The SideTrack

Hubris

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:25:00 +0000

It's lucky for McCain that Barack Obama is the one with a hubris problem. Otherwise, this McCain poster in support of his campaign to be elected God might raise some eyebrows ...

McCain: Media Coverage Has Been Fair

noreply@blogger.com (craig41) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:45:00 +0000

Contradicting what you may have heard on AM radio, John McCain thinks coverage of the campaign so far has been fair. Because he is, after all, a big boy:

Asked whether he believes he’d had unfair media coverage, McCain replied: “I don't think so. I think …it is what it is. I'm a big boy. And I'm enjoying every minute of the campaigning. And I'm certainly not complaining. And, in fact, I think it’s fun to watch."

Couric asked: “Do you think your campaign simply isn't as adept as Senator Obama's when it comes to facilitating media coverage?”

McCain replied: “No, I think my campaign's doing fine. We're two or three points behind. We're doing fine. I'm very happy with where we are. Senator Obama has run a very successful campaign, gaining the nomination of his party, and attracting the attention of many people. I'm happy. We're putting one foot ahead of the other. I'm happy with where we are. I relish the underdog. And I'm confident we're gonna be victorious. I'm very happy with my campaign. I'm very happy with where we are. Love the town hall meetings and I love the kind of campaigning we're doing.”

Why Morgan Bowen?

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:00:00 +0000

I'm getting a lot of email from friends and readers wanting clarification on my interest in UT-1 candidate Morgan Bowen's campaign, perceiving a contradiction between my personal politics, openly displayed on the front page of The SideTrack, and what they read at bowenforcongress.com

Much of the email is coming from out of state, where many understand that Utah is a "red" state, but don't fully grasp just how tragically "red" the political DNA here is. But for Utah readers, I can explain (and hopefully engage others in the district to join me).

Admittedly, I abhor the word "bipartisan." While a nice notion, it's become a dirty word in our federal and state institutions, and can be found attached most often to bad legislation, or weak minded whining during campaign seasons (watch how often you see an incumbent respond not with factual defense of a policy, but a childish "Oh, how partisan!" distraction from issues). And I'm not much more keen on the word "Independent". It means very little in Utah, where too often "Independent" simply means voting Republican without introspection while bitching about Republicans.

So, I have to acknowledge the irony in my fondness of a candidate who can easily be described as both of these things. But it's not quite that simple. Morgan Bowen is running as a Democrat for a reason; he is one. And a proud one at that. But when it comes to policy, Morgan isn't concerned with party so much as good decision making, and being true to himself, and this sometimes takes him as close to conservative policy as a Democrat can get and still use the Big D. He believes in the populist notion that the more people playing a role in his policy formation, the better it will be, and I believe if elected Morgan would hold true to this, simply because it is his nature. It is the way he reaches his conclusions that engages me, even if I might disagree with his final conclusion.

He does trend much further right than my personal politics care for, I agree, but in contrast he would also not, as a representative, fit into the cess pool that is the Blue Dog coalition. He finds the middle on issues where (I believe) there is room to do so, and to disagree about it. On the important issues, such as Iraq and energy policy (where, incidentally, he outs himself as a T. Boone Pickens fan!), he reaches the same conclusions I do, often just through different ways of thinking. And it's this pragmatic nature of his that allows me to easily put aside my quest for liberal domination in order to volunteer and support, whenever I can, a candidate that I believe deserves to be a United States Congressman much more than those we have propped up as "leaders" for far too long.

But a more specific (and being a blogger I have to say more important) reason for Morgan's appeal is an example I'll provide below that had an effect on me very similar to the reasons I became an Obama supporter very early in the primary. Morgan "get's it." This video is Morgan's response to news that Rob Bishop had accepted large sums of money from Energy Solutions this campaign season (a fact that Bishop's chief of staff would have us believe is just "nasty and thoughtless" to even point out... which still makes me laugh). It was produced by Morgan and his son from a patch of lawn overlooking the Energy Solutions Arena, then uploaded to his YouTube page later that evening. It cost him nothing but a little time and know how. And for me, watching this (beyond the merit of the message it conveys, of course) gives me hope that Utah is not completely left behind in the use of technology and responsiveness to further engage each and every voter in the political process, and how easily we all become activists for change. Morgan understands not only the necessity but also the opportunity of campaigning this way.

