"Fuck You Cardinal James Francis!"

...and people question me as to why I'm so concerned about church/state separation issues! People LISTEN to "leaders" like this - that's why! I'm not speaking of the 54% of catholics who voted for Obama and put their principles, common sense and love of country ahead of this anti-American's verbal diarrhea and core beliefs; but there are millions of others out there who really listen and BELIEVE this crap!!! It's rhetoric like this causing the catholic church to become more and more irrelevant, fractured and useless, as the years progress (of course, the almost 10,000 reported cases and/or investigations into rape and abuse of young male clergy by catholic church "leaders" sure doesn't help! Those despicable and unfortunate events have a way of cutting into your 'base,' and forcing even the staunchest of followers to start re-evaluating exactly who it is - and what it is - they're following)...

Read a few of Cardinal James Francis's thoughts and quotes from his speeches below. This insufferable old man is lucky he doesn't live on my block. I tell you true!


Cardinal Stafford criticizes Obama as ‘aggressive, disruptive and apocalyptic’

Washington DC, Nov 17, 2008 / 02:27 pm (CNA).- Cardinal James Francis Stafford, head of the Apostolic Penitentiary of the Holy See, delivered a lecture on Thursday saying that the future under President-elect Obama will echo Jesus’ agony in Gethsemane. Criticizing Obama as “aggressive, disruptive and apocalyptic,” he went on to speak about a decline in respect for human life and the need for Catholics to return to the values of marriage and human dignity.

Delivered at the Catholic University of America, the cardinal’s lecture was titled “Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II: Being True in Body and Soul,” the student university paper The Tower reports. Hosted by the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family, his words focused upon Paul VI’s encyclical Humanae Vitae, whose fortieth anniversary is marked this year.

Commenting on the results of the recent presidential election, Cardinal Stafford said on Election Day “America suffered a cultural earthquake.” The cardinal argued that President-elect Obama had campaigned on an “extremist anti-life platform” and predicted that the near future would be a time of trial.

“If 1968 was the year of America’s ‘suicide attempt,’ 2008 is the year of America’s exhaustion,” he said, contrasting the year of Humane Vitae’s promulgation with this election year.

“For the next few years, Gethsemane will not be marginal. We will know that garden,” Cardinal Stafford told his audience. Catholics who weep the “hot, angry tears of betrayal” should try to identify with Jesus, who during his agony in the garden was “sick because of love.”

The cardinal attributed America’s decline to the Supreme Court’s decisions such as the 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade, which imposed permissive abortion laws nationwide.

“Its scrupulous meanness has had catastrophic effects upon the unity and integrity of the American republic,” Cardinal Stafford commented, according to The Tower.

His theological remarks centered upon man’s relationship with God and man’s place in society.

“Man is a sacred element of secular life,” he said, arguing that therefore “man should not be held to a supreme power of state, and a person’s life cannot ultimately be controlled by government.”

Cardinal Stafford also touched on the state of the family, saying that the truest reflection of the relationship between the believer and God is the relationship between husband and wife, and that contraceptive use does not fit within that relationship.

"And the hits just keep on coming!" Dems pick up another senate seat!!!

GOP's Stevens loses Alaska Senate seat
Mark Begich's win moves Senate Democrats closer to a 60-vote majority

The Associated Press

updated 9:59 p.m. ET, Tues., Nov. 18, 2008
WASHINGTON - Sen. Ted Stevens, the longest serving Republican in Senate history, narrowly lost his re-election bid Tuesday, marking the downfall of a pillar of the U.S. Senate and Alaska icon who apparently couldn't survive his conviction on federal corruption charges. His defeat to Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich moves Senate Democrats closer to a filibuster-proof 60-vote majority.

Stevens' ouster on his 85th birthday marks an abrupt realignment in Alaska politics and will alter the power structure in the Senate, where he has served since the days of the Johnson administration while holding seats on some of the most influential committees in Congress.

