Cartoon of the Day
* Signe Wilkinson, Philadelphia Daily News 
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Is it Real or Is It Memorex?
A very special guest made a surprise visit to the Jeff Foxworthy show, and you can see it at Bush Comedy, via Wimp.com. As I said not too long ago, Is that GWB's image I see?, I can't bear to watch or even listen to George Bush. Now this version of George I can live with. He's uncanny in his portrayal of GWB.
(And yes, I'm showing my age with the title reference)
(Thanks to Lynn)
The Swann also rises
The Pittsburgh Post Gazette provides an interesting analysis of the impact of Lynn Swann in the Governor's race in Pennsylvania, in an article entitled Swann part of the rise of black Republicans. Politics editor James O'Toole writes a front page article on the issue of the number of black republicans in major races this year, accompanied by a huge picture of Lynn Swann. O'Toole notes:
Mr. Swann's candidacy has helped give life -- if not yet proof -- to the narrative national GOP leaders are trying to present as a new Republican story, a tale of a party unwilling to cede any demographic groups to Democrats, one not content with monochromatic victories.Of course, as with any Republican endeavor, it's more of a PR move, rather than any change in philosophy. The story is all there is, there is no substance. However, they've managed to fool a good number of other Americans with their rhetoric, so why not blacks? After all, they don't need to convince everyone:
"No one that I've talked to thinks these [African-American] candidates can attract even anything approaching a majority, but if they can attract even 25 or 35 percent, that would make a crucial difference." said Dr. John Green, the director of the Ray Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron.I've touched on the Swann candidacy in a few other posts, see Swann Song and Hahbahtdem Stillers. As I mentioned, I am concerned about the impact of Swann in the governor's race. Swann is not in this to be able to give voice to his long held views, even if those beliefs are of a conservative kind. No, as is painfully clear, he hasn't even formulated his beliefs yet. What makes things worse is the fact that it is so transparent that Swann is only there to be a spoiler.* * * *
Mr. Green said that while African-American voters, like members of other ethnic groups, feel an affinity with a candidate perceived as one of their own, Mr. Blackwell and other African-American Republicans face a ceiling imposed by black voters who generally have more liberal views on economic issues.
In an analysis of Allegheny County voting patterns in several recent elections, Christopher P. Briem, an economist with the University of Pittsburgh's Center for Social and Urban Research, found that party, rather than race, was a more accurate guide to the voting preferences of African Americans.
"If the Republican Party is going to become more appealing and accessible to the minority community, they're going to have to do more than change the faces of their candidates," said Ken Snyder, a Democratic consultant. "They're going to have to actually change their policies, which have been downright hostile to the urban centers where so many African Americans live."
But one Republican strategist argued that any measurable inroad into the Democrats' minority support, even if Mr. Rendell still held onto the bulk of the African-Americans voters, could be fatal to the Democrat's re-election.
"If [Mr. Swann] got 18 to 25 percent [of black voters], he would be elected governor," the Republican said.
Mr. Wheatley, the Hill District Democrat, who is an African American, said that he didn't expect that level of support to be within the Republican's grasp in Pennsylvania.
"Democrats can't take black votes for granted; African Americans are like any other group. You have to appeal to them on reason and issues, but do I think Swann can get 20 percent or 30 percent? No, I don't think so."* * * *
Mr. Green cautioned, however, that this year's roster of black Republican candidates does not signal the attainment of some new critical mass in African-American political allegiance.
"There's an awful lot of talk about the rise of black Republicans; you do see that at the elite levels and that's why it's being written about," he said. "But we don't see much of that [trend] in the broader population. What we need to do watch is to see to what extent Republicans can translate that into the mass level. That's much harder to do; those kinds of changes take a long time."
Are We There Yet?
Jake Tapper pens an article on ABC News, Expert on Iraq: 'We're In a Civil War'. Subtitled, "U.S. Officials Deny Violence Has Risen to That Level, but ABC News Analysts See a 'Serious Lack of Realism,'" this is one of the first articles I've seen that actually states that we have already started the "Civil War" phase of our Iraqi adventure. Most pieces have stopped short of that, preferring to say that Iraq is teetering on the edge of Civil War.
As Tapper noted:
As Pentagon generals offered optimistic assessments that the sectarian violence in Iraq had dissipated this weekend, other military experts told ABC News that Sunni and Shiite groups in Iraq already are engaged in a civil war, and that the Iraqi government and U.S. military had better accept that fact and adapt accordingly.I have been wondering what level/type of hostilities would be necessary before we finally declared the start of the "Civil War." What more could we need? Who would decide when we crossed the line into full Civil War? Blogger BlondeSense must have been similarly puzzled, since she asked the question, Is It or Isn't It? Her post includes the dictionary meaning of the term "Civil War":
"We're in a civil war now; it's just that not everybody's joined in," said retired Army Maj. Gen. William L. Nash, a former military commander in Bosnia-Herzegovina. "The failure to understand that the civil war is already taking place, just not necessarily at the maximum level, means that our counter measures are inadequate and therefore dangerous to our long-term interest.
