U.S. Politics I

[G'Kar]

I thought this guy wasn't even a fucking plumber.

[kuenjato]

[quote name='DanteGabriel' post='1646419' date='Jan 12 2009, 16.37']Joe the Plumber files his first dispatch from Gaza, and it's everything you'd expect from the soulless, bludgeon-stupid Avatar-Cock of the Republican Party:

[url="http://thinkprogress.org/2009/01/11/joe-plumber-media/"]http://thinkprogress.org/2009/01/11/joe-plumber-media/[/url]

That's right. The elitist media should back off of reporting on wars and just make patriotic film reels.[/quote]


Unreal. The poster above me is right, though: he's a gift that keeps on giving.

This dude and Failin' will continue to splinter the Grand Old Party's level-headed voters from the fundies. Or so one might hope.

[Annelise]

:bang:

[quote]ALBANY, N.Y. – Gov. David Paterson's secretive process to select Hillary Rodham Clinton's successor in the U.S. Senate conflicts with his campaign promises to open up government, and New York's top regulator of open government laws says it appears to violate state law.

Just days from announcing his choice, Paterson won't identify "about 10" people who he said are in the running to follow Clinton, President-elect Barack Obama's designated secretary of state. The governor won't release the blank questionnaire he sent to each candidate looking for background information. He won't turn over their completed forms.

"The process is confidential," is the stock answer from his office.

Keeping the questions posed to Senate hopefuls secret appears to violate the state's post-Watergate freedom of information laws, according to Robert Freeman, executive director of the state Committee on Open Government, the state agency that regulates enforcement of the good-government laws.[/quote][url="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ny_senate_seat"]http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ny_senate_seat[/url]

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Annelise,

Transparency in government. Isn't it a wonderful thing?

[Annelise]

Well, here's the thing. Did he consult state law and his lawyers? Because, common, the Blago mess isn't what you'd call low profile.

Is he going to make a pissing match of it?

Indeed, maybe consider addressing addressing questions like this:

[quote]"So why doesn't Governor Paterson get the candidates to pledge they won't raise campaign funds for him, so his appointment is not seen as just in the best of interest of his own political position?" Horner said.

Paterson's spokesmen wouldn't respond to that question Monday.[/quote]

[Shryke]

This is why you just hold a goddamn election for this shit people!

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Shryke,

[quote name='Shryke' post='1647347' date='Jan 13 2009, 14.34']This is why you just hold a goddamn election for this shit people![/quote]

Because then we don't get men with bad hair issuing appointments as a giant "Fuck You!" to the State about to remove them from office. What fun could we have if that stopped?

[Shryke]

[quote name='Ser Scot A Ellison' post='1647354' date='Jan 13 2009, 14.38']Because then we don't get men with bad hair issuing appointments as a giant "Fuck You!" to the State about to remove them from office. What fun could we have if that stopped?[/quote]

Good point actually. Honestly, I think my life would be much poorer for never having seen that hair.

[El Chico]

[quote name='Triskele' post='1646788' date='Jan 13 2009, 00.12']Has anyone here ever met a Palin supporter? I never have. Honestly. I know of a couple who are the parents of my friend. They are Left Behind readers.[/quote]


I live in Alabama. What would you like to know about the Palinites?

[Annelise]

Huckabee news..

[quote]Sarah Palin isn't the only one talking to Esquire. In a new profile in the magazine, Mike Huckabee appears to be readying himself for a Republican presidential primary fight in 2012. The former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate (and current Fox News talk show host) offered some choice words about two potential rivals.

On Palin:

Now I must say I did not think that either the Charlie Gibson interview or the Katie Couric interviews were unfair. In fact, if anything, Katie Couric was extraordinarily gentle, even helpful. [Palin] just... I don't know what happened. I can't explain it. It was not a good interview. I'm being charitable.

On Mitt Romney:

[Romney] was usually accompanied by a phalanx of eager young aides who bullied their way through events as if they were all carrying badges, guns, and the authority to move the "little people" out of Mitt's way. It did not go unnoticed by other candidates or by the "little people" who spoke with open contempt of the treatment.[/quote] [url="http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/?last_story=/politics/war_room/2009/01/13/geithner/"]http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/?la...01/13/geithner/[/url]

[Annelise]

Also from Chu at his confirmation hearing:

[quote]From Chu's opening statement:

