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The Party of Ignorance

By

On November 8, 2008

In Politics

Sometime back, someone used the phrase “the joyful marriage of confidence and ignorance” to describe the values of the people that the Palin candidacy appealed to.  For me, that does a fairly good job of describing the Republican Party as a whole.  There are, to be sure, exceptions.  But that is what lies at its political core.   And as Lawrence O’Donnell argues below, it’s those sort of political values that can almost deliver the Vice Presidency to someone like Sarah Palin:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD_e4yTQpg8[/youtube]

They’re laughing, but it’s not funny.

Friday Notes: Still Sinking In Edition

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On November 7, 2008

In Cycling, DC, Policy, Politics, Virginia

Wednesday was for finally getting some sleep.  Thursday was for tracking down all the things I’ve left undone of late.  And today is for actually getting them done (or getting started on that, anyway).  So things have been a little light.  If you want to see a lot of what I *would* have been writing about, if I’d have been more adept at multi-tasking, check out my friend Karen’s posts from the past few days.

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Love this photo.  Everybody wins.

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With the defeat of Carol Schwartz, the DC city council is now a Republican-Free Zone.  Good job screwing yourselves with Patrick Mara, guys.  And it wasn’t just the GOP that got screwed here – it was DC.  Schwartz was a positive influence on the council, and now she’s gone.
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Good video report of the Obamalleycat I was involved with last Saturday.

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Question 2 passed in Maryland, adding slot machines to specific locations around the state.  The state will now be balancing (well, attempting to) its budget on the backs of its poorest citizens.   I’m theoretically in favor of legalized gambling, but the practical impact in the communities in which it is concentrated is stomach-turning.  Good luck, Maryland.

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Atrios pointed to this WaPo story about a black couple that worked in the White House over three decades, starting in the Truman Administration.  It’s not just a personal interest piece, but a good review of history.  And, as Atrios asks, stick with it until the end.

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Vegan Soul Power has an interesting guest post about eating on the road with the Obama campaign.

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Marijuana-friendly ballot iniatives across the country nearly run the board.  Interesting.

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Krugman spoke the truth, here:

What I mean by that is that for the past 14 years America’s political life has been largely dominated by, well, monsters. Monsters like Tom DeLay, who suggested that the shootings at Columbine happened because schools teach students the theory of evolution. Monsters like Karl Rove, who declared that liberals wanted to offer “therapy and understanding” to terrorists. Monsters like Dick Cheney, who saw 9/11 as an opportunity to start torturing people.

And in our national discourse, we pretended that these monsters were reasonable, respectable people. To point out that the monsters were, in fact, monsters, was “shrill.”

We’re not through with them, either.

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I’m only half kidding when I say that I’d contribute to a Palin ’12 effort, but Adam Bonin thinks that a Palin ’16 effort is something to keep in mind.

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Is Charlie Crist still engaged?

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Tom Perriello’s actually going to win, isn’t he?  I never would have thought that would happen.  How sweet it is to be wrong.

Joe the Lying Hypocrite

By

On November 6, 2008

In Policy, Politics

Yes, yes, we’re all tired of Joe the Plumber stories.  But this one just so neatly illustrates the rank dishonesty and hypocrisy of his kind that I just couldn’t leave it to chance that you’d not see it:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7x0YyLDono[/youtube]

As Jed @ dKos puts it:

turns out that when Plumber Joe was a child, he was on welfare, not once, but twice, and he credits it with helping his family ultimately lead a middle-class life style. He defends having received welfare by saying that he’s subsequently paid into the system.

In other words, well-designed taxpayer-funded social assistance programs are fine because ultimately they will pay for themselves.

Ding.

(And hopefully that will be the last time we ever see Joe the Plumber on these pages.)

