Steele Yourself

Former Maryland Lieutenant-Governor Michael Steele has been elected chairman of the Republican National Committee. Fellow candidate and whites-only country club member Katon Dawson is outside burning some buses.

Now, some are already posing the inevitable race question, i.e. did he win because the GOP is desperate to show that it's not just a rich white party, or did he win because he was the most qualified candidate? I honestly can't weigh in on that, I'm not privy the inner workings of the Republican Executive Committee. From what I can tell he was as qualified as the others, and maybe what helped him was that he's more of a moderate (although only "moderate" in relation to the nutjobs).

So to me, that question is beside the point. It's not important. But what is important is the question of whether it is now the official stance of the Republican Party that stem cell research is akin to Nazi medical experimentation:

In an appearance Thursday before the Baltimore Jewish Council, Steele responded to a question about stem cell research by saying he was "cautious" about the idea of "tinkering around with life," and added:

"Look, you of all folks know what happens when people decide they want to experiment on human beings, when they want to take your life and use it as a tool," Steele said, according to a recording of the event. "I know that as well from my community and our experience with slavery."

Word of advice to Republicans--stick to Israel when dealing with Jewish audiences.

Moderate, my ass. See you in 2010!

Feel Good Friday--Super Bowl Edition

In honor of Super Bowl weekend, here's the classic guaranteed Feel Good commercial. Just TRY and pretend that you don't get a little misty-eyed every time the kid goes "Wow, thanks Mean Joe!"



I've heard a rumor that they've made a new version of the commercial for this Super Bowl, starring Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and using Coke Zero rather than regular Coca-Cola. If it's true, it's a sacrilege of the highest order and the entire Coke advertising team will surely burn in Hell.

My personal favorite Super Bowl commercial, however, isn't as Feel Good as Mean Joe. It was a commercial for Monster.com from 1999. Looking at it ten years later in light of today's economy and job market, I think this commercial was ahead of its time:

Our Own Little Privileged Bubble

At the risk of attracting all of the MBA/Ensworth crazies that have been commenting over at Pithy the last few days, I have to ask the question:

What the hell is wrong with all of you?

Caleb Hannan blogs about a recent Montgomery Bell Academy-Ensworth basketball game where MBA students were chanting "Hooked on Phonics (clap, clap, clap clap clap)" at Ensworth students, displaying their complete and utter genius and originality in calling Ensworth students stupid (rolls eyes). Some Ensworth parents considered that to be a racist chant directed at one particular player, causing MBA to "retire" the cheer.

All the Scene did was report that complaints had been lodged, and that this wasn't the first time it had happened. Hannan never said that he agreed that it was racist. But a clusterf*ck of anonymous commenting from alleged MBA and Ensworth students and parents ensued. A second blog post about how MBA always chants "Jew-S-N" when playing my alma mater in basketball resulted in a similar explosion.

A sampling of my favorite responses, ones that truly highlight the ideals and academic integrity to which Nashville's private institutions aspire:

Caleb why don't you just take this article off the web. It has accomplished nothing except for upsetting many people and tarnishing what little reputation you had amassed in the first place during your junior writing career.

****************

QUIT... you have nothing better to do than bash MBA. You should be fired and forced to pay fines for copyright

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I spy one! When all else fails, bring up the past. Seriously, what in the hell is the point of this article? You should be fired. You belong at this place: www.nationalenquirer.com. It's obvious that you hate MBA and it is obvious that you can't write objectively.

****************

Caleb, you officially are the most retarded person i have ever encountered in my life. This information is a load of crap , you are basing this information off of what somebody told you which may not be true. Unless you were there and can actually say this happened with witnesses than i will believe you but right now u are a piece of crap. You are a journalist for a gossip section about high school students......get a life dude.

****************

Hey Caleb! Good job trying to get reactions out of people, especially by mentioning events that are not pertinent! I think we are all thoroughly pissed off at you now, so maybe you should just skip town before we all (Ensworth, MBA, and USN) burn your house down.

First, as a USN grad (who fully embraces the "Jew-S-N" label, by the way), allow me to say that we don't burn anyone's house down, we TP it instead.

For the record, I don't believe that the chant was racist, and while it may be offensive, it's not any more offensive than what you normally hear at high school or college sporting events. At Cornell, we chanted "SAFE-TY SCHOOL!" at the other team at just about every hockey game (including Harvard, just for the ironic effect).

But the visceral and unhinged reaction that anyone even complained about the chant, or that the Scene even discussed it, shows a larger point about Nashville private schools, one that I don't think Caleb was necessarily trying to make. There's no question that you will receive a fine academic education at USN or MBA or Ensworth or any of the other private schools. While I certainly am not suggesting you can't get a good education in the public school system (recalling all of the instances of the USN Mock Trial team getting its butt kicked by Hume-Fogg while I was there), I know that I was extremely well-prepared (more so than a lot of my friends at Cornell) to deal with the academic rigors of college.

However, it comes with a price (and not just in monetary terms). These schools exist within a bubble, apart from the rest of Nashville. If these kids and parents commenting on Pith sound crazy and whiny, it's because none of them have ever meaningfully associated with anyone outside of their bubble, and are certainly not used to having their practices called into question by one of the great unwashed masses. These are kids who have been told their whole lives that they are special, that they're the elite, that it is not just their right but their destiny to eventually rule over others. Not because of any particular talents or abilities they have, but because that's the way it's always been, from their parents' generation on up.

It's their own little privileged bubble, one that they will fight tooth and nail to defend, even if in the process they come across as unhinged lunatics.

You see this bubble mentality even at a more "liberal" school like USN, though in a more subtle way. I had several classmates who, after initially going away for college, ended up transferring to Vanderbilt, Belmont, and UTK. Not for any academic reasons, but because they had never been outside of the USN bubble, and couldn't adjust to a larger environment in which they were not constantly praised and supported.

[Editor's note: Yes, I went to USN, as I've said before. And I readily admit that I'm as Jewish American Princess-y as they come. But I escaped the bubble for one big reason. Neither of my parents were born into privilege, and they made damn sure that no thoughts of elitism ever entered my head. My mother's mantra, which shaped both my attitude and my political leanings, is "To whom much is given, much is expected."]

I'm not saying that private schools are bad. I got a great education, as I've repeatedly stressed. But I wish that rather than constantly spinning and playing defense, the administrators of the private schools could take a look at what's been said and realize how utterly ridiculous both they and their students sound. They don't sound like leaders and scholars, they sound like a bunch of whiny brats throwing a temper tantrum. There's a reason behind all the stereotypes, and if you don't like it, then perhaps it's time for a big attitude readjustment.

Unconscionable

As a hypothetical, let's say there's a Congressman who votes for a $700 billion bill to bail out the banks so that their CEOs can go spend the money on executive bonuses and $1200 trash cans. It's not fiscally responsible, hell, we don't even know where the money's going. But the Congressman justifies that vote on the basis that even though the money may be wasted, it's necessary to keep the economy afloat.

