The Brand New Respectful Presidential Campaign Thread

Well Im happy.  I dont have to catch up on whats happened while I was gone.  Im starting from scratch.

Nicki

A little humor, anyone?   A friend e-mailed this to me, and it sure gave me a chuckle!

While walking  down the street one day a US senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies.

His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.

"Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in,  it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."

"No  problem, just let me in," says the man.

"Well, I'd like to, but I  have orders from higher up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in  hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend  eternity."

"Really, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven,"  says the senator.

"I'm sorry, but we have our rules."

And with  that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down  to hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green  golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it  are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with  him.

Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people.

They play a  friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and  champagne.

Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly  guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that before he realizes it, it is time to go.

Everyone  gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises...

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door  reopens on heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him.

"Now it's time  to visit heaven."

So, 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group  of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing.  They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.

"Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and  another in heaven. Now choose your eternity."

The senator reflects  for a minute, then he answers:  "Well, I would never have said it  before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off  in hell."

So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down,  down, down to hell.

Now the doors of  the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage.

He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above.

The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder. "I don't understand," stammers the senator. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?"

The devil looks at him, smiles and says,  "Yesterday we were campaigning...... Today you voted."

Jane, that was toooo funny!

Shirley

Loved the joke .... so real!  We get all caught up in the campaign...but real life comes back with a vengeance.

Beesie....Very good point.....but.....polls are a good point of reference, and they can be wrong, no?  So I guess it's the vote that will tell the story?

So Obama's business plan is similar to "The New Deal"?  I think that's what it was named.  Roosevelt put people back to work during the depression building dams, roads, railroads...infrastructure that needed maintenance to carry the country forward....supporting the construction industry that is collapsing after the housing bubble broke.  Ending our military presence in Iraq ...talking to Iran who are talking to Russia and the Eastern EU as they are now known who are talking to the EU who are talking to Africa and India and China.   Sounds good to me....but I want to read details...that's where you find the devil. 

His health plan too is designed not to collapse the health system with abrupt change, but transition it through programs to support redistribution of wealth....I think.

This is my biggest issue with Sen. Clinton.  When she was first lady, she introduced a proposal that turned health care into a disaster.  I never forgave that mistake.  Simply put, you can not layer a social system over a private system and expect that it survive....doesn't happen...because people in US want choice....and they don't want to pay for it....it's the same everywhere.  Probably of equal weight is the fact that she did this without to be held accountable...although the Clinton administration bore that weight.  Her plan created the existence of HMO's that went public for funding thus "for profit".  The HMO's beat down the system to basement prices and expected it to provide the same level of care....doesn't happen in a capitalistic society...it created poor services, high malpractice and legal medicine, and boutique medicine to capture income....because people with money pay...and people got rich investing in the health care industry segment on the NYSE.  The CEO's of the HMO's wanted private care when they came to the hospital for themselves at HMO prices....doesn't happen...unless you legitimize extortion.

I'm prejudice and I admit it....much of insurance company motivation is legitimized extortion if you think about it....I suggested this to an insurance co. executive who I negotiated with at one time.  The same operation by the mob is criminal.  I think that mob is in the Clinton pockets...they want to control computerized medical records...what a nightmare to think that insurance companies gain that control.  I hope I'm wrong about that...I really do.

The worst part is that I don't trust the Clintons...never did..didn't vote for him the first time because of that.  He had some really good advisers who I liked a lot...but no him.  And remember their slogan then..."two for the price of one"...and we'll get that again.  This worries me.  We need a clean house with a capable leader to walk forward not only in our own country but around the world.  A bully female dealing with cultures in other countries does not sound to me like a viable idea.  An earnest female...without a doubt a good idea...but I'm not seeing this in Sen. Clinton...and as a woman, that saddens me.

Hi NNN,

I'm not too concerned with the labels that TV commentators put on the candidates....they are looking for ratings.  The US is conditioned to packaging and respond to the jargon.  Mrs. Obama didn't strike me as a Jackie K-O....she is more her own person and less the corporate wife of days gone by.  It would be interesting to know Jackie K-O by today's standards.  In the sense of presence and intelligence, I agree...they are similar.

Isn't it great that this election everyone in the country seems to understand better the election process including the SD.  What a great byproduct.

Last week I responded to a Washington Post article to ask who the SDs were and how we can contact them....then I found the information for myself.  It seems they need to hear from us if they are going to represent us.  Presumably, they will follow the votes, but from what I've read too, it is possible to manipulate the process..."for the greater good".  I get nervous when people think they know for everyone else what the greater good is in absolute terms.

LOL, sorry for chuckling Amy...but I am imagining your Grandmother telling you she voted republican and the look on your face.  She sounds like a character.

Take care,

Bugs

Amy:  Thanks for the chuckle.  I liked the story about your grandmother.

Nicki

Hi Beesie,

I understood you clearly before and your writing is well done...I was only jesting with you a little bit.  Hope you weren't offended.  I also have a sad spot for the loss of good journalism (thus polls) and I express that frustration sometimes.

You outlined the mystery votes very well.  It is understood that the voters have sifted through most of the issues that differentiate the candidates and now, as you listed, they seem pulled more by emotion rather than issues.  It seems a backlash to the world since 911....frustration...helplessness to do something about the mess we find ourselves in. 

If I'm honest with myself, probably all of the candidates would be effective leaders so I'm not as concerned for the country in general as I was before. I was watching Bloomberg business news last night and I had the impression that there was just a hint of favor toward Clinton.  I don't know if Robert Reich is still counsel to them...I liked him very much when he worked for the Clinton Administration.  I guess I want Hillary to prove that a Hillary President, that she really did learn from the mistakes of the past regarding health care and that she will not stand in her husband's shadow.  Gee maybe that's me talking? (lol)

I agree, anything is possible.

I really hope that I'm wrong about my instincts.  But whenever I didn't trust my instincts, they proved me wrong not to.  I know this is not the best reason in the world for voting...but it is a reason that I've learned to listen to over the years.

And I admit to be leaning heavily in the Obama direction...I even sent a small donation.  So to think that the state of PA is leaning toward Clinton took my attention. 

I just looked out to see what Robert Reich was doing these days and found this....http://robertreich.blogspot.com/2008/02/obama-vs-mccain-and-four-stories-of.html

His writing on the topic of Obama vs McCain is confirming my instincts it seems. I really do like this man and hope he returns to help the country again.

I find this down right peculiar--If its true--I haven't seen frenzy like this since I was sixteen in the middle of a Beatles concert.

http://www.breitbart.tv/html/48404.html

I still do not know what Obama's going to "change."  He hasn't set out a plan.  He speaks wonderfully.  However, I don't need someone who inspires me.  I need someone who will get the job done and not raise taxes. 

I don't believe anyone knows anything about his health care plans or when he's going to pull out the troops.  I still say we CANNOT pull out our troops now.

Isn't it funny how the surge seems to be working and the dems won't acknowledge it? 

We can't leave the Iraqis in a mess.  We must stay and see this thing through no matter how anyone felt about this war. 

Shirley

Shirley, I completely agree with you (except the part about the surge working, lol). Obama is a heck of a orator, but I'm not sure I'm actually hearing a whole lot. His plan for getting troops out of Iraq doesn't seem quite plausible to me and I'm not quite sure I even understand his healthcare reform package...



In any event, I wish the election was tomorrow - just so I could stop hearing about the campaign already. The intense coverage of all things political is absolutely maddening. Too many obtuse observations and opinions. I wish my fellow journalists would just stop trying to analyze everything to the nth degree and remember that there are other things happening in the world besides an election that is still nine months away...