Monday, August 09, 2004
Springsteen Gets Political with Attack on Bush
Aug 5, 10:37 AM (ET)
By Mark EganNEW YORK (Reuters) - Rocker Bruce Springsteen has stayed out of party politics for 25 years, but now he says the stakes are too high and he's urging fellow Americans to vote President Bush out of office in November.
A day after he announced he would join two dozen other stars in nine "battleground" states for a rock 'n' roll tour aimed at ousting Bush, the man known as "The Boss" explained his decision in a sharply worded editorial.
"Personally, for the last 25 years I have always stayed one step away from partisan politics," Springsteen wrote in The New York Times, noting he built a career singing about universal issues like human rights, dignity and freedom instead.
"This year, however, for many of us the stakes have risen too high to sit this election out."
Republicans and Democrats both asked to use Springsteen's 1984 hit "Born in the U.S.A." -- a song about how unwelcoming America was to returning Vietnam veterans but often mistaken for a patriotic anthem -- for use in political campaigns. Springsteen declined the requests.
And in June, when a concert promoter urged Springsteen to headline a large concert to upstage Bush's nominating convention in New York, he insisted he would not play any events tied to the Democratic or Republican conventions.
TAKING SIDES
But now Springsteen, whose blue-collar roots have resonated through his music for 30 years, making him the quintessential American rock hero to the working class, is taking sides.
He says Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry and his running mate, John Edwards, "are sincerely interested in asking the right questions and working their way toward honest solutions."
Of the "Vote for Change" tour -- 34 shows in 28 cities -- in the first week of October, one month before the U.S. presidential election, Springsteen said, "Our goal is to change the direction of the government and change the current administration come November."
He then launched a blistering attack on Bush for undertaking an "unnecessary war in Iraq," running record budget deficits, cutting spending on social programs and giving a massive tax cut for the richest Americans -- a group that includes Springsteen himself.
"Our American government has strayed too far from American values," Springsteen wrote. "It is time to move forward. The country we carry in our hearts is waiting."
Six concert lineups will play simultaneous shows in a blitz of swing states which could go either Democrat or Republican in November: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin.
Dave Matthews, James Taylor, the Dixie Chicks, Pearl Jam, R.E.M, John Mellencamp, Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt are among the other performers.
While Springsteen has stayed out of politics, in May he posted the text of an anti-war speech by former Vice President Al Gore on his official Web site, calling it "one of the most important speeches I've heard in a long time."
http://www.brucespringsteen.net/
Al Gore's Speech ~> http://www.brucespringsteen.net/news/index.html
(I don't like Al Gore either.)
Aug 5, 10:37 AM (ET)
By Mark EganNEW YORK (Reuters) - Rocker Bruce Springsteen has stayed out of party politics for 25 years, but now he says the stakes are too high and he's urging fellow Americans to vote President Bush out of office in November.
A day after he announced he would join two dozen other stars in nine "battleground" states for a rock 'n' roll tour aimed at ousting Bush, the man known as "The Boss" explained his decision in a sharply worded editorial.
"Personally, for the last 25 years I have always stayed one step away from partisan politics," Springsteen wrote in The New York Times, noting he built a career singing about universal issues like human rights, dignity and freedom instead.
"This year, however, for many of us the stakes have risen too high to sit this election out."
Republicans and Democrats both asked to use Springsteen's 1984 hit "Born in the U.S.A." -- a song about how unwelcoming America was to returning Vietnam veterans but often mistaken for a patriotic anthem -- for use in political campaigns. Springsteen declined the requests.
And in June, when a concert promoter urged Springsteen to headline a large concert to upstage Bush's nominating convention in New York, he insisted he would not play any events tied to the Democratic or Republican conventions.
TAKING SIDES
But now Springsteen, whose blue-collar roots have resonated through his music for 30 years, making him the quintessential American rock hero to the working class, is taking sides.
He says Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry and his running mate, John Edwards, "are sincerely interested in asking the right questions and working their way toward honest solutions."
Of the "Vote for Change" tour -- 34 shows in 28 cities -- in the first week of October, one month before the U.S. presidential election, Springsteen said, "Our goal is to change the direction of the government and change the current administration come November."
