After 53 days of silence, the Democratic Party of Tennessee finally has something to say!! They say happy holidays. Thanks for the update, guys.
Nothing about a freshman Senator from Tennessee destroying Congress’s efforts to bail out of the auto industry. Nothing about the state’s $1 billion budget shortfall. Nothing about the Republicans at the state capitol selecting state officers. Nothing about GM in Spring Hill. Nothing about Hemlock Semiconductors in Clarksville. Nothing about education funding, or the economy, or Gov. Bredesen, or anything. Nothing but happy holidays.
Oh, and the state party blog still only has one entry since the election.
Damn it, do something!!
PS: You can probably take that lame anti-McCain YouTube video off your homepage, too. Seven weeks after the election, it's kind of a little tacky.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Cabinet of Superstars
The Democratic Dream Team continues to take shape with former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack to be agriculture secretary and Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar to lead the Interior Department.
No Brainer
Time's Person of the Year? Barack Obama. Probably the easiest decision in the magazine's history. At least they didn't try to get all cute with it like 2006.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Moving On Up
Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-TN) will get a seat on the all-powerful House Appropriations Committee in the next Congress. Will that peach assignment keep him in the House and out of the governor’s race in 2010? If Frist gets in (and he will), I bet Davis stays out.
Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid.
Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN) just got the news that the 2008 federal deficit will top $1 trillion dollars. His response? Be afraid. And vague. Emphasis on the vague part.
"This report should serve as a wakeup call to Congress and the country," says Cooper, who describes himself as a Blue Dog Democrat and deficit hawk in his latest press release.
"It should really scare people about the future of the economy. We must get our economy back on track in the short term, but we can only do it in a way that restores balance to our long-term budget process. I look forward to working with President-elect Obama to get a handle on our fiscal crisis. We can't afford to wait any longer."
"This report should serve as a wakeup call to Congress and the country," says Cooper, who describes himself as a Blue Dog Democrat and deficit hawk in his latest press release.
"It should really scare people about the future of the economy. We must get our economy back on track in the short term, but we can only do it in a way that restores balance to our long-term budget process. I look forward to working with President-elect Obama to get a handle on our fiscal crisis. We can't afford to wait any longer."
Slow News Day
Governor Phil Bredesen today signed Executive Order #59 requiring use of efficient Energy Star-qualified equipment and appliances in all executive branch state agencies.
It's a good idea that's likely to pay for itself in the long run since energy-efficient equipment saves money on utility bills.
It's a good idea that's likely to pay for itself in the long run since energy-efficient equipment saves money on utility bills.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Funny Because It's True
Three great headlines at Fark.com:
- Bush's handling of the shoe-toss incident is far and away his most measured, calm, and reasonable response to a crisis on record
- Questions for the Secret Service: 1) Shouldn't you have jumped in front of that shoe? 2) Or at least the second shoe?
- Reporter who threw shoes at Bush tossed in jail, begs for mercy on his soles
Sorry, No Photos Today
I don’t know if I’m angry or relieved there are no photos to go with this story.
Stood Up by Corker
It’s always interesting when Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam shows up in Nashville, and it’s interesting when Sen. Bob Corker fails to. Expect to see a lot more of Haslam; the guy’s desperate to run for statewide office.
Judge Not
Republican Ed Bryant, a former congressman and federal prosecutor, has been appointed as a federal magistrate judge in Jackson, says the Tennessean.
I’m not a Bryant fan. His two biggest cases (prosecuting Rep. Ford, Sr., and the impeachment of Pres. Clinton) were both political hatchet jobs and both failed miserably. It’s just interesting to know where he is in case he pops back up in politics some day, like if Sen. Alexander retires in 2014.
I’m not a Bryant fan. His two biggest cases (prosecuting Rep. Ford, Sr., and the impeachment of Pres. Clinton) were both political hatchet jobs and both failed miserably. It’s just interesting to know where he is in case he pops back up in politics some day, like if Sen. Alexander retires in 2014.
Damn Hippies at Dow Corning
According to Stephanie Burns, CEO of Dow Corning: “We’re… confident that solar technology represents a tremendous opportunity for both clean energy and economic growth.”
How confident are they? So confident that they’re investing up to $2.5 billion in a joint venture with Hemlock Semiconductors in Clarksville, Tennessee. Today’s announcement means 1,000 construction jobs in the short term and up to 800 high-paying jobs at the facility in the long run.
"This is a huge win for Tennessee. They're talking about a range of investment of between $1.2 billion to $2.5 billion over time. If they get to the upper end of that range, it will be the largest investment in our state's history," Gov. Phil Bredesen said.
How confident are they? So confident that they’re investing up to $2.5 billion in a joint venture with Hemlock Semiconductors in Clarksville, Tennessee. Today’s announcement means 1,000 construction jobs in the short term and up to 800 high-paying jobs at the facility in the long run.
"This is a huge win for Tennessee. They're talking about a range of investment of between $1.2 billion to $2.5 billion over time. If they get to the upper end of that range, it will be the largest investment in our state's history," Gov. Phil Bredesen said.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Corker Tells a Lie
Fox Business reports:
The UAW concessions include allowing the domestic automakers to postpone their required health-care contributions from 2010 to 2012 and to eliminate the controversial jobs bank.
Sen. Bob Corker says:
The fact that they [the unions] were willing to make no concessions — zero — and let these companies fall into peril as they are now, to me, as I wake up today, it’s pretty surreal actually.
One of them is lying, and for once it’s not Fox.
One Billion Dollars!
Gosh, maybe President-elect Obama is right! Green technology just might be the key to economic strength! Looks like Hemlock Semiconductor is going to invest a billion dollars or more in developing solar technologies, right here in Tennessee.
Watch Your Language, Gov. Granholm
I expect this crap from Republicans, but from a Democratic governor it is extremely disappointing. Sen. Bob Corker and his crew are wrong; they are not un-American.
Merry Christmas from Sen. Bob Corker
After Senate Republicans killed the auto industry bailout, GM was forced to immediately announce the shutdown of 20 manufacturing plants for the month of January, temporarily laying off all those workers in time for Christmas.
No word yet how that will affect Spring Hill workers here in Tennessee. But I have a pretty good guess how it will affect the economy.
A quick reminder to the GOP: jobs = good, layoffs = bad.
Update: Fortunately, those temporarily laid-off workers will receive a partial salary in January. Unless Sen. Corker gets his way. Under Corker’s plan for the auto industry, they would get nothing. The federal government would step in and kill their partial salaries during temporary plant closures. Is that want you want your Senator fighting for?
No word yet how that will affect Spring Hill workers here in Tennessee. But I have a pretty good guess how it will affect the economy.
A quick reminder to the GOP: jobs = good, layoffs = bad.
Update: Fortunately, those temporarily laid-off workers will receive a partial salary in January. Unless Sen. Corker gets his way. Under Corker’s plan for the auto industry, they would get nothing. The federal government would step in and kill their partial salaries during temporary plant closures. Is that want you want your Senator fighting for?
I'd Like to Spank the Academy
Apparently the problem with the Oscars is that they’re too entertaining. But don’t worry, the Academy has a plan to fix that. They’ve offered Hugh Jackman the role of host this time around.
The monologue, the jokes, the fun… All gone.
I don’t blame Jackman. He’s not a stand-up comedian or even a comedic actor. Putting him in that position would be setting him up to fail. If he hosts, he’ll have to play it straight, relying on charm and gravitas.
How boring.
They’ve been cutting back the host’s time and creative freedom year and year for a while now, making the Oscars suck that much more every time. Jon Stewart had about five minutes of jokes last year, no skits, no parodies, no chance to make the evening fun. Ellen had the same problem the year before.
Hey, Hollywood – you’ve got to make the show enjoyable for people who aren’t as in love with you as you are! Otherwise, ratings will continue to collapse.
Jackman's not a done deal yet. He's been offered the job, but is negotiating his terms before accepting.
Better choices to host:
- Bill Murray
- Tina Fey
- Ben Stiller
- Jim Carrey
- Seth Rogan
- Vince Vaughn
- Owen Wilson
Domestically Speaking, Anyway
Hey, three cheers* for Vice President Cheney. He summed up the Bush legacy perfectly in this Politico headline:
Cheney: It's 'Herbert Hoover' time
*Ask your doctor if sarcasm is right for you.
Cheney: It's 'Herbert Hoover' time
*Ask your doctor if sarcasm is right for you.
Sarcasm Is the Best Medicine
Turns out there’s a medical use for sarcasm. Hey, brilliant work, guys. You totally deserve a Nobel Prize for this.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
No Kidding
A two-year investigation by the Senate Armed Services Committee turns up the obvious:
The physical and mental abuse of detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, was the direct result of Bush administration detention policies and should not be dismissed as the work of bad guards or interrogators, according to a bipartisan Senate report released Thursday.
Kudos to Sen. John McCain for his strong role in the investigation:
"These policies are wrong and must never be repeated," he said in a statement.
Of course, President Bush and his crew continue to hide/break the law:
The report comes as the Bush administration continues to delay and in some cases bar members of Congress from gaining access to key legal documents and memos about the detainee program, including an August 2002 memo that evaluated whether specific interrogation techniques proposed to be used by the CIA would constitute torture.
The physical and mental abuse of detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, was the direct result of Bush administration detention policies and should not be dismissed as the work of bad guards or interrogators, according to a bipartisan Senate report released Thursday.
Kudos to Sen. John McCain for his strong role in the investigation:
"These policies are wrong and must never be repeated," he said in a statement.
Of course, President Bush and his crew continue to hide/break the law:
The report comes as the Bush administration continues to delay and in some cases bar members of Congress from gaining access to key legal documents and memos about the detainee program, including an August 2002 memo that evaluated whether specific interrogation techniques proposed to be used by the CIA would constitute torture.
More on Corker
Sen. Corker took a quick swipe at President Bush on the Senate floor today:
I know the White House is actually at a point where they're looking for the next flight out of town on January 20th
Corker was also kind enough to agree with me (and disagree with Ronald Reagan) in his op-ed piece in the Detroit News:
There's an old joke that if someone says "We're from the federal government, and we're here to help," you should run for the hills. But in this case, I believe there is a constructive role for the federal government to play.
Careful, Senator. That’s close to blasphemy.
I know the White House is actually at a point where they're looking for the next flight out of town on January 20th
Corker was also kind enough to agree with me (and disagree with Ronald Reagan) in his op-ed piece in the Detroit News:
There's an old joke that if someone says "We're from the federal government, and we're here to help," you should run for the hills. But in this case, I believe there is a constructive role for the federal government to play.
Careful, Senator. That’s close to blasphemy.
Bad Idea
The biggest Union-associated costs bogging down GM right now are pensions and healthcare costs. Therefore, Sen. Bob Corker wants to slash union wages and unemployment benefits? Swing and a miss, Senator.
PS: That plan is especially bad when we’re desperate to stimulate the economy.
PS: That plan is especially bad when we’re desperate to stimulate the economy.
Fail-Mongering
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), trying to explain why an auto industry bailout will lead to widespread violence (!), says, “There are already people rioting because they’re losing their jobs when everybody else is being bailed out.”
Um, what? Where?
Sorry, Senator, I call FAIL. Maybe you should leave the fear-mongering to Fox News.
Um, what? Where?
Sorry, Senator, I call FAIL. Maybe you should leave the fear-mongering to Fox News.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Silence Isn't Golden
The TNGOP has some nice things to say about the state’s Democratic Party in today’s press release:
The new Republican majority in the state legislature will most certainly be challenged in 2010 by a well-funded, aggressive effort by the Tennessee Democrat Party - indeed, they are already regrouping for that purpose.
