"This isn't about anything but winning."

[Source:  Insider Advantage Georgia, "Re-Tooled Campaign Put Chambliss Over The Top", December 3, 2008]

That six-word sentence attributed to Republican National Committee member and former head of the Georgia Republican Party Alec Poitevint says it all about Saxby Chambliss' successful re-election campaign.

Chambliss, the GOP and their allies didn't care how nasty they had to get or what they had to do so long as their team got the most votes at the end of election day (and trust me, here in Georgia, the ads run against Democrat Jim Martin called him everything but a child of God).

The motto and mantra of Saxby's campaign seemed to be "Just Win, Baby," and win is what they did.

We know that Martin, despite running a strong challenge - was soundly defeated yesterday by Saxby Chambliss.  There's been some discussion about what helped Saxby.

I wanted to add to the discussion that the GA GOP sent out a mail-in absentee ballot and most rural voters just filled that ballot out and sent it into the Sec. of State's office.

I did not see any equivalent move on behalf of the GA State Dem Party (which is still very weak).  Given that all turnout was down - I wonder aloud if that ballot contributed to Saxby's increased margin of victory .

If you're like me, you've been thinking about the problems many states are facing; few are worse off than CA.  Huge budget shortfalls and political stagnation are crippling the state.  Arnold seems content to block reforms passed by the legislature and take money out of the University of California system budget any time he gets a chance (even though the UC is one of the most important vehicles for growth in the state).

With these sort of problems, a Governor with a 42% approval rating and 2 years to run out the clock, we need to start looking ahead soon, maybe within the next 6 months or so. We need a smart,  non-ideological, fact-oriented leader to take charge and get CA on track.

We need CA Secretary of State Debra Bowen as Governor.

She has an impeccable record on voting rights protection, consumer protections, and environmental protections.  And she knows where to turn for counsel when she needs it.  She gets things done.

None of the other potential Democratic contenders have what we need right now.

Rodham-Clinton, having been nominated to serve as Hussein's secretary, has a problem:

The constitution prohibits emollients.  Since Rodham-Clinton was in the senate when it voted to increase the pay of cabinet officials, ORC is prohibited from serving as a cabinet official herself.

If she did serve, she would benefit personally from the senate's decision, which is exactly what that constitutional provision is designed to prevent.

Hussein has his own problems.  Apparently America's first affirmative-action president has yet to produce his birth certificate.

There is a lawsuit, scheduled to be considered by the Supreme Court Friday, demanding Hussein be required to prove he is American-born.  Apparently there is substantial evidence he was born in Indonesia or Kenya and then became a naturalized American citizen.  The constitution explicitly disqualifies naturalized citizens from becoming prez.

And, thankfully, Georgia's Saxby Shambliss won his reelection bid, preventing the loonies from gaining a filibuster-proof super-majority in the US Senate.

At least there's some sanity out there, but back to the issue at hand:

I'm curious about something:  let's say it's determined that Hussein was indeed born overseas.  Would you far-leftwing radical extremists prefer to violate the constitution and install Hussein in the White House anyway, or would some of you loonies suck it up and say, as much as you love Barry O, the constitution must trump your agenda?

Wouldn't it be interesting if, even at this late date, ORC is rejected as unqualified and "President-elect" Barry faces a Supreme Court suddenly capable of displaying profound courage in order to "protect and defend the constitution of the United States?"

Automakers Return With A Plan

copyright © 2008 Betsy L. Angert.  BeThink.org

Weeks ago House Representatives refused to award the auto industry a blanket bailout or even a bridge loan.  Policymakers insisted they must see a reasonable plan to revamp a business near bankruptcy.  The legislators set a deadline for delivery of the proposal, December 2, 2008.  This same date was reserved for another auto review; in Florida a delayed vote on emission regulations would finally be realized.  The two tales may seem separate; certainly, the cities where Congresspersons will meet are far apart.  Nonetheless, the sagas are inexorably connected.

According to the Minneosota SOS .. with 92% in, Franken now LEADS by ~ 2,500 ~ votes?

http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/2 0081104/SenateRecount.asp

Franken 1,122,413 41.47%
Coleman 1,119,878 41.38%

Percentage of Ballots Recounted = 92.69 %

How is this not all over 538 and MyDD? Am I missing something? WOW!

Saxby has won his second term as a senator. I thought I'd share my perspective on the matter, as someone who lives in Georgia  - in fact, Cobb County - where the GOP is supposedly strongest.

Saxby won this seat alright, by bringing in people from Alaska. Arizona.  New York. Every extra dollar in the GOP fund was handed to him. And then, Saxby won his own Senate seat during arguably the worst six years that conservatism has ever faced - with the most amount of money ever spent in the history of the GOP - by spending even more money in shadow groups that took out major campaigns on his behalf.

Saxby rained money down on this election to make sure he can take more money from lobbyists and do their will. Saxby stood on stage with Sarah Palin. And Sarah Palin stood on stage with Saxby. The 134 lobbyists that worked for Sarah Palin during the election were not on stage, but they were making sure she had some really nice suits, I bet.

But here's my quiet perspective.  He didn't really win. In this reddest of red states,  with all the star power they could muster - Saxby still lost more than 40 percent of the vote to a Democrat that had such a horribly underfunded campaign that in the early days of this election cycle he was literally being outspent by Saxby ten dollars to every one.

Jim Martin rocketed up to Saxby not because of blacks vs. whites, or straight ticket voting - Martin gained his 27 points because Jim Martin understands that Georgians want better healthcare - and Jim Martin actually opposed all the spending that Saxby rubber stamped. Jim gained leaps and bounds on Saxby and damn near almost threw him out of the senate because Saxby was and still is out of touch. Saxby "Mr. I don't know what a recession is" did what he promised to do. He went to the Senate to be a rubber stamp for George W. Bush. And despite his token opposition to immigration reform and a couple of other good photo opportunities, he made good on that promise. He went along with the president.

And Now, Saxby is going to be there to make sure the Senate has a paid vacation option they call the "filibuster" - and that the GOP that got us into all of this mess, can be around to block real reform. And they will. Belive that they will. Saxby will fight Obama tooth and nail. Because Obama doesn't mean lobbyist. And because the lobbyists don't have anyone else left now that the Bush republicans are almost all thrown out on their ears. So what have we really got? Well, lets see.. hmm...

Saxby is a good golfer. He's almost in the top ten best golfers of the Senate. Think he's almost a ten handicapper. And thats on some pretty good courses where the lobbyists just happen to show up on the golf course and pay the greens fees. 200.00 a round golf.

So at least , you know. Being here in Georgia. At least I've got that going for me.

Cross posted at Daily Kos and Clintonistas for Obama

This is merely my opinion regarding Clinton as SOS and therefore I cannot speak for everyone who did not support her in the primary (I did not support her, I was first an Edwards supporter then moved to Obama rather quickly despite some of my reservations).  From some comments (by others) in various threads there are some very interesting themes emerging.

One... many at Daily Kos "hated" Clinton, so that anyone that now supports her appointment as SOS was lying then or lying now.  

Secondly... Clinton is so damn hawkish because of her support and vote for the war she is completely unfit to serve in Obama's administration.

So, here I must refute these ideas...