The New Red Scare (McCain's last political stunt)

John McCain's last ditch effort to divert American attention away from the real issues that face our nation in these troubling times in this:

Obama is a socialist. He wants to turn the IRS into a welfare program.


This is John McCain's desperate attempt to incite fear that Obama wants to raise taxes and turn the IRS into a treasury. There are only a few facts that create a problem with this notion. More importantly, the people who buy into this pander that Obama's tax plan is socialist do NOT know the following things at all.

1. Recent polls show that the American people are not buying this, and that more people believe that John McCain will actually raise their taxes, not Barack Obama. SEE: POLL here Editors note: Read the entire poll, you might find out that Americans are NOT as stupid as you think.


2. Ending a tax break or a tax cut IS NOT raising taxes. Tax cuts were never made to be permanent. Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton both knew this. George Bush proposed the tax cuts so that the economy would be more stimulated with more investment and more spending. We can now see where that got us. Instead it just pushed middle class and poor families down.

3. Giving a tax break to the wealthy in the first place IS WEALTH RE-DISTRIBUTION. The fact that a very small percentage (5% and up, with the largest and most significant breaks going towards the top 1%) get a tax break while more than 95% do not, is socialism. It's more than socialism, its cronyism, it is communism benefiting the top (ever heard of China, Cuba, Vietnam, Russia and North Korea? (cough, bullshit, cough).

4. John McCain vehemently opposed George Bush's tax cuts to the wealthy. He was 100% against them. John McCain in fact is calling his old Maverick self a socialist.

5. The tax payer bailout of greedy and risk taking banks is socialism. If Senator McCain was so against the idea of socialism, he would have voted against the masses bailing out the few with their tax dollars. Thanks Mav.

6. John McCain's socialist remarks ignore the entire foundation of tax-and-spending policies that have been established in the federal income tax since '13. (And I don't mean 1913). They also neglect to mention that the payroll tax is a completely socialist idea, since both the rich and poor benefit from Social Security.

7. John McCain's socialist pleas to "Joe the non-certified, non-unionized plumber" neglect the fact that over the last eight years, middle-class wages have stayed nearly stagnant, while corporate profits and high-income earners wages have soared.

8. Shifting the tax breaks to people who need them, is not socialism. It's democracy.

9. John McCain also doesn't admit that his own health care plan is far more socialistic than Barack Obama's tax plan. His plan calls for new taxes (for the first time in history) on people's insurance benefits. Their benefits would now be counted as income, which would probably move most middle class people with employee provided health insurance into the next bracket. The tax from these employer provided health plans would go back into a 5,000 dollar tax refund for every american, and more or less straight back to the insurance companies. He forgets to mention that there are more than 40 million people who don't have insurance. His health plan is bad, because it is a tax increase on working familes (unionized workers with health plans) and a $5,000 dollar tax break even though the average health plan costs well over $12,000 a year.

10. The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center says that Obamas tax plan would make the system more progressive overall. It would not even be a radical shift (unlike McCain's health care plan). The Tax Policy Center also says that favoring higher tax plans for the wealthy than the less fortunate, isn't socialism. If it is, than the United States has been a socialist country for more than a century.



This is just another stunt by John McCain to instill fear in the minds of voters. Socialism is a bad word in American society, yet the very foundations of some of our most successful programs in American culture are socialist ideas.

The theory, is that John McCain is trying to scare up as many rural, white, middle class votes as he can. Ronald Reagan did the same thing by waging his war against "welfare queens". He is waging the ultimate class warfare and is blaming it on Barack Obama.

John McCain is running out of time, and I feel sorry for the people who fall for his campaign stunts. Ending a tax cut for the wealthy and shifting it to middle class workers is not socialism. It's common sense.





Out of time, out of ideas, out of touch.

The Fear at the McCain-Palin Rallies, is actually the McCain-Palin Campaign

I'm sure by now you have heard the almost (almost) unbelievable rants by McCain-Palin supporters at their rallies. All you would have to do is youtube for a mere three seconds and you would find dozens of video interviews and shots of McCain-Palin supporters both shouting and saying some extreme things. Some call Obama a terrorist, other call him a commie or an Arab. Some bring toy monkeys with Obama stickers on them. Others say that he wants to ruin the country and that he is Muslim. Others even say that he should be killed or hanged. Some pretty crazy allegations. John McCain tried to make it look like he condemned these acts, by telling some crazy supporters that they should not be afraid of an Obama presidency, and one crazy now famous woman that he is not an Arab. The crowds reaction was to boo him. The extremism and hate that show up in these crowds both during the rallies and while they are standing in line, is almost unbelievable.

You wonder; how can these people seriously believe these things? How can they seriously believe every email that they get that claims that Senator Barack Obama attended a radical Muslim school? That he voted to condemn infants that survived botched abortions? That he voted to teach kindergartners sexual education? Have these people never opened a newspaper? Have they only watched FOX news and nothing else? It's astonishing.


