The Spot for REAL Progressive Politics, media and hip-hop
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
How we do it in the Nati
A day after the census was challenged and changed, leaving Cincinnati in a much stronger position than the day before, I'm still basking in the after glow.
When things go from disaster to not-so-bad in a matter of one day, it's a hope-inducing feeling.
And of course, it was a college kid who saved the city. It usually is. Contrary to what you elders like to think, we're as capable, if not more so, than anyone else out there. It's a good thing the Enquirer got the real story instead of merely praising Mayor Mallory as a hero.
It's like the New York Times is doing my job for me. Their most recent article is about the recruitment of conservative candidates by Democrats in order to win elections in conservative districts.
Let me sum up this policy:
We can't convince people that our progressive platform is the best thing for the country, even though it is. While Republicans have implemented their policies, and failed miserably, instead of clashing with these policies head-on, we will adopt these policies as our own.
This strategy is an interesting way to pick up seats, but as the NY Times points out, it will lead to intra-party collisions after election day. When Pelosi tries to crack the whip on gun control, abortion, or other key issues, will only half her party listen?
This strategy will ultimately lead to the demise – re-birth if you are a conservative Democrat – of the Democratic party. Bad news for long-time Democrats who constructed their political beliefs out of the FDR legacy. Good news for the Green Party – since Democrats are slowly leaving their progressive values behind, a market will open for parties like the Greens.
Pelosi and her wing of the Democratic Party are going to be caught with their pants down in a year (Don't think of Nancy that way). They'll look around the room at the anti-choice votes, and pro-gun votes, and will only be able to shrug their shoulders and wonder what all their hard work was for.
Democrats will be divided amongst themselves and will certainly be out of step with the President. Should be a productive two years.
It's always strange when Hollywood movies or New York literature refer to Ohio as some state in the middle of nowhere. Jon Stewart's excursion into Columbus is another reminder that Ohio is an enigmatic, yet essential, part of 'flyover country.'
It's true that Ohio is often viewed as one of the few "swing states" where electoral success hangs in the balance, but "civilization's" confusion over our state always leaves me scratching my head.
Are we a rural country run by small towns and the religious right? Are we a state where blacks and whites live in a fragile detente (as in Cincinnati)? Are we a bunch of wahoos who put all our energy into Buckeye football and leave very little left for other aspects of culture? Are we a state that is built upon thriving urban areas with sports teams (uniforms and everything), art, and diversity?
It's strange to define Ohio, because we are a bit of all those things. However, the rest of the country struggles to get their finger on the pulse of our state. When they think they have us figured out, they are usually wrong.
Election day may redefine our identity yet again. So much so, depending on the results, I may have to move to another state where minds think differently (for better or worse) and have a completely fresh set of goals. Or maybe I'll just have to keep plugging away at this mysterious state.
And why not? How often does a Democratic politician grow a backbone and stick it to the the corporate world?
Corporate America is already thinking beyond Election Day, increasing its share of last-minute donations to Democratic candidates and quietly devising strategies for how to work with Democrats if they win control of Congress.
Big business is making sure that no matter who wins, their interests will be well cared for.
So for those keeping score, this is how it breaks down: If Democrats take control or if Republicans keep control, the corporations that call the shots in our country will be taken care of. They can't lose. The people, on the other hand, can't win. We don't have the money to pay for a victory.
Besides generally horrible candidates, here are a few reasons:
Declining schools, a fragmented society with a growing gap between rich and poor, weak political parties, vicious partisan attacks and shoddy media coverage are among the factors at work, said Curtis Gans, director of the American University Center for the Study of the American Electorate.
Sadly, those things may actually help improve voter turn-out. When the majority of candidates are crooks, it just may take handouts and gimmicks to get people to the polls. There are better solutions. More than likely there's a need for a complete makeover of our democratic system, but short of that, there are ideas that would pull voters out in droves. The inclusion of more candidates and more viewpoints would be a bold step in that direction.
If voter participation is really important to the powers that be; make election day a holiday. It's a simple idea, but it's still the best idea.
Don't make people skip out of work early or fight off the post work-day lines to be involved. Besides, the current system makes it easy for the affluent, those with the ability to "step out of the office," to cast a ballot at their convenience. Working stiffs have to beg to their bosses and managers to get out at a reasonable hour.
More so than holidays celebrating Christ, God, a fat guy in a suit or a bunny; we need holidays celebrating America and civic duty. Voting day, if given to the masses, would be a holiday we would all celebrate, not just a holiday for the majority.
It's simple. When the politicians decide to get serious about the needs of voters, voters will get serious about them.
A few days ago, I posted an entry here called "The Blogosphere." In it, I wondered if there was some collective "plan of attack" on which bloggers could agree -- in regard, perhaps, to corporate press or local politics.
