Health Care

You have got to give republicans credit: they tried their best to kill health care legislation. First, the tried to kill it by an effort to bar "earmarks" in the legislation; earmarks that republicans themselves helped put it the bill. Second, they claimed the legislation was unconstitutional, because in requiring fines for those w/o insurance, the bill violated the 10th Amendment. That idea failed on a party line vote of 60 to 39. Third, the GOP conducted a non-filibuster filibuster and that failed by the necessary 60 votes to 40. Again straight party line. The final vote to pass HR-3590 was 60 to 39.

What does one see in a party that opposed Social Security in the 1930' and still does, opposed Medicare in the 1960's, and now is dead set against a health care plan? The GOP has not met a war it did not want to fund or a social program it did not want to kill.

(Source: "How your US lawmakers voted" The Record on 12/27/09)

Health Care and Abortions

The news this am is about the possibility that the needed 60 votes for the health care bill has been reached. Nebraska democrat Ben Nelson will vote for the bill if stronger curbs are placed on abortions being covered under the bill. This presents an interesting compromise. What if we could insure some 50 million Americans-who are without health coverage now-but by doing so some abortions would occur? Are some people so opposed to a legal procedure that they would deny millions of Americans needed care?

The article I am reading also notes that the US Conference of Catholic Bishops is also opposed to legislation that does not "seek stricker abortion curbs". "The bishops played an significant role in drafting an abortion-related provision in the House bill". Tell me why an organization that has allowed its members to sexually abuse young children and then hide them from proper prosecution for those crimes should even be listened to?

Crimes and pardons

It seems that former governor Mike Huckabee pardoned Maurice Clemmons in 2000 from a 95 year prison sentence, along with 1033 other prison inmates over the 10 years he was in office. That is double the number pardoned by the three previous governors of Arkansas. Clemmons is the alleged killer of the four police officers in Tacoma, Washington recently. This reminds me of the political attacks on governor Mike Dukakis in 1988 by the Bush I ad men. Remember the Willie Horton ads? At least Sarah Palin will be happy with the bad press for a contender for the 2012 GOP nomination.

Patrick J. Kennedy

The House representative from Rhode Island has been told by the Roman Catholic bishop of Providence, RI that he should "refrain from receiving communion because of his stance on abortion". This info was reported on the NY Times.com website today. Why doesn't the church also deny communion to those who support capital punishment or the war in Iraq; both are positions the church says they oppose. If the church is going to act in an obviously partisan political fashion, then they should loss their tax exempt status.

In the debate on the health care bill, Kennedy opposed language that would make it harder to get funding for an abotion, but when the final vote came up with the "anti-abortion language" in it, he voted for it. For some groups-the church here-there is no room for compromise.

Defense Spending

Back in June the House voted a defense spending bill of $ 680 billion for fiscal year 2010 which included $ 130 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Only 22 representatives voted against the spending. I guess both parties are in favor of the continuation of this obscene level of spending, especially when there are so many other pressing needs in this country: like health care reform. We could spend $ 130 billion on health care instead of wars that should not have been fought in the first place or are past the point of winning.

(Source: "How your US lawmakers voted" in The Record on 6/28/09)

Pat Robertson and Jeremiah Wright

Robertson has stated on his radio program that "Islam is not a religion. It is a violent political system bent on the overthrow of the governments of the world and world domination". Adherents of Islam should be treated as "we would members of the Communist Party or members of some fascist group".

Virginia governor elect Bob McDonnell is a friend who has taken donations from Robertson, went to his school and considers him his minister. The issue is-to me at least-if Barack Obama was forced to denounce Jeremiah Wright for his 20 year old statements who isn't McDonnell being asked to do the same in regard to Robertson?

I guess what's good for the goose is not good for the gander.

(Source: "Pat Robertson puts McDonnell on spot with Islam remarks" by Rosalind S. Helderman of the Washington Post. In the Virginian Pilot on 11/15/09)

Bush Drug Bill

At the end of 2003, Bush II and his GOP congress passed "the largest health-care entitlement bill since Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare into law in 1965". The proposed $ 400 billion bill has provided prescription drugs to elderly Americans. The problem is that "no provision was made to pay for it-either by tax increases or by reductions in other programs". A former director of the CBO "estimated...the cost at least $ 1 trillion by its second decade: 2014-23". How come republicans were not screaming about the budget deficit then as they are now that Obama wants a health care bill? Obama"s bill would include a means of funding. As a respected colleague of mine always says the difference between democrats and republicans is that one taxes and spends while the other spends but does not tax.

