Lafayette, California is as close small town America as it gets in California. However, this town of 24,000 has come into the media spotlight because of a controversial display. On his own private property, Jeff Heaton has placed 400 crosses and an 80 square foot sign. The sign reads, "In Memory of 2,867 U.S. Troops Killed in Iraq." And Heaton is feeling the heat for this display. For some reason people in Lafayette and some city officials are pissed-off about the memorial. Their reason seem to vary between ridiculous laws and hatred of liberals in general. The memorial needs to stay in place and grow because it is a sobering reminder of the cost our country has paid for a madman's war.
Heaton's town has taken the memorial the wrong way. Apparently someone complained about it. Their problem was not with the crosses but with the sign. According to a ridiculous city ordinance, "the size of signs must be 4 square feet." I have always thought it was stupid for towns to have such ordinances. They limit a business' ability to advertise and they also limit the freedom of expression that is constantly being limited in this country. Fortunately, their are people in city government that agree. The city council is talking with attorneys to determine, "whether the sign ordinance conflicts with freedom of expression and expects to take the matter up in about a month." But the real reason for the uproar seems more sinister. The real reason has nothing to do with ordinances and more to do with differences in opinions. The real reason is a group trying to silence others based on their opinions of current events.
It is no secret that Lafayette is a mostly conservative community. And like every conservative community, their are people who disagree with the conservative viewpoint. Jeff Heaton is one of those people. He is a member of a local peace group and he was a conscientious objector during Vietnam. And it is for that reason that people are trying to silence him. Even the mayor of the town agrees. He stated, "if this had happened in San Francisco or Berkeley or Oakland this would be a dog bites man story." "When it happens in a quiet suburban community that is generally more conservative, then it's more like man bites dog." Because of Heaton's political beliefs, many feel that, "it is an affront that uses personal grief for political ends." A notion that is as ridiculous as the city sign law.
The town of Lafayette, California has clearly fallen victim to another case of minority opinion silencing. Differing opinions from the current government are unpopular in small, conservative towns. For this reason, people like Heaton are suppressed. Their efforts to make a statement are squashed. Their freedoms are taken away. As for Heaton, he says, "The crosses speak for themselves." They are a sobering reminder that this country has paid dearly for a useless war. The sons and daughters of America are fighting for nothing in a country far away. And they are dying everyday. Displays like this should be everywhere. We need to be reminded. We need to make this war as unpopular as possible. But at the same time we need to keep the troops in mind. This war is not their fault. It is the fault of idiotic leaders who will not stop with their arrogant attempts to rule the world. Freedom of speech must be upheld. It is one of the only things still good about this country.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Johnson's Folly: The Warren Commission
At this time in November of 1963 the country was reeling from the loss of a president. He was assassinated a week earlier and the people wanted to know the how and why. New President Lyndon Johnson was under a lot of pressure from all levels of government and civilian life to find some answers. The accused man from the killing had been killed himself just a few days earlier and with him when any information they could get about his involvement. Johnson did what he thought was best. He created an investigating committee to determine what really happened in the assassination of JFK. It has become one of the most controversial commissions of all time and it's inaccurate findings are still put forth as the truth today.
Using an executive order, Johnson created the Warren Commission on November 29, 1963. Its goal was to investigate the assassination of John F. Kennedy. The commission got its name from the chairman Chief Justice Earl Warren. Along with Warren, a panel of six government officials carried out the investigation. Of these only future president Gerald Ford is still alive. Also working with the commission was a future senator by the name of Arlen Specter. After a 10 month investigation, the commission published a 900 page report on September 27, 1964. The complete findings of that report are still not completely known and the parts that are have caused controversy ever since.
The findings of the Warren Commission have given us the phrases "lone gunman" and "magic bullet." Their conclusion as a group was that Lee Harvey Oswald, who never stood trial or was convicted of any crime, killed the president by shooting three shots from a sixth floor window in Dallas. And, in the government's mind, the case was closed. Many people over the years have tried to reopen the case with little success. Many have tried to prove the theories put forth by the commission with very limited success as well. Yet the government, especially Arlen Specter, take the commission's findings as rock solid proof. But with the amount of evidence to the contrary, how can the government still support it? We will not know the whole story till 2039 when the complete files are released. Maybe then this can be put behind us. And just maybe we can learn a lesson at the same time.
Government commissions of this type are common. A similar committee was constructed after the 9-11 attacks and their findings were published and regarded as goals for a change in national security. But we should not put all of our faith in these types of commissions. Especially when they are set up specifically by a sitting president. The Warren Commission contained many Washington insiders as well as a former CIA director. These men were hand-picked by Johnson and probably gave him just the results he wanted to hear. In our own time, President Bush has created the "Iraq Study Group." This committee of insiders is suppose to gather information about the war and make recommendations for change. But I have a feeling the findings will not change much in Iraq. Much like the Warren Commission, their findings will state the "party line" and the course will not change.
Using an executive order, Johnson created the Warren Commission on November 29, 1963. Its goal was to investigate the assassination of John F. Kennedy. The commission got its name from the chairman Chief Justice Earl Warren. Along with Warren, a panel of six government officials carried out the investigation. Of these only future president Gerald Ford is still alive. Also working with the commission was a future senator by the name of Arlen Specter. After a 10 month investigation, the commission published a 900 page report on September 27, 1964. The complete findings of that report are still not completely known and the parts that are have caused controversy ever since.
The findings of the Warren Commission have given us the phrases "lone gunman" and "magic bullet." Their conclusion as a group was that Lee Harvey Oswald, who never stood trial or was convicted of any crime, killed the president by shooting three shots from a sixth floor window in Dallas. And, in the government's mind, the case was closed. Many people over the years have tried to reopen the case with little success. Many have tried to prove the theories put forth by the commission with very limited success as well. Yet the government, especially Arlen Specter, take the commission's findings as rock solid proof. But with the amount of evidence to the contrary, how can the government still support it? We will not know the whole story till 2039 when the complete files are released. Maybe then this can be put behind us. And just maybe we can learn a lesson at the same time.
Government commissions of this type are common. A similar committee was constructed after the 9-11 attacks and their findings were published and regarded as goals for a change in national security. But we should not put all of our faith in these types of commissions. Especially when they are set up specifically by a sitting president. The Warren Commission contained many Washington insiders as well as a former CIA director. These men were hand-picked by Johnson and probably gave him just the results he wanted to hear. In our own time, President Bush has created the "Iraq Study Group." This committee of insiders is suppose to gather information about the war and make recommendations for change. But I have a feeling the findings will not change much in Iraq. Much like the Warren Commission, their findings will state the "party line" and the course will not change.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Iraq's Civil War: Finally We Say It
civil war (noun)
1. A war between factions or regions of the same country.
2. A state of hostility or conflict between elements within an organization
The national media has took it upon themselves to do something that our own government is refusing to do. The violence in Iraq clearly fits the above definition of "civil war" and should be reported as such. It is good to see that media outlets are taking this initiative and going ahead with this. There is probably privately announced pressure on the media to stop calling the Iraq situation a civil war, but at the moment it is being ignored. A real victory for freedom of press.
According to one editor's opinion, "the utter chaos and carnage of the past week has finally convinced some to use 'civil war' without apology." And with the violence increasing everyday, there is no need to apologize for telling the truth. Last night, NBC News became the latest media outlet to call this a civil war. In an explanation given by Brian Williams on the nightly news cast NBC said, "the violence between Shiite and Sunni Muslims combined with the government's inability to quell the strife fit the definition of civil war." And that is absolutely correct. These are warring factions. They were not at war before this conflict began and now they are. The finger of blame is pointed squarely are the upsetting of the region and the destruction of Iraq's once stable government before the US invasion.
But the White House doesn't think so. As of yet, the Bush administration is not changing course in their words on the Iraq situation. They are, in fact, refusing to call this a civil war. In a press conference, Tony Snow said, "What you do have is sectarian violence that seems to be less aimed at gaining full control over an area than expressing differences, and also trying to destabilize a democracy -- which is different than a civil war, where two sides are clashing for territory and supremacy." But the fact of the matter is, that Snow is flat wrong. Using the word "sectarian" at all refers to civil war. And clearly those fighting want control of something. They want control of a town or region in Iraq. They want control of the country. Snow's misguided statement shows the ignorance of the Bush White House on matters of history and this current conflict.
However it is phrased, the situation in Iraq is a terrible one. No end is in site for the people trying to live their lives in that country. Each day many wake to the sounds of explosions and death. They are living in utter chaos. The future of their very existence as a people hangs in the balance. Is it a civil war? Of course it is. What can we do about it? As far as I can see, the only thing we can do is let it run its course and hope it doesn't turn from civil war to genocide.
