Ryan Indictment
Initial bit up at The Political State Report
More later--been a bit swamped this week.
archpundit 12/17/2003 1:48:13 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
The Winner of the Simon Eulogy Sweepstakes
While I don't want to treat the death of a great man as a joke, it is true that some of the eulogies in op-eds are boiler plates and some really capture the essence of the person being eulogized. I thought that many were quite good this time with Kass being one of the best. Even a bit better is Rich Miller's weekly column which has a unique take on Simon. Given taste varies widely, I'll defend the choice by saying I had a Grandmother much like Rich's father and so I relate to his point better. My Grandmother never voted for Simon, but she did respect him more than most other 'socialists'. And yes, she is rolling over in her grave at one of her grandkids--actually several. I'm the only one that votes in every election so while she may not approve of my choices, they will be tormented forever in the afterlife for every election they missed.
For the 1990 election I remember a friend, in our obsessive youth, all of a sudden noticing that Paul Simon wanted to spend more money on social programs than we generally trusted the government to do (a relative notion compared to more conservative readers). To me this was an odd objection simply because, well duh, Paul Simon was very liberal. I pointed out his support for balanced budgets and I believe the friend voted for him. But the discussion was strange because I had never realized how much I had bought into Paul Simon's legend. This disturbed me that I had bought into a public persona. Later, in a fit of realizing what I should have long ago, it dawned on me that it wasn't just a public persona, but a truly decent human being.
Paul Simon, dad explained back then to his completely astonished sons, was honest. Unlike most politicians, dad said, you could trust Simon's word. Barely out of high school, Simon bought a newspaper and used it to rail against the mob and its political allies in the Metro East. He had real guts, dad said. Simon eventually owned a string of newspapers throughout southern Illinois, demonstrating a considerable business savvy, which my father admired.
I've always found it astonishing that a staunch conservative and Dillard Republican like my father would have so much respect, even reverence, for one of the most liberal Democratic Senators this state has ever produced. But dad's opinion helped me to understand that Simon's voting record wasn't why voters gave him two terms in the Senate and would have gladly given him as many as he wanted.
It was the fact that voters believed they were electing an honest, decent, intelligent, thoughtful man to represent them to their nation's highest legislative body. It wasn't about sound bites, or good hair, or the latest wedge issue. It was, instead, about the pride in knowing that they were sending one of their state's very best citizens to Washington, DC. They trusted him to do the right thing, even if they didn't always, or usually, agree with him.
My grandmother did vote for one Democrat I think, but that was before I was born. It turns out that the Republican Sheriff arrested my father for some sort of weapons violation when my father shot a peeping tom who turned out to be said sheriff's cousin. Today, the entire process would have been different, but in rural McLean County in the 1960s, my Dad was within his rights and that signalled the final straw for that Sheriff's political career. Or maybe that was the primary where he was thrown out--if that is the case, she never spent more time in the booth than to punch the Republican straight ticket.
Miller's father is voting for Dean now, perhaps showing a similar trajectory that Goldwater followed. As he aged Goldwater moderated his views on several issues. The most hysterical was his gruff take on gays in the military--it doesn't matter if a soldier is straight, it matters if they can shoot straight. The most important being his realization what Glen Canyon damn did to the nature of his beloved Arizona. The most practical being taking on pricing in the cable/satellite business that opened up competition in such services.
My grandmother, on the other hand, is just shaking her head at me for my likely vote for Dean. Of course, at least I'm voting.
archpundit 12/12/2003 3:21:08 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
WGNU On-Air Letters
YasonYackey learns what WGNU is like, with two letters responding to complaints about Earl "white supremacist" Holt.
WGNU has some decent hosts who are interesting if you are into talk radio and it does some of the classic radio moments by being so free form. That said, many of the on-air folks are bonkers. Read the letters and you'll see what I mean.
archpundit 12/12/2003 10:07:23 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Denying A Federal Judicial Appointment=Slavery
Well in Leader La-La land that appears to be the argument. So the next time there is a Democratic President and they appoint a liberal African-American or Latino any opposition will be based on their race and not ideology, right?
I didn't think so.
Really this whole line of argument needs to be declared dead by a corrolary to Godwin's Law:
Godwin's Law prov. [Usenet] "As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one." There is a tradition in many groups that, once this occurs, that thread is over, and whoever mentioned the Nazis has automatically lost whatever argument was in progress. Godwin's Law thus practically guarantees the existence of an upper bound on thread length in those groups. However there is also a widely- recognized codicil that any intentional triggering of Godwin's Law in order to invoke its thread-ending effects will be unsuccessful.
In this case making ridiculous arguments that compare a fight over ideology to slavery should just be ruled as forfeiting the argument.
archpundit 12/10/2003 4:06:55 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Chutzpah
Spitting on the grave of not yet buried Paul Simon, are the Rosemont and minority investors who are whining that they only got their investment back with a small percentage of interest.
Here's a small lesson in capitalism--if you invest in a corrupt enterprise you risk losing your investment. A stunning feature of capitalism is that the state let's business fails if it is inefficient or it breaks the rules and is penalized.
Emerald executives agreed two years ago to sell the license and give all the profits from the sale to the state after state gaming regulators accused the company of failing to disclose alleged organized crime connections of some Emerald shareholders. Ms. Madigan insisted those shareholders and any Emerald executives accused of wrongdoing should not receive their money back.
If you want to invest in gaming, make sure your partners are clean. If you can't verify that, invest elsewhere. Risk is an inherent part of any investment. As it is, the investment should be null and void. The company that entered into a contract with the State of Illinois violated the law and should have to forfeit the asset of a gaming license as a penalty. Instead, Lisa Madigan has brokered a deal to let investors essentially break even. While that bargain is not perfect, Madigan was wise to move the process along and avoid costly court battles. However, if investors insist the State pay them back and hold up the sale of the license in court--screw 'em and terminate any right to the license.
archpundit 12/10/2003 3:57:39 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Police Stories
Are the name of the game at St. Louis Coptalk this week.
Go read the Legends threat at Coptalk also Funny Roll Calls and Legends; cont
The will amuse and terrify you.
archpundit 12/10/2003 1:30:14 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Speaking of the East Side
The problems in District 189 continue. Yesterday, the Belleville News-Democrat reported that six demoted administrators will maintain their salaries in their positions as teachers and desk job administrators. The longer story does point out that if they stay at those jobs during the next year they will be returned to the level of pay for the positions. The good news here is that the District is holding principals and special ed administrators accountable for results.
archpundit 12/10/2003 1:04:20 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Synergy Alert
For those in the St. Louis Metropolitan Region:
(shamelessly stolen title from Eric Zorn)
I have an article on the absurd complaints about the suspension of site-based management in the SLPS in the Arch City Chronicle. Full story is only available in dead tree edition. Think of old grandmother's warnings about shacking up if you wonder why.
For those looking for a great Christmas gift, consider the ACC and The CommonSpace membership together for the fabulous price of $60
archpundit 12/10/2003 12:47:36 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
A Terrible Way To Return
is an article in memoriam to Paul Simon at the Political State Report
archpundit 12/10/2003 11:48:06 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Horrible, Horrible News
Paul Simon passed away today due to complications from heart surgery. He'll be greatly missed.
archpundit 12/09/2003 3:22:10 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Back This Evening
Suffering from sinus problems...
archpundit 12/08/2003 12:29:58 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
First Time Here?
Well, I'm about to take the Holiday weekend off. I have two twin daughters that are far more fun than this (and for the first time I get to brag about them--see here)
But for those visiting for the first time, ArchPundit is a site devoted to Illinois and National Politics. I'm a partisan Democrat and a grad student working on his PhD in Political Science. Beyond that, do a google search--when I mentioned this previously some wanted me to remain pseudonymous because they enjoy me just being the writing on the page.
For the most part, that will continue. From time to time I may comment more particularly on issues I have expertise than I have in the past, but there won't be many changes for veteran readers.
There are two related sites. The first is Blog Saint Louis which focuses on St. Louis and Missouri politics and urban educational issues, a particular passion of mine.
The second is a site for the Illinois Senate Race that is not being updated right now. It will be with the creation of a new family of sites at Typepad.
I also write for The Political State Report on Illinois politics. I've been a bit lax there lately, but I plan on adding more there in the near future. I'll be adding commentary to the coming Jeff Smith for Congress Blog very soon as well. Jeff is a good friend and I urge those of you in the 3rd District to learn a bit more about him. Since I know some other campaigns check in here, I have no intention of bashing other candidates and quite like the field--though I reserve the right to make fun of Russ if he puts up anymore pics like the last one I pointed out.
I also have two other features and perhaps a personal blog about to come on line as well. Both are more humor related. One is just displaying the words I receive every day from a particular public official, and the other is an inside joke. Take a look around and come back if you enjoy.
I always appreciate tips so pass them on to archpundit@yahoo.com. Be sure to clarify whether you want to remain anonymous and whether I can use the e-mail verbatim. I respect privacy absolutely.
Some of the more popular posts over the last year include:
Rochell Moore extending a Biblical Curse to me
Earl Holt's letter taking issue with my labeling of him as a White Supremacist
The post he objected to which was also linked from Joe Conason's column in Salon
And for those who read the story in the RFT on the SLPS, I posted Bill Haas' letter to Bill Roberti that suggested Roberti and Marsal were having an affair right after receiving it.
I also seem to have hit on some manueverings by Pat Quinn to jump in the Illinois Senate Race. What is still unclear is why he was using Mike Kelleher as bait.
A general article on Saint Louis Public School reform. This article spurred the Biblical Curse being extended to me.
archpundit 11/27/2003 12:33:24 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
On a More Serious Note
Why does Earl Holt even matter? Isn't he just a marginalized moron who has been driven from the public eye?
That is true to an extent. However, Holt is part of that nasty side of politics that has hidden behind code words and obscured their true feelings. The first hint should be anyone who would associate with the modern version of the White Citizen's Councils--now the Council of Conservative Citizens.
There are legitimate debates over policies that affect race and we should have frank discussions about race and related issues. But Cobb points out an issue in race relations that whites usually don't grasp (being white I have my blindspots as well,
I'm going to indulge a little and poke whitefolks in the eye for a minute. But I'll be more specific and poke whitefolks from St. Louis who voted during the 80s. Every once in a while blackfolks get accused of being paranoid about race. But then somebody like say, Mark Fuhrman, gets outed and blackfolks say, where the hell were all you good whitefolks whan this person got power?
There are reasons for African-Americans to be paranoid and recognizing that is vital to a serious discussion. Are African-Americans overly paranoid? I'm sure sometimes they are, but when people don't listen it adds to the paranoia. So the next time race comes up in an integrated place take the time to listen to the concerns. Listen hard. White folks simply don't face the daily insults that many African-Americans do. And being angry about those insults or Earl Holt isn't an invitation to bring up Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson to try and create moral equivalency. It's an invitation to listen to a friend or potential friend.
When people race bait, don't use the excuse that some African-American did it so it is okay. Take race baiters to task. Force them to face consequences instead of making excuses that others do it.
Holt is out of public life besides his rantings on WGNU and the CofCC web site, but many have supported him and his allies in the past. Perhaps they were allies because they did not think Holt was that bad. If that is the case, they shouldn't have a hard time disowning him and the Council of Conservative Citizens. Make them do it.
archpundit 11/26/2003 11:59:10 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
The Right at Night Transcript--A Spade is Indeed a Spade
When Earl first e-mailed me, several asked whether it was for real, so I confirmed it on Earl's radio show. Below is the transcript with Don being me (I used a different name):
Earl: Don, welcome,
Don: Hey, what are all of these liars doing talking about you on the internet? I don't get it.
Earl:Oh, they, well, What can you do?
Don:What, what did the guy say about you?
Earl: Oh he's uhh...Oh, well, it's a long story. But Earl got kind of liquored up the other night. A friend found, put my name in a search engine and found a website that was ripping us for our efforts to try to reform the Saint Louis Public Schools. And I think I had just about had enough of that. So I wrote him a real poignant e-mail and I probably used the n-word about maybe twenty times to many times. Anyway, uh, they (hassled) me since. That doesn't bother me. I don't care, I'm used to that stuff. I, you know, on hang up calls, that kind of stuff doesn't matter. (Unintelligible keeps deleting it. just Ladue)
Don: What what, what what are they saying about you, I don't get it.
Earl: Well, It's just that I used all this bad language and, I, and I said some very unflattering things to them, what I thought about them. And, uh, I was stupid enough to, uh, put my home telephone number on there too. and uh
Don: Ohhhh
Earl: And I, uh dared them to print, to, to put the letter on the web page which they apparently have. So, (nervous laughter)I have quite a following now.
Don: All right
Earl: Yeah, well anyway. I didn't pull any punches, baby. I guess you could say I called a Spade a Spade.
Second guy: Don't call him (something) Earl for nothing
Don: All right, I was just curious.
Earl: All right, thanks Don, I appreciate it.
archpundit 11/26/2003 11:22:46 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Saint Louis Public Schools Charging Admission for Meetings?
Well, no, but the RFT suggests it, though in the blog world, Sophorist got there first in comments.
That said, it is one of the best articles written by regular media on the changes and the only one that captures the flavor of the meetings.
archpundit 11/26/2003 11:10:50 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Integration & The RFT
The Riverfront Times covers Earl's outburst in a fine article by Mike Seely.
Tom Spencer, recently retired from his fine blog is mentioned as well providing a little color commentary.
Interesting aspects of the article include WGNU's management which seems to be taking it very seriously. Other than that was the amazing reaction of Gordon Baum, Executive Director of the Council of Conservative Citizens, who said,
"The strong language shows a lapse in civility but doesn't paint him as a white supremacist," says Baum. "It doesn't sound like Earl. He must have been imbibing when he did that. As far as the rhetoric is concerned, I don't go along with that."
What the hell would paint him as a white supremacist then? I'm curious. When one describes an entire race as savage and brutish, wouldn't that qualify as inferior to another race? Or is the logical conclusion not supposed to be reached? Whatever.
And BTW, in regards to integration....I do live in an integrated area--my Census block group is 35% African American and my block is probably majority black. Now, admittedly, Earl lives in a black census tract, but I am familiar with having black neighbors and friends. Perhaps it is Earl's stunning personality that is his problem...
archpundit 11/26/2003 10:57:12 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
The Very Fabric of Our Society
The General addresses the horror of what gay marriage will reek on our society
Also another blog desperately in need of being added to the Blog Roll
archpundit 11/25/2003 2:39:35 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Who is ArchPundit?
The question is to be answered in tomorrow's Riverfront Times. May not be up until Thursday for those who can't pick up a deadtree edition.
archpundit 11/25/2003 2:25:11 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Bush Ballot Brouha
I've been swamped getting the new site up and ready, but Dan Johnson-Weinberger covers the fight over getting Bush on the ballot. As does Jeff Trigg.
I am not thrilled with redistricting, but Dan gets at the issue pretty well. I am not happy with Dems trying to avoid fines, but isn't that to be expected when you try and circumvent the law for electoral gain? The other side does it too.
Dan desperately deserves to be on the blog roll and he will be on the new site.
archpundit 11/25/2003 2:20:40 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Good Deed for the Holiday
Forwarded on behalf Chris Krummenacher. If you're interested in helping out the family whose southside house burned down this past week and who were then subsequently robbed, Chris is willing to help facilitate. Should you feel so inclined to donate funds or physical items, contact Chris(chrisk@firestreamww.com) and he can put you in contact with the appropriate folks.
"You've probably seen the story about the Colenburg family, whose house caught fire and who had to run though that fire and toss his kids and himself out a third floor window to safety. If you saw today's paper, you saw that they got buglarized on top of it.
"I got a hold of the bank that is collecting monetary donations for that family and found that another family is collecting physical items (toys, clothes, eletronics, etc...) for the Colenburg family. I was just hoping you might pass this note along and ask folks that if they want to donate anything to get in touch with me and I can either the contact the person collecting this stuff or give them their phone number."
Please consider contributing if you are able.
This occurred in Saint Louis for readers outside of the region.
archpundit 11/25/2003 2:12:45 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
SB 101 Status
The bill to add sexual orientation as a suspect classification stalled, here is the deal from a source who was in Springfield:
Obama worked hard for this group and got Meeks to agree to be vote 30 or 31. Not easy for Meeks to do, but he did it.
Hynes took a walk. Senator Maloney would do whatever Hynes asked him to do, and so far Maloney is a whole lot of no. Same with Viverito. If Madigan/Hynes asked Viverito to jump on, don't you think he would?
Lending credence to the concerns about how hard Hynes will follow up on gay rights bills. More to follow.
archpundit 11/25/2003 2:04:26 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Rainbow/Push Rally Discontent
From a reader:
Update from a Rainbow/Push Rally
There was an incident at the Rainbow/Push rally with Barack Obama, Joyce Washington and Blair Hull in attendance (with other dignitaries - most notable Carol Mosely Braun, Bobby Rush, Danny Davis and Jesse Jackson).
In the middle of several speaches a group of angry folks started shouting
in a bull horn "when are you going to let us speak!"
They were allowed to go forward and spoke their piece. Basically they said that black leaders had sold out the black community for their own political power. They (settled down) for a while and then basically disrupted the event. When Danny Davis and Bobby Rush walked up the BOOED them standing on the stage in front of the TV cameras. Things finally got calmed down a bit (although they were still on the stage frequently booing people).
The police were getting very nervous.
archpundit 11/25/2003 1:54:33 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Reminder
Remember, Fridays from 10-12 on WGNU Earl and Gordon Baum of the Council of Conservative Citizens host the Right at Night--a veritable hate fest. Streaming audio is available as is toll free call in for those outside the area:
314-454-0400 or
1-877-920-WGNU!
archpundit 11/21/2003 9:43:22 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
From the Inbox
From the St. Louis CofCC Site
Dr. Deval Patrick
Several years ago, the magazine Heterodoxy ran an article about Dr. Deval Patrick, the negro who replaced Alan Bakke at the University of California-Davis Medical School as a result of its ?Affirmative-Action? program. Mr. Bakke sued California?s Board of Regents in what eventually became a landmark Supreme Court Case, Bakke v. Board of Regents of the University of California.
Dr. Patrick managed to graduate from Cal-Davis? medical school, and became a plastic surgeon in the Los Angeles area. To date, Dr. Patrick has at least one kill to his record.
It seems that Dr. Patrick performed liposuction upon a woman patient in his office, who later developed a severe infection and died from it. When the woman upon whom he performed the liposuction returned to his office a few days following her surgery -- rather than take her to the emergency room of some hospital -- instead, Dr. Patrick had his "nurse" (i.e., girlfriend) take this patient to his own house, whereupon she died. He was obviously trying to hide her condition from medical authorities by treating her, "privately."
You see, serious infections following liposuction had previously occurred with at least two other patients of his, and not only were these two patients in the process of suing him, but Dr. Patrick?s license was under review by the state at the time of his ?kill.? He has since lost his medical license.
There should be a law requiring any advocate of Affirmative Action (such as Teddy Kennedy) to use only black surgeons, airline pilots and attorneys who participated in an affirmative action program at their respective graduate schools.
Earl P. Holt III
From the e-mail:
Deval Patrick is not a physician; he is a former Assistant Attorney for Civil Rights and is still deeply involved in civil rights law. The physician he is referring to is the late Dr. Patrick Chivas, and his account of the events are only half true. There is also little evidence that he was admitted instead (not replacing) Bakke. A rather amusing mix-up.
For someone with an IQ of 130, this is probably the dumbest error that could have easily been checked.
In fact, one can find all about Deval Patrick rather easily
In fact, after the e-mail I tracked down what appears to be the story Holt is talking about at Front Page Magazine. I present that story as a reference, not as an endorsment.
Another fine reader points to this pile of excrement. The reader mail is special.
archpundit 11/20/2003 5:26:28 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
When I'm Happy To Be Wrong
I'm befuddled how the Governor thinks this better protects officers, but that is a side issue---The State of Illinois, counter to my prediction, has passed a sweeping reform of the Death Penalty. Kudos (ed. props are for late night beer induced posts) to State Senators Barack Obama and John Cullerton who did much of the heavy lifting on the bill. While I'm adamantly opposed to the death penalty, this is a wonderful step forward.
archpundit 11/20/2003 10:09:01 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
How Likely Are More Posts Today?
I have a feeling the blog is going to be overloaded, it is, ummm..let's say early, and I'm over the average daily hits already....
archpundit 11/20/2003 1:58:45 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Props to Cruel Site of the Day
They pretty much shut down the site again today, Cruel Site fo the Day is a riot for those not familiar with it.
If nothing else, the caption for yesterday captured Earl:
If you call former St. Louis School Board member Earl Holt a white supremacist, he'll set you straight: "I honestly pray to God that some nigger fucks, kills and eats you and everyone you claim to love!"
I'll be posting again today assuming I can get access to the site.
archpundit 11/20/2003 1:39:51 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Props To Blogstudio
Blogstudio.com has done a great job trying to handle the traffic over the last couple days. The reaction to Earl has been far greater than I thought, but Blogstudio has done a fantastic job keeping the site up given the difference between usual traffic and traffic over the last couple days.
If you are looking for a blogging service that is extremely easy to use or a hosting service think about them. They are inexpensive and do a fantastic job.
As many of you may know, I am moving to TypePad soon. It isn't due to inadequate services as much as
1) white supremacists or other nutjobs who seem to swamp the service
2) I'm in the middle of service levels---I want both a lot of flexibility and easy use. Typepad provides that. However, Blogstudio provides easy use, hosting for the very advanced, inexpensive service, and a high tolerance for those who attract nutjobs. My problem comes in I don't want to set up my own site, but I do want to control comments and other issues. For the vast majority of bloggers who don't attract the Earl Holt's of the world, Blogstudio would be great for you. And they are very price competitive.
archpundit 11/20/2003 1:33:19 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Do I Dare
Unfortunately I read Eriz Zorn's take on the Massachusett's Supreme Court Decision declaring a ban on gay marriage unconstitutional so I have to site (ed. that's cite to your moron) him yet again this week. I absolutely believe marriage is a religious decision and such any sort of prohibition on adults is a violation of the religious freedom. I'm not sure that such a bold step is the quickest way to get there.
Zorn makes the point here:
I was among those who fretted that former Gov. George Ryan's mass commutation of death sentences would harden the hearts of legislators and set back the cause of capital justice reform in Illinois by years if not forever.
I do believe I outfretted him though, with this post at the Political State Report which could not have been more wrong.
So let's hope we are both wrong again. BTW, what is the Governor doing about the nondiscrimination based on sexual orientation bill? Anyone?
archpundit 11/18/2003 2:05:23 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Endorsement Watch: Da Speaker
In a dog bites man story, Illinois House Speaker and Chair of the Illinois Democratic Party endorses Dan Hynes. Coming from the South Side of Chicago with Dan's father, Thomas, this is unsurprising.
In the category of organization is tough to beat, the tagline in the endorsement from the campaign says:
The Democratic Party of Illinois State Central Committee is not expected to endorse in the March primary. Madigan serves as the chair of the central committee. In addition to Speaker Madigan, Hynes has received the endorsement of 85 of the state?s 102 Democratic County Chairman and over 600 elected officials and party leaders at all levels of government.
Dan Hynes is in a tough fight, especially with the IFT endorsement of Obama which reverberates through the field, but organization means he'll be in it to the end.
archpundit 11/18/2003 1:50:48 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Oh My
We'll be getting back to more normal stories, but Atrios keeps finding stuff that is amazing
The fiction which is interdependency has a prolocutor in the congregation of Moloch. His name is George Soros. No other single person represents the symbol and the substance of Globalism more than this Hungarian-born descendant of Shylock. He is the embodiment of the Merchant from Venice. His public reputation as an astute currency speculator is generous, while his skills as a manipulator and procurer of pain and suffering is shrouded in the footnotes of the financial journals. Claiming to be a philanthropist, his record is literally one of being a patron for indentured enslavement.
Updated: The GOPUSA took it down, it's now available at this site
archpundit 11/18/2003 1:42:34 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Alterman Gets Letters
Via Atrios
Not quite Earl Holt, but Alterman gets a doozy today....
Name: Anne Thompson
Mr. Alterman,
As an American citizen and consumer of both print and television media, I have become increasingly concerned over what I perceive to be a completely liberal-biased slant as well as unquestioning support for both the brutal policies of Israel as well as the Jewish faith. Judaism is an incomplete religion and our country is NOT a ?Judeo-Christian? nation. America was founded on the principles of Christianity and Christianity ALONE.
To give any credence to the Jewish faith is to say that it is a true faith, which it is NOT. To give unquestioning support to the state of Israel, despite its horrid brutality, is criminal. Ariel Sharon has spent the last 40 years deceiving the Lebanese Christian community, committing mass genocide, lying to the American and European public and, in general, behaving worse than any tyrant currently recorded in history.
To support Judaism and the state of Israel, in its current form, is disgraceful. Allow me to explain why the Jewish religion is an incomplete religion and why Jews MUST convert to Christianity AT ALL COSTS.
The incompleteness of Judaism:
1. Judaism believes in an eye for an eye, there is no such thing as forgiveness.
2. Judaism consistently promotes mass genocide, while Christianity promotes isolating hostile elements within an opposition group and removing those elements, but leaving the group intact and converting them to Christianity.
3. Judaism is an inclusive group, meaning that the religion does not proselytize nor does it accept outside membership. This essentially sets Jews up for inbreeding, which causes all sorts of neurological and degenerative diseases.
4. Judaism is suspicious and hostile of outsiders.
5. Judaism creates a group of people who are paranoid, isolated, inbred, and unforgiving.
What kind of life is this for anyone? Christianity is an open, loving, forgiving religion. Christianity does not submit to genocide of a group in which there exist bad members, but rather advocates the elimination of those bad members, specifically, while leaving the group intact and converting them to Christianity.
Christianity is superior to Judaism in many ways and Jews must and should convert to Christianity as soon as possible. To state that Judaism, in any form, is an acceptable type of worship to our Lord is deplorable. JUDAISM IS FALLACY!
The media?s ongoing support of this incomplete faith and its false tenets is an injustice to the world. America cannot and WILL NOT TOLERATE the ongoing atrocities committed by the Israelis, the Mossad, and the Jewish people. The Jews MUST CONVERT to Christianity IMMEDIATELY. The violence in the Middle East will go on for a thousand years if they are not converted. The ongoing tensions in American society will continue if the Jews do not convert. It is CRITICAL that Jews convert.
I thank you for your time and consideration and may God bless you and yours.
I believe Eric is Jewish. This letter reeks of the description Ani Difranco gives on her live album of a open mic night where some evangelicals sing a song about whether Anne Frank found Jesus.
archpundit 11/18/2003 1:37:14 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Speaking of Zorn
He has some excellent coverage of the Illini Mascot issue and especially a full response from Lisa Madigan concerning the Emerald Casino License Settlement, go check it out.
More on the Emerald issue later, but I think Madigan's defense of the settlement is a good explanation. She isn't happy and neither am I, but reality set in from the looks of it.
