I’m not sure why the press doesn’t blast this guy every time he opens his mouth. He just keeps continually contradicting himself. Perhaps the press just finds him too easy a target. Perhaps it feels too much like kicking an old dog. Regardless of where you stand on the issues, you can’t believe a word the man says.

In fact, I’d argue that there are maybe three things we can be truly sure of about McCain.

1. McCain is terrible for the environment.
2. McCain is terrible on reproductive issues.
3. McCain will keep us in the Iraq war, and quite possibly the Iran war as well, indefinitely.

McCain’s scorecard from the League of Conservation Voters — Zero for 2007, for complete failure to even bother to vote on any environmental issue.

McCain’s scorecard from NARAL — Another complete zero, this time for all recent years. And, keep in mind, even McCain doesn’t know why he doesn’t want health insurance to cover birth control but does want it to cover Viagra.

And, of course, everyone has now seen the infamous hundred years in Iraq video. But, just in case you haven’t, here it is. (Any wonder people call him McBush?)

It’s likely that if we examine his record, we can find one or two more things we can rely on about McCain. I doubt they will be positive.

One last point, for those who think McCain, as a republican, will be better for the economy, please check out who he has chosen as his economic adviser. If you guessed that it was one of the key players in causing the subprime crisis, you’re right! If you guessed that he had a huge hand in Enron, you’re right! If you guessed that he helped UBS lose $37B, you’re right!

It’s Foreclosure Phil Gramm!!

McCain has stated that he knows little about finance. McCain has stated that he has vast financial expertise. I think this choice of adviser shows that the former is the true statement about his financial knowledge.

Here’s a new article on the underused procedure here in the U.S. Note that in Canada, vasectomies outnumber tubal ligation, a much more complicated and costly procedure. In New Zealand, half of all men have vasectomies by the age of 50. Here it is one in six. Also, here in the U.S., apparently most men are too chicken to have it done so they allow their wives to undergo a more complicated procedure that has much higher risk of actual complications. Here in the U.S. tubal ligation actually outnumbers vasectomy.

Way to go men. Leave it to your wives, even though it’s harder for them.

Vasectomy: Safe, Simple and Little Used

Of course, if you are not sure whether you may want children, both vasectomy and tubal ligation should be considered permanent. Even vasectomy is not reliably reversible. And, the reversal procedure that does exist is much more complicated than vasectomy. However, if you are sure you want no more children, I personally recommend it highly. And, do get tested to ensure you are sterile before giving up on birth control. It typically takes 20 ejaculations before all of the sperm is out of the tubes.

Lastly, vasectomy will not protect against STDs.

Feel free to ask me, if you have any questions, though I am not a doctor.

Happy spontaneous sex!

First and foremost, I would like to let everyone know what seems obvious, but may not be. Reproduction is a choice. Just because you grew up assuming you’d get married, move out to the burbs, and pop out a litter of street urchins doesn’t mean that you actually have to do it. If that is right for you, fine.

But, please, at least think about it first.

Know that you have a choice. Many people live a child free life and are happy and fulfilled. Remember, you may regret not having children, but imagine how much worse it would be to regret having them, worse for you, worse for your children, worse for the biosphere.

Once you are thinking about breeding, many people will likely try to encourage you. Since you will likely have no shortage of friends and relatives telling you that you should breed, I offer a link to the Biology and Breeding section provided by the good folks at The Voluntary Human Extinction Movement.

This type of discussion may not convince you either way. In fact, it is not my intent to do so. My only intent is to convince you that reproduction is a big decision. It should be made only after careful thought. Please think before you add another human to this horrifically overpopulated planet. That’s all I ask.

If you came here expecting a discussion on abortion, I don’t mind if the thread gets sidetracked that way. In fact, just to encourage that type of debate, I will include a link to Respect for Life who have a very well thought out page on the subject. They make the surprising observation that both sides of the debate have more in common than they have differences.

Lastly, Viva Vasectomy!! If you’ve made a decision not to breed, and if you’re in a monogamous heterosexual relationship, consider vasectomy. It’s the safest, most effective, least intrusive method around.