Harry Reid's apology

Image by erjkprunczyk via Flickr

If the U. S. had just 15 member states and we went back in time, many liberals would have agreed with Senator Reid's 2008 assessment of Barack Obama's electibility situation. 

United States Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid Apologized To [President] Obama for a very unfortunate remark he made during the President's election campaign.  President Obama, not surprisingly accepted the Senator's apology and said that the book is closed on it.  But I am not so sure it is.

Democrats would probably be willing to join the President's view, but the "loyal" opposition will exploit this revelation for all it is worth. This is 2010, an election year, and Republicans are intent on making as much mischief as possible for the Democrats.
 
That Reid's remarks were revealed by Mark Halperin and his co-author is the reality.  Thus the Majority Leader did the right thing in saying he was sorry for his thoughtlessness.  But that is not going to be enough for a lot of people.  Similar headlines caused Senator Trent Lott to lose his seat as Majority Leader a few years ago.  I predict that this is far from over for Senator Reid.


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"President-elect Barack Obama," a reprise

[Original post date - 11/5/08]--Today's reprise was chosen in order to remind all of us progressives how happy we were just after the 2008 election was over. And I want to emphasize that we might focus of the positives of his election occasionally, rather than our disappointments over the direction health care reform is taking. And we might fight for the kind of reform we want because we elected Barack Obama.

It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? It sounds very new and different; it is a "sea-change." Political reality today is not anything like it was yesterday. So many of us have waited such a long time for this moment, that it is a bit overwhelming.

This post's happy illustration photo was taken before the election. Barack Obama's election victory does not mean his situation gets any easier. Closeups on television during his acceptance speech last night showed that he has more gray hair now. And though his voice was strong, it was unusually subdued. No doubt it was due to the recent loss of his maternal grandmother, to exhaustion after a two-year campaign, and to the weight of the world descending on his slim shoulders.

The 2008 election marks the start of a welcome pendulum swing, a contemporary period of political transition from Right to Left. Moving from conservative to progressive, there is the potential for our people to move from reporting huge disappointment to speaking of a measure of satisfaction. It marks the bare beginnings of a better America, perhaps even a better world. That idea, it seems to me, was likely at the center of the floods of tears reported by so many of us in the blogosphere and seen on television. The origin of my own tears goes deeper than the historical circumstances of Obama's election. They have to do with hope for change and relief that a dark period is coming to an end.

"President-elect Obama" rings hollow, however, if you are a Republican on the losing side. Listening to Senator McCain's speech last night gave me just a bit of hope that his chastened party will be able, as one of them said, be able to move completely through the five stages of grief. It would be good if that happened, if Republicans could be cooperative, but I will not be holding my breath. Democrats made significant gains in both houses of Congress. However, with Democrats shy of the 60 votes needed to quiet permanent minority filibuster mode, recalcitrant Republicans can be a problem in the Senate. They will either get on board or stay angry; they will not be able to make a huge difference. The movement is larger than that, and it feels good to be a small part of it.

The nation is now marching to the beat of a different drummer. And it started immediately. For example, thousands of cheering folks marched on Pennsylvania Avenue to the "People's House" in Washington D.C. -- to the front of the White House, to the house where a new family and a new puppy will be moving in in 75 days or so. Upon reflection it makes me realize that the people in Washington were reclaiming the peoples' house for Obama. It was nothing like an insurrection, however. It was a notice that said, "We're still here!"

Democrats now hold down the winning side -- That unfamiliar phrase sounds like a big change, very new and unusual. Yesterday's election is a result of votes cast by many more change constituencies than mere Democrats. The chorus of new voices formed a strange coalition, Conservatives and Independents and Youth and College-educated and New Englanders and Southerners, etc., etc. The crowd celebrating in Chicago signaled that the new order begins with diversity and will continue with reconciliation. It was absolutely heartwarming to contemplate as our country moves towards the end of the first decade of the 21st century.

True to these modern "wired" times, our newly elected president's biography has already been updated in Wikipedia: Barack Hussein Obama II has entered the history books as the first African-American elected to the U.S. presidency. His family of origin celebrates in Kenya. President Obama and his family will move into the White House January 20, 2009.

Hat Tip Key: Regular contributors of links to leads are "betmo*" and Jon#.

Technorati tags: news news and politics politics 2008 elections obama election day democrats republicans congress

See also Behind the Links, for further info on this subject.

Blogs: My general purpose/southwest focus blog is at Southwest Progressive. My creative website is at Making Good Mondays. And Carol Gee - Online Universe is the all-in-one home page for all my websites.

Republicans make their choices, for better and worse.

This kind of behavior makes me angry -- Reported by Jonathan Allen of CQ Politics, last Thursday in Congress the clerk of the House was forced to read much of a 54 page motion aloud to an almost empty chamber while House Republican members attended a "beach party" hosted by Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio). Self-centered and petulant, Republicans like this refuse to deal with the realities of their loss of elections.

This kind of behavior makes me proud of Republicans -- Every now and then Republicans come to their senses and refuse to go along with the plan of block everything at any cost. Some good examples follow.

• In a fine story by Manu Raju at Politico.com (7/24/09), Republican Senator Lindsey Graham announced that he would be supporting Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court. He promptly took an enormous amount of heat for his stance. Republican pundits called him "unreliable, lacking courage and understanding." Graham responded, "Enjoy life in the minority," according to the author. To quote Senator Graham,

  . . . the South Carolina Republican defended his decision to back Sotomayor by laying out a broad critique of conservative activists who push “ideological purity” and refuse to cooperate with a Democratic Congress and White House.
  

  “If we chase this attitude … that you have to say ‘no’ to every Democratic proposal, you can’t help the president ever, you can’t ever reach across the aisle, then I don’t want to be part of the movement because it’s a dead-end movement,” Graham said.

  “I have no desire to be up here in an irrelevant status. I’m smart enough to know that this country doesn’t have a problem with conservatives. It has a problem with blind ideology. And those who are ideological-driven to a fault are never going to be able to take this party back into relevancy.”

