Obama wins!

Woo-hoo!

I am speechless.

Janelle

The whos are back!

I voted by mail this year, but I went to the polls with my husband, and he only had a five minute wait. I feel for all of the people who are in long lines, but to be a part of history--whichever way the vote goes--makes the wait worth it. They must think so too, or they wouldn't be there.

I heard on MSNBC that Danny DeVito was running up and down the lines at a polling place in Florida, keeping the voters entertained so they wouldn't give up and go home. I'd like to see that!

There were a lot of reasons NOT to vote for McCain, but most Americans were too polite to vocalize the biggest: McCain's window of opportunity came and went years ago. He's too old, too sick, too addled to lead our nation, especially in this time of crisis.

When I say this, I'm standing behind one of his big Country First signs. We need young, intellectual, steady leadership, and we needed it yesterday. Don't send me any emails on this; if you disagree, start your own blog!

This election isn't in the bag; a lot can happen in the next few hours. Call your friends. Make sure they've voted. I sent out a slew of emails yesterday reminding people to vote, and got a zillion reminders myself in return.

We've been Whos too long. We are here! We are here! We are here! (Dr. Seuss)

Vote, America! Vote!

Quote du jour:

"Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades." Rachel Maddow, The Rachel Maddow Show, MSNBC

McCain and his weird attachments

What is this fixation McCain has with losers? All day yesterday, all he talked about was Joe the Plumber and, today, he's been running negative ads on Reverend Wright over and over. Then, of course, there's the Alaskan Snow Dummy he picked up on that dating service on TV. Add Joe Lieberman, The First Dude, and The Ice Woman who stands behind him all he time. He's looking very strange.

And all day he's been saying, "The Mack is back!" What does that mean? has he taken a job at McDonald's?

And why do I get the feeling that things are going to get very nasty if Palin doesn't get her way?

Toot

11-03-08- Thank you, Toot. Good job!
Barack Obama's grandmother, whose nickname was Toot, passed away today at 86.

I used to toy with the idea of setting up a website titled, Go, Mom! where I'd recognize exemplary acts by moms to protect and support their children. But the idea outgrew its name when I began to add fathers, grandparents, and other heros and heroines to the list. I moved on to other ideas. But if I had such a website today, Barack's grandmother would be at the top of my list.

The extreme right has taken over the Republican Party

Vote, America, vote!

1 more day!

From a conversation over the weekend:
"...no, I won't be voting Republican this time--for the first time ever, I'll be voting Democrat. The Republican party isn't the party I grew up with. Their focus is no longer business. Now, the extreme right has taken over. It is no longer the same party. It may never change back in my lifetime." DH (DH is in his middle sixties)

www.JanelleMerazHooper.com

Tick-Tick-Tick...

Tick-Tick-Tick

36 hours

Vote, ya'll!

McCain has been on TV this morning, repeating the same old stuff. He's a Maverick, Sarah Palin is a true reformer, yada-yada-yada. Nothing about unifying our country, just more division. I lost all tolerance for him when he came up with those Country First signs, and then preceded to lie his way from one side of our nation to another. He is NOT what this country needs, and he knows it, so who is he putting first? John McCain. It's all about John.

I've been so focused on Obama getting elected that I forgot all about Bush's Goodbye party. I hope someone is busy working on it. For locations, I suggest Iraq, The World Trade Building site in New York City, Guantamino Bay, Abu Graib, or New Orleans, Halliburton Corporate headquarters, Blackwater's home office...I hope he gets a trophy for the Worst President in American History. He's earned it; I'd gladly chip in.

Please forward this blog to your friends, and remind them to vote!

Janelle Meraz Hooper is an author. Read samples of her books on:

www.JanelleMerazHooper.com

All of John McCain's horses are dead!

3 more days!

I've been looking over all of McCain's propaganda, and I've noticed that he's beating a lot of dead horses:
1. Abortion rights: Like it or not, this is an issue that will be decided in state and federal courts.
Abortion issues don't really have a place in this campaign. Even if the Republicans managed to install Supreme Court Justices who lean toward the Conservative Right, I've read that history shows they don't always vote the way they're expected to. Abortion is a problem we're going to have to work out step by step. there's no use spinning our wheels over a problem that won't be decided on November 4th.

2. The war in Iraq: John McCain has a lot of bravado about winning in Iraq. He'd better be quick. From what I've read, the Iraqis want us out of their country by January first.

3. Terrorists: The terrorists the McCain people keep yapping about have also been funded by John McCain on different projects to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. In this case, there isn't even a dead horse. It's just Republican hysteria being broadcasted because they don't want to address the real issues.

