Arkansas Blog

Post it MAX!!! Hogs beat the hottest team in the country Cal. State Fullerton 10-6!!! Van Horn's first win in the College World Series!!! Team of destiny?? just might be

Fact-filled article from today's Washington Post on the withering GOP.

"The American Enterprise Institute and the Brookings Institute convened a stellar cast on Friday to review what has been learned since last November.

"Almost all indicators are pressing the Republicans into minority status.

""There's just not enough rural folks and small city people left in America in the key states that determine the electoral college to offset that difference. You're [the GOP] out of people."

For your files: Citizens First Congress has a list of open Ark House seats for 2010. clicky

CFC is having a reception Right Now (5-6:30) at First United Methodist Church in Downtown Little Rock. Hopefully someone will post us some news.

Fayettevillagevoice reminds us former Chamber of Commerce chief-Fayetteville- Bill Ramsey
now has an election website. Seems the 12 years he spent in the Ark legislature was not enough.
If he runs for District 92 will be competition for Lindsley Smith's successor, Greg Leding. Both are Demos, Leding the obvious progressive.

It was a hot, muggy day in Chickenopolis and Fayetteville. I missed the beautiful Peace Gardens Tour. Art Hobson and wife, Marie Riley's garden is a show stopper.

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You're [the GOP] out of people."
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When Reagan opened his first campaign in Philadelphia MS, that pointed the direction for the GOP to become a fringe party. Over the past thirty years, the Party ranks have been purged of anyone who could possibly change the direction. As an aside, in reviewing the legislative history of DADT, Barry Goldwater was for complete elimination of the ban on gay in the military. I wonder if repeal legislation came for a vote, if any Republican would vote yes?

Some have seen the demise of the GOP coming years ago. Writing in THE GUARDIAN, Sidney Blumenthal opined the 2006 election represented the "bitter end" of Richard Nixon's vaunted "Southern Strategy."

Pointing out two years ago, Blumenthal wrote, "After the mid-term elections, the GOP has become a regional party of the South. And in the future, Republicans can only hold their base by assertin their conservatism, which alienates the rest of the country. More than ever, the Republicans are dependent upon white evangelical voters in the South and sparsely populated Rocky Mountain states. The Republican coalition, its much-touted 'big tent,' has nearly collapsed."

The 2008 election bears out Blumenthal's conclusion quite well.

What passes for Repug leadership today MAY qualify to "tea-bag" Barry. He was a hero to most of us growing up in Arizona in the 40's/50's.
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Did nobody notice Mike Masterson's horrible mention of the Arkansas Times in the Northwest Arkansas Edition of the DoG? Or did I just miss it? Click blue name.

Snapback,

Now that certainly wasnt a nice thing to say about the AR Times. None of it was. Feeling threatened at the d-g, are we??? your grapes a little sour??

HenryS,

It irks me to no end when today's conservatives have the gall to invoke Goldwater's name. The so-called Father of Conservatism has absolutely nothing in common with these rubes today.

Conservatives today have been reduced to caring about social issues only. (Screw the teabaggers, they're just mad a black guy won). It's strictly God, guns and gays, which is polar opposite of what Goldwater stood for. This is the reason why the GOP is going out of business (as Norma's article alluded). The God, guns and gays argument only works in poor, uneducated states. Yes, they are running out of people.

If Goldwater had risen to power - say '64 through '72 - it likely would've laid the foundation for gays rights in the mid '90s and legalization of most drugs. He was a live-and-let-live guy and wanted the government out of our personal business.

It also makes me laugh how today's conservatives deify Reagan. He put the first nail in the coffin by aligning the party with the Religious Hate. That might've been the best political strategy in 1980, but it gave the party no room for growth in the longterm. Face it, they're stuck with that albatross around their necks.

This is why I'm so befuddled by Obama's actions of late. The country is trending one way, and he's going the opposite direction.

I think his actions will likely ensure a second term (I'm hoping not), but he'll be remembered as a very ineffective president in a time where he could've been great.

How come this country has no strong leaders? Are they all bought and sold? Is this how we've set it up in our way of democracy?

Forgive my rant. WBW is away and I've gotten into the vodka.

