Comprehensive Bush Scandal List

Back in October I made a post about how wrong Bush has been about so many things. It only had about 17 general items listed, while I knew there were more, I don't have the memory to keep track of all the dealings in Washington. But, while perusing the Internet today, I came across a comprehensive list of George W. Bush related scandals. It is updated regularly and is up to 292 items. If you have to the time, please read this wonderful document and prepared to be depressed and enraged at the same time.

Support the Troops, Bring 'em Home

I have a few friends in the military. One is in the marines and the rest are in the army. They fly helicopters, repair tanks, and protect our military ports. They are normal people with families and friends. They will serve or have served in Iraq.

Back here in America we throw the phrase "support the troops" around all too easily. Some say being against the war is against our troops. Some support our troops through a fading magnet on their car that they have long forgotten about. But those who actually support the troops and care about their wellbeing want them home.

If you actually believe the majority of the troops want to be over in Iraq, then you are quite delusional and should seek professional help. They are over there doing their job, nothing more, nothing less. Some of them believe in the mission, many don't. They are not politicians, but soldiers, sworn to protect our country and constitution.

After the terrible things we put our soldiers through in Vietnam, you'd think we'd learn our lesson. Unfortunately, instead of spitting in their faces, this time around we keep their faces were we cannot seem them. We throw them into dilapidated military hospitals. We pretend we are doing them a favor my putting a yellow magnet on our car. We pretend they enjoy what they are doing over there and go about our daily lives, because the president has yet to ask the average American to sacrifice something for his "great cause".

The next time you tell someone you support the troops, make sure you infuse it with a bring them home sentiment. It's up to us to support the troops now. It is time for us to actually sacrifice something to support those who have done so much and ask for little in return. Congress does not support our troops. The president does not support our troops. We must pick up the gauntlet and support the troops by ending pointless wars and bringing them home. If we do nothing, how much better are we than those who sent them in to harms way to begin with?

Why Does Your Blog Suck

I've received a few e-mails recently from people who enjoy the topics I bring up in my blog, but think my posts are too short, or plainly suck. So I've decided to address some issues in this post.

Currently I'm a part-time freelance programmer while being back in school getting a degree in physics (I already have a degree in computer engineering). This doesn't leave me much time to write fancy and elaborate posts, but I still like to get things off my chest and a blog is one way I can do it publicly.

If you want to add something to anything I put up here, comments are enabled. I know I've received a lot more e-mails than I have comments. If you want to contribute, I wouldn't mind adding genuinely interested people as authors to this blog (just drop me an e-mail; sritter27@gmail.com).

Hopefully over the next few weeks I will have a bit more time to blog and perhaps write some better posts. Please let me know if you have any constructive criticism as well. Just telling me my blog sucks doesn't give me any new information.

No, I Will Not Comply. Period.

This is a very interesting excerpt from Michael Badnarik's constitution class. Will you comply?

The Bible is Bullshit

I remember seeing this actual episode of Penn & Teller: Bullshit! and now a good skim of it is up on YouTube. If you're religious don't just pass this by. Think critically and come to you own conclusion.

Impeach Those Who Won't

You congresspeople out there whom don't understand their jobs, this post is for you. For all those in the legislative branch who've never read the Constitution and do not understand their purpose in the system of checks and balances, this is for you.

Read Article Two, Section 4 of the Constitution please. It gives the House of Representatives the authority of oversight on the executive branch by enabling them to impeach officials that commit crimes while in office. Even in a delusional state of mind that could somehow ignore the crimes perpetrated by the current administration, it is your job to uphold the law on any future crimes committed by them. If you are a congressperson whom has stated that impeachment is "off the table", then you are failing to do your job.

Let's say Bush ordered the army to start shooting US citizens out of the blue, are you then saying that would not be something to impeach him on. I mean, impeachment is off the table, obviously there's no reason to do your job, so why start doing it any time in the future.

You all swore an oath to uphold the Constitution. All of you that disregard any portion of it are failing that oath and a disgrace to your office. Please withdraw such statements or resign your office in shame of such contemptible failure.

