General Election -- Let the Negativity Start

Sadly, a Presidential election without negative campaigning, is just un-American. John McCain is so concerned about his ability to unite conservatives and the Republican base, that he is going to go the extra mile to make sure that people know he’s not “too liberal.” As such, much like a child trying to prove he is “tough-enough” for the gang, McCain will try to prove he is “conservative-enough” for the Republican party. And how will he do this? Not by pointing to his own record (which is moderate), but by attacking the character and record of his Democratic opponent — get ready for some negative campaigning.

How can Clinton stop Obama’s momentum?

Hillary cannot afford to wait until the March primaries to slow Barack’s momentum. His sweep of the weekend’s primaries helped propel him to crushing wins in the Potomac Primaries, where Obama not only won, but won across all demographic groups. If Barack wins in Wisconsin, it will propel him to possible wins in both Ohio and Texas.

Hillary must change her focus from Texas and Ohio to Wisconsin. She cannot continue to lose states and stay competitive in the race. If Hillary does not win by crushing margins in Texas and Ohio, much the way Obama did in the Potomac Primaries, her presidential hopes will be over.

On another note, Hillary should not get credit for the primaries in Michigan and Florida. She unfairly and underhandedly campaigned in the days before Florida’s primary, and showed a lack of class as the only major candidate to keep her name on the Michigan ballot. Her attempts to seat those delegates on her behalf reflect her struggling campaign and desperation.

In unresolved Dems race, what will superdelegates do?

The Superdelegates find themselves in an incredibly unique position. However, their role is to ensure that nobody runs the party into the ground, and to do what is in the best interest of the Democratic party — that is precisely what they should and will do. The Democratic party finds itself with two incredibly talented and capable candidates for the Office of President. Neither Clinton nor Obama will run the party into the ground, and both have the potential to beat the Republican nominee. Thus, the Superdelegates do not need to save the party from any incompetent candidate, but rather follow the will of the people. Whichever candidate is leading in terms of pledged delegates, states won, and overall popular vote (hopefully one candidate will lead in all three categories), will get the nod of the Superdelegates.

If the Superdelegates fail to listen to their own voters, it will be reminiscent of the 2000 Presidential General Election, and the Democratic Party will lose considerable respect and validity. In such a case, the Superdelegates will be running the party into the ground, rather than saving it.

Florida Primary

Today, Hillary Clinton "won" the Florida primary. However, Clinton will receive no delegates from this victory as the Democratic National Convention disqualified the Florida primary because the state decided to move up the date of the contest despite being told not to by the Democratic National Committee. All candidates agreed not to campaign in the state as part of the punishment against Florida. Despite this, Hillary began publicly talking about the Florida primary in the days immediately preceding the unauthorized contest.

While Hillary's comments in regards to Florida immediately prior to the "primary" may not be considered traditional campaigning, they were yet another example of the Clinton camp using underhanded win-at-all-costs strategies. Clinton was trampled in South Carolina, and immediately afterwards began stressing the importance of Florida. She vowed to fight for delegates from Florida to attend the Democratic National Convention, and she planned a trip to Florida the same night as the primary. Not campaigning? Hillary repeatedly stressed the “importance” of Florida despite the fact that the Democratic Party specifically stated that no candidates should campaign, and no delegates will count. What nerve Clinton has to go against her own party – not just the other candidates. AND YET, it is not surprising. In fact, this has become a pattern …

Hillary Clinton was the only major candidate not to remove her name from the Michigan primaries, despite the fact that the Party agreed not to support the Michigan primaries. It was quite a victory for Clinton – against UNCOMMITTED!!

In Nevada, Hillary supporters brought a lawsuit to have voting places removed from the caucus despite the fact that ALL DEMOCRATIC candidates had agreed to them months earlier. Why? Because the candidate who appeared to benefit from the polling stations was someone other than herself.

Hillary Clinton is willing to win-at-all-costs, and it is despicable. She is using underhanded, brilliantly-masterminded strategies to STEAL the nomination. Somebody else stole an election this decade TWICE … who was it? Oh that’s right, George W. Bush.

I am disgusted by Hillary Clinton’s continued willingness to deliver low-blows to the other Democratic candidates. Her tactics reveal the selfish motivation behind her candidacy, and frankly, bring into question her loyalty to the Democratic Party.

Quick Write

I defy your concept of reality, of black and white, of right and wrong. Gravity cannot hold me down, and yet I remain grounded. Passion runs through my veins causing me to act in ways that catch you off guard. For if change does not come from me, from where will it come?

The weight of the world on my shoulders, the burden of my community in my hands, I press on pushing my body to the brink of destruction, and my mind to dementia. The more conformed I appear, the more powerful I am. The wheels in my head are constantly turning, the blocks quickly falling into place.

Phone Call

I just received a phone call from the sister of one of my old students. I thought she was calling me about a homework problem, and instead it turned out to be a personal/family problem. There is a lot going on in her house, and unfortunately, I cannot help in the way that I want -- one of the exact reasons I left teaching. I hate being able to feel and identify problems with the world, and more specifically with people I care about, and not be able to completely take care of that problem. With my intelligence and ability, I should be able to do everything and anything, and the reality is, there are some things I cannot control and some problems I cannot fix. I DO NOT LIKE FEELING HELPLESS!!

In the course of the conversation she told me that her younger brother, my former student, was now actively claiming the gang he had gotten "walked-into" two years prior. Yet, everytime I talked to him and his mom they both told me he was doing fine. I had picked this student out from all others on the first day of class, and had developed a rapport with him over the course of the school year. My relationship with him was strained as the year came to a close, and I feel like I failed him as a teacher. Again, one of the reasons I am no longer teaching -- as a teacher, my administrators told me that I have to count the "ones" we save and let go of the ones we "lose." I cannot let go of those that I "lose." I had this student in the palm of my hand at the beginning of the year -- he listened to me in a way in which he had never listened to others, and yet, I could not keep him on the "right track" Him getting kicked out of our school is my failure. Him hanging out with the neighborhood gang is my failure. It is depressing to constantly live in a place of failure -- which is part of the reason I had to move on.

Alas, the fight is not yet over. I made some phone calls tonight, to some people who can help out with the situation, and I'm calling my former student tomorrow. I cannot accept that he's "lost." How the fuck did we get to a place in this country where kids are considered a lost cause by the time they're in 7th grade!? So much for "life, liberty, and the PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS." But, if anything, this conversation humbled me, and reaffirmed my personal and professional missions in life.

Round 1

My mind moves a million times faster than it should, and my brain is constantly flooded with abstract thoughts ranging from personal to professional to worldly. I like to think that I look at the world through a lens far different from others, and I hope to convey what I see through this blog. This is Round 1.


I will also take this opportunity to officially announce my candidacy for President of the United States in the 2032 election.