One of the manditory activities post-election is determining "what it all means." This game is a lot more fun after your side wins. After Dems lose by 1% votes we are treated to a round of "Dems are too liberal, Dems are wimps, Dems look funny" and that's why they lose and will keep losing. Of course, some people are so attached to this story that they keep telling it ever after we WIN. Here's MyDD catching Washington wise-man Tom Edsal sticking to the "Dems are losers" script ever after the real world has smacked him along side the head. Pretty embarrassing to release a book called Building Red America which argues that the GOP will be in charge forever right before the 2006 election.
Turn around is fair play, so the only safe conclusion to the 2006 elections is that the GOP is stupid, ugly and has moved too far to the right. They must embrace universal health care if they are to have any chance of regaining political power in the United States.
Alas the Republicans will never hear nor heed my advice, because they already have their answer. Jonathan Chait explains the system:
Republicans, on the other hand, pretty much never change. They're like a Terminator machine (and unlike the governor who played the Terminator and who has dramatically recast his ideology). Crush them in a machine press, or freeze them and blow them into tiny pieces, and they'll just regroup and keep lurching forward, cutting taxes for the rich and jacking up defense spending.
Ever wonder why that is? It's because conservatives have an apparatus in place to interpret every election. If Republicans win, it's because they were conservative. If they lose, it's because they weren't. No matter what the facts may be, they will always conclude that the answer is to run further to the right.
Republicans are never going to change, so the only safe path is to just keep them out of power. Forever.
Better keep winning.
Showing posts with label Election 2006. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Election 2006. Show all posts
November 26, 2006
November 9, 2006
How to Avoid a Thumping
Move massively to the left. That is the lesson of the Govenator's 2006 reelection, standing proud and true among the Republican wreckage.
Now some will try and spin Schwarzenegger as moving to the "center" but the truth is after his own "thumping" in the 2005 special election, he has been firmly planted on the left. His chief of staff is now an out lesbian, former chief of staff to Grey Davis. In fact, he pretty much working the exact same ground that Grey Davis did.
He's put in big spending increase for education and campaigned (successfully) for a host of bond measures to massively increase infrastructure spending. He's signed a minimum wage increase and a global warming measure. He's said US troop should come home from Iraq. Sure, he's gotten wormy about finances in order to offer no tax increases, but it’s not like Grey Davis didn't play these exact same games.
So given the fact that policy-wise Schwarzenegger is indistinguishable from a Democrat, why not vote for the global celebrity? Its fun. It’s funny. It only stops being funny when Schwarzenegger actually acts like a Republican. Now he knows better.
The same California voters just elected Jerry "Moonbeam" Brown Attorney General by an even larger margin that Schwarzenegger won. Donkeys won for Lt. Governor, SecState and Treasurer, not to mention kept large margins in both houses of the State Assembly and Senate. The Govenator is a party of one.
The lesson of Schwarzenegger is act like a Democrat, get elected like a Democrat. I seriously doubt that this is a model the GOP can export to the rest of the Country.
Now some will try and spin Schwarzenegger as moving to the "center" but the truth is after his own "thumping" in the 2005 special election, he has been firmly planted on the left. His chief of staff is now an out lesbian, former chief of staff to Grey Davis. In fact, he pretty much working the exact same ground that Grey Davis did.
He's put in big spending increase for education and campaigned (successfully) for a host of bond measures to massively increase infrastructure spending. He's signed a minimum wage increase and a global warming measure. He's said US troop should come home from Iraq. Sure, he's gotten wormy about finances in order to offer no tax increases, but it’s not like Grey Davis didn't play these exact same games.
So given the fact that policy-wise Schwarzenegger is indistinguishable from a Democrat, why not vote for the global celebrity? Its fun. It’s funny. It only stops being funny when Schwarzenegger actually acts like a Republican. Now he knows better.
