Newt's Back

And he is indeed running for President according to Reuters and all the other major news sites. A good thing? He was always open to technology and is today. He certainly seems to be devoted to his third wife Callista. But. But. This was the guy who said in the 1990's a major problem with the Republican party was that it didn't encourage people to be nasty. Huh? They surely seemed to learn from him since arguably the Tea Party is the result of this rabble rousing and other rabble rousing by other "loyal opposition" figures in the 1990s. Then there was the brouhaha where he promoted GOPAC, but on the floor of the House of Representatives. Not during a speech or a fundraiser which would be totally acceptable but ON THE HOUSE FLOOR. The Multinational Monitor discusses it here. The House ethics committee, chaired by a Republican at the time went on to denounce him for doing this per this December 7th 1995 article from Philly.com.

Here's the secret. I was the person who tipped off Rep Bonior and prompted him to file an ethics charge against Gingrich on 3/7/1995. Yep, yours truly. Something had fallen into my hands called the Newt Gingrich Crestothomy. It was a ream of documents photocopied from various places and one was the Congressional Record. He did indeed on at least one occasion promote GOPAC on the House floor and the tapes from his course Renewing American Civilization. I was angry at the outcome of the 1994 elections and angry this man was Speaker. And I wanted to do something about it so I did. In the end it was one of the swords that forced the bull out of the Speaker's ring. It wasn't the fatal blow but it was one that weakened him. And though he probably figures that people have forgotten it by now and that it was only a technicality in the first place one must wonder if he'd take to fundraising in the White House. Yes, big donors have slept in the Lincoln Bedroom but would Newt take to doing videos of courses for his resuscitated college course? Or do other things? The mind boggles and understandably, my mind is one of those that boggles.

Officially Sick of Sarah Palin

And sick of the mainstream media coverage of her but thank gawd for the women of The View. I wanna be Babawa Wawa when I grow up.

I sincerely believe this is required viewing for everyone, women, kids and the men who love them.

Intellectual Dishonesty

Though I'm adamant on this blog being about ideas and style and not me personally, from time to time I will refer to my parents in this blog because they have shaped alot of my ideas. They were older, grew up in the 1930s and both served our country in World War II, Dad then married to his first wife enlisted and fortunately for my half brother and sister who were small at the time was sent to a battleship in the south Pacific, far away from active conflict. Mom had yet to meet my Dad and was one of the many single women who came from all over the country to work for the government when the war broke out. She was an editor at the State Department and when the time came for restabilization efforts in Manila and Okinawa and people were needed to go over there, she went. They loved this country and unfortunately both are gone now, but as a testament to how much they loved America, both are buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

We frequently had dinner table conversations about politics, especially in that intense period around 1971 and 1972 where my Dad would complain of President Nixon's habit of "wanting to make one thing perfectly clear" or saying something was "crystal clear". How could he talk like that when he covered up *something* in Watergate, when he may well have erased tape? He would always then go on to say he was intellectually dishonest.

I wonder what my Dad would say today to a Republican party whose candidates for President and Vice President make Nixon look like a completely transparent, open guy. Much has been said about Sarah Palin these past few days but what makes me the angriest is not the family issues but the intellectual dishonesty.

In her acceptance speech last night she spoke of being a maverick, of saying thanks but no thanks to the Gravina Island Bridge, also known as the Bridge to Nowhere. She spoke of refusing to take congressional monies for many things. But what's this? And what would be done, could be done with $91 million dollars. Probably a LOT for teenage mothers.

Even The Heritage Foundation has spoken out against this project. The same group that on its homepage touts Sarah Palin's proposals and grasp of energy issues.

This is intellectual dishonesty at its best, never mind the many MANY other reasons these people do not and MUST not represent our country or be given responsibility of any kind. When I contrast this dishonesty, and her acceptance speech last night with Senator Biden's acceptance speech at last week's DNC, I am as proud to be a Democrat as I have ever been.

Family Values Part 2

The Obama/Biden campaign is declaring children off limits and I agree they should be. My kids aren't teenagers yet but I've seen plenty of my friends struggle with raising them. It's not easy, some never outgrow being teenagers and some do, but have to learn the hard way...alot, before finally becoming adults.

That said, I feel my post about Palin leaving Trig, her 3 day old baby with Downs syndrome to return to work speaks of HER, not of her child. As one of my friends put it over the weekend, a woman isn't even fully recovered from childbirth 3 days after, it takes weeks, not days. And that's assuming the baby does not have health issues. What does this say about Palin's willingness to bond with her new baby? Isn't a primary family value taking time TO bond with a new baby? Most reasonable people would think so. Some of course can't afford to stay home with our new babies for very long and have to return to work, or else. But from all indications, Palin did not have to return to work 3 days after Trig was born.

Most of us regardless of our political beliefs would argue Hillary Clinton is a very very ambitious woman. Those on the other side have done it blatently and brought her daughter into their arguments. But I could never, ever see Hillary leaving a 3 day old baby to go back to work. If anyone feels otherwise, I say look at Chelsea Clinton, Oxford educated, by all appearances a great daughter, and a successful human being.

I think this is the real issue, you just can't say you're for family values if you willingly abandon a baby 3 days after its birth to rush back to work.