Happy New Year

Posting will continue to be light, but I hope to report out on local race filings (e.g. the 12th U.S. House District) as they're made available this week. In Bexley, politics is over, but government continues. I'll try to do a better job of noting that. In the meantime, here's a cheesy device that includes a link to an article on our new municipal budget, which I'm ignoring for the time being:

High Five to H.W., who has been appointed to the Rec Board in one of those shuffles that happens when the relatively low number of relevant interests lead to a relatively high level of potential conflict.

Sad Head Shake to Rumor-Mongers, who have made Bexley an epicenter of WebKinz terror (scroll to bottom).


And finally, for the last thirteen months, I've been pretty quiet about the presidential race, saying several months ago that Richardson had my default support until someone excited me enough to take it away. Unfortunately, Mr. Richardson lost my support without anyone really stepping up. In December, I finally settled on a candidate whom I will support during the primary season.

That candidate is John Edwards.

Mr. Edwards understands the progressive position across the spectrum of issues. He doesn't always agree (although he probably agrees more than even I would), but he actually seems to understand the terms of the debate. Mr. Obama either doesn't understand, or is intent upon being a single term president. Ms. Clinton makes no apologies for her Iraq war vote or any of the other foreign or domestic votes that have angered many if not most Dems who have actually been paying attention for the last six years. I can certainly respect that. I just won't vote for it in a primary.

So, with two major reservations, I've decided that Edwards is my guy, at least going into Week 1 of the playoffs. My first problem with Edwards is that, although he understands the problems (income/wealth inequality, unevenly distributed costs and benefits from trade, corporate influence on public policy), the solutions he is offering are not incredibly original and seem somewhat simplistic.

My second major reservation is that, in the absence of a clear preference on other grounds, I'd prefer a female or minority candidate. I've gone over this in my head, and I get a really weird Psych result. In the eight-way or three-way versions of the primary, I prefer Edwards. Once I get to head-to-head matchups, he's my second choice to Obama or Clinton. As long as both Barack and Hillary are in the equation, Affirmative Action arguments lose salience. Once one of them is out, they re-emerge.

So, let Edwards move forward and frame the debate. Hillary or Barack might become a candidate I could get enthusiastic about under those conditions.

The good news is, I have no urge to Undorse any candidate.

If you'd like to get in on the caucusing fun, Ohio Dems will be caucusing tonight to determine potential delegates to the national convention in Denver this summer. I'd love to be a delegate, but as should be obvious, I hemmed and hawed for too long on my candidate preference. If you'd like a say in who does get to go, the caucuses are tonight, and a list of locations is here (OH-12 caucuses at Otterbein).

As a Dean supporter in '04, Iowa brings back some bitter memories (I'm thinking of you, Donna Brazile), but I'm looking forward to watching the results come in tonight just the same.