Stimulation Negation

A piece in Slate discussing why opposing the stimulus was good politics for the GOP:
http://www.slate.com/id/2210082/

I get it that they have to be seen to be resisting Big Government Spending while resisting the Obama Juggernaut. But is now the time for politics? Our economy is headed off a cliff and Boehner's main priority is dick-swinging? I say we play politics right back by respectfully deleting--where possible--any stimulus programs that may accrue to the districts of those voting no. Because, let's be honest with ourselves, we don't as a nation truly oppose Big Government Spending. We simply oppose it when it's not being spent on projects we like. In any case, something has to be done, and I am all for Trying Something, rather than getting all ideological at a time when we need pragmatism. I mean, hello GOP, you can't really benefit from a tax cut IF YOU DON'T HAVE A FREAKIN' JOB!!!

Update: Looks like the Dems are fighting back. This from Washington Monthly:

Pushing back against the unanimous House Republican vote against President Obama’s stimulus plan, the White House plans to release state-by-state job figures “so we can put a number on what folks voted for an against,” an administration aide said.

“It’s clear the Republicans who voted against the stimulus represent constituents who will be stunned to learn their member of Congress voted against [saving or] creating 4 million jobs,” the aide said.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the lawmakers will have to answer to their constituents.

“I do believe that there will be people in districts all over the country that will wonder why, when there’s a good bill to get the economy moving again, why we still seem to be playing political gotcha," Gibbs said.

And later today, MoveOn, Americans United for Change, AFSCME and SEIU will be announcing a new ad campaign targeting moderate Republican senators who might support the stimulus — Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine, Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Charles Grassley of Iowa.

Who Will It Be at the RNC?

Today's big election news involves the Republican National Committee's selection of a new chair. It's newsworthy because whoever wins will set the party's agenda for the next two years, an agenda that has to bring the 'Pubs back from the brink of self-destruction.

The only problem is the slate of candidates:

Michael Steele: Lackluster fundraiser and endorser of GOP moderates. He's Black, so has the "change" mantle, but may not win due to previously-mentioned moderate leanings.

Saul Anuzis: Michigan RNC chair, considered very magnetic, but not necessarily leadership material.

Katon Dawson: Claim to fame is belonging to an all-white country club. Enough said. Although very popular as the southern states rally behind him.

Mike Duncan: Current RNC Chair seeking another term. Not much change there.

Ken Blackwell: Overseer of the Ohio "election" in 2004. Not a good choice for a party seeking to downplay its Rovian and socially conservative tendencies.

Chip Saltsman: He of the "what is so offensive about me sending 'Barack The Magic Negro' in my Christmas cards?" Tone deafness extraordinaire. Not going to win.

So there you have it: a cavalcade of mediocre candidates for a currently-mediocre party. Maybr Tracy Flick will jump in the race.

It's a Snap!

I broke my wrist today after going arse-over-tit on the horrendous ice on my sidewalk, while applying ice-melt to the horrendous ice on my sidewalk. I went down, landed on my ass, which hurts a fair bit. Unfortunately I also landed on my wrist, which bent backwards in a way it was not designed to bend. It hurt so much that I damn near vomited. Instead, I dragged myself into my house and called the BBDD from my prone position on the couch, to tell him that my wrist was hurting like nothing I had ever experienced--and that I might vomit. So--Gram took me to the hospital where--after 4 hours--I was told that it was waaay broken. I guess 11 months of calcium-leaching prednisone will do that to the bones... Bah.

Anyhoo, I'm typing with 1 finger. Which means I started this post around 11am! ha ha. And my wrist is decidedly not feeling good. It's splinted till Monday, when I'll get a cast at the orthopedic surgeon's office. I was waiting to see him today when a rather gregarious joe sixpack started chatting with me. He was well-intentioned but totally out-there. He asked about the wrist, agreed that it was a tough break, then said, "But it could be worse!" I thought he was going to follow up with something like, "It's not your writing hand." Nope. He said, as he pulled a ratty sock off his hand, "It could look like this!," revealing the most disfigured and bloated fingers I've ever seen in my life. I flinched, it was so gross. Then he proceeded to ask me questions in a manner that implied that he knew all about me just by looking: "So. You arunner? I bet you're a former distance runner." Then, "Does your mom have osteoporosis? I'll bet she does, which is why your wrist broke." I felt kind of bad for him because it was clear that he derives no small amount of self-esteem from his "uncanny" ability to "know" things about strangers, so I didn't outright tell him he was full of bul..er, malarkey.

Anyhoo I'll attempt blogging again tomorrow. Hunt and peck!..peck!,,peck!

Tuesday Topics

Hey y'all. First of all: Happy Chinese New Year! Gong Hay Fat Choy! Which does not actually mean, "Happy New Year." That's "Xin nian kuaile." Gong Hay Fat Choy means, sort of: "Congratulations! Get Rich!" So you all can have a xin nian kuaile if you'd prefer. I personally am going to attempt some gong hay fat choying in 2009.

In some delightful new Year of the Ox news: Bill Kristol is out at the New York Times for writing mostly bull. Sweet! Some of his greatest hits from HuffPo:

His very first column earned a correction, when he misattributed a Michael Medved quote to Michelle Malkin.

