12 Steps to vote Against McCain/Palin

Ok. So, I've never done a 12 step program before. I did quite a 2pack a day smoking habit 18 years ago. But I just slowly cut back till I couldn't any more and then one day I just didn't buy anymore cigarettes. I ate a lot of chocolate, and apparently, I was really grumping, moody, and down right bit&%y! Go figure.

I'm going to just lay this out on the line in 12 reasons - it may be hard to limit it to 12, but I'll try.

1. McCain and Palin are against protecting women's rights. And this has nothing to do with abortion. In fact in this issue I can list an additional 5 ways they are against women's equal rights and healthcare without mentioning that a-word. You want to see me try? Really? Ok. Here goes. I have this friend named Cecille. And she really cares about women's healthcare. Alot. Her mom was Ann Richards, the former Republican governor of Texas. And Cecile was kind enough to make this list available to me and lots of my friends. I've cut and pasted some of it:
1. John McCain opposes equal pay legislation, saying it wouldn’t do "anything to help the rights of women."
   
2. John McCain opposes requiring health care plans to cover birth control.
   
3. John McCain opposes comprehensive, medically accurate sex education.
   
4. John McCain opposes restoring family planning services for low-income women.
   
5. John McCain said he was "stumped" when asked whether contraceptives help stop the spread of HIV. (Thank you to Cecile Richards and Planned Parenthood - my primary health care provider when I had no insurance).
   
2. Socialim. Ok. So I have a Bachelor's of Arts in Political Science from Penn State U. Which may explain why I get so freakin' frustrated with Sarah Palin, and John McCain for picking her. I'm a Political Science geek and I'll admit that. But let's get back to Socialism. For those of you who aren't poli sci geeks I'll forgive you and help you out here. From Wikipedia a simple definition of socialism: "refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods, and the creation of an egalitarian society." So, if you look at all the states in America, do you ever find an example of socialism? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Let's see. I lived in Alaska for 4 1/2 years. Yeah. I think everyone in my family received a dividend check, even the baby! For what? What's that? Oh, we were citizens of the state of Alaska, which means we were all collectively, owners of the oil resources of the state of Alaska. Collective ownership? Socialism? Hmmm. Sarah Palin is the governor of this great socialist state. And this year, she sent an EXTRA check to each and every citizen-owner. Ummm. Can you say "hypocrite" boys and girls? Yes, that's "hip - o - crit". Or, maybe, we'll give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she really didn't know what socialism means. Hmm. so I want to vote for a leader of my country who knows less than I do, better yet, less than my 9 year old son does, of general political concepts. How can she be respected on the world stage with other world leaders?
3. On to the next topic before I need some Tums. Ayers, Kahlid Rashidi. So, I'm going to say what my mom used to tell me, "When you point your finger, 4 are pointing back at you." So, John McCain's campaign has been pointing it's finger at Barack Obama for this "relationship of palling around with Bill Ayers, that terrorist, and Rashidi who is so vehemently opposed to Israel." It was coffee and donuts night. Puh-lease! Let's look at John McCain's relationship wtih Kahlid Rashidi. McCain sat on the board of a conservative Republican group that gave almost 1/2 a million dollars ot Rashidi! I can't amke this stuff up folks!!
   
4. Constitutional Law 101. part 1. yes, as I said, I'm a poli sci geek. So I have 3 copies of the constitution, not including those that are imbeded in poli sci books. I think everyone should have a copy and read it. But that's me. I do think that every Federal government official should have a copy, read it regularly, and maybe even read a little bit about what Constitutional Scholars think about it too. Duties of the Vice President. What does the Constitution have to say????? She was asked 4 times, and got it wrong. The Veep is to wait and be ready to take over as President in the awful event that the President is no longer available to fulfill his office ("through death, resignation, removal from office, or inability to perform the duties of his office"). Secondly, the Veep also has a role in the Senate - but this is where she really got it wrong. Just ask Lyndon B. Johnson, who was a senator, then became Veep. He attended a Senator's luncheon as Veep and was shown the door! Article 1, Section 3, "The Vice President of the United States shall be the President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided." That's it. No interpretation, Governor. No mixing it up with the Senators to create legislation. Let's keep with the Framer's Intent. That is how you read the Constitution, isn't it???
   
5. Constitutional Law 101. part 2. First Amendment protections. As Keith Oberlann just said, "Read the Constitution Governor. It's FUN!" Since she didn't, I'll reprint the 1st amendment for you, "Amendment 1. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment if religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." What this means is that Government can't block the press's right to speak/write, not the other way around.
   
6. Constitutional Law 101. Part 3. Federalism vs. States Rights. Ok. So if you're going to throw around poli sci geek words from Poli Sci 101 you should know what they mean. So, Sarah Palin says in an interview that she is a Federalist. She then goes on to explain that she means that some things need to be decided by the states. Well, if you are a follower of George Bush and his policies, then I guess you are a new Bushie Federalist. Because W. went ahead and in his total dunceness turned the definition of Federalism inside out (which ticks me off but that's another story). But, to sit there and say that you are a Federalist in the tradition of George W. Bush means that you are lock-step with him philosophically - ergo we can expect 4 more of the last 8 years. Unless you are part of the ubber-rich that doesn't sound so good.
   
7. healthcare. John McCain's Economics Advisor Douglas Holtz-Eakin says "why would young healthy people leave their healthcare provider when their credit won't buy them anything better." If young healthy kids can't do better on the free market, how are the rest of us going to survive? Even his top economics advisor knows that his healthcare plan stinks. enough said.
   
8. Not understanding programs that are designed to help people with special needs, and ridiculing them at a rally. Sarah Palin went on the record to families of children with special needs that they would have an advocate and friend in the White House if John McCAin and she were elected. Well, you don't sound like an advocate to me when you go ahead and make fun of fruit fly research aimed at helping people who have autism. What it makes you sound like to me is an a$$. If you are interested in more about my dislike of pandering to the special needs community read my blog about that.
   
9. Lying about being an open book. Governor Palin said she was an open-book and that her health records would be released. Well, I'm going to have to call bull-$hit on that one. In her interview with NBC, she said they would be released - but where are they? She is aware of the questions regarding her pregnancy and why would she risk her baby and her life to travel back to Alaska after her water broke when there were excellent hospitals in Texas (arguably better than in Alaska).
   
10. Ethics violations. Enough said. She has been found to violate the State of Alaska's Ethics Laws. And then she looked at the camera and said she was glad to be found not in violation of those pesky ethics. UGH.
    

That's all for now folks. I need to go find those Tums or Rolaids, or maybe just a good bottle of wine. Thanks for reading and thinking. Don't forget to vote.