tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65165279333431941252024-02-20T10:33:49.845-05:00The Baz FileThe Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.comBlogger397125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-1106205881206430092017-04-11T18:39:00.002-04:002017-04-11T18:57:05.432-04:00Don't Buy the Hype: It Will Take Miracle for the Democrats to Win Pompeo's Vacant Seat<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Score one for the GOP in setting bar in the expectations game in the race to fill the seat vacated by Mike Pompeo after he left Congress to become CIA director. A wave of articles have hit the final few days leading up to today's special election in the Fourth Congressional District claiming Republicans should be very <a href="http://www.npr.org/2017/04/11/523380705/a-kansas-special-election-could-signal-big-league-problems-for-gop-trump">worried</a>, or at least <a href="http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2017/04/11/kansas_special_election_could_signal_trouble_for_gop_133575.html">troubled </a>that their candidate <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Ron_Estes" title="Ron Estes">Ron Estes</a> could fall to Democratic challenger <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/James_Thompson_%28Kansas%29" title="James Thompson (Kansas)">James Thompson</a> with the help of a conservative vote-draining libertarian <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Chris_Rockhold" title="Chris Rockhold">Chris Rockhold.</a><br />
<br />
Is an upset by Thompson possible? Anything is <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-win-world-series-sullivan-spt-1103-20161102-story.html">possible</a>. Likely? <a href="http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/2018-house/">Not really</a>.<br />
<br />
This is a case of the GOP trying to run up the vote tally late to avoid looking like a rock solid Republican district almost fell to the Democrats. That would be bad for President Trump and Speaker Ryan and would likely trigger a wave of Democratic victories in equally stand-pat GOP districts.<br />
<br />
Noticeably missing from the media storm is any sign of extraordinary optimism from the Democrats. So don't buy the Republican line on this race. This is the GOP's to lose, and odds are good it won't. Democrats, however, may find a silver lining in defeat: if they do make this a close race they can take note of the fact they did it amid the GOP clucking Chicken Little to drive up its voter turnout.</div>
The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-953817215973461502016-12-02T17:33:00.001-05:002016-12-02T17:33:30.814-05:00Standing Rock Protest Panel at Georgetown LawThose mischievous progressive communications gurus at Collective Consulting had a hand in making "Whose Land is it Anyways? A Guide to Standing Rock" expert legal and Native American panel at the Georgetown Law Center last night a standing room only event. Tip of the hat to Stephen Barber for much-appreciated videography.<br />
<br />
<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zfkvEecu3-k" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen=""></iframe>The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-65436979509530408722015-04-27T14:29:00.000-04:002015-04-29T18:42:30.836-04:00Economics of Criminal Justice Reform & States Setting a Policy Agenda<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Crime doesn’t pay, as the saying goes, but the taxpayers certainly do, as everyone knows.<br />
<br />
With
a fiscal breaking point in sight and scant return on the investment,
the government, and voters, are finally admitting that our expensive and
disparate criminal justice system is saddled with ineffective laws and
practices that are draining state and local government budgets with
unequal results.<br />
<br />
The a la carte menu of policies that need
mending, according to experts in the field, includes ending needless
laws, reducing prison populations, overhauling sentencing guidelines,
restructuring prosecutor and public defender workloads, reining in law
enforcement and ending conflict of interest practices in grand jury
proceedings.<br />
<br />
The remedies are equally assorted. Waves of
legislation, ballot initiatives and executive actions are rolling across
America with the goal of giving law enforcement, the courts and prisons
a pragmatic makeover to relieve some of the pressure. It will take many
years to repair the system, but a sweeping effort to do so is already
underway.<br />
<br />
And like a giant digital billboard in Times Square, it
is hard to ignore that this movement to retool the patchwork criminal
justice system in America is emerging as a rare <em>bipartisan</em> zeitgeist<em>.</em><br />
<br />
These
issues bring together the political and ideological spectrum,
partnering up players like progressive business magnate George Soros and
libertarian energy mogul Charles Koch; “red state” Texas and “blue
state” Massachusetts; liberal Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and conservative
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY).<br />
<br />
Even with some national heavy-hitters in
the mix, there is a grassroots component at work. Criminal justice
reform is just the latest major issue driven by policy efforts in an
overwhelming number of states and local communities, as a politically
divided and stagnant federal government mostly watches from the
sidelines.<br />
<br />
This “think locally, act locally” activism has recently
led to new state laws on minimum wage, the environment, guns, marijuana
legalization, education, gay marriage and abortion issues, among many
others. We may not agree with some of those results, but we can at least
admit that while Washington has become the epicenter of government
inaction, the states and communities have become ground zero this decade
for policy change and new solutions.<br />
<br />
No doubt congressional
gridlock since 2011 has helped create what arguably has become the most
sustained period of substantial state-led policy decisions since
Reconstruction. As expected, states rights advocates are euphoric about
that evolution.<br />
<br />
The problems with the system are not new.
Reformers have long asked the moral question: Should a free society
allow anachronistic laws and unjustified prison sentences in non-violent
crimes to target minorities, or unnecessarily ruin the lives of young
people of any color who, for example, are caught with a small stash of
marijuana?<br />
<br />
As relevant as those soul-searching inquiries may be,
taxpayer economics revolving around the criminal justice system is the
real catalyst for action during these fiscal belt-tightening times. The
burden placed on Americans to finance a system that spends too much time
and money to pursue, prosecute and jail non-violent offenders is a
driving force behind a movement spreading swiftly in the states.<br />
<br />
These
economic factors and limited resources are contributing to many
Americans becoming more open-minded about reconsidering what is real
crime and what is fair punishment. Once voters shift, politicians have
little choice but to re-adjust their agendas, as well. The mainstream,
middle class appeal of new revenue streams being created by marijuana
legalization in the states is a signal that this trend is becoming the
new normal.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, everyone <em>should be</em> for law and
order, but instead of wasting time on offenses that do not threaten
people or property, Americans want police and the courts to focus on
violent offenses and keeping their communities safe. With the help of
the <a data-mce-href="http://csgjusticecenter.org/jc/category/jr/" href="http://csgjusticecenter.org/jc/category/jr/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Justice Center at The Council of State Governments</a>, dozens of states, some conservative and some liberal, are doing just that.<br />
<br />
Texas,
for instance, saved $443 million by decreasing the number of
non-violent substance abusers it incarcerates, opting to divert them to
treatment and education programs instead of prison.<br />
<br />
“So instead of
sending (drug offenders) to jail where they did not get better, (Texas)
completely turned the whole system upside down,” Massachusetts state
Senate President Stan Rosenberg, a reform advocate, told a gathering of
the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce recently.<br />
<br />
Taxpayers pay an <a data-mce-href="http://www.vera.org/sites/default/files/resources/downloads/price-of-prisons-updated-version-021914.pdf" href="http://www.vera.org/sites/default/files/resources/downloads/price-of-prisons-updated-version-021914.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">average of $31,286 annually</a> to house each inmate in the U.S. – about the <a data-mce-href="http://trends.collegeboard.org/college-pricing/figures-tables/average-published-undergraduate-charges-sector-2014-15" href="http://trends.collegeboard.org/college-pricing/figures-tables/average-published-undergraduate-charges-sector-2014-15" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">average price of tuition for a single student</a>
per year at private colleges and universities. Multiply that by the 2.2
million people now incarcerated in U.S. corrections facilities, and
that adds up to a whopping $69 billion yearly in taxpayer dollars.<br />
