Monday, January 28, 2008
Public Speaking
To 500 Attorneys....
Here's a view of the room I spoke to at my conference here in Las Vegas. A good group and a fun event. I got to review attendee evaluations as well. Nearly universally good reviews for my performance. Among my favorites:
"Elephant is a stud. This guy could read the phone book and keep my attention."
"It's a difficult task to my legislation and regulations interesting, but Elephant succeeds on all counts."
Lest I get too cocky:
"This guy is a clueless @#$clown."
"Quick, someone call Dale Carnegie!"
And my favorite, "I've accepted the fact that I will never get these forty-five minutes of my life back."
Thanks to all!
I'm Trapped in Las Vegas
Send Help!
Just wrapped up a conference and board or directors meeting in Las Vegas. Nice town, in small doses. But I've been here a week, and I think I'm losing it. The Venetian is a nice hotel with giant, plush rooms. It is also ginormous. The walk from my room to the meeting space is longer than the walk from my house to the subway (about 3/4 of a mile) and it is all indoors! Amazing.
The Venetian also hosts a permanent "Phantom of the Opera" show. They promote it by playing the soundtrack constantly in the public areas. If I hear "Music of the Night" one more time...
(Photo: view from my window this morning)
Sunday, January 20, 2008
A Note to Democrats
Obama is Your Reagan
I've been in DC for more that 14 years. I've seen hack politicians come and go. Like most of us on both sides of the aisle, I've been crushed and saddened about the divisiveness President Bush and Karl Rove have brought to our country. That's why I'm finding it a bit breath taking to watch Senator Hillary Clinton pretty much emulate the political tactics and strategies perfected by the Bush-Rove cadre. And it's funny to see all the liberal blogs I love so much, be a bit coy in addressing the issues of race baiting, voter suppression, push polling and just plain outright lying that the Clintons have been engaging in during their so-far ham-handed campaign.
What's even more stunning, is when I reach a speech like this. It gives me chills. At 16 I sat on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and listened to a recording of Martin Luther King Jr.'s, "I have a Dream" speech. It was that moment I knew I wanted to make my way back to this great city someday and work to make my country a better place. I had that feeling again today, when I read Mr. Obama's speech.
This man, regardless of his experience, has a message and a vision. One that gets even my cynical heart beating a little faster. Oh, I have nothing in common with him on the policy side of the equation, but I think he is by far, the type of leader we will need going into the troubled years ahead. He's your Ronald Reagan, a man that can make the left a relevant player in American politics and change the 'center' like Reagan did so many years ago. How great would it be to have a fall campaign with Senator Obama and Senator McCain debating beyond the orthodox, focus grouped sound bites of their lesser competitors?
After eight years of criminal mismanagement, I am so looking forward to voting against the Republicans. To tear down the party that I've hitched my wagon to in order to rebuild it as a party of limited government, social libertarianism and fiscal conservatism.
There is only one thing that can have me cast my vote for any of those candidates however and that's Senator Clinton. If you haven't noticed, she's George Bush in drag...same divisiveness, same 'you're either with me or against me' attitude, and the same appeal to fear. And if you haven't noticed, she's thrown the democratic African American community under the bus, just as her husband did to the gay community they courted so heavily back in 1992. They're opportunists and after four years of Bush-Cheney the voting public's BS detection skills are too sharp to be fooled by the liberal version of the Bush Dynasty.
I'd vote for Obama. In fact, I've sent money to him. I'm hoping that I have the choice in November of Obama against McCain, that would be one of the toughest votes to face.
For years my Democrat friends have been telling me that they can do better than the last eight years. It's time to step up and show me and my fellow elephants in exile that the left is in fact able to break this partisan war and to nominate someone who can change the game rather than extend it for four more years.
Labels: 2008 Elections, BS, Clintons
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
No Clear Winners?
An Open Convention?
Three primaries for the GOP and three different winners. Interesting. Rudy Giuliani looks set to do well in Florida (where your humble blogger finds himself today). It certainly is interesting isn't it?
On the GOP side, the emerging possibility is that they will head into a convention with no clear nominee. On the Democrat side, it seems that Senator Obama is drawing enough support that if Senator Clinton may have to rely on super delegates to get the nomination.
Competition is good, and it's great to see the various factions of the GOP duke it out. It is just as rewarding to see the upstart Senator Obama taking on Senator Clinton. More importantly, it's great to start thinking about the end of the Bush administration.
Labels: 2008 Elections
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
This is boring
Democrat Debate
The Democrat debates are more fun when they aren't pretending to like each other.
- I get the impression that Senator Clinton has some 35 years of 'experience'.
- That John Edwards is against just about everything, especially electricity.
- Barack Obama wants to bring people together.
The first forty-five minutes, when they were singing each others praises, reminded me that I have very little in common with any of them on policy issues.
Labels: 2008 Elections
Democrat Endorsements
Interesting
Not to get to much into the racial politics being through about on the left side of aisle of late, but I made an interesting observation yesterday. A good portion of Senator Obama's Senate and House endorsements come from Midwestern states, e.g. red states. His most recent additions being Senator McCaskill from MO and Ben Nelson from NE. Senator Clinton gets a ton of support from the coasts. Perhaps the folks in the middle of the country aren't a bunch a dumb rednecks that the liberal coastal elites would have you believe.
I'll try to find time to map this out. But it seems to me, the if the Democrats want to retake the White House, perhaps they may want to look at a candidate that makes the competitive in middle America?
