'Coach, I Don't Care What You Say... I Ain't Runnin' No Motherf**king Post Pattern !!!!!'
For those of you who forgot, or maybe never knew. George Washington actually had a civilian gig before he was a Revolutionary War general and President. He was a surveyor.... Here we are, 250 years after he put down those tools - and not only is he needed in the city named after him, it looks like Wrigley Field ould use his help as well!
Today is officially Rivalry Week in college football, but it's also unofficially Football in Pro Stadium Week. Army plays Notre Dame (go Army!) in the new Yankee Stadium's first football game, Penn State is playing Indiana at Fed Ex Field (??), and the Battle of Chicago takes place when Northwestern and Illinois take the field at Wrigley today. Wait.... make that HALF FIELD ....
We shit you not. Apparently, and you can see from the above picture, the 100 yards barely squeeze into tiny Wrigley. It's so tight, that the left field side end zone almost abuts the brick wall. Since most Red Zone plays often go past the end zone - thus causing probable traumatic injury - the game will be played on the right field side exclusively...
Yeah... Once the ball crosses midfield, the drive will spin 180 degrees around,and go back towards the end zone they just left. Unless there is a 50-plus yard play, no touchdowns will be scored in the Northwestern end zone - causing the school to lose valuable free advertising, and the loss of football recruits, along with Law and Med School candidates. The impact on the university could be devastating for years to come....
Is this stupid? Of course... How everyone set this game up, and NO ONE bothered to realize the field would be too small borders on retarded.... Meanwhile, we can tell our kids that we remembered the 'Left Turn, Clyde' game of 2010. Nice job, jackasses. So, who is to blame for this? Wait a second.. Wrigley? Chicago? Obama ???? George, please help us..
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"They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-Benjamin Franklin.
If we had to translate this into modern language, what Ben is saying basically is 'keep your eye on The Prize' .... that prize being Liberty and freedom for all. Although , if we did need some temporary safety, we would definitely find it in the ample bosom of Lauren Harris. Now THAT is a prize...
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Time to Pick Sides For the Big Game, Right ???
Call us impartial, call us gutless... But we've never really taken sides in the Clemson-SC (or SC-Clemson) game. Yeah, we have developed a slight edge of reverence for one of them, but we don't hate the other like most followers o the game do. OK, that probably makes us gutless - or not a REAL fan. Blow me...
This game is going to be a bit of an odd one, in that South Carolina really has nothing to win or lose in this game, aside from the rivalry bragging rights. Barring a loss to the Troy Trojans today (please tell me their mascot is named Trojan Man!), the Gamecocks will be 8-3 and looking to the upcoming rematch against Auburn. Will Spurrier play all his starters since there is no bye week to rest for the SEC Championship and a BCS Game?
It really is an odd year on a lot of levels. The games are usually pretty evenly matched, and by now, not much is on the line. Such is the rivalry between two good, but not great teams... Carolina is clearly the better team, but the potential for a rare Gamecock blowout, not seen much in the Reino Era (1996-present) is there. Spurrier is a gambler, so we think he'll worry about next week next week...
No, we don't see a total asswhipping in Death Valley, but the Cocks have the better team this year. They're catching Clemson on a rare off year, so talent will overcome home field and nothing to play for... South Carolina 34-17.
. Let the complaints begin!!
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Ohh, We Thought it Said Apple Turnover... Our Bad!
We'll keep the picture anyway, because that looks pretty damned good when you're blogging before you've eaten breakfast.. It's been a few weeks since we've done a Fuzzy Thoughts. There's been a lot going on at work - mostly people leaving of getting fired. Fortunately for me, it was a co-worker and two of my bosses. That's an oddity - usually the management blames it on the writers, and we get axed. This place is more like Baseball, where the manager gets cut , despite the underperformance of his players. Just like the Mets! Onto the observations, as we peer through our blurry spectacles....
