On January 20th, 2009 the country will be witness to a historic event of epicproportions. The United States of America will be swearing in the firstAfrican-American President ever!

Hmmmm

Obama is outperforming any Democrat back to Jimmy Carter among white voters, getting 45 percent to McCain's 52 percent. But in the South, it is a very different story. Obama fares worse among Southern whites than any Democrat since George McGovern in 1972.
Whites in the East and West tilt narrowly toward Obama (he's up 8 and 7 points, respectively), and the two run about evenly among those in the Midwest. By contrast, Southern whites break more than 2 to 1 for McCain, 65 percent to 32 percent.

Jim Wallis and the 2008 Elections

I think the principles put forth by Jim Wallis on the 2008 elections are well worth considering. Here is what he has to say:

“I am in no position to tell anyone what is ‘non-negotiable,’ and neither is any bishop or megachurch pastor, but let me tell you the ‘faith priorities’ and values I will be voting on this year:“1. With more than 2,000 verses in the Bible about how we treat the poor and oppressed, I will examine the record, plans, policies, and promises made by the candidates on what they will do to overcome the scandal of extreme global poverty and the shame of such unnecessary domestic poverty in the richest nation in the world. Such a central theme of the Bible simply cannot be ignored at election time, as too many Christians have done for years. And any solution to the economic crisis that simply bails out the rich, and even the middle class, but ignores those at the bottom should simply be unacceptable to people of faith.“2. From the biblical prophets to Jesus, there is, at least, a biblical presumption against war and the hope of beating our swords into instruments of peace. So I will choose the candidates who will be least likely to lead us into more disastrous wars and find better ways to resolve the inevitable conflicts in the world and make us all safer. I will choose the candidates who seem to best understand that our security depends upon other people’s security (everyone having "their own vine and fig tree, so no one can make them afraid," as the prophets say) more than upon how high we can build walls or a stockpile of weapons. Christians should never expect a pacifist president, but we can insist on one who views military force only as a very last resort, when all other diplomatic and economic measures have failed, and never as a preferred or habitual response to conflict. “3. ‘Choosing life’ is a constant biblical theme, so I will choose candidates who have the most consistent ethic of life, addressing all the threats to human life and dignity that we face — not just one. Thirty-thousand children dying globally each day of preventable hunger and disease is a life issue. The genocide in Darfur is a life issue. Health care is a life issue. War is a life issue. The death penalty is a life issue. And on abortion, I will choose candidates who have the best chance to pursue the practical and proven policies which could dramatically reduce the number of abortions in America and therefore save precious unborn lives, rather than those who simply repeat the polarized legal debates and ‘pro-choice’ and ‘pro-life’ mantras from either side.“4. God’s fragile creation is clearly under assault, and I will choose the candidates who will likely be most faithful in our care of the environment. In particular, I will choose the candidates who will most clearly take on the growing threat of climate change, and who have the strongest commitment to the conversion of our economy and way of life to a cleaner, safer, and more renewable energy future. And that choice could accomplish other key moral priorities like the redemption of a dangerous foreign policy built on Middle East oil dependence, and the great prospects of job creation and economic renewal from a new ‘green’ economy built on more spiritual values of conservation, stewardship, sustainability, respect, responsibility, co-dependence, modesty, and even humility.“5. Every human being is made in the image of God, so I will choose the candidates who are most likely to protect human rights and human dignity. Sexual and economic slavery is on the rise around the world, and an end to human trafficking must become a top priority. As many religious leaders have now said, torture is completely morally unacceptable, under any circumstances, and I will choose the candidates who are most committed to reversing American policy on the treatment of prisoners. And I will choose the candidates who understand that the immigration system is totally broken and needs comprehensive reform, but must be changed in ways that are compassionate, fair, just, and consistent with the biblical command to ‘welcome the stranger.’“6. Healthy families are the foundation of our community life, and nothing is more important than how we are raising up the next generation. As the father of two young boys, I am deeply concerned about the values our leaders model in the midst of the cultural degeneracy assaulting our children. Which candidates will best exemplify and articulate strong family values, using the White House and other offices as bully pulpits to speak of sexual restraint and integrity, marital fidelity, strong parenting, and putting family values over economic values? And I will choose the candidates who promise to really deal with the enormous economic and cultural pressures that have made parenting such a ‘countercultural activity’ in America today, rather than those who merely scapegoat gay people for the serious problems of heterosexual family breakdown.”

