I am not so sure

Maddow: Increase of violence and absurdity

2009-08-13T04:32:00.000-07:00

Thank you Rachel. It is time to look around the room of the people that are with you, and it is time to ask for shame and anger that they are willing to state the absurd.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Foxnews/Glenn Beck review

2009-07-02T08:22:00.000-07:00

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Osama bin Laden Needs to Attack America

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Jason Jones in Iran

Bill Maher on progressives

2009-06-23T05:02:00.000-07:00

I couldn't agree more.

Graham Lieberman rebuke of amendment to hide photos

2009-06-09T08:58:00.000-07:00

There has been an insidious little bill running through congress attached to the war spending bill which will bar the release of any torture pictures from Iraq. Salon's Glenn Greenwald's excellent reporting has brought it to light and now is reporting that it has been removed from the bill at this point. It seems that we have enough knowledge still hitting the US public, not thanks to CNN, MSNBC, or CBS, etc. to remove this horrible bill.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/06/09/transparency/

American News Project- Graham v. Graham

2009-05-20T10:23:00.000-07:00

I agree with the Graham of 2008.

Grayson questions Inspector General of cluelessness

2009-05-15T07:32:00.000-07:00

I know this is hard to hear, but it is worth the struggle, to understand what our representatives are supposed to be doing. Additionally this should be what the media is discovering and highlighting.

Brilliant Libertarianism exposed

2009-05-06T10:49:00.000-07:00

Rice v. Stanford Student remanence of Nixon

2009-04-30T05:23:00.000-07:00

It is time to appoint an independent prosecutor for torture by the bush administration.

This is clear evidence of their illegal thought process. As I have pointed out before these folks learned their governing style from Nixon, and this is clear evidence.

Watch the clip, and ask yourself, What the hell does the United States was told mean? by whom was it told?

I don't care if it is on FoxNews, Shep is right

2009-04-23T05:29:00.000-07:00

Thank you Shep. Judith Miller helps to put this into context.

Earmuff the kids, Fox news Strategy Room, sorry I can't embed you have to go to this link.

Tea Party Interrupted by facts and damn details

2009-04-17T07:47:00.001-07:00

Really the video speaks for itself.

I do have to be on record though that I disagree with Olbermann and Janeane Garofalo from last nights Countdown. The tea party events are not solely a racial thing. There are those elements clearly, but it is too simplistic to dismiss this as radical racism.

Tea Party review

2009-04-16T05:34:00.000-07:00

Cenk from The Young Turks, provides a fair reasoned analysis of the Tea Parties.

A combination of his points and mine, and he doesn't get to all of these in the following clip, but he adds some of them throughout the show.

1. The tea party participants can have some valid points for outrage. We are spending more than we are taking in and that is unsustainable.

2. Is their real outrage out there, yes, this is not all "astroturf" and fake grassroots outrage.

3. But it is important to know the facts about what you are angry about.

a. Taxes are lower now than last year for 95% of the people and most of the people protesting.

b. These same protests were not protesting back with Bush at the helm, but as you can see from the graph below, since the 70's the deficit has blossomed under republican leadership, and decreased under democratic leadership.

c. The top tax rate is 10% lower now than it was during Reagan.

d. It is important to understand what is happening with our economy. The polarization of society happens when income inequality is rampant as it is now. Please see the graphs at the bottom from Paul Krugman.

4. I also think it is important to say that the group in DC that was denied dumping teabags in the park for lack of a permit is wrong. C'mon, protests are required to understand each others perspectives and concerns. I am all for protests. So I strongly defend the tea party events, even though I think it is misguided.

Fake news exposed

2009-04-06T09:49:00.001-07:00

Between the last post on torture and the next one coming up, I wanted to provide a great summary of the week's review of false news.

As a request, please watch Bill Moyers Journal this last Friday. It is a great program but past Friday was an great show with excellent reviews of the bank thefts and the media with Glenn Greenwald and Amy Goodman.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Why we should not torture.

2009-03-31T06:14:00.000-07:00

This story and the associated article highlight the issues of torturing.

1. My contribution to this is how torture reveals a weakness. A weakness in spirit and ability.

2. It doesn't lead to actionable information

3. It actually wastes valuable funds and time.

4. It puts us in an untenable negotiating position.

Washington Post article on Zubaida.
In the end, though, not a single significant plot was foiled as a result of Abu Zubaida's tortured confessions, according to former senior government officials who closely followed the interrogations.

To my Republican Friends

2009-03-27T12:29:00.001-07:00

As I have been trying to do with this blog and in general, I am looking for good discussions and reasonable debate.

I have my beliefs, but I believe I am fair and open to different perspectives and new ideas. So disregard the actual title of this clip, as it is likely not meant to be general but specific and probably controversial comment. I want to discuss what are good reasons for X or Y positions. Cenk explains what is happening between our parties, in a way that hits home for me.

Come on people it is time to be outraged and come to this conclusion.

2009-03-20T04:21:00.000-07:00

This requires little comment, just that you knew I was going to post this.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

AIG bonuses and the fake political outrage.

2009-03-18T04:48:00.000-07:00

This is why I listen to Cenk, he went on for a little while after this, even making a prediction that nothing will happen with this round of AIG bonuses.

It is not a question of more troops in Afghanistan

2009-03-05T03:58:00.000-08:00

Bravenew films is raising a great question, what are the new troops in Afghanistan supposed to do? What is the objective? Are we going to bomb Afghanistan into liking us or wanting to work with us? I believe Russia tried that in the 80's. All this talk about communism from the wingnutters on economics is ironic, given that with this Afghanistan action they are actually promoting the same Russian actions which was a large factor in the failure of the Russian government.

MSNBC Jindal response analysis, perfect.

2009-02-27T04:52:00.000-08:00

This is classic, it outlines the problem precisely. The conservative leaders expect you to have the intellect of a 6th grader. It is time for adult leadership again.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

TYT Cenk on Geithner

2009-02-11T10:23:00.000-08:00

This is why I have not supported the bailout, I don't trust them. There is no reason they should maintain their jobs and their salary levels, let alone bonuses. If you want our money, you will have new terms and limitations.

Rachel Maddow is on a roll

2009-02-08T09:42:00.000-08:00

Rachel was on a roll last night, here is just but one great clip.

It is time to say we have seen your policies and ideas and we now have absolute proof they are bankrupt. It is time to step aside and let the real adults run things. I know the desires of children will push through again shortly, but hopefully we will have enough strong adults and adult activity before we give back in to our childish ways.

That is the best model of Bush's period, he wasn't dumb he was childish.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Rule of Law and American Values, speaks for itself

2009-02-06T13:19:00.000-08:00

Howard Dean for HHS secretary

2009-02-05T05:09:00.000-08:00

I have been pushing for Howard Dean and Cenk at The Young Turks as been as well.

Here is his great analysis.

Here is a great history and evaluation of the Financial System

2008-12-08T16:49:00.000-08:00

Here is a great video history of what some where saying and if we had been really listening we might have acted earlier.

But now that we are were we are, what do we do now? For that listen to Cenk lay out the details. He does it very well.

Equal rights should be a no brainer

2008-12-07T06:42:00.000-08:00

So funny, so creative, so right. What was the last great legal idea of the religious right, oh yeah, prohibition.

Come on people, if you don't like something that doesn't hurt anyone else, don't do it.

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

About the Auto industry

2008-11-17T05:30:00.000-08:00

Here is a great review of the reasoning that has lead us to the place we are with Detroit.

It is time for change and taking our country back

2008-11-11T06:32:00.001-08:00

Whether you are a democrat, republican, liberal, progressive, of just living in this country and paying taxes, this is our money and effects you.

First, this is why we need Rachel Maddow or Democracy Now, where this story was covered.

Second, I don't understand not being outraged by the bank (read corporate insider) giveaway. This is our money, the product of the labor and sweat of the people of this country, so what are we getting for this redistribution of wealth (again read labor) to the corporate owners? Jobs? Really, where?

What did we learn last night about what to do going forward.

2008-11-06T04:44:00.000-08:00

Now the real work begins. How do we govern (read lead) this country forward?

I suggest that Ralph Nader has been working on some great priorities and is trying to put the needed pressure on the newly elected or affirmed candidates here.

November 5. 2008 from Tarek Milleron on Vimeo.

My list starts with:
1. The green economy, outlined by Van Jones
2. Ending the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, period.
3. Restoring our constitution and moral authority, which means closing Guantanamo, putting people suspected of crimes into the legal system to provide fair trials and restoring Habeas Corpus.
4. Building the infrastructure of the United States, but putting subways or lightrail in every city with over 200,000 people. And High Speed Rail across the country.
5. Retooling Detroit to make small electric passenger vehicles.

A place to list some of your ideas is on Rachel Maddow's show.

Olbermann McCain Comment

2008-10-28T04:28:00.000-07:00

Keith says it so well and so clear. It is time to recognize that race has nothing to do with the essential features of a person. Race does not make one act is a certain way, but it can certainly effect how a person is treated. Let us all start treating each person the best that we can.

As you prepare for tonight's debate.

2008-10-15T03:46:00.000-07:00

Cenk provides great commentary, but I think we can go further with the Penguin's analysis of the pictures of the two candidates. Penguin says that Batman is always pictured with criminals and he is always near the police. Yes, that is true because Batman is always apprehending the criminals and Penguin is being arrested by the police. Spin is a wonderful thing. This was a great show that helped kids to think critically, it is just brilliant.

If you are going to try to act adult and intelligent, then ...

2008-10-14T05:12:00.001-07:00

If you are planning to go on a show and try to make a complex and subtle distortion of how you can manipulate words and ideas, make sure you are actually more adult and intelligent than the host. Otherwise she will clown you.

Case in point.

I love the end where he realizes he is being clowned and doesn't want her to finish a sentence and just run out the clock. So he keeps talking as soon as she starts talking. Frum, welcome to the major leagues. It is time for us to say we want more from our media and Frum should lose his position.

Bipolar clip, first outrage, and then a reminder of humanity

2008-10-10T04:53:00.000-07:00

I wish these two segments weren't part of the same clip as they are sort of schizophrenic, but to those who say, if I haven't done anything wrong why do I care about my civil liberties. I hate to say I told you so, but we have been right.

