Campaign Money

Campain money and fundraising have always been vital aspecst of elections that i have been interested in. These guys (and now girls) convince millions of Americans to donate anywhere from 5 to 2,0000 dollars in support of there campaign. Students, celebritites, and the elderly all open there check book during this time of year to donate money. If you visit the leading presidential candidates websites (McCain, Obama, Clinton) you are immediately directed to a front page that requests a donation. Once inside each of their respective sites it is hard not to notice the multiple links to donate money to their campaign. Barack Obama, i would argue, has stimulated his campaign through his unparalleled ability to raise money. By creating a base of small donors and raising the most money amongst the democrats, Barack has catapulted his campaign to the front and practically locked up the democratic presidential nomination. Obviously, campaign funding is key when it comes to running an election and winning an election. Without it you may as well just give up but, with it, even the lesser known candidate can stay in the race.
Furthermore, it is suprisingly easy to find out where there donors live, how much they donate, and who they are donating to. For instance, i was googling one of my professors the other day because i was interested in one of the movies he was writing (he is a screenwriter). However, after entering his name i was prompted to a site that showed the city and zip code in which he lived (Irvine), how much he donated ($200), and who he donated to (Clinton). It was scary the details i was able to recieve from just googling somebody's name. It almost makes me want to donate just to put my name on the map and feel as if i did something for the canditate that i support.
As i browsed latimes.com i noticed something that was directly related to the article that i currently write. On their campaign '08 page they have a section where you can enter your zipcode and it lets you know how much money has been donated from residents of that zipcode (called the "socal presidential money tracker"). It also lets you know what percentage of that money went to each particular candidate.
For the city in which i live, Aliso Viejo, there was a total of $57,526 donated with the majority (26.5%) going to Giuliani, 20% to romney, and 14.4% to Old Man McCain. Thats conservative Orange County for you.
A video for your viewing pleasure on campaign funding:

The Break Up

In a not so suprising move today, Barack Obama announced a split from the man who might cost him the democratic nomination. Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Obamas pastor who married him and his wife and baptized his kids, was denounced today by Obama for his opinions that the government created the HIV virus and that U.S. actions caused 9/11. It will be interesting to see how negatively the relationship with Wright will cost Obama as he continues his run for the presidency. Personally, i believe that it will cost him dearly. Only a few months ago Barack stated that divorcing his pastor would be like divorcing his Grandma. Now, because of his pastors outlandish comments, he is denouncing him? come on barack. Youve had a close, personal relationship with this guy for the past 20 years and are just now beginning to hear these types of things??? Its hard to swallow. As is the speech given today by Barack in regard to Mr. Wright. Here you go:

Wright at it again

Obama's 'spirtiual mentor' is at it again. Reverend Jeremiah Wright decided to answer questions at a forum in front of the National Press Club. Maybe its just me but it sure seems like Rev. Wright loves the limelight. His tone and the way he carries himself really rubs me the wrong way. He walks and talks with a sense of arrogance that is frustrating to watch. But, the confidence is clearly enjoyed by others and his speech is electric. The events of the past two months (Pennsylvania comments/ Rev. Wright) may be SO DAMAGING as to cost Obama the democratic nomination. Talk about bad luck. Check out the arrogant Reverend Wright thanks to youtube....

Congrats, Mr. Bush

According to the self proclaimed "breaking news site" RINF.com, our President, Mr. Bush, has hit an all time low. In the 70 year history of the gallup poll, Bush has set the record low for approvaldiapproval rating. With a disapproval of 69% Mr. Bush barely stole the record from Harry Truman's 68%. Oddly enough, Bush also holds the record for the highest approval rating for any President when in 2001 (post 9/11) he had a positive rating of 90%. Check out the article and the comments that go along with it- they are interesting and entertaining. And, if you have an opinion on the matter, you should comment as well. Here it is: http://rinf.com/alt-news/politics/bushs-disapproval-worst-of-any-president-in-70-years/3184/

A little self promotion via email

Yes, i am a subscriber to John McCain's emails and yes, i do read them. Why? because a lot of what these candidates send out is pretty entertaining and self absorbed. So, as i checked my emails today i came across another image enhancing email sent by Mr. McCain. It was not much different than the others that i receive on a daily basis but this one was special. It chronicled a 5 day trip taken by the presidential hopeful as " he traveled to some of the forgotten areas of our nation. From rural Alabama to hurricane-ravaged Louisiana, many places across the country have been ignored and left behind."Ahhh...the forgotten states. They must really appreciate the fact that someone is thinking about them. Day 1 saw John go to Alabama, then Ohio, than Kentucky....you get the point. He went to the states that nobody really cares about. Honestly, if you cannot tell from my sarcasm, McCain kind of irritates me. His whole 'defense' stance accompanied with his narrow view of the future is very discouraging and un-progressive. Hes old, he has a young good looking wife, and hes old. But, for all you McCain followers out there, here is the one and only video i will post of him. Taken from his "take action tour"......