The same California voters just elected Jerry "Moonbeam" Brown Attorney General by an even larger margin that Schwarzenegger won. Donkeys won for Lt. Governor, SecState and Treasurer, not to mention kept large margins in both houses of the State Assembly and Senate. The Govenator is a party of one.
The lesson of Schwarzenegger is act like a Democrat, get elected like a Democrat. I seriously doubt that this is a model the GOP can export to the rest of the Country.
November 8, 2006
Here Come the Boom!
Yesterday was a great party and W got stuck with the bill.
As of right now the Dems have picked up 28 seats in the House with 13 still too close to call. Boom! Madam Speaker!
We have four Senate seats in the books, and leads in two more. The margins are razor thin (>2,000 votes in Montana and >8,000 in Virgina) and headed for recounts, but if those numbers hold up, we got the Senate as well.
Not a single seat the Donkeys were defending was lost.
We also picked up six Govenorships but Schwarzenegger crusied to reelection. More on that later.
John Doolittle has escaped the forces of light. Charlie Brown came so close (49-46) but the little eel sliped away. My guess is the indictments will catch him before Charlie gets another chance in 2008.
Pompo is gone baby gone! Congratulations Congressman McNerney!
There is just so much good stuff happening on this election map I might lose my mind.
Rick "Man on Dog" Santorum lost 59-41!
Katherine "Florida 2000" Harris lost 60-38.
J.D. "Annoy the Hell out of Craig on Hardball" Hayworth is toast.
South Dakota's abortion ban went down hard.
Good Day. Good Day.
As of right now the Dems have picked up 28 seats in the House with 13 still too close to call. Boom! Madam Speaker!
We have four Senate seats in the books, and leads in two more. The margins are razor thin (>2,000 votes in Montana and >8,000 in Virgina) and headed for recounts, but if those numbers hold up, we got the Senate as well.
Not a single seat the Donkeys were defending was lost.
We also picked up six Govenorships but Schwarzenegger crusied to reelection. More on that later.
John Doolittle has escaped the forces of light. Charlie Brown came so close (49-46) but the little eel sliped away. My guess is the indictments will catch him before Charlie gets another chance in 2008.
Pompo is gone baby gone! Congratulations Congressman McNerney!
There is just so much good stuff happening on this election map I might lose my mind.
Rick "Man on Dog" Santorum lost 59-41!
Katherine "Florida 2000" Harris lost 60-38.
J.D. "Annoy the Hell out of Craig on Hardball" Hayworth is toast.
South Dakota's abortion ban went down hard.
Good Day. Good Day.
November 7, 2006
We got the House
Turns out we can count to 15 after all. Some video from Chris to watch while the rest of the results come in:
Battle On
The first polls are starting to close and the first results are rolling in. Bernie Sanders will be the first Socialist elected to the US Senate, the Dems have won the Govenor's race in Ohio. All the easy races will get called right away. The races that we really care about...will take a little longer.
Refresh...Refresh...Refresh.
You have about two and a half hours left to vote in California. You have about three minutes left if you live in Arkansas.
I'll continue to remained focused like a laser beam on these election resu...oohh look Britney dumpted the lump. Shiny.
Refresh...Refresh...Refresh.
You have about two and a half hours left to vote in California. You have about three minutes left if you live in Arkansas.
I'll continue to remained focused like a laser beam on these election resu...oohh look Britney dumpted the lump. Shiny.
November 6, 2006
Prediction Ceremony
I have spent the day in a sweat-lodge of my own construction, burning pages and pages of news articles and polling results and inhaling the smoke. At the end of the ritual, I drink an entire bottle of cough syrup. The results of Tuesday election have come to me in a vision.
The Democrats will gain 30 seats in the House and take control.
They will gain five seats in the Senate, resulting in a 50-50 tie. The strain from all the close votes and having to serve as a constant tie-breaker will drive Dick Cheney to yet another heart attack.
I can see it clear as day. I am now going to go lie down.
The Democrats will gain 30 seats in the House and take control.
