Politics – Page 218 – Shall Not Be Questioned

Grassroots on the Gun Issue

I did a post a few days ago about the Facebook presences of a few anti-gun groups providing some good reasoned discourse opportunity. As of now Heeding God’s Call has a whopping 96 Facebook Fans, which is better than 62, which is the number for CeaseFire Pennsylvania.

My friend Dan, who runs PAFOA, decided to start a new media initiative in the middle of January, and made it a goal to get to 1000 fans for PAFOA by the end of the month. Currently that number stands at 1900. He’s since had to revise his goal to reach 2000 by the end of the month. Here’s the PAFOA Facebook page, so if you’re on Facebook, go become a fan and help embarrass the Pennsylvania gun control groups.

Drinks are on the House

The House Speaker, that is.

It reads like a dream order for a wild frat party: Makerâ€™s Mark whiskey, Courvoisier cognac, Johnny Walker Red scotch, Grey Goose vodka, E&J brandy, Baileyâ€™s Irish CrÃ¨me, Bacardi Light rum, Jim Beam whiskey, Beefeater gin, Dewars scotch, Bombay Sapphire gin, Jack Daniels whiskey â€¦ and Corona beer.

But that single receipt makes up just part of the more than $101,000 taxpayers paid for â€œin-flight servicesâ€ â€“ including food and liquor, for House Speaker Nancy Pelosiâ€™s trips on Air Force jets over the last two years. Thatâ€™s almost $1,000 per week.

I could use a spare bottle of Grey Goose if she’s got a bottle (or even half!) laying around. I just got our sampler of vanilla beans from around the world in, and now the 2 cups of extract I planned to make aren’t going to be nearly enough.

Going Overboard on a Single Issue

In a world of politics where it’s rare to see a candidate take a strong stand on any position and actually mean it, I suppose that I should find Joe Hoeffel’s dedication to abortion admirable – at least as a matter of not being afraid to be clear on his positions. But for a guy who wants to win a state that’s more of a purple shade of blue rather than bright blue, you’d think he would have figured out that his enthusiasm for a controversial issue isn’t exactly going to win him many votes.

Most pro-choicers I know are not ardent pro-choice advocates. While they are unlikely to vote for a candidate who wants to ban all abortions, they are also not likely to carry water for those who take a Kang-like dedication to “abortions for all.”

So I really have to wonder exactly what Hoeffel’s strategy on this issue is for his race for governor. He can’t possibly think there’s a constituency for it. The abortion issue and related links made up 28 of his last 60 tweets. I can’t fathom anyone who actually thinks that abortion is such an important issue today that it justifies nearly 50% of a campaign’s social media outreach. There are no big controversial abortion bills on the floor of either the state legislature or Congress. Even if he survives the Democratic primary, there’s really nothing the next governor will be able to do for either side of the issue. Hoeffel has just gone nuts on this non-issue, and I can’t fathom whose votes he believes it will win. At this rate, I fully expect him to show up at the next campaign stop with a Planned Parenthood abortion pride t-shirt on.

He Better Hope He Doesn’t Get Browned

Chuckie Schumer is dropping in the polls. I’m sure Chuck can count on the anti-gun vote to save him. All he has to do is ask his buddies Jon and Martha. I don’t want to be too optimistic, but it would be awfully nice to run the Scott Brown treatment on Schumer. I’d love to send one of the major architects of gun control legislation for the past two decades packing.

That Sums It Up

Obama: I Hate The Perpetual Campaign. Please Donate Now.

I’m always a fan of a good headline.

Still Aiming for a State Rifle

It would seem that Sen. Pat Browne is still hoping to get the Pennsylvania Long Rifle designated as the official state firearm. It’s not clear on how this is an update on the bill which was actually dropped last year.

The Magic is Gone

Listened to the State of the Union. I think President Obama does much better as an aspirant than an established politician. He’s not as eloquent when he has to speak to specific political situations, compared to when he can just speak in the lofty and abstract. This past year, the people that supported him have expected him to live up to the lofty rhetoric, and he’s not been able to deliver. He seemed to have moments where he was prepared to admit that, but not too much, you know.

I’ve become increasingly convinced Obama is no Bill Clinton. My disagreements with Clinton on many specific policy issues, including and especially related to the topics this blog covers, are fairly profound. But Clinton had a raw political talent that has been matched in my lifetime only by Ronald Reagan. I don’t believe Obama is capable of triangulating in the face of defeat in the way Bill Clinton did.

My impression of President Obama’s State of the Union Address was that it was doubling down on the concept of him. At this point, pretty clearly that’s neither the “hope” nor “change” many people voted for. If he doesn’t learn quickly, this will not end well for the Democratic Party.

Rodentgate Continues

For those that don’t follow the gory details (and gory is highly appropriate in this case) of Pennsylvania Capitol happenings, it looks like the Capitol Cafeteria has failed yet another health inspection. It was originally closed back in December due to numerous rodent droppings, among other things. The Capitol was re-opened by none other than our own governor, who wanted to show the people of the Commonwealth that rodent crap never killed anyone.

Capitol Ideas asks why Aramark still has the contract. That’s a good question. Just remember folks, these are the same types of people who want to make health care decisions for all of us too.

UPDATE: Now this explains why the Aramark Contract wasn’t cancelled:

But to Rendell, who broughtÂ Philadelphia-based Aramark in as the food vendor six years ago, this visit was his way of giving an all-clear to the thousands in theÂ Capitol workforce that theÂ once-popular restaurant is clean and safe again. “I haveÂ 100 percent confidence that this is as clean a restaurant now as any facility in the state, and I have no problem eating here,” Rendell said as heÂ dug in, joined by Cathleen McCormick, hisÂ top capital projects aide.

Aramark is a big Philadelphia based employer. Patronage is a bitch. This is what you get, people of Pennsylvania, for electing a Philadelphia Mayor as Governor. Never again. Thankfully Ed is one rat who’s droppings we won’t have see around Harrisburg after this year.

O’Conner Not Liking Citizens United Ruling

I thought that McConnell v. FEC was one of the most disappointing O’Conner decisions over her career. It doesn’t seem her opinion on the matter has mellowed:

â€œGosh,â€ she said, â€œI step away for a couple of years and thereâ€™s no telling whatâ€™s going to happen.â€

Justice Oâ€™Connor criticized the recent decision,Â Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, only obliquely, reminding the audience that she had been among the authors ofMcConnell v. Federal Election Commission, the 2003 decision that was overruled in large part on Thursday.

â€œIf you want my legal opinionâ€ about Citizens United, Justice Oâ€™Connor said, â€œyou can go readâ€ McConnell.

As it is, I agree with O’Conner on the problems of an elected judiciary, which she goes on to discuss in the article, and I am a great admirer of O’Conner’s principled stances on federalism (she was one of the three justice minority in Raich). But I think on this issue, she is very wrong.

What’s That Spinning Sound I Hear?

Oh, I think it’s just Tom Jefferson increasing his subterranean angular momentum a bit after hearing about this. Hopefully just the fact they were sued will give the park service some pause next time some folks decide to engage in some non-disruptive expression. You never know when they might have access to well-respected civil rights attorneys.