The Fuck Off Party

By Wade

I was looking at this image of the spill, entitled "Damn." That sums it up pretty well. However, because I'm also a masochist, I went through and read some of the comments, and this struck a chord:

You could chuck out even[sic] single incumbent in the House and Senate and not a single thing would change, you’d just get different faces telling the same lies.

It's not a unique sentiment. It's not new. But I wonder about it. I mean, let's assume best-case scenario; Dave and I are in charge. Two individuals, impervious to corruption, leading the free world. How long would it take us to fall? Is our system just doomed to repeat this sort of bullshit? Should we, could we create our own party immune to the moral reprehensibility that comes with public office?

Well, the Tea Partiers formed a political party, and they're barely literate. This is why I propose the "Fuck Off Party." Our tenets are simple, because people don't like things that are complicated. Wanna do something to endanger public/global health? Fuck off. Wanna play the stock market like a hacked slot machine and then complain to us when you run out of money? Fuck off. Wanna conveniently make a big stink out of wedge issues like abortion and immigration every time an even-numbered year comes around? Fuck off. In fact, our organization's founder(s) are working on a document, called the "Articles of Fuck Off" designed to cover nearly every conceivable situation the party might encounter in its race to the Oval Office.

Think you have what it take to join the FOP? Start writing up your own list of tenets and post them as a comment.

Top 5 Summer Movies I'm Excited For

By Dave

In addition to politics, I love movies! It's not a great summer for film really, but there are still a couple to get excited about. Here are the top five I'm waiting for:

1) Inception starring Leonardo DiCaprio and directed by Christopher Nolan. DiCaprio has been pretty much awesome in everything since Catch Me If You Can. Christopher Nolan hasn't stepped wrong since Memento and it looks like he's going to do it again here. I'm not even really aware of what the plot is about. All I know is, I want to see it. Bad.



2) The Killer Inside Me starring Casey Affleck and directed by indie filmmaker Michael Winterbottom. It's based on a book by Jim Thompson. Praising the book, Stanley Kubrick said it was "probably the most chilling and believable first-person story of a criminally warped mind he had ever encountered." Now that's an endorsement! Also it gets points for a really creepy trailer.




3) Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World starring Michael Cera. Looks awesome! Edgar Wright is another who hasn't stepped wrong. Both Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz were excellent. I haven't read the comic but I like the video game feel of the movie. I think it'll be sweet!



4) Cyrus starring John C. Reilly and Jonah Hill. This movie has everything. A little sweetness, a little sadness, and a whole lotta funny. I love everyone involved.




5) The American starring George Clooney. George Clooney is this generations Carey Grant: cool, suave, and sophisticated. I really like the look and feel of this movie.



Special mention: Predators. I know, I know. It could be cheesy and really bad...but its produced by Robert Rodriguez and stars Adrian Brody. So, I want to see it anyways

Misreading the History of Progressivism

By Dave

Michael Tomasky believes Progressives are misreading their own history and as a result find themselves continually disappointed and in despair. This has the potential to jeopardize liberalism in the long-run.

Too often, when progressives think of American history, we think only of the snapshots: those glorious moments when a historic bill is signed into law, or when the great progressive leader thunderingly confronts the forces of reaction. It’s good to remember those; they are our lodestars. But they are moments. Actual history is slower, more tedious, and certainly less uplifting. It’s not for Obama’s sake, but for liberalism’s over the long haul, that we need to consider this reality and proceed in full awareness of it. It’s only by seeing this fuller picture that we can know how history actually unfolds in real time and place our present experience within that context.

The whole article is worth reading. I think we need to remember politics is a process and context is king. The limitations of the system are real and daunting. Great politicians, and great political moments, are the product of the right political conditions. Whether it was the emergence of the welfare state, or the civil rights movement, or even health care reform, the moments of victory were the products of the small marginal victories that preceded it.

Change takes time. Making the world a more prosperous, peaceful, and equitable place is the not just the work of a lifetime but of many lifetimes. The fight never ends. Utopia does not exist. The social system can not be remade in whole, instead each generation improves on it the best they can. Sometimes you win big and sometimes you win small, and it is vanity alone that makes us turn down a big win (like Health Care Reform) because it doesn't meet our expectations of utopia. Incremental revolution is the only real and sustainable revolution.

For me, this is a reminder that every victory counts.  Its also a reminder that we need to celebrate our victories a little more and use them to energize us for the fights ahead instead of using them as fodder to fight each other.

Where Does Your Hip-Hop Come From?

By Dave

Kon and Amir Present the 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Samples of All-Time. It's amazing how many come from really cool 50's and 60's jazz albums.

Can Charter Cities End Poverty?

By Dave

It's an idea being pushed by Stanford economist Paul Romer (son of former Colorado Governor Roy Romer). The idea is simple: the cornerstone of economic growth and development is rules. The rule of law, copyright law, property law, etc. Poor countries generally have awful rules and as a result have poor incentives structures necessary for economic growth.

To correct this, Romer proposes that developing countries grant a charter to allow foreign nations to build a city in their country. The foreign nation would import their laws and would administer the governance of the city. In theory, their name and recognition would give potential investors the incentive to invest which would provide jobs and wealth to anyone who chose to move to the city. Ordinary citizens of weak or broken states would have the opportunity to step on the economic ladder.

So if you're starting to think this is sounding a little neo-colonial.... well, yeah. Here's from the article:

But Romer is not just arguing for enclaves; he is arguing for enclaves that are run by foreign governments. To Romer, the fact that Hong Kong was a colonial experiment, imposed upon a humiliated China by means of a treaty signed aboard a British warship, is not just an embarrassing detail. On the contrary, British rule was central to the city’s success in persuading capitalists of all stripes to flock to it. Romer sometimes illustrates this point by citing another Communist country: modern-day Cuba. Cuba’s rulers have tried to induce foreign corporations to set up shop in special export zones, and have been greeted with understandable caution. But if Raúl Castro convinced a foreign government—ideally a rich democracy such as Canada—to assume sovereignty over a start-up city in Cuba, the prospect of a mini Canada in the sun might attract a flood of investment.

So, it's actually exactly neo-colonialism but it's of the willing sort. But does that mean it's a bad idea?

I don't know. From the article, it sounds like some countries might be interested. My biggest concern would be feasibility and security. Wouldn't a successful charter city be a target for terrorism? What about cultural clashes and ethnic tensions? What does this mean for the sovereignty of the host country?

Morally, I think if the host country wants a charter city and their citizens have the freedom to enter and leave the control of the city at their whim, then the neo-colonial aspects are not as abhorrent. Further, if it really is alleviating poverty and suffering, then that's a good thing.

I'm really interested in what others think on this. Comments and discussion are welcome!

