I applaud Hillary Clinton for sticking it out this far. It takes quite a bit of guts to hang in there when everyone is telling you to get out. I do respect her ability to stick to her guns and keep pressing forward.
But...it's over. Very over.
She's done well enough to drag this out. Each time she needed a victory to survive, she's gotten it. I'm not sure how, since the more I've learned about Clinton the less I've wanted her to get the nod.
I'm still behind Obama. I think his unwavering poise (contrasted with Clinton's "You always give me the first question!" whining in the debates), his ability to talk tough truths (telling a teacher's union they'll have to accept merit pay, for instance), and the way he hasn't really run from anything (denouncing Wright as a wild and crazy man with misguided views, admitting his campaign has been too negative).
I hope Hillary has plans to bow out before the convention, mayhaps at the end of this month. I really don't want to see a divided party as the end result of this insane year of primaries, because that's precisely what John McCain wants.
What's wrong with John McCain? Not a whole lot...except he's absolutely not enough of a course correction after Bush. Eight years ago, McCain would have been fine I believe. Right now, we need to pull a 180 degree turn and McCain is not up to that task. Sorry bud.
Showing posts with label Primaries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Primaries. Show all posts
Friday
A Closer Look at Obama
Now to look at Barack Obama. I'm currently very disappointed in Obama, since his campaign failed to act on my Myspace friend request. I gave them a lil over three weeks, and they muffed it. So it's cancelled. HA!
Education: Obama seems to have his head on straight when it comes to education. He talks about performance pay, better respect, a sense of urgency, and keeping life long education affordable. I can get behind all that.
Diplomacy: This is a good run down on Obama's foreign policy. Essentially, I see the opposite of the cowboy diplomacy going on here. Phrases like "learn from the past" and "understanding the non-Western world" give me hope.
Bipartisanship: Obama has been big on this issue. The biggest sign of it that I've seen is the fact his health care plan doesn't include a mandate (a horror to the right wing) except where children are concerned. That's a compromise position, and I think it's something we should admire.
War in Iraq: He didn't vote for the war, wanted to finish Afghanistan instead (what a novel concept!). He plans on having all but a token force out by 16 months into his administration, with only embassy protection and al-Qaeda hunters left (no permanent military presence). Check it out.
...And Now for Some News...
White House Unveils Plan for Credit Crisis, from NPR
Fire In Lhasa as a Result of Tibet Protests, from BBC
Blue Jackets Still in Playoff Running, from WCBE
Education: Obama seems to have his head on straight when it comes to education. He talks about performance pay, better respect, a sense of urgency, and keeping life long education affordable. I can get behind all that.
Diplomacy: This is a good run down on Obama's foreign policy. Essentially, I see the opposite of the cowboy diplomacy going on here. Phrases like "learn from the past" and "understanding the non-Western world" give me hope.
Bipartisanship: Obama has been big on this issue. The biggest sign of it that I've seen is the fact his health care plan doesn't include a mandate (a horror to the right wing) except where children are concerned. That's a compromise position, and I think it's something we should admire.
War in Iraq: He didn't vote for the war, wanted to finish Afghanistan instead (what a novel concept!). He plans on having all but a token force out by 16 months into his administration, with only embassy protection and al-Qaeda hunters left (no permanent military presence). Check it out.
...And Now for Some News...
White House Unveils Plan for Credit Crisis, from NPR
Fire In Lhasa as a Result of Tibet Protests, from BBC
Blue Jackets Still in Playoff Running, from WCBE
Wednesday
A Closer Look at Clinton
Since she isn't my favorite, I'll look at her first. Here are a few stances she has on her issues.
Clinton:
War in Iraq: Near as I can tell, didn't vote for the war PER SE, but voted for authorization because the Administration apparantly mentioned they'd try and use diplomacy first. As far as ending the war, she says she'll do it, starting phased redeployment (wow that's a loaded term) within the first 60 days of her administration.
Education: Clinton issues a press release about NCLB I found on the Senate website (yay Google!). It says essentially that it's a wonderful thing, but now it needs to be revamped based on what's happened in the last five years and then funded appropriately. I didn't see much in the way of college level positions, but really...if we're doing a good job at the high school level, the kids will be able to get into college.
