Random Political Thoughts for a Wednesday Afternoon

If it’s Wednesday, that must mean it’s time for Random Political Thoughts for a Wednesday Afternoon… and away we go…

Reregistering? Seems that there is a group in Washington (the state) that is filing an initiative that would require all voters to prove they are U.S. citizens and reregister to vote. It should be mentioned (but not surprising) that a Conservative think-tank, Evergreen Freedom Foundation, is behind the plan. I think it’s just their way of helping all the Ann Coulter-types NOT look like mindless bimbos…

Veto-Man! “President” Bush is threatening to use his ‘veto power’ (does that come with tights and a cape?) to block any potential legislation aimed at stopping his Crony-plan of allowing a company from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to run a handful of U.S. sea-ports. Now we find out that Bush was unaware of the ports deal before it was approved. (Ignoring the fact that that shows a serious lack of knowledge about what his people are doing…it seems that everyone else, Republicans and Democrats, can see the problems with this plan… why the hell can’t he?? Wait, that’s right… he’s a buffoon)

Uh-oh. A group of men dressed as Iraqi police commandos set off explosives at a Shiite Mosque on Wednesday morning that heavily damaged the site and sparked instantaneous and extensive Shiite protests across Iraq. The attack will almost certainly fan the flame of fighting (alliteration alert!) in the country. Next stop: civil war.

It starts. The U.S. ambassador to Iraq laid blame on Iran Monday for providing weapons, training and support to insurgents responsible for the continuing violence and instability in Iraq. This is not the first time the US or an ally has made this accusation. Back in October, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said his government was investigating Iran and the possibility that the country had sold bombs to various Iraqi insurgent groups.

No meeting for you! According to Representative Jane Harman (D-CA), Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden (who is a top intelligence official) was ready to tell the House of Representatives intelligence committee about Dubya’s domestic spying program last December but was stopped by White House Chief of Staff Andy Card. Why? I guess a meeting just wasn’t… in the cards…

Obama is da’ man. Freshman US Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) is on a roll. Sure, he’s a best-selling author and a Grammy winner, but it also appears that he has a certain touch when it comes to helping other Democrats with fundraising. All told, Senator Obama has helped bring in close to $6.5 million for his political action committee, other Democratic candidates, party committees and state Democrat parties from New Jersey to Virginia to Florida. Repeat after me…

A sneak peak into the future? Several senators have been traipsing the country this week to, presumably, boost their parties' prospects in November's mid-term elections. But, look at their schedules closer and you can see a pattern. The states being visited are so-called Battleground States for the 2008 presidential election. At least three battleground states are drawing visits from several hopefuls this week as Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) have visited or will soon visit Florida. Senators George Allen (R-VA) and John Kerry (D-MA) have scheduled visits to Colorado and Senators Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and Kerry (again) have trips planned for Minnesota. Methinks this race is gonna be crowded and un-inspired. Neither party has a clear-cut favorite and, if that doesn’t change before 2008, it’s gonna get ugly on both sides. Stay tuned…

This race just got (even more) interesting. Current (and beleaguered) New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin has just gotten another challenger… and this one could be the most formidable one yet from a Louisiana political dynasty. Louisiana Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu will soon announce that he is going to run against Mayor Nagin in the April election. The Lt. Gov. is the son of former New Orleans Mayor Maurice Edwin "Moon" Landrieu and also a brother of U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA). This is shaping up to be a classic-style political showdown so stay tuned…

$5 million for a Scooter? A gaggle of Republican heavy hitters are lending their names (and I’m sure their checkbooks) to help raise $5 million for the defense of ‘Scooter’ Libby, VP Dick “Dead-Eye” Cheney's former top aide. (We don’t need to tell you who Libby is, do we? The Cheney-patsy that was indicted back in October on counts of obstruction of justice, perjury and false statements related to ‘PlameGate’) The Libby Legal Defend Fund (rolls of the tongue doesn’t it?) has raised $2 million dollars since November to help pay for Libby’s defense… now, it would be nice to say that no amount of money could help Libby, but seeing as how this is American politics, that would be implausible.

Bureau of Land Management. The Bureau of Land Management (the caretaker of more land and wildlife than any other federal agency) often curbs the ability of its own biologists to monitor wildlife damage caused by surging energy drilling on federal land, according to BLM officials and bureau documents. Does that surprise anyone reading this??? I would think not… then why am I telling you all this?? I have no idea…

Just the (spin-dried) facts. The White House will make a plethora of recommendations on how the government could have reacted better to Hurricane Katrina on Thursday in a report that will cover the catastrophe and the Bush administration's response (or incredible lack thereof) to it. A White House source said the report is expected to be critical of the government's response - but not as harsh as a separate House report (released last week) was. Big shock…. I’ll wait to offer opinion until after I see the report. But, having said that, and knowing this administration, I’m sure it will be filled with plenty rhetoric and spin.

Take them as you will…