On the mascot issue--go far enough down on Eric's blog and one has to wonder whether the mascot was cover for the tuition increase.
archpundit 11/17/2003 10:13:04 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Getting Back to Normal...
After the most recent wingnut eruption sidetracked the normal content of the blog again, today should be back to the typical Illinois politics and national affairs obsession I have. But later, I have a day job and such.
In a show of good taste, the Trib wouldn't allow Eric Zorn to link directly to the letter. I don't blame them. I would probably have suppressed the letter but for two reasons. One, Holt was a school board member in Saint Louis. He and his allies came close to taking a Board Majority about a decade ago. I'm going to create a list of those articles on the new blog (it's coming) for easy access.
Second, I have blogged regularly on the Council of Conservative Citizens. Most recently was on October 15 (the day my hiatus started) with Haley Barbour's visit to the Mississippi Black Hawk Barbecue.
I think the letter accurately represents their views and as they have some influence, that is more influence than they should have. Holt claims he was drunk. I say he was honest. Despicable, but honest.
While racist wingnuts are a common topic here, a far superior blog for that sort of info is at The Temple of Democracy which is the go to place for all white supremacist related info. I have reservations about his Dean comments, but that is a minor quibble given the high quality of research he provides on neo-confederates.
I also have some audio clips, but I need to host them somewhere that can handle the bandwidth.
archpundit 11/17/2003 10:08:22 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
I Believe We Have A Recording
Fair use portions will be posted over the next couple days. The comparison to Tarzan was amazing as was the General's fine discussion of his member. I, on the other hand, couldn't stop laughing after they didn't even miss a beat when Gary complained about miscegenation. Perhaps I should leave such efforts to The General and Scoobie.
archpundit 11/14/2003 11:57:27 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
BTW, "Don From Saint Louis" Got Confirmation on the Letter
For a variety of reasons I thought it was him, Don got Holt to confirm he sent it--just to clarify.
I can't do what I'm suggesting for a variety of reasons, but Earl is a landlord and there is an EHOC testing program for Fair Housing Laws. It might be worthwhile for someone to contact EHOC and Channel 2 here in Saint Louis and suggest that Earl is perhaps a prime candidate for some testing. Wil Jordan, head of EHOC here, would enjoy that very much.
archpundit 11/14/2003 11:01:22 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Who is Doug from East Saint Louis
Just curious, drop me a note.
archpundit 11/14/2003 10:56:17 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Hate Mail---Parental Advisory
The following e-mail I received is one of the most offensive bits of excrement to ever show up in my inbox. I debated even posting it, but given Earl was a school board member in St. Louis just a decade ago and there is a collective amnesia about how far over the top these guys were, here it goes. It contains multiple obscenities and the most offensive racial slur.
Hey Commie:
Imagine my chagrin when I used a search engine to find commentary about myself, and there was your shallow, dilettante, asshole self, labeling me a "white supremacist."
Being the shallow, nigger-loving dilettante that you are, you probably DO consider niggers to be your equal (who am I to question this?): Yet, unlike you and your allies, I have an I.Q. in excess of 130, which grants me the ability to objectively evaluate the Great American Nigro (Africanus Criminalis.)
The nigro is 11.5 % of the U.S. population, yet he commits in excess of 55% of all felonies (although felonies are UNDER-represented in the nigro community, where observing the law is considered "acting White!") Moreover, he (or should I say she?)accounts for 48% of all ADC recipients in the U.S. We have spent over $7 TRILLION on "Urban Welfare Spending" since the mid-1960s, (black economists Thomas Sowell & Walter Williams) and the nigro is still as criminal, surly, lazy , violent and stupid as he/she ever was, while his illegitimacy rate is 80% nationwide, and over 90% in the "large urban areas."
By the way, those of us who tried to end forced busing in St. Louis did so because it is a colossal waste and nothing more than a symbolic gesture that has seriously deprived every school district in Missouri that doesn't benefit from a deseg program : It has cost the state of Missouri $3.5 BILLION since 1983, (another $3.5 Billion in Kansas City,) yet, the nigro "scholars" bussed to county schools under deseg "improve less academically than every other category of student in the St. Louis Public Schools," according to the Federal Court- ordered Lissitz Study.
Also, you lying asshole, in the 2003-2004 school year, St. Louis spent $11,711 per nigger -idiot in the public schools, yet, half of all students test at the 20th percentile (or lower) on nationally-standardized tests. (If I were Emperor, I would forcibly hand over you and all your commie apologists for nigro under-achievement to White, working-class parents of public school students, and let them have their way with you...)
Some day, You sanctimonious nigger-lovers will either have to live amongst them ("nothing cures an enthusiasm for integration like a good dose of niggers") or else defend yourselves against them. My guess is that you are such a cowardly and pusillanimous lot of girly-boys, they will kill fuck, kill and eat you just as they do young White males in every prison system in the U.S. That's right: When defending this savage and brutish lot, you must also consider their natural ( or should I say UN-natural) enthusiasm for buggery!
I honestly pray to God that some nigger fucks, kills and eats you and everyone you claim to love!
Earl P. Holt III
4029 Shaw Blvd.
St. Louis, MO
63110-3621
P.S. I dare you to print this e-mail verbatim: You know as well as I do that most people know I speak the truth, and you are a liar and whore who takes to heart Lenin's dictum that "The first duty of the propagandist is to subvert the meaning of words."
=====
I'll stand by my comment that Earl is a white supremacist.
UPDATE:
As suggested in a note, here is what I originally wrote about Earl. Comments were a bit erratic early, but should be working now.
UPDATE II: Remember, Fridays from 10-12 on WGNU Earl and Gordon Baum of the Council of Conservative Citizens host the Right at Night--a veritable hate fest. Streaming audio is available as is toll free call in for those outside the area:
314-454-0400 or
1-877-920-WGNU!
archpundit 11/14/2003 10:02:17 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
The Fun Stuff
Via John Combest
Iraq won?t be helped by premature pullout
ahem, I swear, Saddam, this NEVER happens, you just REALLY turn me on...
archpundit 11/14/2003 9:50:55 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Zorn's Flooding hte Zone
which is good because I have a busy day---
The motion to consider the Chief's future has been withdrawn and will be reintroduced next summer
"Frances G. Carroll, the trustee who introduced the motion earlier this week, said she was withdrawing it because other trustees were upset at the short notice," said an Associated Press story.
Short notice?
This controversy has been around for well over a decade and discussed and studied to a fare-thee-well. There are no new arguments and there's no need for still more input. The only thing these cowardly trustees need time for is to find political cover.
Eric seems to think, as I said in my comments, that the impact of removing the chief won't be that great--I think he is correct.
Because I have so much respect for the University, I'd be surprised if its alumni base turned out to be this shallow and petty.
I will deprive this institution of financial support I would otherwise provide because its trustees differ with me on how best to respect the American Indian!!!
Well, there will be some people that shallow and petty, it won't be that big of a deal. As an institution of higher learning it could well be a wonderful way to teach about respect and diversity.
The Chief's days are numbered. It may not be next year, but eventually a white guy running around as a caricature of an American Indian won't be acceptable.
Eric also provides an interesting take on whether it should be native American or American Indian. I find all of the general terms difficult because they don't differentiate between those American Indians south of the United States that face very different issue. That said, I see the point about American Indian.
archpundit 11/13/2003 1:27:30 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Best Editorial of the Day
From the Trib AKA Back when we walked uphills both ways to the Hill...
The U.S. Senate has scheduled a filibuster for Wednesday night so senators can talk themselves blue in the face about who's to blame because Democrats won't allow some of President Bush's judicial nominations to come to a vote. We're not going to debate the merits of the issue today--of course every nominee should get a vote. This time, we'd rather complain about the wussy nature of this filibuster.
Time was when a Senate filibuster meant something. Senators were forced to stay up all night and had to keep talking until they were close to collapse. Remember that scene in the movie, "Mr. Smith goes to Washington"? Jimmy Stewart does collapse on the Senate floor.
But the senators of the 108th Congress aren't about to collapse from this effort. This filibuster has been carefully choreographed. It'll last 30 hours, from Wednesday evening through midnight Thursday. No senator will have to blabber on for 30 hours. The time is being split equally between Republicans and Democrats. A Republican will blabber for 30 minutes, then a Democratic senator will blabber for 30 minutes . . . you get the picture. The point of this exercise? Beats us. Even hot air ain't what it used to be.
archpundit 11/12/2003 10:24:56 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
More on the Chief
Eric Zorn points out the obvious if the Chief represented another ethnic group
Chief Illiniwek must go.
The University of Illinois should not "honor" American Indian culture in a way that would be unthinkable to "honor" African American culture, Jewish culture, Latino culture, Asian culture or just about any other culture.
No institution with an ounce of sensitivity would paint a white man in blackface and have him perform ceremonial tribal dances at sporting events in honor of The Fighting Africans, dress a gentile like an Orthodox rabbi and have him dance the hora at midcourt in honor of The Fighting Hebrews or otherwise attempt to pay such clumsy tribute to other peoples.
The problem is that the Chief isn't a clumsy tribute, it isn't a tribute to the Illini Tribe. It is college custom divorced of any meaning from the Illini tribe or any native American group.
As humorist Jim Mullen once wrote on the subject, "some people sure are touchy about being cheated out of their land, their culture and their dignity."
The land is gone, the culture is in shambles mostly--for those that have visited reservations--life isn't pretty. Can't we at least defend their dignity?
Admittedly, this isn't the worst case, the Washington Redskins run away with that, but it is not acceptable.
To bring up George Will's favorite example of how such issues are not just political correctness, around thirty years ago Pekin in Central Illinois still called its high school team the Chinks. Can you imagine a white student running around with eyes taped to appear narrow and reenacting some sort of Chinese warrior? Societies evolve, the premier public educational institution in the State of Illinois should be leader in that evolution. Let's find a way to celebrate the Illini Tribe, not make them caricatures.
archpundit 11/12/2003 10:17:51 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Retire the Chief
In the absurdities of the modern world, the continued use of a caricature to represent the Illini tribe with a foolish moron at U of I athletic events bothers few. Fighting Illini itself isn't offensive, but some idiot running around the field acting like a chicken with his head cut off is not an appropriate representative of Native American culture.
Why is there such attachment to such an obnoxious symbol? An obvious solution would be to involve the descendants of the Illini tribe in a discussion of how a mascot could honorably represent the tribe and the school.
archpundit 11/10/2003 11:12:49 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
The Winning Oberweiss Strategy
Pass out his pumpkin ice cream to voters....mmmmmmm...back in a minute.
archpundit 11/10/2003 10:16:51 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Trick Or Treat
Kristin McQueary frightens me with this thought
Maybe he bought it to commemorate Halloween ? a huge holiday at the Madigan household where the speaker and his wife spend hours doting on trick-or-treaters.
Da Speaker handing out treats? That truly sounds like a Haunted House.
archpundit 11/10/2003 10:15:18 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Embarrassing
So now that we have moved fully to the phase of the war where everyone wonders who has the damn plan, let's look back at my standard for the war being worthwhile.
The exception being smallpox. If we don't turn up evidence of a nuclear program and/or smallpox, this war was pointless. Nukes are the only real WMD and if he didn't have an active program (and I believe he did), containment would have worked just fine, thank you.
So pretty much, the war wasn't worth it. When I take Shrub's position and I'm wrong, it just hurts all the more.
I still believe we would have been in a war with Iraq eventually, but there is no excuse for not building up more international support for action given what we know now.
That said, there could be a legitimate defense of acting in good faith on bad information. Is that what the administration did? Yes and no. Yes, they thought there was more of a threat. But no on two counts. They pushed the edge of intelligence. More importantly, they didn't act with caution.
What does this mean? As I've long argued, the country would have been well served to follow Dick Lugar, Chuck Hagel, and Joe Biden's move to require the President to seek out more international support. I don't think that is a mistake Congress will be making in the future. For one, Dick Gephardt won't be there to undercut such efforts in the future.
Poor planning is especially egregious in a planning agency as Jacob Weisberg points out in one of his far too few columns since becoming editor in chief of Slate.
the big idea The thinking behind the news.
Occupational Hazards
How the Pentagon forgot about running Iraq.
By Jacob Weisberg
Posted Thursday, Nov. 6, 2003, at 9:44 AM PT
The shooting down on Sunday of a Chinook helicopter, which claimed more American lives than any episode since the fall of Saddam Hussein, confirms what the Bush administration has spent weeks attempting to deny: The occupation of Iraq is going badly.
It is not at all surprising that we've run into trouble over there. The difficulties we have faced, from looting to the lack of viable institutions, were largely to be expected from a devastated post-totalitarian society in a part of the world overwhelmingly hostile to the United States and its interests. What is surprising?amazing, in fact?is how unprepared we were for these problems. Much of the discussion in the postwar period was focused on the question of where those weapons of mass destruction went. An even more important question is how the Bush administration failed to prepare for what it knew was coming. How did the world's greatest military power plan the invasion of a country without also planning its occupation?
David Rieff's Nov. 2 article in the New York Times Magazine offers pieces of an answer. The neoconservative Iraq hawks inside the Pentagon?Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle, and Douglas Feith?thought our troops would be welcomed as liberators and that the Iraqi National Congress could run the country for us (a view Gideon Rose demolished in Slate back in April). Wolfowitz, in particular, was known for his view that fixing Iraq would provoke a reverse-domino effect of democratization throughout the Middle East. Those who bought into this wishful thinking didn't want to hear about the potential problems.
Continue Article
The hawks' big mistake was not in thinking that optimistic scenario might be borne out. Their mistake?especially stunning because the Pentagon is essentially a planning agency?was not preparing for alternate scenarios that were, at the very least, equally likely. The neoconservative architects of the invasion seem not to have, at any point, seriously engaged the question, "What if things do not go the way we hope they will?" What if the Iraqis are glad to be rid of Saddam but not glad to have the Marines as neighbors? What if Ahmad Chalabi turns out not to be the next Vaclav Havel? The Pentagon spends hundreds of millions of dollars staging elaborate war games to help anticipate unexpected turns in battle. Somehow, it neglected to game out the postwar peace.
Is Iraq going as badly as the loudest naysayers? No. But it isn't as good as it should be with better planning of the operation and for the contingencies that have developed.
For those who heard McCain on NewsHour the other night, he made an essential point
SEN. JOHN McCAIN: Yes, and if we say we're withdrawing then obviously that sends another bad signal. I think we should not announce withdrawal. I think we should say we're going to do what it takes. We're going to find out where it is that we need more people.
We have got 130,000 troops there. At any time there's 30,000 of these on patrol -- of the 130,000 that are there -- because of this tooth to tail ratio that we call in the military. So we need more in that area, more active, more proactive and frankly, when Iraqi mothers are afraid to send their children to school, then I think that the bad people have attained a degree of influence, which is disturbing.
JIM LEHRER: Senator, you have gone public with this in the last few days. You have just repeated it and expanded on it here for us. Have you said this privately to President Bush or Vice President Cheney or Secretary Powell or Secretary Rumsfeld or anybody else in the administration?
SEN. JOHN McCAIN: When I came back in August, I made public statements about the need for more troops. I talked with Dr. Rice. I talked with Secretary Rumsfeld. I talked with Secretary Powell and Deputy Secretary Armitage about this and I was very public in my comments then. I was hoping that I was wrong. But in August, which was several months ago now, I said, look, unless we change this equation, then things are going to get measurably worse.
And, time is not on our side in these things of Jim. We have a habit to a degree of treating Iraq the same way we treated Japan and Germany. We should be treating them more like Italy and France as liberated countries rather than conquered ones.
More good stuff in his comments on the situation in Russia.
archpundit 11/10/2003 9:58:47 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Oh yeah, the must reads
Getting myself in a bit of a lather, I forgot the rest of the stories at the Capitol Fax
First, Exelon makes public their plan for rate hikes. Paging Pat Quinn--remember the one thing you were useful for was ranting about monopolies. Have someone take the muzzle off and remind G-Rod he is a Democrat.
In an amusing element of pot-kettle politics, the state GOP is proposing:
NEW "SHADOW" LANGUAGE EMERGES (excerpt) The Senate Republicans have unveiled new language to more clearly define what they call Governor Blagojevich's "shadow government." The SGOPs want to use the ethics bill to force the governor's unpaid advisors who work on legislation and other matters on his behalf to file economic interest statements.
The introduced version of the bill would require the disclosure of any "third party" contacts of a state board or commission on behalf of the guv or other elected official. The Senate Republicans would require that, in addition to the contact disclosure, the third party file economic interest statements.
Perhaps that could include the Mayer lawyers that each party utilizes free to analyze legislation? I mean, if you are going to go after the Guv, shouldn't the spotlight go out to all of the cockroaches in Springfield?
Three other stories are pretty self-explanatory. Though a particular one towards the bottom is a perfect example of what is wrong in Springfield,
CREDIT UNIONS FURIOUS During the spring session, Illinois credit unions were strong-armed into agreeing to a deal that increased their state regulatory fees by 50 percent. One of the arguments the governor's office used was that the banks would be whacked with a 100 percent fee increase during the rulemaking process. The credit unions could either swallow a 50 percent hike that was written into legislation, or suffer the same fate as the banks when the rules were written. The credit unions swallowed hard.
But, lo and behold, when the rules were published, the banks only suffered a 27 percent increase - about a quarter of the original amount, and half of what the credit unions were paying. Word is, the bankers informed the governor that if he went ahead with a 100 percent hike, they'd drop their state charters and become nationally chartered. The credit unions are hoping to roll back their fee hike during the veto session.
That story is appropriately from Halloween.
archpundit 11/10/2003 9:37:38 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
The Must Reads
Are over at the Capitol Fax.
The first up story is on Obama snagging the IFT endorsement. I'd heard rumblings, but I wasn't sure. The significance is it creates a hole for Hynes as Miller points out. But most importantly Illinois is an organization state. Organization (organ-I-zation in Hockey) wins in Illinois--it almost always has. Illinois is a state where people are bound by ties to some sort of political apparatus. Westerners and other goo-goo states have people who have moved in without any particular attachments, but the industrial midwest is overrun with attachments and nowhere as much as Illinois.
To win as a Democrat in the primary one has to have a block of votes locked up traditionally. Either you have unions (Hartigan), or party apparatus (Blagojevich), a network of activists (Netsch) or a combination of the sorts. Republicans have similar ties with the Christian Right taking up a new section of organized interest.
Candidates running as true outsiders don't do well. Al Hofeld is the most common example, but with the exception of Pat Quinn, organization wins (and he has a very loyal base--hell if I know why).
So the common wisdom has been that Comptroller Dan Hynes has the leg up on the field because he has the best organization. He has much of the Cook County machine lining up behind him with his father pulling in a lot of chits to line up regular party support and the unions forming two of the three necessary voting blocks out of about 5 key constituencies. In a split field, that should have been enough. For many, including me, I figured this would be a cake walk election for him. Organization wins.
But the organizations change both locally and nationally. The political earthquake consuming Dick Gephardt with the apparent AFSCME and SEIU dual endorsements is hitting Hynes as well. It isn't fatal so far, but it shows how the union landscape is changing. Hynes is locking up the industrial unions easily. But the service and teachers unions are looking around. Why? They don't have the same interests. Industrial unions are interested in protectionism and benefits--protecting what they have already. Service and other unions are interested in health care and reaching more workers--reaching out to more people.
But what is especially damaging to Hynes in this case is the split in unions goes to the guy with what was considered the second strongest organizationally---Barack Obama. The African-American vote is between 20-25% of the Democratic primary. As such any African-American candidate has a good lock on that vote in most years. Obama has strong ties to it with downstate A-As unified and strong support from the Jacksons around Chicago. He is slightly weaker given his fight with Bobby Rush and the Joyce Washington candidacy. Bagging the IFT gives him workers around the state and more of a base.
All is not lost for Hynes by any stretch of the imagination. He has the corrupt Jerry Costello operation around Belleville with a big push to Barigevic, the current county exec, into a judgeship and elect his homegrown apprentice--the current Mayor of Belleville into the County Executive spot. He has union might in Central and Southern Illinois and he has the south side white politicos pulling out the stops. He has a statewide office and name recognition.
If organization wins, then Hull should be toast right? I'm not so sure. First, he has millions to throw at this race. Second, he is playing to the party activist core and strategically picking up bits and pieces of coalitions. When there is a split amongst African-Americans he goes after Rush and others who have a bone to pick with Obama. When Hynes downplays health care (relatively so), he goes after activists and seniors. He hits the anti-war crowd hard and takes every shot he can at Bush. Contrary to many reviews, I think his commercials show a very personable guy--something he seems to be excelling at is retail politics. Is it enough in an organization state? If the vote is split, possibly. His biggest concern has to be to not turn off the more casual voters and depress turnout through an ugly campaign. He is going to need occasional primary voters who vote off media impressions more than organizational tie and have a split field.
Maria Pappas comes in with two big upsides. First, she has name recognition around Chicago. Second she is the natural heir to the women activist vote that Dawn Clark Netsch and Moseley Braun tapped previously. She's also likable. With good name recognition she is already taking on Hynes in early polls.
Chico should have a natural constituency in Hispanics. He does not, however. He supported Luis Guitierrez' opponent in a Congressional cycle and Luis hasn't forgotten. The regular Hispanic avenues are largely closed and instead he is relying on his connections in the legal and corporate world to fuel the run. It probably isn't enough. While his fundraising is remarkably good given his position, it isn't enough to compete against those with higher name recognition and more money.
So what does all this mean? It's a hell of a race. Of the four with the best shots, three of them have strong organizational support and I'd bet one of them wins--though a smart campaign by Hull might overcome that. Most surprisingly, Dan Hynes is in a tough race which most didn't expect.
So much for not much analysis.
archpundit 11/10/2003 9:27:15 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
I'm Back
So that was a bit longer than expected, but everything should be getting back to normal now.
Over the next week expect more links and tidbits from other places. I'm working on an upgrade to ArchPundit that will take it to a new site. While I love Blogstudio, I've outgrown it a bit. But let me say, if you are looking for a good basic service that can host or be a simple interface with little extra work, it is a great service.
I'm in the middle, I don't want to set up my own MT site and I want a bit more so I'm off to Typepad as soon as a I finish the sites. Along with the normal fare, I'll also be adding some fun side blogs and upgrading the Illinois Senate site that has languished as of late.
And as always, thanks to Armchairpundit for filling in. I greatly appreciate it.
archpundit 11/10/2003 8:47:45 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Well Since You Offered...One More Round On The Senate Race
Maria Pappas's impending entry to the Illinois Senate race for the dem nomination is nothing but bad news for Hynes. One of Hynes's remaining strengths was name recognition. The reason candidates work so hard to get name recognition as well as inform voters of their stands on the issues is that they are going for both the reflexive and the informed voters. On election day, a certain number of voters simply vote the name they know. Dick Mell loves to say that the reason Vallas did so well and almost beat his son-in-law for guv is that Vallas had more media hits in Chicago in the three years prior to the election than any other political leader, including the Mayor (which Mell says with relish).
Hynes, up until now, had the name recognition advantage, with Obama a close second, and Hull closing fast. Now with Pappas in, this wipes out Hynes's name recognition advantage in Cook County and does serious damage everywhere else. In this one category alone, she will, likely, out poll Hynes in Cook County and in the collar counties, which puts Hynes Obama, and Hull on equal footing in the name game.
(Now let's be clear, a baton twirling, beloved-dog carrying politician with a pheromone peddler as a campaign chair will, at least, provide comic releif, and I think that Pappas would be appalled, if she actually wins. What she wants, I think, is good positioning to run for Cook County Board President. But she also told an aldermanic powerhouse: "anyone but the kid.")
Money now becomes even more a factor. Rumors were circulating that Hull was re-thinking this race in light of recent polls. Nope. To counter them, he just plunked another $4 million into his hopper. Both Hull and Obama continue to play it smart against Hynes: build name recognition, educate voters, get a GOTV operation in place, and build a winning coalition. Both recognize that a portion of almost every voting block in every region is up for grabs. But what Hull has that the other don't is a very deep pocket to go after them all well. If this race comes down to who can cobble together a winning coalition, I think that this race will come down to Obama and Hull. Just a prediction.
It's been fun...although I wish that I had figured out how to create links and use other parts of this infernal Blog Studio better.
armchairpundit 11/03/2003 12:00:00 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
ummm...working on it
So I didn't make it back on Saturday, but I will be back this week. If you are wondering why--I'm a little bit over a year ahead of Kos times two and we've had a sick little girl.
That said, this week will be slow...why? A brand spanking new ArchPundit is in the works with bunches of new features.
Armchairpundit is welcome to carry on if he wishes, or not...but thanks again and more on that later. I was incredibly impressed by the posts over the last couple weeks.
archpundit 11/02/2003 11:39:23 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Briefly...Sue me too
I'm still on hiatus, but I couldn't resist the title change. Confused, go see Atrios' posting of a letter from Luskin's lawyer.
I've already had a biblical curse put on me, so what the hell can a trial lawyer do? Satire is protected speech. See you Saturday and thanks again to Armchairpundit
archpundit 10/30/2003 2:48:52 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
More On The California Fires
Forgive the parochial nature of this post (and the earlier one on the same subject).
When I am home in San Diego visiting family, I often visit for a respite the mountain town of Julian, which is much like Galena. So this, from today's San Diego Union-Tribune, breaks my heart:
"Fire crews are waging a frantic battle to save Julian, carving battle lines around the central business district of the mountain community best known for antique shopping and apple pie....Julian was deserted last night. Streets were empty, shops closed. The only vehicles on Main Street were those of sheriff's deputies."
This one fire has already burned a land area twice the size of the City of Chicago, and destroyed almost 1200 homes. Massive doesn't even begin to describe it.
armchairpundit 10/29/2003 12:00:00 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
It's Far Worse Than "Ghost Kids"
The problems with the Chicago's Department of Human Services run far deeper than the initial report in today's Sun-Times would indicate. According to friends of mine who run social service agencies, DHS's mismanagement of Head Start lead the feds to cut off some Head Start funding already, and to threaten to cut off ALL funding unless dramatic steps were taken to fix the problem. According to the Sun-Times:
"Sources said the problem of 'ghost kids' at Chicago Youth and Community Services triggered a federal review that uncovered more problems in the city's Head Start program."
In late September the Bush Administration contacted the Mayor's office and told them of the looming suspension. The Mayor, grateful to Bush, and not willing to be embarassed by a cut-off, dispatched John Doerrer, his political hatchet-man, to take over and clean the mess up (one of the results being that DHS head, Ray Vazquez, has now been fired). One social service agency executive director told me that the problems have been pervasive for years, and that it shouldn't have taken a fed investigation to get the Mayor's attention. But, hey, he's had other matters to attend to other than Chicago's poorest kids -- like, oh, building a new stadium, a grandiose new park, tearing up an airport....
armchairpundit 10/29/2003 12:00:00 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Joyce Is Apologetic, Or Is He?
So far the Mayor hasn't left his defensive crouch about the conduct and qualifications of his cronies in the County Building fire. He defended James Joyce yesteday, whose only qualification to be Fire Commissioner is that he is, well, a Joyce.
