I was at our local Quicky mart today, in line to pay for my gas. There was a fairly long line, and as I often do waiting in long lines, I grew bored. I checked out the candy on the isle next to me, noting the new 'Pop Rocks Chocolate Bar' while casually wondering how the hell they came up with that, when I noticed the woman in line in front of me had a pin on her bag that said "Obama/Biden '08."
I should preface this by stating that I live in a small southern Midwest town, there is a church on every other corner, and it is a rather Republican/conservative leaning area. We're not quite the 'South' - but close.
First off, no one is innocent in the situation in the Caucasus. Georgia did invade South Ossetia, and initially displayed an overwhelming military presence of their own until the Russians came in and retaliated.
And Russia used this as an opportunity and an excuse to have a show of force in their own backyard.
What puzzles me, is that those in the State Department are criticizing Russia for "disproportionate show of force" when we did the same thing in Iraq. In many ways, our invasion of Iraq was a bigger version of what Russia is up to.
I suppose that invading/occupying foreign lands, and destabilizing regions is the United States' job.
"Or, how I stoped being afraid and learned to love Kieth Olberman"
(He's so dreamy!)
Okay, I am not gay, but if I was, this guy makes Mit Romney look scanky! Anyway, thanks for the warm welcome yesterday, here is my second entry(and YES, I will make sure I add paragraphs.)
Never thought I would write this, but there is a very good opportunity this year for Democrats to gain some ground with evangelical voters. The keys are to appeal to those who look to the common good rather than to pure individualism, which seems to be the trend among younger evangelicals. The main drawbacks are the issues of abortion and gay rights, but, given McCain's lackluster support, especially if he choses Romney as a running mate. This is fertile territory, which, if handled properly, could affect races in the South.
As has been reported the NC Senate's failure to pass anti-bullying legislation in tact despite having the votes is disappointing shows a disturbing and unacceptable lack of courage and compassion. They threw kids in the state of North Carolina under the bus when they had an opportunity to protect them.
I have communicated privately with many members of the NC House and the NC Senate regarding passage of the anti-bullying legislation. In doing so, I made clear to them that mine was a private correspondence written as a parent, not as a politician and not as someone who planned to publicize our discourse so at to subject them to outside pressures. I did so in order to give them an opportunity to round the votes required for passage of bill without feeling as if I were trying to shame or embarrass them publicly. And I did have continued private conversations with members of both houses, Democratic and Republican.
Now that the bill has failed to pass, I'm am not going to break my word to kiss and tell about those conversations. However, am going to comment on the failure to pass this legislation and go on record publicly with my thoughts. First, here is an excerpt of a personal story which I related to them.
As part of my internship at the House of Representatives I answer phones. Often people from interest and lobbyist groups call looking to talk to a legislative assistant. Equally often, however, are calls from constituents.
Call it a positive effect on the falling US Dollar. Along with an increase activity by domestic manufacturers, foreign companies are now expanding their operations here in the US. Now, yes I understand that ultimately the money goes back overseas, but they are hiring folks who needed jobs. To me, that last part is what counts.
"Bitter" North Carolina rednecks who are tired of corporate capitulation and politicians that bow to the mean voter "theory," the intelligent design to real electoral political theory.
How does Obama get off as being progressive while John Edwards and Jim Webb do not? Like so many problems in this country, they are endemic to every part of this country. All the while, Democrats from the South are conflated with "Southern Democrats," and the South remains the scapegoat caricature for racism, economic darwinism, and any other form of parochialism.
I'm damn bitter that Democrats fell for the smoke and mirrors of the Obama campaign because of a speech in 2002. When Jim Webb does the same thing, but capitulates on telcom immunity (which I'm none too thrilled over), "progressives" stick a fork in him. Edwards runs the most progressive campaign in at least 28 years (and in all of my time), and explicitly admits his errors from 2002 (something Obama-bot Kerry still won't do), and we stuck a fork in him.
This is the first of a four part series about where Obama should compete and how well he does in each area of the country (South, Midwest, West, Other).
