Turmoil In The Democratic Party

20th May 2008

TURMOIL IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY

I’ve been hearing and reading about problems inside the Democratic Party for several months, but these tribulations are not what concerns me the greatest; rather it is what I’m hearing from the voting public that heightens my anxieties.

Yes, we are desperate for a single candidate to appear victoriously rising to the challenges of organizing this election. Both candidates have strong qualities and they’ve both made enormous mistakes while on the campaign trail.

While I have comments to both Senators Clinton and Obama, the voting public needs to hear a couple of statements: Our current President Bush has put this nation in such a disastrous mess that I’m concerned anyone accepting the job may require one term to just to undo the harm caused by a greedy zealot. His administration has lied to the public numerous times to garner what they desired politically. We are loosing our sons, daughters, husbands and wives daily in two countries that not one person can authoritatively discern if we absolutely needed to be in either. I don’t even question if our presence has done well for the residences of Afghanistan and Iraq, because I know their liberation has been welcomed by the individual citizens. However, the good our soldiers have done, does nothing to alleviate the veracity of the Presidential administration that has engulfed this country in a war that has no ability of ever winning a victory – only loosing the lives of our valiant soldiers. This war has devastated what was a thriving US economy and perpetuated the destabilization of our economy via a confrontation over fossil fuels that will have the price of gasoline rising for the next few years exponentially. The actions of this President have decimated our Gross National Product while increasing our dependencies on imported commodities. We were once the greatest producing country in the world and now we are the neediest country in the world with President Bush attributing enormously to those changes.

Our current President catered recklessly to Corporate America giving to his petulant children all the riches within the US Treasury. This was payment in full for two terms of one Presidency that will go down as one of this great nation’s worst ever when the history books have reviewed his record. President Bush personally drained the once vibrant reputation of this great nation around the world and has ubiquitously tarnished our name to the point that it lies in the gutter with the remaining waste.

To those voters who are now saying that if Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic nomination, they will not vote or they will vote for Senator McCain and to those voters who are now saying that if Senator Barrack Obama wins the Democratic nomination, they will not vote or will vote for Senator McCain; I question your resolve. If you feel as I do that the Presidential Administration currently in office has destroyed this country and thereby must be removed from influencing political efforts in the future; then how the hell can you vote for Mr. McCain. He is a Bush III and will continue every one of the current policies for an additional four years.

This country has been damaged and its citizens have been harmed far too much and a President that will usher in healing as well as changing our downward spiral into a positive change economically and spiritually. Threatening to pull a vote and even worst to vote for a candidate who will not only continue our downward spiral, but add to its velocity and longevity is incredulous. Not voting because your candidate is not amongst those viable for this election will only give weighted means to an already horrendous tenure of policy and practices we good citizens have endured, not to mention spits in the face of all those citizens around the world who fight for the freedom to choose their leaders.

No, our election systems are not perfect and I for one wish to push through with our new President a bill that would change the means of electing the President of the United States and place that right back into the hands of the American citizens as with the popular vote. Currently the popular vote is null and void giving way for the Delegate and Super Delegate votes as the means of choosing our President. This process has failed us greatly in the past two Presidential elections when the popular vote chose one candidate and the delegate/super delegate vote inducted into office a devastating example of a bad President. However, our right to vote for the ruler of the largest country in the world is a privilege that less than fifty percent of humanity can exercise, which I for one will not take for granted.

I understand that you might not agree with everything in any one candidate; however we must remain optimistic that as long as we move away from the politics as usual in Washington DC currently, then there can be hope for our future. If you feel that Clinton would be the better candidate and she is not the Democratic nominee, ask yourself if Obama can do the job better than President Bush? Likewise, if you feel that Obama would be a better aspirant, however he does not receive the Democratic nomination, would Clinton do a better job than President Bush? If your answer to either question is “Yes”, I don’t understand the statement that some would not vote or would cast their vote for McCain in an act of vengeance.

