Remember the 1970's game show with Monty Hall called "Let's Make a Deal"? Contestants on the program would pick a prize behind one of three curtains, and some would inevitably get stuck with a "gag prize" - such as a high chair with a screaming baby, a giant hot water bottle, or a pet donkey. Today's gag prize is the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination, as the political climate for next year should be very problematic for the G.O.P. While the Republican presidential field is more fluid this year than the Democratic side, that's because (a) each candidate is seriously flawed, (b) voters aren't happy with any of them, and (c) unless the Democrats really screw up, 2008 should be a terrible year for Republicans. Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee can enjoy the sudden burst of media attention that his high placement in the polls has garnered, but - assuming he wins the nomination - how much would that prize really be worth? Nobody should care who wins the Republican nomination, because it probably won't matter much in the end.
(This thing is starting to make more sense to me. There is a firm deadline to make the June ballot, January 24. Secretary of State Bowen recommended an early deadline because local election boards basically have no time to do all the random counting needed to qualify the initiative. By missing that deadline the dirty tricksters risk missing the June ballot, as election boards must ramp up for the February 5 primary and that takes priority. The SacBee article is one of the first to inform what's really going on here. - promoted by David Dayen)
The SacBee is reporting tonight that State Election officials are saying that backers of the California electoral college initiative are at risk of missing the June ballot. Election officials said it will be difficult to finish counting the signatures in time for the January 24th state deadline.[Link]
Despite a recommendation from Secretary of State Debra Bowen that the proponents submit the signatures to the counties three weeks ago, they have yet to submit the necessary signatures. Supporters of the initiative need 433,971 signatures to qualify for the ballot. They are aiming at collecting 700,000 signature to ensure that they have enough to qualify for the ballot.[Link]
Supporters originally the aimed at turning the in the signatures by Friday December 1st. They received a late infusion of cash when the Orange County Lincoln Club made a $100,000 contribution to the initiative effort.[Link] The Republican political consultant Dave Gilliard, who is heading up the effort to qualify the initiative for the ballot, didn't return phones repeated phones calls to the SacBee on Monday.[Link]
Well, after so many grossly unfair debate formats that virtually tell each audience which candidates they are supposed to be interested in, Dennis Kucinich finally figured out a way to highlight this fundamental absurdity to his own advantage: Socratic Irony!
After again not receiving a fair amount of time to the other candidates, when it was his turn to participate in a segment that called for each candidate to actually ask a question to any candidate they choose to, Kucinich managed to display that sense of sarcastic wit and pragmatic questioning that Socrates turned into philosophical method; a dialectic which both entertains an audience preoccupied with what will be shown to be absurdity, as well as instructs to something more rational.
December 4, 2007 - Des Moines, IA, NPR News/Iowa Public Radio Debate December 13, 2007 - Johnston, Iowa, Des Moines Register Democratic Debate
December 17, 2007 - Boston, MA
January 15, 2008 - Las Vegas, Nevada
According to public, campaign finacning regulations tommorow, November 29th, is the last day to receive matching funds through public financing.
So if you make a contribution tonight or tommorow to Dennis Kucinich, this means that your $50 contribution becomes a $100 contribution, $200 equals $400 ... up to $250.
(Well, looks like the rightwing is going all out on the Dirty Trick - promoted by Brian Leubitz)
Capitol Alert from the Sacramento Bee is reporting that OC Lincoln Club is donating $100,000 to help qualify the Electoral College reform initiative for the ballot. [Link] The measure, if it qualifies for the June ballot and passes, would award California's electoral votes by Congressional district instead of the present winner-take-all system.
The initiative qualifying effort was dropped by its original sponsors, but in recent weeks was pickup "by a group led by Republican strategist David Gilliard." Their goal is to turn in 700,000 signatures by the end of the week.[Link]
The OC Lincoln Club joins 49th Congressional Representative Darrell Issa as the single largest contributors to the effort by the California GOP to malapportion the electoral system here in California. Here is a list of some of the donors who have contributed to this effort.
December 1, 2007 - Des Moines, IA, Brown & Black Forum
December 1, 2007 - Des Moines, IA, Heartland Presidential Forum
December 4, 2007 - Des Moines, IA, NPR News/Iowa Public Radio Debate
December 10, 2007 - Los Angeles, California, CBS
December 13, 2007 - Johnston, Iowa, Des Moines Register Democratic Debate
January 15, 2008 - Las Vegas, Nevada
January 31, 2008 - California
The DFA Presidential Pulse Poll ends tonight at Midnight Eastern/9:00 PM Pacific Standard Time, which only gives us a few hours to cast our votes. So far, over 130,000 votes have been cast, making it the largest presidential poll of progressive activists this year. I am genuinely proud to write that Dennis Kucinich currently leads with over 30% of the vote.