<br />
Equally daunting is that the U.S. currently locks up <a data-mce-href="http://www.prisonstudies.org/highest-to-lowest/prison-population-total?field_region_taxonomy_tid=All" href="http://www.prisonstudies.org/highest-to-lowest/prison-population-total?field_region_taxonomy_tid=All" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">600,000 more prisoners than China, and 1.5 million more inmates than Russia</a>. Those comparisons are stark when you consider which of those three nations likes to call itself “a free country.”<br />
<br />
The good news looking forward is that the alliances among political opposites, as well as <a data-mce-href="http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/july_2014/voters_react_to_booker_paul_plan_to_reduce_prison_overcrowding_restore_felons_voting_rights" href="http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/july_2014/voters_react_to_booker_paul_plan_to_reduce_prison_overcrowding_restore_felons_voting_rights" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">public opinion, </a>demonstrate
the momentum in this arena is so powerful that even the gridlocked
Congress is likely to wise up and follow the states’ lead on criminal
justice reform. Republican Rand Paul is already making it an issue in
his campaign for president, and more White House contenders will surely
join the ranks before the Iowa caucuses are held next January.<br />
<br />
[<strong>Update</strong>:
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is also enlisting in
the fight, calling for broad criminal justice reforms, including
universal use of body cameras by police, and measures to try to tackle
the nation's expensive and excessive incarceration rate].<br />
<br />
But if
lasting change is to come, some experts contend the effort to remedy all
the complex problems within the legal system will have to expand beyond
voter-driven ballot initiatives, legislative recourse, judicial fiat on
the part of district attorneys and judges or executive action by
mayors, governors and the president.<br />
<br />
The entire legal system, the
media, educators and other influencers also must rethink the
shortcomings “and consider what equal and fair justice means, and how
best to carry out the law,” legal scholar and attorney Jonathan Rapping
detailed for me in an interview.<br />
<br />
“This is an adaptive challenge," said Rapping, who heads <a data-mce-href="http://gideonspromise.org/" href="http://gideonspromise.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gideon’s Promise</a>, an Atlanta-based criminal defense advocacy center.<br />
<br />
While
laws, edicts or orders can lead to a successful quick fix, a wholesale
cultural change likely will follow a much longer timeline. Rapping drew a
vivid parallel between repairing the criminal justice system and the
evolution of the civil rights movement.<br />
<br />
"For Martin Luther King, the end wasn't the signing of a law," Rapping said.</div>
The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-63220375409047530742014-11-14T14:44:00.005-05:002015-06-01T23:12:40.654-04:00Progressives Join Fight for Democracy that's Shifted from DC to the States<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Memo<br />
To: Concerned Parties<br />
Re: Progressives Taking the Fight to the States <br />
<br />
Democrats were pounded in the trenches in the 2014 elections. The Washington-centric party establishment built a failed election strategy around preserving the Senate majority in Congress, leaving its state organizations underfunded and ill-prepared to recruit good candidates, coordinate campaigns and raise money to fill their war chests.<br />
<br />
The Republicans did just the opposite, and the result was clear. With all the short-term satisfaction of a junky concerned only with a quick fix, the electoral map-driven Democratic Party ceded the majority of local legislative races in most states to the opposition. The Democrats' strategy did very little to counter conservatives skillful organizing and recruiting on the local level.<br />
<br />
Republicans <a href="http://time.com/3567261/republican-wave-floods-states/">picked up more than 300 state legislative seats</a> and added a handful of governor's offices to the tally, giving the GOP now total control of 23 state legislatures. Once led by iconoclastic Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill, the party forgot the Massachusetts politician's timeless observation: <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/biography/carter-oneill/">"All politics is local."</a> You have to <a href="http://www.ncsl.org/blog/2014/11/06/republican-wave-capsizes-democrats.aspx">look back to the 1920s</a>, when Democrats were mainly a Southern party, to find a worse showing for the Jeffersonians.<br />
<br />
Why be so sure it was party apparatus that failed to field a more competitive slate from the ground up? Because many of the issues that progressives have advocated for years did just fine last week with voters. Those issue campaigns had organizational infrastructure, energy and a winning game plan. Given the inconsistent coverage and headlines, the drubbing Democratic candidates took last week overshadowed most of the wins for cornerstone progressive issues, including raising the <a href="http://time.com/3557834/2014-midterm-elections-minimum-wage/">minimum wage</a>, protecting a <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2014/11/personhood-movement-north-dakota-colorado-112552.html">woman's right to choose</a>, community <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/washington-state-model-gun-measures-26744884">gun safety</a> and protecting food and water from <a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/headlines/20141105-denton-fracking-ban-passed-in-landslide1.ece">fracking</a>.<br />
<br />
Most heartening for the left, many of those victories came in hardcore red states.<br />
<br />
While party officials in Washington privately search for answers, new leadership and a fresh direction, progressive organizers are moving forward. Activist leaders on the left see victories in states like Alaska, Nebraska and Texas as proof voters support issues that contribute to personal freedom -- from public safety to being able to making livable earnings.<br />
<br />
Author and scholar George Lakoff contends, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/george-lakoff/democratic-strategies-los_b_6113704.html">"Most progressive issues are freedom issues,"</a> yet they tend to cut across ideological lines. This philosophy bodes well for winning the hearts and minds of those ever-important swing voters. Progressives have hitched their efforts to issues that have a better chance of moving middle of the road voters.<br />
<br />
As one initiative campaign organizer, Adam Briggle, <a href="http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-81911997/">told The Los Angeles Times</a> after winning a ban on fracking in a Texas Oil Patch town, "People recognize this is a mainstream issue."<br />
<br />
This year there was a lot more appeal for issues than the elected officials who allegedly trumpet them. That will remain the model for getting things done. Why? Because voters like having a say, and unlike candidates, issues are defined. Issues don't waver under pressure, or find ways to avoid doing the right thing for the sake of political expedience. Issues must do exactly what they say they will do when they are approved by the voters.<br />
<br />
"It's no fluke that voters in the state of Washington chose to keep guns out of the hands of criminals," Gun Truth Project Director Naomi Seligman said after voters in the Pacific Northwest state opted for universal background checks on all gun sales. "As mass shootings continuing to punctuate the news, voters will stand up for the right to protect their communities from gun-wielding predators."<br />
<br />
The potential to grow the base of voters who support progressive issues is immense, and because of that, the 2014 elections will become a catalyst for a new effort to leverage the success of progressive state ballot initiatives into the most comprehensive national plan to expand and energize base voters with the goal of enacting a national agenda on the state and local level.<br />
<br />
“Progressives are looking around to figure out where to go to push back, and there has not been a vehicle to do that at the state level — it’s the biggest missing piece in the progressive infrastructure,” Nick Rathod, a career Democratic operative who is raising money and interest in taking the fight back to the neighborhoods, <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2014/11/democrats-create-an-alec-killer-112733.html#ixzz3IzeAjb5S">tells Politico</a>.<br />
<br />
Rathod, who served as President Barack Obama’s liaison to state officials and directed state campaigns for former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s gun safety group, intends to use his progressive group SIX to support campaigns and legislation in the states, providing organizational, media and issue expertise -- along with opposition research, a necessary tool for winning an election at any level.<br />
<br />
