Aadviezing Edwerdz

(This blog is published, first, in phonetic (Fanetik) spelling and only then in standard English spelling. If you wish to skip to the traditionally spelled text (albeit with a few simplifications here and there), click here.)
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I sent, tooniet, this mesaj tu Jon Edwerdz.

Stae aluef; foekas on plaatfaurm aand kaabinat
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If yu hoep tu haav ene influewans on tha jeneral eelekshan, aur tu beekum tha kompramiez kaandidaet hwen Oebomma aand Bilare kaansal eech uther out aand tha baakerz uv eech reefyuez tu yooniet around the uther, yu must NOT ENDAURS eether Klintan naur Oebomma. Hoeld yaurself aluef aand let tha droma plae out. Yu risk aantaaganiezing haaf tha Porte if yu endaurs eether wun. Hwi wood yu du thaat?
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Foekas faur nou on seting the ajenda bi rieting tha plaatfaurm aand maeking porte insiederz foekas on hu shood be naemd tu aul Kaabinat pazishanz in ene Demakraatik Aadministraeshan, sins anounsing such choisaz in aadvaans uv Eelekshn Dae kood nuetraliez reezentmants bi apaurshaning tha Kaabinat amung maejer Demakraatik grueps. If yu foekas on tha plaatfaurm aand Kaabinat, yu kood haav vere sabstaanshal influewans on tha fyuecher, perhaaps eevan maur thaan tha Prezidenshal nomine.
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This iz tha wae tu molifi ke kanstichuewanseez, aand reeyooniet tha porte if boetth Oebomma aand Klintan or nokt out uv tha Prezidanse. I hoeld out ZEERO hoep faur a yoonietad porte if EETHER Klintan aur Oebomma iz tha nomine faur EETHER Prez aur Veep. Boetth kaamps haave indikaetad thaat Vies Prezidant wood be aan insult. Doen't insult eether uv them. Ruel them boetth out aas tue diviesiv, aand werk tu haav tha Porte asien Kaabinat pazishanz tu thair KANSTICHUEWANSEEZ insted. Servae tha posibool Kaabinat aufiserz faur thair wilingnas tu aaksept such a nominaeshan, so hwen the Kanvenshan apruevz aan Edwerdz-led PLAATFAURM aand Edwerdz-led KAABINAT — huewever the nomine miet be — tha Porte kaan faurs huewever, uv EETHER PORTY, shood win tha jeneral eelekshan tu adres thoez kansernz aand kanstichuewenseez. Thaat wae, eevan if, bi sum mistep (hwich Demakraats or entieyerle tue inkliend tu taek), yu shood not be tha nomine faur Prezidant, yu kaan stil influewans tha kaurs uv naashanal — aand werld — afairz tu faever tha peepool yu haav so elakwantle aand kansistantle chaampeeyand, aand shaep tha naashanal konversaeshan oever tha nekst sevral yeerz.
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Uv kaurs, if yu du beekum tha nomine faur Preziadant, aaz embiterd Oebomma aand Klintan sapaurterz reefyuez tu raale around eether wun uv THEM but insist on a kompramiez ttherd kaandidaet, yu shood aask Bil Richerdsan tu run witth yu faur Veep. Aan Edwerdz-Richerdsan tikat kood aakchuewale win. Aan Oebomma-Eneewun tikat wil luez; a Klintan-Eneewun tikat wil luez — boetth bi a laandslied UNLES MikKaen duz sumtthing inkredible stuepid liek naeming Kondaleeza Ries aaz Veep. Thaat seemz moest unliekle.
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Eevan if tha Demakraatik Prezidenshal kaandidaet duz go doun in flaemz, yu MUST foekas on the Konggras. Demakraats must win a veetoe-pruef majorite in boetth houzaz. Heer or the ishuez thaat wood maek thaat posibool, a raadikale popyoolist plaatfaurm thaat adresaz tha moest impaurtant ishuez in tha REEL werld, a werld witth hwich aul tue mene Demakraats haav no kanekshan:
- a naashanal yuezhare lau, seting tha maaksimam raet uv interest faur aul kiendz uv loenz, inklueding kredit kord perchasaz aand kaash aadvaansaz, aat, sae, 15%, aand faur maurgajaz, 6%; such a lau shood apli tu aul paemants on kredit kordz goewing faurwerd, eevn on perchasaz aur kaash aadvaansaz maed beefaurhaand;
- restaraeshan uv baangkruptse pratekshan tu tha lital gi; in thaat wae, eevan if kaurts shood ruel thaat no yuezhare lau kood afekt baalansaz aulrede akrued, milyanz uv Amairikanz drouning in det due tu yuezhare kood eskaep thaat det tthru baangkruptse aand reezuem a pozitiv roel in tha naashanal eekoname bi maeking perchasaz raather thaan det paemants;
- yueniversal heltthkair in a simpool, singgal-paeyer faurm, tu be paed faur frum jeneral revenyuez, witth no out-uv-pokat ekspens tu tha puer aand midal klaas;
- restaraeshan uv steeple pragresiv taaksaeshan, tu tha raets on tha rich aand sueper-rich thaat wer in plaes beefaur the 1986 Pluetakraatik Revalueshan (tha Raegan "taaks reefaurm");
- permanant solvanse faur Soeshal Sakyuerite bi ending the inkum limit, so thaat evreewun, not just tha puer aand midal klaas, paez Soeshal Sakyuerite taaks on evre doler thae maek, aaz thae du faur Medikair;
- ajustment upwerd uv Soeshal Sakyuerite benafit paemants so thaat peepool kaan aakchuewale liv on it;
- meenz testing uv Soeshal Sakyuerite so thaat peepool abuv a sertan inkum (sae, $40,000 per yeer) frum thair oen saursaz get NUTTHING;
- ending tha dispaarite thaat Soeshal Sakyuerite aaz kerantle faurmyoolaetad perpechuewaets tu detth: thoez hu maed maur mune duering werking yeerz get maur mune frum Soeshal Sakyuerite duering reetieyermant! End thaat aand maek Soeshal Sakyuerite payouts eekwal tu evreewun, ajustad oenle tu reejanal difransaz in kaust uv living;
lejislaeshan faurbiding "siening staetmants" thaat perpaurt tu apruev oenle paurshanz uv a bil sent bi Konggras tu tha Prezidant;
aand so on.
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Yu shood aaz wel sakyuer frum patenshal kaabinat memberz kleer staetmants thaat thae faever
- ending tha "doen't aask, doen't tel polise" aand faurbiding aanteegae diskriminaeshan in tha militere aand evre uther port uv the Federal Guvernmant, inklueding Federal kontraakterz;
- repeeling tha "Deefens uv Maaraj Aakt" aaz unesasere aand diskriminataure.
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If yaur kaampaen faur tha Prezidanse wuz not just aan eksersiez in eego, but a jenuewin kamitmant tu terning around a kuntre thaat haaz gaun seereeyasle astrae taurd pluetokrase, yu must NOT endaurs eether Oebomma naur Klintan, aand MUST foekas on tha PLAATFAURM aand KAABINAT. Cheerz.