This administration must be impeached, it is crucial accountability for our democracy. We must demand impeachment.

um come on people, we can be more

2008-10-09T10:57:00.000-07:00

Congress is doing something, it would be nice if this hit the evening news

2008-10-09T09:06:00.000-07:00

In the wake of passing a desparately flawed bailout bill in my mind, at least this congress is holding hearings. Now we must demand that they pass legislation to ensure when this is done again it is criminal.

Finally we have to put an executive in office who will actual prosecute crimes not sleep with the criminals. Really I can't imagine anything worse than another republican administration, right now.

More of the real McCain

2008-10-08T09:57:00.000-07:00

Temperament effects your ability to respond to complex and frustrating situations. We have all had friends that overreact in stressful situations and they are not the ones you want to be following in a crisis.

McCain is such a friend. It is time to change our leadership.

As an important example, when you call your wife the C word, let alone in front of reporters, there are issues that need to be dealt with.

Excellent evaluation of 6 degrees of separation

2008-10-07T06:58:00.001-07:00

As usual Cenk nails it in reviewing considerations of political associations.

False equivalence, is what the trick that the republic party's arguments and media concept of "fairness" has relied on.

Fool me once shame on me, fool me, a fool can't be fooled again

2008-10-04T04:50:00.000-07:00

Come on people, it is time to elevate ourselves. We are the responsible ones and we must be adults. We must say we will no longer accept platitudes and banal generalities.

We have tried this and learned how disastrous Bush style "general and common man simplicities" lead us in the wrong direction. We have the opportunity to take responsibility and put adults in charge. I for one have had enough of the 13 year old petulance of this administration.

Eve Ensler's- Drill Drill Drill

2008-10-03T13:17:00.000-07:00

It is six minutes, but describes my anticipation of what would happen if the McCain Palin ticket were successful.

This country will cease to be America.

No to the bail out call congress today

2008-10-02T12:09:00.000-07:00

No to this bail out plan. Yes to spending our money wisely, and that means the following.

I hate to knock down John Stewart so quickly but it is important to call the house today.

1. 50 billion to develop wind and solar technology and implementation here.

2. 100 billion for national rail systems and subways for cities with over 200,000 people.

3. Healthcare for all.

Humorous but accurate assessment of the financial bailout

2008-10-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

Darn it when video records the history of your statements.

The real mccain 3

2008-09-30T10:54:00.000-07:00

Really, it shouldn't even be a choice this year. Obama has to win.

McSame and Palin

2008-09-30T03:54:00.000-07:00

It is time to recognize the absurdity of this republic party.

Palin and the real consideration- lowered expectations. We are talking about our country, haven't we seen what the common beer buddy might not be the right choice for President.

Aren't you tired of being lied to. Seriously!

Impeach, if you are angry about this financial mess.

2008-09-30T03:47:00.000-07:00

If this financial crisis has finally got your attention, I want to remind you of some other shame brought upon us by this administration. It is time for impeachment.

What Economists think of Paulsons bailout

2008-09-26T09:38:00.000-07:00

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate:

As economists, we want to express to Congress our great concern for the plan proposed by Treasury Secretary Paulson to deal with the financial crisis. We are well aware of the difficulty of the current financial situation and we agree with the need for bold action to ensure that the financial system continues to function. We see three fatal pitfalls in the currently proposed plan:

1) Its fairness. The plan is a subsidy to investors at taxpayers’ expense. Investors who took risks to earn profits must also bear the losses. Not every business failure carries systemic risk. The government can ensure a well-functioning financial industry, able to make new loans to creditworthy borrowers, without bailing out particular investors and institutions whose choices proved unwise.

2) Its ambiguity. Neither the mission of the new agency nor its oversight are clear. If taxpayers are to buy illiquid and opaque assets from troubled sellers, the terms, occasions, and methods of such purchases must be crystal clear ahead of time and carefully monitored afterwards.

3) Its long-term effects. If the plan is enacted, its effects will be with us for a generation. For all their recent troubles, America's dynamic and innovative private capital markets have brought the nation unparalleled prosperity. Fundamentally weakening those markets in order to calm short-run disruptions is desperately short-sighted.

For these reasons we ask Congress not to rush, to hold appropriate hearings, and to carefully consider the right course of action, and to wisely determine the future of the financial industry and the U.S. economy for years to come.

Signed (updated at 9/25/2008 8:30AM CT)

Acemoglu Daron (Massachussets Institute of Technology)
Adler Michael (Columbia University)
Admati Anat R. (Stanford University)
Alexis Marcus (Northwestern University)
Alvarez Fernando (University of Chicago)
Andersen Torben (Northwestern University)
Baliga Sandeep (Northwestern University)
Banerjee Abhijit V. (Massachussets Institute of Technology)
Barankay Iwan (University of Pennsylvania)
Barry Brian (University of Chicago)
Bartkus James R. (Xavier University of Louisiana)
Becker Charles M. (Duke University)
Becker Robert A. (Indiana University)
Beim David (Columbia University)
Berk Jonathan (Stanford University)
Bisin Alberto (New York University)
Bittlingmayer George (University of Kansas)
Boldrin Michele (Washington University)
Brooks Taggert J. (University of Wisconsin)
Brynjolfsson Erik (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Buera Francisco J. (UCLA)
Camp Mary Elizabeth (Indiana University)
Carmel Jonathan (University of Michigan)
Carroll Christopher (Johns Hopkins University)
Cassar Gavin (University of Pennsylvania)
Chaney Thomas (University of Chicago)
Chari Varadarajan V. (University of Minnesota)
Chauvin Keith W. (University of Kansas)
Chintagunta Pradeep K. (University of Chicago)
Christiano Lawrence J. (Northwestern University)
Cochrane John (University of Chicago)
Coleman John (Duke University)
Constantinides George M. (University of Chicago)
Crain Robert (UC Berkeley)
Culp Christopher (University of Chicago)
Da Zhi (University of Notre Dame)
Davis Morris (University of Wisconsin)
De Marzo Peter (Stanford University)
Dubé Jean-Pierre H. (University of Chicago)
Edlin Aaron (UC Berkeley)
Eichenbaum Martin (Northwestern University)
Ely Jeffrey (Northwestern University)
Eraslan Hülya K. K.(Johns Hopkins University)
Faulhaber Gerald (University of Pennsylvania)
Feldmann Sven (University of Melbourne)
Fernandez-Villaverde Jesus (University of Pennsylvania)
Fohlin Caroline (Johns Hopkins University)
Fox Jeremy T. (University of Chicago)
Frank Murray Z.(University of Minnesota)
Frenzen Jonathan (University of Chicago)
Fuchs William (University of Chicago)
Fudenberg Drew (Harvard University)
Gabaix Xavier (New York University)
Gao Paul (Notre Dame University)
Garicano Luis (University of Chicago)
Gerakos Joseph J. (University of Chicago)
Gibbs Michael (University of Chicago)
Glomm Gerhard (Indiana University)
Goettler Ron (University of Chicago)
Goldin Claudia (Harvard University)
Gordon Robert J. (Northwestern University)
Greenstone Michael (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Guadalupe Maria (Columbia University)
Guerrieri Veronica (University of Chicago)
Hagerty Kathleen (Northwestern University)
Hamada Robert S. (University of Chicago)
Hansen Lars (University of Chicago)
Harris Milton (University of Chicago)
Hart Oliver (Harvard University)
Hazlett Thomas W. (George Mason University)
Heaton John (University of Chicago)
Heckman James (University of Chicago - Nobel Laureate)
Henderson David R. (Hoover Institution)
Henisz, Witold (University of Pennsylvania)
Hertzberg Andrew (Columbia University)
Hite Gailen (Columbia University)
Hitsch Günter J. (University of Chicago)
Hodrick Robert J. (Columbia University)
Hopenhayn Hugo (UCLA)
Hurst Erik (University of Chicago)
Imrohoroglu Ayse (University of Southern California)
Isakson Hans (University of Northern Iowa)
Israel Ronen (London Business School)
Jaffee Dwight M. (UC Berkeley)
Jagannathan Ravi (Northwestern University)
Jenter Dirk (Stanford University)
Jones Charles M. (Columbia Business School)
Kaboski Joseph P. (Ohio State University)
Kahn Matthew (UCLA)
Kaplan Ethan (Stockholm University)
Karolyi, Andrew (Ohio State University)
Kashyap Anil (University of Chicago)
Keim Donald B (University of Pennsylvania)
Ketkar Suhas L (Vanderbilt University)
Kiesling Lynne (Northwestern University)
Klenow Pete (Stanford University)
Koch Paul (University of Kansas)
Kocherlakota Narayana (University of Minnesota)
Koijen Ralph S.J. (University of Chicago)
Kondo Jiro (Northwestern University)
Korteweg Arthur (Stanford University)
Kortum Samuel (University of Chicago)
Krueger Dirk (University of Pennsylvania)
Ledesma Patricia (Northwestern University)
Lee Lung-fei (Ohio State University)
Leeper Eric M. (Indiana University)
Leuz Christian (University of Chicago)
Levine David I.(UC Berkeley)
Levine David K.(Washington University)
Levy David M. (George Mason University)
Linnainmaa Juhani (University of Chicago)
Lott John R. Jr. (University of Maryland)
Lucas Robert (University of Chicago - Nobel Laureate)
Luttmer Erzo G.J. (University of Minnesota)
Manski Charles F. (Northwestern University)
Martin Ian (Stanford University)
Mayer Christopher (Columbia University)
Mazzeo Michael (Northwestern University)
McDonald Robert (Northwestern University)
Meadow Scott F. (University of Chicago)
Mehra Rajnish (UC Santa Barbara)
Mian Atif (University of Chicago)
Middlebrook Art (University of Chicago)
Miguel Edward (UC Berkeley)
Miravete Eugenio J. (University of Texas at Austin)
Miron Jeffrey (Harvard University)
Moretti Enrico (UC Berkeley)
Moriguchi Chiaki (Northwestern University)
Moro Andrea (Vanderbilt University)
Morse Adair (University of Chicago)
Mortensen Dale T. (Northwestern University)
Mortimer Julie Holland (Harvard University)
Muralidharan Karthik (UC San Diego)
Nanda Dhananjay (University of Miami)
Nevo Aviv (Northwestern University)
Ohanian Lee (UCLA)
Pagliari Joseph (University of Chicago)
Papanikolaou Dimitris (Northwestern University)
Parker Jonathan (Northwestern University)
Paul Evans (Ohio State University)
Pejovich Svetozar (Steve) (Texas A&M University)
Peltzman Sam (University of Chicago)
Perri Fabrizio (University of Minnesota)
Phelan Christopher (University of Minnesota)
Piazzesi Monika (Stanford University)
Piskorski Tomasz (Columbia University)
Rampini Adriano (Duke University)
Reagan Patricia (Ohio State University)
Reich Michael (UC Berkeley)
Reuben Ernesto (Northwestern University)
Roberts Michael (University of Pennsylvania)
Robinson David (Duke University)
Rogers Michele (Northwestern University)
Rotella Elyce (Indiana University)
Ruud Paul (Vassar College)
Safford Sean (University of Chicago)
Sandbu Martin E. (University of Pennsylvania)
Sapienza Paola (Northwestern University)
Savor Pavel (University of Pennsylvania)
Scharfstein David (Harvard University)
Seim Katja (University of Pennsylvania)
Seru Amit (University of Chicago)
Shang-Jin Wei (Columbia University)
Shimer Robert (University of Chicago)
Shore Stephen H. (Johns Hopkins University)
Siegel Ron (Northwestern University)
Smith David C. (University of Virginia)
Smith Vernon L.(Chapman University- Nobel Laureate)
Sorensen Morten (Columbia University)
Spiegel Matthew (Yale University)
Stevenson Betsey (University of Pennsylvania)
Stokey Nancy (University of Chicago)
Strahan Philip (Boston College)
Strebulaev Ilya (Stanford University)
Sufi Amir (University of Chicago)
Tabarrok Alex (George Mason University)
Taylor Alan M. (UC Davis)
Thompson Tim (Northwestern University)
Tschoegl Adrian E. (University of Pennsylvania)
Uhlig Harald (University of Chicago)
Ulrich, Maxim (Columbia University)
Van Buskirk Andrew (University of Chicago)
Veronesi Pietro (University of Chicago)
Vissing-Jorgensen Annette (Northwestern University)
Wacziarg Romain (UCLA)
Weill Pierre-Olivier (UCLA)
Williamson Samuel H. (Miami University)
Witte Mark (Northwestern University)
Wolfers Justin (University of Pennsylvania)
Woutersen Tiemen (Johns Hopkins University)
Zingales Luigi (University of Chicago)
Zitzewitz Eric (Dartmouth College)

