ArchPundit

Denying A Federal Judicial Appointment=Slavery

ArchPundit December 10, 2003 1 Comment

Well in Leader La-La land that appears to be the argument. So the next time there is a Democratic President and they appoint a liberal African-American or Latino any opposition will be based on their race and not ideology, right?

I didn’t think so.

Really this whole line of argument needs to be declared dead by a corrolary to Godwin’s Law:

Godwin’s Law prov. [Usenet] "As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one." There is a tradition in many groups that, once this occurs, that thread is over, and whoever mentioned the Nazis has automatically lost whatever argument was in progress. Godwin’s Law thus practically guarantees the existence of an upper bound on thread length in those groups. However there is also a widely- recognized codicil that any intentional triggering of Godwin’s Law in order to invoke its thread-ending effects will be unsuccessful.

In this case making ridiculous arguments that compare a fight over ideology to slavery should just be ruled as forfeiting the argument.

Chutzpah

ArchPundit December 10, 2003 No Comments

Spitting on the grave of not yet buried Paul Simon, are the Rosemont and minority investors who are whining that they only got their investment back with a small percentage of interest.

Here’s a small lesson in capitalism–if you invest in a corrupt enterprise you risk losing your investment. A stunning feature of capitalism is that the state let’s business fails if it is inefficient or it breaks the rules and is penalized.

Emerald executives agreed two years ago to sell the license and give all the profits from the sale to the state after state gaming regulators accused the company of failing to disclose alleged organized crime connections of some Emerald shareholders. Ms. Madigan insisted those shareholders and any Emerald executives accused of wrongdoing should not receive their money back.

If you want to invest in gaming, make sure your partners are clean. If you can’t verify that, invest elsewhere. Risk is an inherent part of any investment. As it is, the investment should be null and void. The company that entered into a contract with the State of Illinois violated the law and should have to forfeit the asset of a gaming license as a penalty. Instead, Lisa Madigan has brokered a deal to let investors essentially break even. While that bargain is not perfect, Madigan was wise to move the process along and avoid costly court battles. However, if investors insist the State pay them back and hold up the sale of the license in court–screw ’em and terminate any right to the license.

Police Stories

ArchPundit December 10, 2003 No Comments

Are the name of the game at St. Louis Coptalk this week.
Go read the Legends threat at Coptalk also Funny Roll Calls and Legends; cont

The will amuse and terrify you.

Speaking of the East Side

ArchPundit December 10, 2003 No Comments

The problems in District 189 continue. Yesterday, the Belleville News-Democrat reported that six demoted administrators will maintain their salaries in their positions as teachers and desk job administrators. The longer story does point out that if they stay at those jobs during the next year they will be returned to the level of pay for the positions. The good news here is that the District is holding principals and special ed administrators accountable for results.

Synergy Alert

ArchPundit December 10, 2003 No Comments

For those in the St. Louis Metropolitan Region:
(shamelessly stolen title from Eric Zorn)

I have an article on the absurd complaints about the suspension of site-based management in the SLPS in the Arch City Chronicle. Full story is only available in dead tree edition. Think of old grandmother’s warnings about shacking up if you wonder why.

For those looking for a great Christmas gift, consider the ACC and The CommonSpace membership together for the fabulous price of $60

A Terrible Way To Return

ArchPundit December 10, 2003 No Comments

is an article in memoriam to Paul Simon at the Political State Report

Horrible, Horrible News

ArchPundit December 9, 2003 No Comments

Paul Simon passed away today due to complications from heart surgery. He’ll be greatly missed.

Back This Evening

ArchPundit December 8, 2003 No Comments

Suffering from sinus problems…

First Time Here?

ArchPundit November 27, 2003 No Comments

Well, I’m about to take the Holiday weekend off. I have two twin daughters that are far more fun than this (and for the first time I get to brag about them–see here)

But for those visiting for the first time, ArchPundit is a site devoted to Illinois and National Politics. I’m a partisan Democrat and a grad student working on his PhD in Political Science. Beyond that, do a google search–when I mentioned this previously some wanted me to remain pseudonymous because they enjoy me just being the writing on the page.

