The global cop (Or how national grief turns to narcissism)

[ddstory.livejournal.com]

Can the United States move beyond the narcissism of 9/11?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/sep/04/narcissim-america-reality-failure
The unity brought about by the tragedy was intense but fleeting. The war on terror has been disastrous abroad and divisive at home.

First of all, I know - that's The Guardian. Yellow liberal mouthpiece tabloid junk paper whose touch even your ass wouldn't enjoy too much. All right. That said, here are some excerpts that stick out:

( Some select excerpts )

I'd say several things. I don't know what your attitude to that particular source is in general, but still it makes some points that are worth digging a bit into. Unfortunately, such arguments like the ones expressed above are often the trigger that starts huge flame-wars and become arena for clashing of various complexes of those who are always ready to blame International Imperialism(tm) and the Evil West(tm) as the ultimate bringers of evil and all world injustice -VS- the Aw-Hell-Yeah type of jingo guys who'd never miss an opportunity to wave their dicks around and show their giant balls.

( But slow down a little, shall we? )

The Once Unthinkable in Louisiana

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

Louisiana Democrats field no major candidates for statewide office

The stroke of 5 p.m. Thursday marked a dark moment in the history of the Louisiana Democratic Party. For the first time in modern memory, the party did not field a single major candidate for statewide office.

Ever since Reconstruction the DNC has ALWAYS counted on winning all the major offices here or at least holding most of them while an odd Republican won one for a term or two. Just as short as 2-3 elections ago, the Dems had every statewide office.

Now they didn't even field a candidate for major statewide office.

The Democrat machine always worked in Louisiana in a very simple and wonderfully effective way. Local sheriffs, mayors, and parish presidents would "bull whip" the local voters to support the top offices. You'd focus your campaigns on electing those offices and once they were in they'd do the heavy lifting to support state and federal elections. But over the past 10-20 years there's been a breakdown in local elections where Republicans started picking up steam. In 1994 when the Republicans steamrolled the DNC in the federal elections we saw huge shifts in voter registrations but still the registered Dems outnumbered the Republicans by a long shot. But even recently after 2006 when the pendulum swung back the other way we still saw Democrats of note switching to Republican. As recently as last year Democrats had the majority in the Statehouse. Now Republicans have a several member lead. At this point it's "me-too-ism" kicking in and representatives are switching to keep from being the minority party.

No doubt a lot of this is due to the demographic shift after Katrina where upwards of 100,000 voters left the state to go to Texas but even before then the farm system for up and coming Democrats started to sputter and fade. Katrina just put a knife right into the heart of the La Democratic Party.

The effectiveness of the farm system for creating talented well known politicians is what makes or breaks a party. For a good long time Republicans on even a national level seemed to have a dysfunction where we'd have several top nominees and then a few years later none. Something to think about when you consider who'll rule the future. Thoughts?

Africa's Colonel

[abomvubuso.livejournal.com]

"Colonel Gaddafi is under traveling restriction by the UN and it would not be healthy for Niger, or any other country, to shelter him". The words are of the speaker of the National Transitional Council of Libya. The statement is a clear indication of the immense desire of Libya's new rulers to capture Gaddafi and put him to court. But it also reveals part of their confusion and desperation about the mystery of his location.

As often happens, words are one thing and actions are quite another. Niger is just the next of a long chain of possibilities standing ahead of Gaddafi if he were ever to attempt fleeing across the desert. Not only because the Nigerien authorities have already admitted they have no chance of securing the whole length of their border. But also because Gaddafi has a long and complex history with his African neighbours, and he's got several other options like Chad, Algeria, or why not Burkina Faso, Sudan, Uganda, Zimbabwe or even South Africa.

( Read more... )