As usual, the weather and traffic: Sunny and getting kinda cold. Only around 50 today. Road crews are still going 24/7 on Middle Country Rd, trying to finish six-laning it around Smithhaven Mall for Christmas season. Been working on it since I got here, so our guess is NO....
In politics, Sarah Palin admitted she is thinking about running for the White House in two years. We really hope not.. There are people who should be the voices of the party, and then those who should be on the ballot. Putting Palin on the ticket again would be about as appealing for moderates as the Democrats adding Nancy Pelosi. Locally, former NY Governor George Pataki is thinking of coming out of retirement and doing the same. Boutros-Buoutros-Aki is a nice guy, but he'll get the same treatment as Rudy Giuliani did - except Rudy has more balls..
Need proof that the 2012 Election machine is starting to crank up? Look no further than your satellite radio dial... Our favorite XM channel in 2008 - POTUS - is back! And they're off !!!!
So, Prince William and Kate Middleton are officially engaged.. Didn't see much of the interview, but we have two observations: we bet Wills had a majr crush of Elizabeth Hurley as a kid (Kate's a Hurley-clone, which is fine with us), and uhh... The future King of England is gonna have a Five Head very soon. Maybe Prince Harry will be the cuter one after all...
To the Sports Desk, we now go to Champ Kind... The Islanders are in a free fall right now, having lost or tied 11 straight games. They fired their coach, and hired DRUMROLL PLEASE ..... Former Pee Dee Pride coach Jack Capuano!! It must be a dream for the Long Island native, but we feel that warm glow is gonna wear off quick....
Meanwhile, The Yankees seem to be in a bidding war for Cliff Lee - against themselves? Yep. As good as Lee is, his price will be so high that only three teams have talked to him, and Texas Rangers President Nolan Ryan (who knows a little something about pitching), admitted they don't have the money to outbid New York. Here's hoping Lee isn't another Kevin Brown...
Of course, the biggest news of all, which we're sure you saw on every major network and cable station, is the likely return of Narcdog. Yes, Matty bought a new bass and cabinet, and he NEEDS to play. So, we jammed on Wednesday night ( I was a bit late from work). There will be a couple needed changes: first, we're working on new cover songs, and secondly, there will be some estrogen added to the band, as Phil's wife Patty is joining us. Girl can sing her ass off, so strong backup vocals, and a whole new list of available songs will be at our fingertips. It should be cool, but there is some concern about losing the old fan base (we actually do have a base) with the new direction. Yeah, we will still rock, though!
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'Waiter, Taste the Soup... OK, Where's the Spoon? A-CHAAAAAA. A-CHAAAAAA'. Rangel Gets Censured..
For those unfamiliar with the reference, that was from Coming to America, whose character is much like Rangel - in that Rangel is a black man who sounds like an old Jewish guy...
Justice finally came down hard on Rangel this week, at least as far as Congress will go to convict one of it's own. Rangel was censured by the Ethics committee for numerous violations, including non-disclosure of invetsments and income, and properties that he owned in cushy places like the Caribbean. Simply put, Rangel proved that he is a hypocrite - that he makes one set of rules for his constituents, then tries to skirt all around those same rules. Will he continue to be re-elected? Of course... Last month, he beat Adam Clayton Powell Jr., who by this age most voters think Powell is the bass player for U2.
Two funny things about this that SC voters might find interesting about Rangel's probable censure: First, Rangel will be reprimanded for financial chicanery in the same way that Joe Wilson was for just saying 'You Lie' at President Obama. Seems a bit odd, but we guess Congress has a secret rule book that says 'Penalty for Stupidity = House Censure'.
As usual, Rangel had plenty to say, but his gravelly voice resembles fingernails scratching against a blackboard so much, that we couldn't her it.... That was Rangel's gift, and we kind of appreciated it - his ability to go on Fox News or anywhere, and absolutely bullshit his ass off on anything with a straight face. No one's buying it anymore, Chuck.