The crotchety octogenarian likes to encourage comparisons with the Incredible Hulk, and he occupies an outsized place in Alaska history. His involvement in politics dates to the days before Alaska statehood, and he is esteemed for his ability to secure billions of dollars in federal aid for transportation and military projects. The Anchorage airport bears his name; in Alaska, it's simply "Uncle Ted."

Tuesday's tally of just over 24,000 absentee and other ballots gave Begich 146,286, or 47.56 percent, to 143,912, or 46.76 percent, for Stevens.

A recount is possible.

Alaska's legacy
"He symbolizes Alaska's legitimacy, that Alaska is a player on the national stage as much as anybody else," University of Alaska Anchorage history professor Steve Haycox said.

Stevens' loss was another slap for Republicans in a year that has seen the party lose control of the White House, as well as seats in the House and Senate. It also moves Democrats one step closer to the 60 votes needed to overcome filibusters in the Senate. Democrats now hold 58 seats, when two independents who align with Democrats are included, with undecided races in Minnesota and Georgia where two Republicans are trying to hang onto their seats.

Democrats have now picked up seven Senate seats in the Nov. 4 election.

"With seven seats and counting now added to the Democratic ranks in the Senate, we have an even stronger majority that will bring real change to America," Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said in a statement.

Begich, in a statement, said, "I am humbled and honored to serve Alaska in the United States Senate. It's been an incredible journey getting to this point, and I appreciate the support and commitment of the thousands of Alaskans who have brought us to this day."

Won't ask for a pardon
The climactic count came after a series of tumultuous days for a senator who has been straddling challenges to his power both at home and in his trial in Washington. Notwithstanding all that turmoil, Stevens revealed Tuesday that he will not ask President George W. Bush to give him a pardon for his seven felony convictions.

Stevens' future was murky at a time when newly elected members of both the House and Senate were on Capitol Hill for heady receptions, picture-taking sessions and orientation this week. Stevens, speaking earlier Tuesday in Washington, said he had no idea what his life would be like in January, when the 111th Congress convenes.

"I wouldn't wish what I'm going through on anyone, my worst enemy," he lamented to reporters. "I haven't had a night's sleep for almost four months."

Convicted just before election
Last month just days before the election, Stevens was convicted by a federal jury in Washington of lying on Senate disclosure forms to conceal more than $250,000 in gifts and home renovations from an oil field services company.

His defeat could also allow Republican senators to sidestep the task of determining whether to kick out the longest serving member of their party in the Senate.

When counting resumed Tuesday, 1,022 votes divided the candidates out of about 300,000 ballots cast. Most of the those votes came from areas that had favored Begich — the Anchorage vicinity and the southeastern panhandle around Juneau.

It is a testament to Stevens' popularity — he was once named "Alaskan of the Century" — that he won nearly half the votes, even after his conviction. He routinely brought home the highest number of government dollars per capita in the nation — more than $9 billion in 2006 alone, according to one estimate.

'Big gap in dollars'
With Stevens gone "it's a big gap in dollars — billions of dollars — that none of the other members of the delegation, Begich, whoever, could fill," said Gerald McBeath, chair of the political science department at University of Alaska Fairbanks. "There is no immediate replacement for him."

Following the trial Stevens said he wanted another term "because I love this land and its people" and vowed to press on with an appeal. Professing his innocence, he blamed his legal problems on his former friend Bill Allen, the founder and former chairman of VECO Corp., the government's star witness.

In a state where oil and politics have always mixed, the conviction came as part of a long-running investigation into government corruption centered around VECO.


Stevens' lawyer demanded a speedy trial, hoping for exoneration in time to fight the first serious threat to his seat in decades. But the trial in Washington not only left Stevens a felon, it deprived him of time to campaign in his home state.

Stevens refused pleas from his own party leaders to step down after the verdict, including Sen. John McCain, the GOP presidential nominee who said the Alaska senator had "broken his trust with the people."

Begich will be the first Democrat to represent Alaska in the Senate in nearly 30 years. He is the son of Nick Begich, Alaska's third congressman, who died in a plane crash 1972 while running for re-election.

