Here's McCain's speech:
The first few seconds got cut off. If you're interested in the rest, try here.
Obama's Speech:
Showing posts with label John McCain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John McCain. Show all posts
Friday, October 17, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
1 Local Scandal, 1 National Scandal
"Sterilization Plan Fights Poverty" Wow, the commenters at Nola.com have finally put StormFront (no way I'm providing a link there) to shame. The Nola.com administrators aided and abetted this racist shit, too. They placed that article at the top with direct links to the comments to fuel the fire.
I'll get past the obvious horror of the proposal to point out two things: this is a pre-planned ploy to get reelected and it will work.
LaBruzzo has been a dick for a while. He was recently famous for pushing hard for the legislative pay raise and then denying it. The pay raise issue would have killed his chance of getting reelected, but now District 81 will probably reelect him. He was a waste of oxygen, even without the eugenics, but now he'll get reelected. Far more people agree with him than people are comfortable to admit. He can claim he's being 'persecuted by the liberal media,' the 81st district will fall for the ploy, and they'll forgive a good ole boy. And then they'll have a few more years to put up with his sorry ass.
McCain Abruptly Cuts and Runs from First Debate. VERY shocking. He might have just shot his chances with the election on this one. His speechwriter should reserve some time to start the first draft of his November concession speech at this rate. It's been a HORRIBLE week for him. Reporters revolted, Freddie Mac has been paying his campaign manager all the way through August, the Edwards team at the National Enquirer is now going after Palin's past infidelity, ... (the list is rather long). Suffice to say, McCain has not been a happy camper recently.
I think the real reason is McCain is laying awake at night with what will happen when Palin gets asked actual questions. She's going to have a "Macaca" moment that will be the new buzzword for "Macaca" moments. They now realize what a fuckup they made with not vetting her. What they wanted all along was to delay/cancel the VP debates. They'll let McCain take the criticism for the presidential debates and hope nobody notices Palin is still being kept in a box. McCain has handled lots of devastating news. It's taken a toll, but he's still standing and he's kept the race close.
I feel so sorry for Ole Miss and Oxford, MS, though. They are the true victims in this mess. They've done a lot to clean up for the big date and they're shocked. Those that aren't shocked are furious. Ole Miss is getting incredible press (see this fantastic article from today's NY Times). They were looking forward to accommodating scores of national and foreign reporters to the first debate to show off how far Mississippi has come. McCain's decision to screw them over will have a price, though: the MS Senate race to replace Trent Lott. I predict the next polls will show Ronnie Wicker taking the heat for McCain in MS. Musgrove, the popular (and surprisingly liberal) former governor, will win big. Once a Mississippi politician wins a senate race, they pretty much have the seat for life. Lott/Stennis and Chochran/Eastland held most of the 20th century for Mississippi.
On a personal note, Ole Miss was my evacuation school. Katrina happened during my senior year of college and I had to fill in enough classes to graduate on time. Ole Miss took me in and, while I'm not going to lie and say I enjoyed it (it was Katrina, not the school), it was as good as it could have been under the circumstances. Everyone there was so understanding, especially the Dean of Students and the head of the engineering school. Thank you so much Ole Miss. Without them, I wouldn't have graduated on time or even worse. Thanks again. You have my sincere condolences and I hope McCain shows up.
UPDATE- Celecus has more on LaBruzzo with a nice roundup of the local blogosphere reaction.
Also, my dad grew up in north Mississippi. He knew the Mississippi McCains and my dad was a freshman at Ole Miss during the Meredith riots. He remembers every redneck in Mississippi converging on Oxford to turn federal agents into swiss cheese and the agents responding by shooting tear gas grenades into every window on campus, including his freshman dormitory. Curtis Wilkie, a friend and classmate of my dad wrote a wonderful book about his experiences growing up in Mississippi and coming back as an adult named Dixie: A Personal Odyssey Through Events That Shaped the Modern South. I've read it and I recommend it.
I'll get past the obvious horror of the proposal to point out two things: this is a pre-planned ploy to get reelected and it will work.