If you're still undecided, I hope you'll ask yourself:
1. Which candidate has shown the best judgement? Even Republicans have questioned McCain's judgement for picking Palin (and more).
2. Which candidate has shown the best leadership? With McCain's total lack of leadership, this may be the dirtiest, most untruthful election in Republican history. This is not the man to bring us together.
3. Which candidate has shown the most intellect? McCain has been all over the place, like a chicken being chased by a space ship.
4. Which candidate has surrounded himself with the best, most qualified people? McCain, like Bush, has consistently picked old croonies to advise him. The same good-ole-boys who got us into our mess in the first place!

These next 4 years are going to be critical for the survival of our country. We've got a lot of work to do. Let's start out with the best, strongest, most intelligent, and healthy team we can.

Obama/Biden in 2008!

Please forward this blog to your friends...

(Janelle Meraz Hooper is an author. Information about her books can be found on: www.JanelleMerazHooper.com)

Sent by email: Alec Baldwin was talking about the Spice Girls (a musical group), and commented that Sarah Palin was Bible Spice. So, does that make McCain Old Spice, I asked?

"Fasten your seatbelts..."

4 more days!

I had a request to post the link for that hateful video, but I won't do it for two reasons:
1. It would just spread more hate.
2. I think it may even be illegal. We have laws against spreading racial hatred...and doesn't sending something over the Internet count as crossing state lines?

I don't know why I'm worried--I've already voted. Let them send me to The Big House.

David I could use your insight on Tuesday night. I wish you were here, although I don't see much of a party in my future. I'm frazzled, and focused on seeing Obama doing something to get us back on track. I'm going to buy your book, but I can't handle it right now. Too much stress!

Also, I'm not dumb. I can see the future. It's going to be rough. Not only are we going to have to cinch in our belts and learn to live on less, but The Republicans are already plotting to destroy Obama politically.

On top of all that, I go back to my comments over a year ago: we can no longer trust our government to take care of business. We're going to have to ride them everyday. I'm thinking maybe we can make a schedule and take turns.

We have to learn to live with the shame of Bush, restore this country's integrity, get green, and do more than our share to help the needy in the world. I figure we have a big, big debt to pay. Oh, and somewhere in there, we have to work so we can take care of our families.

We are so broke I don't see how we're going to fix our infrastructure, provide health care, and put everyone back to work. Everything sounds so easy during campaign time, and too many people are still heavily into denial about our position. This is no time to be worrying about lipstick on pigs!

In short, whoever wins is going to need a lot of help. Hopefully, we'll start off with a strong leader (Obama)--that will help. But he and Congress can't do it all.

Quote du jour: "Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy ride." (All About Eve)Joseph Leo Mankiewicz (spoken by Bette Davis)

Please forward this blog to your friends.

I write books too! Read sample chapters:

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I'm done with Republicans.

5 more days!

I'm done with Republicans. I know I said that for the first time months ago, but I mean it this time. The world will have to run out of chocolate before I ever vote for another Republican.

Why? Because too many of them are mean, nasty people who send me the most outrageous hate emails. That's bad enough but, yesterday, someone sent me a video that was so racist I couldn't force myself to watch the whole thing. Zipping off a hateful email takes a lot of hate, prejudice, and stupidity. But what if the people take the time to write a script, cast, film, edit, produce and distribute hate? How deep is that hate? How racist? How sick? How unpatriotic? How careless? How just plain stupid is that?!

Last week I complained about the lack of intellect in the Conservatives' materials. Then, I was puzzled by all of the editorials and emails in the "pigs with lipstick" category.

There's nothing puzzling about the meaning of this latest wave of propaganda from the far right. Their intent is impossible to misunderstand. They don't deserve to live in this country.

Folks, this stuff is just plain dangerous. And it should be criminal.

Please forward this little blog to your friends. Time is short!

I write books too! Read sample chapters:

www.JanelleMerazHooper.com

Barbara West

7 more days!

Barbara West, the newscaster from a television station in Orlando, Florida, is non-repentant and smug about her interview questions to Joe Biden yesterday. I guess it's easy to feel comfortable without your integrity when you're already wading in a GOP cesspool, and everyone in it stinks as much as you do. I tried to watch the whole interview on the Internet, but I started to gag and had to bail out. I assume the whole interview was there--I'll never know!

Wiser intellects than she have already said that what Obama wants to do is not Marxist, yet I keep getting emails about Marxism and communism. I guess it's all they've got. That and that email about Obama not having a birth certificate. Mercy!

As long as she stays at the tv station she's at now, I guess she'll be okay, but I don't think any reputable broadcast station would hire her.

If you've been reading this blog and enjoy it, please forward it to a few friends. It's my little gift to Obama and our country. It ain't much, but it's all I've got!

