It takes a Democrat:
Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our Nation — not because of the height of our skyscrapers, or the power of our military, or the size of our economy. Our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over two hundred years ago:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
That is the true genius of America, a faith in simple dreams, an insistence on small miracles; that we can tuck in our children at night and know that they are fed and clothed and safe from harm; that we can say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door; that we can have an idea and start our own business without paying a bribe; that we can participate in the political process without fear of retribution, and that our votes will be counted -- at least most of the time.
I wish we could be sitting around a kitchen table, just us, talking about our hopes and fears, about our children's futures. For [us], family has been the center of our lives. But we also know that our family, like your family, is part of a larger community that can help or hurt our best efforts to raise our child.
Right now, in our biggest cities and our smallest towns, there are boys and girls being tucked gently into bed, and there are boys and girls who have no one to call mom or dad, and no place to call home.
Right now there are mothers and fathers just finishing a long day's work. And there are mothers and fathers just going to work, some to their second or third jobs of the day.
We can also do something about 35 million Americans who live in poverty every day. And here's why we shouldn't just talk about, but do something about the millions of Americans who live in poverty: because it is wrong. And we have a moral responsibility to lift those families up.
This is the America we believe in.
[W]e shouldn't have two different economies in America: one for people who are set for life, they know their kids and their grand-kids are going to be just fine; and then one for most Americans, people who live paycheck to paycheck. You don't need me to explain this to you do you?
You know exactly what I'm talking about. Can't save any money, can you? Takes every dime you make just to pay your bills.
And you know what happens if something goes wrong, if you have a child that gets sick, a financial problem, a layoff in the family -- you go right off the cliff. And when that happens, what's the first thing that goes? Your dreams.
[I]t’s not enough for just some of us to prosper -- for alongside our famous individualism, there’s another ingredient in the American saga, a belief that we’re all connected as one people. If there is a child...who can’t read, that matters to me, even if it’s not my child. If there is a senior citizen somewhere who can’t pay for their prescription drugs, and having to choose between medicine and the rent, that makes my life poorer, even if it’s not my grandparent. If there’s an Arab American family being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process, that threatens my civil liberties.
It is that fundamental belief: I am my brother’s keeper. I am my sister’s keeper that makes this country work. It’s what allows us to pursue our individual dreams and yet still come together as one American family.
We must build one America. We must be one America, strong and united for another very important reason: because we are at war.
None of us will ever forget where we were on September the 11th. We all share the same terrible images, the towers falling in New York, the Pentagon in flames, a smoldering field in Pennsylvania. We share a profound sadness for the nearly 3,000 lives that were lost.
When we send our young men and women into harm’s way, we have a solemn obligation not to fudge the numbers or shade the truth about why they’re going, to care for their families while they’re gone, to tend to the soldiers upon their return....The human cost and the extraordinary heroism of this war, it surrounds us. It surrounds us in our cities and our towns. Some of our friends and neighbors, they saw their last images in Baghdad. Some took their last steps outside of Fallujah. Some buttoned their uniform for the last time before they went out and saved their unit.
Men and women who used to take care of themselves, they now count on others to see them through the day. They need their mother to tie their shoe, their husband to brush their hair, their wife's arm to help them across the room.
And they deserve a president who understands that on the most personal level what they've gone through, what they've given and what they've given up for their country. To us, the real test of patriotism is how we treat the men and women who have put their lives on the line to protect our values.
We're going to cut government contractors and wasteful spending. We can move this country forward without passing the burden to our children and our grandchildren.
And together, we will ensure that the image of America -- the image all of us love -- America, this great shining light, this beacon of freedom, democracy and human rights that the world looks up to, is always lit.
And the truth is that every child, every family in America will be safer and more secure if they grow up in a world where America is once again looked up to and respected. That is the world we can create together.
In the end, that is God’s greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation. A belief in things not seen. A belief that there are better days ahead.
I believe that we can give our middle class relief and provide working families with a road to opportunity.
I believe we can provide jobs to the jobless, homes to the homeless, and reclaim young people in cities across America from violence and despair.
I believe that we have a righteous wind at our backs and that as we stand on the crossroads of history, we can make the right choices, and meet the challenges that face us.
This year, in this election we are called to reaffirm our values and our commitments, to hold them against a hard reality and see how we're measuring up to the legacy of our forbearers and the promise of future generations.
It takes a president who believes not only in the potential of his own child, but of all children - who believes not only in the strength of his own family, but of the American family, who believes not only in the promise of each of us as individuals, but in our promise together as a nation. It takes a president who not only holds these beliefs but acts on them.
