It’s a shame CNN couldn’t find any other political news worthy of a bullet point today.
BTW, their top headline right now? New landscape needs co-operation.
I’ve got a headline for CNN: New landscape requires crawling out of GOP’s ass.
That Darn Liberal Media
BTW, their top headline right now? New landscape needs co-operation.
I’ve got a headline for CNN: New landscape requires crawling out of GOP’s ass.
Caption This Photo
(President Bush reacts to a reporter's question during his press conference in the wake of Democrats taking over the House and perhaps the Senate. Photo by Pete Souza of the Chicago Tribune. — Via.)
More Recommended Reading
Feministing: 20 new pro-choicers in the House
Kelley Bell: This is what American Democracy is all about.
Eponymous: Open Letter to the Dems
Blah3: Then and Now
Mythbusting
Glenn Greenwald’s got an excellent post busting the myths—already being hawked by the GOP and lapped up by the dutiful media—about yesterday’s Democratic victory. Highly recommended.
I have only one quibble, and it’s not even a quibble, really, as much as a response, to what he says here:
The basic mechanics of American democracy, imperfect and defective though they may be, still function. Chronic defeatists and conspiracy theorists -- well-intentioned though they may be -- need to re-evaluate their defeatism and conspiracy theories in light of this rather compelling evidence which undermines them (a refusal to re-evaluate one's beliefs in light of conflicting evidence is a defining attribute of the Bush movement that shouldn't be replicated).In the sense that I believe electronic voting systems are demonstrably manipulatable (irrespective of whether they were manipulated), I guess I’m a conspiracy theorist. That is, I believe they make a conspiracy possible. To be quite honest, with the number of documented problems with voting yesterday, I wouldn’t be so quick to assert that nothing went wrong, even in the wake of electoral victories—which truly aren’t “compelling evidence” that fraud isn’t possible. If that suggests a refusal to re-evaulate my beliefs, well, so be it—but when even Ken Mehlman and Bob Novak are asking for paper ballots, I don’t think it’s totally ludicrous to be a bit cynical.
Nonetheless, I don’t want to be a conspiracy theorist or a bull-headed moron, so I stand by what I’ve been saying all along: The Democrats’ first point of order should be election reform. Require voting machines meet a rigorous security standard and issue a paper trail. That’s all it takes to eradicate the doubt that fuels voting conspiracy theories.
The worst thing we could do after winning is take for granted that the scenarios laid out in films like Hacking Democracy will never happen, or never did. We went into this election with more focus than ever on possible fraud, and polls indicating a likely sweep, which made winning via dirty tricks a dubious proposition. That won’t always be the case, so let’s just get it fixed.
And then I promise to retire my tinfoil hat.
Ka-Pow!
Detainees' lawyers want Rumsfeld tried for war crimes
Donald Rumsfeld may be looking forward to living out his golden years at his vacation home on the Eastern Shore, but lawyers who represent detainees at Guantánamo Bay have other ideas. In a message just sent to reporters, they say they intend to file war crimes charges against Rumsfeld next week in Germany, arguing that his departure from the Department of Defense means that he's no longer entitled to immunity from prosecution.
I don’t know that they’ll be successful in anything more than giving Rummy a massive frigging headache, which is approximately one-millionth what he deserves, but I can’t say I’m broken up they’re giving it a shot. What has happened to the detainees at Gitmo is only the tip of the death-strewn iceberg over which this wankstain presided.
Thanks to Constant Comment for the heads-up.
I don’t want to get your hopes up…
…but rumors are beginning to circulate that Allen may not request a recount. I can’t imagine why on earth he would, considering that the longer this gets drawn out, the more likely serious investigations into shit like this become. And that’s not only bad for him, but for the whole GOP; I expect if it soon looks like Allen can’t win, the party will pressure him to concede. I await with jubilant eagerness watching the contemptible ignoramus slink off into obscurity. Or to whatever corporate board of directors awaits him.
Not even a year ago, Allen led many 2008 presidential straw polls. Often, he even came in higher than McCain. I used to get sick to my stomach at the mere possibility he could be our next president. My gut feels very good today indeed.
Quote of the Day, Part Four, The Quotening
Bush:
"You look at it race by race, it was close. The cumulative effect, however, was not too close. It was a thumping."
How delightfully old-timey. Did they box your ears, as well?
(Via Political Wire.)
More Good News
First, the bad news. There were eight states that had same-sex marriage amendments on the ballot last night, and seven of them passed.
The good news? One of them didn’t.
Arizona was the first state to defeat a proposed ban on same-sex marriage. One out of 20 may seem to paint a rather bleak picture, but consider that Vermont and Connecticut have laws protecting civil unions, New Jersey is soon to follow suit, if not offer full marriage rights, and Massachusetts protects full marriage equality. We’re slowly making progress, and the first ever defeat of a proposed ban by the voters is nothing to be sniffed at.
And here’s some food for thought: Hostility toward same-sex marriage is indelibly linked to the corrupt, hateful GOP who just got thrown out on its ass.