Debate Hosts, please put this in your line of questions

2008-09-24T08:15:00.000-07:00

John McCain thinks we are stupid and we don't know what he has said. Unfortunately Jed Lewison has discovered this new invention called video tape.

Rachel Maddow is awesome

2008-09-24T06:26:00.000-07:00

I am so angry I can't hardly see straight. Anyone considering voting for McCain and this republican cabal is insane, ignorant, or a criminal.

Bring our troops home now.

Why aren't you insulted and outraged?

2008-09-11T06:29:00.001-07:00

There is a reason there was a headline after the last election about how 54 million Americans could be so stupid.

It is because our media is pathetic and doesn't provide facts. They have become absolute stenographers and simply report what the McCain campaign says. This does not excuse us from not learning the facts. It is our responsibility to learn the truth. This is what makes America, and McCain will destroy America.

http://thinkprogress.org/lies-nowhere/

If you want to believe the world is flat and jump off of a 10 story roof because you don't believe in knowledge and science (i.e. Gravity) I can't stop you. You can prove your theory to me, before November 2008. But this is my country god damn-it and if you think you have any principles or can honestly support the past 7 years and this McCain campaign, please bring your thoughts. But when McCain's campaign says this campaign is not about issues but about personality, it is a joke. My country is not a joke and I will not stand for this persistent ignorance and empty rhetoric.

Obama is not perfect, but McCain is down right dangerous and not even an option. If you doubt it, bring your reasoning.

This is why this is so important and why I am so outraged

2008-08-06T04:59:00.000-07:00

This is serious. We face serious problems in energy, the economy, foreign relations, occupations, and who we are as a nation.

The media has continued to promulgate ignorance, with he said, she said reporting. There are facts, there is information, it is time to do our homework.

Take a moment and investigate information, facts and details. Information is knowable, we can know who is right, it just takes time and effort. This is your responsibility as a citizen. If you are proud to be American, what you have to do is learn, get information and the facts. It is what has made this country what it has been. Bush and company have used that greatness to coast, but now we must do the work to rebuild this country towards its best ideals. It starts with electing Obama, firing all of the TV news celebrities and focusing on new ideas, effort and information. Then we must work to keep Obama on track, as there will be hard times and difficult decisions ahead. It won't be easy, we have lost 8 valuable years, but now we must roll up our sleeves and get to work.

2008-08-03T05:05:00.000-07:00

This report was so very clear, well done and referenced that I didn't think it needed any commentary from me.

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August 1, 2008
by Faiz Shakir, Amanda Terkel, Satyam Khanna, Matt Corley, Benjamin Armbruster, Ali Frick, and Ryan Powers

TERRORISM
Ending 'The War On Terror'
The federally-funded RAND Corp. -- a public policy research institute that counsels the Pentagon -- released a study this week examining "how terrorist groups end" and concluded that the United States can defeat al Qaeda but only if it relies less on the use of military force and more on policing and intelligence. RAND conducted a quantitative analysis of 648 terror groups that existed between 1968 and 2006 and found that "most groups have ended because (1) they joined the political process or (2) local police and intelligence agencies arrested or killed key members. Military force has rarely been the primary reason for the end of terrorist groups." While nearly half of the terror groups analyzed ended as a result of a transition into the political process, for those "that cannot or will not make a transition to nonviolence, policing is likely to be the most effective strategy." The study noted that "[a]fter September 11, 2001, the U.S. strategy against al Qa'ida centered on the use of military force" and that "U.S. policymakers and key national-security documents referred to operations against al Qa'ida as the war on terrorism [emphasis in original]." However, the study added: "The evidence by 2008 suggested that the U.S. strategy was not successful in undermining al Qa'ida's capabilities."

SHIFTING TO 'COUNTERTERRORISM': RAND noted that a political solution "is not possible" in diminishing or even ending the threat from al Qaeda but that the group's "resurgence should trigger a fundamental rethinking of U.S counterterrorism strategy." While "policing and intelligence should be the backbone of U.S. efforts," the study adds that "military force...may be a necessary instrument when al-Qa'ida is involved in an insurgency." However, the emphasis should be on local military forces, because "they have a better understanding of the operating environment, even if they need to develop the capacity to deal with insurgent groups over the long run. This means a light U.S. military footprint or none at all." But most importantly, the key component of this strategy "should include ending the notion of a war on terrorism and replacing it with such concepts as counterterrorism." The "war on terror" terminology "encourages others abroad to respond by conducting a jihad (or holy war) against the United States and elevates them to the status of holy warriors. Terrorists should be perceived and described as criminals, not holy warriors." RAND's analysis of the data "suggests that there is no battleﬁeld solution to terrorism. Military force usually has the opposite effect from what is intended: It is often over-used, alienates the local population by its heavy-handed nature, and provides a window of opportunity for terrorist-group recruitment."

Details and fax of tax policies and the comparison

2008-08-03T04:26:00.000-07:00

Here is a post that very simply shows the difference between the Gas and Oil Party (GOP) {Republicans} and the democratic party of the United states people.

Again it seems so simple to me at this point, but unless you make over 2.4 million dollars a year, why would you vote for a Republican? Please let me know.

News you don't actually hear on the news

2008-07-26T07:07:00.000-07:00

This video didn't make it onto the evening news, but it does sound fairly important to me. This gentleman has been making the rounds of talk shows that I generally listen to. However, only once I have seem him on the traditional news channels, and it was because CNN was doing a report on how he hadn't been getting any news coverage for his book and was upset.

Listen to him, and consider his thoughts and comments. Ask yourself why isn't this on the news, doesn't it at least meet all of the standards for a news story?

He goes on, here.

2008-07-17T16:29:00.000-07:00

I got this from Hot Potato Mash, after hearing it on The Young Turks.

What I find most interesting in this video, aside from the information on McCain's lack of economic prowess, is that the beginning of the clip shows the mainstream medias cohesion of message. It was amazing how the minions were sent out and diligently spoke the party line of yeah, we are a bunch of whiners and how Phil Gramm, McCain's Chief Economic Advisor, was right even if he didn't say it very artfully.

Really?

It was outrages to consider people bitter, a situation you get into based on what happens to you, that is crazy. However, to consider americans weak, ie whiners, that is no big deal. If you are not outraged, please tell me why?

WOW, this was from 1992, but still, or even, WOW.

2008-07-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

Wow. Take 7 minutes to watch her thoughts.

Spend 10 minutes to think about if action had been taken then to end our dependence on oil and environmental degradation.

Wow.

2008-07-05T15:33:00.000-07:00

This is a great follow up to the post yesterday about what our declaration of independence actually says. It is interesting how many of these declarations are simply restatements or modernizations of the earlier grievances.

This echos my frustration with our current state.

Our declaration of Independence

2008-07-04T16:13:00.000-07:00

I thought providing the text of our declaration of independence today would be a good idea. Have you ever actually read it? I hadn't. We do follow from some incredible founders. This is what makes America great, not our military might, but rather our reason, ingenuity, and character.

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

— John Hancock

McCain and why if he wins this will no longer be the United States of America

2008-06-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

I will not and cannot vote for John McCain. If you are considering it, please view this and I look forward to a discussion of why.

Keith describes this very well and addresses the emotion. This is not about games or a horse race, ie who's ahead. This is about life and death. I can't put it in more stark terms, nor do I think this is an exaggeration. The thought of considering McCain displays a vast lack of awareness and context. In fact McCain asked for the full context of his remarks to be considered, well this clip does that very well. If at the end you can still consider a vote for McCain favorably, please send me a note. I need to understand how?

Moving towards president Obama

2008-06-06T04:21:00.000-07:00

Soon to be President Obama, in two days since securing the presidential nomination bid has:
1. Addressed the problem of Joe Lieberman.
2. Changed the DNC's ties with political PACs and Lobbyists.

Barack Obama is a phenomenon. I am so glad to be working at an adult level again. We have had a 13 year old petulant child in the white house and an infantile news media, with the capacity for nothing more than the simplistic vision potrayed by the 13 year old leader, for the past 7 years.