But then you sit back, and look at how John McCain and Sarah Palin have been running their campaign as their last days fade away into desperation. Instead of talking about the issues, they instead decide to send out millions of misleading mailers that call Obama unpatriotic. They release several robocalls that say Barack Obama is friends with terrorists. They create ads that saying that he has ties to domestic terrorists and voted against our troops. On the campaign stump Sarah Palin says that Obama "pals around with terrorists" and that he sees our country differently. All of these ads, robocalls, mailers, speeches and especially the TV interviews by McCain, Palin and their fellow republican surrogates, are simply to instill fear in the American people. It's their last act of desperation, instead of talking about the issues, they want to paint Senator Barack Obama as an outsider, as too dangerous of a choice, as a terrorist.


The McCain-Palin campaign is the machine behind these hate full and ignorant rants and reactions at their rallies. They are inciting them. John McCain condemns the robocalls that smeared him in his bid in South Carolina, yet hires the same company to do the same to Barack Obama. They are running nearly 100% negative ads, and continuing misleading and already disproved statements at their rallies and interviews.

The reason that you see this ridiculousness in the McCain-Palin supporters, is because the McCain-Palin campaign are running one of the dirtiest and most dishonest campaigns in recent history. Don't be shocked with the McCain-Palin supporters, be disgusted with the McCain-Palin campaign.

Friends don't let friends pork-barrel

John McCain really really really hates earmarks! Every campaign speech he has given recently, he harangues (actually, I'm not entirely sure what that word means) about how he has and will continue to stop pork barreling. Now, to my less politically savvy (two v's? Really? How flamboyant) friends, earmarks or "pork barreling" is how things in our great nation gets paid for. You know, bringing home the bacon, this little piggy went to market, when pigs fly and the like. When the United States congress pass bills to get things done, they also need money to do these things. Senators and Representatives specifically put earmarks in their bills, and their friend's bills in order to get certain projects in their respective states done. That's why we send them to congress!

Even though his running mate is one of the most greedy earmark requesters in the nation, McCain constantly claims that he and his running mate will veto every single bill with an earmark on it.
Really? How are we supposed to get anything built or done?

For the record: Yes, there are abuses of earmark abuse. It goes on but I wouldn't say it goes on more than the necessary, for example, the now infamous Bridge to Nowhere. This Alaskan town did not need the bridge, even though Sarah Palin really really wanted it. After the bridge became a laughing stock, and a national embarrassment, congress (not Palin) ended the bridge. Gov. Palin still ended up keeping the money they left her though.

In fact, she loves earmarks just as much as John McCain hates them. This year she requested $197 million worth of them this year, and $256 million of them last year. That's about $288 this year, and $376 per capita. FYI that's 10 times as much per capita as the other 48 states request. We're talking big bucks here.


However, earmarks are not all evil. Only when you request unreasonable amounts every year.

John McCain is so against them, here are some of the things that he voted against and opposed and would presumably veto if he were elected POTUS:

Flood-prevention projects in sates like MO and VA.
Drought aid for NV and NM.
Economic development for PA and WV.
Funding for the Florida Everglades and Yellowstone National Park (the only vote against).
Funds for schools.
Funds for bridges and bridge repair.
Funds for military bases.
Funds for disaster relief.
Funds for military housing.
Funds for senior housing (I guess him having seven houses, that vote makes sense).
Funds for renewable energy programs.
Funds for job training.
Funds for health care for veterans.
Funds for services for disabled kids.
(Source: Michael Grunwald of Time Magazine) <---- read!

All of these things are considered to be vital to our lives, economy, infrastructure and our future.
Having John McCain continue to oppose these things would be disastrous.

What to do about Sarah Palin: Nothing

I do believe that Sarah Palin is one of the main reasons that John McCain got such a nice and comfy bounce after his/mostly her's convention. She energized the GOP base and also fired up some independents too.

However, as I told my political science professor two weeks ago, I didn't feel it would last too long.

I said that the newness of her would wear off, and after the excitement of having a hockey mom a heartbeat away from the presidency, people would begin to ask questions.

And did they ever.

There were lots of questions to be asked, and the more people (the media) asked, the less they liked to hear.

Now, the GOP base will not ever be persuaded to stop loving her, but hell, this is the base that LOVED George Bush Jr. So don't expect too much from them.

The things that were uncovered were far and wide, and it soon became clear that the McCain camp was having her tell numerous lies to the public. I don't care how dumb the American electorate is, they don't like being lied to, and they know when it happens(even if it takes a while to find out).

Trooper-gate: The possibly illegal abuse of power she wielded to fire a public official. She had ordered the Public Safety Commissioner to fire her ex-husband in-law and when he refused, he was canned himself.

The Bridge to Nowhere: In speeches she continually gives around the country, she claims that she told Congress "Thanks, but no thanks to the Bridge to Nowhere." The truth came out later however, that she had fully supported and campaigned on the accomplishment of building the Bridge to Nowhere. It wasn't until the national media made the bridge a national embarrassment and after Congress had already slashed the funds in half, did she actually start speaking out about it.
She even kept most of the money and spent it elsewhere. An obvious lie that was discovered thanks to numerous pictures, video and public records.