And now let's say that the same Congressman supports the President during the election, extracted from the President a promise to hold a fiscal responsibility summit to address the Congressman's pet issue, but then turns around and votes against the President's stimulus bill. A bill designed not to put money in the hands of unaccountable banks, but in the hands of working people and localities. He says that the stimulus bill is fiscally irresponsible, but as you'll recall, he didn't seem to think that giving money to bank CEOs so that they can redecorate their offices was as irresponsible.

So my question is, what do you call that Congressman?

Can you call him anything other than a complete and utter hypocrite?

I like this hypothetical Congressman a lot, I used to intern for him. I know that he genuinely believes in fiscal responsibility, and I learned a lot in my summer on Capitol Hill. I honestly feel bad criticizing him, because I know he doesn't vote this way maliciously. But, in this instance, the Congressman is dead wrong.

UPDATE: I agree with Sean Braisted, I highly doubt we're going to see a serious primary challenge in 2010 as a result of this. But the Congressman is still wrong and needs to hear from his constituents as to why he's wrong.

Obama Doesn't Deal With Your Crap

Malia and Sasha Obama's school in DC was canceled today due to snow and ice. The President was not happy:

"Can I make a comment that is unrelated to the economy very quickly?" the new president told reporters at a gathering with business leaders. "And it has to do with Washington. My children's school was canceled today. Because of, what? Some ice?"

The president said he wasn't the only one who was incredulous.

"As my children pointed out, in Chicago, school is never canceled," Obama said to laughter. "In fact, my 7-year-old pointed out that you'd go outside for recess. You wouldn't even stay indoors. So, I don't know. We're going to have to try to apply some flinty Chicago toughness."

After spending four years in Ithaca, I agree wholeheartedly. In fact, I'm pissed that all of the St. Louis schools have now gotten two snow days (except for us, of course). But since St. Louis took FOREVER to plow the roads, and then only one road near me, I came to sorely regret leaving behind the winter tires I had for my car in Ithaca as I went sliding down West Pine.

So kudos to the President, for attempting to de-wimpify the regions south of the Mason-Dixon line when it comes to snow.

First Verse, Same As The First

Here we had a week of thinking that now that Democrats control the White House and have large majorities in Congress, we'd stop caving to the Republicans on every issue and start acting like the majority party. Obama did remind everyone that "he won" last week, didn't he?

I suppose it's just too much to ask that we stop acting like the minority party even in the majority:

The provision within the stimulus that would allocate money for contraceptive programs through Medicaid will be pulled out of the package.

NBC News confirms that the president called Henry Waxman, the chairman of the committee that inserted the contraception provision into the stimulus during the mark up last week, to ask him to remove the measure from the bill, according to a Democratic leadership source.

See SoBeale for an introduction to the false outrage over this issue. As has been exhaustively pointed out, this provision was not even really about the federal government handing out birth control, it just speeds up the process by which states can apply for a federal waiver to use state Medicaid funds to help low-income women pay for birth control. It's a move that could save the states millions simply by expediting a slow, cumbersome process. That's why it's in the stimulus bill, not because Democrats have any desire to save money through "population control", as Republicans are alleging.

Never mind that the use of contraception shouldn't even be controversial. It's undisputed that the proper use of birth control reduces the number of abortions. But for conservatives, it's not just about reducing the number of abortions, it's about regulating sex. They don't want anyone, not even married couples, having sex for any purpose other than procreation. And the day I hear of any Republican opposing using Medicaid funds to cover Viagra on the grounds that they don't want the government subsidizing anyone's sex life, I'll eat my shoe.

Putting all of that aside for a moment though, the Democrats are making an egregious mistake by pulling the provision from the bill. Sure, it may not be a huge part of the bill, and as Barbara Boxer said on the news this morning, Congress could still pass that provision independently or as a part of another bill. But only a week into the new Administration, they're handing the Republicans an enormous public-relations win by letting it be known that the minority party can still dictate the terms on which important legislation is passed. Not simply have a say in the formation of important legislation, but dictate it.

And guess what? The Republicans are still going to vote against the stimulus bill. We didn't gain any "bipartisan support" by pulling this provision, we simply made ourselves look like weak capitulators. But I thought we won this election?

The more things change, the more things stay the same.

Belated Congratulations Are In Order

A big congratulations to Chip Forrester, who won a decisive vote to become chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party on Saturday. Although I thought both candidates had different strengths, Forrester has the fire and the drive to lead us through this tough time.

And make no mistake--it's a tough time. Yes, we managed to pull that little Kent Williams stunt and take back the State House. But no one should think of that as anything more than a temporary measure, a way to buy time for 2010. The Republicans are going to throw everything at us in 2010 to retake the Governor's mansion and control the re-districting process. Just doing what we've done every year, playing to maintain the status quo, isn't going to cut it this time around. It's time to play a little offense and play for keeps.

To the people who are now moaning about how Forrester is too liberal and won't be able to raise any money and how they're going to leave the TNDP over this, all I can say is...

Grow. The Hell. Up.

If that sounds harsh, bear in mind that Phil Bredesen said the exact same thing to a crowd of Democrats on Jackson Day (most of whom had NOT supported Obama and were still smarting over the DNC vote against fully counting the Michigan and Florida primaries for Hillary earlier that day) last year. Everyone loses an election from time to time. If you truly care about your cause, you suck it up and move on. If this one vote is enough to make you pick up your ball, go home, and pout, then perhaps you would feel more comfortable in the GOP, since you'd apparently rather see them win than not get your way.

I met Charles Robert Bone, albeit briefly. He struck me as a principled man dedicated to helping Democrats win, and somehow I doubt he'd approve of his supporters acting so immaturely (although I half suspect that "his supporters" on Post Politics are actually one person commenting under different names, but I digress). Regardless of how the vote turned out, I'm quite certain that Mr. Bone will now want us to come together and work towards the common cause of winning in 2010.

And I doubt Bredesen and the congressional delegation are going to suddenly cease cooperating now either. We didn't "turn our backs" on them by voting for Forrester, we just acknowledged that what worked for them when they were first elected is not going to work in this climate. Although it bears asking, how did people like Bredesen and Lincoln Davis get elected? Did they do it by shying away from the Democratic label, running far to the right, and trying to be as accomodating to the Republicans as possible? Not exactly. They ran on substantive issues--the economy, health care, jobs, etc.--not on the Republican God! Gays! Guns! platform. We've drifted away from that in recent years, and both Forrester and Bone recognized that we need to get back to our Democratic roots and provide a distinct Democratic message, defining ourselves on our own terms, not on the Republicans'.

And Mr. Forrester--you'd do well to give Mr. Bone a high-up position now. Perhaps Treasurer, given his fundraising abilities?

Everyone said that Howard Dean was too liberal, that he didn't have the support of the party structure, and that he wouldn't be able to raise any money. Four years later, we have a Democratic president and strong majorities in both houses of Congress (and no, Obama's entire campaign operation would not have been possible without the precedent Dean set). This isn't going to be an easy task, but I think Forrester is up to it.

And by the way--the income tax? That is so 1999. If the best Hobbs can do is talking points from ten years ago, I think we'll be ok. To those complaining about how moderate Democrats will "leave the party over this"--has it ever occurred to anyone that if the Republicans don't like Forrester, that might actually be a good thing?

