TF2

2007-02-17T07:36:00.000-08:00

Shays Supports Bush Surge...stands against majority of Americans

That's right. The same Chris Shays who only months ago promised the voters that he was for a time-tabled withdrawal of troops from Iraq now stands with President Bush and his surge. Check out his website, house.gov/shays. You can watch Rep. Shays' speak against a non-binding resolution that opposes President Bush's surge. thefederalist does not support the cut and run tactics of the Obamas, Edwards, and Murthas of the world. However, one cannot help but wonder how 20,000 additional troops will help fix the mess in Iraq. It is clear that the power to fix this situation lies in the hands of the Iraqi people and their elected leaders.

thefederalist isn't going to pretend he has an in-depth knowledge about the complicated disaster (that's putting it lightly) that is Middle-Eastern policy. But, with a gun to my head, I would say that the best plan available for "success" in Iraq comes from the great state of Delaware's senator, and presidential hopeful, Joe Biden. With all the talk about '08, I couldn't help but browse nearly every candidate's website (yes, even Kucinich). What impressed me was that Senator Biden had a separate website, entirely devoted to his plan to fix Iraq. I would recommend that all of you go to , and get a good look at this for yourself. Biden calls for a federalization of Iraq, giving the three main ethnic groups (Sunni, Shiia, and Kurds) their own autonomous regions. These regions would have local control over some issues, while issues of national interest, such as military force and the distribution of oil profits, would fall under the jurisdiction of a national government. Hmm...a group of small states with local control over some issues under a national government with control over others...I've heard of this before but I can't remember where...

There are those who disagree with this plan. However, it would appear that Biden is the only candidate with an actual plan. Some Republicans support President Bush's troop surge (even while doubting its ability to succeed, just ask Rudy). Most Democrats simply say bring the troops home (Edwards, Obama, Kucinich). Even thefederalist understands that if we left Iraq today, we would eventually have to return, and possibly under worse conditions. And of course there are some candidates...well...there is Senator Hillary Clinton...who is just doing her best to mirror whatever the pollsters tell her.

There are many who think that Iraq will be divided, whether it's on our terms or someone else's. This could lead to trouble, especially if it divides into three completely separate nations. For example, an independent Kurdish nation in the north (what is no northern Iraq) border Kurdish Turkey, but also Shi'ia Iran. Iran could view this high concentration of Kurds (or possibly Turkey absorbing the new Kurdish nation) as a military threat, and respond in kind. Iran would also have substantial sway in a new Shi'ia nation, giving it more clout in the entire region. The last thing Americans should want is for Iran to gain more political power in the region (especially with its current leadership). A total break-up of Iraq almost assures this, reducing the United States to the drunken guest that caused the mess, while elevating the power of an Anti-semitic, power hungry, and dangerous regime.

We need to change course in Iraq. To federalize the nation is the best solution we have. Better for it to happen on our terms, not Iran's.

On a much lighter subject....

....with all the talk about '08 one can't help but think about '07. Seems like the Young/Klein election was only yesterday, and here we are, a mere 9 months away from doing it all over again. Of course, we're not quite sure of the players who will be involved. On the Republican side, two names come to mind: Peter Hovell and Flora Smith. The former head of the BOF, Mr. Hovell would certainly be the the choice between the two if it came to experience. This would also give the town a clear choice in November between First Selectwoman Klein's style of leadership and Hovell's (assuming Klein runs). Ms. Smith, however, clearly has the energy to run a campaign. She was an active supporter of the Young ticket in '05, and could decide that now is her time. Interestingly, someone told me that Ms. Smith formed an exploratory committee to look at a possible '07 run. thefederalist doubts this to be true, as it seems a little overboard...unless you are running for president.