Mandatory Viewing #4. Answer the question folks. Just answer the question!

What gives folks? I've been asking people for a long time the following question: "What is it specifically that you won't be able to handle should a gay couple move in next door to you; how will your life change exactly; what IS it that threatens you?" And I have never gotten an answer to the question. Ever.

I give Keith Olberman MAJOR props for fighting the good fight (the whole crew at MSNBC!) these last few years. Break it down, baby, break it down!

election results update; yes, it's a LANDSLIDE!

By ANY measure, Obama, Dems and Others executed a landslide two weeks ago (feel free to look at past elections for historical numbers and other landlsides; fun and interesting). Here are the current numbers, as per MSNBC, one of the 'numbers leaders' this last election cycle:

Obama: 365 electoral votes
McShame: 173 electoral votes

Obama: 53% of the popular vote
McShame: 46% of the popular vote (wow. just wow)

Obama: 66,672,090 people voted for him.
McShame: 58,223,676 people voted for him....a difference of 8.5 million people. (wow. just wow).

...yep, there's that many clueless americans still left in this country, but hey, it's about 3 million less than 4 years ago!

Congrats to Pilgim for doing a MUCH better job at guessing the outcome than I did. he actually beat out MOSY analysts nationwide!


Senate info...
Dems have 57 seats.
Repubs have 40 seats.

3 races still pending...

MN: Al Franken (DEM) has a mere 206 vote deficit (that is NOT a misprint) out of a few million votes agaisnt Coleman (GOP). They are tied at 42% with the poplualr vote. Automatic recount STARTS later this week.
CCC prediction: too close to call.

GA: State law dictates that a winner can't be crowned until someone has 51% of the vote. Repub, Chamblis has 50% and Dem Martin has 47% I think. There will be a "run-off" election between just the two of them sooner than later.
CCC prediction: Chamblis/Repubs win this one.

Alaska: This race stands at esentially a tie, 47% to 47%, w/ the Dem Beigich currently holding onto a 1,000 vote lead over very recently-convicted felon (7 times!) and all around asshole Ted Stevens (Repub). However, there are more original votes to still be counted, absentee, provisional and paper ballots as well, to my understanding. After that, there may still be a re-count. Many of these votes are from Democratic counties I believe.
CCC prediction: Beigich/Dems win this one.

Senate shaping up to be a 58-41 in favor of Dems, w/ the MN race too close to call. Could end up being 59-41 which you HAVE to love.

I think we're up to 20 seats gained in the house and more coming. I'll get to that later, unless Pilgrim wants to takles the status of those races and "what we think we know" already.

Subject: USA Customer Service problems

Dear World:

The United States of America, your quality supplier of ideals of
liberty and democracy, would like to apologize for its 2001-2008
service outage.
The technical fault that led to this eight-year service
interruption has been located, and the parts responsible for it
were replaced Tuesday night, November 4. Early tests of the newly-
installed equipment indicate that it is functioning correctly, and
we expect it to be fully functional by mid-January.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the outage, and we
look forward to resuming full service --- and hopefully even to
improving it in years to come.

Thank you for your patience and understanding,

The USA


Author unknown
(wish I could take credit for it)

Eagles need action, not Reid's hollow words

Great assessment of Andy Reid by local sports journalist, from yesterday's Philadelphia Inquirer....


By Ashley Fox

Inquirer NFL columnist

Until the Eagles actually score a go-ahead touchdown to win a close game in the final couple of minutes, I'm done believing anything Andy Reid has to say. It's all just meaningless words now, non-explanations, catchphrases, and taking responsibility for things that don't make any sense.
Apparently, after losing yet another NFC East game by single digits, Reid thinks the Eagles are just fine. He knows what he's got. There's plenty of time left. He's got the pieces he needs.

The only addendum to Reid's normal postmortem yesterday after a 36-31 loss to the New York Giants was this: "We all need to step it up here now another notch down the stretch."

