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Tuesday, November 27, 2007

November Miscellany

Politics, Race, Comics, Music, Sports, Weather - we do it all

U.S. Thanksgiving Day, we drove from Albany to Oneonta, and saw the temperature rise from 44 and fog to 52 to 68F in a little more than an hour. Then that afternoon, the temperature plummeted, where it's been ever since.
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I received this question, as did a number of other bloggers: "I'd be interested in your reaction to this: An effort underway to remove Pelosi as Speaker, and make way for impeachment. Details. What flaws do you see with this plan; and is there a way to block this?"

As I've made abundantly clear, I favor the impeachment of Bush and Cheney. But the idea of impeaching Pelosi for her "high crimes and misdemeanors" of NOT impeaching them in order to impeaching them seems a bit surreal. Actually, it reminds me of a maneuver of my former church whereby the associate pastor was removed in order to make way for removing the senior pastor, except that it took 10 years to actually remove the senior pastor.

Regardless, the impeachment of Nancy Pelosi is highly unlikely to happen. And even if it did, impeachment of Bush/Cheney won't happen. The Democrats are too risk averse. And oddly, from everything I've read, impeachment might very well STRENGTHEN the Democrats as it did in 1974, and as it did for the Republicans in 1868.
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The current TV Guide lists the current Presidential candidates' favorite television programs. Will Fred Hembeck support Barack Obama, now that Obama's come out in favor of SponngeBob Squarepants? And speaking of Fred, read Hembeck: Court Jester of Comics, an interview by Peter Sanderson in Publishers' Weekly.
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A couple things I learned from ADD, one directly, one indirectly:
Tom Spurgeon's Holiday Shopping Guide and
an interview with David Michaelis, biographer of Charles Schulz. Oh, and Gordon says nice things about the book about the creator of the Peanuts comic strip.
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I don't really follow college football, and don't like how the polls determine rankings; I'm more of an NFL fan. Still, I prefer the way cthe college game settles ties, with each team getting a chance or two (or three, in the case of Arkansas' upset of LSU last week) to the randomness of the coin toss to determine who'll get the ball first, and quite possibly, score and win.
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Cracked.com shows video clips of 8 of The 9 Most Racist Disney Characters:
#9. The Merchant from Aladdin
#8. Sebastian from The Little Mermaid
#7. The Crows from Dumbo
#6. King Louie from The Jungle Book
#5. The Siamese Twin Gang from Chip n’ Dale Rescue Rangers
#4. Sunflower the Centaur from Fantasia
#3. The Indians from Peter Pan
#2. Uncle Remus from Song of the South
#1. Thursday from Mickey Mouse and the Boy Thursday (Book)
The Little Mermaid clip surprised me, but I see its validity on the list.
Even though I feel uncomfortable with Song of the South - I do remember it in re-release c. 1960, I think, the movement to get Song of the South released on video doesn't bother me. Not to say that I'll buy it.
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Also from Cracked.com: Ridiculous Overseas Rip-Offs of American Films, including a hysterical "Thriller" from India, a cheesy "Star Wars" from Turkey, and this Beatles Indian riff featuring, of all people, Mark Cuban:

ROG

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'd consider renting it, just to refresh my memory...but I don't think I would buy Song of the South. Of course, i say I might rent it, but I have not been able to bring myself to rent Birth of a Nation from work-and it would not cost me a dime (I more fear the time it would cost).

Anonymous said...

Roger,

Thank you for your reaction to the effort to remove Pelosi. As you may have read, the effort to remove Pelosi would not be an impeachment (involving a trial); but merely a House vote. The Speaker's office is one the House majority would vote on to vacate and replace. The House majority -- for whatever reason -- did vote to forward the Kucinich resolution to investigate Cheney.

However, it appears the one roadblock to the investigation is the Speaker herself: She's apparently, despite the House majority vote, still claiming impeachment is still off the table. You are correct, that it is difficult to remove a President; but this is not the same as removing Pelosi as Speaker. All it takes is one resolution by one House member to raise the question; it does not involve a trial nor formal charges; and the House alone, not the Senate, would decide. A state proclamation raising the question could also trigger a vote in the House.

A majority of the House favors -- for whatever reason -- an effort to investigate the VP. Is it your view that a majority of the House -- after voting for an investigation (for whatever reason) -- would then accept a roadblock to that investigation, and not challenge the Speaker? I think a case could be made that the same group that defied Pelosi on the Kucinich resolution might also seriously consider removing her to make way for the very investigation they're calling for.

Indeed, there is evidence there are those within the ranks of the DNC who oppose Pelosi. In theory, the GOP and DNC (who oppose Pelosi, and want an investigation, for whatever reason) could form a new group that would favor the removal of the Speaker.

Thank you for your anecdote about the senior Church leader: Indeed, it would be a concern if Pelosi were removed, but there were no other action in re Bush or Cheney. However, this is something only the House can ultimately choose, not choose. At this juncture, the issue is: Are there some good reasons why the Speaker should not be removed; and what other roadblocks -- besides the Speaker -- really stand in the way of an impeachment investigation? I am unable to find any. Thank you for your comments and very best wishes to you this holiday season.