And of course the next question...will our current First Selectwoman seek another term of office? On other CT blogs, some have speculated that Klein would make a good candidate to run against Shays. However, friends close to the First Selectwoman have told me that she has absolutely no interest in taking a political career to another level. This should make the people of our town feel good, as we have a leader with a focus on doing her job, not furthering her ambitions. But, one couldn't blame Klein if she chooses to sit this one out. There is no doubt that the Klein haters will be out in full force come the fall of 2007. But, we are nine months away, and it's a little foolish to be thinking that far ahead....

...which begs the question...why am I planning my next entry to be about the presidential election in '08?!

2007-01-04T15:31:00.000-08:00

Out with '06, in with '07...my resolution? To try and post a little but more.

Today the first female Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi took her step into the history books. The 110th Congress began with an opening act filled with promises of civility and bi-partisanship. However, it is my opinion that the 110th Congress will prove to be one of the most divided sessions in recent history. The 2006 elections saw the defeat of many "moderate" New England Republicans in the House and Senate. With a lack of centrists in their ranks, the hard right members of the GOP will have more sway. The Conservative Minority will find little common ground with the moderate to liberal Democratic caucus that swept itself into power last November. If only we lived in Washington, DC we could get a better look of what promises to be an interesting session of Congress.

However, my very own wishes of moving down south were put on reserve this evening as I drove through our very own town of Darien. No matter what your political beliefs, the downtown has improved for the better over the past few years. Driving by lots that promise Brooks Brothers, Panera, and Ole Mole (just to name a few) made thefederalist smile about all that is to come. A new senior center, a new library, and possibly a Whole Foods all show just how much our town is progressing, not to mention the great new Darien High School that opened last Fall. While all the cameras are tuned in to the DC action, on January 4th, 2007, this federalist is happy he lives in Darien, Connecticut!

thefederalist hopes you all had a great Christmas and wishes you all the best in 2007.

2006-12-21T13:02:00.000-08:00

Looks like the seniors in town got an early Christmas present. By a 5-0 vote, the Board of Selectmen approved the building of a new senior center.
Most seniors love the senior center, and advocated for improvements to the current building at most. However, the Board of Selectmen got it right. Selectwoman Santarella and First Selectwoman Klein put it best in today's Darien Times, stating that this decision was made with future seniors in mind. Today's crop of seniors really shouldn't complain too much either; they'll be getting a brand new facility.
On the political side of things...
With 2007 just around the corner one can't help but think of the race for First Selectman. While we are still months away from the first Tuesday in November, it's always fun to make some New Years speculations. One can only assume that the RTC will work hard to take the top spot back for the first time in four years. Many have speculated that the RTC decision to have Paul Hendrickson replace Kevin Newman on the BOS was a move to prepare him for a run at the top spot in '07. Mr. Hendrickson's resume is very impressive, but his performance on the Board of Selectmen hasn't been much to write home about. Another Republican name that comes to mind is Peter Hovell. While thefederalist hasn't heard anything out of Mr. Hovell's mouth about running, it wouldn't be too suprising to see the streets of Darien peppered with "Elect Hovell" signs next Fall. However, after being swiftly (and suprisingly) booted out of office one can't help but question Mr. Hovell's political capital. Does he have enough support around town to return to Town Hall? Only time will tell.
On the Democrat side...all fingers point to Evonne Klein. In talking to people around town, one gets the impression that the current First Selectwoman could have her job for as long as she wants. She's already beaten a well known incumbent, blown out an electoral challenger, and has been delivering for the people of Darien along the way. From what thefederalist has heard, nobody knows whether First Selectwoman Klein has made a decision about whether to run or not. Should Mrs. Klein choose not to, the Democrats may find themselves in a spot of trouble: Mrs. Klein is very popular and the rest of their bench is very thin. The first name that comes to mind is Callie Sullivan, former candidate for State Rep. in 2004. Perhaps with Klein's support, Mrs. Sullivan would be able to hold the seat for the Dems. It is the opinion of thefederalist that she would benefit from a tour of duty as a regular member on the Board of Selectmen.
What about regular members on the BOS? Don't be suprised if you see names like David Bayne and Jeff Williams pop up. Both are young, smart, up-and-coming members of their parties who both could one day run for the seat in the middle.
Prediction: Susan Young and Barbara Thorne will not run for re-election in 2007. Selectwoman Thorne has been at it for a long time, and one can't expect her to stay there forever. While it should be assumed that Selectwoman Thorne would continue to stay involved at the local level, serving on the BOS has to get tired sometimes.
Selectwoman Young, the RTC's candidate for First Selectwoman in 2005, will not run again in 2007. I feel bad for Selectwoman Young, because I did give her a tough run in the '05 election cycle, and she does give a lot to our town. However, she just doesn't appear to be made for the political arena at any level (which is OK, not many of us are). Her performance on the Board of Selectmen has left much to be desired, especially for someone who was running for the top position. While this may sound rude, many Republicans who are serious about taking back Town Hall sometime this decade are already mulling over a younger replacement to one day run for the top spot.

