Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Ohio) passed away after suffering an aneurysm while driving last night. I can't say I saw eye to eye with her on most issues, but I have a fundamental respect for anyone who is willing to enter and stay in public service in this day and age.
This story, like so many about people who die suddenly, reminds me that I need to spend more time hugging my kids and loving my wife, and less time with the stuff that's not nearly so important in the grand scheme of things. Think I'm going to sneak in and give the kids an extra kiss on the forehead...
20 August 2008
16 August 2008
Welcome, Race Fans!
For all of the rumblings from prominent and not-so-prominent Democrats about the racial issues that others have regarding The O (a/k/a "Skinny") and the fall elections, DNC chair Howard Dean has made abundantly clear where he stands on the Republicans. In an interview with NPR on Friday, he said the following as he was commenting about diversity in the Democratic Party:
“Our party has been a no-majority party for a long time. The fact is that the Democratic Party is made up of lots of different people. If you look at folks of color, even women, they’re more successful in the Democratic Party than they are in the white — excuse me — in the Republican Party.”
Noticeably, the MSM has been silent regarding Dean's comments. No cries of racism, because in their minds it's sufficiently true, even if there are sufficient exceptions to disprove it. No condemnation of a poorly thought-out comment that deserves universal castigation, either. The only folks offering comments in this first full news cycle after the comment are those who were offended, and they don't count, anyway.
“Our party has been a no-majority party for a long time. The fact is that the Democratic Party is made up of lots of different people. If you look at folks of color, even women, they’re more successful in the Democratic Party than they are in the white — excuse me — in the Republican Party.”
Noticeably, the MSM has been silent regarding Dean's comments. No cries of racism, because in their minds it's sufficiently true, even if there are sufficient exceptions to disprove it. No condemnation of a poorly thought-out comment that deserves universal castigation, either. The only folks offering comments in this first full news cycle after the comment are those who were offended, and they don't count, anyway.
10 August 2008
I'm Baaaaaaaaaack
So the world didn't stop spinning just because I took some time off...apparently these guys didn't get my memo. Pretty inconsiderate if you ask me, which they didn't. Neither did Zogby, Rasmussen, Gallup, Ipsos, realclearpolitics, or anyone else. Oh well, time to get back in the saddle and start pumping out more gushers of insight. Stay tuned...
30 July 2008
Premature Inauguration Syndrome?
As promised in an earlier post, I'm finally getting around to Obama's recent European jaunt. The title of this post is a phrase borrowed from a James Lewis posting over at The American Thinker, and it seems to fit the entire tone of Obama's campaign. It may be possible that a previous presidential candidate has done all of the little things that Obama's done to demonstrate his hubris -- the faux Presidential seal, complete with its own Latin motto; the seat on his campaign aircraft marked "President"; the attempts to dictate how all things Obama may be portrayed -- but if they did, they had the good sense to keep it to themselves and their inner circle of advisors.
Positive thinking is one thing, and it's certainly true that no one ever ran for the Presidency because of an ego deficiency. The Obamessiah (not original, but a strikingly accurate descriptor of how the man is portrayed and perceived by his diehard supporters) and his team have appropriated the power of positive thinking and taken it to a level from which it appears that Obama has already been elected. This jives well with the New Ageentitlement mentality philosophy that says we begin to achieve our goals and acquire those things that we truly want when we act as though we have already achieved and acquired them. What it doesn't square with is the reality with which most of us live day-to-day: goals and things are real, and we must work hard and play by the rules to achieve and acquire them.
