Alberto Gonzales resigned. Democrats are criticizing him as he goes. Republicans are giving him very subdued thanks. If you follow this administrations myriad mistakes you are aware that Alberto Gonzales has made a number of them. If anyone thinks that his actions are independent of this administration's policy of oppression they are sorely mistaken. President Bush and his cronies have declared war on civil liberties in this country. Alberto Gonzales was acting in the service of his king... so called king, self crowned king... facist leader. Should he have risen above the administration and led the Department of Justice on a just path? I think he should have. Am I even remotely surprised he didn't? Not even a little bit.
No 1 of Consequence
Showing posts with label republicans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label republicans. Show all posts
Monday, August 27, 2007
Monday, August 20, 2007
No mas, I give up.
Back on August 6, I posted about a law that basically usurped the 4th Amendement rights from a lot of Americans. I intimated in this post that the democrats were asleep at the switch while this legislation was being pushed through.
No Best Man of Consequence sent me an e-mail last night quoting a New York Times article:
Congress accidentally gave President George Bush the power to conduct warrantless searches and seizures when it passed a wiretapping bill earlier this month. Democrats are embarrassed they voted without understanding language that would allow—among other things—some physical searches, and the collection of business records, without a court order.
Another quote from the Times:
“We did not cover ourselves in glory,” said one Democratic aide, referring to how the bill was compiled.
________________
This is sickening on a number of levels. How does one accidentally give broad powers in violation of The Constitution to the executive? How is a bill accidentally passed? I am certain I saw a Schoolhouse Rock episode once when I was a kid that detailed how tough it really is to get a law passed.
That YouTube video is 3 minutes long. Longer than anyone spent reading this pathetic piece of legislation. It also demonstrates that Congress doesn't actually debate laws anymore. They just sign them out of fear.
Scaredy cat signing quote from the times:
Though many Democratic leaders opposed the final version of the legislation, they did not work forcefully to block its passage, largely out of fear that they would be criticized by President Bush and Republican leaders during the August recess as being soft on terrorism.
Once again we have checkers playing politicians in a chess playing world. This isn't even hard folks. I bet if I asked my 13 year old son how he would handle this kind of criticism he could easily come up with a deflection strategy that would be viable.
How about this, and keep in mind I 've spent exactly 3 minutes thinking about it.
Hypothetical politician responding to hypothetical criticism that he is soft on terrorism when faced with passing legislation that significantly impacts the rights of American citizens.
"When taking my oath of office after the citizens of (insert state here) saw fit to elect me as their representative I swore to uphold The Constitution of the United States of America. This legislation, while it may be expedient, does not protect the bests interests of Americans because it impinges upon their civil liberties. Voting for legislation that oppresses law abiding citizens is a violation of my oath and I will not sign, EVER. This administration has refused to do what's hard, which is protect Americans from terrorism without infringing upon the freedoms that make this country what it is. Until President Bush and the republican party take freedom as seriously as I do, and are willing to do the hard work involved in protecting that freedom, we will not be safe from ourselves, much less terrorists."
Think that would send any critical right wing elements scrambling? I do. Imagine what someone who does political spinning professionally could come up with.
No 1 of Consequence
No Best Man of Consequence sent me an e-mail last night quoting a New York Times article:
Congress accidentally gave President George Bush the power to conduct warrantless searches and seizures when it passed a wiretapping bill earlier this month. Democrats are embarrassed they voted without understanding language that would allow—among other things—some physical searches, and the collection of business records, without a court order.
Another quote from the Times:
“We did not cover ourselves in glory,” said one Democratic aide, referring to how the bill was compiled.
________________
This is sickening on a number of levels. How does one accidentally give broad powers in violation of The Constitution to the executive? How is a bill accidentally passed? I am certain I saw a Schoolhouse Rock episode once when I was a kid that detailed how tough it really is to get a law passed.
That YouTube video is 3 minutes long. Longer than anyone spent reading this pathetic piece of legislation. It also demonstrates that Congress doesn't actually debate laws anymore. They just sign them out of fear.
Scaredy cat signing quote from the times:
Though many Democratic leaders opposed the final version of the legislation, they did not work forcefully to block its passage, largely out of fear that they would be criticized by President Bush and Republican leaders during the August recess as being soft on terrorism.
