I agree with DNC Chairman Howard Dean (2005 version) that all branches of government should not be controlled by one party. Filibuster proof Senate is a bad idea.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7924139/
Filibuster proof Senate is a bad idea.
I used to think that, but I've come to believe that requiring supermajorities for everything except budget bills simply makes the government unable to respond to crises. I can see the logic for keeping it for confirmation of nominees, though.
Need I remind you, TLL, of the wisdom of Will Rogers? "I don't belong to an organized political party. I'm a Democrat." The Democrats are a coalition of hand-wringing liberals and pro-business moderates. I doubt even if the Democrats had 60 that they could pass anything that's not oh-so-moderate.
makes the government unable to respond to crises
True crises are rare, and the filibuster has yet to stop necessary legislation (Hello, Iraq vote). The whole purpose of the Senate is to slow down legislation, lest the more democratic House vote in something populist, but ill advised.
Don't worry, the Senate will always be slow to take action. 60 votes or no.
I'm leaving for Pittsburgh tonight, to spend the next four days canvassing.
IOW, the Democrats with even 61 Senators would be less effectual than the Republicans were with 51.
Don't worry, the Senate will always be slow to take action
Robert Byrd will not be around to read the Constitution into every debate forever, ya know.
I agree with DNC Chairman Howard Dean (2005 version) that all branches of government should not be controlled by one party.
Deathbed conversion, eh?
I voted early, and I'm canvassing this weekend too. I'll be wearing the Obama 08 shirt I bought at the Obama rally this week, when Barry was in Raleigh.
Did I tell y'all I almost got shot* by the Secret Service? Turns out you shouldn't go up to the roof of your place of business to watch a political rally, such as. I was up on the museum roof with about 15 of my coworkers, watching the line (it stretched for blocks and blocks) and the rally prep and the snipers on the surrounding roofs, when the po-lice came and rousted us. Like we didn't have any right to be on the roof of our own building, in the howling wind, with binoculars!
We had a great view, too, just one block over from the square where Barry was scheduled to speak.
*Exaggeration for dramatic effect. Mostly they watched us with binos and had the helicopters fly over and take photos of us. Maybe it'll go in my permanent record!
4: bull. The filibuster doesn't stop GOP legislation, because the Democrats are currently afraid to use it, whereas the GOP filibusters everything. Pretty nice deal if you're a Republican...pretty crappy one if you're a Democrat. The argument that the filibuster is unconstitutional for nominations is nonsense, of course; I don't have a principled stand on it one way or the other. I'm not sure anyone really does & I really don't buy for a second that you do. Similar with divided gov't: these make it more difficult for the majority party to get its agenda through--whether that's a good thing or a bad thing depends entirely on what the agenda is.
9, 12 I was more tweaking Dean than saying a super majority was a bad thing. If one supports the agenda, the fewer impediments, the better. That the Democrats have no agenda other than not being Republicans is probably a good thing.
(of course, there are some procedures that are intrinsically likely to give bad results--e.g., the president doing whatever the hell he wants in secret. But 60 votes v. 50 votes for passage in the Senate? Not so much.)
Word is that in MN Obama has a 19 point lead, something like 40 to 59, so I'm slacking on that. I know at least two diehard Republicans in my neighborhood who took down their McCain/Palin signs but left the rest up.
So I stumped for Franken. Last I heard he was about even with Coleman and Coleman decried the negative brochures against Franken that the GOP sent out.
Of course that didn't stop the mail so I got mine a couple days ago. I almost kept them just because they seemed to have found the perfect combination of colors that looked really puky and I suppose there is some talent in that. They were very dark with a combination of black, kindof a little bit golden brown, and something like a little golden jaundice dark yellow. They made the photos of the democrats, in black and white, look very very bad.
Franken is a bit of a hard sell since he is not very photogenic and he is fairly new to MN. Coleman is from New York but he's had a longer time to pretend to be Minnesotan. He is a phony baloney of course but pretty good at it. I'd love to see him topple. And I've said it before, Michelle Bachman has GOT to go but her district is not mine so I can't influence that much.
We had a great view, too, just one block over from the square where Barry was scheduled to speak.
That sounds awesome! Rah was there (I was at work). He said to me, "I saw Obama! He was in the distance and was very small," while holding his fingers close together to indicate the great distance at which he stood. It sets my heart aflutter to imagine Raleigh swamped with tens of thousands of people there to see him.
Nothing should be controlled by the Republicans. who bring nothing good to the table. If TLL has some other, less worthless second party to recommend as power-sharers, he should tell us.
"Both branches of government should be not shared by one party" is the last-ditch defense of wily Republicans who see themselves losing everything. "Look, we had power and fucked everything up worse than anyone could have imagined! Doesn't that prove that Democratic control would be dangerous?"
18: This works with impeachment, too. As in, "You see what a debacle impeachment is. Presidents should never be impeached."
Digby's got a nice line today:
Republicans have retired the concept of hypocrisy
Going to Indianapolis suburbs again this weekend. The organizer I was with last weekend will put me up at one of her staging centers, and it looks like I'll be helping to manage some of the canvassers as well as walking my own routes. Not to mention the late night data entry.
Monday, gotta be here at work.
But then I'll probably try to volunteer Monday night and I know I'll be working all Tuesday for the field data teams at national HQ.
Boosh.
16:
True enough. In person Obama is actually smaller than the six to twelve inches in height he appears on TV.
I don't know why people claim tall people have and advantage in politics.