The rest of us have to do our jobs, so congress please do your's.

Educating America; Teach a Child to Think

America's education system is a dismal failure in comparison the rest of the first world. It's relatively apparent after spending just a few minutes in an American school. But don't expect it to get any better any time soon.

Politicians have been using the subject of education to win votes for as long as I can remember. The idiotic No Child Left Behind agenda is the most recent federal retardation of our children. There's probably been even stupider agendas flying around in individual states. But is formal education as whole really all that important to the actual education of a child?

The most important thing a child could ever learn is how to read, and critically. The fact of the matter is, if you teach a child to read and think critically, there's no limit to their education. Of course, they must be interested in the material to learn it well, but if they can think critically, it is major step in the right direction.

I'm obviously simplifying the situation and it is much more complex than I let on. For one poor areas need as much public education funding as any other. The funding of libraries is also essential towards education. With a good book and the desire to learn, there's a lot a child can do.

Video: Cop Having a Bad Day

This guy gets pulled over for doing 70 in a 65 and somehow winds up getting tazed. I feel bad for the good cops that get a bad rap because of guys like this.

Responsibility and War

I have a good friend, lets call him Bob, who is quite the Republican. He calls himself a conservative, but I know better, so I'll just stick with Republican. Last week he came over to watch the Seahawks vs Rams with me. During half time we started talking politics and eventually we were debating the war on Iraq, which as you can imagine became quite a heated "conversation". When it was over and the second half started, I realized that the whole discussion had actually been about responsibility.

You can debate to no end why we went to war, but in th end the American people supported it. If they did not support it, they obviously did not vote well enough in the 2004 election (I'm not getting into any voting conspiracy theories at this time). As far as I'm concerned anyone who did not vote against Bush, or anyone who initially voted for the war is just a culpable as those who ordered the first bombs dropped on Iraq.

Four and a half years later there is quite a bit of resentment towards the president and the war/occupation. But there are still those, such as Bob, whom still support the war and even starting another one with Iran. Bob is not stupid though, he doesn't argue that the war is about WMDs anymore. His argument now is about what will happen if we leave.

There are many theories out there concerning what will happen to Iraq and the Middle East if the US packs its bags and leaves. Most of the Republican theories revolve around utter chaos after we leave, which is the route Bob takes. He asks me, "Will you and the rest of your liberal buddies take responsibility for the horrible things that will occur if we just leave Iraq?" This poses an interesting question of responsibility, from a Republican nonetheless.

Responsibility is something that is completely ignored in a lot of corners of society, and Washington D.C. is a shining example of this. Very few politicians who voted for the war have taken responsibility for their actions. Thousands of our troops have died, while unthinkable numbers of civilians have died as a result.

So, to answer Bob's question, I have no problem taking responsibility for what happens if we leave Iraq today. The real question is, will he and the rest of his buddies who voted for the war take responsibility fore getting us into this mess in the first place. You can't just say we maid a mistake, now we're stuck. If your car gets stuck in mud, you don't just hit the accelerator and hope for the best. You reassess the situation and find a new solution for getting out of the mud.

Lets also not forget the Iraqis in all of this. It's their country as well and they must take responsibility once we leave. The country will not be able to heal overnight from the wound we have inflicted on it. There may be a continuing civil war after we leave. But how is our presence helping at all. Our troops are just targets. Once they are out of the picture, the nationals fighting us will move on to fighting the other foreign invaders, such as Al Qaeda.

We tried to stay the course in Vietnam and look how that turned out. We finally took responsibility for our failure and got our asses out of there. Did Vietnam turn into a utopia after we left? Obviously not. But, both sides were better off once the conflict was over.

The invasion was a mistake and those responsible should understand the consequences of their actions. Everyday we stay there more and more people die because of those actions and for what? What noble cause is this all for? I hope one day those of you who caused, including you Bob, realize what you've done and try to make it right. For now, I'll take responsibility for my actions and continue to try and get our troops home.