So what about thefederalist?? Well, my local electoral wish this year is....KLEIN vs HOVELL 2007. Klein and Hovell, one last time...I'm excited for November already.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and we'll talk in 2007.

2006-11-25T15:00:00.000-08:00

Apologies for the delay between posts. During Thanksgiving thefederalist is too busy with family, food, and football to worry about blogging, and I would hope the same goes for all of you.
Anyway....
While our eyes have been focused on the national arena, the winds of change have blown through Darien politics. Peter Hovell is out as chairman of the Board of Finance. Mr. Hovell was a prominent member of the Darien Republican party, and a major power player at Town Hall. How did he find himself on the outside looking in?
From what thefederalist sees, there are two possibilities. The first is that the other members of the Board of Finance had just had enough of their old leader. The vote to remove him from his leadership position was rather one-sided. While this incident was clearly a negative for the former chair, the uniting of Democrats and Republicans on the BOF for a common cause could be a sign that further inter-party unity is on the way.
However, one cannot forget the RTC. I don't care if what I'm about to say is polite or not: Peter Hovell was a Donald Rumself-esque thorn in the side of the RTC. He was one of the cornerstones that the 2005 Young campaign was built on. He was also the man who predicted that the town would find itself in the middle of a financial storm during First Selectwoman Klein's time in office (in case anyone is interested we now have a surplus). Was Mr. Hovell's prediction simply wrong? Or was this warning simply a scare-tactic to further his own political interests?
There are some good people on the RTC, and perhaps Jack Orchulli is one of them. As the leader of the RTC, Mr. Orchulli very well could have seen the harm that Mr. Hovell was doing, not only to his party, but to the town as well. Mr. Orchulli is not an idiot, and he could have corralled the Republicans on the Board of Finance to vote Mr. Hovell out.
Note: thefederalist knows none of this to be absolutely true. This is only speculation, and I'm only human. For all we know Hovell could have just been tired of the job and told the members of the BOF to kick him out!

Before the weekend break, a definition:
Abstain-to refrain deliberately from an action or practice

While the subject of "Beach-Chair-Gate" has been beaten like a dead horse, there is something aside from the utter stupidity of that debate that bothered me. As we all know, Selectwoman Young took issue with a set of gifted chairs due to a "safety issue." While this might seem ridiculous to most, Selectwoman Young seemed very adiment about these safety concerns, which brings me to my question: If Selectwoman Young felt so strongly that the safety of our community would be put in jeapordy by these chairs why didn't she vote against them? While her stance against the gift seems silly, it is her decision to abstain from the vote that should be of greater concern.

A final word: Congradulations to the 2006 Darien Football Blue Wave. While the season ended on a low note, watching the Boys in Blue go 4-0 earlier this year and play toe to toe with some of the best teams in the state was great. In fact, the Blue Wave wasn't eliminated from state playoff contention until they lost to Greenwich, which was the second to last game of the season. The Blue Wave also scored more points against the Cardinals than any other team in the FCIAC...not bad for a team that admittedly struggles offensively. In my opinion, the Darien Football Blue Wave was 2-3 games better than their 5-5 record.