Update: Here's Romer giving a talk at TED. It's worth listening to his argument for why charter cities are not colonialism.

They Took Our Search!

By Wade

BP's at it again. I know I alluded to this kind of bullshit in a previous post, but this one's got a confession from BP themselves!

BP spokesman Toby Odone confirmed to ABC News that the oil giant had in fact bought internet search terms. So now when someone searches the words ‘oil spill’, on the internet, the top link will re-direct them to BP’s official company website.

It also has a helpful widget at the bottom of the page that estimates how many gallons have leaked. As of this writing, we're up to 22,065,816 gallons. So if you want to keep the scale of your depression up to date, grab the widget!

Alternately, if you want a more active role, we could all head down to the Gulf with gas cans for our lawnmowers. It'd probably do about as much good as BP's daring schemes so far.

Oh This Is Just Too Good

By Wade

There has never been a time I've respected someone who's said "Do as I say, not as I do."

As Rush Limbaugh weds today for the fourth time , we're suspecting that his new 33-year-old bride...

Now I know it's not going to come as a shock to anyone that Limbaugh's a hypocrite with a trophy wife, but that doesn't mean we can't still laugh at him for it. Y'know, that first link just has the cars.

Here we go, here's a look that says, "Ugh, I'll sleep with him for as long as it takes to get my half of the money (alternately, however much the prenup stipulates)."

Well new Mrs. Limbaugh, I'd just like to personally extend my sympathy and respect to you for your commitment to gold-digging. You've truly gone the extra mile with this one, and I think we can all collectively say "better you than us." Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go throw up chicken cordon bleu while my mind tortures me with visuals of Rush Limbaugh blubberously mangling the beauty that is sex.

For those of you reading at home, it kinda reminds me of the scene in Orgazmo with the T-Rex, only more horrifying.

Yes, People This Stupid Actually Exist

By Wade

I have no words. Before you go any further, click on this link, then take a moment to absorb how monumentally deficient these people are.

A group of artists has been asked to lighten the faces of children depicted in a giant public mural at a Prescott school.

Okay, that's messed up.

...the school's principal says the request was only to fix shading and had nothing to do with political pressure.

Okay, so maybe it's a misunderstanding.

R.E. Wall...said he and other artists were subjected to slurs from motorists as they worked on the painting at one of the town's most prominent intersections..."We had children painting with us, and here come these yells of (epithet for Blacks) and (epithet for Hispanics)."

You've got to be shitting me.

Wall said school Principal Jeff Lane pressed him to make the children's faces appear happier and brighter.

Okay, well maybe it's just a coincidence. Or maybe it's like that scene in Knocked Up where they can't tell Katherine Heigl to lose weight, but they can tell her to "tighten" or "look at a scale and subtract that number by fifteen."

City Councilman Steve Blair spearheaded a public campaign on his talk show at Prescott radio station KYCA-AM (1490) to remove the mural.

...Blair mistakenly complained that the most prominent child in the painting is African-American, saying: "To depict the biggest picture on the building as a Black person, I would have to ask the question: Why?"

Wow, what a douchebag.

He insists the controversy isn't about racism but says the mural is intended to create racial controversy where none existed before.

"Personally, I think it's pathetic," he says. "You have changed the ambience of that building to excite some kind of diversity power struggle that doesn't exist in Prescott, Arizona. And I'm ashamed of that."

Okay, well maybe... Oh wait, no, still a douchebag.

Things aren't exactly looking good for the citizens of Arizona. Well, at least if you have that one nasty drop of non-White blood.

Y'know what I say? Colorado's nice this time of year, come hang out with us. Just make sure to keep your IDs handy till you cross the border.

A New Challenger Has Appeared

By Wade

I've been known to kick back with a beer or three in the eventide when amongst friends. A recent advance in beerological science may make having multiple drinks obsolete, however.

...beer that is repeatedly “freeze distilled” can achieve exquisite qualities and much higher alcohol concentrations...A little more than twelve months, the world's strongest beer was 27%...and the race is now on to break 50% alcohol by volume.

That's insane. It looks like the current frontrunner is some name I can't pronounce (Schorsbräu Schorsbock) at 43%. If anyone gets their hands on one, lemme know how they taste.

Any Skin Color But My Own Terrifies Me

By Wade

So if you have two eyes and a brain, this poll should not surprise you.

What I think this poll shows is that taxes and spending are not by any means the only issues that define TPM members; they are largely united in being unsympathetic to African Americans, militant in their hostility toward illegal immigrants, and very conservative socially. At a minimum, these data throw cold water on the view that the TPM is essentially libertarian. Based on these data, I would say that TPM members have much more in common with social conservatives that welcome government intervention as long as it’s in support of their agenda.

And before you go on about how liberals just wanna make the Tea Party look bad (BZZZT! They've got that handled on their own) this is Bruce Bartlett speaking. So let that sink in.

It also shouldn't be a surprise as to how popular the Tea Party has become. Hatred has always sold well in America. Shouting "rabble rabble rabble" may be a solid political strategy, but I'll be interested to see how it pans out when put into legislation.

The Spill's True Face

By Wade

The only way for people to realize how bad things are in the Gulf is to see it firsthand.

Who the Heck is Dan Maes, Ctd.

By Dave

Since I was harsh in my criticism, I thought I should offer a couple of thoughts on why Dan Maes is wrong for Colorado:

1) Until I learn more, Maes appears to be full of contradictions. He wants to reduce spending (on mostly low-cost social wedge issues), but he also would increase spending on stricter police enforcement for illegal aliens and drunk drivers. He would also give generous tax breaks to business and those who choose home schooling or private schools. He thinks government should stay out of the way of business, but should prevent two adults from the same sex marrying.

2) Maes plan for the state budget is nonsensical and implies deep and destructive cuts. Due to the recession, Colorado is facing somewhere between a $500 million and $1 Billion shortfall for next year. For years, the state has been making cuts and paring back the budget. Many state institutions are as efficient as they have ever been. This doesn't mean there is no waste to weed out, just that the savings from it will likely be minimal.

Last year, higher education got a stay of execution because federal stimulus money. In 2011, it won't be so lucky. In addition, the Colorado Department of Transportation sees an annual shortfall of $2.6 Billion. Maes position is to reduce transportation funding and budget revenue overall.

3) Given the severity of the recession nation wide, Colorado still has one of the better unemployment rates. In addition, we also have one of the lower tax rates and a fairly robust economy overall. The policies that have been serving Colorado well have been the ones aimed at investment in the high-tech and new energy economy. Maes appears to think this is a waste of time.

