Barely holding on to office, disgraced South Carolina Governor, Mark Sanford penned an opinion piece that was published all over the state’s newspapers on Sunday. (The text of the Op-Ed is reprinted below).
Citing “God” numerous times in his apology, the governor continues to treat his contituents as idiots. Does he really feel that this mea culpa actually vindicates him? Apparently, he thinks so. The published apology is nothing more than a public relations stunt. If he really felt contrite, he would have done what any other decent person would have done: Resign and take your lumps as a private citizen. The fact that this charlatan had excoriated other politicians for lesser indiscretions makes this apology hollow.
Governor Sanford is simply morally corrupt. Had he not gotten caught would he have come out with this? Of course not! Much like Nevada Senator Ensign, Governor Sanford has demonstrated to the nation the hypocrisy and moral emptiness that rules the Republican Party.
Governor Sanford… you were a liar then and remain a liar now! If you want to get your life together with your family again… do it on your own time and at your own expense. The sooner, the better!
Ihavestruggled with how best to convey my regret in letting so many down, and in that regard I realize this column does not do justice to the process of saying “I am sorry.” A hand-written note or phone call would ultimately be more appropriate, but given the number of people I need to apologize to, I write this to begin the journey of trying to get things more right with you and others.
It is true that I did wrong and failed at the largest of levels, but equally true is the fact that God can make good of our respective wrongs in life. In this vein, while none of us has the chance to attend our own funeral, in many ways I feel like I was at my own in the past weeks, and surprisingly I am thankful for the perspective it has afforded.
If you ever have the misfortune of being at this point, whether self-induced as in my case or not, it will give you an indeed amazing perspective on life and on what really matters. I read notes from someone who worked in a sandwich shop I ate at 10 years ago, from 7th-grade classmates, from state employees and more. While there have been lifetimes of lessons learned over the past weeks, three things most immediately come to mind:
• One, forgiveness and grace really do matter. I used to believe that at an intellectual level; now it is at the level of heart. Over my life I have not given enough of either, and yet given all the ways in which my failings have come to light, I write to apologize for, in the most profound of ways, letting you and so many others down. It’s always the people closest to us whom we hurt the most, and given my standing of public trust, I know I’ve hurt many across our state. I apologize for this, and more than anything would ask for your forgiveness going forward.
• Two, life is indeed about way more than public standing or political views; it’s about recognizing that none of us is the arbiter of truth, that there are moral absolutes and that there is a God to whom we will all report for our actions. My failure has been most glaring on this front, where no public apology can make wrong right. As a consequence, it is on this plane that I’ve grown the most over the past weeks — and where I’m committed to growing the most going forward.
I’ve been humbled and broken as never before in my life, and as a consequence have given up areas of control in a way that I never have before. And it is my belief that this will make me a better father, husband, friend and advocate.
It’s in the spirit of making good from bad that I am committing to you and the larger family of South Carolinians to use this experience both to trust God in his larger work of changing me and, from my end, to work to becoming a better and more effective leader.
I think all that has transpired will be particularly relevant in the way I deal with the legislative body and other state leaders going forward. Micah 6:8 asks us to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly, and as I begin these steps into the last 18 months of this administration, it will indeed be with a more contrite and humble spirit.
I’ve realized that as much as I have and will continue to advocate for things ranging from restructuring to responsible spending to school choice, my approach needs to be less about my will and more about looking for ways to more humbly present the greater principals and ideas at play. It needs to be less strident and more about finding ways to work with legislative leaders to advance the ideas so many of us believe in. It means less time fighting the tide, and a greater awareness of the fact that God controls it. In working with a few alterations to my approach, I think this could be a far more productive last session than the one that would have been had the tragedy that has unfolded not occurred, and in turn, people’s lives can be made better.
• Finally it is at your funeral that you in many ways not only can see most clearly the things that really matter in life, but also get the best glimpse of who your real friends are — and how much they matter. For that reason, I want to thank so many for their kindnesses and support over the years and for their kindness in this latest chapter in our book together as South Carolinians.
An open letter to the circus of fools currently oppressing the Iranian people!:
Dear Iran,
I hope that when you read this letter, you have stopped killing your own citizens.
Okay, the elections are over and the clerics have decided that incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has won the elections fair and square. Never mind that the votes were hand counted at the speed of light and Mr. Ahmadinejad was declared the winner by a near 2 to 1 margin. Never mind that second place finisher Mir Hossein Mousavi lost his home district by a similar incredible margin. Never mind that the Iranian people did not accept this electoral result. Yet, you are blaming the “west” for the unrest at home.
C’mon Iran! Give us a freaking break!
Are your clerics really that stupid? For years now there have been a growing group of individuals in the west who have championed dialogue with your regime, despite mutual distrust. With the election of Barack Obama as US president, there was a very real opportunity for dialogue and reacceptance into the global fold. President Obama had made overtones to that effect. So what do you do? You run a Zimbabwe-like presidential election and when your own people peacefully protest the results, you go ahead and kill them! Then you have the audacity to blame everyone under the sun for the unrest.
Get it through your thick totalitarian head Iran… Only you are to blame!
In just a few short weeks, you have managed to destroy what little sympathy and legitimacy your government had in the eyes of the global community. Making matters more ridiculous, one of your powerful clerics, Ayatollah Zeinolabedeen Ghorbani has stated, “anyonestill saying they don’t accept the results … should be ashamed of themselves as a believer and a Muslim.” Such a stupid statement would be hilarious if not for the fact that many actually accept this as true. Another idiot, Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, has called for protesters to repent and seek forgiveness from God. Comments such as these make your nation look foolish and backwards.
I hope that you guys get your act together really soon. In the mean time, we’ll be here sitting and watching; laughing and crying.
As the situation in Iran continues to deteriorate, the government has stepped up its bloody repression against its citizens. Opposition presidential candidates Mehdi Karroubi and Mohsen Rezai have quietly scaled back their criticism of the electoral fraud perpetrated by the government while Mir Hussein Moussavi continues defiant. Declared winner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad held a victory celebration that was attended by less than half of the members of parliament. Reports contend that Tehran remains tense.
***
Earlier this week I posted a tribute piece about Neda the young lady executed by Basij paramilitary thugs. The image of her lifeless body has become a symbol for the opposition. I received a response to the piece from Luis Tijerina. His comment included a poem which I thought was both touching and beautifully written. With Mr. Tijerina’s permission, I have reprinted the poem. Thank you Luis for your moving words!
THE VOICE OF NEDA AGHA SOLTANI
(For The Iranian People)
Your beautiful face and voice speak to us
in the streets, on the rooftops of Tehran,
O Neda, O Neda!
Voice of the stars, voice of the earth, voice of the people…
Your death will be remembered
where you have fallen, the street is swelling
with protesters who have taken up your banner.
Who will ever forget seeing you die bravely
among those marching in rage against the dictator,
against the tyrannies in your country!
Your name is now the “call” to humanity,
It is our voice for all time.
Luis Tijerina
As reported on my last blog piece, South Carolina’s Republican Governor, Mark Sanford’s hiking trip excuse seemed “fishy”. As it turned, the governor was enjoying a brief sabbatical from both his state and his family in Argentina with his mistress. His political career in shambles, the clock continues to tick towards resignation hour. In a poll conducted by The State, a Colombia SC newspaper, readers responded that he should resign at a 70% clip. Yet, for some insane reason, the governor has yet to indicate that he will be quitting.
I am sure that there are many people out there whining that the “liberal media” is piling on the governor in his moment of crisis. Granted, this is a tragedy for his family. Surely, this will not be the last high profile politician to be caught having an affair. What makes this case unique is that he clearly was derelict in his duty by simply vanishing without explanation. He lied to his wife. He lied to his staff. He lied to his constituents. Did he really think that no one was going to uncover this tryst? If he did, then he deserves this harsh treatment not for having an affair but for being stupid enough for thinking he could get away with it unscathed. His mea culpa press conference was bizarre and he still continues to be deceptive.
Someone in the Republican Party needs to stand up and say enough! The party is in complete shambles. Last week, Senator Ensign of Nevada admitted to his Republican colleagues at a caucus meeting that he had an affair with a former staffer. The caucus responded with a round of applause. That’s right… applause! Does this sound like the party of family values? The Republican Party for years has excoriated the Democrats for their “deviant” views on traditional values. What has become apparent is that the Republican Party’s stance on values is fraudulent. Governor Stanford, Senators Ensign, Craig, and Vitter have given true meaning to the phrase, “Do as I say…”
While spousal cheating is a bipartisan activity, it is the Republicans who claim moral superiority and thus, deserve the scorn and ridicule of all. Yet, I am sure that the governor will hold a press conference, shed some tears and ask for forgiveness. We being the forgiving people that we are we will probably show compassion and do so.
But please, save the applause for truly noble actions.
I’ve got to hand it to Republican Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina. In the short life of this blog he holds the dubious distinction of being named LPL’s Idiot twice. His latest idiotic episode had him going AWOL from his governor’s post allegedly without informing anyone in the state government of his whereabouts.
Apparently, the Governor had decided to go “hiking” on the Appalachian Trail sans his security detail and without informing his own family. Boy… does this one smell fishy. Here are a few selected readers’ comments to the news taken from the Columbia SC newspaper The State:
Note: LPL admits to being extremely biased and has made no attempt to post comments defending the Governor’s actions.
eharrisonjr wrote on 06/23/2009 01:13:24 PM: My question is how soon would he do this if he were elected President. If he can handle the pressure of running South Carolina were he has a very nice Republican majority. How can he handle running the Nation with all of its problems.
XanderB wrote on 06/23/2009 01:04:29 PM: So he takes off over Fathers Day Weekend. Nobody knows what he’s actually doing, but everyone gives conflicting stories. Now he was suddenly hiking? With no form of communication? Riiiiight. How about we hear what really happened? Or are we asking too much to have the truth given to us?
bronksgrl wrote on 06/23/2009 12:49:57 PM: I felt Gov. Sanford should have taken a hike a long time ago!
CaryG wrote on 06/23/2009 11:43:33 AM: The typical stay in detox is 3-7 days. Do the math.
rmcswain wrote on 06/23/2009 11:43:22 AM: Let’s see now, Obama spends father’s day with his family emphasizing the importance of fathers. Sandford of the “family values” party spends father’s day who-knows-where and according to his wife, was writing something and “wanted to be away from the kids.”
Writing something on the AT??? Oh puleeze. Lugging a laptop I presume which would only have a few hours of battery life and no place to recharge it for miles. Yeah, right…
Stateworker wrote on 06/22/2009 06:07:24 PM: Does that mean he’s coming back……I’ll chip in 5 bucks if he stays where ever the hell he is………
And my personal favorite:
jerseyjack wrote on 06/22/2009 07:27:28 PM: Kinda reminds me of our former New Jersey governor, Jim McGreevy. He used to disappear sometimes, too.
For disappearing for nearly a week, without telling your wife or kids where you might be (during Father’s Day weekend no less) and leaving your state with no one in charge while you were “clearing your head”, South Carolina Republican Governor Mark Sanford… You are an IDIOT!
The ayatollahs in Iran have put an end to its people desire for reform by essentially rigging yesterday’s presidential elections in favor of incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. According to authorities, Mr. Ahmadinejad garnered 62.3% of the vote. His main rival, popular candidate, Mir Hussein Moussavi received 34% of the votes cast. Pre-election polling had Mr. Moussavi leading all candidates. In 2005, Mr. Ahmadinejad became president receiving 62% of the popular vote.
What makes this election rather odd is the anomaly of the results for the last place finisher, Mehdi Karroubi who received a paltry 300,000 votes. In 2005, he finished third in polling receiving over 5,000,000 votes. Mr. Karroubi decried the results. Mr. Moussavi has publicly claimed victory while calling the results fraudulent. There has been sporadic violence through out the country. Skirmishes between Moussavi supporters and police have lead to the death of one protester.
It is a shame that in this era of political awakening through out the world, the Supreme Council of Iran has decided to “steal” the elections. The people’s desire for reform is undeniable. As Iran tries to join the nuclear club of nations, it has shown, through this sham election that its political conscience is no more sophisticated than that of Zimbabwe. Much like the neo-conservative movement was thrown out of power in this country in 2008; the Iranian people have expressed their desire to shift away from their archaic theocracy.
Will there be real change in Iran? I doubt it. Will the protests escalate into a full blown revolution? The next few days will tell.
The United Nations has 192 member states. FIFA, the world governing body of soccer, has 208 international members. For generations, the United States has considered itself superior than all the rest of the world. Granted, we have the planet’s largest economy, strongest military and have been at the forefront in science and medicine. We are the largest donor of humanitarian aid as well as the Earth’s largest exporter of arms. Being at the head of virtually all things, we have managed to exert influence through out the planet politically, economically, and culturally. Unfortunately, that power has corrupted our nation’s standing in the world. Many countries view ours with envy. Many more view us with disdain. For too long, we have been looked at as ugly Americans. The nations of the world do not hate us because of “our freedoms” as President Bush used to say but because we became drunk with power and became arrogant. Our well deserved pride transformed into ugly arrogance. We lectured the world on the virtues of democracy yet we have propped up oppressive and murderous regimes through out the world. (Hussein in Iraq, the Saud’s in Saudi Arabia, Marcos in the Philippines, many South American generals) We were a leading supporter of the apartheid regime in South Africa. We trade with China while ignoring Tiananmen. We scold nations because of their nuclear ambitions yet remain the only nation in history to have actually used nuclear weapons; and we did it twice. We decry the lack of freedom of ethnic minorities in the world, yet we have a sad legacy of enslaving, stealing from, expelling and disenfranchising our own minorities. We are reckless in our use of the world’s resources. Our foreign policy is unambiguous in its favoritism thus negating any semblance of diplomatic credibility.
Enter President Barack Obama.
While there are many who are characterizing President Barack Obama’s overture to the world as American defeatism, the president is on the mark on one thing. While recognizing America’s role as a global leader, he realizes that with that leadership comes global responsibility. America is not an entity independent from the rest of the world community. Though clearly the strongest member, it is still just one of the 192 world nations. To regain the respect and credibility of the world community, Barack Obama has chosen to disarm our adversaries with humility and not with threats of force. His overtures to the Muslim world are nothing short of monumental. It’s still a carrot and stick approach but the stick is not overtly displayed.
President Obama’s action on the international stage has strengthened our presence and reputation. He has added a new word to the vocabulary of many nations when they describe us. And that word is FAIR. A fair leader is a respected leader. A fair leader is a powerful leader. A fair United States will be a powerful United States. This nation has reassumed its leading role in the world through cooperation and not coercion. The coming months will be telling. Will America continue on its march to restoration while remaining a collaborative member of Earth’s community of nations? I certainly hope so. And so does every one else.
The world is waiting. And watching.
What do you think? Drop me a comment and let’s discuss it.
As I have stated on numerous occasions in the past, the Republican Party really doesn’t give a damn about the people they allegedly represent. They only care about their political power and the benefits that said power can generate exclusively for themselves.
Case in point: The state of Minnesota.
The supreme court of the state has upheld the senate election results and its recount paving the way for Democrat Al Franken to occupy the seat formerly held by incumbent Norm Coleman, a Republican. Now if this were any other run-of-the-mill election, the winner of the recount – in this case, Mr. Franken would have been seated without much question. But because Mr. Franken will represent the cherished 59th non-Republican vote in the senate, opposition to his seating is vicious. Former Senator Coleman has vowed to continue his challenges. His continued fight for a reversal goes beyond being a sore loser. His continued actions border on unabashed political self-indulgence that has acquired a Robert Mugabe-esque quality.
