Back from hibernation...and a thought on the stimulus

So, I'm back to blogging after a hiatus...been a long time, sorry I was gone, yadda, yadda yadda.

On the stimulus, I really have one thought...does anyone actually think senators have thoroughly studied this bill? I don't have a problem with spending the money on the face of it, but it makes me very nervous to pass a huge spending/stimulus bill with so little time to actually go over it, to make sure the bill will actually do what it's intended to do, in the most efficient way possible.

It's kind of like buying a used car...when someone tells me I have to act now, and there's no time to analyze it or think it over, I tend to reach for my wallet.

One of the basic tenets of being a blue-dog Democrat is fiscal responsibility. This doesn't mean not spending money...it means spending it wisely. I hope this bill does that, but I remain unconvinced.

Fight on the Right - George Will lashes out against McCain

This is why some thoughtful conservatives have grave doubts about his ability to be president.

That's the reaction of conservative columnist George Will to John McCain's recent call for SEC Chairman Christopher Cox to be fired. Will spoke yesterday to a business group in Michigan, and McCain was definitely a topic. Will, a friend of Cox, clearly wasn't in a friendly mood when it came to McCain. Here is more from the article:

In his speech, Will said McCain worries conservatives because he is someone who "can so polarize every argument into a kind of moral melodrama. You can't have honest difference of opinion with John McCain. This is very difficult because to disagree with he who is honor personified is inherently dishonorable."

SEC Chairman responds to McCain

Christopher Cox, SEC Chairman, responded to McCain's call earlier today for him to be fired:

"While I have great respect for Sen. McCain, we have sometimes disagreed, and
this is one such occasion. The SEC has made plain that we have zero tolerance
for naked short selling. In this market crisis, the men and women of the SEC
have responded valiantly as they always do -- with the utmost dedication and
professionalism. Addressing the extraordinary challenges facing our markets, the
independent and bipartisan SEC has taken the following decisive actions."

My take:
It seems to me that Cox is treating McCain like a senile old uncle...with the appearance of deference and respect, but with a knowing wink.

From Politico - McCain wants SEC Commissioner fired

Wow...talk about sticking your neck out. McCain said today that SEC Commissioner Christopher Cox, a Republican who spent 17 years as a Congressman from California, should be fired:

"The Chairman of the SEC serves at the appointment of the President and has betrayed the public's trust," McCain said, reading deliberately from set remarks at a rally in Cedar Rapids. "If I were President today, I would fire him."

McCain...will put an end to greed?

In a sweeping statement, Senator McCain said yesterday at a townhall meeting:

"We're going to reform how Wall Street does business and put an end to the greed that has driven our markets into chaos."

My take:
Whoa. Put an end to greed? While he's at it, why doesn't he end pride, envy and covetousness? I know he probably didn't mean what he said...but still...not the best use of the language I've ever seen.

The Service Forum...oh, that campaigns could be run this way

At the forum centered on public service yesterday, the candidates seemed more in sync than they've ever been. Some of the areas of simpatico:

• Both criticized Columbia University (where Obama graduated from and McCain's daughter graduated from) for not allowing ROTC on campus. This is significant for Obama, as it signifies a move towards the center and a point of disagreement with his party's left wing.
• Both candidates praised serving the country and being involved in the community and other causes...they differed however on the approach. Obama strongly favored enhancing groups such as the Peace Corps and Americorps, whereas McCain wanted to stress private groups and churches.

Overall, I think this event was good for Obama. It allowed his team to take a deep breath and gather itself campaign-wise, and Obama was clearly the favorite among the crowd. He also was much more direct, much less academic than he was at the Saddleback Forum. McCain also did fine...he was thoughtful, strong without being strident, and funny.

Final Grade

Obama - A
McCain - B

Disappointment and rebuttal

As an independent-minded Democrat who really liked John McCain in 2000, I'm disappointed by the negative, nasty tone his campaign has taken. Yes, I'm an Obama supporter, so take this for what it's worth. But two things strike me as interesting:

• The McCain campaigns almost complete unwillingness to actually talk about their own proposals, and their almost complete focus on Obama. For example, this morning on CNN's"Late Edition" McCain Economic Advisor Nancy Pfotenhauer was asked if McCain and Obama were in fact moving closer together on the drilling issue. She basically started out her answer with "Well, what's important is that Barack Obama has...". In other words, she totally ignored his question about McCain in order to maintain complete focus on Obama. This, to me, is just wrong. It's OK to talk about the other guy, but you should talk at least as much about your guy. Otherwise, you just look like a hack. Especially when you are asked a direct question about your guy.
• The "Celebrity" ad. Here's the thing about this ad that strikes me as really offensive. There are lots of big celebrities, some of them arguably even better-known than Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. There's Bono, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Madonna, Tom Hanks, Johnny Depp, etc. But the McCain team chose Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. Why? Is it a coincidence that they are two young, white girls who are known for being promiscuous? Maybe it is just a coincidence...but it smells. Bad.