LaBruzzo has been a dick for a while. He was recently famous for pushing hard for the legislative pay raise and then denying it. The pay raise issue would have killed his chance of getting reelected, but now District 81 will probably reelect him. He was a waste of oxygen, even without the eugenics, but now he'll get reelected. Far more people agree with him than people are comfortable to admit. He can claim he's being 'persecuted by the liberal media,' the 81st district will fall for the ploy, and they'll forgive a good ole boy. And then they'll have a few more years to put up with his sorry ass.
McCain Abruptly Cuts and Runs from First Debate. VERY shocking. He might have just shot his chances with the election on this one. His speechwriter should reserve some time to start the first draft of his November concession speech at this rate. It's been a HORRIBLE week for him. Reporters revolted, Freddie Mac has been paying his campaign manager all the way through August, the Edwards team at the National Enquirer is now going after Palin's past infidelity, ... (the list is rather long). Suffice to say, McCain has not been a happy camper recently.
I think the real reason is McCain is laying awake at night with what will happen when Palin gets asked actual questions. She's going to have a "Macaca" moment that will be the new buzzword for "Macaca" moments. They now realize what a fuckup they made with not vetting her. What they wanted all along was to delay/cancel the VP debates. They'll let McCain take the criticism for the presidential debates and hope nobody notices Palin is still being kept in a box. McCain has handled lots of devastating news. It's taken a toll, but he's still standing and he's kept the race close.
I feel so sorry for Ole Miss and Oxford, MS, though. They are the true victims in this mess. They've done a lot to clean up for the big date and they're shocked. Those that aren't shocked are furious. Ole Miss is getting incredible press (see this fantastic article from today's NY Times). They were looking forward to accommodating scores of national and foreign reporters to the first debate to show off how far Mississippi has come. McCain's decision to screw them over will have a price, though: the MS Senate race to replace Trent Lott. I predict the next polls will show Ronnie Wicker taking the heat for McCain in MS. Musgrove, the popular (and surprisingly liberal) former governor, will win big. Once a Mississippi politician wins a senate race, they pretty much have the seat for life. Lott/Stennis and Chochran/Eastland held most of the 20th century for Mississippi.
On a personal note, Ole Miss was my evacuation school. Katrina happened during my senior year of college and I had to fill in enough classes to graduate on time. Ole Miss took me in and, while I'm not going to lie and say I enjoyed it (it was Katrina, not the school), it was as good as it could have been under the circumstances. Everyone there was so understanding, especially the Dean of Students and the head of the engineering school. Thank you so much Ole Miss. Without them, I wouldn't have graduated on time or even worse. Thanks again. You have my sincere condolences and I hope McCain shows up.
UPDATE- Celecus has more on LaBruzzo with a nice roundup of the local blogosphere reaction.
Also, my dad grew up in north Mississippi. He knew the Mississippi McCains and my dad was a freshman at Ole Miss during the Meredith riots. He remembers every redneck in Mississippi converging on Oxford to turn federal agents into swiss cheese and the agents responding by shooting tear gas grenades into every window on campus, including his freshman dormitory. Curtis Wilkie, a friend and classmate of my dad wrote a wonderful book about his experiences growing up in Mississippi and coming back as an adult named Dixie: A Personal Odyssey Through Events That Shaped the Modern South. I've read it and I recommend it.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Watching the Republican Convention
Heading back to New Orleans tomorrow. Hope the traffic won't be to bad. I'm doing my laundry before I go back and for some reason I'm watching the Republican Convention. Dead God, I want to gouge my eyes out and stick hot pokers in my ears.
I've watched Romney, Giulliani, and Palin and here are my thoughts.
Romney: "After accounting for inflation, government spending has doubled since 1980." Um, who the fuck was sitting in the White House most of those years? 'McCain will cut taxes, continue Iraq, and strengthen the dollar.' Choose 2, the last 1 will have to go. Sorry.
Giulliani: Only one 9/11 out of him. Sorry Biden. His vocabulary has expanded. Why pound the experience angle with Palin on the ticket?
Palin: my first thought was deer in the headlights. She also is trying to hide that "Don't cha know" accent. Her husband is also a strong union worker (after Romney went on about how unions are bloodsuckers and incredibly powerful and intimidate businesses). "Where ever he goes, John McCain is the same man." Yeah right, like on immigration? Oh yeah, and her daughter's baby-daddy was there. He wasn't introduced and you could tell the cameramen were trying to keep him out of the shots.
