tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34984012011-04-21T19:26:41.890-04:00The LoftyKris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comBlogger5501100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1090592905981936162004-07-23T10:24:00.000-04:002004-07-23T10:28:25.980-04:00This Blog Has Moved!
This blog now has a new home. Please redirect yourself to http://kris.typepad.com in the future. Update your links accordingly. I hope you like the new site!
Note: this site will remain up for posterity. All archives will remain active on this site for reference.
Enjoy!
Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1090438547539898562004-07-21T15:37:00.000-04:002004-07-22T13:53:28.563-04:00The Ultimate Flip-Flopper
Back in February Bush appeared on Meet the Press and stumbled through a defense of his administration's exaggerations and falty evidence for war. In the course of that interview Bush declared himself a "war president." He was proud of being a "war president" and he seemed to come alive at the prospect of declaring his macho descriptive title.
"I'm a war presidentKris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1090423287378481662004-07-21T11:21:00.000-04:002004-07-21T11:25:45.986-04:00For the Sake of French Jews - or for Israel?
I understand where Sharon is coming from on this, but it seems extreme for him to say that French Jews "must" relocate to Israel to avoid the wave of rising anti-semitism in Europe. Even French Jewish leaders say Sharon's comments are unhelpful.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has urged all French Jews to move to Israel immediately to escapeKris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1090260330340277152004-07-19T14:21:00.000-04:002004-07-19T14:29:10.810-04:00Wages Lag In This Booming Economy
Is this the booming economy everyone is talking about? Last time I checked shrinking wages were a bad thing. Having a recovery where only CEO's gain is not good for the economy in the long-term.
On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that hourly earnings of production workers - nonmanagement workers ranging from nurses and teachers to hamburger Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-109000235831107222004-07-16T14:24:00.000-04:002004-07-16T14:42:25.823-04:00PM Executed Prisoners
Understandably the new Iraqi government will need to prove its security credentials to a skeptical population, but should that really involve the Prime Minister himself executing prisoners? This is chillingly similar to the deeds of a certain past president of Iraq (via Kevin Drum):
Iyad Allawi, the new Prime Minister of Iraq, pulled a pistol and executed as many as six Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1089826257260686302004-07-14T13:06:00.000-04:002004-07-14T13:34:15.243-04:00The Ultimate Homeland Security?
Now we know that there are at least 48 members of the U.S. Senate who favor enshrining discrimination in the U.S. Constitution.
Today's vote - a procedural vote on the "Federal Marriage Amendment," not a straight up or down vote on the amendment itself since Republicans couldn't muster the numbers for it - closed debate on the amendment by a vote of 50-48.
Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1089811850452697282004-07-14T09:15:00.000-04:002004-07-14T09:34:17.346-04:00New State Polls
As of July 12, John Kerry is looking good.
According to a new round of Zogby state polls, Kerry would win all the states Al Gore won in 2000 plus Florida, Missouri, New Hampshire and Ohio. Admittedly many of these swing states are within the margin of error and likely will remain so right up to Election Day, but the Edwards bounce seems to be real.
The numbers for Ohio are Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1089740593823393092004-07-13T13:26:00.001-04:002004-07-13T13:46:07.986-04:00John Edwards' Secret Weapon
For no other reason than to enliven the Democratic ticket's spouses, John Edwards was a great pick. His wife, Elizabeth Edwards is the exact opposite of Teresa Heinz Kerry. She makes sense when she talks. While she does not give her husband much political advice, she does help keep him on the right track. She is the backbone to his smiley demeanor; the key to his Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1089647723281663172004-07-12T11:46:00.000-04:002004-07-12T12:00:12.616-04:00Pre-Edwards Ohio Poll
The latest numbers out of Ohio are from a June poll by Rasmussen. They show little change from a month prior, though they do not include the poll bounce that is expected from the Vice Presidential announcement of John Edwards last week. Here are the pre-Edwards numbers:
(MoE = 4%)
Bush - 46%
Kerry - 42%
Other - 5%
Undecided - 7%
I'm looking forward to the next round of Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1089394956145332422004-07-09T13:22:00.000-04:002004-07-09T14:37:19.186-04:00What about Mini Ditka?
I am optimistic about the future of the Illinois delegation to the U.S. Senate. The past few days have given us just a taste of what we can look forward to when Barack Obama joins Senator Dick Durbin in Washington.
To start, Durbin offered up his assessment of the intelligence situation in today's Washington Post.
Then there was the news, released by the Obama Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1089314261389117392004-07-08T15:17:00.000-04:002004-07-08T15:22:53.200-04:00Playing Politics With National Security
Cynical Democrats and left-wing loonies alike have made something of a parlor game out of guessing when the Bush administration will produce the head of Osama bin Laden or that of one of his Associates in Evil. Most have hysterically warned that, come October, bin Laden might suddenly show up in a body bag as the freakiest Halloween costume around.
Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1089234957594826702004-07-07T17:15:00.000-04:002004-07-07T18:20:22.643-04:00The Real Republican Party
You may have heard that the Republican Convention in New York will prominantly feature pro-choice, pro-gay rights California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, former New York mayor and New Yorker-above-all-else Rudy Giuliani, and every moderate's favorite man of conviction Arizona senator John McCain. Also on the docket will be Education Secretary Rod Paige - a Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1089118752268340782004-07-06T08:58:00.000-04:002004-07-06T09:03:49.570-04:00That's the Ticket
Kerry/Edwards '04
Good choice. I can't wait for that Edwards-Cheney debate...Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1089045079208197832004-07-05T12:25:00.000-04:002004-07-05T12:35:52.376-04:00Blunt
From the Lexington Herald-Leader:
"CLARIFICATION: It has come to the editor's attention that the Herald-Leader neglected to cover the civil rights movement. We regret the omission."
Oops.
That's an understatement if I ever saw one. This of course, wasn't an unusual position for most editors of southern newspapers back then, but it's still a very blunt admission of neglect. An Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1088780207376591042004-07-02T09:22:00.000-04:002004-07-02T15:52:15.496-04:00Fahrenheit 9/11
So I went and saw Fahrenheit 9/11 last night. It was a horrible film. Obviously not in a cinematic way, but I found his storytelling techniques so irritating and frustrating that for the first time ever, I considered walking out on a movie. It was a troubling movie on several points. One, the movie starts with a tactic stolen straight from the George W. Bush School of Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1088440336463530452004-06-28T12:31:00.000-04:002004-06-28T12:43:17.240-04:00The Handover
It came early. Paul Bremer couldn't even wait two more days before he got out of town. He must have been in a hurry to get away from the dangerous prosperity and freedom that he left behind. Or something.
But seriously, good luck to President Ghazi Yawar, Prime Minister Ayad Allawi and the rest of the interim Iraqi government. They are going to need all the luck and Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1088214070733187622004-06-25T20:48:00.000-04:002004-06-25T21:46:05.083-04:00Jack Ryan, Meet Bill Clinton
Not that this will matter one bit, but Jack Ryan is officially out of the race. After a week of not so brilliant public relations moves, the pressure on Ryan simply became too much.
Ryan released a statement saying that his options would have been limited to a very negative campaign. I think that gives his chances too much credit.
"It's clear to me that a Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1088210175518090112004-06-25T20:20:00.000-04:002004-06-25T20:40:16.416-04:00Still Up in the Air
Now this is just no help at all. Two new Ohio polls show exactly opposite results. A June 23 poll by American Research Group shows the following:
(MoE = 4%)
Kerry - 49%
Bush - 43%
Nader - 2%
Interestingly, with Nader not in the race, Kerry still leads by 6%:
Kerry - 50%
Bush - 44%
These results are virtually identical as the ARG poll from May 12, but a new poll by Fox Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1088084660281540352004-06-24T09:16:00.000-04:002004-06-24T14:37:39.556-04:00Turks Hit Again
Once again, bombs are going off in Turkey. Like last November, there have been several blasts and in multiple locations. Unlike last time however, the attacks are in two different cities and they do not appear to be suicide attacks. To me this would suggest a different group is responsible for these attacks - a group unaffiliated with al-Qaeda.
Earlier this morning a small Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1087959525731034972004-06-22T22:58:00.000-04:002004-06-22T23:25:11.620-04:00Game, Set, Match
Can we just call it now?
That is the face of a man who is about to get walloped.
At this point Ryan's only hope is to try to confuse voters with his name and fool them into thinking he's being chased by IRA assassins, trying to save the world by figuring out the motives of Russian nuclear submarine captains or preventing terrorist attacks on the Super Bowl. Short of that Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1087870364268029092004-06-21T22:04:00.000-04:002004-06-21T22:26:54.750-04:00"Recovery"
Much has been made by the Bush campaign and administration about how much the economy is growing. The problem of course, is that much of the labor that lost their jobs are still unemployed despite record levels of growth. So where is the recovery? The manufacturing worker of Youngstown hasn't seen it. So who HAS seen all the benefits of the recovery? (via Kevin Drum)
The Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1087411658101326062004-06-16T14:47:00.000-04:002004-06-16T15:05:01.996-04:00Priceless
A screenshot from CNN tells the whole story (click picture for a larger image):
Of course, according to the right-wingers, this can all be dismissed because it's from CNN...Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1087400023849219972004-06-16T11:11:00.000-04:002004-06-16T11:37:44.513-04:00A Star Is Born
Barack Obama continues to show what a burst of fresh air he is. He currently leads his Republican opponent by, at minimum 8 points and at maximum 22 points.
Yet it is Obama, not Ryan who is proposing a series of six debates. That is a rare move for a candidate with a commanding lead.
The thinking goes, if you're ahead, why risk messing up in a debate? But Obama wants Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1087247304002602492004-06-14T16:52:00.000-04:002004-06-15T20:14:56.916-04:00Who Said It?
A new Friend of Bill?
"The years have done a lot to clarify the strengths of this man. As a candidate for any office, whether it be the state attorney general or the President, Bill Clinton showed incredible energy and great personal appeal. As chief executive, he showed a deep and far-ranging knowledge of public policy, a great compassion for people in need, and the Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1086885443535529452004-06-10T12:24:00.000-04:002004-06-10T12:44:34.146-04:00O-H-I-O
Ohio polls keep rolling in. This time from the Los Angeles Times.
