Roger writes to warn conservatives about eating their young (leaders):
It appears that both McCain staff and liberals are continuing their character assassination of Sarah Palin. One comment on Hot Air suggested the following:
"Someone had said elsewhere that Gov Palin should appoint herself to Ted Steven's seat and get 4 years of washington experience under her belt before 2012."
I think this would do more harm than good for Gov. Palin. If I recall correctly, former Gov. Wendell Anderson "arranged" to be named senator and this created a huge backlash from MN voters. Wendy was an extremely popular governor at that time.
A better solution would be to appoint a true conservative (and reformer) and help develop a talent pool of young conservatives to lead our party out of the wilderness. Pres. Bush didn't seemed bothered with developing the next generation of Republicans (let alone conservative Republicans).
I think bloggers and others need to help prevent the character assassination that is killing our young (e.g. next generation of conservative leaders).
Having Palin appoint herself to the Senate is a prescription for disaster. Besides the likley voter backlash, a good part of Palin's appeal is that she's not a typical Washington political pro. The last thing she needs is to have the life and energy sucked out of her by being part of the world's most arrogant and insular political body (the Chinese Politburo is more in touch than the US Senate).
Now that she's been on the national stage, she has enough visbility to be part of the conservative political scene going forward (if she so chooses). You don't need to be in Washington to be a player.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
The Price Of Petulance
Tom e-mails on my post on opposing loyally:
Dang. Just when I was going to get a photo taken with my head all tilty and start a column where I refer to President-Elect Obama as "The Next Occupant", you shame me into getting all mature.
I've spent some time on some Liberal Left Blogsites (Boing Boing, MetaFilter) today. With all due respect to President-Elect Obama, some of the people who voted for/rooted for him are...how to put it nicely...unstable and cultish. People recounting how they broke down weeping and went through a box of Kleenex crying their eyes out when they got the news that Obama had won. Foreigners saying "welcome back to the world, U.S." Apparently, I was supposed to have been ashamed of my country the last eight years because of who the president was. I wasn't ashamed of my country when Bill Clinton was my president even though he did some shameful things.
And for Sarah Palin, yowza, the level of hate these people have for some one who made it on her own (didn't inherit her position based on the death of her husband) and who doesn't agree with their point of view was stunning. Apparently there is a whole porn site-rape culture these people have created to wallow in their hatred of Palin.
The Liberals I know aren't the most self-reflective people. I wonder if someday they will look back at the past eight years and ask how they allowed themselves to get so twisted up about George Bush? Their admonitions to one another about how "now the real work starts" and "we have got to make people change", etc. as if they could not have been doing this throughout the last eight years. Your colleague Medved put it best when he talked about why the Liberals insist on the NEA, PBS and other government funded art - these people want to be the government sanctioned arbiters of what art is. In the same way, these people want to have the government sanction (and pay for) their good works when they could have been doing it themselves all along.
Well, now I must do what I have done the last twenty years the day after a presidential election; get back to work.
If anyone needed a reminder of the consequences of disloyal opposition, it was provided in a piece in today's WSJ called The Treatment of Bush Has Been a Disgrace:
The treatment President Bush has received from this country is nothing less than a disgrace. The attacks launched against him have been cruel and slanderous, proving to the world what little character and resolve we have. The president is not to blame for all these problems. He never lost faith in America or her people, and has tried his hardest to continue leading our nation during a very difficult time.
Our failure to stand by the one person who continued to stand by us has not gone unnoticed by our enemies. It has shown to the world how disloyal we can be when our president needed loyalty -- a shameful display of arrogance and weakness that will haunt this nation long after Mr. Bush has left the White House.
And before your write off those words as nothing more than whining from a Bush-loving neo-con you should know this about the author:
Mr. Shapiro is an investigative reporter and lawyer who previously interned with John F. Kerry's legal team during the presidential election in 2004.
Dang. Just when I was going to get a photo taken with my head all tilty and start a column where I refer to President-Elect Obama as "The Next Occupant", you shame me into getting all mature.
I've spent some time on some Liberal Left Blogsites (Boing Boing, MetaFilter) today. With all due respect to President-Elect Obama, some of the people who voted for/rooted for him are...how to put it nicely...unstable and cultish. People recounting how they broke down weeping and went through a box of Kleenex crying their eyes out when they got the news that Obama had won. Foreigners saying "welcome back to the world, U.S." Apparently, I was supposed to have been ashamed of my country the last eight years because of who the president was. I wasn't ashamed of my country when Bill Clinton was my president even though he did some shameful things.
And for Sarah Palin, yowza, the level of hate these people have for some one who made it on her own (didn't inherit her position based on the death of her husband) and who doesn't agree with their point of view was stunning. Apparently there is a whole porn site-rape culture these people have created to wallow in their hatred of Palin.
The Liberals I know aren't the most self-reflective people. I wonder if someday they will look back at the past eight years and ask how they allowed themselves to get so twisted up about George Bush? Their admonitions to one another about how "now the real work starts" and "we have got to make people change", etc. as if they could not have been doing this throughout the last eight years. Your colleague Medved put it best when he talked about why the Liberals insist on the NEA, PBS and other government funded art - these people want to be the government sanctioned arbiters of what art is. In the same way, these people want to have the government sanction (and pay for) their good works when they could have been doing it themselves all along.
