Lois Murphy's one of the 3 candidates local to me that are in the Eschaton-approved list. This isn't simply local personal bias, though I have met Lois a few times, it's because it's one of those "if we can't win this seat we can't win many" issue. Murphy and her opponent, the loathsome Gerlach, spent about the same amount of money in 2004 - roughly $2 million bucks - and the Lois lost by just a few thousand votes. It's an odd congressional district, like many around here, but it is slowly trending Democratic.
They currently have about the same cash-on-hand, and once again overall have raised about the same amount. Still, every dollar counts.
So, consider helping out.
Howie Klein wrote about Lois here.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Plus ça change...
Rocky Mountain News, September 19, 1994:
Coalition leaders denounced President Clinton and his administration at every opportunity for policies they said run counter to the beliefs of church- going Americans.
''We are here to send a message and that message is that we are fed up with Clinton-style liberalism,'' said Ralph Reed, executive director of the group in opening the convention.
Marshall Wittman, who runs the coalition's Washington office, said ''the national Democratic Party has definitely created a sour mood among religious conservatives and the mood here toward it is much more sour than last year.''
Across town, National Democratic Committee chairman David Wilhelm called a news conference to return fire, claiming religious conservatives are trying to hijack God and make him the Republican standard-bearer, when ''God is in all likelihood a political independent.''
Level of hostility rising
To which Reed proclaimed defiantly: ''David, you cannot intimidate us. We are Americans too and we have every right to be involved'' in politics.
...
''Somehow we (Democrats) lost the flag in the 1980s,'' said Wilhelm, meaning Democrats are seen as weak on national defense. ''I do not want to let this party lose God and the Bible in the 1990s.''
Common Sense Politics
As I was attempting to express on the radio, there's a certain imagined view of what the political center is which fits will into what the basic Beltway press view of what the political center is - somewhat economically conservative (or Liberal in the European tradition), and somewhat socially liberal. Miraculously this political center matches up just perfectly with the set of people who imagine a new wonderful politics above the partisan fray, and their agenda is presumed to be universally popular.
While this party of The Economist magazine (or, The Economist magazine circa 1997 when it wasn't as crappy as it is now) perhaps has its adherents, it's more likely that a successful third party movement (meaning, popular), would be more of an economic populist-nativist-socially conservative one. Some charismatic individual with a hybrid of the views of Ross Perot and Pat Buchanan who, coincidentally, were the standard bearers of the Reform Party...
It's a conceit of independence, of reasonableness, of untaintedness. It's very silly, and it causes people to rally around blank slate candidates who they imagine are also reasonable, independent, and untainted. It's why people vote for Arnold and Jesse Ventura.
While this party of The Economist magazine (or, The Economist magazine circa 1997 when it wasn't as crappy as it is now) perhaps has its adherents, it's more likely that a successful third party movement (meaning, popular), would be more of an economic populist-nativist-socially conservative one. Some charismatic individual with a hybrid of the views of Ross Perot and Pat Buchanan who, coincidentally, were the standard bearers of the Reform Party...
It's a conceit of independence, of reasonableness, of untaintedness. It's very silly, and it causes people to rally around blank slate candidates who they imagine are also reasonable, independent, and untainted. It's why people vote for Arnold and Jesse Ventura.
Radio
I'll be on On The Point at about 11:30 to wade into yet another stupid round of "partisanship bad, bipartisanship good" with a bunch of silly people.
Jeebus help me, the intro discussed College Republicans and "angry liberal bloggers."
You can listen here if you can stomach it.
...oh Lordy, the host just played a clip of O'Reilly going after "the left" when in fact O'Reilly was railing against "left wing newspapers" - in other words, the mainstream media.
Jeebus help me, the intro discussed College Republicans and "angry liberal bloggers."
You can listen here if you can stomach it.
...oh Lordy, the host just played a clip of O'Reilly going after "the left" when in fact O'Reilly was railing against "left wing newspapers" - in other words, the mainstream media.
Vote for Me or I'll Bring You All Down!
That, apparently, is Lieberman's message. If Lieberman loses the primary and does an independent bid as planned I do predict he'll lose the race. I also don't really buy the idea that it'll hurt downticket races. I did think that was true previously, but after more thought I decided many of these Democrats running might actually do better. First, given that DON'T TALK ABOUT THE Iraq WAR is actually an important issue for voters Joe the Democrat makes it hard for people running in CT to deal with the issue. Second, it will be a more interesting race if it's a three-way and that will presumably motivate more Democratic voters to go to the polls.
Double your dollars - Lamont is matching them one for one.
Double your dollars - Lamont is matching them one for one.
Blogosphere Day
Time for the annual netroots fundraising drive. Chris Bowers explains.
While the target of the push is Ned Lamont, throughout the day I'll be highlighting all the people on the Eschaton list. No need to pick just one, you can give to them all!
But, first up is Ned Lamont who needs no introduction. Lamont has promised to match dollar for dollar everything that comes in. Time's running out to make a difference, so please give for the final push to help Lamont beat Lieberman.
While the target of the push is Ned Lamont, throughout the day I'll be highlighting all the people on the Eschaton list. No need to pick just one, you can give to them all!
But, first up is Ned Lamont who needs no introduction. Lamont has promised to match dollar for dollar everything that comes in. Time's running out to make a difference, so please give for the final push to help Lamont beat Lieberman.