They will gain five seats in the Senate, resulting in a 50-50 tie. The strain from all the close votes and having to serve as a constant tie-breaker will drive Dick Cheney to yet another heart attack.
I can see it clear as day. I am now going to go lie down.
November 2, 2006
October 30, 2006
Its Voting Recommendation Time!
Once again I present a handy guild to California ballot measures. We have 13 of these suckers to deal with, let’s get cracking.
1A through 1E: The bond measure. Lets put on some debt and build some stuff. All that stuff you need. Roads and Levees and Schools. People keep coming to California (it’s our celebrity trials and the complete absence of winter) and they are going to need all this stuff. The Chant recommends Yes.
83: More restrictions on sex offenders. Cause if theirs one thing I know, it’s that sex offenders get it easy. Please. Whenever a politico is feeling unpopular they kick sex offenders. Sex offenders are indefensible so no one ever says boo. And they keep having to come up with more and more restrictions and more and more penalties. Well, sooner or later we will have a ballot measure that mandates we torture to death everyone convicted of a crime with the word “sex” in it. The Chant recommends No.
84: More bonds. Yeah. Water. Water good. Get thirsty without it. Of course too much water means we drowned. But this measure deals with that problem too. There is no problem with the word “water” in it that this Proposition doesn’t fix. The Chant recommends Yes.
85: Parental notification for minors seeking abortions. California just voted this down last year. And yet they keep trying. The Chant recommends No.
86: Tax on cigarettes. Sure, why not? Tax those suckers right out of existence. The Chant recommends Yes.
87: Tax on California oil producers. This is the big one. It dings the oil companies to fund new alternative energy programs. If we are serious about global warming, this is how we deal with it. The Chant recommends Yes.
88: Parcel tax for kindergarten. Think of the children. The Chant recommends Yes.
89: Public finance of campaigns. You want big money out of politics? This is a start. The Chant recommends Yes.
90: Eminent Domain “reform.” This comes out of the Kelo decision, which allowed local jurisdictions to buy property for private economic use. I was pretty uncomfortable with Kelo and would be happy to support a limited restriction on eminent domain. But this law contains hidden measures to make any kind of government regulation a “taking” that property owners would have to be compensated for. Environmental regulations, zoning, just about everything local government does would suddenly become too expensive to do. I hate it when they play games with propositions. This one needs to go down hard. The Chant recommends No.
1A through 1E: The bond measure. Lets put on some debt and build some stuff. All that stuff you need. Roads and Levees and Schools. People keep coming to California (it’s our celebrity trials and the complete absence of winter) and they are going to need all this stuff. The Chant recommends Yes.
83: More restrictions on sex offenders. Cause if theirs one thing I know, it’s that sex offenders get it easy. Please. Whenever a politico is feeling unpopular they kick sex offenders. Sex offenders are indefensible so no one ever says boo. And they keep having to come up with more and more restrictions and more and more penalties. Well, sooner or later we will have a ballot measure that mandates we torture to death everyone convicted of a crime with the word “sex” in it. The Chant recommends No.
84: More bonds. Yeah. Water. Water good. Get thirsty without it. Of course too much water means we drowned. But this measure deals with that problem too. There is no problem with the word “water” in it that this Proposition doesn’t fix. The Chant recommends Yes.
85: Parental notification for minors seeking abortions. California just voted this down last year. And yet they keep trying. The Chant recommends No.
86: Tax on cigarettes. Sure, why not? Tax those suckers right out of existence. The Chant recommends Yes.
87: Tax on California oil producers. This is the big one. It dings the oil companies to fund new alternative energy programs. If we are serious about global warming, this is how we deal with it. The Chant recommends Yes.
88: Parcel tax for kindergarten. Think of the children. The Chant recommends Yes.
89: Public finance of campaigns. You want big money out of politics? This is a start. The Chant recommends Yes.
