NPD 4.14.09

*Josh pointed out in yesterday's NPD comments section that Al Franken has won yet another court battle in the ongoing Senate recount in Minnesota. By nearly all accounts, Franken will eventually be the winner of the race, but the Republican Party continues to appeal in order to keep the Democrats at one fewer vote in the Senate. If that's true, it's a class bunch. Next up for the court battle: the Supreme Court. If it makes it that far, we won't see a conclusion for another six months or so.

*North Korea is further withdrawing from the international community as a result of the UN Security Council's recent resolution criticizing their missile launch last week. Oh my that place is f-ed up.

*It was revealed that Jesse Jackson, a Democratic Congressman from Illinois, guaranteed former governor Blagojevich $5 million in campaign funds if he appointed Jackson to Obama's open senate seat. That comes on the heals of Blagojevich formally pleading not guilty to federal criminal charges. Someone needs to write a song about corrupt Illinois (and Louisiana) politics.

Non-Paper Daily, 3.1.09

*It's March already. Wtf.

*Kathleen Sebelius, Governor of Kansas and general rising star in Democratic circles, has been officially tapped to lead Health and Human Services. The main job of that position is moving health care reform through the system, so it's extremely important. Keep an eye out.

*It's looking more and more like Al Franken, the Senator-elect from Minnesota, will be seated in the next couple months. It's one of those situations where the courts are being used to hold up a process that seems to be decided. Of course, maybe there is real evidence supporting Coleman, but if there were, my guess is that it would be out by now.

Al Franken

Today the elections folks up in Minnesota formally anointed Al Franken as their next senator. Hooray! Of course, there will be more court challenges, but at this point it looks pretty concrete... er, more like written in concrete that is quickly drying. That puts the final total, at least assuming Illinois ends up with a Democrat to replace Obama, at 59 Democrats, 41 Republicans.

Non-Paper Daily, 12.17.2008

*In yet another sign of the times, people are getting on welfare in significant numbers. Bailouts cost money, but so, too, does having massive unemployment.

*Things keep turning this way and that in the Minnesota senate recount. Both campaigns are challenging ballots and now they are bringing back previously-dropped challenges. A couple days ago it looked like we may have a winner as early as tomorrow, but now it looks like there may be a long road ahead. The winner is someone who will be serving for six years and, with incumbent reelection rates what they are, probably longer. I say take your time and get it right.

*Today Time named Barack Obama its "Person of the Year." No surprise there considering most president-elects win the award in the year they win and, whether you agree with the guy or not, Obama truly revolutionized campaign fundraising and use of the internet in campaigning all while energizing the nation like no political figure has done since Bobby Kennedy.

Non-Paper Daily, 12.12.2008

*The Minnesota State Canvassing Board (they deal with elections) directed county election officials to count approximately 1,600 wrongly disqualified absentee ballots. Franken, who is currently losing by a couple hundred votes, outperformed Norm Coleman in absentee ballots, so this is a huge boost to his chances at winning.

*The precipitous drop in oil prices is severely hurting the economies of countries that rely on its export as their primary source of income (Iran, Russia, et al., I'm looking your way.)

*Looks like the auto company bailout is a no-go due to Republican senators protests. The Bush administration, however, is poised to act, so it looks like the Big Three car manufacturers won't be going bankrupt... yet.

*Miley Cyrus received a Porsche for her birthday, but was disappointed it wasn't the car she wanted. Can't she just buy the car she wants?