(Tha kerant Y.S. militere detth toel in Eerok, akaurding tu tha websiet "Eerok Koewalishan Kaazhuewalteez", iz 3,963 — faur Izreeyal.)
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Advising Edwards.

I sent, tonite, this message to John Edwards.

Stay aloof; focus on platform and cabinet
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If you hope to have any influence on the general election, or to become the compromise candidate when Obama and Billary cancel each other out and the backers of each refuse to unite around the other, you must NOT ENDORSE either Clinton nor Obama. Hold yourself aloof and let the drama play out. You risk antagonizing half the Party if you endorse either one. Why would you do that?
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Focus for now on setting the agenda by writing the platform and making party insiders focus on who should be named to all Cabinet positions in any Democratic Administration, since announcing such choices in advance of Election Day could neutralize resentments by apportioning the Cabinet among major Democratic groups. If you focus on the platform and Cabinet, you could have very substantial influence on the future, perhaps even more than the Presidential nominee.
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This is the way to mollify key constituencies, and reunite the party if both Obama and Clinton are knocked out of the Presidency. I hold out ZERO hope for a united party if EITHER Clinton or Obama is the nominee for EITHER Prez or Veep. Both camps have indicated that Vice President would be an insult. Don't insult either of them. Rule them both out as too divisive, and work to have the Party assign Cabinet positions to their CONSTITUENCIES instead. Survey the possible Cabinet officers for their willingness to accept such a nomination, so when the Convention approves an Edwards-led PLATFORM and Edwards-led CABINET — whoever the nominee might be — the Party can force whoever, of EITHER PARTY, should win the general election to address those concerns and constituencies. That way, even if, by some misstep (which Democrats are entirely too inclined to take), you should not be the nominee for President, you can still influence the course of national — and world — affairs to favor the people you have so eloquently and consistently championed, and shape the national conversation over the next several years.
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Of course, if you do become the nominee for President, as embittered Obama and Clinton supporters refuse to rally around either one of THEM but insist on a compromise third candidate, you should ask Bill Richardson to run with you for Veep. An Edwards-Richardson ticket could actually win. An Obama-Anyone ticket will lose; a Clinton-Anyone ticket will lose — both by a landslide UNLESS McCain does something incredibly stupid like naming Condoleezza Rice as Veep. That seems most unlikely.
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Even if the Democratic Presidential candidate does go down in flames, you MUST focus on Congress. Democrats must win a veto-proof majority in both houses. Here are the issues that would make that possible, a radically populist platform that addresses the most important issues in the REAL world, a world with which all too many Democrats have no connection:
- a national usury law, setting the maximum rate of interest for all kinds of loans, including credit card purchases and cash advances, at, say, 15%, and for mortgages, 6%; such a law should apply to all payments on credit cards going forward, even on purchases or cash advances made beforehand;
- restoration of bankruptcy protection to the little guy; in that way, even if courts should rule that no usury law could affect balances already accrued, millions of Americans drowning in debt due to usury could escape that debt thru bankruptcy and resume a positive role in the national economy by making purchases rather than debt payments;
- universal healthcare in a simple, single-payer form, to be paid for from general revenues, with no out-of-pocket expense to the poor and middle class;
- restoration of steeply progressive taxation, to the rates on the rich and super-rich that were in place before the 1986 Plutocratic Revolution (the Reagan "tax reform");
- permanent solvency for Social Security by ending the income limit, so that everyone, not just the poor and middle class, pays Social Security tax on every dollar they make, as they do for Medicare;
- adjustment upward of Social Security benefit payments so that people can actually live on it;
- means testing of Social Security so that people above a certain income (say, $40,000 per year) from their own sources get NOTHING;
- ending the disparity that Social Security as currently formulated perpetuates to death: those who made more money during working years get more money from Social Security during retirement! End that and make Social Security payouts equal to everyone, adjusted only to regional differences in cost of living;
- legislation forbidding "signing statements" that purport to approve only portions of a bill sent by Congress to the President;
and so on.
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You should as well secure from potential cabinet members clear statements that they favor
- ending the "don't ask, don't tell policy" and forbidding antigay discrimination in the military and every other part of the Federal Government, including Federal contractors;
- repealing the "Defense of Marriage Act" as unnecessary and discriminatory.
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If your campaign for the Presidency was not just an exercise in ego, but a genuine commitment to turning around a country that has gone seriously astray toward plutocracy, you must NOT endorse either Obama nor Clinton, and MUST focus on the PLATFORM and CABINET. Cheers.

(The current U.S. military death toll in Iraq, according to the website "Iraq Coalition Casualties", is 3,963 — for Israel.)

- posted by L. Craig Schoonmaker @ 11:59 PM

 
Triveeyaliezing Drug Yues

(This blog is published, first, in phonetic (Fanetik) spelling and only then in standard English spelling. If you wish to skip to the traditionally spelled text (albeit with a few simplifications here and there), click here.)
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Tha reesant detths tthru aaksidental drug oeverdoesaz uv tue yung mueve storz, Heetth Lejer aand Braad Renfro, shood haav braut nu erjanse tu fieting tha noyeevtae uv the Amairikan publik about tha hormlasnas uv tha "viktimlas kriem" uv drug yues. But it haazan't, ene maur thaan a spaet uv shueting spreez, inklueding wun tooday at Naurthern Ilinoi Yueniversite, haaz promptad a deemaand faur gun kantroel. Tha kaandidase uv aan aadmitad yuezer uv koekaen, Barok Oeboma, haaz intensified mi kansern.

In aan intervyu duering hiz Senat raes tue yeerz ago, Oeboma sed he aadmitad yuezing drugz [in boetth hi skuel aand kolaj] beekauz he tthaut it wuz impaurtant faur "yung peepool hu or aulrede in serkamstaansaz thaat or for maur difikult thaan mien tu noe thaat yu kaan maek mistaeks aand stil reekuver."