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Our Crystal Ball Says The Whipper's Days Are Numbered..
Yesterday at work ,we got a phone call from out buddy and Four Horsemen member, Earl. Aside from notifying us of his upcoming birthday bash, he passed on the news that our favorite congressman, and original muse for this blog, former House Majority Whip (we LOVE saying that!) Jim Clyburn, is slipping down the ladder a rung. To us, with the impending news surrounding the rampant thievery at his top pork fund, SC State, we think Clyburn's tick down is just a small precursor to what will be happening soon. Jim's heading for a mighty crash, and we're calling our shot...
First, the news of today: With the defeat of the Democrats in the November elections, there is a logjam in the Minority leadership. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is out of a gig, but she isn't bowing out gracefully. Nope, San Fran Nan likes being the Head Cheese (and all the perks that go with it), and she is running for Minority Leader. That left Clyburn and former Majority Leader Steny Hoyer going for Minority Whip. Of course, knowing that Hoyer is a much more effective leader and coalition builder, Clyburn's days seemed numbered. But, you never count out The Whipper, and in true pimpmaster fashion, Sly Cly made Pelosi create a new gig, just for him, in exchange for Clyburn's blessing to the Congressional Black Caucus of support for Pelosi. What's in it for me, as usual... From now on, it's Minority Assistant Leader Clyburn. Whatever....
However, those of you who think that this is just a small bump in Clyburn's road, think again. Our advice to Jim is this: enjoy the view from the peak there, because it ain't going any higher. Remember this post here today, because we're going to be able to say "I told you so" before you know it.... Clyburn is heading for a steep, rapid fall, and soon. Why? Simple. The James E. Clyburn Transportation School at SC State (his alma mater), which got somewhere in the neighborhood of $63 million federal dollars from what we remember, is under high scrutiny as to exactly where all the money is for the project... Word is that roughly HALF of the money is unaccounted for. Add to that the fact that the school has gone through president like you and I go through underwear the past few years, and there is the distinct smell of embezzlement....
But, where is Jim in all this? At this point , we don't know, and it's not really our job to figure it out. Here's what we see however: Clyburn worked the Federal Government to get all this money for his alma mater, whose educational reputation is right up there with Sister Anita Maria's School of Needlepoint, to develop the blueprint for America's transportation needs for the 21st Century .... and he did this out of the kindness of his heart? C'mon. Is the possibility that a political pimp like Clyburn - whose sole aim is to 'get what is ours' and also 'got what is his' a bit more than probable?
We all know of Clyburn's hypocrisy: the preacher's son who quotes bible verses all day, then sneaks off to his office to down some JD and Diet Cokes... Most congressmen say their doing it for their constituents, but most of us know better. Clyburn is too old, and not really skilled enough to go into the private sector at this point. The likelihood that he is cashing out under SC State's table is a real possibility. If proven, jumping off a cliff will be slower than the fall The Whipper takes....
We'll mark it on the board right now: this will be Jim Clyburn's last term in Congress. He lost his gig. Next, as the man who developed Barack Obama's policies (ones that have made his being re-elected almost impossible), he will now lose the President's ear, and reside at the 'Leader in Absentia' slot. If the money trail leads anywhere near him with SC State, it is all over.... We'll see.
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Fed's Plan to Relieve 'Underinflation' Hit Us at the Gas Pump...
Those who know us well by now here know that we believe in a market driven economy. That the private industry is what pushes the economy, and that the government's role is to set the table for a healthy economy, to monitor it, and to regulate it where needed. It's too bad that folks in DC don't realize this a lot. Much like we overestimate our handsomeness or knowledge of everything, the Fed is again trying not to tinker, but to direct the economy where it should go. Bad things generally happen when that occurs, and we're worried again....
Yep, Ben Bernanke - who's only positive move in life is he was smart enough to leave Dillon and not come back - and his boys are trying to direct a cruise liner with a paddle. About $600 Billion of paddles...in an effort to stop what is called 'underinflation'. So far, it's worked, as long as you consider a 50 cent jack in gas prices good for the economy....
