Voice of Andromeda

Haslam Draws the Line on Guns

2009-10-02T02:57:00.002-05:00

Yes, some things are unbelievable but every once in a while we have to issue KUDOS to a member of the other party. Despite the fact that our new Republican state legislature would like to let folks carry guns EVERYWHERE, and despite the fact that Haslam is in East TN in the heart of gun-country USA, and despite the fact that he is running for Governor of this red state, Knoxville's Bill Haslam has stood up against the gun lobby by trying to ban guns from Knoxville's parks. Nope - I'm not kidding. Maybe he was always meant to be a liberal and we just didn't know it. I encourage all of you to let him know how proud we are of him. Let's lend some moral support.

Feel Good Friday EVE

2009-09-03T19:22:00.021-05:00

I will feel good tomorrow...but this one from Warren Zevon is in honor of the disappointing events of the week regarding healthcare reform and the ATTEMPTED booting of the public option by our elected agent for 'change'. To totally steal a phrase from the LeftWingCracker "Come back with your shield, on ON it". (Sorry about the link - couldn't get the video to embed.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2aUJF3gdog

The Clinton Speech from Jackson Day

2009-09-01T17:33:00.006-05:00

No folks, I didn't film it - but vibinc did. See it at:

http://www.vibincblog.com/?p=1528/

Jackson Day

2009-08-31T13:22:00.014-05:00

Yes, as a good Democrat, I went to Jackson Day. I had never actually seen Bill Clinton in person before, plus I feel that our party needs to pull together more than ever if we are to re-take the Tennessee Legislature next year. Mark it down as a great success for Chip Forrester and the party. Although the paper said over $600,000 was raised, I bet its over $750,000 gross based on the crowd and the prices I knew about. After an eventful day of meeting Democrats from all over and finally meeting nearly every gubernatorial candidate (except I somehow missed Cammack), I have to say we have a few good choices for Governor next August.

Herron, Kyle and McMillian are all very personable. Herron must have brought every soul from his county with him. Met Mike McWherter too. I always liked Ned Ray McWherter but was a little disappointed in his son since Mike doesn't seem to have inherited any of his dad's favorable qualities except his name. Part of Ned Ray's appeal was that he was 'everyman'....a good ole downhome boy, definitely raised without a silver spoon in his mouth, but Ned could talk to anyone. He always made you feel comfortable. Mike? Not so much. I caught a lot of the speeches at the luncheon and have to admit that Jim Kyle did a good job. Looked and sounded like a Governor and I liked what he said. I met his wife and she is a campaign asset. Put me down as leaning Kyle. I want someone who can beat the Republican nominee, plus Kyle is our home-town guy.

Later during the dinner, there were appropriately a few moments of silence for the loss of Teddy Kennedy. Then, we got to hear Al Gore, Harold Ford Jr., Gov. Phil Bredeson, and finally Bill Clinton speak. After all the rumors that Clinton was going to be very late due to the Kennedy funeral and the weather in Boston, he arrived early, so the crowd was pleased. During Clinton's speech, it struck me that Bill Clinton has to be one of the more intelligent folks to ever grace the national stage in recent memory. Bill gave a great speech - very impressive. Somehow he manages to take complicated subjects and explain them in ways everyone can understand, while backing them up with numbers, stories and facts - all without the benefit of a single note. Something our prior president could never have done. (I am going to reserve judgment on Bill's urgent message that the worst thing we can do about healthcare is nothing...I am for a plan with a public option, because without a public option, it is not healthcare reform IMO. Our Blue Dog Congressmen in TN were complimented several times during the night for their healthcare efforts and those comments didn't elicit any applause from me. I was also wondering where our Congressman Cohen was, since I never did see him.)

But back to the speeches: Gore was good too. We don't have many Nobel prize winners in TN so I have to be proud of him and he deserves it. In the many years since he ran for Senate in TN, his speaking ability has improved -- and luckily his stiffness decreased. Ford Jr. had one good line when he said Gore would have been president if the folks in Florida knew how to count. As to Bredeson, what can I say? At least I didn't nod off.