Bipartisanship: Every candidate talks a big game about bipartisanship, because all the polls tells them we're sick to death of partisan bickering. I couldn't find any specific statements about this from Clinton. I also can't remember any big across-aisle reaches from her (I could be wrong there). I do know she makes conservatives foam at the mouth (for reasons I don't really understand...) and that's not conducive to getting things done.
Diplomacy: That same article I cited under ending the war in Iraq mentions quite a bit about diplomacy as part of her rebuilding plan. If that is any indicator on how her diplomatic efforts in other ends of the world, it makes quite a bit of sense. Also, the campaign ads I've been seeing (since she HAS to win in Ohio, more or less) mentioned an "end to cowboy diplomacy," which I'd be ok with.
...And Now for Some News...
Obama Wins Mississippi Primary, from NPR
Governor Spitzer Resigns in Scandal, from NPR (he was caught by the same tactics he pushed for as NY Attorney General...irony, eh?)
British Air Strike Kills Afghan Civilians, from the BBC
Rwandan Priest Gets Life Term on Appeal, from BBC
Columbus Appoints Homeless Advocate to Mayor's Office, from WCBE
Union Vote at Ohio Hospitals Called Off, from WVXU
Clinton:
War in Iraq: Near as I can tell, didn't vote for the war PER SE, but voted for authorization because the Administration apparantly mentioned they'd try and use diplomacy first. As far as ending the war, she says she'll do it, starting phased redeployment (wow that's a loaded term) within the first 60 days of her administration.
Education: Clinton issues a press release about NCLB I found on the Senate website (yay Google!). It says essentially that it's a wonderful thing, but now it needs to be revamped based on what's happened in the last five years and then funded appropriately. I didn't see much in the way of college level positions, but really...if we're doing a good job at the high school level, the kids will be able to get into college.
Bipartisanship: Every candidate talks a big game about bipartisanship, because all the polls tells them we're sick to death of partisan bickering. I couldn't find any specific statements about this from Clinton. I also can't remember any big across-aisle reaches from her (I could be wrong there). I do know she makes conservatives foam at the mouth (for reasons I don't really understand...) and that's not conducive to getting things done.
Diplomacy: That same article I cited under ending the war in Iraq mentions quite a bit about diplomacy as part of her rebuilding plan. If that is any indicator on how her diplomatic efforts in other ends of the world, it makes quite a bit of sense. Also, the campaign ads I've been seeing (since she HAS to win in Ohio, more or less) mentioned an "end to cowboy diplomacy," which I'd be ok with.
...And Now for Some News...
Obama Wins Mississippi Primary, from NPR
Governor Spitzer Resigns in Scandal, from NPR (he was caught by the same tactics he pushed for as NY Attorney General...irony, eh?)
British Air Strike Kills Afghan Civilians, from the BBC
Rwandan Priest Gets Life Term on Appeal, from BBC
Columbus Appoints Homeless Advocate to Mayor's Office, from WCBE
Union Vote at Ohio Hospitals Called Off, from WVXU
Friday
My Take on the Candidates
Sorry 'bout the late, LATE post. We got a cat yesterday, and I forgot to put this up in all the excitement.
Things have solidified quite a bit since the start of the Primary hoopla. We've really narrowed it down to a few solid candidates ahead of Super Tuesday. Here are my picks for both major Parties:
John McCain, an Arizona Congressman from 1982-1986 and a Senator from 1986-present, is a former naval aviator and POW. He's been consistently for the war in Iraq, and staying there, and was one of the 12 Senators who staged a "revolt" over Bush's bill on detainees in 2006, because it did not provide protections against torture. Senate Page
Barack Obama, a 1st term Senator from Illinois who also spent 8 years as a state Senator. He's been a civil rights attorney and a community organizer. His time in the Senate hasn't been glorious, per se, but you do see his name around an awful lot of bipartisan efforts. I'd love to put more in here, but to be honest he hasn't been too much in the public eye until the primary race started up. Senate Page.
And why...
