Oh yes, its that time again. As Bush's presidency falls into it's final days ( praise God), every Tom, Dick and Joe the Plumber come out of the woodwork seeking a presidential pardon. This is a practice that unfortunately, all presidents employ in their final days. This democraddict has to admit that even Billy Clinton was "generous" with his pardons. He was too generous and shamefully so.

Let's face it, these people seeking pardons are criminals. They have already been charged and are already serving their sentences. In addition, a presidential pardon can protect an individual for future accusations. This is a scary thought given the fact that Bush's administration is guilty of so much corruption. Men like Donald Rumsfeld, Karl Rove, Gonzales, Cheney etc., could get away with murder, literally.

So Georgey boy, you may vindicate those who pulled at your puppet strings to bring this nation to near devastation through their self interest and greed. However, do your waning executive powers entitle you to pardon yourself?

Thankfully, no.

Although I am not much of a religious woman, may God have mercy on your soul Mr. Bush. That is, if you haven't already sold it to Cheney.

I was angry this morning because I woke up after the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade had started. My boyfriend laughed at me as I watched, entranced by the Rockettes, Little Mermaid the Musical and David Archuletta. I can't explain why I love the parade so much. I can only recognize that it has been part of my Thanksgiving day as long as I can possibly remember. Simply put, it's a tradition, and I love traditions.

I often wonder about our Thanksgiving tradition. Our nation puts aside this day, every year to honor the Pilgrims who broke bread with the Native Americans. Why exactly do we celebrate a people that would conquer the Native Americans and steal their land? Why do we toast our glasses to oppression ?

Yet, I never hear cries of " Yay colonization!" while the men are watching the football games. I don't hear whispers of " I wonder what those poor Native Americans are doing on the reservation today" from the women in the kitchen. I hear laughter, smell amazing food and witness hugs, handshakes and family bonding. Thanksgiving no longer honors the Pilgrims, it honors the family. For that, I am extremely thankful.

My grandfather, who passed almost nine years ago, used to go around the table and ask each of the grandchildren what they were thankful for. I always found it an uncomfortable experience. I was always searching for something profound to say and always felt as if I never responded the "right" way. These days, I miss my grandfather, and that tradition of his. My heart swells with things to be thankful for. I'm not sure there would be enough time between dinner and dessert to rattle of my laundry list of gratitude.

I miss both of my grandparents. I feel as if I took them for granted in my youth. I remember how much I wanted to talk to my grandfather after September 11th because I feel that he could somehow make some sense of it. However, it isn't just the hard times that I miss them, its the wonderful times as well. The weddings, graduations, christenings etc. In addition, I know how happy they both would have been to see Barack Obama elected as I learned as much about politics and open-mindedness from them, as I did my parents.

Therefore papa, for you I'm going to tell the world ( aka my readers) what I'm thankful for this year. As always, my wonderful family both immediate and extended, my amazing boyfriend and his lovely family, my friends, my job, my creature comforts. And, this year, I'm going to throw in that I'm thankful that a nation, born of oppression, has elected one of it's oppressed to lead it.

We are building new traditions, both individually and as a nation. We are on a path to unity and greatness. I can't think of a better reason to give thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, I hope that you all have a wonderful day!
( P.S. I am thankful, everyday, that you chose to read my little rants, it keeps my fire going!)

Apparently not.

I can't turn on the news without being bombarded with messages of " shouldn't there be only one president at a time?" Of course this criticism is hitting on the dilligent work that Obama and his team have been doing to ensure their ability to get down to work the minute he is sworn into office.

(God forbid!)

Let's see, in light of the fact that there has been a monkey, and a heard of greedy idiots behind him in his administration for the past eight years who have brought our nation to near ruin, don't we need all the help that we can get?

Lay off the criticism, Obama deserves to be applauded not criticized. In an abysmal economy, we need a man who will work for every penny he gets.

Just a little food for thought to wet those Thanksgiving appetites of yours!

if you believe that you can vote on other's civil rights.

We, as a nation, do not have the right to vote on other's civil rights.