I hope they’re right, but so far the evidence is lacking. We’re at 42 days without a press release, and only one blog entry since the election – which was more than a month ago.
Nothing going on in the world you guys want to talk about? Nothing at all?
The new Republican majority in the state legislature will most certainly be challenged in 2010 by a well-funded, aggressive effort by the Tennessee Democrat Party - indeed, they are already regrouping for that purpose.
I hope they’re right, but so far the evidence is lacking. We’re at 42 days without a press release, and only one blog entry since the election – which was more than a month ago.
Nothing going on in the world you guys want to talk about? Nothing at all?
I Did Not Know That
This is kind of nifty:
U.S. Rep. John Tanner (D-TN-8) is now the incoming President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the legislative arm of the NATO Alliance, comprised of legislators from all 26 member nations. Tanner was elected President at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s annual meeting in Valencia, Spain.
U.S. Rep. John Tanner (D-TN-8) is now the incoming President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the legislative arm of the NATO Alliance, comprised of legislators from all 26 member nations. Tanner was elected President at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s annual meeting in Valencia, Spain.
Faith Hill for First Lady
The Golden Girl has been warning us for years… and now the New Republic says it could come true:
Tim McGraw is seriously considering a run at the governor’s mansion in 2010. He's been floating the idea for a few years now, but with the recent thrashing of lawyer Bob Tuke by Lamar Alexander in last month’s senate race, Tennessee Dems have been casting about desperately for a high-profile Democrat not named Harold Ford to take on Bill Frist, who is almost certainly going to run. And they could do a lot worse, I suppose, than the Indian Outlaw. Which is saying something.
Getting the Axe
A quick look at all the TV series that have already been cancelled this fall:
ABC
"Dirty Sexy Money"
"Eli Stone"
"Opportunity Knocks"
"Pushing Daisies"
CBS
"The Ex List"
The CW
"Easy Money"
"Valentine"
"In Harm's Way"
FOX
"Do Not Disturb"
NBC
"My Own Worst Enemy"
"Lipstick Jungle"
"Crusoe"
"Knight Rider"
And I’m not sorry to see a single one of these go. Maybe NBC was smart to abandon new programming.
ABC
"Dirty Sexy Money"
"Eli Stone"
"Opportunity Knocks"
"Pushing Daisies"
CBS
"The Ex List"
The CW
"Easy Money"
"Valentine"
"In Harm's Way"
FOX
"Do Not Disturb"
NBC
"My Own Worst Enemy"
"Lipstick Jungle"
"Crusoe"
"Knight Rider"
And I’m not sorry to see a single one of these go. Maybe NBC was smart to abandon new programming.
The Next Cindy Sheehan?
I remember the early days of Cindy Sheehan, when Democrats were happy to hand her a microphone so she could harass President Bush outside his Crawford Ranch about the Iraq War. Gosh, that was fun.
But as soon as I heard her mention Israel, I thought, “Oh crap. Here it comes.” Since then, Cindy’s been hanging out with Hugo Chavez and threatening to run for Congress against Barbara Boxer and Nancy Pelosi because they’re not Left-wing enough.
So I had to laugh when I saw this headline on FOXNews.com on election eve:
Joe the Plumber: Obama will bring "death to Israel"
“Here it comes,” I thought. And Joe hasn’t disappointed. From his flirtation with a country music career to grumbling about running for Congress, Joe has transformed from political symbol to pop culture diva.
And now it gets even better. Joe’s attacking John McCain, saying he felt “dirty” campaigning for the guy. Joe says McCain’s policies “appalled me, absolutely. I was angry. In fact, I wanted to get off the bus after I talked to him.”
That’s gratitude for ya.
But Joe still loves Sarah Palin. “Palin is absolutely the real deal,” he said. Yes, she is, Joe. And I hope the Republican Party embraces the two of you as tight as it can.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
79%
I still don’t understand how a president-elect has a job approval rating, but CNN reports that Obama is kicking ass:
“An Obama job approval rating of 79 percent -- that's the sort of rating you see when the public rallies around a leader after a national disaster," said Bill Schneider, CNN's senior political analyst. "To many Americans, the Bush administration was a national disaster."
“An Obama job approval rating of 79 percent -- that's the sort of rating you see when the public rallies around a leader after a national disaster," said Bill Schneider, CNN's senior political analyst. "To many Americans, the Bush administration was a national disaster."
Sic 'em, Obama!
Looks like it was the Obama team that busted Blagojevich. According to the Huffington Post:
Local news reports, meanwhile, suggest that it was Obama chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel who blew the whistle on the governor.
Local news reports, meanwhile, suggest that it was Obama chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel who blew the whistle on the governor.
Jay in Primetime
Wow – NBC just announced it’s moving Jay Leno to primetime, five nights a week. He’ll air at 9:00 pm (Central). Conan O’Brien is getting the 10:30 spot, which will still be called the Tonight Show. And Jimmy Fallon is getting the 11:30 spot for Late Night.
No word yet what Leno’s new show will be called.
NBC has been a ratings disaster for the late few years, and this strategy seems to signal complete surrender. “Forget new programming; we suck at it,” is the message here. “We’re not even going to try anymore.”
NBC may have given up on being #1 – but are they crazy, or crazy like a fox? Producing one nightly talk show will be a hell of a lot cheaper than five weekly dramas or news magazine-style shows, no matter how big Leno’s paycheck is. So Leno’s new show won’t need huge ratings to rake in the cash.
So maybe the real message is this: “It’s okay to suck as long as you make a ton of money at it.”
No word yet what Leno’s new show will be called.
NBC has been a ratings disaster for the late few years, and this strategy seems to signal complete surrender. “Forget new programming; we suck at it,” is the message here. “We’re not even going to try anymore.”
NBC may have given up on being #1 – but are they crazy, or crazy like a fox? Producing one nightly talk show will be a hell of a lot cheaper than five weekly dramas or news magazine-style shows, no matter how big Leno’s paycheck is. So Leno’s new show won’t need huge ratings to rake in the cash.
So maybe the real message is this: “It’s okay to suck as long as you make a ton of money at it.”
Rot in Jail
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's job creation plan apparently was limited to three people: two cushy six-figure jobs for himself and his wife, and a seat in the US Senate for whoever was willing to provide them.
Sorry, Gov. Go to fail. Go directly to fail. On the bright side, it's kind of nice to know a governor who tries this crap will in fact get caught.
Fun fact: This makes two Illinois governors in a row to wind up behind bars. The last one, at least, was a Republican.
Sorry, Gov. Go to fail. Go directly to fail. On the bright side, it's kind of nice to know a governor who tries this crap will in fact get caught.
Fun fact: This makes two Illinois governors in a row to wind up behind bars. The last one, at least, was a Republican.
Monday, December 8, 2008
If We're Really Quiet, Maybe No One Will Know We're Here
The Tennessee Democratic Party did not issue a single press release in the month of November.
(The TNGOP issued 8, including its weekly reports.)
(The TNGOP issued 8, including its weekly reports.)
Lamar Alexander = Marxist
“I’m from the federal government, and I’m here to help.”
These are supposed to be the scariest words in the English language, according to Reagan-worshipping Republicans. A quick look at Sen. Lamar Alexander’s website, however, tells a different story. Here are his three most recent press releases:
December 5, 2008 - Alexander, Corker Announce $63,500 to Johnson County for Appalachian Sustainable Energy & Agriculture Project
November 26, 2008 - Alexander, Corker Announce More Than $20 Million for Tennessee [in disaster assistance]
November 20, 2008 - Alexander Votes to Extend Unemployment Benefits for Tennesseans
Of course, I applaud Sen. Alexander for all these things. I’m glad the federal government is here to help Tennessee farmers, disaster victims, and the unemployed. I’m proud of him for putting policy above platitudes.
This is what good government looks like. Republicans would do well to remember that.
These are supposed to be the scariest words in the English language, according to Reagan-worshipping Republicans. A quick look at Sen. Lamar Alexander’s website, however, tells a different story. Here are his three most recent press releases:
December 5, 2008 - Alexander, Corker Announce $63,500 to Johnson County for Appalachian Sustainable Energy & Agriculture Project
November 26, 2008 - Alexander, Corker Announce More Than $20 Million for Tennessee [in disaster assistance]
November 20, 2008 - Alexander Votes to Extend Unemployment Benefits for Tennesseans
Of course, I applaud Sen. Alexander for all these things. I’m glad the federal government is here to help Tennessee farmers, disaster victims, and the unemployed. I’m proud of him for putting policy above platitudes.
This is what good government looks like. Republicans would do well to remember that.
And You’re Bragging about That??
"If not for Chip," [Tenn. Lt. Gov. Ron] Ramsey said, "Al Gore would have been elected president but instead Tennessee went for George W. Bush in 2000."
Ramsey apparently thinks that’s a great reason to put Chip Saltsman in charge of the national Republican Party. Because that Bush thing turned out so well.
Saltsman may well be the GOP’s most formidable choice for chairman, but delivering us into the hands of GWB is probably not his best selling point.
Ramsey apparently thinks that’s a great reason to put Chip Saltsman in charge of the national Republican Party. Because that Bush thing turned out so well.
Saltsman may well be the GOP’s most formidable choice for chairman, but delivering us into the hands of GWB is probably not his best selling point.
Fred Cashes in on Obama
From the New York Post's gossip page:
Fred Thompson ... the ex-Republican presidential candidate and part-time actor ... is offering to rent his luxury one-bedroom condo in Washington, DC, for five days. The price: $30,000. "It has a balcony overlooking the inaugural parade route, the Navy Memorial and the US Capitol, and comes with a reserved parking space," said our insider.
Fred Thompson ... the ex-Republican presidential candidate and part-time actor ... is offering to rent his luxury one-bedroom condo in Washington, DC, for five days. The price: $30,000. "It has a balcony overlooking the inaugural parade route, the Navy Memorial and the US Capitol, and comes with a reserved parking space," said our insider.
Close Enough for Government Work
Brilliant headline from the Knoxville News-Sentinel:
FDIC to ensure bank debt
Um, don’t you mean insure bank debt?
FDIC to ensure bank debt
Um, don’t you mean insure bank debt?
Puppy Power
These little puppies saved a three-year-old boy’s life by snuggling up against him while he slept outdoors overnight in 17 degree weather. The child was missing 21 hours after wandering into the woods near his home in Halifax County, Virginia.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Corker & The Big Three
I’ve got to say Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) is right on the money when he sums up the situation for Chrysler and Ford.
He says Chrysler just wants a little spending money to stay afloat until it can sell itself off to the highest bidder:
"The fact is basically what your plan is about is that you want to hang around long enough so that you can date somebody and hopefully get married soon before you run out of money," Corker said.
Furthermore:
He told Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally, whose company is not in immediate danger of collapse, that he was just there because Chrysler and GM were asking for help.
As for GM, Sen. Corker has some good ideas and bad.
He gave GM a laundry list of solutions to it’s problems, including offering its debtors 30 cents on the dollar, which is more than they’re getting in the debt reselling market right now. Plus, Corker wants the UAW to cut GM some slack on retiree healthcare payments and unemployment payments above and beyond what the government gives laid off workers.
Well, GM should try to buy back its own debt for pennies on the dollar if it can, and that’s not a bad use for a government bailout check, if it gets one.
Here’s where Corker goes wrong. In this economy, the last thing you want to do is take money out of the hands of consumers, even (or especially) unemployed ones. For one, they’re buying necessities, not frivolities. And for two, we want to encourage all the spending we can.