Governor Tim Pawlenty, a Republican has gone on record saying that he will not certify Mr. Franken until all legal challenges have been “exhausted”. This could mean a ridiculously lengthy battle that could end up in the U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. Pawlenty, who has national political aspirations, should be disgraced for this act of treacherous partisanship. It is obvious that the governor is under immense pressure from the Rovian wing of the RNC. The Republicans have all intentions of manipulating the legal system to prolong this mess. It is not surprising that these same Republican idiots have been vociferous in the past against this type of abuse of the legal system. In the meantime, the state of Minnesota will remain solely represented by Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party member Amy Klobuchar.
For placing your own political interests and those of your reprehensible party ahead of those of the constituents you were elected to represent…
Governor Tim Pawlenty, Republican governor of Minnesota, You are an IDIOT!
South Korean prosecutors are seeking an 18 month jail term for the blogger who accurately prognosticated the fall of Lehman Brothers and other financial calamities in an online forum last year.
According to the Korea Times,Park Dae-sung remains behind bars without bail. Better know as “Minerva”, he was arrested in January 2009 and charged with spreading alleged false financial information with the aim of hurting the public interest. His posts, though accurate, have been a major embarrassment to the South Korean government which finds itself mired in numerous ongoing financial scandals at the moment.
It is obvious that the case against Minerva is nothing more than a sham. The Last Person Left again calls for Minerva’s immediate and unconditional release.
I was a clumsy overweight seven year old at the time, but I remember the look of disbelief on my mother’s face as she stared at our old black and white TV set on the evening of April 4th, 1968. There, frozen on the screen, was a picture of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I remember hearing from the old TV set the following, “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is dead.” That event will forever remain etched in my memory as one of the saddest.
Now, 40 years after that fateful tragedy, I thank the universe for giving me the good fortune to be alive for another monumental episode in our American history. As the sun rises on this, the 5th day of November of 2008, we are witness to the election of the first man of color to the presidency of the United States of America.
President-elect Barack Obama will undoubtedly be scrutinized as no other president ever has been. His judgment will be subject to second guessing and out right hostility. Sadly, I am sure that there will be many in this country who will never accept the legitimacy of his victory. The enormity of this achievement will be matched by the efforts of those who will try to diminish it.
President-elect Obama inherits a financial crisis of titanic proportions, military action in two countries, a world that does not trust us, and of course, the skepticism of almost half the American population. It is my hope that the Obama presidency be one that restores honor and integrity to the office of the president.
My children have only read about the achievements of Martin Luther King Jr. in school textbooks while I actually lived through the struggle as it happened. I am glad to be living this history with my kids in real time.
The late John Lennon, in his anthem “Imagine” sang, “You may say that I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one…”
Never in my wildest dreams would I have envisioned a man of color becoming president of this great nation.
The elections are over and the people have spoken. So now the big question is what happens now? The stark reality is that after the celebrations have waned and we have finally gotten over the astounding uniqueness of the historical implications of these elections, the country must still be governed.
There is one certainty that this nation must come to grips with in the upcoming months as the Obama administration takes power. After months of the opposition preaching trepidation of “Obamanism”, there will not be a drastic political move to the left. Surely, there will be a shift from the present ideology but those who believe that President-elect Obama’s administration represents the political equivalent of shock therapy will be greatly disappointed. The idea that an Obama win will open the flood gates to a new ultra-liberalism is incorrect. President-elect Obama will be very much aware of the dangers of an ideologically driven administration and its potential to divide the nation. The neoconservative philosophy of the Bush administration, with all its patriotic virtue, has done more to divide this country than unite it. Obama will be remiss to institute a new paleoliberalism as the administration’s agenda. Shifting seismically to the left would be disastrous and Obama knows that. Governments that have a well defined center of gravity succeed in this day in age. Extremist policies result in unintended side effects.
The most ironic thing about the campaign was the assertion by the Republicans that an Obama administration would ruin the country because of his ultra-left liberal philosophy. I am sure that many in the Republican Party were looking in the rear view mirror and must have seen the wreckage left behind by the ultra-conservative ideology of the outgoing administration.
President-elect Obama has promised to institute a bipartisan administration. Anyone believing that the “Age of Obama” means the beginning of a new American collective is as ignorant as they are misinformed. The Obama administration will not be left of center but rather left of right, placing it pretty much at the center.
Feel differently? Leave comment and let’s discuss it!
With the recent revelations of Sarah Palin’s unbelievable lack of knowledge regarding civics and geography, I was intrugued to think about what other things she may not know. I have blogged about Palin’s ignorance for a while now. This will be my last Palin pile on.
Maverick Palin described herself incessantly as a maverick. According to Webster’s dictionary, the term maverick is a ranching term describing an animal yet to be branded especially a motherless calf.
NAFTA It was stated that Palin had no idea what countries made up NAFTA. Obviously, the North American Free Trade Agreement signatories are Canada, the United States and Mexico. Yes, Mexico is indeed a country in North America. Speaking of Mexico… Its capital, Mexico City, is the most populous city in North America and if you count its suburbs it’s the most populous urban area in the western hemisphere with 26 million inhabitants or roughly 38 times more populous than the entire state of Alaska. Scholarly research would have revealed that the countries of Central America, Caribbean, Bermuda and Greenland are considered geographically part of the North American continent.
Africa Reports indicate that the almost-VP thought that Africa was a country and not a continent.
Had she done her homework, Ms. Palin would have known that Africa is made up of 53 countries and 7 dependencies. Knowing that Barack Obama’s father was from Kenya, she should have figured out that Kenya is a country in Africa. Being a woman, she should have known that the last female to win the Nobel Peace Prize was Wangari Maathai (2004). The Kenyan born environmentalist is one of the leading global voices for women’s rights.
South Africa Most surprising, Fox news reported that Palin believed that the Republic of South Africa was part of the country of Africa and not a country within the continent.
Sarah Palin should have known that the Republic of South Africa is the wealthiest country (total GDP) on the entire continent. A little research would have taught her that Nelson Mandela was the first democratically elected president of the nation. She probably should have known that Mandela spent 28 years in prison for anti-apartheid activities and was released from prison on February 11, 1990. Then again, maybe not, she was probably too busy celebrating her 26th birthday on that day.
Feel differently? Leave a comment and let’s discuss it!
Miriam Makeba, a true giant in world music and long time political activist in her native South Africa has died. Known fondly by all as Mama Africa, she died of an apparent heart attack in the early hours of November 10th, shortly after performing at a benefit concert in Italy.
Ms. Makeba first started performing in the early 1950’s and toured South Africa with the. In 1954, she recorded her first international hit, “Pata Pata”. See it below:
In 1959, Makeba starred in an anti-apartheid film, “Come Back, Africa”. This act pushed the South African government to strip her of her citizenship and forced her into a nearly 30 year exile. In the early 1960’s she met Harry Belafonte and recorded An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba earning her a coveted Grammy award. After a few failed marriages she married famed Black Panther, Stokely Carmichael. This had an adverse effect on her musical career. Concerts were cancelled and her music was boycotted. As a result of this new hostility in the US, she moved to Guinea. While in Guinea she championed the anti-apartheid cause, as an ambassador for Guinea to the UN.
In 1987, she toured with Paul Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo as part of the Graceland World Tour.She returned to South Africa in 1991 at the invitation of Nelson Mandela. Mama Africa served as a goodwill ambassador and was active in many causes including HIV-AIDS.
Ms. Makeba was one of the truly great voices of the world. Her place in the pantheon of great female vocalists with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Umm Kultum is undeniable. The voice may have been silenced but the rhythm of her spirit will live forever.
Though this letter is written as a tongue-in-cheek response to the financial crisis, the facts stated in the open letter to the Treasury Secretary are sadly true.
Dear Treasury Secretary Paulson,
Being that the Treasury Department has been very generous in assisting this nation’s banks, financial institutions and automobile manufacturers, I am writing this letter to you in the hope that I personally could be included in the Trouble Asset Relief Program (TARP). As my detailed financial information will illustrate, I am of the opinion that I qualify for the federal aid package that is being offered to the financial and auto industries.
Allow me to elaborate.
Firstly, let me unequivocally state that I am not one of those individuals who have been accused of over extending themselves in assuming a mortgage that was beyond my means. I never had enough money for a down payment on a home and never have contemplated participating in the quintessential American dream. I had always considered myself a middle-class guy, a sort of “Joe the Plumber” with a graduate degree. I paid my bills on time just like most Americans. I paid my taxes and contributed positively to my community as an educator.
Then last year, a near fatal illness threw me into a 2 month coma. Needless to say, I lost my job, apartment, car and medical insurance in the process. My family was forced to sell most of my possessions in order to make my funeral arrangements. Thankfully, I survived and walked away from this episode literally with only the clothes in my closet. I was forced to move in with relatives.
Since my discharge from the hospital in December 2007, I have been denied social security disability benefits and Medicaid. I am grateful though for the one-time payment of $350 dollars in food stamps in March of 2008. All the food I purchased with those funds is gone now. I have nearly exhausted my administrative appeals for disability benefits and have been forced to seek employment in my field despite my progressively failing eye sight and other health complications. I owe the hospital that saved my life nearly $900,000. I have been trying to establish a payment plan with the hospital. I have calculated that if I pay $100.00 a month, I will satisfy my medical debt in January of the year 2759. I am not too sure that I will live that long, hence, my sense of urgency on this matter.
Not having the expected revenue coming in has had a deleterious affect on my family. With mounting child support payments in arrears, I am coming perilously close to running afoul with the State of Florida’s Department of Revenue. Should my bailout request be denied, I am at risk of having my driver’s license revoked, my (non-existent) wages garnished, or worse, face imprisonment for payment non-compliance. In the past, I gladly applied my income tax return refunds to pay any arrears in my child support. But, since the law has changed regarding student loan repayment, the Department of Education now gets first dibs at my refund check. In essence, the tax refund checks that would have been spent on economic stimulating purchases such as food and clothing was instead appropriated by the government itself. As a result of these circumstances and potential consequences, I am asking that my request be put on a “fast track” for approval.
I cannot file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. As you well are aware, the changes in the bankruptcy law by the Bush administration, limits my options for bankruptcy filing. The bankruptcy requirements now force me to file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, meaning that I would have to repay all my debts within 5 years. That would make my yearly payments approximately $200,000 per year. Again, another clear justification for the expeditious approval of my bailout.
Once approved, I am asking you to extend my repayment schedule much in the same way that you have allowed AIG to extend their loan repayment from 2 to 5 years. In addition, since the Treasury has conceded to AIG a reduction in the interest rate on their loan from 11% to 3%, I humbly request a similar reduction on my interest rate on my defaulted credit cards from 20% to somewhere in the 15-16% range as part of my bailout. I am cognizant that as a member of the middle class, I must be responsible and pay my fair share. Lastly, I will pledge that any and all funds provided to me will be strictly used to satisfy creditors and will not be used to provide myself a bonus for succeeding in surviving this crisis.
I must admit that I, like the financial institutions, have engaged in unecessary risks. While the banks and others participated in the unpredictable practice of credit swaps and other forms of arbitrage, I have been known to buy a lotto ticket or two on occasion in the hope of a one time windfall. I realize that over the past 3 quarters this has lead to an unnecessary loss of about $50.00 dollars but I can assure you that I will refrain from this risky practice once my bailout is approved.
I know that Congress has taken exception to the Department giving out these funds without disclosing who exactly is receiving this assistance. Rest assured Mr. Secretary, in the interest of transparency, I hereby authorize you to tell anyone that I received bailout money.
I would also like to be included in the automobile industry’s bailout plan. Since the Department is poised to give them $50 billion dollars on top of the $25 billion they have already received in September, I am requesting an automobile bailout of $25,000 so I can purchase an automobile. The amount of my bailout request constitutes a mere .000033% of the total bailout given to the automakers. Should this request be approved, I promise to purchase my car from a US automaker making this a win-win for both myself and the auto industry. I will do my best to stimulate the economy by buying gasoline, now that it is somewhat affordable.
I do understand that you have to maintain fiduciary responsibility in all your decisions. And considering this request should be no exception. For this reason, I have taken the liberty of providing you and the Department a complete breakdown for my bail out request and how my request will financially impact the total Trouble Asset Relief Program.
Total amount requested:
Medical Bills Bailout: $900,000 or 0001285% of the total bailout.
Child Support Bailout: $50,000 or 0000071% of the total bailout.
Credit Card Debt Bailout: $25,000 or 0000035% of the total bailout.
Automobile Bailout: $25,000 or 000033% of the the total auto bailout.
In closing, I want to reassure you that I am fully aware that we live in a free market capitalist society. We are not a socialist nation. It is not the government’s job to infuse capital into businesses thus nationalizing the industries where these investments are made. But, since you are going to do it anyway, I would be grateful should I become a beneficiary of this new practice.
On this day, 35 years ago, then President Richard Nixon, uttered the now infamous statement that defined his legacy. Amid the Watergate scandal Nixon told the Associated Press, “I am not a crook”. As it turned out, he actually was and the scandal brought down the presidency as well as stained his legacy.
Fast forward to 2008 and finally, the Bush presidency (and family dynasty) is coming to a much anticipated end. There have been many that have wished he were impeached but fortunately, like a death row inmate who gets his sentence commuted to life without the possibility of parole at a supermax prison, Mr. Bush’s legacy will be his ultimate punishment. There is a sense of poetic justice in this. Leaving office with the lowest approval ratings in the HISTORYof the American presidency, should linger in his psyche like an ill placed, misspelled tattoo for the ret of his life.
I remember distinctively a conversation that I had with a colleague at school during the uncertain time in November 2000, when the nation awaited the courts to decide the Bush v. Gore travesty. I commented to her, “In a way, I hope Bush wins… he is such an idiot that he will give us something to laugh at on a weekly basis”. I stopped laughing less than a year later and have cursed the day I uttered those words for the following seven.
Fittingly, George W. Bush will be remembered for:
Stealing the 2000 Elections
After weeks of waiting, the Supreme Court stepped in and stopped the recount of ballots in several Florida counties, thus handing the presidency to Bush. His margin of victory in Florida: 537 votes.
9/11
While America was under attack, Bush was in a Florida classroom reading the book, “My Pet Goat” to second graders. (And who says he does not read?) Failing to pay attention to an August 6, 2001 Presidential Daily Brief titled, “Bin Laden Determined to Attack in U.S.” We were caught by surprise by the masterfully executed terrorist attack. Hijackers commandeered four commercial jets and wreaked havoc within the US. Confusion reigned in the skies above the nation. In the aftermath, all air traffic was prohibited. Well not all flights were cancelled. An exception was granted to the Bin-Laden family to fly out of the country. There are some that proudly point out that there has not been another attack on American soil since 9/11, painting the absurd picture of Bush as the great protector. That’s like giving credit to the captain of the Titanic for raising awareness of the dangers of icebergs. Let’s face it, the 9/11 disaster occurred during the Bush presidency and he should bear full responsibility for our lack of preparedness.
Iraq War
After lying to the world, Bush got his wish and invaded Iraq. What was an action to rid Iraq of WMD’s, soon turned into a war for regime change, and then it became a fight against Al-Qaeda. Soon thereafter, the war was being conducted to “spread democracy”. There was an absolute belief by the administration with its neoconservative philosophy that the invasion and conflict would be a “cake walk”. It quickly became apparent that the invasion was conducted with too few troops and a fundamental lack of understanding regarding Iraq itself. Other memorable low points: Abu Ghraib prison, $9 billion in cash missing, Jessica Lynch stage managed rescue, rejected new Iraqi flag, Rumsfeld’s “known unknowns and unknown unknowns”, lack of armored vehicles, no-bid contracts, the war will be paid be Iraqi oil revenues, the insurgency is in their last throes, greeted as liberators, looting, Blackwater mercenaries, electrocuted soldiers in showers, Cindy Sheehan, the list is endless.