(Source: "Democrats Might Learn Something from Dirty Dancing Tom DeLay" by Lou DuBose in The Washington Spectator on 11/1/09).

Federal Government Spending

Congress-and it seems the President-don't have any trouble shelling out $ 680 billion a year for defense spending but can't come up with $ 100 billion for health care for nearly 50 million Americans. In the mind of this writer, we would be better off with a healthy and cared for population rather than an over-inflated military industrial complex that hasn't met a weapon it didn't like. Then there is spending on a program to take us back to the moon-or somewhere else out there. NASA just launched a rocket whose flight lasted two minutes, according to The Record article today. This was only a first step in the moon return project and was carrying "throwaway ballast and sensors"; this is one hell of a way to get rid of some trash. This money- $ 445 million-was spent while the entire program may be scrapped. Go ahead, call me a Luddite, but it seems that $ 445 million could be put to a much better use here on earth

Defense Spending

The Senate just sent to Pres Obama a $ 680 billion defense budget for fiscal 2010. That includes $ 130 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, almost a billion for a fence on the Mexican border, a 3.4 % pay raise for the military and an increase in the active-duty force by 40,000. You might think that with all this spending they could come up with some for health care, especially since $ 130 billion is going partly to a war we should never have fought in the first place. The price of a health care plan has been stated to be around $ one trillion over 10 years. The defense budget will be $ 6,800,000,000,000 over that period. Will we ever get defense spending under control, especially when there are other equally important concerns.

Plant Closing Virginia

International Paper is about to close its plant in Franklin, Virginia and put 1100 workers out in the cold; which they will do by the end of the year. Merry Christmas to the working class. It is noted in the article in The Virginian Pilot on this date that the companies "...shares rose 61 cents Thursday to close at $ 24.38 each on the NYSE". If you are under the impression that we are all in the same boat and in it together, you are most assuredly wrong. What's good for the stock holder is not always (should I say never?) good for the worker. You wonder why the business class is opposed to unions; they can make more profits if the working class is non-union.

US Iran Policy

Check out the post from today on my history blog on this subject. I really can't believe after all we have heard about Iran building a nuclear facility and our fear that they will develop a nuclear weapon, that local governments cannot withdraw their investments in companies that aid Iran's nuclear sector. If these companies are foreign, we can't do much about it. But if these companies are American and are investing in a nuclear Iran or selling "services and equipment" to Iran's energy sector, there is something very wrong with our policy toward Iran and corporate activity.

US Defense Spending

As I noted in my history blog on this date, the US is spending billions of dollars to re-build the infrastructure of Afghanistan. This gives me a warm feeling while I am driving over the Oregon Inlet bridge in the Outer Bands region of NC; a bridge that has been in need of major repair for years. I went over it last week and some work has just begun. In September of 2005 Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and they are still waiting for infrastructure repair. Maybe they should declare war on the US and occupy a federal armory in the state. That way the US would invade Louisiana and after blowing up the ruins that are still there would have to rebuild them. I don't understand why we would be spending $ 5 billion to build roads in a country where people don't have cars. I wonder if this went out on a no-bid contract and to which company the job was given? I also wonder if conservatives in this country are as equally opposed to this spending project as they are to stimulus projects in this country.

Taxes and Services

I was recently on I-95 driving south from DC and once over the Woodrow Wilson Bridge I began looking for a rest stop. What I found was the first and second stops on that road were closed. I did not find a stop until turning off on I-64 east of Richmond. I read in the Virginian Pilot today that in order to save money Virginia has closed 19 interstate rest areas and the Transportation Board has had its funding cut by $ 1.5 billion over 6 years. It is reported in this paper that the Republican candidate for governor has stated he will not raise taxes (what else would you expect from a republican) and is critical of the democratic candidate for not making a similiar pledge. So you want to drive an interstate and have no where to stop for a break or rest or some information? Well, find a bush, Audrey.