For the most part, that will continue. From time to time I may comment more particularly on issues I have expertise than I have in the past, but there won’t be many changes for veteran readers.

There are two related sites. The first is Blog Saint Louis which focuses on St. Louis and Missouri politics and urban educational issues, a particular passion of mine.

The second is a site for the Illinois Senate Race that is not being updated right now. It will be with the creation of a new family of sites at Typepad.

I also write for The Political State Report on Illinois politics. I’ve been a bit lax there lately, but I plan on adding more there in the near future. I’ll be adding commentary to the coming Jeff Smith for Congress Blog very soon as well. Jeff is a good friend and I urge those of you in the 3rd District to learn a bit more about him. Since I know some other campaigns check in here, I have no intention of bashing other candidates and quite like the field–though I reserve the right to make fun of Russ if he puts up anymore pics like the last one I pointed out.

I also have two other features and perhaps a personal blog about to come on line as well. Both are more humor related. One is just displaying the words I receive every day from a particular public official, and the other is an inside joke. Take a look around and come back if you enjoy.

I always appreciate tips so pass them on to archpundit@yahoo.com. Be sure to clarify whether you want to remain anonymous and whether I can use the e-mail verbatim. I respect privacy absolutely.

Some of the more popular posts over the last year include:

Rochell Moore extending a Biblical Curse to me

Earl Holt’s letter taking issue with my labeling of him as a White Supremacist

The post he objected to which was also linked from Joe Conason’s column in Salon

And for those who read the story in the RFT on the SLPS, I posted Bill Haas’ letter to Bill Roberti that suggested Roberti and Marsal were having an affair right after receiving it.

I also seem to have hit on some manueverings by Pat Quinn to jump in the Illinois Senate Race. What is still unclear is why he was using Mike Kelleher as bait.

A general article on Saint Louis Public School reform. This article spurred the Biblical Curse being extended to me.

On a More Serious Note

ArchPundit November 26, 2003 No Comments

Why does Earl Holt even matter? Isn’t he just a marginalized moron who has been driven from the public eye?

That is true to an extent. However, Holt is part of that nasty side of politics that has hidden behind code words and obscured their true feelings. The first hint should be anyone who would associate with the modern version of the White Citizen’s Councils–now the Council of Conservative Citizens.

There are legitimate debates over policies that affect race and we should have frank discussions about race and related issues. But Cobb points out an issue in race relations that whites usually don’t grasp (being white I have my blindspots as well,

I’m going to indulge a little and poke whitefolks in the eye for a minute. But I’ll be more specific and poke whitefolks from St. Louis who voted during the 80s. Every once in a while blackfolks get accused of being paranoid about race. But then somebody like say, Mark Fuhrman, gets outed and blackfolks say, where the hell were all you good whitefolks whan this person got power?

There are reasons for African-Americans to be paranoid and recognizing that is vital to a serious discussion. Are African-Americans overly paranoid? I’m sure sometimes they are, but when people don’t listen it adds to the paranoia. So the next time race comes up in an integrated place take the time to listen to the concerns. Listen hard. White folks simply don’t face the daily insults that many African-Americans do. And being angry about those insults or Earl Holt isn’t an invitation to bring up Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson to try and create moral equivalency. It’s an invitation to listen to a friend or potential friend.

When people race bait, don’t use the excuse that some African-American did it so it is okay. Take race baiters to task. Force them to face consequences instead of making excuses that others do it.

Holt is out of public life besides his rantings on WGNU and the CofCC web site, but many have supported him and his allies in the past. Perhaps they were allies because they did not think Holt was that bad. If that is the case, they shouldn’t have a hard time disowning him and the Council of Conservative Citizens. Make them do it.