The second-to-last thing you want to do is take healthcare away from retirees. Either the government is going to end up paying for it, or they’re going to have to go without. Neither is a good thing. And the ones that go without are likely to get sick and cost the government a whole long more money in the long run away.
So that’s two more good things to do with a government bailout check.
I’ve been on the fence on the whole auto industry rescue thing, but Sen. Corker now has me leaning towards a bailout for GM at least. The other two… not so much. Ford says they’re not going to declare bankruptcy either way, so if they’re not even at risk of bankruptcy why the hell do they need bailout? Chrysler’s a goner anyway. Would a bailout help them find a buyer or only give them longer to put it off?
He says Chrysler just wants a little spending money to stay afloat until it can sell itself off to the highest bidder:
"The fact is basically what your plan is about is that you want to hang around long enough so that you can date somebody and hopefully get married soon before you run out of money," Corker said.
Furthermore:
He told Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally, whose company is not in immediate danger of collapse, that he was just there because Chrysler and GM were asking for help.
As for GM, Sen. Corker has some good ideas and bad.
He gave GM a laundry list of solutions to it’s problems, including offering its debtors 30 cents on the dollar, which is more than they’re getting in the debt reselling market right now. Plus, Corker wants the UAW to cut GM some slack on retiree healthcare payments and unemployment payments above and beyond what the government gives laid off workers.
Well, GM should try to buy back its own debt for pennies on the dollar if it can, and that’s not a bad use for a government bailout check, if it gets one.
Here’s where Corker goes wrong. In this economy, the last thing you want to do is take money out of the hands of consumers, even (or especially) unemployed ones. For one, they’re buying necessities, not frivolities. And for two, we want to encourage all the spending we can.
The second-to-last thing you want to do is take healthcare away from retirees. Either the government is going to end up paying for it, or they’re going to have to go without. Neither is a good thing. And the ones that go without are likely to get sick and cost the government a whole long more money in the long run away.
So that’s two more good things to do with a government bailout check.
I’ve been on the fence on the whole auto industry rescue thing, but Sen. Corker now has me leaning towards a bailout for GM at least. The other two… not so much. Ford says they’re not going to declare bankruptcy either way, so if they’re not even at risk of bankruptcy why the hell do they need bailout? Chrysler’s a goner anyway. Would a bailout help them find a buyer or only give them longer to put it off?
Sarah Palin: Freeloader-in-Chief
$180K in clothes? That was just the beginning.
Also on the dime of the GOP’s generous donors… Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s fashion stylist was paid $54,900 by the Republican National Committee.
McCain campaign donors got hosed, too, and so did the taxpayers (the campaign accepted public matching funds, remember?)… Gov. Sarah Palin’s traveling makeup artist was paid $68,400 and her hair stylist received more than $42,000 for roughly two months of work.
Clothes: $180,000
Stylist: +$54,900
Make-Up: +$68,400
Hair Stylist: +$42,000
-----------
Total: $245,300
An Obama victory: Priceless.
Also on the dime of the GOP’s generous donors… Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s fashion stylist was paid $54,900 by the Republican National Committee.
McCain campaign donors got hosed, too, and so did the taxpayers (the campaign accepted public matching funds, remember?)… Gov. Sarah Palin’s traveling makeup artist was paid $68,400 and her hair stylist received more than $42,000 for roughly two months of work.
Clothes: $180,000
Stylist: +$54,900
Make-Up: +$68,400
Hair Stylist: +$42,000
-----------
Total: $245,300
An Obama victory: Priceless.
Bush: Grass Green, Water Wet
Actual headline from the AP - Bush: Iraq war longer, more costly than expected
Thanks for the update, Mr. President.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Write or Wrong
Barack Obama wants you to: Learn what you can do now to support President-elect Obama's agenda for change and continue to make a difference in your community.
Take the first important step by hosting or attending a Change is Coming house meeting. Sign up right now:
http://my.barackobama.com/changeiscoming
Looks like he’s serious about keeping up the emails.
Take the first important step by hosting or attending a Change is Coming house meeting. Sign up right now:
http://my.barackobama.com/changeiscoming
Looks like he’s serious about keeping up the emails.
Job Obituaries
The Tennessean laid off 67 people today, including 25 in the newsroom. Another 25 empty positions will go unfilled. (The Knoxville News-Sentinel recently got rid of 50 people.)
HCA is laying off at least a 100 people in IT, plus an unclosed number on top of that.
No word how many of the 12,000 people getting the axe at AT&T will be in Tennessee.
AbitibiBowater is shutting down a paper mill in Tennessee as it lays off 1,100 people in the US and Canada.
Thomas Nelson, a book publisher in Nashville, just laid off 55 people.
Bridgestone Firestone will lay off at least 158 people in LaVergne.
On the other hand, the US Census Bureau is hiring 1,000 people at its new office in Knoxville. It’s good news for sure, although these positions will go away once the 2010 census is complete.
HCA is laying off at least a 100 people in IT, plus an unclosed number on top of that.
No word how many of the 12,000 people getting the axe at AT&T will be in Tennessee.
AbitibiBowater is shutting down a paper mill in Tennessee as it lays off 1,100 people in the US and Canada.
Thomas Nelson, a book publisher in Nashville, just laid off 55 people.
Bridgestone Firestone will lay off at least 158 people in LaVergne.
On the other hand, the US Census Bureau is hiring 1,000 people at its new office in Knoxville. It’s good news for sure, although these positions will go away once the 2010 census is complete.
Just Be Sure to Get My Good Side
Tennessee Attorney General Robert Cooper says it’s perfectly okay for police departments in Tennessee to use traffic cameras to issue tickets so long as the ticket comes from an actual police officer. (In other states, the tickets typically come from a private company paid to set up and monitor the cameras.)
Sounds about right to me.
I don’t like those cameras – and I don’t want them in Tennessee – but legally speaking, yeah. Get an actual cop to review each photo and make an individual determination each time if it looks like the law has been broken. If the driver disagrees, okay, they get their day in court, just like any other ticket.
I know it costs a lot more to make a police officer review each alleged violation individually, but so what? It’s still a lot cheaper and quicker than having a police officer sitting around on the scene waiting for violators.
Sounds about right to me.
I don’t like those cameras – and I don’t want them in Tennessee – but legally speaking, yeah. Get an actual cop to review each photo and make an individual determination each time if it looks like the law has been broken. If the driver disagrees, okay, they get their day in court, just like any other ticket.
I know it costs a lot more to make a police officer review each alleged violation individually, but so what? It’s still a lot cheaper and quicker than having a police officer sitting around on the scene waiting for violators.
Affording College in Tennessee
Okay, sure, we got an F. But it was a high F.
Slightly paraphrased from the LA Times:
Only two states, New York and Tennessee, have made it cheaper in recent years to afford higher education, the report found. But their improvement was so slight, they joined 47 other states in scoring an F for affordability.
California was the only non-F. But the state's "C" grade was somewhat misleading, however, as it reflected bargain-basement sticker prices at the state's two-year colleges.
The grades were issued by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.
Slightly paraphrased from the LA Times:
Only two states, New York and Tennessee, have made it cheaper in recent years to afford higher education, the report found. But their improvement was so slight, they joined 47 other states in scoring an F for affordability.
California was the only non-F. But the state's "C" grade was somewhat misleading, however, as it reflected bargain-basement sticker prices at the state's two-year colleges.
The grades were issued by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.
Hullo, CHaP
Okay, what if you had a little power generator at your home or business that provided electricity, and the heat given off by that generator was captured and used to heat the building?
It’s called Combined Heat and Power (CHP), and the big brains over at Oak Ridge National Laboratory think we should use a lot more of it.
If the U.S. started getting 20% of our electricity from CHP technologies by 2030, that would eliminate 60% of our projected increase in carbon dioxide emissions.
Some countries over in Europe already get 20% of their electricity from CHP sources, but some countries in Europe are roughly the size of Rutherford County so I’m not sure that’s a fair comparison. By the way, CHP technologies have been around about a 100 years.
It’s called Combined Heat and Power (CHP), and the big brains over at Oak Ridge National Laboratory think we should use a lot more of it.
If the U.S. started getting 20% of our electricity from CHP technologies by 2030, that would eliminate 60% of our projected increase in carbon dioxide emissions.
Some countries over in Europe already get 20% of their electricity from CHP sources, but some countries in Europe are roughly the size of Rutherford County so I’m not sure that’s a fair comparison. By the way, CHP technologies have been around about a 100 years.
Down the Road
What’s missing from this billboard?
There’s the candidate’s name – but what’s he running for?
Presumably, these ads are promoting Rep. Wamp for re-election to Congress. In reality, of course, they’re all about the governor’s race in 2010. A dead giveaway is that they appear far outside Wamp’s actual congressional district.
I saw a ton of these all over East Tennessee while travelling for the Thanksgiving holiday. Were these billboards paid for by Wamp’s congressional campaign?
If so, I suspect they technically follow the letter of the law if not the spirit. After all, Wamp isn’t an official candidate for governor yet and shouldn’t be raising or spending money on his gubernatorial campaign already.
Wamp wants to make it official in January, if only Bill Frist would hurry up and announce one way or the other. Since Wamp doesn’t have Frist’s star power, he needs to start campaigning now.
My prediction: Frist is in, and no big-name Republican or Democrat has the guts to run against him.
There’s the candidate’s name – but what’s he running for?
Presumably, these ads are promoting Rep. Wamp for re-election to Congress. In reality, of course, they’re all about the governor’s race in 2010. A dead giveaway is that they appear far outside Wamp’s actual congressional district.
I saw a ton of these all over East Tennessee while travelling for the Thanksgiving holiday. Were these billboards paid for by Wamp’s congressional campaign?
If so, I suspect they technically follow the letter of the law if not the spirit. After all, Wamp isn’t an official candidate for governor yet and shouldn’t be raising or spending money on his gubernatorial campaign already.
Wamp wants to make it official in January, if only Bill Frist would hurry up and announce one way or the other. Since Wamp doesn’t have Frist’s star power, he needs to start campaigning now.
My prediction: Frist is in, and no big-name Republican or Democrat has the guts to run against him.
Smoking Up 8% (More Bad News in List Form)
You’ve got to be able to count to four to reach Tennessee on this year’s list of the least healthy states, according to the United Health Foundation.
1. South Carolina
2. Mississippi
3. Louisiana
4. Tennessee
We were number five last year. Quoth the Tennessean:
Research shows Tennessee's consistent spot in the bottom is directly related to the state's high rate of obesity, violent crime and what researchers say is the single-most important factor: prevalence of smoking, which increased by 8 percent over last year.
Seriously? We triple our cigarette taxes and smoking shoots up 8% in the same year?
1. South Carolina
2. Mississippi
3. Louisiana
4. Tennessee
We were number five last year. Quoth the Tennessean:
Research shows Tennessee's consistent spot in the bottom is directly related to the state's high rate of obesity, violent crime and what researchers say is the single-most important factor: prevalence of smoking, which increased by 8 percent over last year.
Seriously? We triple our cigarette taxes and smoking shoots up 8% in the same year?
Today's Bad News Is Brought to You by the Number Three
And the top three states for the biggest fall-off in tax revenues thanks to economic disaster that President Bush is leaving behind…
1. Florida
2. Arizona
3. Tennessee
Projections of this year’s state budget deficit are now reaching $1 billion.
1. Florida
2. Arizona
3. Tennessee
Projections of this year’s state budget deficit are now reaching $1 billion.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Try, Try Again
Why are Republicans so excited about Sen. Saxby Chambliss’s victory yesterday? Drudge calls it the “Republicans Strike Back.” Ha! He’s an incumbent Republican in Georgia! The fact that it took him two tries to hit 50% is an embarrassment, not a victory.