Number of American Deaths in Iraq to date: 4201.
Number of funerals attended by Bush: 0
Estimated costs: $2,000,000,000,000 (That’s in trillions!)
To be continued.
Feel differently? Leave a comment and let’s discuss it.
Costing the lives of nearly 2,000 residents and over $80,000,000 in damage, Hurricane Katrina provoked the most incompetent response to a national disaster ever seen in this country. Bush flew over the stricken area while aboard Air Force one the following day. While people were dying in the aftermath, Bush took the time to laud then FEMA Director Michael Brown with the infamous, “Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job.”Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice did not feel compelled to interrupt her R&R trip to New York City. She was booed by the crowd at a Broadway show. The Bush response: “No one could have predicted the levees being breached”. The problem with that is that the administration was warned that the levees could in fact be breached! This ugly episode was nothing short of being criminally negligent.
No Child Left Behind
While campaigning for the presidency in 2000, Bush vowed to become the “Education President” if elected. After being elected, he got the No Child Left Behind Act enacted. Basically, school boards around the country had to institute rigorous testing as an indicator of student success and faculty effectiveness. Like most Bush initiatives, this was and continues to be a national disaster. Six years after becoming law, the NCLB act has proven to be failure.
Guantanamo/Renditions/Habeas Corpus
As a result of the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as, covert action in many more countries, the Bush administration chose to set up a prison system at a military base in Guantanamo, Cuba and other secret prisons around the world. By doing so, prisoners could be held there beyond the reach of American courts. Other enemy combatants were carted off to secret prisons where they were interrogated and presumably tortured. For the first time in our nation’s history we acknowledged that torture was an accepted form of interrogation. In addition, the Bush administration held that anyone could be held as suspected enemy combatants, even American citizens, with total disregard to Habeas Corpus.
Since its inception in 10/2001, total number of detainees: 775
As of 11/2008, total detainees convicted of crimes: 1
Illegal Wiretaps
As part of the administration’s Global War on Terror, Bush signed an executive order in 2001 allowing for the interception of phone, email, text messages and internet activity without the approval from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. Contrary to his public pronouncement, that surveillance would not be conduct without a warrant, the NSA continues to conduct illegal surveillance of communication both in and out of the United States. American citizens are not exempt from this highly illegal and unconstitutional activity. When first reported by the New York Times in late 2005, the administration countered that the act pf domestic spying was not illegal but the public exposure of the act was! In 2008, it was reported that eavesdropping was conducted on military personnel, American Aid workers and journalist calling the US from overseas. Of the terrorist related conversations recorded were numerous “phone sex” sessions.
Terrorist plots deterred as a result of the illegal wiretaps: Undetermined
Number of orgasms recorded by illegal wiretaps: Undetermined
To be continued…
Feel differently? Leave a comment and let’s discuss it!
In the run up to the Iraq invasion, the Bush administration went to great lengths to concoct lies to justify military action against Iraq. One infamous lie was that Iraq was trying to procure uranium yellow cake from the country of Niger. Former ambassador Joe Wilson went to Niger and found no evidence of Iraq trying to purchase this material. In an Op-Ed piece he debunked this story. In retaliation, the administration leaked the name of his wife, Valerie Plame, to the press, thus blowing her CIA cover. The administration endangered our national security in its petty vindictiveness. Scooter Libby, VP Dick Cheney’s Chief of Staff was tried and convicted for lying to investigators about the leak. His sentence was commuted by the President.
Valerie Plame & Joe Wilson
Prescription Drug Rip-off
In 2003, the administration and the Republican controlled Congress enacted the Medicare prescription drug plan. Coming into affect in 2006, it allowed for privatized plans to offer a prescription drug benefit administered by Medicare. The only problem was that Medicare was prohibited by law from negotiating with the pharmaceutical companies for the best price for the drugs. Interestingly, it was later noted that the law was written in fact by pharmaceutical company lobbyists. Equally despised by Democrats and conservative Republicans, this was a monster giveaway to Big Pharma!
Estimated cost of the plan (2006-2015): $858 billion dollars.
US Attorney Scandal
All US Attorneys serve at the pleasure of the president. As is customary, the president has the power to appoint whom he feels best represents the ideals of justice to these posts. The Department of Justice has historically been a non-partisan, apolitical arm of government. That is, until the Bush administration turned the DOJ into a “Bushie breeding ground”. Between 2005-2006, a total of 11 US attorneys were dismissed for not being loyal enough to Bush causes. Reasons cited for their dismissal range from failing to prosecute dubious voter fraud cases to failing to prosecute Democratic politicians. The person in charge of flushing out those who did not blindly adhere to Bush’s Christian neoconservative view of jurisprudence was Monica Goodling, a relatively inexperienced lawyer (graduated 1999). The scandal led to the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez and many others.
Total resignations of high ranking DOJ/Administration officials: 10
Total number of prosecutions: 0
The Economic melt-down
There is no telling how bad or how long the economic meltdown will be. This is one aspect of the Bush administration that the right wing of the party cannot blame on the Clinton administration. Conservative estimates put the 2009 at over $500 billion dollars! What is even more shocking is that the cost of the war in Iraq is technically “off the books” and is not counted in the budget accounting process. Compare that to President Clinton leaving the GWB with a $236 billion dollar SURPLUS after inheriting a $290 billion dollar deficit from Bush the Elder. The fraudulent nature of this administration’s claim of having been fiscally conservative is simply laughable.
The War on English
Never before in the history of this nation has the president declared war on the English language. Mr. Bush made malapropisms the norm. His greatest hits include:
“I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family.” – 1/2000
“Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning?” – 1/2000
“There’s an old saying in Tennessee – I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on – shame on you. Fool me – you can’t get fooled again.”- 9/2002
“Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.” – 8/2004
“Free societies are hopeful societies. And free societies will be allies against these hateful few who have no conscience, who kill at the whim of a hat.” – 9/2004
“Americans should be prudent in their use of energy during the course of the next few weeks. Don’t buy gas if you don’t need it.” – 9/2005
The results of the 2008 election in Puerto Rico may have officially signaled the demise of the Puerto Rican independence movement. The Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) garnered a mere 2.0% of the vote. It was the worst showing ever for Puerto Rico’s major independence party. In the 13 general elections and 3 political status plebiscites held since 1960, the independence movement has never surpassed the 6% mark and has averaged a pitiful 3.3% in the three elections held this century.
It is obvious that leaders within the independence movement have failed to articulate a coherent, all inclusive message. Too often, the movement remained stagnant and too closely associated with fringe elements of extremism. The 1960’s notion of revolution became dependent on the idea that a modern independence uprising, like the 1868 “Grito de Lares” would materialize. It never did. Attempts to create a national awakening of sorts never took hold. We never came close to a Polish-style Solidarność, a Czech Velvet revolution, nor a Filipino People Power movement. Lolita Lebron never quite achieved Mandela-esque stature. The 1978 police entrapment and murder of two independence activists on El Cerro Maravilla galvanized the movement. Tragically, even their martyrdom failed to become a catalyst for collective action. Only the dispute with the US Navy over the island of Vieques received world wide attention but failed to evolve into a much broader issue of national sovereignty. The “struggle for liberation” became passé and with little momentum, became more a nostalgic novelty than an actual cause.
Sadly, it appears that Puerto Rican independence has become an irrelevant consumer choice; victim of mismanagement, misdirected advertising, and poor marketing strategies. The PIP is not entirely to blame for the current state of the movement. The pro-statehood party (PNP) and pro-commonwealth party (PPD) masterfully instilled unfounded fears about the dire consequences of independence upon the general electorate. For decades, the independence movement failed to counter these tactics. The recent emergence of a “Green Party” on the island may have sealed the fate of the independence movement. Green politics is the new form of expressing electoral non-conformity. The Green Party (PPR) received nearly 14,000 (.8%) more votes than the PIP in 2008.
It may be time to finally realize that Puerto Rican independence may be nothing more than a melancholic dream of years past. After nearly a century and half of efforts against Spain and the United States, it may be time to just simply cede to the inevitable, pack up our things and sadly go home. The question is; Where exactly is home now?
Feel differently? Leave a comment and let’s discuss it!
It has been widely reported that Iranian-Canadian blogger Hossein Derakhshan has been arrested in Tehran and charged with espionage. Mr. Derakhshan was in Iran visiting friends when he was arrested.
Mr. Derakhshan is known for his favorable blog pieces about the Iranian regime, which makes his case somewhat mysterious. His bilingual blogs (English/Farsi) are extremely popular as he is known as the “Godfather of Iranian Bloggers”. In 2006, Hoder, as he is also known, visited Israel and blogged about Israeli life. This may be the reason he was charged with spying on behalf of the Israeli state. There is great concern regarding his safety. On November 17th, the Iranian government executed Ali Ashtari, 45, an electronics salesman, after trying and convicting him of spying for Israel.
Today marks the 55th anniversary of President’s Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” speech at the United Nations. The speech was designed to lessen global fears of nuclear technology amid the escalating war of words between the US and the Soviets. In the half century plus since the speech, there have been over two thousand nucear weapons tests and at least 4 nations have joined the nuclear club. Yet, it seems that there is a potential member whose membership in this club is deeply troubling to the west.
President Eisenhower
The Iranians have been marching towards nuclear power for nearly half a century, dating back to the days of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. Up until the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Ayatollah Khomeini, western nations, namely the United States, Germany and France were actively engaged in supplying Iran with nuclear technology. Once the Ayatollah assumed power, contracts to build nuclear power plants were nullified and the flow of nuclear technology ceased, thus forcing Iran’s nuclear program underground.
Ayatollah Khomeini
No one is really sure if the Iranians possess any highly enriched Uranium. What is known that they do possess a fair amount of low-enriched uranium that can be used be weaponized.
The Iranian move towards nuclear power has been evolving since the 1950’s. With the help of the United States and France, the Iranian Within decades, the Iranians will soon become an oil importer as their reserves become depleted. As with any country on this planet (including ours), their concern over energy independence has become an issue of national security.
Nuclear Power Plant in Bushehr
From a geopolitical standpoint, to assume that the State of Israel is better suited to handle the “Iranian problem” is troubling. To defeat the Iranians militarily would cause a major imbalance in the power structure in the region and probably cause a major cultural shift within the country itself. This would not be desirable for anyone. We cannot simply lump Iran into the convenient parcel of just another hostile Arab nation. The Iranians pride themselves in their Persian heritage and are very comfortable in distancing themselves from their Arab neighbors. With the Iraq invasion debacle as historical precedent, one would be remiss in not considering our lack of understanding of the region as a primary reason for the current heightened state of hysteria.
President Ahmadinejad
Though the country is ruled as a theocracy, the overwhelming majority of its citizens are moderates. Unfortunately, we (our government) have failed over the years to engage the more moderate elements of their society. This was clearly evident in our reluctance to engage the reformist president, Seyyed Mohammad Khatami during the late 80’s and early 90’s. Though he angered both conservatives and reformers alike during his presidential terms, he was not the attention grabbing hardliner that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is. It will be interesting to see if and what type of tacit support the West will provide to Khatami, should he run against Ahmadinejad in the June 2009 general elections.
Khatami
Military action against Iran through direct US surgical air strikes or allowing Israel to do so would be a major gamble at best. If there were ever a time and a place to have diplomatic boots on the ground, it would be now and in Tehran.
As our economy continues its slow death spiral towards insolvency, one would think that there would be a sense of urgency for unity in Congress to see our way out of this mess. Unfortunately, the Republican Party has taken this calamitous event and has turned into yet another classic case of talking point politics.
Here are the facts as I see it:
We have haphazardly pumped hundreds of billions dollars into the financial sector in the hope of creating financial stability. Though there have been some objections to this action, it has been generally accepted that this is necessary for our survival. The original intent of the bailout was to prop up these institutions against the failing sub-prime mortgage market. Once in place, the bailout morphed into a blanket re-capitalization of the banking industry. Citigroup has benefited to the tune of $55 billion dollars and a generous government guarantee to cover 90% of their future losses. This is an outrage! This is not a bailout… this is a blind salvage operation (corporate giveaway) largely funded by borrowing money from the Chinese. The relative ease in which Citigroup has gotten these funds, with little transparency and even less national debate is alarming at best, nefarious at worst.
In the midst of this rescue operation, the big three automakers has requested a $25 billion dollar loan from Congress. The big three have been struggling and operating capital is at its lowest point in years. Their products are not as desirable in this country as they once were. Their survival, they contend, is dependent on this loan approval. Yet, Republicans in the Senate and in the House have turned this into a union bashing party. Citing statistics that UAW members make up to $75 dollars an hour (talking point), Congress has shifted the blame of the failing industry onto union workers in much the same way that the Bush administration blamed the common folk for the sub-prime meltdown.
We all know that the money we are pouring into the financial sector will never be seen again. Granted, we have gotten a stake in these banks but I seriously doubt that we taxpayers will ever see any real benefit from this bailout other than saving these banks outright. Yet, it is important to note, that in 1980, the US government loaned the Chrysler Corporation $1 billion dollars. Many at the time opposed the move. What is seldom discussed is that Chrysler repaid the loan in full by 1983 and the US treasury made $350 million dollars in the process.
It is obvious that there is a blue collar bias in this whole scenario. Even in an age where the gap between rich and poor has widened like never before, it remains the well-to-do who will benefit the most from this financial crisis.
The financial crisis this nation faces is catastrophic. To think any less of this would be foolish. This Thanksgiving, while sitting at the table, do not forget to thank your children, for it is they who will be shouldering this humongous debt. And while you’re at it, say a silent “Toa chie” to our new Chinese masters.
Now that Hillary Clinton has been tapped by President-elect Barack Obama to be the next Secretary of State, the Clinton legacy has a great opportunity to restore itself. After a grueling and nasty primary campaign that pitted the most popular modern day president against the new wave Obama movement, there appears to be a window of opportunity that the Clintons can exploit.
It is obvious that Hillary’s presidential aspirations are all but dead. Should she decide to mount a presidential campaign in 2016 she will be 69 years old and way past the prime of presidential candidates. The real prospect for political and global greatness lies with her achievements as Secretary of State. And the roadmap to success is clearly laid out. Should she succeed in her diplomatic affairs, the Clinton legacy will be set in stone for generations. What we cannot lose sight of is that the Clintons do not see themselves as supreme players on the American political stage, but as directors of an historical global theatrical production. Their objectives are more Gandhi-like than FDR. The Clintons want to leave their mark on the world not just in the USA. And there is a good chance that it will happen.
A Clinton State Department is in perfect position, with enough global goodwill and international political capital, to confront the world’s conflicts; it is not inconceivable to see Mrs. Clinton aggressively address the conflicts in Darfur, Zimbabwe, and the Democratic Republic of Congo within months of assuming her charge. By making these conflicts a priority, it will legitimize the Obama presidency and will create a great American global restoration movement. The world is anxiously awaiting this and we are in a position to deliver. She will also have to deal with the India-Pakistan crisis, a bolder Iran, a stronger Russia and of course, the China juggernaut.
Imagine for just one second… that under Hilary Clinton’s State Department, there is a permanent solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. What if the Middle East conflict is finally solved? Should Hillary Clinton achieve this, she will be hailed as a diplomat of historic stature. With Bill Clinton’s goodwill in the region, this realization is not just another unrealistic dream. The seeming failure of the Bush State Department should create an environment of heightened expectations and optimism.
Once accomplished, the Clinton legacy will be restored and the world just may become a better place.
In response to a blog piece I had posted recently regarding Hillary Clinton and the challenges she faces as Secretary of State, a friend of mine, and fellow blogger, posted a comment reminding me of the loss of stature of the Unites States on the world stage. He accurately pointed out that America’s economic standing was not what it was eight years ago and that this will affect its global diplomatic efforts. And I believe that this is indeed true.
