Republican Party Stuck on Stupid

One has to wonder just how long the Republican party plans to stay stuck on stupid? Clearly their policies of the last eight years didn't work. For that matter, the principles they have espoused since the Reagan years have proven not to work -- so why do they insist on continuing with the same mantra of tax cuts and deregulation?

They rail about "big government" and "deficit spending" yet over the past 30 years it's been the Republican party who has grown the federal government and left us with record-setting national debts!

If conservative Republicans are as fiscally responsible as they claim to be, then why did the national debt nearly triple under Ronald Reagan, and more than triple under George W. Bush? And talk about big government, Bush added a whole new department!

Republicans just wrapped up their Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, DC, and the Washington Post reports:

Same old hotel on the park, same ballrooms, same long lines down the corridor to hear the big-name speakers, but otherwise the landscape look radically different for this year's Conservative Political Action Conference, which wrapped up yesterday afternoon at the Omni Shoreham. The conservatives are in the dark woods now. The deep brambles.

"I'm still seeing who will lead us out of this wilderness," said Sarah Smith, 27, of Alexandria.

The country's conservative, Republican-dominated strongholds have shrunk to the Deep South, the Plains and talk radio. Mitch McConnell (Ky.), the Senate Republican leader, warned that the GOP cannot be satisfied with being a regional party. "We must make a comeback," he thundered in the Regency Ballroom .

This is the first time since the aftermath of Watergate that conservatives have known what it is like to be so completely out of power, out-funded, out-organized and arguably irrelevant to national governance. Even the free market has seemingly betrayed them, what with the Wall Street shenanigans, banking dysfunctions and auto industry incompetence. [...]

The grim election results have exposed the fractures in the movement, threatening to shred the coalition of social conservatives, fiscal conservatives and national security conservatives. More broadly, the Republican Party faces a quandary of whether to retrench to core conservative values or try to reach out to a broader constituency.

There are some basic questions to be answered, such as: Has the right become too conservative or not conservative enough? Is it enough to be a party of "no," or do Republicans need new to reinvent themselves and provide new ideas of their own?

"It's the end of the road for self-denial," said conservative pundit Tucker Carlson. He endorsed the "cleansing" effects of catastrophic failure.

Carlson had a bit of a dust-up with the audience when he spoke Thursday. He argued that conservatives need to put more effort into digging up facts and rely less on opinion and punditry. He noted that the New York Times, a favorite target of conservative wrath, at least cares about spelling people's names right.

"NOOOOOOO," arose a moan from some in the crowd.

"I'm merely saying that at the core of their news-gathering operation is gathering news."

"NOOOOO . . ."

It's clear from their response that Republicans have never let a little thing like "facts" get in the way of moving their agenda.

James Dobson is calling it quits -- or is he?

The Associated Press reports that Focus on the Family leader James Dobson resigned on Wednesday. But what does that really mean?

Conservative evangelical leader James Dobson has resigned as chairman of Focus on the Family but will continue to play a prominent role at the organization he founded more than three decades ago.

Dobson notified the board of his decision Wednesday, and the 950 employees of the Colorado Springs, Colo.-based ministry were informed Friday morning, said Jim Daly, the group's president and chief executive officer.

Dobson, 72, will continue to host Focus on the Family's flagship radio program, write a monthly newsletter and speak out on moral issues, Daly said.

Dobson's resignation as board chairman "lessens his administrative burden" and is the latest step in a succession plan, the group said. Dobson began relinquishing control six years ago by stepping down as president and CEO.

"One of the common errors of founder-presidents is to hold to the reins of leadership too long, thereby preventing the next generation from being prepared for executive authority," Dobson said in a statement. "... Though letting go is difficult after three decades of intensive labor, it is the wise thing to do."

While Focus on the Family emphasizes that it devotes most of its resources to offering parenting and marriage advice, it is best known for promoting conservative moral stands in politics.

It sounds like business as usual to me.

Barry Lynn, at Americans United for Separation of Church and State, has a similar view:

James Dobson’s decision to resign as chairman of Focus on the Family is unlikely to make much of a difference in the day-to-day operations of that organization. Dobson intends to continue his daily radio program and monthly mailings. He has also said he will keep handing out political endorsements. Many who listen to Dobson’s daily radio broadcast may not even be aware of this change.

Focus on the Family is merely rearranging the deck chairs on its big, intolerant ship.

I do not expect this change to mean we will see any moderation in the rhetoric of Focus on the Family or its arm in Washington, the Family Research Council. For years, FOF has been the leading voice of religious extremism and intolerance in America. It has led the attack on the legal rights of gay and lesbian Americans, worked assiduously to undermine reproductive rights, assaulted the religious neutrality of public schools and labored to replace science with far-right, fundamentalist dogma.

