Politics at its finest the Journey to Discovery

Leaks and Kindness

2006-02-11T22:29:00.000-05:00

The New York Times is reporting that the quest to find the leak in the Domestic Spying mess is heating up. Seems that everyone wants to know who told about the NSA's snooping without warrants or judicial oversight.

But who leaked about Palmegate - well we don't need to know about that. I mean it is not patriotic to know how we went to war in Iraq. Or maybe it is because it is Dick Cheney.

Personally I don't mind spying with court oversight, it does bother me why there is not real push to get judicial oversight. So unless Bush plans to hold everyone caught under this NSA plan as enemy combatents and deny then access to courts - it will come back to bite us all. I don't care about his legacy, just my rear end.
Bush needs to question Cheney's agenda a bit more closely, and not follow it so blindly.

Mrs Bush is in Turin requesting for a kinder gentler Mrs Clinton. Laura does not think that as Senator from New York, Hillary is equipped to evaluate her husband's performance. After all they both belong to the exclusive club of First Ladies.

Bull

First who was kind to Hillary when every GOPer was after her and Bill (Whitewater etc) give me a break. I say go Hillary (even if I don't agree with everything she says) but no one gave her a pass so what is good for the GOP is good for Hillary.

Vote Republican

2006-02-06T19:07:00.000-05:00

Yes you read correctly in the mid term elections vote Republican. Why you ask? Well it is for two reasons. The drift wood in the upper echelons of the Democratic party need to be pruned and I suspect that one more drubbing by the GOP ought to do it. By drift wood I mean the ones who do not have original ideas, no courage to speak up, no discipline to stick together and behave like they are owed a place in Congress because it is their turn. The world has changed and so has the electorate, but Democrats are still campaigning to the Great Depression generation.
There are compelling candidates in the wings who will not be damaged by this and will be ready for the next time around.

On the other hand it will put the Republican party back in power and allow then to choke on their contradictions, war in Iraq, and the budget mess I will be paying off for the rest of my natural life.

Buy the time it is all over, a healthier balance will have descended on both parties and we can then get to the serious business of defeating terrorism.

Cartoons

2006-02-06T18:42:00.000-05:00

I suspect I am not the only one confused about the reaction of most of the Muslim world over cartoons depicting Muhammad. Are these people crazy? Now I do not wish to mock anyone's faith after all some representatives of my Christian faith have not exactly cornered the market on common sense either - and the history of Christianity can read more like a blood bath than the turning of the other cheek that its founder supposedly recommended.

But I digress -

What is more offensive to any religion that has at its heart peace and forgiveness? - 9/11 or some silly cartoons? The totally lunatic reaction over CARTOONS, or the murder of innocent civilian westerners trying to help better the lives of Iraqis (like Margaret Hassan.)

Islamic countries have depicted Jewish supjects with equal insensivity - so if you can give it you can take it.

What is even more confusing is the fact that while the Koran itself (which I have read in its entirety,) forbids idolatry - and like the Torah, it is very broad in its description of what an idol is. And no where is this kind of violence condoned.

Pompous self righteousness is also an idol.

So I say to Muslims everywhere - Get over it. And as I have also said to my fellow Christians, practice what you preach or shut the hell up.

Supreme Religious Misunderstanding

2005-11-05T22:46:00.000-05:00

Been chatting with one of my good friends who is a conservative, politically active Christian - who thinks Bush should be cannonized - about Roe v Wade - now that we have a nominee who knows what Griswold v Connecticut decided. And was a but surprised that she thought when Roe v Wade is overturned abortion would be illegal. She was shocked when I told her that it would just turn over the debate to the states and most will retain some form of Roe, as it is unlikely that abortion in the first trimester would ever be outlawed - and in some states like NY and CA late term abortions, including partial birth would very likely be legal. Women will simply go out of state for an abortion if their home state restricts it in any fashion - and unless the State Police makes women pee in cups before the cross state lines or board a plane - no one will be able to stop this.
The damage to the Republican party would be immense and lasting. since every election be it for dog catcher or State Senator will involve a vicious abortion debate that will make the current debate look like afternoon tea.

My friend went silent.

It made me wonder just how many of the "grass root"pro life movement really understand how the Constitution works? I didn't see the need to bring up the Equal Protection Clause and the legal confusion that will cause - she was upset enough.

The Clintons must be smiling

2005-10-30T18:18:00.000-05:00

Remember when former President Clinton was impeached because of lying under oath? (Now I am not going to open the whole sordid affair and debate that having oral sex in the White House is worse than a lie that helped create a web to justified a war that has killed thousands of civilians and more than 2000 US service personnel so far) I just find it rather funny to hear Republicans use the SAME lines that Clinton and his folks did to defend themselves - and they say God does not have a sense of humor HA!

Light a candle or curse the darkness

2005-10-29T21:05:00.000-04:00

"Skip a Meal for Oxfam
For some, it’s as essential to Thanksgiving as family, turkey, and pumpkin pie. For many, the Fast is synonymous with Oxfam.

This year, in addition to the thousands of Fast events that will be conducted in the US and abroad, Oxfam America will host a nationwide event, Skip a Meal for Oxfam.
Your task is simple. On November 17, 2005, the Thursday before Thanksgiving, skip a meal to remember the more than 850 million people who are hungry and contribute the money saved to Oxfam.

Or, choose your own day to skip a meal for Oxfam.
For millions of poor people around the world, each new day is a day of hunger. That makes today, tomorrow, and every day a good day for the Fast."
http://www.oxfamamerica.org/whatyoucando/act_now/fast/skip_meal

He who is without sin...

2005-10-13T21:19:00.000-04:00

One can prove anything from the Bible : -
If Christian conservatives are really interested in making Jesus' teachings part of public life why stop with homosexulity and abortion.

