Day: July 15, 2009

I have already written on the incompetence evident in many state legislatures and governments, and now the National Journal has proceeded to analyze which state governments are the most dysfunctional.  They have come up with a list of the six most dysfunctional state governments.

On the top of the list is New York, which has seen a paralyzed State Senate, which now has returned to Democratic control by the two rebels who had left the party resuming their membership, and one of them becoming —crazily—the new Senate Majority Leader!   Governor David Paterson remains very unpopular and seems unlikely to be able to win a full term as Governor in 2010, with State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo still seen as likely to challenge him and to win the Governorship over any Republican nominee, including former NYC Mayor Rudy Guiliani.  If Cuomo does not run, then Guiliani, if he ran for Governor, would easily defeat Paterson, according to polls.

Second on the list of dysfunctional state governments is Nevada, where sex scandals and criminality seem to reign, even at the Senatorial level with John  Ensign.  Third is Illinois, with the mess left by the scandal around Rod Blagojevich,  impeached and removed from office by the Illinois legislature earlier this year.   Fourth is Alaska, which has not been the same since Sarah Palin ran for Vice President , and she is now leaving office within two weeks.  Fifth is South Carolina with the scandal centered around Governor Mark Sanford.  And finally, number six is California, with its total meltdown regarding its state budget, and the inability of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Democratic legislature to resolve the difference and issuing IOUs, which may not be honored by the state’s banks.

With all of the regular complaints against the US Congress,  the states do not make an impressive record, and realize that listing six states does not mean that all of the other 44 states are jewels of outstanding performance, far from it!   There is a great need for reform of how the state governments operate,  in order to restore public confidence.  Unfortunately, that is not likely anytime in the near future.

Last night,  Barack Obama hit another "homerun"  at Major League Baseball’s 80th All Star Game in St. Louis!

Not  only did he deliver a great statement before the game, along with the other four living Presidents, but he also threw out the first ball after getting it handed to him by Baseball Hall of Famer Stan "The Man" Musial, my personal favorite player when I was a young man.  Musial is now 88 years old, one of the all time greats of the game, and it was great to relive my boyhood seeing him in his home city of his major league career!

Obama delivered a great home plate pitch to St. Louis Cardinal slugger Albert Pujois, probably the best modern St. Louis player since Stan Musial.  Then he proceeded to participate in the television booth with the two play by play announcers seamlessly.  Somehow, our President is not only a great speaker, but also comes across as an outstanding athlete and even as a sports announcer.  He is so easy going and natural, no matter what role he plays.

So for a baseball fan like I am,  it was a good evening, reminding me of my childhood, although the National League losing again was the one dim aspect of the evening.  Oh well! 🙁

The possibility now exists that Alabama, the home of the late Governor George Wallace, who exploited the race issue in the 1960s, and the state with the worst race record in the era of civil rights next to Mississippi, may be on the verge of electing the first African American governor in its history, Congressman Artur Davis of Birmingham.

Artur Davis has been a member of the House for seven years, and has made quite an impression as being a man of intellectual brilliance and careful thought, who has done a great job representing his district.  He is a Democrat in a state now very red or Republican, so the idea that he can be elected in 2010 to be the state’s governor seems a daunting task.

He will need to win 38 percent of the white vote, which may be a tall order, but many in Alabama and nationally think he can do it, even though Barack Obama won a miniscule percentage of the white vote in that state, which was won easily by John McCain in 2008.

In any case, even the idea of the possibility of Davis winning, and even his willingness to give up his House seat to seek the governorship, will make Alabama the center of electoral attention in 2010.