Please don't let the POD PEOPLE take over

I am convinced, having watched the third night of the RNC, that most Republicans are Pod People. Now that is one of those unfair, blanket statements and some of you may not be pods, but come on, "Drill baby, drill?" It felt like I was watching a documentary on Jim Jones, year 2008. And I feel a bit more confident on my observations because I grew up in staunch Republican Land. It used to be that Republicans stood for fiscal responsibility and keeping government out of our business. But over the years it has morphed into a party that is in bed with big oil, big business, wants less government UNLESS it means going to war or fighting the liberals or routing out those horrible fags who destroy our moral fiber (please see the sarcasm in that last comment). They have become the party of exclusion and fiscal IRRESPONSIBILITY.

Now let me be fair...I wasn't voting for McCain anyway. But this pick of Sarah Palin? I am so offended by this woman on so many levels. Using her Downs child as an advocacy ploy? My brother had Downs. My mother was a SINGLE mom who had a Downs child in the 60's when it was considerered an abarassment; a failure. It's one thing to talk about the challenges of being a parent with a disabled child - it is quite another to appeal to families of disabled children to vote for her as if they should feel some sort of connection to her JUST because of that. What? Furthermore, she was FOR the bridge to nowhere and is now against it. She is for drilling, drilling, drilling and guns, guns, guns. And make sure we shoot all the wolves from the air, cause, "It's funner!"

The Republicans have said that Sarah Palin has motivated the base and that all these voters (woman who were so for Hillary, Independants and conservative Democrats will suddenly jump on board). But here is something no one is talking about - the gains from those folks will be balanced out by the white male cheuvanist Republicans who will NEVER vote for a woman because her only place is "barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen." (That is their thought, not mine). Now those good ole boys would never vote for a black man either, so Obama isn't going to gain them, but the Republicans WILL lose them. And Palin isn't just motivating the conservative base, she is motivating the liberal base. How do I know? Because I just sent a contribution to Obama when I wasn't planning on doing it. I was gonna vote for him, try to get out the word on his candidacy, but money...no. But because of Sarah Palin and the RNC last night, I sent money.

Finally...you can't have it both ways. You want the media to report on your son going to Iraq and the fact that you have a Downs child but you don't want them to report on your daughter having a child out of wedlock (by the way if Chelsea Clinton were in that situation, the Republicans would have stoned her) or the fact that you tried to get a Trooper fired for personal reasons using your power as Governor? The press often annoys the crap out of me - they constantly talked about Obama's inexperience and Clinton's vote for the war and focused more on Bill Clinton at times than Hillary. But you know what? The truth is out there and it is indeed their job to find it and report it, particularly if you are in position to be the leader of the free world.

So as I have said many times...if you are on the fence, or you are voting based on personality or who you think you might like to have a drink with...do some research PLEASE. Find out what the party's actually stand for. If you love guns and war and think poor people are only poor because they are lazy and wish all gay people would move to Paris, then by all means, the Republican Party is for you. But if you believe in civil rights, a woman's right to choose, helping those that are less fortunate, saving the environment for our children and bringing about PEACE in the world, then you can not vote for the Republicans. Note...i did not tell you that you have to vote for the Democrats.

Please don't let the Pod People take over. Want to contribute to the Democrats? Follow these links:
DONATE TO OBAMA
DONATE TO THE DNC

It is time for unity, it is time for change...

IT IS TIME TO ELECT BARACK OBAMA THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

Yes, just a few short weeks ago, I wasn't sure I would say that. I was a staunch Hillary Clinton supporter and I will always believe that she would have been a remarkable leader for our nation as we find ourselves locked in fiscal irresponsibility and mired in a foolish and criminal war.

But as the Democratic Convention began and Senator Obama made his choice for VP (a man I have wanted for President for quite some time now), I started to weigh the importance of this election and the fundamental differences between the platforms. Somewhere, deep down, I always knew I would vote for whomever the Democrats nominated. How could I not? I have been a lifelong Democrat, bolstered by my mother's beliefs that we have a responsibility to help those less fortunate than ourselves and fight for civil rights and equality for all. The Republicans have always left too many people out of the circle and I have always relished in the knowledge that my mother was a lifelong Republican, who ALWAYS voted Democrat. Up where I came from, if you registered Democrat your house was stoned and egged. But in that voting booth, she voted her conscience.

And now I will vote mine: not because Hillary Clinton told me to do it. Not because Ted Kennedy and former President Clinton told me to do it. And not because Joe Biden will be the next Vice-President of the United States (although all of those things certainly didn't hurt).

I will vote for Barack Obama because I believe he can make a difference and I believe in my heart that he has set a place at the table for someone like me. And no, I'm not voting for him because I feel like "I could have a beer with him." I think that each of us should vote, based on our beliefs, our struggles our principals - the things we stand for, and yes, because of the essence of who we are. Part of who I am, is a proud gay man. I have heard politicians, even Presidential candidates mention gays and lesbians in the past few years (often pleasantly surprised) but never have I heard the amazing words spoken that Barack mentioned last night with such conviction and simple truth..."I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination." Also part of who I am, is my mother's son. She was always helping someone that was less fortunate that her - taking people to the doctor; doing taxes for free for seniors; giving gifts to the nursing home or coloring books to children; making sure that I had a better chance for my dreams than she did. And Barack Obama believes in those things too.

I hope if you are still on the fence (for those of you already certain you are voting for John McCain, God help you) that you will read Barack's entire acceptance speech and listen closely to the debates. I hope that he will convince you, as he has convinced me, that he is ready to lead our nation in a better direction - to a brighter tomorrow.

Barack Obama's Convention Speech