Mr. Ward

Quick Notes on McCain’s Speech

I liked: Taxes: Lower business taxes and jobs will create themselves. This is too easy for most people to understand. Energy: Drill here; drill now. Can you imagine if we had gas stations that said, “We only sell fuel made in the U.S.A.? Foreign Aid: Stop giving money to countries that insult us all the time. You want our help; play nice. Foreign Policy: It’s nice to know someone isn’t so naïve to believe if you buy the world a coke it will sing in perfect harmony. Some people just have to be slapped.

I didn’t like: Bi-partisanship: It sounds like a good idea, but there are two problems. First, compromise means watering down principles; and principles are what our nation was founded upon. Second, it’s code for “Republicans have to agree with Democrats”. Notice the left never “reaches across the aisle”. The Quote: If we have heard it once we have heard it a hundred times; McCain said, “I’d rather lose an election than have my country lose a war”. We get it; no one here is questioning your priorities. I also understand that this makes you polar opposites with your opponent. But let’s not drive it into the ground. Taxes: I have a problem with raising the child credit. Health Care: The only thing government needs to do with medicine is stay out of it.

I have questions about: Judges: You say you will appoint conservative justices; fantastic. But if it ever comes before the court, a true conservative would deem The McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform unconstitutional. Are you willing to risk your greatest achievement? Change: You’ve had years in the Senate to fix DC. Why didn’t you? Trust: McCain says Republicans lost the people’s trust when they gave in to the temptations of Washington. Republicans lost my trust when they quit being conservatives. Do what I elect you to do.

One more note: We have heard the story of McCain’s years as a POW many times. It is what makes him a true American hero. But hearing it from him – told as a story of personal humility – got me. I was blown away that he took that experience and turned into a lifetime of serving others. Amazing.

3D on the 3D

So, it’s time for this month’s installment of “Third Day on the third day”; and this time it’s all about the live experience.  No problem.  Sunday night, Third Day performed at the Choctaw Nation Festival in Oklahoma and we were there.  During “Rockstar”, Mac occasionally puts the microphone in an audience member’s face and has them sing the title during the chorus.  As he walked over toward our side, he was looking at me and I knew what was coming.  A snap decision needed to be made.  How do I handle this?  Do I attmept to do a Mac Powell impersonation?  Do I try to be subdued?  Do I try to give it the overblown “Whitney Houston at the Super Bowl” treatment? Do I shout it like a frat boy on spring break?  I decided to leave it all on the table.  The mic came down and I let loose with a full-on death metal sceam/howl.  Imagine Pantera doing “Rockstar”. You can hear it here.  I’m a bit proud of the moment.  If I get that opportunity again, I’m doing it up old-school crooner style; sort of Buble like. 

P.S. I know this is being posted on the fourth, but I didn’t have internet last night.

The "First" Night of the RNC.

Just a few general impressions.

First, the media.

Look, we knew they did not want to cover this convention (to them whatever damage Gustav did was worth not having to cover the President live Monday night).  Most of them identify themselves as Democrats if not liberals.  So, I expected biased reporting and commentary.  They did not disappoint.  When they re-aired  President Bush’s speech from earlier in the night, NBC edited out the crowd response which left him standing in silence for seconds at a time looking foolish and confused.  Neither CBS nor ABC took out the crowd so don’t tell me it wasn’t intentional. During all the speeches, the networks kept cutting back to their media folk who talked over them.  The disrespect with which the media spoke about and to the Alaska delegation was inexcusable. 

Second, the speeches. 

Fred Thompson played the attack dog role for the RNC.  He pointed out many truths about Obama that the media have either been ignorant to or simply ignored; especially concerning taxes. Which led to him appropriately pointing out how fawning the media’s portrayal of Obama has been.  Unfortunately, Fred didn’t look well and had trouble with his voice.  I am afraid that in our looks-obsessed culture; that took away from the content. Some of my favorite moments were his “bucket” analogy and “character we can believe in”.

It was a bit surreal to see Joe Lieberman stumping for McCain.  By doing so, he inadvertently underscored all the problems conservatives such as me have with our current nominee.  The surprise came not that Joe talked about how great he thinks McCain is, but that he actually went after Obama.  I think Joe’s working for a cabinet position under McCain.  What if Obama wins?  It is conceivable that the Democrats would remove Leiberman from all committees and not allow him to caucus with them.  That leaves him with two options:  roll over and play dead or caucus with the Republicans.  Either way, it would prove that the DNC is really the party of exclusivity and small ideas. 