For years now, the world has witnessed emergent nations become economic and technological powers. The European Union, China and India come to mind. It is rational to assume that these great population centers, with their overabundance of human resources, should ascend the hierarchy of global influence and power.
Many point to the Bush administration’s diplomatic failings through out the world. The handling of the military actions in Iraq, its poor management of NATO, the inability to effectively engage Russia, Iran and North Korea, its utter contempt for the United Nations, have all but isolated the U.S. from the rest of the world. While the world expected a humbler and more strategically intelligent America after 9/11, the Bush administration became the Corleone family and became the global bully. Yet, in spite of this, its greatest diplomatic failing may be the great economic meltdown. Losing its economic strength has diminished America’s leadership position in the world.
Imperial empires do not last for eternity and it appears that the U.S. must now sit at the international table as a partner and not as the omnipotent host. And that may not be a bad thing. Having the U.S. work constructively with other nations at eye level can assure higher levels of cooperation a new collaborative approach to solving the planet’s gravest issues. Unfortunately, being the world’s greatest debtor nation does not assure cooperation from any of the emergent powers.
The irony of this whole decline is that its catalyst was the far fetched notions of the so-called Project for the New American Century, where American hegemony and dominance was promoted on a global level. Nothing has done more damage to the United States and the world as a whole than the PNAC. The rogue and deluded ideologues that advocated this philosophy, many of whom served as senior members in the Bush administration, are directly responsible for the United States’ deteriorating economic, diplomatic and moral standing within the international community. The only entities to benefit from this ideology were the U.S. energy and defense contracting sectors much to the detriment of the rest of the world. Its incessant preoccupation with military might with little regard to the economic consequences has bankrupted the nation and has jeopordized national security.
Now that a new administration is ready to assume power in the U.S. one can only hope that this country will begin to reintegrate itself into the international community. Doing so will lead to mutual prosperity and respect. Failure to do so will only lead the U.S. down a path of continued weakening and possible demise.
As I had previously discussed in a previous blog entry, the Bush administration has done what no other administration had done to our nation; endanger the security of the nation because of narrow ideological self-interests.
Now, after years of lying, conniving, and deviously manipulating the truth, Bush the Younger wants us to believe that he is blameless for the mess he leaves this country to clean up. In interviews with ABC’s Charles Gibson, outgoing president Bush maintains that he and his senior advisors were mislead by faulty intelligence in the run up to the Iraq invasion.
The Liar-in-Chief had this to say to Gibson when asked if he could “do it over”,
“I don’t know-the biggest regret of all the presidency has to have been the intelligence failure in Iraq. A lot of people put their reputations on the line and said the weapons of mass destruction is [sic] a reason to remove Saddam Hussein. It wasn’t just people in my administration; a lot of members in Congress, prior to my arrival in Washington D.C., during the debate on Iraq, a lot of leaders of nations around the world were all looking at the same intelligence. And, you know, that’s not a do-over, but I wish the intelligence had been different, I guess.”
Again, Bush continues to shamelessly peddle the “bad intelligence” point and now he even blames those in Congress “prior to his arrival” for his Iraq failures. The only people who got it wrong prior to his arrival were his neo-conservative cohorts at the Project for a New American Century (PNAC). The run-up to the Iraq invasion did not start after September 11, 2001 but much earlier. In this 1998 letter to then President Clinton, the PNAC had already determined that Iraq was a nation that needed to be dealt with. Once Bush was installed into office, he and his gang of ideological thugs were determined to remove Saddam Hussein. The tragedy of 9/11 became a convenient motive. Unfortunately, there are no “do-overs” for over 4,000 service personnel and tens of thousands of Iraqis.
Here in the United States we have this saying, “…fool me once, shame on – shame on you. Fool me – you can’t get fooled again.”Mr. Bush needs to realize that he is not fooling anyone this time around.
It’s no longer Blue versus Gray but rather Blue versus Red. And although the colors may be different, the northern and southern states still remain at odds. The American automakers’ crisis just may be another salvo in the war between the states.
The debate over the federal government’s involvement in assisting Chrysler, Ford and General Motors, has degenerated into yet another stage act in the theatrics of politics. I have blogged about the bias towards the automakers in the past. This time, besides the Democratic-Republican ideological differences, a geographic factor can be added to the political equation. It appears that it boils down to sympathetic pro-labor politicians in the North versus staunchly conservative anti-bailout politicians from the South. And to a certain degree, some believe that the economic glue that holds this country together is endangered by the potential demise of the Big Three automakers. There appears to be very little interest or concern over this by those who represent states and districts south of the Mason-Dixon Line.
Last month, Jeff Sessions, an Alabama Republican senator denigrated the notion of Alabamians helping out fellow American citizens in Michigan and Ohio. Fellow Republican Alabama Senator, Richard Shelby, is rabidly opposed to any help for the automakers. Senator Bob Corker (R) from Tennessee also is against the needed measures.
While the nation agonizes over its financial future, these southern politicians continue to grill the automakers’ brain trust on such important things like their mode of transportation to Washington D.C. for the hearings.
Not surpisingly, the crisis has also managed to dredge out the anti-union sentiments held by many Republican and other politicians. There are a number of southern Democrats who share the same contempt as their Republican brethren.
In all of this, it is important to note that states such as Tennessee (Nissan) Alabama (Mercedes-Benz, Honda and Hyundai), Texas (Toyota) Mississippi (Nissan) are homes to foreign automobile manufacturing plants. Georgia will soon have a Kia plant. Volkswagen has announced future plans to build an assembly plant in Tennessee. There are other foreign assembly plants in Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and California. The one thing that they all have in common is that their labor pool is NON-UNIONIZED. We all are aware of the type of labor pool the South prefers and given the investment that foreign automakers have made in the region, it is not surprising that there is absolute disdain for approving loans to the Big Three. Any future calls to “buy American” from these politicians and their constituents should be taken for what it’s worth… purely hypocritical. While the southern states bemoan their obligation to the union and continue their idyllic seperatist ideology, little attention is paid to the fact that the share of federal funds they receive per tax dollar collected is consistently higher than their northern counterparts.
If you listen closely, you’ll hear those opposed to the bridge loans refer to the Big Three as simply “Detroit” in a subliminal attempt to identify the American automakers with the North thus playing into the north-south division card. What they fail to realize is that allowing the automakers from the north to fail will have devastating ramifications for ALL the states including their own.
As President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis once said,
“The principle for which we contend is bound to reassert itself, though it may be at another time and in another form”.
Given the current crisis, these may prove prophetic words indeed.
Note: The author was born in the Northeast and has lived and worked in the southern state of Florida for almost three decades.
Now that the ridiculous debate about Barack Obama’s citizenship and eligibility to sit as the next American president has been put to rest by the US Supreme Court’s decision not to hear a case brought by a New Jersey man, we can now focus our attention on other notable American politicians who are ineligible to run for the presidency.
As we all are well aware, California’s popular governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger is ineligible. The Terminator was born in Austria in 1947.
Though these Secretaries of State represented this country’s interests through out the world, Henry Kissinger (Germany) and Madeline Albright (Czechoslovakia) would not qualify, as well as, former National Security Advisor, Zbigniew Brzezinski(Poland).
Florida Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart can run for president, his brother, Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balartcannot, having been born in Cuba.
Though founding father Alexander Hamilton could have run for president, he was actually born on the Caribbean island of Nevis.
All this could make for good talk show fodder with politician turned talk show host Jerry Springer, but even he couldn’t be president. The former mayor of Cinncinnati was born in the United Kingdom.
The world economy is in the worst shape that is been in almost a century. Across the planet, all industries are in decline. In particular, the Unites States has been hit particularly hard. Tens of thousands have lost their jobs and are struggling to survive. In the hope of assisting those who are economically depressed, here is a list of the hottest job prospects for 2009. A humorous look at what you can do to get by.
#5 – Maritime Pirate
Job Description: Carry out strategic missions in expropriating goods from naval vessels. Lead fellow pirates in capturing vessels of various sizes with the purpose of holding said vessels and their occupants for ransom.
Qualifications:
Strong maritime navigational skills required.
Must be able to communicate effectively in a multi-lingual, multi-cultural, multi-hostage environment.
Familiarity in the use of small arms such as automatic rifles, rocket propelled grenade launchers, pistols. Familiarity in the use of swords a plus.
Must be able to go days out at sea without Dramamine.
Must possess current hook and grapple climbing certification. Cargo netting certified climbers will also be considered.
GPS handling skills required. Experience in the use of a sextant and old fashioned telescope desirable but not required.
This job is good because…
You get to visit exotic places.
Immediate cabin upgrades upon request (cruise ships only).
You have the option of demanding ransom payments in Euros and not US dollars.
You can wear an eye patch without anyone asking if your eye injury is real.
You have first seating option for dinner (cruise ships only).
You don’t have to pay for those stupid “welcome aboard” pictures (cruise ships only).
If you hijack a ship laden with electronics, you don’t have to worry about Christmas gifts for years.
You are eligible for $500,000 dollars in complementary gaming chips at the casino (cruise ships only).
You don’t have to smuggle on board industrial size bottles of Scope mouthwash containing light rum laced with green food coloring (Carnival Cruise Lines ships only).
Your pair of threes always beats a royal flush at any poker table (cruise ships only).
Your AK-47 is as good as anyone else’s boarding pass.
You can make up the words to any John Denver song while singing karaoke and still win the “Best Singer Award” (cruise ships only).
Hijacked ships with Filipino crewmen have the best chow.
Female European tourists love foreigners (cruise ships only).
This job may suck because…
You may encounter real military naval ships with big ass guns while at sea.
Ruffled shirts with puffy sleeves are considered fashion faux pas.
Screaming “Arrrgh” is tough on the voice box over time.
Opportunities for success near the US coast line are rare.
Walking the plank is a real possibility.
Showers are few and far between.
You may be mistaken for a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
There aren’t any good bars in Somalia
Salary
Commensurate with booty.
#4 – Defense Department Contractor
Job Description: Provides and supplies goods and services to US defense forces around the world with special emphasis placed on in-theatre forces deployed in conflict zones in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Qualifications:
Political connections to the White House.
Past business relationship with the Vice-president a plus.
Ability to supply rotten or expired food to troops.
Ability to convince authorities that supplied contaminated water is potable.
Must be able to hire untrained electricians to provide dangerous and potentially lethal electrical wiring to military installations.
Knowledge of Arabic, Dari, and Pashto languages can be useful but you can speak English; the universal language of tyranny.
Knowledge of local culture is helpful but totally unnecessary
Ability to hire personnel that are willing to kill unarmed civilians. (Security contractors only)
Experience in torture techniques is recommended. (Security contractors only)
This job is good because…
No bid contracts are still available.
You have access to a large untrained and unqualified workforce willing to work in dangerous environments/
The possibility of future blanket presidential pardon for past wrong doing very likely.
There is very little congressional oversight regardless of the party in power.
You can enjoy the use of Green Zone amenities such as bars, nightclubs, fast-food restaurants, clandestine brothels and 24-hour security. (Iraq theatre only)
Overseas employment insures that nobody is really watchingandvery few give a crap about what you do.
This job may suck because…
There are diminishing opportunities.
There may be resentment and hostility from native population.
With the withdrawal of troops from Iraq scheduled for 2010, applications for 2009 opportunities should be submitted immediately. (Preferably before January 19, 2009)
The possibility of prosecution for wrong doing is likely under the new Obama administration.
Your incoming/outgoing phone calls for the purpose of phone sex may be monitored and/or recorded.
Salary range:
Commensurate with degree of conniving expertise.
#3 – United States Governor
Job Description: Duties include but nit limited to serving as Chief Executive Officer of the State. Appoint members of state cabinet, boards and state commissions. Serve as Commander-in-Chief of the State’s National Guard. Give annual State of the State address. Submit annual operating budget.
Qualifications:
Formal education is recommended but basically irrelevant.
Ability to faithfully execute the agenda of affiliated party while in office is necessary.
Must possess charisma and able to endure mandatory photo-ops such as Governors Conferences.
Must be able to articulate a tax-cut agenda even though your state tax base is shrinking.
Able to attend education conferences while slashing education budgets at the same time.
Ability to slash state funded programs like Medicaid with impunity is a must.
Must possess strong skills in advocating for your continued employment in government while concurrently bemoaning the size of the very same government.
Successful candidates must be able to display rabid pro-business and compassionate pro-labor beliefs simultaneously.
Willing to place nativity scene and/or Ten Commandment monument on State House/Court grounds while disregarding the separation of Church and State. (Southern States only)
Must be able to travel to foreign countries with family, friends and lobbyists and upon return, successfully convince the public that the trip was an important trade mission.
This job is good because…
You can administer the State as a sovereign nation (California only).
You can attain vast foreign policy experience (Alaska only).
You have unlimited entrepreneurial opportunities while in office (All States; Illinois especially)
You can have access to female escorts (New York only).
You have limited actual duties (Texas only).
You can exercise the power of killing citizens (Death penalty states only).
You can act like a king while calling yourself a “public servant”.
You can live in a nice house with maids, gardeners and private chauffer.
You can serve as beauty pageant judge at State Fair (most states)
You can tell your grandchildren you did the same job as Juan Ponce De Leon.
You can use position as Governor to springboard to what you really want to be; Senator or President.
This job may suck because…
You have to fill out those stupid financial disclosure statements.
You may have to rule over just half a million subjects (Wyoming only).
You may have to reside in a state capital that closes up shop at dusk while having real kick-ass party cities in your state (California, Florida and New York, to name a few)
You have to explain to outsiders that the State University in your state is not named after the state you govern. (New Jersey only) Puzzled? Look it up here!
You have to explain to outsiders why your state has not one, but six official State songs. (Tennessee only)
You have to explain to outsiders (and some state residents) that your official state sport is not baseball, football or basketball but jousting. (Maryland only)
You must keep the dream of having your state become part of an independent nation secret (Southern states only)
You have to deal with State Representatives who are farmers, insurance agents, lawyers and other illiterate types.
You have to kiss smelly farm animals and marvel at genetically altered gigantic produce at the State Fair (most states).
You’re still not a Senator or President.
Salary:
Staring salary is generally crappy but financial independence is guaranteed upon leaving office.
#2 – Wall Street CEO
Job Description: Implement the corporate strategic goals and objective. Responsible for maximizing share holders’ dividends, assuring maximum profit margins, and maintaining the highest possible share price. Must be able to work with a Board of Directors in fulfilling the organization’s mission statement.
Qualifications:
Possessing an MBA degree or equivalent is nice but true business acumen is not required.
Must have thorough knowledge of sophisticated instruments like derivatives, equity swaps, credit default swaps, interest rate swaps, arbitrage, Peroni options, interest rate caps and floors, as well as, forward rate agreements and leveraged buy outs.
Must be able to effectively explain the above instruments to idiots on congressional committees.
Must be able to deny understanding the above instruments when they become worthless.
Ability to turn successful financial company into something resembling the United Way.
Experience using sophisticated machinery like dark glasses, white cane, and a tin cup is a must.
Experience in pension depletion and stealing others’ retirement savings is required.
Must be available to travel to chalets in Southern France on short notice while your institution is on the verge of collapse.
This job is good because…
Your salary is not tied to personal performance nor organization’s financial health.
You’ll receive generous annual bonuses regardless of company stock price.
If ousted from your position for incompetence, you qualify for employment with the federal government overseeing the reemergence of the very same company you drove into the toilet.
It offers a great oportunity for improving your golf game.
You have minimal contact with laid off company employees while leaving your well appointed office and heading off to your home in the Hamptons in a chauffeured limo.
You can sell your company stock before it goes into the crapper even though no one else knows that it’s headed there.
You pay less on your income taxes than your secretary.