1. A war between factions or regions of the same country.
2. A state of hostility or conflict between elements within an organization
The national media has took it upon themselves to do something that our own government is refusing to do. The violence in Iraq clearly fits the above definition of "civil war" and should be reported as such. It is good to see that media outlets are taking this initiative and going ahead with this. There is probably privately announced pressure on the media to stop calling the Iraq situation a civil war, but at the moment it is being ignored. A real victory for freedom of press.
According to one editor's opinion, "the utter chaos and carnage of the past week has finally convinced some to use 'civil war' without apology." And with the violence increasing everyday, there is no need to apologize for telling the truth. Last night, NBC News became the latest media outlet to call this a civil war. In an explanation given by Brian Williams on the nightly news cast NBC said, "the violence between Shiite and Sunni Muslims combined with the government's inability to quell the strife fit the definition of civil war." And that is absolutely correct. These are warring factions. They were not at war before this conflict began and now they are. The finger of blame is pointed squarely are the upsetting of the region and the destruction of Iraq's once stable government before the US invasion.
But the White House doesn't think so. As of yet, the Bush administration is not changing course in their words on the Iraq situation. They are, in fact, refusing to call this a civil war. In a press conference, Tony Snow said, "What you do have is sectarian violence that seems to be less aimed at gaining full control over an area than expressing differences, and also trying to destabilize a democracy -- which is different than a civil war, where two sides are clashing for territory and supremacy." But the fact of the matter is, that Snow is flat wrong. Using the word "sectarian" at all refers to civil war. And clearly those fighting want control of something. They want control of a town or region in Iraq. They want control of the country. Snow's misguided statement shows the ignorance of the Bush White House on matters of history and this current conflict.
However it is phrased, the situation in Iraq is a terrible one. No end is in site for the people trying to live their lives in that country. Each day many wake to the sounds of explosions and death. They are living in utter chaos. The future of their very existence as a people hangs in the balance. Is it a civil war? Of course it is. What can we do about it? As far as I can see, the only thing we can do is let it run its course and hope it doesn't turn from civil war to genocide.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Leadership in Iraq: The Great Mystery
The control of the country of Iraq seems to be in flux. For a long period of time, the country was ruled by an evil dictator. But as anyone in Iraq will tell you, under that dictator there was electricity, water, food, and relative peace. Suicide bombings and death squads were not the daily norm. But all that was shattered when the United States decided that the evil dictator had to go. Now the leadership situation in Iraq is a mess of a mystery.
Iraqis have had two major elections since the fall of Saddam. The first was to elect a temporary government that would write a constitution and set-up government services again. The second was a larger election to elect a president, prime minister, and a parliament. And all of these things have done nothing to stabilize the country. The things that existed under Saddam are no longer there for most Iraqis. They were destroyed by an invading army. And since no one is quit sure who leads Iraq, nothing is being done about it.
The leadership of Iraq seems to be a war between two major players. I'm not talking about the "sects" of Islam in the country. I'm referring to the President and the Prime Minister that were both elected by the people. Now whoever had the idea to have both a president and prime minister I do not know. That person is mighty stupid. These two officials seem to have polar opposite ideas about who to talk to and who to work with about governing Iraq.
The President of Iraq is a man named Jalal Talabani. As mentioned before, he was elected by the people of Iraq. However, Talabani's meetings with the President of Iran have not set well with the American leadership. Our distrust of Iraq's neighbor has carried over into how we feel about Iraq's newly elected leaders. We do not think these talks should occur. Iran has said it wants to "take a more active role in Iraq's future." And the only reason people think this is a bad idea is because it has gotten in their heads that Iran = Terrorism. I wonder where they got that idea? Couldn't be from our "Axis of Evil" hating president. But the talks continue even if the US disagrees. I say, what right do we have to tell the elected officials of Iraq how to govern their country? If they want to have a trade relationship with their neighbors, we need to get over it. There is really nothing we can do about. But "W" is trying. He has his own Iraqi official.
The Prime Minister of Iraq is Nuri al-Maliki. He has not visited the leaders of Iran or Syria and instead runs to the nearest US official whenever they are in the region. This week, the PM is meeting with President Bush in Jordan. It is unclear what the talks with Bush are suppose to accomplish for Iraq. The United States is doing nothing but trying to stop an endless insurgency in Iraq and babysitting a civil war. If anything, these talks show that it is not clear who has control of Iraq and who is making the decisions. Something that is vitally important to a democracy is clear leadership. With this divided meeting, Iraq does not have this key element.
The United States needs to back-off the political dealings of Iraq. If they want to make friends in the region, they need to talk to their neighbors. If they want to be seen as more than a US puppet government, they need to have a clear leader. The PM is obviously not that leader. It seems to me that the President of Iraq is making more headway in the political process. As I have said before, if Iraq has to make a deal with Iran and Syria to stop the insurgency, then let that deal happen. Otherwise this war will never end.
Iraqis have had two major elections since the fall of Saddam. The first was to elect a temporary government that would write a constitution and set-up government services again. The second was a larger election to elect a president, prime minister, and a parliament. And all of these things have done nothing to stabilize the country. The things that existed under Saddam are no longer there for most Iraqis. They were destroyed by an invading army. And since no one is quit sure who leads Iraq, nothing is being done about it.
The leadership of Iraq seems to be a war between two major players. I'm not talking about the "sects" of Islam in the country. I'm referring to the President and the Prime Minister that were both elected by the people. Now whoever had the idea to have both a president and prime minister I do not know. That person is mighty stupid. These two officials seem to have polar opposite ideas about who to talk to and who to work with about governing Iraq.
The President of Iraq is a man named Jalal Talabani. As mentioned before, he was elected by the people of Iraq. However, Talabani's meetings with the President of Iran have not set well with the American leadership. Our distrust of Iraq's neighbor has carried over into how we feel about Iraq's newly elected leaders. We do not think these talks should occur. Iran has said it wants to "take a more active role in Iraq's future." And the only reason people think this is a bad idea is because it has gotten in their heads that Iran = Terrorism. I wonder where they got that idea? Couldn't be from our "Axis of Evil" hating president. But the talks continue even if the US disagrees. I say, what right do we have to tell the elected officials of Iraq how to govern their country? If they want to have a trade relationship with their neighbors, we need to get over it. There is really nothing we can do about. But "W" is trying. He has his own Iraqi official.
The Prime Minister of Iraq is Nuri al-Maliki. He has not visited the leaders of Iran or Syria and instead runs to the nearest US official whenever they are in the region. This week, the PM is meeting with President Bush in Jordan. It is unclear what the talks with Bush are suppose to accomplish for Iraq. The United States is doing nothing but trying to stop an endless insurgency in Iraq and babysitting a civil war. If anything, these talks show that it is not clear who has control of Iraq and who is making the decisions. Something that is vitally important to a democracy is clear leadership. With this divided meeting, Iraq does not have this key element.
The United States needs to back-off the political dealings of Iraq. If they want to make friends in the region, they need to talk to their neighbors. If they want to be seen as more than a US puppet government, they need to have a clear leader. The PM is obviously not that leader. It seems to me that the President of Iraq is making more headway in the political process. As I have said before, if Iraq has to make a deal with Iran and Syria to stop the insurgency, then let that deal happen. Otherwise this war will never end.
Friday, November 17, 2006
PS3? Show Me The Wii
It is at this time of year that Americans shine over all others in the world when it comes to greed and excess. The holiday shopping season is in full swing and this year brings the release of some highly anticipated gaming hardware. This morning, the PS3 officially launched in the US. It was met with a tidal wave of stupid happenings that make me sad to be a consumer. And all the hype is really for nothing. But it seems capitalism reigns supreme here in the USA.
In my lifetime, I've waited in line for some pretty cool things. I waited in line the day after Thanksgiving for a DVD player. I waited in line for all three of the new Star Wars films and all three Lord of the Rings films. But something I never experienced was the sheer stupidity seen today with the release of the PS3. The madness was caused by Sony's screw-up. According to retailers, Sony only released "400,000 systems for the nationwide launch, the chance of disappointment was high." And apparently the chance for serious injury and theft were also high. Across the country, retailers saw long lines of people waiting all night for their chance to blow $600. And when the time finally came, the body count began. In Wisconsin, "crowds got rowdy and stampeded for the shelves, injuring a man. In California, "authorities shut down a Wal-Mart store." In Connecticut, "two armed thugs who got wise to the PS3's high price and tried to rob a line of people waiting outside a Putnam Wal-Mart store at 3 a.m." One guy refused and was shot. And in Lexington, Kentucky, "four people waiting outside a Best Buy were hit by BB pellets." Just plain madness has gripped people. And it is all for nothing.