Thaat iz preesiesle tha problam. Oeboma'z book aand meedeeya prezantaeshanz, like MTV'z dokyoomentare seereez Beehiend tha Myuezik, tel yung peepool oever aand oever agen thaat it's aabsaluetle fien tu yuez eevan tha hordast uv drugz, beekauz yu kaan aulwaez just stop, bouns baak, aand be aakseptad baak intu sasieyate witthout penalte. Hel — yu kaan eevan run faur Prezidant uv the Yoonietad Staets!
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Thair iz aan aaktiv muevmant bi stuepid aand noyeev peepool, not just drugpoosherz, tu leegaliez aul kemikal substansaz, no maater hou daenjeras, on tha groundz thaat peepool haav aan aabsaluet riet uv persanal sovrante tu deesied hwut duz aand duz not go intu thair bode.
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Tue niets ago, David Leterman'z Top 10 list maed liet uv ileegal drugz. Under the heding "Top Ten Tthingz Aebrahaam Lingkan Wood Sae If He Wer Aliev Toodae", Leterman sed, in such noewing aand safistikaetad toenz, "No. 6: Tha fraemerz uv tha Konstitueshan wood kair les about hu injektad hwut in thair aas". Not fune, fuel.
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Leterman aand aul theez uther drugz-or-no-big-deel sliembaulz or saeying, "Never miend thaat steroidz kaan kil. Farget about the inasant ttherd-porte viktimz uv steroidz aand HGH, liek the wief aand kidz uv pro resler Kris Benwoq, hu kild them aand himself, probable under the influewans uv steroid-induest raej aand deepreshan (tho thair haav bin eferts tu aabzolv steroidz uv ene roel in thaat kriem). Steroidz haav bin implikaetad in uther merderz tue, aand in doemstik vieyalans, bor fiets, ets. Never miend tha daenjerz uv kaanser hwenever yu skru up tha bodee'z haurmoen baalans. NFL stor Lieyal Aalzaedo fermle beeleevd thaat steroidz kauzd tha braen kaanser thaat kild him aat aej 43, aand haad praduest mene vieyalant, "kraeze" aakts in hiz paast, tho agen, eferts haav bin maed tu ekskulpaet steroidz aand HGH.
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Hwutever peepool wont tu du tu thair bodeez iz thair riet, riet? Eevan if thae doen't beeleev thae faes ene daenjer? Eevan if thae doen't understaand tha daenjerz? Raung, espeshale raung hwen thaat substans yues impaakts uther peepool, aaz bi cheeting uther aatthleets out uv tha winz thae shood haav haad, aur kauzaz kaanserz aur self-dastruktiv beehaevyerz thaat shaurtan tha lief uv tha yuezerz aand, tthru aaksidants aur vieyalans, hertz peepool around them.
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Kaan eneewun reele beeleev thaat tha Founding Fotherz wood haav smieyald apon a Naeshan on drugz? Reele? I doen't beeleev it. Kwiet tha kontrere, I tthingk thae wood be horified aand look witth uter disbeeleef apon hwut milyanz uv peepool in this kuntre haav dun tu themselvz witth kemikalz.
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The apolajists faur kemikal deependense aakt aaz tho lejislaeterz woek up wun maurning aand sed tu themselvz, frum uter baurdam aand haaving nutthing beter tu du, "Wel, hwut shaal we du toodae? O, I noe! Let's outlau a perfaktle hormlas kemikal faur aabsaluetle no reezan!" Thaat's not aat aul hwut haapand. Kwiet tha kontrere, daenjeras kemikalz stortad tu be yuezd aand stortad tu kauz graev horm tu tha yuezerz aand tu peepool around them, so lejislaeterz wer faurst tu aakt. Sumtiemz thae didan't aakt in tiem, aand thouzandz uv peepool died. Thaat iz tha kaes witth "poperz", rekreeyaeshanal kemikalz yuezd, espeshale bi gae men hu didan't tthingk uv them aaz "drugz", tu enhaans sensaeshanz duering seks. Thae didan't noe thaat poperz kood kauz kaanser, daamaj the imyuen sistam, aur produes uther daenjerz. Tthouzandz died beefaur lejislaeterz fienale aaktad.
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Alaas, tha reeyaalite uv drugz duz not kampaurt witth tha propagaanda thaat drugz or hormlas. Eevan preeskripshan drugz, aaz in tha kaes uv Heeth Lejer, kaan aand du KIL hwen yuezd kairlasle, espeshale hwen thae kambien witth uther drugz, aalkahaul, aand uther kemikalz (aaz in toobaako smoek). Wers, tha jujmant that miet preevent peepool frum oeverdoesing aur beekuming adiktad iz impaird aur dastroid bi tha vere drugz thae taek! That iz wun reezan hwi tha sapoezadle "inokyuewas" aand "hormlas" drug maarihwona iz for maur daenjeras thaan the apolajists faur leegalizaeshan aadmit, aand hwi maarihwona iz indeed a "gaetwae drug" tu horder aand maur daenjeras substansaz. Thaat iz espeshale tha kaes nou, sins nuewer plaant straenz haav praduest a drug 25 tiemz aaz straung aaz tha "pot" kidz yuezd in the 1960s.
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Anuther reezan maariwhona haz faur dekaedz servd aaz a "gaetwae drug" iz tha hyueman tendanse tu jenraliez: "Hae, thae sed pot wuz daenjeras, but it never did me ene horm. So hwi shood I beeleev thaat koekaen, heroewin, aur metth or daenjeras?" Thair's thaat impaird-jujmant tthing agen. (A frend uv mien hu wuz a heve pot yuezer in hi skuel aand dropt out uv skuel under thaat influewans, laeter got a JED. He laeter daird tu sae thaat maarihwona never did him ene horm. I sed, "Jo, yu got out uv hi skuel aat 30!" He kantinyuez tu yuez maarihwona, aand kantinyuez tu drift perpaslasle tthru lief, aat neerle 41. We no laungger speek. He flu intu a raej aat me oever sumtthing aand "kut me auf". No, maariwhona duzan't du ene horm. Liek hel it duzan't.)
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Hou mene prominant peepool haav tu di frum drugz beefaur tha meedeeya stop pooshing tha lie thaat drugz or harmlas? Maejer TV tauk shoez aand komade speshalz maek drug joeks aul tha tiem. Drugz or fune, not seereeyas!