One phase the Democrats were afraid of: "Islamic terrorism." One word Republicans are afraid of: "Bush."
The audience: fit for a cattle drive (as the walking burgers, not the cowboys). Or induction into the Schutstaffel. The Fox News watchers will get exactly what they want from this convention, but fortunately there were very few of them. Lots of empty seats plus it looked like they amplified the crowd noise.
Sorry if that sounds harsh but, I'm in a pissy mood today. Blame Mayor Chromedome.
I've watched Romney, Giulliani, and Palin and here are my thoughts.
Romney: "After accounting for inflation, government spending has doubled since 1980." Um, who the fuck was sitting in the White House most of those years? 'McCain will cut taxes, continue Iraq, and strengthen the dollar.' Choose 2, the last 1 will have to go. Sorry.
Giulliani: Only one 9/11 out of him. Sorry Biden. His vocabulary has expanded. Why pound the experience angle with Palin on the ticket?
Palin: my first thought was deer in the headlights. She also is trying to hide that "Don't cha know" accent. Her husband is also a strong union worker (after Romney went on about how unions are bloodsuckers and incredibly powerful and intimidate businesses). "Where ever he goes, John McCain is the same man." Yeah right, like on immigration? Oh yeah, and her daughter's baby-daddy was there. He wasn't introduced and you could tell the cameramen were trying to keep him out of the shots.
One phase the Democrats were afraid of: "Islamic terrorism." One word Republicans are afraid of: "Bush."
The audience: fit for a cattle drive (as the walking burgers, not the cowboys). Or induction into the Schutstaffel. The Fox News watchers will get exactly what they want from this convention, but fortunately there were very few of them. Lots of empty seats plus it looked like they amplified the crowd noise.
Sorry if that sounds harsh but, I'm in a pissy mood today. Blame Mayor Chromedome.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Is this a joke?
While everyone down here is freaking out over Gustav, there's some national news to report. I know it's shocking, but there's a place where everyone isn't talking about their evacuation plans.
First off, Cheney travels to Georgia on "Diplomatic Mission." Cheney and diplomacy? HA! I love Cryptagon's reaction: "Organ Harvesting?"
Then, there's Obama's Speech:
I'm listening to it for the first time as I write this post. UPDATE- OOPS. Wrong speech.
The next day, some good journalism ferreted out McCain's VP before she was announced. Someone tracked planes coming and going from Alaska, noticing a particular Gulfstream IV owned by a McCain donor and interviewed the ground crew and got the scoop before anyone else. Good job.
McCain Officially Announces Palin as his Veep. A friend of mine asked me, "is this a joke?" My response was, "Yes, it is a joke." Wow, what a slap in the face to Jindal. Less experienced nobody chosen over the "Golden Boy" of the GOP. "But John, I'm BROWN! If you want, I'll even put on a dress!" More from Greg at Suspect Device.
The worst kept secret in politics right now is McCain really wanted to pick Lieberman, but the Republican apparatchiks, especially Karl Rove, vetoed that idea. I think all the momentum McCain had (which was greatly exaggerated to begin with) is now gone and with Obama, especially after Hillary and Bill's speeches presented a united front with Obama.
Getting back to New Orleans, I'm not freaking out about Gustav (at least not yet). Last night had a wonderful dinner at Lillete. I tried escargot for the first time (I now know I love snails) and the hanger steak was a carnivore's delight. There's only one hanger steak per cow, so it's extremely rare to find and Lillete's was fantastic.
First off, Cheney travels to Georgia on "Diplomatic Mission." Cheney and diplomacy? HA! I love Cryptagon's reaction: "Organ Harvesting?"
I'm listening to it for the first time as I write this post.
The next day, some good journalism ferreted out McCain's VP before she was announced. Someone tracked planes coming and going from Alaska, noticing a particular Gulfstream IV owned by a McCain donor and interviewed the ground crew and got the scoop before anyone else. Good job.
McCain Officially Announces Palin as his Veep. A friend of mine asked me, "is this a joke?" My response was, "Yes, it is a joke." Wow, what a slap in the face to Jindal. Less experienced nobody chosen over the "Golden Boy" of the GOP. "But John, I'm BROWN! If you want, I'll even put on a dress!" More from Greg at Suspect Device.