This election was a wake up call for the left. If progressive forces fail to re-build the ranks on the local level it will create a long-term debacle with widespread ramifications -- from gerrymandering congressional districts so they favor conservative candidates, to preventing progressive policy from taking root at the local level, and allowing the right wing to out-organize, out-recruit and out-vote the left in even some of the true blue states across the country.<br />
<br />
And does anyone expect the freshly installed divided federal government to get anything significant done the final two years of the Obama administration? Washington will be home to political grandstanding, and not much more. <br />
<br />
"If you think the Republicans in Congress are headed on a new path, consider that a 50 percent majority of Republicans think 'the new Congress should begin an impeachment investigation of Obama,'” the authors of the Democracy Corps survey taken on election day write in <a href="http://www.democracycorps.com/files/dcor_WVWV_post_elect_memo_11714_v3.pdf">their poll analysis.</a><br />
<br />
Doesn't it make the most sense to fight where the fight is happening? As has been the practice since the 2010 midterm elections, most significant social and economic policy in this country will continue to be enacted in the states. The fight, for the foreseeable future, is in America, not Washington. The 2015 off-year elections will provide an opportunity to test the progressive ranks' resources and its will to win ahead of the 2016 showdown. </div>
The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-74846686006909970742014-11-04T15:59:00.001-05:002014-11-04T17:58:24.395-05:00Alaska, Oregon, D.C. Will Move to End Pot Prohibition <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
The buzz today? The impending victory for the liberal and libertarian alliance riding down Highway 420.<br />
<br />
Alaska, Oregon and the District of Columbia voters will vote to legalize
marijuana, moving toward creating a new state tax revenue stream and saving time and resources so the police, courts and corrections systems can focus on violent criminals.<br />
<br />
When all the votes are counted, it will mark the second wave, following Colorado and Washington, to reverse outdated, expensive and dangerous marijuana laws. <a href="http://norml.org/component/zoo/category/surveys-polls">The mood of the nation has mellowed</a> and there is much more at stake than simply ending too-often arbitrary small-time pot busts be banned by law in those states.<br />
<br />
The Chamber of Commerce is about to consider embracing <a href="http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/the-number-of-marijuana-dealers-in-the-united-states/">a new player in the agribusiness.</a> Many conscientious growers will apply their entrepreneurial vision, legally, in a democratic marketplace. Cash-strapped governments will slap a sin tax on a substance and hamper the dark side of violent cartels that hawk their wares duty-free and persist as a pox on pot's kind kin.</div>
<div>
<br />
The seeds have been planted. Colorado has collected
about <a href="https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/revenue/colorado-marijuana-tax-data">$45 million in pot tax revenue</a> through the first eight months of this
year, the state Department of Revenue reports. Other states and residents in the nation's capital are waking up to the potential windfall the government can make by taking illegal marijuana profits largely out of the hands of organized crime. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After nearly a century as part of the economic underground, the American cannabis souk is already a budding, competitive marketplace. Washington state and nearby Vancouver, B.C. weed merchants fear that once marijuana is legal in Oregon, growers and sellers there <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/01/oregon-legal-weed_n_6084208.html">will be able to undercut prices</a>, creating a demand for their clients to head south to catch a cheaper buzz. That, according to pro-legalization activist and entrepreneurs, is not the worst problem to face for a fledgling industry fleeing an ill-informed and unenforceable prohibition.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The <a href="http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/46479/the-politics-issue-2014/?x=Initiative%2071&y=Initiative%2071">expected green light </a>that will come today in D.C for legalizing pot will be one of the most significant political victories for the blooming mainstream marijuana trade. Its advocates hope it will be a wake-up call for the federal government. With legalization staring them right in the face everyday, Congress and the Justice Department may finally choose to rectify anachronistic 20th century laws with <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/09/colorado-marijuana-legalization_n_5792418.html">the will of the people in the 21st century</a>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"We are going to win and the opposition will have to overturn an
election to stop us," Adam Eidinger, the chairman of the <span class="nDesc">DC Cannabis Campaign</span>, emailed me in response to a couple of questions I threw at him this weekend. "The D.C. Council will transmit the initiative in
January as planned as well. Any stopping this makes America no better
than China or Russia when it comes to respecting democracy."<br />
<br />
Eidinger's activist curriculum vitae is well known, but in truth he has for more than a decade hoped to make his living <a href="http://www.thehia.org/facts.html">re-igniting the American hemp industry</a>. As pot's innocent cousin, production of hemp's strong, natural fiber is another victim of a misappropriated and misinformed war on drugs. From clothing to oil to durable rope and rugs, hemp can offer new jobs, more taxable revenue and another cash crop for American farmers.</div>
<div>
<br />
One other state, Florida, decides today whether to legalize medical marijuana, but there is a giant sinkhole in the path: the question is being posed as state constitutional amendment, not a straight referendum. It requires 60 percent of the voters in The Sunshine State to pull the lever for 'yes' in order to become law.<br />
<br />
The Florida measure will surely fail to hit the necessary threshold for passage. Older voters remain skeptical. Clearly the pro-medical marijuana campaign <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/seniors-sway-medical-marijuana-debate-in-florida/">failed to sway Florida's elderly voters on the merits of medical marijuana</a>. Seniors are a powerful bloc of voters across the country still influenced by the prohibitionists' lingering propaganda. </div>
</div>
The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-53172956102632161192014-10-22T22:26:00.002-04:002014-10-22T22:26:41.003-04:00Brazil's Dilma has the Momentum Going into the Homestretch<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Immediately after the Oct. 5 elections in Brazil, I warned pro-market
investors their candidate, Aécio Neves, hadn't earned enough votes to
oust incumbent President Dilma Rousseff, even though he jumped to a lead
in the polls after that initial vote. Neves never buildup enough of a cushion of support to offset a late surge by the incumbent president.<br />
<br />
Now, just days before the runoff,
the forecast that Dilma wins prevails. The fact is in run-off
elections, like special elections, momentum is the gold standard, and
Neves hasn't shown he has enough steam to oust Dilma. Further strengthening
my prognostication: investors now say publicly they will pump money into
Brazil, no matter who wins.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://uk.news.yahoo.com/brazils-rousseff-gains-neves-ahead-sunday-runoff-poll-052211944.html#7QbJ77L">Yet another poll released today</a> shows Dilma surging. The forecast remains the same: bet Dilma on Sunday. <br />
<br /></div>
The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-75157280789277020562014-10-22T17:40:00.000-04:002014-10-22T18:11:43.470-04:00Dems Positioned to Make Gains in Races for Governor<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
The
Washington-centric coverage of the upcoming elections remains focused on
the U.S Senate races, with political oddsmakers (myself included) still
unsure if the Republicans will pick up the net six seats the GOP needs
to claim control of the upper chamber, though the hedge this cycle
appears to be in forecasting the <i>probability</i> that the Republicans will
take control of the Senate. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/10/21/is-the-election-lab-forecast-too-confident-in-a-gop-senate-majority/">Here is The Washington Post's (The Fix) latest Senate forecast, which places an extremely high probability of that happening</a>.<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/10/21/is-the-election-lab-forecast-too-confident-in-a-gop-senate-majority/" target="_blank"></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
However, just below
the radar of the national mainstream media's daily drumbeat of
senatorial speculation is the apparent net gain the Democrats will score
in the governors' races this year. Albeit I forecast only one or two
pick ups, the Democrats are very well positioned to cut into the 29-21
edge in governorships the GOP now enjoys nationwide.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Considering
how much more policy has been accomplished legislatively in the states
than in Washington during the Tea Party era, net pick ups in the
