Stateside with Rosalea
U.S. Political Briefs
This week I got to see up close the workings of a Republican gubernatorial campaign. Not a real one - it was a play
called Mothers Against, by British playwright David Edgar. Afterwards some audience members stayed for a discussion with
the cast and someone said that she'd worked on political campaigns and immediately recognised the campaign manager
character, aka The Dark Prince.
The play is one of two that make up a suite, so to speak. I'll be seeing the second play - dealing with the same
gubernatorial election from the Democratic candidate's point of view - next week. Audience members are invited to vote
for either of the two candidates after seeing both plays, but on the strength of Sheldon Vine's explanation of his
republican ideals he's currently in the lead in my estimation.
Of course, the heart of any play is conflict and it's the conflict between what Vine's ideals were and what the
Republican Party has become and what its candidates are prepared to become that is the strongest theme in Mothers
Against. I assume a similar conflict will be at the heart of Daughters of the Revolution next week.
*** The question of "What is a Democrat?" is on the mind of the third placegetter in the San Francisco mayoral race.
Angela Alioto has twice postponed her announcement of which of the two people in the December 9 run-off race she will
endorse. She has friends who support both Newsom and Gonzalez, and though her politics seem to be more fitted to
Gonzalez's end of the spectrum, she is obviously ill-at-ease with the fact that he is critical of the Democrats when she
has received much support from them. Her decision will be announced on Monday - perhaps she's had a chance to go to the
theatre before then!
*** California's Secretary of State has instructed the vendors of electronic voting machines to provide a paper
print-out that will allow voters to verify their choices. Opponents of such a move say that it creates more equipment
liable to fail or jam, needing maintenance and consumables, and that it still doesn't guarantee that election results
will be valid.
*** The Kennedy anniversary was somewhat overshadowed by the Michael Jackson trial, but I managed to see a documentary
series about the Kennedy clan that just confirmed my perception that politics in the US is little different from those
in many African nations where family ties and patronage set the agenda and direct where the benefits go.
*** One local TV news station floated the idea that Governor Schwarzenegger may reduce the number of days that the
California legislature is in session. That's an attempt to lessen the damage politicians can do, I suppose. If you ask
me, he'd do better to limit the amount of legislation that gets introduced. At present, legislators can introduce
enormous numbers of bills to do with petty stuff, just so their campaign contributors - small and large - feel like
they've got something for their money.
*** Bushy cat, Bushy cat, where have you been? I've been to London to visit the Queen. Bushy cat, Bushy cat, what did
you there? I listened to a Kiwi singing an air. Okay, so it's not nearly as clever as the pseudo-Seuss movie review in
last weeks LA Times, dissing The Cat in the Hat, but it was fun to think that perhaps someone in the West Wing
subscribes to the Loop mailer!
***And speaking of the West Wing, Martin Sheen has come out in favour of Matt Gonzalez for the San Francisco race.
ENDS