You have access to parachutes without ever having to jump out of a plane.
Red/Black color blindness is covered by the American with Disabilities Act.
You have a good chance of ringing that neat sounding bell on the NYSE floor and applauding while your company tanks.
No one will ever know you were the head of Lehman Brothers, unless of course, your last name happens to be Lehman.
You automatically pre-qualify for minimum security prison.
This job may suck because…
There may be some negative perceptions by the general public.
You may be referred to as the “Gordon Gecko” of your era.
In light of the current economic situation, you may be forced to play the board game Monopoly using the actual Monopoly money included in the game.
Personal in-limo sushi chefs are at a premium.
Global warming has reduced snow fall in Aspen threatening future executive retreats.
You may have to go on CNBC and explain your company’s success in spite of the downward trend graphic displayed behind you.
Luxury corporate jet travel is no longer an option. First class commercial travel now mandatory.
Salary:
Commensurate with the degree of failure of your company. (I.e. 50% company devaluation: $100 million/year; 90% company devaluation: $25-50 million/year. Note: May have to work for an annual salary of $1.00 dollar while raking in millions in stock options.
#1 – Mega Church Pastor/Televangelist
Job Description: Provide spiritual guidance to those in need while disseminating positive outcomes for a post-mortem reality.
Qualifications:
Applicant must be certified by the Bureau of Understanding and Loving the Lord. (You can make out the acronym)
Exceptional candidates should have knowledge of biblical scripture and have outstanding skills in convincing people that your interpretation of those scriptures are indeed the most accurate.
Ability to speak to God is a must.
Special consideration will be given to those who actually receive auditory answers from God in return.
Must possess ability to physically touch people through a television screen.
Experience in theatrical productions and funds procurement is necessary.
Miracle healing skills are a major plus.
Must be able to advocate a strong anti-gay agenda while possibly being gay yourself.
Should possess an uncanny ability to spontaneously equate seemingly random world events to seemingly irrational interpretations of biblical prophesies.
Successful candidates must be able to effectively convince congregants to buy into Christian dogma while holding political views that are opposed to those very same principles.
This job is good because…
You have discretionary use of the pulpit to fulfill your childhood aspirations of becoming a recording artist.
You can appear on Larry King Live as if you were an actual newsmaker.
You can claim the devil’s influence as your “get out of jail free” card.
There are fabulous spiritual retreats and cruises.
You can claim divine privilege when you screw up.
You can start your own think thank, university, or theme park.
You have unfettered access to the best hairdressers.
There is a high probability of receiving an honorary doctoral degree so you can call yourself “Doctor”.
You’re not a Catholic priest. This entitles you to engage in sexual acts.
You’re not a Catholic priest. This entitles you to engage in deviant sexual acts without raising too much suspicion.
The title of “Pastor” gives you the right to serve as counselor to emotionally distraught female choir singers.
Those fancy robes are sharp looking.
This job may suck because…
The poor economy can lead to a decrease in donations.
Your crystal meth-using gay lover may actually know your true identity.
The possibility of fathering a love-child requires full-time extramarital condom use.
You have to convince people that the destruction of the State of Israel thus bringing on Armageddon is actually a good thing even though it makes no freaking sense.
You’re not a Muslim, so you can’t legally have four wives.
Eventual reckoning with God himself can be very tricky.
Salary range:
Heaven knows.
Other Hot Jobs worth considering:
Chinese Businessperson (Great money)
Bailbondsman for Politicians (Steady flow of clients)
Has there ever been a more blatant attempt to smash a workers’ union like what the Senate Republicans are doing during the current negotiations with the U.S. automakers? In recent blog entries, I have addressed the blue-collar bias and the distinct anti-Northern prejudice of the Senate through out this whole affair. The union busting tactics of a few US Senators is simply disgraceful.
Tennessee Republican Senator Bob Corker has taken the lead in attacking the United Auto Workers Union as the cause of all the ills of the American auto making industry. According to his master resuscitation plan, the union should agree to wage concessions, bringing them to levels comparable to non-union auto workers’ wages by March 2009. UAW President, Ron Gettelfinger, has agreed in principle to address wage concessions, but he wants the concessions phased in over time allowing for its gradual implementation from lower starting wages and the retirement of older higher paid workers.
Senator Bob Corker R-TN
Senator Corker is having none of it. He wants wages slashed and he wants it done now. As a result of his intransigence, General Motors is teetering on the verge of collapse, threatening over 3,000 UAW jobs in his home state. (There is a non-union Nissan plant in Tennessee with a VW plant coming soon)
Today, the White House acknowledged that it would step in should the Senate not be able to pass a bill for the automakers’ loan, leading Corker to whine that such a move undercuts his negotiating position with the UAW.
It appears that Senator Corker and his anti-labor Southern cohorts will not be happy until domestic automakers adopt Wal-Mart like labor practices. Or better yet, why not move GM, Ford and Chrysler to China? We could then have the windshield wiper blades made and installed in the Northern Mariana Islands thus allowing the finished automobile to carry the “Made in America” label.
In what can only be described as yet another international embarrassment, out-going President George W. Bush got a pair of shoes thrown at him by a Baghdad TV reporter. The incident occurred while Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki were giving a joint press conference in Baghdad. The reporter, Muntazer al-Zaidi, was arrested and is being charged with commiting a “barbaric and ignominious act” He faces up to seven years in prison for his actions.
Muntazer al-Zaidi
Having lived in the Middle East myself, I am aware that showing the soles of one shoes or the bottom of one’s feet to an Arab is considered rude and disrespectful. I commonly committed this faux pas as I casually propped up my feet on my coffee table while entertaining Arab friends. But to throw your shoes at someone is the ultimate insult!
Al Jazeera reports the shoe thrower’s brother as saying, “Millions of Iraqis or rather millions of the people of the world wish to do what Muntadhar did”. He added, “Thank God he had the guts to do it and avenge the Iraqi people and the country from those who plunder it and have killed its people.”
The Iraqi reporter who threw his shoes at President Bush is being praised as a hero through out the Arab world. The shoes thrown by Muntadar Al Zaidi are fetching offers from across the region. The BBC reports that the former coach of the Iraqi National Soccer Team has offered $100,000 dollars for the footwear. A Saudi national reportedly is offering $10 million dollars for the podiatric projectiles. A Libyan charity headed by the daughter of Muammar Gaddafi, will bestow a medal of courage to the reporter. Protesters in Gaza are marching with posters of Bush with shoes glued to his image. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has publicly lauded Al-Zaidi’s courage.
Al-Zaidi
Mr. Al-Zaidi has been detained and it has been widely reported that he has been severely beaten by Iraqi security. Though his whereabouts remain unknown, it is believed that he has been transported to an American medical facility for emergency treatment.
Mr. Al-Zaidi’s “courageous act” is being praised by the media in the Arab world. The Gulf News, UAE’s English language daily, has a poll on their web page for readers to select their favorite George Bush moment. (See the poll here) The shoe incident is winning the poll with over 52%. The Saudi Gazette has run an editorial praising Mr. Al-Zaidi’s act of temerity. The online Iraq Daily has thirteen (yes, 13) wire stories about the incident on their homepage.
The incident has incited Arab anti-American imperialist sentiments. To a certain degree, the shoe throwing debacle symbolizes what the Arab world feels towards the President’s policies in the region. I am sure that everyone is relieved that it was only a pair of shoes hurled at the President and not grenades. The fact that the President escaped injury with his cat like reflexes allows us to view the incident with a twist of ironic humor. Though we are laughing at this, we cannot lose sight of the underlying anger and hostility still being felt by the region’s inhabitants. There is still great resentment towards American intervention in the region. The incoming Obama administration will have its hands full.
As for Mr. Al-Zaidi; his 15 minutes of fame may last a lifetime.
Muntadar Al-Zaidi, the Iraqi reporter who threw his shoes at President Bush, was seen by a judge at his jail cell. The fact that the meeting took place in Al-Zaidi’s jail cell and not in open court has fueled speculation that the reporter has been severely beaten. He is expected to be released on bail later this week. His continued detention has sparked protests throughout Iraq. A “Free Al-Zaidi”Facebook page has been created.
Numerous games have come online spoofing the incident. Check some of them out below:
As out-going President Bush winds down his “farewell tour”, he continues to distort history in the hopes of re-engineering his legacy. The tour has been met disinterest, skepticism, and a pair of flying shoes. Mr. Bush has given himself credit for keeping the nation safe after 9/11. Was he not in charge on 9/11? He also claims that his economic policies have strengthened the nation’s economy. That is simply laughable! In a three part blog series, The George W. Bush Legacy – FUBAR, I detailed his failures and how I felt history will judge him. (Read parts: I, II, III ).
One of the outlandish assertions that Mr. Bush is making during his tour is that under his leadership, the Middle East is now a more democratic Middle East. Is it really? Let’s take a look:
Iraq:
The jury is still out. Nobody knows what will happen in Iraq once American forces withdraw from the country. The country is deeply divided and the government of Nuri al-Maliki’s Islamic Dawa Party may not have the popular support to stand up against Muqtada al-Sadr’s loyalists. The Sunni minority and the independence-minded Kurds will make matters worse. The recent arrests of key government officials, accused of reconstituting Saddam Hussein’s Ba’ath Party, signals a move to consolidate power and could be the precursor to one party rule.
Afghanistan:
They’re baaaack! The Taliban has reconstituted itself to the point that American forces have been redeployed into the region. Political parties can come and go. Quasi-cultural religious movements, however twisted they may be tend to linger for a long time. The Taliban will remain a force in Afghanistan for years. The country remains fractured and Afghan President Hamid Karzai controls just a portion of the country. The alien concept of democracy in Afghanistan is remote at best.
Democratization in the Region:
Mr. Bush points out that the Middle East is now a beacon of democracy. Unfortunately, the truth tells a different story. Here are examples of Mr. Bush’s “beacons of democracy” and their respective democratically elected leaders:
Saudi Arabia remains a monarchy
King Abdullah bin Aziz of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Kuwait remains a monarchy
Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of Kuwait
The United Arab Emirates remain a monarchy
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates
Qatar remains a monarchy
Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani of Qatar
Bahrain remains a monarchy
Sheik Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifah of the Kingdom of Bahrain
Oman remains a monarchy
Sultan Qaboos bin Said al-Said of the Sultanate of Oman
Jordan remains a monarchy
King Abdullah II of the Kingdom of Jordan
Syria remains a one party rule state
President Bashar al-Assad of he Syrian Arab Republic
Egypt remains a one party rule state
President Hosni Mubarak of the Arab Republic of Egypt
The only true democratically elected Arab government in the region can be found in Yemen. Yet the country is beset with a growing separatist movement threatening its young democracy. The Israeli occupied territory of Gaza did hold democratic elections in 2006. Once Hamas was declared the winner, the results were rejected by the US and now Gaza and the West Bank are governed by different Palestinian Authority factions. Lebanon remains a fractured democracy with confessional politics having paralyzed the country for decades.
In light of these facts, Mr. Bush’s assertion that the Middle East has become democratized during his time in office is nothing more than another one of his fantasies and another failed attempt to rewrite his own sad history.
Iraqi journalist and shoe thrower Muntadar al-Zaidihas sent a letter of apology to Iraqi Prome Minister Nuri al-Maliki. According to a government spokesman, Mr. al-Zaidi asked for a pardon as “a son asks his father for forgiveness”.
The show throwing incident sparked protests through out the region against his detainment and possible injuries suffered at the hands of and security forces. He was seen by a judge in his jail cell on Monday prompting speculation that he injured and unable to attend a hearing in open court. A chaotic shouting match broke out in the Iraqi Parliament when legislators supporting Mr. al-Zaidi wanted to bring the issue of his detention to the floor. The Speaker of Parliament has reportedly resigned his post as a result of the ruckus.
There is no word as to how the al-Maliki government will respond to the clemency letter. There is no mention of an apology issued to President Bush in the letter.
Only the worst President in modern times could take this nation’s economic crisis and make it even worse with his absolute detachment. When asked today about his plans for the automakers assistance plan, Mr. Bush responded, “I haven’t made up my mind.” (are you kidding me?) Yet, the Undecider-in-Chief may have shown his hand when he stated, “I’m worried about a disorderly bankruptcy and what it would do to the psychology of the markets.” The only thing disorderly in all of this is his own psychological state of mind!
The banking industry has been bailed out to the tune of over $300 billion dollars. The automakers are asking for 10% of that figure (in LOANS), and yet the President is concerned over “putting good money after bad”. He made this comment even after it was revealed this week that AIG has been doling out secret bonuses to its employees while the automakers begin to idle their plants. Mr. Bush did make it clear that he did not want saddle incoming President Obama with a “financial catastrophe”.(What?!!!)
Mr. Bush has demonstrated his inability to handle anything. The financial catastrophe that he wishes to avoid passing on to the next President is already happening. He can add the bankruptcy of our nation’s automakers to his incredible resume of failure.
Having set the record for most days on vacation during a presidency, it may be time for him to go on another.
In an absolutely stunning move, President George W. Bush has actually made a rational decision. After weeks of picking his nose and scratching his head, pretending that he was remotely concerned with the economic disaster he has caused, Mr. Bush has finally decided to act.
The Decider-in-Chief agreed to throw a life line to the US automakers. In a nationally televised address, President Bush announced that he was providing $17.4 billion dollars in rescue money from the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) in order to help the Big Three automakers.
While acknowledging the potential for further economic damage, Mr. Bush set a March 31st 2009 deadline for the automakers to come up with a viable business plan while stressing that concessions will have to be made by management, labor unions, suppliers and creditors. Surprisingly, Mr. Bush did not announce the creation of a “Car Czar” to oversee the loan disbursement.
In a statement immediately following the loan approval, the Chrysler Corporation expressed its satisfaction at the government’s decision.
In today’s digital edition of the Telegraph, Neil Durkin, posted a piece regarding the disappearance of Iranian-Canadian blogger, Hossein Derakhshan. A prolific bilingual blogger, Hoder, as he is better known as, was one of the first Farsi language bloggers. His English language blog, Editor: Myselfhas not been updated since October 6, 2008. He has been detained by the Iranian government, possibly facing serious charges, since early November. He was visiting family in Iran at the time of his arrest.
Mr. Durkin reports that Hoder has had at least four phone communications with his family in Iran but has not spoken with them in quite some time. His physical condition or whereabouts are not known. His disappearance has been condemned through out the blogosphere. Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Shirin Ebadi, has recently called for his release.
Having no power to sway any governments’ foreign policy (my own children barely listen to me); I can only try to keep Hoder’s plight public and fresh. I urge my fellow bloggers to do the same. Silence and apathy on our part will only embolden those who oppose the ideals that drive our efforts.
As Mr. Durkin alluded to, it is real easy being a blogger in a society where you know your written words won’t lead to your arrest.
Again, I urge the government of Islamic Republic of Iran to unconditionally release Hossein Derakhshan.
Amid allegations of torture, Iraqi journalist and shoe thrower, Muntadhar al-Zaidi, has been scheduled to appear in open court on December 31st. He faces the charge of “aggression against a foreign head of state”.
If convicted the journalist faces up to two years in jail.
The allegations of torture has been made by the journalist’s brother, Uday al-Zaidi, who also claims that the letter written by his brother last week, asking forgiveness from Iraqi Prime Minister, Nuri al-Maliki, was done under duress and against the journalist’s will. The brother also contends that al-Zaidi has had a tooth knocked out, has cigarette burns, and has been beaten with iron bars and cables. Uday al-Zaidi also stated that his brother remains steadfast in his refusal to apologize to President Bush for the shoe throwing incident. It is also being reported that Mr. al-Zaidi plans to sue the Iraqi security forces for injuries incurred during his detention.