governors' mansions are quite significant. While Washington is a
laboratory for public policy these days, the states have become the assembly line where the legislative work more routinely gets done. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Democrats sure-thing pick up next month is in Pennsylvania, where GOP Gov. Tom Corbett has not shown signs of political life in the past year. He's toast.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The
Republicans best chance for a pick up is in the open seat in Arkansas,
currently held by Gov. Mike Beebe, who is term-limited and is required to step
down.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But there are
plenty of exciting, and too close to call races throughout the country,
including in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maine,
Massachusetts, Wisconsin, among a few others.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Republicans have 22 governorships in play this year, while the Democrats have 14 gubernatorial seats to defend.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Here's what some of the expert prognosticators think on the races for governor:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.noozhawk.com/article/lou_cannon_republicans_democrats_elections_20141021">First, a great explainer from legendary political journalist, Lou Cannon.</a></div>
<a href="http://www.noozhawk.com/article/lou_cannon_republicans_democrats_elections_20141021" target="_blank"></a><br />
<div>
<a href="http://rothenbergpoliticalreport.com/ratings/governor/2014-gubernatorial-ratings-october-17-2014">Next, election analyst Stu Rothenberg weighs in.</a><br />
<a href="http://rothenbergpoliticalreport.com/ratings/governor/2014-gubernatorial-ratings-october-17-2014" target="_blank"></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://cookpolitical.com/governor/charts/race-ratings">And the ever-wise folks over at Charlie Cook's The Cook Report.</a><br />
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The consensus points to a good election night for Democrats, but there is still time for Republicans to turn the overall trend around. Nonetheless, my forecast remains that the Dem will have a net gain of one two governor's seats.</div>
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The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-43009034742776613442014-09-17T05:59:00.000-04:002014-09-17T07:10:25.168-04:00Betting Scotland Won't Opt for Independence from the UK<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Some votes have more impact than
others, as we see from across the Atlantic this season. No matter what
the outcome of the U.S. midterm elections, geopolitical ground worldwide
is not likely to shift, but if Scotland were to gain its independence
Thursday from the United Kingdom it would shake up world markets, disrupt
European economic alliances and inspire other separatist regions on the
continent to take similar action.<br />
<div>
<div>
<br />
The Scottish
independence vote is this year's political marquee event, and it hasn't
disappointed observers from around the globe. It's quite a spirited
dispute.<br />
<br />
But anyone wondering what the the United Kingdom will
look like after the votes are tallied shouldn't be surprised to see Scotland decide
against independence. More than three weeks ago, on the eve of the surge
in support for independence among Scottish voters, I forecast that "no"
would prevail in balloting, and the UK would remain intact.<br />
<br />
After
taking a deep data dive and conducting interviews with international election experts in late August, looking at the polling numbers, historic voting trends
in relevant special elections and the two sides' ability to motivate voters,
there just wasn't enough time for the yes camp to solidify gains and
turn voters' emotions into actual votes (though arguably, there isn't nearly as
much available voting data available in the UK as there is in the US,
where elections are more of an industry, so there are limits to the modeling by American standards).</div>
<div>
<br />
Literally on the
eve of the historic vote, and despite the late surge in support for
independence, the new data and sound expert source-driven intelligence leads to the same
conclusion: UK unity wins the day tomorrow in Scotland.<br />
<br />
Despite
the upward movement by the separatist side in recent polls, the margin
is not wide enough to trump the unionists' deeper, more dependable voter
base of pensioners, public workers and hardcore Labour Party supporters.
In a whirlwind surge of backers, some of the new found backers tend to be "soft
supporters," who aren't the emotionally charged protest voters who have
been on board with the independence movement since the start of the
campaign. Their enthusiasm doesn't ensure they will actually vote.<br />
<br />
To his credit, First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond
rallied the separatist cause with a dominating performance
in his Aug. 25 debate with unionist Member of Parliament Alistair
Darling, a Labour Party heavyweight. Nearly three-quarters of the
viewers on the nationally televised debate on the BBC said Salmond's
argument for independence crushed Darling's case for UK unity. In the
two weeks that followed, the separatist movement grew in volume and
finally broke though to overtake the unionists in a couple of polls.
None of those polls showed leads outside the margin of error for the
independence side, leaving it a statistical tie.<br />
<br />
Then it hit the wall.<br />
<br />
With a
high level of success, unionists,
with the help of top British lawmakers, launched a campaign in the
closing 10 days of the referendum that shows all the signs of having
halted the momentum of the "yes" forces. The "no" campaign managed to
scare many voters into fearing the country would sink into financial
anarchy by breaking away from the UK, leaving the new nation without a
currency, fewer banks and businesses, thousands of public employes
without a job, national security in disarray and individual health care coverage in jeopardy. The unity forces turned independence into the monster
waiting to spring out from the closet. Like it or not, it worked because fear motivates
people.</div>
<div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Vote watchers, political scientists and history buffs have seen this trend play out on big stage fairly recently. In Quebec in 1995, about three weeks before the vote for independence from Canada, charismatic activist leader Lucien
Bouchard was named chief negotiator for the mostly French-speaking
separatists. It was a move that rallied the cause and grew the ranks of
separatists. By the closing days of the campaign, every poll
had Quebec breaking away from Canada.<br />
<br />
There was plenty of momentum (some
would say more than exists for the independence vote in Scotland right now), and
there were some very wise observers who believed that Quebec would be on
its own. Then it came time to vote and Quebec chose to stay in Canada, 2,362,648 votes (50.58%) to 2,308,360 (49.42%).<br />
<br />
Look for Scotland to channel Quebec when it casts its ballots, but the separatists can walk away with a feeling of accomplishment, given all the new home-rule autonomy England threw at her little cousin to keep her in the family.<br />
<br />
(pre-vote analysis and reporting by Kenneth R. Bazinet)</div>
</div>
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</div>
The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-32990184665010155922014-09-01T03:47:00.005-04:002014-09-01T03:47:45.910-04:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We're baaaaaack. Stay tuned. Ken will announcing some exciting new adventures soon.</div>
The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-15442489434098396382011-10-24T18:34:00.002-04:002014-09-01T03:46:51.571-04:00Retiring A Blog Born Out Of The Arab Spring<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When this blog was launched it actually filled a void for a while. Few Washington-based bloggers were paying attention to the freedom uprisings on the Arab Street.<br />
<br />
That has changed.<br />
<br />
In the past few months the story moved to the front pages and the top of the newscasts. The phrase Arab Spring is standard today in the American lexicon.<br />
<br />
The fall of Gadhafi, free elections in Tunisia and exciting new opportunities present a grand point in the experiment to step aside as an enlightened observer and pursue new challenges and responsibilities. The blog may be retiring, but the fierce pursuit of freedom and democracy surely will not.<br />
<br />
Thank you all for your support.</div>
The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-11538586405599728132011-10-23T20:52:00.002-04:002011-10-23T21:00:36.064-04:00Fruit of the Arab Spring: Tunisia Votes & Libya Declares 'Liberation'History will remember this day as one in which the revolutionaries of the Arab Spring took one of their biggest leaps towards freedom and democracy.<br />
<br />
For Tunisia, the birthplace of the uprisings and reforms that swept across North Africa and the Middle East, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/first-free-election-in-tunisia-brings-joy-and-pride/2011/10/23/gIQAtpQdAM_story.html">voters turned out in en masse</a> to cast ballots for a 217-person assembly that will forge a new government and constitution.<br />
<br />
