McCain Picks Running Mate

McCain picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin? You have to be kidding. Are they that hardup for disaffected Hillary supporters?

Let me get this straight. Palin is in her second year of being Alaska governor. Before that she was the mayor of her town, which I am sure is big by Alaska standards. She is 44 years old. She has not had the first day of national or international experience. She exemplifies everything, and then some, of what the Republicans have wrongly accused Obama of. Talk about being unqualified and inexperienced, she makes Obama look like an old hand. And with McCain being 72 today, if anything happened to him (which I do not wish for) this is who he feels should lead our country and be commander in chief? I must have missed something along the way.

Oh, I get it. She's pro-life, a member of the National Rifle Assoc, and against gay marriage. By Republican, ultra-conservative, fanatically religious standards she is qualified. I am utterly shocked that McCain would shoot himself in the foot like this with what is obviously an unqualified but good person. Talk about pandering to the base.

The Chinese Olympics Ends

The Olympics in China have ended and the world has witnessed a magnificent display of athletic prowess and pageantry. China went all out to prove to the world, and more importantly to its own population, that it has arrived on the world stage to compete with any country not only in sports but also in growth, business, artistry and in the future. It is well proud in the knowledge that it earned more gold medals (51) than any other nation including the United States (36.) China was second only to the United States in total medals, 110 vs 100. Quite an accomplishment for a “Johnny come lately.” But was it?

The population of China gives that country a pool of 1,330,044,605 to draw on as opposed to the United States with a population pool of 304,962,198, or an overwhelming edge of 4.36 times in size. If that multiplier was applied to make the population pools equal, the USA would have won 480 total medals of which 157 would have been gold. Just think, America accomplished what it did without government paid schools that take children away from their families at age 4 or 5. American athletes give of themselves and their time while trying to live “normal” lives. This in no way should diminish the accomplishments of those Chinese athletes who can be proud of the work they have done to earn those medals. They deserved every honor they won, even though there are questions as to the age of some their participants.

I cannot help but feel a pride in the makeup of the American team that earned so many medals. If you look at the total team you will see Caucasians, African-Americans, Hispanics, Orientals, and second and third generations of immigrants from all over the world. That is the strength of this team and of our country. The blending of the beauty of races, religions and nationalities can be a lesson for China and other countries in the world. Yes, we have our differences, our political fights (as opposed to China’s one party governmental control,) our financial problems, etc, but we are still one nation composed of the many, for which I am proud.

America, in Atlanta and Los Angeles, did not spend over $40 billion dollars as China did for these games, including a magnificent opening ceremony that at times reminded me of the military precision of the 1936 games in Berlin.