It seems she’s trying to cover for her untruths about Bosnia.

Not that I’m proud of it, but in my twenties I became a very conservative Republican. I remember all the nasty things that the right wing threw at the Clinton family. The fact that Hillary would engage in the same type of smearing, is exactly why I don’t support her.

I have to wonder how many Democrats in Indiana are swayed by either of these stories. The Howey-Gauge Poll in February showed Obama leading Hillary 40% to 20%, with 36% undecided.
Do you think either controversy will change these numbers? I’m skeptical.

Conservatives will settle on personal attacks because they don’t have a plan. Their “trickle down” economics has trickled down poverty, job losses, consolidation of power, and the destroyed America’s manufacturing sector. The gap between the rich and poor is verging on 1920’s proportions. Amazingly, the Republican’s answer to these problems is free market capitalism. Einstein’s definition of insanity rings in my ears when I hear them talk this line of shit. Unfettered capitalism has brought unfettered greed and unfettered corruption.

That all being said, I’m not shocked that the Republicans are attacking both Obama and Carson with islamophobic rhetoric and fear, it’s all they have.

The Democratic candidate for Indiana’s 7th Congressional District is in law enforcement, sits on the City-County Council, and is the grandson of an Indiana political legend, Julia Carson. Andre Carson wants to end the Iraq War, is against privatizing Social Security, and supports strengthening homeland security against another terrorist attack. Andre’s link to the national party is strong, so much so that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has targeted Carson for financial support.

With all these positives, where is Carson’s Achilles’ heel? The headline this morning answers the question: ” ‘I am multifaceted’ Carson’s Muslim faith, Farrakhan’s funeral speech raise questions for congressional candidate. “ The Associated Press states it even more bluntly: “Muslim has eye on Congress”. I wonder if the Associated Press has ever written a story entitled “Baptist minister (or Mormon) runs for President” or  “Methodist runs against Andre Carson”? It seems that Andre’s religion only matters because of what religion it is.

It’s bad enough that the mainstream media thinks Andre’s religion is fair game, but the right wing blogosphere takes it to a whole new level:

“Farrakhan Endorsed Muslim Makes Run For US Congress”

“Muslim with ties to Farrakhan may be headed to Congress”

“Muslims Seek Break Through In Carson Candidacy”

The last post is from the blog Advance Indiana. The blogger behind Advance Indiana is local gay Republican attorney, Gary Welsh. Welsh can’t seem to blog enough about Andre Carson. A google search of his blog reveals 11 pages (157 posts ) that mention Andre Carson. Worst of all, many of his Carson posts are misleading. Example: “Carson Blames Grandmother For Farrakhan Ties.” Welsh says:

Carson stuck to his story of blaming his grandmother for Farrakhan’s presence at her funeral, saying the family simply respected one of her dying wishes. He also passed up another opportunity to repudiate what amounted to an endorsement of his candidacy by Farrakhan during his eulogy at her funeral.

This is the kind of journalism/blogging that would have made William Randolph Hearst proud. Carson “stuck to his story”? Welsh has NO PROOF that Andre was lying, but he frames it as a “story“?

Later Welsh says:

Despite his claims of inclusion, Carson saw no reason to apologize for Louis Farrakhan’s eulogy at his grandmother’s funeral or the bigoted and anti-Semitic religious leader’s endorsement of his candidacy to succeed his grandmother in Congress.

Why in the hell would Andre Carson have to apologize for following his grandmother’s wishes? Furthermore, why would he have to apologize for Farrakhan at all? I’ve read Welsh’s blog for quite a while, but I’ve never heard him say that Rudy Gulliani should have apologized for Pat “we ought to assassinate Hugo Chavez” Robertson endorsing him.

Lastly, listen to this horrible diatribe that Farrakhan goes on:

I’m not sure what part of Louis Farrakhan’s beautiful eulogy Welsh thinks that Carson should apologize for. The Indianapolis Star’s article reported that Julia Carson and Louis Farrakhan “go way back” and that Andre was only following through with her wishes.The connection between Julia Carson and Louis Farrakhan brings up some very interesting questions. Could it be that Carson was like Obama, in that she could bridge the gaps between different parts of her constituency? Carson was a staunch supporter of GLBT issues in Indiana. Farrakhan is not the most queer friendly person in the world.

