NewscomaGot A Two-Pack Habit And A Motel Tan

Angela cracks me up.

Yeah, I watched the debate but I didn’t WATCH the debate because there were people around me who were talking about other things that distracted me. Try as I might, I gave up and just listened to drunk people talk about issues surrounding the debate but who weren’t listening to a dang thing either candidate was saying. Badger, who has babysat me during my existential crisis this week, also gave up.

We were in a conundrum.

The lesson I learned is don’t watch the debates on a Friday night in a juke joint. I wish I’d gone to Megan’s house but I digress.

What does this mean?

It means I have to watch the debate alone and process it later today. Yeah, it’s my way.

Now, why does Angela crack me up, as I got off task in a haze of too much news happening this week and the impending financial apocalypse.

Well, this:

But for now: I’m still in that pool of voters most likely to end up living in Mexico, drinking cheap beer, staring at pictures of Ron Paul and listening to sappy hair metal ballads.

I was thinking Canada as I really hate hot weather because it makes my hiney sweat. I like sweaters and Mabel looks sorta cute in the snow. I’m old. I can’t do hair metal but I think a bit of Miles Davis would do.

Dr. Ron Paul has written an editorial for CNN on the potential bailouts. In all actuality, it explains the mess we are in pretty darned well.

Many Americans today are asking themselves how the economy got to be in such a bad spot.

For years they thought the economy was booming, growth was up, job numbers and productivity were increasing. Yet now we find ourselves in what is shaping up to be one of the most severe economic downturns since the Great Depression.

Unfortunately, the government’s preferred solution to the crisis is the very thing that got us into this mess in the first place: government intervention.

Yes, I’m getting my libertarian on. Shut up.

If we give Henry Paulsen a blank check without checks and balances, our government is stupider than I thought it was.

UPDATE: More commentary from Robert Allison.

The Economist has a story today about how Americans are politically segregating themselves.

SOME folks in Texas recently decided to start a new community “containing 100% Ron Paul supporters”. Mr Paul is a staunch libertarian and, until recently, a Republican presidential candidate. His most ardent fans are invited to build homesteads in “Paulville”, an empty patch of west Texas. Here, they will be free. Free not to pay “for other people’s lifestyles [they] may not agree with”. And free from the irksome society of those who do not share their love of liberty.

Cynics chuckle, and even Mr Paul sounds unenthusiastic about the Paulville project, in which he had no hand. But his followers’ desire to segregate themselves is not unusual. Americans are increasingly forming like-minded clusters. Conservatives are choosing to live near other conservatives, and liberals near liberals.

The article talks of how people are joining a groupthink, if you will, of where they interact with like-minded people who share their political viewpoints.

I’m chewing on this. What say you?

I’m pondering politics this evening in the way I do which means, regardless of what people think, I try to balance it out. Yeah, we know Huckabee won Kansas and we know there is a ton of counting going on right now.

We also know that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will still be sparring it out on Monday when it’s all said and done which sort of saddens me. We also know that certain members of the GOP are very unhappy about John McCain being the frontrunner, which campers, he still is.

My sis, Homer, made a statement recently that made some sense to me.

“He was a moderate wasn’t he?” she asked.

“Well, no,” I said thinking that wasn’t right but that I also believed that was the perception. “But a few years ago he wasn’t George Bush so he had that going for him.”

“Well,” she said decisively. “He apparently made some sort of deal because didn’t he hammer at Bush like crazy in the past and then suddenly he was like his best friend and trying to convince everyone he’s a conservative this last week. I don’t get that. Did he make some pact with Bush or something?”

I shrugged. No one never knows in the world of politics. Deals are made. Deals are broken. And the American people don’t know because God forbid we need to know what Britney Spears did today. That apparently is more important for crying out loud.

Hell, Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter say they will fundraise for Hillary if he wins the nomination but, you see, my sis is an issue reader. We know that is B.S.