Early Valentine's Day

Give Nashville's cheap Rush Limbaugh knockoff some cheese (or should I say queso?) to go with his whine:

The people of Nashville have spoken on the English-first initiative. They said "no."

But what does that really say about Nashville? It indicates to me that Nashville is satisfied to continue on this track of becoming another Detroit or Philadelphia: a city that ring counties feed off of as property tax rates climb and schools crumble in the donor city.

You know, that's funny, I always thought that Detroit and Philadelphia had those problems because of corruption in general and machine politics and a long history of patronage--problems that were in place well before any influx of immigrants--not because of immigrants themselves. But apparently Phil Valentine understands these things better than I do.

It would be really easy for me to suggest that Mr. Valentine move out into the suburbs that he believes are handling things so much better than Nashville, where they have lower taxes and less non-English speakers. But that's a cheap way out, a method of shutting down legitimate debate that conservatives seem to love using ("You don't like how the rest of Tennessee is conservative? Go back to New York, hippie!"). I fully accept that most of the rest of the state is well to the right of me, but I love it anyway.

And likewise, although I wouldn't tell Mr. Valentine and others that they need to "get out of my city if they don't like it," the truth remains that the people spoke last week, and they decided that "progressive" is not a dirty word. It wasn't just a bunch of dirty hippies who conspired to shoot this down, but a cross-section of Nashville's population. A reminder--Bellevue voted against English-Only, and I'm quite sure I'm the closest thing to a dirty hippie in the entire 37221 zip code. Nashville has changed--although the good ol' WASP boys club may still be alive and well at the state level, it's rapidly dying out here. No matter how much you may wish it, Nashville's not going to revert to the perfect 1950s ideal, where everyone knew their place and didn't question the hierarchy.

Feel Good Friday--My Life Coming Full-Circle Edition

I grew up in the height of the mid to late 90s boy-band and teeny-bopper craze. I admit that I loved the Backstreet Boys and N*Sync, but if there was one singer during that period whom I despised, it was Britney Spears. She was so fake, she couldn't sing, and her songs were all so annoying!

So it does seem as though my life has come full-circle now that this song is my ringtone:

English-Only Resoundingly Defeated

By a vote of 32,144 "for" to 41,752 "against," the Eric Crafton Ego Project, otherwise known as the English-Only amendment to the Metro Charter, was soundly defeated today. The other amendment voted on today, to make it easier for any petty or trivial measure to get on the ballot, failed by an even larger margin.

Honestly, I didn't think we'd win. I am more than willing to concede that Eric Crafton and his friends put forth a much simpler and easy-to-understand message--"If you like English, vote for this." No ambiguities, just a straightforward talking point. Those of us opposing the amendment would have to give a ten-minute speech about "being welcoming" and "attracting business" in order to explain why people should vote against. The proponents came off as the ones protecting Traditional American Values (TM), while we sometimes came off as a bunch of bleeding-heart pansies. We should not have won tonight, and certainly not by such a large margin.

I have to disagree with Jeff Woods on this, the proponents of this amendment had all of the momentum on their side, from message to image to media attention. The fact that this was a special election didn't change that (although I've no doubt that the proponents will whine and pout about it now). It should have been EASY for them to turn voters out, no matter when the election was.

So why'd we win? First, I think the early vote was key, "No" won the early vote by a 2:1 margin. We went into today with a 4,000 vote lead, a large lead in a low-turnout election which "Yes" simply couldn't overcome. All the credit for turning out the early vote goes to Nashville For All Of Us, which made a huge push for it. Second, while the proponents wanted to paint the opposition as simply being "the elite," Nashville For All Of Us constituted a wide cross-section of Nashville; business/political leaders and ordinary citizens alike. The campaign was hyper-local and highly organized, even if the talking points weren't quite so black-and-white.

And to give credit where it's due, bear in mind that it wasn't just liberals who opposed English-Only. Conservative bloggers Nathan and Sarah Moore made one of the best (and simplest) cases against English-Only, showing in stark terms just how much money the city of Nashville would waste on this vote. I wonder how many ESL classes could have been held for $500,000?

Tonight, I feel nothing but pride in my city for rejecting the politics of division and choosing to maintain Nashville as a city in which ALL are welcome.

Oh, and Eric Crafton? You've now cost the city half a million dollars over nothing, in such a dire economic situation. Meanwhile, back in Bellevue (you know, that little area down I-40 West, the district you're supposed to represent?) we have a big, gaping, empty mall with nothing to fill it, and the plan to revitalize it seemingly up in smoke. This and all other issues facing Bellevue have gone unresolved and neglected while you went on your little crusade. Eric Crafton, you've wasted the city's money and failed in your duty to represent your constituents. It's time for you to resign, now.

Only One Thing To Say

moar funny pictures

Just A Little Creepy

Ever read a story that you think sounds kind of cool at first, but that increasingly creeps you out the more you think about it?

I grew up in the midst of the Beanie Baby craze. I'm not ashamed to admit that I had a lot of them (and by a lot, I mean the numbers are in the three digits). We even gave out Beanie Babies as party favors at my Bat Mitzvah. The craze died down (and I grew out of it) after they pretended to "retire" the whole collection at the millennium, but Ty Inc. continues to make new Beanie Babies to this day.

So I wasn't terribly surprised to hear about this:

The company that made Beanie Babies a top toy craze is hoping for another winner with dolls named “Sweet Sasha” and “Marvelous Malia.”

Now where have we heard those names before?

Ty Inc. has released the 12-inch plush dolls as part of the company's “TyGirlz Collection,” introduced in 2007. The Sasha doll has pigtails and wears a white and pink dress with hearts. The Malia doll has a side ponytail and a long-sleeve shirt with capri pants.

Considering that I've spent a good chunk of this week snapping up Inauguration souvenirs wherever I could, I was initially excited to hear about a new "collectible," especially one with a nostalgic touch.

But the more I think about it--this is exploitation of the cheapest kind. And it's just downright creepy.

The President and the First Lady have spent the better part of the last two years trying as hard as they could to keep Sasha and Malia out of the prying glare of the media and to let them have as "normal" of a life as possible under the circumstances. They most certainly would not want their daughters "marketed" and forced out into the public in such a way, a la Miley Cyrus or the Olsen twins back in the day.

I suppose it would be too cliché to end the above paragraph with "And the toy-makers should respect their privacy." When have such reservations EVER stopped anyone looking to make a quick buck? It's a free country, and that is their right (however, public figures also have a legal right to control how their image is presented. Since it's highly unlikely that these dolls were made with the permission or approval of the Obama family, I'm fairly certain that there are quite a few lawyers going to work as we speak. Ty can claim all they want that they just chose the names because they're "beautiful names", that's not going to hold up in court). But it doesn't mean it's not highly exploitative.

It'll All Be OK

I will wax poetic about what the Inauguration means to me when I'm less tired. I'll put up more pictures by the end of the week. But in a nutshell, today was one of the most chaotic days of my life. I should not have made it back to St. Louis tonight all in one piece, yet here I am to tell the tale.

