(Cross-posted at C4O Democrats.)
America is a place of great dialogue with the free exchange of ideas. This conversation can lead to great fruitfulness in potential paths that the nation can take. The Obama-Biden Transition Team is seeking your input about the great issues of the environment and energy.
I like these. If you do not, let me know.
If you can watch the wwhhhoooole thing, you get a lollypop.
McCain officially has won Missouri, so all the electoral votes are duly assigned to the two candidates for president. McCain led Obama by 4,355 votes, and even though there are still 3,159 provisional ballots to canvass, there is no way that Obama can overcome McCain’s lead in the Show Me State.
Today’s Wall Street Journal had a disturbing article.
Larger Inmate Population Is Boon to Private Prisons
Prison companies are preparing for a wave of new business as the economic downturn makes it increasingly difficult for federal and state government officials to build and operate their own jails.
Disturbing to me, because at a time when our left of center community is focused on Gitmo, we tend to forget the inmates who are warehoused in our nations prisons, whose numbers are growing at alarming rates.
The United States already has this dubious distinction:
The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world at 737 persons imprisoned per 100,000 (as of 2005). A report released Feb. 28, 2008 indicates that in the United States more than 1 in 100 adults is now confined in an American jail or prison. The United States has 5% of the world’s population and 25% of the world’s incarcerated population
(Photo from AP Photo by Rich Pedroncelli)
Al-Qaeda’s #2, Ayman Zawahiri, released a video today blasting President Elect Obama and calling him “dishonorable” and refering to him with racial epithets.
Wait, I thought they would be dancing in the streets? (a sincere Fuck You, you miserable traitorous bastard, Congressman King – ed).
Oh, and Rush Limbaugh – you sick anti-American slimeball – thanks for the mention that Obama looks like Ayman Zawahiri.
Wait, I thought that Al-Qaeda was praying for Obama win? (special trans-continental ‘piss-off’ to John Howard – ed)
Today the Senate Democrats voted to allow the only candidate elected on the Connecticut for Leiberman ticket, to continue to caucus with the Democrats and keep the Chairmanships of Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committees, in spite of his unparalleled support for the republican candidate for President in 2008.
Salon reports today that the Senate was in a very forgiving mood, as both Leiberman and Stevens were given love taps by their respective collegues.
Lame-duck lawmakers hadn’t been back in town 24 hours Tuesday morning before they let Joe Lieberman off with a slap on the wrist, in a Democratic meeting closed to the public.
snip
Lieberman…was McCain’s constant companion on the campaign trail all year; he spoke at the GOP convention, belittled Obama, endorsed various Republicans and generally behaved like, well, a guy who was asking to be tossed out of his party.
The AP is reporting that Ted Stevens, the longest serving Republican in Senate history, narrowly lost his re-election bid Tuesday, marking the downfall of a Washington political power and Alaska icon who couldn’t survive a conviction on federal corruption charges. His defeat to Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich moves Senate Democrats closer to a filibuster-proof 60-vote majority.
Stevens’ loss falls on his 85th birthday and marks an abrupt realignment in Alaska politics and will alter the power structure in the Senate, where he has served since the days of the Johnson administration while holding seats on some of the most influential committees in Congress.
Ted Stevens gets to go home an pack his striped jammies instead of having to worry about all that Senator stuff.
[Update – 19/11/2008 4:30pm ET] – Ted Stevens Concedes election to Mark Begich.
Anchorage Daily News has this:
ANCHORAGE, AK – Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) today released the following statement regarding his campaign and the most recent vote tallies in Alaska:
“Given the number of ballots that remain to be counted, it is apparent the election has been decided and Mayor Begich has been elected.”
This is partly a diary to celebrate the survival of the Moose over the dangerous last few months while Sarah Palin was circling in a helicopter with her telescopic rifle, and also a summary of a talk I will be doing on Thursday November 20th, at a plenary session that will start at about 10 a.m EST and last for an hour and a half.
The Conference is called No Frontiers? Free Speech and the Internet and is hosted by English PEN, the 21st Century Trust, and is being covered by The Guardian in its Comment is Free section. My specific talk is: Crashing The Sweetiegate – how online forums and political advocacy could transform the political sphere
For my fellow Moosers, the title (suggested by the organisers) is self explanatory, and some of you will be familiar with basic argument from my Flaming for Obama piece in Prospect Magazine last month, which drew an unexpectedly benign response from the proprietor of MYDD.
But here I’m inviting you all to show how the liberal blogosphere works, and respond in real time, or whatever time you choose, to the basic points with critiques, thoughts, flames or fail cartoons.
The hottest news out of the transition game is the possibility of Hillary Clinton receiving the nod as Secretary of State. It is so hot that it has overshadowed the appointment of Eric Holder as Attorney General. The SoS is considered the most prestigious and influential post on any Presidential cabinet. The appointment would surely please most Clinton backers. She could play a much more active and influential role as SoS than she could as VP.
Is the rumor of the appointment overblown, as the rumor of her being picked as VP turned out to be, or is this the real deal? From everything I read, I think the offer has been made contingent on the results of the vetting process.
Marc Ambinder reports today, that the vetting has been, “ongoing, delicate, sensitive and private.” He also reports that Bill Clinton has gone out of his way to help the process. This is great news for those who think she would make an outstanding SoS.