DISQUS

lisa · 1 year ago

LOVE what you're trying to do here - but you are confusing two issues and it is very dangerous to do so. Abortion is NOT a form of birth control. Calling it that falls right into the right's trap. Just as Reagan had his Welfare Queens buying lobster, the right accuses us of using abortion as a form of birth control - in other words, slutty girls use no contraception and then, if they get knocked up they kill an innocent fetus. Thus getting rid of abortion is a way to stop careless girls from having sex. (yes its insane logic but I've seen it used by them countless times, and the awful thing is, it works with women. They will agree that women should not use abortion as a form of birth control.)

But McCain is also against actual birth control - from condoms to the pill etc. He has voted for the whole chastity marriage crap that is destroying sex education in the country.

So he has put women in a real bind. Hit him with this:

1. No birth control, abstain until marriage - that's your birth control choices.
2. THEN, if you do get pregnant, you'll have no choice about what to do.
3. AND, when the baby's born their is- no prenatal care benefits if you don't qualify for medicaid, aren't under 17 and don't have health insurance. (yeah we really care about the life of the child)
4. We have the worst childcare policy in the developed world - so if you have a baby, we then have no childcare for you -BUT you must go back to work or else you'll get thrown off welfare
5. Lastly, we have the 27th highest infant mortality rate in the world.

That's too many messages for a great short peice of art, but please, please, do not call abortion a form of birth control, it walks right into the very carefully crafted trap they have set.
Thank you,

Joe · 1 year ago

The first commenter is right. Abortion isn't birth control. I understand the point you're trying to make, but this video must be changed. It plays into the hands of the anti-choice crowd. One video on birth control and a second on a woman's right is the way to go. Seriously, guys, you're not helping if you keep this video as it is.

stephanie · 1 year ago

this is a terrible video. bad acting, bad humor, bad message. i agree with the previous comment--not the right way to go about portraying pro-choice and reproductive rights concerns. usually i love your vids, but this one stinks all the way around.

Student Guy · 1 year ago

John McCain is bad for kids. He doesn't want to give children health care.

Kat · 1 year ago

Lisa; You go girl, you have it to the point. I applaud you.

Mr Mars · 1 year ago

I agree that this video misses the mark. It confuses two issues and doesn't explain why/how McCain is such a threat to women's reproductive rights. The first commenter, Lisa, hit it on the head. This is a CRUCIAL issue to highlight to ensure McCain's defeat; this video makes us look stupid.

Jacquelyn · 1 year ago

He's a regualr Euthyphro

bennett · 1 year ago

I was trying to decide whether to vote Obama or McCain since McCain is almost as liberal as obama. After seeing this video I know now that I definitely will vote pro-life McCain. Thank you~!

david sherr · 1 year ago

Not well done. Nor is the mock interview with George Stephanopoulos. You are preaching to the converted and I don't think anyone who is concerned about these issues will be amused or energized by these videos. Go after the people on the fence and do it with more maturity and creativity. And why do you not comment on his lack of courage in refusing to object to the Confederate flag flying above him in South Carolina during his 2000 campaign? Seems to me a patriot would have had something to say about that.

mark · 1 year ago

This ones a loser, I certainly would not reach for my credit card to fund it. Maybe to stop it!

I am pro choice, I am pro easy access to birth control etc, but you should not walk into the trap of putting forward abortion as birth control. That may not be your intention but the closing text "John McCain Has voted Anti-Choice" sure implies that is your point.
Also the direction and acting is heavy handed. The smirking nurse! Please when the message is that cliche it insults the viewer you intend to reach

kevin · 1 year ago

In addition to the previous comments, you shouldn't be portraying nurses this way. People trust nurses to take care of them, and give them real answers. The nurse should be the one sympathizing with the woman coming in for help, but pointing out that the McCain presidency has changed EVERYTHING.

DJ · 1 year ago

Wow, umm... I was thing the same this as Lisa. That probably isn't a very good idea. I mean I understand the intent, but remember the road to hell was paved with good intentions. So yeah, I thin this video might just backfire if it's not fixed.

Mary Ann · 1 year ago

I think we can do better than this video. There are several issues not one, not two but more. We need to be more specific. This video opens the door to the anti birth control people, the Row vs. Wade people, and the parental control people. We can take all those issues on but it is best, in my opinion, to deal with these issues one at a time.

planetcolorado · 1 year ago

Women of America, Vote your Interests. John McCain does not trust you to make your own reproductive health decisions. He thinks he knows better. He has proved this by voting against reproductive freedom for women 123 times. Vote for Reproductive Freedom!

David Baron · 1 year ago

This, like a lot of your videos, make liberals look stupid and not honest. Since when is an abortion birth control. An abortion is an abortion, and a woman's choice (as a last resort when birth control did not work). You need to preview these videos first with people that aren't high on marijuana.

Sylvia · 1 year ago

Hello, I was wondering why I would forward these videos to all the WOMEN I know... Why not the men too? Are we assuming they don't care? After all, quite a few of them have wives, girlfriends, sisters and daughters... Aren't contraception, abortion and sexually transmitted diseases their business too?

Keep up the good work!

Jill · 1 year ago

Completely disagree with all the previous comments (especially the one about voteing for McCain). I did not see anything about abortion, nor did I see anything that made me infer that.

I think it is a great video and could open people's eyes to the fact that McCain is not a moderate when it comes to women's rights. Not only is a pro-life but opposes comprehensive sex ed and low cost birth control. Living in a place like Nevada I think this video would be a big hit here.

Nick Cooper · 1 year ago

not a very good script or acting

Nick Cooper · 1 year ago

not a very good script or acting

Karen · 1 year ago

Since Bush took office, PP has seen funding reduced dramatically. They can no longer afford to give out something as useful as a free condom. As a society, we have a vested interest in birth control/protection and when we strip that service we are endangering this nations health. As for Roe v. Wade, it is at risk if McCain gets in office....and last time I checked, Republicans haven't volunteered to adopt every last one of the babies they would be bringing into this world should Roe V. Wade be over-turned.

Pat Griffith · 1 year ago

I thought it was great, but message needs to be expanded and his other votes highlighted. I just contributed to the NARAL ProChoice PAC. This is one of the most important issues in this campaign.

Kay Travis · 1 year ago

Lose the fake interview with Stephanopoulos! I'm sure there must be many real answers to real questions that could be used. I kept thinking all the way through that this was not a real interview.

Let's use the truth to defeat McCain, not swift boat type inventions!

Barack Oblogger · 1 year ago

click here if you want to see John McCain's record on women's issues:

http://www.barackoblogger.com/2008/06/john-mcca...

Julie · 1 year ago

Ditto Lisa's comments.

You need to add some substance to this video to make it effective.

b smith · 1 year ago

I am not going to forward these videos, although the
subject matter is good, the videos themselves are
not strong enough. The fake Stephanopoulos interview is embarrassingly bad. The women's health clinic video is silly, and worse, ineffective, in the face of the appalling voting record of McCain.
You do know, don't you, that abortion is not to be considered a "birth control" issue? Of course I will not (how about never?) vote for him, but stronger and smarter messages will be necessary.

BillS · 1 year ago

You have a great tool. Now, if you could only match the power of the tool with more effective writing, better framing and more targeted messages. Get some help next time before you distribute video that's ineffective and embarrassingly puerile.

Paul · 1 year ago

Can you also provide info on where McCain stands on Men's Rights issues such as shared parenting after divorce? Then we can make an objective judgement if he is fair to both genders.

MeToo · 1 year ago

I must agree with the BillS comment below, the productive-rights video was just piss-poor all around...........

Kat · 1 year ago

For those who suggest the most recent video conflates abortion with birth control, I'd like to suggest you check out the extreme right's most recent campaign... arguing exactly that. www.thepillkills.org

And McCain has opposed Title X as well as insurance coverage for birth control, so the video seems pretty accurate to me.

violet · 1 year ago

The first and last paragraphs of your letter were excellent...and they contain the messages that need to be illustrated. This film totally fails to do this: it's NOT funny, it's inaccurate (a McCain clinic would have ONE proposal-- abstinence--as the ONLY acceptable method), and it seems to me to be appallingly counter-productive, as noted in many of the comments you received.

Michele Mohrmann · 1 year ago

I don't know how you got my email address, but I am a Christian and I give John McCain an A + for voting against pro choice issues. I thank my God that there is one person running for the office of President who upholds the sanctity of life. Abortion is not birth control...it is murder.

May God open your eyes and soften your heart.

Jay · 1 year ago

Please stop the "comedy" videos. I need facts to counter the lies that I hear, not unfunny one-liners.

Crystal Wood · 1 year ago

I can not understand how a woman that can feel the life of her baby inside her can kill that life. I can not understand how we can send our young men and women to die for a lie. We need to bring our solders home to defend our country not go and die for someone who doesn't want us there in the first place. Babys are not tumors. Solders are not pawns.

Reggie · 1 year ago

McCain upholds the "sanctity of life" Michele? I guess you don't consider the hundred thousand plus dead Iraqi women and children "lives" or what about all the American children who don't have adequate health care once they come out of the womb? Give me a break. If you're gonna be sanctimonious at least be consistent.

