Stupid Politician Tricks

This is not a knock on the Democratic party, since the last time a politician said something this stupid was Republican George Allen calling a rival's intern macaca on video.

Martha Coakley is locked in a ferocious battle for Ted Kennedy's seat in Massachusetts. In a radio interview on Friday, she decided it would be a good idea to call Curt Schilling "another Yankees fan".

Yes, that Curt Schilling. While there are a lot of things I might call Curt Schilling, a Yankees fan probably wouldn't make the list. She tried to cover it up in the interview, but only made it worse when she stated the obvious, that Curt Schilling no longer plays for the Red Sox.

She probably missed the part where he may be one of the most beloved sports figures in Massachusetts history.

Oh, well. She didn't need the male vote to win, anyway, right?

Special Interests Alive and Well

While I'm sure members of the Democratic party have really good reasons, I hope my friends who vote the left side of the ticket will agree that one of the latest changes to health insurance legislation really just isn't right.

This article in the WSJ details that, in exchange for AFL-CIO support, the Democrats have included a 5-year exception on taxing high value insurance plans.

Doesn't sound so bad, right? Well, it is if you don't belong to a union. Because, as a normal, hard working adult, I don't qualify for the discount. Only union members will receive the benefit of this exception.

I keep hearing that this is balanced legislation. I haven't spent a ton of time reading it, but the excerpts I've seen seem fair. But, this exception is crap.

Really. A union employee works harder than me, and deserves this more than me? Or, they just happened to give more money to the right politician holding his hand out.

Obama to Increase Taxes on Rich

Conflicting reports show that the administration is planning on raising taxes for people making over $250,000 or $208,000, depending on the source.

An increased tax burden for these groups came from a reduction in the ability to deduct interest paid on a primary mortgage, as well as increases in the top two tax brackets by anywhere between 9% and 13% over the current 33 and 35% top tiers.

Someone really needs to explain to me why this is fair. People making $250,000 a year pay between 33 and 35% now, which is already 5-8 percentage points higher than most of America.

That's not enough? We need to tax at a rate 40 to 50% higher than the middle class instead of 35% to 45%? Why not just cap everyone's salary and hand out bread rations. Then everyone would get exactly the same thing, and none of us would have to work hard for it.

Maybe they should double the cost of health insurance for those making $250K or more. Or, increase the tolls paid on our highways by rich people. That seems just as fair.

I'm going to get off my soapbox now.

Interesting Inaugural Moment

The cameras caught Bill and Hillary Clinton greeting the elder President Bush and Barbara. Bill hugged not only Barbara, but George Sr. as well, in a very warm fashion. Hillary shook hands from a distance, and patted George Sr. on the shoulder.

Why January 20th?

So, why does our President take office on January 20th? Well, it used to be March 4th. In the olden days, Presidential candidates needed this long to get their affairs in order. Also, when the date was first selected, there were no commercial flights, so it took longer to get to Washington, DC.

The Twentieth Amendment was ratified in 1933, changing the official date to January 20th. It appears that some of the gap between election day and January 20th is due to the certification by the electoral college. It appears that the election results are certified two weeks before the inauguration. This process used to take much longer, but was simplified through modern communication methods.

Obama Picks Lobbyist for #2 Spot at Defense

I'm a couple of days late on this story, but I wasn't keeping track of the news closely while I was gone.

Barack Obama selected a veteran of Raytheon to be Deputy Director of Defense.

William Lynn is a very accomplished man. He served President Clinton, and from accounts I have read, served him well. But he's been lobbying Congress for years on behalf of Raytheon, a large defense contractor. Now, he hasn't lobbied in the last six months. And I really don't have a problem with the President hiring lobbyists.

I do, however, have a problem with Obama making this a cornerstone of his election platform when it would be virtually impossible to uphold.

Bill Richardson Withdraws Nomination

Well, this definitely comes as a surprise:

Bill Richardson withdraws his nomination as Commerce secretary.

I'd be really surprised to hear he actually did something wrong. He has always struck me as a pretty honest politicians, as far as politicians go.

Governor of Illinois-One More Thing

I'm not trying to sling mud. But I'm sitting here watching coverage on Hardball about Blagojevich. Everyone is going out of their way to comment on the fact that Obama wouldn't let him anywhere near him. They quietly kept him off the stage in Grant Park. They kept him from doing any campaigning for Obama. Any.

He's the governor of Illinois. He's a Democrat. It's shocking that he wouldn't be called upon or included in some way.

Which means, in my opinion, Obama knew he was crooked. Haven't heard anyone say this. Everyone in the media says the opposite.

But how could you keep such a prominent figure from your home state out of the limelight, when everyone else was?

Was Obama smart to keep him away? Sure. But if Obama really is striving to change the ethical boundaries of politics, then he probably had enough information to sound the alarm.

I'm just saying.