"It's our failure to understand reality that has caused us to be late throughout this experience of the last three years in Iraq," added Nash, who is an ABC News consultant.
Definition:
1. A war between factions or regions of the same country.
2. A state of hostility or conflict between elements within an organization.
I realize that the Bush Administration has long pretended that the fighting factions were foreign insurgents, not local factions, but at what point does the press give up that fiction and acknowledge the true state of affairs? Sounds like we may be there. It was a long ride.
Monday, March 06, 2006
Jon-nie, They Hardly Know Ye
Even though I only saw one of the Best Picture Movies (at least I picked the winner, Crash), I did watch the Oscars. To see Jon Stewart, of course.
In case you missed it, here's the intro to the Academy Awards with Jon Stewart. Also, Sky.com's 78th Annual Academy Awards has Jon Stewart Quips and Quotes from the evening.
How did he do? I can't say -- I'm prejudiced. I thought he did a good job. It's the Academy Awards that are stodgy and boring, not Jon Stewart. But, according to The Moderate Voice, Reviews For Jon Stewart As Oscar Host Are Mixed.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
And the Winner Is
Onegoodmove has the Oscar predictions by Stephen Colbert, in The Da Colbert Code Redux, in case you can't wait until tonight's show.
Impeachable You
Harper's posted an excerpt from Lewis Lapham's essay, The Case for Impeachment, which is compelling. He notes:
On December 18 of last year, Congressman John Conyers Jr. (D., Mich.) introduced into the House of Representatives a resolution inviting it to form “a select committee to investigate the Administration's intent to go to war before congressional authorization, manipulation of pre-war intelligence, encouraging and countenancing torture, retaliating against critics, and to make recommendations regarding grounds for possible impeachment.” . . . . [W]hat did he hope to prove or to gain?When asked, how do we respond? As Conyers said, Were were we?
“To take away the excuse,” he said, “that we didn't know.” So that two or four or ten years from now, if somebody should ask, “Where were you, Conyers, and where was the United States Congress?” when the Bush Administration declared the Constitution inoperative and revoked the license of parliamentary government, none of the company now present can plead ignorance or temporary insanity, can say that “somehow it escaped our notice” that the President was setting himself up as a supreme leader exempt from the rule of law.
A reason with which it was hard to argue but one that didn't account for the congressman's impatience. Why not wait for a showing of supportive public opinion, delay the motion to impeach until after next November's elections? Assuming that further investigation of the President's addiction to the uses of domestic espionage finds him nullifying the Fourth Amendment rights of a large number of his fellow Americans, the Democrats possibly could come up with enough votes, their own and a quorum of disenchanted Republicans, to send the man home to Texas.* * * *
The Conyers report doesn't lack for further instances of the administration's misconduct, all of them noted in the press over the last three years—misuse of government funds, violation of the Geneva Conventions, holding without trial and subjecting to torture individuals arbitrarily designated as “enemy combatants,” etc.—but conspiracy to commit fraud would seem reason enough to warrant the President's impeachment. Before reading the report, I wouldn't have expected to find myself thinking that such a course of action was either likely or possible; after reading the report, I don't know why we would run the risk of not impeaching the man. We have before us in the White House a thief who steals the country's good name and reputation for his private interest and personal use; a liar who seeks to instill in the American people a state of fear; a televangelist who engages the United States in a never-ending crusade against all the world's evil, a wastrel who squanders a vast sum of the nation's wealth on what turns out to be a recruiting drive certain to multiply the host of our enemies. In a word, a criminal—known to be armed and shown to be dangerous. (Emphasis added).
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Ask a Republican
Comedian Paul Gilmartin performs as a Former Ohio Republican Congressmen Richard Martin. This series of video clips, Ask a Republican, is from a performance in Seattle and is really funny.
(Via IFILM )
Is that GWB's image I see?
Blogger Howie Klein of DownWithTyranny! has written a fantastic post that captures my thoughts of Bush perfectly, titled GEORGE W. BUSH, G. HARROLD CARSWELL AND SOME POOP FROM A SICK ANIMAL.
