Wanna read the worst bit of writing by any adult in history?

[Rick Lee]

I won't even get into the partisan aspect of this one, beyond the message of "elect Obama or we'll have race riots". No problem with left-wing op ed columnists. But this idiot wouldn't have made it a day in my ninth grade English class. That she has a paid position with a major daily newspaper is downright frightening. I wrote essays in junior high more intelligent than this one and even they sucked.

Fatimah Ali: We need Obama, not 4 more years of George Bush
By Fatimah Ali
Philadelphia Daily News

AMERICA is on the brink of a long, harsh and bitterly cold winter, with a looming recession that the GOP won't even admit to.

The policies of the current White House have brutalized our economy, yet the wealthiest think that everything is fine.

Rich Republicans just don't understand that millions are suffering. But many of their working class do, and they're beginning to abandon their own party.

When lifelong Republican Barney Smith told the Democratic convention that he'd vote for Barack Obama for president, he gave pause to even the most conservative members of his party.

Smith, like many disgruntled working-class Republicans, is ready to turn his back on his party because he's having such a hard time providing for his family. Like others, Smith fell victim to the loss of 3.2 million American jobs as factories closed or their work was outsourced to cheap labor markets overseas.

Poet Langston Hughes once wrote, "Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, Life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly, Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams go, life is a barren field, frozen with snow."

Many wealthy folks live in a dream state and ignore people like Smith, whose tale of personal woe preceded Obama's acceptance speech.

He opposes John McCain because, he says, America can't afford another four years of failed GOP policies that have extended $200 billion in tax cuts to big corporations but not to the nation's 100 million families.

Our national debt has soared from $5.6 trillion to $9.6 trillion under Bush. The Republicans have overstayed their welcome and dragged us into a nightmare that must end soon, or this nation may be headed for chaos.

Obama tugged on the nation's heartstrings when he challenged McCain's tough talk and told the truth about the current policies.

Critics of the GOP believe that a four-year extension of the Bush administration will be disastrous. People are struggling, and the privileged are so out of touch they pretend it's OK that children go hungry.

Over the last eight years, we've lost 3.2 million jobs, and started a war that's cost trillions. The lies and deceit that got us into Iraq in the first place are just the tip of the iceberg and have ruined America's reputation across the globe.

Meanwhile, our economy continues to crumble, while crime, homelessness and poverty continue to soar.

Despite the fact that thousands of immigrants risk their safety to come here because this country may offer them better opportunities, the truth is that poverty lives right here in our own backyard.

Suffering is widespread as the gap between rich and poor widens. The Bush administration doesn't get it and neither does McCain. He is so out of touch that he hasn't a clue how many homes he owns, while the working class struggles to hold on to one.

The Democrats desperately need many more voters like Smith to cross party lines in order to secure the White House. Obama says electing him to the nation's highest office will not only help restore America's moral standing globally, but will lift the nation's low morale and improve our declining economy.

He promises to cut taxes for 95 percent of American workers and ease the burden for millions of families. And I believe him, although his critics say he's out of touch with the working class and blast him for not having a lineage that includes slavery.

But just because his ancestors never wore shackles, and he has paid off the student loans from his elite education doesn't mean he doesn't have compassion. Or that he doesn't understand the pain of those who live in dire poverty, who've lost their homes, who want yet can't afford college, and who lack health insurance.

His acceptance speech indicated that, unlike McCain, Obama gets it because hard times aren't so far behind him that his memory's been erased.

If McCain wins, look for a full-fledged race and class war, fueled by a deflated and depressed country, soaring crime, homelessness - and hopelessness!

Plenty of Americans would rather stay in their dream state than to recognize the poverty sweeping across the country, right here, right now.

Obama understands that people are suffering. Every week, prices go up at the supermarket, and people are unable to feed their families. It already is dark and stormy for millions, who can't even afford pencils, book bags and lunch money for their children.

But when Obama wins the White House, we may just see a revolution that can turn the tide and improve this nation for everyone, not just a select few.

And I expect him to keep his word.*

[ZOA NOM]

Word, foo.

