People Powered
....and we're back. Forgive the uncharacteristic silencio on this here blog. However, I was stunned/shocked/pleased/ecstatic/euphoric/buoyed by the fact that our democracy still apparently functions. The people have spoken. Say hello to a few of our people-powered legislators set to bring accountability and oversight back to the 110th congress:
John Tester, Senator-elect from Montana
John will be one of the few non-millionaires in the senate. He still farms the land that his grandfather homesteaded in 1916. Yes, he's got the beer belly and flat top, but he's also a former music teacher with a B.S. in Music. Tester is a good old fashioned populist who's bound to clear some of the stagnation from insider-ridden DC. Oh, and he's pals with Jeff Ament, Pearl Jam's bassist (which makes him aces in my book).
Sen. Tester reminds me of a Tannat-based wine from France's southwest. On first blush, the wine is certainly tough and rustic. However, once the wine begins to open up, surprising layers of complexity are revealed. Raise a glass to Montana's farmer-Senator with Domaine Brana's 'Ohitza'.
Claire McCaskill, Senator-elect from Missouri
Good on ya, Mizzou! Ms. McCaskill won election by focusing on accountability in government, fairness in society and ssssScience. She supported Missouri's Stem Cell Initiative (which passed) to bring access to stem cell therapies and cures to all Missourians through scientific research. I'm confident Ms. McCaskill will assist in changing the country's direction and make government work for all of us.
Sen. McCaskill is like an elegant Grüner Veltliner, replete with butterscotch and earth. Say, "Cheers" to the Show Me State with a glass of Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Tradition.
Jim Webb, Senator-elect from Virginia
Jim will be the sole member of the Senate with a child in Iraq. During the campaign, Webb wore his son's combat boots as a reminder of the human cost to the occupation of Iraq. As a former secretary of the Navy under The Gipper, some have attempted to pigeonhole Webb as a Repub in Dem's clothing. However, Jim has rapidly sunk this meme. He is yet another populist in the new Senate who cares about average joes/janes and who wants to bring sanity to the current non-strategy guiding our Nation's defenses.
I perceive Sen. Webb as a 'rough and dusty' red (perhaps with a little piss-n-vinegar added) like one from Portugal's Dao region. Raise a toast to another people-powered politician with Quinta dos Roques.
To quote one of my favorite political figures: "YEEEEARRRRGHHH!"
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