Right now, the economy is stagnant. Nothing is moving, for good or bad. Sometimes that can be construed as a not so bad thing. However, when you work in DC and are under a microscope, you feel that you HAVE to dick around with things. So, while some of us consider right now a time to sit pat, allow consumers to save just a little longer before they finally decide to spend, and wait for a better 2011, The Fed has gone for broke...
Their solution? Selling government bonds in installments, using it to perhaps lower interest rates so banks can lend more, thus creating spending, a healthy inflation rate, and avoiding the 'Lost Decade' that Japan had in the 90's... To our minute brains, this doesn't seem smart, nor effective enough. For starters, take a look at interest rates. If you're looking to buy a home or car, the rates haven't been this good since my parents bought their first house in the 50's... Is another half-point or so really going to make much difference?
Secondly, we'll attack the size of the move: $600 billion is roughly 2/3 the amount of the Stimulus Bill, which was a straight off spending of cash to add jobs, and worked minimally. We're not saying that the amount is too small - we're saying that any amount the Fed or the Federal Government can outlay is insignificant to the size of the US Economy. In short, it will NEVER be enough....
Thirdly, this once again has the potential to ruin the value of the dollar against foreign currencies, which kills Americans' buying power. Poor exchange rates mean less bang for the buck, and we can't afford things even more. It also causes markets to dump paper investments, like stocks, for more tangible assets. Need proof? We suggest going to the gas pump....
Notice the price of gas jumped about half a buck since late September? We did... We wondered what the hell was going on. Hurricane in the Gulf? Nope... Terrorists in the Gulf blew up a platform? Un-uh.... Maybe OPEC of the refiners were rationing production again... No siree, Bob. The reason gas prices went up was on the speculation that The Fed would do this move they are now trying. Yeah, we're all paying about $10 a week more in gas because investors thought this would happen, and the price of oil went up on that word alone. Guess they got it right. So, in short, The Fed was right even before they started this plan. That is actually where The Fed has it's real power: not in it's dollar power, but in it's percieved power. Too bad the market forgets sometimes who really has the power...
It's another case of a desk jockey having a case of putting his finger on the chicken switch too soon. It's a sad day when we think that things like 'too low inflation' exist... We've said it for awhile now: consumers aren't buying right now, and it's not altogether a bad thing. God forbid we should actually save a couple dollars, rather than buy the newest I-Phone or Blue Ray Disc player... When we're ready to buy, we will - and nothing DC can do will affect it, unless adversely. To us, making things more costly will only prolong the Recession- not shorten it.
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"Amplification is the vice of modern oratory."
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Thomas Jefferson.
Actually, we didn't know they even had amplifiers back in the 18th and 19th Century. As for us, our vices are nutty-hot women like Adrianne Curry....
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Our second choice was Nancy Pelosi playing The Woltz Pictures movie producer to the GOP's Corleone Family.... Guess who gets the part in the movie???
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We had two cartoons that we liked immediately, and they're both 1970's movie related, so we decided to go on that theme for this weekend. First, we always like topical humor, so we picked Rogo, Preacher, Nancy Drew and that annoying kid from The Poseidon Adventure-like mess on the cruise ship in California this week...
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Uhh..... No He Doesn't.
You know things are getting tight with a company when they start even laying off fictional characters...... General Motors continues to slice and dice away at fixing it's company image. After lopping off 900 dealerships like a diseased left ear, GM announced that after 37 years, Mr. Goodwrench is getting his pink slip as well...
In an effort to be more like their successful competitors, GM is getting rid of the Goodwrench name. This also just in.... Parkay has just burned Mother Nature at the stake, Palmolive sent Madge to a nursing home, and Maytag stoned The Repairman to death....