Library-gate: After Sarah Palin was elected mayor of Wasilla (pop: 7,000 at the time) she confronted the local librarian approximately three times to question whether the librarian would allow Palin to ban certain books. When the librarian objected, she was later fired. It wasn't until public outcry that she was reinstated a few days later.

AIP-gate: This story did not make as big as news as I had thought it would, but Sarah Palin's husband had belonged to the Alaskan Independence Party for about seven (7) years, and Gov. Palin even spoke at their convention this year. The AIP demands secession from the Union, and the founder even said that he would never be buried under the American Flag. He would instead have his followers bury his bones in Alaska after they had succeeded at seceding.

I can see Russia from my house-gate: The dubious claim by the McCain campaign that Palin has foreign relations experience because Alaska is near Russia. Top public officials in Alaska later confirmed that Palin had not direct roll as of her term (1.5 years as governor) with the Alaskan National Guard or relations with Russia.


So the newness wore off mostly and the media is digging deeply into her past, and it makes you think of John McCain's actual judgment. This was obviously just a political pander and a desperate attempt to grab Hillary voters. I am thankful that Hillary supporters have big brains too match their big loyalty.

The polls have suggested what I had guessed would happen two weeks ago, but the question still remains about what the Obama campaign will do about her popularity.


The answer: Nothing. She is not running for president. John McCain is. I am sure that they will stick to the issues and the failed policies that John McCain endorses, and allow Sarah Palin to implode on her own.

Now we just need to educate our electorate!

Girls will be girls.....Unless they take a closer look.

As you have probably read, John McCain has considerably closed the gap between women who say they will vote for him, and those who will vote for Barack Obama. This sudden closing of the gap is due in large part with his selection of Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin. Now, John McCain is still considerably behind Barack Obama when it comes to the woman vote, but he is doing a little better than G.W.B. did in 2000, but worse than he did in 2004. Still, the sudden shrinking of the gap comes at a surprise to me, a man.

Most of the women that I have talked to (if you know me, then you know that means a lot of them) are highly insulted that John McCain would think that they would vote for him just because he put a woman on his ticket. Hillary voters especially seem upset and even somewhat disgusted at the notion that Sarah Palin could steal away Billary votes.

Let's get one thing straight, Sarah Palin will never amount to the type of politician or woman that Hillary Clinton is. Yes, I have said negative things about Hillary before, but I have come to realize that she cares deeply about this country, and wants nothing but the best for it. And she also raised the bar quite a bit. She changed the discussion in politics to reflect more upon women, something we have needed to do for decades upon decades.
Sarah Palin also stands in complete contrast of what Hillary Clinton stands up for on women's issues.


Second, John McCain would not support legislation that would ensure that women are paid a fair and equal wage in the workplace.
For example, The Lilly Ledbetter Act of 2007 would have changed the law so that working women all over America could sue their employers for back pay, if they found out that their male equals were receiving higher raises, better pay and better benefits. This act was in response to the Supreme Court's ruling that Lilly Ledbetter could not sue Goodyear Tires for all of the back pay she was owed due to discriminatory pay. Men that held the same position as her, preforming the same work, were making far more than Lilly was when she was an employee at Goodyear. In wasn't until years later, as she neared retirement, that someone left a report in her locker that showed what she had made over the years as compared to her male equals.
The case went all the way to the Supreme Court and Lilly Lost because the law said that she could only sue up to 180 days after each paycheck. This meant that the hundreds of thousands of dollars that Lilly was owed, could not be recovered.

Justice Ginsburg said that this was one of the worst examples of discrimination in U.S. history, and that it was up to Congress to fix it.

In 2007 they aimed to do just that, Rep. George Miller of the House wrote the Lilly Ledbetter Act of 2007, better known as the Fair Pay Act. This act would have amended the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 to define a violation to be held in the Act, EVERY TIME there is a pay discrimination. That would mean if a woman didn't find out until years or decades later that she was paid in a discriminatory manner, she could hold the company accountable for their wrong doing.


Long story short, the bill sailed through the house with bipartasin support, but was blocked in the Senate. Only two Senators didn't bother to show up to vote on this important act.

Senator John McCain and Senator Charles Hagel. It was latter said by a McCain aid that he would have voted against it anyway.

How can we vote in a president that doesn't support fair and equal pay in the workplace? A vote for McCain/Palin is a vote against women (and I'm not even going to touch Palin's radical stance on abortion).

Tax this you S.O.B.

Republicans also get upset when you prove that there are things we need to support, and when the only way to do that is to cut spending on somethings while raising taxes on other things. This is how things work folks. You need money to pay for things. The money has to come from somewhere. Sorry.

There are things that need to be paid for and there are things that need to be taxes.

When John McCain constantly votes against increased (and much needed funding) for the VA and veterans assistance programs, yet votes for increased funding and prolonged occupation in Iraq, it's embarrassingly hypocritical and immoral.
If we are going to send our troops and fellow citizens into a war zone, where they suffer death and physical and mental injury, we have to be accountable for that. When suicides and PTSD cases start making new records due to the extreme hardships we put them through, we are morally and obligated to take care of them when they come home.