(MoE = 4%)
Kerry - 45%
Bush - 42%
Nader - 4%
Some other numbers of note: Bush's job approval rating stands at 48%. His disapproval is also 48%. Ohio is cut down the middle, but compared to Missouri and Wisconsin (also polled by the Times) Ohio shows the lowest approval rating of the group.
52% disapprove of Bush'sKris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1086882050664848232004-06-10T11:28:00.000-04:002004-06-10T12:40:29.773-04:00Funny If It Weren't So Sad
This is getting way too repetitive. Just two weeks ago I linked to a Washington Post account of Bush's budget hypocrisy. Now Molly Ivins outlines, in detail, how divorced Bush's statements are with his hush-hush reality.
"Just before Memorial Day, Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi said, "Our active military respond better to Republicans" because of "the Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1086660920881372382004-06-07T21:58:00.000-04:002004-06-07T22:20:08.046-04:00Good Call
Finally. The U.S. is finally going to move a portion of its 37,500 troops that are in South Korea out of that theater. It says something about the Bush administration's Iraq policy that we have to take our own troops from other places in the world to fill the gaps in Iraq instead of gaining the substantial support of allies who could shoulder some of the burden of rebuilding Iraq.
Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1086534795594562222004-06-06T11:10:00.000-04:002004-06-06T11:24:09.630-04:00R.I.P.
Ronald W. Reagan, 1911-2004
He was never afraid to go too far to the political right, but he did something that defines a great president: he gave hope in troubled times. He made America believe again after the scandals and stagflation of the 1970's. He took bold steps to end the Cold War to the benefit of freedom.
For that, and more, Reagan joins the ranks of America's better Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1086271856101468052004-06-03T09:57:00.000-04:002004-06-03T10:13:57.093-04:00More Ohio Polling
This poll looks a lot more like what I think reality is on the ground in Ohio. This poll is by Rasmussen, which put out the very odd Illinois numbers two weeks ago. As I suspect, the race appears to be a deadheat:
(MoE = 4%)
Bush - 46%
Kerry - 44%
An important number to watch in Ohio will be Bush's job approval rating. Right now it stands at 50% while disapproval is at Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1086026440968814742004-05-31T13:52:00.000-04:002004-05-31T14:03:39.496-04:00New Illini and Buckeye Polls
There have been a flurry of new state polls in the past few days. The two states that I have been following, Illinois, my home state, and Ohio, where I go to school, are showing very different results. First Illinois:
Chicago Tribune/WGN-TV
(MoE = 4%)
Kerry - 54%
Bush - 38%
In Ohio things seem to be swinging wildly. Previous polls have put Kerry a nudge ahead Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1085686461455262082004-05-27T15:09:00.000-04:002004-05-27T15:42:00.370-04:00Bush To Cut Homeland Security If Reelected
Don't let George W. Bush fool you. Early childhood education, homeownership and homeland security are not important issues to this president. In the event that Bush is reelected he plans to begin slashing the federal budget for the "Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation, the Small Business Administration, the Transportation Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1085606002568666102004-05-26T16:57:00.000-04:002004-05-26T17:20:17.360-04:00New Republican Talking Points
This is just bizarre. Trent Lott is now advocating the very tactics that have earned the American military scorn from around the world (link via Kevin Drum). Several soldiers have been court martialed for their behavior and the top general in Iraq has been reassigned. But to the former Senate Majority Leader the raping and beating of prisoners is OK.
"Frankly, Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1085554427645902462004-05-26T02:45:00.000-04:002004-05-26T02:57:56.273-04:00New Geneva Abuses
Now we're holding hostages? After just reading a letter from a Marine in Iraq who spoke of how honest Iraqis who work for the Iraqi security forces are being threatened by the insurgent fighters by using their families as blackmail, coming upon this story about American tactics that sound uncomfortably similar is not something I expected.
"In a little-noticed development Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1085521250633924792004-05-25T17:20:00.000-04:002004-05-25T17:46:00.863-04:00The Befuddled Mind of George W. Bush
On several occasions in the past few months I have linked to an article by Will Saletan in which he methodically dissects Bush's every statement and contradiction. He seems to be a master of separating the rhetoric and parsing of the English language from the truth and from reality. Saletan's latest piece, about Bush's speech from Monday night, is no Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1085468365074386662004-05-25T02:49:00.000-04:002004-05-25T03:03:14.406-04:00Pity Pander
A spokesman for House Speaker Dennis Hastert recently uttered this whopper in a poor attempt at pity:
"It's extremely difficult to govern when you control all three branches of government."
Don't you feel sorry for them?
On another note, it's great to see that Republicans can finally admit that the Supreme Court is a partisan organ of government. We saw it blossom in full in Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1085249361503346042004-05-22T13:49:00.000-04:002004-05-23T14:22:03.556-04:00Obama For America
I don't know if there has ever been a candidate who has generated as much support and broadbased excitement as Barack Obama. He has been picked by Howard Dean's new grassroots organization, Democracy for America, as one of Dean's Dozen. Now he is the inspiring cover story on the current issue of The New Republic.