4) Given the recent excess by Arizona in combating illegal immigration, I am wary of Meas's rhetoric. Now, I am sure he would argue that he only dislikes illegal immigrants and has no problem with immigrants here legally. In that case, Maes should support comprehensive immigration reform which puts more people on the path to citizenship and legal residency. My guess is that's not his position. But if it is, he should say so. Until then, Maes is using the distinction of legality, taken from a broken and antiquated system, as a justification for expanded government intrusion in business to keep otherwise law-abiding people out of the economy. We need comprehensive immigration reform, not to beat up on people who are only looking for a better life for their families.

The End of DADT

By Dave

The House passed a measure that would end Don't Ask, Don't Tell. If the Senate follows their lead, the US will finally end their shameful record of banning gays and lesbians from serving openly in the armed services.

Unsurprisingly, only 5 Republicans voted in favor of the measure. Opposing the bill were 168 Republicans and 28 Democrats. The future will prove this to be a disgraceful moment for all of  them.

BP: You're Doing It Wrong

By Wade

If you ignore the style of the reporting, which is pretty consistent these days, the content of this video is good.

Urban Farming in NYC

By Dave

How cool and innovative is this!? New York is building a working urban farm on top of a Lower East Side elementary school:

The Fifth Street Farm Project has it all: It addresses childhood obesity, stormwater runoff, and climate change. Conceived by a grassroots organization of teachers, parents, and green-roof advocates, the project’s plan calls for a roof farm atop the Robert Simon Complex, a massive public school building on the Lower East Side that houses elementary schools P.S. 64 and the Earth School, as well as the Tompkins Square Middle School.

We need to do something like this in Boulder Valley! What an awesome way to grow local, teach children about agriculture, and incentivize healthier lifestyles.

Dave's Plan to Balance the Budget

By Dave

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget offers a budget simulator or "an online exercises in hard choices." Your goal is to stabilize the U.S debt at 60% of GDP by 2018.

This was easier to achieve than I initially thought. I favor a mixture of revenue increases and spending cuts in order to put us back on a more fiscally responsible path and this exercise demonstrated that, if we wanted to, it would be hard, but not impossible. If we are serious about deficit reduction, the two big necessary actions are reform of military and entitlement spending.My preferences were to reduce our military engagement in Iraq and Afghanistan, allow the Bush tax cuts to expire except for the AMT patch, freeze certain discretionary spending, reduce ship building and end unnecessary military projects, nix the farm bill, enact a 5% VAT, and entitlement reform.

It seems to me that there is a serious case to be made for progressives picking up the mantle of entitlement reform while Obama is still president. If hard choices need to be made with social security and medicare, I'd rather those choices be made by a majority power that is sympathetic to the goals of the programs, instead of by a party ideologically hostile to the idea of a social safety net.

File Under: They're Not Going to Let You in the Car

By Wade

Politico has posted what may be the first official Obama recognition that he will never be let in the car:

“The day has passed when I expected this to be a full partnership.”

There is hardly any “room for cooperation” in the Republican Party, Obama said.

I'm amazed he tried for as long as he did.

A Rose by Any Other and All That Hooplah

By Wade

CNN posted a story about how names can influence one's life. As both a writer and someone with a semi-uncommon name, this article intrigued me.

One unusual name that made it into the SSA's 1,000 most popular names recently is Nevaeh, which is "heaven" spelled backward.

That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Readers, I am heretofore issuing a divine mandate that thou shalt slap any parent who inflicts this name upon a child.

The Social Security Administration announced this month that Isabella reigns as the top baby girl's name in America...Parents can be influenced by Hollywood, said Michael J. Astrue, SSA commissioner. He thinks the name Isabella reached the top spot because of the hit "Twilight"

Dammit. Okay, this is the stupidest thing I've ever heard.

Astrue also speculated the name Lindsay fell from No. 381 in 2008 to No. 524 in 2009 because of actress Lindsay Lohan's legal woes.

As much as I fucking hate the word "sheeple" (and the brand of political tard which uses that word) it seems woefully accurate here.

When Angelina Jolie named her children Shiloh and Maddox, naming experts predicted those names would become popular in coming years. Maddox has already seen steady gains in the past five years, climbing to No. 180

Oh c'mon, really? You're going to saddle your spawn with the same name as one of the worst internet curmudgeons in the history of the tubes? Seriously. Plus, name one Angelina Jolie movie besides Hackers that's good. You can't.

"But Wade," you say, a pleading look in your eyes, "Assuredly not all of America can possibly be this stupid."

You are right, sir and/or madam. Some of it is stupider.

...children with "black-sounding" names such as Lakisha and Jamal are 50 percent less likely to receive a call back for a job interview compared to "white-sounding" names such as Emily or Greg.

DURP! As much as this makes me lose faith in my fellow Americans, it at least gives me more ammo for when Libertarians claim that affirmative action is unnecessary, and if they pulled themselves up by their bootstraps then blah blah blah vomit.

Oh, and maybe you've heard of this second helping of DURP! Yay, likely another urban legend, something cut from the same classy mold as the Obama witch doctor photos.

The article does go into some actually interesting bits of potential facts (kids with C or D names do worse in school than kids with A or B names) but let me break this down for you, in case you're trying to figure out how to not doom your progeny with your denominational shenanigans:

If you name your kid, he or she will get made fun of by other children.

Trust me.

It doesn't matter how stupid the taunt is ("Ooooh, Wade in the water!" "Wade the duck!" "Wade, you're a stupid piece of shit!") it'll still fuel the animosities of their primary school years. So give them whatever idiotic name celebrities or vapid literature has made popular this year, and then invest in karate lessons, so that way they can at least beat the crap out of the other kids.




Man, if those kids could see me now. I'd show them who's Wade in the water. Got my own freakin' blog. Well, shared blog. And it even has a .blogspot at the end, so you know it's for real.

Would You Be Allowed In Our Country?

By Wade

MSNBC has a 20-question mock citizenship test. It's important to note that the actual test for immigrants is not multiple choice, but these are some of the more difficult questions.

I missed one: ten points to the person who guesses which it was.

Who the Heck is Dan Maes?

By Dave

Earlier this week, upstart Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes beat out establishment figure and former congressman Scott McInnis at the Colorado state GOP assembly.

All I could think was, "Who the heck is Dan Maes?"

So here's what I've got: Maes is an Evergreen businessman turned tea party activist who, with little name recognition, has been able to plug in to the anti-incumbent and anti-establishment fervor permeating the Republican party.