• Raj wrote an interesting piece the previous day citing subtle criticism by several Republican Senators of their colleague, Senator Jim DeMint's threat that "if Republicans are able to stop Barack Obama on health care, 'it will be his Waterloo, it will be his Waterloo, it will break him." Though certainly not cooperating with Democrats toward a common goal, Senators Lamar Alexander, Mitch McConnell and John Cornyn avoided the harshness of DeMint's childish vengefulness with their comments:
  

  Alexander and McConnell: Asked Wednesday if he saw things the same way, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said: “Of course not.”
  
  “Every senator is entitled to his own view, but that’s not the view of our caucus,” said Alexander, who, as the Senate Republican Conference chairman, is the Senate GOP’s message man. “I prefer what Sen. [Mitch] McConnell said. This is not about winning or losing; this is about getting health care right. That’s certainly my view.”
  
  Cornyn: “It’s a distraction,” said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who, as head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, is gauging the politics of the debate. “If they’d rather get into a food fight, rather than actually solve problems, I guess [DeMint’s comment] gives them an excuse to do that.”

This kind of behavior is smart -- Democratic strategists, with a good deal of political acumen, are using Senator DeMint's comment as a reallying cry for more support for health care reform. What we are beginning to see is that health care reform will not pass without at least some bipartisan support. We had all better hope that more statesmanship happens, rather than the behavior characterizing too many of the current Republican choices -- ones made because of fear and anxiety.


[Post date - July 27, 2009]

My all-in-one Home Page of websites where I post regularly: Carol Gee - Online Universe

Technorati tags: news news and politics politics republicans congress

Bush leftovers

Former President George W. Bush has been out of office for almost four months. Blessedly, the man has been quiet since he moved to Dallas. We see him occasionally on the local TV, or read a little something in the paper, but he seems to be truly retired. That left a vacuum of leadership in the Republican party that has been devasting to it members and devotees and a delight to Democrats. A number of people are not shy about offering their opinions and being in the news.

One of them is Karl Rove, who was set for an interview Friday with a special prosecutor investigating the firing of 9 U.S. attorneys from the Bush administration in 2007. Rove is said to be willing to cooperate. The House Judiciary Committee is conducting a similar investigation. Rove and Harriet Miers are expected to testify in coming weeks, according to Politico. If the Bush administration brought the Justice Department to its knees, it also actively sabotaged the environmental movement in favor of the energy sector. And the Democrats came into leadership not a moment too soon, given global warming and energy dependence on foreign oil.

With the impending congressional work on climate change legislation, opposing forces are lining up on both sides. A number of the Bush administration's people associated with the environment will now be paid to work actively against Congress' efforts to pass meaningful laws to regulate carbon emissions, etc. A few have now gone to work for environmental organizations, reports Politico, who also believes that it is unclear how much influence the "Bush Enviros" will have with Democrats writing the bills.

These days I am more and more sure it is past time to get into the refrigerator and clean out the leftovers. There seems to be much enthusiasm within the most conservative base for doing the same thing. Colin Powell was redefined as a Democrat by Dick Cheney. Cheney is so leftover that he is really beginning to smell. Rove has passed his prime. Tom Delay was discarded none too soon. But there is still much to do.

Reference: "What is 'Right-Wing Extremism?" by James Vega of The Democratic Strategist (PDF). May 2009.

[Post date - May 18, 2009]

See also Behind the Links, for further info on this subject.

Carol Gee - Online Universe is the all-in-one home page for all my websites.

Technorati tags: news news and politics politics republicans

Budget resolution ready for votes --

Update: Republican Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania is switching to the Democratic party. With Senator Al Franken, that makes 60!

Congress has taken rather swift action on President Barack Obama's 2010 budget proposal, according to an excellent recent story: "Deal pushes budget toward 100th-day goal," excerpted from The Hill, by Walter Alarkon (04/27/09). Senator Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) chaired the joint House-Senate committee, which was unable to reach agreement. Budget negotiators from the House and Senate were finally able to complete work on the resolution late Monday, which Democrats hope successful floor votes will approve the budget by President Obama's 100th day in office Wednesday.

Democrats agreed on the president's top priorities and included the possibility of using "fast-track budget reconciliation rules" for the healthcare and education reform elements. These rules require a simple majority for passage, rather than 60 votes. Eventually they resolved the final negotiating sticking point, the inclusion of the "pay-go" provision that requires all new spending be "paid for" with new revenues or cuts in other programs. Speculation is that this was a requirement of House Blue Dog Democrats and House leadership over Senate objections. Senator Conrad felt that the budget agreement was "a major accomplishment," however.

"We are meeting President Obama’s goals of reducing our dependence on foreign energy, striving for excellence in education, reforming our health care system, and providing middle-class tax relief – all while still cutting the deficit substantially," Conrad said.

To quote further from the article:

House and Senate Democrats reached a budget deal on Monday night that will allow both chambers to vote on budget resolutions this week.

. . . Rep. Allen Boyd (D-Fla.), the Blue Dog included in the budget talks, said that putting in "pay-go" rules would be "a good place to start dealing with the concerns of House members over the long-term fiscal health of the country. . . "The Senate is having a great deal of difficulty coming to grips with the fact that things have to be paid for," Boyd said.

. . . The budget resolution will reduce the deficit by more than two-thirds by 2014. The deficit in 2009, projected to be about $1.8 trillion and about 12 percent of gross domestic product, would be slightly more than $500 billion and 3 percent of GDP in 2014. . . The framework also seeks to extend the current policy on the estate tax, which affects the transfer of estates from wealthy landowners to family members. The tax, dubbed the "death tax" by its GOP opponents, was slated to return to the higher levels pre-2001 levels next year.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said that Democrats will work for a statutory "pay-go" restriction, that will probably be enacted as soon as the $3.5 trillion budget is approved. The plan, closely resembling the White House proposal, would enact President Obama's major priorities to reform healthcare, energy and education, reduce the deficit and cut income taxes for middle-class Americans.