Not to get to much into the racial politics being through about on the left side of aisle of late, but I made an interesting observation yesterday. A good portion of Senator Obama's Senate and House endorsements come from Midwestern states, e.g. red states. His most recent additions being Senator McCaskill from MO and Ben Nelson from NE. Senator Clinton gets a ton of support from the coasts. Perhaps the folks in the middle of the country aren't a bunch a dumb rednecks that the liberal coastal elites would have you believe.
I'll try to find time to map this out. But it seems to me, the if the Democrats want to retake the White House, perhaps they may want to look at a candidate that makes the competitive in middle America?
Labels: 2008 Elections
Nano, Nano
Goodbye Cheap Oil
Seems to me the $2,500 Tata Nano just introduced into a market of close to 1 billion poeple just might increase demand for oil. I'm just guessing.
Seems to me the $2,500 Tata Nano just introduced into a market of close to 1 billion poeple just might increase demand for oil. I'm just guessing.
Labels: Change, Economy, Environmentalism, Green
Welcome Back Stagflation!
Wholesale prices rise by 6%
Soaring energy prices, the falling dollar and the subprime mess are creating the perfect storm for a return to the stagnant economy and high inflation of the 1970s. Wholesale prices surged by 6.3% this past year. Good thing the federal reserve isn't cutting interest rates again...oh wait.
Soaring energy prices, the falling dollar and the subprime mess are creating the perfect storm for a return to the stagnant economy and high inflation of the 1970s. Wholesale prices surged by 6.3% this past year. Good thing the federal reserve isn't cutting interest rates again...oh wait.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Time Asks
Will Campaign 2008 Destroy the Dems?
Elephant Answers: Yes, if that is what is required to elect another Clinton. More here.
One thing that has struck me is how the trend of left-right divisiveness that characterized the 2004 election has now infected both parties - the Dems with a two-way (or perhaps 3-way) split and the GOP with five factions competing for the nod. I think this is good in the long run for both parties and in the short term makes for a riveting news cycle.
Elephant Answers: Yes, if that is what is required to elect another Clinton. More here.
One thing that has struck me is how the trend of left-right divisiveness that characterized the 2004 election has now infected both parties - the Dems with a two-way (or perhaps 3-way) split and the GOP with five factions competing for the nod. I think this is good in the long run for both parties and in the short term makes for a riveting news cycle.
Labels: 2008 Elections, Clintons, Crazy
Tech Support
This seems about right
Customer support calls back - 10 years later.
Probably better than my recent experiences with Apple's so-called 'Genius Bar"....
Customer support calls back - 10 years later.
Probably better than my recent experiences with Apple's so-called 'Genius Bar"....
Labels: Brave New World
Clinton and LBJ
Sullivan's Right...
If Hillary were LBJ, we'd still be waiting for the civil rights act. More here.
If Hillary were LBJ, we'd still be waiting for the civil rights act. More here.
Labels: 2008 Elections, Clintons
Can't Keep My Mouth Shut
2008 Elections
Greetings all. I hope the New Year finds everyone well. Looking forward into 2008, I would never have guessed that the pending presidential election would turn into such a stunningly exciting affair. I'm captivated, captivated enough to come back from my sabbatical and start yammering again.
First, off, let me give you an idea of where I am at this stage. Like many, I'm frustrated and angry with the GOP for taking the country in the direction they have. On just about every front the GOP control of Congress and the presidency has been an utter failure. They've nearly doubled the national debt, they've grown spending more than any modern administration save FDR, and they've empowered government to the extent they can arrest U.S. citizens, ship them to Syria and torture 'em. Mission Accomplished indeed.
So, I'm ready, willing and eager to vote against the GOP nominee. To destroy the party to save it. To that end my cynical heart has found common ground with the Barack Obama campaign. Mainly for his tone of trying to bring the country together. I can't face another four years of being a red/blue nation or basically having to tune out 50% of the populace. From a policy standpoint, I probably have very little in common with his candidacy, but then I think it is safe to say the Obama’s policy positions are to the right of those of Mike Huckabee. That's how bad it is for the GOP.
But there's one thing at this stage that can save the GOP and push my vote back to the right. Her name is Hillary Clinton, and from what I've observed over the past few weeks, it seems her campaign his taking notes from Karl Rove. So nasty is her tone, so arrogant, that at times it is if George W. Bush has put on a dress.
Greetings all. I hope the New Year finds everyone well. Looking forward into 2008, I would never have guessed that the pending presidential election would turn into such a stunningly exciting affair. I'm captivated, captivated enough to come back from my sabbatical and start yammering again.
First, off, let me give you an idea of where I am at this stage. Like many, I'm frustrated and angry with the GOP for taking the country in the direction they have. On just about every front the GOP control of Congress and the presidency has been an utter failure. They've nearly doubled the national debt, they've grown spending more than any modern administration save FDR, and they've empowered government to the extent they can arrest U.S. citizens, ship them to Syria and torture 'em. Mission Accomplished indeed.
So, I'm ready, willing and eager to vote against the GOP nominee. To destroy the party to save it. To that end my cynical heart has found common ground with the Barack Obama campaign. Mainly for his tone of trying to bring the country together. I can't face another four years of being a red/blue nation or basically having to tune out 50% of the populace. From a policy standpoint, I probably have very little in common with his candidacy, but then I think it is safe to say the Obama’s policy positions are to the right of those of Mike Huckabee. That's how bad it is for the GOP.
But there's one thing at this stage that can save the GOP and push my vote back to the right. Her name is Hillary Clinton, and from what I've observed over the past few weeks, it seems her campaign his taking notes from Karl Rove. So nasty is her tone, so arrogant, that at times it is if George W. Bush has put on a dress.
Labels: 2008 Elections, Change