18: Wow, did John Stewart nail Krystol last night. Steward said something like "It seems like you are saying it is OK to call Obama a terrorist because everyone knows you are just kidding but what you are really doing is calling him a terrorist and hoping some people won't know any better."
And with that bad example of non-previewed typing I think I'm off to enjoy the little trick or treaters in their costumes. For my money the under-six set are the cutest ones of all and get double chocolate!
I voted early; I canvassed yesterday for 4 hours (including the hour I spent waiting for the police after I locked my keys in the car. D'oh!) and I am down to canvass on Monday and Tuesday. Let's go OHIO!
I will be out of the country for most of the relevant period, but I resolve to make some baked goods for Fleur to take for the volunteers when she does GOTV.
WAYDFTWTW
What are you doing for to win this weekend?
I canvassed Wednesday, and will do so again Saturday and election day. At least at our office we've switched from "persuade undecideds" mode to "get out our vote" mode. Mostly I'm just reminding people where their polling places are and telling them how they can still vote early. Very satisfying.
Two earnest young women with acoustic guitars were on campus today, singing a song about Obama. Most of the song was so so, but the opening verse had a good set of rhymes
I'm gonna vote for ObamaReally, they should also have thrown in "pajama" and "drama."
Because I like him more than my momma
He's gonna get Osama
And he won't spit on you like a llama
...and if McCain wins it will be a trauma
He'll get us into another Vietnam-ah
I'm waiting for my assignment to work on a State Senate race out in Queens for the Working Families Party. Everyone in New York State, remember to vote for all your favorite candidates, including the big O, on Row E.
26 could almost be to the tune of "Should I Stay or Should I Go", if you s/it will/there'll/ and s/another//.
It sets my heart aflutter to imagine Raleigh swamped with tens of thousands of people there to see him.
This, omg, yes. I was awed by the people, four or five deep, in line for at least five blocks that I could see before my view was blocked by buildings and trees. I'm lucky to work at a very librul place; my director and several higher-ups actually attended the rally.
[For the record, I wasn't really trying to distract those snipers, as the officer claimed. I was just showing some friendly "don't shoot" cleavage.]
Shouldn't this be "72 to 271"?
I think you only need 270/538 to win. 269/269 is a tie.
I dropped out of doing election protection for BHO in Ohio (figured he has what he needs, if not, curse you 538.com) to do canvassing and GOTV for County Measure R (yeah baby, a COUNTY measure) here in LA, which is our best chance in a generation to actually fund a decent public transportation system.
How did other Californians vote on the propositions? Here were my votes:
Yes on 1A, Yes on 2, Yes on 3, No on 4, Yes on 5, No on 6, No on 7, No on 8, No on 9, No on 10, Yes on 11, and Yes on 12.
32 -- arrgggggh. That's why I'll never be President.
I was polled about the state measures recently. I was completely unfamiliar with most of them I was asked about. The pollster was a charming-sounding young-sounding lady(-sounding person).
Why yes on 11? This isn't a challenge, I don't understand that one and am genuinely curious.
Also, I'm conflicted about Measure R. I'm all for rail to the westside, but a sales tax hike seems like a crappy way to do it. I'll probably still vote yes.
36 -- I think the current state legislature is broken, and that non-gerrymandered legislative districts makes sense. In the short term, this might mean that there are somewhat fewer Democrats in the Assembly and State Senate, but it also means that the Republicans who are in the state legislature might be slightly less crazy and that everyone might be more responsive to their constituents.
Given the ridiculous CA rule that passing a budget requires a supermajority, the current set up in the state is that a huge, completely safe democratic majority has to kowtow to a small, completely safe bunch of Republican lunatics to get anything done, which means that no sensible budget ever gets passed. So I'd be happy with somewhat fewer dems in more competitive seats (we'd still likely have a majority) and a more functional legislature.
37 -- R is seriously the best chance we've had in 20 years to get some decent transportation funding here. Yes, a sales tax is regressive, but the impact is pretty minimal -- $25 per person per year, on average, $80 for a family of four -- and there's essentially zero chance of funding what we need in a more progressive way.
Tonight, idolatry via. yeswecarve.com .
Tomorrow, I will comment on a previous thread that women's health insurance could be cheaper if the standard policy dropped materinty benefits and added paternity benefits.
13: I was more tweaking Dean than saying a super majority was a bad thing.
Super majorities do tend to be bad things. In the case where you have a completely ravingly bugfuck party, a super majority is good, because hopefully the majority party will keep growing until it splits and the R party can have a nice extended visit to history's dustbin.
Maybe it'll go in my permanent record!
My permanant record of political unacceptability is longer than your permanant record of permanant unacceptability! NEENER!
I have never gotten so many political flyers, or so many robocalls in my life. Even Barry called me, which sorta made me jump, because I never expect him to be quite that stern, and I never expect him to sound just like me.
max
['Martin Wolf is a weaselly-lookin' motherfucker.']
So I will be voting for the first time in MA ever next week and really have no idea if there are any local measures that I should have a strong opinion about. Are there any fellow MAers out there who wouldn't mind enlightening me?
42: I suggest voting "no" on the witch-burning proposition.
I'm actually against witches, not sure about the burning though...
I got a sample ballot in the mail yesterday and was delighted at all the bizarre third parties on the presidential and senate lists. "Poor People's Campaign"? "God We Trust" is a party now? "Common Sense Ideas"? There are three different Socialist parties?
the ridiculous CA rule that passing a budget requires a supermajority
Let me guess, this was because of a proposition?
Living in a child-rich area for the first time since I was a child, I wonder: does trick-or-treating usually finish before 6? I was expecting to be besieged by tiny people demanding candy when I got home from work today, but none so far.