Rachel Maddow and the Evidence for Impeachment

2008-06-06T04:06:00.000-07:00

This is why we must impeach bush and cheney.

You can find the audio of this great clip from Rachel Maddow here. For some reason the embedding of the audio clip wouldn't work.

This is why they wouldn't complete this report under the republican congress before the 2004 election. I lifted these details from Talking Points Memo.

Here are the key points from the reports, according to a press release from Sen. Jay Rockefeller's office:

--Statements and implications by the President and Secretary of State suggesting that Iraq and al-Qa'ida had a partnership, or that Iraq had provided al-Qa'ida with weapons training, were not substantiated by the intelligence.
--Statements by the President and the Vice President indicating that Saddam Hussein was prepared to give weapons of mass destruction to terrorist groups for attacks against the United States were contradicted by available intelligence information.

--Statements by President Bush and Vice President Cheney regarding the postwar situation in Iraq, in terms of the political, security, and economic, did not reflect the concerns and uncertainties expressed in the intelligence products.

--Statements by the President and Vice President prior to the October 2002 National Intelligence Estimate regarding Iraq's chemical weapons production capability and activities did not reflect the intelligence community's uncertainties as to whether such production was ongoing.

--The Secretary of Defense's statement that the Iraqi government operated underground WMD facilities that were not vulnerable to conventional airstrikes because they were underground and deeply buried was not substantiated by available intelligence information.

--The Intelligence Community did not confirm that Muhammad Atta met an Iraqi intelligence officer in Prague in 2001 as the Vice President repeatedly claimed.

I just had to put in writing that today should be the last day of the Clinton campaign

2008-06-03T07:27:00.000-07:00

It is time for Hillary Clinton to end her campaign, there is no reason to continue, when reality is introduced.

I hope it happens as it should, but in case, she pulls some crazy stunt at her "big speech", I wanted my response to be on record.

Is it time to end the delusions

2008-06-02T04:23:00.000-07:00

It is time to end the delusions. Please explain the reasonable path to the end of the primaries for the democratic party.

Senator Obama has clearly won, by every, yes every measure. Elected delegates, super delegates and popular vote.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/1/16747/37393/979/526838

I am open to having a reasonable discussion about how this is expected to go forward. My conclusion is it is time to say to Hilary, thanks for trying out, here is the door.

Democratic Presidential Candidate Obama

2008-05-24T05:27:00.000-07:00

It is over, the next presidential candidate for the Democratic party is, and should be, Barack Obama.

I have long thought that Hillary has put forth a strong campaign for a candidate that I have had highly mixed feelings about. She has been a part of democratic politics for a very long time. However, I have felt that while she speaks well in public that behinds the scenes she has really represented the corporate side of politics. It has been this support and the nagging feeling that this is more about her than it is about the democratic party or even more broadly America.

Please see the video below of a commentary on Clinton and Obama strategy discussions. I think what is extremely noteworthy and unacceptable in this discussion is the consideration from the Clinton side about anything that leaves her out. If she is not at a minimum offered the vice presidency, then she would not support the democratic candidate? Really, if Hillary is not provided a VP offer, then she will campaign for Obama like Clinton did for Gore, quite aloof? Hillary, you and Bill are not the United States. You have done wonderful things in your life and for this country, but not this country do you make.

Then came her comments yesterday about this democratic presidential race. I agree entirely with Olbermann in this case, that it is less about the comment, although it raises questions of what is in her head. More egregious however is her "apology" and the lack of recognition. Keith says it wonderfully, so I will leave it with his special comment.

This is emotional- this is what campaigns and politics are all about.

2008-05-20T04:32:00.000-07:00

This is what makes life worth living, being involved with the community in which you live. I am so impressed that this many people would come out to be involved in their communities and world.

This is not a republican or democratic view, we all want to make our lives better, the issues arise when we try to map out how. There are reasonable differences to have in the how, and this makes for the political party differences. It can be reasonable to be a "republican", depending on how you define it. I have met some highly educated intelligent people that have articulated some excellent thoughts, ideas and understandings. However, as they have watched this current description and incarnation of the republican party, they have become extremely frustrated and angry.

However, we currently live in a time when people feel like it doesn't matter what we do. This administration has proven beyond all doubt that we need to be involved and not just allow the "leaders" to do what they "believe" is right. We must get involved, discuss, and move forward. Obama will not be perfect, and we will have to tell him after November and after January 20th, 2009 what we feel is important and keep pushing him in the right direction.

It is the ultimate self fulfilling prophecy to say that things can't change so why bother. Well that is absolutely true if you don't do anything or don't do anything different than nothing will change. The changes might not happen immediately, however if you get involved and work to improve your world by becoming educated about the issues, identifying relevant information and doing things to make them happen and bring that about.

Therefore, get out, get involved, and you won't need so much television and you will have a much better feeling about yourself, your neighbor, your community, and won't just have to say your country is the best, it will be.

The Real John McCain

2008-05-18T12:54:00.000-07:00

This is a classic video. I can't believe the free ride that McCain has gotten in our "critical" media. This needs to be everywhere across TV, the internet and american discussions.

Chris Matthews exposes rhetoric

2008-05-18T06:16:00.000-07:00

This is an excellent video of Chris Matthews spotlighting talking points. He was speaking with a radio talk show host, Kevin James, about the statement of appeasement from bush in Israel last week. It is time to address simplistic discussions that don't define the issues, but try to only use "buzz" words. During this clip Kevin says, the key word is appeasement and then repeats the word over and over, without giving the background he is being asked for, specifically, as to what was done that was called appeasement. The clip really says everything, it is worth the couple minutes to watch.

Well done Chris, thank you, and it is time to raise our discussions, to what moves us and those around us, progressively forward.

I would like to make one more point, if we had media that had done this for the past 8-9 years, we never would have had george w bush as a "president" and would never have gone into Iraq. Chris was there then, so he is not perfect, but it is great that we are trying to move in the right direction again.

Rod Parsely and McCain

2008-05-09T04:44:00.000-07:00

I think it goes without saying that I won't be voting for John McCain. Nor am I a big fan of guilt by association tactics. However this is a good clip of what I am really fighting against. Listen to the cowardly words of Rod Parsley, who says that "we were built for the battle, we were created for the conflict, we get off on warfare." No, I don't get off on warfare, only cowards and the uncivilized get off on warfare.

This is meant to bring pause to consideration of McCain, but also to the information coming from your Pastor. Jesus taught peace, not war. Even the old testament, generally speaking, had God conducting the violence not the people fighting.

It is time to worship something other than war and brawn, it is time to worship laws and civilization again. Gather up your courage and stand strong for the US Constitution and the rule of law. This will require real accountability and the impeach of Cheney and Bush, but it is time.

My take on the media's coverage of the election over the past week

2008-05-01T06:22:00.000-07:00

So we would like to consider this question of Barack Obama that we are not asking any other candidate.

Now that we have asked this question over and over for the past week as if they are real issues, now let's look at the polls and see if this repeated questioning has reduced his numbers in the polls at all. Well yes, there has that been a small change in the poll numbers (albeit within the margin of error), therefore this is a real question and a concern. Because we have said this is a problem and raised it over and over and there has been some effect from this then we should continue to ask these questions of him.

Come on this is ridiculous.

Come on People (White People)

2008-04-29T05:13:00.000-07:00

It is absolutely absurd to think that this country is not ready for a female president or a black president. If you think this is even a valid question, shame on you.

If you have someone who says well some people are concerned about this, the simple response is, Well, shame on them. To even consider that question is a shame on us. What is wrong with us, to accept this stupidity. If that is a question for you, shame on you and you need to adjust your thinking. There is nothing about a persons gender or skin color that makes them more or less qualified to run a government.

I am truly ashamed of my country colleagues and I can no longer listen to the media questions about voting tendencies without saying, if you have these concerns you are wrong, should be ashamed, and you need to change.

This really isn't a discussion here about Barack Obama's or Hillary Clinton's ability to address the concerns of the country. I look forward to discussing qualifications and the details of the policy ideas, but any proxy or allusion to race or gender is absurd and needs to be condemned.

I am sorry if this offends you, but if this is even a mild consideration in your mind or heart, this is a dramatic error and something you should be ashamed of.

There was so much hype about Bill Cosby's book, Come on People, because he offered criticism as a black man to black people. Therefore white people are justified to feel the way they feel. On a simple level yes we are justified to abhor actions that don't provide education for families, but we have to think harder and consider what are the possibilities for these families. Bill is doing his part to help encourage his fellow black people and we (as white people) are equally culpable for our fellow (white people) to say we must be accountable. We must be held responsible for our bad behaviour. One of the most egregious of our culpable actions is this question of whether we can vote for a women or black man.

The point is not that we have to control or change every individual mind or heart, but rather that our national meme needs to be condemnation of the question. We need to be, show, and shout outrage if the question is even asked. Because even the question is insulting and shameful.

I don' t understand! Hillary is offering her experience?

2008-04-23T09:12:00.000-07:00

Hillary is claiming today that Pennsylvanian's voted for her because she has been around and people know they can count on her? What can we count on, that is exactly the problem I have with this, yes she has been around and in the senate and look where we are. She talks about when she becomes president and setting this or that law, you don't set laws as president, you do that as a senator. You have had your chance to do that, with a great name to get publicity and you haven't used it well.

If this is the experience that she is bringing, I don't want it.

We need a president who won't quit?

2008-04-23T02:58:00.000-07:00

After Hilary proved in Pennsylvania that the politics of the lowest common denominator can work to divide us, she took this moment to say that the United States doesn't quit and we deserve a president won't quit. We already have a president that won't quit and we have another nominee promising the same thing, McSame, which he pictorialized perfectly.

I am so tired of the same thing and people saying we can't do anything about it. This is the ultimate self-fulfilling process, if you do nothing different, nothing will change.

We need to stop digging.

At what point do you say, I am not going to listen to you any longer?

2008-04-22T04:54:00.000-07:00

There have been an series of new articles lately outlining the lies of this administration and how we got here. So that we are clear on where "here" is, in an illegal occupation, an economy on the brink of collapse, a majorly ineffectually media, and an extremely challenged environment.

NY Times article on how, Psy-ops have been perpetrated on us, American Citizens.

Here is a story of military judge, dismissed because he refused to condone the torture campaign of this administration. By the way, why are all of our investigations on real issues coming from "Harpers, Vanity Fair, etc".