Getting the House in Order

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On November 6, 2008

In Policy, Politics

Speculation over the shape the new Democratic power structure will take is mostly focused on the various Obama Admin cabinet possibilities, but I think it’s worth taking a look at the legislative side, too.  Joe Lieberman out as chairman of anything but his own one man party should be a given, of course.  On the House side, I’d like to see Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) succeed in his bid to take the Energy and Commerce Committee chairmanship from Rep. John Dingell (D-MI).   Rep. Dingell is, to be sure, an extremely smart, talented, and principled legislator.  He is also, I think, entirely too grounded in the Detroit manufacturing industry.  Those ties will stand in the way of truly transformative energy policy, I’m afraid, and Waxman’s demonstrated aggressiveness will be an asset in the Committee’s oversight roles.  I don’t know if Waxman’s willingness to be open with this effort will bring other challenges out into the open, but I think a bit of competition for these chairmanships can be healthy.

Also, I think that we should expect to see a fundamental change in the way that goverment operates.  Sure, the Democrat in the White House and the Democrats in the Senate and House share a lot of common policy goals, and should be expected to work together to achieve them.  But they are in two fundamentally different branches of government.  I don’t think it will take long before we see House Dems reassert the power they have as a seperate and co-equal branch of government.  This, of course, will be cheered on by the Republicans, who will welcome it as a sign of Democratic weakness.  I think the public, however, should see it as a sign of the strength of the American system of government.  Checks and balances are healthy, and lead to more durable legislation and policy.

(If you’re interested in the origin of the current system of Party First, check out this interview with former Congressman Mickey Edwards (R-OK).   In it, he describes Gingrich’s reshaping of the Republicans in Congress from a seperate institutional power to a supporting cast for President George H.W. Bush, and how that eventually led to this idea that it’s entirely about party, rather than insitution, country, or Constitution.  I found it very interesting.  It’s about 18 minutes long.)

Update: An informative take on the process of selecting the committee chairs.

Midweek Makeover: Writ Large Edition

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On November 5, 2008

In Music, Personal, Politics, Society

Midweek makeover?  Forget that, today is a milestone makeover, and that’s probably underselling it.  No covers, either.  It’s the real thing.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rhKJcTgmgI[/youtube]

Delivering on Hope

By

On November 5, 2008

In Personal, Policy, Politics, Society

There remain many things to be said about the politics that resulted in yesterday’s massive vote for change.  And I’ll get to them.  But taking everything in is leaving me rather circumspect, at the moment.  Further, I’m very much looking forward to spending less time on politics, and more time on governing.  We placed an enormous amount of hope on Barack Obama last night, and now it’s time to make sure he delivers.  His election was not an end in and of itself.  It is – if we all do our part – a means to a better country and a better world.

Today

By

On November 4, 2008

In Politics, Society, Virginia

is Election Day.  I’m doing what I can in Lynchburg, Virginia, and don’t expect I’ll be online until we all know how it turned out (it will not be a late night).  Interested in NoVA coverage?  Check out Blueweeds.  Virginia coverage?  Vivian Paige (who will be sitting in the fancy chairs at NPR).  National coverage?  TalkingPointsMemo.

I’d really like to hear about your voting experience in comments.  I won’t be around to see it right away, but I bet other readers will find it interesting.

See you on the other side.  We’re gonna do this, people.  We really are.

Sullivan on Obama

By

On November 3, 2008

In Personal, Politics, Society

My own experience in this world causes me to reject the opening of Andrew Sullivan’s endorsement of Obama, but I am foursquare behind much that follows, especially his closing:

I had almost given up hope, and he helped restore it. That is what is stirring out there; and although you are welcome to mock me for it, I remain unashamed. As someone once said, in the unlikely story of America, there is never anything false about hope. Obama, moreover, seems to bring out the best in people, and the calmest, and the sanest. He seems to me to have a blend of Midwestern good sense, an intuitive understanding of the developing world that is as much our future now as theirs’, an analyst’s mind and a poet’s tongue. He is human. He is flawed. He will make mistakes. His passivity and ambiguity are sometimes weaknesses as well as strengths.

But there is something about his rise that is also supremely American, a reminder of why so many of us love this country so passionately and are filled with such grief at what has been done to it and in its name. I endorse Barack Obama because I will not give up on America, because I believe in America, and in her constitution and decency and character and strength.

I had hoped, at some point in these closing campaign days, to write up and explain my transition from Obama-skeptic and Hillary-voter in the primary to a full and genuine supporter of Barack Obama.  But here we are, and I need to get on the road so I can go put in some final hours for the Obama campaign.  Actions will have to substitute for words, at the moment.  I’m okay with that.