Judge Upholds the Constitution, Boy Dies

The other day, it was reported that a 14-year-old boy had died after refusing to receive blood transfusions for his leukemia. This spark quite a discussion all over the Internet about the decisions both the government and the boy made. Luckily, in the end, freedom won. Sadly, a boy died.

Dennis Lindberg was a Jehovah Witness and did not want a transfusion that would make his blood "unclean". The state tried to have the court force Mr. Lindberg to have the treatments, but Judge John Meyers would none of it. He did not see that the boy was trying to commit suicide and that he was just practicing his religious beliefs.

As I read through discussions on the Internet, I was somewhat surprised that so many people didn't think a 14-year-old should be able to make such a decision. Unfortunately, there's a little thing called the First Amendment that allows the freedom of religion. Usually, it has been upheld that most things can be done in accordance with religious practices as long as they do not harm others. The last thing I want is the government getting into the affairs of my family, unless it somehow we are somehow affecting those outside of our family.

That's not to say I agree with the kid's decision. It's just that, well... it really is none of my business. Dennis' Aunt was his legal guardian and approved of his decision. If she had not, this would be an entirely different case in which legal precedent is sketchy, but most likely he would have received the treatments. Furthermore, the parents did not agree with his decision, but decided not to appeal the case, which I think says something in itself. In America, we should have every right to decide what goes in our bodies, and that includes things that may be good for us.

I feel sorry for the family and Mr. Lindberg, but thankfully they were able to decide how to live and/or end their lives without governmental interference. Just imagine if we had another Terri Schiavo event. The government has no place in determining the morality of personal decisions that harm no one else and I hope it stays that way

We're Losing Our Democracy America

Why Is Anyone Still Listening to Bush?

President Bush has been wrong on just about everything he has touched. So why is anyone still listening to this guy and his gang of incompetent boobs. Bush's approval rating has been low for quite some time, but who are those remaining people whom still support him?

Here is an incomplete list of things that Bush has been wrong about:

• Weapons of Mass Destruction
• Iraq-Al-Qaeda link
• Cost of war
• Dismantling the Iraqi Army
• Mission Accomplished
• Homeland Security
• Improper allocation of troops to catch Osama and other terrorists
• Federal action after Katrina
• We don't torture
• Iran is an immediate threat
• Politicizing of Justice Department
  
• Wiretapping
• Blackwater
• Valerie Plame
• Terri Shivo
• Guantanamo Bay
• War on Terror
  
• etcetera
  

These are just some of the lies George W. Bush has unleashed on America and the world. So why does anyone trust him anymore? What does he have to do to receive the ire of the entire nation? If someone lied to you over and over again would you believe them the next time they spoke? Apparently 30% of America would.

Our nation is going down the crapper because of Bush's lies. Congress is failing to check the power of the executive branch and the administration continues its drumbeat to war. Is it the upcoming election keeping people from revolting?

If we continue this trend of enabling Bush and any neo-cons to come after him, then we are heading towards a $2.4 trillion debt by 2017 caused by his lies. That is why it amazes me any real conservative would still go along with anything Bush says.

What happened conservatism in this nation, if it means spending trillions on wars while our infrastructure crumbles at home. How the hell are we going to pay all this off? Why are we still listening to this snake-oil salesman?

We need serious change in Washington and it can't come from other Bush enablers. There are only a few men running for president who have seriously stood up to Bush. Why aren't there more? Where is the outrage in this nation? We have an obligation to keep this nation free, but we can't do it while accepting the propaganda. When will you stop listening to Bush and start to take back the country that is yours.

/end rant

Revolutions Ain't Easy

America is in a decline. It has been for quite some time. The last seven years standout as the worse that I've ever seen on American soil. As the constitution is steamrolled and America's integrity erodes ever faster, there is a threshold that changes a free society into an enslaved one. Have we reached it yet? Did we reach it long ago? In either case, how do we make it right?

Thomas Jefferson once stated that, "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Talking of open revolt against one's government is not a simple task today, let alone 230 years ago. But where is the tipping point in our society in which citizens take arms up against the tyranny that is forming around us?