We got into the Inauguration just fine, and although our view was blocked by some very unfortunate tall people standing directly in front of us, we could hear everything loud and clear. But there were plenty of problems this morning. In our section, they were not checking tickets very closely, and yet there were still people with tickets who didn't get in on time. There were not enough security staff to allow the line to move more quickly. The fences separating the different standing sections were quickly broken down. We were kicked out of our original spot (on top of a small gate where we could at least see the JumboTron) by the police, only to come back later to find they were letting people stand up there. And the DC Metro was not designed to transport 2 million people all at once.

Bottom line: Obama's speech was great. The city of DC was woefully unprepared for it.

The situation only worsened in the afternoon. Due to overbooking and a ball at the station later that night, they completely shut down Union Station around 4, meaning that no one could get on Amtrak or a commuter train, even if you had a ticket. I discovered this around 4:15, en route to catch a 4:40 train to BWI for a 7:30 flight. They wouldn't let anyone into the station, resulting in a near-riot outside. I had to drag my heavy suitcase up 10 blocks (with my friend Leah so graciously carrying my sleeping bag), through the crowds and through the vendors selling just about every kind of tacky souvenir with Obama's image plastered on it that you can imagine, to find a spot from which I could get a cab. I finally got one around 5:15--horribly overcharging for the trip but I had no other choice. It took nearly 30 minutes just to get on the highway due to the crush of traffic in DC. The driver kept insisting that I wouldn't make my flight, and even if I did, would never get my luggage on the other end.

Oh and by the way, while all of this was going on, my phone managed to die on me.

But you know something?

It all worked out! What could have ended up as yet another chapter in my history of airport disasters actually worked out. I made my flight, got my luggage on the other end, and re-learned how to use a pay phone in order to call my parents. I'm now safely back in my apartment.

Maybe it really is the dawning of a new era with the new Administration. Maybe it's simply the fact that Southwest Airlines is just superior to all other domestic carriers. All I know is that I'm exhausted, I'm still cold, and I will probably wake up tomorrow morning with pneumonia; but tonight I can go to sleep thinking, for the first time in quite awhile, that it's all going to be ok.

Inauguration Day

We're heading over to the Capitol in just a few minutes. On Sunday, my phone didn't work on the National Mall during the concert, and I'm not sure if it's going to work today closer to the Capitol (really, the only phone service that works well in DC is Verizon, and I have AT&T).

If my phone does work, I will live-Twitter today's festivities. Here is a link to my feed. Otherwise, I'll have plenty of pictures when I get back.

Inauguration--The First 36 Hours

Got to Washington on Saturday afternoon. After schlepping a heavy suitcase and a sleeping bag halfway around DC (someday, someday, I will learn how to pack light), I met up with my friends and got settled in. We went out to Chinatown, a section of our nation's capital where all the signs are in both English and Chinese. Don't tell Eric Crafton about it.

My friend had wanted to go to church this morning, but we both overslept. I think God can forgive us for getting some much-needed rest on the Sabbath. After we got up, we bundled up against the cold...



Got on the Metro with a bazillion other people...



Went to the National Mall for the concert...



Took a picture of the White House surrounded by Port-a-Potties (read whatever symbolism into that you will)...



Held up the group so I could get my own picture taken in front of the Washington Monument...


We couldn't get anywhere near the Lincoln Monument, so the best we could do was take pictures of the people on the JumboTrons. For example, Joe Biden...



Garth Brooks (who really should have busted out "Friends in Low Places")...



Stevie Wonder...



Bono, refusing to be #2...



And of course, the President-Elect himself.



Tonight, we returned to the monuments to see them with less crowds. We saw the Lincoln Memorial, with the frozen Reflecting Pool:



The Washington Monument behind the World War II Memorial:



And finally, the World War II Memorial itself, where we totally repped it for Tennessee:



More to come in the next two days!

When They Love Their Children More Than They Hate Ours

It's a phrase I've often heard among other Jews, in synagogue and from my parents' friends. They say that there will be peace in the Middle East when they ("they" being the Palestinians) love their children more than they hate ours ("ours" being Jews).

It's a bizarre phrase, to be sure. How can any parent, regardless of religion or ethnicity, not love their children and want what's best for their children? But you see the pictures of children dressed as suicide bombers and Hamas using the children as human shields, and think that perhaps the phrase might be somewhat true.

But then a story comes along to show just how utterly hollow that statement really is:

The Palestinian doctor provided Israeli TV viewers with regular updates on Gaza fighting's human toll. But Friday's report was different — with sobs he told how three daughters and a niece were killed by an Israeli shell.

"I want to know why my daughters were harmed," Ezzeldeen Abu al-Aish said on Channel 10. "This should haunt (Israeli Ehud Prime Minister) Olmert his entire life."

Throughout the 21-day war, Abu al-Aish has brought accounts of war's tragedy to Israeli living rooms, making him for many the voice of Palestinian suffering.

He wasn't just some fundamentalist putting his children in harm's way out of hatred for the Israelis. Actually, this was someone who had spent a good part of his life trying to bridge the gap.

Abu al-Aish, a 55-year-old gynecologist, is a rarity among Palestinians, a Hebrew speaker who trained in two Israeli hospitals. He is also is a known peace activist who was involved in promoting joint Israeli-Palestinian projects, and an academic who studied the affects of war on Gazan and Israeli children. He works at Gaza's main Shifa Hospital.

It's impossible to shrug this off as just an unfortunate casualty of war, or to simply say something as asinine as "the war will stop when they love their children as much as they hate ours." This story represents so much more than simplistic, black-and-white slogans. If you've ever wondered what turns otherwise moderate Palestinians into Israel-hating fundamentalists--here's your answer.

Go ahead and give me all the callous justifications in the book. "Oh, but they brought it upon themselves by voting in Hamas" as if every single person in the entire Gaza Strip cast a vote for Hamas (the only other alternative being a corrupt secular as opposed to a corrupt religious party). "Oh, but this is a war and bad things happen in war." Yes they do, and remind me again what the Israelis gained out of bombing the doctor's house?

You can hate the Palestinians all you want. But there's a difference between hating someone and denying their humanity. When you dehumanize a whole group of people, don't act shocked when they dehumanize you right back. And don't Jews understand better than anyone what it is like to be treated as inhuman?

It's as though a part of the collective Jewish soul is just another casualty of war.

Feel Good Friday--English-Only Edition

The cheesy 90s songs that Eric Crafton does not want me to show you! How dare Latin singers release songs in America that go back and forth between English and their native language! Only English songs should be played in America!

Forget WWJD, WWTNGOPD?

One of the hilarious developments in the wake of the Kent Williams fiasco is the Jesus complex that the TNGOP seems to have developed. I know they're eager to appeal to their evangelical base and get them riled up for 2010 even more so now, but the Jesus analogy is getting to be a little much.

Exhibit A: Republican Rep. David Hawk, trying to remain above it all and be Christ-like:

After receiving God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness, I recognize that one of the greatest shortcomings that I have is that I’m not always able to extend that same forgiveness to others. There are nights that I lose sleep because I’m holding contempt in my heart for another in this world whom I feel has wronged myself or someone I care about.

Sean Braisted provides a helpful translation.

