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Some Call It A Bonfire (Or Carnival) Of Classiness...

We call it "Classiness, All Around Us."

I.D. To Vote-

Fishkite blog examines the politics of election reform:

You know, it’s no surprise that liberals, socialists, anarchists, racists and ignorant, anti-American groups are banding together against sensible election reform, but it is impressive that Jimmy Carter, for once, isn’t standing with them.

Spot on. Jimmy Carter was a terrible Commander-in-Chief, and a worse ex-president, but he is making sense on this one. Why? Because it's not about ideology. The only reason certain Democrats are opposing sensible election reform is that they still have elections to win, Carter doesn't. And in so many parts of the country, Democrats can only win when they cheat.

2.

Medieval Islam Today-

Jihad Watch (via Michelle Malkin) notes that CAIR (the Council on American-Islamic Relations) is doctoring photos of women:

Why do the mainstream media and many government organizations still give CAIR a free pass as a neutral civil rights group when its commitment to the truth is so manifestly tenuous?

CAIR is "moderate" and "mainstream."

Yeah, sure.

3.

Katrina Damage-

Red State Rant reports, first-hand, on the rebuilding efforts on the Gulf Coast:

The churches are so much more nimble and agile at helping the community. There is no beauracracy involved, no layers and layers of paperwork. Just food for the hungry and water for the thirsty and a kind prayer for everyone who passed through the door.

Donating to the Red Cross is great, but if you want to get the most bang for your donation buck, why not give to a faith-based organization?

More pics from Lance at Red State Rant here.

4.

Fleeing Venezuela-

Gateway Pundit compiles a great deal of evidence that Venezuelans are fleeing in droves from the reign of Hugo Chavez:

A poll in 2001 found that more than 30 percent of Venezuela's 24 million inhabitants would emigrate if they had the opportunity. This figure is reported to be even higher -- 51 percent -- for those aged 15 to 24. After four more years of Hugo Chavez, one can only imagine what that number would look like today in 2005.

A commenter stole my line: Chavez might end up having to build a wall.

5.

Isolated Ghettos-

Marginal Revolution blog notes what a bad idea it is to try to house Katrina victims in far-flung trailer parks:

Why are we interring people in government camps? Housing vouchers are a much better policy. Let evacuees use their vouchers in any city in the United States. Let them begin to rebuild their lives with decent housing in places where they can find jobs, schools and community.

Public housing doesn't work. I understand the concern is that people may get settled in other cities around the country and never return to New Orleans, but 300,000 trailer homes is just such a terrible idea.

6.

Federal Election Communism-

The Federal Election Commission (FEC), an independent government agency charged with enforcing increasingly ridiculous campaign finance regulations, has sued the Club For Growth:

The FEC, under pressure from liberal organizations that want to regulate free speech, is attempting to regulate organizations through the Courts when the Congress and the agency itself have rejected additional regulations on 527 groups such as the Club.

The Club will vigorously defend the rights of our members, and all Americans, to organize and speak out about our government’s policies. The FEC’s outrageous lawsuit will further boost our members’ determination to work harder than ever before for free speech and free markets.

Amazingly foolish. If there was ever an example of a principled organization that eschews partisan hackery, it is The Club For Growth. The Club For Growth often irritates the Republican establishment in the name of ideological purity.

When conservative Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and President Bush supported left-of-center Republican Arlen Specter's primary bid, The Club For Growth was right there, opposing the Republican-In-Name-Onlyism that pervades much of the oldschool Washington political culture.

The Club For Growth is an odd choice to single out, but let's hope that this absurdity not only ruins the FEC, but also ultimately provides a boost for The Club For Growth's reputation and fundraising efforts. America needs The Club For Growth.

Let's rally to its defense.

7.

Disgraceful-

Blogs For Bush notes that Parish President Broussard's tearful diatribe on Meet The Press, which any reasonable person must have suspected at the time, was BOGUS:

There is something exceptionally disturbing in all of the reporting and accusations swirling around the Katrina issue - it is a bad time for America when a tragedy, long before even bare facts are in, is turned into a political club. This tears it for me - I'll never, ever watch television news again; not even Fox, which also failed pretty miserably in it's coverage. There's just too much at stake in times of crisis for a person to allowed their judgement to be warped by half-truths, innuendos and outright lies presented on television.