Like most things in life that are worth it, a revolution is not easy. It takes serious commitment. You cannot stand in the streets ready to fight the government and go home the next day and watch your favorite football team. You have to be willing to give up everything that you hold dear. That's not easy. The question I put forth is how far will you be pushed until you stand your ground and risk everything for what you believe in?

Most of us have jobs and families. We don't feel oppressed by the government, at least not to the point of fighting back. Yet, everyday we hear about more and more illegal federal programs, illegal wars, and Americans dying in foreign lands for little or no reason. Our economy is failing, our infrastructure is crumbling, and we have the worst health care in the Western world.

Last November, many of us voted the Democrats into power in the legislature to stop the executive from ruining our country further. In today's world, it seems the Democrats and Republicans are one in the same, save for a few souls. Few people in our government stand up for what is right.

Perhaps, that is why so many are putting their faith in Ron Paul. But what if he doesn't win? What if Guiliani, or Hillary wins? Will you take up arms when they continue spying on and torturing people? Will you take up arms when the police do warrantless searches through your homes? What will be your tipping point?

The government is out of control now. They're spending over 60% of your tax money on funding their illegal wars, and that's barely enough to pay the interest on our ever increasing debt. Ron Paul may be able to stop the bleeding if he is elected. But who's to say the Supreme Court won't elect our president again.

Are we going to wait until they mark us with flair and load us onto trains? You may think that I'm exaggerating, but I don't think we're far from that stage. The Constitution and the law has not stopped the government yet, and none of the branches of our government are willing to check each other. They aren't listening to the people and even when new people are elected in, they seem to become as tainted as their predecessors.

So where is the tipping point? When bombs fall on Iran? Where do we draw the line? When do we say, 'I will not comply'? We may laugh when a college student says "Don't tase me bro!", but should we laugh at the 270+ that have died from police taser use in the US? Will we laugh when Americans disappear because of their dissent? Will we laugh when the government watches our every move? Or will we do something?

I know all these questions are hard to answer. I myself am no less part of the problem. Writing this entry in this blog does very little to change the reality of what is happening in this country. The reality is revolutions ain't easy, but tyranny is even harder.

Big Brother

Run Gore, Run

Whether you agree with Al Gore's politics, or not, you have to admit that his entering the 2008 presidential race would make things more interesting. The Democrats should be shaking in their boots if there is any sign that Gore is going to run.

Well, I woke up this morning to find three "Viewpoints" videos on Current.com's website from Al Gore himself. The three videos are on health care, protecting America/privacy, and Iraq. They almost read as campaign-style videos, which some people have labeled them, although I feel reluctant to. The videos are part of a group of them called Viewpoints on the site and he seems to just be adding his views up there. That being said, with him winning the Nobel Peace Prize and getting so much attention from the media, all this looks like a perfect storm of announcing his candidacy.

Back in April, it was reported that Gore's friends and former campaign relations began meeting secretly to set up and chance of him running. Gore, of course, has been saying he has no plans to run, leaving all but a slimmest possibility that he will. It would easy for him to kill any lingering thoughts of whether he'll run, and that would be to endorse a candidate. But he hasn't done that yet, and anybody can speculate why. From the mundane of not wanting to lock-in on anybody. To the over-the-top, "It's a sign he'll run for sure!"

I would just like to see sort of opposition to the current Democrats running who actually has a chance. Hillary keeps leading the polls, and I'm not sure she's much better than Bush. For now, though, the only hope of real political change is with either Ron Paul or Dennis Kucinich, both of which actually stand for what they believe.

If you would like to see Al Gore run, then check out DraftGore.com and sign the petition.

Why Misquote Bush?

There has been a picture circulating around the Internet. I first noticed it on Reddit and wrote it off as another crazy Bush quote that demanded no more attention from me. Then I noticed it on a few a couple blogs and other sites and the more I thought about it, the less the quotes made sense. What was the likelihood that a translation of a Hitler quote would turn out to be exactly the same as something Bush said?

