You're Still My Boy Blue

Clinton won Pennsylvania. I'm not too surprised. But I do have to say, Obama narrowed down a 25 point lead to about 5 points. That's a big deal. And we can't forget those Republicans who switched just for this primary.

CNN asks whether the Clinton victory comes too late. In my opinion it does. She's still not close to the lead, he still picks up delegates and shows that he can appeal to a wide array of people and, somewhat amazingly, change people's minds in a rather short period of time. To me, that's a good victory in and of itself.

In the end, I think Pennsylvania only confirmed what many of us already feared--we're not seeing a quick end to this any time soon.

You're still my boy, blue!

Right Now (It's OUR Tomorrow)

I've been holding this thing inside for awhile--my comments, my thoughts and my fears about this never ending primary we seem to be entangled in for life. I've basically done a 180 in the past couple of months. At first I thought this would open up a good dialog for the country...you know, the first serious African American contender and the first serious female contender for president. What historical times we are living in! And how long overdue!

But as February faded to March and March to April, my moods seemed to change. I, of all people, was becoming disenchanted with the whole thing. Sure, I have always and continue to support Barack Obama as I believe he's the right candidate for the job for many reasons, not the least of which is his ability to inspire and lead a movement (and if America needs anything it's a good movement). I never disliked Hillary Clinton on a political level--in fact, I often supported her. But for certain reasons which are personal to me I picked a side and called it a day months ago.

But now that we're really in the thick of it and the Republicans have a clear advantage in terms of raising money, raising support and making a good run at the big prize in November, I'm left to ponder--What the hell are we arguing for?

The longer we drag out this primary, the more bad it will do. And herein comes the 180--the time for an enlightening dialog is over. Sweet nothings whispered over afternoon coffee or an evening brew won't change the fact that the McCain train is running down the tracks while us Democrats are constantly stumbling over ourselves. The longer we fight amongst each other, the less fight we'll have in November.

It infuriates me that choosing one candidate over another is seen as picking sides in an unwinnable war between who has overcome the most--Blacks or women. Women of color especially feel tugged at both sides. White women are urged to side with one of our own (there are a plethora of posts to that effect here). Men are deemed anti-feminist if they favor Obama. It's just pure madness--and it's the kind of madness that Karl Rove likes to watch with an after dinner aperitif and a shit-eating grin.

It's the kind of madness that needs to stop.

The feminists bashing Obama for the sake of showing support to a woman candidate has got to stop.

The ridiculous dissection of Clinton and her every move to somehow show that a woman can't hack it (or that she as a woman can't hack it) has to stop.

Simply put--the in-fighting has to stop. For too many weeks now we've been battling over something that isn't going to be achieved this year or next. One way or the other we're going to have the first candidate of color or the first women candidate--there is no compromise. This is not a situation where we can all be pseudo-social workers and have a win-win for all concerned. This is a situation where we need to grow a pair (ovaries or testicles--it doesn't matter) and come to a conclusion about who we think can honestly lead this country not only in this mythical and hypothetical "After the election" world we dream of, but in November--the first hurdle we must jump.

I'm sorry, but it is time to come to the conclusion that if you can't be with the one you love, you've got to love the one you're with or you're going to end up hating what you're forced to accept.

So imagine my surprise last night when CJV decides to tell me (and I don't know how serious he was) that if Obama wins the nomination, he might vote for McCain. I would have passed out had I not decided to hit him upside the head.

And then it hit me...this is what's happening to America now. Regardless of whether CJV was being serious or being a facetious prick, the truth of the matter is that this is what is happening in the heart of America right now. Scary? Yes. True? You bet.

The time has come to pick a leader. And I'm sorry to the Clinton-supporters out there, but there is a slim chance in hell that she'll pick up this nomination. It's about the simple math of it all at this point. So maybe, instead of picking at each other for stupid, insignificant and ridiculous comments, histories and anecdotes, we can all just agree that the time has come to heal the party and move forward as a group to change this country into something we wish to see...and more importantly, something we wish to be.

It's this easy: We need to put aside the debates about privilege and sacrifice and put on our big girl and big boy pants and really go out and confront the REAL issues--the issues that have allowed people like McCain to rise to power in the first place. Therein lies the real task, and if we don't start working on it now, we're going to fail miserably in the fall.

Or we could just keep fighting and end up with a never-ending war, continued erosion of the Rule of Law, disenfranchisement of millions of people, a continued race-baiting battle over immigration laws, the decline of protections for women and people of color in the judicial realm, a miserably imbalanced economy and the disintegration of the middle and working class.

The choice is ours. The time is now. Cue the music...

I Love it When Someone is Smart and Sassy

And this commentary piece is funny and smart....


