MADER'S 'BRANTS The Republican National Convention and Other Stuff August 30, 2004 - It was a busy week this week. The RNC had it’s convention, and surprisingly George Bush got the nomination. Actually this wasn’t really much of a shock; we have known the candidates now for months. The only real highlights were Arnold’s speech and the intense Zell Miller who was surprisingly cogent and last but not least a series of Democratic protesters that broke into the convention on two different nights. Of course after violating the conventions, the Democrats and Kerry , who had their conventions unmolested by the way, had the gall to say that the Republicans aren’t playing fair during the election. It’s always odd to me how “liberals” are always quick to wave the free speech banner yet they have no problem quelling the rights of others to express their opinions. Lest we forget the couple arrested in Chicago during Clinton’s presidency that where busted for assault when they shouted out to Clinton during a visit to their fair city that he “sucked.” It’s not like they made threats or shouted slander like...say... “Bill Clinton believes in the sanctity of marriage!” or perhaps “Bill Clinton never committed a felony!” or maybe even “Bill Clinton paid attention to foreign policy problems like terrorist factions plotting our demise!!!” Nope, they never said anything remotely slanderous and blatantly untrue like those things. In fact, according to Monica, he does indeed suck. And heaven forbid any one point out that Kerry’s record in ‘Nam has some discrepancies. Saying that will get ya tarred and feathered as un-American by a whole herd of Democrats. Honestly, I find politics gross on any level. Not so much the pure ideal of politic , compromise, advancement of the whole yadda yadda yadda. It’s the blind, unquestioning way people follow parties that makes my stomach twitch. Fanatical, self righteous belief in anything is dangerous. Never engage in a conversation with anyone that can’t talk on a rational level and only about the facts. But then again, when has fact or truth or even being rational ever had anything to do with politics? I do have two suggestions: 1. Zell Miller and John McCain need to run together in the next election. That would be interesting. 2. Everyone talks political reform and complains about soft money, 527’s etc. Instead of introducing news laws on the money, lets just shorten the election cycle. Condense the whole thing into three months. Do your primaries one month. Hold you conventions a week apart in the next month, so the hookers can make their money. And the in the third month hold the election. The reason elections cost so much and are so open to special interest groups and money, etc. is that the whole thing takes too damn long. You couldn’t spend 3 billion dollars in the three months as a candidate. Not to mention the fact we were all bored with this thing back in May. In other news, Kobe Bryant got off and then...well...he got off. In different ways to be sure, but ya have to love the symmetry of the whole thing. On the one hand, you really have to feel for the victim. On the other, I don’t buy the argument by victims rights groups that her sexual activity after the supposed assault isn’t relevant. How broken up could she have been if an hour or so after her alleged attack she went and had sex again with someone else? It does cause one to go “Hmmmmmm.” Of course Kobe ain’t no saint, either. The man was cheating on his wife simply because he had an urge and he could satiate it. Maybe he could run for public office some day. The Olympics are over. A big heart felt congrats to all the athletes. Personally I'm impressed with anyone that competes at that level. I pull muscles just getting out bed in the morning and not in a fun, happy way either. The fact the human body can do the things that it does just boggles the mind. Oh and Korea. Get over it. America’s wang got wet again this week. Just a thought here folks. It’s not like the whole hurricane, flooding, high wind thing in Florida is a new phenomenon. This, much like the election, this year really shouldn’t have been a big surprise. Later, Mader