Dean Not to Be Stopped

Dean Not to Be Stopped

Governor Dean's Blog 2 days ago announced a need for $700,000 to buy advertising for his Wisconson Campaign for TV & other media advertising. By tonight's news sources he has made it. Also by his blog -link above - and further according to his blog's e-mail, he's asking for more of the same -another $700,000 for his ground campaign. Must be the dairy farmers from Vermont to Wisconsin.

Defense of Marriage Act Is Un-Constitutional

Defense of Marriage Act Is Un-Constitutional

The Defense of Marriage Act - much touted in the Newton Gingrich era - is unconstitutional. America's Constitution writers discussed the idea of the national federal Government as censor of the state governments and rejected it. Often mis-cited - the 'comity' clause of the US Constitution requires and empowers the Congress to provide for a registration and procedure for recognizing foreign nations' enactments and judgements; and those of the various American states. They are neither approved nor dis-approved - but are accorded their legal status and judically recognizable -save by conflict with the US Constitution or the state constitution. Where a US Federal right is involved -the state court or constitution must bow. In practice - they would work like an out-of-state judgement or criminal extradition process with all the defenses against or for processing. Hence states may pass laws permitting a form of marriage which does not beget children; which does not require couples married to live together; to marry in the same sex; to marry without religious form; to marry inter-racially; and to re-marry after divorce or annullment; or to marry with or without a blood test; or at earlier ages with parental consent. In the saner rational conservative shorter end - isn't just clearer and better to just call any single united pair of people - human beings - joined by state process in a legal binding , a marriage? What would have Newton Gingrich judged about people joining next? on what grounds? looks? eugenics? child-bearing? If marriage be defensible -it already is -a unique legal coupling of two people. If people prefer a certain status and style of marriage - then as in religion or philosophyy - their example would be the means of that promotion - not a state dictat. In this blogging lawyer's home state now - Massachusetts - the state Supreme Judicial Court has recognized the same principle - and instructed the other State Court - 'The General Court' (our legislature) to provide a process for gay marriage. This lawyer has always advocated a simple secular state legal form of marriage which would recognize a voluntary legal union of two adults; and as the State may not pronounce nor prefer a religious form nor purpose in it - the State law and procedure would be mute in sexual difference or consummation requirements. After all else is considered including the Rube Goldberg fabrications for homosexuals - why not just call it a marriage. The institution with hetersexuals has no greater guarantee than any other marital union; and surely a same-sex marriage cannot be seen, rationally, as de-flating the institution any more than a marriage of childless people nor divorc�es.

Public Targets & Terror

Public Places as Terror Targets

Targeting public places like the Moscow subway will recur. Making them safe is the goal of vigilance - public surveillance in a free nation. Cameras and plain clothesmen - not sweeping the streets for blanket arrests sustains good pubic safety and lessens the risk. Just as in an accidental surveillance tape of a car wash - human beings who perpetrate acts may have exposed themselves on camera before or after their acts. This police work discovers their activity and traces their group of terror or crime. Society cannot be cowed and a police state isn't necessary. Only sober non-panicked professionalism. The public can generally consent to this lesser - and necessary form of benign surveillance when in a possible public target.

Kerry's Ketchup & GWBush's Reach

Kerry's Ketchup & GW Bush's Reach

If the economy improves and rounds by November 2004 - with no other flukey events occuring, then President Bush is re-elected. Otherwise at its centering best the fall campaign will be a dogfight - matching again American Tribunes right down the middle. Middle America being at stake - one battle ground will be Pennsylvania. There, Mrs. Kerry may make a difference with her Heinz family connection. She was widowed by the aircraft accident death of her popular husband Senator John Heinz - of the Heinz food fortune. Heinz's politics were center-left often like one of his state's successors -Senator Spector - on all the mixed issues -spending, taxes, sexual rights and so on. If the election is close, and Kerry appears a likely nominee - she can make a difference there. Heinz was also business friendly. But the noination has to be won by Kerry. At this writing, Gov. Dean is calling for $700,000 in donations for advertising in Wisconsin's February 17th Primary. He needs a strong win or place finish to stay alive.

