The Voice of Treason

People who spend time in and around non-profit arts organizations tend to believe that others who do the same are fellow travelers, but in my case that was not so. And this was sometimes awkward. People I didn’t even know would walk into the office and start talking to me as if I was part of the gang.

“Just drove past Planned Parenthood on my way over here and the goddamned bead rattlers are out there again.”

In general, most discussions would lead to a tirade about the administration and I’d go about my business, occasionally looking up to smile or nod. Usually the person talking to me would notice the photograph of George Bush in his Air National Guard uniform behind my desk and gradually change the topic or excuse him or herself and walk away. Others would just stare and ask: “What the hell is that?”

E-mail was another matter. Somehow I was on every distribution list and would get memos about what corporations we’d be boycotting next and what item I wasn’t supposed to be buying on what day because if everyone in the world would just stop buying that one item on that one day we could all make a difference! And I’d get some political jokes from time to time. Occasionally I’d send something back - maybe one about Bill, Hillary, or John Kerry. This would confuse them. Why is she making jokes about our people? Is she being…ironic?

Rumor campaigns, I admit, were fun to monitor - I was even getting them from the far Right, so I took most with a grain of salt. Then came the e-mail about those evil Republicans and their plan to bring back the draft. It’s why it’s so imperative we vote for John Kerry! (Uh, for those of you “stuck” in our military, “imperative” means “very important.”) I read it through and stared at the distribution list. Was there anyone who wasn’t on it? Do I dare respond to all these people and set the record straight?

I had no choice. I calmly explained that this was partly true: there was, indeed, a plan being put forth that would “bring back the draft.” But it was not being introduced by Republicans. No, the truth was that it was legislation written and sponsored by Democrats - specifically New York Congressman Charles Rangel and South Carolina Senator Fritz Hollings — and I cited the bills, H.R. 163 and S.B. 89.

Then I hit send.

Let’s just say I received some interesting responses. A couple people actually seemed to appreciate the clarification, but they were in the minority.

I was reminded of this episode when I heard that Charlie’s at it again. Now before you say, “Yeah, but what about H.R. 3598 - the Universal Military Training and Service Act of 2001? Wasn’t that a Republican-sponsored bill to reinstate the draft?,” just take a breath.

It was another bill that died, yes. I would hope that we could all take an opportunity to look at this issue seriously and discuss it like adults. Why not examine a program in which the military is a bridge between government school and college or a career? Maybe we should consider it. Parents seem to have no issues whatsoever turning their children over to the government to be “educated,” so what’s the problem with donating a year or two to military service? Men and women could be paid a stipend that would be held in a special account and used after their service for college or as a foundation for a savings plan. Use the money towards a home, perhaps.

A “head start,” so to speak, on life. We fund “Head Start” programs all the time, don’t we? What’s the difference?

I caught a repeat broadcast last night on C-SPAN: A three-hour In Depth with Rose and Milton Friedman taped in September, 2000. It’s funny, what with all this hoopla over a wedding in Rome this weekend, that there was more romance between Milton and Rose in this interview with Brian Lamb than there will be in this TomKat arrangement. I watched these two eighty-eight year-old people - so sharp, both of them - and tried to imagine if they had ever expected to meet by chance in a classroom then spend their lives together, so useful and so well matched.

But I was also thinking again about capitalism. I have to be careful. Too often I find myself criticizing people for squandering their wealth. I mean, who am I to dictate to someone how he should spend his money? If someone wants six homes and fifty cars, what business is it of mine? After all, it’s not like I’ve been the most practical person - I’ve wasted plenty myself on frivolity. For years we dropped the dogs off at daycare before we headed off to work. I told myself we were buying peace of mind, knowing that our dogs were being supervised, getting physical and intellectual stimulation, and not chewing through electrical cords. But, frankly, what we should have bought was a dog door and a second property.

And now the stock market just hit another all-time high - that’s four days straight - and I cashed out my 401(k) last year. Again, who am I to tell someone what he should do with his money?

Maybe I just have blue collar in my DNA and don’t really understand the whole concept. There could be something to this. When I heard that O.J.’s NFL pension is more than $400,000 a year all I could think was: Isn’t that what the leader of the free world gets pre-tax? (Maybe Clinton should have played football, not sax, some would say. I say no: for Bill, politics was much more lucrative.)

