It Could Have Been Worse...

So what if Senator Obama has now draped himself in the images that so far have been off-limits to America's publicly-elected officials? A little over-staged deification never hurt anyone... Did it?

To many of us, that kind of self-importance and arrogance is a litmus test for keeping someone out of any office, not putting them in the Oval Office.

However, it is important to consider that in meetings between the DNC and the Obama campaign there were a number of less-publicized concepts for the acceptance speech that were passed over.

Rejected Idea#1 - Obama Comes Down From the Mountain

250,000 of the faithful are bussed to Aspen where they mill about at the foot of Aspen Mountain and are instructed to resist the urge to construct golden idols. President-to-be-Elected Obama rides the lift to present the 11th through 15th commandments.

VIPs attend after-party hosted by Robert Redford, while non-VIPs are immediately cleansed from Aspen's pure environment by way of being bussed directly back to Denver.

Rejected Idea #2 - Obama Heals the Wounds of All Past Wars of American Aggression

In a seventeen-hour epic stage production--scored by Andrew Lloyd Weber--Obama uses his experienced wisdom to convince all past presidents from staying out of all foreign conflicts. The climactic moment comes when he turns President Truman's sentiments to such a degree that Truman agrees that the shortest path to avoiding conflict was to drop the A-bomb on our own 7th Fleet to show ourselves that going to war would have too high a cost.

Rejected Idea #3 - Obama Inaugurates Himself as President (of the Democratic Convention)

Drawing upon the tradition of strong leadership modeled by Napoleon, Obama is acclaimed to be the president of everyone who really matters anyway and administers his own oath of office. After post-inaugural parties, convention-goers are awed and stunned to learn that the ceremony did not eliminate the need for Obama to actually be elected to be the real President. Nancy Pelosi moves to amend Constitution.

In the case that any of these scenarios strike joyous chords in your soul, don't fret too much. I don't imagine that, win or lose, Obama is going to allow you to miss him for very long.

What is Fascism Anyway?

One of the hallmarks of a fascist mind set is the need to make all of those who disagree with you evil and wrong.  It is not enough to disagree, and it is certainly not tolerable to allow a person to speak on their own behalf: They must be shouted down, preferably silenced.

The central strength of American society is its rejection of this way of thinking, and we have historically drawn a line in where a person's right to free speech ends.  That line has been determined by multiple Supreme Court rulings to be when a person's speech, either by incitation or implied consent, calls for violence.

In the attached video, which is making the rounds of the blogosphere already--beginning at the 2:45 mark--you will see that a mob of "peaceful" demonstrators in Denver for the Democratic National Convention surrounds conservative opinion journalist Michelle Malkin.  The mob is led by Alex Jones, a syndicated radio host, who pursues Malkin on a variety of scattered issues by screaming wildly about her being a "fascist" and that she "wants to put Americans in camps".  Jones also shoves a man standing beside Malkin who appeared to be attempting to calm the situation. (The man should be applauded for coming to the aid of a woman who was in a dangerous environment.)

When another group of protestors--who have completely surrounded Malkin--around him begins to chant "Kill Michelle Malkin", Jones continues his belligerent tirade without comment to subdue to call to violence.  Neither did the many Denver police officers witnessing the entire event make ANY attempt to either separate Malkin from the mob, and as of this moment, no charges have been made against any of the demonstrators for calling for Malkin's death.

Is this the America Senator Obama wants us to vote for?

Content fed from http://unequal-time.blogspot.com. All rights reserved by Bryan S. Myrick.

This is What a Cult of Personality Looks Like

Having studied the evils of Nazism in some depth, and the methods through which it gripped the hearts and minds of the German people, it is important to periodically flip through the photo album of mankind's history. The use of powerful architecture, carefully orchestrated and staged presentation, and focusing all attention on one man as the source of redemption was of sinister effect in placing the German will in the control of an elite.

Viaduct Project Boondoggle Just One More Nail in Gregoire's Political Coffin

As if Dino Rossi needed any more ammunition in his quest for the governorship, we now have one more bureaucratic comedy of reckless mismanagement to add to the list of causes for Governor Gregoire's unelection in November.