When the Human Rights Ordinance didn’t pass the City County Council the first time around, it was Julia Carson who was highly critical of Ron Gibson, Steve Talley, Sherron Franklin, and Patrice Abdullah for not supporting the HRO (at a Democratic Dinner, no less).

Julia also stated on Bilerico in 2006 that :

I am opposed to efforts to amend the Constitution to limit the rights of our people–this contradicts our entire history and our basic values as a nation.

I have long been an active and energetic supporter of funding for HIV/AIDS services, prevention programs and research. Many who have followed the history of the effort in Indiana will recall that, as Ryan White lay hospitalized at Riley Children’s Hospital, I battled in our State Senate to help the General Assembly understand that our state and our nation faced a very real health crisis, by calling attention to Ryan’s situation and taking Elton John, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson, along with state legislators, to his bedside. In Congress I have worked hard to increase funding for efforts to address and turn back this terrible disease. This fight is not over.

I am a sworn enemy of discrimination on account of race, gender and sexual orientation and have long worked in that cause. Here in Indianapolis those who followed the matter will recall that I worked hard to see to it that our City-County Council understood the importance–the fundamental fairness–of protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. I was gratified when the council finally voted correctly, against bigotry, a familiar old enemy.

Indianapolis is my home. The treatment of our people and the improvement of their lives has always been vitally important to me. I worked hard for the passage of the ordinance, helping individual counselors to understand its importance as a matter of basic democratic and human values, and would do it again to make our city a better place. In Congress I work to support efforts to advance human rights and oppose efforts to erode those rights.

Andre has assured me that he will continue his grandmother’s legacy as an advocate for the GLBT community, regardless of who his friends are, or what religion they are.

If Mr Welsh would like to play the blame by association game, he need only go as far as his candidate. Jon Elrod’s website design team has connections to anti-gay activists.

For once, I agree with Abdul:

To not vote for Carson because he is a Muslim is the same as not voting for Mitt Romney because he was a Mormon. The founding fathers were pretty sharp guys with not wanting a religious test for anyone to hold public office. To solely judge an individual based on their faith is a bad idea. Religion can gives us an idea about the candidate, but it is just a facet.

It is their position on issues and the leadership they can provide should be the true test of whether they are worthy of your vote.

But in the end that’s exactly what supporters of Elrod fear. Talking about the issues might shed light on the fact that Elrod mirrors George W. Bush on just about every major issue.

Cross posted to
Blue Indiana
Bilerico Indiana

Earlier in the week I wrote about how many in the Indy right wing blogosphere had chastised Andre Carson for a scheduling conflict, some even suggesting that he was afraid to debate Jon Elrod and Sean Shepard. Anyone that was in attendance last night knows just how much of a pipe dream that is. I don’t think that anyone that came in supporting one candidate, left supporting another. I was surprised at the directness of the Libertarian candidate, Sean Shepard. Even though I disagree with his positions (especially his comment saying that his position on abortion is based on science), I think he came off as confident and on point. As far as Elrod, I think Thomas over at BlueIndiana described Elrod perfectly:

A lot of folks — including Jon himself — love to pretend that Elrod is some strange variety of super-lovable moderate. But while he certainly takes a more respectable stance on some social issues, the fact remains that on bread-and-butter issues, he’s a GOP stalwart through and through.

Privatization of Social Security? Check!
Wants to maintain Bush’s tax cuts on the richest one percent? Check!
Against a woman’s right to choose? Check!

A vote for Elrod is a vote for a Republican Speaker of the House, and more importantly a vote for the exact kind of policy initiatives that have made George W. Bush the least popular leader in American history.

Elrod was asked SPECIFICALLY on his PERSONAL POSITION on marriage equality, and he gave his speech about how government should get out of the business of marriage. He didn’t say a word about his PERSONAL POSITION that he explained to Hoosier Access, saying “My church is very clear, that marriage is between a man and a woman” and went on to explain a scenario in which a marriage amendment would be needed.

As I’ve said previously, a vote for Jon Elrod is a vote for George W. Bush. Last night only served to highlight that.