We are not voting for someone who will go away in a week or two if he/she is not liked. We are electing the President of the United States and their administration will direct the policy of this great nation. This election demands action from its citizens and moving this country to a better place then where we’ve been the previous eight years. I personally would vote for my dog, Jake, before I would vote for another Bush in the White House. McCain is exactly that…another Bush that will continue the eradication of the American economic landscape.

In closing a strong message needs to be sent to Senators Obama and Clinton. This vendetta as a campaign needs to come to a close. In the process of closing it down, both candidates needs to stop attacking each other and pull together (if you like the other or not) to build a cohesive party that has the stability and momentum to fight Senator McCain and to win the Presidency. Without making a determination on who I personally wish to win the Democratic nomination, at this time the candidate who is loosing momentum and delegates/super delegates should be the one who works on an exit strategy with a definitive and short time table. That means with the numbers as they are currently reported by the media, Senator Clinton needs to exit gracefully instead of pushing for new ground.

Your humble servant – Todd M. Dobson

Response to Michael: Huckabee's Double Standards

Michael's Comments:

Michael Hopwood, CMI's Comment:

"That is a very strong argument against this candidate. I found it to be an interesting read yet I do feel the need to ask a question or two. Which, in your opinion, of the candidates currently running do you feel would stand up for the rights of the homosexual community and by that I mean not just announce they agree, but actually fight for those rights that every other American currently has? And I guess my second question is, are any of them actually honest in the speeches they make concerning those freedoms which are lacking for the gay community? I personally am not politically minded but am a registered voter and vote, however, my personal views don't always agree with that of the average gay man and therefore I sometimes get "beat down" for my beliefs. I further feel that since "Heterosexual Americans" feel so threatened by their sacred "marriages" that the term marriage should be removed and a term such as "Commitment", "Domestic Partner" should replace the word thus eliminating the threat heterosexual people seem to associate with two people making a choice to be together and share their lives as one.

Just my opinion. Have a great day. I love reading your blogs BTW.

Michael"

7th of January 2008

Hello Michael,

Thank you for reading my blogs and thank you for your compliments.

You raise some interesting questions that I will answer to the best of my abilities. As always, these are my thoughts and my feelings on the subject of Mike Huckabee. As you can tell, I do not like the man or his overt homophobia that he feels justified in displaying as a badge of honor based on his "Good Christian Values".

My dislike for Mr. Huckabee comes from the fact that we know that all politicians lie and make promises they have no intentions of ever fulfilling. They disguise their own biases as to show only what they feel needs to be disseminated in order to get them elected. After they win the elections do you start to see the substance or lack there of within the person you placed such faith within. If he is so comfortable to speak openly about his hate with such loathing for homosexuals, it scares me what lurks behind the curtain.

Huckabee reminds me with great parallels that Hitler was an extremely charismatic man who spoke openly to an undercurrent of hate that many of the German people recognized within them, but knew could not be acted upon as a civilized society until such a leader substantiated their rights to hate. Once Hitler came into power he was given free rein to espouse the loathing venom that ran within him because his rise to power was built on it. Likewise if Mike Huckabee feels justified in his hate and loathing for homosexuals before being elected to office, what could we expect as a community if he were ever elected President of the United States?

As to your questions; I don't know who best stands up for the homosexual community and I am currently trying to ascertain that information. I sent to seven of the candidates today seven questions to help me make an informed decision based on a variety of issues. My questions went to Republicans and Democrats and covered a range of topics that I find to be important to most Americans. I realize that getting one person to stand up during an election and tell the truth, that all gay men and lesbian women are granted the exact same rights given to every heterosexual man and woman via our United States Constitution would be improbable, but I do dare to dream. I don't expect to choose one candidate based on gay rights issues alone, but obviously it will be a factor in my decision.