His platform:

1. Increase efficiencies in the area of FTE counts thus reducing the size of state government freeing up funds for other priorities.
2. Identify areas for program consolidation or elimination including positions that duplicate the purpose of an executives responsibility.
3. Reverse the executive orders that created the state employees union, and funding for Planned Parenthood
4. Restructure the content of the COGCC and work toward a more energy friendly regulatory environment in order to drive energy severance tax revenue to its highest in the state’s history while encouraging new energy models
5. Give tax incentives to all small businesses that hire at least 1 new employee in 2011
6. Support choice in education including home, charter, public and private options. Work for a tax credit for those who choose home or private schools
7. I will defend the Tax Payers Bill of Rights (TABOR) and work aggressively to reverse any legislation implemented by Ritter Administration that violates TABOR. (i.e. Faster Legislation, property tax mill levy freeze, dirty dozen tax exemptions)
8. Reduce the personal income tax to a level of 4.5% by 2012
9. 5% unemployment rate by the end of 2013
10. Initiate a new era of stricter enforcement of existing legislation and state laws including those covering vehicle registration, drivers licenses, DUI, and illegal immigration.
11. Limit new legislation to 3 bills per member of the assembly
12. Facilitate mutually beneficial resolution between our states strong military economy and private property owners in Pinon Canyon Area.

Also he proudly supported the Personhood amendment in 2008, thinks marriage should be legally defined as strictly between a man and a woman, opposes stricter oil and gas regulations, and will try to block the implementation of the recent health care reform.

In short, he is exactly the opposite of what Colorado wants or needs. His goals would leave Colorado backward and bankrupt.

O Bother

By Dave

Godxiliary has created a hilarious and terrifying children's book, Alien vs. Pooh. Brilliant!

Also check out The Poohing (The Shining and Winnie the Pooh mashup)

How 'Bout No?

By Wade

By now, everyone's heard about the giant clusterfuck in the gulf known as the BP spill. You might have even heard about how BP's been manipulating Google results to bury their bad press. However, ladies and gentlemen of the American public who read my blog, hear me now: they're not done fucking us yet.

Congress is getting ready to quadruple — to 32 cents a barrel — a tax on oil used to help finance cleanups. The increase would raise nearly $11 billion over the next decade.

FANTASTIC. Hrm... There really does need to be a sarcasm font.
FANTASTIC!
Better?
You should be shaking your head at this point. Because you know what? Those taxes will be directly passed onto us at the pump, and there's no surer way to piss us off than making us pay more for gas. Alternately, questioning our sexuality. Or our guns.

See, the thing is, I'd be fine with a tax like this that went to decreasing our dependency on oil with some sort of more permanent solution. I understand that the oil companies want to make money; it's their prime directive. Make it profitable to not be an oil company. You know how we subsidize the shit out of beef and corn so that way all our chillens be fat? Do that with alternative energy and public transportation (and fruits and vegetables, but that's another rant).

Listen, I get it BP, you're sad that you made a boo-boo, and Congress is somehow very sympathetic to an oil company. Guess what, though. This is exactly the kind of shit that I point to when people get upset about homeowners defaulting on their mortgages. Own up, fix your mistake, and try not to be such a loser in the future.

"Taxpayers will not pick up the tab," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Monday.

BP executives told Congress last week they would pay "all legitimate claims" for damages...Money spent from the fund can later be recovered from the company responsible for the spill.

"Oh," you say, "We're gonna take care of this and all the legitimate claims. Don't you worry! You can get your money back later, sure can!"

Right, we've heard that song and dance before. Last I checked, the banks were laughing all the way to the... uh, to themselves?

And in case you're a visual person, check out these photos. They're not, y'know, happy photos. In case you were expecting bunnies. Or boobies*.


*Any boobies or bunnies in these pictures will be dying a slow petroleum death.

Only Two-thousand Or So Years Behind the Romans

By Wade
Can I say effin' finally?

"We have developed a legislative proposal for consideration by the House and Senate that puts a process in place to repeal 'don't ask, don't tell' once...the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs certify that repeal can be achieved consistent with the military's standards..." said the letter sent Monday night that was signed by Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan; Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Connecticut; and Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Pennsylvania.

(link)

Or perhaps I should say that is a big effin' deal?

The article goes on to vaguely discuss compromises between the White House's vision and a "working group" in the military that's reviewing the matter, but I say progress is better than nogress (first syllable like egg nog, second syllable like egress, means the opposite of progress, you owe me a dime if you use it).

Now I know you guys might be thinking, "Wait a second, I thought this blog imploded when all its contributors went back to school?"

Well, in the words of one of my favorite superheroes, "It's me, I'm here, deal with it."

how to save the world with gaming

been quite a while since i posted, partially because of school. just haven't found anything interesting to say to the general public. This changes that quite a lot.
now, as i'm sure some of you remember, i'm a nerd. it's interesting to see how that's become something that a person can say without expecting any derision. jane mcgonigal is banking on that, in fact, and hopes to use nerd-power to save the world.

for anyone out there not interested in watching a 20 minute TED talk (shame on you!), the basics of what's being discussed here is that gamer-nerds have spent well more than the "standard" 10k hours mastering gaming. there's an entire generation of gamer virtuosos. what does this mean for humanity?

well, gamers are pretty good at certain things. problem solving is, of course, necessary to any gamer. what's more, gamers have attuned themselves to a thought process that expects to overcome any obstacle, no matter how long it takes. furthermore, studies have shown that behaviour patterns capable of effecting overarching change in a video game can persist in real life (no, i'm not interested in turning this into a violent games are bad argument. trust me, it doesn't relate).

jane has been developing games to help change the world. one such is evoke, which i haven't given a chance yet, but am about to. simply put, i'm too interested in this idea to not share it before i do anything else.

check it out, folks. let's save the world.

Victory!

By Dave

We've been back in school so updates have been few and far between but much of this blog has been dedicated to following the health care reform debate. Tonight that debate has been laid to rest.

President Obama has been criticized by all sides over the last year and while we can't know the counter-factual, we do know that many have tried before and have failed. This history makes tonight all the more impressive. The House of Representatives acted boldly and courageously. It wasn't an easy vote. We don't know what November will bring although it is not hard to predict some Democratic losses, as almost every incumbent party loses seats during a midterm election.

So in the face of political repercussions, our elected representatives chose to do what was right instead of  what was good for their individual reelection chances. That doesn't happen often. I'm really proud of them tonight and I plan to call my representatives tomorrow to personally let them know. I hope you will do the same.

Reunion of SNL Presidents

By Wade

You can thank Ron Howard once again for this little bit of nostalgia.

Funny or Die's Presidential Reunion from Will Ferrell

Politico's Editorial Meeting

By Dave

This is great! Also I want to see that story on the tea party...

Potbelly Hill Gives Some Insight into Religion and Society

by E.doc

There was a Turkish temple that was found dating back 11,500 years that is causing a raucous. Apparently, this temple predates civilization, and is making scientists rethink how society evolved. The old thought is that religion is a product of society. "All our theories were wrong," says Ian Hodder, director of Stanford's archaeology program. This temple, called Göbekli Tepe (Turkish for Potbelly Hill), predates agriculture, animal domestication, and specialized labor. It is thought that the temple was the origin of the city, and that in order to maintain the temple, a culture of people sprang up around it.