James Dobson’s vision of America is of a divisive and narrow-minded nation, a country where an exceedingly limited version of Christianity – the type hewn to by Dobson and his followers – is welded to the raw power of the state. In his misguided quest for an officially ‘Christian America,’ Dobson would trample on the rights of millions. I am thankful that so many Americans reject Dobson’s disturbing vision.

Well said, Reverend Lynn.

The Religious Right is not going away, they are simply moving many of their battles to the states, now that they feel a little less powerful in Washington. And that loss of power in DC might be why Dobson has decided to make this ceremonial side step. He has built much of his reputation over the past few years on the influence he had with President Bush and the Republican leadership while they controlled Congress. And you know that "they" say ... when you're not the lead dog, the view never changes.

More Alamo City lifers!

Confirmed once again: There's no basement in the Alamo!

Mary and I got up early again this morning and hit the trails at Eisenhower Park northwest of San Antonio by a little after 7 a.m. We were greeted by this sign at the trail head:Um... Daddy! Help! Several times, we were certain we heard grunts and movements in the brush; any second, we might've been charged by feral hog or pounced on by a mountain lion! However, we didn't actually encounter anything but a bunch of coyote poo: and a bunch of wrens, Carolinas and (drumroll please!) a lifer: Bewick's Wren!
Okay--WTF is with the bad focus, right? I accidentally had the camera on P mode, which is "exposure and flash compensation." Sadly, the morning was overcast so lighting was terrible. This was the best photo I got of the Bewick's, but we observed him for several minutes. We called him in with the fabulous birdJam on my Sony Ericsson Walkman phone. We had several of the wrens exhibiting territorial behavior (read: sounding pissed off), so we hurried with the pics and left them to their own testosterone-fueled displays.

The terrain was scrubby undergrowth with cedars everywhere, most of them over 200 years old (according to the brochure). Here's a pic of me in front of a rather harsh natural tableau: Here's more: After walking about a mile on the trails here and seeing/hearing only wrens, we went to Freidrich Natural Area. According to the write-up by the local Audubon Society, the best place to see the most birds here was around the parking lot because of all the diverse plantings and stuff. We saw more Black-Crested Titmouse:
bunches of cardinals singing their hormonal little hearts out: (this was disappointingly blurry, sorry)

and this strange pic, which I THINK might be another lifer! Look at these pics (sorry, but the clouds creating terrible backlighting)--

and this one of him coming right at me!
Is that an Orange-crowned Warbler?????? --no wingbars, yellowy underparts, a light eyebrow stripe. Philadelphia Vireo, which is a fairly common migrant here????? I haz teh dumb.... help?

This tree was obviously in close contact with an armadillo--it has leprosy!
And boy howdy, Black Vultures are everywhere! Here's one having a spot of lunch:


We're planning to go birding again this afternoon and evening with nieces Bronte and Lilia, so I hope to have more birds to come!

wrestling images

Summer 2006 - Ray and I visited the Olympic facilities at Colorado Springs, in the shadow of Pikes Peak. Lovely city and facility. Here are some wrestling dummies lined up, ready for action. Eager for a tussle. Well, writing is a daily struggle and like these dummies, words are waiting for some commotion. They are waiting for me to do something creative - align them in a formation that makes sense, that draws in the reader, that paints a picture. It can indeed be a strain or endeavor, and yet it's worth the effort to pummel, to strike, to beat up the English language, and end up with a sentence worth reading. Whew! Where's the Gatorade?

Joanne

The End of Taxation Without Representation in DC

The Senate passed a bill today giving the District a House vote. Finally, more than half a million people might actually have representation in our federal government. All I can say is "it's about damn time!" The only down side was an amendment regarding gun control.

The Senate today passed a bill that for the first time would give the District a full voting member of the House of Representatives. But senators managed to attach an amendment that would scrap most of the District's local gun-control laws.

The 61-37 vote marked the first time in 31 years that the Senate had approved a D.C. voting-rights bill. The addition of the gun language could complicate the bill's passage into law, however, since it will be necessary to reconcile the Senate version of the legislation with the companion bill in the House. Voting-rights supporters hope the gun amendment can be removed in those negotiations.

The House is expected to approve the D.C. vote bill next week, and President Obama has indicated he will sign it into law. [...]