I agree that our political process leaves a great deal to be desired in its current state. Partisan politics has divided Washington leaving our process grid locked and broken with the people suffering are you and me. Politicians run polls to tell them everything before they ever make a decision or they base the few decisions they do make on partisanship instead of what is right for their constituents. They are worst than actors on the big screen because we pay actors to entertain us and their lies are inherent to the job they must do convincing us they are the part they play. When an actor does a good job lying to us, we don't consider them dishonest – just good actors. However, when the people we elected to represent our interest are caught acting more like actors then the honorable people we expected them to me, we do reference that as deceit.

We need to push our current elected officials in to changing the way Washington works. We need both sides of our Legislative process to work together for the common good – We The People. We the populace of America needs to send a strong message starting with this Presidential election that partisan politics will get you fired and that we want elected officials who can once again rest on their laurels. Honor and integrity need to be words with sincere meanings and special interest, PAC money and lobbying efforts by Corporate America needs to be removed from the political process. We must make the political process works for us again. We are the reason our Government is in Washington. If Washington won't clean itself up, then it is incumbent upon us to force them too. If our elected officials think it is justifiable to spread hate for any one group of people, it is our job to tell them emphatically "NO". The world is changing and the United States has slipped from being one of the mightiest leaders. We need leadership that will maneuver the United States of America towards reclaiming our glory once again. That starts with you and me getting involved as you said and voting. I don't care how you vote or who you vote for, but make your voice be heard.

Change starts with each of us and I am ready to see great change to bring America back to where we once stood – Proud – Strong & Free! We can do all of that and do so by Loving, Honoring & Respecting everyone…it just takes you and me to get started. Be the voice of change by getting involved.

Thank you Michael and I hope I answered your questions.

Your Humble Servant – Todd M. Dobson

Huckabee's Double Standards

6th of January 2008

Huckabee’s Double Standards

If you visit the Mike Huckabee Presidential web site (www.mikehuckabee.com), you see in the upper right corner the tag line “FAITH.FAMILY.FREEDOM”. In multiple speeches given in New Hampshire, Huckabee made references to our founding fathers and the notions of liberty and freedoms.

Huckabee needs to focus more on the issues that need solutions rather than bringing up the legacy set forth by our founding fathers. While I’m sure none of our founding fathers had to worry about homosexuality as an issue, however, I feel strongly that they would have dealt with it in far more positive manner than Mike Huckabee. As for Huckabee claiming that he stands for Freedom and Liberty, it goes to shows the extent a politician will lie in order to say the right buzz words.

Words have meanings that need to be utilized as they were intended for use. As I look in my trusty Webster Dictionary; the word liberty is defined as: “freedom from external or foreign rule; independence”. Mr. Huckabee, please explain to me how you saying that homosexuals are abhorrent expresses your view of gays and lesbians liberties. How when you take the oath of office to represent all United States citizens will you protect my liberties and freedoms as you swear on a Bible to do so? Please explain the dichotomy between what you are saying about homosexuals and what you mean when you express the rights to liberty that all Americans are granted by the Bill of Rights and the Constitution of the United States? Either you are lying to the citizens when you say you are a candidate who supports the rights of the people, or are you lying when a book your wrote as well as speeches you’ve given place homosexuals to the status of second class citizens. Who else is less than you in that quest for liberty? What other group won’t measure up and will feel your wrath if you were to achieve the office you seek?

Our second word that Huckabee seems to have forgotten its meaning is freedom: exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc. How am I free with you running this country? How do I stand a chance to live a life with the same freedoms that my neighbors, my family members or any heterosexual counterparts receive instantly in your eyes? How are my needs being met when you state openly that I am in the same company as pedophilia, sadomasochism and necrophilia? How do I feel the force of freedom when you tell GQ “that “civilization” may not survive if “what marriage and family means” is “rewritten” to allow gay marriage”? Please explain your definition of the word Freedom and what it means to you so that I and the rest of the United States knows what you mean, because right now I have an absolute sense that under your administration I have no freedoms as a gay man.

