All Apologies

I meant to have the first of the Friday Night Cocktail parties last night but I got a last minute dinner invitation from my two aunts. Very sorry, but I couldn’t pass up the perfectly cooked salmon and fresh asparagus, followed by strawberry shortcake. It was delicious. And the company was outstanding!

So, I’m moving the cocktail party to next Friday.  Join me here at 7pm. Rico will be serving, I’ll introduce the band and we can chat over horse doovers while Ivory Bill Woodpecker wears the lampshade.

Let’s try to make something happen. I’m getting really excited about November. It’s time to turn up the volume, feel the energy, share the positivity, plan to canvass together, talk about real issues and turn this ship around. #IMWITHHER!!!!

 

Candidate Index: How many times has a candidate’s name been mentioned on the front page of the following media outlets as of 9am on 5/14/16.

Candidate Name	NY Times	WaPo	CNN	Fox	MSNBC
Hillary Clinton	1	3	0	8*	3
Bernie Sanders	0	0	0	1	1
Donald Trump	14	15	9	8	11

*Lest we be mislead by the number of Clinton mentions on Fox’s frontpage, the reader is cautioned to look at the titles of those posts, such as “What has Clinton done for women? Hillary supporters stumped”. This post demonstrates the practice of going after a candidate’s strengths, also known as “Swiftboating”.

Ok, Time to Stop Walking on Egg Shells

For some incomprehensible reason, there is a left blogosphere that thinks that Hillary is going to blow this election. In fact, here is a Vox post on the subject by Alex Pareen called “Don’t Blow This”. It’s a mansplainy post in the style of “Ok, I’ll let you drive the car but I know how careless you are so don’t screw up”.

Alex, do you have any idea what an arrogant, stupid dick you sound like?

Dear Lefty Blogosphere who can’t get over Clinton Derangement Syndrome,

Did you forget that Hillary Clinton won two senate races by wide margins?

Do the 18,000,000 people who voted for Hillary in 2008 mean nothing to you? I realize this is a rhetorical question because you seem to think that all you need to do is insist dramatically and throw personal insults at her and her voters will once again step aside for you like indulgent grannies.

Seriously, just how old and stupid do you think we are?

You are getting all emo about the superdelegates who stubbornly refuse to flip to your candidate even though he might not have the pledged delegates he needs before the end of the primaries as if you are The Only Ones Who Matter. Did it ever occur to you that we might be extremely upset with such a scenario?

We must pay attention to you, you, you. And you don’t even have a reason to be angry with the primaries at this point. No one is halving your earned delegates in Colorado or Indiana. There aren’t a bunch of wild and aggressive Clintonistas shutting you down at the caucuses, locking you out of the venues or grabbing the sign in sheets. The party isn’t actively undermining every victory you have. It’s all been on the level.

But what the hell, guys? Seriously. If you don’t have a legitimate reason to protest the way the party has conducted the primaries this year, what makes you think we are just going to say, “Gosh, they are really insistent. Well, I guess my vote for Hillary is meaningless. Let’s let Bernie have all the superdelegates.”

Is that why we’re getting this crap from Alex Pareen? We’re unreasonably holding on to the idea that our candidate is probably going to win so you guys who got your way last time have to be all begrudging about it.

I don’t think we should be so deferential to you guys anymore. Go ahead and vote for whoever you like but it’s probably time we stopped giving you WATB so much attention.

We LIKE our candidate. We’re not ashamed of her. She’s as squeaky clean and honest as you’re going to get in a candidate. Your brain knows this. She doesn’t run bad campaigns or so many millions and millions (and millions) more people wouldn’t persist in voting for her. If you find her inability to transcend being human as cringeworthy, that’s YOUR problem. We are not going to apologize for the fact that you find women your mom’s age occasionally embarrassing.

You need to get over it.

Bernie’s a good guy and I really like him. But if he loses the primaries, Hillary Clinton is going to have to fight Trump, the media and you. She’s probably going to win. Don’t make it closer than it has to be by getting all “WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!!” every time she does something that isn’t perfect.

Sincerely,

RD

As for the rest of us, party on, people! It’s time we celebrated our candidate and tell the world how excited we are for the election to come. Not just the election but giving Hillary the reins and seeing what she does with them. That, my friends, will be real change.

