Stephen Views the News

Stephen Views the News June 28, 2009

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 13:26:40 EDT

Stephen Views the News June 28, 2009

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

The Conservative Perspective – Political Pornography

As I troll, surf and stalk what is happening in the news I often stumble upon such absurdity by so-called Conservatives that I do a check to ensure I have taken the correct medication for the day. In a clear-headed world such lewdness of logic could not be taking place. More often than not I ignore such offense to reason. When I have noted these mental burlesques they have been featured in a segment designated Derriere Orifice of the Week. This was indeed a special week!

* Senator John Ensign (R-NV) and Governor Mark Sanford (R-SC), advocates of family values, opponents of gay rights and pontificators of how others should conduct their lives, were exposed for extra-marital affairs. Perhaps these disgraced icons of the holier-than-thou movement should pay more attention to what their own sexual organs are doing. Republican sexual indiscretions have become so prevalent that TalkingPointsMemo.com has developed a Sex Scandal Flow Chart, where all roads must lead to hell. Truth be told, I would not care less what happens in the private lives of politicians if not for those instances where their hypocrisy is palpable. The sanctity of marriage begins with one’s own zipper remaining in the up position. And what does it say about Senate Republican leadership that during their regular Tuesday luncheon meeting, following Ensign’s mea culpa apology to them, they showered him with applause. Good job John, another notch on the chastity belt!

* Noted natural healer and airwaves polluter Rush Limbaugh offered an alibi for Sanford’s love tryst in Argentina. Limbaugh said, “Sanford flew out of the country to have an affair because ‘President Obama drove him over the edge’.” The background of “over the edge” involved Sanford opposing the acceptance of desperately needed money provided in the Stimulus Plan for South Carolina. Sanford lost this fierce battle with his state legislature as he desperately attempted to establish his conservative credentials for a presidential run in 2012. The Limbaugh Prescription: committing adultery is the homeopathic approach to dealing with stress. Whatever bothers you, just get laid and blame it on the President.

* Right-wing anti-tax activist Grover Norquist offered an interesting perspective on recent Republican adultery. Norquist said, “It does indicate that men who oppose federal spending at the local level are irresistible to women.” Oh to have had this knowledge when I was single. Who would have thought that approaching a woman in a cocktail lounge as a tight-assed, anal-retentive bible thumper with a Shirley Temple in hand would have her disrobing and fogging up my eyeglasses?

* One of Maryland’s most prominent Republican organizations, Republican Women of Anne Arundel County, issued a letter by the organization’s President, Joyce Thomann. Her letter began “Dear Friends” and went on to say, “Obama and Hitler have a great deal in common in my view. Obama and Hitler use the “blitzkrieg” method to overwhelm their enemies. FAST, CARPET BOMBING intent on destruction. Hitler’s blitzkrieg bombing destroyed many European cities – quickly and effectively. Obama is systematically destroying the American economy and with it AMERICA.” I do have issues with Ms. Thomann’s grammar but, more importantly, this is a good example of what happens when rain closes the country club golf course. Idle hands are the devil’s tools.

* Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) is the poster child for Attention Deficit Disorder and the mindless meanderings of a mercury-tainted cerebral hemisphere. Her malapropisms and malcogitation (sic) are legendary and the congresswoman from Minnesota is a frequent flyer on the Derriere Orifice express. She has announced that she will break the law by not filling out her 2010 Census questionnaire. Her explanation included that the Census led to the internment of Japanese Americans in the 1940’s. This link attempts to analyze Bachmann’s irrationality and historical to hysterical errors. I suggest two aspirin one hour before reading. One wonders if the citizens of her district should be interned for electing her to congress. If one guessed that her public display of idiocy took place on FOX News you are exempt from completing your census form. And what does it say about your assertions when right-wing nut Glenn Beck thinks you have lost your census?

* Eight Supreme Court justices ruled that a school’s strip search of an Arizona 13 year old girl accused of having prescription-strength ibuprofen was illegal.” The eight justices range in philosophy from liberal to moderate to conservative. But there are nine SC justices and the ultra conservative and reactionary Justice Clarence Thomas offered a dissenting opinion. Thomas said, “the court was making a “deep intrusion” into the administration of public schools and their efforts to fight the scourge of drug abuse.” Yes, the eternal challenge for a democracy is finding that elusive balance between the common good and individual freedoms. Someone should explain to Justice Thomas that “No Child Left Behind” had nothing to do with students baring their behind by lowering their Calvin Klein underwear.

* Just when you thought that Joe “The Plumber” Wurzelbacher’s career as spokesperson for the conservative mind was over he floats to the top of the septic tank. At a speaking engagement to Americans for Prosperity in Wisconsin “The Plunger” said more than once, referring to Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), "Why hasn't he been strung up?" Ah, the voice of Conservatism – cogent, articulate and erudite while conveying the ideals and principles of American freedom and democracy. I expect that Joe’s next appearance will be in Anne Arundel, Maryland at the annual Spaetzle Cook Off.

* Let my people go – Republican Representatives John Culberson (TX), Peter Hoekstra (MI), and David Dreier (CA) all compared their minority status in congress to the plight of the Iranian protestors. With the exception of living in a democracy and not being shot at or bludgeoned for their views their analogy is spot on. I suggest that they will feel better if they take the advice of the leader of their Party, Rush Limbaugh, and just get laid.

* Recall Republicans going ballistic when President Obama said that one of the characteristics his Supreme Court nominee should possess is empathy. Some would say that Republican opposition stemmed from the fact that they do not understand the meaning of the word. Well, there is some evidence that at least one Republican can express empathy. Meet Missouri state representative Cynthia Davis. As chairwoman of the Missouri House Special Standing Committee on Children and Families she was critical of a government program that provides food during the summer for thousands of low-income Missouri children who rely on the school cafeteria for free or reduced-price meals during the regular school year. “A report by Feeding America found that one in five Missouri children currently lives with hunger.” Here is where the empathy thing comes in. Ms. Davis extolled the virtues of hunger because “hunger can be a positive motivator.” Rumor has it that Ms. Davis has been selected Woman of the Year by the Republican Women of Anne Arundel County.

* Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell (R) signed the US Senate vacancy bill which takes away the governor’s power to appoint someone to a vacant US Senate seat. Rell said, “this bill gives directly to the people of Connecticut the decision on who would fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate… Since taking office as Governor, I have done everything in my power to make Connecticut a model for all states when it comes to openness, transparency and citizen participation in government." “Republican lawmakers had called the bill a "power grab" during lengthy debates in both the House and the Senate.” Lacking empathy and the concept of democracy, Republicans conclude that giving the citizens the right to elect their officials “is a power grab.”

Who then is sane? He who is not a fool.

Quintus Horatius Flaccus, aka, Horace (65 BC to 8 BC) Roman lyric poet

Stephen Views the News June 24, 2009

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:53:15 EDT

Stephen Views the News June 24, 2009

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

Some Disappointments in Obama

Readers of this blog may find this heading surprising in light of my support of Barack Obama as a candidate in the Democratic primary contest, in the presidential election and in the early days of his presidency. I have no doubt that his election over John McCain was to the American advantage. There is much that I approve of since Obama has taken occupancy of the oval office. Previous blogs have praised a number of his decisions including that the U.S. will no longer allow torture, closing Guantanamo Bay prison, making healthcare reform a major priority, upgrading consumer product safety, reigning in the abusive tactics of credit card companies, returning the concept of “protection” to the Environmental Protection Agency and bringing back diplomacy to America’s international relations.

I never expected that I would agree with everything that the Obama administration does. There is a full understanding that most of what Obama attempts will be strongly opposed by Republican congressmen from the viewpoint of ideology, appeal to their hardcore base or attempts to simply save their political derrieres by re-writing history and blaming every ill on the Democrats and Obama. Joining Republican obstructionism is a considerable number of Democrats who, regardless of the state they come from, reside in the pockets of special interests. Obama faces formidable foes and the circumstances of an economy and financial structure in crisis, war on two fronts and countries such as Pakistan, Iran and North Korea that present daunting challenges. Has a President ever taken office in the U.S. inheriting so many challenges?

My problem with Obama involves policies and decisions that did not have to be so weak. There have been decisions that have gone against campaign promises, that have contradicted positions previously taken and in some cases have mirrored George W. Bush’s egregious policies. The vast bulk of Obama’s presidency is yet to unfold. Some areas of improvement that I would like to see:

* Transparency – Open government was a mainstay of the Obama candidacy. “Transparency” was a signature issue on the campaign trail. There have been a number of instances where the Obama Justice Department argued in federal courts to block the release of information about torture and other issues and, like the Bush administration, blocked public access to the White House visitors’ log – especially when it came to secreting the names of the coal industry’s representative visitors, not unlike Secret Dick Cheney’s meetings with oil and gas interests. The downside to secretive government was made evident in the last administration. Public trust can only be established through consistent and responsible behavior by its elected representatives. Only a fool would blindly trust a politician or anyone else for that matter. A democracy best functions in the daylight. When Bush secreted his activities behind opposition to the Freedom of Information Act and the bleat of “state secrets” I had had enough. For Obama to do the same is appalling. McClatchy news services offers examples of Obama emulating Bush. Michael Isikoff of Newsweek authors an article, “Obama Closes Doors on Openness.” During his second day in office Obama promised "a new era of openness in our country." One can only hope that the “new era” will still be in the early stages of his presidency.

* Wiretapping-Spying on American citizens – Many wise legal and constitutional minds cautioned against the provisions of the Patriot Act in spite of government assurances that there are safeguards in place to protect the rights and privacy of citizens. As it became evident under Bush and as it is playing out under Obama, these safeguards are as effective as the Abstinence Only program to protect against teen pregnancies. A recent NY Times article titled “E-Mail Surveillance Renews Concerns in Congress” demonstrates that individuals working in these eavesdropping programs regularly spy on citizens without legal justification and even former president Bill Clinton was illegally spied on. There once was a game show titled “Who Do You Trust?” Today’s answer would be, “No one.” When Obama was a senator he said that warrantless wiretapping was illegal. Does the lofty view from the White House change one’s principles and beliefs? Recall in the first days of his presidency George W. Bush gushed about the importance of following the rule of law. We all saw how that played out.

* Gays in the military – Returning to the Obama campaign trail, his comments and positions on gay rights matters would belie what has taken place since Obama took office. He has not stopped the military’s dismissal of gay service people under the policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” At a time when their services are more needed than ever gays in the military are being fired. Obama has the authority to suspend such activity until congress changes the law. He has remained silent.

* Gays not in the military – There has been a rising tide of anger and frustration by the gay community with Obama “slights and deferred promises.” First his Justice Department argued in a legal brief, “The brief insists it is reasonable for states to favor heterosexual marriages because they are the “traditional and universally recognized form of marriage.” In arguing that other states do not have to recognize same-sex marriages under the Constitution’s “full faith and credit” clause, the Justice Department cites decades-old cases ruling that states do not have to recognize marriages between cousins or an uncle and a niece.” Conclusion, gay marriages are equivalent to incest! During his candidacy Obama declared he would work to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). During his presidency his legal office is defending a law that deprives a segment of our population their equal rights.

* Shadow Army – When the Bush administration realized that it could not fight wars in Afghanistan and Iraq with the existing size of the U.S. military it began hiring contractors to perform traditional military responsibilities. The waste, abuse and illegal activity that ensued is well-documented. And the paramilitary presence of Department of Defense (DOD) contractors continues to grow. In a recent report by Commission on Wartime Contracting (CWC) there are now over 240,000 DOD contractors in Southeast Asia – including 132,000 in Iraq and 68,000 in Afghanistan. The report also raises concerns about the poor or inadequate training some of the (contractor personnel) receive, particularly Third Country Nationals hired to guard US bases and facilities: “Poorly trained and ill-equipped contractor employees providing security for our operating bases put American forces at increased risk of harm.” Some fresh thinking is required and old habits changed. Recall that there have been too many instances of these contractors committing rape and murder, building shoddy military facilities that have resulted in the electrocution of U.S. military personnel, and supplying our troops with tainted food and water.

This is not change we can believe in.

* Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.

Barack Obama speech, February 5, 2008

Stephen Views the News June 7, 2009

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 13:57:17 EDT

Stephen Views the News June 7, 2009

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

Diplomacy, Hegemony and Terrorism

During President Barack Obama’s historic 55 minute speech in Cairo he received a standing ovation one dozen times. It seems to me impossible for one to shoot a rifle while forcibly bringing one’s hands together in applause. Unlike the trigger-happy Neocon derriere’s who had beat the drum for invading Iraq and, most recently, called for the U.S. to bomb North Korea and Iran (hello Bill Kristol and Brit Hume of FOX News) intelligent diplomacy gives America at least a chance to bring about a better situation while reducing the threat to American military personnel and civilians. If a time would come when military action is required it is also more likely that having first taken the diplomatic route America would garner meaningful international support – not what George W. Bush had in Iraq. For the sophomoric Neocon tough guys such as Cheney and Kristol who always want to go to war as long as they can continue to avoid serving in the military themselves, I suggest masturbation. It will relieve the pressure generated by overactive male hormones. Like most men walking around with a missile silo between their legs being macho leads to more harm than good.

And let us not forget that the United States was responsible for the overthrow of the elected government in Iran in the 1950’s that inserted the Shah of Iran into power – a puppet of American foreign “policy.” He ruled with a despotic heavy hand that was supported by a secretive and brutal police force. Two decades later the Iranian people rebelled and the result was the U.S. Iranian embassy hostage situation. And who can forget the unprovoked U.S. invasion of Iraq. America’s hands in the Middle East are far from clean (and covered in oil) yet few in America readily accept this reality and its effect on current political relations. It is refreshing and encouraging to have an adult in the White House.

Some voices in America, especially the conservative choir, bemoan Obama’s approach to a new diplomacy that they conclude is an apology. Perhaps standing up and taking responsibility for previous action is an anathema to conservatives since it was their approach that contributed to so much damage in the world. In a cowardly fashion they try to rewrite history rather than acknowledge their culpability. This past week, across the cable news networks, we saw Dick Cheney and daughter Liz making appearances and lying through their gritted teeth about Bush’s justification to invade Iraq and the illegal and immoral use of torture. I have never been waterboarded but I can relate to being tortured while watching these apologists for failed policy try to re-make their brand. Adding to my extreme discomfort is the general failure of interviewers to confront the Cheney family and like-minded phonies with the hard facts of recent history. The media proved to be complete failures in the lead up to the Iraq invasion and they continue to demonstrate their inadequacy today.

There are forces in America that want to demonize all Muslims because of the actions of murderers who call themselves Muslims. There are 1.5 billion people in the world who embrace the Muslim religion. Yes, there are some who claim to be Muslims and who have bastardized the teaching of Muhammad for their own political agenda. This does not justify the condemnation of the entire Muslim world. This past week we saw the murder of George Tiller, a doctor in Kansas who performed legal abortions, being justified in Christian religious terms. At Tiller’s funeral on Saturday anti-abortionists demonstrated with signs saying, “God Sent the Killer.” These are the actions of terrorists and murderers who call themselves Christians. What would Jesus say? Probably, “Oy vey.” It is this short-circuiting of a connection to the Almighty that demeans all that is holy. The bombers of abortion clinics and shooters of physicians are the immoral equivalent of the al Qaeda terrorists who struck the World Trade Center. The long history of man on planet Earth is wrought with acts of inhumanity premised on religious canards. It is a lesson that man is apparently not fated to learn.

* “Four things support the world: the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the good, and the valor of the brave.”

Muhammad (570 – 632), Prophet of Islam

Stephen Views the News June 1, 2009

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 08:02:34 EDT

Stephen Views the News June 1, 2009

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

A note to the graduating class of 2009

News shows this past week broadcast excerpts of speeches given by well-known individuals at college commencement ceremonies. The wisdom and insight of Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Laura Bush, Robert Gates, Colin Powell, Ellen DeGeneres, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton and others reigned down upon graduates as they are about to embark on life as adults. Below are some thoughts and observations that these esteemed speakers may not have noted in their addresses.

Graduates who have followed the news on CNN, MSNBC, FOX or Comedy Central have seen a very clear choice as to how to conduct one’s life. Regardless of whether one agrees with the policies of President Obama his embrace of civility and nobility is in marked contrast to the narrow sewer politics of Limbaugh, Gingrich and Cheney. Obama’s adherence to veracity is in marked contrast to the lies and twisted logic of these icons of failed leadership under the banner of conservatism. The college graduates of 2009 may have the clearest examples in American history of how poor leadership can weaken America, how greed on steroids can destroy an economy and how ignoring the environment and the health of its citizens can put our society and communities at great risk. Everyone we are exposed to in life is our teacher. Some people show us to what to do and some show us what not to do. Rarely have such choices for graduates been in sharper focus.

For decades the message to graduates has consistently been to make the world a better place as one seeks their place to pursue dreams, hopes and aspirations. Today’s graduates will begin careers and soon start families under the umbrella of a political system that is flawed – a system that in recent years has yielded more impediments than opportunities for individuals to participate in the American dream. It is a system where our elected officials must raise large sums of money to fund political campaigns that ensure re-election. Elected officials are lured into serving the needs of the special interests that provide campaign and other funds and the officials must devote an inordinate amount of time to fundraising, which reduces the time available to deal with issues important to citizens. This will only change with the public financing of elections because self-policing by elected officials is an American pipe dream. For the most part, today’s elected officials are owned by corporate interests of energy, finance and banking, pharmaceutical and healthcare corporations. The sellout led to de-regulation of financial markets, a reduction in product safety, a reduction in competition and blockage of sound energy policies that would have reduced dependence on foreign oil and more responsibly protected the environment.

Today’s graduates will have to bide their time until there is once again a viable two-party political system in America. The current version of the Republican Party (Conservatism) became the voice of corporate interests, the religious-right and the Neocons, also known as the warmongers. The GOP was embarrassed in the elections of 2006 and 2008. As the current version of conservative politics continues to lose support in almost every demographic, 2010 will likely be even more devastating to the Republican Party. Following repeated defeats I expect the GOP will seek candidates more moderate, more inclusive and more reflective of a society rejecting the narrow issues of abortion and gay marriage, more demanding that elected representatives actually represent their interests which include fair wages, intelligent broad-based healthcare, sound energy policy, verifiable voting apparatus, renewal of our infrastructure, reliable mass transit and improvements in education.

We can only trust that this year’s graduates will reject the lies that the conservative/GOP cabal continue to spew. Examples include: gay marriage will destroy traditional marriage and lead to pedophilia and bestiality; the U.S. will be endangered if prisoners at Guantanamo were housed in federal high security prisons on American soil; Obama is a Fascist and his policies will result in a socialist state; oversight of capitalism will result in a socialist state; evolution is not valid; the world was created a) 3000 years ago, b) 5000 years ago, c) 15000 years ago; torture is justifiable in our society and the use of torture made Americans safer; Saddam Hussein was an imminent threat to America.

Finally, this note to graduates should not be construed as an endorsement of the Democratic Party. Over the past decade its record is not seen as horrendous only because it is compared to the Republican Party. Democrats are also subject to the influence of special interests and their lobbyists, they participated in the reigning in of regulation and reduction of oversight and they were silent and impotent in opposing the invasion of Iraq and subsequent funding of the occupation. Both political parties governed out of fear and a cynicism in the American political system and the American people. You are the next generation and you can do better.

“Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.”

Robert Louis Stevenson

Stephen Views the News May 17, 2009

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Sun, 17 May 2009 16:27:53 EDT

Stephen Views the News May 17, 2009

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* The conservative agenda ~ or lack thereof – Today a Washington Post article was titled, “Gay-Marriage Issue Awaits Court Pick, Same-Sex Unions Supplant Abortion As Social Priority for Conservatives.” Despite no evidence that same-sex marriage has a negative influence on the institution of marriage or the fabric of our society the conservative movement has hitched their Trojan horses to this empty wagon. Imagine the benefits to the American people if the full force of the conservative movement, be they social or anti-social conservatives, actually advocated for meaningful issues that include:

~ Affordable, quality healthcare for all citizens (as is the case in most industrialized nations)

~ Energy and environmental policies that protect the air and water essential to human existence and the food supply to sustain that existence

~ Responsible inspection of imported and domestic food and products

~ Workers rights that assure fair wages and reasonable and safe working conditions

~ Limitations on interest rates that have now reached levels that qualify as usury and were at one time outlawed in America

~ Public financing of elections so that special interests do not override the real interests of the people

Perhaps God should be recruited to the policy-setting committee for the conservative agenda. Rumor has it that She cares about the actual well-being of people.

* Romancing a Sheep – Religious-right leader Pat Robertson says, “The ‘ultimate conclusion’ of legalizing same-sex marriage would be the legalization of polygamy, bestiality, child molestation and pedophilia.” As the religious-right apprehensively watches its relevancy wane, its inflammatory rhetoric increases in intensity and absurdity. Appropriate responses to such nonsense would be “Nah” and “Baa.”

* Ignorance is bliss ~ or, just ignorant – John McCain has returned to the Sunday talk show punditocracy. These days he is weighing in on the military’s policy of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT). If one is in the armed forces and is gay, just don’t admit to it and you are permitted to face a Taliban sniper or the possibility that the family jewels will be blown off by an al Qaeda operative or Sunni insurgent. McCain says that the policy is working. A fair question would be, “What are the results of inserting one’s head in the sand on this issue?”

From ThinkProgress.org: Since 1994, DADT has resulted in the discharge of more than 13,000 military personnel across the services, including approximately 800 with skills deemed “mission critical,” such as pilots, combat engineers, and linguists. According to a 2005 report from the Government Accountability Office, “the cost of discharging and replacing service members fired because of their sexual orientation during the policy’s first 10 years totaled at least $190.5 million — roughly $20,000 per discharged service member.

With war on two fronts and a military extremely over-extended Senator McCain says that the system is working. At a time when the strategic goals in Iraq and Afghanistan critically require personnel with Arabic language capabilities many have been dismissed. At a time when many military personnel have received deployment to combat zones four and five times because of a shortage of trained soldiers, this has resulted in very high numbers of military personnel with stress disorders. McCain would have us believe the system is working. Appropriate responses to such nonsense would be “Nah” and “Baa.”

* Seeing the obvious ~ when it is right in front of you – “Census data from the Mexican government indicate an extraordinary decline in the number of Mexican immigrants going to the United States.” I guess one could say that the U.S. government’s effort to stem the flow of illegal immigrants across our borders is finally working. Nah and baa. “If jobs are available, people come,” said Jeffrey S. Passel, senior demographer at the Pew Hispanic Center, a nonpartisan research group in Washington. “If jobs are not available, people don’t come.” The recession is proving more effective in reducing illegal immigration than incompetent and malfeasant U.S. policy.

Something we have always known is that the attraction for people to enter our country illegally was the availability of jobs. Something we have known all along is that it is illegal to employ undocumented workers. Something we have known all along is that said law was not enforced. Why? One reasonable guess would be that politically influential farmers, food processors, manufacturers, builders, landscapers… convinced the powers that be to look the other way. There was too much profit to be relinquished if they could not use these immigrants who work for low wages, no benefits, no worker rights and protections. Now that the not-so-secret “secret” is out, how will this affect enforcement of existing law and the formulation of new laws going forward? The answer depends upon the balance of power in this country between the special interests and the interests of the American people.

* “Power always thinks it had a great soul and vast views beyond the comprehension of the weak, and that it is doing God's service when violating all His laws.”

John Adams (1735 – 1826) second President of the U.S. (1797 – 1801)

Stephen Views the News May 5, 2009

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Tue, 05 May 2009 06:38:00 EDT

Stephen Views the News May 5, 2009 http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* A Mountain of Sermons does not make a Sermon on the Mount – Catholic Bishops across America are criticizing Notre Dame University for inviting Barack Obama to speak at its commencement and receive an honorary doctorate degree on May 17, 2009. “Obama’s abortion rights record clashes with a fundamental church teaching.” There has been no mention of Obama’s core principles on programs that help the poor, the sick, the less educated, civil rights, individual freedoms and his stance against torture. It is another case of out of the womb, out of mind. It is another case of one-issue leadership in a multi-issue world. Please let me know if I missed the Catholic Bishops position paper on the more than 100,000 post-womb lives aborted as a result of the Iraq invasion.

* Speaking of religion 1 – In a Pew Research Center survey that I found startling, “More than half of people who attend services at least once a week — 54 percent — said the use of torture against suspected terrorists is “often” or “sometimes” justified.” Perhaps devoted study of the bible does not allow sufficient time to understand the laws of the United States of America or the context of humane behavior. Perhaps “study” does not necessarily lead to “understanding.” There was a time when I felt that organized religion contributed to the humanizing of the individual. There also was a time when I believed the Tooth Fairy left money under my pillow.

* Speaking of religion 2 – Something that all of us should find disturbing is a just released video from Afghanistan “showing that U.S. military forces in Afghanistan have been instructed by the military’s top chaplain in the country to "hunt people for Jesus" as they spread Christianity to the overwhelmingly Muslim population. Soldiers also have imported bibles translated into Pashto and Dari, the two dominant languages of Afghanistan.” Perhaps ironic but certainly pathetic and disgusting, the video was recorded at the huge U.S. base in Bagram “one of the main sites used by the U.S. military to torture and indefinitely detain prisoners.” First the U.S. initiates the Iraq war on false pretenses and then conducts a war in Afghanistan with a religious element. As if our military did not have enough problems in the Muslim-dominated countries where it currently battles, we are now making these wars Crusades. In 1950 historian Sir Steven Runciman wrote a resounding condemnation about the Crusades: "High ideals were besmirched by cruelty and greed … the Holy War was nothing more than a long act of intolerance in the name of God.” I would suggest that history, far from being a straight line, is a vicious circle fueled by stupidity and myopia. God save us!

* Pandemic cable news – World Health Organization (WHO) spokesman Gregory Hartl noted that the public may misunderstand the word "pandemic." The term refers to where an illness spreads, not its severity. Recall that 36,000 Americans die each year from the flu. No one knows at this time what the future holds for the H1N1 (Swine) flu but one healthful health tip may be to watch less television “news.” This prescription would reduce pandemic panic.

* A Democratic financial virus in the Senate – A bill introduced by Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) to allow homeowners in bankruptcy to renegotiate mortgages with banks was defeated last week. Fifteen Democratic senators voted against the bill that would have allowed bankruptcy judges to mediate adjusted mortgages. Some senators may have legitimately felt that a contract should not be altered. Some senators may have felt that it would give judges too much power. And some senators may be too beholden to the financial industry, having received campaign contributions from this powerful sector. Following the defeat of this legislation Durbin commented, “And the banks -- hard to believe in a time when we're facing a banking crisis that many of the banks created -- are still the most powerful lobby on Capitol Hill. And they frankly own the place.”

The Center for Responsive Politics, at their website opensecrets.org, lists some of the Democratic senators that voted against the bill and the amount of money they have received over their career from the Finance, Insurance & Real Estate Sector:

Max Baucus (D-MT) $4.6 million

Thomas Carper (D-DE) $2.2 million

Byron Dorgan (D-ND) $1.1 million

Tim Johnson (D-SD) $3 million

Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) just under $1 million

Ben Nelson (D-NB) $2.7 million

Mary Landrieu (D-LA) $2.4 million

Mark Pryor (D-AR) $1.3 million

Arlen Specter (D-PA) $5.7 million

When a legislator’s pockets are filled by special interests how are we to know whether a vote was cast based on principle and philosophy or a result of fulfilling the interests of the donor. Do the legislators even know any more? Until there is public financing of elections this conflict of (our) interest will infect the democratic and legislative process.

* Speaking of Nebraskan Ben Nelson – Last week he said that he would oppose legislation that would give people the option of a public health insurance plan. Last week a poll released by Consumer Reports National Research Center showed that 66 percent of Americans back the creation of a public health plan that would compete with private plans. So what is Nelson’s problem with a public plan? Are you sitting down? Nelson’s opposition is that the public plan would be too attractive and would hurt the private insurance plans. "At the end of the day, the public plan wins the game," Nelson said. Including a public option in a health plan, he said, was a "deal breaker." Conclusion: Ben Nelson puts the interests of private insurance companies over the interests of the people of Nebraska and the people of the other 49 states. One wonders how much money the health insurance industry has spent to ensure Nelson’s support. As a Senator, Nelson already benefits from an excellent publically funded health care plan. His derriere is covered. Can you say, “Public financing of elections?”

* Viral lies by the energy industry ~ what is that odor? – The economic interests of oil and gas companies, as usual, override the health and welfare of the American people and the planet that supports our survival. “For more than a decade the Global Climate Coalition, a group representing industries with profits tied to fossil fuels, led an aggressive lobbying and public relations campaign against the idea that emissions of heat-trapping gases could lead to global warming… But a document filed in a federal lawsuit demonstrates that even as the coalition worked to sway opinion, its own scientific and technical experts were advising that the science backing the role of greenhouse gases in global warming could not be refuted.” My conclusion: For the past almost two decades energy industry propaganda talking points, supported by politicians in their pockets, were knowingly based on fossil bullshit.

* The specter of Specter – I have yet to encounter anyone in my state of Pennsylvania excited about Arlen Specter sprinting from the Republican to the Democratic Party. Specter fled the GOP after he saw the strong polling numbers of his likely primary opponent, conservative Pat Toomey. Everyone does agree that the move was a survival maneuver by Specter to prolong his political career. Regardless of party affiliation, something that Specter cannot run from is his voting record that includes: failing to cast votes against torture and unauthorized wiretaps, voting for the Patriot Act renewal, backing the costly Bush tax cuts for the well-to-do and paving the way for Bush appointees to the Supreme Court. It remains to be seen whether opportunistic Arlen gets a free ride on Democratic coattails to another term in office.

* Priests are no more necessary to religion than politicians to patriotism.”

John Haynes Holmes (1879 – 1964) a prominent Unitarian minister and pacifist, noted for his anti-war activism.

Stephen Views the News April 28, 2009

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:50:05 EDT

Stephen Views the News April 28, 2009

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* Patriotic sadism ~ if at first you don’t succeed… - Former VP Dick Cheney and his chain gang claim that waterboarding works. That being the case one would think that after one or two or three or even unbelievably ten waterboardings a suspect would provide the information sought. Okay, it wasn’t a lucky interrogation for the inquisitors. Let’s try it 20 times on Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. How about 30 or 40 or 50 times? That should cover it. But then again, maybe the guy is an encyclopedia of information. Let’s try waterboarding him 80 or 90 or 100 times. Nah, this is America with a documented work ethic and a penchant for going for the gold. Let’s waterboard the SOB 183 times. Maybe the interrogations ceased because they ran out of water.

* The Ticking Bomb ~ The Catastrophic Fallout – Defenders of torture generally begin the debate by saying, “Torture methods are necessary to get information from a detainee who has information about a bomb about to go off that will take American lives.” Seemingly compelling, one wonders whether this scenario applied to any of the hundreds (or more) of detainees “harshly” interrogated at Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib and untold secret sites? Even more telling of this blanket reasoning is the recently released report by the Senate that abusive techniques were used to try to produce evidence of ties between al Qaeda and Iraq. To summarize: detainees were abused to extract evidence of a relationship that never existed, except in the necon planet of the Bush administration. This may be the greatest lesson to be learned from the Bush years: the dangerous and self-defeating consequences of believing your own lies.

* Bombastic rhetoric – I find it interesting that those folks defending the actions of the Bush administration at Guantanamo et al reply that critics of such behavior can only be found in the political far left. I guess this means that citizens on the near left, moderates and conservatives (near and far) believe that torture is acceptable. Except for the majority of conservatives the majority of Americans are against the use of torture. Look at the polling. For as long as I have been on this planet, at least until seven years ago, I was under the impression that AMERICA AND AMERICANS DO NOT TORTURE. That being said, Defenders of the Bush Administration would have us believe that what took place at Guantanamo et al was not torture. John McCain strongly disagrees with his fellow conservatives and stated on Face the Nation that under George W. Bush the U.S. violated the Geneva Convention. FBI director Robert Mueller told his agents who had observed and reported back CIA enhanced interrogation techniques, "No, you can't do that. That violates our own rules. That violates our understanding of the law. You have to step back." Both the inquiries yet to take place and history will condemn this period and note that torture, even when wrapped in the Stars and Stripes, is still torture.

* Two misunderstandings have gained widespread attention concerning Barack Obama and his approach to dealing with the torture issue. Contrary to many media pundits, it is not Obama’s decision to seek or not seek investigations into the commitment of torture. It is the decision of the Attorney General, the person designated to oversee the legal interests of the American people (contrary to how Alberto Gonzales interpreted this position).

The second area that requires further thought is when Obama said that he was immunizing CIA personnel from possible prosecution for committing torture. Recall that we function under the laws of the U.S. AND international law that our country has signed on to. From Glenn Greenwald at Salon.com: “After President Obama announced last week that he opposes prosecutions of CIA officials who tortured detainees in reliance on OLC memos purporting to legalize that conduct the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, Manfred Nowak, announced that Obama's policy of immunizing CIA torturers violates international law and, specifically, the clear obligations of the U.S. under the Convention Against Torture (signed by Ronald Reagan in 1988).”

For those macho guys (and gals) who want to treat waterboarding as a day at Wet N Wild, they should be reminded that, “After World War II, we convicted several Japanese soldiers for waterboarding American and Allied prisoners of war.” They were hanged or sentenced to 15 years in prison. Apparently the Bush lawyers who wrote justifications for the use of waterboarding were ignorant of or ignored history and the law.

If you have the stomach the LA Times offers 10 just-released photos depicting treatment of detainees at Abu Ghraib. We may never know to what extent abusive American actions contributed to the further recruitment of terrorists but it is safe to say that what are known as “enhanced techniques” did little or anything to make us or our troops in Iraq safer. If anything, such actions increased the threat to American troops and citizens.

And let us not forget the complicity of some Democrats, if the claim is correct that a small number were informed of the program. And let us not forget the pathetic lack of opposition by the Democratic Party as the enhanced techniques became publicly know. This is not a political party issue. It is a humane issue, a legal issue and strikes at the heart of what this country stands for. It matters not to me, and hopefully other citizens, whether an individual politically affiliates with an R or a D. If they knowingly enabled or did not vociferously oppose the use of torture, the light of shame should be shone upon them.

For the record, a new poll out today by the New York Times and CBS found that 71% of Americans consider waterboarding to be a form of torture. It is interesting to note that 26% said it was not torture, about the same percentage of Americans that approved of George W. Bush as he left office. I will leave it to the political scientists to draw conclusions.

* The Party of smaller government ~ until government is needed – The recent outbreak of Swine Flu is a reminder that we are susceptible to pathogens that result in widespread illness or worse. Rightfully so, Obama’s original stimulus packaging contained $870 million for flu pandemic preparedness. In order to gain the support in the Senate needed to pass the stimulus bill, Republicans Susan Collin and Arlen Specter demanded that this money be cut from the spending bill. Perhaps these esteemed Senators did not feel it necessary to prepare for viral outbreaks since they benefit from an excellent government-sponsored health plan. For the rest of the citizenry, let them eat cake.

