More lies about Obama

I received the latest email spewing lies about Barack Obama from one of my college buddies. It proports to be written by a man named Chuck Green, who apparently is a "journalist."

Like you, when I heard that John McCain had selected Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, I said, “Who?”

As the details emerged over the next couple of hours, I was even more puzzled. Barely two years into statewide office, former mayor of a town of fewer than 7,000 citizens, caribou hunter, hockey mom, commercial fisherwoman, former pageant winner, PTA mother of five.

Had McCain lost his mind?

But, as the hours passed and dusk turned to dawn, other aspects of her life started to surface, and the surprising choice started to become more sensible.

Could Sarah Palin actually be more qualified than say, Barack Obama, to become president, should something tragic happen to the 72-year-old McCain? The comparisons of Palin and Obama started to come into sharper focus.

They both have only one house - although his is a $1.8 million mansion, and hers is a standard family house worth about $160,000.

Let's not pretend these two numbers are directly comparable. Something tells me the same house in Wasilla, AK is not going to be "worth" the same amount as it would be if you transplanted the same house to Chicago, IL. Also, I don't think the McCain camp wants to use the value of one's real estate as a measuring stick by which we determine if one is fit for office.

As a member of the Wasilla City Council, she didn’t vote “present” on any issues, while Obama voted “present” about 160 times while he was a legislator in Illinois. She hasn’t been afraid to take stands on tough issues, then face the consequences on the Main Street of Wasilla the next morning.

Voting present is a symbolic gesture. The end result is not changed. This is a weak argument. Sure, 160 times is a lot, but I don't care. Also, something tells me that Ms. Palin wasn't subjected to votes with the same level of importance when she was on the governing body of her village.

One of her first acts as mayor was to fire the town’s trouble-making police chief. Obama found it heart-wrenching to fire his racism-spewing, hate-mongering pastor.

Pray-tell, what trouble did he make? She also tried to fire the "trouble-making" librarian because she wouldn't let her pull books from the shelves that offended her Christian sensibilities, an act that damn near got her re-called before her first term was up. The official reason for these terminations? Failure to cooperate with the administration. No lie, check it out.

She resigned her post as an Alaskan oil and gas commissioner because she thought her Republican colleagues were too cozy with the executives of oil and gas companies. Obama hasn’t even denounced his self-acclaimed friend, William Ayers, the radical leftist who helped bomb U.S. facilities in the 1960s and who continues to advocate anti-American sentiments.

First off, politicians call everyone their "dear, dear friend." If they remember your name and you're a supporter, you're friends. Secondly, if we held every politician accountable for the 40 year-old actions of their political acquaintances, no one would be in office. McCain was a member of the Keating 5 and his father-in-law did business with the mob. Mr. Palin was a member of the Alaskan Independence Party, a radical secessionist organization. Hell, Sarah Palin even did this video for them.

She campaigned, and won, the governor’s seat in a scrappy fight against a powerful Republican incumbent in her continuing crusade against corruption and unethical practices in Alaska. Obama has rarely even cast a vote against members of his own party.

Of course, he authored landmark campaign finance and ethics reforms his first year in office, but that doesn't really fit with your strategy in this column, does it Chuck? Palin's "crusade against corruption" is almost as much of a joke as McCain's. Palin secured $720 million in earmarks for Alaska in her first 20 months as Governor. When she was mayor of Mayberry, she hired a lobbying firm that brought in $27 million in earmarks for her tiny little village. She supported the bridge to nowhere, she was endorsed by indicted Senator Ted Stevens and she even ran his shady 527 PAC. But, I guess it's not like she was a member of the Keating 5 or anything.

She has successfully governed a state with enormous environmental, economic, strategic and corruption issues. Obama has never governed anything; he has simply cast votes, one among hundreds of others who have no accountability for their actions.

So, let me get this straight, when Palin was on the Maybery City Council, she showed leadership and earned valuable experience. When Obama was in the Illinois and United States Senate, all he did was cast votes. What did John McCain do in his nearly three decades in Congress?

There is a big difference between someone making daily decisions as an executive, and one among hundreds who voices an opinion.

Are these the same "daily decisions" that Mayor Palin made that took the town of Wasilla from being almost completely debt free to being tens of millions of dollars in debt? That caused a village to build a multi-million dollar ice-skating rink when they didn't have sewer or storm water treatment? Or to break ground on said ice-skatin rink before you even had the deed to the property, resulting in millions of dollars in legal fees to fight litigation?

