Jay Smooth on the economic crisis

Posted in News, Politics, Videos on September 23rd, 2008 by Hyphen

Smart people > dumb people.  When you continually vote for “the guy you want to have a beer with,” this is what happens.  Be a lame or be a leader.  Which side are you on?

Swiped from Jay Smooth.

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The Plan, cont’d.

Posted in News, Politics on September 22nd, 2008 by Hyphen

In case you need more information after part one, check out the video above.

Here are some key elements of Barack’s plan:

  • A $1,000 emergency energy rebate to help families with high fuel costs right now while putting $50 billion into job creation to get our economy back on track.
  • Families making less than $250,000 a year will get a tax cut three times larger than under John McCain’s plan and will face absolutely no tax increases.
  • While John McCain has voted against raising the minimum wage 19 times, Barack would raise the minimum wage and set it to rise automatically with inflation.
  • Invest $15 billion a year in green energy research to reduce our economy’s dependence on foreign oil and create 5 million American jobs a year.

Anyone still want to argue a lack of substance?  [Big L] Aight then [/Big L].  Can we focus on who is best on the issues that actually matter?  McCain and the Republicans are simply on the wrong side of history in 2008 and we can’t let them steal this election by clouding the public consciousness with idiocy. Be smart and rise above that.

Register to vote here.

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The Plan

Posted in News, Politics, Videos on September 18th, 2008 by Hyphen

Take some time and educate yourself @ BarackObama.com/plan.  It’s hilarious that people still have the audacity to suggest Barack hasn’t laid out what “change” means, and doubly as offensive when McCain’s answer to our economic problems is to simply create a commission to review the issue.  His campaign also said it wasn’t necessary to explain exactly what they would do in response to our economic crisis and he says our “economy is strong” on a daily basis.  This is a joke, right?

In related news, that ether:

Please make sure you and your friends are registered to vote.  This election is too important to sit out or vote from an uninformed perspective.  You have a responsibility.

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Peoples Republic of Clothing x Obama

Posted in Goods, Politics on September 17th, 2008 by Hyphen

Obama shirt

Another dope shirt for us Obamaniacs, this time courtesy of the Peoples Republic of Clothing.  If you don’t recognize the pic, it’s from Barack’s high school basketball days…classic.  They also have it in white, ladies cuts, and a dope “Pandana” jawn too.  Y’all know how I’m partial to pandas.

Cop ’em here and enter the promo code “NICKB” for 10% off.  Shout to young Nicholas for the heads up.

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Upper Playground x Obama

Posted in Goods, Politics on September 16th, 2008 by Hyphen

I readily admit that my fashion game is pretty much relegated to what’s comfortable and what I get free, but these new Obama shirts look real dope.  Swiped from Hypebeast, so I’ll let them explain:

Supporting presidential hopeful, Barack Obama, Upper Playground’s team of artist’s created a set of Obama inspired pieces. The tees are now available exclusively through Digital Gravel, with under 300 of each being printed. Combining contributions from Sam Flores, Ron English, Alex Pardee, Munk One, Date Farmers and Morning Breathe amongst others, every print features the artists trademark style with the Democratic theme in mind. Releasing over the weekend, the lineup is available in both Mens and Womens sizes, retailing at $20 USD a piece.

Sounds like a good deal to me and all the money goes to a good cause as well (making more posters and stickers to distribute before the election).  I still need to track down that UNDRCRWN jawn at some point as well…and I like this “Destroy Racism” shirt too.  Hmm, shopping spree?  It is back to school time, right?

Cop ’em here.

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McCain gets Barack-rolled

Posted in Politics, Videos on September 7th, 2008 by Hyphen

This is pretty much what the internet was invented for.

Sidenote: Rock The Bells was dope…footage and stuff coming soon.  Tune in to Sound Session tonight as well for all sorts of dopeness!

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Jay Smooth on the Republican Hater’s Ball

Posted in Politics, Videos on September 4th, 2008 by Hyphen

As always, Jay Smooth is so on point. Between all of the fire and brimstone spewed by Palin, Romney, and Rudy and the 9-11’s, there was one overriding theme: these people have no ideas of their own and have nothing left other than attacking Barack. Besides the fact that we’re all tired of these divisive tactics, last night, Palin crossed the line by disrespecting and belittling community organizers. This is the year when the voters, especially all the new blood registered by the Obama campaign, will step up and change American politics. Goodbye Rove and company. Your days are numbered.

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Fired up!

Posted in Politics, Videos on September 3rd, 2008 by Hyphen

Ready to go!

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The Next President of the United States of America

Posted in Live Performances, Politics, Videos on August 29th, 2008 by Hyphen

Masterful.  Inspirational.  Heroic.  Epic.  Brilliant.  Educational.  Transcendent.  A moment in history.

Was it the potential all-timer that I talked about yesterday?  No, but it was up there.  Again, I don’t recommend trying to blog at 6 AM, especially about an event as monumental as Barack accepting the Democratic nomination last night in Denver, but I’ll give some quick thoughts before I crash.  My sleep schedule is so effed up.