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The Top 10 Myths Keeping Hillary in the Race

By Chip Collis, Huffington Post
Posted on April 1, 2008, Printed on April 1, 2008
http://www.alternet.org/story/80870/

I have noted a number of myths suggesting Hillary should stay in the race. Here are ten enduring, kudzu-like myths, with the debunking they sorely need.

Myth: This race is tied.

No, actually, it's not. Obama has the lead in number of states won, in pledged delegates and in overall delegates. Nothing will happen in the remaining primaries to substantially change that. As to the one thing Hillary does lead in, superdelegates, her quickly shrinking margin is among DNC personnel only. When you look at the elected superdelegates, Congressman, Senators and Governors (i.e. people who actually work with both Obama and Clinton) Obama leads there, too.

Myth: Okay, the popular vote is tied.

There are people who claim that because of the 3% separation, that Obama's lead in the popular vote is a "statistical tie." This is a myth because, when you can actually count things, there's no need of statistics and no such thing as a margin of error. The popular vote is not an estimate based on a sampling, like a poll. Like the general election, there are winners and losers and, so far, Obama is the winner.

Myth: Fine, but what if we count electoral votes? Now Hillary is ahead!

Not so much. The proportions of electoral votes to population versus delegates to population are pretty comparable. So if you allocated electors proportionally in the same manner that you allocate delegates, Obama is still ahead. If you allocate them on a winner-take-all basis, then that would be the same as allocating the delegates on a winner-take-all basis, so why bring electors into it?

Myth: But if we did do it like the Electoral College, that proves Hillary is more electable than Obama, because of states like California.

This is perhaps the saddest little myth of all. It's ridiculous to suggest that Obama will lose New York and California to McCain because Clinton won them in the primaries. No, come November, those states will join with Obama's Illinois to provide 40% of the electors necessary for him to win.

Myth: Very well, then, Mr. Smarty-Math. But if we counted Michigan and Florida, then Hillary would be winning!

Nooo, she wouldn't. The margin would depend on how you allocate the delegates, but Obama would still be ahead. And he'd still be about 100,000 ahead in the popular vote, too, despite not even being on the ballot in Michigan. However, it would enhance Hillary's chances of catching up in the remaining races.

Myth: Ah HA! So Dean is keeping them out just to help Obama! And Obama is keeping them out.

That's two myths, but I'll treat it like one. The only people who can come up with a solution to this problem are the states themselves, to be presented to the Rules and Regulations Committee of the DNC for ratification. It was Rules and Regs, not Howard Dean, who ruled that Florida and Michigan were breaking the rules when they presented their original primary plans. If the two states cannot come up with a plan to reselect delegates, they can try to seat whatever delegates were chosen in the discounted primaries by appealing to the Democratic Convention's Credentialing Committee, which includes many members from Rules and Bylaws.

Myth: If they don't get seated until the convention but a nominee is selected before these poor people get counted then these states are disenfranchised.

There are two ways to debunk this myth: semantically and practically. The first is based on the word "disenfranchised:" these people have not been deprived of their right to vote. Through the actions of their states, their votes don't impact the outcome. Now, you may say that that is specious semantics (Myth: I do say that!) but practically speaking, this is the usual effect of the nominating process, anyway. All of the Republican primaries since McCain clinched the nomination have been meaningless, but those voters are not disenfranchised.

Florida and Michigan tried to become more relevant in the process by breaking the rules. They risked becoming irrelevant instead.

Myth: Well, I say they are disenfranchised, and Hillary Clinton is their champion.

Only when it suits her. Last fall, when the decision was first made to flush 100% of Michigan and Florida delegates, Clinton firmly ratified it. That was because the typical punishment of only 50% representation also kept the candidates from raising money in those states. Figuring that she would wrap up the nomination handily anyway, the clear front-runner agreed with all the other candidates - including Obama - to completely "disenfranchise" those two states.

Myth: Well, never mind 2007. She's doing more now to bring them in.

Not really. Recent stories in the St. Petersburg Times political blog said that 1) the Obama camp has reached out to the Florida Democratic party about a compromise and that 2) the Clinton camp will discuss nothing else but re-votes, which are legally, practically and politically dead.

Myth: Whatever! Hillary can still win! I know she can! She and her 37% positive rating will sweep through the remaining primaries and Michigan and Florida, winning 70% of everything and superdelegates will flock to her banner and Barack Obama will personally nominate her at the Convention and John McCain will give up and George Bush will even quit early so she can take over and... and... and... can I have a glass of water?

Yes, and you should lie down, too.

AlterNet is a nonprofit organization and does not make political endorsements. The opinions expressed by its writers are their own.

Chip Collis is a long-time commenter on the Huffington Post under the handle jungpatawan.

Well...that's a start.

Apparently Hillary is offering bonds for greater fuel economy.

Something tells me this isn't going to work...