--written Teusday evening, August 26th--

The message of hope Obama brings to the millions of Americans who have formed the backbone of his campaign was clear tonight as women and men spoke at the National convention of economic hardships, lack of equal pay for equal work, a yearning for green jobs, quality healthcare and education, and the struggle to fulfill a dream which all referred to as the American Dream.  The emphases on the future triumphing the past was repeated almost as often as the slogan "no more of the same". But I am writing this post not to reiterate all the points that were made today at the convention, but to highlight a few in the context of this generation’s viewpoint.  The future that was spoken of today is our future, and for many of us the past eight years is all we have experienced of the past.  

I'll leave the convention reporting to those enjoying the higher altitude in person this week.  There is something else exciting going on to which I can contribute a little bit.

My little sister is starting college!

Preview of today's Asher Speaks Live online radio show.

subtitled: Bringing a Gun to a Knife Fight

For those that would like to hide my views away from the world this is your opportunity to do so...at least on this website.  But before you send me to the wolves here's a thought or two:

Your particular issues are important, they are held in high regard by most people on this web site including myself.  But if you allow your particular views to soften or deflect punches meant for the other side of the aisle then perhaps you are doing a dis-service to the Democrats as a whole.  

Thousands of us have been pushing for Dems with stronger backbones, louder voices, and the balls to attack corrupt policies and policymakers on every level.  In order to attract that type of candidate we ourselves must become stronger and louder.  We cannot worry about hurting someone's feelings or alienating a certain group, if those groups don't understand the fight we are in then that is their problem, hopefully they'll catch up.

Crossposted from Left Toon Lane, Bilerico Project & My Left Wing


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So, I was thinking about how the Dems-- us; we; We, The People-- have been talking about Bush and McCain and everyone involved in this ridiculous war, this ridiculous administration and I've been thinking that we should change the way we talk about what they've been doing to us as a nation for lo these past eight years. We need to re-characterize their brand of politics. I think you can probably tell what I'm going to say, but let's go into depth why.

Please, enter the sweet, sweet fold with me.

With all the fervor about the Democratic Convention and some of the great speeches we heard, I want to take a moment and write about some of the things that concern me about the future of our country. Obama has impressed me with his rhetoric, his vision of bringing all Americans together to undo the massive damage done during this last decade. Still, progressives face an uphill battle against an establishment that is designed to sustain the status quo.  

Here are the three bare essentials to know who/what John McCain is, in his own damning words:

Kucinich is tearing the podium up right now.

paraprhasing:

Doctors hijacked by the health insurance industry

WAKE UP AMERICA HE SAYS

Do you remember where you were when Barack Obama walked onto the stage to give the Democratic Keynote address?  I do. I was sitting at my sewing machine because I had the convention on as background noise and I just stopped. I looked up and there was this handsome, tall black man on my screen. I hit the remote control to turn the volume up louder.  I knew I wanted to hear what he had to say. I wondered to myself, who is he? How did he get there? But my thoughts were pushed away, because he began to speak. His voice was clear and as he spoke something came over me. That was July 27, 2004 and well life for me and politics has not been the same since.

While squinting a critical eye at the rather cynical choice of Senator Joe Biden as a VP candidate, I read a  a more passionate response by a friend out in the blogosphere... which prompted me to say some hopefully intelligent things on the matter.

[quote] "Damn you, Barack Obama. You had a chance to put at least one of two WOMEN as your running mate. Do you REALLY think you have to toady to the radical conservative Evangelical types that much??  ... Kathleen Sebelius would have made me happier, not to mention the Dream Ticket. Once again, I'll be voting not so much for a candidate but more against the other one" ...

Joe Biden is obviously a "safe" choice... and THAT'S politics. Hillary Clinton has accumulated what I feel is a critical mass of enemies that she'll utterly rally conservative and Rep opposition, the same way that gay rights initiatives were put on the ballot in battleground states to haul the conservative wingnut vote out of the woodworks, and incidentally, while you're here to vote anit-gay hate — be a patriot and vote Republican.

With both parties heading into their national conventions still sparring over energy policy and Americans focused on energy prices as never before, a game-changing shift is occurring in the American political climate.  The time has come for climate and clean energy advocates to adopt a new strategy and policy agenda: one focused on making clean energy cheap and abundant. Next year will see the inauguration of a new president, a new Congress, and a new international agreement on global warming. The moment is far too urgent to fall on our swords for a cap-and-trade agenda developed in an entirely different political environment.  

This is our pivotal moment.

Cross-posted from the Breakthrough Blog and WattHead - Energy News and Commentary...

THE COCKROACHES ARE OUT TO SMEAR BARACK OBAMA. STOP THEM IN THEIR TRACKS!

Stop the SWIFTBOATING COCKROACHES before they get hold of the AMERICAN Psyche... AGAIN!

Go to http://www.truthfightsback.com

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I am growing tired of the television pundits referring to the backbone American families as "working class" rather than "middle class."  I don’t know who came up with these distinctions, but they don’t seem to me to be accurate, and I think they work to divide this country in ways that it is not, economically speaking, divided.

If someone knows a (quote unquote) middle class family who is not working hard, please alert me.  I am not familiar with any such family.  We need to stop quaking to the Karl Rovian splinter politics -- all middle class families are "working class" Americans because ALL of them work for their incomes.  It is time to remind everyone that the divide is not between some illusory group of "working class" Americans and "middle class" Americans, but, instead, between those whose incomes are derived from work and those whose incomes are derived from wealth.  Period.

Cross-posted on Docudharma

People I debate about politics all the time ask me how I think that John McCain can win this year's presidential election.  It's simple, dazzle them with bulls**t.

A bunch of anti-Obama Republicans just zoomed down the street in front of The Big Tent at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. All four of them. Riding in their gas-guzzling Hummer, screaming unmentionables at the top of their lungs. I have o problem with protesters - it is all in the spirit of Freedom and Human Rights, although the concept of according freedom to all humans is becoming a strange thing to the typical right-winger these days.

More below

As promised, a brief treatise on using ethanol as an alternative energy source.

Quick note: I am not referencing sources, here; this is not an academic paper, I am just breaking down how ethanol works and the problems associated with it. I encourage you to do your own research into the matter.

Arriving in Denver on Saturday, I took in some of the downtown sights and got a lay of the land.  During the next few days I will share some of my experiences and video interviews with notables.  As I diaried before, I have a set of questions that I will be asking to those who will allow me the time.

As well, I will share photos from various events and scenes from the convention.