Seems when you "lose three games by three feet," you have to make sure that you work things out and get that taken care of. At least that's what Reid said.

Whatever.

In the battle of potential vs. production, I'm taking production right now. And the Eagles' production is this: five wins, four losses, zero wins in the NFC East, resulting in a spot in the divisional cellar right next to the Dallas Cowboys.

That road to the NFC championship? It doesn't run through Philadelphia anymore. In case those inside the protective gates of the NovaCare Complex haven't realized it, that road hasn't run through here in a while.

While Reid chose to focus on how the coaches could do things "schematically" to put the players in better positions, the reality is not pretty.

The Eagles are 0-3 against their biggest rivals and 0-4 this season in close games. They can't gain 1 measly yard when they have to have it. They can't get a big stop when they need one. They can't stop the run. They're getting manhandled at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Their coach is calling desperate challenges.

And now, in the latest troubling trend that has developed over the last two weeks, the Eagles can't run the football. Brian Westbrook has had back-to-back insignificant performances. Blame the scheme, or blame the player, but the Eagles' most dangerous weapon has been a nonfactor two weeks in a row.

But everything is A-OK. Just listen to the head coach, who knows more than anyone else in town because, you know, he's the head coach and he's been the head coach for the last 10 years. It's going to be fine because Reid knows what he's got. It's no time to panic. There's plenty of time left.

"I know what I have as far as coaches and players, and I know what we have to do," Reid said yesterday. "And we're going to go do it."

Sure you are. Maybe against the 1-8 Cincinnati Bengals. But what about against the Giants again? Or the Redskins again? Or the Cowboys again?

The Eagles' five wins this season have been against teams that, as of Monday, were 18-26. Their four losses have been against teams that are 24-12. The meaning in that is simple: The Eagles can beat the less-competitive teams, but they're toast against the winners.

That means the Birds are in the middle of the pack, at best. And really, is that any better than being, say, St. Louis? Not here.

While he did make the players report for work yesterday - something that hasn't happened on a Monday in a while - Reid seemed to have determined, after what had to be a sleepless night in his office, that the Eagles' glass is half-full.

Pointing to the positives in the game, Reid said that he was happy that "when the Giants were in a passing situation" - and boy, they didn't need to be often - the Eagles' defense was "able to pressure Eli, hit Eli and sack Eli." The truth is, the Giants rumbled right over the Eagles, gaining 219 rushing yards so that Eli Manning didn't have to be perfect with the passing game. Sure, the Eagles pressured Manning from time to time, but he had plenty of time to step into his throws, and the reality is the Eagles sacked him once and he had 31 pass attempts.

Reid also said that the Eagles' offensive line did "an excellent job of protecting the quarterback." True enough. But where was the run blocking? Keeping the quarterback upright is great, but how about providing Westbrook a few holes? He gained 26 yards on 13 carries. And when the Eagles really needed 1 yard late in the game, Westbrook couldn't get it because he had nowhere to go.

But at least McNabb was on his feet.

Everything else Reid said was pretty much a blur about taking responsibility for this and putting guys in a better position to do that and some overused blather about doing something or other schematically. It's now the scheme, and the execution of the scheme. How insightful.

Until the Eagles get a meaningful win - and Cincinnati, Baltimore and Arizona don't count - I'm not buying any of it. Show me, don't tell me. If you can't do that, don't bother with anything else.

Veterans Day thought (plain, simple, distilled)

So this is a response to a buddy of mine who wished me, "Happy Veterans Day!" today, on our fantasy football message board ('happy veterans day!' in case anyone's wondering, is a great salutation; I don't know if there's an 'official' or common one, but I've always appreciated that one). Keep in mind it's a blog for crying out loud, not the New York Times. Disregard typos, vocabulary, and broken sentences. This goes for everything I ever write on here.


Thanks buddies!

As troops, servicemen, anyone who currently is serving or has ever served can tell you, we are more than happy (bored, patriotic, just plain nuts) to committ ourselves to possibly die for our country, or any other insane sacrifice that might happen, as long as it's for a goddamned good reason.