John McCain may be old. And he may be Republican. And he may have spent much of the last 8 years pandering to the far right wing. But on the whole, his efforts on campaign finance reform, the way his campaign in 2000 was run, his personal history, and how he has stuck to his guns on the Iraq issue when EVERYONE was jumping ship all impress me. I feel he is a straight talker, and while I disagree with some of the positions he has (like Iraq), I agree with others (like immigration, which he's also taken fire for and stuck to). I could definitely see myself voting for John McCain in a general election.
Things have solidified quite a bit since the start of the Primary hoopla. We've really narrowed it down to a few solid candidates ahead of Super Tuesday. Here are my picks for both major Parties:
John McCain, an Arizona Congressman from 1982-1986 and a Senator from 1986-present, is a former naval aviator and POW. He's been consistently for the war in Iraq, and staying there, and was one of the 12 Senators who staged a "revolt" over Bush's bill on detainees in 2006, because it did not provide protections against torture. Senate Page
Barack Obama, a 1st term Senator from Illinois who also spent 8 years as a state Senator. He's been a civil rights attorney and a community organizer. His time in the Senate hasn't been glorious, per se, but you do see his name around an awful lot of bipartisan efforts. I'd love to put more in here, but to be honest he hasn't been too much in the public eye until the primary race started up. Senate Page.
And why...
John McCain may be old. And he may be Republican. And he may have spent much of the last 8 years pandering to the far right wing. But on the whole, his efforts on campaign finance reform, the way his campaign in 2000 was run, his personal history, and how he has stuck to his guns on the Iraq issue when EVERYONE was jumping ship all impress me. I feel he is a straight talker, and while I disagree with some of the positions he has (like Iraq), I agree with others (like immigration, which he's also taken fire for and stuck to). I could definitely see myself voting for John McCain in a general election.
Barack Obama is young. He's fresh. He has a back ground in the grass roots and in civil rights. He's spent time in the state legislature, where the real business of the country happens. I don't get a vibe that it will be business as usual with Obama, and I like the way people react to him. The vibrancy around his campaign is something I haven't noticed in politics in my lifetime (short, granted, but I campaigned for Clinton in 1996 at school, fool. I've been watching these things). He also has a lot of the liberal ideas I like, without some of the dumber ones that Rush Limbagh likes to mock. I can see an Obama presidency being a good thing, and thus I can definitely see myself voting for him.
Let's see who survives Super Tuesday, hm?
...And Now for Some News...
No news today...I'm running late as it is.
Wednesday
Columbus Government
Since I've moved, it's time to get acquainted with a new set of government officials. Let's start with the Mayor of Columbus and the City Council.
The city's website is pretty simple: http://www.columbus.gov/. I love it when it's that simple. The main page here has all kinds of links that are just pretty spiffy. The central features have some interesting news bites...hrm. Have to look into that.
The Mayor's Page has a lot of the same information as the main city page, but also has contact info for the Mayor.
The City Council has a main page, that branches off into all sorts of information about the council and it's individual members.
City Attorney has his own page.
As does the City Auditor.
Clerk of Courts has her own webspace.
And a list of Judges.
I think that covers it all. Now to update my sidebar links...
...and Now for Some News....
McCain, Clinton Win in Florida, from NPR
Army Balks at VA Help for Soldiers, from NPR
Afghan MPs Back Death for Blasphemy, from BBC
EU Leaders Call for Transparency, from BBC
Organizations Worried Over State Budget Troubles, from WVXU
The city's website is pretty simple: http://www.columbus.gov/. I love it when it's that simple. The main page here has all kinds of links that are just pretty spiffy. The central features have some interesting news bites...hrm. Have to look into that.
The Mayor's Page has a lot of the same information as the main city page, but also has contact info for the Mayor.
The City Council has a main page, that branches off into all sorts of information about the council and it's individual members.
City Attorney has his own page.
As does the City Auditor.
Clerk of Courts has her own webspace.
And a list of Judges.
I think that covers it all. Now to update my sidebar links...
...and Now for Some News....
McCain, Clinton Win in Florida, from NPR
Army Balks at VA Help for Soldiers, from NPR
Afghan MPs Back Death for Blasphemy, from BBC
EU Leaders Call for Transparency, from BBC
Organizations Worried Over State Budget Troubles, from WVXU
Your Ohio Primary
ok...so I've moved to a whole different end of the state. That's kinda disturbing on some levels...but not, on others. But I'm still in Ohio, so thankfully many of my links are still valid. Changing them is the next big project I have.
