About
Captain Ed is a father and grandfather living in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, a native Californian who moved to the North Star State because of the weather. He lives with his wife Marcia, also known as the First Mate, their two dogs, and frequently watch their granddaughter Kayla, whom Captain Ed calls The Little Admiral.
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The Crows Nest
Would Early Primaries Allow More Donations?
Jim Geraghty at The Campaign Spot believes that candidates will benefit if primaries and caucuses get pushed into 2007. A loophole in campaign finance regulation appears to allow an extra $2,300 per donor for candidates if those elections are held this year. Be sure to check out Jim's analysis, and the surprising candidate that may benefit the most.
When Tom Met Jeralyn
One of the interesting aspects of politics is finding out that opponents are people, too. Jeralyn Merritt of TalkLeft met Rep. Tom Tancredo backstage at NBC's studios, and found him more likable than she had anticipated. Perhaps it was their mutual interest in Dog, The Bounty Hunter ...
Joe Lieberman A Right-Wing Nut?
That's what CAIR says, according to Joe Kaufman. He has a link to a CAIR official's blog post that calls Lieberman, along with John Bolton, former CIA director James Woolsey, and the Heritage Foundation's Peter Brookes as "extremists". Affad Shaikh also calls Dick Cheney a "fat bastard of a liar," apparently not meant as a pop-culture reference to the Austin Powers movies. (via Let Freedom Ring)
Broadband Homelessness
The Japanese have made homelessness more efficient, and more Net-friendly, too. Their Internet cafés have become homeless shelters for the struggling manual-labor sector. The problem has grown into such a problem that government intervention will shortly become a political priority.
Found My Law Firm
Power Line links twice to this story regarding an attorney at Faegre & Benson who refused to become a victim and helped capture a very dangerous man. Keith Radtke is a partner in the firm as is Power Line's John Hinderaker. Radtke is listed in satisfactory condition after getting shot in the back, but that didn't keep him from locking up his attacker in a wrestling grip until police could arrive. I don't know about you, but that's the kind of man I'd want as my counsel ....
Don't Click That YouTube E-mail
The latest in spam seems to be redirections from YouTube links in e-mail to IP addresses without domain names. They attempt to entice people by making it seem that they have been inadvertently YouTubed. I'm sure most people can see through this scam, but just in case, you've been warned ....
Rick Moran Escapes The Floods
Rick Moran has kept us up to date on his travails along the Algonquin River. Yesterday, the police showed up to get him evacuated before the river flooded his home -- but today, Rick finds that a minor miracle has taken place, and that his house survives ... at least for now. Keep Rick in your prayers, and keep checking in at Right Wing Nut House for updates.
Rule 1: Drag The Corpse On Over First
If I've learned anything in four years of blogging, don't try to be out in front of the death rumors, especially with the villains of the world. Saddam died a hundred deaths before we caught him alive in his spider hole, and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi almost as many before his demise last year. Osama may or may not be alive, but everyone's avoided speculating on his fate for a while now. Maybe Val at Babalu Blog will get luckier with his "Castro Is Dead" story. We all hope so. I'll wait for the announcement ....
Hobbs Choice
Volunteer Voters is holding its annual "Best of Nashville" on-line polls, and one of the categories is for the best political writer. Our friend Bill Hobbs, now posting at Newsbusters, and he'd like his on-line fans to cast their votes. Drop by and put one in for Bill if you get a chance!
Murtha Getting Backlogged On Apologies
Gary Gross of Let Freedom Ring sees another case collapsing on the Haditha charges. He's called for Murtha to apologize earlier, and adds another reason to the tally.
No Such Thing As 'Moderate' Islam?
Turkish PM Tayyip Erdogan told a television interviewer that he finds the label "moderate Islam" offensive. Shrink Wrapped has a lot more on this, but at least in the same interview Erdogan acknowledged that "radical Islam" exists, and that it's been a catastrophe. Be sure to read the whole post.
MS-NBC Gets Punk'd
Power Line has a great post on a lack of journalistic effort on the part of MS-NBC. In covering the Michael Vick story, they reported on what they thought was Al Sharpton's website proclaiming Vick's innocence. I guess Alex Johnson and two other MS-NBC reporters couldn't bother to read the title bar of the site, which proudly proclaims it as a "parody site".