Are you watching tonight's debate? I can't wait!

I received these updates today and I want to post it here, above all else I believe in the truth! so take this kind of like my own "retraction"/correction..

"Palin did not cut funding for special needs education in Alaska by 62 percent. She didn’t cut it at all. In fact, she tripled per-pupil funding over just three years."

and while I did not post this, here is another worth noting:

"She did not demand that books be banned from the Wasilla library. Some of the books on a widely circulated list were not even in print at the time. The librarian has said Palin asked a "What if?" question, but the librarian continued in her job through most of Palin's first term."

Palin's speech gets RAVE REVIEWS! And there is no denying that anyone that watched saw that she is beautiful, intelligent and well spoken. There were a few pesky problems with facts but that seems to be a common thread. That said I thought I would post/clarify a few that stood out to me.

Palin: "To the families of special-needs children all across this country, I have a message: For years, you sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and daughters. I pledge to you that if we are elected, you will have a friend and advocate in the White House."
I am guessing Sarah Palin must have changed her mind on this one recently? As she actually slashed funding for schools for special needs kids by 62%. Budgets: 2007, 2008, 2009.

Palin: "I told the Congress "thanks, but no thanks," for that Bridge to Nowhere. If our state wanted a bridge, we'd build it ourselves."
Congress' requirement that funds be earmarked for "the bridge" were removed before Sarah Palin became governor. She was therefore in no position to tell Congress anything about the bridge. However, during her campaign, she said she supported funding for "the bridge". "Would you continue state funding for the proposed Knik Arm and Gravina Island bridges?- Yes. I would like to see Alaska's infrastructure projects built sooner rather than later. The window is now--while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist." - Anchorage Dialy News.
By the way she later accepted the, no longer earmarked, money and used it for other infrastructure projects.

Palin: "The Democratic nominee for president supports plans to raise income taxes ... raise payroll taxes ... raise investment income taxes ... raise the death tax ... raise business taxes ... and increase the tax burden on the American people by hundreds of billions of dollars. My sister Heather and her husband have just built a service station that's now opened for business - like millions of others who run small businesses. How are they going to be any better off if taxes go up?"
How much does Heather and her husband make? if they bring home less than $250,000, their taxes will not go up. In fact most Americans will pay less in taxes under Obama's plan than under McCain's.

Palin: "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 reform - not even in the state senate."
Here you can read a rundown of Obama's accomplishments in the Senate. They include the Lugar-Obama bill and an ethics reform package that the Washington Post called "the strongest ethics legislation to emerge from Congress yet." Oh and like being a community organizer I was not not aware that writing memoirs was something to be ashamed of. Hum. Either way, Obama has written only one "memoir" it is McCain that has written a minimum of two.

Palin: "America needs more energy ... our opponent is against producing it."
Obama plans to develop a lot more energy than McCain does. Plus, Obama hasn't skipped the last eight votes on renewable energy.

Life Takes Visa...

U.S. credit-card debt has increased over 300% since 1990, estimated at almost $1 trillion, a record high. Most Americans carry four or more credit cards in their wallet and use them more than they should.
If today's looming debt crisis is not enough of a problem for the masses the limited regulation of the credit-card industry is rapidly pushing it over the edge for many Americans. Nationwide consumers are being burned by unfair and excessive fees, rapidly increasingly interest rates, and incomprehensible agreements that companies revise at will.
In 2007 credit-card companies collected $18.1 billion in penalty fees that accounted for almost half of the industry's profits.
Credit-card companies insist that with over 6000 card issuers consumers can shop around to avoid fees and penalties but consumer advocates maintain that companies often add new fees and change policies after you sign up and grandly inform you in impossible-to-understand, tiny print at the bottom of your statement.
If you use credit cards be CENTSable.
1) Make sure you're aware of changes in rates, rules and due dates. They can abruptly change from month to month.
2) Inform yourself on your cards policies to avoid extra charges and penalties including fees for balance transfers, cash advances, foreign currency conversion, near/over limit penatlies, paying off your balance by phone, and more.
3) If you decide/need to shop for a new card check your local bank and credit union and be leery of promotional introductory rates. They are usually just come-ons for balance transfers and if you make future purchases they will often accumulate at a higher rate and the payments you make will automatically apply to the lower interest transfer so the higher interest debt keeps building/compounding.
Meanwhile there is hope. Several bills now making their way through Congress are aimed at curbing deceptive card practices - write your congressman! until then, think twice before you whip out a card.