Torture and the threat of litigation… Yes it does look like American style democracy is taking hold in Iraq. Mission Accomplished!
It seems like the concept of peaceful transition of political power in Africa is an alien notion. This century has seen a least a dozen successful or attempted coups d’états on the continent. Disputed elections in Zimbabwe, Kenya and Nigeria have drawn world wide criticism. After stealing the most recent presidential elections, Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe declared recently, “Zimbabwe is mine”. Zimbabwe’s currency is worthless, schools and hospitals are shut down, and a cholera outbreak has taken the lives of over 1,000 of his citizens. Yet, he remains President, refusing to share power with Morgan Tsvangirai, the opposition leader that easily defeated him in the first round of elections in early 2008, only to have Mugabe’s electoral commission call for a second round of voting. Mugabe won the runoff with 85% of the vote amid allegations of intimidation, kidnappings, beatings, and blatant fraud.
Zimbabwe Dictator and Present Owner Robert Mugabe
So it is fitting that today, we are alerted to yet another coup d’état attempt. This time, the lucky nation is Guinea. The impoverished West African nation of 10 million, finds itself in limbo upon the death of its authoritarian President Lansana Conté, who not surprisingly had ruled Guinea since 1984, assuming power following, you guessed it, a coup d’état. Though details remain sketchy, it has been reported that elements within the Guinean army have dissolved the nation’s constitution and its government.
Deceased Guinean President Lansana Conté
We can chalk up another success story in the evolution of African Democracy. Congratulations Guinea!
President Robert Mugabe’s despotic regime has banned all political gatherings indefinitely. Citing the current “political situation“, Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri, has distributed a circular placing the police on high alert. All holiday leaves for security personnel in the country have been cancelled. All gatheirngs have been banned in areas hit by the cholera outbreak. The Mugabe regime has lost its legitimacy. This police action constitutes a de-facto move towards martial law. Power sharing talks with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai are essentially dead. Opposition leaders, journalists and humanitarian workers are increasingly being jailed on trumped up charges. Mr. Mugabe claims that the opposition is training insurgents in neighboring Botswana. The government has become increasingly more paranoid, knowing that the end of their criminal government is within sight. South Africa should begin preparations for a deluge of members of Zimbabwe’s criminal elite seeking political refuge in the upcoming weeks.
Comedian Al Franken has been been declared the winner of the Minnesota senatorial election. The recount has Mr. Franken ahead of republican incumbent Norm Coleman by 225 votes. Mr. Coleman’s camp has vowed to take the recount results to court. Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn has vowed a filibuster preventing Mr. Franken from being seated in the Senate. Mr. Cornyn said, “There are the issues that have been raised in the Minnesota Supreme Court about double-counted ballots and other irregularities in the process, which are important to make sure that every vote counts”. So the Republicans are NOW interested in having every vote count. Senator Cornyn’s comments demonstrates the cynical nature of Republican politics, as well as indicate the future obstructionist game plan they plan to employ.
“There’s an old saying in Tennessee – I know it’s in Texas – probably in Tennessee – that says – fool me once, shame on – shame on you. Fool me… you can’t get fooled again”. -President George W. Bush, Nashville TN 9/17/2002
Having lived in the State of Florida during Jeb Bush’s tenure as governor, I am fully aware of Jeb’s proclivity to defending the neo-conservative tenets of governance. And though Jeb did not run the state into the ground, his departure was welcomed by many in the Sunshine State.
Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush
On Sunday, his father, George H. W. Bush or Bush 41, stated that he would like to see Jeb make a run for the presidency or the senate. God No! After 12 years of the Bush family running the country, do we really want another cycle of failure and despair. I have nothing against Bush the Elder. I believe that his tenure as President was competent. He had a tough act to follow but at the end, the country was suffering from “Republican fatigue” and ushered in the Clinton Era.
Now on the heels of the disastruous presidency of Bush the Younger, the mere suggestion of a Jeb Bush run for the highest office is simply nauseating and plainly not acceptable. While electing Barack Obama as President, the nation has delivered a mandate of repudiation to the neo-conservative Republican philosophy. Can Jeb Bush rally the Republican base and mount a credible challenge? He probably could. Will moderates and independents be duped into investing into the Bush equivalent of a political ponzi scheme? I certainly hope not.
Brothers Jeb and George
One of the reasons I was lukewarm to Hillary Clinton’s presidential aspirations was that had she won, and served a full 8 years, it would have meant that the presidency of this nation would have been held by either a Bush or Clinton for 28 years! Although our nation’s democracy is a representative democracy, it was not intended to reserve its highest office for the most prominent families. As is the case now with the New York Senate seat – Caroline Kennedy may be a nice person, but her bloodline does not automatically qualify her for office. Allowing family dynasties to run our country is simply not a healthy practice. Much like the Bhutto’s of Pakistan and the Nehru-Gandhi’s of India, allowing succession of power based on lineage leads to political feudalism; where the electorate becomes nothing more than voting peasants.
So, Mr. Bush, I appreciate your pride and enthusiasm in the abilities of your son Jeb. Had it had been Jeb in charge the past 8 years instead of George, I may have felt differently. But as it stands now, the nation is not, and may never be willing to have another Bush as President.
Of all the idiotic and hypocritical sitting legislators, Cliff Stearns, a Republican Congressman, representing Florida’s 6th district has to be the most cynical and idiotic of them all.
In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Congressman Stearns wrote
“As you may be aware, on Thursday January 8, the University of Florida and the University of Oklahoma will play for the national football championship. Members of the Florida and Oklahoma delegations have expressed interest in attending the game as the congressional schedule allows. However, votes are currently scheduled to continue into Thursday night and Friday afternoon. We ask that you move these votes to either Wednesday and/or Thursday morning to allow Members to attend this historic game”.
This idiot requested that Congress reschedule the Electoral College vote certifying Barack Obama as President because he wants to attend the national championship game between the University of Florida and the University of Oklahoma. This is by far the stupidest thing I have ever heard. Needless to say, Mrs. Pelosi denied the request. What makes this matter even more ludicrous is that just last August, Stearns lead the Republican propaganda machine in calling for Congress to cut short their Summer recess so that a vote on lifting the ban on off shore drilling be conducted. At the time, Congressman Stearns castigated Congress for not doing “the people’s business”. It was simply a Republican political stunt.
I guess he now feels that the people’s business of certifying the next president should be rescheduled so he can attend a freaking football game. It should be noted that in the letter to Speaker Pelosi, he uses the term “we” as if the Florida and Oklahoma delegations were jointly requesting the action. Congressman Stearns in fact was the only signatory of the letter.
Congressman Cliff Stearns… You are an absolute IDIOT!
There are tons of progressive websites and blogs out there. As a liberal blogger, I find many of these websites and blogs highly informative and quite entertaining. I am constantly updating my blogroll. There are many great stand alone blogs maintained by very creative writers.
Now… imagine if you were stranded on a deserted island with your laptop and the island had a wireless internet connection (pretty cool deserted island) but you could only access ONE progressive news site or blog… which would it be?
I have included in the poll below the more popular ones but you can write-in another if you so choose.
In video excerpts from a a soon to be released documentary titled, “How Obama Got Elected”, Republican vice-presidential nominee has suggested that she was unfairly treated by the media during the campaign. Watch the absurdity here:
The comments by the folksy Alaska governor ranged from her unfair treatment by the media, her being mishandled by the McCain campaign, perception double standards, and attacks on her family.
Responding to questions on the Katie Couric interviews, Mrs. Palin snorted, “Katie, you’re not the center of everyone’s universe.” She blamed her poor performance on the network editing of the interview spots. She did acknowledge that the interviews went poorly but then pointed a blaming finger at her handlers for allowing the interviews to continue. What the governor fails to realize is that the criticism leveled at her as a result of the interviews were totally justified. She was unprepared, appeared to be evasive and when actually addressing questions, she demonstrated a complete lack of knowledge on the issues.
She also took exception to what she perceived as attacks on her family, namely her daughter’s pregnancy out of wedlock. Ms. Palin has spent her political career championing parental responsibilities, the sanctity of marriage and the morality of abstinence. When a member of her family indulges in behavior contrary to these precepts, the public is entitled to question the practice of these values. Mrs. Palin knew that running for national office would invite scrutiny of her family’s activities. The media actively searches for hypocrisy. And within Mrs. Palin’s own family they found a glaring chasm between what she professes and her own reality.
Referring to Caroline’s Kennedy’s bid for appointment to the New York Senate seat Mrs. Palin remarked, “It’s going to be interesting to see how that plays out and I think that as we watch that we will perhaps be able to prove that there is a class issue here also that was such a factor in the scrutiny of my candidacy versus, say, the scrutiny of what her candidacy may be”. I find this absurd being that it was she who invoked the “two Americas” philosophy into her own campaign. She distinctly went out of her way to distinguish herself as a non-elitist, plain old hockey mom. If anyone injected class into the race, it was Palin herself.
Mrs. Palin has the audacity to suggest that she may have fared better had she been Barack Obama’s running mate. Crying media hypocrisy, she stated, “I think they would have loved me as a candidate . . . You would have seen an absolutely different and . . . much prettier profile of Sarah Palin and the Palin family and my administration.” Wrong again, Sarah! You would have been vilified a hell of a lot more had you been on the Democratic Party ticket. The so-called Republican base gave you a pass that you would not had received by the Democrats. The Democratic Party has a history of eating their own when things do not appear right, sometimes to the detriment of the party’s own goals. The Republicans are not ashamed of employing sheep herding tactics for the sake of winning an election.
Sarah Palin’s remarks again demonstrate the parallel universes that most Republicans choose to live in. When confronted with absolute rejection and repudiation, Mrs. Palin chooses to blame every one around her; every one but herself, her politics and her shear lack of knowledge. In a previous blogs, I have excoriated Mrs. Palin incompetence and her lack of preparation for holding any national office. After this sad ridiculous display by Mrs. Palin, I am convinced that the American electorate made the right decision.
The late great cowboy/soldier actor John Wayne purportedly said, “Never apologize and never explain; it’s a sign of weakness”. Evidently the outgoing wannabe-cowboy/soldier/president that has occupied the White House for the past eight years shares a similar philosophy to the beloved actor.
In what can only be described as a bizarre event, Mr. Bush gave his final press conference yesterday. (Is that applause I hear?) The out-going president used his entire arsenal (avoidance, misdirection, denial, falsehood, self-deprecation, and lecturing) while conducting this farce of a press conference. His tactics were no surprise.
Mr. Bush again repeated that the federal response to the Katrina disaster was competent. He defended the nation’s actions in Afghanistan and Iraq. He had the temerity of stating that he inherited a recession! That is simply an outright lie. He inherited a budget surplus and leaves office with the greatest budget deficit in the history of this nation’s economy. He continues to rely on the passage of time to vindicate his legacy, which may be wishful thinking. Never in the history of the presidency, has a president left office with such gutter-low approval ratings. (Even Nixon had better numbers) It’s going to take more than time for his legacy to be revived.
So, Mr. Bush as you ride off into the sunset after shooting up the town, we wish you well. I am sure the “Duke” would have been proud of you!
The Decider-in-Chief, George W. Bush addressed the nation tonight and bid farewell (finally). Fortunately, the Bush era is over. Unfortunately, the Herbert Hoover inspired consequences of the Bush era have yet to hit its full stride.
Mr. Bush again employed the well worn 9/11 references to extol the successes of his administration. Barely two minutes into his address, Mr. Bush not unexpectedly elicited images of the 9/11 tragedy:
“This evening, my thoughts return to the first night I addressed you from this house – Sept. 11, 2001.That morning, terrorists took nearly 3,000 lives in the worst attack on America since Pearl Harbor. I remember standing in the rubble of the World Trade Center three days later, surrounded by rescuers who had been working around the clock. I remember talking to brave souls who charged through smoke-filled corridors at the Pentagon and to husbands and wives whose loved ones became heroes aboard Flight 93.”
Not surprisingly, again, he attempted to turn this act of utter incompetence into a triumph of heroic proportions. Referring to his decisions regarding his actions in response to 9/11:
“There is legitimate debate about many of these decisions. But there can be little debate about the results. America has gone more than seven years without another terrorist attack on our soil.”
His arrogance was in full display:
“Like all who have held this office before me, I have experienced setbacks. There are things I would do differently if given the chance. Yet I have always acted with the best interests of our country in mind. I have followed my conscience and done what I thought was right. You may not agree with some tough decisions I have made. But I hope you can agree that I was willing to make the tough decisions.”
No statement can be further from the truth. His setbacks have been a direct result not of making “tough” decision but of making “bad” decisions. One does not get credit for simply following one’s conscience and doing what was thought to be right. He acted with the best interests of a failed and debunked ideology in mind. The only thing tough about the decisions he made was coming up with the creative spin to pedal the crap.
The Bush presidency has not made this nation safer but has created a new generation of people that hate us. Under his tenure, torture was deemed acceptable and war became the option of choice. The economic disaster that he has created will forever be associated with his presidency. He inherited a trade surplus and leaves us throttled with the most massive deficit in the history of the republic. A second Republican Depression is inevitable.
As he wound up his address, he noted the resilience of the American people. I hope that we are resilient enough to shake off this presidential nightmare.
Another blogger, this time Korean Park Dae-sung, who blogs under the nom-de-plume,“Minerva”, was arrested last week in South Korea and charged with spreading false information over the internet.
It appears that “Minerva” has been blogging with astounding accuracy about the world’s economic collapse. Unemployed and a self educated economics aficionado, he reportedly prognosticated the devastating demise of Lehman Brothers. He has also been critical of the South Korean’s handling of the economic crisis. Mr. Dae-sung blogged using the portal Daum, the parent company of search engine Lycos.
Mr. Dae-sung who has plead not guilty is currently detained without bail and if convicted, could get a jail term of up to five years or a fine of up to 50 million won or $37,000 USD.
As with the case of Hossein Derakhshan, (Hoder) in Iran, this is yet another attempt by government authorities to quash the freedom of blog-speech.
The Last Person Left again calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Minerva and Hoder.
As we commemorate the birth of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., I reflect on the true meaning of the term civil rights. By definition, civil rights mean that all citizens are guaranteed due process and equal treatment under the law regarding liberty, property, enjoyment of life and protection. These rights are natural. But why then did we have to have a civil rightsmovement?
Unfortunately, many people in this country view this day as an “African-American” holiday. Nothing could be further from the truth. Though Dr. King espoused the cause of the African-American travesty, he was also speaking of a much greater injustice of the day.
Reflect on this for a moment.
When the Civil Rights Act passed in Congress in 1964, women had “earned” the right to vote only 40 years earlier. Barely one year before the passage of the Civil Rights Act, was the Equal Pay Act of 1963 passed, assuring equal pay for equal work for women. The civil rights movement had created a national dialogue where society was forced to examine the state of injustices for all Americans. The essence of the civil rights movement is that of equality for all citizens of this nation regardless of race, color, gender, political beliefs, and sexual orientation.
President Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964
So as we pay tribute the memory of one brave man today, we must also acknowledge that he promoted the movement of equality, liberty and protection not just for African Americans but for ALL Americans. Equality is a natural right. To think otherwise is not just un-American but inhumane. The civil rights movement in general and this day of remembrance in particular should serve as a noble and secular way of reaffirming our own humanity.
Though he fumbled a few lines of the oath, President Barack Obama has been sworn in as the 44th President of the United States.
Congratulations America!
NY Times Photo
Text of President Obama’s Historic Inaugural Speech:
My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. Those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers … our found fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
“Let it be told to the future world … that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it).”
America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.