If we have to raise taxes on some people to do this, so be it. George Bush and John McCain; if you can't afford the total costs of war, then don't start one.

If John McCain says that we don't have the money to fund these expensive programs, well then he better go off and get the money asap. And if that means he has to discontinue G.W. Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy, and his tax cuts on big business and oil, so be it. Get to it!

My point is there are reasons where you need to stop tax breaks and raise taxes.

If more and more people are being pushed into poverty because wages don't go up, while corporate profits hit new records every quarter, then something needs to be done. When schools and after-school programs are forced to close down, then something needs to be done to help them out. I don't see rich people having problems paying for their cars or houses or boats, but I do see poor and middle class people having problems paying their rent or medical bills. SO obviously something needs to be done. WE, as well as the government have the obligation to serve its people and to help those who need it. Most Republicans don't recognize this, they think that people can help themselves, and that as the top 5% make more and more money, so will everyone else! It will trickle down they say, but it hasn't. They have been promising that as production goes up, so will wages and living conditions while prices go down. They have been saying this for 25 years straight. You know what? They were wrong. Production goes up every year, while wages stay stagnant and meager. It took us nearly 10 years to raise the minimum wage, and costs have gone up right along with profits. We've given them roughly 25 years of this philosophy, especially in the last eight.
Now look at where our economy is headed. They don't deserve four more. We need to change our government to help the people who need help. Not to allow them to cater to business and their owner's wants.

Death to Taxes!

You know that you have just soundly defeated a Republican in an argument when they resort to the following two backlashes.
1) "Fine! Just get ready to be taxed like no other! I might as well mail my whole wallet to Uncle Sam RIGHT NOW! They can have all of it! I mean! Damn! I earned it but they deserve it!
or
2) Well I hope you're ready for a really really really big government then! There will be no stopping them! They'll be so big! We'll have to give them alllllllllll of our money! Why should the rich be punished for being sooooooooo successful? I might as well just send them my wallet right now!


Boom, you know you've won your argument. I learned this the other day when my dad got lost on the fact that the government should increase funding towards programs that help the poor, and again when I argued a friend to the point that super-rich people SHOULD pay more taxes because they are getting too large of a break when compared with the middle class who keeps getting pushed into poverty and debt.

Right away they became angry and upset at the fact that someone (and mind you, it was neither of them or nor will it ever be, I don't care how rich they think they will be someday) would have to pay for social justice and the fact that the government would have to be the one to do it.


Most Republicans think that raising taxes is always a bad thing. That everyone already pays enough taxes and that people should be rewarded for being successful.
However, not everyone pays enough taxes, people like Warren Buffet have come flat out and said that the super rich, like himself, should contribute more to society. This from the man who already gives millions along with his pal Bill Gates to charitable and non-profit organizations. So he is actually living by example. He illustrates the failure of the tax system under the Bush Administration.
In 2001, the Republican philosophy was this: The economy is doing so well, there's no reason to NOT cut taxes, since Bill Clinton had left them a surplus, why not give some of it back to the people? It sounds nice on paper except for the fact that his tax policy then gave more back to the top 1% than it did the rest of the people who paid taxes. Yes, my parents got a nice little rebate check and I'm sure they enjoyed it. We got a new tv and tile in our kitchen and things like that. But Norman B. Richafella across town in Cherry Creek got such a huge tax break, he got a new boat, a new car, a new condo in Hawaii and a whole new kitchen entirely.
The Democrats threw a fit at the thought of this new tax break policy because it didn't take into account what to do if the economy suddenly slowed, which it did. There went our surplus and here came our deficit thanks to a new war on terror.
We are now hugely in debt, our deficit is alarming and something must be done about it, because it is effecting our entire economy. We must tax. We have no choice. You can think George Bush for his lopsided tax breaks for the top 1% and their money consuming industries like big oil and big wal-mart. These industries and millionaires do not and did not need these gigantic tax breaks. it only made their profits higher and perhaps their greed more ferocious. John McCain and Barack Obama will both have to raise taxes, you no longer here John say "No more new taxes, period!" You don't because that was a lie. Barack Obama promises a tax break for 95% of American familes, the problem is, there are a LOT of people in that top 5% who will have their taxes raised.
The difference is whom the tax cuts and raises will benefit and independent tax think tanks from both sides have weighed in, and the middle class will benefit more under Sen. Obama's tax plan, and the rich will benefit more under Sen. McCain's tax plan.

The point is this, taxes must go up, period. That along with a huge slash in government spending (of whom both have not offered to do, again, it's about what the spending will be on, schools and social programs, or military and tax cuts for industries). We have a long way to go, and I encourage you to look at both of their tax policies, because it's going to effect all of us in the long run. You just have to decide who we need to help now, the middle and lower class workers, or the rich and powerful executives who employ them.

We can't go four more years with this lopsided tax break policy, we can't keep going heavily into debt. We can't promise things that we NEED without having the money for them.

Free Campaign Advice

Is your campaign faltering at an alarming rate?

