Good God, the Clintons must be at rock bottom to accuse Barack Obama of plagiarism for using his signature line "Yes We Can" in his stump speech. This is such a mundane and familiar line in normal, everyday conversation that claiming someone should attribute it to someone else is just nonsensical. What, was Mr. Obama supposed to have referenced "The Little Engine Who Could?"
Meanwhile, here in Southern California, mistreatment of animals, including slaughtering for human consumption so-called "downed cows," has sparked the recall of millions of pounds of beef, most of it apparently already consumed by unsuspecting customers. These injured and/or diseased animals were stabbed by forklift tongs, kicked, had their eyes poked and were even water-boarded in an effort to get them to walk to the slaughterhouse, since FDA regulations prohibit adding meat from these "downed cows" to the human food supply.
There is a special place in hell reserved for the degenerates who perpetrated these atrocities. Cows may be among the dumbest creatures on this green earth, but no animal deserves to be treated like that.
This is just another, mind-numbing example of runaway corporatism fostered by decades of conservative, do-nothing government. In this case, the company was trying to squeeze every last dollar out of these cows; you see, dead meat is worth more if it's turned into hamburger rather than dog food or pig slop, which is what's supposed to happen to downed cows. And they've been able to get away with it because the FDA has been effectively neutered by Bush and Co. May a conservative Republican be the first person in this country to contract Mad Cow disease because downed cows have entered the food supply.
So the Lakers stole Pao Gasol and the Mavericks finally made the Jason Kidd deal work, but the best the Suns could do was acquire a fat, geriatric center, with a huge, guaranteed contract and who is year's past his prime? What, Wes Unseld was unavailable? In one, fell swoop the Shaq deal turns the Suns from the most exciting team in the NBA into another plodding, grind-it-out collection of underachievers.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Why Are There Libs Who Hate Clinton or Obama?
If I hear one more "progressive" say they won't vote for Obama because of this, or Hillary because of that, I'm going to go screaming into the night. What planet are these yo-yo's living on, that they'd rather have another four years of Republican rule than one of the remaining Democrats because of what they perceive as some flaw in one or both of them?
Listen, people, we are almost done suffering through eight years of the worst presidential rule in our nation's history, and the Republican candidate is actually running on a platform of continuing that sad legacy. At this point, any Democrat is preferable to Grandpa McCain and his "straight off the cliff express."
Sure, there were at least four other Democrats running this year I'd prefer over what we've got left. But I got over it, and so should you. I've never particularly cared for Hillary, and considered her the least palatable of the entire bunch at the start. But you know what, if she wins the nomination -- even if she steals it at the convention -- she's got my vote, because I firmly believe another four years of this crap sends the country irreparably down the toilet.
Sure, Obama lacks "experience," whatever that lame term is supposed to mean. Hell, Bush had plenty of "experience," and look what that got us. And who says experience is necessary for this job anyway? Some of our best presidents (see Lincoln or Kennedy) came to the job with little practical experience. Besides, I think Obama is smart enough to do something Bush never quite mastered -- probably because he never attempted it: learn on the job.
And sure, Hillary voted for the war and won't apologize. So what. It's not her fault we were all lied into this mess, and hindsight is 20-20, as they say. The point is that she vows to get us out in short order, while McCain says we'll be there for another 100 years. (Which, of course, is impossible, because another five or ten years of this, much less 100, and we'll be a bankrupted hulk of a former super-power unable to finance a war with Guam, much less Iraq or Iran.)
The point, people, is get over yourselves. We've got to elect either Obama or Clinton, because if McCain wins this thing future historians will assuredly refer to the United States as "the shortest-reigning imperial power in world history," and your grandchildren will hate your guts. Do you want that to be your legacy?
Listen, people, we are almost done suffering through eight years of the worst presidential rule in our nation's history, and the Republican candidate is actually running on a platform of continuing that sad legacy. At this point, any Democrat is preferable to Grandpa McCain and his "straight off the cliff express."
Sure, there were at least four other Democrats running this year I'd prefer over what we've got left. But I got over it, and so should you. I've never particularly cared for Hillary, and considered her the least palatable of the entire bunch at the start. But you know what, if she wins the nomination -- even if she steals it at the convention -- she's got my vote, because I firmly believe another four years of this crap sends the country irreparably down the toilet.