Enjoy. And give, dammit.

MoveOn Ad Works With Independents

noreply@blogger.com (craig41) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:35:00 +0000

Seems they don't like the idea of being in Iraq for 100 years either (from The Hill)

MoveOn.org’s controversial “Not Alex” ad did not sit well with Republicans, but it scored well with Democrats and independents, according to a recent survey.

“Not Alex,” which debuted in June, features a young woman with a baby boy named Alex sitting on her lap. She says, “John McCain, when you say you would stay in Iraq for 100 years, were you counting on Alex? Because, if you were, you can’t have him.”

A plurality of the poll’s respondents, 34 percent, rated the ad as the “most effective” out of a group of six campaign television commercials. Eight percent of Republicans said it was the “most effective” compared to 55 percent of Democrats and 44 percent of independents. The poll was conducted by Wilson Research Strategies and The Hill newspaper.

Political Videos and Google's Speech to Text.

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 03:42:00 +0000

Google's new gadget brings another direct route to the candidates, in their own words.

With the help of our speech recognition technologies, videos from YouTube's Politicians channels are automatically transcribed from speech to text and indexed. Using the gadget you can search not only the titles and descriptions of the videos, but also their spoken content. Additionally, since speech recognition tells us exactly when words are spoken in the video, you can jump right to the most relevant parts of the videos you find.

Don't tell John.

Conservative Front Group: Make Bush President for Life

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:26:00 +0000

Think Tank shenanigans (h/t: at-Largely)

Family Security Matters a neo-conservative based think tank has published an article advocating that George W. Bush should be a dictator for life. The organization has since taken the article down, but is still viewable via this cached link.

Conquering the Drawbacks of Democracy: By Philip Atkinson

The article written by Philip Atkinson states that Bush would fail his country by becoming an ex-President or can achieve greatness by becoming President-for-Life Bush in order to bring sense to Congress and sanity to the Supreme Court. Atkinson is bluntly advocating that Bush should become dictator for life with these outrageously anti-American statements.

From the article:

President Bush can fail in his duty to himself, his country, and his God, by becoming “ex-president” Bush or he can become “President-for-Life” Bush: the conqueror of Iraq, who brings sense to the Congress and sanity to the Supreme Court. Then who would be able to stop Bush from emulating Augustus Caesar and becoming ruler of the world? For only an America united under one ruler has the power to save humanity from the threat of a new Dark Age wrought by terrorists armed with nuclear weapons.

Atkinson also advocates that Bush should get rid of everyone in Iraq through military force and repopulate the country with Americans.

Free Market News Network investigations have revealed that Family Security Matters is a front group for the Center for Security Policy, an conservative think tank with ties to Dick Cheney.

No offense, Paul and Lyall, but sometimes I wonder if you think tank folk aren't in fact the glue-eaters of our political discourse.

Krugman, on Oil

noreply@blogger.com (craig41) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:21:00 +0000

Simply explained, prices could drop, because we'll adjust our consumption.

there’s a reasonable case for believing that oil prices will fall for a while — not because high prices were the result of runaway speculation, but because of the delayed effects of high prices on demand.

Throughout this debate on what to do about soaring gas prices the most frustrating thing I've come across is the argument from the right that supply is too low (calling it an oil shortage). Oil is so ingrained into the world's energy production that it will all sell, and we'll never have a surplus of oil. If it were cheap I'd drive more, so I assume would a large number of people. In terms of how much we'd could if it were inexpensive, we are in a shortage, but what we're seeing is high prices due quickly growing demand and limited refining capabilities.

