<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>Politics Blog</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/</link><description>The Families.com politics blog will explore the issues, the elections and the candidates of the political year.</description><language>en-us</language><pubDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:10:53 +0000</pubDate><lastBuildDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:10:53 +0000</lastBuildDate><ttl>60</ttl><item><title>Don't Forget to Vote!</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/dont-forget-to-vote</link><pubDate>Tue, 04 Nov 2008 22:28:52 +0000</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="true">http://politics.families.com/blog/dont-forget-to-vote</guid><description><![CDATA[Regardless of who you are supporting, this election has been interesting, to say the least. People are engaged in the process, following the coverage and learning about the background and policies proposed by these two very different men.]]></description></item><item><title>The Confessions of a Pro-Life, Right Wing Conservative, Part 1</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/the-confessions-of-a-pro-life-right-wing-conservative-part-1</link><pubDate>Sun, 02 Nov 2008 13:11:09 +0000</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="true">http://politics.families.com/blog/the-confessions-of-a-pro-life-right-wing-conservative-part-1</guid><description><![CDATA[The other day Pattie wrote an article asking (or really telling us) that there are Christians on both sides of the fence and being liberal or conservative doesn't a Christian make.  What has ensued is an interesting conversations therein in her comments section.]]></description></item><item><title>Is the Republican Party the Only Choice for Christians?</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/is-the-republican-party-the-only-choice-for-christians</link><pubDate>Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:57:39 +0000</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="true">http://politics.families.com/blog/is-the-republican-party-the-only-choice-for-christians</guid><description><![CDATA[Good Christians should vote Republican.  You hear this statement all the time from Christian people when asked why they voted for the president and other Republican candidates. We've seen it from time to time in our own forums.]]></description></item><item><title>Obama's Education Plan</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/obamas-education-plan</link><pubDate>Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:16:52 +0000</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="true">http://politics.families.com/blog/obamas-education-plan</guid><description><![CDATA[As a mother  of four and a certified teacher, the education plans of the candidates are always a big subject with me. This is a concern for families around the country as well. Barack Obama has come out with a three point plan to reform and improve education in the United States.]]></description></item><item><title>The Candidates On Television</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/the-candidates-on-television</link><pubDate>Thu, 30 Oct 2008 02:16:21 +0000</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="true">http://politics.families.com/blog/the-candidates-on-television</guid><description><![CDATA[Tonight, both presidential candidates were seen by millions of voters on television. One paid about three million dollars for the airtime and the other got it for free. Barack Obama's special aired on seven networks and cable television stations at eight o'clock.]]></description></item><item><title>Is Obama's Tax Plan Socialism?</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/is-obamas-tax-plan-socialism</link><pubDate>Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:44:00 +0000</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="true">http://politics.families.com/blog/is-obamas-tax-plan-socialism</guid><description><![CDATA[The candidates' tax plans have gotten attention during the debates, in stump speeches and in campaign ads. Trying to understand the plans from commercials and sound bites is difficult.]]></description></item><item><title>Obama's Health Care Plan</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/obamas-health-care-plan</link><pubDate>Sun, 26 Oct 2008 03:09:42 +0000</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="true">http://politics.families.com/blog/obamas-health-care-plan</guid><description><![CDATA[In the closing days of the election, we will attempt to cover as many issues as possible and the candidates' plans regarding pressing issues. One issue that is pressing for many American families is health care.]]></description></item><item><title>How Far is Too Far in Support of  a Candidate?</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/how-far-is-too-far-in-support-of-a-candidate</link><pubDate>Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:22:30 +0000</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="true">http://politics.families.com/blog/how-far-is-too-far-in-support-of-a-candidate</guid><description><![CDATA[Whether you support Barack Obama or John McCain, we all want our candidate to win. People are engaged in the process this year and have been doing their part to bring attention to their candidate.]]></description></item><item><title>What's Up With Joe?</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/whats-up-with-joe</link><pubDate>Sat, 18 Oct 2008 01:21:29 +0000</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="true">http://politics.families.com/blog/whats-up-with-joe</guid><description><![CDATA["Joe", the 2008 equivalent of John Q. Public, has dominated some of the rhetoric in the current presidential campaign. The idea is that "Joe" is the every man, or the common guy. Where did this come from and is it an effective strategy? 

