Who Won the Presidential Debate?

Who won the presidential debate? That seems to be the main question bandied about in the wake of the October 3rd debate between President Obama and Governor Romney. And the general consensus seems to be that Mitt Romney won.

However, there is more to this debate than that simple question. Clearly President Obama could have done a lot better, but the big surprise is how well Governor Romney performed. He had been vague on his campaign policies, and that vagueness did show-up in this debate, but he had a better over-all strategy for his policies than in the previous several month. And, I'm sure, his recent release of semi-candid remarks had sparked many people to watch the debate simply to see if he would verbally misstep again.

President Obama, it was evident, was prepared to debate on some of the few points of policy that Governor Romney had brought-up along his campaign trail. However, that was no help to the President and he was found floundering, as Governor Romney debated in favor of his new policy ideas.

All this being said, Governor Romney showed himself to be a much better contender than was previously evident. If President Obama prepares himself better for the next debate, which I am sure he will-and with the help of his aids-then we should have a quite interesting and lively debate when they meet again on October 16th.

A side note: It was very refreshing to see how the candidates were so congenial with each other at the debate on October 3rd-a definite change from previous years. Let's hope that continues.

Links: 2012 Presidential Debate Schedule

Why the Mosque at Ground Zero is Neither

There has been a lot of talk in the past few months about the so-called Mosque at Ground zero. This media-promoted name is enough to make any red-blooded American protest. But if you examine further, you will find that this is not what is going on at all.


This building is not going to be a mosque. It is to be a community center. Sound like semantics? Not really. A mosque is a building used for Muslim worship, education and the settling of disputes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosque). While prayer space will be available on one of it's 15 floors, it is primarily a community center. It will boast a 500-seat auditorium, conference rooms, library, banquet room, classrooms, gym and pool. (http://www.cordobainitiative.org/?q=content/frequently-asked-questions)

The proposed building is not at the location of ground zero, but two blocks away. It is not even visible from ground zero.

This project, named the Cordoba Initiative, is being spear-headed by Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf. He is a Sufi Muslim, author of the book What's Right with Islam is What's Right with America, and Imam of Masjid al-Farah in New York City. His life's work has been to serve as a bridge between the faiths. Sufi Muslims are a minority in Islam. They are a mystic sect and are not accepted by many Sunni and Shia Muslims. The terrorists on the planes on 911 were Sunni Muslims from Saudi Arabia but, more importantly, they were religious extremists.

Independence Day?

What happened to the dream that was America? the United States of America? Would our forebears even recognize their country? Slowly, over the last several years, we have been losing our freedoms. Not enough to always recognize. We are cooked slowly, like the proverbial frog in a pot of water, never attempting to escape. When we have sought to correct the situation, such as flooding Congress with communications to vote against the bailout, we have been ignored. Ignored by our own government, the government that is supposed to represent us. We have been told that we are too stupid to know what we are talking about. They know better. They know what's best for us. That sounds dangerously close to a dictatorship.

If our elected officials won't do what we, the people, ask them to do, then it is time to elect public servants who will. It is time to set term limits, so that our representatives (Senators and Representatives) will not become indoctrinated into the Washington political machine. Time for campaign fund reforms, so that our official our not beholden to companies and organizations instead of the citizens of the United States.

On this Fourth of July-this Independence Day-let us remember what those who have gone before us have paid for our freedom. Let us honor them by taking back our freedoms, before they slip away completely. Let's not allow their dream die because of our own apathy. Let us have a happy Independence Day.

Vote!

Don't forget to vote today in this historic and important election!

See How Your Senators Voted on the Bailout

Senate vote for HR 1424, the "Senate Bailout".

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=2&vote=00213

Both of my senators voted for it, so guess who I am going to vote against when they are up for re-election.

Notes on Sarah Palin - Charlie Gibson Interview

My rough notes from the Palin/Gibson interview:

economy:
-put govt on side of people-halt the growth of government
-in Wasilla-cut property tax-increased sale tax-cut small business inventory taxes-started with a balanced budget and ended with a deficit for sports arena
-Alaska:-temporarily eliminated state fuel tax

what would you change in Bush economic plan?
-change oversight of quasi-government agencies (such as fannie mae and freddie mac)
-reduce taxes, reform spending, change oversight
-vet programs should not be touched
---
-describes self as washington outsider with no allegiances to power brokers.
-paid 30,000 for a lobbyist to washington
---
-roe v. wade should be overturned on the state level-abortion only in the case of the woman's life endangered (McCain for abortion permitted in case of incest and rape)
-against embryonic stem cell research (McCain for)
-avoided question about whether being gay is learned or genetic
-against more gun control
-says she is experienced enough and has enough ability to be vice president and possibly president
---
-avoided national security and foreign policy question, saying being more energy independent would be great for national security
---
-played basketball in high school

