Is Wisconsin GoverNO! Scott Walker Biting The Hand That Fed Him?

Calm down, Scotty, calm down.

Watching Wisconsin public sector employees asserting their right to collective bargaining, I wondered whether GoverNO! Scott Parker was about to bite the hand that fed him - to fire, as he has threatened lately, more than a thousand state employees should he fail to get his way on ending meaningful collective bargaining for public sector employees. Interestingly, these are some of his own campaign contributors. So, last evening I visited Wisconsin's Campaign Finance Information System (WCFIS) to see how many public school teachers contributed to Friends of Scott Walker, his campaign organization. I ran a search of the contributions database, and queried monetary donations only.

Although the number of public school teachers who contributed money to Scott Walker's gubernatorial campaign was small, their contributions were generous. In all, these 37 public servants donated $10, 304.99 to help catapult Mr. Walker into the governor's mansion. The average contribution is somewhat less useful than the median since four contributors gave more than $1,000, skewing the average to the high side. The median of $250, though, indicates that half the teachers gave less than that and half gave more.  These generous people included full-time teachers, of course. But there were also teachers aides; a substitute teacher; a music teacher; a teacher/librarian; retired public school teachers; and a special ed. teacher. 

The fact, though, that teachers gave contributions to Walker's campaign is not a foolproof indication of their underlying reasons for doing so. The data provided by WCFIS doesn't, of course, indicate whether they are union members at all. In fact, their motivations may be far from education issues altogether; some, maybe all, admired Walker for his stance on abortion (he's against, regardless of the reason), or his fiscal conservatism. His beliefs about the importance of asserting state sovereignty move some, as well as his anti-tax stance. And, let's face it, Scott Walker's feelings about public sector unions have been well-known for many years, particularly in Milwaukee.  So anyone who didn't, at the very least, suspect that a Walker governorship would not go easy on collective bargaining was not paying attention.

So, perhaps the list below does not reveal anything certain about the contributors at all. Yet, one can't help wonder if a few of those teachers who gave their support to candidate Walker tonight sit near the state capitol, having marched and chanted all day, and entertaining some doubts and regrets . . .

Contributors to Scott Walker's Gubernatorial Campaign Identifying Themselves As Teachers (monetary donations only).

[The numbers in brackets indicate the total number of contributions made.]

Contribution	Occupation	Employer
220	TEACHER -- ED05 - EDUCATION - TEACHER HIGH SCHOOL	Kenosha High School
1000	TEACHER	Elmbrook School District
350 [2]	TEACHER	Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS)
475 [3]	TEACHERS AIDE -- ED03 - EDUCATION - INSTRUCTOR	Montello High School
400 [3]	Education - Teacher K through 12	Racine Unified Schools
125 [3]	TEACHER -- ED06 - EDUCATION - TEACHER K THROUGH 12	Wauwatosa School District
250	TEACHER	Elkorn Area School District
250	TEACHER	Slinger School Dist.
200	TEACHER	MPS
49.99	TEACHER -- ED05 - EDUCATION - TEACHER HIGH SCHOOL	Hortonville School District
65 [3]	TEACHER	Iowa-Grant Schools
100	TEACHER/LIBRARIAN	Kiel Area School District
350 [2]	TEACHER	Elkhorn Area Middle School
200	MUSIC TEACHER	Brookfield Christian School
125 [2]	RETIRED -- ED06 - EDUCATION - TEACHER K THROUGH 12	retired - public school
325 [4]	TEACHER -- ED06 - EDUCATION - TEACHER K THROUGH 12	Franklin Public Schools
125 [7]	RETIRED (FORMER TEACHER) -- OT02 - OTHER - RETIRED	Retired - public school
150	Teachers Aide	Kewaskum School District
1250 [4]	SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER	Walworth County
50	TEACHER	Franklin Public Schools
100	RETIRED - TEACHER	Retired - public school
100	TEACHER	Oshkosh Area School District
300	TEACHER	Milwaukee Area Technical College
150 [2]	TEACHER	West Allis/West Milwaukee Schools
1500 [2]	Education - Teacher K through 12	Whitnall Schools
25	TEACHER	Pittsville Elem.
120 [4]	RETIRED TEACHER	Manitowoc Public School District
100	TEACHER	Retired - public school
250	Teacher	Mequon-Thiensville School District
325 [6]	TEACHER -- ED06 - EDUCATION - TEACHER K THROUGH 12	MPS
50	TEACHER	Milwaukee Public Schools
70 [2]	TEACHER	School District of Cudahy
245 [8]	TEACHER -- ED06 - EDUCATION - TEACHER K THROUGH 12	Milwaukee Public Schools
500	TEACHER ( RETIRED)	Mequon-Thiensville School District
50	SUBSTITUTE TEACHER -- ED03 - EDUCATION - INSTRUCTOR	Watertown School District
200	Education - Teacher K through 12	Greendale School District
160 [4]	SUBSTITUTE TEACHER	self [public school]