Myschly · 1 year ago

America is supposed to be a secular nation. Well, at least that's what most Americans think.
Let's take a look at how McCain (and W Bush for that matter) will help the rest of the world of viewing America that way:
Secular - Seperation of church and state is very important. When the President decides upon an issue based on his religion, well, that's not a seperation of church and state.

humanist · 1 year ago

Tom, what about the women who've been raped? Do they get punished, too?

And a zygote is not a baby, neither is a fetus. For the first three months at least, all you have is potential. If killing a potential is murder, then you might as well call someone a murderer for not having sex.

Most women who choose abortion do it because they can't raise a child. I'd like to see you stand before the Lady with all those children who died of malnutrition and hunger pointing their fingers at you.

KirstyJoh · 1 year ago

Message to Michele Mooooohrman:


I don't care which God(s) you worship. "Sanctity of life" & "War" do not go hand in hand so how dare you make such a stupid statement. I get pissed when people get all righteous about early abortion when they would elect a war monger. HYPOCRITS.

Lasly, am I missing something? The video does not even mention abortion...... it is about contraception.

a step backward · 1 year ago

I agree with the majority of posts on this one - many or your other films are excellent but this is really in poor taste. It would be funny if it were about birth control options aside from abortion, but I don't think abortion ever is, or should be, referenced lightly.

I do happen to disagree, however, with those who claim abortion isn't birth control. That's exactly what it is. We just aren't aloud to call it that because religious people have high-jacked women's bodies.

Rain · 1 year ago

I would like to see McCain and all the other MEN who want to take OUR right to choose start adopting and fostering all the unwanted or unplanned pregnancies in the world! How many children have they taken care of!

Emily · 1 year ago

The point is that it's totally sexist for insurance companies to cover Viagara when they won't cover birth control. Why is it still ok for men to have all the sex they want and women not? Are we still in the 18th century?

1235 · 1 year ago

McCain voted against mandating insurance companies to fund birth control he did this b/c it would cause health insurance rates to rise.
SO FU@# YOU!

NamelessGenXer · 1 year ago

McInsane is a TOTAL DISASTER on women's rights and every other issue that faces this once-proud nation. I say make the top 2% wealthiest Americans provide full financial support to every unwanted child McStain would force on this nation. That'll change the senile old bastard's tune quick enough.

sweetpB307 · 1 year ago

This is a must read again!
www.nytimes.com

It may even explain why he wishes to continue the Bush tax cuts...The one thing he does not have in his Economical Plans is how he plans to pay for two wars, pay to open 50 Bases in Iraq, and pay for his ungenerous GI bill (that will not pass. Another thing take into account his VETO POWER THREATH!

Mary Lou Czupek · 1 year ago

This man is a product of the 1950's. If you want to go backwards, vote for great grandpa McCain. Sounds to me like remembering the recent past is a problem for him.

George Carter · 1 year ago

I too am a product of the '50's, a 74 years old Christian man who strongly supports distributing the videos. Let's send them to women AND men. What a continuing disaster would be a McCain presidency!!

Matt Sherman · 1 year ago

McCain is part of Bush's Mofia!

Impeach the Mofia Administration!

Jyl Berryhill · 1 year ago

McCain is a moran!

Impeach these crooks before they start another war!

Mark Garcia · 1 year ago

Let's not forget McCains involvement in The Keating Five corruption. en.wikipedia.org

Melissa Corley · 1 year ago

If his concern was rising insurance rates, then perhaps he should have stopped the insurance companies for paying for Viagara and Cialis prescriptions. Oh, wait...he probably uses those...never mind. Let's just keep popping out those babies, ladies, while our men keep popping their "honey lets have sex" drugs! Yee-Haw!!!!

Joe · 1 year ago

Why don't you just cross you legs? Why are you always looking for a free hand out when it comes to birth control, working, getting up early. oh it hurts, i don't want to work, I want to be rich but not work for it. hmmm, i never got a job from someone who was broke.

humanist · 1 year ago

Joe, I find your comment both ignorant and insulting. Perhaps you can control your sexual impulses that easily, but I'm sure there are other areas in your life where you find it harder to resist your urges? Would you condemn yourself for falling prey to them? (And that doesn't even address the matter of women who are RAPED.)

humanist · 1 year ago

Concluded ...

Practically nobody (except the very rich, that is) wants something for nothing. All women want is equality in a male-dominated world. Women don't want handouts, women want their rights as human beings.

Every form of domination in history has used the ol' "blame the victim" strategy to justify its oppression. You sir, have delivered a textbook example of such a misogynistic tirade.

Joe · 1 year ago

I'm not talking about all Women, just you...BTW have you ever had a Job? have you ever had to get up early in the morning, leave your family for weeks at a time to bring make a life for your family? Rich people don't become Rich by not working hard in this country unless they inherited it, you should try to become Rich through hard work and not complain. Again, did you ever get a job from a POOR person??

humanist · 1 year ago

Joe, first of all, I'm a man. Second, I've only worked part-time so far, because I'm not yet out of college, and I don't have a family to support. Third, how many people do you think get rich in this country (or anywhere) without inheriting it? Very, very few.

I, personally, don't want to be rich. Richness implies having more, and that can only happen when other people have less. What I want is equality, where everybody has enough. But that's just me.

humanist · 1 year ago

What most women, poor people, people of color, queers people, and disabled people etc. want is freedom from an oppressive system in this country that preferences money, jobs, and power to white, straight, nondisabled, wealthy men.

Like I said, they don't want handouts, they want what's owed them as human beings. And more power to them in that, say I.

Chriss · 1 year ago

I'm pretty sure Senator McCain didn't vote against insurance companies paying for Viagra!

apache · 1 year ago

It's amazing that Senator McCain would at this point say that Senator Obama has a problem with his close nominating party, ONE of which resigned, when McCain lost FIVE of this close friends to scandal.
HHHHHMMMMMMMMMMM

Isn't that the "pot calling the kettle black?

HMMMMMMM, wonder how that works.>?????

KirstyJoh · 1 year ago

Joe: You idiot.

I earn my own money AND pay more than enough health insurance.

I am just as entitled to take birth control pills as you are impotence pills. It is a shame there is no medication for your verbal diarrhea.

american girl · 1 year ago

Hesitant to actually post a comment here since the first few that I read seem to be from people who are probably still living in hotel rooms in New Orleans at government expense and loving it... you know, the give me crowd. (Hello, Humanist... hate to tell you this but in the REAL WORLD... NOTHING, but NOTHING is "OWED" to you. Get off your lazy butt and work for it yourself.)Someone forwarded this video (Why do women give McCain a Zero)to me. As an WOMAN, an Arizona resident and a REPUBLICAN I can tell you that I don't like John McCain, but abortion has nothing to do with it. Most THINKING people realize that a President has very little, if any, impact on social issues like abortion. The most he can do is appoint Supreme Court justices who MAY swing the pendulum the other way, but we have just not seen that happen.

I thought this video was not only silly, I thought it was retarded. Just watching the video my interpretation was that abortion = birth control. Anyone who uses abortion as a method of birth control is just too stupid to live so I guess it's a good thing if they don't reproduce.

There are PLENTY of issues facing candidates this election....... abortion isn't one of them. Try the ECONOMY. Or IRAN..... or ILLEGAL IMMIGRATRION. Make a film that has a POINT and actually hits the nail on the head! As much as I DON'T like Senator McCain, I love him compared to Obama. Now there is a real looser for you. Someone who has risen from the sewers of Chicago Politics... associating with known terrorists, criminals and people who hate America; A man who has profited personally and professionally from his association with a recently convicted criminal, Tony Rezko. A man who is absolutely NO judge of character (how often have we heard him say "That's not the (insert name) that I knew." (Jeremiah Wright, William Ayers, Tony Rezko... pick one. He's said it about all 3.) Thanks, but I think I'd rather have a President who has actually RUN something... like maybe a lemonade stand or a car wash. I'd rather have a President who realizes that the company you keep DOES reflect on you. I'd rather have a President who understands that even "little" countries like Cuba and Iran can get their hands on nuclear devices and end life as we know it. I'd rather have a President who has a better plan for our economy and for our energy than making laws that require auto makers to produce cars that get 40 mpg by 2020. What about NOW? I'd rather have a President who doesn't try to rob the savings of senior citizens and corporations alike. I'd rather have a President who has done more than just TALK about "uniting". What has Obama EVER done to work with the opposition party? He TALKS about it. In fact, to coin a much used phrase from a speech that Obama pilfered from ... Obama is "Words.... JUST WORDS".

Thanks, but I'll take McCain.

Cindy · 1 year ago

American girl-you missed the point! McCain voted against requiring insurance companies to cover prescription birth control==not abortion. And hate to tell you but appointing supreme court justices should be something for every voter to consider. I'll vote for Obama a million times over mcccain--judgement over flip=flop any day

humanist · 1 year ago

american girl, I don't know where you got the idea that I was lazy, except that it's a common attack on poor, homeless, immigrants, and other oppressed peoples, and I guess on people who advocate for their rights, too.

Most people who don't work are in that situation either because can't, because the jobs aren't there, or because they've been too heavily discriminated against. Most of the rest would rather not be exploited.

humanist · 1 year ago

Continued ...

You appear to believe that people (apart, of course, from rich elites) have no inherent value in themselves but only in what they can do to serve the interests of those elites (and the meager leftovers they give the rest of society to keep the population from rebellion).