New Instapundit Podcast On Pharmaceuticals
I just caught this e-mail from Glenn Reynolds about his new podcast with Richard Epstein, the author of Overdose: How Excessive Government Regulation Stifles Pharmaceutical Innovation. Haven't had a chance to listen to it yet, but the topic is important enough to make sure I carve out time for it tomorrow. Get their first and tell me what I'm missing ....
Fed Trying A 'Stealth Easing'?
The Federal Reserve seems to have conducted a quiet campaign to steady markets that started spinning out of control, according to King Banaian at SCSU Scholars. He thinks that the Fed has conducted a "stealth easing". Be sure to read his explanation and follow his lnks.
A Shameless Bit Of Sel-Promotion
Gateway Pundit and Val at Babalu Blog note a crass PR move by Hugo Chavez. Venezuela has responded to Peru's eathquake disaster with food shipments -- and with Hugo's smiling picture on the cans. He also uses the tuna-can label to undermine President Garcia of Peru, who narrowly defeated Chavez' pal Ollanto Humalla, whom the labels extol for his "solidarity" with Chavez.
Tacky beyond belief.
Comments (18)
Posted by RBMN | July 2, 2007 9:11 AM
He's smiling because he hears a bunch o' Yankees getting involved in picking his primary opponents. That's as safe as you can get in South Carolina. :-)
Posted by docjim505 | July 2, 2007 9:37 AM
Why is he smiling?
Because (A) he's an idiot and (B) he knows that the average member of Congress, unless caught committing an actual crime, has something like a 95% chance of being reelected.
In short, he's looking at the people of South Carolina and thinking, "SCREW YOU, SUCKERS!"
Posted by TheGrandMufti | July 2, 2007 9:43 AM
Lindsey Graham and Trent Lott are the poster childs for why we need federal term limits.
Posted by daytrader | July 2, 2007 9:50 AM
Caption for photo
America's Most Not Wanted
Posted by geb4000 | July 2, 2007 9:52 AM
Any primary opponent would immediately have money raining from all over the country. Is there anyone with a sack in South Carolina? I am waiting to write a check to that man or woman.
Posted by daytrader | July 2, 2007 9:55 AM
GrandMufti
Term limits don't work, you then shift the power to the totally unelected beltway set of professional career congressional staffers.
New kids elected to office are at the mercy of all those pros who have lobbiests on their speed dial and visa versa.
So you end up with the elected person being the sock puppet for the staffers.
Posted by Bob1 | July 2, 2007 9:55 AM
Even if there’s no challenger, you might still be able to unseat him if South Carolina gets “None of the Above” on the ballot. The rationale being that if “None of the Above” gets the majority of votes, the seat goes vacant until the next election. Also, there should be no interim appointments allowed.
During WWII, the German Army had a saying about the quality of its leadership: “Better no officer than a bad officer.” They understood the damage a poor leader could inflict. How about updating the message: “better no senator than a bad senator”?
"None of the Above" might be a useful tool if you can't get term limits implemented.
Posted by NoDonkey | July 2, 2007 10:22 AM
You're right, daytrader.
I see the same thing in the DoD all of the time.
Officers are "term-limited" to 2 to 3 year tours.
So they depend so heavily on the GS' and the contractors, that they are in effect sock puppets, at least until they get their sea legs.
And by that time, they're usually turning over to the FNG.
Posted by Bob | July 2, 2007 10:28 AM
Daytrader,
Certainly there will be a period of mass confusion and backseat driving on the Hill after term limits are imposed. But this will end quite quickly as lobbyists learn how much it costs to turn a Congressman in 2-4 years. It's much easier now because the long-term veterans can point lobbyists to up-and-coming congressmen that are corruptible. After term limits, there will be no veterans, ending the life-long grooming process. The staffers will simply leave, knowing there is no more power or money for them.
Nothing bad can happen as a result of term limits. NOTHING. When someone tells you that term limits will throw out experienced legislators, ask them how that experience is being used today......
Posted by Bachbone | July 2, 2007 10:39 AM
That "lobbyists and staffers will run things" argument has been tossed around here since Michigan voters were asked if they wanted term limits for their legislators. I see no evidence it has happened to any significant extent. The legislature still functions as well/badly as it ever did. The latest ploy is our esteemed political elite offering to make themselves part-time if voters will revoke the term limits. (And if you believe they would stay part-time, I have a bridge to Windsor I'd like to sell you.)