Source: Wisconsin's Campaign Finance Information System

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House GOP To Senate Dems: "Let Us Put You In A Brand New Budget Today!!"

Oh, and a tank of gas is on
. . . you! Get it?

Since I Like You, I'll Rent Ya Dis Gorgeous Auto-mo-bile Without Wheels For Four Billion Bills A Month!  That's the kind of deal offered this week to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Democrats by the House GOP to keep the government up and running for another month.  To call this a "budget impasse" is like finding an elephant in your living room and calling it a "pet." This budget elephant did not arrive overnight, so some background follows.

The continuing appropriations bill (HR 1) to fund the government for the remainder of FY 2011 (through September 30, 2011) passed the House with a big yawn at 4:40 a.m. last Saturday.  When presented  HR 1, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid released a statement that began like this: 

"Now that House Republicans have gotten this vote out of their system, I hope they will drop the threats of shutting down the government and work with the Senate on responsible cuts that allow our nation's economic recovery to continue . . . "

That's shorthand for "HR 1 is DOA."  Reid reacted by tasking 38 year Senate appropriations committee veteran, Daniel Inouye (HI), now Chairman, to prepare

"a clean Continuing Resolution that I [Reid] can bring to the floor next week. . . This bill will include the $41 billion in budget cuts that Democrats and Republicans agreed to in December, and will keep the government running for 30 days while both sides can negotiate a common-sense, long-term solution."

Up Your Cuts!  Although Reid indicated the short-term resolution would include the "$41 Billion in budget cuts that Democrats and Republicans agreed to in December," savvy observers say that's not likely. For example, during a press conference with Reid, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said, “We know the 1 month levels won’t be permanent. They just allow for a neutral level while we negotiate.” "Neutral level" would seem to rule out those $41 Billion in cuts. Reid did not distance himself from that.

Additionally, Reid has said that he will not accept any of the riders or changes in legislation included in the House bill, such as policy measures that defund Planned Parenthood or rescind the EPA's authority to regulate pollution. This stance itself is key, since the GOP-dominated House added these riders to enact, through the back door of a CR, critical portions of its social and deregulation agenda. The Senate Democrats will have nothing of this, nor will President Obama (at least that's what both have thus far stated, yet recall the cave-in for the Bush tax cuts extension last December).

Right Turn Only!   In any event, House RepubliCuts have their own plans, though, and they don't include Harry Reid. Last Tuesday, replying to Reid, John Boehner communicated, "If Senator Reid refuses to bring [HR 1] to a vote, then the House will pass a short-term bill to keep the government running – one that also cuts spending."

Turn Right for
Bread Lines.

The spending cuts Boehner refers to are a pro-rated share of the $61 Billion in cuts already included in the House-passed HR 1. Yes, the same cuts that Reid has already rejected. So, now, Reid will accept them?  Basically, Boehner's saying, "I'm off to the golf course. Call me when you come to my senses." Reid will not, and should not. The House GOP price for "compromise" is the pro-rated share of $61 Billion for those thirty days of the short-term CR -- 4Billion Bucks. Such a deal! 

