From Mark Crowley...
Looks like Hurricane Gustav is going to put a damper on the Convention this week. It's Sunday evening and already Monday's schedule has been significantly abbreviated. In the mean time, the Massachusetts Delegation will still meet in the morning, but the broader convention events will be shortened to cover just the minimum administrative activities to get the nomination process started.
For certain, our first and foremost concern is for the people of the Gulf Coast as the hurricane approaches. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.
We should also be proud of how Senator McCain is handling the convention in light of the hurrican. He is showing the courage and leadership we look forward to see under his Presidency.
On a personal front, I made it to Minneapolis easily enought, but unfortunately my luggage did not. :( They say it should be here tonight (mix up with my connection in Chicago, I think).
Come back tomorrow for my debrief on Day 1.
...Mark
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
John McCain Selects Alaska Governor Sarah Palin As Vice Presidential Running Mate
From JohnMcCain.com
ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain today announced that he has selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate and to serve as his vice president.
Governor Palin is a tough executive who has demonstrated during her time in office that she is ready to be president. She has brought Republicans and Democrats together within her Administration and has a record of delivering on the change and reform that we need in Washington.
Governor Palin has challenged the influence of the big oil companies while fighting for the development of new energy resources. She leads a state that matters to every one of us -- Alaska has significant energy resources and she has been a leader in the fight to make America energy independent.
In Alaska, Governor Palin challenged a corrupt system and passed a landmark ethics reform bill. She has actually used her veto and cut budgetary spending. She put a stop to the "bridge to nowhere" that would have cost taxpayers $400 million dollars.
As the head of Alaska's National Guard and as the mother of a soldier herself, Governor Palin understands what it takes to lead our nation and she understands the importance of supporting our troops.
Governor Palin has the record of reform and bipartisanship that others can only speak of. Her experience in shaking up the status quo is exactly what is needed in Washington today.
ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain today announced that he has selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate and to serve as his vice president.
Governor Palin is a tough executive who has demonstrated during her time in office that she is ready to be president. She has brought Republicans and Democrats together within her Administration and has a record of delivering on the change and reform that we need in Washington.
Governor Palin has challenged the influence of the big oil companies while fighting for the development of new energy resources. She leads a state that matters to every one of us -- Alaska has significant energy resources and she has been a leader in the fight to make America energy independent.
In Alaska, Governor Palin challenged a corrupt system and passed a landmark ethics reform bill. She has actually used her veto and cut budgetary spending. She put a stop to the "bridge to nowhere" that would have cost taxpayers $400 million dollars.
As the head of Alaska's National Guard and as the mother of a soldier herself, Governor Palin understands what it takes to lead our nation and she understands the importance of supporting our troops.
Governor Palin has the record of reform and bipartisanship that others can only speak of. Her experience in shaking up the status quo is exactly what is needed in Washington today.
New GOP HQ brings the battle to Boston
Across Tremont Street from where Barack Obama supporters rallied, supporters of John McCain celebrated the newly opened McCain Boston Headquarters yesterday.Foto: NICOLAUS CZARNECKI/METRO
Barack Obama campaign volunteer William Spring, right, joins several dozen Obama supporters who rallied outside the John McCain Boston Headquarters. Foto: NICOLAUS
Local Republican leaders, including former Gov. Paul Cellucci, helped mark the opening of what they called a new “victory” headquarters, and they took turns encouraging a campaign of continued outreach to Bay Staters by promoting reasons why John McCain, their presidential candidate, is better fit to lead than Barack Obama.
Cellucci cited McCain’s long political career and criticized Obama for being “someone who has never been tested.”
“I think on the issue change and who has the capacity to lead and bring about the change the American people want, we’re going to see very clearly in the next two months that it is Sen. John McCain,” Cellucci said.
The office’s opening comes one day before McCain is rumored to announce his running mate, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney appears to be among the leading candidates. However, Rep. Paul Loscocco, R-Holliston, who helped organize yesterday’s event, downplayed the connection, citing the need for another local office to handle the party’s growing support base in Massachusetts.