The Party of No

Regarding the Nobel Peace Prize issue, Senator John McCain said "I think all of us were surprised at the decision, but I think Americans are always pleased when their president is recognized by something on this order". Unfortunately, he seems to be the only republican who is not tripping over himself to heap scorn on the president. Republicans have NO health care plan other than NO. They don't want a stimulus package that will put Americans to work while they will spend billions on CEO's bonuses. They have NO plan for lowering the unemployment rate. They cheer when the Olympic committee turned down Chicago for the site of the 2012 games. And now they spend what energy they can get up to say NO to an international award for a democratic president. Why does anyone, other than the wealthy, consider voting for this party?

Obama Peace Prize Issue

I like some of the negative comments (I really don't) regarding the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama. Cal Thomas-conservative columnist-says the "peace prize is meaningless". Thomas quotes the Bible-James 4:1-3-that seems to say only asking God "with the right motives" can end fighting. A candidate for the office of Virginia Attorney General-Ken Cuccinelli-says "I suspect that whoever nominated him did it as a joke" and "how about that, it really did turn out to be a joke".

New York Times colunist-Ross Douthat-says simply that President Obama should not have accepted the award. For one reason it was only given by a "committee of five obscure Norwegians". He also calls the award a "travesty".

(Source: Thomas column in The Virginian Pilot on 10/14/09, Cuccinelli bit in the same paper on 10/13/09 and Douthat column in the same paper on the same date)

Working in the USA

Working men and women of this country should wake up to the realities. Big business wants to send jobs overseas-"outsourcing"-while bringing in illegal aliens to work in the country-"insourcing"-causing a major increase in the number of American citizens without jobs. Add to that the fact that the big business community opposes any effort to create work through the stimulus program and also opposes any increase in the federal minimum wage. They also oppose any effort to bring about universal health care. But then again they do support "family values" except if that includes a job, health care and food on the table for the kids. Family values my....

Viet-stan

General Stan McChrystal has told President Obama that he needs an additional 40,000 soldiers. If he doesn't get them, he says, "the conflict will likely result in failure". That makes the decision clear to me. Obama has only two choices; send the troops or get the hell out. There can be no middle ground here. If our top military man in the war gives the kind of report he did it would be almost criminal for the President to ignore it. Eight years is enough. We should know that trying to prop up a corrupt native government just does not work. All reports seem to be saying that the last election there was a fraud. The news reports are saying that the Taliban, while not in Kabul, have control over a larger majority of the country than they did before we invaded. Our major objective should be to get Osama bin-Laden and put al-Qaeda out of operation. We can do that without getting into nation building in an area of the world that does not want us.

I supported you Barack. I sent you money, voted for you and urged others to vote for you. I am also old enough to remember 1967 when I got drafted and the needless waste that war entailed. Get out of this quagmire now before it is too late. You only have two choices; send the troops or get out. I, for one, say get out.

Taxes and Services

One of the services my town provides is crossing guards at most major intersections in town. These people make it safer to cross the street when most motorists would just as soon run you down even when you are in the cross walk. Of course, the main reason for the guards is to provide a greater degree of safety for school age kids who would be in considerable danger without them. The guards I know have been on the job for a number of years and are town residents. Some people don't recognize this as a worthwhile service because they send their children to private schools and are driven there by the au-pair, the butler or whoever.

Another service my town provides are basketball courts, with lights, that gets a lot of use by school age teams during the summer and adults from surrounding towns the rest of the year.

We may complain about the taxes we pay but lets also think of the many services that those taxes-in this case property taxes-provide and make living a little more comfortable.

Defense Spending

The Senate refused to end a program to build ten C-17 cargo planes that the Pentagon did not want. The cost is $ 2.5 billion in the 2010 defense budget. The proposal was to shift that spending to "accounts that more directly support troops and their families". Only 34 senators voted to shift the spending while 64 voted to retain it. The plane is built by Boeing mostly in California and with suppliers in 40 states. Let me re-state this decision; the Senate will spend billions of dollars on planes the military does not want. For those of you who think the military budget is about national defense, think again. At the best this is a very expensive jobs program. At the worst it is a significant give away of public funds to a major corporation and political donor. How much of this $ 2.5 billion goes to high paid executives of Boeing?