People acted like these were the only PS3s to ever be produced and sold in the US. Do they actually think that is the case? Their actions would seem to suggest that. But had they only waited for the beginning of the year. Had they only curved their greed and lust for gaming a couple of months, Sony would have released 1 million more systems. And none of this would have happened. Frankly, I'm not even going to bother with this latest system. Why should I sell out $600 for something I already enjoy. So the PS3 is a DVD player. I have one of those and it was cheaper. So it connects to the internet for online gaming. PCs will always dominate the world of online gaming and I have a faster connection with cable. So it has "cutting-edge" graphics. I don't need to see my fictional characters sweat and shimmer in the sunlight. I just want to play freaking games.
If people have any sense, they will just wait. The Nintendo Wii comes out on Sunday and will only cost $250. It will be just as good as the PS3 with more interesting games. Not to mention the controller is going to get people off the couch to experience their games. The way it should be in my opinion. Just be calm out there. You don't need to rush and kill everyone in sight to get one of these machines. The companies are always making them. You will be able to get one. Put down the Mountain Dew, take a shower, and wait for the Wii. You won't be as disappointed as the idiots with a PS3.
In my lifetime, I've waited in line for some pretty cool things. I waited in line the day after Thanksgiving for a DVD player. I waited in line for all three of the new Star Wars films and all three Lord of the Rings films. But something I never experienced was the sheer stupidity seen today with the release of the PS3. The madness was caused by Sony's screw-up. According to retailers, Sony only released "400,000 systems for the nationwide launch, the chance of disappointment was high." And apparently the chance for serious injury and theft were also high. Across the country, retailers saw long lines of people waiting all night for their chance to blow $600. And when the time finally came, the body count began. In Wisconsin, "crowds got rowdy and stampeded for the shelves, injuring a man. In California, "authorities shut down a Wal-Mart store." In Connecticut, "two armed thugs who got wise to the PS3's high price and tried to rob a line of people waiting outside a Putnam Wal-Mart store at 3 a.m." One guy refused and was shot. And in Lexington, Kentucky, "four people waiting outside a Best Buy were hit by BB pellets." Just plain madness has gripped people. And it is all for nothing.
People acted like these were the only PS3s to ever be produced and sold in the US. Do they actually think that is the case? Their actions would seem to suggest that. But had they only waited for the beginning of the year. Had they only curved their greed and lust for gaming a couple of months, Sony would have released 1 million more systems. And none of this would have happened. Frankly, I'm not even going to bother with this latest system. Why should I sell out $600 for something I already enjoy. So the PS3 is a DVD player. I have one of those and it was cheaper. So it connects to the internet for online gaming. PCs will always dominate the world of online gaming and I have a faster connection with cable. So it has "cutting-edge" graphics. I don't need to see my fictional characters sweat and shimmer in the sunlight. I just want to play freaking games.
If people have any sense, they will just wait. The Nintendo Wii comes out on Sunday and will only cost $250. It will be just as good as the PS3 with more interesting games. Not to mention the controller is going to get people off the couch to experience their games. The way it should be in my opinion. Just be calm out there. You don't need to rush and kill everyone in sight to get one of these machines. The companies are always making them. You will be able to get one. Put down the Mountain Dew, take a shower, and wait for the Wii. You won't be as disappointed as the idiots with a PS3.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Scientist: Fight Global Warming by Killing the Earth
As a member of the scientific community, I am use to the occasional politician or stupid person presenting some ridiculous scheme to fix a world-wide problem. I am also use to the average person not believing science about issues like global warming and believing everything their idiotic political leaders tell them. But what I am not use to is members of the scientific community presenting a horrible and poor-planned idea to an audience such as the United Nations. However, this nightmare scenario has come true today. And what makes it even more nightmarish is that actual scientists around the world are actually considering it.
Global warming is a real problem. The entire scientific community recognizes that it is a problem and that steps need to be taken to curve the effects. No matter what any politician tells you, global warming is changing the climate of this planet. That is a fact. What is also a fact, unfortunately, is that some scientists have devised a plan to stop a rise in global temperature. The side effects of this particular plan would be akin to shooting yourself in the head when you can take some Tylenol for a headache.
At a UN summit on climate change today, "prominent scientists, among them a Nobel laureate, said a layer of pollution deliberately spewed into the atmosphere could act as a "shade" from the sun's rays and help cool the planet." Paul J. Crutzen, of Germany's Max Planck Institute for Chemistry said the suggestion was "meant to startle the policymakers." But that hasn't stopped other scientists from seriously considering this ridiculous idea.
Meeting have been held this week in California (by NASA) and Africa to discuss the possibilities of "geoengineering." These morons are actually considering this proposal to pollute the Earth in order to save it. The idea is pretty simple. According to the plan, "balloons bearing heavy guns would be used to carry sulfates high aloft and fire them into the stratosphere." Unlike carbon dioxide, "sulfur dioxide, a common air pollutant, reflect solar radiation, helping cool the planet." Wow, what a great idea. Let's cool the planet. I'm all for that. But in the process of this dumbass idea, we would poison ourselves and the environment. And imagine the scale this destruction would be on. Sulfur dioxide the the main ingredient in acid rain. You know, they stuff that falls from the sky and is corrosive to the touch. That stuff that would poison the water supply of livestock and wildlife and kill crops. Are you getting the picture. Apparently these scientists aren't.
The idiots acknowledge the threat of acid rain. Yet they say, "a massive dissemination of pollutants would be needed every year or two, as the sulfates precipitate from the atmosphere in acid rain." One scientist said he, "ran scenarios of stratospheric sulfate injection through supercomputer models of the climate, and reported that Crutzen's idea would, indeed, seem to work." So people are actually considering this. They are saying if we can't save the Earth from global warming, let's kill it with acid rain. A wonderful idea. The future is sure looking brighter if we let's these morons have their way. Smell that? It's the smell of the cooled off Earth after we have all died of starvation when acid kills the world's food supply. Smells good huh?
Global warming is a real problem. The entire scientific community recognizes that it is a problem and that steps need to be taken to curve the effects. No matter what any politician tells you, global warming is changing the climate of this planet. That is a fact. What is also a fact, unfortunately, is that some scientists have devised a plan to stop a rise in global temperature. The side effects of this particular plan would be akin to shooting yourself in the head when you can take some Tylenol for a headache.
At a UN summit on climate change today, "prominent scientists, among them a Nobel laureate, said a layer of pollution deliberately spewed into the atmosphere could act as a "shade" from the sun's rays and help cool the planet." Paul J. Crutzen, of Germany's Max Planck Institute for Chemistry said the suggestion was "meant to startle the policymakers." But that hasn't stopped other scientists from seriously considering this ridiculous idea.
Meeting have been held this week in California (by NASA) and Africa to discuss the possibilities of "geoengineering." These morons are actually considering this proposal to pollute the Earth in order to save it. The idea is pretty simple. According to the plan, "balloons bearing heavy guns would be used to carry sulfates high aloft and fire them into the stratosphere." Unlike carbon dioxide, "sulfur dioxide, a common air pollutant, reflect solar radiation, helping cool the planet." Wow, what a great idea. Let's cool the planet. I'm all for that. But in the process of this dumbass idea, we would poison ourselves and the environment. And imagine the scale this destruction would be on. Sulfur dioxide the the main ingredient in acid rain. You know, they stuff that falls from the sky and is corrosive to the touch. That stuff that would poison the water supply of livestock and wildlife and kill crops. Are you getting the picture. Apparently these scientists aren't.
The idiots acknowledge the threat of acid rain. Yet they say, "a massive dissemination of pollutants would be needed every year or two, as the sulfates precipitate from the atmosphere in acid rain." One scientist said he, "ran scenarios of stratospheric sulfate injection through supercomputer models of the climate, and reported that Crutzen's idea would, indeed, seem to work." So people are actually considering this. They are saying if we can't save the Earth from global warming, let's kill it with acid rain. A wonderful idea. The future is sure looking brighter if we let's these morons have their way. Smell that? It's the smell of the cooled off Earth after we have all died of starvation when acid kills the world's food supply. Smells good huh?
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Good Ole Boys Are Back In Town
Last week, Trent Lott did very well in the elections. Even though he is a republican incumbent, his state is redder than red. There was no way he was going to lose. When you come from a state with a nearly 100% incumbency rate, your chances are pretty good. And Lott knew it. He campaigned very little. However, he was able to pull in 346,074 votes. I'm sure Lott is feeling the love. But his party did not fare as well. He returned to Congress in the new minority party. And he was ready to get back into a position of power.
A couple of years ago, Lott was removed from his majority leader position for some "insensitive remarks." I believe it went something like this, "If we had voted him [Strom Thurman] into office as president, we wouldn't have the problem we have now." Now good ole boy Strom, rest his soul, was a Dixiecrat and just about the oldest racist Congress had to offer. With such an endorsement being made, Lott had to go. He was replaced by Bill Frist as majority leader.
