Friday, August 1, 2008

You Learn Something New...

So, guess what I learned yesterday? I learned that calling someone "arrogant" makes me a racist!!! Who the hell knew?? All these years, I had no clue that "arrogance" = "racist." That's what John Ridley wrote over at Huffington Post (that's your warning for the link). Who is John Ridley, you ask? A TV writer, for shows like, "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." So, yeah - that makes him a reputable source, right?

But, wait - I've called George W. Bush arrogant - does that mean I was actually being racist in some subconscious sort of way?? Huh - my (chosen) brother, Patrick, calls HIMSELF arrogant, but he's FRENCH. Maybe he has internalized racism then. I should talk to him about that - maybe do an intervention...Heck, there are any number of people who have been called arrogant on tv, in print, in conversation, whatever, previous to Obama being on stage, and no one ever even acknowledged they were being racists! Good grief!! Thank heavens we have FINALLY been alerted to our racist language - all of these centuries we have been using "arrogant" or other variations without realizing how offensive we were being!! Oh, Obama - if it were not for you, there is no telling the depths to which we would sink!! Oh, crap - now I'm making my own self sick.

Okay - this is just getting ridiculous, and completely out of hand. First, you have Obama telling the House that, finally, our prayers have been answered - he has RISEN. Halle-damn-lujah. Then, any word used to describe him is all of a sudden RACIST and demeaning. Unless one is singing his praises to the high heavens, any remotely negative statement about his behavior, his - dare I say it? - ARROGANCE, his lack of policy, his lack of EXPERIENCE, is all RACIST!!!! Now, he has taken to accusing the McCain campaign of racism when they haven't said word ONE that was racist. He is setting the stage, just like he did with Hillary Clinton. He tells his followers how evil the other person is, what they are GOING to say, not what they HAVE said, then these people believe that is EXACTLY what they said. No amount of evidence to the contrary can sway them. The McCain Campaign is racist, and that's all there is about it. It doesn't help that Obama's aides claim HE is not introducing race into the discussion, despite his very clear statements of doing just that. Obamessiah said it, so it MUST be true, and if you don't see it, then you are a racist, too!!

One of Obama's lines was that he doesn't look the same as the other presidents on our money. Well, FIRST of all, Barry - YOU AREN'T THE FREAKIN' PRESIDENT!!!!!!! Second of all, YOU KEEP INJECTING RACE INTO THE RACE!!! Ahem. Sorry - he's pissing me off. Oh, but WAIT!! Breaking news: Obama Aide Concedes 'Dollar Bill' Remark Referred to His Race!! Well, there's a newsflash from The Department of DUH!!! Those of us still capable of thinking knew that already, but nice of the aide to finally ADMIT it!!! (Feel free to go read the article, if you can stomach all of the excuses and accusations from the Obama camp.)

Obama is just wearing me out. And the constant race-baiting is making me pissy.

So, while he is pronouncing himself King of the Universe and trying to paint McCain as a racist, what has the good Senator of the Great State of New York, Hillary Clinton, been doing?

As one would expect, she's been doing her JOB!!!! She has been fighting for people, like she always does! The following Press Release is her latest accomplishment:

July 31, 2008

Clinton Welcomes Approval by Key Senate Committee of Her Legislation to Address TCE Contamination

Many New York Communities Face Health Risks Due to Exposure to the Dangerous Carcinogen

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today welcomed approval by a key Senate committee of her legislation to require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set tougher regulations to protect the public from exposure to the carcinogenic chemical Trichloroethylene (TCE), which is one of the most widespread industrial water contaminants in the nation and is found at many sites across New York. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee today approved Senator Clinton’s TCE Reduction Act, which will now go to the Senate Floor for consideration by the full Senate.

“New York cannot wait any longer for the administration to take action on the dangerous TCE contamination across our state. A growing number of communities are facing the serious health risks caused by exposure to TCE, including cancer, damage to the nervous and immune systems, and developmental problems in children. And yet, despite these dangers, the Bush EPA delays and delays. My legislation will force the administration to finally take steps to address this pressing issue. I welcome the committee’s bi-partisan approval of this important measure and urge the Senate to pass it promptly,” Senator Clinton said.”

