The Morning After (Election Edition)

It's the morning after three very important elections: Indiana GOP senate primary, North Carolina Amendment 1 and Wisconsin gubernatorial recall democratic primary.  I watched the election returns last night and none of them shocked me.  It was a mixed basket for The Cracker Daddy.  The Cracker Daddy was deeply disappointed in the good bigoted people of North Carolina, conflicted on Richard Lugar going down in the Indiana GOP senatorial primary and pleased that Tom Barret won the Wisconsin gubernatorial recall democratic primary.  Let's give you The Cracker Daddy's thoughts on these elections.

The Cracker Daddy was pulling for Tom Barret in Wisconsin.  While Kathleen Falk is a really good candidate and has big love from organized labor, Barret is the strongest candidate going against the vile Scott Walker in the recall election next month.  Barret only lost to Walker by 5 points in the wave election year of 2010.  There will be no enthusiasm gap on the democratic side this year.  In his time in office, Scott Walker has shown himself to be a typical, new-school republican dick.  Walker is a Koch Brothers' bitch -- pure and simple.  The sooner he is gone, the better for everyone. 

Amendment 1, the anti-gay marriage amendment, was overwhelmingly passed and is now part of North Carolina's constitution -- really North Carolina.......I mean REALLY???  Actually, there is no need to be shocked or surprised at this outcome.  Going into the election it was polling at 57 - 42 in favor of the amendment.  It won last night by a 61 - 39 margin.  Damn -- that's a lot of bigotry voting.  The funny/sad/tragic thing about this amendment passing is that gay marriage was already illegal in North Carolina.  So, it's not like the gays were marrying away and threatening/destroying all of those heterosexual marriages in North Carolina -- nope....not at all.  This amendment, now codified into the North Carolina constitution, bans any sort of extramarital relationship status.  According to the ACLU of North Carolina, some of the pitfalls that could arise from the very vague wording of this amendment include:

• Domestic violence laws protecting people in an unmarried partnerships might be weakened. (This claim has been debated by both sides, and it's still unclear exactly how the law would impact domestic violence victims. Opponents of Amendment 1 say many of North Carolina's domestic violence laws offer special protections to victims who have an established relationship with their abusers. So if the amendment narrows the law to legally recognize only marriages, it might weaken these protective laws for unmarried partners. Supporters of Amendment 1, such as Rockingham County District Attorney Phil Berger Jr., contest this claim. Berger said nothing in the amendment changes any laws on assault, rape, murder, or other crimes.)
• Unmarried parents could no longer have the same child custody and visitation rights as married parents.
• Private agreements between unmarried couples might not longer have a legal basis. This means, for example, that if a couple who has cohabited and raised children together for years decides to separate, the wealthier partner would not be legally obligated to divide property with his or her partner.
• The law could interfere with unmarried partners' end-of-life arrangements, such as wills, trusts, and medical powers of attorney.
• Employers would no longer have to provide benefits, such as health insurance, to the partners of unmarried employees.

Got to love the law of unintended consequences.  So, for those keeping score on these types of things, in elections where marriage equality has been on the ballot, the bigots are winning 33 - 1.

Last night, six-term US senator Richard Lugar was trounced by tea-partier Richard Mourdock in the Indiana republican senatorial primary.  Lugar is the last of a now-extinct breed -- the reasonable republican.  The full-on rush to the extreme right by the republican party is pretty much complete.  All one had to do to see this in progress was to watch the freak-show that was the republican presidential primary.  The republicans in Indiana have now kicked to the curb an expert in foreign policy -- a man acknowledged by all to be an expert in nuclear non-proliferation.  The apostasy that sealed his doom was voting for Elena Kagen and Sonia Sotomayor for confirmation as Supreme Court justices.  While the Indiana senate seat that was held by Lugar is now in play with Mourdock's win, the passing of Lugar and what it means for the republican party is lamentable.  Even as a staunch progressive, The Cracker Daddy recognizes the need for an opposition party that is vibrant and engaged as a foil to our own excesses.  The current incarnation of the republican party is a sick joke.  It is a party populated by mean, dimwitted, bigoted, fact-denying old white people.  Richard Mourdock is the epitome of the new republican party.  Check out this snippet of an interview with Chuck Todd:

