What Europe Taught Me About American Politics

“Bush est une erreur,” my cab driver said as we sped away from the Charles DeGaulle Airport.

“OUI!” I replied.

My cab driver, clad in a Rochas jacket and driving a Mercedes, quickly became my first insight into the European view of American politics. I was quite fascinated by the little gray-haired Frenchman, who was eager to talk to me about the presidential candidates of a country that he had never visited and to which, as he told me, the French felt increasingly alienated. I immediately felt guilty that my knowledge of the French president Sarkozy consists of a partially-read article from The Economist, a Vogue article about his wife, Carla Bruni, and the fact that he looks freakily like my French teacher.

I met quite a few Obama supporters in Europe, including a Danish tour guide, a good-looking German businessman, some intellectual Californians, two cab drivers, several random members of our tour group, and assorted French people. I even saw an Obama pin attached to someone’s beret!

While Republicans go on our news channels and repeat the same refrain that got us into trouble in the first place, that of “We Don’t Care What Europe Thinks Because They Don’t Vote In The Election,” Europe has made it clear to me that America would reclaim its benevolent image with an Obama presidency. There is no other way to put it, but I am so flipping tired of listening to the crazy Religious Right spouting the same divisive jargon that led to the election of the most harmful president in American history. It MATTERS what Europe thinks because the world is more interconnected than ever before, and we cannot pretend that our level of interconnection with the world doesn’t exist. A policy of diplomacy is one of the main attributes absent in the Bush administration, and it won’t change by electing John McCain, who dismissed Obama’s desire for talking out our differences as “a failed policy.” If we stop our saber-rattling, “We’re America, Dammit” approach to foreign policy, then hopefully we’ll be able to reach a point where we can talk to our enemies and say “I do agree,” just as the Danish tour guide said as she pointed at my Obama pin.

Summer Hiatus

I am on a summer hiatus. Will be back later this summer.

McCain on position for Cheney in his administration: “Hell yeah.”

(Sefermpost.typepad.com, June 11 200

At a July 15 appearance in Michigan, McCain dampened the speculation by calling Cheney “one of the most capable, experienced, intelligent and steady vice presidents this country has ever had.”

In interviews for Stephen Hayes’ 2007 biography of Cheney, McCain “strongly” asserted that Cheney “has been of enormous help to this president of the United States.” Politico’s Jonathan Martin reports today that in unpublished comments to Hayes, McCain also said that he would consider Cheney for a post in his administration:

Going further, McCain even told Hayes in comments heretofore unpublished that he’d consider Cheney for an administration post.

Asked whether he’d be interested in Cheney had the vice president not already have served under Bush for two terms, McCain said: “I don’t know if I would want him as vice president. He and I have the same strengths. But to serve in other capacities? Hell, yeah.”

My two cents: this should scare people- the fact that McCain says “hell yeah” to a position for Dick Cheney (former CEO of Halliburton)- because of his nefariously sketchy and well-documented war profiteering exploits. Here are some facts (www.unspun.us)

Halliburton has had a monopoly on all oil contracts in Iraq awarded under the U.S occupation.

These contracts have all been awarded without competition and given the Halliburton the power to run all phases of Iraq’s oil industry including the ‘operation’ of Iraqi oil fields and ‘distribution’ of Iraqi oil.

For running this monopoly they have not only recieved enormous fees from the U.S Government (over Seven billion dollars in 2003 alone) they are allowed to charge a levy of over $6 dollars on every barrel of Oil that is exported from Iraq.

In September 2003, when asked by Tim Russert whether he was “involved in any way in the awarding of [Iraq] contracts” to Halliburton, Cheney replied “Of course not, Tim. . . . And as Vice President, I have absolutely no influence of, involvement of, knowledge of in any way, shape or form of contracts led by the [Army] Corps of Engineers or anybody else in the Federal Government.” In Fact internal Pentagon documents reveal that the awarding of the Halliburton contracts “has been coordinate [with] VP’s office.” An internal Pentagon email reveals that the award of no-bid Halliburton contracts “has been coordinated with the VP’s office.” (Burger & Zagorin, Time Magazine 05.30.04, CAP Daily Report 06.01.04 and 06.15.04).