John Nichols, writing for "The Nation", has just written a kind of intellectual "call to arms" regarding, what is quite possibly, the most important issue facing the United States right now: Iran.
(wanted to make sure this didn't get lost. excellent tables! - promoted by Robert in Monterey)
Many in the California Democratic Party circles may not know this, but in 2008 there is a real possibility of gaining 2/3 majorities in the State Senate and State Assembly. The fact that a two-thirds vote in both houses is required to pass the annual budget and to override gubernatorial vetoes could serve as a compelling reason to vote against the term-limits initiative.
Using my extraordinary math, statistics, and HTML skills, below I included with each list of incumbents are the margins that each district voted in the 2002 Governor's race (2002G: Davis vs. Simon), 2004 Presidential race (2004P: Kerry vs. Bush), 2004 Senate race (2004S: Boxer vs. Jones), and 2006 Senate race (2006S: Feinstein vs. Mountjoy) and the average of these and the registration margins, which I will call the Partisan Factor (PF).
This displaced Southern Californian sends her most heartfelt gratitudes out to Governor Bill and the New Mexico firefighters for their generosity. Bill also donated $10,000 to the Red Cross to help assist in the recovery efforts. This has led me to believe that under a President Richardson administration, the National Guard will be home to support their fellow citizens in a time of natural emergency. That is just one reason why I support Richardson for president.
Bill Richardson ordered New Mexico firefighters today to assist in bringing the devastating fires in Southern California under control. He noted, "Neighbors should help neighbors in their time of need."
This is another illustration of Richardson's leadership skills in operation. Richardson's vision of neighbors helping neighbors, however, is not limited to domestic matters. Last week Richardson gave a well received speech in Iowa on the role the U.S. can play in improving the welfare of the planet and human race.
(Another great post from akogun on CA-03. - promoted by Brian Leubitz)
CA-03 is a "Safe" District. It is a Republican "stronghold" and the rethugs have a unshakeable stranglehold on it. Are you crazy? Do you seriously believe that your candidate stands a chance against the "shock and awe" political juggernaut of the incumbent? That's what they tell me.
(I love hearing about people working in the trenches. - promoted by David Dayen)
I do NOT officially speak for the Bill Durston For Congress Campaign.
I am only one of the multitude of constituents in the California Congressional 3rd District volunteering time and efforts to a very inspiring and grassroot-supported campaign to wrest this district from the stranglehold of an absentee representative. I also happen to be a "blogger" with a strong conviction that this District (nay, our country) deserves able representation by people of integrity, virtue and passion imbued with strong desire to lead us out of the political quagmire that has beset our country for the past several years.
I was up half the night putting together this little video for the Courage Campaign's effort to fight the Republican dirty trick to split California's electoral votes and steal the Presidential election. We got a handful of semi-famous bloggers together (Jane Hamsher from Firedoglake, John Amato from Crooks and Liars, Howie Klein from Down With Tyranny, some Kos diarists, and more) and sent a message that we can fight this thing, energize California Democrats, and make the Republicans wish they never brought it up in the first place.
The Courage Campaign is setting up a conference call featuring Bradley Whitford of The West Wing to discuss the next steps. You can RSVP for it at the link.
(Welcome the next Representative from California's 4th Congressional District. - promoted by David Dayen)
In the fall of 2005, Jan and I had become so frustrated at the direction of our country, the war in Iraq and the corruption in Washington, we decided it was time to take action. I decided to run for Congress against Rep. John Doolittle - one of the most recognizable symbols of corruption and partisan politics in Washington.
When we started that campaign, we went to house parties with five and ten people in attendance to persuade them to join our effort. We built momentum one volunteer, one house party and one neighborhood at a time, and we narrowly missed in 2006.
Today, as I officially announce my 2008 candidacy for Congress in CA-04, we are expecting over three hundred and fifty people (that's just the number who RSVP'd in advance) to participate in our campaign kickoff barnstorming tour. Our strength today is a large result of your efforts over the past two years-empowering everyday people from the grassroots to the netroots and everywhere in between. You have helped us organize, drive our message to the local and national press and helped us raise the resources needed to fuel our people powered campaign. For that, I am eternally grateful.
I mentioned this in the Quickies, but it deserves some front-page attention. The San Jose Mercury News has delved deeper (reg. req'd) into the connections between the GOP law firm pushing the dirty trick initiative to steal the 2008 Presidential election, and past ratfucking operations of years past. At the top of the list is the key financier from the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.
Lawyers behind a California ballot proposal that could benefit the 2008 Republican presidential nominee have ties to a Texas homebuilder who financed attacks on Democrat John Kerry's Vietnam War record in the 2004 presidential campaign.