It takes a Democrat.
All segments of the above taken from excerpts of the Democratic National Convention speeches given by Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Barack Obama. See if you can figure out where one starts and the other ends.
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zed!
Hi Christy. This looks like a fun quiz.
Hi Christy
Sitting around the kitchen table is Hillary.
Evening folks. Thought it was about time we took another peek at the ties that bind…
Hi Redd
I am just recovering from reading the headline at Huffpro
“Bush claims election about peace and prosperity”
Yep right as rain. It’s about getting rid of the war and income drought he engineered. Should we let him pick his succesor?
Evening Christy - Hope we are all safe, warm and fed tonight.
Things I just learned from Bobo on the News Hour:
1. McCain and Giuliani are “progressive conservatives”.
2. Barack Obama is the most liberal member of the Senate.
3. John McCain is tougher on torture than anybody.
Thank, you, PBS.
Dang. Any of them could have made these comments. They certainly have more in common than anything that separates them.
Christy, what an inspired post. Thank you.
it really does take a democrat
I would really like the democrats to start returning the attacks the republicans are already leveling
for mitt to have the NERVE to say americans are safer under a republican is a slap in the face of reality and I WISH a democrat came RIGHT back at that maggot with;
“how obsurd to insinutate this administration or republicans can POSSIBLY protect this nation better then a democrat, as we have seen fror the last seven years
if there is an american that wants their country protected, they had BETTER be voting for a democrat because EVERY democrat will protect this country FAR better then any republican”
and they can have the FACTS to follow, things like our armed forces UNprepared and people REFUSING to serve
the democrats better start playing the game the way it’s played if they want to win against mccain
http://www.palestinechronicle......181315.htm
To me, it all sounds like John Edwards.
Edwards
Clinton
Obama
Wow, just wow, thanks Christy. How fortunate are we that these three individuals represent our party.
You know, Christy -there are days when putting my head in the oven seems a pretty good option. Reading about possible military take-overs in the name of security, listening to Mitt Romney blathering about how voting for a Democratic president is tantemount to promoting terrorism…sometimes it just makes me want to run away. Honestly. But, the oven is electric, not gas, so the worst I could to do myself is ruin my hair. And I’ve got three adult-age kids. And I remember that it took Cheney and Rumsfeld et al. 25 years from Nixon’s goodbye wave to spring the trap…it’s going to take a good long while and a whole lot of work and sweat and hearburn to turn this baby around.
Edwards - 2 Americas
Clinton - 9-11, grown-ups managing defense and economy
Obama - God and Hope
Christy,
You are an idealist.
What is realistic going forward?
This is an excellent post, Redd! I’m a tad disappointed with the invective being displayed on the Shuster thread…
Can I come hang out in this thread for awhile?
lol
sounds like Obama to me.
interesting!?!
Everyone is really edgy of late. Hence the bit of a breather and a reminder of what’s important…and at stake.
Here’s hoping everyone takes a nice deep breath. Because this is going to be a long, long road toward November.
OK, let me just say hello and then I’m going to go up and study this thing.
Good one Christy, hey Dawgs.
I want to repost something I posted downstairs because it is very important;
holy crow, I have to post a snippet from the link
how long have I been telling everyone they aren’t going to allow Hillary or Obama to be the next president?
that they haven’t been amassing all this power to give it away?
martial law…it’s getting closer
prepare yourself
now check out my bold;
prepare
the tubes will go down, there will be
brown shirtsblackwater, there will be corporatists, they will shoot you if you look different then they doAbsolutely. And tell everyone downstairs to knock it off and come up here and remember why they wanted to be Democrats in the first place.
Be the change you want to see…instead of just a butthead. *g* That’s gonna have to be my new comments motto if people keep this up…
AWESOME Christy.
just wow.
And, past November too, Christy. Because what the new president “inherits” in January, 2009 is going to be such an unholy mess that one term is not going to do it. Two terms is not going to do it. Choosing which mess to clean up first is going to be key.
True, Toby — but let me make it to November first. Then we’ll talk…
Hey ART — it’s going to be ugly, painful and nasty from now until November. Unless we all start standing up and saying “enough.”
Krugman adding his voice to those who think that the odds of a recession are high and that it might last longer than some of the previous ones. Hope he’s wrong- but he advocates a huge investment in infrastructure repair and improvement as the best antidote. Sounds reasonable.
OK
Obama
Edwards
Clinton
The differences were pretty obvious to me. (Gawd, I hope I’m right)
What page has the answers?
Ya know…I used to really like pie.
