You’d think that at this point in his campaign, with his polling numbers being what they are, Ron Paul would be rolling up the tent and making plans for a nice, long winter vacation in the Caribbean, but that doesn’t appear to be happening as the “3rd-tier” Republican presidential candidate keeps raking in the dough. Apparently, there’s a hard-core element out there betting on Paul’s long shot chances and they’re willing to place their bets on the table. Who knows, in the “candidate-of-the-month” derby the Republicans got going, Ron Paul might even get to take his turn in the driver’s seat. Stranger things have happened.
Ron likes to rail against immigrants, as all the Republican candidates are doing these days, but his stance against the Iraq War and his anti-government rhetoric touch a nerve with lots of Republicans who oppose the war, but just can’t bring themselves to support any Democrat, no matter what their name, race or gender.
Ron Paul is the “old school” Republican candidate; that’s pre-Reagan and pre-Moral Majority. There must be a lot of Republicans out there who still yearn for that type of candidate, because the money keeps flowing into Paul’s coffers. As long as it does, you can bet that Ron Paul won’t be taking any vacations.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
More Dirt from the White House
It shouldn't surprise anyone that White House lawyers would be involved in discussions with the C.I.A. regarding the destruction of videotapes taken of interrogation sessions where high-level terrorist suspects were tortured with waterboarding. The tapes, had they been released, would have turned the stomachs of most Americans, not to mention the rest of the world, and would have provided conclusive proof that, in fact, America does engage in torture and that the President and his Administration have boldly and consistently lied about that fact.
Despite the "official" contention that the tapes were destroyed to protect the identities of CIA interrogators and their families, that fact is...the tapes were destroyed to cover up lies. You'd expect Bush Administration lawyers to be at the forefront of those efforts since this Administration has been the most secretive administration in U.S. history. It's also been the most adamant in pursuing the notion that the Executive Branch is above the law.
As long as the American people allow the lies to continue, the Bush Administration will keep telling them.
Despite the "official" contention that the tapes were destroyed to protect the identities of CIA interrogators and their families, that fact is...the tapes were destroyed to cover up lies. You'd expect Bush Administration lawyers to be at the forefront of those efforts since this Administration has been the most secretive administration in U.S. history. It's also been the most adamant in pursuing the notion that the Executive Branch is above the law.
As long as the American people allow the lies to continue, the Bush Administration will keep telling them.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Armed Guards at the Church Door
Your heart has to go out to the victims of the recent Colorado church shootings and to their families as the never ending cycle of violence that perpetrates this world continues, seemingly unabated. But it's somewhat troubling to consider that some Christian churches are now posting armed guards at their door, and that, at the New Life Church in Colorado where the second shooting occurred the other day, one of the church's armed guards might have fired the fatal shot that killed the troubled shooter.
It's bad enough that this country's fascination with guns has led to an ever-escalating stream of violence; what's worse is that it's led some Christian Churches to abandon the central core of Christ's teaching - non-violence, even in the face of violence - in favor of self-protection.
It's a sad day for the families and victims in Colorado...it's a sad time for the rest of us!
It's bad enough that this country's fascination with guns has led to an ever-escalating stream of violence; what's worse is that it's led some Christian Churches to abandon the central core of Christ's teaching - non-violence, even in the face of violence - in favor of self-protection.
It's a sad day for the families and victims in Colorado...it's a sad time for the rest of us!
Monday, December 10, 2007
"Scooter" Appeal Skates Off Into Sunset
It's official - "Scooter" Libby has withdrawn the appeal of his perjury and obstruction of justice convictions. That should give him sufficient time to fly below the radar until, in the waning weeks of the Bush Administration, President Bush signs a full pardon and allows Mr. Libby to skate free of the "felon" label that attached at Libby's conviction.
Libby's lawyer offered an interesting explanation: "the appeal was too stressful"...and "carried a risk that his young family found too great to bear"...but they were only buzz word. The real reason for dropping the appeal is that Scooter doesn't want to put the President in the awkward situation of granting a pardon to somebody who is still fighting his conviction.
The idea of Scooter getting a pardon cuts two ways. On one hand, it doesn't seem fair that a guy like Scotter gets off just because of his high political connections; on the other hand, why should Libby suffer whan all the other characters, including the President - who we now know was knee-deep in the spy leak - get off scott-free? There's no justice in the latter.
