Celebrating Thanksgiving Day as as one should; here is the COMPLETE version of Alice's Restaurant:
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
And, here we go!
The first hat has been tossed in the ring in the race to succeed Chip Forrester as Chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party. Wade Munday states with this post what he believes must happen for Democrats to get back on the right foot in the Volunteer State.
It will be a long road back for any Democrat, even those of us in one of the blue islands. Wade realizes this, and I hope, if you are a Tennessee Democrat, that you will read this and understand why he is running.
Good luck, sir!
It will be a long road back for any Democrat, even those of us in one of the blue islands. Wade realizes this, and I hope, if you are a Tennessee Democrat, that you will read this and understand why he is running.
Good luck, sir!
Drinking Liberally moves to Frida's this week!
From our friends at DL:
After a year's run at Dublin House, we decided to find a smoke-free venue, and found Frida's Mexican Restaurante at 1718 Madison, where we will begin meeting this week at 7:30 P.M. in the upstairs area; ask the host or hostess to show you where the stairs are! We did not take this move lightly, and wish Dublin House well. However, it was important to our members to find a smoke-free venue. Please come and join us this Thursday evening at 7:30 P.M.!!!!
After a year's run at Dublin House, we decided to find a smoke-free venue, and found Frida's Mexican Restaurante at 1718 Madison, where we will begin meeting this week at 7:30 P.M. in the upstairs area; ask the host or hostess to show you where the stairs are! We did not take this move lightly, and wish Dublin House well. However, it was important to our members to find a smoke-free venue. Please come and join us this Thursday evening at 7:30 P.M.!!!!
Monday, November 12, 2012
Friday, November 09, 2012
Avalanche on BS Mountain - Jon Stewart
With a kiss on the cheek to my beautiful Susan, who sent me this link:
Thursday, November 08, 2012
A Great Response to Today's Post
My old friend Brad Bradley, who now lives north of Little Rock but grew up here and got his law degree from UTK, weighs in on today's post:
Basking in the Afterglow (sort of)
Well now, we have a lot to talk about, don't we?
We live in a deep-blue city (just ask George Flinn) in a deep-red State (just ask Chip Forrester) in a nation getting bluer by the election (ask Karl Rove). Let's look at each of these.
Well, Shelby County, what do we do now? Barack Obama will never be on the ballot again, so how do we get the people who turned out in droves in this election to come back in 2014 when we desperately need them? There are no elections next year, but every minute of SCDP time should be taken to reach out to keep contact with those voters, keep them engaged and involved and let them know that EVERY election is important. Money has to be raised, but grassroots organizing needs to be done on a scale not really done here since Harold Ford Sr. was our Congressman. Congressman Cohen, you and your crack election team needs to be involved with that effort to the largest extent possible. You are our leader, and it's time to take the lead.
We need to do this so that we are not so grossly out numbered in the state. Remember when the Democrats were in charge of the Legislature for 140 years? Those days are gone forever, folks, and being a Democrat here means that we have to rebuild from the ashes. While Bredenistas point the finger at Chip Forrester, I must remind you that he is not Calvin Coolidge, who led a similar debacle for the whole country, but Herbert Hoover, who inherited and mismanaged the Depression.
There are good people who work their butt off at the TNDP, and I do not hold them accountable for what happened last night, that has been in motion for years and came to fruition with this election. There are some things with which we all need to come to grips if we are going to rebuild for the future.
1. NED MCWHERTER IS NOT WALKING THROUGH THAT DOOR.
The greatest Governor this state has ever known was a giant of a human being and had the capacity to inspire people and lead them. He was the only one who could run on the theme ONE OF US and appeal to conservative voters. His house seat, from which he served as Speaker of the House for 14 years, is now held by a goober Republican from Dresden named Andy Holt, who, to put it mildly, is a joke. The Senate seat once held by the longest-serving Lt. Governor in history, John Wilder, is now held by a Republican from Somerville named Delores Gresham, who is busy helping to destroy public education. And the last nail in the West Tennessee coffin was put in last night, as outgoing Speaker Emeritus Jimmy Naifeh's seat was won by yet another Republican.