Follow this:

YHVH: Leviticus 20:10 'If a man commits adultery with another man's wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.

Jesus: Matthew 5:28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Jesus: Matthew 5:32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.

Jesus: Matthey 5- 17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

And with Hurricane reconstruction in mind: -

Matthew 23:13 - 14 Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Therefore you will be punished more severely.

Anything less than this is hypocrisy.

Intelligent Design

2005-10-10T20:23:00.000-04:00

I was curious, how many have actually read Darwin's book Origin of the Species? And for that matter the actual ruling of Roe v Wade?

Do we selectively apply the teachings of the Bible to these subjects while ignoring others - like divorce or adultery because it to close to home?

The Bible says that adultery is a capital offense.

In a free society who makes these decisions? The government?

World Peace and the Military

2005-10-09T11:33:00.000-04:00

I saw an interesting addition to my church bulletin pray list this morning, listed between members and assorted concerns was "world peace and the military." We have been praying for members of the military who have gone off to Iraq, most are relatives of members, and they were listed by name in the bulletin. I guess because of an expanded list the two, world peace and the military were lumped together.

Made me think though, is real lasting peace achieved through military force?

Now before you say Iraq is now "free" and WW II ended the holocaust hear me out - I am not talking about pushing a problem away temporarily only to have it recast itself in a new version that we then have to declare a new "war" on. (like when were enlisted Bin Ladin to drive out the Soviets out of Afghanistan, only to have him use what we taught him to build Al Qaeda)

While we have open a new front in the war on terror in Iraq, there are clear signals that the lawlessness infecting Somalia and other areas of Africa for example is allowing for a regrouping of Al Qaeda there - so what are we achieving in Iraq?

All problems that manifest itself in war, have an economic underbelly, that if not addressed will just give us the temporary illusion of peace.

Nuff Said

2005-10-05T19:10:00.000-04:00

Gas Prices

2005-09-22T20:37:00.000-04:00

Energy conservation is not for tree huggers any more, it is time for us to admit what we know and stop living in a dream state.

Couldn't Resist

2005-09-22T19:39:00.000-04:00

Health Care

2005-09-15T22:36:00.000-04:00

Spent some time this week discussing with my bosses options regarding rising health care costs. The final option revolved around passing more of the costs to the employee, a typical and totally rational response. What confounds me is the state of apathy regarding this issue on the part of most people I personally speak to. There is enormous confusion as to the nature of the health care so called "free market" (I personally refuse to accept that having to choose between Blue Cross Blue Shield and United Health Care is an example of a "free market.") The confusion extends to "socialized healthcare" never mind that tax payers are already paying - indirectly for care given to the uninsured. I guess once it stays under the table and given different political names we are OK with it.
Personally I do not feel that employers should be the main option for the average Joe getting health care, it gives way too much control to employers - not to mention turn consumer market choice to a "yes or no" proposition. This is not just unfair but damn inefficient.
Rising costs will only be controlled by competition, in my job market that represents the two aforementioned companies - think for a moment what will happen to food prices if we only had two places to shop for groceries. The employee should be able to get their own health care, without the employer's meddling, this will allow true portability since when the worker leaves their care goes with them. It may even spur real incentives for preventive medicine, and true worker independence - no more staying at that dead end job just for the benefits.
Of course this will require some tax incentives in the short term while the market grows, but we seem to lack imagination on this subject. So those of us who can afford it and are healthy will continue to subsidize a miserably inefficient system for those who are not so fortunate while the share value of the health insurance companies grows.

Think

2005-09-12T23:01:00.000-04:00

Libertarian

2005-09-05T10:52:00.000-04:00

It is not my intent to offend anyone of faith, or even someone who is either liberal or conservative.

Most of my ideas a driven by a very libertarian mind set - not liberal or conservative. I do believe strongly that a government that govern least governs best. And as a woman I find it even more important since something as vital as control of my own body and my ability to make my own moral decisions can be altered by the Supreme Court - this is not freedom. Especially when it exempts men from the same burden, since they are not forced to assume full responsibility for the children they help conceive. (Yes there is child support, but this is only occurs when women pursue it, at their own expense - and even then there is no guarantee of payment. I have processed many a payroll and I am very aware of the ways men get around child support garnishments.)

Yes, the President can nominate anyone he wants and can push his religious philosophy on the rest of us, but the framers of the constitution always made it a point that one of its roles was to "protect the minority from the tyranny of the majority."
I also understand that human beings are not that easy to characterize - so I have to retract something written earlier - there are some who feel that the intrusion/reintroduction of conservative christian values is a necessary part of "reclaiming" America. This does not apply to all christians.
The constitution and our governmental arrangement was designed almost 250 years ago, consequently it is becoming obsolete as far as dealing with unique issues of the 21st century. For example, the unique situation women find themselves in because they reproduce is not addressed by the founders - it was never an issue, although Abigail Adams did request that he husband 'not forget the ladies." So as a result the Government can insist on a certain moral outcome for women but does not attempt to do so to men. Again this is not freedom.

When public policy is driven by ancient writings, that have been edited/altered so many times it is impossible to know what the original documents said or even the intent of the supposed founder - at the exclusion of science - this is not freedom.

We have a tendency in this country to confuse problems of economics with problems of morality. This is not freedom.

Introduction

2005-08-06T22:01:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my blog, I decided to publish this as an outlet. I am totally disgusted by the modes of communcation in our society today and want to provide a place for some original thinking to take place.
The rules are simple
Remain respectful to ideas that are outside one's comfort zone.
When you respond do so thoughtfully. Anyone can sware, but very few can really explain their conflicting feelings in clear language.