There appears to be a substantial difference between the protests (and lack of respect) for President Bush vs. President Obama. Obama’s predecessor had a 90%+ approval rating and overwhelming bi-partisan support as the country rallied around Bush following the September 11 attacks. We later learned that the Bush-Cheney administration abused their powers by attacking a country that did not have WMDs and wasn’t responsible for 9/11, supporting torture, unconstitutional wiretapping, and other actions.

Obama is a completely different story: The “conservatives” NEVER gave him a chance. There have been efforts to undermine his credibility since the moment he won the election — unfortunately, some in this country simply don’t believe an African-American should be president.

Thus, I do not think you can equate what happened with Bush to the current backlash toward Obama. As Salter knows, first-hand, from the whispering campaign in South Carolina that doomed John McCain’s Presidential run in 2000, the extremist fringes in the Republican Party will resort to tactics that even the most radical Democrats wouldn’t touch. As a McCain ‘00 supporter, I would argue that with his competent leadership in the White House, the state of politics and our broader culture would not have coarsened to the degree it has. It’s unimaginable to think of how much better state McCain would have left the country in!

But as proof of the depths that our political system has gone, American Hero John McCain cynically (or desperately) attached an unqualified laughing stock of a candidate as his running mate to be a heart-beat away from the Presidency.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

Ben Padnos is an Internet entrepreneur based in Manhattan Beach, California. He Twitters @benpadnos.

Republican Party Strategy on US Demographic Trends

Let’s see how the 29.2% of Arizona’s population who happen to be Hispanic/Latino feel about McCain’s decision when it’s re-election time next year.

Ben Padnos is an Internet entrepreneur based in Manhattan Beach, California. He Twitters @benpadnos.

The country is still reeling from the effects of a President who lacked the intellectual curiosity to deal with complicated issues. George W. Bush did irreparable harm to the Republican Party and you’re on the sidelines encouraging the country to set the bar even lower. Meanwhile, the Party has been reduced to a regional, minority voice with diminishing influence and approval ratings plunging.

The Republican voices whispering in your ear are insulating you from reality. Look at Party events and rallies outside of the Midwest and deep south and count the number of:
- brown, black and yellow people in attendance;
- younger voters, 35 years old and under compared to folks 60 and older;
- college educated participants;
- individuals who live in cities and other densely-populated areas;
- people who have less than $80,000 of annual household income; and
- gays and lesbians.

I urge you to use your influence to encourage Party leads to listen to guys like Mike Murphy – he nailed it today in his op-ed in the NY Daily News — and Joe Scarborough who understand the “modernization” of conservatism that must go on for the party to rebound from its regional minority status, and take a SERIOUS look at expanding the tent. Your first move is stop pandering to the fringe religious and pro-gun extremists – the guns, God and gays voters have become more than just “the base”, they have become the entire party! And enough is enough with this Sarah Palin defense – please find a competent horse to back. There are highly-capable, intelligent, accomplished and VIABLE conservatives who deserve attention!

Ben Padnos is an Internet entrepreneur based in Manhattan Beach, California. He Twitters @benpadnos.

So, I’ve been thinking about how to react to Sarah Palin’s stunning news that she’s not only not going to run for re-election as Alaska’s Governor, but she’s resigning at the end of the month. I think it’s time we get an apology from the Republican Party and conservative pundits who supported her as a credible candidate for Vice President. Her latest move shows the poor judgment and instability the vocal critics were concerned about.

The country is still reeling from the effects of a President who lacked the intellectual curiosity to deal with complicated issues. George W. Bush did irreparable harm to the Republican Party, yet we still have many conservatives perfectly content with setting the bar even lower. Meanwhile, the Party has been reduced to a regional, minority voice with diminishing influence and approval ratings spiraling.

I don’t know who is advising Republican leaders these days, but they’re either not delivering the truth or the folks in charge are delusional. Look at Party events and rallies outside of the Midwest and deep south and count the number of:
– brown, black and yellow people in attendance;
– younger voters, 35 years old and under compared to folks 60 and older;
– college educated participants;
– individuals who live in cities and other densely-populated areas;
– people who have less than $80,000 of annual household income; and
– gays and lesbians.