Media won't pay attention to you unless you make a serious gaffe?

Does the whole country realize that you are just more of the same while they all demand change?

Well we have a fool proof plan for you!


Simply do as all Republicans before you, and CHEAT!

Are they killing you with a campaign of Change and Hope?

COPY THEM! It's that simple. You already think the American public is that stupid so why not go for it? Remember when you were a Maverick? Neither do they! So bring it back and say that you are going to change washington!! It worked for the Last Republican nominee right (how did that end up anyway? Oh yeah. Note: Don't bring up how that went for us last time).



John McCain has poor Judgment.

It is evidently clear in his new campaign strategy to claim (and lie) that he and Gov. Palin are the true agents of change. It's insulting to the American Public who actually pay attention to their records and policies (or for Palin's case, lack-there-of).

McCain needed to do something drastic and dramatic to save his campaign, and he did so by selecting one of the most dangerous VP candidates of all time. After running his whole campaign on the whole experience needed platform, does it make sense that he would pick someone as inexperienced as her?? NO! It was merely a political ploy. Yes, she is likable. She's ambitious, successful, and looks exactly like Peggy Hill. However, that does not mean she is anything new, or better for our country. She is more of the same, and even more radically set to the right.
I can not wait for this political pander to backfire on him as soon as the public stops focusing on her "hockey mom" image, and start to see her dangerous policies and inadequate ability to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency.


No more of the same!

Vince

Ok, so this one is about Vince. he has TWO last names. Cool, way to go mr. two last names. i think I'm so cool with my two last names. Do you have TWO last names? No? Then shut the hell up. Yeah....Get some. Two last names are so in. Like, so so so in.

Britney and Paris

John McCain is proud of his mudslinging .



To a smatter of applause, a women at a John McCain supporter asked McCain if he had flip-flopped on his early promises to run a clean campaign. John McCain ran an ad starting earlier this week where he compares Barack Obama to Paris Hilton or Britney Spears. His claim is that Barack Obama is just a superstar, not a presidential candidate.


Shame on John McCain!

How could he think that the American people are that stupid?

We don't want to hear about Paris and Britney,

we want to hear about the issues! The failed economy! The Iraq war! Gas prices! Food prices! College tuition! The ISSUES!


I am ashamed that John McCain ran that ad, it's un-American, it's a dirty political game, it's an insult to the millions of Americans that have voted or gone to see Barack Obama (Or Hillary). John McCain is now running one of the dirtiest campaigns in American History, and he should be ashamed of himself.

John McCain, stop wasting our time talking about Paris and Britney, tell us about your failed and impossible economic and Iraq strategies instead.

20037 Mafia

Thanks to my lovely sister, I now have some pictures to look at in my office, when I have time to look at things. Which is not very often.
The labor movement just never stops I tell you!!

Well the heat is back and it's probably here to stay. I swear the walk home from work does not get miserable until I reach the end of K street. Then it is hell!

So I finally had the chance to go to some formal dinners and lunches. Some are nicer than others, but they are all always nice. I remember my first one that I went to with my boss, I couldn't stop looking around the room at all of the nice dressed people who change the world one day at a time. I couldn't stop looking at the Chandeliers above my head, and wondering how many people had admired these old pieces of art that hang in the Capitol Hilton Hotel. I couldn't stop looking at the butter because out here, butter is shaped like the Capitol Building. I also silently thanked the beautiful Luciana for yelling at me at Nate and Megan's wedding for using the wrong fork, a mistake that I will never make again. However I wish she had taught me about the extra set of silver wear that is for your dessert! Oh well. No one saw.
I can understand how this city could lead to trouble, free beer and food every night for the people that attend these things, and I am proud to say that I've never had more than two. Maybe some time when my organization is not printed on my name tag, I will have three.

My boss knows everyone in Washington DC, seriously everyone. This means that I have/get to meet everyone in Washington DC.

It is a great and wonderful thing when you get to walk right up to the head table, and shake hands with Senator so and so or Representative what's her face. They shake the hand of my boss and then turn right to me and shake mine. And then they like, talk to you and stuff. HAHA! I'm down playing it I'm sure but, it's incredible to say the least.
Where do I go to school (in Denver) followed by how do I like my boss(he's the best boss ever which they already know), am I learning everything I need to(I never will)?

Thank God that they make everyone register for these receptions/dinners so that we can all have nicely printed out name tags with who we represent right underneath.
That's what people always look at first.
If it's worth looking at, then they'll look at your name and then you.
The organization I represent is always followed by a look at my name. Oh and they never print that I'm an intern under that because I never tell them.

I must also say that I am surrounded by the most capable and competent people ever.
My neighbors, room mate, co-workers and friends out here, are some of the most intelligent and self-motivated people I have almost ever come across. Even though some of them are mean (Vivian) and some of them look down on me when I have a beer after work (all of them except Kevin), I am 100% positive and confident that someday if I ever make it big (in politics) then I will have the best and most powerful staff and cabinet in American history. And when one of them makes it big, they will have the same.