During Gregoire's tenure, the Washington State Department of Transition has not made a decision about what will replace the viaduct, and will not do so until December of this year. And yet, the Alaskan Way Viaduct budget is more than 33% spent or committed much of those dollars on projects that will only be utilized if the viaduct is replaced with a similar elevated roadway.

Even though some of these projects are on hold until a final plan is chosen, those who have even a limited understanding of how government budgets are utilized know that a lot of the money will be spent even if labor and equipment never initiate work. Planning, legal fees, property acquisition, all occurs early on in the process. So we can assume that a large portion of the $1 billion already tagged is gone. Bye-bye.

There is $540 million allocated or spent for rebuilding the south-end for the Viaduct; the "ramps" that bring traffic up to the fully elevated level along the waterfront portion. Seems like common sense but, no elevated roadway, no ramp required.

By going forward with this project, is the DOT giving a giddy little wink to all of us who would like to see a new elevated roadway along the waterfront?

An additional $119 million is earmarked for the Battery Street Tunnel, a tunnel which would more than likely need to be completely replaced should the final plan be approved for a tunnel. Even though initial work only calls for upgrades to the fire suppression systems and roof beams, it would seem more prudent to wait until the future of the tunnel has been made clear.

The same can be said about the $64.4 million budgeted for relocating utility lines--lines that may have to be re-relocated depending on final plans.

I can only imagine what kind of headaches must arise when DOT officials embark on improvement projects on their own homes:

Mr. DOT Official (speaking to his wife): "Well, Mrs. Official, we're ready to finally put on the second story for the space we've been needing for so long. We can start just as soon as they finish repainting the exterior and replacing the roof."

In a time when state residents are already hot under the collar about Gregoire's broken gas tax pledge, one would think that she would be aware of how closely the voters are scrutinizing how those funds are being used. Even if she is going to be defeated in November, she still has to live among us when she's just a citizen again.

Shared Roads Necessitate Shared Costs and Accountability

The recent negative attention drawn to the issue of how bicyclists are faring in the grand experiment of roadway desegregation by a violent confrontation between agents of Critical Mass-a radical bicycling organization--and a motorist on Seattle's Capitol Hill is bound to be watered down in the weeks to come.

Despite the fact that similar flare-ups involving cyclists have been taking place with increasingly regularity in cities like Portland to the south, this clash will eventually morph to be characterized as a clash between a fringe group and a road-rage prone driver who had an axe to grind.

In reality, the run-in between cyclists and motorists represents the tip of a much larger problem that has yet to be directly addressed.

The impulse to minimize the incident will, of course, circumvent a pressing need to examine how the issue of shared roadways will be dealt with in a region that actively pursues an agenda to place more bicycles on its roads. It ignores the feelings of many motorists about how bicyclists conduct themselves on roads, and how the funding for their road use is paid for.

Fact: There are more bicyclists on our roads. This is due partially in response to rising gas costs, partially in response to environmental concerns, perhaps even for reasons of personal health and fitness.

Fact: The number of injury accidents between motorists and bikes in increasing.

In King County, there were 542 injury accidents in 2007, 70 of which resulted in serious injury or death. This compares to 51 seriously injurious or fatal accidents in 2006, 46 such accidents in 2005, and 42 in 2004. That is a 66% increase between 2004 and 2007, or 22% average increase per year.

Which brave elected official is going to be the first to recognize that in order to make shared roadways both safe and fair, some kind of comprehensive lawmaking is required to cover three basic areas: licensing, funding, and laws regarding "rules of the road"? Will it be Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, Chairman Ron Sims, or will Dino Rossi be the first to make this sleeper issue a cause for debate?

All over the region, space on many streets has been taken for bike-only travel, but the taxes to create and maintain those roads are collected primarily from motorists to fund these lanes. Even for those who subscribe to the idea that we should all leave our cars at home (as does Mayor Nickels) have to admit that if we actually did that, the tax base for creating and/or maintaining space for bikes to ride on would disappear.