2006-11-11T04:44:00.000-08:00

What I thought about Tuesday...
...As Democrats across the country breath a collective sigh of relief, and the rubble of a nasty November campaign begins to clear, pundits from every side of the isle begin to rise up to explain what happened and why.
If you read the DailyKos you'll be lead to believe that a majority of Americans have had enough with Bush and his neo-conservative agenda, and have begun to turn to liberalism as a solution to our nation's problems. However, if you turn on the radio, you'll hear the likes of Mark Levin and Sean Hannity saying that the reason why Republicans lost is because they weren't conservative enough. These hard liners advocate that those Republicans who survived the purge return to their "Reagan principles."
thefederalist believes both the liberal blogs and the conservative radio hosts to be wrong. Tuesdays win wasn't a smashing endorsement of progressivism, nor was it a complete repudiation of conservatism. Tuesday's results were a victory for moderation.
If you ask most Americans what their political beliefs are, you won't hear many people saying "I'm a hard-core neo-con" or "I'm an extreme liberal." Most people set up political shop in the middle. These "independent" voters, like many of us, are tired of business as usual on Capital Hill. To these folks, extremism is not the answer.
Whether it is reality of perception, the Republican party led by President George W. Bush came to embody an unapologetic extremism that a majority of voters believed was leading America down the wrong path. Democrats appeared to be more moderate than their Republican counterparts for three reasons: a)they stood against the failing policy of the Bush administration b)they supported "blue dog" candidates that took conservative stances on social issues and c)they (and their leadership) are not as well known as those Republicans who are tied to President Bush.
Liberal Democrats should pay close attention to the second reason. While they were able to knock off "moderate Republicans" such as Nancy Johnson, Democrats owe their newfound majority in the House, and especially in the Senate, to blue dog Democrats. These moderately conservative, moderately progressive candidates were the ones who carried the day in places like Virginia, Montana, and who were able to win a majority of governorships and state legislatures.
No, extreme liberalism is not on the rise, and you haven't heard the last of conservatism either. Whichever political party is able to call the middle of the spectrum as their home will not only hold the most victory celebrations come November, but will be the most able group to move America forward.

2006-11-06T19:33:00.000-08:00

A request...
...I ask you all to vote. I ask you all to understand that what happens tomorrow will change the course of this country. Tomorrow, Americans have a very clear choice to make. Know that your choice will have a direct effect on the future of this nation.
It is my firm belief that as of this election eve, there is something very wrong with this country. There is something very wrong when disagreement is looked at as treason, when soldiers are used as pawns to fight political battles, when an entire nation is split for political gain, when one man and one party hijack the laws and traditions of two hundred years answering to no one, apologizing to no one.
Yes, there is something very wrong with this country. But we the people have the power to fix it. YOU have the power to right the wrongs of an administration that has failed our soldiers, failed our founding fathers, and has failed Us.
Tomorrow we can turn the tide. We can restore respect for the principles that this country was founded on. We can reclaim our place as the example of liberty and justice for ALL. We can stand up and say NO! to those who wish to rule with fear and polarization. We will stand up against the hypocrites, the self-righteous, who do good when it is politically convenient, returning to their self serving, self celebrating behavior all too soon.
In a matter of hours, those who have been a door mat for failure will discover whether they have survived this political storm or not, and tonight thefederalist prays for the latter. Vote them out

Every single one

2006-11-05T05:48:00.000-08:00

Remember remeber the 5th of November
the gunpowder treason and plot
I see of no reason why gunpowder
Treason should ever be forgot
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes , 'twas his intent
To blow up the king and Parliament
Three score barrels of powder below
Poor old England to overthrow:
By God's province he was catch'd
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, make the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the king!
Hip hip horrah!

