Politics

Politics

There are 1,050 posts filed in Politics (this is page 57 of 105).

The goalposts have moved too far

I was thinking about a post on the Talking About Politics blog saying the Democrats need to buck up and do what it takes to win again. It’s a good point with which I agree. There’s one catch, however:

As my friend Brad Crone, the Democratic consultant from Raleigh, told the Wake County Democratic Men this week: “Republicans won the legislature in districts that we drew. We can do the same thing.”

Can Democrats? It’s true that the Dem’s maps gave us an edge but it wasn’t an edge as extreme as the Republicans have given themselves. Gerrymandering isn’t right with either side does it, but all sides seem to agree that this recent round has taken it to the next level. As Rob Christensen of the N&O pointed out recently, many seats in the state legislature have already been won before a single vote has been cast, based simply on how the new maps have been drawn.

Dems have been given a tough hill to climb. There’s no two ways about it.

On fracking: Faison opposed, Dalton supports with caution, Etheridge unknown | newsobserver.com projects

Hey N.C. Governor candidates: if you support fracking, I don’t support you. Clean water trumps jobs, every time. Please don’t bring this disaster to North Carolina!

Gov. Bev Perdue’s move Wednesday toward fracking is putting the Democratic candidates vying to replace her on the spot.

Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton’s campaign issued a statement Thursday trying to take a middle-of-the road approach. Dalton supports fracking but suggests it needs more study before moving forward to know if it can be done safely.

via On fracking: Faison opposed, Dalton supports with caution, Etheridge unknown | newsobserver.com projects.

USDOJ hid evidence in Sen. Stevens case

This is disturbing. I take back my joke about Sen. Stevens being a felon. He was wronged.

U.S. prosecutors in the case of the late Alaska Senator Ted Stevens repeatedly hid evidence that could have exonerated him from corruption charges, according to an investigative report released on Thursday that found misconduct by Justice Department lawyers.

The prosecutors intentionally withheld and concealed information from Stevens’ defense lawyers that included witness statements, key details that could have undermined prosecutors’ star witnesses and allowed false testimony to be presented during his 2008 trial, the report said.

Stevens’ main defense attorney, Brendan Sullivan, “was not aware when he gave his opening statement, and never learned during or after the trial, that the prosecutors possessed evidence that directly corroborated Senator Stevens’ defense,” the report said.

via U.S. prosecutors repeatedly hid evidence in Sen. Stevens case | Reuters.

Stop signs vs. traffic lights

Safer than a signal?


Neighbors near my home have complained for years about speeding traffic along Glascock Street and Brookside Drive. Finally, some opted to petition the city to implement traffic calming measures and the city agreed to act.

Part of the plan includes removing the traffic signal at Glascock and Brookside in favor of stop signs. Some neighbors in Oakwood expressed concern about this change, fearing that it would cause confusion, especially when kids are walking to school.

Well, I have kids at the local school and we either walk or ride bikes there every school day. Glascock isn’t part of our preferred path because, not only is Edmund Street more convenient for us but also too many cars speed on Glascock. Even so, I walk through the Glascock/Brookside intersection nearly every other morning and can say that even with traffic signals (and pedestrian heads) crossing there remains a dicey undertaking.
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Encouraging volunteerism

On my way out of the municipal building yesterday, I passed Cindy Trumbower, volunteer coordinator of the city’s Parks and Rec program. She told me she just got back from a volunteer event where a bunch of students from Michigan State University had painted a city gymnasium as part of their Spring Break service. These kids didn’t hit the beach and stay drunk and rowdy for a week (even being from a chilly place like Michigan) but instead gave their time to help others. How cool is that? I thought that was just awesome and asked if she could provide the Parks board details at our next meeting.
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City council appearance

I made an appearance at Raleigh City Council this afternoon for a Parks board item which requested the city apply for status as a Playful City USA. Before I got to the microphone, the Council told me they were all fine with the agreement and promptly voted unanimously to approve it. It took me longer to put on my suit than it did to present the item, which was a welcome change!

The Council also approved making recycling theft a crime. Only District B Councilor John Odom voted against it, which is surprising to me. I thought he would be all for protecting the city from having to raise its recycling fees, and willing to protect the privacy of his constituents by discouraging strangers rummaging through their recycling. I’m not sure his reasoning, since at one point during today’s debate he said he “wasn’t against” the ordinance yet voted against it anyway.

With multiple homes in my neighborhood losing their air conditioning units (one just two doors down) to metal-scavenging thieves, I feel we should discourage these jackasses from prowling the neighborhood. Hopefully this will help.

Update 7 March: In response to a comment on the N&O story about this, let me say again: this isn’t about homeless people, it’s about professional metal scavengers working neighborhoods. Homeless people don’t fill up their pickup trucks with cans (and work in teams, for that matter). Folks need to apply some common sense here.
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U.S. Stands Firm Against Drug Legalization, Biden Says

I’m hugely disappointed in Vice President Biden’s refusal to even consider decriminalizing some drugs. Latin America is being torn apart by drug trafficking violence and it’s entirely fueled by America’s outdated drug policies. It’s beyond time for “market alternatives.” Our Latin American brothers and sisters are pleading for help and our refusal to deal with the problem will doom them.

It’s in America’s best interests to have strong and safe neighbors. It’s time to have a serious conversation about our drug policy. I hope Mr. Biden reconsiders.

Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. delivered a blunt message on Monday to leaders in Latin America who are contemplating opening the door to the legalization of illicit drugs: The United States will not budge in its opposition. Mr. Biden, beginning a two-day trip to Mexico and Honduras ahead of a regional summit meeting next month, told reporters that he welcomed a debate over legalization, but then he knocked down the arguments in favor of it.

via U.S. Stands Firm Against Drug Legalization, Biden Says – NYTimes.com.

All the Advertisers Who Are Sticking by Limbaugh

As the parent of a daughter I am furious with Rush Limbaugh’s slandering of women. Any company that still does business with him is on my official shit list (you listening, Netflix?)

Rush Limbaugh said he wasn’t motivated to apologize to Sandra Fluke by the number of companies pulling ads from his show. He insists he’s turned away “millions” in ads and he can always “replace” the ones who’ve left! But it made us wonder exactly who does advertise on Limbaugh’s show. We paid close attention to Limbaugh’s ad breaks on Monday’s broadcast on D.C.’s WMAL. Limbaugh’s sponsor base reveals a lot about how those angry white men of the 1990s are aging — they care a lot more about weight loss, teeth, and gold. So far seven advertisers have pledged to pull their ads: AOL, ProFlowers, Quicken Loans, Sleep Number beds, Sleep Train, Citrix Systems, LegalZoom. Here are all 31 advertisers we heard on Monday’s show.

via All the Advertisers Who Are Sticking by Limbaugh – Politics – The Atlantic Wire.

Update 6 March: Netflix says they don’t advertise on Limbaugh’s show. Good.

Santorum’s sad campaign stop

I happened to be flipping through satellite channels yesterday morning when I came upon a feed from one of Rick Santorum’s campaign stops. I’m not sure where he was yesterday, but the video showed a room full of white people, which was my first clue I was looking at a Republican campaign stop.

The event was in a poorly-lit hotel ballroom. The advance people took the microphone and tried repeatedly to get the crowd fired up by chanting “we choose RED! we choose RED!” The crowd, however, was having none of it and the weak cheer died out after three rounds.

I turned off the audio at that point because I’d seen all I needed to see. The room was lifeless and Santorum did nothing for the room’s energy when he finally took the stage. I haven’t been following the Republican primaries very closely but if this is how Rick Santorum fires up his supporters he’s in a lot of trouble.