Mark Russell PBS: Mark Russell Takes a Look at Election 76: We Got a President As Good As The American People

Source:Mark Russell PBS- with a political satiric look at campaign 76.

"From "Mark Russell Looks at Campaign '76"--clips from Russell's Dec 1975 special. It begins with a song about politicians sung to the tune of "A Modern Major General" from "The Pirates of Penzance." This special aired in 1988, and Russell does an introduction, providing some context that will help familiarize you with the political atmosphere of those bygone days. (Hint: Reagan doesn't win the nomination this year.) I love the delivery of the joke about Terry Stanford (who?!)."

From Mark Russell PBS

The two most important aspects of the 1976 presidential election had to be the Republican primaries between former Governor Ronald Reagan and sitting Republican President Gerald Ford. 

President Ford beat Governor Reagan handily in the Republican primaries early on in the winter and spring, sort of like a Super Bowl between the AFC and NFC during the mid and late 1980s, and early 90s. (For the 1 or 2 football fans that read this) And then Reagan makes a Richard Nixon like comeback in the summer of 76 and was able to take the primary season to the Republican National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. 

And then the general election battle in the late summer and fall between former Governor Jimmy Carter and President Gerry Ford, where you have Jimmy Carter running as someone who was no better or worst than the people who vote for him and the people he would serve. (Not exactly a natural inspirer, Jimmy Carter) 

Carter ran against a sitting President in Gerry Ford, who was running as someone who wasn't as crooked as Richard Nixon, who wasn't as conservative Ronald Reagan, and who wasn't as boring and ordinary as Jimmy Carter. Getting American voters to think: "If this is the best that America can do for President, we're in a helluva lot of trouble." 

You can also see this post at The New Democrat, on Blogger. 

You can also see this post at The New Democrat, on WordPress.

PBS: Mark Russell Special (1987)

Source:PBS- Political satirist Mark Russell-

“It’s three days since the 1987 stock market crash, and Mark is singing the bear market blues away. He also jokes about the recent turbulence in the airline industry & takes us through a NRA fashion show to commemorate Florida’s new gun control law. There’s even a song for Arizona’s Evan Meechum, who tried to prevent passage of the Martin Luther King holiday in their state.” 

From PBS

1987 a year that I was eleven years old for the most of it, there you have it my age, now see if you can add 24 years to that and come up with the right answer on your own. I finished fifth grade in 1987 and started 6th grade. But enough about me, this blog is not my autobiography, not enough time and I would like you to read the whole blog before you fall asleep.

1987 was a fascinating year politically and I actually remember some of those stories as a eleven year old. Democrats took over the Senate, I don’t remember hearing about that, but I knew we had a Republican President and a Democratic Congress that year. Which was a very common arrangement in the 1970s and 80s, like an unhappy marriage: they stayed together for the sake of the kids, who happen to be the American voters who keep them in office.

I remember hearing about Iran Contra and even having some idea about what that was. I remember hearing the names Col. Oliver North, Admiral John Poindexter, Bud Macfarline who was President Reagan’s Director of National Security. I remember even seeing parts of the Iran Contra hearings that were held I believe both in the House and Senate on TV. I remember hearing that Vice President George Bush was going to run for President.

I remember hearing names like Dick Gephardt, Al Gore, Joe Biden, Gary Hart, Paul Simon all Democratic members of Congress who were going to run for President. I remember hearing the name Bob Dole and knew he was the Senate Minority Leader. And what that job was and knew he was going to run for President as well. I obviously wasn’t a political junky yet, but my parents were and got to hear these stories.

1987 wasn’t a fascinating year because of these things that were happening and the people who were involved. But what was going in these people and their lives. You have two major Democratic presidential candidates, both strong progressive voices in the party, having to drop out because of personal scandals. Gary Hart a former two-term Senator who did not run for reelection in 1986 because he wanted to run for President full-time in 1988.

Gary Hart came close to winning the Democratic nomination in 1984 and was probably going to be the frontrunner in 1988. But then dares the media to follow him around because as he said he had nothing to hide. Well, if he had nothing to hide, he must of had an open marriage, because he was caught having an affair with Donna Rice who was a federal employee at one point. Their love affair could probably make a good porno movie on Cinemax, or well MSNBC.

You have Joe Biden a three-term Senator and Chairman of the Judiciary Committee who presided over the Bob Bork’ Supreme Court nomination, that’s a story by itself, have to quit his campaign because of a plagiarism scandal. No wonder Joe Biden talks so much, he has so much material to use from other people. Way to go, Joe! I could get to the rest of 1987, but I already here some snoring so I’ll spare you for now. Perhaps in a future post.

