Son of We're All Going to Rock to the Rules That I Make: Campaign 2010

[ggould]

Hope there isn't already something posted about this. What's a little politics between amigos? I am already tired of the BS being strewn about the TV and radio airwaves. I am also CONFUSED and want input from you intelligent people. The Brown v Whitman and Whitman v Brown race is all muddled in my mind. I was anti-Whitman but I do like some of her rhetoric. Have the unions bought Brown? Please share some of your thoughts on this race.

Well, unions support Democrats 99% of the time, so I don't think Jerry is any more or less "bought" than any other Dem candidate. Meg has spent 119 MILLION of her own bucks trying to get elected. Doesn't seem like she's doing it because she wants to help the poor.

What's her motivation? I'm just not getting it. Does Jerry have support to make California work better? Where can I look to get better informed? I don't want to sit this dance out.

Whitman is just a classic thief and demagogue.  I know that's harsh, but here's the deal: She wants to eliminate capital gains tax, which is totally a welfare handout to the rich.  Her investment earnings are already taxed at a lower rate than working people, and she wants to pay less taxes.  She runs ads talking about how she wants to return California's universities back to the golden age, and finance it on the back of welfare cheats.  There's nothing wrong about looking at welfare reform, but it's a false equation.  A dollar is a dollar, and doesn't care what it gets spent on.  Trying to pretend a dollar saved in one program is the same one spent in another is just bunk.  And speaking of unions, they are the only democratic institutions in the workplace.  I'm proud of the fact they endorse Jerry.  It's a no-brainer as far as I'm concerned.

[ggould]

Alicat, I took the liberty of merging your topic with one that was begun earlier this year. Hope you're cool w/ that. 

I'm following the CA gubernatorial election almost as closely as the one we've got up here. (I'm in Oregon, if you were wondering.) Former Gov. John Kitzhaber (Dem) is trying to retake his old office (he preceded the current governor, Ted Kulongoski), and is up against Chris Dudley (Repug), whose only claim to fame is as an ex-Portland Trailblazer, which seems to carry a lot more weight hereabouts than you'd think it deserves. Well, if California can elect bad actors to the statehouse, why not a former basketballer? (Don't get me started.)

That and we have a couple of seats in the House of Reps that may be switching parties, from blue to red, if the polls are to be believed. Dislike.

I saw a story on Rachel Maddow about a congressman up there who's getting slammed by totally anonymous corporate money.  Rachel called in money laundering, pure and simple.

[Alicat]

Good dialogue, thanks. I did not trust Meg from the get go. I remember Jerry as I grew up in SF but honestly don't know if he had good outcomes or not.

[ggould]

Jim,

Don't know if this Art Robinson guy is running for the seat near you, or if you've heard of him, but I just saw a very strange interview with him on the Rachel Maddow show:

http://tinyurl.com/25yq4cv

[urth]

Jim,

Don't know if this Art Robinson guy is running for the seat near you, or if you've heard of him, but I just saw a very strange interview with him on the Rachel Maddow show:

http://tinyurl.com/25yq4cv

We're in the first district here, so we have our own close race to worry about. DeFazio (the Dem incumbent) has the good fortune to have two sizable Democratic areas in his district, the city of Eugene and Gold Beach over on the coast. Outside of Portland and those two cities, Oregon is pretty damn conservative. So if Robinson can get the ear of enough of the wingnuts outside those areas, he might actually have a chance, despite being crazy as a shithouse rat.

In the district I live in, our Democratic congressman (David Wu) is in danger of losing his seat to a first-time politician who happens to have a couple of backers with deep pockets (the chairmen of Nike and Columbia Sportswear). Hoping it doesn't happen, even though Wu is pretty ineffective as legislators go.

[ggould]

Jim,

Don't know if this Art Robinson guy is running for the seat near you, or if you've heard of him, but I just saw a very strange interview with him on the Rachel Maddow show:

http://tinyurl.com/25yq4cv

We're in the first district here, so we have our own close race to worry about. DeFazio (the Dem incumbent) has the good fortune to have two sizable Democratic areas in his district, the city of Eugene and Gold Beach over on the coast. Outside of Portland and those two cities, Oregon is pretty damn conservative. So if Robinson can get the ear of enough of the wingnuts outside those areas, he might actually have a chance, despite being crazy as a shithouse rat.

In the district I live in, our Democratic congressman (David Wu) is in danger of losing his seat to a first-time politician who happens to have a couple of backers with deep pockets (the chairmen of Nike and Columbia Sportswear). Hoping it doesn't happen, even though Wu is pretty ineffective as legislators go.

The theme this year is just all about naked buying up of congressmen.  Since the Citizens United ruling, unlimited amounts of anonymous money is pouring into trying to make wingnuts electable.  Good luck with your guy.

[RGMike]

A rat done bit mah sistah Nell. And Whitey's on the... ballot?

http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/2801976,CST-NWS-whitney14.article

[RGMike]

8 right-wing falsehoods that may decide the midterms:

http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2010104222/false-things-public-knows-they-go-vote

[RGMike]

Mentioned this on FB too, but I got home this afternoon and on my machine was a robo-call from actress Doris Roberts (Ray Romano's TV mom on Everybody Loves Raymond) on behalf of People for the American Way (Norman Lear's lefty lobbying group) asking me to vote for Boxer.  I had no idea Ms. Roberts was political -- bet there were some interesting conversations on the set, since Patricia Heaton is quite the high-profile H'wood Repub.  Go Doris!

[RGMike]

final thoughts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlBOv8m_Xa8

[RGMike]

A timely rant from Larry Grogan of the Funky 16 Corners music blog (to go with his Election 2010 mix):

http://funky16corners.lunarpages.net/

[Tinka Cat]

Rosanne Cash to John Boehner: ‘Stop Using My Dad’s Name As A Punchline, You Asshat.’

http://www.mediaite.com/online/rosanne-cash-to-john-boehner-stop-using-my-dads-name-as-a-punchline-you-asshat/

[RGMike]

Socialist? I don't THINK so...

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/02/how-obama-saved-capitalism-and-lost-the-midterms/?scp=2&sq=timothy%20egan&st=cse

[urth]

Keith Olbermann has been suspended indefinitely without pay by MSNBC for making contributions to three political campaigns, in violation of NBC News policy.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/05/AR2010110504496.html

Why do I have the feeling there's more going on here than we're hearing about?

[RGMike]

Keith Olbermann has been suspended indefinitely without pay by MSNBC for making contributions to three political campaigns, in violation of NBC News policy.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/05/AR2010110504496.html

Why do I have the feeling there's more going on here than we're hearing about?

I think it's a planned stunt, timed to MSNBC's attempt to re-brand itself as "not as lefty as you think we are". But then I'm a cynic. More later (involving the Olbermann/Jon Stewart "feud") later when I gather my thoughts.