America Votes 2008

[Faustus]

Also sorry to say I'm in the dark on the definition of usonian.

So am I...

 

Seriously, it is an alternative demonym (gentilic) for "American", analogous to "United Statesian", "Uesican", "United Stater" and similar adjectives.

 

So I'm trying to make a more careful choice.

Hmmm.. Once again, very cleaver...."USonian"

 

It is common in America, as in our personal lives, when we have trouble with the sound of a name, and if they have a more pleaseant sound, to use "nick-names". I.e. - a native of Indiana, rather than being an Indianian is called a "Hoosier", an Ohio resident is a "Buckeye", a resident of Illinois is an "Illini" (Ill-eye-neye) and a resident of a country that bears the full name "United States of America", is shortened to become simply an "American". Our special welcome to all-comers makes that generally thought of as a friendly appellation.

Edited September 19, 2008 by Faustus

[Nephele]

Scientists and Engineers for America is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization that invites political candidates to answer fourteen key questions on science and technology policy.

 

Barak Obama submitted his responses to SEA's questionnaire earlier this month. John McCain has just submitted his responses. You can read and compare the responses of both candidates here:

 

2008 Presidential Candidate Responses

 

This page also provides separate links to individual pages for each candidate, containing additional information on each candidate's stand regarding issues of science and technology, with links to speeches, interviews, voting records, etc.

 

Regarding the information provided on the candidates' individual pages... I was pleased to read Obama's stand on the Evolution/Intelligent Design controversy in our nation's schools, and his understanding of the difference between science and faith:

 

"I'm a Christian, and I believe in parents being able to provide children with religious instruction without interference from the state. But I also believe our schools are there to teach worldly knowledge and science. I believe in evolution, and I believe there's a difference between science and faith. That doesn't make faith any less important than science. It just means they're two different things. And I think it's a mistake to try to cloud the teaching of science with theories that frankly don't hold up to scientific inquiry."

 

I was not impressed with John McCain's unrealistic endorsement of President Bush's failed "abstinence-only" sex education policy:

 

Q: "What about grants for sex education in the United States? Should they include instructions about using contraceptives? Or should it be Bush's policy, which is just abstinence?"

Mr. McCain: (Long pause) "Ahhh. I think I support the president's policy."

Q: "So no contraception, no counseling on contraception. Just abstinence. Do you think contraceptives help stop the spread of HIV?"

Mr. McCain: (Long pause) "You've stumped me."

website link to

"McCain Stumbles on HIV Prevention"

 

Of course, these are just two points upon which I personally focused while scanning website information provided on both candidates, and which had been taken from published interviews. Perhaps the interviewers caught their subjects on good or bad days.

 

But the SEA questionnaire covers a number of issues relating to science and technology and gives the candidates the opportunity of stating, at their convenience, where they stand on each of these points. The responses to the SEA questions which have been provided by both candidates are well thought out and articulate, without an "interviewer" interjecting personal commentary on the manner in which the candidates responded ("long pause", etc.).

 

From SEA's Mission Statement page:

 

"We envision a future where wise science and technology policy will help every American live in a safe and clean environment, enjoy good health and education, and benefit from a strong system of national defense. Scientists and Engineers for America is the only national organization dedicated exclusively to advancing these goals through the electoral process."

 

The principal role of the science and technology community is to advance human understanding. But there are times when this is not enough. Scientists and engineers have a right, indeed an obligation, to enter the political debate when the nation's leaders systematically ignore scientific evidence and analysis, put ideological interests ahead of scientific truths, suppress valid scientific evidence, and harass and threaten scientists for speaking honestly about their research.

-Dr. Henry Kelly, Board Chair & President of the Federation of American Scientists

 

-- Nephele

[Viggen]

If anyone has taken a look at the polls, then Palin certainly is a good choice. The question now is how long lasting the current numbers are.

 

All that the polls indicate is that she's popular with white women. It doesn't mean that she's a good choice to run the country in the event that McCain gets elected and can't finish his term of office.

 

I'm a woman and I'll be damned if I jump on any candidate's bandwagon simply because he's chosen a woman for his running mate.

 

-- Nephele

 

Wen i read this i knew, she sucks, and Matt Damon said it best, refering her nomination to as a "bad Disney movie... 'I'm just a hockey mom from Alaska here to take on the White House'. It's absurd...

The best of those four is most defenitely (imo) Joe Biden,

...

[Nephele]

Wen i read this i knew, she sucks...

 

In a 2006 gubernatorial debate, the soon-to-be governor of Alaska said of evolution and creation education, "Teach both. You know, don't be afraid of education. Healthy debate is so important, and it's so valuable in our schools. I am a proponent of teaching both."

 

*facepalm*

 

Teach only "both"? The problem with that is that there are numerous creation myths from numerous religions.

 

If Palin thinks that only the Judeo-Christian creation myth is the "right" one that should be taught in the science classroom, then there is a serious flaw in her pretensions of ingenuous equity.

 

Perhaps Palin should consider the "healthy debate" of teaching all the creation myths of every society and every religion throughout the world as though they were as factual as the stories in her beloved bible.

 

In fact, why teach science at all in our public schools, when we can have "healthy debate" in the science classroom regarding whether the world was made by one supernatural being or by a pantheon of supernatural beings?

 

-- Nephele

[Primus Pilus]

If anyone has taken a look at the polls, then Palin certainly is a good choice. The question now is how long lasting the current numbers are.

 

All that the polls indicate is that she's popular with white women. It doesn't mean that she's a good choice to run the country in the event that McCain gets elected and can't finish his term of office.