I have a habit of not sticking to my New Year’s resolutions. This year is different. As opposed to resolving to stop doing this or that, I resolved that this year would be my year for reading books again. Over the years, I have seen myself rely more and more on online content for virtually all of my current events and historical research. But 2009 so far has been different. Needless to say, I procrastinated (another resolution work-in- progress) in finding my way to my local Barnes & Nobel but last week I finally walked in, $25.00 B&N gift certificate in hand, and purchased Thom Hartmann’s “Cracking the Code” (Berrett-Koehler Publishers).
Mr. Hartmann is a radio host on Air-America Radio. His radio program is by far one of the most intelligent talk shows on the AM dial. His remarkable speaking skills on the radio easily transitions into well written books. (He has authored close to 20 other books) “Cracking the Code” is one of his finest works.
As the title implies, the book explores the many ways in which we communicate (codes) and process information. Though not exactly a treatise in human neuro-lingusitics, the reader is easily guided through the complexities of the senses and the brain in processing information.
He identifies and details numerous examples of the different language “codes” that are used in persuading others. The book specifically highlights the subtle (and not so subtle) ways that the Bush administration used a myriad of techniques to dupe the American people into accepting and following their misguided policies. He explores and crisply explains concepts like “framing” and “pacing” and how such practices can easily manipulate the recipient of the information into subconsciously agreeing.
Given the events of the past eight years, reading this book will serve as a retroactive blue print for understanding how the Bush administration mastered these codes and applied them effectively. He points out numerous examples where codes have been successfully used by progressive leaders in advancing the liberal agenda. Mr. Hartmann uses past speeches, campaign ads, and interviews and breaks them down so the reader can appreciate the built in codes. Like playing a record album backwards on a turntable to reveal a secret message in the lyrics, the book shines lumen upon lumen on linguistic manipulation. This masterful decoding reminded of me of when I had to deconsruct sentences using “non-verb-adjective” diagrams in elementary school.
His reliance on real events and anecdotes gives the book both pedagogical and political legitimacy. The book is part psychology text, part advertising how-to manual and part political exposé.
After reading this fine work, you will never listen to a speech, watch a commercail or read a political article in quite the same manner again. All liberals should have “Cracking the Code” on their bookshelf!
Read a better written book review from The Nation magazine:
In what can only be described as Republican obstructionism, Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn has begun the expected tactic of delaying the confirmation of Attorney General Designate Eric Holder.
According to reports, the senator has cited Holder’s “ambiguities” on issues of torture. Mr. Holder has been steadfast in stating that “no one is above the law”. It may be this statement that troubles Senator Cornyn. Many Republicans are simply crapping in their pants over the possibility that there may be criminal investigations and prosecutions over the use of torture. Cornyn and others are just stalling.
In yet another display of folly, Republicans are now claiming that the terrorists held at Guantanamo are too dangerous to be transferred to prisons in the United States once President Obama closes the prison base. This assertion is outright laughable. Torture apologist John Cornyn in particular has sent a letter to President Obama stating that he does not want terrorists in Texas jails. Republican Senator Kit Bond of Missouri went on “Hardball” with Chris Matthews yesterday and echoed the same ridiculous talking point.
Again, these separatist senators fail to realize that their respective states are part of the union.
Barely 72 hours in office, President Barack Obama appears to be flexing a bit of political muscle at the White House.
Today, while meeting with members of both parties, the President took a few swipes at the Republicans. The President has been trying to build consensus for his economic recovery package since assuming office. Republicans are none too happy with the amount of money from the package directed to their coveted tax cuts.
The President realizes that it would be politically expedient to get Republicans on board, though he has enough votes in the House and Senate to get his plan passed anyway. Yet, he is acutely aware that the right wing smear and spin machine is still alive and well. Mr. Obama pointed out, “You can’t just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done.”
Interestingly, when Republican Eric Cantor of Virginia voiced his objection to the President’s plan to increase benefits to lower income Americans, Mr. Obama responded, “I won” and “I will trump you on that.”
The blogosphere has weighed in on Rush Limbaugh’s “I hope he fails” comment regarding the Obama presidency. And now it’s my turn.
To just take those four words from Mr. Limbaugh’s interview with fellow right wing radio host Sean Hannity would not be fair in this debate.
Here is the entire quote:
“If he does not eliminate the Bush tax cuts, I would call that success. So yes, I would hope he would succeed if he acts like Reagan, but if he’s going to do FDR, if he’s going to do the new, new deal all over which we will call here the raw deal, why would I want him to succeed?”
“Look, he’s my president. The fact that he is historic is irrelevant to me now. It matters not at all. I — if he is going to implement a far left — look it. I think it’s already decided. $2 trillion in stimulus? The growth of government. I think the intent here is to create as many dependant Americans as possible looking to government for their hope and salvation. If he gets nationalized health care, I mean, it’s over, Sean. We’re never going to roll that back. That’s the end of America as we have known it because that’s then going to set the stage for everything being government owned, operated, or provided.”
“Why would I want that to succeed? I don’t believe in that. I know that’s not how this country is going to be great in the future; it’s not what made this country great. SoI shamelessly say, no, I want him to fail, if his agenda is a far- left collectivism, some people say socialism, as a conservative heartfelt, deeply, why would I want socialism to succeed?”
The argument here is that Mr. Limbaugh and many far right conservatives continue to equate President Obama’s stimulus package and other policies to socialism. This is the same argument that Senator McCain, Governor Palin, Joe “The Plumber”, and the Fox Network cadre made during the campaign. So for Mr. Limbaugh to repeat such assertions are not unexpected.
The real debate here is the stimulus package and what it means ideologically to the right wing. Since Ronald Reagan’s presidency, we have rolled back the gains of FDR’s New Deal. And now, we find ourselves facing a similar economic situation ala the Herbert Hoover era. When FDR assumed power, the Republican Party had similar qualms of FDR’s plans as conservatives have now of Barack Obama’s prescription for economic solvency.
The economic and political scenarios that President Obama confronts today are EXACTLY what FDR faced in 1932. Conservative politicians and columnists warned about the grave dangers of FDR’s plans. Not coincidentally, FDR was also referred to as the “Messiah”. And like Rush Limbaugh, some hoped for the failure of the New Deal just for the sake of ideology.
Contrary to the revisionist history that is being spun today, FDR’s New Deal worked. We must keep in mind that at that time, the banking system of this country was nearly bankrupt. People were starving, yes starving, in this country. The stock market had crashed 3 years prior to FDR assuming power while the Republican, Hoover, was president. Hoover inherited (a Republican favored term) and then exacerbated this disaster. The two previous presidents, Harding and Coolidge, were Republicans.
So, I am not surprised that Mr. Limbaugh and others sharing his views wish failure upon President’s Obama’s policies. Success would deal a mighty blow to conservative ideology as FDR’s success did in the 1930’s (Democrats held power uninterrupted for nearly 20 years afterward). Conservatives would be well advised to read up on this nation’s political and economic history.
Mr. Limbaugh’s hope for failure is not motivated by hatred but by fear!
As the scrum over the federal stimulus plan continues in all circles in Washington, both liberal-progressives and conservatives alike are crying foul with many elements of the plan. These inter and intra party squabbling appears to be taking the stimulus plan off the rails. Obviously, the minority opposition party complains about the levels of federal spending and the apparent minor attention being paid to tax cuts. The majority Democratic Party is up at arms because they feel the President is relying too heavily on the prospects of creating bipartisan support at the expense of a progressive agenda. Both the Left and the Right are playing a dangerous game of tug-of-war with the American economy with President Obama playing the role of arbiter. Many are questioning his leadership. His lack of “taking over and pulling rank” may be disturbing to progressives. In addition to giving the Republicans what many feel is too much say in the process, he also has kept on board a few Republicans in his administration.
REWIND to 1932
The country was in the midst of its greatest economic crisis when FDR assumed the presidency. The economy was on the verge of collapse and the nation’s banking industry was on the brink of failure. FDR was being pulled in contrary directions. In his wisdom, the President initially made use of some of Herbert Hoover’s economics team to advise his own economics staff at the onset of his administration. He did so not to maintain the illusion of bipartisanship but because he and his team knew full well that to arrive at the best possible solution they needed the brains of those who were in control when the problem was created. In fact, Hoover’s Secretary of the Treasury as well as, other Treasury and Federal Reserve officials coordinated with the incoming administration to begin the climb out of the national economic disaster. As it turned out, it was a brilliant move and the first strategic baby step of the New Deal.
The Republicans in the House have indicated to President Obama that the “honeymoon” period after his inauguration may be short-lived. After making concessions to conservatives in an attempt to garner bipartisan support for H.R.1 – American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the Republicans repaid the President by voting unanimously as a party against the measure (244-188 with 10 Democrats voting no and 1 non vote). The bill now heads to the Senate where there will be certain rewrites.
Where’s the Payback?
If I recall correctly, when the Republicans were in control of Congress during most of George W. Bush’s presidency, Democrats had nowhere near the influence as a minority party as the Republicans currently enjoy. Even when the Democrats threatened Senate filibusters, the majority Republicans threatened invoking a “nuclear option”, in essence, changing the voting rules to end the filibuster. Democrats were bullied then and are wondering now, why the President has not assumed an adversarial tone. To some, it appears that President Obama is governing without looking up at the scoreboard and realizing that his team is in the lead. The Democrats have a big majority in the House and are within one vote of a super majority in the Senate.
The Mid-Term Elections
The President has the political capital to nudge Republican senators on the stimulus bill. The 2010 mid-term elections are fast approaching. Of the 15 Republican incumbents running for reelection, four represent states that voted for Obama in 2008 (IA, NH, NC and PA). In addition, 3 of the 4 retiring Republican senators are also from Obama won or nearly won states (FL, MO, and OH) while 2 other Republican incumbents are in trouble (KY and LA).
Fireside Chatroom
Should the Republicans in the Senate attempt to hijack the intent of HR-1 in their version, President Obama should take his case to the jury of the American people. A well timed television, radio, and YouTube address to the nation would put pressure on the Republican Party, as well as, reassure the core of the increasingly restless progressive wing of the Democratic Party. Like FDR’s masterful use of the media to get his point across in the 1930’s, President Obama could easily sway public opinion given the harsh economic climate. Doing so may create the necessary groundswell to force the Republican Party to act in a truly bipartisan manner. And if that doesn’t work, Mr. Obama should unleash Senate Majority leader, Harry Reid and resort to the partisan tactics that Republicans truly understand.
Ever verbally flatulent right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh has ratcheted up his attacks on President Obama’s handling of the economy with his entertaining yet deceptive brand of pseudo-journalism. Mr. Limbaugh unashamedly is attributing the recent increase in lay-offs across the country to what he is framing as President Obama’s “War on Prosperity”. This catch-phrase will surely go viral as most Republican talking points tend to do. As expected, the conservative spin machine blames the nation’s economic mess on Obama, who has been in office barely TWO WEEKS, while ignoring the past EIGHT YEARS of disastrous economic policies. This is typical of the conservative liars movement. Facts are mere inconveniences to these purveyors of deceit.
You will never hear this on Rush Limbaugh’s propaganda show.
The Facts
The Republicans love to point out that whenever the country is run by their party the country prospers economically. But a cursory glance at history tells an entirely different story. In the last 100+ years, the United States has suffered through ELEVEN (11) severe economic downturns. Of the 11 economic disasters, the Republicans held the presidency at the onset of NINE of them! Most notably, the Republicans were directly responsible, through their rabid belief of laissez-faire capitalism, for the two greatest economic collapses in our history. Fiscal responsibility is a Republican oxymoron. There have been 5 presidents in the past 32 years. (3 Republicans and 2 Democrats) In those 32 years, the federal budget deficit relative to GDPgrew from the previous year on 22 occasions. Republican Presidents oversaw 19 of those 22 deficit growth years. In fact, under Presidents Carter and Clinton, the year to year budget deficit relative to GDP grew only on 3 occasions. Only once in 20 years of rule (Reagan in 1981) did Republicans manage to decrease the yearly deficit.
There are many progressives in this country who are angry, confused or disillusioned with President Obama’s handling of the political shenanigans that the Republican Party has indulged in during this time of crisis. His historic victory emotionally energized the progressive movement. Yet, less than a month into his presidency, there may be who now doubt his prospects of success. (Note: This writer is not included in this group). Given his resound electoral victory, his calls for bipartisanship appears somewhat incongruent. I strongly believe that there is a method to this somewhat bewildering approach.
What is going on here?
It would be palatable for progressives to see the President just go on the offensive and attack the opposition. I am sure that lingering in the back of liberal minds is the notion that it’s our turn to do to them what they did to us the past eight years. But, Mr. Obama may be looking beyond this natural “red meat” reaction in appeasing the party faithful. His broader goals may be more grandiose. And although I think that conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh is a mere propagandist, he nailed it right on the head when he recently declared that the President is out to change the political landscape for the next few generations. While the right wing has been pretty much diplomatic in their attacks on the President, they have assailed the legacies of the “New Deal” and FDR. Facing a nearly identical economic morass as was seen in the 1930’s, the Republican Party knows that their conservative ideology will be dealt a mortal blow should this President succeed as FDR had. Moreover, the Republican Party knows that President Obama is aware of this also.
Change is coming soon… but not just yet!
It is obvious that the current economic stimulus package is nowhere near the size that it should be to be effective. It has been reported that up to 42% of the “stimulus” is in the form of tax cuts that Republicans demanded be included. Let’s face it… the package will fail and the country’s downward economic spiral will continue. When this happens, the President will then have all the pieces in place to enact a much broader and sweeping agenda that will forever change the political landscape. He knows full well that any plan that relies on the conservative tenets of increased tax cuts and the likes are destined to fail. The country is hurting badly now, but there are no images of Americans standing in line at soup kitchens. As cynical as this may sound, this may have to happen. Mr. Obama has already warned us of the troubles that lay ahead. When all is said and done, a package that will dwarf FDR’s New Deal will be clamored for, legislated and succeed.
Repeating History
Like FDR, Mr. Obama commenced his presidency attempting to enlist the opposition in solving the nation’s economic crisis. Like FDR, President Obama will eventually get the support of almost all Americans. Like FDR, Mr. Obama will enact changes that will dramatically change the definition of prosperity in this country for decades to come. Ironically, much like FDR, President Obama will have the Republicans to thank for the next Great American Progressive Revolution.
Call me overly simplistic but I think that it’s time for President Obama to make a major course adjustment in dealing with the whole economic stimulus bill. I have to hand it to him though. After his electoral mandate, he arrived in Washington and extended an olive branch to the opposition. The Republicans, in typical fashion, responded with partisan politicking. In the meantime, the clock continues to tick and the economy worsens.
Looking Back Again
As I have been blogging recently, there numerous parallels between the economics crises of depression era and post-Reagan Americas. The causes are eerily similar; the ideological actors are laughably alike. FDR, at first brought in officials from he failed Hoover administration. His Budget Director was a Republican and one of the most fiscally conservative voices in the Congress at the time. Yet, when push came to shove, FDR knew that he had won the election by a landslide and the American people would not support complacency. FDR was granted enormous power by Congress to wage war against the economic depression. While wielding that power judiciously, he was not averse to twisting an arm or two in the process.
President Obama’s persona is that of a calm, collected and composed politician. We are not aware (at least not yet) of his political persuasion skills when it is time to get down and dirty. I believe that it is time to publicly show a flexing of political muscle. And here is how he can do it:
The Plan
Should there continue to be political squabbling over the stimulus package, the President should reintroduce a series of separate bills, each addressing the fundamental problems that this nation faces. A separate bill for jobs creation; another for the mortgage crisis; yet another for middle class tax relief and yet another addressing the banking crisis. In trying to address all the issues with one mega piece of legislation, none of the problems are being addressed efficiently and are subject to petty political squabbles. Let’s face it, should the current legislation fail to solve the crisis (and it will fail), the Republicans will be first in line to blame the President. Even as he accommodates the Republicans, the reality is that zero Republicans voted for the bill in the House and he has only garnered the support of 3 in the Senate. If he wants Republican support then he needs to submit a pro-tax cut, anti-spending bill to Congress; which is what got us into this mess in the first place! The Republicans will never support a progressively inspired bill regardless of the potential benefits of its success. Never!
