tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183264042011-04-21T20:44:15.488-06:00Progressive. Texan. Firecracker.LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.comBlogger1021100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-69739283638014554392009-01-11T13:15:00.005-06:002009-01-11T14:20:41.987-06:00

One of the New Year's messages I received this year was this:Happy New Year Jill. Now update your Patriot blog or something!This may very well count as "something"... Why haven't I been writing?a) got busyOne of the reasons I feel politics is so important is that when that system is running correctly, it gives us the freedom to go off and chase whatever rainbow we wish (no matter how pedantic or

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-3905173513275399182008-04-11T13:57:00.004-06:002008-04-11T14:08:40.211-06:00

Honestly, I don't even know what I'm listening to. I turned on the TV and DHS head Michael Chertoff is giving a speech or press conference regarding threats from pandemic flus and/or bioterror. I just don't have time today to chase down quotes and all, but this is what I heard, paraphrased except if I put quotes:I'm concerned that the public isn't concerned about this. Right after 9/11 and the

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-6874756408053651302008-03-10T12:14:00.006-06:002008-03-10T14:49:14.681-06:00

I've gotten quite busy with what I should have been doing all along-- working with the Austin Shakespeare Festival. For more on what happened to ASF in the past few years, read Richard III, it's the same story. But now I'm back with ASF, teaching and learning, and consequently I've been too busy to write.And it would seem that despite the endless string of scandal and horrifying acts on the

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-54751646454312786542008-01-04T11:09:00.000-06:002008-01-04T11:51:11.332-06:00

Hooray for the Nice Guys! Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee both won their perspective caucuses last night in Iowa. (I was going to make that a link, but really, if you found me you're capable of looking up cnn.com or Googling "wins Iowa".)The two men who faced negative attacks and refused to sling mud in return wiped the floor with their supposedly inevitable opponents.The two candidates who were

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-44087184508944675102008-01-03T15:17:00.000-06:002008-01-07T15:24:57.937-06:00

[Update below]My roommate used to work for the IRS managing databases. Perhaps this gives him a unique perspective, because recently he said this to me:"When I hear a candidate say that their tax system idea will 'shut down the IRS', I stop listening. They don't know what they're talking about."Why is that? Because someone is still going to have to process the forms. Let's say we have a flat

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-73683608777148593542007-11-30T11:25:00.000-06:002007-11-30T13:12:55.733-06:00

As you probably know, I'm not voting Republican in 2008. But if I were to do so, well, I have to confess I heart Huckabee (that is, Republican Presidential Nominee candidate and Governor of Arkansas Michael D. "Mike" Huckabee). First of all, he seems to have more character and integrity in his little finger than the other GOP candidates could find with two hands and a flashlight; plus, he

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-20057639914603514852007-11-22T11:30:00.000-06:002007-11-23T10:16:46.137-06:00

I didn't know there was anything beyond scandal fatigue, until I tried to pick up writing again. As John Dickerson said when he opened the Slate's Political Gabfest podcast a few weeks ago, "There's so much to cover... and we're sick of it all already." Amen, brother.I've got a couple things on the stove (my writing stove, that is, where the heat source is righteous outrage), so I'm going to

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-87876482764382201632007-11-22T10:14:00.000-06:002007-11-22T11:44:08.796-06:00

Hillary Clinton: My other hot button on this day of thanks is the strangely Bush-esque qualities of the woman who's currently leading primary polls. I wrote about this months ago, and while at the time I tried not to be too harsh about it, I'm flat-out starting to worry. Since I heard Medea Benjamin from Code Pink talk about the "Clinton thugs" last year, I haven't heard any good news coming out

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-78895025734085393542007-08-21T03:28:00.000-06:002007-08-21T03:33:06.041-06:00

"This vote may have already happened!"--Jeff Greenfield on Slate's Political Gabfest podcast (8/17/07) on the primary elections being held earlier and earlier.I'm taking a break on posting to catch up on my podcasts and net surfing, and to catch up that my son has turned three. I noticed I pooped out last August, too. Lazy days of summer and all that. Enjoy your last days of sipping lemonade,

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-56403703247654783072007-08-01T12:04:00.000-06:002007-08-01T12:41:17.346-06:00

Today in Salon.com's War Room, they posted an "excerpt from the Obama campaign", which laid out his differences with the current adminstration vis a vis foreign policy and our answer to whatever war it is we're in. Now, it's only a campaign pledge, it doesn't mean much this early out, but I have to say, I do agree with this theory. The details may vary in yummy goodness, but this at least shows

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-47731546240391504972007-08-01T09:08:00.001-06:002007-08-01T09:12:44.678-06:00

And in fine form. He's testifying in front of the House hearing on Pat Tillman's death, and he answered Rep. Elijah Cummings' question (something like what the hell happened) was, (paraphrasing), "Well, you know, there are lots of investigations all the time, I mean, heck, how could everyone know everything?"Someday when I grow up to be a real blogger I'll figure out how to get exact quotes

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-76719653501028989852007-07-21T08:06:00.000-06:002007-07-21T09:01:52.166-06:00