YAHOO Election News

YAHOO Elections Page

News so good one has to tout it - fast - free - and on line. YAHOO Elections Page ecce Yahoo humble

Praising Kerry

Praising Kerry

This blogger from Massachusetts - long an admirer of Senator Kerry has no intention of crowning him .. nor defraying him. Few would imagine that such an intellectually proper and credentialed liberal would gather a storm for the White House. None would jinx him; most would like to see his and his party's success in placing choices and options before the American people. Not the shepherd type ... and occasionally the laconic Thoreau .. he bears the welcome mug of Ralph Waldo Emerson when in New England; and that man's credo was 'self-reliance'. John Kerry at his best aims that way and for his constituency. Now let him tend and tame the "Jesus For King" crowd as JFK adulates are known to cry, and as he must do!

Edwards Win Significance

Edwards Win Significance

Like his showing in Iowa, South Carolina demonstrates that Edwards can win a popular primary or gain in one if he commits the time and money. The latter is his most important need now. His message as a deliverer from trade related 'job loss' or 'economic dislocation' as the pundits and government call it may not be redeemable as a promise. His charismatic style and 'outsider' status plus his savvy carried him in his birth-state against two classic 'Beltway' Liberals' - who've been in Washington DC 15 years or more: Fritz Hollings & John Kerry. As this is written - news sources are delivering Kerry wins in distant states - which give him the smell of a winner. As for Senator John Kerry's second place finish in South Carolina - -he was beaten by a better known local liberal who claims an outsider status - despite being a US Senator. The trial lawyer -Edwards - showed his style - but John Kerry dogged Edwards there (by voting reports) and wil run, even or ahead of him in other states. Money and time are the best campaign factors now - -and the 'fresh smell of a winner'. As a reading not - Washington Post -02-03-04 has an excellent profile of Senator Edwards lawyering days - a big winer in tort litigation - the kind of which GW Bush refuses to address with understanding - just populism instead.

E-Mail-Minding - The Washington Wrap - A Review of CBS News Product

E-Mail Minding CBS-News "Washington Wrap" -A Reader Review

Minding the day's home/office e-mail brought the CBS News e-mail piece titled "Washington Wrap". Its URL on the email (above) leads to a CBS News site summarizing political news - today presidential campaign news in particular. Noted content - pre-primary polls & campaign spending & their treasury remainders. A good free email subscription via CBS News News Alerts.

Micro-Mean-ing

Micro-Mean-ing

Micro-meaning is the conservative management of public benefits wherein the fault and problem is the beneficiary - not the system. Newton Gingrich - whom this pundit calls 'Newt' casually, was a 'pro' at micro-mean-ness. In Newt's neat world everyone -save businesses- who received a Government benefit needed to be micro-managed so that they did not stay on welfare or state benefits forever; nor recieve a benefit greater than needed. So that $1 might not be wasted. In this present all-seeing age of computer exaction and social police .. I,you, we, say as an example, cannot un-recordedly recieve welfare benefits and sit home. In reality, any illicit protegee can do so; and there is no stopping them nor uniform accounting of them - as long as the arrangement doesn't exceed 90 days. That's what micro-mean-ing does. We as a nation have so much systemic concern for a slipped dollar or WIC coupon that we cannot provide the civil & legal rank and file with an assurance of their tax numbers integrity for employment and banking and taxation. By micro-mean-ing the welfare mother or the social beneficiary and the pot smoker, we 'keel' society and meet the budget. In all that realm of micro-mean acounting -you and I cannot readily discover and prosecute the illicit user of our tax number nor credentials. The government hasn't the money nor documenting capacity for it. Just the concerns of the micro-mean manager can be watched.