Comparing the phenomenon of people who see images of the Virgin Mary in a bagel, Klein reflects on "how the same way newsreel images of Hitler in the film caused [him] to have a visceral negative reaction, for millions of people throughout the world, tv images of Bush-- or even just his voice-- cause an identical visceral reaction." He sure got that right. It's so true -- I can't watch or even listen to Bush without that visceral reaction that he mentions. You should read the whole thing, but I've taken the liberty of exerpting a lengthy part of his piece:
When I was growing up in Brooklyn, there was this old adage that "anyone could grow up to be president." Well... I had some concerns, coming from Brooklyn, that "anyone" didn't include Jews, for example. (I mean even today I have run into so many people who eagerly acknowledge that Russ Feingold would be the best President of all the people being mentioned for 2008 but... well... isn't he Jewish? And just over half the people in the country are women and they never really seemed to be part of that "anyone" who could either (even though there have been effective women heads of state in England, the Phillipines, New Zealand, India and Israel, as well as in somewhat more socially-backward places like Pakistan, Indonesia and Bangladesh). And then there's the little teensy-weensy African-American problem.
But Bush did break down one barrier to this adage-- and this may sound like I'm being a smart-ass, but actually I'm being serious. Just like John F Kennedy broke down the barrier that kept Roman Catholics out of the presidency, George W. Bush proved that someone with an extraordinarily low IQ and a serious learning disability (both exacerbated by excessive drug use) could also one day grow up (more or less) and become president. Now, please forget for a moment that Bush is the scion of one of the most reknowned robber-baron families of our age and that his father was a president, albeit a mediocre, one-term one, and that his brother and several other powerful and corrupt power players actually stole the election for him. Just suspend that thought for a moment. Instead focus on Bush himself. . . .
It doesn't matter-- in this narrative-- that Bush is a son of wealth and privilege who never accomplished anything on his own in his entire life and, in fact, by any objective examination, has always been an utter failure in anything and everything he's tried. What matters is that he is ignorant and unlearned. Here's someone who never studied in school and is as far from scholarly as one can be and still not be a proven functional illiterate. . . . But what Bush has been able to accomplish is a complete denigration of intelligence and learning and replace these once esteemed-- even required-- attributes with a completely fake, if not blasphemous, religiosity. Where we once looked for someone wise and intelligent to lead us, we have now accepted someone who claims "God" talks to him and tells him what to do.* * * *Aside from being steeped in ignorance and darkness, a real problem for the ex officio leader of what was once called "The Free World," Bush is clearly delusionary. He seems to believe that if he says it, it is or will be true. He'll publically promise disaster relief to victims of Hurricane Katrina and the victims never heard another word about it. He makes promises to world leaders and they never hear anything from him again either.
The tag line quote on Klein's blog is also perfect ending for this piece:
"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross." - Sinclair Lewis
Friday, March 03, 2006
Ave Maria
Tom Monaghan, founder of Domino's Pizza, is planning to build a new town in Florida that is governed by Catholic principles, Pizza Magnate Seeks Catholic-Governed Town. He says it's "God's will." I say it's "Catholic Jonestown." Would you like some kool-aid with that pizza?
The town of Ave Maria is being constructed around Ave Maria University, the first Catholic university to be built in the United States in about 40 years. Both are set to open next year about 25 miles east of Naples in southwestern Florida.This is what happens when you're raised by nuns, 'Pizza pope' builds a Catholic heaven. You end up wanting to create a whole town that would be like living in a Catholic school from the 50s, with the nuns in charge of your life. I wonder if you have to genuflect coming and leaving town?
The town and the university, developed in partnership with the Barron Collier Co., an agricultural and real estate business, will be set on 5,000 acres with a European-inspired town center, a massive church and what planners call the largest crucifix in the nation, at nearly 65 feet tall. Monaghan envisions 11,000 homes and 20,000 residents.
During a speech last year at a Catholic men's gathering in Boston, Monaghan said that in his community, stores will not sell pornographic magazines, pharmacies will not carry condoms or birth control pills, and cable television will have no X-rated channels.
Homebuyers in Ave Maria will own their property outright. But Monaghan and Barron Collier will control all commercial real estate in the town, meaning they could insert provisions in leases to restrict the sale of certain items.
"I believe all of history is just one big battle between good and evil. I don't want to be on the sidelines," Monaghan, who sold Domino's Pizza in 1998 to devote himself to doing good works, said in a recent Newsweek interview.
On the other hand, our own "Mr. Catholic," Rick Santorum, will have a place to go when he loses his Senate seat this year. After all, he's already left Pennsylvania.
All I have to say is, thank God I never spent my money on Domino's Pizza. I could never tell the difference between the pizza and the cardboard box. The taste was the same.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Happy Birthday
“Be who you are and say what you feel,
because those who mind don't matter,
and those who matter don't mind.”
Dr. Seuss
Born on this day in 1904
~~~~~~~
For a fascinating discussion of Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss) and "The Cat in the Hat" read this 2002 New Yorker article, "CAT PEOPLE, What Dr. Seuss really taught us," in A Critic At Large.
