Election Day!

Today is the real election. In a process understood by the poli-sci geeks and a few others, the people you were REALLY voting for on November 4 will gather in the capitals of the states and elect our next president and vice-president, presumably Osama Bin Laden and William Ayers.

...seriously, though, there are historical precedents for faithless electors mocking the system -- or mocking their party's losing candidate, at least. Would anyone care to bet on how many electoral votes Sarah Palin collects today?

But "Joey Beer" doesn't sound as good

I've been saying lately that barring a revelation about a dead girl or a live boy, Obama has the election in the bag -- but the "Billy & Roger Theory of First Brothers" indicates I may have to reconsider...

Call it a political post if you must

So NBC gave Colin Powell some free air time this morning for a speech about the upcoming election. Ignored in all the endorsement blah-blah-blah was the most eloquent, direct endorsement of religious freedom and inclusion I've ever heard from a politician. The criticism is directed at his party, but to me the words are universal:

I'm also troubled by, not what Senator McCain says, but what members of the party say. And it is permitted to be said such things as, "Well, you know that Mr. Obama is a Muslim." Well, the correct answer is, he is not a Muslim, he's a Christian. He's always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country?

The answer's no, that's not America. Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be president? Yet, I have heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion, "He's a Muslim and he might be associated terrorists." This is not the way we should be doing it in America.

I feel strongly about this particular point because of a picture I saw in a magazine. It was a photo essay about troops who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And one picture at the tail end of this photo essay was of a mother in Arlington Cemetery, and she had her head on the headstone of her son's grave. And as the picture focused in, you could see the writing on the headstone. And it gave his awards--Purple Heart, Bronze Star--showed that he died in Iraq, gave his date of birth, date of death. He was 20 years old.

And then, at the very top of the headstone, it didn't have a Christian cross, it didn't have the Star of David, it had crescent and a star of the Islamic faith. And his name was Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, and he was an American. He was born in New Jersey. He was 14 years old at the time of 9/11, and he waited until he can go serve his country, and he gave his life.

Now, we have got to stop polarizing ourself in this way. And John McCain is as nondiscriminatory as anyone I know. But I'm troubled about the fact that, within the party, we have these kinds of expressions.

Too much to ask, I suppose, that today be remembered for these words rather than an endorsement. Full interview is embedded below, the relevant clip begins @4:27.

It can't hurt, right?

I believe that all future political speechifying should take place in a "Friar's Club Roast" style format.

All it does is encourage them

C&D Approves (of) This Message.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

GREAT idea

On the radio this week I heard a piece of trivia about Rhode Island that can and should be implemented nationwide: The General Assembly chambers of the RI State House are NOT air-conditioned. The radio voice said that "The chamber can get stifling hot, even in the winter."

Do I even have to explain why this is the best idea EVUR? No? Good.

Point/Counterpoint

Finally, commentary both Theo and I can enjoy. They make as much sense as anything else I've seen this year.

Here's what they think of you

WARNING: Politics ahead.

If you're not yet fed up yet with the size, scope and attitude of government in this country maybe Hawaii's smarmy, preening self-important Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Arrogance) can change your mind. If nothing else, I have to appreciate him for expressing the government's opinion of itself so clearly.

You'll have to bring up NPR's audio player to hear the story. He starts talking at about the 1:35 mark and goes on for almost a minute. Also note the spirited applause as he finishes.

Don't ask me my opinion of the ethics reform at issue here; I'm always skeptical of the ability of the powerful to police themselves. But if you don't think to yourself "Throw the bums out" (all 535 of them) and "A pox on both their houses" after listening to this, I don't know what else could convince you...