Day: May 13, 2008

Three Strikes: Third GOP House Seat in a Row Falls to Dems In Special Elections

Jon Ponder

3. May 13:

Democrat Travis Childers wins a U.S. House seat in Mississippi’s deeply Republican 1st Congressional District.

Childers defeated Republican Greg Davis in a special election to fill the final few months of a two-year term in Congress. The seat was vacated when Roger Wicker was appointed to the U.S. Senate after Trent Lott resigned.

2. May 4:

State Rep. Don Cazayoux won the special election in Louisiana’s 6th district yesterday, a victory that marks the second time this year that Democrats have won a seat previously held by a Republican.

Cazayoux, a conservative Democrat, defeated former state Rep. Woody Jenkins, 49 percent to 46 percent for a seat held by Rep. Richard Baker (R) for the past two decades. (Baker resigned to take over as the head of the Managed Funds Association.) Cazayoux will serve out the remaining months of Baker’s term before running for a full two-year stint in the fall.

1. March 8:

The Democratic Party scored a major symbolic win last night when a soft-spoken Democratic physicist claimed the suburban Chicago seat held by the former Republican House speaker, J. Dennis Hastert, for nearly 21 years.

Democrat Bill Foster took 52 percent of the vote to 48 percent for Republican dairy magnate Jim Oberweis, in a district that President Bush won in 2004 with 55 percent. The Democratic victory in what was once a safe Republican seat gave the clearest sign yet that the anti-GOP wave that swept Republicans from control of Congress in 2006 may still be rolling.

“A victory in the seat held by Speaker Hastert will send a political shock wave that will be felt across the country,” said Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “It’s a stunning repudiation of President Bush, his allies and John McCain, who wants to carry on his legacy.”

Ask Dr. Democrat: Did We Always Have Superdelegates?

Pensito Editors

Dear Dr. Democrat:

Did we always have super delegates? I don’t remember ever hearing the term before this year.

Unsure About Supers

Dear Unsure:

The super delegates were added after the McGovern nomination in order to prevent the party from ever again nominating high-minded, wine-sipping, arugula-munching intellectual elites who don’t stand a chance in the general election. Obviously, it has been an abysmal failure.
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But seriously, the purpose of the super delegate system is to stop a too-liberal, unelectable candidate in a close election from getting the nomination at the convention. The idea was that if it should ever come to pass again that the hoi poloi gave the popular vote to an unelectable effete, the super delegates, who are mostly current or former elected officials, would step in and save the day by choosing a more palatable (i.e., conservative) candidate.

It’s popular to cast Clinton as being evil because she might play this card, but the card was put there to be played. That being said, I don’t think she’ll do it — and if she tries, I don’t think the supers will go for it. Feinstein and even Schumer have signaled they won’t vote for her.

But, as the saying goes, the rules are the rules.

Dr. D

10 Reasons Why Going to China Might Be Bad for Your Health

Buck Banks

Don’t you just love the Olympics? The Summer Olympics present an opportunity to see the youth of the world competing at the highest levels of athleticism and sportsmanship. This summer, it also presents an opportunity to contract some really world-class diseases if you go to the Beijing for the competitions.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is there to help, though. They have a Web site dedicated to helping you prepare physically for your trip to China. Here are 10 health risks and preventative measures the CDC suggests you take before heading out to Beijing (we hope you’re not needle-shy):

Hepatitis A — Get vaccinated (2 shots), eat foods that are fully cooked and served hot, drink beverages that have been bottled and sealed (water, carbonated drinks, or sports drinks).

Hepatitis B — get vaccinated (3 shots), use condoms if you have sex, avoid sharing needles or getting tattoos.

Typhoid Fever — Get vaccinated with one shot or take pills (4 doses), eat foods that are fully cooked and served hot, drink beverages that have been bottled and sealed (water, carbonated drinks, or sports drinks).

Japanese Encephalitis — Get vaccinated (3 shots) if you are going to be in China more than 30 days or are planning to spend time outside in rural areas, prevent mosquito bites by using an insect repellent containing DEET and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, if you are sleeping outdoors or in a room with no window screens, use an insecticide-treated bed net.

Malaria — If you are going to a malaria risk area, take medicine to prevent malaria. There are several medicines available; talk to your doctor about which one is right for you. You will start the medicine before you go to a malaria risk area, take it while you are there, and continue taking it after you leave the risk area. Prevent mosquito bites: Use an insect repellent containing DEET and wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. If you are sleeping outdoors or in a room with no window screens, use an insecticide-treated bed net.

Influenza (Bird & Seasonal) — Do not touch birds (alive or dead), do not go to poultry farms or live bird markets, only eat poultry that has been fully cooked, wash your hands and utensils after handling raw poultry, get a flu vaccine to avoid seasonal flu.

Rabies — Do not touch animals, even pets, as they might not be vaccinated as they are in the United States. If you get an animal bite or scratch, go to a hospital or doctor’s office immediately. If you are going to spend a lot of time outside or in rural areas, consider getting rabies vaccine (3 shots). Important: Even if you get the vaccine, you will still need to see a doctor right away if you are bitten or scratched.

Schistosomiasis — Swim only in chlorinated pools, avoid swimming, wading or participating in activities in fresh water; get tested if you do go in fresh water — even if you do not feel sick. Once you come home, see an infectious disease doctor or tropical medicine doctor to find out if you were infected. If you were infected, take medicine to stop the infection.

Traveler’s Diarrhea — Eat only fully cooked food that is served hot or fruits and vegetables you can wash and peel yourself, drink beverages that have been bottled and sealed (water, carbonated drinks, or sports drinks), wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand gel before you eat or prepare a meal.

Breathing Problems — If you have asthma or another lung problem, see your doctor before you go to China. You may need to take extra medicine to control your symptoms. If you have coughing, wheezing, or trouble breathing while you are in China, see a health-care provider right away. If possible, plan outdoor activities early in the day in areas with no traffic.