Governor of Illinois Going To Jail

It's been widely reported that the Governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, is heading to jail.

This had me laughing uncontrollably this morning. I was watching Hardball last night when it was discussed that he was demanding Bank of America to reinstate a line of credit to a company in Illinois that makes windows and doors. He said he would order the government of Illinois to stop using Bank of America for any services until they (BOA) reinstated the line of credit. He (and Obama) spent yesterday encouraging the employees to stage a sit-in so their grievances could be publicized.

Then, "Senate Rod" gets arrested this morning for offering Obama's Senate seat in exchange for cash, among other things. This from a man elected on a reform agenda.

Open the dictionary and look up "poetic justice", and there's our friend Rod.

Good to see Chicago politics hasn't changed this century.

David Gregory New Moderator of Meet The Press

A nod to David for sending me the official announcement.

This has been rumored for some time, with Andrea Mitchell, Gwen Ifill and Chuck Todd listed as top contenders. I would have been fine with Andrea, maybe even Chuck, although I think he isn't the type to ask tough questions. I think Gwen Ifill would have been a horrible choice.

Tim Russert's death was both tragic and sad. He left behind family and friends that loved him dearly. From a personal standpoint, I'll miss tuning in to him on Sundays. I think Tim would have been pretty happy with Gregory as a replacement. Even though MTP won't be the same after Tim, I think Gregory is the right choice.

Tim changed MTP into a completely different show. He got the best guests, and asked the toughest questions. In my opinion, some of his final shows were his best, in the most heated Presidential contest I've been alive for.

I'm not sure David can do the same thing Tim did. Don't get me wrong. I think David will attract quality guests, and conduct strong interviews. I only started watching MTP regularly over the past few years, and grew to look forward to seeing Tim go to work every Sunday.

I hope I feel the same way about David many years from now.

Obama's Pro-Union Stance Seems To Be a Bit Left of Center

Here's an article contending that Barack Obama wrote a letter to John Gage, the president of a major union for government workers.

Okay, I understand Obama is pro-union. I'm not condemning him for that fact, even though I vehemently disagree with unions. They served a purpose during the history of our country, but by and large, my belief is that they have run their course.

If Obama really did write a letter to a union chief saying he thinks that the TSA employees need collective bargaining to get more from their employer, I am severely disappointed.

Let’s step into a vacuum for a second and say that I actually agree that there are still groups of employees that need this type of protection because their employer may not be giving them all the benefits they deserve. Ummm, isn’t he President-elect? Doesn’t that mean he’s their boss? If he doesn’t agree with their benefits, he can fire their boss. It’s a politically appointed position. And don’t feed me some crap that Congress controls the purse strings, and we need unions to make sure Congress doesn’t screw them. Overwhelming majorities in both the House and Senate nullify this point as well.

I know this description over-simplifies the process by which employee pay and benefits are determined. But he was elected on a platform of sweeping change. Do we really need to bring in special interests to renegotiate government employee salaries?

The Significance of 60

Saxby Chambliss defeated Jim Martin this evening in the Georgia Senate run-off.

Read about it in the NY Times here.

Chambliss, a Republican, assured that Democrats would not reach a 60 member filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. I think it's interesting to note that Chambliss won by 20 points tonight (or, at least that's his lead at the time of this post). This race was razor thin going down the stretch before the run-off. Could the overwhelming victory be a statement by Georgia residents that they don't want to see one party have a super majority of White House, House of Representatives and Senate majorities?

I can't say I remember Walter Mondale saying too many intelligent things. I was fairly young when he was in politics, and most of what I read painted him to be a bit goofy. But, in a recent interview, he talked about the fact that during his political tenure, the Senate dealt with the reality of a 60 member majority.

He stated his position very well. 60 is more of a zone. 58 may be just as good as 60. 60 may be just as good as 62. It really depends on the issue.

My belief is that 60 Democrats is MUCH different than 60 Republicans. For better or worse, the Republicans circle the wagons much better than Democrats. So, even if the Dems got to 60, I doubt they would have that lock on a majority of issues.

Mondale's point is that regardless of the number, consensus building is still the stuff of smart governing. Here's hoping some of our current elected leaders were listening.

Chris Matthews Running for Senate?

fivethirtyeight.com, which did an excellent job covering the 2008 Presidential campaign, is reporting Chris Matthews is gearing up for a Senate run.

Read about it here.

Not sure how I feel about this. Those who know me are aware of the fact that I really enjoy Chris' show. Not sure how I feel about him as a politician, though. Have to chew on that.

Anyway, kudos to fivethirtyeight for excellent coverage of all the 2008 races.

Geithner for Treasury Secretary

Tim Geithner, president of the New York Fed, will be nominated as Obama's Treasury Secretary. Some have suggested this isn't a good idea because of his lack of experience. I actually really like this choice. I can live with the lack of experience (and may be proven wrong on this). I think he makes up for it with his ability to build consensus along with his personality. We'll see.

