The economy is in the tank. No doubt about it. I mean, some economists are debating whether or not we might be headed for a Depression. Jeebus.
It's a little frustrating to see the major financial players lining up at the taxpayer trough with hat in hand. After lobbying for changes in personal bankruptcy law that now enable foreclosure on primary residences, these corporate moguls have a lot of nerve to come to us to save them.
It was particularly annoying to see the CEOs of Ford, GM, and Chrysler all appear before Congress this week. Of course, these idiots had to fly to DC separately in their private jets...didn't they think for one minute what kind of message that sent? And, of course, this circus also gave blowhard conservatives the opportunity to shout about "legacy" costs. What they really mean by "legacy" are the promises that the auto makers made to their employees - things like retirement benefits; health insurance, pensions, etc.
These were negotiated items, collectively bargained for in good faith by the UAW. The companies made promises, workers made career decisions based on those promises, and the companies still made money. Everybody was happy.
Now, though, it seems like the auto makers want the message out there that the UAW must concede to reducing these costs. That may have to happen. The frustrating part, though, is the PR shit storm that the UAW has on it's hands. The UAW didn't do strategic planning for the car companies, executive management did. For years, the car companies resisted making efficient cars, fought air bags, denied global warming, and continued to pump out gas guzzling trucks and SUVs. Now they want to blame "legacy" costs. Bastards.
Congress is doing the right thing asking for a business plan from these idiots before we provide loans that are four or five times the value of the businesses. Congress should also exercise a liberal hand in demanding structural changes in the management of these companies.
Why is this frustrating to me? Well, first of all, it's my tax dollar, too. Second, my brother-in-law called me last night complaining about how much the UAW workers make and that all unions should be busted. I hung up on him. But this is what this situation has led to, and the politics of blame everybody but the real culprits has consequences. There will be a point when there's no place left to hide for these guys, but they simply amaze me with their blame creativity.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Sometimes Y
Much attention, and deservedly so, has been placed on Obama breaking the race barrier in the Presidency. The very first African-American president is indeed a fantastic achievement.
But there is another first, sort of, that I think is getting very little attention. As in none. Obama is the first president, again, sort of, with a multi-syllabic last name that ends in a vowel. That's right. Sure, we have had four presidents with silent "E"s at the end of their names:
Monroe
Fillmore
Pierce
Coolidge
They don't count.
And we've had one president, Kennedy, who falls into the "sometimes y" rule. But Obama is the first full-fledged, no questions asked, my name ends in a vowel president. There are some people who do not think this is important. They are probably right. Still....
But there is another first, sort of, that I think is getting very little attention. As in none. Obama is the first president, again, sort of, with a multi-syllabic last name that ends in a vowel. That's right. Sure, we have had four presidents with silent "E"s at the end of their names:
Monroe
Fillmore
Pierce
Coolidge
They don't count.
And we've had one president, Kennedy, who falls into the "sometimes y" rule. But Obama is the first full-fledged, no questions asked, my name ends in a vowel president. There are some people who do not think this is important. They are probably right. Still....
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Election Day
Finally.
I voted. I cast my ballot for Obama and a long list of good Democrats. Retail politics in NH is a funny thing - except for Obama/Biden, I've met every person on the ballot. And from Carol Shea-Porter down, I know each of them personally.
I've had mixed emotions all day. Part of me worries that the Republicans will find a way to steal the election. Part of me is hoping for a landslide victory. Most of me doesn't care how victory is won, just that we win it.
We've been involved in the Obama GOTV efforts here in rural NH. Canvassing all day, visibility at the poll, the Houdini project (checking to make sure our voters vote!), and vote counters after the poll closes (we still use paper ballots in our town.) All totaled, we have close to 50 people volunteering today - in a town of 3,000.
There were three people holding signs for Republicans today - eight for Democrats.
I voted. I cast my ballot for Obama and a long list of good Democrats. Retail politics in NH is a funny thing - except for Obama/Biden, I've met every person on the ballot. And from Carol Shea-Porter down, I know each of them personally.
I've had mixed emotions all day. Part of me worries that the Republicans will find a way to steal the election. Part of me is hoping for a landslide victory. Most of me doesn't care how victory is won, just that we win it.
We've been involved in the Obama GOTV efforts here in rural NH. Canvassing all day, visibility at the poll, the Houdini project (checking to make sure our voters vote!), and vote counters after the poll closes (we still use paper ballots in our town.) All totaled, we have close to 50 people volunteering today - in a town of 3,000.