Anyways, I could not find anything related to this quote from Bush, except from Prison Planet, which was quoting Hitler, and relating it to Bush. But the point I'm trying to make, is why misquote Bush at all. There are so many amusing and damning quotes all over the web, that there should be no reason to ever have to make something up like this. I mean, Bush has said some pretty creepy thing regarding Homeland Security throughout his presidency. (Does anyone else get a chill down their spine when they hear the word homeland used as a term for America?)

If anyone does find a citation for this "quote" from Bush, please let me know.

Why Hate Iran?

It's all about oil. No, I'm just talking about the recent rumblings of war towards Iran. The whole history of modern Western involvement in Iran has to do with oil.

In 1941, Britain and the Soviet Union occupied Iran to secure the oil fields and supply lines. The reason Britain was so invested during and after the war, was that British Petroleum (then, Anglo-Persian Oil Company). In 1951, the pro-western prime minister Ali Razmara was assassinated by the Fadayan-e Islam organization. Mohammad Mossadeq, a nationalist, was elected as prime minister. He helped the Iranian government nationalize the oil reserves. The British government considered the oil reserves a vital resource and petitioned the act to the International Court of Justice, but was dismissed.

The crafty Brits devised a plan to overthrow Mossadeq using the paranoia of America towards the Soviet Union and communism. They gave the Americans falsified evidence that Mossadeq was plotting to join with the Soviet Union's communist influence. In 1953, President Eisenhower approved a CIA plan to overthrow the government. The coup d'etat against the democratically elected government was considered a huge success by the CIA. So, the US conducted the first strike of terrorism against Iran.

The pro-western Shah was put in place of a democratically elected prime minister and ruled until 1979, when Iranians revolted. On November 4, 1979, Iranian students stormed the US embassy in Tehran and took hostages for 444 days.

I do not condone what those students did. I also do not condone what the US did when they overthrew Mossadeq. Basically, I simplify it to a prank war that the US started. The score is 1-1. Why not call a truce? Why continue to hate Iran?

Is it because Iran is basically a theocracy? Is it because they supposedly support terrorists? Is it because Iran is trying to develop nuclear technology? None of those reasons seem valid.

The US has replaced many governments that were elected democratically, with ones that are either dictatorships or basically puppets. We even support Saudi Arabia, another theocracy.

The US State Department define terrorism as "the unlawful use of -- or threatened use of -- force or violence against individuals or property to coerce or intimidate governments or societies, often to achieve political, religious, or ideological objectives." Do I need to even go into this one. The US has been doing this one forever.

No, I don't want to see a nuclear Iran. I think it's bad for a region that is already not stable. But, there's no reason to huff and puff over something that's years away from happening. There are peaceful ways to resolve such a situation. It would also help if we tried to improve relations with Iran instead of threatening to use force against them.

So, why do we hate Iran? I can't think of any good reason. Can you?

Why Is Bush Still President?

It's a very simple question that I cannot find an answer to. Why is Bush still president? What does a man have to do to earn the contempt of Congress and the American people? To be fair, the majority of people, and I think Congress too, do not like Mr. Bush. So, I'm just curious, what will it take for us to remove Bush from office?

Fox News' War Propaganda

Fox News has used the disguise of journalism to spread propaganda about various issues. This video sums up the direct message they've been sending about Iran and how they are following the same formula they did leading up to the invasion of Iraq.

9/11 Redux

There are some in this country who believe that another terrorist attack on America would be a good thing. I am not sure if these thoughts are a sick joke or the ramblings of an insane asylum escapee. The very thought that only through violence and bloodshed Americans could be brought together sickens me to my core.

If we are fighting a global war on terror as the Bush administration, the GOP, and many democrats have said, then wouldn't anyone conspiring to commit an act similar to 9/11 be our enemies. In fact, it may even be treasonous to suggest such an act.

I do not see these people, who claim such acts of terror would be good for our country, serving up their families for these sacrifices. These are the same people who have supported the Iraq war from the start, but have no family member serving in the armed services. They know nothing of sacrifice and are cowards, shielding themselves from reality with sick fantasies of bloodshed and mayhem of their fellow man so that they may feel righteous somehow.

