Clarice's Pieces: I Told You So
Last year I wrote that the Tea Party demonstration in Washington was a "transformative event," and I described it through the eyes of a participant:
Sometimes an event occurs which is transformative in a way that everyone who sees it or participates in it instantly is aware of. Yesterday's demonstration in Washington DC is one of those rare happenings in my opinion.The Daily Mail said 2 million Americans participated. My friend Charlie Martin extrapolated from the pictures an attendance figure of 2.3 million. Here is a time lapse of the parade portion of the event so you can get a feel for yourself of the size of the crowd. Whatever the actual number it is sure to be seriously underestimated by the Obama-besotted members of the press corps who are also likely to misrepresent the participants and their views. But as a participant, I want you to know the attendees were wonderful people, civil and polite. They showed their respect for the Capitol and the event by leaving no mess behind when they were through, in marked contrast to the inauguration and the usual left wing demonstrations here. The feeling I have is that this is a wretched political class, as full of itself as it is idea-less and talentless and the people know it. They are disgusted enough with the new American elitism to travel on their own dime by any means available to come here to let Congress and the President know that they will use every legal means at their disposal to overthrow them. And overthrowing them is precisely what they intend to do. Congress is up for election in 2010. They can rely on the grossly inaccurate press accounts if they choose. But I'm telling them it would be a major error to do so.
Everyone in the political class, journalists, consultants, elected Democrats and Republicans alike, needs to know this: Those countless little-known people who established the local e-mail lists, organized first one, then two, then three or more chartered buses, held sign-making parties and packed box lunches, are not going to go away any time soon. Continue to enact legislation that we cannot afford and they will be back, perhaps in even greater numbers.The Democrats need to realize these demonstrators are beholden to no one. The Republicans need to realize that they still are not trusted. Why should they be when each day seems to have another story of compromise on core principals and going along to get along with spending their children cannot afford?While the media is concentrating on the anti-Obama aspects of the demonstration, there was also a message to the Republican establishment: Lead, follow, or get out of our way.
So hats off and raise a glass to the Tea Party. They really strutted their stuff yesterday in Delaware, nominating Christine O'Donnell, a 41-year-old marketing consultant, for U.S. Senate over Mike Castle, a moderate Republican congressman and former governor. Her victory puts to rest the old saw that you can't beat somebody with nobody. [snip] In most election years the lack of experience or competence is a negative. It seems to be catnip for many voters in this unusual election of 2010.
"When the stock market crashed, Franklin D. Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about the, you know, the princes of greed. He said, 'Look, here's what happened,'""You cannot go into a 7-11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. Oh, I'm not joking.""I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man.""along with France, we kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon....""I have not bent the law, but I have let imagination take hold in some places where I think it's consistent with the spirit of the law. Is that the best way of saying that? Yes.""Non-action is action, unlike most generations."
With its long record of electing deep, gravitas-laden men such as Joe Biden (who, despite suffering over 1500 sun strokes, cerebral infarctions, and hematomae over the last 10 years, retains a reputation as one of Washington's brightest minds) the 'First State' seemed the last state to be seduced by the Tea Partyist's inane lowbrow "smaller gubmint" hillbilly bunkum.[snip] Mr. Biden's elevation to the executive branch created an open Senate seat and, mercifully, a rare moment of kismet for moderate and intellectual conservatives; here, at last, the right kind of seat, for the right kind of state, and the right kind of candidate in Mr. Mike Castle. With his nomination a forgone conclusion and a voting record scarcely distinguishable from Mr. Biden's, Mr. Castle would be undoubtedly competitive in November and could be supported by a better stripe of conservative without fear of Washington social embarrassment. Better yet, his nomination would represent a return to the rational conservatism which has been all but eclipsed by the dark moon of Tea Party lunacy.
Forget ExperienceExperience is an argument Obama should avoid altogether, since next to McCain's three decades in public office, Obama's four years in the Senate look slight. The only time Obama should utter the word is to point out that experience didn't stop McCain from helping get us into a disastrous war.
Republican leaders have to decide if they want the tiny fraction of furious voters who have showed up at the primary polls to steer them into the swamp for years ahead. They have a chance to repudiate the worst of the Tea Party crowd and show that they can govern without appealing to the basest political instincts. So far, they have preferred to greedily capitalize on the nuclear energy in the land without considering its destructive effects.
It's not just the final collapse of these Republican turncoats and losers, which Democrats warn us we must mourn. Congressman Clyburn, last on the public scene warning that the helpless Democratic nominee Alvin Greene was a Republican plant -- that he could see elephant dung, now has a word of warning for the Republican opposition:
House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) called the nomination of Christine O'Donnell and other tea party favorites "an implosion" in the Republican party and says he feels "very comfortable" about the chances of Democratic candidates running against them.
"What we are witnessing is sort of an implosion taking place within the Republican party," he told reporters Thursday. "When these nominees get compared and contrasted with our nominees, I'm very comfortable that we have got the kind of candidates the American people will look favorably upon come November 2nd."
Since the beginning of Congress's August recess, Democratic candidates have poured $930,000 into ads deriding the health overhaul but just $300,000 in pro-reform spots, according to Evan Tracey at Kantar Media. "Go back to 2006, and even before that, and Democrats used health care as their No. 1 issue," Tracey said. "They had a villain in the pharmaceutical industry. Now that they passed this law, it's almost disarmed them rather than given them an opportunity."Moreover, Tracey's data shows that health reform opponents - inside and outside of Congress - are increasingly outspending supporters. Opponents now spend seven times as much on anti-reform spots as supporters spend on pro-reform spots, a marked change from early May, when their dollars only doubled those of reform advocates.

I'm sure you'll also notice our new look. Some may think: it's just a logo - it's just a brand. Well I don't believe the Democratic Party is a logo or a brand - we are much more than that. We are Democrats. We create change that matters. Ours is a party of ideas and ideals, of policies and people, history and purpose.
They really want to use that "put the car in drive" lineSpeaking of burning gas, the Senate Majority Leader takes convoys of SUVs rather than walk 100 yards to an environmental conference.Speaking of environmental cars, the government will subsidize pricey electric cars with a $7500 tax break targeted for 'the rich'."The rich" will need the money to charge their electric vehicles, since Obama has said he plans on making sure American energy costs "necessarily skyrocket".Speaking of destructive tax subsidies, the Obama administration's policy of paying people to destroy perfectly good used cars has reduced America's used-car supply and thus increased their price.Speaking of GM, the guy Obama picked to run that bailout says Obama was "out to get" the car companies.Speaking of cars and what Obama gets, Obama doesn't understand car insurance.By all means, let's keep the election focused on cars.Posted by: bgates | September 17, 2010 at 12:30 PM
Our state cannot and should not continue maintaining companies productive entities, services and budgeted sectors with bloated payrolls (and) losses that hurt our economy. Job options will be increased and broadened with new forms of non-state employment, among them leasing land, cooperatives and self-employment, absorbing hundreds of thousands of workers in the coming years."