Change More Than The Channel

I’m sitting at on the couch, getting pissed at Fox News and their Democratic Convention coverage. I switch over to CNN and it’s just as bad. That’s when this idea pops into my head.

“Get off your ass. Do something else beside changing the channel.”

This is a call to action.

Feel free to email me if you’re interested in a higher resolution version of this photograph. It’s free, it’s just not open for resale.

Vote for change. Vote Obama ‘08.

Cheers.

- ISM

The Silly Concept of Human Rights at Conception

Anyone considering a vote for McCain should recognize that McCain’s stance on abortion and human rights represents the extreme far right of the Republican Party. McCain is no longer a maverick representing the centrist positions he once practiced.

“At what point is a baby entitled to human rights?” Rick Warren asked at the Saddleback Forum on August 16th, McCain responded bluntly, “At conception.”

The belief that human rights are an entitlement at conception negates two vital facts. One, by granting human rights to the embryo or fetus, reliant on the mother (in cases of natural insemination and frozen suspension for artificial insemination), you are putting the rights of two humans at conflicting positions that can never be reconciled. Obviously the mother a higher authority over the rights of the embryo/fetus; however does the mother’s actions that might result in a miscarriage (natural abortion) mean a violation of any one of the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) ? Does her very act of carrying the pregnancy to term mean a 9 month restriction on the fetuses will to move freely?

The concept is completely silly, however this is McCain’s stance on when human rights are granted.

Obama’s response to this answer was more nuanced, as it should be. While mocked by conservative commentators when he said, “…whether you are looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity…is above my pay grade,” his reference here was to a higher authority, God. Does McCain consider himself the equal to God?

A closer examination of the UDHR actually outlines a much narrower focus when granting human rights, and the interpretation of these rights is not so black and white. In fact, in the United States, the full slate of human rights doesn’t become fully obtained until an individual is of legal age. A ten year old is compelled to join the church of their legal guardian. A kindergartner does not participate in their government. The list could continue ad infinium.

The point is, the answer as to when human rights are granted is not “at Conception”, a pithy two word answer that tingles the spine of certain logically blind, stupified evangelicals and far-right politicians who manipulate their emotions for political gain. The answer is never to be answered, similar to the question of life after death. This is a personal decision, and the formal legal struggle means debate, scholarship, technology and evolution.

Let’s hope for a president that understands this debate and all sides.

The Associated Press: Disguised Journalism

The Associated Press carries authority. Numerous news organizations subscribe and contribute material. Pick up any daily paper and 90% of the articles carry the credit line, “Associated Press”. The expectation with this brand is balance and fact.

Then you learn the author is Ron Fournier, Washington bureau chief, and past e-mail buddies with Karl Rove. All credibility is lost.

Attack on Obama Biden Ticket

On August 23, while critiquing Obama’s selection of Biden as his vice-president, Ron Fournier makes the claim that the only reason Obama made this choice was a lack of confidence. Fournier continues to write a thinly veiled opinion piece about why Biden “… is anything but a change agent…” and how Biden’s selection undercuts Obama’s core message. Finding the opportunity, Fournier manages to interject white versus black crime fears, accusations of misogyny (Hillary wasn’t chosen), paints Obama as nothing but a opportunistic politician who will do anything for a chance to sit at the oval office, and manages to close with:

“And there’s the 2007 ABC interview in which Biden said he would stand by an earlier statement that Obama was not ready to serve as president.

It seems Obama is worried that some voters are starting to agree.”

Of course, Fournier doesn’t mention Biden said those words while running for the office of presidency - I guess that would weaken his close.

And it should be pointed out that this is opinion penned outside the label of AP. However this is the guy behind their journalistic integrity. There are some journalists that have been fired for blogging their personal opinions as it compromises their perspective. How is this different? Ron Fournier happens to be the AP’s Washington Bureau Chief.

According to the AP at the time of his selection to this post:

“The next Washington bureau chief of the AP must preserve the authority and standards we have spent 160 years building, while at the same time leading us into a new and rapidly changing world of journalism,” Oreskes told a staff meeting in the bureau. “Fortunately, we have the perfect candidate at hand.”

Mr. Fournier is tasked to lead the AP into the brand new world of journalism.

Journalism Versus Editorial: Should They Mix?

As an amateur political cartoonist, my work is always accompanied by editorial. I’m not a journalist, nor do I disguise myself as one. However I’m not even close to being the number one news source for the country. The Associated Press is a cancer, infesting ever part of mainstream media and Ron Fournier is the political editor at it’s helm.

It’s good to always look at the author behind a story - in fact it’s a requirement if you want to read the news anymore, as opinion and fact become indistinguishable. Fournier is the man who had a close email relationship with Karl Rove, exchanging a conversation with the political operative that encouraged the good fight in Iraq and discussed a certain American hero, Tillman.

Tillman was an American hero of the highest order. He opted for a chance to fight a war on terror that for all it’s errors, seemed a good fight to take up in 2002. To join this fight he left a career in professional football and $3.6 million, a decision few Americans would even think to make. He lost his life in friendly fire on April 22 2004.

You’d think the Associated Press would be more interested in why the US government tried to cover up Tillman’s death. Instead the guy who should be showing journalistic leadership as a political reporter, is patting Karl Rove on the back, saying, “The Lord creates men and women like this all over the world. But only the great and free countries allow them to flourish. Keep up the fight.”

