An outsider's view of the Maine state republican convention.

Hi everybody. As some of you know, my family and I live here in Augusta Maine (though for work and school reasons we're considering a move to nearby Winthrop this summer). Our city has the "honor" of hosting this year's state conventions for both parties, as we usually do.

Of course, we wouldn't even consider going into that gathering of loons and idiots. The one thing, however, that my wife, son and I all noticed was the dearth of campaign signs supporting romney and the plethora of paul signs. I saw that the paulistas basically took over the offices of the convention officers, partly aided by some supporters of little ricky santorum. The interesting thing is that, according to a post on the Portland paper's on line article, many of little ricky's supporters WERE going to support bain romney's delegates until a really stupid and venomous message from the state chairman attacking paul and his supporters. Apparently, the santorum supporters saw their votes for the paul people were the biggest way to thumb their nose at the party chair.

IF this is true, than charlie webster, the republican chairman who put the fix in at the statewide caucuses to insure a romney "win", may have just cost romney a majority of the Tampa delegates with his big mouth.

It seems that this convention is, to borrow the title from one of my least favorite books ever, truly a confederacy of dunces.

I love to see republican division. As much as I see paul and his supporters as a bunch of asses, I wish them much success in their efforts to piss in the republican soup as much as possible this summer. Given the state of the republican party in 2012, it's not only very entertaining, but it just might improve the quality of the soup!

There's my 2 cents, and quite possibly overpriced at that!

PEACE!

An early parallel between republicanland 2012 and 2008. It is NOT flattering to bain romney!

As we all know, in 2008, john mcsame wanted his old pal joe lieberman to be his running mate. When he was told in NO uncertain terms that lieberman was unacceptable to the far right of his party, he showed his total lack of conviction, courage and leadership and submitted to the pressure from his campaign manager and made the disastrous choice of sarah palin(comparison) as his running mate.

So, instead of standing up to the religious right zealots and showing the leadership that we SHOULD expect from a president, he folded like a poker player with a 7 high hand who is looking at 3 aces from a competitor.

Fast forward to this year and bain romney's handling of the grenell situation. Now, I'm sure that most of us agree that grenell is an ass. His Twitter account is chock full of idiotic and misogynistic rants and he was one of the architects and apologists of the horrendous foreign policy of the most inept and incompetent mis-administration in history.

That's ok with the faction of the republican party that has evolved (oops, I mean "intelligently designed&quot into the teabagger movement. grenell is unacceptable because he's a "hummasechel". bain romney and his handlers caved to the baggers. I don't give a rat's ass that romney said that he wanted grennel to stay on the job. You don't want someone to stay if you've told him NOT TO SPEAK in a conference call. You sure as hell don't do it if that conference call is in this individual's area of alleged expertise.

Both men had the opportunity to stand up to the extremists in his party. Both men had the opportunity to show the American Public what a PRESIDENT looks like and how they would lead. Neither man would EVER have gotten my vote, but both men had the opportunity to earn at least some level of my respect. Both men showed that they were essentially cowards. Both men showed that they not only didn't have the courage of their convictions, but that they (especially romney) had no convictions in the first place.

At least mcsame didn't speak out of both sides of his mouth. Even after palin(comparison) turned out to be such an awful selection, he still continued to speak highly of her and show her respect. At least he did in public. I'm stunned to find myself saying that john mcsame showed more leadership in his situation than bain romney has in his.

bain romney 's handlers told grennel that his sexual orientation was a non-issue. They then cow-towed to the rightist fundies. They didn't confront the homophobes, they were attempting to let it "blow over". They were too stupid to realize that to their fundie/bagger base, homosexuality NEVER "blows over".

The romney campaign, continuing their lack of awareness that in the 24 hour news cycle and the availability of speeches and appearances through the "tubes" of the internet, fails to realize that every thing is out there and preserved for all to see. They've further pissed off the LGBT community by their surrender to the religious right bigots and their shabby treatment of "the gay guy". Their statements that grennel's sexuality is a non-issue and then romney's statement that he wanted him to stay on the job only make the bagger base distrust him further. Talking out of both sides of your mouth when you have a tin ear rarely works out well.