Recently, Andrew Warner decided to call me a "lap dog" for looking at Phil Heimlich's campaign contributions after he decided to look at David Pepper's.
But I want to avoid that slippery-slope of blogger in-fighting.
Andrew and I seem to have different, unspoken, agendas -- and if we stop trying to throw stones at one another, I wonder if we can see how the "disagreement" is really a discrepancy in tactics.
Andrew's tactics are more focused on third-parties, while mine are more concerned with candidates that are open and accessible to non-standard media.
Each, I believe, has its benefits. Which is more important? Why?
The University of Cincinnati's Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the new domestic benefits package for faculty this morning.
It must have been impossible to find holes in my argument.
This is the right decision and a step in the right direction for equal rights. There's still a lot of work to be done, but it's good to see a small victory.
The Dean of Cincinnati has invested a large chunk of his blogging energy toward toppling the Heimlich empire. So much so that he has thrown himself into the camp of conservative Democrat David Pepper.
As a result, the Dean has sacrificed his journalistic edge to cheerlead one candidate instead of equally scrutinizing the dirty deeds of all political slimeballs.
Rich guys give money to rich guys all the time in politics. So when does the honorable civic duty of handing over wads of cash become "influence buying"?
One of the names that came up in the investigation (as close as the Enquirer comes to one at least), was Hamilton County Commission hopeful David Pepper.
Another Cincinnati Democrat, David Pepper, received $1,000 from Beck at the start of his failed mayoral campaign, $1,000 during a council run in 2003 and said he got another $1,000 for his campaign against Hamilton County Commissioner Phil Heimlich. In an interview, Pepper said he got the campaign money before he knew of any gambling plans.
What's a thousand here and a thousand there in today's politics anyway? Not much sadly.
But will $10,000 raise an eyebrow?
Louis Beck, who was the driving force behind the failed gambling alternative to Learn and Earn's Constitutional amendment, spread his money around trying to open up what would have been a cash-cow casino.
With his $10,000 (8/15) contribution to David Pepper, he has added a surgeon's precision to his once unfocused efforts (though I'm sure this won't be the only candidate that gets a donation from Mr. Beck). The question we need to ask now is simple: Is this a loud thank you for the support? Or is this an attempt to buy a little influence from a guy who could turn casino dreams into Cincinnati's nightmare?
Rumor has it, the League of Women Voters is a non-partisan political operation with a foundation in voter education and awareness.
In Cincinnati, contrary to their claims of a "non-partisan" nature, they've proven themselves to be full of... lies. The series of debates throughout Ohio have been suppressive to views outside of the two-major parties.
In New York the story has been quite different. From Democracy Now:
Today we continue with our coverage of the mid-term elections. The League of Women Voters has withdrawn its sponsorship of three debates in New York because Green Party candidates were excluded from participation... The League also withdrew its sponsorship of a debate between Democratic Senator Hilary Clinton and Republican Challenger John Spencer after Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins was excluded from taking part.
At least somewhere in America the League of Women Voters understands its own mission. Here in Ohio it's quite the opposite. Sadly, we are becoming notorious for being backwards – an honor we should be reserving for states like Utah or Alabama.
Good work New York. A candidate on the ballot is a candidate on the ballot. As much as the Democrats and Republicans want to muddy the issue, it's still not rocket science.
That's one of the ideas discussed in the Washington Post's feature on Sam Harris, author of the End of Faith and the newer Letter to a Christian Nation.
Whether you put your faith in reason or you're a believer in supernatural beings, the article, and Harris in general, is something you need to add to your reading list.
Is it better to have a blogosphere filled with lots of different sites, or to have divergent views under one online roof?
Is that too much like copying corporate consolidation?
In terms of local Cincinnati blogs, would it be better to have one stop, or fifteen?
I ask these questions honestly. Sometimes I wonder at the power of blogs, and I wonder if they are more powerful having many small places or one big one?
I guess that depends on the tactic or the attack.
Do we have any tactics? Is there a plan of attack?
The top American commander in Iraq said Tuesday that he may call for more troops to be sent to Baghdad, possibly by increasing the overall U.S. presence in Iraq, as rising bloodshed pushes Iraqi and American deaths to some of their highest levels of the war.
The commander, Gen. George W. Casey Jr., also said he now believed Iraqi forces would be ready to take over security responsibility from the Americans no sooner than late 2007 or early 2008. The announcement of a 12- to 18-month target again pushes back the withdrawal of the bulk of the 145,000 or so U.S. troops in Iraq.
That date just keeps getting shoved back further and further. At this pace, we'll be setting our troop withdrawal goal somewhere in late 2015 or early 2016 (oops, slippery slope).
They say now that the violence and the death toll are at some of their highest rates since the beginning of the war – are these results telling you anything?