The worst kept secret in politics right now is McCain really wanted to pick Lieberman, but the Republican apparatchiks, especially Karl Rove, vetoed that idea. I think all the momentum McCain had (which was greatly exaggerated to begin with) is now gone and with Obama, especially after Hillary and Bill's speeches presented a united front with Obama.
Getting back to New Orleans, I'm not freaking out about Gustav (at least not yet). Last night had a wonderful dinner at Lillete. I tried escargot for the first time (I now know I love snails) and the hanger steak was a carnivore's delight. There's only one hanger steak per cow, so it's extremely rare to find and Lillete's was fantastic.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
The Difference...
Asked what the gravest threat to the economy is:
McCain:
"Radical Islamic extremism."
Obama:
"Our energy policy ... demand is clearly outstripping supply."
One gets it. The other doesn't even try.
McCain:
"Radical Islamic extremism."
Obama:
"Our energy policy ... demand is clearly outstripping supply."
One gets it. The other doesn't even try.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
MCain loses my vote
Today, John McCain gave a major speech on economics and proves it really isn't his thing. I read the whole thing. Most of it was fluff. He's sort of a step behind trends, which actually makes him look pretty good compared to most politicians (who are 3 steps behind at best). The parts that he should have expanded upon (like corruption on Wall Street), he didn't and the concrete parts are total crap (like the "choose your tax system" and making the 2001 tax cuts permanent). He could have said, 'I'll double the budget for the Securities and Exchange Commission.' That's something concrete that would dispel skepticism that he's not just another fiscally irresponsible Bush Republican.
And then I get to this part:
I propose that the federal government suspend all taxes on gasoline now paid by the American people -- from Memorial Day to Labor Day of this year. The effect will be an immediate economic stimulus -- taking a few dollars off the price of a tank of gas every time a family, a farmer, or trucker stops to fill up. Over the same period, our government should suspend the purchase of oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which has also contributed to the rising price of oil...
I'll address the SPR part first. Filling SPR is something that should have been done a long time ago, when prices were much lower. If we assume for a moment that we must start bombing Iran soon or have a 100-year war in Iraq, filling SPR is a life or death necessity. Under that assumption, i does nothing but weakens the national security of the United States. Period.
The gas tax repeal has been put forth a few times in the past. Most of the time, it has been suggested as part of an emergency response to an OPEC embargo or hurricane along the Energy Coast (to borrow a phase from Mary Landrieu). Bob Dole suggested that in '96. For a short term emergency, it's an acceptable band-aid, but to ease a supply shortfall that isn't going away any time soon, it borders on suicidal. Not only that, but it fails basic economics. The price is determined, at it's most basic level, by supply and demand. His plan artificially lowers the price, which will raise demand. Since his plan doesn't address supply and there's not likely to be any dramatic changes over this summer (at least not positive ones), the price of gas will just go back to the level it's at now within a month or two. Then, what do you think the chances of politicians re-instituting the gas tax right before a major election? Not a snowball's chance in hell, leading to a repeat of this on a national scale:
Image from Wiki page on Minnesota Bridge Collapse
Imagine hundreds of bridges all across the country collapsing with cars careening over the edge...
Another thing that bugs me is I think he knows what he's saying is bullshit. He was smart enough to realize corn-based ethanol was bullshit when everyone else was gaga for it (and then, like all the other candidates, shut his pie hole right before Iowa). Knowing your plan is bullshit, yet expounding upon it anyway is reminiscent an alleged quote of Huey Long's in regard to the "Share Our Wealth" program. When Long was confronted by a someone running the numbers on his program and told their weren't enough rich people to make it work, Long allegedly said, "Yeah, but by the time they figure that out, I'll have them sold on something else."* McCain's plan smacks of unbridled demagoguery.
It really pains me to say all this, too. I really liked McCain. I remembered rooting for him in the primaries back in 2000 when I was still in high school. My dad knew the Mississippi McCains well. I read his book. I watched him speak to a crowd that was packed to the rafters during my Katrina semester at Ole Miss. It pains me to say this, but Senator McCain, you have lost my vote.
UPDATE- The Hillary/McCain gas tax plan reborn as a Nigerian fraud scam. Appropriate.