I met the guy running unopposed for the Dem nomination for the 7th Congressional district to take on Marsha Blackburn, Greg Rabindoux. More power to him. Don't live in that district but hope he wins. PS: He's also handsome.

All in all a successful day for the party. Left me with a nice glowy feeling. Don't know what we can do next year to top it but we sure need to try.

The Lunatic Formerly Known as Mayor

2009-08-14T22:40:00.006-05:00

I have just watched the two interviews given today by former Mayor Herenton to Les Smith and Joe Birch. I found myself speechless for about 18 minutes there...but having now regained a modicum of composure, I am compelled to post. I have listened to speculation over the past couple of years that Dr. Herenton may have "narcissistic (which he can't pronounce) personality disorder", may be on drugs, may be a megalomaniac, may be paranoid, or may just be plain crazy. I have read Richard Fields recent letter of July 30th reciting most of those allegations and more (which may have actually precipitated Herenton's petition-pulling. Thanks Rich!) Whatever Herenton is, today me thinks he doth protest too much about the not-crazy part.

One thing is clear from the past two days: Willie Herenton doesn't trust the citizens of Memphis to elect their own chief executive. He's convinced we can't do anything right without his guidance. He belittles the candidates and insults our intelligence while trying somehow to gain the high ground. He treats us as ignorant children in need of parental supervision. I am offended and we should all be insulted by his condescension towards the Memphis voters.

TO DR. HERENTON: We don't need your help. You are not the 'be all' and 'end all' of Memphis politics. There are views and issues which deserve the air. There are problems you have ignored, including, most egregiously, your own African-American community which has not prospered under your reign. You poison race relations in Memphis and we need you gone in order to move forward. We love our city too and your continued involvement in our local affairs moves us backward, not forward.

Of course you have the legal right to resign and of course you have the legal right to re-file for the same office. People have all kinds of legal rights to do crazy things - doesn't mean they ought to do them or that, in doing them, everyone else doesn't have the right to question their sanity.

In 2007, you wasted a lot of taxpayers' time, money and efforts in running for an office you didn't want. Less than two years later, you resigned, causing we the taxpayers (you remember, the people you supposedly want to represent again) to foot the bill for a special election to the tune of $1 million-plus. Now you want taxpayers to foot the bill for this special election for no reason since you want your job back....THEN IF YOU WIN, YOU WANT US TO PAY FOR ANOTHER SPECIAL ELECTION WHEN YOU QUIT AGAIN NEXT YEAR TO RUN FOR CONGRESS. ENOUGH!!

Since when do you believe we are so stupid as to elect an official who has flushed at least $2 million of our hard-earned tax dollars down the toilet? If we don't like what the Mayor Pro Tem is doing, we won't vote for him. If we don't want a wrestler or a Zambodian running the City, we won't vote for him. If we don't want a woman in the Mayor's office who has never gotten along with anyone, we won't vote for her....et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. AND if we don't want a Lunatic Formerly Known as Mayor who doesn't care about wasting our time and money, spouting racist BS and being a national embarrassment which keeps business and jobs away from Memphis, then we won't vote for him either.

Frankly, I believe that you just discovered that without being the incumbent Mayor, you can't raise a nickel in this town to run for Congress. No big surprise to the rest of us - too bad you didn't think that through - but we the taxpayers don't need to pay for your lack of planning and insight (again).

Dr., act like an adult and treat us as the same. We will live happily ever after without you...and if we f*** up, it won't be the first time.

MUST READ

2009-05-27T11:19:00.005-05:00

Smart City Memphis has an excellent post on the anti-discrimination ordinance before the Shelby County Commission. Please go read it.

http://smartcitymemphis.blogspot.com/2009/05/wwjd-surely-not-discriminate-or-hate.html

Feel Good Friday - counting down...

2008-10-23T14:22:00.003-05:00

Memphis City Council - Paul Shaffer!!