With two tween girls, the television is usually glued to Miley Cyrus making a million dollars a day so Homer’s not drowning in news like I do on purpose. And if she’s saying this, I wonder about it’s merit. Her time is scarce and when it comes to politics, she digs in and she has to digest things quickly without Fox News yelling at her or Lou Dobbs telling her things are broke.

Because, here, we believe there is a lot broken but it’s our country. And, by gum, it can be fixed. It will take hard work, but it can be repaired with the right leadership who concentrates on making things right and getting it together.

You see, Homer is a pretty astute woman. And she remembers things like an elephant. And she remembered McCain’s big change of attitude. She also doesn’t dig mice and is phobic about snakes but I digress.

I thought about this. I’ve heard this before.

But here’s what I’m thinking tonight.

What’s going on in Louisiana? A state that suffered the worst natural disaster in my lifetime in this country then was ostracized by many for just being New Orleans, an event so devastating that it got me to blogging, quite frankly. What will those folks do?

What will those states that have been ignored unless it was politically convenient, what will they do?

So much to think about. So much to dissect.

And Obama took Washington and Nebraska.

Ron Paul says he won’t run third party. Why? Isn’t that was folks want?

But what about the superdelegates?

So much to ponder in this silly little blog post.

I need an Advil and a glass of Merlot. It won’t help me figure it out but at least it will numb the buzz of this election year.

I’m seeing so many changes in the political machine that what I thought I knew isn’t really relevant.

I’ve been on the fence between John Edwards and Barack Obama for some time. I’ll be honest, I’ve not been happy with anybody and I didn’t want to get too excited about anyone. And, I’ve been studying everyone’s platform. I didn’t like Edwards stance on mandatory health care and that he gives us the populist speeches that I’m not completely sold on although I like what he’s saying from a philosophical standpoint. I’ve never felt 100 percent sure of him. I feel like he means what he says, but I’ve still felt a bit of hesitancy about him that I’ve had trouble pinpointing.

I’ve always liked Barack Obama, but I felt like I’ve needed to educate myself about him (he has given great speeches over the last few years, but a great speech doesn’t make a good politician. I just didn’t know much about him as a leader). But those very same speeches made me drawn to him and he says things I like. A lot. But I kept wondering if he could translate his message to a rural vote. I think about the rural vote a great deal as I live it, and I know how fickle the rural voter can be. But I like the guy. He is inspiring. He won’t have the Iraq War vote haunting him. He’s been upfront about his recreational drug use, he seems to be more globally savvy (I didn’t say experienced but I think he has more experience than the MSM gives him credit for) and he seems more unifying than, let’s say, Hillary Clinton, who I think is one of more divisive candidates in recent history.

So I watched Iowa, and quite frankly, I was surprised with the final results. I don’t know why really. I thought Edwards might take it because it seems like he’s been running for president for about two decades. But Obama made history in the fact he got new voters out and the undecided liked him. He inspired people to go in the bitter cold to the polls.

You see, I didn’t have faith that people would get out to vote for change. I didn’t think that would happen. I had lost my ability to believe that people would follow their convictions.

And I was wrong.

Even GOP candidate Mike Huckabee got a new vote out. Both winners offered a message of change, and both winners benefited from it.

I read this and it breaks it down.

The strategy went against the traditional blueprint for winning in Iowa and showed the importance of attracting voters outside the small, insular circle of dedicated party activists who have dominated past caucuses.

I really need to pack up my cynicism and pack it in the attic, don’t I? Seven years of our latest White House administration will do that to you.

In five days, we have New Hampshire and we are going to see the formation of several things. Iowa is pretty conservative, N.H. not so much. I expect Ron Paul will do better in that primary.

On Twitter last night, (and may I say, the folks there broke the story much quicker than Mainstream Media did), there was a conversation about a possible third-party candidate. People were sharing information, relevant links from Iowa’s bloggers who were on the ground watching the primary happening. If you like politics, you might want to see how Twitter worked last night. I was out at a family function and by the time I got home, I received more information on that social media networking system than I did from CNN in some cases. And the conversation was inspiring.