The House plans a vote on Tuesday and the Senate on Wednesday. If the schedule holds, President Obama would be able to discuss it at a news conference scheduled for Wednesday evening. If not the vote will certainly be completed in the next few days. And the reconciliation provision will be included over very strenuous objections from Republicans and even objections from some centrist Democrats. Rep. Paul Ryan (R- Wis.) called the reconciliation bill to overhaul the healthcare system "an unprecedented power grab" by Democrats. Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) said it would be "like using the tactics of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez."

Senator Kent Conrad does not believe Congress should resort to healthcare reconciliation, claiming the "rules could also lead to legislation that's less than comprehensive, since they require the elimination of any provisions that have little effect on government spending or revenue," and noting some Senate Republican support for health care reform. Budget reconciliation rules will not be used to pass climate change legislation, however because of objections by both Democrats and Republicans from energy-producing states.

Who were the winners? The House was able to insert reconciliation rules for use if needed, Blue Dogs in the House will get "pay-go," Liberal Democrats in the Senate stuck with the President's priorities, Senator Conrad exercised good leadership of the Joint committee, achieving a relatively civil discussion between Democrats and Republicans. We hope that the ultimate winners will be the American people. Congress is hearing their wishes emanating from the 2008 election.

[Post date 4/28/09]

See also Behind the Links, for further info on this subject.

Carol Gee - Online Universe is the all-in-one home page for all my websites.

Technorati tags: news news and politics politics democrats republicans obama congress budget resolution

Risks and rewards

[2/9/09] For far too many of these recent years corporations have been in charge, running a corporatocracy that eventually ran the U.S economy into the ground, all the while assuring everyone that they knew what was best. The house of cards is tumbling, as illustrated by the recent resignation of the top enforcer at the SEC, Linda Thomsen, for lack of enforcement in the Bernie Maddoff scandal. Now we know -- painfully -- that deregulation, tax breaks for the wealthy, lobbying to influence lawmakers to favor business interests, has not worked well. Republican rule has been repudiated by a good sized majority of voters.

Despite being in the distinct minority in numbers in the U.S. Congress, Republican Senators and House members are acting as if they are the majority party. When it comes to the pending "stimulus package" there are big risks in this for both Republicans and Democrats. Analysts are not sure what the voters will think of whatever is passed by Congress and signed by the President. Most of us are such novices at economic theory that we do not really know what to think. For more on this, check out Steve Clemons on "2 cows economics." Watchdogs think that spending too fast will cause government oversight to suffer.

Republican tactics are varied and often effective, particularly with the mainstream media. That is why President will go on the road and on prime time TV, taking his message directly to the people. It appears that the Republicans in Congress have pulled out all the stops to defeat the bill, in their effort to win at any cost. Examples include accusations of Democratic "fear mongering," inflammatory messaging strategies, as well as Republican fear mongering and hyperbole.

What we must be afraid of is unreasoning fear. Franklin D. Roosevelt said that fear is dangerous. He was not fear mongering, himself. He was saying just what Senator Byron Dorgan (d-N.D.) was saying, that we all must work to build and support confidence in the American way of life and in her people.

Those at the center in both parties will probably have the last say in what is passed. Senate Democrats are putting pressure on Speaker Pelosi to embrace most of their stimulus package. Economist Paul Krugman is not sure that is a good thing, as he wrote in a recent column titled, "The Destructive Center." Memeorandum summarizes,

"What do you call someone who eliminates hundreds of thousands of American jobs, deprives millions of adequate health care and nutrition, undermines schools, but offers a $15,000 bonus to affluent people who flip their houses? — A proud centrist."

The vote will come in just a few hours on the floor of the Senate. Each senator has potential risk or reward for whatever decision they make. Let us hope that each one remembers the mandate, the gift, the privilege he or she has in representing us. Let us hope that it is only a handful of them who squander it.

References:

• From Daily Kos: "This Week In Congress," a very useful and complete guide to what legislation is coming up this week.
  
• From the new TPMDC website, a very fine "Morning Roundup."
  

See also Behind the Links, for further info on this subject: "Republicans Still Do Not Get it"

(Cross-posted at The Reaction.)

My “creativity and dreaming” post today is at Making Good Mondays.

Technorati tags: news news and politics politics economy congress leadership

Updated Obama Primer

[3/25/09] "Barack Obama 1-2-3-4-5"

This post was first written on 3/22/08. For today I've updated the original a bit and reposted it. It amounts to a little "pocket reference" for keeping connected with (or regarding) President Obama.

Obama on the Web - In chronological order:

Barack Obama and Joe Biden: The Change We Need -- Obamba Blog, Obama Store: This is the original campaign web site, Obama for America*.

The Inauguration of President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden -- This was the site of the Presidential Campaign Committee, fronted by Senator Dianne Feinstein.

USA Service.0rg -- This was the web site that was used with the thousands of volunteers who participated in the MLK National Day of Service on January 19.

Welcome to the White House -- The main website of President Obama's administration. It replaced White House.gov in the blink of an eye at noon on January 20. It can also be reached via a link (click Executive Branch) at "Federal Government" at USA.gov.

USAspending.gov -- is the result of legislation authored by Senators Obama and Coburn in 2006 and launched in 2007. To quote Obama,

"We should do everything we can to ensure that the American public can easily access and track how the Federal government does its business," said Senator Obama. "Our government took an important step last year by launching USASpending.gov and giving ordinary citizens an important tool to hold Washington accountable.

"*Obama for America becomes Organizing for America" in a merger with the Democratic Party. David Plouffe, the Obama campaign manager, will remain involved. Former Governor Tim Kaine has replaced former Governor Howard Dean as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Marc Ambinder explains (1/17/09):

The Obama political machine is merging with the Democratic National Committee.

The President-elect launched Obama 2.0, or Organizing for America, this morning with a YouTube video.

An Obama political aide said that OFA will be housed at the Democratic National Committee, resolving a longstanding debate about whether the entity should be separate.

