Tuesday, October 02, 2007

HRC: LOL

I have previously come clean on my distaste for Madam Clinton as the Democratic nominee, but that's almost purely pragmatic. She's too conservative for my taste, and she's far too beholden to the corporate POV, and yes, she is going to be toxic to every other Democrat on the ballot with her, particularly throughout the South.

I thought The Laugh was fake and forced when I heard it several times last week, as Hillary made the rounds of the Sunday Morning Talking Heads. If it makes other people feel like I do -- a little uncomfortable with the phoniness -- then she may have a real problem.

Emphasis on May.

I think it walks right up to the edge of misogyny, though, to call her laugh a cackle. See, witches cackle. As we move toward Halloween, it's inevitable now that we're going to see some little kids (and some not-so-little ones) dressed up as Hillary the Witch, pointy hat and broom, cackling. That's fine; jocularity and biting humor and all.

But I really don't want to see the Beltway pundits start to pull out words like 'cackle', because words like 'bitch' will shortly follow. And worse. That's not even safe ground for the Faux News pimps.

I'm calling bullshit now on our media trying to make that her meme.

Monday, October 01, 2007

The G.O.D. Party (not the GOP)

I wrote previously about the possibility of third-party challenges in 2008, but I admit I never thought the fundies would get so fed up they would feel like quitting:

Some of the nation's most politically influential conservative Christians, alarmed by the prospect of a Republican presidential nominee who supports abortion rights, are considering backing a third-party candidate.

More than 40 Christian conservatives attended a meeting Saturday in Salt Lake City to discuss the possibility, and planned more gatherings on how they should move forward, according to Richard A. Viguerie, the direct-mail expert and longtime conservative activist.

As if the Republicans didn't have enough problems. On the other hand: Forty folks? As Arlo Guthrie sang in "Alice's Restaurant", ten more and people may think it's a movement.

Since Rudy 9/11 is an abortionist and neither Grandpa Fred nor Mitt the Flip-Flopper are Christians, and with Newt out suddenly, the God Squad is going to have to rely on the appearance of another saviour in 2008. And prayer ain't workin' for them.

I only wish these poor fools had decided to do this in the Eighties. You know, before the Reagan Revolt.

1,153 and $159,041

Our little portal collected 812 of those, and $141,489.16.

Rick thanks you, and we thank you.



"Now with this new dimension in American politics, the netroots allows for regular folks like me who have devoted their lives to public service to step forward and stand for higher office.


No longer do you have to be a celebrity or a self-financed millionaire to offer yourself for public service.



The netroots, in large part, have leveled the playing field.



The netroots component is going to be a critical piece to defeating John Cornyn
and getting the state and nation back on track after this administration has so misled us."


Update
(6:30 p.m.): Noriega raised a total of $570,000 for the quarter just ended. The netroots contribution was 27.9% of that tally.

The Weekly Wrangle

Time again for this week's edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance's Blog Round-Up, compiled by Vince from Capitol Annex.

Blue 19th wonders: Can someone ask Randy Neugebauer why he hates college students?

Evan at the Houston GLBT Political Caucus Blog asks: Where is the Human Rights Campaign as leaders in Congress are considering leaving transgender workers out of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act because, unlike other GLBT political organizations, HRC -- no, not Hillary -- has been silent (and that's not acceptable).

In How are these alike? Fort Worth and Wise County TXsharon of Bluedaze warns Fort Worth residents about the dangers of Barnett Shale drilling, conflicts of interest and good-old-boy politics.

McBlogger goes all medieval on the Texas Transportation Commission's derriere... Like toll roads? Not McBlogger!

Texas Kaos community member Carol Gee gives a primer on terms we're all going to need to become more familiar with in 50 Ways to Understand the Protect America Act.

Managing diabetes is a real pain, according to PDiddie at Brains and Eggs.

WCNews at Eye on Williamson analyzes the latest actions in his statehouse district in Krusee's Influence And Credibility Are Gone, Time For HD-52 To Start Over.

BossKitty at Blue Bloggin notes that Lloyd Doggett hits Bush in the nose again, and this time it's about SCHIP. She also tells of some of the antics of Pete Sessions on the vote -- and how it's all about earmarks.

In a pair of posts, Nat-Wu at Three Wise Men asks if the city of Irving is practicing racist law enforcement.

Off the Kuff takes a look at State Proposition 2, an education bond issue that should not be confused with the Houston ISD's more controversial referendum.