Last week tough-as-a-longhorn Rick Perry, Governor of Texas, stood on a soapbox and suggested that Texas could secede from the union. It is a good thing that secession takes time because this week, “Gov. Rick Perry has asked for 37,430 courses of anti-viral medicine from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention because of the swine flu outbreak.” It reminds one of the child who runs away from home but returns in two hours because it is getting cold and dark.

* Swine Flu conundrum – The Center for Disease Control says, “If you have a fever and you're sick or your children are sick, don’t go to work and don't go to school." The National Partnership points out: “nearly half of private sector workers in the United States don't have a single paid sick day. It's even worse for low wage workers. And nearly 100 million workers don’t have a paid sick day they can use to care for a sick child. “

* “The layman's constitutional view is that what he likes is constitutional and that which he doesn't like is unconstitutional.”

Justice Hugo L. Black (1886 – 1971) Associate Justice of the Supreme Court 1937 to 1971

Stephen Views the News April 21, 2009

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 07:04:01 EDT

Stephen Views the News April 21, 2009

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

Tea and Torture on a Spring Day

* The prestidigitation of the political right – There was much ado about very little with last week’s tax day Tea-Bagging protests about taxes and an assortment of sometimes hate-filled accusations. Although it was billed as a populist movement of significant proportions it was neither populist nor populous.

The event was repeatedly promoted by FOX News. While some consider FOX News a news station what it has demonstrated over the last 10 years is that it is the public relations arm of the Republican Party. FOX silence was telling on the subject of federal spending during the years that Bush and Republicans blew through the Clinton budget surplus and proceeded to build huge deficits. Who were the other movers and shakers behind Tea-Bagging?

Americans for Prosperity – a right wing think tank funded by billionaire David Koch. Koch Industries was fined $35 million dollars in 2000 for oil spills resulting from eroded and broken pipelines. “During the 1990s, the firm's faulty pipelines were responsible for more than 300 oil spills in five states, prompting a penalty of $35 million. In 1996, a flawed pipeline caused an explosion outside of Dallas in which two teenagers were killed. In a lawsuit related to the deaths, a trial court returned a judgment of $376.69 million against the company. Now there is a populist face to put on your tea bag tag.

The Independence Institute – This very conservative think tank is funded by the Coors Foundation’s Castle Rock Foundation both of whom advocate for the wealthy interests and their privileged needs. Just because they supply beer to the masses does not mean they are interested in the masses beyond the purchase of the next six-pack.

FreedomWorks – An organization that supports and promotes the interests of lobbyist Dick Armey. Those interests include Bristol-Myers Squibb, the insurance industry, and oil interests. Armey opposes health reform that would cut into the profits of branded drugs, works for deregulated life insurance reform and supports the status quo reliance on fossil fuels. Not to go unnoticed, none of these issues are in the interests of the American people.

The funders of the Tea-Bagging movement are to populism what the Republican Party was to the religious right. It is the illusion of representing the interests of a broad segment of the citizenry while in fact representing the interests of a select few. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs had the appropriate response to the Tea-Bagging magical mystery tour. “The president, he stressed, had just recently passed a ‘tax cut that covers the most people in the history of this country’…The president promised significant tax relief for working families of this country, and in the first month of the administration delivered that to the American people.”

What are the facts concerning U.S. tax policy? A report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: “Federal Tax Burdens for Most Near Their Lowest Levels in Decades” concludes: Overall Federal Tax Burdens Are Low by Historical Standards; Federal Individual Income Tax Burdens Have Fallen Significantly; and Tax Burdens Have Dropped Most Sharply for the Highest-Income Households. I would suggest that this is what the Tea-Bagging rallies were about. It involved the wealthiest of society protecting their privileged tax concessions which they manipulated through congress in recent decades. And the sly shysters at FOX carried their water. What is being touted as a grassroots movement is little more than an assroots movement ensconced in deception and illusion.

John Perr at Crooks and Liars compiled a list of 10 Republican Tax Day Lies. They are listed below and the link provides fuller explanations:

1. President Obama will raise taxes on small businesses.

2. The estate tax devastates small businesses and family farms.

3. 40% of Americans pay no taxes.

4. Tax cuts always increase revenue.

5. The GOP is the party of fiscal discipline.

6. Ronald Reagan was the greatest tax cutter of all time.

7. FDR caused the Great Depression, or at least made it worse.

8. Obama's cap-and-trade plan will cost each American family $3,100 a year.

9. Obama's tax proposals will undermine charitable giving.

10. The rich pay too much in taxes already.

* The Torture Memos –Obama’s release of Bush’s Justice Department torture memos showed courage and at the same time focused attention once again on some of the moral and legal issues these memos engender. It required courage to go against the national security community, some of his advisors and the bulk of the political right. These memos broke laws and their release exposes the shrewd but amoral reasoning used by the Bush appointees who concocted these “justifications.” And make no mistake! U.S. laws and international laws were broken, as pointed out by constitutional lawyer Glenn Greenwald at Salon.com. How many times in the last two decades have we heard conservatives lecture about the rule of law, at least until the law is an inconvenient truth? Our laws, including international treaties, exist apart from political party or political perspective. They exist regardless of issue or circumstance.

My ambiguity about the CIA interrogators empowered by these memos uncomfortably surfaced when Obama said that CIA operatives would not be prosecuted for committing torture. This is a difficult subject to embrace from either side. From one standpoint if one thought that they were following the law they should be free of prosecution. And yet, the Nuremburg trials concluded that this was not a satisfactory defense. This is not an attempt to equate the widespread inhuman acts of the Nazi regime against innocent and defenseless people to what occurred at Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib and secret prison sites. It is a question of where one draws the line. It is my strong feeling that the line must not be subject to situational ethics. It is also a matter that these operatives were burdened with directives that stemmed from the Bush administration’s strained attempts to circumvent the law. It is interesting that when Obama said that CIA personnel involved in these interrogations would not be prosecuted there was no mention of a pass for the people that designed and authorized these programs. Perhaps there will be consequences but in either case we are at least addressing this difficult and challenging subject. Democracy and morality are not always easy and the fact that we question our actions in an open forum only adds gravitas to the proud claims we proclaim as a nation.

* Quotes of the Week:

~ Richard Armitage, second in command at the State Department under George W. Bush, said in an interview (about the torture of detainees), "I hope, had I known about it at the time I was serving, I would've had the courage to resign,"

~ “The image of the United States of America throughout the world (committing torture) is a recruiting tool for Islamic extremists.” John McCain 4/20/09

* “The healthy man does not torture others - generally it is the tortured who turn into torturers”Carl Gustav Jung (1875 – 1961) Swiss psychiatrist

Stephen Views the News April 15, 2009

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 07:06:04 EDT

Stephen Views the News April 15, 2009

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* Derriere Orifice of the Week - Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL) announced that he has compiled a secret list of 17 members of the House of Representatives who are SOCIALISTS. He would not reveal their names because, “they are a secret.” Responding to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request I admit that I also have compiled a secret list of members of Congress. It is made up of those legislators entitled to be called ASSHOLES. Through threat of waterboarding I have reluctantly agreed to admit that Mr. Bachus is on the list.

* Speaking of secrets – “The CIA no longer operates any secret overseas prisons, Director Leon Panetta said yesterday, and has not detained anyone since he became chief in February.” Under Bush the claim was made that the prisons or “black ops sites” as they were called, did not exist and even if they did exist the torture of detainees in these non-existent prisons did not take place. The apparent existential contradiction can be easily explained by, “Liar, liar, pants on fire.” It also makes a joke of any oversight Congress pretends to have over the spy agencies and the Executive branch of our government.

* Speaking of more secrets ~ The Hypocrite Oath - “Medical professionals working for the CIA played a central role in the "ill-treatment" of terror suspects in U.S. custody overseas, according to a previously confidential report by the International Committee of the Red Cross” (conducted in 2007). One may ask why a person trained and sworn to protect life would willingly participate in the torture of another human being. The Nazis were infamous for their medical experimentation on concentration camp prisoners and eventually answered for their despicable inhumanity at the Nuremberg trials. But here we are talking about Americans – the good guys in war movies, the standard for international behavior. We are accustomed to instances of having scumbag politicians, spies, businessmen, religious leaders, teachers, police and bloggers. Scumbag medical professionals assisting in torture breaks new ground in the demise of the American dream that has led to this American nightmare.

* No secret – To be a Republican politician requires having the common sense of overcooked white rice. Texas State Rep. Betty Brown (R) said that Asian-Americans should change their names because they’re too hard to pronounce. “Rather than everyone here having to learn Chinese — I understand it’s a rather difficult language — do you think that it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here?” I have an idea! Asian Americans males should begin changing their names to George Bush 1, George Bush 2, George Bush 3 and so on. Females can be Betty Brown 1, Betty Brown 2 and so on. I cannot wait to pick up my Chinese takeout tonight and greet the young lady behind the counter with “Hello Betty Brown 324,119.” I intend to convince Ms. Brown 324,119 to change the name of Chow Mein to Texas Chile and Sumei Dumplings to Turd Blossoms.

* Feel better about yourself ~ you are worth more than you think – The company Innovative Research’s website says it provides the research community with quality biomedical products. I was stunned at the breadth and price of their products. For example, 50 ml of Human Saliva is priced at $275, Human Breast Milk $275, Human Semen $375 and Human Urine $75. This will certainly bring about a change in my behavior. No more will I sell a pint of my blood for a mere $25 and a jelly donut.

* The wrong defense – On FOX News last Sunday Brit Hume attempted to defend former president George W. Bush. Hume said that Bush did indeed believe in Global Warming. If that is the truth, how much more egregious is the Bush administration’s complete lack of action relative to Global Warming? It opposed higher gas mileage standards, did little to nothing to encourage green technology and ignored the Kyoto agreement of world powers to address warming. I had concluded that President Bush just did not get it – remember, science was involved. If Hume is correct, Bush is even more culpable than previously thought. We lost eight years in addressing potential disasters that may result from the warming of our planet - world-wide flooding and famine that could lead to world-wide war.

* The wrong war ~ a time to mourn – James Dobson is stepping down as leader of the religious right organization Focus on the Family. “Dobson conceded that evangelical conservatives had lost most of the recent so-called “culture war” battles… Humanly speaking, we can say that we have lost… the nation is now “absolutely awash in evil.”

On what is a rare occasion I agree with Mr. Dobson that the culture wars of the religious right are being lost and evil permeates our society. I would suggest, however, that the wrong battles were being fought and to some extent contributed to the greed that is at the core of our current economic travails. In an attempt to foist their “religious” agenda on our non-sectarian society the religious right forged an alliance with the Republican Party. In convincing their members to support Republicans, Dobson, Jerry Falwell and their brethren helped elect Republican legislators that were pro-business and anti-regulation, pro-deficit spending while reducing taxes for the wealthy. The Republican allies of the religious right, Bush and company, swept us into an unprovoked war leading to the loss of over 100,000 lives and the displacement of millions of Iraqis. Imagine if their broad influence had been directed to the business and political segments of our society to promote integrity, fairness, workers rights and protection of the environment. The religious right lost a generation of meaningful influence while being used as pawns by the GOP. It is indeed a sad eulogy.

* Love is a Many Splendored Thing – “A Saudi judge has refused for a second time to annul a marriage between an 8-year-old girl and a 47-year-old man.” Anyone in our culture would be appalled at this nuptial pedophilia. However, the judge was not as radical as it would appear on the surface. He granted that the child could apply for a divorce when she reaches puberty. And isn’t it almost always about money? “The girl's father, according to the attorney, arranged the marriage in order to settle his debts with the man, who is ‘a close friend’ of his.” On a social note, the wedding festivities will be held at Chucky Cheese and then the newlyweds will leave immediately for Disney World.

* On the lighter side ~ of heavy – All is “normal” in the land of Governor Sarah Palin. Her pick for Alaska Attorney General, Anthony Ross, is a racist, a writer of several manifestoes attacking Martin Luther King, Jr. as a communist subversive, a homophobe and anti-environmentalist. And to think that we almost had the opportunity to call her Madam Vice-President. The backlash to this nomination may result in Palin withdrawing the Ross nomination. As if Sarah did not have enough on her plate with the backbiting between her and former almost son-in-law Levi Johnston, her sister-in-law Diana Palin was arrested for twice burglarizing a house, during which she was accompanied by her 4-year old daughter. They will not be going to Disney World any time soon.

* Today is U.S. Tax Day – two views:

“I like to pay taxes. With them I buy civilization.” Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

“What at first was plunder assumed the softer name of revenue.” Thomas Paine

Stephen Views the News April 9, 2009

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:49:04 EDT

Stephen Views the News April 9, 2009

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* Fashion News ~ enough of politics, economics, war and unemployment – The more important question is, “How was Michelle Obama’s couture received in Europe?” At least three times the FLOTUS (First Lady of the United States) wore the designs of lesser known designer Jason Wu. Can you imagine? Women’s Wear Daily asks where the love has gone for big name designers like Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren.

Iconic fashion designer Oscar de la Renta took off the Gucci kidskin gloves to assess Michele’s choice of wardrobe. "American fashion right now is struggling." Concerning the outfit worn to meet Queen Elizabeth he said, “You don't...go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater.”

Well-known designer Vera Wang offered less edginess in her observations and more pleading: "I love seeing young designers and their vision and how they grow and all of that," she says. "On the other hand, of course, I wish she would consider some of us, because I think we also have contributions to make."

Liberal blogger and author Arianna Huffington, appearing on CBS, offered this observation: "Even if you don't terribly like that particular outfit," she said of Mrs. Obama's fashion sense, "you know it is what she loves and what she looks good in."

Progressive blogger Stephen Weinstein noted, in an interview with himself, that he was not crazy about the black coat Mrs. Obama wore with the purple stuff all over it.

* Hot Toddy replaces Scotch on the Rocks - “Arctic sea ice is melting so fast most of it could be gone in 30 years. A change in the amount of ice is important because the white surface reflects sunlight back into space… When ice is replaced by dark ocean water, that sunlight can be absorbed, warming the water and increasing the warming of the planet.” Also disappearing is the common sense of global warming deniers. Just because Fargo got two feet of snow does not mean the planet is not warming. The dynamics are apparently too complicated for the agenda-driven and scientifically challenged. The next thing they will be telling us is that evolution is a sham.

* Keeping abreast of trends – The swelling numbers of enhanced breasts that dominate television, cinema, magazines, fashion and pop culture is perhaps a metaphor for the U.S. in the early years of the 21st Century. Victoria’s Secret is no longer a secret. Phoniness has become de rigueur both in leadership and feminine allure. The inflexibility and grandiosity of the manufactured female breast is representational of much of our society – more pump than circumstance.

* Speaking of breasts – National Cleavage Day was celebrated on April 3rd, thanks to the initiative of the makers of Wonderbra. I look forward to the day when Jockey will produce miracle under ware for men, such as a MrWonderThong. In any case, Wonderbra brand manager Samantha Paterson said, "It gives women a chance to be beautiful and glow in the furtive, yet appreciative, glances their cleavage evokes from men." The last time I looked my furtive glances were not especially appreciated but, in support of this national day of pride, I remained furtive, committed and focused.

* A fading American trait ~ Integrity – This is a societal issue that runs broad and deep. We are experiencing a period where money and power have trumped and overwhelmed the common good and a sense of community. At every level of government investigations and corruption convictions dominate the news. Police corruption and abuse stain the landscape with regularity. In Pennsylvania two judges of Juvenile Court accepted bribes from the operators of juvenile detention centers. The judges encouraged accused youths to forgo legal representation and then found the youths guilty, resulting in incarceration. The FBI is so burdened by a broad range of investigations that they are overwhelmed. We look down upon Mexico and many other countries for the corruption that has rotted their political and legal systems but shrug at what is taking place in our own country. Oh well.

* Equality – The word has always been synonymous with America but for many it has also been an antonym. African Americans and Gays can attest to this reality. The good news is that gains have been made and these gains are marshalling momentum. The election of Barack Obama did not obliterate racial prejudice but certainly can be seen as a milestone. Three very recent events will be of import for gay rights. The Supreme Court of Iowa validated legal rights for gay relationships as did the legislature of Vermont which overrode their Governor’s veto of legislation recognizing gay marriage. The D.C. Council voted to recognize other states’ gay marriages. The religious right has every right to advise its members on sexuality. It has no right to infringe on the rights of citizens who choose a different course. That is the heart of freedom and one of the many reasons why we have separation of church and state. As former Prime Minister of Great Britain Tony Blair said in a recent interview about gay rights, “Equality isn't political correctness, it's just justice.”

* Not a good week for the religious right ~ and that is good news – First their eyeballs were spinning with the news from Iowa and Vermont concerning gay marriage. This was capped by the President of the United States having the “audacity” to say in a speech in Turkey that America is a secular nation. Unlike his predecessor, President Obama must have read the U.S. Constitution.

Today the Obamas are hosting the first Seder ever held at the White House. The Passover holiday dinner remembers the Jewish exodus from slavery under Pharaoh over 3000 years ago. Yes we can in this country recognize each others religious beliefs while not imposing one group’s beliefs upon another. “Diversity” is not a four-letter word, nor is “respect.”

A reader forwarded a YouTube Video “20 Things To Do With Matzah” for those challenged with leftovers.

* Self-Euthanasia – May I take your order please? – MSNBC listed “The 19 worst drive-thru foods in America.” I was especially impressed with Hardee's Monster Thickburger. The sandwich contains 1420 calories, 108 grams of fat of which 43 grams are saturated fat, 2770 mg of salt and 230 mg of cholesterol. Put in perspective it is the caloric equivalent of 6 McDonalds hamburgers, the saturated fat of 43 strips of Oscar Mayer bacon, and the sodium equivalent of 84 saltine crackers. As we say in the fast food business, “Have It Your Way.”

* Warts that won’t go away – Former VP Dick Cheney recently made the media rounds where he had the opportunity to again preach about the justification of torture. He continued to emphasize its value in protecting Americans. We have heard this theme from other former Bush administration players as well as some Republican congressmen and right-wing media miscreants. Having closely followed this circus of situational ethics I have yet to hear of one instance where the use of torture saved one American life. You can bet your ass that if weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq we would know about it. You can make a similar bet that if a terrorist plot against America was thwarted because of information garnered from the use of torture it would have made headlines for days. It may be human nature to believe your own lies but it is neither good foreign policy nor moral.

* Call me proud, Mr. President – It has been quite a while since the leader of our country was welcomed with open arms, applauded and respected in a foreign venue. On his just-ended visit to Europe President Obama, our representative to the world, spoke in complete sentences. He answered unplanted questions openly. He renewed the concept of diplomacy and international cooperation. The last U.S. President’s foreign policy was predicated on megalomania, nation building and myopic militarism. The current challenges are more daunting because of previous policy but the possibility of resolution has substantially increased. The Progress Report reviews the substantive accomplishments of Obama’s European trip. Call me proud and hopeful.

* “You don't...go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater.” Oscar de la Renta

Stephen Views the News April 2, 2009

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:06:19 EDT

Stephen Views the News April 2, 2009

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

A positive take during worrisome times:

* Remembering what we have – The following is an excerpt from an email exchange with a reader: There is also a positive side to our discussion. At the present time you and I, our family and friends, enjoy a standard of living and peaceful (safe) existence far better than 99% of the people that have walked this planet. We do not know what the future holds but there is merit in remembering what we do have. In large part it is the result of those who came before us and it is a responsibility I believe we now have to those who will follow - to continue to make this a better place in terms of freedom, health and standard of living.

* A helping hand – “Drugstore operator Walgreen will offer free clinic visits to the unemployed and uninsured for the rest of the year, providing tests and routine treatment for minor ailments through its walk-in clinics - though patients will still pay for prescriptions… Spouses and children are also eligible for free services if they don't have insurance of their own.” The linked article provides details of this offer. Some cynics have commented that Walgreen is only doing it to build business for its Take Care clinics. I do not know if the claim is accurate but I do say that an initiative that helps people in need is worthy of praise. If Walgreen benefits in the long-term by building a sound business model it has the ring of intelligent capitalism. We have not seen much of it in recent years but there is promise.

* Helping the land – “President Barack Obama signed legislation on Monday expanding and protecting US public parks and wilderness areas from oil and gas development, billed as the largest US conservation measure in more than 15 years… The legislation - backed by members of both parties -- is "among the most important in decades to protect, preserve and pass down our nation's most treasured landscapes to future generations.” It is certainly a breath of fresh air seeing Congress and the White House acting responsibly with respect to our natural resources and environment. This is a role of government abdicated in recent years.

* Helping the country – USA Today reports: “The early federal stimulus money appears to be hitting its target, paying for new projects and creating jobs… Most early spending is flowing, as planned, into "shovel-ready" projects — a new bridge over a Louisiana bayou, the widening of a mountain road in Colorado — that wouldn't have occurred this year without stimulus money.” The $750 billion stimulus package is being used in part to create jobs and fix a crumbling infrastructure. Some of these funds will go into education, health care and tax cuts over the next two years. It is a win-win situation.

* Helping the world – “President Obama plans to open negotiations to draft a new arms control treaty that could slash the American and Russian strategic nuclear arsenals by about a third and possibly lead to even deeper reductions, according to administration officials… Just setting a new limit would send a signal to the international community in general that the United States is getting serious about its disarmament commitments again,” said Peter Crail, an analyst at the Arms Control Association, a Washington advocacy organization.” This is not to suggest that America does not need a strong defense. But, like intelligent capitalism, it is beyond time that America strongly consider intelligent defense. For too long we have funded defense systems that are impractical, outmoded and economically crippling and unsustainable.

* Another Republican icon vaporized ~ again – This may not be positive news for the general populace but it sure is a lot of fun. An anti-union conservative group benignly calling itself Americans for Prosperity has been funding Joe the Plumber traveling to various sites to speak out against the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). Joe has become one of the faces of the Republican Party. He has also become one of the asses of the Republican Party.

Appearing in Harrisburg, PA to campaign against EFCA, people in the audience began asking Joe questions about the proposed legislation and why he was against it. “Pressed on the specifics of the law, Mr. Plumber repeatedly refused to answer, and finally lost his cool, telling his questioner: “Drop it, brother, drop it. I never said I was an expert, man.” Following some enthusiastic heckling Joe flushed his scheduled appearance in Philadelphia.

* The best news of all ~ the Republicans are no longer in charge – On April 1st congressional Republicans released their alternative budget to what Obama and the Democrats have proposed. The title of this Republican budget should read “Same Crap, Different Day” or “Dumb and Dumber” or “April Fools Meets Ship of Fools.” Some of the lowlights include:

~ The GOP plan would rescind the recently-enacted economic stimulus package, which would cause America—and the world—to spiral into Depression.~ The GOP plan would hand over nearly $4 trillion in tax cuts to the rich.

~ The GOP plan would freeze non-defense, non-veteran spending for five years.

~ The GOP plan would privatize Medicare.

Not only is this an alternative to what Obama is proposing it is the antithesis of what is needed in a damaged economy and unconscionable given the state of this nation. How absurd is this Republican proposal? “The marquee item, however, in the Republican plan is their inexplicably regressive tax cut for the super rich. Wealthy Americans in the top three tax brackets would see their tax burden cut to a flat 25 percent from previous rates of 35, 33 and 28. According to the Center for American Progress, CEOs from any of the top 800 corporations would receive a tax break of around $1.5 million a year. Meanwhile, if you earn $15,000 a year, your tax break will be around $0 a year.”

In the land of Uranus, where Republicans reside, the only focus is protecting those who least need protection or support. The American people are awakening to the dismal and incompetent Republican message as the GOP continues to transition from a once vital and proud political party to a re-run of Hee Haw.

* Darfur – I received a broadcast email message from Ruth Messinger of the American Jewish World Service. On Monday she had attended a meeting with President Obama at the White House on the subject of Darfur. Messinger reports that the administration understands the need to ensure the restoration of international aid groups into Darfur. “The President also clearly indicated that finding a political solution to end the conflict is a top priority.” The full press release is available at the above link. In every generation, in multiple locations, the worst of humanity forms a puss-filled boil over a group of people. The world community has never been able to prevent it but there is a long history of overcoming man’s inhumanity to man. Let us hope that Darfur can be brought back from hell.

* America – Few would argue that a core problem burdening our nation is the inextricable link between money and politics. The high cost of running a federal level election campaign has two very specific downsides: it forces candidates and incumbents to seek funding that too often comes from the deep pockets of special interests; it forces the incumbents to be in almost constant fundraising mode thereby reducing the time they devote to actually representing constituents. Regardless of who wins the election we are the losers. It is the inordinate influence of special interests that has contributed to a degrading environment, reduction in product inspection and safety, reduction in oversight that allowed financial institutions to go over the cliff and a host of other problems that we now must deal with. It is beyond time that our country addresses how federal elections are funded and there is good news on this front.

“Fair Elections Now” is a set of bills just introduced in both houses that would fundamentally transform Congressional fundraising. The bipartisan bill is being sponsored by Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) and Representatives John Larson (D-Conn.) and Walter Jones, Jr. (R-N.C.). It is based on key elements that have been successful at the state level in Arizona, Connecticut, Maine and North Carolina. The Public Campaign Action Fund provides details of this legislation and links to a number of non-partisan organizations that support this bill. If one sincerely wants to change the dynamics of what is a broken electoral system, action should be taken to contact one’s Senators and Representative and demand that this bill be supported. VoteSmart.org provides contact information for Senators and Representatives. Democracy is a participation sport!

* If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost.

Aristotle

Stephen Views the News March 28, 2009

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 07:47:15 EDT

Stephen Views the News March 28, 2009

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* Each new administration brings with it catch phrases to sell its programs as aggressively as a pharmaceutical company convincing large portions of the population that they suffer from fibromyalgia or erectile dysfunction. From “The Great Society” to “Global War on Terror” to “Abstinence Only” both good and bad policies are wrapped in sound bytes that are the envy of Madison Avenue. The Obama administration is no different.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates tells us that the troops we are leaving in Iraq will no longer be called “combat brigades.” The new term for these military forces will be “advisory and assistance brigades.” Since change is good the Defense Secretary did not stop there. The U.S. Command in Iraq will be re-designated "transition force headquarters" after August 2010. The Army must have felt that the Secretary needed an upgrade in sophisticated phrasing. Instead of "Advisory and Assistance Brigades" the Army is using the term "Brigades Enhanced for Stability Operations" (BESO). This may be progress linguistically but falls far short of Obama’s campaign promise to remove U.S. troops from Iraq by the middle of 2010. There is no word yet on how the Iraqis feel about re-labeled combat troops being in Iraq after the already agreed upon removal of U.S. troops by June 2010. My guess is that they are still trying to translate "Brigades Enhanced for Stability Operations" into Arabic.

Presidential administrations also tend to be competitive in some respects with previous administrations, especially if they represent a different political party. The Obama team is no different. In a recently leaked e-mail to Pentagon staff, Dave Riedel of the Department of Defense's office of security review wrote: "This administration prefers to avoid using the term 'Long War' or 'Global War on Terror'" -- a message he asked recipients to "please pass on to your speech writers." The preferred catchphrase is “Overseas Contingency Operation (OCO).” Some may say that OCO sounds more like an emergency appendectomy while visiting Uzbekistan but I kinda like it. “Global War on Terror” is a bit neoconnish for my taste and not very stealth. Using “Overseas Contingency Operation” allows us to sneak up on those terrorist bastards before they know what hit them.

As I observed this creative use of language I began to think of other phrases or terminology that do not contribute squat to solving problems but at least distracts one from the burdens of the day:

~ Instead of noting 700,000 job losses per month we should call them “interim disemployment economic adjustments” or IDEA. Somehow, 700,000 IDEAs has a much more positive connotation than “jobless” and will more quickly restore the confidence that we are told the economy needs.

~ Much of the economic tsunami that has enveloped our country can be attributed to Wall Street’s invention and abuse of derivatives. These are instruments made up of mortgages that often should not have been granted, then packaged and re-sold to other financial institutions with the intent of further re-selling them to other geniuses. When the housing bubble burst (home values precipitously fell) the weakness of these “financial instruments” became apparent and the proverbial shit hit the fan. Perhaps a derivative should have been called “Duck!”

* Protecting the Troops ~ and other works of fiction - I have commented on a number of occasions about the shoddy and incompetent work private contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan committed while building facilities for US troops. At least 18 military have died from electrocution. Years have passed as this problem has been ignored and covered up. “Task Force Safe” has now been instituted to inspect these buildings. Their findings: “Thousands of buildings at U.S. bases in Iraq and Afghanistan have such poorly installed wiring that American troops face life-threatening risks, a top inspector for the Army says... Of the nearly 30,000 buildings the Army's "Task Force Safe" has examined so far, Childs said more than half "failed miserably." And 8,527 had such serious problems that inspectors gave them a "flash" warning, meaning repairs had to be completed in four hours or the facility evacuated.” More than 70,000 buildings in Iraq have yet to be inspected. More than half of the less-than-inhabitable structures to date were constructed by Dick Cheney’s best buds KBR, using cheap and inexperienced foreign labor. Among the many disgraces that history will associate with Bush’s Iraq invasion will be the Bush administration’s abandonment of the troops and the screwing of the American tax payer by private contractors.

* If you cannot afford your prescriptions there is a solution ~ eat more fish – A pilot study funded by the EPA found that, “Fish caught near wastewater treatment plants serving five major U.S. cities had residues of pharmaceuticals in them, including medicines used to treat high cholesterol, allergies, high blood pressure, bipolar disorder and depression. The next time I need a re-fill prescription for Lipitor I’ll ask my physician for a fishing license. I will lower my cholesterol for free with the added advantage that the relaxation of fishing will help me avoid the need for blood pressure medication. Perhaps a degrading environment is not as bad as those liberal fear mongers make it out to be.

* What do the financial gurus under Bush and Obama have in common? They have strong ties to the financial world they are supposed to oversee and they opposed oversight and regulation of the financial services industry as it greedily spun out of control. They were given responsibility to police their friends and a broken system they helped create. That does not leave me with a great deal of confidence in Geithner and Summers and the team Obama has chosen to navigate the shark-infested waters of this economic crisis. It is not change I can believe in.

* Laboring for fairness - When an issue is complicated how does one know whether to be for or against it? In the case of the Bush presidency I learned that if Bush was for something, I was against it. This was not a purely partisan Pavlovian response. It was a result of observing failure upon failure upon incompetence. In the case of unions I strongly believe that it is time for the labor movement to be stronger as part of the renewal of America’s economy and to keep the middle class from facing extinction. My contrarian Bush principle applies to the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) - a measure intended to make it easier for American workers to form unions. Who is against this Act? AIG, Citigroup, Bank of America, FOX News, Wal-Mart, The Heritage Foundation and a host of other major corporations and organizations on the right of the political spectrum – a movement designed to protect and enhance the well-to-do royalty of our society at the expense of the overwhelming majority of Americans. What do the EFCA naysayers have in common? Their actions and philosophies are at the very core of what bankrupted the American economy and the capitalist soul. Capitalism is a proven viable economic system, IF, it is tempered with government oversight and an empowered labor force.

* “It is one of the characteristics of a free and democratic nation that it have free and independent labor unions.” Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Our labor unions are not narrow, self-seeking groups. They have raised wages, shortened hours and provided supplemental benefits. Through collective bargaining and grievance procedures, they have brought justice and democracy to the shop floor.” John F Kennedy

Stephen Views the News March 19, 2009

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:03:21 EDT

Stephen Views the News March 19, 2009

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* Beware the Ides of March ~ or when the earth was flat – Although the ides refers specifically to the middle of the month, there were a lot of bad days in March for the Vatican. First the Vatican official newspaper tells woman that a washing machine was responsible for liberating women. This week Pope Benedict declared that condoms were not the answer to the AIDS epidemic in Africa and even contributed to the problem. I was just about to toss in the trash my extra-large, fruit-flavored, lubricated, glow-in-the-dark, latex sheaths when I came across this statement by the Center for Disease Control: "Condoms, when used consistently and correctly, are highly effective in preventing the sexual transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS." As much as reactionary forces in the 21st Century want us to ignore science I suggest that to avoid HIV Aids and other sexually transmitted diseases, Wrap That Rascal! For the record some 22 million people live with this infection in Africa.

Closer to home a recent study found that at least 3% of the residents of Washington D.C. are infected with the AIDS virus. “That translates into 2,984 residents per every 100,000 over the age of 12 -- or 15,120 -- according to the 2008 epidemiology report by the District's HIV/AIDS office.” Many consider this a rate of epidemic proportions since the numbers are actually much higher. The study only reflects people who have been tested.

There are numerous factors that contribute to this AIDS catastrophe in America and one is federal policy. Recall that George W. Bush used the same philosophy as Pope Benedict to address the issue of sexually transmitted diseases (STD). The program was marketed as Abstinence Only. If “only” it had worked! Virtually every study conducted since the program was instituted found it to be a failure. Teen pregnancies and STD are on the increase. Teaching responsible sexual behavior must include responsible sex education. Abstinence Only makes every date a blind date. Now that we have tried an approach that denies science and biological urges it is time to say no to the influence of the religious right as it affects national policy. AIDS is a preventable disease when approached within an intelligent and enlightened framework.

* Quote of the Week ~ by Frank Rich, NY Times columnist – “What has happened between 2001 and 2009 to so radically change the cultural climate? Here, at last, is one piece of good news in our global economic meltdown: Americans have less and less patience for the intrusive and divisive moral scolds who thrived in the bubbles of the Clinton and Bush years. Culture wars are a luxury the country — the G.O.P. included — can no longer afford… In our own hard times, the former moral “majority” has been downsized to more of a minority than ever.” A read of Mr. Rich’s column provides a historical and sociological perspective of the first decade of the 21st Century. He notes that we are entering a period similar to the 1930s which was described by author Frederick Lewis Allen in his book “Since Yesterday,” - the new American faith was the “secular religion of social consciousness.” Can I hear a secular “Amen?”

* Speaking of Rascals ~ a catastrophic failure of federal government – There is much outrage directed toward financial institutions and especially the bonuses paid to AIG executives following billions of dollars doled out by taxpayers to these goniffs (crooks). I would suggest that the greatest outrage should be directed to the Government of the United States of America. Indifference, incompetence and collusion are the operative words of how the interests of the American people were abdicated throughout the federal bureaucracy.

One lowlight of this failure was outlined in a report this week: “Banking and securities regulators identified weaknesses in how certain large financial institutions monitored risk in recent years but they failed to take strong action until after the financial crisis took hold, the Government Accountability Office found in its latest report… The report specifically focuses on how the Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Office of Thrift Supervision and the Securities and Exchange Commission oversee risk management practices at large financial institutions.” A reasonable query would be, “What the hell were they doing and why?”