Closest Thing to a Real Live Muppet
For just 9 cents a day, you can adopt a fuzzy little koala like this guy:
No, you don't get to bring him home and let him eat eucalyptus leaves out of your hand. Instead you pay your $32 a year to The Koala Hospital, where they fix him up and send him back out into the wild.
Is This Sexist?
Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA) said he liked Janet Napolitano for Secretary of Homeland Security because:
Janet's perfect for that job. Because for that job, you have to have no life. Janet has no family. Perfect. She can devote, literally, 19-20 hours a day to it.
It was an off-the-cuff remark when he didn’t know his mic was on, and CNN’s Campbell Brown is playing it up as a sexist gaffe.
Yes, it plays into a sexist stereotype that a woman with a family isn’t as hardworking as single woman or a man with a family. And yes, that stereotype is real, common, and serious.
But I don’t think that’s what Gov. Rendell was saying here. In fact, I think he would have said the same thing about a man:
"He's perfect for that job. Because for that job, you have to have no life. He has no family. Perfect. He can devote, literally, 19-20 hours a day to it."
That doesn’t sound strange or unlikely to me at all.
It’s the old trap of saying something innocuous about a specific person without thinking about how those same words can be (or have been) used by others to deride or dismiss entire groups. It's kind of like calling a politician "articulate" without thinking about the fact that he's black and so that word has some baggage. Ask Joe Biden.
My verdict: This is more of a "dude, that was stupid," rather than "dude, that was shameful," kind of thing. It’s a good example of how people unwittingly say things that play into stereotypes. These things should be pointed out so people recognize and reevaluate their own attitudes and word choices, witting or unwitting.
But gaffe? Nah.
PS: Campbell Brown points out that no one said Tom Ridge or Michael Chertoff were bad picks because they have families, but I also find it hard to believe that if Napolitano had kids Gov. Rendell would have said, "ugh, she's a terrible pick because she has a family." That's a huge leap to make, even if they're separated just by one link in the chain of logic.
Janet's perfect for that job. Because for that job, you have to have no life. Janet has no family. Perfect. She can devote, literally, 19-20 hours a day to it.
It was an off-the-cuff remark when he didn’t know his mic was on, and CNN’s Campbell Brown is playing it up as a sexist gaffe.
Yes, it plays into a sexist stereotype that a woman with a family isn’t as hardworking as single woman or a man with a family. And yes, that stereotype is real, common, and serious.
But I don’t think that’s what Gov. Rendell was saying here. In fact, I think he would have said the same thing about a man:
"He's perfect for that job. Because for that job, you have to have no life. He has no family. Perfect. He can devote, literally, 19-20 hours a day to it."
That doesn’t sound strange or unlikely to me at all.
It’s the old trap of saying something innocuous about a specific person without thinking about how those same words can be (or have been) used by others to deride or dismiss entire groups. It's kind of like calling a politician "articulate" without thinking about the fact that he's black and so that word has some baggage. Ask Joe Biden.
My verdict: This is more of a "dude, that was stupid," rather than "dude, that was shameful," kind of thing. It’s a good example of how people unwittingly say things that play into stereotypes. These things should be pointed out so people recognize and reevaluate their own attitudes and word choices, witting or unwitting.
But gaffe? Nah.
PS: Campbell Brown points out that no one said Tom Ridge or Michael Chertoff were bad picks because they have families, but I also find it hard to believe that if Napolitano had kids Gov. Rendell would have said, "ugh, she's a terrible pick because she has a family." That's a huge leap to make, even if they're separated just by one link in the chain of logic.
Senator Bush?
Brother Jeb is looking to run in Florida now that Sen. Mel Martinez has announced his retirement. That’s bad news for Democrats. With Martinez in the race, Florida was the #1 most likely take-over for the Democrats. With Bush, I’d say it leans Republican.
Trivia: The name “Jeb” comes from his initials – John Ellis Bush.
Trivia: The name “Jeb” comes from his initials – John Ellis Bush.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Robert Gates - the Handbreak on Bush's Handbasket to Hell
If Obama is a complete reversal of Bush’s policies, but Bush had already started to reverse himself a little bit, does that make Obama just more of the same? Hogwash. Complete garbage.
Still, that’s why David Brooks tries to argue in the New York Times today.
Brooks claims that President George W. Bush (learning from the unmitigated disaster of Iraq from 2003-2006) launched a new, holistic approach to foreign policy under Sec. of Defense Robert Gates. And Brooks goes on to praise President-elect Obama for following in Bush’s recent footsteps.
Bringing in Gates as Secretary of Defense was an important step towards replacing recklessness with common sense; I’ll give Bush that. But to pretend that a holistic approach to foreign policy is somehow a Bush invention is preposterous.
Alleviating global poverty, strengthening the rule of law, and stabilizing peaceful governments has been a vital part of US foreign policy since World War II. Only Bush was stupid enough to think it could be accomplished by the military alone.
Gates was never that stupid. He was never a neo-con. He doesn’t represent Bush’s governing philosophy or foreign policy; he’s a repudiation of it. Gates comes from outside Bush’s circle – not just his circle of people but his circle of thought.
Gates represents “continuity,” Brooks claims? Ha. At best, Gates represents that even Bush knew his own political ideology led to total failure.
Still, that’s why David Brooks tries to argue in the New York Times today.
Brooks claims that President George W. Bush (learning from the unmitigated disaster of Iraq from 2003-2006) launched a new, holistic approach to foreign policy under Sec. of Defense Robert Gates. And Brooks goes on to praise President-elect Obama for following in Bush’s recent footsteps.
Bringing in Gates as Secretary of Defense was an important step towards replacing recklessness with common sense; I’ll give Bush that. But to pretend that a holistic approach to foreign policy is somehow a Bush invention is preposterous.
Alleviating global poverty, strengthening the rule of law, and stabilizing peaceful governments has been a vital part of US foreign policy since World War II. Only Bush was stupid enough to think it could be accomplished by the military alone.
Gates was never that stupid. He was never a neo-con. He doesn’t represent Bush’s governing philosophy or foreign policy; he’s a repudiation of it. Gates comes from outside Bush’s circle – not just his circle of people but his circle of thought.
Gates represents “continuity,” Brooks claims? Ha. At best, Gates represents that even Bush knew his own political ideology led to total failure.
You Can’t Fire Me - I Quit!
Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL) is so ridiculously unpopular that he’s ready to quit his job. The idea that he could win re-election in 2010 is a joke, so apparently Martinez is going to be beat voters to the punch. He’ll resign now so that Republican Governor Charlie Crist can appoint a replacement to run as an incumbent in 2010.
Remember, Martinez is the same guy Bush named as head of the Republican Party but got the boot after only 10 months at the job. Heck of a job, Marty!
Update: During the official announcement today, Martinez made no mention of leaving office early – only that he won’t seek re-election. We’ll have to wait and see if that was just a baseless rumor or a trial balloon.
Remember, Martinez is the same guy Bush named as head of the Republican Party but got the boot after only 10 months at the job. Heck of a job, Marty!
Update: During the official announcement today, Martinez made no mention of leaving office early – only that he won’t seek re-election. We’ll have to wait and see if that was just a baseless rumor or a trial balloon.
You Say You'll Change the Constitution, Well, You Know...
The states want federal money to put people to work on roads, school repairs, and other infrastructure projects. Too bad the federal government is broke too. The difference is, most states are constitutionally required to have a balanced budget (Tennessee included) while the federal government can spend, spend, spend endlessly on credit.
The GOP used to demand a Constitutional amendment to require a balanced budget. It was one of many things I agreed with them on. Whatever happened to that? Deficit spending should require a two-thirds vote in Congress. That way we can do it in times of desperation, like now, but not just on the whim of an idiot president.
The GOP used to demand a Constitutional amendment to require a balanced budget. It was one of many things I agreed with them on. Whatever happened to that? Deficit spending should require a two-thirds vote in Congress. That way we can do it in times of desperation, like now, but not just on the whim of an idiot president.
I Hear Knoxville Is a Lot Like Oakland
Welcome to Tennessee, Coach Kiffen! I, for one, am thrilled to have you. I think you’re a great choice. Now learn the rules, moron.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Whose Fault Is This?
Growing up in Memphis, I was always told it was just a matter of time before an earthquake wiped the city off the map. Well, it looks like the ground is moving under Arkansas, with five minor earthquakes reported in the past month. Hopefully the big one will wait at least long enough for President Obama to take over so we don’t have President Bush’s FEMA in charge of the recovery.
Good News, Everybody!
David Yepsen reminds everyone:
A Gallup poll taken after the November election and released last week showed "the Republican Party's image has gone from bad to worse" since the election. Only 34 percent of Americans say they have a favorable view of the party, and 61 percent view it unfavorably - the worst image rating in a decade.
By contrast, 55 percent view the Democratic Party with favor, and only 39 percent look upon that party unfavorably.
A Gallup poll taken after the November election and released last week showed "the Republican Party's image has gone from bad to worse" since the election. Only 34 percent of Americans say they have a favorable view of the party, and 61 percent view it unfavorably - the worst image rating in a decade.
By contrast, 55 percent view the Democratic Party with favor, and only 39 percent look upon that party unfavorably.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Maybe Hillary Should Reconsider
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) scores an approval rating of just 38% in his home state and he’s polling well under 50% in his 2010 re-election bid. If the Democrats have to pick a new Majority Leader in two years (and I won’t shed any tears if they do), then Hillary Clinton may wish she were still in the Senate.
Return of Competence
All hail the return of James Lee Witt to FEMA! The guy kicked ass as head of the agency under President Clinton.
By the Way...
We currently pay $260 billion (or a quarter of a trillion) in interest alone on the national debt every year. That’s 12% of the total budget.
A Little Perspective
If we were to entirely eliminate:
- $10.6 billion - United States Department of the Interior
- $10.5 billion - United States Department of Labor
- $8.4 billion - Social Security Administration
- $7.1 billion - United States Environmental Protection Agency
- $6.9 billion - National Science Foundation
- $6.3 billion - Judicial branch (United States federal courts)
- $4.7 billion - Legislative branch (United States Congress)
- $4.7 billion - United States Army Corps of Engineers
- $0.4 billion - Executive Office of the President
- $0.7 billion - Small Business Administration
- $7.2 billion - Other agencies
- $39.0 billion - Other Off-budget Discretionary Spending
We’ve still only reached just over $100 billion or one-tenth of the deficit. On we go:
- $44.8 billion - United States Department of Veterans Affairs
- $38.5 billion - United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
- $38.3 billion - State and Other International Programs
- $37.6 billion - United States Department of Homeland Security
- $25.0 billion - United States Department of Energy
- $20.8 billion - United States Department of Agriculture
- $20.3 billion - United States Department of Justice
- $17.6 billion - National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- $12.5 billion - United States Department of the Treasury
- $11.5 billion - United States Department of Transportation
If we eliminate all of these departments too, we’re at $373 billion, or just over a third of the deficit. So we keep cutting:
- $70.4 billion - United States Department of Health and Human Services
- $59.2 billion - United States Department of Education
$503 billion! Halfway there...
- $515.4 billion - United States Department of Defense
- $145.2 billion - Global War on Terror
Um... that’s all that’s left. Defense and the War on Terror. And we’d have to pretty much eliminate those entirely to close the gap.
Right now we’re running nearly one-third of the entire federal government on borrowed money. That is not sustainable. That is a destined to collapse.
$1,000,000,000,000
A one trillion dollar budget deficit in 2009! The entire 2009 federal budget (as submitted by President Bush) is only $3.1 trillion! Holy crap!