The longer we stay, the worse it gets. Simple logic, backed by empirical evidence – this administration seems to understand neither.
Here we are a few weeks away from the midterm elections and a group of 65 active duty service members have congress in their crosshairs instead of Iraqis.
Remember andrewwarner.org hero Lt. Ehren Watada who refused to fight in our illegal occupation? The ripple effect of his actions were easy to beat back for pro-war pundits. It takes little effort or coherent logic for slimeballs with keyboards to paint a picture of a noble refusal to fight as a cowardly act of desertion.
This new group of upstart soldiers, on the other hand, are active warriors who are engaging their congress people in a more legitimate and legal way. I wonder who is going to be the first to suckerpunch and call soldiers in the line of fire 'deserting cowards?'
Whether it was intentional or not, these soldiers couldn't have picked a better time to take their case to their [temporary] congress people. I pity the pro-war candidates who have to shut their doors in the faces of pleading soldiers and claim that they know better. I pity more their unwise opponents who don't get behind the soldiers' cause.
Three of the service members will hold a press conference Wednesday explaining their decision to send "Appeals for Redress" under the Military Whistleblower Protection Act to their members of Congress. Under the act, National Guard and Reservists can send communications about any subject to their member of Congress without punishment.
Should make for an interesting, and I imagine quite jolting, event. No one can present the case for peace like those are forced into the ugliness of war.
The Source Magazine is coughing up nearly 15 million dollars for gender discrimination after firing their former editor in chief who accused them of harassment.
Unfortunately for Dave Mays and "Benzino," owners of the magazine, life isn't a 24/7 rap video where women walk around with thongs hanging out begging to bump and grind any man with a fat wallet.
It's never good to see women treated as inferiors, but it's all too common in the world of hip-hop. The best case scenario in a messy situation like this one is that the world of hip-hop will take heed and take the leap into the year 2006 (where the rest of us are waiting) .
The worst case scenario is that women will lose more respect in hip-hop culture and misogyny will hang on to its iron fisted rule.
It's time to grow up and treat these intelligent women, in this case the woman responsible for the best selling edition of the Source ever, like people and not playthings.
Republican icon Bill Clinton is in town to help John Cranley stuff the coffers for his epic battle against fellow Republican Steve Chabot.
The cheapest ticket to the fundraiser costs $250 a couple. The most expensive: $4,200 a couple.
John Cranley: A true man of the people.
I can't believe there are some progressives who still consider these asses as the party of the people.
I can hear it now: "You need money to win Warner." I think a message would do better. As for the voters of district 1, like me, we're out of luck in this election.
I wouldn't encourage either of these two with a vote.
I'm not surprised they didn't hoist the Sherrod Brown flag – after all, he may not bend over backwards for P&G and their bottom line – but J. Kenneth Blackwell, really?
Ted Strickland may as well be a Republican with his ultra-conservative position on gun rights and his love of coal-mining. Not to forget most of the country (anyone who is paying attention at least) has pretty much accepted that Blackwell is the culprit of the greatest heist of our times. And of course there is the winding road of Blackwell's career that has taken him on a political journey from Huey Newton to Jerry Falwell. A transition you think would raise a few more eyebrows.
If there was ever a year to abandon the GOP, this was the year. But they didn't.
Instead they choose to criticize Blackwell's tactics while amplifying them with front page headlines. And while they pretend to hate the dirty tactics they immortalize in headline form, they still approve of the candidate who continually reaches into the grab bag of dirty tricks.
Maybe it's another attack by the liberal media.
More accurately, it's more proof that crap really does rise to the top – especially in politics. It's also a cold reminder of who pulls the strings of the media in our country. It's not the people, as it should be, the reporters, or even the editorial staff. It's the rich bastards who can afford a printing press or a TV station.
That's just sad.
It's no wonder newspapers are on the verge of extinction. While they sit in board rooms and scratch their heads over the sharp decline in subscribers, it becomes increasingly clear that those in a position to own and control a press certainly don't have their finger on the pulse of the real world. The point is made with this endorsement of the democracy-killer himself.
I had my fingers crossed hoping that Fitrakis was going to pull off the upset in the board room of the Enquirer. But as a friend told me, there's far too little room in politics for the good guys.
As far as the Enquirer's concerned, there's only room for those who will take the burden off the heavy shoulders of the rich. There's only room for the jerky knee reactions of the scrambling GOP.
When people are silenced and constantly threatened, they start to speak out:
Drivers entering downtown Cincinnati from the I-71 tunnel, and some other places around town, may have noticed an unusually cryptic piece of graffiti: “Habeas Corpus R.I.P 1215-2006.”