In 1987 you had great political stories inside and outside of Washington relating to the Federal Government. The Administration with Congress and of course presidential politics outside of Washington with Dick Gephardt doing well enough with his 1988 presidential campaign, that he gets elected Leader of the House for the next Congress, the 101st Congress.

And this is four years before 1992 with Bill Clinton, Ross Perot and the rest of the gang. Where you have a President go from a 90% approval rating to losing reelection in 1992 with just 37% of the Popular Vote. How time flies when your approval rating is dropping like an asteroid being dropped from a bridge. But that is American politics for you with our ups and downs, we love you until we don’t. 

You can also see this post at The New Democrat, on WordPress. 

You can also see this post at The New Democrat, on Blogger.

Mark Russell PBS: Looks at Campaign 1980: Can a Hollywood B-Actor Play President?

Source:Mark Russell PBS- political satirist Mark Russell talking about campaign 1980.

"Political comedian & musical satirist Mark Russell looks back at the 1980 presidential campaign. Remember when George H.W. Bush was against Reagan before he was for him? Do you remember when Ted Kennedy fought President Carter for the Democratic nomination? If you're too young to remember, forget about the history books and wikipedia; take a hilariously historical look back with your host, Mark Russell." 

From Mark Russell PBS 

I agree with Mark Russell that the two most important parts of the 1980 campaign season, was the primary fight in the Democratic Party between a sitting U.S. President in Jimmy Carter and a sitting U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy. For multiple reasons, but I think the two most important and interesting reasons are the facts that a Democrat would challenge another Democrat in The White House, knowing that he could lose and hurt his own party and perhaps even his own future. 

The 1980 campaign was also interesting because the Democratic campaign was a contest between someone who didn't know why they were running for President in the first place, who at least privately didn't even want to be President, (which might explain why he didn't know why he was running for President) against someone who didn't know why they should be reelected President again, because he couldn't sell his own program, agenda, and successes that he had in his 1st term as President, in Jimmy Carter.

But then go to the general election campaign where you had a former Governor of California in Ronald Reagan whose basic campaign was to make America work again, get tough on Russia, and oh by the way, I'm not Jimmy Carter. But other than the Reagan economic plan of across the board tax cuts, I don't think American voters got much of an idea of what a Reagan presidency would look like. 

Ronald Reagan running against a President Jimmy Carter, whose basic campaign theme seemed to be, he's not Ronald Reagan. He's not going to slash Medicare and Social Security or force poor people out of their public housing and kick them off of Welfare.

I think the 1980 political campaign season can be summed up this way: the last two years (1979, 80) were really bad. The problems the country we're facing were really bad. Americans want a change and new direction. They're not sure Ronald Reagan is the man to make America work again, but he's a decent, likable, funny guy and he's not Jimmy Carter. So they're going to take a chance on an ex-b-movie actor, who bombed as a b-movie actor, who thinks he can now play President of the United States, over a peanut brain, I mean peanut farmer (understandable mistake) and we'll see how the country is doing 2 years later when Congress is up for reelection. 

You can also see this post at The New Democrat, on Blogger. 

You can also see this post at The New Democrat, on WordPress.

Strode Reality: Andrew Sullivan: 'The Politics of Homosexuality: Intro On Prohibition'

Source:Strode Reality- columnist and author Andrew Sullivan giving a lecture about homosexuality, in 2010.

"Andrew Sullivan, "The Politics of Homosexuality," Princeton University, 2/18/10.

Part 1 of 7:

1. Intro & Prohibitionism part 1

2. Prohibitionism part 2

3. Prohibitionism part 3

4. Liberationism

5. Conservatism

6. Liberalism

7. Conclusion

See also: Audience question

The arguments put forth in this speech can be studied in more complete detail in Andrew's book Virtually Normal: An Argument About Homosexuality, which can be purchased here... 

Source:Strode Reality

Unlike Andrew Sullivan, I'm not religious at all and therefor don't pretend to either be religious or an expert on The Bible. But I am a current affairs blogger whose very familiar with the U.S. Constitution and the American, federal, liberal, democratic, republican, form of government. And because of that, I know that America is a federal republic, not a theocracy. 

The Bible or any other religious book, can say that homosexuality is immoral and therefor it's not murder or assault, when gays are physically assaulted, terrorized, even raped, and murdered, simply because they're gay. But the United States of America is not a theocracy (Christian or otherwise) and therefor we are not governed by The Bible or any other religious book. We're governed by the United States Constitution.

And because of the U.S. Constitution, I also know because of both the 4th Amendment and the 14th Amendment, which protects Americans right to privacy and guarantees every American's right to equal protection under the U.S. Constitution, I know that prohibition of homosexuality, even in the privacy of consenting adults, is unconstitutional, at it should be. 