Here in Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb that borders Chicago's Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1085000830822222652004-05-19T16:56:00.000-04:002004-05-19T17:12:03.500-04:00An Odd Illinois Poll
A new Rasmussen poll in Illinois suggests that both the presidential race and the U.S. senate race may be closer than previously thought. I have my doubts that the race really is this close, considering that most other polls indicate a solid margin for Obama over Ryan and a stable lead for Kerry over Bush, but nevertheless, here are the results from "likely voters":
(MoE Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1084985388141761272004-05-19T12:40:00.000-04:002004-05-19T13:11:38.243-04:00Bush Backpedals On Harmful Cuts
The true nature of the Bush administration: Cut when no one is looking, backpedal when the campaign heats up.
In an ironically titled article, "White House Is Trumpeting Programs It Tried to Cut," the double-faced nature of the administration has reared its ugly head.
"For example, Justice Department officials recently announced that they were awarding $47 Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1084845454922216872004-05-17T21:30:00.000-04:002004-05-17T22:02:15.066-04:00A New Age For Torture?
I've stayed away from the prisoner abuse story out of Abu Ghraib largely because it has been talked about everywhere in such detail that I really have nothing to add. It certainly will have an important effect on the American effort in Iraq, but I believe it to be an isolated incident that does not represent the American military or American policy more generally.
But Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1084482074533358562004-05-13T16:45:00.000-04:002004-05-13T17:03:00.190-04:00Latest Ohio Presidential Poll
Things are looking good for John Kerry in Ohio. The latest poll for the state shows Kerry with a notable lead. The results:
(MoE = 4%)
Kerry - 49%
Bush - 43%
Nader - 2%
Those numbers are positive for Kerry, but another part of the polling research might be more important: Bush's favorability rating. 43% of respondants have a favorable view of Bush while 52% Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1084459977944776852004-05-13T10:39:00.000-04:002004-05-13T10:55:43.806-04:00Priorities
Once again, Thomas Friedman:
"I thought the administration would have to do the right things in Iraq — from prewar planning and putting in enough troops to dismissing the secretary of defense for incompetence — because surely this was the most important thing for the president and the country. But I was wrong. There is something even more important to the Bush crowd than getting Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1084334022624110812004-05-11T23:54:00.000-04:002004-05-11T23:55:30.243-04:00Illinois Pride
As expected, Barack Obama is in fine shape to mop the floor with Jack Ryan this November. The latest poll between the two contenders for the vacant Illinois U.S. Senate seat shows Obama with a commanding lead (via Political Wire):
Obama - 44%
Ryan - 28%
Other 5%
Undecided 18%
Granted the margin of error is a ridiculous 4.9%, but nevertheless it is still quite clear that Obama Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1083866503776700192004-05-06T14:01:00.000-04:002004-05-06T14:06:01.373-04:00The Perfect Ticket
Pick him.
Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1083865940373374542004-05-06T13:52:00.000-04:002004-05-06T14:01:04.483-04:00Between Iraq And A Hard Place
The White House is catching on.
In a shrewd bit of political manouvering, Bush will ask for another $25 billion to cover the reconstruction effort in Iraq and Afghanistan. The spin from the White House is that they really didn't want to have to do this before the November election but that getting a "down payment" for fiscal year 2005 would make things run Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1083694531290128192004-05-04T14:15:00.000-04:002004-05-04T14:31:03.186-04:00White America
First pro-choice activists were juxtaposed with terrorists. Now war opponents are racist (uh, and white).
Speaking with reporters during a White House visit by the Canadian Prime Minister, Bush struck a new low and in doing so revealed his own prejudices about democracy in Arab countries. Said the president:
"There's a lot of people in the world who don't believe that people Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1083346230935482332004-04-30T13:30:00.000-04:002004-04-30T13:40:51.030-04:00The Onion Has Been Surpassed
If there was one headline that sums up the activities and actions of the Ashcroft Justice Department, it would have to be this (via Wonkette):
'Patriot Act Suppresses News Of Challenge to Patriot Act'
Apparently the ACLU has sued over, what else, civil liberties that have been repressed since the passage of the Patriot Act. But even that challenge is on the down Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1083279611545094162004-04-29T19:00:00.000-04:002004-04-29T19:03:43.746-04:00Ohio
My latest column for the Kenyon Collegian is now posted online. It's about the importance of Ohio in this fall's presidential race. Check it out.Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1083093539591090782004-04-27T15:18:00.000-04:002004-04-27T15:25:23.983-04:00Support Women's Rights? You Must Be A Terrorist
Two things here. First, be awed by the ability of Bush advisor Karen Hughes to tie women's rights in with the war on terrorism. It's stunning. Second, be incredibly offended by the implications that are being thrown about by Hughes:
"BLITZER: There is a clear difference when it comes to abortion rights between the president and his Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-108275224391706712004-04-23T16:30:00.000-04:002004-04-24T14:46:30.593-04:00Understanding The Costs
The public needs to see these images:
Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1082654499034347012004-04-22T13:21:00.000-04:002004-04-24T14:00:01.390-04:00Claiming The State
First there was the Tom Delay-requested analysis by the Treasury Department of John Kerry's economic plan. But now they don't even try to hide the partisanship that they force on our non-partisan state apparatus. Now, it seems, Republicans are directly using the Treasury Department as a propoganda tool for their slander of John Kerry.
Both the Republican National Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1082611386787695842004-04-22T01:23:00.000-04:002004-04-22T01:30:26.810-04:00Divided Island
The ongoing conflict in Cyprus has become a farce. The divided island is set to become a member of the EU on May 1 regardless of whether it remains divided or if it unites in the last minute deal that the UN has sponsored and nearly every major power has supported.