Like most things carmakers do, it's more of a case of appearance than actual change. It will still be the same technicians and advisors at the dealership, so what will be different? Nothing at all, for better or worse. Maybe you'll feel better, and that's what really matters nowadays, right? GM's decided that the blanket GM service is bland and lacks power, so they will be instituting a 'Certified Chevrolet/Cadillac/Buick' label for their used cars. Cetrified Does at least sound better than Goodwrench Certified, doesn't it?
Their real hope is that The Change (sounds like menospause in a way) will bring more customers in for service, which is where dealerships really make their money - or are at least supposed to. Will it help? Our guess is that it will help used car sales a bit, but service may not change much. In our year and a half at Chevrolet dealers, we found Chevy people to be a worst case scenario: people who buy cheap, substandardly made cars, don't keep them up, then are stunned when they break... Yeah, if you can hardly afford a new car, servicing it is tough... but it's no accident that doing what we in the business tell you to do makes your car last longer. And you thought we were bullshitting you into that transmission service!
Here's the MSN article on it:
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/top-stocks/blog.aspx?post=99d09818-fbbe-4399-8e8a-2d42e0b84ce5
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We're Sorry, But George Steinbrenner Doesn't Get the Thumbs Up For the HOF With Us...
As a lifelong Yankee fan who can remember almost the entire George Steinbrenner Ownership Era, we think we have the fan's perspective of what will be going on this week in Cooperstown. We all know that Baseball has the most stringent qualifications for induction into the Hall of Fame: 75% of all writers and members must vote for you, or you don't get in. Is it fair? Maybe not, but it is what it is. As John Bender said in The Breakfast Club, 'Doors slam shut - the world is an Imperfect Place'. Quite appropriate in our view....
For those players who don't make it after 15 years, they are eligible to be voted in by the Veterans Committee, a smaller group perhaps more knowledgable about the older players. We'll for those who think that one or two players a year is unfair (liberals who also think that every kid deserves a trophy in soccer as well), Baseball has something you'll love...
It's called the Expansion Era Committee. Yes, since baseball expanded in 1970, the rules did not follow. So, they've decided to make a special panel of writers and HOF players from the era to pick others. Qualifying is the same - 75%, but the panel only has 12 members. So, as long as you get the OK from NINE PEOPLE (as opposed to 300 plus for regular induction), you're in.
Even as a Yankee fan, the list doesn't leave much to argue for: Tommy John, who won an assload of games, but lost a lot as well. Ron Guidry, who was without a doubt the best pitcher in his prime, but didn't string enough years for a HOF induction, and The Boss himself, George Steinbrenner. In fact, three of the 12 eligible inductees didn't play the game .
That is our problem...
Yes, Steinbrenner's impact on the business side of baseball was unmatched by any owner, but to us, to get into the Hall, you need to have stepped foot between the white lines during the nine innings. No offense to Steinbrenner, he didn't play, thus his honor should be limited to Monument Park in left field at Yankee Stadium. As for the players, there are sensible reason for each of them not to be in Cooperstown. Al Oliver and Ted Simmons were very good players, but the 'elite tag' didn't quite apply, thus a Hall induction this way is like the dreaded asterisk that insults players so much...
Just like expansion diluted the talent pool on the field, Expansion Era Committee induction dilutes the membership of the honorees there as well. Baseball is a tough business, and the Hall is especially tough. It is what it is .... and it should stay that way. Perfectly imperfect, in our view.
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Here's Our Suggestion: You Want a Receipt? Then Drop a Dollar in the Ballot Box. THERE'S YOUR PROOF ......
America sometimes makes us a little sick as it goes along. No one liked paper ballots, or the huge pull arm polling stations. So, they came up with electronic voting. But, since we are a nation of paaranoia, everyone thinks they're too apt to failure and tampering - as opposed to throwing a box full of paper ballots in the Black Creek...
