2020 Hindsight

Great discussion on Reagan's legacy at Asymmetrical Info

by Jane Galt [via VodkaPundit]. An analysis of what Reagan did, and in the voluminous informative comments that follow, some counterpoints and analysis of the presidencies which preceded and followed Reagan. A nice telescopic view of the high points of several administrations over the last few decades, complete with a few surprises.

idle thoughts about the post below

So maybe we should organize some Meetups and create a movement to stop continental drift. Cause continental drift is a horrible, nasty thing that wreaks havoc on our quality of life. It's a form of corruption that goes to the core of the planet. There's gotta be stuff we can do to help eradicate it. I'm hoping that maybe if we could get more organized, we could raise awareness and enact a law or implement some policy that will combat this scourge. Maybe with the start of a paypal fund, publicity and awareness could start the ball rolling. Do you think it would work?

UPDATE: Responses are trickling in at a glacial pace (how appropriate). One post points this nascent campaign in a fruitful direction.

Instead of (or in addition to) this bumper sticker

Stop Continental Drift Now!

Jim Lyon suggests this one, which will take us back to the days when Continents congressed together in peace and harmony...

Reunite Gondwanaland!

and if you're wondering what is Gondwanaland...

McCain on Airtalk says No to Kerry VP role

Just heard it on the radio (interview with Larry Mantle on Airtalk). No way would he run as VP with Kerry if asked. Will actively support Bush's re-election bid by campaigning and by voting for him.

What will do the Neighbors think contribute?

via Dan Gillmor, Neighborsearch 2004. Find out who's giving political money to whom, based on zip code. (someone not far from me gave $2K to Wesley Clark. The owner of the dealership where I bought my car gave $2K to Bush)

For the want of a bra, free speech was lost.

That's the opener of an op-ed by Nick Gillespie, as quoted by Jeff Jarvis in his ongoing coverage of Howard Stern and the First Amendement. Today's installment is long, in-depth (and you have to read through quite a bit before finding the Nick Gillespie quote), and *so* worth the read.

THE X-ON CONGRESS: Indecent Comment On An Indecent Subject

Editorial by retired judge Steve Russell, found in a blog entry by Doc Searls on the whole obscenity issue.

Also: Monologuist Sandra Tsing Loh fired from KCRW over un-bleeped expletive. Did they also fire Mario Diaz, the engineer who failed to heed her instructions to bleep out the f-word, too? (LA Times story) No word on that. But blogger Adrian Mendoza has a catchy title to his post about Tsing Loh.

Diebold e-voting machine critic spent Super Tuesday as Election Judge

He was lead writer on paper that exposed security weaknesses of Diebold machines. In the wee hours of Wednesday morning, he wrote up his impressions of his day as election judge (what I might call a precinct worker in local election parlance) [via Q Daily News]

Perhaps the lightest moment in the day came when one voter standing at his machine asked in the most deadpan voice, "What do I do if it says it is rebooting?" Head judge Marie turned white, and Joy's mouth dropped. My heart started to beat quickly, when he laughed and said "just kidding." There was about a two second pause of silence followed by roaring laughter from everyone.

67 percent or 55 percent?

So, while taking the Metro Gold Line down to downtown LA today (I like the train!), I boned up on all the proposition stuff.

Prop 56 -- reduce the threshold for budget passing from two-thirds to 55%. With all the opponents crying taxes, taxes, taxes, I got to wondering just how many actual votes we're talking about here. So using the Legislature vote count for Prop 55, I tallied up the number of Senators and Assemblyfolk and calculated the different totals to reach a majority.

	Total*	67%	55%	Difference
Assembly	79	53	43	10
Senate	38	25	21	4

*Total number of Assemblyfolk/Senators taken from tally of votes cast on bond measures in Prop 55. This may not be actual totals of CA state legislators

10 votes in the Assembly, 4 votes in Senate. Is the matter of 14 votes one of the keys to solving the state's budgetary gridlock? Is 14 votes the margin that keeps the state from even more evil taxation? Somehow the question seemed different to me once I changed it from 2/3 and 55% to those actual numbers.

Protect the Right to Bare Arms

The legacy of changing voter registration to Rep to vote for McCain in March 2000... is that I am still a republican. (and unlike Y2K, I can't cross over in the primaries).

So, I'm looking into the US Senate candidates. These are taken from web sites of candidates. (In case you were wondering, they're on my reject list)

Barry Hatch is running against all illegals. (not the other candidates, his platform). Here's what he says. Vote the Banshees out:

California Officials say immigration is not important. The birthrate of American Hispanics is so huge it will cover the nation. Are you going to allow these ungrateful banshees to wallow in their repugnant plans for our Nation?

So, I wonder what he thinks of our current Governor. Is The Gov also an ungrateful banshee, too? Or is Arnold okay because he's white?

Strange, after that, to make a fashion statement befitting of California in the summertime: Protect the Right to Bare Arms (scroll down to bottom)

John M. VanZandt's bio states that he was president of Maybelline, and, later, CEO of Avanza. On the CalVoter political philosophy page, tho, he says,

by proper management, we can provide health insurance for everyone through Medicare with very little. almost painless taxes. the overhead in medicare is 1.5% and in private HMOS, almost 14-15%. with set contolled pricing, doctors may lose money on each visit but they will have 2-3 times more visit s and make more overall money than at present in private plans.

Do the math: lose money on each visit, have more visits; lose lots and lots more money. And this guy is a CEO?!

LA County District Attorney race

The District Attorney race.

KPCC talks with each of the candidates in this 54-min realplayer program . I heard part of the program last Friday, am re-listening to it.

SmartVoter.org's L.A. D.A. race page.

The candidates:

• Nick Pacheco, MetNews article
• Anthony Patchett: 31 year veteran in DA's office. MetNews article about his challenge to Cooley, and Pasadena Weekly endorsement
• Tom Higgins
• Denise Beryl Moehlman
• Roger Carrick
• Steve Cooley incumbent.

L.A. Times: D.A. Hopefuls Attack Absent Incumbent at Forum

News articles critiquing incumbent Steve Cooley 's performance (from challenger's site)

L.A. Weekly declines to endorse any of the candidates, discussing the qualifications of each one. Note: also discusses Judicial candidates.