This hubris recently climaxed with The O's triumphant European tour, a jet-setting adventure that saw The O attempt at every opportunity to recast himself away from a freshman U.S. Senator with a painfully thin resume and a paucity of real, earned experience into The President of the World. He conscripted European monuments as backdrops for his inspiring oratory (which, coincidentally enough, borrowed imagery and text from his political polar opposite, Ronald Reagan, on at least one occasion). He arranged free concerts to ensure that the resulting photo ops portrayed adoring "fans" who hung on his every word. He even went so far as to stage a personal moment resulting in the "discovery" of a prayer (more like a task list for God jotted on hotel stationery) that he had placed in the Western Wall. You can find a copy of the note here, along with more detail on how it was discovered. (Interesting side note: Both sources that originally indicated they received the note in advance from The O's camp are now backtracking from that claim, although they're not giving another explanation other than the one offered by Camp O.)
Give the man credit: He's working like the dickens to make a mountain out of his molehill. It can't be easy jetting all around Europe trying to convince those folks, as well as the swing voters back across the pond, that there's more to The O than meets the eye, but he's willing to do it, as long as the MSM cameras follow and the taxpayers foot part of the bill. Thankfully, he's willing to put his foot down and protect himself by refusing to go where the cameras won't follow.
In the end, he may find that some folks tire of the barrage and decide they're willing to get on the bus with him. Hopefully, for them, it's not the one he threw his grandmother under.
Positive thinking is one thing, and it's certainly true that no one ever ran for the Presidency because of an ego deficiency. The Obamessiah (not original, but a strikingly accurate descriptor of how the man is portrayed and perceived by his diehard supporters) and his team have appropriated the power of positive thinking and taken it to a level from which it appears that Obama has already been elected. This jives well with the New Age
This hubris recently climaxed with The O's triumphant European tour, a jet-setting adventure that saw The O attempt at every opportunity to recast himself away from a freshman U.S. Senator with a painfully thin resume and a paucity of real, earned experience into The President of the World. He conscripted European monuments as backdrops for his inspiring oratory (which, coincidentally enough, borrowed imagery and text from his political polar opposite, Ronald Reagan, on at least one occasion). He arranged free concerts to ensure that the resulting photo ops portrayed adoring "fans" who hung on his every word. He even went so far as to stage a personal moment resulting in the "discovery" of a prayer (more like a task list for God jotted on hotel stationery) that he had placed in the Western Wall. You can find a copy of the note here, along with more detail on how it was discovered. (Interesting side note: Both sources that originally indicated they received the note in advance from The O's camp are now backtracking from that claim, although they're not giving another explanation other than the one offered by Camp O.)
Give the man credit: He's working like the dickens to make a mountain out of his molehill. It can't be easy jetting all around Europe trying to convince those folks, as well as the swing voters back across the pond, that there's more to The O than meets the eye, but he's willing to do it, as long as the MSM cameras follow and the taxpayers foot part of the bill. Thankfully, he's willing to put his foot down and protect himself by refusing to go where the cameras won't follow.
In the end, he may find that some folks tire of the barrage and decide they're willing to get on the bus with him. Hopefully, for them, it's not the one he threw his grandmother under.
Banned in East L.A. ...
Yeah, I know I mixed two parody songs in the title of this blog. So sue me. Better yet, send me to L.A. to open up a fast-food restaurant. Oops, wait...you can't. The city has voted to place a moratorium of up to one year on new fast-food restaurants. Apparently they've decided that folks aren't doing enough to manage their own diets and that it's time for a government intervention. During that year, the city will do its best to attract healthier restaurants. (What part of "free market" don't they understand? Hmm...)
What's next? Forced exercise and government-subsidized gym memberships? Re-education camps to help people overcome their love of fast-food and fried stuff? God save us all from government that decides it knows better than we do what's best for us and is willing to legislate us into compliance.
What's next? Forced exercise and government-subsidized gym memberships? Re-education camps to help people overcome their love of fast-food and fried stuff? God save us all from government that decides it knows better than we do what's best for us and is willing to legislate us into compliance.
29 July 2008
Poll position
Here's an interesting site for political junkies and those like me who are just a little bit afraid that either candidate will win the election. (I keep clicking on the map, but I'm not finding a viable alternative...)
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