Potbelly Hill also predates the Great Pyramid by 7,000 years, AND, get this, Stonehenge by 6,000 years.

I don't know about other readers, but this sheds new light and makes me rethink the possiblities of religion. No difinitive answers come up of course, but just something more to think about.



photo cred: Newsweek and Berthold Steinhilber /Laif-Redux

SC State Republican Rep. Wants to Ban Money

By Dave

For reals:

South Carolina will no longer recognize U.S. currency as legal tender, if State Rep. Mike Pitts has his way.

Pitts, a fourth-term Republican from Laurens, introduced legislation earlier this month that would ban what he calls “the unconstitutional substitution of Federal Reserve Notes for silver and gold coin” in South Carolina.

If the bill were to become law, South Carolina would no longer accept or use anything other than silver and gold coins as a form of payment for any debt, meaning paper money would be out in the Palmetto State.

Pitts said the intent of the bill is to give South Carolina the ability to “function through gold and silver coinage” and give the state a “base of currency” in the event of a complete implosion of the U.S. economic system.

“I’m not one to cry ‘chicken little,’ but if our federal government keeps spending at the rate we’re spending I don’t see any other outcome than the collapse of the economic system,” Pitts said.

Holy crap! .... this guy is on his fourth-term! Do people in South Carolina actually check who they are electing or do they just draw names out of a hat? Sheesh

South Carolina: please do this! Also please send me all of your worthless Federal Reserve notes so that I may dispose of them properly.

H/T LGF

What's in the Tea?

By Dave

To anyone watching, it was pretty evident that the Tea Party movement people were out of their minds. It's an obvious conclusion, if you've had any exposure to their angry screaming over 'death panels', imbecilic hand wringing over 'czars', weird 'new world order' rants, shrill cries of socialism. Add to this an assortment of anti-immigration, anti-evolution, anti-global warming, isolationist rhetoric mixed with an elementary school level understanding of the American Revolution and it's pretty clear that most of these people are well-intentioned people who just happen to be politically unhinged.

Well, others are finally starting to get it too. Jonathan Kay, writing for Newsweek, attended the conference in Nashville and came away pretty shaken:

One of the most bizarre moments of the recent tea-party convention came when blogger Andrew Breitbart delivered a particularly vicious fulmination against the mainstream media, prompting everyone to get up, turn toward the media section at the back of the conference room, and scream, "USA! USA! USA!" But the tea partiers' well-documented obsession with President Obama has hardly been diffused by their knack for finding new enemies.

Steve Malloy, author of Green Hell: How Environmentalists Plan to Ruin Your Life, kicked off the first full day of conference proceedings by warning that Obama and his minions are conspiring to control every aspect of Americans' lives—the colors of their cars, the kind of toilet paper they use, how much time they spend in the shower, the temperature of their homes—all under the guise of U.N. greenhouse-gas-reduction schemes. "Obama isn't a U.S. socialist," Malloy thundered. "He's an international socialist. He envisions a one-world government."
I consider myself a conservative and arrived at this conference as a paid-up, rank-and-file attendee, not one of the bemused New York Times types with a media pass. But I also happen to be writing a book for HarperCollins that focuses on 9/11 conspiracy theories, so I have a pretty good idea where the various screws and nuts can be found in the great toolbox of American political life.

Within a few hours in Nashville, I could tell that what I was hearing wasn't just random rhetorical mortar fire being launched at Obama and his political allies: the salvos followed the established script of New World Order conspiracy theories, which have suffused the dubious right-wing fringes of American politics since the days of the John Birch Society.

"Rahmbo" SNL style

By Dave

Recently, Rahm Emanuel, Obama's notoriously foul-mouthed Chief of Staff, got in kinda hot water (lukewarm) for using the 'r-word' when he called progressive Democrats "fucking retards." True story! Then Sarah Palin lept into the fray to demand an apology because such words should be off limits (unless you're Rush Limbaugh and then it's "satire"). SNL presents Rahm Emanuel's even-tempered apology:



The whole thing is good but the Palin rant is truly epic!

Here Come The Blues

By Wade



All the craziness got you down? Take a moment with Nick Drake and feel the Blues.

No! It's My Senate! You Can't Have Any!

By Wade

This is just wonderful. More BS akin to Ben Nelson holding the health care bill hostage so he could make sure his state and only his state never had to pay for it.

Well, here's the meat of the article:

Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) has put an extraordinary "blanket hold" on at least 70 nominations President Obama has sent to the Senate, according to multiple reports this evening. The hold means no nominations can move forward unless Senate Democrats can secure a 60-member cloture vote to break it, or until Shelby lifts the hold.

Bam. It's like he wanted to give me and the rest of the world the perfect example for why the Republicans don't give a crap what happens to this country, and will take any excuse to make Obama look bad.

Democrats, take note. Listen to Jon Stewart. They're not going to let you in the car! You're being played for fools.

Here's a video of Shelby talking about his thoughts on earmarks in general. I especially like where he says that if you're not proud of it, if you're not willing to openly defend it, you shouldn't do it, as well as when he says that he wouldn't do it for dubious purposes.

Sen. Richard Shelby on earmarks

From TPM again:

Shelby has been tight-lipped about the holds, offering only an unnamed spokesperson to reporters today to explain them.

What's the matter? Not so proud right now?

Hilarious!

By Dave

Ouch! Totally busted! A banker gets caught looking at NSFW photos on live television by news crew. Funny stuff! Starts at 1:05. (This video is safe for work)



H/T The Daily What

Jon Stewart and Bill O'Reilly: Epic Showdown

By Wade

You absolutely must watch the interview in its entirety. The Fox News edit doesn't nearly do Jon Stewart justice (big surprise there). Here it is:

Incendiary Blogging in a Nutshell

By Dave

And perhaps a template for future blog posts - jk :)

Here's a taste:

This sentence claims that there are many people who do not agree with the thesis of the blog post as expressed in the previous sentence. This sentence speculates as to the mental and ethical character of the people mentioned in the previous sentence. This sentence contains a link to the most egregiously ill-argued, intemperate, hateful and ridiculous example of such people the author could find. This sentence is a three-word refutation of the post linked in the previous sentence, the first of which three words is “Um.” This sentence implies that the linked post is in fact typical of those who disagree with the thesis of the blog post. This sentence contains expressions of outrage and disbelief largely expressed in Internet acronyms. This sentence contains a link to an Internet video featuring a cat playing a piano.

The comments at the bottom are really awesome

H/T Kottke

The Nominees Are...

By Dave

Oscar nominees are here! Here are a couple of categories. For a full list go here.

