Chris Abraham » secretaries http://chrisabraham.com Because the Medium is the Message Sun, 27 May 2012 03:06:01 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 A Love Note From David Plouffehttp://chrisabraham.com/2008/12/02/a-love-note-from-david-plouffe/ http://chrisabraham.com/2008/12/02/a-love-note-from-david-plouffe/#comments Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:57:14 +0000 Chris Abraham http://chrisabraham.com/2008/12/02/a-love-note-from-david-plouffe/

PinExt A Love Note From David Plouffe

Here is a love note to “me” from David Plouffe, Campaign Manager for Obama for America. Barack Obama wants to personally keep me, ChrisTOPHER Abraham in the loop. I hope the Obama White House keeps up this sort of thing. If Barack Obama and David Plouffe are smart, they won’t make me resubscribe after the inauguration, they’ll just continue educating and informing me into the future. Please.

Christopher –

Yesterday, President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden announced key members of their national security team.

Barack and Joe have asked some of the country’s most experienced leaders on national security, foreign policy, law enforcement, and military matters to come together to renew America’s security and standing in the world.

Watch the video of Barack’s announcement and learn about the national security team.

Hillary Clinton, U.S. Senator from New York and former First Lady, will serve as Secretary of State.

Secretary Robert Gates, the current Secretary of Defense, will continue to serve in that role.

Eric Holder, former Deputy Attorney General and a former United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, will serve as Attorney General.

Janet Napolitano, Governor and former U.S. Attorney for Arizona, will serve as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

Dr. Susan E. Rice, a Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to the Obama for America campaign, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, will serve as Ambassador to the United Nations.

General Jim Jones, USMC (Ret), former Allied Commander, Europe, and Commander of the United States European Command, will serve as National Security Advisor.

Barack’s national security team has been assembled to represent all elements of American power, diplomacy, and leadership that will be vital in overcoming the challenges of the 21st century.

Watch the video of today’s press conference:

These appointees will be tasked with strengthening current alliances and forging new ones, protecting our citizens at home, defending against our enemies, and promoting our values and moral leadership throughout the world.

While the challenges they are sure to face will be great, the opportunities to unify our country and our world will be even greater.

With your support, we’ll meet those challenges and opportunities with the hope and optimism that has brought us to this moment of change.

Thank you,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

PinExt A Love Note From David Plouffe
]]> http://chrisabraham.com/2008/12/02/a-love-note-from-david-plouffe/feed/ 0 Sarah Palin Comment Thread Par Excellencehttp://chrisabraham.com/2008/10/10/sarah-palin-comment-thread-par-excellence/ http://chrisabraham.com/2008/10/10/sarah-palin-comment-thread-par-excellence/#comments Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:52:16 +0000 Chris Abraham http://chrisabraham.com/2008/10/10/sarah-palin-comment-thread-par-excellence/

PinExt Sarah Palin Comment Thread Par Excellence

If you have not been keeping on top of all of the great comments streaming in to the AH Poll entitled “If John McCain died or became incapacitated, would Sarah Palin be competent to be President?” you are really missing out! Some of them are the most insightful, thoughtful, and brilliant collection of thoughts representing the best and the worst of the right and the left! Roll up your sleeves and batten your hatches because you’re going to have one hell of a ride. Oh, also, these comments are in reverse-chronological order so the most recent are at the top. If you want to keep track of them live, please go visit them where they love and breathe. Read below for the most amazing Sarah Palin comment thread of the Internets!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/10/2008 – 12:58.

Only a complete moron would vote for a Republican after the past 8 years of idiocy. McCain is a Bush croney and Palin is just an idiot.

Submitted by ab (not verified) on Fri, 10/10/2008 – 08:52.

KB,
Sorry, I don’t usually reply to these remarks, but I couldn’t resist……..
What message of “hate” are you talking about?
If someone doesn’t agree with your worldview, that doesn’t
mean they hate. Where is your tolerance?
AB

Submitted by Walter Arndt (not verified) on Thu, 10/09/2008 – 22:23.

Only a person with his head in the sand would vote for a democrat.

Submitted by KB in IA (not verified) on Thu, 10/09/2008 – 21:54.

Things might get interesting soon, since the Alaska Supreme Court said today that the investigation known as Troopergate could proceed, dashing the hopes of the McCain/Palin campaign to stonewall it until after the election (article at www.adn.com). Amazing that someone CURRENTLY under investigation for misuse of public office, could be stirring up crowds with a message of hate. Mind-boggling that someone who had to attend 5 or 6 different colleges before getting a degree in journalism, can try to make a bogeyman out of someone who graduated with honors from Harvard Law. I hope Alaska gets their Governor back soon…if they even want her back.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 10/09/2008 – 18:06.

Are you as crazy as she is? It IS the republican party that has messed up this Country over the last 8 yrs. We may not get out of this mess we are in. Take your head out of the sand. Obama IS the best selection this election.

Submitted by Leo (not verified) on Thu, 10/09/2008 – 17:17.

Mrs. Palin is much more qualified to be President than Obama who has done absolutely nothing but organize thugs in ACORN! She could save this Country from Socialism and all the corruption the Democrats are up to. He is not capable of telling the truth and Hollywood and the Media are doing their best to cover for him. He is not qualified to be a Senator and should be on trial for treason.

Submitted by GE Mayer (not verified) on Thu, 10/09/2008 – 16:53.

Not only is Palin not qualified to be Vice President much less President, I am incensed, that John McCain would insult my intellegence by picking such a “newby” above several well qualified, experienced women who have served the country and the Republican party.
I expect my Comander in Chief to Carefully sellect an individual more qualified than him/herself to take over. It shows John’s thinking.

Submitted by Krissi (not verified) on Wed, 10/08/2008 – 21:35.

While I admire Sarah Palin’s spunk and determination, I think that she is completely out of her league as not only a vice president but also a president. If people would take a good look at her record, they’d see that she doesn’t even have a good grasp of the issues.

In addition, she’s been caught in numerous lies and distortions. For example, she did not sell a jet on eBay — she tried but failed; the jet was sold later to a private buyer. She did not leave the town of Wasilla financially sound; she left it in debt. She says she;ll be a strong supporter of kids with needs. In truth, Palin actually slashed funding for schools for special needs kids by 62%.

And her famous, “I told the Congress “thanks, but no thanks,” for that Bridge to Nowhere. If our state wanted a bridge, we’d build it ourselves” line? More spin. Congress’ requirement that funds be spent on that bridge (aka the ‘earmark’) were removed before Sarah Palin became governor. She was, therefore, in no position to tell Congress anything about the bridge, one way or the other. During her campaign, she said she supported funding for the bridge.

There are more examples, of the fibs and many examples of her poor insight into our nation’s problems. I could list them all, but I encourage you to do your own homework (forwarded emails DO NO COUNT)!

If MCCain and Palin win this election, I’ll probably be hoping for a lengthy, overseas assignment — maybe four years or more!

Submitted by GA for Brains in the White House (not verified) on Wed, 10/08/2008 – 21:02.

W – below C student
McCain – at the bottom of his class
Are we really electing the best? Shouldn’t we elect someone better than we are? And someone not ready for the assisted living home? Someone who can remember the name of his opponent instead of calling him “that one”. McCain left right away after the debate – seniors do go to bed early, probably past his bedtime. As for integrity, check out McCain’s involvement in the S&L bailout, he was right there along side W’s brother Neil. All working to steal investors’ money. Just like King Henry is doing now, rewarding his Wall St. buddies.

And we wonder why this happens to us???

Submitted by Ed Sherrill (not verified) on Wed, 10/08/2008 – 10:49.

Not only is Sarah Palin competent to become President, she is idealogically and tempermentally better suited to be President than John McCain. Republicans are going to be very sorry thet chose McCain over Mitt Romney. I only pray the Democrates don’t screw up the country so bad over the next four years that it can’t be fixed.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/07/2008 – 22:13.

If Joe Biden winked at the camera 5-6 times during the debate, wouldn’t we be calling him a pervert? Come on people, get serious. Sarah Palin is a joke — an embarrassment to Americans who take our politics — and the plight of our country — seriously.

Submitted by Joi (not verified) on Tue, 10/07/2008 – 13:34.

To be sure, Sarah Palin doesn’t deserve the crucifixion the media and entertainment world are giving her (and her family). McCain might deserve some of it, after all – he picked her. Why? She’s female. I admire the man completely – he is an American hero and I can’t even begin to imagine the hell this brave man endured.

However, when it came to choose running mates, I belive Obama chose one that was best for the country and McCain chose one (he thought) was best for the campaign.

I THINK that he lost the race with his choice. I KNOW he lost my vote.

Submitted by olivier blanchard (not verified) on Tue, 10/07/2008 – 13:30.

Hindsight is always 20/20. Perhaps Gov. Palin’s weaknesses weren’t 100% obvious to Sen. McCain when he picked her. (So much for due diligence, I guess.) Did he want a dynamic, charismatic, family-friendly VP running-mate? Of course. And she fit the bill… on the surface, at least. But honestly, weren’t there better choices (male or female) for the job? Competent, charismatic, appealing, worldly Republican governors or senators? People he actually knows and trusts? 30 years in politics, and he can’t think of a single person he has worked with who would be a better choice for a running mate? He goes with a complete stranger? I find that bizarre. Irresponsible, even. I just don’t get it. There are plenty of smart, competent, experienced women in the Republican Party who would have made a great running mate.

Submitted by DBStevens (not verified) on Tue, 10/07/2008 – 12:21.

Too many people in this country confuse personal appeal with competence, and make decisions based on who’s the most charming or even who’s sexiest. Or they make decisions based on generalities such as “we need a woman in the White House.” A COMPETENT woman in the White House would be a great asset to this country. There is no doubt of that.

But we can’t decide the leaders of our country based on a visceral reaction to her charm and folksy demeanor (there is a lot of doubt as to the sincerity of that demeanor anyway…she shows signs of being rather ruthless). During these times of uncertainty and fear, it’s natural to want some comfort, to feel that the person leading our country is down-to-earth and “real.’ We felt good about Bush and people like Rudy Guiliani for a short time right after 9/11. They appealed to our emotions and need for reassurance. But that demeanor means nothing. It’s the actions that matter, and in the time following 9/11, both Bush and Guiliani’s true nature was revealed… incompetence and self-serving.

Sarah Palin acts cute and has a pretty face. That’s perfect for president of the PTA. But has not gained enough experience to be president of a country. The job of Vice-President or President is NOT an “on-the-job-training” type of job. Being Mayor of a tiny town in a remote state, then Governer of that remote, sparsely populated state (670,000, way smaller than a city like El Paso, TX) is not enough experience to lead a country whose every move has global implications. Palin treated the job of Governer like a telecommuting job, she worked form her hown home for 86% of the year.

No matter how intelligent she may seem to be, no matter how ambitious or driven she may seem, and ESPECIALLY no matter how pretty or charming she is, she is not ready for the responsibilities of a job like President. Without experience, without having the time to really begin to understand the nature of national and global dealings on every level, no matter how much coaching or guidance she would receive, Palin would either crumble under pressure or make very bad decisions with repercussions that could shake this country and its international stature to the core. Or she wouldn’t act quickly enough at all…stalling and deflecting decisions (as she does with many questions, or with such events as the investigation dubbeed “Troopergate”).

I also worry about the demands of her family. During times of her family’s need, do we want someone faced with the dilemma of either neglecting her family’s needs because of her duties as Vice-President, or neglecting the VP duties because of her family’s needs? Neither of those are good choices….Sarah Palin has too many personal responsibilities.

Palin also shows all the signs of behavior very similar to Bush’s…including a tendency toward cronyism, abuse of power, and self-serving decisions that flout the law.

She even mispronounces the word “nuclear” just like Bush. Certainly that’s a small point, and that pronunciation is commonly recognized as a sub-standard metathesis of the word, but it’s very annoying to listen to.

So wake up American. Move your responses from your gut to your brains, and make sure you understand the repercussions of your vote.

Submitted by Andy Osier (not verified) on Tue, 10/07/2008 – 10:15.

John McCain himself isn’t capable of running the country; I shudder to think of the train wreck a Palin administration would be. If they win, I’m seriously considering a moving. How’s the January weather in Berlin, Chris?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/06/2008 – 18:11.

Granted, we’ve got plenty to worry about at home!
But we’re talking about a Governor of a state bordered by 2 foreign countries, Palin is the proud NEW owner of a passport! (barely 1 year)
The world is smaller than ever and so is our standing in it. We don’t need “a little Wasilla in Washington”. We already have a narrow minded view of the world with our current administration.

Submitted by Joyce (not verified) on Mon, 10/06/2008 – 16:49.

She would call on the brightest brains in the Republican party, put them in positions of power and support, and do her best to do the best she could for her country. She’s an acheiver and would never accept failure for herself. She has Condeleesa, Romneys, Huckabees and several others who want to serve and members to help and advise her. Her history shows that she uses support and advise to guide her towards her goals and accomplishments. She would take the credit for it too.

Submitted by Allison (not verified) on Mon, 10/06/2008 – 15:10.

Palin is the only person that does not have someone dictating what she says about policy and does not try to appear to have all of the answers. She certainly knows how to find the answers. She has integrity, and knows truth when she sees it and definitely has mankind’s best interests as her priority. These are some of the things that make her the best candidate for the job. I am sick and tired of politicians with agendas! She is a real person that is capable of any good, or decent task put before her. She will also employ the same type of people to work beside and under her. The point that she is not capable of selling us down stream for a special interest group, or her own pocket, or fame makes her my choice in a leader – regardless of the presence of McCain. Allison

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/06/2008 – 15:08.

Palin is the only person that does not have someone dictating what she says about policy and does not try to appear to have all of the answers. She certainly knows how to find the answers. She has integrity, and knows truth when she sees it and definitely has mankind’s best interests as her priority. These are some of the things that make her the best candidate for the job. I am sick and tired of politicians with agendas! She is a real person that is capable of any good, or decent task put before her. She will also employ the same type of people to work beside and under her. The point that she is not capable of selling us down stream for a special interest group, or her own pocket, or fame makes her my choice in a leader – regardless of the presence of McCain. Allison

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/06/2008 – 12:47.

She didn’t ride in on her “own merits” She rode in on her SEX. PERIOD.

Submitted by RisingFromDecadence (not verified) on Mon, 10/06/2008 – 12:17.

It’s the most frightening and compelling reason to not elect McCain to date. It’ clear that the choice was to win vs. what’s right for the country. And it saddens me that with so many strong female candidates out there McCain has landed on this choice. It speaks volumes of his lack of sound judgement and doesn’t do justice to the feminist movement.

I couldn’t agree more with “Double Standard’s” comments about education, and intelligence vs. the “experience” of a low-population governor. Has it somehow become a negative trait for our president to be articulate well educated and even published?

