Stephen Views the News

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:32:00 +0000

* Obama and the Iraq war ~ an adult enters the discussion – On Tuesday Barak Obama gave a major speech about Iraq. He said, “George Bush and John McCain don't have a strategy for success in Iraq—they have a strategy for staying in Iraq. They said we couldn't leave when violence was up, they say we can't leave when violence is down. They refuse to press the Iraqis to make tough choices, and they label any timetable to redeploy our troops "surrender," even though we would be turning Iraq over to a sovereign Iraqi government—not to a terrorist enemy. Theirs is an endless focus on tactics inside Iraq, with no consideration of our strategy to face threats beyond Iraq's borders.” A video and text of his speech are at this link.

Who thinks that the withdrawal of American troops should begin?
~ The American people. “The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 59% of Americans want the troops brought home from Iraq within a year.” Would this number be over 90% if there was a military draft in this country?
~ A Pentagon-sponsored report soon to be released will recommend reducing troop levels from the current 150,000 to 50,000 by the spring of 2009.
~ The Iraqi Prime Minister, who advocates a withdrawal timetable of U.S. troops.
~ Maybe President Bush? He has always been against a “timetable” for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq. However, this week we began hearing the word “horizon” in place of timetable from the Bush administration. I say shame on those who have accused the president of lacking a sophisticated command of the English language. And speaking of “horizon”, we can almost see January 20, 2009.

As much as the Bush administration has pushed for a long-term agreement with Iraq to keep large numbers of U.S. troops in the country, negotiations with Iraq have broken down. “U.S. and Iraqi negotiators have abandoned efforts to conclude a comprehensive agreement governing the long-term status of U.S troops in Iraq before the end of the Bush presidency… The failure of months of negotiations over the more detailed accord -- blamed on both the Iraqi refusal to accept U.S. terms and the complexity of the task -- deals a blow to the Bush administration's plans to leave in place a formal military architecture in Iraq that could last for years.” Could it be that the only ones that do want our troops to remain in Iraq on a large scale are the U.S. defense supply industry, Big Oil interests and the neocon nimcompoops that initiated this tragic war?

* News Flash ~ the Iraq war must be over – In a May 2008 interview President Bush revealed a personal way in which he has tried to acknowledge the sacrifice of soldiers and their families: He has given up golf. “I don't want some mom whose son may have recently died to see the commander in chief playing golf,” he said. “I feel I owe it to the families to be in solidarity as best as I can with them. And I think playing golf during a war just sends the wrong signal.” For not the first time Bush has fallen off the wagon or golf cart or changed his story or backtracked or altered the truth when alteration he finds. On July 21st the president will be at the Cape Arundel Golf Course in Kennebunkport, Maine to meet and greet $5000 donors to the McCain campaign. It appears that extending his presidency through McCain trumped the mothers grieving for their fallen sons. Since it is not likely that many of these high-roller golfers have children that served in Iraq the president will not be facing grieving parents. When George W. yells “fore” will he really mean “for” or “four” or “fjord”? Sometimes it is just so difficult to know what the president means. I imagine that he has the same problem.

* A note to anyone considering voting for an incumbent Republican or the continuation of the Bush presidency through John McCain ~ another excerpt from Obama’s speech this week – “Imagine, for a moment, what we could have done in those days, and months, and years after 9/11. ... We could have invested hundreds of billions of dollars in alternative sources of energy to grow our economy, save our planet, and end the tyranny of oil. ... Instead, we have lost thousands of American lives, spent nearly a trillion dollars, alienated allies and neglected emerging threats – all in the cause of fighting a war for well over five years in a country that had absolutely nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks.” Recall that during the early years of the Iraq war a Republican controlled congress enabled Bush to proceed unimpeded and blocked any attempts to question or investigate war policy or torture policy or domestic policy. They quickly spent the surplus left by Clinton and created a deficit that will burden subsequent generations. Recall the policies that ignored global warming, destroyed the value of the dollar, did nothing to prevent the mortgage crisis, enhanced the growth of terrorism, and did nothing about healthcare costs. As much as McCain wants to separate himself from Bush a look at McCain’s voting record is telling. In 2007 he voted with Bush 95% of the time and in 2008 100% of the time. The only ones closer to Bush than McCain are Laura and Barney.

* LOOK OUT, they are everywhere ~ seeing the trees through the forest – The U.S. Terrorist Watch List has now reached 1,000,000 names. Unwieldy, undocumented and impossible to implement would describe the Bush administration’s approach to ensuring that terrorists do not enter the country while listing untold numbers of innocent individuals as threats. Barry Steinhardt, director of the ACLU's Technology and Liberty Program said, "Putting a million names on a watch list is a guarantee that the list will do more harm than good by interfering with the travel of innocent people and wasting huge amounts of our limited security resources on bureaucratic wheel-spinning." The ACLU provides a Watch List counter and stories of innocents who have been burdened by being on the list such as Noble Peace prize winner Nelson Mandela, President of Bolivia Evo Morales, U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy, U.S. Representative John Lewis, the wife of Senator Ted Stevens and six-year old John William Anderson. Extensive research allowed me to identify the management principle being used by Homeland Security: throw enough crap against the wall and some of it will stick.

* Quote of the Week ~ the nadir of tongue-tied erudition – South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford is considered a strong candidate to be John McCain’s vice president. Appearing on CNN, Wolf Blitzer asked Sanford, "Are there any significant economic differences between what the Bush administration has put forward, over these many years, as opposed to, now, what John McCain supports?" Sanford’s response: "Yes. I mean, for instance, take, you know -- take, for instance, the issue of -- I'm drawing a blank, and I hate it when I do that, particularly on television." I guess that Gov. Sanford realizes that McCain’s economic plan matches and is as flawed as Bush’s. The Center for American Progress looks at McCain’s economic plan and finds little to admire. More tax cuts for the wealthy and the private sector unimpeded. Does this remind you of the policies that resulted in our current economic crisis?

* IIW ~ Ignoble Ignoramus of the Week – I am on record as being quite critical of President Bush’s Attorney Generals. The more we learn about them the less there is to like. This week John Ashcroft appeared before the House Judiciary Committee on Interrogation to testify about interrogation methods used at Guantanamo. In his opening statement, Ashcroft admitted that he had "limited recollection" of the events pertinent to the committee's inquiry. Specifically, "it's been difficult . . . to distinguish between what I in fact recall as a matter of my own experience, and what I remember from the accounts of others." Perhaps it behooves future presidents to appoint an Attorney General that has more intelligence than a bowl of guacamole and more integrity than a hacked chicken and bean burrito.

* “Integrity is not a conditional word. It doesn't blow in the wind or change with the weather. It is your inner image of yourself, and if you look in there and see a man who won't cheat, then you know he never will.”
John D. MacDonald (1916 – 1986) an American writer of crime and suspense novels

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 16:28:00 +0000

* Dear Senator Barack Obama - Your vote for the FISA bill was a major disappointment to many of us who support your candidacy. At the same time I cannot anticipate anything that you could do to lose my vote, given the alternative. I accept the fact that “politician” defines your career path and it requires tactics and decisions that cannot always satisfy your core constituency. However, I believe you possess the integrity and a sense of the law that mandates accountability for all branches of government. I would hope that as president you will sanction the investigation of the many areas where the Bush administration is suspected of having broken the law. At a minimum, the exposure of wrong-doing would provide some level of accountability for the Bush administration that was non-existent during its tenure. If trust in our government and leaders is not restored the future will be even bleaker than the current state of affairs. You sir, are the best hope that our country has at this time. I wish you well in your candidacy and trust that you have the ability and courage to fulfill the expectations that so many millions hold for you and our country.

* It may be a headache but, its all in your head – Phil Graham is McCain’s top economic advisor. The former senator and then lobbyist for national and international banking interests earned millions of dollars pushing for laws and policies that substantially contributed to the current mortgage crisis. Given his substantial wealth it is no wonder that this week he said that we are a nation of whiners. Graham claims that the economic recession that millions of Americans are experiencing is in fact a mental recession. The 10 percent of haves in this country would probably agree with this lobbyist leech. The vast majority of Americans would conclude that Mr. Graham’s head is up his assets.

* The Manchurian Candidates were elected – Vice President Dick Cheney not only ignores the safety and welfare of Americans but actually goes out of his way to ensure that we are at risk. The justification for this seemingly implausible statement about a national leader was the revelation this week that Cheney’s office deliberately deleted congressional testimony of a senior government official about the consequences of climate change on public health. A former senior EPA official, Jason K. Burnett, said “the White House was concerned that the proposed testimony last October by the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention might make it tougher to avoid regulating greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere.” Protecting the interests of Big Oil was more important to the VP than the health and safety of fellow citizens. When the history of the first decade of the 21st century is written I believe that the damage to America caused by Dick Cheney and George Bush will have far exceeded the damage perpetrated by Osama bin Laden. Also to be ignobly immortalized will be a Congress that was gutless and impotent opposing the Bush/Cheney juggernaut and too often sucked at the teat of special interests.

