Gimmicks, Race, and the RNC

I have lived in several Red states all of my life. Born and raised in the Magnolia State, lived for a stint in the swamp lands of Louisiana, and I am raising my kids in the volunteer state of Tennessee. I will always be the girl from Mississippi and I learned to love cultural diversity from Louisiana, but the great state of Tennessee has help shaped my world view more so than any of the other states. All have taught me that a Repub does not make a conservative and every conservative is not a Repub.

The Grand Ole party not only has a visual image problem but it is in a place that we normally see Demos; absent of leadership, trying to figure out who they are and what group is their base. President Bush's fall from grace made the Repubs' reputation take a nosedive in the area of public trust and perception. Big government and outrageous spending that would feel right at home with the Demos, seemed to cloak the Bush Administration like a warm blanket. A message was sent in 2006 that the country was not happy with business as usual, but it took the elections of 2008 to really nail the casket shut. Many folks were buried alive politically. A few, however, managed to dig themselves out of their Rovian graveyard. But hanging out with the walking dead is only popular among morticians and grave diggers.

Senator McCain's decision to pick Governor Palin was brilliant in strategy, but dumb in execution. Clinton supporters were yelling and screaming to the high heavens for a minute there. They would have voted Strawberry Short Cake in office immediately following Senator Clinton's primary defeat because they wanted a woman so badly. A cartoon character would have sufficed as long as she was a female. Picking a woman was a good call for McCain but the plan lacked intelligence. Those 18 million cracks needed sealing. Gov. Romney (IMHO) would have been a deal sealer and would have made those of us who were hurting in the pocket feel safe and secure (money wise). Many moderate Repubs would have spent more time analyzing the issues than wondering if Palin was sane or not.

Watching Palin come unglued right before America's eyes, was not how to win an election. It was at times too painful to watch. Palin and that hail Mary pass was a gimmick and it backfired on the Repub party. Senator Obama went on to become our 44th President. Folks had enough of buffoonery and gimmicks.

Now, the RNC is trying the same gimmicky move with Michael Steele. Electing a black man to prove that the RNC is up for the challenge of becoming more diverse and inclusive will be tested earlier than later. Race, gender, faith, and sexual orientation will ALL be part of the diversity dialogue with the good folks at the RNC. Many of these conversation have not been had in my neck of the woods. As a matter of fact, some on this list are not even considered. I live in the land where the "Happy Negro" song originated. I socialize and do business with Repubs and Conservs daily. Michael Steele WILL NOT bring diversity to the RNC is my hunch based on my years of sitting at my grandfather's feet listening to him discuss politics. Daddy believed strongly "never try to play tricks with folks, you will get burned every time!"

Diversity is a state of being, a mindset if you will, not all about color. Having a black man in charge does not rally the troops, especially if the troops tend to see things in black and white. Mainly white. Ask Speaker Pelosi and she will confirm my assertion. Well, maybe not publicly.

It will take daily efforts of being totally intentional in reaching out to minorities,women, and everyone else from now until 2012 to make any headway in that area. It take years to break down barriers and it is rarely done in one election cycle. I remember attending McCain/Palin rallies and personally hearing "terrorist", "monkey", "nigger" and the like to the tunes of many of my beloved CMA songs. I was sent the Magic Negro CD for Christmas. Folks will not forget these enduring heart to heart monologues and shouts of love quickly.

I enjoy hearing both sides of any argument. I love to make my decisions based not on a party view but what is the greater good for my family, my business, my customers, and of course my country. I plan to visit Mr. Steele in DC when I make my annual trips for several legislative days that I will be attending regarding women and minorities in business, and an industry meeting. I am hoping that he will not give me lip service or talking points. I have shared with him in the past that forming a group to help speak to diversity issues does make an organization diverse or even open to diversity. Often diversity is only a side topic or regulated to a department in many non-minority organizations. I belong to several. Many of these organizations rarely sit in meetings and say "hey, we need more diversity". They see me and believe "we are covered". It only happens if pressure from the outside, and in rare cases from the inside, address the issues and then and only then a mad dash is made to pull a "token" somebody to fit the agenda of looking diverse. How many times I have seen this? Let me count the ways!