That’s what President-elect Obama will inherit, thanks the President Bush’s reckless mismanagement of the federal government, taxes, and economic policy.
The AP describes it pretty well:
While nobody likes a deficit, many economists agree that heavy federal government spending—on food stamps or unemployment benefits or public works projects—may be necessary to keep economies moving in times of recession or war.
The problem is that this time Washington was racking up massive deficits even before the current economic downturn.
We can’t cut government assistance in this economy. We can’t cut anything that would result in significant government layoffs. So the deficit explodes…
If President Bush wants to do what’s best for his country, he’ll immediately start recommending specific cuts to the military budget since these are best received when they come from a Republican (the “only Nixon could go to China” philosophy). Obama, as a Democrat, can then tackle non-military spending cuts.
However, spending cuts can only get us so far. In fact, they’re a drop in the bucket compared to $1 trillion deficit. We’re not talking about trimming the fat here; we’re talking about nearly one third of the entire federal government being financed by deficits.
We’d have to eliminate one third of the federal government to catch up. It’s almost beyond comprehension what that means.
PS: Maybe President-elect Obama bought himself a little political capital on military spending cuts by keeping Gates as Secretary of Defense. If Gates gives the green light to certain cuts, that might help. Perhaps Obama understood that he need the credibility of a Republican Secretary of Defense to do what needs to be done, not just for defense spending but for bringing our troops home.
That’s what President-elect Obama will inherit, thanks the President Bush’s reckless mismanagement of the federal government, taxes, and economic policy.
The AP describes it pretty well:
While nobody likes a deficit, many economists agree that heavy federal government spending—on food stamps or unemployment benefits or public works projects—may be necessary to keep economies moving in times of recession or war.
The problem is that this time Washington was racking up massive deficits even before the current economic downturn.
We can’t cut government assistance in this economy. We can’t cut anything that would result in significant government layoffs. So the deficit explodes…
If President Bush wants to do what’s best for his country, he’ll immediately start recommending specific cuts to the military budget since these are best received when they come from a Republican (the “only Nixon could go to China” philosophy). Obama, as a Democrat, can then tackle non-military spending cuts.
However, spending cuts can only get us so far. In fact, they’re a drop in the bucket compared to $1 trillion deficit. We’re not talking about trimming the fat here; we’re talking about nearly one third of the entire federal government being financed by deficits.
We’d have to eliminate one third of the federal government to catch up. It’s almost beyond comprehension what that means.
PS: Maybe President-elect Obama bought himself a little political capital on military spending cuts by keeping Gates as Secretary of Defense. If Gates gives the green light to certain cuts, that might help. Perhaps Obama understood that he need the credibility of a Republican Secretary of Defense to do what needs to be done, not just for defense spending but for bringing our troops home.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Wanted: Serious Policy Discussion
What’s the difference between the big left-wing blogs (netroots) and the big right-wing blogs (rightroots)? I read a fair amount of right-wing blogs, and I think these three sentences from Salon’s former blog editor pretty much hit the nail right on the head:
Erick Erickson, RedState's editor, acknowledged that the "netroots" have an advantage over the "rightroots," but attributed it to an asymmetry in free time, since conservatives "have families because we don't abort our kids, and we have jobs because we believe in capitalism."
This is largely the kind of thinking that dominates on conservative blogs. They can't quite get to policy disputes or serious analysis, because they're too busy mulling over the implications of liberals joining forces with Islamofascists, the United Nations, and Mexican immigrants to execute some kind of nefarious plot.
Or is there a good, wonk-ish, right-wing blog I just haven’t come across yet?
Erick Erickson, RedState's editor, acknowledged that the "netroots" have an advantage over the "rightroots," but attributed it to an asymmetry in free time, since conservatives "have families because we don't abort our kids, and we have jobs because we believe in capitalism."
This is largely the kind of thinking that dominates on conservative blogs. They can't quite get to policy disputes or serious analysis, because they're too busy mulling over the implications of liberals joining forces with Islamofascists, the United Nations, and Mexican immigrants to execute some kind of nefarious plot.
Or is there a good, wonk-ish, right-wing blog I just haven’t come across yet?
Full Speed Ahead
How ‘bout a high-speed rail service from Birmingham to Atlanta to Washington, DC, to New York to Boston? Hell yeah, I say.
How ‘bout financing it with $8 billion in tax-exempt government bonds? How about all the jobs that would create? Damn, I love having Democrats in control of government.
Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) just introduced a bill to make it happen, and 13 others have signed on as co-sponsors (including some of my personal favorites: Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, and Olympia Snowe). The high-speed trains wouldn’t be limited to the east coast. The plan also includes Chicago and California.
You know, it feels good to have a domestic agenda again. It’s great to see the federal government investing in our long-term strength as a nation.
President-elect Obama, get it done!
How ‘bout financing it with $8 billion in tax-exempt government bonds? How about all the jobs that would create? Damn, I love having Democrats in control of government.
Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) just introduced a bill to make it happen, and 13 others have signed on as co-sponsors (including some of my personal favorites: Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, and Olympia Snowe). The high-speed trains wouldn’t be limited to the east coast. The plan also includes Chicago and California.
You know, it feels good to have a domestic agenda again. It’s great to see the federal government investing in our long-term strength as a nation.
President-elect Obama, get it done!
Good Idea
Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) rocks. He suggests replacing our nation’s willy-nilly pork barrel spending on infrastructure with an intelligent, coherent infrastructure strategy — complete with people in charge and, you know, accountable.
As described in the New York Times:
This is a great idea to help prevent the next New Orleans or Minnesota bridge collapse, and to help deal with the mess when such disasters do occur.
President-elect Obama, I hope you’re listening.
As described in the New York Times:
Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut is sponsoring a bill that would create an infrastructure bank with a bipartisan board of directors and a chief executive to be appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
The board would streamline the process of reviewing and signing off on major infrastructure proposals. It would determine the value to the public of each project — and its environmental impact. It would provide federal investment capital for approved projects and use that money to leverage private investment.
This is a great idea to help prevent the next New Orleans or Minnesota bridge collapse, and to help deal with the mess when such disasters do occur.
President-elect Obama, I hope you’re listening.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Braaaaaaains!
For the first time, researchers have cultivated embryonic stem cells to form not just individual brain cells but actual brain tissue! In the long term, this could help repair the damage to stroke victims and Alzheimer’s patients. In the short term, it could help test drugs for their effect on human brain tissue in a laboratory environment rather than human testing.
The research, of course, did not take place in the United States. It was in Japan. And it was government-funded. Is it Jan. 20 yet?
The research, of course, did not take place in the United States. It was in Japan. And it was government-funded. Is it Jan. 20 yet?
2012 Watch
On TV…
The “Our Country Deserves Better” PAC is now airing TV ads to thank Sarah Palin for the 2008 campaign. While our country does deserve better than Sarah Palin and I am grateful for her role in McCain’s crushing defeat, these are apparently pro-Palin ads. Go figure. Looks like someone is already shelling out some serious cash to position Palin for the next go-around.
Meanwhile…
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (R) is chatting up flood victims in Iowa because it’s totally normal and not conspicuous at all for governors of Louisiana to do that.
The “Our Country Deserves Better” PAC is now airing TV ads to thank Sarah Palin for the 2008 campaign. While our country does deserve better than Sarah Palin and I am grateful for her role in McCain’s crushing defeat, these are apparently pro-Palin ads. Go figure. Looks like someone is already shelling out some serious cash to position Palin for the next go-around.
Meanwhile…
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (R) is chatting up flood victims in Iowa because it’s totally normal and not conspicuous at all for governors of Louisiana to do that.
Vote "All of the Above"
Forget “Team of Rivals” – this is turning into a Team of Superstars! Biden, Clinton, Richardson, Daschle, Napolitano… wow. It’s like the Democratic Pantheon. Man, it was tough to pick just one for president; who knew we’d get ‘em all in the end anyway?
Friday, November 21, 2008
Hillary Says Yes
Good for her! I think she’ll enjoy life a lot more as America’s representative to the world rather than 1-in-100 in the Senate. Plus, Secretary of State is a much better path to the White House than 8 more years in the Congress. I think she made the best decision for her.
Still, I’ll kind of miss what might have been… The next Lion of the Senate no more…
Still, I’ll kind of miss what might have been… The next Lion of the Senate no more…
GOP to Fred: Thanks, But No Thanks
Fred Thompson says he’s no longer in the running for chairman of the national Republican Party. Maybe he realized that it would be a ton of hard work and that’s not really his thing – or maybe everyone else in power on the Right realized it for him.
I, for one, am incredibly disappointed.
Instead Fred will try to find himself a new spot on the tee-vee. But where else can he find a sweet gig like Law & Order with no more than two scenes per week?
I, for one, am incredibly disappointed.
Instead Fred will try to find himself a new spot on the tee-vee. But where else can he find a sweet gig like Law & Order with no more than two scenes per week?
I’m Gonna Live Forever
Are we getting closer to a cure for aging? Scientists can boost the lifespan of mice by 50% by pumping up production of an enzyme called telomerase. The same process may work in humans.
Telomerase helps protect the chromosomes in your cells from being damaged by age and cell division. If you can eliminate chromosome damage, cells can pretty much live forever – which means you can live up to 50% longer.
Of course, heightened levels of telomerase (10x normal in the experiments on mice) can cause cancer, so we’ll need a cure for that too.
Telomerase helps protect the chromosomes in your cells from being damaged by age and cell division. If you can eliminate chromosome damage, cells can pretty much live forever – which means you can live up to 50% longer.
Of course, heightened levels of telomerase (10x normal in the experiments on mice) can cause cancer, so we’ll need a cure for that too.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Benefit of the Doubt
Should Pres. Barack Obama keep Secretary of Defense Robert Gates at his post? Looks like it may happen. I can’t say I’m thrilled with the idea, but I’m willing to trust Obama’s judgment.
Some Obama fans may be horrified to see anything short of an crisp, clean break from President Bush and immediate abandonment of his foreign/war policies. But there’s something to remember -- Gates was already a repudiation of Bush’s war policies. After 2006, Bush was forced to fire Donald Rumsfeld and pretty much acknowledge that everything in Iraq up to that point had been a total disaster.
Gates is not a neo-con. He’s not a Rove-ite. He’s not part of that inner Bush circle that ransacked the federal government, politicizing everything they could and burning the rest to the ground. If President-elect Obama says he can work with this guy, then I believe him.
I can’t stand Republicans who would drive this country into a brick wall just to spite the Democrats. I can’t stand Republicans who confuse reckless ignorance with “principles.” The last thing I want is for President-elect Obama to start mimicking that behavior. If he did, that would represent a far more dangerous continuation of President Bush’s behavior than keeping Gates in charge of the Defense Department.
If President-elect Obama says the best thing for our nation and our troops is to keep Gates around another 6-18 months for a slower, more gradual changeover, then I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt on this one.
Some Obama fans may be horrified to see anything short of an crisp, clean break from President Bush and immediate abandonment of his foreign/war policies. But there’s something to remember -- Gates was already a repudiation of Bush’s war policies. After 2006, Bush was forced to fire Donald Rumsfeld and pretty much acknowledge that everything in Iraq up to that point had been a total disaster.
Gates is not a neo-con. He’s not a Rove-ite. He’s not part of that inner Bush circle that ransacked the federal government, politicizing everything they could and burning the rest to the ground. If President-elect Obama says he can work with this guy, then I believe him.
I can’t stand Republicans who would drive this country into a brick wall just to spite the Democrats. I can’t stand Republicans who confuse reckless ignorance with “principles.” The last thing I want is for President-elect Obama to start mimicking that behavior. If he did, that would represent a far more dangerous continuation of President Bush’s behavior than keeping Gates in charge of the Defense Department.