I think its safe to now say, like every great civilization, America has grown from it’s indestructible, can-do “adolescence,” and has entered it’s “decadent” period of greed, fear, fat and a lack of clear vision. America needs a president who will bring intelligence, a new vision, and optimism so that we don’t lose the real values we’ve grown up to believe are American such as truth, innovation, compassion, charity and vision.

Our values as a nation should not be confused with same sex marriages or religious agendas. I seem to remember from my grade school social studies classes that America was born as a nation with the purpose and promise of many freedoms. Personal choice values are not to be mixed with National values. Growing up, this difference has been why I’ve been so proud to be an American. In the last 8 years much has changed. I believe that only with the leadership of Obama will we be able to regain our credibility and our course as a nation. Most importantly, America could be “Proud Again.”

Submitted by Jaz-Michael King (not verified) on Mon, 10/06/2008 – 10:40.

As an unbiased, unable-to-vote immigrant, can I point out that as usual, from either of your minimalist two sides, when the question is simply If John McCain died or became incapacitated, would Sarah Palin be competent to be President?”, the arguments spin off to why the opponent isn’t. Maybe that will be the next question, but like I wanted to yell at Palin while watching the debate… answer the question posed to you.

Everyone has their weak points, and in some respects, Obama, who has considerably more than two years in the US Senate as his experience (he was a state senator, you know) has plenty. However, I think there’s a good reason hockey moms and joe sixpacks don’t run. No-one wants regular folk in charge. You all want a ruling elite no matter how much you profess to the contrary.

There are plenty of strong, competent women on both sides of the aisle in the USA. Gov. Palin is not one of them.

She is not qualified because she is not qualified. Being as unqualified as anyone you wish to compare her to does not make her qualified. Her inabilty to answer a straight question makes her unqualified. I personally believe the fact she is the kind of person who can compete in a beauty contest makes her unqualified. And as of today, her assertion that Obama’s political career started off in the living room of a terrorist (all of a sudden, he’s been a politician a lot longer than two years according to the Republicans) has pulled her from the absurd to the surreal.

Don’t get me wrong, Obama seems to pander to some vaporous “change” mentality, but that wasn’t the question.

Submitted by Anonymous jones (not verified) on Mon, 10/06/2008 – 09:16.

The difference between Obama and Palin is that Obama thinks. He’s smart enough to go to Harvard, graduate high enough in his class to be president of the Harvard Law Review there. He’s a thinker who doesn’t shoot from the hip. He knows the Constitution inside and out and knows if something is just a whim to increase his own power compared to a great idea which would help millions of people (think fairer taxes, health insurance coverage). Palin bankrupted Wasilla which is now 23.5 MILLION dollars in debt. She has no idea of what real issues are out there—she doesn’t have any idea of what to do in a financial situation, a diplomatic situation or anything beyond her own home. She shows no compassion for others who are not in her situation (religious, financial, educational, political) and has no international experience. We do not need another DOPE in the White House. McCain has shown very poor judgment in choosing an under-educated (a BA is like a high school degree these days) fool rather than a smart, intellectually sophisticated worthy VP candidate. This is a sellout of the Democratic process. Such a shame. But then again, McCain graduated at the bottom of his class (894 out of 899), so what does he want with a smart second?

Submitted by Bjshazam (not verified) on Sun, 10/05/2008 – 22:34.

Does it not trouble anyone who has been posting here that we have reached this point at all? I’ve been writing draft after draft of posts here, trying to find the right balance that won’t come across as too ideological, or that won’t be automatically dismissed by the true sycophants because it contains some Left or Right code word that justifies their turning off of the brain. Can’t do it. She’s too dangerous, and it angers me so much that we as a country have been put in the position of having to opine about the staggering impropriety of her selection as McCain’s running mate.

Consider:

My brother is a great guy. Smart as a whip, with what I think is decent judgment (except for his love of the Yankees). I trust him implicitly. So, should I be in a position to name him to, say, the Supreme Court, I would expect no questions from anyone about his qualifications. According to the Constitution, he is legally qualified to be a Justice, even the Chief Justice. I already told you he is smart and has good judgment. What else do you need to know? How dare you question my choice or his desire to serve?

The President of the United States has a mind bogglingly huge amount of discretion in executing the job. The president can, without obstruction by court or Congress, lay waste to our financial system, impede entirely the execution of justice, or unleash Armageddon. The office of the president can disband virtually unilaterally the entirety of the intelligence gathering power of the U.S., or focus it all on the least secure among us — with no recourse by anyone.

Most of the time, this isn’t an issue. Regardless of your political persuasion, we have been blessed mostly with chief executives that took the burdens of job dead seriously. A president of the entire country, not just those who cast the votes.

Now the bar has been set so low that we cannot figure out the right words to describe how wrong it is for a candidate to relish the fact that she really doesn’t understand the job the Constitution has laid out. That this is somehow an asset to a campaign makes me ashamed for my country.

That John McCain affirmatively foisted this train wreck upon his own party, and possibly upon the country, is a sin for which he should never be forgiven.

That she is considered by some to be the next face of the GOP, and a real contender for the nomination next time around, should make my GOP colleagues shudder and the nation weep.

I don’t want a hockey mom or joe six-pack running the country. Hell, I don’t want anyone like me running the country. I want a president. And she is not it.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 10/05/2008 – 22:25.

Darn, brain outrunning my fingers.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 10/05/2008 – 22:22.

And the mental midgets who are using that as a ruse to comment on Obama miss the entire point. Biden IS qualified to fill in shoudl something happen to Obama (go to smoking gun to see why that IS an issue).

Palin is a bimbo and if you do not think so, Palin supporters, then take this simple acid test: were it Obama who made those brain dead comments instead of Palin, what would you be saying about him? Gotcha!

jim

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 10/05/2008 – 22:01.

Anyone that believes that Sarah Palin is qualified to be President is kidding themselves. It has nothing to do with the fact that she is a woman. The fact that she is SO unqualified is what made her pick an insult to every hard-working, intelligent woman out there. She was picked for her good looks and her folksy charm. There were MANY more qualified women in the ranks of the Republican party that could have been chosen.
Palin attended five different colleges before she was finally able to stick out a degree program. She majored in journalism and communications and couldn’t name ONE newspaper or magazine that she reads on a regular basis. She minored in political science and doesn’t know what the Vice President’s role and duties are in our government. She has abused her power in every political post she has been elected to, has lied about her record both as mayor and governor and her short political career has been marked by scandal. She says that she fought the energy interests in Alaska, but her campaigns have all been heavily funded by energy companies.
In short, she’s not smart, she’s lacks integrity, she has gotten most of what she has attained on her looks and charm and these things don’t add up to someone who is qualified for Vice President, nevermind the Presidency. If you want her to be your leader, move to Alaska. This country and the world cannot afford another incompetent leader at the helm. One more bumbling idiot at the helm will spell doom for the future of all of the citizens of this country.

Submitted by Crazy Politico (not verified) on Sun, 10/05/2008 – 20:10.

If Gov. Palin isn’t qualified to “POSSIBLY” become president, then what of Barack Obama?

What exactly is his qualification for the job? A couple of non-descript years in the Senate with no major legislation to show for that time? A history of voting “Here” on controversial issues so as to keep a rather neutral record when running for the next higher office?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 10/05/2008 – 14:49.

Does she have enough political experience for the position of president? I would say not….. but then again, there’s nothing like a long run of a president that can’t even string a sentence together in English to remind you that you don’t really need much skill for the job. It’s whose behind the president that counts no?

Submitted by Thoughtful_Independent (not verified) on Sun, 10/05/2008 – 11:49.

I’m a registered independent. I was waiting for the VP picks to be made before making my mind up. VP’s Gore and Cheney have both illustrated the growing importance of the VP position in the Executive Branch. The magnitude of the nations and worlds problems highlight the fact that the top two elected officials in the US need to have a wide range of capabilities., strong intellect, and global perspective. At minimum, the President needs a knowledgeable confidant and advisor he/she can trust.

For all of her folksy charm, Governor Palin displays very little of these qualities or qualifications. If you take the time to investigate the educational and professional accomplishments of our sitting VP’s over the past 50 years, even the most biased observer would conclude that Governor Palin would be the least educated and least experienced. If you don’t have the time to look at all of them, just compare her against Dan Quayle who was arguably the weakest of the sitting VP’s. Quayle’s accomplishments at the time he was selected as Bush’s running mate dwarf Palin’s.

Upon inspection, the rabid and exaggerated claims about her energy expertise and executive experience vaporize (the claims of foreign policy experience are not even a valid topic). Living in an oil rich state, shuffling petrodollars from the oil companies to the citizens in the form of dividends, “negotiating” potential terms of a yet unplanned and unfunded natural gas pipeline, and a college degree in journalism do not qualify one as an energy expert.

Furthermore, the role of Governor of Alaska is diminished in complexity compared to the Governors of the lower 48 due to factors such as: 1) very small population (the whole state has a population smaller than typical medium sized US cities), 2) the largest Alaskan cities are smaller than many small ciities or large towns in the lower 48 (Anchorage = ~280K, Fairbanks = ~35K, Juneau = ~35K), 3) low industrial output (Alaska is ranked near the bottom compared to the other 50 states), and 4) a budget which is majority funded by revenues from oil and gas companies. The hardest problem of the Alaskan governor appears to be deciding how much money to send from the Permanent Fund to the citizens versus how much to stash away for a future time when oil revenues begin declining.

I find the argument that Palin has more “executive experience” than McCain, Obama or Biden to be disingenuous. If executive experience is really so important, Mitt Romney should be the Republican candidate for President or, at minimum, the VP candidate. While I was not a huge fan of Mr. Romney, his skillset is so superior to Palin’s that comparisons are impossible. The same can be said with respect to experience in matters of the economy. Ironically, Mr. Romney’s biggest shortcoming appeared to be that he was a Washington outsider. Now being from our most remote state is a strength for Palin?

My perspective is that the most successful Presidents of the last 50 years (for arguments sake Eisenhower, Reagan and Clinton) were able to balance their core idealogical positions with advocacy for programs and policies that improved the situation for the majority of US citizens and improved our stature in the global community. Each of these Presidents had well educated and highly skilled running mates. As an Independent who holds a blend of conservative and liberal positions, this mix is what I am weighing the most. My assessment is that Obama/Biden have a better overall leadership/intelligence/world view profile than McCain/Palin. McCain could have selected a male or female running mate who would have tilted my assessment in his favor. Unfortunately, for reasons only he and his advisors can comprehend, he went with a female ideologue with weak academic, intellectual and professional skills.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 10/05/2008 – 06:15.

@ CanIGet2NewZealand

What does it take to satisfy people like you?
or… is this a display of jealousy ? Ms Palin does make a rather impressive appearance on a simple ‘ride in from the Wilds of Alaska’.
Instead of complimenting a person on a job well done you prefer to show the “cat fight” attitude.
What has Obama more than Palin?

If Obama had been a white boy from Illinois, would he have received the nomination of the Dem Party? If your answer is NO _ then you must vote for Palin for she rode in on her own merits not on her skin color!

Submitted by REB 84 (not verified) on Sun, 10/05/2008 – 00:35.

Would John McCain be a competent president? This is a question you should be asking.
QuestionItNow – Will America lead?

Submitted by CanIGet2NewZealand (not verified) on Sat, 10/04/2008 – 19:28.

Palin has been governor of a state with the population of Poughkeepsie, New York .

The State of Alaska, despite its conservative appearance has been giving out money to its citizens from its oil dividens (Alaska Permanent Fund) (http://www.newamerica.net/publications/articles/2003/sharing_alaska_style) since the 1970′s. The money Palin boasts about giving her citizens is money of this sort, the citizens of Alaska have been receiving these payments for almost 40 years. How can she use these payments as part of a discussion of her fiscal capabilities as Governor?

Governor Palin impresses me as being a cross between a Barbie Doll and that really annoying head cheerleader that the intelligent girls all could not stand in highschool.

Submitted by FranklinB (not verified) on Sat, 10/04/2008 – 16:52.

I have been publishing my thoughts on this matter for awhile now regarding the selection of Sarah Palin for VP. I gave my views on her initial selection here:

Did John McCain have good judgement?
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-72657

Sarah Palin is not my Vice President
http://digitalseller.tblog.com/post/1970016179

Sarah Palin is just another pretty face
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-86323

McCain will have to pick a new VP
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-94699

VP Debate was great, for Biden and Obama
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-102625

Overall I agree that McCain is kind of a maverick, but also he is a big gambler. Instead of picking one of the most qualified in the arena, he went outside to a relatively unknown woman who he knew could energize the base. That has happened, but with such obvious liabilities that only a pure conservative will think she is qualified, because pure conservatives don’t care who is in that position as long as that person is republican, conservative and can walk & talk. Hannity has said publicly that he believes she would be qualified to fill the top job, and so did Limbaugh as well. I got yelled at the other day by one of my very oldest and best friends who couldn’t believe I didn’t think she was for real. That was before the Couric interview. Now after the debate I know I have made the right choice with Obama and Biden. The financial collapse is bad enough, but if there was a President Palin someday, it could be an even worse disaster for our country.

Obama and Biden are consistant in their positions on the Iraq war and other matters regarding the need to help the middle class. I believe McCain has no interest in the working class folks in this country, and even if Palin does have that interest, she is not knowledgeable enough to make any difference. JMHO

Submitted by Shelly Roberts (not verified) on Sat, 10/04/2008 – 14:04.

Sarah Pallin is an embarrassment to the Republican Party, who may well be qualified to run for PTA vice president, but hardly for the heart-beat-away position of Vice President of the United States.

In the debate with Sen. Bieden Palin spoke repeatedly an d stiltedly from obviousy drilled-in talking points rather than from any appropriate knowledge. With a wooden, albeit cheerful presentation worthy of earning her the title of Best Stepford Candidate.

Palin’s presentation was a constant one-note, praise-singing golly/gee campaign advertiisement for John McCain, and did litttle if anything to present any viable credentials as a candidate for the high office into which she has been so thoughtlessly thrust.

I’d pity her for the position for which she has been recruited if the holder of that position didn’t stand such a strong chance of becoming the leader of the free world with a 79 year old unhealthy running mate –shudder– a horrifying thought.

It shouldn’t be enough merely that she didn’t panic, screw up or cry to qualify her as even a contender in the so-called debate. I have some issues with Mr. Bidden as well, but at least he came across as someone who has done more than simply look west and north in the direction of the former Soviet Union, and self-pronounce a competency in foreign affairs. That’s way too much like watching Animal Planet and proclaiming veterinary competence with elephants.