With Frist gone after this election, he retired, Lott saw an opportunity. Today he won the position of "No. 2" for the minority Republicans. And it was pretty close with Lott only winning by a 25 to 24 vote. But Lott is pretty pleased. See this means the "good ole boy" system still exist in Congress. To have such an incompetent man as your "No. 2" speaks volumes about your party. It says, "Hey we don't care who our leaders are." Trent Lott needed to go.
Although that blame goes to the people of Mississippi. Lott wouldn't be making headlines if he had been ousted with the other idiots in the elections. But apparently, the "good ole boy" system is alive and well in Mississippi too. Apparently, Mississippi thinks its Congressional leaders are doing a fine job. Apparently, the voters here are stupid. At least the ones that kept these people in office. Lott was lucky this time. If things keep going in this direction, Mississippi may soon be less red. And Lott can pack his bags with the rest of the good ole boys.
A couple of years ago, Lott was removed from his majority leader position for some "insensitive remarks." I believe it went something like this, "If we had voted him [Strom Thurman] into office as president, we wouldn't have the problem we have now." Now good ole boy Strom, rest his soul, was a Dixiecrat and just about the oldest racist Congress had to offer. With such an endorsement being made, Lott had to go. He was replaced by Bill Frist as majority leader.
With Frist gone after this election, he retired, Lott saw an opportunity. Today he won the position of "No. 2" for the minority Republicans. And it was pretty close with Lott only winning by a 25 to 24 vote. But Lott is pretty pleased. See this means the "good ole boy" system still exist in Congress. To have such an incompetent man as your "No. 2" speaks volumes about your party. It says, "Hey we don't care who our leaders are." Trent Lott needed to go.
Although that blame goes to the people of Mississippi. Lott wouldn't be making headlines if he had been ousted with the other idiots in the elections. But apparently, the "good ole boy" system is alive and well in Mississippi too. Apparently, Mississippi thinks its Congressional leaders are doing a fine job. Apparently, the voters here are stupid. At least the ones that kept these people in office. Lott was lucky this time. If things keep going in this direction, Mississippi may soon be less red. And Lott can pack his bags with the rest of the good ole boys.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Bill Gates and The Big Education Duh
This week is apparently the time of year when big names make obvious comments about important issues so they can make headlines. Yesterday it was Elton John and his hugely obvious statement about religion. Today, Bill Gates takes a turn in a Microsoft-sized obvious statement about education. Who do these people think they are?
In an interview with the AP, Gates is quoted as saying, "the U.S. education system needs higher standards, clear accountability, flexible personnel practices and innovation." No kidding Bill, we didn't know that. Teachers have been saying the same things for years and we are ignored by lawmakers. What in the world makes Bill Gates think his opinion on the matter will do any good? He doesn't even contribute to the public education system. All of his kids are in private schools. SO he just thinks these things. He doesn't actually know. That explains why the points he makes are so off.
For example he says, ""Real accountability means more than having goals; it also means having clear consequences for not meeting the goals." Consequences for who? If you say teachers, you should be tarred and featured in Window's setup disks. The problem in this country is not teachers. The problem is with apathetic parents and students and incompetent administrations and lawmakers. In other words, the people that complete the puzzle of education are lacking. Teachers get all the blame. It seems Bill agrees.
He goes on to say, "It's astonishing to me to have a system that doesn't allow us to pay more for someone with scarce abilities, that doesn't allow us to pay more to reward strong performance." "That is tantamount to saying teacher talent and performance don't matter and that's basically saying students don't matter." No Bill, performance pay is not the answer. If you start paying teachers based on how their students do on some idiotic standardized tests, you are going to lose some of the best educators in the world. Performance pay is not a real solution. Other industries don't use it, why should education.
This all boils down to the fact that Bill Gates, like other people around the country, knows nothing about education. The decisions on education need to be made by the teachers. What gates fails to realize is that the system is only broken because it was built with broken parts. The only true working part are the teachers. We know our own jobs. And we are tired of other people telling us how to do it.
In an interview with the AP, Gates is quoted as saying, "the U.S. education system needs higher standards, clear accountability, flexible personnel practices and innovation." No kidding Bill, we didn't know that. Teachers have been saying the same things for years and we are ignored by lawmakers. What in the world makes Bill Gates think his opinion on the matter will do any good? He doesn't even contribute to the public education system. All of his kids are in private schools. SO he just thinks these things. He doesn't actually know. That explains why the points he makes are so off.
For example he says, ""Real accountability means more than having goals; it also means having clear consequences for not meeting the goals." Consequences for who? If you say teachers, you should be tarred and featured in Window's setup disks. The problem in this country is not teachers. The problem is with apathetic parents and students and incompetent administrations and lawmakers. In other words, the people that complete the puzzle of education are lacking. Teachers get all the blame. It seems Bill agrees.
He goes on to say, "It's astonishing to me to have a system that doesn't allow us to pay more for someone with scarce abilities, that doesn't allow us to pay more to reward strong performance." "That is tantamount to saying teacher talent and performance don't matter and that's basically saying students don't matter." No Bill, performance pay is not the answer. If you start paying teachers based on how their students do on some idiotic standardized tests, you are going to lose some of the best educators in the world. Performance pay is not a real solution. Other industries don't use it, why should education.
This all boils down to the fact that Bill Gates, like other people around the country, knows nothing about education. The decisions on education need to be made by the teachers. What gates fails to realize is that the system is only broken because it was built with broken parts. The only true working part are the teachers. We know our own jobs. And we are tired of other people telling us how to do it.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Religion Breeds Intolerance or The Big Duh
As a member of organized religion, I must say that there is a world of good different churches and religious organizations have done. And this extends outside of the mostly Christian bubble Americans live under. Each of the religions of the world (the major ones anyway) have contributed to society in positive ways. I don't think that point can be argued. I also don't think there is anything inherently wrong with organized religion. But like anything created by man, it has its flaws and bad apples. It has those people involved that others in the group would like to see disappear. Unfortunately, they usually get the most press. And Elton John is on to them.
In probably the biggest statement of the obvious made by a human in recent history, Elton John told Music Monthly Magazine, "I think religion has always tried to turn hatred toward gay people...Religion promotes the hatred and spite against gays." Oh really, Elton? Are you just figuring this out? Yes, organized religion (especially Christianity) has breed many a hate monger in its flocks. And something should be done to curve such hatred brewing in religious establishments. But really what can you do.
By professing their disapproval of different things (homosexuality, stem cell research, abortion, etc.) religious leaders are leaving the door open for those "bad apples" to do whatever they want. They allow them to preach whatever they want. They allow the "God-hates-fags.com" crowd to exist. And there is really nothing they can do about it.
religious leaders, the good ones anyway, often preach tolerance of differing views. It is a key part of the Christian faith. Any true Christian would know this and not spread hate. There is a difference in hate and disapproval. One is done with words. The other is done with action. And when that action filters into the government, then the problems start.
While we may not be able to control what people say (and we shouldn't). We can control what they do by passing laws. Hate laws are in place to prevent people from committing acts of hate against all sorts of people. It is up to the government to make sure these rules remain strict and are enforced. If they are not, statements like those of Elton John will continue to arise. They will blame the religion, when really the problem rest squarely on the shoulders of certain people.
Elton said we should ban religion. Or more correctly, he said he would ban religion. I wouldn't. I would ban stupidity. That is the biggest problem facing the human race. When it is removed, we will all live better and hate will no longer be a problem. Until that happens, we should try and point the finger at those actually responsibly, not those that are a convenient target.
In probably the biggest statement of the obvious made by a human in recent history, Elton John told Music Monthly Magazine, "I think religion has always tried to turn hatred toward gay people...Religion promotes the hatred and spite against gays." Oh really, Elton? Are you just figuring this out? Yes, organized religion (especially Christianity) has breed many a hate monger in its flocks. And something should be done to curve such hatred brewing in religious establishments. But really what can you do.
By professing their disapproval of different things (homosexuality, stem cell research, abortion, etc.) religious leaders are leaving the door open for those "bad apples" to do whatever they want. They allow them to preach whatever they want. They allow the "God-hates-fags.com" crowd to exist. And there is really nothing they can do about it.
religious leaders, the good ones anyway, often preach tolerance of differing views. It is a key part of the Christian faith. Any true Christian would know this and not spread hate. There is a difference in hate and disapproval. One is done with words. The other is done with action. And when that action filters into the government, then the problems start.
While we may not be able to control what people say (and we shouldn't). We can control what they do by passing laws. Hate laws are in place to prevent people from committing acts of hate against all sorts of people. It is up to the government to make sure these rules remain strict and are enforced. If they are not, statements like those of Elton John will continue to arise. They will blame the religion, when really the problem rest squarely on the shoulders of certain people.
Elton said we should ban religion. Or more correctly, he said he would ban religion. I wouldn't. I would ban stupidity. That is the biggest problem facing the human race. When it is removed, we will all live better and hate will no longer be a problem. Until that happens, we should try and point the finger at those actually responsibly, not those that are a convenient target.