Cross posted to Bilerico Indiana and Blue Indiana

An Open Letter to Senators Clinton and Obama
February 19th, 2008

Dear Senators Clinton and Obama-

You’re both talented, experienced, inspiring, accomplished individuals. However, as the last few months and few dozen primaries have shown, voters are divided about which one of you should be our presidential candidate. But we all agree: both of you are far better than the alternative.

We need a Democrat to take the White House. But if we spend the next months fighting each other over which of you is the best candidate, we’re going to lose this fall. That loss will be devastating not just for the next four years but for decades to come.

Don’t divide our party the way the last two elections have divided our country. Work together. Make the Democratic ticket as strong as it can be. Show us that you’re capable of leading the party — and the country — together.

Clinton-Obama. Obama-Clinton. We don’t all agree which ticket would be best, but what we do know is that our party and our nation will be much better united than divided.

Sincerely,

Your Party Members

Honestly, I don’t understand this kind of talk. A few things should be keep in mind:

1. Primary voters should have a chance to vote.

2. The primary voter totals show that:

With 99 percent of the vote (in Wisconsin), both Obama and Clinton received more votes
than ALL THE REPUBLICANS COMBINED! If it was only on votes and you stripped all party affiliation (of those that are still running), the order would go:

Obama 645,554
Clinton 452,590
McCain 224,122
Huckabee 151,114
Paul 19,129
Gravel 596

How is this election process ripping the Democratic Party apart?

I felt attacked by friend who is a supporter of Clinton, when it was obvious that Obama actually had a shot at winning. Other than that episode, I’ve not experienced any kind of hatred between the Clinton and Obama supporters (my friend and I are still on good terms). I think that her pain came more from frustration and shock, than actual disgust at me for being an Obama supporter.

There is hatred of Obama supporters in the media (we’ve been compared to followers of Charles Manson and Hare Krishna, we’ve been called cultish), but I’ve not felt that same hatred anywhere else.

As far as the money goes, the trends go along the same lines.

Jan 2008
Obama $31 million
Clinton $13 million.

October-December 2007
Clinton $26.5 million
Obama $22.8 million ]

Clinton and Obama raised almost as much together in January as they did in Oct, Nov, and Dec combined. There is absolutely NO proof that the primary elections are having ANY negative effect on the Democrats chances in November. In fact, both candidates are surging in voters and money.

Texas and Ohio are vital for Hillary. If she loses either state, I doubt she’ll be able to recover. If she loses both, it’s essentially game over. But if she wins (as she is projected to in both races), she’ll be on track to win the nomination. If they go into Denver essentially tied, Clinton will win. She is the establishment candidate, and has 30 some years of political ties to cash in.

Any movement to somehow neuter the voting process and pick a candidate now will do more harm to the party, than ANYTHING the primaries would do. Imagine if we “united the ticket” before Wisconsin! We would have disenfranchised more Democratic voters than ALL of the Republican voters combined. If you want to destroy the Democrats chances at victory in November, forcing a choice now would be the way to do it.

Abdul Hakim-Shabazz, the most blatant of shit stirrers, titled his post “CARSON SKIPS OUT ON EASTSIDE FORUM” and said:

Apparently someone in the Andre Carson camp isn’t too keen on sharing the stage tonight with Republican Jon Elrod and Libertarian Sean Shepard.

Showing an obvious bias, Shabazz uses an inflammatory title that isn’t even remotely factual. Shabazz might benefit from an explanation of the difference between “skipping out” (which implies intent, and no warning) and “scheduling conflict” (of which there is no intent, and notice is given). According to the Indy Star:

Brad Klopfenstein, a former executive director of the state Libertarian Party, coordinated the event at Arlington Heights Baptist Church on the Eastside. Klopfenstein said Carson’s campaign agreed to appear several weeks ago but called about noon Tuesday to cancel because of a scheduling conflict.

When one “skips out” on rent, they don’t call and say “I ain’t payin’ “, they just don’t pay. You can call it a screwup , or a scheduling conflict, but it’s complete spin (see also:falsehood) to call it a “skip out”.