Yeah, everything I thought I knew I didn’t know at all.

This is going to be an amazing campaign year. And for the first time, I’m starting to get a little bit excited about it.

And dang it all, if I don’t just love talking about hope rather than fear. I’ve said that before.

Mike Huckabee is going to raise a bunch of money, and he showed the negative ad anyway after all that hoopla.

Hillary  Clinton is going to completely change her strategy, focusing on younger voters. Maybe she will realize that Barack Obama had young voters and the undecided cast their vote into this camp.

Rudy Guiliani is going to keep on being Rudy Guiliani.

Fred Thompson might take a few more naps.

John McCain is going to be paying attention.

Mitt Romney is going to go very, very negative. Against Mike Huckabee.

I will say I find this story very interesting about younger voters and who they like on the Republican ticket. Obama was not a surprise.

And neither was Ron Paul, however, he didn’t win it tonight,  he came in ahead of Guiliani according to this report.

And now the punditry begins.

***sigh***

The Ron Paul contingency are going to be maaaaaaaad.

Sometimes, I’m flabbergasted at Fox News and its on-going love affair with the burning stupids.

Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo said this:

So, it’s all about Fox News. Paul’s out because he’s not a Fox News Bush-clone. Say whatever you want about the guy, Fox News shouldn’t be able to silence him because they don’t like his views.

I’m not for the guy, but doesn’t sound Fair and Balanced to me.

Just saying.

The primary season is making me, in a word, yawn.

Let me ask a couple of questions. First of all, how different are the candidates in the Democratic Party? How much different are the candidates in the Republican party? Seriously, I’d like to know the difference. I mean we know Mitt Romney is a Mormon, we know Mike Huckabee seems nice enough, we know Rudy Guiliani is friends with Bernard Kerik which speaks volumes to me at least. We know Ron Paul, of all people, is getting the hipster attention. We know Fred Thompson isn’t the fireball we thought he’d be.

Heck, if I was a Republican, I’d be watching John McCain but I’m not voting Republican anyway, so it doesn’t matter.

As for the Democrats, I said months ago that these folks needed to be talking to people like me. Knock me out, impress me.

Instead, you are making me want a nap.

I see John Edwards as the most electable of the candidates, quite frankly, but mainstream media is banging on the Obama and Clinton gongs so loud who can hear the Richardsons and the Dodds?

You know, our elected officials just gave President Bush a huge Christmas present.

Yeah, Harry Reid and crew are blocking appointments, which in the long run is probably a good thing.

A nine-second session gaveled in and out by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., prevented Bush from appointing as an assistant attorney general a nominee roundly rejected by majority Democrats. Without the pro forma session, the Senate would be technically adjourned, allowing the president to install officials without Senate confirmation.

The business of blocking Bush’s recess appointments was serious. It represents an institutional standoff between Congress and the president that could repeat itself during Congress’ vacations for the remainder of Bush’s presidency.

Nine seconds is better than nothing.

Ron Paul’s done it. Mike Huckabee’s going to do it Dec. 27th.

Well, so am I.

December 21st I will be holding my very own moneybomb where you too can just send me money. I’m not running for office, but heck, I will if you want me to. Then I can eat out of one of these bad boys in Washington every day.

I have no platform, actually. Money sent will go to financing a trip to find Bigfoot, taking Aunt B. on a tour of haunted houses if she is so inclined and season tickets to the St. Louis Cardinals. Your kind donations will also finance my car getting an overhaul, beer and a three bedroom house in the Sylvan Park area of Nashville within walking distance of a pub.

If you require that I must actually run, I will hire some common sense folks out of Hooterville and the blogosphere in Tennessee to run the country. We will have a Milk commission, cause that’s gotten really expensive, and I will also hire Coyote Boy to be my henchman. Bush has Cheney, I will have Mack.

