POLL: How about a case FOR government programs?

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Tuesday October 12, 2010 · 6:17 PM PDT

2010/10/12 · 18:17

I love our community, but sometimes we're like a bunch of magpies. We see the shiniest things, and we start adorning our nest with them. In this election cycle, the shiny things are: 1) ridiculous politicians (O'Donnell, Angle, Rand Paul, etc.), and 2) the hypocrisies of rank-and-file Republican candidates. This focus may be satisfying--it's an "elaboration and ornamentation of the consensus" amongst ourselves (a beautiful phrase from Marilynne Robinson's novel Housekeeping, which comes all too often to mind). But this is not how elections are won.

Poll

28 votes Show Results

Do you pledge to make some positive arguments for government spending?

28 votes Vote Now!

Do you pledge to make some positive arguments for government spending?

Hell yes!

21 votes

... but pointing out others' hypocrisy is easier!

0 votes

... and more fun!

3 votes

And, besides, I'm happy with the current federal budget.

4 votes

Catechism of Cliche: Debate Night Edition

eustiscg

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Wednesday October 15, 2008 · 5:09 PM PDT

2008/10/15 · 17:09

From 1940 to 1966, a daily column appeared in the Irish Times under the byline of Myles naGopaleen (who was really Brian O’Nolan, who was better known for his whimsical, tricksy novels written under another pseudonym, Flann O’Brien … got that?) I would highly recommend, to you lovers of satire, the selections that appear inThe Best of Myles.

One of my favorite recurring features of the column was known as the “Catechism of Cliché,” where O’Nolan would criticize the dead metaphors of his day by writing guides to their proper construction in the mode of a dry, parochial-school-style interrogation.

eustiscg

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Friday September 12, 2008 · 4:57 PM PDT

2008/09/12 · 16:57

Dear Kossacks,
I have watched with ever-increasing disgust as John McCain has sacrificed his integrity to the Rovian machine. I'm ready for some ACTION. How 'bout you? Yes? Well let's get our ducks in a row ...

Poll

26 votes Show Results

Do you wanna become a kickass phonebanker?

26 votes Vote Now!

Do you wanna become a kickass phonebanker?

No. I would rather be a bedwetting armchair strategist. *waaaaaaah*

6 votes

Yes!

1 vote

Hell yeah!!!

10 votes

Puh-leez! I already am one!

9 votes

CALL TO ACTION: Let's put Palin's "Executive Experience" in context!

eustiscg

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday August 29, 2008 · 12:18 PM PDT

2008/08/29 · 12:18

Republicans are going to compare Palin's experience favorably to Obama's and even Biden's because she has 18 months of "executive" experience. Let's nip this in the bud.

eustiscg

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Thursday August 28, 2008 · 8:15 PM PDT

2008/08/28 · 20:15

I was watching the speech on CSPAN (thank you Kristina40 for reminding me of this option!) but I decided to mosey on over to FoxNews immediately thereafter. Believe it or not, it wasn't all bad. Yes, the anchor did mention, over the swelling scene, that our candidate's name is "Barack Hussein Obama" but he did say (with surprise, the dunce!) that Obama favored cutting outdated government programs.

But it's not so much what he said, as what happened afterwards. Several minutes of blessed silence from the peanut gallery as the "spectacle" played out. Patriotic music, waving flags, the undulating energy of the crowd.

eustiscg

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday August 22, 2008 · 6:07 PM PDT

2008/08/22 · 18:07

DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Halperin (aka HaHa), wears a bowler hat
Dobbs (aka DoDo), wears an identical bowler hat

Patrone, a media boss
Pundizzo, a talking head

A Boy, eerily resembles a Monsieur Plouffe

eustiscg

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday August 08, 2008 · 7:05 AM PDT

2008/08/08 · 07:05

The murmuring in the blogosphere against Obama's run-of-the-mill ad campaign have been growing louder. The general feeling seems to be that you can't sell a new kind of politics while using the well-worn templates of Democratic campaigns of yore. Mike Lux wants more Obama face-time in ads, and that could surely make voters feel like they know him better. But it really does little to address the essential problem: a laundry-list, policy-wonk ad--no matter how it's filmed--is still a laundry-list, policy-wonk ad.

eustiscg

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday February 06, 2008 · 6:37 PM PST

2008/02/06 · 18:37

I'm floored. I think the folks over in Obamaland must be pinching themselves. Is this really happening? Are you sure it's just not a campaign manager's freewheeling fantasy? Not only does Clinton's injection of personal wealth (an amount four times the entire personal net worth of her opponent) show the wear-and-tear of her campaign. It also sets her up for some very unsavory comparisons ... and sets her against her husband's own words. Read on ...

RSS

POLL: How about a case FOR government programs?

Catechism of Cliche: Debate Night Edition

PHONEBANKING OMNIBUS, or, a lurker takes action (and so should you)

CALL TO ACTION: Let's put Palin's "Executive Experience" in context!

UPDATED: Fox Framing: Yes, I took one for the team

Waiting for the Text: A Tragicomedy in Two Identical Acts

A New Drilling Ad

Why Hillary's Cash Injection is the PERFECT STORY ...