Well, now I must do what I have done the last twenty years the day after a presidential election; get back to work.
If anyone needed a reminder of the consequences of disloyal opposition, it was provided in a piece in today's WSJ called The Treatment of Bush Has Been a Disgrace:
The treatment President Bush has received from this country is nothing less than a disgrace. The attacks launched against him have been cruel and slanderous, proving to the world what little character and resolve we have. The president is not to blame for all these problems. He never lost faith in America or her people, and has tried his hardest to continue leading our nation during a very difficult time.
Our failure to stand by the one person who continued to stand by us has not gone unnoticed by our enemies. It has shown to the world how disloyal we can be when our president needed loyalty -- a shameful display of arrogance and weakness that will haunt this nation long after Mr. Bush has left the White House.
And before your write off those words as nothing more than whining from a Bush-loving neo-con you should know this about the author:
Mr. Shapiro is an investigative reporter and lawyer who previously interned with John F. Kerry's legal team during the presidential election in 2004.
Opposing Loyally
In the closing days of the campaign we heard a lot from the media about "Republican rage" that was coming to the surface in various outbursts from the crowd at McCain-Palin rallies. Those "raging" right-wingers were compared with fascist brown shirts in the Weimar Republic, with the implication that it was only a matter of time before we would be seeing violent street battles in the place of political dialog.
Surely now that Barack Obama has been elected president this cauldron of Republican rage must be boiling over into outright hostility and anger?
Let's take a quick look at how some various right-winger bloggers and pundits are reacting:
The semi-repentant neo-con Ross Douthat:
And then, of course, there's the fact that Obama has just been elected President of a nation in which he could have been bought and sold as a slave just seven generations ago. I don't think there are any words adequate to the occasion of America electing its first black President, so I'll just say this: This may be a bleak day for the Republican Party and for conservatism, but come what may in the years ahead, it's a great day for our country. Barack Obama deserves congratulations, tonight, but so does the nation he's about to govern: We've come a long, long way.
Scott Johnson from the notorious right-wing noise machine Power Line :
Tonight let us salute and congratulate Senator Obama as the author of a brilliant campaign and pray that he achieves greatness in office. To adapt the imprecation of Stephen Decatur: May he always be in the right; but our president, right or wrong.
Hate-spewing radio shock jock Hugh Hewitt:
It is an extraordinary thing, an achievement that will be recognized a hundred years hence, that Barack Obama has won the White House. Even those of us who opposed him, and who will no doubt be opposed to many of his policy objectives over the next four years, must pause and say congratulations on an improbable, amazing rise.
Every American ought to pray for wisdom and judgment for President-elect Obama, for his safety and the safety of his country, and for the continued prosperity and greatness of America.
Even the humorous hate-mongers at Nihilist In Golf Pants don't seem too riled up:
Tonight I say a PRAYER for our new President-elect, Barak Obama. I hope GOD will guide his decisions and give him the strength and wisdom to lead America forward. I also PRAY for our leaders in Congress, that GOD may watch over them too. I realize that this may be too much for the nuts to bear, but tonight I PRAY for them too. To paraphrase Jeremiah Wright (sort of):
GOD bless America? Yeah, what the heck! GOD bless America!
This reaction of course is not unexpected. Unlike the way that the left reacted in 2002 and 2004, the right will handle our defeat this year (as we did in 2006) with civility and class.
There will be the inevitable post-mortems about what went wrong and what needs to change. And we will strongly and passionately oppose the Obama Administration and the Democratic Congress on most issues. In 2012, we'll do everything we can to we make Obama a one term president. But we will do it without coming close to the levels of antipathy, hysteria, and outright hate (real hate) that the left has displayed toward George W. Bush and most Republicans in the last eight years.
- We won't display bumper stickers saying "He's not my president."
- We won't set up web sites to apologize to the world for the election results.
- We won't reflexively blame President Obama for everything bad thing--including the weather--that happens to the country.
- We won't claim that Barack Obama is an idiot and that we're smarter than him. And no liberals, it's not because Obama is smart and Bush is dumb. Both of these guys are smarter than 99.98% of the population (which likely includes you). Saying that you're smarter than Bush pretty much proves that you aren't.
- We won't fly our flags upside down to signal distress.
- We won't run around moaning about how horrible it is to live in "Obama's America."
- We won't run down our president when we're overseas in order to gain approval.
- We won't use the left's disgraceful treatment of President Bush during the last eight years as an excuse to engage in the same kind of behavior.
- We will respect the office of the president and the man who holds it.
- We will continue to fly our flags and love our country as much as did before.
- We will continue to work hard, go to church, spend time with our families, and try to be the best people we can be knowing that at the end of the day, our personal happiness and satisfaction is not dependent on who sits in the White House.
We will be the opposition for at least the next two years and perhaps much longer. But we will strive to remember that whatever differences we have with Democrats, we are always Americans first.
UPDATE-- For an idea of what this spirited, but loyal opposition should look like check out Peter Kirsanow's excellent post at The Corner on National Review Online:
Last night was Obama's night. January 20th too. Watch for genuine opportunities to work together for the betterment of the country. But on every other occasion fight. Fight every attempt to entrench a new entitlement. Fight every attempt to redistribute wealth. Fight every attempt to radicalize the courts. Fight every attempt to weaken our defenses. Fight every attempt to restrict political speech. Fight every attempt to revise history. Fight for what's best about America.