I write books too! Read sample chapters:

www.JanelleMerazHooper.com

8 Days! Vote!

8 Days?!

Can that be right? Hopefully, you're registered to vote. If not, please check and see if it's not too late.

My emails were close to 2,000 so, over the weekend, I had to delete most of them. I had kept all of the hate emails, lie-emails, and impending doom emails in case I needed them for this blog. As I looked at them, I was struck by one common denominator: the lack of intellect. People sent me the weirdest stuff! And they must have believed it because they copied everyone between me and Abe Lincoln. I would send people pieces written by constitutional experts, newspaper editors from our largest newspapers, excerpts from learned professors, etc. And what did I get back? Long emails about pigs with pink lips! Gimmee a break!

I actually went in search of the opposite view on my own, and found the same junk. And I'm still waiting for that October surprise the Republicans threatened to reveal. The GOP is famous for last minute dirty tricks--watch for them.

Note to robo-callers: You can take my name off your list--I've already voted.

If you've been enjoying my blog for Obama, please forward it to your friends.

I write books too! Read sample chapters:

www.JanelleMerazHooper.com

Obama and his plane

11 more days

Is it just me? Am I the only one who doesn't want a politician--any politician--on my plane? Flying is hard enough nowadays. The last thing I want is some secret service agent frisking me every time I get up to go to the restroom. And I'm old. I get up a lot.

I know there are other, more logical reasons for Obama to fly his own plane. I'm just saying...

Let's focus instead on his grandmother. I hope that poor woman lives long enough to see her grandson become president. She deserves that much and more. Glass ceilings aside, good mothering and grandmothering is the most important thing we do for our country. On Inauguration Night, I plan to raise a toast to Obama's grandmother and say, "Look what you did! Good job!"

If you've been enjoying this blog for Obama, please forward the link to your friends. Time is short--eleven days to go--please help me do my part for a great leader. Our country sorely needs one!

I write books too! Read sample chapters on:

www.JanelleMerazHooper.com

In October: Wanda the Witch stories

Sarah Palin's wardrobe

What?! Have we solved all of our economic and foreign policy problems and, now, we’re ready to move onto Sarah Palin’s wardrobe?

This is the one area where I have some sympathy for The Alaskan Snow Dummy. Who of us would have a wardrobe to fulfill her appearance requirements with The Old Gray Goose at the last minute?

And as for the huge amount of money she spent, I think we have to factor in the reality that mid-market department stores don’t do alterations, much less last-minute alterations. Besides, bargain-shopping is very time-consuming. And time is something Sarah Palin doesn’t have because she’s so busy prepping for all of those television interviews she does (tee-hee).

So, let’s give Sarah a pass on her wardrobe. Dressing to go out in public isn’t easy. Even when I have to dress for a book-signing at the local library, I end up with a pile of clothes three feet high on my bed. (Does this sweatshirt make my butt look big?)

Read my books! they're much better!

www.JanelleMerazHooper.com

(new Halloween stories on the homepage)

Are we being blackmailed by McCain?

Why does McCain keep saying he knows were Bin Laden is, and he knows how to catch him? If he really knows, why doesn't he just tell us? If he isn't elected, will he keep it a secret?
Or, maybe Palin saw him when she was looking at Russia out her back door...

Of course, one of my earlier theories was that we don't want to catch him, for fear he'll spill too many beans about what we've been up to...that man knows a lot about how we operated in Afghanistan.

Myself, I'd like to hear what the man has to say. I'd believe him before I believed Bush.

"Ain't ya got no shame?"

Well, if John McCain's lips are moving, he's lying. I don't know how much more I can stand. When I was a kid in Oklahoma, my grandmother used to shake a finger at us and ask, "Ain't ya got no shame?" She would have her hands full with McCain. The Gray Goose and his Alaskan Snow Dummy have made history.

Quote du jour:
On Sarah Palin: "There's less of her than meets the eye." Martin Sheen

Read sample chapters of my books:

www.JanelleMerazHooper.com

I've also posted two humorous Halloween fillers on my homepage

fifteen little old ladies

It said on the news yesterday that about 15 little old ladies beat up some young men in their 20s yesterday at a Palin rally. They were chanting and holding up Obama signs and were rewarded with a black eye and other injuries. Now, that's just wrong. Violence is never the answer, and we cannot condone it.

But, if the young men were mine, I'd have to ask, "What were you thinking?" and I'd advise, "Next time, stand across the street!"

visit my book site:

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read samples of my novels in large print

Get the jam out, Momma!

Oh, dear! Well, McCain is getting closer. During the debate last night he said he wanted to give us a $5800 tax credit so we can go out and buy our own healthcare. That's $800 more than he offered us last time. Still, though, it's a long way from the $1200 or more most of us pay.