Sorry everyone that my surprise visit to Colorado is now canceled, for lots and lots of reasons now, but I will try again soon. It's hard to get out of DC because the work never ever ever stops and at the moment, there's not much to go back for anyway!


Peace and Power,



Drew C

DC Forecast: Flaming Thermometers all week

I have never experienced true eastern heat, so you'll sympathize with me at how shocked I was to see Thermometers with flames emanating from them, in the corner of my FireFox Web browser.

This morning I woke up at 7:30 AM to Flaming Thermometers and a nice wet temperature of 83 F.
It is hard for me to maintain my professional appearance of black dress shoes (yes I started wearing dress shoes instead of skateboard shoes, not something I'm proud of), pressed and wrinkle free khaki pants, pressed and wrinkle free light blue shirt with complimentary tie; while it is hotter than hell and I have to walk six blocks down K street to my office. I've been practicing on walking to work only half dressed, and I get interesting looks on the street as a result.


The worst part: It is only June and not even July or August. I am afraid that all of the thermometers in DC will be all burned up by the time it is the 4th of July, and we will have to rely on my neighbor Jose's sweat to indicate that it is hotter than hell.


Is this a punishment from God due to the fact that the White House (a near six blocks from here) has totally ignored global warming? Possibly.

Or it's just hot and humid and it is instead a reminder of the nice, dry/cool and far superior climate of my home (Colorado)?


Hell is hot and my heart is now cold.





Andrew Charles

P.s. Some one please check if they have perfected the technology of fire proof thermometers yet. I'm sure DC will need some soon.

P.S. Stop Blogging

NO Marissa, I will not stop blogging, especially now I am aware of my new and very important readership. Yes M-money, I have a readership. Oh P.S. I will be sure to be at your graduation party no matter what, even in the face of the thought that your baby sisters will just make fun of me the whole time.


So, on Wednesday, I knew only a handful of people out here in DC, my Room mate (J Diesel) and a few kids I work with, who are a bit younger and not living in the City. On Thursday that all changed. I met a ton of kids on the 3rd floor, as well as my fellow neighbors on my floor (4th) and they are all down. On Friday a few of us hung out but most of us were all extremely tired from working in the District, on the Hill, at the White House, and at various other high stress areas out here in DC.


Saturday, my neighbor and I cooked us some legit breakfast burritos and be for we knew it, we had a group of ten people and we were all headed out to the Smithsonian Institute. It rained, no, it POURED like crazy and I bought an umbrella off of a bum for five dollars. It was a smart investment.


After we mobbed the Smithsonian we all went out to dinner at this Vietnamese restaurant over in Georgetown. The food was good but the service was horrible, so I doubt we will be going back (that and it was 12 bucks a plate, hardly within the means of an Intern's budget). After that we hit up the Hawk ~N~ Dove nightclub, which is right down the street from the capitol, and quite lenient on underage drinking, long story short it was a good night, and I'm glad to finally know a few people out here. I see a very fun and rewarding summer ahead of me, but for now, I really need to go get some food.


Sincerely,




Drew of Columbia

Drew C....K street big shot?

Yes my office is on K street in the Golden Triangle coalition, but I am far from a big shot.

I woke up this morning, not having a clue where I was. I have a huge bay window and I could see that it was foggy and hazy, and to my dismay, it was not a cool refreshing fog like we have in Denver. It was instead, a warm, smothering and almost suffocating fog and at 7 48 am (That would be 548 Mountain Standard time, which also makes it the earliest I have ever woken up in my life) it was already in the 70s. Not cool is what I said to myself, and then chuckled a little about how clever I was, and then almost got ran over by a Mercedes Benz. People who drive Mercedes in this town are crazy, they run red lights, don't signal, and don't slow down for peds. The cross walks are not clearly marked out here and some corners don't have walk signals.

I thought that in a city filled with the best lawyers in the world, there would be some pedestrian safety precautions.


I stroll down K street and my office building is across the street from where I thought it was, but any how the security guard somehow already knows I'm an intern, and after singing in, I head to the top floor for orientation.

I am pleased that there are 12 other young interns who are all fairly friendly, and happy that the Legislative and Political Action department (my department) gets the top floor and amazing offices. Everyone I work with are nice, helpful, and intelligent.

I am going to like my job.


I take my first subway ride on the Metro and it was quite the experience. They are nothing like the Light Rail of Denver because they are older and super noisy. You can't hear a thing and they shake like this bum that is always standing by Old Green George. However, there is no "Gap" to "mind" (sorry Marissa). I had to travel all the way across the District to target for some groceries . I hate target (sorry sisters) but for now it's the only place I have found.


Day two starts tomorrow and I look forward to the weekend (that'll never change).



Peace,



Drew C in DC

D.C. hits the streets in DC

I woke up early this morning in an extremely foul mood. I was not looking forward to leaving the beautiful state of Colorado today. I woke up, packed, ate my last home cooked breakfast and headed to DIA. The car ride was quiet, i didn't say much. I was nervous and honestly I didn't want to go. I didn't get any goodbyes. And the one that I did manage to get wasn't a good one, it was kinda like a badbye or something. My flight got delayed for over an hour because United freaks out about oil leaking engines or something.
My flight sucked too. My seat wouldn't recline and I got the middle seat, and as everyone should know, I HATE the middle seat. The guy next to me took his smelly shoes off and then snored the entire flight until we hit some serious turbulence and then he woke up acting like we were all going to die, grabbing on to my armrest and nearly knocking my laptop off of the fold out tray.


