Las Politicas

Read the rest of this entry »

It seems that Teri and I were destined for a friendship confined to cyberspace…but that changed when we met up for some fun last night! Dr. Studly couldn’t make it because he wanted to be manly and watch football ( which we watched at the Front Porch). Thank you, Kelly!

Caroline

“Hillary Clinton has the strength and experience to bring the war in Iraq to an end and reverse the potentially devastating effects of global warming,” Kennedy said in a statement released by Clinton’s campaign. “I watched proudly as Hillary won over New Yorkers across the state in her race for the Senate seat my father once held. Since then, she’s been re-elected in a landslide victory and proven that she is ready to lead this nation from her first day in office. Hillary will inspire the real change America needs.”

It can’t hurt to have the endorsement of member of America’s most prominent political family. RFK Jr.  is an attorney for the Hudson Riverkeeper and president of Waterkeeper Alliance.

“Bobby has worked tirelessly to protect our environment and raise awareness about the dangers of global warming and pollution,” Clinton said in a statement. “I’m deeply honored to have his support and counsel.”

I’m waiting to see who Lola will endorse. Having the endorsement of a Chihuahua that rides in a limo has to have some cachet.  See picture above….

Caroline

Recent polling results from Iowa show Mike Huckabee surging from the back of the pack into second place behind Mitt Romney, who has devoted considerable resources to securing victories in the January primary states.  Huckabee is not nearly as well financed as the frontrunners, so his apparent insurgency on a comparative shoe string budget points to some interesting possbilities.  An estimated 40% of Republican caucus-goers in Iowa are Evangelical Christians, who have been looking for a candidate who legitimately addresses so-called “culture wars” social issues which are their main concerns. It appears they are starting to view the former Arkansas governor, ordained Baptist minister,  and Biblical literalist, as a viable alternative to Romney who, although taking positions consistent with those of Huckabee on key issues, belongs to a religion viewed with suspicion by Evangelicals. 

The other, less obvious element is the contrast between Romney’s slick corporate image and, to quote the Financial Times, “blue-chip business record”, and Huckabee’s folksy, approachable and affable manner, and his attendant populist economic policy agenda.  It is this blend of populism and religiosity that harkens back the so-called “social gospel” Christian politicians of the late 19th-early 20th century like William Jennings Bryan, and in this politico’s opinion, this is the hidden part of his appeal.  With so many prominent religious right leaders and nominally devout Republican politicians dramatically falling from grace - Ralph Reed, Ted Haggard and Larry Craig come immediately to mind - a certain disillusionment may be setting in among  evangelicals for the traditional religious right figures linked to moneyed Republican interests. After all, a great many Evangelicals are people of average means who feel the pressures of increasing economic inequality just like everybody else.  If this is the case, and an opening exists for renegade politicians within a critial voting bloc of the GOP electoral coalition, the “permanent republican majority” envisioned by Rove, Abaramoff, Norquist et al will turn out to have been a tantalizing but ephemeral illusion. 

 - Dr Studly

Be sure and take the DC Scandal tour!!!

 There is another video here: http://slatev.com/player.html?id=1318913744, but I cannot embed it.
Getting over the tryptophan,

Teri

Ivan Stalin Gonzalez, the student movement leader that has become a thorn in Chavez’s side is now being recognized in geo politics. Stalin, as he prefers to be called is a Marxist law student at the University of Venezuela who is opposed to Chavez’s model of “21^st Century Socialism”. Over the course of several weeks Stalin and other student leaders have organized protest marches that include tens of thousands of students opposed to Chavez. The student’s main concerns are the constitutional referendums that are set to occur December 2. These referendums will grant Chavez the power to seek perpetual reelection.

Students opposed to government in Latin America is not a new occurrence …irrespective of political affiliation. Castro’s role as a student leader was pivotal in the revolution of Cuba. Students in Mexico were mercifully massacred in 1968 as they tried to peacefully protest. If Chavez were not such an inflated buffoon that made himself so visible in geo-politics the same fate may have befallen these students.  The protests were marred with armed violence, but no lives were lost. Instead, Chavez fell back on his favorite and effective political strategy of name calling…stating that the students are a bunch of “pampered rich pretty boys”.  Hmm…rich pretty boys that attend a university that charges no tuition and are named Stalin.  The name Stalin doesn’t exactly conjure up the image of a decadent capitalist. Stalin came from meager beginnings within a household that dreamed of a Marxist Venezuela. His father was a high ranking member of the Bandera Roja, a hard line Marxist guerrilla party.

Caroline

Yours truly ( Caroline) went to the Texas A &M , UT game. It sucked..the Longhorns lost, but I got some great photo opportunities.

See pictures above.

Caroline

 I decided to do a quick post while watching the Democratic debate tonight. This debate has been the best so far.  Overall…Kucinich was really on the rampage and was really challenging the other candidates…more so, Edwards. Hillary isn’t playing the “don’t pick on me” card.  Clinton said “they aren’t attacking me because I’m a woman… they are attacking me because I am ahead.” Clinton was not a strident, but was actually more relaxed and not stumbling as she has in days gone by. One statement she made I felt to be almost genuine ( almost) was her having the opportunity as a woman to run head to head with an African American and  a Mexican American…..an unprecedented  opportunity. Then a female Latino UNLV student cheapened the statement by asking her if she preferred diamonds or pearls.  15 minutes of fame as a student interested in politics….and she asks a question like that…good one. 

Obama has lost his fire in the Clinton/Obama slugfest.  Obama tried to compare Clinton to Romney and received boos from the audience. Clinton has really recovered I believe taking her off the road for a couple of days worked well for her.

Dodd surprisingly spoke Spanish quite well before he addressed an immigration issue.  Richardson told Kucinich to stop referring to him on laws passed because he is not a member of Congress, but in fact the Governor of New Mexico. I thought  that was amusing because Kucinich seemed to be getting rather worked up and taking the debate personally.  It was almost as if someone had pointed the height and age discrepancy between he and his wife..oooh…ouch!

All the same questions rehashed but with more urgency …good show, old sports.

Caroline

Above is a picture of Dr. Studly and I celebrating his birthday with our parents ( who are hidden) at Flemings. I’m going to make a proclamation in regards to what I enjoy in life…I now consider Fleming’s to be my favorite restaurant, Philip Glass is absolutely amazing and ..que viva Brasil!

Caroline

So far during this election, the Clinton campaign has survived negative stories that break in the press and then linger there for a while.  The obvious example is the Norman Hsu affair, in which the legality of large and substantial campaign contributions was in doubt, as was supposedly the candidate’s judgement . 

 The latest stumble for Clinton is the canned question that a campaign staffer  planted into an Iowa campaign appearance through a local college student.  It seemed like the kind of story that would disappear quickly, but it has stayed alive.  The Edwards campaign scored a direct hit by pointing out that Clinton is taking a page from Bush’s 2004 playbook with this tactic, drawing a sharp rebuke from team Clinton.   

 With the Iowa Caucuses just 53 days away, the persistence of little embarrasments like this could hurt Hillary Clinton’s prospects.  i wouldn’t be entirely surprised to see her finish 3rd in Iowa.  Time will tell, though.

 - Dr Studly