 

I'm a woman and I'll be damned if I jump on any candidate's bandwagon simply because he's chosen a woman for his running mate.

 

-- Nephele

 

Wen i read this i knew, she sucks, and Matt Damon said it best, refering her nomination to as a "bad Disney movie... 'I'm just a hockey mom from Alaska here to take on the White House'. It's absurd...

The best of those four is most defenitely (imo) Joe Biden,

...

 

I'm just glad they don't let Austrians vote here (unless you're Conan). Envisioning uber liberal Biden as president scares the hell out of me. Then again, our liberals probably seem fairly conservative compared to your political environment across the pond.

[Viggen]

I'm just glad they don't let Austrians vote here (unless you're Conan). Envisioning uber liberal Biden as president scares the hell out of me. Then again, our liberals probably seem fairly conservative compared to your political environment across the pond.

 

hehhe, yeah conan rulez, be afraid, i might take on the governour post of Michigan

 

and yes, the most liberal democrats would be considered moderate conservatives in austria hehe

 

@nephele

yeah i wonder what the republicans were thinking when nominating Palin, i guess they weren`t at all, it surely is the most unfit person for the job of all four persons involved,

btw. want to see how politicians turn with the wind? LOOOOL

[Ludovicus]

From Cindy McCain at the Republican Convention:

 

"...So how about Governor Sarah Palin!

 

John has picked a reform-minded ... hockey-mommin' ... basketball shootin' ... moose huntin' ... fly-fishin' ... pistol-packing ... mother of five for vice president. And as a fellow hockey mom myself and a western conservative mother, I couldn't be prouder that John has shaken things up as he usually does!"

 

http://www.npr.org/blogs/politics/2008/09/...acter_hock.html

 

Can you imagine if a Democratic Party representative proudly hailed Michele Obama as "pistol packing" ? We'd see an immediate tidal wave of rightwing accusations headed Mrs. Obama's way of "dangerous black radical" "terrorist," and a host of unprintable epithets.

 

In 2008, you still get a pass in the US if you're white.

Edited September 24, 2008 by Ludovicus

[Nephele]

@nephele

yeah i wonder what the republicans were thinking when nominating Palin, i guess they weren`t at all, it surely is the most unfit person for the job of all four persons involved,

btw. want to see how politicians turn with the wind? LOOOOL

 

Jon Stewart rocks harder than Alaskan mega-cities (of 9,000 people).

 

Palin had admitted that she had never met a foreign head of state, so yesterday McCain brought her to visit the United Nations here in New York City.

 

It was like "Take Your Daughter to Work" Day! Wheee!

 

-- Nephele

[sonic]

It was like "Take Your Daughter to Work" Day! Wheee!

 

-- Nephele

 

Absolutely brilliant!

 

I just wish we could get the whole program over here in the UK, rather than just a half-hour 'best of'.

[Ludovicus]

Obama had his Youtube pastor moment and now Palin has hers. This one surfaced yesterday, and to tell you the truth it brings shivers up my back to think that she one day may be vice president:

 

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story...5-12377,00.html

 

A YOUTUBE video has surfaced showing Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin being blessed in her hometown church by a Kenyan pastor who prayed for her protection from "witchcraft" as she prepared to seek higher office three years ago.

 

Governor Palin is shown standing with her hands open before Bishop Thomas Muthee in the Wasilla Assembly of God church as he asked Jesus Christ to keep her safe from "every form of witchcraft", the Associated Press reported.

Edited October 1, 2008 by Ludovicus

[ASCLEPIADES]

Wednesday, October 1, 2008 - 9:18 AM EDT

Poll: Obama has 15-point lead over McCain in Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh Business Times

 

"A new Quinnipiac University poll finds Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has opened up a 15-point lead in Pennsylvania over Republican nominee John McCain.

 

The poll was conducted after the first debate between the two candidates Sept. 26.

 

Prior to the debate, Obama was ahead of McCain 49 percent to 43 percent. But the post debate numbers show Obama ahead 54 percent to 39 percent.

 

 

[Nephele]

omg, too funneh! Saturday Night Live's latest Palin skit:

 

SNL:"Katie Couric" interviews "Sarah Palin"

 

Couric: "Did you enjoy your week in New York City?"

 

Palin: "Todd and the kids had a great time going to the Central Park and the F.A.O. Schwarz, and that goofy evolution museum. Also, in an effort to bone up on foreign policy, I went to the Times Square area to see a film called The Bush Doctrine. It was not about politics..."

 

-- Nephele

[M. Porcius Cato]

Palin had admitted that she had never met a foreign head of state, so yesterday McCain brought her to visit the United Nations here in New York City.

 

It was like "Take Your Daughter to Work" Day! Wheee!

 

ROFL

[Ursus]

yeah i wonder what the republicans were thinking when nominating Palin, i guess they weren`t at all, it surely is the most unfit person for the job of all four persons involved,

 

 

Not at all. It's about energizing the Religious Right footsoldiers and making sure they turn out to the polls in November. And it's worked because I haven't seen them so fired up since the gay marriage ballot initiatives of '04.

 

 

The only Constitutional duty of the Vice President is to preside over the Senate and break a tie vote , which only happens every so often. No one picks a Vice President based on qualifications, they pick it to gain votes in whatever sector of American society they feel they need.

[Ursus]

Teach only "both"? The problem with that is that there are numerous creation myths from numerous religions.

 

Everyone knows the world was created when the Egyptian god Atum got lonely and masturbated on himself. This is what we should be teaching to our kids, it would lead to better morals.