Palin has said “no” to hundreds of millions in federal handouts to Alaska; Obama has never turned away federal money and advocates spending billions and billions more.

See above. This isn't even just flawed logic, it's an outright lie. I'll tell myself that Mr. Green is just a lazy journalist and not a partisan hack promoting something he knows to be untrue.

Palin has governed a state that borders the former Soviet Union and Canada. Obama has served in the legislature of a state that borders Iowa

.LOL. If I wasn't so jaded, I'd be outraged by this statement. But I just can't help but laugh. Where do I begin. First, Alaska does not share a border with Russia, and hasn't for, you know, eons. Back during the days of Pangea, it probably shared a border with Africa too, does that make Palin uniquely qualified to solve the AIDS crisis?

Second, the Soviet Union no longer exists. Could you guys try a little bit harder to prove you haven't gotten over the Cold War mindset.

Also, to be fair, Illinois also borders Indiana and Wisconsin. And Canada is practically on the other side of Lake Michigan (OK, it isn't really, there's that pesky Upper Peninsula of Michigan, but if Alaska can be said to border the Soviet Union Commonwealth of Independent States Russia, I can say Illinois borders Canada.

Even if this argument mattered, I say we elect baseball player Curt Schilling President. He's from Alaska, and he won a baseball game with his Achilles tendon exposed. One word: hero.

Palin has been to the Middle East and has a son in the Army who will be deployed to Iraq next week. Obama visited Iraq for two days a few weeks ago.

See Biden, Joe. Next.

Palin has governed a state twice the size of France, with rave reviews; Obama has governed nothing.

WTF? Since when was the total acreage of your state a determining factor in your competency and ability to govern. Perhaps we should elect Vladmir Putin to be head of the UN. I mean, Russia is the biggest country in the world, so he

Chew on this, Alaska has about 760,000 people. The greater Kansas City metro-area has about 1.9 million people.

Palin has worked the last couple of years on the job, earning her salary as governor. Obama has spent the last couple of years collecting a salary as U.S. senator, but spending most of his job running for the Democrat nomination for the presidency.

Again, not a fight John McCain wants to start. His attendance record is even worse than Obama's.

Palin’s spouse has spent his life working the hard tasks of an Alaskan commercial fisherman and oil pipeline supervisor; Obama’s spouse has worked as a hospital public-relations executive earning more than $200,000 a year.

How is a spouse's income/employment relevant? I don't begrudge John McCain for marrying hot rich girls, I just pray for Cindy's sake she doesn't get in a car accident.

The Obama's worked hard, they got a good education and they made themselves some money. Sure they were the least rich of all 50 people running for President from both parties, but let's paint them to be rich elitists anyway (says the man who married into a beer-distribution fortune worth nearly $100 million)

Palin has made the agonizing life-and-death decision over whether to abort a Down Syndrome baby and now faces the challenge of helping her 17-year-old daughter through a pregnancy; the Obamas have the blessings of two healthy, beautiful daughters with the difficult years still ahead of them.

I'll let Samantha Bee answer this one.

The contrasts go on and on, and in each instance Obama seems to be on the short end of experience and tough decisions.

America is no longer asking, “Sarah Who?”

You're right, they know who she is, and know she isn't fit to be Vice President.

Email Chuck at chuckgreencolo@msn.com and let him know you're tired of people spreading lies.

Obama/Bayh

A Lenexa print shop is reportedly printing Obama/Bayh bumper stickers.

We'll keep you posted.

Bob Dole weighs in on John McCain

From the Kansas City Star's blog.

It's a wonder this guy didn't win the Presidency in 1996. Oh wait, no it isn't.

I know he's looking at [VP candidates] because...I talked with somebody who's sort of in the loop on that. They haven't got much time...I don't know who's being vetted, but you need to vet them very carefully.

Did it seriously take him 38 words including two ellipses and four contractions to say 1) he doesn't know who is going to be the veep and 2) it's important to vet the candidates? Thanks for enlightening us, Bob.

Does McCain have a message? "They said that about me (that I didn't have a message). If you're winning, you're a hell of a candidate, but if you lose, you're a bum...I think he needs to get the campaign a little more focused.

