Stubborn Liberal

The Ohio Statehouse, located in downtown Columbus, now has a special memorial to Lima Company. Channel 10, WBNS-TV, has the paintings in a slideshow, the story about the memorial, and a video report. Here is an excerpt from 10TV's web page:

As 10 members of the Marine Reserve unit Lima Company prepare to return to Iraq, the company's fallen Marines and Navy corpsman are being honored through art.

Today the U.S. Senate passed the New G.I. Bill. Sen. Jim Webb, a former Secretary of the Navy, championed this bill. Unfortunately, Sen. John McCain, who has voiced opposition for this bill, did not vote because he was raising money in California. I guess he was too, too busy to really support the troops.

There were only 75 Senators who voted for the New G.I. Bill. Which Senators voted against the bill? I'm so glad you asked! Here are the names of those Senators who, when it comes down to it, did not vote to support the troops (U.S. Senate):

NAYs ---22
Alexander (R-TN) Allard (R-CO) Barrasso (R-WY) Bennett (R-UT) Brownback (R-KS) Bunning (R-KY) Burr (R-NC) Cochran (R-MS)	Corker (R-TN) Cornyn (R-TX) DeMint (R-SC) Ensign (R-NV) Enzi (R-WY) Graham (R-SC) Grassley (R-IA) Gregg (R-NH)	Hatch (R-UT) Kyl (R-AZ) Lugar (R-IN) McConnell (R-KY) Sessions (R-AL) Voinovich (R-OH)

I can see Ohio's George Voinovich among the bunch. Did you notice that they are all Republicans and that they have all been big supporters of Bush's endless war? Shame on all of them.

A story in this morning's Columbus Dispatch states that oil has gone to $135 per barrel. That is incredible. However, the thing that I find even more amazing is that people continue to drive the massive SUV's. This is America and people have the right to pay $100 or more to fill up their gas tanks. I personally do not care how much money you wish to put into your gas tank. If you decided to buy a gas guzzler, do not whine about $4/gal. for gas.

There are many "experts" that are predicting that gasoline could go as high as $6/gal. Oil companies and their executives are enjoying their record profits. The rest of us are left trying to cope with the increases in food and other goods.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer has a timely article about how hybrid cars are becoming more attractive to buyers. Meanwhile, I'll see you on the freeway. I'm the one in the Honda Civic Hybrid getting 53mpg.

* Our thoughts and prayers are with Senator Ted Kennedy and his family. You may send your get well wishes to:

Republican presidential candidate, John McCain, is doing more flip flops. The good people at Brave New Films are keeping track of McCain's flip flops with great accuracy. The new film is called The Real McCain 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEtZlR3zp4c):

The presidential campaigns are heating up. In one corner, we have a bright, young U.S. Senator from Illinois. In the other corner, we have an old, U.S. Senator with anger management problems, and old ideas given to him by his BFF (best friend forever), George W. Bush.

Bloomberg.com has some news about today's campaigning:

...Campaigning in Oregon today and South Dakota yesterday, Obama linked McCain, 71, to President George W. Bush's record on everything from gasoline prices and the war in Iraq to tax cuts for the wealthy ``that never trickle down to you.''
....During a town hall forum in Roseburg, Oregon, today, Obama defended his position that he would be willing to meet unconditionally with the leaders of hostile nations such as Iran during his first year in office.

``If George Bush and John McCain have a problem with direct diplomacy led by the United States then they can explain why they have a problem with John F. Kennedy because that's what he did with Khrushchev,'' said Obama, referring to the former Soviet leader....

I guess the Republicans have forgotten that JFK met with Khrushchev, Nixon met with Mao in '72, Reagan met with Gorbachev in 1985. Were they talking or appeasing? Is it just that the Republicans and McCain have run out of ideas? The Republicans are pathetic.

Republican Rep. Tom Davis (VA-11th) is in big trouble. The Huffington Post has it:

In a 20-page memo on GOP electoral woes, Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) repeatedly misspells Barack Obama's name - it's one R, congressman, not two -- and then manages to use the racially charged term "tar baby" in a paragraph about Obama and immigration.