* I've been looking for a source on the internet for that. Am I just making the quote up? Did it come from a debunked history? If anyone knows, please let me know.
And then I get to this part:
I propose that the federal government suspend all taxes on gasoline now paid by the American people -- from Memorial Day to Labor Day of this year. The effect will be an immediate economic stimulus -- taking a few dollars off the price of a tank of gas every time a family, a farmer, or trucker stops to fill up. Over the same period, our government should suspend the purchase of oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which has also contributed to the rising price of oil...
I'll address the SPR part first. Filling SPR is something that should have been done a long time ago, when prices were much lower. If we assume for a moment that we must start bombing Iran soon or have a 100-year war in Iraq, filling SPR is a life or death necessity. Under that assumption, i does nothing but weakens the national security of the United States. Period.
The gas tax repeal has been put forth a few times in the past. Most of the time, it has been suggested as part of an emergency response to an OPEC embargo or hurricane along the Energy Coast (to borrow a phase from Mary Landrieu). Bob Dole suggested that in '96. For a short term emergency, it's an acceptable band-aid, but to ease a supply shortfall that isn't going away any time soon, it borders on suicidal. Not only that, but it fails basic economics. The price is determined, at it's most basic level, by supply and demand. His plan artificially lowers the price, which will raise demand. Since his plan doesn't address supply and there's not likely to be any dramatic changes over this summer (at least not positive ones), the price of gas will just go back to the level it's at now within a month or two. Then, what do you think the chances of politicians re-instituting the gas tax right before a major election? Not a snowball's chance in hell, leading to a repeat of this on a national scale:
Image from Wiki page on Minnesota Bridge Collapse
Imagine hundreds of bridges all across the country collapsing with cars careening over the edge...
Another thing that bugs me is I think he knows what he's saying is bullshit. He was smart enough to realize corn-based ethanol was bullshit when everyone else was gaga for it (and then, like all the other candidates, shut his pie hole right before Iowa). Knowing your plan is bullshit, yet expounding upon it anyway is reminiscent an alleged quote of Huey Long's in regard to the "Share Our Wealth" program. When Long was confronted by a someone running the numbers on his program and told their weren't enough rich people to make it work, Long allegedly said, "Yeah, but by the time they figure that out, I'll have them sold on something else."* McCain's plan smacks of unbridled demagoguery.
It really pains me to say all this, too. I really liked McCain. I remembered rooting for him in the primaries back in 2000 when I was still in high school. My dad knew the Mississippi McCains well. I read his book. I watched him speak to a crowd that was packed to the rafters during my Katrina semester at Ole Miss. It pains me to say this, but Senator McCain, you have lost my vote.
UPDATE- The Hillary/McCain gas tax plan reborn as a Nigerian fraud scam. Appropriate.
* I've been looking for a source on the internet for that. Am I just making the quote up? Did it come from a debunked history? If anyone knows, please let me know.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Hillary's gotta go...
NOTE- Some of this might be a little premature, but fuck it; I'm going ball to the wall...
Obama, McCain sweep. Obama's won 8 in a row. Hill didn't pull in more than 36% in any race (as of my writing).
That's it folks. We've got the Fall lineup here. Anything more is just belaboring the point.
Here are some of my thoughts:
* Huckabee did a commendable job towards the end. He's a genuinely likeable guy. Even Matt Taibbi was initially disarmed by him (not an easy task). Had he just raised a little more money, he could have defeated all the Washington insider candidates, no mean feat. He could still wind up causing major headaches for McCain if he stays in, but he'll probably accept the Veep slot and be content.
* McCain is deader than a deer in the headlights of an 18-wheeler when he faces Obama in the general election. He lost every election amongst the conservative base.+ He was dragged across the finish line by the moderate/liberal Republicans and Independents, NONE of whom will support him against Obama. McCain's biggest asset (media hard on for McCain) is totally neutralized by Obama and his biggest weaknesses (Iraq and his age) are exposed. It's going to be an ass-whupping of Reaganesque levels. He's going to be lucky to carry his home state.