And did I hear him belittle "health reasons" for granting women's abortions? He said something like, "That can mean anything." But get the transcript and read it yourself. I'm afraid I'll barf on my keyboard.

I think it was a slip when he said he was sure any Supreme Court justice candidate who was qualified would not be in favor of Roe Vs. Wade. Again, check it out yourself. I am not a journalist. I just hear things.

I'm betting he's sorry he ever asked about Ayers. Never ask a question you don't already know the answer to...

Get out the jam, Momma. The man is toast!

This was the last debate, but if you haven't had enough, the complete transcripts can be found on http://www.mydebates.com/

If you are ready for a political break, read chapters from my books on:

www.JanelleMerazHooper.com

In October, I've also posted two humorous Halloween fillers on the homepage.

Alaska has more people than Delaware? NOT!

©2007 Joyce Stevens, Pumpkin art

Chris Matthews (MSNBC Hardball)- I had the hairdryer on yesterday, so I didn't catch the name of the Lying-Republican-of-the-Day, but when Chris asked him if he thought Palin was ready to be vice-president, he said, "Yes! She's been a governor of Alaska for two years (I'm paraphrasing here) and Alaska isn't Delaware, you know, it's a big state!"
Well, according to my Google, Delaware has a population of 783,600 and Alaska has a population of 626, 932. It's not a big lie, but it rankles me that they think they can say anything and we'll swallow it. Or maybe, they're playing with us. Alaska does have more square miles--do they want us to think Mountains vote?

But what really matters is that the Republican Party is not the party I grew up with. It is now mean, nasty, greedy, war-loving, and eaten up by the fungus of the extreme religious right. Under Bush, they have trampled our Constitution and Bill of Rights, and they are expanding presidential powers at an alarming speed. I repeat what I've said before (quoting Reagan), "Freedom is just one generation away from extinction."
That's the real danger in this election. McCain doesn't want to talk about it, though. because telling the truth didn't serve him well, and he has learned his lesson.

I'm glad this is the last debate. I don't think I can take much more of the Loose Goose.

Quote dujour:
"The Democrats just want my money, but the Republicans want my money and soul."
email contributor

Read chapters of my books & Halloween fillers:

www.JanelleMerazHooper.com

Obama can!

Obama Gets it done!

Well, the members of McCain's campaign are whining that they can't control what their crowd shouts out during McCain's and Palin's speeches. That's just poor leadership!

Obama showed them how yesterday when, during one of his speeches, someone called out something inappropriate. Quickly, Obama said, "We don't need that." And the crowd quieted down. Immediately. Then he said, "What we need to do is vote." (Cheers!) That's how it's done, if you're really a leader.

I made a graphic for this morning, but my Google software wouldn't post it. I'll try again later. I guess everyone is blogging for Obama today!

I write books too! Read sample chapters here:

http://www.janellemerazhooper.com/

Short, Halloween fillers on my homepage in October

Wanda the Witch Hits Wall Street

Wanda Hits Wall Street
Janelle Meraz Hooper

Wanda was hot under her witch hat. It was bad enough that the crooks on Wall Street had stolen her retirement account, but their greedy screw-up was going to cause a case of trickled down economics at its worst. Parents everywhere announced they were going to have to cinch in their belts, and the first thing to go was the trick-or-treat candy. Well, Wanda didn’t blame them. She’d just been turned down on a loan for one of those new, hybrid brooms. It was Wall Street she had it in for, and she developed a two-part plan to get even.

The first part was easy. She provided Halloween candy for all of the world’s children, even in countries where Halloween wasn’t celebrated. She figured even if they didn’t celebrate Halloween, they would know how to celebrate a pocketful of candy. She paid for the candy with the petty cash the stockbrokers had hidden in secret bank accounts. That done, it was time to move to part two of her plan.

Right at midnight, Wanda flew into Wall Street with her fat cats and instructed them to leave deposits everywhere. On the carpets, on the desks, and in the fancy espresso coffeepots. Then, when the cats were done, with a wave of her wand, Wanda multiplied the deposits by 34.5%. That was the exact percentage the investors were charging for home and small business loans. Their golden parachutes she turned into fool’s gold, their retirement packages vanished into the crisp October air. Their trophy wives began to look like their first wives. As a final touch, the Halloween candy on their desks was exchanged for a special blend that gave the investors a permanent case of the green cherry quickstep. Then, on the way out the door, she waved her wand and permanently sealed the doors to their executive bathrooms.

Ah, it was a good night’s work. But it was over too soon. Wanda moved onto Washington, D.C.

Happy Halloween, Everyone! Oh, if it were only so!

I write other, serious stuff, too. Books, even. Read samples on my website:

www.JanelleMerazHooper.com