Assange & The new Pentagon Papers?

I generally agree with Sen. Ron Paul, this Wikileaks an total overreaction. Yes, some people have been embarrassed, but that's it so far. It's easy to label his actions as treason. Far too easy really. We can all make fun of the silly TeaParty (which this person does), but there's a saying that a little revolution is good now & then. Me firmly believe this & it's clearly the far right who only has the stones at this point to make a revolution happen. Not saying what Assange? did was right, not saying what he did was wrong. However, take a step back before you snap to judge. Your getting one side of the story now, the side people with TREMENDOUS power want you to see/hear. They're laying it on thick. This may be a bad man, he may cause serious damage, but he may also cause some change to come. Change that could be for the better. Sometimes bad people cause change for good. Let's just calm down here. Take. A. Breath. If this turns into a bonafide Valerie Plame-like situation, then get back to me.

Teaching & Discrimination

A N.J. substitute teacher who underwent sex-reassignment surgery is quitting her substituting efforts in the two districts that she was working.

I remember this story and being impressed with the districts but, extremely wary of the prospects Ms. McBeth would truly face once the bright lights were off the situation and the cold hand of discrimination took hold.

The two districts were: A. Eagleswood, B. Pinelands Regional. Before the operation McBeth received 15 to 18 assignments a year in Eagleswood, and 16 to 20 a year in Pinelands Regional.

Since she has had the reassignment completed, McBeth has only gotten 2 assignments from each district over the course of two years.

What do the Superintendents say? Deborah Snyder, the Eagleswood schools superintendent, said the district has hired a permanent substitute to report to work each day and fill in as needed. She also noted that the district turns to its list of certified teachers. Only after that is exhausted does it call subs from the local hiring list that included McBeth. The Pineswood Regional Superintendent declined a comment.

Okay 2 quick points of rebuttal:

1. Hiring one (Snyder said "a") substitute does not fill all your need across a district, even if it's a small district (enrollment in 2007-2008 is reported to be 142).

2. Knowing people who hire/call for substitutes, when you find a good substitute for your school that your employed teachers like, you put them at the top of your list and they become one of the first people you call.

As a teacher I can say the only thing worse than having to be out a day and prepare lesson plans for a substitute (yes, I write my plans out a week ahead, but it's often in short-hand, and when you have a sub you have to make everything clear), is to come back to your classroom the next day and hear reports of how awful the sub was.

Healthcare Heartache Healing

Fixing our health care system is a hot topic that has the potential to make massive positive changes in the lives of perhaps hundreds of millions of Americans, and make the health care system run more efficiently and effectively for all. For the Record: All the bitching about government bureaucrats running health care from Washington is bogus argument, when private bureaucrats in for-profit insurance companies are deciding whether you can get even the most simple treatments for a cold sore.

Many solutions are being put forth by many well-meaning, and some not-so-well meaning people (*cough* big pharma *cough*).

The buzz if out there that we will not be able to snag a single-payer type of health care system. While, I am not inclined enough to cleanly give an opinion that I would feel firm about (yes, I realize this fact hasn’t stopped me in the past, nor will it in future), I am posting here to attack one idea that has been floated out there, something that Obama and his administration seems to embrace. I believe I recall him touting this idea during the campaign, so I would bet this will be in any health care legislation passed.

This idea is reflective of a pattern seen in my field of choice: education. The prevalence of using test scores of students to “reward good teachers” is unfortunately become a reality in some districts, or is on track to become as such.

Now we have the following idea in health care from the USA Today: “Reward doctors and hospitals not just for how many procedures they perform but how well their patients fare.” This idea sounds fantastic! I admit I liked it initially at first, but upon further reflection and analysis, there are significant drawbacks in my opinion that do not necessarily address some problems within health care.

Two other quick hits from the article:

“One of every four heart failure patients and slightly less than one in five heart attack and pneumonia patients land back in the hospital within 30 days, data show.” – A clear hazard of running a health care system for profit & having literally no focus on prevention. As people who have these problems aren't sufficiently supervised post-op and are often sent home too early.