So, within nine days of a government shutdown, both sides seem to be going places, but not in the usual sense of the phrase.  Firstly, they fled the crucial work here in D.C. for a weeklong holiday, officially known as a "Constituent Work Week," i.e. seven days of grab-handing, rubber-chicken-eating, Boy-Scout-saluting, money-grubbing.  Secondly, when they return, it's certain Dems and GOPs be going in opposite directions until the last possible moment when the last poll is released rating the public's feelings about a government shutdown.  Both sides have a lot to lose.  Let's not forget Newt Gingrich's shutdown gambit . . . Who'll blink first this time? About that, it's worthwhile to consider Nate Silver's exceptional article, Budgetary Zugzwang, over at FiveThirtyEight.

Oh, And Finally, Remember When You Stayed Up All Night Studying Only To Have The Test Postponed?  Here's something to remind us we do not live in a real world anymore:  If there is a "government shutdown" on March 5th, it really won't be a shutdown at all. 

I need a drink.

They Really Will.

A Call To Budget Bipartisanship! Let's Stop Express Mailing Empty Containers!

Why not schedule a vote on this today, Speaker Boehner?!   Senator Reid, here's something you can stand up for!  That is, if you were in town . . . Ah well, when you get back, make the item below - from the President's 2012 budget proposal - a separate bill and pass it immediately.  Rally the country.

Below - it's not a joke - is an item from the TERMINATIONS, REDUCTIONS, AND SAVINGS portion of the proposed 2012 federal budget.

Here's a test of the so-called new age of civility.  Can we all agree on this?

OTHER SAVINGS: STOP THE EXPRESS DELIVERY OF EMPTY CONTAINERS

Department of Agriculture

     A Department of Agriculture (USDA) employee within the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) stated that "each day many laboratory samples are sent out through Fed Ex express, next day service. While it is important to get our samples to the lab as quickly as possible, it is not as important to get the container back. The laboratory sends the sample box back to the originator by the same express method." The employee suggests that FSIS could save money by having those boxes shipped back through regular ground service. USDA agrees, and is asking FSIS to ship empty sample containers by standard service.

     FSIS currently collects approximately 125,000 samples per year by sending laboratory sample packages from the inspection facility to one of three Agency field labs. The Agency estimates that it costs $15.00 per round trip or a total cost of $1,875,000 for shipping alone. If the Agency started shipping back the laboratory sample packages by ground, it believes it could save approximately $350,000 in 2012.

Funding Summary

(In millions of dollars)

.                             2011              2012                    2011-2015

Savings.........-0.150           -0.350                     -1.050

Justification


     The assumptions are that the one-way return of the five pound package costs an average of $6.14 to ship overnight and if shipped by ground, the cost falls to an average of $3.48 or a savings of $2.66 per shipment. This program will be launched in January 2011 providing an estimated 2011 savings of $150,000.

Why not just . . . "Justification . . . DUH!"  We all applaud the USDA employee who thought of this - really they ought provide his/her name. I'm going to ask USDA whether a monetary award followed . . . and if their budget permitted any awards at all . . .

In any event, how about passing along the savings to the 99ers, those out of work for more than 99 weeks, and ineligible for further unemployment insurance benefits)?  Now there's a non-starter, eh, Speaker Boehner?

More Sobering News Coming About Record-Breaking Longterm Unemployment.



FDR Memorial, Wash., D.C.



