tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76479982024-03-13T16:01:36.015-07:00Wonky MuseSapere Aude (Dare to Know) --HoraceWonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.comBlogger1057125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-43115716439673702312009-10-30T00:31:00.000-07:002009-10-30T00:34:17.529-07:00Jacked Up On The Positive SauceDubya sure got Stephen Colbert motivated:<br /><br /><center><table style='font:11px arial; color:#333; background-color:#f5f5f5' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='360' height='353'><tbody><tr style='background-color:#e5e5e5' valign='middle'><td style='padding:2px 1px 0px 5px;'><a target='_blank' style='color:#333; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.colbertnation.com'>The Colbert Report</a></td><td style='padding:2px 5px 0px 5px; text-align:right; font-weight:bold;'>Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c</td></tr><tr style='height:14px;' valign='middle'><td style='padding:2px 1px 0px 5px;' colspan='2'><a target='_blank' style='color:#333; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/252746/october-27-2009/george-w--bush-s-motivational-speech'>George W. Bush's Motivational Speech</a></td></tr><tr style='height:14px; background-color:#353535' valign='middle'><td colspan='2' style='padding:2px 5px 0px 5px; width:360px; overflow:hidden; text-align:right'><a target='_blank' style='color:#96deff; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.colbertnation.com/'>www.colbertnation.com</a></td></tr><tr valign='middle'><td style='padding:0px;' colspan='2'><embed style='display:block' src='http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:item:comedycentral.com:252746' width='360' height='301' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' wmode='window' allowFullscreen='true' flashvars='autoPlay=false' allowscriptaccess='always' allownetworking='all' bgcolor='#000000'></embed></td></tr><tr style='height:18px;' valign='middle'><td style='padding:0px;' colspan='2'><table style='margin:0px; text-align:center' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='100%' height='100%'><tr valign='middle'><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/full-episodes'>Colbert Report Full Episodes</a></td><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://www.indecisionforever.com'>Political Humor</a></td><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/252639/october-13-2009/the-word---symbol-minded'>Religion</a></td></tr></table></td></tr></tbody></table></center>Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-81400822892898615732009-10-29T22:14:00.000-07:002009-10-29T22:14:29.377-07:00Grow Up Girlie ManAfter Ahnold the Guhvahnator send his sophomoric <a href="http://www.sfbg.com/blogs/politics/2009/10/arnold_to_sf_fuck_you.html">message on the margin</a> to the California Assembly, the San Francisco Chronicle <a href="http://www.flashreport.org/blog0a.php?postID=2009102917420651&post_offsetP=0&authID=2005081622025042#at">sends him one</a>.Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-89807121249080338432009-10-29T09:58:00.000-07:002009-10-30T02:09:52.750-07:00Honoring Our War Dead<center><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="ep" width="416" height="374"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="movie" value="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&videoId=politics/2009/10/29/obama.dover.casket.cnn"><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"><embed src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&videoId=politics/2009/10/29/obama.dover.casket.cnn" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="transparent" width="416" height="374"></embed></object></center><br />A scene we haven't witnessed for the last eight years: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/us/30obama.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss">the Commander In Chief paying his respects</a> as the bodies of American soldiers killed in war return home:<br /><br /><blockquote>It was the president’s first trip to the Delaware air base, the main point of entry for the nation’s war dead to return home. The trip was a symbolic one for Mr. Obama — intended to convey the gravity of his decision as he moves closer to announcing whether he will send more troops to Afghanistan.<br /><br />The overnight trip was not announced in advance. The president, wearing a dark suit and long overcoat, left the White House at 11:44 p.m. A small contingent of reporters and photographers accompanied Mr. Obama to Dover, where he arrived at 12:34 a.m. aboard Marine One. He returned to the South Lawn of the White House at 4:45 a.m. [...]<br /><br />As the Commander-in-chief stood on the darkened tarmac and saluted, the flag-draped case was unloaded from the cargo plane in what the military calls a “dignified transfer,” as six soldiers in white gloves and camouflage fatigues carried the remains in precision. Mr. Obama and uniformed officers stood at attention as the case was placed in a white mortuary van parked nearby.<br /><br />The transfer of the bodies — a solemn, 15-minute proceeding — took place after Mr. Obama spent nearly two hours meeting privately with several family members in the chapel of the Air Force base.</blockquote>Obama's shrill critics will predictably scream "photo op!", and to them I say it maybe a good idea to pause the histrionics and note that this was all conducted at dawn, with very little advanced notice to the media which was allowed to capture only the last 15 minutes of an event that lasted more than two hours.<br /><br />Besides, we need to be reminded of the consequences of a war that has dragged on for so long. As Obama <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/28/AR2009102804490.html?hpid=topnews">comes</a> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/28/world/asia/28policy.html">closer</a> to a decision on Afghanistan, it's important for him and for us to be reminded often that there is a real human toll behind troop surges and military occupation.<br /><br />I'm glad he's thinking carefully and deliberately about his next step, in stark contrast to Bush/Cheney whose decisions were a foregone conclusion (i.e. more war). As George Will <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/25/george-will-to-cheney-you_n_333036.html">said</a>, "[a] bit of dithering might have been in order before we went into Iraq in pursuit of non-existent weapons of mass destruction... We have much more to fear in this town from hasty than from slow government action."Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-6964708011185828682009-10-28T15:59:00.000-07:002009-10-28T16:10:11.059-07:00Senator Aetna<blockquote>"It's journalistic shorthand to note a politician's party identification and state after his or her name. For example: Jane Doe (D-NY). And so Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman is identified as (I-CT). But the “I” does not stand for "Independent." It stands for "Insurance Industry."