In our US House, El Paso's 16th district is represented by Silvestre Reyes. In an article in USA Today, Reyes made a comment that incensed me. I'm telling you because his website will only take comments from people in his district. Maybe he'll hear about it, or maybe you're from El Paso or know someone who is. And in any case, the whole country is stuck with him.Reyes is the chairman (ranking

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-17411347193835451462007-07-12T10:23:00.001-06:002007-07-15T10:21:38.120-06:00

Lady Bird Johnson 1912-2007No, I never had the pleasure personally. But even if you came to Austin as politically untuned as I was 12 years ago, the Lady with the funny name could make an impression on you with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. A riot of horticulture, this goes way beyond garden. If you're ever in Austin, visit the Lady Bird Center, and if you want a lift today, go to

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-44724528188864617152007-07-10T11:28:00.000-06:002007-07-12T11:53:59.938-06:00

Or, If You Liked The Surge, You're Going to Looooove This!From CNN.com: Six months after announcing an increase of nearly 30,000 U.S. troops that became known as the "surge," Bush is scheduled to appear at a town meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, on Tuesday where he's expected to push for a "post-surge" phase of the four-year war, senior officials told CNN. However, senior administration officials said

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-29526728640640680392007-06-27T12:34:00.000-06:002007-06-27T12:42:38.575-06:00

Subpoenas!Subpoenas!Subpoenas!Whoo-hoo!!!

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-6796705692847604322007-06-10T10:41:00.000-06:002007-07-13T11:24:02.997-06:00

I wrote a post a year ago that explained why the lessons of Afghanistan teach us we can't leave Iraq to fend for herself. My point was that since we left Afghanistan in 1989 after fighting the Soviets, we left them alone; in that chaos grew Osama Bin Laden. I'm none to keen to see that happen twelve years from now.Since then, my post been read by many people (I got a litte site tracker dealie)

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-13529604768329336112007-06-06T17:28:00.001-06:002007-07-07T11:41:42.119-06:00

Tim Griffin, aide to Karl Rove, had caging lists developed for swing states of voters who were thought to vote Democrat so that, in removing them, the GOP change the outcome of the election.He emailed the actual caging lists to Karl on the RNC email server. ["missing email scandal"]The caging lists were apparently brought to the Civil Rights Division, which had been packed with GOPbots who would

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-63743450789577981802007-06-06T12:55:00.000-06:002007-06-08T01:21:59.517-06:00

First of all, the term "caging" comes from direct mail and has only recently made its way into the political lexicon. As pertains to direct mail, the definition is quite different: it is a whole range of activities that add up to processing information in databases. While in politics it still pertains to databases, this time of voters, the use of the term is very different. If my definitions

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-73996004557297529022007-06-06T12:30:00.000-06:002007-06-19T11:14:48.160-06:00

This is another vague, amorphous "scandal"... ish. But it has shocking ties right into the caging list scandal.White House staff (and who knows who else) used the Republican National Committee email server to communicate about political machinations.This is against the Hatch Act, which governs the political vs. public aspects of the White House. The more familiar aspect of the Act is to say

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-78414790420510112832007-06-06T12:17:00.000-06:002007-06-07T11:02:35.480-06:00

In order to maintain a permanent majority, the GOP has been attempting to manipulate the system by crying "voter fraud". They first scare the public by claiming there is rampant polling place voter fraud. (It has been proven there isn't, but I can't find the link right now, sorry. Will update.) Then they put measures in place that have the effect of disenfranchising voters under the name of

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-35619717368604447662007-06-06T12:03:00.000-06:002007-06-07T10:58:02.292-06:00

We all have a lot of questions, let me answer some for you.1. Why are US Attorneys (USAs) Presidential appointees, and is that good?Well, yes, it is, because one thing a President runs on is law enforcement.For an oversimplified example, let's say you have two candidates, equal in all other ways, but they have two different views on immigration. President Adama says, "Let's go after the people

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-38314477426706629772007-05-31T10:08:00.001-06:002007-05-31T14:36:11.650-06:00

Usually I get an idea for a topic and if I let it germinate, phrases begin to pop into my head, ways of explaining what I'm thinking. Get enough of those and I hit "New Post". Today I confess I'm still germinating, but I'm giving it a stab anyway.Watching the Congress wrangle back and forth, you start to wonder what is wrong with us. Why can't we move forward on important issues that matter?

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-4465215068773250422007-05-27T14:34:00.000-06:002007-07-07T11:41:42.122-06:00

Presidential Candidates-- Now Hear This:I don't need you to tell me what you're going to do in Iraq when you get into office two years from now.There is really no way for anyone to say what they will do in two years.In two years Iran might have gotten involved. Or Syria. Or China.In two years the city of Baghdad might be entirely abandoned. Or nuked with a dirty bomb.In two years, the number

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-79596911876489977292007-05-27T14:00:00.000-06:002007-06-01T12:28:31.943-06:00

So many of the scandals of this administration are downright confusing! The "Plamegate" scandal, which is the alleged outing of a covert CIA agent by the White House in order to discredit her husband, is no exception.I've been promising a Plamegate tutorial, but the fullness of time adds revelations to the story; I'm not sure it's all played out yet. This week, former CIA Director George Tenet