The words appear to be a protest against the Bush administration based in part on a Molly Ivins column that was published last month and has been circulating on the Internet. The graffiti matches the headline of Ivins’ column.
Sometimes graffiti is so much more than a simple act of vandalism. This particular act, dare I say it, is the American spirit struggling to survive.
The only way this country will be saved is from the bottom-up. I can't begin to describe how refreshing it is to see grassroots movements (such a cliche term by now) trying to wrangle the federal government and take it back for the people.
Too bad we didn't get in on this here in the Nati.
My old teacher, Byron McCauley of the Enquirer's editorial board, posed a stupidly obvious to his audience at the Forum:
My question is this: Do you think you could make a sound voting decision without a) hearing the scary music lead-in followed by the pasty image of some poor candidate with a 5 o'clock shadow, b) hearing the familiar urgent, baritone voice-over telling you 5 O'clock Shadow Guy has criminal ties and wants to take your children's lunch money, candy or worse, and c) knowing that candidates "approve this message"?
Or do you think political ads simply add zest to the campaign season?
The answer is even more straightforward: If there were a hell, the creators of political ads would have a special reservation in the hottest layer.
I gave up my cable early this year, so when I turn on the TV now it's tuned into channel 5, 9, or 12. Needless to say, I'm not watching very much TV any more, but when I do, haunting stories about every candidate in every race interrupt every show. If that's not bad enough, the partisan blogs that are littered throughout the vast internet post every commercial in order to brag about how "hard-hitting" their candidate is, or how their latest ad is loaded with backbone.
Candidates don't even waste time saying what is good about themselves any more. I'm worried it's because there's nothing good to say.
Avoiding political ads is one of the reasons to support a candidate who can't afford them. I'm not naive enough to say that Bob Fitrakis would produce a pristine ad that doesn't bitch slap Ken Blackwell, but the campaign's lack of money keeps things pure. If he's going to badmouth another candidate, he has to do it in a conversation and not in a pseudo-authoritative, dictating television commercial.
When a political ad comes on TV, I understand why people tune out and avoid the polls. Why would any normal person want to vote for these mudslingers?
So Byron, you can keep your "zest." Give me some substance. If there's any left.
If not, and you're from Cincinnati, then shame on you. Support your Cincinnati artists as they go out into the world.
I haven't spun it enough times to give my complete thoughts on it, but it sounds like a complete album. The guest list is stacked (Talib Kweli, Common, Nas, Busta, Q-Tip, Ghostface Killah, and more) and the production is diverse. He's able to mix a classic soul feel into some tracks ("Josephine") while using a grimier approach on others ("the March"). With the monotony of other artists in the genre, it's important to keep the listener off-balance if you want your CD remembered.
Hopefully I'll have more thoughts on the album later.
Get over to Shake It if you love unique local businesses and want to support a Cincinnati artist who has written Cincinnati back on to the hip-hop map.
If you're the type of punk who shops on the internet because you don't want to scrape yourself out of your desk chair, there's always Amazon.com.
I might not even need to write up endorsements for the issues this year because City Beat nailed theirs.
How do they see it?
Issue 1: Endorsement pending judicial review.
Issue 2: Yes on raising the minimum wage.
Issue 3: No on Ohio Earn and Burn. Ironically, when you flip to the next page in the paper edition, their paid advertisement is staring you in the face. Putting an ad right by a negative editorial: That's getting what you pay for.
Issue 4: No on the pseudo smoking ban.
Issue 5: Yes on the real smoking ban.
Issue 12: No on the hastily drawn up jail plan. They figure Pepper will do it better when he takes Heimlich's seat in a few weeks.
Issue 13 and 14, both levies for good causes, also received the nod from City Beat.
Good work from John Fox and City Beat on the issues. It's a shame they won't step out of the box, initiate real change, and endorse Bob Fitrakis for governor.
Now we have to ask ourselves: Paristanship or downright terrible journalism? Neither answer is very flattering, but murmuring rumors isn't exactly putting the Pulitzer in the bank.
As my journalism teachers have taught me, it's not difficult to use the media if you know how. And boy did the Enquirer get played this time around. They might as well bend over and let Kenny ride their asses to the finish line of this race if they are going to posterize any rumor that pops out of his head.
I'll let you debate why the Enquirer has resorted to tabloid tactics. We'll probably never know the real answer unless Callinan opens up his blog again, but that doesn't change the fact media our Cincinnati media is sinking fast.
Once your paper starts pushing whisper campaigns and backhanded accusations, you start tearing away layers of credibility.
Be careful. In this biz, that's all you've really got.
I'm in the minority that thinks Nikki Giovanni was in line when she dedicated one line to Cincinnati's own J. Kenneth Blackwell.
I'm glad she's not bending over to apologize. There's no better way to christen a public square than a jolting exercise in free speech.