Not a good sign, for George W. McCain. As you all remember, Bob Dole's campaign didn't work out so well.

And our personal favorite...

This big trip overseas was a wash.. if I'm living out in Russell, Kansas, and a candidate is over in Germany with a couple hundred thousand Germans, and I can't get gas because I've got four bucks in my pocket, I'm not sure I get too excited about someone being all the way to Germany.

First off, Bob Dole hasn't seen Russell, KS in decades, so I'm not sure how he would know anything about what the people there feel. Secondly, John McCain went on a trip abroad a mere weeks before Barack Obama.

If McCain were in Germany, there would be approximately 20 people. If Bush was there, there would be about 500, but 495 of them would be burning American flags.

I don't see how the fact that Barack Obama isn't hated abroad is a liability, in Russell, KS or in North Carolina/Washington D.C. where Bob Dole actually, you know, lives.

Hey, maybe when his wife loses her Senate seat in North Carolina, they'll move back to Kansas. OK, probably not.

James Dobson: Christian Police

Folks, even though it's finally come out that Barack Obama is not a
MUSLIM (as if it should matter if he were), he is still not CHRISTIAN enough for James Dobson and the radical right.

First, Dr. Rick Scarborough, a Southern Baptist minister, decided to play doorman at the Pearly Gates.

When a man publicizes his 'Christianity far and wide, Christians have every right to check him out. Based on the record, one can only conclude that Barack Obama does not adhere to traditional Christianity.

Apparently St. Peter had the day off and tabbed this guy to determine who was and was not a Christian. Can we do the same to Dr. Scarborough, or is his salvation just assumed?

Last time I read my Bible, only God was in any position to judge who was and was not worthy of admittance into the Kingdom of Heaven. But what do I know, I'm just a person. I don't have a phd in psychology like James Dobson.

Dobson has apparently been called by God to grade the candidates piousness, and Barack Obama, he get's an F.

"I think he's deliberately distorting the traditional (read: Dobson's) understanding of the Bible to fit his own worldview, his own confused theology," Dobson said.

"... He is dragging biblical understanding through the gutter."

I'll pause for a moment while those of you familiar with Dr. Dobson's work ponder that statement. No. No. Stop! Stop pounding your head against the wall, he's not worth a cerebral hematoma.

Is he serious? Does he not understand the irony (or is it hypocrisy) of his own words?

Dr. Dobson has made a career out of picking and choosing various lessons from scripture and using them to further his own political and social agenda.

James Dobson is to the religious community as Dr. Phil is to the psychological community.

Obama's statement that drew the ire of Dr. Dobson is, in fact a very thoughtful one.

"Even if we did have only Christians in our midst, if we expelled every non-Christian from the United States of America, whose Christianity would we teach in the schools?" Obama said. "Would we go with James Dobson's or Al Sharpton's?" referring to the civil rights leader.

The point being, reasonable, well-meaning Christians can disagree. Even the Bible, which many in the radical right believe should be taken literally, is riddled with contradictions. So which interpretation is "correct"?

I don't pretend to have an answer, but I do know that Jesus taught that loving our fellow man was the most important thing one can do, and I don't see a lot of love for our fellow man in Dr. Dobson's version of theology.

Does that mean he's wrong? I guess he'll find out one of these days. In the meantime, I'll leave you with some scripture I have selectively chosen to prove my point.

"Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others, because in passing judgement on others you condemn yourself." Romans 2:1

"Do you imagine, whoever you are, that when you judge those who do such things you will escape the judgement of God" Romans 2:3

And last, but not least, from Christ himself.

1"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

3"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Matthew 7

Ruh roh, Democrats read the Bible too.

Offensive rhetoric from the KS GOP

Christian Morgan and the KS GOP have reached a new low.

In a recent blog post, Morgan and his cronies parrot a National Review story criticizing Sen. Barack Obama for supporting giving constitutional rights to detainees at Guantanamo Bay (the scoundrel!)

As if it wasn't bad enough that McCain called the decision“one of the worst decisions in the history of this country.” Ya, right up there with Dred Scott and Plessy v. Ferguson. Or Roe v. Wade if you are so inclined.

Worse than that though, Morgan and the National Review call Obama the "September 10 candidate." This is nothing more than cheap, underhanded fear politics and Christian should be ashamed of himself.

