Separated at Birth?

(Brandon Burt)

Healthy Debate

[Panel Recap] Today, the local chapter of American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) and the U of U's Center for Public Policy and Administration featured panels on the presidential race. Organizers brought together the opposing views of state GOP chair Stan Lockhart, state Democratic Party chair Wayne Holland, Obama Utah campaign director Suzanne Gelderman and McCain's Tim Bridgewater.

In his reverent, oh-so-paternal voice, GOP chair Lockhart kicked things off explaining what Republicans believe in ... which is essentially: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (which would presume that Ds don't?). Since Rs believe such inalienable rights are God-given, Rs are also "proudly" anti-abortion. He stressed Rs want to be free; they want a minimum of government interference in their lives.

He listed all the good things Utahns can thank its Republican leadership for: transportation, balanced budget, a Triple A bond rating.

Later on, an audience member tripped up both McCain's Bridgewater and Lockhart when he asked why McCain did not vote for SCHIP (a federal program that gives states funds to provide health insurance to families with children) especially when McCain himself had benefited from life-long federal health insurance for himself and his own family. Bridgewater admitted he didn't know enough about SCHIP and passed the hot potato to Lockhart.

Lockhart tried to reply by invoking the independence of Republicans, asking rhetorically: Do we really want government making health-care decisions for Americans?

To which the majority in the audience replied, "Yes!"

He stumbled around trying to find his footing, claiming that Obama is promising everything to everyone, and that Obama's health-care-for-all pledge is doomed to failure. Nobody in the audience seemed satisfied with the answer.

Bridgewater only seemed to underscore the health-care crisis by noting that his own small business recently had to decide between laying off employees and dumping health-insurance benefits. They chose to drop insurance so people could keep their jobs. Yet he still supports McCain's health-insurance solution!

In the wake of Wall Street bailouts (another example of our Republican-led government not intruding on our lives, Mr. Lockhart?), health care is not the hotly contested issue I thought it might be in this race. But underestimate its importance at your peril, candidates. (Jerre Wroble)

Vote Democrat, and a Puppy Dies

Just when you think Florida Republicans can't get any more f'ed up, they lower the slime bar to the point that a centipede couldn't limbo beneath it. (Scott Renshaw)

Got Any Change?

[Politics] Much has been said about how the Republicans' new slogan, "The Change You Deserve," hilariously turned out to be identical to that of a pharmaceutical drug.

OK, the Republicans didn't know that. Who can be bothered to check such details when the very sanctity of marriage is at stake, and terrorists are closing in at every moment?

If you think about it, this whole attitude that slogans must belong solely to one company or organization can only lead to a state of affairs where every conceivable English phrase will eventually be copyrighted. And then there will be no more slogans, buster--except for silly, made-up words like "transfrabulistic!" And who could live in a world like that?

But is it just me, or is there a vague implied threat contained in those words? "The change you deserve." It doesn't stipulate that it will be a change for the better--only that the change will depend on how Republicans judge our behavior over the next six months. A vote for the GOP is a vote for no change at all--so what else could this be than an ultimatum, a demand that the electorate prove its loyalty once and for all to the neocon Final Solution?

The future is uncertain, and the GOP has demonstrated that it has loads of talent for turning even the brightest of situations into a scary, hopeless and depressing nightmare. They might as well be saying, "Vote for us, or we'll tear down your homes, build McMansions and send you all to Guantanamo Bay. And don't think we won't do it." (Brandon Burt)

Ugly Babies

[Thursday Quiz] Which Republican said it? You are given a stupid and/or offensive quote. Each answer is the name of a Republican idiot and his or her job at the time those immortal words were uttered. (Hint: None of the quotes came from George W. Bush.)

1. "If you wanted to reduce crime, you could--if that were your sole purpose--you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down." [Answer]
2. "Capital punishment is our way of demonstrating the sanctity of life." [Answer]
3. "What a terrible thing to have lost one's mind. Or not to have a mind at all. How true that is." [Answer]
4. "In every society, the definition of marriage has not ever to my knowledge included homosexuality. That's not to pick on homosexuality. It's not, you know, man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be." [Answer]
5. "I feel the best way to ensure Americans' freedom is to tighten restrictions on that freedom in any way possible. Only through wiretaps, illegal searches and seizures, unfettered government intrusion, a controlled media and a complete crackdown on free speech can we ensure the liberties of all people." [Answer]
6. "Feminism is a socialist, anti-family, political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians." [Answer]
7. "God is the one who chooses our rulers." [Answer]

(Brandon Burt)

You & The Tube

[Politics] Tonight's CNN/YouTube Republican Debate gets underway in a few hours, and while the compilation video below does include some "great questions" for the candidates, I gotta ask: Is political savvy what it takes to win over Anderson "News Ferret" Cooper, or production values? Are these "concerned citizens" working toward a better country or 15 minutes of niche fame? Were there rousing CB Radio debates in the '70s? Guess I'd better make a video and submit it somewhere if I want any answers ...



(Bill Frost)