our country in its hour of need. My country saved me. My country saved me, and I cannot forget it. And I will fight for her for as long as I draw breath, so help me God.

A very touching story and its good to hear it from his own mouth, but now we have heard it and hopefully he stops playing on it

My friends, if you find faults with our country, make it a better one. If you're disappointed with the mistakes of government, join its ranks and work to correct them. Enlist...Enlist in our Armed Forces. Become a teacher. Enter the ministry. Run for public office. Feed a hungry child. Teach an -- an illiterate adult to read. Comfort the afflicted. Defend the rights of the oppressed. Our country will be the better, and you will be the happier, because nothing brings greater happiness in life than to serve a cause greater than yourself.

Whether you agree with either candidate at least both have improved our country through volunteer work and charity work

I'm going to fight for my cause every day as your president. I'm going to fight to make sure every American has every reason to thank God, as

I thank him, that I'm an American, a proud citizen of the greatest country on Earth. And with hard work -- with hard word, strong faith, and a little courage, great things are always within our reach. Fight with me. Fight with me. Fight for what's right for our country. Fight for the ideals and character of a free people.Fight for our children's future. Fight for justice and opportunity for all. Stand up to defend our country from its enemies. Stand up for each other, for beautiful, blessed, bountiful America. Stand up, stand up, stand up, and fight. Nothing is inevitable here. We're Americans, and we never give up. We never quit. We never hide from history. We make history.Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America.

Good ending as the crowd was cheering so loud they could not hear him. McCain learned about politics from Reagan and will continue to tell us how great America is and how great we can still be - very inspirational but we have to see what the exacts are.

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In the interest of learning and discussion

noreply@blogger.com (Ballard) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:21:00 +0000

I recently joined www.redstate.com and daily kos, I thought I would be able to engage in conversation about the different views in America today. I also thought I would be kicked off daily kos as soon as I started posting but apparently I was wrong. I have been denied posting at redstate because of the diary post I wrote the link which may not work soon is here. I'm putting what I posted just in case below.

I dont fit in

Posted by: Ballard Mattingly II

Wednesday, September 3, 2008 at 06:01PM

Apparantly I dont fit in with the Republicans, according to everything I read as a conservative I should be a gun toting, religious, pro-life war mongering southern boy. I have never owned a gun, I've shot a couple, I like them but I dont hunt and dont like the idea of having one in my house ( thats what I like to say but really my wife is scared of them)- I believe that the 2nd amendment applies to all of us and if I want a gun i should have one. I'm an atheist but I believe that if I want to go to church, I can. Also I believe if my son wants to pray at the school he should be able, but on the same token the muslim children should have the the same ability. I agree that church and state should be seperated, I dont want to walk up to a court house and see the ten commandments but if they have been there for more that 25 years ( the age a vehicle reaches antique age) than the display is historic and should be deemed so. I dont believe the abortion debate applies to todays presidency race, I have my own opinions and this will anger many but I dont want the president candidates to talk about it - we have bigger issues. I did not agree with the Iraq war - I dont think it was in our national interest to our nation to attack them - we should have packed our bags and gone into Afghanistan to finish that battle and let the UN take care of it without our help. I do want Iraq finished correctly because we dont need another Afghanistan in the middle east. I believe in the Reagan principle that we need smaller govt but I want both party's and washington to stay out of my personal life.

Here are the comments that apparently got me kicked off.

I think you're a troll.

mbecker908 September 3rd, 2008 at 8:16 p.m. (link)

1 Bad spelling.
2. Bad punctuation. 3. Lousy grammar.
4. Don't have/can't use/think you're smarter than the spellchecker/grammar checker. 5. See yourself as a victim.

You're right. You don't fit in.

CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
1. This post does look kind of trollish... (nt)
  
  George Claghorn September 3rd, 2008 at 9:04 p.m. (link)
  
  George Claghorn
  george.claghorn@gmail.com
  My Weekly Columns
  
  "McCain in '08 -- because nobody likes B.O."
  1. I dont get the troll thing
    
    Ballard Mattingly II September 4th, 2008 at 6:56 a.m. (link)
    
    and this was a bit of satire with my own views - the I don't fit in was completely sarcasm and should have been taken as so
    
    Ballard Democratic Republican Blog
2. I hate that
  
  Ballard Mattingly II September 4th, 2008 at 7:13 a.m. (link)
  
  I have a full time job, two kids a working wife and everything that goes with it - and sometimes I don't get to do the spell check or grammar check, I just throw down what I can. People who attack spelling and grammar in a "diary" don't have anything they can say that worth reading - if you want to say something about my statements above than say, dont come after me for the stupid stuff like spelling and grammar.
  
  Ballard Democratic Republican Blog
  1. I was wrong. You're not a troll.
    
    mbecker908 September 4th, 2008 at 10:51 a.m. (link)
    
    You're an idiot.
    
    Here's what you're telling us. "Hey, it's all about ME! ME!! ME!!!
    
    "I don't have time to think through what I want to say and put it down in a coherent fashion so you I can successfully make my point with you. I don't have the time or the energy. So you'll just have to parse the crap I do throw against the wall and figure out what I'm trying to say. You've got the time. You've got nothing better to do than to figure ME! out."
    
    Dude, get over yourself. You're not impressive. You're not rational.
    
    CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
  2. this is where you err
    
    Streiff September 4th, 2008 at 12:21 p.m. (link)
    
    posting without even making a cursory effort to check grammar and punctuation simply shows you have no respect for the community and a grossly inflated sense of your contribution thereto.
    
    I think you're in the wrong place. You need to really evaluate your ideas as consider whether or not this is the appropriate forum for them.
    
    "A man does what he can and endures what he must."
    1. So you dont read the words I write
      
      Ballard Mattingly II September 4th, 2008 at 7:23 p.m. (link)
      
      or argue with what I believe or my values are but come at me with spelling, grammer and "troll" Why don't you take the time to discuss positions ? I guess you just decided I don't follow your exact ideology so you would just attack my spelling - a little petty
      
      Ballard Democratic Republican Blog
      1. If you bothered to think through your values(?)
        
        mbecker908 September 4th, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. (link)
        
        and present them in a digestible and discussable format you'd probably get some response.
        
        Given that you don't care enough about your whatevers to take the time to communicate them clearly don't expect us to care enough to do the work of response.
        
        You really are a jerk.
        
        CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
      2. actually
        
        Streiff September 4th, 2008 at 7:48 p.m. (link)
        
        I thought your stuff was illiterate and incomprehensible. And as this is a written medium that makes whatever ideas you have a lot less valuable.
        
        Now I think you're an asshat and as you'll shortly discover what I think matters.
        
        "A man does what he can and endures what he must."

A little humor

noreply@blogger.com (Ballard) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:31:00 +0000

John McCain is famous for his temper and his stance on social issues - so you have to ask what is he saying to Levi (Bristol Palin's fiance) in this picture

He has a couple of daughters, I'm sure it goes something like this
McCain " So you plan on marrying this girl"
Levi "Yes sir"
McCain " If you treat her wrong secret service will kill you and get rid of your body without a problem. It was a nice meeting you"

Top Stories

Protesting

noreply@blogger.com (Ballard) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:06:00 +0000

Many people will call protesters anti-american and say they are not patriotic - this is not the case
If you feel so strongly about an issue that you will stand out and properly protest without destroying anything or violating anyones rights, dealing with the weather and people who dont agree with you, I have to say they are the most patriotic. I can go through life getting upset about what my govt. is doing but I just dont have the conviction to stand out and show my stance, they do. I bring this up because in the middle of an article about all the arrests at the RNC there is this little quirp

In a warmup to Thursday's expected main protest, about 50 college and high school students staged an anti-war rally at the Capitol at midday. Eight police officers watched the rally from afar, with most leaning against their cars. None wore riot gear.

Organizers said they were trying to put on a safe, nonviolent event for the whole family. When a musician singing and playing a guitar uttered a profanity, she was chastised by the crowd and quickly promised to clean up her language.

This is what America is all about, these people want the Iraq war ended and they are not willing to allow violence or profanity to stop them from getting the message out.

Here is the link to the original article http://cbs3.com/politics/republican.convention.thursday.2.809860.html

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Sarah Palin's speech

noreply@blogger.com (Ballard) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:59:00 +0000

Here we go with the most important speech of the convention - at least according to the three networks I watched on, msnbc, cnn and fox. I think she did what everyone thought Joey Biden was going to do and attacked attacked and attacked.

GOV. PALIN: Thank you. (Cheers, applause.) Thank you. Thank you. (Cheers, applause.) Thank you. (Cheers, applause.) Thank you. (Cheers, applause.) Thank you so much. (Cheers, applause.) Thank you. (Cheers, applause.) Thank you so much. (Cheers, applause.) Thank you so much. (Cheers, applause.) Thank you. (Cheers, applause.) Thank you. (Cheers, applause.) Thank you so much. (Cheers, applause.)

She hasn't even spoke yet and they already love her.

Mr. Chairman, delegates and fellow citizens, I will be honored to accept your nomination for vice president of the United States. (Cheers, applause.) Thank you. (Cheers, applause.)I accept the call to help our nominee for president to serve and defend America, and I accept the challenge of a tough fight in this election against confident opponents at a crucial hour for our country. And I accept the privilege of serving with a man who has come through much harder missions and met far graver challenges and knows how tough fights are won, the next president of the United States, John S. McCain. (Cheers, applause.)It was just a year ago when all the experts in Washington counted out our nominee because he refused to hedge his commitment to the security of the country he loves. With their usual certitude, they told us that all was lost. There was no hope for this candidate who said that he would rather lose an election than see his country lose a war. (Cheers, applause.)But the pollsters -- the pollsters and the pundits, they overlooked just one thing when they wrote him off. They overlooked the caliber of the man himself, the determination and resolve and the sheer guts of Senator John McCain. (Cheers, applause.)The voters knew better. And maybe that's because they realize there's a time for politics and a time for leadership; a time to campaign and a time to put our country first. (Cheers, applause.)Our nominee for president is a true profile in courage, and people like that are hard to come by. He's a man who wore the uniform of his country for 22 years and refused to break faith with those troops in Iraq who now have brought victory within sight. (Cheers, applause.)And as the mother of one of those troops, that is exactly the kind of man I want as commander in chief. (Cheers, applause.) Thank you.