Did Sarah win the debate? She wasn’t ever even qualified to enter the race.

Is she qualified to be President regardless of the state of John McCain’s health? You’re kidding, right?!

Submitted by Skillet Marimba (not verified) on Sat, 10/04/2008 – 11:27.

The G.O.P. targets DUMMYS but DUMMYS are finally starting to wake up. Dummy be gone.

Submitted by Patrick Pearce (not verified) on Sat, 10/04/2008 – 09:33.

Let me first establish that I am not hopping on any band waggon here to vilify or demonize Sarah Palin because she is a woman. My argument is limited to choice. Based on both Vice Presidential Candidates, Sarah Palin and Joe Biden of the Republican and Democratic Party respectively, should one of these men (Whether Obama or McCain) died or become incapacitated as President of the United States, and constitutionally the Vice President is next in line to assume the presidency, I unequivocally would trust the experience of Joe Biden to lead this great Nation over Sarah Palin. I am sure I share the same views as most sensible Americans. I used to hear that John McCain was a stubborn man, I am now convinced. There are so many more experience and viable Republicans out there to be VP, why did he chose Sarah Palin? If only some of these potentially great men would listen to somebody instead of arrogating to themselves because of ego, they would be such great leaders. Obama-Biden victory in November, hands down! See my recent post at: http://legalconsulting.wordpress.com/2008/08/30/obama-biden-a-winning-ti…

Submitted by thescoundrel (not verified) on Sat, 10/04/2008 – 09:21.

I tend to disbelieve anything that comes out of any politicians mouth. Politicians are liars& cheats. While they are kissing your baby they are picking your pocket at the same time. The President’s Job is limited. The Congress is where most of the power in this country lies. They make legislation, they pass legislation and even if the President vetoes that legislation, they have the power to override it. A relative rookie politician, Palin, actually has more executive experience than McCain, Biden or Obama. Now that is scary since she is merely a VP nominee. I would vote for her over Obama or Biden. She has a limited track track record of what Obama/Biden pretends to have without any track record to prove their claims: Palin has shown the grit to fight her own party as governor of Alaska. Obama has shown me nothing for the time he was in my state of Illinois government or once he was elected Senator. He was no more than a puppet to Emile Jones that is the strong arm thug of DEmocrat Gov. Governor Blagodabitch, the soon to be cell mate of ex Republican Gov. George Ryan. So yeah I would trust Palin much further than I would Obama leading this nation. Obama only understands Chicago and Springfield style corruption which he was a part of.

Submitted by Pat Baker (not verified) on Sat, 10/04/2008 – 08:21.

To Anonymous:
I have been hollering “Double Standard” all summer”. You hit the nail on the spot. When Obama was trained by the late great Saul Alinsky & his staff to learn how to be a better community activist, take surveys, housing problems, school problems in the poor Chicago districts, Palin sneered at the his outcomings, stating all those programs arenow defunct. Her ignorance is bliss. Reason: Viet Nam war, & the 60′s riots cost us plenty At least Obama was vetted. Some pundits t laughed him. I too, was trained by Alinsky, this great Jewish community consultant for the poor back in the late 60′s. If Palin was crossed examined by a Judge/Atty she would simply say I will only answer the questions I wish to reply to. My people call it “double standard”. Thanks, Anonymous for reminding me that I don’t need on the job training vp by McCain/Palin ticket.

Submitted by joe (not verified) on Sat, 10/04/2008 – 07:35.

Ihave no faith or trust in any politition, democrat or republican, they all end up shafting the middle class in the end,She will be no better or worse than the rest of the lot.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 10/04/2008 – 07:26.

Why do people feel someone who has been a Senator for 2 years is more qualified to be President than in the unlikely event McCain has to be replaced by Govenor Palin??? The other thing that keeps being over looked is Nancy Pelosi has been two heartbeats away from President?? She is qualified?? Unfortunately, people are being too influenced by the media and not doing there own research. Quit using the medias opinions and form your own. Do some real research. Somethinf fun to do is go to http://abcnews.go.com/politics scroll down to the Match-o-Matic II game. It is ver interesting.

Submitted by artbcpa (not verified) on Sat, 10/04/2008 – 01:54.

In “Third Out of Four” the commentator points out that Clinton and Reagan were both Governors before becoming President. We shouldn’t forget that Jimmy Carter was also a Governor before becoming the most incompetent president in the history of the United Staetes. He also may have been among the academically brightest of all recent Presidents. What does all that tell us?. …NOTHING.

Whether Sarah Palin was a Governor or Barack Obama was at the top of his academic class does not ensure that either will or will not do a good job in their respective positions.

We need to make our decision based on factors more likely to lead to a successful Presidency. After eight years of the most secretive, nontransparent Presidency in history, we need someone who will instill trust in the institution of the Presidency and restore confidence in the people of the country.

We had several such Presidents in the prior century – Franklin Roosevelt, John Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan. Each had a vision for the country which was clearly articulated and embraced by the people. In a choice between the idealistic Barack Obama and the wily curmudgeon, John McCain, Barack Obama is clearly the choice of what this country needs at this time in history.

Submitted by Pam (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 23:59.

I know that I do not want Palin. I know that I don’t want her anywhere near our foreign policy. I know that I don’t like what she said in the debate about ‘expanding’ the role of vice president. I know that I don’t like her far right, religious views that can impact the world in a bunch of ways that I don’t like.

There are other things I don’t like about her, though, I can’t say I am completely sure about my reasoning. I don’t like her winks and her nods. I don’t like how she talks to us like children.

I question my own opinion about these things, as I am not sure if I know what I want or expect in a female politician. It’s a very important thing. This first woman. This example of all of us. This person in whom I place so much of my future and that of my daughters. Hmmm, too much pressure?!?

Do I want her to be more of a man than any of the men at the table? Competing in the same way as men, but climbing the ladder in stilettos? Or do I want her to be the nurturing female that gets things done without men being any the wiser? With charm and feminine wiles that could will men to do what they might not have done, otherwise?

I thought, when considering Hillary, that I didn’t want a woman President who had a husband that is a former President. My sister then pointed out that we might not consider too many women that did not have such a sense of the White House.

It’s difficult. These women, up for consideration, don’t have military backgrounds. Yet, she would be responsible for ‘pushing the button’ and/or ending a war.

I guess, even if I did not have a problem with her foreign presence, her religious intent or her understanding of the role she was about to take on, I would still have an issue to deal with.

So, I don’t like Sarah, but, who do I like? And, the bigger question for me, why?

Submitted by FD (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 23:24.

To King of Chatalot: I’m an independant, but I voted once and the poll will not allow me to vote again.
The only way someone could vote twice is through a proxy, but I tested that idea fater reading your comment.
It didn’t work.
I tried several different proxies, I reset my ip, and nope, it would not allow me to vote again.

Take off the tin foil hat.

Submitted by King of Chatalot (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 22:11.

I find it amazing that Democrats would stoop so low as to make multiple votes in this silly poll just to bend the outcome towards their way of thinking………..so to make it appear as if they are the winners……….

…but then………considering that they will ultimately lose in November I’m not totally surprised……..

…..merely amazed………

Submitted by Media Concepts (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 21:39.

I can’t decide whether that’s hilarious, or horrifyingly frightening. I think it’s both. Based on McCain’s age alone, historian Doris Kearns Goodwin says that there’s almost a one in three chance that McCain would die in office were he to be elected. Factor in his FOUR bouts of Melanoma, which is often fatal regardless of the victim’s age, and those odds increase markedly.

Something to think about.

Submitted by Shane from PV (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 20:30.

The presidency is about leadership, and if we can survive eight years being led by an Arkansas governor who would rather molest the hired help than pay attention to what Osama Bin Laden is doing, then America will do just fine with a President Sarah Palin. She certainly has more leadership experience than her opponents. Does that mean I would have made her my choice for VP? I would have loved to see Mitt Romney as VP, but she’s smart, focused, and knows how to lead. The important question, if she should ever end up in the Oval Office, would be who she surrounds herself with. That’s another reason why Obama would be very scary as president. He has terrible judgment, and considering the people he has surrounded himself with throughout his life, and the fact that as president he will have to decide what advice to act on when it comes to important issues – I don’t trust him to be able to distinguish from among a bevy of poor advisers the advice least damaging.

Obama supporters, like so many on this comment board, have no idea who Obama really is – frankly, no one does. Obama has locked up his records, is protected by a compliant press, and says only what he thinks Americans want to hear. He’s a charlatan, but his supporters don’t care. That’s why this question is so ironic. They hate Bush/Republicans/conservatives more than they fear the inexperience of their presidential candidate and manchild Barack Obama. The derangement of the left has led them to support and oppose issues not because they want to protect their country or improve the lives of Americans, but because they hate their adversaries and will do or say anything to beat them (the “this war is lost” quote by Harry Reid comes to mind – how incredibly telling). I think this frothing derangement will cause them to self-destruct again as they did in 2000 and 2004, where Americans got a good look at the mindless bitterness and spite that inspires the left. McCain will win in a squeaker.

Submitted by Greg (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 20:24.

I’m not a big political kind of guy nor do I follow many campaigns. I voted for a democrat and a republican for president; the best person for the job always gets my vote. But this is the first time in a long time that I’ve seen an honest person make it this far in politics. Usually they get creamed by the media – Palin is still holding her own. What you see is what you get – nice change of pace especially since I’m originally from Delaware. No doubt this isn’t true for Biden – he’s all over the place telling you whatever it is you want to hear whenever you want to hear it.. I don’t dislike Biden and yes, he is qualified to continue the same old Washington politics; not what I’m looking for this year at least.

I’m still wondering why Obama thinks Biden represents change? Not even close.

Submitted by Al Barger (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 20:08.

Not to put too fine a point on it, Sarah Palin’s the sharpest person of the four here. People I think get that when they get a good look at her as in her famous nomination speech or last night’s vice presidential debate.

Of course, this ain’t from lack of media attempts to Quayle-ize her. Look at the double, triple, quadruple standards. It’s supposedly some proof that she’s a moron that she didn’t choose to spit up a list of newspapers she reads for Katie Couric.

But Joe Biden says the most ignorant nonsense day after day, and it doesn’t make the news. When the current financial meltdown started a few weeks ago, Biden was out criticizing Bush reaction. See, when the 1929 market crash happened, FDR when on television to show people that he was involved and doing something. FDR wasn’t president, and there was no television then. This nonsense didn’t make the news. Imagine if Palin said something that stupid.
=====================================
Little known Palin fact:
FACT: Having run out of ammunition during a hunting trip, Sarah Palin once took down a moose using a beauty pageant tiara as a boomerang.

More Palin fun facts I just made up, and a couple hundred pictures of our girl
http://www.morethings.com/images/sarah_palin/sarah_palin-photo_gallery00…

Submitted by Robert (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 20:00.

Joe Biden, VP (Vice and Plagiarist)

Submitted by Ethel W (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:50.

Obama has done much good thru working for ACORN. Remember, from tiny acorns, might oak trees grow.

Submitted by Mike Lanza (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:43.

Please folks – give us an example. And please, make it a good one.

If this were an election for Student Body President, I might vote for the dude, but he’s applying to be the Leader of the United States of America. Is there anything in his governmental experience that indicates that he can be a great leader? Anything?

This ain’t no popularity contest…

Submitted by Janet Johnson (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:41.

I’m tired of Sarah Palin. I’m tired of kicking her around, of waiting for her to have a public brain freeze, of hearing her droppin’ g’s and bringing nuc-u-lur back into the lexicon (I hope we’re almost finished with that coming out of the White House).

At the same time, I’m proud that she’s the second legitimate woman who’s a running mate on a presidential ticket, the first to “electrify” a country. I’m mortified as I write that, but I’m proud of that big ol’ crack in the glass ceilin’ she’s added to Hilary’s 18 million others. (sigh)

As most of your poll-takers agree, no way is she qualified to be president. God help us all if she’s a heartbeat away.

Submitted by Stevie (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:35.

Do I feel that a citizen of this country who has not kept abreast of the foreign policy situations, and the current administration doctrines is qualified to step in as head of state in an emergency? No….
Do I feel that someone who will terminate people who disagree with her is worthy to be in the White House? No…….
Do I feel that someone who feels that because she is a woman she should be treated with deference in a television interview should be leading a country? No…..
Does a cram session with various political pundits counteract her inacurate knowledge of what life is like for the rest of us in the lower 48? No……
Does this woman have the ability to gain respect of various world leaders particularly those from countries where women are considered to be less than equal? no.
what we really need is a Margaret Thatcher type.. the closest we have is Hilary Clinton.
Anita Palin is no Hilary Clinton
And being a POW and being in the Vietnam War does not make you the right person to be president either. There are plenty of Vietnam Vets and others who were POW’s .. and they aren’t running for President– though John Kerry did.. and he wasn’t a POW.. he served his country. Don’t bank on that one being the ACE..

Submitted by Ken S (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:29.

Or maybe Obama would want his friend Tony Rezko to advise him on ethics in government.

Submitted by Ken S (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:28.

Or maybe Obama would like William Ayers for his Secretary of Defense, since he knows how to blow things up.

Submitted by Ken S (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:25.

Maybe Obama can install Rev. Wright as Secretary of State. All the other nations of the world will love his philosophy: God damn America!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:23.

I think where the logic breaks down is that you’re assuming all Governor’s are created equally. An American Governor’s principal job is running the state, and to be honest, I’m not sure how good a governor she is, but thats for the people of Alaska to decide. But as an American, I feel that she’s dangerously ignorant of world affairs and issues around a global economy.

And frankly, I think we’ve had enough of that already.

On the other hand, Obama and Biden are far more savvy. If you watched the debate, you’ll have noticed how rarely Palin answers a direct question. She’s not dumb, but she’s not worldly either. And worse, she revels in her inexperience.

If she ever gets into the Presidential office, you might just wish for the good ol days when GW was in charge. And if that doesn’t scare you, it should.

Submitted by Ken S (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:21.

Don’t you love it when a public relations man calls people degrading, hateful names?

Submitted by Dan Keeney, APR (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:16.

You and your swill slinging dopes really should stop. Aside from Billy Bobs missing teeth with Confederate Flags in their pickups, Americans understand that Senator Obama is as American as you or I.

Submitted by Ken S (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:15.

Someone commented on here that we live in a Global society and therefore need Obama. Folks, this world is getting so screwy and dangerous, that is exactly why we do NOT need a post-modern green horn such as Obama as POTUS. All the pie in the sky he professes is absolutely meaningless without solid, tough, and REAL national security. Somehow, grandiose social programs lose their luster when you have a nuclear missile up your ass.

Submitted by Jason Preston (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:12.