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O? Heer's a shaurt list uv faemas peepool from mene kuntreez hu haav died frum drugz: Marilin Manro, River Feeniks, Jaanis Joplin, Jime Hendriks, Jim Morisan, Jon Balueshe, Kris Forle, Len Bieyas, Glen Kwin ("Mork Heele", boifrend/huzband tu "Beke" in the klaasik sitkom Roezaan), Lene Brues, Montgumere Klift, Kert Koebaen, Doratthe Daandrij, Brieyan Epsteen, Riener Verner Fosbinder, Sigmand Froid, Aande Gib, Mich Hedberg (a komic huez detth I haadan't eevan herd uv until I risercht this ishu; I wocht a speshal uv hiz on Komade Sentral just laast week!), Morgo Hemingwae, Bile Holidae, Houwerd Hyuez, Doratthe Kilgaalan, Kaaral Laandis, Bela Luegoese, Fraangke Lieman, Aeme Sempool MikFersan, Kristeena Oenaasis, Robert Paastarele, Daena Plaeto, De De Ramoen, Jaurj Saanderz, Jeen Seeberg, Aana Nikoel Smitth AAND her sun Danyal, Ingger Steevanz, Morgarat Sulavan, Iek Terner, Sid Vishas, Dienah Woshingtan, Haangk Wilyamz, aand laast, but ashuradle not leest, Elvis Presle.
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Thair's a much laungger list in Wikipeedeeya. Sum uv thoez peepool kild themselvz dalibratle witth drugz — beekauz thae nue thaat drugz kaan kil. Aand sum uv thoez peepool wer led tu thair suewisiedal deepresahn bi drugz, aand bi thair inabilite tu kantroel thair yues uv drugz. But moest died unintenshanale, frum noyeevtae about drugz.
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Aaz tha list abuv (hwich kantaenz sum oeldtiem mueve aand myuezik storz) sagjests, this haaz bin goewing on faur a laung tiem, aand peepool frum vaareeyas etthnisiteez aand kulcharal envieranmants haav died frum drugz.
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The Wikipeedeeya list kantaenz a feecher peepool miet wont tu noet: a naashanal flaag tu tha left uv eech naem. On tha tipikal skreen, maur thaan haaf tha naemz, aand sumtiemz aulmoest evre wun, uv aul tha salebriteez frum evreehwair noetad in thaat list, or frum the Yoonietad Staets. The Yoonietad Staets haaz tha werld's werst drug problam, aand leegaliez-drugz propagaandists hu yuez the ekspeereeyans uv uther kuntreez tu orgyu faur leegalizaeshan heer noe fool wel thaat the ekspeereeyans uv uther kuntreez in no wae indikaets tha liekle outkum heer.
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In tha 1980s, lorj numberz uv gae men, inklueding entieyer kleeks uv frendz in tha "faast laen" liefstieyal uv "seks, drugz, aand rok aand roel", stortad dieying frum hwut wuz laeter tu be reedeefiend aaz a vieral dizeez, 'AIDS' [kaan't be fanetisiezd difrantle, but this speling wood be sed difrantle], but hwich wuz aakchuewale imyuen dastrukshan bi the unbileevabool kombinaeshanz uv hord drugz, preeskripshan drugz (inklueding sum preeskriebd tu treet tha hormlas vieras HIV — yup: leetthal drugz tu treet a hormlas infekshan; aan aanteehoemoesekshuewal sasieyate wuz aebool tu perswaed skaurz uv tthouzandz uv gae men tu kil themselvz bi taeking poizan preeskriebd bi thair enameez) aand aalkahaul in meereeyad permyuetaeshanz. Theez "faast-laen" tieps mikst aul kiendz uv drugz in difrant kombinaeshanz aand doesajaz — pot, Speshal K, Ekstase, koekaen, poperz, pilz tha naemz aand faumyoolaeshanz uv hwich thae didan't eevan noe but just took beekauz thair frendz auferd them — aul mikst up witth aalkahaul aand toobaako, aufan atop liver daamaj frum a prieyer kaes uv hepatietis, hwich storkle reeduest the abilite uv thair liver tu detoksify thair bloodstreem, aand dropt liek fliez. Thae apaarantle figyerd drugz wer hormles, indivijuewale aand kalektivle. If wun drug wuzan't dedle, 100 drugz woodan't be dedle. Thae wer raung. Ded raung. If I haad let mieself be draun intu thaat liefstieyal — aand be shuer uv this: I wuz auferd drugz on inuemerabool akaezhanz aand maed tu feel "out uv it" beekauz I reefyuezd — I wood probable be ded toodae. Thoez "witth-it", "kuel" giez or reel kuel nou: ruem tempracher — wel, kaufin tempracher.
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Beekauz Barok Oeboma haz ifektivele maed ekskyuesaz faur yuezing hord drugz faur yeerz uv hiz erle lief, aand beekauz he duz not nou maek aabsaluet aabstenshan frum aul faurmz uv drug yues a maejer port uv hiz kaampaen, thair iz aabsaluetle no wae I kood bring mieself tu voet faur him faur eneetthing, eevan Vies Prezidant on a Jon Edwerdz tikat, in tha jeneral eelekshan. (I voetad faur him in the Nu Jerze priemere tu stop Bilare aur kut thair persentaj leed, but a primare aand a jeneral eelekshan or tue vere difrant tthingz.)
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This duz not meen I wil voet faur tha Reepublikan (probable MikKaen, a luen). It duzan't eevan meen I wil simple stae hoem. It meenz thaat if tha Demakraats nominaet sumwun I deetest, I wil aabstaen frum voeting faur Prezidant aat aul aand simple voet faur Demakraats faur boetth houzaz uv Konggras. A laandslied faur Demakraats in Konggras kood giv Demz a veetoe-pruef maandaet tu enaakt yuenivesal heltthkair, end tha waur agenst Eerok, reestaur baangkruptse pratekshan tu tha lital gie/gaal, paas a naashanal yuezhare lau, aand du aul tha mene uther tthingz tha Naeshan aand woorld need thaat the Reepublkianz woen't let haapan aaz laung aaz thae kantroel tha Hwiet Hous aand du not faes a veetoe-pruef Demakraatik Konggras.
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We need tu undu tha Reepublikan Revalueshan thaat haaz traansfaurmd this kuntre much faur tha wers sins tha Pluetakraatik Revalueshan uv 1986 (tha Raegan taaks "reefaurm" aakt thaat stopt taaksing tha rich aand set us on tha laung dounhil slied we haav suferd ever sins). So if yu kaanot in good konshans voet faur a Demakraat faur Prezidant but wont tu undu tha maehem praduest bi Reepublikan misruel, go tu tha poelz in Noevember aand voet Demakraatik faur Konggras.
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Alaas, in my aireeya, Demakraats or aulrede in pouwer, so simple kanferming thair aufis woen't akomplish eneetthing faur chaenj. On mi sied uv the voeting ruem in Nu Jerzee'z priemere on Sueper Dueper Tuezdae, I wuz tha 267tth voeter. Aul but wun uv thoez voets wuz Demakraatik. I just luv Nuewerk.
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(Tha kerant Y.S. militere detth toel in Eerok, akaurding tu tha websiet "Eerok Koewalishan Kaazhuewalteez", iz 3,960 — faur Izreeyal.)
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Trivializing Drug Use.