The usual We love John and the audience is like a cult for this whole speech

AUDIENCE MEMBERS: (Chanting.) USA! USA! USA! USA!

GOV. PALIN: I'm just one of many moms who will say an extra prayer each night for our sons and daughters going into harm's way. Our son Track is 19, and one week from tomorrow, September 11th, he'll deploy to Iraq with the Army infantry in the service of his country. My nephew Casey (sp) also enlisted and serves on a carrier in the Persian Gulf. My family is so proud of both of them, and of all the fine men and women serving the country in uniform. (Cheers, applause.) Thank you.AUDIENCE MEMBERS: (Chanting.) USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!GOV. PALIN: So Track is the eldest of our five children. In our family, it's two boys and three girls in between, my strong and kind- hearted daughters, Bristol and Willow and Piper. (Cheers, applause.)And we were so blessed in April; Todd and I welcomed our littlest one into the world, a perfectly beautiful baby boy named Trig. (Cheers, applause.)You know, from the inside, no family ever seems typical, and that's how it is with us. Our family has the same ups and downs as any other, the same challenges and the same joys, sometimes even the greatest joys bring challenge. And children with special needs inspire a very, very special love. To the families of special needs -- (cheers, applause) -- to the families of special needs children all across this country, I have a message for you. For years, you've sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and daughters.And I pledge to you that if we're elected, you will have a friend and advocate in the White House. (Cheers, applause.)And Todd is a story all by himself. He's a lifelong commercial fisherman and a production operator in the oil fields of Alaska's North Slope, and a proud member of the Untied Steelworkers Union. (Cheers, applause.) And Todd is a world champion snow machine racer. (Cheers, applause.) Throw in his Yupik Eskimo ancestry, and it all makes for quite a package. And we met in high school, and two decades and five children later, he's still my guy. (Cheers, applause.)My mom and dad both worked at the elementary school in our small town, and among the many things I owe them is a simple lesson that I've learned: that this is America, and every woman can walk through every door of opportunity. And my parents are here tonight. (Cheers, applause.) I am so proud to be the daughter of Chuck and Sally Heath. (Cheers, applause continuing.)Long ago, a young farmer and a haberdasher from Missouri, he followed an unlikely path -- (cheers) -- he followed an unlikely path to the vice presidency.And a writer observed, "We grow good people in our small towns, with honesty and sincerity and dignity."And I know just the kind of people that writer had in mind when he praised Harry Truman. I grew up with those people. They're the ones who do some of the hardest work in America, who grow our food and run our factories and fight our wars. They love their country in good times and bad -- (cheers, applause) -- and they're always proud of America. (Sustained cheers, applause.)I had the privilege of living most of my life in a small town. I was just your average hockey mom and signed up for the PTA. (Cheers, applause.)

Who she is and who her family is - avoid the whole frenzy on her daughter and family by saying all of us go through stuff with our family - no one is perfect. She is a small town working class gal just like you

AUDIENCE: (Chanting.) Hockey moms! Hockey moms! Hockey moms!GOV. PALIN: (Laughs.) I love those hockey moms. You know, they say the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull: lipstick. (Laughter, cheers, applause.)

Completly ad libbed while her teleprompter is messed up

So I signed up for the PTA because I wanted to make my kids' public education even better. And when I ran for city council, I didn't need focus groups and voter profiles because I knew those voters and I knew their families, too.Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska -- (cheers, applause) -- I was mayor of my hometown. And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves. (Cheers, applause.) I guess -- (interrupted by chants of "Sarah! Sarah!") -- I guess a small-town mayor if sort of like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities. (Cheers, applause.)

Perfect zinger and that will follow Obama within the republican party - they never should have said anything about her experience, it will bite them back

I might add -- I might add that in small towns, we don't quite know what to make of a candidate who lavishes praise on working people when they're listening, and then talks about how bitterly they cling to their religion and guns when those people aren't listening. (Cheers, applause.) No, we tend to prefer candidates who don't talk about us one way in Scranton and another way in San Francisco. (Cheers, applause.)

More Attack - she is much more of a pitbull than Joey Biden is

As I for my running mate, you can be certain that wherever he goes and whoever is listening, John McCain is the same man. (Cheers, applause.)Well, I'm not a member of the permanent political establishment. (Cheers, applause.) And I've learned quickly these last few days that if you're not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone. (Booing.)But -- (booing continues) -- but -- (booing, chanting) -- now here's a little news flash -- (chanting and shouting) -- now here's a little news flash for those reporters and commentators: I'm not going to Washington to seek their good opinion. I'm going to Washington to serve the people of this great country. (Cheers, applause, chanting.)

Exactly what the Rep's wanted to hear - they love the us against the media. She is also stating she will be fighting washington just like she did in Alaska

Americans expect us to go to Washington for the right reason, and not just to mingle with the right people. Politics isn't just a game of clashing parties and competing interests.The right reason is to challenge the status quo, to serve the common good and to leave this nation better than we found it. (Cheers, applause.)No one expects us all to agree on everything, but we are expected to govern with integrity and good will and clear convictions and a servant's heart. And I pledge to all Americans that I will carry myself in this spirit as vice president of the United States. (Cheers, applause.)This was the spirit that brought me to the governor's office when I took on the old politics as usual in Juneau, when I stood up to the special interests and the lobbyists and the Big Oil companies and the good old boys. Suddenly, I realized that sudden and relentless reform never sits well with entrenched interests and power brokers. That's why true reform is so hard to achieve. But with the support of the citizens of Alaska, we shook things up and in short order we put the government of our state back on the side of the people. (Cheers, applause.)I came to office promising major ethics reform to end the culture of self-dealing, and today that ethics reform is the law. While I was at it, I got rid of a few things in the Governor's Office that I didn't believe our citizens should have to pay for.

Reform, Reform and Maverick

That luxury jet was over the top. (Cheers, applause.) I put it on eBay. (Laughter, cheers, applause.) I love to drive myself to work. And I thought we could muddle through without the governor's personal chef, although I got to admit that sometimes my kids sure miss her. (Laughter.)I came to office promising to control spending, by request if possible, but by veto if necessary. (Cheers, applause.) Senator McCain also, he promises to use the power of veto in defense of the public interest. And as a chief executive, I can assure you it works. (Cheers, applause.)Our state budget is under control. We have a surplus. And I have protected the taxpayers by vetoing wasteful spending, nearly half a billion dollars in vetoes. (Cheers, applause.)We suspended the state fuel tax and championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress. I told the Congress "thanks, but no thanks" on that bridge to nowhere. (Cheers, applause.) If our state wanted to build a bridge, we were going to build it ourselves. (Cheers, applause.)When oil and gas prices went up dramatically and filled up the state treasury, I sent a large share of that revenue back where it belonged: directly to the people of Alaska. (Cheers, applause.)And despite fierce opposition from oil company lobbyists who kind of liked things the way that they were, we broke their monopoly on power and resources. As governor, I insisted on competition and basic fairness to end their control of our state and return it to the people. (Cheers, applause.)I fought to bring about the largest private-sector infrastructure project in North American history. And when that deal was struck, we began a nearly $40 billion natural gas pipeline to help lead America to energy independence. (Cheers, applause.) That pipeline, when the last section is laid and its valves are open, will lead America one step farther away from dependence on dangerous foreign powers that do not have our interests at heart.The stakes for our nation could not be higher. When a hurricane strikes in the Gulf of Mexico, this country should not be so dependent on imported oil that we're forced to draw from our Strategic Petroleum Reserve.(Applause.) And families cannot throw more and more of their paychecks on gas and heating oil. (Applause.)With Russia wanting to control a vital pipeline in the Caucasus and to divide and intimidate our European allies by using energy as a weapon, we cannot leave ourselves at the mercy of foreign suppliers. (Cheers, applause.) To confront the threat that Iran might seek to cut off nearly a fifth of the world's energy supplies, or that terrorists might strike again at the Abqaiq facility in Saudi Arabia, or that Venezuela might shut off its oil discoveries and its deliveries of that source, Americans -- need to produce more of our own oil and gas. (Cheers, applause.) And take it from a gal who knows the North Slope of Alaska; we've got lots of both. (Cheers, applause, chanting.)(Inaudible.) Our opponents say again and again that drilling will not solve all of America's energy problems, as if we didn't know that already. (Laughter.) But the fact -- the fact that drilling, though, won't solve every problem is no excuse to do nothing at all. (Cheers, applause.)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. (Cheers, applause.)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. (Cheers, applause.)

Showing that she knows what's going on in the world - this will come up over and over because she was a governer of a small population state out in the last frontier

Now, I've noticed a pattern with our opponent, and maybe you have too. We've all heard his dramatic speeches before devoted followers, and there is much to like and admire about our opponent. But listening to him speak, it's easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or even a reform, not even in the state senate. (Cheers, applause.) This is a man who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting and never use the word "victory" -- except when he's talking about his own campaign. (Cheers, applause.)