For Libya, the day marked the <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-20124372/libya-declares-itself-liberated-from-qaddafi/">official declaration of liberation</a> by the Transitional National Council and the freedom fighters who ousted the regime of Moammar Gadhafi.<br />
<br />
An estimated two-thirds of eligible voters in Tunisia cast ballots 10 months after street vender Mohamed Bouazizi, 26, doused himself with a flammable liquid, set himself ablaze in Sidi Bouzid and triggered the unprecedented and thriving freedom movement. <br />
<br />
The breaking point came Dec. 17, 2010 for Bouazizi, when a policewoman unlawfully confiscated his vegetable cart and produce in the city located 190 miles south of Tunis.<br />
<br />
His self-immolation triggered street protests across the country that were met with a heavy-handed response by President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali's security forces and secret police.<br />
<br />
The thirst for freedom only grew for the Tunisian people, who were already plagued with poor wages, lousy living conditions and out-of-control inflation.<br />
<br />
Bouazizi suffered and eventually died on Jan. 4 2011. Ali was toppled 10 days later.<br />
<br />
"I congratulate the millions of Tunisians who voted in the first democratic elections to take place in the country that changed the course of history and began the Arab Spring," President Obama said in a statement.<br />
<br />
"Just as so many Tunisian citizens protested peacefully in streets and squares to claim their rights, today they stood in lines and cast their votes to determine their own future," Obama said.<br />
<br />
Conditions were not much better for the Libyan middle class, even with an ocean of oil under their desert country. Gadhafi used the excessive profits to fill the treasuries of his family, his henchmen and African despots who had pledged their allegiance.<br />
<br />
But backed by the most powerful coalition air force and navy on the planet, the revolutionaries were transformed by foreign military advisers from a rag-tag band of spirited, but ill-trained and equipped fighters into a force able to execute one of the most impressive offensives in modern history.<br />
<br />
Like Tunisia, the new Libya presents the potential for democratic reform and freedom from tyranny. The TNC has vowed to embrace reform as it seeks to rebuild its nation.<br />
<br />
"The transitional authorities can build on this movement by promoting reconciliation and respect for human rights across Libyan society, while helping to prevent reprisals and ensuring the justice and due process that the Libyan people expect and deserve," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement.<br />
<br />
"The path to democracy is a long-term process that requires the participation of all Libyans," Clinton added.<br />
<br />
It is very, very early to predict how the freedom movement will continue to play out, but the path that the revolution has taken shows signs that Bouazizi's extreme form of protest and ultimate sacrifice was not for nothing.The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-21629342329140340112011-10-21T17:43:00.001-04:002011-10-22T13:17:29.039-04:00Gadhafi's Demise: The Drone, the Mirage and the Unknown GunmanAs the fog of war slowly lifts in Libya, it still is not clear how exactly Moammar Gadhafi died Thursday while trying to flee his hometown of Sirte in a conspicuous convoy of about 100 vehicles.<br />
<br />
What is known, thanks to confirmations today out of Washington and Paris, is that an American Predator drone teamed up with a French Mirage 2000 fighter jet to halt the convey and send its passengers scrambling, including Gadhafi.<br />
<br />
Both the Predator and Mirage fired on the convoy, striking at least two vehicles. As videos and photos show, Gadhafi was wounded in those strikes, but was very much alive after he ran and hid in a roadside storm drain.<br />
<br />
Revolutionary forces quickly hunted down the men who ran from their vehicles, finding several, including Gadhafi, down the drain.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2051361/GADDAFI-DEAD-VIDEO-Dictator-begs-life-summary-execution.html">Video and still photos</a> show Gadhafi being roughed-up, but still alive in the revolutionary fighters' custody. A short while later, he was dead apparently the victim of a gunshot wound to the head, and, according to some reports, his chest and stomach, as well.<br />
<br />
In Geneva, Rupert Colville, a spokesman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the images "are very disturbing" because they suggest Gadhafi was killed after he was captured.<br />
<br />
"We believe there is a need for an investigation," Colville said. "More details are needed to ascertain whether he was killed in some form of fighting or was executed after his capture."<br />
<br />
So far there is no great rush by the governments in Tripoli, Washington, Paris, London, Ottawa or Istanbul to make a big deal of the details of the death of Gadhafi, whose body was put on ice in Misurata while people decide what to do with his remains.<br />
<br />
Instead, the more universal sentiment from the revolutionary government, NATO members and their allies is that, for Gadhafi, the Arab Spring is over and the world is better off without him.The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-48811331974157632652011-10-20T08:19:00.002-04:002011-10-20T08:28:57.506-04:00Gadhafi Reported Captured and Dead Near SirteMoammar Gadhafi was killed this morning, possibly while trying to flee his hometown Sirte when NATO warplanes attacked his convey, <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/20/us-libya-idUSTRE79F1FK20111020?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&rpc=71">Reuters is reporting.</a><br />
<br />
There are also reports that Gadhafi was only wounded and remains alive in the custody of revolutionary forces. <br />
<br />
Celebrations are erupting throughput Libya, but U.S. officials are cautiously optimistic that the unconfirmed reports of Gadhafi's demise will pan out.<br />
<br />
Gadhafi has been rumored to be hiding in Sirte or Bani Walid, the last two remaining loyalist strongholds since the vfdalkl of the regiume in August. Bani walid fell last week, but revolutionary forces are still fighting their way through Sirte, where Gadhafi was born.The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-19238634637434381962011-10-18T23:07:00.001-04:002011-10-18T23:10:36.421-04:00Clinton Maps Out Clear Role for Women in a Democratic LibyaSecretary of State Hillary Clinton insisted today that a new Libya must strive to give women a progressive and respected role in its emerging democracy.<br />
<br />
At a press conference after her surprise meetings in Tripoli with the Transitional National Council leaders of the revolution, Clinton noted with glee that she has brought up the matter of universal human rights for women more than once in talks with TNC leaders.<br />
<br />
The longtime champion for equal rights offered a thorough opinion, when asked, of how Libya should move forward to give women a righteous place in a progressive society:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"I would make three points. First, no country can become a democracy, no economy can develop as fully as it could, if half the population is not included. And the women of Libya have the same rights as their brothers and their husbands and their fathers and their sons to help build a new Libya. So we are very committed and very outspoken about what we hope will be the full inclusion of women in a democratic future.<br />
<br />
"Secondly, women also sacrificed in this revolution. Women were in the streets. Women were supporting the fighters. Women were sending their sons and their husbands off to an uncertain future, and many will never see them again. So women have sacrificed. They may not have been on the front lines holding a weapon, but they were holding together the society and supporting those who were fighting for Libya’s independence. So they have earned the right to be part of Libya’s future.<br />
<br />
"And finally, there is an opportunity here that I hope Libya will seize. I believe because you have won your freedom – no one handed it to you, you fought for it and you won it – that you will find it in your hearts to demonstrate to the entire world that Libya is not only free, but Libya is equal, Libya believes in the rule of law, Libya will educate all of their boys and girls to take their rightful places in the world. I would hope that I could come back to a free, democratic Libya in a few years, and it would be a shining example of what is possible when free people make their own choices.<br />
<br />
"So I cannot imagine how that could come to pass if women are not given the right to serve their country, to run their businesses, to be educated to the best of their abilities. So I will certainly look to ways that the United States can support the women in Libya to be able to take their rightful places in this new democratic future."</blockquote>The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-47116284761152504262011-10-18T20:11:00.010-04:002011-10-20T00:44:09.200-04:00U.S. Puts High Priority on Rounding Up Gadhafi's WeaponsEven as the Libyan rebels battle for control of the <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world/ci_19141708?nclick_check=1">remaining Gadhafi-loyalist strongholds</a>, the U.S. and NATO allies are engaged in swift and serious programs aimed at destroying the regimes' weapons before they get into the hands of arms dealers or terrorists.<br />