</blockquote> -- <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-10-27/traitor-joe/">Paul Begala</a> regarding Joe Lieberman, who threatens to filibuster the health care reform bill even though he <a href="http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/lieberman-proposed-public-option-in-2004-opposes-it-now.php">proposed</a> government-run health care as late as 2004.<br /><br /><span class="technoratitag" style="font-size:85%;">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/democrats" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for democrats">democrats</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/health+care+reform" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for health care reform">health care reform</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/joe+lieberman" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for joe lieberman">joe lieberman</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/paul+begala" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for paul begala">paul begala</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/public+option" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for public option">public option</a></span>Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-40852258411049345392009-10-23T08:18:00.000-07:002009-10-28T16:18:54.355-07:00Public Option: Still On The TableReports of the public option's demise may be <a href="http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2009/10/public-option-its-back.html">exaggerated</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>Democratic sources tell me that Reid – after a series of meetings with Democratic moderates – has concluded he can pass a bill with a public option.<br /><br />[...] Reid is now convinced that Democratic critics of the public option will support him when it counts – on the procedural motion, which requires 60 votes, to defeat a certain GOP-led filibuster of the bill. Once the filibuster is beaten, it only takes 51 votes to pass the bill [...]<br /><br />Another important point: Reid’s version of the public option is different from the more liberal version advocated by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in two key ways: 1) Reid’s version would allow individual states to opt-out of the program, giving public option critics the chance to say that their states retain the right to scrap the idea; and, 2) Under Reid’s plan, the new government insurance program would have to negotiate payment rates with health care providers. Under Pelosi’s, payment rates would be tied to the lower rates paid by Medicare.</blockquote>Even though an aide later <a href="http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/senior-senate-aide-denies-report-reid-is-moving-forward-with-public-option/">denied</a> that Reid concluded he has the votes, he confirms that talks are definitely in the direction of including a public option in the final bill.<br /><br />Meanwhile, ABC's report adds that Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) was apopleptic about this because he courted Sen. Olympia Snowe's (R-ME) for months, to the extent of including her lame ideas to weaken the bill. He even tried to <a href="http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/10/22/will-reid-dare-defy-empress-snowe-on-the-public-option-opt-out/">rally</a> the Blue Dogs against it.<br /><br />As if on cue, Sen. Snowe <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/22/snowe-warns-reid-on-publi_n_330120.html">threatens</a> to withdraw her support and possibly filibuster any bill that contains an immediate public option. She also <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aWoClS8DkNtw">added</a> that Congress shouldn't rush this, that "Christmas might be too soon" and "we should give it the time it deserves". Funny, considering she never demanded more time when voting yes for the Wall Street bailout, the Patriot Act and the Iraq War.<br /><br />We all know that the Democrats don't need Snowe's vote to pass this bill. It's just "bipartisan" cover so the Blue Dogs like Nelson, Lincoln and Landrieu can vote for the bill as well without upsetting the conservatives in their districts too much. The reality is, no matter how much they strip the bill bare, conservatives won't like it, and conservatives won't like <i>them</i>.<br /><br />Hopefully, this sudden surge of courage on Sen. Reid's (D-NV) part means he realizes this, and that pressure from the grassroots convinced him it's more important to please the public -- which is <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/19/AR2009101902451.html">overwhelmingly</a> for the public option, despite what the nutty, screaming fringe in town hall meetings claim -- than Sen. Snowe and AHIP.<br /><br /><span class="technoratitag" style="font-size:85%;">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/baucus" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for baucus">baucus</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/blue+dogs" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for blue dogs">blue dogs</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/democrats" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for democrats">democrats</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/health+care+reform" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for health care reform">health care reform</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/public+option" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for public option">public option</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/reid" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for reid">reid</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/republicans" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for republicans">republicans</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/snowe" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for snowe">snowe</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/news" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for news">news</a></span>Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-33619820992285839032009-10-22T09:57:00.000-07:002009-10-28T16:19:12.940-07:00Competition: As American As Apple PieWho knew the public option is so agile and hot?<br /><br /><center><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bvaJYYeXf70&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bvaJYYeXf70&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></center><br />Hmm, I wonder whom the GOP would pick to portray the death panel. Ben Stein? Fred Thompson?<br /><br /><span class="technoratitag" style="font-size:85%;">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/health+care" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for health care">health care</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/health+care+reform" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for health care reform">health care reform</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/insurance+companies" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for insurance companies">insurance companies</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/public+option" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for public option">public option</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/moveon.org" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for moveon.org">moveon.org</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/video" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for video">video</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/youtube" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for youtube">youtube</a></span>Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-80770183991890925862009-10-22T08:33:00.000-07:002009-10-28T16:19:24.120-07:00ScavengerA slimy oil tycoon <a href="http://in.