What’s on your agenda?
About The Author
BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
14 Comments
This was incredible. Amazing. And wonderful.
She learned a lesson from Terri Schiavo.
That’s definitely something worth showing off to Dr. Frist and his friends.
One measly point, that’s all he asked, writes Andy Bororwitz
I found this on Colin McEnroe’s blog, written before the convention:
Markos Moulitsas Zuniga – Daily Kos to you – appeared on our radio show on Wednesday and said he wished Lamont wouldn’t even bother with a convention fight. His candidacy, said Kos, is all about taking the process back to the people. Lamont should rely on signatures, instead of arm-twisting the insiders, Kos opined.
I’m not sure if that tactical misjudgement matters, but I’m sure glad the campaign didn’t pay attention to Markos. IMHO, Lamont would have had no chance whatsoever of actually winning without the momentum from last night’s huge victory.
interesting. I like the sentiment behind what Markos said. But, Lamont was very successful at lowering expectations and then hitting a home run.
I wasn’t sure how well he would do, and failure would have been deadly once he went the convention route.
My advice would probably have been similar as far as where to focus the money, but I think Lamont had to focus all of their energy on the convention for at least a few days to show that they’re serious.
The part I find interesting is how much we chide Democrats for accepting stupid republican talking points as the underlying basis for discussion, when Kos’s strategy basically accepted conventional wisdom that turned out to be wrong.
What he was doing was setting up the spin for a loss when the win turned out to be easily achievable. As I said, I would probably have given similar advice so I’m not faulting Kos. It’s much easier to see this in retrospect, but it’s also something that can provide insight into how to change strategy moving forward to other campaigns and venues.
Saturday/agenda – the two just don’t mix for me.
“The very purpose of a Bill of Rights was to withdraw certain subjects from the
vicissitudes of political controversy, to place them beyond the reach of
majorities and officials and to establish them as legal principles to be applied
by the courts. One’s right to life, liberty, and property, to free speech, a
free press, freedom of worship and assembly, and other fundamental rights may
not be submitted to vote; they depend on the outcome of no elections.”
Justice Jackson in West Virginia Board of Education vs. Barnett (1943).
I was thinking of starting a petition drive to ask you to find the Midwest message board, since it seems to have disappeared. But since it’s been missing for quite a while and nobody seems to have noticed, I thought it might be more fun to start a pool to see how long it was until you noticed that it had escaped.
“If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no
official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics,
nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess
by a word or act their faith therein.” West Virginia Bd. of Ed. v. Barnette, 319
U.S. 624 (1943) (majority opn. by Jackson, J.)
–and–
Re: the Second Amendment — the Right to Bear Arms
From Judge Kozinski’s dissent in ‘Silveira’ …
“The Second Amendment is a doomsday provision, one designed for those
exceptionally rare circumstances where all other rights have failed–where the
government refuses to stand for reelection and silences those who protest; where
courts have lost the courage to oppose, or can find no one to enforce their
decrees– however improbable these contingencies may seem today, facing them
unprepared is a mistake a free people get to make only once.”
Just got back from The Da Vinci Code. I made it a point to go opening weekend. The mighty Wurlitzer seems to be determined to drown this movie in the bathtub, so of course I had see it.
It was pretty good. Hardly the subversive threat to Western Civilization some would make it out to be. Anyone who thinks this movie will bring down the church needs to get a life. Anyone one who’s faith can be shaken by this movie didn’t have much faith to begin with.
It’s a pretty good follow the breadcrumbs movie. There were the requisite shiny things and misdirection. My wife and I were flipping coins til the very end about how the central question would be handled. Don’t worry, I’m not going to spoil it for you. If you want to know, go see the movie. I changed my mind a couple of times about where they were headed. It was an entertaining, keep you guessing kind of movie. The photography is gorgeous. It was not Tom Hank’s best performance, but not his worst either.
OK, now I need to read the book. I’ve been meaning to but there’s this Great Book Publisher Conspiracy. They keep publishing interesting books faster than I can read them. But in a way I’m kind of glad I haven’t read it yet. Movies seldom live up to the book they’re born from, and I went into this one with an open mind. But now I want to read the book for real. Then I want to see the movie again. Probably several times. There was way too much to take in in one sitting.
If you want to see the foundations of the western world shaken, don’t bother with this movie. If you want a decent evening’s entertainment, by all means go see it. I recommend it heartily. And if you do plan to see it, by all means go this weekend. Give it a good showing at the boxoffice its first weekend and prove the wingnuts wrong.
The book is very good, definitely read it.
Thanks. I just ordered the Special Illustrated Edition from Amazon.
Hhhmmm. Well, if you have time and feel you must.
The book itself is truly nothing to be terribly excited about. It’s themes and premises have been well explored before, the ‘mysteries’ of the codes are hardly as interesting or challenging as those in Neal Stephenson’s “Crytonomicon”, and the prose itself is pedestrian.
If you haven’t, do go back and read Umberto Eco’s “Name of the Rose” and “Foucault’s Pendulum”, for a stunning contrast…
Admittedly, this is perhaps comparing ‘summer reading for pleasure’ works with ‘serious literature’ or like comparing ‘social music’ with ‘art music’…
I may be being too harsh here, and I apologize, for different genres have different purposes.
My agenda???? I guess i could try and recruit more folks for my toaster oven but I wouuld rather get Glen Maxey elected Democratic Party Chairperson for Texas. LOL
Glen Maxey For Texas Democrat Party Chair