A press release prepared by OFA calls the organization "the next phase" of the Obama organization, and will offer "volunteers the continued opportunity to work for change in their communities by organizing in support of reform in Washington."

From the original post -- March 2008

Barack Obama: My Space

Barack Obama: Wikipedia

3/18/08:" The Speech" from NYT Obama on Race

Foreshadowing References -- I found it interesting to see his progression in print as I wrote the first post.

Roots -- From Voice of America, "Obama Receives Hero's Welcome at His Family's Ancestral Village in Kenya" Nairobi 27 August 2006.

National oratory -- Barack Obama: 2004 Democratic Convention Speech

Environment -- From Grist/Muckraker Barack Star :"Illinois Senate candidate Barack Obama's got green cred." By Amanda Griscom, 04 Aug 2004 To quote:

"Environmentalism is not an upper-income issue, it's not a white issue, it's not a black issue, it's not a South or a North or an East or a West issue. It's an issue that all of us have a stake in," Obama shouted. "And if I can do anything to make sure that not just my daughter but every child in America has green pastures to run in and clean air to breathe and clean water to swim in, then that is something I'm going to work my hardest to make happen."

The crowd went bananas in response to this call for unity across ethnic and socio-economic lines, as though they'd been waiting for exactly this kind of dynamic leader to free environmentalism from the perception that it's predominately a white upper-middle-class issue.

Obama's environmental activism stretches back to his undergrad days at Columbia University, during which he did a three-month stint with a Ralph Nader offshoot organization trying to convince minority students at City College in Harlem to recycle. Later, when he worked as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago, he fought for lead abatement in the Altgeld Gardens neighborhood.

Harvard Law Review -- Barack Obama in New York Times Feb. 6, 1990, "First Black Elected to Head Harvard's Law Review." To quote:

The new president of the Review is Barack Obama, a 28-year-old graduate of Columbia University who spent four years heading a community development program for poor blacks on Chicago's South Side before enrolling in law school. His late father, Barack Obama, was a finance minister in Kenya and his mother, Ann Dunham, is an American anthropologist now doing fieldwork in Indonesia. Mr. Obama was born in Hawaii.

''The fact that I've been elected shows a lot of progress,'' Mr. Obama said today in an interview. ''It's encouraging.

''But it's important that stories like mine aren't used to say that everything is O.K. for blacks. You have to remember that for every one of me, there are hundreds or thousands of black students with at least equal talent who don't get a chance,'' he said, alluding to poverty or growing up in a drug environment.

. . . On his goals in his new post, Mr. Obama said: ''I personally am interested in pushing a strong minority perspective. I'm fairly opinionated about this. But as president of the law review, I have a limited role as only first among equals.''

Therefore, Mr. Obama said, he would concentrate on making the review a ''forum for debate,'' bringing in new writers and pushing for livelier, more accessible writing.

. . . Professors and students at the law school reacted cautiously to Mr. Obama's selection. ''For better or for worse, people will view it as historically significant,'' said Prof. Randall Kennedy, who teaches contracts and race relations law. ''But I hope it won't overwhelm this individual student's achievement.''

(Cross-posted at The Reaction.)

My “creativity and dreaming” post today is at Making Good Mondays.

Technorati tags: news news and politics politics obama

Inauguration, Wednesday

Wednesday's promised analysis of my predictions made yesterday --

Inauguration (January 20) . . . In advance, here is my fantasy, my prediction --

The day will be cold and gray. The crowds will be huge, millions, in fact. And they will be well-behaved, for the most part. Except for those people desperate to use one of a limited number of Porta-Potties. It could get ugly. Not everyone will be able to use their cell phones or Blackberries at the same time, due to overloading of the system. But eventually everyone will get home and get back in touch.

The day was cold and sunny, bright and beautiful. Estimates of crowd size centered around two million. They were well-behaved. Initial reports were that there were no arrests. Cell phone service was reported to be "problem-free" to "spotty." Extensive research proved unsuccessful as to whether there were enough Porta-Potties. Perhaps one of my readers knows. Finally, it is too soon to tell whether there are still lost souls wandering around in Washington D.C.

The moods will be wide-ranging -- excited, joyful, moved to tears, confused, anxious and relieved. People, filled with optimism, will have a spirit of helpfulness, of generosity and of shared community. They must be prepared for a great deal of celebration and stress, all at the same time. And they will have to be rather physically fit. The walks will be long, the pavement hard, the grass bumpy and the seating nonexistent. The people who come to see the Inauguration will be kids, . . . adults and a few very fit Seniors. They will come in all colors and from many different nations in addition to the USA. They will get tired and hungry. . .

The crowds appeared to be universally happy and excited. Many did shed tears. And there was a great amount of apparent camaraderie. I did read scattered reports of impatient incidents, however. As promised bridges were closed and security was extremely tight. The people all seemed young and vigorous and very diverse. Indeed, many were from out of the country. No one looked ravenously hungry, though we speculated that some "ate mayonnaise sandwiches" in order to make the trip.

The people who are participants in the Inauguration will be well organized, patient, nervous or excited and overcome with emotion at times. There will be lots of Democrats, some Republicans who are required to be there because of their office, and some who want to be there because it is of historic importance. Most will wish President Obama and the First Lady well. Security will be omnipresent* and as tense as at any time in memory. . . . And the Media will cover it all.

Under close observation participants seemed to be well organized, though the parade did run somewhat late. Everyone looked relatively patient. I detected that President Obama was a bit nervous at the beginning of his speech. Who would not be so, upon seeing the sea of humanity covering the Mall? Chief Justice Roberts' slight oath flub could have been because he is a newbie at oaths of office. Rep. John Boehner never looked happy. President and Mrs. Obama greeted, and were greeted by what seemed like, everyone. Security stopped everyone at the door of the vewing stand. Each party dutifully waited to be announced. I watched MSNBC and C-SPAN; the coverage was different but generally good.