Exhibit B: One conservative blogger makes a reference to Dante's Inferno, suggesting that as someone who has betrayed their "lord and benefactor," Kent Williams is doomed to the lowest level of Hell, Ring 4 of Circle Nine:

Circle Nine is subdivided into four sub-rings: those who betrayed their kin; those who betrayed their city or country; those who betrayed their guests; and finally in the very pit of hell, those who betrayed their lords and benefactors - exemplified by Brutus and Cassius (who together betrayed Julius Caesar) and Judas who betrayed Jesus.

I plan on sending a copy of Dante’s Inferno to Rep. Kent Williams.To paraphrase Patrick Henry, “Caesar had his Brutus, Charles I had his Cromwell, and Rep. Williams . . . may profit by their example.”

As I note in the comments, this is a clear indicator that Mr. Shearer has in all likelihood never actually read Inferno. First, Judas, Brutus, and Cassius are not technically on the fourth ring of the Ninth Circle, they're at the very bottom, chewed up by Satan's three mouths. Second, Jason Mumpower is a "lord and benefactor"? To whom? Who are his serfs? Somehow, I think if the analogy were true, then Williams would go to the Second Ring of the Ninth Circle, where traitors to political entities go.

Also, Inferno is not so much a religious description as it is a political allegory. Dante considered Brutus and Cassius' crime (killing Caesar and thus destroying the idea of a unified Italy) equal to Judas' crime.

All of this is just an elaborate way of saying--wrong analogy, the Judas comparison is not apt according to a strict reading of the text. But if the Republicans want to go with that, then just remember that the wrathful are doomed to Circle 5.

Exhibit C: An outright Judas comparison from David Oatney. So what are we saying now, that Jason Mumpower isn't just a "lord and benefactor," but is Jesus Himself?

Exhibit D: Bill Hobbs goes off the deep end for the twentieth or so time in the last year, extending the Kent Williams-as-Judas and Jason Mumpower-as-Jesus comparison all the way to its logical conclusion, encouraging Republicans to send Williams 30 pieces of silver, as Judas received for betraying Jesus.

Say, I've got a better idea--instead of sending Williams 30 pieces of silver, for which you will likely get no acknowledgement, how about sending ME 30 pieces of silver instead? Specifically, Tiffany's sterling silver jewelry? Here's an example to get you started. My birthday is coming up, so you'll at least get a nice handwritten thank-you note if you send me the silver instead.

I'm just wondering when we'll see someone accuse me as a Jew of killing Mumpower.

Sign Of The Times

This isn't real, although sometimes I wish more synagogues did funny signs like the churches in Tennessee.

A Response To Roger Abramson

Roger Abramson thinks that Tennessee progressives should not be so quick to applaud the election of Kent Williams as Speaker over the more conservative Jason Mumpower:

Be careful what you’re applauding here. Just because these people have “D”s next to their names and just because they pulled a fast one on the “R”s doesn’t mean they’re on your side. Not even close. In fact, you probably would have been better off with the Mumpower Republicans in charge, because at least then you have known what you were getting: your enemy–and the battle lines–would have been clear. Now, you’ve just the same bunch–a somewhat corrupt bunch no less–who had no use for you before back in charge of things, while you have no avenue for political recourse. After all, what power vacuum is there now for progressivism to fill? The Democrats are back in charge. What do they need you for?

Yep, like you, the Naifeh gang is laughing their asses off at the Republicans. But what you don’t seem to understand is that they’ve nailed you to the wall as well.

First, I'm with Aunt B. on this...it's not as if Tennessee progressives were going to GAIN anything either way, so all this election ensured is that we didn't lose anything from our previous position. I can live with that.

But as I see it, it's a choice between the devil I know and the devil I don't. We know what to expect with the Naifeh crowd, we've dealt with them for so long. But we didn't know what was coming with Mumpower in charge. Yeah, we'd have to deal with SJR 127 and probably a ban on gay adoptions, but then what? With no check on their newfound power, what other rights could they take away or who else could they screw over?

Perhaps, as Mr. Abramson says, progressivism could have gained a foothold in the vacuum that would have existed in a conservative-dominated state government. But when would that have happened? If we lose in 2010, the districts will be re-done as to best favor the Republicans. So even if progressivism did gain a foothold, it would have been impossible to elect progressives to office just due to demographics. And who knows how long it would be until we could recover? In the meantime, should progressives just stand back and watch as the Republicans reside over a state with increasing social repression and economic inequality?

I'm a progressive, certainly more so than most Democrats in office, but I'm not willing to sacrifice Tennessee to years of ultra-conservative governance just so that progressivism can "gain a foothold" at some point down the line. I believe in pragmatism, and as such I'd always rather deal with the devil I know.

Kent Williams Elected Speaker Of The House

That loud noise you just heard was the sound of Malibu Stacey Campfield's head exploding into a million pieces.

Today, Jason Mumpower was supposed to be elected Speaker of the House in Tennessee. It was to signal the ascendancy of the new conservative majority. Jimmy Naifeh tried to peel off votes to keep the Democrats in power, but it looked unlikely as all fifty Republicans had pledged to vote for a Republican Speaker. There was some nervousness in the GOP over whether or not moderate Republican Kent Williams would cross over, but Mumpower looked to be on top of the situation.

Little did everyone realize that House Democratic Caucus leader Gary Odom had the ultimate trump card up his sleep. He went ahead and nominated Rep. Williams to be Speaker, who then won with his own vote plus those of all 49 Democrats, defeating Mumpower 50-49. In that way, Williams did not renege on his promise to vote for a Republican speaker (which is all that he pledged to do, Robin Smith), while Odom successfully kept Mumpower from taking the position.

And now, while the new Speaker may very well run the House more conservatively than many of would like, he's now in a position where he owes the Democrats and especially Gary Odom, big time.

Governor Bredesen? I believe you owe Gary Odom a huge apology. He just did more to prevent the Democrats from becoming marginalized over the next two years than anything you've done in a long time. Gary Odom has my full vote of confidence going forward from here. He's someone I wouldn't want to play poker with.

UPDATE: Quote of the day from Rep. Williams, courtesy of Braisted:

"I'm a Republican, probably for not much longer because you guys are going to kick me out."

Well, I guess the Rosalind Kurita issue has finally come full circle. Karma baby!

The New Joe Flacco Play Clock!

Last weekend, the NFL debuted a brand new play clock for playoffs games. It used to be that the team on offense gets 40 seconds to snap the ball after the preceding play. If they don't snap the ball, it's a 5-yard delay-of-game penalty. And that's still the case, for most teams. But thanks to the NEW AND IMPROVED Joe Flacco play clock, the Baltimore Ravens now get 43 seconds!



Admitted, the Titans did not solely lose because of this missed call. The turnovers and penalties did us in well before that. But this missed call set up the game-winning field goal drive. Given the way both teams were playing at that point, even if the Ravens were backed up from 3rd-and-7 to 3rd-and-12, they could very well have still gotten a first down, or at least gotten the ball into field goal range. But the point is, they should have HAD to do it from 3rd-and-12.