Hate to break it to you, but in the REAL world, people don't exist to serve private interests.

humanist · 1 year ago

The system of working for wages in this country dehumanizes the workers (and the people they work for, for that matter). I know I have no problem with working for the good of my community, but for a system which exploits my inherent creativity and generates huge profits for the rich while oppressing everyone else? Not so much.

Oh, and about Jeremiah Wright: www.lipmagazine.org

IndecisiveJake · 1 year ago

american girl you couldn't have chosen a more appropriate name that exposes the sheer hypocrisy of the people like you. Why is Iran(brown people) and Illegal Immigration(more brown people) and the ECONOMY(finding more brown people to do our work for cheap). Great job exposing yourself has the true Hannity Loving, FOX spews eating, Right Wing loser.

R. Keith · 1 year ago

I think you all should take Rush Limbaughs "Kook" test. I think you would ace it...

humanist · 1 year ago

R. Keith, from the looks of it, Rush Limbaugh is a kook.

Anonymous, true, work for wages is a step up from slavery. It's also exploitation though. It's telling me, I have no worth in myself, only in the work I do.

humanist · 1 year ago

Continued ...

Now, if I were getting all I needed from the community anyways, why would I need wages? But I would need to do something with my time, to utilize my inherent creativity. For me, it would probably some sort of storytelling. For my father, it might be preparing the food that the community eats. For someone else, it would be building and fixing houses. And so on. For you, it would be something else.

humanist · 1 year ago

Wasn't it Adam Smith who talked about everybody doing what's in their own best interests for the benefit of the community? That's what I'm talking about. People doing what they love with themselves AND their communities as beneficiaries.

MarketingJoint · 1 year ago

There's a simple poll asking who would make a better marketing executive ... McCain or Obama?

Link to poll here: mktg.typepad.com

Iranian Dude · 1 year ago

Let's face it folks. The moment of Truth is close by. God in his wisdom has decided to accord one last chance to America.

Iranian Dude · 1 year ago

Choosing McCain will bring a decisive and rapid end to the world as we know it. It will be a welcome change for the vast majority of Earth's habitants. Choosing Obama will (IMHO) only delay the inevitable. Why wait?

Iranian Dude · 1 year ago

Just as with a rotten tooth, one must eventually face one's fears and have it removed. Yes, it will be painful. Yes, there will be blood. Yes, the pain suddenly goes away when we sit on the dentist's chair.... But at the end of the day, what must be done, has to get done.

Iranian Dude · 1 year ago

America was founded on top of massive genocide and slavery. It has waged countless wars against the defenseless populations, be them in its own backyard or on the opposite side of the globe. Its rein of terror has only increased through successive presidents. There is no doubt that America is the most Evil nation in the history of mankind. However its end is near. It is standing on its knees right on top of its own grave. John McCain is the man to give it that final push.

American girl · 1 year ago

Indecisivejake: Amazing that you interpret my concern for the economy (when working Americans are spending over one third of their weekly income to fill their gas tanks) is solely related to illegal immigration. It isn't. Illegal immigration is certainly a huge contributor to the problems we have. I live in Arizona and illegals have totally destroyed wages and the ability of Americans who don't have higher educations to support themselves. They have cost Americans BENEFITS, such as health insurance, vacation and sick pay benefits. I don't believe you finished your sentence, so I'm not sure where you were going with your comment.
I just wanted to clarify that my concern about Iran has NOTHING to do with the color of their skin. It has everything to do with the fact that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a raving lunatic that would end the world if he got an operable nuclear weapon. Wake UP and die right!

What planet you were raised on, that you can't see the problems and risks in illegal immigration and a terrorist nations with nuclear capability.

Oh, and by the way... the name AMERICAN GIRL in no way denotes any particular race. That's what AMERICANS are... a blend. It's a wonderful thing to be. I'm proud of my country. It would SUCK to be a negative, American bashing idiot. Don't take that personally, OK?

American girl · 1 year ago

Humanist: There are a lot of people who have a very hard time in this world, my own son included. I have nothing but compassion for those who really try. That said, there is NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING I dislike more than people who think the rest of the World OWES them something. For what? Why? What did you ever do to deserve the World's generosity? THAT'S WHY I SAID YOU WERE LAZY. Most people I know have worked for everything they have. No one gave it to them.
The rest of what you said is such babble I can't even wade through it all, so NO COMMENT.

humanist · 1 year ago

american girl, your comments re: immigration, classic symptoms of divide-and-conquer tactics. The rich take almost everything for themselves, then leave the poor to fight over the rest, instead of claiming their fair share from the rich.

Do you know why so many people immigrate? Because of free trade laws that have cost them their jobs, their homes, their livelihoods back in their own countries, all too feed the wallets of multi-billion dollar businesses.

humanist · 1 year ago

Immigrants don't take anything from you, it's the government and corporations determine that there will only be a limited amount of jobs and health care to go around--anything else would cut into their bottom line.

There's plenty of money in the world, but the elites just don't want to unbend and bring themselves down to the level of working class oikes like you and me. (By the way, I'm not actually a rich-hater, they're as trapped by the system as everybody else.)

American girl · 1 year ago

Cindy; I didn't miss the point of the video. It was an utterly STUPID video. Why not use direct quotes from John McCain? I know he voted against the GOVERNMENT spending $100 MILLION DOLLARS for birth control for young girls. I don't think birth control is any of the GOVERNMENT's BUSINESS. Leave that to wacko groups like Planned Parenthood.

Do you HONESTLY want to live in a country where the GOVERNMENT has a rule for absolutely everything you do from how many times a day you need to brush your teeth, to birth control, to smoking to whatever. That bill also included GOVERNMENT PAID Viagra for people on Welfare. GET REAL!

Vote for whoever you please... that's the point of a free country. But PLEASE don't insult your own intelligence by claiming to vote for Obama because of his JUDGEMENT. HE has judgement alright... and it's all BAD JUDGEMENT.

Take a looky at his friends.... He sits in a church with a radical anti-American pastor whom he refers to as his friend and spiritual advisor for TWENTY TWO years. He staunchly defends him for months and then throws him under the bus, denouncing him as someone he didn't really know.
Or how about William Ayers, the terrorist bomber who he sat on boards with, went to parties at his home, and even had a fund raiser for Obama. Uh.. or what about Tony Rezko... the corrupt mobster who was just convicted in Illinios. Obama worked for him, he was a major fund raiser for Obama and Obama PROFITED personally and professionally from their relationship. Now, where on earth do you get the idea that this man has any judgement at all?????? Judgement is probably the single most important qualification for the Presidency and Obama has exhibited ZILCH.
Cite the fact that you like his energizing (and teleprompted) speeches, or his looks, or his Ghetto sounding wife... whatever... but PLEASE don't refer to JUDGEMENT! That's just plain EMBARRASSING. Sort of like me saying I like McCain because he's tall dark and handsome and has such a winning personality.

humanist · 1 year ago

About myself: I was trying to say that I take PRIDE in working for the good of my community. What I balk at is capitulating to a system which weighs me not by my worth as a human being, but for my ability to generate profits for the ultra-rich.

I believe every human being has something to contribute to their community, and they should be allowed to make their contribution on their own terms, not the terms of some corporate tycoon who's more money than I'll ever see in my life to do nothing.

humanist · 1 year ago

I balk at contributing to a system which continues my exploitation, and worse, continues the exploitation of millions of sick and dying people all over the world.

humanist · 1 year ago

My convictions are not primarily for myself, I'm better off than most. They're for the people all over the world, struggling to survive merely because they were born in the wrong place or with the wrong skin color or wrong genitalia or wrong disability status or wrong economic status. They're all people, and the system treats them like THINGS. THAT is what I fight against my enemy. Forget what the system owes ME, what about what it owes them. What it owes YOU.

humanist · 1 year ago

And oh yeah, sure Ahmadinejad's a nasty piece of work you wouldn't want in control of a nuclear arsenal. So what? That's practically standard qualifications for high office in any country. (Not that I can think of ANYONE I would want in control of a nuclear arsenal.)

Let me remind you that only one country in history has ever deployed nuclear weapons with intent to kill (and kill civilians at that). Iran is a problem (despite the fact that they ended their nuclear weapons program 5 YEARS AGO) but the US is certainly not the best choice to address that problem.

humanist · 1 year ago

Oh, and I don't know about Ayers or Rezko, but from what I understand, Jeremiah Wright is not anti-American. Anti-Imperialist and anti-American propaganda (what we whites generally think of as "history") maybe. Again, see this:
http://www.lipmagazine.org/~timwise/NationalLie...

humanist · 1 year ago

I greatly suspect Obama "threw him under a bus" because he was pressured into it by racist mainstream voters.

And Obama may keep bad company, but what about McCain's "spiritual guides" being racist, heterosexist, intolerant religious fanatics? Or having lobbyists on his staff who worked for brutal dictatorships in Burma and other countries? No Presidential candidate has a monopoly on virtue or good judgment. If they did, they wouldn't be running.

American girl · 1 year ago

Again, Humanist.... NO ONE, stress that NO ONE owes me ANYTHING. NADA. NOTHING. And we don't OWE anything to anyone else, regardless of where or when they were born or what their disabilites are. I think charitable giving is WONDERFUL and we DO give to many charites, including many ANIMAL charities....... but it ought to be voluntary and as I said, I will take issue with ANYONE who thinks the world owes them a living.

