Republican Smears Push Some Too Far

I first read this op/ed piece in an email forwarded to me by a friend, and as you should be with any such content, I was skeptical. I am not familiar with Frank Schaeffer, but email is a favorite means for sharing falsely attributed writings of all sorts. But later I stumbled onto the same piece online on the Dallas Morning News web site, and I found it a worthy enough read to share. It’s nice to know readers in Dallas are reading about Mr. Schaeffer’s epiphany, I just hope it’s being read by Virginia voters as well.

Frank Schaeffer: I should be supporting Allen. Instead, I’m leaving the party.
The Dallas Morning News, 11/1/06

ActBlue in Virginia

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I need your help! Virginia needs your help! America needs your help! Election Day is looming large, and if you’re not furious about what George Bush and his rubber-stamp GOP Congress have done to America, then you’re not paying attention (or stupid… better to claim you weren’t paying attention). The time to wake up and act is now! We may be stuck with George until 2009, but we don’t need to let him continue thinking he’s a King and not a President. Help me help these candidates and parties, and make a difference today. Make a contribution today. Please.

Thank you.

Two Ads

Here’s two ads for Virginia related campaigns that I find to be particularly effective.

In Virginia’s 2nd District, Freshman Republican Thelma Drake is in a tough race to keep her seat. This ad, from Majority Action, puts a spotlight on Drake’s vote against stem cell research.

Stem Cells – Drake

Virginia is considering legislation to write discrimination into our State Constitution by banning same-sex marriage. This ad from The Commonwealth Coalition evokes one of Virginia’s founding fathers in making their argument in opposition.

Burning

I-95 Flyover

At first, it looked a bit like a UFO. A thin black slash in sky. Then it banked a little bit, and I recognized it as a B2 Stealth Bomber.

It didn’t take long to realize why it was there over I-95. I happened to be on my way into DC today at about the same time that the new Air Force Memorial was being dedicated. I’ve watched the memorial grow slowly over time on my commute into the city, and from a driveby, it’s pretty cool looking.

Right behind the B2 was a C-17, an aircraft that’s very familiar to me for family reasons (look close, you’ll find the connection). Behind the C-17 was the Thunderbirds.

Very cool, and not something you see every day.

Wild Blue Wonder
The Washington Post, 10/13/06

The Way of the Whigs

An Iraq war that has cost us nearly half trillion dollars—and the good will of the world—might not have done it. Runaway federal spending that allowed the national debt to reach $8.5 trillion might not have done it. George Bush’s low approval ratings, the lack of comprehensive immigration reform, the historical pattern of an anti-incumbent “six-year itch” in presidencies, the cascade of stories about administration ineptitude and dissembling and congressional financial and lobbying corruption—none of these issues seemed destined to end the Republicans’ 12-year reign in Congress.

Then came the Foley Scandal. If the Democrats can’t take the Hill now, they deserve to go the way of the Whigs.

Howard Fineman, It Takes a Sex Scandal
Newsweek, 10/3/06

If, after the Foley episode — a maraschino cherry atop the Democrats’ delectable sundae of Republican miseries — the Democrats cannot gain 13 seats, they should go into another line of work.

George Will, What Goeth Before the Fall
The Washington Post, 10/5/06

What line of work did most former Whigs go into? Wikipedia says that most quit politics or switched parties when their own party reached met it’s demise in the 1850s.

I’m not ready to join the Whigs yet, but I’ve been tempered enough by seeing my party snatch defeat (or have victory stolen) in the face of what looked like a sure win. And so I try not to let comments like those above get me too carried away with optimism over the coming elections. And yet, given how badly George Bush is fucking up our country, with the Republican Congress as his willing accomplices, anything less than a major Democratic victory next month will certainly leave me feeling ready to join the Whigs, wherever it is that they went.

(OK, you might point out that many went to the Republican Party. In 1860, I may have as well. But not in 2006 or anytime in this century, that I promise.)

A Season Ends Badly

I’ve only been following Major League Baseball with any kind of close interest for the last few years. It started really with the Sosa/McGuire home run chase in 1998 (which in hindsight was likely a steroid fueled cheat), and has grown year by year as we follow the Cubs and see them when we can. This season, they sucked. And their win in today’s season-ender put them securely in last place in their division, without even the lowly Pirates to look down upon.

Yup, the Cubs really stunk it up this year. But at least they we’re not 100-game losers like the Royals!

Casey Blog & Babies Today

Wow, you just never know what reach some random blog writings might have. But a few months ago I wrote about the time capsule we buried under our new addition. And a couple of months later I was contacted by a writer working on an article about time capsules for a parenting magazine, and tonight I found the article he produced.

Enjoy.

Preserving Memories with a Family Time Capsule
By Mark Stackpole, Babies Today

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