OK.. I dont know if the diarist has ever bought a GM car.. so let me share my experience with brand new chevy cobalt I bought..

Reasons for buying:

Despite bad economy.. I needed a new car. My 1990 honda civic had given away. Broke down on the street and had to be towed away. did shopping like every smart consumer.. and zeroed in on Cobalt, Honda Civic, Nissan Altima and Toyota Corolla as four available options in the price range I was looking at.

Toyota Corolla was the first to be crossed off the list. Simple reason.. bad financing deal they were offering.. Nissan Altima reviews were not fabulous.. which left tough competition between cobalt and civic. both were costing me the same amount of money.. however Honda civic had 5 star safety rating.. while cobalt had 3 star.. however cobalt engine had better HP than Honda civic.. similar fuel efficiencies.. chose the latter because somewhere deep inside me the patriot beckoned saying better spend on american than foreign.

and so I bring home the new car and quickly realize I only got a cheap 8K car for the amount I paid. Interior was CHEAP.. the second day of purchase.. driving on interstate sipping hot frapaccino.. and alas.. the cup holder came out along with the cup.. within two weeks.. the interior started chipping away.. the rear seat broke within the next 2 months and now I am stuck with a piece of junk which I cannot afford to get rid of..

If GM cannot make good cars.. it should NOT be in the business of making cars.. I hear GM financing did good for short period.. I think they should do that full time.. close the plants and GET out of business of car making if you cannot make good cars..

SAY NO TO GOVERNMENT BAILOUT OF CRAPPY COMPANIES!!! weather it be goldman sachs or general motors! if the company is not doing what it is supposed to do.. then it deserves to go under..

For me its personal.. as personal as it is for african americans to see Obama become president.. firstly my post election analysis.. GOOD Obama won.. congrats to him.. we made it happen.. we saw history happen and contributed to it with our support. and good that Mccain lost.. failed bush policies and markets still reeling :(

Having said that.. I want to know why African americans are so intolerant towards other minorities? Why did 80% of AA vote in support of prop8. Why do these people hate people who are different than them?

OK.. I feel like venting today. Losing over 10% of my lifetime savings is no fun.. it hurts and it hurts hard.. economy is sluggish.. job insecurity at all time high.. Politicians squabbling and no end in sight for bleeding markets.. and today, both democrats and republicans fail to come together to enact sound policies to save markets from bleeding and americans from becoming poor.. just in last week, america lost over 3 trillion dollars in assets.. and whose fault is it? Bush? Toothless congress? Nancy Pelosi? John Mccain? Barack Obama? WHO IS TRUSTWORTHY ENOUGH TO HELP ME AND MY FAMILY FROM SLIPPING INTO POVERTY..

I vent today because of complete and utter ineptitude of government and how government officials fail to see broader context when they enact policies.. I go back to the crux of todays problem.. Fannie and Freddie making reckless loans and making sure America grips itself into depression.. the context.. an article written on September 30th 1999. Read on

Link
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.ht ml?res=9C0DE7DB153EF933A0575AC0A96F95826 0&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=prin t

In a move that could help increase home ownership rates among minorities and low-income consumers, the Fannie Mae Corporation is easing the credit requirements on loans that it will purchase from banks and other lenders.

The action, which will begin as a pilot program involving 24 banks in 15 markets -- including the New York metropolitan region -- will encourage those banks to extend home mortgages to individuals whose credit is generally not good enough to qualify for conventional loans. Fannie Mae officials say they hope to make it a nationwide program by next spring.  

and the article goes on to show how public policies and stock holder greed if shortsighted have disastrous impact

and you tell me you were not forewarned

In moving, even tentatively, into this new area of lending, Fannie Mae is taking on significantly more risk, which may not pose any difficulties during flush economic times. But the government-subsidized corporation may run into trouble in an economic downturn, prompting a government rescue similar to that of the savings and loan industry in the 1980's.

WHO ARE WE BAILING OUT? WHY ARE WE BAILING THEM OUT? WHO IS A LEADER WHO CAN GET US OUT OF THIS MESS? AND THAT IS WHY YOUR VOTE WOULD BE MOST IMPORTANT. WEATHER ITS MCCAIN WHO WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE THE ECONOMY DOWNSLOPE OR OBAMA WHO OFFERS CHANGE AND NEW DIRECTION FOR THE COUNTRY. MY FRIENDS, THIS IS THE ONLY CHANCE IN OUR LIFETIME AND IF WE DONT GET IT RIGHT NOW, WE WILL NEVER GET A SECOND CHANCE..

OK.. I am DONE with this softhand approach of dems.. WHAT the f***.. after biggest economic fuckup in american history since the 20's and BIGGEST fuckup in recent american history since vietnam war, george Bush's party is 10 points ahead of democratic party.. WTF is going on?

