This weeks National Review editorial calls for the GOP to hold its nominating convention in 2008 in New Orleans.
"Symbolism will matter too. No single step would go further to dramatize the GOP's commitment to rebuilding New Orleans than announcing now that the party's 2008 convention will be held in the recovering city. Such a move would signal the party's confidence in the Big Easy's renewal, and put it at the forefront of what should be similar commitments from private actors to do their part to help New Orleans come back."
I read all of Freakonomics last night and I have no clue as to Levitt's political affiliation. Could someone please edify me with a definitive answer.
Filling up space because of Kos' rule about one line diaries. Filling up space because of Kos' rule about one line diaries. Filling up space because of Kos' rule about one line diaries.
It appears as though Georgia may be following Texas' lead on re-redistricting. But this time we're not gonna play nice in return. Steyn Hoyer called up three states where Dems might re-redistrict: Illinois, New Mexico, and Louisiana. One of the Reps. from Illinois is Dennis Hastert. So GOP, you touch Georgia, we boot the speaker.
I just read Jon Chait's fantastic article on the difference between liberals and conservatives. I know Chait has made his fair share of enemies on the blogosphere, but when the subject isn't Howard Dean he's one of the best defenders of the liberal values shared by so many on this website and myself. I'd highly recommend that everyone read this article. It's from TNR's 90th anniversary issue, which is entitled To Liberalism: Embattled- And Essential. I'll drink to that. Characteristically, Martin Peretz bashes liberalism. But the other articles are highly enjoyable. Posted below is Chait's masterpiece.
Naral's president sent out a letter to the "Right-to-Life" movement asking for there help in reducing the number of abortions by preventing unwanted pregnancies. She acknowledged the real and "sincere" differences between them on the issue of choice, but said that we should look for common ground. Check out the link: http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/takeaction/loader.cfm?url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&PageI
D=16398
I think this is a great move- both as a matter of policy and politics.
I just looked at the history of elections in the 20th century. Four sitting Senators ran for President. Of these, two won. The losers were McGovern and Goldwater while the winners were Kennedy and Harding. All the others who you frequently hear about as evidence of a Senators unelectability were former Senators. Yet, Truman, Johnson, and Nixon were also former Senators. To be fair, Dole is counted as a former Senator since he retired in July, 1996. Yet, even if you count him, it is 2 out of five. Kerry was in the 21st century, so he makes it 2 out of 6, which doesn't seem very good. But keep in mind that not one of these people lost with the possible exception of Kerry because they were Senators. McGovern and Goldwater were both seen as far out of the mainstream. Dole was a grouchy old man running against a popular incumbent.
Please, no more talk about how Senators always lose. The facts simply don't match the claim.
The Note claims that Rahm Emanuel will replace the late Bob Matsui as chair of the Democratic Campaign Committee. I've yet to see this report elsewhere. Here's what the Note says: "Dionne gives huge play to a plan by new DCCC chairman Rep. Rahm Emanuel and Gene Sperling to finance private retirement accounts for workers without pensions separately from Social Security by stopping the total repeal of inheritance tax and using that money for the accounts."
Emanuel was the national campaign director for the DCCC in 1988, when Democrats picked up three seats even though Bush won in a landslide. He was the national finance director for Clinton's successful 1992 campaign, during which he raised a then stunning 90 million dollars. He went on to work in the White House and replaced George Stephanopoulus when he quit. He was elected to congress in 2002.
I think a lot of us have given the congressional Democrats a pretty hard time. Howard Dean ran his campaign against them, and it resignated with a lot of people, myself included. But I think we should try to understand the difficulties faced by Democrats in the house of representatives. I read an old article earlier today which really pissed me off about how poorly treated the dems are. It's long, but i'm posting it below and hope people will take the time to read it.
I think a lot of us have given the congressional Democrats a pretty hard time. Howard Dean ran his campaign against them, and it resignated with a lot of people, myself included. But I think we should try to understand the difficulties faced by Democrats in the house of representatives. I read an old article earlier today which really pissed me off about how poorly treated the dems are. It's long, but i'm posting it below and hope people will take the time to read it.
Mydd.com reports that Congress is trying to buy back the Sequoia Presidential Yacht which was sold thirty years ago. It will cost tax payers 2 million dollars. The Mydd story is below. I remember Bush saying something about balancing the budget by limiting "wasteful spending." Does Bush consider a 2 million for a yacht wasteful?
I was just reading the Newsweek campign narrative about all the details of the campaign and I've come to two conclusions. First, Stephannie Cutter cost us this election. It was she who advised Kerry to give the simple one worded "yes" response to if he would have voted for the war if given another chance. I feel as though that was the biggest mistake of the campaign and it marked the beginning of Bush's dominance in August. She also was really a jerk towards the press and slowed down rapid response by making all communications go through her. Second, our next nominee needs his or her own poitical team, not the usual mercenaries like Shrum, Carville, Begala, Devine, McMahon, etc. They leak way to much. None of Kerry's advisers cared about Kerry like Rove, Dowd, Hughes, Bartlett, Mehlman, and Mckinnon cared about Bush. We need a guy with his own political team and I think we'll only find a solid team with a big state governor or Hillary.
WHy do all the Kossacks hate the DLC? We've basically accepted all their ideas. No one is saying deficits don't pose a long term danger to our economy anymore. No one thinks a we shouldn't put more cops on the streets anymore. Few think that a single payer health care plan makes more sense than Kerry's approach. You hate Evan Bayh and Joe Lieberman, but you like John Kerry, John Edwards, and Diane Feinstein, who are all members. Could someone please explain to me why we should go back to fiscal irresponsibilty? Why should we go back to the days of Dukakis, Mondale, McCarthy, and McGovern? 45% of the electorate is moderate, 22% is liberal, 34% is conservative. How do we win if we're going to just appeal to the 22%?
I looked at some governorships and senate seats currently held by Republicans that look vulnerable. The rankings are derived at from a mixture of the liklihood the Democrats will pick up the position, the ugliness of the incumbent, and the prominence of the position. These are by no means the only positions we should target in 2004. Also, by my count eight of the people listed have been rumored as possible Presidential candidates in 2008. These are Rick Santorum, George Pataki, Ahhnold (if the constitution is amended), Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney, Bill Frist, George Allen, and Bill Owens.
If there's anything we learned this year, it's that if you repeat something enough people will believe it. Let's look at the record of whoever the Rethuglicans nominate in 2008 and find one time in his career where he flip-flopped and make it a central part of our campaign. This can be successful against Governors as well as Senators. The GOP did a great job this year at creating the perception that Kerry was a flip-flopper. Flip-flopping is also a values issue. People with values don't flip-flop.
I took the time to look at everyone who is running for election in 2006. I think we can take back the Senate. If anyone has any ideas on folks who might run, let me know. I posted their names, state, and age in 2006. I posted comments on all of those who are from states that went for the presidential candidate of the other party. I also made comments on a couple other folks I thought were vulnerable.
