Black Box Report

Because the DNC stripped them of their delegates for moving up their primary date, Michigan Democrats wouldn't have had much to do today except stay inside with the TV turned off and the phone off the hook. Instead, Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas, noting a history of the GOP meddling in the open Democratic primary there, suggests they have some fun:

In 1972, Republican voters in Michigan decided to make a little mischief, crossing over to vote in the open Democratic primary and voting for segregationist Democrat George Wallace, seriously embarrassing the state's Democrats. In fact, a third of the voters (PDF) in the Democratic primary were Republican crossover votes. In 1988, Republican voters again crossed over, helping Jesse Jackson win the Democratic primary, helping rack up big margins for Jackson in Republican precincts. (Michigan Republicans can clearly be counted on to practice the worst of racial politics.) In 1998, Republicans helped Jack Kevorkian's lawyer -- quack Geoffrey Feiger -- win his Democratic primary, thus guaranteeing their hold on the governor's mansion that year.

With a history of meddling in our primaries, why don't we try and return the favor...Michigan Democrats should vote for Mitt Romney, because if Mitt wins, Democrats win.
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If Romney loses Michigan, he's out. If he wins, he stays in. And we want Romney in, because the more Republican candidates we have fighting it out, trashing each other with negative ads and spending tons of money, the better it is for us.

From there, the idea caught fire. The Democrats for Mitt! organization, such as it is, even got themselves a fancy-schmancy campaign ad:

Democrats, do you want change? Mitt Romney has changed just about every position he's ever had! Mitt Romney is change! And keeping Mitt in the race means he can keep pushing for change in the Republican party, in this case from a far-right ideology to an extreme fringe rightwing ideology:

If Romney can stay alive in Michigan and Rudy takes Florida, the GOP nomination process will be a mess. The GOP convention is in September, which gives the candidate who tacks far enough to the right to win the nod about two months to recover for the general. Very tough to do.

Actual Republicans for Romney, however, are naturally not amused. Apparently they'll only accept help if it comes in the form of one of Mitt's checks:

Markos Moulitsas is an ideologue, not a strategist...A strategist would also know that tricking Democrats into backing a handsome, rich, well-spoken Conservative in a desperate ploy to beat the perceived Republican front-runner would backfire...Mitt Romney is an intelligent, articulate, likeable Conservative. Let Kos plan, it'll only hurt their chances in November.

Let's just say Romney does win Michigan due to his newfound support, procedes to run the table to win the GOP nod and somehow reverses every political trend since mid-2005 and wins the White House...all while penning a TONY Award-winning play and curing cancer, since we're pie-in-the-skying here...Some progressives think even President Mitt wouldn't be so bad, as he seems to be the least scary of the bunch:

Mitt Romney would be the least horrible President among the Republican candidates. Demonstrably, he has an IQ statistically significantly different from zero, isn't demonstrably bonkers aside from his narcissism, and doesn't actually believe in anything. That's a big improvement over much of his opposition.

Sounds about right. But it's all moot, as - Michigan win or not - there will be no President Romney. Consider that an official prediction, if you will, but...Ain't. Gonna. Happen.

Still, I would like Mitt to stay in, if for nothing else than to see the 5 Romney sons watch dad spend their entire inheritance.

Poor Tagg.

Council takes step to link up with immigration enforcement

DANBURY, Conn. - Danbury's Common Council has taken another step that would have some police officers receive training from a federal agency to crack down on illegal aliens.

The council has voted as a committee of the whole to recommend the police chief be given the authorization to enter into an agreement that would have some officers receive training from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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Backers say the training is needed because of the federal government's lack of action on immigration reform.

Opponents worry the training will result in racial profiling and will lead to a fear of police among immigrants, both legal and illegal.

If anyone hasn't translated what's really going on here, let me strip away the B.S. Some in Danbury see a population in their city speaking Spanish, living in large groups and changing the complexion literally and figuratively of their backyard - and assume these new residents are illegal aliens. For all I know, they may be right, but what role the police should play in deciding who stays and who goes, that's where any agreement disappears.

Now before any Lou Dobbs wannabees start screaming, “They're illegal! Round em' up and deport em' all!” be careful what you wish for. First off, I know to some the Constitution has become an optional document, but humor me and remember the fourth amendment - it protects us against unreasonable searches and seizures. In Long Island a few months ago, the aforementioned ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raided hundreds of homes in the dead of night, guns drawn, forcing residents to prove their status. And even after some did, in their own homes, they still reportedly were disbelieved. An interesting thing happened after the raids - even though only a handful of alleged gang members were detained, a multiple of that were held even though they had no criminal record but were illegal immigrants.

Cracking down on illegal immigration is one thing but when our police also have to add border patrol agent to their resume we are looking for trouble. It's not good policing and it's not who we are.

HALP!!!

For the past three years, it's been a recurring theme: another new poll, another record low approval rating for President Bush. This week he's down to 32% in the ABC/Washington Post poll, and a mere two months from tying Harry Truman for the longest stretch below 50% approval (38 mos). But as much as we may try to ignore him and preoccupy ourselves with picking his successor, we're still stuck with him for another year:

When following the presidential horse race, it's easy to forget that we currently have a president. It's comforting for two thirds of the country to think about what lies ahead and not what we have to cope with for another year. But it should be at the front of every conversation about politics right now -- whoever is elected will take over from the worst, and most disliked administration in our country's history.

3 out of 4 people think the country is on the wrong track. Even the Republican candidates are talking about change, apparently in the hopes that we won't remember which party was responsible for the state of affairs people want a change from. But inside the bubble where public opinion doesn't matter, Bush and some of his 32% think he's gonna turn this thing around any minute now:

He's a poll cellar-dweller whom even GOP presidential candidates sneer at, but George W. Bush and some congressional backers see happy days for the prez this year. His fans have dubbed it his "legacy year," when they hope to lock in his achievements on the domestic front. Among the items Bush's GOP congressional allies want to work on this month: continuing his tax cuts and extending the controversial No Child Left Behind Act. As for the war, they say, the news has been good, and Bushies believe that their guy will eventually get credit for opening the war on terrorism. But more immediately, they are predicting a remarkable poll shift to about 45 percent favorable by the time he leaves office next year.

45% approval? I'll take some of that action...anyone care for a bet?

Who’re they (kiddin’)’? The only way Bush can top 40 percent at this point, is if he resigned, admitted that he was as incompetent in his present job as we all know he is, and spilled enough dirt on Dick Cheney to get him impeached. That would guarantee Bush a rapid and record rise in popularity.

Finally, in a post titled "But Will He Smash The Game Board?", Atrios warns that a president this unpopular may not feel compelled to make a graceful exit:

What happens when after you place a mediocre narcissist quite literally at the center of the world for a while, the clock ticks inevitably to the time when that will no longer be the case. How will he behave?

Back in high school I babysat for some neighbors' kids. They were good, but one of their friends had a bad habit of knocking all the pieces off the board when he was about to lose. Let's hope the president doesn't display the same lack of maturity.

...Although it would explain his obsession with Iran.