Orin sent me this link.. It is to an attack website run by Oregon Rep Peter DeFazio against someone who had the audacity to challenge Peter's smug reign as the littlest liberal.
I don't think he addressed this as a comment but I'm going to lift his words from his email and if he don't like it he can't come punch me in the nose cause he doesn't actually know where I live...
Our Congressional district contains a whole lot of rural area. Basically the SW corner of the state. Unfortunately for us, it also includes Eugene-Springfield. So we've had the same Democrat (Peter DeFazio) since 1987. Now, considering that he's from Eugene, he's fairly middle of the road. We could have worse I suppose. In the past, the Republicans have done a pretty poor job of finding decent opponents for him partly because no-one wants the political suicide that a run against him means. Elections have been a cake-walk. He's bragged about never having run attack ads. Mostly because there was never a reason to.
This year, the Republicans are running Art Robinson. He's actually a pretty good contender. He spent his career as a scientist, working alongside the likes of Linus Pauling. Says that global warming is bunk, and can back it up. DeFazio is flooding the airwaves with ads giving the impression that Robinson wants to close the public schools, de-regulate the oil companies, put radioactive waste in the foundations of homes and schools (I'm actually not kidding!) and the like. There's even a website (www.whoisartrobinson.com) that is paid for by DeFazio For Congress! The ads are becoming increasingly desperate and shrill. I think he should stop beating around the bush, and just record a new ad that lays it all out there: "Hi, I'm Peter DeFazio and I'll do anything for your vote. And I'll even come over to your house, drop my pants, bend over and grab my ankles or strap on some knee pads, whatever you want. See, I've been in congress since Reagan was still in office. I don't remember how to do a real job. I really don't want to have to move back to Eugene. There's a lot of smelly hippies and scary anarchists there."
Now I know that he will end up winning but it was nice to get a glimmer of a chance, for a change."
So, even though I totally overslept cause my wife and child went to Eugene to see Aunt B, and I should be planting and not blogging, I will leave you with my favorite quote of the day, week, month, whatever:
"The most widespread and pernicious form of child abuse in America today is the daily incarceration of most American youths in institutions [public schools] where their sociological development is distorted and their intellectual development is permanently retarded."- Art Robinson (off the anit-Art Robinson website)
I suppose that quote is political suicide but it is spot on.
I was collecting a bill the other day from some horse folks who it turns out went to my school but were ahead of me. We were discussing how much we hated school. Sometimes I forget how much I hated school and how the petty morons running the school quashed any real creativity. All the individuals and real non-conformist types were marginalized and the whiney self-absorbed kids were promoted. Art Robinson is my hero...
(Note: I did a quick skim of the anti-Art Robinson website and picked out my favorite quote. I see the anti-Art folks have got all kinds of craziness against him. I find it so amazing that the truth is so relative/fluid. Perception is reality in the 21st century. That is why I need to teleport back to the 19th early 20th century. I keep checking out these phone booths but none them seem to be the right one.)
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"Perception is reality in the 21st century." That's probably always been true, Budd, but people didn't use to be so darn gullible. If you think the average American isn't a complete and total moron, just look at who they put in the White House.
ReplyDeleteI loved school. Oh dear, does that make me whiny and self-absorbed?
ReplyDeleteDon't know where you live, huh? I'm thinking I could find you pretty easily!
ReplyDeleteOn my comments on DeFazio and Eugene: I don't want to come off as a typical Republican Eugene-basher. I've actually voted for DeFazio when I thought he was the best choice. And I enjoy certain things about Eugene. There are lots of good people who live and work there. It is a pretty good place to eat out and people-watch, as my wife and I did on Sunday to celebrate our anniversary (had a really good Thai dinner). The "alternative" Eugene Weekly is great entertainment, although I think it has become more mainstream in that town than the Register-Guard!
On the schools thing: My public K-8 education was absolutely great. HS was largely a waste of four years for me. It had less to do with the teachers than the atmosphere which came from decades of Monroe having nothing to brag on but sports. So if you didn't play sports (I didn't) and if you thought the whole Goth look was stupid (I did), then that pretty well excluded you from the two main cliques in that school. I could write pages on this subject, but I suppose I should get my own blog for that!
The ads where a couple guys are discussing the race and one mentions in hushed tones how Robinson has the audacity to say anything negative about the public schools, just pissed me off royally. Like the schools are some sacred cow that can't be criticized?
Crap. Forgot a couple things!
ReplyDelete1. I was leery of posting my DeFazio campaign ad idea on The Lazy Farmer for fear of de-classing the joint. But thinking back on some of your subject matter (the post where you mention that the streets in Portland would be better if the mayor spent more time on the streets than on the ol' dirt road comes to mind!) I needn't have worried!
2. Teleporting back to the distant past is a fantasy of mine also, I'd just have a hard time giving up my 70's iron for horses or a steam tractor.
Gorges, yeah people have always been gullible and there has always been someone there to take advantage of it. We are just on the wrong side of a change in culture.
ReplyDeleteFrumpyhousewife, that is because you were smart and good at school or something like that. My daughter started out loving school also. I am not saying I was not whiny and self-absorbed
Orin, well I should have asked you first. Eugene is an interesting town. And yes, sometimes I liked DeFazio as well. The threat of change has sure got the lefties knicker in a bunch however. What is funny is that it is just the threat to their identity as a Eugene Lefty that is at stake. A lot of these people are not as liberal as they pretend to be. I think it is funny.
Ever see the South Park where I think it was Kenny becomes a Goth? I guess that is why my rows are never straight, I use my GPS computer to watch South Park.
Orin, de-classing the joint? One thing we ain't is high-class!
ReplyDelete