“It will get people excited and encouraged to participate,” Loscocco said.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
"View From the Floor" - Updates from the RNC
By Mark Crowley…
Next week, it will be my honor and privilege to serve as a Delegate to the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis / St. Paul. I will be joined by fellow Medford committee member, Sarah Garland. We will be among 3 delegates and 3 alternates to represent the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District. In total, there are nearly 80 members in the Massachusetts delegation.
All week, I will be posting my observations from the convention on this blog. Be sure to come back to this site each day to get my “View From the Floor.”
Feel free to leave comments on the blog or email me directly at mark.crowley@verizon.com if you have any issues or questions you would like me to raise at the convention.
Regards,
Mark
Next week, it will be my honor and privilege to serve as a Delegate to the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis / St. Paul. I will be joined by fellow Medford committee member, Sarah Garland. We will be among 3 delegates and 3 alternates to represent the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District. In total, there are nearly 80 members in the Massachusetts delegation.
All week, I will be posting my observations from the convention on this blog. Be sure to come back to this site each day to get my “View From the Floor.”
Feel free to leave comments on the blog or email me directly at mark.crowley@verizon.com if you have any issues or questions you would like me to raise at the convention.
Regards,
Mark
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Democrats Aim for a 60-Vote Senate
POTOMAC WATCH
By KIMBERLEY A. STRASSEL
August 22, 2008; Page A13
Here's an intriguing thought: The John McCain-Barack Obama fight isn't this season's biggest political story. That honor should be reserved for the intense Democratic push to win a filibuster-proof Senate majority.
Democrats know this is a huge prize, and they are throwing at least as much money and sweat into that effort as they are into electing Mr. Obama. What isn't clear is that voters are as aware of the stakes. An unstoppable Democratic Senate has the potential to alter the balance of power in Washington in ways not yet seen.
A quick recap of the numbers: Republicans must defend 23 seats, compared to 12 for the Democrats. Of those GOP slots, 10 are at potential risk: Virginia, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Oregon, Colorado, Alaska, Mississippi, Maine and North Carolina. The Democrats claim only one vulnerable senator this year, Louisiana's Mary Landrieu. Depending on how big a day the party has in November, it is at least conceivable Democrats could get the nine seats they need to hit the magic 60.
The nation has had prior almighty Senates, of course, and it hasn't been pretty. Free of the filibuster check, the world's greatest deliberative body tends to go on benders. It was a filibuster-proof Democratic majority (or near to it, in his first years) that allowed FDR to pass his New Deal. It was a filibuster-proof Democratic Senate that allowed Lyndon Johnson to pass his Great Society.
Note, however, that it could have been worse. These were days with more varied political parties. Rebellious Democrats teamed up with Republicans to tangle with Roosevelt. Johnson ran the risk that the GOP would ally with Southern Democrats. There was some check.
As Karl Rove pointed out to me recently, the real risk of a 2009 filibuster-proof Senate is that the dissidents are gone. According to Congressional Quarterly, in 1994 Senate Democrats voted with their party 84% of the time. By 1998, that number was 86%. CQ's most recent analysis, of votes during the George W. Bush presidency, showed Democratic senators remained united 91% of the time. Should he get his 60 seats, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will be arguably more influential than the president.
Sure, 60 votes isn't enough to override a presidential veto. But a filibuster-proof majority would put Mr. Reid in almost complete control of the agenda. That holds equally true whether we have a President McCain or a President Obama.
A lot of voters are drawn to Mr. Obama's promises of bipartisanship. But with a filibuster-proof Senate, what Mr. Obama promised will be of secondary concern. Even if the presidential hopeful is sincere about working across the aisle (and that's a big if), Ted Kennedy, Pat Leahy, Barbara Boxer and Russ Feingold will prefer to do things their way. They'll be looking for opportunities to let their former rookie Senate colleague know who is in charge.