American girl · 1 year ago

Gypsy: Regarding your comments. I think some of your facts might be wrong. Unemployment is not 22%, it's 5.5 %. It wouldn't be that high if we didn't have so many illegals taking American jobs. Agreed, that might be Bush's fault for not closing the border and deporting anyone who's here working illegally.

The oil prices are not Bush's fault. If you understand how oil is priced, you'll get it. Investors, commodity buyers are buying Oil Futures and driving the price up. 80% of the oil price is tied directly to the commodities market. 15% goes to GOVERNMENT taxes. That leaves 5% (approximately) that goes to Oil companies for research and development, marketing, operating costs and getting the product to the consumer. If you want to blame someone, how about the environmentalists who blocked the U S developing new oil sites in this country? Congress passed a bill to start drilling in ANWR in 1995. Bill Clinton vetoed it. Obama's SOLUTION is to make car companies develop cars that get a minimum of 40 mpg by 2020, to find new sources of renewable energy and to decrease the US dependency on oil as a fuel. Great. But what about the POOR GUY who is spending ONE THIRD of his gross weekly pay NOW for gas to get to and from his job??? Think that's going to help HIM much???

Barack's ecomomic policies will bankrupt senior citizens who planned for a secure retirement. He wants to DOUBLE the tax on Capital Gains, which will affect the retirment accounts of EVERY SENIOR CITIZEN. He wants to INCREASE the cap on YOUR PAYROLL TAXES... JUST what this country needs at a time like this. MORE TAXES. At the SAME time, he wants to increase the tax on corporations so that they pass the increase along to CONSUMERS. That means you get hit 3 ways from Sunday.

I'm not a John McCain fan. AT ALL. A vote for John McCain is NOT a vote for a Republican. The way I see it, the Democrat party CAN'T lose this election... the Republicans don't even have a horse in the race. All I'm saying is, Barak Obama will bring complete financial destruction to working families. Those on welfare... not so much. Good deal for them.

me · 1 year ago

"Your daddy", thanks for clarifying the official Republican position on womens' issues. Some people may not have appreciated the nuances.

DISGUSTED! · 1 year ago

Why should McSame - or any government "official" - have jurisdiction over birth control? I read the US Constitution and couldn't find the phrase "birth control". If McPain had a conscience (fat chance) he would have refused to vote, stating "Birth Control is NONE OF GOVERNMENT'S BUSINESS".

fred · 1 year ago

American girl is obviously a republican who is posting lies. someone from therealmccain.com should monitor these postings and point out the lies. it shouldn't be up to your readers to do it.

fred · 1 year ago

it's too easy to post on this website, you need to manage postings.

rosco · 1 year ago

you guys should put this in your newsletters....
www.ifmccainbecomespresident.com

Lauren · 1 year ago

Listen.

I'm against McCain as much as the next pro-choice-er is.

But, I would like to find some more substantial evidence of him voting against the existence of insurance coverage for the birth control pill.

If we don't have that evidence, we can't hold it against him. And if that's so, we're really just arguing as inaccurately as all that current right-wing banter, ya know?

Hurry! Find some quotes!

humanist · 1 year ago

american girl, no ONE owes us anything, it's true, but the system owes us our freedom. Freedom from domination and exploitation, and from complicity in the domination and exploitation of others. Freedom to find our own path, freedom to live in peace and harmony with our fellow human beings.

Life and liberty are two of our inalienable rights as human beings.

humanist · 1 year ago

Nobody owes anyone else a living but ... let me put it this way: Supposing a friend of yours is very thirsty, and asks you for a cup of water. You give it, not because you owe her anything, but because you CARE about her. And she doesn't owe you anything (although she may say she does).

And if, later, you need to borrow a book from her or another friend, they give it to you, because they care about you. If we could build a community based on friendship (which we can) we'd have no need of the concept of "debt."

humanist · 1 year ago

Also, your comments on immigrants, american girl, are awfully hypocritical, coming from the descendant of illegal immigrants. (I'm assuming you weren't born on a reservation.)

Once again, no, it isn't their fault there's low employment. It's the fault of corporations that refuse to create more jobs, and their lobbyists who have, over the years, beat down any attempt to pass universal employment laws.

humanist · 1 year ago

Again, do you know why people immigrate? Because of oppressive "free trade" laws which rob them of their land, their homes, their jobs, their livelihoods. (THAT Anonymous, is a legitimate criticism of free trade. Another is that it allows corporations to jack up the prices for transportation, health care and other things local governments could supply much more cheaply.)

humanist · 1 year ago

But anyway, getting back to the immigrants ...

I don't know the situation now, but back in the 60s in the Deep South, the Ku Klux Klan was composed mostly of poor whites. They thought (correctly) that they were being exploited. They also blamed (incorrectly) the blacks for their exploitation, when all the blacks were trying to do was free themselves from their own exploitation.

humanist · 1 year ago

Because of artificial scarcity, the poor whites did not see the civil rights movement as their fellow exploited trying to fight their mutual exploitation, but as rivals for what little the elite were willing to share with the "lower" classes. You, obviously, are in the exact same position.

Barach voter · 1 year ago

All was going well with the Woman video until I heard George Stephanopolis and that one is bogus as the voice isn't his. Consequently one has to question the others. I would have gladly sent that as I am an Obama woman, but veracity is critical in an election year

humanist · 1 year ago

In your opinion, Anonymous, in your opinion.

Free trade allows companies to privatize public property. Suppose some company wants to buy some land with a waterfall, which previously belonged to a native village in Mexico. If the villagers agree to sell, they get some (but not much) money up front, but then the company is "free" to charge however-the-hell much they want for access to the former community watering hole in perpetuity.

humanist · 1 year ago

Free trade means companies can buy up highways and raise the tolls, and the (somewhat) democratically elected government has no say in the matter, so the company that owns the highway can charge whatever it wants. If people want to use the highway, they've got to pay up, pure and simple. Free trade = no accountability to the people.

And please don't tell me I'm "just wrong." Anyone can say that. Show me the evidence.

humanist · 1 year ago

Now that's more of an argument.

I suspect that one of the reasons most economists favor free trade is that they've been educated to equate good economic policy with economic growth and development, as opposed to, say, human development.

humanist · 1 year ago

About the job cuts, maybe I'm misremembering what I read. The WTO and NAFTA (champions of free trade) definitely advocate WAGE cuts in third world countries. They also advocate cuts in education spending, which makes your "better and cheaper education" comment awfully ironic.

Besides, corporations don't want education in the Third World, because if their workforce is educated, they might demand better wages and working conditions.

humanist · 1 year ago

Sorry, I don't know enough about productivity to comment on that one.

No, corporations can't privatize public property without consent. Unfortunately, the Big Government-Big Business alliance is very good at manufacturing consent. If they want that waterfall, there's a whole lot of financial and governmental pressure they can bring to bear, including hiring mercenaries.

humanist · 1 year ago

And that's assuming the corporations even give the community a say about whether or not to sell the property. The WTO and NAFTA impose many decisions on governments in order to be allowed to enter/remain in the organization.

Often, these free trade-guided decisions take the form of land grants to corporations for development (read: exploitation). And if there happen to be persons or communities already occupying that land, well, too bad for them.

humanist · 1 year ago

Elected governments have their constituents to answer to, and at least sometimes those constituents can affect government policy. Corporations have no one to answer to but their elite owners and managers.

mike collier · 1 year ago

The McCain Campaign is taking an idea from the Obama Campaign and have launched a new website devoted to fighting rumors and political attacks,

http://therealmccain.com

Please post the message above to major republican blogs and forums.

Anonymous · 1 year ago

Hey, great site. Just wanted to let you know that technically, it should be "Fewer Jobs. More Wars." I don't know if you meant for it to be like that, but since most people make fun of Bush for bad grammar, I figured we might as well have a one up on Republicans.

Jeff Burke · 1 year ago

Commercial Idea:
Do a commercial where a mother goes to a clinic with her daughter who is seen but off to the side and distressed. The mother asks the doctor if she is pregnant - the doctor confirms she is. The mother asks for an abortion - the doctor says Roe-v-Wade was overturned.
Mother: She was raped
Doctor: Not even for rape
Mother: By her father
Doctor: Not even for Incest
Mother: But shes 12.
Doctor: blank stare
That wouuld be powerful, but is exactly the harsh reality of what McCain would offer

annonymous · 1 year ago

look i am against McCain hands down but seriously we need a happy medium i have a relative and alot of friends who have had an abortion and there are alot of lies to it ALL CLINICS REFUSE TO GIVE THE RISKS even though there are and it leaves serious emotional trama and depression so those who support it (or want commersials about it) should get a little more information

humanist · 1 year ago

Anonymous, I stand corrected. I guess what I mean is that corporations have a lot less accountability than governments.

They do have some accountability to their shareholders. But, (correct me if I'm wrong here) they have more accountability to those who own more shares, right? And who would be most likely to own the largest amount of shares? The wealthy. So in that instance, they would mainly be accountable to rich elites.

humanist · 1 year ago

Shareholder accountability isn't very democratic then. Corporations are also accountable to governments, it's true, (more "usually conspires with") but only within that government's sphere of influence. The US government can't hold transnational corporations responsible for human rights violations in Asia. (I'm thinking here mostly of slave labor and pollution.)

humanist · 1 year ago

Corporations can also hold governments "accountable." A while back, in order to cut down air pollution, the US started using a different chemical in cars. However, sometime later they figured out that the new chemical was causing water pollution (or maybe it was soil, my memory is vague on many of the details, here). So they stopped using that chemical.

humanist · 1 year ago

Continued ...