2006-11-02T14:25:00.000-08:00

Know this...
...A vote for Diane Farrell is a vote for Nancy Pelosi. If elected, and the Democrats are able to win a majority in the House of Representatives, Diane Farrell will support Nancy Pelosi when she runs for Speaker of the House. For those of you who haven't sat in on a civics class for a while, the Speaker of the House is 3rd in the line of succession to the presidency. Before September 11th, Congresswoman Pelosi had a consistant record of voting to cut defense spending. She has also ardently defended a woman's right to partial birth abortion, but can't seem to find the time to support the Patriot Act.
...A vote for Chris Shays is a vote for Denny Hastert or John Boehner. If Republicans are able to maintain control of the House of Represenatives, it is unclear who will be Speaker of the House (Hastert would probably be a safe bet had Mark Foley been able to show a little self control). If elected, Chris Shays will without a doubt support either Hastert or Boehner should either run for Speaker. That's the same Denny Hastert who dropped the ball in the Mark Foley scandal. And for those of you who don't know Mr. Boehner, just last Sunday he described Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld as "the best thing" to happen to the Pentagon in a long time. Such statements defending a Secretary of Defense who, time and time again has proved his incompetence in executing his duties makes one question Mr. Boehner's own handle on reality.
...A vote for Allan Schlesinger is a vote to maintain Senator Ted Steven's chairmanships. Yes, that's the same Ted Stevens who took our tax dollars to build a bridge to nowhere.
...A vote for Senator Joe Lieberman or Ned Lamont is a vote for Harry Ried, should he seek to become Majority Leader of the Senate (assuming a Democratic victory). That's the same Harry Ried who is under scrutiny to this day for his shady land deals in the state of Nevada.

I know, I know...a lot of problems presented here, not many solutions. thefederalist recommends that you call your respective national political parties, and demand a change in leadership...or help support the long-shots who are running against Pelosi, Hastert, and Boehner this election cycle.

2006-10-30T10:33:00.000-08:00

Now this from Florida...
...Fresh ammunition for electoral consipracy theorists emerges from the pages of the Miami Herald. Voting irregularities have been discovered in electronic voting machines in Miami-Dade county. People voting for the Democratic candidate for governor, Jim Davis, noticed that the "review screen" (the final step on these voting machines) had cast their vote for the Republican candidate, Charlie Crist. Local election officials have assured the electorate and the media that this is an isolated problem that has already been dealt with.
While thefederalist isn't all that worried that Charlie Crist is part of some nation-wide conspiracy to steal the mid-term elections, one cannot come off as pleased with these electronic voting machines after learning that, according to local election official Mary Cooney, it is "not uncommon for screens on heavily used machines to slip out of sync." The article goes on to say that workers are readily available to fix any irregularities. However, what if, in the confusion and rush of November 7th, voters don't notice or report a problem with one of these questionable machines? What if voters are confused and don't understand that their vote for their candidate just went to the other guy?
Call me old fashioned, but the fate of our democracy should not be left in the hands of faulty machines. For two hundred plus years Americans voted without these questionable devices. If there is any question about the performance of these machines they should be removed immediately and replaced with more traditional, reliable means of voting.
Americans get pissed off when their television sets don't work(and rightly so). There is no reason why we should hold machines that are meant to abet our electoral process to lower standards than we do devices used for personal enjoyment.

