Third Party & Independents:

Bush to Baghdad: The Patina hides little.

The President's surprise visit, (no doubt for security reasons), had all the patina of Gen. MacArthur's filmed return to the Phillipines, or Pres. Truman's trip to Korea. But, this effort to display his role as Commander In Chief, friend of American troops, hides none of the political reason for the war, the political reason for the photo-op, or the political reason for pushing headlines about American miltary deaths off the front pages.

Extremes to Demise

In response to Dustin Frelich's excellently crafted article entitled Conservatives Debate Medicare, I reply in the following way. I understand the philosophy behind those Republicans who believe that social programs are bad for America. It is a philosophy born out of a gross misunderstanding and confusion about the bi-polar extremes of free enterprise fostered by Milton Friedman followers, and socialism as implemented under communist and authoritarian regimes. They fail to recognize that social programs saved this nation after the most horrible of depressions in the 1930's and an extremely costly WWII which would have bankrupt this nation had it not been for the social programs that trained workers and put them to work on public works, and insured those who did work a modicum of financial dignity upon retirement.

The Energy Bill Filibuster is On

Who says the Democratic Party is dead and dying? Certainly not the Republicans in Senate and certainly not the White House who were all but gloating about passage of the much ballyhooed Energy Bill, before it cleared the Senate floor. Now it appears as thought the ill-conceived bill might be dead as the Democrats launch a filibuster. Should Americans rejoice at its passing? Is there any reason to decry the death of a bill that does nothing to address the cause of American energy independence now, or in the foreseeable future?

Better in my estimation to let the Energy Bill die, then to sigh into law a bill that on its face is bad for America.

The Energy Bill

Sen. Pete Domenici (R) of New Mexico, the chief spokesperson for the current Energy Bill which has come out of conference committee before the Senate for ratification states again and again that if we don't pass this bill now, there will be no energy bill for as many as 10 years. He propounded a list of energy companies that went on and on that would benefit from the bill.

Sen. John McCain (R) and a host of Democrats have flat out stated this bill hurts the American public. It will bloat the deficit without generating jobs in return. It will not address the contract manipulations enacted by Enron, and in fact, permits them to continue. The Energy bill will not enhance energy security, it destroys many environmental protections and gives billions of tax payer dollars to energy companies and corn farmers and does nothing to lower the cost of energy for the American public.

Medicare: A shell game.

Amy Goldstein and Helen Dewar, Washington Post writers entitled their article, Republican Medicare Plan Faces Challenges. It might have been more appropriately entitled, The Great Congressional Shell Game. When the GOP and the Whitehouse announced they were selling the plan before the 1100+ page document is even completed and before more than just a handful of Congresspersons even know what it contains, I knew it was time for alarm.

Some of the writing is on the wall. With all the good deregulation that brought us Enron, the ExxonMobil suits, the 401K money market illegal thefts of investors funds, and higher utility costs, the new Medicare Bill will turn a corner of good will and regulate where patients can get their care, underpay millions of citizens through recipient paid membership cards, annual deductibles which increase over time, increase pay for doctors and hospitals and do nothing to lower the costs of prescription drugs. There has to be some good things about the Bill, right?

One Party vs. Multiple Party Government: 2004 Election Issues

We usually associate one party government with fascism, authoritarianism, or fantasy utopia wherein all persons are healthy, happy, and equal in all ways that matter. In a democracy however, it is very possible to have a one party government which does not meet any of the above criteria. We are witnessing it now in large part. A one party government is not necessarily a cause for alarm about our democracy. Today, however, the stage is set for a potential threat to our democracy as great as that witnessed by the Civil War.

If You Claim to support "all men are created equal", then Include ALL Americans!

I have a small problem with those claiming to put America and the Consitution first and then excluding a small, but growing number of Americans. Okay, it isn't just a small problem, it is a BIG PROBLEM! Let me explain.

Since I have registered as an Independent, I have been browsing the web, checking out party platforms for some of the Independent political parties out there. I've been having a hard time finding one that I can put all of my confidence and support in because some approve of certain values that I hold dear (like the 2nd Amendment) while excluding others (rights for ALL citizens).