Classic mother argument: Your doing a good job on this but your completly messing this other thing up and you need to fix it

But when the cloud of rhetoric has passed, when the roar of the crowd fades away, when the stadium lights go out and those styrofoam Greek columns are hauled back to some studio lot -- (laughter, cheers, applause) -- when that happens, what exactly is our opponent's plan?What does he actually seek to accomplish after he's done turning back the waters and healing the planet? (Laughter, applause.) The answer -- the answer is to make government bigger and take more of your money and give you more orders from Washington and to reduce the strength of America in a dangerous world. (Boos.)America needs more energy. Our opponent is against producing it. Victory in Iraq is finally in sight and he wants to forfeit. (Boos.) Terrorist states are seeking nuclear weapons without delay. He wants to meet them without preconditions. (Boos.) Al Qaeda terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America, and he's worried that someone won't read them their rights. (Boos, cheers, applause.)Government is too big. He wants to grow it.Congress spends too much money. He promises more. Taxes are too high, and he wants to raise them.His tax increase are the fine print in his economic plan. And let me be specific. The Democratic nominee for president supports plans to raise income taxes and raise payroll taxes and raise investment income taxes -- (boos) -- and raise the death tax -- (boos) -- and raise business taxes -- (boos) -- and increase the tax burden on the American people by hundreds of billions of dollars. (Boos.)

Attacks on his policy not him - but still alot of attacks

My sister Heather and her husband, they just built a service station that's now open for business. Like millions of others who run small businesses, how are they -- (applause) -- how are they going to be better off if taxes go up? Or maybe you are trying to keep your job at a plant in Michigan or in Ohio -- (cheers) -- or you're trying -- you're trying to create jobs from clean coal from Pennsylvania or West Virginia. (Cheers, applause.) Or you're trying to keep a small farm in the family right here in Minnesota. (Cheers, applause.) How are you -- how are you going to be better off if our opponent adds a massive tax burden to the American economy?

Here's how I look at the choice Americans face in this election. In politics, there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers. And then there are those, like John McCain, who use their careers to promote change. (Cheers, applause.)

Another commercial in the making and republic mantra

They are the ones whose names appear on laws and landmark reforms, not just on buttons and banners or on self-designed presidential seals.AUDIENCE: Ooh! (Applause.)GOV. PALIN: Among politicians, there is the idealism of high- flown speechmaking in which crowds are stirringly summoned to support great things, and then there is the idealism of those leaders, like John McCain, who actually do great things. (Cheers, applause.) They're the ones who are good for more than talk, the ones that we've always been able to count on to serve and to defend America.Senator McCain's record of actual achievements and reform helps explain why so many special interests and lobbyists and comfortable committee chairmen in Congress have fought the prospect of a McCain presidency from the primary election of 2000 to this very day. Our nominee doesn't run with the Washington herd. He's a man who is there to serve his country, and not just his party; a leader who's not looking for a fight, but sure isn't afraid of one either. (Cheers, applause.)Harry Reid, the majority of the current do-nothing Senate -- (boos) -- he not long ago summed up his feelings about our nominee.He said, quote, "I can't stand John McCain." (Laughter.) Ladies and gentlemen, perhaps no accolade we hear this week is better proof that we've chosen the right man. (Cheers, applause.)Clearly, what the majority leader was driving at is that he can't stand up to John McCain -- (laughter, cheers) -- and that is only -- that's only one more reason to take the maverick out of the Senate, put him in the White House. (Cheers, applause.)My fellow citizens, the American presidency is not supposed to be a journey of personal discovery. (Laughter, cheers, applause.) This world of threats and dangers, it's not just a community and it doesn't just need an organizer. (Laughter.)And though both Senator Obama and Senator Biden have been going on lately about how they're always, quote, "fighting for you," let us face the matter squarely. There is only one man in this election who has ever really fought for you. (Sustained cheers, applause.) There is only one man in this election who has ever really fought for you in places where winning means survival and defeat means death, and that man is John McCain. (Cheers, applause.)You know, in our day, politicians have readily shared much lesser tales of adversity than the nightmare world -- the nightmare world in which this man and others equally brave served and suffered for their country. And it's a long way from the fear and pain and squalor of a six-by-four cell in Hanoi to the Oval Office. (Cheers, applause.)But if Senator McCain is elected president, that is the journey he will have made. It's a journey of an upright and honorable man, the kind of fellow whose name you will find on war memorials in small towns across this great country, only he was among those who came home. To the most powerful office on Earth, he would bring the compassion that comes from having once been powerless, the wisdom that comes even to the captives by the grace of God -- (cheers, applause) -- the special confidence of those who have seen evil and have seen how evil is overcome. (Cheers, applause.) A fellow -- a fellow prisoner of war, a man named Tom Moe of Lancaster, Ohio -- (extended cheers and applause) -- Tom Moe recalls looking through a pin hole in his cell door as Lieutenant Commander John McCain was led down the hallway by the guards day after day.And the story is told, when McCain shuffled back from the torturous interrogation, he would turn toward Moe's door and he'd flash a grin and thumbs-up, as if to say, "We're going to pull through this."My fellow Americans, that is the kind of man America needs to see us through the next four years. (Cheers, applause.)

She has the support of the crowd now she makes sure John also has that support

For a season, a gifted speaker can inspire with his words. But for a lifetime, John McCain has inspired with his deeds.

Another historic quote for the campaign

(Cheers, applause.) If character is the measure in this election, and hope the theme, and change the goal we share, then I ask you to join our cause. Join our cause and help America elect a great man as the next president of the United States. (Cheers, applause.)Thank you, and God bless America. Thank you. (Cheers, applause.)

The crowd was eating this up - She did an excellent job at delivering this and coming off as if she was born on stage giving these speeches

Top Stories

Giuliani Speech

noreply@blogger.com (Ballard) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:33:00 +0000

I'll do a the full speech of Guiliani since is has been talked about so much and he seemed to have the crowd eating out of his hands
One small note - you may notice I have spent much more time on the RNC then the speakers in the DNC, this is because I got into this blog towards the end of the DNC

Almost exactly one year ago during a Republican presidential debate in Durham, N.H., I said that if I weren't running for president myself, I'd be supporting John McCain. Well, I'm not, and I do.Every four years, we are told that this presidential election is the most important election of our lifetime. This year — 2008 — is the most important.This has already been historic. It is the longest presidential campaign in history. And it sometimes felt even longer.The American people realize this election represents a turning point. In two months they will decide the future direction of our nation. It's a decision to follow one path or another.

Nice little intro showing that America's Mayor supported McCain and there is no bad blood - and the usual this is the most important election

"We the people" — the citizens of the United States — get to decide our next president, not the media, not Hollywood celebrities, not anyone else.

Attack the media - kind of an old ploy but this year they will keep it up

This is a time for choosing — and to those Americans who still feel torn in this election, I'd like to suggest one way to think about the choice you have to make in 2008.You're hiring someone to do a job — an important job that involves the safety and security of your family. Imagine that you have two job applications in your hand — with the names and party affiliations taken off the top. They're both good and patriotic men with very different life experiences that have led them to this moment in history.You've got to make this decision right. Who would you hire?On the one hand, you've got a man who has dedicated his life to the service of his country. He's been tested time and again by crisis. He's passed every test.Even his adversaries acknowledge that he is a true American hero. He loves America as we all do, but he's sacrificed for it as few do. As a young man, he joined the military, and being a "Top Gun" kind of guy, he became a fighter pilot. He was on a mission over Hanoi when his plane was shot down.He was tortured in a POW camp, but he refused his captors' offers of early release, because this is a man who believes in serving a cause greater than self-interest. He came home a national hero.He had earned a life of peace and quiet, but he was called to public service again, running for Congress and then the Senate as a proud foot soldier in the Reagan revolution. His principled independence never wavered. He stood up to special interests, fought for fiscal discipline, ethics reform and a strong national defense.That's one man.On the other hand, you have a resume from a gifted man with an Ivy League education. He worked as a community organizer and immersed himself in Chicago machine politics. Then he ran for the state Legislature — where nearly 130 times he was unable to make a decision yes or no. He simply voted "present."As mayor of New York City, I never got a chance to vote "present." And you know, when you're president of the United States, you can't just vote "present." You must make decisions.A few years later, he ran for the U.S. Senate. He won and has spent most of his time as a "celebrity senator." No leadership or major legislation to speak of. His rise is remarkable in its own right — it's the kind of thing that could happen only in America. But he's never run a city, never run a state, never run a business.He's never had to lead people in crisis.This is not a personal attack ... it's a statement of fact — Barack Obama has never led anything.Nothing. Nada.

This is why Rudy was able to be elected in NY - straight forward example that you dont need a political science degree to understand, plus the new chant at the RNC

The choice in this election comes down to substance over style. John has been tested. Barack Obama has not.Tough times require strong leadership, and this is no time for on-the-job training.It's about who can answer that crisis call — yes, Hillary, at 3:00 in the morning.

Good job twisting Dem's words against them

Well, no one can look at John McCain and say that he is not ready to be commander in chief.So, our opponents want to reframe the debate. They would have you believe that this election is about "change versus more of the same." But that's really a false choice. Because "change" is not a destination, just as "hope" is not a strategy.John McCain will bring about the change that will create jobs and prosperity. He will lower taxes so our economy can grow. He will reduce government spending to strengthen our dollar. He will expand free trade so we can be even more competitive. He will lead us toward an America that will be independent of foreign oil by an all-of-the-above approach, including nuclear power and offshore drilling. This is the kind of change we need.And he will keep us on offense against terrorism at home and abroad. For four days in Denver and for the past 18 months, Democrats have been afraid to use the words "Islamic terrorism." During their convention, the Democrats rarely mentioned the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.They are in a state of denial about the threat that faces us now and in the future.You need to face your enemy in order to defeat them. John McCain will face this threat and lead us on to victory.

Normal party rhetoric, feeding to the crowd

Look at just one example in a lifetime of principled stands — John McCain's support for the troop surge in Iraq. The Democratic Party had given up on Iraq. And I believe, ladies and gentlemen, that when they gave up on Iraq they were giving up on America. The Democratic leader in the Senate said so: "America has lost."Well, if America lost, who won? Al-Qaida? Bin Laden? In the single biggest policy decision of this election, John McCain got it right and Barack Obama got it wrong.If Barack Obama had been president, there would have been no troop surge and our troops would have been withdrawn in defeat.Sen. McCain was the candidate most associated with the surge. And it was unpopular.What do you think most other candidates would have done in that situation? They would have acted in their own self-interest by changing their position.

