Room for Hope

Best quote ever about a coming generation:

"Millennials may be a self-confident generation," the study concluded, "but they display little appetite for claims of moral superiority."

Places in the News

All of my former hometowns are in the news all at once. Go figure. The Arizona senate election covers my years in Phoenix and Window Rock. My Virginia years come up in violence directed at congress members regarding the health care finance bill.

Rep. Eric Cantor claimed his Richmond, Virginia office was attacked. I began my professional career in that city. In Albemarle County or Charlottesville, Virginia, a gas line at the the home of Rep. Tom Periello's brother was cut after the brother's address was mistakenly posted on a Tea Bag Facebook page as a place for to demonstrate displeasure with the congressman's vote on the health care finance bill. I lived in both Charlottesville and Albemarle County during college and graduate school.

When told of possible injury to three young children, a teabagger from Danville, Virginia called it "collateral damage". My childhood and high school years were in Danville and I'll be damned if I didn't say something that stupid back then.

That's it. Every place of which I have a conscious memory. All in one week. All dubious distinctions.

Worse and Worser

Man,it's hard to be ambivalent about John McCain's re-election. When I was his constituent, I always voted for his opponent. McCain is the reliable servant of the moneyed class who played to the masses as s POW and ever since failed to demonstrate the same courage as he did in that iconic image. As a national leader, McCain has been disastrously wrong about America's role in the world. The wars he supports have wrecked three nations--Iraq, Afghanistan and America--and severely diminished America's stature and credibility. I can think of no reason why Arizona and the nation would not be better served without John McCain in the senate.

Except for his opponent, JD Hayworth, former sportscaster, Contract On America revolutionary, Three-Term Pomise-breaker, all around Republican toady and my congressman for five years. Helping Harry Mitchell remove JD from congress was one of my real achievements during those last years in Phoenix. Knowing what I know of him, I can certainly say that JD Hayworth would not be an improvement. He's all of McCain's shortcomings and many more. A demagogue par excellance. Think Rush Limbaugh being able to block Unanimous Consent in the Senate.

None of the stories I see even mention a Democratic candidate. Which doesn't surprise me. Given the vast Republican money advantage in Arizona and the dismal Democratic chances statewide in general, it would take a rich and very savvy Democrat who'd even want to try. Barring some miracle, which all the pundits claim will not happen and for which I fervently hope, Arizona will send John or JD to the Senate in November.

Either a former Maverick now re-born as a True Conservative or the Blowhard Tea-Bagger.