The Ex-Governor of Alabama has been imprisoned in a story that links back to the attorney general scandal of Alberto Gonzalez and the firings, or lack there of.

It is time to stop believing everything we hear and read and asking some serious questions. This is what makes ABC's activities this past week at the debate all the more disgraceful.

No to McCain- NBC displays the plan to stay in Iraq

2008-04-09T05:29:00.000-07:00

McCain made his real feelings known yesterday and NBC news covered it, albeit, I believe, mistakenly. NBC nightly news podcast from 5:14-5:17 shows McCain saying that "There is no substitute for victory, and withdrawal [from Iraq] is defeat". Therefore the since we must win, we now know that we will stay in Iraq forever. It could not be more clear, while on the senate floor, and where McCain thought he was actually in front of National coverage his language changes. In section 5:20 - 5:30of the same podcast he changes his statement to "this means rejecting, as we did in 2007, the calls for a reckless and irresponsible withdrawal of our forces at the moment, and they are succeeding." This implies that withdrawal is an option only that is must be done "responsibly". However when you listen to his entire thoughts, described in his statement to the vets for freedom above, the only responsible withdrawal is no withdrawal. Please remember he still believes to this day, that we should have stayed in Vietnam.

NBC's Engel discussion of the Patraeus's testimony, he nailed the analysis of his testimony from 7:40 to 8:20 of the same podcast where he says the goal posts have moved, they have said for years that when stability is achieved we can come home and now they are saying that the troops must stay in Iraq to keep that stability. In other words they can't come home.

It is time to wake up, it is time to get active, and it is time to come home and rebuild this country.

Reverand King and Reverand Wright

2008-04-08T09:58:00.000-07:00

As I have been catching up on the news over the past week, which ended with the 40th anniversary of the assasination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I have been struck by the similarity between his speeches and those on you tube for Reverend Wright. They both sought to have us explore our understandings of the world before us.

It is imperative that we don't react to the superficial view of things and seek deep understanding of truth.

In the words of President Kennedy, "mankind must seek to bring an end to War, or War will bring an end to mankind."

The real opponent and his (McCain's) record

2008-04-07T04:21:00.000-07:00

10 things you should know about John McCain (but probably don't):

1. John McCain voted against establishing a national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Now he says his position has "evolved," yet he's continued to oppose key civil rights laws.1

2. According to Bloomberg News, McCain is more hawkish than Bush on Iraq, Russia and China. Conservative columnist Pat Buchanan says McCain "will make Cheney look like Gandhi."2

3. His reputation is built on his opposition to torture, but McCain voted against a bill to ban waterboarding, and then applauded President Bush for vetoing that ban.3

4. McCain opposes a woman's right to choose. He said, "I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned."4

5. The Children's Defense Fund rated McCain as the worst senator in Congress for children. He voted against the children's health care bill last year, then defended Bush's veto of the bill.5

6. He's one of the richest people in a Senate filled with millionaires. The Associated Press reports he and his wife own at least eight homes! Yet McCain says the solution to the housing crisis is for people facing foreclosure to get a "second job" and skip their vacations.6

7. Many of McCain's fellow Republican senators say he's too reckless to be commander in chief. One Republican senator said: "The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He's erratic. He's hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me."7

8. McCain talks a lot about taking on special interests, but his campaign manager and top advisers are actually lobbyists. The government watchdog group Public Citizen says McCain has 59 lobbyists raising money for his campaign, more than any of the other presidential candidates.8

9. McCain has sought closer ties to the extreme religious right in recent years. The pastor McCain calls his "spiritual guide," Rod Parsley, believes America's founding mission is to destroy Islam, which he calls a "false religion." McCain sought the political support of right-wing preacher John Hagee, who believes Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment for gay rights and called the Catholic Church "the Antichrist" and a "false cult."9

10. He positions himself as pro-environment, but he scored a 0—yes, zero—from the League of Conservation Voters last year.10

John McCain is not who the Washington press corps make him out to be. Please help get the word out—forward this email to your personal network.

Sources:
1. "The Complicated History of John McCain and MLK Day," ABC News, April 3, 2008
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/the-complicated.html

"McCain Facts," ColorOfChange.org, April 4, 2008
http://colorofchange.org/mccain_facts/

2. "McCain More Hawkish Than Bush on Russia, China, Iraq," Bloomberg News, March 12, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aF28rSCtk0ZM&refer=us

"Buchanan: John McCain 'Will Make Cheney Look Like Gandhi,'" ThinkProgress, February 6, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/06/buchanan-gandhi-mccain/

3. "McCain Sides With Bush On Torture Again, Supports Veto Of Anti-Waterboarding Bill," ThinkProgress, February 20, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/20/mccain-torture-veto/

4. "McCain says Roe v. Wade should be overturned," MSNBC, February 18, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17222147/

5. "2007 Children's Defense Fund Action Council® Nonpartisan Congressional Scorecard," February 2008
http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/PageServer?pagename=act_learn_scorecard2007

"McCain: Bush right to veto kids health insurance expansion," CNN, October 3, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/03/mccain.interview/

6. "Beer Executive Could Be Next First Lady," Associated Press, April 3, 2008
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h-S1sWHm0tchtdMP5LcLywg5ZtMgD8VQ86M80

"McCain Says Bank Bailout Should End `Systemic Risk,'" Bloomberg News, March 25, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aHMiDVYaXZFM&refer=home

7. "Will McCain's Temper Be a Liability?," Associated Press, February 16, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=4301022

"Famed McCain temper is tamed," Boston Globe, January 27, 2008
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/01/27/famed_mccain_temper_is_tamed/

8. "Black Claims McCain's Campaign Is Above Lobbyist Influence: 'I Don't Know What The Criticism Is,'" ThinkProgress, April 2, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/02/mccain-black-lobbyist/

"McCain's Lobbyist Friends Rally 'Round Their Man," ABC News, January 29, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4210251

9. "McCain's Spiritual Guide: Destroy Islam," Mother Jones Magazine, March 12, 2008
http://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2008/03/john-mccain-rod-parsley-spiritual-guide.html

"Will McCain Specifically 'Repudiate' Hagee's Anti-Gay Comments?," ThinkProgress, March 12, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/12/mccain-hagee-anti-gay/

"McCain 'Very Honored' By Support Of Pastor Preaching 'End-Time Confrontation With Iran,'" ThinkProgress, February 28, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/28/hagee-mccain-endorsement/

10. "John McCain Gets a Zero Rating for His Environmental Record," Sierra Club, February 28, 2008
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/environment/77913/

We need to make stuff here

2008-04-02T04:21:00.000-07:00

This comic from Danzinger says so much. I am so tired of not being able to find products Made in the USA. This isn't about patriotism, this is about survival. It is about history and learning from the past. We have been through one republican great depression and although we got together and responded through Roosevelt's new deal, which put in a series of regulations, yes I said the word regulation, which created the great prosperity of the 50's and 60's. Since then that has steadily been eroded, especially by the great fraud Reagan in the 80's and continued by Clinton who signed the removal of the Glass Steagall act.

Unless we make products here, no matter how much we buy we will not stimulate our economy. The stimulus package passed by this democratic congress and signed by Bush will only serve to stimulate the Chinese economy as Huckabee said.

We spent months looking for toaster oven made here in the United States. We were not successful, we even tried to find something made in Europe or even more locally such as Mexico. We could not find one. We did find some that said online that they were made in the USA, however when we went to the store to get one, the only one's there were made in China.
It now takes us much longer to buy things, we want to make sure our purchases follow our values. I recently had to purchase a new backpack, and was able to find this backpack from drifterbag.

It is absolutely time to support labor in this country. Another lesson we will have to learn again is coming this week from truck drivers. This will cause people to become aware that there food doesn't come from a local farmer, but generally travels 2500 miles to get to their local store. Prices will skyrocket and we will realize there are ramifications of only thinking about ourselves. We need to support these drivers, labor in our country, and start to come together as a country again. Here are the great words of Merle Haggard.

I am so frustrated- it is time to get a new vision.

2008-03-26T04:43:00.000-07:00

I am sitting at the Dayton airport watching CNN, as they talk about new tensions in Basra, Iraq. Their conclusion from this news is that this underscores General Petraeus thoughts that we can't leave Iraq, becuase it is unstable. Yet for the past few months the meme has been that the surge is working and things are calming down, so we can't leave now. The link I have for the surge is working is from the mainstream media's perspective, see George's question, since you were wrong about the surge...?

So the point of the media is that if the violence is reducing we can't leave, but if there is violence in Iraq we can't leave, so we can't leave. If you can't leave if A and you can't leave if not A, then you can't leave.

It is time to listen to some new leaders.

President Obama

2008-03-19T05:12:00.000-07:00

A leader does not say everything is fine when financial markets are falling. A leader doesn't say, we do not torture, when shown evidence of torture.

A leader says here is reality, the good and the bad, and here are our options. We can wallow in the current approaches or we can take this new path. Follow me on this new path which can lead to this new world and new vision. A leader points to this new vision and they way to get there. A leader says we can do more together than any of us can do alone. A leader says together we can achieve great things. A president says WE are better as team, as a country, as "we the people", becuase of YOU the people. President Obama said that and displayed that here.

What we have missed for at least the past 7 years.

Understanding Labels, and since it is from Cincinnati

2008-03-04T04:06:00.000-08:00

I have heard this account many times on the Thom Hartmann show, but today I heard the source's name, and it happens to be from Cincinnati, Mr. John Gray.

Joe gets up at 6:00am to prepare his morning coffee. He fills his pot full of good clean drinking water because some liberal fought for minimum water quality standards. He takes his daily medication with his first swallow of coffee. His medications are safe to take because some liberal fought to insure their safety and work as advertised.

All but $10.00 of his medications are paid for by his employers medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance, now Joe gets it too. He prepares his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs this day. Joe’s bacon is safe to eat because some liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry.

Joe takes his morning shower reaching for his shampoo; His bottle is properly labeled with every ingredient and the amount of its contents because some liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained. Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some tree hugging liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our air. He walks to the subway station for his government subsidized ride to work; it saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees. You see, some liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.

Joe begins his work day; he has a good job with excellent pay, medicals benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some liberal union members fought and died for these working standards. Joe’s employer pays these standards because Joe’s employer doesn’t want his employees to call the union. If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed he’ll get a worker compensation or unemployment check because some liberal didn’t think he should loose his home because of his temporary misfortune.

