Bob McDonnell's Thesis

On Sunday The Washington Post published an article about Virginia GOP gubenatorial candidate Bob McDonnell's 1989 thesis. The thesis, was written to satisfy the JD and public policy course requirements at CBN University (now called Regent University) the school founded by Pat Robertson (yes, THAT Pat Robertson).


The thesis, entitled The Republican Party's Vision for the Family: The Compelling Issue of the Decade, was written by McDonnell when he was a 34 years old married father. In it lays out policy goals to uphold the "traditional" family of a wage earning father and a homemaker mother. He describes working women and feminists as detrimental to the family. He argues that a Supreme Court decision allowing the use of contraceptives by unmarried people is illogical. He contends that sexual behavior can and should be overseen by the State.

Two years after the publication of he thesis, Bob McDonnell was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. The Post article points out that during the following fourteen years, he pursued at least ten of the policy goals outlined in that paper. As recently as 2001, McDonnell voted AGAINST a resolution in support of ending pay disparity between men and women.

When contacted by the Post about the thesis, McDonnell gave the usual "some of my best friends are...." answers. He stated that he employed women in his office while AG and that his wife and daugthers work. Nice to know you allow that Bob.

McDonnell is trying to present himself to Virginia voters as a moderate. A reading of this thesis and a review of his voting record in the General Assembly shows how inaccurate that label is. He is a classic fundamentalist, right wing politician whose main goal is to put his religious beliefs into law.

I encourage all Virginia voters to visit the Washington Post site and read Mr. McDonnell's thesis. Let me know what you think.

The legacy of Ted Kennedy

Ted Kennedy has been called, as was FDR, a "traitor to his class." Born to great wealth and privilege, Kennedy spent his entire adult like working to better the lot of the working class and poor. He voted against tax cuts that would benefit him greatly because he did not want to cut benefits of those less fortunate.

Like his brothers, Jack and Bobby, he championed civil rights in the 1960s. He stood with women to receive educations and salaries equal to men. He sided with LGBT community in many legislative battles. He introduced legislation that made it possible for non-Europeans to enter this country. He fought to protect a woman's right to choose. He was one of only 26 Senators to have the guts to vote against Bush's war in Iraq. He was, in sum, the consummate liberal.

The issue Kennedy seems to be most passionate about was health care for all. He fought for more affordable health care since voting for the Medicare Act in 1964. He thought it was a sin that so many working people in this rich country go without health care because they cannot afford health insurance. The ultimate tribute to Senator Kennedy would be that his passing takes the media attention off canards such as "death panels" and puts the focus on what is actually in the bill. Hopefully this will convince those who have been misinformed and those in power that reform must be enacted.

Of course, there are negatives to the Ted Kennedy legacy. However, there will plenty of time for those to be examined in the months and years to follow. For now, let's look at the good this great legislator did.

Excellent Frank Rich article for today's NYT

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/opinion/23rich.html

The REAL problem with the Obama as Hitler analogy

What really bothers me about the Obama as Hitler analogy, aside from the obvious, is the laziness of it. The whole __________ is worse than Hitler is SO cliche. Come on wackjobs, you can do better!

How about Obama as Clement Attlee, the British Prime Minister when the NHS was established. And get this, he had a funny mustache! That's right, the townhell shouters would still get to put stickers on Obama's upper lip.

Or they could choose Gough Whitlam, the PM who brought UHC to Australia. But wait, I just checked out his Wiki page and The Right Honorable Mr. Whitlam had no facial hair. Next!

If they simply must stay with the German theme, may I suggest Otto von Bismarck who instituted the Health Insurance Act of 1883 that evolved into the German UHC of today. And yes he had a mustache and... bushy sideburns! Better print more stickers.

Conservative hypocrisy in re: Huckabee and The Dixie Chicks

Remember when Natalie Maines of The Dixie Chicks was pilloried by the conservative media when she said, while in England, she were ashamed George W. Bush was from Texas? They screamed how dare she criticize a US President on foreign soil! They wailed that we were at war so such behavior boarded on treason. Odd that this past week that same gaggle of talking heads has been silent while GOP presidential nominee Mike Huckabee, while in Israel, slammed President Obama's policies in that region. Is not Israel foreign soil? Are we not still at war?

I recall that some reactionaries burned Dixie Chick CDs after being fired up by Rush, Hannity, et al. Maybe we on the left should do the same to Huckabee's audio book. Wait, did anybody buy that thing? If you did, please send me it to me and we'll have a little bonfire in my backyard while Toby Keith plays in the background.

First Post

Welcome to Miss Susan's Soapbox, a blog that minimizes even further the chance I will ever have in person contact again.

In this blog I will be positing my opinions on various issues. My friends know where this is going...

I invite everyone to leave comments. Debate me, get snarky with me, but just please oh please, don't ignore me!!! By the way, if you don't know already, I'm a little sarcastic.