No more masturbating to the oral history of the American working class.
47 -- maybe, but if so it's a very old one. It's been in the state constitution since the 1930s.
48: Yeah, I'm in the same situation here. Weird.
I just watched Geraldine Ferraro on Newsnight. She's supporting Obama now ... do you think she would actually have voted for McCain? Or just abstained? So what's more important, personality or party? I'm just trying to imagine some senior Labour type saying they didn't like Gordon Brown so they were going to vote Conservative.
I'm sure someone has already noticed this, but BHO has the cutest, funniest in-party ads evah.
When Studs listened, everybody talked.
I voted No on 11. There are some anti-11 arguments (and maybe some pro- ones, but I think that site has been mostly anti-11) in these posts, if you're interested.
I admit that since I decided pretty quickly that I was voting no, I didn't read much of the details of what 11 would do. Maybe that's not rational. But it's not clear that it would lead to more competitive seats, and it's not clear that more competitive seats produce less extreme candidates.
48, 52: Same here: no trick-or-treaters. Are they doing it tomorrow night? But I seem to remember this from last year, and hypothesizing that parents must be awfully scared of bad people, and trick-or-treating has fallen way off.
All the transit people I read say yes on R. I'm not in LA or I'd vote that way too. Sales taxes aren't ideal, but that's sadly one of the few ways to get transit funded.
57 -- It's a tough call. If you think that the Democrats can lock in a 2/3 majority in the legislature in the future, then 11 is a bad idea. But I don't think that they'll be able to do it consistently enough to make a difference, and, like I say, the problem right now is that we're beholden to a truly crazy bunch of Republicans, which the ballot measure could help solve, at least a little. The real problem is the 2/3 majority for a budget rule, but that's not going away anytime soon.
Can I just say how much I hate the proposition system?
I don't think the Democrats can lock - though I'm not sure what you mean by lock - in at 2/3 either. But I seem to be more naive optimistic that the 2/3 rule can be reduced* if the Dems can get enough seats for a session or two and the budget continues to be a mess. Something will have to be done soon, and the odds of the Republicans cutting, say, prison spending, to match their tax opposition, are low enough that at some point a few of them might budge.
*I doubt it will go to simple majority, but 55-60 votes to pass a budget? Maybe.
That is 55-60%. I don't know what those numbers work out to in terms of seats.
Yeah, I'm going to end up with a lot of leftover apples and razor blades this year.
Unfortunately, the 2/3 rule is constitutional. So the only way to undo it is -- wait for it -- another ballot measure, and attempts to change the rule haven't really succeeded. So, unless you think that the Dems can sustainably keep more than a 2/3 majority over time, or that we're likely to change the 2/3 rule sometime soon, the redistricting makes some sense, by moving the Republican center slightly to the left and the Democratic center slightly to the right. How much this happens, of course, depends on how the district boundaries are drawn.
And now some trick-or-treaters just knocked on the door of one of my neighbors and skipped me and some other neighbors. Maybe people only knock on doors of people they know?
If this keeps up I'll either have to start wandering around throwing candy at people, or eat it all myself, and honestly I don't find these mini-candy-bars very appetizing.
Can't the legislature put it on the ballot, or is that only possible through a signature drive? In any case, I'm still more optimistic that it can be changed because the budget mess each year is just going to get worse. I probably should look up California's rules for constitutional amendments and initiatives.
Also, as I said, I'm not convinced that this redistricting is actually going to shift things more towards the center. Extreme politicians losing elections might help, though.
Minor amendments to the CA constitution can be made by a 2/3 vote in each house of the legislature, or so Google tells me. "Revisions", which are apparently more substantial than amendments, can be presented to the electorate by a 2/3 vote in each house. I guess changing the budget rule would be a "revision", then?
We haven't had a single kid show up here yet either. There were a pretty decent number last year.
28: Queens for the Working Families Party
What have we come to when such succulent low-hanging fruit as this goes unplucked?
Maybe people only knock on doors of people they know?
This, probably. And various factors having to do with the outward appearance of your abode.
71 is a great observation. If that party does not exist, then it is necessary to invent it.
Handing out treats to children is socialism. Just like giving them health insurance.
In my case parents don't let kids come to my house because of false rumors tracing back to the legal case.
The prosecutor was unable to prove that the razor blade came from me. Innocent! Innocent! Innocent!
The parents will be laughing out of the other side of their mouth when the lawsuit hits them.
Handing out treats to children is socialism.
This is clearly the answer to the dearth of trick-or-treaters. Nobody wants to appear socialist. I peered up and down our street just now, and it's all dark. Rejection of the very idea, you see.
When the trick or treaters came to our door, my excitement made me temporarily forget I was still donning my Zombie Castro get-up (pics posted to flickr group). It kinda freaked out the wee ones.
It's oddly quiet here, too. There are usually bunches of little trick-or-treaters here, this time there's been maybe a dozen.
We just had another small group. My commitment to socialism meant two fun bars to everyone, even the several kids who were clearly phoning in their costumes. "Um. You're...wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Have some candy!"
The hammer and the sickle have been replaced by the jack-o'-lantern and the pumpkin knife. The candle burns the wax of revolution and like a beacon its light draws children out of their homes, igniting within each the fire of dissent. They will be the foot soldiers of the war on Christmas.