I don’t have a favorite between Obama and Hillary- so it’s hard to understand the depth of feeling for one or the other. They both seem like typical dem politicians- better than a gooper- nothin to fall in love with.
And I purposely tried to take out the identifiers and pull sections out of each speech that melded together well. But do read all three individual speeches linked at the bottom there — sometimes, we all need to take a step back and contemplate the big picture of where we want to go and who we want to be.
Because, frankly, reality has been sucking lately…and I needed a break from it.
Pie? Did someone say pie. Huckleberry Pie with Ice Cream? I’ll bid five bucks!
The operative word there being “politician,” rw. Never fall in love with one — just hope the one you support sells you out more slowly than the other guy will. *g*
This does not bode well…
Redd
One advantage of bein 62 years old is that you’ve been let down by enough politicians that you don’t fall in love with em any more.
While in Hawaii last week I saw a teeshirt that expresses my attitude:
“You’ll do”.
Excellent, Christy.
The common good, and brotherhood from sea to shining sea.
What a refreshing point of view we all should strive for all the time instead of giving in to our inner “but”-heads…
Yes we can be better than we have been, so that we can in turn demand more and better from our Democrats and the rest of the country.
Aww, you were over here? Which Isle?
Simply, thank you.
I have not wanted to be part of FDL much lately.
Christy when I read your piece, I thought it was your words and tears welled up in my eyes and I thought “you the man”. It was a little disorienting to read that it was the big 3’s words, but then I felt even better that our candidates have voiced our values. Of course, it was your choices that put it all together into one uplifting piece. Thanks Christy. As you remind us daily it is up to us to remind our leaders of what makes us democrats. We care about more than just ourselves, and know in our hearts that we’re only as strong as our weakest links.
Much of the bullshit that Clusterfuck institutionalized during his misbegotten reign will be wiped out in an instant by the new prez. I’m not too concerned about his fuckin executive orders- his cabinet members decisions, or anything else that can and will be brushed out with the old straw and manure.
Tuttle
Oahu- hadn’t been there for a while. Won’t go back anytime soon. I prefer the big Island- especially the Hilo area.
Next time you’re here give me a holler… I live in Hilo…! *g*
we are in tons of trouble, tons…something’s going to happen, these masogynists and bigots aren’t giving these reigns of surpeme power to a women or a black man, nor any democrat
I really really hope I am wrong but it’s just hard to believe they are just doing this for the next guy
to wit, david kurtz
prepare
It’s going to be a long and ugly slog toward November. The GOP hasn’t even dipped a toe into the muck yet. Hang in there…
Tuttle
Will do
Magical place- and REALLY great people. Got a little involved with some of the artists at the cooperative gallery last time I was there. Fun folks- and met an artist that lives just out of town who is doing some really nice work- saw his foundry and studios.
I love the place.
Take a deep breath. Please. I have had as much paranoia and anger today as I can take.
No one is coming for anyone this evening…and, frankly, we all need a break. So deep breaths everyone.
One of the things that I really resent about the past 25 years, especially the last eight, is that the Republicans have bludgeoned into the national consciousness that it’s imperative for people to fear and hate one another, that we don’t have common goals simply because we are all Americans.
His COG memos are spooky and even allow economic woes to institute COG action, read martial law…
If they really ARE coming for us this evening- then we should make some Margaritas and enjoy our last few hours of freedom!!
Hillary ends:
“But we also know that our family, like your family, is part of a larger community that can help or hurt our best efforts to raise our child.”
Edwards begins:
“Right now, in our biggest cities and our smallest towns”
Obama begins:
“I believe that we have a righteous wind at our backs and that as we stand on the crossroads of history, we can make the right choices, and meet the challenges that face us.”
Wild guess, they all sound the same.
Obama:
Cheers! 8-)
ok, taking deep breaths
anyway, bush might have just sunk mccain (crosses fingers)
even bush says a mccain presidency is another term for bush
I know but when this becomes a partisan blog, I thought I’d stay away for a while.
My dog is unconcerned about who the next prez will be- but I think she’s happy to be rid of the last one- and she wasn’t keen on Romney after hearing about the dog on the roof story.
A line of yours evoked my memory of Rockwell’s Freedom From Fear…
http://www.artchive.com/viewer/z.html
I got the pie if you have the Margaritas.
and togas
me misses teh toga thing
Maybe try this and enlarge the pic.
http://www.artchive.com/artchi.....r.jpg.html
That goes for me too
I haven’t read any of the Schuster thread and only a cursory lurk through the “claws” thread
We made a decision on our little site (couple hundred readers - although from the URL’s, some influential ones) that we wouldn’t get involved in the Presidentials because all that would do is divide members of our group and concentrate on our local races like CD-4 Charlie Brown, CD-3 Dr. Bill Durston, AD-10 Alyson Huber, etc.