Drilling for more oil (off shore or on) or converting tar sand and oil shale are too far out in development terms to increase supply in the next few years, and again do nothing to address our refining capabilities. And while decreasing demand in the short term is equally difficult (we bought all of those SUV's, after all), changing demand in the long term can happen more quickly than most decision makers will admit, and faster than an increase in supply can come online (think mass transit, four day work weeks, carpooling, etc.).

In terms of finding a solution, it's not exactly rocket science.

$28,200 (A Nasty and Thoughtless Post)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:33:00 +0000

Total campaign contributions to Rob Bishop's re-election campaign from Energy Solutions this year: $28,200. From the Tribune (emphasis mine):

The company, which is fighting a bill in Congress that would block its attempt to import foreign radioactive waste to Utah, has given Bishop nearly $25,000 since April. That's more than one-third of Bishop's total campaign haul of $67,000 for the time period covered in campaign finance disclosures filed late Tuesday.
Bishop's opponent, Democrat Morgan Bowen, says the Salt Lake City-based company is not merely supporting a candidate it likes, it's buying one.
"He is not the people of the 1st District's congressman. He is EnergySolutions' congressman," Bowen said. "Just follow the money."
Bishop's Chief of Staff Scott Parker shot back.
"That's kind of a nasty and thoughtless thing to say, but maybe he doesn't realize Rob doesn't actually make decisions based on who might support him and who might criticize him. Rob makes decisions with his constituents in mind, and most importantly based on what he thinks is accurate and right," he said.

Oh Scott. Really?

At the risk of being "nasty and thoughtless" myself, what a complete load of steaming cow excrement, my man.

Anyone walks up and hands me $30,000, I'm at least going to feel obligated to answer their phone calls in the future, if not actively legislate in their benefit. And if you read further in the article, Parker also asserts that Bowen's objections are merely a sign of his own weakness, that he would not be as bold and clean and shiney and strong as the Invisible Congressman in accepting large amounts of money without feeling beholden to these contributors.

What tripe from a Chief of Staff. I mean I expect him to defend the congressman, it's his job, right? But this is the best he came up with? This, to him, is good enough? This is a reason for Utahn's to vote for Bishop and not Bowen? We're that gullible and uninformed?

I disagree, Mr. Parker. Utahn's are not this stupid, and the suggestion that we are with these feeble defenses of Bishop is insulting, and dishonest.

I applaud Bowen and the Tribune for bringing these donations to light. Maybe we can help balance the monetary scales in this race.

DNC Convention Bag

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:24:00 +0000

Ahem.

Road Trip for Democracy 2008 (Day Two and a Half)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:22:00 +0000

I lost my damn camping pillow already. Somewhere in a standard cab Toyota Tacoma, believe it or not. It was the cool one that weighed only a few ounces and folded up on itself for easy backpack stuffing.

It was red, and I hadn't even taken the price tag off. Sigh.

I haven't thought about politics at all today. Well okay, a little bit when I saw the John McCain yard sign in Haley, and just a few minutes ago when I realized I forgot to pass something very important on to Rob Miller regarding the convention trip. Rob, if you're read this, my bad!

Anyway, into the wild, beyond the reaches of cell phone signal and wireless.

Keep an eye on the Republicans while we're gone.

No word form us by Monday, feel free to launch an all out blogger search party (invite Paul Mero, I'd bet he can sniff out a stranded liberal from miles away).

Road Trip for Democracy 2008 (Day Two)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:34:00 +0000

Podcasting most of the drive up here.

This one is one of my new favorites.

Political Wire's Political Podcast.

Check it out.

Road Trip for Democracy 2008 (Day One - Part Two)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:16:00 +0000

Ketchum, Idaho.

Democratic candidate flyers on every bar window (and there are a lot of bars... not that I'm complaining).

The Starbucks is the most crowded place in town next to the "lunch buffet" down the street (yeah, sue me, I chose the Starbucks).