The LEAST ANY leader can and should do - when LEADING a million or so young americans who are preapred to give their lives like that - is make sure it's a war or mission worth dying for. Leaders OWE us that. It's part of the fucking deal. We TRUST them to be able to determine what a good reason is, to state it simply.

This is the point Bush never got and still doesn't get, with regards to Iraq, and why I've always spoken out so much against the Iraq war, his decision, and anyone who has ever supported the Iraq war (including John McShame). These bastards made one of the worst decisions in our country's history when they decided to invade Iraq and did our troops, our military and America no favors whatsoever. And the reason it was such a bad decision was because it wasn't "worth" american lives. It was simply unnecessary for any american heroes to die there. Same thing with vietnam. which was also a 100% wholly unnecessary war, and eerily similar in that lies from our leaders and made up events were pushed vehemently to sell this utter nonsense to the American people.

Invading Iraq (Hussein never terrorized one single American here and the lying about "WMD"s! - OH MY!" among other things) and committing troops there is exactly the kind of decision troops DON'T want, need, or signed up for. Obama saw Iraq for what it was, and It's why he voted against invading them. He knew damn well it was unnecessary. He out-thunk George W., John McShame (w/ all his experience!) and a whole lot of our other "leaders" on this most important decision of the decade. Let there be no doubt about it: Obama will be a great commander-in-chief, because he has common sense and sound judgement. Something me, and millions of other veterans and active-duty military members wish Bush and the likes of John McShame possessed.

Our military is DECIMATED now, due to an unnecessary war that simply never had to happen. Hussein was no more a threat to one single American than Madonna is. He was boxed in and incapable or launching a firecracker for christ's sake. There wasn't even a MOUSE from al Qadea in Iraq before we invaded, let alone a terrorist! The Iraq war never had to happen and should never have happened and every American service person who died there didn't have to die and should not have died.

The paramount point I hope I'm making (about youth, others being more than willing to sign up for the military and potentially pay the ultimate price so long as they feel they can trust their leaders wholeheartedly), has been compromised during this administration, and America, families, veterans and our military is suffering for it, and will continue to for a truly long time. Americans who would otherwise sign up for the services, have decided they can't trust their leaders anymore to be in charge of their lives when it really matters. So they're not signing up. Recruitment for the military has not only been abysmal for the last several years, but it's actually made us genuinely and definitively less safe as a country (more on this down the road). It's a living tragedy. Thanks to Bush, our military is broken. Without a draft, it will take at LEAST a DECADE to get it back where it needs to be.

Okay, perhaps I digress. But it's important people everywhere realize the sacrifices veterans and current active duty troops have made and are making, and what goes into their thought process; as well as the dangers of what terrible leadership can do to our national heroes, their families and our country.

Wish I had said it

Letterman:

"But right about now Joe the plumber is meeting with his transition team. They're going to help ease him from obscurity back to oblivion."

Ouch. But so true.

Mmmkay....

In the NYTimes today, National Review hack Ramesh Ponnuru sez:

Yes, Mr. McCain’s plans would have cut taxes more than Mr. Obama’s for a lot of middle-class families, but Republicans rarely bothered to point that out. Mr. McCain’s campaign smartly promised to double the tax exemption for children, but the candidate seemed unfamiliar with the idea, repeatedly describing it incorrectly. Likewise, he had an innovative health care plan, but he rarely explained how it would help the average voter.

Riiiight.
Ramesh Ponnuru should have his pencils taken away.
...and please let us hope the NYT has more sense than to publish anything by Ponnuru in our presence ever again.

...out with the old...

A new generation transforms US politics
By James Carville

Published: November 5 2008 19:39

American voters have emphatically slammed the door on eight long years of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney’s divisive politics and disastrous policies. Following a predictable and ho-hum closing stretch of the campaign, Barack Obama was overwhelmingly elected president. The most important and most textured race for the presidency in my lifetime, in most Americans’ lifetimes, deserved a more dramatic finish.