“…patients have higher death rates at hospitals in the nation's poorest and smallest counties, compared with those in larger, more affluent areas.” – Similar to the problem w/ testing in education. (Yes, there are those examples of poor, inner city schools who are shining and getting a great %age of their students to pass their standardized tests, but they are far from the norm. Moreover, those who say the teachers at the other school in the inner city who aren’t able to get good testing schools are “failing” really don’t get the pathology of the inner city student and inner city life (I don’t either, given I am a white boy from middle America)) But, the bigger, better hospitals that have more money to pay the best doctors are, of course, more likely to have better a lower death rate.

Not only are the doctors more likely better and more experienced, those areas with more affluent socioeconomic status are also more likely to have healthier patients to begin with. Even more so, they are more likely to follow doctor’s orders via prevention (eating/exercise habits), and they are more likely to be able to follow doctor’s orders.

By instituting this policy, it would cause these already struggling hospitals to struggle even more when they don’t get MORE government funding. The system in America continues to be ass backwards. Two examples:

1. The credit industry charges lower interest rates to the rich who can easily make their payments, while they screw low-income people with ridiculous rates and make it incredibly hard for them to gain equity and capital.

2. Some proposals in education "reform" include hitting those failing schools whose students don't pass those stupid standardized tests with lower government funding.

Finally, there was also a report out yesterday noting the rate of mistakes made every year in hospitals by doctors and other staff that cause injury or even death. We MUST insist on further funds to encourage young people to encourage them to go into doctoring and nursing (just like Obama has discussed doing for education). There is an incredible shortage of doctors and nurses, and we haven’t hit the big boom from those damn Baby Boomers yet. These people are often overworked because there is such a shortage, and any legislation should give allowances for these grants and also some mandatory working hour limitations. I would argue most hospital mistakes are made because the people are ridiculously tired and have too many patients to keep track of. They need relief and we should demand they get it.

Three Convenient Arguments/Issues

1. Life really does start the minute the sperm enters and fertilizes the egg.

- As a pro-choice advocate, people of my ilk tend to argue that life doesn't begin until the child breaths after coming out of the birth canal. This is clearly balderdash, and anyone with a brain knows that life begins at fertilization. The argument goes that even though the egg is fertilized, it cannot have sustainable life outside of the womb. This is true, but it's still a VERY young human being.The proverbial bubble boy from a Seinfeld episode is a human being, he doesn't cease to be a human being simply because he can't live outside his bubble (much like a womb).

2. Violence on TV really does do damage to youngin's.

- As a massive free speech advocate, being the one issue I would be willing to die a fiery death for, I have always argued the position that television has no effect on young children when they are watching it. However, I have always believed this is false. My problem, and why I support those who argue this falsehood, is censoring television is NOT the right answer. Proper parenting is.

3. Whether or not being a homosexual is a choice really doesn't matter.

- Liberals and activists for homosexuals generally argue that being gay is not a choice. I happen to think this argument is moot. However, I support those who make the argument that being gay isn't a choice, it's ingrained at birth. This is the only clear way to battle the religious whack jobs in this country.

The AMA & it's doctors are shameful

During an address at a meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA), Obama was booed for even suggesting the idea of reforming health care that may actually save money.

These people should be ashamed of themselves. Doctors, who have saved my life MANY a times in my short little life, should be ashamed to have the clowns at the AMA represent them in this manner.

These people swear an oath to care for all, no matter the cash the dump into their pocket. The doctors I have seen are the best of the best and they should be paid handsomely, but there's a line to be drawn where it gets so out of hand.

They know there needs to be reform, and they should have the cojones to do their part.

The majority of any cuts in compensation for services in this area should be hammered on the drug companies, but some of the elite of the elite doctors should also be willing to take a bit of a pay cut or retire.

You didn't get into medicine to make millions, and if you did...then you don't deserve to be a doctor anyways.

I am a teacher, and I don't do my craft for a giant load of cash. I love my job, and it can be a tough job. It would be nice to make more cash, but I am not looking for other employment because of it. Moreover, I am in support of a wage freeze that my school system has passed for the next school year to save money in our budget since we are so strapped.

Doctors of the AMA, I implore you to vocally support the changes Obama wants to make to the health industry. Yes, the health care industry as currently constructed works well for YOU, but what about those millions of Americans who are getting screwed by having no insurance or really crappy insurance?

We should be working together to kick the insurance companies' ass. Hello people!!

School Vouchers suck, and here's why...