BUT, the chemical came from Canada, and some corporation put the US government on trial with NAFTA, GATT, the WTO, or one of those free trade organizations for hurting international trade. The court ruled in the corporation's favor, forcing the US government to spend millions of dollars in damages for trying to cut down its pollution.

humanist · 1 year ago

I can't speak for ExxonMobil in particular, but here's some insights from someone a lot more knowledgeable about these things than myself:

"Whenever things that man people want are in short supply, those who control the supply have important power over those who want some."

"... In India under the British, for example, crop failures that resulted in widespread famine were occasions for joyous profiteering by landlords and colonial officials, who were able to sell food at extortionate prices."

Bill Robinson · 1 year ago

The Real Obama:

Lied about his connection with Reverend Wright who hates whites.

Who's wife only recently started to like this country.

Who has no idea about forerun policy.

Who is for more welfare and lies about supporting working class Americans.

Who is so liberal that he wants to get more gun control.

Who has the support of Americas Muslim Enemies.

Who will never win or if he doe's will be fought on all his liberal fronts.

humanist · 1 year ago

The Real Reverend Wright: does not hate whites, but also doesn't kowtow to the whitewashed, white-serving mainstream view of history.

"Obama ... has no idea about foreign policy." Well, he wants to end the War in Iraq. He does seem to support the War on Terror, though. Still, a NET score of 0 =/= no idea.

"is so liberal that he wants to get more control."
More, but not enough, I suspect. Gun abolishment would be about right.

humanist · 1 year ago

"has the support of America's Muslim Enemies."
Not all Muslim's are enemies of the United States. There would be a lot less of them if we stopped treating them like "the enemy." So if he has their support, maybe it's because they think he'll stop the US policy of making enemies out of Muslims and instead make friends.

"will never win"
Quite possibly. There's still a LOT of racism in this country.

American girl · 1 year ago

Fred; I didn't realize that this was a blog ONLY for people who support Obama. I thought it was still a free country and a place where anyone could express an opinion as long as they don't sound off like "your daddy"...
Very sorry to have offended your liberal sensabilites. I realize that most liberals only support free speech if they're speaking. Anyone who voices another opinion is LYING. Maybe you should be more TOLERANT of other opinions. That's the American my family fought for.

DISGUSTED! · 1 year ago

American Girl,

I'm an Arizona boy who enjoys your postings.

It won't matter which sociopath is elected, as they're both members of the War Party.

We are doomed!

humanist · 1 year ago

American girl, as an avowed liberal (well sort of) and one of your biggest antagonists on this site, I agree that fred's comments about you were uncalled for and counter-productive. You make intelligent arguments and while you do resort to unfounded personal attacks, they're not nearly as some made by supposed "progressives."

As a staunch supporter of free speech and opponent of censorship, I at least would not dream of censoring you.

DISGUSTED!, yeah, the prospects are pretty bad, but saying "we're doomed!" both overstates the case and only leads to fatalism, which is unhelpful.

will · 1 year ago

not to be too pedantic, guys, but the tagline should be, "FEWER jobs, more wars" instead of "less jobs". We're to use "fewer" to describe things that can actually be counted, like jobs.

Otherwise, GRREAT work!! cheers will
Go Barack!

david garcia · 1 year ago

Times are changing because of the Information Technology (IT) revolution, just as it did during the industrial revolution.

If anyone has any grasp of economics, Obama is against free-trade, and wants the gov to be in more control of the economy...a kind of modern socialist way the French run things. This would squeeze an already volitale economy, until the bubble pops.

I Also want to point out Obama's track record of accomplishments, which are slim to none...look that the youtube video of when Obama's head supervisor stumbles as he is asked Obama's accomplishments.

lifer09 · 1 year ago

well "less job. more wars" is a quote, so the grammar really doesnt matter at all

Joe · 1 year ago

John McCain is the greatest American of all time. Almost better than George Bush. George Bush will go down in history as the great liberator of the middle east and bringing us through the greatest threat to American freedom in history. Long live the Republican party and all that they stand for!

diane · 1 year ago

go ask the Iraqis if they feel "liberated" as they die by the hundreds of thousands, flee by the millions. if and when they are able to return they will find an irradiated land from "dirty" bombs and overrun by jihadists who weren't interested in Iraq until the U.S. arrived. McCain would love to continue the policies of Bush his own PTSD is expressed in a desire to win a war since he feels personally he lost Vietnam because it wasn't supported and protested against.

Victoria · 1 year ago

For more on John McCain's positions on women, join the victory effort at www.womenforjohnmccain.com

John McCain has issues with women.

Naomi Cartledge · 1 year ago

It's unthinkable to have a President with such autocratic, patronizing, chauvinistic and controlling attitudes to women and their health. I find the hypocrisy of people like McCain appalling. The issue of womens' fertility is between her partner, her doctor and herself - no-ones' business. Contraception should be a vital aspect of health policy for all. I'd also like to see politicians, particularly the males, champion the cause for male sexual responsiblity - as many have none now, nor are they encouraged to! I fume with anger when I hear the moralistic and judgemental attitudes behind, "she got herself pregnant".Unless I'm mistaken, that is an impossibility! Perhaps someone could confront McCain on this aspect of fertility!

american girl · 1 year ago

Thank you humanist, for the unexpected, but appreciated support. Likewise, I will apologize for any personal attacks. Not very mature of me.
I do want to comment on Naomi's comments here. AS A WOMAN, I have a MAJOR issue with the (lets call it what it is) PRO ABORTION group. I absolutely defend any woman's right to choice... to become pregnant or NOT to become pregnant. Once pregnant then it becomes an issue of WHOSE RIGHTS supercede the other. I have NEVER, in 36 years since Roe vs. Wade, heard a REASONABLE arguement that would convince me that a woman's right to convenience would supercede a childs RIGHT TO LIFE. I believe that once conceived the child's right to life overcomes any rights the mother might have.
Here's an example. Two women who are both 7 months pregnant are on their way to an abortion clinic. One of the two women has decided to have an abortion, for any myriad of reasons. Rather than give birth and allow the child to be adopted she has decided it's her right to kill it. The other woman is NOT having an abortion. A driver runs a red light, hits the car and the unborn babies are killed. The driver will be facing TWO murder charges, yet had the accident not happened the woman who was going to abort would not be breaking the law.
What makes it murder in one case and not the other? Is it because one child was wanted and one was not? Wanted by whom? What about all of the childless couples who long for a child who would have "Wanted" that "unwanted child".
If you come right down to it, most law, cannon and civil come down to the issue of WHOSE rights take precident. The basic right to life is the most inalienable right bestowed to us.

As far as male sexual responsibility, I couldn't agree more, but ultimately since only women conceive and since women know their own bodies then the final responsibility lies with us. It is unfair, but that's just a biological fact.

As far as McCain... I personally don't like the guy but I think all this stuff about him being chauvinistic and controlling is just a bunch of garbage. He voted against GOVERNEMNT funding for birth control and VIAGRA for people on welfare. That doesn't mean he's opposed to birth control. It means he doesn't think it's the GOVERNMENT'S JOB... and I have to agree 100%. THAT'S WHAT GROUPS LIKE PLANNED PARENTHOOD do. Let THEM do it. If you want to live in a socialist country, then there are plenty of places on earth where you can do that. The U S may become one of those places under Barak Obama, but right now it isn't. I prefer LESS government and more personal responsibility.

american girl · 1 year ago

Regardless of all the banter about McCain and his "anti-abortion" stance, he's still a much better man than the wonderful Obama who, (this is NOT a Republican MYTH) in his own words talks about campaigning in ALL 57 STATES. Hmm. Hmm. OK, so maybe they didn't teach much American geography in Pakistan primary schools, but didn't he go to college in the U.S.??? It's not like he blurts it out... he has to stop and THINK about it. In order to be the President of the United States of America, it should be required that you KNOW how many states you govern. It would even be better if you could NAME them, or identify them on a map. Clearly, that would be expecting FAR too much from the man who will CHANGE us. Because change is good. And not to change would be to remain unchanged. Whatever.... here it is, in OBAMA's OWN WORDS>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpGH02DtIws

humanist · 1 year ago

david garcia, "Obama is against free-trade, and wants the gov[ernment] to be in more control of the economy," so that's one point in his favor and one against, in that order.

joe, I have to agree with diane. The Iraqis aren't thanking us for invading their country and slaughtering them by the thousand. Military action is a thoroughly ludicrous response to terrorism also, it'll never get us anywhere. Not to mention sinking our civil liberties and moral integrity 20,000 leagues under.

humanist · 1 year ago

american girl, you're welcome. I have several ideological differences with you, but that does not entitle you to any less respect as a human being.

I would agree that "woman's right to convenience [does not] supersede a child's RIGHT TO LIFE." However, it is a basic biological fact that a zygote is not a child, and neither is a fetus (to start with, anyway). A fetus is a process, a potential, if you will, not a baby.