I urge Republicans who are committed to a strong 2-party system to encourage Party leads to listen to guys like Mike Murphy and Joe Scarborough who understand the “modernization” of conservatism that must go on for the party to rebound from its regional minority status, and take a SERIOUS look at expanding the tent. The first move is stop pandering to the fringe religious and pro-gun extremists – the “guns, God and gays” voters have become more than just “the base”, they have become the entire party! And enough is enough with this Sarah Palin defense – let’s find a competent horse to back!

Ben Padnos is an Internet entrepreneur based in Manhattan Beach, California. He Twitters @benpadnos.

TMZ is reporting that Michael Jackson has died after being hospitalized at UCLA Medical Center. He was taken to the hospital supposedly suffering from cardiac arrest and unconscious.

E! News spoke to Joe Jackson (father of Michael) and said, “He had a heart attack. He is not OK.” Nothing else is known about the situation other than that Jackson was not breathing when someone found him and called 911. Paramedics continued to administer CPR in the ambulance en route to UCLA.

michael jackson dead 2009

Sanford’s announcement today that he was having an affair with an Argentinian woman comes on the heels of Ensign’s announcement that he was having a relationship with a woman outside of his marriage.

My point is less about these politicians’ bedroom activities as it is about their hypocrisy. Ensign is a member of Promise Keeper’s, a super-conservative Christian men’s group, and Sanford has actively campaigned on “Family Values”. These are the same type of politicians who claim to have the moral authority on who should and should not be allowed to get married.

The Republican Party is having an internal fight about what direction it wants to go. But the longer the party focuses on “family values” social conservatism rather than true conservative positions on fiscal and foreign policy matters, the more ground they’ll give up to the Democrats.

Ben Padnos is an Internet entrepreneur based in Manhattan Beach, California. He Twitters @benpadnos.

This years event runs through June 15th through June 21st, and live coverage is available on ESPN and NBC with the tournament culminating on father’s day. In addition, US Open Live Coverage is available on the official website of the US Open here.

Check back for more information on this year’s 2009 US Open Championship at Bethpage!

This new bill follows state-sponsored gas guzzler rebate programs in California and Texas, two states known for their congested roads and love of cars, to help rid the country of thousands of vehicles with poor miles per gallon ratings and save consumers money at the pump.

However, there are some criteria that need to be met before this “cash” can be put towards the purchase of a new or used SUV or car. First, the gas guzzler in question must be over five years old (2004 or older) and must have an EPA rating of less than 18 MPG combined street and highway. The vehicle must also be in working condition and registered for at least the past 120 days.

If all of those bullet points are met, there is another hurdle in the gas guzzler rebate- finding a new or used SUV that gets 25% more MPG than the government’s 21.3 MPG minimum for a light truck. That may seem like a nominal figure, but that would require the owner of say, a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee that gets a combined 14 MPG, find a vehicle that gets at least 28-29 MPG in order to utilize the voucher. Currently, only four vehicles fall within that category.

For passenger cars, the buyer would be required to find a vehicle that gets 25% better mileage than 27.5 MPG. Quite a few vehicles fall within this range, but hybrid cars can be pricey and small, making the deal unappealing for shoppers wanting a family van or large sedan.

Lisa Ling apologized to North Korea stating that if her sister and Euna did in fact cross into Northern Korea it was accidental. In addition, there has been tremendous outrage over the situation at hand and many people are urging Al Gore or any other “ballsy” congressmen to act quickly on this situation publicly.

Both Ling and Lee are “OK” according to friends and family, however, are very “scared” and “nervous” about what is to come from the North Korean Labor Camps.

Another important fact that you need to know when buying a diamond engagement ring is the cut of the diamond. The cut must be deep enough so that the diamond can catch and reflect back the appropriate amount of light. The cut of the diamond must be neither too deep nor too shallow. If it is too shallow, the diamond will not capture the light. If it is too deep, the diamond will not reflect the light back. When buying a diamond engagement ring, pay attention to its cut. If you want your diamond to be sparkling and bright, do not hesitate to check its cut concerning all possible details.

When buying a diamond engagement ring, check its clarity. Diamond clarity stands for presence or absence of flaws. Flawless diamonds have high clarity and are very rare and expensive. Whether a diamond is flawless or not cannot be visible with naked eye. There are special methods and ways that can help you to determine how flawless your diamond is. Perfect cut, color and clarity will make your diamond engagement ring fabulous. Finally, diamond carat or the size of the diamond is hugely important. The bigger the stone is the more expensive the diamond is. If you still want a diamond engagement ring, hurry up and buy the best one ever!