* Foot dragging, incompetence, malfeasance? ~ meet the U.S Justice Department – “More than 900 cases alleging that government contractors and drug makers have defrauded taxpayers out of billions of dollars are languishing in a backlog that has built up over the past decade because the Justice Department cannot keep pace with the surge in charges brought by whistle-blowers, according to lawyers involved in the disputes.” Under the Bush administration we have experienced the Justice Department acting as a political arm of the executive branch of government. As the government cries poor mouth, lacking funds for education, reducing Medicare payments to doctors and a litany of other under-funded programs it allows available resources to be stolen by scumbags with portfolio. I did not share the mild optimism that Michael Mukasey would be an improvement over Alberto Gonzales since any Bush appointee must possess an inherent Stepford quality. Both Attorney Generals have proven to be advocates for a corrupt and incompetent administration, failing to investigate wrongs and blocking the attempts of Congress to perform its fiduciary responsibilities. The nobility of blind justice has tragically descended to merely blind.

* Fighting hunger with gourmet meals and droppings from the southern end of a bull – The G8 is an organization of leading countries that meet to address an array of world problems. Their recent meeting in Japan focused on solving the global food crisis. “Delicious” would best describe the gathering. The six-course lunch was followed by an 18-course dinner that included white asparagus and truffle soup, almond oil foam and tapenade, smoked salmon and sea urchin with hot onion tart, grilled bighead thorryhead fish with pepper sauce, G8 Fantasy dessert and Le Reve Grand Cru Brut/La Seule Gloire Champagne. Fighting hunger is a challenge. On the other hand, “pathetic” would describe the G8’s commitment to reducing world hunger. “In 2005, at the G8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, world leaders promised to increase global aid by £25billion a year by 2010 and raise aid to Africa, the world's poorest continent, by £12.5billion. But the bloc of rich nations is only 14 per cent of the way towards hitting its target (60 percent into the commitment).” “Fantasy” not only describes the G8 dessert.

* If not them, whom? – The Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is part of the U.S. intelligence community, has the lead responsibility for domestic surveillance of foreign intelligence and suspected terrorist targets. Important and vital would best describe this critical role in keeping us safe. However, a new report by the Senate Appropriations Committee has determined that the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C is somewhat lacking. “The Hoover Building does not meet the Interagency Security Committee’s criteria for a secure Federal facility capable of handling intelligence and other sensitive information.” The most surprising part of this revelation is that it was revealed. We have become accustomed to inadequacies, incompetence and illegalities in the federal government being hidden from public view by classifying the information as national security, state secrets, executive privilege and none of your bees wax. In too many cases “embarrassment” is the real motivation for hiding the truth but the shear volume of screw-ups does result in a few leakers.

* Movie nostalgia ~ not the film, the venue of drive-in theaters – Younger readers may have heard of but never experienced a drive-in movie theater. My online friend Sue Katz has an interesting blog entry at Consenting Adult that looks at the 75th anniversary of drive-in theaters. It sure brought back some memories! Also of interest in the article is a video that is a montage of intermission films that were shown at drive-ins that as Sue says, “are a window on the social messages being pushed during the 50s and 60s: from cold war patriotism to urgings that you go to church and the PTA to proper drive-in etiquette.” Other messages encouraged registering to vote and supporting the Boy Scouts. It led me to ponder where one finds the message today for responsible participation in society? Almost every waking moment is accompanied by some form of electronic communication. To what end and to what value?

* “To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.”
Theodore Roosevelt (1858 – 1919) 26th president of the U.S.

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:01:00 +0000

It is becoming more and more difficult to resist the groundswell urging me to run for elective office. Billboards and bumper stickers are literally flooding the landscape. News3Online has the video and details. What began as a modest blog one year ago, Stephen Views the News has stirred the interest and patriotism of citizens across a broad spectrum of political philosophies and demographics. While assembling a group of seasoned advisors I have begun working on a platform that includes:

~ At press conferences, town hall meetings and debates candidates must be connected to a lie detector with the results instantly shown on a 77 inch plasma screen.
~ People of Greek descent can not own Jewish delicatessens. Corned beef and feta on pita does not work!
~ Paid medical insurance for congressmen will be discontinued and they will be required to enroll in a pay-as-you-go HMO.
~ If a congressman votes for the country to go to war they, their children and their grandchildren immediately become eligible for a military draft.
~ For every adult vibrating instrument banned in Alabama a gun will have to be relinquished.
~ Executives of companies that import toys from China are required to have their children play with the toys before they can be released to the public.
~ On the night of elections no results can be released and Wolf Blitzer will be muzzled until every voting location is closed.
~ Members of the National Guard are not permitted to be deployed outside of the United States.
~ No member of the Bush family will be permitted to run for office within the United States.
~ People with safety pins, rings and bars penetrating facial parts are not permitted to work in food stores or restaurants.
~ Cell phones will automatically shut off when entering an automobile, a restaurant or a restroom.
~ For every weapon that a gun manufacturer produces, a bullet proof vest must be donated to a police department.
~ For every Big Mac sold, Ronald McDonald must make a donation to The American Diabetes Association.
~ No member of congress will be allowed to sponsor or vote for a same-sex marriage ban that has engaged the services of a prostitute or solicited sexual favors in an airport restroom.
~ The Environmental Protection Agency will amend its mandate to actually protect the environment and the public.
~ Before a School Board member is allowed to vote on the inclusion of Intelligent Design in the curriculum they must first enroll in No Child Left Behind.
~ FOX News – reference 77 inch plasma screen.
~ To ensure diversity one can only cast a ballot for a candidate of a different race, gender or sexual orientation.
~ Terms for Representatives will be extended from two to three years and terms for Senators reduced from six to four years.
~ The waiting period for former elected officials to register as lobbyists is extended from 2 to 38.5 years.
~ Before a congressman can pontificate about expelling the 12 to 20 million undocumented residents in the U.S. they are required to present a practical plan to implement the expulsion.
~ Before one can watch fireworks on July 4th it is required to know the significance of the holiday being celebrated. This requirement has special application for the President and Vice President of the United States.

We are a most fortunate people to have inherited the legacy of freedom and opportunity that began on this date 232 years ago. In appreciation I wish you a happy Day of Independence.

“If nominated, I will not accept; if elected, I will not serve.”
William Tecumseh Sherman (1820 – 1891)

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 15:58:00 +0000

* The passing of comedian George Carlin this week generated citations of his humor and philosophy. The following appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer:
While critical of society, Carlin was no political activist. His view of the human condition was bleak.
"I really don't have a stake in any of this," he said. "I'm not a cheerleader for a certain outcome. Most liberals who despair of the current state of things, most of them think there's a solution and so they're naturally disappointed. It's built into their thinking system. I know there's no solution, so I just enjoy what's here and I enjoy the journey."
Conditions in this world and this country are in some ways bleak. I am certainly guilty of harboring disappointment. Where Mr. Carlin and I diverge is his assessment that there is no solution. It ignores the very essence of what has made America one of the greatest countries in world history. Addressing the challenges of large-scale community and overcoming man’s foibles and weaknesses are the very heart of this nation. America has stumbled and at times failed but finding solutions to the challenge of people living together defines America.

* For lunch I will have a B & L sandwich – Our government can listen to almost any phone call or track an email through eleven servers over 3 continents. At the same time it cannot identify the source of killer tomatoes grown somewhere in the United States. If only tomatoes could be designated terrorist fruit.

* Funding Iraqi TV ~ the hell with Public Broadcasting – The Bush administration has slashed the proposed public broadcasting budget by 56 percent -- putting at risk vital news, educational and cultural programming that millions of Americans say they prefer to commercial media. The website Free Press has details and a petition to Congress urging that these funding cuts not be approved. It is interesting that “since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the U.S. government has spent nearly $500 million on an Arabic language television and radio station.” The network is known as al Hurra and its initial mission was to counter the influence of the Qatar-based al-Jazeera news network in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East. How has this venture worked out? Based on a joint investigation by 60 Minutes and ProPublica it resembles so many other Bush administration efforts. The president of the network Brian Conniff “does not speak Arabic and is unable to understand anything broadcast on the radio and television networks he is paid to manage. Conniff has no journalism experience and worked previously as a government auditor. The news director has no television experience. Much of the staff lacks Arabic language skills and a background in broadcast journalism. There has been little financial accountability. There's also evidence that the station was exacerbating the sectarian tensions in Iraq…” TPM Muckraker has more details. My concern for public broadcasting led me to wonder if some of its funding could be found in Pakistan. The Bush administration has paid Pakistan more than $2 billion without adequate proof that the Pakistani government used the funds for their intended purpose of supporting U.S. counterterrorism efforts. Maybe there is some loose change lying around.

* Symbolism as art form– A San Francisco group is attempting to place an initiative on the November ballot. It proposes re-naming a water-treatment plant the George W. Bush Sewage Plant. “The renaming would take effect on Jan. 20, when the new president is sworn in. And regardless of the measure’s outcome, supporters plan to commemorate the inaugural with a synchronized flush of hundreds of thousands of San Francisco toilets, an action that would send a flood of water toward the plant, now called the Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant.”