Brother’s Gonna Work It Out

By

On November 3, 2008

In Personal, Politics, Society, Virginia

Surely I am not the only one who wants to prod and taunt the fear mongers?  The Obama’s a Scary! Black!! Muslim!!! Socialist!!!! crowd have been so ridiculous on their face that it’s never really moved me to engage them.  It’s like arguing with a moon-landing conspiracy theorist.  The only value in engaging with them is going to be entertainment value.  But it’s kind of mean spirited, so you really ought not to.   So I’ll just allow myself this 1990 effort from Public Enemy (putting aside more tempting tracks from Paris or X-Clan):

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrHHAZFPmMY[/youtube]

Some of you may remember the context of this video.  Virginia Beach, 1989.  Tis a long way between there and here.

Last Minute Volunteering & Needs in Arlington Co.

By

On November 3, 2008

In Politics, Virginia

This from the ACDC, and I hope that if you’re on the edge about volunteering today or tomorrow, that you’ll decide to come to NoVA.  Running up the numbers in NoVA will make a difference:

GOTV in YOUR neighborhood!

Where
ACDC Office – 2009 14th St. N., Suite 612, Arlington, VA

When
Nov 03   10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Nov 03    3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Nov 03    5:00 pm – 8:00 pm

[and]

When
Nov 04    9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Nov 04   11:30 am – 2:00 pm
Nov 04    3:30 pm – 6:00 pm

Please come out and talk to your neighbors about why you’re voting for Barack Obama. Bring your friends, bring your family, and join others in your area to knock on doors.

[ . . . ]

Polling Place Signs Go Up

Where
Countywide

When
November 03, 2008

Joint Campaign visibility event. For more information contact JC chairs; Jody Olson at jody_olson@hotmail.com, Madi Green at yellowdog22207@yahoo.com or Jay Fisette at jay@fisette.org

[This would be a good thing to do if you’ve only got a couple of hours this evening.]

Also, if you can, please consider this (remember, the average age of the pollworkers is approximately 103.  You wouldn’t want them to go hungry, would you? :)):

Donations of food and water for Democratic poll workers

Where:

2607 Washington Blvd

When:

Throughout the day, Monday November 3

We are seeking volunteers to provide a variety of food, water and juice for campaign workers on Election Day, November 4, 2008.  We desperately need fruit (suggestions: apples, bananas, pears, and plums), granola bars, breakfast bars all flavors; bottles of water; juice boxes, diet and regular coke, napkins and a variety of sandwiches.  The number of volunteers we are trying to provide assistance is approximately 400.

These supplies will be distributed to Election Day volunteers, many of whom are working 13-hour days without break.

If you can help, please deliver items by Monday, November 3, to Gillian Burgess’s at 2607 Washington Blvd, Arlington. VA 22201. If no one is at home please put items in the backyard on the porch.

Contact for this effort is Helen Mathis and she can be  reached at 202-422-7817 or at the Obama Arlington County office 703-528-8588 or at mathis2001@earthlink.net

Finally, after all is said and done, there’s the Arlington victory party:

Victory Party

Where
Bailey’s Pub & Grille 4238 Wilson Blvd, Ballston Common Mall,. Arlington, VA 22203

When
Nov 04   starts after 7:00 pm
The Arlington Young Democrats, the Arlington County Democratic Committee and the Joint Campaign are teaming up to host the must-attend party of the year – the Election Night Celebration Party!

Join us at Bailey’s in Ballston (in the Ballston Common Mall), where we have reserved two large rooms to accommodate what looks to be an impressive turnout of local Democrats! We will watch returns come in on the many TV’s, as well as hear from local elected officials and party leaders. This will be a very historic night – so come out and celebrate with a night to remember!

Wear your favorite Obama garb and come excited!

Our reserved rooms at Bailey’s are smoke-free for this event. The celebration starts after the polls close at 7:00PM.

I won’t be there, unfortunately (and I’d really like to make up for the last time I spend a Presidential election cycle night with the ACDC – 2000), but I’m sure it will be fun.

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