BEST PICTURE:
* Avatar
* The Blind Side
* District 9
* An Education
* The Hurt Locker
* Inglourious Basterds
* Precious
* A Serious Man
* Up
* Up in the Air

DIRECTING:
* James Cameron (Avatar)
* Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker)
* Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds)
* Lee Daniels (Precious)
* Jason Reitman (Up in the Air)

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE:
* Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart)
* George Clooney (Up in the Air)
* Colin Firth (A Single Man)
* Morgan Freeman (Invictus)
* Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker)

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:
* Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side)
* Helen Mirren (The Last Station)
* Carey Mulligan (An Education)
* Gabourey Sidibe (Precious)
* Meryl Streep (Julie and Julia)

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
* Matt Damon (Invictus)
* Woody Harrelson (The Messenger)
* Christopher Plummer (The Last Station)
* Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones)
* Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds)

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
* Penelope Cruz (Nine)
* Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air)
* Maggie Gyllenhaal (Crazy Heart)
* Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air)
* Mo'Nique (Precious)

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:
* District 9 (Written by Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell)
* An Education (Screenplay by Nick Hornby)
* In the Loop (Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche)
* Precious (Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher)
* Up in the Air (Screenplay by Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner)

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:
* The Hurt Locker (Written by Mark Boal)
* Inglourious Basterds (Written by Quentin Tarantino)
* The Messenger (Written by Alessandro Camon, Oren Moverman)
* A Serious Man (Written by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen)
* Up (Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter. Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy)

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM:
* Coraline
* Fantastic Mr. Fox
* The Princess and the Frog
* The Secrets of Kells
* Up

VISUAL EFFECTS:
* Avatar (Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham, Andrew R. Jones)
* District 9 (Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros, Matt Aitken)
* Star Trek (Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh, Burt Dalton)

I still have some catching up to do. So far, the best things I've seen this year are Avatar, Inglorious Basterds, (500) Days of Summer, Coraline, Up and The Hurt Locker. I don't know about anybody else but I was underwhelmed by District 9. It was good, but not great. So, I'm not really rooting for it. I'm disappointed (500) Days of Summer didn't get a nod for anything, not even screenplay. Although I loved Coraline, the first 10 minutes of Up are masterful. I was literally in tears. So my guess is its a shoe-in for Best Animated Film (but probably no chance of Best Picture). The Hurt Locker was great, definitely the best movie about the Iraq War, but I don't know if it was the best, given the list. Also I hope Christoph Waltz wins for Best Supporting Actor, he was awesome in Inglorious. 

See anything left off their list? What are your predictions?

Sigh....

By Dave

Bruce Bartlett uses this poll to show why he's not a Republican.

I can only conclude from this new poll of 2003 self-identified Republicans nationwide that between 20% and 50% of the party is either insane or mind-numbingly stupid.

Question	Yes	No	Not Sure
Should Barack Obama be impeached?	39	32	29
Do you believe Barack Obama was born in the United States?	42	36	22
Do you think Barack Obama is a socialist?	63	21	16
Do you believe Barack Obama wants the terrorists to win?	24	43	33
Do you believe ACORN stole the 2008 election?	21	24	55
Do you believe Sarah Palin is more qualified to be president than Barack Obama?	53	14	33
Do you believe Barack Obama is a racist who hates white people?	31	36	33
Do you believe your state should secede from the United States?	23	58	19
Should openly gay men and women be allowed to teach in public schools?	8	73	19
Should contraceptive use be outlawed?	31	56	13
Do you believe the birth control pill is abortion?	34	48	18

Republicans Unanimously Vote Against Fiscal Responsibility

By Dave

Hypocrisy truly knows no bounds.

Today the Senate voted 60-40 to enact PAYGO rules. These rules are among the first steps needed to force fiscal discipline on the government and they are responsible for the budget surpluses inherited by the Bush Administration in 2000. But EVERY SINGLE Republican voted against it. Not one Republican Senator voted yes. Not Olympia Snowe, not John McCain, not Susan Collins, not one. This is truly the Party of No.

For the last decade, Republicans have worked tirelessly to put this country into debt and financial ruin. They destroyed the country's budget with cut taxes for the wealthy, giant unfunded entitlement programs, and two wars. Yet they have the audacity to insist that they are the Party of Fiscal responsibility, despite all evidence to the contrary.

Wake up, people. Let know one ever insist to me that Congressional Republicans have ideas or favor deficit reduction. They couldn't care less about the deficit. Today's vote proves it. These people are power hungry narcissists who have no interest in making government more efficient or more productive. They just want the power. They will say or do anything to get it.

Great Moments in American Politics

By Dave

For anybody who hasn't seen it, here is the video from Obama's Q&A with the Republican Caucus.



Given the level of political debate over the last year, this back and forth looks all the more remarkable. One, it was great to see Obama demolish the Republican talking points using only facts and logic. Two, it was nice to see Republicans being respectful and actually taking this seriously. All in all, both sides came off looking pretty good.

In a lot of ways, the Q&A reminded me of when the British Prime Minister addresses the House of Commons. There's a give and take, everyone has to be on their toes, and intellectual capacity matters. It would be cool to see this happen more often. I've heard Republicans are already regretting giving a platform to Obama to shoot down their talking points.

So who knows if this is a one-time fluke or the beginning of a new trend, but I can dream can't I.

In Case You're Going to Watch the SOTU Later

By Dave

How did I miss this:

H/T The Daily What

SOTU Concluding Thoughts

By Dave

Well, first let me say. Live blogging is no joke, it's a lot of work. It's meant, I think, as a first impression type of analysis. What are the things that stick out? What was the initial reaction to certain ideas? Etc. I had fun. Hopefully, it is at least somewhat interesting to readers.

Based on this speech, this is obviously a President focused on domestic issues. The number one priority is to improve what's going on here at home. He's clearly focused on issues abroad. But he barely spent a couple of minutes on foreign policy and only briefly touched on Iran and North Korea.

The bulk of this speech was dedicated to 'feeling your pain.' He made it clear again and again that he knew how people were feeling and he empathized. It was also very policy heavy. Lot's of explaining the rationale for previous policies, and laying the ground for new policies.

A big focus, predictably, was jobs. I'm generally skeptical of the government's ability to create jobs, but I understand the need for the administration to focus on this issue. Some of Obama's ideas seem like they could actually get the job done (no pun intended). Tax breaks and credits for small businesses to hire new people, eliminating the capital gains tax for investing in small businesses, and providing more credit for small businesses all could go a long way to creating jobs.

Again, this is a president who is believes that government needs to work. He's not a socialist, and he's not a corporatist as his critics on the far right and left like to charge. He believes in an effective, active government but look at his policy proposals. Almost all of them try to improve or work with market forces to improve the quality of life for Americans. None of his proposals called for the government to be a primary player. Rather the government will act as a facilitator and a supporter.