It's also rumored that Bill Richardson is being considered for Commerce. I'm not sure where he belongs, but I think this is an excellent cabinet choice. A great voice for Obama to have on his team.

HIllary Clinton for Secretary of State?

Is this a good idea? Depends on who you are.

Barack Obama? Takes her out of the running for his office, but more importantly, quiets a potential voice of dissension within his party.

Harry Reid? Jumping with joy that he doesn't have to cede any power to her.

American people? Not sure. I think her existing relationships would help her in this position, which in turn helps Obama establish his agenda quicker. I think.

Trivia question. How many Secretaries of State have gone on to serve as President?

The Science of Politics

The science of politics has always interested me more than the views of one party over another. This was never more evident to me than around 11:30pm EST last night. I didn't vote for Obama, even though I did give him serious consideration. And yet, it was fascinating to watch the crowd in Grant Park.

I thought the concession speech by McCain represented his long history of strong values. Obama is definitely the best orator I've seen in a long time. The speech itself was fine. Not much new, most likely the product of a long-tired campaign. And yet, the speech and the atmosphere were still enchanting.

On the Senatorial side, it doesn't appear the Dems got near 60, but I suspect, as Mondale said, 60 is more of a zone, especially with a group of Dems that can rarerly find harmony in their own ranks.

I eagerly await the next few months to see how the story unfolds.

It's McCain

There are some that will say I made my mind up a long time ago. I didn't. I did, however, make up my mind last night. I'm voting for McCain.

In the end, I never really listened to something Obama said and nodded my head in agreement. I have concerns about his ability to deliver on all of his campaign promises. I have concerns about how he handled the preacher debacle, and concerns about ACORN.

In the end, I believe John McCain's views are more closely aligned with mine, despite my disappointment in his selection for VP.

It would appear to be a moot point, as it looks like McCain is going to get slaughtered tomorrow in the electoral college.

Learned Something New About McCain Today

From FactCheck.com:

Obama: Celling McCain Short
Any ad that features the mom of a sick child is sure to pull a few heartstrings. But this radio spot is flat wrong when it says that "John McCain has stood in the way – he's opposed stem cell research." Technically, the carefully-worded phrase is correct: McCain has opposed embryonic stem cell research. But not since 2001, when he became convinced, he says, that the potential good it could do outweighed other considerations.

Obama's 30-Minute Infommercial

Well produced. Still have no idea how he plans to accomplish all of his goals, which constitute a lengthy list. Some of the ones I find hard to fathom:

• Cut taxes for all families who make less than $200K.

• Freeze foreclosures for 90 days.

• Create 5 million fuel efficiency jobs that can never be outsourced.

A good portion of the families who make less than $200K also make such a small amount of money that they don't pay any taxes. In my opinion, freezing foreclosures for 90 days probably doesn't do much harm, but really doesn't do any good. What are we going to fix in 90 days? And as far as creating a job that can never be outsourced, that sounds pretty narrow-minded to us. Innovation is everywhere. Other countries are making huge strides in any number of areas. Promising that you can create jobs that will never be outsourced is irresponsible, in my opinion.

He also doesn't detail spending cuts, other than spending cuts in Iraq. Since it's not a Democratic hallmark to lower taxes, I would really like him to detail the cuts that allow him to pay for all the programs he wants. For me personally, if he were to detail some of the areas where he'll be decreasing spending, I would feel a lot more comfortable voting for him.

I'm sorry to say that his speech tonight, while very well-delivered, does not make me want to vote for him more. It definitely makes him look presidential, and maybe that's what his campaign is counting on. I could definitely see this swaying some people. Just not me.

More debates!

3rd (and final) Presidential debate

I really wish the candidates would agree to more debates. The standard 3 really doesn't cut it for me, and 1 VP debate isn't enough either.

Barack Obama and John McCain met at Hofstra University last night. I think Bob Schieffer did a pretty good job moderating. He allowed the candidates more responses than the format allowed when a contentious question arose. He also asked good follow-up questions, and pointed out when he wasn't getting good answers. I don't know whether it was the moderator or the format, but the candidates interacted with each other more in this debate than in the previous 2.

Best line of the night was from McCain, in response to an Obama comment about how McCain was a bad choice based on the last 8 years of President Bush: "Senator, I'm not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run 4 years ago."

Worst line of the night was from Obama: "100% of John McCain's ads are negative."

I mostly agree with the media here on the results of the debate. Obama played it safe, like a boxer way ahead on points in the last round. McCain was very active, delivering pointed jabs while he tried to score a knockout punch. There were a few times where McCain's facial expressions belied his frustration.

For better or worse, I don't think there was a game-changing play to make for McCain tonight. I don't believe there's any way for Obama to lose unless he screws up monumentally. Hence the reason his strategy for this debate was the right one.