I am beyond bothered by the fact that people let their inherent, religious beliefs guide their voting practices. Separation of church and state was enacted for a reason. Religion has no place in politics. Yet, it creeps it's way in time and time again.

What bothers you so much about a gay couple wanting to get married? How is "your" way of life threatened by two people who love each other enough to take the plunge into the ever-risky, constant maintenance that is a marriage? Two out of three marriages end in divorce, how "sacred" do those heterosexuals that bail out of their life long commitment treat it? Not very well apparently.

We do not have the right to vote on other's civil rights. Just forty years ago, people of color were not considered citizens. I am currently in a relationship with man of color, in many states, our relationship would have been illegal. Is this the trend that we want to uphold?

If people love each other enough to dive into marriage, which today is a risky business, then all the more power to them! What the world needs now is love, more than anything. Why then are you trying to stop two people who want to venture into a union, based out of love, to perpetuate your hate?

Think about it. Beyond thinking about it, do something about it. It is very hairy business to set these kinds of precedents. It is the Supreme Court's job to decide if a law is or isn't constitutional.

Last I checked, the average voter was not trained and or confirmed as an individual who is capable of weighing civil issues against the constitution.

It does not sit well with me that people like Joe the Plumber may hold my civil rights in their hands.

Today, the senate handed down their punishment for Joe Lieberman's stint on the McCain campaign. Due to his pro-McCain and anti-Obama sentiments, the Democratic caucus took away Lieberman's panel post on the Environment and Public Works. He does however get to retain his chairmanship of the Senate Homeland Security Committee .

The seething Democrats were ready to rip this Republican- in -Democrat's clothing a new one before Obama encouraged them to be lenient.

If it were up to me, Lieberman would be publicly flogged. Seriously, this jerk could have cost us the campaign! I would have had a right mind to drop a dime to Plymouth Plantation and see if any of their old stocks were in working order. Liberman and his saggy jowels could droop together and ponder what an idiot-move he made.

I don't agree with Obama's recommendation. However, his leniency and determination to not habor negative feelings, unify the country and bring this nation out of the crapper is the exact reason why I love him so much.

Kudos to me, and everyone else who voted for him. Looks like we made the right decision.

Major pharmaceutical companies as well as health care providers are mobilizing this week in what will be an aggressive ad campaign aimed at attacking Barack Obama's health care initiatives.

You see, if Obama is able to regulate the cost of presccriptions through medicaide, those lovely CEO's of those major drug and health care companies will have to lose some of their precious millions, making them a little less rich than they were before.

This should disgust you Americans. The cost of prescription drugs is staggering, with and without insurance. I can recall an experience in graduate school in Australia when I had to buy a prescription for conjunctivitis ( thanks yucky kids!). I cried all the way to the drugstore because my insurance there didn't cover prescriptions. You can imagine my relief when the total bill amounted to... be prepared.... $11! You see their country has national healthcare, and in turn, can regulate prescription drug prices. I paid $11 dollars without insurance, think about it.

Many are uncomfortable with the thought of Universal Healthcare. I should bust a myth here. His healthcare plan would be elective. Don't worry, he's not the socialist that the GOP tried to convince you he was.

I think it's wonderful to try and make prescriptions more affordable. I have a hard time swallowing the fact that those on medicaide, and those who are privately insured, have great difficulty paying for medicine that they need.

Therefore, once these ads begin, here's some food for thought to munch on. If these companies can afford to pay millions of dollars to try and convince people of a falsehood that would only benefit them financially, shouldn't they be using that money to lower prescription drug costs?

Think about it.

Man... can I turn on the news and not discover that there's yet one more corporation that needs to be bailed out with our tax dollars?

When does it end?

I hate to be the wet blanket here, but it's not   more »

Nope.

To many Americans, the thought of electing a black man to the office of president was frightening and absurd. Then again, there were those, like myself, who believed that no matter how qualified and talented Barack Obama was, the ever-lingering racism and prejudice in this country would prevent his abilty to become the president elect.

Last Tuesday, I was overjoyed and proud to be a part of a country whose majority believes in, and voted for, real change. Our country made a decision that most viewed as the impossible dream. However, Barack Obama's defeat over John McCain is only the beginning.

