Red Light Cameras Suck, (take THAT Sentinel!)

Orlando Sentinel has a Red Light Obsession. Guaranteed way to get on the editorial page is to speak of the need for red light cameras. They devote more time to that issue than any other issue.

I hate the idea, so you might conclude, as their board does, that I hate safety. I also hate puppies too. (And because I think lying incompetents should be called out on their stupidity, such as our president's latest genius idea to arm insurgents in return for their solemn promise not to hit us back, I have been told that I must hate America too).

Someone running a red light is scum, but there is a big difference between running a red light and missing a yellow signal. Two turning lanes that I have to use give short seconds for a green arrow, and LITERALLY gives only a two-second yellow light (I timed it).

WHAT the hell!?!?!?

THese are the same turn signals that give about 5 minutes to rotate back to. Do the math. You are backed up a few cars, only 2-3 get through a cycle, and you are there for quite a while.

Who amongst us, including those people championing these cameras, haven't said "Screw it" and went after the yellow turned red. (Yeah, thought so...)

If they are going to have cameras, I would demand that the time of the yellow light is increased to a reasonable time. Otherwise, it's just an excuse for the private company running these lights to make money (YES, they make a cut.)

By the way, I'm not the only one--how about the National Motorists' Association:

Ticket recipients are not adequately notified.
The driver of the vehicle is not positively identified.
Ticket recipients are not notified quickly.
There is no certifiable witness to the alleged violation.
Ticket camera systems are designed to inconvenience motorists.
Ticket cameras do not improve safety.
Taking dangerous drivers' pictures doesn't stop them.
...
Cameras do not prevent most intersection accidents.
These devices discourage the synchronization of traffic lights.
There are better alternatives to cameras.

These cameras do not protect you, and there is NOT ONE independent study that they improve safety or reduce accidents (the ones the private companies peddle are based on their own "research".)

And unless I buy stock in one of these companies, my position is firm.
https://www.motorists.org/join/

Bush in a Death Spiral...

The latest AP poll shows Bush deteriorating faster than Paris Hilton in jail. Just two cases of spoiled, stupid, entitled people getting what they deserve...

• The right track/wrong track numbers have dropped by 4% in the last month: 75% wrong track/ 21% right track. That's the worst they've ever been in this poll.
  
• Bush's disapproval figure climbed by 5% in the last month, to 66% (again, his worst ever disapproval rating in this poll).
  
• Bush's disapproval figure on his handling of "domestic issues" climbed by 4% in the last month, to 66% (again, his worst ever).
  
• Bush's disapproval figure on his handling of "foreign policy issues and the war on terrorism" climbed by 6% to 63% (just below his worst ever showing of 64%).
  
• Bush's disapproval figure on his handling of Iraq climbed 5% to 69% (just below his worst ever showing of 71%).

Let's NOT choose Hillary, OK?

I am not a Hillary basher. She is extremely intelligent and would make a fine president. She certainly runs rings around our current moron in chief, but then again, who doesn't.

I am opposed to Hillary for one central and important reason: electability. Here's why:

Blowhard Bill Bennet spoke on CNN this morning talking about the extreme disarray of the GOP. (No new news there). The conservatives are truly fractured, the right-wing is spurned on the immigration issue, the Bush-backers are backing off because of the utter disaster in Iraq, and the evangelical base is really ticked off--the abortion and gay marriage legislation was put off until just before election time last year; and they are looking at a likely Rudy Guiliani nomination to boot. (OUCH!) The fact that the cult masses are losing their leadership can't be good either.

Pretty much all that is left is one thing--their unifying hate for Hillary Clinton. This is what Bill Bennett was rooting for in his rant this morning--and it does fit the GOP M.O.--let's stop the fighting and come together so we can hate someone. It's sad that this is the state of the GOP, but it would serve as a "rallying cry", to use Bill's words.

This was also the dying wish of Jerry Falwell, who opined that his flock would fight harder against Hillary than if the devil himself was running. (Now that he has had some time with him, I'm certain he would change his mind).

Putting aside the nutjobs, look at the statistics. The last Newsweek poll that compared the contenders showed Edwards and Obama beating their likely GOP counterparts by wider margins than Hillary...

While the poll has some high marks for Clinton, it’s not all good news. Though the New York senator and former first lady aims to project an aura of inevitability that she will win the Democratic nomination, Obama beats the leading Republicans by larger margins than any other Democrat: besting Giuliani 50 to 43 percent, among registered voters; beating McCain 52 to 39 percent, and defeating Romney 58 percent to 29 percent.

Like Obama, Edwards defeats the Republicans by larger margins than Clinton does: the former Democratic vice-presidential nominee outdistances Giuliani by six points, McCain by 10 and Romney by 37, the largest lead in any of the head-to-head matchups. Meanwhile, Sen. Clinton wins 49 percent to 46 percent against Giuliani, well within the poll’s margin of error; 50 to 44 against McCain; and 57 to 35 against Romney.

Hillary also has the highest unfavorability rating among the candidates, which doesn't bode well.

With stronger candidates showing greater matchups, I am confused why Hillary is leading in all the polls right now to be our choice for the Dem primaries. The Orlando Sentinel shows her leading comfortably here as well.

My question is simple: WHY are we making this difficult on ourselves? Obama or Edwards can win this hands down---especially if we put a combo ticket together featuring both of them together, (Hillary as veep?), Clark, Richardson, or any other credible candidate or swing state/red state governor (calling Mark Warner!).

Look, I will work hard for Hillary if she is the nominee, but I'll have my work cut out for me. People in my red district like Obama's optimism and Edwards' call to action--I bet I could pick some of them off. But many would slit their wrists rather than follow Hillary. And folks, we NEED to win this! The Supreme Court will definietely bring more retirements on our side after 2008--and we have so much to fix post-Bush. We can't afford to lose.

WE can't afford to bet on Hillary.

Final thought: My purpose is to explain why Obama or Edwards would be the stronger candidate for the general election, it is not to slam Hillary. Just please remember that we are ALL Democrats and we ALL need to strongly support whoever the nominee is once the primary is over. We can't afford 4 more years of GOP rule. Period.