(Source: The Record on 10/4/09 and Thomas Voting Reports from 10/5/09)

One Track Minds

Republicans have only one way to view problems; that's pro-big corporations, anti-tax, anti-regulation, anti-union, anti-social programs to help average citizens. What's worse is that not only do they have only one way of viewing things they also believe its their way or the highway. Democrats are less wedded to one blueprint or plan; it seems at times they don't really stand for anything. It seems, to this writer at least, that democrats are more practical and are more willing to try different plans to attack our problems. Herbert Hoover, in 1930, was more stuck on that one way to doing things while Franklin Roosevelt believed he should try different approaches to the problems we faced. To FDR the problem would not solve itself, we had to do something, anything, just take action. Today, if the plan does not include a tax cut-most likely for the wealthy-or a cut in spending-for domestic program-or an attack upon the federal government republicans are not going to vote for it.

Federal Stimulus Money

I just returned from a road trip to OBX in North Carolina and Charleston in South Carolina with a side trip to Ocracoke Island in NC. It seems obvious that federal stimulus money is at work. In every state we passed thru-including the NJ turnpike-there is road work going on. It may create an inconvience at times but it is good to see the government putting people to work improving the country. Much better than spending $ 1 trillion to fight a needless war in Iraq, to say nothing of the human cost involved. These jobs, at least, can't be outsourced.

Billable Hour Reform

In the health care debate we keep on hearing about "tort reform" as a way to lower health care costs. Tort reform, for those who are most concerned about it, means limiting the amount of money a lawyer can make when he sues a company, hospital or doctor for negligence or misconduct. We should remember he or she is suing on behalf of a defendant who has been injured in some way by a company, hospital or doctor.

What about reforming the process of a client-company, hospital or doctor-who has to pay a law firm that represents them for every minute that firm "works" on their case? How much of that legal expense-called billable hours-is really legitimate? How much of it covers lunch breaks at "the club" while discussing a clients case?

It just might be that "billable hours" are causing more of an increase in health care costs than tort settlements. (See "findlaw.com" article on "billable hour reform" on 9/28/09)

Terror and Mass Transit

With the trial of one Najibullan Zazi in NYC we were told that he might have been planning terror attacks on city subways and buses. His method might have been "backpack bombs on New York trains". The trial is in process and the military presence in train terminals in the city has increased. Just when people were beginning to leave their cars at home and commute by mass transit we now learn that this might increase our chances of getting blown up. What is one to do? Wait; could this be the beginning of the build up to the 2010 election?

Viet-stan

So now the US general in charge of US/NATO forces in Afghanistan wants more troops "...or (we) will likely face failure". What, does he think he is William Westmoreland and Obama is Johnson. It all sounds familiar to one who lived through the Vietnam War era and was drafted. The problem thou is-to me at least-there is no way to win here. The Afghan people are not going to accept westerners-especially Americans-occupying their land, thus setting us up for a long struggle just to "hold the fort". If we withdraw from the country the corrupt government of Hamid Karzai will fall and the Taliban will most likely return to power, thus allowing the right-wing in this country to yell about "who lost Afghanistan" until the cows come home. Is a lower price for oil going to be worth the lost of American lives and wasted revenue from a treasury that doesn't have enough now to provide for our present needs?

Taxes and Services

After driving around the Outer Banks area of northern North Carolina for a couple of days now I am struck again by the availablity of bike paths along many of the main highways. Route 12 north from Southern Shores up to the end of the road-about 30 miles-has a wide macadem path.

The OBX beaches in this same area are monitored by a beach patrol and if the ocean conditions are too dangerous for swimming the patrols put up red flags along the the 3 to 5 mile stretch in Southern Shores. There may also be flags up further north into Duck and Corolla but I have not been up there to know for sure. This service is being provided after Labor Day when most of the tourist trade has left. Members of the beach patrol will visit each beach and remind those who ignore the flags of the danger of swimming with rip-currents.

Without these services life here would be more hazardous and injury and death would occur.

What is it with South Carolina?

Joe Wilson's racist inspired outburst, confederate battle flags over the capitol, former senator Strum Thurmond as a segregationist presidential candidate, and a governor who will not accept "stimulus" money to make a personal political point.