UPDATE II-- More from David Harsanyi:
My children are continually lectured by well-meaning adults about the mystifying power culled from our differences, the strength we derive from our disparate upbringing and the power of diversity.
So why, one wonders, does this belief not extend to our politics and ideology? Why do we strive to shed individuality and become herds of devotees and shills?
America should be a place that features spirited debate, a place where partisanship is reignited in a fury of righteous opposition, a place where Republicans find a spine and oppose harmony whenever appropriate.
Surely now that Barack Obama has been elected president this cauldron of Republican rage must be boiling over into outright hostility and anger?
Let's take a quick look at how some various right-winger bloggers and pundits are reacting:
The semi-repentant neo-con Ross Douthat:
And then, of course, there's the fact that Obama has just been elected President of a nation in which he could have been bought and sold as a slave just seven generations ago. I don't think there are any words adequate to the occasion of America electing its first black President, so I'll just say this: This may be a bleak day for the Republican Party and for conservatism, but come what may in the years ahead, it's a great day for our country. Barack Obama deserves congratulations, tonight, but so does the nation he's about to govern: We've come a long, long way.
Scott Johnson from the notorious right-wing noise machine Power Line :
Tonight let us salute and congratulate Senator Obama as the author of a brilliant campaign and pray that he achieves greatness in office. To adapt the imprecation of Stephen Decatur: May he always be in the right; but our president, right or wrong.
Hate-spewing radio shock jock Hugh Hewitt:
It is an extraordinary thing, an achievement that will be recognized a hundred years hence, that Barack Obama has won the White House. Even those of us who opposed him, and who will no doubt be opposed to many of his policy objectives over the next four years, must pause and say congratulations on an improbable, amazing rise.
Every American ought to pray for wisdom and judgment for President-elect Obama, for his safety and the safety of his country, and for the continued prosperity and greatness of America.
Even the humorous hate-mongers at Nihilist In Golf Pants don't seem too riled up:
Tonight I say a PRAYER for our new President-elect, Barak Obama. I hope GOD will guide his decisions and give him the strength and wisdom to lead America forward. I also PRAY for our leaders in Congress, that GOD may watch over them too. I realize that this may be too much for the nuts to bear, but tonight I PRAY for them too. To paraphrase Jeremiah Wright (sort of):
GOD bless America? Yeah, what the heck! GOD bless America!
This reaction of course is not unexpected. Unlike the way that the left reacted in 2002 and 2004, the right will handle our defeat this year (as we did in 2006) with civility and class.
There will be the inevitable post-mortems about what went wrong and what needs to change. And we will strongly and passionately oppose the Obama Administration and the Democratic Congress on most issues. In 2012, we'll do everything we can to we make Obama a one term president. But we will do it without coming close to the levels of antipathy, hysteria, and outright hate (real hate) that the left has displayed toward George W. Bush and most Republicans in the last eight years.
- We won't display bumper stickers saying "He's not my president."
- We won't set up web sites to apologize to the world for the election results.
- We won't reflexively blame President Obama for everything bad thing--including the weather--that happens to the country.
- We won't claim that Barack Obama is an idiot and that we're smarter than him. And no liberals, it's not because Obama is smart and Bush is dumb. Both of these guys are smarter than 99.98% of the population (which likely includes you). Saying that you're smarter than Bush pretty much proves that you aren't.
- We won't fly our flags upside down to signal distress.
- We won't run around moaning about how horrible it is to live in "Obama's America."
- We won't run down our president when we're overseas in order to gain approval.
- We won't use the left's disgraceful treatment of President Bush during the last eight years as an excuse to engage in the same kind of behavior.
- We will respect the office of the president and the man who holds it.
- We will continue to fly our flags and love our country as much as did before.
- We will continue to work hard, go to church, spend time with our families, and try to be the best people we can be knowing that at the end of the day, our personal happiness and satisfaction is not dependent on who sits in the White House.
We will be the opposition for at least the next two years and perhaps much longer. But we will strive to remember that whatever differences we have with Democrats, we are always Americans first.
UPDATE-- For an idea of what this spirited, but loyal opposition should look like check out Peter Kirsanow's excellent post at The Corner on National Review Online:
Last night was Obama's night. January 20th too. Watch for genuine opportunities to work together for the betterment of the country. But on every other occasion fight. Fight every attempt to entrench a new entitlement. Fight every attempt to redistribute wealth. Fight every attempt to radicalize the courts. Fight every attempt to weaken our defenses. Fight every attempt to restrict political speech. Fight every attempt to revise history. Fight for what's best about America.
UPDATE II-- More from David Harsanyi:
My children are continually lectured by well-meaning adults about the mystifying power culled from our differences, the strength we derive from our disparate upbringing and the power of diversity.
So why, one wonders, does this belief not extend to our politics and ideology? Why do we strive to shed individuality and become herds of devotees and shills?
America should be a place that features spirited debate, a place where partisanship is reignited in a fury of righteous opposition, a place where Republicans find a spine and oppose harmony whenever appropriate.