Palin took five tries and five years to get a journalism degree at undistinguished schools, and managed to be an undistinguished student at all four schools involved in her quest for a chance to be a TV reporter. Obama was at the top of his class at every step of his collegiate journey. When pressed three times to answer, Palin cannot name a single existing newspaper or news magazine that she reads. If you can’t see the difference here, perhaps you’re not an ideal student or intellect either, but only through pride does a person lacking in a certain virtue seek to exalt that lack. Just because I’m not tall enough to slam dunk doesn’t mean I push for the NBA to hire more short people! The Presidency’s the hardest job in the world, or one of them. Stellar intellect, stellar ethics, and stellar success in life should all be ironclad prerequisites to the job. If Palin is qualified to be President, I am twice as qualified and will expect Palin fans’ votes when I make my run for high office.

Submitted by Cowboy X (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:10.

Who is qualified to be the President? There is no class to take to become certified. We have to put our trust in a person. I wish that person were Ron Paul!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 19:00.

So 75% believe Palin cant be president in case something happens to McCain. So I guess its OK to be an inexperienced presidential candidate, but if your a vice presidential candidate who has actually run a state, you don’t qualify. The logic here escapes me completely.

Submitted by John Schuller (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 18:50.

CLICK ON MY NAME TO SIGN THIS PETITION

To: CBS News

Sarah Palin herself has requested to speak to America without the Media Filter in the Vice Presidential debate. ?I like being able to answer tough questions without the filter of the mainstream media telling the American people what they just heard,? she said in her closing.

The people of the United States of America deserve to see the CBS Katie Couric interviews with Sarah Palin in their entirety.

This should be acceptable by Republicans and Democrats as it will let Sarah Palin talk to America without the filter created by editing and leaving important information on the cutting room floor.

Let us see an edition of “Sarah Palin: Unfiltered”.

This will allow Americans to see the real Sarah Palin.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

Submitted by newyorkmoments (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 18:49.

regardless of the VP candidates…are we really going to vote in a Hussein???? Seriously?? I’m saddened that I’m not going to be able to vote Democrat this election.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 18:43.

I sent John McCain a $1000 in September 2007…when his campaign was flailing. I believed his voice needed to be in the debate. Until Sarah Palin’s acceptance speech I did not send a penny to any other candidate.

I was so outraged by the poor judgment demonstrated by McCain — there were thousands, if not tens of thousands, of more capable, competent men and women who could serve as his VP. I promptly sent a large contribution to Obama. And with every solicitation letter I receive from John McCain (they arrive daily), I write to ask for my money back.

Whether “Joe six-pack” likes it or not…we live in a Global Society, not an igloo nation. We already had Joe-six pack from President for the last 8 years. Doesn’t any one remember – “George W. Bush is the guy I want to have at my BBQ”???…Well – we got him– only we got bbq’d.

Submitted by Eric (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 18:35.

Would it be so much to ask for a Presidential nominee who actually had some experience?

Submitted by Ian Thomas (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 18:32.

…for a VP nominee who actually had some experience *before* she takes office?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 18:30.

Stack rank all four candidates — Obama, Biden, McCain and Palin — in terms of experience, and she comes out 3rd out of 4. Obama is last.

Stack rank all four candidates in terms of executive experience — meaning, ‘has the candidate ever managed a budget before, had headcount before, and had to make decisions as opposed to provide advice’ — and she incredibly comes out first amongst the four, as she’s been both governor and mayor.

Being the governor of a state was good enough for Clinton, good enough for Romney, and good enough for Reagan.

Those who attack her experience must feel terrible that Obama is the leading candidate for the Dem’s, given his extraordinarily thin resume.

Submitted by Mike Lanza (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 18:29.

Be honest, folks. In his career in *government*, not running a campaign, has he ever demonstrated outstanding leadership or executive skills? Sarah certainly has, but her experience may nonetheless be too light.

Barack Obama has the least leadership or executive skills of *any* of the major candidates for president or vice president.

Submitted by Dan Keeney, APR (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 18:21.

I’m not a Sarah fan, but she has a solid foundation — an ability to connect with men and women, powerfully deliver her messages and ramp up quickly on complex subjects. The actuaries estimate that there is a 75% chance that Mr. McCain would survive a first term. Presumably, the chances of him passing in the first YEAR would be very small. So the real question would be — If Sarah Palin had at least a year as Vice President under her belt, would she be competent to be President if John McCain were to be incapacitated? I don’t have any doubt that she would. I will not be voting for the GOP ticket, but the fear mongering about Ms. Palin’s ability is baseless and perhaps sexist.

Submitted by The Sensible J. (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 18:01.

To Pat Baker,
Actually, she has NOT been governor for a few years. She has been a governor since 2007, she won the election at the END of 2006. So, not even 2 years yet.

Submitted by The Sensible J. (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:58.

When a lot of people say she was put in the VP nominee ticket because she would shake things up for the Republican party, that’s scary. Why was that the first and foremost reason why she was picked?!

We are not running a popularity contest here for god’s sake. We need a leader, a WORLD LEADER that will get American back into the respectful country it is amongst other nations in this world. Not a PTA mom who claims she can juggle 5 kids when in fact her nanny, chef, driver/pilot, gardener and 20 other staffers take care of the Mom role for her. I’m all for the “women can do the same if not better job than men” ideal, but come on, she isn’t even up to par on her events and history. When you can only make punch points and be a talking head, that is NOT a leader. She can’t even name ONE supreme court decision other than Row vs. Wade. And being able to see Russia from Alaska does not qualify as foreign experience. We do not need and DO NOT want an average Joe or Jane to be our president or vice president.

It is scary when our (by that I mean the republicans) expectations have sunk so low.

And it’s even more scary when people are voting for republican SIMPLY because she’s pro-life, even for those women who were victims of rape or incest would NOT get a choice. That alone, to me, is hugely undermining the equality so many women have worked so hard for so many years.

Submitted by Don S (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:54.

Maybe the most appropriate question is . . . if Barack Obama is elected president, whether or not John McCain dies, is he qualified to lead the country?

Being a governor is a proven road to the White House. Alaska is a strategic state. Let’s see: Clinton was from Arkansas — even less strategic, Carter from Georgia and Reagan from California . . . Bush from Texas . . . oh, sure, I saw a post on the Huffington Post this week that said “Bush is intellectually challenged.” Of course, there was no evidence to support the claim.

Obama is currently more likely to become president than Sarah Palin and that’s something that should concern all clear-thinking Americans.

Submitted by Jerome Schindler (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:53.

How could she possibly be any worse that what we have been subjected to recently. I am sure Harry Truman’s skills woudl also have been panned. McCain ought to be a good choice as nobody has been sure what party he belongs to for many years.

Submitted by Bill Platt (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:45.

Deluded? Although she has as much or more experience than Obama, you are willing to suggest that my delusion is that she could not be President, but Obama can be?

The only delusion is that Obama’s experience is greater than hers.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:31.

Palin is absolutely not qualified – anyone who thinks so is deluded.

Submitted by Chemosapien = Idiot (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:29.

The point was she won’t take no crap.

Submitted by Chemosapien = Idiot (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:27.

Too bad they don’t have a minimum test for people to take in order to qualify for the job.

Then James they should do the same before becoming parents. Maybe then we won’t have so many libetards. Bunch of whiners don’t know a good thing when it slaps them upside the head.

Submitted by Gerald (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:26.

As a Vietnam veteran I can assure you that sad fact by itself (yeah, we lost a war we had no business being in) does not qualify anyone to be President. While I respect McCain’s service to his country McCain himself has admitted that he collaborated with the enemy and signed documents condemning America’s.bombing of Hanoi as being war crimes.

As at the time we were carpet bombing a densely populated Hanoi with low level B-52 bombing runs, the North Vietnamese perhaps had a point that a stressed out and in terrible pain McCain decided to agree with.

Not that I blame him. Fortunately, my POW camp experience was limited to a combat training exercise at Camp Lejeune, N.C. It was only for a very long day but that was enough to make brave grown men trained for combat by battle hardened US Marines cry out in pain. McCain’s experience had to be horrible and I’m sure that the scars, mental and physical, must still be with him.

However, I wasn’t referring to McCain other than his grandstanding poor judgement in selecting Governor Palin as his running mate. Sarah may be a swell gal, certainly her down home nature appeals to a lot of down home people across America, but please, qualified to perhaps have to step into the President’s role?

She is a little league player suddenly thrown into the major leagues. I admire her spunk but fear her aggressive claim that she is ready to serve when she can’t even handle soft ball interviews. Who wants a President just like an average Joe? In case you haven’t noticed there are very complicated problems that America faces that will require outstanding leadership to solve.

I’m not a big Obama fan either but at least the man has first class intelligence and a first class temperament. He doesn’t tend to shoot from the hip or fire, ready, aim like old fighter pilots are apt to do. Palin was a choice designed to fire up the Republican Party’s conservative base and in that the move was successful. But at what risk to the country if McCain and Palin are elected?

With the odds being about one in four that a 72 year old cancer survivor would not make it another four years a President Palin is a frightening possibility.

That’s putting country first? Please! Give me a break.

Submitted by Chemosapien = Idiot (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:24.

ldaught2

AHEM ! ! !

Submitted by ldaught2 (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:16.

//Until then, keep reading all the world’s magazines and Newspapers. They actually can teach you a lot.//

Are you kidding?? what can a bias newspaper and magazine teach?? (and that would be all of them)That is the most idiot statement I have read!

To answer the question…Could Palin be President?…yes yes and yes….The other 3 on the ticket was in the senate and HELPED drive America where we are today! I dont care if Palin comes from a goat farm, she could do better than this stinkin government!!

Submitted by Ken S (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:15.

Lady Coveted….another woman that feels threatened by good looking successful women.

Submitted by Ken S (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:14.

James flew in from that alternate universe that Joe Biden lives in. Maybe the Missouri Truth Squad can help him.

Submitted by lady coveted (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:14.

being as putin’s no longer president of russia.

dmitri medvedev succeeded putin back in march, she’s so out of touch she’d probably miss that point too.

Submitted by James (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 17:08.

She’s competent all right. Competent enough to ban books at the public library, books she has never even read. Competent enough to try to fire a librarian who was just doing her job, Competent enough to veto sex education for minors, (surprise there huh?), competent enough to fire the head of the troopers who refused to fire her ex-brother in law for unjustifiable reasons.

No wonder repugs love her so much, she’ll fit right in..*L*

At least Obama went through a process and garnered enough votes to earn the right to be where he is today. Palin was handed the position because McCain needed a quick fix and liked the way she looked and talked.

Was she the most qualified and best suited republican for the job? Of course not and people are not being genuine if they say yes. For that reason McCain should and will lose this election.

Too bad they don’t have a minimum test for people to take in order to qualify for the job.

Submitted by Chemosapien = Idiot (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:54.

Palin would shove her pretty heels up Putin’s ass. Then make him beg for more.

Submitted by Ken S (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:52.

Yes. She would do a great job, because she has intelligence coupled with common sense, grit, and good solid values. Would to God that this country had had dozens of Presidents like her instead of some of the buffoons we’ve suffered through.

Submitted by Chemosapien = Idiot (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:52.

No he’ll bring them in from the hood.

Submitted by chemosapien (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:50.

is not the kind of Hunter i respect…..and margaret Thatcher is on her way over their to whoop your ass for comparing her to Palin….Thatcher was one of the most intelligent and tough politicians in modern times….Palin doesn’t have a college education and she can’t even stand up to KATIE M*^#ATHERF%*#KING COURIC….stop comparing her to Thatcher

Submitted by Matt Sanchez (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:49.

Obama will have the flag stomper and terrorist, Dick Ayres and the God D@*$ America Reverend Wright. Both these gentlemen have doctorates!

Submitted by chemosapien (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:46.

it is very important who the president brings into their admin…..I’m certain Obama isn’t going to fill his cabinet from his high school yearbook like little miss Palin

Submitted by Matt Sanchez (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:46.

A one-term governor who is the most popular governor in the country.

Of course, that’s one more term than former “community organizer” and one-term senator.

Submitted by Robert (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:46.

Obviously you haven’t seen Sarah Palin in the real world, she hunts guts and eats things that get in her way, I would imagine you are the type of idiot that thought Margaret Thatcher was a bad choice too….Russia would beg for forgiveness from Palin and Putin would be licking Sarah’s boots in red square….

Moron.

Submitted by Chris Meirose (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:45.

More competent than Al Gore. More competent than Dick Cheney. More competent than Dan Quayle. Palin would do just fine. Being president is as much or more about who you have around you than anything else. You must be able to make tough decisions, and know what you believe in, but at the end of the day the experts you surround yourself with as President will make or break your term in the modern context.

Submitted by chemosapien (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:43.

russia calls us a bunch of homos, and Putin slams his shoe on the desk? ……if Palin were president Putin would literally rape her mouth on live telivision then claim he thought she was the “entertainment”

Submitted by Robert (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:42.

The answer is YES, she has run something, SHE has more experience RUNNING a government than ANY of the candidates… So yes she is Qualified.

Obama isn’t qualified to be elected dog catcher, McCain at least has the experience in dealing with hostile forces, and for you libtards there still are hostile forces at work oh and they are hoping for Obama too…

Submitted by Margaret (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:41.

I didn’t say NO degree. I said not an “Ivy League Degree”. I was just giving my opinion – “If John McCain died or became incapacitated, would Sarah Palin be competent to be President?” My answer is yes.

Submitted by Matt Jones (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:40.

Clinton’s budget experience was a budget of Arkansas which was smaller than cuyahoga county. Obama has ZERO budget experience. She can manage a budget. She communicates and articulates the GOP positions more effectively than McCain, Bush, Cheney and Dole to name some powerful people.

go to Canada you commie bastages!

Submitted by Robert (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:39.

and an Obama/Biden victory will make us look like a bunch of pansies…I would love for you to explain how a war veteran that went through what McCain did would cause the world to look at us as a laughing stock? Mrs Thatcher was looked at a little off by the owrkd but she did fine? is it you are scared of women or hunting women?

Palin is the only candidate in the race I would vote for president and be happy about it. I will vote McCain just to get Sarah Palin closer to the Big Job.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:35.

The US is going to hell because McCain’s buddy George Bush set us on that course. 4 more years of that?

BTW, the question was if McCain kicks, is Palin qualified? And the answer is no.

Instead of attacking Obama, how about telling why you think Palin is qualified? Is it because even you know she isn’t? Typical Republican.

Submitted by Matt Sanchez (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:35.

All those “economic experts” have great post-grad degrees from high end schools. Hopefully, that will help them as they look for a new job.

Submitted by Gerald (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:34.

Palin makes a big deal about her “six pack joe” ways and seems to be proud of her ignorance. We have had almost eight years of a largely disinterested in the world at large President and see where that has taken us. American is on a slippery downward slope and it will be difficult to avoid a hard crash and burn landing.

