Political State Report: State News Straight Up

When you balance the real-life pain of rape victims with the no-life, no pain of a possible pregnancy the decision should be simple for sentient-thinking people.

That reality finally got through to Democrat and Republican Illinois legislators. Two weeks ago, on March 14, Illinois Gov. Jim Doyle signed an emergency contraception bill into law (Assembly Bill 377, also known as the Chemical Abortion Hospital Mandate). Women who had been raped and assaulted were a big part of the law’s success.

The new act allows a high dosage of Plan B birth control pills which alter hormones and stop any acting fertilization. It also requires hospital staff to let people know that the option is available to them.

...READ more...
BY: Temple Stark | Comments and Links (2)

John McCain has an interesting choice to make as to who should be his vice presidential running mate. In the most basic of terms the considerations are wide. It’s not even clear the so-called “Maverick” would pick a Republican, though it would be a pretty craven Democrat who would accept his request. What’s that, Joe Lieberman?

A woman? Someone in a wheelchair? A general?

How about Colin Powell? Woah, that one is worth a long, considering pause isn’t it?

Regionally does it matter? Likely not another southwest presence but what about Arnold Schwarzenegger to help drag California to his side? I think it is technically constitutionally legal for a naturalized American to be vice president. National media would shine the biggest spotlight on this campaign.

Laura Ingraham? McCain likes the blondes.

Would he want to strengthen his hawkish (to put it mildly) positions or push someone who would balance where he is perceived as weak.

Does he accept that he is not conservative enough and that being more conservative would actually help with the general electorate?

Would he bring Jonah Goldberg aboard so the right-leaning blogosphere would finally come aboard?

Michael Bloomberg is a serious consideration. What say you?

...READ more...
BY: Temple Stark | Comments and Links (2)

With his own confetti strewn picture atop his Web site, Independent candidate Ralph Nader wants people to not only listen to his views but to vote for him and send him money to become the 44th President of America.

Currently there sure do seem to be a lot of potential defectors from the Democratic Party if their preferred candidate doesn’t get the nomination. From the right, it’s hard to think Nader’s anti-corporate stance - not a bad thing - will draw many Republican defectors unhappy with John McCain. After all, they don’t like him because of McCain-Feingold’s attempted stripping of money power from corporations. McCain isn’t right enough.

Nader lays down 12 major issues he says are “off the table” of the other candidates. They are:

• Adopt single payer national health insurance

• Cut the huge, bloated, wasteful military budget

• No to nuclear power, solar energy first

• Aggressive crackdown on corporate crime and corporate welfare

• Open up the Presidential debates

• Adopt a carbon pollution tax

• Reverse U.S. policy in the Middle East

• Impeach Bush/Cheney

• Repeal the Taft-Hartley anti-union law

• Adopt a Wall Street securities speculation tax

• Put an end to ballot access obstructionism

• Work to end corporate personhood

Here Nader makes the pitch why he’s a better choice than McCain or Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton:

...READ more...
BY: Temple Stark | Comments and Links (3)

After a sweep of the states tonight, In what was a fairly substantial - and conservative speech - John McCain accepts the Republican nomination for the 2008 presidential race. This is a big deal for McCain who has been trying for so long.

Because he wrapped up the campaign, in all but math weeks ago, this speech has been prepared for a while.

In Austin, Texas, speech below:

...READ more...
BY: Temple Stark | Comments and Links (0)

Mike Huckabee continues his strong showing, but not strong enough in a winner-takes all Republican elections race.

McCain took an inertia win in Wisconsin, though with just 54% of the vote to Huckabee’s 38% and will take Washington state. (UPDATED 21:55: McCain winning by a 2-1 margin.)

With just over half of the vote counted in Wisconsin, Obama is winning 56% to 42% and will take the state. The state carries 74 delegates and stretches his delegate lead. With Texas, Ohio and Pennsylvania the race is close enough where it can’t be called for Clinton or Obama. And with the proportional split in most Democratic races, they will all be in play. If Hillary does well in two of those three states it gets complicated. If she does not, Clinton will lose purchase among her supporters to continue into a tough party-schism fight.