By A Wisker
It was a tough night for Fraters Libertas endorsed candidates in the hotly contested Hennepin County soil and water conservation district races.
In District 5, Karl Hansen fell to Jeff Beck (no, for the last time Atomizer, he's NOT that Jeff Beck ) by twelve points. And in a multi-candidate scrum in District 3, our man Ben Torell lost by a mere 6000 votes:
BEN TORELL 97413 29.06%
JAMES WISKER 103540 30.88%
Who says your vote doesn't count? We congratulate the winners and pray for their success in the trying times ahead for soil and/or water.
In District 5, Karl Hansen fell to Jeff Beck (no, for the last time Atomizer, he's NOT that Jeff Beck ) by twelve points. And in a multi-candidate scrum in District 3, our man Ben Torell lost by a mere 6000 votes:
BEN TORELL 97413 29.06%
JAMES WISKER 103540 30.88%
Who says your vote doesn't count? We congratulate the winners and pray for their success in the trying times ahead for soil and/or water.
Message To Obama Voters (especially the young ones)
Congratulations to the supporters of Barack Obama. It's been a long, hard road and you've now reached your ultimate destination. You deserve to celebrate your accomplishment and bask in the glow of victory.
But after that glow wears off, I would encourage you to temper your expectations of what Obama's victory will mean for the country and for you personally. It's great to see many of you get involved in politics for the first time. Your enthusiasm and passion for Obama was evident throughout the campaign and you brought a great deal of energy into it. However, you also seem to have attached hopes and expectations to your candidate that are bound to disappoint you.
In some ways, winning the election is the easy part. The governing will be much tougher, especially in the current environment. Difficult decisions will have to made and priorities established. Obama may want to change many things. He likely will be able to change far fewer.
And those things he can change will impact the country far more than you personally. Something that I think liberals could learn from conservatives is that relying on any one politician to make things better for you is a prescription for a letdown. Conservatives tend to not expect much from the politicians they support. And even when they do (as in the case of Reagan), it's not because of what that politician will do for us personally, it's what they will for do for the country. If the president can defend us from our enemies, not do anything to screw up economy, and limit government regulation and oversight to areas where it is absolutely necessary, we will have the opportunity (not the guarantee) to achieve for what we want for ourselves.
To paraphrase another young Democratic president: "Ask not what Obama can do for you, ask what Obama can do for your country. " He's not going to make your life better. He may give you the opportunity, but it's up to you to make it happen.
The other thing to remember is that life under Barack Obama isn't going to be all that different from life under George W, Bush. You may feel better with Obama as president, but the reality on the ground for you in your day to day life isn't going to change much. It's easy to get excited about promises of hope and change. Just be realistic about what they will really mean for you.
But after that glow wears off, I would encourage you to temper your expectations of what Obama's victory will mean for the country and for you personally. It's great to see many of you get involved in politics for the first time. Your enthusiasm and passion for Obama was evident throughout the campaign and you brought a great deal of energy into it. However, you also seem to have attached hopes and expectations to your candidate that are bound to disappoint you.
In some ways, winning the election is the easy part. The governing will be much tougher, especially in the current environment. Difficult decisions will have to made and priorities established. Obama may want to change many things. He likely will be able to change far fewer.
And those things he can change will impact the country far more than you personally. Something that I think liberals could learn from conservatives is that relying on any one politician to make things better for you is a prescription for a letdown. Conservatives tend to not expect much from the politicians they support. And even when they do (as in the case of Reagan), it's not because of what that politician will do for us personally, it's what they will for do for the country. If the president can defend us from our enemies, not do anything to screw up economy, and limit government regulation and oversight to areas where it is absolutely necessary, we will have the opportunity (not the guarantee) to achieve for what we want for ourselves.
To paraphrase another young Democratic president: "Ask not what Obama can do for you, ask what Obama can do for your country. " He's not going to make your life better. He may give you the opportunity, but it's up to you to make it happen.
The other thing to remember is that life under Barack Obama isn't going to be all that different from life under George W, Bush. You may feel better with Obama as president, but the reality on the ground for you in your day to day life isn't going to change much. It's easy to get excited about promises of hope and change. Just be realistic about what they will really mean for you.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Partly Cloudy
State of the race at 9:50pm
The bad news: McCain has lost (although at least it happened early), Coleman is losing (although only by 11K votes), the yes vote for the arts and crafts constitutional amendment is currently projected at 53.25%, the District 281 school levy has 54% of the vote, and my glass of Scotch is almost empty.
The good news: John Kline is cruising in the Second, Erik Paulsen is leading in the 3rd, Michele Bachmann has a four point lead in the Sixth, and Brit Hume is having fun and providing much entertainment on Fox News.
UPDATE at 10:05pm: Coleman now up by 4K votes.
UPDATE at 10:19pm Franken back up by 11K. This one looks like it's going all night.
Watching McCain's concession speech now. Not surprisingly, he's gracious and honorable in defeat. Truly a good man who faced almost impossible circumstances.
UPDATE at 10:35pm The votes come in and the Senate lead seesaws. Coleman now has an 11K lead. We won't know how this ends until the morning. In the House races, Paulsen and Bachmann both have 5+% leads with over half the votes in.