The usual McCain is a maverick with integrity and guess who isn't

How many times have we seen Barack Obama do that?Obama was going to take public financing for his campaign, until he didn't. Obama was against wiretapping before he voted for it.When speaking to a pro-Israel group, Obama favored an undivided Jerusalem, until the very next day when he changed his mind.I hope for his sake, Joe Biden got that VP thing in writing.

The crowd ate this up - Obama as a flip flopper

John McCain said, "I'd rather lose an election than a war." Because that's John McCain.When Russia rolled over Georgia, John McCain knew exactly how to respond.Having been to that part of the world many times and having developed a clear worldview over many years, John knew where he stood. Within hours, he established a very strong, informed position that let the world know exactly how he'll respond as president. At exactly the right time, John McCain said, "We're all Georgians."

Obama's first instinct was to create a moral equivalency — that "both sides" should "show restraint." The same moral equivalency that he has displayed in discussing the Palestinian Authority and the State of Israel.Later, after discussing it with his 300 foreign policy advisers, he changed his position and suggested that the "the U.N. Security Council" could find a solution. Apparently, none of his 300 advisers told him that Russia has a veto on any U.N. action. Finally Obama put out a statement that looked ... well, it looked a lot like John McCain's.

Here's some free advice: Sen. Obama, next time just call John McCain.

This is a great one liner and will show up within the next month in an add

Like Ronald Reagan, John McCain will enlarge our party. He's the candidate with the real record of bipartisan cooperation. He's the candidate who can credibly reach out for the votes of independents and Democrats.In choosing Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, John McCain has chosen the future. Gov. Palin represents a new generation. She's already one of the most successful governors in America — and the most popular. And she already has more executive experience than the entire Democratic ticket. She's led a city and a state. She's reduced taxes and government spending.And she's actually done something about moving America toward energy independence — taking on the oil companies while encouraging more energy exploration here at home.Taxpayers have an advocate in Sarah Palin — she even sold the former governor's private plane on eBay.And as a former U.S. attorney, I am impressed by her success in combating corruption — when she found unethical and illegal behavior among the power brokers of her own party, she did not hesitate — she acted courageously and independently. That's the kind of reformer we need — she shook up Alaska. She'll shake up Washington.

America's Mayor has officially endorsed Palin, before he heard her speech, imagine what would have been added here if Palin had spoke first

And we sure need that.And as we look to the future never let us forget that, when we are at our best, we are the party that expands freedom. We began as a party dedicated to freeing people from slavery. And we are still the party that is willing to fight for freedom at home and around the world. We are the party that wants to expand individual freedom and economic freedom ... because we believe that the secret of America's success is not central government, it is self-government. We are the party that believes in giving workers the right to work. The party that believes parents should choose where their children go to school.And we are the party that believes unapologetically in America's essential greatness — that we are a shining city on the hill, a beacon of freedom that inspires people everywhere to reach for a better world.

A reminder to the RNC what the party stands for

So my fellow Republicans and my fellow Americans — over the next eight weeks, remember that the results of this election are in your hands. You get to determine America's future. You can decide America's direction.Thank you very much. And God Bless America.

The one thing the this transcript does not show is Rudy's interaction with the crowd - he was going of the cuff on a few things and the crowd was pumped up like a dem at an Obama event

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Some Huckabee quotes

noreply@blogger.com (Ballard) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:45:00 +0000

I missed the Mitt Romney speech and reading it just is not as effective so I'm going to give a couple of quotes on the other two big speeches and then move on to the big event last night.

Huckebee - He came out as more the clown for the evening between the two attack dogs

As much as I appreciate the opportunity to speak tonight, I really was originally hoping for the slot on Thursday called the acceptance speech. But I am delighted to speak on behalf of my second choice for the Republican nomination for president, John McCain — a man with the character and stubborn kind of integrity that I want in a president.

Centralized governments may care for you from cradle to grave, but they also control you. Most Americans don't want more government — they want a lot less.Abraham Lincoln reminded us that a government that can do everything for us can also take everything from us.I really tire of hearing how the Democrats care about the working guy as if all Republicans grew up with silk stockings and silver spoons. In my little hometown of Hope, Arkansas, the three sacred heroes were Jesus, Elvis and FDR, not necessarily in that order.

He brings up the Republican cornerstone, the great republican of our country and then his home town that we might have heard of in another presidential election

My own father held down two jobs, barely affording the little rented house I grew up in. My dad worked hard, lifted heavy things, and got his hands dirty. The only soap we had at my house was Lava.Heck, I was in college before I found out it wasn't supposed to hurt to take a shower.

A good little joke to keep the night rolling

He doesn't want to change the very definition of marriage from what it has always meant throughout recorded human history. It is not above John McCain's pay grade to grasp the simple fact that human life begins at conception, and he is committed to protecting it.

Bringing in the christian right - a prerequisite since the 80's

On the first day of school in 2005, Martha Cothren, a teacher at Joe T. Robinson High School in Little Rock, was determined that her students would not take their education or their privilege as Americans for granted. With the principal's permission, she removed all the desks from her classroom. The students entered the empty room and asked, "Mrs. Cothren, where are our desks?" "You get a desk when you tell me how you earn it," she replied."Making good grades?" asked one student."You ought to make good grades, but that won't get you a desk," Martha responded."I guess we have to behave," offered another."You will behave in my class," Mrs. Cothren retorted, "but that won't get you a desk either."No one in first period guessed right. Same for second period.By lunch, the buzz was all over campus... Mrs. Cothren had flipped out ....wouldn't let her students have a desk. Kids had used their cell phones and called their parents.By early afternoon, all four of the local network TV affiliates had camera crews at the school to report on the teacher who wouldn't let her students have a desk unless they could tell her how they earned it. By the final period, no one had guessed correctly.As the students filed in, Martha Cothren said, "Well, I didn't think you would figure it out, so I'll have to tell you."Martha opened the door of her classroom. In walked 27 veterans, some wearing uniforms from years gone by, but each one carrying a school desk.As they carefully and quietly arranged the desks in neat rows, Martha said, "You don't have to earn your desks. These guys already did."They went halfway around the world, giving up their education and interrupting their careers and families so you could have the freedom you have."No one charged you for your desk. But it wasn't really free. These guys bought it for you. And I hope you never forget it. "I wish we all would remember that being American is not just about the freedom we have. It's about those who gave it to us.Ladies and gentlemen, John McCain is one of those people who helped buy the freedom that we enjoy and the school desks we had.It's my honor to do what I can to help him have a desk that he has earned in the Oval Office.

This is the reason Huckabee is such a good speaker, He ends his speech with a little hokey story that will stay on your mind to tell others in different settings and still relates it to McCain.

Lieberman Speech Analysis

noreply@blogger.com (Ballard) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 19:04:00 +0000

I got this from here: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/09/sen_liebermans_speech_to_the_r.html

Thank you for that warm welcome. I am honored to be here.We meet tonight in the wake of a terrible storm that has hit the Gulf Coast but that hurts all of us, because we are all members of our larger American family.At times like this, we set aside all that divides us, and we come together to help our fellow citizens in need.What matters is certainly not whether we are Democrats or Republicans, but that we are all Americans. The truth is, it shouldn't take a hurricane to bring us together like this.Every day, across our country, millions of our fellow citizens are facing huge problems.They are worried about their homes, their jobs, and their businesses; they are worried about the outrageous cost of gas and of health insurance; and they are worried about the threats from our enemies abroad.But when they look to Washington, all too often they do not see their leaders coming together to tackle these problems.Instead they see Democrats and Republicans fighting each other, rather than fighting for the American people.Our founding fathers foresaw the danger of this kind of senseless partisanship. George Washington himself -- in his Farewell Address to our country -- warned that the "spirit of party" is "the worst enemy" of our democracy and "enfeebles" our government's ability to do its job.George Washington was absolutely right. The sad truth is -- today we are living through his worst nightmare, in the capital city that bears his name.

This is to give credibility to him jumping party's and going with principle instead of party - maybe Washington would work better if more did this ?????

And that brings me directly to why I am here tonight. What, after all, is a Democrat like me doing at a Republican convention like this?The answer is simple.I'm here to support John McCain because country matters more than party.I'm here tonight because John McCain is the best choice to bring our country together and lead our country forward.I'm here because John McCain's whole life testifies to a great truth: being a Democrat or a Republican is important.But it is not more important than being an American.

Again not really saying anything but why he switched to McCain instead of Democrats

Both presidential candidates this year talk about changing the culture of Washington, about breaking through the partisan gridlock and special interests that are poisoning our politics.But only one of them has actually done it.Only one leader has shown the courage and the capability to rise above the smallness of our politics to get big things done for our country and our people.And that leader is John McCain!John understands that it shouldn't take a natural disaster like Hurricane Gustav to get us to take off our partisan blinders and work together to get things done.It shouldn't take a natural disaster to teach us that the American people don't care much if you have an "R" or a "D" after your name.What they care about is, are we solving the problems they are up against every day?

In front of the RNC i don't think saying the Americans don't care about R or D, this was obviously for the at home crew.

What you can expect from John McCain as President is precisely what he has done this week: which is to put country first. That is the code by which he has lived his entire life, and that is the code he will carry with him into the White House.I have personally seen John, over and over again, bring people together from both parties to tackle our toughest problems we face --to reform our campaign finance, lobbying and ethics laws, to create the 9/11 Commission and pass its critical national security reforms, and to end the partisan paralysis over judicial confirmations.My Democratic friends know all about John's record of independence and accomplishment.Maybe that's why some of them are spending so much time and so much money trying to convince voters that John McCain is someone else.

More of McCains record in being a Maverick - don't know whether the crowd really liked this since these are some of the big problems the Rep's have with John

I'm here, as a Democrat myself, to tell you: Don't be fooled.God only made one John McCain, and he is his own man.

