Sarah Palin Doesn't Know What the Bush Doctrine is!

Via Matt Yglesias, I found this telling clip from the National Security Network. It's a huge deal that Sarah Palin doesn't know what the Bush Doctrine is. For those of you who don't know, the Bush Doctrine is the policy of preemptive war. In other words attacking countries that the US perceives may cause a threat to our interests in the near future. If you don't know what the Bush Doctrine is, don't feel bad. You are most likely not running for the Vice Presidency of the United States. If you are, get with it!

Seven Years

I'm not very good a memorializing, but I feel I should at least say something. This is the 7th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. It's not a day any of us will soon forget. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those that were killed in the attacks, and those that died trying to save them.

Another Bond Trailer

I CANNOT FUCKING WAIT!

Metallica - The Day That Never Comes

Pretty decent. Guitar solo is a little long at the end though.

Palin's Manifesto of Cruelty and Polarization

Last night, Sarah Palin gave a powerful speech. She did not stumble and proved herself to be an effective and charasmatic orator. It certainly should be noted that she's a very effective hatchet (wo)man. She used her network time, which was reduced by the self-serving and over-the-top Rudy Giuliani, to make clear to the American people that she is against an Obama presidency. Obviously, this is what the GOP expects their candidate for Vice President to do. Sarah Palin did a great job of introducing the American people to her good-looking family and the endearing subtleties of life in small town Alaska. The cameras constantly shifted back and forth between Palin and her pregnant daughter Bristol (with her shotgun fiancee in tow). Even a candid, and admittedly adorable, moment where Piper Palin licked her hand in order to smooth back the hair of Trig Palin was captured. I can only imagine that the American people let out a collective "awww."

However, for me at least, that's where the charm ended. It's nothing new for the Republicans to embrace negativity at their convention. In fact they've been doing just that since the Nixon days. Really, this is what they have to do. Republicans win elections by highlight divisive wedge issues and polarizing the country. They accuse Democrats of "raising taxes" and "killing babies." Also, there is the timeless allegation that Democrats are "going to take your guns away!" Unfortunately for the Republicans, basically none of this is ever true. Barack Obama is not going to raise your taxes. Unless that is, you make over $200,000 a year and can afford to pay extra in order to help middle class working Americans. Barack Obama is not going to kill any babies. In fact, while Obama is pro-choice, he wants to pursue sex education policies that will lead to fewer unwanted pregnanices which, in turn, naturally leads to fewer abortions. Isn't that a good thing? No, Barack Obama isn't going to take away anybody's guns. It's pretty much impossible to argue against that for two reasons: 1) it's so ridiculous that it's laughable; and 2) giving it more than a passing thought lends it undue credibility. Anyways, I digress. Sarah Palin's speech was notable for its offensiveness, cruelty, and utter lack of substance. She certainly seemed to delight in claiming that community organizers have no actual responsibilities, but she failed to make the case of how her experience as the mayor of Wasilla, Alaska lead her to a better understanding of working Americans. Also, in regards to John McCain, we heard inspiring rhetoric about his trying experience as a POW, but nothing about what he would do as president. She didn't sell his candidacy at all. All I know from watching her speech as that John McCain was a POW in Vietnam. Oh, and because of that experience, he will bring the change we need to America. Nothing about what he would do, or how he would govern? Isn't that sort of important? Finally, what about the economy? She made no mention of home foreclosures, gas prices, unemployment or any other major economic concerns. In addition, there was absolutely nothing about what a McCain-Palin administration would do to stimulate a stagnant economy. Palin indicated that while offshore drilling isn't the cure-all solution to our energy ills, that shouldn't stop us from drilling. Ok, fine, but what else are you going to do? That's right, you are going to invest in wind energy and renewable fuels. With what money exactly? If we're going to stay in Iraq of 1000 years like McCain wants to, with a $10 billion a month price tag, can we really afford to do that?