* Teflon-coated Congress – Many, many Americans are suffering from the torpedoed economy, disintegrating health care coverage, and imploded retirement plans. Many, many ask, “Why isn’t Congress more in tune with conditions constituents face and doing something about it?” Part of the answer is that members of Congress have over the years provided themselves with golden parachutes. They have a GOVERNMENT FUNDED HEALTH PLAN, a retirement plan that is in effect after only one term of service and they receive automatic pay increases. This year senators receive an automatic pay increase of over $4000. We all have to tighten our belts should read, most of us have to tighten our belt. The decision makers and overseers are doing just fine. It is interesting that they debate whether plebian citizens should have government funded healthcare. It is pathetic that they take no responsibility for not overseeing the financial industry that destroyed the economy, jobs and retirement plans. Speaking of rascals.

* Not so happy Anniversary – Today is the sixth anniversary of the start of the Iraq war. Like so many of its predecessors it is a war that will live in infamy, as will its initiators. As we begin to leave Iraq I was struck by the observations of Lorelei Kelly writing at The Huffington Post. “Now that America's exit from Iraq is on the horizon -- we need to begin the long overdue conversation about how we got ourselves into this war… We need to talk about the civic and cultural reasons for getting into Iraq, because it will reveal a new way for Americans to understand national security. Blame the Bush administration. Fine. Blame the media. Okay. But "we the people" need to take a few hits as well.” Sometimes it is not easy to look at oneself but it is a necessary growing pain. A reading of Ms. Kelly’s article proves an insightful guide.

* At last, Good News – I was listening to NPR this week when I heard an interview with the founder and editor of Good News Network. With so much bad news surrounding us it struck me that this is a website I should often visit. It specializes in identifying good news. Yes, there is some and it is refreshing.

* The real test for environmentalists ~ putting one’s ass on the line – When I go to the store to buy toilet paper (TP) I bear a mandate that is unequivocal and non-negotiable. It must be Charmin, it must be double thickness, it must be double rolls and it must be soft. I thought of this directive while reading about the devastating effects such intimate products are having on the environment. An article in the NY Times noted: “Fluffiness comes at a price: millions of trees harvested in North America and in Latin American countries, including some percentage of trees from rare old-growth forests in Canada. Although toilet tissue can be made at a similar cost from recycled material, it is the fiber taken from standing trees that help give it that plush feel, and most large manufacturers rely on them.”

For the most part recycled TP is rejected in the U.S. More than 98 percent of the toilet paper we use is from virgin forests - forests that soak up carbon emissions, prevent flooding and play a major role in the interconnected and inter-related world of ecology. While cogitating about the condition I characterize as “Soft TP Fixation” I decided to conduct a market research survey. I learned that females feel they need a particularly soft wipe for their uniquely sensitive area. This led me to the following solution in my effort to find environmentally friendly alternatives in our daily lives:

Recycled or partially recycled TP should be designated for use in BACK.

Virgin material TP should be designated for use in FRONT.

This idea will help our weak economy by significantly increasing the sales of TP holders (even though most holders are likely manufactured in Asia). Another suggestion would be for Americans to become tougher.

* “I think the environment should be put in the category of our national security. Defense of our resources is just as important as defense abroad. Otherwise what is there to defend?”

Robert Redford (b. 1937) actor, director, producer, philanthropist and environmentalist

Stephen Views the News March 11, 2009

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:54:08 EDT

Stephen Views the News March 11, 2009

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

ACRONYMS and Abbreviations

* IWD ~ OMG – March 8th marked the 98th anniversary of International Women’s Day. Sue Katz, at her blog Consenting Adult, offers insight and history of this annual event celebrating women’s independence economically, politically and socially. The Vatican, OTOH (On the Other Hand), offered a SNL (Saturday Night Live) viewpoint of a woman’s place. “The Vatican had a novel message for the women of the world: give thanks for the washing machine. This humble domestic appliance had done more for the women’s liberation movement than the contraceptive pill or working outside the home, said the official Vatican newspaper, Osservatore Romano.” One reaction to such reactionary hyperbole is Oh My God! I was equally disappointed in the short-sightedness of the Vatican’s remarks. The contributions of the clothes dryer and laundry detergent with optical brighteners were totally ignored. Perhaps this faux pas will be rectified when the individual who invented the CWD (combination washer-dryer) is nominated for sainthood.

* ONUG ~ One Nation under God – I thought of this patriotic-spiritual slogan while reading a report by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). Apparently not all Americans have read the press release about the US of A being spiritually unified. The SPLC has identified 926 active hate groups in our nation, a 50% increase since 2000. California “leads” the nation with 86, followed by Texas with 66 and Florida with 56 hate groups. Interestingly, the linked map shows that Hawaii and Alaska have zero, which leads one to several conclusions: The two most recent states have not been members of the confederation long enough to develop really good hate; extensive surfing and sledding channels positive energy; these states are too hot or too cold for hate groups to hold their outdoor cross burnings to really get the group vitriolic thing going; or, the groups in the nascent states are more stealth than their continental execrators.

* TIM - When is a tax cut for 98% of American tax payers called a tax increase? It is when the spokespeople for the other 2% generate a disproportionate amount of the rhetoric. The TIM (Tax Increase Myth) is spun by some congressmen, some ideologues on the right, organizations that serve the interests of the wealthy and some media. The TIM was created by the amalgamation of interests we can identify with the acronym GUITPOM (Got Us into This Pile of Manure).

* HUOA – This is not a US Marine shout out. It is descriptive of American foreign policy in recent years where large numbers of troops and U.S. treasure were committed to an effort before reason and strategy were promulgated. This Head Up One’s Ass approach has caused unnecessary American loss of lives, loss of treasure and loss of international credibility and stature. It is important that President Obama keep such folly in mind as he deals with the situation in Afghanistan. The caution flag has been raised since he has committed 17,000 more troops (for a total of 35,000) to this incredibly troubled region BEFORE any statement of objective, goal or strategy. This is reminiscent of the BA (Bushed Approach).

In an October 2008 article in the Christian Science Monitor, Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) says, “We need to ask: After seven years of war, will more troops help us achieve our strategic goals in Afghanistan? How many troops would be needed and for how long? Is there a danger that a heavier military footprint will further alienate the population, and, if so, what are the alternatives? And – with the lessons of Iraq in mind – will this approach advance our top national security priority, namely defeating Al Qaeda?” A read of this article offers a better understanding of the dynamics of one of the significant challenges of our times. LBWL (Looking before We Leap) will help prevent FOOA (Falling on Our Ass).

* PMS – The concept of “win” in context with Iraq was achieved within the first week of the Iraq invasion. Since then HOBSH (Hanging on By the Short Hairs) is the operative phrase. It is due to Patriotic Message Syndrome (PMS) that certain interests continue to misleadingly discuss “winning” the war in Iraq where, as in Afghanistan, there is no military solution. This is not to say that there is no role for the military in protecting American lives and interests. It means that like feminine PMS, national PMS can cloud judicious decision making.

* LOL – In email and text messaging shorthand LOL means Lots of Love. In political parlance, rather than a warm emotional connotation, LOL (Look Out for Liberals) embodies fear, hatred and dread. What are those Commie bastards trying to do to our country? Repair bridges, roads and ports that enable commerce and the working population access to jobs. Fix a healthcare system that excludes almost 20% of the citizens (48 million uninsured) and where increasingly high costs dramatically reduce adequate care for many millions more whose insurance is inadequate. Improve education as a means for young people to achieve a meaningful life and contribute to society. The fact that previous efforts have underachieved is not reason to legislatively play hooky. And with great audacity the CMSL (Commie Meets the Socialist Libralator) want The Haves (TH) to pay a fairer share of the cost for these and other programs. Incomes for the average citizen have been flat or declining for three decades while the wealth has continued to grow and concentrate in the wallets of a few. This trend occurred because TH not only controlled the economics but also the politics. The average American has become SOL.

* EIT – Enhanced Interrogation Techniques is one of the most creative marketing terms devised by the Bush administration and this is considerable praise given that they tossed the BS better than all previous presidencies. This sophisticated nomenclature was used to mask the illegal and immoral use of TORTURE. I have noted in a previous blog that I would not be surprised if a world court addresses such inhumane and treaty-breaking acts, even if our own country proves not to have the courage to investigate this appalling period in our history. By “own country” I refer to President Obama, Congress and the Department of Justice. One of the ways that the CIA attempted to get off the hook for its role in torturing was to destroy 92 tapes, many depicting EIT. SE (Situational Ethics) is a societal malady that has afflicted politics, business, government and a broad swath of individuals. TAQ (There Are Consequences). Some we are experiencing and some yet to be encountered.

* OK ~ OMG – In the state of Oklahoma the corn may grow as high as an elephant’s eye but objective truth is experiencing a severe drought. State representative Todd Thomsen has introduced legislation that would deny the “teaching of the theory of evolution at the department of Zoology at the University of Oklahoma.” Rumor has it that the next step is to move the Department of Obstetrics from the med school to Zoology in order to study the role of the stork in delivering babies. Research will also include pre-natal cabbage patches. One wonders if the nickname “Sooner” means AH (Asshole) in Cherokee.

* ??? ~ OMG – I have been critical of the religious right for some of the stands they have taken on gay rights, women’s rights and their penchant to tell others how to live their lives. I cannot wait to see how they will deal with this one. Female Iron Chef Cat Cora is pregnant and her female wife Jennifer is also pregnant. Both women utilized the same sperm donor, NPA (Now Pay Attention), the same donor for the first two children that the ladies have. NPCA (Now Pay Closer Attention). For the first two children Cat carried Jennifer’s embryo and Jennifer carried Cat’s embryo. Phew. I could certainly use an IVF (In vitro Fertilization) flow chart. Regardless of how it occurred I wish the women and their offspring well. To members of the 700 Club I suggest Xanax, a proven treatment for panic disorder

* WIVO – One of the reasons Why I Voted for Obama concerned his predecessor’s politicization of science and objective fact and an unsound policy that negatively impacted the wellbeing of citizens. Obama campaigned to reverse such foolishness. This week Obama announced a dramatic change in the federal government’s support of stem cell research and he went even further by reaffirming the importance and integrity of science. An excerpt from his speech at the announcement: “It is about ensuring that scientific data is never distorted or concealed to serve a political agenda and that we make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology." The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) provides an A to Z Guide to Political Interference in Science. The link for the full text of Obama’s Memorandum: Scientific Integrity

* BTDT – The bigger they are the harder they fall. Competition results in better performance. Absolute power leads to abuse of power absolutely. All of these well-used expressions came to mind as I read about the merger deal between mega pharmaceutical companies Merck and Schering-Plough. Been There Done That (BTDT) describes America’s historical experience with industry consolidation that leads to monopoly or oligopoly within an industry. It rarely serves the common good. This was realized almost 100 years ago when a more intelligent/alert Congress enacted laws to prevent such consolidation. In recent decades such wisdom has been lost on the conventional wisdom as dominating companies have emerged in energy, drugs, agriculture and finance while our legislators experienced ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). We are all going to need regular doses of ASA (aspirin).

* TAFNF – That’s All for Now Folks

* “I'll be scared later. Right now I'm too mad.” Bugs Bunny

Stephen Views the News March 5, 2009

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:31:54 EST

Stephen Views the News March 5, 2009

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* Sitting Shiva – This is not a reference to one of the supreme Hindu gods, often depicted meditating in the lotus position. The term is used in the context of Jewish tradition. It denotes a one week period of grief and mourning following the burial of a deceased, when family members gather in one place and receive visitors. I thought of this tradition as the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) held its annual coven in Washington D.C. last week. What is now the heart, core and soul of the Republican Party gathered to… well, I am not sure. Some of the leading speakers included Ann Coulter, Joe the Plumber and the whining star of the gathering, Rush Limbaugh, spokes model for the Republican/Conservative movement in America. The CPAC attendees desperately cling to an ideology launched in the Ronald Regan years that ultimately imploded during the George W. Bush years. The most recent incarnation of conservatism has been abandoned by the vast majority of the American people. The abandonment was not capricious. It earned its demise by yielding utter and complete failure. Let me count the ways:

Anti-unionism, unregulated free markets, deficit spending stapled to tax cuts for the wealthy, denial of science, ignorance of the needs of a deteriorating infrastructure, unconstitutional merging of church and state, abandonment of the needy and less fortunate in our society, policies that encourage greed and corruption, encouragement of a neocon philosophy that preaches preemptive war and imperialism and the promulgation that health care is a privilege, not a right. This is by far a complete list. I am confident that history will write a more comprehensive account of this movement that we now mourn and which has left us with considerable grief and bereavement.

How wide is the disconnect between CPAC ideologues and Main Street America? The Republican response to President Obama’s address to congress is telling. The person chosen to present the “other side” was Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. Frank Rich, writing for the NY Times, made the following observation: “But like all zealots, Jindal is oblivious to how non-zealots see him. Pleading “principle,” he has actually turned down some $100 million in stimulus money for Louisiana. And, as he proudly explained on “Meet the Press”, he can’t wait to be judged on “the results” of his heroic frugality. The state of Louisiana ranks fourth in children living below the poverty line and 46th in high school graduation rates. The well-being of the majority of Americans was never a consideration of Reagan or Bush or Bush. The well-being of the “royalty” of society was the premise and the policy. The ultimate widespread failure of the policies is apparent to almost anyone not part of the CPAC clique. Governor Jindal, you are far from being a hero AND you do not walk among heroes.

* The Guiding Light of hypocrisy ~ I was against it before I did it even though I am against it – Few can forget the homophobic Colorado mega-church pastor Ted Haggart resigning in disgrace when it was revealed that he was having a homosexual affair. It is even easier to remember vocally anti-gay Idaho Senator Larry Craig attempting to drop his Fruit of the Looms in a public restroom. It should come as no surprise that a recent study found that conservative states in the union, the Red states that want to ban the sale of vibrators, dildos and sexually explicit material, have a higher incidence of visiting pornography sites on the internet than the citizens of the heathen Blue states. “Those states that do consume the most porn tend to be more conservative and religious than states with lower levels of consumption, the study finds… Eight of the top 10 pornography consuming states gave their electoral votes to John McCain in last year's presidential election.” I have often wondered how the holy rollers know what I should not be doing in the privacy of my own home. They certainly cannot be accused of not doing their homework. Now, just shut up and take a cold shower!

* Cynics of Green Energy ~ naysayers say no more – If anyone still believes that green energy solutions are impractical, unaffordable or unrealistic the prophets of profitability, also known as the Mafia, have spoken. “Italian police… arrested mobsters, businessmen and local politicians who allegedly used corrupt practices and bribes to gain control of a project to build wind farms in Sicily… Police in Trapani said the local Mafia bribed city officials in nearby Mazara del Vallo so the town would invest in wind farms to produce energy.” When the Mafia assumes the roll of lobbyist it is pretty certain that the business venture makes cents (sic). We are not talking about pie-in-the-sky idealists. Where is America’s own Al Capone when we need him?

* Drug efficacy ~ serious side effects – Last week, and on many previous occasions, I have noted evidence of congressman selling their vote to special interests. This week we learn about another hooker in pinstripes and silk cravat posing as a U.S. Senator. “The pharmaceutical industry that long has benefited from Sen. Orrin G. Hatch´s (R-UT) legislative efforts has directed large sums of money to a charity he helped found - and still raises money for - while also hiring the Republican lawmaker's son as a lobbyist.” This week our government begins exploring ways to reduce the outrageous cost of health care in America. Unless the decision makers such as Hatch are publicly and broadly exposed for their financially symbiotic relationship with the special interests that play a significant role in the high cost of health care, the American healthcare system and the economy will remain on life support. Ostensibly, Hatch represents the citizens of Utah. Among his extra-state constituents are pharmaceutical companies Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Schering-Plough Corp., Eli Lilly and Co., Barr Pharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca Pharm LP, and Sepracor. Other Hatch “constituents” include medical equipment suppliers and health care providers. I suggest that the next time you want to write a letter to your congressman, drop it off at your pharmacy. It will get there faster.

* Taxpayers ambushed ~ the cavalry is coming – It was announced this week that the Obama administration will overhaul how government contracts are awarded that would save about $40 billion dollars a year. The new rules “would make it more difficult for contractors to bilk taxpayers and make some half-trillion dollars in federal contracts each year more accessible to independent contractors.” This would be a refreshing change to no bid, no oversight contracts. Such policy reached its nadir in Iraq where billions of U.S. dollars were funneled through insider private no-bid contractors – much of it unaccounted for, much of it wasted on projects never completed or completed projects that are unsafe and in disrepair. To complete the picture, many of these same private contractors are U.S. companies that set up off-shore corporations to avoid paying U.S. taxes. If Obama can have an impact on what we now know has been a pervasive breakdown in our federal government, my November vote will have been well cast.

* We can have a lead role in oversight ~ the audition is now – “For every foreclosure in a neighborhood, home values drop by an estimated 1%. Credit Suisse says that if judges have the ability to write down mortgages, it will stem the tide of foreclosures by 20% and it won't cost the taxpayers a single dime… President Obama says that allowing bankruptcy judges to write down mortgages is an important part of his plan to arrest the downward spiral of the foreclosure crisis.” HOWEVER, corporation-favoring Republican and Democratic members of Congress and bank lobbyists are trying to stop that. The banks want to unload their bad loans on taxpayers. We should not let this happen. The website Firedoglake.com is providing a petition to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi demanding that bankruptcy judges be allowed to write down mortgages. Pelosi and congress gave in to the banks and their lobbyists in 2007 when this idea was first proposed. If more and more citizens voice their opposition to “Congress for Sale” there is some chance that our democratic process will avoid total bankruptcy. If we do nothing, then nothing is what will be accomplished. Below is the comment I made on the petition that I signed:

It is beyond time that citizens take back our government - a government that our elected representatives sold to the highest bidders. If you refuse to represent the interests of the American people then we will work to ensure that you experience the unemployment line. Yes - that long line that your sellout to special interests helped create. Congress is draped in disgrace and the American people are suffering the consequences. Perhaps it is poetic justice since we elected you. Shame on all of us!

* Being our own lobbyists - President Barack Obama said: "the special interests and lobbyists ... I know they're gearing up for a fight as we speak. My message to them is this: So am I." One of the tasks and great challenges that Obama is taking on is health care reform. The special interests and lobbyists present major opposition and will attempt to influence the Obama administration and congress. One of the ways that the American people’s interests and voices can be heard on health care reform is through petition. Congress must know that we are paying attention and have expectations. MoveOn.org is providing a petition that will be sent to your representative and senators. Over 200,000 concerned citizens have already signed the petition. If you are concerned about the state of your own health care, the future health care of your children as well as the tremendous drain that the current system has on our economy, you may want to add your name. Consumers Union provides a similar petition.

* It is said that power corrupts, but actually it's more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power.” David Brin

“Corruption and hypocrisy ought not to be inevitable products of democracy, as they undoubtedly are today” Mahatma Gandhi

Stephen Views the News 2/27/09

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:00:43 EST

Stephen Views the News February 27, 2009

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* When the cards are stacked against you - Capital One just sent me a “Dear Stephen” notice informing me that outstanding credit card balances can now be charged a 24% interest rate and that they have first rights to my testicles. Some credit card companies are charging up to 32% interest on outstanding balances. I pay my credit card balances in full so fortunately, I do not to need to pay their exorbitant interest rates, rates that should be illegal in any sane and reasonable society. When such loan rates are charged outside of the hallowed banking industry the loaner is generally associated with the word “mob.” The question is, “How much longer are we as a nation going to stand for such usurious and abusive acts by the financial industry?” The financial crisis that embroils our nation is part and parcel of this under-regulated, unconstrained and free-wheeling industry. Left unchecked, the greed of the financial industry damaged all of us. The greed was so great and so widespread that ironically, it has even led to its own destruction.

What has taken place in the financial world reminds me of a rare disease that inflicted the brother of someone I know. He has a disease known as Prader-Willi syndrome. One aspect of this disease is that it does not allow an individual to feel full when eating and results in eating binges. “Parents of children with the syndrome often have to lock the kitchen cabinets and refrigerator to restrict the child's access to food.” Perhaps we can characterize what has inflicted the financial community as the Prader-Willie Sutton Syndrome.

How did the financial deterioration of our nation occur? Can you say “special interests?” The Wizards of Wall Street hired sophisticated influencers of congress (lobbyists) to convince OUR representatives to enact laws and regulations that benefitted only the interests of the financial industry. An example of this special interest inter-marriage with elected officials is the likes of former Senator Phil Gramm. It was Gramm who spearheaded much of the legislation that contributed to the easing of restrictions on the financial industry and that subsequently contributed to the financial crisis we face today. When Gramm left “public service” he took very lucrative jobs lobbying for members of the financial industry. One such interest he represented was Swiss bank USB, up to its Swiss cheese in deceptive practices. In a settlement last week with the U.S. Justice Department USB agreed “to pay a fine of $780 million and to disclose about 250 names of U.S. clients it said had committed tax fraud.” USB also agreed to provide information about 19,000 other accounts held by U.S. citizens. Gramm is not an exception to how special interests corrupt the fiduciary responsibility of elected officials. They fund their political campaigns, hire family and friends and further reward such officials with lucrative positions when they leave congress. It is especially prevalent in the fields of banking, energy, telecommunications, insurance and defense. It has proven especially damaging to the country.

The financial crisis in America was no accident. It was an accident waiting to happen. The core had been rotting for some time and eventually the structure had to collapse. Both Democrat and Republican politicians are culpable. They allowed themselves to be bought like prostitutes who hawk their wares on street corners. I offer an apology to prostitutes for associating them with politicians who too often exhibit less veracity and integrity in plying their trade than hookers. I expect that we will see reforms since they usually follow crises that reach critical mass. A call for reform has already begun. European Union leaders have met and called for sweeping financial regulations. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at this meeting of Europe’s largest economies, "All financial markets, products and participants including hedge funds and other private pools of capital which may pose a systematic risk must be subjected to appropriate oversight or regulation." The U.S will soon follow - as it did after other financial debacles like the Market Crash of 1929 and the savings and loan failures in the 1980s.

Some say that “it is the way government works” and “politicians are always in the pockets of the privileged.” I will accept the reality that the privileged will have more influence than the working stiffs but one cannot accept the overabundance of influence they exerted over our government representatives for the last two decades. If we as a nation accept such a reality, a reality that plagues third world countries, we deserve no better. And let us not totally excuse ourselves. To be a member of a democracy, by its nature, requires responsibility on the part of citizens. We keep re-electing too many leeches. Perhaps we are too busy with our Blackberries, DVDs, Hi-Def wide screens, Blu-Rays, Ipods and Face Books to pay attention. As the ability to communicate has increased, our communication seems to have decreased. It would certainly make for an interesting sociological analysis to graph the ability to communicate with actual communication. How prescient is Verizon’s long-standing tagline to their commercials, “Can you hear me now?”

While on the subject of credit card companies it is worth noting that their possible failure could be the next financial disaster facing the American economy. One of the best articles I have read on the subject was penned this week by Arianna Huffington at the Huffington Post.

Late last year congress passed a weak credit card reform bill that does not even go into effect until the middle of 2010. Once again congress offers us too little too late. Consumers Union is providing a petition to congress urging them to pass credit card reform legislation NOW. At the site consumersunion.org one can click on the tab Take Action to sign the petition.

* Obama Watch ~ transparency - Contrary to conservative opinion a very pro-active program is needed to reverse the economic downturn crippling our country. Despite virtual unanimity among Republican congressmen who oppose the legislation, coupled with their usual plethora of untruths, the legislation has passed and we await its influence. I have followed the comments by a large number of economists who feel the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act takes us in the right direction. Regardless if one is pro or con relative to the legislation, the public will know what is happening. And unlike the machinations of the previous administration, the stimulus bill is open to public view. Details can be found at recovery.gov. The oversight will be spearheaded by a former Secret Service agent and recent Inspector General of the Department of the Interior who exposed mismanagement, non-management and illegal activities at Interior during the Bush administration. Earl Devaney will be chairman of the new Recovery Act Transparency and Accountability Board. Vice President Joe Biden also will be given a role coordinating oversight of stimulus spending. Such actions can only enhance a democracy that in recent times has exhibited more pomp than circumstance.

* Reining in the Pentagon ~ a formidable foe – We have seen much written recently about the billions of dollars the Pentagon spends on weapons and systems that only benefit the defense industry and their lobbyists, not U.S. security. Congress is finally holding hearings on the tremendous cost to and waste of America’s over-extended financial resources. TruMajority.org is providing a petition to congress urging the elimination of such unnecessary bloating of the federal budget. Already an army of well-funded defense lobbyists and defense contractors are descending on Washington to ensure their cash cow is not endangered. It is time that our votes and voices be cast against the power of the greenbacks that have been shaping the conversation.

"The moneychangers have fled from their high seats in the temple of our civilization."
Franklin D. Roosevelt, from his 1933 inauguration speech

Stephen Views the News February 18, 2009

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:19:05 EST

Stephen Views the News February 18, 2009

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* “Unsafe sex” ~ getting screwed by conservatives – The heavy petting began with Ronald Regan’s Reaganomics – cut taxes for the wealthy, build up deficits but hide some of the deficits by stealing from Social Security (SS) surpluses. I call it stealing because it was dressed in the alluring lingerie of borrowing that was never paid back – about $200 billion per year. “Each time the government dipped into the Social Security trust fund this way, it issued a legal obligation to pay back the money with interest whenever Social Security needed it to pay benefits… That moment of reckoning is approaching. Uncle Sam owes these trillions to Social Security retirees and has to pay it back or look like just another deadbeat. That risk is the only "crisis" facing Social Security.” The Congressional Budget Office says SS is not broke. It can sustain its obligations for another forty years if nothing changes. Conservatives call SS an “entitlement program.” I suggest that each reader look at their SS statements to see what they have actually paid in to this program. Taking into consideration how much this money would have earned if kept in a private account, it is not likely we each will be paid out what we paid in.

I bring this to readers’ attention because there is a backroom move afoot. Being characterized as fiscal reform some conservative think tanks and influential wealthy interests are pushing for what amounts to the misappropriation of trillions of SS dollars. I urge anyone who will be eligible to receive SS to read this article in The Nation by William Greider, author of the book Come Home, America. We all should be alert to any suggestion to reduce SS benefits and the deceit and lies that accompany such suggestions. It is a Ponzi scheme that dwarfs Bernie “The Goniff” Madoff and directly affects all of us.

* The Fairness Doctrine – This was a federal regulation abandoned in 1987 that required broadcasters to present opposing views on public issues. “More and more Democrats in Congress are calling for action (to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine) that Republicans warn could muzzle right-wing talk radio.” I have mixed feelings about renewing such a law. As much as I abhor the hate, divisiveness and prejudice of Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage and like savages the principle of freedom of speech calls for free speech. I do not think open-mindedness can be legislated. Those who achieve tumescence from hateful talk radio have the same rights as people who want to watch porn or listen to the progressive views of Rachel Maddow. Porn and liberal broadcasters may be less harmful to one’s well being but in a free society it is not our place to restrict viewpoints. And although the majority of radio stations are owned by conservative interests the internet is providing balancing points of view that were not available when the regulation was in effect. There are many situations where government involvement is necessary. I do not think that this is one of them.

* The Unfairness Doctrine – I will leave it to others to determine how disingenuous ideologues reach the pinnacle of mainstream media voices. They are given positions in major newspapers or seats on major television news broadcasts. Much of America relies on their punditocracy in spite of their being either ill-informed or intentionally misleading or in some cases both. Case in point is long-time Washington Post columnist George Will. In his Op-Ed column on February 15, 2009 Will attempted to demonstrate that concern about global warming is misplaced. Supporting his argument Will made the following reference; “According to the University of Illinois' Arctic Climate Research Center (ACRC), global sea ice levels now equal those of 1979.”

Hours after the column appeared ACRC posted the following response on its website: “We do not know where George Will is getting his information, but our data shows that on February 15, 1979, global sea ice area was 16.79 million sq. km and on February 15, 2009, global sea ice area was 15.45 million sq. km. Therefore, global sea ice levels are 1.34 million sq. km less in February 2009 than in February 1979. This decrease in sea ice area is roughly equal to the area of Texas, California, and Oklahoma combined… It is disturbing that the Washington Post would publish such information without first checking the facts.”

Thanks to TPMMuckraker for bringing this to our attention and for providing greater detail about errors in Will’s column. I would suggest that the greatest value of this Washington Post piece is that it can be used to wrap mercury-laden fish that probably smell better than Will’s “journalistic” effort.

* Generational Theft – This is the new Republican buzz slogan prognosticating the effect of the stimulus bill. It speculates that the enormity of the U.S. deficit will burden future generations with untold consequences. We did not hear this swan song when Reagan started the deficit ball rolling. In 2001 Dick Cheney said, "Reagan proved that deficits don't matter." And from 2002 to 2007 few if any of these same Republicans decried the deficit spending they voted for, doubling the deficit from $5 to $10 trillion. Now that they are in the minority, deficits matter. Like many citizens I share concern about deficit effects on subsequent generations so I found an article by economist Ann Pettifor at the Huffington Post of particular interest. At some length Ms. Pettifor describes that this stimulus bill will pay for itself and “not cripple us long-term… when the government invests the bulk of $789 billion in real, productive economic activity - it always gets its money back - plus some.” Since mainstream and cable media are not providing a balanced look at the effects of the stimulus package a read of this article may prove enlightening.

* Get serious Sirius - One of the least talented “entertainers” on the planet is foul-mouth and teenage-horny Howard Stern. He certainly is not to be blamed that Sirius satellite radio offered him a 5-year $500 million contract. Nor is he to be blamed that Sirius is about to file for bankruptcy. Who would not take the windfall? At the same time it is not surprising that financial problems beset a business model that included paying a half a billion dollars for a questionable asset. It reminds one of the many “leading” banks and financial institutions in America and around the world desperately seeking bail (hand) outs from governments.

* Pomp and a great deal of Circumstance – Wes Yoder’s company Ambassador Agency is a publicist for the fundamentalist preacher, author and anti-gay activist Reverend Rick Warren. Just added to the covey of Yoder’s clients is Nadya Suleman. She is the single mother of six that showed America how a stimulus package works when her fertility doctor powered her up to give birth to octuplets. Said doctor can probably use a publicist as his proficiency sans ethics is stimulating the call for regulations and oversight of gynecologic breeding farmers.

* What’s It All about Alfie? – It seemed strange enough when the 13-year old British boy Alfie Patten made the news for fathering a child with his 15-year old friend Chantelle Steadman. British observers described the schoolboy as another symbol of “broken Britain.” Alfie will have to be a part-time dad since he cannot move into the Steadman household until he is 16. In the mean time he has helped change the baby’s diapers before immersing himself in video games.

The saga gets stranger as two other teenagers, one 14 and one 16, claim they may have fathered the child. Generally, when a girl gets pregnant, potential inseminators experience paternus interruptus. Those Brits know how to maintain a stiff upper lip, among other appendages. Alfie’s dad Dennis, no stranger to fathering children, has advised that his son submit to a DNA test. Dennis is the father of eight but two years ago split with Alfie’s mom when he was caught having an affair with a 19-year old. There was no mention in related articles whether the Patten family is philosophically opposed to rubbers, incapable of comprehending the concept(ion) of sex education, or are forming a new cult that will eventually seek to revise inbreeding made infamous by British aristocracy in days of yore. I expect Alfie and Chantelle will headline a new reality show, “The Young and Defiant… and Stupid.” In the first episode the young couple will get home from school and share milk and cookies with their infant and then take turns burping each other. Alfie may have been quoted as saying that when he grows up he wants to be a freshman.

* "My husband and I have decided to start a family while my parents are still young enough to look after them."
Rita Rudner (born 1953) American comedienne, writer and actress

Stephen Views the News 2/12/09

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:26:21 EST

Stephen Views the News 2/12/09

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* When God rolls Her eyes - Blogger friend Ruth Deming raised an interesting question. Why do people such as Bishop Richard Williamson, who I spoke about last week, and actor Mel Gibson deny the Holocaust? I have observed with irritation and consternation such deniers. I imagine it has a strong element of anti-Semitism but belies widespread, objective truth. Perhaps it speaks to the blinding power of prejudice. So often said deniers claim to have a strong connection to their particular religious faith. But does not denying the murder, enslavement and degradation of millions of human beings undermine one’s sense of humanity or claim to a spiritual connection?

* Calling an electrician when the commode does not flush - Given the central role that Republican policy and leadership played in the implosion of the U.S. economy why does the mainstream media genuflect to Republican McConnel, Graham, Pence, Kyle, Cornyn and company for solutions to fix the economy? Especially troublesome is the fact that these “experts” are calling for some of the same policies that helped create the current recession that threatens to become a depression. These are the same legislators that approved tax cuts for the wealthy and rubber-stamped Bush’s debt-exploding budgets while insisting on avoiding oversight of financial institutions. Giving credence to Republicans to fix the economy is analogous to consulting a rectal specialist to do a tax return. Tax returns may feel like a colonoscopy but they require a sharp-penciled accountant.

* Humor of the Week - I had quite a chuckle when Republicans opposed Obama putting a cap on compensation (in the amount of $500,000) for executives whose companies accepted federal bail-out funds. Their reasoning was that these companies would lose the best talent. WHAT TALENT? These are the same incompetents who brought their companies to their economic knees. Rather than worry about losing them the first priority should be to fire the bastards.

Another good laugh occurred watching two Bush rubber-stamp Republicans, Lindsay Graham and John Boehner, crying and whining on virtually every cable news channel about what is wrong with the stimulus bill. I usually do not laugh at pathos but one must remember that we are dealing with thespians relegated from center stage to the supporting cast. YOUR PARTY LOST THE ELECTION(S). Republican policy, greed and hypocrisy were demonstrably rejected. While you wet your pants about the stimulus bill the vast majority of the American people are for it. Now go to your room and no TV.

* Not so funny ~ where did we put that damn rifle? – The Washington Post reports: “Tens of thousands of assault rifles and other firearms in Afghanistan are at risk of being stolen because U.S. officials have lost track of them, according to a congressionally ordered audit that warns that some weapons may already be in Taliban hands… There were no reliable records showing what ultimately happened to an additional 135,000 weapons donated by other NATO countries.” Not only are American troops jeopardized by such incompetency but the American taxpayer is paying for U.S. troop weapons and, in part, the enemy’s weapons. I would call this foreign aid gone awry.

