Friday, November 12, 2004

Yahoo! gets it wrong with Barack Obama - or do they?

Yahoo! reportedly got the caption wrong when it captioned a photo with Barack Obama's name.

Now, I'm not so sure they got it wrong. I think it looks like him, and the story has not been pulled, so they may have it right.

But, thinking that it was a case of "all them black folks look the same" on Yahoo!s part, Democratic Underground started a thread showing all of Senator-elect Obama's past accomplishments. It's hilarious.

By the way, Barack Obama's speech at the Democratic convention can be found here.

Wednesday, November 10, 2004

Fair Representation amendment

Gerrymandering has calcified Congress. The Democrats need an issue to draw focus like the anti-gay-marriage amendment.

A Fair Representation constitutional amendment would mandate sensibly shaped congressional districts, redrawn no more frequently than once per decade.

The name may need strengthening.

Monday, November 08, 2004

We like maps

Bumped up because of some new links.

Blogging of the President has a nice collection of election map links. Thanks to Daily Kos for the link.

The turnout map at the New York Times wowed me. Why did so many more South Dakotans vote this election?

Crooked Timber has a weird one. And more here.

The county-by-county map by Robert Vanderbei shows we're a purple country.

The Buffalo News shows that while in Erie County the majority voted for Kerry, urban districts voted "blue" and rural districts voted "red" like throughout the rest of the country.

Update - More map links:

Political Animal solid blue or red for counties with greater than 70% for either party, purple for the middle.

3d margins of victory from the Washington Post

And Wonkette: Vertical stripes make us thinner

ESRI GIS and Mapping Software

Sunday, November 07, 2004

Wrestling with a gorilla

William Rivers Pitt has some observations on where to go from here:
"It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired." – Robert Strauss

"It is amazing that this election was as close as it was. Kerry should never have come as close as he did to victory, given the campaign of fear that was waged against the American people by this administration. Worse than losing the election, therefore, would be an acceptance of the idea that all the work, all the shoeleather spent in the movement to vote Bush out was a complete failure. It wasn't. The movement did better than it had any right to, and it still has work to do. Worse than losing the election would be an abandonment of that movement. It isn't over, but has only just begun."


We're liberal, and we're still here

This is a "purple" country. More people voted for John Kerry - the "most liberal senator in the Senate" - than voted for any previous president. This election is by no means a repudiation or rejection of liberalism! On the contrary, it is an affirmation that nearly half of the country accepts and embraces liberal values.

This second Bush term is not a new administration. It's the same administration, and there should be no honeymoon. The honeymoon was over years ago.

We need to stand resolute. We believe we are right, and nearly half of the country agrees. It is our duty and responsibility to stand firm for what we believe, and oppose as best possible the implementation of extremist Republican measures.

Swearing off politics and the blogs?

I thought I would be able to do it, and thought I wanted to, but I'm getting pulled right back in.

It's still interesting, Josh Marshall is coming out of his funk a little, and Kos is clicking a bit.

Atrios is still kinda aggravated, though.

The Left Coaster is presenting some interesting views.

Everything in moderation.