Cocktail Party Here Every Friday Until The Election.

Anyone interested? Should we google hangout it? Podcast it? Raise some money?

I’m open to suggestions.

Let’s get the party started!

 

Cocktail party tonight?

Should we watch the fallout from Super Tuesday together?

If Creamsicle wins, we can make some bold predictions. Or at least have a few brief moments of schafenfreude while the Republicans freak out.

What say you all?

Good Bye 2014 and good riddance

2014 was supposed to be the rebuilding year. Well, it wasn’t. Health issues still plagued us well into the spring. It was scary, expensive and disheartening.

The job front wasn’t much better. I’m still in a part time position that barely keeps the lights on and the internet humming. So, yeah, about the same level of income that Lambert is managing to cobble together. This is not a good turn of events considering that Brook is in her freshman year and I can’t really send her any money. But this is clearly what the economy is demanding. There will be blood. Unfortunately, it will be mine.

The good news is I have met some people who are helping me get my act together and introducing me to potential employers. That has been a very bright spot for the end of the year. So, maybe 2015 will be the rebuilding year.

That is, unless the Congress and Obama crap all over it with even more penny pinching austerity measures meant to drive us to the brink of personal insolvency.

It could happen.

But, hey, the presidential campaign is going to start winding up next year. Katiebird and I think this site needs a major makeover and we’re going to start working on it. Who knows, we might even get to 52000 unique page views per day again.

In the meantime, let’s pour a cup of cheer tonight and, um, I dunno, watch a movie? Do some Wii Ski? I was invited to a big New Year’s Eve party at my cousin’s house with his band of Greek relatives but I have to get up early tomorrow. Maybe next year. But if I were going, this is what I would be drinking:

Rico is tending bar tonight and we’ve got a nice selection of appetizers. Try the seared scallops with creme fraiche and caviar, piggy back dates and stuffed mushrooms.

Tonight, we managed to snag Vince Guaraldi for music. I think he’s about to play Cast Your Fate to the Wind:

 

Don’t forget to tip your server. And try to keep it civil in here.

 

 

 

Conflucian Cocktail Party: We need a little Christmas

Oh, man!  I am all lost now.  WordPress has changed its post page.  All the icons have moved to different places.  Bear with me while I figure this sucker out.

It’s that time of year again.  Time to break out the decorations.  You don’t even have to be Christian to play along, as my mother, the Jehovah’s Witness never tired of reminding me.  Much of the Christmas holiday is grounded in Saturnalia that the Christians copped from the Romans.  That whole holly and ivy thing?  Probably copied from the Celts who had a thing for dragging greenery into the house, as did the Germans with their trees.

This year, I’m a little more excited about Christmas than I have been in the past.  The days got short on me almost without warning.  I don’t know where the summer went while I was blogging and coming home from work in the dark is just dreary.  But right around Christmas time, the days will start to lengthen again and before you know it, the birds will be waking you up at 5:00AM.  It’s something to look forward to, not to mention the smell of Christmas tree, the sparkle of tinsel and the taste of cinnamon and cloves.

So, settle back and join in this first of many Conflucian Holiday Parties.  I hope to see a Hannukah party and a little something on Kwanzaa too.  Rico our bartender with flair is taking the night off.  He’s beat.  I know just how he feels.  But never fear.  We still have cocktails.  Our guest bartender tonight is Alberta Straub, or “Flighty”.  Her special drink for the night is a Date With David Bowie.  Check it out:

I’m sipping a Bulleit Bourbon with middle notes that remind me of Juicy Fruit gum.  Delish!  But you can order anything you like.

Our entertainment tonight is from an American classic, a Charlie Brown Christmas.  Vince Guaraldi’s cool, west coast jazz was a perfect accompaniment to the round headed kid who was the very opposite of cool.  Feel the anticipation with Christmas is Coming:

Or Saturnalia.  Feel your inner pagan.

Ladies and Gents, regulars and newcomers, we run a respectable joint around here.  If you can’t say something nice, leave it with Florence, our lovely checkroom attendant.  The waiters will be circulating with some of the marshmallows we made earlier in the day, some cheddar cheese sticks and piggy back dates.  Please drink responsibly, tip your wait staff generously and join me at 10PM EST for Conflucians Say on PUMA United Radio (PURrrr).

