Open: Three things every voter should know about John McCain

Three Facts About John McCain’s Extreme Record on Womens’ Issues

1. McCain repeatedly opposed bills to fight and prevent domestic violence, including the landmark Violence Against Women Act. Source: Vote 295, 8/25/1994; Vote 295, 8/25/94; Los Angeles Times, 8/26/94
2. McCain wants to overturn Roe v. Wade and supports the Republican Party platform which would ban all abortions — even in cases of rape and incest. Source: McCain Website, “Human Dignity and the Sanctity of Life,” 8/11/08, NARAL 8/11/08; New York Times, 8/31/08
3. Women in the United States make only $0.77 cents for every $1 made by a man. McCain opposed legislation that would help women receive equal pay for equal work. Source: New York Times, 4/30/08; Factcheck.org, 5/1/08

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
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Open Line, Ubetcha!

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
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Open Invitation

Confronting Racism Against Obama

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
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Open Education: Liberal Arts isn't just for Liberals

Spoiler Alert: I am a liberal and biased as such...

I have the privilege of working with intelligent people, Engineers mostly. As such I have first hand experience with the Bachelor of Science phenomenon. As recently mentioned they have the 'person with a hammer' mentality. This is a perspective gained by education and training that is focused on problem solving in the moment. The difficulty is that with only a 'hammer' they see most if not all problems as 'nails'.

Liberal Arts education demands a completely different approach to problem solving. As we become the sum of our experience, both life and learning, we are compelled to synthesize similar and dissimilar ideas. When we engage in the Liberal Arts process we are expected to evaluate circumstances outside the literal and physical world.

Symbols are not exact icons used to represent a switch or a traffic light. Metaphors embrace not only the immediate layer of meaning but contain the meaning of the language used to express them. Analogies are not just simple comparisons but rely on collective consciousness to give depth and breadth to their implied meaning.

Without an appreciation of literature or the history of art these thinking tools quickly become two dimensional nails that can only be driven by 'hammers'. Liberal Arts education instills the essential quality of imagination into the mundane process of literal problem solving.

It is this quality of imagination that will move us as a society forward when we have encountered a problem that no longer resembles a 'nail'. Imagination will allow us to see beyond the moment. Conversely, when we cannot have the faith of imaginative resolutions we descend into a mire of despair.

When faced with times of despair we succumb all to quickly into a state of fear. Without the faith of imagination we cower in the status quo - the way we have always done things. Without the faith of imagination we are succeptable to the perveyor of fear, the doom prophets.

The real strength and value of a Liberal Arts education is that it allows us to recognize the potential of limitless possible resolutions when faced with seemingly insurmountable problems. We are capable of recognizing the possiblity of change. With a Liberal Arts eduaction we are armed with the underestanding the across history innovative answers have lead us forward. Undenably our forward progress, however frought with difficulty, has brought us to a better, more enlightened place.

In times like these we must cling to our faith of imagination and not submit to threats based on the fear of only having a 'hammer'.

Open and free from fear

"We have nothing to fear but fear itself."
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
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Open Giggles

From my sister (Who doesn't blog, yet) ...

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
I am William "Papa" Meloney and I endorse this message.

Open Flip-flop-flapage: The Continuing McCain Saga

(Excerpted from Rolling Stone's insightful bio of McCain...)

Make-Believe Maverick

A closer look at the life and career of John McCain reveals a disturbing record of recklessness and dishonesty

By TIM DICKINSONPosted Oct 16, 2008 7:00 PM

. . .

MR. FLIP-FLOP

In the end, the essential facts of John McCain's life and career — the pivotal experiences in which he demonstrated his true character — are important because of what they tell us about how he would govern as president. Far from the portrayal he presents of himself as an unflinching maverick with a consistent and reliable record, McCain has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to taking whatever position will advance his own career. He "is the classic opportunist," according to Ross Perot, who worked closely with McCain on POW issues. "He's always reaching for attention and glory."

McCain has worked hard to deny such charges. "They're drinking the Kool-Aid that somehow I have changed positions on the issues," he said of his critics at the end of August. The following month, when challenged on The View, McCain again defied those who accuse him of flip-flopping. "What specific area have I quote 'changed'?" he demanded. "Nobody can name it."