Somewhere between about 4 and 7 months there's a fluid progression from potential to factual life. But before that, at least, killing a fetus is no more murder than killing a grass stem.

humanist · 1 year ago

So then it comes down to a choice between a woman's right to choose, and a potential's right to GROW INTO something alive. In which case, we either side with the woman, or arrest every man for every wasted sperm and every woman for every wasted egg.

Now I agree 7 months is probably outside the safe zone (for the mother, as well as the fetus). Do people actually have abortions that far into their pregnancy?

The thought experiment you set up is indeed a tricky one, and it neatly points out the deficiencies of the justice system in this country (there are many more). The "right" answer to your situation is a whole philosophical discussion in itself.

humanist · 1 year ago

Also, you say you support a woman's right to choose not to have sex, but what about women who've already had that right violated (i.e. women who've been raped)? There are women out there who've been raped, or who've made a mistake (and don't we all?) and for whatever reason can't have a baby and just put it up for adoption (a task which is likely a lot harder than it sounds). Many of those women are pro-life, incidentally.

humanist · 1 year ago

"I prefer LESS government and more personal responsibility." Well, we're agreed on that. I'm also a socialist by the way, until something better comes along.

While we disagree over which presidential candidate is better for this country, we both seem to be in agreement that our choice is only preferable by comparison.

However, if somebody came to me and told me they were voting for Barack Obama instead of McCain because McCain said "all 57 states" or a similar gaffe, I'd tell them they were crazy.

american girl · 1 year ago

humanist: One question: Do you believe humans have souls? If so, at what point do we get a soul? First breath? Conception? When? That's the defining question for me. I believe an embryo is human from the moment the egg is fertilized. It's not an abstract amoeba at one point, and human at another. Also, are you aware that by 12 weeks of gestation an unborn baby has absolutely everything it is every going to get? By 12 weeks, which is a common point for abortion, Vocal cords appear; digestive system shows activity. Stomach cells begin to secrete fluid; liver pours bile into intestine, Kidneys begin functioning, and by end of third month spontaneous movements of arms, legs, shoulders and fingers are possible. The fetus is completely developed. It has it's fingerprints. It's very human.

You ask if people have abortions late in pregancy. Absolutely yes. It's called (kindly) "late term abortion"... by pro life people it's called "partial birth abortion." The child is completely able to survive outside of the uterus, yet some women choose to terminate pregnancy. It's always possible to find a pro abortion doctor to say it's medically necessary. In the early days of legalized abortion, these infants were delivered vaginally and then tossed aside in garbage cans. It was very upsetting to the staff to see these babies covered in blood, gasping for air and crying, often surviving for hours and hours. Now they give a drug to start delivery, insert an instrument to puncture the head and suction out the babies brains. Then it's delivered dead. Lovely thing for a "civilized" society to do to it's own offspring.

Interesting that you mention children of rape. I have a friend who is 47, the product of rape. Her mother wanted to give her up, but her grand parents kept her. She's a wonderful person; contributes much to society and works tirelessly for humane causes. It would be traumatic to have a child if you were forcibly raped, BUT... would it be more traumatic to destroy your child? Many women DO suffer lifelong trauma regardless of how it's handled. That leads to another question.... the child is innocent. It does not perpetrate the sins of it's father... why should it be denied life? It's a victim as much as the mother is. Are we a nation that punishes victims? Apparently so.

american girl · 1 year ago

Is anyone aware of the fact that the woman who was responsible for the "Roe v Wade" Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion is NOT pro-abortion? She has never had an abortion. That's something a lot of people are not aware of. In the 1970's I was very active (VERY) in the pro-life movement and have testified before congress on this issue. I've met Ms. McCorvy (Roe), I've heard her speak on numerous occassions, and she was the victim of activist lawyers. She very much regrets her role in what has transpired.

http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/2032498/posts

humanist · 1 year ago

american girl, I don't know if human beings have a soul or not. I do know that if they do, they don't come factory-made at the moment of conception, they develop with the rest of us. Gestation is a process where a fetus grows from non-person to person.

Well yes, late-term abortion sounds like a very bad idea. Beyond that ... I suppose I shall have to think about it.

humanist · 1 year ago

I did not exactly mention children of rape, though. Not necessarily. I was talking about products of rape, which have the potential to grow into children.

Of course children of rapists do not deserve to be punished for the crimes of their fathers (and you're right, we are a society which punishes the victims). However, killing an embryo is not the same as killing a human being.

Now, if a woman has been raped, is in say the first month of her pregnancy and doesn't have the "safe" options you're friend's mother had, should she be forced to have the baby anyway? Especially since she probably couldn't provide for it, or would be a bad parent for it anyway? You say that she should. I disagree.

humanist · 1 year ago

I didn't know about the 3 months thing, no. I'm not an expert on abortion, I just know enough about it to know where I stand.

As for Ms. McCorvy, if what you say is true, then I'm sorry she was put through that. However, this does not at all change the fact that thousands, even millions of other women do have abortions. I don't particularly like it, and I'd very much like to cut down on the amount of abortions (a pro-life Christian ethicist has pointed out that abortion rates have gone UP since Clinton was in office). I'd like to see abortion used only as a very last resort. However, I think that ultimately, (in the first months of pregnancy at least) it's the woman's right to choose whether or not to abort.

I'm no big fan of Bill Clinton, but like him, I'm for a world where "abortion is safe, legal, and rare.)

Christina West · 1 year ago

Typical smears from the Liberal Elite Bias Media. John McCain has LOTS of experience with women, and if you're looking for women's issues, John McCain has got TONS of issues! John McCain will win when voters go to the polls in January. Never surrender!

http://www.womenforjohnmccain.com/

.

american girl · 1 year ago

Humanist: Do think on this subject a little more. It is NOT a sterile subject. Abortion is used as another method of birth control by MANY people. In fact, statistics show that LESS THAN 1% of abortions are performed due to rape or incest. I don't like abortion, but I could live with that number. Almost 10% of abortions are done after the 12th week, and 4% are done between 16 and 20 weeks. As of 2006 the youngest baby born to survive outside the womb was 21 weeks. As medical technology changes, so will this.

Here are some facts. 36% of women having an abortion gave the reason that they wanted to DELAY having children, and/or that it would "disrupt" their lives at that point in time. That's what I'm referring to when I say "inconvenient". Wow. A life should end because it's INCONVENIENT. Only 12% gave being TOO YOUNG as a reason. 8% said they didn't want more children.

Before you take such a FIRM position on a subject that involves so many INNOCENT lives arm yourself with some more facts. Do you know some states do not require parental consent? What if a young girl has a condition that would make the procedure a high risk and the parents aren't able to even advise medical staff?

Why would a non human life form turn into a human life form? It is, or it isn't. It doesn't "turn into" anything. MOST CHRISTIAN religions teach that the baby has a soul at the moment of conception.

Why do liberals oppose the death sentence for people who are convicted of the most cruel and depraved crimes, yet they are willing to allow one million innocent babies to be killed every year? That has always just boggled my mind!

Kathy · 1 year ago

If abortion should be illegal, then there should be a penalty for having one, yes? What is the appropriate punishment for women who have abortions? Should they be put in jail? For how long? If they die from hemorrhages due to coathangers, is that justified, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth? What is the point of a law that has no teeth? What does it have to do with the presidency exactly?

humanist · 1 year ago

american girl, I agree with you that most abortions are unnecessary and ideally would be prevented. However, to do that right, we have to address the overall causes of abortion, such as poverty or insufficient prior access to birth control. Believe it or not, women don't have abortions because they're naturally mean and selfish, no matter what it may sound like. (Kinda like the way I'm not lazy just because I advocate radical labor reform.)

So, you're saying that the moment when the sperm enters the egg is the point where things flip over from non-person to person? I'm afraid real life doesn't work like that. There's no "magic moment" when things go instantly from one state to another. It all happens on a spectrum, and it's all a process, not one definite event.

humanist · 1 year ago

Most Christian religions have been wrong about other things, too. For instance "God is on the side of [insert name of your home country here]." 150 years ago, they taught that God created the world 6,000 years ago. (And if you believe that, go tell it to a nuclear reactor.)

Besides, God, if such a being exists, does not seem prone (at least, not anymore) to violating the laws of the universe that She Herself has Created. Everything else works in emergence and through development and process, not "here we have something, and now poof, we have something else." Why should God make the development of human souls the exception to Her own rules?

humanist · 1 year ago

Personally, I oppose the death penalty because I know all HUMAN life is sacred (also that no creature is born evil, and so it is a tragedy for the person who grows up to do evil deeds as well as for their victims). As I have already pointed out, zygotes and embryos are not humans, not people, and not "alive" in the sense that a human being is alive, either. Cruelty to a first-term fetus is therefore less morally questionable than cruelty to animals.

Even if there is a contradiction, it's nowhere near as huge as what many people in several Christian dominations manifest all the time. "War is not antithetical to being pro-life," for one. Or, even better, "I must accept Jesus in all things/I must kill people who don't think and believe as I do."

american girl · 1 year ago

Kathy asks a good question..., and so, back to my original point... what does this video or the issue of abortion have to do with the presidency? I don't believe it has ANYTHING to do with the Presidency, but obviously some people are trying to make a statement against John McCain because of his stand on abortion. There is very little that a President can do to affect the current status quo. Even if he picks very pro life judicial candidates, there isn't much they can do. I'm very pro-life, but I've voted for a lot of candidates who aren't because I've looked at the other planks in the platform and they have been the candidates that I felt would do the best job overall.