I understand that there is a slight delay because the back referee watches the clock and then turns his eye to the field once the clock hits zero. But if he turned right as that happened, then it was obvious that it took more than two seconds to snap the ball afterward. That's a delay-of-game penalty, and someone missed the call.

Meanwhile, the news goes from bad to worse for the Titans. Kevin Mawae is going to miss the Pro Bowl, Chris Johnson has a high-ankle sprain, and punter Craig Hentrich (the only remaining member of the team that left Houston for Nashville) may retire. It's going to be a long off-season.

As far as the rest of the playoffs are concerned, I will absolutely not cheer for either the Ravens or the Steelers in the Super Bowl. I will back the NFC Champ instead. I'd prefer the Eagles, but Larry Fitzgerald of the Cardinals was great for my Fantasy team. Ultimately I'd rather not root for any team with Old Man Warner as their QB, so Fly Eagles!

Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid.

Joe the Plumber, in his new gig as a correspondent in Israel for PajamasTV (although if he's in Israel, shouldn't it be Yossi the Shravrav? Or, since his real name is Samuel, Shmuel the Shravrav?) says that the media shouldn't report from war zones. Yes, as a reporter in a war zone, he doesn't want anyone reporting from there. In the video, you have to love the "WTF" look on the IDF soldier's face (who's probably wondering how the hell he got stuck with the job showing Shmuel the Shravrav around in the first place):



The rough transcript:

"I'll be honest with you. I don't think journalists should be anywhere allowed war. I mean, you guys report where our troops are at. You report what's happening day to day. You make a big deal out of it. I-I think it's asinine. You know, I liked back in World War I and World War II when you'd go to the theater and you'd see your troops on, you know, the screen and everyone would be real excited and happy for'em. Now everyone's got an opinion and wants to downer--and down soldiers. You know, American soldiers or Israeli soldiers. I think media should be abolished from, uh, you know, reporting. You know, war is hell. And if you're gonna sit there and say, 'Well look at this atrocity,' well you don't know the whole story behind it half the time, so I think the media should have no business in it."

Actually Shmuel, I'm sure you wouldn't have preferred the World War I or World War II eras. Because while the media may not have been reporting live from the war zones and showing negative images, people back in the U.S. were expected to sacrifice for the war effort in other ways, through rations on food and other goods. But Shmuel, you would probably call that "socialism." So you just don't want to think about the negative aspects of war at all, no matter how much you're being lied to. It's easier and more pleasant that way, I suppose. I'll be honest though, I too preferred it when I was six years old and only had to think about rainbows and unicorns.

But bear in mind, he's not saying that he himself should be prevented from reporting there. No, he's ok, because God is protecting him as a Christian. So isn't the logical inference from this that prior to Joe's arrival, God was not protecting the Jews of Sderot?

Meanwhile, here's an actual Israeli commenting on war in general, from last night's Golden Globes ceremony:



Who the hell wants to live in a time where the war has no relevance to everyday life? No wonder the Israelis can't win a war, they're complacent sissies! What they really need is a good does of right-wing American machismo, even if the right-wingers are too chickenshit to actually go deliver that machismo in person.

P.S. For those of you in Nashville, please bear in mind that the IDF soldier in the video speaks perfect English (although from the accent, he sounds like a Brit who made aliyah). But does Shmuel the Shravrav speak Hebrew? NOOOO! And if you're going to be working in a foreign country, shouldn't you be required to learn the language, as Eric Crafton did when he went to Japan? Just throwing that out there.

Andy's Agenda

State Senator and possible 2010 gubernatorial candidate Andy Berke in today's Chattanooga Times-Free Press:

Since the election, Republicans have rightly been crowing about the opportunities they now have at hand. Many of the issues they cite, however, seem far from the challenges that my constituents face.

As we face the new year, every Tennessean I know is going to bed tonight, and every night, deeply worried over the basics: their jobs, their children’s education, and their safety in cities and communities where basic human want is rising precipitously.

If there is one fundamental, philosophical divide between Democrats and Republicans in our Legislature, it is over state government’s role in addressing these concerns. If you’re struggling in this economy, Republicans believe you’re on your own.

Democrats view things differently. Democrats believe we should use the tools of government to provide a platform of equal opportunity for all. While each individual’s success ultimately is his or her own responsibility, Democrats believe each individual’s likelihood of success will grow if we come together to provide good schools, safe neighborhoods, sound infrastructure and a clean environment.

To any other potential gubernatorial candidates--in order to support you, I'm going to need some sort of assurance that you're going to follow what Senator Berke is saying here. You cannot take the "God, gays, and guns" bait that the Republicans will throw out. And make no mistake, it's nothing more than bait, a tried-and-true strategy for getting out the conservative base. Issues like schools and infrastructure may not be as "sexy," but they matter far more in your constituents' everyday lives.

I hate to bring this up again, but I'm convinced that's why Harold Ford lost in 2006. We were winning in the polls when the commercials showed soybean fields; it all started to go downhill around the time the commercials started showing churches.

Senator Berke has the right idea and understands how to win. I certainly hope that our other possible candidates will stay away from the politics of the least common denominator.

Boys Suck And They Have Cooties

Sorry, I have to rant. It's a toss-up which incident I'm more pissed off over--this or the Titans losing.

When I first came up to St. Louis last spring to find an apartment, I met a guy at the hotel in which we were saying. He lived in an apartment building a block over from the hotel, and recommended it to me (he was at the hotel at that moment because he belonged to their gym). He was a Jewish MBA student at Wash U, and my mom knew his mom.

This was all my mother had to hear. She was already planning the wedding at this point.

I met up with him when I first got here in the fall. He was about to leave to go abroad for the semester, so I went out with him once before then. During the course of our discussion, it came out that he was a Republican. Not a complete deal-breaker, but enough to dampen my interest somewhat (it may sound strange to make that a priority, but politics are obviously very important to me). My mother thought I was crazy to even consider that, and demanded that I get back in touch with him when he came back.

He called me today, having just gotten back into town, and wanted to know if I wanted to get together. I invited him over to my apartment to watch the Titans game, and he said he would be there as soon as he ran one errand. Two hours later, I get a text saying he needed to do a few more things and "would be over later". That was two hours ago from now, and I haven't heard anything since. The game is obviously over now, and I'm about to go out with some friends.

So here's the rant. Guys--if you make plans to hang out with a girl, even casually, you still owe her some word of explanation if you can't make it. It's not that hard to send a quick text--"Hey, sorry, I got held up, let's hang out later." To not say anything at all just makes you a jerk.

And--shocking, isn't it--my mother still wants me to give him the benefit of the doubt. And while there remains the possibility that he got into a horrible car accident while rushing back here and is in a coma at Barnes-Jewish Hospital right now, I'm not holding my breath. Is it so hard to admit that being Jewish and coming from a wealthy family doesn't preclude a guy from being a jerk?