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idINN2149238420091021">says Iraq owes us</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>T. Boone Pickens told Congress on Wednesday that U.S. energy companies are "entitled" to some of Iraq's crude because of the large number of American troops that lost their lives fighting in the country and the U.S. taxpayer money spent in Iraq.<br /><br />Boone, speaking to the newly formed Congressional Natural Gas Caucus, complained that the Iraqi government has awarded contracts to foreign companies, particularly Chinese firms, to develop Iraq's vast reserves while American companies have mostly been shut out.<br /><br />"They're opening them (oil fields) up to other companies all over the world ... We're entitled to it," Pickens said of Iraq's oil. "Heck, we even lost 5,000 of our people, 65,000 injured and a trillion, five hundred billion dollars."</blockquote><i>Entitled? U.S. energy companies are entitled?</i><br /><br />So Pickens thinks that our young men and women spilled blood in an unjustified war that devastated a country and killed hundreds of thousands more of its people so vultures like him can pick on the remains.<br /><br />To say that's disgusting isn't disgusting enough.<br /><br /><span class="technoratitag" style="font-size:85%;">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/congress" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for congress">congress</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/iraq" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for iraq">iraq</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/iraqi+oil" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for iraqi oil">iraqi oil</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/natural+gas+caucus" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for natural gas caucus">natural gas caucus</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/news" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for news">news</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/oil" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for oil">oil</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/t.+boone+pickens" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for t. boone pickens">t. boone pickens</a></span>Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-33955490463426062432009-10-22T07:00:00.000-07:002009-10-28T16:19:52.548-07:00Iran Ready to Deal?<a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iran-nuclear22-2009oct22,0,2676789.story">Could it be?</a><br /><br /><blockquote>The head of the world's atomic energy watchdog said Iran and world powers have until Friday to approve a proposed deal to transfer most of Iran's nuclear material abroad to be reformatted for medical purposes.<br /><br />International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei disclosed no details about the draft deal, hammered out over 2 1/2 days of talks between Iranian, American, French and Russian diplomats in Vienna.<br /><br />But he said that it reflected a "balanced approach" that would help Iran fuel a medical research reactor for diagnosing and treating cancer while building confidence to resolve long-standing suspicions about the nature of Tehran's nuclear ambitions [...]<br /><br />Iran said it would take the proposal back to Tehran for consideration.</blockquote>You mean negotiation and diplomacy can triumph over militarism and threats? Well, waddaya know.<br /><br />Michael Adler at the <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-10-21/irans-big-test/">Daily Beast</a> has more on what went down.<br /><br />As Dylan Matthews at <a href="http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/tapped_archive?month=10&year=2009&base_name=steppin_stone">Tapped</a> pointed out, it's not as comprehensive a deal as the one hammered with North Korea and details like who will cover the shipment expenses can be tricky.<br /><br />However, I agree with <a href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/laurarozen/1009/ElBaradei_Iran_ready_to_accept_uranium_transfer_deal.html">Laura Rozen</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>If implemented, such a plan would conceivably put several months back on the clock to try to resolve international concerns about Iran's nuclear program. The deal seemingly offers Iran the appearance of de facto international recognition of its enrichment program, if not acceptance. It also gives Iran and world powers a chance to see if the other comes through on their side of the deal.</blockquote><span class="technoratitag" style="font-size:85%;">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/elbaradei" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for elbaradei">elbaradei</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/diplomacy" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for diplomacy">diplomacy</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/iaea" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for iaea">iaea</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/iran" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for iran">iran</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/obama" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for obama">obama</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/uranium" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for uranium">uranium</a></span>Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-78219795883045955012009-10-21T16:41:00.000-07:002009-10-28T16:20:00.878-07:00Full CircleRemember that <a href="http://tinyurl.com/yk8qf4e">Bush shoe thrower</a>?<br /><br /><blockquote>The Iraqi journalist who hurled his shoes at President George W. Bush leaned back in his chair and soaked in the round of applause.<br /><br />This was not Baghdad or Damascus or Beirut. This was Geneva, where Muntadhar al-Zeidi was given a hero's welcome Monday far warmer than the subdued reception in his own homeland.<br /><br />"I am one of the victims of the occupation," al-Zeidi said at a press conference alongside two local politicians, repeating his allegations that he was severely tortured, including with electric shocks, during his nine months of Iraqi detention.</blockquote>I don't approve of what he did but I sure understand. If some uninvited foreign leader thrashed your country and turned it into one big catastrofrak you'd be hella mad, too.<br /><br />Al-Zeidi clarified that it was Iraqis, not Americans, who tortured him in detention. He also declined gifts from wealthy Arabs until he's set up a foundation to help his people.