OK in reality, it might just be a 3-4 point lead, since convention bounces rarely last.. and a typical +6-+10 is average bounce that can never be sustained. However series of polls during this time, including gallup tracking poll +3 for Mccain, and zogby interactive poll (+4 for mccain) is troubling to a point of almost frustrating.

Just today I learnt that Bush has fucked up and added another tens of billions of dollars and guess what, BOTH Obama and Mccain thought it was the right thing.. here is a newsflash... IT WASNT.. how can bailing out fat cash cows of wall street be the right thing for american tax payer? On second note I heard Obama going back on rescinding bush tax cuts.. WT.. this isnt what he campaigned for.. WHERE IS THE BACKBONE.. WHERE IS THE courAgE to stand up for principles.. ahhhhhhh this is soooo disgusting..

OK.. nuff of my venting and here are some suggestions for obama..

STAND UP for what you believe in. dont cave in.. it doesnt make you any more trustworthy than you would want to be percieved as..

I see dems going rabidly after sarah palin. my question is WHY.. I dont see republicans going day in day out about Biden.. then why are we talking about Sarah Palin.. Ignore her.. thats the best strategy..

I can see why Mccain camp has caled this election election of personalities and not issues.. because they cant win on issues.. Hillary said it right.. republican party should apologize to the nation and move on..

If nothing there is one take out of sarah palins speech. Americans expect politicians to have clear convictions and govern with integrity.. when you try to be all over the place with your message.. your convictions get muddled and electorate gets confused as to who you are and what you want to achieve when you are elected to highest office.. Mccain and sarah Palin are wrong on ideas..  their beliefs are wrong and majority of americans dont agree with them.. thats the case we have to make.. present our case to rural church goer in ohio who is struggling to make both ends meet.. he/she is the one we have to make our case to.. and what they look for is someone who can assure them that Obama will put the country on right track and make economy fair..

ok nuff of my rant.. I want to see fire come the next few days.. not wimpy excuses and personal attacks on sarah palins 5 month old son or 17 year old pregnant daughter..

update: where did I get + 10 from? http://www.pollingreport.com/wh08gen.htm

Make no mistake, I support senator Obama on his bid for presidency. HOWEVER, his move of sending Hillary to advocate his case instead of Biden or his long term surrogates just undermines his case. Democrats underestimated Sarah palin. They did everything starting with hideous conspiracy theories to letting their surrogate media dogs tear her apart. and when they saw her intact and deliver her speech at RNC, they knew they clearly dropped the ball on her and underestimated her.

so what does Obama do?  he goes straight to hillary clinton. haa.. if he felt he needed her by his side, maybe there was a position of VP for which he should have atleast vetted her. I think at this point, hillary just wants to be a good democrat and fall in line, and iron his shirts while he goes to highest office and feels good about himself.. thats her choice.. but I think as a strong Hillary and Bill supporter, I feel Obama will not waste time in dumping on them when he can, but for now.. he will use them the max he can..

Democrats NEED to win this thing.. but they need to win it the right way.. its Obama's battle.. its Bidens battle.. its our battle as supporters and its Hillary's battle as a surrogate.. but its not her job to be an attack dog and tear Sarah palin apart and eviscerate her loyal base of women and men who like women in higher positions and see them equal.. i.e non sexist men.. just my two cents!

Update: One of the talking points is that Hillary supporters wanted to see Hillary in WH.. not any woman.. I disagree.. she had atleast 15% of her base.. 60+ women voters who genuinely wanted to see a woman in white house.. remember the quote Hillary used.. I was born before women could vote and I am glad I am getting oppurtunity to vote a woman in white house.. So to soem of the comment posting fellow friends.. there was a base of Hillary supporters that voted for Hillary who wanted to vote for woman in WH..

Update: I agree 100% with clinton spokesman.. saying tis bread and butter issues that made people support Hillary.. Universal health care when Obama was going bats over and running condemnable ads against UHC.. its bread and butter issues of standing up for FISA and fundamental rights of people.. its bread and butter issues of fairer economy, and more pro growth agenda.. making sure republicans dont scare us into believing social security is in jeopardy.. so on and so forth.. those are bread and butter issues.. not attacking Palins kids and her grades in college.. DESPIABLE TACTICS!!!!

I dont think attacking Palin for taking Hillary talking points is the right thing.. especially when we all know senator Obama made speeches right out of Deval patricks textbooks and Senator Biden.. mmm I wont go there.. ISSUES PLEASE!!

This diary is not about Obama, so I hope the trolls wont rush in to add their "insights" and start troll rating me since I am not praising their chosen one.