90: Eminent Domain “reform.” This comes out of the Kelo decision, which allowed local jurisdictions to buy property for private economic use. I was pretty uncomfortable with Kelo and would be happy to support a limited restriction on eminent domain. But this law contains hidden measures to make any kind of government regulation a “taking” that property owners would have to be compensated for. Environmental regulations, zoning, just about everything local government does would suddenly become too expensive to do. I hate it when they play games with propositions. This one needs to go down hard. The Chant recommends No.
October 24, 2006
I'll give you this
Fine, we will have to score one for Larry's grand conspiracy of voter fraud theory:
U.S. Senate candidate James Webb's last name has been cut off on part of the electronic ballot used by voters in Alexandria, Falls Church and Charlottesville because of a computer glitch that also affects other candidates with long names, city officials said yesterday.
This is just stupid. The computer is cutting off the names of candidates. You will look for James Webb on the ballot and not find it. Conspiracy of dunces.
U.S. Senate candidate James Webb's last name has been cut off on part of the electronic ballot used by voters in Alexandria, Falls Church and Charlottesville because of a computer glitch that also affects other candidates with long names, city officials said yesterday.
This is just stupid. The computer is cutting off the names of candidates. You will look for James Webb on the ballot and not find it. Conspiracy of dunces.
October 11, 2006
Fine, Fine
I don't want to encourage this kind of behavior, but the anonymous maniac(dude, at least make up a screen name) who keep posting comments on Jerry McNerney-Richard Pombo race does have a point.
McNerney is a good guy and Richard Pombo is a blight on this earth. If Pombo was any more anti-environment he would bite the heads off of bald eagle chicks.
There is no reason for California, of all places to send a man to Congress whose one mission in life is to destroy the Endangered Species act.
McNernery is closing in the polls and has a real shot. Well played anonymous maniac, well played.
McNerney is a good guy and Richard Pombo is a blight on this earth. If Pombo was any more anti-environment he would bite the heads off of bald eagle chicks.
There is no reason for California, of all places to send a man to Congress whose one mission in life is to destroy the Endangered Species act.
McNernery is closing in the polls and has a real shot. Well played anonymous maniac, well played.
October 2, 2006
Catching Breaks
The forces of light have caught some breaks. First, Bob Woodward has a new book out and its highly critical of the President. Now there have been hightly critical books before, but not Bob Woodward books. In fact, Woodward has written three books about the Bush Presidency and others were so positive that the Bush campaign sold the second book from its campaign web page.
But now the worm has turned. Anything Woodward does has a big impact. Nice for him to be critical for a change.
Break number two is our old friend, the sex scandal. Seems that Congressman Mark Foley (R-Florida) has been e-mailing and IMing underage male Congressional pages some rather explicit messages. This is why I always check ID before sending explicit e-mails. Foley has resigned and checked himself into rehad. For extra icky irony, Foley was the chairman of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children. He may be prosecuted under laws that he wrote himself.
So now the seat is a great pick-up opportunity. The ballots are already printed, so Foley's name stays on the ballot. The GOP can name a replacement, but people will have to vote for the disgracedpedophile creep if they want to vote Republican in that district.
But wait it gets better. It seems that the GOP House leadership knew about Mr Foley activities but did nothing. To try and prevent what is now happening. Coverup always equals a scandal. Who knew what and when.
So now instead of talking about how if the Dems are elected, we are all going to die, the GOP leadership is going to have to answer really embarrassing questions. Big trouble right before an election.
Thus the fate of the Nation turns on the action of a drunken horny Congressman.
But now the worm has turned. Anything Woodward does has a big impact. Nice for him to be critical for a change.
Break number two is our old friend, the sex scandal. Seems that Congressman Mark Foley (R-Florida) has been e-mailing and IMing underage male Congressional pages some rather explicit messages. This is why I always check ID before sending explicit e-mails. Foley has resigned and checked himself into rehad. For extra icky irony, Foley was the chairman of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children. He may be prosecuted under laws that he wrote himself.