Sure, Obama lacks "experience," whatever that lame term is supposed to mean. Hell, Bush had plenty of "experience," and look what that got us. And who says experience is necessary for this job anyway? Some of our best presidents (see Lincoln or Kennedy) came to the job with little practical experience. Besides, I think Obama is smart enough to do something Bush never quite mastered -- probably because he never attempted it: learn on the job.
And sure, Hillary voted for the war and won't apologize. So what. It's not her fault we were all lied into this mess, and hindsight is 20-20, as they say. The point is that she vows to get us out in short order, while McCain says we'll be there for another 100 years. (Which, of course, is impossible, because another five or ten years of this, much less 100, and we'll be a bankrupted hulk of a former super-power unable to finance a war with Guam, much less Iraq or Iran.)
The point, people, is get over yourselves. We've got to elect either Obama or Clinton, because if McCain wins this thing future historians will assuredly refer to the United States as "the shortest-reigning imperial power in world history," and your grandchildren will hate your guts. Do you want that to be your legacy?
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Stick a Fork In Hillary -- She's Done
Hillary Clinton's campaign is making a great show of being optimistic, of pointing towards March primaries in Texas and Ohio they think she can win, but it's time to face the music. Obama rolled over her tonight, winning by double-digit margins, and he'll roll over her again next week in Wisconsin. By the time Texas and Ohio come around, she'll need to win with sixty or sixty-five percent of the vote just to get back into the race, and that's not going to happen. The music has ended; this dance is over.
Personally, I think this is a good thing. By the time George W. Bush leaves office we will have had twenty years of rule by either a Bush or a Clinton. All the anguished Hillary supporters need to get over it and realize something about America: this is not a monarchy, people. It's time for some new blood.
The real question now is, does McCain stand a chance against Obama in November? The smart money is saying: when pigs fly. With McCain running as Bush-lite during this primary season in order to win the nomination, he can't possibly distance himself enough from the worst and most reviled president in history to win the general election. Unless Obama commits an unpardonable sin between now and November, we're going to make history by electing the first African-American president in history.
Personally, I think this is a good thing. By the time George W. Bush leaves office we will have had twenty years of rule by either a Bush or a Clinton. All the anguished Hillary supporters need to get over it and realize something about America: this is not a monarchy, people. It's time for some new blood.
The real question now is, does McCain stand a chance against Obama in November? The smart money is saying: when pigs fly. With McCain running as Bush-lite during this primary season in order to win the nomination, he can't possibly distance himself enough from the worst and most reviled president in history to win the general election. Unless Obama commits an unpardonable sin between now and November, we're going to make history by electing the first African-American president in history.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
More Random Thoughts On the Day's News
In just three years, Britney Spears has gone from pop star to laughing-stock to sympathetic figure worthy of our empathy. Has anyone not named Orenthal James ever fallen so far, so fast?
I'm guessing Celtics fans are pissed this morning. How, they must be wondering, could David Stern allow the Lakers to steal Pao Gasol and turn themselves into instant title favorites, what with a front line featuring three seven-footers and a back-court featuring the best player on the planet? Think anyone'd ever write this line: Lamar Odom is the fourth option on the Lakers?
Now that John Edwards is officially out, many of us are confronted with a frightening thought: the dude at the State of the Union uttering the phrase "Madam Speaker, I now introduce President of the United States, Hillary Clinton." Pray for Obama, people.
Tomorrow is Super Bowl Sunday, the unofficial national holiday for most of us. I'm telling you, any presidential contender who campaigns on a platform of "I'll make the Monday after Super Sunday a national day-off" gets my vote.
I'm guessing Celtics fans are pissed this morning. How, they must be wondering, could David Stern allow the Lakers to steal Pao Gasol and turn themselves into instant title favorites, what with a front line featuring three seven-footers and a back-court featuring the best player on the planet? Think anyone'd ever write this line: Lamar Odom is the fourth option on the Lakers?
Now that John Edwards is officially out, many of us are confronted with a frightening thought: the dude at the State of the Union uttering the phrase "Madam Speaker, I now introduce President of the United States, Hillary Clinton." Pray for Obama, people.