But as to Joyce's lame apology yesterday, Eric Zorn has it exactly right in today's Tribune:
A SORRY SORRY
Let's take a closer look, shall we, at Chicago Fire Commissioner James Joyce's attempt at damage control. Monday:
"If the families of those who died took my words spoken Friday to mean I wouldn't change the result of this tragic fire, I apologize," began the critical passage.
OK, stop right there.
Joyce was directing the "apology" to those people who so totally and uncharitably misunderstood his words spoken Friday that they believed he wouldn't change the "result" -six deaths - of the Cook County Administration Building fire.
Are there any such people? Did anyone off or on the record ever imply that Joyce wanted six people to die?
Of course not.
But there are a lot of people who felt Joyce's words "spoken Friday" were inappropriately defensive, nonchalant and even incoherent:
"I don't think there's anything we would do differently," he said during that Friday news conference. "Would we be smarter next time? I'm sure we would be."
One cannot be "smarter next time" yet not do anything differently.
Critical to a graceful apology is the embrace of responsibility.
All apologies that begin with "if" are attempts by those who gave offense to shift at least some of the blame onto those (implicitly oversensitive people) who took it.
And any apology that exaggerates umbrage into vicious hysteria crosses the line into insincere.
Back to Monday: "What I was trying to get across," Joyce went on, "was that each fire is different. What doesn't change is the method of attacking such a ferocious fire."
But, in fact, the methodology of the fire department here was and remains in question, and what everyone from the families of the victims to those who frequently enter high-rises wants to hear is exactly what went wrong and what Joyce is going to do to try to make sure it doesn't happen again.
"We will consider everything we learned that night," he concluded.
That's a start.
armchairpundit 10/28/2003 12:00:00 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
A New Poll -- And It's Wide Open
The new Tribune/WGN poll for the U.S. Senate race was interesting. In both races, there is, despite the numbers and the spin from the camps, no clear front-runner. This was, essentially, a name-recognition poll, but for both parties, when pressed to name a preference, huge numbers of respondents (53% dems; 60% repubs) said they were undecided.
The fact that no candidate in the democratic race can claim front-runner status is probably the most important news not highlighted. The assumption for months was that Hynes was the frontrunner. This was based on his having won two state-wide offices, the endorsements of a slew of politicians, his father's name and operation, and what all believed would be a fundraising juggernaut. But he has not been able to capitalize on these advantages.
What happened? First, hubris rarely wins races; running hard wins races. Second, the field has two, if not three, formidable candidates besides Hynes. Hull has gone from non-existent in name recognition and in voter polls, to 25% name recognition and 6% in preference. He has pulled even with Hynes in downstate polling because of intensive media and campaigning, and has gone on the air with a similar strategy to raise name recognition and preference in Chicago (and his campaigning here, which has been intensive for months, has largely been ignored by the media).
Then there's Obama. He has done well raising money, and his 4Q numbers should be very good, given that some of Chicago's heavyweight business leaders are stepping up to raise money for him. He is building a strong volunteer operation, and his supporters are passionate. In name recognition and preference polls he is statistically even or within shouting distance of Hynes.
For Hynes, Obama, and Chico, money will soon become a problem. Hull is set to spend at least another $14 million between now and election day in March. The shifting dynamics of the race have forced Hull's opponents on the air early, which is very expensive. Just to compete with Hull in the Chicago market, it will cost a candidate $500,000 a week.
In addition, Hull is building a formidable field operation, using money to hire talent. Hynes, Obama, and Chico will have to do the same and faster than originally planned. But if you only have between $1 and $3 millon on hand as of this writing, your options are fairly limited. Hull has the advantage of being able to run the whole field. Hynes, Obama, and Chico have to figure out how to compete in targeted areas.
armchairpundit 10/28/2003 12:00:00 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Fires
I was born and raised in San Diego. I remember the fires as unpredictable and frightening -- as bad as earthquakes. My family is fine; some friends have been evacuated, but are also safe.
As for anyone going through natural disasters, the victims and those in harm's way would appreciate your good thoughts and prayers.
armchairpundit 10/26/2003 1:00:00 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Crain's Weighs In
In all my years in Chicago, I have never seen Crain's Chicago Business (THE paper of the business community) go after the Mayor and his cronies like this. They promise a fuller account in Monday's print edition, which I'll post then.
Question: will Hynes ask Higginbottom to step down from his finance committee until the matter is settled; but if not, has he been neutralized as a fundraiser for Hynes, in any event?
Crain's Chicago Business
October 25, 2003
Political ties too hot to handle?
Fire fallout hits Daley, Stroger
By Steven R. Strahler
After four tenants died in a 1996 inferno in a housing complex managed by his company, Elzie Higginbottom worried that the tragedy could imperil his access to government contracts, a process lubricated by his political fund-raising efforts.
But the deals kept on flowing. Later that year, in fact, Cook County decided to buy a Loop office building and hire a joint venture co-owned by Mr. Higginbottom's East Lake Management & Development Corp. to handle the 35-story property, the one where six people perished during a fire earlier this month.
The blaze and questions about building safety precautions, as well as fire-fighting procedures, pose huge political liabilities for Mayor Richard M. Daley and Cook County Board President John H. Stroger Jr. They also imperil the pair's relationship with Mr. Higginbottom and his joint-venture partner on the project, U.S. Equities Realty Inc.
While legal immunity could shield the county and city from costly judgments, no such comfort exists for Mr. Higginbottom and Robert Wislow, another avid political courtier who heads U.S. Equities, a real estate developer, manager and broker.
"The potential is in the tens of millions of dollars, I'm serious," says Frank W. Nagorka, an attorney who has defended the city and other government bodies in fire-related litigation. Adds Terrence Lavin, a personal injury lawyer and president of the Illinois State Bar Assn., "They have no immunities at all. In terms of their exposure, ordinary negligence is available" to the plaintiffs.
As the first lawsuits naming the management company, but not the city or county, were filed last week, Chicago law firm Shefsky & Froelich Ltd., where U.S. Equities is a major client, went on full alert.
Later in the week, however, the assignment was transferred by the building's insurer, Hartford Financial Services Group Inc., to Stephen B. Frew at Kiesler & Berman, according to Shefsky's James Wilson. Mr. Frew could not be reached immediately for comment.
The political fallout is intensified by the rage of another prominent politico, Cook County State's Attorney Richard Devine, who barely escaped and won't sit still for a whitewash from a promised independent investigation that also would be expected to assess Chicago Fire Department management under Commissioner James Joyce.
Says one source with access to the mayor's inner circle, "Daley is not going to cover for Higginbottom on this one. Joyce is all right unless they can prove in these trials if there was fire malpractice. If (his bosses) have to throw him under the bus, they'll throw him under the bus."
Reached at home, Mr. Higginbottom said of the fire at 69 W. Washington, "It was an unfortunate occurrence," but withheld further comment, citing litigation. At his home, Mr. Wislow declined to take a call.
armchairpundit 10/25/2003 8:48:44 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
A Profile in Cowardice -- Where's Hizzoner?
This from today's Sun-Times:
"Mayor Daley spent the week promising the victims' families a full account of the Fire Department's performance, but he was a no-show at Friday's news conference. Joyce was left to sink or swim by a mayor who, by all accounts, is furious about what happened at the Cook County Administration Building."
Yeah right. Is it possible he didn't show because for the first time in his tenure he and his cronies are actually being hammered for stupidity and negligence?
Can anyone imagine, say, Rudy Giuliani allowing a press conference of this importance to go on without his presence?
armchairpundit 10/25/2003 12:00:00 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
The Pressure Builds And Stroger Defends His Panel
Apparently stung by Patrick Murphy's comments that he lacks "backbone," Blago decided to step in yesterday and appoint his own commission to investigate last Friday's County Building fire. Stroger also got around yesterday to naming a commission.
When asked whether any of Stroger's commission had political or other ties to him, this was his answer (from today's Sun-Times): "When asked what personal or political connections he has to the panel members, Stroger evaded the question, saying, 'Cousins is black and I'm black. Strayhorn is black and I'm black. But [he is] not quite as black as Cousins and me because Strayhorn is a brown-skinned black.'"
What? Has cronyism and nepotism gotten so bad in Chicago that the only way Stroger can defend the qualifications of a commission as important as this is to talk about the pigmentation of their skin. Actually, I believe that the pressure for accountability in this incident (which is, really, and accumulation of frustration over many similar incidents) is beginning to take its toll. Stroger, Daley, Blago, et. al. are just not used to having to answer tough, relentless questions, which is leading them to act, in the words of Patrick Murphy, like "Ernie, Bert and the Cookie Monster, these politicians."
armchairpundit 10/24/2003 12:00:00 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Hynes Gets The Endorsement Of Two Gay Electeds
When Archpundit passed this site to me for a few weeks, he noted that blogs were, basically, vanity sites. I would like to think that my posting today resulted in the press release out of Hynes's campaign, but even I am not that vain.
That said, here is the openning paragraph of their release:
"Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes received the endorsement today of the state's leading, openly gay, progressive elected officials, State Representative Larry McKeon (D-13th) and Alderman Tom Tunney (D-44th)."
Now this only makes one of my key points: that Hynes would be able to access the support of the GLBT party regulars. McKeon has been a member of the House for many years, and Tunney is in his first year as an alderman, being tapped by the Mayor, only after two other straight candidates said no to the job. Tunney's slating came after an openly gay lawyer and neighborhood activist, who is not a party regular -- that is, who is independent of the Mayor -- pushed the long-time straight alderman of the 44th Ward, which includes the geographic heart of the GLBT community in Chicago, out of the race. Neither Mckeon nor Tunney have ever made waves or backed an independent running in Chicago.
These endoresments are significant, however, particularly if Hynes follows through with a major push for GLBT votes. What he can't do is rely on McKeon or Tunney for get-out-the-vote, because neither have field operations. But these endoresments can be leveraged in operations designed to get out GLBT voters.
Finally, a bit of free advice: although in some peoples' political world the mayor of Oak Park, or city council people from Oak Park and Wheeling, or Cook County judges may not be "leading" figures, there are openly gay and lesbian electeds in these posts, so I would suggest that the Hynes's campaign tread lightly with the adjectives.
armchairpundit 10/23/2003 1:07:30 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
The GLBT Community And The Senate Race
One of the most interesting dynamics to emerge in the Democrat primary for Senate in Illinois is the shake out of support in the GLBT community. This is important because, well, the gays vote like hell.
First, so that the Hynes partisans who read this don't go nuts, let's stipulate a few things.
Dan Hynes has a solid history of building a profile in the GLBT community in Chicago and has strong name recognition. He supported the passage of HB101 and SB101, which would have added sexual orientation to the Illinois Human Rights Act. He is supported by Mike Bauer, a prominent GLBT politico, which means that Hynes, through Bauer, could attract the support of many of the GLBT party regulars. I don't doubt that on issues important to the GLBT community that come before the Congress, Hynes would do the right thing.
That said, much more is going on. Rumblings are beginning to be heard throughout the community about Hynes' downstate strategy, which involves largely aligning himself with the Poshard-wing of the party, which has a long history of virulent anti-gay positions. Indeed, the lack of support from these downstate democrats has been central to keeping the Illinois Human Rights Act from being amended. In addition, as the race has unfolded, Hynes has been virtually absent from the GLBT community. He made a showing on Pride Day, but didn't do much before and hasn't done much since. Hynes is now being openly questioned in the community and the gay press about how much he really has done over the years for the GLBT community, and whether he has been happy to have GLBT support only when, and if, it has suited him. Fair or not, the perception among many in the GLBT community is that Hynes would rather not, for now, at least, be seen or heard.
On the other hand, Hull and Obama have made significant strides in the community. The word is that Obama has the support of Alicia Obando, openly gay Alderman Tom Tunney's right hand in the lakefront's 44th Ward office. Obama has been holding receptions and house parties in the community and talking up his substantial support over the years of GLBT issues, on which he is extraordinarily thoughtful, articulate, and passionate. He is a co-sponsor of SB101, has helped organize lobbying for the bill, and compares the fight for GLBT rights with the struggle for black civil rights. Obama has been able to attract a number of GLBT volunteers, who add to the numbers already working hard for him. He has received very favorable coverage in the Chicago Free Press, the most widely read GLBT paper in Chicago.
Hull, too, has been working hard in the community. Hull has the support of Vernita Gray, the most prominent African-American GLBT activist and a member of State's Attorney Dick Devine's staff. Hull also has the support of Ellen Myers, from Jesse White's office, Mike McHale, also from Devine's office and the president of Equality Illinois. Hull has been talking up in the community his support of women's issues over his life-time, his active philanthropic support of GLBT causes, and his understanding and support of GLBT issues. Hull has also held numerous receptions in the community: for example, he underwrote the reception on the first day of the Cook County Domestic Partner's Registry and was the only candidate to attend; and he held a party on Halsted in the heart of the GLBT community on National Coming Out Day that attracted over 200 people. The Chicago Free Press has also written very favorably about him.
The net result of their work and the publicity is that within the GLBT community, which makes up a significant block of the liberal lakefront voters, Hull and Obama are building strong "buzz" and volunteer support, which could translate into impressive, and much needed electoral results for both.
armchairpundit 10/23/2003 8:51:16 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
A Buried Tidbit
In an article in today's Sun-Times that includes, in part, reporting on James Joyce's own investigation into last Friday's County Building fire, this little bit of information is revealed:
The commander of the downtown fire district, Thomas Donnellan, was off-duty at the time, but defends firefighters for their work. So far, typical.
But then, according to the Sun-Times: "Donnellan is Joyce's brother-in-law, but Fire Department spokeswoman Molly Sullivan said the relationship would not affect Joyce's investigation."
His brother-in-law?!!! And Joyce can be impartial about his brother-in-law? Oh, please. This web of cronyism and nepotism is so tangled that no one should believe a word of any investigation, unless the investigators are clearly independent of the Mayor and the County Board.
armchairpundit 10/23/2003 5:44:43 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
The Pressure Is On
In a state where cronyism and nepotism in politics is almost an art form, it is always gratifying to see the inner-circle under intense pressure for their stupidity, if not negligence.
Yesterday the first lawsuit was filed against the management of the County Building that burned last Friday, which includes Elzie Higginbottom. When asked whether an independent inquiry that would focus on Higginbottom would be impartial, John Stroger almost had a stroke, saying "I don't think Mr. Higginbottom has done any more for me than many citizens have done." That doesn't even pass the laugh test. He then went on to say that he didn't "care who was affected." Yeah right. If they have to, Stroger and Daley will throw Higginbottom over the side because, for once, the media and those representing the unfortunate workers who died are not letting the matter drop. But if they can protect him and others involved in this disaster, history tells us they will.
Also, Patrick Murphy keeps at it, saying yesterday that it amounts to almost "crimial negligence" that management sent employees into stairwells they knew were not pressurized, and that the County didn't spend less than $1.5 million to add sprinklers when the retrofit was done. As I noted yesterday, Murphy is like a terrier with a bone. If he can finally crack the wall that protects the cronies and the relatives who benefit from far too much in this city and state with little or no accountability, then he will be a Profile in Courage.
At some point, I hope Mayor Daley, Mr. Stroger, and James Joyce all come before the media and face the really tough questions being asked.
armchairpundit 10/22/2003 12:00:00 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Murphy's Relentless Hammering
Patrick Murphy deserves enormous credit for not letting anyone off the hook for Friday's County Building fire disaster. He said he didn't care much about whether the mayor's "cronies" were involved in the retrofit of the building, and he called the governor a politician in "search of a backbone" for saying the matter was none of his business. His day of hammering now means that Mayor Daley is "open" to an independent investigaion.
Open? How about demanding one Mr. Mayor?
But the tangle gets thicker and thicker. Word comes yesterday that one of the partners in the building's management is Elzie Higginbottom, a long-time friend of Daley and Stroger (and a party fundraiser leading Dan Hynes's fundraising effort). Stroger said yesterday (from today's Sun-Times):
Stroger on Monday defended Elzie Higginbottom, a friend of both Daley's and Stroger's and owner of one of two companies in the joint venture that manages the county administration building. Stroger said it is not clear management made the controversial call to evacuate the whole building -- sending people into the smoky stairwells.
"The management of that building had nothing to do with the fire in that building," Stroger said.
Just like E2, if a friend of the powers-that-be is involved, circle the wagons right away. What could Stroger know at this point? Nothing. And, yes, management didn't start the fire. But did they handle the evacuation properly? Was the building up to code? Why were the stairwell doors locked? That is why Murphy wants an independent investigation, so that everyone, friends and foes alike, will have to answer tough questions and, if necessary, be held accountable.
Keep hammering Mr. Murphy.
armchairpundit 10/21/2003 12:00:00 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
The Mayor and Disasters
One of the confounding aspects of the Daley administration is its ability to dodge reponsibility for crises in which serious loss of lives occur. Most of the horrific incidents under his tenure involved City or County (which he controls, despite the window dressing of independence) agencies or staff making decisions that at least were part of the scenario that led to the disasters.
Columnist Mark Brown had it exactly right in yesterday's Sun-Times when he asked about Friday's County building fire:
"Excuse me, but where was the indignation? Where was the pain? Where was Mayor Daley's anger?
This was a terribly stupid way for six people to have to died in this day and age, right up there with the senselessness of the E2 nightclub disaster and the Lincoln Park porch collapse. It didn't have to happen"
And I would add the great Heat Wave of 1994.
It shouldn't be left to Cook County Public Guardian Patrick Murphy, who lost three staff members in the fire to say (from today's Sun-Times) that "he wants an independent inquiry board to look into the evacuation and response and takes issue with Mayor Daley's and Fire Commissioner James Joyce's contention that nothing went wrong in the response to the fire."
The Mayor always runs to the cover of "nothing went wrong" in the face of disaster. He has never, to my knowledge, expressed any outrage at or held accountable City or County officials for the deaths that occured on his watch that involved city inspectors, emergency response departments or teams, or anyone else.
Could it be that it is beacuse many of the departments where these decisions were made are run by political hacks instead of true professionals. Take James Joyce: he is a member of the Joyce clan that is this/close to the Daleys (relative Jeremiah being one of Daley's closest political confidants and a regular beneficiary of the City's largesse). I know Joyce. He is a nice man, but his skill runs to doing only what the Mayor says when the Mayor wants.
I hope that the local press stays on this for months, hammers Daley hard, and brings it up again and again during the next election -- a term in Chicago's mayoral politics I use lightly.
armchairpundit 10/20/2003 12:00:00 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Daley, Teachers, and Money
Without commenting on whether the CTU members should have accepted the contract put before them, I was struck by Mayor Daley's comments after the failed vote (cited on the Chicago tribune's website):
"Where is the money (for bigger raises) going to come from?" Daley asked.
"Public employees have to understand," Daley said. "Taxpayers pay your salaries. They are getting laid off. They are not getting pay increases. ... These are very challenging economic times."
Funny, Mayor Daley had no problem finding $400 million in public funds for the new Soldier's Field.
He had no problem finding over $400 million in public and private funding for Millenium Park.
He had no problem finding the money to tear down Meigs Field.
He has no problem finding millions of dollars each year for trees and flowers.
When it comes to what he wants (which usually involves self-aggrandizement): where there's a will, there's a way.
But if he doesn't care: there's no money, and there's no way.
armchairpundit 10/17/2003 11:40:00 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
The Numbers Are In
And although they look impressive for Hynes, if put within the context of a competitve race, they represent one more disappointment on his way to coronation. Let's face it, like it or not, this is a competitve Senate race in a State with a very expensive media market and a multimillionaire competitor. So unless one thinks that he is going to handed the nomination, one would need to raise (by looking at similar races in other States) at least $5-6M. And despite what Hynes would have us believe, the "machine" isn't what it used to be, and it's not as relevant in a federal race (no jobs to give; no motivation for workers), so it won't offset hard dollars for media and operations. Raising less than $1M in the quarter before the race begins in earnest, outpacing Obama by a little more than 150K, and not slowing Chico enough to push him out of the race is a real blow, and can't be spun away. Hynes needs to pick up the pace fast in the dollar race, or he will be forced to narrow the focus of his race either on the Chicago market or downstate, where in both areas he faces very stiff resistance.
Armchairpundit
P.S. I was going to start my guest blog with a comment about the Cubs, but thought it best to let that sleeping dog lie.
armchairpundit 10/17/2003 12:00:00 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
It would be best....
if I just turn it over to the guest blogger now. I'm very bitter. See you on November 1st. Thanks Armchairpundit.
archpundit 10/15/2003 10:32:16 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Holy CofCC Barbour!
Via Kos
Via Political Wire
Haley Barbour went to the CofCC picnic.
The election year Mississippi Black Hawk Barbecue and Political Rally held on July 19 drew dozens of political candidates and was attended by a crowd of over 500. The Black Hawk Barbecue is sponsored by the Council of Conservative Citizens to raise money for private academy school buses. (Pictured L-R: Chip Reynolds, State Senator Bucky Huggins, Ray Martin, GOP gubernatorial nominee Haley Barbour, John Thompson, and Black Hawk Rally emcee and C of CC Field Director Bill Lord
The dirtbags at the Council of Conservative Citizens are pieces of work. They are unreconstructed racists of the worst kind. How does the GOP establishment justify them?
Let's look at a couple examples, comparing Bush to Lincoln---in a bad way. By the Mississipi CofCC, the same one Barbour met with. Lincoln is evil to these guys. Why? Figure it out.
Remember these clowns from other issues? You should if you are a regular ArchPundit reader,
My single biggest day of hits came from last December's article by Joe Conason on Trent Lott and Ashcroft's ties to the Council of Conservative Citizens.
Link to the original Conason article in the above link. The point being Ashcroft couldn't have not known that Tom Bugel was scum. Just as Haley couldn't not know that that scum he is seen pictured with are indeed scum of the worst variety.
But don't let that stop him from claiming ignorance
The presence of the flag in Barbour's campaign comes as he aggressively courts support from black voters. The Council of Conservative Citizens, which advocates immigration control and preserving state symbols and has been accused of being racist, uses Barbour's picture on its Web site. Barbour has said he not only did not know his picture was on the Web site, but also he does not know what the council is.
My ass he doesn't.
This story has been floating around Jackson since at least September 26th on the Jackson Free Press site.
And guess who else is in the pic? A one Bill Lord, former campaign Chairman in Carroll County, Mississippi to Trent Lott's Senate campaigns.
The goto place on this stuff is the Temple of Democracy which has started a blog
No permalinks, but it is critical to understand that Lott got nailed for his ties to the CofCC due to attending a Blackhawk Rally a few years ago. Barbour is lying and lying badly.
archpundit 10/15/2003 3:27:41 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
As Clarification
I mean all of the jokes about Bartman humorously--no one should bother him, his family, or his employer. In fact, I wouldn't have named him at all had I had information that wasn't already widely known publicly. What he did was stupid, but just that and it is a game. Bloviator criticized the media for releasing his information and I think he is right. I won't get over it though, Ross.
archpundit 10/15/2003 12:09:09 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Bartman vs. Cubs
A more neutral take on Bartman, the spoiler of all that is holy, can be found at Eat Your Vegetables
I'm trying to feel sorry for the guy, but it just isn't working.
archpundit 10/15/2003 11:36:50 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
It's Official Kooky Kathuria
Kathuria filed a lawsuit against the Trib yesterday.
The lawsuit alleges that Kathuria of Oak Brook could lose $100 million in pending business ventures and future deals if the newspaper is not forced to remove the story from its Web site.
Kathuria also is seeking a court order for the newspaper to post retractions both in print and on its Web site. He also seeks damages in excess of $1.5 million.
"Should I have updated my resume? Yeah, but there's a lot of old resumes that are around when companies are up and running. It's a fact of business," Kathuria told reporters. "If someone said they were running a company and it's no longer around, you just have a new resume. ... So at the worst case, sure, I'm guilty of not updating my resume."
First, the suit is a non-starter. It'll be thrown out--as a public figure his business dealings are fair game. If he didn't want scrutiny, he shouldn't have run--regardless of whether the scrutiny is fair.
Second, he is officially relegated to being a fringe candidate from such behavior. Taking the hit, protesting it and moving on would have been a far, far better strategy. Now, he'll be the kook with a lawsuit againt the Trib.
archpundit 10/15/2003 10:02:12 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
I'm With Zorn
If the Cubs lose tonight, I wouldn't have been able to blog afterwards for two weeks anyway. Zorn gets it right
That Marlins' 8th inning reeked of history, of pitiful stories we will tell our children's children in 2045 during the centennial commemoration of the Cubs' last World Series appearance.
...in aught three, we were cruising along, five outs away from the World Series, when a fan snatched a pop-up from Moises Alou. After that, of course, the floodgates opened and the team's spirit was crushed....
The announcers and even some of the players who were saying "don't blame the fan" for Tuesday's defeat were guessing, at best.
You never know, of course, but the way I see it, if Alou catches that pop up, then we have two outs and Alex Gonzalez doesn't rush trying to get a double play on the ground ball two batters later, fields it cleanly, and and we're out of the inning still leading 3-1.
(Speaking of which, if there's one person in all of Cubdom who's secretly grateful to the foul-snatching fan, it's gotta be Gonzalez, whose horrifying bobble is now just a footnote and not a new chapter in team history.)
And when they excuse the fan by saying, as pitcher Mark Prior did after the game, that "99 percent of the people" would have done the same thing, reaching out for a foul ball that close to the field of play, they're simply wrong.
Most fans, good fans, smart fans know to lean out of the way--scurry if possible -- when a guy from their team is running toward the seats with a bead on a foul fly.
And here's the doubly mortifying allegation from an S-T story this morning:
"In the section where the ball fell....Pat Looney, 34, of the Northwest Side said... the (grabby fan) already had a ball from earlier in the game when Alou tossed one into the stands."
If the Cubs lose game seven tonight, their fans will never forget and never forgive.
It sounds ridiculous and petty, but it's probably true that this young man will almost certainly have to leave town and start again elsewhere if he wants some semblance of a normal life.
If the Cubs win, he'll be OK, a footnote himself, just that knucklehead who kept us all on edge for an extra 24 hours.
Not for his sake but for the sake of everyone who'll otherwise spend the rest of their lives including him in their mutterings about goats, black cats and Leon Durham, I hope it all turns into a jolly anecdote:
...we thought the players would crumble under the demoralizing weight of it all, but, by golly, the next night....
archpundit 10/15/2003 9:48:47 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Escorted Out
I attempted to post this last night between the 2nd and 3rd outs in the bottom of the 9th....
Security escorted him out early to avoid any confrontations. I just talked with someone before the last out and they took him out at the beginning of the 9th. That is probably for the best-perhaps he should join Dick Cheney in the undisclosed location.
archpundit 10/15/2003 9:30:07 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Bring Me the Head of the Fan
who interfered with Moises Alou on the foul ball. NOW!