So now the seat is a great pick-up opportunity. The ballots are already printed, so Foley's name stays on the ballot. The GOP can name a replacement, but people will have to vote for the disgraced
But wait it gets better. It seems that the GOP House leadership knew about Mr Foley activities but did nothing. To try and prevent what is now happening. Coverup always equals a scandal. Who knew what and when.
So now instead of talking about how if the Dems are elected, we are all going to die, the GOP leadership is going to have to answer really embarrassing questions. Big trouble right before an election.
Thus the fate of the Nation turns on the action of a drunken horny Congressman.
September 24, 2006
Old Friends
A large portion of the Craigorian Chant community wasted a lot of time two years ago poring over poll results at Electoral-Vote.com. Well its back, and this time with all the red hot Senate race action you could want.
Right now they have the Dems picking up five seats, which would leave the Senate in a 50-50 tie.
I would think seriously about voting this November. It just might matter.
Right now they have the Dems picking up five seats, which would leave the Senate in a 50-50 tie.
I would think seriously about voting this November. It just might matter.
September 13, 2006
We Always Hurt the Ones We Don't Mind
Moderate Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island survived a primary challenge last night from a conservative. If the conservative won, the seat would have been an easy pick-up for the Dems. Even with Chafee, Rhode Island is one of the bluest states in the Union and even a Liberalist guy like Chafee will be hard pressed.
The irony is that if you drew up a list of GOP Senators that I want beaten Chafee would rank dead last. He voted against the Iraq War and against Bush's tax cuts. He just played a major role in blocking John Bolton. I would much rather send Trent "I wish segregation was still around" Lott or Ted "The internet is a series of tubes" Stevens packing, but they hail from Mississippi and Alaska, which are very conservative States. In order to gain control of Senate, we need to knock off Chafee. Simple. So sorry Lincoln, even though I really don't mind you too much, you got to go.
The irony is that if you drew up a list of GOP Senators that I want beaten Chafee would rank dead last. He voted against the Iraq War and against Bush's tax cuts. He just played a major role in blocking John Bolton. I would much rather send Trent "I wish segregation was still around" Lott or Ted "The internet is a series of tubes" Stevens packing, but they hail from Mississippi and Alaska, which are very conservative States. In order to gain control of Senate, we need to knock off Chafee. Simple. So sorry Lincoln, even though I really don't mind you too much, you got to go.
June 7, 2006
Results Show
The Results are in! Phil Angelides, powered by a last minute Craigorian Chant endorsement, has pulled out the victory in the Govenor's Race, setting up the classic nerd vrs jock dynamic in the General Election. Garimendi made it in for Lt. Govenor. The people of California ignored my wisdom with regard to Jerry Brown as attorney General. That race should be entertaining, to say the least. Both Props lost, so no preschool or new libraries for the children of California. Oh, and the voters of Amador County are too cheap to pass a vector control agency, so they are all going to die of malaria. Overall, the cheepskates showed up yesterday.
Busby (D) lost in the Duke Congressional race. Doh. It was a wild series of events that made her competitive in the first place. Have to settle for the moral victory there.
Really this is just an opening act. The big Show is coming in November.
Busby (D) lost in the Duke Congressional race. Doh. It was a wild series of events that made her competitive in the first place. Have to settle for the moral victory there.
Really this is just an opening act. The big Show is coming in November.
June 6, 2006
Today is the Day
Get they self to a voting both! Here in Cali and seven other States. Today is also 6/6/06, so I figure there is at least a 1.5% chance that the world is going to end today. Of course there is a 100% chance the date will be taken advantage of by marketers. They are releasing a "pointless" remake of The Omen today. How would they try and sell stuff during the real end of the world? "Drink gatorade to quench those burning flames that are consuming the world." And the evil Ann Coulter is putting a book out on religion and politics. Its called Godless: The Church of Liberalism. She really is evil, you know. Not movie evil, like the creepy little kid in The Omen, but genuine, pure, no feeling for your fellow human beings evil. Talk about mark of the beast
June 4, 2006
Seeking Guidence
Election Day is Tuesday. California Primary Day. As always I offer my polite suggestions. Now with a Primary, most of the action is choosing between members of the same party to determine the final showdown in November. Being who I am, this means choosing among Democrats. Picking in a Republican Primary is just picking which kind of boot you're going to kick me in the knee with.