If President-elect Obama says the best thing for our nation and our troops is to keep Gates around another 6-18 months for a slower, more gradual changeover, then I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt on this one.
GOP to Marsha: Thanks, But No Thanks
House Republicans passed up an opportunity to elect former freelance closet organizer Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) to lead the Republican Study Committee in favor of former orthopedic surgeon and med school professor Rep. Tom Price (R-GA). Hard to imagine why.
Hank Jr. for Senate!
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME (POLITICAL) FOOTBALL??
Hank Williams, Jr., has announced he will run for the U.S. Senate!
Hank Jr. lives in Montana, so presumably he’s thinking of challenging freshman Senator Jon Tester (D) in 2012. Tester will be a top target for Republicans, since he won in 2006 with less than 50% of the vote against a scandal-plagued incumbent (the disgraceful and idiotic Conrad Burns).
After campaigning for weeks by Sarah Palin’s side, it’s no wonder Hank Jr. thinks he’s qualified for high office. Why do so many Republicans think a passionate, idealistic (if often vague) devotion to patriotism and the Bible is all it takes to craft complex legislation and/or lead the free world?
Principles, no matter how strong or righteous, do not make up for a lack of information or intelligence.
(Note: this news comes from CMT, which only notes that Hank Jr. plans to run in “the next primary election.” That would be 2010, of course – so maybe Hank Jr. plans to carpetbag his way into another state’s election rather than challenge Tester in 2012.)
Hank Williams, Jr., has announced he will run for the U.S. Senate!
Hank Jr. lives in Montana, so presumably he’s thinking of challenging freshman Senator Jon Tester (D) in 2012. Tester will be a top target for Republicans, since he won in 2006 with less than 50% of the vote against a scandal-plagued incumbent (the disgraceful and idiotic Conrad Burns).
After campaigning for weeks by Sarah Palin’s side, it’s no wonder Hank Jr. thinks he’s qualified for high office. Why do so many Republicans think a passionate, idealistic (if often vague) devotion to patriotism and the Bible is all it takes to craft complex legislation and/or lead the free world?
Principles, no matter how strong or righteous, do not make up for a lack of information or intelligence.
(Note: this news comes from CMT, which only notes that Hank Jr. plans to run in “the next primary election.” That would be 2010, of course – so maybe Hank Jr. plans to carpetbag his way into another state’s election rather than challenge Tester in 2012.)
Minnesota Madness
Both Al Franken and Norm Coleman are engaged in some disgusting vote-challenging tactics in the Minnesota Senate recount.
Coleman should be ashamed of himself for challenging this clear vote for Franken because of a tiny dot next to independent candidate Dean Barkley:
And there are the funny and bizarre ballots, such as this person who filled in the bubble for Franken but also wrote “Lizard People” on the write-in line:
Coleman should be ashamed of himself for challenging this clear vote for Franken because of a tiny dot next to independent candidate Dean Barkley:
Franken should be ashamed of himself for challenging this clear vote for Coleman because the thumbprint could potentially be used to identify the voter (any voter that identifies him/herself on the ballot gets their ballot tossed out under Minnesota law):
Then there are the genuinely confusing ballots. Did this voter intend to cross out Al Franken’s name (my initial thought) or to underline it:
And there are the funny and bizarre ballots, such as this person who filled in the bubble for Franken but also wrote “Lizard People” on the write-in line:
(What an idiot. Doesn’t he know he has to vote for a specific lizard person?)
For more of these photos and your chance to vote on them, check out this really cool webpage.
Big News from Arizona
Wow, great news for new NRSC head Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) as he struggles to avoid a bloodbath in the 2010 Senate races. Sen. John McCain has announced he will seek reelection in Arizona, and his most dangerous potential challenger (superstar Governor Janet Napolitano) looks like she’s leaving for DC to be part of the Obama Administration.
Unnamed sources say Napolitano will be our new Secretary of Homeland Security. Sounds like just about the worst job in the world to me. That Department is an absolute mess after being established by the bungling dolts in Bush Administration.
Unnamed sources say Napolitano will be our new Secretary of Homeland Security. Sounds like just about the worst job in the world to me. That Department is an absolute mess after being established by the bungling dolts in Bush Administration.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
On to 2010!
The rapidly shrinking band of Republican survivors in the U.S. Senate have tapped Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) to lead their GOP’s senatorial campaign efforts for 2010. As the new head of the NRSC, Cornyn will be in charge of recruiting challengers, protecting incumbents, and coordinating the various campaigns’ strategies and messaging.
The 2010 map looks absolutely awful Republicans. Just miserable. I almost feel sorry for them. Cornyn is sure to find himself fighting to limit the damage rather than make any gains.
Here’s a quick look at seats Democrats have a good shot at stealing in 2010:
1. Sen. Mel Martinez, Florida – who won with just 49% of the vote in 2004 and is already polling behind several Democratic competitors.
2. Sen. George Voinovich, Ohio – who has a pitiful 42% approval rating and is already polling behind a handful of potential Democratic challengers.
3. Sen. David Vitter, Louisiana – who really, really likes prostitutes. Will he seek reelection? Can he win the GOP primary? (If Vitter is not the candidate, this race may fall off the radar.)
4. Sen. Kit Bond, Missouri – who is already polling well under 50% against several big-name Democratic competitors.
5. Sen. Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania – who is planning to seek reelection at age 80 despite his state being seriously in the blue column at this point.
6. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Alaska – who won with just 49% of the vote in 2004.
7. Sen. John McCain, Arizona – who could face insanely popular Democratic Governor Janet Napolitano if he decides to seek reelection.
8. Sen. Jim Bunning, Kentucky – who won with just 51% of the vote in 2004 and vows to seek reelection despite signs of severe age-related mental impairment. (I don’t expect him to be the candidate, so this race is likely to drop off the radar.)
9. Sen. Judd Gregg, New Hampshire – who saw fellow NH Senator John Sununu booted from his seat earlier this month.
10. Sen. Richard Burr, North Carolina – who saw fellow NC Senator Elizabeth Dole booted from her seat earlier this month. (Former UT QB and current Congressman Health Shuler may be the Democratic candidate.)
11. Sen. Chuck Grassley, Iowa – who Democrats hope will retire at age 77 (otherwise he’s a sure bet for reelection).
12. Sen. John Thune, South Dakota – who beat Tom Daschle with just 51% of the vote in 2004. (But SD is a red state and Thune is now the incumbent, so my hopes are not high.)
And those are just the competitive races. The Democrats will shocked if they only hold 60 seats in the next Senate.
UPDATE: If Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D) gets in the race for Senate seat currently held by the retiring Sam Brownback, you can add a 13th race to this list.
The 2010 map looks absolutely awful Republicans. Just miserable. I almost feel sorry for them. Cornyn is sure to find himself fighting to limit the damage rather than make any gains.
Here’s a quick look at seats Democrats have a good shot at stealing in 2010:
1. Sen. Mel Martinez, Florida – who won with just 49% of the vote in 2004 and is already polling behind several Democratic competitors.
2. Sen. George Voinovich, Ohio – who has a pitiful 42% approval rating and is already polling behind a handful of potential Democratic challengers.
3. Sen. David Vitter, Louisiana – who really, really likes prostitutes. Will he seek reelection? Can he win the GOP primary? (If Vitter is not the candidate, this race may fall off the radar.)
4. Sen. Kit Bond, Missouri – who is already polling well under 50% against several big-name Democratic competitors.
5. Sen. Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania – who is planning to seek reelection at age 80 despite his state being seriously in the blue column at this point.
6. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Alaska – who won with just 49% of the vote in 2004.
7. Sen. John McCain, Arizona – who could face insanely popular Democratic Governor Janet Napolitano if he decides to seek reelection.
8. Sen. Jim Bunning, Kentucky – who won with just 51% of the vote in 2004 and vows to seek reelection despite signs of severe age-related mental impairment. (I don’t expect him to be the candidate, so this race is likely to drop off the radar.)
9. Sen. Judd Gregg, New Hampshire – who saw fellow NH Senator John Sununu booted from his seat earlier this month.
10. Sen. Richard Burr, North Carolina – who saw fellow NC Senator Elizabeth Dole booted from her seat earlier this month. (Former UT QB and current Congressman Health Shuler may be the Democratic candidate.)
11. Sen. Chuck Grassley, Iowa – who Democrats hope will retire at age 77 (otherwise he’s a sure bet for reelection).
12. Sen. John Thune, South Dakota – who beat Tom Daschle with just 51% of the vote in 2004. (But SD is a red state and Thune is now the incumbent, so my hopes are not high.)
And those are just the competitive races. The Democrats will shocked if they only hold 60 seats in the next Senate.
UPDATE: If Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D) gets in the race for Senate seat currently held by the retiring Sam Brownback, you can add a 13th race to this list.
Secretary Daschle (Or Do You Prefer "Adminstrative Assistant"?)
Everybody knew Tom Daschle would be in Secretary of something; it was only a question of which Department. Today we have the answer: Health & Human Services. It’s not usually one of the sexier appointments, but with President-elect Obama’s big plans for healthcare reform, this may turn out to be a hugely important position.
Great pick, Mr. President-elect! The former Senate Majority Leader is the right guy to shepherd major changes through Congress and then carry them out as Secretary of HHS.
Great pick, Mr. President-elect! The former Senate Majority Leader is the right guy to shepherd major changes through Congress and then carry them out as Secretary of HHS.
Vast Right-Wing Fan Club
Here’s a fascinating article from the National Review on how Hillary Clinton went from the Demon Queen of the liberals, activists, Hollywood, gays, etc., to the Democrat that Republicans would trust most with the keys to the White House or, barring that, the State Department.
The article touches on (but I think underplays) how strongly this transformation demonstrates the Republican rabble’s lemming-like tendency buy into the latest spin and talking points from their “thought leaders” on Fox News, talk radio, and the blogs. Do you think the people spreading the spin really changed their opinion of Hillary or did they just change their talking points after Obama became the frontrunners -- and the rabble ate it up without a second thought?
Hmm… maybe the reason those Republicans are so obsessed with “media bias” is because they have some dim awareness of just how slavish they are to their own media masters?
The article touches on (but I think underplays) how strongly this transformation demonstrates the Republican rabble’s lemming-like tendency buy into the latest spin and talking points from their “thought leaders” on Fox News, talk radio, and the blogs. Do you think the people spreading the spin really changed their opinion of Hillary or did they just change their talking points after Obama became the frontrunners -- and the rabble ate it up without a second thought?
Hmm… maybe the reason those Republicans are so obsessed with “media bias” is because they have some dim awareness of just how slavish they are to their own media masters?
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Hillary and Holder
Will President-elect Obama offer Hillary Clinton the State Department? Will she accept it if he does? Oh, the drama!
Personally I think Hillary Clinton would make a great Secretary of State, but I hope she stays in the Senate. Why take a job with an expiration date? I think she’s better off as the next Ted Kennedy rather than the next Warren Christopher. With patience, she could become (probably should) Senate Majority Leader. She can be a dominant force in the Senate for decades if she wants.
Of course, Secretary of State is a better resume builder for 2016. Does that trump any other motivation or consideration? It might--and I wouldn’t hold it against her if it did.
Secretary of State is also more prestigious and glamorous, which probably makes it more fun. I also wouldn’t hold it against her if she just thinks she’d enjoy life more as head of the State Department, even if it’s just a one or two term gig.
Anyway, that’s a lot of words to say I’m happy either way. I think she’s probably sincerely agonizing over it. She’d have to give up a ton whichever direction she goes. However, there’s probably no wrong choice here. It’s great or great, just in dramatically different forms.