In a sign of the apocalypse, Spoons and I are on the same page here
archpundit 10/14/2003 9:44:10 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Guest Blogger
For my time away, we will have a guest blogger--Armchairpundit (not armchair analyst) who describes himself thusly,
I am a centerist gay activist from Chicago involved in national and local GLBT issues.
I think you'll enjoy him and his take on Illinois politics. And I thank him for giving me a break while keeping the site going---while this is ultimately a vanity site, I do take readers seriously. Treat him nicely. There may be another guest blogger, but I'm waiting to hear back.
I'll be lightly posting through tomorrow and then I'll be back on or directly around November 1st. I may pop in if there is a breaking news or if really, really big news hits by the 26th. But then again I may not. Feel free to drop me e-mail in the mean time.
archpundit 10/14/2003 2:43:32 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
We Here At ArchPundit Would Like to Welcome Dr. Kathuria...
to the world of being a public figure. If you can't handle a tough news story without resorting to a lawsuit, this is going to be a very, very long primary campaign.
The lawsuit has no merit. It is going nowhere and it is going to doom any good press the campaign was going to get---John Zahm should be tackling his candidate and taping his mouth shut. If he isn't, John Zahm shouldn't be managing campaigns. It is nearly impossible for someone to win a lawsuit against a newspaper if they are a public figure--and running for the US Senate makes one a huge public figure.
This will only turn away from his message and focus on lawsuits and complaining instead of allowing him to reach voters. Even worse, the Trib's lawyers will make mincemeat of the guy in court.
archpundit 10/13/2003 4:40:23 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Kathuria Response
Via Illinois Senate here is the press release from Kathuria
Dr. Kathuria for U.S. Senate 2004- Press Release-October 13, 2003
MEDIA ALERT: DR. KATHURIA TO RESPOND TO MALICIOUS AND DEFAMATORY ATTACK BY RICK PEARSON AND CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Dr.Chirinjeev Kathuria, Republican candidate for the United States Senate, will respond to the front page smear piece published in the Chicago Tribune on October 11 and 12 in a press conference at 11:45 AM on Tuesday, October 14 at the Hampton Inn of Downtown Chicago at 33 W. Illinois
Dr. Kathuria will refute the charges that his resume and background have been 'too good to be true.' Dr. Kathuria will make key documents available to the media and the public that will prove that his resume and background are strong and completely verifiable.
Dr. Kathuria and his legal team will also present copies of the substantial lawsuit to be filed at the DuPage County Circuit Clerk's Office Tuesday morning. Dr. Kathuria will be suing Messrs. Pearson and Zajac personally, and the Chicago Tribune corporally, for $100 million in damages resulting from the story that included malice aforethought, defamation of character, false and unsubstantiated claims, willful misleading and tortious interference with contractual relationships.
"The Chicago Tribune and its political reporters must be held accountable to write fair and balanced articles on all the candidates. We must remember it is the people of Illinois who decide who gets elected- not the reporters at the Chicago Tribune. This type of irresponsible trash reporting will never stop, unless someone takes a stand against it. I will carry this fight to save my reputation on behalf of all the people of Illinois and make politics a level playing field for all candidates. May this type of character assassination and negative and biased reporting never occur again," Kathuria said.
Dr. Kathuria graduated valedictorian in 1983 from Downers Grove North High School. He earned undergraduate and medical degrees from Brown University and an M.B.A. from Stanford. Dr. Kathuria's group made a $55,000 investment in The X-Stream Networks, Inc: and he became a Director and major shareholder and helped pioneer the free ISP concept. The X-Stream networks, Inc. was sold for USD 75 million in cash and stock and merged with LibertySurf. Dr. Kathuria was instrumental
in helping build MirCorp and is a former founding director. MirCorp created world history on April 4th, 2000 when the company became the world's first company to privately launch and fund a manned space program. MirCorp helped send the first 'citizen explorer' to space, Dennis Tito. Dr. Kathuria?s co-authored papers include "Selectivity Heat Sensitivity of Cancer Cells", "Avascular Cartilage as an Inhibitor to Tumor Invasion,? and "Segmentation of aneurysms via connectivity from MRA brain data" the latter of which was published in the Proceedings of the International Society for Optical Engineering in 1993.
The Chicago Tribune was well aware of all of these accomplishments, yet chose to slant the story maliciously.
The Kathuria team will also discuss several reasons, and provide corroborating material, to explain possible motivations for the publication of this story and the months of research expended in a desperate attempt to find anything negative to defame Dr. Kathuria's good name and reputation
archpundit 10/13/2003 3:44:08 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Hynes Announcement on Job Creation
ILLINOIS COMPTROLLER DAN HYNES RELEASES PLAN TO CREATE JOBS IN AMERICA
U.S. Senate Candidate Releases Comprehensive Plan To Get America Working Again
Springfield, IL ? Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes visited Springfield today to unveil his plan to create jobs in America if elected to the U.S. Senate.
?We have lost over 3 million jobs in this country and all we hear from the Bush Administration is more tax cuts for the wealthy and more money for Iraq,? said Hynes. ?This administration has no plan to stimulate the economy, no plan for Iraq and no plan to create jobs.?
Since President Bush took office, we have lost over 3 million jobs ? more than 200,000 in Illinois ? giving him the worst record on jobs for any President since the 1930?s. Our economy is struggling and we continue to sign bad trade agreements that ship our jobs overseas. States across the country are facing massive deficits, forcing many to cut jobs, eliminate services and in some cases, even raise taxes.
?Misguided economic policies and misplaced priorities have contributed to massive job losses in our country and as U.S. Senator, I will do as I have in Illinois ? get us back on track and get Americans working again,? said Hynes. ?Our leaders in Washington have forgotten that what makes America work is helping Americans get to work.?
?How many jobs must we lose before the federal government addresses needs at home, in the states and in our manufacturing sector,? asked Hynes. ?Without a commitment to investing here in America, assisting our states and standing up for American workers, we are neglecting to make good on America?s promise of providing opportunity to its people,? said Hynes.
As State Comptroller, Hynes has been a leading voice for long-term fiscal reform in Illinois and an advocate for working men and women. He has passed several legislative packages and instituted policies that will make the state more fiscally sound so that our state economy is strong, we can create jobs and protect workers. The Hynes Plan to Create Jobs is built on the same principles.
The Hynes Plan To Create Jobs includes the following:
Investing in America
Match every dollar we spend rebuilding Iraq with a dollar of investment in America
Investing in Illinois
Provide relief to state and local governments by fully funding federally mandated programs
Invest in Illinois? transportation infrastructure
Encourage development in our distressed neighborhoods and communities
Revitalize Illinois? coal industry
Invigorate Illinois? agricultural economy
Enacting a National Manufacturing Policy
Invest in small manufacturing companies
Expand Manufacturing Extension Centers
Reduce health care costs for smaller businesses
Establish Regional Manufacturing Skills Alliances
Fight for ?Made in America? tax incentives
Making America?s Trade Policies Work for American Workers
Reject unfair trade agreements
Combat unfair trade practices
Help workers hurt by U.S. trade policies
Vote to revoke PNTR status for China
Over the next few days, Hynes will travel to Peoria, Quincy and Carbondale to share his plan for creating jobs in America with fellow Illinoisans.
###
For a copy of the Hynes Plan to Create Jobs, please call the Hynes for Senate Campaign office.
archpundit 10/13/2003 1:09:16 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
NAACP Candidate Forum Available On-Line
The Illinois Channel has made the NAACP Candidate Forum available on-line.
archpundit 10/13/2003 12:20:16 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Jeri Ryan--Ex-Wife of Jack Ryan
The first thing that struck me about Jeri Ryan of Star Trek Voyager was that her husband shared the name of the protagonist in most Tom Clancy's novels. The second thing was that it wasn't like she was going to marry me anyway. The third was this guy was a conservative Republican, but hey.
Then he quit his job for a large investment firm and became a teacher in an urban Catholic High School--pretty cool.
But anyway, Kevin claims I'm slipping--he's right see the post below. But I didn't fall down on the job in this case,
Pol State 1
Pol State 2
Pol State 3
ArchPundit
So Kevin, HAH! (that is meant in very good nature...)
archpundit 10/13/2003 12:12:17 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Exhausted and Such--Cattle Call Thread
OK, so the quality of posts has been kind of low lately. Why? I'm burnt out on politics--yes, it happens from time to time. So I'm taking a break. As of sometime Wednesday I won't be posting barring a major issue until November 1st. But don't go away, I'm working on some guest bloggers who should enliven the place until I find my passion again. I'll announce more by Wednesday hopefully, but there will be light posting for the next three days. I'll finish off one more Cattle Call so consider this the comment thread.
If the guest bloggers work out, I think you'll find some fascinating commentary from people with similar views to mine, but also significantly different in some respects. If not, take a couple weeks off.
I'm doing this now so that I'll be motivated again as we head into what appears to be a fascinating election cycle. Also, if there is anyone out there interested in guest blogging shoot me an e-mail. While I've contacted a couple folks I think will do a good job, I'm open to others. The only requirement is that you have a passion for Illinois politics and you would be comparable to me in where you stand--not the same mind you.
archpundit 10/13/2003 11:58:56 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
That's Senator Chris Lauzen, CPA to you Pal
Never one to let the public forget about the foibles of many of our political leaders, let's get something straight about Chris Lauzen who was the subject of a Tom Roesser column on Saturday.
He is a flake--anyone who tries to change his name to include CPA because he was upset that a primary opponent challenged his credential deserves to be ridiculed frequently. The reason Lauzen lost to Hynes was that Lauzen is thin skinned and tried to turn it into a race about ideology--ideology that doesn't fit in Illinois statewide.
archpundit 10/13/2003 11:42:27 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Kathuria
Kathuria had a rather damning article written about him by Rick Pearson over the weekend
The whole thing looks very bad, but in the interest of fairness, Greg Blankenship sends along the information
Chirinjeev Kathuria will go on John Cox's The Progressive Conservative tomorrow at 11.30 am to rebut today's Rick Pearson article. In the Chicago area it is 1530 AM.
Which is just after I post this...I'll update when I hear what the substance is.
archpundit 10/13/2003 11:28:51 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Drunk
Yeah, well, the Cub game has me engrossed--tomorrow, tomorrow, I promise, tomorrow....
archpundit 10/10/2003 10:18:56 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Busy
Back tonight or tomorrow, lots to cover including the new cattle call with several developments in the Republican race.
For entertainment check out my Saint Louis blog--Blog Saint Louis
A couple minutes will explain why I've been a bit slack over here.
And Kevin--I have a response about Jeri, but I have to find the posts....I will crush you! ;)
archpundit 10/10/2003 11:09:10 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Cubs Riot II
Via Illinigirl, Normal had to control the Illinois State students after the win over the Braves.
ORMAL -- A crowd of roughly 3,000 made its way around town in the vicinity of the Illinois State University campus Sunday night, following the Chicago Cubs' decisive win over the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field in Atlanta, Ga.
Normal police were joined by officers from the McLean County Sheriff's Department in their effort to control traffic and crowds near the intersection of Mulberry Street and Fell Avenue, where the throng started to grow at about 10:35 p.m. Parts of Fell and College avenues were blocked off by police.
Over the course of more than an hour, the raucous crowd headed for the quad, Hancock Stadium, Redbird Arena and Kingsley Junior High School, where a goal post was partially knocked down.
There were apparently no injuries late Sunday or early this morning. The crowd had thinned down to about 500 by midnight, police said.
The goal post is sort of funny--sort of not given it is vandalism, but in 1984 when the Cubs went to the playoffs both of ISU's goalposts were torn down in the worst riot the town has ever seen. Strangely, the town made national news over a much tamer mini-riot over new rules on keg parties around that time.
archpundit 10/08/2003 10:40:24 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Of Mice and Men
Mice want to ban the book in Normal. Yeah, I bet that the dangerous concept of literature causes some of the ninnies in Normal to get their panties in a bunch. Boswell and the Principals had better stand up to this.
There is a dangerous concept in education called challenging one's beliefs. I don't buy that a couple racial epithets are behind this--I believe the parents are nervous their kids might think.
archpundit 10/08/2003 10:16:10 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Nobel Goes to Engle and Granger
I generally don't feel qualified to judge who gets the Economics Nobel, but these two are extremely worthy for their work in econometricts.
archpundit 10/08/2003 10:11:10 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Krugman And the Nobel?
I believe that if Paul Krugman gets the Nobel, Donald Lushkin is going to pull a Regan and I want to be there to watch his head spin around and see him get it on with a cross.
archpundit 10/07/2003 9:39:40 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Here We Go Again
Exelon plots Springfield power ploy
Seeks SBC-style fast track on IP deal, rates
The parent of Commonwealth Edison Co., which announced Sept. 26 that it was in talks to acquire Decatur-based Illinois Power from Texas-based Dynegy Inc., wants the General Assembly this fall to require the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) to review the acquisition within six months rather than the customary 11 months, sources familiar with the discussions say.
In addition, Chicago-based Exelon wants lawmakers to authorize the ICC immediately to set new power rates for ComEd and Illinois Power customers over the four-year period following 2006, when a rate freeze expires and prices might otherwise be reduced. Sources differ on whether ComEd is pushing for a rate hike or an extension of the rate freeze ? either of which would benefit it.
"When the rates go away in '07, they want to lock in some rate increases now and roll it all into the merger," said a top Springfield player familiar with Exelon's proposal, who asked not to be identified. But he added that the Legislature is likely to have trouble swallowing such a deal, having been burned in the SBC matter.
In either case, company executives made clear to state officials in discussions last week that they want the new rates set at the same time the Illinois Power acquisition is considered, assuming that Exelon and Dynegy can reach agreement on a deal, sources say.
Calling Pat Quinn!
archpundit 10/07/2003 5:44:32 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
More On Arnold Maremont
For those who don't remember Political State Report comparing Arnold Maremont to Blair Hull, go here first
I am a nephew of Arnold H. Maremont, the subject of your article of May 29, 2003. I am fully aware of the events of 1961 and 1962 that are the subject of your article. Your article which is taken from the Royko book "Boss" as it relates to the 1961/1962 attempt to secure the democratic nomination for the U. S. Senate and its relationship to the late Mayor Richard J. Daley is basically accurate. Unfortunately, you have omitted two very important parts of the story that might be interesting to your readers.
First, Arnold Maremont was one of the most charismatic leaders in Chicago's 1950-1970 period. In addition to being a very successful industrialist leading his family business to a NYSE listing as one of the most prominent auto parts manufacturers in the country, serving as chairman of the Illinois Public Aid Commission under Governor Otto Kerner; he was an important collector or pre-Columbian art that now resides in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. He was truly a man for all seasons.
Second, your story about the selection of US Representative Sidney Yates while accurate as to the rejection of Arnold Maremont does not relate the bottomless cistern of cynicism of why Sid Yates was selected and nominated. The Jewish faith of both Maremont and Yates while supposedly the official reason had absolutely nothing to do with the real reason which naturally was so deeply political that it defies reason but not political common sense. The problem was not Maremont: the problem was Yates.
Sidney Yates from a safely Democratic lakefront congressional district had been reelected so many times that he was about to become the Dean (the most senior member) of the Illinois congressional delegation. The dean, Representative Thomas J. O'Brien (the former Sheriff of Cook County known far and wide as "Blind Tom" for obvious reasons) had died and a new dean was about to take over. The "Dean" had much power in committee assignments and patronage and the "regulars" in the party and the congressional delegation did not want a non-regular, independent and quality person like Sid Yates to take over. He could not be controlled and the "boys" did not want any surprises.
What to do?
The answer was simple. Nominate him to run for the US Senate seat against the incumbent minority leader, Senator Everett M. Dirksen, that was up in the election of 1962. The seat that Arnold Maremont was campaigning to be the nominee.
This was a Richard J. Daley special. He could not lose. If Yates won he goes to the Senate and is not the new Dean of the delegation. If he loses, he is out of the House and no longer in line for the succession.
When a week before the election at the end of October, 1962, as the Cuban missile crisis loomed and President Kennedy call all of the congressional leaders including Senator Dirksen to Washington for consultation; the die was cast and the election decided. Dirksen won in a landslide.
And thus, did a fine man like Arnold Maremont get turned away in the cauldron of power politics, Daley style.
I hope you found all of this interesting. Every word is true.
Sincerely,
Ira M. Plonsker
archpundit 10/07/2003 5:29:07 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Reynolds is in
Mel Reynolds is officially taking on Jesse Jackson Jr for Congress.
archpundit 10/07/2003 5:12:38 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
TV Blogging
I can only second the positive review of MI-5 over at Slate
archpundit 10/07/2003 3:01:06 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Cline as Police Chief
While Jackson gets the press, the real story here is that a white guy appeases white cops who are very angry at Daley. Cline is qualified and should do a decent job, but most importantly some of the most outspoken critics of Daley are the white cops and firefighters. Some of it justified, a lot of it not. By appointing a street cop like Cline, Daley may be reducing some tension there.
archpundit 10/07/2003 1:02:56 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Anyone Want to Guest Blog Next Week
I'll be out of town--anyone want a shot covering Illinois next week? Drop me a note--I still have to figure out logistics, but I think it is doable.
archpundit 10/07/2003 12:58:29 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
East Side Corruption Watch
In the I can't believe it file, the Sauget Mayor accused of using village credit cards for personal use has stepped down and is being replaced by his great nephew.
That's the way to solve the problem.
archpundit 10/07/2003 12:32:44 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Democratic Cattle Call 10/3
1. Dan Hynes. Cautious. Maybe too cautious, but starting to get more attention as the campaign begins in earnest. Still has organization, but gays and lesbians questioning commitment---more later on this.
2. Blair Hull. Hitting the base's keys and making noise. Working on support in the minority community and lakefront liberals.
3. Barack Obama. Really a tie for two, but doing well. Key will be 3rd quarter funds and has organization with black supporters. Jackson Jr. challenge by Mel Reynolds probably focuses attention in the black community away from Obama, but a minor factor.
4. Gery Chico. Taking a hit on the law firm problems. May be the beginning of the end.
5. Nancy Skinner. Good press and an activist core. No cash, but good buzz.
6. Maria Pappas. New rule. To be in the top five, you have to be in the race.
7. Joyce Washington. Didn't get a bump from an NAACP event. Dead in the water.
8. Matt O'Shea. May have problem winning the primary in Metamora at this rate.
9. Frank Avila. So I have him in the right party, right?
10. Estella Johnson-Hunt. Not in the debate. No one seemed to notice. Bit harder to claim racial bias given 2 of the six candidates were black.
11. Vic Roberts. Please, please let him in any debates. And Eric, when is the interview? Come on, you know you don't have enough cranks calling you.
archpundit 10/07/2003 11:05:46 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Republican Cattle Call 10/3
Just pretend it was up on 10/3.
1. Jack Ryan. Faltering a bit at the debate. Still has looks, charisma and money.
2. Steve Rauschenberger. Skipped the debate on principle. Not sure if the move will make him look like a crank or not, but still has organization.
3. Jim Oberweis. Seems to be energetic and contrary to last week making in roads with social conservatives.
4. John Borling. Maybe not so boring and is using spicy language and military terms to reinforce his views. Quick witted with this line,
John Borling on seeing the Blair Hull supporters quipped, "Ah, the beauty of paid help."
Quoted by the good folks at the Illinois Senate
5. Andrew McKenna. Solid but not spectacular.
6. John Cox. Hits the conservative issues, but not making headway.
7. Chirinjeev Kathuria. Shut out of debate, but headlines go to Rauschenberger. Given how early the race is the top 6 criteria for the debate is a bit weird.
8. Jonathan Wright. Nothing.Again.
9. Antonio Davis Fairman. Antonio Davis-Fairman To Attend Arrival Ceremony Hosted By President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush For President Kibaki of Kenya. That's something. I suppose.
archpundit 10/07/2003 10:47:38 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
For Those In California Remember To Save The Jackass
Gray Davis is a jackass--but save the jackass for stability's sake.
archpundit 10/07/2003 9:44:25 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
But one last thing for tonight...
Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win!
archpundit 10/07/2003 12:34:38 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
So tomorrow
I promise--got overloaded with St. Louis politics on Blog Saint Louis.
archpundit 10/07/2003 12:30:28 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Graham's Out
He's a classy guy and we need him. Here is his withdrawal speech.
He's also a serious guy--something that doesn't play in Presidential Politics--just ask Dick Lugar. I hope his willingness to fight means running for reelection in Florida.
archpundit 10/06/2003 11:35:13 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Cattle Call Comments-Democrats
Will Hynes have a good fundraising quarter? What about Obama? How will the Hull factor play in fundraising given the candidates can accept up to $12,000 per contributor? How is Hull doing downstate? Is Pappas ever going to show up? Has Chico kept up? Will Vic Roberts have his family get power of attorney over him?
archpundit 10/03/2003 11:45:49 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Cattle Call Comments-Republicans
Who is up, who is down? Does the beard matter? Just how many points is it worth to Kathuria or will it cost Rauschenberger? Can Cox break out? And just how much will I enjoy my new Oberweis Dairy Service? Will it bias me?
archpundit 10/03/2003 11:37:39 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Down for the Count
I was knocked out of commission for a couple days there--we can speculate whether that was due to a curse or just a coincidence, but I'm on the mend. Regular updates will resume this afternoon, but I'll post the Comment periods and the actual Cattle Calls Monday.
archpundit 10/03/2003 11:23:02 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Cubs Win!
Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!
Just wait until they get to the series if you think I'm annoying now.
BTW, three Cubs blogs for the playoffs that are on my expanded blog roll
The Clark & Addison Chronicle
The Cub Reporter
The [Untitled] Cubs Page
archpundit 9/30/2003 10:54:56 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Cubs Win!
Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!Cubs Win!
Just wait---if they get to the series if you think I'm annoying now.
BTW, three Cubs blogs for the playoffs that are on my expanded blog roll
The Clark & Addison Chronicle
The Cub Reporter
The [Untitled] Cubs Page
archpundit 9/30/2003 10:54:32 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Scoobie Scoops
Scoobie listens to those I can't handle
Come on. Do you think this bunch [the supposed Clinton cabal] is actually getting behind him [Clark] to promote him for the sake of making him a winner? Hardly, my good--If Wesley Clark doesn't look out, I mean, his family is going to be looking for him in Fort Marcy Park before it's too long. You don't sit out there and paint the Cliinton adminstration as clueless on world affairs and have these people become your best friends.
This is a reference to Vince Foster's suicide.
archpundit 9/30/2003 10:42:09 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Eat Your Vegetables
Has a rather excellent take on Rush's take on Donavan McNabb. Really, it is sort of bizarre.
But more importantly, Lane and Tina have great taste in television shows. For those with HBO, make sure to check out the replay of the first season of The Wire. It is some of the best work on television. In addition, the book the Corner is written by Simon and is a very good read (and a decent mini-series).
archpundit 9/30/2003 10:11:10 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Pseudonymous Blogging
It seems like only a couple days ago that I explained to Eric Zorn why I blog pseudonymously. That's because it was only a couple days ago. I often wonder if I'm a bit too paranoid, but given I post a lot on local issues in St. Louis and some of those posts are somewhat controversial it allows me to avoid uncomfortable situations. I wasn't quite sure what might happen, but one of the issues was harassing calls or behavior. And I'm not convinced that being uncomfortable is enough of an excuse. Declaring what you believe might often be uncomfortable. I have a family and while I am certainly willing to accept accountability for what I write, the nuiscance of being known could be a problem. I believe the post on being cursed makes the point.
I'm not sure if I'll remain pseudonymous for a lot of the initial reasons why I did aren't really relevant anymore. On the other hand, Rochell Moore has asked her supporters to protect her with weapons.
I actually agree with Eric Zorn's assesment today on pseudonymous writing,
A one-name newspaper byline, "Garbo," on a Tempo commentary "Will `Lesbian Eye' be next? It's unlikely anytime soon."
A one-name byline is automatically pseudonymous in our culture--a handful of celebrities excepted--though one-name and pseudonymous (and anonymous) writings go way back and include "Publius," the name under which Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote the Federalist Papers.
The practice has been rare in American letters and journalism over the last century or so, but I wonder if the internet culture isn't giving it a big boost.
My 13-year-old son and his friends all IM each other using elaborate names for themselves even though in some cases they could use their own names or simple versions thereof; I'd guess that about half of the web logs and 80 percent of the message board postings I've looked at are written anonymously or pseudonymously, the ethic being that it doesn't matter who you are, but what you say.
My feeling, as one whose name is always attached to his words, is that accountability is an important promoter of responsibility and accuracy. And who you are does matter to the reader. On the other hand, it would be nice to have a dashing nickname for an alter ego:
But at least for the near future, I'm going to remain pseudonymous. I always hope to make up for the disadvantage of being pseudonymous by trying hard to be honest and get the facts straight--especially when I am reporting. And I always try and make factual corrections obvious. In fact, I'll dispute Rochell Moore's claim that I got the story wrong--she did assert that Amy Hilgemann put cocaine in her coffee at the Board Meeting. Maybe Moore meant that Hilgemann helped plan it, but that is what I heard Moore say. I'm not sure that either claim makes Moore's conspiracy theory any more reasonable. Actually, I am sure, it doesn't make her conspiracy theory reasonable.
Then again, the way the curse situation could play out, I could be outed soon anyway. Many in St. Louis have already guessed my identity so it wouldn't be a huge change, just an inconvenience in some instances.
archpundit 9/30/2003 9:36:55 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Obama's E-mail
I may need to check my spam folder, Glenn Brown passes on Obama's letter to supporters. And don't forget Howard Dean is shooting for $15,000,000 total tonight by midnight EST
Dear Friend,
Thank you so much for being so generous with your support to my
campaign, I am truly thankful. But we still need your help.
The hits from the Bush Administration just keep on coming ? 22 straight
months of job losses, health care costs soaring with no answer from the
White House, $87 BILLION to reconstruct Iraq while Bush cuts funding
for affordable housing, Head Start and student loans right here in
America.
It is time for Democrats to stand up and be counted.
I am proud to be the only candidate for U.S. Senate to speak out at
rallies last fall against the War in Iraq. I was proud to pass an
expansion of KidCare that will mean health care for 20,000 additional Illinois
children. And I was proud to lead the fight for laws to ban racial
profiling and require video taped confessions in death penalty cases.
But what humbles me is the outpouring of support I have received from
thousands of people like you who have given their time, their energy,
their ideas and their money to this campaign.
TODAY we must keep rolling.
The FEC reporting deadline is TODAY. Right now is the critical time.
The FEC reports will tell everyone which campaigns are moving forward
and which are treading water. The media will pore over our campaign?s
report and those of the other candidates. Our strong fundraising results
at the end of this month will pay huge dividends in the fall and
winter.
Your donation of $50, $125, $250 or whatever you can spare is the sure
antidote to the failed Bush Administration.
Let?s send a Democrat to the U.S. Senate who has deep progressive
values, not just deep pockets. Let?s send a Senator to Washington who has
already won many tough battles in the State Senate for Illinois? working
families.
Click on http://www.obamaforillinois.com right now and use your credit
card to send a message that Illinois? U.S. Senate seat belongs to the
people.