I for one don’t want someone as VP, who may well end up being President, who is just another six pack Joe yahoo. America is the laughing stock of the world just to have such a yahoo candidate.

If McCain and Palin are somehow elected American’s standing in the world as a world leader, much less a super power, will be further reduced to the vanishing point. We would be looked upon as a nation of village idiots.

It’s not that I love Obama. Come to think of it with the choice down to Obama or McCain perhaps we American have found the perfect means to self destruct. The support given by McCain and Obama for the $700 billion bailout bill (before another $100 billion or so in pure pork was added) is another giant step in that direction.

Submitted by Robert (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:33.

“You idiots care more about a donkey and an elephant than you do about the stars and stripes. You get what you deserve.” The truest statement since Reagan stated the most scary thing ever was “I’m from the government and I’m here to help”

I wouldnt be so dead set against OBAMA if he were more Country first, rather than Blame everyone else… HIS party has led congress for the last 2 years and we have gone from solvency to bankruptcy and BOTH parties are to blame, ONLY one party is used to responsibility, the other is used to “Tolerance” and forgiveness of their own….

Submitted by chemosapien (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:31.

you mean like the modern day general who doesn’t have a college degree? are we suddenly recruiting presidents from third world countries? because EVERY American General has a college degree……lets not pretend we live in the world of 2 centuries ago

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:28.

Nothing like partisanship. That’s right put the party before the country. No wonder the US is going to hell in a rocketship. You idiots care more about a donkey and an elephant than you do about the stars and stripes. You get what you deserve.

Submitted by Robert (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:28.

Oh and I’m qualified because I am a black community organizer.. Don’t look at the communities I organized or anything, just trust me for CHANGE… BS, it is highway strong arm robbery, ACORN? Rev Wright? Ayers? Phlegar? Farakhan? Ok Palin has what? A couple of LIES perpetrated by the elitist media that have been debunked. Yeah Obama in 08 and the end of our nation in 09….good plan.

Submitted by Karl (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:27.

It’s ironic that if you guys had listened to Carter in the 70′s you would not be as f**cked as you are now and you would probably have energy independence.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:24.

Say what you want about Obama, he’ll make a much better President than either “I’m qualified because I can see Russia from my pooper, yah, you betcha” or “I’m qualified because I was a POW a million years ago, wait, what was the question again?”

Submitted by Matt Sanchez (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:19.

Palin Derangement Syndrome is alive and well as the media blitzkrieg is desperate to discredit the Palin/McCain presidential ticket.

Palin handily beat Biden down last night, and that causes severe swelling in the liberal frontal lobe.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:19.

So you say go back home hockey mom… Wow… your complete lack of what a hockey mom is.. basically a communtity leader…hmmm Let’s see Omaa is just that, he has not been a Governer, worked a state budger.. .his short political careeer shows less tenure that Palin. Fair is Fair , your last paragraph shows your compete ignorance,,, go read a bit yourself!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:19.

You mean like George Washington?

Submitted by Incognito (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:14.

and how about looking at it this way… with all Biden’s asinine gaffes would people be thrilled to have him as president, if Obama were to die? I’d be much happier with a Palin presidency than either an Obama or Biden presidency.

She’s done very well for Alaska…thank you very much.

Submitted by GolfBlogger (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:10.

It’s not saying much, but I think Palin’s more qualified than Obama. The problem is that if you vote Republican, an unqualified person MIGHT become president. If you vote Democrat, an unqualified person WILL become president.

The only logical ticket is Biden-McCain — one which, during the primaries, Joe Biden said he wouldn’t mind.

Submitted by chemosapien (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:09.

you would not make a good president nor would anyone who doesn’t have an University Degree…..watch that sassy little Katie Couric if you want to know why Sara Palin is completely incompetent

Submitted by CJ Grisham (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:07.

If Palin isn’t competent enough to be President, then Obama is even LESS competent to hold the position!!

Submitted by Margaret (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 16:03.

Why won’t Sara Palin be a competent President? Is there anything about Obama that makes him more intelligent than Palin? It offends me as a person to think differently. I believe she would do as well, if not better, than any other of the men or women who have made a run during this election.

I didn’t go to an ivy league college. I haven’t served as a PTO chairperson or any other office but I think I would make a darn good president. I’m excited to think that maybe we might have something fresh in the office. From Hillary to McCain it is the same old same old.

Margaret

Submitted by James (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 15:57.

While one could argue all day long about the experience factor between Obama and Palin, one can’t argue much about the difference in education. I would rather have someone educated in the highest office of the land.

Thanks, but no thanks for that sweet talkin’, well read gal from Alaska.

Don’t YA know?

Submitted by Robert (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 15:55.

I am voting for McCain/Palin for precisely that reason, I would be WAY more happy with Palin as President than I will be with McCain.
If Obama wins we ALL lose….Oh and a preemptive dismiss to those that say it’s because he is black…Its not because he is black its because he is a communist/socialist libtard baby killing gun taking no leadership other than “ACORN” type skills…. but vote how you want, I cant wait till you liberal idiots get what you want, just like after Carter, you came crying to the Conservatives to save you, Obama is a black Carter maybe worse.

Submitted by rebaaron (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 15:54.

Sarah Palin is a poser. She’s so enamored with Ronald Reagan I believe, in part, because she’s just like him – an actor. Reagan wasn’t a president as much as he was able to act like a president. The VP debates last night showed this – Palin is all show and no substance. What’s really scary is she believes that she’s capable. I think she really has no idea and is not capable of getting it. I think some call this sociopathic tendencies?!

Submitted by The Atheist Jew (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 15:53.

She proved to me that she doesn’t have an IQ of 75. It is more like 90 or 95.

Submitted by chemosapien (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 15:53.

Palin is an order of magnitude more Podunk than any national political figure in modern times. Case in point, 6 months ago, Palin said, flat out, she is not INTERESTED in national policy, as in she doesn’t have the time or will to keep up with what is going on in this country…when you use NLE as the measure Obama is far ahead of Palin, exemplified by the fact that the very first thing he did in the Senate was get a law passed to help secure “loose nukes” in the former USSR….compare that to Palin who apparently could not even pass a seventh grade civics test (doesn’t know any supreme court cases besides Roe v. Wade?)

All the PAlin supporters are the same , pardon my french, IDIOTS who supported GW because he’s a guy they can drink a beer with…..Palin sure is a regular joe…Joe Retard that is

Submitted by brad (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 15:53.

If something happened to McCain on day one would Palin be ready? No, BUT what makes you think Obama is? Lets talk about the TOP of the ticket. Give me a break!!!

Submitted by J (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 14:33.

I love how people point out how Palin’s not qualified SHOULD something happen to McCain. And what makes Barack qualified? He’s been in the Senate for 2 years? And if he is elected, he’s it. At least with McCain, we’re electing a very seasoned and proven person who has a pretty good track record for change. Obama can talk about change but he hasn’t walked it at all.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 13:32.

Source please. Media previously said superficial Basal cell.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 13:15.

He has had MELANOMA. The deadliest form of skin cancer

Submitted by rusmayse on Fri, 10/03/2008 – 00:48.

Poor Palin. I commend her on the acceptance of such a difficult position in such a tough time. It takes a really strong person to take on the role she has. And I do agree with the fact that she may “catch on quickly”. I’m just particularly concerned and unsure she has any idea what she is doing. Period.
Go back home hockey mom. Gain experience over the next 8 years. Become more involved on a national level. Listen to the cries of us people. And then please, come back again :) Until then, keep reading all the world’s magazines and Newspapers. They actually can teach you a lot.

Submitted by TomCollins2100 on Thu, 10/02/2008 – 23:33.

Are you kidding? The notion that she’s being unfairly judged as unqualified because she’s a woman is absurd. If she were a man, McCain would have been laughed out of the country for picking a first-term governor with no other applicable experience and zero national – let alone foreign policy – qualifications.

Women with any brains at all should be insulted that McCain and the Republicans think that they will vote for any woman they offer, or belive this particular woman is remotely qualified to run any country, forget about the United States.

Submitted by chemosapien (not verified) on Wed, 10/01/2008 – 16:02.

what you say is partially true, superficial skin cancers are not fatal, especially with decent healthcare, but WE DON’T KNOW THE EXTENT OF MCCAIN”S CANCER because he won’t release ALL of his medical records……don’t sit here and defend him against this criticism, when his campaign could put this completely to bed with a single phone call to his doctor.

Submitted by pat baker (not verified) on Wed, 10/01/2008 – 15:41.

I’m sick of McCain calling Obama a on the job learner, community action worker. Palin is is a affrimative action herself. Mrs Bush said she was a “quick learner” Do I need a vp who is a quick learner? She’s just a Gov for a few years, no national experience. She can’t answer straight question. These photo opts with people from the MiddleEast aren’t getting on my nerves, they are making me sick Who cares if she’s cute while my 401 K might go down the tubes!. Hillary Clinton would run rings around her. I don’t need a ” on the job VP during these troubled times..

Submitted by Omar Hamada (not verified) on Wed, 10/01/2008 – 15:33.

Enough of the cancer stuff!!! Talk about spin and/or ignorance! When’s the last time someone actually died from superficial squamous or basal cell skin cancer? Answer: NEVER. Now if it were actually melanoma or other types of invasive squamous cell cancer, then it would be a different story – BUT IT’S NOT!!!!!!

Submitted by Dave (not verified) on Wed, 10/01/2008 – 00:55.

Check out her interview with Katie Couric. She shares that she reads ALL the newspapers in the world. She must be really freakin smart. She also graduated from the University of Idaho. I mean it doesnt get much more prestigious than that. And besides, who is Biden to talk.

Submitted by Chris A (not verified) on Wed, 10/01/2008 – 00:48.

Don’t worry about Palin. If you saw her interviews, you would know that the… War in Iraq and reforms to our economy and importance in the field of green energy under the umbrella of job creation and then health care.
She knows what everyone needs…

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 10/01/2008 – 00:45.

uh hu …..uh hu !!!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 09/30/2008 – 22:59.

come on, hes only had cancer 3 times. plus, its not like hes old or anything

And, here’s an embed of the poll, if I’ve piqued your interest by now:

PinExt Sarah Palin Comment Thread Par Excellence
]]> http://chrisabraham.com/2008/10/10/sarah-palin-comment-thread-par-excellence/feed/ 1 People as a Whole are Indeed Stupidhttp://chrisabraham.com/2008/06/26/people-as-a-whole-are-indeed-stupid/ http://chrisabraham.com/2008/06/26/people-as-a-whole-are-indeed-stupid/#comments Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:53:00 +0000 Chris Abraham http://chrisabraham.com/2008/06/26/people-as-a-whole-are-indeed-stupid/

PinExt People as a Whole are Indeed Stupid

I try to follow Anthony Citrano‘s blog, Cosmic Tap, but had fallen behind. I have to reblog his article, Reminder: People Are Stupid. I have always considered this to be true (see Wisdumb of Crowds: SAVE THE WHALES), but always need as much affirmation as possible, and Mr. Citrano give me all the ammo I need — but we do agree on one thing:

“I don’t think everyone is stupid – I just think the average American is too distracted or preoccupied or apathetic to pay attention to the stuff that some of us feel is important.”

Here’s the whole article, Reminder: People Are Stupid:

Whenever I hear about a poll telling me what a group of Americans think, I generally write it off. Now, folks, I don’t think everyone is stupid – I just think the average American is too distracted or preoccupied or apathetic to pay attention to the stuff that some of us feel is important.

Today, the press is all over the CBS/NYT poll that shows 81% of Americans feel the nation is “on the wrong track.” I agree with those Americans, but probably wouldn’t share their reasoning. What didn’t get as much attention was the recent “News IQ” poll by Pew Internet Life that drilled down a bit to explore what we know about things like our society, our government, and the war being fought with our dollars and our permission. I was pleasantly surprised at how relatively well people did.

Some highlights:

  • Only 28% of respondents know approximately how many Americans have died in Iraq (and Pew notes that this is an all-time low and “awareness is dropping”).
  • 70% knew Condi Rice is Secretary of State
  • 62% could identify “Sunni” as the branch of Islam fighting the Shia in Iraq
  • 56% knew McCain was from Arizona
  • 40% knew Howard Dean chairs the DNC
  • 35% knew Ben Bernanke chairs the Federal Reserve

Of course, these were phone interviews of 1000 people who were willing to sit through a phone trivia test, and who were given four multiple choice answers from which to choose. I frankly find the results impressive, but I’ll bet if they had conducted the same survey outside a Wal-Mart in middle America without the benefit of “multiple choice”, the numbers would have been much, much worse.

PinExt People as a Whole are Indeed Stupid
]]> http://chrisabraham.com/2008/06/26/people-as-a-whole-are-indeed-stupid/feed/ 0 Denis Hayes on Tackling Climate Changehttp://chrisabraham.com/2008/06/10/denis-hayes-on-tackling-climate-change/ http://chrisabraham.com/2008/06/10/denis-hayes-on-tackling-climate-change/#comments Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:07:06 +0000 Chris Abraham http://chrisabraham.com/2008/06/10/denis-hayes-on-tackling-climate-change/

PinExt Denis Hayes on Tackling Climate Change

Lisa Hayes popped me an article by Denis Hayes, a man who suspiciously seems related to Lisa, “Fantastic new article by Denis Hayes about energy policy — please feel free to share far and wide!” Well, I am the biggest fan of Lisa and so here we go — my attempt to share this article a wee little further and wider: Climate Solutions: Charting a Bold Course A cap-and-trade system is not the answer, according to a leading alternative-energy advocate. To really tackle climate change, the U.S. must revolutionize its entire energy strategy.

Opinion: Climate Solutions: Charting a Bold Course

A cap-and-trade system is not the answer, according to a leading alternative-energy advocate. To really tackle climate change, the U.S. must revolutionize its entire energy strategy.

by Denis Hayes

More than 30 years ago, President Jimmy Carter called for a daring transition to a new energy future, an effort he likened to “the moral equivalent of war.” But the hard truth is that the United States is in far worse shape in the energy realm today than it was when Carter left office.

Since 1981, annual greenhouse gas emissions have grown from 4.7 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide to 5.9 billion metric tons. America imported 1.6 billion barrels of oil in 1981; by 2007 imports had ballooned to 3.7 billion barrels. Today, oil prices have surged past $130 per barrel, and the best evidence suggests that total global oil production is at or nearing its peak. Under President Carter, America dominated the world in renewable energy research, development, and commercialization, but in the ensuing decades our federal government has thrown away that lead.

With the economy now staggering from its addiction to oil, and with evidence of global warming having persuaded all but the knuckle-draggers, is America at last getting serious about freeing itself from carbon fuels?

