Perfection. What are the Odds?
Let me start off by saying that this is probably the last blog post I ever expected to write. But, somehow I just couldn’t help it. When I was a kid, I was a big Mets fan. In my neck of the woods, you had two choices – Mets or Yankees. I’m not sure why I ended up as a Mets fan, but it probably had something to do with rooting for the underdog, and Tom Seaver. My dad had always promised to take me to a Mets game, but it never ended up happening for one reason or another….
Netroots – Day 2
Day 2 started late for me. After a couple nights with virtually no sleep, I didn’t make it in for the Morning News Dump. But I did make it to the lunchtime speakers’ panel, and it was absolutely riveting. The program begins at 5:51 There were three speakers who all appeared for a panel discussion after their individual addresses. First up was Darcy Burner, one of my most favorite progressives on the planet. She had run for Congress in 2008, and is running again in Washington’s 1st congressional district this year. Probably the most impressive thing about Burner is her…
Meet My Secret Twin
(Crossposted at Monologues of Dissent) by Jeanne Devon & Heather Dubois Bourenane I’m a progressive working mom with two kids. My state had a very regrettable governor foisted upon it. I decided to speak out and started a blog. Soon our regrettable governor became infamous, and national news outlets began calling me. I suddenly found myself on the pages of The New Yorker, The Huffington Post & interviewed by Rachel Maddow and Ed Schultz. I still find it stunning that anyone would consider our governor for a Presidential ticket. It’s cool that, through social media, I’ve found someone just like…
Postmortem: Wisconsin, Obama & Elections
Did not the heavenly rhetoric of thine eye, ‘Gainst whom the world cannot hold argument, Persuade my heart to this false perjury? —”Love’s Labour’s Lost,” William Shakespeare Madison, WI—Was it the money? Was it a weak candidate? Was it the President’s and DNC’s indifference? With Karl Rove and national Republicans dancing in the end zone, the soul searching and recriminations among Wisconsin progressives are now in full swing. The bulk of national commentary—including from generally sympathetic outlets like MSNBC and the NY Times—has generally been useless. And since we can have for more impact on what we do than on…
UPDATE: Live Blogging The WI Recall
Editor’s Note: Although Shannyn and I are at Netroots in Providence, The Mudflats has boots on the ground in Wisconsin for today’s critical recall election. Our correspondent Thomas Dewar took the redeye to Madison last night and will be posting updates throughout the day and late into the night as results roll in. The importance of this election, and what it portends for America’s democracy and middle class, is hard to overstate. In solidarity with the people of Wisconsin—AKM 9:54pm CDT Your correspondent will now beg your leave and excuse himself to go drink too much Scotch. Departing a somber…
Open Thread – NATO in Chicago
The Mudflats’ Zach Roberts is boots on the ground in Chicago for the NATO protests going on. Here are some of his photos.
The Senate Heros vs. Captain Zero – Get Ready to Rumble!
The internet is a beautiful thing. How else could a political junkie snuggle into the couch in jammie pants with a cup of coffee, and commiserate with other like-minded souls for an event that rivals all this baseball stuff that everyone else seems to be talking about. I speak to you of…. (dramatic pause) the Alaska State Senate Resources Committee Meeting to discuss the governor’s newest oil tax plan. Before you roll your eyes, and click to anything but this, hear me out. Especially if you’re an Alaskan, this is one of the best reality TV shows around. It’s got…
“Don’t Bend Over, Alaska” Soon-to-be-Viral Video
Remember the $40 Rubber Chicken lunch I told you about yesterday – the one in which the Governor and his oil cronies are actually charging for a lunch to tell oil executives how great it will be for Alaskans to pay them billions in no-strings-attached money? Here’s an awesome video called “Don’t Bend Over, Alaska” from radio host Bob Lester, calling out their oily BS. Let’s make this video go viral before tomorrow’s “rally.” You know what to do – watch it, and share it. And here’s a little fun fact about ConocoPhillips. In 2010 they spent $89,169 on lobbyists…
It’s Time. Tell Lawmakers, “Don’t Give Away Alaska’s Oil!”
In the last weeks of the legislative session, the oil companies and their pet legislators have pulled out all the stops. Their bloggers are blogging, their mouthpieces are bloviating, their legislators are lying, and their money is cranking out ad after ad, and all of them are hoping to make you so afraid, you’ll ask lawmakers to give away our oil. Don’t fall for it. And, get this! This week the opposition is actually charging Alaskans $40 for a chicken lunch so they can have the privilege of listening to the oil company shills ask for billions more… They are…