Up to the Minute Political Updates

As i was browsing the web today I found an interesting political website that shows how useful and creative the internet can be. Its called the "political dashboard" and its available via yahoo. It shows you who the candidates are, their RCP poll averages, the 'yahoo buzz,' and the voter breakdown by race. It also refreshes every 5 minutes! The things technology can bring you. Five years ago one had to wait for the daily paper to arrive at the doorstep to get the most recent updates on political races. Now, in one click you can be informed on whos winning the race and who is voting for a particular candidate. Its amazing. Click on the URL below and check it out for yourself:

http://news.yahoo.com/election/2008/dashboard

Hillary prevails

Today, Hillary Clinton made the democratic race even tighter which seems impossible considering how close it already is. Apparently is was a relatively easy victory but it sets up a battle in the weeks to come. The primary's in Indiana and North Carolina are going to be crucial. But, hey, let not get ahead of ourselves. Today, we will let Hillary enjoy her victory. Here is her speech following notification of victory:

A UCI study on blogs

Picked up UCI's campus newspaper (New University) today for something to read during lunch. And what do you know, a short article that directly relates to a class I'm taking. The piece, located in the 'news in brief' section, was entitled "Study gives insight on bloggers and their reading habits." The article gives a short review of a study done by UC Irvine researchers Bill Tomlinson and Eric Baumer. The research involved the study of the habit-forming effects of blogging. With the sample set being small- 15 participants- the study revealed that blog readers have a different opinion of the definition of a blog than that of the academic definition. Blog readers believe that blogs cannot be easily defined and that certain factors determine whether a web page is actually a blog such as comments, technical concerns, and reader interest. You can find the article @ http://www.newuniversity.org/main/article?slug=news_in_brief_57.
On a different note, i find it interesting that although a lot of people say that the printed press is slowly dying, i see a lot of students picking up the New U and reading it around campus. Its refreshing to see that kids are interested in what is happening on campus and supporting the printed newpaper that our school produces.

A nasty fight

The boxing match between Obama and Clinton continues to be a war of words as each candidate throws jabs on a daily basis. Now, Clintons camp is accusing Obama of being a hypocrite while Obama's camp wants to end the war of words via debates and start campaining. You should take a look at the following articles as i think the fighting is somewhat comical. I think that the image of the democratic party is being severely effected by the childish bickering between camps and may be swinging votes from the democrats to old man Mccain. I agree with Obama-they each need to stop the debating and pointless jabs and start campaining for the benefit of the democratic party. Read and enjoy:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/17/campaign.wrap/index.html?eref=rss_politics&iref=polticker

Is McCain eligible?

I found out some interesting news today as i was browsing the web. I came across an article that discussed the presidential eligibility of Senator John McCain. What has caused such a sticky situation is the fact that McCain was born in the panama canal zone and it has raised the question of his eligibility . The constitution clearly states that the candidate must be a "natural born citizen" but, throughout the years, has been interpreted as an individual having to be born to an American citizen and not necessarily on American soil. McCain was born in the panama canal zone because his father, an American citizen, was a naval officer stationed there. The article in the new york times states that there have been candidates that have withdrawn their bid for the presidency because of they were not born on American soil. Many actually consider it a non issue and rightfully so. However, it goes to show, that some parts of the constitution can still be misinterpreted after all of these years. And this issue of being "a natural born citizen" is acutally making its ways through the courts. Soon, we shall see an amendment fixing the issue and clearing up the ambiguity of the what it takes to be eligible to be a United States president.

Down to the wire

Was reading the Los Angeles Times yesterday (4/16) and came across an article that i found interesting. Yes, i am old school- i still get my news from the the printed press. Considering how active i am, i find it a lot more convenient to pick up a 50 cent newspaper and carry it wherever i go. This gives me the ablility to read an article when i have down time and dont have computer access. Anyways, the article headline read "Clintons big lead fades in Pennsylvania" and it broke down the tight race for the Democratic nomination between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. In two states, Indiana and Pennsylvania, the margin of difference is a mere 5 percentage points while in North Carolina, "an obama stonghold (la times 4/16)," the lead is 13% in favor of Obama. It is clear that the race for the democratic nominee is not getting any clearer. Personally, i am still torn between Barack and Hillary. As of today, i cant even fathom old man Mccain in office. I believe America needs a change and if old man Mccain wins i think we will be headed in the wrong direction. But, thus far, i am still torn between the two democrats. There was a quote in the same LA times article that reflects my current view on the democratic nominees and, specifically, Obama. It reads: '"Obama is the best candidate, the best articulator of the mood for change-but i don't know how he would be for president (LA times 4/16)."' Time is running short, the democratic race is getting tighter, and its going to be interesting to see what America decides.

