A Swath of Editorials from The Washington Post

So I was away this weekend taking a break from politics and school and the Washington Post just exploded with news on VA Delegate races...

45th District

This is an open race in a staunchly Democratic (re: No Chance Republicans) district. There are SIX candidates and they are all going for blood. Even though the Post has endorsed James Lay, Libby Garvey and David Englin are the front runners in my opinion. Stay tuned...

67th District

This district is very Republican. So Republican that the Anti-tax wing of the Republican party is running a candidate to the right of the incumbent Gary Reese. Chris Craddock, a political newbie, is running a plank of tax reform saying that Reese broke his pledge as a Republican to not raise taxes. This one will come down to the wire.

Time for a change...name and content

I want to say thanks to those who visited...ha...I think I had a total of eleven posts...four of them were mine.

Anyway, since I was not doing so hot in that category, I will instead concentrate on important national news and VA political commentary. Virginia is one of the hottest states out there right now and it should provide for plenty of fodder.

Adieu...

Kevin

More traffic...link exchange

I'm trying to bring some more traffic to this site. I would love to have a link exchange. I will take all comers (conservative, liberal, libertarian, etc). Put your link in the post box or email me. When I figure out the side bar, I will put them up.

Kevin

Gun Control Legislation in Illinois

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/nation/chi-0505260137may26,1,6540951.story?coll=chi-news-hed&ctrack=2&cset=true

Gov. Rod Blagojevich will amend a portion of a gun contol bill dealing with the destruction of gun purchases after 90 days while maintaining a provision for background checks at gun shows.

"The NRA might have thought they could force us to eliminate the database by attaching it to legislation that closes the problematic gun show loophole, but they were dead wrong," Blagojevich said in a statement. "We can and should keep gun transaction records and close the gun show loophole."

Blagojevich is showing a lot of bravado by doing this. He is placating his base in the Chicago and some surburban counties with this move. He is also angering people downstate who favor laws that make it easier and more anonymous to buy a gun. What will be the political implications of this move in next year's election?

Florida Hispanics

This is an article that I found about Florida's lack of Hispanic diversity in the state legislature .

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-asecstatereps26052605may26,0,2138720.story?coll=orl-home-promo

"Though Florida's Hispanic population was about 17 percent, only about 7 percent of state representatives were Hispanic. Blacks had gained more legislative seats statewide, matching their 14 percent population ratio, but black candidates received less financial backing.

Both groups were raising, on average, less money than their white counterparts, partly because they were mostly seen as viable candidates in minority districts. And while white candidates relied on a variety of sources to finance their campaigns, black and Hispanic candidates got less money from most sectors, including their own political parties."

There is also a problem with citizenship which needs to be rectified. Florida will be a battleground state for years to come on the national and local level. Someone in either the Republican or Democratic Party has to seize the opportunity in the Hispanic voting bloc and reach out to them.

Mays Enters Governor's Race in Kansas

http://legislature.cjonline.com/stories/052405/leg_maysrace.shtml

Just a quick update...this is more of a formality. Is he stronger than the other candidates in the Republican primary? Will he be able to defeat Gov. Kathleen Sebelius?

5/25/05 Update

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=789080

Looks like President Bush will have to use his veto power after all. The House passed a bill yesterday by a vote of 238-194. The Senate has yet to vote but it is expected to pass there as well. It will be the first veto issued by Bush in his 4 1/2 years in office.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=788951

There are some ticked off conservatives out there about the filibuster.

"Furious with the outcome, conservative leaders promised to energize their rank-and-file for the next elections while warning some of the centrist Republicans who harbor presidential aspirations to forget about 2008.

They won't get any help from us none," Norman Pawlewski of the Iowa Christian Coalition said of the seven Republicans who helped negotiate the compromise. "We busted our hump to get a president who would appoint judges who would be more just. Republican senators betrayed us."

I don't think this issue of judicial nominations will resonate for 3 more years unless it is brought up over and over again in that span. The majority of people in this country didn't care about this issue and were not paying attention at all. So I think that the Republicans who are angry right now will be placated in some way later on.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050525/pl_afp/usunboltonpolitics

The vote on the nomination of John Bolton to Ambassador to the U. N. will be taking place soon, possibly before the end of the week. Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) is on the record against Bolton's nomination. There are reports that Sen. John Thune (R-SD) will not back the nomination but it is not confirmed.

Living Wages for Utah? Lobbyist donations...

http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_2754597

Utah's governor is thinking about boosting the minimum wage and putting forth a "living wage" proposal.

"Huntsman understands that proposals to boost the minimum wage or create a living wage are not generally popular with his fellow Republicans, but he expects the task force to come up with a plan by year's end so he can make a pitch to lawmakers before the 2006 legislative session. "Even though I'm a good Republican, I'm a little concerned that, during the course of 11 years, we've seen no adjustment in the minimum wage," Huntsman said during his monthly KUED TV news conference. "

Lobbyist donations...

Embattled lobbyist Jack Abramoff had his hand in many Congressional cookie jars. His biggest recipient was Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT) with $136,500. Abramoff has been implicated and linked to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. Abramoff has also given to both Republicans and Democrats. Could this hurt Burns bid for reelection?

Update: The link for the lobbyist story is in the comments box. The imbedded links are not working right now.