We have to understand that if a Tennessean is going to vote for a conservative, they will vote for a Republican, because we have allowed ourselves to be defined by others and have not defined conservatism for what it is, elitism and quasi-feudalism. What is now called moderate was once called right-wing. We CANNOT win elections in rural areas on cultural issues and until we aggressively work to change that, we will be irrelevant in Tennessee politics. We need to talk to people like Charles Curtiss, John Mark Windle and John Tidwell to see how they survive in this climate.
2. ATTENTION TNDP; THERE IS MORE TO TENNESSEE THAN JUST WHAT IS INSIDE THE 440 LOOP.
This is addressed to not to Chip but to the ExecCom and to those who make their money off Tennessee Democrats. They don't understand Memphis, they don't understand rural areas, they don't understand anything beyond Belle Meade, East Nasty and the West End. They live in a world where it's always 1990 and Ned's been re-elected and all is right with the world.
IT ISN'T. We aren't rebuilding the TNDP just so Bill Fletcher and Dave Cooley can make money, we are doing this to CHANGE AND AFFECT POLICY. We have to re-think everything because how well we are able to do this will determine if we are EVER relevant again. And that answer does NOT include being GOP Lite. When you consider that even though Scott DesJarlais proved to be even worse a human being than we had suspected, and the DCCC sent money to help Eric Stewart, Eric STILL got stomped? Either TN-04 is filled with wackjobs or we ran the wrong campaign. It didn't work for Lincoln Davis two years ago, and it wasn't going to work for Eric now.
3. A 95-COUNTY STRATEGY NEEDS TO BE PUT IN PLACE ASAP.
We have to understand that while it is helpful to raise as much money as possible, when you are in the super-minority, not much cash will be tossed at you by high-rollers. That, my friends, is not necessarily such a bad thing. This forces us to be creative and to do something we are not that good at doing: ORGANIZING.
We have to do this at the County level in EVERY county, whether it's Shelby or Williamson or Washington or Lake County. We need to engage young people in every county, for they are our future. We need to ensure that there are College Democrats clubs on EVERY campus of higher education in this state and train them about elections and policy. Without a great ground game, there is no chance of victory. If you could buy elections, the Koch Brothers and Sheldon Adelson would be a lot happier today than they are.
GROUND GAME WORKS; just ask the President of the United States.
4. STOP BEING SCARED OF MEMPHIS; YOU NEED US AND WE NEED YOU.
If anything drives me crazy, it's when people talk about Memphis as if we are a leper colony. We are the most diverse (and NOT just black-and-white, either) metro area in the state, and the largest. Yes, we are different from the rest of the state in every way possible, but you need to realize that a higher percentage of the state than ever before lives in METRO areas. The four largest metro areas contain if not a majority of the state's population, then might damn close. We can help each other, because it is a necessity. Every time you demonize Memphis, you shoot yourselves in the foot. You may think you can't win with us, but the reality is that you cannot win WITHOUT us.
5. ON THE OTHER HAND, WE CAN'T WIN WITHOUT THE RURAL VOTE, EITHER.
Rural areas are hurting, and we can't abandon them. If anything, we need to help these folks and help them realize that while they have been voting GOP on culture, it is KILLING them economically. I believe we can do this; if we can't, then there is no hope for them OR their culture. We cannot win on culture and we MUST find away not to play into culture. As I said early, that worked for Ned because it was Ned; it ain't working for anyone else. West Tennessee outside Memphis and Jackson is DYING and we have to reverse this trend.
6. IF YOU DON'T STAND FOR SOMETHING, YOU'LL FALL FOR ANYTHING.
For cultural reasons, the old-time Tennessee Democrats did their best to resist being defined, which is a good thing. They, however, often refused to define their opponents, which is a bad thing. We have to define the GOP for what they ARE and not allow them to pretend they are something that they are NOT. We have to define ourselves in the strongest terms possible. A big tent is never bad, but it can't be so loose as to be vague. People around the state came to see us as not standing for anything except re-election. I understand that you have to be elected to accomplish things; but if you're elected and things still don't change, why should they continue to vote for you?
7. THIS AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN OVERNIGHT; BE PREPARED FOR A LONG DECADE.
The GOP takeover didn't happen last night; it had been building, partially because those in charge of Democratic politics either didn't see it coming, or DID see it and had no clue of what to do about it. Tennessee is changing, and we need to SHAPE that change, or we will be consumed by it, and that's why the TNDP has to rethink everything, and at every level.
Please comment and let me know what you think; flame away and tell me if I am wrong, but say WHY.