Once again we have checkers playing politicians in a chess playing world. This isn't even hard folks. I bet if I asked my 13 year old son how he would handle this kind of criticism he could easily come up with a deflection strategy that would be viable.
How about this, and keep in mind I 've spent exactly 3 minutes thinking about it.
Hypothetical politician responding to hypothetical criticism that he is soft on terrorism when faced with passing legislation that significantly impacts the rights of American citizens.
"When taking my oath of office after the citizens of (insert state here) saw fit to elect me as their representative I swore to uphold The Constitution of the United States of America. This legislation, while it may be expedient, does not protect the bests interests of Americans because it impinges upon their civil liberties. Voting for legislation that oppresses law abiding citizens is a violation of my oath and I will not sign, EVER. This administration has refused to do what's hard, which is protect Americans from terrorism without infringing upon the freedoms that make this country what it is. Until President Bush and the republican party take freedom as seriously as I do, and are willing to do the hard work involved in protecting that freedom, we will not be safe from ourselves, much less terrorists."
Think that would send any critical right wing elements scrambling? I do. Imagine what someone who does political spinning professionally could come up with.
No 1 of Consequence
Friday, June 08, 2007
Civility
I just read this article by Joe Klein. It interestingly details how he was slightly misled by a politician only to be completely lambasted by left wing bloggers. The politician called to tell him the misleading statement was unintentional and apologized. He printed the apology and got crushed again by the writers carrying the banners of the left.
I am absolutely a left leaning guy. Some would say I lean so far left I am actually laying down. They might be right. :-) My point in this little foray back into the political is that the inability to argue points with civility is what prevents progress. If someone is hateful, spiteful and vindictive is drags down their entire cause.
I fall into it sometimes, as do most people. I freely admit that the mention of Ann Coulter causes me to lose all ability to reason. Overall though, I try and keep an open mind.
Raising the level of debate in this nation is important. We have to ask more of ourselves and our countrymen. We have to focus our eyes on what is important and definitely learn to separate the things that aren't from the national stage. Publicly eviscerating people for making minor errors doesn't help anything or anyone.
_____________________________
Some notes from the UK
- TV here sucks. It just out and out blows. I was stuck watching reruns of Bones last night and felt like it was almost a good show because I was that bored.
- I don't sleep well here. It is hard to be super productive when I am dog tired a lot of the time.
- My brother calls my international cell phone to talk about fantasy baseball. I love that.
- I found out that significant time in Geneva is going to be in my future. I am note sure how I feel about this. Of course it means I will probably hit platinum medallion status on Delta.
- I really like the guys I am working with here. This consulting bunch is fantastic. They are a LOT of fun to work with and while I don't enjoy being away from my family that much, it could be a whole lot worse than it is.
- The UK is so damned expensive I can't even begin to tell you. The US needs to get the dollar back under control and they need to do it very badly.
- I found yesterday I have a new boss... sort of, maybe two new bosses, it still hasn't fleshed out and I am not really thrilled about it.
- There is a 99% chance that I am going to start doing podcasts. I just need to figure out if I can record using my Skype headset and Polycom Communicator.
No 1 of Consequence
I am absolutely a left leaning guy. Some would say I lean so far left I am actually laying down. They might be right. :-) My point in this little foray back into the political is that the inability to argue points with civility is what prevents progress. If someone is hateful, spiteful and vindictive is drags down their entire cause.
I fall into it sometimes, as do most people. I freely admit that the mention of Ann Coulter causes me to lose all ability to reason. Overall though, I try and keep an open mind.
Raising the level of debate in this nation is important. We have to ask more of ourselves and our countrymen. We have to focus our eyes on what is important and definitely learn to separate the things that aren't from the national stage. Publicly eviscerating people for making minor errors doesn't help anything or anyone.
_____________________________
Some notes from the UK
- TV here sucks. It just out and out blows. I was stuck watching reruns of Bones last night and felt like it was almost a good show because I was that bored.
- I don't sleep well here. It is hard to be super productive when I am dog tired a lot of the time.
- My brother calls my international cell phone to talk about fantasy baseball. I love that.
- I found out that significant time in Geneva is going to be in my future. I am note sure how I feel about this. Of course it means I will probably hit platinum medallion status on Delta.