The historical significance of electing our first African-American president cannot be lost on me, as I remember what it was like growing up in the segregated South. To say that I never thought I would see an African-American president in my lifetime is to understate what Mr Obama’s achievement says about America.

Additionally, although there seem to have been no fireworks or fuss marking its demise, with this election the Republican party has lost not only the White House and more than a few seats in Congress but an entire generation of voters. I have written in these pages, as early as August 2007 (see: “How Karl Rove lost a generation of Republicans”), that the Bush-Cheney-Rove triumvirate alienated a vast majority of young voters with its culture wars, ill-planned Iraq war and thorough, relentless bungling of domestic and foreign affairs. What was once a split demographic has become a solid voting bloc for the Democratic party for many years to come. Mr Obama and congressional Democrats made history on Tuesday night in no small measure due to the unprecedented enthusiasm of America’s youth. Mr Obama addressed them in his victory speech: “It [our campaign] drew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.” Quite simply, young voters (18-29 years old) delivered and delivered big.

Exit polling indicates that Mr Obama won two-thirds of those voting under 30 years old against 32 per cent for John McCain. Compare that with a 54-45 margin for John Kerry in 2004 and a 48-46 margin for Al Gore in 2000. Consider this: if young people had voted for Democrats at about the same proportion of the overall electorate (52-46) as they had voted as recently as 2000 for Mr Gore and for many cycles prior, Mr Obama would not have won North Carolina or Indiana. Young voters also provided the margin of victory in key battleground states such as Florida, Virginia and Ohio. The youth vote expanded the map for Mr Obama; it put him over the top in states not won by Democrats in decades.

Additionally, exit polling indicates young voters increased their share of the electorate to 18 per cent, which is no small feat. These numbers will be studied for years to come. But already it is clear that the importance of the margin by which Mr Obama and Democrats up and down the ballot won 18-29 year olds must not be understated.

By large margins, young people believe that Mr Obama can and will change the direction of the country. Their view that government should take an active role in society separates them from older voters. Young people want to see government try to solve problems, like environment and healthcare, and are willing to pay a little more in taxes to make it happen. Their view is indicative of a larger problem for the Republican party.

In presidential politics, party dominance is cyclical. Look at 1896-1932, then 1932-1968, then 1968-2008. Republican dominance over the past 40 years (the exceptions being one term for Jimmy Carter and two for Bill Clinton) grew out of a reaction to the 1960s. It was rooted in the power of the white male vote. But that voting bloc is shrinking while emerging Democratic constituencies are projected to grow in size and voting strength. To put it simply, every shrinking demographic is Republican and every growing one is Democratic.

One party has to lose a presidential election every four years. Congressional seats change hands every election cycle. Elections come and go and usually they are without deep or abiding consequence for either party. That is politics. But occasionally there is the election, like this one, that makes a resounding, lasting impact on the US political landscape. The Republican party, now an at all-time low in popularity, has lost a generation of voters. In 2008, a new Democratic majority has emerged with young voters at the helm. It is a majority that will continue for 40 more years.


The author is an international political consultant and CNN political contributor. He was chief strategist for Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign, and is working on a book, ‘40 More Years: Electing a Democratic Majority for the Next Generation’

Shudder

This video is from Fox, actually doing some reporting.
It's a good thing our guy won.

Onward

Now that we've all got some sleep, time to start thinking about what an Obama administration means. A week or so ago, Eric Alterman wrote about what Americans may be expecting, citing a Pew Center survey done quite some time ago. According to the Pew survey, a whole bunch of us are "libruls" who actually believe in government taking a somewhat active role in our lives:

roughly 70 percent of respondents believe that the government has a responsibility "to take care of people who can't take care of themselves." Two-thirds (66 percent)--including most of those who say they would prefer a smaller government (57 percent)--support government-funded health insurance for all citizens. Most also regard the nation's corporations as too powerful, while nearly two-thirds (65 percent) say corporate profits are too high--about the same number who say "labor unions are necessary to protect the working person" (68 percent). When it comes to the environment, a large majority (83 percent) back stricter laws and regulations, while 69 percent agree "we should put more emphasis on fuel conservation than on developing new oil supplies" and 60 percent say they would "be willing to pay higher prices in order to protect the environment."