Contrast that with the news from Taking Down Words pointing to a Indy Star article that said:

State Rep. Jon Elrod, the Republican nominee in the upcoming 7th Congressional District race, was caught on video by state Democrats writing campaign letters while on the floor of the House and handing them to a legislative employee to mail.

Even more troubling is the fact that he used a House employee to mail the letters.

Scheduling conflict verses ethics violation….

Hmmm… shall we hop on a train to Indy Right Wing Bloggerville (think Hooterville)? What do they say about the ethics violation?

Advance Indiana: Nothing
Hoosiers For Fair Taxation: Nothing
Hoosier Access: Zero
Frugal Hoosiers: zilch
Indiana Barrister: *crickets*

It’s much easier to bash Andre’s campaign staff than to look at the issues:

From the Indy Star (I’m adding in George Bush’s official positions for contrast):

Indy Star question: What’s your position on a withdrawal timetable for Iraq?

Andre Carson: I support a responsible redeployment plan to end the war in Iraq and bring our brave men and women home with honor. It is time for the Iraqis to take responsibility for their security, with benchmarks for Iraqi military and political success along with a responsible timeline to bring our troops home.

Jon Elrod: Like everyone in America, I want our troops home as soon as possible. I do not support an arbitrary timetable. I will listen to the generals on the ground.

George Bush: Setting a deadline for withdrawal is setting a date for failure, and that would be irresponsible. - International Herald Tribune

The best way to do that is let those generals on the ground, General Casey, who’s the main man in Baghdad, to make the decisions. - CBS News

Indy Star question: What should we do about illegal immigration?

Carson: America’s immigration system is broken and nothing has been done in Washington to fix it. In Congress, I will fight to secure our borders and make sure the laws on the books are enforced. Employers who break the law must be held accountable. I am against amnesty and believe that consideration of how undocumented immigrants can earn the opportunity to become citizens must include paying a fine, paying all back taxes, and not having an advantage over those who have entered this country legally.

Elrod: I support enforcing the laws on the books. If the nation needs more labor, the solution is to increase quotas; not amnesty or guest worker bills.

Bush: We must create a temporary worker program. The reality is that there are many people on the other side of our border who will do anything to come to America to work and build a better life. They walk across miles of desert in the summer heat, or hide in the back of 18-wheelers to reach our country. This creates enormous pressure on our border that walls and patrols alone will not stop. To secure the border effectively, we must reduce the numbers of people trying to sneak across. Therefore, I support a temporary worker program that would create a legal path for foreign workers to enter our country in an orderly way, for a limited period of time. - White House Press Release

Indy Star question: What’s the best way to get the health care problem solved?

Carson: In Congress, I will take the lead to create and invest in solutions that would make sure every American has access to affordable, quality health care. This includes ensuring that all children have health care by expanding programs like the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, passing a prescription drug plan that truly works for our seniors, and working across the aisle, and with states, to invest in pilot programs to find out what works best to lower costs and increase coverage.

Elrod: Our third party-payer system has caused the ever-increasing health care costs. The long term solution is to create competition through health savings accounts, non-profit insurers, and public pricing.

Bush: Health savings accounts all aim at empowering people to make decisions for themselves, owning their own health care plan, and at the same time bringing some demand control into the cost of heath care - Washington Post

Indy Star question: What would your economic stimulus plan look like?

Carson: Between property taxes, gas prices and health care costs, the working families of Indianapolis are not able to keep their heads above water right now. We need to figure out ways to put cash back into the pockets of working Hoosiers. The first thing I will do is to create real tax relief for the middle class, rolling back the Bush tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans and companies that send jobs overseas, and putting these savings into tax cuts and rebates for working families. I would also like to see an increased investment in job creation for our state and nation, including a focus on the new energy economy and national security, which would bring good jobs back here to Indianapolis and create long-term stability.

Elrod: I support a tax cut, paid for with spending cuts, that would lower the business and personal tax rates to below the average European tax rates.

Bush: It must be “big enough to make a difference in an economy as large and dynamic as ours,” it must be built on “broad-based tax relief,” it must take effect right away but be temporary, and it must not include any tax increases. Specifically, he called for tax incentives for businesses, including small companies, to make new and major investments this year. “Giving them an incentive to invest now will encourage business owners to expand their operations, create new jobs and inject new energy into our economy in the process. - MSNBC

What chaps my ass is the fact that no one is talking about these issues! But that’s totally understandable. Once you peel back the banana of Jon Elrod you actually have to look at the mushy stuff inside that looks oddly similar to George Bush.