The parallel is, to me, very clear. Two nominees for the republican party have shown that they are afraid of the bigoted and deliberately misinformed loud mouths of their party. The party that loves to act as though America is never safe unless one of theirs is in power, puts forth"leaders" who can't stand up to bullies. We are expected to believe that the people who won't protect their own staff will defend a nation of some 360 million people. Obviously they can't correct 2008, but it amazes me that they are so ready to name as their "standard bearer", someone who has no "standards" at all and can't "bear" 3 pizzas all the way into a fire house. This is what has become of the party of presidents like Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt and Ike. The party of the likes of Everett Dirkson and Margaret Chase Smith and Henry Cabot Lodge.

One primary word comes to mind when I think of this.

Shit!

This party deserves to be soundly repudiated from president to dog catcher this fall.

That's my 2 cents, and quite possibly overpriced at that!

PEACE!

Please keep this WONDERFUL thread K&R'd!

My 12 year old son just made me very proud...AGAIN!

First and foremost, you MUST watch this video. Please K&R it. I'd give it 1000 Rs if I could!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002616568

My so watched it with me. We were both very touched. He asked me if gay people really couldn't get married. I said that they couldn't (yet) up here in Maine. He was shocked and loudly said "WHAT?".

He then started to say that this was just the same as the way blacks were treated before civil rights and women before the right to vote. He said that it was just plain WRONG and that gays should have every right that straight people have. He asked what my wife and I would do if HE were gay and wanted to get married. I explained to him that up here in Maine we'll be voting for marriage equality this November.

Now our entire family will be working to re-elect President Obama this November, but my son said that he also wanted to work for marriage equality.

What a great kid!

PEACE!

I saw a great MLK quote for the first time yesterday, and...

...it describes my opinion of campaign 2012 perfectly.

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends"

A few days ago, I posted an admittedly long, but I thought pretty good thread about the need for this campaign to be PERSONAL. The thread sort of laid there like a fresh turd in the junior prom punchbowl, but here is the gist of it.

In 2012 republican land, the teabagger movement and the right wing hate radio talking heads who are the actual leaders of the party have declared war on women, denigrated an innocent young man to protect a murdering and cowardly Rambo wanna be, have been vociferous about their hatred of the LGBT community, minorities, immigrants, the unemployed and just about anyone else who isn't in the 1%. They have promulgated and advocated positions and beliefs that were archaic and outdated in the 50s as they've campaigned non-stop, as we've recently learned, since the day of President Obama's inauguration, to sabotage anything that will put this country back on the right track.

If you aren't in one of the groups that they've targeted, you probably have friends or family who are. Quite possibly, you love someone who is. Maybe you're just a decent and moral person who believes that for the idea of America to be real there has to be justice for everyone.

We can't be silent for our friends.

One of the far Rights favorite current circle jerks is for them to trumpet that they are "proud conservatives" as they pound their chests like second rate Tarzans.

These are the children and grandchildren of the 1940 rightists who were angry at Charlie Chaplin for "The Great Dictator" because he was too hard on freaking HITLER! These are the "drill baby drill" loons who made the mcsame/palin(comparison) rallies of 2008 such a disgrace. These are the people who supported george w moron's "free speech zones" while they thought it was perfectly OK for THEM to bring rifles to Presidential town halls. They had temper tantrums over President Obama wearing a sweater in the Oval Office on weekends while george w moron worked his solid 30 hours a week. They blindly supported a president whose own handlers' best story was that he was too stupid to chew a pretzel but were angry at President Obama for having mustard on a burger.

They blindly supported the administration of the worst president in American history as the country was going up the well known creek without a toothpick, let alone a paddle.

They're proud?

I've said before, as many here have also, and I'll say again, as many here will also, that WE have to be the media. I'll add to that, once again, that THIS campaign is personal for anyone who has been the target of the hatred of the teabagger movement, the right wing talking heads or bain romney and the other weakling republicans who have allowed their party to be dominated by them. It's also personal for anyone who loves and cares for someone who has been targeted.

We CANNOT give our friends reason to remember our silence.

My 2 cents, and quite possibly overpriced at that!

PEACE!

bain romney wants "Etch-A-Sketch" to start tonight, but campaign 2012 is PERSONAL!

So now bain romney, the least interesting man in the world as so well described by Bill Maher, wants to wave his magical gold and platinum diamond encrusted wand and have all of America forget the extreme rightist tirade of the last few months as he pursues his self perceived waltz to electoral glory in November.

Sorry, mittens.

You've gotten into bed with an entire legion of devils and demons with a malignant cynicism that only belies the deeply ingrained air of smarm that permeates your entire persona.