The first Joe we heard about was Joe Six Pack.]]></description></item><item><title>VP Picks, Judgement, and "Cronyism"</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/vp-picks-judgement-and-cronyism</link><pubDate>Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:39:40 +0000</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="true">http://politics.families.com/blog/vp-picks-judgement-and-cronyism</guid><description><![CDATA[The other day, Pattie wrote an excellent article asking about whether or not the candidates' choice for Vice President demonstrated the type of judgment we'll see for their future political picks.   I think it's a valid question and one that should be explored further.]]></description></item><item><title>What is ACORN?</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/what-is-acorn</link><pubDate>Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:39:10 +0000</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="true">http://politics.families.com/blog/what-is-acorn</guid><description><![CDATA[Stories of ACORN in the media and McCain making accusations of voter fraud have made me feel a little dizzy in the past few days. Horrible memories of fraud, voter suppression and purging of voters in Florida in 2000 came flooding back.]]></description></item><item><title>Should Candidates Respond to Negative Attacks?</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/should-candidates-respond-to-negative-attacks</link><pubDate>Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:59:07 +0000</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="true">http://politics.families.com/blog/should-candidates-respond-to-negative-attacks</guid><description><![CDATA[Polls have consistently shown that voters are not interested in negative attacks and would prefer to hear the candidates discuss the issues.]]></description></item><item><title>Is "Going Negative" an Effective Strategy?</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/is-going-negative-an-effective-strategy</link><pubDate>Sun, 12 Oct 2008 14:01:04 +0000</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="true">http://politics.families.com/blog/is-going-negative-an-effective-strategy</guid><description><![CDATA[In recent weeks, the rhetoric of the presidential campaign has gotten more heated. McCain and Palin continue to recycle old news stories about Bill Ayers and Obama, in turn, has brought up McCain's involvement in the Keating Five back in the late 1980s.]]></description></item><item><title>VP Picks and Judgement</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/vp-picks-and-judgement</link><pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:45:18 +0000</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="true">http://politics.families.com/blog/vp-picks-and-judgement</guid><description><![CDATA[Tonight is the second debate between Barack Obama and John McCain. This and the Tina Fey send up of Sarah Palin in last week's debate has got me thinking about the people chosen by the candidates.]]></description></item><item><title>Who Makes More Sense on Iraq?</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/who-makes-more-sense-on-iraq</link><pubDate>Wed, 23 Jul 2008 01:34:55 +0000</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="true">http://politics.families.com/blog/who-makes-more-sense-on-iraq</guid><description><![CDATA[Barack Obama held his first press conference today in Amman, Jordan in which he acknowledged that he has some differences with General Paetreus in terms of the Iraq timeline for withdrawal.]]></description></item><item><title>Politicians and the Media Coverage Game</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/politicians-and-the-media-coverage-game</link><pubDate>Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:58:42 +0000</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="true">http://politics.families.com/blog/politicians-and-the-media-coverage-game</guid><description><![CDATA[Obama is in Iraq.  McCain is at the Yankees game.  Obama is talking to world leaders.  McCain is having a party for his good buddy Mitt Romney.  This is the media coverage of McCain over the past few days.  Now all of the sudden, McCain's campaign is claiming that Obama is the media darling.]]></description></item><item><title>McCain and His New Buddy Mitt</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/mccain-and-his-new-buddy-mitt</link><pubDate>Sat, 19 Jul 2008 13:06:13 +0000</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="true">http://politics.families.com/blog/mccain-and-his-new-buddy-mitt</guid><description><![CDATA[Not too long ago, they were trading jabs during the primaries.   They are sharply divided on several issues and yet, McCain just held a social event at his ranch in Arizona in honor of the Romneys.]]></description></item><item><title>Obama Goes Abroad</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/obama-goes-abroad</link><pubDate>Sat, 19 Jul 2008 10:28:44 +0000</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="true">http://politics.families.com/blog/obama-goes-abroad</guid><description><![CDATA[Obama went abroad today, arriving in Afghanistan which is the first stop on a Middle East and European tour.  This marks the first time the presidential hopeful has visited the Middle East during his campaign.  The objective of this trip?  To shore up his foreign policy objectives.]]></description></item><item><title>Hey New Yorker:  A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/hey-new-yorker-a-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words</link><pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:06:48 +0000</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="true">http://politics.families.com/blog/hey-new-yorker-a-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words</guid><description><![CDATA[If you have no idea what my title means then dare I say you have not been paying close enough attention.  


This week, The New Yorker published a cover cartoon that depicted Obama in Muslim garb and Michelle with a machine gun.  Yes--it really did.]]></description></item><item><title>Obama and the Economy</title><link>http://politics.families.com/blog/obama-and-the-economy</link><pubDate>Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:56:06 +0000</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="true">http://politics.families.com/blog/obama-and-the-economy</guid><description><![CDATA[Obama on the Economy


We've been talking in the politics blog about Phil Gramm and his comment that America is simply a bunch of whiners.]]></description></item></channel></rss>