Hmmmmm. In wingnut land they're scared of all kinds of evil things:

In a wonderfully apoplectic editorial titled A Liberal Supermajority, frightened Journal editors worried that an Obama landslide could presage "one of the most profound political and ideological shifts in U.S. history. Liberals would dominate the entire government in a way they haven't since 1965, or 1933." Among the coming horrors: "Medicare for all...[a] green revolution...ational, election-day voter registration...the end of Guantanamo and military commissions...'net neutrality' rules...."

Oh, the humanity!

Of course it's reasonable that a good government would be looking out for those who "can't take care of themselves", so I find it kind of baffling that 30% or so of the population wouldn't. Then I look at the numbers from surveys indicating the amount of unwavering support for the current lame duck in the White House and I get my answer. What I expect, and I imagine at least 63 million of my fellow Americans do as well, is an administration that reaches out to the 56 million or so fellow Americans who voted for the other guy in order to make sure everyone shares equally in the 'change we can believe in'.

How contentious will the other side be? In spite of the less-than-expected gains in the Senate for Democrats, the brand of conservatism forced upon us over the last three decades or so has been repudiated. Others have said it already and I hope it's true, the era of Friedmanite/Chicago School economics may thankfully be coming to an end. The electoral drubbing is significant in that a true silent majority (maybe not so silent) finally did find a voice. True, there will always be crazies, and I suspect wingnut radio and Faux News are secretly quite happy at the prospect of at least four years in full-throated, spittle-flinging opposition. They have their base to appeal to, after all.

"CONGRATULATIONS DEMOCRATS!"

WOWWhohohoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!

This is my Kennedy.

Errr....FDR.

Did I mention the tears in my eyes?

update: Yeah, cryin' like a baby.

Game, set, match.

President Obama.


'nuff said.

Update: Our long national nightmare is over.

McCain's Epic Fail

Sarah Palin.
Selling out to the wingnut brigades.

Do I really have to explain?

I have 207 Obama to 129 McCain at 10:04 EST.
It's over but for the crying.

According to MSNBC and others, McCain is meeting with Sarah Palin already. The end is near. Ladies and Gents, We have made history!

Props to Howard Dean. Thanks for issuing us into the 21st century (finally), and helping to restore the credibility of the US in the world.

Get used to it:
President Obama.

Amen.

Update: New England no longer has any Republican Reps, as Chris Shays has been defeated. Go us.
Update 2: another random fact: this is the first time since 1952 that a Dole or a Bush will not hold elective office at a national level in the US.
Update 3: Howard Dean is a Jedi.

OHIO!!!!

Ohio goes for OBAMA.

After PA, the last nail in the coffin is Colorado. C'mon Buffs!

Look at it this way: California is 55 EVs; Washington is 11, and Hawai'i (B.O.'s home state) is 4.

GAME OVER. THANKS FOR PLAYING.

CO is icing on the cake. Not to mention all the other EVs Obama will pick up elsewhere.

Update: Mary Jo Kilroy has won in OH-15, which she narrowly lost two years ago. Ohio is trending blue...Obama has picked up support in rural counties far beyond what Dems have run for years.

Hagan wins in NC

Kay Hagan has apparently defeated Elizabeth Dole for Senate in NC!

Update: by the way, in VA, Warner is blowing out his opponent...upticket coattails? We'll see.

Mid-Election Night Thoughts

I'm drinking beer and coffee in alternate cups. The excitement is palpable, of course.

Florida, as usual, appears to have a clusterf**k in some places.
However, My take is this: Indiana is still too close to call 2 1/2 hours after polls began to close. That's a big deal.

People, one of the reddest of the red is on the fence.

Indiana, a swing state?