Nate Silver over at 538.com discusses who is calling for school vouchers: Rich whites and poor black people. Who does this leave out...AGAIN...as always? The middle class. I would love to see some actuarial study showing a breakdown of how much the middle class gets for their money compared two the rich and the poor. The rich spend a ton, but they get a ton. The poor don't spend much, but there are gov't programs giving them something. I'm just sayin'...

Now, here's why they suck...and there's a simple reason why: Lets say school X sucks bad. Three miles away, school Y is one of the best in the city. So, a generous group of parents from school X, decide to take the school choice and move their children to school Y.

This causes class sizes in school Y to go up, and any teacher worth their salt will tell you that class size matters. Class chemistry can matter even more, but by adding more pupils, you make keeping the chemistry right that much more tenuous.

The effect will be that school Y plummets in it's performance on test scores, causing the parents to get miffed yet again. Meanwhile, the lost of cash to school X has been crippling. Leaving the students who are poorer to be stuck at a crappy school with less money than before, and no hope of really getting better for years to come.

This is why the families in the inner cities supporting school vouchers flummox me. There is NO WAY the cash they will get as their voucher will seriously cover the full cost of tuition at another school, leaving them stranded with no school to call their own.

Look, as an educator, I know some things need to be fixed. But, it costs money to teach students well. A LOT of money! There's an old saying in the financial investing world: "You have to spend money to make money."

Well, you have to spend money to teach students effectively. We should in no way be trying to do this on the cheap.

White Men, Black people, Gays, & a movie

“Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner” – a great movie released in 1967 with the legendary Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn.

Also, a movie I think a majority of Americans still need to see today, as the attitudes addressed in this movie and the undercurrents addressed are still gnawing at the fabric of this great country.

Not, that I had any doubt about this, as I have always spoken out against the irrational, moronic people on the extreme right who think anyone not white and male MUST be taking SOMETHING from them…it has to be!

Moreover, I would love to see a studio re-make/re-format this movie and instead put two gay men or two lesbian women in this situation. Just to address the same type of prejudice and attitudes found in the original screenplay.

You Should Dump Your Health Insurance Immediately

Yes...seriously. Why?

According to a recent study by Harvard: Families who encounter medical problems with private insurance reported average out-of pocket medical bills of $17,749, while the uninsured's bills averaged $26,971. Of the families who started out with insurance but lost it during the course of their illness, medical bills averaged $22,658.

These people were forced to file for bankruptcy as a middle-to-lower class households. So, what's $9 grand more when filing for bankruptcy?

Sounds like an argument to save the cash from the monthly health insurance premium and spend it on jelly donuts.

Ohhh, the many reasons we need health insurance reform in a major way!

The 'Warrior' Gene and boy aggression

A fascinating article abut a study is a potentially eye-opener. Studies apparently have linked the level of aggression in a given boy to the activity/presence of a specific gene within their DNA that is passed of genetically.

I may be overstating or mistaking the specific of the studies, as the bulk of the studies are set to be released in an upcoming issue of Comprehensive Psychiatry.

A very interesting look at what causes such aggression in some boys and not so much in others. This development could begin to explain the lure and the likelihood of gagng violence as a systemic problem in this country.

However, I still think social policy would take of this and the lack of hope and a positive male role model in a young child's life is the real culprit of males joining gangs in such numbers. These studies could give some light into how we can maybe address and treat such conditions in the future if absolutely necessary.

6 and counting

Hmmmm....New Hampshire's Gov. Lynch signs bill making it the 6th state to allow gay marriage....the tide may FINALLY be turning.

A drive for data is killing schools

An article from yesterday's NYT detailing the plight of the new Principals within the NYC school system, and how well or not so well new Principals are doing.

As a teacher, I have argued that this drive for data and showing progress via data is counter-productive. A percentage from a standardized test means jack to me, I'm sorry.

Just today with the announcement of Sotomayor from the Obama Administration (boy was I wrong eh?!?! - DOH!) for the next Supreme Court Justice, we heard about this famous case ruling concerning firefighters. At issue was whether a government could take a standardized test that no African-American passed and use that to justify promotions.

Inherent bias has been known to happen in such "standardized" tests, and to judge a student's career on such tests is inherently unfair, unethical, unwise, and asinine.