CHUCK TODD: You have said that there needs to be more partisanship in Washington. How do you square that with being a legislator? RICHARD MOURDOCK: Well, what I've said is that I certainly think bipartisanship ought to consist of Democrats coming to the Republican point of view. [...] Bipartisanship means they have to come our way [...] To me, the highlight of politics, frankly, is to inflict my opinion on someone else with a microphone or in front of a camera. [...] Even those Republicans who more often than not vote the right way aren't coming back into their states or their districts and getting in front of the unfriendly crowds and unfriendly microphones to make the point as to why our point of view is good. [...] I feel I can defend the purpose of conservatism, and more Republicans should be doing it just as I want to.

Let's face it -- Mourdock is a dick....and he makes no apologies for being a dick.  When people tell you who they are, believe them. 

It's a Small World

So, yesterday The Cracker Daddy was out and about doing his Saturday thing.  Since The Cracker Daddy's mom turned down his invitation for breakfast, it was time to go get my early vote on.  Of course one cannot go get their vote on on an empty stomach.  Since it was approaching lunchtime, I decided to head down to Deep Ellum and grab a tasty sammich at Uncle Uber's Sammich Shop.  Every Saturday, they have a special sammich that is not on the menu.  Seeing that this Saturday was Cinco de Mayo, the special was the El Pollo Loco, which is a marinated chicken breast topped with pepper jack cheese, chopped romaine lettuce, tomatoes, onions and avocado (I decided to add bacon on top of it) and dressed with habernero ranch.  I went with the special and was not disappointed.  Take a look at the tasty lunch I had:

Yes, that was rather tasty.  The fries are hand-cut on the premises and are some of the best in Dallas.  They will sell you a side of the habernero ranch for $.25 and it really is a must-have.

Having filled up at lunch, I was ready to go get my vote on.  The current election that I was voting in was for the DISD Board of Trustees aka the school board.  Now, anyone who has been following education or the political happenings in the city of Dallas knows that DISD is a mess....a really big mess. Between gross and I mean........GROSS financial mismanagement and feathering the nest of the school construction industry and the charter school edubusiness industry over taking care of the students, teachers and, in general, that whole thing.......educating the students in the city of Dallas (you know.....the reason DISD is supposed to exist for), the DISD has become somewhat of a bad joke.  The closest spot to go early-vote was at the MLK Jr Center on (you guessed it) MLK Jr Ave in South Dallas.  When I pulled up I noticed there were campaign people staked out for the District 9 School Board of Trustees election.  As, I started to walk up to the building, they called me over to persuade me to vote for their candidate, Demarcus Offord.  I let them know that I was there for District 3 and was voting for Bruce Parrot (the incumbent who is sort of a reformer; but, at least he is asking the right questions about DISD finances).  That pleased the Offord people and we struck up a conversation.  After a few minutes, we got down to introductions and it turns out that I am indeed chatting with the District 9 candidate Demarcus Offord.

Much has been written in the DMN (Dallas' only printed daily news) and in the Dallas Observer's Unfair Park blog.  He is young (20 years old), inexperienced, and firmly committed to not selling out to maintain the status quo.  I admire Demarcus for standing up and getting involved with trying to improve things. Damn.....The Cracker Daddy would love to cast a vote for the young brother.   So, as the introductions continued, one of the ladies introduced herself as Joyce Foreman -- my blog crush from Unfair Park.  I have been trading comments and commenting on her comments for 4 years or more on UP.  In two words, Joyce is THE SHIT.  I do not always agree with her on the issues; but, I like how she fights for what she believes and her passion for giving back to her community.  We need a lot more Joyce Foremans in this world.  The Cracker Daddy LOVES him some Joyce Foreman.

I spent the better part of 2 hours out in front of the MLK Center just shooting the breeze with these wonderful people who are all trying to positively influence and change their community for the better.  The Cracker Daddy gives a big tip of the hat to them.  This is what participatory democracy looks like:

and I like it.  I encourage all of you to get out and participate in your community....participate in our democracy.  If you don't like something, don't just complain -- work to change it.  Who knows what you may accomplish or who you may meet......but, you'll be the better for it.