Not another Bush!!!!!!!!!!!!! The theme of the RNC

If John McCain was just another go-along partisan politician, he never would have taken on corrupt Republican lobbyists, or big corporations that were cheating the American people, or powerful colleagues in Congress who were wasting taxpayer money.But he did!If John McCain was just another go-along partisan politician, he never would have led the fight to fix our broken immigration system or to do something about global warming.

Tying McCain to Dem's platform to attract the Hillary and independent vote

But he did!As a matter of fact, if John McCain is just another partisan Republican, then I'm Michael Moore's favorite Democrat.And I'm not.Senator Obama is a gifted and eloquent young man who can do great things for our country in the years ahead. But eloquence is no substitute for a record -- not in these tough times.In the Senate he has not reached across party lines to get anything significant done, nor has he been willing to take on powerful interest groups in the Democratic Party.Contrast that to John McCain's record, or the record of the last Democratic President, Bill Clinton, who stood up to some of those same Democratic interest groups and worked with Republicans to get important things done like welfare reform, free trade agreements, and a balanced budget.Governor Sarah Palin, like John McCain, is a reformer who has taken on the special interests and reached across party lines. She is a leader we can count on to help John shake up Washington.

This is how a good politician works and should work - say something nice about your opponent, acknowledge his/her abilities and then slam them down.

That's why the McCain-Palin ticket is the real ticket for change this year.The Washington bureaucrats and power brokers can't build a pen strong enough to hold these two mavericks.And together, you can count on John McCain and Sarah Palin to fight for America and to fight for you! And that's what our country needs most right now.What we need most is not more party unity in America but more national unity!Especially at a time of war, we need a President we can count on to fight for what's right for our country -- not only when it is easy, but when it is hard.

Pump up the crowd and get to the real reason Joe is going for McCain

When others were silent, John McCain had the judgment to sound the alarm about the mistakes we were making in Iraq. When others wanted to retreat in defeat from the field of battle, when Barack Obama was voting to cut off funding for our troops on the ground,John McCain had the courage to stand against the tide of public opinion and support the surge, and because of that, today, our troops are at last beginning to come home, not in failure, but in honor!

More goodwill for McCain

Before I conclude, I ask the indulgence of those in this hall tonight, as I want to speak directly to my fellow Democrats and Independents who are watching.I know many of you are angry and frustrated by our government and our politics and for good reason.You may be thinking of voting for John McCain but you're not sure. Some of you have never voted for a Republican before and in an ordinary election, you probably wouldn't.But this is no ordinary election, because these are not ordinary times, and John McCain is no ordinary candidate. You may not agree with John McCain on every issue.But you can always count on him to be straight with you about where he stands, and to stand for what he thinks is right regardless of politics.As President, you can count on John McCain to be a restless reformer, who will clean up Washington and get our government working again for you!

Reach across the aisle like McCain and Lieberman have

So tonight, I ask you whether you are an Independent, a Reagan Democrat or a Clinton Democrat, or just a Democrat: This year, when you vote for President, vote for the person you believe is best for the country, not for the party you happen to belong to. Vote for the leader who, since the age of 17, when he raised his hand and took an oath to defend and protect our Constitution, has always put our country first.So, let's come together to make a great American patriot our next great President!

Good ending invoking the favorite conservative and liberal presidents and associate them with McCain.

The speech didn't really go over with the RNC and earned Joe the hatred of the ultra liberals, but the general population of America really likes Lieberman and this speech will become a talking point of the election. The ultra liberals are going to say that Joe is bitter because he lost the primary in CT and is trying to get back at the party, the ultra Conservatives are going to say who cares what joe says he doesn't stand with the party on social issues. We'll have to see if his message can get out through all of this. Either way you have to respect him for walking into the lions den and alienating everyone on his side.

Thompsons speech analysis

noreply@blogger.com (Ballard) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 11:43:00 +0000

I got this from http://conservablogs.com/velvethammer/2008/09/02/transcript-fred-thompsons-speech-at-the-rnc/

Tonight our thoughts are still with our friends and fellow citizens in the Gulf Coast area, and our thanks go to those who have worked so hard to keep them safe. There can be no more important work than this.
Mandatory Gustav remarks - short and sweet

But what we are doing at this convention is also important to our country.
We are going to nominate the next President and Vice President of the United States of America. We do so while taking a different view of our country than that of the other party. Listening to them you’d think that we were in the middle of a great depression; that we are down, disrespected and incapable of prevailing against challenges facing us. We know that we have challenges … always have, always will.
But we also know that we live in the freest, strongest, most generous and prosperous nation in the history of the world and we are thankful.

Normal Party talk and throwing out the first of many attacks

Speaking of the vice presidential nominee, what a breath of fresh air Governor Sarah Palin is.
She is from a small town, with small town values, but that’s not good enough for those folks who are attacking her and her family.Some Washington pundits and media big shots are in a frenzy over the selection of a woman who has actually governed rather than just talked a good game on the Sunday talk shows and hit the Washington cocktail circuit. Well, give me a tough Alaskan Governor who has taken on the political establishment in the largest state in the Union — and won — over the beltway business-as-usual crowd any day of the week.Let’s be clear … the selection of Governor Palin has the other side and their friends in the media in a state of panic. She is a courageous, successful, reformer, who is not afraid to take on the establishment.
Sound like anyone else we know?She has run a municipality and she has run a state. And I can say without fear of contradiction that she is the only nominee in the history of either party who knows how to properly field dress a moose … with the possible exception of Teddy Roosevelt.
She and John McCain are not going to care how much the alligators get irritated when they get to Washington, they’re going to drain that swamp.

Endorsing the VP and doing what all the republicans loved to do in the late 80's and 90's, attack the media

But tonight, I’d like to talk to you about the remarkable story of John McCain.It’s a story about character.John McCain’s character has been tested like no other presidential candidate in the history of this nation.He comes from a military family whose service to our country goes back to the Revolutionary War.The tradition continues.As I speak, John and Cindy McCain have one son who’s just finished his first tour in Iraq.Another son is putting “Country First” and is attending the Naval Academy. We have a number of McCains in the audience tonight.Also here tonight is John’s 96-year-old mother, Roberta. All I’ve got to say is that if Roberta McCain had been the McCain captured by the North Vietnamese, they would have surrendered.Now, John’s father was a bit of a rebel, too.In his first two semesters at the Naval Academy, he managed to earn 333 demerits.Unfortunately, John later saw that as a record to be beaten.A rebellious mother and a rebellious father - I guess you can see where this is going.In high school and the Naval Academy, he earned a reputation as a troublemaker. But as John points out, he wasn’t just a troublemaker. He was the leader of the troublemakers. Although loaded with demerits like his father, John was principled even in rebellion. He never violated the honor code. However, in flight school in Pensacola, he did drive a Corvette and date a girl who worked in a bar as an exotic dancer under the name of Marie, the Flame of Florida.And the reason I’m telling you these things, is that, apparently, this mixture of rebellion and honor helped John McCain survive the next chapter of his life:

Point out that McCain has continued tradition and his kids are fighting in this war so he must support. Also he can be rebellious when he believes in what he is doing but never loses honor - a good story so far

John McCain was preparing to take off from the USS Forrestal for his sixth mission over Vietnam, when a missile from another plane accidentally fired and hit his plane.The flight deck burst into a fireball of jet fuel.John’s flight suit caught fire.He was hit by shrapnel.It was a scene of horrible human devastation.Men sacrificed their lives to save others that day. One kid, who John couldn’t identify because he was burned beyond recognition, called out to John to ask if a certain pilot was OK.John replied that, yes, he was.The young sailor said, “Thank God”… and then he died.These are the kind of men John McCain served with. These are the men and women John McCain knows and understands and loves. If you want to know who John McCain is, if you want to know what John McCain values, look to the men and women who wear America’s uniform today.The fire on the Forrestal burned for two days.20 planes were destroyed.134 sailors died.John himself barely dodged death in the inferno and could’ve returned to the States with his ship. Instead, he volunteered for combat on another carrier that was undermanned from losing so many pilots.

First instance of heroism - McCain has always fought on - still a good story

Stepping up. Putting his “Country First.”Three months later John McCain was a Prisoner of War.
On October 26, 1967, on his 23rd mission over North Vietnam, a surface-to-air missile slammed into John’s A-4 Skyhawk jet, blowing it out of the sky. When John ejected, part of the plane hit him — breaking his right knee, his left arm, his right arm in three places. An angry mob got to him. A rifle butt broke his shoulder.A bayonet pierced his ankle and his groin.They took him to the Hanoi Hilton, where he lapsed in and out of consciousness for days. He was offered medical care for his injuries if he would give up military information in return.John McCain said “No”.
After days of neglect, covered in grime, lying in his own waste in a filthy room, a doctor attempted to set John’s right arm without success … and without anesthesia.His other broken bones and injuries were not treated. John developed a high fever, dysentery. He weighed barely a hundred pounds.Expecting him to die, his captors placed him in a cell with two other POWs who also expected him to die.But with their help, John McCain fought on.He persevered. So then they put him in solitary confinement…for over two years.Isolation … incredible heat beating on a tin roof. A light bulb in his cell burning 24 hours a day.Boarded-up cell windows blocking any breath of fresh air.The oppressive heat causing boils the size of baseballs under his arms.The outside world limited to what he could see through a crack in a door.

Back to the POW story - if everyone decides to tell the story it will get old, hopefully they realize this

We hear a lot of talk about hope.John McCain knows about hope. That’s all he had to survive on. For propaganda purposes, his captors offered to let him go home.John McCain refused.He refused to leave ahead of men who’d been there longer.He refused to abandon his conscience and his honor, even for his freedom.He refused, even though his captors warned him, “It will be very bad for you.”They were right.It was.The guards cracked ribs, broke teeth off at the gums. They cinched a rope around his arms and painfully drew his shoulders back.Over four days, every two to three hours, the beatings resumed. During one especially fierce beating, he fell, again breaking his arm.John was beaten for communicating with other prisoners.He was beaten for NOT communicating with so-called “peace delegations.”He was beaten for not giving information during interrogations.When his captors wanted the names of other pilots in his squadron, John gave them the names of the offensive line of the Green Bay Packers.Whenever John was returned to his cell — walking if he could, dragged if he couldn’t — as he passed his fellow POWs, he would call out to them.He’d smile … and give them a thumbs-up.For five-and-a-half years this went on.John McCain’s bones may have been broken but his spirit never was.