*The Alternative Universe:

~ Watching the pennies - The Defense Contract Audit Agency found $4.9 billion "in overpricing and waste" in Iraq contracts since 2003, a figure that doesn't include an additional $5.1 billion in "expenses charged without documentation." Although oversight is years late, the Army moved to add 5 active-duty Generals to oversee purchasing and monitor contractor performance. The White House has killed the move citing the proposed additional cost of $1.2 million as its reasoning – for a program that cannot account for $10,000,000,000 (billion). Is it possible the White House did not want to expose its corruption and incompetence? While this $1.2 million expenditure is considered extravagant the Bush budget for the Abstinence Only program to encourage teens to avoid sex is $50 million. The program is such a failure that only half of the states are accepting the funding. Perhaps some of these unused funds can be re-budgeted to find the missing $10 billion or finance public broadcasting.

~ Pride: the happy satisfied feeling somebody experiences when having or achieving something special - John McCain opposed increased benefits for veterans in the Webb GI bill saying they were too generous. When the Senate passed the legislation this week he was not present for the vote. At a town hall meeting in Ohio on Friday McCain took credit for the bill. It was an apparent proud moment for the “straight talking” candidate as seen in this YouTube video.

~ A sour note to “Let Freedom Ring” - A new WorldPublicOpinion.org poll of citizens’ attitudes about torture in 19 nations finds Americans among the most accepting of the practice. “Although a slight majority say torture should be universally prohibited, 44 percent think torture of terrorist suspects should be allowed, and more than one in 10 think torture should generally be allowed. In the United States of America, FORMERLY a world leader for morality and human rights, we find so many of our citizens believe the concept of rights, due process and rule of law to be blah, blah, blah and the torturing of SUSPECTS acceptable. Thank God we are still One Nation under God.

~ Loving to be hateful - On Monday FOX News personality Laura Ingraham declared that Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama has been endorsed by North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. It is still early in the presidential campaign. By September FOX will be claiming that Osama bin Laden, Che Guevara and Fidel Castro have endorsed Obama and that Genghis Khan is slated to be Obama’s Secretary of Defense.

* McCain campaign advisor Charlie Black said that a terrorist attack on the U.S. prior to the presidential election would help McCain get elected. The comment stirred quite a controversy but little comment about the logic – assuming that logic applies to elections in this country. A terrorist attack prior to the election would occur during Bush’s tenure. Since McCain has tied his presidential bid umbilical cord to the Bush mother ship might not the opposite of Black’s assertion occur? Political fodder aside, what is most important to each of us is the candidates’ policy positions. A visit to McCain’s and Obama’s websites is illustrative of their approaches. Both advocate a strong and modernized military. McCain mirrors the Bush mantra of fighting Islamist extremists but omits specifics as to how he would actually protect America from terrorists. At the Obama site, under the heading “Protecting the Homeland,” he discusses the following areas that Bush and McCain have to a large and serious degree ignored:
Protecting Our Chemical Plants
Keeping Track of Spent Nuclear Fuel
Evacuating Special Needs Population in Emergencies
Reuniting Families After Emergencies
Keeping Our Drinking Water Safe
Protecting the Public from Radioactive Releases
Perhaps 2008 will be a time when “logic” re-enters the national discourse. Call me an optimist.

* ~ In America, anyone can become president. That’s the problem.
~ Bipartisan usually means that a larger-than-usual deception is being carried out.
~ Conservatives say if you don't give the rich more money, they will lose their incentive to invest. As for the poor, they tell us they've lost all incentive because we've given them too much money.
~Once you leave the womb, conservatives don't care about you until you reach military age.
George Carlin (1937 – 2008)

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 13:24:00 +0000

* Patriotism or Avarice? – President Bush and Republicans are pushing Congress very hard to give immunity to telecommunication companies that broke the law cooperating with the government's illegal warrantless surveillance program. As of Friday the House has capitulated to the White House demand for telecom immunity and the Senate will debate the bill next week. We are told that companies such as Verizon and AT&T were being patriotic. Perhaps they were. Perhaps they were not. According to Washington Technology magazine, Verizon received $1.3 billion, Sprint $839 million and AT&T $505 million in federal prime contract revenue for fiscal 2007, for a total of $2.6 billion. While the companies have been government contractors for a long time, it still represents a significant increase in revenue. Glenn Greenwald has an excellent blog on the amounts being spent through lobbyists by this group in 2008 and the sleazy influence they have on Congress. One company that did not participate in illegal spying was Qwest and they subsequently lost hundreds of millions of dollars in contract opportunities. Qwest did not participate because they thought the program illegal. In a court opinion from 2006 U.S. District Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker commented, "AT&T cannot seriously contend that a reasonable entity in its position could have believed that the alleged domestic dragnet was legal." I will reserve judgment whether the telecoms were being patriotic. I do not doubt that the Bush administration waved a very lucrative financial stick with threat of strong reprisal when enlisting the telecoms to participate in an illegal venture.

* Unlawful acts engender their own momentum – Physicians for Human Rights has just released their report
Broken Laws, Broken Lives: Medical Evidence of Torture by the US. It details torture suffered by 11 prisoners from Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib. As noted by the Washington Post, “One of the interviewed detainees, Ali al-Qaisi, detailed horrors of defecation, sodomy, excruciating pain and humiliation… The assessments of 11 men formerly held in U.S. detention camps overseas revealed scars and other injuries consistent with their accounts of beatings, electric shocks, and shackling.” ALL 11 MEN WERE EVENTUALLY RELEASED FROM CUSTODY WITHOUT BEING CHARGED WITH CRIMES. The Supreme Court ruling last week concluded that habeas corpus applies to prisoners being held by the U.S. military and that just cause must be demonstrated to justify incarceration. The Courier-Journal of Louisville, Kentucky commented in an editorial favoring the Court decision: “Critics should shelve their usual braying about ‘permissive liberal judges.’ Does American conservatism truly now embrace a doctrine of authoritarian executive power?... Due process, fair trials and timely resolutions are American strengths, not weaknesses. The Court has wisely cleared the way for them to work.” Once laws are ignored doors open to further abuses and this truth has been demonstrated repeatedly over the past 7 years. No oversight of imprisonment, the use of torture and illegal spying on Americans are examples of this administration’s acts that stain our country and our society. The America of George Bush and Dick Cheney is not the America that most of us envision. It is beyond time for Americans and Congress to comprehend and then reject the thorny road carved out by this President and Vice President. To do less multiplies their sins of commission and our sins of omission.

* Exercising exorcism ~ exorcising science – One of the leading candidates to be John McCain’s vice-presidential nominee is Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. Mr. Jindal would bring a unique perspective to the McCain ticket. It is difficult to recall a VP candidate who claims to have rid a friend of cancer through an exorcism. In 1994, the now 37 year- old Republican, describes just such an event in an essay he submitted to the publication New Oxford Review. The article, ”Beating a Demon – Physical Dimensions of Spiritual Warfare,” he describes using a bible, a crucifix and chanting Hail Mary to rid his friend of the illness. Furthering his maverick status the exorcism procedure Jindal used is apparently outside of Church law and protocol. Taking one nano step closer to “mainstream” ideas Jindal is a big proponent of Intelligent Design – the religious right alternative to scientifically based evolution. Appearing this past Sunday on Face the Nation Jindal “defended intelligent design as a legitimate scientific discipline that has a place in the nation’s classrooms… Jindal said that local school districts should decide for themselves what theories to teach and that federal and state governments should stay out of the equation.” This statement may have gravitas for strict adherents of states rights but not to anyone with a sense of the validity of science. The President of the National Academy of Sciences, Bruce Alberts, said in a NY Times op-ed, “Because ‘intelligent design’ theories are based on supernatural explanations, they can have nothing to do with science.” I think that Gov. Jindal is a good fit for a McCain campaign unburdened with truth and fact and policy positions as flexible as the predictions of a storefront psychic.

* Preparing for disaster ~ before it happens – The current Iowa flood disaster has regenerated interest in a plan that had stalled in the Pennsylvania legislature. The bill would create the state’s first dedicated fund for flood prevention and storm cleanup. The proposed funding appears to be simple and painless for residents. “The proposed PA Flood Grant and Assistance Program would require all property owners to pay a surcharge of 20 cents on every $100 of insurance premium payment.” For the average residential policy the cost would amount to $1 a year and generate $9.5 million annually. There is no cost to the state or insurance companies and the money spent to prevent floods could potentially save both parties untold millions and higher insurance rates for homeowners in the event of a disaster. Perhaps this plan requires a larger scale or a different approach but at a minimum it is creative and proactive toward preventing and addressing catastrophic events. It is well-documented that over-development, a deteriorating infrastructure and changing climate are placing many communities across America at risk. Attention to these issues now will save lives and treasure.

* A view from abroad ~ President Bush concludes his final European jaunt – A leading British newspaper, The Independent, ran an opinion piece titled, “The Tragic Legacy of a Disastrous President.” The entire article is worth a read because it provides a perspective of America from one of our closest, long-term allies. One excerpt is most telling: "Perhaps Mr. Bush's most significant legacy, as far as Britain is concerned, will be the destruction of the instinctive trust of America and its leaders that once prevailed here. It is no exaggeration to say that Mr. Bush has done more damage to relations between our two nations than any president in living memory. This rupture is not an accident of circumstance; there are no impersonal forces of history to blame. This sorry state of affairs is the consequence of the actions of a single leader and his small coterie of advisers. ... And whatever the future holds for transatlantic relations, there will be very few in this country who watched President Bush's plane depart yesterday without a feeling of profound relief that the end of this disastrous presidency is finally in sight." An overwhelming majority of Americans will share this feeling on January 20, 2008.