Huckabee states that he is a Religious man, yet that is a very ambiguous argument. So how would Huckabee answer the question “What would Jesus do if he stood in front of me? Would he deny my rights, my liberties and my freedoms? Does Huckabee touting his Religious background say that he himself is GOD and gets to choose my role in society? I am eager to know how Huckabee explains that Jesus said on several occasions how religion and politics should be separated and during his time fervently refrained from making political statements. If we must remember that it was the theological leaders who pushed for the death of Jesus Christ. Where would Huckabee have stood during the time Jesus Christ was crucified, because based on his positions and his need to be in the middle of the majority, he would have been right there in the midst with the other religious leaders asking for Jesus to die!

We need a President that will unite all of the many people who claim this great nation as home. We desperately need a leader who will take up the difficult stance of telling groups that wish to deny others their rights why they can’t do that instead of a leader that gives in to popular demands. We need a leader who if they were back in the day of Christ, would have stood up to all the other religious leaders making them realize how they benefited by Jesus walking the earth.

Mike Huckabee is not the man we need leading us. He doesn’t have the character it requires to do what is right; he wants to get by with doing what is easy. Huckabee needs to step aside and let one of the other candidates take center stage and he needs to be relegated back to his Baptist Church in Arkansas right next to the Farwell family and their Baptist Church.

Your Humble Servant – Todd M. Dobson

A Message to President Bush & All Presidential Candidates

A Message to President Bush and All Presidential Candidates

Everyone needs to read the article “Most Muslims agree with Qaeda’s goals” posted in Kuwait Times on the 25^th of April 2007. I’ve pasted the article below in the event you are unable to read the post for yourselves. Open your minds and listen to the people for whom it is about.

We citizens of the United States of America feel that our freedoms are the just way of life. We feel that everyone chooses to be free over a government run by tyranny. But who among us is to say that the people of another country wants the same freedoms we share. Who among us can honestly walk in the shoes of the every day Muslims saying without a doubt, they wish to be free and they want to live as we do.

Do we not forget those were the reason we sought a life in the new world - America in the first place. We wanted to choose what religion we coveted. Who is to say that a man or woman who chooses to be a Muslim would rather live in our nation as apposed to Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Jordan, Turkey or any other Muslim nation.

Why is it hard for us to believe that a person choosing to be a Muslim wouldn’t want to reside in a country where the majority of its inhabitants also enjoy the same faith? I have no knowledge of the Muslim religion, but we cannot forget our own heritage and what brought us to America as we refused to let a King tell us what religion we wanted to practice.

With that being the case, we must leave Iraq and our evacuation will not be soon enough. We have lost enough brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, husbands and wives. Our intent has been murkier at best and our soul is no longer in the job. Our country is divided by the strife and our goals shift almost as easily as the sand flies through the air driven by wind.

I greatly sympathies with President Bush, who knows that the Iraqi Government is far too volatile to move forward on its own, however, they are requesting – yet demanding that we give them a time frame of our impending departure. We need to oblige with their request graciously and not belabor their country from moving forward at its own pace. We came to the region in hopes of peace for all humanity and we are now the cause of the greatest unrest. We don’t have the resources or the ability to keep the country of Iraq from becoming a Muslim controlled country and it should not be our intentions to do otherwise. Let the Iraqi Government get assistance from its neighboring countries that are very wealthy and can help develop the country in a manner they don’t object too. By doing so does not concede to an enemy unless we make it one. If we wish to gain ground with a developing country, allowing them to start making their own choices just as a parent allows their teenage child to start making his/her own decisions is a natural part of development. We must do what is right for the greater good in that region and open a peaceful doorway as we exit with pride.