Tomorrow is Super Bowl Sunday, the unofficial national holiday for most of us. I'm telling you, any presidential contender who campaigns on a platform of "I'll make the Monday after Super Sunday a national day-off" gets my vote.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Can Obama Win?
I'm on record as saying the Democrats would be wise to nominate John Edwards as their presidential candidate, for two simple reasons: I believe racism and sexism are alive and well in this country.
However, after witnessing Barack Obama's inspirational speech upon winning in South Carolina last night, I no longer think it impossible for him to overcome the latent racism running through our body politic like a bad strain of an STD. The reason for my change of heart is simple: Obama's sheer magnetism generates such a wellspring of support, particularly among young people, that an immense turnout in the general election could well trump the institutional racism in our country.
Let's look at the turnout in New Hampshire and South Carolina. One (New Hampshire) is a sometimes swing state that usually trends red. The other (South Carolina) is a solid red state that hasn't voted for the Democrats since Jimmy Carter won there in 1976.
John McCain won New Hampshire with 88,466 votes out of 233,381 cast for Republicans. Hillary Clinton won the Democratic side with 112,251 votes out of 284,104 cast. McCain won again in South Carolina with 147,283 out of 443,203 votes cast, while Obama ran away in the Democratic primary with 295,214 votes out of 532,468 cast.
While the vote totals of both Clinton and Obama are impressive, the numbers that stand out to me are the respective turnouts for all Republicans and all Democrats. In New Hampshire, 50,000 more people voted Democratic than Republican. In solidly red South Carolina, the Democrat's edge was even more pronounced, with almost 90,000 more votes than their Republican counterparts.
I think several factors are affecting turnout this year, and those factors will be even more evident in November.
First, Bush fatigue has energized Democrats to participate at levels not seen since the 60's. The feeling that our long national nightmare may finally be over is propelling people to the polls to vote Democrat, regardless who the nominee will be.
Second, the Republican base is depressed. The Bush Era has not gone well, the economy is in the dumpster, the war has been a disaster. Republicans are likely to stay home in droves come November, just like they have during the primary season -- particularly if McCain is the nominee.
Finally, Obama seems to be the "X" factor fueling Democratic turnout. His speeches are inspiring, and he seems to be giving younger voters reason for optimism. His message of "change" resonates among the populous.
If Obama is the nominee, these factors could well coalesce into a "perfect storm" of Democratic turnout that will overcome the latent racism I once feared would derail an Obama candidacy. So while I continue to support John Edwards, I am now cautiously optimistic about Obama's chances. How about John Edwards for Attorney General in a Barack Obama cabinet?
However, after witnessing Barack Obama's inspirational speech upon winning in South Carolina last night, I no longer think it impossible for him to overcome the latent racism running through our body politic like a bad strain of an STD. The reason for my change of heart is simple: Obama's sheer magnetism generates such a wellspring of support, particularly among young people, that an immense turnout in the general election could well trump the institutional racism in our country.
Let's look at the turnout in New Hampshire and South Carolina. One (New Hampshire) is a sometimes swing state that usually trends red. The other (South Carolina) is a solid red state that hasn't voted for the Democrats since Jimmy Carter won there in 1976.
John McCain won New Hampshire with 88,466 votes out of 233,381 cast for Republicans. Hillary Clinton won the Democratic side with 112,251 votes out of 284,104 cast. McCain won again in South Carolina with 147,283 out of 443,203 votes cast, while Obama ran away in the Democratic primary with 295,214 votes out of 532,468 cast.
While the vote totals of both Clinton and Obama are impressive, the numbers that stand out to me are the respective turnouts for all Republicans and all Democrats. In New Hampshire, 50,000 more people voted Democratic than Republican. In solidly red South Carolina, the Democrat's edge was even more pronounced, with almost 90,000 more votes than their Republican counterparts.
I think several factors are affecting turnout this year, and those factors will be even more evident in November.
First, Bush fatigue has energized Democrats to participate at levels not seen since the 60's. The feeling that our long national nightmare may finally be over is propelling people to the polls to vote Democrat, regardless who the nominee will be.