* Not so funny ~ where did we put that damn computer? – The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), operated by the U.S. Dept. of Energy, is one of the largest science and technology institutions in the world. Much of their work is highly classified. This week we learn: “the Lab admits that 67 computers are currently 'missing', and that 13 have been lost or stolen in the past year alone… The magnitude of the security risk that the missing computers pose to LANL is unknown to DOE at this point.” A LANL BlackBerry was recently lost in a "sensitive foreign country." I am sure that there are many competent and conscientious people that serve in our federal government. It also seems that sometimes they all must be on sabbatical. Maxwell Smart meets Inspector Jacques Clouseau, who once said, “There is a time to laugh and a time not to laugh, and this is not one of them.”

* When is a politician a blowhard? ~ almost always - Case in point is Sen. Bill Nelson (D-NE). He is one of the “centrists” responsible for reducing the size of the House stimulus bill. A noted and respected writer for the NY Times, Paul Krugman, said the centrists made the bill weaker and worse. Nelson was asked for his response to Krugman and said, “Well, first of all, they’re not cuts. Let’s just get that up front. These are adjustments downward from numbers that were offered by the House in their version and by the Senate in its version.” The acuity required to make such subtle distinctions does not mask odiferous policy

Nelson and sister centrist Susan Collins (R-ME) exhibited typical political demagoguery when they touted the stimulus bill they helped reduce as being a benefit to education. Matthew Yglesias at Think Progress points out that Collins and Nelson brokered cuts, er, “adjustments” that reduced funding to the Head Start program, school construction and state funding that would contribute to education programs. In an interview on MSNBC Collins argued that what was not reduced from the spending for education was a benefit because some called for no spending. Perhaps there is some merit to such politic speak but it is also misleading in that it excuses not meeting the substantial needs of education in this country.

* When is a Presidential public appearance not public? - Almost every “public” appearance made by former president George W. Bush was staged in front of a specially selected group of people who were aggressively screened for their political/philosophical allegiance. Contrast that with Obama’s appearance at a town hall meeting on Monday in Elkhart, IN. The audience was seated on a first come, first serve basis in a community that strongly supported McCain in the November election.

I also found interesting the fact that under Obama, for the first time, a blogger was issued a White House press pass. During Obama’s first press conference Monday night blogger Sam Stein of the Huffington Post was called on to ask a question. It upset Faux (FOX) News and some reporters that work for traditional news organizations and that is a good thing. During the Bush years it was Huffington Post, TPM Muckraker, dailykos, Think Progress, Firedoglake, Crooks and Liars, americablog, Emptywheel and many other blogs that held Bush accountable while too often mainstream media was satisfied with Bush administration talking points and lies.

* When it’s sick, cure it ~ healthcare - There will be an increasing chorus in America demanding healthcare reform. The current system cannot be sustainable while remaining viable for the majority of Americans. “More and more employers are cutting or dropping health insurance coverage as the economic meltdown gains steam… A growing number of workers in 2009 will pay more for health benefits -- and in some cases receive less coverage… "The Corporate Executive Board found in its survey that a quarter of officials from 350 large corporations said they had increased deductibles an average of 9 percent in 2008. But 30 percent of the employers said they expected to raise deductibles an average of 14 percent in 2009.” The cost of healthcare and protection in America is reaching critical mass. In spite of strong lobbying from health insurers, health providers and the pharmaceutical industry the American people will finally demand reform. I anticipate that Congress will be hard-pressed by constituents to institute healthcare reform programs. The environment that favored special interests is approaching a toxic stage, making candidate Obama’s platform on healthcare more and more viable.

* The next expose – Most readers will recall a number of Michael Moore’s films that included devastating looks at General Motors, the Bush administration and healthcare in the U.S. An email this week from Mr. Moore spoke of a film he is currently producing that examines Wall Street. The note included an appeal to people working in the financial industry: “I am in the middle of shooting my next movie and I am looking for a few brave people who work on Wall Street or in the financial industry to come forward and share with me what they know. Based on those who have already contacted me, I believe there are a number of you who know "the real deal" about the abuses that have been happening. You have information that the American people need to hear. I am humbly asking you for a moment of courage, to be a hero and help me expose the biggest swindle in American history.”

* Evolution ~ despite Orwellian efforts to deny its validity – Today marked the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth and this year is the 150th anniversary of the publication of his work On the Origin of Species. I found of particular interest a letter to the Philadelphia Inquirer by Frank Hartzell. He said, in part, “For ideological and religious reasons, political forces have repeatedly attempted to subvert or prevent the teaching of evolution in our public schools. They are intended to create doubt among students, when none exists among scientists.” The Bush administration pandered to influences that denied the validity of science and such narrow thinking was injected into policy throughout the federal government. Many of us are hopeful that the policy of anti-intellectual governance left Washington on the same plane that returned Bush to his ranch.

In a Gallup Poll about evolution conducted February 6 and 7, 2009 I was quite surprised to see the following results: 39% believe in evolution, 25% do not believe in evolution and 36% had no opinion either way. With only 39% of Americans believing in evolution maybe I am missing the proverbial boat and need to brush up on the tenets of Intelligent Design. Perhaps it is more than an ergonomic bathroom sink faucet.

* Quotes by Charles Darwin (1809 – 1882):

“Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science.”

“I fully subscribe to the judgment of those writers who maintain that of all the differences between man and the lower animal, the moral sense of conscience is by far the most important....It is the most noble of all the attributes of man.”

“If the misery of the poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin.”

Stephen Views the News 2/5/09

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:05:22 EST

Stephen Views the News 2/5/09

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* Get out the metal polish – Obama’s “change you can believe in” has rapidly developed a coat of tarnish as ethics questions surrounded Obama selections Richardson, Daschle, Geithner and Killefer. It reminds one of the Grouch Marx quote: “There's one way to find out if a man is honest - ask him. If he says, 'Yes,' you know he is a crook.” Obama has said he was not looking for “yes men” to serve in his administration. In one respect that is what he is finding.

* A note to President Obama ~ remember Howard Dean – With Daschle dashed you need a solid replacement to guide America into a new era of health care. Howard Dean has the qualifications and expressed interest. He is a medical doctor, the former six-term governor of Vermont and the recent leader of the Democratic Party where his dedication and intelligence played a vital roll in Democrats having huge successes in the 2006 and 2008 elections. Rumor has it that your Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, has issues with Dean stemming from disagreements over past political strategies. Mr. President, as you bend over backwards to accommodate Republicans, please do not ignore valued Democrats. May I suggest that you take the time to seriously consider Dr. Dean to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. He is a individual partially responsible for your reaching the White House, he has impeccable credentials and he should not be ignored because of petty internal politics.

* Maintaining the shine ~ campaign promises being fulfilled – On the positive side of the nascent Obama administration one can note:

~ Passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act that helps ensure redress for women that did not receive the same pay as men doing the same job in a firm. Many Republicans/conservatives are lamenting that this will open the door to lawsuits. I often wonder why these GOPers are rarely concerned when employees are screwed over by the firms that employ them. These same screwees were once embryos.

~ On Wednesday Obama signed the Children's Health Insurance Program, granting 4 million more children access to affordable health care. Former President G.W. Bush twice vetoed this legislation. With so much on his special-interest plate he probably forgot that these 4 million children were also once fertilized eggs. Warning to embryos: do not leave the womb lest Republicans/conservatives will abandon you.

~ On January 23rd President Obama repealed the Global Gag Rule, which prohibited family-planning programs in other nations receiving U.S. aid if the programs were pro-choice. I find it curious that conservatives genuflect to smaller government and less regulation until it comes to regulating other peoples’ lives. “Abstinence only” is absence of effectiveness in preventing pregnancy, the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and especially the spread of HIV AIDS that is decimating large segments of populations in Africa and is inflicting tragedy throughout the world. I suggest that if one bears an ideology that harms people, cryovac it in a condom.

~ “The Obama administration has asked the military's Joint Chiefs of Staff to cut the Pentagon's budget request for the fiscal year 2010 by more than 10 percent -- about $55 billion.” I recently saw a statistic that the U.S. spends more on defense than the next 40 countries combined. I have read articles that billions are being spent on Pentagon projects that are outmoded or have little chance of being operational. The Pentagon and the defense industry enjoy a tremendous influence on the decision-making process of how our society allocates it resources. It will take strong leadership from Obama and Congress to assess and rein in these powerhouses that Dwight D. Eisenhower, over 50 years ago, termed the military-industrial complex. It has achieved a momentum and life of its own that many feel is substantially beyond reason and practicality. It is my sense that we are in a hostage situation to these forces.

~ The Bush administration and the EPA consistently blocked California and 13 other states from setting stricter automobile emission standards. President Obama will direct federal regulators to re-evaluate the Bush decision to reject California’s application and it will likely lead to the Bush policy being reversed. Auto makers and their lobbyists will balk but it is well beyond time to direct our attention and resources to rehabilitating our environment. Our once pristine planet is close to being on life support. Its potential demise is not likely to occur in my lifetime but do we not all have a responsibility to the embryos that will follow?

~ The Times of London is reporting, “President Obama will convene the most ambitious arms reduction talks with Russia for a generation, aiming to slash each country’s stockpile of nuclear weapons by 80 per cent.” Nuclear weapons reduction was a core element in Obama’s candidacy. The 1991 US-Soviet Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (Start), which expires in December, had reduced each country’s stockpiles from 10,000 to 5,000 weapons. It is felt that further reductions by these two powers could assist in influencing countries such as Iran to not develop nuclear weapons. It seems to me that reducing the number of nuclear weapons is critical. From one standpoint their existence has been primarily a deterrent between the two powers since no country benefits by using such weapons given the assured retaliation it would generate. The greater danger today is that the larger the number of weapons in existence, the greater the danger of such a weapon getting into terrorist hands. Such radical ideologues/idiots do not fear retaliation. And that is a very dangerous enemy.

* The nuance of language - The federal judge overseeing the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy has been charged with assault and arrested for hitting his wife. Many have called for tougher judges but it appears that Judge James M. Peck has misinterpreted the intent of “tougher”. According to the NY Times article, “Judge Peck is known for his patience in handling matters as complex as the Lehman case.” Apparently his “patience” did not extend to his complex marriage. If the pecker keeps this up he may find himself patronizing his own courtroom. It will look like an Abbot and Costello routine as da judge bounces between da bench and da defendant’s table.

* Reality issues – I am 6’ 9” tall with biceps too large for my body. George W. Bush and Ronald Regan vie for the title of Best President in the history of the U.S. Paris Hilton is Obama’s nominee to oversee his Abstinence Only program. Catholic Bishop Richard Williamson is historically correct in denying the existence of Nazi gas chambers. While none of these absurd assertions have merit, Williamson does in fact maintain his position concerning the Holocaust. This came to light because he had been excommunicated by the Church in 1988 and last month this moral moron was reinstated by Pope Benedict XVI. I imagine the Pope has some down time between Christmas and Easter and was looking for a way to keep busy. May I recommend macramé?

Since the reinstatement there has been global outrage and the Vatican was forced to issue a statement that Williamson “must absolutely, unequivocally and publicly distance himself from his positions on the Holocaust, or else he would not be allowed to serve as a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church.” Congratulations to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, several prominent figures in the German Catholic Church and U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for condemning Williamson and in some cases criticizing the Vatican. The NY Times observes: the fact that the Vatican issued a statement is a clear indication that the Vatican was facing nothing less than an internal and external political crisis. The reality is that when good people stand up and speak out about institutional and individual ignorance, altered behavior can result. This is a wonderful lesson for us in America where leadership at all levels of government and across society permitted the Bush administration to intimidate any expression of criticism.

* When the brass is AWOL - Another U.S. service member has been determined to have been electrocuted in a shower in Iraq, and Navy criminal investigators are investigating. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class David A. Cedergren, 25, of South St. Paul, Minn., died Sept. 11, 2004, while showering. His family was told he died of natural causes. Cedegrens’s death is among 18 electrocution deaths (16 were U.S. service members) under investigation for improperly installed or maintained electrical devices. I have noted on many occasions the damage perpetrated by the no-bid contractors such as KBR, hired by the Bush administration for supplying the troops and rebuilding Iraq. Among the many disgraces that pall the tragedy known as Bush and Cheney’s Iraq war the abuse of America’s service people and the abuse of taxpayers’ money is yet to be fully told. Recall the drinking water tainted with human fluids, inadequate body armor, overly extended tours of duty, insufficiently plated vehicles, inadequate medical and psychological care upon the return to the states… To the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Generals, the Admirals and other military leaders I ask, “WHERE IS YOUR OUTRAGE?

* “We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it.”

Edward R. Murrow (1908 – 1965)

Stephen Views the News 1/30/09

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 21:24:57 EST

Stephen Views the News 1/30/09

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* Joke of the Week ~ A pig in a $3000 suit is still a pig – President Obama, members of congress, cable news pundits and editorials across America bemoaned what Wall Street has done or not done with the $350 billion they received in a financial bailout several months ago. My local newspaper, the Philadelphia Inquirer, said in an editorial titled Rewarding the Bad Guys, “Wall Street still doesn’t get it” as it was learned that these financial firms handed out $18.4 billion in bonuses this past year as their firms were reaching economic critical mass.

I am surprised and shocked that everyone is shocked and surprised. The financial collapse resulted from greed on steroids by financial institutions and head-up-their-butt government oversight. And the financial collapse changed nothing. Congress gave Bush and his Treasury Secretary $350 billion to bail out the Appalling Street of Financiers. These two geniuses then handed over the cash to the guys in fancy suits like drunks lusting for a lap dance at a gentlemen’s club - no enforceable guidelines, no strings attached, no oversight and the salacious alcohol-induced fantasy that the cash recipients will perform as desired. Now everyone is stunned that the money was not used intelligently, as intended, as naively hoped for. Like drunks with empty pockets and lust unfulfilled we gird for the morning-after hangover. Wall Street has given prostitutes a bad name and our government has once again proven to be hapless schmucks.

* Quotes of the week - The following two quotes are from the same article:

PBS Journalist Bill Moyers – “So here's the lens through which I see things. From my days in President Johnson's White House onward, I have defended Israel's right to defend itself, and still do. But killing innocent people is wrong, whether in Vietnam, Israel, Iraq or Gaza. Sometimes a candid critic is a country's best friend.”

Former Israeli soldier turned journalist, Jeffrey Goldberg, wrote in the NY Times this week – “Hamas cannot be bombed, nor cajoled, into moderation. Tanks cannot defeat deeply held beliefs. No. Waging war on an entire population guarantees one thing: the radicals get what they want, and the innocents, on both sides, suffer.”

The lessons identified above have been hard learned but remain elusive as the errors are repeated over many decades and in many locations. The loss of innocent lives is but one of the tragedies that taint the past 50 years.

The same noted article includes an exchange between Moyer and Abraham Foxman, National Director, Anti-Defamation League. It is a read I highly recommend for anyone attempting to seek clarity or a moral footing relative to Israel’s recent invasion of Gaza. To take a position that our own government or an ally can do no wrong is naïve and belies the evidence. I recall the pushback to protestors who were against the Viet Nam War being told, “America, love it or leave it.” This same mentality is exhibited by orators on the Fourth of July recognizing the brave men and women who gave their lives defending American democracy but then too often want to deny democratic expression when it does not suit their politics. How quickly we have forgotten the era of McCarthyism and the lives destroyed as Congress looked for Communists behind every curtain and every word spoken. Was this same political ploy not used by Bush and Republicans in the lead up to and execution of the Iraq war? Opposition was labeled as unpatriotic. Opposition was tainted as un-American. I would suggest that if the citizens who loved America enough to criticize their own country did not stand up we would indeed have a country and political system worth leaving.

* Derriere Orifice of the Week ~ ta da, Rush Limbaugh – This is not the first time the blunderbuss of talk radio has received this ignominious “award.” His recent exploits are so well documented that I will forgo the usual quote or explanation that usually accompanies this segment. I will simply say that this airwaves sewage pump is the Derriere Orifice of the Week because he is an unmitigated asshole. And, most fitting, he is now the spokes model for the Republican Party.

* Good News of the Week ~ hurray for less frequent mail – The Postmaster General has said it may be necessary to reduce the number of days that mail is delivered from 6 to 5 days. Personally, I could use an extra day of not receiving all the ad and solicitation mail that I did not request and do not want. The last time that there was a postal increase I had the thought to keep the rates lower by delivering the mail every other day. I will get over the disappointment of delaying for one day the receipt of the menu at the local Chinese restaurant, the next mattress sale or the discount coupon to have my chimney swept.

While on the subject of mail I suggest that the postal service be barred from increasing the cost of sending a letter by only one or two cents. I have a drawer full of odd stamps and I do not know what they are worth any more. I have to believe that when the cost increases by such insignificant amounts the post office winds up losing money given the cost of the transition and the millions of inquiries it must address relative to new postage rates. Like many departments in our government administration an upgrade in management skills would be a blessing.

* Comment of the Week – In an interview this week Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said that Bush was a burden on the Republican Party. McConnel failed to note that he and the other Senate GOPers marched lock-step for eight years supporting George W. Bush and his failed policies. Republicans are full shareholders in the disastrous Bush years. Now they are rat-like abandoning the ship of fools. The American people have not been fooled as they have voted Republicans into minority status and given the White House to the Democrats. Unfortunately, it took a crushed economy, devastating foreign policy and further debilitating of the federal government by Bush and Republicans for the American people to fully grasp this failed leadership. Fortunately, you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.

* Election of the Week ~ meet Michael Steele – The former lieutenant governor of Maryland and long-time conservative commentator on FOX News has been elected the Chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC). What do we know about the man selected to lead the Republican Party out of purgatory? When Steele ran for the Maryland senate seat two years ago he ran a campaign “worthy” of his party. His backers went to Philadelphia and hired 300 poor, mostly unemployed African Americans and put them on Trailways busses bound for Maryland. They were deployed to African American communities and given fliers to hand out to residents. “They spent Election Day handing out glossy fliers headlined "Democratic Sample Ballot" or "Official Voter Guide." The fliers employed the phrase "Ehrlich-Steele Democrats." And they featured images of prominent African Americans, such as former Democratic congressman and NAACP leader Kweisi Mfume, above the words: "These are our choices."

Mfume was not supporting Steele and Steele was running on the Republican ticket. The group Progressive Maryland described Steele’s campaign as one of "Lies, Dirty Tricks, and Fraudulent Fliers Designed to Deceive African American Voters." Steele lost the election but apparently shored up his Republican credentials. Yes, Michael Steele meets most of the qualifications to be the leader of the Republican Party – the one exception being that he is an African American. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the almost last stronghold of the Republican Party – the Land of Dixie.

* This is the 100th post of Stephen Views the News. What began as a brief email to 15 friends in June 2007 soon became a forum to address issues I deemed of national concern and to publicize the machinations and failures of the Bush administration that I came across, often in less than mainstream media. By almost any standard this blog is narrow in influence and yet it has enabled me to feel I have made a small contribution to readers’ awareness on a broad range of subjects. The writing of SVN has resulted in making new relationships across our country and the resulting dialogue and feedback has contributed to shaping my views and opinions. In addition to my own web page SVN is posted at barackobama.com and the national website of Democracy for America where it is made available to hundreds of local DFA affiliates. It is impossible to know how many people read my work at these other sites. I do know that several thousand individuals have visited SVN, coming from 42 countries and nearly 1000 cities. The internet is truly an amazing gift and the newest tool for shining a bright light on our leaders.

* “It may well be that our means are fairly limited and our possibilities restricted when it comes to applying pressure on our government. But is this a reason to do nothing? Despair is nor an answer. Neither is resignation. Resignation only leads to indifference, which is not merely a sin but a punishment.”

Elie Wiesel (born 1928) Holocaust survivor, Jewish writer, professor, political activist and Nobel Laureate

Stephen Views the News 1/19/09

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 01:55:51 EST

Stephen Views the News 1/19/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* Intangibles – On Saturday, in between errands and chores, I followed on television the Barack Obama train ride from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. Reminiscent of the night that Obama was elected I watched the faces of people in large gatherings and listened to some of their comments that celebrated the rise of the next leader of America. The pride, hope, relief and renewed spirit were palpable. With a glistening eye I shared in this historic moment and the aspirations for a better future for my country. All eyes will be on the tangible programs that the Obama administration will try to implement to energize the economy, heal our environment, correct foreign policy and make affordable health care available to all citizens – something I believe is a right within our national community. The challenges are daunting but not insurmountable. The spirit of the American people is so often noted in political speeches that it had become a tagline. The failures and errors of the last eight years have brought Barack Obama and the American spirit to the forefront. I expect that each will be a vital force in America going forward.

* Tangibles – “The goal is to take those who volunteered during the president-elect's campaign and organize them to "work for change" in communities.” This is how USA Today described the initiative announced by Obama during his weekend train ride – “Organizing for America.” Obama said, “I'm asking people like you who fought for change during the campaign to continue fighting for change in your communities." By visiting barackobama.com and change.gov one can learn more about taking a role and responsibility in Our communities.

* Transitions – On Sunday the Meridian Star, a Mississippi newspaper, published a remarkable editorial that offered an apology for its past coverage of civil rights issues. "There was a time when this newspaper – and many others across the south -- acted with gross neglect by largely ignoring the unfairness of segregated schools, buses, restaurants, washrooms, theaters and other public places…We did it through omission… That was wrong. We should have loudly protested segregation and the efforts to block voter registration of black East Mississippians.” The entire editorial can be read at this link. While America has been one of the noblest and most successful experiments in freedom it has not been without ignobility. It is a proud time to be alive in America witnessing the gains we are making to form a more perfect union. While perfection is an ideal perhaps never realized, we have taken another step closer.

* Our tax dollars at work at the Department of Agriculture ~ more seed was being planted than the Department knew. “A former USDA statistician in Kansas City is accused of running a prostitution ring from her work computer,” according to federal prosecutors. Yes, there is merit to the old saying about the taxpayer getting screwed. One trial defense could be that the federal worker took it upon herself, in such a bad economy, to create windfall jobs. A positive note we can take from this is that there are at least some government employees that can multi-task, even as they lay down on the job.

* Fear that is well-founded ~ a glimpse at recent history – For decades the Republican Party mantra has been that government is the enemy and should be minimized, balance the budget and strictly adhere to the rule of law. Following Republicans controlling congress from 1992 to 2006 and holding the White House for the last eight years one can see why Republicans are afraid of government. During this period they exploded the national debt. They expanded government and especially its invasiveness. They sold government policy to special interests and alms-like handed over a portion of the government agenda to religious fundamentalists. If you were not either wealthy or a member of a narrow group of ideologies your interests were abandoned in Washington D.C. Almost every principle Republicans claimed they stood for imploded like the World Trade Center on 9/11. Republican fear of government is well-founded, especially when it is under their control.

* There is a new posse in town – On Sunday Chris Wallace of FOX News interviewed Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Wallace kept coming back to the question whether Democrats were being bi-partisan in legislative proposals. Are they listening to the Republicans? He mixed in Republican talking points that we have heard for the past eight years. If Mr. Wallace had watched other stations besides FOX News he would have noticed that the American people have rejected Republicans and their failed policies. The political transition to Democratic Party control began in the 2006 congressional elections and continued through the 2008 elections. Democrats now control the House, the Senate and the White House. Republicans have been rejected while conservative thinking was proven defective in areas such as economic and foreign policy. If bipartisanship means watering down progressive initiatives needed to restore our wounded country than I say leave the Bush Republicans whimpering in their shrinking ideological corner until their constituents vote them out of office and put them (and us) out of misery.

If there are still some doubters as to Republican ineffectiveness and incompetence look at the administration of the $350 billion recovery stimulus package that congress approved in the fall. Under Bush and former Goldman Sachs executive and current Treasury Secretary Paulson the money went to the financial institutions that played a protagonist role in the economic implosion with the following results: the money did not get into the hands of homeowners and borrowers, it was doled out in secrecy with no apparent accountability, the person appointed to assure the funds were used productively and responsibly was shut out of being able to police the funds. At least for a while I am not buying bipartisanship. Republican snake oil hucksters will have to re-earn my patronage.

* “Proud” Moments in History ~ Achtung! – “On April 17, 2005, at the southern California Anaheim Angels sports stadium thirty thousand Saddleback Church members, more than ever gathered in one spot, assembled to celebrate Saddleback's 25th anniversary and listened as Rick Warren announced his vision for the next 25 years of the church.” Anti-gay activist Warren will deliver the invocation at Obama’s inauguration. Let’s hope that his words differ from that spoken to his flock four years ago when he said, “be as committed to Jesus as the young Nazi men and women who spelled out in mass formation with their bodies the words ‘Hitler, we are yours,’ in 1939 at the Munich Stadium, were committed to the Führer of the Third Reich.” The above link has the video. Anyone not fitting the mold of this religious fundamentalist’s world view should be wary as Obama so “graciously” provides Warren with a world stage. There are analogies that further one’s point and then there are analogies as odiferous as week-old bratwurst left sitting in the southern California sun. I wonder if Jesus is holding his nose while recalling that 55 million people died as a result of Hitler-generated hysteria. Achtung!

* Derriere Orifice of the Week ~ aka, Bring in the Clowns – Meet Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa). During the primary this southern end of a bull “predicted Al Qaida would be ‘dancing in the streets’ if Barack Obama were elected president.” He told the Associated Press that Obama’s middle name was among the reasons Islamic terrorists would rejoice over his election. This week the deep-thinking Hawkeye told Geraldo on FOX News that he doesn’t like the fact that the president-elect will be sworn in using that middle name Hussein during Tuesday’s Inauguration. Imagine being some down on his luck resident in Iowa who can’t pay his mortgage or maybe his medical bills or perhaps find a viable job and learn that your congressman is concerned about the next president’s middle name.

* "Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed."

Abraham Lincoln August 21, 1858

* "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 1956 sermon

Stephen Views the News 1/15/09

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:24:53 EST

Stephen Views the News 1/15/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* Being special does not abdicate responsibility – Most of the people reading these words find themselves in a most unique moment in the history of humans who have walked on this planet. We enjoy a standard of living and a sense of peace and safety rarely found in history books or what is the reality for most of the people in the world today. For those of us “special” individuals there is a sense of entitlement that is insulating in its nature. It affects all political affiliations in this country and it seems to have been especially embraced by the Republican Party over the last 3 decades. It removes us from the poverty, violence and subjugation so prevalent throughout the world and including parts of this blessed country. As individuals there is a limit to what we can do about it. We depend upon our government, our representatives, to take needed action both domestically and internationally. What we can do is pressure our elected representatives to do what is right and take greater care in those we elect.

This caveat is required because too many of our representatives have failed us. Too often our government has added to sorrowful conditions internationally and proved inadequate in alleviating undesirable conditions domestically. These conditions did not begin with the Bush administration but it was during this administration that abuse of power militarily and economically and an ignorance of people with needs reached its respective heights and depths. I believe that much of the support for Obama’s candidacy was a reaction to this misguided policy. To the President who so woefully presided over eight years of reversal for the American people I eagerly say farewell. To the man about to take office, Barack Obama, I wish him wisdom, forbearance, humility and good fortune because the fate of Americans and many of the peoples of the world are now dependent upon his guidance.

* Quote of the Week – “The United States does not torture. We will abide by the Geneva Conventions. That we will uphold our highest values and ideals.” The words were spoken by Barack Obama at the press conference introducing his Intelligence Team on January 9, 2009. An incredible number of Americans volunteered to help elect Mr. Obama. These were some of the words and more importantly the actions we want from the President of the United States of America.

Broadcasts this week featured President Bush saying the exact same words “The United States does not torture,” in news clips from years past. (The evidence and Mr. Bush’s own words during his legacy tour the past two weeks showed this statement to be a lie.) I trust that Mr. Obama will prove to be a president we can believe.

* Letter of the Week - A group of scientists at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have sent a letter to the Obama transition team about widespread managerial misconduct in a division of the agency. "The purpose of this letter is to inform you that the scientific review process for medical devices at the FDA has been corrupted and distorted by current FDA managers, thereby placing the American people at risk." In the letter FDA dissidents alleged that agency managers use intimidation to squelch scientific debate. In the Bush administration business interests took precedence over the interests of the American people and avoided scientific findings like they were a communicable disease. I would not be surprised if similar letters are being sent from the Dept. of the Interior, the EPA and a plethora of other federal agencies. I am optimistic that such an anti-intellectual approach to government and special interest generated “under sight” will improve with Bush’s departure.

* Responsible approach to our environment ~ our lives are at stake – Last week I discussed the health threat resulting from the lack of regulation and guidelines for the byproducts of coal-fired facilities. “Senate Democrats said…they want stricter rules for toxic ash from coal-fired power plants following a massive spill in Tennessee that has threatened drinking water and caused health fears.” Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) said, "The federal government has the power to regulate these wastes, and inaction has allowed this enormous volume of toxic material to go largely unregulated." Inaction is the operative word. Taking action following a disaster is positive. As the Obama administration designs it economic recovery program preventative programs should be an important element. Recall that is was known for a long time that the levees in New Orleans were inadequate to keep the city from flooding under certain conditions. The price for upgrading the levees would have been a lot less than the costs that resulted from the Katrina disaster. And how many lives would have been saved? The staggering cost of the Tennessee cleanup will possibly be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Health issues aside, lack of prevention is stupid economics. And NO, health issues are not aside. It is the tragic consequence of ignorant economics.

* The Word of the Day ~ “Confabulation” is defined as familiar talk or conversation – Last Saturday my Yahoo home page offered this word of the day. It accompanied news on the same page about Illinois Governor Brad Blagojevich’s impeachment, Mayor of Baltimore Sheila Dixon’s indictment on theft and perjury, more news about the Ponzi embezzler Bernard Madoff and news of additional mini-Madoffs. These are the current faces of the disease of fraud and dishonesty running rampant throughout our society. Feeling helpless we confabulate about these matters and shrug our shoulders. I have a sense that as a society we have become too accepting of much that is wrong and what such a development forebodes.

* Lack of accountability contributed to this mess ~ it will not get us out of it - When Barack Obama was asked about investigating possible crimes by the Bush administration his response was “we should look forward as opposed to looking backwards”. I found this response condescending and irresponsible. Eight years of unaccountability, marked by very responsible individuals and organizations identifying the breaking of laws cannot be swept under the national carpet. It only keeps the door open for further abuses by the Obama administration or future administrations. Fortunately, there are some responsible people in Congress (this is not a typo) who do not accept Obama’s somewhat glib view:

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) said, “I think that there’s a lot that remains to look at, and I appreciate that President Obama doesn’t want to make it his purpose as a new president, with America in real distress in many directions, to go back and look at all this, but I think we in Congress have an independent responsibility, and I fully intend to discharge that responsibility.”

Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), Chairman of the House Judiciary committee “got behind a very different approach, releasing a nearly 500-page report that recommends establishing a blue-ribbon commission -- along the lines of the 9/11 commission, but with subpoena power -- to investigate whether crimes were committed” by members of the Bush administration. “The report also advocates an investigation by the Justice Department, potentially involving a special prosecutor. And in addition to focusing on issues of torture, wiretapping, and the like, the report also recommends continuing to probe matters like the leaking of the name of former CIA agent Valerie Plame, and the US Attorney firings.”

For two months we have listened to Bush and Cheney and their supporters/spokespeople weaving a legacy web as disingenuous and delusional as much of Bush’s presidency. I suggest that it is imperative the truth be told.

* The rule of law – In a speech last June the man Barack Obama has nominated for Attorney General, Eric Holder, said: "I never thought I would see the day when a Justice Department would claim that only the most extreme infliction of pain and physical abuse constitutes torture and that acts that are merely cruel, inhuman and degrading are consistent with United States law and policy, that the Supreme Court would have to order the president of the United States to treat detainees in accordance with the Geneva Convention, never thought that I would see that a president would act in direct defiance of federal law by authorizing warrantless NSA surveillance of American citizens. This disrespect for the rule of law is not only wrong, it is destructive in our struggle against terrorism."

Holder is the nominee that Senator Arlen Spector (R-PA) is opposing for Attorney General. It appears that my “esteemed” senator from Pennsylvania prefers Attorney Generals who range from overly partisan to incompetent such as Ashcroft, Gonzalez and Mukasey – appointments he did not block in his Judiciary Committee. Spector never tires of hearing himself pontificate but many of us in Pennsylvania are exhausted. Should Mr. Spector decide to run again in 2010 he has my commitment to work for his defeat.

* Making the big decisions, or, it’s not my ass on fire – On Wednesday I watched VP Dick Cheney being interviewed on PBS. Jim Lehrer asked Vice President Cheney about the American soldiers who have lost their lives in the war in Iraq. Lehrer asked, "Mr. Vice President, getting from there to here, 4,500 Americans have died, at least 100,000 Iraqis have died. Has it been worth that?" "I think so," Cheney responded. Mr. Cheney failed to note that none of his children or grandchildren lost a life, an arm, a leg or their eyesight or sanity in Iraq.

* “Sometimes we are so caught up in who's right and who's wrong that we forget what's right and wrong.”

Author unknown

Stephen Views the News 1/7/09

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:21:52 EST

Stephen Views the News 1/7/09

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* Israeli government not always right ~ Palestinian people not always wrong, but often wronged by their leadership – Many of us in the United States have a cultural and/or emotional connection to Israel. Others see a political connection to Israel as an American ally and some Christian fundamentalists see the connection as biblical. Regardless of the connection it would be unbalanced to say that Israel can do no wrong. The defense of Israel’s actions in Gaza predominates in the mainstream media in America. Bush’s neocon support of Israel and Obama’s silence about the attacks further the one-sided American perception of this conflict. I suggest that the debate encompass contrasting views such as Glen Greenwald at Salon.com in an article titled “Orwell, blinding tribalism, selective Terrorism, and Israel/Gaza,” the website Dissident Voice that discusses Top 5 Lies About Israel’s Assault on Gaza and Jstreet.org “the political arm of the pro-Israel, pro-peace movement.” In Israel there are strong demonstrations against the Gaza military action and Consenting Adult offers some insight including the observation that the attacks are really about Israeli domestic politics.

Marty Kaplan writing at Huffington Post soul searches the myriad moral and political dilemmas confronting the long-suffering Israelis and Palestinians. For those wondering why Israel launched their Gaza attack at this particular time Lisa Gans writing at Huffington Post suggests: “But the fact that Israel decided to launch this massive attack on the Gaza strip in the waning days of the Bush administration suggests that Tel Aviv, at least, thinks that the days for such an action might be limited… Nothing in the events leading up to the now nine day long assault (as of January 5th) on Gaza created a sense of urgency that justifies the scale and speed of the Israeli action… Rather than being a sign of support for the Gaza offensive, Obama's refusal to comment at all may suggest that, while he is unwilling to interfere in the White House's ability to conduct foreign policy, he may not be supportive of Israel's actions, and that he intends to take a different tone from the current administration tone in office.”

A final thought, at least for the moment. Let us not forget, although the Arab world will, that Hamas (like Hezbollah in Lebanon) chose to secret their armies and weapons in hospitals, schools and mosques and use civilian populations as shields. Let us not forget the suffering imposed upon the people of Gaza through Israeli blockades and policies prior to the current hostilities. And let us not forget the decades-long abandonment of the Palestinian people by the surrounding Arab governments who see the Palestinians as pawns. There are no heroes.

