I can still remember my reaction in December of 1997 to the death of Saturday Night Live star Chris Farley. I was saddened not only by the death of a great Wisconsinite but also by the thought of future current events that could not be satirized as well due to his loss.
I submit that White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs would be more palatable if we could look forward to Farley spoofing his gaffes and everyday peculiarities. In a NBC Today Show interview today, I enjoyed the interview so much more when I began imaging that the interview wasn’t reality rather it was Farley. I imagined it was Matt Foley discussing a van down by the river instead of Gibbs spinning Senator Obama’s discouraging statements about the surge in Iraq.
Unfortunately, I finally realized that this wasn’t a spoof, Gibbs is actually the White House Press Secretary, and the content and spin of his interview was purposeful, had some basis in reality, and wasn’t intended to be humor.
With Chris Farley’s absence, I can only hope that President Obama’s Oval Office speech tonight will merit some satire from Fred Armisen on Saturday night.
13 years later, Chris Farley you are still missed.
Tags: afghanistan, Gibbs, Iraq, mission accomplished, Obama, p2, Petraeus, surge, tcot
If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you’ll make progress. – BARACK OBAMA, Bloomington Pantagraph, Feb. 25, 2005
While Minnesota’s issues with disenfranchising military voters have received nation-wide publicity, one must at least give Saint Paul credit for complying with the MOVE Act. In the MOVE Act, states are required to allow for a “45-day round trip” in an effort to enfranchise overseas voters, especially military voters. In Minnesota, the legislature dealt with the federal mandate expeditiously and changed the primary date to allow for compliance with federal law.
It appears that our neighbors to the east decided to take another path. Wisconsin legislature gave the Government Accountability Board authority to seek a one time hardship waiver. The Democrat controlled Wisconsin legislature decide to play politics and include this benign change with other controversial reforms … while nonchalantly disenfranchising military voters in Wisconsin. On Friday, the State learned that its request wasn’t granted.
Once again, the soldiers — who risk their lives for a freedom that affords politicians the ability to structurally disenfranchise them — lose.
For more information on ways to assist with enfranchising military voters in Minnesota, please check out the Minnesota Freedom Council.
Tags: Absentee Voting, Dan Severson, DFL, Election Law, Mark Ritchie, Military, Minnesota, Minnesota Freedom Council, MNGOP, Wisconsin
As promised yesterday, my first post after my three month absence would involve removing the filter.
I am proud to support Larry Stauber for Minnesota Court of Appeals.
[more substantive posts to follow, I'm enjoying my first free weekend in three months]
I realize times are tough for everyone, so this is not a woe is me post. Rather, I’ve found this experience delivering phone books to be an excellent source of blog material.
For those who enjoyed yesterday’s post, Day 3 is upon me, which means that I survived Day 2. Here are Three Lessons Learned While Delivering Phone Books Yesterday
- A teacher’s words live with you for your lifetime. While I cannot remember the circumstances or why my German-National kindergarten teacher left this lesson in my mind, I could hear one of his teachings while delivering phone books in the pouring rain yesterday. To say that Mr. Bernstein was strict was an understatement; however, his lesson that has lasted through his years is about marching through things when you are down, tired or in this situation drenched. He said that you will look foolish if you vocalize your marching; however, he encouraged us to internalize it and let it motivate. So, yesterday, I just kept pushing through with a cadence in my head to keep me keeping on. Thank you to Mr. Bernstein at Zweibrucken Elementary School.
- Random conversations can make your day. I will save you the details of the phone book delivery process; however, to understand the context of the story, you need to know that you return to the office for a period of time before you continue delivering. During such a extended period yesterday, I happened upon a random conservation with a lady and told her that this phone book delivery is getting me in shape for door knocking for the election. She asked me who I supported for Governor, and I told her Emmer-Meeks. She gave me a subtle thumbs up and began discussing her admiration of Congressman John Kline and her and her husband’s dedication to at least spend one day a week during the election assisting his campaign. She also told me a fascinating story about bumping into Senator John McCain while in Sedona. Ironically, she didn’t recognize McCain, but she did recognize a RNC 2008 convention shirt (consequently being worn by Rick Davis). She walked up to Davis and said she was from Minnesota. Davis informed her that McCain (and Senator Warner) were standing looking out on the cliff to his left. Davis walked her over and McCain talked with her and her husband for ten minutes. She said that she swayed many votes to McCain based on telling her story to others in her neighborhood.