People on both sides of the aisle should be able to agree on one thing, the thousands that died on Sept. 11, 2001 did not die so that people could use their deaths to score cheap political points and to do so trivializes the tragedy that was 9/11.

Not only that, but it's insulting and outlandish to insinuate that any candidate, Republican or Democrat, would ever do anything they felt would make an attack like the one of that fateful Tuesday more likely.

Supporters of Obama and McCain can debate the legal merits of extending the writ of habeas corpus to those incarcerated at Guantanamo Bay, but neither side should resort to accusing the other of promoting further terrorist attacks or being on the side of the terrorists.

Whatever your political leanings may be, we think we can all agree that this sort of political hackery is unconscionable. If you agree, call Christian Morgan and tell him the best way to honor those who were killed on 9/11 and those who have died fighting to protect those rights is to refrain from using their deaths to score cheap political points. The number is (785) 228-0353.

Kansas GOP misleads yet again

Now that the Kansas GOP has started their own blog, it's become a lot easier for them to make stuff up (or at least so that people can read their lies).

These days, they're misinforming the public about Barack Obama's stance on gas prices -- specifically the gas tax holiday which economists EVERYWHERE argue is a horrible idea. Apparently the KS GOP isn't casting their lot with economists either.

Think about it, if the supply of oil remains constant, and the price rapidly decreases (nearly 19 cents a gallon if the federal gas tax is temporarily repealed) what do you think will happen?

Naturally, demand for gas, which has been going down lately, will increase. For those of you who haven't taken any economics courses, when supply remains constant and demand increases, price increases as well.

Economists believe that this spike in demand would at the very least negate the 19 cents per gallon saved by the repeal of the tax and maybe even surpass it. Meaning that instead of the 19 cents per gallon (approxmately $8 billion per year) going to build roads and bridges and highways, it would go to the pockets of big oil, who don't need it.

If you don't believe me, check out what Dartmouth and Oxford educated economist Robert Reich has to say in his May 4 blog. Reich served in the Clinton administration and is a personal friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton (who is also advoating for a gas tax holiday), so it's not as if he has an axe to grind.

If the KS GOP truly believed that Obama didn't have a chance to win Kansas, do you think they would waste their time spreading misinformation about him in mid-May? Me neither.

Is this over yet?

Dear Sen. Clinton,

We're writing you this letter today not as supporters of you or Sen. Obama, but as Democrats. We have made it a priority to endorse neither you nor Sen. Obama on this blog because we feel that lots of good Democrats wholeheartedly support both of you and in the end, we'd be giddy with an Obama Administration or a Clinton Administration.

With that in mind, we write you this letter today asking you to withdraw your name from conention for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.

We have known for quite some time, as I'm sure you have as well, that your road to the nomination was going to depend on seating Florida and Michigan's delegates and convincing a significant majority of the unpledged superdelegates to support you. However, after Sen. Obama won convincingly in North Carolina and took you down to the wire in Indiana, it's just impossible for you to secure the nomination without some sort of last second deal-making that in our estimation would be detrimental to the party.

Sen. Obama leads you by 155 delegates with only 217 delegates left to be awarded, and the demographics of the remaining states make anything but a split of those last delegates highly unlikely.

The scorched earth mentality that this primary has taken on makes continuing forward a suicide mission. As we continue to gash at each other's throats, John McCain is out on the campaign trail in the battleground states framing himself. He's telling voters that he's a maverick, when we know that the Straight Talk Express has had four flat tires for a few years now. Sen. McCain is telling voters in Ohio and Florida and Missouri and Colorado that he's a new voice, but we all know that he represents four more years of the same failed Bush policies.

It's time to put aside our own personal ambitions and do what's best for the party and for the country. While you would have been a great candidate, the voters have spoken and Sen. Obama came out on top. It's time to admit defeat.

Moreover, when giving your concession speech, please plead with your supporters to put aside all the animosity of the primary and unite behind one candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, so that we can send Sen. McCain out to pasture where he belongs. This is not about Hillary Clinton. This is not about Barack Obama. This is about the Democratic Party and the people of the United States. We are not endorsing Sen. Obama or unendorsing you, we are just pleading that you let the curtain come down on a valiant effort made by a great candidate and let this party and this country move on.

Sincerly,
The Left Brain team