To answer 68, and to turn the conversation back from the gloom of razor-blade filled Halloween and back towards the bright and exciting lights of California Constitutional Law
- you could get rid of the 2/3 budget rule by amendment, not "revision" but amendment requires a 2/3 vote of the legislature to put the amendment on the ballot, PLUS a majority vote of the electorate, OR an initiative supported by the majority of the electorate. The polling has consistently shown that a majority of CA voters consistently think that getting rid of the 2/3 rule means that their taxes will go up, so getting rid of the 2/3 rule is a political loser. Maybe things are getting bad enough now for this to change, which would be awesome.
"Revisions" are something else entirely, which I'm sure we can discuss if, God forbid, Prop 8 passes (short answer -- Prop 8 will have no effect if getting rid of gay marriage is deemed a "revision" of the constitution and not an "amendment," and the first thing that will happen after passage is a lawsuit arguing just that).
80: That's the spirit. I've just remembered that our most heavily trafficked trick-or-treating year here was the one in which I placed the lava lamp in the window. Like moths to a flame, they were. I have no doubt that the parents attempted to protest: Please, it's a freakin' lava lamp. Suckers.
And now some trick-or-treaters just knocked on the door of one of my neighbors and skipped me and some other neighbors. Maybe people only knock on doors of people they know?
You got your porch light on?
Mass Stuff--
1.) Do you want to abolish the Income Tax? NO
2.) Do you want to reduce the penalties for marijuana, making simple possession a fine-able offense for adults, and not allowing the information to get in a record that could prevent you from securing financial aid or public housing. YES.
3.) Do you want to ban greyhound racing? (I haven't decided yet.)
Speaking of the election, anybody in the Boston area up for a meetup on Tuesday?
I saw the cutest kid dressed up as a cow.
I'm actually against witches, not sure about the burning though...
Oh, thanks.
I actually had a ton of kids tonight. A full candy bowl - big-ass cat thing I bought at Target years ago - is nearly empty, thank all the gods. I did bury the Starburst and a bunch of Reese's cups at the bottom to make sure Rah and I would get our share, though.
Cutest: toddler in alligator costume.
Honestly scariest: Kid of 10 or 11 in full, obviously lovingly homemade, picture-perfect Joker (Heath Ledger Edition) outfit. "Truly, that is an excellent costume," I said. He thanked me but ducked his head as he obviously had been told that about a million times tonight and was starting to get a little embarrassed. Briefly I wanted a child of my own, then realized what I want is for there to be awesome children in the world, not in my house, and that Halloween and cats really do satisfy my paternal urge 100%.
By 8:30 I figured it had slowed down enough that I could pack it in without getting egged. If I don't eat some real dinner I'm just going to sit on the couch and finish the Starbursts.
Tomorrow, early voting from 8am to 5pm and beyond. NC voted to allow counties to extend hours and Durham has opted to do so.
My favorite costume was on an eight-year-old girl wearing the Chrysler Building. She was in the mayhem in Park Slope; nobody has come to our house tonight.
And I'm really sad to hear about Studs Terkel.
I volunteered for an hour at the Obama (multi-state) calling center, then for three more at No on 8. I also spent 90 minutes in three different trips in the bowling alley where I left my credit card last night.
Now I'm going over to a friend's house to get made up as Ashley Todd.
OT, if anything election-related is really OT at this point: Obama's team is serious about this running the country business. This gives me more hope than anything. Not that I like Larry Summers as Treasury Sect'y.
Alas, Terkel was just coming into his prime.
I'm glad that Obama isn't keeping Paulson, but I didn't see anything about feeding him to hogs.
There was a kid at school today dressed as this, which was pretty awesome.
There's a rush of Republican support recently, and I suspect that it's been in the works for quite awhile. To all intents and purposes, Obama is the establishment candidate now.
Hopefully this means that the Republicans as we know them will become a rump party and will have to spend 10 or 20 years rebuilding. (Sorry, TLL.)
It also means that None of us should be excessively hopeful about Obama. (Yeah, it's been said before).
I think that Act Blue's Accountability Now, established to run primary candidates against Blue Dogs, etc., will be the best place to go after next Tuesday.
Dirty pool, Sifu. I used to trust you implicitly.
God, I am so pissed at my (ghetto, gentrifying) street. Every other gentrifier -- I'm looking at you, gay couple, lesbian couple, and young asian unmarried professionals -- boarded up their homes, leading our house and one apartment building across the street to dispense the candy to a bunch of disappointed looking kids. At least everyone who came here got a handful of Hershey's chocolate mix to make up for it.
boarded up their homes
Wait, what? Boarded up? Were the kids dressed as hurricanes or something?
Last year's Halloween was kind of a dud, but there were lots of well costumed kids this year. I like the way the kids get older as the evening goes on (and this year, the older kids were all costumed properly too). We were talking about how great it would be if it just kept going in that vein, so that at two in the morning, the octogenarians were rolling by. "Trick or treat!" "Oh, another Woodrow Wilson! This one has sparkly wings!"
99: the key is to switch from the candy bowl to the booze bowl to the lipitor bowl. That keeps 'em coming.
Lights out completely, doors shut, shades pulled and in one case, yes, large plywood piece put in front of porch entrance (to prevent someone egging the recently restored craftsman porch, I'm guessing?). I'm thinking of doing some egging myself.But instead I'm just drining some Bourbon and listening to "Number of the Beast" to get me in the spirit.
We were talking about how great it would be if it just kept going in that vein, so that at two in the morning, the octogenarians were rolling by. "Trick or treat!" "Oh, another Woodrow Wilson! This one has sparkly wings!"
Great indeed. Obama's administration will institute this, I expect.
We had the same progression: kids in cute costumes, then teenagers in scary costumes. I was fantasizing that if you left the porch-light on that around midnight actual monsters would start showing up.
