The Political Courier

The New Project

2009-01-16T16:50:00.000-05:00

I'm shifting the majority of my blogging energy over to a new site.

Politically-oriented posts will still be published here, though I will be publishing many of them at the new page as well.

Bush Enters History

2009-01-16T16:48:00.001-05:00

I spent ten minutes this morning watching President Bush's farewell speech. It only took me a few of those to realize that the majority of the accomplishments (or "accomplishments" to those of you who can't avoid sarcasm when talking about the President) Bush listed are in fact what history will remember him by.

Changes enacted by the Bush administration that many of us overlook—the new Department of Homeland Security, to name one—are in fact institutions and government policies that will continue in the Obama administration and for decades to come. Rather than disregarding the Bush years as a dark period into which Obama will restore order and harmony through a thorough cleaning, we should remove Bush himself from the picture and consider the changes over the past eight years at face value.

Conceived by the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission, the Department of Homeland Security was seen as a safeguard against further, future intelligence failures. The agency that was once an embarrassment to the Bush administration now serves as a great opportunity for future improvement of our defense and intelligence agencies.

On a less tangible level, Bush has also written his long-term policy legacy. Now clearly visible are Bush personal convictions with regards to the war on terror, America's role in spreading democracy around the globe, AIDS relief, and the importance of faith-based charities. Ten, twenty, or fifty years from now those attitudes will place alongside Eisenhower's warning against the "military-industrial complex" and other major philosophical/political precedents.

Bush's speech may have afforded leftist pundits like Arianna Huffington a great and final opportunity to hold failures above the President's head, but it was Bush who revealed the most about his legacy last night.

Just a Few Days

2009-01-12T18:24:00.004-05:00

No need to get excited, but I've created a new blog. This time I'm changing things a bit.

Less politics. (That will stay here)

More everything.

The Political Courier and it's predecessor, Vargas2040, have been a blast to keep updated, but while politics is a major part of what I do and what I'm interested in, it's not the only thing going on. As I travel, explore, learn, experience, and move towards college the new blog will cover aspects of my life and spheres of interest apart from campaign updates and political commentary.

I will post the link to the new site later this week once I've kicked it off with articles, pictures, and laid down a nice format.

Be back soon!

Change of Format

2009-01-04T17:11:00.002-05:00

Since our election is over and my access to campaign events and coverage has evaporated, I've decided to approach blogging with a new attitude and perspective. College is looming nine months away and my academic interests of the moment have gravitated from political science to history.

We'll see what's next.

Just Me?

2008-12-29T17:44:00.000-05:00

Is it just me or are the advertisements appearing on the right bar of this page now generating South African ads? If so, that's what three months here will do to you (or your blog!).

Sweeeet.

The Cape

2008-12-27T05:56:00.000-05:00

After a long month of travelling I'm now in Cape Town enjoying the sights. This morning was museum/gallery morning, highlighted by a tour of Slave Lodge, The South African National Gallery, and a Bushmen art gallery.

Primarily dominated by local crafts, I presumed South Africa's contributions to fine art would be few and far between. The National Gallery here (not to mention the gorgeous surroundings of Cape Town's Botanical Gardens) has changed my impressions not just of the city, but of South Africa as a whole. From the modern genious of Andrew Verster to the evocative portraits of Mustafa Maluka, today has been a fantastic day of cultural exploration.

What a great city!

It Just Keeps Getting Better

2008-12-21T03:02:00.000-05:00

To be completely serious, I miss snow.

But...

South Africa just keeps on keeping on being its wonderful sunny and beautiful self. From Plett to Hluhluwe to Underberg to Coffee Bay and finally now to Chintsa. Christmas on a sunny day may not be that bad after all...

On The Horizon

2008-12-19T10:22:00.000-05:00

In addition to a love of politics, photography, and travelling around I happen to be quite a big U2 fan. So, despite the news having been released a few hours ago, I'm celebrating the upcoming release of the rockers' new album, "No Line On the Horizon" this coming March!

I've been excited to return home for quite some time, but the impending release of a new single around the time of my arrival just adds to the fun.

Christmas approaches!

One Week

2008-12-17T04:09:00.000-05:00

7 days left until I'm back in Plettenberg Bay for a South African Christmas. (Apologies to the vegetarians...) The lambs are ready for slaughter and I've been told there will be a tree to decorate, but it's sunny and warm here, not the kind of holiday season I'm used to.

I could get used to this view though...

Off Again

2008-12-12T04:19:00.000-05:00

After a quick overnight in Durban it's off to the Drakensberg Mountains this afternoon.