* The worse laid plans… – When President Bush initiated his “exporting democracy” policy several years ago few imagined it would result in millions of people being “freed” - from their homes and a life of normalcy. The UN Refugee Agency is reporting that currently 3.1 million refugees are Afghans and 2.3 million are Iraqis. Let freedom ring!

* Gay rights ~ wedding bell blues – I applauded the California Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. Many gay couples have begun taking advantage of the right to have their relationship receive legal status through civil ceremonies and in some cases ceremonies conducted in a house of worship. However, the extension of rights to one group should not result in the diminishment of the rights of others. There are some religious denominations and particular houses of worship that refuse to conduct marriages for couples of the same sex. This refusal is resulting in lawsuits that strike a faulty note. Gaining the right to same-sex marriage does not void another’s right to their belief system. That should not have to be adjudicated.

* Disingenuous dissertation ~ de rigueur – Republicans, instead of directing their attention to a responsible energy plan, want to drill for oil off our coasts and in wildlife preserves in Alaska. Once again lies and fear justify their agenda. “In a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, VP Dick Cheney said…that waters in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, long off limits to oil companies, should be opened to drilling because China is already there pumping oil (off the Cuban coast).” Red China, Communist Cuba and the boogeyman would surely be an influential cocktail to win the day! When it was documented that none of these assertions are true the Vice President’s office “acknowledged that he was mistaken”. Well, okay – some things have changed. Following Cheney’s initial lies about China drilling off Cuba the U.S. did not bomb the island.
~ The benefits of off-shore oil to consumers are meager. A Philadelphia Inquirer editorial noted that off-shore oil exploration and construction will take three to 10 years at best, and an additional 10 years for full ramp-up, leading to a savings per gallon of . . . pennies.” Who does benefit from this approach? Can you say, “Big Oil?”

* Energy policy ~ who speaks for the people? – This week the Senate began debate on the Climate Security Act sponsored by Senators Boxer, Lieberman and Warner. The bill is opposed by energy special interests as well as John McCain. McCain says that he opposes it because it does not provide sufficient funding for nuclear power plants. That may be the case but perhaps there are other influences at work. Since 1990 McCain has received just over $2 million dollars in campaign contributions from oil, coal, electric utility, auto, chemical and nuclear industries ($1 million of it from gas and oil). The only Senator to have received more money from this group is Texas Senator (R) Kay Bailey Hutchinson at $2.8 million. Adding to the influence of special interests is the fact that “John McCain has at least 22 people working for his campaign, either as top fundraisers or as senior campaign staff that have lobbied for Big Oil.” There are many environmental groups that oppose this bill believing it to be weak and shortsighted – opposition based on merit and concern for the environment. Friends of the Earth provides a critical analysis of this bill. I do not believe that Mr. McCain is a member of this group.

* Government concern for consumers – For quite a long time this concept has been an oxymoron, especially with respect to a poorly regulated financial industry bolstered by laws and regulations clearly anti-consumer. The Federal Reserve Board and two other federal banking agencies are proposing a rule to reform some of the most unfair credit card tricks that include applying higher interest rates to an old balance and sending bills so close to the due date that many will wind up paying late charges. Not surprisingly, the banking industry and their lobbyists are opposing reform. The organization Americans for Fairness in Lending is providing a petition to the Federal Reserve Board supporting credit card reform.

* Speaking of oxymorons and empty rhetoric:
“At this moment, America's highest economic need is higher ethical standards -- standards enforced by strict laws and upheld by responsible business leaders.”
George W. Bush, current President of the USA, corporate responsibility speech - July 9, 2002

* "The only title in our democracy superior to that of President is the title of citizen."
Justice Louis Brandeis (1856 – 1941)

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 15:44:00 +0000

* My rock garden – Several years ago I placed a number of rocks by a flower garden. The landscaping still looks beautiful but I have no expectation that the rocks have any more intelligence now then when first placed on my property. My rock garden is analogous to the Bush administration. They arrived in Iraq several years ago and, like a rock, they are no more intelligent now then when they instituted this immoral war. If anything, they have regressed while justifying and juxtaposing their original sin. McClatchy Newspapers is reporting that “the United States is demanding 58 bases (28 more bases than currently in place) as part of a proposed "status of forces" agreement that will allow U.S. troops to remain in the country indefinitely (hello, John McCain)… Leading members of the two ruling Shiite parties said in a series of interviews the Iraqi government rejected this proposal along with another U.S. demand that would have effectively handed over to the United States the power to determine if a hostile act from another country is aggression against Iraq. Lawmakers said they fear this power would drag Iraq into a war between the United States and Iran (a concern of international magnitude).” Many Iraqis see this proposal as “more abominable than the occupation.” The Bush administration is in place for about 7 more months. It is imperative that what have been a demonstrably weak congress and a compliant military somehow find the courage and ability to keep Bush and Cheney in check. The alternative is further devastation of our military and treasure and a worsening of our ability to address the Iraq quagmire once the rocks drop out of office.

* George Bush in free-fall – not the reality, the game – A reader forwarded an online game that has our 43rd President free-falling through the sky. With your cursor you can stop him from falling and flipping. My cursor chose the passive approach.

* Freedoms in free-fall ~ not the game, possibly the reality – Most of us treat it lightly that the U.S. government’s spying on its own citizens is increasing but at a rate unknown under the blanket of “national security.” The Soviet Union once called it state secrets. A reader brought to my attention an ACLU dramatization of what you may experience by 2010 when ordering a pizza. I smiled during the one minute video presentation. Upon reflection, my smile faded.

* Economics and individual rights ~ boosting the economy and helping America be America – When the recent court ruling in California announced the state would recognize same-sex marriages cash registers started ringing. “…wedding businesses started getting calls from thousands of gays and lesbians planning their nuptials. Many businesses have begun wooing the couples — Macy's, for example, recently took out a huge ad in several newspapers celebrating the ruling and promoting its wedding registry.” According to a UCLA study, “Same-sex weddings could swell the wedding industry's coffers by $684 million (over the next 3 years).” It is a win-win situation for everyone except the arrogant religious-right pretending they have the “God-given” right to tell people how to conduct their lives.

* Concentrated wealth and power control America ~ forces that have seriously wounded our country – In the late 19th and early 20th century congress enacted laws such as the Robinson-Patman Act and the Sherman Anti-Trust Act to control the power of corporations. Eventually, the essence of these laws waned, controls on financial institutions were negated and we saw the rise of private equity firms that face few controls and pay a tax rate of 15% (higher than the rate paid by file clerks working for these companies). “The equity firms such as Carlyle Group and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts take over companies with little of their own money, lay off workers and reap the profits when they resell.” Their involvement in the economy benefits few. Their economic power, as expressed through lobbyists to influence congress, makes for a bad situation for the American worker and consumer and the American economy. Their influence over Republicans and Democrats in congress is egregious. In October of 2007 the Senate decided “its schedule was too busy” to try to close the tax loophole that allows these investment firms to be taxed at a 15% rate. One of the reasons that this is a problem is the old adage that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. It was never more appropriate than it is today. “The richest 1 percent of Americans currently hold wealth worth nearly $16.8 trillion, $2 trillion more than the bottom 90 percent.”

There was a ray of light when congress ignored its responsibility to address this serious situation in the person of Barack Obama when he said, "If there was ever a doubt that Washington lobbyists don't actually represent real Americans, it's the fact that they stopped leaders of both parties from requiring elite investment firms to pay their fair share of taxes, even as middle-class families struggle to pay theirs. When I'm President, the American people won't have to spend record amounts on lobbying to get their voice heard in Washington. I will close tax loopholes for big corporations...."

The past decade reaffirmed historical evidence that greed on steroids does not allow for equity or fairness in the marketplace. Taxation is only one aspect. Fair paying jobs, workers rights, work place safety, product safety, competition and consumer rights have all suffered as business interests have come to dominate the national and international landscape. Only a strong president and legislature can effectively change the playing field as it now exists. It is imperative that Americans realize this reality and change the makeup of the White House and the Congress through their votes. To do less is self-destructive and imperils the requisite framework for a viable democratic structure. In the not too distant future we will learn if the American people choose to be governed within a democracy or ruled by an oligarchy. There is no gray area. Obama and John McCain offer us the stark choices that will define this country going forward.

* Our tax dollars at work ~ well, actually on sabbatical – When you think that the Bush administration could not have screwed up the aid to Katrina victims any more than has been reported, they continue to exceed our expectations. It seems that $85 million in household supplies intended for the New Orleans flood victims living in government supplied trailers actually wound up sitting in warehouses for two years. When the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) realized that the cost of storing these goods was $1 million per year they gave the goods away to federal and state agencies. The intended recipients of these basic necessity products were the ones living in FEMA-provided trailers, also known as toxic tin cans because they contained dangerously high concentration levels of formaldehyde. Dealing with a large-scale disaster is a challenge for the best among us. When those assigned to address the aftermath of such disasters are themselves challenged in competence and integrity, victims are further victimized and as a society we fail our neighbors. As our thoughts and best wishes go out to the many residents of the mid-West seeking shelter and safety from record flooding, we hope for a better response to their needs than were afforded our Gulf Coast neighbors.