Also check out: My Favorite Dr. Seuss Quotes. You can find a short bio here: About Dr. Seuss. And, if you want to be perfectly silly (and why not, in honor of Dr. Seuss), you can take the Which Dr. Seuss character are you? Quiz.
(Thanks to My Left Wing for cartoon & quote - I knew it was Dr. Seuss' Birthday & I knew they'd have something great)
Hall of Shame?
A friend of ours (really, my husband's friend) from Pittsburgh, Rob Ruck, is a Professor in the History Department at the University of Pittsburgh. Rob has written a number of books on the Negro Leagues and Latino baseball, such as Sandlot Seasons about sports in Black Pittsburgh, and he teaches a sports in history class at Pitt. Dave (my husband) spent time with Rob as he did the research on that book, interviewing a number of the players from the Pittsburgh Crawfords and the Homestead Grays.
Rob was on the Committee for Special Election: Negro Leaguers and Pre-Negro Leagues to the Hall of Fame. In fact, Dave spoke to him about the induction of Effa Manley, whom they both met during their travels in researching Rob's book. See, NYT article on Manley, Woman Among 17 Elected to Hall of Fame.
As I've mentioned many times before (and as anyone who knows me knows), I am not a sports fan. However, if I had to pick a sport, baseball is the most tolerable. I even go to a baseball game with Dave and our daughter annually (I bring a book for the boring parts). But the politics and history part of baseball (or sports, generally) can be interesting. For example, this story caught my attention (and is something Dave will no doubt be interested in).
Sports blogger Pinstripe Alley has a post about the election results, Buck O'Neil gets Denied the Hall of Fame. Apparently, O'Neil, who is ninety-four years old, was first baseman on four pennant winners and manager of five more in the old Negro Leagues, and was the first man of color to be a coach in the major leagues. The post notes the omission of Buck O'Neil and includes the video from Keith Olbermann, which had a segment on Countdown on the issue. Like the Committee Members, Olbermann is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research, and he's incensed over the exclusion. I don't know about his talents in baseball, but I watched the video and the man is a class act of the first degree. The NYT also has an article on the controversy, Hall Still Has Time to Honor Buck O'Neil.
Back to our friend Rob. He & his son Alex co-wrote an article, "The Negro Leagues and the Contradictions of Social Darwinism" reprinted at Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. And Rob's currently writing a bio of Art Rooney, see Pittsburgh: A Big Happy Company Town, with his wife Maggie.
UPDATE: Countdown with Keith Olbermann has a follow up interview with O'Neil on this issue, Buck O'Neil talks about Hall of Fame rejection.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
William, Meet Lily
The Ladies Who Lunch discussed the story of the Jersey shore substitute teacher who caused an uproar after he switched from Bill to Lily.
ClipBlast! has a clip of the story here: Sex Change Divides Community. Check it out to see if she gets to stay on after he becomes she.
Part II of the story will discuss the cut in pay that she now experiences from the School District, since women still make less than men for the same job.
Are You Insane?
Jon Stewart was on Larry King Live last night. CNN has the Transcript here. Larry King tries to engage Stewart after Stewart says that he has problems with both political parties.
KING: So, in a sense you're happy over this.Short video clips of the interview can be seen here: ClipBlast!, here: onegoodmove. and here: Crooks and Liars (includes above part of interview).
STEWART: No.
KING: This gives you fodder.
STEWART: Yes, I prefer not the fodder. I'm not -- we're not the guys at the craps table betting against the line. I would -- we'd make fun of something else. If public life, if government suddenly became inspiring and moved towards people's better nature and began to solve problems in a rational way rather than just a way that involved political dividends, we would be the happiest people in the world to turn our attention to idiots like, you know, media people, no offense.
KING: So, you don't want it to be bad?
STEWART: Did you really just ask me if I want it to be bad?
KING: Yes because you...
STEWART: What are you -- I have kids what do you think? Yes, I don't want them to have any kind of a -- I want things to corrode to the point where we're all living in huts.
KING: Not all living in huts but generally comics political comics like things to go a little wrong, don't have to be the end of the world.
STEWART: Like things to go a little wrong like birdshot to the face of a guy that will survive.
KING: That's right.
STEWART: Not like things to go wrong until it's like Mad Max, every man for himself, let's all ride around with machineguns on, which seems to be the way that it's...
KING: You don't want Medicare to fail?
STEWART: Are you insane?
KING: No.
STEWART: You're literally asking me if I would prefer -- yes, Larry, what I'm saying to you as a comedian I want old people to suffer, old and poor people to suffer. That is -- that is -- what we want is -- what seems absurd to me is the length that Washington just seems out of touch with the desires of Americans to be spoken to as though they are adults.
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