My wife's best friend is a lesbian. She has been in a loving relationship with her life partner for the last 13 years. When we were homeless three years ago, it was these 2 women who invited us to share their home. It wasn't our pastor, who presided, at the time, over at least 5 EMPTY rectories.

In republican land, YOUR allies in right wing hate radio and the teabagger movement consider our very good friends to be less than human. I take that VERY personally.

rush limbooger called Sandra Fluke a slut and a prostitute and demanded to see videos of her having sex for having the temerity to want to testify about her's and other women's health on an equal footing with a group of old out of touch and quite possibly incontinent windbag clergyMEN. You expected to get away with merely saying that you wouldn't have used limbooger's words. My wife is a beautiful, accomplished, intelligent and very competent woman who wants to have a say in her own health care and have the right to make decisions about her own body.

In republican land, YOUR allies in right wing hate radio and the teabagger movement consider her to be a prostitute. I take that VERY personally.

In Florida, an African American young man armed with iced tea and Skittles was killed by an armed racist Rambo wannabe who had been told by a 911 operator to NOT follow him. In the aftermath of this obscene murder, the far right that YOU have embraced has done all that it can to denigrate this young man. YOUR response was to issue a vacuous and tepid statement of the obvious calling travesty this a tragedy. Big whoop. My son is a gentle, funny, intelligent, kind hearted, generous and charitable 12 year old African American young man.

In republican land, YOUR allies in right wing hate radio and the teabagger movement have done all they can to nail a target sign to my son's back. I take that VERY personally.

From June of 2011 until last week, I went through a 10 month NIGHTMARE of unemployment. We are always told that when unemployed, you have to work full time on finding a job. Well, I worked overtime! I had so damn many interviews for which I had such high hopes and gotten nothing. I saw such cynicism in interviewers and such brazen and blatant age discrimination that there were times I was in such fits of depression and despair that I may just have given up but for the unconditional love and support of my family (and no small amount of kindness expressed by many in this community). I couldn't give up. I have a family. I HAD NO CHOICE but to keep going forward and I finally got a well paying job doing something I'll love doing. My new job is to help people find jobs.

In republican land, YOUR allies in right wing hate radio and the teabagger movement say that people like me are freeloaders just vacationing on the public's dime with no counter statement from you. I take that VERY personally.

In this election, the republican party is dominated by the exact people who have declared war on gays, women, minorities, the unemployed, immigrants and anyone who isn't among the 1%. These are the same people who have been making up reasons to have temper tantrums since President Obama took office. These are the people who claimed that President Obama wasn't really the president since john roberts frigged up on the oath. These are the people who had fits over President Obama having MUSTARD on a burger and wearing a sweater in the oval office on the weekend.

Surely, we who are either one of the types of people who romney and his allies in right wing hate radio and the teabagger movement have declared war on, can find reasons to take this campaign VERY personally. If you aren't in one of those groups but love someone who is, you can find a reason to take this campaign VERY personally. If you are just a plain old decent and moral person, you can find a reason to take this campaign VERY personally.

Mister romney, I also want this to be an "Etch-A-Sketch" campaign. In November, I want to take an Etch-A-Sketch to the republican 2012 campaign, turn it over, and erase any memory of the thought that YOU were EVER this near to even being considered as a possible president.

The way to do that is to give the republican party, your allies in hate radio and the teabagger movement and YOU personally, a resounding repudiation at the polls. I promise to do all that I can to accomplish exactly that.

That's my very long 2 cents, and quite possibly overpriced at that!

PEACE!

Before the "poll panic" sets in, might we have a word?

Please do not misinterpret the meaning of the next few paragraphs. While I firmly believe that President Obama is going to improve upon both his popular and electoral vote margins of 2008, I also know that the worst thing that can happen in a campaign is complacency. For proof of this, just ask "President Dewey".

Many recent polls have shown bain romney gaining on President Obama, even if we discount the faux "news" poll that must have been conducted in RNC headquarters. I know that as sure as I have grey hair and an ass that's WAY too big, many DUers will use this as an opportunity to go into quick panic mode and follow up with predictions that the sky is falling and of our impending doom.

First however, let's have a brief history lesson of polling in every non-stolen election since 1972, when I was 17 on election day and had busted the aforementioned way too big ass trying to get George McGovern elected president of the United States. If I am a point or 2 off, or mention the wrong month, it is a small fault of memory, not any attempt to make up history to prove a false point. I'll leave that to the republicans.

