Grant Hillary a pass for the moment on how and when to end the war. Let's limit this to her comments on its' beginning. Some say she has been critical of the administration; and so she has. What disturbs, however is the muted tone. She says bush "miscalulated". She calls him "inept". She says he gave "empty assurances".
There is an eerie disjunction here, rather as if someone noted that Jeffery Dahmer committed some felonies, or that Jack the Ripper had a troubled attitude toward women. The degree of understatement in Hillary's comments verges on the bizarre.
Today is my personal gratitude and thanks to Laura Rozen day. Her WAR AND PIECE blog is one of the few absolutely, imperatively, must reads. She has an unerring nose for the key articles and news releases, along with the sharpest of eyes for just which rock to look under. I count on her especially when it comes to the more sordid adventures of the neocons, and those who similarly skulk in the dark corners of foreign policy intrigue. I hazard a guess that a few years in the Balkans leaves one permanently alert to the devious.
In any case, fellas, you NEED War and Piece. I'm simply in awe of the consistent high effort and dedication to the public welfare in a blog like hers. Blessings on Laura Rozen
The basic facts: John Sweeney's wife, Gayle, has been getting a 10% cut on all fundraising done in the district. Since 2003 this has amounted to nearly $50,000 in personal money for the Sweeeny household. While wives on the payroll is a common racket (look at Ms. Delay), a percentage cut is quite rare. I think only Doolittle of California is as brazen as Sweeney in this regard.
In order for the US to withdraw on Mr. Bush's terms, Iraq needs a stable parliament and an administrative structure capable of operating and maintaining departments of Army and Public Safety. Let's say that some kind of unity government can be put in place in the next few months. Where and how are they going to find the personnel trained in adminstration to operate an army and police force? The only perople with any background are former Baathists, who obviously won't be acceptable to the majority. I have no doubt that individual Iraqi soldiers can be trained to disclipline and basic military skills. However, where is the command structure going to come from?
Somehow 'choice' has become the tag name for legal abortion. I think this is a serious mistake, since the real concern is not choice but liberty. We are the abortion freedom movement -not the prochoice movement.
We seek freedom to conduct our lives according to the dictates of reason. We seek the freedom to not bring unwanted chidrem into the world. We seek the freedom to not be coerced into childbearing. We seek the freedom to avail ourselves of contemporary medical science.
Yesterday I wrote here about the false and propagandistic assertion that many women are psychologically scarred by abortion. Deep thanks to all who answered, especially the women who were so open about their own abortion experiences.
I want to follow up by questioning Hillary Clinton's phrase that "....abortion is a sad, even tragic choice". Is this true? my impression is that the majority of wopmen who terminate a pregnancy would describe it as regrettable, even though unquestionably necessary.
One of the more vicious distortions spread by the anti abortion lobby is the notion that many women suffer from serious psychological consequences to an an abortion. While this happens, it is almost assuredly less common than the negative psychological consqeuences of giving birth. Post partum psychosis is a real and dangerous condition. major postpartum depression is also real (witness Brooke Shield's moving account of her struggle.) I have never encountered a post abortion psychosis. In my clinical experience the incidence of post abortion mental complications is lower than that following carrying to term. Moreover, I suspect that post abortion depression is more related to the same biological changes that cause post partum reactions than to moral guilt.
Hamas is usually described as a fundamentalist organization. This is true in some ways but not in others. Hamas, like the Islamic Brotherhood, is primarily concerned with political power and social reform. There is no question but that under Hamas political rule women would be veiled and there might be public beheadings. Yet, Sharia law is not the main element in the Hamas outlook. Adherence to orthodox Islam is a programmatic necessity for Hamas as a means of inspiring people, and promoting party zeal and cohesion. But the Islam of Hamas is not the Islam of the Imams,the Islam of the middle ages.
There is a wonderful book (title sadly lost) describing ways in which certain plants like apples, potatos and marijuana successfully cultivated the human crop to aid them in their journeys In the same way, I think the blogosphere is busy creating us. I contend that the left blogosphere (is there a right blogosphere?)is at work creating us and training us.
Take for example, Atrios, Marshall and Cole. Liberals and intellectuals to begin with, I believe blogging has exercised a transformative on their beings and identities; as it has on we, the legion that marches with them. I doubt Atrios, Marshall and Cole would be who they are today absent blogging.
Given that the Supreme Court has established that a stting president is subject to civil and criminal action, it would seem to me that those spied upon without proper authority have a case against the administration.
Now, there is a problem re the victims being able to prove thir identities as victims. But give the current uproar, I suspect that between Coingessional intervention and FOIA, that the administration must be forced to disgorge the names of those who were illegally spied upon.
In that case, I think civil and criminal charges are in order.
Hillary and friends seem to imagine this large demographic of middle American voters, upset by a strident Dean approach, but so willing to be split off from Rebublican ranks. Does this voter segment in fact exist? I'm having trouble identifying these people. They don't write letters to the editor; they don't blog, they don't seem to have a voice in the MSM either. I know. they are "the silent majority", but who are they? Soccer Dads? Nascar Moms? The DLC seems to subscribe to Reagan's 11th Commandment: Never speak ill of a Republican.
Bless the English. 'Merry' means hilarity, mirth and laughter. Not sentiments all that appropriate for the coming of the Redeemer. Actually, the idea of merriment most likely connects to the Yule festival, which was in fact a time for getting blasted, banging on pots and practical jokes. So Yuletide greetings to some and Joyous Noel to others.
Thanks to you folks who offered wise comment on my diary yesterday. Let me try and expand my point.
More important perhaps than the identity of the individual or group originating the policy is the process of transmission and elaboration within the bureaucracies of the Pentagon and CIA. Nothing like this happens without a good deal of meetings, memos and discussion.
The evidence strongly suggests that current policy regarding torture originated under this adminstration. We need names named. Who suggested this policy? Which agency was involved? Which individuals decided to establish it as policy? There must be a trail of emails, memos, meeting minutes. The responsible individuals must be identified and appropriate action taken
I've been doing some serious work for a Dem candidate for our CD. Now, I really don't mind that much that she has ducked all the button issues, like healthcare and the war. If she thinks its strategically wise..so be it. But she just doesn't understand. It's summed up in my last email exchange where her policy person said "we want to utilize you volunteers". No doubt she does. But she clearly does not want to have to enagage in dialog with us. We are to be 'utilized'. The real action is in the focus groups, the televison buys, the professional spinsters.
In our rural county I've gotten together a fairly powerful group of local people - doctors, lawyers, minssters, accountants and businessmen willing to fund and work for our candidate.
Ok, all you reality based folk in the NY 20th. Time to rock and roll, lock and load, get down, and get mean. Kisten is a really strong candidate, and we all should feel grateful she's running. While Sweeney is a formidable opponent, he's quite vulnerable, especially given his close identification with the White House cess-pool.
BUT, she needs each and every one of us out there working for her. NOW. www.dfalink.com is one way to connect. Or buzz me. Every day counts now. Let's get rolling! All the sins are good. A friend just won his supervisorship in a heretofore rock-bound Republican town. It's happening all over. Let's make it happen in the 20th!
The only way to break a Democratic filibuster is by Cheney over-riding the present Senate rules, so that a simple majority vote can end one. Now, there are problems with this notion re separation of powers and rule of law, but I'm wondering if Mr Chjeney could be sued in Supreme Court for vilating senate rules. Oh, I know the arguments, but at least it would be fun. I'm sure there are far more sound parliamentary maneuvers available. But I wonder what the 'originalist' take on it would be? Does originalism stop before Marbury vs Madison? There is an interesting dilemma for conservative jurists here.