* Hillary. Poor girl. I've never really liked her, but now that she's facing the firing squad, I feel sorry for her. Here's my take on her: she wanted to be a real reformer (as evidenced by Hillarycare). She was beaten down in brutal fashion for 10 years. She wanted to change things from the inside. She finally thought, 'hey, let me make a few compromises, sneak into office, and then I can change things from the inside.' She started giving lobbyists handjobs and before she knew it, she was taking on all of K-Street. And now, in the ultimate tragedy for her, she has to watch a younger candidate who made a point of not compromising on their principles (Iraq vote) and not accepting K-Street money (for the presidential campaign) come out of nowhere and grab the nomination by acclamation. It was her turn, but everyone turned on her and now she sees what she could have been reflected in Obama. That's why I feel so sorry for her.
* Obama's biggest threat, once Hillary is finally dragged off stage in tears, won't be McCain. It'll be the total mess left by Bush. Who wants to inherit a bankrupt, fucked up, militarily weakened, resource depleted ex-hegemon facing the reality of a multi-polar world? According to the Cunning Realist, Bush may have laid the perfect trap for the next president. "How many people cursed Nixon and Burns in '79?" How many will curse Bush in 4 years? His best hope, honestly, is the mess blows up in Bush's face in a way that cannot be denied before Bush leaves office.
+ I work in a fairly conservative office, so I think I know why he's had so many problems with the base. It comes down to 2 factors: the McCain/Bush/Kennedy Immigration Bill and his actions reaching across the aisle during the 2000-2006 domination of the levers of power. Republicans have respect for winners and competitive spirit. Republicans could have fallen in line with Rudy, had he just won. From 2000-2006, Republicans were talking about building a "permanent majority" in both houses, the judiciary, and the executive branch. The Dems were on Terri Shivo levels of life support. Total domination of the government. McCain's problem was when the Dems were on the verge of being crushed once and for all, he hesitated crushing their windpipe and instead tried being civil and statesman-like. By some twisted logic, he didn't 'want to win.' I wouldn't be too surprised if one "narrative" that emerges in the years ahead blames McCain for the collapse of the Republican party...
Obama, McCain sweep. Obama's won 8 in a row. Hill didn't pull in more than 36% in any race (as of my writing).
That's it folks. We've got the Fall lineup here. Anything more is just belaboring the point.
Here are some of my thoughts:
* Huckabee did a commendable job towards the end. He's a genuinely likeable guy. Even Matt Taibbi was initially disarmed by him (not an easy task). Had he just raised a little more money, he could have defeated all the Washington insider candidates, no mean feat. He could still wind up causing major headaches for McCain if he stays in, but he'll probably accept the Veep slot and be content.
* McCain is deader than a deer in the headlights of an 18-wheeler when he faces Obama in the general election. He lost every election amongst the conservative base.+ He was dragged across the finish line by the moderate/liberal Republicans and Independents, NONE of whom will support him against Obama. McCain's biggest asset (media hard on for McCain) is totally neutralized by Obama and his biggest weaknesses (Iraq and his age) are exposed. It's going to be an ass-whupping of Reaganesque levels. He's going to be lucky to carry his home state.
* Hillary. Poor girl. I've never really liked her, but now that she's facing the firing squad, I feel sorry for her. Here's my take on her: she wanted to be a real reformer (as evidenced by Hillarycare). She was beaten down in brutal fashion for 10 years. She wanted to change things from the inside. She finally thought, 'hey, let me make a few compromises, sneak into office, and then I can change things from the inside.' She started giving lobbyists handjobs and before she knew it, she was taking on all of K-Street. And now, in the ultimate tragedy for her, she has to watch a younger candidate who made a point of not compromising on their principles (Iraq vote) and not accepting K-Street money (for the presidential campaign) come out of nowhere and grab the nomination by acclamation. It was her turn, but everyone turned on her and now she sees what she could have been reflected in Obama. That's why I feel so sorry for her.
* Obama's biggest threat, once Hillary is finally dragged off stage in tears, won't be McCain. It'll be the total mess left by Bush. Who wants to inherit a bankrupt, fucked up, militarily weakened, resource depleted ex-hegemon facing the reality of a multi-polar world? According to the Cunning Realist, Bush may have laid the perfect trap for the next president. "How many people cursed Nixon and Burns in '79?" How many will curse Bush in 4 years? His best hope, honestly, is the mess blows up in Bush's face in a way that cannot be denied before Bush leaves office.