- When water beads on wooden steps that have been weather proofed, you should be careful. I would like to replay the event (maybe I was following my cadence to closely and not watching my step, Thanks Mr. Bernstein); however, it was over and done quickly, so I am left with a painful reminder (bruised tailbone) of why I need to watch my step on stairs.
Now, I am off to day 3. Again , I can’t promise that I will learn three more lessons today, I’m sure that I will learn at least one.
Tags: Annette Meeks, Berstein, Deutschland, Germany, John Kline, John McCain, John Warner, MN2010, MNGOP, Rhineland-Pfalz, Rick Davis, teacher, Tom Emmer, Zweibruchen, Zweibrucken, Zweibrucken Air Force Base
I realize times are tough for everyone, so this is not a woe is me post. Rather, I’ve found this experience delivering phone books to be an excellent source of blog material.
So, here I go. Here are Five Lessons Learned While Delivering Phone Books Yesterday
- Education doesn’t mean door-to-door is not an option. I ran into gentleman in a company polo shirt who appeared to be walking from home to home much like myself. Finally, our paths crossed. Apparently, he hadn’t noticed me because he gave me the pitch that he had been giving others. I informed him that I was using my law degree to deliver phone books. He informed me that he was using his Masters in Psych and Masters in Marketing to go door to door for home improvement company seeking bids.
- If there is a government shut down, it is Pawlenty’s fault. One gentleman was intrigued why someone delivering phone books was wearing khakis and polo shirt. I gave him a back story. His response was that back in the Clinton years my construction company had it good. (Thought bubble: so your business didn’t do well at any time during the bush years? And the first work force reduction was in 2010?) He went further to say that if the government has to shut down because of the court’s reversal of the unallotments that the Governor is to blame. He stated that the opinion showed that there were provisions that the Governor chose not to follow. I decided to not add my two cents, wished him a good day and I was off.
- Phone Books are a hot button issue for some people. One gentleman intrigued me by his understanding of all of the different phone books. However, what intrigued me most was the need to discuss with me for ten minutes why he said that he was sad that the phone book company was taking advantage of me. (I didn’t give him any back story, he was just making assumptions as to my need to deliver phone books. ) As I was walking away, I saw Obama and Franken stickers on his car. I made my own assumptions.
- A lot of people in Eagan have dogs, so thank you to mail carriers. While my route allows me the flexibility to return to homes at my leisure when dogs are in the house or on a leash, I know that mail carriers are not as lucky. For that, I have a new appreciation of what they do, and I say thank you.
- Politicians who aren’t in shape after an election year have knocked enough doors in Eagan. I know that Eagan is full of diverse homesteads; however, in the homesteads that I visited yesterday, ibuprofen treatment needed to be induced last night as well as this morning as I prepare for day 2 of delivering phone books. Whether it was up a steep driveway or up an extensive flight of stairs to a home built higher than the other houses on the block, I developed an appreciation for those politicians that door knock. Being a hack myself and appreciating the ground work done by hacks and volunteers, I would question an out of shape individual who is seeking elected office in November 3rd.
Now, I am off to day 2. While I can’t promise that I will learn five more lessons today, I’m sure that I will learn at least one.
Tags: Business, Education, Humility, Juris Doctorate, Law, Life Lessons, Marketing, Masters Degree, MN2010
Sometimes, I appreciate that a story needs no further analysis, rather my duty is simply to highlight that such an event occurred.
This story about the rights granted to 500 Pagan police officers is one of those events.
London Times: “Pagan police get right to take festivals as holiday”
One excerpt of note…
The Pagan Police Association was announced by co-founder PC Andy Pardy, who, when he is not patrolling the beat in Hertfordshire, is a heathen worshipper of Norse gods including Thor and Odin.
Enjoy.
