Talking About Politics

I just read about this strong, clear stand by John Edwards in a blog entry by Carter Wrenn and I must say, it's just the kind of thing that will win me over.

John Edwards has called for us to immediately withdraw 40,000 troops from Iraq. Not next month. Or by Christmas. Or in a year. Now. Granted we’re in a mess in Iraq. But where does bringing 40,000 troops home tomorrow leave the troops still in Iraq? Are they safer?

Carter Wrenn, whiz kid of the wacko right, must have had too much to drink over the weekend. But I sure do hope the Republicans take his weird advice to heart.

Here’s my point: if Rep. Stam and the House Republicans want to stand up for the First Amendment, fine. But they should go a step further. They should require lobbyists – every time one makes a contribution or raises money for a legislator – to immediately disclose why.

For instance, if a lobbyist contributes to Representative John Doe the lobbyist should immediately disclose that he or she is also trying to get Representative Doe to vote for a $400,000 grant to, say, the Teapot Museum.

Gary Pearce, one of the Boy Pundits over at Talking about Politics opines today on the state of the Democratic party and its relationship with blogs.

“Liberals hunt down heretics, while conservatives happily chase converts.”

Michael Kinsley, as quoted by Joe Klein

I don’t know whether Kinsley is right. It seems to me that right-wingers have spent a fair amount of time since 1964 hunting down heretics. But I’m only concerned with us liberals – or progressives, or whatever we’re supposed to call ourselves these days. Because we now have a new tool for tracking down and trashing heretics: the blogs.

Updated with a kinder, gentler title and picture!

I have to hand it to the Puppetshow. Not only does Art Pope have his very own stooge inside the News and Observer and his very own hand-picked water carrier destined for the state legislature, he also appears to control one of the Boy Pundits, Carter Wrenn, who dutifully echoes the Puppetmaster's talking points about the horrors of planning, especially transit planning. But there is a silver lining. With Stage Manager John Hood losing his edge, it's good to see Wrenn filling the void with plenty of right wing ignorance to keep us all amused.

Yesterday I wondered whether State Treasurer Richard Moore was brave or crazy to suggest an increase in NC's minimum wage before a meeting of business leaders. Carter Wrenn at Talking About Politics (citing an article in the W-S Journal) suggests another word for Moore's speech: pandering. I think it's kind of a cheap shot. Here's part of what Wrenn had to say:

There are a lot of good arguments that can be made for increasing the minimum wage. Here’s what Mr. Moore told the NCCBI according to the Journal: “ ‘Businesses actually start to do better when consumers have more money in their pockets,’ he said, adding that Lee Scott, the chief executive of Wal-Mart, supports an increase.”