I would like to take this opportunity to express to my readers that our dream of a total turn-around in government under Barack Obama's leadership in his first term is the impossible dream. Just as the current state of our country under George Bush's administration has become our worst nightmare.

Please understand, no leader can "fix" the mess that the Bush administration has gotten us into. I believe that we elected the best man to lead us out of these dark days. However, I would be lying to you if I said that I believed that he would be able to accomplish all that needs to be done in only four years. This is not a criticism, but rather a wake-up call.

Therefore dear readers, I'm asking you to keep hope alive. I do fear that things may get worse before they get better. We need to stand behind our president and realize that the light at the end of the tunnel is there, however, we may not be able to see it in four years time.

Obama has a daunting task ahead, just as FDR did after the Great Depression. Yet, FDR was able to resolve our country's maladies, in an unprecedented three plus terms, and would ultimately become one of our nation's greatest leaders in history.

Be patient. Obama will fall into the ranks alongside Lincoln, FDR and Kennedy. However, he won't be able to do it alone. We need to work for him and our government as much as he will work for us. Don't let your vote be the end of your civic engagement.

Living in a democracy is a gift. Your participation in it is a symbol of appreciation of that gift.

Hooray for America!

As I made the final preparations for our election night party on Tuesday ( hanging the " pin-the-lipstick-on-the-pig game and various pictures of Barack, John McCain, Michelle Obama, Cindy McCain, Joe Biden, Joe the plumber etc), I couldn't fight the small tinge of nervousness that the election just might not turn out the way that I had anticipated and hoped for.

A devoted Barack supporter since 2004, I have put as much time, money and effort into his campaign that I possibly could. I scowered the national polls daily and wanted to believe that the election's result would be what the polls had predicted.

However, having lived through the eight years of lying, distortion, corruption and greed of the Bush administration, I was not convinced that they wouldn't pull some sneaky trick(s) out of their pocket to steal this election as well.

Sure, there may have been some dirty tricks they we're not aware of. However, no tactics could counter the voices of the people, who turned out in record numbers to take our country back. My heart swelled with pride at the sight of people waiting in line for hours to let their voice be heard.

I had a thought yesterday, would Obama have been elected if George Bush wasn't as God-awful as he and his administration is? Hypothetically, if it were McCain who was elected eight years ago, the McCain of eight years ago who was actually moderate and had some of my respect, was elected, would the country be as angry and action-driven as we are?

Probably not.

I wonder what life would have been like with the old John McCain. Yes, I would prefer any scenario in which a democrat was in office, but even then, as I cringed in frustration over the debauchery that led to Georgey Boy's presidency, I figured we would have been better off with any Republican other than him.

As I watched John McCain give his succession speach, I honestly felt awful for him. Yes, there's no way in hell I wanted him elected. However, on Tuesday night, I felt as if I was looking at a heart-broken man who had finally realized what the GOP made him into; a desparate, flip-flopping, lying, greedy old man.

Therefore, thank you George W. Bush for being the worst president in the history of the United States. You changed history for the worst but also the better. The horror of your reign finally forced those who clung desparately to stereotypes, close-mindedness and hatred to realize that the only enemy is our own prejudices. Thank you for bringing our nation to the point at which we had to examine and put aside our prejudices for the greater good of our nation.

Senator McCain, I'm sorry for what you allowed the GOP to turn you into. However, the nation demanded change and we are now stepping in the right direction.

It has been amazing to watch some of the key players in the Civil Rights movement to bear witness to these historic events. They waited over forty, long years to see this day. Forty years is a long time. Your hopes and prayers, my hopes and prayers, and the sentiment of the nation have finally brought us here. We are ready to do what's right. We're ready to bring about the change that we need.

It's never too late. For you, McCain, Bush, anyone, it's never too late to stand up for what's right.

Afterall, some things are better late than never.

Dear readers, I am overwhelmed with joy and pride.

You have chosen. We have chosen. His name and political party aside, our nation decided that eight is enough. We will not live in a country whose government supports corporate greed and only looks out for their self interest.

I will not mince words, there is a long journey ahead.

However, we decided today to embark on that journey together. The journey towards the glory days.