You can also see this post at The New Democrat, on Blogger. 

You can also see this post at The New Democrat, on WordPress.

Robin Smith: Hugh Hefner- 'Playboy, Activist & Rebel'

Source:Robin Smith- CBS News 60 Minutes Correspondent Mike Wallace.

"An intimate look at the out­spoken, flam­boyant founder of the Playboy empire. With humour and insight, the film captures Hefner's fierce battles with the gov­ern­ment, the reli­gious right and militant fem­in­ists. Rare footage and com­pel­ling inter­views with a remark­able who's who of 20th century American pop culture, present a bril­liant and enter­taining snapshot of the life of an extraordinary man and the con­tro­ver­sies that sur­rounded him."

From Robin Smith

I laugh every time I hear people call Hugh Hefner a radical or an extremist or immoral doing the work for the Devil. Whatever it might be because Hugh Hefner represents what an overwhelming majority of Americans say they are in favor of. And what the Far-Right and Far-Left in America are against which is individual freedom. The right of Americans to be able to live their own lives and not be dictated to by government or collectivists. Who believe they know better than Americans how Americans should live their own lives.

What makes Hef different from most Americans who believe in individual-freedom is that Hef is honest and public about his feelings as they relate to sex and how men feel about women and vice-versa and the role of both in society and so-forth. Where many other Americans who believe in the same things as Hef economic freedom balanced with personal freedom including sexual freedom, tolerance and against statism. And the political correctness police, but are not as public with their beliefs.

Hugh Hefner is not some type of Socialist radical looking to bring down corporate America and make the whole country dependent on the state for their well-being. But he’s also not some type of theocrat looking to ban all social activities that he doesn’t approve of. He represents where the mainstream of America is instead. And is very successful in corporate America himself fighting for. And promoting what he’s always been both which is individual freedom. As well economic freedom balanced with personal freedom.

Hefner united the Far-Left and Far-Right against him and in some cases for the same reasons with how his magazine talks about and promotes sex in America. Sharing his thoughts as well as his writers thoughts. But also how many other Americans feel, but who tend not to be as public about those feelings.

Hugh Hefner is not saying you must live like him and this is the American way of life. What he’s saying is this is how he lives and is the life for him. And that every other American has the right to make these decisions for themselves. 

You can also see this post at The New Democrat, on Blogger.

George Carlin: Expressions & Sayings

Source:HBO- George Carlin's 1996 HBO Special. 

Source:The New Democrat 

You know how cliche's become cliche's? Because someone comes up with a really simple and hip way of putting something in perspective in a way that even morons can understand. Like "well that is all she wrote". Which could be used for several different situations, but generally used in sporting events when it is clear that the game is over as far as who is going to actually win the game. Someone comes up with a real, gee I don't know (talk about cliche's) nifty way of putting something in its place that everyone can understand.

America has become a cliche country. You see that everyday in our country, culture politics, sports , someone comes up with a clever and new way of doing something or way of talking. Five minutes later it is no longer new because everyone else who wants to be cool, (oh I'm sorry, awesome) ends up doing the same thing or talking the exact same way. The modern America sitcom is a cliche taken from whatever the latest hit sitcom is and now everyone is writing and acting like that.

We are a country of Faddist's. The American religion is Faddism. We do what we believe we need to do to fit in, in life and be like everyone else. So we are cool or awesome too. You want to know why Americans are stereotyped as dumb? I'll tell you anyway, because we don't think for ourselves. We let the latest hipster or hipsters do that for us. Whatever the profession and whatever the lifestyle is. Cloning is not supposed to be biologically possible yet, but you wouldn't know it with so many people looking and talking and acting like everyone else. Faddism is in and individualism is out.
Source:George Carlin

PBS: NewsHour- Lisa Dejardins: 'What Will Happen in the Next Senate'

Source:PBS NewsHour- political editor and reporter Lisa Dejardins.

Source:The New Democrat 

"The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and television program distributor.[6] It is a nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educational television programming to public television stations in the United States, distributing series such as American Experience, America's Test Kitchen, Antiques Roadshow, Arthur, Barney & Friends, Between the Lions, Cyberchase, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Downton Abbey, Wild Kratts, Finding Your Roots, Frontline, The Magic School Bus, The Kidsongs Television Show, Masterpiece Theater, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, Nature, Nature Cat, Nova, the PBS NewsHour, Peg + Cat, Reading Rainbow, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, Keeping up Appearances and This Old House.[7]

PBS is funded by a combination of member station dues, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, National Datacast, pledge drives, and donations from both private foundations and individual citizens. All proposed funding for programming is subject to a set of standards to ensure the program is free of influence from the funding source.[8]

PBS has more than 350 member television stations, many owned by educational institutions, nonprofit groups both independent or affiliated with one particular local public school district or collegiate educational institution, or entities owned by or related to state government." 