<br />
Stealthy Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, on the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Tripoli since the government of Moammar Gadhafi was overthrown, revealed today the deep concern the Obama administration has for loose arms, including shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missiles and chemical weapons.<br />
<br />
"We will stay focused on security: I am pleased to announce that we are going to put even more money into helping Libya secure and destroy dangerous stockpiles of weapons," Clinton said. <br />
<br />
"And the Administration, working with Congress, is going to provide $40 million to support this effort. We will also work with Libya to destroy chemical weapons stocks, she added.<br />
<br />
Moammar Gadhafi had about 20,000 shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missiles before NATO warplanes and missiles starting taking them out, according to U.S. intelligence estimates. The U.S. wants to corral the shoulder-launched missiles that were not destroyed in the revolution or captured by the anti-Gadhafi forces.<br />
<br />
Eventually, the U.S. and NATO will want the TNC to account for weapons on both sides of the revolution.<br />
<br />
The U.S. already has invested about $6 million, putting arms-disposal experts on the ground in Libya to track and round up conventional weapons, and funding to two European mine-clearing operations.<br />
<br />
The U.S. will oversee the decommissioning and safe storage of weapons in "a months-long effort," Assistant Secretary of State for political-military affairs Andrew Shapiro announced late last month.<br />
<br />
"We’re going to continue until the new government of Libya is able to manage the stockpiles on their own," Shapiro said.<br />
<br />
On the political front, Clinton, who met with Transitional National Council Chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil, provisional Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril and provisional Finance and Oil Minister Ali Tarhouni, called for clean elections within eight months. <br />
<br />
"There are many people who say they support elections, but only if they get elected. They want one election, one time, and then if they are elected no more elections," Clinton told reporters, during a visit that had remained a secret until she arrived in Tripoli.<br />
<br />
"So these are all the kinds of challenges that Libyans will face in putting together their democracy. But people must renounce violence, they must give up arms, they must be committed to a democracy that respects the rights of all," Clinton emphasized.The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-16159530318679298452011-10-07T17:29:00.001-04:002011-10-07T17:33:54.475-04:00Evangelical Leader Backs Perry; Dubs Romney Non-ChristianSouthern Baptist Convention leader Pastor Robert Jeffress urged evangelical voters to back Gov. Rick Perry for President, declaring today GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney is not a Christian and his Mormon religion is "a cult."<br />
<br />
There have long been whispers that part of Romney's failure to runaway with the nomination is because the powerful evangelical wing of the party looks upon his religion with disdain and does not trust his flip-flop from pro-choice to pro-life on the contentious abortion issue. <br />
<br />
At the powerful Value Voters Summit in Washington, the leader of the influential First Baptist Church of Dallas introduced Perry as a "genuine follower of Jesus Christ" who unfunded the "slaughterhouse for the unborn," Planned Parenthood of Texas.<br />
<br />
"Rick Perry's a Christian. He's an evangelical Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ," Jeffress told reporters after he introduced Perry at the conference. "Mitt Romney's a good moral person, but he's not a Christian. Mormonism is not Christianity. It has always been considered a cult."<br />
<br />
Mormons insist they are Christians, and the Perry campaign distanced itself from Jeffress's hardline position.<br />
<br />
"The governor doesn't get into the business of judging other peoples hearts or souls. He leaves that to God," Perry spokesman Mark Miner said in a statement.<br />
<br />
Jeffress's endorsement was not planned by the Perry campaign and it was the summit leaders who chose him to introduce the governor, the campaign said.The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-68846837451080427172011-10-07T16:39:00.000-04:002011-10-07T16:39:56.896-04:00Boston Bruins Hoist 2011 Stanley Cup Banner<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/l84TfXCgN4I?fs=1" width="480"></iframe></div></div>The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-6908643800579760912011-10-06T19:37:00.003-04:002011-10-06T19:46:37.724-04:00Raising Cain: Herman Hunting for Michele and Sarah's Supporters?Pizza baron Herman Cain is not sitting back and letting his surge in the polls (Stats guru Nate Silver has Cain <a href="http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/06/how-to-know-whether-cain-is-able/">atop the polls tonight</a>) flounder, especially amid the infatuation with <a href="http://bit.ly/nroNG5">Gov. Rick Perry's $17 million</a> fund-raising bonanza.<br />
<br />
With Michele Bachman's backers fleeing and now Sarah Palin's supporters up for grabs, Cain is taking aim at the unemployed, a favorite punching bag for conservatives, along with the Occupy Wall Street protesters, who have drawn the <a href="http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/06/dems-attempt-to-harness-anger-at-wall-street/">ire of some of the GOP presidential slate</a>.<br />
<br />
Cain even threw on a little extra cheese with some conspiracy theory during his interview yesterday with The Wall Street Journal.<br />
<br />
"I don’t have facts to back this up, but I happen to believe that these demonstrations are planned and orchestrated to distract from the failed policies of the Obama administration. Don’t blame Wall Street, don’t blame the big banks, if you don’t have a job and you’re not rich, blame yourself!" Cain said.<br />
<br />
"It is not someone’s fault if they succeeded, it is someone’s fault if they failed," he added.<br />
<br />
With then field set, Cain has grabbed the flavor of the month banner from Perry, but until he starts getting attacked by his GOP bretheren the former boss of Godfather's Pizza might not fold anytime soon.The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-48315054134081245852011-10-06T14:50:00.106-04:002011-10-06T16:23:08.534-04:00No Accident Obama Chooses Words Carefully on Occupy Wall StreetThe last thing President Obama and the Democrats want to do is politicize the Occupy Wall Street movement that is spreading to cities around the country, as was demonstrated by his cautious words about the growing protest movement at today's White House press conference.<br />
<br />
The once-rapid recruitment of the Tea Party was stunted when it was revealed the movement had been co-opted by the GOP and conservative bank-rollers, like the Koch brothers. The Democrats do not want to make the same mistake with the Pavlovian protests against what the demonstrators say is corporate greed.<br />
<br />
The media, though schizophrenic in its coverage, has tattooed the "astroturf" label on the forehead of the Tea Party, while the Occupy Wall Street movement so far remains a grassroots uprising in eyes of the press, which, for better or worse, likes to highlight the anarchist element at its core.<br />
<br />
Here is Obama's answer to two questions on the subject by Jackie Calmes of The New York Times:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>Q Thank you, Mr. President. As you travel the country, you also take credit for tightening regulations on Wall Street through the Dodd-Frank law, and about your efforts to combat income inequality. There’s this movement -- Occupy Wall Street -- which has spread from Wall Street to other cities. They clearly don’t think that you or Republicans have done enough, that you’re in fact part of the problem.<br />
<br />
Are you following this movement, and what would you say to its -- people that are attracted to it?<br />
<br />
THE PRESIDENT: Obviously I’ve heard of it. I’ve seen it on television. I think it expresses the frustrations that the American people feel -- that we had the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression, huge collateral damage all throughout the country, all across Main Street, and yet you’re still seeing some of the same folks who acted irresponsibly trying to fight efforts to crack down on abusive practices that got us into this problem in the first place.<br />
<br />
So, yes, I think people are frustrated, and the protestors are giving voice to a more broad-based frustration about how our financial system works. Now, keep in mind I have said before and I will continue to repeat, we have to have a strong, effective financial sector in order for us to grow. And I used up a lot of political capital, and I’ve got the dings and bruises to prove it, in order to make sure that we prevented a financial meltdown, and that banks stayed afloat. And that was the right thing to do, because had we seen a financial collapse then the damage to the American economy would have been even worse. <br />
