My voting strategy, without specific endorsements (because A: I haven't researched and B: What's my endorsement matter, anyhew?) boils down to Change.
I'm not happy with anyone in Congress, with a handful of the usual exceptions (Ted Kennedy's kept his eye on the ball, for instance. Russ Feingold. John Conyers. Patrick Leahy.) I'd like to name some Republicans on that parenthetical list, but...I'm having trouble thinking of any. Which is sad, because I know there are some. They just don't get the attention.
I'm truly disgusted with Harry Reid. As the Senate Majority Leader, he's been directly responsible for some of the worst legislative compromises of the 110th Congress. He's allowed the Republican party to make a mockery of the process, to stonewall process...and he's done it without so much as a whimper.
GOP: "We are SOOOO gonna filibuster that bill if you try and vote it."
Reid: "Fine, fine...we'll do it the way you want."
I'm paraphrasing and exaggerating...but not by much, sadly.
The long and short? If there's an encumbant, I'm half-tempted to just vote for the opponent out of principle, regardless of party lines.
...I won't do that, however. There are too many issues I worry about--mostly the creep of conservative Christian values into government--to let some guy in to write laws because "They're New." That's not responsible citizenship.
But...it will factor. I'll be giving the candidates a harder look this year, and not necessarily stopping at party affiliation or a single issue. I want people who will govern in Washington, and keep politics to a minimum.
Thursday
A Note on My Linking Program
When I link to a person, such a candidate for elected office, I try to include two links. One for the first name, one for the last. My goal is to have the last name be something official, such as their Senate homepage. Their first name, either their campaign website or a wikipedia entry.
That's not a hard and fast rule, however...since, y'know, sometimes they don't have either. My goal in general is to give you a link that will provide an overview of information, or a starting point for more reading. While I may find a news story I want to link to...I won't use their name to link to it, especially in a list setting.
In cases where I can't find anything in particular...I'll link you to the Google search. Kind of a cop out, but hey...I'm only one man with plenty of other obligations.
That's not a hard and fast rule, however...since, y'know, sometimes they don't have either. My goal in general is to give you a link that will provide an overview of information, or a starting point for more reading. While I may find a news story I want to link to...I won't use their name to link to it, especially in a list setting.
In cases where I can't find anything in particular...I'll link you to the Google search. Kind of a cop out, but hey...I'm only one man with plenty of other obligations.
Wednesday
Say Hello to the New Russia...
...same as the Soviet Union.
For the past couple years, as we've grown more and more involved in our war in Iraq, Russia has been getting more and more frisky with it's neighbors. Between the gas crisis with Ukraine to blocking sanctions again Iran to the current incursions into Georgia, the practice of intimidating neighbors is back in vogue in Moscow.
Of course, we're not doing anything to help the situation. From our incredibly weakened state (both militarily and morally) we keep insisting on telling Russia how to behave, which is only going to serve to make Moscow dig it's heels in harder.
Add to that, our missile defense treaty with Poland and the Czech Republic. I love how we approached it in a spirit of compromise and diplomacy...but didn't budge an inch, just kept telling Russia how ridiculous they were being.
So are we settling into a new Cold War? That's what it seems like from where I'm sitting...
As if we don't have enough problems.
For the past couple years, as we've grown more and more involved in our war in Iraq, Russia has been getting more and more frisky with it's neighbors. Between the gas crisis with Ukraine to blocking sanctions again Iran to the current incursions into Georgia, the practice of intimidating neighbors is back in vogue in Moscow.
Of course, we're not doing anything to help the situation. From our incredibly weakened state (both militarily and morally) we keep insisting on telling Russia how to behave, which is only going to serve to make Moscow dig it's heels in harder.
Add to that, our missile defense treaty with Poland and the Czech Republic. I love how we approached it in a spirit of compromise and diplomacy...but didn't budge an inch, just kept telling Russia how ridiculous they were being.
So are we settling into a new Cold War? That's what it seems like from where I'm sitting...
As if we don't have enough problems.
Monday
Perez Musharraf
So rather than be impeached (and prolly destroy the country in civil war right after, given what we've seen out of him) Pervez Musharraf has resigned. Much like Nixon, no?
You've probably already heard the stats. Took over in a coup in 1999. Has been head of state (and head of the army) since. You could call him a military dictator, but one who has flirted quite a bit with democracy, much in the fashion of English monarchs ("You're doing what I like, so I'll let you keep doing what I like. But the minute you change to what I don't like...").
Any guy who will simply dissolve the supreme court in order to avoid hearing, "Yep, you broke the law, Pervez" probably doesn't need to be running a democracy. That's really the only judgement I have on this situation. He's gone; and it's a good thing.
Now what to do with him?
I'm gonna be Gerald Ford crazy here, and say pardon him. It's time to move on and fry bigger fish. And you can argue the fact that without Musharraf, for better and worse things would not be what they are today in Pakistan. They're a strong nation, nuclear armed, a player in the world game, poised to launch a full blown democracy.
Would this have happened without 9 years of military rule? Probably. But now that he's paved the way for a new President (and era) in Pakistan with his resignation, I say we start with a fresh slate and leave him alone to finish off his life, reliving the glory years.
But really, what does my opinion matter? I'm an American. That's Pakistan. I rightly have no say in the process...something we should remember a little more often since some of us have pissed away the moral highground.
You've probably already heard the stats. Took over in a coup in 1999. Has been head of state (and head of the army) since. You could call him a military dictator, but one who has flirted quite a bit with democracy, much in the fashion of English monarchs ("You're doing what I like, so I'll let you keep doing what I like. But the minute you change to what I don't like...").
Any guy who will simply dissolve the supreme court in order to avoid hearing, "Yep, you broke the law, Pervez" probably doesn't need to be running a democracy. That's really the only judgement I have on this situation. He's gone; and it's a good thing.
Now what to do with him?
I'm gonna be Gerald Ford crazy here, and say pardon him. It's time to move on and fry bigger fish. And you can argue the fact that without Musharraf, for better and worse things would not be what they are today in Pakistan. They're a strong nation, nuclear armed, a player in the world game, poised to launch a full blown democracy.
Would this have happened without 9 years of military rule? Probably. But now that he's paved the way for a new President (and era) in Pakistan with his resignation, I say we start with a fresh slate and leave him alone to finish off his life, reliving the glory years.
But really, what does my opinion matter? I'm an American. That's Pakistan. I rightly have no say in the process...something we should remember a little more often since some of us have pissed away the moral highground.
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