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and her advisers increasingly believe that, after a series of losses, she has been boxed into a must-win position in the Ohio and Texas primaries on March 4, and she has begun reassuring anxious donors and superdelegates that the nomination is not slipping away from her, aides said on Monday.

By not addressing the losses of the past weekend, Clinton is following the path of fellow New Yorker, Rudy Gulliani. Gulliani kept saying that it was all about Florida, that his early losses didn’t mean anything. If Clinton is wise, she’ll back away from this tactic and start making big money dumps in the states ahead. If it’s one thing that should be learned from Rudy, it’s that every primary is important.

 The following audio recording is owned by Hoosier Access Radio and is not affiliated with this website. The clip is used under fair use. 

But that wasn’t the original statement. Over at Ourchart.com Hillary’s post was edited:

The first inclusion statement was so ambiguous, you could insinuate inclusion of the Rockettes, the New York Giant’s offensive line, or the Cher Impersonators Local 237. But the big shocker is that the language of the re-edit goes even farther than the transgender inclusive ENDA bill (HR. 2015) or it’s stunted orphan GENDA (HR. 3686) that was never voted on in the House.

Gender identity is:

“the gender-related identity, appearance, or mannerisms or other gender-related characteristics of an individual, with or without regard to the individual’s designated sex at birth.” - HR 3686

Gender identity or expression, on the other hand, is defined as:

a person’s actual or perceived gender, as well as a person’s gender identity, gender-related self image, gender-related appearance, or gender-related expression whether or not that gender identity, gender-related self image, gender-related appearance, or gender-related expression is different from that traditionally associated with a person’s sex at birth.

Could it be that Hillary Clinton is really Glenda The Good Witch?

“Some of my colleagues, some of my friends, I say to my colleagues in the gay community, maybe I will do a little stereotyping, maybe they have seen the Wizard of Oz too often. They seem to have Speaker Pelosi, a wonderful dedicated, committed supporter of human rights, confused with Glenda the good witch. They think if she waved her magic wand she could somehow change things.” - Barney Frank

Call me Elphaba, but I’m not much on “good witches” or fairy tales. If Hillary is for “gender expression”, one has to wonder if she’ll oppose HR 3685 when it comes up for a vote in the Senate later this month.

Nangeroni ends her post at Gender Talk by saying:

Your turn now, Mr. Obama.

If Nangeroni would have visited BarackObama.com she’d see Obama’s PDF on GLBT issues:

Expand Hate Crimes Statutes
In 2004, crimes against LGBT Americans constituted the third-highest category of hate crime reported. Obama co-sponsored legislation to expand federal hate crimes law to include crimes perpetrated because of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Fight Workplace Discrimination and Promote Rights
Obama believes the Employment Non-Discrimination Act should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

This document was created on 10/11/07. It’s nice that Hillary’s finally come on board to support transgender people in Feburary 2008, but it’s disingenuous to claim Hillary’s got one up on Obama. One only need look at what Clinton said in May of last year to see how each compared on the gender identity issue:

HRC:
Currently, there is no federal law protecting individuals from job discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Qualified, hardworking Americans can still be denied job opportunities, fired or otherwise be discriminated against just because of their sexual orientation in 33 states and because of their gender identity in 42 states As president, would you support and work for passage of a federal bill that would prohibit job discrimination based on sexual orientation an gender identity?

Obama: “I believe the Employment Non-Discrimination Act should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. I sponsored legislation in the Illinois State Senate that would ban discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual orientation.”

Clinton: As president, I will sign the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) into law.Throughout my Senate career, I have been an original co-sponsor of ENDA. It is inconceivable to me that people who work hard and do a good job every day can stillbe fired because of who they love. It ’s unfair, it’s un-American, and I will put a stopto it once and for all.

You can view HRC’s Presidential Questionnaire found here (for Hillary) and here (for Obama).

If you’re going to spout rhetoric, research that of which you speak. If you fail to, you end up looking like a liar or a fool.