Day: June 16, 2010

The California Gay Marriage Case: A Civil Rights Cause!

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An important case is about to be decided in California, regarding the issue of gay marriage.

For two brief periods, gay marriage was allowed in California, until Proposition 8 negated the idea in the 2008 election. About 18,000 couples were married before the passage of Proposition 8.

The plaintiffs are a lesbian couple with four children who are represented by a unique duo: the opposing lawyers in the Gore V. Bush case in the Supreme Court in 2000, which decided the Presidential election that year.

Ted Olsen, who represented George W. Bush, and David Boies, who represented Al Gore, have teamed together to fight Proposition 8, as discriminatory against two lesbians or gays having the right to the institution of marriage.

To many Republicans and conservatives, the fact that Ted Olsen, who was Solicitor General under President Bush, would agree to take on the case jointly with David Boies was a surprise, but Olsen argues that giving the right to marry to two people of the same gender does no harm to anyone, but provides due process and equal protection under the 14th Amendment!

No matter what the result in the California courts, it will have to be sent on to the federal appellate courts, and ultimately, to the US Supreme Court.

But Olsen’s comparison of the issue of sexual orientation in marriage to earlier 20th century civil rights struggles was an inspiring closing argument in the case!

The US And Turkish Relations In Reference To Israel And Iran

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The United States has worked to promote close relations with Turkey as a modern, moderate Islamic nation in the years since World War II.

But the Turkish government has made this difficult by its recent actions in reference to Israel and Iran!

Already condemned historically for the Armenian genocide between 1915 and 1923, and unwilling to take responsibility for that horrific mass murder, Turkey has not been understanding of how it is now harming its present public image by its actions!

So therefore, there is now action by both Democrats and Republicans to bring up the resolution about the Armenian genocide in Congress; and to condemn Turkey’s involvement in the flotilla of ships that were stopped by the Israelis from reaching the Gaza Strip recently, and reinforcing the Hamas terrorist government that controls the government and has called for the total destruction of Israel; and the Turkish backing of Iran attempting to develop nuclear weapons!

Action to back Turkey becoming part of the European Union may also be delayed or scrapped in Congress, at least if Nevada Congresswoman Shelley Berkley has her way!

It is essential for the US to take a strong stand against Turkey and for backing of Israel, as a result of these recent controversies that Turkey has engaged in!

Barack Obama And The BP Oil Spill Crisis: A Major Triumph And Accomplishment! :)

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President Obama scored a great victory over a multinational corporation, British Petroleum, today, when he got them to apologize for the tragedy of the oil spill; to agree to $100 million to cover lost wages; and a minimum of $20 billion to cover economic and environmental damages in the Gulf of Mexico, to be administered by a third party, and with no cap on the ultimate amount that might be paid out!

This is a massive victory that the President can be proud of, and will stand out as one of the most outstanding triumphs in American history against big business corporations!

It came about after the President was unable to gain an increase in corporate liability from Congress, from the present $75 million to $10 billion, due to the opposition of Republicans, who don’t as a party want to hold big business accountable for its transgressions!

Think about it: If John McCain had been in the White House, or George W. Bush, or Ronald Reagan, would we see such strong action and results on a crisis such as this? The answer is NO, and once the understanding of what has happened becomes evident, it will help improve the public opinion ratings for President Obama and his party, as it will be further proof of the difference between the two major political parties!

As horrible as this Oil Spill Crisis is, and as sad a situation as it presents to the country over a long period of time, it is also a reaffirmation of how fortunate we are to have Barack Obama in the White House!

While the “chattering class”, the news media, on both the Left and the Right, has been critical of last night’s speech as not doing enough, I think it is time for reassessment, at least on the Left, of their hasty judgment!

The Right will not change its view no matter what, but any fair minded assessment of what has happened should lead to a positive impact by the American people relating to the President’s handling of this crisis!

Debtors’ Prisons For The Poor: Is That Our Future In America? :(

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There are some conservatives and Republicans who are advocating the concept of “debtors’ prisons” for those who renege on their debt, in the midst of the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression! 🙁

It is a fact that six states already allow jail time for those who have not paid debts as low as under $100!

These states are Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, and Washington! This is beyond belief! 🙁

People who bring down the Wall Street economy get a slap on the wrist, but are bailed out, and there is no plan to imprison those who have caused massive suffering for millions of Americans! 🙁

But if one fails to pay a small bill as low as under $100, they can be jailed, and the idea is spreading as a way to promote “responsibility” and “accountability!”