Life Goes On

As I chill here at the coffee shop unwinding from a long day mining salt for The Man, I prepare myself mentally for the long, emotional evening ahead.  Tonight is Frank Anthony Campagna Jr's, aka Frankie 45, memorial show/wake at Club Dada.  Frankie is/was deeply loved here in the Deep Ellum community.  His father, Frank Sr, is one of the godfathers of Deep Ellum.  If there is anyone who embodies what Deep Ellum is and is about, it's Frank Sr.  Frankie and his sister, Amber, both grew up here in Deep Ellum and are still a part of this place and always will be.

It's been five days since Frankie took his life and the numbness has started to wear off somewhat. Tonight will be cathartic as  the emotions are now open and exposed.  It is time to openly grieve, reminisce, celebrate, examine our lives and relationships, confront our own mortality -- our own demons and to say goodbye to Frankie 45.....and rage, rage against the dying of the light.

As much as Frankie is/will be missed, one fact stands unchallenged -- life goes on, with or without us.  Tomorrow morning the sun will rise in the east and set in the west.  The earth will continue to spin unabated upon its axis.  The inexorable march of time will continue.  Yet, tonight at Club Dada we will remember, celebrate, cry, shout, shake our heads, console each other and be consoled ourselves......we will grieve.  Tomorrow or sometime thereafter -- life will go on.  RIP Frank Anthony Campagna Jr.

Life goes on.

Fool Me Once.......

Gentle readers, I'm sure you know the phrase "Fool me once -- shame on you.  Fool me twice -- shame on me."  No, it's not "There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — [pauses] — shame on you. Fool me — [pauses] — You can't get fooled again." that wonderful ditty from George W Bush.  It still makes The Cracker Daddy painfully cringe every time he remembers George W and he live in the same city.  Well, at least I'll say this for George W, he's doing more than his fair share and then some in keeping Dallas douche.

Speaking of douche-bags, today is the first day of the new Congress -- the one run by the Republicans now.  You remember these fools/crooks/charlatans don't you?  Yes, think back to just four years ago when they had just been booted from the majority after 12 "wonderful" years (yes, that's sarcasm dripping).  Yes, those assholes.  Dana Milbank of the Washington Post happened to notice in today's column that the Republicans appear to be acting like lying hypocrites, or you know just like .......Republicans.

For two years, Cantor and his colleagues campaigned against high deficits. Now, in the new majority's first major act, they plan to vote to increase the deficit by $143 billion as part of a repeal of health-care reform.

For two years, Cantor and his colleagues bemoaned the Democrats' abuse of House rules to circumvent committees and to prevent Republicans from offering amendments. Now, Cantor confirmed on Tuesday, Republicans will employ the very same abuses as they attempt the repeal.

For two years, the Republicans complained about unrelenting Democratic partisanship. Now they're planning no fewer than 10 investigations of the Obama administration, and the man leading most of those has already branded Obama's "one of the most corrupt administrations" in history.

For two years, the Republican minority vowed to return power to the people. Now the House Republican majority is asking lobbyists which regulations to repeal, hiring lobbyists to key staff positions and hobnobbing with lobbyists at big-ticket Washington fundraisers.

Go figure that.  Well, Dana you and your fellow travelers in the MSM Village got punked by the Republicans.......AGAIN.  So, shame on you and the rest of the Villagers.

Happy New Year and Other Musings

Another shiny new year has arrived......whoo-hoo!  Be still thy beating heart.

As The Cracker Daddy sits here in Starbucks, thinking of the year past and the year upon us in all of its infantile glory while grooving on some  Black Keys, he thinks what the grunt in a foxhole on a cold, wet, miserable night thinks -- this is shit.  Yes, The Cracker Daddy has lowered himself to sit in a Starbucks, drink their swill and barely tolerate the consumerist sheep imbibing their crappy coffee.  For those of you who know The Cracker Daddy, you know he DESPISES Starbucks.  However, into the belly of the beast The Cracker Daddy ventured to have a chai soy latte with cinnamon (what a putrid cup of swill that was) and to write to you gentle readers.  Yet, The Cracker Daddy has a bond with this particular Starbucks.  In a past life, this Starbucks was a Souther Maid Donut shop.  A donut shop where The Cracker Daddy in his youth would skip church (forced religious indoctrination sessions) with his church-going, upper middle-class, hooligan friends.  So, when The Cracker Daddy holds his nose to enter this particular temple to consumerism, it is viewed with a forlorn fondness of days past.