2006-10-27T12:45:00.000-07:00

If you have any friends in Virginia...
...One of, if not the hottest race in the 2006 election cycle is the on-going battle between incumbent Senator George Allen (R) and former Secretary of the Navy Jim Webb (D). Allen appeared to be enjoying a comfortable lead in the polls, until "racist" remarks from Allen became a focus of the campaign. For those of you who don't follow Viriginia politics, a member of the Webb team (who happened to be Middle-eastern looking) was filming an Allen ralley. At one point, Senator Allen pointed to the Webb volunteer, called him "maccaca", and told him "welcome to America." Senator Allen insists that he had no idea that "maccaca" could be considered racist. However, when one learns that Senator Allen keeps a noose in his office, one has to question the good Senator's feelings on racial and ethnic equality.
In fairness, Mr. Webb has come under fire for his formerly held belief that women weren't capable of serving in the military service, stating that they would be a "distraction" to the males in the service, and weren't physically or mentally equipped to handle combat situations. These beliefs were expressed in a written opinion piece over a decade ago (no excuse) and Webb has since apologized for these comments.
The latest Rasmussen polling report shows Senator Allen ahead of Candidate Webb by one point (49%-48% respectively). As history as shown, the closer we get to election day, the uglier things can get. But in Virginia, ugly would be an understatement.
While Jim Webb has served as Secretary of the Navy, he is also a former Marine (served in Vietnam) and author. Most of Webb's novels focus on his experience with war. As those who have served know, war is hell. There isn't that much pleasantness going on during these times of conflict. Mr. Webb's works of fiction reflect many of the terrible things he saw in combat. (Note:some of the events I'm about to list aren't appropriate for the weak of heart). Some of these terrible things include the description of a woman standing up and going to the bathroom, and a man picking up his male child and inserting his private parts into his mouth.
The right wing talking heads and the Allen campaign found these passages in Webb's writings, and are trying to use them against him. This afternoon, on his very popular radio program, Sean Hannity took Webb to task, calling him "sick" for "thinking these things up" in his head. However, Mr. Webb did not think these jarring images up. In a response this morning, Mr. Webb stated that all of the graphic scenes that the right wing has taken issue with actually happened on or around the stage of war. He went further, saying that the man who picked up his male child took place in a "slum in Bangkok," and was actually considered culturally acceptable by the native people there (not that that makes it right, not in the eye's of thefederalist anyway). Of course, Allen and his pals are too busy to listen to the truth (not all that suprising).
Will the people of Virginia punish Mr. Webb for including the real life horrors of war in his fictional work? Let's hope not. Sure, these scenes are disgusting, but that's the great thing about freedom of speech, with it comes the freedom to listen. If you can't handle these terrible facts of war, you don't have to go to war, or read the accounts of people who have been there. An interesting note: one of the novels that Allen and company have taken issue with was actually endorsed by Republican Senator and Vietnam war hero John McCain. Furthermore, a number of Webb's novels on the subject of war have been required reading for appropriate college-level courses throughout the country.
So, if you think that Webb's works are too graphic for you, don't read them. But at the same time, don't be fooled by the political rhetoric. Come to think of it, perhaps the reason why the likes of Allen, Hannity, and Limbaugh (won't be suprised of O'Reilly gets on this tonight either) find Webb's work so shocking is because they have not seen the things Mr. Webb has seen...none of them have served in the armed forces

**There are literally only days left until election day, and this race is extremely critical. If you have the means, please go to http://www.webbforsenate.com and help this patriotic candidate beat back his chicken-hawk opponents. While his previous comments on women in the military are unnacceptable, the littlest bit of research will prove that Mr. Webb is the superior candidate in this race. He and his family have already given so much to this country (his father served, as did his brothers, and now his son is serving in Iraq), that Mr. Webb's success in the US Senate is assured. Donate if you can, and call any friends or family down in Virginia and tell them to vote for Jim Webb for US Senate**

2006-10-25T10:54:00.000-07:00

Who does Bill O'Reilly think he's kidding? For those of you who have the gift to block out the garbage this whack-job spews out, Mr. O'Reiily's most recent book, Culture Warrior, is probably the biggest piece of trash to ever be published (or Al Franken's "work," you be the judge). In his book, Mr. O'Reilly takes aim at, you guessed it, anyone that disagrees with him.
Let's start with the cover of this book. Just looking at ti makes me sick to my stomach. Our flag is flying proudly in the background, right behind a perfectly airbrushed picture of of BS Bill, looking very culture warrior-esque in what appears to be a rain shell and a t-shirt. Bill wants to look tough, but comes of fake. BS Bill wants us to think that he's looking out for us (pun intended), when of course nothing could be further from the truth. However, like the old saying goes, you can't judge a book by its cover...