Actually, no. Most environmentally sensitive politicians and even many national green groups are remarkably blithe that the Lieberman-Warner bill — a 500-page cap-and-trade law filled with more holes than a Madonna dance outfit — will take us there.

The tragedy is that we still have a chance to solve the global warming crisis, but we are blowing it by chasing false hopes in the form of an inadequate cap-and-trade bill.

Acting fast enough and on a large enough scale to avoid unthinkable climate consequences will require a more ambitious effort than the New Deal, the Interstate Highway System, and the Manhattan Project, all rolled into one. Serious efforts to stabilize the world’s climate will have dramatic consequences for industry, transportation, architecture, agriculture, leisure, and consumerism, and so, many of these changes will be fought tooth and nail — as was evident last week when Republican Senators attacked and derailed the Lieberman-Warner bill, forcing Democratic leaders to place the initiative on hold until a new president takes office.

The truth is that all our largest current energy sources will need to be replaced by new sources — over the ferocious opposition of the powerful companies that market them.

The story of how we got into this crunch is a tale of political opportunism and shortsightedness. For had America continued on the course we’d embarked upon in the mid-1970s, the task ahead would now be much less expensive, much less painful, and much more certain of success.

In 1979, after the Arab oil embargo, Carter announced that by the year 2000 America was to get at least one-fifth of all its energy from renewable sources — mainly solar energy, wind, and biofuels. The Solar Energy Research Institute, which I then served as director, was at the heart of this effort. Leading a team of scientists and analysts drawn from national labs and major universities, SERI prepared the detailed technical and policy blueprint to meet or surpass the 20 percent goal.

In 1981, halfway through his first year in office, President Ronald Reagan abandoned the 20 percent goal, reduced SERI’s $125 million budget by $100 million, and installed a dentist named Jim Edwards as Secretary of Energy. To demonstrate his contempt for the notion of alternative energy, Reagan ordered the solar water heaters ripped off the White House roof. We’ve never recovered.

The successive administrations of George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, bobbing along on a sea of cheap oil, did little to shift America’s economy to renewable energy sources. And for the past seven years, the United States has been led by a president who projects such a breathtaking marriage of arrogance and incompetence that his refusal to even acknowledge the reality of climate change has not generally been considered one of his more glaring flaws.

As climate science has grown increasingly clear, many corporate CEOs have become convinced that global warming has a human signature. The brightest CEOs of Fortune 100 companies realized that once the Democrats took back control of Congress, it would be only a matter of time before climate legislation was enacted. The next president, whoever it is, will demand action. These CEOs all wanted to be at the table — in Washington, if you aren’t at the table, you’re likely to wind up on the menu.

Environmental groups soon found themselves being courted by business leaders who recognized that the climate threat would require a serious national response. They formed the U.S. Climate Action Partnership and other alliances that offered benefits for environmentalists but also entailed subtle costs. The most obvious benefit was that environmental leaders are taken more seriously on Capitol Hill when they arrive linking arms with the CEOs of General Electric, Caterpillar, DuPont, and General Motors.

The cost was the natural downside of consensus building: Policies cannot significantly harm the core interests of any of the participants. When the participants include the world’s largest automobile company, the largest manufacturer of jet engines, the largest maker of mining equipment for coal and bituminous sands, etc., this is not an insignificant cost.

What emerged from this unexpected alliance was a consensus that the centerpiece of climate policy should be a cap on CO2, generally applied as close to the point of emission as realistically possible. Additionally, there was widespread agreement that (a) between 25 percent and 80 percent of all emissions permits should be given away to major emitters for a transitional period; (b) the law should provide ample “offsets” available for purchase by companies failing to meet reduction targets; and (c) “safety valves” should permit relaxed enforcement in case greenhouse gas reductions cause temporary economic hardship.

Unfortunately, these are genuinely terrible ideas. They are not bad because they lack ambition; rather, they are bad because they move boldly in the wrong direction. They don’t merely ignore the way that the global economy responds to real-world policies; they ignore everything we have learned about human nature since Rousseau’s belief in humanity’s innate goodness crashed on the shoals of 18th-century reality.

So what should a serious energy and climate policy look like?

Carbon Must be Capped Where It Enters the Economy, Not Where It Leaves It

The backbone of any comprehensive policy to limit greenhouse gas emissions must cap carbon at the places — coal mines, oil fields, pipelines, ports — where it enters the economy. Instead, at the behest of corporate behemoths and their green enablers, our political leaders are focusing most of their attention on smokestacks, and when that is obviously impossible (e.g. with gasoline or propane) on refiners or distributors. They want to cap CO2 where it enters the atmosphere — an approach that is guaranteed to fail because there are far too many point sources.

Europe has already attempted a cap-and-trade program, and it belly-flopped. Senators Warner and Lieberman, who should be applauded for at least acknowledging that global warming is a problem, failed to absorb some important lessons from Europe, including:

  • The most important part of cap-and-trade is the “cap.” Any successful law must place an impermeable lid on the amount of carbon that enters the atmosphere. To whatever extent additional trees or windmills are used to “offset” additional carbon-based fuels, the exercise is self-defeating.
  • In contrast to regulating a sea of smokestacks, the best course is to require carbon permits at the 2,000 sources where carbon enters the economy. It would be simple, straightforward, and impossible to “game.” It is vastly more effective than trying to police carbon dioxide wherever carbon is burned. In setting the number of carbon permits issued — and thus determining how much coal, oil, and gas can enter the economy — the government would be setting an absolute, easily-enforced cap on emissions.
  • All carbon permits should be auctioned — not given away. In Europe, permits were given away to large carbon users to ease their transition to the new regime. Major polluters made cheap improvements, lowered their emissions, and sold their unneeded permits. This gave windfalls to the worst polluters, penalized companies that had already invested in efficient new factories and renewable energy, and helped guarantee that Europe would miss its Kyoto targets.Auctioning 100 percent of all carbon permits is fair and transparent; it eliminates backroom special-interest pleadings. By reducing the number of permits auctioned each year, the government can guarantee that its emissions targets are met.

Use Auction Revenues Intelligently

The most vital use for most of the revenues would be to serve such climate-related public purposes as building the infrastructure needed for a national “smart grid” for electricity and for high-speed electrified railroads, assuring large federal markets for the sunrise industries of the post-carbon economy, and finding ways to accelerate the solution of the climate problem through huge boosts in federal support for basic research. However, a portion of the revenues should compensate for the regressive nature of what is effectively a carbon tax, perhaps by using them to meet the shortfalls facing Medicare and Social Security and helping to underwrite training for green-collar jobs.

Promote Renewable Energy

Government has a long tradition of helping sunrise industries supplant their well-entrenched predecessors. Canals were encouraged as more efficient than horses. Railroads were viewed as a way to open the west. The interstate highway system replaced many of the functions performed by railroads.

Some renewable energy sources would benefit greatly from a focused, long-term federal commitment to R&D. Others are already poised to ride learning curves to lower prices through economies of mass production — but require guaranteed markets to elicit the necessary investment. (Computer chips went from being high-priced luxuries to cheap-as-dirt commodities only because the Air Force and NASA bought them in bulk until their prices fell to a level where the private market took over.)

The federal government should be buying photovoltaic devices in bulk and installing them on all federal buildings, military bases, and the backs of billboards, and pouring the power into the grid. The goal should be to grow the market in a rapid yet predictable way linked to constantly lower prices. The start-and-stop unpredictability of renewable energy tax credits over the last 30 years has severely undermined the wind and solar industries, and placed American companies at a huge disadvantage with foreign competitors. As recently as 1998, America was the world’s largest manufacturer of solar photovoltaics — a technology that was invented here. But Japan, with a long-term strategy, sped past the U.S. the following year. A few years later, led by Germany, much of Europe implemented tariffs that vaulted the solar field into hyperdrive. If current trends continue, annual global photovoltaic production by 2011 will be a stunning 30 gigawatts, of which the U.S. will contribute perhaps 4 percent.

Construct a Resilient Nationwide Smart Grid to Take Power from Anywhere to Anywhere

The arguments for a national smart grid are legion; the arguments against it don’t hold water. Many carbon-neutral renewable energy sources are intermittent or diurnal, and the best locations both for sources (sunlight, wind, geothermal) and for storage are widely dispersed. We need to be able to knit the nation together. Only the government can assemble the corridor rights to make such a development possible.

Get Serious about Automobile Mileage

In World War II — without Representative John Dingell Jr. to protect it from reality — Detroit was ordered to stop making cars and start making tanks. Today, Detroit needs to be ordered to stop making civilian tanks and start making cars. Manufacturers should be free to use any technology that can get 50 mpg by 2020 and 100 mpg by 2030. The world cannot afford yet another abysmal failure by the once-proud American automobile industry.

Build High-Speed Electrified Railways for Our Busiest Corridors

The answer to every intercity travel need is not an airplane or a car. America is the only industrial power on earth without high-speed electrified rail — a super-efficient mode of intercity travel that can be carbon-free. I don’t know a single American who has traveled on the bullet train from Tokyo to Osaka who hasn’t wondered, “Why can’t we do that from Boston to Washington? From San Francisco to LA?” It would require the same sort of government effort that built the interstate highway system — or, for that matter, the original railroads.

Set Strong Building Energy Performance Standards

We need to make all new buildings carbon-neutral by 2030, requiring vast increases in efficiency and walls and roofs that harvest energy directly from sunlight. The astonishing rate at which voluntary LEED standards have swept across the country suggests a deep hunger on the part of smart architects and builders for structures that will make sense throughout their 50-year lifetimes. We need to build on that momentum to create a new generation of energy efficient “living buildings.”

Train the Labor Force

Reversing climate change has an enormous potential to put America back to work. The greatest employment opportunities are for those who will transport and install solar modules, build and maintain wind farms, construct and operate the high-speed rail system and the “smart grid.” Programs, mostly at community colleges, to teach these new skills need to increase 100-fold, and a special emphasis should be placed on retraining the “losers” in the energy transitions — such as workers in coal mines and coal-fired power plants, etc. — and inner-city poor who have seen their job prospects disappear in the globalized economy.

The Time is Now

Following decades of political denial of climate science, America now lags far behind Europe and Japan in creating most of the basic building blocks for a carbon-neutral era. In several core renewable energy technologies, we have already been passed by China.

It’s not too late to get back in the game. But the global industry is rapidly expanding and maturing, and it has supportive government policies in Germany, Japan, the Nordic states, the Netherlands, South Korea, and China.

America has unparalleled scientific and engineering excellence, formidable financial muscle, bountiful natural resources, a democratic political system, and an entrepreneurial culture well-suited to helping to lead the world into a prosperous, carbon-neutral era. But we have been dragging our heels, as if this were a problem for our children to fix.

Global warming is our problem, and it’s time to get serious about solving it.

PinExt Denis Hayes on Tackling Climate Change
]]> http://chrisabraham.com/2008/06/10/denis-hayes-on-tackling-climate-change/feed/ 0 Fellow Kama`aina on MyDataIsMyData Privacy Pluginhttp://chrisabraham.com/2008/04/15/fellow-kamaaina-on-mydataismydata-privacy-plugin/ http://chrisabraham.com/2008/04/15/fellow-kamaaina-on-mydataismydata-privacy-plugin/#comments Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:15:19 +0000 Chris Abraham http://chrisabraham.com/2008/04/15/fellow-kamaaina-on-mydataismydata-privacy-plugin/

PinExt Fellow Kama`aina on MyDataIsMyData Privacy Plugin

I received this post to my Wall, “I fellow Kama’aina from Radford HS (not from Punahou or Iolani) wrote a really wonderful post about MyDataisMyData. Mahalo, Amy Jussel!” I don’t know if you knew it, but I grew up in Hawai`i-Nei and attended Saint Louis School and became Student Body President and wrestled and was a “Ranger” in JROTC and even visited Washington for the Government-study course, CLOSE-UP! Well, Saint Louis ’88, is the answer. Other than making me super-nostalgic, Amy Jussel wrote a really fantastic piece on MyDataIsMyData on her blog, Shaping Youth, “My Data is My Data:” Putting Choice Back into Social Media:

 

my data is my data.thumbnail Fellow Kama`aina on MyDataIsMyData Privacy PluginMy Data is My Data.org is a plug-in for those of us who are not so wild about social media hubs tracking our every move for data-mining purposes like the infamous Facebook Beacon controversy I wrote about in those two posts.

Believe me, the irony doesn’t escape me that the development of this useful plug-in to bring ‘choice’ back to the internet from vested interests and corporate coffers is being sponsored by a MySpace meets CraigsList style-ad community called FlugPo. (as a name generation gal, I have to ask myself, where DO they get these names?!)

I love it when technologists and advertisers trump their own kind, offering solutions-based freebies that kids and parents can ALL benefit from in open-source good-guy style…

I’ve officially joined the My Data is My Data Facebook group to see where this is headed in the privacy/preferences arena. We’ll see. Created by Chris Abraham of Abraham Harrison (who also started ‘Facecrook’ to warn folks about the Beacon balderdash) the FB group is promoting customization of preferences to suit YOUR agenda, not the advertisers’.

Hmn. Sounds good to me…

facebook beacon.thumbnail Fellow Kama`aina on MyDataIsMyData Privacy PluginYou’d think Facebook would ‘get it’ that we want to control our own data…

…Especially after they got a strong bracer from 50,000 of us in 8 days using their own mobilization tools to tell them we were ticked about being blindsided, sending our friends our purchases and preferences without our permission.

Yet…after a few (forced) ‘mea culpas’ in the press, and shifting to an ‘opt-in’ format, Facebook still snoops, spies, tracks, and harvests our info on the back end (albeit much more stealthily) saving the info for gawdonlyknows what’s next…

flugpo.thumbnail Fellow Kama`aina on MyDataIsMyData Privacy PluginYep. I’m hoping this new My Data is My Data plug-in has some chops.

Granted, the last freakin’ thing I need is another free ‘toolbar,’ but it sounds like a logical, user-driven way to put the control of your private information back into your own hands with all kinds of alerts, notifications, and ‘cookie’ choices, (alas not the chocolate chip kind) to customize your digital footprint beyond the ‘all or nothing’ approach.

mdimd pop up.thumbnail Fellow Kama`aina on MyDataIsMyData Privacy PluginA little pop-up box warns, “you are trying to navigate a FB collaborating website, would you like to continue?” and the user can change preferences or turn off or on cookies accordingly. Seems fair.

My first instinct is to globalize it into a ‘yeah, what about Google and all the REALLY big search engine info-collectors…how can this be applied universally?’ dialog…

google doubleclick.thumbnail Fellow Kama`aina on MyDataIsMyData Privacy PluginWhat about Double-Click? Double-Fusion? And every other integrated mega-mogul marketing play that’s out for kids’ eyeballs?