But today, I wanna look into the primary. When it is, who can vote, etc etc. Let's go consult Google.
By a round-a-bout way, I found this handy dandy schedule. This guy has some pretty nifty graphics, so it's a bit better than my postage. Not a bad site on the whole...go check it out!
This tells us that Ohio has a joint primary (both Democratic and Republican parties hold primary elections the same day) on March 4th. This is after super-Tuesday, so it makes our primary even more irrelevant than most...kinda sad.
I believe the best way to investiage the how-tos of a primary is through the Ohio offices of the parties...so lets go back to Google.
The Ohio Democratic Website really kinda sucks. A lot. They don't even have the March 4 primary listed on their events calendar. In fact, they barely mention the primary at all. They do have a pretty robust information base in general terms, however.
The Ohio Republican Website is flashier, and better and getting their message out, but has even less real info. The national GOP website doesn't look so barren of info, and I was referred to it a few times...but I was looking for information on the Ohio primary. Didn't find it, and the GOP didn't list the primary with their events either.
I'm kinda disappointed in both these groups. Remind me why I'm registered Independent?
Maybe the Ohio Board of Elections? Long story short, not really.
ok, I had to walk away from the computer after 2 hours on this. I believe I saw a lil blurb back on the Ohio Democratic Party's site on their FAQs about registering with a party...their answer was no, but if you vote in a primary that will set your party affiliation. So it resets your registration? Apparantly. I couldn't find anything to clarify it, and I'm just about done.
Now for Some News...
Gaza Barrier Breached, from NPR
Slide May Not Presage Severe Recession, from NPR
Goths with Dog Leash Forced off Bus, from BBC
Iraqi Parliament Approves New Flag, from BBC (this actually does serve practical purpose)
But today, I wanna look into the primary. When it is, who can vote, etc etc. Let's go consult Google.
By a round-a-bout way, I found this handy dandy schedule. This guy has some pretty nifty graphics, so it's a bit better than my postage. Not a bad site on the whole...go check it out!
This tells us that Ohio has a joint primary (both Democratic and Republican parties hold primary elections the same day) on March 4th. This is after super-Tuesday, so it makes our primary even more irrelevant than most...kinda sad.
I believe the best way to investiage the how-tos of a primary is through the Ohio offices of the parties...so lets go back to Google.
The Ohio Democratic Website really kinda sucks. A lot. They don't even have the March 4 primary listed on their events calendar. In fact, they barely mention the primary at all. They do have a pretty robust information base in general terms, however.
The Ohio Republican Website is flashier, and better and getting their message out, but has even less real info. The national GOP website doesn't look so barren of info, and I was referred to it a few times...but I was looking for information on the Ohio primary. Didn't find it, and the GOP didn't list the primary with their events either.
I'm kinda disappointed in both these groups. Remind me why I'm registered Independent?
Maybe the Ohio Board of Elections? Long story short, not really.
ok, I had to walk away from the computer after 2 hours on this. I believe I saw a lil blurb back on the Ohio Democratic Party's site on their FAQs about registering with a party...their answer was no, but if you vote in a primary that will set your party affiliation. So it resets your registration? Apparantly. I couldn't find anything to clarify it, and I'm just about done.
Now for Some News...
Gaza Barrier Breached, from NPR
Slide May Not Presage Severe Recession, from NPR
Goths with Dog Leash Forced off Bus, from BBC
Iraqi Parliament Approves New Flag, from BBC (this actually does serve practical purpose)
Thursday
How DO Candidates Get Chosen?
I have a vague understanding of this...but not a full understanding. So I'm going to consult Google for you.
In essence, it's a smaller version of the Electoral College. While the primaries for each party ARE held in the year leading up to the Presidential Election, those really don't officially decide anything. Delegates are chosen from each state, and then THEY select the candidate at the party convention, typically held the summer before Election Day.
The delegate selection process is rather...complicated. It varies by state, and by Party. One of my Google Finds, ThisNation.com, had a pretty solid answer for you. That article also links to a CNN.com report on how the GOP and Democrats did their process in 2004...which is a good read.