* A nation of laws – On Friday bold type headlines told us that the Bush Administration lost another Supreme Court decision with respect to its handling of detainees at Guantanamo. The Court ruled unconstitutional a provision of the Military Commission Act of 2006 that at the administration’s urging, stripped the federal courts of jurisdiction to hear habeas corpus petitions from detainees seeking to challenge their designation as enemy combatants. There is no doubt that some of those held are terrorists, but we have also seen evidence that many who are or have been imprisoned were held without evidence of wrongdoing. That is contrary to a nation of laws and the reason why all elements of the system must function transparently and with oversight. Following 9/11 the Bush administration, through a psychotic overreach for power and a psychological weakness of fear, rushed to undermine the legal structure of the country and the laws it swore to protect. Their misconduct and malfeasance will continue to be exposed and reversed.

The other very interesting aspect of this 5 to 4 court decision is which Justices opposed the majority ruling. Roberts, Alito, Scalia and Thomas have demonstrated that their judicial philosophy is more attuned to a legal system and society that would allow a George Bush to function unfettered, a business community to dominate the economic rights of the country and a far, far right view of the social and civil rights of the citizenry. It is these jurists that John McCain cites as examples of the type of judges he would appoint to the Supreme Court. One more appointment of such judges gives them a majority on the Supreme Court. The November presidential election has much more in the balance than the next four-year presidency. Appointments to this highest court are for a lifetime.

* “The laws and Constitution are designed to survive, and remain in force, in extraordinary times.”
Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, writing for the majority, as to why Guantanamo detainees are subject to the rights of habeas corpus.

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 14:45:00 +0000

* Historic moments – In the course of a lifetime events of truly historical significance are rare. So far in 2008 we have been fortunate to witness two very special developments. On Tuesday night those of us watching Barack Obama’s speech in Minnesota experienced with him the crossing of a threshold in American politics and history. An African American is the nominee for President of the United States of America. The divisiveness of race has been lessened and I have a sense of pride for America. Equally important to the moral growth of our nation is the achievement of Hillary Clinton. Senator Clinton has demonstrated that gender is no longer a barrier to attracting the support of millions of Americans for the highest office of leadership in the free world. Future generations will note this just-concluded Democratic presidential contest as not only groundbreaking but also evidence of a nation growing up.

* The “average” guy does not qualify for President of the U.S. - New York Times columnist and often times Bush apologist David Brooks is one of the last people I would seek out for a good laugh. But there he was on MSNBC pontificating on Tuesday as Barack Obama edged closer to the Democratic nomination for president of the U.S. Brooks said, “Obama‘s problem is he doesn‘t seem like a guy who can go into an Applebee‘s salad bar and people think he fits in naturally there. He has to change to be more like that Applebee‘s guy and as he‘s done that he‘s become much more transactional.” The last time I was in an Applebee’s I did not bump into someone that I wanted as my president. I want someone who is exceptionally bright, visionary, tough and dedicated to working 18 to 20 hours a day to lead and transform my country. I have enough friends to share a six pack, argue over a football game or compare our prescription drug plans. George Bush was seen as the type of guy with whom people wanted to share a barbecue. The result was that we got cooked with the pulled pork.

* A changing electorate – The Philadelphia Inquirer asked readers to comment on the following question: With the Democratic primaries over, what, in your view, led to Hillary Clinton's position at the finish? The following is the letter I submitted: Under normal circumstances, especially when our troops are in harm’s way, voters look to experience. The circumstances in America are far from normal and the human, moral, and economic drain resulting from the Iraq war emphasizes to Americans that experience has it limitations - especially when that experience is misused to enhance power to the detriment of the public good. The experienced ones, in all branches of government, have failed this country. Barack Obama is perceived as a break from the “experience” that Sen. Clinton symbolizes and he offers a fresh approach to a troubled country. The “tried and true” is no longer comfortable to America’s youth and many of us older heads.

* Excerpt from an interview on NPR: “In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, I watched helplessly as the Bush administration led America into a strategic blunder of historic proportions. It became painfully obvious that the executive branch of our government did not trust its military. It relied instead on a neoconservative ideology developed by men and women with little, if any, military experience. Some senior military leaders did not challenge civilian decision makers at the appropriate times, and the courageous few who did take a stand were subsequently forced out of the service.” The speaker is Retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, who commanded ground troops in Iraq from 2003 to 2004. He just authored “Wiser in Battle: A Soldier's Story” and he joins the book of the week parade that I expect will continue for quite some time, demonstrating that King George is naked - intellectually and morally.

* The Pharmacy that America Trusts – This catchy slogan of Walgreens deserves greater scrutiny. On Wednesday the Justice Department announced an agreement for the drug store chain to pay $35 million to settle claims it improperly switched patients to more expensive versions of three drugs. The company denied any wrongdoing in connection with the settlement. One would have to be popping Percocet to believe that Walgreens paid $35 million if they did no wrong? Why is the Justice Department not prosecuting executives of the company who made the decision to screw consumers? Corporate fines are of little consequence to those entrepreneurs who choose to be leeches. Personal jail time would have a broad impact. Perhaps the next President will install a real Attorney General to head the Justice Department instead of the Punch and Judy puppets we know as Alberto Gonzales and Michael Mukasey.

* Speaking of Rule of Law – Our current President is known for executive orders, secret executive orders and orders that even he is not allowed to know he issued. He set the presidential record for the number of times he signed a law and then added a signing statement interpreting the law in such a way that it often had little connection to the intent. At a recent fund-raiser in Denver Barack Obama said, if elected president, one of the first things he wants to do is ensure the constitutionality of all the laws and executive orders passed by George W. Bush. “I would call my attorney general in and review every single executive order issued by George Bush and overturn those laws or executive decisions that I feel violate the constitution.” It is noteworthy that Obama has a background teaching constitutional law. My biggest concern is that this chore alone could consume his first two years in the White House. There is much to be undone.

* The busiest department in the federal government is… - The website TPM Muckraker does a terrific job keeping readers informed of what is wrong in government. On Friday they reviewed current investigations by the Office of Professional Responsibility, the watchdog arm of the Department of Justice. Current investigations include: allegations of selective prosecution relating to the prosecutions of Don Siegelman ; John Yoo's torture memos; Monica Goodling's possible firing of an attorney because she'd heard a rumor that he might be gay; officials who gave legal approval to waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques; the role of Department of Justice attorneys in the authorization and oversight of the warrantless electronic surveillance program and the probe into the firings of U.S. attorneys general. Much of this information will not be found on the nightly news but we have options in addition to TPM. Some of the sources I have found valuable include: americablog; Crooks and Liars; dailykos; Marcy Wheeler at Emptywheel; Glenn Greenwald at Salon.com; The Raw Story; and Brad Freidman at The Brad Blog. There are also many other people as well doing quality research and commentary that make a valuable contribution to keeping us informed and exposing incompetence, malfeasance and hypocrisy in our leaders and our government. I strongly feel that in the early part of the 21st Century it is the work done by these many blogs on the internet that is helping to keep America from veering to a somewhat fascist and religious-right entity.

* When failure may be a good thing – This week I received emails from five or six different organization devoted to addressing climate problems. Each urged that I contact my senators asking them to support the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act, legislation that the Senate introduced on Monday. By Wednesday the Republicans were filibustering the legislation and with 60 votes needed to end the filibuster only 48 votes could be mustered. The legislation was withdrawn on Friday. Although this is a major disappointment for many I am okay with this development. Democrats have a majority of one in the Senate and a man in the White House who does not believe in science and who is joined at the nozzle with Big Oil and the smokestack with Dirty Coal. Any legislation that would make it through this mine field would be weak. Perhaps it is better that meaningful legislation be delayed until next year when there will be less Republicans in the Senate and Mr. Bush will be at his ranch reading the memoirs of those people who helped him make Herbert Hoover look good. In the long run a more comprehensive climate legislation package that goes into effect sooner than this failed legislation called for may actually serve our collective best interests. The National Wildlife Federation has a list indicating how each senator voted.

* You can run but you can’t hide ~ the surreal world of John McCain – The Republican presidential candidate is working overtime to distance himself from a failed president laden with a 25% approval rating. A Memorial weekend fund-raiser with Bush in Arizona was held in private and without cameras or reporters. This week McCain’s office announced that he will not attend a fundraiser for Republican congressmen on June 18th that features President Bush. What is on public record is that in 2007 McCain voted with the Bush agenda 95% of the time and in 2008 100% of the time. Quite the maverick! It appears that 100% is not sufficient for the over-achieving John McCain. He is now reversing previous positions to earn extra credit. “In an interview about his views on the limits of executive power with The Boston Globe six months ago, Mr. McCain strongly suggested that if he became the next commander in chief, he would consider himself obligated to obey a statute restricting what he did in national security matters (unlike President Bush)… I think that presidents have the obligation to obey and enforce laws that are passed by Congress and signed into law by the president, no matter what the situation is.” This week a top adviser to Senator McCain said Mr. McCain believes that President Bush’s program of wiretapping without warrants was lawful, a position that appears to bring him into closer alignment with the sweeping theories of executive authority pushed by the Bush administration legal team. Running from and toward George Bush at the same time has interesting metaphysical implications but makes for a troublesome presidential candidate.

