Hayseeds No. 242

After John Edwards.

The American Prospect has an interesting article about John Edward's flawed campaign for the President that has all but pettered out.

But privately they admit that Edwards' candidacy was flawed: It relied on populist rhetoric at a time when a grassroots populist movement doesn't exist, and Edwards' personal life, including his large mansion and much-maligned expensive haircut, detracted from his ability to speak convincingly about the plight of lower and middle class Americans. But they still insist that their guy would have been the safest bet to face off against a Republican in front of an electorate accustomed to white, male politicians. As Edwards himself said at the South Carolina debate on Jan. 21, "It’s amazing now that being the white male is different. … I grew up in the rural south, in small towns all across the rural south, and I think I can go everywhere and compete head-to-head with John McCain."

I have to admit that all that is true—his supporters didn't have a real issue to sell him on, but then again near did his opponets. People where just too excited to vote the first black man or the first women into the White House, and where willing to overlook Edward's solid policy choices.

So what will he do next? TAP has some idears:

With Edwards’ presidential ambitions seemingly quashed, many campaign insiders are wondering what his next step will be. There’s buzz about a possible Cabinet-level appointment, maybe even to attorney general. But others hope that released from the pressure of the presidential race, Edwards will become to anti-poverty work and populism what Al Gore is for the environment—a powerful national advocate above the partisan fray.

It should be interesting. John Edwards was the conscience of the major candidates, and forced Obama and Clinton to critically rethink their positions, and change them to better represent the wishes of the American People.

Free Money the Government Will Be Giving You.

It looks like the US Senate and House have agreed on a stimulus bill that will give poor people small checks ranging from $300-$1200 to keep them happy and continue shopping, in an effort to stop the slowing economy.

While most people think it's mostly a way for politicans to suck up to voters in an election year (for free money—VOTE FOR ME!), and it will be too slow and too small to have much of an impact.

Once the proposed stimulus bill is drafted up (after a tentative agreement is finalized by both houses) and introduced, then it will be posted on OpenCongress.org Economic Stimulus Package Bills page.

The reality is that probably the best thing you can do for both the economy and for yourself, is to take any money you may get from the government rebate checks, and stick it in an interesting bearing savings account.

Why? Our society's biggest problem is not a lack of spending, but too much spending and not enough saving. It's alway tempting to spend stimulus on frivolous things, that we'll throw away in a couple of days. But besides that, your just wasting your money on something that gives you temporary euphoria.

Of course, that's not what the rich want us to do to stimulate their economy. Conspicuous consumption makes the rich richer, everyone else poorer, and rapes our environment too boot.

When you have enough money to spend the money on something durable and an investment in your future, then spend it. But don't go out on a limb and get yourself into further debt just to use the so-called stimulus.

The Nasty Man is Out.

It looks like the once controversial mayor of New York City, Rudolph Guliani, or as Ed Koch used to call him "Nasty Man" is now out of the race.

That's great. The State GOP was praying that somehow Guiliani could head up their ticket and save the party from irrelevancy in our state. Guliani of course well deserved his nickname—he was not a nice person to deal with and would have been a damn scary president.

Our long national nightmare is over. At least the other GOP candidates aren't as scary, and it should be interesting to see if Guliani's endorsement of McCain will help him out.

John Edwards Is Out.

The other casuality of last night's primary is John Edwards who is expected to announce his resignation from the Democratic-race, making the field down to Clinton vs. Obama.

I know I haven't decided which one I will support, but I am glad that Edwards stuck with it until now and raised a lot of good issues. On Super Tuesday, things really will get sorted out.

Economic Stimulus Plan.

Over at the EmpireWire Cartoon Archives they have a good cartoon representing our government's solution to the recent downturn in the economy—more spending for an already bloated society.

Remember 9/11 Not Working As Much Anymore?

After Biden's famed remark about Guilani: "There's only three things he mentions in a sentence: a noun, a verb and 9/11", it seems increasingly likely that people obession over 9/11 fears is now over and won't play that much more in presidential politics.

"We have 9/11 fatigue in the United States," said Mitchell Moss, a professor at New York University and an adviser to Giuliani's successor, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a technocrat who has focused on the future, and away from 9/11 and terrorism-related concerns.

So Guiliani's run for President is over. Mull over that for a while.

MLK and LBJ.

As many of you know I wrote an article on this two weeks ago. It looks like Bill Moyers Journal did a video commentary on this.

Martin Luther King had marched and preached and witnessed for this day. Countless ordinary people had put their bodies on the line for it, been berated, bullied and beaten, only to rise, organize and struggle on, against the dogs and guns, the bias and burning crosses. Take nothing from them; their courage is their legacy. But take nothing from the president who once had seen the light but dimly, as through a dark glass — and now did the right thing. Lyndon Johnson threw the full weight of his office on the side of justice. Of course the movement had come first, watered by the blood of so many, championed bravely now by the preacher turned prophet who would himself soon be martyred. But there is no inevitability to history, someone has to seize and turn it. With these words at the right moment — "we shall overcome" — Lyndon Johnson transcended race and color, and history, too — reminding us that a president matters, and so do we.

Fascinating. You have to watch this video.

The Moving Staircase Then:

And the Convention Center. Both are now history with the cost of inflation particularly in the construction industry, a beligured mayor speaks today:

"In light of the challenges we're facing, I think it's only right we take a step back and look at this very, very closely," the mayor said. "There are other priorities in the city."

Jennings said he is asking the state for money to help balance the city's budget and cope with an excess of rundown vacant buildings.

"There is no doubt this is now a very big challenge," he said. "We have to look at this in that context."

This of course is part of a long tradition, engineered and perfected by the likes of Erastus Corning and many other politicians across our country.

Promise great things. Then don't deliver when you find there is no money to get 'em done.

I hate to be so cynical about politics, but things like the Convention Center where little more then a ambitious politician's dream. They didn't and wouldn't have ever improved the life of anyone.

But at the same time, it's good to dream, and sometimes push the boundaries of the possible. But realize that sometimes dreams don't come to fruition.

What New York's Real Problem.

While not frequently discussed in political circles, Corruptany has a good perspective on Democracy in Albany:

Silda's I Live New York

By Corruptany, Section Diaries
Posted on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 02:17:25 PM EST

I was just reading about Silda Wall's "I Live New York" program, capaign, pr stunt, what ever it is. Number one, that has to be the most idiotic sounding name for anything, and number two, what is she doing.

Being a younger person who wanted to stay in upstate New York, especially my home Albany, I would like to give Silda some pointers. Back in the day when I was in Albany, I noticed a little thing that I call patronage in regards to everything in New York. I spent my whole college career studying business and urban planning with the hopes of helping upstate. I always noticed that most jobs never seemed to become published, and always seems to be filled by the children of political hacks.

I remember seeing conferences on leadership looking to attact a new generation of leaders and thinkers in upstate. All of the leaders and thinkers I knew were all forced out of town. All of the people picked for these conferences and titles all seemed to be the sons and daughters of the politically connected.

Silda, see a trend here. Maybe the reason New York, especially upstate is losing jobs and population is due to the people in power and their useless kids. Maybe if we exposed them for the hacks they were and actually did something to put "Other" people in power, and in these conferences, meetings what ever you call it. Maybe then we would have some real ideas. Until them, accept the status quo of Mike McNulty, or someone like Fred LeBrun's kids getting their names in the paper.

But I doubt this is only New York's problem. Patronage is drag on all levels of government, but also necessary to alert the public to what are the real issues of the day.