Why The Presidential Debates Don't Affect How Americans Vote

The key operative word is "Americans". In 2004, I watched John Kerry argue with a chimp on the first debate and with a fifth grader on the second one. Yet, for some reason, Americans rejected the articulate and intelligent arguments of Kerry hence, the mess we are in today. (I cannot prove it but Europeans would probably have voted for a different president in 2004.) I say we already live in an idiocracy. I refuse to waste any more time watching these debates although the vice presidential one on Thursday probably has some comedic value.

Idiocracy (2006)

This is a stupid yet very creative (and funny) movie about what life would be like based on the assumption that those with higher IQs procreate at a significantly lower rate than those with below average mental capacity. The movie starts with an average person Joe Bauers, played by Luke Wilson who is frozen as part of an Army experiment but is awakened 500 years later only to find out that in this future world, he has the world’s highest IQ. The movie is pretty harsh in its portrayal of the not-so-smart population throughout the story line. (I can’t help but think of the red states in this country) but seriously, I doubt it will take 500 years. I say the country is well on its way there. The fact that the half the country (yes, people who cling to their guns and religion) cannot draw the distinction between lies and truth in the current presidential campaign is an indicator. Coupled with the appointment of a Vice Presidential candidate who not only is unqualified but is clearly of lower IQ than the other party’s VP nominee, it’s not going to take 500 years. Going back to the movie, everything in the future is run by corporations who had long decided mankind’s fate. There is a version of the warehouse giant Costco that is several square miles big. A Gatorade-like drink, Brawndo replace water as the liquid of everyday life. So as soon as they found out that Joe is the smartest man on earth, they put him on the most difficult problem they have – the lack of plants. Well, they say "it does not take a genius" to know that plants need water to grow. And the reason plants are not growing is that they are being irrigated with Brawndo. Doh! So when Joe tells the country to do this, the company who makes the Brawndo, of course, loses money and goes after him. Sound familiar? We are there now. Anyway, justice gets administered in a public arena where he has to fight, guess what? Monster trucks. Am I to deduce that people of lesser intellect enjoy monster trucks and beating that crap out of helpless people? Like I said, the movie is not kind. But hey, if the shoe fits…

U.S.S.A.

$700,000,000,000 of the people's money to save corporations. I suppose I can say I live in the USSA. The United Socialist States of America. Who's the socialist now, Mr. Free Market, Corporations-Have-As-Much-Right-As-Humans, Socialized-Medicine-Is-Evil, Republican Party?
I want to see the financial CEOs, board members and every executive jumping from their 40th floor offices, right now. At least the Japanese have the honor to off themselves.

Man On Wire

Being September 11th and all, I want to reflect on how life had changed by way of a written note on a postcard that's been sitting on my desk advertising the new documentary "Man On Wire".
Below: Back of card

My Conservative Friends, Colleagues and Family

So I did a quick survey of the conservatives that I personally know and I can pretty much pigeon-hole each one into any of the following categories:
1) Pro Business - A free-market advocate who wants to privatize everything the government does including fire departments, schools, police, etc. The same people who will want to privatize profits but socialize losses. (e.g. Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and other failed financial institutions.)
2) Religious Fundamentalists - Jesus-everything. Those who want the bible to be the basis of all education, science, law, media, internet, elections, governments, etc. Fundamentalist, Muslim or Christian have no business running a free society. Single-issue (abortion) voters fall in this category. These are the people who want creationism in biology textbooks.
3) FOTBs - Fresh Off The Boeings. The new (and sometimes, not-so-new) immigrant wanna-be who are so blinded by speeches of patriotism, the American dream and everything American. People who easily want to identify with Caucasians and thinks America can do no wrong. A lot of Asians I know who view themselves as honorary whites vote very conservative. People who will unknowingly forward emails that Obama is a Muslim are usually FOTBs.
4) The Uneducated. A lot of working class types who are threatened by everything progressives stand for. Mostly just a high school education, wants to preserve the American way of life, whatever the hell that means. Those who want a president who speaks in simple terms. Very emotional voters; thinks all immigrants should go back to where they came from.
Mind you, these are my closest friends, colleagues and immediate family who fall in one of these four groups. I think that demographically, they make up the bulk of the conservative base in this country as a whole. Thankfully, they are a minority in California.

Is It Too Much To Ask For...

... that Hurricane Ike skips New Orleans and instead head straight to Crawford, Texas as a Category 7 storm?

Definition of Cultural Elite

As the November elections approach, all the right wing in this country will most likely make an issue of Obama being an elitist, as someone only the cultural elite will vote for. But what defines a cultural elite exactly? For the uneducated red state residents, it's anyone who lives on either coast, East or West. Which of the these activities is considered elitist? Going to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), going to a Philharmonic concert or going to an LA Lakers game. Most will say going to MOCA or listening to Mahler's 5th at the Disney Hall are elitist. More will probably say Mahler's 5th Symphony is the most cultural elitist activity as very few really listen to 100 year old music. Besides, you need to somewhat dress nice. Going to the Laker game, on the other hand is the intuitive "common man" activity -- as most sporting events are. However, if one compares the cost of each of these, going to MOCA is the cheapest at $8, followed by a Philharmonic concert starting at around $30 but good luck going to a Laker game for less than $100. Thing is, in the mind of these simple-minded right wingers, anything not related to watching a stock car race or going hunting is elitist so all three, MOCA, Philharmonic and Lakers are activities Obama voters do for leisure.