How to explain Obama's politics to a 7 year old.

My 7-year old daughter is very distressed at the most likely outcome of the 2008 Presidential election. She knows that Obama would be bad for our family, and she intelligently asked, "why?"

I explained it to her using an example that she understood perfectly. Here's a rough transcript of our conversation . . .

Mom: What Obama wants to do is take Daddy's hard earned money and give it to people who haven't done anything to deserve it. It's kind of like swim team. Remember how you got up every day this summer and went to practice? You worked hard to contribute to the team!

Paris: Right! Even when it was hot and I was tired, we still went.

Mom: Then, at the end of the season, you earned a spot in the Meet of Champions, right?

Paris: Yeah! I won all first and second place ribbons and got to go to the MOC!

Mom: Well, imagine on the race day you jumped in the water when they blew the whistle. You swam your hardest and you got first place (again). But, the girl in the next lane -- who did not go to practice and did not even know how to swim -- jumped in and dog paddled down the lane. It took her 2 minutes, but she eventually got to the end. When she got out of the water, they were giving you the first place ribbon. But the other girl started screaming "THAT'S NOT FAIR! I WANT A BLUE RIBBON! I DESERVE A BLUE RIBBON. IF SHE HAS A BLUE RIBBON THEN I SHOULD HAVE ONE TOO!!!!!"

So, the judges take your blue ribbon and give it to her. They don't want her to be disenfranchised from the swim team.

Paris: That does not sound fair. Why should she get the ribbon if she didn't go to practice and she doesn't even know how to swim? She was invited to come to swim team. She could have come to practice, but she chose not to. All she did was complain and get her way. AND MY RIBBON!

Mom: Exactly! And that's why we don't like Mr. Obama's plans for our country. It gives people money but it doesn't teach them how to make it for themselves. They haven't been to "practice" so they don't know what to do. So, they whine and complain and Mr. Obama gives them a big hunk of Daddy's paycheck. Even though they do not deserve it!

Why are Dems so violent and why doesn't it get more coverage???

I was more than a little surprised that the violence surrounding this year's Republican convention didn't receive more coverage. Anarchists converged on the city to protest the mere presence of the Republicans. These people (and I use the term lightly) ran amok in the city and destroyed private property, shattered store windows, jumped atop cars, all because they don't like Republicans. Maybe the press was trying to limit their exposure because it would only encourage their activity. But, the disturbing thing was that it did happen.

Closer to home . . . My 64 year old Uncle was "electioneering" at a polling place in Plano, Texas yesterday. Being a retired newspaper reporter of above-average intelligence, he was aware of the lines at which such activity was no longer legal. (Plus, it was clearly marked with large signs by the election officials!) He had a McCain*Palin sign, a John Cornyn sign, and a sign for a local judge. He found the voters generally pleasant with a few exceptions. They were democrats who just so happened to be frothin-at-the-mouth lunatics as well.

Let me stray off course a moment to say that I know a handful of democrats and even consider them to be friends. We can agree to disagree and generally leave political talk aside. I know that not all democrats are lunatics. But some days, it sure does look like the crazy side is much more weighted than the not crazy.

Anyway, he was yelled at, screamed at and was called names not printable on my page. One crazy young woman even grabbed and started throwing his signs and told him to leave or she'd call the police. He had a good 100 pounds on her and she didn't appear to be armed, so he politely stood his ground, citing his 1st amendment rights. Well, she didn't believe him (despite the clear signs he brought to her attention) and did call the police. Plano P.D. sent out not one but TWO squad cars of armed police to handle a non-existent situation. [Plano residents -- I hope that you all receive such great service when you are in dire need!]

Anyway, after much eyeballing and phone calls to election officials, it was determined -- DUH! -- that he had every right in the world to be there. The lunatic fringe finally left and my Uncle spent the rest of his morning saying hello and answering any questions voters might have regarding his candidates. A nice Republican couple even brought him a cup of coffee.

Who's the REAL pig?

OUTRAGE!!!!!!! Words simply fail me in trying to describe the outrage I feel at Barack Hussein Obama's comment yesterday about putting lipstick on a pig. Such an obvious reference to Sarah Palin's joke:

What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick.

People, he called her a pig. On national television. He then had the audacity to say that the two comments had no relation and that anyone who felt so was falling for the distractions of the McCain campaign. Bull-oney. As a woman, I am so angry and offended by this blatant sexist comment that I could spit nails.

I'm from the southwest and in some cases, it might be humorous to say in a situation like this: "Get a rope" or "Let's string him up" which could refer to punishment for a horse thief. However, since Mr. Obama is half black, and since those statements could also refer to the unfair lynchings of blacks in the past, that would be terribly racist and completely inappropriate. In other words, I'd use common sense and common decency and choose less offensive words.

Mr. Obama deserves a major castigation (not castration -- not yet anyway) from women's groups around the nation. I hope that the women in this nation -- Republican, Democrat, Independent; black, white, Hispanic, Asian; old and young; rich and poor -- will stand up together and say "That's NOT ok with us."

Here's what I'd pay good money to see: Barack in a room full of hockey moms who get the well-deserved opportunity to whack him with their kid's hockey sticks.