The ONLY way these "leaders" remain so, is to cave to big donor$. In general if the "corporations" are against you, you toast. Therefore, yes they are bought/sold! Only those with the ability to generate SERIOUS cash can be elected. "It's the money."

"Do Good" projects, in this country, generally run about 20-30 years behind many other countries - ref Alternative Energy, Sustainable Society...they get sidetracked due to lack of political will by our "representatives." We have said it all here about Ms. Blank & The Snake!
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Snapback--thanks for pointing this out. Obviously Mr. Masterson has no clue that the Arkansas Times website/blog covered the shooting in depth with regular online updates. As a weekly printed paper, what does he expect? So he didn't like the story the Times chose to feature this week. The feature story is not always the latest news but an in depth story with an Arkansas angle.

Obviously this week's issue must have scooped the Ark Dem-Gazette. Perhaps Dr. Harrison even tried to get his story published in the D-G but they wouldn't have anything to do with it since it was about abortion and obviously too liberal an issue. I think you're right Tina--it's a case of sour grapes and Mr. Masterson trying to make an issue of the Times printing something about and by, god-forbid, an abortion provider.

Tina, I'm a little slow -- but I'm old. Did you think I was dissing the Arkansas Times? I'm just angry, still, that the DoG replaced George Arnold -- for whatever reasons -- with Mike Masterson as editor of the editorial page of their northwest edition. I thought George Arknold was about the only decent thing the DoG had going for it editorially. The only purpose of my post was to call attention to the absurdity of Masterson's stuff.

Thanks for the link, Snap.

And Tina? Right on about poor Mike Masterson.

His columns, Paul Greenberg's and Bradley Gitz's are like listening to the Living Dead. They don't realize they're gone. Like "Sixth Sense."

Or maybe they do and are just desperately clawing for journalist relevance and oxygen from their graves.

Sister --

Thanks for bringing up the deification of Reagan. At clicky is an excellent article from the latest American Scholar on exactly that.

The definitive work on Ronald Reagan's re-invention and subsequent influence on American politics is STILL Dan Moldea's "Ronald Reagan, MCA and the Mob." Fascinating informative reading.

Of course, I already had multiple orgasms back in April on the topic of "Gays, Guns and Gods" and still walk kinda funny after a glass or two of chardonnay.

http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/norma/2009/04/gays_guns_and_gods.aspx

Y'know, sister -- I'm old enough to be your . . . older sister and I'm just realizing that's probably what men and patriarchies historically hate MOST about us.

Multiple orgasms.

They cum, roll over and start snoring (when they don't fall asleep still inside).

WE, on the other hand, consider that first orgasm as FOREPLAY and lie there like eagerly panting canines licking their faces and thinking, "That's IT? I've got so much MORE love to give you!"

That, I'm pretty sure, is the fundamental difference between your Republican and your Democrat men.

Aside from what everybody knows: Republican men are either "kinkier" in bed with their silly fetishes and toys, or clumsy through inexperience, or mentally tapping their feet in some airport men's room. Whatever. They're not really there with YOU.

Male Democrats are not only THERE with you, they're after a true Bonding Experience. Emotionally, Spiritually, Intellectually. Even if they're inexperienced. Even if they're married. They git 'er done three or four times before gittin' 'er done once more and dropping off.

Of course, Democrat or Republican, most of the SOB's never call back like they swore they would in any case, but that's just men generally.

You younger home-schooled readers perusing this A-T Blog for educational purposes? Aunt Norma never steers you wrong. Everything I say you can take to the bank.

Oh Norma, dear, you're such a woman after my own heart and I have a HUGE crush on you on a 'spiritual' level.

Part of me wishes we met at a different time when I wasn't 'married' and you weren't straight (damnit!). I do think WBW gets a little jealous when I brag about your posts.

I do feel bad that you were born with that heterosexual gene. Yes, I know, you can't help it. Just embrace it and be happy with who you are.

I, for one, can't imagine that penis thing. And, the mess! Ick! I recall a college "incident'' and it was grotesque. I ran screaming for the hills thinking, "how do women do this?''