The South One of Obama's best regions to pick off states is the south because of McCain's weakness among social conservatives who are the majority of republicans in many of these states, and large african american populations. I doubt Obama sweeps the south, but I could see him winning 4 or 5 southern states. In many of the states, the black population is larger than the number of votes that Bush got in 04. I think Obama has a shot at winning every southern state with a black population more than 30% or a large number of liberal whites or college kids.
The south has a lot of republican corruption (esp. Florida) and Obama should get people to stand at the polling places and make sure there's no suppression of the vote for every voting precinct in the south, and Obama should work on registering black voters and young voters throughout the south.
TPM is linking to a Boston Globe analysis of Obama's prospects for flipping six red states, except for Colorado all of them in the South or Deep South. The piece is interesting but weak, without getting into any polling data, and basically parallels a conversation I was having yesterday.
What this article leaves out that I was focused on in my own conversation yesterday: will Bob Barr shave enough Republican voters away to put states from Louisiana to Georgia (and up into Virginia) into play? The Boston Globe adds nothing of value by suggesting that a lot of these races will depend on high Democratic turnout and low Republican turnout, a prescription that delivers every state to Obama in sufficient doses. What impact will Barr have, though?
I'm sorry, I'm on my way to work and don't have time to do the research to add much to the conversation.
Does anyone else have any actual numbers on what Barr's impact may be?
I was thinking, last night, about just how stupid some political 'experts' are on TV.
Take, for example, the nugget that Obama should have courted the voters in places like rural West Virginia more. If only he had made more appearences, Hillary wouldn't have won in the way she did.
Rrright...
For those that actually think that's viable, I have a video from BBC's 'Top Gear" for you to watch. Enjoy ...and there's more, below the fold.
I guess I should be proud. I should even feel genetically superior due to my ancestors multi-generational struggle! For today I picked up my local newspaper, the Lexington Herald Leader here in Lexington, KY and read an editorial titled “Getting Bubba, A Full-blooded American” by Kathleen Parker of the Washington Post Writers Group.
On my daily crusade to garner attention for this race, I've found yet another angle as to why we should go after Jefferson Beauregard Sessions. I am excited because I see his name popping up in comments from various diaries. We need to rally around Vivian Figures, who is inspirational candidate that is on the right side of the issues. Plus this article has nothing to do with Superdelegates, Obama or Clinton
In order to get some positive momentum before the June 3 Primary, we need to reach our goal this week. We should continue to support the Rice's, Noriega's, Kleeb's and more. But we can spare a little change for this race. Can ten of you give $25.01 and help me get closer to my goal?
After Democrats impressive victories in LA-06 and MS-01, both considered Republican strongholds, I have been thinking about other districts in the South that Democrats could pick up from Republicans. This is probably my favorite region for House races, since it is an area were Democrats dominated in the House until the 1992 and 1994 elections. In 1992, 1994, and 1996, Democrats lost a total of 25 House seats that they never got back. Granted, a vast majority of these seats are ones that have changed so dramatically that there is pretty much no base whatsoever left for a Democrat. However, there a some that Democrats can still win. They are all listed below.
I live in NC have most of my life, all my adult life, save 18 months 9 in Atlanta, and 9 in Texas, (and I have found where Judas lives Dallas. him and Brutus) I know what the politics are like here, very brutal and very dirty and most the time leaning so far right that laying on right side.
I have seen Bigots run and win and go to DC, I have watched as good honest men and women are torn down. Yet when I was driving to see my mother in the hospital, there was a sight that made me teary eyes and I felt hope overcome me. There in the middle of 5 o'clock traffic, on one of the crappiest roads, I saw not one McWar or Old Bush stickers on the cars as we crept by, I did however see Edwards and Obama stickers (and one Steward/Colbert sticker).
"Few news columnists are as erudite, opinionated, controversial and widely read as Pulitzer Prize-winning writer George F. Will. A Newsweek Contributing Editor since 1976, Will produces a back page column addressing diverse topics from politics to baseball."