Still the story and then finally politics starts - No one can deny that John is a hero no matter how you look at but this speech should probably be about his policy and politics

Now, being a POW certainly doesn’t qualify anyone to be President.But it does reveal character.
This is the kind of character that civilizations from the beginning of history have sought in their leaders. Strength.Courage.Humility.Wisdom.Duty.Honor.It’s pretty clear there are two questions we will never have to ask ourselves, “Who is this man?” and “Can we trust this man with the Presidency?”

A little jab at Obama on the big question of who he really is

He has been to Iraq eight times since 2003.He went seeking truth, not publicity.When he travels abroad, he prefers quietly speaking to the troops amidst the heat and hardship of their daily lives.And the same character that marked John McCain’s military career has also marked his political career.This man, John McCain is not intimidated by what the polls say or by what is politically safe or popular.At a point when the war in Iraq was going badly and the public lost confidence, John stood up and called for more troops.

McCain is not part of the washington party and stands for more than just politics as usual - another jab at Obama

And now we are winning.Ronald Reagan was John McCain’s hero.And President Reagan admired John tremendously.But when the President proposed putting U.S. troops in Beirut, John McCain, a freshman Congressman, stood up and cast a vote against his hero because he thought the deployment was a mistake.

Good show of rebellion because Reagan is now a figure of heroic worship within the party and Beirut was one of his mistakes

My friends … that is character you can believe in.For years, members of Congress, Republican and Democrat alike, have gouged the taxpayer with secret earmark spending.Well, he has never sought an earmark.

This is an actual point that might get McCain votes - all middle class, dem or rep, are agreed that washington is not taking care of our tax money

I’ve experienced John’s character first hand.In 1993, when I was thinking of running for the Senate, I went to John for advice. He convinced me I could help make a difference for our country.I won that election, and with Republican control of Congress, we reformed welfare.We balanced the budget. And we began rebuilding our military.What I remember most about those years is sitting next to John on the Senate floor as he led battle after battle to change the acrimonious, pork barreling, self serving ways of Washington.The Senate has always had more than its share of smooth talkers.And big talkers.It still has.But while others were talking reform, John McCain led the effort to make reform happen — always pressing, always moving for what he believed was right and necessary to restore the people’s faith in their government. Confronting when necessary, reaching across the aisle when possible, John personified why we came to Washington in the first place. It didn’t always set too well with some of his colleagues. Some of those fights were losing efforts.Some were not.But a man who never quits is never defeated.Because John McCain stood up our country is better off.

The Maverick angle - good thing he didn't actually say maverick because america is getting sick of that word by now

The respect he is given around the world is not because of a teleprompter speech designed to appeal to American critics abroad, but because of decades of clearly demonstrated character and statesmanship.

Another jab at Obama and his speaking ability

There has been no time in our nation’s history, since we first pledged allegiance to the American flag, when the character, judgment and leadership of our President was more important. Terrorists, rogue nations developing nuclear weapons, an increasingly belligerent Russia. Intensifying competition from China.Spending at home that threatens to bankrupt future generations. For decades an expanding government … increasingly wasteful and too often incompetent.To deal with these challenges the Democrats present a history making nominee for president. History making in that he is the most liberal, most inexperienced nominee to ever run for President. Apparently they believe that he would match up well with the history making, Democrat controlled Congress. History making because it’s the least accomplished and most unpopular Congress in our nation’s history.

Its a little strong to say Obama is the most inexperienced nominee since we had many Generals become president without ever touching politics

Together, they would take on these urgent challenges with protectionism, higher taxes and an even bigger bureaucracy.And a Supreme Court that could be lost to liberalism for a generation.
This is not reform.And it’s certainly not change. It is basically the same old stuff they’ve been peddling for years. America needs a President who understands the nature of the world we live in.A President who feels no need to apologize for the United States of America.We need a President who understands that you don’t make citizens prosperous by making Washington richer, and you don’t lift an economic downturn by imposing one of the largest tax increases in American history.Now our opponents tell you not to worry about their tax increases.
They tell you they are not going to tax your family.No, they’re just going to tax “businesses”! So unless you buy something from a “business”, like groceries or clothes or gasoline … or unless you get a paycheck from a big or a small “business”, don’t worry … it’s not going to affect you.They say they are not going to take any water out of your side of the bucket, just the “other” side of the bucket! That’s their idea of tax reform.

More jabs at the Democrats on the tax the rich program Obama has put forth - I tend to agree

My friends, we need a leader who stands on principle.We need a President, and Vice President, who will take the federal bureaucracy by the scruff of the neck and give it a good shaking. And we need a President who doesn’t think that the protection of the unborn or a newly born baby is above his pay grade.

Get the Pro-lifers behind McCain/Palin

The man who will be that President is John McCain. In the days ahead at this convention, you will hear much more about what John will do as president — what he will do on the economy, on energy, on health care, the environment… It is not my role tonight to explain that vision.My role is to help remind you of the man behind the vision. Because tonight our country is calling to all of us to step up, stand up, and put “Country First” with John McCain.Tonight we are being called upon to do what is right for our country.Tonight we are being called upon to stand up for a strong military … a mature foreign policy … a free and growing economy and for the values that bind us together and keep our nation free.Tonight, we are being called upon to step up and stand up with John just as he has stood up for our country.Our country is calling.John McCain cannot raise his arms above his shoulders.He cannot salute the flag of the country for which he sacrificed so much. Tonight, as we begin this convention week, yes, we stand with him.And we salute him.
We salute his character and his courage.His spirit of independence, and his drive for reform.
His vision to bring security and peace in our time, and continued prosperity for America and all her citizens.For our own good and our children’s, let us celebrate that vision, that belief, that faith so we can keep America the greatest country the world has ever seen.

God bless John McCain and God bless America.

Finishing summary - not really much of a speech to argue politics with but Thompson did a great delivery on it. He doesn't make much of a presidential nominee but is a great speaker

Reagan Quotes

noreply@blogger.com (Ballard) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 01:42:00 +0000

I just recieved this email and I'm not sure each of them are correct but figured I would put up the quotes for fun - Makes you think what we're going to remember Bush for saying in 20 years

'Here's my strategy on the Cold War: We win, they lose.'
- Ronald Reagan

'The most terrifying words in the English language are:
I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'
- Ronald Reagan

'The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant;
it's just that they know so much that isn't so.'
- Ronald Reagan

'Of the four wars in my lifetime, none came about because
the U.S. was too strong.'
- Ronald Reagan

'I have wondered at times about what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the U.S. Congress.'
- Ronald Reagan

'The taxpayer: That's someone who works for the federal government but doesn't have to take the civil service examination.'
- Ronald Reagan

'Government is like a baby: An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.'
- Ronald Reagan

'The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is
a government program.'
- Ronald Reagan

'It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession.
I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first.'
- Ronald Reagan

'Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it.
And if it stops moving, subsidize it.'
- Ronald Reagan

'Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed, there are many rewards; if you disgrace yourself, you can always write a book.'
- Ronald Reagan

'No arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is as formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.'
- Ronald Reagan

'If we ever forget that we're one nation under God,
then we will be a nation gone under.'
- Ronald Reagan

Govt working for the people

noreply@blogger.com (Ballard) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 00:10:00 +0000

An example of a governor spending his citizens money correctly.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,413961,00.html

N.y. Governor Goes Jetting

Passengers on yesterday’s JetBlue flight 160 from Denver to New York got quite a surprise. I was one of them, too.
Yes, sitting in the middle seat in row 6 on the left was a familiar face: New York’s Gov. David L. Paterson, the man who replaced Eliot Spitzer this past spring.
He wasn’t the only politician on the commercial flight — Rep. Eliot Engel from the Bronx was there, too. But Paterson took passengers aback.
It’s not like former famous governors like Nelson Rockefeller, Mario Cuomo, or George Pataki were regularly seen flying that way. If they did, it would have been first class. On JetBlue, it’s all one class, although some rows have more legroom than others.
Paterson’s ticket probably cost around $350. Compare that to the over $80,000 Spitzer is accused of spending on hookers over 10 years.
The other passengers, many of whom were with the New York delegation, were thrilled. When Paterson’s face popped up on our TV screens during a montage of clips from the convention, the whole plane broke out in massive applause. Frankly, the same thing happened when Hillary Clinton came on screen, too, and Stevie Wonder. But Paterson was first.
The governor was accompanied by a couple of nicely dressed bodyguards, who sat next to him and behind him. When the plane landed, they helped him with his luggage from the overheard rack — he’s legally blind as well as the head of the state — but Paterson got no special attention. He waited in the crowded aisle like everyone else until the jet’s doors were opened, and then exited in turn.

John McCain has chosen his running mate wisely

noreply@blogger.com (Ballard) — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 12:59:00 +0000

So this Friday McCain chose his running mate Gov. Sarah Palin, many republicans just got that feeling that the Obama supporters have talked about for months - Hope.
This was an excellent choice for McCain and here are my reasons.
1. No one knows her so interest in the campaign has jumped up a 100 fold
2. She has worked in all levels of small state government from town council, mayor to Governor.
3. She carries the Republican party religious right with her views on abortion and family
4. She is an attractive woman and will look good next to McCain's scarred face on posters.

Lets go over what she has done since nobody know who she is - this is not an endorsement, this is the facts about who she is

From www.votesmart.org

Political Experience:
Governor, Alaska, 2006-present
Former President, Alaska Conference of Mayors
Former Mayor/Manager, Wasilla City
Former Council Member, Wasilla City Council.

