Political World (1)
by Bob Dylan
We live in a political world,
Love don't have any place.
We're living in times when man commit crimes,
And crime don't have a face.
We live in a political world,
Icicles hanging down.
Wedding bells ring, and angels sing,
And clouds cover up the ground.
We live in a political world,
Wisdom is thrown into jail.
It rots in a cell, misguided as hell,
But no one to pick up the trail.
We live in a political world,
Where mercy walks the plank.
Life is in mirrors, death disappears,
Up the steps into the nearest bank.
We live in a political world,
Courage is a thing of the past.
The houses are haunted, the children are unwanted,
The next day could be your last.
We live in a political world,
The one we can see and feel.
But there's no one to check, it's all a stacked deck,
We all know for sure that it's real.
We live in a political world,
The cities are a lonesome fear.
Little by little, you turn in the middle,
You're never sure why you're here.
We live in a political world,
Under the microscope.
You travel anywhere, and hang yourself there,
You always got more than enough rope.
We live in a political world,
Turnin' and a'thrashin' about.
As soon as you're awake, you're trained to take,
What looks like the easy way out.
We live in a political world,
Where peace is not welcome at all.
It's turned away from the door, to wander some more,
Or put up against the wall.
We live in a political world,
Everything's hers and his,
You climb in the frame, and shout God's name,
But you're not even sure what it is.
(1) Bob Dylan, Oh Mercy (1989)
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
What Does It Feel Like to be Hillary?
What does it feel like to be Hillary?
I was humiliated by Monica Lewinsky after defending my husband's fidelity and going on television to denounce the sexual accusations against him as a "vast right-wing conspiracy."
I still defended my husband against impeachment despite the swirling emotions inside me.
People call me an "ice queen," but those who know me in person recognize my femininity. They know what comes across on TV is distortion, but everyone who meets me for the first time thinks it's reality.
I worked really hard in the Senate for over six years and gained the respect of many New Yorkers who initially doubted me. Then, when it seemed like I had a clear path to the Democratic nomination, this Obama phenomenon hits, and it looks like it's going to be taken away from me.
What does it feel like to almost be President of the United States? My campaign advisors misled me and let the Obama campaign pre-empt the change message.
I had the best, most extensive infrastructure so why is Obama winning all the caucuses? It should be the other way around.
My husband, who was supposed to be my greatest assest, alienated all my black supporters after South Carolina.
People are asking me to drop out of the race, but I am, was, so close to winning. What's 100 delegates among 4,000?
I thought Bill Richardson was our friend, not just a political ally.
Why am I getting the blame for going negative when my hand was forced, and Obama would have done the same thing if our roles were reversed?
With all the supporters and all the celebrity, I just feel so very alone.
I was humiliated by Monica Lewinsky after defending my husband's fidelity and going on television to denounce the sexual accusations against him as a "vast right-wing conspiracy."
I still defended my husband against impeachment despite the swirling emotions inside me.
People call me an "ice queen," but those who know me in person recognize my femininity. They know what comes across on TV is distortion, but everyone who meets me for the first time thinks it's reality.
I worked really hard in the Senate for over six years and gained the respect of many New Yorkers who initially doubted me. Then, when it seemed like I had a clear path to the Democratic nomination, this Obama phenomenon hits, and it looks like it's going to be taken away from me.
What does it feel like to almost be President of the United States? My campaign advisors misled me and let the Obama campaign pre-empt the change message.
I had the best, most extensive infrastructure so why is Obama winning all the caucuses? It should be the other way around.
My husband, who was supposed to be my greatest assest, alienated all my black supporters after South Carolina.
People are asking me to drop out of the race, but I am, was, so close to winning. What's 100 delegates among 4,000?
I thought Bill Richardson was our friend, not just a political ally.
Why am I getting the blame for going negative when my hand was forced, and Obama would have done the same thing if our roles were reversed?
With all the supporters and all the celebrity, I just feel so very alone.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Final word on Spitzer
For the many loyal readers of this blog (lol), sorry for the delay in this week's entry, but I wasn't feeling well on Saturday; it was the Ides of March (a good day for all politicos to beware); and I decided to stay in bed.
The Spitzer debacle occurred so quickly that there was barely time to comment on it, especially in a weekly blog, but here's ten insights as a final word on the matter.
1) The cost for the escort service ranged from $1,000 to $4,000 an hour. What does this say about the ex-Governor's fiscal discipline? Couldn't he find a better price than this?
2) At that level, how do you differentiate between the different prices? Maureen Dowd of The New York Times suggested that the same girl was probably available at a variety of prices. How would the buyer compare?
3) I'm used to hypocrisy from the Republicans. When it's one of your own, it's much more disappointing. I guess this speaks to the general fallenness of man.
