None of them preclude whether or not action is taken. A cynical action is taken with the expectation that the action will fail. A realistic action is taken with the expectation that the action will succeed or fail depending on the pertinent circumstances. A hopeful action is taken with the expectation that the action will succeed.

The Bush administration was quite hopeful that the Iraqi people would embrace democracy. Perhaps a more realistic approach was warranted.

Actually, it was more in keeping with my previous post that Bill Cosby made much more salient points about how to overcome the problems facing the “black community” than Obama’s speech.

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Election 2008 – Addicted to Placebos

I had forgotten about that. Very true, in the guinea pig sense.

"The United States government did something that was wrong—deeply, profoundly, morally wrong. It was an outrage to our commitment to integrity and equality for all our citizens... clearly racist."

—President Clinton's apology for the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment to the eight remaining survivors, May 16, 1997


Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

We may be somewhat similar, but that says nothing about my parents. They’re quite conventional in that regard. They regularly attend organized services. No, they may not always agree with what the pastor says in his sermon, but if they have significant disagreements, they WILL find another church. They’ve done it more than once. The fact that they regularly attend indicates that they have no major disagreements with the pastor. The crap Rev. Wright was preaching would been a major disagreement.


I don’t really care who endorses him, my concern is for the people and positions he espouses. Obama was an active member of the congregation, and denounced Wright’s comments only because he was forced to by public opinion. If McCain were actively engaged in a church that blamed drug problems on the black community, I’m confident he would be excoriated by the media, and rightly so. It’s a bit of a shame that didn’t happen early in the primaries.

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Election 2008 – Addicted to Placebos

Obama just lost the election. Congrats to President Elect John McCain!!!

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I think at this point there needs to be a focus on an immediate increase in spending and I think this is a time when deficit fear has to take a second seat . . . I believe later on there should be tax increases. Speaking personally, I think there are a lot of very rich people out there whom we can tax at a point down the road and recover some of the money."
-- Barney Frank, October 20, 2008

Quite strangely I find myself turning into more of a leftist these days with a healthy desire to preserve my lineage. I have apparently moved on from many of my past beliefs. Some have referred to me as a "third positionist" while others merely call me "a**hole."

I wonder how long the hate groups endorsement wood have appeared on OB's site had the preacher flap not come down the pike.
I can only imagine the "help" that Jackson and Sharpton will add to Obama's campaign.

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In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot. ~Mark Twain, Notebook, 1935

Quite strangely I find myself turning into more of a leftist or a new rightist these days with a healthy desire to preserve my lineage. I have apparently moved on from many of my past beliefs. Some have referred to me as a "third positionist" while others merely call me "a**hole."

The reverend preached for decades. Only a few clips were presented. That can be done with a huge number of preachers.

Well, McCain went further to give general approval of his spiritual mentoring. Heat is going to come after him that this box was opened. The Religious Right is already a well known target for example. You may say "this should count and that shouldn't" but that isn't applicable in politics. It's the same for what I said. We both have opinions on what should count and should not, but it really won't matter. What works will.

As for McCain, he is an elapsed Episcopal and now attends a Baptist congregation. If a person claims to be Baptist, then they take all that goes with the Baptists if there is going to be vicarious liability imposed. Clearly much fodder can be found in religious organisations to attack by others.

As a non-Baptist I won't choose to condemn McCain for any teaching upon which I believe his church is wrong and I'll judge him on himself. It's a game I'm not wanting to play myself. Voters can and will decide otherwise; I just think this angle is a dangerous game to open up and it will be harder to control where the fires burn. Getting the church mixed up with politics is already dangerous enough.

I’m confident it would have been more than enough to cause my parents to seek a different congregation; and they aren’t campaigning for a public office.


Considering my views on organized religion, I say “Burn Baby, Burn”.

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Election 2008 – Addicted to Placebos

Not me. I wish religion would stay the heck in church and whatever one believes spiritually be applied to one's private life as their own private matter. Mixing church and state is a molotov for sure. I've seen enough literal burning--never mind figuratively speaking--in Ireland itself over it and have seen little positive with mixing church and state here.

I'll judge people on what they stand for when it comes to politics. If they mix their spiritual with their political, then I'll judge them on that because they are making it an issue.