As a Special Educator who does the initial testing to determine whether a student qualifies for Special Education services, I take my job extremely seriously and I take great pains to asses the child fairly, properly, and with the utmost care. This is because the minute I determine that X student needs Special Education services, that student is needing those services: a virtual label is slapped on their forehead for life. The fact that they were a Special Education student will be in their school record for life, and it will likely be in their medical records for life as most parents consult with their family pediatrician about such needs.

To say I take my responsibility serious, is an understatement of epic proportions. Some in my field, including some administrators do not get it, and they take the tests I do as gospel, and they rely far too easily and quickly on the numbers instead of looking INTO the data. And, quite honestly, I have been encouraged/told/forced to use the numbers to justify or make my case on some occasions.

A graft from the article: "Peter McNally, executive vice president of the principals’ union — which has generally supported the mayor’s reforms — said the biggest complaint from members was “that they spend more time looking at the data than in classrooms observing and supporting instruction.” Indeed, many had deep reservations about a system in which, as one principal put it, “my report card is my boss.”"

Principals here complaining about looking at data...well, yeah, that blows. Imagine being the poor bastard who had to subject his/her students to all that data gathering...it's not a lot of fun gathering the data and it's a ton of hard work for what tantamounts to what may be a marginally good, broad view of a student's ability in a given subject area or topic.

Transgendered law takes a hit

The Calif. State Supreme Court = douchebags.

The California voters said they didn't want gay marriage, so you went with it eh? If they voted to re-enslave all African Americans, would that be okay too? This ruling is sloppy, lazy, and bad law that will likely be used as precedent in some other ruling.

This totally lame ruling has set back transgendered rights in this country...

Cheney can suck on it

There 33 international terrorists currently held in supermax prisons on US soil; no one's ever escaped from a supermax prison...

I hate to admit, however, that yesterday's speech duel between Obama and Darth Cheney...the heart attack waiting to happen won.

Only because he has the ease to speak his mind, and be was able to be very direct about his views while mixing in some dubious lies, false choices, and whopper beliefs/delusions.

Dick was also blunt about supposed CIA documents he can claim back up his position, while not having the ability to access them....err...wait, he does have people around who would gladly get them to him to leak or leak them for him...turns out he must be lying because if he wasn't those documents would be splattered all over FoxSnooze by now.

No terrorist attacks since 9/11 eh Dick? Well, thanks for not paying attention so there actually WAS a 9/11.

Moreover, as statistical analysts know, correlation does not mean causation.

Still, Obama better hope NOTHING squeaks through...

Damned If You Do...

...Damned If You Don't.

I smell a stink bomb. Something tells me that if President Obama let all these banks fail as the Repos suggest he SHOULD do, they'd then be bitching, whining, and complaining on how the little man got screwed out of his investment money.

President Obama is in a classic lose-lose proposition. This bites...hard.

Auto-Bailout Redux

As I listen to the chatter on both sides of this argument, the UAW vs the Management Teams, I find it increasingly difficult to believe ANY of them.

As I listen to each pundit or even serious news-person state the so-called "facts," I am finding it hard to believe ANY of them.

One group says the Union wage is $28 per hour, some say mid-teens. Does this factor in health care? Some say the Union has made concession after concession, including agreeing to wage freezes (no standard 3% pay-raise yearly). Some call the union greedy for not willing to give up their big fat wages and retirement packages.

Some say the foreign automakers actually make more money per hour than Union earners. Some say the earn far less and are doing just fine.

Some say the foreign automakers are getting help from their home countries during this tough time (apparently Volkswagen is getting financial help from Germany), AND they were given large incentives to bring their plants to the state they chose ($500 million payments) without ever needing to pay those back or even pay taxes on them.

There are so many number, so many people trying to spin this thing, it's difficult to believe who is really telling any truth here. However, it does seem clear that the Union management fucked the automakers, but the CEOs and Management of the big 3, REALLY fucked themselves.

Not just by letting the Union get over on them, but by purposefully lobbying Congress and stalling, fighting ANY attempt to improve cars fuel-efficiency and also by building shitty cars.

And even NOW they're doing it. GM has just announced they are delaying their Volt engine factory building project which would build engines for an electric car. HOW DOES THIS HELP?!?!?!

Again, the Management showing that THEY JUST DON'T GET IT!

While I don't think an electric car is a feasible alternative in the long run (how many rolling blackouts are there every summer in LA and then there was that big shut down in NYC during one summer because people use A/C too much???)...this just sends the wrong message.