Haven't seen any of Hemingway's cats yet.

Road Trip for Democracy 2008 (Day One)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:11:00 +0000

Headed north with the rest of The SideTrack staff for a little outdoor recreation (see photo for destination). We're using the excuse that it's an important step away from politics to refocus and recharge, but really someone had the idea, and we all had the time.

Light blogging ahead, but taking the wireless card and laptop, so I can blog on the drive.

I can't decide if that's cool, or sad.

If The SideTrack falls suspiciously silent from here, a bear ate us.

Oblivious

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:39:00 +0000

This surpassed easy partisan hits and manifested as (near) sympathy for such extreme cluelessness.

Someone please buy grandpa a globe, huh?

Cheap Entertainment

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 21:28:00 +0000

Next time you find yourself with a free afternoon (Something I do not have many of lately, which explains why I'm wasting time on YouTube instead of getting the work done... I don't respond well to deadlines.) take a moment to explore candidate videos from the 2007/08 primaries.

The Fred Thompson campaign ads, still warm at less than a year old, replay much funnier than any sitcom you'll find on primetime. And Rudy Giuliani? So easy to hate last fall. Now there is something almost endearing about his completely obtuse attitude toward the American experience and over simplification of presidential campaigning.

Good times.

Takeover

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:08:00 +0000

538 blog:

In Missouri, Obama will have 150 paid organizers and maintain a 12-1 paid organizer edge in my native state. Show-me, indeed. In Michigan, Obama will put an unprecedented 150 field organizers on the ground. In Ohio, why not go for 300 field organizers? That sounds like a nice, absurdly large, round number.

This is the campaign equivalent of invasion with overwhelming force. In the coming days, we should be hearing more reports like these from other battlegrounds (here's Iowa, for example), giving us a clearer and clearer picture of each campaign’s voter contact strategy. Already, however, Marc Ambinder has pointed out that:
The polls don't account for the force multiplier effect that Obama's campaign will almost certainly bring to bear with its millions of volunteers and thousands of paid staffers. Whether that effect is 1.01, 1.05 or even 1.3 -- we don't know yet. But even the McCain campaign acknowledges its existence.
Those paid organizers are each recruiting underneath them volunteers and precinct captains (themselves responsible for recruitment and management of volunteers). As I’ve said before, it’s a pyramid scheme aimed at massive voter-to-voter contact. Millions and millions and millions of voter contacts, all knocked out 5, 10, 50 at a time by volunteers.

The strategy is being lauded as genius, when in essence it's merely the common sense of reverse production of a populist movement. It seems so basic, so instinctual to political organizing, it's almost inconceivable that it hasn't been exacted before.

It is, and will continue to be awe inspiring to watch.

Winning Strategy Isn't Moving to the Middle

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:34:00 +0000

It's moving the middle to you.

It's good for us when positions that have been considered left wing ideas are characterized as centrist. It signals that the public . . . have decided that on some issues, anyway, what was once considered left wing heresy is now mainstream.

The Three Most Irritating Aspects of Utah Politics

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:04:00 +0000

1. When the Republican Party drops the ball, everyone becomes an Independent. But only Independent in name, because the "Independents" still vote for Republicans in an overwhelming majority.

2. Too many arm chair critics, not enough community organizers.

3. Steve Urquhart.

Radio Free Utah

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 04:39:00 +0000

Tomorrow KVNU's For The People (4-6pm, 610am, or live webcam chat here) will be hosted by myself and Rich Okelberry, owner of LincolnsBLOG.com, filling in for Tom and Ryan who are otherwise indisposed.

Should be some good listenin' for all. I will of course be working on not swearing. Again.

On Friday at 3pm, I will be a guest on Sirius satellite radio's Independent 110 Blogger Bunker, discussing modern politics and technology (read, blogging). I believe it is a call in show, so all Sirius subscribers come show your support for Utah bloggers.

