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[gkryhewy]

ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 1 -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin employed a lobbying firm to secure almost $27 million in federal earmarks for a town of 6,700 residents while she was its mayor, according to an analysis by an independent government watchdog group.

:lol :lol epic.

 

[thekad]

I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in anyway the social and political equality of the white and black races - that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people.

I see now why free-thinking men like Gaborn rose up in arms to vote for most honorable John Breckinridge instead of this bigot Lincoln. Breckinridge may be bad for civil rights today, but Lincoln is bad for civil rights tomorrow!

Or something.

 

[Xisiqomelir]

I'm just curious, but what IS the problem with someone enjoying a mooseburger? It's not all that much different than people that enjoy venison or some other meat. I mean, i may be chic among some people to make fun of people for what they eat but it doesn't really speak well of the person doing it.

Maybe you don't know the original macro?

 

[Gaborn]

I see now why free-thinking men like Gaborn rose up in arms to vote for most honorable John Breckinridge instead of this bigot Lincoln. Breckinridge may be bad for civil rights today, but Lincoln is bad for civil rights tomorrow!

Or something.

The difference being that blacks weren't even CITIZENS if they were slaves at the time. Ending slavery was a must step for equality. Creating a system wholly parallel to marriage for the sole purpose excluding gays from marriage is not exactly analogous to ending slavery.

 

[CharlieDigital]

Can we take this same sex marriage stuff into another thread (it truly deserves one) and not soil the lulz in this one :lol

 

[TDG]

When civil unions are presented as a step along the path to true equality I don't find them objectionable. When you have candidate promoting them ONLY as a END, to establishing equality it makes it much harder to explain to straight couples what the word marriage means to gay couples. Why NOT give us 95% of the rights they have and forget it? That's GOOD ENOUGH, right?

So let me get this straight, you'd rather, say, not be able to visit your partner in the hospital under Pres. John McCain than be able to visit your partner in the hospital because Pres. Obama's civil unions give you that right, because of the presentation of civil unions by Obama? Seriously?

 

[Gaborn]

Maybe you don't know the original macro?

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/07/0714_bloggers/image/i-can-has-cheezburger.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v70/mermandala/moozburger.jpg

Ahhh, nope, didn't know about that, it's kind of funny but it's still kind of cheap imo.

TDG - I'd rather argue for marriage equality at the state level than have 95% equality thrust on us to deny us marriage equality, yes.

Just to be clear, ideally Obama should end DOMA, end DADT, and basically shut up about marriage and especially civil unions beyond that. Then I'd be a LOT happier with him on that issue.

 

[gkryhewy]

On CNN just now, Jack Cafferty just hit home on the 'experience to be commander in chief' bit (from PTA to Putin or whatever), and the republican talking head replied that these same old talking points from the last few days are now old.

So apparently if an issue is indefensible, it's supposed to just vanish after two days.

 

[Mermandala]

I'm just curious, but what IS the problem with someone enjoying a mooseburger? It's not all that much different than people that enjoy venison or some other meat. I mean, it may be chic among some people to make fun of people for what they eat but it doesn't really speak well of the person doing it.

Nothing wrong with it at all. Palin is the LOLCAndidaTe though.

 

[TheGrayGhost]

On CNN just now, Jack Cafferty just hit home on the 'experience to be commander in chief' bit (from PTA to Putin or whatever), and the republican talking head replied that these same old talking points from the last few days are now old.

So apparently if an issue is indefensible, it's supposed to just vanish after two days.

I hope someone YouTube's it.

 

[UltimaKilo]

You see by claiming that Mccain 2000 and candidate Mccain are two different people all contridictions are eliminated.

Kerry asked him in 2004. Feingold a few weeks ago said that he believed McCain would make a "great President". Joe Biden said it would be a "great honor to serve and run with my friend John McCain" in late 2007. And Ted Kennedy's long friendship and strong alliance with McCain in the Senate led me to believe he might throw in his support. The again, would that happen it would have been political suicide for McCain and Romney would have been the pick. I never thought McCain could win the Republican nomination, I always thought that there was too much friction between him and the Republicans.

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

Nothing wrong with it at all. Palin is the LOLCAndidaTe though.

www.loljohnmccain.com (Yup, real site)

 

[Beavertown]

the issue isnt that mccain owns 7 houses. the issue is that he had no idea how many houses he owns.

I think it's pretty obvious that he already suffers from dementia. Early stages, anyway.