I am part of a group, at the moment, where everyone on our committee is coming to the same conclusion that the organization is only giving the group lip service and has very little intention in becoming more diverse. The staff is non-color, the board is non-color, and the few of us trying to make a difference, have gotten tired of the step-children antics that are being played out right in front of us. At a time where diversity is very IN, and folks are scrambling to at least pretend they see EVERYBODY, some folks are still slow to embrace diversity and inclusiveness. Even when it is presented as good business model vs. it is the right to thing to do. Money usually can get every ones' attention. Usually. Change has come to Washington, but not everyone is going to change.

Michael Steele has a huge task ahead of him, if he is to bring the RNC closer to the year 2002 by reaching out to embrace others (and by others, I do mean others) than where it is now, 1964. Mr. Steele's success will be determined if the RNC see a need to be inclusive. He will be the the Toast of the Town and not a piece of light bread. I do hope he is successful although I think the motives are suspect. But even good things can come from bad intentions. At least it will be a learning curve for participants as well as spectators. One thing about toast, it must be watched because it can easily burn.

General Colin Powell Shares his Views

In a move straight from the set of the Maverick, General Colin Powell endorses Senator Obama. General Powell, respected by Demos and Repubs alike, broke with the Repub Party and stated that he was voting for Obama. Powell is not the first but he is one of the most influential Repubs that have thrown their support behind the Senator from Illinois.

Here is a quote from the interview:
"Mr. McCain says that he's a washed up terrorist, but then why do we keep talking about him? And why do we have the robocalls going on around the country trying to suggest that because of this very, very limited relationship that Senator Obama has had with Mr. Ayers, somehow Mr. Obama is tainted. What they're trying to connect him to is some kind of terrorist feelings. And I think that's inappropriate. Now, I understand what politics is all about, I know how you can go after one another and that's good. But I think this goes too far, and I think it has made the McCain campaign look a little narrow. It's not what the American people are looking for."

The next two weeks of this campaign will be a nail biter for sure. I am stocking up on my popcorn. Watching how the crazies on the left and right on the don't-believe-a word-they-say-news spend Powell's endorsement is going to be entertaining for sure.

Endorsements for the most part do not matter, but this one can not be overlooked by either side of the isle. As my granddaddy would say, it ain't over 'til it is over.

Say it ain't so; Joe's no plumber

Joe Wurzelbacher, "Joe the plumber", learned a big lesson this week about pollies and the media. Both will stroke your fires when they need air time and flatter you to no end. But the minute they smell the smoke they helped create, they spend the rest of the time throwing gasoline on the fire. "Joe the plumber" needs a fire truck from Engine 212 ASAP.

"Joe the plumber" (as he is know in affectionate and despicable terms at the same time) welcome to fifteen minutes of fame. Joe's name was mentioned twenty six times during the presidential debate on Wednesday night. Thursday morning, Joe was in desperate need of an press agent and a few talking points. By the way, Joe's name is really Samuel which he will probably start using again. He was declared the winner by many, including me, of the final presidential debate. Anytime a plumber consumes the attention of a candidate that has never met him, you are the winner.

The clip of Joe asking the Demo candidate about his tax plan and how it would hurt "his business" was shown hundreds of times by every crazy pundit on cable and network news. He was the toast of the town. But it does not take but a few seconds to burn toast. After a minute of vetting Joe, it has been revealed that Joe does not own a business, does not have a license to do business, and is not required to have a plumber's license. Hold up, wait a minute! I am okay with his questioning taxes and the like, but please have your crap together. Do not give the stupid pundits any reason to make you look like an idiot. It will not be long before we see an exclusive of a few customers who are unhappy with the work that Joe has performed in the past. Say-it-ain't-so-Joe before long, Joe will need a fire hydrant outside his home.