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-90199922338702509012007-05-22T14:25:00.001-06:002007-05-27T13:11:56.531-06:00

I just wrote about this a couple of posts back, the gripping tale former Deputy Attorney General told at a Senate Judiciary hearing last Wednesday. Since then I've been listening to podcasts of news programs and have heard several versions of the same story. I want to try to straighten this out, for myself and for you. I'm going to keep updating this post as I learn facts, but this is how I

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-27805389082875309032007-05-16T10:37:00.000-06:002007-05-16T10:53:11.533-06:00

Have you heard the tale about Alberto Gonzales and former WH Chief of Staff Andy Card going to the hospital room of then-AG John Ashcroft, struggling to survive a tough go with pancreantitis, to get him to sign off on the NSA wiretapping even though he and the entire Justice Department had rejected the plan before the AG took ill? The showdown between Mrs. Ashcroft, Justice Deputies, security

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-73194892537289845272007-05-16T10:14:00.000-06:002007-05-16T10:30:48.852-06:00

Ooh, I've been wanting to do one of these for ages, but it requires more resources than I have: it's a full-on chart of everything the GOP is in trouble for currently!!!Follow this link to the Wayne Madsen Report's GOP Scandal Scorecard.This is arranged by state, to better organize the scandals and to include not just the national scandals but those of governors, representatives, and even

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-50550733573900261662007-05-15T12:26:00.000-06:002007-05-17T10:00:40.366-06:00

Well, it's finally happened. Jerry Falwell is dead.In church we used to say that when someone died, "Jesus called him home," as if that were a sweet and gentle thing. Something tells me this time it sounded more like, "Jerry! Get your ass back here! What in the world have you been doing in My name? Get in here right now, young man! We need to talk about your future..."Wow, I mean... Wouldn't

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-58588412748946894532007-04-24T11:22:00.000-06:002007-04-24T12:46:55.992-06:00

[Sorry I've been out of pocket, Little Miss Mother-in-Law came to visit!]Personally, I've never heard of David Halberstam. And according to him, that's a good thing:By and large, the more famous you are, the less of a journalist you are.He was apparently a well-respected journalist, and his death has reopened a debate -- as people sing his praises-- as to what exactly the role of the journalist

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-20998427344275186032007-04-21T00:59:00.000-06:002007-04-21T01:00:58.978-06:00

I just saw this in the comments section on Salon's War Room. EMStoveken, whoever you are, you rock!Incidentaly, I want a government program that gives me a dollar for every time the idiot child-emperor utters the phrase "In other words..." Just pick the right words the first time, you hack!

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-43233479151860975512007-04-03T13:18:00.000-06:002007-06-06T13:19:59.896-06:00

I used to say we had to stay in Iraq or risk leaving a failed state like Afghanistan after the Soviet war, which bred Al-Qaeda and Bin Laden. I stand by that assessment, but heard on a podcast last night that areas we've cleared have become more targeted by insurgents. Apparently it's not just Wack-A-Mole for us, it is for them too. Only what pops up for them are safer areas, controlled areas. So

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-57328675538060490552007-03-30T14:32:00.000-06:002007-03-30T14:56:14.533-06:00

Many of you are starting to come over from a great site called Mother Talkers. Welcome!Mother Talkers is a great site for all of us moms, and if you didn't already come from there, I highly recommend a visit. You'll find a link on my link list.And as for MT, well, I've been lurking a bit and will no doubt join the conversation as soon as I get my two year old some juice. And then a binky. And

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-63252189766439126512007-03-28T12:27:00.000-06:002007-03-28T12:29:11.546-06:00

Tim Grieve on Salon.com's War Room:If you assume that Americans troops will leave Iraq someday -- and, one way or another, everyone says that they will -- then all we're talking about here is a two-part question of timing: A) What can be accomplished in the meantime, and B) how many people will die in the process? The math is pretty simple: Unless you think the answer to A is "a lot," then the

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-7440498790933512902007-03-27T12:05:00.000-06:002007-03-27T12:32:41.121-06:00

Here's an idea: From now on, appropriations can only be attached to a bill that is in the same category of spending. Want farm appropriations? Then you're going to have to attach them to (or put up a) farm bill, not the anti-Iraq-escalation bill. The victims of Katrina/Rita still need help! Then attach it to or put up a bill for natural disasters and stick it on there.Very often a good bill

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-87219809268798052802007-03-23T10:46:00.000-06:002007-03-23T11:15:45.737-06:00

The other day (the 17th) at a press conference, when referring to the US Attorneys, said:"...[The US Attorneys] serve at our pleasure.""Our" is the ROYAL plural, a pronoun only a king or queen can use. It's even more chilling when using it to talk about "serving at the pleasure of..."No one else caught this, of course, just your trusty Shakespeare-studying politico gal, LMP.Perhaps there was

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-89022888589436081472007-03-19T12:45:00.000-06:002007-03-19T12:59:59.374-06:00

Revealed in Friday's hearing regarding the Plame-Wilson scandal:Not only did Valerie not suggest her husband for the trip to Niger, but when her section chief did suggest Joe, and told Valerie to ask him that night at home, she "wasn't thrilled.""And I will be honest. I had -- was somewhat ambivalent at the time. We had 2-year-old twins as home, and all I could envision was me by myself at