And finally, The SideTrack is now registered for broadcasting via BlogTalkRadio. More on that later, but a big thanks to Darren for the quick setup and assistance.

Bush Lifts Drilling Ban, World Yawns

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:19:00 +0000

Maybe we are waking up to the realities of our energy situation, and our possible futures, or perhaps it's simply the anti-midas touch of the Preznit killing the excitement of anything he supports. Either way, today Bush lifted the executive ban on offshore drilling to very little fan fare.

Even Republicans have remained relatively quiet.

It's as if they man has no credibility. Heh.

I think, in truth, it's that most understand this was a grandstanding act of campaign gimmickry for the GOP on the President's part, as well as an attempt to frame the debate early, pressuring Congress into advance capitulation to the oil companies (who arguably gain the most from the Bush/McCain plan to drill our way further into the hole). Lifting the executive order is symbolic, and nothing more. Though the votes are there in the house to approve a drilling plan, reaction so far seems luke warm. Perhaps it's the fact that 68 million acres already approved for drilling are going unused?

It's encouraging (though admittedly I'm still gun-shy after the FISA vote). Offshore drilling will only extend our failing energy policies, and take nearly a decade to do it, at that, with little - if any - effect on gas prices more tied to refining and market speculation than crude oil itself.

We need a more comprehensive solution. Nice to see few are falling for this one.

Freedom of Information Act, Bushed

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:39:00 +0000

E & P:

CHICAGO (July 06, 2008) -- To open-government advocates, President George W. Bush's 2006 presidential order that federal agencies speed up their response to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests was a kind of unexpected miracle coming from the leader of the most secretive administration in modern times.

But most of those who study Washington's compliance with FOIA greeted the order the way miracles should be viewed -- with plenty of skepticism. That instinct to turns out to have been the correct one.

Just in time for the 42nd anniversary of the signing of FOIA on the Fourth of July, the Coalition of Journalists for Open Government (CJOG) released a study showing that federal agencies and departments "have made little if any progress in responding to Freedom of Information Act requests, despite a two-year-old presidential order to improve service."

A Senator Not Doing His Job

noreply@blogger.com (craig41) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:09:00 +0000

The U.S. Senate voted last Wednesday on Medicare.

A bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to extend expiring provisions under the Medicare Program, to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, to enhance low-income benefit programs, and to maintain access to care in rural areas, including pharmacy access, and for other purposes.

But the Democrats won this one, thanks to a Senator from MA

His Senate colleagues had not expected to see Kennedy, who is being treated with radiation and chemotherapy, for several more weeks or longer. Some feared that Kennedy, 76, would never be well enough to return to the chamber where he has served for nearly 46 years.

But with just minutes to go in a vote to protect Medicare payments to doctors, Kennedy, beaming and laughing, walked through the back doors of the Senate chamber and gave Democrats the vote they needed to stop a Republican filibuster and pass the bill.

The entire chamber erupted in cheers and applause as Kennedy - flanked by his son, his best friend, the Democrats' presidential nominee, and his fellow Massachusetts senator - strode into the well of the Senate floor. Lawmakers from both parties mobbed him; most shook Kennedy's hand and a few pecked him on the cheek.

Then, Kennedy gazed up at the Senate clerk to do what he has done many thousands of times since he arrived in Washington in 1963, but has been unable to do for more than a month: vote.

When the din had subsided, Kennedy raised his arms jubilantly and cast his first vote, signaling not only a victory for the legislation, but a temporary win over a deadly disease that has kept him from the job he loves since he was diagnosed May 20.

"Aye," he yelled, his arms high in the air.