Our Sunday paper featured a home that we’ve driven past several times on our search for interesting places to take the dog. We’d discovered a neighborhood not far from here that looks more like Scottsdale than Albuquerque and noticed that completion on a Tuscan villa was imminent. T and I just looked at each other when we saw “the compound.” It’s selling for $5.5 million — a bargain at a monthly payment of $25,000. Keep in mind that a lot of folks in these parts don’t make that in a year.

Now before you think I’ve gone all Populist, just stop. I’ve worked both blue and white collar jobs, so maybe it is that Puritan/Italian immigrant roots thing I was talking about on Friday. Or, maybe it’s just generational; after all, I’m old enough to remember what things used to cost. My grandfather’s mortgage on his house in Erie, PA was $17 a month. And my mother remembers there were times it was hard to come up with that $17. When she married my stepfather in the early seventies she hated the idea of living in the California bungalow that he’d bought for his mother after the war, but he was adamant: There was no way he was going to spend $20,000 for a new house in the Bay Area. Can’t blame him - he paid less for his house than I did for my 1984 Renault Alliance. Now people are spending even more on eBay for a PlayStation 3.

I remember how bewildered T and I were when guests would tell us that our home was “too big for two people.” Too big? “Yeah. It’s not like you two have children, you know. Why do you need a yard and a four-bedroom house?”

Well, maybe because we don’t want to breathe each other’s air. Or maybe that’s none of your @#$%ing business.

The house offered two things we couldn’t have in California: affordability and brick. In the event it ever became unbearable for the two of us to even look at one another, I wanted to be sure I had access to my own bed and bath. (Privacy is highly underrated.) A guest room and a home office are not extravagances. These are practical. I remember my mother always telling me that her father believed land was more important than the house. The house can fall apart — always get as much land as you can afford. The land, not the house, is what’s valuable. Besides, when the famine comes, I can grow tomatoes.

All I’m saying is that I can never see a time in my life when I’ll be writing a monthly check for $25,000 to pay for a 10,000 square foot house. I can barely keep up on the dog hair in this one - why would I want more to maintain? I see smaller in my future - not larger.

Friends tell me I’m the most liberal Republican they’ve ever met and I disagree. Milton Friedman described himself as a liberal (”in the true sense of the term”), not a Conservative. In truth, he was a libertarian - small “l,” as he said. I would never refer to myself as a liberal Republican; in fact, the way I see it, there is so much confusion about what Liberal and Conservative, and what Republican and Democrat mean that no one really knows what he’s talking about anymore. I mean, John McCain is running around this week trying to convince people he’s Ronald Reagan. Confusion, I tell you. Terms are blurring. You say country club Republican, I say limousine Liberal.

But just because I wouldn’t spend a fortune on an Armani wedding gown and suit for a wedding in a medieval castle, that doesn’t make me a Liberal. Certainly doesn’t make Tom and Katie Conservatives, either.

I have learned during my sabbatical that there are things I can survive without. Things I don’t need. Not having an income makes me appreciate things I used to take for granted. Car maintenance…the ability to fix or replace things when they break…ensuring the dog is getting the best food and veterinary care.

Again, I have to remember what my grandfather always said: All a person really needs is a good mattress, good food, and a good pair of shoes. I say, throw in a good dog and a good book, and you’re set. And maybe a reliable car. Oh — and good plumbing. A set of decent cookware isn’t a bad idea, either. Of course, central air would be nice…

But I digress. Friedman said many things in this interview and one was that he was disappointed with the Republicans (and this was taped in 2000) for not acting like Republicans. “They’re trying too hard to be popular. They’re just ‘going along.’”

And that might explain how they lost the election six years later. The spending, the waste, the pork — high living, taking advantage of the system, the cutting of deals. Forgetting basic principles. The general bad behavior. “Acting like Democrats,” so to speak.

There are rumblings that the Blue Dogs could work with moderates and conservatives on the other side and actually get something accomplished. Some are skeptical. Maybe they’re right, but I’m keeping my eye on those Blue Dogs, anyway. (Just wish they’d drop that Anti-Torture McCainery chicanery…)

Whaddya know? We finally have election results here in Third World Nuevo Mexico. Sort of. It sounds like they’ve called it for Heather, but until I hear Patsy concede I won’t be convinced the ballot mining is complete. Patsy insists she won’t concede or call for a recount until the count is deemed “official.” So, really, we still don’t have election results.