Friday, November 10, 2006
Who The Hell Wants To Live In Mississippi?
Ask most people in this country and the answer the that question would be no one. But the comments made by Rep. Charles Rangel of New York were uncalled for and proof that the childish nature of politicians does not end with elections. In a New York Times article, Rangel is quoted as saying, "Mississippi gets more than their fair share back in federal money, but who the hell wants to live in Mississippi?"
Who the Hell wants to give in New York? Does anyone really want to live in a state home to one of the largest, dirtiest, angriest cities in America? Does anyone want to live in a state that thinks Hillary Clinton is a good example of leadership? I sure don't. But what do I know, I'm from Mississippi.
Actually, I shouldn't ask those questions. New York is a place I would actually like to visit. And I can't really say much for the political minds of my home state. People in Mississippi, at least the majority, are ignorantly Conservative. There was a 100% incumbent rate in the last election. Mississippians at large are stupid in picking their leaders. Maybe Rangel was right. No one really wants to live in a state like that. In fact, Rangel was just joking about what he said.
Rangel, when asked about the comment, said, "I certainly don't mean to offend anyone. I just love New York so much that I can't understand why everyone wouldn't want to live here." Sure Chuck, I'll take your word for it. And so will everyone else. Just like they took John Kerry's word on his joke. We forgive you. I mean why should we react in a negative way to this. After all, Charles Rangel is only a no-account pathetic excuse for a politician that gives a bad name to the state of New York and the Democratic Party. What does he know?
Who the Hell wants to give in New York? Does anyone really want to live in a state home to one of the largest, dirtiest, angriest cities in America? Does anyone want to live in a state that thinks Hillary Clinton is a good example of leadership? I sure don't. But what do I know, I'm from Mississippi.
Actually, I shouldn't ask those questions. New York is a place I would actually like to visit. And I can't really say much for the political minds of my home state. People in Mississippi, at least the majority, are ignorantly Conservative. There was a 100% incumbent rate in the last election. Mississippians at large are stupid in picking their leaders. Maybe Rangel was right. No one really wants to live in a state like that. In fact, Rangel was just joking about what he said.
Rangel, when asked about the comment, said, "I certainly don't mean to offend anyone. I just love New York so much that I can't understand why everyone wouldn't want to live here." Sure Chuck, I'll take your word for it. And so will everyone else. Just like they took John Kerry's word on his joke. We forgive you. I mean why should we react in a negative way to this. After all, Charles Rangel is only a no-account pathetic excuse for a politician that gives a bad name to the state of New York and the Democratic Party. What does he know?
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Rumsfeld Out Not Necessarily A Good Thing
The complete win of Democrats in Congress announced today was met with a huge change in the Bush White House. In a move many thought would never happen, "The Decider" allowed Donald Rumsfeld to resign as Secretary of Defense. And while this announcement was met with just as many cheers as the change of power in Congress, one cannot be too sure that it is a good thing Rumsfeld is out. It is important to consider who still runs the country. It is also important to recognize the figure that will take "Uncle" Don's place in the Pentagon. Knowing these things may lessen the cheering crowds in Washington and around the country.
If Donald Rumsfeld did anything for the opposition in Washington, it was making them look good. Every call for resignation was backed up by an accusation of the poor handling of the war. But as mentioned in previous entries, the poor job the Pentagon was doing was not entirely Rumsfeld's fault. Let's not forget that he tried to get out of the position many times over the last two years. He didn't want the job. He didn't feel he could handle it. He proved that by not handling it. If any anger should be expressed, it should be at Mr. Decider himself. He kept Rumsfeld in this long knowing full well he was doing poorly and wanted out. But that is the past.
Rumsfeld being gone can come back to haunt the Democrats and Americans at large. As mentioned before, Rumsfeld made the Democrats lack of a strategy for Iraq a non-issue. People were so focused on Rumsfeld that they paid no attention to the fact that no one in the Democratic Party has any idea what to do about the war. A change in power could mean that Democrats have to brainstorm an idea quickly. Otherwise the new kid on the block is going to make them look bad and spoil those election-winning highs.
But what is most disturbing of all, and also overlooked, is who will be replacing Rumsfeld. Robert Gates, a former CIA director under Bush I, will be appointed to the position. I don't think Democrats will oppose the appointment, but maybe they should. They should oppose it for the same reasons they tried to block Bush's judge appointments; Bush is about to have yet another insider in a position of power in Washington. This guy knows a lot. He was head of the CIA. He knows everything. To have him as Defense Secretary can only boost Bush's power over war decisions. We may be in big trouble.
For two years now, Bush has been talking about Iran and Syria. Gates has been praised as an expert in intelligence gathering. If you want another war, who better to head the Pentagon than someone who is an intelligence expert. If you want some dirt to start that war with, he is just a quick phone call away. And before I am labeled as a paranoid conspiracy theorist, consider who runs this country. The Democrats may run Congress, but Bush still runs the White House. The next two years are going to be very interesting. With Rumsfeld gone, the ball is now rolling on whatever Bush has planned next. And I hope we are ready.
If Donald Rumsfeld did anything for the opposition in Washington, it was making them look good. Every call for resignation was backed up by an accusation of the poor handling of the war. But as mentioned in previous entries, the poor job the Pentagon was doing was not entirely Rumsfeld's fault. Let's not forget that he tried to get out of the position many times over the last two years. He didn't want the job. He didn't feel he could handle it. He proved that by not handling it. If any anger should be expressed, it should be at Mr. Decider himself. He kept Rumsfeld in this long knowing full well he was doing poorly and wanted out. But that is the past.
Rumsfeld being gone can come back to haunt the Democrats and Americans at large. As mentioned before, Rumsfeld made the Democrats lack of a strategy for Iraq a non-issue. People were so focused on Rumsfeld that they paid no attention to the fact that no one in the Democratic Party has any idea what to do about the war. A change in power could mean that Democrats have to brainstorm an idea quickly. Otherwise the new kid on the block is going to make them look bad and spoil those election-winning highs.
But what is most disturbing of all, and also overlooked, is who will be replacing Rumsfeld. Robert Gates, a former CIA director under Bush I, will be appointed to the position. I don't think Democrats will oppose the appointment, but maybe they should. They should oppose it for the same reasons they tried to block Bush's judge appointments; Bush is about to have yet another insider in a position of power in Washington. This guy knows a lot. He was head of the CIA. He knows everything. To have him as Defense Secretary can only boost Bush's power over war decisions. We may be in big trouble.
For two years now, Bush has been talking about Iran and Syria. Gates has been praised as an expert in intelligence gathering. If you want another war, who better to head the Pentagon than someone who is an intelligence expert. If you want some dirt to start that war with, he is just a quick phone call away. And before I am labeled as a paranoid conspiracy theorist, consider who runs this country. The Democrats may run Congress, but Bush still runs the White House. The next two years are going to be very interesting. With Rumsfeld gone, the ball is now rolling on whatever Bush has planned next. And I hope we are ready.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Elections Bring Major Changes On All Levels
As predicted, the mid-term election of 2006 was one of the most important in recent history. More money has been spent on this election than any other in US history. More independent voters turned out to the polls since 1982. All the elements were present to make a great change in how the next two years will go.
Maybe the biggest change came in the reversal of control in the houses of Congress. While the Senate may still be up in the air, I think Democrats will eventually be in control of both. Early predictions that Americans were tired of the current controlling party was evident with the number of incumbents that lost seats in the House and Senate. In the Senate, a total of 29 incumbents were running for re-election. The swift of power in the Senate was brought about when 5 of these incumbents lost their elections. Normally, the incumbency rate in the United States is estimated to be about 97%. However, the numbers suggest that for the current election, the incumbency rate in the Senate dropped 14 points to 83%.
The House saw a similar result. Many incumbents that lost their seats were Republicans, which explains the swift in power. In total, 403 incumbents ran for re-election to the House. After the results were in, it was seen that 378 of these incumbents kept their seat. An interesting fact goes along with this, however. Of the 378 incumbents that won, 34 were running unopposed. If these 34 are counted as victories, the incumbency rate in the House was at 94%. However, among incumbents that ran against opposition, the incumbency rate was down 12 points to 85%. These results should send a clear message that Americans want change on all levels.
Now that the Democratic party is in control of Congress, the changes Americans want should be addressed. If Democrats expect to keep control after 2008, some things need to be taken care of immediately. There are many issues that Democrats should bring up even if they are vetoed. For one, the environmental issues that Republicans refuse to address, should be brought up. The Kyoto Protocol should be reaffirmed even if Bush refuses to sign it into law. Also, Democrats need to bring up raising the minimum wage, create a bill for universal health care, and even get a bill in motion to reaffirm the Geneva Convention. The point of doing this, is to show what the Democratic Party stands for. If they want to get their nominee for president elected in 2008, he needs to have an agenda. And that agenda needs to have clear differences from the Republican agenda. If it doesn't, the American vote will sink back down into the apathy that it has so briefly risen from this election cycle.