<br /><br />Meanwhile, <a href="http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/bush-headlining-motivational-mega-show-with-inspirational-firepower.php">what's the "throwee" been up to</a>?<br /><br /><blockquote>Former President George W. Bush has got a whole new gang. Goodbye, Condi, Cheney and Rumsfeld. Hello, Terry Bradshaw, Zig Ziglar and Rudy Giuliani.<br /><br />Bradshaw, Ziglar and Giuliani are among the other featured speakers at an Oct. 26 "Get Motivated!" business seminar in Fort Worth, TX, where the former president will be the "special guest speaker." That won't be Bush's only Get Motivated appearance. See the full image promoting his Dec. 2 seminar here.<br /><br />The all-day event next week will be held at the Fort Worth Convention Center Arena. Tickets are apparently $19. That's not per person -- that's per office.</blockquote>So the former leader of the free world now shills for motivational mega shows. And they're charging $19?! <span style="font-style: italic;">They</span> should pay for wasting people's time. I mean, exactly how is Bush going to motivate people? By talking about how he successfully saddled the country with two wars and a collapsing economy?<br /><br />Add to that how distasteful it is that the first thing this man did after leaving office was to lend his name and the stature of his position not to any humanitarian or philanthropic cause but to making some easy cash. Wingnuts didn't waste much time criticizing Obama for using his clout in bidding for the Olympics, so what do they have to say about this?<br /><br />Rachel Maddow is on the case:<br /><br /><center><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DPlsTwItim4&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DPlsTwItim4&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></center><br />Stay the class act that you are, Dubya.<br /><br /><span class="technoratitag" style="font-size:85%;">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/al-zeidi" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for al-zeidi">al-zeidi</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/bush" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for bush">bush</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/bush+shoe+thrower" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for bush shoe thrower">bush shoe thrower</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/iraq" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for iraq">iraq</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/news" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for news">news</a></span>Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-91176816422146146212009-10-21T16:30:00.000-07:002009-10-21T16:34:49.119-07:00Toolbag of the DayDubya's former Press Secretary <a href="http://tinyurl.com/yzcojgu">Dana Perino</a>, who again proves <a href="http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/IOKIYAR">IOKIYAR</a>.<br /><br /><span class="technoratitag">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/dana+perino" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for dana perino">dana perino</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/fox+news" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for fox news">fox news</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/GOP" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for GOP">GOP</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/republicans" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for republicans">republicans</a></span>Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-44495314145561066252009-10-21T16:11:00.000-07:002009-10-28T16:20:07.241-07:00Today's GOP: We've Got a Rep For ThatTime to clear the cobwebs around here.<br /><br /><center><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/e_IAN081P8I&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/e_IAN081P8I&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></center><br /><span class="technoratitag" style="font-size:85%;">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/GOP" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for GOP">GOP</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/republican+party" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for republican party">republican party</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/republicans" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for republicans">republicans</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/video" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for video">video</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/youtube" target="_blank" rel="tag" title="Link to Technorati Tag category for youtube">youtube</a></span>Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-35817741933126866872009-01-31T01:57:00.000-08:002009-01-31T02:18:04.127-08:00"The Bush Diplomatic Hall of Glory"<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/29/AR2009012904071.html">What "diplomatic glory"?</a><br /><br /><blockquote>The smell of fresh paint wafting last week through the hall heading to the State Department cafeteria signaled the demise of the Bush Diplomatic Hall of Glory -- that series of lovely photographs that touted the 43rd president's world leadership and diplomatic victories.<br /><br />Loop Fans will recall that the exhibit of about 20 large color photos caused a bit of a stir back in 2003 when it replaced the long-standing array of black-and-white shots of historic moments. That included an original political cartoon from the Jefferson era and Woodrow Wilson at Versailles and Roosevelt and Churchill signing the Atlantic Charter and so forth.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The George W. Bush exhibit, the old-timers complained, was hardly more than a family travel album, showing him and Laura Bush traveling about the world, hanging out with foreigners, not exactly making history.</span> There were also a few pics of the secretary of state, first Colin L. Powell and then Condoleezza Rice, usually with the president in the picture.</blockquote>Word.<br /><br />But wait a minute, does the photo exhibit include this leadership victory in China?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_aCfhHDh5bgU/SYQi0S5jmTI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/1_Mh_cCkFAY/s1600-h/bushchina.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 305px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_aCfhHDh5bgU/SYQi0S5jmTI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/1_Mh_cCkFAY/s400/bushchina.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297397343516334386" border="0" /></a><br />How about this diplomatic victory in Iraq?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_aCfhHDh5bgU/SYQj4ynAwYI/AAAAAAAAAKE/HLeKxu3Wcz8/s1600-h/bushshoe.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_aCfhHDh5bgU/SYQj4ynAwYI/AAAAAAAAAKE/HLeKxu3Wcz8/s400/bushshoe.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297398520259592578" border="0" /></a><br />It wasn't a complete "hall of glory" without these moments of victory, no?