If you have any questions about how to contribute, or about
contribution limits, please call (312) 427-6400. Thank you again for your
support.
Remember, act before tonight?s Midnight deadline!
Barack Obama
Candidate for US Senate
archpundit 9/30/2003 8:04:10 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Is It the End of the Reporting Quarter or Something?
Give to your favorite Democratic Senate Candidate--Dan Hynes information is below. (no this isn't favoritism, he sent it out, Barack didn't and Hull doesn't need to).
TO: Friends and Supporters
FR: Hynes for US Senate
RE: Twelve hours to help make America work again.
As our next United States Senator from Illinois, Dan Hynes is determined to change Washington's misguided priorities and make America work once again.
And you can help. RIGHT NOW.
As one of Dan's closest friends and supporters, today is the last day you can make a contribution before our campaign must file its official third-quarter campaign finance report.
Until midnight tonight, you can make a huge difference in Dan's campaign -- and a bold statement about the new course America must take to realize her incredible promise and potential.
President Bush and the Republicans just keep on doing it wrong. Huge tax breaks for the super-rich. Bad trade deals that export American jobs and hopes overseas. Turning the other cheek as America's biggest corporate special interests violate their workers' pensions and cook their own books.
As our next US Senator, Dan Hynes is ready to stand up to the Bush agenda. Dan's ready to fight for tax policies that respect hard-working Americans and protect the middle class. Trade deals that put American assembly lines ahead of the corporate bottom line. And real corporate responsibility to end Washington's practice of corporate capitulation.
Help Dan get it done.
Please consider making a contribution to Dan?s campaign today by going to our website at www.danhynes.com, calling our Chicago office at 312-337-2004 or by mailing a contribution, made out to ?Hynes for Senate,? to our headquarters at: 1525 N. Wells, Chicago, IL 60610.
With your help, Dan can win the Democratic primary and help win back the U.S. Senate. Together, we can get America - and Americans - working again.
Thank you for your past and future support!
Hynes for Senate
Pursuant to the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 and the regulations of the Federal Elections Commission, based on filings made by an opposing candidate for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Illinois, the Hynes Exploratory Committee may accept up to $12,000 from an individual. To contribute an individual must be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident of 18 years or older. Contributions from the treasuries of corporations, incorporated corporations, and labor organizations are prohibited. Contributions from Illinois Comptroller employees are not accepted by the Hynes for Senate Campaign. Contributions to Hynes for Senate are not tax deductible for federal income tax purposes.
archpundit 9/30/2003 2:30:52 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
I've Been Cursed, I Think
While most of you who read the Illinois and General side of the blog don't get exposed to my writing on the Saint Louis Public Schools at Blog Saint Louis, it is a significant portion of my blogging.
One post in particular has drawn the attention of Rochell Moore, a Saint Louis Public School Board Member. A post on Political State Report reported on efforts to reform the Saint Louis public Schools. That post included very critical remarks about Ms. Moore. It appears that she has reponded in comments
This article is most slanderous and malicious in it's intent. You are not a medical doctor nor are you licensed to give an opinion on someone's health. It was Charlene Jones who placed cocaine in my coffee on October 21, 2003. She came to the hospital and told them I was paranoid and delusional. I have the records to prove it.
If you are going to tell the story, tell it correctly. Please refrain from referring to me as mentally ill. Because of your writings and tone, you too can be added to the letter sent to Francis Slay
An electronic version of the letter is available at the Arch City Chronicle.
"The Lord shall make the pestilence cleave unto Francis Slay and anyone who helps him, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it," she writes, modifying a passage found in Deuteronomy 28:21. "The Lord shall smite Francis Slay and anyone who helps him with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword and with blasting and with mildew; and the angel of the Lord shall pursue Francis Slay until he perishes."
So I'm on mildew watch.
archpundit 9/30/2003 12:52:38 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
24-3 at the Half
Did I mention, Cubs Win! The Bears certainly aren't going to. I don't mind losing 10-7. I do mind losing 37-10.
archpundit 9/29/2003 9:50:21 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
How to Attract Quality Teachers to Urban Environments
Via Haas, Via Bill Purdy, comes Matt Miller's Atlantic Monthly piece, A New Deal For Teachers . Miller proposes a plan to improve teacher pay in poor districts,
If the quality of urban schools is to be improved, teaching poor children must become the career of choice for talented young Americans who want to make a difference with their lives and earn a good living too. To achieve that the federal government should raise the salary of every teacher in a poor school by at least 50 percent. But this increase would be contingent on two fundamental reforms: teachers' unions would have to abandon the lockstep pay schedules, so that the top-performing half of the teacher corps could be paid significantly more; and the dismissal process for poor-performing teachers would have to be condensed to four to six months.
I can't argue with the proposal, but there is another problem no one wants to address which is how urban districts hire teachers. (free registration required)
Urban school districts are losing out on the best teachers because they are mired in layers of policy and practice that postpone hiring until after most of the best applicants have accepted jobs in suburban systems, a report released here last week contends.
The study by the New Teacher Project challenges the perception that city school systems are strapped for teachers because too few people want to teach in high-poverty schools. On the contrary, the authors found that with good recruiting strategies, urban districts can draw five or more applicants for every opening.
You have to have a functioning human resources department that puts a premium on hiring high quality teachers.
archpundit 9/29/2003 4:47:41 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Heras Win!
Heras Win!Heras Win!Heras Win!Heras Win!Heras Win!
Okay, enough, but he pulls out the victory in the second to last day of the Vuelta a Espana in what had to be one of the most hellacious time trial stages I've ever seen.
The good news, he'll be back with Postal for Lance's attempt at 6. He is targeting 2005 as his year.
Kos is in heaven too
archpundit 9/29/2003 3:28:55 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Who Will Take the Fall?
Get your Max Speak Dead Pool Bets Placed
Who are the Dead Men Walking?
archpundit 9/29/2003 3:09:33 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Did I mention...
CUBS WIN!
archpundit 9/29/2003 3:01:05 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Don't Blame the Reporters, Blame the Administration
Normally, I agree with Joe Conason on many issues, but today I think he is shifting the blame to the wrong group concerning the leadk of Valerie Plame's status as a CIA operative.
Now that we know the CIA has asked the Justice Department to investigate the "outing" of Valerie Plame -- aka Mrs. Wilson -- as an agency operative, this scandal has broken onto the front pages. Sooner or later, John Ashcroft may be forced to appoint a special counsel, as both Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and John Kerry, D-Mass., have demanded. (One reason to name a special counsel, or independent counsel, is that a key suspect named Karl Rove used to work as a political consultant for Ashcroft -- and played a part in his appointment as attorney general.)
While the president's press secretary insists that Rove was not involved in this outrage, I can't help wondering how reporters, editors and bureau chiefs in the capital justify their silence. Tim Russert of NBC and Robin Sproul of ABC both said they wouldn't discuss any matter involving sources. That's an ironclad rule of journalism, up to a point. But what should a journalist do when a source commits a serious crime in his or her presence? What if that crime not only threatens to jeopardize human lives, but also harms U.S. national security in the most profound way?
The real question is why isn't the President at a podium pounding on a lectern calling for someone's head?
I question Novak's judgement, but his sources are his sources.
This is a despicable act by a despicable person. We don't know who did it yet, but when it comes out, and it will, one can only hope the President accepts some responsibility for this. If the person acted without his knowledge, and I'm guessing the leakers did, he damn well better have a major mea culpa. If the leaker acted with the President's knowledge---well, let's hope that something that ugly didn't happen.
For continuing excellent coverage on the issue see,
Calpundit
Dan Drezner
Mark Kleinman
and of course, Josh Marshall
archpundit 9/29/2003 2:48:52 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Sauget Corruption
Noticeably absent from the news were tales of St. Clair County corruption, but today, Sauget comes through for those of us titilated by the Metro East mess.
SAUGET -- Lingerie. Home appliances. Weight loss products. Dinner parties at St. Louis steakhouses.
Those are just some of the scores of purchases Mayor Paul Sauget has charged to village taxpayers on village credit cards, according to a Belleville News-Democrat review of credit card statements.
Between December 2001 and August 2003, Sauget racked up $38,407 in expenses, according to billing statement copies obtained under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.
The statements for the village-issued American Express and Citi Platinum cards show that Sauget's expenses have spanned a wide gamut.
They include: $57 for a People magazine subscription in December 2001; $5,010 for medical services at the Midwest Head and Neck Center in St. Louis in May 2002; $25 for mail order vitamins in October 2002; and $35 for coins from the Franklin Mint in New York, the receipts show.
Also included were scores of items bought from vendors catering to a female clientele.
They include: $117 for cosmetics from a Bloomingdales catalog in December 2001; $165 for women's clothing from Victoria's Secret in February 2002; $228 for women's underwear from Dillard's department store in Fairview Heights in October 2002; $275 for the L.A. Weight Loss Center in O'Fallon; and $45 for a trip to USA Nails in Cahokia in August 2002, the receipts show.
Sauget, 78, has served as mayor of the village -- population 249 -- that bears his family name for more than three decades.
If the village is known for anything, it's for the hulking chemical plants and popular bars and strip clubs planted along Illinois 3. The internal workings of village government usually keep a low profile.
Sauget was incorporated to avoid East St. Louis incorporating the area and imposing controls on Monsanto's chemical plants. East St. Louis is now rewarded with heavy metals in their soil killing off the old trees.
It along with Brooklyn and Washington Park are essentially dens of corruption that the rest of Illinois has treated like law free zones.
archpundit 9/29/2003 2:19:21 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Polls, Polls, Polls
Bernard Schoenburg covers a couple Senate stories yesterday reporting a month old Hynes poll with the recent Fox poll.
Hynes' camp made public a poll last week that shows their candidate in the lead. Hynes had support from 26 percent of likely Democratic primary voters. Other totals were 15 percent for MARIA PAPPAS, the Cook County treasurer, who has not yet announced a bid; 12 percent for Obama; 4 percent for GERY CHICO, 3 percent for BLAIR HULL, 1 percent for JOYCE WASHINGTON and 1 percent for NANCY SKINNER. Global Strategy Group Inc. of New York took that poll of 1,000 likely Democratic primary voters Aug. 14-20 - more than a month ago. Hynes spokeswoman CHRIS MATHER said the campaign decided to let Hynes formally launch his campaign before releasing the poll numbers. The numbers include those leaning to a candidate - amounting to 4 percentage points for Hynes, 1 for Obama and 2 for Pappas.
Another poll commissioned by Fox News and reported Thursday in Chicago is more recent. The poll of 400 Democrats and 400 Republicans done by KRC Communications Research of Newton, Mass., from Monday through Wednesday, found 50 percent of Democrats undecided, with 10 percent for Hynes, 9 percent for Hull, 8 percent for Obama, 7 percent for Chico and 5 percent for Washington.
2 key points. First, don't trust polls by the candidate too much. Second, the larger the sample size the better. I have to wonder if the Fox News poll doesn't suffer from only having 400 respondents. All of the major candidates are within the margin of error anyway, but given Hynes has some name recognition before starting, he should be higher than 9 percent. IOW, don't always trust media polls either.
The big problem is that this early in a race, most voters aren't paying attention and they want to give an answer to pollsters. The important thing is that when they do that, if things don't intervene to create interest, that might be how they vote too.
The article also contains some interesting Rauschenberger details concerning his views on Democrats in the Lege and his background.
archpundit 9/29/2003 2:11:40 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Journalism and Blogs
Eric Zorn has a lengthy discussion of how news organizations should approach journalists' blogs and I think it is an excellent take on the issue.
The thing left out is that journalism is changing and changing very fast. Blogs aren't the future of news reporting, but they may well become the future of news analysis and perhaps most importantly for news organizations, the future of tying readers to your paper or web site.
Having distinctive voices showcased is the way to tie in readers to newspapers especially. The reader letter/calls columns sort of did that in the past, but now there is a far more direct and efficient way of communicating. This is the huge mistake with the Red Eye. Instead of tieing it into the on-line version with a reciprocal relationship, the Red Eye is primarily a paper only.
The oddest thing is the Trib now has a columnist with a reciprocal relationship between print and electronic versions, but he is a part of the flagship. The Red Eye should have all of its columnists blogging and the entertainment reporting should be tied into on-line extras with every story.
That said, I'm a bit less optimistic about most reporters blogging. First, it takes time and many probably have families and the like. Second, it won't work for everyone. Some people don't have a writing voice that is distinctive and easy to connect with for the reader. Columnists naturally have this--or at least many do. Reading Eric Zorn's work is like reading conversation with a friend. Royko was certainly like that and Kass is like that. Mary Schmich has that quality too. Steve Chapman does in a very different way--he's a wonky friend. Don Wycliff certainly is conversational as Bruce Dold was before him. John McCarron and Carol Marin are more wonky friends. At the Sun-Times Debra Pickett is the most obvious personal voice along with Mark Brown.
In contrast, Novak, Steve Neal and Clarence Page are more traditional writers who offer up arguments and not the same personal relationship. Blogging wouldn't work for them. Hell, television doesn't work for Novak.
The point being that for a blog to work, it has to be a conversation and too much editing would get in the way of that. However, a trusted reporter/columnist already knows the rules of what they can easily say and what they can't. If they aren't sure, they can hold that back. I do that even on this tiny blog.
archpundit 9/29/2003 2:04:19 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
School Funding Problems Brewing
Phil Kadner seems to be the only way taking up the issue substantively in the press. He has had three recent columns that deal with it including one that addresses a new effort by State Senator Maggie Crotty and Lt. Governor Pat Quinn. It could be that the press just ignores Quinn's missives, but my guess is that the topic is too confusing to write simple pieces about.
State Sen. Maggie Crotty (D-Oak Forest) and Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn plan to barnstorm the state this fall to gain support for a plan that would increase the Illinois income tax on people earning more than $250,000 a year.
Money raised from the tax would be divided equally, with half going to public schools and half into a property tax rebate fund that would be distributed equally to every homeowner in the state.
As a political necessity, this might be needed. Attempts to funnel the money to only poor districts is unlikely to pass, but passing the money around might help. More important, is that the state doesn't live up to its obligations to be the primary source of funds for schools
The Chicago mayor, joined by some of his suburban counterparts, demanded Wednesday that the state fulfill its obligation under the Illinois Constitution as "the primary" source of public school funding.
The state currently supplies only 33 percent of the money used to fund public education
As Kadner puts it,
If he was serious about this school funding business, he wouldn't be holding news conferences, he'd be talking to the governor.
There are some tough choices to make for politicians in Illinois concerning how to fund Illinois schools and everyone is ignoring it. This is nothing new, but sooner or later it will have to change. A comprehensive school reform package that encourages consolidation in some districts and property tax relief.
Senator Meeks is suggesting everything, but the school consolidation bit, which is off the radar other than in rural areas.
archpundit 9/29/2003 11:28:07 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Mel Reynolds Come Back?
Kristen McQueary reports that Mel Reynolds is contemplating a comeback by challenging Jackson Jr. for his Congressional seat.
Reynolds is still angry that he was mistreated and held to a higher standard because he is black when he was investigated and convicted for sleeping with a teenage campaign worker.
He is right, he was treated far worse because he wasn't uber-connected as Rostenkowski was, but that only means that Rosty shouldn't be showered with praise, not that Reynolds deserves better treatment. He slept with a teenage campaign worker. Regardless of whether prosecutors snicker about such crimes or not, it was wrong.
archpundit 9/29/2003 11:05:10 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Oh, yeah, the Duffs got nailed
The Trib has released their full coverage.
Gee, you mean a bunch of white guys don't qualify for minority participation?
archpundit 9/27/2003 11:38:17 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Meet and Greet Lunch for David Gill in the 15th
"Rx: Prescription for Our Future-- Lunch with Dr. David Gill" Congressional Candidate, IL 15th District
Sunday, October 5, 2003
Noon- 3PM
At Elks Lodge- Clinton, IL
$10 Adults, $5 Children under 10 (ages 3 & under free)... pork BBQ and many side dishes
50/50 Raffle, Bake Sale, Guest speakers and much more!
Directions: Rt. 54 to 1520 E. South St. in Clinton
Sponsored by Friends of David Gill
www.davidgillforcongress.com
archpundit 9/27/2003 11:00:59 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Hynes in the Gay Community
A quite critical column on Dan Hynes' committment to Gay and Lesbian rights was written in the Chicago Free Press
The list of Democrats who ushered Hynes on his downstate meet-and-greet includes several anti-gay officials, including Poshard and state Sens. George Shadid (Peoria) and Gary Forby (D-Marion). These senators oppose Senate Bill 101, a law that seeks to discourage anti-gay discrimination in Illinois. Hynes chose state Sen. Vince Demuzio (D-Carlinville), another "no" vote on SB 101, as one of his campaign co-chairs.
Hynes has always voiced strong support for GLBT civil rights issues. But I can't help but wonder this: If he's influential enough among conservative downstate Democrats to win their support for his campaign, why is he unable to persuade them to vote for our anti-discrimination bill?
While I think the gay community has legitimate beefs with Blagojevich and legitimate policy problems with Poshard, the problem with this kind of politics is it creates a circular firing squad of the type in which the Republican Party in Illinois is participating. Policy disputes are fine, but guilt by association is a problem. Vince Demuzio isn't my kind of Democrat, but without him, Democrats aren't nearly as strong in Illinois as the currently are. And without a strong Democratic presence, gay rights won't go anywhere in Illinois. The Republican Party is pulling the other way.
More fair is the following,
Following his announcement speech, Hynes told a reporter that "marriage is a union between a man and a woman." His campaign spokesperson Chris Mather later clarified for CFP that the comptroller would support a law to give same-sex couples the privileges and responsibilities of heterosexual marriage. In addition to supporting SB 101, Hynes also backs federal anti-discrimination legislation and other measures vital to GLBT civil rights advocates.
But Hynes has no legislative record to demonstrate the strength of his commitment. With his father's help, he was elected to the statewide office of comptroller at the age of 29, without having held any prior elective office. Now at 35, he is the youngest candidate in the Senate race. His views on a host of issues remain largely untested.
There is no mention of the words "gay" or "lesbian" on Hynes' campaign website. On the other hand, his opponent state Sen. Barack Obama (D-Chicago) proudly touts his role as a co-sponsor of SB 101 on the Internet. Candidate Blair Hull's campaign passes out flyers featuring his support for a number of pro-GLBT policies, ranging from training educators in how to handle anti-gay discrimination in schools to legalizing same-sex civil unions.
Hynes needs to keep in mind that alienating an important section of the Democratic base can be a problem in the primary and the general. And often, in such cases as this, alienating activists happens from sins of ommission as much as anything. While the web site is still being rolled out, he has very little on the environment either.
archpundit 9/27/2003 10:21:47 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Love it or Leavitt
Not sure about Mike Leavitt? Take a look at this site, which details his record as Governor.
archpundit 9/27/2003 9:58:13 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
California By the Issues
WBUR is running a vote by platform web quiz that is quite good. It provides who you match up with on each issue area.
archpundit 9/27/2003 9:55:18 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Let's Play 2: CUBS WIN!
CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!CUBS WIN!
archpundit 9/27/2003 9:31:36 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Democratic Cattle Call 9/26
1. Dan Hynes. At the head of the polls and still the nominal front runner. Has tons of organizational support with the Carpenter's Union backing him this week. While union endorsements only go so far, and unions aren't always as united as they may seem, 50,000 pieces of literature to union voters is nothing to squawk at.
2. Blair Hull. The money is paying off with 9 percent in the most recent poll. Creating name ID is the name of the game and he seems to be doing that while not creating huge negatives.
3. Barack Obama. A high profile state lege member shouldn't be falling behind (even within the margin of error) a political neophyte, but he is close. Apparently not active in some neighborhoods in Chicago where he should be able to draw on an activist base.
4. Gery Chico. Still has cash and isn't doing too badly in the polls. Still hasn't cracked the Hispanic vote. If he can't do that, he isn't going anywhere.
5. Maria Pappas. New rule. To be in the top four, you have to be in the race.
6. Joyce Washington. Not bad in the poll, but still not getting any coverage or attention besides as a spoiler.
7. Nancy Skinner. Got beat in the poll. Gotta be on the radar to make a run for it.
8. Matt O'Shea. I'm quickly running out of snarky things to say here.
9. Frank Avila. I hope I have him in the right party. Bueller?
10. Estella Johnson-Hunt. I hope she has herself in the right universe.
11. Vic Roberts. Please, please let him in any debates. A quick measure of a candidate is if they can handle crackpots. Remember McCain handling Alan Keyes? He'd separate the talented from the empty suits. And when is that interview coming Eric Zorn?
FEC reports won't be out for a couple weeks, but they could be very telling this time. Chico and Hynes have the most at stake. Chico goes low, money won't follow. Hynes doesn't outpace Obama and he looks weak.
archpundit 9/27/2003 6:05:34 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Republican Cattle Call 9/26
1. Jack Ryan. Top of the poll even though everyone is in the margin of error. Appealing to those who aren't even that familiar with him. Seems to have the intangible of charisma.
2. Steve Rauschenberger. Lot's of help from Lege supporters and straddles the line between the moderate and conservatives. Continuing budget problems play to him since he is the go to guy in the Lege for the press on budget issues. Lost the beard now looks like generic Republican candidate.
3. Andrew McKenna. Still has the connections and is getting generally good press from conservatives. Many still wary of his threatened challenge to Fitzgerald.
4. Jim Oberweis. Doing all right in polling--hasn't seemed to win over wary social conservatives.
5. John Cox. Even in second race statewide doesn't seem to be cracking the Republican primary electorate. Then again, Oberweis hasn't jumped out either.
6. John Borling. Maybe boring, but is registering in the polling.
7. Chirinjeev Kathuria. Still getting good press, and stood up for principle on his beard and is keeping it. Didn't make a dent in the polls, but seems to be genuinely liked by the press. That may help later.
8. Jonathan Wright. Nothing.
9. Antonio Davis Fairman. As Marie mentioned in comments, as a runner-up prize, Illinois is looking for a poet laureate. Hopefully we'll keep looking.
archpundit 9/27/2003 5:52:58 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Fox Senate Poll
Two leaders emerge, but not by much.
On the Democratic side, Dan Hynes pulls in 10 percent to 9 for Hull, Obama with 8, Chico with 7 and Joyce Washington with 5. The big winner when everyone is at 10 or below? Hull. He is almost tied with two high profile candidates who are both office holders. His commercials and efforts are increasing name recognition which is exactly what he needs to do right now. 40 percent of the Democratic electorate is expressing a favorite candidate so there is a long way to go.
On the Republican side, Jack Ryan hits 10 percent, but you have to wonder if that is due to the Ryan name and sharing a name with a Tom Clancy hero. Ryan is doing well, but that seems a bit inflated.
On the GOP side, dairy and investment magnate Jim Oberweis received 9 percent; retired Air Force Gen. John Borling and lawyer John Cox each had 8 percent; businessman Andrew McKenna took 6 percent, and state Sen. Steve Rauschenberger received 5 percent.
I'm at a bit of loss as to how Borling is up that high, but that may well be due to the small sample size and even smaller differences. Oberweis and Cox both have high name ID so there results aren't surprising. Despite good news from Lege endorsements, Rauschenberger still has a way to go.
archpundit 9/27/2003 5:41:33 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Just call me Mr. DeLay
As is the story lately--later tonight or early tomorrow for the Cattle Call. Sorry for the Delay.
archpundit 9/26/2003 5:01:24 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
50,000 Hits
Thanks, looks like the 50,000 hit came from Kos. Pretty amazing for being up just over a year and being largely centered on state and local politics.
archpundit 9/24/2003 3:33:34 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Stupid Article of the Day at the Leader
Jill Stanek makes the mistake of basing her argument on a document that directly contradicts her claim.
The article she links to is here
Stanek:
This was followed by a detailed report released last month that is quite shocking in its description of just how severe the world underpopulation crisis really is, particularly after we?ve been told the opposite for so long. I suspect the situation is worse than the report indicates, since the study was conducted by the very organization that was duped into causing this calamity in the first place.
Got that? An underpopulation crisis now.
But what does the UN say?:
The 2002 Revision confirms key conclusions from previous revisions. Despite the lower fertility levels projected and the increased mortality risks to which some populations will be subject, the population of the world is expected to increase by 2.6 billion during the next 47 years, from 6.3 billion today to 8.9 billion in 2050. However, the realization of these projections is contingent on ensuring that couples have access to family planning and that efforts to arrest the current spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic are successful in reducing its growth momentum. The potential for considerable population increase remains high. According to the results of the 2002 Revision, if fertility were to remain constant in all countries at current levels, the total population of the globe could more than double by 2050, reaching 12.8 billion. Even a somewhat slower reduction of fertility than that projected in the medium variant would result in additional billions of people. Thus, if women were to have, on average, about half a child more than according to the medium variant, world population might rise to 10.6 billion in 2050 as projected in the high variant.
The other factor is that AIDs is having more of an impact than expected.
Whether Stanek is stupid or dishonest is left to the reader.
UPDATE: To make clear, I don't buy catastrophic projections of population growth, but I do think the additional pressures from population are detrimental both environmentally and in terms of world stability. Addressing population growth in developing nations is important to maintain peace and avoid pressures due to overpopulation. She demonstrates no understanding of this and seems to believe the world population would be decreasing significantly. She only devotes on sentence to policy problems in the developed world.
That said, Stanek's article is even worse when you read further down,
But there?s still more. Due to medical advances, and despite the AIDS epidemic, the world population is living longer. This is great, except elder care programs such as Social Security will be unsustainable because there won?t be enough of the younger generation to pay for them.
But never fear. The U.N. proposes the same solution for ?overpopulation? at the end of life as at the beginning, saying, "The proposal is that, if projected life expectancy at the country level turns out to consistently surpass 100 years for both sexes combined, a limit of 100 years will be imposed artificially? (page 35, #96).
For a glimpse of that future, rent the supposedly ?science fiction? 1973 movie classic, Soylent Green, this weekend.
One problem, she is quoting a passage from a section on how to calculate long range projections of mortality. It isn't a policy prescription, it is a methodological note.
archpundit 9/24/2003 2:49:43 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Cattle Call Comment Period
Dems--who is up who is down? Why? Any leads out there?
Cattle call will be up Friday--and other posts will be later tonight.
archpundit 9/24/2003 12:32:15 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Cattle Call Comment Period
Republicans--who is up who is down? Why?
archpundit 9/24/2003 12:28:04 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
What Happened to the Dead Animal on Rauschenberger's Face?
The Illinois Leader covers Steve Rauschenberger's entry into the Senate Race. Steve shaved. He looks good, if a bit uncomfortable with the new look.
I know, deep analysis.
archpundit 9/24/2003 12:16:31 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Hynes, Hynes, Hynes
So I've had two different liasons from the Hynes contact me in about 12 hours. One used the better tactic of ignoring anything mildly negative I have said about Hynes, the other tried to spin a little. Both were very gracious though and I appreciate it. Perhaps I should start slagging on other candidates for attention. Hynes announcement speech is uploaded here (MS Word).
