Rally!

This Sunday, be there or be square!

P.S.: Once again, sorry updates have been so terrible. I may have an announcement coming up in a few days.

Hmm

I've been neglecting you again, blog.

For those of you that think conservatism is taking us back to the 1950's, I say to you, we're way past that.

From The New York Times:

FULTON, Mo. — When Wendy DeVore, the drama teacher at Fulton High here, staged the musical "Grease," about high school students in the 1950's, she carefully changed the script to avoid causing offense in this small town.

She softened the language, substituting slang for profanity in places. Instead of smoking "weed," the teenagers duck out for a cigarette. She rated the production PG-13, advising parents it was not suitable for small children.

But a month after the performances in November, three letters arrived on the desk of Mark Enderle, Fulton's superintendent of schools. Although the letters did not say so, the three writers were members of a small group linked by e-mail, all members of the same congregation, Callaway Christian Church.

Each criticized the show, complaining that scenes of drinking, smoking and a couple kissing went too far, and glorified conduct that the community tries to discourage. One letter, from someone who had not seen the show but only heard about it, criticized "immoral behavior veiled behind the excuse of acting out a play."

This is getting ridiculous.

Lieberman Update

Lieberman is giving a floor speech on Alito at about 2 o' clock. I'll get an update up as soon as we learn how he'll vote.

Flip...Flop...Flip...Flop

Rob Simmons has always tried to have the best of both worlds. He's hid conservative beliefs behind a veil of moderation. Finally, the inevitable has happened and Simmons is no longer able to maintain this political opportunism.

Simmons went along with Bush and voted for the massive and damaging spending cuts on December 19th. This decision was contrary to a statement he made in an email on November 30th of the same year, stating:

“Medicaid, student loans, and food stamps are programs that help people. I could not vote for a bill that targeted these programs. I am for a reduction in federal spending, but it must be done in a more equitable manner.”

So, theres one flip flop. He promised to vote against it, but then he voted for it. He was widely criticized in the Second District for this. And he has now changed his position once again, planning to vote against the budget cuts when they come up for a second vote in the House.

How does Simmon's explain this blatant opportunism?

“I opposed the original House budget in November because I knew it could be, and should be, improved,” Simmons said in a statement. “The budget that was drafted in the House-Senate Conference was a better budget, and I voted for it in December.”

[...]

Simmons said he has since met with a number of constituent groups, including AARP Connecticut, the American Federation of Teachers, Connecticut Voices for Children, labor unions and radiologists, a “consensus” of whom oppose the bill. The congressman said he will oppose the measure when it comes to a vote, as is expected Feb. 1.

Ah, well that clears everything up then. The man has no strong moral standing on issues such as Medicaid, student loans, or food stamps. He promised to vote against any spending cuts that cut Medicaid, student loans, or food stamp programs; yet the seemingly "better" conference bill cut all three. Simmons ended up feeling the heat for his betrayal, and performed a political stunt to save his own rear.

Joe Courtney gives Simmons someone to look up to, taking a stand on Rob's waffling:

"He had the chance to do what was in the best interest of the district and instead broke his word and sided with Bush and his Republican leadership,” Courtney said, “Now that he has been criticized, he wants to pretend that he can undo the damage. That's not leadership. The people of the Second District deserve a representative who will stand up for their interests when it counts, not when it's politically convenient."

Mr. Lieberman

We are watching you closely today Mr. Lieberman.



How will you vote?

Update: As of noon on the 26th, Lieberman still has not announced his vote. You're making us nervous Mr. Lieberman. We have itchy donate fingers waiting for Lamont to launch his site.

Courtney's on the Case

Evening all, just wanted to give those of you that don't already know a heads up that Joe Courtney will be appearing at a UConn forum this Thursday. More here:

( Storrs , January 19, 2005) – Angered over Rob Simmons' vote to cut nearly $13 billion from federal student loan programs, the University of Connecticut Democrats are hosting a forum with 2nd District Congressional Candidate Joe Courtney and State Representative Denise Merrill on January 26th at 4 p.m. at the University of Connecticut 's Dodd Center .

“Rob broke his word,” said David Adams, President of the UCONN Democrats, “He repeatedly promised to oppose these drastic cuts, yet was there to give Tom DeLay and the Republicans the vote they needed to narrowly pass these reductions.”

Courtney has already made his stances known on the issue:

“It's time for leadership that will stand up for Connecticut's college students and their families,” Courtney said, “Affordable college tuition is essential in that it gives our young people the skills they need to succeed in an increasingly competitive global economy. Once again, Rob Simmons failed to step up when it mattered.”

I'll do my best to make it.

Rob Simmons Just Can't Help Himself

Its comments like this that remind me why I started this blog. Rob Simmons jumps on the misinformation bandwagon regarding Abramoff according to the Groton times (via CT Blue:

First he [Simmons] cites examples of Democratic corruption from years ago (all of which sound rather quaint today), and then he states, "[a]nd this is particularly true in the Abramoff case, where the Senate minority leader, Harry Reid, has accepted substantial contributions from Abramoff; where Carl Levin, the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, who's been around for 30 plus years has accepted substantial contributions; the senator from New York, Hillary Clinton..."

Now, I'm going to say this once. NOT A SINGLE DEMOCRAT TOOK MONEY FROM JACK ABRAMOFF. Jack Abramoff is a Republican. He gave money to Republicans. He cheated Native American groups. The cheated Native American groups themselves gave money to Democrats. However, suggesting that those donations are illegal or even in bad taste is ridiculous.

The whole "bipartisan scandal" idea can be put down with a diagram. Say your grandfather has just died and your grandmother has hired a lawyer to manage the inheritance. However, the lawyer was crooked and extorted your grandmother and funneled that money into the Yakuza. Oh, by the way, your grandmother gave you some money for Christmas:


Click for larger version

Now, using Republican logic here, both you and the Yakuza would be equally corrupt. However, this is pretty obviously untrue, because while you might use your Christmas money to buy a copy of Kill Bill, the funneled Yakuza Ney money was a bribe to buy a vote, or keeping with the metaphor, to knock somebody off or a new katana or something.

A Few Things

Sorry the site has been so inactive recently. I have been pretty preoccupied with a combination of sickness, holidays, and exams. When I have been able to get on to post, however, I seem to have been neglecting the site's actual purpose. So first, I'd like to recommned that you all go sign Joe Courtney's petition on the disasterous prescription drug bill. 'Tis a worthy cause.

That being said, just as a warning, I think I do reserve the right to post on another topic if the mood strikes me. Which it often does.

But I digress.

Secondly, my last post seems to have drawn some ire from a commenter who had this to say (my first troll, goody!):

Nothing But the Truth said... This has to be the weakest site I have seen in a while. your posts don't even make sense if you read them carefully, and you espouse ideas that are illogical. Go get a real job. Don't take this too hard. Just don't keep blogging- and failing.

Ouch man, that hit me right here. Either you're a Lieberman fan, or you just lost a pet or something. In either case, I'm very sorry for your loss. But man, all that pent up aggression is just bringing you down.

Also, just FYI. I'm a 15 year old kid, though I'm hoping to get a "real job" this summer. Any recommendations?

Your Blogging Failure,
ATalbot