Thoughts on Politics of the Day – this day, today

A community ID card such as the one available to undocumented immigrants in Trenton, New Jersey, is a good, no, great idea.  With the ID card, folks without legal papers can check out a library book, visit a health clinic and open a bank account.  Literacy, health care and safe banking are human rights.  Yes, banking.   Crime falls when fewer people are carrying around wads of cash.

The incumbent corporate centrist Blanche Lincoln will lose in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat in Arkansas to Bill Halter.   Halter will not falter.  He won’t.

At 80, Arlen Specter will beat back his opponent and ultimately be reelected for another Senate term by the good people of Pennsylvania.  Too bad the Obama administration did not respect Specter and make an endorsement appearance. With the mood of the country as it is, it might not have been a good idea.  Obama’s coat tails are about as long as a jeans jacket.  A cocktail might have longer tails.

Richard Blumenthal out in Connecticut claimed to have served in Vietnam on numerous occasions.  Turns out, he simply served during Vietnam, not actually in it.  In fact he received deferments from 1965-70 to avoid combat.  He served in the Marine Reserve for six years starting in 1970.   Americans don’t like deception and I would argue that Blumenthal’s chances of rising in the Democratic party are slim to none.  I can’t help but think of the PR disaster of Mike Dukakis riding in a tank when he ran for President and the swift boat attacks on one-time presidential hopeful John Kerry.

One final thought.  Is Kentucky U.S. Senate candidate Republican Rand Paul related to Ron Paul, or Ayn Rand?  If he were to either, he’d be a much more interesting prospect IMHO.