It disturbs me even further that people like this are my neighbors, fellow Americans, that I would sacrifice for and help in a time of need. Through peace we can accomplish so much more than through violence. But, these people are violent religious extremists that are not unlike those who attacked us on 9/11. Hell, they want it to happen again.

My fellow Americans, if you are not sickened by the words of these people, then perhaps it is you that is the enemy of this country. Serve up your offering of flesh to be sacrificed in the bloodshed you have proposed. Serve up your children, your wives, your mothers and fathers. For we will gladly destroy you for the good of this country if that is what you want. Perhaps once you are gone America will unite together as they did after 9/11, but only because we removed the cancerous tumor of America that is you.

Arab Journalist Discusses Iraq

Shadi Al-Kasim is an Arab freelance journalist who has worked in Iraq. He has a unique view on the war and occupation of Iraq that most Americans will never see in their media.

Al-Kasim on dealing with insurgence:

. . . the American government should start seriously think to negotiate, not the insurgents, not Al-Qaeda, because Al-Qaeda are terrorists. The organized fighters, resistance groups in Iraq, to reach a ceasefire with them and to start negotiating them and get to know exact what they want to do and what exactly the need from the American army, the American side.

Continuation of current course:

The killing will increase widely in Iraq and they will have civil war very soon.

Videos like this are supported by Alive in Baghdad, an organization supported by donations.

Cheney '94: Saddam Not Worth American Lives

God bless America.

Diebold Haiku

Diebold elections
Destroying democracy
Congress does nothing

Diebold, Why Is It So Hard to Make a Counting Machine?

Why would we put our electoral faith into counting machines that seem to have an odd problem of counting improperly. Yes, there is a bit more to the machines than counting, but basically that's what it does.

What the voting machines should do is request your social security number. This will ensure you are eligible to vote. Then the vote is tallied, saved in a secure local database and a larger state database, a receipt is printed for proof of your vote. As optional, but good feature it could also print out a record of each vote at a secure location.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't a machine like that be simple enough to develop and maintain? The source code of the machines could even be available to an oversight committee. With a little oversight and simplification in the process, I would think this sort of system would be simple enough to run while relatively secure.

So, Diebold get up off your asses and make counting machine that works properly or we'll have to replace them with abacuses, which seem to be much more reliable.

'What's Wrong with America?'

The best question at the recent Democratic AFL-CIO debate was from Steve Skvara, a retired steel worker.

Mr. Skvara's question in its entirety:

"After thirty years with LTV Steel I was forced to retire because of a disability. Two years later LTV filed bankruptcy. I lost a third of my pension, and my family lost their health care. Everyday of my life I sit at the kitchen table, across from the women who devoted thirty-six years of her life to my family, and I can't afford to pay for her health care. What's wrong with America, and what will you do to change it?"

It's more of a question to the American people than to the candidates. What's wrong with us when a man who devoted his life to a company and was a productive member of society gets thrown out like a used tissue. I don't think that's right. Do you?

I Don't Care if Islam is a Religion of Peace or Violence

Islam is a religion. Being an atheist I am prone to not liking Islam, or any theistic belief system. This, however, does not mean that I dislike the people behind Islam. I hear all the time that Islam is either a religion of peace (they say that), or a religion of violence (the Republican right says that). But I don't care, in the end they are just people like you and me.

Fighting an ideology with brute strength will rarely work. If Islam is a violent religion, then bombs and gunfire will not destroy it, that will only inflame their violence. What will work is fighting hostile ideologies with peaceful ones.

If you find a hungry man with a gun would you break a loaf of bread with him or eat it all in front of his face? What people often forget is that peaceful acts often trump violent ones.

Nothing good could possibly come out of fighting a war of ideologies. It didn't work in the Cold War and it would work even worse with modern religious beliefs.