Even those of us who LOVE social media mobilization, HATE being sold out and commodified, especially without asking. And that’s not even counting the issue of kids! The arrogant gall of techno tools shipping data to ad partners on an “opt-out” or saturated eyeball/urban wallpaper basis is bound to have backlash…(if not from the parents, then from youth themselves!)

Guess THAT might fall into the policy arena on a much larger FCC and FTC privacy scale…

Or not. Those watchdogs haven’t been barking much…

ftc.thumbnail Fellow Kama`aina on MyDataIsMyData Privacy PluginThough today, the Center for a Digital Democracy (CDD) and members of the Children’s Media Policy Coalition, (specifically American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Children Now, etc.) called the feds on their lax-n-loose policies…asking the the FTC ‘powers that be’ to get with the program and update themselves regarding online behavioral advertising and the sorry state of self-regulation in the youth arena. Yay.

Self-regulation is great in theory, but let’s face it, COPPA, schmoppa…

Sure, advertisers are supposed to comply with COPPA but we all know the corporate claws have been out early on, insidiously working fast and furious to blitz tweens and teens with profiling and branding sans privacy protection, before parents, media and the snail-pace of governmental bigwigs even get a whiff of what’s goin’ on. (um, Neopets, anyone?)

Many parents are still at the ‘What is social media?’ stage, much less having any hint of awareness of data-mining kids’ behavioral patterns and online fingerprints.

Talk about a tipped scale of the fairness factor…

Even the kids themselves don’t know the degree of personal data-mining going on…

eyeballs.thumbnail Fellow Kama`aina on MyDataIsMyData Privacy PluginJudging by our own Shaping Youth tween and teen advisors, they get ticked off when they see their eyeballs are being harvested and sold as fast as those macabre ‘urban myth, donor kidney heists’ where someone falls asleep and wakes up with their organs gone! (ooh, a tub full of ice and kids’ eyeballs, ewww…got a horrific visual there)

On the flip side, when people DO want info tailored to them, it can be perceived as a benefit and ‘value-add’ (e.g. a coupon for a store they frequent, or sale on the same block served to them via their GPS mobile).

It’s all a matter of privacy-security, how ads are handled (opt in/opt out, invasive vs. requested, etc.) who it benefits, and how to engage consumers in the dialog to advocate for themselves, and put the power back in THEIR hands.

My data is my data outlines the FAQ very succinctly and clearly on the whole info-sharing issue, at least as it applies to Facebook.

generation digital.thumbnail Fellow Kama`aina on MyDataIsMyData Privacy PluginBut again…what about a more global policy here?

I’d like to know who’s capturing MY info in all arenas…ever since I read Nowhere to Hide and Generation Digital I’ve had my awareness at “level orange.”

This news report on CNET yesterday gives a glimpse of prelim industry response in this glib comment, “if you have an agenda to push, remember this phrase, ‘protect the children.”

Hmn. C’mon, now, folks. Be fair.

I’m not a child, but I deserve the right to control MY own information.

And yes, kids ARE in a ‘most vulnerable’ category, no matter how much advertisers want to ‘pooh-pooh’ it…

Besides, the Beacon outcry on FB was an amalgamation of collegiate, adult, teens of all ages, speaking to the “surveillance aspects” applicable to us ALL. Those privacy practices need disclosure for everyone…NOT just ‘for the children.’

That said, here’s today’s (14 pp pdf) from child advocates submitted to the FTC from the Institute of Public Representation at Georgetown University. And, here’s the official FTC filing (37pp) addressed to FTC Office of the Secretary, Donald Clark…

Finally, below is late-breaking news from Congressman Edward Markey’s office with an early-stage reaction to same. Perusing his site, it looks like last week he opened a hearing on virtual worlds too, so this lawmaker could be one to watch as these digital events begin to unfold.

Meanwhile, kids, teens, youth advocates, parents…What do YOU have to say on the data-mining/privacy front?

Is mandatory transparency the way to go? Plug-ins and pop-ups when you’re visiting a site that monitors you? Age-appropriate regulation? Walled-off regions within platforms that are commercial-free and/or non-traceable?

Can the ‘my data is my data’ concept be applied to a larger scale beyond social media applicable to mobile, VoIP, virtual worlds and virtual goods via cookie-setting that puts choice into the user’s hands?

What are your solutions and ideas?

Sound off…As I wrote here, the digital frontier is ‘unwritten’…

No matter what your views are, now’s the time to tap into your own gut instincts and best practices and begin to have your say, before others do it for you!

Visual Credits: eyeballs: WPClipart

Congressman Edward Markey’s comments on the FTC filing today:

MARKEY: NEW ONLINE PRIVACY SAFEGUARDS NEEDED TO PROTECT CHILDREN, TEENS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and co-Chairman of the Bi-Partisan Congressional Privacy Caucus, released the following statement this afternoon in response to the Federal Trade Commission’s proposed principles for industry self-regulation of online behavioral advertising:

“The FTC has appropriately recognized the pressing need for updated online privacy protections for children that reflect the sophisticated data collection and behavioral targeting practices now used widely across the Internet. Without stronger protections, including a prohibition on collecting data on children’s and teens’ online activities, young Internet users may become unwitting targets of the ‘hidden persuaders’ of the digital age. The evolution of online behavioral advertising since the enactment of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act requires a commensurate rejuvenation of privacy safeguards. I look forward to monitoring the FTC’s work in this important area.”

Related Shaping Youth Posts on Internet Privacy/Kids’ Concerns:

Facebook: Can You Hear Me Now? Your Peepin’ is Creepin’ Me Out!

Dare to Share? What’s Your Beacon Story?

Related Posts Elsewhere:

Digital Natives/Harvard Law: Deleting Facebook (vs. Deactivating It )

Charlene Li’s Close Encounter with Facebook Beacon (Groundswell/Forrester Rsch)

Rough Seas Nearly Sink Facebook’s Beacon (CNET)

Lessons from the Beacon Backlash: iMediaConnection

Facebook Beacon Backlash Leads To Apology & Opt-Out Option: Laughing Squid blog

PinExt Fellow Kama`aina on MyDataIsMyData Privacy Plugin
]]> http://chrisabraham.com/2008/04/15/fellow-kamaaina-on-mydataismydata-privacy-plugin/feed/ 0 Ramiro Miqueli: A Life Well-Livedhttp://chrisabraham.com/2008/02/28/ramiro-miqueli-a-life-well-lived/ http://chrisabraham.com/2008/02/28/ramiro-miqueli-a-life-well-lived/#comments Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:07:38 +0000 Chris Abraham http://chrisabraham.com/2008/02/28/ramiro-miqueli-a-life-well-lived/

PinExt Ramiro Miqueli: A Life Well Lived

“Ramiro Miqueli and Ramiro Miqueli’s brothers enjoyed a privileged, happy life until Cuba went through a Communist revolution that brought misery and chaos to the island in 1959. While Cuba had problems prior to 1959, the Ramiro Miquelis enjoyed democratic rights such as elections, liberty, equality, decency, justice, private property and freedom of the press, religion and travel. These rights were ruthlessly taken by one of the most brutal dictatorships in the world.” Via Ramiro Miqueli

Here’s the full official long bio of Ramiro Miqueli, which reads more like a powerful television drama than someone’s normal life:

Born in San Antonio de los Baños, Havana, Cuba in 1942, Ramiro Miqueli completed Ramiro Miqueli’s elementary and high school education and lived there until the age of 19. Cuba is the largest island of the Greater Antilles and is 90 miles from the USA between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. San Antonio is a typical small Spanish town located 18 miles south of Havana. The town is unique in that there is a river running through it, but this river does not run into the ocean. Instead, it submerges under ground into a cave, where it travels underground for miles to reach the Caribbean Sea.

Ramiro Miqueli’s family was from Spain of Italian ancestry. Ramiro Miqueli has been able to trace Ramiro Miqueli’s ancestry back to 1725 in Spain and Italy. Ramiro Miqueli’s Father, Miguel retired after 20 years as the Secretary of the Municipal Court in San Antonio de los Baños and began a successful career as an entrepreneur. Ramiro Miqueli’s father employed over 250 employees and owned a bakery, two tile factories and 15 apartment buildings in Havana. Ramiro Miqueli’s mother, Estela, was the matriarch of the family and dedicated her life entirely to raising five children: Jose, Miguel, Ramiro Miqueli, Oscar and Mario. Both parents and the youngest brother are now deceased.

Ramiro Miqueli completed elementary studies at a private school in San Antonio de los Baños, Academia Atenas, where Ramiro Miqueli was an honor student. Ramiro Miqueli completed Ramiro Miqueli’s high school education at another private school, Pitman Academy. Before starting electrical engineering undergraduate studies at the University of Havana, Ramiro Miqueli participated in sports. Ramiro Miqueli achieved a green belt in judo and practiced competitive sports such as basketball and swimming.

Ramiro Miqueli and Ramiro Miqueli’s brothers enjoyed a privileged, happy life until Cuba went through a Communist revolution that brought misery and chaos to the island in 1959. While Cuba had problems prior to 1959, the Ramiro Miquelis enjoyed democratic rights such as elections, liberty, equality, decency, justice, private property and freedom of the press, religion and travel. These rights were ruthlessly taken by one of the most brutal dictatorships in the world.

Fearing for the safety of the family, the Ramiro Miquelis decided to seek freedom and arrived legally as permanent residents in the United States in 1961. The Ramiro Miqueli family settled first in New York in 1961, but relocated to New Jersey in 1962. Ramiro Miqueli’s first job in New York was washing dishes. In New Jersey, the Ramiro Miquelis were successful in establishing jewelry stores. The entire family became American citizens after the required five years as permanent residents in the USA.

In 1964, Ramiro Miqueli responded to the call of duty and served active duty for two years in the US Army. Ramiro Miqueli spent a tour of duty in Vietnam with the Calvary Division and was honorably discharged from the US Army Reserve on February 28, 1970. After completing Ramiro Miqueli’s active duty in the US Army in 1966, Ramiro Miqueli attended New York University in New York and enrolled at St. Peter’s College in Jersey City, New Jersey, where Ramiro Miqueli graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics in 1970.

While attending college, Ramiro Miqueli met Mary, who was attending Rutgers University and graduated with honors and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature in 1970. They were married on August 30, 1970 and lived in New Jersey for 26 years.

While holding a full time job, Ramiro Miqueli earned a Master’s Degree in Management Science from Fairleigh Dickinson University, New Jersey in 1977. Ramiro Miqueli later attended St. Peter’s College again to study Accounting during 1993 to 1995.

Ramiro Miqueli’s early career was at AtlanticRichifield, Inc., a $20 billion dollar oil company where Ramiro Miqueli worked in Management Information Systems as a Programmer/Analyst in New York. As part of the development team, Ramiro Miqueli participated in the development of a new Payroll System.

In 1972, Ramiro Miqueli joined Schering-Plough, Inc., a $14 billion pharmaceutical company with operations in 30 countries, as a Lead Analyst and Project Leader in Sales and Accounting Systems. After completing Ramiro Miqueli’s post-graduate studies in 1976, Ramiro Miqueli was transferred to Corporate Audits, where Ramiro Miqueli was involved in assessing accounting and manufacturing systems. This position required extensive travel to Latin America and Europe. Ramiro Miqueli oversaw multidiscipline audits of operations in USA, Latin America and Europe, supervising 19 auditors.

In 1981, Ramiro Miqueli joined CBS Inc., the largest broadcast network in the USA with revenues now exceeding $50 billion annually as a Regional General Auditor of International operations. At CBS, Ramiro Miqueli excelled in auditing, accounting, finance, business development and sales. Ramiro Miqueli traveled extensively throughout the USA, Latin America and Europe. Ramiro Miqueli successfully orchestrated audit plans and schedules to protect Company’s assets and ensure compliance with policies and procedures, as well as reduced outside audit costs by 15%. Ramiro Miqueli oversaw financial and operational audits after CBS/Westinghouse merger and performed due diligence on two major acquisitions, as well as developed much-needed methodology to tighten risk-based controls for a 40-country, $30 billion organization.

After almost 20 years at CBS, Ramiro Miqueli was considered one of its key employees. Ramiro Miqueli’s latest position was as the Executive Vice President & General Manager of CBS TeleNoticias, a TV cable company with 260 employees that broadcasted in Spanish and Portuguese to 19 different countries.

While at CBS TeleNoticias, Ramiro Miqueli led the growth of US Hispanic and LATAM sales from $2.5 million to $4.5 million in six months. Ramiro Miqueli also played a major role in international cable TV network, which reached 50 million households. Ramiro Miqueli’s greatest accomplishment at CBS TeleNoticias was the development of the Portuguese-language cable network, CBS Brazil, to broadcast in Portuguese to Brazil from Miami.

Ramiro Miqueli retired from CBS, Inc. in 1999. With several partners, Ramiro Miqueli started UnoDosTres.com, which offered television and radio programming on-line in Spanish to the Hispanic population and to Latin America. Ramiro Miqueli and Ramiro Miqueli’s partners successfully raised $3.1 million in capital from private investors and secured partnership agreements worth $250 million in advertising and programming content. After two years, Ramiro Miqueli sold Ramiro Miqueli’s shares of UnoDosTres.com and embarked in other ventures.

During the last nine years, Ramiro Miqueli has been involved in developing emergent private companies such as UnoDosTres.com. The most recent ones of note are IPP of America, Inc. and InterTransfers, Inc.

Ramiro Miqueli joined IPP of America, a company specializing in providing payment solutions to people without access to bank accounts, the so-called under-banked community. While at IPP, Ramiro Miqueli introduced new products and services which contributed over 20 percent profit margin and implemented cost-saving plan, slashing 80% ($3.2 million) of in-house maintenance expense.

In May 2004, Ramiro Miqueli joined InterTransfers as an officer and as the President and Chief Executive Officer. InterTransfers is an American company that is incorporated in Florida. It provides currency exchange, money transfers, wire transfers and wholesale check cashing. At InterTransfers, Ramiro Miqueli has full responsibility for directing day-to-day operations; for increasing sales and profits; and for ensuring compliance with all regulations and internal controls. Ramiro Miqueli increased revenue by $6.0 million and profits by $4.5 million during first year and penetrated new markets in Florida, Georgia., Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts and South Carolina, as well as the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland and Germany.

Using the services of InterTransfers, Latin Americans can send money to their loved ones back home in a fast and reliable way to Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay y Venezuela. The services are also available to the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland and Germany, where payments are made in Euros, British Pound or Swiss Francs.