 

[Macam]

Can we take this same sex marriage stuff into another thread (it truly deserves one) and not soil the lulz in this one :lol

That'd certainly be nice and I agree, although I have to say Gaborn is providing plenty of lulz as is.

 

[adamsappel]

Gaborn has convinced me. I no longer support gay marriage.

 

[Tamanon]

Kerry asked him in 2004. Feingold a few weeks ago said that he believed McCain would make a "great President". Joe Biden said it would be a "great honor to serve and run with my friend John McCain" in late 2007. And Ted Kennedy's long friendship and strong alliance with McCain in the Senate led me to believe he might throw in his support. The again, would that happen it would have been political suicide for McCain and Romney would have been the pick. I never thought McCain could win the Republican nomination, I always thought that there was too much friction between him and the Republicans.

Of course the main reason McCain won was because of winner-take-alls in the blue states. If McCain tanks badly, you can expect a removal of the winner-take-alls from them.

 

[Killthee]

I'm just curious, but what IS the problem with someone enjoying a mooseburger? It's not all that much different than people that enjoy venison or some other meat. I mean, it may be chic among some people to make fun of people for what they eat but it doesn't really speak well of the person doing it.

I don't think anybody is laughing at the fact that she likes mooseburgers, I think we're all laughing at how her introduction by the MSM was basically "Sarah Palin; hockey mom, Governor of Alaska, John McCain's Pick for VP, and she loves Mooseburgers".

 

[thekad]

The difference being that blacks weren't even CITIZENS if they were slaves at the time. Ending slavery was a must step for equality. Creating a system wholly parallel to marriage for the sole purpose excluding gays from marriage is not exactly analogous to ending slavery.

:lol Okay, I give up.

 

[Gaborn]

Gaborn has convinced me. I no longer support gay marriage.

That's certainly your right.

 

[greepoman]

A lot of the impetus for marriage equality comes from the fact gays don't have the rights and benefits of marriage. Straight couples can easily understand why that is a hardship for gay couples and inherently unfair. What straight couples don't understand as often is the aspect of dignity. I can easily see a person complaining that they have all the rights of straight couples "except I'm not really MARRIED, I'm UNIONED" and people not understanding what the problem is. Marriage equality is important because there's a respect and dignity to the title, to knowing that you've made a commitment to another person and entered into an institution as an expression of your love before the eyes of your entire community. Civil Unions were created as a means of singling out and ultimately, stigmatizing and setting apart gay couples as "different" and not worthy of that level of recognition and support from their community.

When civil unions are presented as a step along the path to true equality I don't find them objectionable. When you have candidate promoting them ONLY as a END, to establishing equality it makes it much harder to explain to straight couples what the word marriage means to gay couples. Why NOT give us 95% of the rights they have and forget it? That's GOOD ENOUGH, right?

Greepoman - No, of course you shouldn't have kept blacks as slaves. Ending slavery was a clear step along the road to equality. It ended the discussion for some people but it provided a clear PATH and rationale for other achievements down the line in the course to equality. With civil unions Obama thinks he can give gays MOST of the same rights as heterosexuals and that should be good enough for equality. THAT is dangerous logic.

What makes you think Obama doesn't want to give gays ALL of the same rights, but is a pragmatist and realizes he'll never get elected like that? You can't assume that you know what Obama or democrats truly want...sometimes you have to make compromises in the face of reality.

Go ahead believing what you want, you're clearly not changing your mind any time soon. But what happens if America keeps electing these devout right wingers and start passing laws taking away rights gays already have? Cause they would love to try it.

 

[ronito]

 

[Son of Godzilla]

www.loljohnmccain.com (Yup, real site)

That site fails for not having a John McCain monkey-banging-cymbals gif from Palin's introductory speech. He looked so adorable.

 

[Barrett2]

Can we take this same sex marriage stuff into another thread (it truly deserves one) and not soil the lulz in this one :lol

That's what I am thinking -- I am so tempted to write out a long & boring diatribe about the 14th amendment, substantive due process vs. equal protection, etc... but really, I just want more Palin talk...

Gaborn has convinced me. I no longer support gay marriage.

:lol :lol that got me laughing out loud!

 

[Particle Physicist]

ST. PAUL — Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman — Democrat and friend of Republican presidential candidate John McCain — is expected to give a “speech like no other given at either a GOP or a Democratic convention,” sources say, in order to “make a positive, affirmative case for Sen. McCain.”