...except for this one. Over 240 pages that would be better suited as toilet paper, BS Bill attempts to convince the reader that our nations problems come from progressives. These "secular progressives" would love nothing more than to purge the United States of the traditional family, shove abortion down every woman's throat, and probably the biggest threat our nation faces...these "secular progressives" have declared war on CHRISTMAS. Thank God BS Bill warned us!
thefederalist has come to the conclusion that BS Bill is no culture warrior at all. You see, the real front is quite far from BS Bill's battle with those who say "happy holidays" instead of "happy Christmas." No, Bill, real culture warriors don't engage in inapppropriate activity with an employee, settle out of court, and then wax poetic about virtue and morals. The real culture warriors are in Iraq fighting for our freedoms. The real culture warriors are working multiplle jobs to put food on the dinner table. The real culture warriors are the ones who are 9-5'ing it to make sure their kids have a brighter future than they did. The real culture warriors are fighting ignorat wanna-be idiots like you so that the terrible charade you've played on the American people comes to an end. You see Mr. O'Reilly, culture warriors don't try to trick their audience into believing that there has never been a case where an abortion is needed to save a mother's life. Culture warriors aren't sick, twisted, and evil enough to tell a boy whose father died on 9/11 that his dead father is disgusted with a son who believes that America should be fighting terrorists in Afghanistan instead of Iraq. You, Mr. O'Reilly, are quite a disgusting creature, one that the real culture warriors of our time are unfortunately forced to deal with.

2006-10-12T12:55:00.000-07:00

October 12, 2006-We are less than a month away from the mid-term elections, and years away from the 2008 battle for the White House, but the Democratic party has already suffered a huge loss. Today, former governor of Virginia, Mark Warner, allerted the media and his supporters that he had decided not to run for president in 2008. While many of the extreme liberals in the Democratic party have proclaimed the exit of Candidate Warner as a stage setter for a possible Gore or Feingold run (Russ Feingold, the liberal senator from Wisconsin is without a doubt the hero of the liberal left in the Senate). However, in time, Democrats will find that already they have lost their best hope at taking back the White House (for those who care, go to http://forwardtogetherpac.com to read Governor Warner's "farewell" statement).
A little history lesson: Let's take a look at the last few succesful candidates for the presidency: George W Bush, former governor, Bill Clinton, former governor, George H W Bush...ok he was VP BUT Ronald Reagan, former governor, Jimmy Carter, former governor, Gerald Ford...former representative (he was actually never elected to the vice presidency or the presidency, although he served in both positions), Richard Nixon, former governor...you get the idea. So, all but ONE president over the past thirty years previously served a governorship. In fact, 100% of the Democratic presidents since 1970 (that's right...all two of them) were governors before they moved into the White House. So what's with this governor thing?
Governors are percieved to have great executive experience, a plus when looking for a job in the White House. Also, unlike senators or even cabinet members, governors have the ability to play the role of the Washington outsider. Because of this outsider's perspective, governor candidates are able to play upon the ideas of change and a new direction better than members of the DC beltway.
Mark Warner certainly was an outsider. Much like Ned Lamont, Governor Warner was a success in the private sector (ever heard of a company called Nextel?). As governor, he led a Republican controlled state legislature to a balanced state budget, leaving office with the highest approval rating of any governor of the state in modern times.
Outsider's appeal is good, but Warner is a centrist too. Polling shows that the average American voter has grown tired of the strangle hold that those on the extreme right and left have on today's political parties. Warner represented a chance for the Truman Democrats to take control of a party that has been hijacked by the Pelosi/Lamont wingnuts. Some even called him the second coming of Clinton, minus the failure with Rwanda and the scandal with Monica.
How does Warner's early exit effect other Democrats with visions of '08 in their heads? John Edwards, the '04 candidate for VP seems to have gained the most in all of this. Aside from Governor Warner, Edwards is the only other southern front-runner for the party nomination. Due to his geographical positioning, Edwards could win enough primaries to push back the financial bombshell that is Senator Hillary Clinton.
As for the good senator from New York-because of his successes in the private sector, Warner was seen as the only candidate who could truly hope to match Senator Clinton's campaign war chest. Also, Senator Clinton is constantly trying to define herself, and at times seems to be imitating her husband. Because of her flip-flopping between plotting the middle course and appeasing the extreme left, Warner could have come across as more sincere and principaled in a primary between the two. Warner's exit also helps the moderate Senator Joe Biden appear more unique, instead of a Warner look-a-like.
So where's the outsider? Many look to Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, but thefederalist is looking in the direction of Wes Clark. A former general, Mr. Clark has the experience necesary to lead a nation through troubled times, not to mention he has yet to be tainted by the DC beltway.
Although we need to get through the elections of 2006 before we even think about 2008, it's never to early to start. But Democrats shouldn't fool themselves, they lost a damn good candidate today. However, many are saying that 4 weeks (the time left between now and November 7th's elections) is a life time. Imagine what two years could be.