The proposal, called the Annan plan after the UN Secretary General who has toiled endlessly on it, would unite Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1082502659142384832004-04-20T19:10:00.000-04:002004-04-20T19:20:30.340-04:00VP Bios
The Washington Post has an exhaustive list of potential VP choices and a little bio about each. It looks like a great list, though the only choice I would really be excited about would be Bill Richardson. He has everything. Congressional experience, international diplomatic experience, a successful stint as governor of a swing state, and he would be the first hispanic person nominatedKris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1082052478648942612004-04-15T14:07:00.000-04:002004-04-15T14:36:23.373-04:00"They Hate Freedom"
Josh Marshall sums up every statement Bush has ever made in the past two years in one paragraph:
"Why are things spinning out of control in Iraq? Why are we losing the struggle for hearts and minds in the country? Because we stand for freedom. And the terrorists hate freedom. And they're attacking us because we're bringing freedom to Iraq. And terrorists hate freedom. Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1081997357224306232004-04-14T22:49:00.000-04:002004-04-14T22:56:20.123-04:00Clarity and Responsibility
This Lee Iacocca quote might be a perfect one for Bush:
"If you have an idea but can't articulate it, you don't really have an idea."
This is so true. Watching Bush at his press conference last night was just painful. It is a typical politician move to not answer the question and then circle back to a few talking points, but Bush has taken this to a whole new Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1081879689331705852004-04-13T14:08:00.000-04:002004-04-13T14:12:55.686-04:00Fixing The Mess
Now that Kerry has outlined his plan for Iraq, what will the conservative talking heads complain about? Today, in the Washington Post, our next president tells us how to really rebuild Iraq:
"To be successful in Iraq, and in any war for that matter, our use of force must be tied to a political objective more complete than the ouster of a regime. To date, that has not happened Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1081877801092533882004-04-13T13:36:00.000-04:002004-04-13T13:52:10.640-04:00Eh, Yes, Maybe, I Don't Know
Protecting America is not a high priority to this Bush administration:
"WASHINGTON, April 12 — President Bush said Monday that "now may be a time to revamp and reform our intelligence services," opening the way for consideration of changes at the C.I.A., the F.B.I. and other agencies.
"The Bush administration has not acted on a number of far-reaching proposals to Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1081451773484834312004-04-08T15:16:00.000-04:002004-04-08T15:20:29.780-04:00Erasing History
Is anyone else uncomfortable with how fast we have cozied up with Libya? A few weeks ago Tony Blair visited Libya and met with Muammar Gaddafi. It was a picture I couldn't stand. There was Tony Blair, possibly the greatest statesman of today meeting with a man who had personally sponsored terrorism.
It's great that Libya has sworn off weapons of mass destruction and wants toKris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1081402636230053882004-04-08T01:37:00.000-04:002004-04-08T01:45:23.076-04:00What A Contrast
Bill Safire just does not get it. Thomas Friedman, on the other hand, does. Let's compare and contrast:
In his column yesterday, Safire wrote your basic Bush apology (in the Greek sense of the word). He wants to "stay the course" in order to "turn the tide" and "impress on the minds of millions" that there is no "free ride to freedom." Fine. Hyperbole is fun sometimes, butKris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1081393668988591702004-04-07T23:07:00.000-04:002004-04-07T23:14:55.420-04:00War On [Insert Topic Here]
Since the War on Drugs was such a smashing success, and we have clearly shown our dominance and determination in the War on Terror, what with the destruction of al-Qaeda's ability to commit acts of ter, uh, er... and our capture of Osam, er, oh nevermind.
Anyway, the Justice Department has decided that since it has nothing better to do with its computer experts Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1081285369779287732004-04-06T17:02:00.000-04:002004-04-06T17:12:33.500-04:00Photo Caption Contest
Booyakasha!Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1081223807696668282004-04-05T23:56:00.000-04:002004-04-06T00:02:39.263-04:00The Curse Ends This Year
Cubs beat the Reds 7-4 to open the season. And it's all the sweeter since my roommate is from Cinci and went to the game. :)
After last season's playoffs, there can't possibly be any bad luck left. Cubs 2004. This is the year.Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1081137818786070042004-04-05T00:03:00.000-04:002004-04-05T00:11:51.436-04:00Ohio Tied
As promised, I have another Ohio presidential poll to report. This time it is from the Columbus Dispatch and it was a mail-based poll.
(Conducted 3/23-31)
(Margin of Error 2%)
Bush - 46%
Kerry - 45%
Undecided - 10%
With Nader factored in things look a little different:
Bush - 45%
Kerry - 43%
Nader - 3%
Undecided - 9%
One thing in particular about this poll struck me as Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1081016078809845942004-04-03T13:14:00.000-05:002004-04-03T13:18:25.076-05:00Collegian Column
The Kenyon Collegian website is up and running once again. That means you can read my latest column that came out on Thursday. It is in PDF format so you can read it as it appears on the page.