<br />
But what I’ve also said is that for us to have a healthy financial system, that requires that banks and other financial institutions compete on the basis of the best service and the best products and the best price, and it can’t be competing on the basis of hidden fees, deceptive practices, or derivative cocktails that nobody understands and that expose the entire economy to enormous risks. That’s what Dodd-Frank was designed to do. It was designed to make sure that we didn’t have the necessity of taxpayer bailouts; that we said, you know what? We’re going to be able to control these situations so that if these guys get into trouble, we can isolate them, quarantine them, and let them fail. It says that we’re going to have a consumer watchdog on the job, all the time, who’s going to make sure that they are dealing with customers in a fair way, and we’re eliminating hidden fees on credit cards, and mortgage brokers are going to have to -- actually have to be straight with people about what they’re purchasing. <br />
<br />
And what we’ve seen over the last year is not only did the financial sector -- with the Republican Party in Congress -- fight us every inch of the way, but now you’ve got these same folks suggesting that we should roll back all those reforms and go back to the way it was before the crisis. Today, my understanding is we’re going to have a hearing on Richard Cordray, who is my nominee to head up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. He would be America’s chief consumer watchdog when it comes to financial products. This is a guy who is well regarded in his home state of Ohio, has been the treasurer of Ohio, the attorney general of Ohio. Republicans and Democrats in Ohio all say that he is a serious person who looks out for consumers. He has a good reputation. And Republicans have threatened not to confirm him not because of anything he’s done, but because they want to roll back the whole notion of having a consumer watchdog. <br />
<br />
You’ve got Republican presidential candidates whose main economic policy proposals is, we’ll get rid of the financial reforms that are designed to prevent the abuses that got us into this mess in the first place. That does not make sense to the American people. They are frustrated by it. And they will continue to be frustrated by it until they get a sense that everybody is playing by the same set of rules, and that you’re rewarded for responsibility and doing the right thing as opposed to gaining the system. <br />
<br />
So I’m going to be fighting every inch of the way here in Washington to make sure that we have a consumer watchdog that is preventing abusive practices by the financial sector. <br />
<br />
I will be hugely supportive of banks and financial institutions that are doing the right thing by their customers. We need them to be lending. We need them to be lending more to small businesses. We need them to help do what traditionally banks and financial services are supposed to be doing, which is providing business and families resources to make productive investments that will actually build the economy. But until the American people see that happening, yes, they are going to continue to express frustrations about what they see as two sets of rules.<br />
<br />
Q Do you think Occupy Wall Street has the potential to be a tea party movement in 2012?<br />
<br />
THE PRESIDENT: What I think is that the American people understand that not everybody has been following the rules; that Wall Street is an example of that; that folks who are working hard every single day, getting up, going to the job, loyal to their companies, that that used to be the essence of the American Dream. That’s how you got ahead -- the old-fashioned way. And these days, a lot of folks who are doing the right thing aren’t rewarded, and a lot of folks who aren’t doing the right thing are rewarded.<br />
<br />
And that’s going to express itself politically in 2012 and beyond until people feel like once again we’re getting back to some old-fashioned American values in which, if you’re a banker, then you are making your money by making prudent loans to businesses and individuals to build plants and equipment and hire workers that are creating goods and products that are building the economy and benefitting everybody.</blockquote><br />
Nowhere in his answers is there a definitive endorsement for the Occupy Wall Street movement, or even the politician's routine stock response that demonstrations are a traditional form of expressing American democracy. Instead, Obama highlighted his own agenda on questions that he was definitely prepped for before going into his press conference.<br />
<br />
It sounds a lot like the President is walking a fine line, but it is more like he is doing cartwheels in a crosswalk, much to the delight of the protesters skeptical of Washington and politically savvy Democrats who are aware of the anti-Wall Street movement's room to grow.<br />
<br />
Comparisons with the Tea Party aside, that movement has failed to win the support of mainstream middle class Americans hurt by the banking and finance industry's shenanigans, while the opportunity remains for the fledgling Occupy Wall Street protesters.The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-26326005897701170112011-10-05T21:04:00.003-04:002011-10-05T21:38:12.659-04:00Steve Jobs Broke All the Rules, Until He Made All the Rules<i><i></i></i><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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Steve Jobs, 1955-2011, R.I.P. You changed our lives and let all the PC monkeys rip off all your ideas, from the mouse to pull-down click menus. You were the Thomas Edison of our day (Posted with my IPad).The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-18046901782827386862011-10-05T18:57:00.081-04:002011-10-06T04:46:21.277-04:00Sarah Palin Joins Chris Christie on the SidelinesSarah, Inc. is staying open for business.<br />
<br />
A day after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said for the last time he is not running for President, Sarah Palin finally ended her would-be candidate charade as well, saying after self-reflection she will not seek the Republican nomination.<br />
<br />
"This has been prayerfully considered," the Fox News commentator said today on a popular right radio-wing radio program.<br />
<br />
Duh.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2011-10-05/perry-fundraising-romney/50671556/1">Like Christie</a>, Palin used her pretend run for President to help raise money. Through June, Palin's PAC had raised $1.65 million from 24,000 individuals, the <a href="http://t.co/XENLESZ8">Center for Responsive Politics reported.</a><br />
<br />
Why would Palin leave her cash-happy life as Queen of the Tea Party for a low-paying job like President of the United States?<br />
<br />
Steadily <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/65178.html">falling in the polls</a>, it became clear Palin would not run for President when she abruptly <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/03/palin-quits-alaska-governor/">quit her job as governor of Alaska</a> in 2009. Being a quitter was considered not to be a good sign of leadership.<br />
<br />
More recently, she showed her hand when as she threatened to sue author Joe McGinniss over his best-selling book, "The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin." Serious Presidential candidates <a href="http://spectator.org/blog/2011/09/28/should-palin-sue-mcginniss-ran">do not sue authors</a>, they push back.<br />
<br />
Palin ended her Barnumesque ruse today when she told conservative radio host Mark Levin<br />
that she will not be seeking the Republican nomination for President. Levin read a statement from Palin on the air.<br />
<br />
"I believe that at this time I can be more effective in a decisive role to help elect other true public servants to office -- from the nation's governors to congressional seats and the presidency," Palin wrote.<br />
<br />
"I will continue driving the discussion for freedom and free markets, including in the race for president where our candidates must embrace immediate action toward energy independence through domestic resource developments of conventional energy sources, along with renewables," she said. <br />
<br />
"We must reduce tax burdens and onerous regulations that kill American industry, and our candidates must always push to minimize government to strengthen and allow the private sector to create jobs," Palin added.<br />
<br />
The move sets the table for center-right candidate and frontrunner Mitt Romney to have a clear path to the GOP nomination, barring a Lazarus-like resurrection from Texas Gov. Rick Perry, whose support for illegal immigrants and mush-mouth debate performances have him in a death spiral in the polls.<br />
<br />
It is probably not good news for the Obama campaign, which would have loved to play against one of the Tea Party darlings in the White House sweepstakes next year. Romney is a different cup of tea, topping President Obama in the current head-to-head polls.The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-45373969950860740232011-10-01T20:07:00.018-04:002011-10-02T02:09:50.492-04:00Riding for LiveSTRONG on My Birthday -- Again!<a href="http://spotsylivestrongday.org"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://japanforlivestrong.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/LSDay_2011_Primary_Date-e1314881496866.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="116" width="315" src="http://japanforlivestrong.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/LSDay_2011_Primary_Date-e1314881496866.jpg" /></a></div></a><br />
