Friday Mad Science: Tim Pawlenty Memorial Edition

There’s not much going on in the world that I care about this week.  But there were a couple of things, so here we go.

***

Tim Pawlenty quit Mitt to pursue his own
personal interests this week.

Republican political strategists are apparently already discussing the causes of Mitt Romney’s loss in the upcoming presidential election and how they’re going to re-shape the Party after the election itself is over.  Granted, it’s not a done deal, but the GOP as a whole has never been fond of Romney, and given the number of mistakes the guy continues to make, folks who care about the future of Conservatism in America are discussing what the future is going to look like in real and concrete terms. 

Hell, even Tim Pawlenty quit this week to take a lobbying job on K Street, and that’s usually political suicide right before an election.  Given that no one’s complaining about it…  I mean, that’s bad, right?

Personally, as you probably know, I’m way past ready to have the discussion about what comes next.  With that in mind, my favorite critique of the campaign this week comes from Bill Kristol, editor of the Weekly Standard:

"Has there been a presidential race in modern times featuring two candidates who have done so little over their lifetimes for our country, and who have so little [of] substance to say about the future of our country?"

Amen.

At this point, Eliot Spitzer argues that Obama and the GOP leadership need to turn their collective attention to the Senate races, and I can’t help but agree, save that I would add the House of Representatives to my to-do list as well if I was in charge of either party.  My personal fear is that the nihilists amongst the House Republicans will make a suicide pact after the election is over and try to force the country off the Fiscal Cliff, killing us all with one bold financial stroke of self-destruction.  And unfortunately, they have the power to do it since all they have to do to see it happen is… nothing. 

If the Fiscal Cliff is Niagara Falls, we’re already in a barrel headed towards the downturn.  At this point, the no-compromise aspects of last year’s Debt Ceiling debate will kick in automatically if there isn’t some kind of new agreement reached before November, and at this point, nobody’s even talking about it.  Maybe the Bush Tax Cuts will wind up getting extended, but to be honest, I think these guys would really like to put the country in serious jeopardy so that they can try to blame it on Obama.  I also think they’d like to secretly cut Defense spending—a lot—and increase tax revenues, and the Cliff gives them the only feasible cover they’re likely to get to make it happen. 

So, bottom line, I’m not too sanguine about our chances in the short term.  Take that however you will.

***

This week’s Football Line of the Week?

“I don't believe in any omnipotent power, but I believe in the Carolina Panthers—and shame on me for doing so.”

    -- Carolina Panthers’ fan James Dator on Cat Scratch Fever.

Speaking as a Giants’ fan, I really enjoyed last night’s game.  They looked like they hadn’t missed a beat since last week’s miracle come back against Tampa Bay.

With that said, it’s important to note that I’m also a Titans’ fan, and I know what else is coming this weekend.

Pain.

Look, Panthers’ fans, it gets worse.  Believe me.

***

Reviews I’ve seen say Dredd 3D is supposed to be pretty good.  I really hope I get a chance to see it.  I gotta find some place for my girls to sleep over for that to happen, though.  How to gracefully talk them into inviting themselves over to one of their friends' houses tomorrow?

Having said how much I want to see this movie, it'll
probably prove to be worse than last year's Conan.

 And that’s all I’ve got.  Short and sweet, right?