Its noon time, Joe needs to make a Bank Deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe’s deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC because some liberal wanted to protect Joe’s money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the depression.

Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae underwritten Mortgage and his below market federal student loan because some stupid liberal decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his life-time.
Joe is home from work, he plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive to dads; his car is among the safest in the world because some liberal fought for car safety standards. He arrives at his boyhood home. He was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers Home Administration because bankers didn’t want to make rural loans. The house didn’t have electric until some big government liberal stuck his nose where it didn’t belong and demanded rural electrification. (Those rural Republican’s would still be sitting in the dark)

He is happy to see his dad who is now retired. His dad lives on Social Security and his union pension because some liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn’t have to. After his visit with dad he gets back in his car for the ride home.

He turns on a radio talk show, the host’s keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. (He doesn’t tell Joe that his beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day) Joe agrees, “We don’t need those big government liberals ruining our lives; after all, I’m a self made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have”.

I understand that both of my last posts, although very infrequent seem to be partisan, I think they are both an argument that simple labels are not where we should stop. We need to talk about specific issues and have dialogue. If we don't discuss the details we will become polarized. A scenario I don't believe we have yet been in.

If you still claim this is your republican party

2007-12-07T05:09:00.000-08:00

Please tell me how this administration represents you? What have they done for you?

How do you govern if you don't think government has any role?

2007-11-09T14:29:00.000-08:00

This article really struck me, as finally they are being honest and so blatantly stupid that it almost doesn't seem fair to point it out. However the stupid person in this case is the head of the safety department of our government. This is the acting chairwoman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, you know the commission that is supposed to monitor and review the products that come into this country for consumption or use. The products from China that have been laced with lead and now some crazy chemical that when ingested causes symptoms like a "date rape" drug.

However when the legislators try to increase the budget and authority of this of this commission, the acting chairwomen says, no thank you. This will require me to be responsible and will hurt businesses.

These are the same businesses that are now under the threat of a law suit from China.

John Edwards however has asked for her to resign. If you do not want to do the job for which you have been hired, resigning seems like the only reasonable thing to do.

Continuing on the Media

2007-09-26T07:57:00.000-07:00

I would like to continue on my theme of the media. This time, however, from the opposite side from my previous posts. There are good media outlets out there and in this instance one of them needs your support. Mosaic, is a compilation of media coverage from middle eastern countries, from both independent and state run outlets. They provide information from all perspectives from the middle east, with reports from people that are located in the communities and have direct access to the views of the communities.

On Friday September 28th, 2007, they highlighted stories about how Israel soldiers are preventing Palestinian residents from attending temples in Jerusalem. Including government officials, that have died, were denied the right to stop at the temple on the way to the cemetery.

They also highlighted a peaceful demonstration by women's groups in Palestine against the Israeli's excessive use of force on women held in Israeli custody.

Moreover they provided clips from Al-Jazeera English that had deployed a reporter to Myanmar (Burma) to report first hand, with video and as a witness to, the protest being lead by Buddhist Monks in the streets of the Capitol. The video they recorded is that which I have seen used on CBS and AP news reports.

When it comes to news and information I want to get as close to the source and eye witnesses as possible.

Right now however Mosaic needs your support. They have been receiving a grant from a foundation but that has come to an end. Now they need the support from viewers. I would like to encourage you to check it out, and if you can donate to the program and Link TV.

Other great sources of information and worth of Support are:

Democracy Now with Amy Goodman. I can't recommend this one enough.

GoLeft.tv

Crooks and Liars

Why I cancelled my WSJ subscription Yesterday

2007-08-03T08:25:00.000-07:00

I know the last two posts have been about cancelling a subscription, but last time it had no real financial impact, it was a free podcast download that I was cancelling. Now it is a little more significant. I have paid annually to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) for nearly 5 years.

Rupert Murdoch's bid to purchase the Wall Street Journal has been accepted. Here is the WSJ coverage of the story.

They give a basic history of the story and the players. The have a great reputation for general reporting and that is what Murdoch wants to leach off of. He has figured out a model for getting people's attention, but not by speaking of great things in life or from appealling to people's best qualities, but instead to appealing to their basest of human characteristics. I believe this comic from Lalo Alcaraz wonderfully captures the essence of Rupert Murdochs' effect on news coverage.

I am sorry to lose the WSJ.

Why I cancelled my ABC World News podcast subscription

2007-07-15T20:22:00.000-07:00

Friday was the final straw. I sat down to watch the 17 minute 3 second synopsis of the daily news, according to Charles Gibson. Mainly I am watching these reports to get a sense of what is being reported in the mainstream corporate media and am generally very disappointed, but this Friday was just too much.

To demonstrate my frustration and why I am so outraged by this broadcast I will detail the list of topics covered in the ABC report and compare what is covered by ABC with the 10 minute news summary given at the beginning of an hour news program hosted by Amy Goodman, called Democracy Now (DN). Because Democracy Now is broadcast at 9AM EST and ABC World News is posted in the afternoon, I had to review both the Friday July 13th and Thursday July 12th World News report, in case they covered something the night before. I didn't bother reviewing the Thursday morning Democracy Now report, as you will see, Amy beat all 34 minutes of ABC reporting in one 10 minute summary.

ABC News
1. Mentioned as a passing headline that a Commander in Iraq, says that the surge has made progress in Baqubah, Iraq.
They later went on to develop the story, showing statements from Bush, Senator Reid, the bill passed in congress to "narrow the mission in Iraq", and how the president rejected such calls. They then cut to this Commander in Iraq who believes that his troops are making progress and that a withdrawal would be a mistake. He went on to say that if you say, "Well we have to leave, that's not a strategy that is a withdrawal." They further supported the position that we must keep troops in Iraq by saying that some Iraqi leaders thought it would be a mistake if the US troops left Iraq. However, they didn't say anything about whether they were able to find anyone in the Iraqi legislation that thought we should leave? What about the people of Iraq, what are their thoughts on whether the US troops should leave?

2. They then had a report said that the number of teens having sex has declined, and that the number using condoms has increased. Of those having sex, 61% reported using condom vs. 45% in 1991. That is right 1991. That seemed like an odd benchmark to me to. So I found the report, and they used that number because it was far more impressive than the change from 2001 which was 57.9%. To be fair however, their report was wrong and the real number in 2005 was 62.8% not 61%, however it was 63% in 2003. Additionally, I believe they used that number, because they also mentioned that the number having sex had decreased, however the number increased since 2001. So I believe they thought it would be more consistent to use the 1991 numbers.

3. They also covered stories on David Beckham, Summer vacations to Africa and poverty there, McCain's campaign, and their top searches from Google.

4. Then they closed with a piect that consumed 2 minutes 50 second, out of their entire 17 minute broadcast about a children's book series, called Help Mom! They then proceeded to describe some of the content of these books and how they were designed to teach children conservative themes. They went so far as to show some of the animation clearly charactering prominent Senators, and found voice overs to sound like the senators they were depicting.
Why were they running this report?
a. Was this a new series, no it came out in September 2005.
b. Were they considering the validity of any claim in the book, no they made no comment on the themes or the validity of the statements.
c. Could it have been that again, if we say more about how liberals are bad, scary and are out to get you, maybe we can rebuild the fear of the word LIBERAL.
d. Could it be that these books are not on Amazon's top 100 best selling children's books and they wanted to promote them?

While they were spending their time on these life changing reports, here are a couple of the stories covered by Democracy Now's 10 minute summary that they didn't cover.

Democracy Now, Friday July 13th
1. DN also mentioned the House Bill that passed 87-1, but they mentioned who the one vote was. It was our own very honorable Mr. Kucinich.

2. While they mentioned Bush's rejection of the House Bill, they also mentioned that he continued to link 9/11 and Al Qaeda, a theme and remark he has had to specifically denounce.
3. DN also showed a video clip of Bush responding about how someone in his administration had leaked the name of CIA operative Plame. They also chronicled a report that showed the Al Qaeda has "reconstituted" it capabilities to at least where it was before 9/11. Some of this report was covered during the Thursday broadcast from ABC, however they didn't show Bush speak of the "name of that person".
4. They actually ended the segment with this gem, but to keep the theme of the presidents statements in line, Bush took a question from Helen Thomas who asked the president about his choice to go into Iraq and his war of choice. To which Bush continued his lie that Saddam forced the invasion because he didn't comply with weapons inspectors, when in fact Bush asked the inspectors to leave before he invaded Iraq. This is from a CNN transcript from March 17, 2007.

And in case you're just joining us, a big development in the showdown with Iraq. The U.S. has advised the U.N. to pull its weapons inspectors out of Iraq. The Security Council is expected to discuss the matter at 10:00 a.m. Eastern.

5. She mentioned highlights of the 13 minute video posted by the International Association of Fire Fighters on YouTube about Giuliani. I think it is fair to say it is not favorable of the "Nations' Mayor".

6. Mexican Court Ends Genocide Trial of Ex-President. Echeverria was accused over his alleged role in the 1968 Tlatelolco massacre of student protesters.

7. Peruvians Protest Chilean Rejection of Fujimori Extradition
In Peru, hundreds of people gathered outside the Chilean embassy Thursday to protest a Chilean supreme court’s rejection of an extradition request for former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori.

8. Finally they mentioned potential contempt charges in congress against Harriet Miers for her failure to show up and testify in accordance with subpoena's from congress.

I think these stories have a little more significance than some infomercial for a children's book series that came out almost two years earlier.

Join me in telling ABC to think more about reporting the facts than about getting the administrations theme across. They already have Faux news, ABC doesn't need to follow suit.

Here is a real media evaluation of the Libby commutation

2007-07-03T19:09:00.000-07:00

This is awesome. Thank you Keith for using the media tool you have for the purpose of our nation.

Of this I am Sure

2007-07-03T05:41:00.001-07:00

It is time to impeach the President and Vice President of the United States.

I could not sleep last night, thinking about our country and what has happened to our standing and basis as a country on the rule of law.

Monday, July 2, 2007, George W. Bush commuted the sentence of Scooter Libby to remove all time in jail as a consequence of his conviction of the felonies of obstruction of Justice, lying under oath, perjury, and lying to a federal investigator. He did all of these things during the investigation into the outing of a covert agent. Impeachment has absolutely been seen and understood as a tool designed by the framers of our country for our governmental leaders to use. Washington Post apparently did a great review of the framers discussion of impeachment back when it was proposed against Clinton, and it is worth considering here. From the Daily Kos, there was a great section on how this might be relevant.