McCain: Bush’s, and apparently Cheney’s, third term.

(video) McCain: Bringing troops home “not important”

If casualties are what’s important, shouldn’t they be… removed from the situation in which they might become casualties?

All Screwed Up

Let me say this: The priorities of Republican senators are all screwed up. In their most recent act of thick-skulled incomprehension in a long line of acts of thick-skulled incomprehension, Republican senators blocked the passing of a bill that sought to reduce American emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by nearly 70% by 2050. The bill was viewed as a step in the right direction, but by no means the solution to the climate crisis. While the Republicans went on and on about industry and how inconvenient and costly it would be to implement the bill, our planet heaved another sigh of despair, saying to itself “here we go again.”

Nobody ever said that dealing with climate change would be a cake walk, but last time I checked, America stands for something. We should reconnect with our better selves and acknowledge the huge challenge that is dealing with climate change. America’s brand stands on the pioneer spirit that led our forefathers to the colonies, that led the settlers west, that led us to the moon- we are not a nation built on petty cynicism and stick-in-the-mud mindsets. Republican senators, who seem to be wearing thick, foggy glasses that render them incapable of differentiating between the wellbeing of the earth and mankind rather than their constituency’s temporary convenience, have apparently forgotten this fact. If there’s one thing we can learn from the Republicans further inhibiting our ability to progress as a society, it’s that we must elect Barack Obama. Our senators have proved that the current American brand has been reconfigured to include George Bush’s obtuse denials of the climate crisis. We must not let this happen again.

See All the Creepy Smiles- John McCain’s Got Nothing on Obama

Just a note: Obama’s speech on YouTube gets an average of 5 out of 5 stars. Of the people who have viewed John McCain’s video, the average rating is 1.5 out of 5 stars. It’s funny in watching these how McCain (badly) apes Obama and then recommences the self-flagellation Republicans have become so fond of. Note the creepy smiles, sinister laugh and how many times he says the word “change.” But Americans are smarter than that- why have the counterfeit when you can have the real thing? This will be the race in November.

These two videos speak for themselves. Side by side, we see our choice in November.

HE DID IT! Self-professed “skinny black kid from the South Side” defeats Hillary Rodham Clinton

We have all witnessed the greatest upset in American political history. Senator Barack Obama, 46, has been chosen by the Democratic party as their nominee who will compete against Senator John McCain, 71, in November, according to a new Associated Press delegate tally.

It is such an exciting time in American history- we’re witnessing the first ever black nominee campaign for the presidency. We all need to pay close attention to everything that happens now, because this will be one of those moments where people say “Where were you when…” We’ll be able to recount this historic moment in the great history that is the United States of America.

Obama has managed to clinch the nomination based on genius political strategy, adept management of campaign finances, a unifying message of change and hope and an unwillingness to take the low road. He has revolutionized the way political campaigns function, catalyzed the participation of America’s youth, and told us that the “American dream” is not dead- rather, it has been lying dormant for almost eight years, and he brings enough energy and enthusiasm to resurrect it.

Obama’s candidacy makes me so proud of our country. His story couldn’t have happened anywhere else in the world. We are the first white Western nation to give a black man a real shot at the presidency, and we need to take a step back from the What-Will-The-Clintons-Do-Next-Saga and pay attention to Barack Obama’s historic candidacy.

Barack Obama embodies America at its best, and I feel privileged to watch it all happen. Obama ‘08!