GOP Selection of Palin is Highly Insulting

I have been in a bad mood since the announcement was made. I find the selection of Sarah Palin as the Republican vice presidential nominee to be highly insulting. What are we supposed to infer by her nomination? She has only been the governor of Alaska for less than 2 years. Before that, she was a mayor. She does not have near enough experience for the position. So why was she chosen? Because she is a woman? There are plenty of female Republicans who are qualified for the job. This just disgusts me. And it seems that all the Republican politicians are just going along with it, like this is a genius move. Ugh! Let's see, she's not as qualified as Barak Obama, Obama's not as experienced as George W. Bush was when he took office-and I did not vote for Bush-because he was not qualified enough!

What was McCain thinking? Was he thinking? Is he just going with what other people are telling him to do, or was this his idea? If it was his idea, it does not bode well for him.

Presidential Election 08

I have been researching the Presidential candidates online. I like to look at the candidates' voting records, biography, official stance on the issues, and their writings and speeches. The issues that are important to me right now are, in order; Budget/Finance, Immigration and National Security, and Foreign Policy.

Click here to view Senator Barack Obama's Senate voting record at Project Vote Smart.

Click here to view Senator John McCain's Senate voting record at Project Vote Smart.

Once on the page, chose an issue from the drop-down menu and click "go".

Voting Information

VOTE411.org

Global Warming: The Cold, Hard Facts?

Global Warming: The Cold, Hard Facts?

Jim Webb' Novels are a Non-Issue

I do not live in Virginia, so I have no personal interest in this race other than the current issue brought up about his novels. I have read the passages in question. Besides the fact that these are fiction books, they are based on Jim Webb's personal experience in war. Believe it or not, these things do and have happened. I have heard similar stories from Air Force enlistees who have been sent to these areas of the world in the 1990's. They are a part of the military experience and have a definite effect on these military troops.

Jim Webb for U.S. Senate: Home

OnTheIssues.org - Candidates on the Issues

OnTheIssues.org - Candidates on the Issues

Look up the candidates running in your state to see where they have voted on the issues.

Blanco signs law that would ban abortions - Yahoo! News

Blanco signs law that would ban abortions - Yahoo! News

Coast Guard Warned of Port Deal Intel Gaps - NEWS - Comcast.net

Coast Guard Warned of Port Deal Intel Gaps - NEWS - Comcast.net

Why are we selling our port operations to other countries?

The Seattle Times: Nation & World: Criticism mounts over Dubai plan to take over U.S. ports

Samuel Alito

Samuel Alito - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

While Samuel Alito is a much better choice for a Supreme Court nominee than Harriet Miers, I still have some reservations about him. Several of the opinions he has issued in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals have completely disregarded precedence. While this would be counter-balanced by the other Supreme Court Justices, it leaves my uneasy.

By the way, the reason many Republicans were against Harriet Miers as a nominee was not, as it has been put forth in several media outlets, that she was not conservative enough. It was because she has never sat on the bench. Personally, I was very disheartened that President Bush would proffer such an unqualified candidate.

Getting Tired of Glenn Beck

OK, I guess I go through this every few months. He starts going on and on about something. His latest obsession is Intelligent Design. He is talking about it, because there is opposition to teaching it in some school districts (this has been in the news lately). The first day that he brought it up, he was making fun of people who endorse the theory of evolution. The next day he was saying that he is tired of people making fun of the people who believe in intelligent design. His main point is that he thinks the public schools should teach Intelligent Design along with Evolution in school (what little bit that is actually taught of evolution). Every time he starts talking about science, uh, I don't know what to say. People can believe whatever they want to believe. If you don't understand science, fine. But don't go on and on about it when you don't know what you are talking about. I can't believe that the pseudoscience of Intelligent Design has gotten as far as it has. The fact that it may have to be taught in school is outrageous (unless it is being taught in sociology or religion). Then he says that we need to give people a chance to hear about another theory. Well, Intelligent Design is not a scientific theory. If someone wants to teach their children about Intelligent Design, so be it. But don't try and pass it off as science in a science class.

Some Links:
Article-Intelligent design or simple political agenda?
Article-Gov. Rendell backs evolution
Wikipedia on Intelligent Design

InformedPA - Young Conservatives of PA speak out against pay increase

The Young Conservatives of Pennsylvania have launched a website to educate Pennsylvanians about the illegal pay increase that the general assembly voted for themselves. Link.