4) When David Patterson was asked if he had ever patronized a prostitute (how many guys could answer this question in this situation), he paused for an uncomfortable period of time, then said, "Only the lobbyists," and everyone laughed. This bodes well for his time in office.
5) There's a reason it's called a classic Greek tragedy. Or as the Bible says, "Pride goeth before a fall." I wish we could all take this saying to heart.
6) It's not easy to beat the system. I'm still optimistic (or naive) enough to believe it can happen on rare occasions. But not in this one. All the Wall Street types are rejoicing at Spitzer's comeuppance.
7) I saw a cartoon with a picture of Spitzer's lawyers. The caption: "We cost thousands of dollars an hour, too. "
8) At least we got some relief from the media's 24-hour coverage of the Presidential race.
9) Why is it that people are so dumb when they commit criminal acts? Spitzer must have known his financial transactions would be monitored because he used the same techniques himself. Did he want to get caught?
10) Will Paterson seize upon his political honeymoon to effect real change in Albany? Or will he reprise his time as State Senate minority leader and work within what is widely believed to be one of the most corrupt state governments in the U.S.? The answer remains to be seen.
Today, the leadership changes hands. I am looking forward to hearing what David Paterson has to say.
The Spitzer debacle occurred so quickly that there was barely time to comment on it, especially in a weekly blog, but here's ten insights as a final word on the matter.
1) The cost for the escort service ranged from $1,000 to $4,000 an hour. What does this say about the ex-Governor's fiscal discipline? Couldn't he find a better price than this?
2) At that level, how do you differentiate between the different prices? Maureen Dowd of The New York Times suggested that the same girl was probably available at a variety of prices. How would the buyer compare?
3) I'm used to hypocrisy from the Republicans. When it's one of your own, it's much more disappointing. I guess this speaks to the general fallenness of man.
4) When David Patterson was asked if he had ever patronized a prostitute (how many guys could answer this question in this situation), he paused for an uncomfortable period of time, then said, "Only the lobbyists," and everyone laughed. This bodes well for his time in office.
5) There's a reason it's called a classic Greek tragedy. Or as the Bible says, "Pride goeth before a fall." I wish we could all take this saying to heart.
6) It's not easy to beat the system. I'm still optimistic (or naive) enough to believe it can happen on rare occasions. But not in this one. All the Wall Street types are rejoicing at Spitzer's comeuppance.
7) I saw a cartoon with a picture of Spitzer's lawyers. The caption: "We cost thousands of dollars an hour, too. "
8) At least we got some relief from the media's 24-hour coverage of the Presidential race.
9) Why is it that people are so dumb when they commit criminal acts? Spitzer must have known his financial transactions would be monitored because he used the same techniques himself. Did he want to get caught?
10) Will Paterson seize upon his political honeymoon to effect real change in Albany? Or will he reprise his time as State Senate minority leader and work within what is widely believed to be one of the most corrupt state governments in the U.S.? The answer remains to be seen.
Today, the leadership changes hands. I am looking forward to hearing what David Paterson has to say.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
The Genius of Bill Clinton
People belittle Bill Clinton these days. He was widely criticized for intemperate remarks in New Hampshire and saddled with the blame for the debacle in North Carolina, when he single-handedly seemed to transform a 50-50 split for black voters into an 80-20 split for Barack Obama. Some people have even said that he's never been quite the same since his heart bypass surgery a few years ago.
Well, Bill Clinton proved his genius with Ohio and Texas without anyone even knowing it. He defined the Presidential race on his own terms, and for the states most favorable to Hillary. By saying that if Hillary lost either Ohio or Texas, the campaign would be over, he accomplished two things:
1) He selected the states most favorable to Hillary: Texas with its large number of Hispanic voters, and Ohio, with its economic hardships for working-class people. Both these groups have generally broken in favor of Hillary with the recent exception of Wisconsin.
2) He played to the greed of the Barack Obama camp. Eager for a knockout blow, they seized upon his suggestion because they were confident they could win one of the two.
So, Barack's 11-state winning streak fell by the wayside as did the intervening primaries and caucuses. Both sides played under the new set of rules, a loss for Hillary in either Ohio or Texas meant a likely withdrawl from the race.
The fact of the matter was that if Hillary couldn't win Ohio and Texas, she wasn't likely to succeed in any case. But it was the greed of the Obama camp for a knockout blow that created the new dynamic of this race. They let the other side determine the terms.
The same thing is happening now with Pennsylvania. So despite Barack's lead, Hillary with just one more win can make a claim for the nomination. After all, there are really only a few percentage points separating the number of delegates for each side, and most superdelegates are looking for an excuse to back Hillary. She is part of the Washington establishment, but so are they.
More about the superdelegates later...