* “I have been thinking that I would make a proposition to my Republican friends... that if they will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them.”
Adlai Stevenson in 1952

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Sat, 31 May 2008 15:04:00 +0000

* The company we keep – Sixty years ago the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Unfortunately, governments in scores of countries still torture and mistreat their people according to Amnesty International, the world watchdog for human rights violations. I found their recent report disturbing on two levels: acts of inhumanity around the world continue unabated; appearing with the countries of China, Myanmar, Sudan and Zimbabwe for human rights violations is the United States for its use of torture at Guantanamo (and secret detention centers in many parts of the world). Who could imagine in the year 2000 the moral degradation that would take place under the realm of George W. Bush? Who could imagine the complicity of the large number of Americans required for this fall from grace to occur? Where is the outrage from the popular voice who claim they care about this country and its values? Have we pathetically transitioned to believe that the measure of patriotism is wearing a flag pin on one’s lapel? Is this another inconvenient truth?

* The ignobility of going back on your word – A civilized society functions within a framework of rules. Political parties are no different. To whine about rules one agreed to in the event that those rules do not serve ones self-interest is disingenuous and casts doubts upon ones ability to lead. All of which brings to mind Hillary Clinton. Prior to the primary season Florida and Michigan were stripped of their delegates by the Democratic National Committee because they moved up their primaries in violation of party rules. Only 4 states were sanctioned to hold their primaries in January and neither Florida nor Michigan was among them. Florida lost 210 pledged delegates and 28 superdelegates, and Michigan lost 156 pledged delegates and 25 superdelegates. Obama and Clinton agreed to this decision as well as not to campaign in these states. Obama was not even on the Michigan primary ballot. Florida and Michigan still conducted their primaries and Clinton won both of these states. Having previously agreed that these two states would not count, she now says these votes should count because every vote matters. That was not the case 7 months ago when Hillary Clinton felt she was assured the presidential nomination and the rules had gravitas.

* A note to Hillary Clinton supporters who say they will vote for McCain if Obama gets the nomination – When you support Clinton some of the issues you are supporting are women’s choice, workers rights, Iraq exit strategy, affordable healthcare coverage, veteran benefits and veterans physical and mental healthcare, oversight of corporations and global warming solutions. Barak Obama has a similar platform. John McCain DOES NOT! A vote for McCain is a vote for the same Bush policies, tactics and lobbyist/corporate connections that have put this country in the commode. The “McCain if not Hillary” crowd is reminiscent of the mentality of lower-income religious right voters. They put Republicans in office who oppose raising the minimum wage, enact laws that weaken the bargaining power of the work force, look the other way as corporations ignore work-place safety and side with the health insurance companies to prevent fair and affordable coverage for those who need it the most. If America decides that personality, race or gender is more important than issues we have earned a third Bush term.

* The company we keep – John McCain’s campaign co-chairman is former senator and most recently mega lobbyist Phil Graham. While a senator it was his legislation that cast aside Depression era laws and regulations that led to our current banking crisis. Graham was a pusher of legislation that assisted Enron during its troubles at the same time that his wife Wendy was a director of Enron. As recently as December, while a McCain advisor, Graham was still working for Swiss bankers specifically to help kill the “Emergency Home Ownership and Mortgage Equity Protection Act” and the “Helping Families Save Their Homes in Bankruptcy Act,” a bill that would have let bankruptcy judges adjust mortgage terms so American families facing foreclosure could repay their loans, and keep their homes. There has been mention in the news that Graham is among the people McCain would consider for Treasury Secretary. The company we keep.

* Quote of the Week – Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura commenting on legal attempts to ban gay marriage: “Love is bigger than government. Who the hell are we as a government to tell people who you can fall in love with? I think it‘s absurd that fact is even being debated. “

Burger Pig er King – I recently commented about the plight of tomato pickers in Florida who supply Burger King and who toil for pittance wages. The company that sings the jingle “Have It Your Way” tried to have its own way by stubbornly opposing wage increases for these workers. Following a nationally supported protest BK has announced it will relent. “The 1-cent increase means that for every 32-pound bucket of tomatoes they pick, the workers will earn 77 cents, instead of 45 cents. That is a 71 percent increase, the first substantial one in decades for the workers. At the old wage the pickers typically earned $10,000 to $12,000 a year (working 10 to 12 hour days).” Amy Wagner, a senior vice president at Burger King said, “If the Florida tomato industry is to be sustainable long term, it must become more socially responsible (an epiphany before our eyes). She estimated that the wage boost would cost Burger King about $300,000 a year.” Now this is what really overcooks my fries! An examination of Burger King’s financial statement ending June 2007 shows annual sales of $2.2 billion. Net profit after taxes was $148 million. The $300,000 expense, so that farm workers can have a barely livable wage, represents an insignificant two-tenths of 1 percent of their net profit. The Nation.com offers a glimpse of conditions these farm workers face each day.

* Speaking of unhealthy food – “A congressional committee is investigating whether some private U.S. laboratories were instructed to withhold samples of tainted food so that importers could get their goods into the United States… Testing on some samples was conducted repeatedly until the food passed.” This is similar to my experience with high school French class but the only one I was hurting was me. "This repeated testing is done without alerting the FDA that potentially dangerous food has been imported into this country.” When will people begin going to jail for assisting and enabling amorally myopic entrepreneurs who endanger people? Since the answer appears to be never, I have an alternative suggestion. Force the importers and lab technicians that ignore tainted food to eat it! The linked article goes on to give the convoluted reasoning why a lab has not broken the law when not reporting tainted food to the proper authorities. If current law is lacking or defective, fix it. The new law should also require importers and lab technicians to consume a sample of any edible product that they certify as safe. That would go a long way toward making the system fail safe.

* Helping Republicans with their message – The Republican Party attempted to develop a slogan that would encapsulate their message to the common people. Their creative team came up with “The Change You Deserve”. Not exactly brilliant but also copyrighted for the anti-depressant drug Effexor XP. With the Republicans in need of a new slogan readers at HuffingtonPost.com were asked to submit helpful suggestions. Hundreds were submitted and 20 selected that include:
~Pennies on The Dollar: The Change You People Deserve
~Vote For Us Or You'll Have To Marry One Of Them Gays
~Government Is the Problem and If You Elect Us, We Will Prove It
~A Chicken Hawk in Every Pot!

Venlafaxine is the drug that is marketed under the brand name Effexor XP. Some of the side effects include nausea, headache, sexual dysfunction, fatigue, insomnia, increased blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, dizziness and increased risk of suicide. On second thought, perhaps the Republicans have earned the right to use the Effexor XP slogan.

* Speaking of risk to health – The American Lung Association, on behalf of health and environmental groups, has filed a law suit against the Bush administration. The suit argues that the administration failed to protect public health and the environment when it issued new smog requirements. For quite some time I have wondered why Bush and his cohorts have ignored with disdain the health and safety of the American people. My current working theory is that they and their families are androids and not subject to the normal health concerns of sentient human beings.

* Question of the Week – What transpired for Scott McClellan, former White House Press Secretary, to go from Bush defender, apologist and spinner of the artful alibi to come out with a new book excoriating Bush and his minions? Was he rescued from the mind-numbing Stepford Wife syndrome experienced by Bush employees or did he locate his conscience? In any case it was enjoyable watching the Bush administration spokespeople doing the dance of the deniers and saying that Scott was a good friend who lost his way. It was not enjoyable seeing further confirmation about how the Bush administration screwed America.

* Onward Christian soldier(s?) – A U.S. Marine on duty guarding the city of Fallujah, Iraq has been handing out coins. No, this has nothing to do with alms. One side of the coin said, "Where will you spend eternity?" The other side of the coin said, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16." The breadth of this activity is not known but it has been confirmed by the U.S. military. Local U.S. commanders are investigating since the military prohibits proselytizing any religion, faith or practices. The 150,000 U.S. troops in harms way in Iraq do not need evangelical soldiers inflaming the Muslim community and giving further encouragement to the extremists already on the edge. I thought the stupidity surrounding the Iraq fiasco had reached its nadir. Hopeful but wrong. I wonder if God needs a chiropractor from shaking her head in disbelief.

