...Newt Gingrich is to Nancy Pelosi.

When I was in high school a million years ago, my favorite group was probably The Police. (It took a young divorce to put me into the Squeeze camp.) I particularly liked their first two albums and the Stewart Copeland (the drummer) songs on them. I liked them so much I even bought his undercover solo album. Pre-Ghost in the Machine, The Police were a New Wave band that got reviewed in Creem, but otherwise were kind of a unique taste. For example, note here that Message in a Bottle didn't even make the US Top 40.

Around Zenyatta Mondatta, they started to get popular but I still enjoyed them. Ghost in the Machine was great. Then Synchronicity was released. I liked it ok, enough that some friends and I dropped like $50 each for floor tickets to see them up "close" in the Summit. I had seen them play there on the Ghost in the Machine tour. I had really enjoyed the GitM show, they were able to ride that line between mainstream and New Wave. Joe "King" Carrasco opened. He had a wireless guitar and walked all over the Summit.

So, a concert isn't all about the band, of course. For Synchronicity, I remember definitely Amy R. being there, my sister too I think, it was a good time. Did UB40 open up for them? Some songs still echo in my ears, like With the world turning circles running 'round my brain..

There was one of those moments that sticks with you the rest of your life. Sting was wearing this big, stringy shirt, it was his stage costume for the evening. I remember thinking to myself, when the fake smoke started pumping out, that it was the sort of thing that David Lee Roth of Van Halen could've worn. Although this phrase hadn't yet entered the collective vocabulary yet, I knew at that moment that The Police had "jumped the shark" for me, and were now a mainstream arena band.

Now, while in my angry punk mind revolutionary thoughts would ping around about hating the mainstream, I never could really hate mainstream music or culture. I would find my foot tapping to a Van Halen song sometimes, it wasn't my cup of tea mostly, but I could stand it. Except for Journey and Triumph. I hated intensely disliked them.

I was reminded of all this the other day when I got an e-mail from the Democrats (DCCC) titled Contract with America: Notification of Breach and Termination.

WHEREAS Republicans pledged in the Contract with America to "restore the bonds of trust between the people and their elected representatives," Republican rule has instead been marred by deceit, contempt for democracy, and indifference to lapsed ethical standards;

WHEREAS Republicans condemned "government that is too big, too intrusive, and too easy with the public's money," Republican rule has brought record and perpetual deficits, disregard for civil liberties and personal privacy, and unrestrained government largesse for Republican special interest donors;

Nancy Pelosi et al criticizing the GOP for abandoning their ideals is kind of like David Lee Roth criticizing The Police for abandoning their New Wave roots. He might be right, and it is sad that Synchronicity isn't as good as Outlandos D'Amour, but are you saying that if I buy the new David Lee Roth album it's going to sound like Regatta de Blanc?

Of course not. Give the Democrats the House, Senate, and Presidency, we'll be living in a European-style socialist state faster than you can say anarcho-tyranny.

So, if the goal here is to win the debating contest, then ok, you win. I'm disappointed in the Republican leadership. Glad to see that's fun for you all, that really endears me to your cause.

If the goal is to disalign limited government types from the GOP, they're doing a good enough job by themselves. Thanks for playing though.

So, I'm kind of adrift here. I've tried the third party route. Whenever I think about it now, I remember Tom Walls comparing the LP to Dungeons and Dragons, and I laugh at them.

What will I do? Beats me. Stay tuned.

Fear not. As my first marketing prof taught us: If you look at an advertisement and it doesn't make any sense to you, don't worry ... it wasn't intended for you.

And that applies here. Just as I can read any GOP blast mail that may speak to my own frustration with my party, the reverse is likely doomed to win you over as well.

Of course, I've found it far more worthwhile to stand my ground in the party of my own preference and throw some elbows if need be to remind others that we've not all followed some loon over the cliff.

That said ... if we're comparing Sting to 1982-87 era Roth, I'd take severe issue with the comparison.

That's really a fine piece of writing, Rob. The line about the LP was especially amusing.

Staying with the music.... did you ever purchase the Equalizer soundtrack?

The dramatic music in that show was by Copeland. It was kind of a cool soundtrack, although I've long since lost the CD. The show was cool, too.

I don't know if you've ever listened much to Texas hick-rockers Reckless Kelly, but I've heard them do an alt-country cover of So Lonely that's really sweet. One reason I love the live shows so much is that you never know when a band is going to bust out something like that.

Thanks for reminding me how much I like that early Police stuff. I'm probably going to drive Callie crazy listening to it later. :)

Yes, I was at the Synchronicity concert with you. If I remember correctly, you had someone (maybe Michelle?) FedEx the new cassette to you while we were in Spain that summer. I think we were a little disappointed.
My favorite part of the concert was UB40. They were a breath of fresh air in the '80s.
I was looking through my old LPs this weekend for some old greats by the Sesame Street gang (remember 'Rubber Duckie, you're the one' by the very talented Ernie?), and came across Little Bagariddim (sp). I'll have to put it on the old turntable tonight.

You don't still hate Journey, do you?

Matt,

Hate's a strong word.

Yep.

I critisise the Republicans a lot because after all they are the ones in power, The Democrats are have little power in the state of Texas and in the Federal politics at this time. All they are is a memory. It is extremely frusting to watch the Republicans turn into the Democrats that I've loathed for so long, where are the smaller goverments we were promised? We have lots of men who proclaim their Christianity and high morality, that engage in blatent nepotism, and push the legal edges on campain fund raising tactics.

Right now I wonder if Kinky Friedman might be part of the solution. I know he is real liberal on a lot of issues, but The Texas Governer is a pretty powerless position, and maybe , just maybe if he does well it might wake up the other elected representatives to what their electorate really wants from us.