UPDATE: Also, what Trace said.
UPDATE 2: And what Liz said.
We live in a deep-blue city (just ask George Flinn) in a deep-red State (just ask Chip Forrester) in a nation getting bluer by the election (ask Karl Rove). Let's look at each of these.
Well, Shelby County, what do we do now? Barack Obama will never be on the ballot again, so how do we get the people who turned out in droves in this election to come back in 2014 when we desperately need them? There are no elections next year, but every minute of SCDP time should be taken to reach out to keep contact with those voters, keep them engaged and involved and let them know that EVERY election is important. Money has to be raised, but grassroots organizing needs to be done on a scale not really done here since Harold Ford Sr. was our Congressman. Congressman Cohen, you and your crack election team needs to be involved with that effort to the largest extent possible. You are our leader, and it's time to take the lead.
We need to do this so that we are not so grossly out numbered in the state. Remember when the Democrats were in charge of the Legislature for 140 years? Those days are gone forever, folks, and being a Democrat here means that we have to rebuild from the ashes. While Bredenistas point the finger at Chip Forrester, I must remind you that he is not Calvin Coolidge, who led a similar debacle for the whole country, but Herbert Hoover, who inherited and mismanaged the Depression.
There are good people who work their butt off at the TNDP, and I do not hold them accountable for what happened last night, that has been in motion for years and came to fruition with this election. There are some things with which we all need to come to grips if we are going to rebuild for the future.
1. NED MCWHERTER IS NOT WALKING THROUGH THAT DOOR.
The greatest Governor this state has ever known was a giant of a human being and had the capacity to inspire people and lead them. He was the only one who could run on the theme ONE OF US and appeal to conservative voters. His house seat, from which he served as Speaker of the House for 14 years, is now held by a goober Republican from Dresden named Andy Holt, who, to put it mildly, is a joke. The Senate seat once held by the longest-serving Lt. Governor in history, John Wilder, is now held by a Republican from Somerville named Delores Gresham, who is busy helping to destroy public education. And the last nail in the West Tennessee coffin was put in last night, as outgoing Speaker Emeritus Jimmy Naifeh's seat was won by yet another Republican.
We have to understand that if a Tennessean is going to vote for a conservative, they will vote for a Republican, because we have allowed ourselves to be defined by others and have not defined conservatism for what it is, elitism and quasi-feudalism. What is now called moderate was once called right-wing. We CANNOT win elections in rural areas on cultural issues and until we aggressively work to change that, we will be irrelevant in Tennessee politics. We need to talk to people like Charles Curtiss, John Mark Windle and John Tidwell to see how they survive in this climate.
2. ATTENTION TNDP; THERE IS MORE TO TENNESSEE THAN JUST WHAT IS INSIDE THE 440 LOOP.
This is addressed to not to Chip but to the ExecCom and to those who make their money off Tennessee Democrats. They don't understand Memphis, they don't understand rural areas, they don't understand anything beyond Belle Meade, East Nasty and the West End. They live in a world where it's always 1990 and Ned's been re-elected and all is right with the world.
IT ISN'T. We aren't rebuilding the TNDP just so Bill Fletcher and Dave Cooley can make money, we are doing this to CHANGE AND AFFECT POLICY. We have to re-think everything because how well we are able to do this will determine if we are EVER relevant again. And that answer does NOT include being GOP Lite. When you consider that even though Scott DesJarlais proved to be even worse a human being than we had suspected, and the DCCC sent money to help Eric Stewart, Eric STILL got stomped? Either TN-04 is filled with wackjobs or we ran the wrong campaign. It didn't work for Lincoln Davis two years ago, and it wasn't going to work for Eric now.
3. A 95-COUNTY STRATEGY NEEDS TO BE PUT IN PLACE ASAP.
We have to understand that while it is helpful to raise as much money as possible, when you are in the super-minority, not much cash will be tossed at you by high-rollers. That, my friends, is not necessarily such a bad thing. This forces us to be creative and to do something we are not that good at doing: ORGANIZING.
We have to do this at the County level in EVERY county, whether it's Shelby or Williamson or Washington or Lake County. We need to engage young people in every county, for they are our future. We need to ensure that there are College Democrats clubs on EVERY campus of higher education in this state and train them about elections and policy. Without a great ground game, there is no chance of victory. If you could buy elections, the Koch Brothers and Sheldon Adelson would be a lot happier today than they are.