+ I work in a fairly conservative office, so I think I know why he's had so many problems with the base. It comes down to 2 factors: the McCain/Bush/Kennedy Immigration Bill and his actions reaching across the aisle during the 2000-2006 domination of the levers of power. Republicans have respect for winners and competitive spirit. Republicans could have fallen in line with Rudy, had he just won. From 2000-2006, Republicans were talking about building a "permanent majority" in both houses, the judiciary, and the executive branch. The Dems were on Terri Shivo levels of life support. Total domination of the government. McCain's problem was when the Dems were on the verge of being crushed once and for all, he hesitated crushing their windpipe and instead tried being civil and statesman-like. By some twisted logic, he didn't 'want to win.' I wouldn't be too surprised if one "narrative" that emerges in the years ahead blames McCain for the collapse of the Republican party...
Monday, October 8, 2007
Odds and Ends - 9 Oct 2007
Sorry about not posting for a while, but I've been a bit busy recently. Here are some internet finds:
Matt Taibbi pens the eulogy for McCain's campaign. Excellent, if a bit sad. I always had a soft spot for McCain. Oh yeah, and if you haven't read Taibbi's obit for Yeltsin, look through his archives and read it. It's the funniest obituary ever.
Louisiana: the #1 most corrupt state. We're #1! We're #1! In a few more years, we'll have an insurmountable lead, thanks to Jim Letten and all the Katrina money.
Scandal brewing at Oral Roberts. Corruption in higher education. This story has some juicy details! The female university president was Sugar Momma to a lot of college boys...
Buckets of money being poured into deepwater oil exploration. This is good news for Louisiana, because these will be the blocks whose royalties pay for coastal restoration in a little under 10 years.
War Without End, Amen. All about the geopolitical nightmare unfolding between Saudi Arabia and Iran. One scenario is a nuclear arms race between the Saudis and the Persians. And that's the GOOD scenario... Also, Spot On seems to be a decent rag (along the lines of Alter-NET.
Photovoltaics: from waste to viability. PV panels are slowly, but steadily becoming more than a marginal power source for out of the way areas. I'm impressed. This should be one area where technology comes through in the clutch.
China Evacuates 1 Million Ahead of Storm. Wonder what would happen if the Chinese Government let 1 million people drown in a tropical cyclone? The pitchforks and torches would get some use...
When it comes to energy efficiency, Britain is EVEN WORSE than the US.
Is it just me or does the elephant have a wide stance? - ZING!!! Also, that star makes the elephant look like he has X's for eyes...
Women used to earn 68 cents for every dollar a man earned. Well, now Giuliani is only making 40 cents for every Hillary dollar.
US experiencing engineer shortage. According to the article, the US oil industry will experience a net shrinkage of 1-4% per year of its talent base.
Very long, detailed article about Saudi Arabia's future as an oil producing nation. A bit technical at times, but I like technical.
I get a bunch of industry magazines at work and the last issue of Oil and Gas Engineer caught my eye. It's cover story is 'the search for the next trillion barrels of oil.' In order to meet growing demand, the oil industry will have to find another billion barrels of oil. For perspective, that's another 3 Saudi Arabia's and some change. If this article is to be believed, petroleum geologists believe we'll only find 25% of what we need. What does that mean? The price will go up and we'll have to make do with less. A 70's-style energy shortage within the next 5-10 years is highly probable, even if the Middle East stays relatively stable (and that's a big if).
And, last, but not least: Ron Paul: the Howard Dean of '08? Hopefully, this will be a "narrative" that allows the media to finally give Dr. Paul the coverage he's proven he deserves. As an aside, this country needs 2 functioning political parties. That's been the problem during the W years. Here's the way I see things shaking down: Ron Paul gathers a dedicated base, he surprises everyone in the primaries. Someone else wins the nomination (and then is slaughtered by Hillary), but Ron Paul gets into a leadership position and rejuvenates the Republican Party the way Howard Dean did for the Dems. Remember, Dean's 50 State strategy was CRUCIAL to the Dems taking over both houses of Congress in '06. Lots of people thought Dean was nuts and he was ridiculed for his strategy. One of the jokes was the Dems were sending people to Mississippi (or insert another staunch Red State here) to pick their nose for a year. Without Dean making a strong, but not too strong, appearance in '03/'04, you don't have the victories in '06.