Big Stupid Tommy and Horrorwood Ron will serve as Zombie Czars.

So, make your Christmas plans early. The paypal button is on your right.

I imagine I will make at least hundreds of cents.

Photo from here.

We haven’t talked politics in a couple of days.

I read this story this morning in the Tennessean  about Fred Thompson on the campaign trail and there was one line that caught my eye.

MANCHESTER, Iowa — Most of the top Republican candidates for president don’t have the foreign policy experience to handle the dangers the U.S. faces, Fred Thompson said in an interview Tuesday.

“The fact of the matter is that among the so-called top candidates, (Arizona Sen.) John McCain is the only one with any experience in these areas,” Thompson said.

Then he goes on to talk about Mike Huckabee is a weakling and something about world domination. (I’m kidding although he did say Huckabee was too nice.)

Then there was the line that gave me pause:

That’s what he told a crowd of about 40 people who gathered Tuesday morning at a hotel here to hear him speak.

40 people?

When venues are filling up for Oprah, I mean Obama, it must be odd for just 40 people to show up. That’s like the equivalent to a classroom of third graders.

Now, it could be argued that he’s going out meeting folks one at a time. I’m sure I will hear that from some folks but still …

Remember when the buzz was all about Fred?

That lasted all of about fifteen minutes.

Last night at a local watering hole, I had three young men sitting next to me. What were they talking about?

Ron Paul.

This election cycle is just boggling my mind.  I think, at this point, it’s anybody’s race.

Amazing.

On Nov. 5, which was Guy Fawkes Day, a symbol of rebellion in British history, Paul hauled in $4.3 million in 24 hours — the most money raised online by a candidate in a single day. Today (yesterday), the 234th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, the day that helped spark the American Revolution, Paul’s Web-savvy, intensely loyal supporters planned another “money-bomb.” And by 6 p.m. EST, the “Paulites” had raised $4.1 million from more than 30,000 donors, bringing the Texas Republican’s fundraising total this quarter to $15.8 million. And counting.

Whether you like Ron Paul or not, this is absolutely an incredible thing to watch. While other supporters of the GOP have been watching Rudolph Guiliani get hammered about using New York’s finest walk his dog and Mike Huckabee’s backtracking about the infamous “Aids Quarantine” statement, Paul just keeps raising money.

These money bombs are proving themselves quite effective for him.

From
Ron Paul Graphs

Fa-La-La, uhh-hum.

I haven’t really been inclined to get my politics on this week, as I have been having dreams of pizza-eating kangaroos and dealing with the folly and jolly of Christmas.

You see, I’m watching it but I’m sort of “Feh” about it all.

Things I’ve had my eye on this weekend are certainly entertaining, but I’m not so sure that I was in the mood to sit and write a whole montage about it, but I do invite you to go see some of the highlights of the political week. My ADD is just not feeling it.

Yeah, it’s Tuesday.  (Look a penguin.)

First out of the gate, watch Lawrence O’Donnell lose his mind over Mitt Romney on the McClaughlin Group’s weekend show. Also watch Pat Buchanan and Monica Crowley’s heads start spinning. It’s more about political entertainment than anything else, but needless to say, McDonnell doesn’t like Mormons. I offer it to you without further comment.

Surge. Man, our government and mainstream media love that word. Well, Mike Huckabee might be surging, but he still isn’t going to win the presidency at this point. Let’s talk about Ron Paul for no other reason than it keeps my attention.

The story of Michael Guest.

This has always happened. Candidates want information on their opposition. Yet, it’s a story on Drudge and the New York Times which still makes me scratch my head but it’s the way of the new world so I concede, who is also under fire for some things as well.

And, finally, I’m with Pesky here and feeling something would be more than groovy. I still have no idea, but I know who I don’t like. I wish I was more passionate about a candidate for president, but alas, I’m not.