Do people still egg houses any more? I hadn't thought so.
I was fantasizing that if you left the porch-light on that around midnight actual monsters would start showing up.
Oh, nice. Look out, old people!
Some of my friends live in a similar (gentrifying, craftsman-y) neighborhood in LA; a couple years ago we were leaving from there to the day of the dead thing in Hollywood Cemetery. My friend thought it would be nice to leave some candy for people, so she put a bowl full of candy out on the porch with a note saying "take one!"
Before we'd even left the house, an older kid (not in costume) had run up on the porch, grabbed the bowl, and taken off down the street. We chased him down and -- since he'd dropped the bowl, which broke -- made him give us all his candy. It was hilarious, but geez, kid.
Hm, having recently remembered the ex-roommate who was a Waldorf teacher, I'm now recalling that in that household, we virtually held an outdoor party on Halloween. Lots of Waldorf kids in the neighborhood who made a point of stopping by.
So we'd set ourselves up out on the porch, jack-o-lantern, candy, candles, low music, and damn if the kids and their parents didn't wind up kind of hanging out for a bit. Those kids were into hugging and giggling. Good times.
84. Thanks BG! Greyhounds as in the dog? It could be the bus I suppose...
We got more than 250 trick-or-treaters and actually ran out of candy, despite being warned that Halloween is madness on our new street. No candy left for me, alas.
J and E made their Halloween debut as a cow and pumpkin, respectively, to the delight of all.
Also re: Paulson. I would definitely hope that they replace him, that said it wouldn't surprise me if they want to stay the course if things are going well but not that well.
We got more than 250 trick-or-treaters
Good lord! Did you have to set up ropes so they'd line up around the block?
This is the first Halloween in years I'll have had no candy corn. I went to Albertson's to buy some on the way home, and they had exactly 0 bags. I asked the guy, and he was like, "Candy cane, you mean? Candied corn? What is that?" I got punkin ice cream and M and I have scary movies to watch. But candy corn! The best candy of the year! And none for me, sob.
OK, one very cute kid who came by was accompanied by a Dad (older brother) who was straight up sporting gang regalia, full blue bandana pulled over face+visible gang tats all over arm. Very polite, though.
Also, the house soundtrack has just switched to Serge Gainsbourg's "Ballade de Melody Nelson," which sounds kinda halloween-ish but would definitely get me arrested if anyone understood the lyrics.
114 was me. My parents' street, also in LA, usually gets about 500-600 kids, from all over the city. It's incredible -- you can't drive.
Jms, we have some candy corn. You know where to go ....
I saw Darth Vader in the Pentagon today. I know that fulfills all your fears. Turns out Darth is much shorter than I expected. Looked more like Dark Helmet.
My 4yo niece in Baltimore (Chas. Village) went trick or treating last Sunday. I so do not understand this.
Do people still egg houses any more? I hadn't thought so.
I don't know about houses, but there's a woman on my street who apparently has a serious personal enemy. Over the last ~5 years, she has had 3 cars, all of which have been drizzled with nail polish. Most nights, this enemy drops off a used Depends on the hood of the car. And this evening we noticed egg splatter on the car. She seems reasonably nice to us.
Our street gets shit for T-or-Ters, despite there being kids. But we're isolated by busy streets on all sides, so all the kids just high-tail it to other streets. The street we went to had like half the traffic it did last year - no idea why, it was the most perfect possible weather.
Iris' Waldorf has the most beautiful Halloween thing. The kids go out onto the grounds (it's an old mansion on probably a third acre) and encounter a number of "archetypal" characters - baker, farmer, fisherman - who recite little rhymes and hand them treasures - roll, apple, seashell. Iris was so engaged by it, and, given that the kids will get all the candy they need later, it's such a nice way to handle the day. Steiner was nuts, but I'm a pretty big sucker for the Waldorf approach.
If they keep Paulson, I will be fucking pissed off. I could maybe live with Summers as a short-term appointment, but I don't like the optics of it.
Jms, we have some candy corn. You know where to go
I would, Rob, but my parents warned me to stay away from the houses with the pervy music.
My 4yo niece in Baltimore (Chas. Village) went trick or treating last Sunday. I so do not understand this.
I never even heard of this until I was in college. Frankly, I don't even understand the premise of "official" T-or-T times at all - you trick or treat on Halloween evening, and if you go to late, the candy's all gone. It's a free market solution, you Marxists.
But anyway, as stupid as the whole idea is, the notion of resetting Halloween on a year when it falls on a Friday is even stupider. Cripes.
BTW, Iris was a fairy, Kai a pumpkin. Pool pics tomorrow, I hope.
We got Halloween carolers! They totally rocked.
I could maybe live with Summers as a short-term appointment
Did you see that he came out the other day and said that we need UHC now, plus something else super-progressive? Assuming that wasn't a headfake (and with McCain screaming "socialism" at the drop of a hat, I don't see how it could be), I'm fine with Summers, esp. since I suspect he would be a short-term pick - 2-3 years, until the economy is somewhat on track, then move on looking like a hero.
I'm more bugged by the talk of Rs on foreign policy. Altho, if Chuck Hagel becomes SecState, do we gain a Senate seat? That would be a smooth move.
Our next door neighbor, who cooks professionally, brought over pumpkin cheesecake with bourbon whipped cream. Forget anything bad I said about renters for neighbors.