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-69924050564652408312007-03-12T10:34:00.000-06:002007-07-07T11:41:42.123-06:00

I am a progressive. I believe in progress. I believe in elevating our society to something more than it was yesterday. To do that, we all have to work together. We have to make room for each other, and we have to help each other, so that the entity that is our society can grow and prosper.Here in Austin a few years ago we were considering light rail public transportation (pre-9/11, so no talk

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-39141139166706919272007-03-08T13:13:00.001-06:002007-03-08T13:14:01.281-06:00

(OK, I'm stealing this idea from War Room!)Apparently this was said a while ago, but I just heard it today.“FEMA could screw up a two-car parade,” said then-Rep. Norm Mineta (D-Calif.).

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-54566985965150004422007-03-06T12:45:00.000-06:002007-03-08T13:11:12.400-06:00

Well, not quite yet. As usual, rich defendants get to tidy up their lives before surrendering themselves to the prison system. I'm not sure when he'll actually go, butSCOOTER CONVICTED!One count obstruction, one count perjury, not guilty on lying to the FBI. I guess they decided that he did make a mistake (really?) when first he made a statement, and then after he realized it wasn't right,

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-6695953187322233152007-02-17T13:29:00.000-06:002007-07-12T11:23:12.473-06:00

UPDATE: Walter Shapiro has an interesting piece on this topic in Salon called "Hillary the Prudent". (You'll have to watch a short ad before accessing Salon.)I've had a few different opinions on the electability of Senator Hillary Clinton. Mainly it came down to this: I can't vote for her because my parents won't vote for her. That is to say, there are a great number of people in this

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-64783292797826595502007-02-07T11:50:00.000-06:002007-07-07T11:41:42.125-06:00

This is apropos of nothing-- I've just held this one in long enough. What I don't write here rattles around in my brain until I can't stand the clattering.A "war on terror" is like a war on crime. Or a war on murder. Beyond the usual deterences of incarceration and the death penalty, even if you could remove most causes of why humans murder each other-- poverty, desperation, gangs, drugs, etc.

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-47548251601770378142007-02-05T12:01:00.000-06:002007-03-07T11:52:46.578-06:00

Note: if you came here from a linked word in one of my posts, then I stole that phrase from the political writer I admire the most, Molly Ivins, my heroine.The irrepressible, the unstoppable, the undefeatable Molly Ivins has left the Good State for the final time. Ms. Ivins died of breast cancer this week.She once said that she wanted to be one of the great writers, like Camus and Proust, but

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-18367950661041029282007-01-29T13:07:00.001-06:002007-02-20T13:05:28.313-06:00

This is the only reason for the non-binding resolution: so that later on when everyone's running for office again they can say that they voted against the surge before they voted for spending the money on it.The next thing that will happen, after the Pres ignores the Congress' resolution and goes on with his surge plan, is that he will ask Congress for the money to pay for it. These politians

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1162580620966041762007-01-29T11:54:00.000-06:002007-07-13T11:20:59.120-06:00

Ever hear of Stuart W. Bowen, Jr.? He joined the Bush gubernatorial campaign in 1994 and followed Bush & Co. to the White House (after a 35-day stay in Florida watching over the recount).Sensing a political lackey? Oh, it gets worse. Before his latest job, he spent 9 months working for a "Washington law firm with a client, URS Group, that sought and won Iraqi contracts." [Herman].His latest

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-34033692013893101992007-01-24T14:16:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:05:01.208-06:00

Hi there to all of you in Blogland! Sorry that is has been so long since I posted. I have a sewing machine now, you know how it is.Today I want to address a few lines from the State of the Union. If you read other pol blogs, then you've probably seen many takes on this speech. Personally, I couldn't listen to his grating condescension, so I waited until it posted on the net, here, and read it

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1164234486283998612006-11-22T16:20:00.000-06:002006-11-22T16:28:06.293-06:00

[I'll update this post with accurate quotes and links later.]I was just listening to All Things Considered on NPR. They were talking about Rumsfeld leaving, along with members of his staff, and the job ahead for the next guy, whose name escapes me.One interviewee said that "the next guy" dealing with Iraq is like a doctor, and Iraq is a patient. Iraq The Patient is in his 60s and has smoked and

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1163263676025303352006-11-11T10:27:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:01:24.714-06:00

When I was young, we had steaks every Saturday night. Dad would trim his T-bone off the end and would cut that up into bite-sized pieces which he also threw on the grill. These were done long before the steaks, of course, and Dad would call me out to the patio for "Tidbits!" We'd salt them and eat them right off the grill while we waited for the rest of the steaks to cook. They were pretty

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1163100297678385362006-11-09T13:23:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:01:42.679-06:00

CNN is reporting that within the next hour Senator George Allen will officially concede his relection campaign.OK, everyone, exhale.There will not be another shoe dropping. It's over.Democrats now control the House and the Senate. Let's all pray they don't screw it up.

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1163095093771845172006-11-09T11:57:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:02:20.585-06:00

60 Minutes' Ed Bradley has died of lukemia. LMP sends her condolences to friends and family and wishes his spirit a happy journey.