Ah, Memories
Christian Science Monitor, 1993:
'THERE'S a battle going on for what the Republican Party will be," says former Sen. Warren Rudman (R) of New Hampshire. The fight, he says, is over whether such social issues as abortion and gay rights will form a central part of the Republican message.
In the past, such a debate might have been decided in the proverbial smoke-filled back rooms. But in the age of Ross Perot, social issues are the subject of a heated duel in grass-roots organizing between the Republican Majority Coalition (RMC) - a group of centrist Republicans, including Mr. Rudman - and the Christian Coalition, a group founded by the Rev. Pat Robertson that speaks for many on the Christian Right.
In this battle, the Christian Coalition has an edge in experience - it has been around since 1988, while the RMC was founded in January - and organizational muscle. Ralph Reed, the coalition's boyish-looking executive director, reels off a series of numbers demonstrating his group's reach: 250,000 dues-paying members, a mailing list of 2.2 million names, and 60,000 churches the group communicates with. "We expect to double our membership this year," Mr. Reed boasts.
So far, most Christian Coalition activities have been targeted at local politics. For instance, the group often holds "Leadership Schools" to teach activists how to get involved in neighborhood politics. In 1992, coalition activists ran in some 500 United States elections for such policymaking bodies as school boards and city councils; they won 40 percent of the races, according to People for the American Way, a liberal lobbying group. Recently, coalition foot soldiers played a major role in backing a conservative slate of candidates in New York City school-board elections held May 4.
Now the Christian Coalition has moved onto the national scene. Earlier this year, the group opened a three-person lobbying office in a redbrick town house a few blocks from the US Capitol. "We're doing the Lord's work in the devil's city," cracks Marshall Wittmann, the coalition's director of legislative affairs.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Reed
At the moment it looks like Ralph Reed is headed to defeat, though it ain't over until it's over.
From my memory, Reed is a symbol of the dawn new era in the media, where anyone cloaking themselves in (Christian) religion was treated with obscene deference. He was a political operative from the beginning, yet I remember him back in the old days being treated with reverence as he'd make the talk show rounds. I'm not sure how important it is in the grand scheme of things, but it'll be nice to see golden boy go down.
...and, he concedes.
From my memory, Reed is a symbol of the dawn new era in the media, where anyone cloaking themselves in (Christian) religion was treated with obscene deference. He was a political operative from the beginning, yet I remember him back in the old days being treated with reverence as he'd make the talk show rounds. I'm not sure how important it is in the grand scheme of things, but it'll be nice to see golden boy go down.
...and, he concedes.
Presidentin is Hard Work
Quiddity asks what the hell's going on. I think he's sick of even pretending that he takes the job seriously and doesn't want to bother anymore.
Maybe the cool kids at the Note will learn we a need a president who is more than just a guy we'd supposedly want to have a beer with.
Maybe the neocons will learn that their dreams of empire, whatever their worth, require a competent emperor.
Maybe the cool kids at the Note will learn we a need a president who is more than just a guy we'd supposedly want to have a beer with.
Maybe the neocons will learn that their dreams of empire, whatever their worth, require a competent emperor.
Free Stuff Tuesdays
UPDATE: Tickets spoken for. Sucks to be the rest of you, losers.
Chris gave out a free ticket to see Al Gore.
I'm offering two free tickets to a show at The Mann tonight at 8pm which for various reasons I've decided not to attend. It's the Philadelphia Orchestra performing Mozart's Overture to the Magic Flute, Ravel's Piano Concerto in G Major and Dvorak's 8th Symphony. The seats are under the shell and not the lawn seats, though you can still bring a picnic/nice bottle of wine/whatever to enjoy during the performance if you wish.
If anyone wants them, just email me and you can pick them up anytime after 6 at today's Drinking Liberally at Tangier's Cafe (18th and Lombard).
For center city people bus #40 runs right down Lombard and out to the Mann, if you don't wish to drive and deal with the Mann's parking situation. I'd recommend Septa's dedicated shuttle bus for the way home, which takes you back Rittenhouse square and neighboring locations for $3.50.
Chris gave out a free ticket to see Al Gore.
I'm offering two free tickets to a show at The Mann tonight at 8pm which for various reasons I've decided not to attend. It's the Philadelphia Orchestra performing Mozart's Overture to the Magic Flute, Ravel's Piano Concerto in G Major and Dvorak's 8th Symphony. The seats are under the shell and not the lawn seats, though you can still bring a picnic/nice bottle of wine/whatever to enjoy during the performance if you wish.
If anyone wants them, just email me and you can pick them up anytime after 6 at today's Drinking Liberally at Tangier's Cafe (18th and Lombard).
For center city people bus #40 runs right down Lombard and out to the Mann, if you don't wish to drive and deal with the Mann's parking situation. I'd recommend Septa's dedicated shuttle bus for the way home, which takes you back Rittenhouse square and neighboring locations for $3.50.
Nedrenaline!
Three new ads are up.
And consider using this handy tool to send people you know in Connecticut a postcard.
And consider using this handy tool to send people you know in Connecticut a postcard.
236 to 187
House rejects constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. I've been getting a bit confused about the politics of this stuff. Yes I know it allows them to claim that about of Democrats love the gay even more than they love the terrorist, or something, but at some point I have to believe that failing to actually win on any of this stuff has to make them look like a bunch of losers.
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