The D.C. vote bill would expand the House permanently by two seats. One would go to the strongly Democratic District, while the other would go to the next state in line to pick up a seat based on population count. For two years, that seat would be Republican-leaning Utah. It would then pass to whichever state qualified based on Census results. [...]

The gun amendment is similar to a sweeping measure approved by the House last year that was fiercely opposed by the D.C. government. It would limit the District's authority to restrict firearms, repeal the D.C. semiautomatic gun ban and remove gun-registration requirements. It drew bipartisan support. Among those supporting the amendment were Virginia's Democratic senators, Mark Warner and Jim Webb.

Opponents denounced it on the Senate floor.

"It's reckless, it's irresponsible, it will lead to more violence," charged Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). She said that approval of the amendment would be "the first step to removing all common-sense gun regulation all over this land."

I agree!

Hilda Solis Confirmed as Labor Secretary

Whew ... it took more than two months, but Senate Republicans finally recovered enough brain power to confirm Hilda Solis as Labor Secretary.

The Senate voted 80 to 17 to confirm Solis, after Senate Republicans today assured Democrats that they would not filibuster the nomination. Solis had come under fire from Senate Republicans, who thought she was unresponsive to many of their questions during her confirmation hearing, a situation that was compounded by her work as treasurer for American Rights at Work, a pro-labor group.

There were also concerns among some Republicans about her support for a measure that would make it easier for workers to organize unions. [...]

While Solis's nomination generated skepticism among many Republicans and their backers in the business community, the new labor secretary enjoys solid support among members of organized labor. The daughter of immigrants from Mexico and Nicaragua, both of Solis's parents were union members. Also, as a member of Congress, Solis has shared union skepticism toward free trade agreements, and been a strong proponent of developing jobs in renewal energy and other "green collar" areas.

"America's working men and women will be fortunate to have someone of Hilda's tremendous talents leading the Department of Labor. She knows the huge challenges facing workers and their families, and she has the experience and dedication needed for this vital position," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), chairman of the Senate's Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. " It's been a privilege to work with her in Congress, and I look forward very much to working with her as secretary."

Labor leaders applauded Solis's confirmation.

"The confirmation of Rep. Hilda Solis is a huge victory. Finally, Americans will have a Secretary of Labor who represents working people, not wealthy CEOs," said AFL-CIO President John Sweeney.

President Obama Addresses Congress

Watch CBS Videos Online
I thought the President delivered a great speech tonight, and a vast majority of Americans seemed to agree.

Poll: Positive Reception For Obama Address

CBS News and Knowledge Networks held a nationally representative poll of approximately 500 people who watched President Obama give his address to Congress to gauge their reaction in the minutes after the president’s speech.

Though the results are not yet final, here are the preliminary findings.

Seventy-nine percent of speech watchers approve of President Obama’s plans for dealing with the economic crisis. Before the speech, 62 percent approved.

Fifty-two of speech watchers think the president's economic plans will help them personally. Thirty-five thought so before the speech.

Seventy-five percent of speech watchers now say they were able to get a good understanding of Barack Obama’s economic plans, compared to 61 percent before the speech.

Seventy-three percent of speech watchers think President Obama’s plans will make the economy better. Twelve percent think they will make them worse, while 15 percent think they will make no difference.

Seventy-nine percent of speech watchers are optimistic about the next four years with Mr. Obama as president. Seventy-one percent said they were optimistic before the speech.

We will have a full report on the poll later on.

This is a scientifically representative poll of speech watchers. The margin of sampling error could be plus or minus 5 percentage points for results based on the entire sample.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal seemed to be running for president, using the same old tired Republican talking points. Rachel Maddow just reported that the Presidents approval rating is 68%, support for the stimulus plan is at 64%, and the Republican argument that the stimulus plan has too much spending and not enough tax cuts is supported by only 10% of the country. When will these guys get it!

Look up

Splendid Saturday in Fort Worth, TX. Lunch at the Modern overlooking their reflecting pool. Normally this is a calm oasis, however, last Saturday thanks to the wind it was whitecapping.

A stroll to the Kimbell to revel in classic art. They are currently preparing a new exhibition on the Renaissance Period, so the large main galleries were closed. Guess I'll have to return.
This picure, courtesy of Ann Summerville, is the vaulted exterior of the Kimbell. She was taking some pictures and I said, "Look up. Such a clear blue sky, cool arch, amazing architecture. Snap it for me." Thanks, Ann.

Indeed, it's good to look up. Gain a new perspective. This concept was brought home at the Amon Carter Museum's featured exhibition, Barbara Crane Challenging Vision. This woman's 40 year retrospective is fabulous. She truly does look at the world in a unique way, and I came away from it with an enthusiasm for my writing. Keep the thesaurus handy and compose. Twist words. Overexpose. Have fun with creativity. (And get out to museums. Support the arts!)