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1163091979698024412006-11-09T10:18:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:02:57.397-06:00

With a lead of about 7200 votes, Virginia's US Senate candidate Jim Webb has been declared the winner by AP, though CNN isn't touching it until the incumbent George Allen officially concedes or makes a decision to recount.I'm still in shock. The House, AND the Senate, AND Rummy's on permanent vacation. I was feeling so cynical, so pessimistic, that I wasn't even sure we'd take the House. Of

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1163012154696951782006-11-08T12:52:00.001-06:002007-02-20T13:03:32.540-06:00

CNN is calling the Montana Senate race for Dem Jon Tester. We're still waiting (and may for some time) on the race in Virginia between Republican George Allen and Democrat Jim Webb to see if Democrats gain control of the Senate as well. (Webb has apparently called it for himself, but they're still counting. They're still counting in Montana, too, technically, but it is apparently close enough

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1163011955008161452006-11-08T12:51:00.000-06:002007-02-20T14:09:15.374-06:00

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has stepped down!Apparently this was in the works for a few days (obviously, because Bush has already secured his replacement in Former CIA chief Robert Gates). I don't know if we can really gloat, but wow. I was expecting to take the House, I was hoping for the Senate, but I was not expecting to topple Rummy in the process. Forget those who say midterms

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1163008119608194952006-11-08T11:41:00.001-06:002007-02-20T13:05:56.258-06:00

Tony Snow's Morning Update:"President Bush Is 'Looking Forward to Working With the Democrats.'"heh heh heh

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1162940732591865242006-11-07T17:05:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:06:20.195-06:00

Vote.If you don't vote, you can't bitch.And Lord, do I love bitching.

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1162227478529312052006-10-30T10:37:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:08:49.898-06:00

I wonder, will the death toll of soldiers in Iraq get banner headlines (as it did when it reached 1,000 and 2,000) when it surpasses the death toll of 9/11?I was surprised I hadn't heard anything when it went past 2,752, which I thought was the 9/11 count (and I did see that number on Wikipedia, but now I can't find it). I was looking for that link and instead came up with another page which

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1160694890539087762006-10-12T17:11:00.000-06:002007-06-25T13:38:35.181-06:00

"The Republicans say that government doesn't work, and then they get elected and prove it."Al Franken"In Hungary, the people took to the streets in revolution when the President said he'd lied about economic numbers... here, we call that Tuesday." Jon Stewart"I gave up being cool and settled for being pleasant."Garrison Keillor"You see, in this world there is one awful thing, and that is that

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1160579364926954382006-10-11T09:07:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:09:49.089-06:00

Bush is out giving speeches today, and according to CNN.com, he accused Democrats of wanting to raise taxes if they win in November.Oh, you've got to be kidding me! That's your boogeyman? Let me ask those who were clapping for this claptrap this:How much would you pay per year to save our country from this cabal of madmen?

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1160327091470441262006-10-08T10:02:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:10:38.445-06:00

I've been reading Lila, Robert Pirsig's sequel to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. While not a political book, the main thrust of the philosophy gave me the language to address the Foley situation, so I wanted to share it with you.If you've read Zen, or know someone who has, you might well imagine the mired depths of the philosophy in Lila. Like the Prez once said about his job, "It's

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1159369714598185282006-09-27T08:17:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:12:11.433-06:00

Little Miss Patriot has had to keep her Little Miss TV off to keep her 2-year-old from watching TV all day. (If I watch my shows, he wants his on too.) So, no more CNN all day. I'm still reading the Net but most of what I get hot about is already being addressed by what I'm reading.First, let me point you to the new CNN Political Ticker. They've turned their politics page into, well, it looks

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1156869788745509782006-08-29T09:26:00.004-06:002007-02-20T13:12:47.745-06:00

I'm happy today, but not because anything really great has happened. Today, it's all about the little things.The workers on my street are busily making homes for my future neighbors, and today they are farther up the street from my house, which means they're quieter. In return, I'm trying not to think too much about their legal status as immigrants.I remembered to buy greeting cards AND send

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1156264455934503542006-08-22T10:20:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:13:15.666-06:00

Did you see that thing about Bush reading Camus' The Stranger on his vacation? Can you believe he admitted that? How dumb are his handlers? For those of you not familiar, Camus' existentialist masterwork is about, as Jon Stewart so eloquently put it the other night, "a Westerner who kills an Arab on a beach for no reason and dies with no remorse." I love this book. It's an intense look at the

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1156100547668585162006-08-20T12:54:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:14:04.025-06:00

I saw this sentence in a Salon article (which was actually about something else entirely, so no point in linking to it) that made me want to-- I don't know, something drastic that would somehow miraculously make these politicians fund school lunch programs and after school programs and yank this crap off the table:The Silver Ring Thing, or SRT -- a Christian outreach organization that, with the

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1155489642494746592006-08-13T10:56:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:14:39.445-06:00

Just a reminder for those of you looking for new posts, we're closing on the new house this week and moving, plus my son just had his second birthday, so I've got my hands full and haven't had time to write. This war would be hard to write about anyway, and frankly, I don't care as much about the whole Joe Lieberman thing as I probably should as a card-carrying Democrat. Actually I'm not one,