And if this and the introduction of those vile paper ballots aren’t enough to make voters snippy, there is a new plot afoot. Beware! Same-day voter registration is coming soon…

Milton Friedman: I’m NOT a conservative! We (F.A. Hayek and Friedman) are liberals - in the true sense of the term, and not in the distorted, current sense of the term. People who are liberal with other people’s money.

– Brian Lamb interviewing Milton Friedman on C-SPAN; October, 1994

That Friedman line, had he repeated the entire quote that is frequently attributed to him, is:

“I am a libertarian with a small l and a Republican with a capital R. And I am a Republican with a capital R on grounds of expediency, not on principle.”

He was 82 years old when he gave that interview; he died yesterday at age 94. Milton Friedman was someone I’ve always admired for his brilliance, good sense, and sharp wit. He will be missed.

What’s ironic is that I was thinking a lot about capitalism yesterday. Yes, I consider myself a capitalist. The fact, however, that I am not wealthy does not make me resent those who are. I do not support the redistribution of wealth and I do not believe the wealthy should be penalized.

After all, there are some very generous people out there donating millions - billions, even - to do good work. I watched Ben Stein and Steve Forbes debate this week: Stein asserts that because the rich have more money they really should be taxed more. Again, I don’t understand why some people need to be taxed more than others. Forbes, of course, advocates tax reform - a flat tax in which every one pays the same percentage. Flat tax, FairTax - just give me some tax reform because the current system is abominable.

Unfortunately, our system has created an industry. How do we simplify, abolish the tax code, and eliminate all those forms without saying goodbye to the IRS, H & R Block, and all those other organizations that have built their world around taxes?

As far back as I can remember I’ve had Europeans and Canadians lecture me about what’s wrong with America. Americans don’t pay enough for their gasoline, they say, and they certainly don’t pay enough in taxes. And I’m always put in the position of asking them: “Um, so why did you move here, again?”

What would be wrong with revising our current tax forms so that taxpayers can choose their own higher tax bracket, write a check to the government, and give more? There’s nothing stopping anyone from doing that now, so how many people who claim that they don’t feel they’re giving enough are taking advantage of this freedom? You can pay as much as you like. Go for it. Ben, I love ya, but that includes you.

I was thinking about capitalism before I heard about Friedman’s passing because T was looking at dog accessories online. We recently discovered all the dog toys and accessories we had hoarded over the years, and realized that our dogs had never used most of the items. We donated them to Watermelon Mountain Ranch, a local no-kill shelter. In the bags that I handed over, there were no gold-plated bowls, no jewel encrusted collars, no Louis Vuitton leashes, no cashmere and mink sweaters.

We didn’t think twice about paying thousands of dollars for veterinary services (including three knee surgeries, and lens implantation); however, there’s no freaking way I’m buying my dog a piece of designer jewelry. Why? Cuz it’s not really for the dog, now is it?

Maybe it’s my father’s Puritan roots, or maybe it’s my mother’s immigrant roots. My mother’s father worked hard, bought land, then grew fruits and vegetables to share with neighbors during the Depression. My mother raised us by waiting tables.

I used to love to visit her brother and his wife in Phoenix. They lived simply in a basic ranch-style house; it was comfortable and accommodated their very large dogs. They drove modest American sedans - nothing flashy. My aunt always shopped for bargains and the only thing in their house that I found unusual was the second refrigerator in the kitchen. She did cook a lot, so it was probably practical to have two. The one luxury I found during my visits was the box of tiny Belgian chocolates tucked inside the refrigerator door.

I remember how shocked I was to discover that my aunt and uncle were millionaires. I had the same sensation when I saw a PlayStation 3 sell on eBay for $10,100. T called up a friend and asked if he’d seen it.

“Yeah. And I saw the one that went for $14,900, too.”

We got in the car and drove around Wal-Mart and Best Buy to look at the lines.

“Why aren’t we in line? Why aren’t we sitting there so we can turn around and make a huge profit on eBay? I mean, what else are we doing?”

“Well, because we can tell ourselves it’s an investment or call it a smart financial strategy, but we won’t believe it.”

“Why not? What’s wrong with us?”

“I think it’s because we feel there’s something very wrong with this picture.”

“Someone’s going to die. If these things are suddenly worth thousands of dollars, people are going to be killed for them.”

“Wouldn’t be surprised.”

