Tag: Election
Prognostication
The American people will elect Donald Trump president this year. I’m not saying I want it to happen. I’m just sayin’. It will happen like this. Hillary gets the nomination of the Democrats. The Donald gets the GOP nod, because they can’t figure out how to stop him. Then, the campaign: Hillary vs. the Donald. […]
Read More → PrognosticationFeeling the Bern
Yesterday evening some friends dragged me out to see Bernie Sanders at the Pontchartrain Center. You may wonder, what’s a card-carrying Green Party member doing at a Democratic Party rally? In my defense, I thought we were going to see Bernie Mac. As my friend pointed out, that would be somewhat miraculous, as he’s been […]
Read More → Feeling the BernMinor Relapse, Electoral Politics, and Music
Last night FOLC had its annual board election. I was excited but also a little nervous. We had a bigger slate of candidates than ever before, fifteen in all, for eight open seats. I wasn’t up for re-election myself; our terms are staggered and mine ends next year. But I was nervous because there was […]
Read More → Minor Relapse, Electoral Politics, and MusicVoting Advice Roundup
http://www.flickr.com/photos/therefore/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Yes, that’s right, New Orleans is having an election tomorrow, right in the midst of Superbowl mania and Carnival madness. I’m a little shy this time around about voicing my own opinion, but others are not so afflicted. Here’s a roundup of what some other bloggers think. Adrastos The Huck […]
Read More → Voting Advice RoundupI Did It
Well, I did it. I broke my promise. I crossed party lines and voted for Obama this morning. Back in 1992 I voted for Clinton. (Not that my vote counted, because all of Indiana’s electors went to Bush the First.) I was so disappointed with him, I felt I’d been cheated and deceived. I vowed […]
Read More → I Did ItVoting Voting Voting
Got my sample ballot. Let me take a look at this thing. Fourteen items all told.
Read More → Voting Voting VotingAnd Yet…
I’ve articulated some of my thoughts on the election, yet I see I have left some important stuff out. For one thing, although I’ve been mildly disgusted by this presidential campaign, I’m actually less disgusted by the two major candidates than in any race I can remember. Some friends have expressed dismay that they can […]
Read More → And Yet…Don’t Get Caught Up in the Hatred
I suppose most people take political rhetoric with a grain of salt, which is certainly advisable. But I also notice a lot of people get caught up in the hateful narratives spun by the presidential campaigns and the media. I understand, I think, the value of stoking the fires of hatred. It gets people worked […]
Read More → Don’t Get Caught Up in the HatredOh Crap, I Have to Vote Tomorrow
Now that we’ve gone back to closed primaries in this state, I was under the impression that there would be nothing on the ballot for me tomorrow. I’m pretty sure that I cannot participate in the high-profile Democratic primary for the 2nd Congressional District. I believe the Democrats let independents vote in their primaries, but […]
Read More → Oh Crap, I Have to Vote TomorrowFour Precincts Reporting
Thanks to my friend Carol, I got a sweet gig tonight: vote reporting! I never knew this before, but after the polls close they post the results on the door. Since I live one block from my polling place, I just walked down there. I waited for a while chatting with Deborah Langhoff’s brother-in-law. When […]
Read More → Four Precincts ReportingThird Person Plural
The pundits have been remarking on how nice and polite the race for City Council At-Large has been, but yesterday the attack ads hit the radio. We also got a mailer from the “City Council Integrity Committee.” (Looks like Varg got it too.) It’s allegedly humorous theme is “Mission: Impossible.” The facts are attributed to […]
Read More → Third Person PluralVoting Philosophy
My voting philosophy is pretty simple. Here are my general rules: Vote against the incumbent, if there is one. Don’t vote for a candidate of either of the two major entrenched parties. These are not rigid by any means. I’ll make an exception if I believe in a particular candidate or if some other calculus […]
Read More → Voting PhilosophyEarly Voting
A friend of mine voted early and sends the following report. Since you gave me some advice, I’ll tell you how I voted. Just a little FYI. When it’s relevant, I’ll tell you why I made the choice I did. Generally, I don’t vote for Republicans. Also, when I’m trying to make a decision on […]
Read More → Early VotingBring a Presidential Debate to New Orleans
Friends of New Orleans is mounting a campaign to bring a presidential debate to New Orleans. I have mixed emotions about this. The presidential debates are something of a farce. They should be organized by a nonpartisan group, but they’re not. They’re organized by the Commission on Presidential Debates. They claim to be nonpartisan, but […]
Read More → Bring a Presidential Debate to New OrleansHow to Draft a Candidate
Well, qualifying ended yesterday for the October 20 election. There were a number of half-hearted attempts to “draft” me at the last minute. There were also attempts to draft Karen Gadbois and Latoya Cantrell. None of us will be on the ballot. I like the idea of people drafting a candidate. I’m not sure how […]
Read More → How to Draft a CandidateLatoya
When qualifying ends today (in two and a half hours from now) we’ll know if Latoya Cantrell is running for City Council At-Large. If she runs, she would have my full and unqualified support.
Read More → LatoyaAt Large
Now that Oliver Thomas has resigned, the New Orleans City Council’s At-Large seat will be on the ballot October 20. The question is, will we get any good candidates? It’s been extremely flattering to have had my name bandied about on the radio, on blogs, and in e-mails. People have urged me to run. I […]
Read More → At LargeScreaming & Kicking
For the last century, almost all top political appointments [on the planet Earth] had been made by random computer selection from the pool of individuals who had the necessary qualifications. It had taken the human race several thousand years to realize that there were some jobs that should never be given to the people who […]
Read More → Screaming & KickingNagin Redux
My take on Mayor Nagin’s re-election? I can’t say it half as well as da po’ boy already did.
Read More → Nagin ReduxHere’s to the Losers
Yes, it looks as though everyone I voted for yesterday lost, across the board, no exceptions. I think I was most surprised, and disappointed, that Truehill came in dead last in District B — behind Landry, behind Quentin forgodssake Brown. Of course, it ain’t over yet. Next month we do it again in a runoff […]
Read More → Here’s to the Losers