2008-10-23T14:19:00.002-05:00

The Target McCain/Palin voter

2008-10-22T15:51:00.005-05:00

Okay, I know we are patriotic and all but some of us REALLY need to pay a little more attention to current events....and geography. Someone just sent me this video. It has apparently been on YouTube for almost 2 years but it was my first time seeing it. Yes, it is hilarious but embarassing at the same time. JEEZ!

Feel Good Friday - Regardless of everything

2008-10-17T15:17:00.003-05:00

After a brief hiatus to actually work for a living, I am back with the following contribution to Feel Good Friday...for you and yours:

Feel Good Friday

2008-09-19T15:42:00.005-05:00

For those of you too young to remember....enjoy Jimi Hendrix and the Star Spangled Banner...

Obama Ad

2008-09-15T16:16:00.006-05:00

CHECK THIS OUT!! Fighting back!

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/honor_ad/

What's it going to take?

2008-09-14T18:34:00.002-05:00

A little earlier, I was watching "In the Heat of the Night" on TV. Always a good one. Right after Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Portier's character) slaps Endicott , Mr. Tibbs and the sheriff (Rod Steiger's character) are standing out by the car with Tibbs imploring the sheriff for just a little more time so he can "bring that fat cat down off that hill." For any of you who remember this moment in the film, it is when realization passes over the sheriff 's face because it dawns on him and thus he verbalizes that Virgil is just like 'the rest of us.' All of a sudden, the Southern working class man realizes that the black man is not an alien entity - he just wants the same things, envies the same things and resents the same things as everyone else.

What would it take for current working class men, South or North, to realize what is in their best interest? Can we get them to join with the black community and the rest of Democrats to elect the candidate who would best serve their interests, regardless of race? Can they forget about the color of skin for the next 60 days and vote to help working class people?

What's it going to take?

Home-Grown Ad on the Issues

2008-09-14T16:25:00.002-05:00

Check out the following on AmericaBlog. Apparently we all need to take the issues into our own hands to get them out there. The Obama campaign remains a step behind.

http://www.americablog.com/2008/09/john-mccain-sarah-palin-and-rape-kits.html

Feel Good Friday - Dedicated to America

2008-09-12T11:31:00.009-05:00

The Detroit Spinners - Working my way back to you.

To the Obama campaign: WAKE UP!

2008-09-12T11:02:00.003-05:00

Fellow progressives, I have been frustrated for days over the inability of the Obama campaign to seize on issues which would be helpful to the cause. The Republicans are pros at this - look at the lipstick on a pig crap. I must write. We have plenty of fodder for our side, but the issue of making victims pay for their own rape-kits is prime time, boys and girls. It tracks to Palin, it tracks to McCain (aka Tweety Bird), it smears them both, and everyone who has heard about it is outraged. Why is our side sitting on its hands?

To the handlers of our Democratic nominee: get off your collective asses and get with the program. US News (of all things) picked up the story from the blogs and called Palin's policy on it reprehensible. The blogosphere is apparently leading the way and continues to push this story (among others) - and now the media is covering it. WHERE IN THE HELL IS THE CAMPAIGN ON THIS? Do you not know an opportunity when you see it?

Sorry, but my frustration has taken over.

Term Limits - Bah, humbug

2008-09-09T21:53:00.004-05:00

Frankly, I think they are a lazy voter's way to avoid the trouble of learning about the candidates. If you, the voters, really want to limit some elected official's term, then go to the polls and vote the bastard (or bastard-ess) out. Get involved, raise a stink, make some noise and for Pete's sake, at least exercise the right you already have and the brain you supposedly have. On the other hand, if somebody is doing a great job, keep 'em. How hard is that??

We have elected some good people locally in the past few years. Examples you ask: How about County Commissioners Steve Mulroy or Deidre Malone? But they are limited to two terms thanks to term limits.