If we are to have a good relationship with the Muslim parts of the world, we need to make strides to understand their faith. If we wish to have opened dialog with all Muslim run governments, we need to know where they derive their power from their religion just as 90% of North Americans do from theirs. There can only be discourse if the United States Government continues to push its agenda, beliefs and strategies onto a people who obviously don’t desire it. We tried this same tactic once before with the American Indians thinking that we can control them – we can make them disappear over time and we were wrong. Let’s not make the same mistakes with our Muslim neighbors. If we want to have better relationships with an opened dialog, them we must learn to love, honor and respect our differences. We can do so without impeding vulnerability and allow a more peaceful end to the last several years of strife.

Bring our troops home now!!!

http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=MjY5NTk4NTQ0/

Most Muslims agree with Qaeda's goals

Published Date: April 25, 2007

WASHINGTON: Most Muslims want US military forces out of the Middle East and Islamic countries, and many agree with Al-Qaeda's goals, if not its tactics, according to a public opinion poll conducted in Egypt, Morocco, Pakistan and Indonesia. "Most respondents have mixed feelings about Al-Qaeda," said a statement of the study's findings, conducted by the Washington-based nonprofit group WorldPublicOpinion.org and the University of Maryland.

"Large majorities agree with many of its goals, but believe that terrorist attacks on civilians are contrary to Islam." An average of 74 per cent of all those polled agreed with the goal of "push(ing) the US to remove its bases and military forces from all Islamic countries," said the poll. A full 91 per cent of Egyptians and 69 per cent of Moroccans said they approved of attacks against US soldiers in Iraq, while 61 per cent of Indonesians disapproved.

Pakistanis appeared divided on the matter, with 31 per cent for such attacks and 33 per cent against. The survey found similar responses with regard to US forces in Afghanistan and the Gulf. At least 70 per cent or more in all countries supported the goals of "stand(ing) up to Americans and affirm(ing) the dignity of the Islamic people," and "pressur(ing) the United States not to favor Israel," it said.

Those polled were asked whether they thought certain ideas were the goals of Al-Qaeda or groups inspired by the Osama bin Laden-led militant network, and then were asked to what extent they agreed or disagreed with those goals. Most agreed that Al-Qaeda goals included requiring a strict application of Islamic, or sharia, law in every Islamic country, pushing US military forces out of all Islamic countries, and keeping Western values out of Islamic countries-and most were supportive of those aims.

Asked about Al-Qaeda's attitudes and tactics in general, 25 per cent of Egyptians and 15 per cent of Indonesians said they "support Al-Qaeda's attacks on Americans and share its attitudes toward the US," along with nine per cent of Moroccans and 10 per cent of Pakistanis. Nearly one third of those polled in Egypt and Morocco said they agreed with "many of" Al-Qaeda's attitudes toward the United States but "oppose Al-Qaeda's attacks on Americans."

Less than one third, however, said they disagreed with both Al-Qaeda's attitudes and its attacks on Americans, with 31 per cent of Egyptians, 29 per cent of Indonesians, 26 per cent of Moroccans and 16 per cent in Pakistan. A large number of Pakistanis chose not to answer the question, with 68 per cent saying they refuse or do not know. Significant sections of the other groups also declined to answer, including 35 per cent of Moroccans, 32 per cent of Indonesians and 14 per cent of Egyptians.

A wider range of opinions was found regarding the question of suicide bombers and whether their actions could be justified often, sometimes, rarely or never. Forty-one per cent of Egyptians said "an attack in which a Muslim blows himself up while attacking an enemy" is often justified, while 19 per cent said "sometimes" and 28 per cent said "never." However, 68 per cent of Indonesians and 60 per cent of Pakistanis were strongly opposed to suicide tactics.

Most Egyptians, Indonesians and Moroccans said establishing a Palestinian state was not a US goal, and sweeping majorities in all countries-including 89 per cent in Egypt and 63 per cent in Morocco - responded that the United States was controlling most or nearly all of what happens in the world today. The poll was conducted from December to February through in-home interviews by native Arabic, Indonesian and Urdu language speakers with around 1,000 people in each country. The margin of error was between three and four per cent. - AFP