First, the CA governor race. Phil Angelides and Steve Westly must arm wrestle to see who takes on Arnold. I got to go with Angelides here. The guy knows what he's doing, which is something the State really needs. I think the nerd will do well against Arnold in the end. A case can be made for both guys and I won't be broken up if Westly gets the nomination, but the State needs something other than flash right now. The Chant recommends Angelides.
Next Lt. Governor. A three way race between State Senators Jackie Speier
Liz Figueroa, and Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi. All three solid candidates, which is surprising for a job that consists of waking up every morning and asking "How are you feeling today, Governor?" Should Governor Angelides suffer a tragic pocket protector accident, Garamendi could step right in and take the reigns. Plus he comes with a tasteful Italian last name. The Chant recommends Garamendi.
For Controller we have Joe Dunn and John Chiang. I am going with Joe Dunn because he is a more boring sounding guy for a boring job. The Controller signs the States Checks. The Chant Recommends Dunn.
The AG race is interesting. Do you like your chief law enforcement officers conventional, or kinda crazy? This race pits former Governor and current Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown against LA City attorney Rocky Delgadillo. Brown was "Governor Moonbeam" back in the day and fairly um "eccentric." Day to day you are never sure what he is going to say or do. Delgadillo is more of what you expect in a responsible lawyer type. While I’m temped to just see what Brown is going to come up with, I got to go with the responsible choice. The Chant recommends Delgadillo.
Quick Shout-Outs for Bill Lockyer for Treasurer, Cruz Bustamante for Insurance Commissioner, Debra Bowen for Secretary of State and Jack O'Connell for Superintendent of Public Instruction. Don't ask me why, just go with me here.
Two ballot measures, they are slacking off from last time. Prop 81 is a library bond act. Libraries are how I became so smart, er, smartass. Support Libraries. The Chant recommends Yes.
Prop 82 is preschool for all. Raises taxes on those making above $800,000 per year. Preschool good and I’m nowhere near making that much money. The Chant recommends Yes.
Any questions? No really, any?
First, the CA governor race. Phil Angelides and Steve Westly must arm wrestle to see who takes on Arnold. I got to go with Angelides here. The guy knows what he's doing, which is something the State really needs. I think the nerd will do well against Arnold in the end. A case can be made for both guys and I won't be broken up if Westly gets the nomination, but the State needs something other than flash right now. The Chant recommends Angelides.
Next Lt. Governor. A three way race between State Senators Jackie Speier
Liz Figueroa, and Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi. All three solid candidates, which is surprising for a job that consists of waking up every morning and asking "How are you feeling today, Governor?" Should Governor Angelides suffer a tragic pocket protector accident, Garamendi could step right in and take the reigns. Plus he comes with a tasteful Italian last name. The Chant recommends Garamendi.
For Controller we have Joe Dunn and John Chiang. I am going with Joe Dunn because he is a more boring sounding guy for a boring job. The Controller signs the States Checks. The Chant Recommends Dunn.
The AG race is interesting. Do you like your chief law enforcement officers conventional, or kinda crazy? This race pits former Governor and current Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown against LA City attorney Rocky Delgadillo. Brown was "Governor Moonbeam" back in the day and fairly um "eccentric." Day to day you are never sure what he is going to say or do. Delgadillo is more of what you expect in a responsible lawyer type. While I’m temped to just see what Brown is going to come up with, I got to go with the responsible choice. The Chant recommends Delgadillo.
Quick Shout-Outs for Bill Lockyer for Treasurer, Cruz Bustamante for Insurance Commissioner, Debra Bowen for Secretary of State and Jack O'Connell for Superintendent of Public Instruction. Don't ask me why, just go with me here.