On the California constitution thing, you have to distinguish between the 2/3rds majority requirement for new state appropriation spending (instituted in the 30s) and the 2/3rds majority for new taxation (part of Prop 13 I think, anyway it only goes back to the late 70s). I think it's more the latter that finally led to total governmental failure, periodic budget crises, etc.
Obama had links with the notorious Laubach Foundationbefore he was even born.
Also, Larry Summers would be an excellent choice for Treasury secretary. He always was reasonably liberal (to the left of Rubin), and like Krugman he's become significantly more so over the last decade. Over the last five years or so he's been talking a ton about inequality and the need for income redistribution.
Decent number of trick or treaters here. Actually a bit less than I was expecting.
Candy corn is nasty. We get those big candy variety bags from Costco with Kit Kats, M&M's, Reeses, etc.
Tonight I rode Critical Mass for Obama.
Candy Corn is freakin' delicious. It's probably made with the blood of christian babies, it's so delicious.
In November, we remember.
Take a moment now to think about every one of the regular people who've died in the struggle to free us all. Wobblies, anarchists, communists, socialists, non-aligned rebels, social bandits and a few patriots too. The list gets longer every year, even if we'll never know the names of the people who died in some obscure Chinese prison or CIA black hole. There is a history, there will come a harvesting.
"Wherever workers strike and fight/ Joe Hill is at their side"
Minneapolitan gives apples to trick or treaters.
maybe there's a credit-crunch-fuelled candysavings glut in east london this october* -- i didn't see or hear a single trick or treater (they usually skip our building, but i can look down from my front room onto a car-less street of small houses which in past years has been perfect territory for foraging for sweeties)
i watched buffy instead, the ep where buf's mom has a serial killer robot boyfriend
*or maybe they will come out tomorrow night
Minneapolitan gives the blood of the worker to trick or treaters.
Our gentrifying lesbian neighbors were camped out on their driveway, with lawnchairs, a table, adult beverages (which they offered to me! I didn't feel like I could accept a beer and then amble about the neighborhood with an open bottle, though) and a big ass bowl of candy. Several families on our street were sitting out on lawnchairs, some had teamed up with neighbors, many had gone to great lengths with the decorations and the adults dressed as scary old men guarding the candy bowl. There was an awesome barfing pumpkin, spilling its pumpkin guts onto someone's front porch. And legions of children. The costumes were all great, but the best costumes I saw yesterday were at Joey's montessori school. There was a tiny elvis, a little ups man, and a girl wearing a washtub that had holes cut out for her legs, and covered with white balloons. She was a bubble bath.
RECIPE BLEG
I am having about 6 people over for a very casual dinner on Monday. We host each other every week, and it is my turn. If I want to do something meat-based I have to provide a vegetarian option. Fish stuff is fine. I was thinking of doing some sort of stew or lentil soup type of thing. Unfortunately I don't have a crock pot.
We will be dishing up in the kitchen and eating in the living room on tray tables, so I don't want to make this too complicated. Suggestions?
I did a lot of ratatouille on occasions like that. Ratatouille, rice, and then your meat on the side, like strips of prosciutto.
re: 136
Why do you need a crockpot? You can just slowcook something on the top of the stove.
You could make dahl [if your guests like spicy food].
Fry chopped onion and garlic, add some freshly chopped green chillis, fry till soft, add lentils or yellow split peas. Top up with stock [veggie stock if its for vegetarians],* add a little turmeric and cook until it has the consistency of a thick paste. You can stir in a wee bit of garam masala or cumin near the end.
If you want to be flash you can make a tarka topping for it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaunk
Delicious with bread, or pitta, or rice, or whatever.
* I always just use a stock cube.
If you're not set on a stew, this recipe might be good for you. A friend of mine made this -- it was delicious, and it was also fairly easy. Just use veggie stock instead of chicken broth.
Why do you need a crockpot?
Presumably because it can be left alone all day.
bostoniangirl: veggie lasagna might be a good option?
I took the girls trick-or-treating up in woodlands, a neighborhood in the north of narnia that houses a lot of expat american families, like the ones who work for oil companies or cisco and are on fat expat packages. there were several thousand trick or treaters running around in this neighborhood of cul-de-sacs, closed to cars for the evening. I'venever seen anything approaching it in the states. awesome, except for the part where I lost my youngest in a scrum to get free umbrellas (!). she made it out OK but crying.
BG--
Pasta puttanesca? Quick, easy, tasty as hell. I can type up a recipe later when not commenting from my phone.
There was an awesome barfing pumpkin
Like the awesome barfing pumpkin in 96 which got no love?:(
Before going to bed, the girls put most of their candy in bags and left it at the front door in anticipation of a visit by the candy witch. The candy was disappeared, and in its place I left four dollar bills, which I'd folded into origami bats. Candy problem solved.
That origami bat candy witch trick is brilliant.
re: 141
Whenever I've had (or made) puttanesca it has had non-veggie ingredients added. Specifically, anchovies. It is, however, delicious.
I think that the guest in question is slowly becoming a vegetarian, but she's waiting for Lent to give up the chicken. She isn't really becoming a vegetarian, more like a pescatarian.
Chopper, a recipe would be awesome. Also, I'm really sorry about the job.
I find lasagne tricky, btu spinach lasagne is good.
BG, I have two recipes for veggie lasagna up on the wiki that are tried-and-true surefire hits. One is even designed to be made in an hour, baking time included. The other is an overnight lasagna, but it's really magnificent and you don't have to be working on it right before the party---just pop it in the oven.
What do you do with the candy, Jesus?
Also, there are lots and lots of veggie-entree-type things and hearty veg side dishes up on the wiki. LB submitted a gratin of greens casserole that Bave made for a party and it was delicious.
