Laugh Out Loud

My fantasy democrat would answer any of Dick Cheney's criticisms by saying "Look, we're talking about a man who when he speaks of progress in Iraq, People Laugh"

Shareholder Nation

The debate on how to handle the sharing of oil revenues has been a major sticking point in Iraq. I think I might have a solution.
Treat the Iraqi oil Industry like a corporation. Anyone who comes to the government, registers, turns in weapons and/or renouces violence gets one share of the corporation. This will allow all citizens to have a vested interest in the future.

Dare to Hope

Are the Republican daring the Democrats to cut funding for the war in Iraq? Or, are they secretly hoping they will?

Tip of the Iceberg

After reports that circumcision greatly reduces the risk of the transmission of HIV . Will Evangelicals stop circumcising their sons, because it promotes sexual promiscuity?

If the girls should be a risk for cancer shouldn't the boys be at risk for AIDS? After all fair is fair.

Living with Savages

It's not so much that people like Micheal Savage exist. It's that so many people listen.

Creep Show

Does the thought of Anna Nicole Smith's body lying there as her family, the media and the courts turn an extremely private and personal event into a side show send a chill down your spine more then the fact that we are all watching?

Embolden the People

If the people of the United States take decisive action to reverse the disasterous, incompetant, blood soaked leadership of the Bush Administration. If it acts aggressively to turn back The neo-con vision of a "pax-americana" and their regressive views of human rights and civil liberties, we will embolden all people all across the globe that democracies' strength is it ability change course, to repudiate a direction based on lies.
For a people to admit a mistake and take action to correct it. That will embolden and bring hope to far more people to seek freedom and democracy then it will embolden terrorist, if we leave Iraq.

An Inconvenient Democracy

It seems that those who wage war to promote democracy, sometimes find it inconvenient. "you can not govern by polls" is commonly heard when conservative are asked about how the people feel about Iraq or if we should surge or withdraw.

A majority of Americans think we should leave now or with in a year. A majority of Iraqis want the same. The past election sent a clear message of change in Iraq. But Our current leadership act as if those who seek an exit are a treasonist few looking to undermine the president and security of America or worse want to abandon the troops in the field. How funding the war became synonymous with supporting the troop is just another example of how the republicans out message the democrats. Another recent example of this is the stories about the resurgence of Al Qaeda. Where was the democrat drumbeat about how this was Bush's fault for turning his attention from Bin Laden to Hussein, That this Bush policy has put America at further risk by allowing Bin Laden to reconstitute Al Qaeda leadership.But that's getting into another post.

Our leaders speak of the power of democracy and as it is the right of all people and is the key to freedom and peace but when faced with an electorate dissatisfied with the current direction democracy becomes another inconvenient truth.

Heir Apparent

I would imagine it would be a surprise for most people to learn tha Jeb Bush is a Neo-Con. He is a signing member of The project for a New American Century. (GO LAST PAGE TO SEE OTHER INTERESTING NAMES). The people who brought us such american classics as; The Iraq War, Guantanamo, Abu Griab and secret prisons.
I been thinking about who the heir apparent was going to be for the neo-cons. Anyone with in the Bush Administration would be a hard sell. And their not about forgo "using" fundamentalist christians again as a base.
Jeb Bush wouldn't work, because the people definitly don't want another Bush, and his Neo-con status would eventually tarnish him.
But recently Jeb Bush has sent his advisors to assist in the Romney Campaign for President.
It sounds like the Neo-Cons have found their heir.

Pick Your Poison

I been hearing alot lately about the case against the border control agents that shot the illegal alien in the back as he ran for the border.
I try not to believe most things when I hear them for the first time. I like to research a little find the original text or find some other evidence to either support it or dispute it. Well, after doing some looking around and finding the trial transcrpts online. There seems to be 2 cliches that fit this case.
What did they know and when did they know it?
At the time the bullet left the gun, the border control officers only new that this was a suspected illegal alien running for the border. I wouldn't think this is usually a deadly force type situation. The suspect didn't die, but when an officer discharges his gun it not to just wound. it's to kill.
The second cliche is, It the cover-up that gets you every time. The officers falsified reports and destroyed evidence.
A final thought, which I don't think is a cliche but is an important to keep in mind about this case. The officers co-workers testified against them. Maybe "my enemy, my friend" would be appropiate.
In the end, all in all, I think the officers where treated justly.

Come back when you got a Death Certificate

I was watching Bill O'Reilly this morning. I watch it when it rebroadcast overnight. O'reilly is the classic example of a megalomaniac, he has an obsession with demonstrating his power by bending events to his will. But you got to expect anyone with such a need to portray himself as the holder of truth is over compensating for something and is headed for a fall.
Anyway, O'reilly was making lite of an Mexican man seeking asylum based on his homosexuality and fear of being beaten again by the local police. O'reilly tried to make the point that the man didn't have any documentation to back up his claim of abuse.
This is so bizarre on so many levels. Maybe he'd like the man to come back with a death certificate. How many homosexuals around the world will have documentation of abuse or oppression especially when it is being administered by the state.
Look around. In this country it's almost mainstream to say the most horrible and outrageous things about gays and lesbians, homosexuals are beaten and killed on our streets and in our schools. To make light of an asylum claim based on homosexual oppression is an outrage.
Although I do wonder why the guy in Mexico didn't just move to resort town and become a waiter?