Conserve Oil and Save The Enviroment!

Quite simply we use too much plastic but today I am blogging about plastic bags. According to the EPA between 500 Billion and a Trillion plastic bags are consumed every year and less than 1% of plastic bags are recycled (at a cost of 125% of their retail worth).

Did you know that the US dumps millions of pounds of plastic in the ocean every year? Plastic bags alone account for 10% of the debris that washes up on our coastline hurts our scenery, contaminates our food sources, pollutes our soil and kills our wildlife? I know many of you simply do not buy in to the plastic problems and dozens of scientist could show you how it degrades and if they convinced you, your response would simply be how can little ole me help?

Well for a minimal cost (@$.75-$2 per bag) you can buy or make reusable shopping bags. I use Harris Teeter and Trader Joe bags that cost less than $1. This very small investment will save an average of over 26 plastic bags a month. That is over 300 bags a year. If 1/10 of the people that have read my blog this year did this simple thing then we would consume 960,000 less bags this year.

Or look at it like this... minimizing plastic use by using cloth bags would significantly reduce our dependence on the foreign oil. Yes OIL is used to make plastic. Studies estimate that China will conserve over 37,000,000 barrels of oil each year due to their ban on plastic bags.

So next time you are having a discussion about gas prices or the enviroment tell your friends how you do your part and use reuseable bags!

Want to make your own?
If you sew check out this blog for instructions on how to make reusable shopping bags or this one on how to recycle your old things into reusable bags

Or perhaps you dont sew but you do crochet? (I wish!!this is my new FAVE) then you can make the ULTIMATE reusable shopping bag (seen at left) and save the landfills and ocean from your recent shopping faux paus check this out I think I NEED to do my part and buy one what do you think?

Time For Campaignin'

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

Watch Out for Hidden Gas Fees!

Paying for gas with your credit card may cost you extra. Read here and post if you have seen or heard similar.
Thanks for the tip Rachel - I had never heard of this.

The Impact of Gas Cost$

Anne has a great post on "the financial impact of the gasoline-driven church"" Take a moment to read it. Neat perspective.

Speaking of gas I have a question... (really, not trying to start something I am seriously looking for an answer). Why do we need to lease more acres to expand offshore drilling when we are only currently drilling in/on 10.2 million of the 41 million that are currently leased? I heard today that 79% of the available off shore oil lies in these acres that are sitting untouched. Why expand (lease more) if we/they (with they being big oil) are not drilling at capacity now? Is it to maintain price/profit? or to maintain the argument that Environmentalists are the cause of the current gas problem? Anyone know? I really am curious.

