Michael Sims on Sarah Sunshine & The Ozark Mountain Gang

f you want to find an important line of continuity between the current Bush-Cheney administration and a potential McCain-Palin one, it was in the speech that Sarah Palin gave to the Republican Convention on Wednesday.

She said, "Al Qaeda terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America ... he (Obama) is worried that someone won't read them their rights"

"Read them their rights" is a metaphor. If she would not "read them their rights" then it means suspected terrorists are to be treated differently. How differently? This is undefined. Does it include torture, indefinite imprisonment without trial, sending them to third-world countries for "special treatment"? Does it include spying on American citizens? We simply don't know.

Ms. Palin, in one off-the-cuff phrase, wants to eliminate all of the protections and rights that that the American judicial system has developed over 232 years and replace them with--nothing. Only the whim a bureaucrat that happens to be in charge of the interrogation. The rights and freedoms that, until recently, had made the USA the beacon of freedom and tolerance in the world, are simply wiped away.

As we now are aware, this is just what has been happening under Bush and Cheney. Clearly, it would continue under McCain and Palin. Is this the kind of "change" we want?

Michael Sims September, 2008

It gets Worse Every Night

Last night, one speaker after another issued relentless verbal assaults on Barack Obama.

Each of them with the now patented Republican smirk. The smirk, which at first just seemed like a psychotic nervous tick on the part of the inadequate President, has now jumped faces. It is everywhere.

Rudy "I personally saved New York from Eveything Bad" Guiliani made rude remarks about Obama and laughed at every one of his terribly clever barbs. So did the rubes in the Texas cowboy hats and veteran's caps.

Then, Little Miss Family Values came aboard, wrapped in the flag, wrapped in war and victory and fighting men, and attacked Obama some more. This is the fundamentalist lintball who has her congregation convinced that God is directing American troops into Iraq and that they must all pray for a $30 Billion pipe line in the hood.

I think that's in Leviticus, isn't it? Or is Ecclesiastes? And the Lord said, "Go unto the North and build pipe lines, my children."

I'm not sure if it's 1930 or 1950 in St. Paul this week, but it doesn 't look very much like 2008 to me.

One speaker after another drew cheers and tears for sabre-rattling simple-minded reducing-it-all-to-us-vs.-them talk.

Let me say this in as simple a way as I can.

I like Barack Obama.

I hope he becomes the next President.

I do not understand the cynicism about him.

Yes, he is a politician.

But, he is the first politician in a great long while that has inspired something approaching hope.

He has no experience being president.

No one has experience being president until he or she becomes so.

I believe Obama can learn quickly and rise to the occasion.

Everybody dismissed the haberdasher from Missouri and Truman became a great president.

The Republicans have found great success, beginning with Nixon, in selling fear, so they are doing it again.

We are at war. The terrorists are coming. Obama can't lead. McCain is a war hero. Blah, blah, blah.

So tiresome. So predictable. So transparent.

Except, of course, for the dopes in funny hats and the sad veterans, who are being used as pawns.

What a detestable exhibition that was last night.

Sarah Palin is downright creepy.

May Obama win.

Brave New (Furry) World

Prozac for pets may be panacea for owners

Our four-legged friends can get depressed, too. Sometimes drugs can help ease the pain

When I read a headline like this, I turn the page.

Life is very short.

Now, look at the photo and tell me who's on heavy meds?