Hedgeblog

I cast my absent voter ballot yesterday in the Montana Democratic Primary. Although I seriously considered writing in my boy John Edwards, I voted for Barak Obama. I did so in the vain hope that a strong victory in Montana would help to finally force Hilliary Clinton out of the race (something that should have happened two months ago when Obama's nomination became inevitable). While I remain highly skeptical of Obama's ability to make significant changes to the policy status quo and am uncomfortable with some of his policy proposals (no health care mandates!), my doubts about Hilliary are much greater.

Although she has the ability to throw an elbow or two to bring about significant policy changes, she appears to believe public policy is a tool to be used for political gain rather then to make positive changes in people's lives.  This belief is one that is shared by George W. Bush and it will prove to be the tragic legacy of his presidency.  If you don't understand what I mean, take a look at the two most significant policy changes under his belt, NCLB and Medicare Part D. Both have been complete policy disasters. Further, Bush and his cronies are so uninterested in the substance of public policy that our government has rivaled that of failed states in the sheer level of incompetence, corruption, and malevolence it has exhibited the past eight years.  When you don't care how government governs, it can't. While there is no way Hilliary could be as bad as George W or John McSame, especially with policy wonk Bill around, her pandering on the Gas Tax Holiday and her rejection of policy experts means Obama would make a better president.  He won't be a transformative president, but at least the grown ups will be in charge again.  After eight years of George Bush, that's still pretty transformative.

Barak Obama is amazingly inspirational speaker and I think any voter under age thirty-five cannot help but be drawn to him when he speaks about change.  However, Senator Obama has not demonstrated an ability to transform his idealism into real policy change.  This really scares me because it reminds me of the presidencies of John F. Kennedy and Jimmy Carter.  Why is that scary?  Because both were candidates who ran on inspiration and hope, yet proved to be ineffectual presidents who did little to advance the progressive cause while in office.  I am so scared, that I have felt a need to support Hillary Clinton since John Edwards dropped out.

Kennedy was an inspirational president who is remembered very fondly (especially given his tragic death), but who didn't actually accomplish any significant change during his short presidency. While it is arguable he might have advanced civil rights and other causes had he lived, most of the real work in the area of civil rights happened because of his Vice-President, Lyndon Johnson.  LBJ was a brass-knuckles legislative fighter who pushed civil rights legislation through Congress and made a stab at building his "Great Society." He could not have done any of this without be a realistic and partisan fighter.  In other words, being someone like Hilliary Clinton.

Carter, as the democratic candidate in 1976, offered a new direction in American politics after the disastrous presidency of Richard Nixon.  Indeed, when Carter secured the nomination that summer he lead Gerald Ford by 70-30 in opinion pools.  By election day, Carter and Ford were neck and neck.  A major reason Ford was able to close the gap was the GOP attack, "Who is this Jimmy Carter?"  By highlighting Carter's significant inexperience, the GOP was able to play off people's fears and set the stage for Ronald Reagan.  Barak Obama suffers from the same flaw, and it may also prove to be his Achille Heel as President.

Barack Obama is an amazing orator who can inspire, but he cannot move the football without someone who can throw a few body blows for him when the times comes.  JFK, in the same position, understood this and choose LBJ to be his running mate.  History demonstrated, tragically, that JFK needed LBJ but LBJ didn't need JFK.  Jimmy Carter, in the same position, did not choose a legislative pit-bull.  He chose Walter Mondale.  That was doubly disastrous for the Democrats (Rememebr 1984!)

The same principles that applied to JFK and LBK and the Carter and Mondale applies to Hilliary and Obama.  Obama will need someone like Hiliary to turn his ideals into reality.  Hilliary will not need a Barack Obama.  Since it is impossible to have the two on the same ticket, I would rather choose the candidate that historical precedent shows can enact significant policy change over the candidate just hasn't demonstrated an ability to do anything other than inspire devotion.  I'd rather that we have another Great Society that fails to live up to its full potential than four wasted years that give way to a new Reagen that will make progressive change impossible for another generation.  Since I honestly do not see any evidence that Obama understands this important fact, it is very hard for me to support him.  My vote won't much matter, but I'm sticking with Hillary.

Everyone who has a child in daycare is aware of the fact that your child is going to get sick.  What you may not realize is that you are going to get sick too.

LV has already brought home a couple of nasty bugs from daycare, including a cold, hand foot mouth disease, and the stomach flu.  She has survived them all quite heartily, quickly recovering her health.  Unfortunately, she has an annoying habit of giving these maladies to her father with the exception of the hand foot mouth disease.

Now you would think that if she was able to recover quickly from her illness, that my more mature immune system could handle them too.  Well, if you thought that, you'd be wrong.  She's slowly killing me with her daycare diseases. Right now, it's the stomach flu.  I haven't felt this bad since my kidney stone.

Curse you and your crazy germs, kiddo.

How nerdy is this?  My team is #1 in my Fantasy Congress League.  Thanks, Obama!

Before

I have been trying for two years to clean my stuff out a storage unit my family has rented in Kalispell since I was in college.  While I was in Iowa, I just didn't have the time or space to do anything about it.  Now that I am back in Montana, I figured it was time to get out of there once and for all.  The problem is that I have not been able to get access until this summer because no one would give me a key (or admit that they had one in some cases).  Annoyingly, my sister has been telling me all that time that she couldn't clean her stuff out of the unit because my stuff was in the way.  This was amusing to me because I have way less stuff than she does, despite her repeated denials. 

After

First off, did you know that "Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo" is a grammatically correct sentence?  I will defer to the experts, but it only makes sense to me if you write it "Buffalo buffalo that Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo."

Second, did you know that men undergo biological changes to prepare for parenthood just like women?  This is especially true for men who spend time with their pregnant partner.  So ladies, spend lots of time with your man during your pregnancy so his hormone levels will change to make him more paternal by becoming more maternal.

Finally, just wanted to say that I have really enjoyed taking care of my daughter the last two and half weeks.  She is a dream baby and I have even greater respect for mothers. 

What words, for the life of you, can you never spell correctly?
Submitted by Byrne.

Possess

This word drives me nuts!

Lorelei Vienna Hines arrived yesterday morning at 6:59 a.m.  She's was 7 lbs 2 oz and 20" long.  And she's got my nose.  Baby and mother are doing well.  I'll post a little more in a few days when I have the time (and energy!).  I'm sure Sam will have some things to say too when she's feeling up to it. 

Happy Family

Big Yawn!

Here baby, baby, baby!  Well, that didn't work.  Guess we're still waiting.

Do you believe there is intelligent life on other planets?

No, because there isn't any intelligent life on this planet!