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Photos: The Sydney Morning Herald, Washington Times</span>Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-21936556995639121142009-01-31T00:04:00.000-08:002009-01-31T02:59:45.748-08:00Republican Gregg for Commerce?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_aCfhHDh5bgU/SYQmEqXivxI/AAAAAAAAAKM/s-o-0KDrLcE/s1600-h/gregg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_aCfhHDh5bgU/SYQmEqXivxI/AAAAAAAAAKM/s-o-0KDrLcE/s200/gregg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297400923228913426" border="0" /></a>The White House <a href="http://thepage.time.com/2009/01/30/gregg-confirms-hes-being-considered/">remains mum</a>, but if <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/us/politics/30gregg.html?partner=rss&emc=rss">Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH)</a> accepts the nomination for Commerce Secretary, New Hampshire Governor John Lynch could give the Democrats a 60 seat-strong majority in the Senate by appointing a fellow Democrat to replace Gregg.<br /><br />Gregg will be under pressure from the GOP to say no, although given his age, 16 years in the Senate and a possible tough fight for re-election in 2010, he might say yes. The possibility becomes more likely if we consider that Gregg <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/01/31/nh_senator_emerging_as_key_gop_ally_of_obama/">praised</a> Obama publicly and that among Republicans he was second only to Olympia Snowe in <a href="http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/01/fili-buster-watch.html">voting with</a> the Obama Administration.<br /><br />Politico <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/18211.html">reports</a> the GOP may demand that Governor Lynch appoint another Republican to replace Gregg before they agree to let him go, but that's not their call now, is it? If Gregg thinks his re-election prospects in 2010 are dim or if he's just more interested in serving in Obama's cabinet rather than retaining his Senate seat, then the Democrats don't have to concede a thing to get both him and their filibuster-proof majority.Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-19073098773171864272009-01-30T03:28:00.000-08:002009-01-30T12:57:11.641-08:00Obama Signs Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act<center><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vsl6za1Zspw&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vsl6za1Zspw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></center><br /><br />[Transcript of the President's remarks <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2009/01/29/obama-sign-ledbetter/">here</a>.]<br /><br />For his first piece of major legislation, President Obama <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/obama">signs into law</a> an Act that corrects a gross miscarriage of justice:<br /><br /><blockquote>The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act effectively nullifies a 2007 Supreme Court decision that denied Ledbetter an opportunity for redress.<br /><br />Ledbetter, 70, has said she did not learn about the sizable discrepancy in pay between her and her male co-workers until near the end of her 19-year career at a Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. plant in Gadsden, Ala. She sued, but the high court said in a 5-4 decision that she missed her chance to bring the action.<br /><br />The court said a person must file a discrimination claim within 180 days of a company's initial decision to pay a worker less than another doing the same job.<br /><br />Under the new law, each new discriminatory paycheck would extend the statute of limitations for an additional 180 days. That was the interpretation before the Supreme Court was asked to step in.</blockquote>Since her case can't be retried, Lilly Ledbetter will not receive a single cent more because of this new law, but thanks <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/29/opinion/29collins.html?partner=rss&emc=rss">to her and all the other women before her</a> who fought for what's right, those of us who come after won't have to suffer the indignity and gross unfairness of less pay for being a woman.<br /><br />Incidentally, the Bush White House and the Republicans blocked this bill in the last session of Congress. True to form, they were against what is essentially <span style="font-style: italic;">a law for equality and fairness </span>because all lawsuits by employees against employers is baaad, didn't ya know. Lest we forget, McCain and Palin also campaigned against it, being the true party <s>mavericks</s> sidekicks that they are. This time, only <span style="font-style: italic;">five</span> Republicans, including the only four female Republican Senators, voted for this bill. Color me not surprised.<br /><br />Next stop: the much broader <a href="http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/01/as-one-pay-equity-bill-becomes-law-another-languishes.php">Paycheck Fairness Act</a>. Perhaps the current Grand Obstructionist Party will surprise me this time? Not freakin' likely.Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-48493292934249615852009-01-28T23:49:00.000-08:002009-01-30T02:39:25.219-08:00Blagojevich Out<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/us/30illinois.html?partner=rss&emc=rss">Impeached and barred from political office in Illinois</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>The vote, 59 to 0, ended nearly two months of political spectacle in which Mr. Blagojevich, a second-term Democrat who rose from the ranks of Chicago ward politics on the strength of his charisma and the connections of his wife’s family, sought to salvage his career and reputation.<br /><br />The conviction followed a four-day trial, Mr. Blagojevich’s dramatic address of some 45 minutes to the senators Thursday in which he declared his innocence, and then about two hours of deliberation.<br /><br />After the first vote, the Senate held a second, deciding again by 59 to 0 to bar Mr. Blagojevich from ever holding public office again in Illinois.</blockquote>Lt. Governor Pat Quinn was sworn in as the new Governor an hour later.<br /><br />I caught Blagojevich on Rachel Maddow's show, part of the media blitz he chose to do instead of attending his three-day impeachment trial, and the arrogant defiance was cringe-worthy. He insisted that everything he did, he did out of love for the people of Illinois. He also insisted the hearings were rigged because he can't call in witnesses to prove he didn't do anything illegal, even though an impeachment hearing isn't like a criminal trial and the State Legislature only need prove his actions were unethical.<br /><br />The same arrogant defiance showed up in his 45-minute final plea to the State Senate (<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/29/AR2009012902750.html">transcript</a>) when he insisted he did "a lot of things that were mostly right" and that <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/18190.html">he did it all</a> for the children. And the vulnerable senior citizens. Ugh.