Twin Cities Daily Planet (https://www.tcdailyplanet.net/tag/election/page/5/)
Part of the trouble with releasing an album on Election Day is that a lot of my energy and ink is put toward promoting that, rather than the obviously-more-important election. But before we get to a deluge of music videos and promos and reviews and all that, here are my thoughts on 2012: Continue Reading
From a political science perspective Obama is strategically positioned to win the presidency on November 6. If all the polls are correct Obama has well positioned himself to win the critical 270 Electoral Votes to win the presidency, even if he were to lose the popular vote. This split in the Electoral Vote and popular vote is a real possibility, but there are so many signs pointing to an Obama victory. He has a better ground game than Romney, he has registered more voters, delivered more early voters to the polls. He has the demographic advantage with women and people of color. All of this points to an Obama victory. Continue Reading
TV talk show producers, bloggers and assignment editors are asking themselves today why they continue to pay attention to Donald Trump. His “blockbuster announcement”, promoted for days through various news and entertainment venues, turned out to be an offer to donate 5 million dollars to a charity of President Obama’s choosing if the president releases his academic and passport records. Continue Reading
In this seemingly unending political campaign, these words are reverently uttered dozens of times: “the middle class”. But there is one group that is rarely mentioned by either party, and nev
On the eve of the final presidential debate the race has come down to three predictable points–developing a compelling narrative to move soccer moms in the swing states to vote for Romney or Obama. None of this should come as a surprise. Continue Reading
Listening to Paul Ryan make the case for the Republican ticket last night, I was impressed all over again by how absurd it was. Continue Reading
No question Obama lost the first debate. It was not even close. But as pundits and the public debate the performance one has to ask, did it really matter that Obama blew it?
Politics is always full of contradictions, and hypocrisy, but a significant one now in play is the proposed amendment toMinnesota’s Constitution to require a more restrictive voter ID. Adding to this is the irony that many of those who favor this amendment are adamant about their fidelity to our American Constitution and historic values regarding elections.Well, actually this proposed amendment runs contrary to the way our Constitution was ratified…the changes it sparked regarding voter rights…and the 225 year history of voter enhancing enfranchisement in our nation.Prior to the Revolutionary War, and subsequent ratification of the Constitution, the American electorate was modeled after most European nations – dominated by monarchs and with enfranchisement to vote highly restricted and limited to wealthy males, often connected to royalty. Thus, at birth, we too were far from a “democratic” nation. The process of ratifying our Constitution changed that and stimulated a powerful desire for voter reform. Indeed, that was an essential element of what the Revolutionary War was about.Consequently, when it came to ratifying the Constitution in the period of 1787-1790 (when it was finally adopted) it was at that point in history the greatest, broadest, most unrestricted voter plebiscite in the history of mankind. It was the first time that the people of a nation freely determined their form of government. Continue Reading
As we head into the final stretch of the election season, the presidential debates and accompanying horserace are the focus of the upcoming two weeks. Continue Reading
Mitt Romney is clearly going through a trial by fire with his daily decline in the polls and the endless barrage of negative media observations and increasing criticisms from his own party. Continue Reading