"There has been an unprecedented rise in the number of persons with very long durations of unemployment during the recent labor market downturn. Nearly 11 percent of unemployed persons had been looking for work for about 2 years or more in the fourth quarter of 2010. . ." Bureau of Labor Statistics, Changes to data collected on unemployment duration  [See report here]

Welcome To The Unemployed Lifestyle. . .Two years ago in Welcome to the Part-Time Lifestyle [here] , I wrote about my belief - considered overly downbeat then - that unemployment would rise from its then 7.2% to well above 9%. In that article, though, my primary concern was underemployment, and I felt it too would rise from 13.6% that January to 18-21%. It's presently hovering around 20%. Accurate measurement of unemployment or underemployment, though, depends upon which variables are measured, and why those variables are chosen at all. And, in government especially, those choices, seemingly only mathematical in nature, are highly political, particularly since data generated by the variables provides critical information to policy makers.

Recall the Reagan era brouhaha over USDA's suggestion that ketchup and pickle relish be counted as vegetables when reimbursing school districts for their costs in the school lunch program. The purpose? By redefining "vegetable" the USDA could achieve savings. Schools could validly offer ketchup as a portion of the two required servings of veggies required for a reimbursable lunch. They then would reduce costs by limiting purchases of more costly veggies, which, by the way, school children often tossed into the trash before they got from the buffet to their tables. The idea was never implemented due to various "outcriers," including the Democratic party (back when more ot them knew how to outcry).

The ketchup episode shows how changes in definitions or methods of measurement can go surprisingly political. These days, in the Lesser Depression, a recent change in data collection at Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) promises to "go political" as well. Due to this change at BLS, people unemployed for between three and five years will be counted in a meaningful way. For the first time in the Lesser Depression we'll learn that for more than a million long-term unemployed Americans their plight has dragged on for much longer than we believed Here's BLS's comment:

Prior to [January 2011], the CPS accepted unemployment durations of up to 2 years; any response of unemployment duration greater than this was entered as 2 years. Starting with data for January 2011, respondents are able to report unemployment durations of up to 5 years. This change affects estimates of average (mean) duration of  unemployment . . . [Emphasis added] 

Already, in the first month of the Current Population Survey data collection revision, we've learned that significantly more out of work Americans have been unemployed for more than two years. [Access BLS data tables here] Average time out of work rose for long-termers in all age groups, ethnic categories, genders, and industries. In addition, note that the BLS revision is being phased in over the first four months of 2011, so all households will not have reported under the new duration upper limit until April.
 

The Politics Of The Numbers.

As a measure of the pain of unemployment in America, the BLS data to come may make it more difficult for the GOP/TP to turn its back on extending unemployment benefits. In particular, they may finally be pushed by public pressure (if not the Democratic party) to provide additional weeks of unemployment benefits for more than a million 99ers, those out of work for more than 99 weeks and thus ineligible for further benefits.  Moreover, state and national budgets, both for the rest of this fiscal year and next, will be draconian enough to make Ebenezer Scrooge cry out in sympathy. The outlook for unemployment is grim, as state and national governments cut everything in sight, especially public sector jobs. Hopes for an overall economic recovery from which all Americans share through rising employment is a long shot.

If ever it was needed before, a vocal and combative Democratic party is critical to reviving the hopes and households of all Americans from what's left of the middle class. The poor, of course, are a primary target of righteous conservatives.

What to do?  How do we restart the economy in a way that leads to real job creation, here, in the U.S. (shipping jobs abroad doesn't count - last year one Fortune 500 company hired some 250p,000 employees, 80% of them overseas . . .).  And, it's true, many jobs lost during this Lesser Depression are gone, perhaps forever - manufacturing occupations most noticeably, as automation increases productivity less humans are required; for heavy non-automated lifting, salaries in Mexico, India, etc. are less on average in dollars. Cheap labor and rising product quality in China and India is cleaning our clock (India is also impacting our service sector as well). 

Given our infrastructure needs for maintenance and repair, reviving public works projects, combined with 21st century job training/transition programs would help boost employment in vital industries like construction, where unemployment is presently among the highest. This also would give life to allied service and manufacturing industries.  At their best, public works projects would increase demand in the economy as more people got back to work, thus inducing supply deficits that then would induce more hiring , and, in time, revive the private sector labor market.