I was pissed.


After a long wait for my stupid luggage, I instantly forgot about everything when I stepped out of the airport doors.


The sun was shining in full force on our nation's capital and the air was warm and humid. Everything was immediately washed in the glow of the D.C. sun. And the sun is different here. It's soft and all of the monuments just soak it up.

My cabbie talked to me about a whole lot of stuff, I think, I don't really talk very good cabbi yet. Actually fuck it, I'm never going to because I'm going to walk everywhere.
I checked into my apartment, and they def over hyped this place to me on the phone. Someone owes me an apology. Any how, I unpacked, and took a stroll out the door, into the streets of my new temporary home town. The White House is just a few blocks from my apartment and there's a giant statue in a small park of General George Washington, which is streaked that beautiful statue of Liberty green from decades upon decades of D.C. rain and oxidation.


I found a T.G.I. Fridays near my house (only to miss the McFadden's right across the street from my place) and had a giant Miller Light and a JD burger.

I forgot about the lack of goodbyes and the reluctance to come to D.C.

Tomorrow is a new day and I start a new life tomorrow. I know not a single soul out here, but by tomorrow, that will be a totally different story.



Wish me luck and stay tunned.



Patriotically,




Drew C of the District

Drew C: Published and Respected authority.

HAHA not really. Well I am published now.


Check it out yo




Letter to the Rocky Mountain News concerning the Right-to-Work for le$$ ballot initiative HERE


A letter I wrote to the Northglenn Sentinel was also published . They didn't put up web version, but I'm sure if you try hard enough, you can find a hard copy somewhere.

Mark Penn update

I was right about Mark Penn being a douche bag after all! Down with Union Busters!!!!!


Change To Win blog blasting Mark Penn

TPM blog on Mark Penn getting hated on by everyone

Dear Rocky Mountain News

I wrote my first letter to the editor today.


If it gets published. I will post a link and I will also post links to any scathing republican letters written in response, and I will also post anything said by Johnathan Coor's in response (yes, that Coors, and yes, I did rip on him because he's a greedy bastard millionaire fuck). Wish me luck!


Also, check out my fellow blogger here

Washington DC for the summer?

I'm not going to lie,


I don't want to leave Colorado. I am getting a little nervous about my internship this summer in DC. I'm excited but I really don't like the idea of being away from Colorado, my friends, my family, my romance, my dogs and smelly gay cat, and all the fun everyone is going to be having this summer with out me. May be it's just cold feet or maybe pre-flight jitters. I mean, Marissa had them, and now she's in fucking England. Yes, fucking England. I got an email today, requesting about my availability for the summer program, and I have to admit, seeing it down on paper, made it seem like a really really long time.

OH well, I guess this is part of growing up.


I will do it if everything falls into place, like it has been.

I expect to learn a lot out there, meet a thousand new people, and return to Colorado being, perhaps 80 to 90% more of an eligible bachelor and at least 15-20% more suitable for marriage.



Oh, and a beard. No, I lied. I can not grow a beard.

Wait...What did I expect?

I found myself today, listening to John McCain (or as Tyler Borg and I like to refer to him as: Good Ol' Balls McCain) speaking about how lucky we are that we have NOT pulled our troops out of Iraq.
Video here At first I was like, a little shocked. I was because of this reason: This man is running for President. He is running for President in a nation where the majority of Americans feel and say that the Iraq war was a major mistake, most people want the troops home, and the popularity of the people who got us into war, are extremely low. I will now depart from the notion of whether or not I think the war is a good or bad idea, that should be obvious, but instead, I will focus on how this will be the downfall of Good Ol' Balls McCain.


In order for him to run a successful campaign, he is going to have to convince the American public that the Iraqi war is a GOOD idea, and that he was right all along in advocating its start.


I just don't think this is possible for the Republican party to pull off, there is too much public dissent and opposition, and the other two candidates in the race, are stomping him into the ground with their turn-out numbers, while running on a heavily anti- "100 years in Iraq" platform.


And if either of the Democratic candidates put two and two together, and link the Iraqi war WITH the failing economy, it will be lights out.

The Democratic candidate doesn't even have to show a strong correlation between the trillions of dollars spent over there, and the poor shape of the economy here, that candidate will just merely have to put the thoughts in our heads. It makes sense, it is provable to some extent, and the public is already heavily leaning in that direction.



Slam dunk anyone? No, I won't go that far.....yet


But just remember what I said Iraq War = Poor American economy and weak dollar

Dear Mark Penn

Dear Mark Penn,


Shut the fuck up.



The American public is NOT as stupid as you think we are.


You're a douche bag and just because you think that you are smarter than all of us, doesn't mean you can spin any and everything the way you want it.