Olive Branch (An Open Letter to Clinton Supporters)

Dear Clinton supporters,

I want to address some recent allegations that women are yet again being told to “sit down and shut up” in respect to HRC’s failed candidacy. I think it’s sad that some look at Hillary Clinton, a woman who almost won the popular vote (I’m not counting Puerto Rico because they don’t vote in the general), and think that she’s being told to “sit down and shut up.” The reason that Hillary Clinton lost the nomination is because of a badly conceived campaign strategy that ended on February 5th, a disregard for the caucus states, and a largely negative tone. She did not lose because she is a woman, and it is a disservice to future female candidates for the presidency to create an false aura of prejudice in respect to Mrs. Clinton. Instead, we should look at how many people were willing to vote for a female candidate! America collectively owes itself a pat on the back for not conforming to sexism as it has previously.

One might argue that I’m not acknowledging the small instances of sexism, (remember “Iron our shirts”?) but what they don’t acknowledge is that there will always be elements of prejudice, i.e. West Virginia and the 20% of voters who said race was a factor in their vote. In this election, that prejudice has seemed pretty nominal overall. We’ve had record voter turnout for a black man and a woman.

The fact that we’ve had record turnout for a black man and a woman really demonstrates what the Democratic party is all about- progressive policies, acceptance of all religions, colors, and genders, and a desire for change. Clinton supporters, I know there’s a lot of bad blood out there in respect to the relations between both democratic candidates, but let’s take a look at what a revenge vote for John McCain would get us:

1. A foreign policy identical to that of George W. Bush, fear tactics and all

2. An economic policy identical to that of George W. Bush (tax cuts for the wealthy, trillions of dollars added to the deficit, and billions taken from frivolous things like medical research).

3. A Supreme Court with a majority of conservative justices- a Court that will turn back the clock on human rights. John McCain vows to work to overturn Roe v. Wade.

4. A man whose campaign has been rife with lobbyists (his economic advisor helped fight against victims of home foreclosure!)

5. Someone who has changed policy positions countless times based on political convenience. (see video in my post “McCain falls off the straight talk express again. and again. and again”)

So when you threaten to vote for McCain in November, think of the message you’ll be sending. A vote for McCain equals a vote for what we have right now. Are you happy with the way things are right now? If not, then remember what it means to be a Democrat. Hillary wants to beat McCain at all costs, so help her carry out that mission. That is how you can truly honor her, not by voting for her would-be opponent.

John McCain has been sitting on the sidelines silently, hoping for the Democrats to self-destruct when their win in November is almost certain. Let’s prove them wrong by rising above our intrapartisan squabbling and unifying behind the the Democratic nominee. I extend the Olive Branch to all Hillary supporters and hope that we can come together knowing that this fall is our time for victory. As Hillary has often says, “The goal is to have a Democrat in the White House.”

Why Michigan and Florida Shouldn’t Count

-Obama will have more delegates and popular vote anyway, so Hillary’s people aren’t accomplishing anything monumental by getting half of the delegates seated or losing anything monumental by not having 100% of the delegates seated. Hillary turned the plight of MI and FL into a reason for her to stay in the campaign, although she herself said “We all know Michigan and Florida aren’t going to count” in October of 2007.

- We can’t devalue the states that DID abide by the rules, because if we do so by allowing all the delegates from MI and FL to be seated, then DNC rules lose their meaning. We then have an even more fractured and divided party.

-You can’t equate the current situation to the 2000 election because the delegates from MI and FL are not going to decide the election. In 2000, the incident in FL decided the election. Adding MI and FL would only give Hillary a nudge up in delegate count, but it is by no means a deciding factor in the election.

-You can’t call an election in which not all the candidates’ names were on the ballot a true election, and to retroactively attempt to account for those who meant to vote for Clinton vs. those who would have voted for Obama is going to lead to more debate and confusion.

-In Florida, voters were told that their votes wouldn’t count. How are we supposed to account for the voters who would have voted had they known that their vote would count vs. those who went ahead and voted anyway? There are 4 million democrats in Florida, and 1.7 million voted. We don’t know how many were deterred from voting.

-While I sympathize with the frustration of the voters who haven’t been counted, I see the overriding necessity of having a party that is united behind its rules and not divided into warring Obama or Clinton factions. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “A house divided cannot stand.”

John McCain Falls off the “Straight Talk Express”…Again. And Again.

DO SOMETHING!