Senator Clinton introduced the TCE Reduction Act in 2007 after earlier efforts to convince the EPA to address the growing TCE contamination crisis in New York. Of the 86 federal Superfund sites in New York alone, more than 30 have been found by the EPA to have TCE contamination. Endicott, Franklin Square, Garden City, Hopewell Junction, Ithaca, Norwich and Victor are a few of the communities throughout New York that are known to be contaminated with TCE. Senator Clinton's bill follows lengthy delays by EPA in setting a new standard in the face of growing scientific evidence and contamination that is more widespread.

A draft EPA Risk Assessment in 2001 found TCE to be as much as 40 times more carcinogenic than previously thought, but rather than using EPA science to set a more protective standard for TCE in drinking water, the Bush administration called for more study. The National Research Council (NRC) was directed to conduct an in depth study the health studies involving TCE. Far from repudiating EPA's 2001 findings, the final NRC report, issued in 2006, found that "the evidence on carcinogenic risk and other health hazards from exposure to trichloroethylene has strengthened since 2001." The report went on to say, "The committee recommends that federal agencies finalize their risk assessment with currently available data so that risk management decisions can be made expeditiously."

Senator Clinton has previously pressed the EPA to set a standard based on the latest science, but the EPA has failed to act or set a timeline. According to the EPA’s website, EPA does not plan to release a revised standard until the end of 2010.

The “TCE Reduction Act” would require EPA to:
Issue a revised health advisory for TCE within 6 months of enactment.

Issue revised draft health standards for TCE in drinking water within 12 months of enactment, and final drinking water standards within 18 months.

Issue a health advisory standard for TCE vapor intrusion within 12 months of enactment.

Establish an Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) reference concentration (RfC) of TCE vapor within 18 months of enactment.

Ensure that all standards set under the bill fully protect susceptible populations (including pregnant women, infants, and children) from the adverse health effects of TCE.


Wow. Let me make sure I understand this: Obama is going around, in speech after speech, accusing John McCain of being a racist presumptively! And claiming that He Is The One For Whom We have Been Waiting! And prancing around Europe. MEANWHILE, the person who SHOULD be the Democratic nominee is working her heart out for us. Okey dokey.

WAKE UP, SuperDelegates and Delegates!!! WAKE UP!!!! Let's go, people - vote for the one who WILL GET THE WORK DONE!!!!!

Once again, go to IOwnMyVote.com and take the survey for the Platform issues to be taken to the Democratic Party.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

If you're interested, I made a video on the topic of His Most Precious Arrogance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q22gueeya2g

Devo1978 said...

You ought to take a look at the bill Barack Obama introduced, and Senator Clinton co-sponsored,
S 1068, it goes even further to protect communities from toxins. I give credit to Senator Clinton for her work as chair of the subcommittee that moved S 1911 to the next step on July 31 of this year.The expertise she will bring on this issue when working with the Obama administration is vital to key stakeholders in TCE contaminated sites.

Senator McCain, on the other hand, was elected to represent the citizens of the North Indian Bend Wash Superfund clean up site, in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 1982. The year he was first elected to represent Congressional District 1, 1982, was the year in which the EPA found TCE in the drinking water wells. McCain went on to become Senator, and only in 1989 did he write to the EPA about the toxic water his constituents had consumed for decades. But McCain didn't write to ask for studies of the health impacts of this massive groundwater plume of TCE. Instead, he wrote on behalf of one of the EPA identified "Potentially Responsible Parties," to advocate that the PRP be allowed to sell his land before a final Record of Decision could be reached by the EPA. The truth about McCain and how he never once advocated for his citizens in one of the largest Superfund Clean up sites in the nation says it all about his priorities and lack of integrity. Protect your children, your neighborhood - encourage your Senator to vote YES in 1911 and to get it to the floor now. Thanks to Hillary for moving this critical issue along!