Sleeping Democrats

The finalists for American Idol received more votes then any previous U.S. Presidential candidate. I only wish I was kidding.

Two months of media sightings and an ultra-liberal documentary and speaking tour later, from the ashes comes Al Gore (D- Tennessee) After a failed Presidential bid in 2000, and amidst strong denials that he is seeking higher office, it seems pretty obvious that Micro-management Man is going to pull a Nixon. The key difference of course is that Gore didn’t have an unsuccessful run for Governor in between Presidential bids. When I predicted this the day after the Supreme Court ended the 2000 election, people told me I was crazy.

The funny part is that Gore is seen as the ABC (anybody but Clinton (D – Parachute)) candidate. I don’t think I need to explain how ludicrous this is because a) He still suffers from Clinton fatigue while Bill Clinton (D – Arkansas, NY, My heart) has somehow washed himself clean of it and b) Hillary Rodham is probably the worst candidate the Democrats could have. The parallels between her, Sheila Copps (L – Daddy’s Hamilton) and Canada’s Belidiot (beloved idiot?) (Undecided – Daddy’s Factory) are interesting, and my position for all three is identical- it would be a shame and a loss for feminism if the first elected female chief executive came on someone else’s coat-tails. Rodham (R- Illinois), of course, is appreciably more intelligent then the other two combined. You will note that I differentiate between Hillary Clinton and Hillary Rodham- they are entirely different people. Perhaps Ironicially, Ms. Rodham and Belidiot may have something else in common that not so many people know about.

Don’t get me wrong- I love Hillary Clinton, on paper. I love strong minded liberals who strive for universal healthcare. I love a common sense approach to immigration policy. I love anyone whose closest advisor is the greatest President of this generation.

That said, a Gore candidacy is a good thing for Democrats for a few reasons. First of all, the other aspirants have exactly zero experience running national campaigns. He has been in three. He has a grasp of international affairs and a vision for the role for the US in the world. And the best part- he has a free pass to campaign for the next three years without looking like he is campaigning. Meet Al Gore, filmmaker. In all honesty, he will focus the debate on key democratic values to which he can speak to with more authority then any of his opponents, on either side of the isle.

I look at Gore the same way I look at Iggy (L – Academia), and this is not an endorsement of Iggy, btw. I know that I disagree with a lot of the things he says, but at least I know that he has come to his opinions through a thoughtful and complete study. I have said a million times that I would rather have a genius who I disagree with running the ship then an idiot who says he agrees but probably doesn’t understand.

You know what wouldn’t be the end of the world? Gore-Clinton 2008. By 2016 she would be too old to do any real damage.

The End of an Era

So, I guess they couldn’t afford to pay Glen Close to do the final episode.

Seven years. I have been watching The West Wing for seven years. Without exception, I have watched every episode within 24 hours of its original airing. Sad, really. But quite admirable considering that for the past two years I haven’t had cable.

In 2000, I wrote a letter to Senator John McCain (R- Arizona) asking him how the existence of the West Wing was possibly consistent with the McCain-Feingold (D-Winconsin) legislation on campaign finance reform, as it was obviously an hour-long infomercial for the Democrats. The reply letter, obviously auto-penned by a clever staffer, was “we understand and recognize your worry, but I am not concerned as the freedom of speech allows Hollywood Democrats to pretend they still hold the White House.”

President Bartlett was really the opposite of what I would love to see in a President. He was a socially conservative free spending liberal democrat. But, he isn’t real. Clinton (D- Arkansas, New York) was a social liberal who, with the benefit of history and with the help of Newt Gingrich (R-Georgia), ran the most fiscally responsible executive branch since the revolution. A libertarian’s dream.

So, how far can an imaginative mind take the parallels between The West Wing and the real world? Here goes- a virtually unknown, albeit popular, Democrat Governor of a small state finishes third in the New Hampshire primary to ultimately overcome a popular large state Senator. After winning the primary, he defeats a struggling incumbent President with a defeated adversary as his running mate. It is discovered that he lied to the people and is censured by Congress. In the landslide mid-term, he wins re-election in part because of his ability to unite the people behind an unspeakable trust they have in him despite the questions about his honesty. His record of dealing with an adverse Congress is not stellar, and he subsequently closes down the government rather then cut programs he cherishes during a budget showdown. The race to succeed him features an election that is the closest in history.

But, he isn’t so different from Bush (R- Mobil) either. He sent large scale US forces into two different conflicts while members of his senior staff are indicted for betraying state secrets. He was also the sitting President during 9/11. Sadly, many people actually believed that.

Ok, seriously- before this turns into an ABC (another bad conspiracy ™) we have to admit that The West Wing did a lot to push the dialogue. K-Streeters spent more time in Los Angeles lobbying to have their issues appear on the show, then they did talking to decision makers in Washington.

In 2001-3, despite being ranked outside the top twenty in the Neilson ratings, the advertising minutes for The West Wing was worth more than every other event except the first half of the Superbowl. Why? Demographics- the people who watched The West Wing made more than the idiots who watch Friends. Unfortunately for those of us in Canada, it wasn’t until this year that we were able to see them. I have said it once, I hate the CRTC.