In April of 1972, I saw a Harris poll that showed George McGovern within 6 points of richard nixon and closing. In November he lost a 49 state landslide. This is the only election in my memory where the opposing candidate got the bounce from a convention.

In 1976, Jimmy Cater emerged from the Democratic convention with a 33 point lead. Around Labor Day, the lead was 15. Carter won by about 3% and didn't carry one state in the west.

In 1980 polling showed a very close Carter/reagan race just a couple of weeks before the election. reagan won with a 10 point popular vote margin and carried about 45 states. Many Democrats believe that Carter conceded so early (around 8:30PM EDT) so he could get off of the stage before the public realized the size of his defeat. Many Democrats also believe that that early concession also inspired Democratic voters to stay home, costing them the Senate and increasing our losses in the House.

In 1984, Mondale/Ferraro emerged from the convention very close to reagan/bush, even leading by 2 points in one poll (I think Harris). Mondale Ferraro lost in a 49 state landslide.

In 1988, Michael Dukakis led by 17 after the Democratic convention and by 12 when the republican convention opened. He lost by about 8% and bush sr. got 400+ electoral votes after a very dirty bush campaign and a very inept Dukakis campaign.

In 1992, there was early speculation that Bill Clinton would come in 3rd. He won by 5+% and 370 electoral votes.

In 1996, a poll that showed bob dole within 6 points of Bill Clinton had some horse's patoots in the media speculating about a "downward spiral" for Clinton. Clinton improved upon both his 1992 popular and electoral vote margins in a race that was never really in doubt. This is actually the election that I believe 2012 will most resemble.

In 2008, mcsame/palin(comparison) emerged from their convention with a small lead that lasted well into September. President Obama won by about 7% in the popular vote and won 365 electoral votes.

My point in writing this is that polls this early, and maybe well into October, mean NOTHING! Let's bust our humps to get this President re-elected, but let's not get our shorts in a wad.

Can you think of ANY non-combat or life threatened decision or action of yours that was done in a state of panic that was actually a good one?

This was just my 2 cents, and quite possibly overpriced at that!

PEACE!

At long last, my familiy's and my 10 month unemployment nightmare is over!

About 2 hours ago, I was offered, and of course accepted, a job. The pay is <$10 an hour but they're speaking of advanceing me very soon after the 3 month probationary period is over. For 10 months I was earning $0 an hour. I also think that this will be a very good place to work.

All of a sudden, I feel like a huge boulder has been lifted from my shoulders. For the better part of a year I've felt as though I've been walking through an Olympic sized pool filled with Jello.

All of a sudden, the blatent and brazen age discrimination I've been subjected to doesn't bother me nearly as much. The incredible cynicism that I've perceived in so many interviewers doesn't bother me as much.

I am so relieved that I will no longer have to respond to so many of my son's reasonable requests by saying "I don't have a *&*%#^%@* job"!

I will always remember who made the ecomony so horrible that this was possible and I will always be very actively involved to insure that the far right of the republican party never holds that much power in this country again. I want NOBODY to ever have to go through what my family has gone through. Not only was I out of work for the last 10 months, but between my wife and I, there has only been 19 months since March of 2008 when we both had jobs. We were homeless for 8 months in 2009, living in transitional housing with 2 drug dealers and a woman who actually was what rush limbooger thinks any intelligent professional woman is. We were able, thank God, to shield our son from that ugliness, but we will NEVER go through that again.

To all of you who continue to suffer through joblessness, please accept my best wishes and hopes that you get the good news that I just got today.

Finally, thank all of YOU here in the DU community for all of your kind words and support through this horror. We have our arguments, disagreements and downright fights, but bottom line, this is a very caring and positive cyber "family".

What I say to you all is simply

BTW, as of 12:21 PM EST, Many of you have responded with great generosity and many kind words. I'll respond to everyone later this evening after my wife and son are home and I have the huge lump in my throat that you've given me under a bit more control.

PEACE!

For my 6000th post, Please allow me to say that job hunting and unemployment really SUCK!

As many of you know, I, as well as many others here, have been unemployed for 10 months. Many of you were VERY supportive in early February when I posted a thread about a son of a bitch bastard quack "doctor" who screwed me out of a job with his assertion that my back would make it impossible fo me to fulfill my duties in a position where I would have to TALK to people.