<br /><br />It shouldn't have taken the Illinois Senate two months to get this joker impeached, but I'm glad it's over; President Obama <a href="http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/29/obama-weighs-in-on-blagojevich/">feels</a> the same way, it looks like.<br /><br />Of course, there's still his possible criminal prosecution, but at least Blagojevich can no longer use the bully pulpit of his governorship to save his hide.Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-28055319667332908222009-01-20T18:05:00.000-08:002009-01-21T01:33:47.552-08:00Final SendoffBush booed at the Inaugural:<br /><br /><center><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CLDzJHdxWAc&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CLDzJHdxWAc&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></center><br />The commentators loudly tsk tsked, though only a decided minority of the nearly 2 million-strong crowd expressed their understandable displeasure and disapproval. Well, at least no one threw shoes.<br /><br />I'm just as disgusted with what this man did to our country and our Constitution, but I wouldn't have bothered. This day is not about him. There's a time for accountability, but today is ours.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the foreign press took their <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090119/ts_nm/us_bush_world_editorials_5">final swipe</a> at Dubya:<br /><br /><blockquote>"A weak leader, Bush was just overwhelmed in the job," said Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung under a headline: "The Failure." "He confused stubbornness with principles. America has become intolerant and it will take a long time to repair that damage..."<br /><br />"Goodbye to the worst president ever," [Canada's Toronto Star] declared. "Bush was an unmitigated disaster, failing on the big issues from the invasion of Iraq to global warming, Hurricane Katrina and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression..."<br /><br />The Scottish Daily Record observed: "America is now hated in many parts of the world. Bush leaves a legacy of wars and the world economy in meltdown. He has been dismissed as a buffoon and a war-monger, a man who made the world a more dangerous place while sending it to the brink of economic collapse..."</blockquote>The British Daily Mail and French Le Monde gave him credit for no terrorist attacks since 9/11, but that's like crediting the crowing of the rooster for the sun rising at dawn. Besides, how about the anthrax attacks? Hello? Yet Bush defenders and apologists will always insist on this fantasy, because in their own make believe world <a href="http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2009/01/19/he-never-fails-even-when-does/">he never fails, even when he does</a>.Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-23460576672241405292009-01-20T17:47:00.000-08:002009-01-20T17:52:15.277-08:00A Truth Self-Evident<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/49556639@N00/3214417086/" title="toles by wonkymuse, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3321/3214417086_53e92ba218_o.gif" alt="toles" width="520" border="0" height="446" /></a></center><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Cartoon by Tom Toles via the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinions/cartoonsandvideos/toles_main.html?name=Toles&date=11052008">Washington Post</a>.</span>Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-16868643071873651092009-01-20T03:30:00.000-08:002009-01-20T04:45:15.700-08:00It's Inauguration Day!You can watch MSNBC's live streaming coverage here:<br /><br /><center><div><iframe src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/22887506#22887506" scrolling="no" width="425" frameborder="0" height="339"></iframe><style type="text/css">.msnbcLinks {font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 425px;} .msnbcLinks a {text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px;} .msnbcLinks a:link, .msnbcLinks a:visited {color: #5799db !important;} .msnbcLinks a:hover, .msnbcLinks a:active {color:#CC0000 !important;} </style><p class="msnbcLinks">Visit msnbc.com for <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/">Breaking News</a>, <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032507">World News</a>, and <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032072">News about the Economy</a></p></div></center>MSNBC is also <a href="http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/01/15/inauguration-to-be-shown-live-at-theaters-starbucks-thanks-to-msnbc/">hosting</a> live screenings at select movie theatres and Starbucks locations across the country.<br /><br />Of course, all the major networks and news channels will carry live coverage during the day. Online livestreams will also be available at <a href="http://www.c-span.org/">C-Span</a>, <a href="http://www.hulu.com/">Hulu</a>, <a href="http://current.com/topics/88852690/inauguration/new/0.htm">Current TV</a> (which will also Twitterstream its coverage), <a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/barack-obama-inauguration-day-live">Ustream.tv</a> (with live chat) and <a href="http://www.joost.com/Obama_Inauguration_Live">Joost</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/19/obamas-inauguration-video_n_159166.html">The Huffington Post</a> will liveblog the event, and <a href="http://search.twitter.com/">Twitter</a> (just click on search word "Inauguration") is a great source of real time reax from people who are experiencing the historic occasion in person. Other great sources are the <a href="http://www.inaugurationreport.com/">NPR Inauguration Report</a> which will collect dispatches from several platforms (Twitter, Flickr, Youtube and text messages) and <a href="http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2009/44.president/inauguration/themoment/">CNN/Microsoft Photosynth</a> which will transform spectators' uploaded photos into 3D images.<br /><br />Here's the official schedule of events (via <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/President44/story?id=6655200&page=1">ABC News</a>):<br /><ol><li>8:45 a.m. ET: Obamas attend a private service at St. John's Episcopal Church.<br /><br /></li><li>10:00 a.m. ET: Obama meets with President Bush at the White House for coffee, together they travel to the Capitol for inauguration ceremony.<br /><br /></li><li>11:30 a.m. ET: Official inaugural ceremony begins.<br /><br /></li><li>12:00 p.m. ET: Obama is sworn in as president and delivers inaugural address.<br /><br /></li><li>1:00 p.m. ET: President Obama and Vice President Biden attend luncheon at the Capitol.<br /><br /></li><li>1:30 p.m. ET: President Bush Depart Washington DC.<br /><br /></li><li>2:30 p.m. ET: Inaugural parade begins, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama join inaugural motorcade.<br /><br /></li><li>8:00 p.m. ET: Neighborhood Ball at the Convention Center (first of ten official balls), featuring the POTUS and First Lady's first dance of the evening and the POTUS' first inaugural ball speech (will be covered exclusively by ABC News).