Doubtfully, in about 2 years or so, "Scooter Libby" will be resurrected as an elder statesman in one or more Washington based, neo-con think tanks. Such is the fate of men with his connections. But that won't erase the fact that Scooter Libby played a dastardly role in the outing of a covert C.I.A. spy for revenge and for the President's political gain, and had the gull to lie about it in court under oath.
Scooter Libby is every bit the felon as O.J. - even when he skates away from the conviction as is bound to happen! He just has friends in higher places.
Libby's lawyer offered an interesting explanation: "the appeal was too stressful"...and "carried a risk that his young family found too great to bear"...but they were only buzz word. The real reason for dropping the appeal is that Scooter doesn't want to put the President in the awkward situation of granting a pardon to somebody who is still fighting his conviction.
The idea of Scooter getting a pardon cuts two ways. On one hand, it doesn't seem fair that a guy like Scotter gets off just because of his high political connections; on the other hand, why should Libby suffer whan all the other characters, including the President - who we now know was knee-deep in the spy leak - get off scott-free? There's no justice in the latter.
Doubtfully, in about 2 years or so, "Scooter Libby" will be resurrected as an elder statesman in one or more Washington based, neo-con think tanks. Such is the fate of men with his connections. But that won't erase the fact that Scooter Libby played a dastardly role in the outing of a covert C.I.A. spy for revenge and for the President's political gain, and had the gull to lie about it in court under oath.
Scooter Libby is every bit the felon as O.J. - even when he skates away from the conviction as is bound to happen! He just has friends in higher places.
Huckabee's 'Willie Horton'
Now that the shoe is on the other foot, and it's a Republican presidential candidate who's responsible for securing the release of a violent criminal from prison, only to have that criminal commit a murder after serving his parole - ala Willie Horton, let's see if right-wing Christian evangelicals are really interested in seeking truth and justice or simply confirm themselves as a pack of hate-mongering hypocrits I've always taken them to be.
While Governor of Arkansas, current G.O.P. presidential hopeful, Mike Huckabee, appeared before the Arkansas Parole Board, in private, and urged the Board to parole Wayne Dumond, a violent criminal convicted of raping a woman, who just happened to be a distant cousin of Bill Clinton, the former governor of Arkansas. After the Board went along with Huckabee's request and paroled the rapist, Dumond killed and spent his remaining days in prison for murder.
Dumond was apparently a "cause celeb" among right-wing Christian evangelicals, who hate Clinton with a passion, and who took the position that Dumond's rape conviction was primarily the result of the victim's relationship to Clinton. Never mind that a jury of Dumond's peers were unanimously convinced otherwise after hearing the victim testify and never mind that said conviction was upheld on appeal.
Is hatred of Clinton so deep among Christian evangelicals that they'd side with a violent rapist who'd later escalate that violent to murder over the word of a rape victim? Apparently so! And that apparently goes for Huckabee too.
There's certainly room in this world for a lot more compassion, forgiveness and recognition that even well-intentioned folk sometimes make mistakes that are regrettable, but not indicative of deep-seeded character flaws, but there's no justification for allowing hate to rule reason.
It behooves the evangelicals who stood up for Dumond to acknowledge that their hatred of Clinton motivated their actions and that they acted wrongly. It behooves Huckabee to apologize too and not try to evade responsibility for his misjudgment. If Huckabee can't stand up and admit his mistake, he doesn't deserve to be President.
While Governor of Arkansas, current G.O.P. presidential hopeful, Mike Huckabee, appeared before the Arkansas Parole Board, in private, and urged the Board to parole Wayne Dumond, a violent criminal convicted of raping a woman, who just happened to be a distant cousin of Bill Clinton, the former governor of Arkansas. After the Board went along with Huckabee's request and paroled the rapist, Dumond killed and spent his remaining days in prison for murder.
Dumond was apparently a "cause celeb" among right-wing Christian evangelicals, who hate Clinton with a passion, and who took the position that Dumond's rape conviction was primarily the result of the victim's relationship to Clinton. Never mind that a jury of Dumond's peers were unanimously convinced otherwise after hearing the victim testify and never mind that said conviction was upheld on appeal.
Is hatred of Clinton so deep among Christian evangelicals that they'd side with a violent rapist who'd later escalate that violent to murder over the word of a rape victim? Apparently so! And that apparently goes for Huckabee too.