His site along with everyone else is listed over at the Senate page which Eric Zorn kindly linked.
I'm not currently taking sides in the Democratic Primary, thus allowing me to be a bit snarky (but not eating my own) to all. I'm leaning towards Obama, but really, any Democrat this side of Vic Roberts who could win the general election is fine with me.
On the down side for me is Hynes is pushing for drug reimportation and is protectionist in his campaign material. But those are traditional Democratic issues on which I often stray from the party line. Overall, I like Dan Hynes and he has been one of the stronger voices for fiscal sanity in Illinois government.
archpundit 9/23/2003 6:23:11 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Powers of Discernment, When Did She Ever Have That?
Eric Zorn joins the pile on of Carol Moseley Braun which I gladly contributed to when she was thinking of getting in the Illinois Senate Race, he writes
"When (Carol Moseley) Braun announced her exploratory campaign in February, she said she wanted to learn whether there was widespread support for her stand as a `peace dove and budget hawk,'" writes Dan Mihalopolous in the Trib today.
If she read any of the many polls --where she's never shown more than single-digit support -- she'd have learned that she's never placed higher than 5th in the crowded field (and that was before Gen. Wesley Clark was a factor).
And if she read her campaign finance statements, as Mihalopolous reported, she'd have seen she'd raised only $217,000, "less than all other candidates except activist Al Sharpton."
Widespread support? Voter enthusiasm for CMB is nearly undetectable. Yet she has swung into actual-campaign mode. So much for her powers of discernment.
I'm pretty sure it was clearly established she had no power of discernment when in reference to the brutal Nigerian dictator Abacha, she said he was a "longtime fighter for human rights." Maybe I'm just picky though.
archpundit 9/23/2003 5:56:13 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Dan Johnson Weinberger's Blog
Dan works for the Midwest Democracy Center, runs this blog, and has a page of good info. He could probably use a bit of design though.
In comments, Dan points out the advantages of cumulative voting or of Irish style instant run-off voting. While I generally agree that such changes are better than a simple first-past the post system in which the plurality wins one seat, I think there are some serious issues to consider that involve both the form of government and the manner in which the electoral system directs institutional preferences.
Cumulative voting is generally a positive thing, though it tends to ignore third party candidates still, but does allow minority voters the ability to elect candidates to gain some representation. The problem being that in strongly partisan areas, all three seats could be picked up with an independent running for the third seat. That is a minor issue in one sense because the minority with even 1/3 of the population would pick up one of three seats in a three seat district as Illinois had. At the time, only a couple independents ran as pseudo-Democrats in Chicago African-American Districts. Depending on the number of members to a district, this may not decentralize the system.
One challenge to any system that would decentralize parties is that it makes a working majority very difficult to cobble together. This is often cited in discussing the problems of stability in Latin American governments. They often utilize a proportional representation system in conjunction with a Presidential system meaning the executive is elected in some variation of first past the post and thus is represents a different group than the legislative body. This can create paralysis.
My argument then would be to utilize a parliamentary system of government where the executive is chosen from the legislature to ensure that the executive has a working coalition under which to cobble a majority together. I believe pushing instant runoff voting in a PR system would be a significant problem under the current organization of every state, even the unicameral in Nebraska. If one wants to spur more parties the manner in which to do it is a limited PR system that I would prefer to look like Germany's, and an executive that is a part of the legislative branch.
At all costs, a fragmented system such as Israel should be avoided. In fact, I think Israel provides an interesting case study. Israel decentralized the party system when it made the Prime Minister separately elected from the legislature. Instead of pushing towards the median voter, large blocks had to look to relatively fringe parties to make a majority and were beholden to their wishes. To make matters worse, Israel has one legislative district meaning that a party gets representation with about 1% of the vote.
Maintaining a center orientation has several advantages. First it keeps from broad swings in policy in short spans of time. Second, it focuses the debate at the center marginalizing extremists such as communists or fascists. Third, if one believes that the median voter occurs around the top of a Bell Curve, it centers government towards the average point in the electorate.
Too much center focus deprives significant, but minority views from representation--that is what we have now. Too little gives extremists too much influence.
I'll be adding Dan to the blog roll soon along with
The Return of Ungodly Politics
The DNC's Kicking Ass
The Windy Pundit
and Greasy Skillet
archpundit 9/23/2003 5:47:20 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Bucky Bush?
You have got to be kidding me?
President Bush's uncle will be heading his re-election effort in Missouri. State Republicans announced today that Bucky Bush of St. Louis will serve as campaign chairman for the Bush-Cheney re-election effort in the Show-Me State.
archpundit 9/23/2003 2:11:14 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Texas Lege Blogburst
Because I've been away from my computer, Charles Kuffner has organized a blogburst to offer advice to the Texas Dems about their next move.
archpundit 9/22/2003 11:16:52 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
G-Rod Invades Canada
For cheap drugs and even picks up Chris Lauzen's support.
The idea is to import cheap drugs from Canada and then resell them in Illinois saving consumers money. On the surface it seems like a no-brainer--after all why should a border make a bid difference in drug costs?
A couple objections have popped up. The first is that Canadians don't have the same safety controls. This is pretty silly assuming the state used Canadian licensed pharmacies. Canadians have high standards and generally this shouldn't be a problem. In those few cases where the rules are different, the state could identify those differences.
The second objection is that by importing drugs from Canada, the State of Illinois would be driving profits down and decreasing the incentive for drug companies to invest in new drugs.
This is a far more serious problem and one not to be ignored. Some of the pharmaceutical company complaints are over the top. For one, many drugs are developed under government subsidy already and many pharmaceutical companies primarily license the drugs and then manufacture them. In such cases, a move by Illinois would have little effect. Additionally, many of the most marketed drugs aren't significant improvements over others. Many of the heavily marketed drugs are of little therapeutic value and so reducing their availability would have little impact. Worse, many of the newest drugs are ineffective. Newly created allergy control drugs often are effective for less than 50% of the population even though they are widely prescribed without that information being conveyed by the doctor. Minor pharmacological changes are made to retain patent rights, but little or no improvement in therapeutic value is made.
For all that, reimportation is a bad idea. The debate centers on the effects of consumers, but it fails to grasp that the problem isn't one of price gouging, but of free trade. Eseentially, the United States prescription drug market is subsidizing research for the rest of the world because the rest of the world drives a hard bargain for low costs. Since the United States doesn't have a centralized buying cooperative those in the market pay higher costs to recoup the costs of development.
To overcome this, the United States has a few options, none of them ideal. First, it could form a collective buying group as a government and then sell the drugs to citizens at the rate they get. The disadvantages are it would drive incentives to develop new drugs down by decreasing profits. That said, so do private drug benefit plans. This would force the costs of development to be spread more evenly across countries though as the pharmaceutical companies would have to raise prices to other countries. The disadvantage to patients is that the government would be designing the formulary. As a chronic allergy sufferer, having Clarinex as my preferred drug over Zyrtec would be a real problem. Clarinex doesn't work for me as it doesn't for over half of the population taking antihistamines. For others the opposite would be true. It would also turn the government formulary into a political list of favored companies--remember Toricelli and Ashcroft extending the patent of Claritin beyond the normal time limit despite no compelling reason?
A second strategy would be to seek WTO sanctions. I'm guessing this would fail, but it would argue that government buying plans are in effect a form of protectionism and thus a violation of free trade agreements. Given my lack of knowledge on how pharmaceuticals are regulated under WTO, I have no idea if this would be or could be effective. And it attacks other governments' legitimate choices concerning the provision of health care.
A third strategy would be to subsidize drug benefits on a sliding scale for those of modest means. This would generally increase prices to everyone, but ensure that the most needy have help.
A fourth strategy, and probably the most likely, is to spur the development of private drug plans and potentially subsidize entry into those plans that exploit their buying power in a price competitive environment for the plans. In a nation of 300 million, it is entirely conceivable that the plans would have the same buying power as nations--in fact, Express-Scripts claims to offer service to 50 million members. Instead of subsidizing every drug purchase, subsidizing entry into such a plan based on income would go along way to closing the gap for those in need of relatively expensive pharmaceuticals.
So Lauzen and G-Rod come together for a bad idea.
archpundit 9/22/2003 11:13:23 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Miller on Iraq
Rich Miller continues reporting from Iraq, with two stories. The first concerns the shooting of Iraqi Police Officers by US troops and offers an interesting analysis of the different skills sets for war and peacekeeping. Remember--that which was mocked by the current administration. A second piece discusses his experiences in Saddam's hometown of Tikrit. Both seem slightly more positive and address interesting angles to Iraq--Good reading.
archpundit 9/22/2003 10:45:42 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Why Do Senators Run for President?
Greg Easterbrook has a great post on why. If you don't laugh, you must be a Senator.
archpundit 9/19/2003 4:44:52 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Eating Your Own
The Leader has two eating your own items with the the Church Lady taking on Judy Baar Topinka amongst others and John Zahm going after Tom Roeser for daring to say nice things about Tom Cross.
Fighting corruption in a party is one thing, fighting for ideological purity....keep it up.
archpundit 9/19/2003 4:31:55 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Republican Cattle Call 9/19
Okay, I didn't do a comment period, but what the hell
1. Jack Ryan. Money, looks and backing from up high. Seems a little awkward talking about specifics, but it is still early. Lots of flash so far, but a good start. Needs more ground support.
2. Andrew McKenna. Lots of connections, cash from the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and has reduced social conservative concerns over his possible challenge to Fitzgerald and giving money to Democrats. Needs grassroots support, but has some decent buzz.
3. Steve Rauschenberger. Lots of support from fellow Lege members, Hastert and Jim Edgar. Social conservatives like him and he has good budget credentials.
4. Jim Oberweis. While his comparison of social conservatives to Taliban will continue to haunt him, he's slimmed up and has a concurrent Oberweis Dairy campaign underway. He also is reported to have good ground support at state events and is amiable.
5. John Cox. Lots of social conserative support. Not going anywhere. As mentioned previously, primary benefit of campaign will go to political professionals who he keeps employed.
6. Chirinjeev Kathuria. Pretty good buzz going. Apparently a really nice guy and has cash. Maybe an outside surprise. Still has a ways to go.
7. John Borling. Or as I believe it was Jeff Trigg put it, John Boring. Not dynamic, can't speak and pro-choice in a pro-life field. While the last attribute could help in a divided field, he seems to have little traction or buzz going. Resume better than personality.
8. Jonathan Wright. No cash, not much experience and kind of a strange candidacy. Doesn't appear to add to the field.
9. Antonio Davis Fairman. Web site offers his poetry.
archpundit 9/19/2003 2:52:19 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Democratic Senate Roll Call 9/19
1. Dan Hynes. Announced, is doing okay, but not as well as he should be. Some troubling rumbles for him if he doesn't get on the ball. Still in first though. To hold on, needs cash and some visibility.
2. Barack Obama. The media darling-Rich Miller, Kristen McQueary, Steve Neal and many others join the ranks slobbering over him. I do too, so that isn't entirely perjorative. Strong candidate and making strong inroads with the liberal base while keeping independent labor support. Doing well on cash. Big help coming from high limit on individual contributions due to Hull being in the race.
3. Blair Hull. Cash is starting to have an effect and is making some inroads with black clergy in the city. Good rumbles around the campaign amongst Democrats. Still has to shake the rich guy only. Name recognition is going up.
4. Maria Pappas. Not technically in the race yet, but still has the name. No cash or organization yet, make it difficult.
5. Gery Chico. Has cash, not much else. Good guy, but isn't getting much traction beside corporate dollars. The death knell will sound if he fails to keep the fundraising pace with Obama.
6. Nancy Skinner. Weird activist buzz. No cash. No real chance. Probably will have some good one liners during the campaign and certainly adds some color to the race.
7. Joyce Washington. Not much news or activity. Rush backed Hull over her in brouha over whether he was a machine tool. Joyce is nice, but she could be being used by forces larger than herself. Self-financing to a point.
8. Matt O'Shea. I'm sure he is a nice guy.
9. Frank Avila. Huh?
10. Estella Johnson-Hunt Huh? Squared.
11. Vic Roberts. Everyone's favorite crackpot candidate. Can't wait for the Eric Zorn interview.
Hynes is in real danger of losing his status as a frontrunner. Even his kick-off event garnered little attention. He isn't in the news and his on-line presence for activists is nill. He needs a message as well.
For Senate links go to my Senate Page. Illinois Senate is linked as is Eric Zorn's interviews. It will be updated with some regularity.
archpundit 9/19/2003 2:36:00 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Steel Tarrifs Backfire?
Via Political Wire
Oh, the irony of having steel tariffs backfire on the President
Bad policy meets bad politics.
The strategizing was "too clever by half," Bartlett, the economist, said. "It presupposed that nobody was watching what we were doing, and it presupposed that our credibility was of no importance
archpundit 9/19/2003 2:19:14 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
27 Months for The Hog
Roger "the Hog" Stanley gets 27 months in prison due partially to cooperation on the Operation Saferoads probe.
Not too much surprising, but as Eric Zorn points out....Nice Hair Stanley.
archpundit 9/19/2003 2:14:24 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
27 Late Term Appointment Firings Overturned
27 of the last minute appointments by George Ryan who were later fired by G-Rod have been reinstated by the Civil Service Commission
The money quote,
After Thursday's ruling, one of the Ryan appointees, who asked not to be identified, called Blagojevich's action part of the "terrorizing of the government workforce, which is sort of a hallmark of the Blagojevich administration."
G-Rod is appealing.
archpundit 9/19/2003 11:13:26 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
32 Clemencies Challenged
Lisa Madigan is challenging 32 of the death row commutations because the convicted did not request clemency.
At its heart, the case tests the breadth of the clemency provision of the state constitution, which gives the chief executive the power to grant reprieves, commutations and pardons "after conviction for all offenses on such terms as he thinks proper."
Madigan is asking the court to rule that Ryan overstepped the bounds of his authority in handing down some of the commutations and to declare them void.
But during arguments on her petition, justices on both sides of the ideological divide asked sharp questions suggesting they may have concerns about doing that.
Chief Justice Mary Ann McMorrow, a Democrat, said the constitution endows the governor with sweeping authority to grant pardons.
"Aren't you elevating the process over the constitutional broad clemency powers given to the governor?" she asked an attorney for Madigan.
This is a pretty straight-forward fight over separation of powers. Madigan is probably right to challenge the commutations, though on the merits it would appear the Governor has broad latitude.
archpundit 9/17/2003 10:38:20 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Voucher Accountability
My series on urban school issues has been delayed and I hope to return to it soon. However, Education Week reports on Florida increasing the accountability of its voucher program
of Education Jim Horne has already tightened the rules for private schools that accept the vouchers by requiring them to file more information with the state. But the Republican appointee of Gov. Jeb Bush is facing heat from opponents, who claim his agency has been loose with its oversight of voucher money and the schools that receive it.
Allegations in two Florida cities have thrown fuel on the voucher debate.
First, two men were accused of funneling money for a terrorist group through one private school in the program. Then, the state realized $400,000 in scholarship money was missing from an organization in Ocala.
I'm somewhat agnostic on vouchers. I doubt that in most cases they'll have the impact that the more strident supporters suggest. I do think that as long as we have failing schools serving the poorest of the poor we ought to give them an escape valve to those relatively few slots. That said, public money=public accountability.
archpundit 9/16/2003 11:55:47 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Two Zorn Pick-Ups
First, irony is alive. Eric Zorn points out that rumbles concerning Betty Loren-Maltese don't actually exist as Michael Sneed claims.
The irony is in the piece though,
Fact: The job line: Word is Maltese had a prison job and is now working in the landscaping department, where she helps with the accounting.
Fox-Chicken issues.
Second, Eric takes a warranted slap at Dan Zanosa
Dan Zanoza (Illinois Leader), notes in his Media Watch column that the Web-only publication for which he writes is not universally beloved and admired. He cites my reference in Breaking Views to the Leader as "your online home for right-wing rhetoric," and writes, "I seriously wonder if the Illinois Leader and its content were more liberal in nature... would it be drawing fire from individuals like Zorn?" Gee. And I wonder if I were more conservative in nature, would the Leader be publishing letters headlined Zorn Scorn comparing me to a witch doctor and cold oatmeal. Only the difference between me and Zanoza is that I don't seriously wonder this.
One point is lost here, The Illinois Leader's entire existence is because it wants to be 'you online home for right-wing rhetoric.' There is no other reason for it to exist. Why complain when someone points out the obvious.
archpundit 9/16/2003 11:50:14 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Bush and Ballot Access
Jeff Trigg riffs on his favorite subject and he is right.
I don't think ballot access matters that much due to the median voter rule in a first past the post system. However, it should still be fairly administered and in the spirit of democracy. Once minor parties get better ballot access I believe they need to move to electoral reform--something with which I believe Jeff agrees.
archpundit 9/16/2003 11:43:35 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Rauschenberger to Announce Tuesday
Amidst some talk that he is tight on cash. Rauschenberger is going to have to rely upon other State Lege members to build up support given a tight budget. The Lincoln-Douglass Debate with Obama suggestion apparently wasn't made in a vacuum.
archpundit 9/16/2003 11:25:52 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Courting Hispanics...In Bloomington
It is not a joke. Well it is, but it isn't.
archpundit 9/16/2003 11:22:37 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
A Perfect Vignette of the Ryan Years
In pleading not guilty, Arthur Swanson gives us an insight into how politics has long been done in Illinois
Swanson, 77, joked with a reporter about being out of cigars as he arrived at court, promising to bring one for his next appearance.d
And Mayer's lobbying division was involved. Perfect.
archpundit 9/16/2003 11:11:21 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Fat Kids
I was one of them. But the Sun-Times misses an important thing Illinois does right--Physical Education every day, every semester. I think there is still an exception for a Health and Driver's Ed class, but I think those count.
While many PE classes aren't that useful, they can be an essential tool to teaching exercise and health to kids and a good teacher can even motivate kids to enjoy exercise. As I grew older and tired of being slow and huge, I worked out on my own, but later PE classes certainly reinforced those habits.
We won't talk about the last two years...
archpundit 9/16/2003 11:07:49 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Kass is Pretty Much Right,
But Brown was more right. He didn't go on O'Reilly. Kass takes on Jackson Sr. for selling out. Ironically, he didn't sell out to Harold Washington. Why not? Harold kicked his butt out of Chicago. Under Harold, Sr. would have been better taking a job as the toll collector.
archpundit 9/16/2003 10:58:43 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Private Peotone?
The Peotone saga becomes a bit stranger with proponents seeking private financing for the airport.
So no airlines are going to buy in? Yeah. Sure.
Peotone may not be a bad third or fourth airport site. First, Gary should be examined for what extra capacity it can handle and then Peotone will probably be necessary to relieve growing traffic at O'Hare and Midway, both of which will be full not long after the O'Hare expansion. The fifth part of the plan should be exploiting Rockford for freight flights.
The sixth part of the solution is a downstate airport between the five main towns in Central Illinois. Currently, all five operate their own airports. And for small personal aircraft that works. But each city (except Decatur) have a growing desire for easy air travel. A centralized airport would provide significantly more options for the consumers in the area and bring down the high costs associated with only small commuter flights. The problem is that the Congressman from each city don't want such a plan because civic leaders view even a small airport as a point of pride.
Seventh, is high speed rail to reduce the number of short flights. George Will has written a fair amount on that. But part of the initial deal includes Missouri and Missouri isn't going to pay.
archpundit 9/16/2003 10:52:43 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Joe Conason On the Radio/Internet @ 2 PM
Joe Conason will be on a local St. Louis Radio Station WGNU @ 2 PM today. For a hoot tune in @1 for Dr. Pat--sort of a manic Dr. Laura. You can listen in on-line. He'll be talking about his new book
archpundit 9/16/2003 10:20:20 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Democratic Roll Call
Given the posts today, I thought I'd start a second thread for comments on the Democratic Field.
Also,
Miller's two articles on the primary fields,
The Dems\
The Reps
Thanks to Jeff, it was easy tracking them down again
archpundit 9/15/2003 6:00:02 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Updated Blogroll
To the Left you'll notice some new links,
Most importantly,
Greg Easterbrook probably my favorite environmental writer and a man of incredible Breadth has started a blog at The New Republic. He writes Tuesday Morning Quarterback at ESPN.com, and a column at Beliefnet (which appears to be dormant) as well as his normal work at TNR and Atlantic Monthly.
The post that stuck out was his post concerning the ignoring of Bob Riley's motivation for calling for a tax increase. Greg argues it is due to anti-Christian bias in the media. I'm not so sure. I think the media is very uncomfortable with reporting religious matters unless it is salacious---pretty much like most stories. Religion isn't purposely ignored, but it does not usually fit into a neat soundbite.
To make matters worse, no matter what they report, the media is blasted for it.
Other additions (some are recent),
TNR Primary
Open Source Politics
Drug War Rant
The Right Christians
Real Live Preacher
Musclehead
Pacific View
MC Master Chef
The Left Coaster
And at the bottom of the page, the expanded blog roll
archpundit 9/15/2003 5:00:56 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Tyler Goes to Phonak
After a stunning Tour de France, Tyler Hamilton is going to Phonak Cycling Team
And now, some of you may be scratching your head asking why I would leave the comfort of CSC to go to Phonak. And the answer why, is almost the same as when I left the U.S. Postal Service. They have offered me the opportunity to challenge myself on a new level. Phonak is an up and coming team that has been growing little by little each year. Next year, they are serious about wanting to compete in the Tour de France for the first time. They have restructured their entire team around this goal, and they have asked me to be their leader. It's every rider's dream to have this kind of support and this kind of opportunity. The Phonak roster is being overhauled with the Tour de France as the central focus. You may not recognize all the names at first, but there are some strong guys coming on board who will lend big talent in the mountains and in events like the team time trial. And they are all signing on with a clear understanding and motivation toward the team's vision for next season.
Who was the last American to go to a mediocre team and lead it to victory?
Okay, so Tyler's a bit older.
In other cycling news, Fred Rodriguez came in 4th today and two Postal Riders are in the top 5 overall:
1 Isidro Nozal (Spa) O.N.C.E.-Eroski 33.57.41
2 Igor Gonzalez De Galdeano (Spa) O.N.C.E.-Eroski 1.48
3 Manuel Beltran (Spa) US Postal-Berry Floor 2.01
4 Dario Frigo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 3.05
5 Roberto Heras (Spa) US Postal-Berry Floor 3.28
What's interesting is that the 19th stage includes two tough climbs and then a time trial. This race should be close to the end and Postal has two climbers near the top.
archpundit 9/15/2003 3:59:06 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Lotta Clusterf&%#ing
Instead of trying to catch everyone up on John Lott's latest nonsense myself, Kevin Drum has nicely summarized the more recent developments in Tim Lamberts' righteous crusade to unmask Lott's prevarications.
The simple question to Lott is why did he stop correcting for clustering in the observations. Hear the silence?
archpundit 9/15/2003 1:49:58 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
CHRIS LEHANE RESIGNS FROM KERRY CAMPAIGN...
Sweet. Maybe he can find himself a job outside of Democratic Politics.
Headline from Drudge.
archpundit 9/15/2003 1:32:04 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Eating Your Own
Norquist himself lays down the gauntlet against Republicans by insisting they can't win and raise taxes.
The California recall election on Oct. 7 will give us further evidence of the power of the tax issue in the general electorate and for Republican candidates. Democratic Gov. Gray Davis probably signed his political death warrant when he tripled the car tax through an executive order. And on the Republican side, Arnold Schwarzenegger is refusing -- as Alabama's Gov. Riley did -- to sign the no-tax-hike pledge, thus leaving the door open to tax hikes in case of an "emergency." This has allowed state Republican Sen. Tom McClintock, with little name recognition or money, to hold onto 10 percent to 15 percent of the vote -- enough to keep Democratic Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante ahead in the polls.
And that is a good thing for Republicans? Okay. Keep it up.
archpundit 9/15/2003 1:27:16 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Excellent Book Review
Diane at Know Body Knows Anything reviews School of Dreams--I haven't read it, but it is the rare review that makes me want to read something--and I want to read it now.
archpundit 9/15/2003 1:16:36 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Don't Miss the Krugman Piece on Norquist
Krugman did a piece on Norquist and the Tax Cut-Con in Sunday's New York Times. It does a good job laying out the basic economic questions and the problem of relying on 'cutting waste'.
Combine that with Ed Kilgore's article from Blueprint and the stark reality of what society would look like under a Norquist vision should become clear.
The reality is that if you want to run an information based economy, education and infrastructure are key--there won't be much of either under Norquist's plan.
archpundit 9/15/2003 1:09:27 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
New Trier Blues
New Trier's population strongly supports the schools, but last year it was put on the financial watch list. This was a strange comparison given many other school districts were facing dire choices and New Trier was facing a world class education versus a not quite world class education, but better than the rest of the state.
With the new tax bill passed, they are now reducing the tax take for next year. Too bad they can't send that to some rural districts.
archpundit 9/15/2003 1:04:10 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Wright Joins the GOP Party
While ailing I missed the original stories, but Jonathan Wright has joined the GOP Senate Primary Field. He has never been elected to any post before, though he served as an appointed State House. His primary claim to fame is being staunchly pro-life, but in a crowded field of pro-lifers, he's unlikely to go anywhere.
archpundit 9/15/2003 12:58:34 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
What Is Steve Neal Smoking?
Apparenlty fumbling around for a topic to write about, he suggested that Daley endorse Obama.
Uhhh...yeah. And if Daley wasn't Daley....
Maybe he should start writing What if books.
archpundit 9/15/2003 12:50:21 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
One of the Better takes on the Patriot Act
Slate did an excellent four part analysis of the Patriot Act and reached a conclusion that the biggest problem centers on the lack of accountability and openness.
The best check on such encroachments should be a free and objective judiciary. But as we have noted several times in this series, many of the most disturbing Patriot provisions do away with judicial oversight altogether, while others permit judges to act as rubber stamps in ex parte proceedings?that is, hearings where only the government side is represented.
The next best check on such encroachments is public scrutiny, and, as we've suggested, that scrutiny is only beginning to be as demanding and impatient as it ought. But most Americans still do not believe that Patriot has in any way affected them. So it's worth noting that many of these provisions are used frequently?even if details are blacked out. Go back and look at the sections that ask whether you'd know if Patriot has been used against you. In most cases the answer is no.
When government is given broad power to act in secrecy, it always, always goes to far. The only ways to check those abuses is to tailor necessary security laws to be as narrow as possible when public scrutiny or judicial oversight is limited. The current version doesn't do that. It isn't hysterical to warn of future abuses when we have a long history of abuses when government acts in secret.
archpundit 9/15/2003 12:42:45 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Rebels and Indians
Eric Zorn addresses the Confederate Flag and Mascot being used by a high school in Southern Illinois. I agree with Zorn and Temkin, but the obvious point is that the University of Illinois still has a cartoon caricature of a mascot. It isn't that the Illini use a Native American name, it is that the mascot acts like a fool in a costume. If we want to get school districts to see the importance of evaluating their mascots, shouldn't our flagship educational institution do the same?
archpundit 9/15/2003 12:27:01 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Architecture Criticism for the Masses
And a good point about the renovations of Soldier Field
It has been said that the result looks like a spaceship landed on the stadium, a charge I will not endorse for fear of being sued for libel by extraterrestrials. But it is safe to say that the project is the most jarring union of youth and age since Anna Nicole Smith married an 89-year-old billionaire.