In the 1960's, folk singer Phil Ochs sang that "Mississippi should find another country to be part of". In 2009 South Carolina should do the same, and this time, I say, let them go.

Taxes and Services

I returned yesterday to the ferry service out of Hatteras Village to the island of Ocracoke in NC. I have taken this wonderful trip on a number of occasions over the last decade and have always been impressed with it. The trip I took cost me nothing but time as the boat ride was free. The state of NC provides the service. They run 21 ferries employing 400 people, taking 2.5 million people and 1.1 million vehicles to locations you might not be able to get to othewise. State taxes pay for this service and while some of the ferries also charge a fee, the one to Ocracoke is free to the traveler. Services require taxes. I also noted that the beaches along the National Seashore on Ocracoke have paved parking lots with sanitary facilities and beachwalks; all being provided by federal tax money. For those not wishing to pay taxes, try making a list of all the things you will give up. Maybe the wealthy don't want the service; they have private yachts to private islands and private beaches and see no reason to help others enjoy similiar experiences.

US Elections

It has been reported that the Diebold company has sold its US voting machine division to a rival-Election Systems & Software. The NY Times says "...Congress, the states and cities need to push a lot harder for fundamental reforms in the voting machine business...". I just don't understand how a democracy could hand over to a private company the responsibility of running and reporting on the results of an election. Who owns these companies, who are they contributing campaign dollars to, and what are their politics?

Debating Neo-Cons

Forget about it. You can not argue with someone who has lost all ability to reason sensibly. Take the recent "debate" over allowing President Obama to address school kids on opening day. His opponents say "Obama would try to indoctrinate schoolchildren with what they call his 'socialist' agenda". When I attended a health care town meeting their were people passing out literature comparing Obama to Adolph Hitler. Can he possibily be a fascist and a socialist at the same time. In another instance a town hall protester allegedly shouted "keep government hands off my Medicare". Remember this on Thanksgiving when the family you don't see every day begins to "discuss"politics. Don't go there. You will regret it.

Health care and Immigration

It is reported in the news on 9/6/09 in NC that republicans and others, opposed to the health care reform President Obama is pushing, are concerned illegal immigrants will get covered at tax payer expense. Democratic supporters of health care respond by reading from the legislation the section title "no Federal Payment for Undocumented Aliens". Opponents counter by saying their should be a verification system of citizenship. Well, good idea. Lets also apply that same verfication system to illegal workers hired by companies all over the US and employ only those workers who are truly citizens.

Thomas on Liberal Universities

Cal Thomas writes in The Virginian Pilot on 9/6/09 the following. "Here is the way I believe it works at liberal universities. Some professors require their students to repeat back to them on test papers and in theses what the professors believe. Unless students hate republicans, revile GW Bush and Ronald Reagan, renounce God, support abortion and gay rights, they can sometimes expect a lower, even failing grade". I wonder how he would explain the "colleges" that tell a student who to date or what to wear? I would also like to hear from college grads if Cal Thomas has any support for his theory.

Gadhafi and Bush

In North Jersey this week the town of Englewood is up in arms because of a possible visit by Libyan Moammar Gadhafi; he is NYC for a UN meeting. His visit is happening just after the British released the convicted terrorist who destroyed a commercial airliner supposedly under orders from the Libyan government. That terrorist was welcomed home as a hero in Libya. No wonder people around here are all bent out of shape over this. But, why has nothing been said about G.W. Bush making a deal with Gadhafi a year or two ago. Bush took Libya off the list of terrorist supporting countries and welcomed his "help" in the Iraq war. Gadhafi is a terrorist and almost everyone around here knows it; except Bush.

Update: In 2004 Bush "resumed direct diplomatic ties with Libya" and he lifted sanctions because Libya agrees to "dismantle chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs". In 2006 Bush "removed Libya from the list of nations that sponsor terrorism" and at the same time grants "full diplomatic ties". This update is from The Record on 8/24/09 page A-6 under "Libya timeline". Maybe Bush forgot about the Lockerbie, Scotland plane bombing that killed 270 people. In 2003 Libya admitted their role in the bombing and paid $ 2.7 billion to the families of the victims. Iraq did not attack us in 2001 but we attacked them. Libya did attack and kill Americans in 1988 and we take their name of the terror nations list. Go figure.