I'd prefer to see legalized abortions end, but in lieu of that, I'd like to NEVER see an abortion after the end of the first trimester. Then the old "What about to save the life of the mother?" Then let the baby be born alive, no need to kill it and then deliver it. How does THAT make a difference to the life of the mother?
We do need a STRICT interpretation of the law, strict adherence to WHEN abortions may be done, provisions for underage girls and as Kathy suggests, we need a penalty for people who knowingly break the law... that applies to Doctors as well as women. Jail sentences? WHY NOT? Sounds harsh, but we are putting women in jail who do other things during their pregnancy that would harm the infant , i.e., using illegal drugs or excessive use of alcohol. Needless to say, abortion harms the infant.

Humanist, it's not some mysterious Point in time that a human is created. It's when an egg (not a human) and a sperm(not a human) combine that LIFE begins. If it's the beginning of LIFE... it isn't a plant, it isn't a puppy, it's a human baby. It will never get more or less human than it is at the moment of conception. I have a degree in biology and in microbiology and I can not see any other point in time that could be construed as the beginning of life other than conception.

eaglesinnc · 1 year ago

Christina West wrote:
John McCain will win when voters go to the polls in January. Never surrender!
Fantastic! It's intelligence like that and clearly being on top of all things political that really sets the Republicans apart. Let me know how that January election turns out for you. Idiot

humanist · 1 year ago

eaglesinnic, no need for insults.

american girl, I think this video was supposed to address other types of birth control, and we somehow got onto the subject of abortion specifically (maybe because it's such a hot issue).

"We do need a STRICT interpretation of the law" Yeah well, laws are often unjust. Think segregation in the Deep South.

Not that I'm arguing with you that we need abortion reform, I just want to make sure that it protects the women who get abortions.

humanist · 1 year ago

Imprison doctors for performing abortions? So long as we're imprisoning veterans and executioners, too. Oh, and police officers.

See, this is where I have the problem. You think in addition to punishing women for harming fetuses during their pregnancy, we should punish women for killing the fetuses, and punish the doctors as well. I believe Nietzsche had some advice that you should distrust people "in whom the impulse to punish is overwhelming." Punishment solves nothing. Now reform, rehabilitation ... those, at least, have potential.

humanist · 1 year ago

"I have a degree in biology and in microbiology and I can not see any other point in time that could be construed as the beginning of life other than conception."

Exactly. Because there is no one POINT at which life "begins." Just as there's no single point where childhood ends and adulthood begins. Or, looking at history, there's no single point when we made the transition from having no steam engine to having steam engines.

There's no magical switch that instantly flips things from one state to another. (Even lightbulbs take time to turn on, even if its too fast for us to notice.)

Growing up is a PROCESS. Just like the creation of the steam engine. Or, say, the internet. Or growing a human being out of a zygote. There is no one moment (including conception) where we go instantaneously from one state to another. It's always a constant state of development.

american girl · 1 year ago

You misunderstood me, Humanist. Conception, the point where the sperm and egg unite and begin cell division, is the point when life begins. After that, it's just continued development. You make a very good point as far as the continued development is concerned. In the 70's, Pro Abortionists (they hate that term), argued that a baby wasn't "viable" until it could survive outside the womb. Heck. That would mean a 2 year old isn't viable, because without someone to care for it, it would not survive.

This video was not about abortion, it was about slamming John McCain on his position on birth control and abortion (see note above re: how many times he has voted "anti-choice"). John McCain is not opposed to birth control. He's ANTI-ABORTION. The only "anti-birth control" stance he's taken is when he voted against a $100 million dollar GOVERNMENT funding for birth control and VIAGRA, etc. I don't interpret that to mean he's against birth control.... he's just against tax payers funding it and SO AM I. He's not out to "irreparably damage women's rights". That's a ridiculous statement and completely unfounded. Scare tactics. Nonsense.

While some liberal democrats seem like very caring people who want to make sure everyone has everything, they sometimes lose sight of the constitution. The role of the federal government is to PROTECT the citizens of this country. They are allowed to collect taxes,ensure domestic tranquility(laws), safeguard our sovereignty, ensure justice and pass laws. It is NOT their job to oversee the national health of the country; or to oversee baseball players on steroids, or to spend endless hours holding stupid inquisitions. The President and Congress doesn't have to be for or against stem cell research for example, to be against the GOVERNMENT paying for it. Why not private research? Why is that the government's responsibility???

The bottom line is, vote for Obama. He's a great candidate for those who have nothing. If you have an IRA or a 401K, stocks, (especially energy stocks, as those seem to attract him the most)then look out! He wants to Nationalize private business, increase payroll taxes and increase captial gains tax to almost double what they are now. He will decimate 401k's and IRA's by taxing corporations out of existance. He will not lift a PINKY finger to do anything about the sky rocketing cost of fuel. (I think it's APPALLING that some poorer families are spending up to 1/3 of their income just to get to and from work with gas at over $4 a gallon!) Obama JUST DOESN'T GET IT. Big Oil companies are NOT privately held. MOST AMERICANS who have retirement funds own BIG OIL and to further tax that will deplete the retirement accounts of people who saved diligently all of their lives. AND "BIG OIL" will just pass the increased costs on to consumers by raising prices again. Where's the HELP in that??? The guy is just to naive to be allowed out of his own house. DANGEROUSLY naive.

humanist · 1 year ago

No, american girl, I understood you. But I'm disagreeing with you. I'm saying that life does not begin at ANY one point in the development process do we go from one to another. You, obviously think differently, and it may be that we're going to have to agree to disagree. Well, the ultimate decision isn't up to either of us.

I personally am only Pro-Abortion for lack of a better option. Kind of like how I only vote Democrat because the only other viable option is usually something resembling Bush.

Well, I don't care much for the video anyway, and to me his stance on this topic is rather academic, anyway.

humanist · 1 year ago

"The role of the federal government is to PROTECT the citizens of this country." Which is stupid consider governments are the #1 hazard to their citizens.

I agree with you, increased government power is not the answer. Then you get the government protecting you from everything but nothing protecting you from the government.

However, I disagree with conservative libertarians who think more privatization is the answer. Big Government or Big Business, either one just comes out to Big Brother in the end.

I agree with you 100% about the situation of the poor in this country. It's obscene, no question. I think we differ on the matter of what the best solution is, though.

I think you're right about Big Oil companies and ultra-rich boards foisting increased costs onto the consumers. Then again, about all I know about economics is that the rich are getting screwed and the rest of us are getting even more screwed.

So, I can't judge how naive Obama is. I don't expect too much out of him as President, just that he'd do a better job of it than McCain would, or Bush has.

humanist · 1 year ago

An American, most of the people in the top echelons of power in this (or most other) country either can't or won't do either, so what's up with that? Everybody deserves to be involved in making decisions that affect their own lives, unfortunately, we live in a culture that educates people to be irresponsible and rewards people for participating in their own and others' exploitation (e.g. getting a job). (Let alone the fact that legislation for universal employment over the years has been blocked by Big Business lobbyists, not "lazy" poor people.)

Man that gives McCain a 100 · 1 year ago

"reproductive rights"

This means "abortion". No rights for the child.

"McCain has consistently received a big fat zero from NARAL on its pro-choice scorecard"

So what? I do not base my vote on NARAL, and who are they to rate candidates? On the contrary, that zero increases my chances of voting for him. And it is not a "pro-choice" scorecard; it is a pro-abortion scorecard.

"send this video to everyone you know"

That is not "what you can do": on the contrary, I shall not do so.

"about McCain's anti-choice record" "a man who has voted anti-choice 123 out of 128 times"

I am OK with "anti-choice" because in this case "anti-choice" means "pro-life", and life is more important. In fact, this "anti-choice" increases my chances of voting for McCain.

"A man who wouldn't require prescription coverage for birth control."

Again, I am OK with it; in fact, it increases my chances of voting for McCain. Birth control should be paid for out of pocket. Prescription coverage should be required for what is really necessary; prescription coverage for birth control would decrease prescription coverage for people who really need prescription. People can and should be able to live without birth control.

"A man who voted against allocating $100 million to preventative health services that would have reduced unintended and teen pregnancies"

If that $100 million was spent on abstinence, then I would have a problem. But since this is birth control education, I am OK with it; in fact, it increases my chances of voting for McCain.

"A man who could irreparably damage women's rights"

And a man who could repair unborn children's rights.

