(Full disclosure:  I've been a Sirius subscriber for about four years now, and have been following this story for some time.)

Today, the Justice Department announced that they have approved the merger between the two satellite radio companies, Sirius and XM.  Although larger media conglomerates such as Clear Channel are screaming bloody murder today, this was the correct decision and will be beneficial to both consumers and to artists.

Now, I understand that there is apprehension from some on the left about whether or not this constitutes a monopoly.  But that is not the case here.

Sorry this is a short diary.  Keith Olbermann just said on Countdown that he'll be doing a Special Comment on the HRC campaign tactics on tomorrow night's show!  I thought this would be a perfect topic for him, but I didn't know if MSNBC would allow him to do it.

Fire up the TiVo's y'all, this is going to be good!

(Cross-Posted at Silence Isn't Golden)

As we debate which Presidential candidate would be best for the future of our country, it is important to not lose sight of those who would destroy that future before it even begins.

As many of you know, President Bush just submitted a budget of $3.1 TRILLION to Congress. This budget contains what will be the legacy of this Administration--additional tax cuts for the wealthy and for corporations, and enough money for the Pentagon to bring military spending to the highest level since World War II. On the other hand, 151 programs will be cut or terminated, a third of which are educational programs.

I'm sure the conservatives will just shrug that off as "entitlements" that aren't all that important, and call them a waste of money. But I'd like to tell you about one of those programs that could lose its funding under Bush's budget, and the disastrous consequences that could result.

(Cross-Posted at Silence Isn't Golden)

This has nothing to do with any candidates running for President.  My apologies in advance.

Earlier today, R. Neal at KnoxViews (a Knoxville blog obviously) posted a sad anecdote about how his wife went to the drug store and witnessed a woman being forced to decide which of her six prescriptions to fill, because she could not afford all of them. It's the kind of story you hear all too often these days, and all you can do is shake your head and look forward to next year, when we have a Democratic president in the White House and we see some real work being done on reforming our health care system in this country.

This started out as a conversation earlier this week about favorite lightbulb jokes ("How many "x" does it take to change a lightbulb?").  It got me wondering what sort of lightbulb jokes you could do for the different presidential candidates, which turned into this post on my blog.

These probably aren't that good, so I'm curious to see what other punchlines y'all can come up with.  

(Cross-Posted, slightly edited, at Silence Isn't Golden)

I'm a bad feminist!

There, I said it. In fact, I'm such a bad feminist that I can hardly be considered one at all. I shouldn't be in my room blogging right now, I should be in the kitchen or in the laundry room.

I already had one strike against me due to the fact that I see no conflict between being a feminist and wearing makeup. But in a New York Times column today, feminist pioneer Gloria Steinem further reminded me of my unworthiness on the grounds that I don't support Hillary Clinton for President.

(Cross-posted at Silence Isn't Golden)

I've hinted at it for a few months now, but it wasn't until a few weeks ago that I decided that I would definitely do it.  I'd heard stories of previous conventions, and it sounded like something I really wanted to do.  In particular, considering how close the primary votes may be, this year's convention could be one for the history books.

But I wasn't sure if it would be feasible.  First of all, the dates of the county-level and district-level conventions would require me to make the gruelling Ithaca-to-Nashville trip twice in one month.  I just didn't know if I could work it in while also worrying about my grades and my law school applications at the same time.

(Cross-Posted at Silence Isn't Golden)

Last night, Barack Obama became the first Democratic Presidential candidate to open an office in Tennessee (and really, the first candidate of either party who is still relevant. Sorry Freddie!). The office was on the complete opposite end of Nashville from where I live, so after sitting nearly half an hour in interstate traffic trying to go three miles, and spending another 10 minutes trying to figure out where the $%# the building was, we made it just before the event began. But it was well worth it, and I will certainly be back out there again to help out while I'm home on winter break.

Welcome to the GoldnI Evening News Roundup (GENR)!

As you'll recall, this is a new diary series where we will discuss the most important stories in the world of GoldnI.  Who is GoldnI, you might be wondering?  GoldnI is that gorgeous, sexy, Jewish American Princess blogger, the progressive Democrat who grew up in the Bible Belt but now finds herself stuck in the vast frozen tundra otherwise known as Upstate New York.  I know you're all just thrilled!

And please remember...this is a sandbox EXCLUSIVELY for the GoldnI supporters.  This is OUR space in which to rah-rah for GoldnI.  Please don't come in here if you're going to be antagonistic, go find your own sandbox instead.  Thank you :)

Welcome to the GoldnI Evening News Roundup (GENR)!!  

This is a new diary series where we will discuss the most important stories in the world of GoldnI.  Who is GoldnI, you might be wondering?  GoldnI is that gorgeous, sexy, Jewish American Princess blogger, the progressive Democrat who grew up in the Bible Belt but now finds herself stuck in the vast frozen tundra otherwise known as Upstate New York.  Doesn't that sound like an exciting topic?!