The Federal Marriage Amendment is dead. It will not be cynically resurrected during the next campaign season to rev up Bush’s base. Over the next few years, the issue of same-sex marriage will probably be largely ignored at the federal legislative level. When and if it is resurrected by social conservatives looking to rally an exiled base, moderates will inevitably recall these nightmarish years—and I believe with all sincerity that such a negative association will mean the end of majority support for legislated bigotry against gays, particularly because the next generation of first-time voters are more gay-friendly and supportive of marriage equality than any demographic before them.
The GOP had its chance, and it managed to get 19 states. Out of 50. The rest belong to us—and so will the other 19, too…eventually.
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In other good news, South Dakota defeated the abortion ban. Fucking right on. I recommend this post by Amanda on what these successes portend for social progressivism.
Quote of the Day, Part the Third
Arlen Parsa:
"Did you hear that? It was the sound of Karl Rove screaming in anguish."
Quote of the Day, Part Deux
Bush:
"Actually, I thought I was going to be fine in this election. Shows you what I know."
Heh
Dead woman wins county commissioner's race
S.D. candidate gets 100 votes; official says voters knew she was deceased
PIERRE, S.D. - A woman who died two months ago won a county commissioner's race in Jerauld County on Tuesday.Yeah, you'd better double check that. Otherwise, her office might get a bit whiffy.
Democrat Marie Steichen, of Woonsocket, got 100 votes, defeating incumbent Republican Merlin Feistner, of Woonsocket, who had 64 votes.
Jerauld County Auditor Cindy Peterson said she believes the county board will have to meet to appoint a replacement for Steichen. Peterson said she'll check with the state's attorney to be sure that's the process.
Peterson said voters knew Steichen had died.Corpses before Republicans. Sounds like a good opinion to me.
"They just had a chance to make a change, and we respect their opinion."
Maybe Merlin can give Ashcroft a call, you know, for a little shoulder-crying time.
Hastert…
…will not be putting himself in the running for House Minority Leader. (Minority! The GOP is in the minority! Bwah ha ha ha! I still can’t fucking believe it!) One of the crackpots Indiana didn’t manage to get rid of last night, Mike Pence, is supposedly the favorite. (Just heard on C-SPAN.)
Hastert was the longest serving Republican Speaker in history, having taken over when Newt Gingrich resigned in 1998. Buh-bye, Speak.
Pride Is Yet To Come
New piece up at The Guardian’s Comment is Free. Here’s a snippet:
We must remember that our responsibility did not end with casting a ballot, but is only beginning. We sent the Democrats to D.C. to be reformers, not heirs to the throne we despise, so we have to be vocal, dedicated advocates of the interests we hope they will represent. Our role is to be our own cheerleaders, not theirs…Read the whole thing here.
Song of the Day
I’ve been here for years, rockin’ my peers…
This is one of my favorite songs of all time. Hat tip to my pal AS for deeming this one the Song of the Day “for our dear conservative friends.” Fucking right, bitchez!
Happy Blogiversary…
…not just to Blue Gal and Jeff Fecke, but also Mustang Bobby, Andi, The Disgruntled Chemist, State of the Day, Echidne of the Snakes, and Blue Meme!
(Anyone else I've missed?)
Hmm. A lot of them seem to be celebrating second blogiversaries. What happened in early November two years ago that could have prompted so many people to take up political blogging?!
Man, I don’t know about you guys, but two years ago, as I was wallowing in the most horrendous depression over Bush having been reelected, I never would have believed that the Democrats would have retaken the House and tied (if not taken control of) the Senate this election. Good fucking stuff.
It’s Not Looking Good for John McCain
Wayback Machine: "I think I'd just commit suicide." — Sen. John McCain on what he would do if Democrats take control of the U.S. Senate.
Somebody get the man a rope, just in case.
MSNBC says Rumsfeld stepping down
According to "Republican officials," Unca Donald's gonna resign.
Thousands of lives too late, but what the hey.
Looks like the Democratic groundquake is already having effects.
Bush's noon press conference should be awfully interesting.
(Cross-posted.)
Dreams of permanence, taste of ashes
DeLay himself drew the line sharply the day after the 2004 elections. "The Republican Party is a permanent majority for the future of this country," DeLay declared. "We're going to be able to lead this country in the direction we've been dreaming of for years."Grover Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform and a leading figure in both the DeLay and Bush political operations, chose more colorful post-election language to describe the future. "Once the minority of House and Senate are comfortable in their minority status, they will have no problem socializing with the Republicans," he told Richard Leiby of The Post. "Any farmer will tell you that certain animals run around and are unpleasant. But when they've been 'fixed,' then they are happy and sedate. They are contented and cheerful."
Artifacts of hubris and arrogance: In every way imaginable, the Republican Party behaved as though it would control the levers of power for the next thousand years. Abuses of majority rule. Refusal to consider compromise. Neutering the filibuster tool. Rejection of comity and reciprocity. Attempts to shield corrupt party leaders. These are the acts of a party detached from reality and blind to history, a party that actually thinks that it will hold a majority position forever.
So, GOP: How's that working out for you?
Hat tip to Harold's Blog.
(Cross-posted.)