Even if McCain wins in the land of Hoosier, the fact that it couldn't be called early speaks volumes to the rest of the night. Take heart my friends!

Another prediction

While Jace does great civic service...thanks, Jace!...I cannot get out of the dreaded "teacher inservice day" (aka "professional development", or as we educators frequently refer, a waste of our time. Thank god for "the Google").

My predictions (optimism included!):
Obama: 348 electoral votes, 51% of popular vote
McLame: 190 electoral votes, 47% of popular vote

Democrats in the Senate: 57 (plus 2 independents)
Republicans in the Senate: 41

Democrats in the House: 275
Republicans in the House: 160

Indiana's polls begin closing at 6pm, but time zone issues keep it from being a uniform closing statewide. If Indiana can't be called for McCain fairly early, look for a Democratic landslide. If Obama wins Indiana, the election could be a complete blowout, an epic fail for the Republicans.

Virginia closes at 7pm, as do Georgia and Florida. GA and FL are tossups, but VA is leaning Democrat. A sweep of these and it is likely over, and a long night for the Goopers.

Ohio and North Carolina close at 7:30. If these two go Dem in addition to VA, FL and possibly GA, it's going to be a bloodbath. The reason I say that is the number of House races that are competitive this year. Relatively early calls in these states for Obama could mean coattails of great length...and a lot of GOP soul-searching on Nov. 5.

Pennsylvania and Missouri close at 8pm. PA should go Dem. MO, on the other hand could get interesting. A win in MO means Obama is probably the next president, because even if he's only holding Kerry states by that point, he will just need 7 electoral votes to seal the deal, and Colorado, New Mexico and Iowa will close at 9, 9 and 10pm respectively. Obama leads in each.

Other stuff to watch: Prop. 8 in California (anti gay marriage), and gay marriage issues in FL and AZ. There's a very severe anti-choice law on the ballot in SD, and a "right-to-work" issue in CO (read: anti-union).

Of course, this is an American election, and we all know what a clusterf**k these can become. So I wouldn't put down money on anything. Things look good for our side going in.

Have fun poll-watching, Jace. I'll be glued to the TV all night

Election outcome prediction

I'm too tired to get long-winded here. I'm working my local polling station tomorrow (Poll Watcher/Greeter) for pretty much the whole day and tired as hell right now, w/ an energy-zapping cold. Suit's ready, kid's lunch is made, coffee machine is set. I gotta get to bed. But first, my prediction:

Barack: 298
McShame: 240

Speaking of Asinine...

It shouldn't be surprising that McCainiacs would behave this way, but then, Republicans always seem to find a way to outdo themselves in the "I Am A Complete Asshole" contest.

Shirley Nagel of Grosse Pointe Farms gave out treats Friday evening, but only to those who share her support of John McCain and running mate Sarah Palin.
a sign posted outside Nagel's house, about 12 miles west of Detroit, served notice to all trick-or-treaters. It read: "No handouts for Obama supporters, liars, tricksters or kids of supporters."
When asked about children who'd been turned away empty-handed and crying, she said: "Oh well. Everybody has a choice."

Here's a report from a local Fox affiliate:

Where I live, there isn't much doubt about the local vote. Obama will get close to (if not over) 80% here. Even our Republicans are more or less reasonable people who would never visit nastiness upon toddlers because of how their parents vote. There's no trick-or-treat litmus test because it isn't necessary to vet a child on beggar's night to see if they're worthy of candy. All kids are worthy, Republican, Democrat, Green, Libertarian, etc. They're CHILDREN, Shirley! They could give a rat's hind end what you think of Barack Obama. Why the sadism in making them cry?

"Oh, well. Everybody has a choice."
Yeah, Shirley, we do. Mine is Obama. You're gonna have to live with that, you f***ing harpy.

No. F*@&ing. Way.

Are you ready for some voting?!

The election night stash is in the fridge. Come hell or high water, tears of joy or tears of terror, drowning of sorrows or partying for joy, Tuesday night will be a late one.

Yes, we can.