Of Byrd, Kennedy and Paul

For reasons that are unclear to me, and that don't really matter, I haven't written anything on here for quite a while.

Today is the Democratic Primary in Kentucky and Oregon, and with any luck Hillary Clinton will be out by this time tomorrow. That seems unlikely, given that Kentucky will go to Clinton because of her racist base there. Obama will win Oregon, but probably not by enough to end Clinton's run. If her rhetoric is any indication of how she really thinks and feels, then she is going to stay in it until the Democratic Convention. Perhaps I'm underestimating her scruples, and loyalty to the party, but methinks her ambition trumps those factors.

McCain continues to talk like a man who doesn't quite understand the impact of his words. Back in 2000 he seemed like any other moderate Republican. He was wrong most of the time even then, but now he comes across as painfully naive for a man of such experience. Not to mention his absurd and unjustified faith in laissez-faire economics. I'm not big on conspiracy theories, but McCain and Bush remind me of how the Reagan Administration used tax cuts to bankrupt government programs and render them ineffective to the point that it makes sense to advocate their elimination. Basically, to cripple them and then get rid of them entirely. How else can you explain cutting taxes during a war that was supposed to "pay for itself" in oil money, but instead has cost us just under a trillion dollars (just about any source will back that number up, In fact, it's rather conservative).

I just heard that Senator Ted Kennedy has been diagnosed with a brain tumor, located in the parietal lobe of his brain. I'm genuinely saddened by this, as we will certainly need him in the coming years. His retirement will make it easier for clueless Republicans to continue dismantling social programs and cut taxes. I'm quite happy with our two Massachusetts Senators. At one point, I volunteered for Kerry, during a Senate campaign back in 1990. This is around the time that I enthusiastically joined the Socialist Party and started the dance of a marginalized radical. But I understand the cultivated pragmatism of any mainstream politician, including Kerry. Sitting here in my flat, a man of absolutely so consequence, I don't have to worry about compromise and holding my tongue, as it were. Kennedy, who now appears to be in his last term, and Kerry are both good men. Personally, because of my disability and associated povery, I think I owe a lot to them both.

When I was a Socialist Party activist back in the day, mostly in the '90's, I worked with the Libertarian Party on something called the Fair Ballot Access Initiative. Libertarians, big and small "L" alike, were fun to work with and, despite many fundamental disagreements, we worked well together.

These days, the Libertarian Party is clearly the third party with the best hopes of cracking the two party system. Unfortunately, I don't think most libertarian enthusiasts are aware of what the party is advocating. A 25 year old stoner from Arizona told me not too long ago that she liked Ron Paul because he wants to get rid of "The Fed." When I asked her to explain why she wanted to go back on the gold standard, she balked. When I informed her that Paul supports an abortion ban, she called me a liar. I don't know what to do with an "activist" like that...by all means, find out everything about a candidate or cause before you order the button and hold the picket sign.

Oh, mercy. Senator Byrd was just on television, crying for Ted Kennedy. When we lose the likes of Byrd and Kennedy, which we will soon, we'll be left with a whole generation of Michael Keatons who think Ronald Reagan is a nation hero. Blurg...