Stephen Mansfield has unexpectedly nice things to say about Barack Obama

The conservative Evangelical biographer of George W. Bush and Tom DeLay has moved on to a new subject: Barack Obama. And his new book, due out this summer, may lend credibility to Senator Obama's bid to win Evangelical Christian voters away from the Republican Party.
The forthcoming volume from Stephen Mansfield, whose sympathetic "The Faith of George W. Bush" spent 15 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list in 2004, is titled "The Faith of Barack Obama." Its tone ranges from gently critical to gushing, and the author defends Obama-and even his controversial former minister, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright-from conservative critics, and portrays him as a compelling figure for Christian voters.
"Young Evangelicals are saying, 'Look, I'm pro-life but I'm looking at a guy who's first of all black-and they love that; two, who's a Christian; and three who believes faith should bear on public policy," Mansfield, who described himself as a conservative Republican, said in a telephone interview. "They disagree with him on abortion, but they agree with him on poverty, on the war."
His book, provided exclusively to Politico by the publisher, focuses more on Obama's religious journey than his electoral prospects.
"For Obama, faith is not simply political garb, something a focus group told him he ought to try. Instead, religion to him is transforming, lifelong, and real," Mansfield writes, going on to compare Obama favorably to Christian Democratic presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, who he says erected a "wall of separation" between their religion and their governance.
By contrast, "Obama's faith infuses his public policy, so that his faith is not just limited to the personal realms of his life, it also informs his leadership," Mansfield writes.
The book is published by Thomas Nelson, the world's largest Christian publisher. It's due out August 5. "The Faith of Barack Obama" is expected to retail in Christian outlets and the Wal-Mart chain of stores, as well as secular bookstores. A motivational speaker and former pastor, Mansfield is the author of several books on faith as well as the co-author of former House Republican powerhouse Tom DeLay's 2007book "No Retreat, No Surrender," a defense of his tarnished legacy sprinkled with fierce attacks on his opponents and on liberal causes.
Mansfield writes that Obama "is unapologetically Christian and unapologetically liberal." But he writes that in substance and in style, Obama holds an appeal to Evangelicals that Senator John McCain may lack.
He contrasted Obama's relative "fluency" with the language of religion-his campaign has outlined a pitch to the "Joshua Generation," a common term in Christian circles for younger Evangelicals-with the approach of his Republican rival.
"The McCain campaign is pretty clumsy when it comes to religion," he said, noting McCain's courtship, then renunciation, of two prominent Evangelical pastors, John Hagee and Rod Parsley.
In his Fathers Day speech at a Chicago church Sunday, Obama again spoke explicitly of his personal Christianity: "We do what we can to build our house upon the sturdiest rock, and for me that means building that house on the foundation of Jesus Christ."
Mansfield's book validates Obama's attempt-which began in earnest in his 2004 speech to the Democratic National Convention-to provide a compelling public face to the nascent "Religious Left." In that speech, he proclaimed that "we worship an awesome God in the blue states," and Mansfield tracks his continuing attempts to contest the One notable moment came in 2006 when Obama appeared at Reverend Rick Warren's megachurch beside GOP Senator Sam Brownback.
"Welcome to my house," Brownback told Obama on stage.
"This is my house too," Obama responded. "This is God's house."
Obama, Mansfield writes, "made it clear to all that he [will] not be moved from his rightful place in the Christian fold."
Obama's Christianity, however, has been under attack on two fronts this campaign season. The first is from a false, but widely held, belief that he is a Muslim. Mansfield dismisses that charge, then dwells at length on Obama's controversial church, Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ.
Mansfield said in the interview that he entered Trinity having heard "that Obama's church was a cult, something un-Christian, that Reverend Wright was a nut," but emerged with the view that it is "a pretty solid Christian church."
His warm description of the church reflects that view.
Though Mansfield writes of some jarringly radical features of the black liberation theology from which Trinity is descended, he concludes that what it offers is the "'born-again, new birth, blood-washed, Spirit-empowered Chrstianity' that Evangelicals know."
"Few sermons this good will be preached anywhere in America on this Sunday morning," he says of the sermon he heard from Trinity's current pastor, Rev. Otis Moss.
Mansfield's book is addressed to Evangelical readers, and it raises some questions about Obama's own faith, including his willingness to see contradictions in the bible, his belief that religions other than Protestant Christianity provide other "paths" to a "higher power," and his doubts about the afterlife.
There are also passages in Mansfield's book that may give Obama's secular supporters pause. In particular, a theme from his book on Bush—the suggestion that the president's rise was itself an act of God-reappears in his coverage of Obama. He approvingly quotes Obama's old rival Rep. Bobby Rush saying that Obama's Senate win was "divinely ordained."
"Increasingly, words such as called, chosen, and anointed are being used of Obama," he writes.
Despite Mansfield's praise of the candidate, however, and his view that Obama may win over large numbers of younger Evangelical voters, the author also demonstrates the limits to the Democrats' appeal.
Mansfield said he will vote against Obama in November for a single reason: "Because I'm pro-life."
By BEN SMITH

Unemployment rises AGAIN

The nation's unemployment rate jumped to 5.5 percent in May as employers cut 49,000 jobs bringing the number of unemployed (on the grid) to 8.5 million. That is the biggest monthly rise since February 1986. Dwindling job opportunities, continuing hardship in the housing, credit and financial sectors show a deeply troubled economy. The big jump in the unemployment rate surprised economists but payroll losses were not as deep as predicted. A big deal since employers have cut payrolls for five straight months. The White House expressed disappointment while trying to put a positive spin on it. "It is a number that is too high in our view but it is lower than the average of the last three decades." The country's economic problems are a top concern for voters and those vying to win the White House this fall. There has been a lot of talk about whether the economy has fallen into its first recession since 2001. That determination is usually made well after the fact. The average American's net worth is lower, their purchasing power is lower and it is tough to find/keep a job... is there really still a debate about whether the economy is in a recession?

What Happened

There appears to be nothing new in this book. It mostly just confirms in the dying days of the Bush administration what was already known by everyone outside the bubble surrounding the man himself.