We will see it in our lifetime.

I thank you. I thank my country.

Here's to the next eight years!

Vote God damnit!

Don't let our forefather's work go in vain. They died for us to have this privilege.

And, if you haven't been enlightened enough to want to vote for Barack Obama, then I will no longer waste my breath. You're a lost cause, and so is this country if McCain gets elected.

I will however encourage you to take part in your government no matter which way you vote.

Its that important.

Then, you're an idiot.

With twenty four hours left, I will no longer mince words. Unless you are deaf, or dumb, there is no conceivable way that you could actually still be undecided. Seriously, this makes me in favor of voter eligibility having to include an IQ test.

Yes, that may sound elitist (and, unconstitutional) but I'm not talking about only the super smart being able to vote. I'm speaking about anyone with more than half a brain at this point.

Therefore, seen as how you have so much difficulty making a decision about the next president. Let me test your ability to make decisions at all.

Do you want to continue to live in the hell that the Bush administration has brought us to?

Do you want a leader that is old, possibly ailing, angry, dishonest, selfish and greedy?

Do you want a tax cut?

Do you want to support clean energy so that we no longer will have to rely on both foreign and domestic oil?

Do you want a leader that would pick that God-awful woman, Sarah Palin, as a potential leader of our country?

Do you want your Vice President, and possible president, to be stupid, uninformed, inexperienced, uber conservative, and unqualified?

If you answered no, congratulations, you've made your choice, Barack Obama! If you answered yes then please don't vote. However if you do, and McCain does win, remind me of where you live again so I can find you when I'm out of a job due to budget cuts and need a place to crash. For that matter, hope you have enough room for the millions of other Americans that will be out of a job as well.

Finally, if you're still not sure, a decision unmade is a decision made. You must really like the fact that the country is in the toilet. Or, perhaps, you are too afraid to admit to your family and friends that you couldn't possibly vote for a man of color.

Now you're an idiot and a racist.

Democracy is a gift and our role in it is a privilege. We are blessed to have the ability to elect candidates who represent our views and ideals. We as citizens can shift government so that it is working for us. However, it's a two-way street; we need to work for our government just as it works for us.

Do the work for your government. Show the nation that you are proud to live in a democracy. Take part in how the future of our nation will unfold. Vote.

The past is the past, the future is unknown, today is the present, that's why we call it a gift.

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, vote!

Think about it.

This country is in the toilet. In the final forty eight hours before the election, Barack Obama is leading. However, it is still extremely concerning that he is not ahead by a much wider margin. I fear this is because many white, democratic and independent Americans are still wary of electing a black man to the office of the president.

How is the election still this close? After all, John McCain supported both an unpopular, if not the most unpopular, president and the war in Iraq. McCain also played a hand in this country's current economic crisis by voting for de-regulation as well as significant tax breaks for the very same financial corporations that squandered your 401K's on an impulsive and greedy whim. The country is in dire straights, John McCain helped us to get here. Not even his beloved Joe-the Plumber could pull us out of the crapper at this point.

What is important to you Americans? It blows my mind that this many Americans, Democratic and Independent voters no less, would vote for John McCain simply because the alternative happens to be a man of color. Actually it goes beyond that, it entirely and utterly terrifies me.

This polls do not just represent the deep-rooted prejudices that many Americans still have towards people of color, it speaks loud and clear to the fact that many of you are just afraid. Afraid that electing a black man to the office of the president will create a domino affect of electing other non-white men and women to positions of great power in America.

Is that thought so appalling to you? What is there to be afraid of? This country has been led by white men since it's inception. White men continue to head up major corporations ( like AIG, Lehman Brothers and Merril Lynch). It is mostly white men that are in that top 1% of our population who control the majority of the wealth in this country.

It has also been white men that have lied to you about the reasons for invading Iraq. A lie that has led to a price tag nearing a trillion dollars. Guess who's paying for that America? Us, ALL of us. Black, white, Asian and Hispanic. Every American citizen is paying for the deceit and disgrace that the current white men in office have caused, and will likely to continue to cause if John McCain is elected.