James Madison of Virginia argued in favor of impeachment stating that some provision was "indispensible" to defend the community against "the incapacity, negligence or perfidy of the chief Magistrate." With a single executive, Madison argued, unlike a legislature whose collective nature provided security, "loss of capacity or corruption was more within the compass of probable events, and either of them might be fatal to the Republic."40 Benjamin Franklin supported impeachment as "favorable to the executive"; where it was not available and the chief magistrate had "rendered himself obnoxious," recourse was had to assassination. The Constitution should provide for the "regular punishment of the Executive when his misconduct should deserve it, and for his honorable acquittal when he should be unjustly accused.41 Edmund Randolph also defended "the propriety of impeachments":

The Executive will have great opportunitys of abusing his power; particularly in time of war when the military force, and in some respects the public money will be in his hands. Should no regular punishment be provided it will be irregularly inflicted by tumults & insurrections.42

Let us consider the timing of this action. It happened within hours of the ruling from the judge that Scooter Libby, would have to spend his time in prison, while appealing his sentence. Which means by the way, that the judge was ruling that it was highly unlikely that there would be a grounds for an appeal. In contrast to the flooded areas of Texas and Kansas, where thousands have been displaced and our good president hasn't had the time to visit, while on vacation in Maine.

What is important is the United States of America and the people of this country. What is not important are the men of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney and their friends and co-conspirators.

It is time to take our country back. Please call your senator. Remind them of their approval rate, which has lost nearly 20 points in the last couple of months, since they decided to continue with the occupation of Iraq and provide more funding to the Bush administration. It is time for them to stand and return this country to its rightful owners, us. Call or contact your representative at (202) 224-3121.

Back to the post on good government

2007-06-08T07:55:00.001-07:00

I am so tired of political sound bites and meaningless rhetoric, the prowess of the republican party.

They talk about that which they have polled as the politically clear choice, like increased passport scrutiny for travel to all destinations outside of the US. However they have no management, leadership, or ability to effect the changes they spew. Katrina left devastation that still remains in New Orleans. New York still doesn't have a real plan or development on the site known as ground zero. And here is yet another story about this administration's inability to actually plan for and implement the changes they wanted to create in passport requirements to locations outside of the United States. Many have waited over 3 months for passports and have to miss planned trips because passports were not issued when promised because of the increased requests.

I am tired of the 12 year-olds governing this country. When we speak to other countries, the level of discussion only reaches "my daddy can beat up your daddy". When we try to enact policy changes, there is nothing more than "I promise I will clean up after the puppy mommy, can we please get the puppy".

We need real accountability, leadership, and a change in attitude. It is time to be grown ups again.

Resistance to change

2007-05-22T12:42:00.000-07:00

David Brooks on Thom Hartmann said that congress has lost 19-20 points off of their approval rating to around the same approval as the republican congress.

This is interesting giving the common media opinion that the public is resistant to change, and wants to keep things going as they are.

In fact the information tells us exactly the opposite. The democrats talked about change and doing things differently in the November elections, but have not changed things substantially. As a result their approval rating is dropped to the same low level as the previous republican congress. When you have a president who has a 28% approval rating and you can't figure out how to highlight the mistakes of that politician and simply continue his policies, you have no reason to have a high approval rating.

Today, there is talk that the democrats will be sending the president a continued spending bill. Remember this is emergency spending, this is above and beyond the already deficit budget spending planned by the republicans.

It is another very sad day in American history. If we could only have the current politicians do something different not just talk about doing it differently, we might get a different result.

I want good government not political power

2007-05-17T07:49:00.000-07:00

I am for good government and not political power.
I am not looking for just any democratic candidate to be elected in 2008. I am looking for individuals that believe in government, that believe the government has a role, is familiar with governing and speaks about leading towards what is right.

It is unacceptable to me, that in the year 2007:
1. we are questioning if we are ready for a female president, when other nations have had female leaders for years. Britian had a female Prime Minister almost 30 years ago.
2. We have a black candidate, Obama, where CBS has had to disallow all comments on their website when there is an article on Obama, because of the amount of vitriolic comments posted there. Combine this with the fact that Barack has been placed under secret service because the threats against him were significant enough to warrant the measure. This reminds us that we are not at a point for "color blindness" yet.
3. That we are considering if torturing people is acceptable.
4. We are considering if permanent detention centers like Guantanamo are acceptable.
5. We have invaded a country, and are becoming comfortable with the fact that we did it for their oil, and that we have the right to their oil.
6. We have given up our civil rights, the ones others have fought so hard for us to have, for an elusive and vague security.
7. We have reduced our standards of our leaders so low that george w. bush was allowed to be considered elected and then reelected.
8. We value and even worship corporations and business more than the communities in which they exist and the land upon which they depend.

I have not been able to watch the entire republican debate on Fox the other day, but heard these clips and commentary from the Young Turks. Where many of these points outlined above are actually considered and "debated" as valuable and applauded by the audience.

Mr. McCain is not really viable for president to me, because of his stance on the war in general and how much he has followed the republican party line, ie keeping power at all costs, for the last 6 years. However, I do believe that he is an authority on torture, and his response during the debate was thoughtful and respectable.

Ron Paul is worth considering for a candidate.

Most of the democratic candidates, on the other had have set up a clear difference, and get these very basic standards. For this reason I will likely be voting democratic in 2008. I think the clarity and vision of two candidates really set the bar. Dennis Kucinich and John Edwards have spoken with this clarity.

In this video, Dennis inspires thoughts for peace, environmental action, and equal opportunity. While I really like Dennis, his thoughts and what he has to say, I am not completely convinced of his ability to inspire enough people for presidency.

John Edwards is an excellent choice because speaks about what is real, what is true, and what is right. It is important to think not just about how things are currently done, but how they should be done. In this video, John Edwards speaks clearly about how we need to be involved and act to make our country what we want it to be.

Happy Mother's Day

2007-05-11T13:55:00.000-07:00

I could think of nothing better for Mother's Day, for the time that we find ourselves in, and continuing the theme of this blog.

Enjoy and Happy Mother's Day. Dedicated to my Mothers.

Blackwater

2007-04-25T07:50:00.000-07:00

Blackwater is a mercenary group that creates private citizenry to perform military operations. They have been deployed in New Orleans and of course Iraq. There are more than 130,000 of these "mercenaries" serving in Iraq performing military functions. Many of whom make nearly 30,000 a month. This company and their actions have been chronicled by Jeremy Scahill at this site.

Now Blackwater wants to purchase and develop a training site on 650,000 acres in Southern California. Since June 2004 Blackwater has been awarded $750 million in State Department contracts alone. Jeremy goes into great detail of their actions to date here.

People are so clever, take a break and laugh

2007-04-21T15:02:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I get so frustrated by what has happened to our wonderful country and the downward spiral created by the bush administration.

Then there are the times that I find something that someone super creative has developed that restores my faith in people and humanity.

Here are a couple of my favorites.

First the bad, there is the recent news that presidential candidate John McCain, blew it and in response to an insane question from the audience, broke into song about bombing Iran, to the tune of the Beach Boys Song Barbara Ann.

Here is an incredibly clever guys video about bombing Iran. However this video was made before McCains response so it likely could be what McCain was thinking of.

Here is an incredible clever rap song about G to the WB.

Blue Canyon Satire, has created a series of wonderful things, so I encourage you to check out their website. In the meantime, their latest is on youtube, check it out.

These guys at redstate update, are hilarious.

Then as Thom Hartmann says, get active. You can start by starting a conversation about our next president on this blog.

We won, We won!

2007-04-18T08:03:00.000-07:00

Today, Reuters is reporting that Iraq will be taking security control of Iraq from all foreign occupiers by the end of 2007. They are stepping up, now we can stand down. Whatever you want to say, lets bring them home. Let's get the hell out of Iraq and let's start to look into why we got there in the first place. This will lead clearly to the impeachment of the cabal of bush, cheney, and gonzalez.

Remember that I said yesterday that the news should have been telling us that Sadr was pulling his people out of the Iraqi government because they weren't setting a timeline for the withdrawal of foreign occupiers.

Also yesterday it was announced that Kucinich was going to put forth articles of impeachment for Cheney.

Put that on your front page, ABC, CBS, NBC.

Gonzalez Hearing

2007-04-17T21:26:00.000-07:00

I am so glad that Leahy was able to push the hearing for Gonzalez back a couple of days. He correctly identified that the VT incident was going to take over the main stream media. While I hope for the best possible healing for the survivors of this horrible incident, I don't think this should be the only story the media reports to us for the entire day of Tuesday April 17, 2007. I think that Larry Johnson, puts it into perspective very nicely.

Might there have been some things for them to look into rather than dramatizing the lives of the people who's lives have been tragically cut short? What about looking into:
1. the fact that 58 troops have died in Iraq thus far in April
2. that a US Army national guardsman is being put on trial in absentia in Italy
3. that political members loyal to Al-Sadr have removed themselves from the government in Iraq
4. How about the fact that the administration doesn't want you to know that they are withholding emails that were requested by the special prosecutor Fitzgerald and now the ongoing investigation into Gonzalez.
5. They don't want you to think about the fact that they have been using illegal email accounts, precisely so you, as the public paying their salaries, don't know the details of what they have been doing.
6. Don't think about the woman who was jailed for a year for mistakenly voting while on probation. When she was told that she was not allowed to vote legally, she reportedly called the state house to ask for her vote to be withdrawn. She was then told she didn't have to do that, but now she has been jailed for a year.
7. Don't think about Sami Al-Arian, Florida professor in prison for charges of terrorism for which a jury was unable to convict him of a single charge.
8. How about thinking about Guantanamo, and how there are still hundreds of men being held without charges.
You don't have to think all of these items are crucial, but the issue is to think about them.

While we grieve for the losses at VT, from watching the media coverage while I read and wrote this blog, I am struck by the fact that flags are flying at half mast today. I find this very interesting, shouldn't flags be flying at half mast just about every day for our fallen soldiers. Remember the ones that we support so strongly, that we want to leave them in a country where they are being shot at and targeted.