Wealth in America

The PGA tour is playing this week at a new course in Jersey City; Liberty National. The NY Times notes that it takes $ 500,000 to join-an initiation fee-with yearly dues of $ 25,000. My understanding of these types of courses is that a member-there are 90-also must pay each day they play golf for a caddie or cart and must also promise to spend a certain amount each month in the restaurant. The course is a 1000 yards from the Statue of Liberty and has "unobstructed views of the Manhattan skyline".

I have a difficult time comprehending this kind of wealth when you can pay this amount to play a game (and I am a golfer). It's bad enough that we pay men what we do to play a boys game, but for a hacker to pay yearly more than what social security will pay an elderly couple to live on is not a complement to our society. The NY Times article notes that Rudolph W. Giuliani is a member. Where does an ex-mayor of a city get that kind of money and how could he possibly understand the financial woes of the social security couple?

Conservatives and health care

Why are neo-cons so worked up about the health care issue? My own brother has told me "I have my head up my ass" because of something to do with the issue. And I haven't even expressed a position yet. I doubt that they are concerned about what is good for most of us or about health care. They know that if democrats or liberals produce a health care plan that covers the 40 million not now covered and the program works, their (neo-cons) ideology will have suffered a major defeat similiar to that of the passage of Social Security. Democrats have produced Social Security and Medicare and if they add to that list of achievements the creation of a health care for all program, republicans-their ideology a bankrupt sham-will be cast into the political wilderness for a generation or more. Neo-cons know that they must defeat the democrats on this issue or they will find it exceedingly difficult to get back into power on the national level. The republicans are pulling out all the stops and sinking to even lower levels of deception and falsehood not seen since the days of McCarthy. They were successful in 1993 against the Clinton health care effort. Can they do it again?

Winston Churchill 2009

August 19, 2009 was the 69the anniversary of one of WC's most famous statements. He said back in 1940 after the "Battle of Britain" that "never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few". Today with government bail-outs and executive pay raises it might be said that "never in the field of economic policy has so much been given by so many to so few". And the bastards think they deserve their bonuses.

Senator John Ensign

The Record on 7/10/09 reports that the parents of the senator paid his mistress $ 96,000 "out of concern for the well-being of longtime family friends". Another issue involves the possible payment of $ 25,000 directly to the mistress as a "severance package". It seems the money is an issue if it came from "campaign or official funds" and may not have been reported to election committees. Ensign has admitted a sexual affair with a campaign worker whose husband was a family friend and staff worker. Ensign has also admitted a payment to that family for some unknown purpose (maybe to keep quiet). After all this Ensign's lawyer says "Sen Ensign has complied with all applicable laws and Senate ethics rules". Some rules.

Robert S. McNamara

The JFK and LBJ architect of the Vietnam War died this week at the age of 93. His obit in The Record notes that he did not believe bombing of the north would work but went along with it anyway to prove that it didn't work. He felt this way in 1967, the year I was drafted, but kept on lying to the public about the success of the bombing campaign. At least he finally admitted he was "terribly wrong" about the US involvement in the war, albeit too late to do any good. At least he admitted his mistake. I wonder if Dick Cheney will ever admit his mistake in taking us to war against Iraq in 2003? My guess; no chance.

Immgration and the Census

I just finished a post to my "history blog" about illegal immigrants and whether or not they should cooperate with the up-coming national census. How can people be in this country illegally and be counted toward the total population of the state and county in which they illegal live? How can one government agent count a person who another government agent is suppose to arrest? Talk about the need for an overhaul of our immigration policy. What really burns my butt is the fact that during the last election cycle those who complained the most about the illegal alien population were the same ones who regularly benefit from that population. The company owners who hired illegals, or looked the other way when an agent did so, then paid then as little as possible with no benefits or legal rights and threatened them with the INS if they complained. The country club types who needed someone to water the greens and cut the fairways and didn't want to pay a decent wage for the work. The wealthy who also needed their lawns mowed and bushes trimmed for as little as they could get away with. The giant agricultural mega-farms who needed cheap labor. These are the ones who have always wanted cheap labor, be it slaves, children or illegals, and who in most cases are registered republicans.