So, here in Yankeeville, they came up with another wrinkle to assuage their fears - the paper ballot for electronic voting. It's like a big Scantron Sheet, similar to when you took the SAT or ASVAB tests in High School. You fill it out, the machine reads it, and processes the votes into the machine, where it is reviewed by the voter, who then approves it. Sounds all fine and well, right? Sure, but there is one major, costly problem....
You see, the local election boards must guess exactly how many people will come to the polls in November. A good forecaster will be worth his weight in gold, but this is a local government department we're talking about, where a college degree is about as rare as Halley's Comet. Let's just say the guesstimates up here were kinda off - WAY OFF...
According to n article in yesterday's Newsday, Nassau and Suffolk counties printed 1,780,000 total ballots. At first thought, 'Wednesday, Thursday, Friday' is our first thought. There are barely 3 million total residents in both counties. Our guess is that they printed one for every single registered voter on Long Island. Even basing estimates from the mammoth 2008 presidential vote wouldn't cause them to print a million. This was an midterm election, so our first thought is to print a half million....But what do we know.
So, how many were used? Right where we said as a guess - 515,000. So, both counties are left with nearly 1.3 MILLION unused ballots at 59 cents a pop to print, which is about $800,000 ... It gets worse. They have to keep all those unused ballots in storage until the next election cycle in two years, which is expected to tack on another half million dollars. Sick yet? That sound you hear is the giant sucking sound of wasted tax dollars...
No, electronic voting is not perfect. But, there hasn't been a case of tampering proven yet. Yeah, they lock up and crash at times, but a vote hasn't been proven to be lost yet. For some of us, that's not good enough. We need to come up with other ideas to make them feel more secure - and it costs more. It always costs more... Here's our solution: you want a frickin' piece of paper to feel like your vote counted? Pay a buck at the poll. Not good enough, tough shit. It's only worked this way for the past 230 years....
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'Democratical States must always feel before they can see.. It is this that makes their governments slow, but the people will be right at last!'
-George Washington.
Two hundred and thirty years later, and a truer statement may not exist. Foresight may no always be America's greatest asset, but once we feel the effect of a policy decision, we recognize it, and act. As for seeing and feeling Natasha Marley, it wouldn't take us long to act upon that idea...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHTdrPL22-Y&feature=related
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Yeah, it snowed here..... already. Not this much, just some good flurries for about an hour, but even for Long Island, snow on November 8th is very early. It took everyone by surprise - even the weatherman on the Live News. They'll get that way when the 'current temp' reads 43 degrees, but the traffic report shows snow...
Apparently, it was so windy (about 45 MPH) that the colder upper air pushed it's way down and made the west stuff freeze. For a further explanation, we take you to Bobby in the SC6 Weather Center.... It was a bit of a nice surprise. Who wouldn't rather see snow than rain? Still, if this is an indication of Winter 2010-11, it could be another ugly one. Blame it on Reino again...
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We're Just Glad It Wasn't Puck Who Got Elected....
For a party that has a reputation as being stuffy and dull, we Republicans do tend to elect some pretty interesting candidates to Congress. Whether it be the widow of a 60's Pop Icon, Cooter from the Dukes of Hazzard, or the Yeoman Purser from The Love Boat, the GOP occasionally will rip off a good one. For the MTV Generation like myself, we finally have one we can identify with...
If the name Sean Duffy doesn't ring a bell for you, we'll just say three words: The Real World. Duffy appeared on the show in it's heyday. His particular skill? Tree climbing. Growing up in Wisconsin, climbing trees in those big spiky boots is old hat. But, even in Cheddar Country, Duffy was exceptional. Now you probably remember him. If not, we wonder where you were in the early 90's...
After TRW, Duffy appeared on Road Rules, where he met his wife, who was a hottie from an earlier Real World, and they have six kids. Yeah, they've been busy. Eventually, Duffy got his law degree and worked his way through the GOP. His win was a big indicator of the change of 2010. He took over the seat of the retiring David Obey, who seemed to be Wisconsin's own version of John Spratt - a former moderate who grew tired of pushing Nancy Pelosi's bullshit. At least he was smart enough to quit...
