November 2007 archive

Mark this date on your calendar: 11/12/07.  On Monday, November 12th, 2007, we will be through the looking glass of US history.

On August 3rd through August 5th of 2005, Time/SRBI polled the American people and found that fifty percent of Americans approved and forty-six percent of Americans disapproved of President George W. Bush’s job performance.  50% to 46%.  That was the last poll by any of the major polling organizations tracked by Roper Center in which the President’s approvals were equal to or higher than his disapprovals.  August 5th, 2005 was two years, three months ago, tomorrow.

Between October 8th and October 13th of 1950, Gallup showed forty-three percent of Americans approved and thirty-six percent disapproved of President Harry S Truman.  43% to 36%.  That was the last Gallup Poll in which Truman’s approvals were equal to or higher than his disapprovals.  Eisenhower took office two years, three months and seven days later. 

Nixon does not bear comparison here.  His approvals beat his disapprovals for the last time on May 4th through May 7th of 1973.  He resigned on August 9th, 1974. That’s only one year, three months and two days in the tank.

In other words, if President Bush’s approval ratings remain below his disapproval ratings for another eight days, we will be through the looking glass.  Bush will have been on his unpopularity run for two years, three months, and seven days.  He will have beaten Truman for the longest unpopularity streak in the history of reliable approval polling.  A record.  Mark it down. 

But further than that, I, for one, am willing to bet that Bush will continue his streak until the end of his term in office.  In other words — on the not-very-risky assumption that I’m right — in the political history of the United States nothing like this has ever happened before. 

As with Joe DiMaggio’s batting streak, hitting singles-or-better in 56 straight games, Bush’s record will be an incredible achievement, probably never to be repeated.

Unless the country elects Giuliani.  Then all bets are off.

My very dearest Senator Feinstein,

I feel like we’re old friends. Years ago, when Arianna Huffington was a Republican and you were a moderate Democrat, I sent money to your re-election campaign. A good chunk of money. I was offended that Arianna’s husband was trying to buy your senate seat. I admired your tenacity in fighting him off. I loved the bumperstickers that said: Dianne: Make him spend it all!. Those were the days, huh?

And then began our long correspondence. Okay, I wasn’t so good at writing you back- in fact, I never did- but you kept sending me letters, every month or so, describing all the fine work you were doing in Washington. I was touched that you made the effort. Having once worked for a congressman, I knew how much effort it took. And they were all personally signed by your signing machine! I can’t tell you how much that meant to me. And it went on for years and years. I could tell that you cared!

We were even once almost formally introduced. Well, not quite formally, but you did once almost bowl me over, late one night at a dim sum restaurant, when I was walking past your table, and you suddenly rose to put on your coat. Had your daughter not quickly whisked you out of the way, our introduction might have been more than formal. It might have been almost intimate! But your daughter saved the day- or night- and you were startled, and apologetic, and gracious. It was actually quite human and charming. I almost stopped to tell you how much I appreciated your recent efforts in helping get the assault weapons ban through the Senate, but having known quite a few famous people, I considered it best to not interrupt your private time.

The years went by. We had a falling out. You voted for Bush’s tax cuts. I called your office and said there would be no more money. I admit that I hadn’t actually intended to give you more, anyway, but I thought you needed to understand how disappointed I was. And you did seem to understand. You seemed to understand that relationships sometimes need work. The thoughtful letters kept coming, as if nothing had happened. It was kind of sweet. I understood that you didn’t take me lightly, and that you intended to keep trying to grow the relationship. I did my part, too. When you sponsored a bill to shut down Guantanamo, I wrote a diary on Daily Kos, to praise you. I called your office to thank you. Despite our estrangement, I wanted you to know that when I thought you deserved it, I would still always be there for you.

So, we do have a long history, together. And we have much in common. For example:

You went to Stanford University. I went to Stanford Hospital.

You were mayor of San Francisco, in the 1980s, and worked at City Hall. I went to a lot of concerts at the San Francisco Civic, in the 1980s, and often walked past City Hall.

You live in a famous Pacific Heights mansion. I’ve driven through Pacific Heights.

We both root for the 49ers and Giants. We both suffer for it.

We both know that the best dim sum in San Francisco is not found in Chinatown.

It’s almost like we’re related!

If you have 18 minutes, check out this video link below (sorry, no permalink).  It is Carolyn Porco, lead scientist on the Cassini Saturn mission, talking about one of the greatest human achievements in exploration that has barely raised eyebrows in our terminally dull population.  She is the awesome, and she knows how to talk about science to stupid people like me. 

The Turtles

Happy Together

Back in 2004, Thomas J. DiLorenzo wrote a piece titled “Bush’s Lincolnian Assault on Civil Liberties (Or, Al Gore is Right!)” Here is some background information:

Under Abraham Lincoln, Habeas corpus was unilaterally (and illegally) suspended … and the military, with the help of a secret police bureaucracy operated by William Seward, imprisoned tens of thousands of Northern political opponents. They were thrown into gulags such as Fort Lafayette in New York harbor where they were never charged, had no idea how long they would be held, and their families often had no idea of their whereabouts. (See James Randall, Constitutional Problems Under Lincoln; and Dean Sprague, Freedom Under Lincoln). The Virginia patriot George Washington would have undoubtedly drawn his sword and fought another revolution over such an outrage.