He then launched a blistering attack on Bush for undertaking an "unnecessary war in Iraq," running record budget deficits, cutting spending on social programs and giving a massive tax cut for the richest Americans -- a group that includes Springsteen himself.
"Our American government has strayed too far from American values," Springsteen wrote. "It is time to move forward. The country we carry in our hearts is waiting."
Six concert lineups will play simultaneous shows in a blitz of swing states which could go either Democrat or Republican in November: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin.
Dave Matthews, James Taylor, the Dixie Chicks, Pearl Jam, R.E.M, John Mellencamp, Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt are among the other performers.
While Springsteen has stayed out of politics, in May he posted the text of an anti-war speech by former Vice President Al Gore on his official Web site, calling it "one of the most important speeches I've heard in a long time."
http://www.brucespringsteen.net/
Al Gore's Speech ~> http://www.brucespringsteen.net/news/index.html
(I don't like Al Gore either.)
Who's to be our next President? (My Personal Opinion ONLY)
Every four years, We, the People, of the United States of America, are assaulted with campaign ads from the running candidates. Some are bland & boring. Most are just plain pathetic. It is this time of year I can't stand to turn on my TV or the Radio or even open a Newspaper. By November, I am ready to vote them all out of thier respective offices just for being a bunch of juveniles.
We need a President who is going to stand by his word of honor. One who still has honor. One who is still respectable and sincere and concerned about the people of this country.
We need a President who will work at reducing the deficit and the Federal Governmental staff, across the board. Not just one or two offices. All of them. I'm not talking reducing the military. They have been hit the hardest. The men and women in our military in Iraq and Afghanistan are fighting for thier lives (and ours, so we're told) and they are paid a small fraction of what those elected officials in Washington D.C. are paid. Does this seem fair to anyone? Is it right to be on a battlefield, getting shot at with weapons the majority of the people of the U.S. will never see, much less hear of, yet get paid less than thier respective congresspersons?
Before the people go into the voting booths this November, they need to remember, Junior gave himself a payraise right off the bat. Congress and the Senate has been sure to keep ahead of the "cost-of-living" wages. Kerry has been paid for not even showing up to work. Are you happy with thier performances? Do you want either Bush or Kerry as President? I don't.
They need to add another check box on the ballot:
E) Start all Over.
New candidates. New blood. New promises. New beginnings.
There needs to be a hiatus in Immigration. No more of this coddling the Mexicans running the border. If they want to shoot our Border Patrol, shoot them dead. Why put up a water tower to water them in the desert? They took the chance to cut through the desert. They knew their chances. I do not want my tax dollars giving them water to keep them alive till they can get the food stamps and welfare programs. (Note: How many of you know how your Congresspersons voted on the Immigration issues? You really should check it out before you critisize my views. I am appalled by my Congresspersons actions.)
Corporate Corruption (a plus for Bush) has been big in the News for a couple of Decades. However, checking back through records, too many politicians have had their hands dirtied more than once, yet they still retain their offices. (I am saddened by Massachusettes.) Why is Kennedy still in Office?
Frivolous Lawsuits? This is a joke in itself. How about the Frivolous lawsuit brought on by John Ashcroft over a Statue? A work of Art? If the man has a problem with art work he should stay home. That was a waste of tax payer dollars there. Between $6 & 8,000 to drape a "robe" on a statue. Does this piss anyone else off? I told my hubby-at-the-time when Ashcroft was appointed, there was going to be problems. Once again, I was right.
Education! Why are our schools overcrowded and underfunded, yet the deficit still grows out of control? Why does the Federal Government hold back money from the States, and the States hold back from from the School Districts? Why is there not a better accounting of the spending? I spent nearly ten years working for a School District and I know about the spending. I've seen spending that should have been illegal. Same goes for my tenure with the Federal Government. Politicians make the mafia look like chior boys.