Elements of [President-elect Obama's] plan include a greater commitment to wind, solar, geothermal and other renewable energy resources. Aggressive efforts to increase energy efficiency of our appliances and buildings. More efficient cars and trucks and a push to develop plug in hybrids. Greater investment in technology to capture and store carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants. A continued commitment to nuclear power and a longterm plan for waste disposal. Responsible development of domestic oil and natural gas. Increased commitment to research and development of new alternative energy technologies. A smarter and more robust transmission and distribution system, and a cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions. Taken together, these elements of President-elect Obama's plan will put us on a course to a better energy and environmental future, create new jobs and industries, restore U.S. energy technology leadership and help form the foundation of our future economic prosperity. It will be my primary goal to make the U.S. Department of Energy the leader in these efforts.[/quote]

Which prompted this exchange:

[quote]Unsurprisingly, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, the ranking Republican on the committee, picked up on Chu's comment on "responsible development of domestic oil." She asked if, given that commitment, Chu would join "us" in "opposing a reinstatement of the ban on offshore oil production, and encouraging greater production of domestic resources, both onshore and offshore."

Chu acknowledged that the president-elect had said he supports "looking at oil production and gas production both on- and offshore as part of comprehensive energy policy." But then he immediately pivoted.

But I should also say, Senator, as you well know, the reserves of the United States are approximately 3 percent of the world's reserve, and the numbers from 2005 suggest that something like five percent of the world production of oil comes from the the United States. So while it is important to fold into this the continued development of oil and gas resources one should also recognize those numbers. The more efficient use of energy in United States is the one factor that can most decrease our dependence on foreign oil.[/quote][url="http://www.salon.com/tech/htww/2009/01/13/stephen_chu_hearing/index.html"]http://www.salon.com/tech/htww/2009/01/13/...ring/index.html[/url]

[El Chico]

[quote name='Annelise' post='1647588' date='Jan 13 2009, 16.30']Huckabee news..

[url="http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/?last_story=/politics/war_room/2009/01/13/geithner/"]http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/?la...01/13/geithner/[/url][/quote]

Divide et impera.

Anyone heard anything about Petraeus? I don't know if he has any real political schooling, but I'd say he's the best bet for the GOP, come 2012.

[EHK for Darwin]

[quote name='El Chico' post='1647667' date='Jan 13 2009, 17.10']Divide et impera.

Anyone heard anything about Petraeus? I don't know if he has any real political schooling, but I'd say he's the best bet for the GOP, come 2012.[/quote]

There's a possible political future in the guy no doubt, but I think its premature for a 2012 run. Than again, most pundits said the same thing about Obama in 08.

[El Chico]

[quote name='Triskele' post='1647958' date='Jan 13 2009, 20.12']Good point on the Obama suggestion but I would say the same thing. I think 2016 makes more sense for him.

In all honesty, I love Huckabee at the moment. He bothered me the least of any of the GOP candidates and if he can crush Palin I will be eternally greatful. I think he has a great chance to as well. They presumably would have a lot of cross-over as far as to who their likely voters would be. It would be interesting though if Palin still gets some votes somehow and marginalizes Huckabee and allows someone else like Romney to run away with it.[/quote]


I doubt anyone of them has wide enough appeal to mount a serious threat to Our Dear Leader, unless he fucks up big time in the next four years; and after Bush, I can't really see how that's possible. Romney's a Mormon, the Christian right will never accept him and his "heresy"; unless Palin goes through a major PR makeover, she'll always be held in contempt by moderates.

Huckabee has the best chance of the three-though that's not saying much- the base loves him, and he's quite a bit more affable and eloquent than Palin, even though he's basically cut from the same mold. I think (revered political analyst that I am :smug:) that a dark horse candidate might be the GOP's best bet.

[Shryke]

[quote name='El Chico' post='1648080' date='Jan 13 2009, 23.08']I doubt anyone of them has wide enough appeal to mount a serious threat to Our Dear Leader, unless he fucks up big time in the next four years; and after Bush, I can't really see how that's possible. Romney's a Mormon, the Christian right will never accept him and his "heresy"; unless Palin goes through a major PR makeover, she'll always be held in contempt by moderates.

Huckabee has the best chance of the three-though that's not saying much- the base loves him, and he's quite a bit more affable and eloquent than Palin, even though he's basically cut from the same mold. I think (revered political analyst that I am :smug:) that a dark horse candidate might be the GOP's best bet.[/quote]

SOME of the base loves Huckabee. Don't forget that he's a populist and is far too fiscally liberal for large chunks of the base.

[El Chico]

Thank you. I stand corrected. That's really what browse these threads for, anyway.