Together with other qualified and experience executives, Ramiro Miqueli devoted many hours of hard work during several months to establish a robust anti-money laundering program and a strong Compliance Department. InterTransfers is in full compliance with its regulatory requirements and has a functional compliance program in place to reduce the risk associated with money laundering and other illicit activity.

Ramiro Miqueli is currently in the process of completing the acquisition of a major money transmitter company in the United States. InterTransfers is waiting for the approval of the different states for the change in control. This acquisition is expected to be completed by May 2008 and will add another 200 agents to InterTransfers.

Ramiro Miqueli was a former member of the Board of Directors of the International Council of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (2000); former Director of the Spanish Mercantile Federation, Union City, New Jersey (2003-2004); and served in the Board of Directors of IPP of America, Inc. (2007).

While Ramiro Miqueli has been a successful executive, Ramiro Miqueli maintains that Ramiro Miqueli’s greatest enjoyment and accomplishment in life is creating a family. Ramiro Miqueli has been married to Mary, a senior executive in advertising and marketing, for 37 years and was blessed with two handsome sons, one grandson and one granddaughter.

Ramiro Miqueli resides with Ramiro Miqueli‘s wife Mary in Palmetto Bay, Florida and spends long week-ends with Ramiro Miqueli’s sons and grandkids.

Ramiro Miqueli is a multilingual senior executive with over 35 years of international and domestic experience in Fortune 500 management, pre-IPO startup, operations and finance spanning alternative financial services, broadcasting, entertainment, publishing, manufacturing and Internet operations.

PinExt Ramiro Miqueli: A Life Well Lived
]]> http://chrisabraham.com/2008/02/28/ramiro-miqueli-a-life-well-lived/feed/ 0 Grand Jury Duty Post Mortemhttp://chrisabraham.com/2007/04/03/grand-jury-duty-post-mortem/ http://chrisabraham.com/2007/04/03/grand-jury-duty-post-mortem/#comments Tue, 03 Apr 2007 01:31:29 +0000 Chris Abraham http://chrisabraham.com/?p=3879

PinExt Grand Jury Duty Post Mortem




Before coming to NLADA I received a Jury summons in the mail. Not being worldly enough to know that there was such a massive difference between petit jury and grand jury, I really didn’t make much of it. It would be a couple days at most, and I am sure I would be passed over. I was, after all, working for an association known for its position helping poor folks find good legal assistance. What prosecutor would want to put up with such a loose cannon?

The answer to that is the Grand Jury system of Washington, D.C., which doesn’t care much about who or what you are in the world, just that you are eligible. Unlike most juries, the Grand Jury is an investigative group, voting not on sentencing or penalties, but the legitimacy of a case to proceed from the US Attorney’s Office to the Court and Jury.

And since there are four Grand Juries convened at overlapping start- and end-dates, each with twenty-three Jurors, only 16 of whom are needed to form a quorum allowing a vote, the system can afford to be draconian. By draconian, I mean to say that no matter how much I hinted as to my compassion and passion for the equal service under the law for the poor and indigent, it was all for naught; in fact, I could have well twitched wildly and hinted that I was receiving messaged from Betelgeuse and it would have really mattered little. Since there are so many, attrition and poor voting have been assumed and I was sadly too square to really subvert such a stalwart system.

It took three weeks for my fellow Jurors and I to realize that our job as Grand Jurists was not to do what the Prosecuting Attorneys told us to do. From the beginning of our five-week commitment, we were told that the Assistant United States Attorneys were our legal counsel and there to help us decide the fate of upwards of 125 lives: would the case be indicted and end up in court or would the case be thrown out. We were never advised that the personal lives of anyone we indicted would never be the same again; we were never warned that these private investigations would in fact become public record if we made a choice to pursue the case in the courts. We were constantly being reinforced that it was in fact about the victims and about the case; we were insured that our decisions were a formality and were an indictment in fact made against an innocent man, the court would be able to discern the truth and justice would be upheld. The innocent would go free and the guilty would pay their price to society. All we had to do was decide that there was a possibility that there might have been a viable crime committed and that was good enough because it was not our job to deal with sentencing or particulars.

I indicted a majority of the cases we investigated during the first few weeks. It took two weeks for us to become conversant in the acronyms and lingo of criminal law. For example, ADW/WA is short of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon While Armed and PWID-PCP is short for Possession With Intent to Distribute PCP. During the last couple weeks I became better at recognizing the different moods of the AUSAs.

They were all rock stars, each with his or her own stage presence. One female attorney showboated and I referred to her as a pit bull. She seemed indefatigable as he worked the system hard, making sure her cases received priority attention; she was a real rock star, but one Jurist made the observation that she seemed to be putting is on: she was neither our ally nor our counsel, she was a state employee trying to move cases through the system past nameless, faceless Grand Juries, none of which really knew what was going on. It seemed to me that over time, the system has really come to forget about the true nature of what the Grand Jury is there for. Funnily enough, I was told by the Liaison to the Grand Jurists that the Attorneys preferred the mature Grand Juries much more than the greenhorns. That sounded plausible to me since there would be less frustrating hand-holding and remediation. It seemed true enough until I saw how we voted over time. As the end of our duty approached, we challenged the AUSAs over details, the detectives over their credibility, the witnesses over their consistency, and oftentimes kept the interrogations focused and on-track.

My Grand Jury was a fast track Grand Jury. We were given priority to homicide, sexual abuse, childhood sexual abuse, and domestic cases. By the end of the five weeks, my fellow Jurists and I were rubbed raw. We watched as other Grand Juries planned parties for the last days, a two hour lunch. We were so burdened by the proceedings that we rejected the party and used our time to get the hell out of 555 4th Street, NW, and into small groups and away to lunch. Even our Secretary, who worked in a methadone clinic, started to burn out. I asked the court reporter how he was able to release the emotions of listening to so many worse-case-scenarios; firstly, he said he ran ran ran, secondly, he said that the rotation for most of the court reporters and attorney’s was pretty short. Even so, there were lifers. So I started going to the gym for a couple hours every night.

I wanted to explode; I wanted my innocence back! The streets were darker, the news stories less gray scale and more black and white, and my sweet liberal nature was starting to calcify, chip and crack. I am not na’ve and have been a backpacker and photographer through many of the world’s cities; even so, I felt a lot less safe in my own DC than I had felt before. Now, it is less severe since I have been sharing my feelings, fears, and some of my venting with friends and family. I am one of the lucky ones. What happens to the witnesses after their usefulness is expired’ What happens to them in their community, in their family, and in their home’ What services, support, and trust can one find after taking upon one’s shoulders Herculean task of standing up to your abuser or the abuser of someone in your community; what support for the witness who comes to the courthouse to defend the reputation of an accused when he knows that there is little chance of it mattering. I can see now why so many communities have become insular: it doesn’t seem like the system is there to prevent crime or to protect them, it merely serves to clean up many of the messes that the system enabled in the first place. A lot of amputations happen, it seems to me, that were unnecessary were the limbs better cared for.

Although some of the Attorneys have excellent bedside manner with the witnesses, nobody thought to make sure there were boxes of Kleenex beside the witness stands. As Sergeant-at-Arms, I rushed downstairs to the convenience store before the first week and bought a large box that lasted the entire five-weeks.

Even though I am not at liberty to discuss any of what transpired in the secret investigative hearings, I will say that despite what Hollywood feeds us, one punch or one bullet or one beating usually doesn’t kill a man. The human body is amazingly ‘ if not too ‘ resilient. Some of the physical, mental, and sexual abuse was so massively destructive that I almost wished some of these victims would have at least blacked out or passed on; but no, there I was in a room with someone who had in them something unexplainable. Some sort of vacancy; some sort of resignation that did not take the body but removed some sort of essential flame from the eyes.

When all was said and done, I recognized the Grand Jury system as something amazing and awful to experience on one level; on another level, it is too secret, it is too powerful, and it is essentially a bureaucratic system that has fallen into a rut. There was no reason why our Grand Jury had to field all of the violent cases and there was no reason why we couldn’t have spent a full day with a third party educator who might have been a better job at priming us than the attorneys who’s job it was to make a case against the accused. It was always US vs. Accused; their prime agenda never veered: get violent criminals off the street. At what cost? Justice?

Posted Jul 22, 2002 – 10:43 AM

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]]> http://chrisabraham.com/2007/04/03/grand-jury-duty-post-mortem/feed/ 0 Where in the World is Darfur?http://chrisabraham.com/2006/05/01/where-in-the-world-is-darfur/ http://chrisabraham.com/2006/05/01/where-in-the-world-is-darfur/#comments Mon, 01 May 2006 19:13:13 +0000 Chris Abraham http://chrisabraham.com/?p=2296

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Darfur Sudan Where in the World is Darfur?
Darfur is in Western Sudan on the North East Coast of Africa.

From Wikipedia:

The Darfur Conflict is an ongoing conflict in the Darfur region of western Sudan, mainly between the Janjaweed, a militia group recruited from local Arab tribes, and the non-Arab peoples of the region. The Sudanese government, while publicly denying that it supports the Janjaweed, is providing arms and assistance and has participated in joint attacks with the group. The conflict began in February 2003.

The conflict has been described by the Western media as “ethnic cleansing” and “genocide.” In September 2004, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated 50,000 deaths in Darfur since the conflict’s beginning, mostly by starvation. In October, the organization’s head gave an estimate of 71,000 deaths by starvation and disease alone between March and October 2004. While a recent British Parliamentary Report estimates that over 300,000 people have already died[1], the United Nations estimates that 180,000 have died in the past eighteen months of the conflict [2]. More than 1.8 million people had been displaced from their homes. Two hundred thousand have fled to neighboring Chad.

Although the large majority of resultant refugees are non-Arab black Africans fleeing Arab Janjaweed attacks [3], there are also Arab victims and non-Arab perpetrators. In addition, both sides are largely black in skin tone, and the distinction between “Arab” and “non-Arab” common in Western media is heavily disputed by many people, including the Sudanese government. Moreover, these labels have been criticized for sensationalizing the conflict into one of racial motivations, where some experts instead attribute the causes to competition between farmers and nomadic cattle-herders who compete for scarce resources. In reality, though differences in lifestyle, as well as Arab or non-Arab status seem somewhat superficial, they are the basis upon which the government has decided who shall suffer bombings, mass killings and systematic rape by its proxy militias. This violence has forced people to flee into the desert, on the order of hundreds of thousands. Accurate numbers of dead have been difficult to attain, due to the government’s efforts to cover up these atrocities.

In the summer of 2004, the U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, travelled the refugee camps of Darfur with the Sudanese foreign minister. A team of American investigators stayed behind to interview people in the camps, and later, Powell testified before the U.S. Congress that genocide was being perpetrated in Darfur. The Sudanese government has denied claims that it is involved, though, Powell and his team found that the government is clearly and directly involved in committing the genocide. In addition to the Bush Administration, many others, such as Senator John Kerry also denounced it as a genocide. [4]

The UN, prior to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, called the Darfur conflict the world’s worst current humanitarian crisis. However, intervention by the UN is unlikely as the governments of key members of the Security Council are pragmatically and ideologically constrained in their ability to respond to the conflict. The Russian government, with its weakened economy, struggles to meet its internal security dilemnas regarding its persistent border conflicts. United States force deployments in Iraq and elsewhere make intervention a difficult proposition. The United States also faces difficulty stemming from its commitment to the peace process ending the Second Sudanese Civil War, which it fears may be derailed. Finally, setting up No-Fly Zones is logistically difficult considering the remoteness of Darfur, the lack of infrastructure in potential airbase neighbors, and the issue of airspace rights for flyovers to Darfur from other neighbors.

Moreover, in both of these nations, along with Britain and France, a strong lobby exists opposed to intervention in countries whose internal strife is not clearly related to the nation’s own interest (America and France having suffered demoralizing losses in Vietnam, as well as in Somalia and Algeria, respectively). The lack of capable foreign peacekeepers during the Rwanda and Liberia crises is a more recent example.

Those who have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in the region on all sides of the conflict will probably be held accountable. However, it is currently undecided whether prosecution will commence via the International Criminal Court, or via a provisional tribunal, such as the one used after the ethnic conflicts in Rwanda and in the Balkans. The Bush administration currently opposes the ICC option and supports the special tribunal mechanism.

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]]> http://chrisabraham.com/2006/05/01/where-in-the-world-is-darfur/feed/ 0 “Our Men Must Be Wealthier” say Ivy League Womenhttp://chrisabraham.com/2005/09/20/our-men-must-be-wealthier-say-ivy-league-women/ http://chrisabraham.com/2005/09/20/our-men-must-be-wealthier-say-ivy-league-women/#comments Tue, 20 Sep 2005 17:51:27 +0000 Chris Abraham http://chrisabraham.com/?p=989

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According to Salon, most Yale undergraduate women want to leave the workplace within a couple-few years of graduating in order to become mothers. That’s going to put a lot of pressure on the men of Yale. Lucky, Lori Gottlieb, Yalie, is a trailblazer!

300px Yale Harkness Tower Our Men Must Be Wealthier say Ivy League Women

Image via Wikipedia

Some for a time, others for good. You know what this means? It means that we men really need to be able to check $150k+ on our Match.com profiles — or will need to — tout de suite!

Why? because we’re going to need to pay off both of our college loans, the mortgage, the cost of making, keeping, and raising babies, and the other sundry expenses of buying a Yalie out of her Very Promising Career.

It will need to be a full buy out.

Every man out of school of the right pedigree will now need to go straight to New York and immediately become an Investment Banker, spend 18-hours-a-day at work, develop an addiction to coke, and hire hookers.

Just like in the 1950s.

What goes around, comes around.

What I think is really going to happen since Yale undergraduate men will also want to work less and have a family life is a stalemate.

Maybe Yale men will do what men have been doing for eons, which is not marry Ivy League women but rather beautiful and adoring secretaries and assistants who have way more accptance and way fewer expectations that their counterparts in the Ivy League. And who have way more time and energy to make it all about us!

Women who will actually want to be a wife and a mother.

 

 

 

loriGottlieb3 Our Men Must Be Wealthier say Ivy League Women
 

The beautiful and Yale-educated Lori Gottlieb is going through the rewarding process of having her own baby and her own pregnancy her way by out-sourcing the pregnancy biz to a sperm donor and a dream. Check out her article, The XY Files. I personally have a huge crush on Lori Gottlieb and there isn’t a man good enough for her, so consider her a trailblazer for Yale coeds everywhere!

Bulldog! Bulldog!
Bow, wow, wow
Eli Yale
Bulldog! Bulldog!
Bow, wow, wow
Our team can never failWhen the sons of Eli
Break through the line
That is the sign we hail
Bulldog! Bulldog!
Bow, wow, wow
Eli Yale!

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Our Men Must Be Wealthier say Ivy League Women
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