Third Party & Independents:

Supreme Court Propaganda Battle On the Horizon

An ugly fight is coming. Conservatives have responded to the liberal public relations challenge and hired a propaganda squad to defend whomever is Bush's first nominee to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is an incredibly important institution, and decisions about the Court's makeup are among the most important ones a president will make. Yet, the Democrats chosen tactic of filibustering judicial nominees will likely make the next fight the ugliest ever, and both sides know it.

» Continue reading "Supreme Court Propaganda Battle On the Horizon"

Walking the Talk

I called my Senators, Hutchison and Cornyn today to urge them to vote against Alberto Gonzales' confirmation as Attorney General. I advised them that it is my belief his advice to the President led directly to the headlines that swept around the globe about American torture and abuse of prisoners. Further, I said those headlines led to putting our troops in greater harm's way if captured, and aided and abetted our enemies in their recruitments against us. Once again, it felt good to walk the talk, whether my Senators heed my advice or not.

A Path to Victory for GOP Challengers

One of the many biggest mistakes the Dem. Party made over the last 4 years was Terry McAuliffe. Terry was an attack dog, and he partially set the standard and tone of the Democratic opposition to the GOP. One does not attack a campaign of a rival who claims compassion, inclusion, and respect by attacking their character. In 2000, I was working with a local Dem. group on a local water issue. I told the Pres. of that group that Terry McAuliffe and those like him would lose the elections in the future. He of course, disagreed. The proof was in the pudding.

» Continue reading "A Path to Victory for GOP Challengers"

Media personalities as shills for the government.

I would expect conservatives to be even more appalled than liberals by the revelations of columnists and commentators on the federal payroll, what with the mantra of small government and states rights and all. Certainly quite a few prominent conservatives have condemned the practice, but the vast majority are keeping mum on the subject. While the obvious conflict of interest is disturbing, I don't believe these people saw what they were doing as fundamentally dishonest.

» Continue reading "Media personalities as shills for the government."

Some Real Advice For The Democrats

I guess it is somewhere in between courtesy and boastfulness for the Republicans to make suggestions on how to win elections. After all, they are sweeping through everything. It needs to be known though that what started with Reagan and his new breed of Republicans can start right now too with the Democrats.

» Continue reading "Some Real Advice For The Democrats"

U.S. Budget Deficit on Track to be the largest in history.

Bush Whitehouse still vows to cut deficit in half.

"In a briefing for reporters on Tuesday, senior administration officials insisted they were still on track to fulfill Mr. Bush's campaign promise of reducing the federal budget deficit by half by 2009. But Mr. Bush is already well behind in reaching his goal...

» Continue reading "U.S. Budget Deficit on Track to be the largest in history."

Bush's GOP: Save The World, Screw Americans

(Reuters) - The White House estimated on Tuesday that the U.S. budget deficit for 2005, including an extra $80 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan operations, will total $427 billion.

"In the 2006 budget that we release on Feb. 7, OMB will estimate that the 2005 deficit, including the outlay effects from the supplemental we are discussing today, will be 3.5 percent of GDP or in nominal terms $427 billion," said a senior administration official in a news briefing.

» Continue reading "Bush's GOP: Save The World, Screw Americans"

In The Name Of Good: Evil May Come

The President's Inaugural Speech was not specific on foreign policy plans. It was full of promise for liberating oppressed peoples in the world using the words freedom and liberty numerous times to describe America's foreign policy goals. The Constitution of the U.S. does not contain any such mandates to liberate peoples of other nations.

» Continue reading "In The Name Of Good: Evil May Come"

From Principles to Results in the Current War

President George W. Bush's second inaugural address laid out an ambiguous worldview, one which puts the American role in Iraq, Afghanistan and the war against Islamic fundamentalist terrorists in the proper context. Rather than focusing on individual nations, Bush properly highlighted the major national security and moral issue facing the United States and other nations in the free world. This problem is the continued prevalence of dictatorship governments, especially in the Muslim world, which make the people subjugated under those regimes a constant threat to our security.

» Continue reading "From Principles to Results in the Current War"

Never met a Bill he Didn't Like...

...Other than the the possibility of his predecessor. As Bush enters his second term, keep in mind that out of the 876 legislative bills that have come across his desk, all 876 of them were signed into law. In addition, he's written 173 of his own laws in the form of executive orders. Of course, when it comes to U.N. resolutions, 8 have been kicked to the curb by the U.S. since 2000.

Inaugural Marked by Emigration

As the President is sworn in for another 4 years, one news source, The Independent, marks the occasion with an article about Americans leaving America. 7.2 million Americans have already chosen to live overseas, and more are to follow. It is a poignant counterpoint to Washington's festivities with more fire power encircling the President than can be found in much of Iraq. The President's route was wall to wall uniforms, looking more like Mushaaraf's police state, than the United States.

