Another Failure To Lead

My Congressman, Bart Gordon, once again displays the type of cowardice that has people who stay informed rightfully ridiculing the Democratic Party. I have lived in many places, but I cannot remember having a representative that had elevated pandering to this level. I’ve met him. I’ve asked him a tough question. (he dodged) I get his slick, multi-colored newsletters wherein he assures me that he is on the job, making us safe from methlabs in our county. I watched him fold on the immigration issue time and again. So, I can’t say I was completely shocked to see his face on Lou Dobbs, as part of a two person(Lincoln Davis (D) Tennessee was the other) Democratic” movement” to “investigate the trial of the two American “heroes” that shot and wounded a suspected Mexican drug dealer.” Bart, I’ll make this easy for you. The outrage is mis-directed. This isn’t about whether or not the drug dealer was a bad guy. He is not the sort of person we want here in this country. So far, so good. This is also not about the fact that said drug dealer was given amnesty in exchange for his testimony, ok? That may or may not have been a smart prosecutorial maneuver, but Bart, pay attention here: IT IS ILLEGAL TO SHOOT AT AN UN-ARMED SUSPECT. IT IS ILLEGAL TO POLICE UP YOUR SPENT SHELL CASINGS, DESTROY EVIDENCE, AND FILE A FALSE REPORT. I have written about this before, and my position has not changed. You stated on the program that you chimed in late(once again) on this because of the concerns of the people in your district. Let me clue you in on a little secret. The people in your district would love for you to actually LEAD them into the future, sir. Anyone can stick a finger in the air, then tell them which way the wind is blowing. You will earn their respect, and their trust, when you stand up and say, “wait, folks, this may seem unpopular, but it’s the law, and it had to be done.”

At least you would have earned mine.

Huckabee Stumps Me

I don’t know what to make of Mike Huckabee, I really don’t. It be easier to just be against his candidacy because, you know, he’s one of them…

The thing is, he seems to have this knack for breaking down the issue to it’s core, and I like that. He’s got a smart position on immigration, children’s health, and now this.

I need to summon Abramson, P.D.Q.

Hat tip: Ezra Klein

We Have A Winner!

It was Squirrel Queen in a walk.  I would have never picked or even thought of those colors, but they work, and I love this for many reasons.  Corny as it sounds, the fact that a fellow citizen journalist (blogger is a term I am getting away from) created and offered this makes it all the more special.  Less than 12 hours from the call, one friend creates the perfect header, and another puts it in place.  Thanks to everyone that chimed in with suggestions.  I hope SQ likes her tamales hot, and I am lending her my special throw to use at the cabin when she collects her free weekend!

It seems to me that many people are “out of sorts” at this moment, including me.  Part of me wonders if the warm weather last week did more harm than good, because when the cold dry air returned, the promise of Spring seemed even further away.  I’m glad Feb is a short month, but I know how unpredictable March can be.  Over the weekend I read posts about Grace and Redemption, and meditative practices and “going away to that special place” among other things.  I don’t follow the alignment of the planets or stars, by that I mean I don’t know what it means, but I think it is indeed meaningful. I tend to make it simple for myself, and so I explain this commonality as “collective consciousness.”  Sometimes I am very aware of it, other times, not so much.  It struck me as odd that the local weblogs (is that a better term?) all seemed to have a hint of sadness, or perhaps I misread reflection as sadness.  Times like these make me wonder if people of Faith share this malady, and just tighten their grip on that faith in response, or if they even percieve of the shared malady in the first place.   I’ll probably call a friend who lives in Georgia and is in my opinion a genuine person of Faith, and ask him.  I think I’ll do just that.