UPDATE at 10:54pm Too early to call it a trend but Coleman is now up by 20K votes with 57% of precincts in.
Watching Obama speak now. Doesn't seem to be doing much to lower expectations yet with talk of "bending the arc of history." Good of him to recognize McCain's service. Having Joe Biden as VP for the next four years should provide plenty of fodder. He did present the challenges ahead and warned that it won't be easy or quick. I just wonder how many in the crowd are really hearing those words. I also wonder exactly what it is that his supporters are supposed to do after the election. To chip in what? To make what kind of sacrifices? I guess we've got the next four years to find out. The promises he made to the country and the world tonight were definitely an audacious start. Nice return to the "arc of history" at the close.
UPDATE at 11:13pm With sixty-five percent of the vote in, Franken leads by 105 votes:
NORM COLEMAN 755095 41.87%
AL FRANKEN 755200 41.88%
Follow along with the fun here.
The bad news: McCain has lost (although at least it happened early), Coleman is losing (although only by 11K votes), the yes vote for the arts and crafts constitutional amendment is currently projected at 53.25%, the District 281 school levy has 54% of the vote, and my glass of Scotch is almost empty.
The good news: John Kline is cruising in the Second, Erik Paulsen is leading in the 3rd, Michele Bachmann has a four point lead in the Sixth, and Brit Hume is having fun and providing much entertainment on Fox News.
UPDATE at 10:05pm: Coleman now up by 4K votes.
UPDATE at 10:19pm Franken back up by 11K. This one looks like it's going all night.
Watching McCain's concession speech now. Not surprisingly, he's gracious and honorable in defeat. Truly a good man who faced almost impossible circumstances.
UPDATE at 10:35pm The votes come in and the Senate lead seesaws. Coleman now has an 11K lead. We won't know how this ends until the morning. In the House races, Paulsen and Bachmann both have 5+% leads with over half the votes in.
UPDATE at 10:54pm Too early to call it a trend but Coleman is now up by 20K votes with 57% of precincts in.
Watching Obama speak now. Doesn't seem to be doing much to lower expectations yet with talk of "bending the arc of history." Good of him to recognize McCain's service. Having Joe Biden as VP for the next four years should provide plenty of fodder. He did present the challenges ahead and warned that it won't be easy or quick. I just wonder how many in the crowd are really hearing those words. I also wonder exactly what it is that his supporters are supposed to do after the election. To chip in what? To make what kind of sacrifices? I guess we've got the next four years to find out. The promises he made to the country and the world tonight were definitely an audacious start. Nice return to the "arc of history" at the close.
UPDATE at 11:13pm With sixty-five percent of the vote in, Franken leads by 105 votes:
NORM COLEMAN 755095 41.87%
AL FRANKEN 755200 41.88%
Follow along with the fun here.
In The Balance
For an easy way to keep updated on the critical Senate races across the country check out the NRSC Election Night Results page early and often. You can see the races in individual states and they also have a nice summary page that has all the contested races.
For a way to make watching the returns more interesting, nothing beats a little wagering. There's still a chance to get in some action that is easy money for the taking.
For a way to make watching the returns more interesting, nothing beats a little wagering. There's still a chance to get in some action that is easy money for the taking.
Consider It Exercised
A few observations after voting this morning:
- This is by far the nicest Election Day weather wise here in Minnesota that I can recall. Usually not a good harbinger for Republicans, but it made the walk to the polling place very pleasant.
- Voting always reminds me how nice it is to live in a state that works. Polls open on time, citizens serve as election judges, and for the most part elections go off with very few problems here.
At lunch yesterday, someone from another state asked if we were worried about having to deal with long lines on Election Day. Since Minnesotans tend to turnout in high numbers for almost every election, I had no worries in this regard.
And today proved my confidence was founded. Yes, there was a line. And yes, I had to wait to vote (around a half hour tops). But the process was very organized and the people working the polling place were competent, conspicuous, and cheerful.
- Which makes my one complaint seem a little petty. But I will air it none the less. When the polls are being set up, a little more consideration needs to be given to the concept of flow. While the layout of the facility limited options to a certain extent, there was no reason that the process had to resemble that of a Russian airport. We were required to stand in three separate lines before being able to vote. Lines that were difficult to distinguish and required you back up to enter the queue. Rather than a U-shaped flow, it was a series of intersecting zig-zags across the room. Hardly an optimal way to get voters in and out rapidly.
- My one ray of hope for today is that I noticed a lot of older people voting. Older people generally not well disposed to increasing their property taxes to pay for schools their children no longer attend. Keep hope alive.
- This is by far the nicest Election Day weather wise here in Minnesota that I can recall. Usually not a good harbinger for Republicans, but it made the walk to the polling place very pleasant.
- Voting always reminds me how nice it is to live in a state that works. Polls open on time, citizens serve as election judges, and for the most part elections go off with very few problems here.
At lunch yesterday, someone from another state asked if we were worried about having to deal with long lines on Election Day. Since Minnesotans tend to turnout in high numbers for almost every election, I had no worries in this regard.
And today proved my confidence was founded. Yes, there was a line. And yes, I had to wait to vote (around a half hour tops). But the process was very organized and the people working the polling place were competent, conspicuous, and cheerful.