And on this subject, I tell you where I do have a significant problem with Wrights and the Hagees, etc. If any church thinks I'm going to Hell for example, that is their business. When the 700 Clubs become the 527 Clubs, however, then it's my business. Moreover, it's a tax issue.

Watching Wright speak on the few clips is no different then what I see in many RR churches--if you are a church and decide to butt into politics and especially get into endorsements, etc, you don't get a tax exemption, fullstop. I want them to pay up and--whenever a church decides to enter the political arena--"give Caesar what is Caesar's" in such a case.

I agree with you on the tax issue. I think they should all be taxed.

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Election 2008 – Addicted to Placebos

I will agree that Obama made a wonderful, inspirational speech about race issues in this country.

However, this magnificent speech, his own words, runs contrary to what he was actually doing.

That is, by being a 20 year member of a racist, separatist church. One that he didn't leave, & admittedly did not even confront the comments of his pastor. Nor did he try to make in roads to change the ideology of this church.

I reflect upon his statement: That his white grandmother had made racial comments that made him cringe. Yet, he was O.K. with listening to Pastor Wright. That is,until the videos came out, & he was forced to address them.

The irony is: We really didn't see any notable race issues in this campaign, until we got to see Pastor Wright sound off. Millions of whites, including myself were at least, up until now, enthusiastically supporting Obama. Obama is where he is today, because of the white vote.

Now, Obama will be put under the scrutiny of a micro-scope. Every organization will be looked into, anything he has ever written will be thouroughly examined. If another shoe drops, he will be toast in the general election.

Obama has a very rough road ahead.

yarrrrr!

ahoy!

i thought the mighty obama's speech was pretty darn good one. his anecdote about his grandma seemed like a painful, but honest portrayal of the dichotomy he has lived with, and helped me see the prism that he viewed the world through as a young man.

if mr. obama wrote that speech himself, imma impressed by it.

also, i thought that it kinda elevated him, in a political sense...while mrs. clinton seemed to recede somewhat.

i know it be gettin' late in the process, but this pirate hasn't decided yet whom he'd like to be our next skipper...but here's how i be seein' things;
if yer not inclined to give this lad a chance, then nothin' he woulda done could have satisfied ye.

1) if he says nothing on the subject, he's avoiding it.
2) if he came out and abandoned his pastor, he's gutless and got no loyalty.
3) if he sticks to his guns, he's guilty of supportin' a rascist, america hatin' church.
4) if he pours his heart out, its a calculated move.
5) if he talks around the subject, he's just another cautious politician.
6) if he came out swingin', and outraged, he's shown himself truly to be just another angry black man.

its no different than them folks who hate our current president, no matter what he does, or says.

aye.

*goes belowdecks for his evenin' ramen*

-meadhallpirate

Absolutely, Obama can never appease everyone because Americans have too many expectations of him. He has to not known or been close to ANYONE who's ever made a mistake or been wrong. He can't be too weak because then he's shucking and jiving. He can't be too strong because then he's "angry." He can't be too articulate because then he'll only appeal to "educated" voters. He can't be too folksy or else he's not "presidential enough." Dumb, Dumb political games. Let's talk about his ideas about issues.

For everyone who claims they are "sick of talking about race" in this campaign. Fine. Let's stop talking about it. Let's compare the candidates on policy and leave this behind us. You either agree with Obama on this issue of race or you do not. But if you're going to make your decision about the next President at a moment of crisis in America because of his paster and NOT his ability to solve these very real issues, then you've made up your mind. You don't even need to participate in the campaign anymore. You have one issue, and one issue only. Rev. Wright. Please go and join the abortion one issue voters, the gay marriage one issue voters on that side of the room.

The rest of us want to talk real issues that effect Americans today and compare McCain's plan to Obama's.

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Yesterday, John McCain actually said that if he’s president he’ll take on, and I quote, 'the old boys’ network in Washington.' I’m not making this up. This is somebody been in Congress for 26 years, who put seven of the most powerful Washington lobbyists in charge of his campaign. And now he tells us that he’s the one who’s gonna take on the old boys' network,” he said. “In the McCain campaign that’s called a staff meeting!- Obama, 9/17/2008

Welcome to politics.

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Election 2008 – Addicted to Placebos