Friday, September 28, 2007

Senate: "Two wars not enough"

Taking a break between condemning a newspaper ad and doing nothing to end the disastrous war in Iraq, the senate decided on Wednesday to vote in favor escalating tensions with Iran. Even worse, the measure passed with that always lovely-reminiscent of the Iraq authorization bipartisanship.
Sen Webb:
"At best, it’s a deliberate attempt to divert attention from a failed diplomatic policy. At worst, it could be read as a backdoor method of gaining Congressional validation for military action, without one hearing and without serious debate"

He also adds:
"Those who regret their vote five years ago to authorize military action in Iraq should think hard before supporting this approach. Because, in my view, it has the same potential to do harm where many are seeking to do good."

Cut to Hillary Clinton voting...... Yes!!!

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a hawk - and one who doesn't learn at that. Whoever you 40 percent of democrats are, please wake the hell up!

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Last night's debate

A few thoughts on the Tim Russert Debate
-Note to Hillary: Laughing in response to a question about her vote yesterday trying provoke war with Iran... not a good look.
-Obama had pissed me off citing the innocent bystander position, but redeemed some of that by claiming that he wanted to fight to end the war before Bush is out of office. I really, really, really wish that I believed it more. One of those walk the walk if you talk the talk things, and so far, there has been no walk.
-Richardson made a good point about about how the key to immigration reform is creating jobs in Mexico. Too bad that point came from Bill Richardson, the promoter of NAFTA-which is largely responsible the lowered wages and lost jobs in Mexico - and as a result is a good deal responsible for the increase in illegal immigration during the 1990s.(Bang head on table)
-I thought Edwards was good at citing how he had learned from his Iraq war vote, and due to her vote yesterday, Clinton clearly did not. The more clear attacks on her abysmal positions from either Edwards or Obama the better.
-Kucinich made me happy by tying illegal immigration to NAFTA and the WTO in a televised debate. I'll expand on why I completely agree and it drives me insane that trade has been left out of the immigration debate some other time.
-Tim Russert: Leave the torture senario nonsense for 24, its much more interesting to watch Kiefer Sutherland run around torturing people then 8 candidates repeat the same thing.
-One last note: The environment? education? They seemed mostly to have lost out compared to favorite bible verse and baseball team. Even if someone was a Yankees, Duke and Cowboys fan - IT DOESN'T MATTER IN A PRESIDENTIAL RACE!

Well maybe if they were a cowboys fan... then it becomes a character issue.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

The Innocent Bystander Fable

The innocent bystander fable was coined by David Sirota earlier this year to describe the behavior of democrats who don't have the courage to do what is necessary to end the Iraq war, so instead they rely on the myth that they are helpless to change any aspect of the policy. He recently wrote an update on this phenomenon which includes a youtube clip of it in action, here are his words on how this tactic is so misleading:
"And again folks, claiming Democrats have no power to stop the war or that they need any more than 41 Senate votes to stop the war is a lie - and a deliberate one coming from people who are "experts" and who thus know precisely how the Congress works."

Of all the recent speeches on the war, I expect this level of lying and dishonesty from Republicans, especially on the war, but it is much more infuriating when it comes from the party who is our only hope to end it.

Update: Wow, both Obama and Clinton repeat this myth while answering the first two questions of the debate tonight. Not a good sign of things to come.

Mr. O'Reilly goes to Harlem...

He makes the shocking revelation that black people... can eat dinner just like... (Gasp!) white people.
And if that wasn't enough:
"There wasn't one person in Sylvia's(The Restaurant) who was screaming,
'M-Fer, I want more iced tea.'"

Like Don Imus, it shouldn't surprise people that Bill "Don't steal my hubcaps" O'Reilly said something racist and stupid, but I guess it's better that the media pays attention to this type of stuff several years late rather than not at all.

Update: I was talking to my dad about this earlier and I think he had the best take on it. He joked that could have been seen as a breakthrough in race relations in the 1920s and I think that goes a long way in explaining O'Reilly's world view.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Welcome

I started this blog for a several reasons. I wanted to be a part of the expanding network of progressive blogs, and needed a sort of home to start from. Although much of that dialogue will take place when I post something on a larger site, I will link to everything that I write here. In addition to that purpose, I think this would be good place to link to articles that I think other people might be interested in, a place for funny/stupid links, and some sports/music rambling. Whether you agree or disagree with what's said, I hope you all enjoy it and let me know what you think. Debate is always welcome... that's what the comments are for and I hope to see you there!