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Sunday Roundup
This was a true straddle week, ushering out 2008 and ushering in 2009. And some of the top political stories reflected this split. Blago calling a press conference felt very '08; the Burris/Senate Dems showdown is totally '09. Franken v. Coleman is '08; Franken v. the Senate Republicans threatening to filibuster his seating is '09. Gov. Patterson considering Bill Clinton and Mario Cuomo doesn't feel '08 -- it feels 1988; Caroline in the Senate could be one of the more, y'know, compelling stories of '09. The top quote of straddle week had to be Alberto Gonzales' pathetic: "I consider myself a casualty, one of the many casualties of the war on terror." Let's see, he approved torture, politicized the Department of Justice, and lied to Congress about warrantless wiretapping and pre-war intelligence. Definitely not an '09 definition of a victim.
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You know, you know, you know! Go Caroline.
As I sit here in Jakarta watching the local news, navigating around the protesters downtown and reading articles in the local newspaper, I am reminded how differently Americans view the Middle East and the Palestinian issue in particular from most of the rest of the world. The ongoing incursion by Israel into Gaza is a sharp stick in the eye to every Muslim around the globe.
The newspaper headlines in the American media shows the difference. “Clashes Continue in Gaza” “Ground Fighting Widens War on Hamas” and “Israel Launches Ground Assault on Gaza” The sense one gets from reading these headlines is a clash of equals. You can almost picture two great armies facing off across a vast no man’s land. The stark reality is that one is a significant military power backed by the greatest military power of all time; facing off against a limited number of ill equipped, marginally trained but democratically elected Islamic organization, struggling to survive in the minimal space left available to them
Unless and until the United States begins to implement an even handed policy in the treatment of the Palestinian people with respect for their plight, grievances and human rights, world opinion will continue to be against us. While this may not matter to many Americans consider this; as our economy worsens and business opportunities dwindle, our ability to expand and operate in the greater world is tied to our international reputation. Right now our reputation is at an all time low.
Is there any way to elevate this post to the front page?
Brilliantly stated.
Arianna, I love your thoughtful and humorous posts. This one says it all sooo well.
Alberto Gonzales, another pathetic figure in the GWB administration, trying to rewrite "the Legacy". These people should just fade away into the sunset, and let sleeping dogs lie....
It is amazing how those who scorn the Law, claim victimhood.
The Obama administration is going to make the lairs and thieves of the Bush clan look like alter boys.
You can't even spell, and yet we're supposed to believe your prognostications?
Yeah...what basis do you have for this claim? Or are you just hoping for failure? You're a true patriot. I thought you were the "pro America" part of this country.
Huh???
Why Alberto Gonzales is still running around loose is beyond belief. I nearly fell out of my chair and choked to death on my cigar. Ahmm a whole new meaning to law and order and what justice is all about. I wonder what pension he is receiving for being the AG.
McClatchy reports that Bush will receive 192k plus perks a year for his service from the feds.
Isn't it worth paying a mere $192K/year to make Bush go away? Too bad we couldn't have done it sooner.
Only if the $192K/year is given back in the form of payment for food and a place to live for the rest of his natural life. Jail.
MARIO CUOMO FOR U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK!
The most important things Obama should do first are restore our constitutional rights, and prosecute Bush-Cheney to the full extent of the law.
About Blago - Burris, a solution in Illinois Legislature?
Why not have the Illinois Legislature vote on a non-binding resolution addressed to US Senate, recommending acceptance of Burris. Maybe 3 days of public comment like a confirmation hearing first. This gives Illinois a vote in the Senate and the US Senate cover to allow Burris to be seated. It can remove the Blago stigma.
You have the power to stimulate this conversation. It could flush out some hot news stories. & It could get a critical democratic vote on line in the Senate sooner!
I encourage you to get this into the public discussion as a viable solution, and if it isn't a viable solution, that will be just as telling in itself.
-Elaine Southard Colo Spgs CO
Let Burris in for now, as a temporary Senator. After Blago's thrown out and replaced, have Burris resign and the next governor appoint somebody, or call a special election or something. Burris is presumably as honest and competent as any Chicago politician, and his appointment was procedurally legal, but Blago sure didn't do him any favors.
There's only 2 more years, less really, the seat is up for election in 2010. I like the idea of having the Illinois State Senate doing a vote of confidence for Burris. I've given up hope that the Reidster will see the error of his ways.
I second that proposal, Elaine.
