Bits of Tid: February 6, 2011

Elections Here and Abroad Edition

• Happy Birthday Grandma! She's 87 today, which is hard to believe. She's also a proud Democrat, was an Army nurse, and is deeply committed to her Catholic faith. (She met Grandpa through her brother-in-law, who was one of his Army buddies.)
• So Mubarak says he won't run in the upcoming Egyptian election. But will he even allow it go on? Or will he just cancel it and maintain power for as long as he's able to? That's not far-fetched given that he hasn't allowed anyone to run against him.
• Notice how the media is portraying the protests as 'anti-government' protests? They're anti-Mubarak protests, but you don't hear them calling them that. Unless they're trying to use these protests against the Mubarak regime to further a general distaste of government in general.
• If not for Egypt, the fact that this would have been Ronald Reagan's 100th birthday would probably be the big story of the day. But as someone recalled in a recent letter to USA Today:

  I do not recall any celebration of Franklin D. Roosevelt's 100th birthday, and he had real accomplishments: leading this country out of the Depression and to victory over the Nazis in World War II. Roosevelt created the modern presidency, not Reagan, who demeaned and disgraced it.

  Furthermore, one wonders if the modern Tea Party would tolerate someone like Reagan running for office. He tripled the national debt and raised the payroll tax. At any rate, there better be a lot of hoopla surrounding the 100th birthdays of Gerald Ford (July 14, 2013) and John F. Kennedy (May 29, 2016).
• It's February 6 and so far only one Republican - Herman Cain (?!) - has even formed an exploratory committee to run for President. At this time in 2003, Howard Dean, John Edwards, and John Kerry (and probably a couple others) had announced Presidential runs. Four years ago today, Democrats Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and Tom Vilsack had formed committees, along with Sam Brownback (R) and others. Perhaps they're waiting for Palin to say whether she'll run or not? Either way, while she has a hardcore batch of supporters, I don't expect Palin to get the nod.
• I kind of suspect that they all see Obama as the general-election favorite, and many people who didn't vote in 2010 (thus enabling the Republican wave) will vote this time, boosting Obama and other Dems. Perhps if they see more weakness/vulnerability in Obama, they'll run. Otherwise, who wants to be the Dole or Mondale of 2012? (Keep in mind, though, that so much can and will happen between now and November 6, 2012. In fact, Bush Sr.'s poularity in 1991 is credited/blamed for dissuading many Democrats from making a run - but Clinton's persistence paid off big time.)
• That said, 2011 does come before 2012. (Shocking, huh?) This year's focus is on local races, including for mayor of Grand Rapids, Flint, and other cities, along with city council/commission races in most cities. Perhaps, for the first time since I turned 18, I (a First Ward resident) will vote in a contested City Commission race here in Kentwood!
• Also up for election this year are seats on school boards as well as community college trusteeships. The race for two spots on the Grand Rapids Community College Board of Trustees features former GRPS superintendent Bert Bleke and former Republican state House candidate Frank Murin, among others. In Kentwood, incumbent Bill Joseph is retiring, while Mimi Madden is seeking her third term (and will likely get one of my votes). That means one other person will be elected - and unless another great candidate steps up to the plate, my other vote will go to Amanda LeAnne Brunzell.
• After much thought, I'll cheer for Josh Gordy, Cullen Jenkins, Frank Zombo, and the Packers over Antonio Brown and the Steelers. But like I said, they both got good players.