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I Dreamed of America
For the official record, I'm fully supportive of the idea of letting non-native peoples be president. In fact, I think it's such a good idea Democrats should steal it. First off, there's no real legitimate reason to not have it happen. There's no real threat. Even if somebody with a sinister plan had the foresight and fortitude to first be a citizen for, say, 15 or 20 years, I don't think there's much of a chance that he or she would be able to run for president for like a year and a half without us, you know, figuring that out. But here's why we should take it. Forget for a minute about Arnold Schwarzenegger. Well, first, remember that he's the vehicle by which we can get this done. And remember that there are a million different reasons why he may well never be in a position to benefit from this. Okay, now forget him again. Getting behind this sets us up as the party that stands for good things like freedom and opportunity for all Americans. We'd be the party that gets that America is most importantly an idea and one that exists in the hearts and minds of little boys and girls all over the world, that sort of thing. And then back to the Governor -- furthering the political career of a moderate, pro-rights Republican isn't the worst thing that we could do.
Reform
I have to wonder if Tom Vilsack not seeking the DNC chair has at least a little something to do with the desire of some people to see somebody more reform-minded there. Somebody able to at least talk about changing the things that we may think are clever politics, but do seem to end up hurting our ability to build a sustaining party. Things like how the way we have it now, we let the Democrats of New Hampshire and Iowa just go ahead and pick who we run for president. And while I will continue to sport my 'Dean/Rosenberg' button about town, I do think Oliver, and also Matt, are right. The party has to set about building itself, not look to somebody to ride in on a horse to save it. Besides, any horse-backed savior sure as shoot (I think) won't be a DNC chair whose main focus has to be on winning things -- like seats in Congress, the presidency -- in the short term. Let me take this chance to suggest that while attempt to rebuild the party we do not engage in a peculiarly Democratic habit -- mimicking what the Republicans did when they found themselves in a similar situation. We do that a lot and we've got to stop doing that.
Grrrr
Perhaps, perhaps, I am a bad Democrat because I am today thoroughly pleased with our President. And maybe I'm a bad Unitarian (we tend to be peaceful) because I am, perhaps less thoroughly but nonetheless, pleased with the recent incident in Detroit. You see, the President had not all that much choice, and more than a little responsiblity to future presidents, but to step in and demand that another country's security forces not prevent his security forces from providing for his security. (Note to the Chilean press: you can, um, how can I say this delicately, shove your "he looked like a cowboy!"; it's not an across-the-board pejorative, and besides, only we're allowed to call him that.) And case of the fight during the Detroit Piston's game, I mean, I can't formally condone an NBA player going into the stands to punch a jackass of a man in the head, but you know what I can condone even less? A jackass of a man thinking that he lives in a world where it's somehow okay to unprovokedly pour a $6 Miller Lite on someone else's head.
I Want My Two Dollars
I'm not sure what to make of the Kerry money situation, but I do think some explaining needs to happen.
Isn't This the Sort of Thinking that Got Us Losing the Election?
I just don't know what to do with President Clinton's questioning that he may be "the only person in the entire United States of America who likes both George Bush and John Kerry" and chalking up the difference in their respective impact on the country to just different, and presumably both valid, ways of seeing the world. I mean, I may just be wholly jaded by this point but it really does seem that if one has been paying close attention these last four years, as I hope a former President might, I think it'd be difficult to see how you might judge that the President has been a particularly effective, just, able leader who just used a different analytical framework that we might not so much agree with. Then again, this sort of thinking on Clinton's part does help me understand why he thought that this man might be a good person to bring in to restore order to his Presidency when likes got out of hand. (Sorry if I sound a bit worked up, but Clinton's reported advice to Kerry to come out in support of state gay marraige ammendments left me with a little less love for the man.)
Fine Writing
"Trump could decide to spin on his head, clap his hands, and shriek, "I'm made of Play-Doh!" and they'd nod and say, "Yes you are. Spinning on your head was the only real choice you had there.""
In French, It's Propagande
Saw this at the really quite lovely AFL-CIO headquarters. Pretty striking.
He's Thoughtful. I Like That.
Saw Simon Rosenberg at this tonight. Yeah, I'd like him to be second in command of my party. (Rosenberg on Washington Journal here.)
From Sea to Shining Sea
Is there anything more American than "leave our homos alone"? (last line)
Read, Repeat
| Democrats frequently console or rally themselves with the fact that
most voters agree with them on individual issues. And then they're
mystified when they don't win elections. Sometimes it seems, or people
convince themselves, that it's because one candidate is more likable
than the other. Some people think that's the case with this just completed
presidential election. And perhaps it is to some degree. But the bigger
difference is that Democrats don't do anywhere near as good a job
at telling a story with their politics. |
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Amen, Brother Josh.
Early Morning Thinking
I want to be a Democrat by choice, not default.
Deanenberg Could Do It
I'm just throwing this out there. I'm reading a book by White House reporter Helen Thomas in which she describes the National Press Club in the 1960's. Got me thinking, Democrats need an easily accessible place where staff-level types can drink a lot, talk things over, and figure things out.
Deanenberg
As, for the DNC, I am a big fan of the Howard Dean/Simon Rosenberg tag team idea, and I'll be explaining why later.
Wow, That Was Ugly
I've only just today really fully recovered from election day, in both mind and body. Physically, because I was up in Alaska campaigning for Tony Knowles in that Senate race (no, we didn't win) and I came home a bit worn out and then got sick with a cold. Emotionally, because the whole thing made me really very angry -- a little at America, and a lot at John Kerry and the Democratic party. I don't mind the anger; I think it's useful, especially in such situations where you get beaten at something you should not have gotten beaten at. But, today, finally, I've come to terms with that anger and, I think, have got it fully turned into a passion to do better.
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