* Quote of the Week ~ On Monday Barack Obama announced the appointment of Dawn Johnsen to serve as the next Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC). It is the office that issued the torture memo justifying the behavior of the Bush administration in Guantanamo and other venues of disgrace. In an article in Slate on April 3, 2008 Ms. Johnsen said the following: “But we must regain our ability to feel outrage whenever our government acts lawlessly and devises bogus constitutional arguments for outlandishly expansive presidential power. Otherwise, our own deep cynicism, about the possibility for a President and presidential lawyers to respect legal constraints, itself will threaten the rule of law--and not just for the remaining nine months of this administration, but for years and administrations to come.” Contrary to former Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, whom I spoke about last week, Dawn Johnsen gets it. Thanks to Think Progress and Salon’s Glenn Greenwald for bringing this to our attention.

Greenwald is a constitutional lawyer who I have come to highly regard. He points out that “The Office of Legal Counsel, inside the Justice Department, is probably the most consequential federal government office that remains relatively obscure. The legal opinions which it issues become, more or less automatically, the official legal position of the Executive Branch. It is his opinion that Johnsen may be Obama’s best pick yet to serve in his administration.

* Hobby of the Week ~ Navel Maniac – The name does not refer to pirates off the coast of Somalia. Navelmaniac.com is a web site featuring photos of peoples’ navels. Since 1999 the photographer and web author stops men and women on the streets of Brussels and, with their permission, takes a photo of their belly button. On behalf of my readers I spent two hours looking at the vast collection and concluded that Belly Button Identification (BBI) could potentially replace finger prints and DNA in crime investigations. I sheepishly and salaciously concentrated on female buttons but sometimes could not tell the difference. I do not know if this brings into question my eyesight, my sexuality or the admonition to “get a life.” Since my travel agent Sheila reads my blog please consider this as a request to provide airfare and hotel accommodations for Brussels and a digital photo of your navel. In a world increasingly burdened with one crisis after another such a benign activity may prove beneficial to one’s mental well-being.

* Question answered ~ a moment of “a hah” – I have wondered why the Republican Party suffered dislocated shoulders throwing their arms around Sarah Palin in support of her vice-presidential nomination. Her Alaskan proximity to Russia seemed lame in establishing her foreign policy credentials. Her almost total lack of experience was a weak argument for “the fresh face” syllogism. Not every Republican is a religious fundamentalist. Finally, I have an answer to my quandary that makes sense. She understands how Republicans do political business (okay, Democrats too). An investigation of Palin appointments by the LA Times found: “More than 100 appointments to state posts — nearly 1 in 4 — went to campaign contributors or their relatives, sometimes without apparent regard to qualifications; Several of Palin’s leading campaign donors received state-subsidized industrial development loans of up to $3.6 million for business ventures of questionable public value.” In being guilty of being redundant I repeat the mantra that until we have public financing of elections, pay-to-play politics will prevail. You betcha!

* When the cupboard is bare one alternative is to eat crow – Marty Weisberg at Slate.com maintains an updated list of Bushisms, comments made by the President that usually do not make much sense. A Bush comment made this week but not yet added to the list is perhaps iconic of all that has gone before it. During a luncheon meeting with the Weekly Standard: “On domestic policy, Bush was asked if he made progress in some areas for which he hasn't and probably won't get credit. Topping his list was his unsuccessful drive in 2005 to reform Social Security.” By “reform” Bush meant “privatize.” He invested considerable time, energy and expense to sell this program to the American people. It proved to be a thorough dud that never came close to acceptance. Given the collapse of financial markets we can only say, “Thank goodness.” Given that a failed initiative tops his list of “making progress” we can only say, “Good riddance.”

* Clean Coal mythology – I recently noted the sludge spill from a coal-fired electric plant in Tennessee could wind up being an environmental disaster. It has not received that much attention in the mainstream news. However, the NY Times learned from the Tennessee Valley authority that in 2007 the plant’s byproducts included: “45,000 pounds of arsenic, 49,000 pounds of lead, 1.4 million pounds of barium, 91,000 pounds of chromium and 140,000 pounds of manganese. Those metals can cause cancer, liver damage and neurological complications, among other health problems.”

The holding pond that yielded the spill contained byproducts accumulating for decades. For days after the spill authorities maintained that the spill was not toxic. We now learn that, “Elevated levels of lead and thallium and what the EPA called “very high” levels of arsenic have been found in water samples taken near the site of the spill.” What should have taken hours to test took days. No surprise and screw the public. “The spill has reignited a debate over whether coal ash should be regulated as a hazardous waste. In 2000, the E.P.A. backed away from its recommendation to do so in the face of industry opposition, promising instead to issue national guidelines for proper ash disposal, though it never did.” No surprise and screw the public.

It is important to note that the Tennessee ash dump is not unique. There are 1300 similar coal ash dump sites across the U.S., most of them unregulated and unmonitored and that contain billions more gallons of fly ash and other byproducts of burning coal. “In 2007, an E.P.A. report identified 63 sites in 26 states where the water was contaminated by heavy metals from such dumps, including three other Tennessee Valley Authority dumps. Environmental advocacy groups have submitted at least 17 additional cases that they say should be added to that list.” This raises two questions: how many other locations are being contaminated since regulation and monitoring is lax to non-existent?; when will the EPA become as responsible to the American people as it is to the energy industry?

A final thought, at least for the moment. The standard for determining the cost of any fuel is the amount of energy it generates. It does not account for the real cost to our society that must include the cost of cleaning up the toxic effects of these fuels. It appears that the cost of addressing the toxicity from coal use in our air, our water and our bodies has yet to enter the calculation. It will be substantial.

* We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.

Native American Proverb

* It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment.

Ansel Adams

Stephen Views the News 1/1/09

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 13:59:08 EST

Stephen Views the News 1/1/09

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* One of the few things more difficult to give up than vanity and potato chips is power. On January 20th Barack Obama will assume a presidency that over the last eight years has gone far beyond the authority and secrecy exhibited by previous chief executives. The Bush overreach is broad and includes signing statements altering the intent of legislation, ignoring international laws and agreements, circumventing the Constitution and politicizing virtually every department of the federal government to its own advantage and that of its favored special interests. This occurred because the Bush team was resourceful in finding and inventing ways to avoid congressional and public oversight. President-elect Obama has noted on many occasions that his presidency would be responsible and transparent. The transition period appears to adhere to this commitment. The real test will be when he is in power. Will Obama and congress correct the loopholes and constitutional fissures that allowed the executive branch under George W. Bush to go unchecked or will the aphrodisiac of power be treated like a bowl of potato chips at a pot party?

*Virginity Pledgers ~ Sex Education Deniers – “Teens who take virginity pledges are just as likely to have sex as teens who don't make such promises -- and they're less likely to practice safe sex to prevent disease or pregnancy.” This is the finding of a recent study at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Anyone who has been the parent of teenagers will not be stunned by this study. Pledging responsible behavior is always to the good. The failure of “abstinence only” is not preparing a teen for the realities of disease and unwanted pregnancy should the pledge be broken.

In a related story that is in the category “only in America,” Alaskan Governor and religious fundamentalist Sarah Palin’s 17-year old daughter Bristol has been offered $300,000 for the first photos of her baby Tripp, born this week out of wedlock. Perhaps the photos are being acquired to adorn an “Abstinence Only” poster.

* Re-runs ~ a slice of Americana – On Christmas day I was watching a one or two-year old episode of House. A Caucasian Dr. House is treating a senator who is African American and considering running for president of the U.S. House tells him to forget this ambition by saying, “It’s not called the White House because of the paint job.” The shelf-life of many of our entrenched perspectives grows increasingly shorter.

* The other day I saw the movie Doubt. The performances of Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams are outstanding and the production is riveting. About halfway through the movie people sitting behind me began talking, a distraction most of us have experienced. My companion turned to the group and asked that they be quiet and they acquiesced. In another part of town this same day a similar event occurred with a different result. A movie patron asked a family sitting near him to be quiet. They chose not to be cooperative. The annoyed patron left his seat and approached the talkative clan. When the father of the chatty family stood in defense of his family he was shot in the arm and the shooter was subsequently arrested.

While reading about the shooting incident I thought about the horn blower in heavy traffic, or the line jumper in a busy supermarket or the star receiver of the hated Dallas Cowboys scoring a touchdown, or a patron talking during a movie when I said to myself, “If I had a gun I would shoot the bastard.” It is fortunate we are held accountable for our actions, not our thoughts. The temptation to cause harm with a weapon, an action or even a word is an ever-present balancing act for us mortals.

* I wish that she had been my high school French teacher ~ grades dreamed of but unearned – In an interview on CBS this past Sunday Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was asked, “What kind of grade do you give yourself and this Administration on foreign policy?” Her response, “Oh, I don’t know. It depends on the subject. I’m sure that there are some that deserve an A-plus and some that deserve a lot less. … We’ve left a lot of good foundations.” I am sure that good foundations could be found at Victoria’s Secret or Bloomingdale’s lingerie department. Foreign policy foundations established under Bush would not support the weight of a silk thong. The world is more unstable and violent today than it was eight years ago. The Bush administration did much to contribute to this situation. If I had conducted the interview I would have asked Secretary Rice which foreign policies earned an A. Truth be told, the “F” I received in French class is the same mark Bush and Rice have earned in Foreign Policy.

* The good old days – Remember when one of the most prominent arguments in a divorce settlement was over who would get the house? With one in six homes worth less than the mortgage owed on it the fight is now over who gets stuck with the property. Some couples are deciding to stay together because there is no asset to help them start over. That Roman god Cupid is some trickster!

* Speaking of the good somewhat old days – More than enough people have more than enough reasons to make saying goodbye to 2008 more bitter than sweet. Sue Katz at Consenting Adult explains why she is throwing a great big shoe at 2008. Ms. Katz rarely misses her target.

* Salacious foreign policy – The CIA has been distributing the erection enhancement drug Viagra to Afghan chieftains in order to lure their support. One would hope that the support lasts more than four hours. One wonders if libido-dampening drugs had been administered to the bring-it-on Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld chieftains in 2003 the Iraq invasion would not have occurred. Call it salacious fantasy.

* The test of freedom - In recent weeks there has been discussion at this blog about gun control and gun rights. Through this discussion I was introduced to the blog Sensibly Progressive that speaks from the perspective of pro gun rights. I highly recommend a recent post titled, Guns are empowerment ... but empowerment is not always for the best. It is a thoughtful and multi-layered look at the issues surrounding the tragic story of a man dressed as Santa Claus who massacred nine people at a Los Angeles Christmas Eve party. The following observation is best read within the context of the article but stands alone as a universal truth: “ALL freedoms are dangerous, because freedoms are empowering and humans are a complex species that will use empowerment both for the greater good and for evil.”

* Woe is me ~ woe is us – Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales sat for an interview with the Wall Street Journal. In a self-pitying display of cluelessness he said, “I am a casualty of the war on terror.” I would suggest that 50,000 Americans and a much greater number of Iraqis have suffered life and limb casualties as a result of the referenced fiasco. Mr. Gonzalez is a casualty of self-serving ignorance. This Harvard-educated lawyer never understood the transition that was required going from President Bush’s personal lawyer to White House counsel to Attorney General. As our nation’s highest law enforcement official AG Gonzalez’ fiduciary responsibility should have been to the American people – not the machinations of Karl Rove and Dick Cheney. Under Gonzalez’ watch the Justice Department placed its head under a pillow while the Bush administration strafed national and international law. Under the Gonzalez watch the independence of the department was deeply compromised. I expect we will learn a great deal more about Mr. Gonzalez’ damaging incompetence in the ensuing months as more is learned about the Don Seligman and other questionable prosecutions, the firing of prosecutors perceived as not in tune with the Bush agenda and Justice’s hiring policies that precluded lawyers with a hint of being liberal, gay or a Democrat. If Gonzalez thinks he looks bad now, the worst is yet to come. To the rhetorical question that Gonzalez asks, “What is it that I did that is so fundamentally wrong, that deserves this kind of response to my service?” Think Progress offers detailed answers.

* Chinese wall is not so great – Added to the continually growing list of Chinese-produced products that pose a health threat is dry wall. A number of counties in Florida are reporting that dry wall from China used during the construction boom in 2004 and 2005 may be emitting one of several sulfur compounds including sulfur dioxide or hydrogen sulfide. “Some common symptoms are irritated eyes, coughing, sneezing, difficulty breathing, and symptoms similar to bronchitis and asthma… exposure to hydrogen sulfide can be deadly.” Among the umpteen million problems that Obama needs to address is safety inspections of imported products - a responsibility too often abdicated by the Bush administration and American importers.

A complex society requires oversight. Bush and Republicans argued and governed otherwise. I suggest that a corollary to laissez-faire capitalism is lazy government. Conservatives are fond of warning us about too much government. They had their eight years in the sun and it has been a failure of monumental proportions culminating in burdensome debt, a crumbling financial structure and unsafe products, unsafe air, unsafe water and reduced work place safety. With a U.S. population of over 305 million (2.7 million people were added in 2008) conservatives calling for smaller government simply is not practical. What is required is a liberal dose of intelligent governance.

* “In the long run the pessimist may be proved right, but the optimist has a better time on the trip.”

Daniel L. Reardon

Stephen Views the News 12/26/08

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 23:48:10 EST

Stephen Views the News 12/26/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

If I were Santa Claus I would have delivered the following stocking stuffers:

* A brain for Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. While appearing on Face the Nation he said of the economic meltdown: "Unfortunately, it was allowed to be portrayed that this was a result of deregulation, when in fact it was a result of overregulation."

* A jar of jalapeño Vaseline for the SEC employees who watched porn rather than "protecting investors and maintaining fair, orderly, and efficient markets," as is their mission. * A rasher of humility for Stephen Views the News to embrace reader comments such as, “You sir are masterfully demonstrating your own ignorance.”

* An imported deluxe kerosene heater for Wal-Mart’s heart. On Tuesday the company said it would pay between $352 million and $640 million to settle lawsuits across the country claiming that it forced employees to work off the clock.

* The 2009 Sarah Palin Calendar for John McCain, even though he is setting land speed records running from his former running mate.

* A shiny house-arrest ankle bracelet for Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich for auctioning the senate seat vacated by Barack Obama.

* A bar of mouth soap and truck driver’s license for Mrs. Blagojevich for her picante comments recorded during a federal wiretap investigation of her husband the governor.

* A yuletide apology to truck drivers for associating them with the First Lady of Illinois.

* A basket of experience for Caroline Kennedy seeking to inherit Hillary Clinton’s senate seat in New York.

* A ride on Santa’s sleigh for the auto executives embarrassed into abandoning their private jets.

* A sleigh full of Pepcid for president-elect Barack Obama as he embarks on the journey of leading a country beset with a multitude of serious challenges.

* A duly elected Senator for the citizens of Minnesota and preferably not the candidate under federal investigation.

* A time-out for the Obama administration before deciding to commit tens of thousands of U.S. troops to Afghanistan. The complexity of that country’s politics and the corruption of its leadership demand extreme caution.

* Harvey the imaginary rabbit for Malia and Sasha Obama as they seek solitude from the harsh world of celebrity they will encounter over at least the next four years.

* Fifty billion days of homelessness on the streets of New York City for Bernard “Bernie” Madoff. He is one of the all-time goniffs (crooks) of the investment world. His soulless greed wreaked economic havoc and, in some cases destruction, on schools, charities, pension funds and so much more.

* A punch bowl of common sense for Madoff’s Ponzied investors who believed that Madoff was Santa Claus.

* A wake up call for the inhabitants of planet Earth to not be misled by low gasoline prices. Santa cannot reverse limited oil reserves or a debilitated environment that is ignored.

* A revised mission statement for the IRS whose audits of large companies declined for the third year in a row. Santa’s trust of business and government also declined for the third year in a row.

* A slightly used and toxic post-Katrina mobile home to transport departing Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff to a lucrative book signing deal. In America incompetence has its rewards.

* A mega-warehouse for the U.S. Department of the Navy to store $7.5 billion in UNNEEDED parts. One of the factors contributing to the unnecessary purchases was “inefficiency in the Navy's inventory management.” No surprise to Santa who understands “overstocked” with a North Pole laden with unsafe toys outsourced from Asia.

* Light-blocking window drapes for American banks accepting billions of dollars of bailout money sans accountability. Santa does not blame the banks – at least on this account. He does have queries for the little elves on Ritalin running the Bush administration and running around the halls of Congress.

* A cruise on the Titanic for the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). This conservative “think” tank spawned much of the neocon nonsense and “free” market malarkey that dominated Bush administration strategy.

* A set of barbells to put more muscle into credit card reform regulations scheduled to go into effect in 2010.

* A chapel for the gay citizens that Pastor Rick Warren suddenly “loves” but is not likely to welcome to his church.

* Public financing of elections legislation to improve an electoral process that has become the antithesis of democratic principles.

* A frontal lobotomy for Rush Limbaugh for positing his conspiracy theory that the economic crisis was created by Democrats to generate a financial panic and ensure the election of Obama.

* Thorazine prescriptions for Bill O’Reilly and Karl Rove. They have suggested the conspiracy theory that journalists deliberately manufactured the financial crisis so that Obama would be elected.

* A lump of coal for the energy interests spending millions of dollars to convince the American public that there is such a thing as “clean coal.” Perhaps they can donate some of this money to residents in Tennessee to recover from the flood of sludge that broke through a dike at TVA's Kingston coal-fired plant Monday. This could prove to be an environmental disaster of very significant proportions. Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection and the “Reality” coalition have a new ad about the myth of “clean coal.”

* For those that can, websites to help those in need:

~ Feeding America is a network of over 200 food banks covering all 50 states.

~ Operation USO Care Package provides care packages of needed and requested items for our troops overseas

These websites are noted in Michelle Obama’s Holiday Greetings.

* Peace, goodwill and wisdom for a world on multiple brinks.

* 2009 hugs and best wishes for the New Year to readers of Stephen Views the News.

* “I don't make jokes... I just watch the government and report the facts.”

Will Rogers (1879 – 1935) Cherokee-American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer and actor.

Stephen Views the News 12/19/08

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 08:11:01 EST

Stephen Views the News 12/19/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* I was wrong – Last week I offered a comment about gun control. Joe Huffman at the blog The View from North Central Idaho was critical of my remarks. Below is the note that I sent to Mr. Huffman:

I noticed a number of people had linked from your blog to mine. I visited your site and read your opinion about my gun control comments. When you stated that I was spouting a bigot belief about guns I went back and re-read what I had written. You are correct and I owe my readers a fuller explanation. I was guilty of something that is going on in America for which I have been very critical – debating an issue in its extremes to prove one’s point. The result is leaving little possibility of reaching a common ground. Although I stand by what I said, it was what was unsaid that should be addressed. I am not against the Second Amendment.

I am not against lawful gun ownership. I am against criminals and people with certain mental illnesses having too easy an access to guns. My criticism is aimed at those who cite the Second Amendment against every attempt to bring reasonable gun control to our society. Many gun rights advocates seem to have taken the position that there can be no “control” because that would lead to banning private citizens from owning guns. I would hope that the debate about guns in our country will be over “reasonable” restrictions instead of a debate of no controls versus a ban on all guns. My interest is to reduce the number of illegal guns that are killing large numbers of innocent people and police in major urban centers such as Philadelphia, PA where I reside. Those of us who believe that there is a need for stricter gun control need to do a better job stating our positions. I appreciate your taking me to task and I will share this with my readers.

* What is reasonable? – A number of Joe Huffman’s readers had reactions about my comment and note. Although the topic of gun control generates strong feelings on both sides of the issue the comments were courteous and challenging. A very fair question was asked, “What is reasonable?” Below are some suggestions that I feel merit consideration:

~ Ban assault weapons from private possession~ Ban .50 caliber (armor piercing) weapons from private possession

~ Allow local communities to determine what is appropriate for their circumstances. If cities such as Philadelphia and Washington D.C. feel that stricter gun control laws are needed than state or federal law provides, they should be allowed to govern their particular situation. The view (and conditions) from Idaho can be significantly different from major urban centers such as Chicago, LA, and NYC.

~ Improve oversight of corrupt gun dealers

~ Limit the number of guns an individual can purchase in a month. This will reduce the number of guns purchased with the intent to sell them illegally on the street, also known as straw purchases.

~ Mandate that sales at gun shows include criminal background checks. This is a major loophole in current law.

America is a diverse and complex society. It requires a balancing of individual rights and societal needs. This is the art of intelligent governance necessary for a free society to flourish. It is never easy and it presents one of the current challenges we face as a nation. Its resolution will be one of the defining elements for America in the 21st Century.

* What is unreasonable? I have been noting that the Bush administration has been injecting last minute rules into place, also known as “midnight regulations,” that are regressive and damaging and are without congressional approval and oversight. Somehow they are legal and that alone speaks volumes to the state of our nation and how it is governed. The Wonk Room has compiled a list of these backward regulations that is stunning in its breadth. The list includes regulations that effect healthcare, the environment, civil liberties, taxes, labor and government administration. Of the many elements of the Constitution that the Bush administration has eviscerated, “checks and balances” of the executive branch have been one of the most damaged. Recovering from the Bush presidency will be the next great test for America. We can begin the new era by saying: No more crony capitalism, no more empire building, no more denial of science.

If you can still laugh at Bush’s tenure of Greek Tragedy, Robert Greenwald’s Brave New Films has created a short video, George W. Bush’s Nightmare Before Christmas, that puts a humorous spin on Mr. Bush’s final acts of incompetence and harm. January 20, 2009 is just one long month away.

* The blog dailykos is asking people to help President Bush come up with a title for the book he intends to write. Below are some suggestions that I would submit:

~ A Foreign Policy Primer - Kurds, Sunnis, Shiites – They All Look the Same

~ What Laura and I Did in the White House is No One’s Business

~ Heckuva Job

~ Reducing Taxes for the Wealthy & Increasing Spending – Are You Shitting Me?

~ Screw the Arctic – As Long As My Icemaker Works

~ NeoConservative Philosophy By Dummies

~ Don’t Drink the Water, Don’t Breathe the Air - My Years in the White House... and After

~ George’s Coloring Book for Chief Executives

~ Recipes for Cooking the Books – Edited by Dick Cheney

~ No Special Interest Left Behind – In Collaboration with Jack Abramoff

~ Protecting America’s Borders – En Collaboracion con Juan Hernandez Pablo Calderon Gutierrez

~ Scientific Proof that Science Doesn’t Matter

~ Duke Cunningham is Cool – with an introduction by former Congressman Bob Ney

~ The U.S. Legal System in the 21st Century – In Collaboration with Alberto Gonzales

~ I Am the Decider – by Dick Cheney as told to George W. Bush

~ Wall Street and Me - Managing the U.S. Economy

~ The Sanctity of the Supreme Court – In Collaboration with Harriet Miers

~ Barney and Me – Peeing on the Oval Office Carpet

~ P O T U S: The President of the Untied States – a children’s book in block letters

~ Combining Church and State – A Fundamental Building Block for a New America

~ My Vision for America – A Collection of Favorite Poems including 3 Blind Mice

~ When the President Does It, It Is Not Illegal – In Collaboration with Richard M. Nixon

~ History Will Exxon-erate Me

~ Mission Accomplished – In Collaboration with Osama bin Laden

~ Bushed

* Holiday wishes – A good friend who was born and bred in Missouri, most recently converted from a Republican to a Libertarian and who currently resides in a foreign land known as metropolitan Boston, sent the following:

To all my Democrat friends:

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of other, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2009, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.

To all my Republican friends:

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

* “A nation as a society forms a moral person, and every member of it is personally responsible for his society”

Thomas Jefferson

Stephen Views the News 12/13/08

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 07:50:58 EST

Stephen Views the News 12/13/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* The ineptitude of impetuousness meets the gall of arrogance – The U.S. government has provided over $150 billion to American International Group (AIG) to bail the mega-insurer out of financial paralysis due to risky, stupid, secretive and greedy decisions. It is estimated that the U.S. now owns almost 80% of the company. One would surmise that a representative of government would now be involved in AIG decision making to protect our investment in the firm. Apparently that is not the case. AIG has proposed “retention payments” to 38 top executives that range in amounts from $92,500 to $4 million. These retention payments would in some cases double or triple the salary of some of these managers. A responsible person might ask why pay limited and borrowed resources to retain the “brain” trusts that created this financial disaster. Rather than spend money to retain them they should be fired. Let them join the unemployment lines of people worried sick about how they will support their families, the innocents who were not responsible for the current financial implosion. Rewarding dishonesty and incompetence brought us to this financial brink. Its continuation is not a solution.

* Our financial world ~ what in the name of greed and stupidity happened? – Many people are asking how the U.S. got into the financial mess/disaster confronting us. I suggest one take the time to read the analysis of one of the preeminent economists of our day, Joseph Stiglitz. His article “Capitalist Fools” in the January 2009 edition of Vanity Fair lists the five reasons why we are in an economic crisis. They include:

~ Regan’s firing of FED Chairman Paul Volker and naming Alan Greenspan to the post in 1987

~ Deregulating the financial markets beginning in 1997

~ The Bush tax cuts and artificially low interest rates

~ Every major accounting firm and most of the banks lied about financial conditions

~ The government’s response to the financial crisis

This is a must read for anyone interested in what happened and a lesson for not repeating history, again.

* The golden years just became brighter! - Two new studies point to a way to fight Alzheimer’s Disease, red wine and marijuana. Researchers from Ohio State University reported that THC, the main psychoactive substance in the cannabis plant, may reduce inflammation in the brain and even stimulate the formation of new brain cells. Neurologist David Teplow of UCLA reported that polyphenols - naturally occurring components of red wine - block the formation of proteins that build the toxic plaques thought to destroy brain cells. In addition, these substances can reduce the toxicity of existing plaques, thus reducing cognitive deterioration. Now, if I could only remember where the hell I put my bong!

*Recession or Depression? – Forget the economic mumbo jumbo, statistics and graphs. If the guy next door has lost his job it is a recession. If you have lost your job it is a depression. And if you follow the White House and Congress’ attempt to fix the financial problems, that are primarily of their making, it is depressing. From one election to the next we tend to forget the egregious actions of our politicians. It is time to take notes so we do not forget. We elected these people and must now deal with the blisters! (see Abraham Lincoln’s observation at the end of this blog.)

* The macho NRA is loosing tumescence – The National Rifle Association (NRA), in one respect a lobbyist for gun manufacturers, is experiencing its influence waning. In the most recent election the “gun rights” mouthpiece spent over $7 million in a national fear campaign to defeat Barack Obama and other candidates in favor of gun control. NRA-endorsed candidates lost 80 percent of their races against gun-control candidates. Looking at the obverse side of the debate, The Brady Campaign Against Gun Violence, an organization I strongly support, saw more than 90 percent of the candidates it endorsed win their races.

Our country is about to change many approaches as to how it thinks and does business and that includes its viewpoint towards guns. It is well-beyond time the canard about Second Amendment rights for citizens to bear arms be put to rest. This amendment was instituted centuries ago when militias were an important element in the defense of the U.S. The number of guns that exist in our country, governed by archaic laws and control, is absurd. No other western industrialized society allows for such a condition. When an organization such as the NRA lobbies for assault weapons to be owned by private citizens, what more does one need to know? When the NRA fights a city such as Philadelphia that has attempted to limit gun ownership so that citizens and police are not cut down at an alarming rate it is time for responsible government leadership to set intelligent guidelines for gun control. For a better understanding of the issues I recommend a visit to The Brady Campaign.

* Make love, not war ~ world peace through tumescence – The third annual Global Orgasm is about to take place. The organizers of the Global Orgasm, evolutionary behaviorists Donna Sheehan and Paul Reffell, would like everyone to synchronize their greatest surge of physical and spiritual power on the Solstice, December 21st between the hours of 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time. The theory is that if enough people can experience orgasm in the same time frame while projecting a conscious intention for peace and harmony on the planet, a surge of physical and spiritual positivity will infuse the Earth's energy field. Count me in!

* Conservatively speaking – Since the financial crisis began conservative pundits have tried to blame the mortgage part of the crisis on programs designed to help poor people become homeowners. It was not the greed of the financial industry, it was not the lack of federal regulation, it was the liberal do-gooders. This week the House Oversight Committee interviewed four former CEOs of Freddie and Fannie Mae. They were asked if poor people caused the current financial crisis. They all responded that it was not. Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) said that 400,000 documents amassed by the committee showed that the right-wing claim is nothing more than a conservative myth. Conservative thinkers and politicians are so busy running from the wreckage of their policies that alibis and urban myths substitute for veracity. And this is not intended to give a free pass to the Democrats. Deregulation began in the Clinton White House and some of these people are currently advising Barack Obama. It is a pause for concern.

* Legacy 43 – President Bush and his emissaries are making the rounds promoting a fairy tale story line about what Bush’s legacy should be. The Center for Public Integrity (CPI), a non-profit investigative journalism group, studied the Bush presidency. An article about the study is entitled, “Depth of Bush Failures Surprised Even Us.” On the ability of the Bush administration to get things done the study noted: 730,000 backlogged patent applications, 760,000 backlogged Social Security disability claims, and 806,000 backlogged Veterans Affairs disability claims.

“The results of the investigation, which are summarized at CPI's PaperTrail blog and presented in full at its Broken Government project, are stunning in their scope even for those who have been following the scandals of the last eight years.” Some of the more notable elements of Bush’s real legacy include:

~ $300 billion over budget for Defense Department weapons acquisitions

~ $100 billion lost every year to corporate offshore tax shelters

~ complete failure of a $100 million attempt to create a new system of internal information-sharing for the FBI in the wake of 9/11

~ $9.91 billion spent on government secrecy in 2007

~ the dismissal of all but 17 out of the 1273 whistleblower complaints filed from 2002 to 2008

~ pollution that causes 20,000 deaths a year and puts 60,000 newborns at risk of neurological problems

~ a two-thirds dropoff in the cleanup of toxic waste sites, and 2.5 million toxic toys recalled in the summer of 2007

“Toxic waste site” could be one description of the condition of the United States as Bush leaves office and that, unfortunately for the American people, is the George W. Bush Legacy.

* “Elections belong to the people. It is their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.”
Abraham Lincoln

Stephen Views the News 12/6/08

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 10:56:40 EST

Stephen Views the News 12/6/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* Vulnerability Zone ~ this is not about getting in touch with your inner self – It is as a geographic area whose population lives within range of a worst-case toxic gas release. The Center for American Progress, in a report “Chemical Security 101: What You Don’t Have Can’t Leak, or Be Blown Up by Terrorists." notes that this danger is not limited to remote locations. There are currently 303 facilities in 41 states using chemicals that potentially endanger 110 million Americans. They are facilities subject to terrorist attacks (or accidents) that could release toxic chemicals and gasses. The bad news is that the Department of Homeland Security has done little to improve securing these facilities or encouraging facility change. The good news is that there are viable alternatives that would substantially reduce the danger that these facilities present by converting to alternative chemicals or processes. One example involves the production of bleach. “Thirty bleach plants could remove danger to some 50 million Americans by generating chlorine on-site without rail shipment and bulk storage. This includes the Clorox Company in Los Angeles, which puts over 5.5 million people in danger.” The linked article is a fascinating and educational read and includes an interactive map that identifies 101 of the most dangerous chemical facilities in America. What is in your backyard?

* Never say never ~ The Bush administration did something it said it would never do – set a time line for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. I found the following evaluation of particular interest:

An Iraq expert and former ambassador to Croatia, Peter Galbraith, issued a statement on the status of forces agreement (SOFA) recently signed by the U.S. and Iraq. His remarks included: “The agreement represents a stunning and humiliating reversal of course by the Bush administration, which had vehemently opposed any timetable for withdrawal from Iraq… For the last two years, President Bush has pretended that Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki is a democrat and an American ally. In fact, Maliki is a sectarian Shiite politician who heads a government dominated by pro-Iranian religious parties. The U.S. presence now no longer serves the interests of Iraq’s ruling Shiite religious parties or their Iranian allies, so we are now being asked to leave.” The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation offers an in-depth analysis of the U.S.-Iraq security agreement.

Truth be told, the Bush administration never understood Iraqi political and religious dynamics and rarely made an attempt to become better informed. The same can be said of the Bush administration as a whole (hole). Bob Woodward noted in his most recent book that Bush is not intellectually inquisitive and does not like open debate. We can only hope Barack Obama does not govern from a bubble that is heavily tinted with ideology.

* Sharing the holiday spirit – A reader sent this suggestion that merits consideration and action. When doing your Christmas/Chanukah cards, take one card and send it to this address:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20307-5001

* Keeping the auto industry on target – In the December 8, 2008 issue of Newsweek Fareed Zakaria interviews Al Gore on a variety of subjects. One of the questions asked, “Would you bail out the carmakers?” Gore responded, “Whatever assistance might be forthcoming should be focused on speeding the changes that are absolutely essential to ensure that our companies are competitive in the global marketplace. When I was vice president, I initiated a program called the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles. The federal government invested over a billion dollars in partnership with the Big Three to focus on the accelerated development of advanced high-efficiency vehicles. But as soon as they felt they were off the hook at the end of 2000 (Bush was about to take office), they pulled the plug and walked away.”

In many respects the trouble burdening the American auto industry is a result of myopic and greedy management. Gore comments that GM allowed Toyota a seven-year head start in developing the hybrid drive train in the Prius automobile. However, in spite of questionable management the U.S. cannot afford to allow the auto and related industries to be flushed away. It is not in the interest of the American people. However, if large loans to the auto industry from the federal government are to be forthcoming they should be embedded with guidelines and requirements that are in the financial and environmental interests of America. It seems to me totally appropriate that accompanying any loans to the Big Three automakers should be the requirement that some of the existing members of the Board of Directors of the corporations be replaced with individuals responsible to the American government and the American people. This should be followed by an evaluation of the top management of GM, Ford and Chrysler. Chrysler is currently owned by a private equity firm but that should not preclude them from oversight if they want public loans. If America is to make major investments in these companies America should have some input as to who is managing the federal investments. The current management of the Big Three automakers does not elicit confidence.

* Are the French frank? - The latest hit to our national ego, at least the male members of the equation, comes from a study done by the Institute of Condom Consultancy. The study asked 10,500 men in 25 countries to measure their penis and enter the number into a database. The results show Frenchmen on average claim to need 15.48-cm (6.09-inch) long condoms, larger than any other group in the study. I personally am not upset by the study. I believe that size does not matter. Those damn Frenchmen! How does one say “liar, liar – pants on fire” in French?