From Wikipedia 

"NewsHour Political Editor and Reporter Lisa Desjardins says that if Republicans gain control of the Senate, we can look to see both the Keystone Pipeline and medical device tax factor strongly into their strategy. Alabama, Desjardins adds, will also benefit from senior Republicans potentially gaining high-profile seats in Senate leadership." 

From the PBS NewsHour 

What will happen in the next Congress, a united Republican Congress as far as Republicans controlling both the House of Representatives and Senate, will be based on what Speaker John Boehner and Leader Mitch McConnell actually want to get done and get passed out of Congress and signed into law. And what they want to try to pass by themselves with mostly if not all Republican votes in both the House and Senate and try to force Senate Democrats who will be brand new to the minority, to try to block, or force President Obama to veto partisan legislation.

President Obama is smart to invite Speaker Boehner and Leader McConnell down to the White House this week to try to see where they may be able to work together in the next Congress. But the fact is Republicans are in charge of Congress and Congressional Democrats and the President will be on the defensive at least in the early going of the next Congress. 

Democrats will react to Republicans based on what Republicans want to and try to do. The next Congress will be as effective and popular as Republicans are effective at running it.

CNN: Video: State of the Union: This Election Isn't Over

This post was originally posted at The New Democrat on Blogger

The victory for Democrats in 2014 might be at the state level in the governor's and state legislature races. Where they are not only in position to win back governorships, but win them in big states. Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and perhaps Ohio which might be out of reach. But they are polling well in Wisconsin as well. And in Massachusetts and Colorado where they may lose, they currently hold the state legislature's in both states. And in Massachusetts case, they won't lose both the governorship and legislature.

As I blogged last night, the U.S. Senate is still not out of the question, because of Georgia and Kansas where Senate Democrats are favored to pick up, at least according to the polls. Strong Democratic leaning candidates in Michelle Nunn who is a Democrat in Georgia and liberal leaning Independent Greg Orman in Kansas. But for that to mean anything, they have to hold onto North Carolina and New Hampshire where they are currently leading. And perhaps pull out Louisiana where Mary Landrieu is in a dead heat with Republican Representative Bill Cassidy.

On Tuesday night, House Republicans will not only hold their majority, but perhaps add ten seats and even have a bigger majority that they had in 2011-12 after they won back the House. But the question is who will control the Senate in the next Congress with a Republican House that has a solid majority. And perhaps no one will really control the Senate as far as getting anything done with a 50-50 or 51-49 majority. And the 114th Congress is essentially divided as well like the current Congress.

The McLaughlin Group: U.S. Senate Elections On Election Night

Source: The McLaughlin Group- John McLaughlin.

Source:The New Democrat

Just to sort of follow-up on what I was talking about yesterday and the U.S. Senate elections. Senate Republicans should win back the Senate on Tuesday, probably six or seven seats. Or maybe they only win five, but somehow Larry Pressler who is an Independent in North Dakota, wins that Senate election and decides to caucus with Republicans. Giving Senate Republicans a 50-48 and 2 majority. Or similar scenario but Independent Senator Angus King decides to caucus with the Republicans instead of the Democrats.

But as The McLaughlin Group pointed out which is why I'm leaving some hope for Senate Democrats, there are still a couple of critical factors that could save the Senate for Democrats. Michelle Nunn wins the Senate seat in Georgia, Gregg Orman wins in Kansas. Mary Landrieu doesn't win Louisiana, but Representative Bill Cassidy doesn't win a majority, forcing the election into a December runoff. Kay Hagan holds the steady lead she's had for over a year over Tom Tillis in North Carolina and the same thing with Jeanne Shaheen in New Hampshire over Scott Brown.

Under the reasonable scenarios I just put out, Senate Democrats could lose every other seat that is in play for Republican pickups and still retain the Senate with a 50-50 plus Vice President Joe Biden majority. Keep in mind, only Mary Landrieu is either down barley or tied with her opponent. And she is a great campaigner and has a great campaign machine and Democrats have a great get out the vote operation. And Senator Landrieu has already won a runoff back in 2002 in a big Republican year where Democrats lost the Senate that gave Republicans a united Congress.

Under any other election year and scenario with an unpopular President in Barack Obama that I voted twice for and don't regret those votes or would change for anything, we should not only be talking about Republicans winning the Senate, but are they going to win 8 or 10 seats. Not 5-7 and giving Democrats life in the Senate. Along with House Republicans picking up twenty or more seats and padding their majority. That is not happening because of the unpopularity of the Republican Party with their candidates and that they have weak incumbents as well.
Source:The McLaughlin Group