Nobody 716

Sunday, October 21, 2007
Nobody # 716

Nobody Asked Me But:

“Again, no skin off of my nose but needless crap.” Hugh Edwards.

If one looks in Webster’s for a definition of “needless crap” you will find the following:

“Busy work assigned to teachers by administrators and politicians, none of whom know anything about the classroom.”<<<

MY TRIP TO RENO – PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS.

PEOPLE

Greg: My son is happy in Reno and happy in love. It is sad that he will probably be forced back to Tucson by an idiot judge who thinks that a child-abusing mother who pays no child support deserves to have regular visits with her son.

Benjamin: My grandson is doing great in his Reno environment. He is now in the first grade and very smart. (Not just a grandfather’s bias – and why is it that all my grandchildren are bright and beautiful?) One of the highlights of my trip was buying him his first Cub Scout uniform.

Marie: Greg’s current, and hopefully long-term, love is a delightful woman – friendly, honest and outspoken. You always know where you stand with her and Greg and Ben stand very well. Me too.

Terry McAuliffe: What is Hillary’s campaign chairman doing here? Greg was invited to a small living-room gathering where McAuliffe was the guest of honor. I went along. TM, who also chaired Bill’s campaign in 1992 and later served as the Democratic National chairman, was impressive. He is friendly (seemingly beyond the requirements of his position) and interesting.

In his opinion, both party nominations will be sewed up the day after Super Tuesday, February 5th. I asked him about the long dead period this will produce between that day and the conventions, and he acknowledged it as a problem for both parties. He agreed that the campaign primaries and therefore the campaigns are way too early but blamed the competition between the states to be “first,” which created a situation within which the candidates are trapped.

PLACES

I really liked Reno. There are neat old houses like those found in small Eastern towns and cool new ones, hopefully not all built with gambling money. The hotels/casinos are as unobtrusive as such establishments can be. In the middle of town, there is a wonderful river walk along the Truckee River. The campus of the University of Nevada is a nice mixture of traditional and modern. And, finally, a 30-minute drive has you in pine-covered mountains.

THINGS

On Saturday we drove to Carson City (about 25 minutes) and I added Starbuck’s number 335.<<<

Add-on - McAuliffe He also said that now when he plays golf with his friend Bill he can often win, because Clinton can no longer invoke his presidential right to cheat. It used to be when President Bill teed off, there were dozens of Secret Service people all over the course. When he hit a tee shot into the woods, the ball would magically reappear on the fairway.

And, did you know that the main purpose for having Secret Service people guarding ex-presidents is to prevent kidnapping?<<<<<<

HILLARY

Here’s an amazing statistic: 68% of black women voters favor Hillary as opposed to 25% supporting Obama?

BY THEIR WORDS YE SHALL JUDGE THEM

The Far Right on the world’s newest crisis - Hillary’s laugh:

Sean Hannity – It’s “frightening.”

Bill O’Reilly trotted out a Fox News “body-language expert” to pronounce the laughter “evil.”

Dick Morris - It’s “loud, inappropriate, and mirthless.”

Other right-wing blogs - “Shrillary’s” laugh is “chilling.” It’s “fakey fake fake fake.” It’s a “hideous hyena mating call.” It’s “a signal to launch her flying monkeys.”<<<

Headline: Suspect arrested in 3-year-old girl's videotaped sexual assault.

Comment: Too bad that during the arrest they didn’t “accidentally” shoot off his body part “whose name we may not use.” Let’s hope his next step is a prison date with criminals who do not take kindly to child rapists.<<<

A leash law for cats:

Why not? Why should we have to clean up cat crap all over our back patio?<<<

“Gone, Baby, Gone” is the first must see movie of 2007. I will say no more.<<<

Mark Heisler on the latest Laker melodrama:

“This isn't about whether Buss or Bryant was hurt first. They're not dating.”<<<

"In any country, if you don’t have countervailing institutions, the power of any one president is problematic for democratic development,” - Condoleezza Rice.

There is more than a bit of hypocrisy in this comment about Russia considering the way her boss has ignored the Constitutional balance of power.<<<

While on the subject of our Constitution, Larry Sabato, writing in the October 10 NY Times suggested we need a new one. I wouldn’t go that far, but we do need some changes.

As he wrote, and I think he is right, the founders “would be amazed and disappointed that after 220 years, the inheritors of their Constitution had not tried to adapt to new developments that the founders could never have anticipated in Philadelphia in 1787.”

Here are my thoughts on his suggestions and, after that, a few suggestions of my own.

SABATO Restoring the balance of power – War-making power:

"The Constitution gives Congress the exclusive power to declare war, but several presidents, including our current one have ignored this by using their power as commander and chief to make war on their own. Here’s Sabato’s suggested change: The president should have the freedom to commit troops for up to six months, under procedures similar to that of the War Powers Resolution of 1973. But a new constitutional amendment should require that after six months -- and every six months thereafter -- both houses of Congress, by affirmative vote and without filibusters, would have to approve any extension. If one house votes no on extending, all combat troops must be withdrawn within a year."

I go along with this except that the first vote of approval should be required after 3 months rather than six, and if and when Congress disapproves the withdrawer period should read “as soon as possible but no longer than one year. And at all times the burden of proof that the military action is necessary shall be high.

Sabato on changing the membership in the Senate to give the large states their fairer share of power:

“But today, the structure of the upper chamber of Congress is completely outmoded. Let's build a fairer Senate by granting the 10 states with the greatest population two additional senators each, and the next 15 most populated states one additional senator each.”

I understand Sabato’s desire to make the Senate more democratic, but I disagree with this proposal. The founders intended the balance of power to apply not only between branches but between states as well, and I think the federalist principle of equal power in the Senate should remain.

Sabato on presidential elections:

1. Rotating regional primaries, so that it would no longer be subject to the selfish whims of a few states.

An excellent idea.

2. The Electoral College also must be overhauled, with more populated states receiving additional electors so that a candidate who loses the popular vote can no longer become president. Why not abolish it entirely? The state-based electoral college isolates and simplifies recounts. Imagine how hopeless our predicament would be if the 2000 Florida recount had to be conducted nationwide.

Not an excellent idea. It is time to eliminate the Electoral College and directly elect our president. Sabato’s fear of a national recount is misplaced. Voting problems within a state could be handled by its election officials under tight national regulations.

Sabato on voting rights:

Ending second-class citizenship. Any American who has been a citizen for at least 20 years should have the right to aspire to the White House.

I am slightly ambivalent on this one, but it makes sense and I support it.

Other changes I would make:

Lengthen the term for House members to 4 years to give then a chance to serve without constantly campaigning.

Change the Sixth Amendment in such a way as to guarantee everyone the right to skilled counsel rather than just counsel. No more Texas drunks misrepresenting the accused.

Change the Second Amendment in such a way as to make gun ownership a privilege rather than a right.

Change the First Amendment’s religion clause in such a way as to strengthen the barrier between church and state - no God in the pledge nor on the currency, no invocations at any government function.

Add an amendment that guarantees a specific right to privacy.<<<

And finally, NY Yankee management is an unholy mix of liars and cowards.<<<