Organizations:
Member, Alaska Miners Association
Member, Alaska Outdoor Council
Member, Alaska Resource Development Council
Member, Chambers of Commerce (Various)
Member, Iditarod Parent-Teacher Association
Member, National Rifle Association
Member, Valley Hospital Association Board
Coach/Hockey Team Manager, Valley Youth Sports
Member, Youth Court Steering Committee
Former Member, American Management Association
Former Member, Salvation Army Board.

Caucuses/Non-Legislative Committees:
Chairman, Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, 2003-2004
Former Member, Alaska Municipal League Board
Chair, Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission
Vice Chair, National Governors Association Natural Resources Committee.

The weekly standard has put out a synopsis of the governor http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/851orcjq.asp - you can read it to see what she has done but overall she has stood for reform on taxes and govt spending/waste.

The cons as I can see:
1. She is severely pro-life/anti-abortion - the liberals will grasp this and run with it
2. Very little experience and sometimes comes across as more housewife than Governor
3. Hunter fisher and wants oil to be drilled within anwar - the waco animal rights and environmental people will run with this.

Well that's all I have today - more will come out this week about Sarah and I will be listening to bring more to this blog

Good luck to all of those in Gustav - I was down in Biloxi for Katrina and hopefully the govt. will get out of the way of the people this time

Obama's Speech

noreply@blogger.com (Ballard) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:59:00 +0000

Ok its time to do some analysis on Barrack Obama's speech from last night. I will cut some of the speech because it was extremely long and i'm not remarking on the intro's and such. The
link for the full transcripts is here http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7587321.stm

The First Part is intro's and thank you's for the nomination and rest of the democrats, plus the I love you for the wife and family. Here is the start of the speech that matters

Obama = Plain text

Me= Bold text

Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story - of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren't well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to.It is that promise that has always set this country apart - that through hard work and sacrifice, each of us can pursue our individual dreams but still come together as one American family, to ensure that the next generation can pursue their dreams as well. That's why I stand here tonight. Because for 232 years, at each moment when that promise was in jeopardy, ordinary men and women - students and soldiers, farmers and teachers, nurses and janitors -- found the courage to keep it alive.

Isn't that what the republicans preach every year - I mean Reagan ran on this premise in 1980.

We meet at one of those defining moments - a moment when our nation is at war, our economy is in turmoil, and the American promise has been threatened once more.Tonight, more Americans are out of work and more are working harder for less. More of you have lost your homes and even more are watching your home values plummet. More of you have cars you can't afford to drive, credit card bills you can't afford to pay, and tuition that's beyond your reach. These challenges are not all of government's making. But the failure to respond is a direct result of a broken politics in Washington and the failed policies of George W Bush.America, we are better than these last eight years. We are a better country than this.

Standard attack on the all reaching Satan, Bush/Cheney. This was expected but it still doesn't make sense to me. In the last Eight years 17 million new houses were bought and now 1 million are in trouble for foreclosure - seems like housing is not that bad. I dont have a link but unemployment is down this past week by 10000. I dont pretend that everything is rosy, I'm not Bush, but its not as bad as they would have us believe.

This country is more decent than one where a woman in Ohio, on the brink of retirement, finds herself one illness away from disaster after a lifetime of hard work.This country is more generous than one where a man in Indiana has to pack up the equipment he's worked on for 20 years and watch it shipped off to China, and then chokes up as he explains how he felt like a failure when he went home to tell his family the news.We are more compassionate than a government that lets veterans sleep on our streets and families slide into poverty; that sits on its hands while a major American city drowns before our eyes.Tonight, I say to the American people, to Democrats and Republicans and independents across this great land - enough! This moment - this election - is our chance to keep, in the 21st Century, the American promise alive.

More we hate bush and the solution is government or Obama and the democrats

Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look like the last eight. On 4 November, we must stand up and say: "Eight is enough."Now let there be no doubt. The Republican nominee, John McCain, has worn the uniform of our country with bravery and distinction, and for that we owe him our gratitude and respect. And next week, we'll also hear about those occasions when he's broken with his party as evidence that he can deliver the change that we need.But the record's clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush 90% of the time. Senator McCain likes to talk about judgement, but really, what does it say about your judgement when you think George Bush has been right more than 90% of the time? I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to take a 10% chance on change.The truth is, on issue after issue that would make a difference in your lives - on health care and education and the economy - Senator McCain has been anything but independent. He said that our economy has made "great progress" under this president. He said that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. And when one of his chief advisers - the man who wrote his economic plan - was talking about the anxiety Americans are feeling, he said that we were just suffering from a "mental recession", and that we've become, and I quote, "a nation of whiners".A nation of whiners? Tell that to the proud auto workers at a Michigan plant who, after they found out it was closing, kept showing up every day and working as hard as ever, because they knew there were people who counted on the brakes that they made. Tell that to the military families who shoulder their burdens silently as they watch their loved ones leave for their third or fourth or fifth tour of duty. These are not whiners. They work hard and give back and keep going without complaint. These are the Americans that I know.Now, I don't believe that Senator McCain doesn't care what's going on in the lives of Americans. I just think he doesn't know. Why else would he define middle-class as someone making under $5m a year? How else could he propose hundreds of billions in tax breaks for big corporations and oil companies but not one penny of tax relief to more than 100 million Americans? How else could he offer a health care plan that would actually tax people's benefits, or an education plan that would do nothing to help families pay for college, or a plan that would privatise social security and gamble your retirement?It's not because John McCain doesn't care. It's because John McCain doesn't get it.For over two decades, he's subscribed to that old, discredited Republican philosophy - give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. In Washington, they call this the Ownership Society, but what it really means is - you're on your own. Out of work? Tough luck. No health care? The market will fix it. Born into poverty? Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps - even if you don't have boots. You're on your own.Well it's time for them to own their failure. It's time for us to change America.

This man has shown he is a great speaker and has the ability of a JFK or MLK jr, but i've never heard a great speech where the opponent is attacked - your standing in front of McCain haters why try to pound it in. My opinions on McCain will be expressed next week when he gives the speech, this is not the place.
I dont understand the last part, didn't Barrack, Michelle and Biden do this, isn't that what being part of the working class is. Also just a reminder the top 50% of wage earners pay all the taxes so most of the people he's talking about dont need the tax cuts.

You see, we Democrats have a very different measure of what constitutes progress in this country.We measure progress by how many people can find a job that pays the mortgage; whether you can put a little extra money away at the end of each month so you can someday watch your child receive her college diploma. We measure progress in the 23 million new jobs that were created when Bill Clinton was president - when the average American family saw its income go up $7,500 instead of down $2,000 like it has under George Bush. We measure the strength of our economy not by the number of billionaires we have or the profits of the Fortune 500, but by whether someone with a good idea can take a risk and start a new business, or whether the waitress who lives on tips can take a day off to look after a sick kid without losing her job - an economy that honours the dignity of work.The fundamentals we use to measure economic strength are whether we are living up to that fundamental promise that has made this country great - a promise that is the only reason I am standing here tonight.

I dont understand this argument - most of the people that are losing houses are the waitresses or low income workers (20,000 - 50,000) buying houses that are worth 300,00 or more. I remember first hearing about this in 2004, why didn't Obama or Biden do something about this predatory lending when it started showing up in the news then???

Because in the faces of those young veterans who come back from Iraq and Afghanistan, I see my grandfather, who signed up after Pearl Harbor, marched in Patton's army, and was rewarded by a grateful nation with the chance to go to college on the GI Bill.In the face of that young student who sleeps just three hours before working the night shift, I think about my mom, who raised my sister and me on her own while she worked and earned her degree; who once turned to food stamps but was still able to send us to the best schools in the country with the help of student loans and scholarships.When I listen to another worker tell me that his factory has shut down, I remember all those men and women on the South Side of Chicago who I stood by and fought for two decades ago after the local steel plant closed.And when I hear a woman talk about the difficulties of starting her own business, I think about my grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle management, despite years of being passed over for promotions because she was a woman. She's the one who taught me about hard work. She's the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so that I could have a better life. She poured everything she had into me. And although she can no longer travel, I know that she's watching tonight, and that tonight is her night as well.

More personal examples and stuff that doesn't effect policy

I don't know what kind of lives John McCain thinks that celebrities lead, but this has been mine. These are my heroes. Theirs are the stories that shaped me. And it is on their behalf that I intend to win this election and keep our promise alive as President of the United States.What is that promise?It's a promise that says each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have the obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect.It's a promise that says the market should reward drive and innovation and generate growth, but that businesses should live up to their responsibilities to create American jobs, look out for American workers, and play by the rules of the road.Ours is a promise that says government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves - protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and new science and technology.

Ok I can agree with most of this - so do most americans. I dont understand the obligation to treat each other with dignity remark - what does government have to do with how we treat each other unless you are breaking a law. I'm still at a toss up on the govenment education - have to explore that later. I do have a problem with the new science and tech - if the govt gets out of this private will advance it for profit.

Our government should work for us, not against us. It should help us, not hurt us. It should ensure opportunity not just for those with the most money and influence, but for every American who's willing to work.That's the promise of America - the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper; I am my sister's keeper.That's the promise we need to keep. That's the change we need right now. So let me spell out exactly what that change would mean if I am president.

I am not my brothers keeper - he pulled himself up by the bootstraps and runs a construction company that is still doing well by word of mouth advertising. I am not my sisters keeper - she went to college and is paying off student loans while working her but off like every 25 year old should be.

Change means a tax code that doesn't reward the lobbyists who wrote it, but the American workers and small businesses who deserve it.Unlike John McCain, I will stop giving tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs overseas, and I will start giving them to companies that create good jobs right here in America.I will eliminate capital gains taxes for the small businesses and the start-ups that will create the high-wage, high-tech jobs of tomorrow.I will cut taxes - cut taxes - for 95% of all working families. Because in an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middle-class.