A 3-day horse ride over the mountains into Lesotho...perfect.

From Rage to Remote

2008-12-06T01:36:00.003-05:00

I'm about to hop on a bus for the (very long) trip to the Hluhluwe/Umfolozi region of eastern South Africa. Though I don't really know what to expect, I found the following picture while doing a search of photos from the area, so hopefully a similar foggy sunset awaits me!

I'm leaving behind a wild week of parties and clubs here in Plettenberg Bay...it is Plett Rage Week by the way, so that explains why this small community has been transformed into the playground of South Africa's wealthiest and craziest post-exam students. As much as I enjoyed it, the above picture looks like a lot more fun than being out to take the picture below was.

Off on an adventure!!

Falling Into Place

2008-12-03T04:29:00.003-05:00

With two months behind me here in South Africa I'm now looking at a nice old chunk of time traveling around the country from coast to coast and from mountains to the sea. Downed trees and powerlines have made planning painfully difficult, but four days from departure things are beginning to come together nicely.

As Al Franken continues to edge closer in Minnesota and we have a clearer and clearer picture of Obama's new crew in Washington I will be here packing up and scrambling to make plans in advance of a Saturday departure.

More photos coming...

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T15:35:00.001-05:00

There are no turkeys here in South Africa but it's been a lovely Thanksgiving Day nonetheless.

To everyone back home, have a happy Thanksgiving and safe travels this holiday weekend.

Catch you back here in a few days!

Where to Next?

2008-11-24T00:01:00.000-05:00

I'm no longer the "18 year old high-school student/political blogger."

As of this morning I'm the "19 year old college-age political blogger."

Something tells me that's not as easy to market...

Despite having put another year behind me some things don't change. First, I'm still fascinated by watching and covering American elections. Second, I still love to write, take photographs, design graphics, and shoot video.

In the late winter of '07 I set out to attend a few campaign events and type up summaries online. By Election Day I had been on the floor of the RNC, shaken hands with the two party nominees, been on television as a political analyst and a game show contestant, and had my blog posts syndicated around on various news sites.

So what do I have up my sleeve now and what am I aiming for looking ahead to the 2012 election? It's a secret for now, but you'll find out soon!

Long Overdue

2008-11-21T02:04:00.000-05:00

Hillary and Mitt

2008-11-19T11:12:00.001-05:00

Two names I didn't expect to be paying much attention to in late November, but following Romney's provacative New York Times op-ed today and the (perhaps) looming nomination of Sen. Clinton as Barack Obama's Secretary of State it's hard to ignore them.

Romney came out swinging today by penning a piece for the Times suggesting that the best thing for Detroit (and the American economy in the long run) is to allow the "Big Three"--Ford, GM, and Crysler--to go bankrupt and change the way they do business. As much as I disagreed with and disliked Romney during Campaign '08 it's hard to disagree with the arguement he lays out:

Without that bailout, Detroit will need to drastically restructure itself. With it, the automakers will stay the course — the suicidal course of declining market shares, insurmountable labor and retiree burdens, technology atrophy, product inferiority and never-ending job losses. Detroit needs a turnaround, not a check

Second, management as is must go. New faces should be recruited from unrelated industries — from companies widely respected for excellence in marketing, innovation, creativity and labor relations. Investments must be made for the future.

No more focus on quarterly earnings or the kind of short-term stock appreciation that means quick riches for executives with options. Manage with an eye on cash flow, balance sheets and long-term appreciation. Invest in truly competitive products and innovative technologies — especially fuel-saving designs — that may not arrive for years.

Read the full article HERE.

The article that drew my attention to Hillary Clinton comes from the conservative Weekly Standard. Some Democrats will play off any notion that one of their own being popular among conservatives is a good thing for the party, but Noemie Emery's piece makes me realize just what it was about Hillary during the closing months of the primary fight that I loved so much. Emery writes:

As her previous base was collapsed by Obama, she responded by taking the only route open: She morphed by default into the champion of middle-aged, middle-class, small-town and middle America; of the more conservative, post-Reagan Democrats; and, by her party's standards, the hawks. In no time at all, Hillary Rodham of Wellesley and Yale became the new voice of the Democrats' social conservatives, defending rural voters and small town inhabitants against charges of "bitterness," saying elites had degraded the culture, knocking back shots of Crown Royal in bars.

She didn't just change, she seemed authentic in changing, as if a woman who had gone through multiple makeovers during decades in politics had finally found a persona that fit her. Martha's Vineyard flaked off, revealing the soul of a Midwestern scrapper.