Two ballot measures, they are slacking off from last time. Prop 81 is a library bond act. Libraries are how I became so smart, er, smartass. Support Libraries. The Chant recommends Yes.
Prop 82 is preschool for all. Raises taxes on those making above $800,000 per year. Preschool good and I’m nowhere near making that much money. The Chant recommends Yes.
Any questions? No really, any?
May 10, 2006
Back in High School
It kind of sneaked up on me, but we are now less than a month away from the California Primary, and the Governor’s race is heating up. There is a hotly contested race for the Democratic nomination. There are two guys dueling for the chance to take on the Govinator in the Fall. That would be Phil Angelides and Steve Westly. The three-way dynamics of this race can best be described in terms of High School.
Schwarzenegger is the class jock, the one who gets laid a lot and is wildly popular despite the fact he can't really talk and has not one bit of qualification for the job. But he is sexy and the class loved him. But now he's actually had to govern for a while and government is harder that acting. Not that he can act.
Angelides is the class nerd. He knows what he's talking about. His current job is State Treasurer and he knows numbers and knows the budget and the ins and outs of government. He is also kind of funny looking and not a gifted pol. He is surprising tough for a nerd - kind of like Marty McFly after he discovered that he could punch Biff out. He is also the only candidate offering Spinach on the menu. He says we might have to raise taxes to pay for the government we want in California. Everybody else is offering some form of free lunch.
Westley is the class President. The all-star. You know, the guy who lettered in three sports, got good grades and still had time to start a chapter of Future Business Leaders of America. He's smoother and better-looking than Angelides. He made a fortune with E-Bay and is poring that money into his campaign.
So far the race hasn't featured scorched-earth attack ads. The TV ads, which are the only type of campaign that really matters in California, have been sunshine and fluff. The two did go at it in a debate tonight. My contacts in Angelides's staff dismiss Westley as an empty suit, but right now the suit is winning in the polls. Both sides are trying to attack the other without "really" going negative. Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on the race so you won't have to.
Schwarzenegger is the class jock, the one who gets laid a lot and is wildly popular despite the fact he can't really talk and has not one bit of qualification for the job. But he is sexy and the class loved him. But now he's actually had to govern for a while and government is harder that acting. Not that he can act.
Angelides is the class nerd. He knows what he's talking about. His current job is State Treasurer and he knows numbers and knows the budget and the ins and outs of government. He is also kind of funny looking and not a gifted pol. He is surprising tough for a nerd - kind of like Marty McFly after he discovered that he could punch Biff out. He is also the only candidate offering Spinach on the menu. He says we might have to raise taxes to pay for the government we want in California. Everybody else is offering some form of free lunch.
Westley is the class President. The all-star. You know, the guy who lettered in three sports, got good grades and still had time to start a chapter of Future Business Leaders of America. He's smoother and better-looking than Angelides. He made a fortune with E-Bay and is poring that money into his campaign.
So far the race hasn't featured scorched-earth attack ads. The TV ads, which are the only type of campaign that really matters in California, have been sunshine and fluff. The two did go at it in a debate tonight. My contacts in Angelides's staff dismiss Westley as an empty suit, but right now the suit is winning in the polls. Both sides are trying to attack the other without "really" going negative. Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on the race so you won't have to.
April 10, 2006
Case for Hope
For all those who just can't let go of their pessimism (Larry) or just think that democrat's are helpless babes (Erin) I highly recommend Not as Lame as You Think by Amy Sullivan, which makes a pretty good case that the Donkey are learning to use their teeth. Case in point - Bush's social security privatization program didn't just die on its own. It was murdered:
Most of the press corps expected the debate to be a painful defeat for Democrats. Not only were moderates predicted to jump ship and join with Republicans to support the president's plan, but Social Security-one of the foundational blocks of the New Deal social compact-would be irrevocably changed. But then a funny thing happened. Reid and Pelosi managed to keep the members of their caucuses united in opposition. Day after day they launched coordinated attacks on Bush's "risky" proposal. Without a single Democrat willing to sign on and give a bipartisanship veneer of credibility, the private accounts plan slowly came to be seen by voters for what it was: another piece of GOP flimflam.