Enjoy.Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1080787067800224952004-03-31T21:37:00.000-05:002004-03-31T21:49:32.873-05:00Finally
On my seven hour drive to St. Louis last week I made the mistake of switching to AM to hear what Rush Limbaugh was up to. Wow was that a bad idea. Nothing gets your blood boiling like the lies, distortions and character assassinations of Rush.
Therefore, when I heard about Air America Radio, it was music to my ears. Go check it out. If you live in one of the three largest media Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1080783321535610352004-03-31T20:35:00.000-05:002004-04-01T12:35:50.996-05:00No Billionaire Left Behind
Education Secretary Rod Paige is on a roll. After referring to the American Federation of Teachers as a "terrorist organization" about a month ago, he is at it again. But this time, instead of ridiculous nonsense, Paige has resorted to blatantly lying.
Speaking at a high school in Cleveland, Paige had the nerve to suggest that No Child Left Behind is underfunded Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1080779841218142822004-03-31T19:37:00.000-05:002004-03-31T19:44:03.560-05:00Disgusting
This is just sick.
"FALLUJA, Iraq, March 31 — An enraged mob attacked four American contractors here today, shooting them to death, burning their vehicles, dragging their bodies through the downtown streets and then hanging the charred corpses from a bridge over the Euphrates River.
...
"The steadily deteriorating security situation in the Falluja area, west of Baghdad, has becomeKris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1080691450660037762004-03-30T19:04:00.000-05:002004-03-30T19:12:07.890-05:00Dangerously Close
Does the Bush administration fully realize what is at stake in Iraq today? I get the sense that they really don't grasp how close the country is to civil war. Yes, we are making tremendous progress on civil projects and we are doing amazing things to get the Iraqis back on their feet, but clearly there is still an uncomfortably large portion of the population that is not Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1080621678387679632004-03-29T23:41:00.000-05:002004-03-29T23:48:42.903-05:00Buckeyes To Decide Presidential Election
It's a scary thought, but its true. Ohioans will, in all likelihood, be a crucial determinant of who wins in November.
Ohio has voted for the winner in every presidential election since 1960 when it chose Richard Nixon over John F. Kennedy. That's ten races in a row that Ohio voters have been a perfect gauge of national sentiment. Only Missouri Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1080605166563360122004-03-29T19:06:00.000-05:002004-03-29T19:15:52.496-05:00Hey! That's OUR Issue!
In a stunning bit of hypocrisy, the Bush campaign is lecturing John Kerry on when it is appropriate to use religion in politics. Speaking to an African-American Baptist congregation in St. Louis on sunday, Kerry referred to a passage from James 2:14:
"The scriptures say, 'what does it profit, my brother, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?' When we Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1080191728850743872004-03-25T00:15:00.000-05:002004-03-25T00:24:37.483-05:00Nailing It Down
Will Saletan comes up big again in his assessment of Bush's fundamental flaws:
"It's funny, in retrospect, that Bush ran for president as a uniter. To unite a country, you have to acknowledge and reconcile differences. Bush doesn't work toward unity; he assumes it. He doesn't reconcile differences; he denies them. It's his tax cut or nothing. It's his homeland security bill or Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1080103714281481882004-03-23T23:48:00.000-05:002004-03-23T23:53:17.170-05:00Encouraging Fact Of The Day
In the Illinois Democratic senate primary, Barrack Obama won convincingly. He collected 53% of the vote and swept away his competition. On the Republican side, Jack Ryan won 36% of the vote and earned the right to fight on.
But what is most interesting about these results is not Obama's unexpectedly large numbers, but the actual vote totals themselves:
In the Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1080065976123527302004-03-23T13:19:00.000-05:002004-03-23T13:27:26.576-05:00Change The Subject
Finally Tom Daschle sounds like the leader he has been pretending to be the past few years.
"The purpose of government isn't to make the President look good. It isn't to produce propaganda or misleading information. It is, instead, to do its best for the American people and to be accountable to the American people.
"The people around the President don't seem to believe Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1079978974463472522004-03-22T13:09:00.000-05:002004-03-22T13:17:17.576-05:00Bush, Soft On Terror
How is there even any debate about the Bush administration's commitment to fighting the terrorists responsible for the attacks of September 11 when there is repeated evidence to the contrary? This is simply unbelievable.
"In the early days after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the Bush White House cut by nearly two-thirds an emergency request for counterterrorism funds by Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1079492005435380962004-03-16T21:53:00.000-05:002004-03-17T00:04:59.216-05:00Obama Wins
Barack Obama has won the Illinois Democratic Primary in impressive fashion. Most pundits expected Obama to win a squeaker with about 36% to Dan Hynes' 30%. Instead Obama ran away with this one:
(87% reporting)
Obama 54%
Hynes 23%
Hull 10%
Pappas 6%
Chico 4%
Wow. Obama certainly has the momentum. I had been leaning towards Hynes but when I actually took a close look at the Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1079458973232928222004-03-16T12:42:00.000-05:002004-03-16T12:48:49.310-05:00Results, Not Empty Words
When I was in Turkey I took a class on Modern Middle Eastern History and at one point in the class I was asked by the professor what would happen to Bush's chances of reelection if there were another terrorist attack. I replied that another major attack on the U.S. would probably hurt Bush because the people expect him to do what is necessary to keep them safe. The Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1079370940610810592004-03-15T12:15:00.000-05:002004-03-15T12:27:42.576-05:00Terror Defeats Courage
Spanish voters have let al-Qaeda win. It is as simple as that. Just days before the parliamentary elections in Spain, Jose Maria Aznar's Popular Party was poised to comfortably be reelected. Aznar had stuck his neck out and had supported the U.S. effort against Iraq and had been a leading voice of support for the war against terror. Spain had raised its international Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1079294954323569872004-03-14T15:09:00.000-05:002004-03-14T15:20:13.450-05:00Surprise, Surprise
Vladimir Putin has been reelected to a second term as president of Russia. What a shock.