The Inaugural speech will be magnificent and memorable to the millions watching. The Inaugural Poet will wax poetic. The Bible will be Lincoln's, and it will carefully be returned to where it belongs. All the Obamas will be beautiful and stylish. All the Supreme Court Justices will look distinguished. The bands will march smartly in straight lines. The parade will be on time, as will all other elements of the ceremony. And, the day . . . will make African-Americans and all Americans proud that history is being made in a profoundly important way.

The inaugural speech was not the best speech ever given by the new President, but it served is purpose very well. The domestic/politica/economic aspects were adequate and will be functional as a plan for where to begin work. But it was in addressing the world where the speech soared. My favorite line was about "unclinching your fist" to "shake the hand" of unfriendly countries. The Poet was a wonderful wordsmith, modern, powerful and talented. Her cadence was striking. One of my favorite very intimate visuals was when Michelle Obama held the Lincoln Bible for the administration of the oath to her husband. I liked the humanity displayed by the Supreme Court justices: Roberts not perfect, Alito insulted enough to skip the ceremony and O'Conner still robed. The parade, running late like most parades, gave us bands that were as American as apple pie, contrasting in capability, all happy to be included. My favorite parade moment was seeing Montana Senator John Tester astride his steed. The Obamas made up time as they went from Inaugural Ball to Ball. Important history was made on Tuesday.

The power to govern will quickly pass from Party to Party, Peacefully. The White House will get to work quickly, Tuesday afternoon, actually. People from other countries may wonder how we manage to do it this way for hundreds of years. And some may wish they were American. Others will go home and vow to work harder for better government, or peace or maybe revolution. And many others will go back to their own nations feeling that the earth is a bit smaller, and that we are all neighbors, able to be united in spirit despite differences.

The torch of governance passed peacefully from "43" to "44." Now Former President Bush listened calmly as his successor subtly took him to task as he spoke to the crowd and the world. And the crowd booed Mr. Bush, it was reported. The new skeleton White House staff were whisked by van to take over at noon. Those outside of the United States, who watched all this, will indicate by their actions as time passes, what they make of the transition between administrations.

The time has come to close. These are my predictions and assumptions. I will post again, post-Inauguration to let you know how I did. Have a great day. Enjoy, celebrate, reflect and hug those you love. Today is January 20, 2009. I thought it would never come. And now it here; I intend to enjoy it to the fullest.

And it is time to close today's post. Where I lacked information I invite my readers to fill me in. I hope that all of you had as good a Tuesday as we enjoyed. It was a magnificent new beginning, for which we had waited 8 years.

(Cross-posted at The Reaction.)

My “creativity and dreaming” post today is at Making Good Mondays.

Technorati tags: news news and politics politics inauguration obama

Inauguration Day Tuesday

The day Tuesday happens to be big in the political world. Elections are often held on Tuesdays. And this year Inauguration (January 20) falls on a Tuesday. So what on earth can I say about the Inauguration before it happens? I want to be in front of my television instead of my computer. I must imagine it in advance. Here is my fantasy, my prediction --

The day will be cold and gray. The crowds will be huge, millions, in fact. And they will be well-behaved, for the most part. Except for those people desperate to use one of a limited number of Porta-Potties. It could get ugly. Not everyone will be able to use their cell phones or Blackberries at the same time, due to overloading of the system. But eventually everyone will get home and get back in touch.

The moods will be wide-ranging -- excited, joyful, moved to tears, confused, anxious and relieved. People, filled with optimism, will have a spirit of helpfulness, of generosity and of shared community. They must be prepared for a great deal of celebration and stress, all at the same time. And they will have to be rather physically fit. The walks will be long, the pavement hard, the grass bumpy and the seating nonexistent.

The people who come to see the Inauguration will be kids old enough to walk a long ways, adults and a few very fit Seniors. They will come in all colors and from many different nations in addition to the USA. They will get tired and hungry, but generally will remain of good cheer.

The people who are participants in the Inauguration will be well organized, patient, nervous or excited and overcome with emotion at times. There will be lots of Democrats, some Republicans who are required to be there because of their office, and some who want to be there because it is of historic importance. Most will wish President Obama and the First Lady well. Security will be omnipresent* and as tense as at any time in memory. Google will capture# the Inauguration from space. And the Media will cover it all.

The Inaugural speech will be magnificent and memorable to the millions watching. The Inaugural Poet will wax poetic. The Bible will be Lincoln's, and it will carefully be returned to where it belongs. All the Obamas will be beautiful and stylish. All the Supreme Court Justices will look distinguished. The bands will march smartly in straight lines. The parade will be on time, as will all other elements of the ceremony. And, the day following Martin Luther King's honor day, will make African-Americans and all Americans proud that history is being made in a profoundly important way.

The power to govern will quickly pass from Party to Party, Peacefully. The White House will get to work quickly, Tuesday afternoon, actually. People from other countries may wonder how we manage to do it this way for hundreds of years. And some may wish they were American. Others will go home and vow to work harder for better government, or peace or maybe revolution. And many others will go back to their own nations feeling that the earth is a bit smaller, and that we are all neighbors, able to be united in spirit despite differences.

The time has come to close. These are my predictions and assumptions. I will post again, post-Inauguration to let you know how I did. Have a great day. Enjoy, celebrate, reflect and hug those you love. Today is January 20, 2009. I thought it would never come. And now it here; I intend to enjoy it to the fullest.

Hat Tip Key: Regular contributors of links to leads are "betmo*" and Jon#.

View my current slide show about the Bush years -- "Millennium" -- at the bottom of this column. Today is the last day it will be there. I will remove it at noon, along with the countdown clock of when Bush is to leave office.

(Cross-posted at The Reaction.)

My “creativity and dreaming” post today is at Making Good Mondays.

Inaugural Events

(Image: wordle.net)
Inaugural Events Update -- from Emmett S. Beliveau, Executive Director, 2009 Presidential Inaugural Committee
To quote:

This will be an inauguration for all Americans, and we have an exciting list of events planned . . . an update about some of the items on the agenda:

Sunday, January 18th -- We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial, free, live broadcast on HBO -- At 2:30 p.m. EST, HBO will offer a free nationwide broadcast of the We Are One concert featuring Bono, Bruce Springsteen, John Legend and more. Check your local listings to find out where you can watch the free HBO broadcast.