</li></ol>More information are available at the <a href="http://inaugural.senate.gov/index.cfm">Joint Congressional Committees on Inaugural Ceremonies</a> as well as at the <a href="http://www.pic2009.org/content/home/">Presidential Inaugural Committee</a> web sites.<br /><br />The theme of the Inauguration is "A New Birth of Freedom" in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln's birth. This theme is incorporated into the Inaugural Program, <a href="http://inaugural.senate.gov/documents/doc-2009-recipes.pdf">Luncheon menu</a> (pdf) and <a href="http://inaugural.senate.gov/luncheon/painting.cfm">decor</a>. Of course Obama will carry this one step further by being sworn in on Lincoln's Bible.<br /><br />Lastly, here's a fun video showing 23 facts about the Inauguration:<br /><center><object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1hvXMuzCimk&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1hvXMuzCimk&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object></center><br />Let the celebrations begin!Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-19220899770005729232009-01-19T10:28:00.000-08:002009-01-19T10:28:00.524-08:00Pre-Inaugural Concert At Lincoln MemorialHighlights of the <span style="font-style: italic;">We Are One</span> Concert that kicked off this historic Inauguration Week:<br /><br /><center><div><iframe src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/28721505#28721505" scrolling="no" width="425" frameborder="0" height="339"></iframe><style type="text/css">.msnbcLinks {font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 425px;} .msnbcLinks a {text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px;} .msnbcLinks a:link, .msnbcLinks a:visited {color: #5799db !important;} .msnbcLinks a:hover, .msnbcLinks a:active {color:#CC0000 !important;} </style><p class="msnbcLinks">Visit msnbc.com for <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/">Breaking News</a>, <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032507">World News</a>, and <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032072">News about the Economy</a></p></div></center>The near-freezing temperature didn't stop the enthusiastic crowd estimated at 400,000 which stretched from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument.<br /><br />Big names from the worlds of music and movies performed: Bruce Springsteen, U2, Stevie Wonder, Beyonce, Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington just to name a few.<br /><br />It was a rockin' good time; the crowd jumped and did the wave to Garth Brooks singing <span style="font-style: italic;">Shout </span>while the Obamas were on their feet singing along with Stevie Wonder, Usher and Shakira to <span style="font-style: italic;">Higher Ground</span>. All the performances were great, but I especially liked Renee Fleming's rendition of <span style="font-style: italic;">You'll Never Walk Alone</span> with the U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club and for sheer significance, Bruce Springsteen singing Woody Guthrie's <span style="font-style: italic;">This Land is Your Land </span>with folk legend Pete Seeger. Yes wingnuts, we're taking our country back. Get used to it.<br /><br />At the same time, there was the pomp and circumstance of flags and military colors and choirs and the grandeur of the setting itself: the imposing statue of the sitting Lincoln in the background, the same setting in which Martin Luther King, Jr., whose memory we are honoring today, gave his "I Have A Dream" speech.<br /><br />As usual, the Obamas and Bidens looked great and were positively beaming. I thought Michelle Obama's black and tan suit and coat ensemble looked elegant and becoming.<br /><br />The full concert was covered on HBO -- which authorized its service providers to show it to their viewers for free -- and will probably be replayed the rest of the week. You can also watch the entire event online for free <a href="http://www.hbo.com/weareone/">here</a>. USA Today also liveblogged the event <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2009/01/61550884/1">here</a>.Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-34395556717954294932009-01-19T07:38:00.000-08:002009-01-19T07:38:04.765-08:00He Had A DreamOur work is not done, but tomorrow's historic Inauguration is an important milestone, and shows the whole world why we <span style="font-style:italic;">are</span> the United States of America.<br /><br />I'd like to think the MLK, Jr. will be looking on, smiling and bursting with pride.<br /><br /><center><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PbUtL_0vAJk&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PbUtL_0vAJk&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></center>Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-53308886798157261722008-11-10T17:34:00.000-08:002008-11-11T15:34:30.325-08:00Worst. President. Ever.<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/10/bush.transition.poll/">The people have spoken</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>Only 16 percent of those questioned in a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Monday say things are going well in the country today. That's an all-time low. Eighty-three percent say things are going badly, which is an all-time high...<br /><br />The all-time low on the public's mood may have something to do with the poll's finding that President Bush is the most unpopular president since approval ratings were first sought more than six decades ago. Seventy-six percent of those questioned in the poll disapprove of how he is handling his job.<br /><br />That's an all-time high in CNN polling and in Gallup polling dating back to World War II.<br /><br />"No other president's disapproval rating has gone higher than 70 percent. Bush has managed to do that three times so far this year," Holland said. "<span style="font-weight: bold;">That means that Bush is now more unpopular than Richard Nixon was when he resigned from office during Watergate with a 66 percent disapproval rating.</span>"</blockquote>Meanwhile, the same poll shows Obama has majority support of the electorate:<br /><br /><blockquote>So far, Obama seems to be meeting the public's high expectations. Two-thirds of all Americans have a positive view of what he has done since he was elected president, and three-quarters think he will do a good job as president.<br /><br />"Obama has the support of virtually every African-American in the poll, but he also gets high marks from a solid majority of whites," Holland said.</blockquote><a href="http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2008/11/gallup-68-favor.html">Gallup</a> shows he has a 68% approval rating, which interestingly is the mirror <span style="font-style: italic;">opposite</span> of Bush's disapproval ratings.<br /><br />I'm with <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/06/david-letterman-mocks-mcc_n_141913.html">David Letterman</a> on this:<br /><br /><blockquote>"I think I speak for most Americans when I say, anybody mind if he [Obama] starts a little early? Would that be a problem?"