God or no God, peace or no peace, we should break bread with our neighbors. Our Islamic neighbors are no different and are people all the same. We should extend peace to them and not try to force our ideals on them. For these reasons, our foreign policy should be one of peace towards all people, not of war.

Separating Church and State Keeps Us Free

What many on the religious right do not understand is the importance of separating our church from our state. Throughout our history as a nation there have been people who try to push their personal beliefs into government dealings. What many of them don't understand is that in a free nation that allows them to practice their religion, it also allows others to practice what they want as well. I know it probably seems obvious, but our theocratic president challenges that notion.

The idea that our nation was founded as a Christian one is a myth, at best. Many of the founding fathers were deists or agnostic/atheists. Deism differs from theism on the point that God does not interfere in the lives of humans and does not dictate the workings of the universe. America is not a Christian nation, it is a free nation.

According to the CIA, America is about 80% Christian. Lets say there's a downward trend in religious beliefs over the next 50 years and that 80% halves to 40%, while atheism grows to 45%. In this scenario, atheists are now the leading "religion" in America. What if they tried and succeeded to enact that there shall be no acts of religion in America. They could claim that America was founded as an atheist nation (there's more of a case for that than this being a Christian nation) and that therefore God has no place within our borders. This may seem preposterous, but there's a reason why we have separation of church and state.

No one knows what the future of religious beliefs will be, but I'd rather live in a nation that kept religion entirely out of the government, rather than be force to believe what other believe. Religious freedom was so important that it was put right there in the first amendment to the Constitution. If you stifle one freedom, you begin down a slippery slope of endangering all freedoms. Therefore, I'd like to keep church and state separated, wouldn't you?

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee Defends the Constitution

Here's something you probably won't see on your news programs, someone actually defending the Constitution of the United States.

During the debate on the new wiretapping legislation:

"... What we're doing here tonight; we are shredding the Constitution, we are tearing up the Bill of Rights, because we are telling Americans that no matter what your business is, you are subject to the unscrupulous, undisciplined, irresponsible scrutiny of the attorney general and others without a court intervention. This is not the day to play politics. It is to balance civil liberties along with the homeland security and the protection of America ... Shame on the other body for failing to recognize that we can secure America by securing the American people and giving them their civil liberties."

Too bad 227 congresspeople ignored civil liberties and the rights of Americans and voted for the new wiretapping legislation.

Ron Paul the Peaceful Conservative

Ron Paul talking about our illegal Iraq war and occupation at the recent Republican debate.



Ron Paul on Fox News explaining his position of peace.


A little more about Paul on Fox News.

Congress Goes on Vacation. War Doesn't.

The 110th Congress hurried a new surveillance bill through Friday and Saturday so that they could go on vacation. I don't want to pass judgment on the bill itself (that's a whole other post in itself), but what disturbs me is the fact that congress thinks its okay to recess while people are still dying in Iraq.

The Iraqi parliament is also taking August off. This is even more disheartening than our own congress' betrayal of duty. We've created our government already and although its beginning to show cracks, it is still working. They are trying to create a peaceful democracy in a country that is thriving with violence and strife. Perhaps, that is not a simple 9-5 job in which month long vacations can be taken.

Their behavior sends a clear message to me; they are apathetic as to our sacrifice and their country's horrific problems. If that is the case, why are we still there? About 71% of Iraqis would like us out by September. I say Congress stays in session until our troops our home safely.

Why should our troops have to suffer long tours of duty in a country that doesn't want us, while the poor tired Congress gets to take a break? How many dead soldiers are 4 weeks of vacation worth? Come September, I guess we'll know the answer to that question.

Because the world didn't have enough problems . . .

. . . I had to go and start a blog. Actually, I've had a blog, but it's all over the place. I wanted to create a blog where my crazy political ramblings could be more clearly documented.

You see, I have two political personalities. One of them likes the libertarian isolationist values of Ron Paul, while the other side likes the socialist humanism of Dennis Kucinich. What I hope to do is lay these views down while analyzing current affairs in the political spectrum of America and the world.

Won't you join me while I diagnose the infected burning itch that is politics.