In the pest control industry, we can not service a client's home or business without being certified or licensed. We can not operator a business without a charter which must be inspected by the state. We can not advertise our business without meeting these litmus tests. This is the law. So how is Joe making his money, the pest control operators are asking?

As a business owner in the pest control industry, I would not want an unlicensed, non-certified person representing me or my industry. No, Joe was not speaking for his industry but we are going to forever associate him with plumbers. By the way the national union for plumbers release this statement to The Hill.com


Plumbers union rips McCain on ‘Joe the Plumber’
By Chris Good
Posted: 10/16/08 03:54 PM [ET]
United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry (UA) says Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) "manufactured outrage" over Democratic rival Sen. Barack Obama's (Ill.) tax plan in last night's debate by invoking the now-famous — or infamous — "Joe the Plumber."

"Last night John McCain made Joe the Plumber a household name. His manufactured outrage on behalf of Joe would be a lot more believable if his economic plan had anything to do with helping working people deal with the economic crisis," UA Assistant General President Steve Kelly said in a statement released Thursday afternoon.

The UA union claims to be the first organization of any kind to endorse Obama in the presidential race. It did so Jan. 9, 2008.

Joe Wurzelbacher, the now-famous Toledo, Ohio plumber who sparred with Obama over taxes at a campaign event in his hometown, is not a UA member, a UA staffer told The Hill.

The UA staffer claimed that Wurzelbacher is a member of the Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC), a non-union trade group that has endorsed McCain.

Gail Raiman, vice president of public affairs at ABC, stated in an e-mail that Wurzelbacher reportedly works for Newell Construction in Toledo, Ohio, which is a residential contractor. ABC, Raiman stated, “represents commercial and industrial contractors, not residential contractors.”

Neither Wurzelbacher nor Newell Construction is a member of ABC, Raiman stressed.

The UA staffer noted that Wurzelbacher does not hold a plumber's license in the state of Ohio, though Wurzelbacher says he does not need a license as he works for someone else.

"Unlike McCain's, Obama's outrage for the middle class is real. He will turn us in a new direction, not keep us on the same, tired old path of the Bush years," Kelly said, going on to blast McCain's tax proposal.

"McCain's plan gives massive tax giveaways to CEOs and mega-corporations while leaving working families out in the cold. At a time when our economy is bleeding jobs, McCain also opposes investment in infrastructure spending, which would create good jobs and help put our economy back on solid footing."

Geez. I thought it was crazy killing bugs and dealing with the industry's big bug stompers, I can not imagine the sh**, I mean fallout the plumbers will be dealing with because of their new found media star, Sam...I mean Joe. So much for calling a plumber for the truth.

Go vote, then call a LICENSED pest control company.

A Plumber won the Final Debate of 2008

Joe Wurzelbacher, "Joe the Plumber", was the clear winner of the final debate of the 2008 Presidential election. I thought that it was befitting since so much poop was thrown out that a plumber was truly needed to flush out the truth. As always, I strongly encourage you to check facts before you repeat a statement from either candidate.

A partial list of the major blunders from Factcheck.org are listed below:

Spin and hype were apparent, once again, at the third and final debate between McCain and Obama:

* McCain claimed the liberal group ACORN “is now on the verge of maybe perpetrating one of the greatest frauds in voter history ... maybe destroying the fabric of democracy.” In fact, a Republican prosecutor said of the first and biggest ACORN fraud case: “[T]his scheme was not intended to permit illegal voting.” He said $8-an-hour workers turned in made-up voter registration forms rather than doing what ACORN paid them to do.

* McCain said “Joe the plumber” faced “much higher taxes” under Obama’s tax plan and would pay a fine under Obama’s health care plan if he failed to provide coverage for his workers. But Ohio plumber Joe Wurzelbacher would pay higher taxes only if the business he says he wants to buy puts his income over $200,000 a year, and his small business would be exempt from Obama’s requirement to provide coverage for workers.

