Here's what I learned while reading the paper today. Yes, it's the NY TImes and while some out there will grumble about its 'liberal bias', it is the paper of record and they don't make crap up.

On Sarah Palin's religious beliefs:

What is known, however, is that Ms. Palin has had long associations with religious leaders who practice a particularly assertive and urgent brand of Pentecostalism known as "spiritual warfare."

...Russell P. Spittler, provost emeritus at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif., and an eminent scholar of Pentecostalism, said, "Most Christians would accept the view that there are forces and powers in the world that oppose Christian virtues." But, Mr. Spittler added, "Spiritual warfare makes a religion of identifying demons by names and ZIP codes."

So, the potential next-in-line for the presidency has been prayed over to be protected from "every form of witchcraft" and believes she can do some sort of demonism demographic study and come up with her own Black List. Wonder if they have my zip code.

Obama=Hitler

You heard it here first. According to an article by Jim Rutenberg in today's Times, an email went out to Jewish voters in Pennsylvania this week that equated a vote for Obama "with the 'tragic mistake' of their Jewish ancestors who 'ignored the warning signs in the 1930's and 1940's.'" And it was not sent by some crank political action group, but by the Pennsylvania Republican Party's 'Victory 2008' Committee.

Naturally they repudiated it, after the fact, and let a staff member take one for the team. That strategist says the email was approved. Of course it was. Pardon my naivete, but I still thought perhaps the McCain campaign had one slender thread of decency left. Apparently I was wrong. I only ask, in the most respectful way possible, are they freakin' insane??

As aging Hipsters, we've had the benefit of watching as the tenor of politics has grown ever more divisive. Negative campaigning isn't new - you can find examples as far back as Jefferson - but today the message seems designed to divide and polarize. And now, an even more insidious set of code words is creeping into the campaign with the expressed purpose of stirring racial hatred.

Perhaps MaCain reasons that if he can scare enough white people into voting against a black man, he might have a chance to once again split the electorate into numbers that favor his campaign. In the McCain/Palin world, "real Americans" means white people living in predominantly white states. "That One" is code for anything different than white.

What he doesn't count on is Obama's uniquely compelling message to bring real change to the country and unify the electorate. You don't have to even have a firm grasp of the issues to make a choice. Just observe. McCain - cranky and annoyed, attacking at every opportunity, or Obama - cool and composed with a message that looks to the good character of all Americans.

McCain would have us believe it's about experience. But experience without leadership is a hollow promise. It's really about judgment. McCain chose a divisive course when he unleashed his judgment on us in the form of Sarah Palin. Sure, she has "energized the base" (read, pander to the far-right) but at what cost?

There was a time when I might have supported McCain, but this single decision signaled that he had caved to the Republican hate machine and embraced its narrow agenda. Include the fact that he hired the same Rove disciples responsible for torpedoing him in the last election and we get a clear picture of a man who says "Country First" yet means McCain first... at all costs.

Once again, all you have to do is observe to see the contrast. If it's a matter of judgment, I'll take Biden as an indication of good judgment and Palin as an example of poor judgment.

I'm no socialist (whatever that means) but like to think I can spot fairness when I see it. The Bush administration has made a mockery of the American Dream by forcing a greater percentage of the tax burden on the middle class while easing it for the top 10% of wealthy Americans. And unfortunately, if the current trend keeps up, the top 10% will be the only ones working any way.

This election is about protecting the middle class. Not just the white, right-leaning, evangelical middle class, but the entire middle class. Its about creating jobs that help every American aspire to something greater. The "real Americans" in this race are the ones who realize it's time to stop focusing on greed and start thinking about what's fair.

This may be the best political email we've received all season.

Dear Red States,

We've decided we're leaving. We intend to form our own country, and we're taking the other Blue States with us. In case you don't own a map, that includes Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and all the Northeast. We believe this split will be beneficial to the nation, and especially to the people of the new country of New California.

To sum up briefly:

We get stem cell research and the best beaches. You get Texas, Oklahoma and all the slave states.

We get Elliot Spitzer. You get Ken Lay.

We get the Statue of Liberty. You get Dollywood.

We get Intel and Microsoft. You get WorldCom.

We get Harvard. You get Ole' Miss.

We get 85 percent of America's venture capital and entrepreneurs. You get Alabama.

We get two-thirds of the tax revenue, you get to make the red states pay their fair share.

Since our aggregate divorce rate is 22 percent lower than the Christian Coalition's, we get
a bunch of happy families. You get a bunch ofd single moms.

Please be aware that Nuevo California will be pro-choice and anti-war, and we're going
to want all our citizens back from Iraq at once. If you need people to fight, ask your evangelicals. They have kids they're apparently willing to send to their deaths for no purpose, and they don't care if you don't show pictures of their children's caskets coming home. We do wish you success in Iraq, and hope that the WMDs turn up eventually, but we're not willing to spend our resources in Bush's Quagmire.

With the Blue States in hand, we will have firm control of 80 percent of the country's fresh water, more than 90 percent of the pineapple and lettuce, 92 percent of the nation's fresh fruit, 95 percent of America's quality wines (you can serve French wines at state dinners) 90 percent of all cheese, 90 percent of the high tech industry, most of the U.S. low-sulfur coal, all living redwoods, sequoias and condors, all the Ivy and Seven Sister schools, plus Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Cal Tech and MIT.

With the Red States, on the other hand, you will have to cope with 88 percent of all obese Americans (and their projected health care costs), 92 percent of all U.S. mosquitoes, nearly 100 percent of the tornadoes, 90
percent of the hurricanes, 99 percent of all Southern Baptists, virtually 100 percent of
all televangelists, Rush Limbaugh, and Bob Jones University.

We get Hollywood and Yosemite, thank you.

Additionally, 38 percent of those in the Red states believe Jonah was actually swallowed by a whale, 62 percent believe life is sacred unless we're discussing the death penalty, abortion providers, homosexuals, Muslims, or gun laws, 44 percent say that evolution is
only a theory, 53 percent that Saddam was involved in 9/11 and 61 percent of you
crazy bastards actually believe you are people with higher morals than us lefties.

By the way, we're taking the good pot, too. You can have that dirt weed they
grow in Mexico.

Peace Out,
The Blue States

Got the Bug, Got the Motorcycle Bug
Driving along you notice the graybeard motorcycle rider in the lane next to you. The wind is blowing his beard back and you can see the wrinkles on his face. You figure he must be fifty or sixty years old. It gets you thinking.

Or, what about all of these new motor scooters that seem to be popping up all over the place? Students, blue collar workers and the occasional professional are all just putting along enjoying the 90 miles per gallon fuel savings. Hmmm, looks like fun.

A lot of people just like you have the bug, the motorcycle rider bug. But you have it real bad and you are seriously thinking about actually doing it, buying a motorcycle and having a little fun yourself. What’s the holdup?

Well, motorcycles can kill you. Yes they can. But on the other hand, you spouse may kill you just for considering a motorcycle. OK folks, a little humor, lets not get too morbid here, you are only thinking about getting a motorcycle right? You haven’t actually done it yet.

Boy, the McCain camp can't get anything right: they actually have me on their email list. The good thing is I now get to see what they're sending supporters. We also hear from friends and relations in battleground states about the kind of advertising the Republicans are doing there. And it's ugly. I'm not naive, both sides have been known to skirt around the edges of the truth. Which is why we urge you and everyone you know to avail yourselves of these great fact checking websites:

FactCheck.org

Snopes.com

The FactCheck Wire, with the great tagline--"Faster than the speed of spin"

Just the Facts