Astounding Numbers

Conservative blogger and Eric Crafton smacker-downer Nathan Moore crunches the numbers to find out just how much Metro would save by passing the English-Only amendment, and the results are astounding:

Here is the useage breakdown of Metro’s interpretation services (these numbers were provided to me by the mayor’s office)

Health 41.71%

Police / Sheriff 33.13%

Juvenile / Courts 7.95%

Metro Water 6.62%

General Hospital/Bordeaux 9.43%

Nashville Career Advis. 0.71%

All of the above departments receive Title VI funds. The total is 99.55%. It appears I was more than generous with my previous estimate of 97%. This means that the passage of English Only could only affect 0.045% of the money spent, which means that Metro would save $495 per year. Or, we could just give back $250 million in federal funds each year.

When you consider that this election will cost as much as $500,000 to conduct, it could take Metro centuries to recover any sort of savings, according to Mr. Moore.

Hell, for that kind of money, I'll just give Eric Crafton the $495 and we can call it even.

Folks, this is the line of argument that needs to be at the forefront of opposition to English-Only. Yes, I'm concerned about retaining Nashville's image as a welcoming city and about not alienating anyone. But the main argument against this amendment needs to be the practicality issue. Metro is required by the federal government to provide translators for most of these services, but the federal government provides the vast majority of the funding. So this amendment is much ado about nothing, the vote requires Metro to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for something that will ultimately HAVE NO EFFECT. Maybe it will "send a message," as the English-Only proponents claim--and that message is "Nashville likes to throw money down the toilet."

Post this up. Make sure it gets in the news.

Utah Should Be #1

In the final AP poll of the 2009 college football season, the BCS Champion Florida Gators took the #1 spot, while the undefeated Utah Utes were #2. It was obvious and expected, but that's not how it should be. Utah should be #1, ahead of Florida.

First, the obvious point--they're the only undefeated team in Division 1-A. Regardless of how weak your conference is (and the Mountain West isn't exactly a cupcake conference, four teams out of nine went to bowl games), going undefeated when all of the other great teams lost at least one game shouldn't be overlooked.

But take a look at the records. Of all of the one-loss teams, Alabama had arguably the highest quality loss, losing to the eventual BCS champion, Florida, in the SEC Championship game. Florida lost to Ole Miss, who lost to Vanderbilt earlier in the season. Oklahoma lost to Texas, who lost to Texas Tech, who got blown out by Ole Miss in the Cotton Bowl. USC lost to Oregon State (who did win their bowl game against Pitt...3-0). Going into the BCS bowl games, Alabama was the best of the one-loss teams. Alabama hadn't even been seriously challenged by anyone in a very tough conference until the very end.

And anyone who watched Alabama and Utah in the Sugar Bowl knows that Utah did not just beat Alabama. Utah humiliated Alabama on both sides of the ball. They showed that the undefeated record was not just the result of being in a weak conference but of being the best team in football.

This does highlight the need for a college football playoff, to better give non-BCS teams who go undefeated a chance to prove that they can compete with the BCS. Non-BCS teams are now 3-1 in BCS bowls--Utah has won twice and Boise State made two of the best trick plays I've ever seen to beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl two years ago.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Obama-Man

President-elect Obama, once an avid collector of Marvel comics, will get to be on the cover of a special inauguration-themed Spider-Man comic book:

The comic starts with Spider-Man's alter-ego Peter Parker taking photographs at the inauguration, before spotting two identical Obamas.

Parker decides "the future president's gonna need Spider-Man," and springs into action, using basketball to determine the real Obama and punching out the impostor.

Obama thanks him with a fist-bump.

That's so dorky and geeky, only 40 year-olds who live in their mom's basement are going to want one of those! I'm FAR too cool for that!

(Goes on eBay to buy one)

And in an unrelated story, Sarah Palin will make an appearance in an upcoming "Archie" comic book, to promote a message of abstinence after Archie knocks up Betty.

Feel Good Friday--Slumdog Millionaire Edition

I don't get to the movies that often, but I've seen two movies this week that are widely expected to win big now that awards season is underway. I saw "Doubt" on Tuesday night, which was incredible if only for the acting. I saw it with a group of boys, who were annoyed at the lack of a fast plot. But Meryl Streep is divine (a fitting description considering she plays a nun) and Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams both give gripping performances.

But the movie I saw the day before, on Monday, was one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. "Slumdog Millionaire" tells the story of a young man from the slums of Mumbai who goes onto India's version of "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?" Without giving away too much, you learn how he knew all of the answers based off of experiences in his own hardscrabble life in the slums. I was on the edge of my seat for the full two hours to find out how it all fit together.

In the grand Bollywood tradition, the final credits roll out with a song-and-dance sequence. This video shows that final sequence, with the catchy song "Jai Ho." The dance is interspersed with other clips from the movie, so this could be a potential spoiler:

Decoding Harold, Once Again

Harold Ford Jr. on the new entries into the race for Governor in 2010:

The former Memphis congressman released a statement Tuesday saying he was “grateful for the interest and the kind expressions of support” concerning a potential run, but said it was too early to declare his candidacy — or anyone else’s, for that matter.

“(T)he Governor’s race is two years away – and we are two weeks away from inaugurating a new President. The last thing Tennesseans want is a long, drawn-out campaign that gets in the way of Governor Bredesen and the legislature from taking action to improve education and create jobs,” the statement reads.

This one's not so easy to decode. A few possibilities:

A. He actually does believe that it's too early to begin campaigning for 2010. I have a hard time believing he's that naive to think that Democrats should hand the Republicans a head start like that. And besides, didn't he start his race for the 2006 Senate elections in April of 2005?

B. He's not planning on running, but is outraged that he has effectively been removed from the king-making process within Tennessee Democratic circles.

C. He IS planning on running, is outraged that at least a few people have gotten a head start on him, and is trying to discourage anyone else from jumping in. Hence the Bredesen suck-up, because surely he realizes that Bredesen is a lame duck at this point, no?

I'm really hoping that it's not Option C. He had his chance, he blew it, and he has spent as little time as possible here since that time. He's done nothing for the state of Tennessee in the last two years, preferring to party in New York City and go on TV in Washington. For all his name recognition and all his money, he would have no chance against a Wamp or a Haslam, who actually have some concrete accomplishments to their names. The Democrats need someone who truly understands East Tennessee and can compete there, not someone who thinks they can pass for a small-town individual simply by wearing camouflage.

Whoever's telling Harold Ford that he should run (assuming that it's anyone besides the voices in his head), let me ask this. Did you like the feeling in your stomach on the night he lost the election, knowing that we had thrown everything into that campaign only to come up short? Be prepared for that feeling again in 2010, only much worse. He has no chance of winning in 2010, not in this environment. The last name and the charming personality only get you so far.

I think this could be a good opportunity for the new chairman of the TNDP to make it clear in no uncertain terms that we are entering a new era of Democratic politics along with the Obama Administration, and that from now on, your merits will matter more than your last name. I ask Mr. Bone and Mr. Forrester--is that so much to ask?

Of course, if he's not running and this all falls under Option B, then Senator Berke, Rep. McMillan, and anyone else running--pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. Carry on as you're doing, raise money, make sure everyone knows your name. Don't listen to a proven loser on how to win a campaign.

Andy Berke For Governor?