This shift in the Hillary Clinton persona did not go unobserved on the left, which commenced to tear her apart in the same terms of endearment it would later unleash upon Sarah Palin, and had used before on George W. Bush and Joe Lieberman. Moveon.org, founded ten years ago by liberal Democrats to defend the Clintons against impeachment proceedings, now assailed her with the savage ferocity they had once reserved for Ken Starr. As a result, perhaps, Hillary later refused to attack Sarah Palin, and treated her, and McCain, with personal courtesy throughout the campaign.

As for the conservatives, many of those who began 2008 willing to do anything to defeat her tended to end it feeling sorry she lost. They began to tell themselves and each other they would sleep better at night if she were the nominee of her party, for reasons having to do with the now-famous three a.m. phone call. She would not, they said, have gone to Berlin and said that the city was saved by the world coming together; she would have known that the Air Force had something to do with it. As thoughts turned later on to possible cabinet picks, the thought of Hugo Chavez and Vladimir Putin staring into the clueless eyes of John Kerry and/or Bill Richardson roused still more anxiety. Better the steely gimlet-eyed stare of a Hillary Clinton.

A fantastic article that any Democrat (Obama supporter or Hillary fan) would do good to read. Check out the whole piece HERE.

Crossing my fingers for Sec. of State Hillary Clinton...

Sick.

2008-11-18T10:41:00.003-05:00

I've slept for fifteen of the last twenty hours and planning to head back to bed soon.

Unfortunately, due to a timely software malfunction, my iPod deleted all of the 4,700 songs I had on it.

A bad headache, a fever, chills, no music to keep me happy.

At least I've got this nice sunset view out the window...

An Outstanding Summary

2008-11-16T12:30:00.000-05:00

Ron Suskind's NYT piece today is well worth a read.

Catch it HERE.

Capetown

2008-11-16T09:26:00.005-05:00

Can't wait to return in December!

Back "Home"

2008-11-13T08:53:00.000-05:00

My extended weekend in Cape Town has come to an end and I'm back here in Plettenberg Bay until I begin traveling again the second week of December.

Cape Town was a whirl of activity, and being there I was able to start grasping the magnitude of last week's election. Bars in Cape Town had "America Nights" (cheap drinks for Americans), Obama was the subject of many toasts around town, and it seemed like Americans were popping up everywhere from previously-hidden existences. To confirm the media stories of "global celebrations" to Obama's victory, I can definitively say that Cape Town was celebrating along with everyone else. How refreshing!

I'm going to upload some photos of the South African newspapers that I have been able to snag over the past week. The Obama editorials, cartoons, headlines, and reader letters have been amazing...

A Long Weekend

2008-11-06T16:18:00.000-05:00

I tried four or five times today to sit down and write a nice post-election blog entry summarizing my feelings now that everything's finished and Obama will be the next president.

As is clear from my lack of such a post, I was unsucessful in cramming so many thoughts and emotions together, so I'm going to use my long weekend trip to Cape Town to collect myself and hopefully I will next week with a fresh perspective on things (and a new ability to blog coherently!).

The First Family

2008-11-04T22:05:00.000-05:00

Whether you hated him or loved him I can imagine millions across the country waking up tomorrow and knowing what "The American Dream" feels like for the very first time. Obama's victory means so much to so many that it's hard to ignore the importance of what has occurred tonight.

John McCain's life and service to America is unparalleled and a McCain victory would undoubtedly have stirred a sense of pride in many Americans too, but this has been Obama's year through and through.

Now the most difficult task begins.

We've just given Obama four years to see what he can do to turns things around. The clock starts in January.

What an election.

(Photo Credit: 2008. Luke N. Vargas. All Rights Reserved)

Retiring

2008-11-04T21:56:00.003-05:00

The first streaks of blue have hit the sky and it's time for me to go to bed.

5:00 AM CAT.

Fingers crossed overnight for Al Franken to pick up Norm Coleman's Senate seat in Minnesota--it should be close.

I'm still feeling a narrow Obama win in Indiana, despite current results that have him trailing slightly.

Check back tomorrow for LOTS more coverage and opinion.

O-H-I-O

2008-11-04T21:44:00.000-05:00

Nothing spells a big Obama victory better than a nice win, as is predicted, in Ohio.

This is it.

Sunrise: 5:22

2008-11-04T21:28:00.000-05:00

In under an hour the sun will rise over South Africa.

My money is on having a very good idea of where the night is going when I sign off to bed as the sky starts to brighten up.

Camera is ready.