Kathlyn Berger · 1 year ago

This website misinforms and distorts John McCain's pro-life position as it does the anti-abortion principles. Have pro-Obama supporters heard of his silence and distancing himself from a judicial action in his home state where, in part, resulted in aborted babies being left to just die and not be cared for by hospital CARETAKERS after being aborted? I understand he did little or nothing to provide "justice" and care for the aborted babies born alive....Why aren't people aware of this? Obama claims to be fighting for individual rights and protections, but he never mentions how he turned his back on these live babies left to die in a hospital as a consequence of legislation of which he was a supporter in his home state. Shouldn't people look into this???? And, since when has it been determined that John McCain and millions of Americans who've fought for such helpless, defenseless lives are somehow against individual rights, are out-of-the mainstream, don't care???? It's tough to care and commit to preserve life in this country, but John McCain and millions of anti-abortion supporters have done so since 1972, and haven't given up caring for these lives no matter what, supporting and helping unwed mothers to care for their children, too...to get to a place where someone other than themselves is valued and deserves a right to..... LIFE....not burned chemically until dead in the womb, nor left to die without food, water, warmth, care in a hospital where people professing to care about human life work...not having these precious lives' heads crushed as they are being "aborted"? by someone sworn to protect life....It's sad that we don't even recognize that abortion is an egregious and merciless participation in killing, mutilating and destroying precious human life.

american girl · 1 year ago

Excellent comment Kathlyn. I am aware that Obama DID NOT vote for legislation that would have required medical staff to provide care and sustanence for babies who are born alive during an abortion. Actually, I think the incidences of this happening are rare nowdays because of the practice of puncturing the infants heads and "vacuuming" the brains while the child is in the birth canal. That all came about because it was distressing for medical personnel to see aborted babies piled in garbage cans struggling to breathe and cry. So much for sensibilities.

I live in Arizona and I can tell you that McCain view abortion NOT as a "choice" issue but as a Human Rights issue. He's been concerned about human rights in all instances since the beginning of his career. How can you be against the death penalty and pro abortion? Only far lefters can explain that one, and it's not an explanation that will ever make sense to a clear thinking person. McCain is concerned about the treatment of illegals, about the treatment of POW's, the treatment of people in Darfur.. in China.. wherever human rights are denied. I'm NOT a MCCain fan, I just happen to know where he is coming from on this issue. Human rights... simple as that.

american girl · 1 year ago

Humanist... I haven't been on this site for a few days but re: your comments about the government protecting the citizens of this country. That IS THE PRIMARY ROLL OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. read "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

PROVIDE FOR THE COMMON DEFENSE.

People gripe and moan all day long about how much we spend on National Defense, when that is the LEGAL and CONSTITUTIONAL obligation of the government of the United States. Although the constitution says "promote the general welfare"... the authors were NOT referring to welfare programs per se. In fact, in ANY CIVIL setting... what the government does with our tax money would be illegal. In other words, it SHOULD be illegal for the government to take YOUR tax money and use it to provide housing and medical care for the meth addict down the street who doesn't work. Why not let the meth addict just grab your wallet? What's the difference if a third party takes it and gives it to someone else, or if someone just steals it outright?
MOST people would interpret "general welfare" to include things like schools, maintain a reasonable environment that will allow it's citizens to thrive.

Point is, the Constitution very clearly specifies that the role of National Defense belongs to the Federal Government.
************** SPEAKING OF WHICH............ If anyone cares to visit OBAMA man's website... check out ISSUES. IT'S GLARINGLY APPARENT THAT "NATIONAL SECURITY" IS NOT EVEN ON OBAMA'S RADAR SCREEN. The closest he comes is his position on IRAQ and on HOMELAND SECURITY... which if you read it, refers to situations like Katrina. IT DOES NOT ADDRESS THE US MILITARY AND HIS PLANS TO PROTECT THE UNITED STATES.

IF you check McCain's website.... you'll find a concise plan in place.

As vehemently anti-abortion as I am I would not consider voting for anyone based on their stance on abortion. There are far too many other issues whose consequences by far outweigh what a President is able to do to influence abortion.

If people are THINKING they'll be looking at the fact that Obama's ENERGY plan doesn't include any thing that will have ANY due date prior to 2030! He has NO PLANS to help Americans TODAY. McCain does.

If you're too young to remember the days of Jimmy Carter, you need to do some internet research. HOW could anyone THINK we need to return to the days of a 21.98% MISERY FACTOR (an economic formula that uses unemployment and interest rates to determine how difficult life is for the average American family)??? Under George Bush, the "misery factor" averages 7.89%, just SLIGHTLY higher than under Clinton, and Clinton had smooth sailing... no 9/11, no Katrina. Under Carter, mortgage interest rates were 15%-18% and the misery factor was 21.98... an ALL TIME HIGH. Study the Iran Hostage crisis.... I'm sure Obama would bumble it just as badly as Carter did. He had no flipping clue what to do when the U S Embassy was overrun in Iran. NO CLUE.

JUST SAY NO to OBAMA!

Mary Willenborg · 1 year ago

You say McCain is flip-flopping on his beliefs about abortion. That is RIDICULOUS. McCain never said that he was pro-choice. He only said that he thinks that it is something better left for each state to decide.
Left wing nuts are just grasping at straws here. They need to embrace the right wing and GET A CLUE!!!

JFNC · 1 year ago

BTW -IS IT TRUE -WORD OUT THAT THE IRISH I.R.A.
IS HIRING ITSELF OUT TO TRAIN INSURGENT TERRORISTS INSIDE IRAN -FOR DUTY KILLING AMERICANS IN IRAQ!

-DO LOOK INTO THIS -----NOW.

Nikolita · 1 year ago

McCain makes me oh so glad I'm not a female in the US. I'm up in Canada, and while I don't agree 100% with our current abortion law, I can get birth control when I need it, pay for it myself if I want to, and get an abortion if I need it.

Nevermind that South Dakota has made it illegal for a woman to claim rape if she changed her mind during sex - once she says yes, she can't say no.

I hope to god McCain doesn't get elected.

kinger2314 · 1 year ago

To Mary Willenborg:
I have to say we've analyzed the right-wing era in the past eight years, and not many positives have come from the Bush administration and I don't think any would come out of McCain's painful presidency if he is to be elected. The economy has suffered eight painful years under Republican control. As to abortion, High Road shares my views, as a male Democrat at only 16 years of age. Males, especially those who run the government, should not decide what women should do regarding their bodies.

I rest my case.
Obama '08

RKelly · 1 year ago

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Deborah · 1 year ago

I just HAD to go look up this MISERY index. It is not at all an accurate representation of the facts of our economy. Of course not, just more smoke that a neocon is blowing! Like, on the website it tells you that the present MISERY index is 10 point something. Well, for this month it is, which is the inflation rate for this month only. What about all of the inflation that has happened for the past eight years? And inflation is not the same as the cost of food and fuel alone, which is what is destroying people. I am so sick of the neocons telling me that things are just peachy keen that I could puke.

Deborah · 1 year ago

And, Mr. NeoCon, telling me that all is well. Go look at the stock market performance for the past year. Go, look at msn money and pull up a chart of the stock market for the past year and tell me again how wonderful this administration and your stupid war economy is.

Deborah · 1 year ago

And then, Mr. Warmongering NeoCon, go look up the United Nations Human Development Index, to see how peachy keen we are here in America.

Deborah · 1 year ago

Not only that, did you notice how "all welfare moms are crack whores" to this moron? Maybe someone ended up on welfare because her rich, cheating husband took off to the Virgin Islands with one of his 14 year old male lovers, leaving her with a child to raise with no child support or a house to live in. Do you actually know anyone on welfare?

mac · 1 year ago

Well, McCain's inability to maintain a coherent position is obviously a problem for everyone but this stupid little skit about insurance coverage just undermines your credibility. I was going to pass on the latest 'not-so-straight talk' vid but this one is so idiotic that I'm not sending anyone to this website lest they think that I'm retarded too. Dee-dee-dee!!!

Stef · 1 year ago

I think that if McCain wants to get rid of birth control, he should also get rid of condoms. Then men are on the same playing field as women. If McCain gets elected, I may as well move to Iraq--oh, wait, his presence will still be there for the next 100 years... Dammit...

Dudi · 1 year ago

I tell McCain, "Why don't you grow your beard & become a preacher!"

theropingeffect · 1 year ago

This is not one of your better videos. I like the ones where McCain contradicts himself.

Paulette · 1 year ago

As a nurse I totally agree with and support the message in this video. HOWEVER, can you please LOSE THE STUPID WHITE NURSING CAP & LITTLE WHITE DRESS? Why don't you put us in scrubs & a pair of clogs with a stethoscope around our neck (the way we really look in the year 2008)??? For many nurses, the white cap and little white dress symbolize the lingering male imagery still depicts nurses in sexy little white outfits & that DAMN CAP. This seems a bit odd & outdated in forward-thinking films on the cutting edge of social edge. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE lose the hats & dresses!!! Thanks.

Amber · 1 year ago

I like the little stupid white dress and cap. It reminds us of how McCain truly feels about women. It is his clinic. He is old fashioned, and simply OLD. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do NOT lose the hats & dresses!!! Thanks.

steve · 1 year ago

Well maybe you should stop sleeping around so much you dirty little hooker, hows that for birth control.

steve · 1 year ago

This website is so pathetic, the only dirt they can find is manipulating video clips and lying and the fact that Mccain owns a parking lot. OHHHHHH! no he didn't! Mccain owns a parking lot. I was going to vote for mccain but after I found out he owns a parking lot and charges people 10 a space I'm going to have to reconsider.
Heres some dirt. Obama bought his property in illonois from a convicted money launderer, extortionist and felon Tony rezko, who at the time of purchase was helping fund Obamas state campaign and under federal investigation. That shows some quality decision making on Barracks part. Also his pastor is a racist moron who says that white people created the HIV virus to kill Africans. And one more thing Michelle Obama liked to hang with farakhans wife in college, I bet she learned a lot of really neat stuff from her.

penispump · 1 year ago

Like how to kill white people.

Mike · 11 months ago

I think that your initiative is great and it had impact I guess.

MikeCrabe