In fact, his own statements show that he has been on both sides of a host of vital issues: the Bush tax cuts, the estate tax, waterboarding, hunting down terrorists in Pakistan, kicking Russia out of the G-8, a surge of troops into Afghanistan, the GI Bill, storing nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, teaching intelligent design, fully funding No Child Left Behind, offshore drilling, his own immigration policy and withdrawal timelines for Iraq.

. . .

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Open Alternative Perspective

id:heimin posts pictures he's taken with his keitai [mobile phone] camera over the last year

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Open Perspectives

photos that evoke the senses

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
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Open (Tax) Evasion???

From Huffington Post..

Overall, the Palins reported a gross income of $127,869 in 2006, and paid taxes amounting to $11,944 (an effective rate of 9.3 percent). In 2007, the family reported earning a gross income of $166,080 ($107,987.00 of which came from Gov. Palin) and paid taxes totaling $24,738, for a rate of 14.9 percent.

But there is some discrepancy with the latter number. According to an accompanying 2007 personal financial disclosure report, Palin's "income" as governor of Alaska was $196,531.50, well above the $107,987.00 that was noted on her W2 form from that same year. An email was sent to the McCain campaign for clarification. And this story will be updated should aides reply.

.

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
I am William "Papa" Meloney and I endorse this message.

Open Empty Rhetoric: The Palin Verbage!!!!

The ability to offer a continuous line of verbal diarrhea without offering any real substance.

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
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Open Pandering to the news cycle: McCain pulling out...

McCain pulling out of Michigan

John McCain is pulling out of Michigan, according to two Republicans, a stunning move a month away from Election Day that indicates the difficulty Republicans are having in finding blue states to put in play.

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
I am William "Papa" Meloney and I endorse this message.

Open Observation: Bailout will not stop economic slide.

Dow	10,538.04	-293.03	(-2.71%)
Nasdaq	1,997.22	-72.18	(-3.49%)
S&P 500	1,123.86	-37.20	(-3.20%)
10y bond	3.66%	-0.05	(-1.35%)
USD-Euro	0.7245	+0.0126	(1.78%)
USD-Yen	105.2800	-0.4100	(-0.39%)
USD-GBP	0.5687	+0.0048	(0.86%)

Dow Nasdaq S&P 500

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Open Index: Depressing

Daily chart

Depression index

The D-word

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Open and shut my mouth!

Vernita Lee, Oprah Winfrey's Mom, Countersues Store For Its $156K Bill

MILWAUKEE — Oprah Winfrey's mother says she shouldn't have to pay a nearly $156,000 debt to a high-end fashion store because store officials shouldn't have extended credit to her.

Emphasis mine!!!

This is the mentality that is killing America!

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Open Animistic Cleansing: Thank goodness the threat is gone.

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
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Open Opinion

Senate passes $700 BILLION phat kat bailout package while the economy continues to tank... how many things will be wrong with this picture?

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Open Voting - Transparency is winning out.

Counting Every Vote

Sunday 28 September 2008

»

by: Erica Naone, ABC News

As problems persist with proprietary voting machine platforms, many experts look to open-source systems for more security, transparency, and reliability. (Photo: File)

California's secretary of state says open-source software is needed to safeguard electronic voting systems.

[More]

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
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You bet your bottom dollar...

Evangelicals can have a bettor man
in the Whitehouse...

against all odds.

John "What's the line?" McCain

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
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PAY ATTENTION: STOP THE BAILOUT OR.... DEPRESSION?

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
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Turtle Soup or Country Fried Palin

Recommended by my sister (who doesn't blog, yet) ... originally a comment posted to TPM

Turtle Soup?

While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75 year old rancher who's hand was caught in the gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Palin and her bid.

The old rancher said, "Well, ya know, Palin is a 'Post Turtle'".

Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a 'post turtle' was.

The old rancher said, "When you're driving down a country road you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top - that's a 'post turtle".

The old rancher saw the puzzled look on the doctor's face so he continued to explain. "You know she didn't get up there by herself, she doesn't belong up there, and she doesn't know what to do while she's up there, and you just wonder what kind of dummy put her up there to begin with".

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
I am William "Papa" Meloney and I endorse this message.