First off, the spectacle was outstanding.  Barack effortlessly pulled in 85,000+ people to watch him speak, not to mention the thousands that watched it from outside the venue and at special events all around the globe.  Oh, and the millions on television.  While the crowd wasn’t as large as the 200K he drew in Berlin, it speaks to the same undeniable inspiration that Barack has brought to the world.  The Republicans have tried to attack him by saying this popularity is actually a negative, and he’s nothing more than a celebrity or phenomenon.  How completely false.

Obama is not here because he’s a celebrity, he’s a celebrity because he’s here.  He’s a celebrity because of the man he is, what he’s accomplished, and what he has already meant to the world.  Without his fundamental ideals, morals, policies, and passions, he would not be in this position.  Any attempt to trivialize that is absurd.  I’m sorry John McCain pulls crowds the size of local musicians and can’t read off a teleprompter.  Perhaps if he could, or had any worthwhile ideas and policies (did you hear he was a prisoner of war?), the Republicans would focus their campaign around their candidate.  Since he’s a sham, they have no choice but to try to tear down Barack.

Unfortunately for them, it won’t work and tonight Barack struck back.  The difference between McCain’s attacks and Barack’s is that Obama stays focused on the issues and policies to score direct hits.  McCain and his cronies continue to insinuate that Barack is an “other” and he’s not ready to lead this country.  While there are surely legitimate criticisms centered around Barack’s “inexperience,” far too many are using that word as code for “different,” or perhaps too bluntly, “black.”

As I mentioned last night, Barack is one of us.  He’s the face of the new America.  The multi-racial America.  The America that is pushing past the social problems of our past like Usain Bolt down the straightaway.  Is he all the way there?  No, he’s not.  For example, like many in his age group, he’s a little behind on gay rights.  However, he still understands that everyone deserves equal treatment and even if his religion doesn’t understand them, he welcomes “our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters” into the fold.  That is what a true leader does.  When speaking at a college during the primaries, he said that he “may be on the wrong side of history” in respect to his personal beliefs on homosexuality and I think that will ultimately be proven true.  The important thing is that he understands this and understands the importance of looking towards the future.

This election is not about rich vs. poor, white vs. black, left vs. right, blue vs. red, etc..  This election is about the past vs. the future, and whether we want to be progressive in moving forward, or conservative while holding on to the notion of “the good ol’ days.”  You know what?  The good ol’ days had their share of bright spots, but they were far from perfect.  We’ll never achieve any sort of utopia, but we must always strive to “work towards a more perfect union.”  We can be better in the future, every single one of us.  We can be smarter.  We can be healthier.  We can be friendlier.  We can be more understanding.  We can be harder, better, faster, stronger.

But, we have to work for it.  For Barack to become president, we all have to show people how important this particular election is and how we are teetering on a knife’s edge.  Do you think we can afford four more years of the current policies?  Not if you want to maintain or better your standard of living and participate in the global economy of tomorrow, no way in hell.  Make sure you and everyone you know are registered to vote.  [Hov] It’s so necessary [/Jay] and it’s easy, especially if you know how to use a computer.

Hmm, I guess that rules John McCain out. Think about it people: he can’t even use a computer (“ahhh…it’s beeping at me!”), so how could he possibly guide the free world without basic understanding of the single most important invention of our time?  I’m adding a rule to my presidential threshold test:  if you don’t know how to use the internet, you can’t be president.  I’m sorry, it’s 2008.  I demand you to be elite.

John McCain and the Republicans are simply on the wrong side of history right now.  They are wrong about the war.  They are wrong about health care and social security.  They are wrong about the rights of women and homosexuals.  They are wrong about education.  They are wrong about foreign policy.  They are wrong about taxes.  And most importantly, in our dollar euro dominated world, they are wrong about the economy.

They will do whatever it takes to maintain their power, so we have to rise above it and overpower them with our organization, numbers, and intelligence.  We don’t want to stoop to their level, but instead we need to brush them off and keep pushing forward.  Recognize and value where you’ve been, then apply what you’ve learned as you move in to the future.  gObama.

“They thought I’d make another Illmatic,
But it’s always forward I’m movin’,
Never backwards, stupid, here’s another classic”

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Two can play at that game

Posted in Politics, Videos on August 29th, 2008 by Hyphen

Remember how the Republicans were so quick to use footage of Joe Biden campaigning against Barack during the primary after he was selected VP?  Well, since the rumors are that McCain will shortly be announcing Mitt “I strapped my dog on top of my roof during a family road trip” Romney as his own VP, this clip has surfaced right on cue.  Regardless of who he picks, his options are horrible and Biden will pwn ’em in the debates.

That said, these clips are pointless.  The entire point of the primary battle is to beat out your rivals, so you could find negative statements applied towards anyone.  However, unlike EVERY other candidate on both sides, Barack never attacked his opponent’s character or legitimacy.  Instead, he based his attacks around policy differences and campaign tactics.  See what happens when you take the high road?  You win.

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