This shows that the government should take over the Big 3 and literally force the CEOs to stay on for 10 years at the rate of $100,000.00 per year.

Been meaning to make this point

For approx. the past week or so, basically ever since this Gov. Blagojevich scandal broke, I have had one consistent, clear thought and I haven't found to write the sucker down because it's so simple, so pure, and soooo correct.

Doesn't this Gov. Blagojevich thing make going after and taking down a Governor who was fucking an escort seem REALLY pathetic, and petty?

The sexual puritanism of this country ceases to amaze me, yet I am never disappointed because I don't expect any better of the knuckleheads that abound.

Two final notes: 1. Blagojevich in my view is legally free to do as he will with that Senate seat. He earned that right by being elected, and the Democratic party in Illinois really should be careful about getting too all high and mighty about this. And this Illinois Supreme Court challenge to Blagojevich is a joke...a total joke. The man may be a crook of epic proportions, but he was elected into that office and until he resigns or is replaced via an election...he can do whatever the rights as Governor he has earned allow him to do. Even if that means appointing himself to the Senate, or Kermit the Frog.

2. The LGBT community in California should be ashamed of themselves by letting Proposition 8 even get on the ballot, much less not fighting hard enough to stop it's passage. You were asleep at the wheel and you deserve this punishment. Let this be a lesson, never fall asleep on the job of fighting for a minorities rights!

Here they come...

The leftists have found their voice against the Obama-man and they seem perturbed.

They are annoyed by what they see as old Clinton-era/Admin. re-treads in terms of cabinet posts (most specifically in the Treasury).

Look, lets make this clear, yet again to you left-wing nut-jobs:

To get shit done in big, bad D.C. you need to know how to grease the wheels, how to make the wheels of government at the most incremental level work, and how to go into those backrooms, cut deals and get the job done.

You leftists may not like the Clinton's, you may loathe them, in fact...but they know their way around D.C. and with a progressive Democrat in the White House you should see the more progressive agenda.

When an administration is over, or when people leave an administration, they often go into the power structure within D.C. and they become/maintain their expertise on their specialty issue.

Should you really, truly, be punishing Obama for picking some of the most brilliant minds who just happened to have also be tabbed by the Clinton Administration? Just because they were in the Clinton Administration should be not even look at their curriculum vitae when faced with an economic crisis such as this?

I have a friend I chat with frequently, and he didn't like the idea of Larry Summers being the Treasury Secretary, so he's happy with the latest news I suppose. But, I don't get it. Summers said something inflammatory at Harvard while being their President (something which is not entirely unfounded according science as it may seem), but fine...he's a dick. Should we really punish the guy for being a dick and not avail ourselves of his brilliant economic mind? He doesn't have the best social skills, people who know him say. Are we going to preclude all those with appropriate "social skills" from serving our country, if so, you can probably kiss this teacher good riddance.

Put your petty views aside leftists and give your man, Obama, a chance. You elected him, let him do his work. You owe it to him, you owe it to yourselves, and dammit, you owe it to this country you claim to love.

So, sit down, shut the fuck up, and give the man a year before you start sniping. Geez!! We haven't had a Democrat in the White House for 8 years, be fucking grateful will ya?

AIG & more bailing

Someone has to explain this to me. I really don't get nor endorse the idea of giving AIG MORE money to spend and bail them out.

This coming off the heels of them being busted for using the last bailout to go on a business "retreat" at some lush, tropical resort.

Sure, as I've heard it, they have agreed to cap compensation to their CEOs..but this doesn't stop them from wasting this money on these bullshit corporate "retreats."

Late Update 11/11/08: ABC News has broken another story on those damn execs @ AIG going on yet ANOTHER freaking resort trip...brilliant.

Supporting US Automakers

Previously in this blog I have argued vociferously that any/all US automaker companies should be allowed to fail under their own fiefdom.

I still believe this theory, and I drastically encourage the US Government to let Chrysler alone go under.

I am still in favor of letting GM and/or Ford to also go belly-up, UNLESS they agree to some serious strings with any type of cash held the government gives them.

I'm thinking of strings like:

A. Caps on CEO compensation

B. Forcing these companies to cut back their line of car choices

C. Mandatory fuel efficiency ratings for any car or truck they make/manufacture, based on graduated scale (higher than 32mpg for any cars, higher than 27-28mpg for any truck.