</blockquote>Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-16285831707974561252008-11-10T16:45:00.000-08:002008-11-11T12:15:22.095-08:00Howard Dean Steps Down As DNC ChairThe Huffington Post <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/10/dean-prepares-to-step-dow_n_142614.html">reports</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>After four years at the helm of the Democratic National Committee, Howard Dean is preparing to relinquish his chairmanship.<br /><br />Dean, who has been serving in the post since 2005, has said in the past that he would serve only one term, though his successful work with the Obama campaign had led some Democrats to wonder whether he would stay on into the next administration. This won't be the case, officials at the DNC confirm. He will serve as chair until his term ends in January. The party will settle on a new head when it hosts a meeting during the week of Obama's inauguration.</blockquote>Howard Dean was a netroots candidate and favorite in 2004, and his <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/23/democrats2008.uselections2008">50-state strategy</a> deserves major credit for the party's congressional wins in 2006 and last week's presidential landslide win in which red states like Indiana, North Carolina, Indiana and the seat of the confederacy itself, Virginia, turned Democratic Blue.<br /><br />Does Dean's departure signal the end of the 50-state strategy? Chris Bowers <a href="http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=9854">thinks so</a>, given that the paid, locally-based organizers who formed its core have been fired.<br /><br />I tend to disagree, simply because there's no reason to abandon it. The strategy was a resounding success and in perfect sync with Obama's own campaign strategy of going on the offensive instead of accepting the traditional delineation of "red states" and "blue states". Besides, why stop now? The Dems came close to turning even more states like Georgia, Nebraska, Montana and Arizona blue; with the changing demographics that increasingly favor the party, they could turn in a few more election cycles. Heck, even <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-assess9-2008nov09,0,2879069.story"><span style="font-style: italic;">Texas</span></a> is ripe for the picking.<br /><br />Also, I see the firings as <span style="font-style: italic;">pro forma</span>, the same way that a previous president's administration all have to tender their resignation when a new president assumes office. There's nothing to stop Obama and his aides to re-hire the same people or at the very least, deploy the same strategy and continue finetuning it.<br /><br />As for Dean's replacement, Senator Clair McCaskill (D-MO) and Obama's Deputy Campaign Manager Steve Hildebrand's names come up as co-chairs of the DNC going forward.<br /><br />No word yet on Dean's future plans. One thing is sure, though: because of the groundwork he laid, the Democratic Party is strong and its future bright.Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-19340590049311308202008-11-10T15:10:00.000-08:002008-11-15T02:47:19.945-08:00New World Order<center><div><iframe src="http://www.236.com/ovembed.php?vid=MTg5Njc4Njg1Mw==" width="425" height="370" noresize="noresize" frameborder="0" border="0" cellspacing="0" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" style="border:0px;overflow: hidden;"></iframe><div style="padding: 0px 5px 5px 5px; width: 410px; text-align: center; font-size: 0.8em;">Get the latest news <a href="http://www.236.com/">satire</a> and <a href="http://www.236.com/video/">funny videos</a> at <a href="http://www.236.com">236.com</a>.</div></div></center><br />Yes, he's gonna come and swoop down from a big, black helicopter to get <span style="font-style: italic;">you</span>, <a href="http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iRxZox4GFoIweckPDP1oRhKBlHOwD94CCDU00">Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA)</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>"It may sound a bit crazy and off base, but the thing is, he's the one who proposed this national security force," Rep. Paul Broun said of Obama in an interview Monday with The Associated Press. "I'm just trying to bring attention to the fact that we may — may not, I hope not — but we may have a problem with that type of philosophy of radical socialism or Marxism." ...<br /><br />"That's exactly what Hitler did in Nazi Germany and it's exactly what the Soviet Union did," Broun said. "When he's proposing to have a national security force that's answering to him, that is as strong as the U.S. military, he's showing me signs of being Marxist."<br /><br />Obama's comments about a national security force came during a speech in Colorado about building a new civil service corps. Among other things, he called for expanding the nation's foreign service and doubling the size of the Peace Corps "to renew our diplomacy."</blockquote>Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-81016059553649738212008-11-05T00:09:00.001-08:002008-11-05T00:09:18.596-08:00<center><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" >PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA!!!</span></center><br /><center><iframe src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/27546437#27546437" frameborder="0" height="339" scrolling="no" width="425"></iframe></center><br />* All the networks just called it for Barack Hussein Obama, the next President of the United States.<br /><br />* Fox News showed Jesse Jackson quietly crying.<br /><br />* Electoral vote totals so far: Obama 334, McCain 144, with 54 electoral votes still too close to call, including Arizona and North Carolina.<br /><br />* McCain just conceded, very graciously. Too bad the crowd couldn't be as gracious, but the campaign he and Palin ran had a lot to do with that.<br /><br />* On to Grant Park, waiting for our President-Elect to make his speech, woohoo!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Update: 11-05-08 12:27 a.m. EST</span><br /><br />* Obama speaks. It's a bittersweet moment, Toot not being here to witness this.<br /><br />* Obama: WE ARE AND ALWAYS WILL BE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.<br /><br />* Now the work of rebuilding our nation begins.Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647998.post-20429727222506497432008-10-31T17:57:00.000-07:002008-10-31T18:12:01.803-07:00McCain's Celebrity Political FlufferShorter Ahnold speech: McCain is a <a href="http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/10/john_mccain_barack_obama_arnol_1.html">POW POW POW</a>!<br /><br />The McCain crowd, desperate for red meat, <span style="font-style:italic;">any red meat</span> in their <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/111679/Gallup-Daily-Obamas-Lead-Widens-Some-All-Bases.aspx">increasingly</a> depressing and desperate remaining hours, ate up his schtick.<br /><br />The Ohio crowd, that is, because even Ahnold can't powerlift McCain's prospects in his home state of <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/30/MNPR13QI21.DTL&type=politics">California</a>.Wonky Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16125597334879225547noreply@blogger.com0