Kennedy's vote ensured that Republicans would not be able to filibuster the bill. The tally was one short of 100 however, and that one Senator was John McCain. Who opted - instead of casting a vote - to issue a press release on the bill:

For Immediate Release
July 9, 2008 Contact: Press Office
703-650-5550

Statement by John McCain on Senate Medicare Vote

ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain issued the following statement on today's Medicare vote by the United States Senate:

"Doctors are the heart of our health care system, and it is essential that they receive the funding needed to ensure quality care for our seniors. I fully support that aspect of this bill. However, Congressional leaders have once again decided to put partisan positioning over the well being of millions of our seniors. We should not hold our doctors and seniors hostage to political gamesmanship and political votes. While this bill does meet our obligation to provide proper reimbursements to Medicare physicians, it also rolls back important reforms, increases drug premiums, and places 2.3 million seniors at risk of losing the private health care coverage of their choice."

###

Regardless of whether you agree with his positions on the bill (I don't), shouldn't he at least bother to show up and make his voice heard. Isn't that his job still? Ted Kennedy is in treatment for brain cancer, and he made the vote! Obama has left the campaign trail several times over to vote. But evidently McCain thinks that saying he disagrees with the bill is close enough to doing his job in the Senate.

What a maverick.

YouTube Your Way to the DNCC

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:58:00 +0000

DNCC Press wants to know, "Why Are You a Democrat in 2008?":

"Encouraging people to share the views and beliefs they hold dear is a fundamental value of the Democratic Party and bedrock of our democracy," said Leah D. Daughtry, CEO of the DNCC. "Much like our nominee, Senator Barack Obama, YouTube has a track record of engaging new voters - especially young voters - and giving them a platform to express themselves. We are delighted to join with YouTube to encourage even greater participation in this critical election year."

Individuals can submit video responses at youtube.com/demconvention, the Democratic National Convention's YouTube channel, until August 1. Based on the most creative and compelling submissions, the DNCC will narrow the field of entries to five and, starting August 7, the YouTube community will have the chance to vote for their favorites. The video receiving the highest number of votes will win the contest and be announced on August 14.

The winner will receive paid travel and hotel accommodations to attend the Democratic National Convention, to be held August 25-28 in Denver. The winning video will be shown in the Convention hall in front of thousands of delegates and guests and an international media audience.

The Ridge

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 22:09:00 +0000

Has been cleared.

(KCPW News) Long-time Republican dissident Mike Ridgway has been cleared of a trespassing charge against the Salt Lake County Republican Party, after a judge dismissed it on Wednesday . Party Chairman James Evans and other Republicans were told the burden of proof was not met, and that a civil complaint or disturbing the peace charge would have been more appropriate. But Evans still believes that Ridgway is not a problem any more.
"We've dealt with the matter internally, and as far as I'm concerned, Mr. Ridgway's not a factor in Salt Lake County, so it's not really an issue for us," he said.
Evans said he had no opinion on the judge's ruling.

Abandoning the Free Market

noreply@blogger.com (Jason The) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 17:56:00 +0000

James K. Galbraith, author of The Predator State: How Conservatives Abandoned the Free Market and Why Liberals Should Too.

Phil Gramm is not John McCain’s pastor. He’s his closest economic adviser, and according to many reports practically the designated Secretary of the Treasury in a McCain administration. John McCain believes Phil Gramm to be a great economist. To the extent that John McCain has economic ideas, he gets them from Phil Gramm. Or did, until yesterday. So it is perhaps worthwhile to ask, what kind of economist is Phil Gramm?

The public record is clear, and I summarized it a few months ago for The Washington Post: “Phil Gramm’s career was the most aggressive advocate of every predatory and rapacious element that the financial sector has. He’s a sorcerer’s apprentice of instability and disaster in the financial system.” (It is worth noting that when the Post asked Gramm about this, he denied it.)

Back in 1995, when Phil Gramm was politically invincible in Texas, various so-called friends suggested that I should be the sacrificial lamb to run against him. I ducked, as any sensible person would have. But (at their request) I did supply the Dallas Morning News with a referee report on Gramm’s dissertation, along with a few notes on that of his wife. Needless to say, hers was much better.

Agree or not, the entire article (via The Wonk Room) is worth a read.