But, of course, I'm a demand side thinker . . . And we're not in charge.  The GOP/TP and (what's left of) the Blue Dog Dems are supply siders, and their hammer is tax cuts applied to every budget nail.  The GOP so dominates the fiscal and budget debate, and their supply side philosophy is so ingrained in the public mind, that hoping for more fiscal stimulus is pure fantasy.  So, draconian budget cuts are the order of the day. 

I believe that the fiscal austerity they hammer away at is ill-timed when employment is high, especially underemployment (at nearly 20%). Public sector salary cuts and firings at the federal and state level promise to further dampen demand, and with businesses across the board having learned to operate more productively with fewer employees, we'll need a miracle to avoid getting hammered with more Americans added to the jobless rolls. 

The "recovery" thus far is anemic, largely confined to the financial sector.  There can be no true recovery - other than what's been accomplished in the financial "industry," largely with taxpayer funds - unless the mass of Americans now unemployed are able to get back to work, or into training programs to prepare them to transition to 21st century occupations. Full recovery, too, will not be like other recoveries.  This one requires a mental retooling - a deeper examination of our national and commercial strengths and an alignment with the 21st century.  Can we ever expect, for instance, to have a robust steel industry again?  In any event, what we do not need now, through ideologically-driven fiscal austerity, is to get hammered with another leg down . . . 

Best Websites In Congress - Where Does The Tea Party Caucus Rank?

The Congressional Management Foundation - nonpartisan, nonprofit, and nongovernmental - works with Congress to "identify and disseminate best management, communication, and citizen engagement practices through research, publication, training, consulting, and facilitation activities."

One of their more interesting reports is their "Golden Mouse Award," an analysis and rating of Congressional websites. It's fun and interesting reading, and perhaps you'll find it interesting, not merely for Congressional websites, but also for your own (assuming here, of course, that everyone has a website).

2010 Ratings of US Congress Websites -

Where does the Tea Party Caucus' website rank?  The report above did not rate the TPC's website, but I did find the picture below that might help you decide.

Tea Party Caucus "webmasters" make connections to their followers
through tubes into the cloud emitted by the Internet World Wide Web.

Egypt Reborn: May Peace Be Upon You.

11 February 2011

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Signed For Remake Of Jim Carrey's Hit Movie "Liar Liar"

Wish I Hadn't Said That.  Immediately following his reelection in September 2005, Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak gave a speech to his nation.  It's an address he'll surely be reminded of more than ever before in light of his resignation today.  Mubarak had just won reelection to a fifth term and was obviously feeling in a charitable mood. And why not?  He'd managed to attract 88.5% of the votes, while ignoring the deflating news that only 23 percent of Egyptian voters bothered to show up. In the end he garnered the votes of merely 8.6 percent of Egypt's overall population. Oh, and yeah, the election was rigged like an 19th Century ship of the line. 

We all utter noises that later embarrass us.  A friend of mine, quoting Little Red Riding Hood, once blurted out to me, "Oh, what big ears you have!" at the precise moment when a fellow with (of course) enormous ears wheeled around the corner heading straight for us.  I put my head so far down that my sternum maintained an impression of my chin for a week, but, nevertheless, I did catch a glimpse of the expression on the poor man's face as he and his monumental ears strode past.  It made things no better when she turned quickly to yell, "Oh, I didn't mean your ears!"

What's this to do with Mubarak?  Not much, it's a story I've been saving for even the slightest provocation.  Mubarak provides it. My friend always regretted her words that day (although she told the story often, literally shaking with laughter).  Mubarak, too, will have much to regret saying, particularly the huge whoppers in his post-election hubris-laden speech in September 2005.  Here are the quotes that make one wince:

He dove right in with this delusional belief:

"The true victory is the victory for democracy and pluralism."

Then this one, downright clinically dishonest. Did he say this with a straight face?

"I say to the young, the workers, the peasants, the intellectuals and the middle classes: I will stand by your side and support your causes and ambitions . . ."