- Which makes my one complaint seem a little petty. But I will air it none the less. When the polls are being set up, a little more consideration needs to be given to the concept of flow. While the layout of the facility limited options to a certain extent, there was no reason that the process had to resemble that of a Russian airport. We were required to stand in three separate lines before being able to vote. Lines that were difficult to distinguish and required you back up to enter the queue. Rather than a U-shaped flow, it was a series of intersecting zig-zags across the room. Hardly an optimal way to get voters in and out rapidly.
- My one ray of hope for today is that I noticed a lot of older people voting. Older people generally not well disposed to increasing their property taxes to pay for schools their children no longer attend. Keep hope alive.
Good For The Plumbing?
Jonathan at Mangled Cat notes that no matter what happens today, one positive outcome of the campaign is that At Least We Get A Drink Out Of It:
When I saw this, my first thought was of my friend to the north, Chad of FratersLibertas:
Joe the Plumber
3 ounces red plum juice
11/2 ounces whisky
Squeeze of lime
Pour juice and whisky into a rocks glass with ice. Add lime and serve.
The million dollar question is not who will be the leader of the free world, but which whisky to use.
Here's to you, Chad.
Gee, thanks Jonathan. I think. I'm not sure what this particular concoction would taste like. I am sure that you want to drink it AFTER you head to the polls. As for the whisky of choice, I would say that Old Grandad would be a most appropriate selection.
When I saw this, my first thought was of my friend to the north, Chad of FratersLibertas:
Joe the Plumber
3 ounces red plum juice
11/2 ounces whisky
Squeeze of lime
Pour juice and whisky into a rocks glass with ice. Add lime and serve.
The million dollar question is not who will be the leader of the free world, but which whisky to use.
Here's to you, Chad.
Gee, thanks Jonathan. I think. I'm not sure what this particular concoction would taste like. I am sure that you want to drink it AFTER you head to the polls. As for the whisky of choice, I would say that Old Grandad would be a most appropriate selection.
A Landslide In My Ego?
Time once again for my long-awaited election predictions. Long-awaited as they signal the end of this interminable campaign. Looking back the the previous years attempts to prognosticate politics (2002, 2004, and 2006), shows that all in all I have a decent track record. The only major blown call was picking Walter Mondale to beat Norm Coleman in the '02 Senate race. Not sure why I thought that old horse was going to come through.
Let's start with a local vote of interest. Last year, the voters of District 281 said NO to a school levy referendum. The school district heard the message from the voters loud and clear and waited less than a year to try to cram down the same levy once again. Shouldn't there be at least a little breathing room? If the voters say no, they should at least get a two year reprieve from having to face the school district's reach for their wallets. Despite the fact that the people of District 281 would likely get a better return on investment if we had a bonfire and burned bags of money, the levy seems likely to pass this year with probably close to 55% of the vote. I can guarantee you that no one is going to push to have a vote on repealing the levy next year. The problem is that while you can postpone a levy, you can rarely ever permanently defeat it. Like the undead, they always keep coming back.
Minnesota Congressional Races
District One: Brian Davis (GOP) Tim Walz* (DFL)
This is a Democratic year and so Tim Walz--who allegedly came in to Congress as a "blue dog Democrat" before voting like Pelosi's lap dog--will retain his seat.
District Two: John Kline* (GOP) Steve Sarvi (DFL)
Unless there's a Democratic tide of historic proportions, John Kline should return to Congress.
District Three: Erik Paulsen (GOP) Ashwin Madia (DFL)
If anyone asks if negative campaigning works, they should analyze this race. The campaign against Paulsen has been unrelenting and often untrue. Paulsen is a good man who deserves better, but I'm afraid that in a tough year for the GOP, he too will come up short.
District Four: Ed Matthews (GOP) Betty McCollum* (DFL)
Matthews has fought a good fight, but this district is a bastion of blue. McCollum sleep walks to another easy win.
District Five: Barb Davis White (GOP) Keith Ellison* (DFL)
If the Fourth is hostile territory for Republicans, the Fifth is even worse. The best (and likely only) chance to beat Ellison was in 2006. This seat is his as long as he wants it.
District Six: Michele Bachmann* (GOP) Elwyn Tinklenberg (DFL)
Easily one of the most talked about Congressional races that Minnesota has seen in recent years. Bachmann was cruising until she made the mistake of showing up on "Hardball" not realizing that Chris Matthews was going to keep throwing high heat at her head until he got a reaction. She still has plenty of supporters in the Sixth and I think that's she'll squeeze this one out in a very close race.
District Seven: Glen Menze (GOP) Colin Peterson* (DFL)
Easily one of the least talked about races in the history of Minnesota politics. Peterson names his number.
District Eight: Michael Cummins (GOP) James Oberstar* (DFL)
Oberstar gets 70+% of the vote and another two years in the House to continue his lengthy reign as king of bringing home the bacon (and bike paths).
Holding their existing seats and taking the Third will give the Dems a 6-2 advantage in Minnesota's Congressional delegation and make talk of turning the state red a quaint memory.