It is “a very personal speech that will appeal beyond party — a distinctive, transpartisan speech,” a source close to the campaign told FOX News.

Lieberman is expected to share some of his personal journey — and explain why, as a Democrat, he is even here. “It’s his,” the source said. “It’s from the heart.”

eh? i thought he wasnt a democrat anymore?

 

[bafflewaffle]

Obama wanted someone not only qualified to be president but somebody who could challenge him and also be relied upon to effectively attack the other side. During the vetting process both Al Gore and John Kerry warned Obama to be very careful in his selection on that last point, telling Obama that at times each had felt alone in running against both George W. Bush and Dick Cheney.

Interesting quote from the Time article on Obama and Biden.

I

 

[Gaborn]

What makes you think Obama doesn't want to give gays ALL of the same rights, but is a pragmatist and realizes he'll never get elected like that? You can't assume that you know what Obama or democrats truly want...sometimes you have to make compromises in the face of reality.

Go ahead believing what you want, you're clearly not changing your mind any time soon. But what happens if America keeps electing these devout right wingers and start passing laws taking away rights gays already have? Cause they would love to try it.

Why do people want me to believe Obama is a candidate essentially lying through his teeth? seriously, either you candidate says what he believes or he's George W. Bush (who lied about essentially his entire platform in 2000)

 

[Y2Kev]

Heh, I think she's a total MILF

oh god, she's going to die now

run for the hills, cindy.

 

[theviolenthero]

Palin's Small Alaska Town Secured Big Federal Funds

Read on... there's a lot more where that came from.

1ST CERTIFIED BOMBSHELL OF THE DAY!!!!!

No way ANYBODY can defend this.

 

[Tamanon]

Interesting quote from the Time article on Obama and Biden.

I

It's true, Lieberman was awful as an attack dog, and Edwards wasn't taken seriously at all.

 

[TDG]

Can we take this same sex marriage stuff into another thread (it truly deserves one) and not soil the lulz in this one :lol

I think political issues belong in the PoliGAF thread. It's a lot more interesting to me than celebrating the latest Palin-related "scandals," that's for sure.

TDG - I'd rather argue for marriage equality at the state level than have 95% equality thrust on us to deny us marriage equality, yes.

Well then I guess the two of us just fundamentally disagree on the best way to get gay marriage allowed nation-wide, and believe me, I'm all for gay marriage.

I just don't understand, you get 95% equality, and then everybody who's ever pushed for gay marriage will go home and call it 'case closed,' just because Obama thinks that 95% equality is the destination, not a stop? 4 years (and 8 years) is a long time, you don't think that the push for gay marriage would continue or get stronger during that time, or that Obama might even change his stance on it?

 

[thekad]

nvm

 

[Hsieh]

the issue isnt that mccain owns 7 houses. the issue is that he had no idea how many houses he owns.

McCain is a trophy husband. He doesn't know how many houses he owns because those are his wife's houses.

 

[scorcho]

1ST CERTIFIED BOMBSHELL OF THE DAY!!!!!

No way ANYBODY can defend this.

small town with little economy - she's doing exactly what's expected of a mayor. then again, i think 99% of all the demagoguery on earmarks is stupid anyhow.

 

[speculawyer]

ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 1 -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin employed a lobbying firm to secure almost $27 million in federal earmarks for a town of 6,700 residents while she was its mayor, according to an analysis by an independent government watchdog group.

WTF? I don't even know where I should start being offended!!!

-Should it be normal operating procedure for small town mayors to hire lobbyists?

-Are tax-dollars going to pay for lobbyists? Is that even legal? (It shouldn't be if it is.)

-So, have they totally lied to us about her being a "reformer"? (Yes.)

-Earmarks?

-Looks like standard GOP style socialism . . . have the 'rich' blue states pay the taxes while the red-states are a bunch of 'welfare mothers'.

-$27 Million for a town of 6,700 residents? . . . That is $4030 per resident! Do you think they even come close to paying that much in federal taxes each?

-Oh . . . don't forget, as residents of Alaska, they get around $2000 in oil royalty payments for each resident.

-Well, there is some 'fiscal responsibility', right there.

And those are just being offended from a (real) conservative point of view.

 

[ronito]

1ST CERTIFIED BOMBSHELL OF THE DAY!!!!!

No way ANYBODY can defend this.

You misunderestimate the ability of the GOP to justify clarify and quantify.


edit: Specu, dude get a new comic for crying out loud!