I think he needs to drive this political philosophy home in a more forceful and direct fashion.  I know he prefers to show not tell. But this is a narrative that needs to be explicitly spelled out again and again.

Lastly, he was reassuring. He spoke plainly, honestly, and was straight forward. This wasn't the soaring rhetoric of the Obama campaign but it put me at ease and if you've talked to me lately, you know that I have not been at ease. I think this type of talk will resonate with people. It's easy to understand andjust dissipates the shrillness that pervades our political discourse.

Well, these are just some preliminary thoughts. What did you think?

Live Blogging State of the Union Pt. 3

By Dave

10:07: We need to support our troops. Not just with bumper stickers. Last year, saw the largest increase in funding for veterans in decades. Next step reforming the VA

10:08: Takes his message of nuclear disarmament to congress. We'll see how far this message goes with this crowd.

10:09 Tough talk towards nations that pursue nuclear weapons. Calls out Iran and promises consequences unless they change their path.

10:10: America is a nation that provides leadership to other countries. We work with others. We will not be bystanders on important problems.

10:11: Who's the guy with the awful tie in this shot?

10:12: Pledges to stand with the people living in oppression and poverty. Also administration to help working to rebuild Haiti.

10:13: Civil rights: Prosecute those who commit hate crimes. Promises this year to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell. Yes! Way to go, Obama. Let's see this happen. 


10:15: American Values. Not republican or democratic. Not business or labor. American values. This is clearly a speech about positioning himself on the side of the American people and letting people know that he gets it. That he understands.

10:15: What bravery. He knows the perceptions that people have of him. He's willing to admit that he can't do everything. That change doesn't come easy. But this is not a time to easy things. This is a time to look to the future. To me it is refreshing and admirable to see a President who admits when he's wrong but won't give up and won't stop fighting the good fight.

10:17: Ties this moment back into history. To remind people of the sacrifices of the past. To remind Congress of the job the have.

10:19: We are strong. We are resilient. We are American.

1019: We have finished a difficult year. After a difficult decade. But this is a new decade and I WON"T QUIT.

Live Blogging State of the Union Pt. 2

By Dave

9:40: Investing in Education. Best anti-poverty campaign is a world-class education. Education outcomes shouldn't depend on where you live, rather on your potential. Revitalize Community colleges! Excellent. Community colleges do so much for this country and so much for students who can't afford or don't need to go to a four-year school.

9:42: Increased Pell Grants from money that used to subsidize banks for offering student loans. Debt forgiveness after ten years or for students who go into public service.  All awesome ideas.

9:43: Finally the call for health insurance reform! Let's see the gloves come off,  Mr. President!

9:45: Yes, let's clear somethings up! Nice joke about the politics, too. Starts off by framing this as a moral issue. People are suffering. That's why we need to do this. We can fix this problem.

9:46 Michelle looks realllly awkward....

9:47: HCR will bring down the deficit by $1 trillion over the next two decades. Obama takes his share of the blame for not explaining it well enough. What's in it for me? Without HCR more people will suffer, premiums will increase, more will lose coverage.

9:48: This is an improvement over the status quo. If you can bring down the deficit, bring down premiums, cover the uninsured, etc, etc. Let me know. Nice straight talk. Call 'em out.

9:49: Let's get this done!

9:50: That's right. Reminds us that our deficit is the result of not paying for two wars, not paying for tax cuts, etc, etc.Plus the recession made it worse. "All that was before walked in the door." Just stating the facts.

9:51: Specific steps to pay for what it took to save the economy. 1) Freeze discretionary spending for three years starting in 2011. Will enforce this discipline by veto! The gloves really are off. 2) Keep going through the budget to get rid of programs that don't work. Will extend middle class tax cuts, but will roll back others. 3) We still need to fix

9:53: Points to Deficit reduction commission. I don't have too much faith in it. But I think it's cool that he will create one by executive order because the Senate couldn't create one on it's own.

9:54: Restore pay-as-you-go law.

9:55: Nice little quip: That's how budgeting works...

9:56: Juxtapose right wing philosophy to what he's proposing now. Good reminder, right wing policies got us in this mess. Let's invest in our people, without leaving them a mountain of debt. Let's use common sense.

9:57: Washington suffers from a deficit of trust. Reminds them of work we've done so far. Mentions banning lobbyists from serving on boards. Republicans jeer but they have little room to talk on this issue. Note the total disrespect they have for this President.

9:59: Posting earmark requests on line. Good idea.

9:59: Nice that he can laugh at the stereotypes about him. "I didn't believe I'd usher in a post-partisan era"

10:00 Everyday is election day. We can't solve problems in a climate where I win when you lose. Not sure how much of this will get across. At least, he gets to scold the Republicans and look like the adult in the room. Commits himself to changing the tone in Washington.

10:01: Again comes back to a Washington that works and solves problems.

10:01: Don't run for the hills.

10:01: Calls out the Republican for filibustering every single issue. But now they have to step up to the plate. They need to solve problems too. Republicans can't just fulfill their short term ambitions.

10:03 Will begin monthly meetings with House Dems and Reps. This is a Congressional President.

10:03 Makes the transition to security. He really is the adult in the room. This is what strength looks like. Calls on Congress to put aside school yard taunts about who's tough.

10:05: Outlines the way his administration has made the country safer and how we will soon begin bringing troops home. This is his chance to remind us why we are fighting in Afghanistan and what is at stake in that country.

10:06 Promises to end the War in Iraq. All combat troops out by August. This isn't all troops but it's a good step. Make no mistake this war is ending. All of our troops are coming home.

Live Blogging the State of the Union Pt. 1

By Dave

Pre-SOTU: Lots of pomp and circumstance, cabinet members, important people, etc. LET"S GET THIS THING GOING!

9:06 EST:  Ok we're off! Obama comes in. Looking calm and confident. That's good. Shaking hands. Hi, how are ya, Hi, how are ya, Laughing at funny(?) jokes, couple of kisses. All right, let the guy enter!

9:08: Big handshake to Joe Biden!

9:09: Now, he's got his serious face on.

9:10: Nice opening. Connecting this moment to history, how our story fits into the greater context of  American history. Reminding us to move forward as "one people, one nation"

9:13 Reminding us what it looked like when he came in. Two failed wars, awful recession. Congress has acted but we're not out of it yet. He's connecting with the everyday Americans. Reminding them he knows what they're going through.

9:15: "Change has not come fast enough." - Congress has been unable or "unwilling to solve their problems." Nice touch.

9:16: This is Obama's recurring theme:  a government that actually works to solve problems. A government that improves the living standards for it's citizens.

9:17: Never been more hopeful. Still on the "hope" theme.

9:18: We do not quit. We do not let fear govern our emotions. We need a government that embodies their decency and strength. Well said!