Don't Make Me Laugh

The treatment of astronaut Lisa Nowak by the media, especially the major news networks who are in theory unbiased, is a slap in the face to all those who suffer from a mental illness. Here we have a highly accomplished woman, a decorated navel officer, a mother and now an "Astro-nut"
She obviously had some type of severe mental event. Something that may be akin to a psychiatric stroke or siezure. If the news was that she had had a siezure would Jay Leno be laying on the stage twitching?
It easier to make a joke and laugh about it then face the reality, both historically and present day, of how we treat the mentally ill. And the very difficult choices of where we go from here. Do we owe any type of reporation to the mentally ill of today for past autricities? The witches or possessed of our past? How about those lost in our prison system? Do we send in an army of graduate students to begin to filter out the truely mental ill? Or do we just write them off?
Will we ever face up to these issues? Don't make me laugh.

Proxy Wars

Through out the Cold War the United states and the Soviet Union fought or funded or supplied many proxy wars across the globe. In Afghanistan We supplied the surface to air missiles that shot down many Soviet helicopters. In Nicaragua we funded the freedom fighters against the communistsIn neither of these situations, especially Afghanistan where our weapons killed Russian soldier, did it start a war between the US and the USSR.So why are we so shocked that Iran may be funding or supplying "insurgents" in Iraq? And is that grounds for War?

A Different Kind of War

"There are no borders" "These combatants don't where uniforms" are just a couple of the phrases used in discussing the "War on Terror". The "Bush-Cons" ( a new term: Neo-cons with in direct orbit of George Bush. If you would like to use this term, please hit "Donate A Dollar" [man this post has a lot of "" in it... now how do I get back to where I was? let's see, I last started with a [ so to get out of here I it need to end it with a ] at the bottom of the page)(oh, by the way the "donate thing was a joke, consider it a freebie)(last one.. promise) see it with in a paradigm of traditional warfare. Bigger bombs, more troops, front lines dominate their thinking. Black or white or good or Evil or with us or against us frame their views and rhetoric. But that type of thinking will never address the issue of the criminal acts of a few. It's doesn't effect the root causes or beliefs of those who feel so hopeless or those who pray on that hopelessness. It does not allow for a honest look at ourselves, our government or our corporations. And that type of rhetoric will never bring people together for open dialogue.
Maybe the Bush-Cons need listen to their own word and realize this is a different kind of war.

Takin' to School

It hard to believe how inept Democrats can be at pounding a message. I guess it comes from not having a very good "talking point" infrastructure. In the last couple weeks the Libby trail has exposed the Vice President to serious criminal charges. Charges that would most certainly warrant removal from office. Charges far greater than any land deal in Arkansas or adult consensual sex. It's charges that Ari Fleisher felt threatened enough by the possibility of the death penalty that he sought immunity.And what do we hear? Do we hear a Democratic senator taking the lead, calling hearings, threatening subpoenas? Or a Congressman convening impeachment hearings? Do we hear a chorus of voices calling this an outrage, treason!? Asking how much the President Knew? If he didn't? Why not? Is this another example of Bush being out of touch?

Do we hear any of these things? No, We hear, Nancy Pelosi want a bigger plane.

Unrestment: Corporate Warriors

"You can see here with a $5 million unrestment we can get a return with virtually unrestrained growth potential adding substantially to our bottom line."

An Idiot, a felon and a cynic walk into...

Any Seanator that would vote for a bill promising not to cut off support for the troops is and excuse my language; an Idoit! It's like saying "ok Mr President, you go ahead send those troops anywhere you damn well please and we promise we won't try to stop you."

Wouldn't it be cool if at the end of a trial, not only does a jury determine a verdict it could also issue indictments? You think Cheney would get one?

Cynic Samuelson
Whatever little bit I do won't matter so why bother? Mr Samualson it's about making a change in our attitudes that will transcend generations regarding our relationship with the planet.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/06/AR2007020601526.html

Bits and Pieces...