148: I think my wife's going to take it to her school, to spread the candy wealth. Redistribution's all the rage these days.
146/147: I have a really easy (about 1 hour including cooking) mushroom lasagna too, which is almost too rich...
Matt's idea of dal is good, they're easy and yummy and can be non-curry enough to mix with other stuff. It's basically like a thicker lentil/other legume soup. I've got a couple easy tested recipes for that sort of thing.
Before going to bed, the girls put most of their candy in bags and left it at the front door in anticipation of a visit by the candy witch.
Damn, you have those kids under your thumb something fierce.
If I was cooking something without meat (and not going for dal or similar), I'd probably make a rice dish.
If you make a pilau [or pilaf, or whatever you colonials call them] with leeks, and chickpeas [garbanzo?] it's delicious. Fry some garlic and onion then rice before you add the sock, add some cloves and cardamon pods while the rice is cooking, maybe some chili flakes or a little hot sauce of some kind,etc. You can add a little bacon or some shrimp/prawns for people who eat meat/fish [chorizo is nice, too].
Works great with basmati rice, but if you have some shorter grained rice like arborio or spanish paella rice, that works out great too if you don't over-stir.
Yes, Jesus' girls sit quietly with their hands on their laps, look expresionlessly straight before them at all times, and don't speak unless spoken to. You have to see it to believe it.
A sock might add an interestingly savory flavor that your vegetarians have both been missing and won't be able to place, though.
Monetizing Halloween the way you monetize teeth has always been a problem for kids. Jesus' kids are cutting edge.
this is very halloweenish, a fake beard, i wish i put this yesterday and if it's sung in my language
the first yr i prepared candies, the next yr too, nobody came, coz apartments, and it's no surprise if the known sex offender might live in it according to the police notice
seems it's not popular around here and an acquaintance warned me yesterday that there are shooters in a grey-blue audi driving around targeting women, so felt pretty stressful on coming back home
I already knew that Mongolia, originally via Russia, developed quite a respectable classical music scene, but I never would have guessed that they'd produce so many cool You-tube videos.
Oh yeah, they also did Trick or Treat for UNICEF, which helps to reduce the candy load a bit. And, of course, benefits other children around the world.
we have similar tradition on our traditional new yr, children go around collecting gifts, candies, my mother remembered in the 50ies people'd give kids customary home made pastry and sugar cubes(yoton) or lump sugar
Oh yeah, re: veggie lasagna...
My mum makes it with aubergine [egg plant] and mushroom. It's delicious.
Aubergine also makes a nice moussaka.
One might go so far as to say that "aubergine" is required for the dish to be moussaka.
Thanks for mentioning the downticket stuff, Becks!
re: 165
Yeah, I mean as a veggie meal [without the mince], and also, I've had aubergine free ones in the UK [with thinly sliced potato substituting for the aubergine].
I think that it's pretty reasonable to expect Obama to win handily, with the Democrats holding hefty majorities in both houses of Congress.
Which will put the Blue Dogs in control of the agenda. So we need to put the fear in them, and get some of them out of there. 2006 was good, 2008 looks a little better, but 2010 might be the big deal.
So this looks like McCain's attempt at an October surprise. This pisses me off on too many levels to count.
Good Lord! This'll pout folks off of Trick or Treating.
I think my wife just set a new record, held a McCain campaign volunteer on the phone for 16 minutes. For a bit I thought she might to convert the caller. I could never last more than 1 or 2 minutes ...
I just got up to get the doorbell. There was a supercute canvasser spreading the word against 6 and 9. I offered her the McCain decal I had stuck to my mailbox from last night's Ashley Todd costume. She declined.
I brought in the mail and noticed a hand-addressed envelope with no return address. Inside, unsigned, I found:
As a concerned citizen, I am writing to you about Proposition 8 which is on the ballot for the November 4 election. In April, the California Supreme Court ruled by 4 to 3 that marriage between two men or two women is legal. Proposition 8 overturns the court decision and restores traditional marriage:
"Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. "
I URGE YOU TO VOTE "YES" ON PROPOSITION 8.
1. There are good people on both sides of the same-sex marriage issue.
2. There are gay people who oppose same-sex marriage and support Proposition 8.
3. Proposition 8 is about protecting those who disagree with same-sex marriage and not about denying rights to same-sex couples. Proposition 8 will not outlaw same-sex relationships. Under California's domestic partnership law (Family Code 297.5), same~sex couples enjoy all of the same legal rights as marriage.
4. In other jurisdictions, government recognition of same-sex marriage has led to government endorsement or same-sex marriage and government hostility to individuals and organizations that disagree with it.
a. In Massachusetts, government threatened to revoke licenses to religious-based adoption agencies that don't place children with same-sex couples.
b. In California, government has compelled physicians, against their conscience, to artificially inseminate lesbian couples.
c. In Sweden, a minister was prosecuted for hate speech.
d. In Canada, a political writer is being prosecuted for hate speech.
e. In schools, same-sex marriage will be taught to children against the wishes of their parents and against their religion.
5. A "YES" VOTE on PROPOSITION 8 will support freedoms of speech, press, and religion to those who disagree with same-sex marriage.
Again, I urge you to VOTE "YES" ON PROPOSITION 8. Thank you.
Sincerely,
I think I got it because I used to be Democratic committee-member for the Assembly district.
(BTW, thank god for optical text recognition, right?)
169: I bet you could count the levels. I can't really think of more than four.