Well, Bill Clinton proved his genius with Ohio and Texas without anyone even knowing it. He defined the Presidential race on his own terms, and for the states most favorable to Hillary. By saying that if Hillary lost either Ohio or Texas, the campaign would be over, he accomplished two things:
1) He selected the states most favorable to Hillary: Texas with its large number of Hispanic voters, and Ohio, with its economic hardships for working-class people. Both these groups have generally broken in favor of Hillary with the recent exception of Wisconsin.
2) He played to the greed of the Barack Obama camp. Eager for a knockout blow, they seized upon his suggestion because they were confident they could win one of the two.
So, Barack's 11-state winning streak fell by the wayside as did the intervening primaries and caucuses. Both sides played under the new set of rules, a loss for Hillary in either Ohio or Texas meant a likely withdrawl from the race.
The fact of the matter was that if Hillary couldn't win Ohio and Texas, she wasn't likely to succeed in any case. But it was the greed of the Obama camp for a knockout blow that created the new dynamic of this race. They let the other side determine the terms.
The same thing is happening now with Pennsylvania. So despite Barack's lead, Hillary with just one more win can make a claim for the nomination. After all, there are really only a few percentage points separating the number of delegates for each side, and most superdelegates are looking for an excuse to back Hillary. She is part of the Washington establishment, but so are they.
More about the superdelegates later...
Saturday, March 1, 2008
The Media and Reality: Favoritism and Self-Fulfilling Prophecies
The media is a favorite scapegoat for politicians and government officials who feel they are receiving unfavorable or unfair coverage.
But the concept of unfair coverage is a recent phenomenon. In the 19th century, newspapers typically reflected the bias of their publishers and put out all sorts of rag sheets with openly admitted prejudices.
The phenomenon of American cultural life included a plethora of different publications in pluralistic competition with each other. You could say checks and balances occured within the media as well as the government.
In the 20th and 21st centuries, however, particularly with the advent of television, we have witnessed a consolidation of media outlets into four or five major conglomerates. In such a situation, the concept of fairness becomes much more relevant.
Politicians are often correct in their assertions of unfairness, and the claims of Hillary Clinton's campaign in this regard are not without merit. However, the favorable coverage of Barack Obama does not result from a built-in prejudice against women as some have claimed. Rather, it is caused primarily by the dynamics of a capitalistic society. Put simply, newspapers print what sells, and TV coverage is aimed at favorable ratings. The phenomenon of a young, charismatic candidate upending the Democratic establishment and the presumed victory of Senator Clinton makes a very good story.
However, my concern is not with this understandable dynamic, but with the ability of the media to influence the story, to change the reality of the situation in a self-fulfilling prophecy. People are easily influenced by "horse race" coverage, and the touting of momentum often ignores statistical realities.
As we go into the Texas and Ohio primaries, it is worth reminding people that Hillary Clinton's and Barack Obama's delegate counts are only about one percentage point apart. The superdelegates will definitely determine the outcome and could easily affect the final decision in either direction.
The current race for the nomination, for the Clinton campaign, is not unlike this year's Super Bowl. Hillary Clinton is on the 20 yard line with two minutes to play. She needs a touchdown to win. That result remains within her grasp.
But the concept of unfair coverage is a recent phenomenon. In the 19th century, newspapers typically reflected the bias of their publishers and put out all sorts of rag sheets with openly admitted prejudices.
The phenomenon of American cultural life included a plethora of different publications in pluralistic competition with each other. You could say checks and balances occured within the media as well as the government.
In the 20th and 21st centuries, however, particularly with the advent of television, we have witnessed a consolidation of media outlets into four or five major conglomerates. In such a situation, the concept of fairness becomes much more relevant.
Politicians are often correct in their assertions of unfairness, and the claims of Hillary Clinton's campaign in this regard are not without merit. However, the favorable coverage of Barack Obama does not result from a built-in prejudice against women as some have claimed. Rather, it is caused primarily by the dynamics of a capitalistic society. Put simply, newspapers print what sells, and TV coverage is aimed at favorable ratings. The phenomenon of a young, charismatic candidate upending the Democratic establishment and the presumed victory of Senator Clinton makes a very good story.
However, my concern is not with this understandable dynamic, but with the ability of the media to influence the story, to change the reality of the situation in a self-fulfilling prophecy. People are easily influenced by "horse race" coverage, and the touting of momentum often ignores statistical realities.
As we go into the Texas and Ohio primaries, it is worth reminding people that Hillary Clinton's and Barack Obama's delegate counts are only about one percentage point apart. The superdelegates will definitely determine the outcome and could easily affect the final decision in either direction.
The current race for the nomination, for the Clinton campaign, is not unlike this year's Super Bowl. Hillary Clinton is on the 20 yard line with two minutes to play. She needs a touchdown to win. That result remains within her grasp.
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