Labels

An op ed article in The Record on June 17, 2009 was entitled "Don't lump conservatives with the radical right" and written by a "fellow at the Miller Center of Public Affairs" at UVA. The writer notes the controversy over Lush Limbaugh's "more incendiary statements" and says conservative republicans should not be branded with his extreme right-wing political stands. She probably is correct but where was she when conservatives branded liberal democrats-like myself-with the "socialist" label. I have even had family members do it. For how long have we been treated to the GOP referring to Obama as a "terrorist" or "communist"? This has always been a mark of a conservative in this country; call those who disagree with you any name you can think of, question his manhood, call him an atheist, or if you can't think of anything else just plain call him an asshole. Just remember, you conservatives, if someone thinks differently they "just don't know what they are talking about", so don't argue the facts, just label him a "commie" or whatever, it's easier then trying to think of something intelligent to say.

Bush War Crimes Issue

Why didn't Bush II pardon the members of his administration for their parts in the torturing of prisoners and the practice of "extraordinary rendition" along with other crimes against the constitution? In effect he has left them open to investigation by the Obama administration. President Ford pardoned the Watergate criminals. President Reagan pardoned the Iran/Contra criminals, so why didn't Bush II pardon his criminals? I believe Bush II intended to leave the issue open in order to create havoc in the democratic party over the issue. Obviously, some want an investigation and some do not. Bush knew that the investigation of some of his people would piss off the republican party to the point that any hope of bi-partisan cooperation would be impossible. He also knew that if the Obama admin fails to take any action against the violations of US and international law a wedge would be driven between the left wing of the democratic party and the Obama administration. This issue would also create a major debate within the country and divert the attention of the present administration from addressing the other important issues. Whoever said that George W. Bush was an idiot?

Conservatives and the Law

First it was "Watergate", then it was "Iran/Contra" and now it is "CIA Torture memos". Conservatives were responsible for all three; they can't be trusted to protect the Constitution. Within my life time conservatives have trashed the Constitution at least three times. Ford pardoned the Nixon criminals. Bush I pardoned the Reagan criminals and now Obama is giving the CIA criminals a free pass. In order for this pattern of abuse of the Constitution to end, someone must be prosecuted. Conservatives have to be taught that they can't violate the law time after time and get away with it. Hell, Dick Cheney goes on the Sunday talk shows and brags about his violations of the Constitution. Still nothing happens. And Bill Clinton has an affair and lies about it and he is impeached. Something is wrong here.

Taxes and Torture

Two days ago conservatives held nation-wide rallies to bitch about taxes (and President Obama). Yesterday the CIA memos on torture under the Bush admin were released pending a ACLU lawsuit. Where was the outrage over the CIA use of torture against "suspected" criminals; actions that were done in our name and tarnish the reputation and endanger the lives of our armed service members? Torture is not only "crimes against humanity" but are understood by many to be ineffectual. Rallies over taxes; silence over torture. Something is wrong with this picture. On the other hand, maybe those protesting taxes are indirectly saying they don't want to spend money to fund "secret prisons" and costly waterboards. Maybe they think the cost for the water is too high. I guess there is hope.

Defense Spending

The Wall Street Journal, as reported in the Virginian Pilot on 4/14/09, states that a naval fleet of 300 ships is "perilously small". Is there no limit to how much we can spend on defense projects when there are so many people in this country without jobs, homes or enough to eat? What about our education and health needs or infrastructure improvements? There has to be some point at which we say enough already. The defense budget was reported recently at somewhere over $ 500 billion a year. While the Navy wants more ships the Air Force says it is time to change to a new fighter plane. The F-22 is described in a Virginian Pilot op ed article as the "most capable fighter in our military inventory" but they still want a new plane; the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. People are holding "tea party rallies" tomorrow to protest government spending on domestic items but you can bet these rallies will not protest the amount we spend to build new weapons or prop up some brutal dictatorship or build new military bases in Iraq or Guam or some other out of the way place. Lets spend some of that money to repair the damage done to this country instead. The country would be made stronger if problems in this country were addressed with some of this massive funding.

