Nothing.

Speaking for myself only, I want affordable, high-quality healthcare for everyone, which is only achievable through changing the current system. If you’re curious what the Republican response is to that preference, check out that link. You’ll find that they’re looking to improve healthcare by… doing nothing but opposing Democrats no matter what.

Keep it up, guys. Through 2012, preferably.

Side note: the gem of a man who’s being quoted in that article is Frank Luntz, whose specialty is to put people in power in government by making words not mean what they mean and avoiding actually communicating about policy and issues. You can thank him for “climate change” as a euphemism for “global warming”, which, in classic spinster style, he’s now backed down on.

Link via my man Steve.

“President Obama.”

His inaugural address has some truly inspiring moments. You can see the full address on YouTube (Part 1, Part 2). The full text is included below the fold.

(more…)

Another terrible, terrible idea, brought to you by the Bush administration:

The Bush administration today issued a sweeping new regulation that protects a broad range of health-care workers—from doctors to janitors—who refuse to participate in providing services that they believe violate their personal, moral or religious beliefs.

This silliness will not prevent abortions, first off. It’s a first step in a long march toward larger legislative actions based on religion; specifically Christianity. But if that’s not bad enough, let’s all play a game: count the days until someone whose personal beliefs involve racism, sexism, homophobia, or another intolerant views ends up getting a patient killed.

Can this administration get any worse? Well, I guess we’ve got a month more to find out.

Thank you to everyone who looked to our future and saw hope.

The hardest part should be the decision, not the action.

Google has you covered. Just go to their 2008 Voter Info map tool, type in your address, and it’ll tell you where you need to be on Tuesday, November 4th to cast your vote.

And to those people out there who are trying to disenfranchise voters by posting misinformation about voting: what you’re doing is treasonous. Get the hell out of our country.

I admit, I thought that Palin was going to be a ramble-y mess for the whole debate. But then she clearly and concisely summed up my stance on her candidacy. I admit it, I am impressed at her clarity on this topic:

Ifill: “As Vice President, there’s nothing you’ve promised as a candidate that you would take off the table because of this financial issue?”

Palin: “There is not, and how long have I been at this? Like five weeks?”

Good job, Governor.

If you hear these words from someone who is trying to sell you something or get your vote, you can be assured that all of the words associated with them are false or devoid of information:

Dear members of the political media,

Every time you refer to someone changing their mind as a “flip-flopper,” you continue to act out the script set for you by the Bush campaign back in 2004.

Are you not tired yet of being manipulated so easily and baldly by mudslinging campaign strategists? Are you so simple-minded that you sincerely believe this phrase is of any value to anyone thinking critically about issues of national and international import?

It is 2008 now. Please grow up. Thinking, intelligent adults change their minds. It’s part of being informed and realistic about the world around you, so stop treating it like a weakness, you fools.

Sincerely, Chris Rugen