Also, the House Minority Leader has, in public, called Obama "chickenshit", and the Pennsylvania GOP warns that an Obama victory could mean another Holocaust. Stay classy, Party of Lincoln.
142, yes! It was just like 96, except not as cool. Well gutted! I did not click on the link because 92 put me off clicking on any links. Why must internet pranks involve me having flashbacks of tenth grade?
Also, 105, our neighbors were egged last week. The wife is a substitute teacher. I'd have felt sorry for her, but she spent three hours outside in the chill Lady Macbething the thing, first with a garden hose, then a stepladder. Dude, let it go.
I forgot my wiki password, and I can't get it to reset. I'm not sure whether the problem is on pbwiki's end or yahoo's. Yahoo keeps telling me that my session ended unexpectedly, but each time I've logged out without having my browser crash.
BG, I'm going to delete you from the wiki and send a new invitation.
I'm completely confused by this email I just got from the Obama campaign:
Yesterday the McCain campaign said they would outspend our campaign by $10 million in the final days. This is on top of recent news that, as of October 15th, our opponents had $20 million more in the bank than our campaign and the DNC combined.
I thought the Obama campaign had been vastly surpassing the McCain campaign in terms of fundraising?
Boo. If you like, I'll email you some recipes.
The fetishization of divided government is a classic example of being more concerned with inputs than outcomes. (Like the opponents of universal health care who talk about tests performed and lab equipment per capita and don't at all want to deal with recovery rates, longevity, quality of life, and the like.) Dividing control of the branches of government may well lead to useful competition and confrontation if all the participating factions are basically sane. Since the Republican Party's senior officials are all batshit crazy, the effect now would be like getting a serial killer to offer a second medical opinion. First get the crazies out, then get on with business.
If non-crazy Republicans ever want to be taken into consideration, they're going to have to find their equivalent of Act Blue and get to work.
The following is for 1 lb. of pasta--3-4 adults if there are sides like garlic bread, salad, etc. Scale up or down accordingly. I like this with punch-in-the-mouth intensity of flavors--I max or exceed all of the ingredients below, but you can adjust things downward as necessary
1 lb. dry spaghetti (or fettucine or angel hair--angel hair means you'll need to start cooking the sauce before the water comes to a boil)
1 large can of plum tomatoes, crushed or whole
3-12 anchovy fillets (to taste)
Minced garlic to taste
1-3 Tbsp capers
Good black olives, pitted and roughly chopped (I use maybe a dozen large black Kalamatas)
Red pepper flakes
Salt
Pepper
Fresh grated parmesan (optional, may be heresy)
Fresh basil or parsley if you have it
Olive oil
1. Get your well-salted pasta water on to the stove. As it comes to a boil, do your prep work--mince garlic, open cans, rinse anchovies if oil packed, etc.
2. When the water is at a roiling boil, start a large saucepan or skillet (deep sides if a skillet) on medium heat with a couple tablespoons oil, then drop in your pasta.
3. Add the minced garlic to the heated oil.
4. After a minute or so, add anchovy fillets and red pepper flakes. Let cook for a little bit, then break up the anchovies with a wood spoon so they become a well-distributed mush.
5. Add can of tomatoes. Crush with spoon if you added whole tomatoes. Turn up heat and bring to a rapid simmer. Stir sauce occasionally to avoid sticking to pan.
6. After another minute or so, add capers and olives.
7. Reserve a cup or so of pasta water. Check pasta--when it's about a minute or two from being done--still very toothy--drain and add to saucepan.
8. Finish the pasta in the sauce. The sauce liquid will be drawn into the pasta as it finishes. If it gets too dry, use some of the reserved pasta water. When the pasta is done, add the basil or parsley to the dish, stir, and remove from heat.
9. Pour the pasta into a heated large serving bowl. Pour a splash of fresh, quality olive oil over the top. Serve. Cover with a towel after everyone is initially served to keep it warm.
I wandered away for about four hours between starting this and finishing it. Hope it's still relevant after I hit post.
[Also, Zack and Miri Make a Porno would make a fantastic date movie. A little too much gushy stuff to make it super comfortable with my dude friends. Super funny gross out humor with a fairly touching ending. (At one point all my limbs were numb from laughing too hard. Felt like a good hit of nitrous.)
What about Rachel Getting Married, would that make a good date movie?
The fetishization of divided government
Fetishes are on the other thread, Bruce. But yeah, that's kinky.
I don't know, Ben. Your Mom and I didn't really watch the movie. We were too busy having vigorous, multi-orgasmic, penis in vagina sex. 3 times. I hope your dad's OK if she's a little loose(r) for awhile.
They're divorced, actually, so I don't imagine it'll be a big deal for him.
Phonebanked at SFHQ this afternoon. Was cheered to see so many people there. Mostly a lot of left messages and not availables, but a few contacts were made. Danny Glover showed up and spoke, encouraging us to take the country back and such, and then sat down to make some calls. They had us calling Florida and then Colorado.
Canvassed in South Bend (a 2 hour drive away). Mostly just asking Obama supporters to vote early, so naturally we saw a lot of Obama signs where we went. Lots and lots of Illinois plates in the parking lot of the Firefighter's union building where we were based.
I thought the Obama campaign had been vastly surpassing the McCain campaign in terms of fundraising?
these last-minute fundraising letters from the Obama campaign show true chutzpah. The one I got cited the need to keep up with last-minute McCain ad buys in Montana and West Virginia. Jeez, if you're even worrying about those two states you've already won the Presidency!
All last-minute dollars should have been going to close Democratic Senate races -- Minnesota, Kentucky, Georgia, Mississippi.