“So what’s wrong with us? We stand in line to vote - why aren’t we in line to buy a PlayStation?”

And that got me thinking. Yes, we stand in line to vote, yet there are those who won’t. They’ll stand in line for a movie or camp out for concert tickets or a game console, but they won’t stand in line to vote.

They will sacrifice, sitting and sleeping on cold concrete for days, waiting to buy a game console, but will not sacrifice anything to preserve the life of our civilization.

“We’re doomed. Even our language is dying.”

“No, it’s evolving.”

“Dying.”

“Language changes.”

“It dies. We’re killing our language. And people are paying ten thousand dollars for a toy.”

I could feel a major funk coming on and I knew I had to snap out of it. It’s not all doom and gloom, I told myself. After all, we’re still adding new words to the dictionary. Sacrifice isn’t extinct: Young men and women still join our military. People volunteer in their communities, donate, and adopt puppies that would otherwise be sentenced to death.

And although there has been violence from coast to coast, the number of casualties outside Best Buy and Wal-Mart have been fewer than I’d expected.

Every cloud has a silver lining.

“While the rest of America’s working families are waiting patiently in line, Senator Edwards wants to cut to the front.”

– statement issued by Wal-Mart after an Edwards volunteer tries to score a PlayStation 3

So Edwards could be right - maybe there are two Americas. Clearly we can see which one Senator Edwards is living in.

Of course, every silver lining has its cloud, too. The Democrats are in power again: Let the class warfare begin.

As cynical as I am sometimes about government, I do tend to believe that it has assembled a treasure-trove of intelligence that suggests our imminent destruction. In other words, we’re doomed.

We have plenty of proof of terror plots against us: Does the information indicate that something truly awful is about to happen? Yes, I know there are those who think this is all a made-up war, and that there is no threat. I know there are those who think that Islam is a religion of love and peace, that Democrats really care, and Dennis Kucinich would have made a fine president. Are these the same people who thought that Hitler was doing a good job of lifting German morale?

“Those poor people. They’ve been so beaten down by life, losing the war and all. Isn’t it nice that this man with the mustache is making them feel good about themselves? Such nice uniforms, too.”

Since only a handful seem to be taking the current threat seriously, have the Republicans revised their plan? Is the strategery now to turn the government over completely to the Democrats so that they get blamed when we get hit?

I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but it’s hard not to consider this possibility after looking at how the Republicans are behaving lately. Some think they intentionally lost the election. There’s proof to suggest this - just look at how some of the campaigns were executed. Still, it’s hard to convince people who believe that Republicans steal elections that they are actually capable of “throwing” one.

I’m looking at the “new” faces of the GOP: Bob Gates, Mel Martinez, Mitch McConnell, Trent Lott, Jon Kyl, Kay Bailey Hutchison, John Cornyn, John Ensign. And now Tommy Thompson has announced he’s putting together an exploratory committee to run in 2008.

I’d mentioned earlier in the week that I wasn’t particularly thrilled about the nomination of Lamar Alexander - nice enough guy, but not a “new” face - and I also cringed when I heard Trent Lott was going to challenge him. Now is not the time to make a scene, I said. Well, as it turns out, the cat herder won handily and without a scene. Say what you will about Lott, he knows how to do the job.

The fear, of course, is that the Left will remind everyone of how he jolly-dogged an old man at his birthday party a few years ago. He paid for that remark. Go ahead, bring it up. Then we can be just as petty and bring up the ugly battle between Murtha and Hoyer and point to Murtha’s little “ethics” problem. We can run that ABSCAM video all day long, if you like.

It’s not that the “new” leadership is bad - they’re all veteran politicians and are capable of doing fine work. It’s just that they’re not new. I got a little excited when I heard Bill Owens and Michael Steele were being considered for bigger roles, then Martinez got Steele’s spot. Mel’s a solid guy, but Steele is “newer.” It’s too easy for the other side to say Steele was passed over for Martinez because the party wants to appeal to Hispanics. It’s why I hate these quotas. Like Bill Clinton proclaiming: We have a Cabinet that looks like America! No, he had a Cabinet that looked like Barnum and Bailey.

Anyway, I’d still like to see some fresh faces, new names, and, frankly, a little excitement. Where’s the enthusiasm? The reformers? And what is the administration’s plan for John Bolton? Are they going to wait until 2008 to unveil a new, improved party?