Key quote,
"If we started out to build the ugliest stadium in the country for the most money with the fewest alternative uses in the worst possible location, we're pretty much there."
Dandy.
Bears President Ted Phillips says the new model also has an intimate feel--which is true, and which comes from the fact that seating capacity is nearly 5,500 less than before. With 61,500 seats, it's the second smallest stadium in the league after the RCA Dome in Indianapolis.
In other ways, though, it's inferior to that facility, which cost just $77 million to erect back in 1984. The price tag on the new Soldier Field is a staggering $632 million, of which $432 million will come from tax revenues. Unlike the RCA Dome, which has been used for everything from the NCAA Final Four to the World Indoor Track and Field championships, this facility is open to the elements, which will limit its uses in a Chicago winter.
Nor does the Soldier Field deal look like a bargain next to other renovations. Green Bay's recent overhaul of Lambeau Field not only cost less than half as much, but added 11,000 seats. Lambeau offers more luxury boxes and a lot more toilets than Soldier Field. Lambeau also has something that the Bears' arena traditionally and currently lacks: a winning team.
But the Packers' lair doesn't have the distinctions that make the new Soldier Field a true marvel. As University of Chicago sports economist Allen Sanderson puts it, "If we started out to build the ugliest stadium in the country for the most money with the fewest alternative uses in the worst possible location, we're pretty much there."
Oh, and Bears lose.
archpundit 9/15/2003 11:42:14 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Dennis Byrne Rages
And it is a pretty good column on the problem with farm subsidies.
It's quite disappointing when Dennis makes a good point. Doing so reduces the amount of snarky material available.
Not long ago, the massive charitable dispensations for farmers were supposed to end with the passage of the Freedom to Farm Act. Something odd happened, though; the subsidies became more generous. So American farmers, driven by subsidies, plant more crops than they can sell on the domestic or foreign market. Not to worry, the U.S. government arrives with what is, in effect, a double subsidy, buying up the surplus and giving it away to hungry or impoverished countries. Humanitarian? Possibly. Crass? Certainly. Counterproductive? Absolutely. It undercuts those countries' own farmers' ability to sell their crops, weakens their infrastructure and makes them ever more dependent on food handouts.
archpundit 9/15/2003 11:31:58 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Clinton Joins the Save the Jackass Campaign
I believe the Democrats in California are pursuing the anti-recall strategy all wrong. Just admit that Gray is an jackass and then embrace him as the duly elected jackass.
What is telling is that in Clinton's remarks he focuses on teh process and challenges instead of upon Davis
Yeah, Gray Davis and I have been friends a long time, and I don't want this to happen to him," Clinton said in the church, amid a chorus of affirmation from about 1,000 congregants and the purple-robed choir. "But this is way bigger than him."
"It's you I worry about," he continued. "It's California I worry about. I don't want you to become a laughingstock, a carnival or the beginning of a circus in America where we just throw people out, soon as they make a tough decision. Don't do this. Don't do this."
"Don't shred your Constitution," he said. "Don't shred the fabric of government. Don't tell people Californians are so impatient that they give somebody an employment contract and then tear it up in the middle because times are tough. This is the right thing to do, to beat this recall."
archpundit 9/15/2003 11:15:06 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Obama's Finances Are Up
Obama would seem to be primarily dependent upon his base when one looks at traditional African-American candidates who raise reasonable sums in Illinois, but often work towards turnout more than big money. Obama seems to be overcoming that with some impressive fundraising numbers (Registration required).
Two interesting things stand out. I didn't realize the ceiling was that high--$12,000 per individual given Hull is self-financing. That is huge. Second, Obama is having success reaching out of state for cash and that significantly helps him in taking on Hynes who is trying to dry up the local pool of cash for this election.
While I doubt Obama could do as well as Dean on the internet, I'm noticing a lot of crossover appeal to their supporters. Such a strategy might help Obama as well, though certainly at a different scale.
Because Mr. Hull has signaled his intention of putting as much as $20 million of his own money into winning the primary, the recently enacted campaign finance reform law allows individuals to give up to $12,000, six times the normal legal limit, to his opponents.
"I find it easy" to raise money for the Obama campaign, says Bettylu Saltzman, a veteran North Shore Democratic fund-raiser and a member of Mr. Obama's finance committee. "You say, 'You can give $12,000' and you might get $2,000, where otherwise you'd get $500."
Another factor is that Mr. Obama has tapped into a growing number of young, affluent African-American professionals, not only in Chicago but also in Boston, New York and Washington, D.C., major cities that have hosted Obama fund-raisers in recent months.
A basic part of the appeal is that Sen. Obama has the potential to be both the sole African-American U.S. senator at this point in time, as well as the first black Democratic male senator. In addition, this group of potential contributors grew considerably as the economy boomed during the 1990s.
"The pool is definitely larger," says Valerie Jarrett, who is chairing Sen. Obama's 52-person finance committee, comparing this race with that in 1992, when the executive vice-president of Habitat Co. and prominent civic leader was a major fund-raiser for Illinois Democrat Carol Moseley Braun in her first U.S. Senate race.
While more than two-thirds of Mr. Obama's 3,000-plus donors have given less than $25, he's also picking up major financial support from traditional Democratic contributors, sometimes referred to as "lakefront liberals." His finance committee includes party stalwarts such as Marjorie Benton, Irving Harris, Martin Koldyke, Daniel Levin, Abner Mikva, Newton Minow, Penny Pritzker and John Schmidt.
archpundit 9/15/2003 11:09:01 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Introducing Deanasms
One of the better aspects of last nights episode of K Street, was when Begala and Carville told Dean not to answer hypotheticals and used Bush's insistence as an example of political discpline--he's learning, well sort of.
Slate's Editor Jacob Weisberg runs a hysterical bit on Bushisms finding the best of the President's malapropisms. Some, such as Eugene Volokh get a bit huffy about them, while they are generally harmless fun. In that spirit is seems to me that Dean is good at having verbal spasms that lend themselves to poking fun as well--let's call them Deanasms.
Here's the first.
"One thing about being a doctor is that I don't often speculate about something I don't know," Dean, a physician, said in an interview with the Tribune earlier this month. "That's a very dangerous thing to do . . . so I basically trained myself not to do it. If you have no decent evidence, I don't think you should talk about it."
Earlier in the same day, though, Dean pointedly accused the White House of having its hand in the effort to recall California Gov. Gray Davis. When pressed, he acknowledged he had no evidence to support his claim.
Jeff Zeleney has a dry sense of humor.
archpundit 9/15/2003 10:56:06 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Spending W/out Legislative Authorization?
It appears to be shifting around revenue, but it still isn't comforting to know that the G-Rod administration is going to spend the $775 million from the feds without running it by the Lege.
In a related story Stateline covers the accounting gimmicks that various states, including Illinois used, to balance their budgets. Accelerating revenues doesn't increase revenue, it only shifts it around.
archpundit 9/15/2003 10:45:32 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Karl Rove Hispanic Effort Or Just Damn Funny
Via Atrios
The Karl Rove Hispanic Effort Continues in Earnest
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) The Maryland Republican Party moved Saturday to sever its ties with the Maryland Hispanic Republican Caucus after the caucus chairman criticized Gov. Robert Ehrlich for not appointing Hispanics to high-level jobs.
The party's executive committee voted 20-1 with two abstentions to recommend that the state central committee rescind a resolution recognizing the caucus as an affiliate of the state party. It also voted to create a new organization to reach out to Hispanic voters.
archpundit 9/15/2003 10:14:31 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Senate Resources
A few great resources for the 2004 Illinois Senate Race are linked at the Senate site, but I wanted to point out some in particular
Modern Vertebrate
Great guide to the Senate and House races
Illinois Senate seems to be the central site for quality information on the 2004 Race.
Eric Zorn's Senate Page including Interviews with several of the contenders.
archpundit 9/15/2003 1:41:17 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Illinois Senate Central
While I'm not fully done, I have started a page for the Illinois Senate Race.
There won't be many posts over there, but I will archive some Senate posts and most importantly--the Weekly Roll-Call for who is up and who is down--I know, I know this hasn't been too sucessful, but I think I have it now.
So--in comments or in e-mail send me your take on the Democratic Candidates. Republicans will be later in the week. As soon as Daily Southtown is working correctly, I'll link to Rich Miller's recent columns on the candidates from both parties.
archpundit 9/15/2003 1:27:50 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Hynes Announces
He announced today in Chicago
archpundit 9/15/2003 1:22:27 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Hull News and Oops
Not been feeling very well, but this was passed on last week,
Blago is saying "let the best cnadidate win." (So what: that's a page out of the much used Daley play-book.) But Blago's father-in-law remains on Hull's kitchen cabinet and he and Rush have begun already talking about how to use their respective operations to assist Hull in the City.
archpundit 9/15/2003 12:43:56 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Busy Day Tomorrow
Out Tomorrow until late---have some John Lott updates and maybe some news on Blagojevich. Check Out Tim Lambert if you want the Lott story now. At the left in the blog roll.
archpundit 9/10/2003 11:18:35 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Rich Miller In Iraq
As I mentioned the other day, Rich Miller is reporting in Iraq currently. His reporting isn't the big picture stories of the nightly news, but personal reporting of the daily lives of Iraqis and how the invasion and occupation affect them and then putting that into context of the larger context. While such reporting doesn't get the cliched 'whole story', for those that have spent time in the Developing World, it is critical to understanding day to day life and how US actions are affecting the country. Both stories are quite moving. (hmmmm....far too nice--have to find something in Miller's work to criticize soon)
Postwar Iraq Moves Dangerously Close to Civil Disaster
Disappearing? Iraqis
UPDATE: I received a complaint that Miller's articles aren't balanced and that a better article would be Max Boot's.
First, I don't think that all articles should be balanced--in fact, given that no single story catches the full picture, a well written story captures an important element of the story. I think those of us in the US need to hear very personal stories that tell of the problems. They are ultimately anecdotes and I expect intelligent readers to understand this. But more importantly, the Boot article has the same problem--Boot spent his time with US Soldiers giving him a skewed view--meaning neither should be taken as a single point of truth. There are two reasons to point out the Miller articles--one is that they are by a local journalist, and two, because Americans have a hard time imagining what life is like if you are an Iraqi right now. I think those articles capture some of the situations Iraqis are going through.
Taken together, I think the Boot and Miller articles provide a couple key points. First, civilian control is where we need to head. Abizaid's report specifies this. Second, the tactics being used may be problematic at times--as noted in Miller's piece, but also mentioned in Boot's with the discussion of regular army unit tactics in keeping control.
Second, I think Boot is missing a key point. Him and the amorphous media reports he criticizes are wrong about this being analagous to Vietnam. This is an occupation of country with no sovereign not a limited war against insurgents in a country with a functioning government. We are the sovereign and producing civil order should have been the top priority--and while we need to move torwards civilian rule, we first have to establish civil order and then support it. It seems hard to argue that we didn't and still don't need more troops. First, to produce civil order and then to rotate them in and out. Those can be American or UN troops, but they have to create a climate of order. We didn't do that at first, because our troops were busy finishing off the Iraqi army. More troops would have reduced this problem. More troops would reduce this problem now. But now we are prolonging the issues because we didn't get it right at first.
archpundit 9/10/2003 12:43:20 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Truly Great News
Berkeley Breathed is starting a new comic for Opus
archpundit 9/09/2003 10:59:06 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Open Meetings Law, errr..enforced
Being a bit behind, I haven't had time to link to Lisa Madigan's shocking enforcement of the open meetings law.
Within the past week, both Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Cook County State's Attorney Richard Devine have told the CTA board it violated the Illinois Open Meetings Act on Aug. 6.
Apparently she was serious,
Madigan, the daughter of state Democratic Party chief and Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, fired the first shot across the CTA's bow.
She announced last week that attorneys for her office had told the CTA board to either void the pension fund hikes or she would file a lawsuit to nullify its Aug. 6 action.
I asked Sean Denny, a former assistant Illinois attorney general, who for nearly two decades was in charge of enforcing the Open Meetings Act, if he could ever recall the attorney general filing a lawsuit against Chicago or one of its agencies.
His answer was, "No."
Lisa Madigan ran for the office of attorney general vowing to aggressively enforce the state's sunshine laws, and eight months into her first term she's been good to her word.
Who knew?
Kudes to Dick Devine too...
archpundit 9/08/2003 10:55:28 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Rich Miller's Photos from Iraq
For those not aware, Rich Miller is reporting from Iraq. I'll post some links to the stories which are good when I see them appear in the papers. They capture a very basic level of what is going on in Iraq more than most of the mega picture diddling about the President's, ahem, 'plan'. He has some pics posted at the Capitol Fax.
In his weekly column, he has a good piece on the Republican Senate candidates. Most notably, he has nice things to say about Kathuria.
archpundit 9/08/2003 10:50:33 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Sawicky on a Tear
First, he thanks Ted Kennedy for keeping Bork off the bench. Why?
Judge Bork's last point is that the new rule of judges is international. "Judicial imperialists" made a crucial start at the Nuremberg Trials of Nazi leaders. The trials established a bad habit of confusing moral justification (Goering deserved what he got) with legal justification for retroactive lawmaking. It would have been better simply to execute the big Nazis, as Britain proposed at the time. Nuremberg established the idea that legal busy bodies can run the world according to their own notion of virtue, and it was only a few short steps to the World Court and the International Criminal Court. This argument is so sweeping as to sound paranoid -- but paranoids are not always wrong . . . "
That's just amazing.
Even more amazing, Sawicky even thinks the deficit is going to be too bigh. I now stand corrected if I teased him about never seeing a deficit he didn't like.
archpundit 9/08/2003 10:28:02 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
What If My Dissent Is for More Troops
Rumsfeld pulls a hell of a number today, playing the dissent is emboldening our enemies.
Mr. Rumsfeld did not mention any of the domestic critics by name. But he suggested that those who have been critical of the administration?s handling of the war in Iraq and its aftermath might be encouraging American foes to believe that the United States might one day walk away from the effort, as it has in past conflicts.
Ted (Thank God He's Back) Barlow then gives us the appropriate reference to Peter Pan.
The problem I have is that I don't know how I'd be emboldening our enemies when I'm calling on the Friggen' President to actually go after them in both Afghanistan and Iraq with more troops--foreign or domestic. Funny, but it would seem that I'm calling for a stronger response, as are most of the Democratic candidates, and a real commitment. How does that criticism encourage our foes? By pointing out the twit in the White House is a paper tiger?
archpundit 9/08/2003 10:10:19 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Dude, That's Your Base
Saint Louis has been blessed with a visit from Al Sharpton who has taken the side of supporters of a boycott against the Saint Louis Public Schools. He came into town last night for a church rally and joined a group of protesters carrying a child in coffin on a route to City Hall this morning. That's gonna cost someone a whole lot of therapy.
The boycott was unsuccessful with about 4.5% more students attending the first day of school this year over last. While not as strong of a day as school management had hoped for, it is improvement. It's important to note that nearly 10% of students are in transitional housing or homeless in the SLPS and beyond that, nearly many schools have 25% mobility rates during the year, so moving around during the summer is a challenge to many families.
The boycott supporters include local radio show host and obnoxious twit, Lizz Brown. She attempted a stand down campaign in 2002 against Jean Carnahan to no noticeable affect in the ward vote totals. She is generally disliked by most black political leaders with the exception of a couple Northside alderman.
But the important news for Al is that he is lashing out at his base. He attacked St. Louis' black leadership that generally opposed the boycott by calling them rented negros and Uncle Tom's. While such language might buy him a few votes amongst the nihilist faction of St. Louis Black Politics, he isn't going to win a majority of the black vote who he is calling, well, rented negros.
Taking on your base ala Sister Souljah is a useful technique. Pissing on your base's leg is generally just unproductive.
What's Al's strategy then? Get on Tv?
archpundit 9/08/2003 9:43:13 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Abortion Polls
Polling is poorly understood by most and, believe it or not, it is best understood in horse races. It is worst understood when discussing public policy because all too often the issues are skewed by poorly formed questions and especially in abortion, those polls ask questions that try to draw conclusions about political questions from questions that elicit moral responses.
It shouldn't be surprising that people differentiate between what should be good public policy and what is moral behavior. While people often hold inconsistent or even silly beliefs, when you probe people can differentiate between the two spheres. The problem is most polls are limited by money and thus, limited in what they can probe. Even beyond that, depending on what comes to mind to an individual will influence their response to a specific question.
Eric Zorn takes Dennis Byrne to task over misusing public opinion polls on abortion.
Yes, but they also show that most people--consistently about 60 percent -- feel the abortion decision should be between the woman and her doctor, and that the percentage of people who feel that abortion should legal under any circumstances is always higher than the percentage of people who feel it should always be illegal.
Many people who are for abortion rights are uncomfortable with abortions. That isn't inconsistent, it is a recognition of living in a complicated world. For a group that wants limited government, conservatives often miss that people place higher barriers to government intervention in their personal lives than in other areas.
archpundit 9/08/2003 2:06:57 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
49-7
The Numerical Equivalent of Dick Jauron praying for a quality postseason from the Sox and the team that won't be named for fear of jinx.
5 sacks? I didn't see the game, but for crying out loud, what the %$#%, is Neil Armstrong coaching again?
You'll be playing in a toilet bowl, you aren't supposed to flushed down the toilet.
archpundit 9/08/2003 1:29:06 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Novak Confused that Lugar isn't a Hack
While I'm sure if I go back and refight the 1980s Dick Lugar and I would have many disagreements over Latin American policy, but today, I view him as a very reasonable voice on foreign affairs. Not surprisingly, the administration is scared of him and his sober assessments of the situation in Iraq.
Novak sounds the alarm that Lugar is off the reservation and suggests that something dark is happening. Actually nothing dark is happening, Lugar is just serious and thinks the President should level with the public and put together a serious plan. Lugar has had to shame the President to do the right thing on Russian non-proliferation and now he has to do it again. And he'll probably do it on Afghanistan. Will the administration listen? Probably not. That's too bad, Lugar would be Secretary of State in a sane Republican world. Of course, there is a sane SoS now and it doesn't matter.
archpundit 9/08/2003 11:34:03 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Chick is BACK
Via Scoobie
A new tract has been posted
It's a doozy. As Scoobie says, the Chickster really puts the fun in fundamentalism in this one.
archpundit 9/08/2003 11:27:57 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Rauschenberger's Not Normal
And that is probably a good thing. He wants a series of debates against Barack Obama.
Rauschenberger is a smart guy and that would be a good debate. For a variety of reasons, it probably doesn't help Obama and so it won't happen. Instead we'll probably see a bunch of priviliged nitwits debate Rauschenberger in a very tight format that sheds no light on just how vacuous most of the Republican candidates are.
An interesting end note to the article is Rauschenberger's comments on trade,
As a U.S. senator, Rauschenberger would lobby the White House for fairer trade. The quid pro quo for free trade is that everybody does better when lanes are open, he says, but we are now confronted by ''central governments like China, where they control currency valuation.'' That is not a free market system, he says. ''It's costing good Illinois jobs, and we've had too much of it.''
Its also good for consumers, but what the hell. China will open its markets when it has to and the way to do that is be open as possible to them.
archpundit 9/08/2003 11:21:28 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Steve Chapman's Continuing Crusade for Sanity
Strangely enough, doing very little to combat forest fires is probably the best way to avoid more fires. Cheaper too. Go figure.
Why do we make such efforts to prevent something that has been part of the life cycle of forests for eons? Because today, there are rising numbers of homes and people in the path of these fires. But trying to save those houses by drowning wildfires is like trying to prevent shipwrecks by outlawing storms. Just as boats can be designed to withstand violent turbulence, dwellings can be made to survive even huge infernos.
archpundit 9/08/2003 10:43:27 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Why Dean is so Appealing
Lieberman can keep making whiny comments about a Dean Depression all he wants, but Dean can win. And hence, Lieberman needs to shut up because he is going to endorse the party's candidate or become very, very unpopular with his core supporters. It's fine to criticize other's positions, but a sound bite like that could come back in a general election. Given George Bush seems to be about as protectionist as Gephardt, this one is probably a freebie, but it isn't acceptable.
People don't care if you have a long thought out position or if you contradict yourself from time to time. They care that they can understand you and for that to happen you have to boil everythign down to simple, understandable positions.
In 15 minutes, he attempted to make up for 15 months of misleading the American people and 15 weeks of mismanaging the reconstruction," he said.
Before people start blasting away in comments, I think Dean should be clearer on trade. One of the many reasons I won't vote for Gephardt is his tendency towards protectionism. However, Dean isn't saying much different from Clinton on the issue and frankly, I'll take Clinton's trade policy over Reagan or either Bush.
In other news, half of the pain caucus is leaning towards endorsing Lieberman. Bob Kerrey wants someone who is going to tell a safe Democratic audience that they are wrong. That's nice and certainly Clinton pulled that in 1992. But when did he do it? When independent voters were listening, not during the primary.
Kerrey is a favorite of mine and I voted for him in the 1992 primary--he was out by the time Illinois voted, but I had sent in an absentee ballot. But he is a horrible campaigner and this is why. And it is why Lieberman doesn't get it. You have to excite the base and the way to do that is to speak to their issues. Once you have done that you can have your Sister Souljah moments. But the base has to trust you first.
Via Atrios again
archpundit 9/08/2003 9:59:15 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Save the Ass.
It's a little hard to care about Gray Davis when he pulls a stunt like bashing Schwarznegger for his accent. He's a jackass and ultimately that is why he is being recalled. He may pull it out, or more likely Bustamante will win the recall, but the ultimate problem in California is that Gray Davis long ago sold his soul to the devil. Making compromises to win elections is one thing, selling the state out to contributors and then indiscriminately bashing anyone is just nihilism.
Would I vote for recall? Probably not. Save the ass for stable democracy.
Via Atrios
archpundit 9/08/2003 9:48:58 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Lotta Credit Where it Isn't Due
Tim Lambert cites Tom Spencer's argument that the damage done by Lott is a lot of laws passed allowing Concealed Carry are due to academic fraud by Lott.
This is liberal gobbleygook and as a good liberal I feel it is necessary to point it out. Do you think the NRA would not have pushed as hard without John Lott's claims? Do you think anyone actually cared about his work? They may have cited it, but does anyone think it mattered?
Concealed Carry legislation is a fight between two interests that use any tool available to achieve their goals. Lott was a tool---well is a tool, but that is another story. His work doesn't matter much in the debate over concealed carry. People don't decide issues based on an academic study, they do it over what they perceive their interests to be.
That doesn't let Lott off the hook, it just gives him the credit he is due--not much. The NRA deserves the credit for being a politically sophisticated organization that delivers lots of single-issue voters to politicians.
Academics like to claim credit for moving the debate, but mostly, academics provide some window dressing on hot button issues for those with interests to exploit. Less sexy policy areas are often affected by policy entrepeneurs, but guns or welfare studies are mostly tools for politicians to exploit .
UPDATE: Tom points out that isn't what he was saying. My bad.
archpundit 9/08/2003 12:56:41 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Career Suggestions
Forensic Science is a growth industry. Most states are moving towards DNA tests for most convicts and more will be when the state fiscal problems subside.
archpundit 9/08/2003 12:47:12 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
IKEA in Beijing
Because I keep forgetting, check out Kurt's pics of the opening of an IKEA in Beijing.
That is cool. BTW, Kurt, what will it take me to get put on the banned site list for China--it seems like a list I want to be on--well except for you not being able to read.
archpundit 9/08/2003 12:18:48 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Updated Links
I still have to fix a few, but I've added some Illinois Links and I added a bunch of blogs for Democratic Presidential Candidates. A couple might have kinks in them.
For the rest of the blogroll--if you disappeared, it is a temporary thing.
I'm still fixing the rest of the blogroll.
archpundit 9/05/2003 6:01:05 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Lotta Lies
The man is a freak. Big Freak. Kevin at Calpundit hits him with the most recent lie. Lott is claiming he never used the Mary Rosh pseudonym in e-mail. How friggen stupid is this guy? That is how Julian Sanchez caught him!
But Kevin points out
Aside from the fact that this does nothing except make Lott look like an obsessive anal retentive anyway, it's also a baldfaced lie. Lott did use the Mary Rosh pseudonym in emails, including four that he/she sent to me. They're all sitting right here in my Outlook inbox, including his final one on January 22 titled "Sorry," in which he fessed up to his deception.
Kevin and I have both tried to converse with Lott and it resembles an exercise in nailing jello to the wall.
On the other hand, Tim Lambert shouldn't send me things I'm likely to read while trying to work. Primarily because everyone around me wonders why I'm laughing so loud while trying to write a paper,
More Carrying, Less Brandishing. Some of the humor is for stat geeks, but is generally accessible to all with a sense of incredulousness.
archpundit 9/05/2003 12:32:05 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Hynes and Labor
Reader comment on the Neal Labor column,
For once, it seems, Neal writes a column that required thought, but, unfortunately, he didn't take it far enough. Does anyone seriously believe that Dan Hynes would have any labor support this early (that James Hoffa would come to town and endorse an Illinois Comptroller not known anywhere outside of IL for the U.S. Senate) were it not that his dad, Tom Hynes, wasn't a major power-broker on the DNC. At least Obama has a labor voting record to defend; and Hull has a labor history to guide his thinking. What does Hynes bring to the table: his years as a Notre Dame undergrad, as a Loyola law student, his father-greased slide into public office? What? Hynes's endorsements reflect two things: his father's power and many peoples' worry about their city and county livelihoods.
Pretty much. I'm not quite as hard on Hynes, but yeah, the only reason labor is rallying around him is his father. Obama probably is most deserving though Hull and Pappas are good on labor issues. From the union's perspective, they've bought into the inevitability campaign and they want to back a winner.
My problem with Hynes is he isn't attacking the President's agenda instead opting for a play it safe campaign--that may cost him in the primary.
archpundit 9/03/2003 2:19:00 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
How to Attack Obesity
No personal cracks out there, but Linda Armstrong points out that enhancement funding in the highway bill is an effective way to encourage exercise and promote independence. Oh, and reduce air pollution and the such. One of the mistakes of highway funding is ignoring alternatives. This is a relatively cheap program that has great results.
What can you do?
Please take the time to call or fax your congressperson today or tomorrow (http://www.house.gov ). Your call will help restore Enhancements to the 2004 transportation budget and show our representatives how much support there is bicycle-related issues as we move ahead with TEA-21 re-authorization.
Between now and Thurs, Sept 4th, 2003, please forward this alert to any appropriate individuals, groups, or email lists who are concerned with bicycle or pedestrian issues.
More information available at the Bike League. From some listservs it sounds like Congress is getting lots of calls--Akins' office included.