This was nothing new.  Pre-election, August 17, 2005, in his first interview after the launch of his reelection campaign, Mubarak told Al-Ahram Weekly that, in the face of demands for international election monitors, he rejected any foreign interference in the electoral process.  Neutral election bean counters would wreck everything, although he had enough sense not to say that. Then in a verbal stunner, he went on:

"Ultimately, what is right will prevail, because the Egyptian people are aware. They can make their own choices, and they know how to tell the difference between hollow slogans and my serious electoral platform . . ."

Geeze Louise!  As things turned out today with his skeedaddle from Cairo and from the presidency, he'll have time and leisure, - unless indicted for various and sundry horrific crimes - to reminisce about how he almost got away with it.

Glenn Beck Weeps About . . . Weeping.

(Link) View more Liz Rosenberg's Mom Sound Clips and Liz Rosenberg Sound Clips

Let Us Not Nudge Lest We Be Nudged.  The human crying towel known as Glenn Beck mocking Nancy Pelosi is like, well, the human crying towel known as Glenn Beck mocking Nancy Pelosi.




Surprisingly, Glenn Beck sometimes fakes it. Vicks ought to pick this up for commercial use:


 

(Read the story at Crooks & Liars)

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Did Fundraiser For Military Family Children Fall Victim To Sarah Palin's Ambition?



Sun., 2-5-2011. Excited Long Island Association members
react to Sarah Palin's confirmation that she will address their  
annual meeting on February 17th in Woodbury, New York.  
The New York state border can be seen at the
tree line behind the excited crowd.

Next Time We'll Invite Hosni Mubarak!  The Sharon K Pacheco Foundation planned a remarkably admirable charitable event for May 2nd at the Infinity Park Event Center in Glendale, Colorado:  The Patriots and Warriors Gala, a fundraiser to support a grief camp for children of military families whose relatives have died in combat.  On February 5th, however, just one day after the announcement of the event, the foundation abruptly canceled.  Even half priced tickets weren't enough. They explained on their Facebook page :

“Due to an onslaught of personal attacks against Governor Palin and others associated with her appearance, it is with deep sadness and disappointment that, in the best interest of all, we cancel the event for safety concerns.”

The website's Statement Regarding Cancellation of Gala continues:

" . . . no direct threats have been made against anyone, but the recent increase in negative rhetoric against the former Alaska governor 'raises concern for her safety and the safety of others despite the call for civility in America,' following the tragic Tucson shooting.

While we certainly knew [Palin's] appearance would spark incredible interest, both in support of and against, we were not prepared for the intense and overwhelming personal attacks against our organization or individuals who have given tremendous personal time and made great sacrifices to help support our mission. Some have even gone so far as to attempt to berate our namesake, volunteers, and others in a very brutal and personal way, which has raised personal safety concerns for these individuals and their families." [click link above for complete statement]

Perhaps Donald Rumsfeld Is Available?  Yes, once again it's those violent lefties in attack mode; there's nothing like a fundraiser for the grieving kids of military families that gets a liberal's dander up.  At least that seems to be the foundation's notion - they don't actually say it aloud, but the hints are there. After all, it's easy to believe that no morally straight right winger would mount an "onslaught of personal attacks against Governor Palin and others associated with her appearance." It follows then that it's the usual suspects: those tree hugging, global warming, vegetable eating, Obamacaring, entitlement gobbling socialist-communist-fascist asscrack l.i.b.e.r.a.l.s!

Poll this, socialist!

Although the cancellation of the fundraiser is upsetting, particularly for something so well-intentioned, I have a difficult time believing the party line. Surely, there's been a steep decline in Palin's popularity, to all-time lows, pleasantly displayed in the polling results below.