If so, it sounds like they plan to coast through the next two years, then let the Democrats take Congress and elect a president, hoping that we’ll be attacked again. I know the latest terror tape promised the White House would be obliterated…are we arranging for Hillary and Bill to move back in first?

Just saw that Jim Leyland has won the AL Manager of the Year award. I’ve said here before on The V.O.T. why I like and respect Leyland, and I’m happy to see him acknowledged.

Similarly, Joe Girardi - Illinois native, Northwestern graduate, and former Chicago Cub - was named NL Manager of the Year. After he was fired by Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, there was speculation that the Cubs would replace Dusty Baker with Girardi. That didn’t happen.

Of course not. No offense to Lou Piniella, a fine manager, but why would the Cubs want to give the job to the NL Manager of the Year? A kid from Peoria? A former Cub? Why would they want to show any such loyalty or judgment?

Girardi will return to the broadcast booth for the Yankees for now. And the Cubs will continue their losing streak. Next season has started early for the Northsiders…

I was at the sink yesterday, running water, when I heard something on the radio about that Dallas suburb, Farmers Branch, and the City Council decision to make English the official language. Then I swear I heard someone say, “English is the country of this language.”

Proof that Americans are so confused these days by bilingualism that we barely speak any language clearly enough to be understood by one another. But the statement does have a certain ring to it, don’t you think? Wouldn’t be surprised to see it on a Cafe Press T-shirt one day.

City Councils have been voting on these issues a lot lately and it serves only to rile up communities and get a little attention from the media. It is merely symbolic - much like towns that vote to impeach the President and Vice President: It ain’t gonna happen because a city’s councilpersons said it should be so.

This is nothing new. During World War II, Pennsylvania tried to kick out illegal Italian and German immigrants. My mother’s family had settled in Erie, but had come here through Ellis Island legally. They were Italians, here at a time when we were fighting Mussolini, but they were not at risk of being deported. Key word again: illegal.

These votes hold no power. Cities, counties, and states have no jurisdiction over immigration - it’s a federal thing - so these council decisions are really nothing but theatre. Towns do it, hoping that if enough of them do something - since the federal government seems to be doing nothing - someone somewhere will take the hint and spring into action.

Now that the Republicans have been banished to minority status, the Democrats have assumed more responsibility and are expected to start making some decisions. No one on either side wants to alienate Hispanic voters, yet it’s clear we have an illegal immigration issue. Key word: illegal.

I’ve lived in three border states. In this one, the names Chavez, Garcia, and Gonzales dramatically outnumber Smith and Jones. But the Smiths and Joneses aren’t the only ones affected by illegal immigration. It’s time to take race out of the issue and act like adults. But already there are conspiracy theories out there - on both sides - that suggest Bush lost the election on purpose. More of that strategery.

His plan was to “allow” the Democrats to take control of Congress in order for him to secure his legacy: Amnesty! That’s been his plan all along, say the theorists, and now he’ll have the support to get it done.

Hell’s bells. The next two years should be…interesting.

I was on NRO the other day and read “The Inside Story” by William F. Buckley Jr. I recommend you do the same, so I’ve provided a link. Says Bill:

“We aren’t supposed to make any generalities based on race, color, or creed, just to begin with. Invidious comparisons can be made, and indeed are every day made, by individuals. Still, institutions go to extraordinary lengths to avoid remarking differences. Indeed, many super-cautious universities even forbid applicants to submit photographs, on the basis of which an official at the Department of Admissions might say � or whisper; or just think quietly � that this applicant is black/Indian/Chinese . . .

So what I want to know is: How is it that on page P-7 of the New York Times for November 9, 2006, I can find out how many people voted Democratic and how many Republican, nationwide, among: whites, blacks, Hispanics, Asians, men, women, 18 to 29-year-olds, 60 and older, didn’t complete high school, did, some college, college graduate, postgraduate, Protestants, white Protestants, Catholics, white Catholics, Jews, white evangelicals, family income under $15,000, under $30,000, under $50,000, under $75,000, under $100,000, over $100,000, Easterners, Midwesterners, Southerners, Westerners, gays, lesbians, bisexuals.”