Monday, January 19th -- Renew America Together: National Day of Service -- The Obama and Biden families will be participating in volunteer service in the Washington, D.C. area, and would like you to take part in your community. Join any one of more than 10,000 service events already scheduled across America, or host your own:
http://www.USAservice.org/calltoservice

Kids' Inaugural: We Are The Future -- After being part of the day of service, Michelle Obama and Jill Biden will host a free Kids' Inaugural concert for the children of military families. Performances by Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, Bow Wow and others will be broadcast on the Disney Channel and Disney Radio beginning at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Tuesday, January 20th -- The Neighborhood Ball -- On the night of the Inauguration, the newly sworn-in President and the First Lady will attend the first-ever Neighborhood Inaugural Ball. Join the celebration by hosting or attending a Neighborhood Ball in your own community: http://www.pic2009.org/ball

ABC will broadcast the Washington, D.C. Neighborhood Ball, and the Presidential Inaugural Committee will be live blogging from the ballroom.

These are just a few of the events planned in the coming days. Visit www.pic2009.org to find out more. And to make sure you get up-to-the-minute updates about these and other Inaugural events, text OPEN to 56333.

I thank everyone who has committed to volunteering at the Inaugural events, or supported us with a donation. You make all of this possible, and have helped us to organize the most open and accessible inaugural in our nation's history.

We look forward to celebrating with all of you. Thank you, Emmett

It is a small world --

Today, Saturday our current president (OCP) is at Camp David to enjoy his last weekend there. He left so that crews could repaint his house for the new guy, our next president (ONP) and his family, who will move in next Tuesday. OCP's stuff will be moved to Texas. Millions of U.S. citizens will watch the process of another peaceful transfer of power and find it perfectly normal. And millions more from other countries will also be watching with interest . Today's post focuses on those other nations (as is my usual practice on Saturdays), with a few interesting little tidbits of news of trivia.

OCP has been at it again -- Doing his "leader of the free world bit, The Raw Story reports that "Bush awards medal to three 'true friends' of the US*" (1/13/09). To quote:

President George W. Bush praised three "true friends of the United States" as he awarded the nation's highest civilian honor to Tony Blair, John Howard and Colombian leader Alvaro Uribe. The three men were given the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a ceremony at the White House in the final days of Bush's presidency.

The economic crisis knows no borders -- WorldChanging (1/12/09): "Stabilizing the Economy by Understanding* the idea of "Enough," i.e., the opposite of poor is not rich but sufficiency, a sense that there is enough. The Raw Story notes, "Financial crisis a distraction, says Nobel Winner,*" Muhammad Yunus, (12/3/08). Time Magazine wonders "Is the Euro the New Dollar?#"(1/1/09). From Grist comes "All Charged Up*" (1/12/09). It is a story reporting that China's BYD is to bring plug-in hybrid and electric cars to the U.S. in 2011. From Truthdig - Ear to Ground, we learned that "China Takes Bronze in GDP*" (1/14/09) To quote:

After reconfiguring its output figures, China has finally found itself on the medal podium for gross domestic product, ousting Germany from its role as third largest economy in the world. China’s economy has grown tenfold in the past 30 years, and its development, while marveled at, worries many environmental, human rights and labor activists.

Country by Country:

• Russia: Wall Street Journal: "As if Things Weren't Bad Enough, Russian Professor Predicts End of U.S#." (12/29/08)


• Canada: From The Democratic Strategist we learn all about the parliamentary crisis that happened last month: "Meanwhile to Our North" (12/12/08)


• France: Buzz Flash reports on "90 organizations, mainly French, to prosecute Israel for War Crimes"* (1/16/09)


• Somalia: Yahoo! News: "Somali pirates drown with ransom share#" - (1/10/09). And this by Johann Hari: "You are Being Lied to About Pirates#" (1/4/09)
  

Bonus blurbs about other nations -- From a recent CQ Behind the Lines -- . . . Airport screeners in Shanghai ordered a retired policeman to drink his own urine sample to prove it was safe, Ananova informs. Jetstar’s decision to allow passengers to check in their own luggage has raised fresh security concerns at Australian airports, ABC News notes.

Borders and papers: South of the border, folks are disinclined to view border violence as a “Mexican problem,” when some 90 percent of the cartels’ weapons are smuggled from the United States, whose demand for illegal drugs is the prize being fought over, The Daily Telegraph tells — while The Miami Herald chides: “If anything, the U.S. government has been slow to recognize the threat.”

. . . Most of the citizens of newly independent Kosovo are Muslim, but “unlike most Muslim-majority nations, Kosovo is overwhelmingly pro-American, and its relations with Israel are excellent as well,” City Journal spotlights.

To conclude, to the U.S. and to the world, this transition is a pretty big deal. The foreign press, thousands of them are here to cover the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama. In effect we will rub elbows all around the globe. And after that there will come a new era in our relations with other countries. President Obama's first visit to a foreign country will be to Canada in just a few weeks. To visit our closest neighbor is entirely fitting.

Hat Tip Key: Regular contributors of links to leads are "betmo*" and Jon#.

View my current slide show about the Bush years -- "Millennium" -- at the bottom of this column.

(Cross-posted at The Reaction.)

My “creativity and dreaming” post today is at Making Good Mondays.

Technorati tags: news news and politics foreign relations

Republican Round-up

In less than a week things will change in Washington, D. C. and in our entire nation. On January 20 a new administration, headed by President-elect Barack Obama, will be sworn in. We progressives are under the impression that we will then be able to say, "Goodbye to all that." We believe that the environment will change, that "Grassroots for Obama" will have a voice and actions to take.

Activists will have different things upon which to focus in the blogosphere, and different organizations to support. But until that happens South by Southwest will focus on processing the past eight years of Republican rule. What follows is a round-up of links sent to me within the past few weeks from my regular contributors, "betmo" and Jon (see Hat Tip Key below).