The VA. The VA is in such disarray now. Our vets from Vietnam, Persian Gulf and Iraq & Afghanistan can not get the help they need because of politics. My brother, who served during Desert Storm, was injured during his time in the military. Like me, my brother lived with his injuries until he couldn't any longer. (We hate to admit to being "handicapped" in any way.) He went to the VA for help. The VA sends him a letter back telling him to "prove" he was injured during his time in the military. After a long haggle (because he was told his file was missing originally) he finally received his file from from St. Louis. What he found in it was astounding. Missing forms and missing reports and documents and reports added dated months AFTER he had been discharged from the Army. I know his case is not "unique". I have met several other men who are facing the very same situations with the VA and are getting absolutely no help what-so-ever. My problem is this, why is it these people are giving thier lives to defending this country, defending this President (and his ego) and they can not get basic medical care that they so richly deserve?
There are many issues facing the next President. What it all boils down to is this, we need to take care of our own country and our own people. If we are not taken care of, who will take care of us?
We need a President who is going to stand by his word of honor. One who still has honor. One who is still respectable and sincere and concerned about the people of this country.
We need a President who will work at reducing the deficit and the Federal Governmental staff, across the board. Not just one or two offices. All of them. I'm not talking reducing the military. They have been hit the hardest. The men and women in our military in Iraq and Afghanistan are fighting for thier lives (and ours, so we're told) and they are paid a small fraction of what those elected officials in Washington D.C. are paid. Does this seem fair to anyone? Is it right to be on a battlefield, getting shot at with weapons the majority of the people of the U.S. will never see, much less hear of, yet get paid less than thier respective congresspersons?
Before the people go into the voting booths this November, they need to remember, Junior gave himself a payraise right off the bat. Congress and the Senate has been sure to keep ahead of the "cost-of-living" wages. Kerry has been paid for not even showing up to work. Are you happy with thier performances? Do you want either Bush or Kerry as President? I don't.
They need to add another check box on the ballot:
E) Start all Over.
New candidates. New blood. New promises. New beginnings.
There needs to be a hiatus in Immigration. No more of this coddling the Mexicans running the border.
Corporate Corruption (a plus for Bush) has been big in the News for a couple of Decades. However, checking back through records, too many politicians have had their hands dirtied more than once, yet they still retain their offices. (I am saddened by Massachusettes.) Why is Kennedy still in Office?
Frivolous Lawsuits? This is a joke in itself. How about the Frivolous lawsuit brought on by John Ashcroft over a Statue? A work of Art? If the man has a problem with art work he should stay home. That was a waste of tax payer dollars there. Between $6 & 8,000 to drape a "robe" on a statue. Does this piss anyone else off? I told my hubby-at-the-time when Ashcroft was appointed, there was going to be problems. Once again, I was right.
Education! Why are our schools overcrowded and underfunded, yet the deficit still grows out of control? Why does the Federal Government hold back money from the States, and the States hold back from from the School Districts? Why is there not a better accounting of the spending? I spent nearly ten years working for a School District and I know about the spending. I've seen spending that should have been illegal. Same goes for my tenure with the Federal Government. Politicians make the mafia look like chior boys.
The VA. The VA is in such disarray now. Our vets from Vietnam, Persian Gulf and Iraq & Afghanistan can not get the help they need because of politics. My brother, who served during Desert Storm, was injured during his time in the military. Like me, my brother lived with his injuries until he couldn't any longer. (We hate to admit to being "handicapped" in any way.) He went to the VA for help. The VA sends him a letter back telling him to "prove" he was injured during his time in the military. After a long haggle (because he was told his file was missing originally) he finally received his file from from St. Louis. What he found in it was astounding. Missing forms and missing reports and documents and reports added dated months AFTER he had been discharged from the Army. I know his case is not "unique". I have met several other men who are facing the very same situations with the VA and are getting absolutely no help what-so-ever. My problem is this, why is it these people are giving thier lives to defending this country, defending this President (and his ego) and they can not get basic medical care that they so richly deserve?
There are many issues facing the next President. What it all boils down to is this, we need to take care of our own country and our own people. If we are not taken care of, who will take care of us?
Monday, August 02, 2004
A Little Fun!
|
Blogging Degree
From Go-Quiz.com
| DrBrena may explode without warning |
| M EXPLOSIVE |
From Go-Quiz.com
