I’m Voting for Obama. How about You?

I will be voting for Barack Obama on Tuesday. Despite my reservations about his centrist policies and his failures on Guantanamo and drone usage, I believe that President Obama has still led us on a path to economic recovery and social justice. Especially in the last 12 months, he has used his executive office to effectively grant protection to children of undocumented immigrants and to influence public attitudes about gay marriage. In contrast to Romney, I believe that Obama will make a difference over the next four years for all Americans and not just the oligarchs, the wealthy, and the religious right.

I remember that feeling I had four years ago, when President-Elect Obama came on stage in Chicago. Seriously, I was amazed and tearful seeing a person of color elected President of our nation. As a brown kid growing up in Iowa, I never imagined this could happen. Admittedly I’ve lost some enthusiasm for the compromises he has had to make over the last four years but I still support him overall. I’m excited to cast my vote for him in a few days.

President Obama is fighting for the American Dream because he’s lived it. http://OFA.BO/kV8SNu

Filed under: obama, politics, social justice, 2013, barack obama, election, president, romney

John McCain is a Grumpy Old Man

Let gays serve openly in the military?

75% of Americans think so.

Yet John McCain disagrees. His bigoted stance against Don’t Ask Don’t Tell does nothing but reveal his age. Instead of embracing the public and military’s welcoming attitude, McCain continues to rail against gays in the military. His opinions are antiquated, out of sync with most Americans, contrary to the Pentagon’s findings, and, quite simply, wrong. The Washington Post‘s Jonathan Capeheart deconstructs McCain’s wrong-headedness in the video above.

I’m almost embarrassed for McCain. His attitude is less disagreeable to me than an example of an older generation’s xenophobia and crotchetiness.

Filed under: gay rights, government, military, politics, cindy mccain, dadt, don't ask don't tell, gay, gay rights, john mccain, jonathan capeheart, military

The Congresswoman Who Can Not Tell a Truth

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Where did the lie that President Obama’s trip to Asia is costing taxpayers $200 million dollars a day originate?

Anderson Cooper explains (in a reasoned yet nonetheless disapproving manner) that the ridiculous myth emerged from a businessman in India. However, the source is anonymous and can’t be confirmed. Less than reputable, as Anderson points out.

What’s more upsetting is the conservative media’s use of the bloated number to spur rage toward the President. How better to rile up patriotic, nativist U.S. citizens? Ask Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh. Worse, buy into the lies put forth by our elected representatives. When Congresswoman Michelle Bachman relates the $200 million myth on Cooper’s program, he calls her on it.

Shame on Bachman for perpetuating misinformation. How do Minnesota constituents feel about the latest of their representative’s falsehoods?

Filed under: minnesota, politics, republican, 200 million, anderson cooper, asia, lie, michelle bachman, myth, obama

Debunking a Talking Tea Party Bear

“Did you know our basic freedoms as Americans are under attack?” says an animated brown bear.

“No I had no idea,” the other animatronic bear says, “I wake up every day and don’t feel my basic freedoms are threatened.”

This video (surely it’s gone viral) is reasoned, hilarious, and slightly disturbing at the same time. I like the reasonable response of the non-Tea Party bear to the crazy bear’s fanaticism.

“Obama is worse than Hitler,” the disturbing computer-generated voice of the Tea Partier warns, about four minutes in. “If we don’t vote the Democrats out of office, we will all be living as slaves to the evil liberal elite intellectuals who hate us and hate our freedoms.”

“I’m sorry you live so out of touch with reality,” the rational bear replies.

Filed under: comedy, homophobia, humor, politics, animated, animation, bear, democrat, tea party, video

Gubernatorial Candidate: The Rent is Too Damn High

There’s a kind of beautiful randomness to New York gubernatorial candidate Jimmy McMillan and his The Rent is Too Damn High Party. I don’t know how I missed this video last week. And I don’t know if McMillan’s schtick is semi-serious, unapologetically publicity-seeking, or some combination of both.

One thing I admire is McMillan’s succinct, hilarious platform on issues like gay marriage (“If you want to marry a shoe, I’ll marry you.”). On SNL this weekend, Keenan Thompson did a spot-on impression. Perhaps best of all, the American Mustache Institute has endorsed his bid for governor (makes you wonder if they just like his mustache or support his politics too).

Look quick: this guy’s fifteen minutes of fame starts now.

Filed under: comedy, politics