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1154712916677181222006-08-04T11:33:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:18:38.578-06:00

The interesting thing about following a war that your country isn't in is that for once you can see it, if not dispassionately, at least more objectively than one might if it's your country. Our involvement (what a euphemism!) in Iraq is so politically laden, and each American watches it through the prism of his own domestic politics. In the current war, especially for people like me who are

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1154635878721032992006-08-03T14:06:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:19:23.553-06:00

[Please go to my last real post, and see Caribou's comments.]"In my opinion, both sides are equally wrong in this war."I agree with your assessment of pretty much everyone being jerks in this conflict. I guess I'm pretty spoiled. I'm used to there being Good Guys (sometimes us) and Bad Guys (sadly, often us) and being able to root for someone (like the people caught in the middle, in Iraq,

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1154482096900006192006-08-01T19:19:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:20:02.446-06:00

I just had an interesting conversation with my roommate. He had read my post about human shields. We moved beyond the "Is it true?" (in which he said that there was a rocket launched from right near that building in Qana and that's what they hit, the building fell because it was too close), and on to, "Say it is true. Then who has the lesser moral ground, those who use human shields or those

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1154461132579026712006-08-01T13:21:00.000-06:002006-08-01T13:38:52.630-06:00

Well, I went and looked up the transcript from AC360 last night, which teased before the break with, "Are they, as many Israeli officials -- as Israel's ambassador to the U.N. just said to us moments ago, using human beings as shields for their operations in South Lebanon? We'll take a look at that."And what was the "look"? He interviewed Gary Berntsen, a "former CIA officer" who "led their

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1154458936623154112006-08-01T12:56:00.000-06:002006-08-01T13:17:36.406-06:00

I've been loathe to do a "war watch", partly because I think Israel is going overboard and being big jerks, and no one on this side of the pond really wants to hear that. I would say I have some complicated views on this one-- and really, what other kind could one have about such a complicated tangle of international politics? I think for now, as unlikely as it may seem, I should keep my

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1153850886147991242006-07-25T11:00:00.000-06:002006-07-25T13:41:12.640-06:00

Welcome to my newly revamped blog! My humble little blog has been getting a little bit of attention, and folks are stopping by from all over the world, I thought it was time to spruce up the place a bit for company. The look and title are different (a little less defensive, perhaps?) but the meat and potatoes of politics and world affairs hasn't changed. I'll still be dishing it out every

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1153521117173292082006-07-21T16:27:00.000-06:002006-10-31T10:14:58.933-06:00

Previously on "All Hell Is Breaking Loose":Muslims are divided into Sunni and Shi'a, which is similar to the differences between Catholics and Protestants in Christianity. They generally don't like each other and think that the other side is worshipping all wrong.Muslims are spread all over the world, but some countries are dominate in one or the other sect of Islam. Needless to say, countries

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1153520814378132442006-07-21T16:22:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:21:37.069-06:00

There is something really important happening in the world. It's not just that Hezbollah and Israel are at each other's throats, it's not just that the US has destabilized the region and upped the ante. It's that there are two main branches of Islam, the Sunni and the Shi'a, and they are ready to fight to the death.All of your preconceptions about the conflict in the Muslim world, which states

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1152988772651321962006-07-15T11:27:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:24:33.680-06:00

A news junkie who is a caring citizen, like myself, often finds she is torn when waking up in the morning: Do I turn on the TV and see how bad it is today, or not?It seems we might be on the brink of WWIII. I'm not sure what else to say about that.It's strange to watch a war on TV that we're not in. I'm so used to the Pentagon briefings about planned strikes that it's very strange to watch the

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1152642617018412072006-07-11T11:49:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:27:35.498-06:00

Well, maybe this crazy ol' world is swinging back towards sanity. Whether this swing will be enough to keep the GOP in power, it's hard to say at this point. But whatever their motivations, we can all sleep a little easier tonight.The Department of Defense has issued a directive that every single person held by the military, no matter where, and no matter who he or she is, is entitled to and

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1152471444010772752006-07-09T12:01:00.002-06:002007-02-20T13:28:27.763-06:00

[Note: this post has been updated with clearer details.]A former US Navy SEAL is filming a documentary in a faraway land about an ancient civilization, the kind of thing you watch at 3am on the History Channel. He is arrested in that country because the yahoo policemen that pull over the taxi in which he was riding one day discover washing-machine timers, which bomb-makers can use as timing

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1152466762897582622006-07-09T11:34:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:29:18.525-06:00

I pulled up CNN.com this morning and scanned the headlines at the top of the page. Among other headlines, I saw this:SOMALI BAND BEATEN FOR PLAYING MUSICDAVE CHAPPELLE: THIS HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULTWith all due respect to Mr. Chappelle, tell that to the band.BTW, in case you were wondering, CNN says: "The Islamic militiamen controlling the Somali capital broke up a wedding celebration

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1152126742339912072006-07-05T13:08:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:30:02.191-06:00

There is an article on Salon.com by Nir Rosen called "Did the invasion make things worse in Iraq?" that I thought was worth quoting. He has been in Iraq since 2003 as a reporter and most of the article lists atrocities committed by the Hussein regime before the US invasion.Was it all worth it? Was it better to leave Saddam in power? Are Iraqis better or worse off than they were before the