* For quite some time I have found the growing influence of the religious right in America unsettling. Some of my objection to this development was obvious to me and some was more intuitive and difficult to verbalize. I recently came across the following observations that brought more clarity to my concerns:

“There are two visions of America. One precedes our founding fathers and finds its roots in the harshness of our puritan past. It is very suspicious of freedom, uncomfortable with diversity, hostile to science, unfriendly to reason, contemptuous of personal autonomy. It sees America as a religious nation. It views patriotism as allegiance to God. It secretly adores coercion and conformity. Despite our constitution, despite the legacy of the Enlightenment, it appeals to millions of Americans and threatens our freedom.
The other vision finds its roots in the spirit of our founding revolution and in the leaders of this nation who embraced the age of reason. It loves freedom, encourages diversity, embraces science and affirms the dignity and rights of every individual. It sees America as a moral nation, neither completely religious nor completely secular. It defines patriotism as love of country and of the people who make it strong. It defends all citizens against unjust coercion and irrational conformity.
This second vision is our vision. It is the vision of a free society. We must be bold enough to proclaim it and strong enough to defend it against all its enemies.”
Rabbi Sherwin T. Wine (1928 – 2007) a founder of the Society for Humanistic Judaism

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Fri, 23 May 2008 23:42:00 +0000

* Bush visits the Middle East ~ an odyssey of obstinacy – At his first stop the President addressed Israel’s Knesset embarrassingly raising U.S. partisan politics while a guest in a foreign country. It is assumed that Bush was referring to Obama when he taunted those who follow "the false comfort of appeasement” because Obama has said that he advocates direct dialogue with the Iranian regime. Bush’s own Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said on May 14th , “We need to figure out a way to develop some leverage with respect to the Iranians and then sit down and talk with them.” On Thursday Gen. David H. Petraeus said in a congressional hearing, “diplomatic rapprochement with Tehran should remain a U.S. goal.” Recall that in 2006 the bipartisan Iraq Study Group advocated responsible diplomatic engagement with regimes such as Iran and Syria. What I characterize as “Bushplomacy” has been ill-conceived, myopic and demonstrably a failure on almost every foreign initiative and front. Leaving some of his hypocrisy in Israel President Bush proceeded to Saudi Arabia. With gasoline can in hand Bush appealed to the Royal Saudi family to increase oil production. The “no” was said to be polite. Rumor has it that King Abdullah got a hernia from uncontrollable laughter from the request. With oil at $127 a barrel Bush had a better chance of getting the King’s recipe for gefilte fish. Bush’s last stop was Egypt where he lectured the Middle East about democratic and economic reform. “He told the World Economic Forum in Sharm el-Sheikh that states needed to diversify their economies, invest in people and extend the reach of freedom.” If only this had been his domestic agenda! Perhaps the President should ease the U.S. budget by eliminating his expensive (and fruitless) foreign travel. Oh for the good old days when most of Bush’s travel was to his Crawford, TX ranch where he set a presidential record for vacation days.
~Update: Late this week, ignoring Bush’s Knesset speech, Israel announced it is engaged in peace negotiations with Syria. The only ones still listening to the pontificating of George Bush is Secretary of State Rice and his dog Barney. Okay, no one is certain about Barney.

* The Vatican speaks about aliens ~ no, not the ones from Mexico – “Believing that the universe may contain alien life does not contradict a faith in God, the Vatican's chief astronomer said in an interview.” I find it interesting that such a clarification is necessary. Would it not be arrogant to think that an Almighty that created an infinite Universe could only inhabit Earth with life forms? The interview with The Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes is headlined "The extraterrestrial is my brother." I guess it is okay for ET to be my brother but someone with an alternative sexual lifestyle should be shunned. Perhaps we should forego extra-terrestrial implications about beliefs until we have a better understanding of the meaning of life on this planet.

* Woof of the Week - Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-VA.) said, “The GOP image is so stale that if we were a dog food, they would take us off the shelf because nobody is buying it.” To the word “stale” I would add repugnant.

* Yipes, egad, dratz ~ LOOK OUT! Its voter fraud – A number of states have tried or are about to try to pass legislation to prevent voter fraud. On the surface this appears to be a noble endeavor. However, there is virtually no evidence of voter fraud occurring in the U.S. So what is this about? The voter fraud legislation is taking place in states that have a legislative Republican majority. The legislation they propose would require types of identification not easily obtained by poor people. Poor people generally vote for Democrats. This week Kansas Governor Kathleen Sibelius vetoed a voter ID bill and stated, “The bill created a roadblock that prevents citizens from voting… no elected official should support enacting new laws discouraging or disenfranchising any American who has been legally voting for years.” A thank you is extended to the Governor for being a voice of reason amongst the elephants in the room.

* No surprise here ~ only frustration – “A Pentagon audit of $8.2 billion in American taxpayer money spent by the United States Army on contractors in Iraq has found that almost none of the payments followed federal rules and that in some cases, contracts worth millions of dollars were paid for despite little or no record of what, if anything, was received.” While President Bush and his Republican enablers say no to funding health insurance for children, proper care for injured veterans, or repairing our infrastructure our treasure runs down their legs like a burst bladder. The current covey of “conservatives” put on a show of tightening their belt on spending after they created a debilitating deficit that included non-existent oversight over their politically connected contractors. While our piggy bank broke the contractor pigs were allowed to feed at the trough unobstructed.

* Patching the porcine holes - The Senate passed a bill on Thursday "prohibiting federal contractors from avoiding Social Security and Medicare taxes by hiring workers through offshore shell companies. Earlier this week, the House also voted unanimously to ban the practice, used by former Halliburton subsidiary KBR and others to avoid payroll taxes for thousands of American workers in Iraq.

* Be careful what you wish for ~ Oh my God! – For many months John McCain pursued the endorsement of Pastor John Hagee, an influential leader of the religious right. Although it was well-publicized that Hagee functioned on the fringe of decency and reality McCain also knew that he had no chance for the presidency without the social conservative vote. So McCain embraced the man who said: Katrina occurred because New Orleans had agreed to host a gay rights parade; the Roman Catholic Church is "the great whore" and a "false cult system"; and linked Hitler to the Catholic Church. This week it became widely publicized that a Hagee sermon in the late 1990s stated that “God sent Hitler to help the Jews get to the promised land.” An audio of the Hagee sermon can be heard at this link. On Thursday McCain was forced to throw Pastor Hagee off and under the Straight Talk Express bus.

* Be careful what you wish for ~ cleaning house – Once spring cleaning begins it tends to gather its own momentum. After tossing John Hagee into the dumpster McCain proceeded to get rid of another religious right wing icon, preacher Rod Parsley. McCain had hailed Parsley as a spiritual advisor in spite of Parsley’s exhortations “for Christians to wage a "war" against the "false religion" of Islam with the aim of destroying it. Perhaps McCain is beginning to see the light or getting religion or looking in the mirror or, like George Bush, speaking directly with God thereby eliminating the need for an intermediary.

* Be careful what you wish for ~ throwing all caution to the wind – This week it was announced that George Bush will begin campaigning on behalf of John McCain. After Hagee and Parsley’s expulsion there certainly is room on the campaign bus. On the other hand, if Bush is your lifeboat you had better sprout gills.

* Really supporting the troops ~ action versus lip service – In opposition to both President Bush and Senator McCain the Senate passed a veto proof (75 to 22) 21st Century GI Bill “which would expand educational benefits for veterans who joined the service after Sept. 11, 2001.” Overcoming Bush’s focus of money for war, not for veterans the next challenge will be funding the physical and mental care of veterans. McCain is not bashful, nor should he be, about citing his military service to our country. One would think that he would not be bashful supporting the veterans who have recently served America. The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) give him a rating of D for voting against veterans' priorities so often between 2000 and 2006. A scorecard of roll call votes compiled by the Disabled American Veterans found that McCain has voted for veterans funding bills only 20 percent of the time. For example, in May 2006, he voted against an amendment providing $20 billion to the Department of Veteran Affairs' medical facilities. In April 2006, he was one of just 13 senators to vote against providing $430 million to the VA for outpatient care and treatment for veterans. War hawks Bush and Cheney used family connections and deferments respectively to avoid military service. McCain should know better.

* Memorial Day – Remembering the men and woman who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can live in a free society is extremely important. It is equally imperative to remember that our military should only be engaged to protect our freedom and safety, not misguided political agendas. I remember that Viet Nam was a lesson not learned. I will remember that Bush and Cheney failed our military and America with their Iraq fiasco. I will remember that Congress, overcome with 9/11 fear, did not do its due diligence. I will remember that our media abandoned its oversight leading up to the Iraq war. All of this must be remembered so that in the future lives damaged and lost will only be for the right reasons.

* “It doesn't take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle.”
Norman Schwarzkopf, retired United States Army 4 Star General

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Sat, 17 May 2008 14:14:00 +0000

* Germany’s shame remembered ~ vigilance is not optional – May 10th marked the 75th anniversary when, a little more than 3 months after Hitler was appointed chancellor, students around Germany burned thousands of books deemed to be “un-German.” Marking this anniversary were remarks last week by Germany’s President Horst Koehler. “The destruction faced little resistance at the time and left room for no illusions about the way Nazi-run Germany was headed, coming after a boycott of Jewish businesses weeks earlier… It was only a small step from the ostracism of Jews to the burning of their books, and again a small step from the burning of books to the burning of human beings." Wishful thinking contributes to the hope that another Holocaust not be repeated. That is not the world’s reality. Holocausts have since occurred in places such as China, North Korea and Rwanda. More recently we have seen it in Darfur and this week it is evident in Myanmar as the ruling Generals of that country block and hoard emergency aid to millions of its citizens left sick, homeless, starving and diseased from the recent cyclone that devastated the country.