GROUND GAME WORKS; just ask the President of the United States.
4. STOP BEING SCARED OF MEMPHIS; YOU NEED US AND WE NEED YOU.
If anything drives me crazy, it's when people talk about Memphis as if we are a leper colony. We are the most diverse (and NOT just black-and-white, either) metro area in the state, and the largest. Yes, we are different from the rest of the state in every way possible, but you need to realize that a higher percentage of the state than ever before lives in METRO areas. The four largest metro areas contain if not a majority of the state's population, then might damn close. We can help each other, because it is a necessity. Every time you demonize Memphis, you shoot yourselves in the foot. You may think you can't win with us, but the reality is that you cannot win WITHOUT us.
5. ON THE OTHER HAND, WE CAN'T WIN WITHOUT THE RURAL VOTE, EITHER.
Rural areas are hurting, and we can't abandon them. If anything, we need to help these folks and help them realize that while they have been voting GOP on culture, it is KILLING them economically. I believe we can do this; if we can't, then there is no hope for them OR their culture. We cannot win on culture and we MUST find away not to play into culture. As I said early, that worked for Ned because it was Ned; it ain't working for anyone else. West Tennessee outside Memphis and Jackson is DYING and we have to reverse this trend.
6. IF YOU DON'T STAND FOR SOMETHING, YOU'LL FALL FOR ANYTHING.
For cultural reasons, the old-time Tennessee Democrats did their best to resist being defined, which is a good thing. They, however, often refused to define their opponents, which is a bad thing. We have to define the GOP for what they ARE and not allow them to pretend they are something that they are NOT. We have to define ourselves in the strongest terms possible. A big tent is never bad, but it can't be so loose as to be vague. People around the state came to see us as not standing for anything except re-election. I understand that you have to be elected to accomplish things; but if you're elected and things still don't change, why should they continue to vote for you?
7. THIS AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN OVERNIGHT; BE PREPARED FOR A LONG DECADE.
The GOP takeover didn't happen last night; it had been building, partially because those in charge of Democratic politics either didn't see it coming, or DID see it and had no clue of what to do about it. Tennessee is changing, and we need to SHAPE that change, or we will be consumed by it, and that's why the TNDP has to rethink everything, and at every level.
Please comment and let me know what you think; flame away and tell me if I am wrong, but say WHY.
UPDATE: Also, what Trace said.
UPDATE 2: And what Liz said.
Wednesday, November 07, 2012
Tuesday, November 06, 2012
Hotline Numbers If you Have Trouble At The Polls Today
______________________________________________________________________
P.O. Box 40864 Memphis, TN 38174-0864 (901) 323-3290 Van Turner, Jr., Chair
MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOVEMBER 5, 2012
There will be an election protection effort like none other tomorrow here in Shelby County. Below, I have provided a list of numbers for all of the individuals and organizations who are assisting with protecting the vote tomorrow. The Shelby County Democratic Party alone will have approximately 100 poll watchers in the field tomorrow located at various precincts throughout the county to protect and monitor the vote.
We have also created a strategic alliance with Stand for Children who will have an additional 150 poll watchers and canvassers out at the polls tomorrow. Also, as you may or may not know, the local OFA group dispatched approximately 80 volunteers to North Carolina to knock on doors and to get the vote out for the President. I know that with hard work and effort, we will re-elect President Barack Obama. Finally, please join us tomorrow evening at 7:00 p.m. at the Peabody Hotel in the Grand Ballroom for the Official Watch Party and Victory Party for the 2012 Presidential Election.
|
STATE ELECTION PROTECTION HOTLINE
|
1-888-960-4394
|
|
MEMPHIS CITY ATTY’S OFFICE
|
901-636-6500
|
|
NAACP ELECTION PROTECTION HOTLINE
|
901-521-1343
|
|
SCDP ELECTION PROTECTION
|
901-323-3290
|
|
WTDEM RESOURCE CENTER
|
901-435-6082
|
|
GEORGE MONGER, ELECTION COMMISSIONER
|
901-417-0488
|
|
NORMA LESTER, ELECTION COMMISSIONER
|
901-484-7767
|
|
DAVID COCKE, ATTORNEY AT LAW
|
901-351-1089
|
|
VAN TURNER, ATTORNEY AT LAW
|
901-283-5017
|
|
PHYLIS ALUKO, ATTORNEY AT LAW
|
901-494-5232
|
|
U.S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
|
901-969-2920
|
|
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
|
901-747-4300
|
Sunday, November 04, 2012
We are less than 48 hours away from the Election.