CBS News/New York Times Poll. Jan. 15-19, 2011

Favorable   Not favorable

  19%             57%
CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Jan. 14-16, 2011

Favorable    Not favorable

38%            56%
[for more see PollingReport.com]

By comparison, Joseph Stalin polled well over 99% favorability.  So, Palin, therefore, is viewed less favorably than Stalin (although, let's face it, Stalin had a way with folks that's hard to replicate).  Yet, being less liked than Stalin would not concern her supporters, it would, and should, please them mightily. Frankly, those who would never attend a Palin event - even a worthy one like the Patriots and Warriors Gala - would not, of course, attend this one. And those who support her would have jumped at the half price tickets offered on February 4th.

Go ahead, liberalista, I dare you!

"Let's Lift The Cow's Tail And Face The Situation Squarely In The Face." Lyndon B. Johnson.  Shall we?   My bet is that this brouhaha just might have occurred because of a little trick of the calendar.  You see, on January 24th, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library announced May 2, 2011, as the date for the first presidential debate for Republican candidates. Sarah Palin attended the Reagan Centennial ceremonies and keynoted at the Reagan Ranch Center, last Friday, February 4th.

I only believe in coincidences when they benefit me, so, given the confluence of dates, I wonder?  Did Presidential wannabe Palin  wonder whether she ought to - just in case, dontcha know - keep that May 2nd date open to bigger things, like mouthing off and debating?  Then - really just speculating here - did she ditch the Patriots and Warriors gig?  I know this is mean, but I wouldn't put it past her.

If so, some explanation was required, especially when the ditched gig was to benefit grieving military children.  Something big was needed, and Palin had to have deniability.  So, being really nice folks, the "ditch-ees" assured Sarah they'd provide a smoke screen. Somewhere along the line, though, some politically naive helper-outer cooked up the idea to blame it all on that violent cadre of animal loving liberals. As we've seen, that didn't go well. I doubt that most people believed it.  

I know, it's beneath me to speculate so cravenly, although when it comes to the likes of the Palins in our midst, I have to admit, I am blissfully craven. And, although I maintain my childlike innocence, I can skid quite capably into shouting "Yes!" to a conspiracy theory.  Yet, this conspiracy I've jury rigged together, based solely on circumstantial evidence and juvenile glee, is a long shot. We're all a little Palinophobic by now, willing to believe just about anything.  Like, perhaps she was raised by wolves. 

But, let's suppose the foundation's explanations are truthful, and the event was cancelled due to "an onslaught of personal attacks against Governor Palin and others . . ." Despite what this says about our political and moral temperature, wouldn't it be a well-deserved irony if the very fear of violence that Sarah did so much to stoke finally bit her in the butt?  I wish her no physical harm - I'm craven, not heartless - but if this kind of reception continues, she'll have to cancel just about everything. And to that I say, "Go, Sarah, go!"

****** Mercifully, there is no read more ******

Tahrir Square - Honeymoon Hotspot.

The Ballad Of Ahmad and Mona.

Married yesterday in Tahrir  Square.
15,000+++ in attendance.

Honeymooning behind a barricade.

MUST-SEE: The wedding must go on!
Tahrir square for our honeymoon
3 #Egypt #Jan25 #ArabProtest

Egyptian President Mubarak Serves Red Herring To Protesters.

Produced in Egypt by the United States
Departments of State and Defense,
and the United States Congress
at a cost of $110,000,000,000.

Neither Logic Nor Reality.  Thursday night's Christiane Amanpour interview of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak gave us a revealing view of his reasoning about the popular uprising, then in its ninth day. The protests, suddenly rent with the violence of pro-Mubarak forces,  brought the President out of hiding to comment. His key responses were to Ananpour's question about his possible resignation.

"If I resign today, there will be chaos. . . I was very unhappy about yesterday. I do not want to see Egyptians fighting each other. . . I don't care what people say about me. Right now I care about my country."

In 1927, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis wrote, "The logic of words should yield to the logic of realities." In his attempt to shift responsibility, President Mubarak's comments abuse logic and ignore reality. In fact, it's a verbal stunner, a soup of distortions that will find its way into the lexicon of modern Egyptian history.