And it was jolting. The elders are grumbling (by elders I mean Peter Bronson). In response to her poem he cracked open the cliche handbook to offer up the power structure's retaliation:
I heard the old joke attributed to Mark Twain about living in Cincinnati when the world ends, because it will get there 10 years late. I only heard the insult, not the compliment.
Never heard that one before.
I don't like the Big Brother Jumbotron screen that looms over the square.
A misplaced Orwellian reference? Not only is it cliche, it doesn't make sense. It's a viewing screen Bronson, not a giant surveillance camera.
hijacking our celebration to slander a Republican candidate for governor who has done more for Cincinnati than a whole library of Giovanni's poetry.
Now that's not cliche, but it's downright stupid. This type of statement would do well to be supported by some evidence. Until then, I think Cincinnati should be more proud of a nationally renowned poet instead of an internationally infamous crooked politician.
Don't hire a genius and expect her to sacrifice her art to blindly cheerlead the work of 3CDC.
Listen to some poetry and be grateful Cincinnati. This is just the wake-up call you need.
**Update: Brendan at spacetropic disagrees and is accusing Giovanni of employing cheap, pathetic, plays sent to her from the Evil Leftist Headquarters.
Andrew Sullivan lays the smack down on the participants in an unannounced Bush pep talk that took place last month.
Who are these people called in to meet the president for a pep talk? Here are the toadies awaiting instructions and talking points: Mike Gallagher, Neal Boortz, Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity and Michael Medved. It forces one to ask the question: what is the difference between journalists fawning on a president, taking spin directly from him, cozying up to him - and paid propagandists whose job it is to advance the interests of those who already wield power?
The extent to which some of these so called "journalists" are willing to barter integrity for access is appalling. Even more offensive, and just as pervasive, is the manner in which the Bush administration rewards journalists who cover the Republican party line by granting them exclusive interviews. I, like many others, dream of the day when Bush finds the courage to accept an interview by Keith Olbermann, Jack Cafferty, Stephen Colbert, or anyone else who might actually ask tough questions. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening anytime soon.
David Pepper is a Win for Republicans & Democrats Alike
A David Pepper victory is not a tough pill for Hamilton County Republicans to swallow. His pro-business leanings and P&G background make him someone the power structure of our region can work with.
Republicans should be satisfied.
And Democrats? Well, he has a D by his name and by now it's crystal clear that's the only thing that matters to them.
My perception of Phil Heimlich may be slanted due to the fact that 95% of what I hear about him comes from the Cincinnati Beacon, his harshest critic, but the Enquirer sees the same thing as the rest of us.
Working with Phil is like trying to compose a symphony with a rabid pitbull.
David Pepper may be anxiously waiting waiting for it, maybe even hinging his success upon it, but he won't get the official AndrewWarner.org endorsement. He's not the flaming liberal type I look for around here.
However, the fact that he is not my particular flavor of politician doesn't alter these simple truths: David is smart, open to criticism, courteous, and lined with the occasional glimmer of progressivism (ie the living wage law he helped write).
He still loves corporate welfare, privatization, and generally selling us up the river – but he'll at least answer your questions about it afterward. That's more than we can say about his opponent.
So Democrats rejoice. You can feel comfortable knowing that in less than a month you will be in control of Hamilton county. That way you can take credit for building the next jail instead of letting Republicans look like the tough guys on the block.
Republicans, you'll be fine too. The money flow won't be interrupted and your business deals won't be jeopardized with the election of David Pepper. You just won't get to push your "Christian" values on us for a few more years – that was just the smoke screen to sneak in your other agenda anyway.
If you're a progressive like me, you can't win with this election. If you're a Democrat or a Republican, well; you can't lose.
If only Ted and Ken had accepted their invitations. It might have made us feel as if we were actually living in an open, free-flowing democracy composed of a wide range of ideas; not money.
Talib Kweli, as usual, won over a diverse crowd with his meaningful, thought-provoking lyrics. Hi-Tek, on the other, had his brain scrambled by the chilly air and couldn't remember his own lyrics (He's still sweet. Buy his new album on Tuesday).
It was a touching moment to see the hometown boy return, take center stage in re-opening the Square, and get to give a shout out to his beaming-with-pride mother.
Not to mention the fact that it's not every day you see a star so humbled and surprised by his own success he can't stop looking at himself on the new jumbo screen.
Most importantly, my wish came true:
I witnessed many old white people wave their hands in the air like they just didn't care.
New Fountain Square Ushered in With Talib Kweli & DJ Hi-Tek
If anything was done properly with the renovation of Fountain Square, it was tapping Cincinnati's finest, DJ Hi-Tek, and Brooklyn's living legend Talib Kweli to help re-open it.