- I really like the guys I am working with here. This consulting bunch is fantastic. They are a LOT of fun to work with and while I don't enjoy being away from my family that much, it could be a whole lot worse than it is.
- The UK is so damned expensive I can't even begin to tell you. The US needs to get the dollar back under control and they need to do it very badly.
- I found yesterday I have a new boss... sort of, maybe two new bosses, it still hasn't fleshed out and I am not really thrilled about it.
- There is a 99% chance that I am going to start doing podcasts. I just need to figure out if I can record using my Skype headset and Polycom Communicator.
No 1 of Consequence
Monday, October 16, 2006
Democracy - Rest in Peace
I read this article today. If you don't have time to look at it, the short version is that despite a lot of raw polling data that says the republican party is in trouble come the mid term elections in a few weeks President George Bush and his minion Karl Rove are bopping around Washington inexplicably upbeat. They don't believe they will lose the house and although statistics indicate that as many as 25 house races are in jeopardy for the GOP the evil dynamic duo are laughing it up.
Why?
Good question. The answer could very well be that the races have been pre determined with the republican candidates coming up victorious.
I am not a conspiracy theorist. There is some hinky stuff going on with our electoral system lately and NO ONE is really talking about it.
No Wife of Consequence hates when I link to things in my blog but I emplore you to read this Rolling Stone article by Robert F Kennedy Jr. Your first question should be why are articles like this in Rolling Stone and not in, you know, Time, Newsweek, USA Today... mainstream press?
Our press has failed us in very much the same way our government has failed us. The sheer vastness of the failure is what makes it so daunting. The United States of America is as much an idea as it is anything else. A government, by of and for the people that was once within our reach is now a distant memory. The idea of this country has become a distorted mess cloaked in false patriotism, religious fundementalism, greed, and outright lunacy.
Why wouldn't the press of this country seize on the massive voter irregularities in Ohio in 2004 and if nothing else drive the government to investigate itself? Wait a minute, the government did investigate itself. This 107 page report from the GAO confirms massive voter fraud in 2004. Our own government's oversight office, stepping up and saying, "Hey, umm, the guy who is in the White House, technically, not the president."
In general the people who read this site are well informed and intelligent. How come nothing happened? Our country, for lack of a better term, suffered a coup d'etat and collectively the people and press shrugged their shoulders and said, "oh well."
Where is the action? Where is the outrage? Where is the press, defender of the people? These stories are relegated to "free press" internet sites and magazines few people read. One of the fundamental organizing principals of the United States is the right to vote. That right was usurped in Florida in 2000, it was usurped in Ohio in 2004 and now, when things are looking bleak for the GOP, Pinky and the Brain are skipping around like nothing is wrong.
Are they going to screw this country again? Are they going to disenfranchise legitimate voters and fraudulently shift election results? Based on what I have read and the overwhelming evidence in support of that hypothesis I say they are.
Will anyone stand up? Will our press or any of the men and women with the power to do so that have sworn an oath to The Constitution of this nation step forward and act to protect the people. Will they protect our right to vote, our quintessential freedom? I don't think they will.
Democracy, if not dead in the United States, withers before our eyes.
No 1 of Consequence
Why?
Good question. The answer could very well be that the races have been pre determined with the republican candidates coming up victorious.
I am not a conspiracy theorist. There is some hinky stuff going on with our electoral system lately and NO ONE is really talking about it.
No Wife of Consequence hates when I link to things in my blog but I emplore you to read this Rolling Stone article by Robert F Kennedy Jr. Your first question should be why are articles like this in Rolling Stone and not in, you know, Time, Newsweek, USA Today... mainstream press?
Our press has failed us in very much the same way our government has failed us. The sheer vastness of the failure is what makes it so daunting. The United States of America is as much an idea as it is anything else. A government, by of and for the people that was once within our reach is now a distant memory. The idea of this country has become a distorted mess cloaked in false patriotism, religious fundementalism, greed, and outright lunacy.
Why wouldn't the press of this country seize on the massive voter irregularities in Ohio in 2004 and if nothing else drive the government to investigate itself? Wait a minute, the government did investigate itself. This 107 page report from the GAO confirms massive voter fraud in 2004. Our own government's oversight office, stepping up and saying, "Hey, umm, the guy who is in the White House, technically, not the president."