All eyes are on Obama to make things right. This is wrong. He will be our president soon and will have to hit the ground running. I will be on his side helping in any way I, as an ordinary citizen, can. The time has come for this country to look forward and let the past go. After the hurricane you don't stare at the mess and wait for the government to come make it better...you pull up your bootstraps and make it better. We all need to share in this wonderful feeling of change and hope and start doing things that will make a difference from the bottom up. The human condition is what is at risk here, not the politics of change. If we can all collectively feel better about the state of the country with Obama at the controls then that will free us up at the human level to help our fellow man. The smallest undertaking as a human such as helping the neighbor lady take in her groceries to volunteering an hour or two at the local teen outreach or serving line at the salvation army will serve this nation in a way unprecedented over the last few decades. It just seems to me that people are less inclined to get involved at the human level. We have a chance of making our world better but we cannot rest that weight on one mans shoulders. WE HAVE TO BECOME INVOLVED.
Yes, involvement in the process is essential. But have no fear - the country is in the right hands, that is, the left hand. Obama will do just fine as president because he is lefthanded. No one has paid attention to this important detail. Bill Clinton was lefthanded; George W. Bush was righthanded. If one checks out gifted classes in most schools, one will find that lefthanders make up roughly double their percentage in the American populate. Lefthanders make for good leaders. Thankfully, the country made the right decision.
This is an interesting point. I wish someone would write an article about left-handedness. All of our presidents since 1980 were left-handed except GW. Also, their primary opponents on the other ticket were, too. I believe Al Gore is a lefty, I know Perot is a lefty. McCain is a lefty. Apparently, some research tells us that lefties are more gifted in a variety of ways. They aren't just gifted with high IQs. They think more divergently and can see the big picture. Sometimes, they can see many sides to things.
Obama appears to have the ability to reflect on situations from many angles and he is gifted in terms of communication and language. So I am glad you made this point because it is so interesting to consider.
Regarding the Burris nomination...
Let's take a second glance at the facts.
Fact #1-by all accounts he is qualified
Fact#2-by most accounts "Blogo" is within his rights to appoint.
Fact#3-Once appointed he will be the only African American in the senate.
Seat the man!
fact #3 is not relevant. If race is the issue, well at least African American had a chance to be senator, Why not give a chance to Indian American or some one from so called under-represented or unpresented racial background. My point is that what race has to do with who gets to be seated.
The big question for '09 will be the balance a President Obama (with this phrasing, I don't have to say Pres. "Elect") will find between not wanting to cause turmoil by investigating Bush and wanting to provide the accounting that our citizenry deserves. It's often said that the country just can't take the upheaval of an investigation of it's highest leadership. Other questions for '09...What will the Bush ex-Presidency look like? And how bad will things get by the 20th of this month?
If '09 is going to follow a different script in the Beltway, the
citizens of this country are going to have to become responsible
monitors of their employees, the elected representations at the
local, state and national level.
The first question every citizen should ask themselves is: What can
I do to return this country to the vision that the founding fathers
had of a government of, by and for the people?
The second question is: How will I take responsibility for
solving the problems that have been brought upon my
country over the last 8 (actually closer to 30 years ?
If the average man-in-the-street citizen is not willing to
commit their time and energy to reconstructing the country,
it isn't going to happen. We've seen what couch potato,
sit-on-the-sidelines citizenship produces.
We have to reform the FCC so that the populace hears more than 2,3 right-wing positions ALL THE TIME on EVERY issue. Rush, Hannity, Billo, FauxNews' megaphones have to be dimmed.
Air America on the FM spectrum, for a start, instead of on tinny AM radio.
Let's see now. If you are the attorney general and you fire prosecutors who are not politically correct in the opinion of the party in power, then you are a victim. You study the Geneva Convention and issue an opinion that its terms are arcane and no longer in effect, and that makes you a victim. Such an attitude is sheer codswallop and unworthy of high position in our government.
Definitely, sheer codswallop!
it may be "codswallop," but these days it unhappily seems to be also a pre-requisite for higher office in our country.
Please understand that there was more than one Geneva convention. Before you express knowledge about the Conventions, do some homework first!!
Homework? Homework?, We don't have no stinkin' homework. Alberto gave leave to violate the Geneva Convention.
See R.W. Sanders's Profile
Obama will spend his first term just trying to clean up the mess that George Bush left for him. Back in 2000 when I finally came out of my election depression, I told my wife that the world might end with this guy. I only slightly overestimated.
You were pretty close.
You mean you, like most of us, misunderestimated W.
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