McCain/Palin Speeches

I did myself a disservice and actually listened to portions of both the Palin speech and the McCain speech. The Palin speech just highlighted how out of touch the Republican leadership is with the rest of the country. The comment about a community organizer not having any responsibilities was the one that really set me off. If she had done anything other than kowtow to the business interests in her political career, she would know that community organizers play an integral part in advancing the rights of those dispossessed by this grossly unfettered market in which we live. Therefore, they hold huge responsibilities in educating, then mobilizing, such folks to take action against further abuses against their rights as human beings. But, then again, when your hands are in the pockets of those who are perpetually ripping them off, it is unlikely that you'll notice their existence- let alone sympathize with them. Now, here's a gist of the McCain speech: blah, blah, blah, i was a POW... blah, blah, blah, we need to keep busting unions until there are none left... blah, blah, blah, we need to privatize education and any other public service that we might have forgotten about so we can finally move from a corporatist state to a fascist state... blah, blah, blah, oh yeah, did I mention that I was a POW? While watching his speech I vascillated between fits of laughter and bouts of nearly vomitting in my mouth. It takes a really craven individual to use his misfortune as being a POW for political gain. Oh shit, you called me out... Don't you know I was a POW? You ought to be ashamed of yourself. I am afraid that isn't credential enough to be a president and the way he slings it around he ought to be reprimanded. Military service can be honorable (but not necessarily- it depends on how you act), but there is nothing in it that inherently makes you a stronger candidate. If more people served they would know it.

Read This Book

I just finished The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals by Jane Mayer. This book describes the behind-the-scenes jack-assery involved in authorizing and administering the use of torture in CIA interrogations. It reveals how much of our foreign, defense, and intelligence policies were written by lawyers (who were elected by nobody) and Vice President Cheney. It also uncovers how any attempt within the administration to highlight the illegality of such endeavors were crushed with impunity. There are many other revelations brought to light in this book. However, to justly illustrate them would require more space than I wish to occupy here. Nonetheless, after reading this book, it has become obvious that the Bush Administration is not only rife with incompetence and negligence, but also with criminal conduct. It is shameful that Congress has not been more aggressive in investigating these abuses- as well as others of equal gravity. This administration has not only shown disrespect to the foundation of our society (the law!), but it has also done violence to the very fibers of our being- the American way of life that they swore to protect. To note that I am disgusted would be an understatement. What is illustrated in this book is evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors. If these anecdotes are, indeed, true then those responsible need to face the music. The solution is prescribed clearly in the Constitution: impeachment hearings in the House of Representatives followed by conviction hearings in the Senate. How justly ironic it would be for this administration to be brought down by the very institutions it sought to destroy.

Yet, Another Blow to Our Constitution

The Fourth Amendment reads as follows: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. On July 10, the Senate voted, by a margin of 69-28, on new provisions to update federal surveillance authority. This means that the phone companies involved in, up to the moment of passage, illegal surveillance of telecommunication activity are now immune from any prosecution for such activity- that was illegal until yesterday. Granted, the president's office told these companies that they needn't worry about any prosecution for helping him squash another one of our sacred civil liberties for the sake of presidential authority over his subjects. However, if my governor tells me it's O.K. to break into his political enemy's hotel rooms to install surveillance equipment, would I be free from prosecution? What if he scares the state legislature into passing a bill that says that such behavior is legal? I think not. But this is what has happened. The excuse is that the government needs these tools to go out and catch bad guys. They already had that authority. The difference is now the role of the court in acting as a safeguard against abuse is drastically diminished. It is disheartening that so many Democrats would forget why they hold a majority in both Houses of Congress. Though, all but one of the twenty eight "no" votes were Democratic (inculding both senators from New York), there were twenty one who voted "yes," one of whom was the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, Barack Obama. So, for the sake of not wanting to look weak on national security issues, twenty one Senatorial Democrats voted in favor of more executive power over the citizenry; thus looking weak on matters of integrity and safeguarding civil liberties. This circumstance is definitely food for thought for this November.

Happy Independence Day

Tomorrow we will commemorate what is officially recognized as our nation's birth. Many people will go watch fireworks and have picnics or family get-togethers or whatever. But how many will reflect on what it is to be American? What did our founding fathers dream about when they met in Philadelphia that summer 232 years ago? It is difficult to say since there were so many important individuals involved in the Revolution and subsequent creation of self-rule. Nonetheless, I believe that many of them had a libertarian (the true meaning of the word- not the American perversion of it) bent. You can see in the ammendments to the Constitution such topics as free speech, freedom from a religious establishment, the right to not have your home invaded by the authorities without just cause, equal access to the law, etc. Reflecting on these dreams, I can see that these goals were put forth by people who didn't necessarily live up to all of them. However, the hope for progress was always there. Throughout our country's development there has been a certain back-and-forth between those who want to achieve and improve upon those goals and those who want to establish authority over the governed. We are arguably in a period where authoritarian figures trump the needs and will of the citizenry for their own agenda. For instance, our administration is quietly sounding the war trumpet against Iran. Nevermind that we are currently mired down in a quagmire in Iraq and our mission in Afghanistan is seriously crippled because of such an abyssmal abuse of authority. Nevermind that a conventional attack against Iran would certainly instigate a draft and break our treasury for generations. Nevermind that it would turn pro-Western entities within Iran against us. Forget all that and focus on the circumstances of our birth. The colonials (read: early Americans) were under the thumb of a monarchy whose primary concern was grabbing up natural resources (i.e. tobacco) for trade in an international market with a promise of amassing great wealth. These colonials were treated as subjects to be ruled rather than full partners in their own government. Naturally, they became angry and rebelled against the crown and about 8 years later won their full independence. Does this sound familiar in regards to recent foreign policy snafus? As Washington left office he warned us to beware of foreign entanglements. How prophetic a statement. We need to take heed of this advice and withdraw as the world's police officer. I am not so naive as to believe that we can totally withdraw from foreign relations altogether. However, I do believe we can be diplomatic in a way that respects the sovereignty of others rather than using the military as aid workers, consular officers, etc.

bituminous

dirty jeans and different colored socks were thrown on the boy yet the shirt was immaculate. his face was besmudged with dirt but the teeth were as white as a flash before the dirt falls and the eyes gleefully glistened. the intruders were friendly but their intentions fell short. nonetheless, the boy was happy to discover some new friends. and why not? after all, they had candy and toys. nevermind that his parents couldn't afford to take him to the dentist. not that it mattered since the dentist disappeared. it pays to know the right folks. too bad the right folks are different folks at different times and it's hard to keep track of whose turn it is. sometimes mistakes happen, sometimes they meet you at the bottom of the river; but the boy's eyes met mine and i saw that horror had not crushed his curiosity or his innocence. one day it may.