Wolf, What Wolf?

In the latest round of partisan politics, in which Senate Republicans are engaged in a 30-hour debate about the state of the Bush Administration’s judicial nominees, are the Republicans crying wolf when in fact there is none to be found? What is the issue one might ask? It is this: out of a total of 172 judicial nominees for vacant Federal Judicial benches put before the Senate so far, 168—some 98%, have been passed by the full Senate while, 4—a mere 2% have been held up by Democrats.

In a sound bite today Bush called this:

”ugly politics," and further stated that, "[i]t's wrong and it's shameful, and it's hurting the system."

Soros, Open Societies and Bush

In a remarkable piece of news, billionaire George Soros announced plans to match 50 cents to the dollar every donation made to defeat George W. Bush. (Disclosure: I worked for the Soros Foundation as an educator in Ukraine in 1997-8 and applied for several grants from his foundation for several schools). That a man devoted so singlemindedly to overcoming political hegemony is now throwing money into a domestic election is a sign of how high the 2004 election stakes really are.

Is Gore Spoiling For Round Two?

Is Al Gore spoiling for a re-match with his nemesis George W. Bush? In a speech given over the weekend, to an audience of about 2500 Gore, spoke to members of two liberal advocacy groups: the American Constitution Society and Moveon.org, and based on the voracity of his presentation, it sure sounded like he was ready to fight.

Gore stated: "President Bush has stretched this new practical imperative way beyond what is healthy for our democracy," and "[t]hey have taken us much farther down the road toward an intrusive, Big Brother-style government -- toward the dangers prophesied by George Orwell in his book '1984' -- than anyone ever thought would be possible in the United States of America,"

Is Gore building a case whereby he would enter the race for the 2004 democratic nomination as the savoir of American Principles. The man on the White charger destined to save American democracy from the neo-conservative Republican hoards? Or perhaps he’ll decide to run as an Independent.

King of Wishful Thinking

The Democrats appear to be under the mistaken impression that their victory in November of 2004 is a given. While there are plenty of people who are unhappy with the direction our country is heading under the Bush administration, there are also quite a few that are quite happy with it. Bush et al have managed to quite effectively gut environmental protection, civil rights, privacy rights, and any hope of correcting corporate malfeasance. Combined with the overt push towards theocracy, the actions of the Bush administration appeal to a significant portion of the country.

The Democrats in their infinite self-focused wisdom assume that everyone thinks the way that they do. This bit them in the ass in 2000, and may well do the same in 2004. This actually helps third parties a great deal. As the Dems implode under the weight of introspection, people who really care will move to other parties. The focus of the Greens should be to earn enough of the vote to have a presence.

Green Party Candidate Matt Gonzalez vies for San Francisco’s Top Slot

San Francisco is in flux, Willie Brown is out, the victim of term limits and the mayor’s office is up for grabs. The election, which was held yesterday ended with millionaire entrepreneur and city Supervisor Gavin Newsom on top, but not with a high enough margin to win the mayors office outright. A run off election will be held next month to decide the race and fellow city Supervisor Matt Gonzalez the highest ranking Green Party member to hold office in the city could very well become San Francisco’s next mayor. Who is Matt Gonzalez the man who be mayor of the California city that is arguably America’s most liberal? Follow the link gentle reader, follow the links.

* Chinese immigrants, small businesses back Gonzalez

* In S.F., it's a race to be second
Gonzalez, Leal, Alioto vie to face Newsom

No endorsement by Green Party

The National Green Party clarifies Dennis Kucinich is not endorsed by the national Green Party. Some media have left the false implication that since a handful of individuals in New Hampshire endorsed Dennis Kucinich, all Green Party members endorse Kucinich. The fact is those endorsing individuals are not affiliated with the National Green Party and do not represent the views of the National Green Party.

The national Green Party includes 43 accredited state Green Parties, and will hold the party's national convention in Milwaukee in June, 2004. The decision about whom, how, and whether to run a candidate in the 2004 national election will be made democratically by all the accredited state Green Parties at the Milwaukee convention.