As it is, Senator Orrin Hatch, Republican of Utah, is trying to prevent further extension of unemployment benefits to people unless they prove by a urine sample that they are not on drugs! 🙁 This has been reported by Daily Kos, and is an idea to be condemned!

Are there any limits to our mistreatment of those less fortunate in our society? Apparently to Senator Hatch and six states that have created “debtors’ prisons”, there is no limit! 🙁

Michele Bachmann And The BP Oil Crisis: Supporting BP, Not The Victims! :(

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Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann can be counted upon to speak up as a whacky, loony embarrassment to the Republican Party and the nation on a regular basis, and she has done it again! 🙁

At a time when British Petroleum Corporation, the company responsible for the horrific oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, which has destroyed the economy and environment of the area for a very long time, is ready to take action in a responsible way, Michele Bachmann is suddenly advising them to be uncooperative! 🙁

BP has agreed to a $20 billion escrow fund to pay for damages done and lost income that so many people have suffered, and they have also agreed to suspend dividend payments of more than $10 billion to shareholders of the company for the rest of the year. President Obama was able to gain this agreement, and despite the criticism of talk show hosts ranging from Fox News Channel to MSNBC to radio shows, he is to be commended for obtaining the concessions by BP!

But Bachmann instead has condemned the escrow fund as a way for government to gain more control over people’s lives, as a way to promote redistribution of wealth, and said BP should not be “fleeced” and become “chumps” to pay for “perpetual unemployment”!

Bachmann spoke to the Heritage Foundation, not famous for having any understanding of the lives of ordinary Americans or having sympathy for those less fortunate! 🙁

Bachmann and the Heritage Foundation, and assuredly, the many other conservatives and Republicans who will back what she says, needs to be condemned by all fair minded people! 🙁

This is the greatest man made disaster we have seen, and it is essential that the national government be involved in the resolution of this matter!

After a slow start, President Obama is finally taking a strong position which, hopefully, will lead to the beginning of resolving this horrible situation! But of course, the capping of this massive oil leak is of even higher priority to stop the hemorrhaging that we observe on television and the internet 24 hours a day, seven days a week! 🙁

Democrats Shifting Toward Charlie Crist Due To Kendrick Meek-Jeff Greene Primary Battle!

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It is amazing how Charlie Crist seems to be a “cat with nine lives!” 🙂

Two years ago, Crist was seen as being on the short list for Vice Presidential running mate for Senator John McCain!

His ratings as Florida Governor were very high, and he was hailed as one of the best governors in the nation!

Then, Crist decided not to run for a second term as Governor, and instead to cast his future in running to replace retiring Senator Mel Martinez. But meanwhile, he appointed a close friend and supporter, George LeMieux, to finish up the 16 months of the unexpired term.

But then, former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio challenged Crist for the GOP nomination, and gained the backing of the Tea Party Movement, and suddenly surged ahead of Crist in public opinion polls in an unprecedented way!

So Crist was faced with the humiliation that he was likely to lose the Senate Republican nomination, and many Republicans endorsed Rubio, including John McCain and Crist’s appointee, LeMieux!

As a result, Crist bolted the Republican party at the end of April, declaring an Independent race. Since then, he has vetoed two bills that have gained him major kudos from Independents and Democrats, one on teacher tenure and the other on abortion restrictions!

Meanwhile, the supposed Democratic nominee for the Senate, Congressman Kendrick Meek, suddenly had a major challenge from a billionaire named Jeff Greene, who came out of “nowhere” and has become a real threat to Meek and the party, which has no interest in backing a man who benefited big time from the housing collapse, and has been associated with controversial people, including Heidi Fleiss and Mike Tyson! 🙁

The thought that an extremely wealthy person with no political experience, but with an image of being a manipulator on Wall Street, being the Democratic nominee, has turned off many Democrats who are ready to jump to support of Crist, some openly, some behind the scenes!

In recent polls, Crist leads Rubio, with Meek way behind, and with Jeff Greene the “menace” in the background. Crist is looking more and more appealing, and it seems clear that IF Crist were to win the Senate seat, he would fit a role similar to Joe Lieberman, as an Independent who would ally with the Democrats.

Crist’s moderate views are becoming more liberal, and he is a very appealing candidate to many Democrats, so to read him out as having a chance to be the next Senator from Florida is NOT a wise gamble!

It seems more and more likely that Charlie Crist may be the only way to prevent Marco Rubio and his Tea Party Movement, and right wing conservative views from representing Florida in the US Senate!