Man’s inhumanity to fellow man at times seems limitless. Man’s desire for power is always a threat to freedoms. It is imperative for a democracy that those who achieve power not be allowed to abuse it. Checks and balances on the three branches of the U.S. government was part of the genius of the writers of the U.S. Constitution. The Bush administration found loopholes in our system resulting in the centralizing of power, avoidance of oversight, broad expansion of domestic spying powers and the empowering of religious right orthodoxy in the political sphere. America is not on the verge of a holocaust but the seeds that have been planted are not organic to a free society. We all share responsibility to elect leaders that will take seriously the oath to protect the Constitution. The alternative is a continuation of this dismal era in American history.

* Candidate for Vice President? - Media coverage of John McCain appearances suggests that Joe Lieberman accompanies him almost as often as McCain’s wife Cindy. The former Democrat and current Independent has a Bush Republican mentality and voting record. Lieberman’s ties to special interests, his neocon position on the Iraq war and his being on the losing ticket as a Vice-Presidential candidate in 2000 make him the perfect selection as McCain’s running mate this year (sorry Condi). One senses that Joe Lieberman would dance the Hora for another chance at the Super Bowl of politics. McBush almost rolls off the tongue but, McLieberman? Oy vey!
~ Speaking of Cindy – Mrs. McCain was very busy this week selling over $2 million in business investments in Sudan because her holdings had become public. Yes, that Sudan - the one committing genocide in Darfur. It is believed that she disembarked the Straight Talk Express to give her broker a sell order.

* Ludicrous Lieberman – Joe Lieberman appeared on CNN, functioning as McCain’s attack dog. Lieberman implied that because a Hamas spokesperson would welcome the election of Senator Obama proves that McCain would be the better choice to protect America. When Wolf Blitzer pointed out that Obama also labels Hamas a terrorist organization, making his position the same as McCain's, Lieberman said, "that's true," adding that Obama "clearly doesn't support any of the values and goals of Hamas." And Lieberman clearly doesn’t support an honest discussion of the real issues. His attempt to disparage Obama by associating him with Hamas is typical of the hateful and divisive politics Republicans and closet Republicans have used to stain the political landscape in recent years. One reason why I want to see the Democrats increase their majority in the Senate is so that Lieberman is further marginalized, is removed from committee chairs and slithers away to oblivion with his fellow Republicans as America recovers from their devastating tenure.

* Supporting Breast Cancer Research – This past Sunday 45,000 people took part in the Philadelphia walk raising funds for the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The event included more than 6000 breast cancer survivors! Similar walks are taking place across America to fight a disease that affects one in eight women. Donations to the Komen Foundation can be made at this link. Another way to help women fight breast cancer is visiting The Breast Cancer Site. Just one click a day and there is no cost to you. Each day that you visit the site a contribution is made by advertisers to fund breast exams for disadvantaged women. It will make you feel in the pink.

* Media redefined – At one time if one were interested in in-depth news analysis major newspapers, news magazines and occasionally television were reliable sources. The corporate takeover/consolidation of media has led to agenda based news analysis and a reduction in quality reporting. Fortunately, the internet provides viable options. An excellent example of this is the quality work by various writers this past Sunday at dailykos.com. The following were well-researched subjects worthy of attention: smintheus discusses George Bush’s recent secrecy directive ostensibly intended to protect sensitive information but in fact reducing government transparency; DemFromCT contrasts John McCain and Barack Obama on issues and their run to the white House; DemFromCT also does a study on the under-capacity of many of our hospitals to deal with current volume and the choices that will have to be made in the face of another Katrina or pandemic disease reaching our shores. The choices will include triage decisions to abandon the very elderly or the very critical; BarbinMD discusses the nuclear posture of the United States, paying particular attention to Hillary Clinton's recent remark about obliterating Iran and her repeated comparisons of today's foreign policy climate with the Cold War; DHinMI discusses how US miscalculations may be a factor in the possible eruption of a full-fledged civil war in Lebanon. Meaningful news analysis is still available but it requires more than a remote control.

* Media blackout – Bill Moyers is one of the best journalists in America today. Keith Olbermann interviewed him about corporate media, their biases and their ignoring critical issues and their influence in the general election. Moyers said, “I think it means for all of them (corporate media) that they won’t really get to the deep, profound structural problems that we face as a country. We’re not going to have a discourse in this campaign over the fact that the great American wealth machine is benefiting only those at the top. We’re not going to get to the fact that 10% of the people own 60% of the wealth and 70% of the people have no net worth. We’re not going to get to the issues of how do we rebuild the infrastructure, the sewer, the water, the highways, all that. We’re just going to be constantly in this battle of bumper stickers.”

* Media malarkey – We recently learned that supposedly “independent” retired military officers giving their views on the Iraq war and the U. S. military were in fact briefed by the Pentagon on what to say. These “experts”, many with ties to defense contractors, willingly regurgitated Pentagon propaganda. The website Media Matters for America studied the situation in more depth and reports that this problem was more widespread than initially indicated. “A Media Matters review found that since January 1, 2002, the analysts named in the Times article collectively appeared or were quoted as experts more than 4,500 times on ABC, ABC News Now, CBS, CBS Radio Network, NBC, CNN, CNN Headline News, Fox News, MSNBC, CNBC, and NPR.” This link provides a statistical analysis of the 4500 appearances by these mendacious media darlings. It is not known whether the alphabet broadcasting networks knew their “experts” were compromised. It is telling that the outing of these “experts” received very little mention in subsequent broadcasts..

* Media consolidation ~ a victory for you and me –Bush’s Federal Communications Commissions (FEC) recently ruled in favor of big business. The FEC would allow media conglomerates to continue to swallow up local media. On Thursday night the Senate voted to throw out the FEC decision. The organization Stop Big Media considers this a major victory as the issue moves on to the House. At their web site you can find specific reasons why media consolidation is a bad idea for a democracy and what is at stake. Additional information is available at freepress.net. Common Cause has available a petition you can send to your Representative urging that the FEC rulings be nullified. Barack Obama’s comments concerning media consolidation and diversity are available at this link.

* Derriere Orifice of the Week ~ saving the world and ruining lives ~ no, not George Bush (okay, him too) – Meet Daphne Beasley. She is a Memphis, TN high school principal who is living proof that an education does not leave one idiot-proof. The website Consenting Adult brought this holier than Swiss cheese moron to my attention. On a web site Principal Beasley is outing her students that she “hears” are gay. The basis of her condemnation is word-of mouth from teachers and students. Proof is not asked for nor required. The consequences for the “outed” students have been teen bullying and ruined lives. The ACLU has involved itself in the situation. Shame should be shared by the Memphis School Board for not outing/firing Beasley and for the school’s faculty for their compliance. If they think that they are doing God’s work they should apply for unemployment.

* Intelligent federal legislation (this is not a misprint) – “Starting next year across the country, rape victims too afraid or too ashamed to go to police can undergo an emergency-room forensic rape exam, and the evidence gathered will be kept on file in a sealed envelope in case they decide to press charges.” One of the biggest obstacles to prosecuting rape cases is that a victim is so traumatized just after the attack that she does not press charges. If the woman waits for a period of time before accusing her attacker it is usually too late. “Beginning in 2009, states will have to pay for Jane Doe rape kits to continue receiving funding under the federal Violence Against Women Act, which provides tax dollars for women's shelters and law enforcement training.” Congratulations to Congress for this much needed support of victims of rape.

* Is Bush going out with a bang? – The end of the Bush presidency is on the horizon. There is no legislation or initiative that has been or will prove to be a high-water mark. These last months will continue to be a defensive posture marked by attempts to keep its over-reaching, dishonest and criminal actions from public view. The only deviation that could depart from this period closing with a whimper is Iran. And it could prove to be a big deviation. I have no illusions that Iran is one of the good guys. However, can America and its military afford another war front? The answer is a resounding NO. At best America can tread water until an adult takes over the White House and an intelligent multi-national approach to the Iran problem can be implemented. Yet, people connected with Bush continue to beat drums for attacking Iran. This week General Petraeus claimed that “Iran's involvement is the greatest long-term threat to the viability of a democratic Iraq." The General failed to mention that within Iraq the sects hate each other and factions within the sects hate each other and that this hate is backed up with violent acts against each other and American troops. He also failed to mention that the corruption within the al Maliki government has undermined reconstruction, basic services such as electricity and potable drinking water and that the U.S. government has made every attempt to cover up this corruption. These are some of the realities that do not bode well for democracy in Iraq or for the safety and freedom of the Iraqi people. The organization TrueMajoriy.org provides a petition to congress that you can sign urging the passage of S. Res. 356 that states, "Any offensive military action against Iran must be explicitly approved by congress." Some may find this legislation unnecessary since the U.S. Constitution specifies that only Congress can declare war. Others will say it is necessary because the current President and Vice President of the United States do not feel compelled to follow the laws of the land.

* “The current perception I get from the evening news is that the world is dominated by human failure, crime, catastrophe, corruption, and tragedy. We are all tuning in to see how the human mind is evolving, but the media keeps hammering home the opposite, that the human mind is mired in darkness and folly.”
Deepak Chopra, Self Help Author