» Continue reading "Inaugural Marked by Emigration"

Bush's Inaugural Speech Was a Meaningless Farce

I don't know about the rest of the American public, or the world for that matter, but I found Bush's Inaugural speech, pretty but without much substance; flowery but totally uninspired. And in some passages the speech was totally ignorant of the subtle nuances of American history and her continuing struggle to lift freedoms banner high within our own borders let alone those of nations still suffering under the slowly dissipating fog of European colonialism.

» Continue reading "Bush's Inaugural Speech Was a Meaningless Farce"

Kinky Politics

Author and singer Kinky Friedman has announced his candidacy for Governor of Texas in 2006. While I find no cause for concern in his platform, which focuses on education and judicial reform, and I appreciate the levity he brings to the table, are third parties doomed to only get media coverage if they can run a 'gag' candidate? Third parties have a tough time competing beyond the State Legislature level anywhere.

» Continue reading "Kinky Politics"

An Article of Trust

Do you trust the President and his Administration? I do not, and have not for quite some time. And they have done nothing to guide me down the road of trust with their deeds, words, or actions since winning re-election either. Dr. Condoleezza Rice's testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday only further cemented my mistrust in Bush's band of indulgent, infuriating, incompetent, imbeciles.

» Continue reading "An Article of Trust"

The Perfect Economic Storm

Back in September of 2003, I wrote an article entitled, 2004 Election Issues (The Economy) in which I warned of the coming economic "perfect storm" in America's future. Confidence in the Bush administration on domestic policy at the time ran contrary to the thrust of this article. Today, however, more economists are seeing the gathering storms coalesce on our economic horizon and are issuing the same stern warnings I did a year and a half ago.

» Continue reading "The Perfect Economic Storm"

Should Americans Want Tort Reform?

The Bush Administration is pushing hard for Tort reform. A tort is an act by one party which contributes to the harm or loss of another under civil law. The President says tort reform will greatly reduce the cost of health care in America. That is not true. The fastest growing costs in health care do not come from insurance premiums for malpractice insurance. They make up only a small percentage of health care costs overall.

» Continue reading "Should Americans Want Tort Reform?"

The Struggle Between Peace and War

In America, deeply rooted in the war on terror, is a battle between two ideologies. One is the ideology of peace, which teaches that our violence has a consequence and strength through peaceful coalitions is the way to protect America. The second is the ideology of war, which teaches that reactionary response and strength through arms is the way to protect America.

» Continue reading "The Struggle Between Peace and War"

Disturbing Political News 2

The amount of disturbing news this last week has been a bit overwhelming. Water, Inaugural, Money, and Reform were all key stories that deserve more scrutiny and should be raising alarms. Water - President Clinton is seeking $45 million to provide clean, safe drinking water to Tsunami victims in the Indian Ocean region. That is good news. But, this week also saw our government pooh pooh reports of airline diesel fuel in American drinking water nationwide.

» Continue reading "Disturbing Political News 2"

Right Actions, Wrong Reasons

Recently, Colin Powell intimated that one of the possible benefits of the tsunami relief efforts was that it would change the hearts of those in the world that look unfavorably on America and American values. There is a belief that our outpouring of generosity will put an end to terrorism around the world once and for all.

» Continue reading "Right Actions, Wrong Reasons"

Cold War with Russia Begins Again

The U.S. opened a Pandora's Box when it developed and used nuclear weapons in WWII and then utterly failed in its nuclear non-proliferation efforts. President Bush is bankrupting America with a "star wars" defense system which has seen billions wasted on basic tests of the system which failed. Now, Russia has made the "star wars" defense system obsolete before we can even get a defensive missile to even marginally work the way it is supposed to.

» Continue reading "Cold War with Russia Begins Again"

US to Imprison for life without trial.

The United States has a plan to imprison for life terrorist suspects. Not a problem except for the fact that the U.S. doesn't have sufficient evidence to even indict them, let alone try these people in the courts and get a conviction. This kind of government action is precisely one of the reasons the Colonialists overthrew the British Government in the Revolutionary War more than two centuries ago. Sen. Richard G. Lugar (R), called it a "bad idea".

» Continue reading "US to Imprison for life without trial."

Re-Vote Ohio, Re-Vote Washington

So what do we know about Washington and Ohio? From what I can see it's a junky mess on both sides. Let's cut this down to the bare bones though and take a look at how ridiculous the two major parties are handling this situation. To do this let's take a look at a few similarities and differences.

» Continue reading "Re-Vote Ohio, Re-Vote Washington"

An Independent Judiciary is Necessary to Ensure Freedom of All

It continues to amaze me how little our third branch of government--the judiciary--is understood by both the learned (who by virtue of education should know better) and the average American citizen. Granted most of the "activist judges" critics make their voices heard from the political and religious right, but that minority din is increasing in volume as more and more ill-informed citizens--as well as (amazingly enough--members of Congress take up the cause.

» Continue reading "An Independent Judiciary is Necessary to Ensure Freedom of All"