Third Party & Independents:

A Relief Bill on the Way - Private Property

I have never heard of a position my Senator, John Cornyn (R-Tx), has held which I agreed with, until now. Sen. Cornyn introduced a bill on Monday called "Protection of Homes, Small Businesses, and Private Property Act of 2005." I will email Sen. Cornyn with a shocking message that I actually support him in this measure. It will be a first.

Peace in the Middle East

While watching the President's speech last night, I must admit that I kept remembering a personality profile I had read recently that describes our Commander-in-Chief perfectly. So this morning I wandered around on the web until I found it:

Important Political News On the Radar Screen

There has been such a large number of important and disturbing news stories this last week, I couldn't decide which to choose from. But, they need discussion and to be noticed on the political radar screen. So, here is a list of what appears to be the major bogey's coming in to view.

The best comic line of the week has to go to this headline story: Bush calls freedom from torture 'inalienable human right'. The President's 'just kidding' joke however, was in extremely poor taste in my opinion.

Republicans Come to Their Senses on PBS Funding

People for the American Way (PFAW), report that Republicans in the House of Representatives came to their senses yesterday and restored the proposed 100 million dollars to the Corp. for Public Broadcasting. PFAW had these observations in their email newsletter:

Why not a meaningful Amendment to the Constitution?

On Wednesday, 286 of our congressional representatives engaged in their annual act of craven demagoguery by adopting an amendment to the Constitution that would prohibit the desecration of the American flag. At the vanguard of this initiative are public officials, especially those on the right wing of the political spectrum, who purport to esteem personal freedom and resent the pervasive influence of the federal government into the private lives of individuals ostensibly. Yet they propose to amend our most fundamental legal document to achieve an objective that contravenes these ideals diametrically. Apparently these putative patriots are either unaware of their profound hypocrisy or sufficiently depraved to be impervious to it.

Freedom: Begone!

In a decision handed down by the US Supreme Court, the Federal, State and Local governments have just invalidated all private land ownership and turned all titles into 'lease agreements' that can be nullified at a moment's notice simply because someone has convinced any group of elected or appointed officials that they can do more with your property that you are.

Durbin Cries, Iraqis Die, Afghanistan Fries, and Bush Continues to Lie

While Senator Dick Durbin (from my state) breaks down in tears on the Senate floor, woefully decrying his remarks about Guantanamo Bay, and the insurgents poke a finger in the eye of the Administrations assertions that their daily carnage is winding down, the war in Afghanistan, which was supposed to be almost at an end, is flaring anew.

Biting the Hand

Bob Geldof is not making many friends by warning performers in his Live 8 concerts not to openly criticize President Bush. He has stated both that "he wants to bring Bush in, not run him away" and "They refuse to accept, because of their political ideology, that he has actually done more than any American president for Africa, but it's empirically so." As you can imagine, this may be ruffling the feathers of many who are scheduled to perform, as well as leaders of many left-leaning political action groups. However, this isn't the only issue that those 'on the left' have with the Live 8 concerts.

Conceived By Man

Much of the conversation around same-sex marriages and whether they should be allowed or not have centered around the inability for same-sex couple to have children. This, we are told by some, is the reason for marriage. While I've shown previously that this logic is flawed, it is also not a viable excuse for limiting this right to same-sex couples as before as detailed in this new study.

Borrowing from Fascists and Dictators

One of the first steps any fascist or dictator leader takes to resist threats to their power of rulership, is to take control of, or to silence, the media. While fascists and dictators do not run America, the political Right is apparently borrowing from their playbook.

Nader: A great man with a great cause!

Below is an excerpt of an open letter written by Ralph Nader. No he is not dead or faded away. He has been immensely busy touring the country to raise money to pay off his campaign debts. It is truly a shame that American political offices can no longer be attained by regular working men and women. One must be a millionaire or have access to that kind of loose cash lying around, to even contemplate a run for federal office. But let's listen to Ralph in his own words...

Understanding The Stem Cell Debate Part II - In-vitro Fertilization

The rancorous debate currently swirling around the use of embryonic stem cells to research cures for some of the world's most vexing disease's, is one I cannot seem to disengage myself from. This is partially due to the fact that the fair majority of arguments against this promising research are so morally vapid, and devoid of common sense.

It's nice to be right: Sometimes not.

A high profile person in the last week said about the rich getting richer and the rest not, "this is not the type of thing which a democratic society - a capitalist democratic society - can really accept without addressing."

Who said this?: 1) Howard Dean(D), - 2) John Kerry(D), - 3) Alan Greenspan(R)

Affluence Won't Destroy America's Future - Probably

David,

Congrats on an intriguing and well-written essay (posting of June 9), as well as the heated discussion it engendered. I hope that you will indulge me with a few thoughts of my own about the possibility of America's eventual diminution.

Affluence Destroying America's Future?

We have become the most prosperous nation in the world. There is however, evidence pervading our society supporting the argument that this very prosperity is sowing the seeds of discontent, which could destroy the integrity of this unified nation of hope. The 20th century saw America exert the immense power of its one people, one nation, integrity toward victory in two world wars. It saw an historically unprecedented rise in prosperity for all Americans, and the rise of an unparalleled middle class whose prosperity began to look like heaven on earth in the 1950's and early 1960's.

Supreme Court Chooses Unlimited Federal Power as the Most Important Constitutional Value

"Respondents... use marijuana that has never been bought or sold, that has never crossed state lines, and that has had no demonstrable effect on the national market for marijuana. If Congress can regulate this under the Commerce Clause, then it can regulate virtually anything - and the Federal Government is no longer one of limited and enumerated powers" - Justice Thomas, dissenting in Gonzales v. Raich

Another Blow to State Sovereignty

Today the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 against Angel Raich, finding that Federal authorities may prosecute individuals who use medical marijuana, despite states' decisions to legalize marijuana for medicinal purpose.

The Sickening Cost of American Healthcare

I knew that the United States spent more of its GNP on healthcare goods and services than any other nation on Earth, but I was amazed to discover the degree of that difference and how little we get in return.

The European Constitution

Well, to paraphrase Mark Twain, the rumors of the birth of the "United States of Europe" have been greatly exaggerated.

As if the French rejection of the European Constitution wasn't bad enough, its overwhelming rejection by the Dutch seems to have sealed its doom.

Does Bush Need Glasses or a Brain Transplant?

President Bush this last week states Social Security Privatization must come to pass. He also said he sees progress in the war on terrorism. And for all his criticism of activist judges, he pledges to Congress to consult with them on judicial nominees but litmus tests will remain in his selections. So, is he going blind or is it brain atrophy in need of a transplant?