For the rest of the article, click here. It was interesting to see who voted for whom. (Unfortunately, Muslim voting patterns were not discussed here - and those were really “interesting.”) According to the article, I fit into several categories. First, I’m a registered Republican and will no doubt stay that way until the Libertarians get serious. Second, I have ovaries. That makes me a woman. I’m of a “certain age.” That makes me old. I am a college graduate. Since I have been self-unemployed for over a year and have had zero income, I should be considered po’. And although my mother’s immigrant Italian parents were born in Italy, I do not consider myself part of an ethnic minority. (The Italians, for the most part, assimilated quickly and were happy to be Americans. I am not Latin, then; I’m just a plain ol’ white girl.)

Although I have often described myself as a gay man trapped in a woman’s body and have spent most of my life associating with homosexuals, it is not contagious; therefore, I am not one. I also spend a lot of time around atheists. Now that might just be contagious. I do not subscribe to a particular religion, although there are many - like Judaism, for instance - that interest me, so I feel I must call myself “agnostic.” I live in the West. The Southwest, specifically.

According to the stats in the Buckley article, I should have voted for Patsy Madrid and every other Democrat on the ballot. Pollsters and politicos do like to pigeonhole us, don’t they? It seems to work: certain groups, sometimes for reasons I cannot understand, continue to vote for certain candidates.

Also on NRO was an interesting article by Myrna Blyth. She mentions the increasing gender gap, as well as the fact that there are many more female candidates in the Democrat Party.

“While there were a lot of women running in this election, too few of them were Republican women. Of the twelve women who ran for the Senate, eight were Democrats, and of the 139 women who ran for the House, 97 were Democrats. There will be a record 16 women senators in the new congress, but only five are Republicans. Democrats and their donors have spent years recruiting women to run. Republicans have just not done a good job that way either.”

It’s not that Republicans are misogynistic or non-inclusive, it’s just that conservative women are harder to find. Maggie Thatchers just don’t grow on trees, you know. When voting, candidates’ genitalia has never been a concern for me, but it is a little disconcerting that there are so few right-leaning women out there. It’s no wonder I spend more time with men.

And we just saw Michael Steele lose in Maryland. I admit, it has always annoyed me that Democrat candidates make sure that they have diverse backdrop for photos. When a white Democrat is after the African-American vote in a particular race you can be sure he’ll be standing in front of a “blackdrop.” I once thought voters could see through that easily, but I’m probably mistaken.

Steele was just criticized during his campaign for being “too white.” Explain to me, please, what that means. His party is mocked for being too white, too male, too old. Hey, every time we find a candidate who’s a different color, gender, or age he or she gets slammed and is called a token.

So I’ve been looking at “diverse” websites and blogs, trying to find out if any women, or blacks, or homosexuals, or Jews, or any other group that the Left says we don’t have enough of exist. They do, which suggests to me that each “diverse” conservative I’ve met in my life hasn’t been a fluke. So I’ll be adding a lot of those links in the near future. I might even go as far as to add a few sites from “the other side.”

Speaking of which, I’ve mentioned Kansas City-based Gone Mild before and I finally deposited some comments on it just this week. It’s what got me thinking about this “woman” thing. Missouri has its first female senator, the House has its first female Speaker, the White House might soon have its first female president.

Um, ovaries do not a good candidate make. We have to insist on more.

Allow me to repeat some of those comments:

“…And where are the women who are outraged by the treatment of ‘their sisters’ in places like Afghanistan? As a woman, I’m troubled by what I do hear from the ladies.

Female candidates are sometimes bogged down by what I feel are frivolous issues -specifically, ‘women’s issues.’ Well, damn it, how ’bout addressing some basic human, genderless issues? If the issues are right and important, they should appeal to most anyone - regardless of gender, race, or religion. I don’t particularly want the government to be responsible for going into our schools and pulling Zingers out of vending machines. Ladies, how about taking on the responsibility yourselves and teach your children how and what to eat instead of depending on bureaucrats to monitor junk food for you?

…An example is the race here in Nuevo Mexico between Heather Wilson (R) and Patsy Madrid (D)…Patsy took a page from Nancy Pelosi’s playbook and ran as ‘a mother and a grandmother.’ That’s very nice - she has ovaries - but why am I expected to vote for someone based on that? And as much as I love dogs - more than anything else in the world - I was not terribly impressed by Patsy’s decision, as we got closer to Election Day, to go before voters to announce: ‘Not only am I a mother and a grandmother, but I’m a dog lover, too!’

