Tuesday, January 31, 2006
The State of the Union #2
It was not very interesting.
A better analysis: http://www.thinkprogress.org/?tag=State%20of%20the%20Union
A better analysis: http://www.thinkprogress.org/?tag=State%20of%20the%20Union
The State of the Union...#1
...opened with President Bush using blatant election year campaign tactics of choosing between us good and them bad, 9/11 references, and pounding the drumbeats of "freedom by force", rather than the Reagan ideal of containment that had been working and would have worked against Iraq.
It continued with fear mongering about terrorists threatening our freedoms and the need to fight to protect ours by fighting over theirs.
After mentioning the failure of his Social Security cuts (to which the Democrats cheered), he urged Congress to try again.
He then proposed many Democratic proposals, such as a shift away from foreign oil, major research and development in new energy technologies, and support for immigrants, short of amnesty. Like previous State of the Union speeches, he always co-opts key Democratic ideas, thereby killing them for a year, lest Democrats have to give credit to the President.
However, he then fibbed, saying welfare roles had dropped, abortion was the lowest in years, and drug use was low. He must be using cooked numbers or numbers on a "special scale".
...
It continued with fear mongering about terrorists threatening our freedoms and the need to fight to protect ours by fighting over theirs.
After mentioning the failure of his Social Security cuts (to which the Democrats cheered), he urged Congress to try again.
He then proposed many Democratic proposals, such as a shift away from foreign oil, major research and development in new energy technologies, and support for immigrants, short of amnesty. Like previous State of the Union speeches, he always co-opts key Democratic ideas, thereby killing them for a year, lest Democrats have to give credit to the President.
However, he then fibbed, saying welfare roles had dropped, abortion was the lowest in years, and drug use was low. He must be using cooked numbers or numbers on a "special scale".
...
Friday, January 27, 2006
What about Bob?
Bob Novak, talking here about the more recent Abromoff financial Republican ethics scandal (not the other CIA Agent leaking Valarie Plame national security Republican ethics scandal of which he is a party to), mentions something I agree with - annual earmarks should be eliminated.
Of course, I wouldn't advocate forfieting our fair share ("it's wrong so we won't take it"), but the process is inherently competitive and open to corruption.
---
McCain's awesome battle for reform
Annual earmarks, nonexistent two decades ago, now near 15,000. McCain sees this as the source of lobbyist corruption, the vehicle used to bribe Duke Cunningham and the focus for half of the capital's lobbyists.
Of course, I wouldn't advocate forfieting our fair share ("it's wrong so we won't take it"), but the process is inherently competitive and open to corruption.
---
McCain's awesome battle for reform
Annual earmarks, nonexistent two decades ago, now near 15,000. McCain sees this as the source of lobbyist corruption, the vehicle used to bribe Duke Cunningham and the focus for half of the capital's lobbyists.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Glenn and Lucy admit Tom was right all along...
... but political patronage hires after Glenn and Lucy's election stand..
Evening Sun - Local News: "County hiring changes course
The Evening Sun
By MEG BERNHARDT
Evening Sun Reporter
Two Adams County commissioners reversed themselves Wednesday and voted to forbid the rehiring of county employees who were previously fired with cause or quit without notice.
In 2004, Republican commissioners Lucy Lott and Glenn Snyder voted to strike the same language from the county's hiring policy.
At the time, the third commissioner, Democrat Tom Weaver, voted against the change, saying it was made to allow the county to hire Rebecca Hansford as a clerk in the Clerk of Courts office. Hansford, a Republican, had worked in the county purchasing department, but quit without notice.
She was subsequently hired as a court clerk.
Wednesday's action prompted Weaver to observe that Hansford, or any employee hired under the old policy, shouldn't be working for the county. "
... More at link above..
Evening Sun - Local News: "County hiring changes course
The Evening Sun
By MEG BERNHARDT
Evening Sun Reporter
Two Adams County commissioners reversed themselves Wednesday and voted to forbid the rehiring of county employees who were previously fired with cause or quit without notice.
In 2004, Republican commissioners Lucy Lott and Glenn Snyder voted to strike the same language from the county's hiring policy.
At the time, the third commissioner, Democrat Tom Weaver, voted against the change, saying it was made to allow the county to hire Rebecca Hansford as a clerk in the Clerk of Courts office. Hansford, a Republican, had worked in the county purchasing department, but quit without notice.
She was subsequently hired as a court clerk.
Wednesday's action prompted Weaver to observe that Hansford, or any employee hired under the old policy, shouldn't be working for the county. "
... More at link above..
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Al Gore gets involved in Florida Senate race
Gore Says "Remember the Recount"
Six years after a lengthy recount fight left Gore just shy of the electoral votes needed to claim a victory over President George W. Bush, the former vice president is weighing in on behalf of Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), who is seeking a second term in November.
...
Are the speech (Monday in Washington, D.C., in which he accused President Bush of "repeatedly and insistently" breaking the law by authorizing the National Security Agency to wiretap U.S. citizens without court approval. ) and fundraising letter the start of a Gore reemergence on the national scene? Gore appears to be experiencing a renaissance of late among many liberal Democrats who believe his "pure" opposition to the Iraq war positions him perfectly for a 2008 bid. Many on the ideological left of the party also see Gore as the only candidate with the national organization and fundraising prowess to challenge Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) in the 2008 primaries.
Original
---------------
It's been quite a while since I posted, and this is my first post since taking office as Mayor.
But Al Gore has got me fired up recently!
Quite exciting.
Politics and life have been getting active lately...
I have a Young Democrats meeting, tonight at the Ragged Edge coffeehouse (leaving soon) to attend, but I have a lot to blog about.
Six years after a lengthy recount fight left Gore just shy of the electoral votes needed to claim a victory over President George W. Bush, the former vice president is weighing in on behalf of Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), who is seeking a second term in November.
...
Are the speech (Monday in Washington, D.C., in which he accused President Bush of "repeatedly and insistently" breaking the law by authorizing the National Security Agency to wiretap U.S. citizens without court approval. ) and fundraising letter the start of a Gore reemergence on the national scene? Gore appears to be experiencing a renaissance of late among many liberal Democrats who believe his "pure" opposition to the Iraq war positions him perfectly for a 2008 bid. Many on the ideological left of the party also see Gore as the only candidate with the national organization and fundraising prowess to challenge Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) in the 2008 primaries.
Original
---------------
It's been quite a while since I posted, and this is my first post since taking office as Mayor.
But Al Gore has got me fired up recently!
Quite exciting.
Politics and life have been getting active lately...
I have a Young Democrats meeting, tonight at the Ragged Edge coffeehouse (leaving soon) to attend, but I have a lot to blog about.
Monday, January 09, 2006
Slow Month for the Blog...
I turned 28 yesterday.
I have updated my home page with my craziness.
I have updated my home page with my craziness.