Mr. Reid won't necessarily need 60 votes to hold Washington's whip hand. With a contingent of blue-state Republicans (think Maine's Olympia Snowe), Mr. Reid could peel off votes and have an "effective" filibuster with just 57 or 58 seats. That may not be enough to accomplish every last item on his wish list, but close.
That wish list? Take a look at what House Democrats (who aren't burdened with a filibuster) unilaterally passed last year: The biggest tax increase in history; card check, which eliminates secret ballots in union organizing elections; an "energy" bill that lacks drilling; vastly expanded government health insurance; new powers to restrict pharmaceutical prices. Add to this a global warming program, new trade restrictions (certainly no new trade deals) and fewer private options in Medicare.
This explains why Congressional Democrats currently aren't moving spending bills, or energy bills, or anything. They are waiting for next year, when they hope to no longer have to deal with pesky Republicans. This also explains the Senate's paltry judicial confirmations this Congress. They want more vacancies. With a filibuster-proof majority, Democrats could reshape the judiciary under a President Obama, or refuse to confirm any Antonin Scalia-type appointments made by a President McCain.
Party leaders feel the Senate GOP can remain an effective opposition if it holds Democrats to 55 seats. If Republicans can continue to ride the energy debate, that just might be possible. As it is, they are feeling more confident about even tough fights in states like Colorado, Oregon or Minnesota.
Then again, it's a long way to November. Anything can happen. And if Congressional Democrats have their way, that "anything" will be undiluted power in Washington.
Write to kim@wsj.com
See all of today's editorials and op-eds, plus video commentary, on Opinion Journal.
By KIMBERLEY A. STRASSEL
August 22, 2008; Page A13
Here's an intriguing thought: The John McCain-Barack Obama fight isn't this season's biggest political story. That honor should be reserved for the intense Democratic push to win a filibuster-proof Senate majority.
Democrats know this is a huge prize, and they are throwing at least as much money and sweat into that effort as they are into electing Mr. Obama. What isn't clear is that voters are as aware of the stakes. An unstoppable Democratic Senate has the potential to alter the balance of power in Washington in ways not yet seen.
A quick recap of the numbers: Republicans must defend 23 seats, compared to 12 for the Democrats. Of those GOP slots, 10 are at potential risk: Virginia, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Oregon, Colorado, Alaska, Mississippi, Maine and North Carolina. The Democrats claim only one vulnerable senator this year, Louisiana's Mary Landrieu. Depending on how big a day the party has in November, it is at least conceivable Democrats could get the nine seats they need to hit the magic 60.
The nation has had prior almighty Senates, of course, and it hasn't been pretty. Free of the filibuster check, the world's greatest deliberative body tends to go on benders. It was a filibuster-proof Democratic majority (or near to it, in his first years) that allowed FDR to pass his New Deal. It was a filibuster-proof Democratic Senate that allowed Lyndon Johnson to pass his Great Society.
Note, however, that it could have been worse. These were days with more varied political parties. Rebellious Democrats teamed up with Republicans to tangle with Roosevelt. Johnson ran the risk that the GOP would ally with Southern Democrats. There was some check.
As Karl Rove pointed out to me recently, the real risk of a 2009 filibuster-proof Senate is that the dissidents are gone. According to Congressional Quarterly, in 1994 Senate Democrats voted with their party 84% of the time. By 1998, that number was 86%. CQ's most recent analysis, of votes during the George W. Bush presidency, showed Democratic senators remained united 91% of the time. Should he get his 60 seats, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will be arguably more influential than the president.
Sure, 60 votes isn't enough to override a presidential veto. But a filibuster-proof majority would put Mr. Reid in almost complete control of the agenda. That holds equally true whether we have a President McCain or a President Obama.
A lot of voters are drawn to Mr. Obama's promises of bipartisanship. But with a filibuster-proof Senate, what Mr. Obama promised will be of secondary concern. Even if the presidential hopeful is sincere about working across the aisle (and that's a big if), Ted Kennedy, Pat Leahy, Barbara Boxer and Russ Feingold will prefer to do things their way. They'll be looking for opportunities to let their former rookie Senate colleague know who is in charge.