Peace,




Drew C and his readership

This makes me SICKO!

If anyone has seen Micheal Moore's documentary Sicko, then you know that there is definitely irrefutable examples and evidence of health insurance companies doing any and everything they can to deny patients coverage or compensation for medical expenses.

This ABCnews article also illustrates that these greedy health insurance companies will do anything to line their pockets and keep American citizens sick/and or dead.

The California Medical Association revealed a new plan by Blue Cross and Blue Shield which requested that Doctors release "conditions" that patients have.

Then, with this new information, the Insurance company could deny service to anyone who had a condition. Which means, a lot of people. Since everyone goes to the doctor because of some condition or symptom, every patient would have a record.


Also; "'Any condition not listed on the application that is discovered to be pre-existing should be reported to Blue Cross immediately," according to the letter obtained by the newspaper."
This might also mean that any condition that you might have, that you didn't list, uh, like cancer or something maybe, could get you disqualified from coverage!

"Doctors were unhappy about the letter, warning that some patients might hide any medical history that could affect their prospects of receiving health insurance.

'We're outraged that they are asking doctors to violate the sacred trust of patients to rat them out for medical information that patients would expect their doctors to handle with the utmost secrecy and confidentiality,' said Dr. Richard Frankenstein, president of the California Medical Association."

I'm sure that the insurance companies will think of some nice fat bonuses or rewards however, to get doctors to "volunteer" this information.

Anything to make the rich richer, and the poor poorer.

This is why we desperately need to reform the health care system in America.

Health care is not a privilege as some Republicans would like you to believe, Health Care is a right (You know, the right to LIFE, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness....).

Americans can overcome this health care crisis. We just have to work together.

And we have to stop being so self centered and oblivious to the problem.

Why is the Republican party killing itself?

So Rudy dropped out

Thompson dropped out/never ran

Then Mitt

Who's next?

And why do they all fight? James Dobson won't endorse McCain? He calls this the worst selection of candidates he has ever seen in his life?

What's going on here?

The Republican party is seriously fracturing and this could be the end.

Political parties do come and go

But it looks like they are not even trying !!


For example,

When MySpace.com and MTV held their forum, only Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee showed up for the Republican side, while the two front runners no-showed!

That goes to show that they are not thinking about the future at all. A party that does not embrace the youth vote, might as well kiss its ass goodbye!

On top of that, they can't figure out what they believe in! George W. Bush is the least fiscal conservative the party has ever seen! Republicans used to be against big government, but Bush and Chenny sure have changed that with all of their illegal activities!


What's next?

Can some one please weigh in and tell me what's going on?


And what happens after the Republican party folds? Does the Green party step up? Will the Bull-Moose party come back to life? Federalists? Whigs?


Some one comment please, I seriously care.

CD's Wings

Cd's Wings


I dare anyone to find me better Wings then the ones that Digger and his crew make, and I'll eat xxx sauce off of your girlfriend's boobs.


Seriously though, I am addicted.



P.S. Digger is a wing Nazi and never gives me enough fries!

Hillary's dirty tricks? Nothing new.

According to ABCnews
The Clinton campaign might not be as strapped for cash as they had made everyone believe yesterday.

What happened was, Obama's campaign steam-rolled Hill's fund raising efforts with over $ 7.4 (as to date) million dollars raised the days after Super Tuesday. That's incredible to say the least. And the amazing part is, most of the money was raised from individual supporters, not companies or special interest groups.

So poor, poor Hillary, had to donate $5 million of her own money. :(

But according to the ABCnews site, the campaign is not hurting for money and since that announcement, she has raised $ 4 million.

1) That means that Hillary raised -$1 million dollars
and
2) Since according to ABCnews, the campaign is not hurting for money at all
and
3) She made the whole thing up just to get people to donate money!


She has to use dirty tricks just to get her supporters to donate to her! Her supporters should feel duped that they got tricked into feeling sorry for Hillary since she had to loan $5million of her own money to save her campaign.


Too bad Hillary gets lots and lots of money from oil companies and Drug companies and the Insurance industry and she probably doesn't need any money at all.


Nothing too surprising from the Clintons.

A vote for Hillary is a vote against Democracy

A vote for Hillary Clinton would be bad for America and bad for the Democratic idea.

Now don't get me wrong, I am for any Democrat who will stop this madness and self-destructive pattern that the Republican party has put us in, but Hillary should not be that Democrat.

There is a reason we have term limits and that is to keep the rich from buying the Presidency time-after-time. The Clinton family has obviously proved that they can do that, just as well as the Bush family has done.

Now think about this: The United States has been in roughly the same state of progress for the last 20 years. 20 years of the same thing in America is not good and we are starting to see that now in the economy, infrastructure, foreign policy and health care sector.

The reason for that; is because the same two families have held power, back and fourth, for the last 20 years!!

Do we really want to see another Clinton in the White House? Making it possibly 24 or 28 years?

We should say no to Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton. These two families have had enough (VERY NEGATIVE) influence on our great Country.


It's time for change


It's time to move on



It's time to say no to the two same families!