-- Several other corrections followed, and his track record as a pundit was so poor it drove Jon Stewart to often ask, "Oh, Bill Kristol, aren't you ever right?"

-- Who can forget when he told Stewart he was getting wrong information because he was relying too much on... the New York Times. Stewart replied: "But you work for the New York Times, Bill!"

-- He touted, of all people, Clarence Thomas as a GOP vice-presidential candidate. Or, as the sage wrote of McCain, "He could persuade the most impressive conservative in American public life, Clarence Thomas, to join the ticket."

-- Later, smitten with Sarah Palin in a brief cruise stopover in Alaska, he pushed her for Veep, publicly and privately. Then he lobbied for McCain to let Palin be Palin, or as he urged: "Hockey Mom Knows Best." So we have Kristol partly to thank for McCain's single worst blunder and a real game-changer (though not as he intended) in the fall campaign.

Next up, the Rightosphere is all up and wiggy about Obama's first formal interview as POTUS with--wait for it!--Al Arabiya TV. See?! He's a "half-breed muslin!" I think he did the right thing, diplomatically speaking. It's CNN covering the speech, some of which they show. It's worth watching, especially for David Gergen's comments around 5 minutes in, which are a far better explication of my thoughts than mine. Watch it for yourself:

Next up, another movie for you, a very funny spoof on the "hazing" Robert Gibbs received in his first press secretarial outing. Hat tip to Oliver Willis:

More tomorrow!
*Mwah!*

Inauguration Pics

Most of these are courtesy of JackandJillPolitics and Huffington Post.

Let's start with my favorite:


Then, the personal aspects of the official event:






And, to prove that these kids are not superhuman:

This Revolution Just Might Be Televised

Bambina and I watched some of the President's (I love saying that!) speech at the Congressional Luncheon (you know, the one where both Kennedy and Byrd had health incidents). I was explaining to her why this was such a historic day in American history, and it just led us down all kinds of conversational paths. We talked about those old days when people who weren't white weren't allowed to do certain things and weren't thought of as smart as white people, etc. I realized, as I was explaining that African-Americans, Black people, have African ancestry/Asian-Americans have ancestors from one of several countries in Asia, that she doesn't really get race yet. She completely thinks she is the same as Barack Obama because "his skin is the same color as mine; well, he's a *little* lighter than me, but we're both still brown." My point was that African-Americans in particular were the focus of the civil rights movement (which is not to say that life was a picnic for our Chinese immigrant friends back in the day), but she's not having it. Which is fine with me, because any day my child sees a person with whom she identifies running the country, that is a good day. Now I just have to get a bunch of states to ratify a constitutional amendment allowing naturalized US citizens who have lived continuously in the US since, let's say, the age of 12 months, to be eligible for the Presidency. Doesn't it seem a *wee* bit ludicrous that someone not born in the USA but genuinely, technically a lifelong citizen cannot run? I mean, I moved here at 8 years old, who knows what kind of espionage fantasies I harbor, right? Fair enough on blocking me. But a 9 month old baby? Let's be real. Bambina For President!! :)

Speaking of civil rights, I was telling her about MLK when I realized that it all started with Ms. Rosa Parks. So I told her the story of the bus boycott, and Miz Rosa saying that she was not moving from her seat on the bus because what does skin color have to do with bus seating, and how that started it all; that it took just one woman saying "Enough is Enough" to start a ball rolling that changed the world. She LOVES this story, so I had to tell it over and over again. After the 12th retelling Bambina said, "Mama, there is something I want to tell you." Okay. "You know what I would have done if I was Rosa Parks?" "No my love, tell me!"
"I would have karate-kicked that bus driver and put him in jail till he listened to my words."

So now you know. For all of you sick of hope and change and positive, nonviolent blah-dee-blah, Semiviolent Resistance will be the cornerstone of the Bambina Revolution.

Who "Flubbed" What?

The parties aren't even over yet and the Rightosphere is in a lather. Over economic policy? No. Over military strategy? No. Over Obama's "flubbing" of the oath of office (further proof he doesn't love America, I'm sure). Unfortunately for them (Drudge, I'm looking at you), you should actually read the oath before breathlessly posting nonsense on a blog. As in, the Chief Justice was the one who got it wrong (I wonder if this is now proof the HE does not love America?):

ROBERTS: Are you prepared to take the oath, Senator?
OBAMA: I am.
ROBERTS: I, Barack Hussein Obama...
OBAMA: I, Barack...
ROBERTS: ... do solemnly swear...
OBAMA: I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear...
ROBERTS: ... that I will execute the office of president to the United States faithfully...
OBAMA: ... that I will execute...
ROBERTS: ... faithfully the office of president of the United States...
OBAMA: ... the office of president of the United States faithfully...
ROBERTS: ... and will to the best of my ability...
OBAMA: ... and will to the best of my ability...
ROBERTS: ... preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
OBAMA: ... preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
ROBERTS: So help you God?
OBAMA: So help me God.
ROBERTS: Congratulations, Mr. President.