* Get your own house in order – The word “catholic” may mean universal or all-embracing but the Catholic Church does not speak for everyone in the world. I defend any religion to believe what they want but I vehemently oppose one body of religion imposing its beliefs on non-members. A case in point: Every single country in the European Union has signed a resolution to be submitted to the United Nations calling on governments worldwide to de-criminalize homosexuality. Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Vatican’s permanent observer to the United Nations, told a French Catholic news service that the Vatican opposes such a U.N. resolution. Migliore claimed that the resolution “would create new and implacable discriminations” against opponents of same-sex marriage.” If anyone can tell me exactly what the Archbishop’s words mean, please send me an email. It sounds like an incoherent Bush statement using bigger words.

It is beyond me how so many religious leaders are blind to their own inhumanity while so subservient to their dogma. Perhaps if Catholic Church leaders spent more time being shepherds to their own flock, untold numbers of Catholics would not have been victimized by Catholic priest pedophiles. If the Catholic Church had expended as much effort removing these pedophiles from the church as they did covering up these criminal and morally bankrupt acts, the world would indeed be a better place. In the mean time, the Catholic Church should cease pontificating to the world about morality.

* Proposition 8 ~ The Musical – A reader sent a somewhat entertaining short video that stars some well-known entertainers. It satirizes the proponents of California’s Proposition 8 that overturned gay marriage. Unfortunately, where was this effort BEFORE the vote on Prop 8? Prop 8 was successful because those against gay marriage were better organized as well as better-funded, primarily by the resources of the Mormon Church (that has a “great” history of "traditional" marriage). At a time when progressive thinking helped bring Obama and many senators and representatives to office, proponents for gay union fell far short on the proposition that overturned the rights of gay marriage. I think that the courts will ultimately invalidate Prop 8 but it was a setback to the civil rights of the gay community. The social conservatives continue to teach us lessons on organization and framing the questions on social issues. We should begin paying more attention as to how the "professional" communicators do it.

* Aborting social conservative malarkey – Contrary to the propaganda disseminated by the religious-right, no high-quality study done to date can document that having an abortion causes psychological distress, or a "post-abortion syndrome." A team at John Hopkins University in Baltimore reviewed 21 studies involving more than 150,000 women and found that there are "no significant differences in long-term mental health between women who choose to abort a pregnancy and others." This has not stopped social conservatives from making the claim or even the Supreme Court from citing this unsubstantiated side effect of abortion in a recent deliberation. Those who believe in a women’s reproductive right to choice will have to do a better job informing the public than opponents are doing with misinformation.

* Derriere Orifice of the week ~ the entire U.S. Senate – One of the reasons that little gets accomplished in Washington is the arcane and convoluted rules under which the Senate (mis)functions. An excellent example of such rules is the one that allows blocking the confirmation of Neil Barofsky, nominated to oversee the $700 billion bailout of Wall Street. The Senate rules allow any senator to anonymously put a hold on any nomination for any reason. Until Thursday, a Republican Senator was blocking this nomination. No one could argue the critical need for someone in authority to oversee how this humongous sum of money is spent. If Mr. Barofsky is not the right person for the job the Senate should determine that and move on to another nominee. To leave this important post unfilled is about as egregious as the lack of oversight of the financial industry that Congress permitted in the first place. One of the challenges confronting the well-being of our nation is to convince our elected representatives to change rules that paralyze government.

* Speaking of Derrieres ~ the star of Fox News is really the black hole of Faux News – Almost 2 years ago, January 2, 2007, an FBI report revealed details of Guantanamo torture tactics that included: "Captives at Guantánamo Bay were chained hand and foot in a fetal position to the floor for 18 hours or more, urinating and defecating on themselves.” Other unsavory details can be read at the above link – a must read for those macho warriors/saviors of the political right that took America down this morally bankrupt path. On December 1, 2008 – this week! - Bill O’Reilly said on his radio show, “There are accusations of mistreatment at Guantanamo, but there's certainly no proof that ever happened." Wishful thinking and incompetence dragged America into the Iraq and Guantanamo quagmires. The fantasies of the O’Reilly crowd preclude veracity, solution and resolution. Like the neocons and Bush ideologues, the right-wing media personalities deservedly are waving goodbye to any credibility they may have had at one time.

It is also interesting to note that a recent study by the University of Maryland's Program on International Policy Attitudes found that the more one watches FOX News the more likely it is that one’s perceptions about the Iraq war are wrong. A free society must accept neo-Nazis marching, the KKK parading and FOX News being Bush and Cheney’s political propagandists and the voice of hate and divisiveness. We do have the option of ignoring such air(wave) pollution.

* “Suppose you were an idiot.

And suppose you were a member of Congress....

But then I repeat myself.”

Mark Twain

Stephen Views the News 112708

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 01:10:08 EST

Stephen Views the News 11/27/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* Change You Could Believe In – I have never paid much attention to the multiple Inaugural Balls that follow the swearing in of a new president. The little that I recall from four years ago was that the cost was considerable. I am confident that the special interests made sure to inject their ample resources into these extravagant hooplas. I would like to suggest the following to President-elect Barack Obama: Following your inauguration ceremony immediately proceed to the Oval Office with your Cabinet and begin addressing our nation’s serious problems. Cancel the balls and parties, the regalia and pomp and get to work. If you do a good job over the next four years you will be re-elected. That will be the time to take a breather and celebrate. Knowing that George W. Bush has left the White House is a party in itself - for the entire nation.

* Change We Hope We Can Believe In – Obama’s cabinet is being called by many pundits “smart, experienced, non-ideologues”. It will be quite a while before we have a sense of impact of Obama’s presidency, his policies and appointments. He certainly seems to have gotten off to a good start. I personally ignore the drama surrounding Hillary Clinton’s probable nomination for Secretary of State as well as the minutiae being mined about other appointees. This country desperately needs leaders who are smart, experienced, non-ideologues. The person we elected to lead us through this period of grave crisis should select the talent he deems prepared and capable to develop and implement the requisite policies and programs. Now is not the time to carp and critique. * Change We Can Participate In – I received an email on Monday from MoveOn.org asking for a monthly donation of $15.00. The objective - to offset the influence of huge amounts of money special interests will spend through their lobbyists to impede bold Obama initiatives on healthcare and energy. Anyone is welcome to use their financial resources to assist America moving forward. However, this is a belting-tightening time for most Americans and I would like to suggest an economical and perhaps more substantive way to influence our country’s path. It is called “activism.” Much of the money lobbyists have funneled to elected representatives has been used for re-election campaigns. If nothing else, politicians want to be re-elected. That is where you and I enter the dynamic. Since we are the ones that cast ballots, if we are sufficiently vocal, we have an excellent chance of gaining politicians’ attention. The website VoteSmart.org enables one to identify their Senators and Representatives and how to contact them. As a group we have the potential to be more powerful than the lobbyists and their masters. It requires each of us to take an interest in our self-interest. If we as citizens are not engaged, the government becomes an oligarchy of demagogues and special interests. The last eight years is testimony to such a fate.

To be an activist requires knowledge. The Dailey Kos political blog is launching a new website Congress Matters. The objective of the blog: “By watching, learning, analyzing and discussing the daily activities of the Congress, we hope to improve our effectiveness as advocates and activists. We'll pull back the curtains on how Congress conducts its business, both public and "private" (i.e., within the party caucuses and conferences), explain floor procedure and rules, and even throw in a little gut feeling when appropriate to try to get a better picture of what's going on, and more importantly, what we can do about it.”

Some of the organizations/websites that I feel are resources for people seeking to be better informed:

Common Cause

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

People for the American Way

Free Press

Center for American Progress

Human Rights Campaign

Amnesty International USA

1 SKY

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network

Pro Publica

True Majority

League of Conservation Voters

Corporate Accountability International

This list is far from inclusive. In the future I will suggest additional organizations I deem worthy of consideration.

* Quote of the Week – “This isn’t about big government or small government. It’s about building a smarter government that focuses on what works.” Barack Obama, November 25, 2008

* Hallelujah ~ I have found a new Pastor! – Seven Days of Sex was the title of the sermon that Pastor Ed Young gave his congregation earlier this month. “Young challenged his parishioners to have sex with their spouse every day for a week to see how it benefited their relationship.” The Baptist pastor bases his “sexperiment” on Christian ideology – that God created sex for husband and wife. I can’t wait to show the video of the sermon to my rabbi – an ecumenical action on my part that is in tune with the new effort in our country to identify areas of common interest and move away from more recent divisiveness and isolation. I would like to suggest a new rallying cry for America – “Sex, Patriotism and Rock and Roll.”

* Speaking of “ecumenical” – “President and First Lady Bush recently sent Jewish community leaders invitations to a Hanukkah reception at the White House next month. But as the New York Post reports, the invitations “raised more than a few eyebrows” because the image on them was that of a “Clydesdale horse hauling a Christmas fir along the snow-dappled drive to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.” Ho, ho ho! Oy, oy, oy!

* Being dragged into the 20th Century – “State (South Carolina) GOP chairman Katon Dawson, who is campaigning to lead the national Republican Party organization, has resigned a 12-year membership in a whites-only Columbia country club… Dawson said he began working to change the club’s admissions practices in mid-August after reading about the deed in an article in The State.” After being a member of a club with racist policies and no black faces on members for 12 years, it took an article in a newspaper to alert Mr. Dawson to the situation. Maybe when other members were saying no “Coloreds” allowed, Mr. Dawson thought they were saying no “collards” allowed. Apparently the Republican Party has not reached rock bottom in spite of its considerable efforts.

* Being dragged into the 21st Century - Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman Tuesday declared that Florida's 50-year-old ban on gay adoptions unconstitutional. Judge Lederman said, ''It is clear that sexual orientation is not a predictor of a person's ability to parent.''

* I love contests – The Nation magazine has a contest for readers to offer suggestions, in 25 words or less, what President Bush should do after he leaves office. The response I submitted: “Nothing”!

* Intelligent and responsive governance – Two weeks ago I noted a report by Pro Publica (Journalism in the Public Interest) how gas drilling is resulting in carcinogens entering our water supplies. This week New York City and state politicians called for the state Department of Environmental Conservation to hire an outside consultant to evaluate the impact gas drilling could have on the city's watershed, and to hold public hearings in New York City and in the watershed region. It seems appropriate that we each ask our city and state representatives what respective local governments are doing to ensure the safety of the water we consume. Over the last eight years the federal Environmental Protection Agency saw its mission as protecting industry. I hope and optimistically expect this will change in an Obama administration but, some of the responsibility should be assumed by each of us to pressure and hold accountable our representatives. Our dependence on the “other guy” to do it came up short.

* No pardon in this season for a duck – An article by Joe Klein of Time Magazine summarizes the presidency of George W. Bush. It should be read in its entirety for its incisiveness and as precursor of assessments that will follow in the days and decades to follow. One sentence from this article, that generates more pathos for America than for Mr. Bush, Klein writes, “At the end of a presidency of stupefying ineptitude, he has become the lamest of all possible ducks.”

* “Consequences, Schmonsequences, as long as I'm rich.”

Daffy Duck in 1957 film Ali Baba Bunny

Stephen Views the News 11/22/08

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 12:29:31 EST

Stephen Views the News 11/22/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* The Stench of Torture ~ will not dissipate with Bush’s exit – Barack Obama has stated emphatically that he will end any use of torture by the USA. Human rights groups, constitutional scholars and citizens have called for the next administration to prosecute those who authorized or used harsh interrogation techniques. “But two Obama advisers said there's little — if any — chance that the incoming president's Justice Department will go after anyone involved in authorizing or carrying out interrogations that provoked worldwide outrage.” Having closely followed the actions by the Bush administration and the use of torture, actions contrary to national and international law, I would like to see those who authorized and then lied about it come under scrutiny. Many believe that the US should not look back as Obama changes policy. What about after Obama? If Bush could authorize the use of torture so could a future president. It is obvious that safeguards are not in place to prevent the use of torture. It should not be an option for ANY administration. At the least, America should enact laws that unequivocally prevent any president or U.S. agency from utilizing a policy of torture. That being said, regardless of how the Obama administration decides to deal with abuses by George W. Bush or, should Bush grant broad immunity to perpetrators of abuse before he leaves office, the international community still could address the subject.

It remains to be seen whether there will be an effort to bring war crimes charges against Americans responsible for and involved in torture in Iraq, Guantanamo and secret prisons the U.S. government sanctioned around the world. There is a just-released report by the Human Rights Center/Center for Constitutional Rights report titled “Guantanamo and Its Aftermath.” Former DC Appellate Judge Patricia Wald, a judge at the international trial for Serbians accused of committing war crimes against Bosnian Muslims, compared the treatment of detainees in U.S. custody to the treatment Bosnians received at the hands of their Serbian captors. And from the web site ThinkProgress.org: “Last June, Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba (ret.), the Army general who led the investigation into prisoner abuse at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison, also accused the Bush administration of committing “war crimes” and called for those responsible to be held to account.”

The report noted above is 136 pages in length. Even if one only reads the Forward and Executive Summary one will find a chilling condemnation of the policies invoked by the Bush administration to deal with the aftermath of 9/11 attacks. It is a vision that no sentient American in my lifetime could have envisioned. I was especially struck with the innocent lives destroyed. I would hope that Americans are struck with a sense of the loss of innocence. The Forward concludes, “We, as a nation, must not only remember our past but strive not to repeat it. This report makes an invaluable start in that direction.”

* In Case of Emergency 1 ~ a simple yet very intelligent idea – A reader sent me notice of an idea conceived by a paramedic that is growing in popularity. Most of us have cell phones. If we were to be injured in an accident or unexpectedly taken ill, emergency personnel would want to alert someone to our situation. To avoid the need to search through a large number of entries in the phone’s address book there is an alternative. Add to the address file “ICE” (In Case of Emergency) and the telephone number of the person you want to be contacted. If there is more than one person or phone number, enter ICE 1, ICE 2, and so on. This is an idea you may want to share with friends and family.

* In Case of Emergency 2 – If you just accidentally swallowed poison and need to regurgitate, watch this video of the members of the U.S. Senate giving a standing ovation to Alaskan Republican Senator Ted Stevens. Stevens is not returning to the Senate because he lost his re-election bid. Even if Stevens had won the election he very probably would have been expelled from the Senate because he recently was convicted in a federal court on 7 felony counts. This is the man who porked huge amounts of federal money for Alaska and he was the legislative architect for the Bridge to Nowhere, while using his legislative power for financial gain for himself, members of his family and friends and associates. And our illustrious Senators gave him a standing ovation, which happens to be against their own Senate rules. Applauding a low-life power abuser and convicted felon is not the message that I want to hear from legislators. It does not bode well for ethics reform or the responsible leadership that the American people crave. Republican losses over the last two election cycles have made this very clear. The Good Ol’ Boy Club has gotten very old. More need to be replaced, including a covey of Democrats.

* Derriere Orifice of the Week ~ say hello to Newt Gingrich – Appearing on FOX News (of course) Gingrich was criticizing those individuals protesting the loss of the right of gay couples in California to marry. Gingrich said, "I think there is a gay and secular fascism in this country that wants to impose its will on the rest of us, is prepared to use violence, to use harassment. I think it is prepared to use the government if it can get control of it. I think that it is a very dangerous threat to anybody who believes in traditional religion." I find Gingrich’s comments disingenuous, hypocritical and misleading.

Recall that it was Gingrich and his Republican Party that consummated a marriage with religious-right fundamentalists attempting to tell Americans how to conduct their lives. I see no evidence of people with a gay lifestyle either attempting to or, by example, influencing anyone to be gay. The gay community does not proselytize. It is seeking its own civil rights, in opposition to the likes of Mike Huckabee who pronounce that gay rights and civil rights are totally different. What is Fascist are Gingrich and his tight-assed brown shirts spewing untruthful propaganda and misinformation. Has anyone seen evidence of gay violence or harassment? More than half of the American people are aware of Gingrich and company’s dangerous band of blowhards. Once a few million more Americans wake up to the uncivil attacks on and the denial of civil rights to the gay community, people like Gingrich will find limited access to mainstream media and be relegated to the increasingly irrelevant Pat Robertson’s Holier than Thou TV infomercials.

* Knowing your limitations – “Congratulations” to Fred Thompson. Following the failure of his somnambulant presidential bid he has decided to again leave politics and return to acting. I suggest that his best chance to earn an Oscar or Emmy would be playing the role of Rip Van Winkle.

* Goodbye and good riddance – Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott is retiring in February. Under his management the largest retailer in this country honed the business model for low wages and low benefits, resulting in many Wal-Mart employees requiring public assistance. Wal-Mart is one of the models for sourcing goods and services overseas that has contributed to the weakness of our economy. Recall that Wal-Mart opposed more diligent inspection of containers as they enter our borders. A container destined for Wal-Mart enters the U.S. every 45 seconds. U.S. national security does not stand in the way of the Wal Mart bottom line. The bottom line is that under Mr. Scott, Wal Mart was a winner on Wall Street but quite damaging to Main Street.

* Is the Bush administration getting in touch with the needs of Americans? ~ Nah! – In an exceptional move the administration has agreed to support the extension of unemployment benefits as unemployment claims reach a 16-year high and unemployment reaches a 25-year high. Otherwise, it is nasty business as usual. The Bush presidency continues to undermine environmental safety, broaden the destruction of public lands and national parks, and further endanger endangered species as it pimps for business interests that are not in the interest of the American people. President George W. and co-conspirators in his administration are making every effort to reduce regulation and constrictions on oil, gas, mining, fishing, timber and financial industries while promoting the development of shale oil, the dirtiest fuel on the planet. America does not need enemies from afar. Our hands are full with the enemies from within.

The situation was best summed up by Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV), chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee when he told the Wall Street Journal, “This administration will stop at nothing to jam through as many reckless proposals as they can before the clock runs out.” A glimmer of hope for the health of planet Earth is Barack Obama’s promise to make a decisive break with George Bush on the environment … promising a "new chapter in America's leadership on climate change.” These developments bring to mind a question I have often asked over the last seven years. “Why does George W. Bush hate America? I do not accept the conventional wisdom alibi that he is well-intentioned but ill-advised. The damage he has rendered is too widespread, too deep and well beyond the pale of mere incompetence.

* What have we learned in two millennia? A reader asked this question, accompanied by the following quote:

"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance."

Cicero, 55 BC

Stephen Views the News 11/16/08

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 12:17:31 EST

Stephen Views the News 11/16/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* Bumper Sticker of the Week ~ Joe Must Go – Many voices are urging the Democratic Party in the Senate to remove Joe Lieberman from his chairmanship of the Homeland Security committee. I believe that this would be the correct action. His campaigning for John McCain and his questioning Barack Obama’s patriotism are at the bottom of the list of reasons for Joe to go. His pathetic record of leadership on this important committee is the overriding justification for his removal. Intentional incompetence best describes his tenure in this post. As Rachel Maddow on her MSNBC show and Heather writing at Crooks and Liars point out, Lieberman over the last two years, never held hearings on the disastrous US government response to the Katrina hurricane disaster nor did the committee look into no-bid contracts awarded to friends and associates of Dick Cheney and George W. Bush. Many of those contracts were implemented incompetently while the US government was overcharged billions of dollars. As chairman of this committee Lieberman did not represent the interests of the American people. Instead, Lieberman represented the interests of the Bush administration that operated in secret and often outside of legal parameters, and at great cost to you and me, the citizens recovering from a natural disaster, and the military men and women who were underserved as they served this country while in harms way. Joe Must Go.

* Remember Typhoid Mary? ~ Meet Leukemia Dick and some of the other dicks who “serve” America – Drilling for natural gas, a policy being touted as a means of reducing America's dependence on foreign oil, may contaminate water supplies with unsafe levels of chemicals like benzene, a compound that can cause leukemia, according to an investigation by Pro Publica. The drilling process, pioneered by Dick Cheney's former company Haliburton, uses water pressure and chemicals to break rocks and release the gas. It was exempted by Congress from the Safe Water Act after a 2004 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study declared it safe. It now appears that this EPA study was not as conclusive at it claimed to be.

It is well-documented that the EPA often goes out of its way NOT to protect the environment and the American public. It is well-documented that Cheney has been the most ardent advocate for the interests of energy companies and Haliburton. One wonders what influence was imposed upon the EPA that resulted in this exemption from the Safe Water Act. “More than 1,000 other cases of contamination have been documented by courts and state and local governments in Colorado, New Mexico, Alabama, Ohio and Pennsylvania. In one case, a house exploded after hydraulic fracturing created underground passageways and methane seeped into the residential water supply. In other cases, the contamination occurred not from actual drilling below ground, but on the surface, where accidental spills and leaky tanks, trucks and waste pits allowed benzene and other chemicals to leach into streams, springs and water wells.” This is but one example where the interaction of the executive branch, the legislative branch, federal agencies and business failed the American people. The majority of the problems and dangers confronting America today are the result of such failed leadership.

* Fly Me to the Moon ~ it may be safer – Sixteen months ago I commented about the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) being accused of covering up mistakes by air traffic controllers at Dallas-Fort Worth airport. It was discouraging to learn that a federal agency empowered to protect air travelers was actually complicit in reducing safe conditions. At a minimum, one would expect that the release of the report would have resulted in personnel changes and an upgrading of the oversight. Not in the current state of our federal government.

ABC reports a new investigation has found “the misclassifying of safety errors had continued” at Dallas-Fort Worth, that FAA employees continued to hide safety errors. It causes one to wonder if the repeated dereliction of duty by the FAA at Dallas-Fort Worth is it also taking place at other airports. What is happening in Boston, NY, LA, Miami and hundreds of other major airports? I imagine that remedial action will be taken when two or three planes collide, resulting in the death of 639 passengers, 19 crew members, 412 people on the ground and the widespread destruction of a residential neighborhood. The Senate Committee on Homeland Security may even hold hearings. Perhaps Republican Texas Senators John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchinson will exercise their fiduciary responsibility by pressing for an investigation into this problem that bodes dire consequences. Perhaps a new administration will coerce a sense of responsibility and accountability into the performance of federal agencies. That would be a refreshing development.

* Change we can believe in ~ it is up to us – The above examples of broken government brings to mind the often-used and cynical phrase, “You can’t fight City Hall.” It is only a truism if good people do nothing. I was reminded of this while reading an article by Gary Younge in the British newspaper The Guardian titled, “Obama's army of supporters must maintain their level of activism.” Younge notes that the characterization of American political life - the notion of a lazy, contented people who do not vote, care or really understand what is being done in their name and leaving governance to big business, and lobbyists – may be changing. I recommend the article because it notes many changes that have been occurring within the American electorate.

I would suggest that the change Younge identifies is a result of two influences; the devastatingly damaging tenure of George W. Bush and the electric and populist rise of Barack Obama. The Bush years awakened a previously unengaged citizenry and the Obama campaign provided the vehicle to channel the disappointment, the losses, the regression and resulting anger and frustration into a movement for change. This new activist citizenry demands responsible and responsive leadership. It opposes narrow ideology agendas and expects federal leadership to address the major issues that challenge our society – challenges that have been ignored over the last eight years. The higher expectations have brought us a new president, senators and representatives that embrace progressive ideas. Their mission is to overcome a bureaucratic government burdened by politicization, ideology and special interests as well as accepted and expected incompetence. Success will require a continually engaged citizenry that keeps a bright light on the ills, vociferously communicates to elected representatives the change that is required and rewards responsible and responsive representatives with re-election.

* All things Progressive – If you have interest in Progressive ideas and activities I recommend the web site The Bucks/Mont Progressive Events. The editor Tom Ulrich does a terrific job each month identifying Progressive events in the Philadelphia area and national broadcasts, publications and videos.

* All things regressive ~ prejudice, hate, ignorance – Much of the Sarah Palin rhetoric during the presidential campaign appealed to this three-headed Hydra. Those susceptible to divisive discourse reveled in the speeches of Palin and other Republican orators. The forces of hate are as real and alive today as they were 50 and 100 years ago. These forces certainly are not as widespread but, certainly as real. One example of such despicable human behavior is the Ku Klux Klan. This organization, originally spawned to repress African Americans, has broadened its “vision” to include Latinos and other minorities. It is fortunate that we have people such as Morris Dees and his organization The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) standing up to forces that debase civil rights and humanity.

In Kentucky on Friday the SPLC gained a decisive jury verdict against members of the KKK, accused of severely beating a Latino in 2006 at a rural county fair. As Dees noted, "The people of Meade County, Kentucky, have spoken loudly and clearly. And what they've said is that ethnic violence has no place in our society, that those who promote hate and violence will be held accountable and made to pay a steep price." The verdict against Imperial Klans of America (IKA), Imperial Wizard Ron Edwards and two former KKK members who have already served prison terms for their involvement was $2.5 million. It is likely the judgment will cripple IKA’s 16 chapters that are located throughout eight states.

The weakening of a KKK group is encouraging but the ugliness of hate that infects the land of the free and the home of the brave will not be eradicated in our lifetime. As noted in an article at the Huffington Post the election of Barack Obama has spurred hundreds of race threats and crimes that include, “Cross burnings. Schoolchildren chanting ‘Assassinate Obama.’ Black figures hung from nooses. Racial epithets scrawled on homes and cars.” America has come a long way in civil rights and human relations. Gay rights are improving with much still to be achieved. There is much to be proud of in America but the road ahead will not be free of prejudice, hate and ignorance. It is a flaw in the human condition that may never be overcome.

* “You cannot hate other people without hating your self.”

Oprah Winfrey

Stephen Views the News 11/9/08

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 15:38:47 EST

Stephen Views the News 11/9/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* Republican Shell Game ~ in the guise of conservatism – Most Republican politicos and pundits are cautioning the Obama administration not to go too far left. America, they tell us, is a center-right country. This is a misleading strategy. The McCain campaign had positioned Obama as the most liberal member of congress since, uh, FOREVER. Obama gained a sweeping victory and Democrats increased their majorities in the House and the Senate. Perhaps the Republicans are observing an alternative Universe – the one their simpatico Creationists claim was created just 6000 years ago. This is not to say that all Republicans and true conservatives are religious-right fundamentalists. On the contrary, there are many intelligent and valued conservative principles and thinkers in America that have much to offer our national discourse. Unfortunately, their ideas were so bastardized during the Bush/Republican reign that conservatism lost its meaning. Perhaps it is time to step back from assigning labels and evaluate ideas and policies in terms of their benefit to the common interest and the common good. What is that interest and good?

An examination of Americans’ positions reveals the following: Based on recent polls and studies the majority of Americans do not want to see more restrictive limits on abortion and women’s reproductive rights and they do not want more restrictive measures imposed on gay relationships; minimum wage increases and union rights are supported; stem cell research has a mandate and universal healthcare coverage receives overwhelming support; science is accepted as a valuable and vital tool to advance human knowledge, address illness, spur our economy and enhance the quality of life; Americans emphatically say that the federal government has an important role in ensuring food and product safety and providing oversight of pharmaceutical efficacy; the American people do not want to see the Supreme Court tack far right; the use of torture is strongly opposed; Americans want their government pro-active on energy conservation and addressing global warming; Americans do not want the USA involved in unjustified preemptive war and they desire that the country return to a position of trusted leadership in the world community.

These are Progressive ideas and values. America being center-right is a Republican/Conservative marketing tool and about as accurate as the recently revealed eye-crosser that Sarah Palin believed that Africa is a country. In the pre-2008 election world, if Republicans said something often enough it became conventional wisdom, regardless of the wisdom. If Republican “wisdom” is to continue to move to their convoluted interpretation of the right I welcome their ensuing electoral losses until the attrition ultimately attracts Republican leaders committed to serving mainstream America. The day of single-issue social conservative values is over. Trickle down economics is in the storage shed if not the trash heap. Republican Party genuflecting at the altar of Reganomics has experienced a crisis of faith by the congregation. For the 10th straight month the American work force has lost jobs and there are currently 10 million unemployed in the U.S. Many of those still employed are working at lower-level or lower paying jobs than was the case 10 years ago. Republican/ Conservative philosophy failed Americans economically, militarily, environmentally and socially. Welcome to the 21st Century, even though it is nine years late.

* The politics of Three Card Monte ~ the dealer lost – Leading up to elections this year Republican operatives were filling the airwaves and filing lawsuits across the country raising the fear of voter fraud and the demise of democracy as we know it. The states primarily targeted with “cry wolf” warnings were Pennsylvania, Nevada, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Minnesota. Election officials in these states report that there was no evidence of voter fraud within their borders this election, nor have there been in previous elections for that matter. Perhaps the derriere-kicking endured by the Republican Party in the last two elections will inspire them to direct their efforts toward more responsible politicking and governance. Hopefully, the Democratic politicos received this message as well. It has taken an avoidable and interminable war and a crushing blow to the economy for the American people to pay more attention to the politic rhetoric but, in 2008 we did pay attention. Voter fraud was never a real issue and a more informed electorate was one of the deciding issues.

* Gay marriage ~ Straight conundrum – On November 4th three states dealt a setback for gay marriage advocates. I believe that many of those who voted for the setbacks are not necessarily anti-gay or anti-gay rights. They are having a tough time with the “marriage” part. This is understandable. Social change does not occur in flashes. It takes society time to alter long-standing custom and belief. I would suggest to gay-rights advocates that their energies be focused on the principle that same-sex couples are entitled to the same legal rights as heterosexual couples which include employer spousal benefits, hospital visitation rights and adoption rights. I believe that today’s society is ready to accept same-sex civil unions, a legal relationship between two people of the same gender. “Marriage” confuses and exasperates the issue. By advocates concentrating on civil union rather than marriage the anti-gay forces will lose a significant portion of their support, thereby fostering an environment for gay Americans to gain the rights they seek and deserve.

* Post facto, post mortem, post Joe – Senator Joe Lieberman is entertaining joining the Republican caucus upon learning that he may lose his chairmanships on Senate committees that include the very important Homeland Security. Did anyone notice Lieberman’s membership in the Republican Party took place quite a while ago. On one of the most important issues to Democrats, Iraq, Lieberman has voted with the Republicans and the Bush administration consistently. He unconscionably reiterated administration misinformation and spin relative to conditions in Iraq, demonstrating his loyalty to neocon philosophy not embraced by most Democrats and most Americans. He then jumped with both feet onto the McCain campaign giving a major speech at the Republican national convention and appearing next to John McCain on the campaign trail almost as often as Cindy McCain. During the campaign he was a conduit for McCain campaign innuendos against Obama and Lieberman sinisterly questioned Obama’s patriotism. Joe Lieberman donated his soul to the Republican Party and in their company may he rest in piece, a piece that Democrats going forward can do without.

Although Democrats seek a 60-vote Senate majority to avoid Republican filibusters blocking their legislation, I do not believe they need Joe Lieberman. I do not see Republicans voting in robotic unison as they did in recent years. They do not hold the White House, and the totalitarian hold Republican leadership held over GOP legislators is experiencing its wake. Incumbent Republican senators will look to recent voting of their constituents and conclude that the appeal of Bush’s version of Republican dogma and the track record of Republican governance has been rejected. I expect that a significant amount of legislation proposed by Obama and his party is legislation needed and wanted by a significant majority of Americans, regardless of political affiliation. The Connecticut Democratic Party rejected Lieberman in 2006. The Democratic leadership in the Senate should do likewise in 2008.

* The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding.”

Louis D. Brandeis (1856 – 1941) US Supreme Court Justice (1916 – 1939)

Stephen Views the News 11/5/08

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:58:08 EST

Stephen Views the News 11/5/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

During one of the most memorable nights in my lifetime, a night reminiscent of the hours before the birth of my daughter, I anxiously watched America choose its 44th President, Barack Hussein Obama. His skin color was not a deal breaker. His middle name was not a deterrent. Over the next days, weeks and years historians, political scientists and folks sitting in diners with coffee in hand will be debating the factors that lead to Democrat Obama being selected over Republican John McCain. The significance cannot be debated.

My personal elation was threefold:

~ I intensely believed that Obama was the better choice to lead America at this critical and complex period fraught with dangers and challenges. Our country requires a dramatic change in emphasis as to whose interests it serves domestically and, of equal importance, the direction of foreign policy.

~ This election demonstrated that a national political campaign can be successful that does not base its strategy on negativity and divisiveness, accusation and innuendo. One can only hope that the Republican Party, which continued to utilize the Atwater and Rove political tools of shlock and awe in this election, will abandon the strategies that the American people in 2008 emphatically rejected.

~ Pride that the United States of America took a huge step toward being a more inclusive society.

At 11:00 PM on November 4, 2008 it was announced that Obama had surpassed the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency. I saw the tears on the face of Jesse Jackson, a leader of the African American community who, in recent years, was characterized as attacking and divisive. Few of us could stand in the shoes of Mr. Jackson and understand the dangers and challenges he faced as a leader in the civil rights movement that began in the 1960s to break the stranglehold that communities, particularly in the South, had over Black citizens. Over a two-hour period this night, each time that the camera focused on Mr. Jackson’s face, tears continue to flow from a depth that I imagine is beyond my comprehension.

I listened to another pillar of the civil rights movement, long-serving Georgia congressman John Lewis. He discussed what it meant to him and the African American community for a Black man to be elected to the nation’s highest office. It is certain that many viewers, even the majority of us that did not directly experience his history, shared his pride, emotion, and moist eyes.

Eugene Robinson is an African American and columnist for the Washington Post. I have listened to him during many of his appearances on political talk shows, his commentary always impersonal and analytical. Following the announcement that Obama won the election Mr. Robinson offered observations about what Obama’s success meant to him on a movingly personal level and the joy and pride he shared with his aging parents in a telephone conversation minutes before.

Channel surfing to ABC I listened to an interview between a White seasoned newsman and a younger Black reporter speaking from his hometown area of Lynchburg, VA. The older reporter commented about an assignment early in his career when he was sent from the North to cover a story in Lynchburg. He described his shock to find restrooms labeled Men, Women and Colored.

This morning I made my usual stop for a bagel and coffee. As I entered the store I saw a White customer high-fiving with an African American employee. Although the employee knew me we had never discussed politics. When I commented that last night was very special she offered me her hand in a high-five gesture.

The Obama election will not automatically eradicate what is a dwindling but still existing degree of racial prejudice in our country. It seems to be a characteristic of human nature to distrust that which is different. The candidacy of Barack Obama did make a major contribution toward the understanding that as Americans we have a common interest and a common bond. The election of Barack Obama, supported by a very significant electoral vote majority, is a threshold moment for human relations in American we can share and admire and celebrate.

* The Bush effect

One wonders if the Democrat Obama could have won this election if not for the damaging effect the Republican Bush administration has had on our country. The Republican candidate McCain was seen as a strong supporter of Bush doctrine and policy - no matter how consistently the McCain campaign attempted to distance itself from Bush. The country was desperately ready for change.

Although I have been a very vocal critic of George W. Bush I believe he did have a positive influence on the positive public perception of African Americans serving in high-level federal positions. Among the Bush appointments of African Americans to very significant positions in his administration were Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice. These appointments, in no small way, helped pave the road for Obama’s journey to the White House.