Over at Stop Cornyn, Matt tells us how John Cornyn has once again voted against Texas children. Another post at Stop Cornyn notes just how out of touch the junior senator's vote was.

Texas Toad at North Texas Liberal talks about the Project Farm Team meeting, with guest speaker Vince Leibowitz, and how that organization can turn Denton County blue.

The Texas Blue, one of the recent additions to the Texas Progressive Alliance, has an audio interview with state representative Kirk England, who discusses his background and what motivated his recent decision to switch from Republican to Democratic.

Vince at Capitol Annex tells us how Rick Perry's decision to order the state's two largest retirement systems to divest in Iranian-related investments could cause a special session.

B and B says Stop the Border Wall.

Half Empty takes note of the huge issue that is the Trans Texas Corridor. Hal attended Hank Gilbert's informative discussion this past Saturday and reports.

Refinish69 at Doing My Part For The Left gives his views about people saying 'elect any Democrat' and why he thinks that is total BS in Rick Noriega, Dan Grant and John Edwards: 3 Great Democrats To Get Elected.

Why Political Conventions?

(Second in a series from OpenSourceDem.)

Political conventions give citizens vote and voice. They double the initial power of a non-secret ballot that may not be counted anyway and that, if counted, is usually canceled out by another vote.

It is all very well to take election integrity seriously. But that is by no means the only or even the main source of rot at the very root of our republican democracy.

Even if not tampered with and then tallied correctly, all votes are not equal. For example:

-- A straight-ticket vote is always more powerful than picking through down-ballot and even some up-ballot races on the ballot.

-- Some votes are protected by gerrymandering of election districts.

-- And other votes, arbitrarily attributed to “likely” or “swing” voters, are effectively privileged after the fact by pollsters over those of less likely and more loyal voters.

So, voting is not and never has been the be-all and end-all of republican democracy, necessary to be sure, but not sufficient.

Moreover, your individual voice can be leveraged in convention by participation in like-minded caucuses and amplified from your precinct all the way to the national convention by a thousandfold.

Finally, conventions do more than nominate candidates who if elected may go on to represent those that elected them, but today are more likely to go panhandling to whomever financed their opponent.

Note that two marginal Democrats newly elected from Texas went on to deliver votes for President BUSH and Alberto GONZALES as the state party apparatus channeled the Blue Wave elsewhere. This was probably not what Democratic voters had in mind, but it fills the pockets of candidates’ pimp-consultants and delights the state party establishment.

Conventions, however, are the highest authority in any political party and an opportunity to change that party establishment.

A convention:

-- credentials delegates from previous conventions and selects them for the next one;

-- memorably adds value and meaning to political participation and identity for every participant;

-- writes permanent rules and a campaign platform; and

-- elects party executives and conducts any other lawful business of the party.

Those elected to public office have complex responsibilities, not always or even mostly to the fragile electoral majorities that put them in office. Elected officials can listen to voters but they will hear nothing directly and white noise indirectly from pollsters. Actually most of those pollsters work for pimp-consultants or lobbyists.

So without putting a strong party and practical platform forged in convention behind them, electing Democrats is more than just disappointing and frustrating, it is very nearly futile.

By contrast, the GOP has demonstrated that vigorous conventions make for a disciplined and effective party generally. You can disagree with the extremist GOP platform, and our state party apparatus likes to mock it. But GOP officials take that platform and their conventions very seriously indeed. Their officials are not better than ours. But their convention, and to that extent their party, is more effective than ours. It is a source of political energy for them which they turn into both funds and votes.

Third parties have only conventions, no primary elections. They have very poor prospects in even-year, statewide general elections. But they can dominate elections in well-governed small municipalities, conceivably even large cities.

Texas statutes now prohibit “fusion” ballots and merged conventions in even years. But a strong Democratic Party with durable credentials almost certainly should participate in joint, odd-year conventions, especially with the Green and Libertarian parties, which have some elements of a practical agenda.

For Democrats, the main obstacle to practical conventions are (a) the party establishment’s preference for beauty pageants in which all serious business is methodically suppressed by systematic time-wasting, (b) delegates’ acceptance of unwritten rules and dubious guidelines that perpetuate a professional and racial patronage chain, as well as (c) sheer inexperience with parliamentary procedure and form.

The good news here is that (a) through (c) are easy to fix starting, uh, backwards with (c).