Second, the Republican base is depressed. The Bush Era has not gone well, the economy is in the dumpster, the war has been a disaster. Republicans are likely to stay home in droves come November, just like they have during the primary season -- particularly if McCain is the nominee.
Finally, Obama seems to be the "X" factor fueling Democratic turnout. His speeches are inspiring, and he seems to be giving younger voters reason for optimism. His message of "change" resonates among the populous.
If Obama is the nominee, these factors could well coalesce into a "perfect storm" of Democratic turnout that will overcome the latent racism I once feared would derail an Obama candidacy. So while I continue to support John Edwards, I am now cautiously optimistic about Obama's chances. How about John Edwards for Attorney General in a Barack Obama cabinet?
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
A Brokered Convention?
With Mitt Romney pulling out a win yesterday in Michigan and Rudy poised to make off with Florida, it looks like we might still have a crowded field by Mega Tuesday, or Super Tuesday, or whatever lame name the media has come up with for the weirdness that passes for our system of nominating presidential candidates. It looks like no fewer than four Republican primary winners will still be standing on February 5th, the day umpteen states go to the polls to try and sort out this mess.
On the Democratic side, if John Edwards wins in Nevada and shows well in South Carolina we will have three viable candidates still in play on Whopper Mega Super Crazy Tuesday.
I used to feel the condensed primary season was an unholy mess. Conventional wisdom has it that it leaves the candidates little time to do the "hand-shaking" and "door to door" salesmanship the populous deserves. Moreover, the process doesn't properly "vett" the candidates the way it did in the old days, when the primary season was spread over several months.
Hogwash. A contracted primary schedule makes it more likely that lots of candidates will grab lots of delegates, but none of them enough to form a majority. That means brokered conventions, and that is manna from heaven to a political junkie like me.
I fully expect both conventions to feature illogical back-room deals, delicious backstabbing, heated floor arguments resulting in fisticuffs between Betty from St. Louis and Marge from Nashville, and interminable votes on into the night. Then, at the end of the day, the Dems will come out of left field with a Gore-Hillary ticket and the Repubs will come out of right with Jeb Bush teamed with Giuliani. Best of all, none of the media talking heads will be able to tell us exactly what happened, or why.
Then a Bloomberg-McCain ticket can jump into the fray and we'll have us a good, old-fashioned brawl of a general election. I can hardly wait. This could be the most entertaining election season of my lifetime. Remember, you read it here first.
On the Democratic side, if John Edwards wins in Nevada and shows well in South Carolina we will have three viable candidates still in play on Whopper Mega Super Crazy Tuesday.
I used to feel the condensed primary season was an unholy mess. Conventional wisdom has it that it leaves the candidates little time to do the "hand-shaking" and "door to door" salesmanship the populous deserves. Moreover, the process doesn't properly "vett" the candidates the way it did in the old days, when the primary season was spread over several months.
Hogwash. A contracted primary schedule makes it more likely that lots of candidates will grab lots of delegates, but none of them enough to form a majority. That means brokered conventions, and that is manna from heaven to a political junkie like me.
I fully expect both conventions to feature illogical back-room deals, delicious backstabbing, heated floor arguments resulting in fisticuffs between Betty from St. Louis and Marge from Nashville, and interminable votes on into the night. Then, at the end of the day, the Dems will come out of left field with a Gore-Hillary ticket and the Repubs will come out of right with Jeb Bush teamed with Giuliani. Best of all, none of the media talking heads will be able to tell us exactly what happened, or why.
Then a Bloomberg-McCain ticket can jump into the fray and we'll have us a good, old-fashioned brawl of a general election. I can hardly wait. This could be the most entertaining election season of my lifetime. Remember, you read it here first.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Does the Governator Want to Shut Down
California's State Park System?
After a long hiatus due to personal reasons, I'm back to blogging. I hope my old readers will return, and I hope any new readers will stay for my (hopefully) unique perspectives on politics, the environment and outdoor recreation.
Arnie "The Governator" Schwarzenegger, in a budget cutting move, recently announced the closure of 48 California state parks. Ostensibly, he is doing this because he can't bear to raise taxes on his Republican constituency. This illustrates a classic example of the prime difference between Republicans and Democrats: Republicans think only of themselves (and their pocket books) rather than the commons, while Democrats believe we're all in this together and should act accordingly.
