CHE BELLO makes a prediction.
The next Vice President of the United States of America: Ohio Governor Ted Strickland.
Why will Obama pick Ted?
- He offers age and experience, having served six terms in Congress.
- He has brought Ohio to the forefront of energy policy, requiring that a quarter of Ohio’s electricity be produced from advanced energy sources (including renewable sources and clean coal) by 2015 and forcing energy companies to plan ahead for impending federal legislation limiting the amount of carbon dioxide they can release into the atmosphere. Energy policy is one of the strongest concerns of independent voters, a group that Obama and McCain are both heavily courting.
- He is extremely well-versed on education policy and has proven his commitment to lowering the cost of education by freezing tuition at Ohio’s public universities for two years. His administration oversaw the building of 250 new elementary schools in his first year in office, all of which passed federal energy efficiency certification procedures. And his wife is a very highly-regarded educational psychologist, a good influence to have roaming the Capital strumming up votes for education reform.
- Labor loves him. It would be hard to get elected in Ohio without a strong connection to the labor unions which represent its manufacturing employees, and Ted has proven a strong ally. He recently issued a directive allowing home child-care providers to bargain collectively with the state over per-child subsidies and other matters, earning the praise of labor leaders for doing everything he can to strengthen their coalition.
- The home-state advantage. If Republicans don’t win Ohio, they won’t win the election, according to recent history. With Obama already poised to win a number of states that voted for Bush in the last election (like Virginia), taking a few more out of the red column would lock up the election for the Democrats. Having a popular Governor in the number two spot on the ticket would likely help Obama pick up votes come November. (There’s also the possibility of picking up some votes in Pennsylvania media markets close to the border, where they’re likely to hear Strickland’s praises on a regular basis.)
The only problem? Strickland campaigned for Hillary Clinton. If Obama can manage to win him over (and who isn’t won over by the possibility of being VP) and get the media to accept Strickland’s change of heart, he makes the perfect addition to the Democratic ticket.
CHE BELLO doesn’t get conservatives.
There is a fundamental misunderstanding between liberals and conservatives that has plagued this country and its politics for decades, and I don’t see it ending in the near future. To me the line is quite clear, and involves the way each group sees fit to build the best possible society. From a liberal perspective, caring about others who are disadvantaged and acting in ways that benefit those in need will create social and economic equality and a better standard of living for everyone. Conservatives, however, see things differently. Caring about oneself and achieving economic success will inspire others to work harder and build a life for themselves; caring for your own possessions and ignoring the plight of others will lead to prosperity. This week the House considered what has been called a “housing bailout bill,” and the reaction of conservatives illustrates their mindset perfectly.
CHE BELLO has an eargasm.
This is my favorite time of year for exactly one reason: YouTube videos of senior cabarets at CCM get posted, which means all the lil’ gay musical theatre freaks all over the world get to cream themselves multiple times over the talent coming out of what I consider the top MT program at the moment. For example, take a look at the best rendition of Putnam County Spelling Bee’s “The I Love You Song” I’ve ever heard. FIERCE.
CHE BELLO’s hero of the week.
A new weekly installment here at Che Bello ((I know what you’re thinking, I’m not even good at keeping up with the occasional installments)) is the hero of the week — someone whose brilliance shone above the fray, who should be an inspiration to us all. And what a better way to start a tradition such as this than with a 13 year old who steals his father’s credit card and hires hookers to play Halo with him and his buddies in a motel room.
CHE BELLO loves books.
Small victory of the day: selling back my Collective Bargaining textbook to the Cornell Store for 77 dollars. What they don’t know is that I bought it on Amazon for 25.
Small defeat of the day: spending 70 dollars on t-shirts and reading for the summer. At the Cornell Store. During the same visit.
CHE BELLO’s fitness advice.
Need to lose a few pounds? Here’s a little secret.
The quickest way to get yourself in shape is to find an incredibly annoying roommate. Every time he comes home, put on your sneakers and take your happy little behind over to the gym. You can take out aggression on the treadmill as opposed to his face, which would likely lead to assault charges. I never thought something good would come from having a roommate who represents (and celebrates) absolutely everything I hate about modern gay culture, but I suppose I was wrong.
CHE BELLO admits inevitability.
As much as I am pained by this truth, it is time for Hillary Clinton to withdraw from the Democratic presidential primary. To press on beyond this point, given her loss in North Carolina and very faint win in Indiana, would only serve to alienate support for the eventual nominee in November. For all the Democrats’ talk of uniting a nation torn apart by 8 years of divisive Bush politics, it’s time for her to do more than just talk.
Hillary, you are the better candidate, but bigger things are happening here than you’re able to handle. You’ve gotten bulldozed by the most charismatic campaign since John F. Kennedy and, as we stand on the edge of a long-awaited racial reconciliation lead by Barack Obama, being the better candidate has to fall by the wayside. Proudly return to your Senate seat and be a leader in some real progressive reform — your legacy will be better served there than by detonating the Florida-Michigan bomb you’ve placed under the Democrats’ chances in November.
CHE BELLO searches for fulfillment.
Feeling underappreciated really sucks. I’m going to leave this cryptic tidbit at that, so as not to dwell on it or seem whinier than I’m feeling.
Prolonged absences are frowned upon in the blogosphere, I’m well aware, but this one was necessary. Hell Week for my musical revue took over my life, throwing off every routine I even imagined I had. I didn’t make it to the gym, which meant I was constantly drained of energy, and on top of all of that I had to write two term papers and give a forty-five minute presentation of original research into the determinants of uninsurance among young adults. Fascinating stuff, I tell you.
Our show went well — two packed houses and the clearest solo in Seasons of Love I’ve ever managed to pull off, not to mention making all the ladies squeal with Uptown Girl and raking in the laughter with Sue Me from Guys and Dolls. Videos will be up early in the summer, I’m sure. I need to do a real show, need to do it so badly that I ache. Singing and dancing these little tidbits is fun, yes, but it feels hollow to me. Maybe the fall will bring a good musical to town. ((The Last 5 Years, anyone?))
A few more quick updates: finishing up applications for my semester abroad ::crosses fingers:: next spring. I’m going to shoot for the American University in Cairo, with the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand as a back-up. We’ll see how it all works out. This summer, after much wrangling and answered hopes, I’ll be staying in Athens with Patrick and working on research for a professor here in the Policy Analysis and Management Department ((the same one who was so impressed by my work on uninsurance among young adults)). I think she has it in mind to try to convince me to go to grad school for a social science of some sort instead of law school, but I don’t know how successful she’ll be.
That’s about all for my personal business. But I’m alive and doing as well as can be expected, and regular posts should resume in the very near future. Hope all is well, cyber-friends!