So what about Eric Holder as Attorney General? Meh.* He’s a Washington type, which is kind of disappointing. After the Bush Administration’s grotesque politicization of the Justice Department, I’d rather have someone not involved in game at all. Someone righteously outraged by all that crap. I’m sure he’ll be competent, but will he clean house like it needs to be done? We’ll see…
*Now officially in the dictionary!
Personally I think Hillary Clinton would make a great Secretary of State, but I hope she stays in the Senate. Why take a job with an expiration date? I think she’s better off as the next Ted Kennedy rather than the next Warren Christopher. With patience, she could become (probably should) Senate Majority Leader. She can be a dominant force in the Senate for decades if she wants.
Of course, Secretary of State is a better resume builder for 2016. Does that trump any other motivation or consideration? It might--and I wouldn’t hold it against her if it did.
Secretary of State is also more prestigious and glamorous, which probably makes it more fun. I also wouldn’t hold it against her if she just thinks she’d enjoy life more as head of the State Department, even if it’s just a one or two term gig.
Anyway, that’s a lot of words to say I’m happy either way. I think she’s probably sincerely agonizing over it. She’d have to give up a ton whichever direction she goes. However, there’s probably no wrong choice here. It’s great or great, just in dramatically different forms.
So what about Eric Holder as Attorney General? Meh.* He’s a Washington type, which is kind of disappointing. After the Bush Administration’s grotesque politicization of the Justice Department, I’d rather have someone not involved in game at all. Someone righteously outraged by all that crap. I’m sure he’ll be competent, but will he clean house like it needs to be done? We’ll see…
*Now officially in the dictionary!
GoldnI Is Just a Mouthpiece for the TNGOP
The Golden One translates for TNGOP Chair Robin Smith. And she's dead-on right.
PS: Good info + Funny picture = Blog post worth reading.
PS: Good info + Funny picture = Blog post worth reading.
I Can Has Mommy?
What's a Serval cat? It looks kinda like a lynx but it's from Africa.
Anyway, this Serval kitten from the Munich zoo has been adopted by a doggie mother and a bunch of doggie brothers and sisters after its birth mother couldn't produce enough milk to keep it alive.
Anyway, this Serval kitten from the Munich zoo has been adopted by a doggie mother and a bunch of doggie brothers and sisters after its birth mother couldn't produce enough milk to keep it alive.
One of these things is not like the other ones...
What it would look like if it really did rain cats and dogs last night...
Eric Crafton Hates Democracy
Metro will spend more than $300,000 in taxpayer money to hold a special election for the sole purpose of screwing over non-English speakers. Metro Councilmember Eric Crafton, of course, is behind it all.
Why waste money on a special election rather than wait until the next time Metro voters are scheduled to go to the polls? There’s nothing urgent about this but the politics.
Crafton is against waiting because 1) it would give both sides a chance to make their case, and 2) a reasonable number of voters would actually show up to vote.
Crafton doesn’t hide it; he tells the Tennessean he’s against any delay because his opponents are “trying to give themselves time to mount a campaign."
Wow, what a horrible thing that would be. Hey, Crafton – in America we tend to like democracy. Campaigning and voting are kind of important around here. Both sides make their case, and the voters get to choose the winner.
Leave it to the English Only crowd to fail to understand the very fundamentals of American government and what makes us a great nation.
Why waste money on a special election rather than wait until the next time Metro voters are scheduled to go to the polls? There’s nothing urgent about this but the politics.
Crafton is against waiting because 1) it would give both sides a chance to make their case, and 2) a reasonable number of voters would actually show up to vote.
Crafton doesn’t hide it; he tells the Tennessean he’s against any delay because his opponents are “trying to give themselves time to mount a campaign."
Wow, what a horrible thing that would be. Hey, Crafton – in America we tend to like democracy. Campaigning and voting are kind of important around here. Both sides make their case, and the voters get to choose the winner.
Leave it to the English Only crowd to fail to understand the very fundamentals of American government and what makes us a great nation.
Monday, November 17, 2008
2012 Primary Standings (Republican)
No, it's not too early.
1. Newt Gingrich
After the 2008 debacle, the GOP may well overcompensate with the anti-McCain. Gingrich is ideologically pure, fiercely partisan, and perfectly comfortable spitting vile. He also gives a smooth speech and thinks strategically. The exact opposite of McCain.
Of course, he’s also emblematic of everything everyone outside of the Far Right hates about politics. But that may only help him in the primary.
2. Mitt Romney
At the other end of the spectrum, there’s the Mayor of Pandertown. If Obama is crazy popular, the GOP may panic. They’ll ditch the purists for someone they think can appeal to the moderates. And they’ll want someone with deep pockets because the donors aren’t likely to waste their cash against a popular incumbent.
3. Jeb Bush
The Bush name may be mud right now, but hey -- W still won. That means a lot when your party is on the outside of the White House looking in. The GOP needs someone to reunite W’s winning coalition of business and religious factions. Jeb may look like their best shot.
4. Charlie Crist/Tim Pawlenty
Crist screams vice president, so he may run just to up his chances of being picked #2 on the ticket. But as a popular governor of a critical swing state, he may find himself picking up surprising momentum from the non-fundamentalists. Pawlenty is kinda like Crist but without those pesky rumors.
5. Sarah Palin
Can her cult of personality carry her through the primaries? Don’t bet on it. The GOP base may love her folksy nitwittery when she’s opposite a Democrat--but when she’s on stage against the Republican heavyweights, they can’t help but notice she’s ridiculously outmatched.
6. Bobby Jindal
He’s a minority! That makes him just as good as Obama, right? Jindal is a successful and popular governor, so he deserves better than for Republican evangelicals to jump on his bandwagon just because of his skin color.
7. Kay Bailey Hutchison
Sarah Palin may inspire Hutchinson to run just so that nutjob isn’t the only example of a Republican woman that America gets to see. It also may get Hutchinson on someone’s VP list.
8. Mike Huckabee
His loyal followers will be enough to keep him in the race a good long time but not enough to make him a serious contender.
9. Bill Frist
If Bill Frist wins the governor’s mansion in 2010, he’ll be eyeing the White House in 2016 immediately. If he wins huge, he may think about capitalizing on that momentum right away. Either to position himself for 2016 or to be on someone’s VP list.
10. Rudy Giuliani
He’ll run to stay relevant. He’s not going to be a factor.
11. Fred Thompson
Thompson may have a big enough ego to let himself get “drafted” again. But the GOP has seen this movie before--and they walked out in the first 15 minutes last time.
1. Newt Gingrich
After the 2008 debacle, the GOP may well overcompensate with the anti-McCain. Gingrich is ideologically pure, fiercely partisan, and perfectly comfortable spitting vile. He also gives a smooth speech and thinks strategically. The exact opposite of McCain.
Of course, he’s also emblematic of everything everyone outside of the Far Right hates about politics. But that may only help him in the primary.
2. Mitt Romney
At the other end of the spectrum, there’s the Mayor of Pandertown. If Obama is crazy popular, the GOP may panic. They’ll ditch the purists for someone they think can appeal to the moderates. And they’ll want someone with deep pockets because the donors aren’t likely to waste their cash against a popular incumbent.
3. Jeb Bush
The Bush name may be mud right now, but hey -- W still won. That means a lot when your party is on the outside of the White House looking in. The GOP needs someone to reunite W’s winning coalition of business and religious factions. Jeb may look like their best shot.
4. Charlie Crist/Tim Pawlenty
Crist screams vice president, so he may run just to up his chances of being picked #2 on the ticket. But as a popular governor of a critical swing state, he may find himself picking up surprising momentum from the non-fundamentalists. Pawlenty is kinda like Crist but without those pesky rumors.
5. Sarah Palin
Can her cult of personality carry her through the primaries? Don’t bet on it. The GOP base may love her folksy nitwittery when she’s opposite a Democrat--but when she’s on stage against the Republican heavyweights, they can’t help but notice she’s ridiculously outmatched.
6. Bobby Jindal
He’s a minority! That makes him just as good as Obama, right? Jindal is a successful and popular governor, so he deserves better than for Republican evangelicals to jump on his bandwagon just because of his skin color.
7. Kay Bailey Hutchison
Sarah Palin may inspire Hutchinson to run just so that nutjob isn’t the only example of a Republican woman that America gets to see. It also may get Hutchinson on someone’s VP list.
8. Mike Huckabee
His loyal followers will be enough to keep him in the race a good long time but not enough to make him a serious contender.
9. Bill Frist
If Bill Frist wins the governor’s mansion in 2010, he’ll be eyeing the White House in 2016 immediately. If he wins huge, he may think about capitalizing on that momentum right away. Either to position himself for 2016 or to be on someone’s VP list.
10. Rudy Giuliani
He’ll run to stay relevant. He’s not going to be a factor.
11. Fred Thompson
Thompson may have a big enough ego to let himself get “drafted” again. But the GOP has seen this movie before--and they walked out in the first 15 minutes last time.
We're All Going to Die!
The Bush Administration has agreed to a specific timetable for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq, a move that President Bush previously assured us would lead to the death of countless Americans on American soil.
According to the AP, the deal between the US and Iraq would set: “a timeline for their withdrawal from Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009, and from the country by Jan. 1, 2012.”
So either Bush is a bald-faced liar or he wants you and your children to die.
Possibly both.
According to the AP, the deal between the US and Iraq would set: “a timeline for their withdrawal from Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009, and from the country by Jan. 1, 2012.”
So either Bush is a bald-faced liar or he wants you and your children to die.
Possibly both.
Thank You, Mr. President-Elect
I paid $1.99 for gas this weekend. The Obama presidency is already a success!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Blame Bush
With the State’s tax revenue still swirling around the economic toilet bowl, Governor Phil Bredesen will ask all State departments to develop plans to cut their budgets by 10% or more. That’s up from the 3% cuts he originally requested.
First Mother-in-Law
In a twist straight from a cheesy sitcom, it looks like Barack Obama’s mother-in-law is going to move into the White House with him. I fully expect Martin Lawrence to play both roles in the movie.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Spamity Spam
Noticed a dramatic drop in spam lately? My spam filter was surprisingly light this morning. Maybe this is why. Either way, it’s good news.
Science: Getting into a Transexual's Genes
Potentially exciting news in the scientific study of gender identity: scientists have identified an apparent genetic difference that may contribute to transsexuality among men.
The View from My Window Right Now
This red-tailed hawk steadfastly refused to spread his wings and pose majestically for the camera. Instead he seemed content merely to groom his own tummy.
2010: The Sequel to 2008
Karl Rove boldly declares “History favors Republicans in 2010” in today’s Wall Street Journal. His evidence boils down this: traditionally whoever holds the White House loses seats in Congress and state legislatures during the midterm elections.
This kind of reminds me of the statistical anomaly that the Washington Redskins’ victory or defeat in their last home game before a presidential election has correctly identified the winning candidate in every presidential election but one. Although Rove’s “evidence” is not entirely coincidental like the Redskins thing is, it is dwarfed by far more important factors in any given election year.
First off, a quick look at the Senate seats up in 2010 pretty much assures Democrats of picking up a few more. The House is always more volatile, but it would take an anti-Democratic landslide to make a dent in the current majority. Besides, shifts in the House typically reflect the national opinions of the Parties in general, which still favors Democrats because…
Second, we’re coming off of a president with historically bad job approval (and job performance). If Barack Obama manages not to choke on a pretzel, he looks like a genius by comparison and that will reflect well on the entire Democratic party.