Sarah Palin used her time in the spotlight in order to divide Americans along the same old cultural lines. Yet she did so without proposing any solutions. Democrats are cosmopolitan elitists that love eating arugula and drinking Belgian beer; but we are just like you! In addition she lied about Barack Obama's tax policies. (Fact: He's going to cut taxes for 95% of Americans and increase family rebates by $1000) She also lied about her opposition to the "Bridge to Nowhere." She was for it and then turned against it as it became increasingly unpopular politcally. One more inaccuracy I'll mention, among many others, despite her seemingly heartfelt support for families with special needs children, she actually slashed funding for special education programs by 62%! I mean, what! (Evidence for this point is in the link I provided above in regards to the "Bridge to Nowhere")

It's hard to tell how the speech will play out. I have no doubt that she will appeal to many Americans. However, her sarcastic and negative tone will likely turn off just as many. Also, working people are looking for someone who will uplift them economically. Not exactly someone that is like them (which she isn't anyways). At some point she's going to have to be made available to the media, and that should be, shall we say, interesting.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user MBS1983 September 1, 2008

Alaska?

Via Jake Tapper at Political Punch, I came across this hilarious little ditty from, well, Diddy! Diddy certainly has a unique presentation for his vlog (isn't he dizzy spinning around like that!?!) but he actually hits a number of salient points. Look, I've never been to Alaska. However, the pictures I've seen of it are spectacular. I'm sure Alaska is an absolutely lovely state and an amazing place to call your home. That being said, does the governor of Alaska really have a good grip of the complex social issues that ordinary Americans deal with on a regular basis? Diddy is right to ask, are there any black people in Alaska? Now, I'm sure there are, and it shold be noted that Alaska has a history of racial conflict between whites and Native Americans. However, Sarah Palin just does not look like a woman that would be comfortable campaigning in Detroit or Philadelphia.

Michael Tomasky's excellent post on Palin directed me to this revealing article by the New York Times' Elisabeth Bumiller. It turns out that Palin essentially was not vetted at all. McCain really wanted either Joe Lieberman or Tom Ridge but his aides shot them down because they were pro-choice. A pro-choice running mate would be DOA on the convention floor. So in recognition that he wouldn't get what he wanted, he shot from the hip and picked Sarah Palin. My theory behind this is that the McCain campaign thinks that women are stupid. No really, that's my theory. Let me elaborate. I'm theorizing that McCain is betting everything on disaffected Hillary voters. Without carefully thinking it through, McCain believes that if he puts a woman on the GOP ticket as his running mate, women won't be able to help themselves and they'll vote for him. Why else would Sarah Palin be praising Hillary Clinton with every opportunity? Also, this prevents the Democrats from monopolizing the "history making" market, by having a woman on the ticket. Nevermind the fact that Palin's beliefs are completely anithetical to those of most of Hillary Clinton's supporters. Palin believes that Creationism should be taught alongside evolution in public schools and she opposes abortion in all circumstances, including rape and incest. In other words, McCain thinks women, and Hillary Clinton supporters in particular, are stupid.

Geek Alert

I'm not sure how I feel about this. The Max Payne games, are in no small way some of the best video games ever conceived. However, the word on the street is that this movie will be PG-13. Look, Max Payne can't be PG-13. It's not that I'm a sadist that enjoys watching people get blown up, but when it comes to movies, I'm a sadist that enjoys watching people get blown up. Ok, I'll be serious now. Max Payne is like Batman in sense that both stories are EXTREMELY dark and nihilistic. A PG-13 rating worked with Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, because Batman doesn't kill anyone. It's the one line he will never cross. The same cannot be said of Max Payne. Max Payne's wife and baby were murdered by drug dealers. This essentially ends Max's life, and he is reborn as a creature of vengeance. He kills people. He kills them violently. A PG-13 movie just can't convey that. Also, what the fuck is with the demon thingys? Valkyries? In the first game, there's mention of the Valkyrie Project, but it's a military industrial project. It's not some kind of occult summoning of demons. I've read that in Max Payne 2, if you beat the game on the hardest level (which I will never be able to do) a new playable level gets unlocked that includes demons. I'm hoping this is just some sort of dream sequence. However, I fear that it's not considering that these things are featured so prominently in the trailer.

On the other hand, the trailer is fairly well put together. It certainly peeks interest in the viewer. I could make some kind of half assed excuse, but the truth is, I'll probably see this movie right away since I'm such a fan of the games. I think it sucks that the movie is PG-13, but since 20th Century Fox is running the show, I'm not all that surprised. Anyways, this has been way too long of post, especially since it's about a video game movie. I should be talking about Sarah Palin. Oh well!