* The Howard Dean effect – Not to be forgotten in the Democratic success this election cycle is the wisdom and influence of the former governor of Vermont and current Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, the central organization of the Democratic Party. It was during his unsuccessful presidential candidacy 4 years ago that a 50-state strategy for the Democratic Party was conceived. For many years prior to that time Democrats ignored states it deemed unfavorable to its success. Mr. Dean changed that strategy and it was a building block diligently implemented by the Obama campaign.

* ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL

An excerpt from the Declaration of Independence, adopted by the Continental Congress July 4, 1776.

Stephen Views the News 11/01/08

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 17:10:19 EDT

Stephen Views the News 11/1/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

Regardless of the outcome of the presidential election on Tuesday its close will be welcome. Presidential politics have been in the forefront for almost two years and in recent months the calls, the mailings, the emailings and the television and radio ads have become burdensome. At the same time, the number of voter registrations and anticipated voter turnout should be a high mark in our democratic tradition. There still are concerns about Republican attempts to disenfranchise voters not prone to the GOP and unreliable voting machines, but these potential disruptions can lead to systemic improvements if the activism seen in this election remains energized. Safeguards for voter rights and voting systems require an upgrade.

McCain and Obama continue to offer striking differences in content and demeanor. Obama concentrates on issues important to Americans. The McCain campaign concentrates on characterizing Obama as a Socialist, a Marxist and a supporter of terrorists. Perhaps Mr. McCain does not sufficiently believe in his own platform that he has to emphasize empty issues that lack gravitas. Obama’s tax plan, ideas for economic recovery, foreign policy strategies, energy solutions and prescriptions for health care inadequacies and inequities is what most of us care about. A poll on Thursday indicated that 59% of voters felt that Sarah Palin was not prepared to be Vice President. The Palin selection was emblematic of a McCain candidacy constructed to appeal to a narrow base and plagued by impetuous execution. The Palin nomination understandably brought into question McCain’s judgment and ability to make sound decisions. Questionable economic stances and neocon/myopic foreign policy have not added to his appeal or credibility. The John McCain candidacy has proven to be a disappointment for many Independents, Republicans and even Democrats who once admired the long-serving Arizona senator.

* Under the radar ~ Leadership and Organization – The polls indicate that McCain is still within striking distance to win this election. What the polls do not show is the comprehensive ground game that the Obama campaign has designed and implemented. The Obama campaign has established offices and built an army of volunteers across America that is beyond the scope of previous national campaigns. One aspect of this effort was registering voters and it did so in record numbers. The other aspect is directed toward voter turnout. This weekend millions of registered Democrats will be visited by Obama volunteers. They will be reminded to vote, provided with information about voting locations and hours of operation and offered rides to the polls where needed. On Election Day these same registered Democrats will again be reminded to vote and a huge number of legal experts will be deployed around the country to protect against voter intimidation and vote stealing. The Democratic Party will be far better prepared this year to deal with Republican shenanigans than it was in 2000 and 2004.

* McCain ~ Change you don’t want to believe in – The McCain-Palin campaign did not invent racism and hate in America. Evidence of these ugly facets of human behavior can be seen throughout American history. However, one would think that a national political party seeking election to the highest office would go way out of its way to avoid any taint of such negativity and divisiveness. John McCain proves this premise incorrect. A survey of news outlets and blogs provides numerous examples of increasing expressions of hate and meanness, racism and homophobia - a result of the pandering McCain/Republican political campaign. I lay responsibility for these cancerous expressions at the feet of Senator McCain and Governor Palin. Regardless of the outcome of this election their candidacy was a big step backward for American principles, a regression stained with shame that will not disappear like political lawn signs on November 5th.

* The Bush Effect ~ Lest we forget – President Bush is still in office and still intent on his damaging policies and reign of error. A Washington Post article on Friday provides the details. “The White House is working to enact a wide array of federal regulations, many of which would weaken government rules aimed at protecting consumers and the environment, before President Bush leaves office in January.” If there was not such a damaging track record by the Bush administration I would have thought the article was a Halloween trick. It reminds one of an April 1st fool: lift constraints on power plants, mines and farms; clear obstacles to some commercial ocean-fishing activities; ease controls on emissions of pollutants that contribute to global warming; relax drinking-water standards; and lift a key restriction on mountaintop coal mining – a type of mining that damages the environment and has destroyed communities.

* Karl Marx meets Grouch Marx – Representative Steve King (R-IA) tells an audience in Sioux City that Obama is even more extreme than a Socialist. With Obama America will wind up with a totalitarian dictatorship. And, bless his little heart, he informs the audience that only Republicans have a legitimate claim to representing freedom as America knows it. From the Farm Belt – it’s Saturday Nigh Live. If one does not laugh at this crap one would cry.

* Let freedom ring – My efforts and my vote support Barack Obama. A number of Republican/conservative friends have told me they will vote for John McCain. I am disappointed in their decision but understand that all of our votes are valid. When the election is over we will move forward together. One cannot ask for more in a democratic society.

* “Bad politicians are sent to Washington by good people who don't vote.”

William E. Simon (1927 – 2000) 63rd U.S. Secretary of Treasury

Stephen Views the News 10/25/08

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 20:42:05 EDT

Stephen Views the News 10/25/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* Politics in need of a Thesaurus – John McCain and Republican brethren are accusing Obama and liberals of having an agenda of Socialism. They fail to comprehend that “Socialism” and “fairness” are not synonymous. They fail to recognize that sharing the bounty is good for everyone. Our society works best when there is an engaged work force earning a reasonable wage. That has nothing to do with the indiscriminant distribution of wealth or resources. Ultra-conservative Henry Ford understood this principle. He paid his workers a higher wage than what was the standard at the time. He realized that if employees had sufficient income they would also become customers for the automobiles he produced.

In more recent years the marriage of Republicans, conservatives and special interests has resulted in the abandonment of the common good. Declining wages, increasing unemployment and dramatic increases in the concentration of wealth are evident in every study that examines U.S. economic conditions. Adjusting economic policy in order to revitalize what had been a vibrant middle class is not Socialism. It is intelligent Capitalism. On the other hand, not adjusting economic imbalances is exactly what leads to conditions that have spawned Socialism and Communism and revolution. I would suggest that Senator McCain and his Party are also in need of history books.

* Different roads offer a clear choice – I watched appearances of McCain and Obama this week. When McCain made a comment about Obama the crowd booed. McCain paused to allow the boos to resonate and then continued with his comments. When Obama made a statement about McCain there was a smattering of boos in the audience. Obama held up his hands in a halting fashion and said to the crowd, “We will have none of that.”

* A prescription for conservatives – It is understandable that some Republicans and conservatives find the McCain-Palin ticket unappealing but have anxiety about voting for a Democratic candidate or a Barack Obama who is perceived as left of center in political philosophy. Since I already prescribed Xanax for nervous voters in the previous blog I offer a non-pharmaceutical alternative. The website Conservatives for Change is a project featuring Republicans and Conservatives who, in their own words, explain why they are voting for Obama. Perhaps peer experiences will ease the transition. See McCain Effect below.

* Does McCain suffer from dementia, ignorance or bovine excreta? John McCain was interviewed on the Don Imus radio show. In reference to his VP selection Sarah Palin, McCain said, “I think she's the most qualified of any that has run recently for vice president, to tell you the truth.” McCain therefore concludes that Governor Palin possesses superior qualifications to that of Al Gore, Joe Lieberman, Dick Cheney and George H. W. Bush. Perhaps this explains McCain’s affinity for George W. Bush and why many serious voters have difficulty taking McCain seriously. In the categories of ”irony” “ludicrous” and “my mirror is broken”, this week McCain accused Barack Obama of being willing to say anything to win the election.

* Bradley Effect - Each day polling data increasingly favors Obama. Many supporters of the Illinois senator take this news favorably but with tempered optimism due to the Bradley Effect. Twenty-six years ago Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley, an African American, ran for governor of California. Prior to the election he led in the polls by 20%. He lost the election to George Deukmejian, a White American. It was concluded that many voters polled before the election said they favored Bradley but when it came time to pull the lever they could not vote for a Black man. I have seen comments suggesting that polling is significantly more sophisticated today and that more recent races between White and Black candidates demonstrated that polling reflected the final results. Such observations have not reduced the apprehension of many leading up to this year’s election.

* McCain Effect - I have been wondering if this year’s election may produce a McCain Effect. It appears possible that some Republicans and conservatives, as well as Whites who are reluctant to vote for a person of color, have told pollsters they will vote for McCain. Is it possible that some will stand in the polling booth and decide that deep down inside, in opposition to their inclinations, Obama is the right choice to be our nation’s 44th President?

* Palin Effect ~ defining a terrorist – I never imagined that my East coast major metropolitan viewpoint would be the same as someone from Alaska. What I did not realize is how far apart these perspectives can be. NBC’s Brian Williams interviewed Sara Palin this week. In the context of the 1960’s actions by Bill Ayers, Williams asked Palin if an abortion clinic bomber is a terrorist. Most would agree the question is moot but I find the answer telling. Palin responded, “There’s no question that Bill Ayers via his own admittance was one who sought to destroy our U.S. Capitol and our Pentagon. That is a domestic terrorist. There’s no question there. Now, others who would want to engage in harming innocent Americans or facilities that uh, it would be unacceptable. I don’t know if you’re going to use the word terrorist there.” Am I being cynical wondering if the darling of the extreme religious-right subtly is implying that an action is somehow more excusable if it is performed in an interpretation of the Almighty? I believe we call such folks “al Qaeda.”

* Economic realism – The implosion of Wall Street highlighted many Republican and conservative philosophies and policies that have been somewhere between bad and devastating for the vast majority of Americans. All of their recent finger pointing and misleading blame game tactics do not alter the results. As noted above the employment record is another proof-is-in-the-pudding moment. Republicans would have us believe that tax cuts for the wealthy will lead to greater investment in industry which will lead to greater employment. There may have been some merit to this strategy under different economic and workplace conditions but certainly not as it has been applied during the Bush administration. Articles this week pointed out that Clinton created 23 million jobs while Bush created 4.8 million. At the beginning of the 21st century the Trickle Down Theory may apply to a toddlers right leg but, as a strategy for the American economy, it has dried up. I would expect that under an Obama administration we would see intelligent tax incentives for business aimed at increasing employment while reducing the existing tax cut policies that are devoid of responsible requirements.

Another Republican strategy that I expect will merit demise is anti-unionism. The 20th century offered a history of the battle between unions and business. Each side had their victories and losses but what is clear is that when either side became too strong the common interest was hurt. Today we again see the result of business having become too dominate in this relationship. The unwritten contract between business and the Republican Party has resulted in union membership in private industry falling from 30% after World War II to 8% today. “The decline in union membership paralleled with a decline in real wages, retirement benefits, and quality of health care. To ensure that workers who wish to organize are able to do so, the House passed the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) in March 2007 with bipartisan support. In the Senate, however, a group of 48 conservatives successfully blocked the measure with a filibuster threat three months later.” I anticipate the passage of this bill in the next Congress.

* The Roots of Violence:
Wealth without work,
Pleasure without conscience,
Knowledge without character,
Commerce without morality,
Science without humanity,
Worship without sacrifice,
Politics without principles.

Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869 – 1948) a political and spiritual leader of India

Stephen Views the News 10/22/08

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:55:36 EDT

Stephen Views the News 10/22/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* American heritage – I have often wondered why, in a country so blessed with the footing of democratic and religious freedoms, there is much evidence of hatred and prejudice. Civil rights did not become a legal reality until the 1960s and even then it was not simply an extension of rights to all citizens. It required a big bang of legislation and legal enforcement. At this moment religious tolerance appears to be experiencing a backward spiral as the Republican brand encourages the narrowness and overreach of the religious-right. As we survey our country in the beginning of the 21st century that which permeates our presidential elections are issues of race, religion, hate and fear. It characterizes George Bush’s candidacies and administrations. Some may excuse these patterns as merely Rovian politics but, such seeds of ill will require a compatible environment to root. At one time I hopefully and naively believed that our society and much of humanity were on an ascending plane of betterment and concern for the common good. Our “avowed” commitment to faith in a universal influence and “belief” in individual freedoms has too often been as much surface as substance. How does one explain this failure to build upon the tenants of 18th Century Enlightenment that inspired the foundation of our country and the structure of our political framework?

Future generations of sociologists, anthropologists and psychologists will render theories and opinions as to the contributing factors that kept us underachievers of the democratic ideal. DNA experts may find genetic markers that preclude humans at this stage of evolutionary development from achieving the promise of fair, tolerant and moral behavior. With respect to America, perhaps there was a “genetic” flaw endemic to our founding. I thought about this on a recent visit to Monticello, the home of one of the greatest of our founding fathers – Thomas Jefferson.

By almost any standard Jefferson was a Renaissance man. Science, agriculture, botany, arts and letters were within his interest and grasp. He wrote the Declaration of Independence and thereafter spent 33 years in public life, including serving as President of the US from 1801 to 1809. Embodied in the Declaration were the words “all men are created equal” and have a right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” In opposition to these lofty ideals, during Jefferson’s lifetime he owned over 600 slaves. This contradiction was noted by the Marquis de Lafayette, a Frenchman who believed in the idea of liberty and rights of man and who lent his considerable efforts to the American Revolution. Thirty-five years after the revolution he visited Jefferson at Monticello. A slave later related how Lafayette was critical of Jefferson for his support of slavery. Jefferson responded that perhaps some time in the future slaves would be free. Perhaps some time in the future the idealism and lofty goals enunciated at our nation’s birth will be broadly fulfilled and hypocrisy will be as ugly a footnote as slavery.

* Yes Virginia, democracy has been saved – The Virginia State Board of Elections has ruled that, “voters won't be allowed to wear clothing featuring John McCain or Barack Obama when they head to the polls on November 4th.”The ACLU says the ban violates the First Amendment’s right to free speech. “The board, however, said it has to weigh that against the right to vote free of undue influence or the tension that candidate advocacy might create.” I suggest that we all take a Xanax and go to the polls nude. This will abate our tensions and preclude undue influence should another voter be wearing a White shirt or a Black skirt.

* Quote of the Week – “Democracy and capitalism are the two great pillars of the American idea. To have rocked one of those pillars may be regarded as a misfortune. To have damaged the reputation of both, at home and abroad, is a pretty stunning achievement for an American president.” From an article by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, referring to Iraq, the Wall Street meltdown and the Bush legacy.

* Halloween arrived early for Republicans ~ the tricks have far-exceeded the treats – In July the McCain campaign stunned the political landscape by announcing that Sarah Palin was the selection for VP. The attractive and bubbly governor of Alaska was costumed as a reformer with executive credentials and she enthusiastically enhanced the façade by claiming foreign policy experience. McCain certainly was not fooled by Palin’s background because it was as empty as some of McCain’s campaign appearances. Palin was an offering to the religious-right and hopefully an attraction to women and small town and rural voters. She has agreeably accepted the role of attacking Obama and memorizing campaign sound bites. She has objectively done nothing to enhance her credibility as someone actually qualified for the position. What do the American people think about Ms. Palin three months after her grand entrance and two weeks before the election?

Two polls released on Tuesday indicate that the Palin selection is being seen for what it is – a trick. “Palin's qualifications to be president now rank as voters' top concern about John McCain's candidacy… Fifty-five percent of respondents now say Palin is not qualified to serve as president… for the first time, more voters have a negative opinion of her than a positive one. In the survey, 47 percent view her negatively, versus 38 percent who see her in a positive light…opinions of Palin have flipped in the last month, especially among the female voters she was expected to attract to the McCain ticket… Women, especially women under age 50, have become increasingly critical of Palin: 60% now express an unfavorable view of Palin, up from 36% in mid-September.” On November 4th it is likely that Christmas will have arrived early for the Republican ticket as the voting public appears ready to say to McCain and Palin, “Ho, ho, ho” and vote “Bah, humbug.”

* Speaking of costumes – The Republican National Committee has spent $150,000 to clothe and coif Sarah Palin and her family since her coming out party as VP nominee. The “values” mom who prides herself on appealing to regular folks and “real” Americans did not do her shopping at Wal Mart. "According to financial disclosure records, the accessorizing began in early September and included bills from Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and New York for a combined $49,425.74. The records also document a couple of big-time shopping trips to Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis, including one $75,062.63 spree in early September. The RNC also spent $4,716.49 on hair and makeup through September after reporting no such costs in August." John McCain’s experience and knowledge of government may not have rubbed off on Ms. Palin but his wife Cindy certainly has become Sarah’s big sister when it comes to fashion and cosmetics. One can only hope that she does not spill beer on her haute couture. You betcha!

* Cause or effect? ~ the dumbing of the electorate - As the 2008 presidential campaign nears the end game fewer and fewer important issues are getting attention. It would be difficult to recall the last, if any, discussion about illegal immigration and an approach to the 12 to 20 million people residing in our country illegally. Iraq and Afghanistan are in deep background and one could conclude that Pakistan does not exist. Silence has accompanied the issues of food and product safety, greater inspection of food imports, broader inspection of shipping containers entering the country and increased security at chemical plants. Never on the table was discussion about our dwindling water resources and increasingly polluted water supply. Neither candidate, beyond promising to clean up Washington, addresses campaign finance reform or stronger congressional ethics rules and oversight or increased restrictions on lobbyists. After you have heard an Obama or McCain campaign speech one time there is no need to tune in to another. Both campaigns approach the listening public as if we do not have the ability to understand more than one issue at a time or two issues in a week or 3 issues in a month. Since campaigns are scientifically researched and designed to attract the maximum number of voters perhaps they have concluded that John Q. Public or Joe the Plumber cannot intellectually multi-task issues. Perhaps they are correct.

* “Half of the American people never read a newspaper. Half never voted for President. One hopes it is the same half.”

Gore Vidal - American novelist, screenwriter, playwright, essayist, short story writer and politician.

Stephen Views the News 10/15/08

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 06:59:53 EDT

Stephen Views the News 10/15/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* Naked on the right - The demise of the most recent version of conservative economic and political policies has the populist talking heads of conservatism in a dither. Examples include Neil Cavuto and Rush Limbaugh from viral broadcasting and the right-sided writing of the Washington Post’s Charles Krauthammer. They currently are desperately grasping for a hold on respectability and relevance. In order to protect their message they have concocted faux targets to divert attention from misguided and wrong counsel. One of their disingenuous maneuvers is to place the blame for the current financial crisis on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.” Look out for those liberal-supported policies designed to assist lower income families to invest in homes.” “Those damn left-wingers.” Fortunately, there are still some in the Fourth Estate doing their job.

The McClatchy Newspapers Washington Bureau just removed the wheels from the canard that conservatives are riding. The article is titled “Private sector loans, not Fannie or Freddie, triggered crisis.” It was an unregulated private sector gone wild that brought our economy to its knees, not regulated government-assisted programs. I highly recommend a read of this article as an aide to understand what took place and, just as importantly, guidance for future policy. Republican conservatives bemoan the fact that the current financial crisis has altered the parameters of the upcoming election. I agree that it is unfortunate. We all had to suffer the effects before their failed policies were laid bare. The policies that they promoted should be evaluated and voted upon by the electorate, without spin and din.

To borrow an often used phrase of Barack Obama, “Let me be perfectly clear.” I do not advocate a national discourse devoid of conservative ideas any more than it would be appropriate to give voice exclusively to liberal thinking. It so happens that conservatives have dominated the national landscape while their views were implemented dishonestly and incompetently by President George W. Bush and the Republican Party. Liberal thinking and the Democratic Party are not without criticism. Going forward America’s best chance is a synthesis of views from all positions. It is likely that the first step will require that the political house be cleaned, with many more Republicans than Democrats being left for the trash pickup. A return to normalcy will be accompanied by a return to balance. At some point in the future this lesson will be forgotten and the process will cycle again. At best, we can hope for less dramatic swings of the political ideology pendulum and greater integrity in the people that we elect.

* Agreeing to disagree – I almost never agree with neo-con, conservative and Bush war cheerleader Bill Kristol. His column in the NY Times on Monday October 13th was no exception. Kristol wrote, “It’s time for John McCain to fire his campaign.” This comment comes after previous Kristol comments suggesting the McCain campaign do what he now criticizes. I say leave well enough alone. This is a McCain-selected campaign team of lobbyists, neo-cons, deregulators and slime campaigners scraped like barnacles from the Karl Rove ship of ghouls. They represent the political and economic philosophy and foreign policy that has put this country and its citizens in peril. My friends, I say do not fire them. Allow them to go down in flames with the current icons of these failures, Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin. I wish them GOP – Get Out of Politics - after the election.

* Clunk - That thud you heard this week was the approval rating of George W. Bush. Declining to 23% it surpassed Richard Nixon’s low of 24% and is a point away from the lowest in 70 years of polling, set by Harry Truman in early 1952. The ABC News/Washington Post poll also found that 90% of Americans believe that the country “is on the wrong track.” Contrary to Mr. Bush’s daydreams and prognostications, history will not absolve him of what will be one of the worst executive tenures in American history. I believe that as we learn more about a Bush administration that has been wrapped in secrets and deceptions the perception of the Bush years will worsen. The face of G.W. Bush will not displace the portraits of Washington, Lincoln, Jackson, Hamilton or Franklin on our folding money – even if there is any money left.

* Mea culpa – I recently criticized the Clintons for not campaigning more on behalf of Barack Obama. Perhaps their appearances were not showing up in my news sources. On Sunday I watched their speeches in Scranton, PA and both Clintons are active on the campaign trail promoting Obama, the jobs he will create and reinforcing the idea that we do not need a continuation of Bush-like policies. We each can ask ourselves what we are doing to bring about a change from the disastrous policies of the last eight years. The Obama campaign is urging people to volunteer at their local offices leading up the election on November 4th. With less than three weeks remaining before the most important presidential election in our lifetime there are opportunities to get out the vote, work at polls, help people to get to the polls. If you have been unhappy with the course our government has taken, the time to do something is now.

* Welcome to the 51st State of the United States ~ the police state - Talk about unfocused and misguided policy. Over the last couple of years we have seen evidence of federal, state and local police bodies targeting anti-war groups. Unlike the protests during the Viet Nam war evidence of violent intentions or behavior is lacking and yet the free speech of protesters is seen as terrorist activity. The latest example of such blurred vision and perhaps illegal action was committed by the Maryland State Police. Sisters Carol Gilbert and Ardeth Platte, each serving the Catholic Church for over 50 years, have been placed on a national watch list due to their participation in anti-war protest activities. “They were among 53 people added to a terrorist watch list in conjunction with an extensive Maryland surveillance effort of antiwar activists.” Many voices in our society are quick to criticize the efforts of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) but it is actions like that of Maryland law enforcement that reinforces the need for civil liberty watchdog organizations. Note: This portion of SVN is being written anonymously since I will be driving through Maryland later this week. You can be sure I will not be wearing a nun’s habit.

* Unwelcome results of government spying on citizens – The National Security Agency (NSA) is the primary eavesdropper on our communications. Bush has tried at every opportunity to allow such spying without oversight or court order. Before Bush the courts had to issue a warrant for a U.S. citizen to be spied upon. Recent legislation removed restraints and that is troublesome in a free society. Power unregulated gets abused. It is a natural law. In an ABC report, “two former military intercept officers who worked at the NSA charge that the government spying agency listened in on calls to the United States made by soldiers, journalists and human rights workers working in the Middle East, even after it was clear that the calls were not in any way related to national security. The NSA officials regularly passed around salacious calls such as the private "phone sex" calls of military officers calling home, according to the report.”

In the next administration and congress oversight of spying should be revisited and protections from spying abuse legislated. One J. Edgar Hoover was enough for this country. Hoover was instrumental in founding the FBI in 1936 and led the organization until his death in 1972. Known for abusing his power and exceeding his jurisdiction U.S. leaders feared him because he compiled secret files on them, information often collected illegally. His dirty tricks program included “infiltration, burglaries, illegal wiretaps, planting forged documents and spreading false rumors about key members of target organizations.” Hoover was not bashful about using these files to achieve his end. This is not an America that I envision.

* “The fact is that censorship always defeats its own purpose, for it creates, in the end, the kind of society that is incapable of exercising real discretion.”

Henry Steele Commager (1902 – 1998) American historian

Stephen Views the News 10/12/08

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 13:18:50 EDT

Stephen Views the News 10/12/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* A note to attendees of McCain-Palin rallies – After participating in these rallies that get your juices flowing with hateful responses to hateful and divisive remarks by the Republican standard bearers, go home and open your quarterly retirement plan statements. Perhaps even read a newspaper. If there is objective grey matter still functioning, consider how the U.S. reached this weakened state. Republicans blame everyone but themselves while their blame game and desire to maintain power has reached a vicious level. Seeing the crowd reaction at your political rallies one could conclude that the dumbing of America now mirrors the Dow Jones Average. And is it not ironic that your political party, that touts its affiliation with the religious-right, has no problem promoting ungodly hate, prejudice, ugliness and divisiveness? If there is a God of Hypocrisy you are on his wish list.

NY Times columnist Frank Rich offers a thoughtful analysis of the McCain campaign strategy and McCain and Palin’s refusal to condemn Republican rally attendees’ yells of “terrorist,” “treason,” “kill him,” and “off with his head” directed at Obama. Rich pointedly notes the anti-black sentiment the McCain campaign and Palin’s speeches are engendering. While thinking about my very negative opinion of such despicable tactics, as well as the ticket and policies of the 2008 GOP, I remembered emails I recently exchanged with a conservative friend who calls himself a Libertarian. He said that he is voting for McCain. My reply to him was, “I just don’t get it.” I am curious to learn if my friend is changing his mind. I would like to think that fair-minded Americans who were for McCain now have serious doubts.

* Choices - In many respects this presidential election is a wake up call for America. It is an election that offers very clear choices. John McCain offers a continuation of the Bush strategy of blind military power and a deregulation philosophy that favors the haves and disregards the needy and disadvantaged. Barack Obama offers a foreign policy approach that includes negotiation supported by a strong military. Obama offers a healthcare plan that enables all citizens to have access to medical care. McCain would give further tax breaks to the wealthy and the mega corporations while Obama offers tax decreases to individuals earning less than $150,000, including small businesses. Obama’s campaign appeals to the broad spectrum of Americans while McCain’s campaign raises fears of difference. Consenting Adult has a video of Donna Brazile, Democratic activist and Al Gore’s campaign manager for his presidential run in 2000. She speaks about growing up in a segregated South, sitting in the back of busses. Brazile notes that America has come a long way since those days. She emphatically states that she is not going back. Let us hope that America makes the same choice.

* A “friend” of veterans they don’t need – When John McCain utters his often-used expression “my friends” he would have you believe that the expression includes veterans. He is fond of saying, “I know them. I know them well.” Then why does McCain get consistently low ratings from veterans groups? At VetVoice.com I counted over 25 examples of Senator McCain not supporting those who have served in the military. McCain’s abandonment of his fellow veterans is outlined in the article: McCain's Miserable Record of Not Supporting America's Troops and Veterans. One can imagine Jack Nicholson’s character in A Few Good Men addressing McCain supporters and bellowing, “You can’t handle the truth.” Too often history has demonstrated that fear mongering and hate overshadow truth and facts. The McCain campaign is trusting that history repeats itself.

Another take on McCain with respect to veterans was offered by Paul Rieckoff, founder and Executive Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), a non-partisan group, and author of the acclaimed book Chasing Ghosts – Failures and Facades in Iraq: A Soldier’s Perspective. Appearing on the Rachel Maddow Show Rieckoff discussed his organization’s analysis of McCain’s 2008 voting record on veterans’ legislation. McCain earned a D from IAVA. A synopsis of the legislation and a rating of all senators and representatives is available at this link. Senators Obama and Biden earned a B. My friends, Senator McCain is not a friend of veterans.

* Another non-friend of veterans – Sunday October 12, 2008 marked the 100 days left in the Bush Administration.

* Handling the truth – An aspect of the Republican smear campaign on Barack Obama is their accusation that three former executives of disgraced Fannie Mae are economic advisors to Obama. FactCheck.org investigated this claim and shows it to be a fabrication. It is interesting that the lie comes from the political campaign that currently employs over 150 former lobbyists, many of whom lobbied on behalf of the financial industry for less regulation. As I have noted before, McCain’s chief economic advisor Phil Gramm legislated as a senator and subsequently lobbied on behalf of financial institutions for less regulation. McCain’s current mantra is for the voter to take a closer look at the real Obama, a test McCain cannot stand up to.

* Media myopia – ThinkProgress.Org noted that some in the media have excused McCain for his campaign’s virulent political tactics against Obama. The article notes that Ben Pershing and Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post and Bob Schieffer of CBS have made excuses for McCain, implying that he is in a bubble - his campaign is responsible for the effluence. Since McCain has been repeating most of the crap appearing in his ads, the ads that end with “I’m John McCain and I approve this message,” I find it difficult to believe the Arizona Senator is operating in a bubble. McCain owns this strategy. One of the criticisms of George W. Bush has been that he functions in a bubble. Perhaps these media types have not noticed that this country does not need consecutive bubble heads or a president that is dangerously divisive or a president that does not know what is going on. Been there, done that.

* Broken Brokaw ~ indifference, incapacity or agenda-based punditry? – On Sunday’s Meet the Press Tom Brokaw was interviewing a Republican talking head (RTH) whose name I did not get. He asked about McCain’s negative ads. The RTH responded that Senator Obama has run more negative ads than any other campaign in history, much more that Senator McCain. As ludicrous a remark as this was, Brokaw proceeded to mosey on to his next question. There was no follow up as to the veracity of Mr. RTH’s claim. Is Mr. Brokaw incapable of functioning outside of a script or does he have an undisclosed agenda? Neither alternative serves the public’s interest.

* Cockeyed optimism meets cockeyed spin – On Thursday night the McCain campaign released a statement saying that the investigative report concerning Sarah Palin in the Troopergate scandal exonerates her. This was before the report was released. On Friday, when the report was actually released, we learn that Palin “unlawfully abused her authority.” During the Biden-Palin debate we were given the impression that a poster of authority-abuse rock star Dick Cheney hangs in Governor Palin’s bedroom - bless her heart. The fact that the Governor of Alaska abused her power and lied about it was not exactly shocking. After a review of the report Time magazine concludes: “Is the Palin administration shockingly amateurish? Yes, it is. Disturbingly so.” The report also reveals that when you elect Sarah Palin you also get an active husband Todd – a recent member of the Alaska Independence Party that wants the state to secede from the U.S. Yes, this election offers Americans a clear choice. It is a choice of moving forward or backward.

* Each vote that we cast is more than the selection of a candidate. It is a profound statement about who we are.

Stephen Views the News 10/9/08

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:46:02 EDT

Stephen Views the News 10/9/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* The tenor of the presidential race is off key, again - At FactCheck.org one will find questionable and misleading claims made by both presidential campaigns. In the case of McCain-Palin, it is a ticket in desperation mode carrying the scurrilous standard of Bush and Rove to even lower standards. It is negative, toxic and hate-tinged. Like the Republican candidates themselves it is not something that America needs now or at any other time. Flush and plunge rhetoric belongs in the outhouse, not the White House. It is the worst that a democracy has to offer. The Obama campaign has manipulated some facts in presenting its case but it has not lost its soul. At the same time, the relatively minor indiscretions by Obama-Biden are unnecessary and regrettable. McCain’s history, voting record and proposed policies provide a cornucopia of material for demonstrating the differences between the candidates. Americans are desperately looking for leadership they can believe in. Give us reason to do so.

* Legislative Alert - I would like to suggest that the next congress enact legislation that requires federal election advertising be reviewed for accuracy by an independent body before the ad can be released. What does it say about our country that candidates continually seek office through intentional, unmitigated dishonesty? There is good reason why the word “trust” is rarely used to describe an elected official. It is quite a sorry state in which “the greatest democracy in the history of the world” finds itself.

* Silence on reparations – Much has been written about the obscene salaries and bonuses taken by Wall Street financial executives as they allowed their companies to reach bankruptcy. While the taxpayers are being asked to fork over $700 billion to bail out these icons of modern finance there is almost no mention about recouping the executive compensation that was “earned” through incompetence and fraud. Reading about bankrupt Lehman Bros. this week only added to my conviction that significant amounts of Wall Street compensation in recent years should be recouped.

Lehman CEO Richard S. Fuld, Jr. testified before congress on Monday. Mr. Fuld said that he “took full responsibility” for the actions that led to the nation’s largest bankruptcy ever but, he conceded no errors or judgments. I had to smile when Committee Chairman Henry Waxman noted that Mr. Fuld had received $484 million in compensation since 2000 and Mr. Fuld retorted that the amount was in the range of $250 million. What was not questionable during the hearing was that internal Lehman emails showed that the company was not “overwhelmed by forces outside its control” as Fuld claimed. After realizing the company was in trouble it “continued to squander millions in executive compensation.” It ignored its money-management subsidiary suggesting “significant expense reduction” and, most egregiously, “Lehman recommending to its compensation committee four days before the bankruptcy filing that three departing executives receive more than $20 million in special payments.” This occurred at the same time that Mr. Fuld was pleading with Secretary of the Treasury Paulson for federal rescue.

It is my opinion that taking compensation during fraudulent and incompetent behavior is cause for reparation of that compensation. As America teeters on an economic cliff it is time for all parties concerned to be accountable – the President, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve, the congress and the bloated and beached whales of finance.

* Syllogisms on steroids ~ conservative convoluted cogitation - Republican members of the House Oversight Committee released a report in which they concluded that deregulation is not to blame for the current trouble in the financial system. As wonkroom.thinkprogress.org notes “House Republicans argue that there should be no such rule, because bankers will just find ways around it.” At least this mental mendacity explains why George W. Bush and his Republican cohorts had no misgivings over the last eight years side-stepping the Constitution and avoiding oversight. The American flag pin lapel wearers were just being “logical.”

* When you throw dirt, be the first to duck – In response to the negative ads and absurd claims being regurgitated by the McCain campaign the Obama campaign has decided to forcefully respond. The difference being that the Obama claims about McCain’s ethical lapses on behalf of Charles Keating during the Savings and Loan scandals in the late 1980s is factual. The Obama campaign has produced a 14-minute video titled “Keating Economics – John McCain and the Making of a Financial Crisis” with commentary by William Black, Ph.D., Federal Banking Regulator, 1984 – 1994. In a counter-move McCain trotted out his lawyer John Dowd to make the claim that McCain was a scapegoat in the Keating Five scandal and that his relationship with Keating was purely social. This is true only if “major financial contributor” is a synonym for “social.” It is interesting that in his 2002 autobiography McCain refers to this incident as "the worst mistake of my life." Not precisely the words of a scapegoat?