As the privatization ship began sinking, Republicans challenged Democrats to develop their own plan, and when none was forthcoming, pundits whacked the minority party for being without ideas. But not putting forth a plan was the plan. It meant that once the bottom fell out on public support for Bush's effort which it did by early summer Democrats couldn't be pressured to work with Republicans to form a compromise proposal. It was a brilliant tactical maneuver that resulted in a defeat at least as decisive as the Republicans' successful effort to kill Clinton's health-care plan.
And now the immigration debate has blown up in the streets for the GOP. Now I have typically been pretty down on the effectiveness of street protests, but the sheer numbers of people who have come out are making everyone take notice.
Most of the press corps expected the debate to be a painful defeat for Democrats. Not only were moderates predicted to jump ship and join with Republicans to support the president's plan, but Social Security-one of the foundational blocks of the New Deal social compact-would be irrevocably changed. But then a funny thing happened. Reid and Pelosi managed to keep the members of their caucuses united in opposition. Day after day they launched coordinated attacks on Bush's "risky" proposal. Without a single Democrat willing to sign on and give a bipartisanship veneer of credibility, the private accounts plan slowly came to be seen by voters for what it was: another piece of GOP flimflam.
As the privatization ship began sinking, Republicans challenged Democrats to develop their own plan, and when none was forthcoming, pundits whacked the minority party for being without ideas. But not putting forth a plan was the plan. It meant that once the bottom fell out on public support for Bush's effort which it did by early summer Democrats couldn't be pressured to work with Republicans to form a compromise proposal. It was a brilliant tactical maneuver that resulted in a defeat at least as decisive as the Republicans' successful effort to kill Clinton's health-care plan.
And now the immigration debate has blown up in the streets for the GOP. Now I have typically been pretty down on the effectiveness of street protests, but the sheer numbers of people who have come out are making everyone take notice.
March 23, 2006
Vote For Something
Nice little Tapped post on the need for young voter moblization efforts to be about more than "civic virtue, particularly when paired, incomprehensibly, with rappers"
You need to appeal to young people's self-interest. The NRA moblizes gun owners basted on the need to own guns, Senior Citizens vote to protect Social Security, so why is it that young people are told that they should vote because "its the right thing to do" by P.Diddy of all people.
No other group gets lecured on why voting is good for the Country. The rest of American gets told why voting is good for them.
You need to appeal to young people's self-interest. The NRA moblizes gun owners basted on the need to own guns, Senior Citizens vote to protect Social Security, so why is it that young people are told that they should vote because "its the right thing to do" by P.Diddy of all people.
No other group gets lecured on why voting is good for the Country. The rest of American gets told why voting is good for them.
June 9, 2005
Porn and politics!
It must be my birthday! Truly a gift:
The annual President's Dinner, a Republican Party fundraising event featuring President Bush, could get an extra dash of spice this year with porn actress and former California gubernatorial candidate Mary Carey planning to attend.
The porn industry and Republicans may seem like strange bedfellows, but Carey said she sees Tuesday night's dinner as a good opportunity to learn more about their policies and do some networking. She plans to run for lieutenant governor of California as an independent next year.
And my favorite line ever:
Carey acknowledges that some people just think of her as a busty blonde who does porn films.
The annual President's Dinner, a Republican Party fundraising event featuring President Bush, could get an extra dash of spice this year with porn actress and former California gubernatorial candidate Mary Carey planning to attend.
The porn industry and Republicans may seem like strange bedfellows, but Carey said she sees Tuesday night's dinner as a good opportunity to learn more about their policies and do some networking. She plans to run for lieutenant governor of California as an independent next year.
And my favorite line ever:
Carey acknowledges that some people just think of her as a busty blonde who does porn films.
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