Washington state Democrats, having already held their caucus Feb. 9 is also holding a primary today for no reason whatsoever; no delegates are decided today. (UPDATED 21:55: Still, almost 700,000 people are voting in the primary, perhaps because many were not able to make it to the time-intensive caucus)

News today was the Clinton camp, who likely didn’t think the race would last this long, had not organized enough in Pennsylvania to make sure all their delegates were actually registered. And the Clinton campaign is discovering that Texas delegate rules are arcane and convoluted but the ones they have to work with. No doubt the Obama camp was discovering the same things, but that went unreported as it does not fall within the approved narrative that most blogs have fallen into with the established media.

After today, Democrats have 14 states left and 981 delegates to decide. The winning candidate needs 2,025 delegates. Guam and Puerto Rico are also include and Puerto Rico actually has 55 delegates for Democrats in the final primary of the season, June 7.

...READ more...
BY: Temple Stark | Comments and Links (0)

I’ve been hesitant to write here about the candidates and their strengths and qualities because I’m invested in a candidate. In other words, I voted for Hillary Clinton and it’s hard to note whether I’m disgusted with certain things because of that or from a general sense of unfairness.

For instance, I never thought Democrats would be as nasty as the righy wing in attacking and describing motivations for Hillary Clinton that clearly aren’t there.

For the same reason, perhaps, i’ve never seen the appeal of Barack Obama - as a presidential candidate in any case. I’ve said many times, political leaders aren’t there for inspiration they are there to lead. Others. obviously feel different and need to be inspired.

I would argue, extensively if asked, that John F. Kennedy wasn’t nearly the icon people now think he was. He was young and had a glamorous wife. He is now an icon, but not necessarily for what he did while in office. It was a different time, of course, but assassination tends to bring out an extreme case of the De mortuis nil nisi bonum in people. Do not speak ill of the dead.

Yet, my views are colored by being invested. I’ve cast my dice for a candidate and I did so for several reasons, so obviously i am biased against others. I would further argue that this is true only because I do not think of this as a paying job. It’s not my career, it’s an educated hobby i am also invested in. Still, I’m smart enough not to write all I want to write, because this Web site is not supposed to reflect my views or even only Democratic views - certainly not. It is supposed to represent the views of hundreds of people from all states and all views.

Wisconsin went for Obama by about 10 percent and Hawaii likely will too because it’s a caucus and because it’s Obama’s home state, though that fact gets very short shrift in his books.

John edwards was my first choice but he dropped out before I could vote for him.

It’s an unfortunate fact that everything the Clinton camp and supporters do is taken to it’s worst possible conclusion by Obama supporters who will brook no dissent. Similarly not very smart people suddenly take one site or person, such as Hillaryis44 or Taylor Marsh as indicative of all Hillary’s supporters. It’s simplistic and it’s the thinking of true enemies, who coldy don’t care whether the other person lives or dies.

It disgusts me how many right-wing talking points and tactics have been absorbed by Hillary-haters. Because, don’t lie, you hate her because you’ve bought into the idea that she’s evil and she’s not electable because Republicans don’t like her. I think you’re a sucker, but I could be wrong.

I don’t dislike Obama but I’m not impressed. Hey, but at least if he’s nominated I won’t have to vote for McCain, who’s truly the product of his competition. America is too smart to elect him. Obama can do well if everyone plays along, but when’s the last time that happened. It took a World War II would argue and a man with ideas, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

...READ more...
BY: Temple Stark | Comments and Links (1)

A month from now, on January 3 Iowa is the first occasion voters get to mark their preference for the next leader of the United States. Five months later on June 3, Montana, South Dakota, New Mexico (for Republicans close out the hunting season.

That’s first date is a month away, and that date,unfortunately marks the gunshot start of a race to the bottom of the rhetorical barrel.