Yes, we Ls are blessed with the multiple-orgasm talent and we never have to wait around for round two, three or four. It's so nice to have a partner who doesn't have to "refill'' so to speak. We get down to business with no intermissions.

But never lament the cards you were dealt, Norma, though you may be getting the short end of the deck. God made you straight for a reason and I'll always champion your civil rights (even if that means cuddling up to a hairy thing with a protruding faucet...dang, that image still gives me the heebie-jeebies).

Hugs & kisses,

Sistertoldja

Masterson is the "religion" editor? Maybe the DoG needs to redefine how many religious editors they need. They seem to have one too many-one that I thought was to replace George Arnold's position but Masterson obviously isn't up to the quality of Arnold's work.

This is why I'm so befuddled by Obama's actions of late. The country is trending one way, and he's going the opposite direction.
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I watched my Bush countdown clock for four years as it ran down to 01/20/09 and now the nightmare continues. I didn't think that Obama would be a strong President, he said himself that he wasn't the CEO type, but never in my most pessimistic mood did I think it was going to be this bad. Across the board, wire taps, war crimes, supporting the kleptocracy, selling out health care reform to the insurance companies. Well OK it's early in the term, maybe the Dems are making tactical moves....The behavior of the Obama/Holder DOJ, however, is a strong indication that something is seriously wrong with Obama and the Democratic Party. The DOMA brief was beyond any justification that it is another move in Obama's 11th dimension chess game for gay rights. The legal opinions that I have been reading on the web basically say the the DOJ has undermined every legal argument supporting recognizing gender and sexual orientation as worthy of "civil rights". I am now reading that freshman Dem. Congresspersons who ran on ending the illegal wars are being threatened by the White House operatives with severe consequences if they don't vote for the $100 billion supplemental to expand the war in Afghanistan. WTF is going on?

The cause of Mike Masterson's article? Could be lack of JOB SECURITY!!!!!!!

According to Mike: "Deadlines can be daunting. And when you print only once a week, sometimes you get what information you can, throw it in the paper, and go to print."
Uhmm, Mike dear, wouldn't that apply times seven for a daily? Or times six for my local not-exactly-daily? Now I know some of us don't think things through clearly before we start typing. (No, not me. Why ever would you think that?) But you're a professional. Uh, you are, aren't you? You'd never let a little thing like a political difference color your work, would you? Would you?

"US Federal judge ruled that Yoo, now a University of California at Berkeley law professor, went beyond the normal role of an attorney when he helped write the Bush administration's detention and torture policies, then drafted legal opinions to justify those policies."

Holder DOJ asks that ruling be set aside. Wouldn't want a war criminal sued in Federal Court.

Re: Masterson's editorial...and other writings

Yeah, sigh, it's that way all the time. His writings, columns and editorials seem to include one or all of the following:

a. a dash of conspiracy,
b. some infectious moralizing about the state of America under Obama,
c. a sentence stating that he fussed at President Bush about something,
d. quotes from World Net Daily,
e. some mention about Laurie and the kids and the weird things she makes them and him do, and
f. some references from Harrison and other parts of rural Arkansas and his longing for the good ol' days.

At least his new job keeps the Janie Ward references to a minimum.

Some writings contain all of the above, which makes for the perfect column--combining all these elements makes him perfect for some sort of "true believer" publication. Lets hope he gets hired, or better yet, strike out from the DG and start his own publication!

After reading this I got to thinking:
""There's just not enough rural folks and small city people left in America in the key states that determine the electoral college to offset that difference. You're [the GOP] out of people."

Sounds like the big factory farms have brought the Repubs down, since they put so many small family farms out of business. Funny how that works: you give free rein to capitalists and they run everyone else out, then take you down with them, because they don't know when to quit. They are addicted to making ever more money regardless of who they hurt. They can't help it; it's in their genes or something.

That Masterson bastard is so smugly superior, and secure in his ignorance without noticing he is an idiot. sjp has the formula about down. Mikey also praises people he has decided to like, and denigrates everybody who he doesn't like. His Obama kvetching is getting even more horrible. Mikey is paranoid, and writes about perceived threats and fears that he shares with his fellow racist, teabagging Republikkklans.

He really pines for the good old days when darkies and dames knew their place and forced prayer was in the schools.