Let's take a brief look at a representative example of the commons, from north to south, in which The Governator would shut out the good people of California:
Del Norte Redwoods State Park: One of the older units of the state park system, this park boasts of 50% native old-growth coastal redwood trees.
Clear Lake State Park: Clear Lake is the largest natural fresh-water lake in California and sports some of the best bass fishing in the entire United States. While closing the state park would by no means close the lake to public recreation, the state park does offer an inexpensive alternative to private facilities for Californians to enjoy this outstanding resource.
Armstrong Redwoods State Park: Protected from development since the 1870's and a state park since 1936, this park features the 310 foot Parson Jones tree as well as the 1400 year-old Colonel Armstrong tree.
Sutter's Fort State Park: Site of gold discovery in California that led to the great gold rush, this park's museum features exhibits of artifacts belonging to John Sutter, James Marshall and the Donner Party. The park is used extensively for educational purposes by students all over Central California; indeed, many schools base their entire State History curriculum around field trips to Sutter's Fort.
Tomales Bay State Park: Established in 1952 to protect what little beach-front property north of the Golden Gate that had yet to be developed, this park features the finest remaining virgin grove of native Bishop Pine in California.
Candlestick Point State Park: This popular urban San Francisco park features a fitness trail, two fishing piers and a community garden.
Portola Redwoods State Park: One of the tallest coastal redwoods (300 feet tall) in the Santa Cruz Mountains can be found here.
Great Valley Grasslands State Park: This park boasts on of the few intact samples of the Great Central Valley grasslands that once covered what is now the nation's breadbasket. The park is part of the Grasslands Ecological Area (GEA) that encompasses the largest block of contiguous wetlands left in California. Grasslands is home to several endangered endemic plant species and the site of spectacular springtime wildflower blooms.
Henry Coe State Park: This one is particularly irksome to me because it features the best hike-in bass fishing in the entire country. Hundreds of miles of trails and roads criss-cross this coastal range park, leading to old stock ponds miles from trail heads. These ponds are full of northern-strain largemouth bass. In a week-long hike there last spring my buddy John and I caught and released over 100 fish each, and in the entire week we saw only five other people, and one of them was a park ranger. This park is one of the most popular in the Bay Area; closing it would be unconscionable.
Fremont Peak State Park: This park offers outstanding views of nearby Monterey Bay and features an astronomical observatory with a 30-inch telescope that is open to the public on selected evenings.
Fort Ord Dunes State Park: This one is almost as bad as losing Coe. Closing Ord Dunes would short circuit plans to rehabilitate the former Army base, encompassing four miles of shoreline along over-developed Monterey Bay. Ord Dunes shows great promise as an outstanding example of native dunes near Monterey, one of the destination capitals of California.
Los Osos Oaks State Reserve: This park features centuries-old coast live oaks and five distinct plant communities. Most of the surrounding area was cleared of oak woodlands during the days of Mexican land grants.
Topanga State Park: Widely acknowledged as the largest wildlands in the world within the boundaries of a major city, this enclave in the Santa Monica Mountains north of downtown Los Angeles receives over 450,000 visitors per year. Neighboring Will Rogers State Park, which is also slated for closure, gets almost 250,000 visitors each year.
Picacho State Recreation Area: This park protects eight miles of the Lower Colorado River near Yuma and is home to bighorn sheep, wild burros and thousands of wintering waterfowl. Long a favorite of anglers and hunters, Picacho is a recreational oasis in the middle of the harsh Colorado Desert.
I could go on. Suffice it to say the California state park system has long been the envy of every other state. Crippling it to save a few dollars for rich Republicans is not only short-sighted, it's bad public policy. Our state parks generate millions of dollars in tax revenues by visitors not only from California, but by visitors from across the country. Once again our Governator is being penny wise but pound foolish.
After a long hiatus due to personal reasons, I'm back to blogging. I hope my old readers will return, and I hope any new readers will stay for my (hopefully) unique perspectives on politics, the environment and outdoor recreation.