From the year 2009 --

From the legislative branch -- Congressional actions point out the best and worst:

• AfterDowningStreet "House overturns Bush order on papers secrecy*" (1/7/09)
• ClickOrlando: "Congressman Asks For Break To Watch UF Title Game*" (1/7/09)

From some of your least favorite Republicans -- Progressives have loved to rant about people like these outrageous folks:

• Think Progress: "Joe the Plumber: I think media should be abolished from reporting on war#" (1/11/09)
• Yahoo! News: "Pastor in Gay Scandal: I'm back from the wilderness#" (1/10/09)
• Truthdig-Ear to the Ground: Did NBC dump Ann Coulter?* (1/5/09)

From George W. Bush, himself -- Illustrations that reinforce that the man just does not "get it:"

• ThinkProgress: "White House Asked Howard To Stay In Blair House To Give ‘Some Plausible Reason’ For Refusing Obama,#" see also The Raw Story* (1/7/09)
• Truthout: "New Book Reveals How Faith Is Like a Covert Operation for the Bush Family"
• DallasNews: "Bush wants gate on route to Dallas home*" (1/6/09)
• Huffington Post: "Bush Using Federal Funds To Secure Dallas Home#" (1/6/09)
• CNN Political Ticker: "Bush makes last-minute appointments*" (1/6/09)
• Democrats.com and NARAL: "Stand Up for Prevention and Public Health" (re: Bush's failed abstinence-only policy - 1/7/09)
• McClatchy: "Bush first ex-prez to face limit on Secret Service protection*" (1/4/09)

From no particular category -- The stories you would not have read otherwise:

• Huffington Post's Craig Aaron:"Fairness Doctrine: Secret Republican Agenda Exposed!#" (1/4/08)
• The Raw Story: "Hackers take down ring of progressive blogs*" (1/7/09)
• Think Progress: "Pew: 'The overall mood of the public' has gotten worse under Bush#" (1/5/09)
• BuzzFlash: "FBI plans large hiring blitz of agents,experts*" (1/5/09)
  

From the end of last year -- Family, faith and hunger:

• AlterNet: "Why Do People Cling to the Myth of the Nuclear Family?*" By Mark Steel, Independent UK. (12/24/08).
• The Raw Story: "CNN guest: Bush Bible comment shocked evangelicals#" (12/6/08)
• BobGeiger.com: "GOP Senator Wants More God In Government Visitor Center#"(12/4/08)
• Common Dreams: "The Hunger News" (11/21/08)
  

Perhaps now we will be able to take our focus off Bush/Repub Rant over failures, scandal, trials and tribulations.

References:

• ProPublica: "This Year In Scandals: Forgotten Stories From the Market Meltdown" (12/31/08)
• Newsweek: "Choose New Careers for Bush-Cheney#" (1/10/09) Give these men a job. Deadline for entry: January 20. Posted: 31 Dec 2008.
• About: Civil Liberties by Tom Head (11/17/08), reference articles:
  

1. Understanding the Religious Right
   
2. Cal Thomas on the Future of the Religious Right
   
3. What's Next for the Conservative Movement? by Justin Quinn
   

Hat Tip Key: Regular contributors of links to leads are "betmo*" and Jon#.

View my current slide show about the Bush years -- "Millennium" -- at the bottom of this column.

(Cross-posted at The Reaction.)

My “creativity and dreaming” post today is at Making Good Mondays.

Technorati tags: news news and politics politics republicans bush

What is at the center between political polar opposites

President-elect Obama's transition is the subject of endless fascination for mainstream writers as well as those in the blogosphere. Looking for clues as to where the upcoming administration will be positioned along the political spectrum is worth a lot of press ink. Today's post summarizes what seems to have emerged as the conventional wisdom in recent weeks on this question.

Progressives vs. Centrists -- The consensus seems to be is that President-elect Obama intends to emphasize his Centrist leanings says The Democratic Strategist on 11/25/08: "The relationship between Obama and the Progressives – is it a “battle for the President’s soul” or a “natural division of labor?" (See also this good follow-up article, "Welcoming the New Center.") To quote:

The rapidly mushrooming debate about the relationship between the Obama administration and the progressive wing of the Democratic Party suffers from an unnecessary lack of clarity because many of the commentators do not make a clear distinction between two very distinct ways of visualizing the issue.

The first, which might be called “the battle for the President’s soul” perspective, visualizes progressives and centrists or conservatives as engaged in a permanent tug of war to win the President’s support for their agenda. In this perspective, each cabinet appointment and each policy decision the President makes represents one more episode in a perpetual struggle to pull, pressure or cajole the President toward progressive approaches and solutions.

. . . The “natural division of labor” viewpoint frames progressives and a Democratic president as playing roles that are different and parallel but not necessarily antagonistic. To be sure, progressives frequently and strongly disagree with particular presidential choices and action, but, if they choose, they can still conduct that debate within the framework of the particular political strategy that a Democratic president has chosen to pursue. There is, for example, a very compelling progressive argument that either Colin Powell or Sam Nunn would be better choices for Secretary of Defense than William Gates. But it does not necessarily follow that Obama’s choice of any of these three individuals would correctly be interpreted as representing either a victory or defeat for the progressive perspective itself. His primary reason for choosing one or the other would not be to reward or punish his progressive supporters.

Liberals vs. Centrists -- There is an increased awareness that "Centrists [are] a Growing Force in [the] Senate’s Democratic Majority," according to a recent Congressional Quarterly analysis. This shift of power, if it happens, parallels a shift of power within the Democrats in the Executive branch. The story comes from Yahoo!.com (12/9/08): "Obama seeks peace between new, traditional backers." To quote:

President-elect Barack Obama is refereeing a struggle between liberal activists, who want to help their candidate score rapid wins in Washington, and party traditionalists who would turn his powerful grass-roots organization over to the Democratic National Committee.