D. A written in stone commitment to pay the people their pensions as promised up to 80% of the value.

E. A written in stone commitment to put more profits on a percentage basis into environmentally friendly R&D.

F. An agreement to pay back any/all bailout money given to them with 5% interest, a modest 5% I think considering.

If these automakers refuse to adhere to these strings, then fuck 'em. Let them fail.

A Treatise on Turnout

The past 2 days (Fri-Sat) I've had a whopping 4 calls from the Obama campaign. I am infuriated by this astounding occurrence, just as I was 4 years ago when I got several calls from the Kerry camp.

This liberal hates the fact that this election and every election in the foreseeable future is largely about turnout. Not only because I think, in general, the Repos do this better...but, just the fundamental idea that turnout is the key to a win is sad in some respect.

There have been ruminations on how to best address, and whether to address, this low-turnout factor that has plagued our country.

I have swung back on forth a bit on this debate. I'm snarkish enough to raise my middle finger at those who don't vote, but am also incredulous at the very same people who clearly don't GET IT and why it's freaking important (even if you think all politicians are sell-out slimeballs).

I have pondered plausible remedies to this notion. I support a national holiday for election day, I support nationalizing the electoral process and taking away power from the states especially for Presidential elections as I think it's clear states cannot be trusted. Since the debacle in 2000, very few reforms have been made in several states, and Florida CONTINUES to be a problem.

Other possible remedies have included:

1. Mail-in only ballots like they do in Oregon. You can't vote in a voting booth, all ballots are mailed in.

2. Have multiple election days instead of one big day.

3. National Holiday, as mentioned earlier.

But, I think there needs to be a multi-pronged approach. And, in my view, here are some ideas we should go with:

A. The elimination of soft money, and forcing candidates to adhere to a spending cap.

B. Ten mandatory Presidential debates across the country, with several different moderators, and several debate styles (and 4 mandatory VP debates).

C. Conventions held on dates determined not by each party, and they must be held in consecutive weeks (meaning 1 week Dem convention, the very next week the Repo convention, vice versa depending on incumbent party going last).

D. Weekly mandatory press conferences for each Presidential candidate for at least a 1/2 hour of consistent time with a pool of at least 1 reporter from all prominent news organizations (yes, this includes FoxSnooze). Moreover, Presidential campaigns must make space on their travel arrangements for this pool and cannot kick anyone off for asking a tough question (something Obama's campaign did after Biden was asked some tough questions, Obama should be ashamed of himself).

**These get to the heart, the core, of distrust in the political process. These are reforms suggested in an effort to boost morale amongst the nation and believe in "the system" again.**

E. Make Election Day a national holiday. (The only flaw with doing this alone is clear, the retailers would turn this national holiday into a big sales day in retail stores which would draw people away from the voting booth).

F. Provide multiple ways to vote: Allow early voting by mail. Allow/relax absentee voting laws. Open polling booths for the weekend before the National Holiday (Saturday & Sunday). Another idea I have heard about, which really appeals to me is the idea of voting when you want, where you want. Some states have put voting machines in public places like malls, which allow people to vote when it's convenient for them to vote. It also gives them a paper copy of their vote so they have proof they voted. I think if we allow people who have driver's license to do this, it opens up voting lines for the poor to vote and others to vote without waiting in lines for hours on end. Basically, it's ATM voting.

G. Make it a felony for ANY organization to call any citizen and ask how they voted until 3 days after Election Day. I think while exit polls are fun, I think they generally hurt the voting process.

H. Nationalize Elections and Election Day.

I. Make voting mandatory would also be an option, but I think this is hard to enforce. If we were to choose something like this, I'd be in favor of having a voting line that says "Abstain" to allow people to give notice they were there to vote, but they abstained from doing so by their own free will.

Just some thoughts. But, I just deplore the wasted time and money being spent on voter turnout efforts. I don't think allowing people to access their own rights should be this complicated...but MOREOVER, I don't think they should be fucking hassled by jackasses hounding them via phone.

Whether I voted or not, is none of Obama's nor McCain's fucking business. It's mine and mine alone. By hounding people with these damn calls, it makes them wish they hadn't registered to vote. I know, I am so annoyed that I may vote for someone other than Obama in this safe state just to spite him.