 

[Amir0x]

You sound exactly like the Klansmen who predict an Obama victory energizing their base as well. Wow.

That's the exact analogy I used! I called dibs, damn it!

 

[Gaborn]

Well then I guess the two of us just fundamentally disagree on the best way to get gay marriage allowed nation-wide, and believe me, I'm all for gay marriage.

I just don't understand, you get 95% equality, and then everybody who's ever pushed for gay marriage will go home and call it 'case closed,' just because Obama thinks that 95% equality is the destination, not a stop? 4 years (and 8 years) is a long time, you don't think that the push for gay marriage would continue or get stronger during that time, or that Obama might even change his stance on it?

It's not that everyone will call it case closed, I do think marriage equality WILL come after Obama, but let's say (and I'm kind of guessing here) that a majority of states will support marriage equality 20 years from now with the impetus of McCain's policy causing distress and hurt among the gay community. With Obama, a LOT of wind will go out of the marriage equality movement as people shift towards the more "palatable" civil unions. Just as it's more difficult to change a constitutional amendment it's difficult to change a policy that's "close" to equality than one that's further away from it. Marriage equality's case is MUCH easier with John McCain than Obama, because McCain is clearly and openly hostile to much of the gay right's agenda.

Obama on the other hand cloaks his hostility in the basic notion of equality... only he defines equality as 95% equal for some couples.

 

[Shig]

Lieberman is expected to share some of his personal journey — and explain why, as a Democrat, he is even here. “It’s his,” the source said. “It’s from the heart.”

Zell Miller II: The Revenge!

 

[speculawyer]

No way ANYBODY can defend this.

That's not gonna stop King_Slender from trying. :lol

 

[CharlieDigital]

Gaborn has convinced me. I no longer support gay marriage.

I think I'm beginning to see how this works. If more people oppose gay rights, eventually, everyone will have gay rights?

Count me in? :lol

 

[reilo]

DAMMIT GABORN. Look what you've done:

 

[GhaleonEB]

WTF? I don't even know where I should start being offended!!!

And she still left the town $20m in debt.

 

[King_Slender]

eh? i thought he wasnt a democrat anymore?

He votes with the Dems, which gives them their effective majority in the Senate. It would be interesting to see who he would vote with if McCain got in.

 

[Gaborn]

DAMMIT GABORN. Look what you've done:

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x142/reilo/dammitgaborn.gif

He's hawt!

 

[Blackhead]

@Gabon.

Neither McCain or Obama is an LGBT candidate. Yes, Obama's message leads the LGBT movement to a dead end - but then he was never a leader of the LGBT movement to begin with.

In this case, the right step is to look at what both is offering and go with who gives more. Here Obama offers more. Once Obama is in office you battle him for further progress as you would if McCain ended up winning the nomination. Lesser of two evils etc.

 

[CharlieDigital]

small town with little economy - she's doing exactly what's expected of a mayor. then again, i think 99% of all the demagoguery on earmarks is stupid anyhow.

That's fine, but then you can't run on an anti-pork platform.

 

[SpeedingUptoStop]

I tried telling my brother about some of the Palin topics (the librarian, the trooper, AIP) and he started yelling at me about spreading bull shit left wing rumors:lol I was like "....but these are facts. No spin." and he started bring up reverend wright in comparison, like he had the potential to be the VPoUSA or something:lol Seriously, he didn't even understand what the AIP was at first, he thought it was a normal Independent party and I was like "No...they want to secede from America." Really caught him off guard.

 

[reilo]

:lol :lol

Olbermann quoting three National Review writers discussing how Palin is an AWFUL pick and scares them to no end.

 

[Gaborn]

@Gabon.

Neither McCain or Obama is an LGBT candidate. Yes, Obama's message leads the LGBT movement to a dead end - but then he was never a leader of the LGBT movement to begin with.

I agree with you here, neither is particularly friendly to gay equality as an individual, though personally Obama believes more in equality than McCain does.

In this case, the right step is to look at what both is offering and go with who gives more. Here Obama offers more. Once Obama is in office you battle him for further progress as you would if McCain ended up winning the nomination. Lesser of two evils etc.

I'd rather fight someone who is openly hostile to gay rights than someone who is kindly hostile. That is, Obama would be nice about telling us to sit down and shut up about wanting equal rights by giving us most of what we want while wholly denying us the dignity of the title.

 

[Y2Kev]

He's hawt!

you can only see 1 eye!