Before I go on, a caveat...this is a sandbox EXCLUSIVELY for the GoldnI supporters.  This is OUR space in which to rah-rah for GoldnI.  Please don't come in here if you're going to be antagonistic, go find your own sandbox instead.  Thank you :)

(Cross-posted at Silence Isn't Golden)

Several weeks ago, I wrote about Judge W. Dale Young, a Circuit Court judge in Blount County (near Knoxville in East Tennessee).  In a clear display of conservative "family values", he told a LEGAL immigrant who had come into his court to get an order of protection against her abusive estranged husband to "go back to Nicaragua."  For that, he was put under judicial conduct review, but is still on the bench.

Well guess what? Young is at it again, this time deciding against a mother in a child custody hearing because her religious beliefs were--wait for it--different!

No one thought it possible.  Conventional wisdom said that New York, particularly this little pocket of New York, had settled on its pick.  The frontrunner position was not up for grabs, particularly not from an untested, non-native New Yorker like Edwards.

But Edwards has come out of nowhere in upstate New York.  He's played the game like a seasoned pro, and has clinched the frontrunner position.  He's shown how wrong the "conventional wisdom" is.  And most importantly, he's brought hope to the people of New York, who have been looking for an inspirational hero to lead them.

That's right...Buffalo Bills rookie QB Trent Edwards is dominating right now!

August 29, 2006.  I'm standing outside of Mercy Lounge, a club in downtown Nashville.  We had just had a resoundingly successful event inside of the club for young voters, to convince them to vote for Harold Ford Jr.  Afterwards, I (the intern) have to direct traffic outside.  Only problem is, we're having a torrential downpour, and under the Law of Comic Inevitability, I'm wearing a white shirt.  But I'm still on such a high from the event that I barely even notice.

I think this story nicely sums up the experience of an intern or a young staffer on the campaign trail.  It's at once euphoric and draining, thrilling and mundane.  It's a job that will give you the time of your life while leaving you broke and soaking wet in the parking lot.

I've now worked two campaigns, and I wouldn't trade the experience for anything in the world.  And I'd like to tell you what it's like and how you, as a young Democrat, can get involved.

(Cross-posted at Silence Isn't Golden)

Today at Cornell, we had a rally for Barack Obama. It was the perfect day for a rally, sunny and a balmy 75 degrees (in ITHACA! IN OCTOBER!! If this isn't proof of global warming, I don't know what is!). I haven't been very active in the Cornell for Barack Obama group, but it's been by far the most active and visible of the student campaign organizations on campus (except for perhaps the Ron Paulies and their weird chalkings on the Engineering Quad).

Anyway, I went today because it took place in between my classes, and because one of the key people in this group is my "little-little" in my sorority (yes, I'm in a sorority.  Don't hold it against me!).

I try not to use "breaking" in blog posts, but this is important.  Conventional wisdom says that there's no way we can defeat Lamar! Alexander and win his Senate seat next year, but there's absolutely no reason to let him win re-election without a fight.  Conventional wisdom also said that George Allen and Conrad Burns were shoo-ins for re-election last year!  People in Tennessee as in the rest of the country are fed up with what's happening in Washington, and you will definitely see that reflected next November.

I am pleased to announce that Mike McWherter, son of popular former Governor Ned McWherter, has formed an exploratory committee and seems all but set to run as the Democratic candidate against Lamar! next year!

Sundown on Wednesday night marked the beginning of Rosh Hashonah, the first of the High Holidays.  At the start of the New Year, we're supposed to reflect on how we acted in the last year and atone for our wrongdoings.

However, on Thursday morning, I could barely keep my eyes open, let alone reflect on anything.  It was fitting that Rosh Hashonah came when it did, because this week, one major phase in my life came to an end.

WYFP is our community's Saturday evening gathering to talk about our problems, empathize with one another, and share advice, pootie pictures, favorite adult beverages, and anything else that we think might help. Everyone and all sorts of troubles are welcome. May we find peace and healing here. Won't you please share the joy of WYFP by recommending?

(Cross-posted at Silence Isn't Golden)

This is an outrageous story from Blount County in East Tennessee.  I hope the conservatives will be all over this one, because if this isn't a clear-cut example of an "activist judge" enforcing a political agenda from the bench, then I don't know what is.  But of course, it's an immigration issue so I'm sure they're all in favor of it.

Anna Calixto, an immigrant worker from Nicaragua, went to Blount County Circuit Court Judge W. Dale Young to seek an order of protection from her estranged husband, who's been harrassing and stalking her.  But the judge, despite her LEGAL status, ignored her request and instead told her to "go back to Nicaragua"!

Over the last few months, you've heard a lot from me about our mayoral election in Nashville.  After the general election in August, we were left with two candidates for the runoff.  

One of them, former Public Defender and Metro Law Director Karl Dean, was an upstart progressive, someone who ran because he truly believed he could move Nashville forward, not because he was a career politician.  The other candidate was former Congressman Bob Clement, a DINO good ol' boy from the Tennessee political establishment.  He bragged about voting for DOMA and the Bush tax cuts while in Congress, and attacked Dean because he had the AUDACITY to do his job as public defender, showing clear contempt for the U.S. Constitution.  Dean was committed to running a positive campaign, while Clement resorted to smears and pandering.