[speeder]

That's the worst you've ever seen? Really? I'll admit that she's no Martin Amis and she definitely has the shortest paragraphs I've seen in a while, but we have people here who don't even know what a paragraph is. C- for that critique.

[dd74]

Not beautiful prose, but give her credit for quoting Langston Hughes.

[dipso]

Is "wanna" the correct way to address this subject?

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by speeder

That's the worst you've ever seen? Really? I'll admit that she's no Martin Amis and she definitely has the shortest paragraphs I've seen in a while, but we have people here who don't even know what a paragraph is. C- for that critique.

Oh, I've got plenty more critique. But the suckiness of her work pretty much speaks for itself. Of course, I've seen worse. But I have not seen it in a newspaper written by an employee of that newspaper. Not only does she make flat out false claims, she doesn't even offer up any supporting evidence for her more subjective claims.

Do you see anything wrong with this one?

"AMERICA is on the brink of a long, harsh and bitterly cold winter, with a looming recession that the GOP won't even admit to."

Well, I try not to admit to a recession, regardless of party, until I see two consecutive quarters of negative growth. Call me crazy. Who's the GOP? McCain? Bush? The RNC? All those who will vote for McCain? I think plenty of folks who actually know the definition of recession would not admit to one. And it has nothing to do with their party affiliation. Nevermind ending a sentence in a preposition. I don't expect anyone to know any better these days.

The alarmist tone of the piece might be justified IF she could actually muster some evidence of her claims. But that would require her to examine why she feels what she does and then Google some supporting facts, not emotions.

Hey, let's each pick a paragraph and dissect it.

[dd74]

Haven't you heard contractions are the new language?

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by dipso

Is "wanna" the correct way to address this subject?

It saves two spaces. I'm all about thrift and brevity. But I know when to be formal and when I'm among friends.

[dd74]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Hey, let's each pick a paragraph and dissect it.

Okay. One of hers or one of yours?

[Gogar]

Here, I'll work on that first sentence.

As written:

AMERICA is on the brink of a long, harsh and bitterly cold winter, with a looming recession that the GOP won't even admit to.

But we all know it's unadvisable to end a sentence with a preposition, so I've corrected it.

AMERICA is on the brink of a long, harsh, and bitterly cold winter, with a looming recession that the GOP won't even admit to, you mother fedited- language removed - z-maners.

[dipso]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

It saves two spaces. I'm all about thrift and brevity. But I know when to be formal and when I'm among friends.

If I knew how to spell touche' I would say Touche'.

[3.2 CAB]

It almost appears that she was attempting, some type of point-by-point, or a data point type of composition, not really a normal, 5 or 6 inches of story line. This is due to the way she was all over the grid between her usual one or two sentence paragraphs. O-well, I guess that all of us could not have been Rhodes Scholars.

[Tobra]

That chick is a Rhodes Scholar? Surely you jest.

I would like to know the original language of the article. You know, before the bad translation into English.

I would have failed my college English course if I turned in stuff like that.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Hey, let's each pick a paragraph and dissect it.

You go ahead on that, Richard. I still have a life.

[cmccuist]

Isn't unemployment around 5-6% right now? What is she talking about when she says 3 million people lost their jobs? Also, didn't we have 3% growth last quarter? That isn't a recession.

Also, what does this mean?

He promises to cut taxes for 95 percent of American workers and ease the burden for millions of families. And I believe him, although his critics say he's out of touch with the working class and blast him for not having a lineage that includes slavery.

What is she talking about? Is someone actually saying Bam Bam isn't down for the struggle 'cuz he isn't descended from slaves?

Oh and I love that old chestnut that the GOP president is always responsible for the national debt. Like the president can just go out and run up whatever deficit he wants, whenever he wants. Does anyone actually buy into that BS?

[Rick Lee]

I'm still waiting for this recession to start. Theoretically, we can be in one long before we know it, since the numbers only come out every three mos. So, as long as we have neg. growth numbers come out once, by the time the second quarter's numbers come out, we could have been in a recession all along. But we're not even close right now. This is the kind of woman who believed every word of Obama's speech last week with no ability for independent or critical thought.