Old Man McCains Economic Plan

Yesterday, April 15th, John McCain spoke in Pittsburgh detailing his plans for the economy. After reading the transcript of his speech i thought that it sounded awfully similar to Presidents of the past. Mostly geared toward the middle class, McCain talked about lower taxes, lower government spending, and proposed some new plans. He proposed a gas tax holiday from memorial day to labor day in which Americans are relieved of the taxes they typically pay on gas, a one year government spending freeze, and an increase in the price of prescriptions for wealthier senior citizens- just to name a few. These all seem to be good ideas on the surface. But, every four years we are overwhelmed with speeches by politicians that promise new and exciting plans for the economy. So, will these plans really be put into motion? Or are they just lies to help get McCain in office? Unfortunately, we will never know unless he gets elected. And by then it might be too late. Below i have added the link for the transcrip of his speech, a video for all of you non readers, and an analysis of the economic plan.
Trasnscript
Analysis

As "normal" as you and I

What a long day. I am now starting to understand why people say that Upper Division writing at UCI is the most dreaded class. Reading and responding to emails, studying, and work really teaches you time management. If you dont do it youre screwed. Anyhow, as i was watching television this morning before class and i caught a glimpse of an interesting video. It meant nothing to me initially but throughout the day i began to form an opinion on why it was a video of interest. We Americans, or so i believe, seem to revere individuals with large amounts of power, money, and fame. They seem almost like godly/not of this world figures. This can be seen in the current obsession over the rich and famous brought to us by such websites as TMZ and Perez Hilton. We obsess over their lives and, ultimately, are unable to relate to anything that we see or hear about them. The same can be said for how we view leading politicians. We do not view them as normal. We cannot relate to them at all. But, as the elections come closer, one candidate in particular has tried to show the American public that he is "just like us." He fills up his gas tank, he takes showers, and he even shoots some hoop. Here it is, Barack Obama, NBA prospect:

IPDI.ORG

As i do regurlarly, i was on the internet today browsing the web and checking out a variety of new sites for school and for pleasure. I happened to come across an interesting site that is directly related to one of my classes at UCI. It is called the Institute for Politics, Democracy, and the Internet and is brought to us by the graduate school of political management at George Washington University. Considering the influx of political websites and bloggers, its mission statement reads as follows: "Its mission is to promote the use of the Internet and new communication technologies in politics to enhance democratic values, encourage citizen participation and improve governance, at home and abroad; in short, to “democratize democracy.” A simple, yet brilliant, idea. Although it has only been around for about 10 years, it has already had a significant impact on the internet and politics. In 2005 it was listed in the "top 10 changing the world of Internet and Politics." After quickly browsing the site I found some interesting stuff: there was a section for blogs, news, and resources. However, the most interesting aspect of the site was its multimedia section. The section included videos that ranged from " A workshop conducted by Google at the Politics Online Conference 2007, explaining how best to utilize Google's tools for political campaigns" to "MPR: Campaigns getting increasingly Web savvy." Short, informative videos that provide tutorials and news to individuals interested in politics. If youre interested in political blogging then this site will help you immensely. For an example of these informative and useful videos, check out the one below hosted by google. It is long- about 47 minutes- but just a few minutes of viewing will show you the types of videos that IPDI provides. Useful, interesting, and informative. All you can ask for from a website.

The Jump Off

i have never blogged before. up until two weeks ago i had no idea what blogging even was. I thought it was just another useless way for people to express themselves or keep a journal of there thoughts and opinions. Essentially, i was correct on my assumptions-except for the "useless" part. i have found that it can be a very powerful tool in letting out your opinions and expressing these feelings to the masses. So, here i am. Blogging with really no intention other than that i want to express and record my own feelings on certain matters while informing myself and others in the process.
The basis of my blog will be politics and the upcoming election. At 25, i have yet to vote in a presidential election. I had always made the excuse that "my vote wont make a difference" or "i dont know enough about the candidates to vote." And maybe this holds some truth. But, with age, i have realized that it is my fundamental right as an American and i should take advantage of it.
However, i do not want to vote without getting to know the candidates and their opinions on the issues being discussed. I talk to many individuals (some educated, some not) that have such strong opinions on who they are going to vote or not vote for. i hear "i wont vote for a black man," or "there cannot be a woman in office." Such ignorant statements have made me realize that there are millions of Americans that have no idea on the policies and opinions of the candidates. And, honestly, i am one of these individuals. All i know about the candidates is that one is a black male, one is a female, and one is a dinosaur. I dont want my upcoming vote to be based on such worthless observations. i want to submit an educated vote that picks the candidate that is most in line with my opinions and views.
So, this is why i blog. I will comment on things i read in the newspaper and see on TV and i hope to recieve feedback. I intend to inform myself and the reader on the issues being debated, the backgrounds of the candidates, and their plans if they are nominated. The hopefully being the forming of an educated opinion on who to vote for in the upcoming election.
On that note, i will kick off my first blog with a website reccomendation. Provided by the washington post, it gives a quick profile snapshot of each of the candidates as well as a very cool "issue coverage tracker" that informs the public on the stance of the candidates on the issues we should be concerned with (as opposed to sex/race/age). Here it is: http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008-presidential-candidates/

Note to blog reader: i am a 25 year old college student. i have a limited background in politics and blogs. i may offend. i may be critical. i may sound uninformed. i may digress. but feedback is always welcome as i would love to hear opinions on the issues being discussed.