Do we expect to see Duffy walking 90 degrees up the Capitol Rotunda in his spiky boots? No, but he could if he wanted to.... We'll settle for some sensible, fiscally responsible legislation. If that fails, then he can break out the boots.
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I Didn't Make This Map ... It's Already Been There
While on Facebook today, I had an indirect chat with 2/3 of the other Four Horsemen. The topic of conversation? The possibility of a 7th Congressional district in South Carolina. Honestly, despite all the assurances of people in the Palmetto State, I don't think we're getting one - but it does make an interesting discussion.
What makes me pretty sure about this? Two things. First, NO ONE in South Carolina has any control over how many seats a state gets. That's up to the Federal Government, and I read an official estimate from whatever agency controls that, stating that according to their estimates, SC will just miss out. Don't ask me what agency that is. Honestly, I forgot. But I'll take their word over my local state rep or senator... Secondly, the numbers (my favorite thing) back that up. The estimated population in the US is over 300 million. Divide that by 435 seats, and that equals about 689,000 people per seat. Multiply that by 7 seats, and South Carolina would need 4,875,000 citizens to qualify. They will probably miss out by at least 400,000. Methinks it ain't gonna happen...
Still, we'll ignore reason temporarily... Just where would the 7th be? Would the Pee Dee and Grand Strand get their seat back, or would Greenville and Spartanburg get the divorce that both want so badly? Perhaps both. I was going to look for a suggestive map, but it turns out there already is one - or more correctly, WAS one.
For those of you who know their history, South Carolina has had seven districts before. This is the map of the Old Seven, which went from 1883 until 1933, when they lost a seat. So, the roadmap for 2013 is kind of already in place. First you'll notice, it's not gerrymandered, mainly because SC
was so one sided, that districts didn't need to be gerrymandered. But, for the most part, it works today....
Yes, the new 7th would be the Pee Dee and Grand Strand, with the likelihood that it would be Republican. As for the 6th, Jim Clyburn would be a Columbia-based district, which I'm sure he wouldn't mind. He essentially would give up North Charleston for all of Columbia. The only obvious change I see here is him giving up Lexington County for Orangeburg. Joe Wilson's area stays the same for the most part, although the upper counties shown here would fall into the 3rd. Mick Mulvaney would lose the Pee Dee (good for him), and with a little tinkering, the 3rd and 4th districts might be split between the Two Sisters (Greenville & Spartanvegas).
So, the addition of a 7th district would be a good thing for the GOP, right? Not necessarily.... We foresee Tim Scott as a huge potential loser here. A 7th would chop half of his district up - the good half. Horry County is much more Red than Chucktown. Add the possibility of taking on North Charleston, which is bluer than a Fraternal of Police convention, and Scott has a problem. His only savior, ironically, may be Clyburn himself. The Whipper likes not having to worry about re-election every 2 years, and North Chucktown goes a long way towards ensuring that. It all boils down to whether Clyburn is more concerned about himself or his party's success. We think we know his priorities....Scott may be safe after all.
For all the discussion here, we still think it's all masturbatory... But, it does at least give some of us a chance to exercise our brains for a while.
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'Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called Conscience.'
-George Washington.
This is our little bit of advice for our new Congressmen and Senators, and the old ones as well..... As for the quote - Breast? Danneel Harris? Damn, that one is TOO EASY....
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Obviously, the GOP comeback in the House and Senate was the top story for the political cartoonists this week. Some were better than others, but we gave the nod to this one. Madame Speaker, you are excused....
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'Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the Governed.'
- Declaration of Independence, 1776.
For all of those newly elected, and re-elected people across the US, we remind you of your duty. You have our consent, but remember how you got here, because we'll be glad to revoke that consent.. Meanwhile, Melinda Clarke is showing her 'just powers'. She might be 41, but she's got our consent...
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