Mr. Reid won't necessarily need 60 votes to hold Washington's whip hand. With a contingent of blue-state Republicans (think Maine's Olympia Snowe), Mr. Reid could peel off votes and have an "effective" filibuster with just 57 or 58 seats. That may not be enough to accomplish every last item on his wish list, but close.
That wish list? Take a look at what House Democrats (who aren't burdened with a filibuster) unilaterally passed last year: The biggest tax increase in history; card check, which eliminates secret ballots in union organizing elections; an "energy" bill that lacks drilling; vastly expanded government health insurance; new powers to restrict pharmaceutical prices. Add to this a global warming program, new trade restrictions (certainly no new trade deals) and fewer private options in Medicare.
This explains why Congressional Democrats currently aren't moving spending bills, or energy bills, or anything. They are waiting for next year, when they hope to no longer have to deal with pesky Republicans. This also explains the Senate's paltry judicial confirmations this Congress. They want more vacancies. With a filibuster-proof majority, Democrats could reshape the judiciary under a President Obama, or refuse to confirm any Antonin Scalia-type appointments made by a President McCain.
Party leaders feel the Senate GOP can remain an effective opposition if it holds Democrats to 55 seats. If Republicans can continue to ride the energy debate, that just might be possible. As it is, they are feeling more confident about even tough fights in states like Colorado, Oregon or Minnesota.
Then again, it's a long way to November. Anything can happen. And if Congressional Democrats have their way, that "anything" will be undiluted power in Washington.
Write to kim@wsj.com
See all of today's editorials and op-eds, plus video commentary, on Opinion Journal.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Richard Grant's letter to the Medford Transcript
To the editor:
More of the same.
As usual, Mr. Casey doled out his usual vitriolic hate Bush drivel in the first half of his rant and used the second half as a half baked attempt to be fair and balanced. Unfortunately, his guise doesn’t work and we, the people, know what this hate monger is all about.
Rather than to say anything bad about his hero, Barrack Obama, he pretends to be fair by going after Keith Olberman. Nice try, but as Abraham Lincoln said very succinctly, “You can fool all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time”
Mr. Casey in his Bush hatred neglects to point out that since 9/11 we haven’t been attacked once. Even if he was half awake during social studies classes he would know that the president can’t spend a dime without congressional approval which, of course, is under Democratic rule.
I guess Casey would like our federal government to emulate the commonwealth of Massachusetts one party rule .
It is time to put the lights out on Mr. Casey as another of his heroes, Nancy Pelosi, did on the Republicans when they wanted to vote on more drilling for oil. Casey easily blames Bush for high oil prices, but when he tries to do something about it Reid and Pelosi spit into the faces of their constituents.
Richard A. Grant
Brookings Street
Medford
More of the same.
As usual, Mr. Casey doled out his usual vitriolic hate Bush drivel in the first half of his rant and used the second half as a half baked attempt to be fair and balanced. Unfortunately, his guise doesn’t work and we, the people, know what this hate monger is all about.
Rather than to say anything bad about his hero, Barrack Obama, he pretends to be fair by going after Keith Olberman. Nice try, but as Abraham Lincoln said very succinctly, “You can fool all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time”
Mr. Casey in his Bush hatred neglects to point out that since 9/11 we haven’t been attacked once. Even if he was half awake during social studies classes he would know that the president can’t spend a dime without congressional approval which, of course, is under Democratic rule.
I guess Casey would like our federal government to emulate the commonwealth of Massachusetts one party rule .
It is time to put the lights out on Mr. Casey as another of his heroes, Nancy Pelosi, did on the Republicans when they wanted to vote on more drilling for oil. Casey easily blames Bush for high oil prices, but when he tries to do something about it Reid and Pelosi spit into the faces of their constituents.
Richard A. Grant
Brookings Street
Medford
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
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