RGB
I’ve ALWAYS got the Margaritas.
I’ve got some peach cobbler to contribute.
Heh, Toga, Toga… ;-)
Schuster thread seemed innocuous enough at the BEGINNING- hard to see where a thing is goin ta lead I guess.
Rockwell’s Freedom of Speech…(enlarge)
http://www.artchive.com/artchi.....h.jpg.html
Peach Cobbler Marguaritas???
Anyone?
and msuhrooms, and badgers, and snakes
I’m really in the mood for fresh Huckleberry Pie and Ice Cream- and it’s not Huckleberry season anywhere that I know of..Really pisses me off!!
No Huckleberryies.
I blame Hillary Clinton!!
RBG … okay, I’m gonna say this one last time …
10 deep breaths while imagining the toxins(including toxic thoughts) leaving your body …
… then …
10 deep breaths while imagining pure energy filling your body and overflowing endlessly into existence …
If that doesn’t work … then make the Margaritas … *g*
Best I can do for you is the blueberries I froze last summer…they still taste really good….
Thanks. I’ve got some frozen wild blueberries that taste like Huckleberries- but they aren’t FRESH.
Skaal!!
Speaking of which, how did the primaries treat the BA candidates, I know one of the Ill ones is still being sorted out…
Mmmm Blueberry Pie … will you marry me ?!! *g*
Christy!
A big Amen from me, sister.
Stop encouraging Buttheads is a good motto.
Heh, the national fruit! Hey, Mi Amigo!
You make a perfect case for a Clinton/Obama ticket! 16 years might clean it up!
((( CT )))
How’s life in paradise ?
Great post, well said especially in light of Romney’s implication that he is quiting to save the country from the surrendering Democrats, What a bunch of b/s. We need to create a theme that subversion of the Constitution is in the dna of the Republican party.
Keith says MSNBC is dreadfully sorry for Schuster’s pimp.
My visit to Hawaii was unsatisfying- it rained every day- and now no fresh Huckleberries.
One of the ‘buttheads’ from the Shuster thread reporting for duty, Redd.
Long live the home of the free and the brave, and with my brother by my side, we will freely, consistenly, purposefully and fearlessly, pursue life, liberty and happiness, these having been truthfully deemed by our founding patriots, as our inalienable rights.
We actually had some sunshine today, over the past week we’ve accumulated over five feet of rain…!
BA candidates?
Turns head like RCA dog ;-)
Blue America…!
OMG … any flooding ?
Since we can’t all be at Kiddo’s little margarita party….here’s some:
http://www.texasroadhouse.com/.....ns/109.jpg
Buttheads arise- you have nothing to lose but your warm atmosphere.
I don’t like those blended margaritas. Takes too long to drink em- and they give you a headache.
I already had a piece:
http://www.autumnleafstudio.co.....group4.jpg
Looks good
But kinda small
Bush said: “Let us go forward and keep the WH..”, but he wasn’t endorsing McCain….
Okaaaaaay….
Christy,
First, Good on the result of your mamo.!
Second, thanks for the post. It is so hopeful and only if we could live in that world, we wouldn’t be at the lake ranting and raving.
I think people will be motivated to get dems elected and I want to see a landslide and loooooooooooong coat tails.
TGIF!
You betcha…
http://www.hawaiitribune-heral.....ocal01.txt
Crooks and liars has the Schuster apology if anyone hasn’t seen it yet.
I figure if we keep track of the DOW, the price of gasoline, and the casualty figures from Iraq, we’ll know how the election is going.
Cheers!
CTuttle @ 88
D’uoh! Blue America
The only one out of that group that I know of that is Blue America is Charlie Brown, the primaries for the Congressional and local offices are still in June
But Dr. Bill Durston and Alyson Huber would make incredible BA candidates
Petro!
Okay, I did my deep breathing.
Can I have a Margarita?
I’ll share the Deluxe Pizza Pie I just had delivered.
Everything but anchovies.
Extra Positive Karma.
CHS - Very nicely done, and a point that needed making. Thanks to RBG too for trying to tamp down the heat on the prior stove.
rwcole:
http://mrsokitchencom.easystor.....HBBPIE.gif
http://www.beveragewarehouse.c.....s/3418.jpg
Here, a whole big pie all for you, and just have some shots *g*
Dow over 1400, Gas under $3, and casualties under 30 a month- and McCain has a chance. Otherwise- HELLO WHITE HOUSE.