Look around dear Americans, this country is not made up entirely of white men, nor do white people remain the vast majority of our population. This country remains to be an international icon known for it's melting-pot society. Non-whites currently make up one third of our population. 45% of children under the age of five are non-white. That means in just twenty years, this country could potentially be equally mixed. The word " minority" dear Americans could be used to describe white people in the future. I can assure you at that time, it will not be a white man who is in office.

I say that not to scare you Americans, but to open your eyes to the reality that times are changing and we need to change with them. We need to embrace the change that this country so desperately needs. If you vote for John McCain just because the thought of a black man as president frightens you, then I pity you. That choice will only result in a reality that will be worse than your worst nightmares for this country.

Please don't be naive about the current state of our country and economy. We are just steps away from standing in soup lines. The current administration has brought us to the border of an economic crisis that parallels the Great Depression. That was almost a hundred years ago. We've come a long way since then. Voting for John McCain simply because he is white, could bring this country right back there.

As a a white woman, and a Democrat, there are many factors that I am basing my vote on for this election .

First of all, I want my country to embody the very ideals that it was founded upon; life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I want to be proud of my government again. I want to know that my taxes are being spent on initiatives to better our country and its citizens and not just to cater to the super rich.

I want to feel safe. I want to know that when my government tells me that there is an international threat, that it should be honest and accurate and not just a vehicle to provide work for private interests and shove democracy down the throat of a country who does not want us to be there.

I want the gap between the super rich and the middle class to be decreased. I want to be able to have and raise children in a country where people take part in democracy to vote for the candidates that represent their ideals and not their prejudices.

This country doesn't need a man of color to be able to achieve the change that it so desperately needs. This country needs a man who has the intelligence, qualifications, experience, patience and insight needed to lead this country in the right direction. That man ladies and gentlemen is Barack Obama.


I am a white, Democratic woman and I am voting for Barack Obama because his " wants" for this country, echo my own.

I plead with my white, Democratic and Independent peers to look inside themselves to realize what it is they really want from our next president. Is it a strong leader who will represent the best interests of its' citizens? Or, is it a man who lacks pigment in his skin?

Think about it.

Unfortunately, I had to attend the funeral of a young child this morning. As someone who has struggled with religious identity for years, being in a church is unfamiliar these days. However, as I listened to the minister's sermon, it inspired me to reflect on religion, my beliefs as well as that of our nation.

Religion is what drove the Pilgrims to America to begin with. It's also what conquerors/colonizers used as a justification for the decimation of millions of native peoples. Our country fostered religious freedom, yet a large ( Christian) majority still stands in judgement of anyone who does not share and/or practice their beliefs. They also would like to see religion play a part in politics and look down upon any politician who does not make decisions based on their religious inclinations.

Thank God there is a separation between church and state.

I thought a lot about Jesus this morning. Despite your religious views, Jesus in fact was a real man who stood up to an oppressive administration ( the Romans) for the good of all the people of . He was a community organizer who cared about the old, young, diseased and infirm. He stood up for change and inspired others to do the same.

Isn't that the ultimate Democrat?

There were many, mostly the Romans in power, who feared Jesus's influence and worried about a revolution. For, who would want to continue living oppressed lives when the promise of a better existence could be made possible by Jesus's influence? Jesus's ideas made sense but more importantly, the were moral and just. Sensing a threat to their power, the Romans had Jesus assasinated for speaking out against them.

Divinity aside, Barack Obama and Jesus Christ have a lot in common. They stood up, against all odds, for the greater good of their people. They struggled through adversity to get their message out to the people, and in turn, the people listened. The Romans ensured that Jesus would no longer be a threat to their rule by crucifying him. The Republicans have done everything within their power to elimintate Obama as a policital threat to their ruthless administration with their lies, distortions and scare tactics.

Revitalize your faith dear readers. Dig deep to find your faith, not in religion, but in the greater good of all Americans. We have been living in some dark times. A vote for John McCain will only cause this country to fall deeper into the hole that the Bush administration has left us in. Barack Obama is a beacon of change. He is a leader who stands out amongst other politicians as someone who truly wants to stand up for the greater good of all Americans.

Don't you want the kind of change that would restore this nation to greatness?

I have faith that you do.