I Hate Fox News!!!

I'm sorry. "Hate" is a very strong word for a so-called "News Network." Let's just say that all though the First Amendment protects a person's right to free speech, it does not allow a person or persons to engage in outright lies and deception. I see this as criminal (for more see "Out Foxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism") while others accept their saying it's "Fair and Balanced."

Withdrawal Means Chaos?

At first I thought "What? Hey, that's been done McCain! Find your own..." But then I got it.

Remember This Guy?

Vice President Al Gore
at TED 2006

This video is post production of An Inconvenient Truth. Pre release and Academy Awards. And pre Nobel Prize. This is the man that could have been our 43rd President. Someone that would have used the office to tackle the problem of global climate change, that would have begun transitioning us away from our "addiction to oil," (Bush, G.W. State of the Union 2007) that could have achieved the same end in Afghanistan (not to mention sustained it) and would never have gotten us into Iraq.

Let us not tarry long in alternative lines of history. Eight years have passed and we have another election quickly approaching.

Yes We Can

I'm loving it.

I'm Prepared To Declare a Winner

I have contacted all the people that live in a Super Tuesday state that are in my cell and have tallied their votes. I am now prepared to declare a winner of the 2008 Republican and Democrat Primaries:

The Democratic delegates from the great state of Missouri have gone to Obama with 100% of the votes. And on the Republican side? Well I didn't talk to any registered Republicans from Missouri. That won't stop me from declaring the state to Republican underdog Gov. Mike Huckabee. (Is that enough of an endorsement Mr. Norris? Will you please stop threatening bodily harm now?)

Now for Oklahoma. Of the respondents that are registered Democrats in this closed election state, only one said he would vote for Hillary Clinton. The others... Who am I kidding? I could only get a hold of one registered Democrat. The other Okies that took my call were Republicans, one Independent and one from a third party I had not heard of called "D.G.A.S." I didn't get enough information about this party, but I gathered the "D" stands for "Don't" and the "G" is for "Give." Beyond that it's any body's guess. On to the Republican side:

Respondents were split in four parts. 20% of the registered Republicans supported each of Romney, McCain and Huckabee. And 40% supported the sentiment that "McCain scares the crap out of me. Obama is probably going to win it and that'd be fine with me." So the only clear winner was McCain being kind of scary.

Do realize that these results are in no way scientific and reflect my opinion more than reality. Also realize that no poll is all that scientific and can be used to twist the truth.

An E-mail to One of Kentucky's SUPER Delegates

I was curious after hearing an NPR report about Super Delegates who these people were in my part of the country, so I looked up the 7 or 8 of them from Kentucky. I wondered how a super delegate might respond to a letter of support as compared to the Legislators I have been gracing with my musings (You can tell a lot about a member of congress by how they respond).

Below, you will find a letter I sent to one of Kentucky's . Below that, you can read her response. After that is my response to hers. Later, I'll publish the bill her firm sends me for the time I've taken from her day.

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Hello Jennifer Moore:

My name is Ben Randell. I'm a Middle School Science teacher at a private Catholic school in Louisville, KY. Knowing that you are a Super Delegate and chair of the Kentucky Democratic Party, I am writing you as a strong supporter of Barack Obama in hopes you will lend him your support.

Let me preface what I have to say about Senator Obama with the fact that this is really the first election in which I have taken a keen interest. In 1996 I was 20 and supported Clinton because come-on Bob Dole? In 2000, I wanted Gore to win because I really didn't like Bush. In 2004 after seeing Gore on Saturday Night Live playing the brother of Willy Wonka, I wished he had ran. I then supported Kerry because I wanted the US out of Iraq and I was pained by the idea of 4 more years with Bush.

I was living in Kansas City and volunteered a few times making calls for the Kerry campaign. I also attended a Kerry/Edwards rally at Union Station in Kansas City. Most of the people I spoke with either supported Bush because they couldn't support Kerry or supported Kerry because they couldn't stand Bush. Neither candidate seemed to have true support from the public at large. It reminded me of a Simpson's episode where the aliens Kang and Kodos take Clinton and Dole hostage, don disguises and take their place in the election. Kang as Bob Dole is asked why people should vote for him over Clinton. He replies, "It makes no difference which one of us you vote for. Either way, your planet is doomed. DOOMED!"

Later at a joint appearance of the candidates, Homer comes in to save the day and removes the disguises and says, "America, take a good look at your beloved candidates. They're nothing but hideous space reptiles." Kang replies to the audience, "It's true, we are aliens. But what are you going to do about it? It's a two-party system; you have to vote for one of us."

You're wondering where I'm going with this. Let me get there.

I will be 32 when I vote in May for the Democratic candidate. This will be my fourth time I've had a chance to vote for President of the United States. If Barack Obama is the candidate with the "D" by his name, it will be the first time I am not reminded of that Simpsons episode. Hillary is obviously garnering lots of support among Democrats, but as an Oklahoma transplant with a large Republican family and a member of the NRA I know that Hillary will have a huge polarizing effect in the general election. We've also seen in past weeks that Bill would be a detriment as the nation's first First Man.

It is my strong conviction that Barack Obama should be our candidate in November. I think he can bring people from across many race, gender, age, sexuality and socio-economic spectra together to support positive changes for the nation. I also believe that he will help shake the apathy that is plaguing young voters and keeping them out of the political system.

I hope that when the time comes for you to commit your delegate vote to either Hillary or Barack, you will consider my thoughts as well as many other like minded young Democrats'.

Sincerely,
--
Ben Randell
President and Founder
Science Vandal Enterprises

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Ben,

Thank you for your email. I appreciate your support of Senator Obama. As Chair of the Party, I am staying neutral at this point given the fact our primary is not until May. I hope you will become active in the Ky Democratic Party. You can learn more about KDP at www.kydemocrat.com

Jennifer A. Moore

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Jennifer:

Thank you for the reply. It answered a number of unasked questions I had of the nature of the Super Delegates. I appreciate your neutrality before the Kentucky primary. A lot of the concerns expressed on Talk of the Nation about the Super Delegate system revolved around the establishment being able to vote without concern for what a majority of the people wanted.

I will look at the KDP website.

Take Care and have a Happy Groundhog Day!!!

Ben

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note: I did not include the Groundhog Day wish in the actual e-mail. I wanted to though. Oh how I wanted to.