That Word
Over at The Politico, Anne Schroeder Mullins mentions Chris Matthews chastising a guest for using the now standard GOP “Democrat Party” instead of the actual name of the party “Democratic Party.” I’ve always thought it was interesting that the media seemed so ready to let the GOP get away with that. Nice to see someone push back a little. I always thought we should just start calling them the Old Party.
Welcome Home Bob!
So since I’m on an airplane, this will be posted lot late, but Politico’s Anne Schoeder notes that Bob Ney - shame of the ’06 cycle and the man who made Abramoff a household name is hanging out a CPAC (You know, the conservative babysitters club that passes for grassroots organization and pretty much always usually produces some kind of offensive remark from one of the rockstars of ignorance they seem to think of as standard bearers).
Now I’m not one to advocate by guilt by association - I mean I did work for John Edwards – but lets say it’s better to keep your pariahs pariahs . There’s a lot we’re bad at, but we’re pretty good at that.
A Sorrowful Victory
The Pentagon will lift its ban on photos of those we’ve lost in battle coming home. It’s a victory for free speech, and for the ability of journalists to show us the real cost of war, and the real sacrifices of those who fight our battles for us.
I Am A Statistic
In 1982 I was 8 years old. Every day I walked to school just a few blocks from my home in the small Ohio city I lived in. My dad was a school teacher - having just left the church - his first career. Ronald Reagan was president. We had a computer, but it cost as much as my parents car. That was the last time as many Americans were without work as there are today. I’m out of work. I don’t really count myself amongst those affected by the failings of the Bush economy - but I won’t pretend it’s as easy to find work as it has been in the past. It only took eight years for the insanity of the business and the wealthy first ideology to destroy the American economy - and even as we’re facing the very real effects of that failure, the GOP continues to push for more of the same? It’s absurd. I’m tired of being a statistic. So are 5.2 million other Americans.
How I Spent My One Two Year Vacation … or “Because Shadow Says So…”
Other than that last poorly written post, and a strange one line pop-up attacking Tom Tancredo’s absurdist advertising, it’s been almost two years since my last real post here at IJWFTRI. That’s when I accepted a job on John Edwards’ presidential campaign. It was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down; a chance to work for one of the most talented politicians I’ve ever known, a chance to work for a man who believed in the same thing s I did, and a chance to work with some of the most brilliant and talented minds our country has to offer. I moved to D.C. after Sen. Edwards left the race - which I suppose was the logical and natural progression for someone of my … well I was going to say temperment, but I don’t think that that’s accurate. It’s just a place where a lot of people like me end up. I went to work for the Democratic Party. I’ll sort of gloss over a lot of that … the people there do some really great work, no matter how much many progressives criticize them. They’re hardworking progressives who really wanted a change in our country’s leadership - and they played a much bigger part in making that happen than a lot of people, and in-fact history, will give them credit. Then, it was back to Ohio. Again. It’s my home state. A place I just can’t seem, or maybe don’t want to, escape from. This time it was another congressional. Another tough district. And this time it was a really deserving candidate. She fought a hard race, and she wasn’t afraid to do the right thing. but the district - which is literally used as an example of gerrymandering- worked against her. Sharen Neuhardt - who really would have been the finest Member of Congress that district had seen lost. The district lost something too. The GOP aparatchnik who won has since proved the what a brilliant legislative mind he possesses.And now? I’m home. Back in D.C. Back on the couch. Back trying to decide what fight to fight next, and what I want to do when I grow up. And so far? Maybe this is it.
The Size of Soccer Balls These …
Blago appoints a new IL Senator to replace the anointed one … but who knows if he’ll be seated.
We’re Back
It’s the day before the Ohio and Texas primaries (and oh, yeah, there are a couple others in there too - but you’ll only hear about Ohio and Texas in the press), we still don’t know who the democratic nominee will be, and after what can only be termed an extended hiatus, the robot invasion is back.So … first order of business. Tomorrow. My bet? Nothing changes. Obama takes Texas and Ohio’s a toss up … but either way, the delegate count doesn’t shift enough to pick a real winner. After that? Lawsuits … you can count on them. Unless by some unprecedented miracle, Sen. Clinton sweeps Texas and Ohio, you can expect a slate of lawsuits, maneuverings, and political Hail Marys designed to seat the ghost delegates she earned in Michigan and Florida.Will it work? Who the hell knows. Will it make a mess of everything? Yup. Will it end up being one of the more interesting primaries since the introduction of this weird system? Yup.I guess I’m sort of looking forward to it. Oh, and I’m glad to be back.
Batshit.
Seriously? Tom Tancredo is batshit crazy.
Al Gore - Dark Horse?
Gods, I hope he is not going to run.It is not that I dislike Al Gore; he certainly has done much over the last eight years to dispel the air of woodeness he had about him in the ‘00 election campaign. And I hope he does not run based not on his credentials - which, with a Nobel nomination, and two Oscar nominations are certainly a bit more impressive now.No, I do not want him to run because the Dems are already going schizophrenic trying to decide whom they should back as it is. Senator Clinton has experience and seniority, but she does have “Clinton” baggage; Senator Obama has charisma and a wholesome image, but a sever lack of experience; and Edwards has the mole hill-ish blogger scandal.Wait, was I trying to make the point that Gore should, or should not, run? Oh, right, that he should not run!My reasoning is that despite the various handicaps the front three face, they are all very strong contenders. If Gore were to toss his hat into the ring now, it would cause the Democratic faithful to start waffling even more, and the Dems can ill-afford to splinter even this early in the race.