Neil Pierce also covers the issue in his column, passed on to a listserv by Brian Marston
The federal government's signature program to promote pedestrian andbikeway transportation alternatives -- ways to spare us a 100-percent asphalt future -- teeters on the edge of extinction in a U.S. House vote scheduled this Thursday.
The House will have to decide whether to restore funding for the
Transportation Enhancements program, a favorite of environmentalists and
local communities, that its Appropriations Committee left unfunded in favor of still more billions for standard highway projects.
Ironically, the moment of decision follows release of major new
research scientifically linking, for the first time ever, the United States' pattern of highway-driven, sprawling, road-dependent development with the alarming epidemic of rising weight and obesity that the country's been experiencing.
The peer-reviewed study, published in the American Journal of Health Promotion and the American Journal of Public Health, relies on federal Census figures and health data based on 200,000 Americans living in 448 metropolitan area counties. Its finding: Americans who live in spread out, totally auto-dependent communities routinely walk less, weigh more (an average of six pounds), and are more prone to high blood pressure than residents of the most densely populated places.
A less-noticed, companion piece of research, published
simultaneously by the American Journal of Public Health, suggests there is a public policy solution to the dilemma of spread-out development that makes us ever more auto-reliant sedentary, fatter, and unfit.
Tested for several decades in Europe, the alternative stresses
serious government investments in expanded walkways and bikeways, making
intersections safer for pedestrians, establishing physical barriers to fast city and town auto traffic and planning villages and communities friendlier to pedestrians.
The Dutch more than doubled their already massive network of bike
paths and lanes between the '70s and '90s, while the Germans almost tripled the extent of their bikeway network. Almost all paths were connected with practical destinations for everyday travel -- town centers, schools, parks, office complexes, light rail stops -- rather than the recreation attractions most popular for bike paths in the U.S.
Companion traffic-calming measures -- first reported in this column from Delft, the Netherlands, in 1978 -- feature zigzag curves, speed bumps and artificial dead ends that give pedestrians, cyclists and playing children as much use to residential streets as motor vehicles.
The results, report John Pucher of Rutgers University and Lewis
Dijkstra of the European Commission in Brussels, are spectacular. With a
more hospitable environment for non-auto travel, walking and cycling account for 34 percent of urban trips in Germany, 46 percent in the Netherlands.
By contrast, only 10 percent of Americans used foot or bike for urban trips in the '70s, and by 1995 the figure was down to a mere 6 percent. Even Canada, more like us geographically, now registers almost twice our number of walking and biking trips.
Walking and cycling have yielded the Europeans the health results
you'd expect -- much lower rates of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension than the United States. With that come healthy life expectancies 2.5 to 4.4 years longer than the U.S., even though European per capita health expenditures are only half ours.
With U.S. obesity levels rising rapidly and our gigantic baby boom
generation soon to reach its retirement years, sensible federal policy would be to emulate the European practices and make walking, cycling and transit options at least the equal of outlays for standard roads and bridges.
Instead, the Republican majority on the House Appropriations
Committee wants to decapitate the enhancements program, which amounts to
just 10 percent of federal transportation funding anyway.
The decision clearly doesn't sit well with Democrats, who are almost unanimous for the enhancements. Nor, it turns out, with Rep. Tom Petri (R-Wis.), chair of the Transportation subcommittee considering renewal of TEA-21, the country's basic transportation law, which expires Sept. 30. Petri warns that if enhancements are killed, the broad coalition of interests that now favor the entire TEA-21 renewal package may collapse.
There's little doubt most Americans favor transportation choices. A nationwide poll last spring, for example, showed 53 percent favor increased federal spending on bicycle facilities -- new paths, reserved lanes, better signals -- even if it means that less collected in gas taxes goes to new road construction.
Check Europe again and you see the massive potential payoff. We
have hostile main arteries, fewer sidewalks and strip malls hazardous to
unmotorized visitors. On a per-mile basis, an American pedestrian is threetimes more likely to get killed and a cyclist two times more likely to get killed than his German counterpart.
Provide safe environments and peoples' behavior does change. Germans and Dutch 75 and older, for example, make half their trips on foot or bike, compared to 6 percent of Americans 65 or older. Result: valuable physical exercise, independence, socializing, enhanced quality of life.
Please, Congress, think again!
archpundit 9/03/2003 1:16:59 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Pappas Late Entry Is Tactics
Lynn Sweet covers the Pappas' strategy and it seems clear she is making a run. I'm not so convinced a late entry helps, but it might work with some momentum building polls right after announcement. Her hope has to be that Obama and Hull don't start raising their name recognition enough in the mean time to drag down her numbers.
Also, Mellisa Bean is taking another crack at Phil Crane.
archpundit 9/03/2003 12:31:48 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
IL Senate: AFL-CIO Endorsement
3 Way Shuffle for the AFL-CIO endorsement in Illinios, may create no endorsement. Obama, Hynes, and Hull all have strong records. If Hynes doesn't get it, it is definitely a chink in the armor of the inevitability campaign.
archpundit 9/03/2003 12:23:19 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Send Regards to Greg Blankenship
He broke his finger of which I rack up to normal clodness in my life, I have no idea if Greg suffers the same level of clumsiness or if Ii'm projecting. More importantly, his grandfather died and it sounds like he had a relationship with his grandfather similar to my relationship with my grandfather. My sympathies to Greg.
archpundit 9/03/2003 12:06:12 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Capitol Fax Ranks the Dems
In the Senate Race and I'm pretty much in agreement. Obama is the tough one in the primary though as he should naturally have the largest single base, but other factors counter that.
archpundit 9/02/2003 11:55:56 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Eating Your Own
Ideological Purity becomes the 2004 Theme for the Illinois Circular Firing Squad Team (AKA Republican Party) as Joe Weigand targets Dave Wirsing. It would appear that the right wing of the Republican Party thinks they live in Alabama and not Illinois. The winner in such challenges may not be a Democrat specifically, but it will certainly be the Illinois Democratic Party.
Unless, of course, someone wants to demonstrate that Anthony Downs and the Median Voter Theorem were incorrect.
archpundit 9/02/2003 11:41:23 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Editing, Illinois Leader, Editing
While a good stream of conscious rant is great for a blog, couldn't the Illinois Leader bother forcing Joyce to have a thesis statement?
Just a suggestion.
archpundit 9/02/2003 11:35:03 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Cheeky Leader Article of the Day
Just so no one forgets, they remind us all that General John Borling is pro-choice, the Leader's Headline is General aborts Windy City announcement.
All-in-all Borling sounds interesting, but others have noted his poor speaking ability. In addition, he has a giant target on his head from social conservatives. I have to admire the article though, it paints a hysterical picture of a campaign trying to stage a photo-op.
archpundit 9/02/2003 11:30:26 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
As A Heads Up
For those not familiar with the set-up here, I essentially run two blogs. This one concentrates upon Illinois and National politics. The other--linked as Blog Saint Louis to your left, focuses on Saint Louis and Missouri politics. From time to time one suffers from an outbreak of news in the other area.
Currently, Saint Louis is boiling over with news over a school reform effort that is quite heated in some respects and I even do some original reporting on it. For that reason, while I'll be better than posting once a week over here, through the next couple of weeks the Saint Louis Public Schools situation is going to be fascinating and taking my attention over at Blog Saint Louis. Given there is a general summer lull, I won't be missing much.
For those that have an interest in School Reform, I think the Blog Saint Louis posts might be interesting. That being said, they do have a certain amount of buy in time associated as you learn the factions and history. Comments about such confusion will lead me to be more clear.
And I'll be bold here, I think if Saint Louis gets through the next 10-12 weeks successfully, it won't be Saint Louis Mayor Francis Slay visiting Daley for blessings on a school reform, Daley will be coming to Slay asking how to avoid burning through CEOs who can't tame the bureaucracy.
archpundit 9/02/2003 11:17:53 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Forgiveness and Bikes
As a sometimes bike commuter, the story of the bike messenger that stalked and then attacked a guy he had a run-in with hit home a bit. Most cyclists will regale you with hours of stories about jackasses in cars that seem to be disproportionately middle aged white guys in Dodges. They cut you off, they throw things, they get out of the car until they realize you are bigger, have pepper spray, and in a hell of a lot better shape (ed...excuse me--well normally I am). They then usually quickly get back in after a hard stare.
But cyclists behave badly quite often as well. There are of course the riding examples of Darwinian Natural Selection who ride against traffic despite clear guidelines in the laws of physics, but ultimately they are mainly dangers to themselves. Others can be quite horrific such as the bike messenger.
Zorn then uses it as a stepping stone to discuss forgiveness in a quite touching article.
archpundit 8/27/2003 4:12:20 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Another Day, Another Indictment
Patrick Fitzgerald indicts a friend of George Ryan and former State Senator on Seven Counts of Perjury in the Licenses for Bribes scandal
Swanson was paid $60,000 a year for three years under the Metropolitan Pier contract, yet did little to no work, U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald said at a news conference this afternoon in downtown Chicago to announce the indictment. The defendant allegedly lied to the grand jury about how he got the contract.
I've lost track on the number of indictments, but the Trib reports over 60 with 50 convictions. The real effort here is to try and get closer to Ryan and make a case against him. It appears that Fawell is staying quiet making such a case hard.
archpundit 8/27/2003 3:55:07 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
A Challenge to Dick Devine
Subordinates with this sort of behavior should be made to write full apologies
When asked Friday morning if they wished to make a statement to the court after dropping all charges against two men who have spent most of their lives in prison, one of the two prosecutors handling the case replied: "I don't think we're required to . . . "
Of course they weren't, Cook County Circuit Judge Dennis Porter stated. The question was would they like to.
How can someone be so callous as to ignore 27 years of wrongful incarceration?
archpundit 8/27/2003 3:32:12 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
The Problem With Twins
While this isn't much of a personal blog, let's say I have some experience with twins and well, the biggest problem is that they seem to have a habit of having one distract you while the other creates a mess.
John Kass, a father of twins, explains what happens when you don't get there in time to stop the second one.
Via, Eric Zorn, another father of twins.
I have a placed a call to DCFS, however. What kind of degenerate raises his kids to root for the White Sox?
As for the Royal We--unless you have a mouse in your pocket or are using it for specific literary effect, just don't.
archpundit 8/27/2003 3:11:27 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Why Take a Shot at Moseley Braun
when I don't have to, Eric Zorn did it for me:
Braun is not a sure loser because she's African American or because she's a woman. She's a sure loser because she was not a particularly good senator.
Pretty much. My favorite is still when she secured a tax benefit for the Tribune Company and the Trib Editorial Board blasted her for it.
archpundit 8/27/2003 3:06:23 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
That's a Year
Happy One Year Blogiversary to Me--well Yesterday. Thanks for all the hits and back to your regularly scheduled programming.
Seriously, I have over 44,000 hits to this site and the previous version on Blogger and I can't really believe it. While the numbers aren't up there with Kos or others, for a narrowly focused blog on Illinois and Missouri politics, I'm very humbled.
archpundit 8/27/2003 1:28:04 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Good Vibes...
The Team that won't be named here won tonight and I'll be in attendance in enemy territory tonight, Wednesday. Send good vibes
And Kos is stuck in Chicago Heh.
archpundit 8/27/2003 1:20:13 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
A Ringing Defense of Farm Subsidies
From Joyce Morrison.
On the one hand, she seems to have a clear point.
On the other, it is really dumb clear point. Not to mention Joyce is a welfare farmer. Subsidies produce gluts that artificially lower the prices and keeps inefficient producers growing. If you can't efficiently compete, don't. Either find a profitable crop or find another occupation. We don't guarantee people jobs of their choice in this country. We do our best to provide economic conditions that promote full employment and that is good and certainly our rural areas are need significant help there.
However, that isn't an excuse to cater to an inefficient industry that survives in its current form through protectionism and subsidies. If you do away with sugar quotas and subsidies corn becomes far less profitable and either Illinois producers have to switch to a more profitable crop or become more efficient. Farms are businesses and the conceit that they are a way of life is nothing besides an excuse by those businesspeople to continue to receive their subsidies at taxpayer expense and receive protection from efficient sugar producers at the expense of consumers and those companies that use sugar in production.
archpundit 8/27/2003 1:00:11 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Let's Play Two
Two updates at the Political State Report
Past Redistricting Attempts with the extended text from Rich Miller's Capitol Fax. An interesting 'insight' into Da Speaker.
DuPage County Republicans Canabilizing Each Other. Cleaned up version of the typical Illinois Circular Firing Squad Team article focusing on the battles in DuPage and what that means.
archpundit 8/27/2003 12:40:28 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Senate Impressions
Jeff Trigg hits up two posts on the Senate,
1) His Impressions of the Republican Senate Candidates
The only issue I take with his comments is that while Rauschenberger lacks some of the social graces one is accustomed to in politicians (essentially he doesn't suffer fools--but assumes everyone is a fool creating a problem talking to anyone on a one-on-one basis) he has a good shot due to some pretty good connections throughout the Illinois Senate and is close to Hastert. I wouldn't make him a favorite, but he has a shot to do well.
2) He identifies the like Libertarian Candidate for US Senate who sounds interesting at least.
archpundit 8/26/2003 11:20:07 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Judicial Slapdown
It isn't often that one laughs out loud at a Federal District Court judge, but leave it to the Fox News suit against Al Franken to produce such an outcome.
here are hard cases and there are easy cases," said Chin. "This is an easy case. The case is wholly without merit both factually and legally?It is ironic that a media company that should seek to protect the First Amendment is instead seeking to undermine it."
Dori Ann Hanswirth, Fox's lawyer, argued that buyers might be confused and think that the book was actually put out by Fox News, thus diluting and tarnishing the Fox brand. "Defendants' use of the Trademark?on the Preliminary Cover is likely to cause confusion among the public about whether Fox News has authorized or endorsed the Book, and about whether Franken is affiliated with FNC [Fox News Channel]," said the suit. "Franken is commonly perceived as having to trade off of the name recognition of others in order to make money."
Chin didn't buy it. "Is it really likely someone is going to be confused as to whether Fox News or Bill O'Reilly is endorsing this book?" asked the judge.
"It is likely consumers could believe that," replied Hanswirth. Later she added, "There's no real message that this is a book of humor or political satire. It's a deadly serious cover and it's using the Fox News trademark" to sell itself.
In response, the judge pointed out that one of O'Reilly's own books is titled "The O'Reilly Factor: The Good, the Bad, and the Completely Ridiculous in American Life." "Is that not a play on "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly?'" Chin asked, noting that the movie title is also trademarked.
"I don't know," replied Hanswirth.
"You don't know?" asked the judge.
That's about as bad of a day in court one can have as a lawyer. But it got worse,
Abrams said that if Fox pursued its case, he would challenge the validity of the "Fair and Balanced" trademark itself.
In delivering his scathing opinion, Chin suggested that Abrams would probably succeed in such a challenge. "The mark is a weak one," he said. "It's highly unlikely that the phrase 'Fair and Balanced' is a valid trademark."
When you go to court and learn you may lose a trademark and not just the case to protect the trademark you just hook up the IV full of gin right there.
My suggestion to Franken is not to just be reimbursed for legal fees, but file suit proclaiming it a frivolous lawsuit. If you win, you get to use it every time a blowhole on Faux News whines about frivolous lawsuits. It's like job creation for satirists.
archpundit 8/25/2003 11:23:06 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Will Not Stand--What Does He Have Leg Problem
Marie, in comments, notes,
"And I'm not going to stand for it."
There's that same misdirected righteous indignation we heard when he went after cheating cows. He's getting lost in his own rhetoric.
Well, he can stay sitting down as he is about to be overridden by the Lege.
This fits with a recent post by Eric Zorn on good and bad Rod that describes Blagojevich's split personality--scroll down--no permalinks. Zorn did a column during the campaign that highlighted the problem and it is linked from his post.
Rod wants to always play the tough guy when a deft hand would do better. He learned not to try and punk Madigan during the campaign, but apparently that lesson was specific to Madigan and not general to people with whom he needs to work. What he doesn't realize (or maybe care about) is that every time he takes on a political ally with tough language he hands their opponents a campaign issue. Even in those reasonable cases where he disagrees, a softer touch will get him much farther.
The Trib does a nice job slapping him down over the veto as well.
That's not simple. It's simplistic. It is a cartoon view of criminal justice that says if you're with me, you're with the good guys, and if you're against me, you're with the bad guys.
So which is it, governor? It's difficult to figure out a leader who changes his tune every time he changes his audience.
Seventeen police officers decide whether there should be an administrative penalty of losing one's badge under the provision he vetoed. Does anyone believe that seventeen officers are going to pull a badge on a weak case? I'm not sure they'll do it on a strong case.
Zorn addresses why there is a different standard for an administrative action in his post,
police officers to additional scrutiny, higher standards and separate disciplinary boards and proceedings in many areas for a simple reason: With additional power comes additional accountability. This is an extremely common notion that cuts across many regulated professions, such as medicine and the law. Good Rod knows this. Bad Rod thinks he can confuse the issue by portraying himself as an advocate for equal treatment for to police officers.
I'll go one step further. Employers can discipline employees for less than criminal acts. Police officers are public employees. In this case we are setting up an administrative review panel to ensure fairness to the individual officer. It does go one step further as well banning an officer from employment as a police officer in other Illinois jurisdictions.
archpundit 8/25/2003 11:07:46 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
The Speaker Rules Out Redistricting
Up at Political State Report
as reported in the Capitol Fax
This is a good thing. This midterm redistricting idea is bad for the country and even Illinois native George Will agrees.
Two things here. One, What would George Will think about Tim Johnson representing his old home? Johnson's personal character given Will's view of Clinton would be an interesting challenge for Will to address.
Second, does anyone know if Will's family had a trucking business in McLean County? Will himself, was a faculty brat in Champaign-Urbana, but I've heard that a relative had a trucking business around the beltway in Bloomington.
archpundit 8/25/2003 10:37:15 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Birkett Announced For Reelection
DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett apparently announced a run for reelection last night at 8 PM.
Maybe the Governor can campaign for him.
archpundit 8/22/2003 7:48:04 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Blagojevich Stands Up for Perjury
G-Rod runs to the right of the GOP and stands by his veto of an administrative panel of police officers designed to be a watchdog over police officers perjuring themselves in capital crimes .
In a stunning statement demonstrating he doesn't grasp the issue,
"In my view that means less justice, not more justice," Blagojevich said after he signed into law an increase in the state's minimum wage. "In my view, that means our streets are less safe, not more safe. And I'm not going to stand for it. When the legislature has to convene, they have to ask themselves one simple question and that is whether or not we should have a system that treats criminals better than it treats police officers."
Such a statement equates any sort of oversight panel as 'treating criminals better than it treats police.' It is baffling to me what exactly is wrong with having a disciplinary panel for police officers given such panels already exist in many communities and every police department has the authority to discipline officers with a standard below that in criminal trials. In fact, this one is to be staffed by other police officers. If anything, that makes it far too hard to yank a badge when an officer lies under oath.
All of this should be clear to a man with a law degree--unless his real goal is to appear tough on crime like another cynic who returned from the campaign trail to oversee the execution of a retarded inmate.
archpundit 8/22/2003 7:42:04 AM - [Link] - Comments ()
Illinois Circular Firing Squad Team Encourages California's
John Zahm provides moral support to the California Circular Firing Squad Team slobbering over McClintock and suggesting a conservative might deliver California to Bush in 2004.
In other science fiction news...Pat O'Malley is likely to become Illinois Governor in 2006 after running nothing but attack commercials on Rod Blagojevich's lack of support for home schoolers.
After donating to Democratic Party at the left, be sure to send Pat O'Malley some cash. It is far more effective going to him than any Democrat if your goal is to elect Democrats in Illinois.
In other news, the Leader gives us several articles detailing pretty much every political donation ever made by anyone with the last name McKenna.
Even more fascinating is the little soap opera playing out between Leader staffers and Republican lege staffers. I mean, Democrats couldn't dream this stuff up to keep the ICFST from being productive and on message.
And the daily gay bashing continues with an argument that gays and lesbians getting married is an attack on my wife and I's marriage. You see, gay rights is really about being Pro-Life. And it is all Griswold v. Connecticut's fault. Keep it up and try and make the argument to the general public that the state should have the ability to regulate an individual's use of contraceptives. Really, it will work great. I promise.
archpundit 8/21/2003 10:57:24 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Tid Bit Week Continues...
Busy, Busy, Busy,
But let's start with Zorn
First, Patrick Murphy, Cook County Public Guardian is sticking around for a while. He has long been a rather tireless advocate for kids and his relaxation is the public's gain.
Second, a report on the Ford Heights Four case by the US Attorney's Office determines there was no criminal conduct in their prosecution....Hmmmm...I remember talking with some folks who were connected with the pro bono appeal work and this seems relatively consistent with what they thought.
Dick Devine chimes in, "It is a case study of how law enforcement can go wrong even when the sole intention is to find the right person for a terrible crime"
The challenge for honest prosecutors and police is to admit they can be wrong. Devine seems to be coming around on these issues and worked for the video taping provision in death penalty reform.
Steve Wolk argues that the real problem in urban education is poverty. He is correct on that point and Wolk is progressive on charter schools compared to most education professors and realistic about their ultimate effects. However, the Chicago Public Schools receive a lot of money per student. While Vallas and now Duncan have introduced a series of reforms and cost cutting measures, too much money is still spent outside of instructional costs. If resources aren't making it to the schools, then there needs to be a focus on how to get them there.
While public school education in high poverty areas will never be as strong as in low poverty areas as measured by achievement tests, the ultimate crime is being poor stewards of resources and not using every available resource to instruction. Poor students have extra challenges and that is why support service overspending is so wrong.
And for the first time ever, I think I can comfortably say that St. Louis may actually be the model for this. While the experiment is only beginning, there are signs of hope that the Saint Louis Public Schools will dramatically shift resources from support to instruction.
Now the challenge is how to figure out how to recruit and retain high quality teachers. There simply are not enough quality teachers who can handle an urban classroom. If we reorganize schools under Chicago's plan or No Child Left Behind, we are only rearranging the deck chairs of the Titanic without increasing the supply of high quality teachers. To make matters worse, currently good teachers, such as the above mentioned State's Attorney's older son, have every incentive to go to magnet schools because if they stay in the most challenged schools, they risk
their teaching careers.
And he links here--the link whore in me thanks him.
archpundit 8/21/2003 10:41:31 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Separated At Birth
Perhaps Eric Zorn has been blogging longer than we think...
Eric Zorn
Calpundit
archpundit 8/20/2003 11:44:33 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Loony Leader Bits
Joyce Morrison argues that deregulation and environmentalists are to blame for the power outage. Besides the fact that we don't have an exact cause yet, it is hard to imagine how environmentalists caused a breakdown. Environmental regulations are designed to force the costs of pollution to be passed on to the users of electricity. Stunning concept to actually charge users for the costs of their behavior, stunning I tell you. But I'm sure I'm a dupe of the black helicopter patrols. Or given Joyce's version of the conspiracy, the people who dupe people into believing that there are people who believe in black helicopters.
As always, a giant no-prize to the individual who can locate a proper thesis statement in the column. I believe she outdoes herself in her first sentence, "When the electricity goes off, we are so dependent on electricity, we are helpless."
Beyond that, she keeps arguing dereg caused the blackout in her usual incoherent fashion. She seems to want to maintain the traditional power monopolies without grasping that the prime reason transmission is such a problem is because you have multiple agencies responsible for shaping the regulatory structure reducing incentives to invest. A coherent national plan would eliminate the problem.
The only decent column I've seen so far on the issue is from Robert Samuelson of the Washington Post.
After the blackout, the search for a scapegoat could easily go awry. Electricity won't ever be deregulated. The real issue isn't between "the market" and "regulation," because the danger of bad regulation is at least as great as that of bad market behavior. What we ought to seek is an intelligent balance of government regulation and market flexibility.
There's the rub, because Americans generally won't acknowledge conflicts and make choices. The cry is for low prices, ample supplies, absolute reliability, clean air, no disfiguring construction projects, local autonomy and national accountability. Great. Unfortunately, there are tensions among all these goals. If we want reliability (and we should), we'll have to pay for redundancy. All too often, regulatory politics are a veil for avoiding choices -- a formula that, while pleasant in the present, is disastrous for the future.
Typical. No one wants to admit scarcity or market failures.
In other news of the ridiculous at the Leader, some of the social conservaitves in Illinois have gotten their panties in a wad over the University of Illinois giving benefits to employees' same sex partners. The horrors of equal treatment. Next you know we'll be treating homosexuals like equals or something. In an interesting bin of silliness it seems conservatives are upset because there is a budget crunch. Yeah. But of all of the spending at U of I, this is what you question? Don't worry, everyone gets it. Strangely, more and more conservative towns are passing equal treatment ordinances. When you lost Normal, you lost the war, but keep it up. It keeps you from getting into any real mischief.
And finally, Lee Newcom comes out from underneath his rock in McLean County. I have no opinion on Kinzinger, but Newcom I do. He gave a talk to some high school students several years ago and suggested they could do anything they wanted in campaigns because they weren't accountable and should take advantage of that factor. Nothing like teaching students to be responsible citizens there Leester.
archpundit 8/20/2003 11:17:43 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Sneed Tidbits
Sneed offers a couple gems up.
Sneed hears Gov. Blagojevich's top politicos claim the Guv is seriously hoping to get the nod for veep in 2004.
If true, this blows a hole in the theory that G-Rod is politically astute. Illinois is a safe Democratic seat in the general election and thus not an attractive place to pick a VP Candidate from.
Dem senatorial candidate Blair Hull's new campaign mobile, a 34-foot-long Cruise Master that is touring statewide, is being called "Hull on Wheels." Get it? Forget it.
Maybe corny, but it raises name recognition.
archpundit 8/20/2003 10:49:09 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
The Adlai Stevenson Award
Look, I like Barack Obama a lot and I think it would be amazing for Illinois to send another African-American to the Senate. While I haven't made up my mind amongst a very strong field, Obama is an excellent candidate. Steve Neal slobbered over Obama on Monday though, saying, "What gives Obama hope is that he is the clear favorite of informed voters."
To which, one can only break out Stevenson's line,
"Mr. Stevenson, you have the support of every thinking voter in America." To which Adlai Stevenson replied, with his characteristic wit, "Well that's great, but what I need is a majority of voters in America."
So one has to wonder if being the favorite of informed voters is damning one with faint praise.
archpundit 8/20/2003 10:25:01 PM - [Link] - Comments ()
Breaking Views
Eric Zorn joins the Blogosphere with Breaking Views. A name he is already apologizing for. Two minor quibbles, he has no permalinks and one has to register to get to the blog. I am registered so no biggy, but it doesn't fit the traditional blogosphere very well. Bill takes issues that he doesn't have comments and points out he doesn't understand why Instapundit gets away without having them. Reynolds actually did have them, but got rid of them because managing trolls was simply too much. I imagine the same is true of a big media journalist at a large site. Another example of the p