Joanne

And the Oscar goes to ...

Sean Penn - "Milk"


Dustin Lance Black - "Milk"

Two of my favorite moments from the 81st Oscars.

Some of the winners last night included:

• Motion Picture: "Slumdog Millionaire."



• Actor: Sean Penn, "Milk."



• Actress: Kate Winslet, "The Reader."



• Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight."



• Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."



• Director: Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire."



• Adapted Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy, "Slumdog Millionaire."



• Original Screenplay: Dustin Lance Black, "Milk."



• Animated Feature Film: "WALL-E."



• Original Song: "Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman and Gulzar.



• Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award (Oscar statuette): Jerry Lewis

A steady IV-drip of lifers, emphasis on the "drip"

Two birding trips, three lifers--it's been a steady, if slow, procession of lifers here in San Antonio. I have to give credit to my kid sister Mary, who's been my taxi driver and fellow bird spotter, btw. Her contributions to the bloggy will be detailed below.

Sunday afternoon, my mom, Mary, and my nieces Bronte and Lilia, and I went to McAllister Park, a hard-scrabble area of mesquite, live oak, and brush. We didn't see a whole lot of birds, but Lil spotted a lifer of her own: a nine-banded armadillo! Here she is, making the spot:I only got a decent photo of his badonkadonk, as we stalked him through the brush: By the way, I'll mention that everyone in our party mentioned the "armadillos have leprosy!" factoid that you Flockers who've met me already heard... PURE FACT, you Doubting Thomases.

On our way to the car, I heard a familiar sound--a Tufted Titmouse. Eager to see if I could find a Black-crested Titmouse, a morph found only in Texas, I started looking and snapping.Got him! They sound just like TUTIs, but that black crest distinguishes them and made the ABA split them off as their own species. (I'm sure it's more complicated and genetic than that, but hey--I'm beginning to bird, not expert to bird.)

This morning, Mary was a total trooper--she got up with me at 6:30 and we were on the road at 6:45, headed to Comanche Lookout Park in northeastern SA. Sadly, not a whole lot of bird action at this historic location. We saw and heard dozens of cardinals and mockers, and that was about it. We also saw this little tower at the top of the peak, the "lookout" part of the park: We left after climbing the hill, in search of birdier places.

Next stop: El Dorado (aka "Golden") Pond, which is in a residential area near a dammed up creek. Some interesting interaction of domestic muscovy ducks and the local kitteh population:
It looks like the kitteh is stalking, but he's actually just chewing on some grass. The ducks and the kittehs coexist in peace. We also saw this cute pup, who did us a favor and ate the rest of our greasy breakfast tacos, purchased at a Texas Cafe drivethru (the "cafe" was worse than the tacos!)-- He seemed hungry and even ate the tortillas! Isn't he cute? I wanted to take him home but I knew he'd never fit in my bag.

We went to the "pond" which was little more than a few puddles. Still, we found many more birds here than the Comanche place, perhaps because of the residential feeders and such. I saw my first lifer of the day:Inca dove! Found only in the border states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California! Mary spotted these guys, which I had kinda brushed off as MODOs. One peek through the binocs proved me wrong, however, and we got a lifer!

We also saw another lifer, a Golden-fronted Woodpecker! I had time to see him, spot him through my binocs, and touch my camera; then he flew off. Dangit! No photos, but he was bee-yoo-tiful, his bright yellow-orange nape flashing in the morning sun. Wow. Probably my favorite woody now, at least until I see an IBWO...

The rest of the birds we saw were interesting, if not lifebirds. We saw a mated pair of Black Vultures who were extremely interested in having us document their romance! They're kissing! He tried to mount her, but some neighborhood dogs started barking about fifty yards away and she got a little shy. They flew together into a nearby tree:
That's one intense gaze.

I think they were tiring of the papparazzi at this point: We saw some other birds, but try as I might, I can't figure out what they are! Here's the first one, a duck who was much larger than the mallards nearby:
There's some definite green on his head, but his back was very light buffy brown and rufous colors. Here's another one, though he's facing away: Any ideas?

UPDATE! Another lifer, a Blue-headed Vireo! Thanks, my birdy pals!


Here are some more photos:



He very obligingly gave us a badonkadonk shot: Again, thanks to the commenters for the positive ID!

Until next time, I'll be watching A&E's Horatio Hornblower miniseries on DVD with my mom....

Sunday Funnies