Senator Andy Berke of Chattanooga will be forming an exploratory committee for a possible gubernatorial campaign in 2010. From the e-mail press release:

"I’ve been traveling around the state and everywhere the story is the same. Tennesseans are worried about their jobs, their kids’ education and their ability to go see the doctor that they want. I’m looking for the best role for me to provide leadership and help to the people of our state in this tough time.”

He joins former Rep. Kim McMillan as the only candidate to make any official announcement. Harold Ford Jr. and Lincoln Davis were also rumored to be in the running on the Democratic side, but given the lack of movement on that front and the reasons previously mentioned, it's looking increasingly unlikely that either of them will run.

I've met Senator Berke several times, and I have to say that I think he's exactly what the doctor ordered for Tennessee Democrats. If the nascent Republican primary is any indicator, this race is going to be fought in East Tennessee, so it's imperative that our candidate be able to compete there. Andy Berke represents the changing, more progressive demographics of the Chattanooga area. The fact that his district compromises both urban and rural areas means that he'll understand the needs of all kinds of Tennesseans.

But beyond demographic concerns, Senator Berke is one of the few high-up Tennessee Democrats who understand how any Democrat can win at the state level. And actually, it has nothing to do with how many Wal-Marts or Waffle Houses you visit. It's about running on economic and other substantive issues and proposing constructive Democratic ideas for solving those issues. It is NOT about falling all over yourself to be as far to the right as possible on "God, gays,and guns." Republicans fall back on those issues for a reason--not because they genuinely believe in them (although they might), but because it's a tried and true method of turning out their base. It's fine for a statewide Democrat to be further to the right on those issues than your average liberal blogger, but you have to offer something else besides that. Otherwise, why would a voter consider you when they could just vote for the Republican?

If his Tennessean op-ed from November is any indicator, Senator Berke understands that perfectly:

Tennesseans still want an excellent education for their children and the safest, healthiest communities for their families. They want good jobs and equal opportunity. They want a clean environment, good roads and a quality of life that honors the best of who they are.

Any political party ignores these priorities at its peril. Where Republicans convinced voters that they were most likely to advance these causes, they deserved to win. Where, however, Democrats failed to campaign on these priorities or, worse, ran as nothing more than kinder, gentler Republicans, then the words of Harry Truman come to mind: "If it's a choice between a genuine Republican and a Republican in Democratic clothing, the people will choose the genuine article every time."

The one potential liability I see for Senator Berke is name recognition, especially given the Republican candidates' popularity. But he's starting out early enough that he should be able to overcome that problem.

Of course, in such a critical race, he'll also need plenty of money. You can donate at his ActBlue page here.

Bill Frist Not Running For Governor

Confirming earlier reports, former Tennessee Senator and former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist announced that he will not run for Governor of Tennessee in 2010.

“After significant reflection and conversations with loved ones, I have decided to remain a private citizen for the foreseeable future," Frist said in a statement. "I will, however, continue serving the people of Tennessee."

Upon hearing the news, Zach Wamp got so excited that he accidentally sneezed the cocaine right out of his nose! (I'm here until Tuesday, folks!)

In short, he has the bank and the name recognition to do it, but one of three factors are stopping him. He's been out of politics for too long and really doesn't have the "fire in his belly" for another campaign; he realized that this won't lead to a higher office for him anytime soon; and the state of Tennessee's economy is so bad that no prudent person would want to touch it with a ten-foot pole. My guess is that it's a combination of the factors.

So, it looks as though we have us a ball game...at least on the Republican side. Zach Wamp, Shelby County D.A. Bill Gibbons, and Knoxville mayor Bill Haslam all want in, and who's to say that Marsha Marsha Marsha! Blackburn or my State Representative (for six more months anyway) Beth Harwell won't want to jump in at some point? Very exciting stuff, if you're a Republican observer.

But where does that leave us Donkeys? The only candidate to announce as of this moment is former House Majority Leader Kim McMillan. Lincoln Davis and Harold Ford Jr. were both rumored to be in the running, but they're looking increasingly unlikely to run. Lincoln Davis has a powerful and comfortable spot on the House Appropriations Committee, and can anyone remember when was the last time Harold even came to Tennessee?

The three potential Republican candidates are already raising money, talking to the press, and building up campaign operations. Whoever our candidate is, be it McMillan or someone else, needs to be doing all of that now as well. Not tomorrow, not next week, not a few months from now, but RIGHT NOW. The 2010 race will decide whether the Republicans get to re-district Democrats into the wilderness, and the governor's race will drive all other races. Just fighting to maintain the status quo this time around is not an option.

I Vote For Yiddish-Only

Rabbi Shana Goldstein Mackler of The Temple-Congregation Ohabai Shalom wrote an excellent op-ed against The Eric Crafton Ego Project in today's Tennessean:

This proposal is the "X" we recite in our litany of sins on Yom Kippur — xenophobia, the fear of others. From year to year, it seems that including xenophobia was just a way to include that difficult letter in our alphabetical list of woes, but now we have the opportunity to acknowledge a wrong and to do something about it.

There is no question that we have a right and an obligation to protect our country, our borders and our citizens — and by voting against this amendment, we will do just that. We will be protecting our citizens and visitors by opening and furthering communication and understanding. By voting against this amendment, we are voting for our Jewish values of justice, of welcoming the stranger, protecting and loving him as ourselves. This is our obligation.

Wait, you mean Jewish values include taking difficult stands on domestic issues rather than just knee-jerk reacting on every issue having to do with Israel and keeping silent on everything else? Huh, given the events of the last week, I never would have guessed.

The bill is purely symbolic, and a bad symbol at that. Metro meetings and permits are not conducted in any language other than English even without the law, and translators are required by federal law for some services, such as the courts (and the money for that comes not from Metro but from...the feds!). Why are we wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars just so one Metro Councilman and his friend Extra-Crispy can stroke their egos?

Mi Familia Votes Against English-Only

My parents were among the first in line yesterday to vote against the English-Only amendment to the Metro Charter. I would have been there too, but unfortunately I registered to vote in Missouri for the Presidential election.

Fox 17 interviewed my mother after she voted, in case you're wondering where I get my flaming liberal-ness from. You can see the video here, because I can't embed it (although just to clarify, she's a Metro volunteer, not a Metro teacher). Just be warned, you have to get through several snippets of Eric Crafton dumbing down the entire city before you get to the interview.

Eric Crafton is a sneaky little weasel, isn't he. He makes it sound as though the only thing this amendment would do is guarantee that Metro board and commission meetings are conducted only in English. I've been to board meetings, so have members of my family, and none of us have ever heard them conducted in any other language other than English. If Mr. Crafton has examples of that happening when we weren't there, perhaps he could share them?

And I wonder what Crafton's motives are. It could be that he really has "drunk the Kool-Aid," and really believes that the Reconquista is imminent, and that English is under such a dire threat that we can't rely on the fact that English is already the official language of the state of Tennessee to protect it. But somehow, I doubt that ideology is his sole motivator. I've always thought that he's using the English-only issue as a way to boost his own profile and build his conservative credentials independent of the Metro Council. If he ever wanted to run for higher office one day, this could really help him among conservatives.

Personally, I hope he does run for higher office. Then maybe we can get someone in Council who actually cares about Bellevue.