Watching these two perform is reason enough to make the trip downtown to face a brisk autumn day. It'll also make stuffing yourself shoulder to shoulder into the square a bit more palatable.
I'm sure the crowd will get a kick out "How we do it in the Nati" – I always do. They'll be on stage around six and I'm hoping to see some old-timers from the suburbs lingering around long enough to wave their hands in the air like they just don't care.
Now that the money has been spent, it's important to use the square in a way that won't feel like we got duped (even though we kinda did). Events like this, where the entertainment spans the entire spectrum, is a good way to bring our otherwise splintered city together.
Aside from Talib and Hi-Tek, probably in an attempt to appease whitey, they booked the bubble-gum indy rock group Ok Go. They're more fun in their videos than they could possibly be on stage, but their poppy sound should appeal broadly to the likely diverse crowd downtown.
Like most, I'm excited about the jumbo-sized television (probably bigger than my apartment) that will play host to Bengals games and even video games (probably). Since I cancelled my cable (Time Warner is pure evil) I'm hoping they'll let me come watch CNN down there. I miss my daily Wolf Blitzer fix.
Get down to the Square today and experience your city – Don't make it the last time either.
Avoid the lines. Get down to your local board of elections and vote early.
I did and they put me on the news. Any news involving me is a story that counts – it's good to see the media finally reporting what matters.
The Cincinnati Enquirer ran a story about early voting today and declared it a "big hit."
So what are you waiting for?
Don't waste election day waiting in line. Your campaign of choice will need your schedule free and clear so you can help them litter churches with signs and pester voters who want nothing more than to pretend you don't exist.
Heavy hearts hit the floor yesterday throughout the heartland. The millions of Democrats throughout the Midwest (including my home state of Ohio) probably broke down when the chance to vote for "moderate, centrist" figure slipped through their fingers. The idea of having to vote for an actual progressive makes them shudder.
Even poor Kos had to be bummed when he was alerted there would be no one left to throw him and his minions open bar parties in Vegas any more.
Luckily for the "wolves in sheep clothing Democrats", they still have Evan Bayh lingering around, sucking up the resources abandoned by the former Virginia Governor.
In case they were worried, Democrats won't have to vote for a candidate who actually stands up and opposes Republican values and proposals. There's always a conservative or two with a D by their name to appease the heartland.
Only 45 percent of Democrats are very confident their votes will be counted, and only 30 percent of blacks are confident. Almost six in 10 of all voters polled had a lot of confidence their votes will be counted, according to the AP-Pew survey.
The U.S. Army has plans to keep the current level of soldiers in Iraq through 2010, the top Army officer said Wednesday, a later date than Bush administration or Pentagon officials have mentioned thus far.
The Justice Department approved AT&T's (T)purchase of BellSouth (BLS) on Wednesday, clearing a major hurdle for reuniting two parts of the old Ma Bell phone monopoly that the government broke up in 1984.
Wish I had some good news for you, sorry, it just isn't in the cards.
Are you attractive, demented, prone to senseless angry outbursts, or in desperate need of your fifteen minutes in the spotlight?
If that's you and you're in greater Cincinnati, you're in luck!
MTV's regrettably popular reality hit, the Real World, is interviewing for their next cast today. If you think you have what it takes to fake drama and complain about the incredibly easy job they are bound to give you, get down to the Holy Grail Tavern off short Vine.
It was strange seeing a bar with a mob of people waiting outside at eight in the morning – I thought I was on Ohio State's campus for a minute. Now I know they were just eager beavers trying to give their reality careers a jump start.
Get down their quick and bring your most recent sexy picture.
The Enquirer, for those people who don't comb through blogs and politics on a daily basis, is performing as news media should and taking the time to spell out the ballot issues for voters.
The article provides information on both issue 4 and issue 5. Since the tobacco companies snuck in a deceptive "Smoke Less" Constitutional amendment to beat back the charge of the "Smoke Free" crowd, this type of coverage is a necessity.
My hat's off to the Cincinnati Enquirer. This is exactly the type of coverage we need. I'm grateful that yesterday's murder or football game could give up a few inches of space to help voters acquire a little bit of knowledge.
The key point from today's article:
Backers of Issue 5 point to California for insight into the possible economic impact of a ban in Ohio. In 1997, for instance, California found that establishments selling all varieties of alcohol posted revenues of $8.64 billion, according to the California Board of Equalization. By 2002, those revenues topped $11.3 billion - a 32 percent increase in receipts.
New York City reported $12 million paid in taxes from restaurants in bars and restaurants from April through September in 2003, after a smoking ban, compared with $10.8 million for the same time frame in 2002 - an 11 percent increase.
There you have it: Not only is a smoke-free environment respectful to the people around you (as compared to slowly inducing their death), it's good for the economy!