Tags: Beltane, Brown, Cameron, Clegg, ge2010, Imbolc, Labour, Lammas, Liberal Democrats, Litha, Mabon, Odin, Ostra, Pagan, Passover, Ramadan, Samhain, Thor, Tories, Tory, UK, Wicca, Witch, Yule
In the aftermath of the Minnesota Unallotment decision being released by the State Supreme Court, liberal commentators and news media have highlighted how Chief Justice Eric Magnuson was appointed by Governor Pawlenty and how Republican majority court ruled against the Governor. Whether in Minnesota, in any other state high court, or even in the Federal District Court, Circuit Court of Appeals, or US Supreme Court, I often look to Justice Scalia’s scathing dissent in Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992) for comfort in these situations of defiance of conservative interpretation and thought that made an appointee qualified for appointment.
In this paragraph from Planned Parenthood, Justice Scalia subtly calls out recent Bush appointee to the bench (strongly encouraged by John Sununu) David Souter for his joining the majority opinion upholding Roe v. Wade precedence.
It is particularly difficult, in the circumstances of the present decision, to sit still for the Court’s lengthy lecture upon the virtues of “constancy,” ante, at 26, of “remain[ing] steadfast,” id., at 25, of adhering to “principle,” id., passim. Among the five Justices who purportedly adhere to Roe, atmost three agree upon the principle that constitutes adherence (the joint opinion’s “undue burden” standard)–and that principle is inconsistent with Roe, see 410 U. S., at 154-156. [n.7] To make matters worse, two of the three, in order thus to remain steadfast, had to abandon previously stated positions. See n. 4 supra; see supra, at 11 12. It is beyond me how the Court expects these accommodations to be accepted “as grounded truly in principle, not as compromises with social and political pressures having, as such, no bearing on the principled choices that the Court is obliged to make.” Ante, at 23. The only principle the Court “adheres” to, it seems to me, is the principle that the Court must be seen as standing by Roe. That is not a principle of law (which is what I thought the Court was talking about), but a principle of Realpolitik–and a wrong one at that.
Justice Gildea’s dissent in the Unallotment Decision isn’t as scathing; however, these two excerpts speak volumes about her opinion about Chief Justice Magnuson’s majority opinion.
“The obvious problem with this rewrite is that it is a rewrite.”
Tags: Anderson, Blackmun, Dietzen, Gildea, Kennedy, Magnuson, Meyer, Page, Rehnquist, Scalia, Thomas, Unallotment, White
The US General Elections on November 2nd seem in the distance future; thus, if you like the here and the now, then you need not look further then our cousins across the pond in Britain who are preparing for a general election on Thursday, May 6th (#ge2010 on Twitter). As a brief background, the present Prime Minister is Gordon Brown (Labour). His administration has been abysmal and loathsome at best and an utter disappointment for Britain at worst. His challengers are David Cameron (Conservative) and Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrat).
Keep in mind that voters are not voting for either of these three men; rather, they are voting for their member of parliament in hopes that there party has the majority to lead the parliament thus allowing one of these three men to lead. So, the statement by Manish Sood, a Labour candidate running in a Conservative stronghold, is perplexing. Yesterday, he was quoted as saying…
One is left to assume that in reading the tea leaves Sood has made the following analysis. 1) The winds of change will blow in either a Liberal Democrat PM with a coalition that includes Conservatives or Conservative PM with a coalition that includes Liberal Democrats. 2) Regardless of result in #1, there is enough division within his constituency that would allow him to squeak in if enough people vote Labour to stop the sinking ship, which is the Labour Party.
#2 fails to factor in the excitement that Conservatives have in returning to 10 Downing Street, which in his Conservative stronghold leaves him up the Thames without a paddle. Nonetheless, one wonders if Democrat incumbents & candidates in the US will follow the same path of disavowing Obama, Reid and Pelosi. Thankfully, the answers about #ge2010 will be answered when we arise on Friday morning.
Tags: Brown, Cameron, Clegg, Conservative, ge2010, Great Britain, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Northern Ireland, Queen Elizabeth II, Tony Blair, Tory, Wales
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