* Curiouser and curiouser – In Tuesday’s debate John McCain said, “I'll get Osama bin Laden, my friends. I'll get him. I know how to get him.” It causes one to wonder why he has not shared this expertise with the President and the Secretary of Defense. Perhaps he is waiting to advise Sarah Palin.

* True to form – The other day someone asked if I found it unusual that Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin was being used by the McCain campaign almost exclusively as an attack dog against Obama. No, I was not surprised. There is nothing else she is prepared to do.

* “Trusting” the McCain campaign – John McCain asks us to groundlessly believe in the soundness of his health. This is a 72-year old man with a history of serious skin cancer who refuses to release his medical records. I agree that your and my medical records are no one’s business. That is not the situation with someone who aspires to be the leader of the free world. Are voters entitled to know the status of his health given that if he were elected his replacement is as prepared to be president as I am to be an oncologist?

* Missing Persons Alert – If anyone runs into Bill and Hillary Clinton please remind them that their Democratic Party is involved in the most important presidential campaign in our lifetime. It is time that the Clintons get over Hillary’s loss in the presidential primary and at least pretend that they care about the future of America.

* Is there a doctor in the house? – A new report by Daniel R. Levinson, the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services says that “more than 90 percent of nursing homes were cited for violations of federal health and safety standards last year, and for-profit homes were more likely to have problems than other types of nursing homes… Problems included infected bedsores, medication mix-ups, poor nutrition, and abuse and neglect of patients.” This is not a report on a third world country. This report is about the United Sates of America. The inspector general said he had found some cases in which nursing homes billed Medicare and Medicaid for services that "were not provided, or were so wholly deficient that they amounted to no care at all." Presently we are focused on the dishonesty in the presidential race and Wall Street. The sad reality is that dishonesty, disinterest and self-centeredness have infected our society to such a degree that triage is now appropriate. Where does one begin?

* Speaking of medical care – The economic brain trusts advising John McCain are generally well-heeled and not critically dependent upon health insurance for their well-being. They have no clue as to what the average American faces and they could not care less. They are full-fledged members of the ruling class in America, the class that has been taking us toward developing country status. On Tuesday we learn from The Wall Street Journal that McCain plans to pay for his health care plan by cutting $1.3 trillion dollars from Medicare and Medicaid over 10 years. A campaign spokesman said “that the campaign has always planned to fund the tax credits, in part, with savings from Medicare and Medicaid. If anyone believes this gibberish I have some Lehman Bros. stock to sell them. If these programs are cut to the degree McCain proposes it will be lights out for many of the elderly. There is no where else to turn. You might suggest they turn to private health plan insurers but under McCain’s plan health insurers would not have to accept pre-existing conditions. Show me an elderly person without a pre-existing condition and I will show you Jack Lalanne. After that we are looking at fiscal and physical euthanasia for the elderly. For the record, the well-respected Center for American Progress explains that there is no Social Security crisis.

* Tip for the Obama campaign - Florida has 27 Electoral Votes and 3.2 million citizens covered by Medicare.

* “The law does not pretend to punish everything that is dishonest. That would seriously interfere with business.”

Clarence Darrow (1857 – 1938) American lawyer and leading member of the American Civil Liberties Union

Stephen Views the News 10/5/08

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 08:24:46 EDT

Stephen Views the News 10/5/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* Thanks But No Thanks – The much anticipated debate between vice presidential candidates Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin was enlightening. One candidate demonstrated a knowledge and understanding of a broad range of very serious issues facing our country and the ability to articulate his views to the public. The other candidate reincarnated her bid to become Miss Alaska with enough “being a Mom”, dogonnits and bless your hearts exhalations to sell a truckload of Girl Scout Cookies. The best that can be said about Ms. Palin is that she did not implode while repeating her tape recorder-like responses to questions. There may have actually been a time or two when her response somewhat coincided with the question. Aside from expressing her admiration for the over-reaching power of Vice President Dick Cheney we learned little about the woman who would be a heart beat away from the Oval Office. Do not despair. Help is on the way.

I have never met or spoken with Sue Katz, author of the intelligent and timely blog Consenting Adult. We crossed paths through the blogosphere and have exchanged emails discussing a potpourri of issues. As a result of this association I received an advance copy of her new book “Thanks But Not Thanks: A Voters Guide to Sarah Palin” that will be released October 13, 2008. This well-written, informative and entertaining book is the first well-researched and comprehensive document available to voters and political junkies who want to know more about this little-known Republican instant star – information that in many cases the McCain campaign would prefer be kept in the dark.

TBNT provides the reader with a whirlwind tour of who Sarah Palin is, where she came from and the influences that led to her meteoric rise to prominence. Perhaps the main influence is the religious right, a constituency critical to a successful McCain election. We see Sarah Palin attending her church and the influences she meets. “Jews for Jesus’ David Brickner, was a guest speaker recently and Palin was there. The Times tells us that Brickner “suggested that terrorism in Israel was God’s judgment against the Jews for failing to accept Christ as the Messiah.” Palin did not walk out and there are no reports of her objecting.” Katz ponders the question of how Palin’s religious convictions would impact her political policy decisions.

Katz also looks at Sarah Palin in the context of the women’s movement and observes that Palin “has also changed the face of national politics. She has subverted the feminist agenda, running as a woman and mother, but neglecting to look after the needs of women and children. She has subverted the notion of experience, turning the PTA into a major qualification while ridiculing Obama’s three years of community organizing with poor people.”

Among the many perspectives that TBNT shares with the reader is a chapter devoted to how the world community views Palin. As great a loss of stature that America has experienced under Bush, the next administration will have much work to do to restore the reputation and role of America in the world community. Katz explores how the world is seeing not only Sarah Palin but its anticipation of an America being lead by John McCain or Barack Obama.

This link provides a detail background of the talented and multifaceted Sue Katz and additional information about her latest book – a guide that enables voters to make an informed decision.

* Politics puts your vote at risk ~ irony out the wrinkles in a democracy - Although you believe that your voter registration is valid, in reality, it may not be. In many parts of the country, for any number of reasons, mostly partisan, voters are being purged from voter records. A visit to The Brad Blog offers details of what CBS calls “Massive Voter Roll Purges in 19 States” These systematic purges ignore federal law, the National Voter Registration Act. At Vote for Change one can register to vote or check on the status of an existing registration.

* Welcome to the American Dream – Conventional wisdom suggests that it is liberal political philosophy that seeks to help every American achieve the goal of owning a home, gaining a piece of the pie and grabbing a brass ring. Somewhat ironically, it is conservative political philosophy of deregulation and free markets that has enabled every American taxpayer to own at least pieces of multiple homes. You may not live in the home, have a lawn to cut or windows to wash but, if you are a taxpayer, regardless of your current residency situation, you own pieces of multiple homes. That is what the bailout/rescue plan achieved. Your government just spent $700 billion to buy the troubled mortgages held by financial institutions so that they have funds to loan to businesses and individuals, a move intended to keep the economic system functioning. No one is certain that the legislation will achieve its goal and the NY Times notes that this legislation is a stop-gap measure with much to be done by the next president and congress. The cloud may not have been removed from the U.S. economy but we can still say, “Congratulations to the American taxpayer” – even if your piece of the pie is humble.

* Put on your seat belt - Expect the folks that gave you the “American Dream” to infect the last four weeks of the presidential campaign with toxic advertisements and Kool Aid misrepresentations. As of Saturday Obama is surging in the polls and significantly outdistancing McCain in the most important statistic, electoral votes. In spite of McCain’s promise to run a clean campaign brace yourself for a strategy that would make Karl Rove blush.

* Italian imports ~ Sì e no – I have no objection to the vast quantities of Italian shoes, clothing and wine that enters our country. Their design and quality are examples of the best that the world has to offer. When it comes to nuclear waste I am of a different opinion. We produce enough of our own and have yet to come to terms with what to do with it. EnergySolutions operates a nuclear waste site in Tooele County, Utah and they have requested permission to import 20,000 tons of radioactive waste from Italy. Currently the U.S. has 64,000 tons of spent fuel being stored on-site at nuclear power plants in 33 states and the amount of this very dangerous material continues to grow. Until we solve our own disposal of nuclear waste problems there should be an embargo on importing it. And even then we should probably say, “Thanks but no thanks.”

* I wish I could give you a lot of advice, based on my experience of winning political debates. But I don't have that experience. My only experience is at losing them.

Richard M. Nixon (1913 – 1994) 37th President of the United States (1969-1974).

Stephen Views the News 10/2/08

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:31:49 EDT

Stephen Views the News 10/2/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* Finally, an answer – If you are like me, understanding a number of the underlying causes of the current financial crisis besetting our nation has not been easy, until now. When you need an answer to difficult questions, especially as they pertain to disasters, crises and calamities – go to the folks with God’s cell phone number – the religious-right fundamentalists. “Christian Civil League of Maine Executive Director Michael Heath writes that the financial crisis facing Wall Street is a symptom of America's sinful sexual culture, including the acceptance of gay unions.” With red-faced embarrassment all I can say is, “Why didn’t I think of that?” On second thought, perhaps the red in my face is a reaction to Mr. Heath using the word “civil” in league with his League. Perhaps it is time for the American people to emphatically let these ungodly radical right zealots know they are welcome to believe what they want but, they are most unwelcome to be defining our values and policies. George Bush was their product and John McCain wants to be. Amen.

* Financial Tip of the Week – This advice will not directly benefit individual investors but if you are a business corporation there is no better return on your money than that spent on lobbyists and political campaigns. The Washington Post points out that, “Since 1998, AIG has spent more than $72 million on lobbying and contributed more than $25 million to campaigns. The insurance company received $85 billion from the federal government last month. For this $97 million investment AIG received an 876 percent return. Until America comes to the realization that public financing of elections and congressional ethics reform is instituted, the American citizen will be treated like bubblegum stuck to the bottom of a politician’s wing-tipped shoe. The current financial crisis resulted from the marriage of the financially privileged and the governing class. Forces in this country have tried to focus our attention on something that is none of our business – the issue of gay marriage. Our attention would be better served, no, critically served, to the divorce of the parties that caused this financial meltdown through greed and malfeasance.

* Quote of the Week - "I will oppose the Wall Street bailout plan because though well intentioned, and certainly much improved over the administration’s original proposal, it remains deeply flawed. It fails to offset the cost of the plan, leaving taxpayers to bear the burden of serious lapses of judgment by private financial institutions, their regulators, and the enablers in Washington who paved the way for this catastrophe by removing the safeguards that had protected consumers and the economy since the great depression. The bailout legislation also fails to reform the flawed regulatory structure that permitted this crisis to arise in the first place. And it doesn’t do enough to address the root cause of the credit market collapse, namely the housing crisis. Taxpayers deserve a plan that puts their concerns ahead of those who got us into this mess."
-Senator Russ Feingold, October 1, 2008

* Suppose the year is 2009 and at 3:00 AM the phone rings in the White House informing the president of another financial crisis. Do you want Obama or McCain answering the call? NY Times writer Paul Krugman asks and answers this question. One man would be surrounded with clear-thinking advisors and the other’s chief economic advisor is an arch-deregulator. Krugman notes, “to a large extent the poor quality of Mr. McCain’s advisers reflects the tattered intellectual state of his party. Has there ever been a more pathetic economic proposal than the suggestion of House Republicans that we try to solve the financial crisis by eliminating capital gains taxes? (Troubled financial institutions, by definition, don’t have capital gains to tax.)” The article is worth a read.

* Assessing the damage ~ and looking ahead - John McCain is often described as a maverick, impulsive, a gambler. These characterizations came to mind while reading Jill Abramson’s review in the NY Times of Bob Woodward’s new book about Bush, The Final Days. This is Woodward’s fourth book about the Bush administration and Abramson puts the four volumes in context when she writes, “These books offer a chilling lesson in how not to lead. They also describe the tragic pattern of a president who operates impulsively, guided solely by his instincts, abetted but ill-served by advisers who fail in the crucial task of speaking truth to power.” A number of times I have referred to McCain as McBush, implying that a McCain presidency would be more of the same with even greater peril to America since it is already so weakened by the Bush years. This review offers no reason for me to change my mind.

* A break with the past – The Record is a newspaper in Stockton, CA. For the past 72 years, since endorsing Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936, this paper has endorsed a Republican for president. Not this year. From the editorial: “For eight years, American politics has been marked by smears, fears and greed… The result is a cynicism every bit as deep as that which infected the nation when Richard Nixon was shamed from office and when Bill Clinton brought shame to the office… This must end, but John McCain can't do it. He can't inspire, nor can he really break from a past that is breaking this nation.” The editorial is interesting and the reasoning is instructive. In order to address the challenges facing our country it is important that we all re-evaluate our propensities.

* What a difference a century makes ~ welcome to the Big Top:

Antedated definition of “Republican”– somebody who believes that the best government is one in which supreme power is vested in an electorate.

Current definition of “Republican” – a circus performer in grease paint, bulbous red nose and baggy pants who, when its mouth opens, spews lies like clowns from a Volkswagen.

The press conference of the House Republicans that followed their vote against a supposedly agreed upon bi-partisan legislation to stabilize Wall Street was laughable. Grown men saying the bill was okay but, they voted against it because Speaker Nancy Pelosi insulted them. The country can flush itself down the financial sewer because their feelings were hurt. On Tuesday we learn that House Republicans not only acted stupid, they lied while doing it.

“The Republican National Committee's new advertisement critical of the Wall Street "bailout" was produced and sent to television stations in key states before the package failed, officials at two stations said.” The ads were also placed before Pelosi’s remarks. I recently noted that people tell lies when they fear the truth. In the case of House Republican toddlers and the McCain campaign, they have reached a point that they do not know the difference between truth and lies. Recall the good old days when a voter tried to be alert for a politician’s lie. In today’s world the challenge is to be alert for a truth.

* “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

Albert Einstein

Stephen Views the News 9/24/08

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:56:35 EDT

Stephen Views the News 9/24/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* The real Reality Show - You get home after a long day, enter your house and find that the TV, stereo, jewelry and paintings are gone. You stagger for a moment and then reach for the telephone to call the police. Before you can dial, a voice from behind you says, ”Put the phone down and raise your hands. I still want everything that is left in your wallet.” Welcome to Wall Street, Bush Boulevard and Paulson Highway to Up Yours – I’ve Got Mine. The financial industry bailout proposals this week by the Bush administration made the Savings and Loan failures of the late 1980’s look as harmless as a broken piggy bank.

The bailout proposals being discussed will cost taxpayers amounts so far projected to be between $700 billion and $1.8 trillion. The initial Bush plan proposes that the Secretary of the Treasury, an unelected official, would administer the funds with no congressional or court oversight, his decisions can never be questioned or reviewed by any authoritative body and there will be no penalties for the previous actions of the Wall Street bandits. This next part is a classic: if financial industry executive compensation is restricted, it would be a deal breaker. Bush and Paulson then dust off the Iraq invasion marketing campaign: FEAR. Accept this proposal immediately because if we delay there will be a mushroom cloud over Wall Street.

As the crook takes the money from your wallet the police arrive, having been alerted by your silent alarm. The first thing they do is sit everyone down at the kitchen table and serve coffee and Cheese Danish. Then they let the perpetrator walk away with your TV, stereo, jewelry, paintings, cash and a wink.

Update: After Paulson was excoriated by Republicans, Democrats, the media, and public watchdog organizations for requesting a bailout plan with no oversight by anyone but himself he has changed his tune. Testifying before the Senate Banking Committee Paulson said, “I didn’t suggest oversight in the bailout plan because that would be presumptuous.” This is in contrast to almost every other sentient being who feels the plan as a whole is presumptuous. And, Paulson perjured himself when he made this statement. Paulson’s plan released last weekend explicitly denied any review at all of his actions: “Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency.” What else would one expect from a Bush appointee but lies and arrogance?

* King Bush does cares about his subjects ~ at least the Barons of Industry – He is treating the greed-bloated conniving crooks and manipulators on Wall Street as if they were his close buds at Exxon Mobil, Hess, Chevron et al ad nausea. Run your businesses in a manner that will suck every dollar possible from the consumer, function with inadequate oversight toward the common good, be protected by the government regardless of the offense and if you get in trouble the taxpayer will cover your ass. And who is the taxpayer bailing out? “In 2007, Wall Street’s five biggest firms — Bear Stearns, Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, and Morgan Stanley — paid a record $39 billion in bonuses to themselves... Those 2007 bonuses were paid even though the shareholders in those firms last year collectively lost about $74 billion in stock declines — their worst year since 2002.” But then again, George is not big on accountability.

*The sound of silence – There is one benefit to the financial crisis. Republicans have finally shut up about their flagship demand for free and unregulated markets. Abject failure will do that to soapbox charlatans.

* Ka-ching – One would think that with the billions of dollars lost by financial institutions there would be no resources left for political contributions. Wrong again! The LA Times is reporting that contributions from financial companies and their lobbyists to Obama amount to $22.5 million and to McCain $19.6 million. Additionally, the industry has given heavily to members of the congressional committees in charge of legislation and the bailout. Recall a previous time in American history when the battle cry was “No taxation without representation?” Can you say, “Public financing of elections?”

* Derriere Orifice of the Week 1 ~ and maybe the month – “Neil Cavuto, host of Fox News' Your World, conflated giving home mortgages to minorities with risky lending practices, suggesting that efforts to increase homeownership among minority borrowers contributed to financial problems at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.” I am not sure if he is just stupid or a stupid racist. For those of us who are not challenged intellectually or morally, here is what did occur: “But even if 100 percent of bad debt had been produced by people of color, the reason for the financial collapse is that debt was chopped up and marketed as mortgage-backed securities to financial institutions all over the world. If the debt hadn't been sold, making many people very rich, the bad debt wouldn't have been integrated into the rest of the financial system and it would have just led to the collapse of the original institutions providing mortgages. In other words, it wasn't the debt itself; it was the very lucrative selling of the debt that got us where we are today.” Conservatives using white resentment as a political tool may have worked for Ronald Regan and George Bush but, I for one resent it. Mr. Cavuto, FOX you.

* “Good” is a relative concept –On Friday night I spilled a glass of 2005 Cline Zinfandel with dark fruit flavors on myself. It was a result of laughing at NY Times columnist David Brooks’ comment during PBS’ News Hour. He commented that Bush has had a pretty good past 3 years. Excuuuuuuse meeeee! If one considers that Bush has not been impeached, imprisoned or institutionalized for incompetence one can say he has had a pretty good 3 years. If one considers the state of our country…

* Poor judgment or dishonesty? – McCain’s campaign manager is Rick Davis, a lobbyist who fought regulation of financial institutions. This week McCain was adamant that Davis had no involvement with mortgage giant Freddie Mac for the last several years and said, “I'll be glad to have his record examined by anybody who wants to look at it.” The NY Times and Newsweek did look at it. Until last month mortgage giant Freddie Mac paid a firm owned by Davis $15,000 per month. The payments stopped when the federal government took over Freddie.

David Donnelly, director of the watchdog group Campaign Money Watch, said: "John McCain's campaign manager and Freddie Mac essentially had a secret half a million dollar lay-a-way plan. For almost three years, they made secret, monthly payments of $15,000 to Rick Davis for apparently no other work than for him to provide special access to a future McCain White House in exchange. If McCain knew about this, his presidential campaign should be over. If he didn't know about it, he ought to fire Rick Davis immediately."

* Shooting from the lip – In recent years the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the Republican Party have bonded like a high-power scope on a sniper rifle. “The NRA is circulating printed material and running TV ads making unsubstantiated claims that Obama plans to ban use of firearms for home defense, ban possession and manufacture of handguns, close 90 percent of gun shops and ban hunting ammunition.” At the above link you can see details of how disingenuous these claims are as well as how the ad is designed to appear to be coming from the Obama campaign. Watching the world of politics and governance leaves one with a soiled feeling. It is the reason that most of us would rather watch Dancing with the Stars than a bunch of power hungry and less than honest leaders of what was once something close to a Great Society. The Great Tragedy is that by chasing us away they further empowered themselves.

* You can run but, you can’t hide forever – “A federal appeals court on Monday ordered the Bush administration to hand over photos depicting abuse of prisoners held by the US military in Iraq and Afghanistan.” ACLU staff attorney Amrit Singh said, “These photographs demonstrate that the abuse of prisoners held in U.S. custody abroad was not aberrational and not confined to Abu Ghraib, but the result of policies adopted by high-ranking officials. Their release is critical for bringing an end to the administration’s torture policies and for deterring further prisoner abuse.” It would not surprise me if one of these days an international authority investigates the possibility of war crimes committed by the United States. What is astounding to me is that I would ever imagine such a thought.

* A religious experience at the U.N. - On Tuesday President Bush gave his last speech to the United Nations. Those in attendance heard “Thank God” whispered in 102 languages.

* “The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted."

James Madison (1751 – 1836) a Founding Father of the U.S. and its fourth President (1809 – 1817)

Stephen Views the News 9/21/08

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 09:39:34 EDT

Stephen Views the News 9/21/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* A note to the Jewish community – Like most ethnic groups Jewish people think of themselves as special. It is human nature. We like to think that we are intelligent and aware. We have a history of emphasizing education for our children. Has something been added to our matzo ball soup to make us susceptible to mishegoss political advertising? Polls show that a segment of Jews are concerned that Barack Obama will not be a friend of Israel. Is it based on knowledge or Republican ads and slime emails that say be wary of Obama, his middle name is Hussein? Lets not be shnooks. Is there any evidence that as a Senator he sought policies that would be harmful to Israel? Did you listen to Obama’s comments when he visited Israel in July? Obama said,"The most important thing for me to share is the historic and special relationship between the United States and Israel, one that cannot be broken… One that I have affirmed throughout my career and one that I will intend to not only continue but strengthen in an Obama administration."

If you want specifics about where Obama stands on Israel stop reading farblongjid emails and visit the Obama sight where he presents his position on 3 key policy matters:

Ensure a Strong U.S.-Israel Partnership

Support Israel's Right to Self Defense

Support Foreign Assistance to Israel

It should also be noted that Obama selected as his running mate Joe Biden, the Senator from Delaware with a proven record of support for Israel. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) recently released a statement saying, “Biden is a strong backer of U.S.–Israel ties and a leader in the fight against Palestinian terrorism.”

Another subject of utmost importance to Jews is religious freedom. As a people we have a long history in this area. In my lifetime American Jews could not attend certain schools, would not be hired by many corporations, would not be accepted in many neighborhoods and could not become a member of many country and private clubs. Much has changed for the good over the last several decades for all ethnic groups and none of us want to go backward. What was your reaction when John McCain said, “America is a Christian nation?” This was my reaction on October 4, 2007. Recall that John McCain bent over backwards to attract the support of the Christian Right – a group that wants its interpretation of the Almighty to be the policy of the United States of America. McCain then chose Sarah Palin as his running mate – a woman who embodies this same right-wing Christian fundamentalist philosophy. If this group had its way and, God forbid, your daughter was raped, emergency birth control would not be available to her. This is not an environment that Jews and most fellow Americans want. I suggest that before you enter the voting booth on November 4th you give some thought to what a McCain presidency really means for you. Shalom and L'shanah Tovah – Peace and Happy New Year.

For more information about the Jewish community supporting Barack Obama visit JewsForObama.com. You can watch Obama’s address to AIPAC at the website Jewish Americans for Obama.

* Is Obama ready to lead America? ~ The answer to such a question regarding any candidate who has not already served one term as President is at best an educated guess. Performance under fire can be the only accurate gauge. All we can do is look at indicators. One that struck me as pertinent was noted at dailykos.com this week and which I verified at Obama’s senate web site. On March 22, 2007 – 18 months ago, Obama wrote a letter to Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke and Secretary of the Treasury Paulson. Obama anticipated the financial crisis we are now experiencing when he wrote, “…I urge you immediately to convene a homeownership preservation summit with leading mortgage lenders, investors, loan servicing organizations, consumer advocates, federal regulators and housing-related agencies to assess options for private sector responses to the challenge.” This was 18 months ago. You may want to read the entire letter because it apparently was ignored by the recipients – the two highest financial “experts” in our federal government.

* A note to the Obama campaign ~ clean up your act – I strongly urge that the Obama campaign be more responsible with some of the claims they have made that wilt under scrutiny. The quantity and quality of misleading statements in the Obama campaign may pale in comparison to their Republican opponents but that is no reason to be less than completely forthright The American people are up to their armpits in political bullshit. The Obama candidacy and campaign has the opportunity to offer American voters an alternative to the type of leadership that this country has staggered under the last eight years. This must not be jeopardized. If Barack Obama allows his campaign to be misleading or dishonest then it probably makes little difference who wins in November.

* Bilingual bifurcation – Both the NY Times and Washington Post criticized a McCain Spanish-language ad. The ad accuses Obama and Senate Democrats of “killing immigration reform.” Obama supported the bipartisan John McCain-Edward Kennedy efforts to enact such reforms and voted for their final proposal last year. Comprehensive immigration reform was blocked not by Democrats but by Republicans. Esa es la verdad.

* An opportunity to be pro-active – Many of us were disappointed by moderators’ questions during the presidential primary debates this year. At times nonsensical or superficial, such questions do not serve our interests.OurFuture.org offers a petition to moderators of upcoming debates - Tom Brokaw, Gwen Ifill, Jim Lehrer, and Bob Schieffer – requesting that they ask questions worthy of a great nation in trouble. A reading of the petition alone offers a refresher course about the state of our nation.

* Correction - In my previous blog I noted that McCain has about 120 lobbyists working on his campaign. “The Democratic National Committee, using publicly available records, has identified 177 lobbyists working for the McCain campaign as either aides, policy advisers, or fundraisers… According to a Mother Jones review of Senate and House records, at least 83 have in recent years lobbied for the financial industry McCain now attacks.” Let no one say that I have a propensity to overstate my case.

* What took so long? – “Members of the American Psychological Association have voted to prohibit consultation in the interrogations of detainees held at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, or so-called black sites operated by the Central Intelligence Agency overseas… The referendum prohibits psychologists from working in settings where “persons are held outside of, or in violation of, either International Law (e.g., the U.N. Convention Against Torture and the Geneva Conventions) or the U.S. Constitution, where appropriate,” unless they represent a detainee or an independent third party.” One wonders what went through the minds of these psychologists that it took so long for a statement of ethics and morality to be established. This is not a matter of being a conservative or a liberal. It is a matter of being a human being with a conscience and honoring the principles and international agreements on human rights that America once championed.

* What’s in your wallet? - With bank profits down or extinct an easy source of revenue for American financial institutions is credit card holders. There is pending legislation before the House of Representatives that is aimed at credit card reform. “This bill will give consumers a fair shake -- stopping credit card companies from arbitrarily jacking up interest rates on your card debt, and more fairly distributing your payments to costly, high-interest debt first.” Not surprisingly, the powerful bank lobby is hard at work attempting to kill this bill. Consumers Union has available a petition to your congressman urging the passage of a law that actually protects consumers from what has been under-regulated and predatory policies by these companies.

* “We will be a better country when each religious group can trust its members to obey the dictates of their own religious faith without assistance from the legal structure of their country.”Margaret Mead (1901 – 1978) American cultural anthropologist

Stephen Views the News 9/16/08

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 22:59:50 EDT

Stephen Views the News 9/16/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* On Sunday morning two AP headlines caught my attention – “It’s Race Against Time To Save Ike Stalwarts” and “Feds, Wall Street Race to Save Lehman.” The first headline refers to the humanitarian efforts to save human beings in the aftermath of a natural disaster – hurricane Ike that devastated large parts of Texas. The second headline refers to a man-made disaster - the potential bailout of another financial institution that has been managed by seedy and greedy millionaires. They were enabled by an incompetent federal government and an impotent congress blinded by the campaign contributions and lobbyist gifts funded by these same financial mega corporations now facing bankruptcy.

A competent parent knows that a teenager needs guidance and oversight – the same constrictions needed by commercial institutions that are myopically consumed by profits. This greed on steroids is devoid of ethics, integrity and the concept of the common good. We are now told that it is in our interest to use billions of dollars of taxpayer money to keep private companies like Bear Stearns and Lehman and quasi governmental companies like Fannie Mae and Fannie Mac from being flushed into oblivion. These same companies who fought every suggestion at oversight and regulation, whose policies consciously screwed over so many Americans, are now asking the American taxpayer for handouts. Neither the executive branch nor congressional branch of the government exercised their fiduciary responsibility to the American people.

Monday morning headlines: BLACK MONDAY; World Stocks Sink; U.S. Stocks Set to Sink at Open; Merrill Sells Itself to Bank of America; Lehman Files for Bankruptcy; FED Takes Emergency Steps; Insurance Giant AIG Scrambles for Cash; Banks Roll Out $70 Billion Loan Program. I am waiting for the next Republican politician to extol free enterprise free of regulation. I am waiting for the next Democratic politician to exhibit a patriotic spine and tell the American people that they will fight for legislation to achieve two goals: real ethics reform that actually minimizes the influence of lobbyists; public financing of elections so that the legislators are not in the pockets of special interest groups and so that legislators are not spending so much of their time trolling for campaign contributions from banks, insurance companies, oil and gas companies, insurers and pharmaceutical companies. Any congressman that does not support such measures should be thrown the hell out of office.

Monday afternoon – McCain tells a rally in Florida, "The fundamentals of our economy are strong." If this is a result of McCain listening to his economic advisors they are bigger derriere orifices than Bush’s financial team.

* Why Black Monday occurred:

1.) Incomes shrank for most Americans over the last expansion.

2.) But Americans kept spending thanks to a mammoth increase in household debt.

3.) To increase the amount of debt in the system, lending standards were lowered.

4.) Lowered lending standards have led to a higher default rate from borrowers.

5.) Higher default rates have lowered the value of all the collateral backed by mortgages.

6.) Lowered collateral values have killed the balance sheets of literally every major financial company.

So wrote Hale Stewart at the Huffington Post. He provides details about each of the above points in an interesting and informative article. Stewart’s piece and other writings this week would lead one to conclude that a Republican president, a Republican congress and an Alan Greenspan-led Federal Reserve became too cozy with America’s major financial institutions and that created a perfect storm for financial disaster. Their arrogance and greed led them to believe our current crisis could not happen. I suggest a read of this article to determine if there is merit to John McCain’s claim that the fundamentals of our economy are strong.

* Six alarm fire – On Tuesday John McCain called “for a high-level commission to study the current economic crisis and claimed that a corrupt and excessive Wall Street had betrayed American workers.” A commission may have some merit even if we know what happened. What was missing in McCain’s exhortation was mention of the commission by him and his Republican Party being a party to this debacle. It is reminiscent of the pyromaniac that sets a blaze and then calls for the Fire Department. Perhaps the American voter will begin to understand that a McCain presidency is akin to appointing the arsonist the Fire Chief.

* The pieces of the puzzle continue to come together – From the Progress Report: McCain and his running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK), published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal (on September 9) that called lobbyists "primary contributors" to the crisis. One of these lobbyists though, is McCain's own campaign manager, Rick Davis, who "served as president of an advocacy group led by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that defended the two companies against increased regulation." Davis challenged even the smallest reform measures intended to make sure that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were being held more accountable for their actions. This helped the mortgage giants, "consistently [beat] back congressional efforts to increase oversight, even after a major accounting scandal in 2003 resulted in a $400 million fine for Fannie.

In an effort to provide full disclosure it should be noted that Rick Davis is only one of 120 lobbyists working for the McCain campaign. That McCain is one heck of a lobbyist basher!

Also earning special mention is the economic advisor to McCain, former Senator Phil Graham. While a senator and then as a lobbyist Graham opposed any legislation that would have regulated financial institutions – regulations that may have averted the financial crisis gripping America and the international community. I wrote about Mr. Graham in July of this year. His hands are as dirty as his pockets are full.

The Republican Party and the lobbyists took their relationship to a new level at the beginning of the Bush administration. It was spirited by then Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) who led the K Street project - a marriage of Republican politicians and lobbyists that threw open the doors of congressional access to the likes of Jack Abramoff, former ultra lobbyist and current resident of a federal prison. Santorum was rejected for re-election in 2006 but the effect of his efforts to put the federal government up for sale continues today.

* Speaking of money ill-spent – George Bush has given Pakistan billions of dollars to be our ally in the global war against terrorism. This week the Pakistani government ordered its troops to fire on the U.S. military if it conducts raids in Pakistan against terrorists and their supporters. Yes, the world is a complicated place. Let us hope that the next president has the ability to navigate such treacherous terrain. Someone who has not rubber-stamped Lost George.

* What is an over-worked secretary to do? - Speaking last week to the annual Conference of the White House Initiative on National Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice admitted that there are too few African-Americans in her agency. "I can go into a whole day of meetings at the Department of State -- and actually rarely see somebody who looks like me," Rice said. "And that is just not acceptable." Since January 6, 2005 Rice has been in her current position working around the clock to cover the errors of her boss. There simply has been no time available or inclination to change the State Department from looking like the Republican National Convention.

* You would too - Thirty-two of the nation’s leading historians have sent letters to congressional leaders calling on them to strengthen the Presidential Records Act (PRA). They are concerned that as the Bush administration prepares to leave office they are ready to expunge the record on its tenure. Expunging the record makes perfect sense. Their “record” is one of incompetency, lies and illegal activities. One would have to be in a vegetative state to not try to hide such documentation. Destroying the records will also help keep some of them out of prison.

* Last weekend in Andover, MA legal scholars, lawyers, and activists came together for "JUSTICE ROBERT H. JACKSON CONFERENCE: PLANNING FOR THE PROSECUTION OF HIGH LEVEL AMERICAN WAR CRIMINALS. As the insulated and self-protected members of the Bush administration leave the White House in January 2009 I am surer that they will be looking over their shoulders than they were “certain” that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Thousands of Americans were culpable in the use of torture, breaking the law and the ever-present “cover up.” Unlike a tragic Italian opera this will not be over when the fat lady sings the aria Arevaderchi.

* Get your free score card - If you are having difficulty keeping up with the McCain lies a new website sponsored by the Democratic Party will help you. The name of the site is Count the Lies - McCainPedia.org. This website will need a server capable of handling substantial gigabytes of memory.

* That Grand Old Party – The Michigan Republican Party is attempting to question voters’ eligibility whose homes have been foreclosed. “According to voting rights experts a foreclosure notice does not mean that a person is no longer a resident -- making it an inadequate basis for a challenge.” I imagine that GOP strategists have strategized that more Democrats have homes that have been foreclosed than Republicans. Thirteen U.S. Senators have petitioned the Justice Department to prevent disenfranchisement of voters who have lost their homes.

* A wealth of insight – NY Times op-ed columnist Frank Rich once again offers a cogent and perceptive analysis of the presidential race. I highly recommend a read of this in-depth article for which a summarization would not do it justice. I will note his concluding recommendation to the Democratic presidential nominee: If Obama “focuses voters on the 2008 McCain, the Palin question will take care of itself.”

* "No nation is permitted to live in ignorance with impunity."

Thomas Jefferson