Vote yes on issue 5 and stay tuned to the Enquirer as they break down the rest of the ballot.
Mos Def built his legend with bricks made of intelligent lyrics and thoughtful hip-hop. He made the transition from underground hip-hop legend to all-purpose superstar through the medium of film.
His biggest pay check came from the wholesome family film, the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but he's shared the silver screen with some of the biggest names of Hollywood in movies made for grown-ups as well.
So at an event designed so stars like him could shine, the MTV Video Music Awards, why was he carted away in a police car?
More curiously, why was it barely reported?
Was it drugs, murder, or assault? Hardly.
It was civil disobedience for the new millennium. That's why MTV, who did initially report the incident, has kept it relatively low-key.
What many still don't know about Mos Def is that he is a staunch critic of the Bush administration. Like Kanye West who embarrassed President Bush on national TV when he told the world that George Bush doesn't care about black people, Mos Def doesn't hold punches with the current administration.
He joined another lyricist, Immortal Technique, on a track where he claims "Bin Laden didn't blow up the projects. It was you *****." The same song illustrates the failures of this administration and even goes as far to claim that Bush knocked down the World Trade Towers.
Doesn't sound like the same guy you made your child watch go on a series of misadventures through the galaxy, does it?
Mos Def, who has always tried to give the otherwise violent and pointless world of hip-hop something inspiring to chew on, has been mixing a blend of rap and activism. His music attempts to provoke positive action. Other artists (and I use that term loosely) in the same genre promote the degradation fo women, violence, and the selfish desire to make money.
The track he tried to perform at the MTV Music Awards is called "Katrina Klap." It's a song that criticizes, wonders about, and tries to make sense of the disaster that devastated New Orleans – whether that disaster was Hurricane Katrina or the "Storm Called America" is up to your own artistic interpretation:
At an event where paparazzi and news media swarm like cockroaches out of nuclear fall-out, most of the footage available is shoddy work filmed with cell phone cameras.
The best footage available:
Notice his mic hand was snatched by an officer as if the microphone was a handgun. Notice Mos Def, well-known by anyone in the crowd, was treated like singing his song was putting people in danger. New York's finest' reputation of overt hostility has preceded them.
True, an impromptu performance is illegal. I couldn't bring a sophisticated sound system onto the street and rap whatever song I wanted. Neither could you. Speaking legally, Mos Def couldn't either.
And that's what they got him for. The Mighty Mos Def was arrested for not having a permit. The internet buzz is that he applied for one and was denied by MTV (one of many corporate forces he has rallied against in his lyrics).
The actions of the NYPD and MTV beg a few questions: How would MTV have reacted if Justin Timberlake showed up and showed us some Sexyback? Or if Will Smith had come and gotten jiggy with it?
Perhaps a better question: How did they react when P Diddy broke out in song in the same fashion at a previous year's event?
They applauded him like he was a hero.
The soundtrack of the 60s is filled with music that is critical of the government, inspiring, and innovative. Some may even argue that music might have been the vehicle for many of the social changes that took place in the past century. That was rock and roll. My generation only heard it through Forrest Gump or listen to it as a novelty – we don't really get it in spite of trying.
Rock and roll has been diluted to the point where the subject matter is either love or indiscernible, and all that's left of the revolutionary spirit is lingering in hip-hop. Anyone who has ever switched the dial to a Clearchannel hip-hop station knows they're trying to break that genre and bury it along side the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and the Harlem Renaissance. Keep rapping about bitches, blunts, and money and that's all the people will care about.
Music with meaning is a scary thing.
MTV is making sure we don't hear it.
Mos Def is rapping for a reason. Unlike most others in the game, it's not money.
The bad news: he'll only be 34 come election time in 2008. No Mos Def for President yet.
I don't know whether to be more discouraged with the fact it seems every elected official has more skeletons in their closet than Michael Jackson, or with the way the misfortunes and illnesses of these elected officials turn into a political football for both sides to play with.
First the Democrats pointed the finger at the Republicans for not flushing Foley out sooner. Now the Republicans are accusing Democrats of holding back the information until it was politically advantageous.
Shame on anyone who did either.
Shame on us, however, for letting our news turn into the tabloids right when we need accurate and relevant information the most.
A life in the closet is bound to be damaging. That's no more evident than watching the clips of Foley campaigning against pedophilia on Dateline. It's ironic and controversial, but there's no reason to keep this discussion at the center of our debate.
While the story is important for several reasons – it certainly is from a media standpoint, a psychological standpoint, and a personal standpoint – the voters of America will lose if we let this (and all incidents like it) take the lead in dictating our political decisions.
This is a personal problem and the person involved has resigned. Maybe he will be able to find peace with himself now instead of lashing out at our country and doing harm against other people.