The recent deaths thru accidental drug overdoses of two young movie stars, Heath Ledger and Brad Renfro, should have brought new urgency to fiting the naivete of the American public about the harmlessness of the "victimless crime" of drug use. But it hasn't, any more than a spate of shooting sprees, including one today at Northern Illinois University, has prompted a demand for gun control. The candidacy of an admitted user of cocaine, Barack Obama, has intensified my concern:

In an interview during his Senate race two years ago, Obama said he admitted using drugs [in both high school and college] because he thought it was important for "young people who are already in circumstances that are far more difficult than mine to know that you can make mistakes and still recover."

- posted by L. Craig Schoonmaker @ 9:25 PM

 
Good Ridans tu Zieyanist Rubish

(This blog is published, first, in phonetic (Fanetik) spelling and only then in standard English spelling. If you wish to skip to the traditionally spelled text (albeit with a few simplifications here and there), click here.)
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Tom Laantoes, a Hunggaireeyan Ju hu invaedad the Yoonietad Staets aafter Werld Waur II aand tthru tha self-vaunting aand myuechuewal help praaktist bi Juez roez tu beekum Chairman uv tha Y.S. Hous Kamite on Foran Afairz, died toodae. Thaat iz terifik. It shood haav haapand a laung tiem ago. He wuz aan aaktiv ename uv the Yoonietad Staets; aan endlas aejant uv a foran pouwer, Izreeyal; aand wun reezan the Yoonietad Staets iz haetad by haaf tha werld.
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Wikipeedeeya'z ortikal on tha baasterd ditailz hiz kriminal aaktiviteez oever dekaedz, giving aabsaluetle unkritikal sapaurt uv evreetthing Izreeyal did aand pramoeting waur agenst Izreeyal'z enameez. He portisipaetad in the outraejas fraud kamitad bi Kuewaeteez in klaeming thaat Eeroke soeljerz dumpt Kuewaete baebeez out uv ingkyoobaeterz, aand eevan aafter thaat testimoene wuz reeveeld aaz a blaetant fraud, aand tha "ners" hu klaemd tu haav seen theez tthingz wuz reeveeld tu be in faakt tha dauter uv tha Kuewaete aambaasader, did not apolajiez in ene wae faur lieying tu tha publik tu drum up war histereeya.
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Laantoes wuz aan eevool maan, aand tha werld shood reejois in hiz detth. It's tue baad thaat he wuzan't taurcherd tu detth, aand thaat he left projane. Perhaaps wun uv hiz 17 graandchildran wil du sumtthing deesant in lief tu tri tu kompensaet faur tha kriemz uv hiz aur her graandfother. But I woodan't kount on it.
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(Tha kerant Y.S. militere detth toel in Eerok, akaurding tu tha websiet "Eerok Koewalishan Kaazhuewalteez", iz 3,960 — faur Izreeyal.)
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Good Riddance to Zionist Rubbish.

Tom Lantos, a Hungarian Jew who invaded the United States after World War II and thru the self-vaunting and mutual help practiced by Jews rose to become Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, died today. That is terrific. It should have happened a long time ago. He was an active enemy of the United States; an endless agent of a foreign power, Israel; and one reason the United States is hated by half the world.
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Wikipedia's article on the bastard details his criminal activities over decades, giving absolutely uncritical support of everything Israel did and promoting war against Israel's enemies. He participated in the outrageous fraud committed by Kuwaitis in claiming that Iraqi soldiers dumped Kuwaiti babies out of incubators, and even after that testimony was revealed as a blatant fraud, and the "nurse" who claimed to have seen these things was revealed to be in fact the daughter of the Kuwaiti ambassador, did not apologize in any way for lying to the public to drum up war hysteria.
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Lantos was an evil man, and the world should rejoice in hiz death. It's too bad that he wasn't tortured to death, and that he left progeny. Perhaps one of his 17 grandchildren will do something decent in life to try to compensate for the crimes of his or her grandfather. But I wouldn't count on it.
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(The current U.S. military death toll in Iraq, according to the website "Iraq Coalition Casualties", is 3,960 — for Israel.)

- posted by L. Craig Schoonmaker @ 8:11 PM

 
Temptaeshanz.

