Thursday, July 31, 2008

Problem with...McCain's Ads


Here's the ad:




Problems with this ad:

1) He's comparing Obama to Paris Hilton and Brittany Spears. This would be known as a false analogy as they are both dumb as rocks and Obama is clearly intelligent. You can disagree with his positions, but if you don't think Obama is intelligent I'm going to bet you think the earth is 6,000 years old or Lizards control the government.


2) Obama is against off-shore drilling. Hmmm, I wonder why that would be true. Is it because off-shore drilling won't help the energy crisis we're experiencing? Between a Republican and a Democratic candidate, who do you think is more likely to continue letting the oil companies do what they want? Now granted I would like to hear what positive things Obama plans for the energy crisis, but his lack of support for offshore drilling just seems to make it clear that he understands the problem better than McCain.


3) Raise taxes. Ahh, the old standard. Democrat = tax and spend. Of course, we have a situation right now where our government is hemorrhaging money it doesn't have. So I guess that makes the other half: Republicans = do nothing and spend.


4) The biggest problem is ultimately the negativity. Nothing in that ad gives a positive message from McCain. In fact, judging from the statements in the ad alone, McCain could do and promote exactly the same things he accuses Obama of promoting. Nowhere does it say that McCain will drill offshore, or that McCain won't raise taxes. There is not a single instance of McCain saying anything positive about himself.


5) His smirking face at the end is not going to help him. 


One of the reasons I thought McCain got the Republican nod was that it seemed like he wasn't going to pull all of the same old garbage. Republicans are just as sick of this negativity as Democrats and those of us who are independents were sick of it long before them. We had a chance with Obama and McCain, the first chance in as long as I can remember, to have a real positive campaign were both sides spent their time arguing for their positions and not kneecapping the other. I also think it is still possible, but only if we the public make it clear that this kind of nonsense will not fly. 


The Rational Moderate.

Monday, July 28, 2008

YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS

No. Really. I know you're thinking you don't have time for this. Seriously, watch it.

"Don't Talk to the Police." (Even when you're innocent.)




I think my favorite line from the officer was "off the record is like a unicorn - no such thing"

The Rational Moderate

Friday, July 25, 2008

Thursday, July 24, 2008

More Fun with the TSA

Here are two stories to lighten your heart when you realize that you don't have to fly anywhere today. (My apologies for those reading this in an airport.)

This first article is about a CNN reporter who wrote critically about the TSA's security measures. Ever since then he is harassed by security in every airport he goes to. What makes this richer is that the TSA claims he is not on the watch list even though the airport security has told him he was. 

The second article is about x-rated searches. Basically, if you have anything wrong with you - say a prosthetic leg - you can expect to be striped searched in a room with glass walls (don't throw stones) in front of anyone who wants a good show when your leg sets off the metal detectors. Oh, and you should be glad that your safer because they're making you do this. Why can't the video game = pornography crusaders help us out with this one. 

The Rational Moderate

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Zombies!!!

Sorry it's been a while since I've posted. Here's something fun and creepy to hold you over.


The Rational Moderate

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

One Million!!!

I've heard questions raised about the definition of a terrorist with regards to fighting in a war, for example the Colonies in the Revolutionary War. But I never thought about it this way before: can you be a terrorist if you are in the majority? If those who are in charge or are the majority go smacking around a minority group, is that terrorism?


The Rational Moderate

Monday, July 14, 2008

Oceanspray


hmmm... ocean spray.

(Don't ask)

The Rational Moderate

Friday, July 11, 2008

More TSA Madness

via Boing Boing
Here is a great article on a pilot encountering one of the many ridiculous rules being propagated and enforced by the TSA. In this case the pilot was not allowed to bring a piece of cutlery on the plane that is the exact same cutlery that is given to everyone on the plane. I love the header:
Propped up by a culture of fear, TSA has become a bureaucracy with too much power and little accountability. Where will the lunacy stop?

I wonder if anyone out there has complied a list of all the time-wasting, economic-trashing, 1950's-comic book-inspired rules that are in place now thanks to the current administration of the TSA.

The Rational Moderate

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

The Fourth Amendment

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.


I just wish I could say that to all the politicians who voted for the FISA "compro*spit*ise."

The Rational Moderate

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Problem with... Obama

As I mentioned last time, I wanted to breifly touch on the controversy that is surrounding Obama and his support for the "compromise" on the FISA bill. This is the type of action that should make a lot of folks who supported Obama worry and makes people who didn't much care for him see why. For 7 years we've watched the executive branch of this nation abuse and overstep it's power. Let me rephrase that, we watched them assume more power and watched congress let them do it. This is one more instance. Now the cynic in me thinks that the democrats see this as an opportunity to use some of this power to make positive changes without realizing that is also what the republicans think and, well, usually what everyone thinks when grabbing for power. The problem here (and it's really a problem for both sides - how I long for a D&D die to explain political positions rather than the flip of a coin we have now) is:

1) They'll probably muck it up. 

2) They won't be in power forever and their opponents will likely get that power back to use against them. 


Obama, to some degree, gets the first point. See his addressing the outpouring of disgust on his website. But I don't think he gets the second. If you think that the executive branch has gone to far, and you're in a position to actually do something about that - do it immediately. 


George Washington was given the option of being addressed many long winded and ridiculous titles but instead of taking those, along with the power that was being foisted on him, opted for the simple "Mr. President." I long for a leader who understands the importance of that.


The Rational Moderate

Friday, July 4, 2008

Problem with...

Here is the first of a series of planned articles detailing the problems with the current candidates. Originally the first piece was on Obama and the  FISA compromise, but this issue with McCain really got under my skin as I see it as a continual problem with Republican campaign tactics that I felt the need to write about first.


Problem with... McCain:

Lying on purpose or stupidity. 

The latest attack on Obama is his supposed reversal of withdrawing troops from Iraq. McCain's attack is to argue that Obama has changed his mind and has adopted McCain's position on leabing an occupational force in Iraq -assuming we can get to the point where they are just an occupational force ala Japan and Germany and not really engaged in constant fighting. 

But this is not true and they either know it or...


Yet, it's being spread around like gospel. Obama's big reversal. The fundamental problem is that Obama's position hasn't changed, it's just a lot more realistic than McCain's camp can wrap their heads around. Yes, the goal is withdrawal. But, how we go about that goal needs to be decided with the military advisors that are involved with the Iraq operation to ensure it goes well. It's as if the McCain camp believe that the day Obama is sworn in a swarm of helicopters will lift every troop out of Iraq.


Next Time: Problem with Obama


The Rational Moderate