There is seriously something wrong with Russian democracy if the typical response to elections is, "I voted for Putin because he is going to win anyway and what is the point in voting for someone else?" Perhaps Putin would have won anyway even in a well-functioning system, but the Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1078543042296711712004-03-05T22:17:00.000-05:002004-03-05T22:29:30.403-05:00Too Principled?
Andrew Sullivan calls Will Saletan's latest piece nuancing George W. Bush the most persuasive case against Bush he's seen yet. Many have tried to define exactly what Bush's problem is of course, but Saletan's attempt is dead on. An example:
"From foreign to economic to social policy, Bush's record is a lesson in the limits and perils of conviction. He's too confident to Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1078423806778802642004-03-04T13:10:00.000-05:002004-03-04T13:14:51.340-05:00Admit The Mistake
"It's about confronting and coming clean with the American people."
That's David Kay, who led the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq until he determined the search was fruitless. Kay says that the Bush administration needs to admit they were wrong about Saddam's weapons.
"He should say we were mistaken and I am determined to find out why."
Bush come clean? Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1078376006524150492004-03-03T23:53:00.000-05:002004-03-04T00:03:56.030-05:00Strategy For Beating Kerry (And Losing)
Former Clinton brain and Washington sleezeball Dick Morris thinks John Kerry will be easy pickings for the Bush team this year if they stick to three key themes.
First, label Kerry early on as an uber-liberal. A liberal to define all liberals. A heart bleeding so much that no tourniquet will stop the flow of public funds to those in need. A liberal Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1078301177746245092004-03-03T03:06:00.000-05:002004-03-04T00:04:37.576-05:00Time For A New President
Now that that's over with, let's get this show on the road.
Vote for Kerry this November. America needs a change.Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1077766710563093452004-02-25T22:38:00.000-05:002004-02-25T22:47:08.543-05:00How To Be Cool
This is totally unrelated to my usual posts, but its something that I want to mention nonetheless: The Farmer Hat. Those of you at Kenyon know what I'm talking about. Those indie kids with the mesh-backed John Deere hats - the kids from Boston or Chevy Chase, Maryland.
This one's for you:
"It's hard to say precisely when the trucker hat made its first appearance in the Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1077655305019641612004-02-24T15:41:00.000-05:002004-02-24T15:49:40.200-05:00Bush Seeks Discrimination In The Constitution
For the first time in the history of the United States Constitution, an amendment has been proposed that will attempt to codify discrimination into the document that has made the United States the longest continuous democracy in the world. This amendment is an attempt to create second class citizens, keep some Americans a glass ceiling away from Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1077653336730838422004-02-24T15:08:00.000-05:002004-02-24T15:53:45.950-05:00Fire In Our Backyard
We now have 50 more Marines in Port-au-Prince, Haiti as a precautionary measure to protect the U.S. Embassy building and its American staff. The country is now split north and south between the rebels and the government. It seems that each day that passes results in the rebels taking control of yet another Haitian city.
So what should we do? When confict erupted in Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1077164861282771512004-02-18T23:27:00.000-05:002004-02-18T23:33:49.763-05:00Just For Fun
Just to annoy my critics, here is the latest poll that stacks the two remaining Democrats up against Bush:
Kerry 55%
Bush 43%
Edwards 54%
Bush 44%
Enjoy. (via Oliver Willis)Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1077156479322677412004-02-18T21:07:00.000-05:002004-02-19T14:37:34.013-05:00That's One Wicked Rotation
Greg Maddox is coming back to the Cubs. The Cubs will have one of the top two payrolls in the National League. Who saw either of those things happening just a few years ago?
There is no doubt that the Cubs will be solid in 2004. They will have three incredibly solid aces with Mark Prior, Kerry Wood and now Maddox in addition to two not-too-shabby fourth and fifth Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1076957201523799652004-02-16T13:46:00.000-05:002004-02-16T13:48:34.310-05:00Comparing Tactics
When Bush campaigned for president in 2000 he said he was going to "restore honor and dignity to the White House." If Democrats played like Republicans there would be an independent commission looking into just that statement. Instead the Bush administration has been the most shifty, misleading and outright lying administrations since the Nixon White House.
Josh Marshall Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1076279689755632872004-02-08T17:34:00.000-05:002004-02-10T22:40:28.950-05:00Hey Look! Shiny Objects!
If only the American people were fooled by such tactics, Bush would be set and that landslide that conservatives love to talk about might actually happen. Unfortunately for the Republican party shiny objects won't be enough.
(Sidenote: Man, I love the internet. Meet the Press was on at 10:30 here in the Columbus area, but I didn't have to get up to watch it then. Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1076032651363248492004-02-05T20:57:00.000-05:002004-02-06T00:48:57.936-05:00Who Will Be Kerry's VP?