Who is talking about raising taxes on the middle class - most working class families dont really pay taxes.

And for the sake of our economy, our security, and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as president: in 10 years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East.

Good, Good, Good

Washington's been talking about our oil addiction for the last 30 years, and John McCain has been there for 26 of them. In that time, he's said no to higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars, no to investments in renewable energy, no to renewable fuels. And today, we import triple the amount of oil as the day that Senator McCain took office.

More attacks on McCain ????? From what I have seen Biden and Obama have not made any measures on energy either. The only thing our govt has done for energy is back Corn Ethanol, the wrong choice Corn uses to much energy to make into ethanol than is worth it. I dont really trust any one on this one.

Now is the time to end this addiction, and to understand that drilling is a stop-gap measure, not a long-term solution. Not even close.As president, I will tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power. I'll help our auto companies retool, so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here in America. I'll make it easier for the American people to afford these new cars. And I'll invest $150bn over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy - wind power and solar power and the next generation of biofuels; an investment that will lead to new industries and five million new jobs that pay well and can't ever be outsourced.

How is the govt. going to help our car company's create better cars - isn't that what the Al Gores of the democratic and green party have been trying to do for 20 years and now we have GM failing and Ford shutting down plants

America, now is not the time for small plans.

Now is the time to finally meet our moral obligation to provide every child a world-class education, because it will take nothing less to compete in the global economy. Michelle and I are only here tonight because we were given a chance at an education. And I will not settle for an America where some kids don't have that chance. I'll invest in early childhood education. I'll recruit an army of new teachers, and pay them higher salaries and give them more support. And in exchange, I'll ask for higher standards and more accountability. And we will keep our promise to every young American - if you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford a college education.

Like my other comment - I'm still undecided on the education plan

Now is the time to finally keep the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American. If you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums. If you don't, you'll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves. And as someone who watched my mother argue with insurance companies while she lay in bed dying of cancer, I will make certain those companies stop discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most.Now is the time to help families with paid sick days and better family leave, because nobody in America should have to choose between keeping their jobs and caring for a sick child or ailing parent. Now is the time to change our bankruptcy laws, so that your pensions are protected ahead of CEO bonuses; and the time to protect social security for future generations.And now is the time to keep the promise of equal pay for an equal day's work, because I want my daughters to have exactly the same opportunities as your sons.

Health Care does need reform but the government adding laws to the problem will not fix it. I lived in England for four years durring my military service and the National Health Care is ridicoulas - the waits for appointments and major issue are months instead of days - more on that later.

Now, many of these plans will cost money, which is why I've laid out how I'll pay for every dime - by closing corporate loopholes and tax havens that don't help America grow. But I will also go through the federal budget, line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less - because we cannot meet 21st Century challenges with a 20th Century bureaucracy.

Every politician should do this but that will not give him enough to keep social security and National Health care running

And Democrats, we must also admit that fulfilling America's promise will require more than just money. It will require a renewed sense of responsibility from each of us to recover what John F Kennedy called our "intellectual and moral strength". Yes, government must lead on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and businesses more efficient. Yes, we must provide more ladders to success for young men who fall into lives of crime and despair. But we must also admit that programmes alone can't replace parents; that government can't turn off the television and make a child do her homework; that fathers must take more responsibility for providing the love and guidance their children need. Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility - that's the essence of America's promise.

Good, Good and Good

And just as we keep our promise to the next generation here at home, so must we keep America's promise abroad. If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next commander-in-chief, that's a debate I'm ready to have.

Then why hasn't he agreed to the town hall meetings ??????

For while Senator McCain was turning his sights to Iraq just days after 9/11, I stood up and opposed this war, knowing that it would distract us from the real threats we face. When John McCain said we could just "muddle through" in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, and made clear that we must take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we have them in our sights. John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell - but he won't even go to the cave where he lives.

I have to agree on the Iraq - I didnt think we should have gone in

And today, as my call for a timeframe to remove our troops from Iraq has been echoed by the Iraqi government and even the Bush administration, even after we learned that Iraq has a $79bn surplus while we're wallowing in deficits, John McCain stands alone in his stubborn refusal to end a misguided war.

McCain has stated he will pull out the troop as soon as he can - but we need to have the Iraqi's ready - not just some politician over there spouting while campaigning

That's not the judgement we need. That won't keep America safe. We need a president who can face the threats of the future, not keep grasping at the ideas of the past.You don't defeat a terrorist network that operates in 80 countries by occupying Iraq. You don't protect Israel and deter Iran just by talking tough in Washington. You can't truly stand up for Georgia when you've strained our oldest alliances. If John McCain wants to follow George Bush with more tough talk and bad strategy, that is his choice - but it is not the change we need.We are the party of Roosevelt. We are the party of Kennedy. So don't tell me that Democrats won't defend this country. Don't tell me that Democrats won't keep us safe. The Bush-McCain foreign policy has squandered the legacy that generations of Americans -- Democrats and Republicans - have built, and we are here to restore that legacy.

Again I have an issue with attacking your opponent in you acceptance speach

As commander-in-chief, I will never hesitate to defend this nation, but I will only send our troops into harm's way with a clear mission and a sacred commitment to give them the equipment they need in battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they come home.I will end this war in Iraq responsibly, and finish the fight against al-Qaeda and the Taleban in Afghanistan. I will rebuild our military to meet future conflicts. But I will also renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st Century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation; poverty and genocide; climate change and disease. And I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future.

Sure......

These are the policies I will pursue. And in the weeks ahead, I look forward to debating them with John McCain.But what I will not do is suggest that the senator takes his positions for political purposes. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and patriotism.The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America - they have served the United States of America.So I've got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first.

America, our work will not be easy. The challenges we face require tough choices, and Democrats as well as Republicans will need to cast off the worn-out ideas and politics of the past. For part of what has been lost these past eight years can't just be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits. What has also been lost is our sense of common purpose - our sense of higher purpose. And that's what we have to restore.We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country. The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals. I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination. Passions fly on immigration, but I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers. This too is part of America's promise - the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort.I know there are those who dismiss such beliefs as happy talk. They claim that our insistence on something larger, something firmer and more honest in our public life is just a Trojan Horse for higher taxes and the abandonment of traditional values. And that's to be expected. Because if you don't have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare the voters. If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.You make a big election about small things.And you know what - it's worked before. Because it feeds into the cynicism we all have about government. When Washington doesn't work, all its promises seem empty. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it's best to stop hoping, and settle for what you already know.I get it. I realise that I am not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don't fit the typical pedigree, and I haven't spent my career in the halls of Washington.But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the nay-sayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me. It's been about you.For 18 long months, you have stood up, one by one, and said enough to the politics of the past. You understand that in this election, the greatest risk we can take is to try the same old politics with the same old players and expect a different result. You have shown what history teaches us - that at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American people demand it - because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time. America, this is one of those moments. I believe that as hard as it will be, the change we need is coming. Because I've seen it. Because I've lived it. I've seen it in Illinois, when we provided health care to more children and moved more families from welfare to work. I've seen it in Washington, when we worked across party lines to open up government and hold lobbyists more accountable, to give better care for our veterans and keep nuclear weapons out of terrorist hands.And I've seen it in this campaign. In the young people who voted for the first time, and in those who got involved again after a very long time. In the Republicans who never thought they'd pick up a Democratic ballot, but did. I've seen it in the workers who would rather cut their hours back a day than see their friends lose their jobs, in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb, in the good neighbours who take a stranger in when a hurricane strikes and the floodwaters rise.

Reaching across party lines, and the usual hope/change message - I dont understand the I'm different thing, seems like you would want to stay away from the racist thing again

This country of ours has more wealth than any nation, but that's not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military on Earth, but that's not what makes us strong. Our universities and our culture are the envy of the world, but that's not what keeps the world coming to our shores.

Instead, it is that American spirit - that American promise - that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend.

That promise is our greatest inheritance. It's a promise I make to my daughters when I tuck them in at night, and a promise that you make to yours - a promise that has led immigrants to cross oceans and pioneers to travel west; a promise that led workers to picket lines, and women to reach for the ballot.

And it is that promise that 45 years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a mall in Washington, before Lincoln's Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream.

The men and women who gathered there could've heard many things. They could've heard words of anger and discord. They could've been told to succumb to the fear and frustration of so many dreams deferred.

But what the people heard instead - people of every creed and colour, from every walk of life - is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked. That together, our dreams can be one.

"We cannot walk alone," the preacher cried. "And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back."

America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise - that American promise - and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.

The attempt at a historical speech instead of just a campaign speech - not very effective if you ask me.

First Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Ballard) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:53:00 +0000

This is the first time I've posted on a blog so it may be choppy at first. I created this blog because I'm sick and tired of hearing the party line from newspapers, radio and tv. Journalist seem to be tied to one party or the other and cant just report what is going on in the world, it doesn't make any sense to me to report the news with an agenda in mind. You have to respect the talk show guys and gals because at least they tell you what agenda they are propping up.

The other big issue is; what good are the partys doing us ? In the past 8 years Washington DC has given us reactionary policy's or no policy at all. The US govt gets bigger and bigger every year. My first proposal is to send the house and senate into washington with the mandate that they do not pass any laws for the next two years, we have enough lets remove some of the crap. Do we really need a resolution stating that the House of Representatives' apologizes for slavery. Its 2008 we haven't had true slavery for 143 years, instead they should be apologizing for welfare slavery that exists today.

I like the libertarian ( www.lp.org ) views on govt but not enough people will vote for them to make enough of an impact. Also they may take it a little to far - the LP stance on imigration is a little to anarchist for me.

This year is the most ridiculous presidential election ever: Republicans are running a liberal, democrats are running a socialist and the libertarians are running a republican. I dont bring up the reform or green party because the days are numbered for both.

I sign off now to go take care of my children while the wife works - the next posts will be a little more to one topic instead of so scattered.