What is the GOP talking point? We need to give energy companies tax incentives to explore for oil. It seems quarterly profits of "$11.68 billion, the highest-ever for an American company," is not enough.
The recent extravagant run-up of prices at the pump (upwards of $4.50 for regular in California) was not because of the increased costs of producing and distributing oil, as has been suggested by the oil cartel, its lobbyists, and the GOP politicians that represent them, it was because it was the most effective means of increasing profits.
Giving tax breaks for energy companies is akin to corporate welfare (and for companies that do not need it), is unwise and is deliberately destructive to the environment and the economy.
John McCain is in a tough spot politically in the war on terror. With Bush announcing improvements in the security conditions in Iraq, this plays directly into Barack Obama's hands. If conditions have improved, let's bring the troops home.
Counter to that, McCain has stated unequivocally that the U.S. should remain in Iraq for generations to come. Any change to that stance, even a slight one, is seen as a nod to, if not an affirmation of, the Obama plan for Iraq. Obama's plan has always been more nuanced. Obviously if conditions do not allow it, any reasonable voter would conclude, the troops will not be able to leave. But for five years now, the president has said, "As the Iraq troops step up, U.S. troops will stand down."
There is no doubt that McCain would like for the troops to come home -- I would not attempt to allege otherwise -- but it is not politically opportune for that to happen until after the election.
This film actually won several Academy Awards, including the Oscar for Best Picture, but it didn't deserve it. Simply put, Field of Dreams should have won.
(Returned 07/29/08.)
Rent with Netflix.
Berkeley is an interesting place, and I say that from experience. I lived there, albeit briefly, for 16 months while in and immediately after graduate school. If someone asked to describe life in Berkeley, I think this news snippet from this morning sums it up pretty nicely... "A nude woman running in and out of traffic lanes on the I-80 freeway near Gilman Street disrupted traffic early this morning and required the California Highway Patrol, the Berkeley Police and ultimately, the Berkeley Fire Department to handle the situation." I actually just missed this on my drive this morning; I must have driven past this location no more than 20 minutes earlier. Next time.
McCain is obviously desperate... "'It is safe to say that, according to press reports, Barack Obama avoided, skipped, canceled the visit because [he was not allowed to take reporters and cameras into the hospital],' [McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds] said. 'We're not making a leap here.' Asked repeatedly for the 'reports,' Bounds provided three examples, none of which alleged that Obama had wanted to take members of the media to the hospital."
McCain is playing the GOP/Rove political playbook: Play the patriotism card -- and play it hard -- all the while denying that you are questioning your opponent's patriotism. Barnstorm the media as if your allegation is an undeniable fact (even though it may be demonstrably false), and let the mass majority of Americans -- who only read the initial headlines (on the front page) and not the follow-up on the political talk shows and inside pages the following week -- believe what they want. This has clearly worked in the recent past (see Kerry/Swiftboat), and that is all that McCain really has going for him. And it may work... again.
Well, it certainly has come full circle, although it is not close to being over. The well-known senior senator from Alaska -- Ted Stevens -- has been indicted on federal bribery charges. Long-time readers of Josh Marshall's incomparable Talking Points Memo blog, myself included, have seen this coming for nearly two years, starting with the initial raid.
When stories like this initially hit -- in this case, the original raid -- they typically reside in the back-pages or online-only editions of the major papers. This is because the story may or may not be politically-motivated, or seem to have that potential, and at the beginning, it usually only includes low level aides and staffers or family members, stories that do not interest the general population. But that's only how it starts.
It is only when the major news hits -- in this case, a senator being indicted -- that the big media finally report on the story, and rightfully give it front-page treatment. The smaller liberal journalistic outfits however had tracked the story all along. TPM has put together its complete history of the developing story, and it is little surprise to TPM readers that the senator was indicted. It was only a matter of when.
These "marked days" posts are what we refer to in the industry as fluff posts. Coming soon to a blog near you... the clip show.
Today marks the first day of the seventh year of me moving to California to start my new life. It would take me exactly one less day than a full year to start blogging. I do not know how the two relate, if they do at all.
On that fateful Monday morning, I touched down at the Oakland airport, took the BART (there is a first time for everything) to downtown Berkeley, and started looking for an apartment. What came next was everything else.
I am in a different hotel room this evening, and I think I am on to something. The only places you see Zenith television sets these days are in hotel rooms. (I must admit I used to own one.)
An interesting thing about Zenith. If they would have created the company in the last few years, Zenith would be a great name. You would never really guess it was founded in 1918. Who are the ad wizards that came up with that one?
This is an issue I think that all dog-owners will appreciate. And I will also state for the record that my wife and I always clean-up after our dog, and that is why it is so frustrating seeing other dogs' droppings around the neighborhood and elsewhere, because that makes all dog-owners look bad, not just the irresponsible ones. Anyway...
Why don't horse-owners have to pick-up their horse's shit? You know what I am talking about. I fail to see the difference. Your pet eats hay; mine eats kibble. Your pet pees and poos. So does mine. So why is your pet allowed to shit all over the place, including in the middle of walkways and roads? How does that work? Couldn't you guide the horse into a field for that situation? If not, carry a bag or two.