Minnesota Senate Race
A year ago, the idea that this race would be a toss-up was ludicrous. Six months ago it was laughable. Today, the fact that Al Franken (whose campaign motto should have been "untried, untested, and untrue") and Norm Coleman are is a statistical dead heat says a lot about the state of politics in Minnesota. And what it says is no laughing matter. I'm hoping that the enough of the good people of Minnesota have the good sense to vote for the better man. That and I always pick against the bigger a-hole in a close race. Coleman eeks it out.
And the big daddy of them all, the Arts & Crafts Legacy Act:
Again, I go out on a limb and hope that the good people of Minnesota aren't foolish enough to Constitutionally mandate tax increases on their children (how's that for a legacy?) so that an alternative theater troupe in Worthington can put on plays no one wants to watch. Please tell me you're not that foolish. I say that at least 50.2% of voters are wise to this. And yes, it is a shaky limb.
What's that? Oh yeah, that whole presidential thing. With too many factors going against him, McCain needed to run almost a perfect campaign win. Unfortunately, it was inconsistent and undisciplined. His recent close in the polls shows that Obama was vulnerable, but it appears to be a case of too little, too late.
Since the only thing that really matters is the electoral results, I'm seeing this:
Obama 322 McCain 216
And as I've been saying for months, Obama takes Minnesota by eight points.
Now get out there and vote. Unless you're an Obama supporter in which case you stay home, relax, and enjoy your victory.
UPDATE-- Jack from California e-mails:
Elwyn Tinklenberg?
Sounds like an Elf from Lord of the Rings.
I would not vote for this man/woman(?) if he/she were Ronald Reagan reincarnated.
That reminds me, I have to go tinkle.
That reminds me of one of my favorite write-in candidates of past years, Ivana Tinkle.
UPDATE II-- If you're looking for a brighter outlook for the GOP, check out a Vox Day (you can't say that every day):
My considered opinion is that America would be worse off in the short term and better off in the long term with an Obama victory. But based on my observations, I am forced to conclude that despite the way things superficially appear, John McCain will win the election.
Let's start with a local vote of interest. Last year, the voters of District 281 said NO to a school levy referendum. The school district heard the message from the voters loud and clear and waited less than a year to try to cram down the same levy once again. Shouldn't there be at least a little breathing room? If the voters say no, they should at least get a two year reprieve from having to face the school district's reach for their wallets. Despite the fact that the people of District 281 would likely get a better return on investment if we had a bonfire and burned bags of money, the levy seems likely to pass this year with probably close to 55% of the vote. I can guarantee you that no one is going to push to have a vote on repealing the levy next year. The problem is that while you can postpone a levy, you can rarely ever permanently defeat it. Like the undead, they always keep coming back.
Minnesota Congressional Races
District One: Brian Davis (GOP) Tim Walz* (DFL)
This is a Democratic year and so Tim Walz--who allegedly came in to Congress as a "blue dog Democrat" before voting like Pelosi's lap dog--will retain his seat.
District Two: John Kline* (GOP) Steve Sarvi (DFL)
Unless there's a Democratic tide of historic proportions, John Kline should return to Congress.
District Three: Erik Paulsen (GOP) Ashwin Madia (DFL)
If anyone asks if negative campaigning works, they should analyze this race. The campaign against Paulsen has been unrelenting and often untrue. Paulsen is a good man who deserves better, but I'm afraid that in a tough year for the GOP, he too will come up short.
District Four: Ed Matthews (GOP) Betty McCollum* (DFL)
Matthews has fought a good fight, but this district is a bastion of blue. McCollum sleep walks to another easy win.
District Five: Barb Davis White (GOP) Keith Ellison* (DFL)
If the Fourth is hostile territory for Republicans, the Fifth is even worse. The best (and likely only) chance to beat Ellison was in 2006. This seat is his as long as he wants it.
District Six: Michele Bachmann* (GOP) Elwyn Tinklenberg (DFL)
Easily one of the most talked about Congressional races that Minnesota has seen in recent years. Bachmann was cruising until she made the mistake of showing up on "Hardball" not realizing that Chris Matthews was going to keep throwing high heat at her head until he got a reaction. She still has plenty of supporters in the Sixth and I think that's she'll squeeze this one out in a very close race.
District Seven: Glen Menze (GOP) Colin Peterson* (DFL)
Easily one of the least talked about races in the history of Minnesota politics. Peterson names his number.
District Eight: Michael Cummins (GOP) James Oberstar* (DFL)
Oberstar gets 70+% of the vote and another two years in the House to continue his lengthy reign as king of bringing home the bacon (and bike paths).
Holding their existing seats and taking the Third will give the Dems a 6-2 advantage in Minnesota's Congressional delegation and make talk of turning the state red a quaint memory.
Minnesota Senate Race
A year ago, the idea that this race would be a toss-up was ludicrous. Six months ago it was laughable. Today, the fact that Al Franken (whose campaign motto should have been "untried, untested, and untrue") and Norm Coleman are is a statistical dead heat says a lot about the state of politics in Minnesota. And what it says is no laughing matter. I'm hoping that the enough of the good people of Minnesota have the good sense to vote for the better man. That and I always pick against the bigger a-hole in a close race. Coleman eeks it out.