* Obama repeated a dubious claim that his health care plan will cut the average family’s premiums by $2,500 a year. Experts have found that figure to be overly optimistic.

* McCain claimed that Obama’s real “object” is a government-run, single-payer health insurance system like those in Canada or England. The McCain campaign points to a quote from five years ago, when Obama told a labor gathering that he was “a proponent of a single-payer health care program.” But Obama has since qualified his enthusiasm for Canadian-style health care, and his current proposal is nothing like that.

* Obama incorrectly claimed all of McCain’s ads had been “negative.” That was true for one recent week, but not over the entire campaign. And at times Obama has run a higher percentage of attack ads than McCain.

* McCain described Colombia as the "largest agricultural importer of our products." Actually, Canada imports the most U.S. farm products, and Colombia is far down the list.

* Obama strained to portray himself as willing to break ranks with fellow Democrats. His prime example was his vote for a bill that was supported by 18 Democrats and opposed by 26. Congressional Quarterly rates him as voting with his party 97 percent of the time since becoming a U.S. senator.


A detailed analysis of the debate is listed at www.factcheck.org. The debate was boring and for all the hype given to "whipping his you know what" and the "say it to my face" talk on cable-don't-believe-the pundits-news-networks, the candidates would not have gotten a crowd at my Catholic School playground. No street fighting here. No even a good school yard dust up!

I did appreciate the "kill him" comments being addressed or in this case, not answered. I think all grown men and women should be responsible for their actions. As for McCain's facial expressions, his looks would have made a blind man laugh. Only a few more weeks to go folks, hang in there. In the meantime, if you are looking for the truth call a plumber.

She stayed on her feet!

Through out the night, I received texts and emails asking how was Governor Palin doing in the VP debate? My answer was the same to everyone, she stayed on her feet. Biden never really knocked her down. She was charming. She put her pageant skills to work and because expectations were so low, she held her own. My granddaddy always said never underestimate your opponent. And the shoes and suit were cute.

Now putting all that aside, I have learned to listen to the candidates but check the facts immediately. As soon as the debate was over, I checked several trusted fact checking websites and here is what I got in summary:

Biden and Palin debated, and both mangled some facts.

* Palin mistakenly claimed that troop levels in Iraq had returned to “pre-surge” levels. Levels are gradually coming down but current plans would have levels higher than pre-surge numbers through early next year, at least.

* Biden incorrectly said “John McCain voted the exact same way” as Obama on a controversial troop funding bill. The two were actually on opposite sides.

* Palin repeated a false claim that Obama once voted in favor of higher taxes on “families” making as little as $42,000 a year. He did not. The budget bill in question called for an increase only on singles making that amount, but a family of four would not have been affected unless they made at least $90,000 a year.

* Biden wrongly claimed that McCain “voted the exact same way” as Obama on the budget bill that contained an increase on singles making as little as $42,000 a year. McCain voted against it. Biden was referring to an amendment that didn't address taxes at that income level.

* Palin claimed McCain’s health care plan would be “budget neutral,” costing the government nothing. Independent budget experts estimate McCain's plan would cost tens of billions each year, though details are too fuzzy to allow for exact estimates.

* Biden wrongly claimed that McCain had said "he wouldn't even sit down" with the president of Spain. Actually, McCain didn't reject a meeting, but simply refused to commit himself one way or the other during an interview.

* Palin wrongly claimed that “millions of small businesses” would see tax increases under Obama’s tax proposals. At most, several hundred thousand business owners would see increases.

Always, check the facts. There is information more than what is mentioned above. Senator Biden looked very secure and was very respectable and Governor Palin looked confident and ready to show that she can think and talk at the same time.

www.factcheck.org

RNC...Palin, God, Country and Answered Prayers

As I watched the convention on C-SPAN (of course), I could not help but notice the difference between the RNC and the DNC. The RNC lacked diversity and the rush to showcase women and give them seats up front was obvious. The highlight of the convention was Governor Sarah Palin and her youngest daughter was the scene stealer hands down. While mom delivered several one line zingers that brought the house down, Piper Palin giving her brother a comb over with a lick gave the morning talk shows the warm fuzzy news for the next day.