Fine. But where do you stand on the issues? What do you believe? What is your plan if elected? I still don’t know. Sure, we can say there are weak candidates on both sides. But as much as I would like to see more diversity in my party (a few more Libertarians would be a nice touch), I don’t want leaders to drum up token candidates based on gender, race, or religion. I’d rather have them look for the best qualified, regardless of the package. Can we please concentrate on that?”

Guess not. Almost a full week has passed since the election and there’s no decision on this race yet - Patsy’s team is still mining for votes. Hell, the extra time might actually be good. If she does “find” enough ballots to put her over the top, maybe this dragged-out process will be just enough time for her to formulate a platform and figure out precisely what she stands for.

But I’m not counting on it.

No kidding! A few hours go by after my update and now Rudy Giuliani’s “going exploratory,” too. Note to self: I’ll need to move him from number 4 to number 3 and bold his name on my list of Republicans who are gearing up for the big race.

Anyone else making a move before I log out?

List of Democratic candidates for 2008 revised:

1. Evan Bayh
2. Joe Biden (11/12/06)
3. Wesley Clark
4. Hillary Clinton
5. Tom Daschle
6. Chris Dodd
7. John Edwards
8. Algore
9. Barack Obama
10. Bill Richardson
11. Tom Vilsack (11/9/06)

Possible add-ons:
1. Howard Dean
2. Nancy Pelosi

Jumpers:

1. Mark Warner
2. John F. Kerry
3. Russ Feingold

A lot of activity here since Tuesday. Governor Vilsack came out quickly and made it official; Senator Biden sort of went official yesterday without actually committing. He’s still interested, he says, and still plans to run, but he also says that he’s “waiting until January.” (This suggests that his people haven’t yet finished polling voters. Questions: Do you know what plagiarism is? Have you ever heard of Neil Kinnock? Would you support a word thief for president?)

John Edwards is making noise (it’s what he does best); Bill Richardson’s been running forever; Barack Obama looks like he’s ready to nominate himself; and Hillary is probably looking at puppies. (A wartime president needs a dog in the Oval Office. Hope she keeps this one on a leash and away from cars.)

Speaking of being kept on a leash, the Dems (who had kept Howard Dean reined in) are now confident enough to let him go before the cameras and are even considering letting him run again. His training has been coming along nicely and they’re confident he’s developed those socializing skills. The muzzle can come off.

But before Hillary and Bill commit to a new pet - or should I say Canine-American? - they need to do two things. Determine once and for all that Bill can or cannot be on the same ticket, and make sure Nancy hasn’t already consulted with decorators to re-do the Lincoln Bedroom.

The R-List

Official:
1. Duncan Hunter

Exploratory phase:
2. John McCain

There’s been talk:
3. Bill Frist

And speculation:
4. Rudy Giuliani
5. Newt Gingrich
6. Mitt Romney
7. Sam Brownback
8. Chuck Hagel
9. Mike Huckabee
10. Tom Tancredo
11. Jeb Bush

And musing:
12. Condi Rice

Please…not now and not another so soon:
13. George Pataki
14. George Allen

Won’t run if nominated, won’t serve if elected:
1. Richard B. Cheney

Okay, Hunter has made it official, but it’s safe to assume that McCain is official, too, because he’s never stopped running. Cheney has never demonstrated the desire and insists that he absolutely, positively won’t run. Rice says she’s flattered, but she plans to return to Stanford.

Pataki is definitely interested, the question is: Why won’t he just go away? Allen was the frontrunner before his Senate campaign, but then so was Howard Dean before “the scream.”

The most polished in the group, of course, is Mitt Romney. He has consistently managed to look good and sound good - and that’s no easy feat. He crafts his responses well and says just the right thing. He has demonstrated unusual class for a politician. An example was when rumors surfaced about him sharing a ticket with possible VP Jeb Bush. He explained that Bush is the best governor in the country. “Better than you?,” he was asked. Yes, said Romney - Jeb Bush has much more experience. Then he added that if Governor Bush announced he was running for president, he would be honored if asked to be his VP. That’s smooth.

But he’s a Mormon, you say. Yeah…so’s Harry Reid. But he’s from the Northeast, you say. But born in the Midwest - Detroit, specifically - and well-traveled. A gentleman, he has the charm and temperament that will appeal to Southern voters. I could go on.

But I’ll end here because I need to get back to the war coverage. Iraq? No, Hoyer v. Murtha, and Pelosi v. Harman.