The Cracker Daddy's coffee shop of primary preference, It's A Grind, is closed today......as is the coffee shop of secondary preference, Murray St Coffee Shop and as is the coffee shop of tertiary preference, Mokkah.  Well, fuck The Cracker Daddy running........Starbucks it is.  While mentally pissing and moaning about the dearth of good coffee/chai being available for commercial consumption today, The Cracker Daddy longingly reminisces of his All-Time Favorite (ATF) coffee shop/cool cultural hangout -- The Nodding Dog Coffee Shop......aka The Nodding Dog.  Ah, The Nodding Dog.......how The Cracker Daddy misses you!  The Cracker Daddy discovered The Nodding Dog back in February 2004 with The Cracker Daddy's Only Legitimate Spawn on a field trip through Dallas on a Saturday to show The Cracker Daddy's Only Legitimate Spawn what Dallas had to offer.  The Nodding Dog was in the Bishop Arts District at the corner of Bishop Ave and 7th St across 7th St from Hattie's (another The Cracker Daddy fave).  It was a magical place in a magical time.  This was before the D Magazine crowd, aka douche-bags, discovered the Bishop Arts District.  What can be said about The Nodding Dog -- Great art, eclectic decor and music, great staff...and an area of Dallas that didn't look like suburbia hell.  They had free wi-fi, a bottomless coffee cup option, great selection of teas, and were dog-friendly which is solid gold in The Cracker Daddy's book.  Such a great, deliciously diverse and eclectic mix of patrons and staff -- The Cracker Daddy had indeed found his nirvana, his Shambala. Alas, as all good things do, The Nodding Dog came to an end in August 2008 -- the victim of the commercial success brought upon by the douche-bags discovering the Bishop Arts District and a greedy landlord's lust for commercial gain. Needless to say, The Cracker Daddy was DEVASTATED at the loss of his beloved home-away-from-home.  An establishment that epitomized what it was about the Bishop Arts District that made it an oasis of diverse, heterogeneous, hip coolness in the desert of bland, conforming sameness that is Dallas. Oh, how the Cracker Daddy has wished plagues of biblical proportion upon the douche-bags and greedy-ass landlord -- think Moses and Ramses with some rectal warts and hemorrhaging thrown in for good measure.  The Cracker Daddy has refused to even enter the business that replaced The Nodding Dog.  It would be like climbing into a grave -- not going to happen.  RIP The Nodding Dog -- dear, dear friend you are missed.

My First Blog Post

Ok.  Here we go.  After much (a couple of people) arm-twisting from those I know, The Cracker Daddy has decided to put his opinions, thoughts, rants and things he finds of interest out into the internet via a blog.

So, why start blogging on the last day of the year rather than on the first day of a shiny new year?  Well, why not?  As those of you who will read this blog will find out, The Cracker Daddy is a mess -- in more ways than one.  This time of the year to tends to exacerbate the messiness in The Cracker Daddy's life -- something about not carrying forward into the new year all of the trash and garbage from the old year that should be left to wither, rot and dissipate into the ether along with the year past.  So, resolved to jettison the detritus that accumulates over the course of the year(s), The Cracker Daddy bids adieu to the hustlers, vagisites and other soul-sucking leeches that have attached themselves like barnacles onto The Cracker Daddy's hull.

Now, having taken care of that bit of housekeeping, it's time to head off to the All-Good Cafe for a late lunch and then Times X Cellars in Lakewood to get some mighty tasty wine for tonight.

A big tip of the hat goes out to The Cracker Daddy's Only Legitimate Spawn for being there for her daddy and unconditionally loving him warts (and there are lots of those) and all.  Just know that your daddy unconditionally loves you too sweetie.

Another big tip of the hat goes to his niglet for being there when he needed her.  Even when he didn't need her (or so he thought), a bitch was there for The Cracker Daddy -- I'm looking at you Lady K ;-)