Velvet Words, Burlap Meanings. Yet, on first hearing, Mubarak arguably sounds resolute, steeped in affection for home and hearth. Likewise, newly minted Vice President Omar Suleiman later told Amanpour that "We always respect our president, respect our father, respect the guy who's done as well for his country as president Mubarak has done."  Indeed, there's truth to Suleiman's observation: Mubarak has a well-earned reputation for bravery in military service to Egypt; he did at some times - long past - listen to his people's aspirations;  he walked an unenviable path between Israeli mistrust and Islamic resentment. 

Now, though, Mubarak's apparently sincere words fail to match the reality on the ground, and the regime's part in it.  He's ratified the harsher measures we saw on Wednesday, if not actually ordering them himself. He watched the attacks on journalists in the attempt to banish the press and isolate the protesters.  In these activities, the same enabling role is also true of Suleiman. Still and all, here they are avowing their love of all Egyptians. Where have they been the last 48 hours, the last 10 days?   Certainly not in Egypt.

It may be argued that Suleiman's remarks about Mubarak are the wistful sentiments of a longtime colleague. Mubarak's words and nonaction, though, throttle the truth and strongly suggest insincerity.  Applying the "smell test" fails.  He's "fed up" with the Presidency?  He just wishes that he could step down? About that, let's note he's been hard at work trying to deflate, discredit, and defeat the protesters for at least the past few days.  And to what purpose?  To ease his way out of the office he maintains he's "fed up" with?  If that's what he expected to convey during his Amanpour interview - and in his earlier speech to the nation as well - then he's failed the "logic of realities." 

If the reality on the ground is a guide, his tenure  is finished (and Suleiman's), unless he wants to be literally pushed out of office, or reduced to a dying figurehead with little or no power. He knows that. His best bet is to leave, to retirement on a Pharaoh's pension in Sharm-el-Sheik. 

"Let Them Eat Red Herring"  But let's briefly accept that Mubarak truly is "fed up" with the presidency, then the only reason for holding onto power he's advanced is his fear of the consequences of his leaving, his concern about "chaos." This, however, is like throwing a coconut cream pie in a stranger's face and then complaining that your victim's anger has caused you emotional damage. 

Not palatable.

Let's face it, the chaos in Cairo, in largest part, was caused by Mubarak and his crony-heavy regime, both in an immediate and long term sense.  Shifting the blame and changing the question is a shopworn tactic, politicians everywhere use it, it's the screwdriver in the tool box. We experienced it, for example, when the Bush II administration put the unprepared and inexperienced Michael Brown in charge of FEMA, and following Hurricane Katrina then asserted, "See, federal government programs don't work!" Well, they set it up to fail, there and elsewhere, to lend credence to their anti-governance rhetoric. A classic red herring.

Given Mubarak's record of late, particularly his collusion with the brute force that is called "pro-Mubarak," his avowed affection for the people is, it appears, a red herring meant to fool Egyptians into sentimentally adjusting their emotions, and to buy time for Mubarak to retain his power.  This is one red herring whose odor provides no cover, or so we hope.

Need A Brief Break From All Things Egypt? Check Out Amsterdam's HEMA Website.

Put Egypt Aside For A Minute. Yes, Amsterdam.  Full of things we can only dream of like the virtual non-enforcement of fines for possession of small amounts of pot. (Full Disclosure: although I smoked a bit it in college it caused me to consistently neglect to wear pants to classes, and therefore, I haven't tried it since. Although, in Amsterdam, I believe, pants are optional.)

If you have a few moments, or need a few moments, of leisure time, check out the HEMA stores website.  Frommer's reports:

This cheap 'n' cheerful chain department store is the Woolworth's of Holland, selling things like socks, toothbrushes, chocolate, cookies, and cheese.

"Cheerful" certainly describes their website creators.  Check it out. Just wait a few seconds to allow the page to start up. Then, just enjoy a few Egypt-free moments.

After that, back to CNN.