Kenny is OK.

Clueless.

I’m listening to Obama’s acceptance speech.  Here are a few thoughts on what he is saying.

He says that “You’re on your own” is a cruel thing to tell someone.  No, it is a true and honest thing to tell someone.  In the real world you are on your own. Based on his personal history, he should know that.

He claims that household incomes went up during the Clinton years and down during the Bush years.  First, if that is true it is due to decisions made by the previous administrations.  Second, that is certainly not true for me.  When I go to vote this November, I will have a salary that is almost $15,000 greater than it was when I voted for W.

He  says government is supposed to help us.  No, government is supposed to protect us and stay out of our way.  The man needs to read the Constitution.

He says he will wean us from foreign oil in 10 years.  How?  He thinks government can find the new fuel.  Sorry, those types of solutions have always come from the private sector.

He says he will fix all our energy “problems”.  If he has that answer, why hasn’t he already given it to us?

He says he will lower taxes on “95 percent” of working families.  How can he do that while raising taxes on anyone who owns a business? He either thinks all business is owned by 5 percent of workers or business owners don’t actually work.

He says we need change.  All of his changes would make my life more difficult; I don’t need that.

He says we should “hold firmly to the hope that we confess”.  That is about Jesus Christ, not America.

This guy has said (and I assume believes) so much that is inaccurate that I wonder what world he lives in.  All I know is that it isn’t mine.

So much for "change".

"Excuse me a sec. What are you babbling about?"

Back in 1987, Nike ran an ad featuring the Beatles song “Revolution”.  It was a milestone for advertising that still reverberates today.  However, not everyone was pleased. The three living Beatles at the time sued Nike (Yoko had given them permission to use the song), and baby boomers hit the roof.  They felt they had been betrayed and their childhood had been tainted somehow.  I’m sure the song meant something to them, but I think they may have simply felt guilty that instead of actually starting a revolution they became consumer driven yuppies. I love the Beatles too, but at the time I didn’t get the big deal.

Twenty-one years later, JC Penny is running a Back to School ad.  In it, a group of kids run around a school building acting out scenes from the film “The Breakfast Club”.  They even have a cover of Simple Mind’s hit “Don’t You Forget About Me” playing.  I sat watching with my mouth open. This film and subsequently the song meant something to me.  From the first time I saw the movie, I realized it captured some of the spirit of high school students in the mid-80s.  I saw it multiple times.  I was such a fan that four of my friends and I used to get together watch the film and quote the lines of the characters we were closest to in real life.  Granted, these characters were stereotypes.  Sam played football, but wasn’t as cocky as Andy/Emilio Estevez, Tonya wasn’t near the princess Claire/Molly Ringwald played, Traci was a bit different but not as freaky as Allison/Ally Sheedy, I was a geek but Brian/Anthony Michael Hall was a full on nerd, and James – well actually James was quite a bit like John/Judd Nelson.   We felt like we understood these characters and John Hughes understood us.  You don’t even want to know how annoying it was to be around us when the quotes started flying.  As I watched the Penny’s ad, I felt odd.  I wasn’t offended; I was just a bit disturbed.  The ad doesn’t seem to be taking this movie or song seriously.  Don’t they get it?  Wait, do I sound like those baby boomers from the 80’s?  Am I taking this too seriously?  To paraphrase the film; am I going to be like my parents?

P.S.  In real life, “Brian” and “Allison” just celebrated fourteen years of marriage.

SRC Winding Down

Third Day on the third day; what to say?

I was just reminded that according to this guy, we are supposed to write about Third Day on the third day of every month.  Ok, but what to write?  Should I tell you that their new album “Revelation” is the best they have ever recorded?  Do I casually mention that I have seen them live over 40 times?  How about telling you that “You Make Me Mad” is my favorite Third Day song or one of my favorite shows was Tyler, Texas in October, 2006? Oh, I know; I could post the lyrics for “Revelation” and tell you how that is my idea of a “worship” song.  You know what, just go buy “Revelation” and learn to love them yourself. 

Edit:  Apparently we were supposed to make this about something that happened this week since “Revelation” was released on Tuesday. Well, since I didn’t get my pre-ordered cd and my other copy was in the player in my car which spent the week at the body shop; I did not get to listen to the album the week of release. Now that Alanis, is irony.  Edit: I forgot to say what really made this ironic:  my car was at the body shop to repair damage done while I was at a Waffle House following a concert by…Third Day.

Kinda Like the Old Days - Or Not