In general the people who read this site are well informed and intelligent. How come nothing happened? Our country, for lack of a better term, suffered a coup d'etat and collectively the people and press shrugged their shoulders and said, "oh well."
Where is the action? Where is the outrage? Where is the press, defender of the people? These stories are relegated to "free press" internet sites and magazines few people read. One of the fundamental organizing principals of the United States is the right to vote. That right was usurped in Florida in 2000, it was usurped in Ohio in 2004 and now, when things are looking bleak for the GOP, Pinky and the Brain are skipping around like nothing is wrong.
Are they going to screw this country again? Are they going to disenfranchise legitimate voters and fraudulently shift election results? Based on what I have read and the overwhelming evidence in support of that hypothesis I say they are.
Will anyone stand up? Will our press or any of the men and women with the power to do so that have sworn an oath to The Constitution of this nation step forward and act to protect the people. Will they protect our right to vote, our quintessential freedom? I don't think they will.
Democracy, if not dead in the United States, withers before our eyes.
No 1 of Consequence
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Dumb Democrats, failing their base (meaning me), yet again
Look at this nonsense. Joan M. Quigley and Linda Stender, two democrats, assemblywomen from NJ have called for retailers in NJ to boycott Ann Coulter's book. Defacto calling for corporate censorship of someone because they didn't like what she said. I realize that they are trying to generate publicity for themselves by piggybacking on Ann Coulter's publicity, but come on. Can they find a smarter way to do it? Can they rise above the muck and take the high road, please? Saying the book should be banned just drags the debate to Ann Coulter's level and she succeeds because of democratic failure to think strategically. Saying it should be banned gives that hate monger credence because now all that skeleton with bad extensions has to say is, "See, look at the left, they are afraid of my words, my truth (insert propaganda here)." Those two idiots from my home state probably did more for her book sales than they did to hurt them. Once again piss poor democratic strategy hamstringing the entire cause.
As the great Aaron Sorkin wrote in The American President "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating, at the top of his lungs, that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours."
I believe in free speech for everyone, not just people that agree with me.
For anyone in our government, Democrat or Republican, to stand up and say that people shouldn't be allowed to say what they want offends me at a core level. Healthy debate on issues is good. Disagree with someone's policy ideas and disgaree with their beliefs, combat them with facts. Saying they shouldn't be allowed to give their opinions is facism and calling for them to be censored by the government or by corporations is just wrong and not what this country is supposed to be about.
Ann Coulter is just an opportunist looking to profit off something republicans care about. She doesn't care about what they care about. She cares about money and fame and will do anything to get either. She is a media whore. Republicans should be ashamed to have her in their corner. Her sort of infantile, "look at me," tantrum style anti-journalism is an embarassment to humanity and drains credibility from their cause. The best way to combat her is to ignore her. You ignore her and all the tantrums become background noise as she fades into the background as a has been know nothing who used to be famous.
Can someone in the democratic party read Macchiavelli or The Art of War before it is too late and Jeb Bush gets elected President of the United States?
No 1 of Consequence
As the great Aaron Sorkin wrote in The American President "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating, at the top of his lungs, that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours."
I believe in free speech for everyone, not just people that agree with me.
For anyone in our government, Democrat or Republican, to stand up and say that people shouldn't be allowed to say what they want offends me at a core level. Healthy debate on issues is good. Disagree with someone's policy ideas and disgaree with their beliefs, combat them with facts. Saying they shouldn't be allowed to give their opinions is facism and calling for them to be censored by the government or by corporations is just wrong and not what this country is supposed to be about.
Ann Coulter is just an opportunist looking to profit off something republicans care about. She doesn't care about what they care about. She cares about money and fame and will do anything to get either. She is a media whore. Republicans should be ashamed to have her in their corner. Her sort of infantile, "look at me," tantrum style anti-journalism is an embarassment to humanity and drains credibility from their cause. The best way to combat her is to ignore her. You ignore her and all the tantrums become background noise as she fades into the background as a has been know nothing who used to be famous.
Can someone in the democratic party read Macchiavelli or The Art of War before it is too late and Jeb Bush gets elected President of the United States?
No 1 of Consequence
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