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Archives
| March 2006 »
What Did Arnold Say, And When Did He Say It?
Back in 2003 Arnold rode into town (in a Hummer) and painted himself as the political outsider (a wealthy, connected outsider) and made sweeping negative statements about taking in money and then owing favors (big favors, right Arnold?).
In typical "Arnold” fashion he proclaimed he didn't need to take any money because he had his own money (meaning anyone who took money was beholden, 'eh Arnold?).
Arnold spent much of the 2005 special election backpedaling about that statement (after amassing a huge war chest of special interest contributions). This past weekend he "kicked off" his re-election campaign, after making a speech at the Republican State Convention, by sitting down with Tim Russert and once more trying to explain his big money ways.
MR. RUSSERT: But you said when you ran at first, "I don't need to take money from anybody." But you're going to be raising thousands and thousands of thousand dollars from people who do business and have contracts with the state government.
GOV. SCHWARZENEGGER: I want to correct you. I said I would never take money from unions, that I would never take money from Indian gaming tribes. I take money because you need to take money. [Meet the Press, February 26, 2006]
WHAT ARNOLD REALLY SAID …
"I will go to Sacramento and I will clean house. I don't have to take money from anybody. I have plenty of money." - Arnold Schwarzenegger [Sacramento Bee, August 7, 2003]
Sorry, Arnold. Not even close, and no cigar.
Posted by Kim Stevens at 04:32 PM | Comments (8)
Archives
| March 2006 »
Secretary of State Advocates Insecure Voting
Schwarzenegger appointee Bruce McPherson has confirmed and approved the use of insecure Diebold machines for the 2006 elections throughout the state. Never mind the fact that McPherson himself commissioned a panel of computer security experts that determined that Diebold systems were insecure. Apparently election accuracy is not a priority at all for the Schwarzenegger camp, who may need the help of some Diebold votes in order to cling to power.
Posted by Bill Ferrell at 02:50 PM | Comments (9)
Archives
| March 2006 »
Peace and Insecurity
While President Bush continues his feeble attempts to justify his policies at home, the consequence of his past policies continue to rear their ugly head. The fact that it has taken Republicans SIX years to realize that Bush’s policies are detrimental to national security is proof enough for me that Republicans should have NO seat at the policy making table. The cost is just too high.
Posted by Bill Ferrell at 05:15 PM | Comments (12)
Archives
| March 2006 »
Want to Discuss Policy with the President? Pay Up
This article in the LA Times may partly explain why our diplomatic efforts with foreign nations have been so difficult as of late: apparently heads of state need to pay lobbyists close to the administration.
So when the Prime Minister of Malaysia has to pay lobbyist Jack Abramoff $1.2 million for visitation rights to meet with President Bush in the oval office to discuss the war on terror, it suddenly becomes clearer on why it seems that no progress is being made at all.
Posted by Bill Ferrell at 05:13 PM | Comments (2)
Archives
| March 2006 »
The One About The Urinal Cake (True Story)
Sometimes I like to draw a correlation between current events and what’s happening in my own backyard. So I’d like to share a little story with you.
My son’s third-grade teacher does an informal numbering system with his students so both kids and parents can track how things are going – a "one" meaning it’s time for some serious intervention and a "five" meaning when you brag about how well-behaved your child is you are actually telling the truth.
Son came home one Friday and excitedly told us he had received a "five" for the first time. What proud parents we were!
I saw the teacher on Monday and told him how happy we were about son's "five." Uh, not so fast.
You see, it turns out son had actually received a "two" – his lowest score ever – because he was caught running around holding a urinal cake he had taken from the toilet and his excuse had been that another student had told him to do it.
So he was given this "two" not just for his actions, but also for allowing another student to lead him down the path of urinal-cake stealing. (Eight-year old peer pressure is terrible!)
What son did was wrong, clear and simple. I didn’t blame the other kid or call the teacher a liar or run and tell the principal that my son was being picked on for expressing himself with bathroom products.
No, I sucked it up and did what had to be done. And of course I offered to buy the school a urinal cake (with son's money).
As a parent, you try and teach your child to do the right thing and you stress the importance of ALWAYS telling the truth – no matter what. Finding out that your kid has not only done wrong but then told a whopper of a lie to cover it up is a bitter pill to swallow.
But I did, and I’m confident that son learned a huge lesson that day because of the embarrassment and shame he felt when he was caught in that lie. He saw that the truth will always come out and the lies you tell attempting to bury that truth will only make things worse and the punishment greater.
Now that’s a pertinent correlation, don’t you think?
