College Voters

I tend to think that college kids are not any more informed, as a whole, than the general public. This article reports a lot of sides of who might get most of the college kids votes, but it seems to say little but what activists say, or at least what conservative activists say. Quoting a poll and then asking the president of the UC College Republicans is hardly a comparison worth much in the analysis of college voter. Why did this reporter not get a UC Democrat quote?

I was most concerned about this point from the poll:

• Liberal and conservative labels don't apply as much anymore, and the students don't like to be seen as Democratic or Republican. The poll identified two key groups: religious centrists, who believe religion should play a larger role in government and are concerned with the nation's moral direction; and secular centrists, who are more libertarian.

I added the bolding. What kind of person actually wants religion to play a larger role in government? A theocrat maybe? Where do kids get that kind of idea from? I guess from certain Religious Sects that advocate or are working towards a theocracy. What country do sound more and more like? We are starting to sound like Iran.

Question for Smitherman

Under the First Amendment can a student shout racial slurs at a public school teacher, and face no suspension from class? Council has passed a rule booting anyone who disrupt council meetings for 60 days. From the article:

Charterite Christopher Smitherman voted against the measure, saying the rule violates the free speech rights of people who petition City Council.

Bronson writes and quotes Smitherman in his column today, painting Smitherman's apologist views fairly plainly:

But City Council came through. Everyone voted yes except Chris Smitherman. He seems to think cops who are even accused of using the N-word five years ago should be fired - with a real torch - but people who shout and scream it at council meetings just don't get enough respect.

"We can't arbitrarily say what is disruptive and what's not," he argued, drawing disruptive applause (an almost certain indication that you're on the wrong side of an issue at City Hall). "What policies do we put forward that bring this kind of thing on?" he asked. "We must hear the voice of the people."

Smitherman I guess thinks that '400 years of oppression' makes it OK for a bunch of black racists to shout the "N-word" or the "K-word" at council members.

Bronson is actually right on this point. Smitherman is gutless. He fears taking on the black racists in town. He wants to bring the city together, but he doesn't want to stamp out all the racism. White racism is bad, but black racism must be the fault of white people. It would not surprise me to find out that Damon Lynch would have taken a better stand against black racists if he was on council.

MMMMM, It's so Good.....

I don't know jack shit about visual art. Well, not jack shit, but not much. Luckily I have a friend who does know something about art, and more importantly has a forum to interview and publish information directly from the gallerist. Some modern art is not my style, but I like ideas that challenge me, but that don't mock me. If you check out the M Gallery, give me your impressions.

Selfish Council, GOP Scam?

Kotre reports in his column that the district voting Plan would have favored GOP. It would have favored the GOP if we look at what happened in the last election, which is the way he approached it. Since moving around in the city is easy, Damon Lynch III can attest to that, then most sitting council members could cherry pick their districts. The people that would be hurt are those who rely on a specific demographic, like Witte, who would have to stay on the West Side, where Cranley could move East and challenge Ghiz and could do well. That might make for a stormy race on many levels.

Don't Blame the City

A Hamilton County Sheriff's Office Investigator shot and killed a suspect. What puts a wrinkle into this is that the officer in question was also involved in a 2001 incident were police shot into the crowd the protested after the funeral of Tim Thomas. He was cleared of wrong doing in that incident.

What will drive this case as it does with all police public issue is the race of the suspect. It was not give in the article. If he was black we will hear outrage. If he was not black we will not hear outrage. That is the way of world with activists who think in terms of race, and not in terms of humanity.

What I found shocking was the glibness of Simon Leis on this incident:

Mercado may take a few days off if he wishes, but isn't required to take administrative leave, Leis said.

That is amazing that they have no policy to at least require an officer to take off time to assure he is able to cope with killing another human being. Not to mention that there seems to be no investigation at all into what happened. I would assume that they incident is either on video or audio tape since it was undercover, which may account for things being so cut and dry. If not, it looks like Leis just does not care about what happened. What a cold SOB.

Summary of Bush Press Conference

"We gotta play it one day at a time"

"I'm just happy to be here and hope I can help the ballclub."

"I just wanta give It my best shot and the Good Lord willing, things'll work out."


I really don't get how anyone thinks this guy is a good leader when he can't answer a rather tame questions and instead goes into a blather of “umspeak” and over rehearsed clichés. Answer a question directly and honestly is what I expect of a good leader. I don't think any President in the modern era have been a particularly good leader. I can understand why people who are party backers back Bush. He is their guy and they back the GOP. I can understand and respect that. He pushes their ideology and that is what they want. That is what I want too for my ideology. What I honestly don't get is how people think this guy instills a sense of safety. I really don't feel safe with this guy in office. I am not saying I fear being killed, but I don't see Bush doing anything that anyone else could not do, at least anyone else with his "qualifications."

District Plan in Danger?

Korte reports on the support or rather lack of support for the Plan produced by the Electoral Reform Commission which calls for electing council members by district and creating an executive Mayor, eliminating, or at least really weakening, the City Manager's role.

If the plan proposed does not at least keep some at-large council seats, then I would oppose it. A pure district representation structure would create a mini-Balkans that would increase the divisions in the city, instead of decreasing them. I wonder why a metro government plan has not been pushed yet. The GOP sees that as their only way to control the city, while still living in the suburbs.