After seeing the latest numbers for the upcoming primaries and caucuses I think we can safely call this one. Zogby has Kerry pulling in 47% in Michigan with Dean and Edwards struggling to break into double digits. (Note: Zogby has been incredibly accurate in this election cycle compared to some of the other polling organizations.)
Survey USA shows Kerry edging out Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1075955963801171392004-02-04T23:39:00.000-05:002004-02-04T23:44:38.466-05:00Analyzing February 3rd
Clear John Kerry was the big winner for the day. He won five of the seven contests and won the two largest delegate prizes, Missouri and Arizona, with solid wins. I'm not at all enthused about a Kerry nomination so I'm naturally pulling for a John Edwards breakout. He also came away from the night as a winner. He won comfortably in South Carolina and beat expectations Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1075775145691669062004-02-02T21:25:00.000-05:002004-02-02T21:27:25.060-05:00America Speaks
Say what you will about the electoral college being more important, if John Kerry is able to win 53% of the popular vote Bush is going to be very hard pressed to win the election without some tomfoolery.
The latest poll numbers for a seemingly likely Kerry-Bush showdown:
Quinnipiac University Poll
Kerry 51
Bush 43
CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll
Kerry 53
Bush 46
I can't wait.Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1075765972628330602004-02-02T18:52:00.000-05:002004-02-02T18:55:19.640-05:00History Lesson
An interesting first hand account about Nazi Germany:
'I witnessed a whole family being tested on suffocating gas and dying in the gas chamber,' he said. 'The parents, son and and a daughter. The parents were vomiting and dying, but till the very last moment they tried to save kids by doing mouth-to-mouth breathing.'
Hyuk has drawn detailed diagrams of the gas chamber he saw. Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1075763473937570192004-02-02T18:11:00.000-05:002004-02-02T18:12:53.263-05:00The Real Threat
Read Friedman today:
"It should be clear to all by now that what we have in the Bush team is a faith-based administration. It launched a faith-based war in Iraq, on the basis of faith-based intelligence, with a faith-based plan for Iraqi reconstruction, supported by faith-based tax cuts to generate faith-based revenues. This group believes that what matters in politics and Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1075429104480112832004-01-29T21:18:00.000-05:002004-01-29T21:24:32.060-05:00Collegian Article
My first piece for the Kenyon Collegian is now online. Check it out.
Sorry about the formatting. I didn't do it.Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1075326341486337612004-01-28T16:45:00.000-05:002004-01-28T16:47:43.296-05:00Thoughts On New Hampshire
My reaction to the New Hampshire primary results is somewhat mixed. I'm quite pleased that Dean didn't make a race of it for first but I'm not happy that Kerry has become the one beating Dean into the ground. My disdain for Dean isn't something I hide so when he was clobbered in Iowa not a tear was shed. In New Hampshire, as early numbers indicated a double digit Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1074980293840895512004-01-24T16:38:00.000-05:002004-01-24T16:39:43.746-05:00The 50 State Bush Sweep?
I think not. The latest Newsweek poll shows all of the major Democratic candidates statistically tied with Bush. And this is before the nominee gains the momentum of you know, being the nominee. The numbers are as follows:
Kerry 49%
Bush 46%
Bush 48%
Clark 47%
Bush 49%
Edwards 46%
Bush 49%
Lieberman 45%
Bush 50%
Dean 45%
Bring. It. On. Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1074818540542338292004-01-22T19:42:00.000-05:002004-01-22T19:52:31.700-05:00Our Two Wars
I think I've finally figured out why I am always stuck in the middle when I argue about the war in Iraq. I supported the war based mostly on the liberation grounds. Saddam was a tyrant and as the world's preminent power the U.S. has an obligation to preside over the expansion of freedom for people around the world. In that way I find myself sounding like a hardcore hawk - and I Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1074624607498691622004-01-20T13:50:00.000-05:002004-01-20T13:51:33.140-05:00What Iowa Means
Last night was a true spectacle. Iowa voters spurred the pundits and did nearly the opposite of what they were expected to do. Instead of a Gephardt/Dean battle late into the night, John Kerry and John Edwards came out of nowhere to dominate the night. Kerry scooped up a solid 38% of the caucuses while Edwards followed with 32%. Gephardt - the man I was rooting for and the Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1074285834246849692004-01-16T15:43:00.000-05:002004-01-16T15:45:16.280-05:00Ideology Triumphs
If Congress won't approve your judicial appointments because they are the most ideological appointees ever, just go around Congress and install them yourself:
"WASHINGTON - President Bush bypassed Congress and installed Charles Pickering on the federal appeals court Friday, opening an election-year fight with Democrats who had stalled the nomination for more than two years.
Kris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3498401.post-1074144161422268972004-01-15T00:22:00.000-05:002004-01-15T00:25:21.746-05:00Antonin Scalia: Professional Jerk
Before the Supreme Court just the other day was the case of Tennessee vs. Lane. It's a case dealing with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Tennessee's unwillingness to retrofit its pre-1970's courthouses with means of access for the disabled. The case ultimately is about states rights and a private citizen's right to sue a state over violation of the ADAKris Lofgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05646254239620372711noreply@blogger.com