Maybe the biggest change came in the reversal of control in the houses of Congress. While the Senate may still be up in the air, I think Democrats will eventually be in control of both. Early predictions that Americans were tired of the current controlling party was evident with the number of incumbents that lost seats in the House and Senate. In the Senate, a total of 29 incumbents were running for re-election. The swift of power in the Senate was brought about when 5 of these incumbents lost their elections. Normally, the incumbency rate in the United States is estimated to be about 97%. However, the numbers suggest that for the current election, the incumbency rate in the Senate dropped 14 points to 83%.
The House saw a similar result. Many incumbents that lost their seats were Republicans, which explains the swift in power. In total, 403 incumbents ran for re-election to the House. After the results were in, it was seen that 378 of these incumbents kept their seat. An interesting fact goes along with this, however. Of the 378 incumbents that won, 34 were running unopposed. If these 34 are counted as victories, the incumbency rate in the House was at 94%. However, among incumbents that ran against opposition, the incumbency rate was down 12 points to 85%. These results should send a clear message that Americans want change on all levels.
Now that the Democratic party is in control of Congress, the changes Americans want should be addressed. If Democrats expect to keep control after 2008, some things need to be taken care of immediately. There are many issues that Democrats should bring up even if they are vetoed. For one, the environmental issues that Republicans refuse to address, should be brought up. The Kyoto Protocol should be reaffirmed even if Bush refuses to sign it into law. Also, Democrats need to bring up raising the minimum wage, create a bill for universal health care, and even get a bill in motion to reaffirm the Geneva Convention. The point of doing this, is to show what the Democratic Party stands for. If they want to get their nominee for president elected in 2008, he needs to have an agenda. And that agenda needs to have clear differences from the Republican agenda. If it doesn't, the American vote will sink back down into the apathy that it has so briefly risen from this election cycle.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Britney's Courtroom Woes: Who Cares About Elections?
At this hour, many people have gone or are going to the polls to cast their vote for a candidate they like. They have been constantly bombarded the past few weeks with stories about soldiers dyeing in Iraq, scandals in Congress, and other issues from immigration to gay marriage. But let's face it, who really cares about all that? The real news is with Britney Spears and her latest headlines. Finally, something interesting to cover.
In case you have been living under a rock for the past month or so, Britney and K-Fed are suing Us Weekly for defamation. It is a really big deal. In a recent "article" in the magazine, a writer claimed, "Spears and Federline, feared the release of a secret sex tape, which they had viewed with their estate planning lawyers. The article said that Spears gave a copy of the tape to lawyers and she and Federline were "acting goofy the whole time" while watching the video." That is a really serious charge. Someone has to pay for it.
But this one is a no go. The judge in the case, Lisa Hart Cole, said Britney "put her modern sexuality squarely, and profitably, before the public eye." What does that even mean? The judge did not care if the story was true or false. She went on to say, "The issue is whether it is defamatory to state that a husband and wife taped themselves engaging in consensual sex." Apparently, the judge does not think so and also stated, "The backdrop against which this issue must be addressed is that the plaintiff has publicly portrayed herself in a sexual way in her performances, in published photographs and in a reality show." Again, what does that even mean? This magazine obviously are doing this to hurt this great young couple. They should have to pay the $10 million they are being sued for.
When is the American justice system going to work for everyone. If a magazine can make such a claim, what is to stop others from doing the same. Pretty soon everyone will be saying Brit and K-Fed made a sex tape. And it might not be true. Those liars should pay up. They have financially hurt this couple. That's how rumors get started after all and rumors are costly. Call your Congressman tonight after the election results are in and demand that something should be done about this. This ruling flies in the face of all the Constitution stands for. No American should sit idlely by and let this happen. Speak up for Britney.
In case you have been living under a rock for the past month or so, Britney and K-Fed are suing Us Weekly for defamation. It is a really big deal. In a recent "article" in the magazine, a writer claimed, "Spears and Federline, feared the release of a secret sex tape, which they had viewed with their estate planning lawyers. The article said that Spears gave a copy of the tape to lawyers and she and Federline were "acting goofy the whole time" while watching the video." That is a really serious charge. Someone has to pay for it.
But this one is a no go. The judge in the case, Lisa Hart Cole, said Britney "put her modern sexuality squarely, and profitably, before the public eye." What does that even mean? The judge did not care if the story was true or false. She went on to say, "The issue is whether it is defamatory to state that a husband and wife taped themselves engaging in consensual sex." Apparently, the judge does not think so and also stated, "The backdrop against which this issue must be addressed is that the plaintiff has publicly portrayed herself in a sexual way in her performances, in published photographs and in a reality show." Again, what does that even mean? This magazine obviously are doing this to hurt this great young couple. They should have to pay the $10 million they are being sued for.
When is the American justice system going to work for everyone. If a magazine can make such a claim, what is to stop others from doing the same. Pretty soon everyone will be saying Brit and K-Fed made a sex tape. And it might not be true. Those liars should pay up. They have financially hurt this couple. That's how rumors get started after all and rumors are costly. Call your Congressman tonight after the election results are in and demand that something should be done about this. This ruling flies in the face of all the Constitution stands for. No American should sit idlely by and let this happen. Speak up for Britney.
Monday, November 06, 2006
No More Incumbents
My personal campaign has been to remove all incumbents from office. I was told recently that it was a very smart idea. When I asked why, the response had something to do with inexperienced Congressmen and Trent Lott. As far as I am concerned, the incumbent Congress may have experience, but they suck at their jobs. Why do they deserve to keep a job that they are no good at? If any other American went to work everyday and did a piss-poor job, we would be fired. And since the people still run this country, I think it is time to do some firing.
Tomorrow may be one of the most important elections in our lifetime. Many things may change. Historically, Americans are very apathetic voters. And it is that attitude that gave us the bunch of no-accounts currently serving in office. Tomorrow needs to end that apathy.
Let's not worry about the issues anymore. We are beyond issues. It boils down to this. Do you really think that a guy that hasn't done anything about a particular issue is suddenly going to change his mind and do something just because you vote? Of course not. The easiest solution is to clean house and see if this new group can do better.
So wherever you are tomorrow, remember this. No matter what they say to you, don't believe it. No incumbent deserves their job back this term. Don't worry about party, good looks, or issues. Simply vote for the other guy. The list that follows is made of the most useless human beings running for re-election. To vote for any of these people tomorrow would do a disservice to America. So DO NOT VOTE for any of the people listed below.
US Senate:
Arizona: Jon Kyl (R)
California: Dianne Feinstein (D)
Connecticut: Joe Lieberman
Delaware: Tom Carper (D)
Florida: Bill Nelson (D)
Hawaii: Daniel Akaka (D)
Indiana: Dick Lugar (R)
Maine: Olympia Snowe (R)
Maryland: Paul Sarbanes (D)
Massachusetts: Edward Kennedy (D)
Michigan: Debbie Stabenow (D)
Minnesota: Mark Dayton (DFL)
Mississippi: Trent Lott (R)
Missouri: Jim Talent (R)
Montana: Conrad Burns (R)
Nebraska: Ben Nelson (D)
Nevada: John Ensign (R)
New Jersey: Robert Menendez (D)
New Mexico: Jeff Bingaman (D)
New York: Hillary Rodham Clinton (D)
North Dakota: Kent Conrad (D)
Ohio: Mike DeWine (R)
Pennsylvania: Rick Santorum (R)
Rhode Island: Lincoln Chafee (R)
Tennessee: Bill Frist (R)
Texas: Kay Bailey Hutchison (R)
Utah: Orrin Hatch (R)
Vermont: Jim Jeffords (I)
Virginia: George Allen (R)
Washington: Maria Cantwell (D)
West Virginia: Robert Byrd (D)
Wisconsin: Herb Kohl (D)
Wyoming: Craig Thomas (R)
US House of Representatives:
CONNECTICUT HOUSE 02: Robert Simmons (R)
CONNECTICUT HOUSE 04: Christopher Shays (R)
CONNECTICUT HOUSE 05: Nancy Johnson (R)
FLORIDA HOUSE 22: Eugene Shaw (R)
ILLINOIS HOUSE 08: Melissa Bean (D)
INDIANA HOUSE 02: Chris Chocola (R)
INDIANA HOUSE 08: John Hostettler (R)
INDIANA HOUSE 09: Michael Sodrel (R)
IOWA HOUSE 03: Leonard Boswell (D)
KENTUCKY HOUSE 04: Geoffrey Davis (R)
LOUISIANA HOUSE 02: William Jefferson (D)
NEW MEXICO HOUSE 01: Heather Wilson (R)
NEW YORK HOUSE 20: John Sweeney (R)
NORTH CAROLINA HOUSE 11: Charles Taylor (R)
OHIO HOUSE 15: Deborah Pryce (R)
PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE 06: Jim Gerlach (R)
PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE 07: Curt Weldon (R)
PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE 08: Mike Fitzpatrick (R)
PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE 10: Donald Sherwood (R)
VIRGINIA HOUSE 02: Thelma Drake (R)
WASHINGTON HOUSE 08: Dave Reichert (R)
WEST VIRGINIA HOUSE 01: Alan Mollohan (D)
WISCONSIN HOUSE 03: Ron Kind (D)
Tomorrow may be one of the most important elections in our lifetime. Many things may change. Historically, Americans are very apathetic voters. And it is that attitude that gave us the bunch of no-accounts currently serving in office. Tomorrow needs to end that apathy.
