When governors have been called on to appoint senators in the past, they’ve tended to stick with party regulars and other established politicians. But I suppose, after the serious consideration given to neophyte Caroline Kennedy to replace Hillary Clinton, it … Continue reading →
I applaud yesterday’s attempt to inject poetry into the inaugural proceedings. But the poem that Elizabeth Alexander composed and read was trite, the sort of thing that helps me understand why many people decide they hate poetry. When I took … Continue reading →
I noticed this too: Joe Biden has been unusually invisible, even for a Vice-President elect. Usually, Vice Presidents are forgotten after their terms in office. Biden seems to be on track for being forgotten before he even takes office. His … Continue reading →
As you probably know, Illinois governor Blagojevich made a speech yesterday in which he conceded nothing and stated his intention to fight “until I take my last breath.” He also quoted that useful old chestnut, Kipling’s “If.” He says the … Continue reading →
It came as a surprise to me to hear that Caroline Kennedy is pushing to be appointed as the replacement for New York Senator Hillary Clinton. I had always been under the impression that Caroline was a quiet and retiring … Continue reading →
USA Today is eager to point out that Illinois is not the state with the highest number of elected officials convicted of corruption per capita. That dubious honor goes to North Dakota, with Alaska and Louisiana not far behind. Of … Continue reading →
At this point we can safely say that Governor Blagojevich of Illinois is outrageously corrupt in an almost-comic book—or textbook, if you prefer—sort of way. The proof is in the wire. It’s not a case of “he said, she said.” … Continue reading →
After 2000, there were many calls for voting reform. Same in 2004, and now again. Voting fraud—or even the perception of it—can’t help but undermine trust in the legitimacy of the government, and that’s not good. So one would think … Continue reading →
So far Obama’s choices for Cabinet and other advisers seem to be shaping up as Clinton redux. This is somewhat ironic, considering that Obama ran on a “change” platform and his closest rival was Hillary (Clinton, in case there’s anyone … Continue reading →
One of the main reasons I voted for President Bush in 2004 was that I wanted to give Iraq the chance that Vietnam never had (see this and this for details of the endgame in Vietnam and the role our … Continue reading →
Now that Obama has been safely elected on a campaign of false and/or misguided promises, the truth can start to be allowed to seep out. Surprise, surprise—raising taxes on the wealthy is not a good idea in a recession or … Continue reading →
…on the immortal words of LBJ, Councilman Steve Lipski was in the tent pissing in, since it’s logical to assume that the DC club crowd that was the object of Lipski’s uh, favors, was heavily Democratic in composition. And speaking … Continue reading →