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1152122091298578362006-07-05T11:33:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:32:21.797-06:00

I haven't posted in a while, partly because I've had company visiting and we're getting ready to move to a new house and decorate it, and partly because nothing has pissed me off enough to drive me to the computer.Also, the last thing I was working on was about the Seas of David, a story that seems to have died.Is it encumbent on me to be different than the MSM and keep beating a drum long after

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1151349441016194322006-06-26T13:10:00.000-06:002007-02-20T14:12:12.285-06:00

[This post is meant to provide background info on another post, entitled "The Law Enforcement Paradigm".]For this post, I just want expound on this one item, Brother Corey of the Seas of David. There is another post I'm working on about this group of seven that were arrested for domestic terrorism (or rather, the conspiracy to commit such). On Anderson Cooper 360, John Zarrella was approached

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1150911696850824912006-06-21T10:15:00.000-06:002007-07-07T11:34:06.768-06:00

We can't just take our toys and go home from Iraq. Why?Afghanistan, Afghanistan, Afghanistan.The Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979 ostensibly to bolster the Communist ideals in that country, but more likely was there for the same reason everyone goes there-- to secure the oil and trade routes. It was also a "last throes" effort to show military dominance in a crumbling empire. We went in to

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1150829817785400772006-06-20T12:53:00.000-06:002007-07-07T11:34:06.776-06:00

That's the title of an EXCELLENT documentary that aired just the other day on the Link TV network.http://www.wmdthefilm.com/ film's sitehttp://www.linktv.org/ network's siteIt was about all the Hollywood tricks used to dazzle the reporters from the "run-up to the war" until now. For example, embedding the reporters with the troops, which was genius. Put them in danger and ask them to

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1150304482967259052006-06-14T10:58:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:36:01.176-06:00

A short play: George Spills the Milk.George, age 6, and John, age 12, are in the kitchen. Colin, age 8, is there too, and Hillary, age 10, is in the living room. Mom is outside gardening.George: I want some milk. Let me into the fridge.John: OK, I mean, if you really need it, go ahead. Wait, [calls out] Hillary, what do you think?Hillary [from the other room]: 'S fine...George opens the fridge

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1150045911472308952006-06-11T10:54:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:39:09.421-06:00

I can't believe that I'm writing another post on this stupid topic, but I've been sounding off to my two-year-old about it and he's bored of the subject. So here I am, venting on the internet.The Senate gay marriage amendment died today! (On the day I wrote this, which thanks to our crappy Net connection was a few days ago.) So that's good news, at least. However it also means I may be beating

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1149537865481135702006-06-05T13:43:00.001-06:002007-02-20T13:40:06.406-06:00

[The GOP] is taking [the Extreme Religious Right's] "free milk" of votes and walking away without buying the cow. (Ironic, isn't it, since abstinence is their sole sex ed, that they didn't see that one coming?)I said that in another post. And now, oddly enough, W is acting just like the frat boy he's always seemed to be, and he's shown up drunk looking to score with the ERR. His push this week

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1149533456229138512006-06-05T12:46:00.000-06:002006-06-20T13:12:31.320-06:00

Of course we should have gay marriage. Or better yet, we should separate church from state (what a concept!) and have all the licenses issued by the state be civil unions, and if you want to get “married” you have to go to your religious institution and get that from them. (Then all those people who forgo a church service and head down to the JP would be civil unions too.) A marriage already

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1149352742572834792006-06-03T10:20:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:41:04.905-06:00

CAFFERTY: Remember the Powell Doctrine? Put enough boots on the ground, a overwhelming force, to win the war and then have a plan for winning the peace.Whatever happened to Colin Powell?BLITZER: That Powell Doctrine was rejected by the Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.CAFFERTY: And he's still there?BLITZER: Yes. Yes, he is.CAFFERTY: And now, Iraqi civilians are being murdered by overstressed

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1148082302003658172006-05-19T17:32:00.000-06:002007-07-07T11:34:06.779-06:00

I'm a Liberal. This is well known. But I have always respected the conservative movement.First, I am also a Libra, which if you believe any of that stuff means I'm keen to see both sides of everything. I believe that if you're someone who loves this country and are interested in developing policies to help it, then we have more in common than not. And I can respect a well-thought-out line of

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1147909664139688392006-05-17T17:45:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:44:40.513-06:00

In a recent post, I postulated that the NSA data-mining of every phone call made in the US was b-ll-sh-t.Tonight on Lou Dobbs Tonight on CNN, LD interviewed the former Director of the NSA and former Deputy Director of the CIA, Bobby Inman, who had helped develop the FISA laws in 1978.LD: "Before we let you go, the issue of the NSA databank, the USA Today report--we've had disavowals of two of

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1147811856539752962006-05-16T13:45:00.000-06:002007-07-07T11:25:10.035-06:00

One thing I have always wanted to see reported is, what happens to all those campaign contributions?I'm always flummoxed when a candidate can raise $2M in one night to get into office so they can fight a bill that spends $500,000. Seems like if you can just throw a dinner and raise that kind of money, then we shouldn't really have money problems in our government, should we? Why can't we throw