I just think the John McCain of 2000 would not have behaved this way. I admired that John McCain. This one...not so much.

What Obama Should Do Now

Now that the dust has settled, and Obama has the nomination sewn up, there are a few tasks that lay ahead of him:

1. Integrate Hillary Clinton into the campaign (but don't make her VP). To pick Clinton now would inject all the wrong energy into the mix, and would make Obama look weak. I think the perfect pick would be Senator Jim Webb of Virginia, the decorated Vietnam veteran who served in Reagan's Defense Department and is pro-gun and pro-military.
2. Accept McCain's idea of town hall meetings. Make him wait a little while (but not too long) and immediately go right after him on foreign policy. You don't stay away from an opponent's perceived strength, you attack it head-on...that's what Obama should do with McCain on Iraq. He has most of the public on his side, and if he just holds his own, he'll win this issue.
3. Take maximum advantage of the money gap. He can contest McCain pretty much everywhere...even in states where he doesn't win, he will force McCain to spend valuable resources...

If he does these things, Barack Obama will be the next President. According to me.

Clinton supporters and women's super-rights

It strikes me, as I read of some supporters of Hillary Clinton spread their discontent with the outcome, I am reminded of the words of women's rights pioneer Susan B. Anthony.

She published a periodical called Revolution to fight for women's right to vote. The motto of the paper was "The true republic — men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less."

Is it just me, or do these people seem to be asking for super-rights? The fact is that Hillary Clinton had ample chance to make her case. Democrats all over the country heard her many, many times. Many supported her, and I applaud them. But when all is said and done, Barack Obama will have the most delegates, and will have the nomination. The plain, simple truth is that Senator Clinton made some huge mistakes (such as ignoring early caucuses) and Obama siezed his opportunities. I really believe sexism had nothing to do with it, any more than it had to do with the fact that Senator Clinton got many, many more votes than Richardson, Edward, Biden, Dodd, etc. all put together. Last time I checked, they're all men.

Hillary video...yowch

I'm not a big fan of campaign videos...this one doesn't change my mind...can anyone say "Row, row, row your boat for Roosevelt"?

Northern Illinois shooting

According to CNN, six people have died, 21 are in the hospital, 7 in critical condition.

Apparently the gunman came out from behind a screen in a lecture all and started shooting.

My take:
Certainly both pro- and anti- gun lobbies will use this very real tragedy to promote their agendas. From all indications at this point, nothing would have prevented this. I think the "lesson" of this incident, if there is one, is that sometimes there are bad people who do bad things, and we can't always prevent it from happening.

Although I tend to be pro-gun rights in general, since the gunman had apparently planned to kill himself as well, I'm not sure how much of a deterrent it would have been to have more people on-campus armed.

It goes without saying...prayers for the families of all affected. May the Lord comfort them.

Thoughts on Not-Quite-Super Saturday

Here are some random thoughts on today...

Democrats

• Saw Obama's speech...wow. I don't agree with much of what he says, but you have to admire his ability to work a room. He reminds me of a young Muhammad Ali...so graceful, so smooth, so quick, that you forget how powerful his shots are.
• Clinton isn't out of it...but she's really behind the 8-ball. There's tremendous momentum for Obama, and if it goes to the convention there will be tremendous push for Obama to be the nominee.

Republicans

• Not a good night for Republicans. McCain shows real weakness, yet he's inevitably going to be the nominee. So at this point the nomination process has shown there are three candidates, and three factions that have yet to come together: Romney with the economic conservatives, McCain with the national security conservatives, and Huckabee with the social conservatives.
• What's the deal with McCain and Romney? I just noticed the last few times McCain has talked, he makes a point about saying he is continuing to have talks with Romney and that "together we will have success in November." Definitely grist for the rumor mill.

"The Barack I Knew"

This article on townhall.com by Carol Platt Liebau, who worked with Obama many years ago on the Harvard Law Review, is fascinating. She is a strong conservative who doesn't agree with Obama on much of anything policy-wise...yet she has many complimentary things to say about him.

She said he is:

• intelligent
• colorblind
• self-confident
• a good listener
• has a great sense of humor

As Obama is my choice (at least early on), this sounds pretty encouraging, coming from a conservative.