Faux Facts

And newspapers wonder why their readership is dwindling, why advertising revenues are tanking. It could just be that fewer people are buying the faux facts offered by the Associated Press. Instead, to be a modern consumer of news, everyone becomes an investigative reporter, verifying sources, and cross referencing slanted language.

To this end I say, “Bloggers, keep up the fight.” Only the freedom of the press allows the facts to flourish.

ISM

UPDATE: I just submitted my email both Ron Fournier and his supervisor, as encouraged by MoveOn.org. If your interested in joining this show of protest against denigrated journalism, consider submitting your email as well.

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Here’s What I Sent:

Mr. Ron Fournier,

I read a lot of news, and when I pickup a daily paper, it doesn’t matter which city, the major stories on the front page are often from the Associated Press. The Associated Press carries a brand that signifies credibility, with a long history. It says simply, what you are about to read is fact, based on the best of our abilities.

Unfortunately, in the past few months, the quality of reporting, especially as it concern your charge, has so diminished that I now start to look at all articles by the Associated Press with the same hesitation. Is this true, honest journalism? Or is it based on the pretentions of single man and his agenda? These are serious charges. If you want to remain the barometer whereby journalism is measured, then you have to keep personal opinion separate. If you wish instead to engage in political favoritism, then I’m definitely for that, but it should never be under the institution of honesty.

Your article, “Biden Pick Shows Lack of Confidence”, is demonstratively bad writing, and deserves mention only as an example of how bad a journalist can go so quickly. The truth is though, this hasn’t been a quick transition for you, as you’ve found yourself cozy with Karl Rove in the past.

I hope you understand that continued opinion pieces dressed up as journalism, in a single stroke of the submit button, destroy the AP brand. If I read another article by your or one of your staff that demonstrates this lack of integrity, I will refused to use the services, both on-line and print, that subscribe to the Associated Press.

- Nate S.

Barack Obama’s Veep Choice is…

… Joe Biden!

No announcement has been made yet…this is just my prediction.

Everyone is waiting. (I have a company picnic to attend so I may be wildly off when the news comes out.)

We’ve all signed up and received that text message.

We’re all part of the media now…no more insider tip from an anonymous source going directly to the mainstream media complex.

The people have White House inside access.

Or so we think.

Got kids? You’re Rich Getting Richer According to McCain

McCain offered up his plan for a $7000 per child tax credit while debating the Holy Ghost back at the Saddle Back Farm. (It’s been pointed out he probably meant $7000 per child tax exemption…but who knows).

This is a good plan if either, you want free money, and debt for your kids, or if you’re rich. I don’t know which is the case, but do the math. It starts to look pretty profitable to pump out kids.

My problem with this plan…and I’m no tax accountant so correct me if I’m wrong…is that it benefits wealthier families more than those who need it most.

Let’s say I’m a median American family. There’s myself and my spouse making $50,000 a year together and we’ve got two dependents. Let’s say after I get done doing the front sheet of my 1040, I flip over the form and I have an adjusted gross income of $45,000.

Now comes the fun part.

$45,000 minus exemptions…ok line 49 take it to line 60..wow look at these tax credits here. I’ve got…wait…I don’t owe a dime in taxes…am I getting money from the IRS? if this doesn’t make sense, you’re following me, because it doesn’t make sense to me either. Either the government is paying money (rather then collecting money) from those with more kids, or (if the credit only works if you owe SOME taxes) this sort of policy only benefits the wealthy.

I’d love it if someone more familiar with tax law could explain this, but until then I’m going to hold my own misconceptions and see this for what it really is…a way to sock it to the childless and pad the pockets of the wealthier child rearing Evangelical and Mormon Folk. (Yes, I predict Romney to be McCain’s VP).

My Guess for VP - Which Looks Better on a Sticker

This might be a silly way to choose a Vice President, but I actually think there’s something to it. The top three candidates are my short-list. Obama is set announce his VP choice sometime this week, and maybe as soon as tomorrow (I hope to be one of those first to know since I signed up for text messages - at least I better.)

So looking down the list of Joe Biden, Tim Kaine, and Evan Bayh, I’d have to say the only one that really works for me is Tim Kaine. Obama/Bayh looks too much like, Obama, Bye Bye and not really the message you want to get yourself into the white house. Obama Biden, sounds like Biden his time. I like the Obama Kaine, raising cain. It resonates for the call for change. Plus he comes from Virginia (a red state that’s turning purple), he may help appeal to the elusive white male vote that seems scared of Obama, and he’s an outsider - going with the change theme.

So there’s my pick using the bumper sticker test. What’s yours?

Obama Body Surfing V.S. Kerry Wind Surfing

For a little light humor I have to ask the question, ‘Are the photos of Obama body surfing going to be the “Kerry Wind Surfing” moment of 2008?’

In 2004, John Kerry’s wind-surfing at his home in Nantucket was captured on film and the incident became the joke of the campaign.

The Republicans, thinking the only way to recaputre the White House is to catch Obama engaged in a similar “act” have been waiting the entire Obama vacation for just this opportunity.

This is important stuff and it’s going to make the mainstream news cycle because of course, a “gotcha” moment on vacation is more important than how a Maverick can prod a nation into war, call his wife a “cunt”, laugh about “bombing” Iran, cozy up to friends of abramoff, ship jobs overseas…well you get the point.

More photos are at HuffingtonPost.com if you’re interested.