A Novel Idea: Reading The Bill

Moderate Democrats are asking Senate leader Harry Reid to give the public 72 hours to actually read the health care bill before a vote is taken.

I've seen the polling measuring the support/opposition to so-called "Obamacare." But do we all know what's really in the final proposal? For that matter, does President Obama?

Yes, I know the 72 hours gives people time to ramp up the opposition after discovering items like the "mommy tax." I'd rather know in advance what's going to be happening to me. I don't want to find out when I attempt to see my doctor.

Or are some Congressman afraid that we'll find out that the staffers write and read all the bills for them?

Let It Snow...Let It Snow...

An Idaho school district records the earliest snow day in its history...

A Colorado ski resort boasts its earliest opening day in its history...

Approval Of Congress: 21%

Approval of Congress is down to 21% (Glenn Reynolds jokes "there are 21% WHO APPROVE?").

As a partisan activist, I don't pay attention to the Republican or Democratic numbers in these polls. Republicans heavily disapprove of a Democratic Congress; Democrats are angry about inaction on Democratic priorities.

It's the independents that draw my interest. They bring about change at the ballot box. The approval rating for Congress among indys is 16%, down from 23% from last month.

How to appeal to these voters? Glenn Greenwald at Salon.com says look to the tea party movement. Greenwald looks past the accusations of Obama-hatin' and racism to see a movement that defies conventional political definition.

...they're the by-product of a completely different dichotomy that is growing in importance: between system insiders and their admirers (those who believe our national political establishment and its elites are basically sound and good) and system outsiders (those whose anger is confined not to one of the two political parties but who instead believe that the political culture itself is fundamentally corrupted and destructive). There are people typically identified as members of either the conventional Right or Left who are, in fact, more accurately described as being in this latter group: those disenchanted with the political culture itself. Anger over the Wall Street bailout and corporate excesses was one example where that trans-partisan disenchantment was evident.

Greenwald says that Republicans are having trouble cashing in on this movement because many GOPers are just now being "born again" to the limited government movement. If the Republican party expands governmental reach while it is in power (just in different ways than Democrats), a frustrated amalgamation of right and left wingers form a completely separate "leave me and my money alone" coalition.

It's hard to see...given the partisan natures of our primary contests...how candidates are going to emerge from either party that will win the support of this constituency.

Pawlenty And Biden Are The Big Fall Speakers

The Iowa political parties are among the biggest benefactors of the state's "first-in-the-nation" caucus status. The stars come out for the big fall fund-raisers.

The Democrats will host VP Joe Biden for their annual Jefferson-Jackson event on November 27. Worldwide readers will recall that this is the dinner in which Barack Obama stole Hillary Clinton's mojo and never gave it back.

In the meantime, presidential hopeful Tim Pawlenty will headline the Iowa GOP's fall event on November 7. I've seen him speak and he is eminently likable and delivers a populist message.

Good Films Ruined Then Saved!

I must have had visions of apocalypse dancing in my head on Monday, as I watched "Blade Runner" and "I Am Legend" in high-def.

Studio changes to "Blade Runner" practically ruined the film. When first released, studio execs insisted on voice over narration (they were afraid that the film was too confusing for the common folk, i.e., everyone but them) and a happier ending. The studio also insisted on editing scenes out of the film meant to prompt audience debate over whether the lead character was a robot but unaware of it--again, the studio folks thought the viewer would be too confused by the inference.

Happily, Ridley Scott's intended version of the film is now what shows on television--and, as Roger Ebert says, it's a movie that's influenced every sci-fi film that's come after it.

A film's ending can completely make or break a movie. I believe the greatness of the movie "The Wrestler" was affirmed by how it ended; similarly, the "badness" of "I Am Legend" was confirmed by the generic Hollywood happy ending. I was already predisposed to not like "I Am Legend" because I love the original film, "The Omega Man", so much. I solidified my poor feelings for "Legend" when reading about the alternate ending that was jettisoned.

I believe I actually would have liked "I Am Legend" had they kept the more profound final scene. Watch it here.

Holiday Sales To Be Not SO Sucky

October 1 also kicks off the holiday season for me. I love the constant anticipation of holiday fun: halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's. I'll break out the Christmas music during the week of Halloween (earlier if it snows!).

Merchants are looking forward to this holiday season...er...sorta. At least "the slump will be less grim..." and I guess that's making the best of it!

Christopher Hitchens On Monty Python

It's been 40 years since the first Monty Python broadcast. Christopher Hitchens pays tribute. He points out that we can no longer imagine a world without Python references.

I discovered Python when PBS in St. Louis aired "Monty Python And The Holy Grail" late night--so that they could (mostly) show it uncensored. It wasn't long before everyone in my high school was referencing it. A particular gift wrought by the invention of the DVD: I own all their episodes and almost all their movies.

And now son Logan is a big fan, too. This stuff is timeless.

P.S. If you'll look to the right of the article, a couple of clicks will take you to pictorials featuring Shakira and Penelope Cruz. And then your day is complete.

Music That Makes Me Happy!

Who sang the best version of the National Anthem ever? Although I'd give a close second to Whitney Houston's 1991 version, the Marvin Gaye version featured in the NIKE commercial featured above is the one I love the most.

I was listening to Marvin Gaye this morning on my MP3 player and got to wondering: does today's generation listen to any male vocalist that has this level of talent? Who?

Also on the music front: this article answers questions pondered through the ages: do baseball players pick their own "intro" music played through the stadium soundsystem when they come up to bat?

My beloved Cardinals are headed to the playoffs--here's the current list of tunes that play as each player heads to the plate. Fans also suggest appropriate tunes for their favorite Redbird. Brendan Ryan's bad 'stache is prompting frequent requests that the music that accompanies him to the plate go CHICKA-BOOM-CHICKA-BOOM.

Finally: I am putting together a playlist of songs that are "bad mood busters" on my MP3. Here's how I've started:

Hey You--311
Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me?--Keith Urban
Three Little Birds--Bob Marley
It's A Great Day To Be Alive--Travis Tritt
I Can See Clearly Now--Johnny Nash

What other tunes are perfect for a music list meant to get me out of funk?

And the 2016 Olympics go to...

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

I'm disappointed for Spain, but also excited for Brazil, which seems like it will be a super-fun host! Carnaval, everyone!

(And yes, if you were wondering--as I was--these are the first South American Olympic games.)

Rio or Madrid? Who's getting the 2016 Olympics?

Chicago and Tokyo have been eliminated. It's down to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Madrid, Spain.

Go Madrid! The king of Spain promises a sure success if his country is given the opportunity to host. Folks are gathering in the streets of Madrid, ready to celebrate any good news.

I'm watching for updates on Madrid's daily newspaper sites. Check out El Mundo here, or El Pais here. The announcement should come around 6:30 p.m. Madrid time (11:30 a.m. here in Iowa).

Not everyone's on Team Polanski.

Check out this excellent piece by Michael Seitzman (be prepared for some pretty frank language). Also this, by Susan Estrich. The backlash appears to be growing, as some Hollywood folks are speaking out against him (notably Kirstie Alley, in a series of angry Tweets like this: "I have a 15 year old daughter. I want to make sure she KNOWS that rape is NEVER condoned. This RULE does NOT include "except when..."), and the French government has withdrawn its support for the admitted rapist.