One thing the Repubs got this past week, for sure, was a real live walking nuclear weapon with Governor Palin. I knew God, country, and babies were going to be up front and center but this was truly a moment for the evangelical community as well as the Grand Ole Party. It was equivalent to the parting of the Red Sea. If I know nothing else, I know that McCain has been praying for a miracle and God showed up and showed out and then some. Who knew a woman would resurrect the dead and give sight to those who were losing their vision and give energy to the masses at the RNC who got off the plane feeling weak and tired? Palin, a real mom with real women issues, was a hard act to follow. McCain and the green screen could have done a 'Bush no show' and no one would have noticed. Palin was the deal breaker.

The music was patriotic and what I knew all along was confirmed, the folks at the RNC are not fans of 'Dancing with the Stars'. Music with a beat was not on display. More hand clapping and foot stomping filled the air. Even Carrie Underwood would have been a little out of touch with this crowd rhythmically.

The speakers never quite hit the mark according to the pundits who spent a week prior covering the DNC. If you follow my ramblings, you know how I feel about pundits so I will not comment on their comments. The theme "Country First" was put on the back burner the first day, and the Weather Channel seemed to be what everyone was tuned into. Thank God, Gustva spared New Orleans but other areas were hit hard and millions in damages still occurred. Governors Jindal, Perry, and Barbour skipped the festivities to tended to their flocks. You got to love Red State Governors who care more about their people than their party politics. While the convention was tempered to not appear too upbeat, balloons and confetti were the most exciting thing before or after Palin.

McCain threw a Hail Mary and by all other standards the convention was a success. The RNC rallied its base and left many wondering who will occupy 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in January. This will be a battle for the White House like none we have ever seen.

While all the cameras were pointed away from Washington, Vice President Cheney managed to slip out the country to do rebuilding assessments. With all the talk of Gustva, Governor Palin, the RNC, and teen pregnancies now being blessed by God and the evangelicals, my gun shooting VP Cheney managed to take a billion dollars cash to Georgia. Not Georgia in the USA, not even New Orleans, but Georgia that I did not know was a country Georgia. Now if that does not make you pause and think, then all this talk about "Country First" was for nothing. Millions were spent to tell us that the Repubs care about the USA. Millions. But in the end, a billion was sent to another country that many of us did not know existed. Wow, the power of the Vice President!

Thanks to the RNC and it show casing how important the Vice President choice will be in this election, I am giving the VP candidates as much or more attention than I ever had before. Pit bulls wearing lipstick have a new meaning.

McCain's Drive by Politics, Lessons Straight from the Hood

Now that I have spent more time analyzing the VP choice for the Repubs than McCain, I can only sum it up as a gangsta move straight from the hood. This was a drive by. Yep, McCain looks like a straight laced polly (politician) but he reminds me more and more of a gangsta trying to establish his turf on the corner. He got the stuff, it may not be all that pure but he will give everyone a little bit to undercut the playa known by everyone. The more we try to get all dignified and righteous in politics the more we see it comes right down to the undignified streets. This is street fighting at its best and you have to understand the rules of street fighting. Folks, there are no rules when you are street fighting. You hit with whatever you got. And many innocent peeps have died in the cross fire of a street fight or a drive by shooting. Who are the innocent ones in this gang banger straight from the hood? Women and conservatives. They are crying for a Messiah. The holy one. One wanted the chosen one called Hillary and the other want a true red conservative loving God, country and babies.

You say this, claim that, throw your party under the bus, you do what it takes to win and 'my friend John' is saying heck with the party of conservative politics and looking like the holy one. He is trying to win. Many have said it all along he is not a conservative, 'my friend John' is a Repub. The old school kind. A cross between Al Capone, a preacher that is about to get fired from his church, and the ghetto thug who will not listen to his grandma tell him that he better stop before he get caught. What do all three have in common? They write their own rules. They are stand alone leaders and they usually do not stand for much very long.