The Just seems to be so much going on these days, the debate on Iraq and Iran, a new budget, the Libby trial and on and on. S I think some posts will need to be more or less bits and pieces of thoughts.Our Enemy, Ourselves.
First bit is to draw attention to a new link in the sidebar "The People of Iran" it and an opinion poll compare attitudes of the people os the US and Iran. A question in particular that caught my attention
"At the most general level, respondents were asked: “Some people think that bombing and other types of attacks intentionally aimed at civilians are sometimes justified while others think that this kind of violence is never justified. Do you personally feel that such attacks are often justified, sometimes justified, rarely justified, or never justified?”A very large majority of Iranians (80%) take the strongest position that such attacks “are never justified,” and another 5 percent say they are rarely justified. Only 11 percent call them sometimes (8%) or often (3%) justified.Americans largely concur but at lower levels of intensity. Forty-six percent say that such attacks are never justified, while 27 percent say they are rarely justified. Twenty-four percent see them as sometimes (19%) or often (5%) justified."
The Budget
How long will We allow the Military Industrial Complex Rip Us Off?
Edwards-care
The only way to get business onboard with Universal Health Care is a plan that gets them out of the healthcare equation. Healthcare costs is why jobs leave this country. Healthcare is an industry that feeds on itself. Their all making so much money they don't care the other is ripping them off.
Iraq: I Double Dare You...
The Republicans are daring the Democrats to cut off funding for Iraq. If the vast majority of the public wants us out now. Why are the Democrats so scared to pull the trigger? Why does Bush and the Republican act like the will of the people is so irrelevant? Does Dick Cheney think the American People are a bunch of weak willed pussies? now there a poll question!
Cavuto's World
How does Neil Cavuto get away with spending 90% of his time asking "Will Dems Destroy the World" and the other 10% running Victoria Secrets videos or Britney or Anna Nicole or ...
O'Reilly Death Match
What is up with Bill O'Reilly's war on NBC? Will his attempt to demonstrate his media power by taking on a Major network bring increased scrutiny on Fox News "Fair and Balanced" claims by other news outlets?
Drawing Al Qaeda Out
If we pull out of Iraq and surge into Afghanistan will we draw Al Qaeda fighters from Iraq?

"Let us make man in our image, after our likeness" Genesis 1:26

I've talked in earlier post about the fact that I was brought up void of any religious training what so ever, but I'm not ignorant of the stories of the Bible. I mean in this country how could you be? I'm also familiar with some text from the Bible. Leviticus is one. I've read this section because it is used against Gay people so often. Most of Leviticus seems to be a kind of cook book. Eat this, not that. Kind of a dietary rule book. I see the Bible as a whole as an early tool to pass information and rules of conduct from one generation to another. Don't kill, don't steal, there is safety in numbers ... no that's not it... oh yea, Be fruitful and multiply, etc. Also as collections of stories, more likely metaphors about our beginnings or moments of decisive change or natural disaster. I also understand that religion is the earliest manifestation of power with in the earliest social structures. But more importantly The Religions of Man are just that "of" Man. They are build by men with all the weakness and corruptions of men. Religions hierarchical organization and requirements of blind faith and subjugation make it inherently evil. The reason I bring this up is because I recently watched the movie Jesus Camp. Which brings me to the evil of any of Man's Religions. The Holy Warrior. It's the self-righteous beliefs of the warrior that makes him or her so dangerous. Want to make the movie Jesus Camp a lot scarier? Replace the White Evangelical children with Arab Muslim children and the words Jesus or Lord with Alla. When we look at any of the man-made religions we see a host of positive concepts. Love, Honesty, Charity (just toss it in the tray on your way out) are a few that they all share. And it makes for a much more peacful community. But far to often a radical fringe minority takes these messages and twist them into Hate, Corruption and division. It's fine for people to carry the positive beliefs of their religion in their hearts but to put your faith in an organized religion can be a dangerous game.

INBRED HATE

There's been a controversy that's even made the O'Reilly show, that is just a few miles from my house. It's about a film that they want to show to demostrate the diversity of families. It's main purpose I suspect is to try to reduce bullying and hateful speech. We were all kids and we know kids can be brutal especially when arm with prejudice learned at home. "My Dad says your Dads a faggot" I'm sure is heard far to often on playgrounds and in classrooms around this country.
Children are never to young to learn hate. In the case in Evesham, NJ the film was shown once, then it hit the fan. People with children know that children hear everything, their ears have a psychic ability to pick up sounds they aren't suppose to hear. How many children hear "I'll be damned if I'm going to let them teach my kids that those perverts are normal" or even worse.
When you hear a parent say these things should be taught at home by the parents. They are attempting to reseve their right to pass their bigotry and Hate on to the next generation.
So the questions are the children in families filled with hate being abused? does society have a obligation to attempt to counter this kind of inbred hate? who would make a better parent, a loving Gay couple or parents who put GOD HATES FAGS .COM t-shirts on their kids?

Once your in this family...

Today we hear talk about the threat from a nuclear armed Iran would pose to the world. And I do agree that Iran's connections to terrorism ups the anty. Maybe an approach that might work better is call their bluff and welcome them into the family of nuclear countries. But caution them as with all families there are responsibilities. Their is transparency, regulations and even placement of a identitity marker in the radioative material ..... and your material better not show up in a bomb somewhere. The assurance that we would react in kind was enough to hold back the Soviet Union I think it will work against Iran.

A Resolution Resolution

If Congress is insistant on wasting time passing a non-binding resolution on Iraq. How about a Resolution Resolution Demanding President Bush convene a regional summit with all parties from the area including Syra, Iran, Isreal, The Saudis, Turkey? Also representative of the Shiite, Sunni and Christian. And begin a dialoque on region wide peace. A good location to have this summit might be Iceland, because most people from the middle-east will be so freezing cold they'd probably agree to anything just to go home.

The Holy Cow

The fundamental problem with the neo-con mentality is they see War as a legitimate tool of international diplomacy. Ultimatum as a starting point to dialogue, And a privatized military as one hell of a cash cow.