There were three people holding signs for Republicans today - eight for Democrats.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Mr. President
I'm trying hard not to let my thoughts wander to an Obama victory for a variety reasons. The most of important of which is that I become very emotional. It disturbs me on a visceral level that we built our country through the use of human slaves. I can almost not bear to think about it - the trading and selling of humans, breaking families apart, the beatings, the hardships.
This became difficult for me in 8th grade when I read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. When Huck and Jim are on the raft, and Jim tells Huck he's looking to get free so he can earn some money to buy his family back, it hit me hard. I still think about it some 35 years later.
I argued with my aunt a few years ago about whether we'd have a woman or a black president first. We both thought either would be difficult, but she believed that women faced more difficult obstacles. I thought that racism was alive and well in too many states, both south and north, east and west, and it would be too difficult to overcome.
And if you had included into the discussion that the first black president would be named Barack Hussein Obama, I would not have taken it seriously. So, we are on the cusp of our first African-American Presidency. Remarkable.
This became difficult for me in 8th grade when I read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. When Huck and Jim are on the raft, and Jim tells Huck he's looking to get free so he can earn some money to buy his family back, it hit me hard. I still think about it some 35 years later.
I argued with my aunt a few years ago about whether we'd have a woman or a black president first. We both thought either would be difficult, but she believed that women faced more difficult obstacles. I thought that racism was alive and well in too many states, both south and north, east and west, and it would be too difficult to overcome.
And if you had included into the discussion that the first black president would be named Barack Hussein Obama, I would not have taken it seriously. So, we are on the cusp of our first African-American Presidency. Remarkable.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
GOTV Fun
We had a great viz this morning. Four of us on NH Route 4, which is a state highway. Honks and waves outnumbered negative reactions, mostly thumbs down, by an unofficial tally of 10 to 1. Billy Shaheen drove by with his entourage in a beat up Chevy (you have to love NH retail politics!) and gave us some horn love.
Our local Grange Hall is campaign headquarters, and a local merchant provided some internet access. Essentially, the access is a 150' long ethernet cable that runs out a window, across the street and into the Grange! I'm sure there are similar stories across the country, but what makes this unique, in my mind, is that the local merchants are Republicans - they're voting hope this election.
I'm heading back down there in an hour or two to set up a wireless router for them.
I've just never had this much fun in a political campaign before.
Our local Grange Hall is campaign headquarters, and a local merchant provided some internet access. Essentially, the access is a 150' long ethernet cable that runs out a window, across the street and into the Grange! I'm sure there are similar stories across the country, but what makes this unique, in my mind, is that the local merchants are Republicans - they're voting hope this election.
I'm heading back down there in an hour or two to set up a wireless router for them.
I've just never had this much fun in a political campaign before.
Tighten This
WMUR is reporting a tightening of the presidential race in NH as Obama's lead has slipped to 11 points.
Bite me.
Bite me.
Two Days
It's Sunday. We have a full day of GOTV ahead of us and I've got to get some work done. Still have to pay bills and eat, and volunteering just doesn't bring home the bacon.
I was tired heading into the weekend. It seems that that tiredness has evolved into a determination to see this through to the end. It's been cold here in NH, and doing the visabilities requires some thermal preparation.
The most surprising and somewhat amusing thing to me is how much I've enjoyed the negative reactions from folks. Believe me, they're few and far between, but every once in a while we get a whack job driving by. At a busy, busy, intersection on a NH highway, we had a nutcase drive by and turn completely backward to holler out the back of his compact pickup truck window. I mean, the guy completely took his eyes off the road for full seconds to holler back. We returned his profanity laced tirade with laughter and waves, and got the bonus of seeing his eyes almost bulge from the sockets!
It's been a great GOTV effort. We've rented the Grange Hall here in our town, and are organizing a small army - around 150 people. Pretty amazing when you realize this is a town of about 3k, and in '04 we had trouble finding folks to do viz at the polls.
Vote Hope.
I was tired heading into the weekend. It seems that that tiredness has evolved into a determination to see this through to the end. It's been cold here in NH, and doing the visabilities requires some thermal preparation.
The most surprising and somewhat amusing thing to me is how much I've enjoyed the negative reactions from folks. Believe me, they're few and far between, but every once in a while we get a whack job driving by. At a busy, busy, intersection on a NH highway, we had a nutcase drive by and turn completely backward to holler out the back of his compact pickup truck window. I mean, the guy completely took his eyes off the road for full seconds to holler back. We returned his profanity laced tirade with laughter and waves, and got the bonus of seeing his eyes almost bulge from the sockets!
It's been a great GOTV effort. We've rented the Grange Hall here in our town, and are organizing a small army - around 150 people. Pretty amazing when you realize this is a town of about 3k, and in '04 we had trouble finding folks to do viz at the polls.
Vote Hope.
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