Third, while opinions of specific politicians can shift fast (why you see such quick movement in presidential elections), opinions of political parties in general move much more slowly. Even if the Republicans have reached rock bottom (and there’s no evidence that they have), they still face a long, long climb back to respectability in the eyes of the American people.
Sorry, Karl, I think this is all spin and happy talk to keep your base from getting too depressed.
This kind of reminds me of the statistical anomaly that the Washington Redskins’ victory or defeat in their last home game before a presidential election has correctly identified the winning candidate in every presidential election but one. Although Rove’s “evidence” is not entirely coincidental like the Redskins thing is, it is dwarfed by far more important factors in any given election year.
First off, a quick look at the Senate seats up in 2010 pretty much assures Democrats of picking up a few more. The House is always more volatile, but it would take an anti-Democratic landslide to make a dent in the current majority. Besides, shifts in the House typically reflect the national opinions of the Parties in general, which still favors Democrats because…
Second, we’re coming off of a president with historically bad job approval (and job performance). If Barack Obama manages not to choke on a pretzel, he looks like a genius by comparison and that will reflect well on the entire Democratic party.
Third, while opinions of specific politicians can shift fast (why you see such quick movement in presidential elections), opinions of political parties in general move much more slowly. Even if the Republicans have reached rock bottom (and there’s no evidence that they have), they still face a long, long climb back to respectability in the eyes of the American people.
Sorry, Karl, I think this is all spin and happy talk to keep your base from getting too depressed.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
The Cost of Living
In news that would have been a lot more meaningful before the election, an independent study of President-elect Obama’s healthcare plan finds that it will provide coverage for 2/3 of currently uninsured Americans at a cost of $75 billion--or about one tenth of the bailout. The government will recover about $25 billion of that because it won’t have to cover the hospital costs of those newly insured people anymore.
So that’s a $50 billion bill to the taxpayer in exchange for health insurance for 31 million people.
Of course, it’s an annual cost, not a one-time deal. With healthcare costs rising much faster than inflation or wages, the burden will become increasingly large every year.
I’m all for the Obama plan, but I think it’s important to take an honest look at the numbers. If anyone thinks we can pay for it with the money we’ll save by withdrawing from Iraq, remember that we paid for Iraq with borrowed money--which was stupid--and it’d be stupid to pay for this with borrowed money as well.
In the long term, we can pay for healthcare reforms with the money we currently pay on interest on the national debt, but we’ve got to eliminate the deficit first and start paying down the debt before that money gets freed up. In the meantime, the money must come from somewhere.
No one said Obama’s job was easy.
So that’s a $50 billion bill to the taxpayer in exchange for health insurance for 31 million people.
Of course, it’s an annual cost, not a one-time deal. With healthcare costs rising much faster than inflation or wages, the burden will become increasingly large every year.
I’m all for the Obama plan, but I think it’s important to take an honest look at the numbers. If anyone thinks we can pay for it with the money we’ll save by withdrawing from Iraq, remember that we paid for Iraq with borrowed money--which was stupid--and it’d be stupid to pay for this with borrowed money as well.
In the long term, we can pay for healthcare reforms with the money we currently pay on interest on the national debt, but we’ve got to eliminate the deficit first and start paying down the debt before that money gets freed up. In the meantime, the money must come from somewhere.
No one said Obama’s job was easy.
Eat Your (Local) Veggies
Are you down with the whole “local food” craze? You know, buying food that hasn’t been shipped all over the world before it reaches your plate? The idea is to reduce the carbon footprint of your daily bread.
Reason is not impressed with the hot new trend. The short of it: it’s only environmentally advantageous if you also only eat food that’s in season. Seems it’s worse for the planet to grow food locally in artificial environments than to grow it on the other side of the world and then ship it here.
The article also talks about how little of the US and UK’s carbon footprint is created by food transportation, but I always find that a weak argument because it rests on the idea that if you can’t find a single “silver bullet” solution then you shouldn’t do anything.
Environmental damage is a sum a million small parts, and so is the solution.
UPDATE: Nashville food guru and femme fatale Joy Ramirez has everything you need to know about local foods and eating in season. Check out her blog: Joy of Cooking.
Reason is not impressed with the hot new trend. The short of it: it’s only environmentally advantageous if you also only eat food that’s in season. Seems it’s worse for the planet to grow food locally in artificial environments than to grow it on the other side of the world and then ship it here.
The article also talks about how little of the US and UK’s carbon footprint is created by food transportation, but I always find that a weak argument because it rests on the idea that if you can’t find a single “silver bullet” solution then you shouldn’t do anything.
Environmental damage is a sum a million small parts, and so is the solution.
UPDATE: Nashville food guru and femme fatale Joy Ramirez has everything you need to know about local foods and eating in season. Check out her blog: Joy of Cooking.
The Word You're Looking for Is "Backfire"
Here’s a great example of how the Far Right isolation chamber that I wrote about in the post below is working against the GOP. Anyone remotely in touch with the real world would never have let Liddy Dole run that “Godless” ad against Kay Hagen. The ad gave Hagan a boost of 3,600 new donors and 7 points in the polls.
Isolation and Defeat
I remember back in the day (like a whopping 15 years ago) you could immediate recognize the wackos because the Lefties were screaming “Nazis!” at the Republicans while the Right-wingers were shouting “Marxists!” at the Democrats. These people were immediately brushed off as ranting lunatics.
When did it become mainstream for Republicans to start using those ridiculously hyperbolic terms? I found it deeply concerning 5 years ago, but over the past few years I’ve see the Far Right go from a political movement to a subculture to a self-isolated subculture, which has (as you might expect) resulted in their diminished political influence and electoral success.
The more the Far Right (aka “real Americans”) creates for themselves their own radio stations, news network, newspapers, books, movies, magazines, websites, etc., the less power they’ll have over the electorate. This isolation chamber will also only serve to amplify their own self-righteousness and anger, both of which are counterproductive to winning elections.
I used to fear the communication infrastructure built by the Right, but now it works against them.
When did it become mainstream for Republicans to start using those ridiculously hyperbolic terms? I found it deeply concerning 5 years ago, but over the past few years I’ve see the Far Right go from a political movement to a subculture to a self-isolated subculture, which has (as you might expect) resulted in their diminished political influence and electoral success.
The more the Far Right (aka “real Americans”) creates for themselves their own radio stations, news network, newspapers, books, movies, magazines, websites, etc., the less power they’ll have over the electorate. This isolation chamber will also only serve to amplify their own self-righteousness and anger, both of which are counterproductive to winning elections.
I used to fear the communication infrastructure built by the Right, but now it works against them.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Lame
In Nashville, bars can’t serve alcohol after 3:00 am. So you buy a six pack or two from the convenience store and carry into an “after-hours” club that stays open ‘til six. Looks like the Metro Council may ban alcohol from after-hours clubs.
Is there any evidence linking after-hours clubs to drunk driving arrests and crashes? Who knows, because the Tennessean doesn’t bother to provide that kind of relevant information.
For the record, I’ve never been to an after-hours club and don’t intend to start, alcohol or no. I just don’t like unnecessary laws or the government as nanny. If there’s an actual public health hazard, I’m all for changing the law. Otherwise, get over it.
Maybe the Tennessean will bother to fill in the blanks next time. But I’m not holding my breath.
Is there any evidence linking after-hours clubs to drunk driving arrests and crashes? Who knows, because the Tennessean doesn’t bother to provide that kind of relevant information.
For the record, I’ve never been to an after-hours club and don’t intend to start, alcohol or no. I just don’t like unnecessary laws or the government as nanny. If there’s an actual public health hazard, I’m all for changing the law. Otherwise, get over it.
Maybe the Tennessean will bother to fill in the blanks next time. But I’m not holding my breath.
I Already Miss Poll Numbers
How the heck does a president-elect have a job approval rating?? He’s not in office yet! Rasmussen claims 52% of Americans approve of Barack Obama’s job performance, the same as his popular vote percentage. Thanks for the update. Money well wasted.
The same poll says 38% of Americans expect a tax hike under President Obama. I guess 33% of them will be pleasantly surprised.
(Either that or a crazy percentage will be absolutely convinced Obama hiked their taxes--even if they really got a tax cut. Never underestimate the Republican rabble’s capacity to outright refuse reality.)
The same poll says 38% of Americans expect a tax hike under President Obama. I guess 33% of them will be pleasantly surprised.
(Either that or a crazy percentage will be absolutely convinced Obama hiked their taxes--even if they really got a tax cut. Never underestimate the Republican rabble’s capacity to outright refuse reality.)
What We Have Here Is a Failure to Communicate
Save Us, Fred
Our friend on the Right are agonizing over who should be the next chairman of the Republican Party. Please, please, please let it be Fred Thompson.
Once again, the Republican rabble are clamoring for Thompson to be there savior. Because it worked so well last time? Oh well, if the Republican rabble learned from their mistakes, they wouldn’t be Republicans any more, would they.
I don’t pretend to be a political genius or insider, but I know the difference between a big name and actual talent. When you’re looking for a national party chair, you want someone who passionate, driven, devoted, and experienced at running a major organization, such as a large company, state party, and/or national campaign. Someone willing to do hard work (and I mean a ton of it) behind the scenes. You do not want it to be a lazy-ass senator who ran a half-assed presidential campaign.
So I endorse Fred Thompson wholeheartedly.
Thompson has a well earned reputation for doing the bare minimum at everything. Sure he has a gravelly voice, a bulldog face, and huge name recognition. Which one of those things helps you get the job done as national party chairman? The job is all about fundraising, staffing, strategy, fundraising, polling, fundraising, recruiting, marketing, and more fundraising. Thompson is terrible at all these things.
If anyone can keep the Republican Party in neutral for the next four years, it’s Fred.
The two people I least want to take the job are Mitt Romney and Chip Saltsman. Fortunately, neither passes the Republican rabble’s purity test. Mitt is a flip-flopping Mormon. And Saltsman is tainted by Huckabee. It’s a good thing, too, because these guys know how to run a successful operation. With any luck, the GOP will pass them over for a crowd-pleasing figurehead.
Once again, the Republican rabble are clamoring for Thompson to be there savior. Because it worked so well last time? Oh well, if the Republican rabble learned from their mistakes, they wouldn’t be Republicans any more, would they.
I don’t pretend to be a political genius or insider, but I know the difference between a big name and actual talent. When you’re looking for a national party chair, you want someone who passionate, driven, devoted, and experienced at running a major organization, such as a large company, state party, and/or national campaign. Someone willing to do hard work (and I mean a ton of it) behind the scenes. You do not want it to be a lazy-ass senator who ran a half-assed presidential campaign.
So I endorse Fred Thompson wholeheartedly.
Thompson has a well earned reputation for doing the bare minimum at everything. Sure he has a gravelly voice, a bulldog face, and huge name recognition. Which one of those things helps you get the job done as national party chairman? The job is all about fundraising, staffing, strategy, fundraising, polling, fundraising, recruiting, marketing, and more fundraising. Thompson is terrible at all these things.
If anyone can keep the Republican Party in neutral for the next four years, it’s Fred.
The two people I least want to take the job are Mitt Romney and Chip Saltsman. Fortunately, neither passes the Republican rabble’s purity test. Mitt is a flip-flopping Mormon. And Saltsman is tainted by Huckabee. It’s a good thing, too, because these guys know how to run a successful operation. With any luck, the GOP will pass them over for a crowd-pleasing figurehead.
Blame Bush
It now looks like the State’s tax revenue is going to fall $800 million below projections. Raising the state sales tax should not be an option. We just tripled cigarette taxes last year. Assuming we drain half the State’s rainy day fund, that’s still $425 million we have to cut. Ouch.
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