To my fellow Clinton Democrats, we have FINALLY prevailed over our enemy, the partisan republican hacks. Day in day out they belittled Bill clinton as a person and president. The word Clinton was enough to send the wingnuts into boos. But today, they FINALLY recognized that president Clinton was one of the ggreatest and was instrumental in passing lot of bipartisan reforms.

And with this, since President Clinton was given utmost respect and accolades, he rightly deserved by the repugs on their convention floor, I hereby declare victory over the idealogical warfare we were engaged in over past decade and half. Time for all of us to open a bottle of champagne and celebrate the victory. yeehaw!!!

My first diary after convention.. firstly I am honored and inspired by democrats platform this year. Kudos to Obama for managing the stage so well and excellent speech towards end of convention. I am all in and hope Obama gets in there and delivers for America. Having said that, I was fondly surprised by JM's pick of Sarah Palin. Needless to say, I am actually enthralled by her Bio and how she got to where she got, although I disagree most of her positions, especially gay rights and abortion rights. Having said that, I wanted to write an honest diary about recent talking points after her announcement by bigwigs of TV land.. and heres my take..

Obama: position aspiring for : President
Palin: position aspiring for : vice president

educational qualifications

Obama: Harvard Law School, J.D. magna cum laude, President, Harvard Law Review

Palin: Bachelor of Science degree in communications-journalism from the University of Idaho, minored in political science.

Professional experience :

Obama: Director of the Developing Communities Project, Senior Lecturer, in Constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School, Worked as an associate attorney with Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland

S: broadcasting as a sports reporter for local Anchorage television stations, commercial fishing

Public office experience:

Illinois Senate 1996-2004, chairman, Health and Human Services Committee

United States Senate 2004-present

Member, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Chairman, Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs, Member, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Member, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Member, Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs

Palin:

City Council member (1992-1996)
Mayor of Wasilla, AK (1996-2006); President of Alaska Conference of Mayors
Governor for 2 years

Bucking party line and having independent opinions: (this section is essential because Obama was not in senate to vote on Iraq war and palin was not in elected position when she was a whistle blower)

Obama: Anti Iraq war speech, one of the boldest things Obama had done when opposing it was almost equal to supporting terrorism.. Obama had clear judgement, and right instinct and was correct in opposing it at inception, despite knowing he would be risking his political career

Palin: Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, where she served from 2003 to 2004 until resigning in protest over what she called the "lack of ethics" of fellow Alaskan Republican leaders, who ignored her whistleblowing complaints of legal violations and conflicts of interest. After she resigned, she exposed the state Republican Party's chairman, Randy Ruedrich, one of her fellow Oil & Gas commissioners, who was accused of doing work for the party on public time, and supplying a lobbyist with a sensitive e-mail. Palin filed formal complaints against both Ruedrich and former Alaska Attorney General Gregg Renkes, who both resigned

Showing independent agenda and bucking party line after being elected to office:

Obama : Worked with JM for brief period as part of ethics reforms bill but didnt take it to completion, Mydd commentors please fill in the blanks worked with Dick Durbin to put forward the bill that created a database to see how government money to corporations and individuals is metered out.

Palin: rescinded 35 appointments made by fellow rpublican governor, Murkowski, oposed Bridge to Nowhere, Exposed legal violations and conflicts of interest of Alaska Republican leaders, asked ted stevens to come clean publicly, earned reputation as bipartisan by making both republicans and democrats in cabinet positions

Foriegn relations experience:

Obama plenty, as listed above

Palin: almost NIL, unless you consider visiting Iraq, Kuwait and soldiers in Germany as experience, or consider governing state bordering canada and russia as experience :)

Executive experience:

Obama: NIL

Palin; two years as governor and 10 years as mayor of small town with 9000 people

Values: Both are devout christians

Family values: Both have committed spouses and blessed with wonderful children

I hope my comparison is fair. Sarah Palin is republican, and her values are closer to republican platform, and Obama democrat and his values are closer to democratic platform, so I havent written much about each others value system and particular stances, but none of them are boldly out of their party league.
I would be looking at comments and editing the diary in case I missed anything.

Also, I am excited for republicans because Sarah Palin is a wonderful, articulate and smart woman, although her policy positions I disagree with. But in the first two days, I have been pleasantly impressed by her and what she brings to the ticket and america in general, and irrespective of who wins this election, history books will be left with a bold titles.

I have said it numerous times, Obama might be the most ungracious presidential nomination winner in the recent history.. he now had te FINAL laugh by not attending Hillary's speech.. final coffin in the nail..

Now its time for us to get the party platform together and help president Obama a reality.. work hard.. and remember.. gas was $1.46 when bush took office and your home price was atleast 30% higher inflation adjusted.. when bush took office,.