You must realize that term limits still enables politicians to move from one office to another after they are term limited in one. For example, we have people who start in city government, move on to county government, then on to state government, then on to Congress. One even moved back to state government after being redistricted out of his congressional seat.
There is no shortage of "experience" for many of these people. The shortages that do exist are in character, honesty and keeping their word.
Posted by Jeanette | July 2, 2007 11:34 AM
I live in South Carolina and "none of the above" is not an option.
I voted for Graham for Senator because I thought he would be as conservative as he seemed in the House.
I have called his office several times and sent several emails telling him how disappointed I am in him, as he is not what I thought I voted for.
If he has primary competition I will vote for his opponent, but if he wins the primary I will vote for him again simply to keep the R headcount as high as possible in the Senate.
Posted by bio mom | July 2, 2007 11:51 AM
We should have term limits but not too short. I would suggest 5 terms for congresspeople and 3 terms for senators phased in in shifts so that all of congress isn't replaced at once, similar to the way we reelect senators now. That way you keep experience but stop the lifetimers who become completely unresponsive to their constituents. It has worked well for the presidency. We really need it in Congress.
Posted by lEW | July 2, 2007 11:52 AM
The problem I see in term limits is that it takes power away from me. Suppose I want to vote for somebody who's served several terms before?
I live in a Congressional District where the incumbent Representative has been in office forever and normally gets reelected with 60% to 70% margins. He doesn't vote the way I'd like him to on some occasions but on others he does. But if 70% of my neighbors in the District vote for this guy, why shouldn't he be able to run? He obviously fits the electorate of my District better than anyone else who runs against him, whether primary or general. What's the problem?
It seems to me that if we're going to change the way these folks behave, and believe me when I say that it truly needs changing, we have to first abandon the notion that there is some quickie clever fix or and easy little systemic tweak that will do the deed for us. We just have to finally admit to ourselves that there are no shortcuts, and if I really want to change the way my Congressional Representative votes and behaves, then I'm going to have to change the minds of the people who keep him in office. There is no other way to affect lasting and permanent change than to change the minds of the people themselves. There is no trick or maneuver or tweak to the system that can't be overcome or gotten around.
Furthermore, let me propose the idea that the reason such quick fix shortcuts keep coming up is that they allow us to stay firmly seated on our butts in front of our computers and TV sets, and pretend we are taking a real role in the politics of our time. They allow us to look relevant while we treat politics as just another spectator sport, like going to a baseball game and imagining we're really on the field.
For my part in this discussion, I can feel your pain and your anger, but I think term limits is a false answer to the question.
Posted by flenser | July 2, 2007 12:30 PM
The general election is safe for Graham, Botsch maintains. “He is the closest thing we’ve had to a Democratic senator in a long time,” Botsch noted.
What is wrong with the SC GOP? I'm tempted to move there and run against him myself.
Posted by Mwalimu Daudi | July 2, 2007 1:18 PM
Captain Ed, I think that you may have missed half of the story.
It is true that no big-name GOP challenger has emerged. However, the SC Democrats could nominate someone who is willing to sound conservative - at least temporarily. The MSM would line up behind Senatorial Candidate Democrat and possibly beat Graham. Don't forget that the MSM is capable of providing their Democrat pets with tens of millions of dollars of free favorable publicity. Just ask George Allen and Rick Santorum what happens when the MSM gets solidly behind a Democrat candidate.
Of course, the hypothetical SC Democrat candidate would never actually vote as a conservative.
Posted by Monkei | July 2, 2007 1:43 PM
He is smiling because he is a happy, gay, person.
Posted by Goeffrey de Boullion | July 2, 2007 2:50 PM
I hope the Trunks will run a primary challenger, but if they don't, I will vote against Opie in the general election. With arrogance like his, a high Trunk head count doesn't matter.
Gang of 14 lost how many judges?
Opposition to illegal immigration is racist?
Throw the bum out. D or R doesn't matter. Right and wrong does matter.
Posted by Heartless Libertarian | July 2, 2007 6:10 PM
California has term limits for the state legislature (gov, too, IIRC). Hasn't seemed to help the People's Republic much that I've noticed.
Actually, I think the one thing that would definitely make Congress less dangerous to the public liberty is to limit the amount of time it's in session-say, January-April every year. And they can only extend that time at the request of the President, and they don't get paid anything extra for the extra time.
It doesn't ensure they'll do the right thing, but it does limit the damage they can do, and should (in theory) make them less cocooned in DC.