2006-10-11T21:43:00.000-07:00

Could Chris Shay's days in Congress be coming to an end? Recent polls have the incumbent of our 4th district down 46%-41% in a re-match with his '04 challenger, Diane Farrell. Experts agree that it's the war that's dragging Rep. Shays down in the polls. However, Shay's stance on the war appears to be more anti-war than his challenger's. In August, after his 14th visit to Iraq, Rep. Shays stated that he now believed that the United States should set a time table for withdrawl. In looking at Ms. Farrell's campaign website, their is no mention of a timed withdrawl from Iraq. Miss Farrell does mention the need for a "timely war funding plan" and asserts the need to "alleviate the pressure on our strained combat forces." In fact, Miss Farrell suggests that our forces use "achievement bench-marks, rather than dates" to determine when to pull out of Iraq.
In looking at both candidates stances on this issue, it would seem that Miss Farrell is more hawkish and responsible than her "conservative" counterpart. thefederalist is not suggesting that Representative Shays recently changed his position on the war in Iraq to gain back lost support in the polls. It would be interesting to ask the Rep. Shays if he would have supported the Kerry/Feingold Ammendment to set a timed withdrawl of US forces had it passed the Senate and been brought to the floor of the House. I have heard Miss Farrell say that she was not a supporter of the Kerry/Feingold plan. It only seems consistent with Mr. Shay's new-found convictions that he would in fact have stood by the 2004 presidential nominee of the Democratic party given the opportunity.
Mr. Shays is always reminding the electorate that he is the chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security. It may sound crazy, but I'm starting to believe that his challenger from Westport is more suited for this position.

2006-10-09T13:10:00.000-07:00

For those of you that have already read the work of thefederalist, you know that I left the blogging scene months ago for personal reasons. However, during this break I discovered that blogging actually helps me focus my thoughts and provides good practice for the work I do in the real world. So, with that, allow me to re-introduce myself/>
Originally, thefederalist was a discussion forum and fire-starter for local politics in Darien, CT. From time to time, my attention would be drawn to the national political arena. While some articles posted on my original site were twisted by my critics, I promise not to let these blow-hards deter me again. As the eyes and ears of our town, state, and nation are tuned in to the national political arena, my posts will reflect the stories of the time. While there is always plenty going on in local politics, there are many more battles being fought across our state and our nation that will determine our future.
When I first joined the blogging arena, I advertised my presence on the mega-blog that is dariennews. While alerting the Darien blogging community of my unfortunate return would help increase the readership of this blog, I have decided that that is not the best course of action. Those who want to read this blog will find it, and those who don't...won't. With that said, thank you very much for having me back.
Take two