By requiring every bicycle on the road to purchase and display a license, we could direct funds to defray the costs of serving the population of riders. It would provide a way of making cyclists accountable for their actions on the roadway, as motorists already are. With a number hanging under your seat, obeying the law becomes less optional.

Additionally, cyclists would also be required to carry a street permit of some kind to certify that they had taken a written examination qualifying their knowledge of road rules. Currently, cycling clubs conduct their own education, but only on a voluntary basis and with no objective testing.

Certainly with the savings a cyclist experiences in not having to pay for gasoline, the cost of licensing their mode of transport and themselves is a minimal trade-off. And, of course, anyone choosing to abstain from street travel could be exempt from licensing.

Finally, a comprehensive overhaul of the laws governing use of our roads is essential. The problems and concerns of shared roadways are simply not addressed by current law. Are cyclists allowed to move in the space between cars? On a 35 mph city street, with traffic backing up behind a single cyclist moving at 20mph, does the cyclist have the responsibility to allow motor traffic to pass? Do motorists have the responsibility of watching for bicycles passing on the passenger-side of their vehicle, particularly when making a right turn?

We need laws in clear, plain English, with programs to educate all road users. Time and energy spent on this now is an investment in creating some harmony that is desperately needed.

Furthermore, the law enforcement agencies should no longer be handcuffed by the perverse principles of political correctness. When a bicyclist breaks the law they should be cited. Just because they are engaging in an activity that the elite in our region are supportive of should not mean that they exist outside of the law. Public safety is too important.

(For those who believe that bicyclists already receive citations for road violations, I encourage you to ask the King County Sheriff's Office or Seattle Police Department to furnish details of the number of such citations written out last year. I assure you that the report will not exceed the megabyte limits of your email account.)

Perhaps most importantly, the growing tension over bicyclists on our roads ties directly to a heightened feeling of alienation among those citizens who need--or, for heaven's sake, want--to use their cars. At a time when the need for communities to join in efforts to find solutions to problems of transportation and use of resources, alienating those people is a very poor way to encourage cooperation.

When the government begins to serve the interests of all the people, only then can we all begin to feel that the solutions are for us, not them.

Who Says McCain Can't Relate to America's Youth?

Senator McCain's newest web ad is out and it takes a chunk out of Senator Obama with a stylish and hip delivery that is bound to catch the attention of young people. You can check out the "Dr. No" ad through the McCain site or check out the McCain page at YouTube for this and other hard-hitting ads.

This Week's Review of Political Theater

Letter to the Editor of the Seattle P-I (published on www.seattlepi.com, 5/1/2008)

OBAMA AND WRIGHT

Let us attempt to string events together. Sen. Barack Obama spends two months without making a clear statement about where he stands with the views of his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, all while Wright is as carefully managed (hidden) as Salman Rushdie on a bus tour through Tehran. Wright finally blasts on the scene with inflammatory rhetoric designed to be suitable for his followers and his detractors. Obama then issues a scathing repudiation of his "outrage" of Wright as if to say, "American people, now that I know what that man really stands for I feel fooled and betrayed. I know you've been there, too. Feel my pain."

It's tempting to suspend disbelief long enough to swallow this carefully staged political Kabuki. Perhaps if we hadn't already endured 18 seasons of MTV's "Real World," this sort of contrived drama would be believable.

Obama is a worldly man and there is no debating that he wants us to elect him to a position that requires its holder to execute the most flawless of judgment. But, if he can't see through his pastor, a man with whom he has spent countless hours and intimate moments, I think we have to consider whether he fails the test that one must pass to be President. Even if one is to allow him a "free pass" with Wright, what about William Ayers? What about Tony Rezko?

If Obama chooses to claim lapses in judgment as to who he associates with, doesn't the growing pile of such relationships also paint the picture of himself as being dense? Or does he present voters with the possibility that he simply changes his affiliations based the political needs of the moment? Or is he simply running away from who he really is because it makes him unelectable? I'm not sure that any of those options gives the people a very positive impression of the once-anointed candidate.

Try again, Senator. We've been entertained. Now give us the truth.

Bryan Myrick
Bothell