If the Republicans wish to filibuster the separate legislations, the President can call them out for being obstructionists. In addition, the President needs to completely scrap the notion of tax cuts that have been negotiated into the present bill and publicly denounce the dogma that tax cuts lead to economic prosperity thus breaking from the Reagan-Bush-Clinton-Bush cabal of laissez-fair free traders. President Obama needs to strong arm his economic plan in much the same way that George W. Bush shoved his “let’s keep America safe at whatever cost” ideology on the American people.
President Obama must realize that 53% of American voters voted for change last November. Pushing through an economic agenda that upsets the other 47% is nothing to be afraid of when 95% of all Americans will be adversely affected by inaction. The President has 66,882,230 reasons to act decisively.
Imagine for one second if the Russians had invaded and installed friendly regimes in both Canada and Mexico. Also imagine if both these North American nations were occupied by Russian forces. Then add to that a Russian missile presence in Honduras and possible Russian controlled nuclear arms in Cuba. Pretty scary thought right?Now replace Canada, Mexico, Honduras and Cuba with Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey and Israel and you have the actual real life scenario that Iran confronts.
In a previous blog piece about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, I explored the evolution of Iran’s program and how the West has generally mishandled it. Now, in 2009, the stakes are much higher and the reality of a nuclear Iran is much closer to reality. The ability for Iran to deliver a nuclear payload has been greatly improved with the successful launch of a space orbiting satellite earlier this month. Despite the assertions of western intelligence sources that Iran has exhausted its nuclear materials, the Iranian program continues to evolve.
What should Obama do?
Once the Obama Administration settles into Washington and the economic situation begins to settle down, the issue of Iran must take center stage. It is in the best interest for all parties that cooler heads prevail in the region. The fact that the United States remains embroiled in Iraq and in Afghanistan reduces the appearance of American sincerity in any type of political negotiation. The era of American arrogance may have peaked with the Bush administration. The Obama administration should usher in an era of honest diplomacy. It would be shocking to see a continuation of the disdain that the Bush administration had towards diplomacy in the new Obama administration. Until the American State Department treats Iran as a respectable partner, and not like a rogue state, the crisis will continue to disintegrate. The U.S. must also realize that Russia has a vested interest in the region. Low level, multilateral talks may serve as the spring board to higher level direct negotiations.
Israel’s role in the process
The recent victory by the Kadima Party in Israel will create more pressure on the Obama administration to negotiate with a more forceful tone. The disastrous showing of the left wing Labor Party in the recent elections reflects the political mood in Israel. The ultra-nationalist Yisrael Beiteinu party will wield immense power as a result of its strong finish. This shift to the right in Israel will make negotiations with Iran very delicate. It would not be surprising if the Iranians, as a precondition to any nuclear negotiations, request that the United States formally recognize the existence of Israeli nuclear capabilities. In President Obama’s first news conference, he carefully dodged the Israeli nuclear question that was posed by reporter Helen Thomas. If the United States is serious about dealing with Iran’s nuclear ambitions, it must seriously consider and effectively address the region’s suspicions of Israel’s capabilities. Israel follows a policy of deliberate ambiguity in neither confirming nor denying possession of nuclear weapons. Yet, it is considered the region’s worst kept secret. Should the Iranians put the Israeli question on the table and the United States side steps the issue, the negotiations will be dead in the water and a sham.
Development of Iranian nuclear capabilities is of great concern for the United States, in the context of the balance of power in the region and its relationship with the State of Israel. Any negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program should also include Israel’s nuclear capabilities. Approaching this dilemma in an even handed and fair manner may just be the strategy for long term peace in the region and mutual security in the region.
Call me naïve, but I for one am sick and tired of being held hostage by the banking/financial industry. And you should be too! The stimulus bill that was recently passed included a little nugget that prohibited top banking executives from receiving any type of cash bonus until the institution repays in full their TARP obligations. What is somewhat surprising is that the Obama Administration opposed the provision.
The reasons for any opposition to restricting executive compensation are as creative as they ridiculous.
Prohibiting bonuses will cause the banks to repay the TARP funds more quickly thus limiting their ability to lend.
Since when is it a bad thing to repay a loan quickly? The banks should be required to repay the loans in the most expeditious manner while loosening credit at the same time. Am I missing some thing here, but if I am loaned money I do not have the right to set conditions for my repayment. I can hear the credit card company collector laughing in my face!
Prohibiting bonuses will encourage financial institutions to increase salaries in lieu of bonuses.
Let me get this straight… The bank is going under but since the CEO cannot collect a bonus we’ll just quintuple his base salary. Real smart!
The banks claim that raising base salaries removes performance incentives. No, paying performance incentives for poor performance removes performance incentives!
Prohibiting bonuses will cause a flight of top executives… a “brain drain”.
Let us hope that it causes exactly that. Why in the world would we allow the very same characters who caused the greatest banking catastrophe in global history to remain in their positions? The bankers and traders have committed criminal acts. A great place to empty the brain drain may be the state pen.
When the government moved in to provide bridge loans to the automakers, the Republicans where bitching and moaning about the salaries of the union autoworkers. Where are those Republicans now? I don’t hear a peep from these robber baron, class warfare loving legislators. They will not be happy until our national economy resembles the Walmart model. I guess if you make $45.00 an hour you are destroying the company but if you rakeit its in a $500 million dollar bonus while the company is failing, you are part of a much needed brain trust. I’m sorry folks but for the first time on this blog I will have to make use of an expletive. This is absolute, complete and total BULLSHIT!
It is time to nationalize the failed financial institutions. Call it government appropriation of assets, nationalization or call it socialism.
Since his inauguration, President Barack Obama has had to endure indignities that no other President has had to tolerate. Granted, during the election cycle, certain things are always said that are not very endearing to the candidate. But once the election is decided the political bickering is expected to subside somewhat while the personal attacks should stop. In both cases, the Republican Party has increased their political attacks on the President while the personal attacks have continued.
The president has been in office less than two months and he has had to endure:
§Zero Republican support for his economic plan.
§An about face from a would-be Republican cabinet member.
§The publication of a garish cartoon in a NY newspaper alluding to the president as a simian who has been shot by the police while making reference to his stimulus plan.
§A sitting United States Senator (Richard Shelby R-SC) rehashing the already discredited notion of the president not being a citizen.
At this point, the political hijacking, character assassination and plain disrespect to the President of the United States must clearly stop. These antics are obstructionist at best, racist at worst. I shudder to think what lies in the future, but if I were the president, I would put an end to this right now!
Following an inspiring speech by President Barack Obama is indeed a tough act to follow. Republican Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal now knows as does the rest of the nation.
To the lions!
The decision to have the Louisiana governor give the Republican response, I believe, was not coincidental. Where was the Republican Party leadership? The Republicans knew that following the President would be simply inconsequential, sound irrelevant and probably appear sophomoric. And it did! To his credit, the governor’s personal story was engaging. Had this been the Republican convention, it may have played better. Following the President, who is fast becoming recognized as one of America’s greatest orators, Governor Jindal purpose seemed confused; not very good for an aspiring presidential candidate. I am positive that Governors Pawlenty and Palin (other Republican hopefuls) must have watched this spectacle with a degree of morbid satisfaction.
What was he thinking?
Much to the nation’s surprise, Governor Jindal evoked the federal response to Hurricane Katrina as an example as to why government does not work. No governor, Hurricane Katrina is an example of how Republican controlled government does not work!
No one, including myself, doubts the governor’s sincerity to his cause. The Republican ideology is becoming more and more irrelevant and those who publicly and fervently espouse these views are looking more and more clownish. The circus must have been in town in Baton Rouge last night!
Here is Governor Jindal doing his best Bozo imitation and getting grilled on Fox!
Christopher at From the Left recently wrote about something that should be getting more attention. Apparently, while the media has been focusing on Bobby Jindal or whatever idiotic tripe comes out of Alan Keyes’ mouth, Los Alamitos’ Republican Mayor decided to send out an email.
The mayor of Los Alamitos is coming under fire for an e-mail he sent out that depicts the White House lawn planted with watermelons, under the title “No Easter egg hunt this year.”
Local businesswoman and city volunteer Keyanus Price, who is black, said Tuesday she received the e-mail from Mayor Dean Grose’s personal account on Sunday and wants a public apology.
“I have had plenty of my share of chicken and watermelon and all those kinds of jokes,” Price told The Associated Press. “I honestly don’t even understand where he was coming from, sending this to me. As a black person receiving something like this from the city-freakin’-mayor – come on.”
Here is the image:
Grose confirmed to the AP that he sent the e-mail to Price and said he didn’t mean to offend her. He said he was unaware of the racial stereotype that black people like watermelons.
…which is clearly horseshit. If Mayor Grose was truly ignorant of the racist stereotype about watermelons…what would be the point in the email? It would be completely nonsensical to send out an email about our first black President having a White House lawn full of watermelons if the watermelons signified nothing at all.
I have written about the racism Obama’s election has sparked in the past…but this, coming from an elected official, is just offensive on a whole new level.
Citizens of Los Alamitos…I’m sorry your Mayor is a dumbass.
The decision by former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami to challenge incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will pose a fascinating set of circumstances for both the Iranian people and the nascent foreign policy direction of U.S. President Barack Obama.
Khatami was President of Iran from 1997-2005. He was the fifth president of the Islamic Republic. The previous two presidents before Khatami currently serve as the two most powerful figures in Iran today. Former President Ali Hoseyni Khāmene’i (1981-89) now serves as the nation’s Supreme Leader, having succeeded Ayatollah Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini upon his death. Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani (1989-1997) succeeded Khāmene’i and is now the Chairman of the Assembly of Experts (electors of the Supreme Leader).
When Khatami assumed power in 1997 he was widely viewed as a reformer and a progressive thinker inside of Iran. Over time during his presidency, the ruling religious elite managed to rein in the reformist imagery that he had carefully crafted. Political expediency dictated that Khatami publicly retreat from his reformist ideology, prompting criticism from the reform movement in Iran. Simultaneously, a ground swell of conservatism in the country, as well as, the disqualification of many reformist candidates running for office on dubious grounds, ushered in the presidency of the former mayor of Tehran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
An interesting dynamic is forming in the run up to the June 2009 presidential elections. Khatami will be up against the formidable incumbent Ahmadinejad and another reformist candidate, Mehdi Karroubi, who had a strong showing in the 2005 presidential elections, finishing third in the first round of voting. He is an outspoken cleric and has challenged the ruling theocracy, albeit cautiously, in the past. He dared to accuse the religious elite of manipulating the 2005 elections in favor of Ahmadinejad earning a strong admonishment from Supreme Leader Khāmene’i in the process.
Conventional wisdom would dictate that both Khatami and Karroubi will spilt the reformist vote forcing a run-off election between either candidate and the incumbent Ahmadinejad. Incidentally, the same occurred in 2005, when Karroubi, former President Rafsanjani and physician Mostafa Moeen split the reformist vote. Rafsanjani, who was the first round winner eventually lost to Ahmadinejad.
One thing is evidently clear with the upcoming elections. Should Ahmadinejad win the election, the Iranian government will almost surely strike a defiant tone in its negotiations with the Western powers over its nuclear ambitions. A reformist victory may invite a more mollifying approach from the Obama administration. Regardless of the results, any Iranian administration will demand that the United States be less arrogant and more conciliatory at the negotiating table. Iran will not negotiate if it feels that it must do so under duress and pressure. One thing is certain. The Iranian nuclear program will continue to expand regardless of the diplomatic overtures made by the Obama administration. The nuclear program is for the Iranians a matter of national energy security. A reformist victory will not change the nuclear chess match in the region.
The administration of President Obama has threatened to boycott the upcoming UN World Conference Against Racism in Geneva unless language equating the State of Israel’s policy of Zionism with racism is removed from the conference’s final communiqué. The conference is scheduled for mid-April and is a sequel to the contentious meeting held in Durban South Africa in 2001, where the U.S. and Israel both walked out. Objections have also been raised to the Conference raising awareness over the issue of slavery reparations, another sore point for the United States.
One can only conclude that this is world politics as usual.
Mr. Obama has missed an incredible opportunity to demonstrate to the world his progressive sociopolitical agenda. Although the administration has made good will gestures towards the Arab world, boycotting this Conference offsets any previous gains. Having Dr. Susan Rice, a lady of color, as the UN Representative to the United Nations, spearheading this travesty makes this episode even more regrettable.
The State of Israel presents a harsh political reality for the administration. Yet, the driving force of Obama’s sociopolitical legitimacy is severely undermined in the progressive world with this action. Mr. Obama and Dr. Rice are in a unique position to slowly erode the concept of Zionism as an acceptable form of governance, much the same way that apartheid was eventually discredited in the early 1990’s in South Africa.
Failure to moderate from our historic hard pro-Zionist stance smacks of hypocrisy in its most hideous form.
President Obama and Dr. Rice need to think this one over.
Now that the Obama’s Administration agenda is just about ready to hit a Republican wall, it is time to for the President to go through with his much promised “change for America”.
The nation is on the precipice of an economic and social catastrophe. The stock market continues to sink. The financial sector remains on life support, barely gasping for breath. The planet’s economic health rests almost exclusively with our nation’s financial stability. Social upheaval as a result of tough economic times is a real possibility in this country.
And while all this is happening, the Republicans and other obstructionists continue to play partisan political games. These shenanigans continue to leave this nation vulnerable. The Republicans simply do not care if the economy goes into the crapper. They are more concerned with the mid-term elections in 2010 than the immediate crisis. In addition, the Republicans are so ideological that they would be willing to see the administration fail than to credit it if it succeeds. That is a fact!
What the President needs to do is to alter his political course in fighting this crisis. Unfortunately, bipartisanship is only reserved for times of justified war. President Obama needs to get this picture and get it quickly. Bipartisanship is not the answer to this crisis. The President needs to act decisively and expeditiously and if the Republicans refuse to come along, then so be it. Mr. Obama needs to alert the nation that this is not simply another bubble bursting but a calamity with national security implications.
It may be early in the administration, but Mr. Obama needs to go “all in” on this issue. Should the President continue the current course of action and the economy fails (as predicted) he will be judged harshly. It is time to act boldly. After all, we did vote for change!
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Idiot Watch: Republican S.C. Governor Mark “The Hiker” Sanford
Posted by lastpersonleft on June 23, 2009
Folks… This one is wierd!
I’ve got to hand it to Republican Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina. In the short life of this blog he holds the dubious distinction of being named LPL’s Idiot twice. His latest idiotic episode had him going AWOL from his governor’s post allegedly without informing anyone in the state government of his whereabouts.
Apparently, the Governor had decided to go “hiking” on the Appalachian Trail sans his security detail and without informing his own family. Boy… does this one smell fishy. Here are a few selected readers’ comments to the news taken from the Columbia SC newspaper The State:
Note: LPL admits to being extremely biased and has made no attempt to post comments defending the Governor’s actions.
Writing something on the AT??? Oh puleeze. Lugging a laptop I presume which would only have a few hours of battery life and no place to recharge it for miles. Yeah, right…
And my personal favorite:
For disappearing for nearly a week, without telling your wife or kids where you might be (during Father’s Day weekend no less) and leaving your state with no one in charge while you were “clearing your head”, South Carolina Republican Governor Mark Sanford… You are an IDIOT!
Posted in Government, Governor Mark Sanford, News, Politics, Republicans | Tagged: Governor Mark Sanford, readers' comments, Sanford Hiking, SC State Newspaper | Leave a Comment »