Posted by Kim Stevens at 02:02 PM | Comments (19)
Archives
| March 2006 »
Mishaps in the Wild Wild West
In the first gun-incident involving a vice-president since the Aaron Burr/Alexander Hamilton duel, Vice-President Cheney over the weekend set a new low for personal and professional responsibility. While accidents are part of human nature, cover-ups that make Karl Rove nervous are by no means natural.
Posted by Bill Ferrell at 01:11 PM | Comments (20)
Archives
| March 2006 »
For Cheney National Security is a Small Price to Pay for Power
What is the acceptable price for smearing a political opponent? For Cheney it’s just a little national security. According to testimony by indicted former Cheney chief of staff Scooter Libby, the Vice President authorized him to release classified information to the press from the National Intelligence Estimate on Saddam’s hypothetical WMD program and perhaps a CIA agent’s name whose husband didn’t agree with the administration. It just makes you wonder what exactly Cheney will do to protect the power he’s acquired for himself.
Posted by Bill Ferrell at 01:54 PM | Comments (25)
Archives
| March 2006 »
From Indictment To Appropriations: It's Fun Being Tom DeLay
Read this: Indicted Rep. Tom DeLay Lands Spot on Appropriations Committee
And this from the DCCC:
"Allowing Tom DeLay to sit on a committee in charge of giving out money is like putting Michael Brown back in charge of FEMA."
. . . or giving George Bush a job as a fact checker.
I'm sorry, this is just too much to take -- and totally demonstrates that Republicans are never going to hold themselves or each other accountable to any sort of ethical standard.
Mark your calendar: November 7, 2006. If not then, when?
Posted by Kim Stevens at 04:37 PM | Comments (16)
Archives
| March 2006 »
How Do You Wear The Headphones Under Your Bonnet?
From yesterday's Q&A with Gonzales:
"President Washington, President Lincoln, President Wilson, President Roosevelt have all authorized electronic surveillance on a far broader scale."
So, Washington and Lincoln did more e-surveillance than Bush? I think Gonzales is hinting that even podcasts were fair game back then. That Lincoln was a total audiophile, so this really doesn't surprise me.
No wonder the Republicans didn't want Gonzales under oath.
You can see the video (courtesy of "Crooks and Liars") here.
Posted by Kim Stevens at 11:03 AM | Comments (9)
Archives
| March 2006 »
Betty Friedan: "The Soul of the Feminist Movement"
I really liked what Nancy Pelosi had to say about Betty Friedan. This pioneer in the women's movement truly was an inspiration. Wouldn't it be nice if we could get back to where "feminist" isn't considered a dirty word?
From House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi:
"Betty Friedan was the soul of the feminist movement. A tenacious agitator for reform, both within the halls of power and outside, and a broad coalition builder, Betty Friedan has played a central and unique role in many of the advancements toward gender equality in the last 40 years.
It is rare that a book so exposes quiet truths and changes the national debate as did Betty's Friedan's The Feminine Mystique. It opened the nation’s eyes to the unmistakable reality that women were not satisfied with society's categorization of them as extensions of their husbands, that we are people with something unique to contribute in our own right.
For this book, and all of the struggling that came after, Betty Friedan was a catalyst. Because of her, American women now, more than ever, have the right to choose a professional career, to choose motherhood, or to choose some combination of the both.
On many of the issues to which Betty Friedan devoted her life's work, such as ensuring pay equity, child care for working women, and protecting reproductive choice, there is much work yet to be done. In remembering the extraordinary life of Betty Friedan, let us recommit to carrying that torch for the generations to come.
It is with great sadness and respect that I extend deepest condolences to Betty Friedan's family and to the legion of her friends and supporters around the world. I hope it is a comfort to them that the entire nation mourns their loss and are praying for them at this sad time."
Posted by Kim Stevens at 02:03 PM | Comments (3)
Archives
| March 2006 »
Open, Loose Thread
It's Friday. It's been a long week. It feels like the campaign season is already upon us. Note to myself: If I don't get the garage cleaned out this weekend, it might not happen until after November 7th. Watch the Superbowl or clean the garage?
Posted by Kim Stevens at 08:42 AM | Comments (14)
Archives
| March 2006 »
Oil and Purses Don't Mix
Finally made it! Welcome to the new blog for the California Democratic Party, Party Line. Here CDP staff members will blog about the inner workings of the party while contributing their perspectives of the events that occur in California and the United States. So welcome aboard and feel free to join in.
I'll start off by saying that this is what I remember most about the SOTU speech last night:
So, Bush is now saying we are addicted to oil. And he wants to help us with a cure.
Uh right.
That's sort of like me getting lectured by Paris Hilton for buying too many purses. And she thinks she has some really good ideas on how I can curb my shopping frenzy. Because whatever it is, it's worked really well for her.
Sorry . . . not buying it.
Posted by Kim Stevens at 12:06 PM | Comments (16)
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