Pirro Gearing up Against Clinton

The Republicans in New York think they have a "silver bullet" for Hillary Clinton. Jeanine Pirro is a district attorney in Westchester County. She has apparently been able to pull votes from everywhere on the spectrum of ideology. It looks like that the Republican nomination for Senate is hers for the taking. All she has to do is claim it.

It's in the New York Times today.

I honestly think that Clinton can win against anyone. A wise person told me to never underestimate anyone in a knife fight. Well this is a Senate race but you can see the parallel can't you?

The link is in the comments box.

Nelson Endangered According to Dole

Via PoliticalWire.com:


Putting to rest any notion that Republicans are taking Nebraska lightly, Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) emphatically stated they are focused and ready to rumble.

"The Nebraska Senate race is extremely important to the national Republican Party, and we are going to win this seat," the North Carolina senator said.

What does the Republican bench look like? Only former AG Don Stenberg has declared his intentions to run for the Senate seat. David Kramer, Kerry Winterer, and Kermit Brashear are also other possible candidates for the Republicans.

So, what are the odds of a Democratic defense of this red state.

5/23/05 Lunch break edition

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/05/23/offenders.viagra/index.html

"Hevesi said his office found that from January 1, 2000, through March 31, 2005, 198 Level 3 sex offenders received Medicaid-reimbursed Viagra after being convicted of a sex offense. Sex offenders are those convicted of crimes such as rape, sexual abuse, and sexual conduct against a child.

Level 3 offenders are those considered by the courts most likely to commit crimes again."

This is like if the government gave bullets to someone who committed a heinous crime with a gun. DUH!!!!!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050520/od_nm/porn_dc

I guess he get's his briefs looked at almost every day. Ooohh...a movie title for him "Well Hung Jury"...although that might already be taken...can anyone else come up with a cooler title.

http://msn.foxsports.com/golf/story/3610408

I don't hear anyone screaming about minimum age requirements here. I think this is an awesome feat. She's still no Michelle Wie. Wie will shatter all records!

Washington State update

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050523/ap_on_el_gu/election_challenge

"Even though Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire has been in office for months now, the legal battle over how she got there is still far from over.

Republican Dino Rossi is challenging Gregoire's 2004 victory in the closest statewide election in national history, alleging widespread problems including illegal votes cast by felons and dead people.

The challenge was to go to trial Monday. Chelan County Superior Court Judge John Bridges moved the case to the county auditorium to accommodate the scores of attorneys, reporters, politicians and spectators who planned to attend."

Whatever the decision is, expect an appeal.

Santorum clarifies remarks

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05140/507782.stm

"My point was that it is preposterous for someone to trample a well-established principle, and then accuse his opponents of acting unlawfully when they try to reestablish that principle," Santorum said. "Nevertheless, it was a mistake and I meant no offense."

Good enough for me....

5/20/05 Lunch break Edition

Offbeat political and life stories from around the nation and world.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050520/ap_on_re_us/no_indians_allowed

It is baffling that over 300 years after this law was passed that it wasn't repealed until now.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050519/od_nm/crime_wendys_dc

What an idiot!

"The man whose severed finger was planted in a bowl of Wendy's chili in an apparent scheme to swindle the company had given the digit to a co-worker to settle a $50 debt, the San Francisco Chronicle reported on Wednesday. "

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/NEWSV5/storyV5ONCOSBY20.htm

If they wanted to ban her, they should have banned the father too.

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

Star Wars Open Thread

If you were living under a rock or just didn't turn on your TV, you might not have noticed that the final installment in the latest trilogy of Star Wars movies is out this weekend...It's the first one in the series with a PG-13 rating and from what I hear no Jar Jar. I'll be watching it tonight and will put my review up tomorrow. Until then...

Discuss the latest movie by the genius George Lucas. Is it really a metaphor for the current Bush Administration? Will there be a VII, VIII, and IX?

WARNING: THERE MIGHT BE SPOILERS!!!

Senate Showdown

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050520/ap_on_go_co/filibuster_fight


It's getting down to brass tacks in the Senate as Republicans and Democrats fight over judicial nominees. Republicans are threatening the "nuclear" option and Democrats are fighting back by saying they will shut down Senate proceedings if Republicans go through with their tactic.

Latest quotes by the leaders:

Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN)

"We will continue that debate," Frist said. "Ten hours, 20 hours, 30 hours, as many hours as it takes for senators to air their views. But at some point, that debate should end and there should be a vote."

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)

"The attempt to do away with the filibuster is nothing short of clearing the trees for the confirmation of an unacceptable nominee to the Supreme Court."

Sen Rick Santorum (R-PA)

"What the Democrats are doing is the equivalent of Adolf Hitler in 1942 saying, 'I'm in Paris. How dare you invade me. How dare you bomb my city? It's mine.' This is no more the rule of the senate than it was the rule of the senate before not to filibuster."

Some Senators (Sen. John Warner and Sen. Robert Byrd) are still trying to work on a compromise and are optimistic but time is running out.

Will those negotiators be like MacGyver and cut the blue wire just in the nick of time?

Picking up the flag...

Newpolitics1 was dropped about a few days ago. I'm going to try and create a stop gap solution. I'll have plenty of time in the summer when school is out. In the mean time, I will try and post an article a day and I will try and add haloscan soon. I will be looking for help with posting. Conservatives, liberals, libertarians, and anyone else who might want to post can email me at applejackking@hotmail.com .


Thank you,

TGTJ