9:19: We all hated the bank bailout. Admits it's unpopularity but defends this action as necessary. If the banks had failed Americans would hurt even more. More people would out of work and homeless. This was a good segue to promote his bank fee. Americans rescued the banks. If they can afford to give big bonuses, they can afford to pay back the taxpayers who saved them.

9:20: Thank you! We cut taxes! The FNC propaganda machine has somehow convinced people that taxes have increased. Wrong! Taxes have been cut!

9:21: Not sure about the humor and levity here, but what ev's.

9:22: The stimulus bill has been a hard sell for this administration. This was a good time to set the record straight. It's added jobs, protected services, added teachers and cops, given small business loans, etc. This is a good start but it will take more than one speech to set the record straight, the administration needs to be consistently vocal on these points.

9:25: Jobs is the admins "main focus" in 2010. I don't know about this. I know jobs are important but I'm still a little skeptical about the government's ability to create jobs. However, I do agree with Obama's analysis. Businesses create jobs when the conditions are right to create those jobs. $30 Billion to help community banks sounds like it could go a long way, though.

9:27: Eliminating a capital gains tax on small business investment! Now that might do something!

9:27: Infrastructure. This is a big point for me. America is way behind. There is no reason we don't have high speed rail in this country.

9:28: Cut tax breaks to companies that hire overseas. Yawn! I'm skeptical of the efficacy of this type of policy. I'd have to hear more but companies are hiring overseas for more reasons than just tax breaks. This is also a constant refrain in Washington. We'll see...

9:29: People are hurting. Send a jobs bill without delay!

9:30: Obama dismisses the naysaying and the skeptics that we can't fix long term problems. How long should we wait? China's not waiting. India's not waiting. Germany's not waiting. If we want to be competitive in a global economy, we need to start investing now! Second place isn't good enough for America!

9:33: Doesn't want to hurt banks! We need to protect the American economy. Big banks can't put Americans in jeopardy. Nice touch: lobbyists are trying to kill financial reform. Setting the stage for the debate.

9:35: Energy Investment. This is important. Incentives can play an important role in pushing innovation forward, particularly if the market hasn't caught up. Also mention clean coal and nuclear power.

9:36 Republicans won't stand to support climate change legislation. They'd rather keep polluting, thanks.

9:37: Even if you don't agree with the evidence (which you should), it's still the right thing to do for America's economic and energy futures.

9:38: New Goal: Double exports over the next five years. My sense is that more goes into making American products too expensive than the administration probably wants to deal with. Ugh! More subsidies for American agriculture to export products. This is not necessary.

Live Blogging The SOTU

By Dave

Tonight we're going to try our hand at live-blogging Obama's State of the Union address. It's something we have yet to try at Opedantic, so it should be a fun and exciting challenge. After it's over give us some feedback. What were the most memorable moments to you?

Nerds, Don't Go to Prison

By Dave

They've banned D&D!

Citizens United and SCOTUS

By Dave

I've been hesitant to post my thoughts about the Supreme Court ruling on corporate political donations. I know friends are adamantly opposed to it. They think it will open the door for a corporate takeover of American politics. I'm definitely concerned, but I also recognize that there are pretty good arguments that the ruling was correct and that everything may not be so dire.

Here's some of my thinking:

First, I recognize that this is a first amendment issue. These are often, but not always, made with the potential consequences being a secondary or even tertiary consideration. For instance, the KKK is allowed to demonstrate and march even though they may pick up new recruits and will almost always offend. They have the right, regardless of the consequence. But by the same token, you can't yell fire in a crowded theater because it could result in dire consequences. So there's not necessarily a clear line. I highly recommend Glenn Greenwald's discussion on these points.

Second, even if the ruling may have been right on the merits, a possible effect of this ruling is that corporations will take a tighter hold over our political system. Maybe true. But let's be honest, even under the old rules corporations had a fairly tight grip on the system. Worse, there were loopholes that allowed corporations to donate unlimited amounts of money in ways that were difficult to track. They could, for instance, air "educational" ads so long as they didn't officially endorse a candidate. The ruling creates an opportunity to make things more transparent. There may be other potential upsides.

For instance, instead of trying to limit political speech, congress could try to empower it. We could try to strengthen the power of the little guy, the people who only donate $25 or $100 every once in a while. Dick Durbin has a pretty cool idea:

The idea, which already works well in New York City and other localities, is to set up a public-financing system that rewards candidates who attract small donors. House candidates, for example, who raise at least $50,000 in donations of $100 or less would be eligible for $900,000 in public money. The president must move the bill to the center of his agenda and mobilize his 13 million 2008 contributors to pressure Congress to enact it.

Anyways, like I said, I'm not a 100% and so I've been hesistant to post. But I'd like to hear what other people are thinking. Do the potential consequences of unlimited corporate donations outweigh the First amendment right to unlimited political speech? Could greater transparency be a worthwhile trade-off? What other reforms could be enacted that would make the system better overall?

The last question is important to me. If Congress can use this as an opportunity to pass smart reform, they could make the overall system better off. Then again, there's not a lot of proof, at least right now, that Congress is capable of making smart decisions.

What do Paris Hilton and John Edwards have in Common?

By Dave

You guessed it! Gawker has the scoop. Also if you missed the seedy excerpt from Game Change, it's here.

Seriously, thank God this man didn't make it anywhere near the White House.

H/T Wonkette

The Memo House Dems Need To Read

By Dave

Steve Benen from the Washington Monthly wrote a memo to House Dems saying pretty much everything we've been saying for the last month. It's well worth a read. He recounts this useful piece of history:

Kristol, however, noticed that his party lacked direction, and offered his vision as a way forward. His memo offered a simple and clear response: the GOP had to kill the Clinton reform plan at all costs. The merit of the reform proposal and its ability to improve the lives of Americans was deemed largely irrelevant — Kristol argued that a successful reform effort would position Democrats as the "protector of middle-class interests," a fate the GOP could not allow. The Republicans' principal goal, Kristol added, should be to focus on handing the White House a "monumental setback." (He declined to use the word "Waterloo," but the sentiment was hardly vague.)

The memo became the basis for the GOP strategy in 1994 — it remains the guiding principle of the Republican Party today — and was integral in killing what was thought to be the best chance at passing meaningful reform since the days of Truman. Clinton's approval ratings suffered dramatically; Democrats developed a reputation for being unable to deliver on their own agenda; and less than a year later, Democrats lost their congressional majority. Republicans, far from being punished for their obstructionism, reaped the rewards of health care reform's demise. (Indeed, the public blamed the White House and the Democrats for overreaching, grinding on for months, and having little to show for it — a task made easier when Democrats blamed each other in ways that played into the Republican narrative.)

 Yep. Sounds familiar.