(This blog is published, first, in phonetic (Fanetik) spelling and only then in standard English spelling. If you wish to skip to the traditionally spelled text (albeit with a few simplifications here and there), click here.)
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Wun iz temptad tu sae thaat Hilare Klintan'z kaampaen iz ded in tha wuter, aand needz oenle tu run up tha 'hwiet' flaag. Tha Klintans haav akyuemyoolaetad $35 milyan in thair persanal faurchan sins leeving tha Hwiet Hous, but tha Klintanz' kaampaen iz so desperatle hord-prest finaanshale thaat thae aadmitad toodae thaat thae haad tu lend tha kaampaen $5 milyan uv thair oen koin, aand sum uv tha ke staaferz haav agreed tu werk witthout pae, temparerile, eevan tho tha kaampaen raezd $13 milyan laast muntth.
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A muntth ago, a yeer ago, "Hilare" — meening, aakchuewale, Tha Klintanz — wuz tha nomine preezumptiv, so for ahed thaat pie-in-tha-ski Demakraatik pundits wer sertan she wood proesés liek a kween tu tha nominaeshan, no wun beeying aebool tu stop her (aakchuewale, uv kaurs, tu stop them, tha Gruesam Tuesam).Toodae, houwever, on NBK Nietle Nuez, Tim Rusert spekyoolaetad thaat Tha Klintanz aand Oeboma or aabsaluetle tied faur eelektad delagats, witth 839 apees, aand eevan with the adishan uv tha "sueper-delagats" thae beeleev or plejd tu them, neether wood haav tha nominaeshan raapt up bi tha tiem the kanvenshan beeginz.
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This iz tha vere best tthing pragresivz kaan hoep faur, beekauz if thaat haapanz, tha chaansaz uv tha Demakraats aaksepting eether Oeboma aur Tha Klintanz aand raaleeying around tha nomine or esenshale nonegzistant. Tha porte wood then haav tu noe thaat thae eether opt faur a kompramiez ttherd kaandidaet, aur giv up aul hoep uv wining tha Hwiet Hous. Thaat ttherd kaandidaet iz plaenly Jon Edwerdz, the OENLE kaandidaet hu staandz ene chaans aat aul uv yoonieting tha porte aand wining tha Prezidanse. Givan tha Demakraats' neerly unering instingkt faur chuezing tha raung kaandidaet, houwever, thae miet go faur Aal Gaur, if he wer wiling tu be 'draaftad'. Aand then tha Demakraats wood go doun in flaemz eneewae.
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On Sueper Dueper Tuezdae tha Naeshan diskuverd, tho meedeeya skairsle daird menshan it, tha truetth thaat "mienoriteez" or not on tha saem sied uv vaareeyas ishuez. Blaaks reegord maasiv imigraeshan aaz aan obveeyas eekanomic haazerd, witth peepool frum Laatin Amairika, Aezha, eevan Aafrika pauring in tu werk cheeple aand thus underkut blaaks aand keep them mieyerd in poverte faurever. Hispaaniks reegord muevz tu kraak doun on ileegal imigraeshan aaz aantee-Laatin bigatre, aand jenrale faever eezeeyer aakses tu the Yoonietad Staets. Faur them, it iz a wae tu giv tu peepool thae iedentifi witth the opertueniteez thae tthingk thae shood haav. Faamile memberz aand frendz nou stuk in Meksiko, Gwotamola, aand uther ports soutth, miet be aebool tu kum heer, so thae kaan re-estaablish broekan reelaeshanships aand reekreeyaet a kamyuenite thae fiend moest kanjeenyal around them. This iz a kweschan uv raes, laanggwaj, kulcher, faamile, eevan reelijan. Moest blaaks or Protestant, maenle Baaptist aand konggragaeshanalist. Mene such Protastant grueps or oepanle aur koevertle hostal tu Katholisizam, so port uv thair opazishan (aaz uv hwiet hostilite) tu maasiv imigraeshan frum Laatin Amairika iz aakchuewale reelijas bigatre hidan beehiend eekanomik aand kulcheral orgyoomants.
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Mene blaaks reegord Hispaaniks aaz interloeperz, intruederz, jonee-kum-laetle invaederz underkuting thair fyuecher, chaenjing thair naeberhoodz, reefyuezing eevan tu lern hou tu chaat witth thair blaak naeberz (bi reefyuezing thair langgwaj, Ingglish), hoelding themselvz aluef, aaz tho thae or beter thaan blaaks, in thair oen kuntre! Blaaks haav bin heer a vere laung tiem. Thae se themselvz aaz Tru Amairikanz, aand reegord theez nu arievalz aaz Foranerz hu kaem heer not tu beekum Amairikanz but tu steel thair jobz aand thair naeberhoodz riet out frum under them.
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Mene Hispaaniks reegord blaaks aaz laeze, derte, drug-soekt luezerz huez kandishan iz thair oen daamd fault. 'If we kood kum heer — witthout eevan noewing tha laanggwaj — aand maek good lievz, hwi koodan't yu?' Thae aulso reegord blaaks aaz daenjerasle vieyalant aand kriem-inkliened, ireesponsibool tomkaats spreding thair seed aand abaandaning thair childran, aaktiviteez thaat or deeple afensiv tu Hispaanik kamyueniteez in hwich straung faamileez or baesik tu tha kulcher. Aand, beeleev it aur not, thair iz aaz much aantee-Protastant bigatre aaz aantee-Kaatthalik. Kaatthaliks reegord Protastants aaz heratiks aand truboolmaekerz hu reefyuez tu giv oner tu Kriest's repreezentativ on Ertth, air tu tha Tthroen uv Saent Peeter, tha Poep.
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Noebude tauks about theez tthingz. It's tiem we did. Beekauz if we reefyuez tu adres theez lajitimat, aand ilajitimat, kansernz uv tha Naeshan'z tue lorjast mienoriteez, we wil fail tu impruev tha Naeshan faur evreebudee's benafit. Aand yes, we kaan fiend salueshanz thaat serv evreebudee's best interest.
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We kaan liberaliez imigraeshan tu pravied faur "chaen miegraeshan", hwairbi peepool heer leegale kaan bring in not just thair imeedeeyat faamile but aulso ekstendad faamile aand frendz witthout huem thair lievz haav bin impoverisht. We kaan pratekt blaaks frum unfair kompatishan bi enfaursing waej aand ouwerz lejislaeshan. We kaan teech Hispaaniks not just hou tu speek Ingglish but aulso tu go out uv thair wae tu speek tu their blaak naeberz aand alae egzaajeraetaed feerz, eevan inklued them in porteez (feeyestaz, thaat iz) aand aurganizaeshanz, tu the ekstent thaat iz agreeyabool tu blaaks, huez taests in myuezik, faur instans, mae difer draastikle. Tha cherchaz kaan reech out tu eech uther in ekyoomenikal servisaz, reelijas aand soeshal. We kaan aulso teech peepool tu keep thair oen myuezik in thair oen hous so thae doen't afend peepool huez taests or difrant.
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Iz this triveeyal, difrant myueziks, daansaz, fuedz, laanggwajaz? Maebe, if it's aul prievat aand volantere. But hwen sumbude iz blaasting yu witth myuezik yu haet, it's not aaz triveeyal aaz sum peepool miet wont tu tthingk — espeshale if yau'r not invietad tu tha porte.
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I, baurn aand raezd in oeverhwelmingle hwiet suberbz, ferst beekaem awair uv tha blaak/Hispaanik aantipatthe hwen I muevd tu Nu Yaurk aand herd mi blaak frendz kamplaening about 'paurtareekanz', eevan about "PR'z" uv mikst raes hu, if thae spoek Ingglish, wood be reegordad aaz "blaak". I maed Pwairta Reekan frendz tu, aand thae haad baad tthingz tu sae about blaaks. Odle, wun uv tha cheef kamplaents frum boetth siedz iz thaat the uther or "derte" (persanale aand aaz reegordz tha wae thae keep thair hous aand yordz), aand thae ruewin evre naeberhood thae muev intu.
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Then tha saem aanimas ekstendad tu nuewer grueps, eevan Daminikanz, hu or aul "blaak" aaz hwiet peepool reegord tthingz. But "blaak" faur blaaks in the Yoonietad Staets iz not just raes. It's kulcher: Amairikan kulcher, blaak Amairikan kulcher, Ingglish-speeking kulcher, Protastant kulcher. It's about peepool hu haav a laung histare heer aand reemember slaevere thaat tha nu arievalz did not (aaz for aaz Amairikan blaaks noe) ever sufer. "Aand heer thae kum intu ouwer kuntre! Thae just morch in aand taek ouwer jobs? I doen't tthingk so!"