"Remember," Davis writes, "Hispanic voters are a swing group in this election and future elections. John McCain, being from a border state, may be out of sync with many Republicans but he has standing among Hispanics. Barrack Obama has not made the sale to Hispanic voters. Thus, this issue is a tar baby for anyone who touches it, with land mines everywhere."

Davis, who can be contacted at Phone: (202) 225-1492 Fax: (202) 225-3071, should be ashamed of himself. Davis is blaming Sen. Obama and the Democrats for the failings of the Republican Party. Republicans can't even raise enough money to support their candidates. The Republican Party is out of ideas and concerned only with the millionaires and their tax breaks and continuing the mess of the Bush administration. The American public has recognized the Republican Party for what is really is---- out of touch with real Americans.

>>Yesterday, Republican presidential candidate, John McCain, talked about global warming as if he just discovered it. McCain's proposal about global warming does not go far enough. As a matter of fact, it might be fair to say that McCain's plans to reduce global warming are simplistic and insufficient.

Meanwhile, McCain's multi-millionaire wife, Cindy McCain, has sold off some investment in war-torn Sudan, according to the Washington Post and Huffington Post. By the way, she still hasn't released her tax returns. (Remember the demands the Republicans made of Theresa Heinz Kerry in 2004? How come they are not making the same calls for Cindy's tax returns????)

* If you see lots of old white people downtown Columbus this morning, be warned: McCain is scheduled to speak in Columbus at 10AM at the convention center. I wonder if he flew on his wife's private plane again.

Recent news stories concerning quotes from Sen. Joe Lieberman have really been strange. What is the matter with Lieberman? He seems to have abandoned any connection he once had with the Democratic Party so that he can serve his master, John McCain. Lieberman accompanied McCain on a tour to Iraq where he famously wore a helmet and bulletproof vest. Lieberman corrected McCain when he confused Sunnis and Shiites. Now Lieberman has been attacking Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, with lies and innuendo. I think it is time to remove Lieberman from any leadership positions that he holds in the U.S. Senate. He has sold his soul to McCain and the Republican Party.

>> Confirmed! A McCain presidency would indeed be a third Bush term!!!!!! Crooks and Liars has the interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer and Republican Minority Whip Roy Blunt. Here is a small piece of the interview:

BLITZER: So it would be in effect a third Bush term when it came to pro-growth tax policies?

BLUNT: It would be. I think it would be. And I think that’s a good thing....

There you have it----- A vote for McCain is a vote to continue the policies of George W. Bush (and we know how well that's gone!!!!!) Check Crooks and Liars for the video.

* The New York Times has an article about Missouri Republicans' latest proposal---- voters must prove citizenship:

....Sponsors of the amendment — which requires the approval of voters to go into effect, possibly in an August referendum — say it is part of an effort to prevent illegal immigrants from affecting the political process. Critics say the measure could lead to the disenfranchisement of tens of thousands of legal residents who would find it difficult to prove their citizenship.

Voting experts say the Missouri amendment represents the next logical step for those who have supported stronger voter ID requirements and the next battleground in how elections are conducted. Similar measures requiring proof of citizenship are being considered in at least 19 state legislatures. Bills in Florida, Kansas, Oklahoma and South Carolina have strong support. But only in Missouri does the requirement have a chance of taking effect before the presidential election.....

....The Missouri secretary of state, Robin Carnahan, a Democrat who opposes the measure, estimated that it could disenfranchise up to 240,000 registered voters who would be unable to prove their citizenship.....

I bet you have already guessed that the Republican Party of Missouri is behind this measure. In my opinion, it is their way to cut off Democrats at the voting booth.

--- McCain is trying to attract young voters. That should be a difficult task.

AP: He's a Republican, for starters. He describes himself as "older than dirt." And he makes no apology for an Iraq war that is especially unpopular on college campuses.

Doesn't sound like a recipe for winning the hearts of young voters. And yet John McCain has vowed to make a serious play for the 18- to 29-year-old crowd that's often identified with "Obama-mania."

Many young people believe that McCain is part of the past. Obama represents the future.