Conflucians Say Cocktail Party

Well, it looks like the girl with the big ideas was left out of the room again while the boys made plans.  The question is, will they take the time to do it right so they don’t have to take the time to do it over?  Yep, she was the one.  She had the policies all worked out in advance.  She saw the problem from multiple angles.  She seems to have the courage to buck the conventional wisdom.

But we ended up with HIM.

{{sigh}}

No use crying over spilt milk.  There’s still plenty to do.  Like, annoying your congresscritter with persistent calls on the issue.  Don’t let them try to keep a low profile.  Tell them they are on the hook for what happens later.  And that goes doubly so for Senators and Reps who are superdelegates.  They are responsible for giving away the store and saddling the taxpayer with massive debt.  As Marcy Kaptur said recently, we can’t expect the financial geniuses to socialize the profit but we are always expected to socialize the risk.  We’re tired of that.

But we also have to add more progressives to Congress.  And what better way to help them along than by contributing time and money to their campaigns.  The Obama Product is sucking up most of the available funds, leaving many downticket Dems high and dry while their races are tightening.  Let’s put them back on track.

Welcome to the Conflucian Cocktail Party.  Every Thursday from now until election day, we are dedicating our cocktail party to raising money for downticket Dems.  Make yourself at home.  The bar is to the left of the door manned by Rico, our bartender with flair.  His special drink tonight is an Autumn in New York.  You can also purchase a causmo for $10.  You have several causmos to choose from.  You can contribute to our Fab Four Slate of women running for congress and senate.  Or put your money to work on our broader slate in our ActBlue for The Confluence.   Last week, we made $700! I got an email from Dennis Shulman this week.  He could use some money to keep his TV ad running in NJ-03 so give him a hand, woncha?  Or, should you feel so inclined, you can help our friend Heidi Li purchase ads for Democrat for Principle before Party.  Of course, you can order whatever you like.

Our entertainment this evening is from a sax player who I’ve never heard of but feel like I should.  This recording of, what else, Autumn in New York, was recorded in 1951.  Sit back and cradle your cocktail and listen:

Ladies and gents, let’s not harsh our mellows with trigger words.  If you feel one starting to get the better of you, take it to Florence, our lovely checkroom attendant who will keep the sucker safe.  The waiters will be circulating soon with some apples and grapes and sharp New York cheddar cheese and a lovely Hudson Valley fois gras.  Please drink responsibly and tip your wait staff generously.

Also, you can bring your cocktails to Conflucians Say tonight at 10PM EST.  We’ll be talking to Heidi Li Feldman of the Denver Group and Democrats for Principle before party and our own dcinkat will be answering all of our burning questions on the financial bailout.

Conflucians Say: The Scratching Post

I’m in the mood for a Cocktail Party.  This cocktail party is dedicated to downticket Dems.  It looks like Obama’s coattails are much shorter than expected.  Take a look at this page on RealClearPolitics for a good scare.  Democrats are not going to pick up nearly enough new members to offset the Republicans and Blue Dogs.  Even my favorite, Linda Stender, who should have walked away with NJ-07 this year, is in a tighter than expected race with Republican nobody Leonard Lance.  We can’t afford to be complacent.

So, join us tonight for a little fundraising and TLC for out downticket Dems, those stalwart progressives who have an uphill battle now that Palin has re-energized the Republican base.  Grab a cocktail from Rico and tell us about your favorite downticket Dems.  You can buy a Causmo for $10 and contribute that money to our ActBlue page.  We’re still putting this page together so if you know of a deserving downticket Dem, talk him/her up.

Murphy’s running a fundraiser at PUMAPac for Sheila Jackson Lee, a Clinton loyalist who could use a little mojo.  While you’re there, check out the State by State Slate of Democrats to avoid when the next primary comes around.  Remember, there is still an opportunity to send a message to the DNC by getting Ed O’Reilly elected in Massachusetts against John Kerry.

And tune your cat channels to Conflucians Say tonight at 10PM EST on PUMA United Radio- PURrrrrr

And don’t forget that you can catch Matt on My Two Cents at 11:00PM EST on NQR and Our View with Patsy and Sugar every Thursday starting at 9:00 PM