Its no secret that many people inside the administration thought the Iraq war was stupid and unnecessary. Its hardly new to say that Bush's tone-deaf handling of events like Katrina was self-destructive. There is nothing new in saying that Bush is a bad manager of people and there is nothing new in telling people that Bush was willing to throw good people to the wolves in order to save Libby and Rove.

McClellan issues this disclaimer about Bush: "I do not believe he or his White House deliberately or consciously sought to deceive the American people."

McClellan says Bush's main reason for war always was "an ambitious and idealistic post-9/11 vision of transforming the Middle East through the spread of freedom." But Bush and his advisers made "a marketing choice" to downplay this rationale in favor of one focused on increasingly trumped-up portrayals of the threat posed by the weapons of mass destruction.

If you follow politics closely and objectively you will know both statements are true. In fact, I think everything in McClellan's book is likely true or at least true to his understanding.

McClellan's most devestating claim and the one that has the left foaming at the mouth is that Bush used propaganda to sell the Iraq war. Interesting choice of words Scott. You can call anything you want propaganda. Every politician, every president uses it. The official definition is as follows ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause. Nothing to do with a lie or false:-( Now go back to the first quote above about how Bush never purposely deceived the American public (if you believe that) Scott may have stirred the pot but in reality does the book really add anything?

The simple truth is that George W. Bush has been a disaster as president. His legacy will have been the destruction of the Republican party (which at current may be a good thing?) and the conservative movement. Bush and everything he stands for is totally discredited. This may be a good book for the sake of history? But it will have no effect politically. The handful of dead-enders who cling to Bush are not going to change their minds no matter what.

If you read the book (in full text) and have something to add, please do!

Politics...

Fox talks about how they really feel

Here is how I feel..

A Comedic Voice from the Right

Hillary Quits, Blames ‘Vast Math Conspiracy’
by Scott Ott

(2008-05-07) — Sen. Hillary Clinton aborted her White House bid today blaming what she called a “vast mathematical conspiracy” that secretly works to keep women out of positions of power.
The former First Lady said she would return to the U.S. Senate and introduce legislation to help female presidential candidates “breakthrough the math ceiling.”
Party insiders pressured her to pull out after Tuesday’s crushing defeat in the North Carolina primary and her surprisingly thin victory in Indiana.
“It’s beyond coincidence that Barack Obama has more votes, more delegates and more money than I do,” said a tearful Sen. Clinton at a news conference announcing her withdrawal from the race. “It would take a willing suspension of disbelief to think that I was forced out of this race because a majority of Democrats don’t want me to be president.”
“I’ve always heard that figures don’t lie,” she said, “but apparently they’ll do whatever it takes to crush the hopes and dreams of American women.”

(who says I am not balanced? heehee. seriously I feel for her)

Econ101

In an attempt to win primary votes Hillary has joined McCain in calling for a hiatus of the .184 federal gas tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Clinton says "Record oil prices are contributing to higher energy prices, food prices and a squeeze that is making many middle-class families feel like they are falling further behind... Suspending the gas tax will provide real, immediate assistance to American families and for our economy." This followed McCain's comments early this month that "The effect will be an immediate economic stimulus - taking a few dollars off the price of a tank of gas every time a family, a farmer, or trucker stops to fill up".
If my memory of Econ101 is correct. A drop in gas prices will result in higher demand (especially this time of year) and the price will spring right back up to where it dropped from meaning that the govt might not get the .184 but big oil will! (I don't get it "they" claim we can't cease our filling of US "reserves" (that are 97% full) because the result would only be a fastly adjusted blip and not worth it in the long run. Is this not glaringly similar?)
Ok, yes in the short run drivers may save some $ when they fill up (an average of $1 for every 100 miles which is roughly $2.30 every time you fill your tank) but that will not change the price of groceries or make you suddenly be able to road trip it out West and in order to bring drivers that substantial savings the federal goverment will have to find a way to cover a $10 billion budget gap. (a gap McCain says borrow or let be and Clinton says big oil will pay...yeah right!) A budget gap that could lead to job losses on state construction and highway projects. Are you willing to give up your neighbors job to save a penny a mile?
In other words this "gas stimulus" (that even Bush doesnt support, heck maybe that means it is a good idea?) would be another bandaid and one that likely comes with a BIG cost down the road.
What's your opinion?

Here Comes the $

Under the government's economic stimulus plan, 130 million people will receive tax rebate checks for $300 and up, starting Monday. Read more...