The CIA

Will this agency ever be brought under control? It is noted in the Virginian Pilot on 4/10/09 that the CIA will "completely close secret prisons abroad". Leon Panetta-the director-says that CIA officials "should not be investigated, let alone punished"; the reason being that the Justice Department under Bush "declared their actions legal". Why then did we punish the non-commissioned officers at Abu Ghraib prison for their actions? A number are in jail now, to my knowledge. "Waterboarding" is torture. It was torture when done to John McCain in Vietnam, it is torture today when done to detainees at these secret "black sites" of the CIA. Not all of those we have held are guilty of anything; some most certainly are, but how is one to know if no trial was ever held to determine guilt. Dick Cheney endorsed this "enhanced interrogation procedure" and it is recognized as torture by the US Constitution and international law. Why is he not being tried for his crimes against humanity?

The CIA

Guns

It is claimed in a letter to the editor of the Virginian Pilot on 4/10/09 that there are 200 million "legally owned handguns" in this country and that 50 % of households have a gun. It is also estimated that "2.5 million-3 million" defensive uses of legally owned firearms in the US every year". This, of course, is the reason to allow more guns so that people can defend themselves from madmen who kill for no reason. It seems to this writer that if the actual use of guns to fend off attackers were known the figure would be more definate, rather than one with a half million variable. I would like to know the basis for this claim by the writer from Chesapeake, Virginia.

EPA

The EPA is finally doing what it should have been doing for the last 8 years. Under the Bush II admin the EPA, in December of 2007, made a recommendation to the WH to "state officially that global warming is a threat to human welfare"; the WH "refused to open the document". In July of 2008 the EPA chief-Stephen Johnson-overruled his own "scientific and technical staff's recommendation" that global warming should be addressed under the Clean Air Act. Now with the Obama admin the EPA has sent to the WH a finding that "global warming is endangering the public's health and welfare". Finally the EPA is being allowed to do the job it was created to do. (Info above from the Virginian Pilot on newspaper 3/24/09. The EPA is now holding back Bush admin 150 to 200 applications for mountain-top coal mining to "evaluate the projects' impact on streams and wetlands". (Virginian Pilot on 3/25/09).

The Griffin Doctrine

This post and others under this label will try to develop my thoughts on what this country should consider as an overall policy as we go forward.

I would withdraw all our combat and training military units from countries they are now stationed. The only US military in any country should be those who guard our embassies and ambassadors. We should turn over to the host countries the bases at present occupied. I see no reason to have occupation troops on Japanese or Germany soil 60 years after wars there. We should evacuate the Guantanmo Bay base and Okinawa island. These troops can be returned to the US and stationed around the US. The money those troops spend will be spent in US stories and other establishments. Those troops then will be available to help with border security, dealing with national disasters (like Hurricane Katrina) and provide back-up for local police forces.

Update: 3/25/09 The flooding of the Red River in the Dakotas is a perfect example of why we need the National Guard and army units in this country and not in Okinawa. Another example is the growing drug war along the Mexico border. We need more military presence there and not in Germany or South Korea.

Pakistan and terrorism

A Virginia paper on 3/22/09 reported that the new CIA head-Leon Panetta-was in Pakistan to discuss war strategy against terrorists. The paper said "the US is concerned that political turmoil in Pakistan is distracting its government and army from combating Islamist insurgents..." Don't they see that the opposite is in fact the case. The US and Pakistan effort to combat "Islamist insurgents" is threatening the "political turmoil" in a "nuclear-armed country". What good will our policy be if in the end it results in the creation of another "failed state"?

Contracts

Why is it that the executives at AIG must be paid their bonuses because it is in a contract, but when the government wants the auto companies to save money the first thing they say is the workers contracts should be voided. It seems a contract is only binding if it benefits the wealthy.

Income taxes and bailout companies

It was reported recently that 13 of the companies that are getting stimulus package money owe back income taxes in the amount of $ 230 million. Two of those companies owe $ 100 million each. The issue of payment of taxes was handled by the stimulus plan by an official at the receiving company affirming that all taxes were paid. The government took their work for it; they did not check it out. Now the internet page for the NY Times noted this fact and the point that the person doing the affirming was guilty of a crime if he lied. The NY Times the next day omitted this fact in their article. The first issue then is why did this "liberal" newspaper omit that part of the story? The second issue is when will the "official" who so affirmed be charged with a crime.