Friday, October 31, 2008

Campaign Craziness

Virginia is the place to be for this election season! I saw a quote in someone's gchat status the other day: "Obama can win without Virginia but with Virginia he can't lose!" Since I've been here, I've canvassed for VA-2 and VA-5. Both are likely Republican keeps, but the Danville Register and Bee endorsed Periello today.

Maybe it's just because I'm surround by Obama people all day, but I'm feeling really hopeful about this election so long as we keep knocking doors, making calls, and driving folks to the polls.


“Don’t believe for a second this election is over. Don’t think for a minute that power concedes. We have to work like our future depends on it in this last week, because it does.” - Barack Obama

Friday, October 24, 2008

Death and Taxes

Sorry for the hiatus. I've been trying to get everything together for my campaign trip to Virginia. Today we take off for the Virginia 2nd and then it's back to C'ville to campaign for Obama, Warner, and Periello. Only eleven days left!

At any rate, I find this article from the Washington Post heartening during my morning peruse. It's a shame this line got burried three grafs down, instead of in the lede: "But for the first time in decades, Democrats appear to have the upper hand in the debate over taxes."And then, much further down, they let us know that "In the latest Washington Post-ABC tracking poll, Obama maintains a 51 to 43 percent lead over McCain on handling taxes."

Most of us have known for a long time that it is a fact most families enjoy better economic times under Democratic administrations and that Democrats seek to ease the financial burden on middle- and working-class families far more often than Republicans. It is very exciting to see the party finally own these facts! Yes, as Oliver Wendell Holmes (a Republican) said, taxes are the price of a civilized society. But there's nothing wrong with highlighting the fact that we would rather tax people who can afford it than those who can't.

Eleven days. Go knock doors.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

You Can't Make This Stuff Up

Thanks to Raising Kaine for this one:

With all of the finger pointing McCain has been doing lately toward ACORN, he must have forgotten he spoke at at this pro-immigration rally co-sponsored by the community action group.



Let us all collectively mourn for the loss of the John McCain of 2000 and his "Straight Talk."


In true liberal media fashion, the Washington Post article doesn't mention McCain's appearance.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

You Can't Scare Me; I'm Stickin' to the Union

In the craziness of KidFid and grantwriting, I also missed my chance to comment on these two items:

Ralph Stanley released a radio ad endorsing Obama. It's been getting a lot of play on 94.9 - the main country station here in Southwest Virginia.

Also, in true "Which Side Are You On" fashion, some coal miners in the southern part of West Virginia rallied against the company men's attempts to get them to speak out against their union's endorsement of Obama.

Just remember, their flag's a big ol' dollar sign.

"It lacks the throw-weight of 'Ron Reagan Jr. to Address Democratic Convention,' but it'll have to do."

While on my Nashville road trip (Old Crow Medicine Show and Carolina Chocolate Drops at the Ryman!), the political world still turned. My favorite news that I missed is Christopher Buckley's endorsement of Barack Obama. Buckley, the son of National Review founder William F. Buckley, Jr., admits that his endorsement is not likely to be the end all of the campaign. I would, however, like to take the time to reflect on the GOP's recent dismissal of "cocktail conservatives."

I like the National Review. A group of people who paint themselves as fiscally conservative and socially libertarian are just fine in my book. Sure, I disagree with them on some points. If we had just let the states decide the segregation issue, for example, would we still be sending folks like Barack Obama to the back of the bus? Would two generations of black children have been denied the right to attend the best public schools available without Eisenhower calling in the 101st Airborne and nationalizing the Arkansas National Guard? Sometimes the national government has to take a stance on an issue -- and then enforce that stance -- or justice won't be done.

But these are political philosophy questions. We can respectfully disagree on methods of justice and still see both sides as smart, capable, patriotic people. It's the Republican Party's recent shift away from WFB's emphasis on reason that terrifies me. As a very wise man said recently, "It's like they take pride in being ignorant."

So, here's to you, Chris, and your whole National Review family. Let the debate the continue.