<br />
This year we also celebrating my dear friend Paul Basken's 50th Birthday on the bike by raising money for cancer awareness and the cure. It is a great tradition.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nbcam.org/">And please remember October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.</a><br />
<br />
I urge folks to give to Lance's organization or the wellness program of your choice.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://spotsylivestrongday.org/">Spotsylvania Livestrong Day Cancer Awareness Event</a>:<br />
October 2, 2011<br />
Brief Description<br />
Every year, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, AKA LIVESTRONG holds a global cancer awareness day. Last year almost 1500 events of all sizes and descriptions were held all over the world. This year, residents of Spotsylvania and the region are holding a SPOTSYLVANIA LIVESTRONG DAY on the grounds of our fabulous new Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center. Our goal is not only to raise awareness and funds in the fight against cancer, but we want to help improve the lives of the 11 million people in the USA and the 28 million people around the world who are living with cancer! Together we can do more!<br />
<br />
Here is what we have planned and we look forward to see you there!<br />
<br />
We will be holding a 7 kilometer (4.35 mile) RACE, RUN, JOG, AND WALK! Too far? The join us in walking as far as you want and can around our beautiful new hospital. One time around is about a mile!<br />
<br />
NOT A RUNNER? No problem: Join us on a beautiful BIKE RIDE of either 25 or 50 miles.<br />
<br />
Or come to our Health Fair and learn how you can eat better, LIVESTRONG and learn ways to reduce your chances of being impacted by cancer!The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-89065375490590305542011-09-30T16:17:00.001-04:002011-09-30T16:24:45.522-04:00President Obama's Remarks on Drone Strike That Killed Anwar al-AwlakiPresident Obama's comments today on the assassination of Anwar al-Awlaki during the change of office ceremony at Fort Myer, Virginia for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff:<br />
<br />
"I want to say a few words about some important news. Earlier this morning Anwar al-Awlaki, a leader of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, was killed in Yemen.<br />
<br />
"The death of Awlaki is a major blow to Al Qaeda most active operational affiliate. Awlaki was the leader of external operations for Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. In that role, he took the lead in planning and directing efforts to murder innocent Americans. He directed the failed attempt to blow up an airplane on Christmas Day in 2009, he directed the failed attempt to blow up U.S. cargo planes in 2010 and he repeatedly called on individuals in the United States and around the globe to kill innocent men, women and children to advance a murderous agenda.<br />
<br />
"The death of Awlaki marks another significant milestone in the broader effort to defeat Al Qaeda and its affiliates. Furthermore, this success is a tribute to our intelligence community and to the efforts of Yemen and of security forces who have worked closely with the United States over the course of several years. Awlaki and his organization have been directly responsible for the deaths of many Yemeni citizens. His hateful ideology and targeting of innocent civilians has been rejected by the vast majority of Muslims and people of all faiths. And he has met his demise because the government and the people of Yemen have joined the international community in a common effort against Al Qaeda.<br />
<br />
"Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula remains a dangerous, though weakened, terrorist organization. And going forward we will remain vigilant against any threats to the United States or our allies and partners. But make no mistake, this is further proof that Al Qaeda and its affiliates will find no safe haven anywhere in the world.<br />
<br />
"Working with Yemen and our other allies and partners, we will be determined, we will be deliberate, we will be relentless, we will be resolute in our commitment to destroy terrorist networks that aim to kill Americans, and to build a world in which people everywhere can live in greater peace, prosperity and security."The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-16042749291366705092011-09-29T19:02:00.006-04:002011-09-29T21:23:53.280-04:00Pro-Assad Mob Attacks and Detains U.S. Ambassador to SyriaThe Syrian government simply has no answer for the gutsy and irrepressible U.S. ambassador to Damascus who continues to move around the country to document the atrocities committed on civilians by the regime's military and security forces.<br />
<br />
Pro-regime thugs ambushed the motorcade today of Ambassador Robert Ford, pelting his car with eggs and rocks in what the U.S. believes was an attack that may have been condoned by government of Bashir al-Assad.<br />
<br />
"The mob was violent," said State Department spokesman Mark Toner. "It tried, unsuccessfully, to attack embassy personnel while they were inside several embassy vehicles, seriously damaging the vehicles in the process."<br />
<br />
Ford was on his way to a meeting with Hassan Abdel-Azim, who leads the opposition National Democratic Gathering, which opposes Assad's crackdown on the pro-democracy movement, known as the Arab Spring.<br />
<br />
Ford and the American diplomatic delegation was trapped in the building for nearly two hours before the Assad regime finally sent in security forces to break up the mob on nearly 100 pro-Assad supporters.<br />
<br />
"We condemn this unwarranted attack in the strongest possible terms," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement. "Ambassador Ford and his aides were conducting normal embassy business, and this attempt to intimidate our diplomats through violence is wholly unjustified."<br />
<br />
It was not the first time the Assad regime sat back and allowed violence against American diplomats. Ford made a defiant visit in July to Hama, the epicenter of the Syrian freedom revolt, that triggered a retaliatory attack by civilians on the U.S. embassy compound.<br />
<br />
At least 2,700 people have been killed by Assad forces since the uprising against Assad started.<br />
<br />
Ford insists he will not be deterred and will continue to expose and document the heinous acts of violence by the regime against the Syrian population.The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516527933343194125.post-79418388838271717422011-09-29T17:40:00.004-04:002011-09-29T17:45:43.420-04:00Limbaugh Slams GOP Establishment for Backing Christie & Not A ConservativeRight-wing talk radio king Rush Limbaugh blasted the Republican establishment today for pushing center-right GOP Gov. Chris Christie to run for President instead of a Tea Party-style conservative, like Sen. Marco Rubio. <br />
<br />
"I don't want to just get rid of (President) Obama, I want to take advantage of the opportunity we have to finally get a genuine, full-fledged, unapologetic conservative because this is going to be a major task. It's going to take more than one election, and it's going to take somebody fearless. And we're not going to roll this stuff back having compromise and bipartisanship as our primary objectives," he added on radio program.<br />
<br />
"I think as far as the establishment's concerned, there are two things. They don't want a conservative to win for that reason, plus they do want to win. And I think they probably think Christie has a better chance than anybody else up there of beating Obama. That's my guess," Limbaugh adder for his massive listening audience.<br />
<br />
Many GOP high-rollers have not embraced Mitt Romney and are wincing at the melting flavor-of-the-month, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, keeping their hefty checkbooks on the sideline as they wait for their Republican messiah. They have made a big push to get Christie to reconsider a run, but the New Jersey governor still says it is not going to happen.<br />
<br />
Limbaugh held up Rubio (R-Fla.) as a viable alternative to Christie, but charged that the predominantly New York City-based Republican bankrollers have not learned their lesson from Rubio's 2010 victory over former GOP Florida Gov. Charlie Crist.<br />
<br />
"Rubio was the conservative candidate, the candidate supported by conservative talk radio. Rubio was the outsider. But look what's happened. Now that Rubio has won, oh, yeah, everybody was involved in the campaign! Everybody had a role in electing Rubio!" Limbaugh said.<br />
<br />
"Rubio would win in a walkover. He's conservative. He's articulate. He's great-looking. He's Hispanic and sounds very smart. How can he possibly lose? If this were the Democrat Party, the party father would probably tell Obama to step aside and let Rubio run, if Rubio were a Democrat," Limbaugh insisted.The Baz Filehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195885955243577353noreply@blogger.com0