There's certainly room in this world for a lot more compassion, forgiveness and recognition that even well-intentioned folk sometimes make mistakes that are regrettable, but not indicative of deep-seeded character flaws, but there's no justification for allowing hate to rule reason.
It behooves the evangelicals who stood up for Dumond to acknowledge that their hatred of Clinton motivated their actions and that they acted wrongly. It behooves Huckabee to apologize too and not try to evade responsibility for his misjudgment. If Huckabee can't stand up and admit his mistake, he doesn't deserve to be President.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
OPEN LETTER TO SANTA
Dear Santa,
My 9-year old daughter, Rachel, wants a Nintendo DS for Christmas. You've probably already received her letter stating as much, but I wanted to add that she's been a good girl this year and has been very helpful around the house. It's okay with Rachel's mother and I if you bring her one.
Rachel's Dad
My 9-year old daughter, Rachel, wants a Nintendo DS for Christmas. You've probably already received her letter stating as much, but I wanted to add that she's been a good girl this year and has been very helpful around the house. It's okay with Rachel's mother and I if you bring her one.
Rachel's Dad
The American Theocracy
Every Fourth of July we drag out our flags, march in our parades, wax on about freedom and the wisdom of our Founding Fathers, and then we spend the next 364 days marching blindly towards an American theocracy, in our case, a government based on fundamentalist Christianity. It's not what the Founding Fathers wanted - it is, however, what many Americans want - so it's probably a good idea that we only honor the Founding Fathers one day a year. Any more than that would expose our national hypocrisy.
The Iranians have a religious theocracy, and their leader can't stop using religion as a justification for wanting to wipe a neighbor off the map. The Iraqis have two theocracies, and both can't stop killing each other long enough to get the electricity turned on. The Saudis have a religious theocracy - and they use it to beat and jail their rape victims as criminals. Pakistan and Afghanistan are religious theocracies, and the Taliban is on the move again, trying to reclaim and re-establish the harshest of religious law in both. Life in either place has never been a picnic and only promises to get worse.
You can't really point to any religious theocracy, save perhaps the Vatican - which is just a religious seat for the Pope - and say that the people are actually thriving there. That's because religious leaders are frequently not interested in promoting freedom or the common good. They're interested in promoting their own brand of religion. There's a big difference.
I know we Christians believe we're different; that ours is the one true religion, and if folks would simply follow our way of thinking and live as we tell them to live, life would be great and they would be happy. But that's what every religious theocracy claims, and it's never yet come to fruition.
The Founding Fathers knew as much. That's why they chose to separate church and state instead of making the two inseparable. It's too bad we refuse to listen to them.
***
The New York Times printed an excellent op-ed piece on religion and the presidency, referencing Mitt Romney's attempt to court the Christian Fundamentalist vote. It's good reading.
http://nytimes.com/2007/12/07/opinion/07fri1.html/?th&emc=th
The Iranians have a religious theocracy, and their leader can't stop using religion as a justification for wanting to wipe a neighbor off the map. The Iraqis have two theocracies, and both can't stop killing each other long enough to get the electricity turned on. The Saudis have a religious theocracy - and they use it to beat and jail their rape victims as criminals. Pakistan and Afghanistan are religious theocracies, and the Taliban is on the move again, trying to reclaim and re-establish the harshest of religious law in both. Life in either place has never been a picnic and only promises to get worse.
You can't really point to any religious theocracy, save perhaps the Vatican - which is just a religious seat for the Pope - and say that the people are actually thriving there. That's because religious leaders are frequently not interested in promoting freedom or the common good. They're interested in promoting their own brand of religion. There's a big difference.
I know we Christians believe we're different; that ours is the one true religion, and if folks would simply follow our way of thinking and live as we tell them to live, life would be great and they would be happy. But that's what every religious theocracy claims, and it's never yet come to fruition.
The Founding Fathers knew as much. That's why they chose to separate church and state instead of making the two inseparable. It's too bad we refuse to listen to them.
***
The New York Times printed an excellent op-ed piece on religion and the presidency, referencing Mitt Romney's attempt to court the Christian Fundamentalist vote. It's good reading.
http://nytimes.com/2007/12/07/opinion/07fri1.html/?th&emc=th
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