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1147462693481131782006-05-12T13:03:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:45:46.356-06:00

News Item: The NSA is in the process of trying to gather the phone records (that is, the number called & called from, the time and duration of the call, but not its contents) of EVERYONE. Do I think this is a good idea? Well, it sounds ultra-creepy but then I think of that show NUMB3RS and I think, "Wow, Charlie could do a lot of statistical analysis with that." And when I picture that, I see

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1147203297691166522006-05-09T12:38:00.000-06:002007-02-20T14:10:00.599-06:00

This post is long overdue, and consequently I might only be pointing out the obvious. It's been obvious to me all along, so it's hard to tell.I was born in 1969, so I'm not an expert in Vietnam War-era politics. But as I understand it...There was a radical revolution underway in the mid-60s to mid-70s, in which all the previous social mores were being challenged. For every point of

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1146685094421263512006-05-03T13:30:00.001-06:002007-02-20T13:50:33.831-06:00

First of all when you're trying to assess what an enemy is up to you pay your military and your intelligence people to prepare for the worst case. So intelligence by definition is supposed to be an ultimate example of worst-case thinking. The trouble with worst-case thinking is you begin to project threats and imagine threats as if they're real, and you begin to create responses based on those.

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1146076709795436342006-04-26T12:16:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:53:05.432-06:00

There has developed in the public discussion regarding the denouncement of Secretary Rumsfeld by retired officers a paradox that no one seems to address.1. Retired officers are saying Rummy messed this up from start to finish (ok, that's a simplification).2. The common criticism of these officers is one of two: a. Why didn't you say something at the time? (i.e., it must not have bothered

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1145034960722473352006-04-14T11:07:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:54:34.053-06:00

I got an email from my cousin touting some good news from Iraq, a commendation for a civilian who has helped to add infrastructure to the country. She added that "we never hear good news" like this, and so she wanted to spread it around.We hear a lot about this, that there is a bias toward bad news. Well, this is true of journalism: "If it bleeds, it leads." On my local news I rarely hear

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1144950250966888892006-04-13T11:40:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:55:59.112-06:00

We are still waiting for many details surrounding "Leakgate" or "Plamegate", but an answer to my question in the previous post has been provided by Sidney Blumenthal in his article "The Slow-Motion Trap" on Salon.com.Blumenthal writes,In the setup for the leak, Fitzgerald writes, Cheney "advised defendant that the President specifically had authorized defendant to disclose certain information in

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1144774668085971732006-04-11T10:41:00.000-06:002006-06-20T14:18:54.500-06:00

[This is another letter I wrote to Salon. The topic was Libby's revelation that "Cheney told me that POTUS told him" to leak informaton from the NIE. The previous poster couldn't understand why everyone wasn't up in arms about this.]I think maybe one of the reasons this isn't drawing the attention the last LW wanted is that it has a little bit for everyone to grab onto and back up their side.

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1144687443516714762006-04-10T10:42:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:58:07.820-06:00

First, I have to say, I love Lou Dobbs. He rocks my world every evening at 5pm CST. But when Congress attempted to address a big, red, hotbutton issue for Lou, he was so happy he didn't seem to understand why people took to the streets. It's really about the Sensenbrenner bill.I think the real underlying hotbutton in the Sensenbrenner bill is that it criminalized aiding one's fellow man.

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1143400725323659132006-03-26T13:17:00.000-06:002007-02-20T13:59:16.832-06:00

Soon (I guess if it passes), fourteen-year-olds in Florida will be declaring high school majors and minors. I actually like this idea a lot (who cares that it comes from a Bush?) for several reasons.1. Focus. This will help kids focus that their high school education is a step towards actually creating a satisfying life, not just a social arena where the only real goals are good numbers on

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1143399943977232612006-03-26T13:04:00.000-06:002007-02-20T14:00:29.753-06:00

Saw another headline today about the Medicaire drug plan confusing seniors. Now, I grant you that it's confusing, and it's probably a sucker's bet all the way around, but I am so tired of hearing that "old = stupid". Most old people got that way by NOT being stupid! It's the butterfly ballot all over again-- a legitimately confusing ballot, that probably would have gotten me too, but by the

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1141759619761885062006-03-07T13:26:00.000-06:002007-02-20T14:01:19.572-06:00

The inherent difference between the two parties is that the conservatives embrace conformity while the liberals embrace tolerance. This is the root cause of their two different approaches to the political realm.While the conservatives might have many (as you* said, "messy") points of view, they are trained to conform, or appear to conform, and as Craig234 [another letter-writer on Salon.com*]

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18326404.post-1140298330601844782006-02-18T15:18:00.000-06:002007-02-20T14:11:16.547-06:00

I got really disgusted in the last presidential election over this issue of "values voting". Here's what I wanted the Democrats to say:Whatever happened to "American Values"? Honesty, integrity, nonconformity, tolerance, freedom, etc., etc. Whatever happened to "I cannot tell a lie" and "The buck stops here"? Whatever happened to transparency, dissent, debate, and keeping your religious ideas

LMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452521424551255551noreply@blogger.com0