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In ene kaes, faur Oeboma tu win Teksas, krueshal tu his goewing intu kanvenshan witth a kleer majorite, he iz goewing tu haav tu aaksept aand deel witth tha blaak/Lateeno aanimas in this kuntre aand help boetth grueps riez abuv it.
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Thaat bringz us baak tu 'Hilare' Klintan's kaampaen. I sed wun wood be temptad tu kount her out, sins she plumatad frum tha nomine preezumptiv tu a kaandidaet klauqing tu stae in tha raes. Yes, Oeboma haaz seezd tha moementam, hwich 'she' (aakchuewale, aulwaez, thae: "Bilare") wuz just bairle aebool tu stop in Kaalifaurnya, tho tha rau voet toetalz sho thaat daspiet Kaalifaurnya, in Sueper Dueper Tuezdae she maanajd tu gaen oenle 53,120 maur voets thaan Oeboma, out uv 14,642,822 kaast: a difrans uv litool maur thaan 1/3 uv 1% (0.36%).
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Tha MikKaen kaampaen, houwever, givz her hoep. A fyu weeks ago, tha 'smort mune' ekspektad tha broek aand disaurderd MikKaen kaampaen tu giv up tha goest, but tha Senater stuk bi hiz gunz (literale: he iz, aafter aul, tha gungho thee-Eerok-waur-iz-wunderfool kaandidaet) aand looks nou tu be on tha verj uv soewing up tha Reepublikan nominaeshan. So Bilare iz hortand. If oenle sh/he kaan get paast this baad fyu weeks, sh/he tue kaan trieyumf aat tha kanvenshan.
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Maebe sh/he kaan. Maebe sh/he kaan't. Hwut sh/he definitle kaanot du, houwever, iz win tha jeneral eelekshan, aabsant sum boelt frum tha blu. Bil iz aan embaarasmant, aand tha Naeshan duzan't wont tu go baak tu tha daez uv endlas obseen joeks on aul tha laet-niet tauk shoez. Noebude beeleevz Bil kaan keep it in hiz paants. Hilare iz a koeld-hortad, frijid, persanale aambishas but uterle unprinsipoold bich hu wil sae eneetthing tu get eelektad. 52% uv the eelektarat sed June 29, 2007 that thae wood not voet faur her under ene serkamstaansaz. Blaaks wil be aileeyanaetad bi her reezisting Oeboma tu the end, aand eevan if she wer tu kreeyaet diluedad Demz' "dreem teem" bi chuezing Oeboma faur Veep, blaaks wil stil reegord thaat aaz insulting. Indeed, thair mae wel be blaaks wiling tu shuet Hilare ded tu maek Oeboma the ferst blaak Prezidant uv the Yoonietad Staets.
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Saem tthing if tha "dreem teem" (aakchuewale, houwever, reeyalistik Demz' waeking nietmair) iz flipt, witth Oeboma faur Prez aand Bilare faur Veep — sum kraezd lezbeeyan-feminist iz liekle tu tri tu kil Oeboma. Need I reele list heer prominant Amairikan palitikal leederz kild bi asaasinz?
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Theez liekle asaasinaeshan atempts (if tha Demakraats reefyuez tu kompramiez on a ttherd kaandidaet) aand MikKaen'z aadvaanst aej raez interesting Konstitueshanal kweschanz: hwut haapanz if tha Prezidenshal nomine uv a maejer porte diez (a) duering tha kaampaen aur (b) aafter wining the eelekshan but beefaur beeying swaurn in? Thair or fiener points: hwut haapanz if tha detth akerz (c) aafter tha popyooler voet but beefaur the Eelektaral Kolaj voet?
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Mi reeding uv tha 12tth Amendmant sagjests thaat the eelekterz wood be entietoold tu voet faur eneewun thae wont, staet lauz reestrikting thair voet in ene wae, beeying a nulite faur not beeying saangkshand bi tha Konstitueshan, aand staets haaving no kantroel oever Federal institueshanz.
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Thaat duz not, houwever, aanser tha kweschan uv hwut haapanz if tha Prezidenshal kaandidaet iz kild aur simple diez aafter the Eelektaral Kolaj voet but beefaur taeking the oetth uv aufis. I sagjest thaat Konstitueshanal skolerz investigaet this ttherale tu be rede witth aan aanser imeedeeyatle aafter tha maejer-porte nominaeting kanvenshanz laeter this yeer.
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(Tha kerant Y.S. militere detth toel in Eerok, akaurding tu tha websiet "Eerok Koewalishan Kaazhuewalteez", iz 3,949 — faur Izreeyal.)
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Temptations. One is tempted to say that Hillary Clinton's campaign is dead in the water, and needs only to run up the 'white' flag. The Clintons have accumulated $35 million in their personal fortune since leaving the White House, but the Clintons' campaign is so desperately hard-pressed financially that they admitted today that they had to lend the campaign $5 million of their own coin, and some of the key staffers have agreed to work without pay, temporarily, even tho the campaign raised $13 million last month.
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A month ago, a year ago, "Hillary" — meaning, actually, The Clintons — was the nominee presumptive, so far ahead that pie-in-the-sky Democratic pundits were certain she would procéss like a queen to the nomination, no one being able to stop her (actually, of course, to stop them, the Gruesome Twosome). Today, however, on NBC Nightly News, Tim Russert speculated that The Clintons and Obama are absolutely tied for elected delegates, with 838 apiece, and even with the addition of the "super-delegates" they believe are pledged to them, neither would have the nomination wrapped up by the time the convention begins.
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This is the very best thing progressives can hope for, because if that happens, the chances of the Democrats accepting either Obama or The Clintons and rallying around the nominee are essentially nonexistent. The party would then have to know that they either opt for a compromise third candidate, or give up all hope of winning the White House. That third candidate is plainly John Edwards, the ONLY candidate who stands any chance at all of uniting the party and winning the Presidency. Given the Democrats nearly unerring instinct for choosing the wrong candidate, however, they might go for Al Gore, if he were willing to be 'drafted'. And then the Democrats would go down in flames anyway.
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On Super Duper Tuesday the Nation discovered, tho media scarcely dared mention it, the truth that "minorities" are not on the same side of various major issues. Blacks regard massive immigration as an obvious economic hazard, with people from Latin America, Asia, even Africa pouring in to work cheaply and thus undercut blacks and keep them mired in poverty forever. Hispanics regard moves to crack down on illegal immigration as anti-Latin bigotry, and generally favor easier access to the United States. For them, it is a way to give to people they identify with the opportunities they think they should have. Family members and friends now stuck in Mexico, Guatemala, and other parts south, might be able to come here, so they can re-establish broken relationships and recreate a community they find most congenial around them. This is a question of race, language, culture, family, even religion. Most blacks are Protestant, mainly Baptist and congregationalist. Many such Protestant groups are openly or covertly hostile to Catholicism, so part of their opposition (as of white hostility) to massive immigration from Latin America is actually religious bigotry hidden behind economic arguments.
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Many blacks regard Hispanics as interlopers, intruders, johnny-come-lately invaders undercutting their future, changing their neighborhoods, refusing even to learn how to chat with their black neighbors (by refusing their language, English), holding themselves aloof, as tho they are better than blacks, in their own country! Blacks have been here a very long time. They see themselves as True Americans, and regard these new arrivals as Foreigners who came here not to become Americans but to steal their jobs and their neighborhoods right out from under them.