Maybe not.
But how an advertisement with the boogeyman "Republican Sex Predator" will ever stop a war, respond to a natural disaster, feed the poor, or accomplish anything else that needs to be accomplished, is beyond me.
Don't let these stories distract you from the real issues.
Why they let this guy out of the home to write is beyond me:
Dr. Heimlich is a real gentleman, so I could be wrong. But politics can have that effect. At this time of year, when nothing is sold on TV and radio but defective candidates, the onslaught can make strong men weep and make weak men break down and vote for the Green Party.
What's a strong man to do after he's done weeping? Vote for people who are doing a "heckuva job" (only by their own measuring sticks of course)?
Peter Bronson, the strongest man of them all, considers those who listen to scientific evidence of global warming (refutable only to those who know the 2nd coming of Christ is just around the corner) is a sign of weakness. Aside from that, a person who steps out on a ledge to vote for a candidate who doesn't center their campaign around God and attack ads should also be thrown into the fire of weakness.
Bronson wants things kept simple. No Science. Keep the elections limited to two parties.
Bronson's education ended in college and he shouldn't be forced into to learning new things. His freshman geology class in 1907 was loaded with more than enough information to shoot holes in any movie Al Gore and those environmentalist types can put together.
And God forbid third parties earn inclusion in the political process. Bronson might have to rub elbows with a commoner like Bob Fitrakis.
There's no time for any of that. He's too busy publishing his next book on Cafe Press.
In spite of recognizing and pointing out the stupidity of our election process, Bronson can't stop himself from pulling the lever for the same people he criticizes. He's a junkie who's addicted to losers. He'll keep going back for another hit even knowing the harm that follows right behind.
It's true what they say: You can't teach an old dog new tricks.
And of course he thinks strong men would do okay to re-elect Phil Heimlich – a man who is such a pillar of strength he cringes and runs when journalism hobbyists ask him honest questions. That's right before he takes cheap shots at their personal lives.
Perhaps the best indication of his strength is picking on a small group of well-intentioned, heavily involved people like the Green Party. Especially when it's another cheesey punchline instead of legitimate criticism. Real men always use their columns to shove minorities who have no ability to push back.
My favorite depiction of North Korea's Kim Jong Il will always be his performance of "I'm so Ronery" in Trey Parker and Matt Stone's Team America: World Police.
While the satirists certainly portrayed the North Korean renegade as some type of "evil" (he does turn into a cockroach and scurry away at the end of the movie), they, like the rest of us, oversimplified the situation.
Of course, it very well may be the case that he is simply an evil man doing evil things, but we would do ourselves a disservice not to think about the issue one step further.
One section from the Washington Post article earned my attention:
"North Korea's final goal is survival, and a test is their final option," said Ahn Yinhay, professor of international relations at Korea University in Seoul. "Given the current situation -- the enormous pressure from the U.S.'s hard-line policy -- the North Koreans may think they have no other means to try to get out of this deadlock. They may think they have nothing else to lose."
There's some that think North Korea is bluffing. Perhaps more accurately stated, they are playing their final card and hoping that they will come out ahead.
However, we would be silly to deny that we have had a visible hand in escalating this situation. Declaring a country part of the "Axis of Evil" and flexing our military muscle too openly against other countries that are "evil" is bound to make any leader jumpy.
The question we need to ask is this: Why can human beings generally control themselves in moments of conflict while entire countries act like animals banging on our chests trying to prove we are the alpha male?
One desperate move leads to another and we find ourselves in a game of chicken – all parties are afraid to back down and have their so-called manhood humbled in front of the mob.
There will come a point where someone will swallow their pride and turn the burner off. That, or we will go to nuclear war.
If only our leaders (of both countries) could stop chest thumping for the cameras and start looking for practical solutions.
The Cincinnati Beacon, which sometimes leaves readers feeling pummelled by an excessive amount of anti-Heimlich writing, is now the hottest thing in Cincinnati media.
The Dean's relentless muckraking has put a deep wound into Team Heimlich and David Pepper was more than willing to pick the scab by using Phil and his crony entourage as an example of dirty government.
By now the outburst of Chris Finney, Team Heimlich's behind the scenes all-star, is well documented. The Enquirer, City Beat, and a great number of local blogs have given the story legs that would have made Jesse Owens jealous (with the content from the press conference it was inevitable).
Couple this insane outburst with the embarrassing videos of Phil Heimlich hurling playground insults at the Dean and you've got a perfect storm of chaos for the Republican Party.
Ass-slapping, petty bickering, and a cloud of shady dealings aren't exactly the textbook formula for victory.
All brought about by an "unemployed stay at home dad from Norwood."
A David Pepper victory in November could mean Cincinnati has its own blogging king maker – eat your heart out Kos.