Any mishandling by Obama and his aides could cost him support from factions that were crucial to his Nov. 4 victory and that remain important to his hopes of launching a smooth administration in January.

. . . Many of Obama's younger and more liberal supporters — sometimes collectively called "netroots" because the Internet is their chief communications tool — want to remain a political and social force that is not subsumed by the Democratic Party.

. . . Obama aides say no firm decision has been made, although many believe the operation — including the massive e-mail lists and detailed demographic information about supporters — eventually will be folded into the DNC, typically charged with running the incumbent president's re-election. Other options would be to create a political action committee or an advocacy group. Those would be more palatable to grass-roots leaders who believe they should keep some control of the organization.

Executive vs. Legislative -- An interesting piece from Congressional Quarterly Politics of 1/16/08 is headlined, "Obama's White House reflects respect for the Hill." It details White House staff announcements made by President-elect Barack Obama, reflecting that most of the top spots have gone to recent Capitol Hill veterans. Appointees include Senior Adviser Pete Rouse, formerly Senate chief of staff to Obama and former Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., and Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina, chief of staff of late to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus. To quote further:

They join incoming White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel , a Chicago congressman who is the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House leadership, and White House lobbyist Phil Schiliro, who worked as Daschle’s policy director and was House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry A. Waxman ’s top aide before joining the Obama campaign as a liaison to Capitol Hill.

While Capitol Hill experience is not the primary reason for the appointments, the hires reflect Obama’s sensitivity to the importance of Congress in governance, according to a senior transition official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Needing grassroots support -- Another point made in the article was that the Obama campaign relied an ability to transcend partisan lines on the state level and then bring that tactic to Washington. (See also The Democratic Strategist for, "Obama and Grassroots Bipartisanship.") To quote:

The transition official said that true legislative success will hinge on building bipartisan coalitions that go beyond the pure numerical advantage Democrats enjoy in the House and Senate. In other words, it is not good enough to simply have the numbers to win if there isn’t broader public support for the policy.

“They’re going to have to really resist the temptation to jam things down,” Feehery [a Republican strategist] said.

The last eight years of Republicans' divisiveness, rancor, partisanship, I win/you lose, and polarization may be diminished in the Barack Obama administration. We will have to wait and see, of course, but bipartisanship and coalition building may replace the Republican divide and conquer mentality. The question is whether the country is ready for such change. The voters cast their ballots for it. Now we will see whether elected officials are ready to follow the people as they lead.

View my current slide show about the Bush years -- "Millennium" -- at the bottom of this column.

(Cross-posted at The Reaction.)

My “creativity and dreaming” post today is at Making Good Mondays.

Technorati tags: news news and politics politics presidential transition obama democrats

Perspective

Maintaining perspective -- One of the marks of the Obama Transition has been an ability to maintain perspective as events swirl around the President-elect and his team. One cohort after another rail at his picks, criticize his Chicago associations, worry that he is not Liberal enough, and bombard him with advice to take over and "do something" about (a)______, (b)_______, or (c)_______. And the tall thin guy manages to stay disentangled in it all, for the most part. Amazing!

Getting distance -- I have been away from home for over a week, and that changes one's perspective in significant ways. A climate change means surviving in new ways. A change in media markets means hearing the news from a regional perspective that is different. And a change in living circumstances means reinforces one's perspective on priorities. This western region is rich in energy and minerals, while Texas is really beginning to feel the economic effects of the financial meltdown. Leveling, is the word for it.

More than one dimension -- As I listen to a different "brand" of television, I realize once again, how unidimensional the mainstream media remains, and how I miss the objectivity of C-SPAN. Pundits have OPINIONS, as if I cared. Reporters confront, as if it mattered. News is biased left or right, and lacking in facts. And the blogosphere remains the only sane way to ascertain reality. And even then, we sometimes get a bit dingy. Weird.

Time and the calendar change how we see reality -- As we near the Holidays, most of us, rightly, are more personally focused; many are more stressed and more pressed. In which generation one resides also dictates perspective. Our experiences differ. And perspective, hopefully, changes over time. These days I see the generations that supported Barack Obama holding hands in a circle, old next to young. We are maintaining the perspective that "he will do just fine," as we follow his steady lead to time and place. Settle.

To everything there is a season.

View my current slide show about the Bush years -- "Millennium" -- at the bottom of this column.

My “creativity and dreaming” post today is at Making Good Mondays.

Technorati tags: news news and politics politics presidential transition obama

Official insults

How can you?! Evangelicals may have felt insulted to learn that their darling, George W. Bush, is not a believer# in the literal interpretation of the Bible. The insult comes when assumptions -- that a fellow believer had not been honest about his views -- all along. But the reality is that one's personal religious beliefs should not be up for mass jusdgment, even if you are the POTUS.

How can you not . . . ? President-elect Obama and his family have a right to feel insulted because there is no room for them at Blair House when they need it. The insult comes when the official response could be interpreted as not up to the spirit of an announced bipartisan agreement between the old and new administrations. But the reality is that the nicely/nicely relationship was bound to break down at some point. It is ironic that it would be over hospitality, something so out of character for the Bush family, steeped in propriety.

How can this happen? President George W. Bush had the right to feel insulted when an Iraqi reporter threw his two shoes at him at a news conference. In Middle East cultures shoes, etc. represent the ultimat manner in which an adversary can be insulted. But the reality is that it is pretty mild compared to how Iraq might actually feel about the occupation. Prime Minister Malaki is walking on a knife edge there.

Official insults happen with regularity. The other name for it is "diplomacy." Hillary Clinton, indeed, has her work cout out for her in this topsy-turvy world, with an incident that Bush calls bizarre and laughs off.

Hat Tip Key: Regular contributors of links to leads are "betmo*" and Jon#.

View my current slide show about the Bush years -- "Millennium" -- at the bottom of this column.

(Cross-posted at The Reaction.)

My “creativity and dreaming” post today is at Making Good Mondays.

Technorati tags: news news and politics politics bush obama diplomacy