I know I haven't written in a while; Susan and I have been house-hunting, among other things.
I know the tendency is to think, well, Obama will win Shelby but lose the state, and Cohen's going to win and no state legislative seats will change hands, so why bother. With all due respect, may I retort,
BULLSHIT.
While much of that is true, if you did not early vote (as we did here) I am telling you that, no matter where you live, GET OFF YOUR ASS AND VOTE. I think the President may well get 300+ electoral votes, but I know that the GOP is trying to suppress the vote wherever possible in the hopes that Romney will win the popular vote and they can attempt to STEAL the election. Remember BUSH V.GORE? Do you want THAT to happen again, with THIS Supreme Court?
NO? Good. Then make sure you vote on Tuesday if you were unable or simply didn't early-vote.
Why? Let's give the President and our Congressman, Steve Cohen, every vote possible. In this county, I want landslides for both of them, and votes for Democratic legislators and AGAINST Republican legislators where you are unfortunate enough to have one or more. We need to show people that Big Shelby is still a force.
If you don't live in a blue county, please vote for EVERY Democrat on your ballot. If you live in the 4th Congressional District, you have the opportunity to elect Eric Stewart, and vote OUT a Congressman who, as a practicing physician, is alleged to have slept with his PATIENTS. If you don't live in the 4th but want to send last minute cash, go here.
If you live in Arkansas, help Scott Ellington in the 1st District or Herb Rule in the 2nd. Don't live in Tennessee? There are tons of people to help in these last few days. We need every Democrat elected as possible, because the Greens are too busy trying to make statements instead of electing any one or having any REAL effect on the process. I like Jill Stein, but so what? Would SHE have a Congress that would pass her legislation? NO, because the Greens won't do what needs to be done.
So, right now, that leaves the Democrats. We have a great one in Steve Cohen, and I want to see him get 80% if possible. If you have friends who are registered but haven't voted, call them. Drive them to the polls if necessary, but this is doable.
You can sit home if you like. Just don't bitch at me when Romney and Ryan take away every social good we have built in the last 90 years.
Don't want that? VOTE.
I know the tendency is to think, well, Obama will win Shelby but lose the state, and Cohen's going to win and no state legislative seats will change hands, so why bother. With all due respect, may I retort,
BULLSHIT.
While much of that is true, if you did not early vote (as we did here) I am telling you that, no matter where you live, GET OFF YOUR ASS AND VOTE. I think the President may well get 300+ electoral votes, but I know that the GOP is trying to suppress the vote wherever possible in the hopes that Romney will win the popular vote and they can attempt to STEAL the election. Remember BUSH V.GORE? Do you want THAT to happen again, with THIS Supreme Court?
NO? Good. Then make sure you vote on Tuesday if you were unable or simply didn't early-vote.
Why? Let's give the President and our Congressman, Steve Cohen, every vote possible. In this county, I want landslides for both of them, and votes for Democratic legislators and AGAINST Republican legislators where you are unfortunate enough to have one or more. We need to show people that Big Shelby is still a force.
If you don't live in a blue county, please vote for EVERY Democrat on your ballot. If you live in the 4th Congressional District, you have the opportunity to elect Eric Stewart, and vote OUT a Congressman who, as a practicing physician, is alleged to have slept with his PATIENTS. If you don't live in the 4th but want to send last minute cash, go here.
If you live in Arkansas, help Scott Ellington in the 1st District or Herb Rule in the 2nd. Don't live in Tennessee? There are tons of people to help in these last few days. We need every Democrat elected as possible, because the Greens are too busy trying to make statements instead of electing any one or having any REAL effect on the process. I like Jill Stein, but so what? Would SHE have a Congress that would pass her legislation? NO, because the Greens won't do what needs to be done.
So, right now, that leaves the Democrats. We have a great one in Steve Cohen, and I want to see him get 80% if possible. If you have friends who are registered but haven't voted, call them. Drive them to the polls if necessary, but this is doable.
You can sit home if you like. Just don't bitch at me when Romney and Ryan take away every social good we have built in the last 90 years.
Don't want that? VOTE.
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