Now who is Palin? A woman from Alaska with five kids! This is street fighting. You fill in the blanks for everything else. All this talk of experience, being ready day one, knowing who the candidate is, heck, on the street there is one question, can you fight? And you start to fight, shoot or stab, you do something other than stand there. You sling mud, you drop bombs, you pull hair, and you go get a woman. Yep, a woman...a real one with stretch marks, a beauty queen crown gathering dust, and basketball trophies in the attic. Try to find one with some political experience like the PTO or the neighborhood association. If she was the mayor of a town called 'no where land' that is good but if she is Governor of a state that we often forget about that is even better. This is as American as Baked Alaska. Vetting? Who vets when you are down and the game is in the fourth quarter and your paid cheerleaders have quit on you. You make a phone call and hope you are talking to the right person. In football, this is a Hail Mary pass or as they do in the hood, put your finger on the trigger and squeeze. Both you do with your eyes closed praying that you hit the intended person with the ball or the bullet. I am not a quarterback nor have I ever lived in the hood but I know several former pro quarterbacks and I got a few ghetto cousins who would not listen to my grandmother, they are all saying the same thing, John McCain is not trying to be any one's messiah, he is trying to win.

You might not like how the game is being played but you got to love his survival instincts here. In life, the jungle and the streets in the hood look the same. JmC (pun intended) is hardheaded and cranky as hell. He is playing by the rules that we know are there but we are too religious to admit that this is how the game is played. Get right down to it, women are never important until you are losing or in trouble and you need one by your side. And women fall for the okie doke every time. Hillary stood by Bill and still did not get her personal chair in the oval office. Conservatives got to quit looking for the Messiah of politics and accept that imperfect people will produce imperfect pollies. Pollies got to quit trying to look all righteous and caring and need to come clean and say hey folks, I am trying to win and I do not care what you think. Putting it on the table keeps everyone else from guessing about your motives.

Remember when Patterson took over in New York? He said on day one; I cheated, I smoked, I lied, (can not remember if he stole but okay), he shot the elephant in the room and no one had to guess what kind of person he was, he told you. You got to respect a crook when he tells you he is a crook upfront. Hmm...how shocking but refreshing. New York's Demos and Repubs seem to accept that he is their Governor and it is business as usual. Taxes, crime and falling skyscrapers. Now if 'my friend' would come out and say I want this bad and I am trying to win, we will stop talking about the VP choice and quit playing dumb and say, "it is what it is". Political lessons from the hood have gone mainstream.

After all, JmC is not the Messiah.

McCain Throws a Fast Pitch!

Before I could even begin to post my summary of theDNC, McCain threw a fast pitch and the Governor of the Alaska, Sarah Palin, knocked it out of the ball park. One thing about die hard Repubs, they play to win! As I watched, on C-SPAN of course, a mother of five with a beehive stepped to the podium and gave a speech like only a mother running a state, cooking salmon and shipping oil could give. No matter what your designated party is, you got to admit this is going to be an incredible political race. Daddy left way too soon. I wish he was here to get his non paid view on the match up.

Today, I walked into my daughter's home school tutorial and I swear every mom in the office looked exactly like Governor Palin. There were high fives and a few 'thank God' as parents plunked down a few grand to home school kids. The religious right was talking about God and country again. I think paying to home school will be socially acceptable this year. Anything related to women working, being the boss and raising kids (in one breath) will probably pass for chic this political season. I got two businesses, raising kids, picking up and dropping off to practices and I love to wear my flag pin. I am fashionable again. Who knew, it would take Govenor Palin to make me hot and sought after!

I know what the hair style of choice will be to dress up those traveling pantsuits. The impeccable beehive. I am packing up my skirts, dresses and knee high boots, this will be the year of the power suit. Pardon me as run grab a bottle of Clairol 112 while picking up the twisties for that hairdo.

Life is good.