A Michelle Obama fan

Unlike another white Quad Cities political blogger I make no attempt to speak for African-Americans. They can speak for themselves perfectly well. For example, here is a blogger who appreciates Michelle Obama far more completely than I ever could.

First off, the dress? Loves it! Michelle always looks gorgeous in jewel tones. (Or any solid color. I don't think she has a bad color. The woman rocked ORANGE. That's just how we do.) I don't know who the designer is yet, but I bet it's Maria Pinto, her girl in Chicago. The dress is similar to the purple sheath and an orange dress she's worn previously that were also made by Pinto. I would have preferred a necklace over the beaded flower on her chest, but other than that I have few complaints. Over and over last night, myself, my dad, mother, pundits on TV, even on FOX News couldn't get over how gorgeous she looked. The best Republican strategist Leslie Sanchez on CNN could come up with was it was too "evening gown" like. Um ... seriously, Leslie.

Read the entire blog entry (including 34 pictures of Michelle).

Obama’s Acceptance Speach

What a speech! Despite the unfair attacks John McCain has leveled at Barak Obama, that he was an empty-headed celebrity like Paris Hilton or Britney Spears, that he didn't care whether America was defeated in war as long as he was elected, Barak Obama was not angry with John McCain. He admitted that John McCain loved his country and served it bravely in uniform. But more in sorrow than in anger he had to say that John McCain would not offer the change we need because he is out of touch with the problems and concerns of the vast majority of Americans.

Now, I don't believe that Senator McCain doesn't care what's going on in the lives of Americans. I just think he doesn't know. Why else would he define middle-class as someone making under five million dollars a year? How else could he propose hundreds of billions in tax breaks for big corporations and oil companies but not one penny of tax relief to more than 100m Americans?... It's not because John McCain doesn't care. It's because John McCain doesn't get it.

Only someone who owns more houses than he can count could think our economy is fundamentally sound and that people who think otherwise are suffering a mental recession. Talk about being unprepared to lead!

The American Dream

You may have missed the Democratic Convention speech last night of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz if you were watching on a channel that had talking heads interpret/interrupt the action for you (almost any channel other than CSpan).

I am privileged to be Mayor of Miami, a city built on the dreams of so many who have come to America searching for freedom and opportunity. I left Cuba at age six, arriving on my mother's lap. We didn't have a penny to our name, but I grew up to become mayor of one of America's greatest cities and president of the United States Conference of Mayors.

I believe in the American dream because I am a product of it. This is the only country in the world that inspires a dream. We provide refuge to those seeking freedom, hope to those seeking opportunity. Our nation's history is built on the stories of men and women who, from many, have become one. It does not matter what your name is, where you came from or what language your ancestors spoke.

Read the complete speech.

It is absolutely breath-taking how the people who have been running our country the last 8 years have been killing the goose who lays the golden eggs. They have been over-turning the American dream and throwing away the things that the rest of the world admired about us. Since the time of George Washington we had been the ones who did not torture and who gave quarter – did not kill soldiers who surrendered to us. Since the time of Thomas Jefferson we have been the place where the majority did not force their religious views on the minority. Since the time of Madison we have had three branches of government with checks and balances so as not to have too much power in one person's hands, in order to avoid being ruled by a despot like England's King George. Since the time of the Mayflower we have been the ones, in Mayor Diaz's words, providing refuge to those seeking freedom, hope to those seeking opportunity.

I just can't get over that these radicals who are over-turning all these long-standing American principles call themselves "conservatives." What exactly do they think they are conserving?

Wake up, America!

Although Hillary Clinton got the headlines in this morning's paper Rep. Dennis Kucinich gave the most rousing speech at the Democratic Convention last night.

Millions of Americans have lost their jobs; trillions of dollars for an unwarranted war paid for with borrowed money; tens of millions of dollars in cash and weapons disappeared into thin air at the cost of the lives of our troops and innocent Iraqis.
….
The insurance companies took over health care. Wake up, America!
The pharmaceutical companies took over drug prices. Wake up, America!
The speculators took over Wall Street. Wake up, America!
See the video

The media characterize these remarks as attacks on Republicans. But Republicans pay the same inflated prices for drugs and health care as other Americans. Rank-and-file Republicans are hurt as much by these crimes as everyone else. Don't fall for the corporate media framing on these issues. Wake up, America!