Arnie "The Governator" Schwarzenegger, in a budget cutting move, recently announced the closure of 48 California state parks. Ostensibly, he is doing this because he can't bear to raise taxes on his Republican constituency. This illustrates a classic example of the prime difference between Republicans and Democrats: Republicans think only of themselves (and their pocket books) rather than the commons, while Democrats believe we're all in this together and should act accordingly.
Let's take a brief look at a representative example of the commons, from north to south, in which The Governator would shut out the good people of California:
Del Norte Redwoods State Park: One of the older units of the state park system, this park boasts of 50% native old-growth coastal redwood trees.
Clear Lake State Park: Clear Lake is the largest natural fresh-water lake in California and sports some of the best bass fishing in the entire United States. While closing the state park would by no means close the lake to public recreation, the state park does offer an inexpensive alternative to private facilities for Californians to enjoy this outstanding resource.
Armstrong Redwoods State Park: Protected from development since the 1870's and a state park since 1936, this park features the 310 foot Parson Jones tree as well as the 1400 year-old Colonel Armstrong tree.
Sutter's Fort State Park: Site of gold discovery in California that led to the great gold rush, this park's museum features exhibits of artifacts belonging to John Sutter, James Marshall and the Donner Party. The park is used extensively for educational purposes by students all over Central California; indeed, many schools base their entire State History curriculum around field trips to Sutter's Fort.
Tomales Bay State Park: Established in 1952 to protect what little beach-front property north of the Golden Gate that had yet to be developed, this park features the finest remaining virgin grove of native Bishop Pine in California.
Candlestick Point State Park: This popular urban San Francisco park features a fitness trail, two fishing piers and a community garden.
Portola Redwoods State Park: One of the tallest coastal redwoods (300 feet tall) in the Santa Cruz Mountains can be found here.
Great Valley Grasslands State Park: This park boasts on of the few intact samples of the Great Central Valley grasslands that once covered what is now the nation's breadbasket. The park is part of the Grasslands Ecological Area (GEA) that encompasses the largest block of contiguous wetlands left in California. Grasslands is home to several endangered endemic plant species and the site of spectacular springtime wildflower blooms.
Henry Coe State Park: This one is particularly irksome to me because it features the best hike-in bass fishing in the entire country. Hundreds of miles of trails and roads criss-cross this coastal range park, leading to old stock ponds miles from trail heads. These ponds are full of northern-strain largemouth bass. In a week-long hike there last spring my buddy John and I caught and released over 100 fish each, and in the entire week we saw only five other people, and one of them was a park ranger. This park is one of the most popular in the Bay Area; closing it would be unconscionable.
Fremont Peak State Park: This park offers outstanding views of nearby Monterey Bay and features an astronomical observatory with a 30-inch telescope that is open to the public on selected evenings.
Fort Ord Dunes State Park: This one is almost as bad as losing Coe. Closing Ord Dunes would short circuit plans to rehabilitate the former Army base, encompassing four miles of shoreline along over-developed Monterey Bay. Ord Dunes shows great promise as an outstanding example of native dunes near Monterey, one of the destination capitals of California.
Los Osos Oaks State Reserve: This park features centuries-old coast live oaks and five distinct plant communities. Most of the surrounding area was cleared of oak woodlands during the days of Mexican land grants.
Topanga State Park: Widely acknowledged as the largest wildlands in the world within the boundaries of a major city, this enclave in the Santa Monica Mountains north of downtown Los Angeles receives over 450,000 visitors per year. Neighboring Will Rogers State Park, which is also slated for closure, gets almost 250,000 visitors each year.
Picacho State Recreation Area: This park protects eight miles of the Lower Colorado River near Yuma and is home to bighorn sheep, wild burros and thousands of wintering waterfowl. Long a favorite of anglers and hunters, Picacho is a recreational oasis in the middle of the harsh Colorado Desert.
I could go on. Suffice it to say the California state park system has long been the envy of every other state. Crippling it to save a few dollars for rich Republicans is not only short-sighted, it's bad public policy. Our state parks generate millions of dollars in tax revenues by visitors not only from California, but by visitors from across the country. Once again our Governator is being penny wise but pound foolish.
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