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Many Hispanics regard blacks as lazy, dirty, drug-soaked losers whose condition is their own damned fault. 'If we could come here — without even knowing the language — and make good lives, why couldn't you?' They also regard blacks as dangerously violent and crime-inclined, irresponsible tomcats spreading their seed and abandoning their children, activities that are deeply offensive in Hispanic communities in which strong families are basic to the culture. And, believe it or not, there is as much anti-Protestant bigotry as anti-Catholic. Catholics regard Protestants as heretics and troublemakers who refuse to give honor to Christ's representative on Earth, heir to the Throne of Saint Peter, the Pope.
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Nobody talks about these things. It's time we did. Because if we refuse to address these legitimate, and illegitimate, concerns of the Nation's two largest minorities, we will fail to improve the Nation for everybody's benefit. And yes, we can find solutions that serve everybody's best interest.
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We can liberalize immigration to provide for "chain migration", whereby people here legally can bring in not just their immediate family but also extended family and friends without whom their lives have been impoverished. We can protect blacks from unfair competition by enforcing wage and hours legislation. We can teach Hispanics not just how to speak English but also to go out of their way to speak to their black neighbors and allay exaggerated fears, even include them in parties (fiestas, that is) and organizations, to the extent that is agreeable to blacks, whose tastes in music, for instance, may differ drastically. The churches can reach out to each other in ecumenical services, religious and social. We can also teach people to keep their own music in their own house so they don't offend people whose tastes are different.
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Is this trivial, different musics, dances, foods, languages? Maybe, if it's all private and voluntary. But when somebody is blasting you with music you hate, it's not as trivial as some people might want to think — especially if you're not invited to the party.
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I, born and raised in overwhelmingly white suburbs, first became aware of the black/Hispanic antipathy when I moved to New York and heard my black friends complaining about 'portareekans', even about "PR's" of mixed race who, if they spoke English, would be regarded as "black". I made Puerto Rican friends too, and they had bad things to say about blacks. Oddly, one of the chief complaints from both sides is that the other are "dirty" (personally and as regards the way they keep thair house and yards), and they ruin every neighborhood they move into.
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Then the same animus extended to newer groups, even Dominicans, who are all "black" as white people regard things. But "black" for blacks in the United States is not just race. It's culture: American culture, black-American culture, English-speaking culture, Protestant culture. It's about people who have a long history here and remember slavery that the new arrivals did not (as far as American blacks know) ever suffer. "And here they come into our country! They just march in and take our jobs? I don't think so!"
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In any case, for Obama to win Texas, crucial to his going into convention with a clear majority, he is going to have to accept and deal with the black/Latino animus in this country and help both groups rise above it.
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That brings us back to 'Hillary' Clinton's campaign. I said one would be tempted to count her out, since she plummeted from the nominee presumptive to a candidate clawing to stay in the race. Yes, Obama has seized the momentum, which 'she' (actually, always, they: "Billary") was just barely able to stop in California, tho the raw vote totals show that despite California, in Super Duper Tuesday she managed to gain only 53,120 more votes more than Obama, out of 14,642,822 cast: a difference of little more than 1/3 of 1% (0.36%).
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The McCain campaign, however, gives her hope. A few weeks ago, the 'smart money' expected the broke and disordered McCain campaign to give up the ghost, but the Senator stuck by his guns (literally: he is, after all, the gungho the-Iraq-war-is-wonderful candidate) and looks now to be on the verge of sewing up the Republican nomination. So Billary is heartened. If only s/he can get past this bad few weeks, s/he too can triumph at the convention.
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Maybe s/he can. Maybe s/he can't. What s/he definitely cannot do, however, is win the general election, absent some bolt from the blue. Bill is an embarrassment, and the Nation doesn't want to go back to the days of endless obscene jokes on all the late-nite talk shows. Nobody believes Bill can keep it in his pants. Hillary is a cold-hearted, frigid, personally ambitious but utterly unprincipled bitch who will say anything to get elected. 52% of the electorate said June 29, 2007 that they would not vote for her under any circumstances. Blacks will be alienated by her resisting Obama to the end, and even if she were to create deluded Dems' "dream team" (realistic Dems' waking nitemare) by choosing Obama for Veep, blacks will still regard that as insulting. Indeed, there may well be blacks willing to shoot Hillary dead to make Obama the first black President of the United States.
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Same thing if the "dream team" (actually, however, realistic Dem's waking nitemare) is flipped, with Obama for Prez and Billary for Veep — some crazed lesbian-feminist is likely to try to kill Obama. Need I really list here prominent American political leaders killed by assassins?
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These likely assassination attempts (if the Democrats refuse to compromise on a third candidate) and McCain's advanced age raise interesting Constitutional questions: what happens if the Presidential nominee of a major party dies (a) during the campaign or (b) after winning the election but before being sworn in? There are finer points: what happens if the death occurs (c) after the popular vote but before the Electoral College vote?
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My reading of the 12th Amendment suggests that the electors would be entitled to vote for anyone they want, state laws restricting their vote in any way, being a nullity for not being sanctioned by the Constitution, and states having no control over Federal institutions.
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That does not, however, answer the question of what happens if the Presidential candidate is killed or simply dies after the Electoral College vote but before taking the oath of office. I suggest that Constitutional scholars investigate this thoroughly to be ready with an answer immediately after the major-party nominating conventions later this year.
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(The current U.S. military death toll in Iraq, according to the website "Iraq Coalition Casualties", is 3,949 — for Israel.)



- posted by L. Craig Schoonmaker @ 10:39 PM