Matt Taibbi pens the eulogy for McCain's campaign. Excellent, if a bit sad. I always had a soft spot for McCain. Oh yeah, and if you haven't read Taibbi's obit for Yeltsin, look through his archives and read it. It's the funniest obituary ever.
Louisiana: the #1 most corrupt state. We're #1! We're #1! In a few more years, we'll have an insurmountable lead, thanks to Jim Letten and all the Katrina money.
Scandal brewing at Oral Roberts. Corruption in higher education. This story has some juicy details! The female university president was Sugar Momma to a lot of college boys...
Buckets of money being poured into deepwater oil exploration. This is good news for Louisiana, because these will be the blocks whose royalties pay for coastal restoration in a little under 10 years.
War Without End, Amen. All about the geopolitical nightmare unfolding between Saudi Arabia and Iran. One scenario is a nuclear arms race between the Saudis and the Persians. And that's the GOOD scenario... Also, Spot On seems to be a decent rag (along the lines of Alter-NET.
Photovoltaics: from waste to viability. PV panels are slowly, but steadily becoming more than a marginal power source for out of the way areas. I'm impressed. This should be one area where technology comes through in the clutch.
China Evacuates 1 Million Ahead of Storm. Wonder what would happen if the Chinese Government let 1 million people drown in a tropical cyclone? The pitchforks and torches would get some use...
When it comes to energy efficiency, Britain is EVEN WORSE than the US.
Is it just me or does the elephant have a wide stance? - ZING!!! Also, that star makes the elephant look like he has X's for eyes...
Women used to earn 68 cents for every dollar a man earned. Well, now Giuliani is only making 40 cents for every Hillary dollar.
US experiencing engineer shortage. According to the article, the US oil industry will experience a net shrinkage of 1-4% per year of its talent base.
Very long, detailed article about Saudi Arabia's future as an oil producing nation. A bit technical at times, but I like technical.
I get a bunch of industry magazines at work and the last issue of Oil and Gas Engineer caught my eye. It's cover story is 'the search for the next trillion barrels of oil.' In order to meet growing demand, the oil industry will have to find another billion barrels of oil. For perspective, that's another 3 Saudi Arabia's and some change. If this article is to be believed, petroleum geologists believe we'll only find 25% of what we need. What does that mean? The price will go up and we'll have to make do with less. A 70's-style energy shortage within the next 5-10 years is highly probable, even if the Middle East stays relatively stable (and that's a big if).
And, last, but not least: Ron Paul: the Howard Dean of '08? Hopefully, this will be a "narrative" that allows the media to finally give Dr. Paul the coverage he's proven he deserves. As an aside, this country needs 2 functioning political parties. That's been the problem during the W years. Here's the way I see things shaking down: Ron Paul gathers a dedicated base, he surprises everyone in the primaries. Someone else wins the nomination (and then is slaughtered by Hillary), but Ron Paul gets into a leadership position and rejuvenates the Republican Party the way Howard Dean did for the Dems. Remember, Dean's 50 State strategy was CRUCIAL to the Dems taking over both houses of Congress in '06. Lots of people thought Dean was nuts and he was ridiculed for his strategy. One of the jokes was the Dems were sending people to Mississippi (or insert another staunch Red State here) to pick their nose for a year. Without Dean making a strong, but not too strong, appearance in '03/'04, you don't have the victories in '06.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Republican Debate
I've been watching the Republican Debate and there are only 2 candidates that aren't bat-shit insane: Ron Paul and John McCain. Those are the only two candidates that are worth a shit. I had maybe thought about Tommy Thompson and Rudy and they're both crap. Rudy is SLEAZE! I can't believe he's a candidate. If I were the Democratic opponent, I'd just stick a camera in front of his face for 30 minutes and let him rant. He'll shoot himself in the foot so many times, he'll make Nagin jealous.
Ron Paul and John McCain both project respect, though. They're real Republicans, not Bushie thugs. As a middle of the road guy, I'd have no problem voting for either of them.
Ron Paul and John McCain both project respect, though. They're real Republicans, not Bushie thugs. As a middle of the road guy, I'd have no problem voting for either of them.
Monday, April 30, 2007
McCain on The Daily Show
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)