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Meghan McCain

Meghan McCain is John and Cindy's oldest daughter. Meghan has been blogging every day about her travels to promote her children's book, "My Dad, John McCain," and campaigning for her dad. See http://www.mccainblogette.com/index.shtml. I discovered her blog right after the convention. She mostly blogs about her life on the road, with lots of photos. Today's post is a direct appeal to American voters...

"Musings on Politics from a Pop Culture Girl"
POSTED BY MEGHAN

When I started the Blogette last year, I wanted to show people what happens behind the scenes in a national campaign. I did this because I love my family and I knew that it might surprise people to see how normal this experience can be. I know this has been a difficult campaign for a lot of people. I know there are many who just want to get past the last eight years. And I know there are people who are so desperate for change they will do anything to get what they think is a better deal.

I make no excuses for the state of politics today. But I want everyone to know that my dad is more than ready to be the President this country needs right now. Everyone always assumed Iraq would be this campaign's number one hurdle. The only thing I respect more than people's opinions about how to proceed in Iraq are the men and women who are bravely serving our country in harm's way every single day. My Dad is the only candidate with real military experience who has the support of an overwhelming majority of current service members. And if you really want to know how much I trust him, remember that I have two brothers who are serving, one of whom is about to redeploy. Of course, all of this is easy to miss, because this election is clearly about moving past the current administration and fixing the economy.

If you honestly think someone with extremely limited experience will solve the severe problems we have in this country then, by all means, vote for Senator Obama. If you want to give complete control of our government to the Democrats who have made a real mess of things over the last two years they've controlled Congress, then go ahead and vote for Senator Obama. And, if you really believe that our taxes should be higher and that government should have a bigger role in our lives, vote for Senator Obama.

Some of you have asked me how I can support my Dad or call myself a Republican when times are so tough, especially since my own personal beliefs don't always sync with the GOP. Well, I have asked myself that same question a lot. But I support my Dad through it all because I know this: my Dad will be unlike ANY other Republican president. My father has the experience, leadership skills, and proven dedication to serve. I only wish people could understand that Dad will bring about the change everyone is so hungry for in a much more real way than Senator Obama could ever possibly hope to do at this stage in his political career.

So, forget everything you've heard or seen. Just know this: everyone wants change. And while some people can only talk about it, my dad will bring it. Don't give up on him. He is never going to give up on you. And by you, I mean every American. Regardless of age, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation or political ideology; a vote for John McCain is a vote to change our country for the better. Don't hope for a better future. Vote for one.

Thomas Sowell -- Do Facts Matter?

Please read this excellent article by Thomas Sowell.

http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2008/10/03/do_facts_matter

Does he sound bitter to you?

What If Obama Wins?

Are we really going to do this, folks?

Are we really going to elect our first socialist president, and support him with a filibuster-proof 60-40 majority in the Senate and a huge majority in the House?

Let's start with the definition of socialism.
socialism
An economic system in which the production and distribution of goods are controlled substantially by the government rather than by private enterprise, and in which cooperation rather than competition guides economic activity. There are many varieties of socialism. Some socialists tolerate capitalism, as long as the government maintains the dominant influence over the economy; others insist on an abolition of private enterprise.
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition

Obama has "written" two books, Dreams of My Father and Audacity of Hope, in which he describes his socialist dreams for America (I put "written" in quotes because leftist terrorist Bill Ayers wrote half of one of those books).

His campaign website describes his socialist dreams for America.
http://www.barackobama.com/index.php

The website clearly states that he wants to "Cut taxes for 95 percent of workers and their families with a tax cut of $500 for workers or $1,000 for working couples." But how can he cut taxes on the 40% or so of families who do not pay taxes? He has to give them a rebate (buying votes). Where does the rebate come from? Those who need to have their wealth redistributed. According to whom? Him!

I found this page to be very interesting.
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/service/
He uses this wonderful phrase: "universal voluntary service." Translation: compulsory unpaid work, the ultimate unfunded mandate.

I predict that if Obama gets elected, we will see worse times and harsher erosions of liberty than during the early Clinton years, the Carter years, and perhaps FDR's Great Depression.

Interesting Article by Charlie Reese

This is an article written by Charlie Reese, a former columnist for the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper. Very interesting perspective on the state of our Nation!

545 PEOPLE
By Charlie Reese

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices, 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because the Congress created that problem. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator’s responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits.

The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it. The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? She is the leader of the majority party. She and fellow House members, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts – o incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it’s because they want it unfair.
If the budget is in the red, it’s because they want it in the red.
If the Marines are in Iraq, it's because they want them in Iraq.
If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it’s because they want it that way. There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power.

Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like 'the economy,' 'inflation,' or 'politics' that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

A Newspaper Columnist Speaks Out

This article explains why newspapers are dying all across the country.

http://www.ldsmag.com/ideas/081017light.html

But it also explains why so many Americans are enthusiastic about Obama and so down on McCain.

