America, please don't let me down. There is too much at stake for the country and the world. The Republicans need to lose resoundingly, crushingly, humiliatingly. After 8 years of mismanagement let's hold them accountable. A word we haven't seen much of lately.

Please vote Democratic!
 

McReaction

Here We Go Again: Republicans Purge Voters!

Just as in Florida during the 2000 election and Ohio in 2004, evidence suggests the Republican party is purging legitimate voters, harassing early voters (photographing voters and writing down their license plate numbers), and working ceaselessly to attack new voter registration forms—which clearly favor the Democratic ticket in this election.

The New York Times has reported that boards of elections in at least nine crucial states, including Ohio, have violated federal law in conducting purges and have been illegally using Social Security databases as part of those purges. The Times' Ian Urbina quotes Colorado Secretary of State Mike Coffman as asking the Colorado Attorney-General to review how some 2,500 citizens were removed from the registration lists there. The Times has cited purges in Colorado, Louisiana, and Michigan that have apparently been conducted within 90 days of the upcoming November 4 election, violating federal law that allows states to expunge only those who have been convicted of a felony, moved out of state, or died.

The Times has also reported that boards of elections in Nevada, North Carolina, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio have illegally used federal Social Security databases to flag and possibly eliminate voters whose registration applications were suspected of irregularities. The Times reported some 37,000 Colorado voters removed in the three weeks after July 21; Secretary Coffman said the number was 14,000.

Michigan elections director Christopher Thomas said his state had removed about 11,000 voters in August, while the Times estimated the real number to be closer to 33,000. Thomas refused to make the purged files public. Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land is a long-standing Republican partisan whose political activism traces back to the mid-70s when she worked for Gerald Ford's campaign in high school. Critics charge that she functions in the tradition of Florida's Katherine Harris and Ohio's J. Kenneth Blackwell.

A CBS News report has revealed organized caging attempts by the GOP to eliminate registered voters from the rolls in 19 states. The report marks one of the first initiated by a corporate news organization isolating Republican anti-vote campaigning.

The grassroots organizing group ACORN has come under serious attack in Nevada, Missouri, Ohio and elsewhere from Republicans attempting to negate the thousands of generally low-income citizens ACORN has registered to vote. As a matter of law, ACORN is required to report irregular registrations that come through its process. But GOP operatives have equated these with "fraudulent" filings, and a have ramped up a smear and fear campaign aimed at negating thousands of legitimate ACORN registrants throughout the US.

It seems to me the Republican party is once again undermining our democracy and the very principles they purport to uphold. Their activities are not only illegal and immoral, they are shameful. Assuming your vote isn't stolen, erased, blocked, or intimidated away, I hope you will send the "Grand Old Party" a clear message that no matter how many voters they illegally remove, or how many votes they manage to electronically shuffle to McCain's side, THEY CANNOT STEAL ANOTHER ELECTION FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

Run them out on a rail.

Palin's Big Strikeout

Palin's Big Strikeout
by Ari Melber

Sarah Palin gave a riveting and devastating nomination speech on Wednesday night. She shared her inspiring story and brave family, while savaging and ridiculing the celebrated life story of Barack Obama, a fellow barrier-breaking candidate, with whithering attacks on his work as a community organizer, senator, and author. She misrepresented his record and simply lied about her own, claiming to oppose earmarks that she supported, and dissembling on her $1.5 billion tax hike and record of raising sales taxes by 25 percent in Wasilla. Reviewing the McCain Campaign's bullying, "unprofessional" onslaught against anyone who notes Palin's extreme positions and dishonest claims, Time's Joe Klein urged reporters to face facts:

I hope my colleagues stand strong in this case: it is important for the public to know that Palin raised taxes as governor, supported the Bridge to Nowhere before she opposed it, pursued pork-barrel projects as mayor, tried to ban books at the local library and thinks the war in Iraq is "a task from God."

By all accounts, Palin faced a huge task in St Paul. She had to prove she was up to the job of commander in chief.

She struck out big-time—in a biting speech that showed the only job she was ready for is RNC Chair, another ruthless soldier in Karl Rove's army.
 

Dreams Can Come True

My wife's and my first Corvette—a 2009, 6-speed manual, dual-mode performance exhuast (NPP), Z51 (competition performance package) Atomic Orange coupe—arrived on Friday. So what do we think of our dream car?

First of all, this all happened very fast: Our Vette was in a thousand pieces on Monday, started being built Tuesday, and was on the truck Thursday night. It arrived in St Louis just after noon, Friday. I received the call from my salesman and at first I had trouble believing him. I never thought I'd see this car in August; what a welcome surprise.

We picked it up, with 7 inspection miles, at 4:30. I asked the dealership not to wash it because I didn't want anyone else scrubbing the finish. The paint can't be more than 15 days old, after all. (I will wait the obligatory 30 days before waxing.)

This is my first new car ever, and only my fourth car ('82 Volvo 240dl, '93 Ford Probe GT, '97 LT1 Camaro Z28). Needless to say my heart was thumping as we drove off the lot.

My first few minutes with my dream car, looking her over before a brief test drive.

Steve, the Corvette guru at the dealership, took me through the ins and outs of the car. He wondered why he was bothering since I knew it all anyway.

Just arrived home. I'm a little ... giddy. Dreams do come true.


I was worried about the choice of Atomic Orange. Well, my wife loves it. And it is growing on me, fast. I can say for sure that it is, absolutely, orange. I mean, seriously orange. There is none of the red hue that Daytona Sunset Orange Metallic (the previous C6 orange) had. However, it seems to turn heads, and it really is a very striking color.

What ... a ... Smile!!

Yeah, I finally let my wife near it. Just kidding; it's her dream car too, after all!


Day 2 started with a good, gentle wash. There was a light, dirty film on her from the transport (the truck must have come across some rain). We were eager to wash her before the neighbors came over for a look, but unfortunately they were stalking our driveway first thing in the morning (we live in a very close, friendly neighborhood and they were all waiting along with us for the Corvette).

The first time water hit the finish; her first wash.

Kate wants her turn sudsing the Vette



A brand new chamois for a brand new Vette

Be a u ti ful!

We went for a picnic in Forest Park, turned some heads, and put in a few more gentle break-in miles

So, at the end of our first weekend with our first Corvette we are very happy. The car is amazing. Not only is it sexy as hell, and fast (even on mild acceleration it is easy to see the kind of power the LS3 is capable of), but it is also full of creature comforts. The ride is much more forgiving than my Z28. The clutch is friendly and streetable, and the Z51 gears are punchy but civilized. This is a car Kate can drive—unlike my Z28 which was too racy and unforgiving. Without a doubt it is the most refined and capable car I've ever driven ... and certainly the best I've ever owned. Hands down.

Oh, and did I mention the first Vette we saw—a blue, convertible C5—exchanged a friendly wave with us.

Life is good. Yes indeed, life is good.
 

LS3 Corvette. I Get Mine in September.

We Have a One Party System, Folks

Obama has sold out progressives and the American public by siding with Bush Co and the Repugs. His FISA vote is tantamount to violating the constitution and stamping approval on this corrupt administration's ILLEGAL activities, for which they continue to evade accountability.

Obama, shame on you sir. Shame.