Well, the republican party seems to be on self-destruct, now.
Police are arresting political protesters.on grounds that they are planning a riot--with ZERO evidence to back up that claim, other than the fact that the head protesters are trying to pull in 50,000 MARCHERS. Marchers, not rioters...we're talking nurses, school teachers, union workers, grandmothers, children. What is this, Northern Ireland? No. It's....Minnesota.
In the run-up to the republican national convention, city officials (Republican city officials, from what I've read) are having some protestors arrested on very questionable and shaky grounds, claiming that the organizers of an anti-republican protest--who had hoped to draw in some 50,000 marchers, are planning to "stage a riot" at the convention. In her most recent post, blogger Sweetladyjane has added that these arrests have taken place at two organizer's homes, and one "undisclosed location."
As I commented to Sweetladyjane, the republicans are only hanging themselves, shooting bullets into their feet to save their faces...and any other gory and graphic analogy's one can think of. I told SLJ, that the conservative's ideal of "democracy" is exactly the same as Stalin's idea of socialism, and Hitler's idea of fascism. This definitely doesn't make McCain look good, that's for sure.
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In other neoconservative news, we have McCain's pick for a running mate. This, mind you, is the same John McCain who has been dissing Obama's "LACK OF EXPERIENCE." McCain as chosen for his vice-president...a little-known govenor from Alaska, who has HARDLY ANY political experience. At least Obama was a senator, and chose a long-time SENATOR as his V-P pick.
The first thing that hits me,” said Stephen Hess of the Brookings Institution, "is that it suggests that John McCain is a gambler. This is a high-roller decision.”
“The next thing you have to ask yourself: Is it worrisome to have a gambler in the Oval Office? That’s an important question," he said, “perhaps more important than anything else today.”
Additionally, McCain's choice, the Gov. from Alaska, has a poor track record, in regards to her dealings with the people who oppose her--she allegedly doesn't take it very well. The woman is famous for her bad temper, and allegedly fired the head of a local police force, for failing to hire her brother--and also because he'd campaigned against her...the resulting law suit was later overturned by a judge, who delcared that the then-mayor Palin could fire anyone she wished, even on political grounds--so much for democracy and freedom of speech without fear of censure. The former beauty queen contestant and sports reporter only became a politician in the 90's, starting out as city council member, working her way up to mayor--amid a later bid by people in her city, to have her removed from office--a bid that was later withdrawn.
Pailn is strongly in favour of gas and oil development in Alaska's environmentally sensative tundra regions and ocean waters--she has shown that she cares very little for envronmental concerns. However, the one thing McCain may have in his favour, is that Palin is proactive over high energy costs, and has done much to assist Alaskans to help with petrol and heating oil and gas bills, from the surplus provided from oil company profits. Voters may forget the need to look after our environment, in their personal anxiety over energy costs....this is the only real card that McCain can play, in the battle of the vice-presidents, that I can see. Palin has no foreign policy background, and few diplomatic skills, unlike Senator Joe Biden, who, I THINK was on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee?
A fan of the nationally famous (bigot/racist/homophobe) Pat Buchannan, she eventually became gov. of Alaska, in (I think) 2002. Whereas Joe Biden has been a US Senator for decades.
McCain, who has gone on and on and on...about Obama's lack of experience, his lack of foreign policiy skills--the fact that Obama is new to Washington politics--McCain has just handed Obama the election, by picking a V-P running mate, who has no foreign policy skills, has been in polictics for only about 15 years--and has never held a national office--and certainly never in Washington D.C.!
“I think she is the most inexperienced person on a major-party ticket in modern history,” said presidential historian Matthew Dallek.
The McCain camp has also been at Obama for for "playing the race card"--and then McCain turns around and picks a female running mate, instead of the usual White Anglo-Saxon Protestant male that republicans have picked since before the Civil War in the 19th Century!
The McCain camp hit back at all the presidential historians quoted in a recent Associated Press article, who all expressed reactions from outright surprise, to dismay---McCain's people wrote in, whinging that all of the noted historical scholars quoted in the article were "Obama supporters" and "(that they) would criticise any choicehe (McCain) made."
And, on top of that, McCain repeatedly called Obama "elitist," yet when asked how many homes he owns, McCain couldn't remember (I believe the number of homes he owns was later revealed as around five or six, but can't confirm it).
So, though many of Obama's initial supporters have backed off of him, for abruptly leaning too far right, Obama probably will pull off the election, due to the republicans extreme bumbling---both parties have made their share of fumbles--but now McCain and the entire republican party are working hard at becomeing Political Campaign Fumblers of the Year, methinks.
Good. As my late mum used to say: "The only good republican is a retired republican--preferably one with Alzheimers or in a coma." For a straight-laced, tea-drinking, retired librarian, mum could sure be a rip, sometimes.