For the sake of brevity, the short and simple answer is the primaries serve to pledge some delegates for a particular candidate. They're typically only about half of the delegates that will go to the Convention...there are elected officials (think Governors), Party officials, and others with influence who will be chosen for the state at large.
Most delegates will be pledged, meaning they have to declare for a particular candidate before the convention. It's for this reason winning the primaries is such a key element...although in theory, with a scattered enough race (like this one!) it could be anyone's ball game, on account of unpledged delegates being able to weigh in on just one of three otherwise equal candidates.
So, to recap: The primaries elect some of the delegates to the Convention, and these set of district level delegates will vote for the winner of said primary. PLEO's, or Party Leaders and Elected Officials, will also have a say and are typically unpledged. This allows state delegations to be flexible under changing political conditions. Other delegates are chosen as well, with an at-large distinction, and depending on state rules are pledge or unpledged.
Then they all get together, and have a big party, and somewhere along the way vote for whoever they were pledged to vote for. Or whoever their delegation decides on, if they aren't pledged.
That gets important, because...what about those delegates pledged to Bill Richardson? They're up for grabs at the convention. If Huckabee drops out, all his delegates ALSO become fair game. That's why it may not seem important to vote your conscience in a primary, but...really, it is. Even if your candidate drops out later, a delegate from your district could play a key role in choosing the right candidate, instead of just going to support a media darling.
Now For Some News...
Bush to Announce a Stiumulous Package (Put Together With Congress???), from NPR.
Iran is Not an Immediate Military Threat, says Gates, from NPR.
Bobby Fischer Dies at 64, from BBC.
CIA Names Bhutto Killer, from BBC.
Reds Spring Training Tickets On Sale, from WVXU.
Delta, Northwest Merger Likely, from WVXU.
Ohio Supreme Court Rules on Multiple Sentences, from WVXU.
In essence, it's a smaller version of the Electoral College. While the primaries for each party ARE held in the year leading up to the Presidential Election, those really don't officially decide anything. Delegates are chosen from each state, and then THEY select the candidate at the party convention, typically held the summer before Election Day.
The delegate selection process is rather...complicated. It varies by state, and by Party. One of my Google Finds, ThisNation.com, had a pretty solid answer for you. That article also links to a CNN.com report on how the GOP and Democrats did their process in 2004...which is a good read.
For the sake of brevity, the short and simple answer is the primaries serve to pledge some delegates for a particular candidate. They're typically only about half of the delegates that will go to the Convention...there are elected officials (think Governors), Party officials, and others with influence who will be chosen for the state at large.
Most delegates will be pledged, meaning they have to declare for a particular candidate before the convention. It's for this reason winning the primaries is such a key element...although in theory, with a scattered enough race (like this one!) it could be anyone's ball game, on account of unpledged delegates being able to weigh in on just one of three otherwise equal candidates.
So, to recap: The primaries elect some of the delegates to the Convention, and these set of district level delegates will vote for the winner of said primary. PLEO's, or Party Leaders and Elected Officials, will also have a say and are typically unpledged. This allows state delegations to be flexible under changing political conditions. Other delegates are chosen as well, with an at-large distinction, and depending on state rules are pledge or unpledged.
Then they all get together, and have a big party, and somewhere along the way vote for whoever they were pledged to vote for. Or whoever their delegation decides on, if they aren't pledged.
That gets important, because...what about those delegates pledged to Bill Richardson? They're up for grabs at the convention. If Huckabee drops out, all his delegates ALSO become fair game. That's why it may not seem important to vote your conscience in a primary, but...really, it is. Even if your candidate drops out later, a delegate from your district could play a key role in choosing the right candidate, instead of just going to support a media darling.
Now For Some News...
Bush to Announce a Stiumulous Package (Put Together With Congress???), from NPR.
Iran is Not an Immediate Military Threat, says Gates, from NPR.
Bobby Fischer Dies at 64, from BBC.
CIA Names Bhutto Killer, from BBC.
Reds Spring Training Tickets On Sale, from WVXU.
Delta, Northwest Merger Likely, from WVXU.
Ohio Supreme Court Rules on Multiple Sentences, from WVXU.
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