Perchance to dream...

What should be a slam-dunk election for Democrats is still too close for my comfort. I cannot fathom how Americans can look at Barack Obama and John McCain and not clearly see that Obama is, by far, the superior candidate.

I have not gotten a good night's sleep in weeks. I take my politics as seriously as a heart attack, so I am constantly on edge. Four years ago, I ended up in the hospital with exhaustion and an inflamed, arthritic back that I hadn't realized I had, from all the legwork that I'd put into the Kerry campaign. The doctor said that driving is extremely bad for the back. At the time, I was commuting 74 miles round-trip to work, plus all the driving and late-into-the-night campaigning and organizing that I was doing across Cuyahoga County.

This time, I promised myself that I wouldn't get as emotionally or physically involved. Hey, I've been doing this stuff for over 25 years--let the young 'uns take their turns. But, sure enough, even from the sidelines I'm having anxiety attacks. My sister called me the other day. She could tell that I was tense.

"What's wrong? You sound kinda down."

"I'm worried about the election. I feel like I should be doing...something."

"Uh, huh. You promised that you were going to take it easy, remember?"

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Easier said than done.

Mitch Bard at HuffPo very eloquently puts my feelings into words. I've watched numerous Democratic candidates for President go down in flames, beginning with Jimmy Carter in 1980, my senior year in high school. Watching all those snot-nosed rich kids at my Catholic school sit in the student center on Inauguration Day cheering Ronald Reagan still pisses me off. It was an early lesson that politics, like life, is not fair.

Now, there are but four days until E-Day. I know that I will get progressively less sleep over the next few nights. This weekend I will bake cookies and brownies for the poll workers--my small contribution down the home stretch. Tuesday evening I will commune with a group of fellow Democrats and progressives at a bar right after work to watch the verdict--er, election results.

If Obama wins, I will finally enjoy a decent night's sleep.

If McCain wins, I may never be able to sleep again.

DOJ tells Boehner to suck it

Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), House minority leader, is popping an aneurysm that the Department of Justice won't do the Republicans' dirty work in trying to screw millions of voters nationwide.

The DOJ reversed a policy which would have sent federal prosecutors to the polls with election observers--in and of itself an intimidation tactic. With the R's putting on the full-court press to derail this election, Boehner is pitching a hissy.

That's fine with me. Too bad that we can't just throw some water on the sorry sonuvabitch and melt him.

The big, bad, scary "future" is now

While Sarah Palin goes around ranting about the "socialist state" that Barack Obama will usher in, Scott Horton at Harper's Magazine posits that we already have a near-fascist state--courtesy of the Bush Administration--that she doesn't seem to mind.

Desperate and dangerous

"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance." --Thomas Jefferson

The Republicans are already manning their battlestations to circumvent this election, going far beyond what I have already reported.

George Bush has sent the Department of Justice to Ohio to try and invalidate 200,000 new voter registrations. In Colorado, the Republican Secretary of State purged between 16,000-20,000 registrations; the state is currently being sued by voter-rights groups. Even the New York Times has called attention to the possible disenfranchisement of thousands of voters nationwide. In addition, poll observers are being harrassed, even arrested.

Expect the Republicans to pull out every stop in order to avoid the devasting losses that the polls indicate they will suffer.

Please--do whatever you can to support the GOTV efforts this last week. My friend Anthony has a list of things you can do at his blog, BlueOhioan. Poll observers are especially needed to make sure that there are no voter-intimidation shenanigans by the Republicans.

Seven more days, folks! Keep fighting!

O, sweet Jesus! Sarah's religious zealotry

The last thing we need in this country is a theocracy. If Sarah Palin and the religious fanatic wing of the Republican Party had their way, that is exactly what we would have. Here are links to stories and videos revealing the religious nuts that Sarah Palin has been palllin' around with.

Links to Information and Documentaries on Palin's Churches
Sarah Palin, 21st Century Theocrat
Very Bizarre 'Holy Laughter Annointing' Theology at Sarah Palin's Juneau Church

Republicans for Obama

While I'm in an atta-boy mood for sensible Republicans (known these days as Obamacons), let me pass along the link for Republicans for Obama. Of special interest is the list of Republicans and conservatives who have publicly endorsed Barack Obama so far. Go give it a gander.

Chuck Hagel for President--someday

I freakin' LOVE Chuck Hagel. He's a Republican who isn't afraid to call his party brethren out on their shit. He, in no uncertain terms, says that Sarah Palin isn't in any way qualified to be Vice President.

I'd vote for this guy in a heartbeat if he ever runs for President.