200,000 Feet

Yesterday I reached 200,000 feet cumulative elevation gain for the year!

Hip, hip, Hurray! Hip, hip, Hurray! Hip, hip, Hurray!

I have included elevation gain on hiking trails, treadmills, walks in the city, climbing stairs and ramps at sports stadiums, and bike rides.

Is this a lot of elevation gain? Yes. Picture climbing Mt. Rainier from Paradise 22 times this year.

I am averaging 679 feet per day. Picture a hill that is 679 feet tall. Never mind, most of this country does not live near a hill that high. ;) Picture a 68 story building, climbing the stairs from street level to roof every day. It does my heart good. :)

Biden Makes the Case ... for McCain!

Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/best_of_the_web_today.html

If the prospect of an Obama presidency doesn't make you nervous, Joe Biden's latest comments, reported by ABC News, may change the way you feel:

"Mark my words," the Democratic vice presidential nominee warned at the second of his two Seattle fundraisers Sunday. "It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We're about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America. Remember I said it standing here if you don't remember anything else I said. Watch, we're gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy."

"I can give you at least four or five scenarios from where it might originate," Biden said to Emerald City supporters, mentioning the Middle East and Russia as possibilities. "And he's gonna need help. And the kind of help he's gonna need is, he's gonna need you--not financially to help him--we're gonna need you to use your influence, your influence within the community, to stand with him. Because it's not gonna be apparent initially, it's not gonna be apparent that we're right."

As Commentary's Jennifer Rubin notes, this adds up to a pretty good argument for electing a president who is experienced and tough--i.e., John McCain. "This is material for an ad that's a lot more credible than Hillary Clinton's '3 a.m.' ad," observes Rubin. "That one came from his arguably frantic opponent–this one is from his running mate."

We'll Be in a World of Hurt

This Wall Street Journal article provides a whole passel of reasons to vote against Obama and Congressional Democrats. No author is mentioned, which implies it was written by their editorial board.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122420205889842989.html?mod=rss_opinion_main

This article is pretty depressing. On top of that, it leaves out the long-term consequences of the liberal judges whom Obama might nominate.

My Plan to Get More Republicans Elected

I've got a plan to get Republicans elected!

All they have to do is to register as Democrats and promise to:
Forgive the home loans of anyone struggling to pay their mortgages,
Give free cars to the poor,
Cut taxes on everyone who makes less than Bill Gates,
Balance the state and federal budgets,
Cut the cost of health care,
Add medical and dental coverage for seniors and children,
Fix Social Security without a FICA tax increase,
Make nice with all foreign leaders,
Fight the terrorists,
End the war in Iraq,
Stop the genocide in Sudan,
Increase federal funding for police and schools,
Improve the high school graduation rate,
Appoint liberal activist judges,
Make colleges more affordable to the poor and middle class,
Give huge tax credits to low income families,
Eradicate the KKK,
Open the borders to the poor and homeless but keep out the terrorists,
Hand out free citizenships to illegal aliens, excuse me, undocumented immigrants,
Apologize for slavery and offer reparations,
Build new highways and rapid transit systems, and
Shove Israel under the bus.

The clincher is that they don't need to worry about keeping any of those campaign promises, since no one ever checks to see if Democrat politicians have kept their campaign promises before re-electing them. In fact, most voters openly admit that they don't expect politicians to keep their campaign promises.

Wayne Perryman

I just heard about this fellow this morning.

http://www.wayneperryman.com/

It seems his son wore a Palin T-shirt to school (somewhere in the Seattle area) last week, and his son was teased unmercifully all day by the other students. I take a lot of flak for being conservative in Seattle, but apparently it is a whole lot tougher to be black and conservative.

Early Frost

I have my wireless weather station right next to the dahlia bed. A few nights ago, the neighbor's roof had a little frost on it in the morning, but the dahlias survived. I measured a low temperature of 33 F. Last night's low temperature was 30 F, and it turned the dahlia patch black. Guess they are not frost-hardy, not one bit.

In 2006, the dahlias lasted over three weeks later (November 5) (http://pedicularis.blogspot.com/2006/11/frost-damage.html).

It's Magic!

Pretty clever article that makes some good points about Obama's gradeous plans for America.

http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB122360618747721991-lMyQjAxMDI4MjEzMDYxMDA2Wj.html

Dow Jones Down ... Again

Will the last person leaving Wall Street please turn off the lights?

What If They Each Get 269 Electoral Votes?

Then it really gets interesting!

It becomes possible for us to have McCain selected as President by the House and Biden selected as V-P by the Senate. In the House, there would be only 50 votes, with each state's delegation getting only one vote, and, at 269-269, McCain would probably have won more states than Obama. In the Senate, each member gets to vote, and the Democrats will most likely control the Senate.

http://www.reuters.com/articlePrint?articleId=USTRE4941C220081005