Let's not worry about the issues anymore. We are beyond issues. It boils down to this. Do you really think that a guy that hasn't done anything about a particular issue is suddenly going to change his mind and do something just because you vote? Of course not. The easiest solution is to clean house and see if this new group can do better.
So wherever you are tomorrow, remember this. No matter what they say to you, don't believe it. No incumbent deserves their job back this term. Don't worry about party, good looks, or issues. Simply vote for the other guy. The list that follows is made of the most useless human beings running for re-election. To vote for any of these people tomorrow would do a disservice to America. So DO NOT VOTE for any of the people listed below.
US Senate:
Arizona: Jon Kyl (R)
California: Dianne Feinstein (D)
Connecticut: Joe Lieberman
Delaware: Tom Carper (D)
Florida: Bill Nelson (D)
Hawaii: Daniel Akaka (D)
Indiana: Dick Lugar (R)
Maine: Olympia Snowe (R)
Maryland: Paul Sarbanes (D)
Massachusetts: Edward Kennedy (D)
Michigan: Debbie Stabenow (D)
Minnesota: Mark Dayton (DFL)
Mississippi: Trent Lott (R)
Missouri: Jim Talent (R)
Montana: Conrad Burns (R)
Nebraska: Ben Nelson (D)
Nevada: John Ensign (R)
New Jersey: Robert Menendez (D)
New Mexico: Jeff Bingaman (D)
New York: Hillary Rodham Clinton (D)
North Dakota: Kent Conrad (D)
Ohio: Mike DeWine (R)
Pennsylvania: Rick Santorum (R)
Rhode Island: Lincoln Chafee (R)
Tennessee: Bill Frist (R)
Texas: Kay Bailey Hutchison (R)
Utah: Orrin Hatch (R)
Vermont: Jim Jeffords (I)
Virginia: George Allen (R)
Washington: Maria Cantwell (D)
West Virginia: Robert Byrd (D)
Wisconsin: Herb Kohl (D)
Wyoming: Craig Thomas (R)
US House of Representatives:
CONNECTICUT HOUSE 02: Robert Simmons (R)
CONNECTICUT HOUSE 04: Christopher Shays (R)
CONNECTICUT HOUSE 05: Nancy Johnson (R)
FLORIDA HOUSE 22: Eugene Shaw (R)
ILLINOIS HOUSE 08: Melissa Bean (D)
INDIANA HOUSE 02: Chris Chocola (R)
INDIANA HOUSE 08: John Hostettler (R)
INDIANA HOUSE 09: Michael Sodrel (R)
IOWA HOUSE 03: Leonard Boswell (D)
KENTUCKY HOUSE 04: Geoffrey Davis (R)
LOUISIANA HOUSE 02: William Jefferson (D)
NEW MEXICO HOUSE 01: Heather Wilson (R)
NEW YORK HOUSE 20: John Sweeney (R)
NORTH CAROLINA HOUSE 11: Charles Taylor (R)
OHIO HOUSE 15: Deborah Pryce (R)
PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE 06: Jim Gerlach (R)
PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE 07: Curt Weldon (R)
PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE 08: Mike Fitzpatrick (R)
PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE 10: Donald Sherwood (R)
VIRGINIA HOUSE 02: Thelma Drake (R)
WASHINGTON HOUSE 08: Dave Reichert (R)
WEST VIRGINIA HOUSE 01: Alan Mollohan (D)
WISCONSIN HOUSE 03: Ron Kind (D)
Friday, November 03, 2006
Neither Party Has An Answer For Iraq
If one were to pick an issue that has come up time and time again in every election since 2002, it would be the War on Terror. Or more specifically, the War in Iraq. Both sides of the political arena think they know what the answer is to solving the problem of global terrorism. And it remains an issue because neither party has yet to come up with a way to get us out of this mess we are in. The hard facts are that Iraq is a mess. It is a failure in terms of success. But what do I know, the president says I'm wrong.
In part of a series of speeches the president will make leading up to Tuesday's election he said, "Democrats calling for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq aren't unpatriotic, just wrong." He also said, "Democrats who voted against legislation to detain and interrogate suspected terrorists, the National Security Agency's eavesdropping program and the Patriot Act don't understand the stakes in the war on terror." And to cap his campaign bashing, Bush said, "If they say they want to win the war on terror, but call for America to pull out of what al Qaeda says is the central front in this war, ask them this question: 'What's your plan?"
Good point. What is the Democratic plan to get us out of Iraq? No one knows. The reason is because the Democratic party is filled with nothing but whining and complaining politicians that don't know how to make a simple suggestion. Bush said in his speech, "Harsh criticism is not a plan for victory. Second guessing is not a strategy." He's right. When is the Democratic party going to wake up and realize that if they want to lead, they have to have a plan. If they are waiting until after the election, it will be too late. I fear that some Democrats will wake up Wednesday morning to find that the American people wanted a plan to get our troops home and they forgot to offer it.
But before someone confuses me with a Republican, let me say this. Bush's comments needed to also be directed at his own party. And at his White House. As of yet, the best plan for victory in Iraq offered by Republicans has been "let's go over there and win." And that about explains what they have. In my eyes, they are just as unprepared to provide a plan of action as the opposing party. And Democrats are quick to point this out.
Democrat Claire McCaskill is running for the Senate in the state where President Bush made his speech today. In a reply to Bush's allegations, McCaskill said, "President Bush has never had a plan to win in Iraq, and now that Democrats and Republicans are all calling for change, he's desperately clinging to his stay the course." And she is right. For three years now we have heard "stay the course." And this course, apparently, means standing idlely by and watching soldier after soldier die in vain for a cause they do not understand.
The truth of the matter is simply. Neither party has any good ideas on how to handle the real issues that face America. And another truth is that neither party is planning on dealing with the issues. We elect these people to do work and they do nothing but bicker and argue about who called who a poop-head or who is sleeping with who. Politicians don't have the answers. At least the ones in power right now don't. If we aren't going to rid ourselves of this government by force, we definitely should do it with our votes. Screw parties. Vote for someone else.
In part of a series of speeches the president will make leading up to Tuesday's election he said, "Democrats calling for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq aren't unpatriotic, just wrong." He also said, "Democrats who voted against legislation to detain and interrogate suspected terrorists, the National Security Agency's eavesdropping program and the Patriot Act don't understand the stakes in the war on terror." And to cap his campaign bashing, Bush said, "If they say they want to win the war on terror, but call for America to pull out of what al Qaeda says is the central front in this war, ask them this question: 'What's your plan?"
Good point. What is the Democratic plan to get us out of Iraq? No one knows. The reason is because the Democratic party is filled with nothing but whining and complaining politicians that don't know how to make a simple suggestion. Bush said in his speech, "Harsh criticism is not a plan for victory. Second guessing is not a strategy." He's right. When is the Democratic party going to wake up and realize that if they want to lead, they have to have a plan. If they are waiting until after the election, it will be too late. I fear that some Democrats will wake up Wednesday morning to find that the American people wanted a plan to get our troops home and they forgot to offer it.
But before someone confuses me with a Republican, let me say this. Bush's comments needed to also be directed at his own party. And at his White House. As of yet, the best plan for victory in Iraq offered by Republicans has been "let's go over there and win." And that about explains what they have. In my eyes, they are just as unprepared to provide a plan of action as the opposing party. And Democrats are quick to point this out.
Democrat Claire McCaskill is running for the Senate in the state where President Bush made his speech today. In a reply to Bush's allegations, McCaskill said, "President Bush has never had a plan to win in Iraq, and now that Democrats and Republicans are all calling for change, he's desperately clinging to his stay the course." And she is right. For three years now we have heard "stay the course." And this course, apparently, means standing idlely by and watching soldier after soldier die in vain for a cause they do not understand.