What if we spent some time considering the lost lives of our fallen soldiers with full day coverage. That would be coverage that I would tune in for.

Open blogging

2007-04-15T09:16:00.000-07:00

This is a highlight of my experience from this other blog. Please review this blog for the rest of this post to be in context. My comments on this blog are under cjkinsey.

I am writing this in my blog, because it is the only way to clearly have my view posted.

Quickly, I believe the point of the posting initially was that each of the presidential candidates is from the top tier of our economic spectrum. I believe this speaks to the system we have now in politics that is dependent on big money, and not representative of the majority view of the majority of the people. While I don’t think this is her point, I agree that this system is a major problem, and one we should be working to change it, by making all campaigns publicly funded. However, since that change won’t be in place before the 2008 election, the question really is one of understanding national economics.

Below is a summary of our comments in the blog.

In comment #4, I tried to identify some evidence that would provide some support for a view of distinct economic classifications. I linked to 2 articles, one demonstrating the increasing amount of wealth in the upper tier of people, and a second article showing the increased number of people below the poverty, increasing every year since 2001.

In comment #5, she responded with, 1. I don’t trust that citation. 2. Do you really believe there is fixed wealth in the world? 3. You can’t compel my interest and action to the plight of the poor.

In comment #14, I responded with 1. It depends on your definition of wealth, but there are limited resources and dollars in the world. 2. The compelling of actions is required not by law, but by morality. 3. That not liking the deliverer of information, doesn’t make the information untrue.

In comment #15, she again responds with her conclusion that Edwards says there is a finite amount of money in the world. Asks, do you really believe that there is the same amount of money in the world today as 5, 50, or 500 years ago. Then she states, "Your worldview is scary, if you really believe that individuals “owe the system”. What on earth do you mean when you say that I have “derived benefits from the work and systems of others”?"

I responded with the following statements. “Please define wealth.

Here is the newspaper article quoted in commondreams. http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/16760690.htm”

Since I have submitted this, she has approved Comments #16 and 17 on her blog, but has not posted or responded to my submission. I have summarized this exchange here, because it was the only way to have open and honest dialogue.

For someone who touts freedom so highly, I think it is hysterical that she must review all comments before they can be posted and doesn’t post items which challenge her and are in no way obscene or offensive.

Previously posted text was removed for potential copyright concerns.

Troop Support and Funding

2007-03-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

Let's be clear. This is not about taking the decision of how to execute war from the Generals on the ground. Nor is it about whether we are removing power from the commander in chief of how he commands the military. This is about the question, which rests solely with congress, as to whether or not we should be in armed conflict. Not providing more funding has nothing to do with not supporting the troop's armor or protection. In fact it is quite easily argued that removing them from the place where they are being shot at would provide the best protection. So we need to let congress know that we will support them in removing funding, especially as the president talks about a veto and pushing back on congress to say they must fund the military conflict, without any consideration as to whether we should be in the conflict at all.

Let's remember, that funding is exactly the feature that is required to keep the conflict going. While the democrats may not have a veto proof majority or even a filibuster proof majority, they do have an anti-filibuster proof majority. There is absolutely no reason that a funding bill must leave the congress. If no future funding authorization leaves congress then this has the same effect as passing a bill that says you no longer have the support to continue the war and to figure out a way to bring the troops home safely with the money you have.

Please go to Russ Feingold’s website and support his bill to be presented next week, making an even stronger statement binding this administration to bringing the troops home.

America is going in the wrong direction

2007-03-30T06:16:00.000-07:00

I am calling for a boycott of Circuit City. I heard about this the other day and had to write it down, because the story nearly made me physically ill.

I don't think much needs to be said about this except the details and the disgust will be clear.
Circuit City is announcing layoffs of its more senior retail personnel, because they are making too much money and they will immediately rehire new people at lower wages.

This is absolutely disgusting.

Attacks using Chlorine Gas

2007-03-28T08:59:00.000-07:00

I opened the Economist on BART this week, as I started reading the first two pages, which are a series of very short summaries of the top stories, I was immediately distracted.

The first summary story said there were 3 attacks this week in Iraq that used chlorine gas. What? How could I have missed that?

So when I got to work, I started to search the internet, and it appears that there were attacks using chlorine gas? In fact, some cases the attacks were ones that involved trucks being blown up that have been fitted with tanks of chlorine gas. However, in this article, in the second to last paragraph, they slipped in this little gem. "Some of his soldiers were caught by a suicide bomber on the northern edge of Ramadi last Friday who used chlorine gas, one of several similar attacks in recent weeks."

So we attacked a country that didn't have or use chemical weapons against us, however four years into our invasion of their country, an invasion based on them possessing such weapons, they have now been able to reconstitute some chemical weapons. Why has this not made front page news? Well to consider this, you would have to remember that there were weapons depots that we knew about in Iraq, which were left unguarded and allowed to be looted after the invasion of Iraq. In this article, we are reminded that this was done by highly knowledgeable thieves and that the materials included, "equipment capable of making parts for missiles as well as chemical, biological and nuclear arms was missing from 8 or 10 sites that were the heart of Iraq's dormant program on unconventional weapons."

This is the information that we should be getting from our media, but I am sure there is probably some new information about Anna Nicole Smith, anything which provides the news channels to show pictures of her while giving whatever details are current about her. I said the other day, that we might get more information about Valerie Plame if she would release some risque pictures of herself.

Free Sami Al-Arian

2007-03-19T09:12:00.000-07:00

It is absolutely despicable that Scooter Libby is out on bail, after having been convicted of impeding an investigation into the crime of Treason for the outing of a covert CIA agent. Meanwhile Sami Al-Arian a professor from the University of South Florida has been held in prison after having been acquitted of 8 of the 17 charges against him, while the jury was deadlocked on the remaining charges. Since that time he has signed a plea agreement saying that he will be deported and he was not expected to participate in any case against others. However he has been held now in prison for 1487 days, 4.07 years. Imagine that for the last four years you have been imprisoned on no charges, and despite an acquittal decision.

Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with his story, then from this site you can click on ways to help for email addresses to send a quick message of support for his cause allowing for his plea agreement to be honored, which calls for his release and deportation.

ABC News Evening News Reporting

2007-03-14T19:32:00.000-07:00

I was watching the ABC news podcast and reading blogs, trying to find what I was going to write about today, and then they handed me my post.

They had a "report" about the president’s trip around South America, whose white house correspondent Jessica Yellin has noticed "an unusual theme, which he has used to sidestep what you might call more 'meaty' issues." It notes that the president has been dogged by issues of immigration, Chavez and the firing of US attorneys, but found it interesting that the president has consistently brought up food. So for 7 seconds of this report they listed the above issues, which ignored entirely the protests that have preceded and surrounded bush in each of his stops. They then go on for 50 seconds showing video of 5 different times that the president stands at a press conference and mentions the different foods he has been given.

Then she goes on to editorialize how our president likes to make a personal connection and this might be his way.

What a touching, heartwarming, and entirely irrelevant story. What questions might we find relevant about his trip to 5 countries in South America? What about the questions, What has he discussed with these world leaders? What has he promised? What are the issues? What plans were made? Why are there mass protests in each city that he goes to asking him to leave their country? These are important question and what our news should be providing to us. This is offensive.

It got worse, they went on to have a report on March Madness pools and the different numbers associated with the contests. They posted this number: 18, 446, 744, 073, 709, 551, 616, to which she said, I don't even know how to read that. Then she said, we found the largest number, your odds of picking the right team in every contest, 1 in 9.22 quintillion. Wow that is a big number, what would that look like, well that would be 9, 220, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000. Wow that is a really big number. So what was that other number she didn't know how to say, oh that was 18.446 quintillion. Oops, I guess 18 quintillion is bigger than 9.22 quintillion. Maybe they should have looked it up.

If you want to be the nations provider of information, you better at least be able to look up the basics of our mathematical system, counting.

Please tell ABC, you expect better, and please let me know you contacted them.

The Scooter Libby Trial- No Pardon and the details.

2007-03-08T08:27:00.000-08:00

Scooter should not be a candidate for a pardon. He was convicted of felonies which are designed to keep you from the truth. What is the truth? What was he trying to hide and why? We don't know yet, but you absolutely can't absolve him of guilt, for trying to keep the truth from us.

Well we do have some good ideas to what he was trying to hide, please see this excellent article from Dave Lindorff at Commondreams.org

Democracy takes effort, it is our responsibility to be involved and it takes time to learn. I implore you, to read this article and to get involved.

Tell CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, PBS, that you want coverage of the details in this story.

NBC puts their nightly news leader's life on their war for power

2007-03-06T20:45:00.000-08:00

Brian Williams at NBC, has apparently been given a raise, and is willing to pitch for the administration and the corporate war in Iraq. Brian’s reports started with this clip, Brian Williams: Insider's look into Iraq, played at the end of the Sunday morning show, Meet the Press. I could tell from the message that this was something that was designed to improve the impression of the state of affairs in Iraq. He starts out with language that is so vague it can be interpreted however you are inclined to believe, by saying "as you know there has been a change in the tempo of violence." He goes on to say, notice I don't have any body armor on, that's a change from past years, so the security here has changed.

If you don't believe this is meant to give a better impression, you don't have to look any further than nutbusters; sorry that is newsbusters, who has been highlighting the NBC story vignettes. The administration, Williams and Newsbusters push this idea that the Iraqi people want us there, as an attempt to some last objective evidence that the American troops should stay in the Middle East. Which remember is the goal, to keep our troops in the Middle East. This was the argument on the Sunday talk shows this week. That the democrats want to set parameters that must be met or we will pull our troops out. If we do pull out, the argument goes, the "terrorists" will have won. Really? So, the logic goes like this, if we pull our troops out, the terrorist win. So losing is removing our troops. Which then in turn, means that winning is leaving our troops there. So as long as we have men and women in Iraq dying we are winning. Does that sound like winning to you? I have had enough of this definition of winning in Iraq, it is time to bring our troops home now.

Hey CNN, NYTimes, MSNBC, here is how an interview is done

2007-03-05T13:56:00.000-08:00

If you want to see the contortions that have and continue to be done around the facts, check out this incredible interview by Cenk of the Young Turks with Lt. General Mike Delong.

All credit is due to Cenk for his interview and holding the Lt. General to the facts which he reluctantly provides for almost every question with the caveat of 'but there was the potential for.'