It wasn't even the bogusness that bothered me so much as Tim Russert's failure to challenge the blatant bogusness. Tim was on a mission that day, however. An angry anti-Bush partisan advocacy mission. "Yeeeaaaaarrgh!"

8.

German Indecision-

Jim Rose tries to make heads or tails of the weird election that took place in Germany over the weekend:

So, here's what happened in this weekend's election:

Christian Democrats (Merkel): 225 seats
Socialist Democrats (Schroeder): 222 seats
Free Democrats (Free-Market Capitalists): 61
Green Party (Environmental Wackos): 55 seats
Left Party (Commies and extreme nutjobs): 54 seats

So as you can see, no one party got over 300 seats, so a coalition must be formed. The Christian Democrats and the Free Democrats get along and would gladly form one, but that's only 286. The Socialist Democrats and the Greens like each other, but together they only make 277, and all four parties agree on one thing: they'd rather die than work in a coalition with the Left Party.

Thank goodness for our Electoral College and two-party system. The election, touted beforehand as Germany's most important election in 4 decades, ended up meaning almost nothing.

9.

The Biological Clock Is Ticking-

Charmaine Yoest points out a pigs-flying moment:

In today's world, thinking outside the box involves constructing a life outside traditional male career paths. For both men and women, but especially for young women.

It is precisely the female inclination to think outside the box -- sequencing, part-time work, entrepreneurial innovation -- that is enlivening the 21st century work world.

Elite females wanting children?

I won't mention names, but a certain female someone I know is always telling me about the "women mentoring" programs at her company. The mentors are always somewhat older, sad/bitter, career-obsessed women, with no family and no life outside of work. That is the progress the 1970s-era feminist movement fought so hard for.

I suspect that in the coming years, we'll see a new feminist movement, a more reasonable one, led by today's 20-somethings. And it will include time for motherhood, one of the more meaningful biological experiences a female human can have.

10.

Donate Now To Katrina Politicization Efforts-

Iowa Hawk blog offers this wonderfully layered satirical commentary on the ravages of Katrina:

Two weeks ago, millions of Americans watched in horror as the city of New Orleans was savaged by the relentless, pollution-fueled fury of Hurricane Katrina. Later, we witnessed the human rights atrocity as George Bush's incompetent racist henchmen dynamited the levees, unleashing a tidal wave of contaminated Halliburton turdwater which forced thousands of our fellow citizens to flee into the dank slave ship-like bowels of the Superdome.

What is so sad is that it is not that far off from some of the left-wing blogs out there. And the fundraising solicitation also fits the modern left's modus operandi.

Also, don't forget to check out all the old Trivia Tidbits Of the Day, the Reform Thursday series, the Quotational Therapy sessions, and the Wednesday Caption Contest (entries are due each Tuesday at 11:59 PM Central Standard Time).

Last Week's Classiness Certification from WILLisms.com:

*September 13, 2005.

WILLisms.com offers a weekly classiness roundup as a weekly feature, every Tuesday, with 10 blog posts deemed classy. The criteria for submissions: incisive original analysis, quirky topics nobody else is covering, fantastic graphics, or other posts that took a lot of work. We love to spread the word on upcoming blogs, being that WILLisms.com also fits that description. If you would like to nominate a post on your blog or another blog for inclusion, email us at WILLisms@gmail.com. Write "Classy Nomination" in the subject. You can also utilize this page to make your submissions. The deadline is each Monday at 11:59 PM Central Time.

Classy.

Posted by Will Franklin · 20 September 2005 03:34 PM

Comments

Posted by: Kevin at September 20, 2005 04:32 PM

Posted by: Hoodlumman at September 20, 2005 04:46 PM

Posted by: Jay Tea at September 20, 2005 05:09 PM

Posted by: Zsa Zsa at September 20, 2005 07:39 PM