The West Wing was the epitome of a question I ask most of my politically astute friends- when looking at fiction, when does history end and fiction begin? Or, put into Frank Fukuyama’s (R-Academia) terms- when is the end of history? As best as I can tell, the most recent reference to a real person was found in the very first episode, referring to the dictator of Libya by his actual name, regardless of its correct spelling. I admit that Donna subsequently referred to Matt Perry as cute only to have him return later as a staff lawyer in the white house on whom she had a little crush. Sadly, Friends does not make for good history.

The West Wing wasn’t set so far into the future that it could ignore major events like perestroika, free trade and September 11. The secret to slipping through real history is to acknowledge the events, but not the players who were so pivotal in achieving them. The West Wing, like many other fictional stories about real life institutions, has characters that are…very similar. Be that a dim-witted Southern Governor seeking higher office or a senile leader of the Palestinian authority.

It is funny that Martin Sheen was Bartlett, as he was arrested twice while he was the fake president for his raucus behaviour at protests. Apparently, he once boasted drunkenly that he could “play” Bartlett and win election. Oy. But, he was probably right.

Why do I love Bartlett so? Well, it if it wasn’t obvious to the average viewer, he was a caricature of all the things the sitting President was not. Academically gifted, smooth, articulate- all things that I believe should be constitutional prerequisites along with “born in the USA, 14 year resident and over the age 35.” Seriously, I loved Bartlett because he was John Galt. I hope they put him on Rushmore.

Ministerial Wonders

I am lucky enough to live in Ottawa. As such, through sheer chance, I am often exposed to cute little stories. I want to share two with you-

1) Immigration-eh: I was walking towards my office one morning and there were two gentlemen in front of me. I am a fast walker. The guy on the left is screaming into a cellphone- it is either in spanish or portuguese (I honestly don't know), but it is clear that he is very upset at the officials in the department of citizenship and immigration.

He continues his rant, presumably cursing, as he walks passed the second gentleman, who continues walking without changing his pace whatsoever. When I catch up to the second gentleman, I give him a quick glance, and sure enough it was Monte Solberg- the current Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. He had a knowing smirk on his face.

2) The Thought Police: I happen to live in a downtown condominium building that is populated with several Ministers and Members of Parliament. It also happens to be the time of the decade when we fill out our census information. I hopped onto an elevator a few days ago, with my census information package, and another condo resident. He said, "Government's spying on you, eh?" Sure enough, it was the Minister of National Security and Emergency Preparedness Stockwell Day. "Don't worry," he continued as he got off the elevator, "we aren't too worried about people like you." I don't even want to guess what that means.

Maybe the Liberal Leadershipiots (TM) aren't so bad after all.

WST

Hell and Back

I. Hate. Toronto.

Objectivist forecasting

Based on current polls, I am not convinced the government even wants this budget to pass. Wouldn’t that be a hoot if all three opposition parties voted for it in order for it to pass?

When I make money, I am limited to spending that which I earn. Government can just “project” how much it earns, and spend it accordingly. I suppose I could do the same, but unlike me, the government doesn’t pay interest on its deficit, just its debt. I don’t have the luxury of having those two things hived off from one another. My debt to GDP ratio is WAY higher than government’s, so maybe I should be proud.

It is my opinion that any forecasting beyond 2007 is an academic exercise at best. For example, this budget was drafted during the period of the 86 cent dollar. Well, we now have a 91 cent dollar. Most of the assumptions upon which it is based are no longer relevant. That nickel has saved the Ottawa Senators over 3 million dollars already.

Or someone could fly a plane into a building and change the economic playing field entirely.

That said, I spent a few hours locked up with 200 of my closest friends in industry reviewing the most recent federal budget. I read the speech, and watched the news and thought to myself – wow, the speech and coverage actually had little to do with what was actually in the document. Again, my frustration with the media continues. For example- the media reports 20 billion dollars in tax cuts. That is like me saying I will make a million dollars by the year 2045 and proclaiming myself a millionaire.

But what about the politics? The Liberals will probably just show up and vote against. They will wine about the KKK (Killing Kyoto and Kelowna) but ultimately, a lot of the members of their surviving caucus would probably vote for the budget if they were allowed to.

The NDP hates it because it guts a lot of programs. My reaction – who cares? Of all the political parties that have lost their relevancy, the NDP are it- they are just clamoring for attention as the Liberals turn left to oppose the government. And by Liberals I mean the leadership candidates.

The Bloq says they will support it because…well, just because. They like the idea of renewed fiscal federalism, but they don’t trust Charest to do a good job. I think they just don’t want to go to the polls, when they are four points behind the government in their own province.

What is most interesting, however, is how little any budget actually affects Canadians. That is the beauty of incremental change- small differences that adjust habits over time. Greenspon knew this better than most- and as an objectivist thinker, he knew that policy was not the vessel for achieving social change. Money was. This budget provides some incentive for Canadians to not buy anything until July. Great.