So much for that

By Kathy G.

Well, yesterday we got our asses handed to us, didn't we?

I fully expected us to lose -- but I did not expect us to be thrashed so thoroughly. I'll have more to say later, but I have to admit, right now I don't have the heart. Losing is never fun, but losing this badly is excruciating.

Congratulations, though, to Mike Quigley. He ran a strong campaign, and he's certainly a better-than-average Dem. He's too fiscally conservative for my tastes, and I don't trust him on foreign policy (in the first candidates' forum, he sounded hawkish about Iran, and said he opposed investigating the Bush administration for possible war crimes).

But Quigley is pretty good on most other issues, and he's an honest and capable public servant. And unlike so many in this race, he is not a hack. He has a genuine independent streak -- which is why Mayor Daley loathes him.

There's no question that he is several steps up from Rahm Emanuel, the previous holder of this seat.

All things considered, it could have been much, much worse.

But right now that feels like very cold comfort indeed.

Comments

[arbitrista]

So sorry for the disappointing results. I have to say that, from the work I've done on congressional primaries, not having been elected to a public office before is a major handicap to getting a party nod in a desirable seat. Maybe Tom would consider running for something at the state or local level?

[Sir Charles]

Kathy,

Sorry to hear about this. I guess it's difficult to try and break through in a special election when it's your first time running for public office. I hope he continues to write and speak out in his unique way.

I know you must be disappointed given your hard work for him. I guess you should take some solace in having had the chance to campaign for someone with absolute enthusaism and no reservatons -- that's a rare thing indeed.

[Jonathan S]

Dear Kathy,

Too bad it worked out the way it did. But Tom got great buzz even way out here in Brooklyn. I hope he runs for some other office. Remember the guy who lost to Bobby Rush?

[Bik]

Given all the rumors about tom going round, i have to say it doesn't suprise me all that much.

[story]

Raivo Pommer
raimo1@hot.ee

Rumenien ja Lettlands geld

Die Reaktion fiel gelassen aus. Obgleich nach Ungarn und Lettland mit Rumänien nun der dritte osteuropäische EU-Mitgliedstaat die Europäische Kommission in Zahlungsschwierigkeiten geraten ist und um Hilfe gebeten hat, zeigen die Finanzmärkte nur verhaltene Reaktionen.

Die Landeswährung Leu wertet zwar um 0,8 Prozent auf 4,3077 Leu je Euro ab, doch ist sie damit immer noch unter dem Tief von Anfang Februar bei 4,3614 Leu. Die Kurse der rumänischen Staatsanleihen gaben immerhin leicht nach.

[raivo pommer-.]

raivo pommer-www.google.ee
raimo1@hot.ee

Deflation hits Ireland

Ireland's consumer prices fell 2.6 per cent in March from a year ago, the sharpest rate of deflation since 1933, when the world was struggling through the Great Depression, official figures showed yesterday.

The March rate accelerated from an annual deflation rate of 1.7 per cent in February, the Central Statistics Office said. The report said there was no change in prices from February to March, which are now at August 2007 levels.

Ireland's deflation began in January and reflects the country's sudden fall into a deep recession.

The country last suffered from deflation in 1960.

Although lower prices can help spending and exports, deflation can be damaging for an economy if prices enter a downward spiral - consumers hold off buying items on expectations they will become cheaper, pushing retailers to cut prices to encourage spending, and so on.

Finance Minister Brian Lenihan, when announcing an emergency budget on Wednesday to trim 3.25 billion ($7.32 billion) from Ireland's ballooning deficit, said the Government expected deflation to average 4 per cent in 2009.