In January, I was called back for a 4th interview for what I thought would be a really good job. My wife and I thought that for a 4th interview (that I was told in advance would be a brief 30 to 40 minute chat) they were looking to firm up an offer and a starting date. I was shocked when I saw that the "interview" was clearly an exercise in trying to find excuses to NOT hire me.

I know, by the way, that I am a strong interviewer. My references are all close personal friends that were all supervisors or co-workers at one time or another.

Since early March of this year, I have had 10 interviews for state jobs. I have received the "blow off" letters for 7 of them so far. My scores for state positions is always in the high 90s if not 100+.

I interviewed for a position Friday 3/16. The job description may as well have simply said "JACK". The 3 individuals stated at the end of the interview that they looked forward to bringing me aboard and working with me. On Wednesday 3/21 I received a phone call from the director stating that she had "good news and bad news". Obviously the bad news was that I didn't get the job. The "good" news was that she "invited and encouraged" me to apply for the exact same position at an office that was about another 10-12 miles further away from my home. I applied immediately via e-mail. I called her on 3/29 to see when I may schedule an interview and was denied by the same woman who solicited my application.

This was the most cynical thing I'd seen done in a job hunt since my first official part time job as a dish washer when I was 15 in 1970. I think that I called a bluff and that I was supposed to say that the second opportunity was too far away.

There have also been several other interviews that I thought were good possibilities. Each of them has fallen through

I have seen that there is considerable discrimination being practiced against the long term unemployed. I also believe that, even though I look much younger than I am, the biggest factor is that I'll be 57 in June.

This week I expect to be offered a position that will pay under $10 an hour. Even though I have a Masters Degree and almost 20 years experience in my field, I'll be happy to get it. The agency seems a good one and it certainly has opportunities for advancement.

If one of the higher paying jobs comes through I'll take it. If not, I'm keeping my ass where it lands. I am SO SICK of going on interviews that if I never do another one (after I get a job) it'll be too soon. I really have to fight my feelings of depression and despair. I have to keep trying because I have a family that, as many of you know from my other posts here, I love very much and to whom I am very devoted. For them, I have NO OTHER CHOICE than to keep positive and to never give up. Sooner or later SOMEBODY has to look past the gray hair.

If necessary, I'll be visiting hiring kiosks at Walmart (ugh!), K-Mart, Lowe's, etc,. If I have to, I'll be offering my services for rides, cooking, delivering messages, light hauling or cleaning. Maybe there's a market out there for a pudgy middle aged gray haired male stripper. The only question there is if the ladies would supply their own magnifying glasses to see my naughty bit or if I'd have to throw them in with my fee.

Still in all, I remain hopeful and optimistic. Things will get better sooner or later. On the whole, sooner would be better. I hope that I and all of the DUers out there find something damn soon. I hope that those of you who are working don't have to go through what we're going through now.

Thanks for reading and "listening"

PEACE!

I would like to offer a sincere apology to my LGBT friends.

I am a straight man, married to the woman of my dreams for nearly 14 years. However, I've believed for many years that the promise of America that we were taught in school is only true if it's offered and available to ALL Americans and all people, regardless of ethnic group, nationality, religion or SEXUALORIENTATION.

My wife's best friend has been in a relationship with another woman for almost as long as we have been married. Among the votes we'll be casting this November will be our vote to bring marriage equality to Maine FOR ONCE AND FOR ALL. We have frequently had this same sex couple watch our son and have had no reservations about the wholesomeness of the environment in their home. We say, with nothing but respect and love, that my wife's friend's partner is our son's favorite "uncle". We will happily attend their wedding when we have marriage equality in Maine. Three years ago when our family was homeless, this same sex couple were willing to open their door to our family when our pastor was about as helpful as an anchor is to a drowning man and as useful as a one legged man in an ass kicking contest.

We trust this couple with our son without doubt or reservation. We can't think of a single fundamentalist "christian" that we even want to speak to him.

That all being said, this is the reason for our apology.

For quite awhile my signature lines have always expressed my support for my wife's and my LGBT friends. The Treyvon Martin murder, however, has ignited in me a downright f***ing purple rage!

With no change in the level of respect, support and solidarity that I have for the LGBT community, I have changed my signature line to this...

"George Zimmerman needs to go to jail for a VERY long time."

When there is justice for Treyvon, I will again go back to my old style of sig line.

In the meantime, I feel very confident that the same trolls who would be pissed off at my support for the LGBT community would be equally pissed off at my desire for zimmerman's imprisonment.

At least there is that.

PEACE!