More Politik

The Senate passed a resolution (S. Res. 458) saying that the National Anthem should be "recited or sung" in English.

Jim Talent cosponsored it.

Simon Cowell suggested to Elliot Yamin two weeks ago that a song featuring the lyric, "I just want to go home" was a dangerous choice for an American Idol contestant. I wonder what Cowell would think of a sentence that reads, "E pluribus unum," in a resolution arguing for an English-only rendition of the National Anthem.

Political conservatism in the United States has hardened over the last 50 years into something that sees things like language and religion as fixed, immovable entities, as the ludicrous debate over "God" in the Pledge of Allegiance demonstrates ("God" was never in the pledge until the anti-communist period of the 50's). It's the same with the National Anthem. Since 1919, there's been a Spanish language version of it approved by Congress.

And now this measure to calcify its recitation into English only has to draw upon a principle articulated in Latin to drive its point home.

There has never been an "official" language in this country, just like there's never been an "official" religion. That's as it should be.

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Voting in Missouri

The Senate candidate NPH publicly prayed for may be in for a tougher-than-expected election in November. For sure, incumbent Jim Talent is a tough adversary in any case, but the Republicans in the Missouri congress are about to make him even tougher.

The KC Star is today reporting that Republicans in the House are close to passing a bill that will both require photo-ID at the polls and repeal straight-ticket voting, the process whereby voters can vote for all the candidates in one party with a single punch.

Both those moves will create favorable conditions for an incumbent, and the photo ID part of it will make it especially difficult for the elderly, physically handicapped, and many minorities (the groups who most frequently are without photo ID) to legally vote.

Republicans claim that the measure will curb rampant voter fraud in Missouri. Whether or not voter fraud is "rampant" in Missouri is an open question, but the measure certainly will do something else: make people who could legally vote less likely to do so.

Low turnouts always favor incumbents.

Oooh, NPH is starting to get fiesty about this. Don't make me start campaigning!

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Stumping (er--Praying) for The Man (er--Woman)

NPH was today asked to give the invocation at a campaign event for a candidate for the U.S. Senate. NPH did it.

Here's the KC Star's coverage of the candidate's speech, with video. If you watch the video, you can spot NPH on the front row of the crowd, three over from the left, in a white shirt. As you study the grainy blank look on my face, know that the thought repeatedly running through my head is: "I'm a political lapdog; I'm a political lapdog; I'm a political lapdog."

Och, well. If asked to do the same by her competitor, I'd do it. That's right: my invoking talents are for sale. Politicians take notice!

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Ever since NPH heard Tina Fey crack on the idea over a month ago he has hankered for a taste of this new gimmick. So, when, getting beer and snacks for a small apartment gathering, I spotted a 4-pack on the shelf, I didn't have to think twice about smacking down $4.50 for it.

It's Coke. It's coffee. It's "Coke effervescence and coffee essense."

So here I sit with a frosty glass of it, ready to take the first sip, live here on Not Prince Hamlet. Readers take note: this is history. If only NPH had existed when that blissful drink, Holiday Spice Pepsi, came out in the winter of '04 . . . ah well. The past is passed, and the future is Coke Blak.

So, here goes the first sip:

Mph. That's good. The coffee taste evokes a shopping mall coffee vendor, like a Gloria Jean's, one that features a lot of flavored whole bean coffees. The sensation is all cola, bubbly and cool. But the substance is heavier, more filling.

The second sip: nope, the first sip wasn't an aberration. This stuff is good. Let's just hope NPH can restrain himself and not overindulge in the 45-calorie-per-serving beverage.

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Too Good To Script

Donald Rumsfeld in a 2003 interview with George Stephanopoulos:

"We know where they [WMD] are. They're in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad and east, west, south and north somewhat."

Now, Donald Rumsfeld in an exchange with some (for the time being) anonymous interlocutor:

interlocutor:"Why did you lie to get us into a war that caused these kind of casualties and was not necessary?"

Rumsfeld: "I did not lie,"

Interlocutor: "You said you knew where they were."

Rumsfeld: "I did not." "I said I knew where suspect sites were."

Interlocutor: "You
said you know where they were, near Tikrit, near Baghdad, and north,
east, south and west of there. Those are your words."
"I'd just like an honest answer. We're
talking about lies."

Here's the best part: the interlocutor was a retired CIA analyst, one who used to give the President daily briefings, Ray McGovern.

From generals to CIA analysts to the American public, we can all agree: the Bush administration flat-out lied about our reasons for invading Iraq.

That's all. NPH just wanted to point that out.

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No More Free Booze

One of the coolest things to happen to KC in the last 10 years has been the resurgence of the Crossroads District, home to gads of art galleries, by way of "First Fridays." On the first Friday of every month, galleries remain open and serve free wine, and people swamp the district to look at art, be outside, and have some free wine.

But the city of KC is putting the brakes on the wine bit. The crowds have gotten too big.

In other words, the event is working so well that something must be done to stop it.

Here's a great quote from one of the City's regulators: "It became a free drinking event rather than an
arts event. I'm
not sure a lot of the drinkers were admiring the art."

Well, duh. Most of that stuff looks a lot better after you've had a couple glasses of red, if you know what I mean. And consumption helps commerce, does it not?

Seriously, this worries NPH a little bit, because the Crossroads district is ground zero for KC's urban revitalization, and I'm not sure it needs tampered with. I'll still go to First Fridays, and I hope the thousands of others who have been going continue to.

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All These Little Victories

Coke and Pepsi have agreed to stop selling soft drinks in elementary and middle schools. And they'll only put diet sodas in high school vending machines.

This has to be one of the biggest public health gains for America in the last 100 years. And it was brokered by the Prez, Bill Clinton.

NPH applauds Clinton, Coke, and Pepsi by having a Coke and a *burp* smile. :)

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