Let's talk about this subject in terms of 'haves' and 'have nots'. For we on the 'have not' side - usually progressives - it takes a lot of effort to get one of our good folks elected. We don't have the money for campaigns that the 'haves' have. Believe me, the money makes the campaign wheels spin. Instead, we try to raise what we can and use foot soldiers and all our other tools to get our folks elected. Pay attention now! It is the benefit of incumbency that makes it easier to keep our good folks in office, rather than having to start over every two terms. Whereas, the 'haves' - usually not progressive - can buy campaigns right and left. We are shooting ourselves in the foot to support term limits. We need to keep the good and toss the bad and not limit ourselves before we get started.

Common Dreams agrees

2008-09-09T20:46:00.000-05:00

Like I said two posts ago:
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/09/08

With apologies to Barack

2008-09-06T23:07:00.001-05:00

Sorry Barack, but I have to bring it up. I read today that Sarahcuda's first child was born less than eight months after she and her husband were married. Looks like that 'abstinence until marriage' thing doesn't work in practice, and shot-gun weddings run in the family. (I did apologize in advance, ok?)

Why Palin? It is all about rednecks, silly.

2008-09-06T18:53:00.002-05:00

I have read with interest the musings of pundits on why McCain picked Sarah Palin. It looks reckless. It looks like she wasn't vetted. Has McCain lost his mind??

Let's think about this. Identify the 'independent' 'thinking' voters that have been swinging the national Presidential elections for the cycles since 1980. Call them 'Reagan Democrats' if you will - those folks who get their panties in a wad about gay marriage and abortion and prayer in schools - those folks that Rovians can play to and win, whether or not their candidate ever actually does anything about the issues that brought these voters to the polls to vote Republican - those folks who vote against their own interests but they don't know it. They are too caught up in emotional non-issues to deal with economics and progressive thinking. They are - to quote 'Blazing Saddles': the people of the land, the common clay of the new West - you know - morons.

But in 2006, 2007 and 2008, some of these voters finally became aware and engaged and voted progressively and cast votes for Democrats. Perhaps they realized they had been taken in by rich folks who didn't care about the 'have nots' so long as the 'haves' got everything. Perhaps they figured out that they weren't better off than they were 5 years ago, that Republicans had run the country into the ground, lied to get us into a war, and raped and pillaged the country at will. Finally they were voting their own interests whether or not they knew it.

So, what could possibly keep them from electing a Democratic president this year? How about an intelligent, successful, highly educated African-American, along with his intelligent, successful, highly educated wife - both of whom have done so much better in life than this bloc of voters. Only that could put the 'Reagan Democrats' back on the fence and up for grabs - only that had them wavering about their party choice for November - and it was due to prejudice and jealousy whether they admit it or not.

Enter the Republican answer to get those 'independent' voters back:
A redneck, heavily armed beauty queen with a redneck family and a plethora of family problems....plus leveling a charge of ELITISM at the Democratic nominee and his wife. What better Rovian strategy to attract the redneck element than one of their own as the VP? What better divisive tactic to use against Democrats this year than to convince rednecks - swing voters - 'Reagan Democrats' - those morons - that the quinessential elitist party, the GOP, is actually part of the 'real world' and that the Democratic nominee thinks he's 'better' than they are. It is a master stroke...an attack on a gut level to the selected audience. The choice of Palin is not about attracting women who were supporting Clinton. The fact that she is a woman is irrelevant. She is a redneck and flaunts it - without apology. Hell, she doesn't even know she needs to apologize. She wants to destroy the environment, ban books, abuse power, shoot anything, defy laws, and secede from the union - perhaps, as her future son-in-law says, she just wants to f---ing chill. She is a redneck's wet dream and it is all part of the strategy - make the Republican team look like the voters they are trying to attract.

Don't try to read something else into it - it is the same Republican game as always. Whatever sways the rednecks. This year, it is Palin. Make no mistake: The Democrats need the rednecks to win, and the only thing the rednecks hate more this year than Bush and Cheney is a black man who has done better then they have. Perhaps we have not come as far as we thought. Unfortunately the Republicans know that.