Who can possibly disagree?

It would be nice if there was more hope for an intelligent discussion about the future of the country. Instead, it’s not only going to be horrible it’s going to be embarassing to all thinking people in the country. The usual suspects will enjoy all kinds of gotcha and on the other side we’ll all feel a little stupider.

But, the winner and his or her supporters will feel great. Can we the people really have hope that this country’s politicians solve anything rather than just tread water to do the bare minimum of care and due dilegence?

The National Association of Secretaries of State actually has a decent plan to hold four regional primary election days in the first weeks of March, April May & June.

Maybe that will come to pass in 2009. Meanwhile, Feb. 5 is when the fit hits the shan as 23 states hold primaries, 20 for both parties. Iowa and Kansas, this year, are holding caucuses. Hawaii Republicans are choosing delegates during the first week of February.

Several other, local and congressional primary elections will take place the same days. More on that at PolState.com later.

JANUARY - 13 primary elections in 7 states:

Jan. 3 Iowa (caucus) - R & D
Jan. 5 Wyoming - R only
Jan. 8 New Hamshire - R & D
Jan. 15 Michigan - R & D
Jan. 19 Nevada - R & D
Jan. 19 South Carolina - R only
Jan. 26 South Carolina - D only
Jan. 29 Florida - R & D

FEBRUARY - 57 primary elections in 30 states:

Feb. 1: Maine - R only
Feb. 5: Alabama - R & D
Feb. 5: Alaska - R & D
Feb. 5: Arizona - R & D
Feb. 5: Arkansas - R & D
Feb. 5: California - R & D
Feb. 5: Colorado - R & D
Feb. 5: Connecticut - R & D
Feb. 5: Delaware - R & D
Feb. 5: Georgia - R & D
Feb. 5: Idaho - D only
Feb. 5: Illinois - R & D
Feb. 5: Kansas - D only
Feb. 5: Massachusetts - R & D
Feb. 5: Minnesota - R & D
Feb. 5: Missouri - R & D
Feb. 5: New Jersey - R & D
Feb. 5: New Mexico - D only
Feb. 5: New York - R & D
Feb. 5: North Dakota - R & D
Feb. 5: Oklahoma - R & D
Feb. 5: Tennessee - R & D
Feb. 5: Utah - R & D
Feb. 9: Kansas - R only
Feb. 9: Louisiana - R & D
Feb. 10: Maine - D only
Feb. 12: D.C. - R & D
Feb. 12: Maryland - R & D
Feb. 12: Virginia - R & D
Feb. 19: Hawaii - D only
Feb. 19: Washington - R & D
Feb. 19: Wisconsin - R & D

- and the rest who were sane enough not to care because it’s a primary and they’ll likely get the candidates who have a chance of winning, anyway.

MARCH - 11 primary elections in 6 states:

Mar. 4: Ohio - R & D
Mar. 4: Rhode Island - R & D
Mar. 4: Texas - R & D
Mar. 4: Vermont - R & D
Mar. 8: Wyoming - D only
Mar. 11: Mississippi - R & D

APRIL - 2 primary elections in 1 states:

Apr. 22: Pennsylvania - R & D

MAY - 13 primary elections in 7 states:

May 6: Indiana - R & D
May 6: North Carolina - R & D
May 13: Nebraska - R & D
May 13: West Virginia - R & D
May 20: Kentucky - R & D
May 20: Oregon - R & D
May 27: Idaho - R only

JUNE - 5 primary elections in 3 states:

Jun. 3: Montana - R & D
Jun. 3: South Dakota - R & D
Jun. 3: New Mexico - R only

New Mexico’s Republican primary has the distinction of being the last primary poll to close for the season.

Then when all that’s over, the uselessness of the conventions where scripts are read and very poor theater is played out on garish stages:

Democratic Party, Aug 25-28 in Denver
Republican Party, Sept. 1-4 in Minneapolis-St. Paul

...READ more...
BY: Temple Stark | Comments and Links (3)