The truth of the matter is simply. Neither party has any good ideas on how to handle the real issues that face America. And another truth is that neither party is planning on dealing with the issues. We elect these people to do work and they do nothing but bicker and argue about who called who a poop-head or who is sleeping with who. Politicians don't have the answers. At least the ones in power right now don't. If we aren't going to rid ourselves of this government by force, we definitely should do it with our votes. Screw parties. Vote for someone else.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Obama No Chance In '08
Finally, a potential presidential candidate that has all the qualities I think every president should have. He's smart, good looking, young, energetic, upbeat, a great public speaker, and he is available in 2008. Of course, there are a few problems. He's a senator, which does not improve his chances. He's a democrat, which lessens his chances even more. He's black, which is a killer. And his name is Barack Obama, which is great smear-ad material.
If we lived in a perfect world, the senator from Illinois would have no problem running and winning the 2008 presidential election. But as things stand, he has to overcome those obstacles previously mentioned. There is hope for his nomination, however. According to a recent poll of registered democratic voters, Obama trails Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton by eleven points. And he is gaining.
But the sad fact of the matter is that this talented, young man really has no chance to win the presidency of this country. While many, including myself, would vote for such an awesome candidate, many would not for various reason. One of the most obvious would be his African heritage.
This country has come a long way since the dark days of the Civil Rights movement. But the facts remain, blacks still face disdain and inequality. Many voters, though they won't admit it openly, would not vote for Obama because of that one simple reason. Even if he wasn't a democrat, he would still get the same treatment. But being a democrat certainly doesn't help.
During the past six years, this country has seen an increase in conservatism mixed with ignorant patriotism. In other words, the party in power at the time of our great tragedy is always right and has never or will never make a mistake. And this increase in the conservative vote has lead to the ignorant state of mind that would keep Obama out of office. People actually believe that not a single democrat in power is worth anything. They have been brainwashed by the conservative machine to spew the lines "cut-and-run" party or "defeatist mentality." They probably don't even know what all that means. But one can be sure it will sway the vote in 2008. And this mentality will lead to the eventually smearing of this man's good name.
While I have no problem with names. And I also don't think names matter when voting. However, conservative ad makers do. Because Obama is a democrat and will be labeled as a typical democrat, I can only imagine the horrible smear-ads that could be produced. The one that comes to mind often would go something like this:
Barack Obama is a leading member of the democratic party. As a senator, he supported many other democratic leaders. He knows John Kerry. Obama belongs to that cut-and-run crowd. And isn't it interesting that his name rhymes with Osama. Do you really want him to be elected president with a name like that? Vote republican because America doesn't need a terrorist support in the White House.
It may seem ridiculous, but after the childish behavior during this election, ads like this could be common. Many issues related to the war will guide the course of this next election. Candidates like Obama need to be prepared. I'll vote for him, but will America vote for him and allow him to win? I don't really think so.
If we lived in a perfect world, the senator from Illinois would have no problem running and winning the 2008 presidential election. But as things stand, he has to overcome those obstacles previously mentioned. There is hope for his nomination, however. According to a recent poll of registered democratic voters, Obama trails Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton by eleven points. And he is gaining.
But the sad fact of the matter is that this talented, young man really has no chance to win the presidency of this country. While many, including myself, would vote for such an awesome candidate, many would not for various reason. One of the most obvious would be his African heritage.
This country has come a long way since the dark days of the Civil Rights movement. But the facts remain, blacks still face disdain and inequality. Many voters, though they won't admit it openly, would not vote for Obama because of that one simple reason. Even if he wasn't a democrat, he would still get the same treatment. But being a democrat certainly doesn't help.
During the past six years, this country has seen an increase in conservatism mixed with ignorant patriotism. In other words, the party in power at the time of our great tragedy is always right and has never or will never make a mistake. And this increase in the conservative vote has lead to the ignorant state of mind that would keep Obama out of office. People actually believe that not a single democrat in power is worth anything. They have been brainwashed by the conservative machine to spew the lines "cut-and-run" party or "defeatist mentality." They probably don't even know what all that means. But one can be sure it will sway the vote in 2008. And this mentality will lead to the eventually smearing of this man's good name.
While I have no problem with names. And I also don't think names matter when voting. However, conservative ad makers do. Because Obama is a democrat and will be labeled as a typical democrat, I can only imagine the horrible smear-ads that could be produced. The one that comes to mind often would go something like this:
Barack Obama is a leading member of the democratic party. As a senator, he supported many other democratic leaders. He knows John Kerry. Obama belongs to that cut-and-run crowd. And isn't it interesting that his name rhymes with Osama. Do you really want him to be elected president with a name like that? Vote republican because America doesn't need a terrorist support in the White House.
It may seem ridiculous, but after the childish behavior during this election, ads like this could be common. Many issues related to the war will guide the course of this next election. Candidates like Obama need to be prepared. I'll vote for him, but will America vote for him and allow him to win? I don't really think so.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Childish Nature of Politician a Disgrace
In 2004, the Democratic nomination for President was given to an uptight, stuff-shirt rich man from Massachusetts. He didn't win. He was a politician and horrible at speaking in public. He made empty promises and failed to impress voters. He now serves in the US Senate as a representative of his home state. He is no better than a child.
This same scenario plays out over and over again in the political arena. Politicians who participate in such childish behavior are a disgrace to America and all it stands for. And at no time is this more evident that before an election. At no point in media coverage is the play-ground system more in place than before voters must choose the leaders of our government. And the incident from yesterday proves that point.
If it was in jest, so what. John Kerry made a remark in a speech on Tuesday that has caused the childish antics of politicians to reach a fever pitch. In this speech Kerry said, "You know, education -- if you make the most of it, you study hard and you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq." Kerry said it was a bad joke made toward Bush and his lack of knowledge. It was a bad one. But instead of rolling their eyes and moving on, the opposing party must make a big deal out of it. And when they make a big deal out of it, Kerry's party steps back from him as if he had the plague.
Let's face facts. Kerry makes a good point. If he was talking about Bush, he's right. Bush is an idiot. He is one idiot among several hundred that make the decisions that run this country. Because of his lack of brain, this country is stuck in a useless war where good men and women are dying for nothing. We are stuck there. And if we had a smarter leadership, we wouldn't be there in the first place. But no one has said that. Instead, they acted in such an immature fashion, I think a group of first graders could have acted better.
An add put out so quickly it makes you head spin had a caption reading, "John Kerry should apologize. Our soldiers are waiting." No they are not. Our soldiers are too busy getting killed by an unending insurgency to care about the remarks of one moron in Washington. What are troops are really waiting for is our politicians to get their heads out of their asses and do something to get them home.
The people in Washington need to grow up and move on with their lives. Stop worrying about who needs to say "I'm sorry" or who needs to say "I told you so" and run the damn country. It's events like these that make people want to stay at home on election day. They would rather let the idiots in Washington bicker until they are blue in the face. Yet another reason they should all be tossed out on their asses. When Washington stops disgracing the United States, then maybe we can get down to actually running the country. Till then, we are simply S.O.L. And you can quote me on that with no apology to follow.
This same scenario plays out over and over again in the political arena. Politicians who participate in such childish behavior are a disgrace to America and all it stands for. And at no time is this more evident that before an election. At no point in media coverage is the play-ground system more in place than before voters must choose the leaders of our government. And the incident from yesterday proves that point.
If it was in jest, so what. John Kerry made a remark in a speech on Tuesday that has caused the childish antics of politicians to reach a fever pitch. In this speech Kerry said, "You know, education -- if you make the most of it, you study hard and you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq." Kerry said it was a bad joke made toward Bush and his lack of knowledge. It was a bad one. But instead of rolling their eyes and moving on, the opposing party must make a big deal out of it. And when they make a big deal out of it, Kerry's party steps back from him as if he had the plague.
Let's face facts. Kerry makes a good point. If he was talking about Bush, he's right. Bush is an idiot. He is one idiot among several hundred that make the decisions that run this country. Because of his lack of brain, this country is stuck in a useless war where good men and women are dying for nothing. We are stuck there. And if we had a smarter leadership, we wouldn't be there in the first place. But no one has said that. Instead, they acted in such an immature fashion, I think a group of first graders could have acted better.
An add put out so quickly it makes you head spin had a caption reading, "John Kerry should apologize. Our soldiers are waiting." No they are not. Our soldiers are too busy getting killed by an unending insurgency to care about the remarks of one moron in Washington. What are troops are really waiting for is our politicians to get their heads out of their asses and do something to get them home.
The people in Washington need to grow up and move on with their lives. Stop worrying about who needs to say "I'm sorry" or who needs to say "I told you so" and run the damn country. It's events like these that make people want to stay at home on election day. They would rather let the idiots in Washington bicker until they are blue in the face. Yet another reason they should all be tossed out on their asses. When Washington stops disgracing the United States, then maybe we can get down to actually running the country. Till then, we are simply S.O.L. And you can quote me on that with no apology to follow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)