Space Camp and The Real Deal

     The Washington Post reports on the shifted mission of Huntsville's Space Camp in light of this week's last shuttle launch.

     Funny how all of the GOP presidential candidates agree that there should be no federal funding for human space flight, but the GOP generally is opposed to eliminating or cutting the tax breaks for the companies that build corporate jets.

     INNER Space GOOD! OUTER space BAD!

     And incument Democrat Barack Obama is being criticised by none other than Neil Armstrong (and two other moon mission commanders)---who barely ever says a word about anything---in a USA Today editorial. They say Obama is to blame for a NASA that is in disarray.

     The last shuttle mission launches on Friday morning.

     Live long and prosper.

     But keep your feet planted on Mother Earth.

Rudy Giuliani and George Pataki look at presidential runs

By Richard K. Barry

What an interesting day in presidential politics, at least on the Republican side of things. Now that so many of the people the GOP establishment had hoped would step forward have chosen to duck and cover, a few potential candidates who had earlier ruled themselves out are giving it another look.

Two higher profile former pols who made their career in my home state of New York, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Governor George Pataki, are talking seriously about the possibility of running.

Now that the man who was supposed to represent the sane part of the Republican party, current Governor of Indiana Mitch Daniels, has taken himself out of contention, it may be that others who pride themselves on not being crazy think it might be time to reconsider. But they are wrong as it is their relative sanity that rules them out of the game.

This election cycle is not for the moderate Republican types, even if they might have the best chance of beating Obama in a general election, they will never secure the nomination. That is simply not where the GOP is this time around.

And please don't tell me that the now very powerful hard right flank of the Republican party is all about fiscal responsibility and would not have a problem voting for a candidate who is pro-choice, as both Giuliani and Pataki are, or who thinks that climate change is a real phenomenon caused by the activities of man, as they both do, or that civil unions amongst gays are okay (though not marriage) as Giuliani had said at one point before reversing himself, while Pataki has worked to approve and protect civil rights for gay couples. They have also both supported some form of gun control legislation in the past.

Giuliani is on the record saying that evolution is accepted science. I can't find anything that discusses Pataki's views on the matter, but I am having a hard time imaging him extolling the importance of teaching creationism in our schools, but I guess I could be wrong about that. We'll see what he says on the stump in Iowa if it gets that far.

Whatever else these two might think and however much they might twist previous positions to attempt to cleanse themselves, they are on the public record and, as Mitt Romney is finding out the hard way, there is almost no effective way to recant previous sins against conservative orthodoxy. I'm not saying that Giuliani and Pataki, should either or both decide to run, would not flip flop to pander to the hard right. Of course they will. I'm just saying it won't matter.

If there ever was an issue by issue litmus test election, the 2012 Republican nomination for the presidency is it.

If you want proof that the GOP has gone crazy, consider that when New Jersey Republican Governor Chris Christie was asked about his views on evolution vs. creationism, he answered by saying, "none of your business." Even though Christie has so far remained among those who have said they will not run for the Republican nomination, he knows that one mis-speak on an issue so otherwise clear to sane people would knock him out of serious contention.

Why Giuliani and Pataki are wasting their time even musing about the nomination makes no sense. As right-wing as these guy are in the normal ideological landscape as we used to know it, they are way too far to the left for the vocal minority in charge of determining who gets the ultimate GOP nod.

I like what Ronald Brownstein at The Atlantic has called this nomination season: "The GOP's Apology Primary." There just aren't enough mea culpas in the universe for some of these pretenders to the throne, try as they might.

That's just the way it is. Until the Republican Party rights itself and pushes its vocal, crazy, radical right wing to the side, they are good and truly fucked.

(Cross posted to Lippmann's Ghost.)

Shades of Nancy Worley?

     A McDonalds in Ohio is apologizing for including "Vote Republican" materials in the pay envelopes of employees....stressing how there is a direct connection between their pay and their vote.

     That sounds like what former Alabama Secretary of State Nancy Worley did...without the threat part. She sent her five state employees campaign material with an envelope for donations for her re-election campaign. She has yet to go on trial and won a victory before the Alabama Supreme Court in September.

     Since the minimum wage isn't exactly rare in the fast food industry, and since it is primarily GOP candidates who have called for an end to it, wouldn't it be in the best interest of the McDonalds workers to vote Democratic? As you'll read in the Times story linked above, McDonalds corporate officials says it is completely against company policy.



[NOTE; a webmaster named Brandon Twitchell recommends his "Newsy.com"" site for added information about the McDonalds story, and I'm glad to pass along the link. As with all infomation---including what you find on timlennox.com--- read everything with care. (-:  ]