Volume 1 Issue 25
December 17, 2002
De Gubernaculo Venimus et Adservirevos Volumus.
(We're from the Government and We're here to help you.)
Lott going to the mat, Dems going crazy, and McD's going under
If you read nothing else in this e-mail...read the Hitchens article below.
OK, so today's adventures in Republicanland feature the continuing disintegration of the Republican party, all because of Trent Lott. I think in future years when historians look back on this, they're going to have to be convinced that the Republican Party was filled with idiots (not true), as it continues to turn on itself. First, we had Trent Lott's, "Well, you can't get any better leader than me, because you're all racist!" And the GOP accuses Democrats of playing the race card? Note that most Dems are just sitting back and watching the blood here, why interfere when your opponent is kicking the crap out of himself?
Then, good ol' Trent went on BET yesterday. There's some details in the articles below, but the big news is apparently that whole "I don't like Martin Luther King day" thing was wrong (even though he said it in his Friday press conference). Not only that, apparently he now backs affirmative action as well. You know if the pressure keeps up, the Democrats can just make Lott their minority leader as well, since it appears he's willing to sacrifice any "principles" he holds to keep his job. He apparently has today pledged to help with a bunch of other programs Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) is feeding him. The best of both worlds for the Dems, as now the conservatives hate him as much as the liberals! Oh, btw, the BET interviewer, Ed Gordon, went on about a dozen programs this morning and said he thought Lott was lying to keep his job. That worked, Trent.
So the newest development today is that it looks all but decided that Lott will be ousted (King Karl Rove gave his consent yesterday), likely in favor of Bill Frist, your family physician and Senate heir-apparent. But that's not all, because Lott has decided to do the 2-year old temper tantrum route, claming if he can't be majority leader he will resign his Senate seat. So what you ask? Well, on January 2, a Democrat will become Governor of Mississippi. So if Lott goes, a Democrat will be coming in, at least until November of 2003. Then the lights will turn to Rhode Island Republican Lincoln Chaffee, who is a Democrat in all but name anyway, and unless the Bush Administration basically empties out Fort Knox into Providence, you can bet he'll be pulling a Jeffords, and then, wait! We're back to where we started! Now some are saying that Lott could quit before Jan 1, and then Mississippi law would have a special election in February, so this threat could be averted. This assumes two things I think one can no longer assume:
1. Trent Lott is not a baby who would do something for anyone other than himself.
2. Mississippi (which has the highest % of African-American residents of any state) would vote for a Republican, having just swept state Democrats into offices there in November.
Hmm...Ok, lets start the insanity...
Here's the news of the day on America's favorite Republican -
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/17/politics/17LOTT.html
Acel Moore says that the fact Lott went on BET shows he just doesn't understand -
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/4754312.htm
Because BET is actually closing its news division, which has caused a lot of controversy in the African-American community -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64539-2002Dec16.html
Thomas Boswell says that Lott may not be a racist, but he should still be toast -
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/thomassowell/ts20021217.s html
And, our highlight critic of the day, Christopher Hitchens discusses why Lott is not only a racist, but a traitor. If you read no other article today, read this one -
http://www.msnbc.com/news/848262.asp
Look Who's Running for President: With Al Gore gone, it appears that about half of the Democratic party is now planning on running for President. At last count the potential candidate field was approaching 20, and included both Senators from Connecticut, half the Democratic Members of the Senate, and a crapload of others. Here's a few of today's "bubbles":
Floridians are debating whether Senator Bob Graham (D-FL) should run -
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/4754574.htm
Delaware Senator Joe Biden will announce if he is running next year -
http://www.newszap.com/display/inn_dover/news707.txt
Look Who Might not be Running for President: Tom Daschle is coming under pressure not to run -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64242-2002Dec16.html
War News: Most American's still don't think Bush has a good case for war in Iraq -
http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/timespoll/la-na-iraqpoll17dec17,0,4324573.story?coll=la%2Dhome%2Dheadlines
Latest Sign the Economy is still in the toilet: McDonalds will post its ever loss for the 4th Quarter. Think about that. It's first loss ever. Since the company was founded in 1955. Yikes -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A903-2002Dec17.html
Now you see us...: The Times has a good look at how the White House tricked reporters during the Treasury switch, as well as an update on those Christmas cards...have no fear, the Crawford Post Office is still standing -
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/16/national/16LETT.html
Star Wars (not the film): Missile Defense is a go -
http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/12/17/bush.missile/index.html
Middle East still in Crisis: Israel is slowly moving to the conclusion that building a wall is the only way to get peace with the Palestinians. This is an interesting issue, because the Israeli economy is dependent on Palestinian workers, and with rampant unemployment in Palestinian areas, they need to work in Israel. If the Palestinians were able to successfully boycott working in Israel, then Israel may be forced to settle just to get the workers. In other words, the two populations need each other, but as they continue to fight the long-term prospects for the health of both populations is more and more in question -
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/17/international/middleeast/1 7WALL.html
Rush to Judgment: One survivor of a bad reaction to the Smallpox vaccine wonders if the government is understating the risks of the vaccine (which does not meet current vaccine safety standards) -
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/17/health/17CASE.html?8hpib
Not Aboard: The 20 minute maglev train between DC and Baltimore is looking less likely now that the area is not in contention for the 2012 Olympics -
http://www.cnn.com/2002/TRAVEL/12/16/high.speed.train.ap/ind ex.html
Traveling exhibit not to miss: I know where I'll be in DC from March 5 to 8, 2003! -
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/news/021215colon.html
Christmas Gift of the Day: Um...can't really comment on this. -
http://www.stupid.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD& Store_Code=store&Product_Code=EGSP
Speaking of Christmas: FROM THE SWAMP will not publish tomorrow, due my workplace's Christmas party. We'll return on Thursday, or whenever we're sober again.
Have a great day!
Gregory S. Gadren