And the big daddy of them all, the Arts & Crafts Legacy Act:
Again, I go out on a limb and hope that the good people of Minnesota aren't foolish enough to Constitutionally mandate tax increases on their children (how's that for a legacy?) so that an alternative theater troupe in Worthington can put on plays no one wants to watch. Please tell me you're not that foolish. I say that at least 50.2% of voters are wise to this. And yes, it is a shaky limb.
What's that? Oh yeah, that whole presidential thing. With too many factors going against him, McCain needed to run almost a perfect campaign win. Unfortunately, it was inconsistent and undisciplined. His recent close in the polls shows that Obama was vulnerable, but it appears to be a case of too little, too late.
Since the only thing that really matters is the electoral results, I'm seeing this:
Obama 322 McCain 216
And as I've been saying for months, Obama takes Minnesota by eight points.
Now get out there and vote. Unless you're an Obama supporter in which case you stay home, relax, and enjoy your victory.
UPDATE-- Jack from California e-mails:
Elwyn Tinklenberg?
Sounds like an Elf from Lord of the Rings.
I would not vote for this man/woman(?) if he/she were Ronald Reagan reincarnated.
That reminds me, I have to go tinkle.
That reminds me of one of my favorite write-in candidates of past years, Ivana Tinkle.
UPDATE II-- If you're looking for a brighter outlook for the GOP, check out a Vox Day (you can't say that every day):
My considered opinion is that America would be worse off in the short term and better off in the long term with an Obama victory. But based on my observations, I am forced to conclude that despite the way things superficially appear, John McCain will win the election.
Monday, November 03, 2008
Soil and Water: Late Hit
Regarding a previous post about the curious web site of a candidate in Hennepin County District 2, this correction comes in:
Concerning your story, the web site you link to is not Richard Klatte's. It is mine. I use it as a directory of candidates we support. So the wrong office listed was our mistake, not Richard's. I wish you had pointed it out to us so we could fix it, but it is fixed now.
If you have any other questions, feel free to email me.
Matt Cleveland
"The Election is Just the First Course"
Correction duly noted. Two fact checkers and a senior editor will be sternly disciplined for this lack of follow through. Namely, they will be assigned to Soil and Water election coverage in 2012.
For 2008, the excitement is just beginning. The Sisyphus LIVE BLOG of Soil and Water Conservation Supervisor election results is only 12 hours away. (tick tick tick tick tick tick)
Circle Jerk
Friday night I took the two older boys out for a round of tricks and/or treats. One went as a pirate, the other as a black cat who wore a pirate hat (since he refused to put the top part of his costume over his head). Neither one has yet developed a taste for candy, so whatever we took in was booty for mom and dad to pick through later in the evening.
It was a gorgeous fall night perfect for a wagon ride through the neighborhood. Since we moved here in May, it was also a good opportunity to meet some neighbors for the first time and reacquaint myself with some others. And it gave me a chance to get a closer look at their homes and--in some cases--their political persuasions.
Our street is relatively quiet and doesn't have much through traffic. So I decided to forgo displaying any political yard signs this year. Not much point if no one can see them, is there? None of my immediate neighbors have signs out either, which makes for a non-political setting.
There are a number of cul-de-sacs that run off our sleepy street. On Halloween night, our party ventured down one. There are four houses on the semi-circle at the end of this particular cul-de-sac. Starting from the left house (appropriately enough) I noted the following:
- An Obama yard sign
- An Obama yard sign
- A large poster next to the front door that read something like "End The War: Fight For Peace & Justice"
- An Obama yard sign, a Franken yard sign, and Obama and Franken bumper stickers inside the window of the front door
Remember, these four houses are at the end of a cul-de-sac off a street with very little traffic. No one likely sees any of these signs other than the immediate neighbors. Neighbors who all have signs supporting the same candidates. So what--other than taking some strange pleasure in joining this ideologically-conforming little circle--is the point of any of these people putting out a lawn sign?
It's all about feeling, not meaning. Which I guess is appropriate for the candidate they hope will become our next president.
It was a gorgeous fall night perfect for a wagon ride through the neighborhood. Since we moved here in May, it was also a good opportunity to meet some neighbors for the first time and reacquaint myself with some others. And it gave me a chance to get a closer look at their homes and--in some cases--their political persuasions.
Our street is relatively quiet and doesn't have much through traffic. So I decided to forgo displaying any political yard signs this year. Not much point if no one can see them, is there? None of my immediate neighbors have signs out either, which makes for a non-political setting.
There are a number of cul-de-sacs that run off our sleepy street. On Halloween night, our party ventured down one. There are four houses on the semi-circle at the end of this particular cul-de-sac. Starting from the left house (appropriately enough) I noted the following:
- An Obama yard sign
- An Obama yard sign
- A large poster next to the front door that read something like "End The War: Fight For Peace & Justice"
- An Obama yard sign, a Franken yard sign, and Obama and Franken bumper stickers inside the window of the front door
Remember, these four houses are at the end of a cul-de-sac off a street with very little traffic. No one likely sees any of these signs other than the immediate neighbors. Neighbors who all have signs supporting the same candidates. So what--other than taking some strange pleasure in joining this ideologically-conforming little circle--is the point of any of these people putting out a lawn sign?
It's all about feeling, not meaning. Which I guess is appropriate for the candidate they hope will become our next president.
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