The Week Ahead

A few things to pay attention to as this new week gets started...

• Keep an eye on the quickly-falling apart congressional campaign of Tramm Hudson (R-FL). Let this be a lesson for all political novices out there, when running for a political seat, don’t say things like” “blacks don’t know how to swim” … Mo. Ron.
• With the 1-year anniversay of Huricane Katrina’s landfall approaching, keep an eye on Louisiana and Mississippi as a USA Today/Gallup poll results show that 32% of Katrina victims say their lives are still not back to normal.
• Also keep an eye on the Federal government this week as we get near the anniversary. A Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that 43% of Americans don’t think the federal government learned a damn thing learn from Hurricane Katrina and that our nation is no better prepared for a major disaster than it was before.
• Unfortunately, we only have a few more months to enjoy the antics of Katherine Harris, so keep an eye on her entertaining campaign and see the fun while you still can this week. One has to ask oneself, what’s next? What can she possibly do next to out-do anything she’s done to this point? I have faith...
• Keep an eye on our nation’s economy as we quickly approach an economic slowdown. While economists don’t think a recession is likely, we are seeing a tepid job market, a change in consumer spending and inventories are starting to rise… but the administration still says everything’s hunky-dory.
• Saddam Hussein’s war crimes trial begins this week… so keep an eye on his lawyers… from a safe distance mind you…
• Keep an eye on the voting-ego of New Hampshire. Just when you think it couldn’t get any bigger – they do something to prove you wrong. With their ego in danger of being bruised, New Hampshire’s Secretary of State, William Gardner, said that he will choose when New Hampshire Democrats vote for their Presidential candidates and not the Democratic National Committee. The DNC approved a calendar that called for New Hampshire to still retain its first-in-the nation primary on Jan. 22… three days after Nevada conducts its caucuses… so they’ll still get to have the first primary, but they’re still complaining??? Give me a friggin’ break… I’ve always disliked New Hampshire being one of the key states in nominating a president, but their constant ego is getting really, really annoying…
• Keep an eye on the presidential ambitions of Hillary Clinton (aaaaaa ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!) as Time magazine’s cover story this week does the same (saving you from doing it yourself thankfully…)
• Republicans are still losing Security Moms…
• Keep an eye on GOP discourse and dissatisfaction with Dubya as conservative pundits are now starting to pile on and speak to his shortcomings and lack of (how do we say this?) … Smarts. Just ask former Republican congressman turned MSNBC pundit Joe Scarborough.
• Pay attention to our fearless leader’s standing in the international world as it continues to fall. Next on the list to spite Bush and his cronies? Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who stated in an interview that President Bush needs to stop viewing the world “from the position of a superpower.” He then said that Vice President Dick “Deadeye” Cheney should “calm down” and stop criticizing Russian leaders. Mr. Gorbachev then tied it all together nicely by saying; “Leadership should be done not by domination, not by becoming a policeman in the world, but by being a partner.” Wonderfully put Mr. Gorbachev… nicely said… too bad it will only fall on deaf ears…
• Pay attention to Pat Buchanan and his ever-dwindling common sense as he states in his new book (coming soon to the $1 rack near you) that Mexico is actively plotting illegal immigration into the U.S. as a strategy of re-conquest of American territories that were once under its control… uh… okay… sure...
• Pay attention to the money being brought in by the Democrats and the republicans as the GOP is losing its advantage in the fundraising arena. Bad news for many republican incumbents who were relying on outdoing their opponents’ fundraising to win re-election. Maybe they’ll learn someday that money isn’t everything and that they may have to, I don’t know, do good things for people in order to win…

Take ‘em as you will…