Month: March 2010

Senator Lamar Alexander’s Prediction Of “Armageddon”!

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Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander, formerly Secretary of Education under the first President Bush, and two time seeker of the Presidency in 1996 and 2000, always had an image of being reasonable and decent among fellow Republicans in the Senate until now, when he is opposing health care reform in irresponsible ways.

Alexander seems unwilling to understand how important health care reform is, and has been flirting with the far right in his party, and in the process, harming his moderate reputation from the past.

He now predicts that if health care reform passes, it will be “Armageddon” for Democrats, leading to the loss of both houses of Congress by the Democrats, and immediate action to repeal the legislation.

This is hyperbole, which has no basis. Could the Democrats lose control of both houses, as they did in 1994? Yes, in theory, but highly unlikely, although certainly the party out of the White House DOES gain a lot of seats, typically, in a midterm election.

Would there be immediate action to repeal what had passed both houses and been signed into law by the President? Again, theoretically yes, but when the people get away from the hyperbole and hysteria and realize how much good will come out of the extension of health care, and reforms in areas such as preexisting conditions and lifetime limits, it will lead to growing support for the reforms.

Of course, there will be opposition, but that does not mean that the hysteria and propaganda will lead to repeal, as it is rare to repeal legislation once passed into law, and besides, the President could veto repeal, and to imagine a two thirds override in both houses is beyond any sense of reality.

In truth, the GOP could very well suffer for their refusal to cooperate in necessary reform, as there could be a counter reaction against them.

So, Lamar Alexander, you are much too loose in judging Armageddon, as if we need more religion context in government! How about leaving religion out of government context, except to point out that a truly religious person would wish to deal with a basic human right, to decent health care, not fight against it and show lack of concern for those who suffer from lack of such coverage!

Liz Cheney And The New “McCarthyism”

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Liz Cheney, the conservative activist and daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, has become a lightning rod among both liberals and conservatives.

Many conservatives, including Ken Starr, Michael Mukasey, Larry Thompson, and Ted Olson have denounced Liz Cheney for her attack on Justice Department attorneys who have defended terrorist suspects held in the Guantanamo Bay prison camp, people she termed the “Al Qaeda Seven”.

These conservatives, who all worked under George W. Bush, except for Starr, who was the special prosecutor investigating Bill Clinton in what led to his impeachment trial, declared that every person, no matter how despicable, is entitled to a legal defense under our Constitution, and that defense lawyers do not necessarily agree with their clients, but are doing what is required under the law, an effort to defend anyone from government conviction without a fair trial.

As liberals would term it, Liz Cheney is utilizing loose charges without justification against the reputations of people who deserve to avoid the image of being terrorism sympathizers. In this sense, Liz Cheney is acting like a new Joseph McCarthy, who denounced people as Communists without any evidence or justification.

It is very inspiring to see strong conservative opposition to what Dick Cheney’s daughter is doing, but the question is WHY she is doing it, and a NEW YORK MAGAZINE article clarifies this issue.

That is, it is apparent that Liz Cheney wishes in the near future to pursue a political career like her father did, and might be planning to run for the Senate in either Wyoming or Virginia. She is seen as overly ambitious, determined to preserve her father’s legacy and carry it on into the future.

She has appeared more than 40 times in the past year on talk shows on the major news networks, and has always been very combative and feisty, even against fellow conservatives. No admonition by George Will on ABC or other spokesmen on other channels has deterred her from her aggressive and vicious attacks on the Obama Administration, and now leading to the present controversy over “terrorist” lawyers raging among conservatives.

For sure, we will not see Liz Cheney back away, but she is becoming a very divisive figure in the conservative movement and the Republican party.

More than ever, it seems as if it is conservative women in the Republican party, whether Sarah Palin, Marsha Blackburn, Virginia Foxx, Michele Bachmann, Liz Cheney or others, that are becoming the true lightning rods of the GOP, and bound to play a growing role in American politics with their “in your face”, confrontational politics!

The Senate Majority Leadership Battle

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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada has been under constant attack, and faces a tough reelection contest in his home state this fall.

Already, with that fact in mind, the Senate Majority Whip, Dick Durbin of Illinois, often seen as the heir apparent if Reid loses his seat, is readying for a fight against the former chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Chuck Schumer of New York.

While both Durbin and Schumer are tough politicians, as anyone reaching their level must be to survive, Schumer is seen as much more aggressive and having an edge because of the fact that so many new Democratic senators were elected when he was the campaign committee chairman, and he expects their loyalty when and if a battle erupts over who should succeed Reid.

Schumer would certainly be more combative than Durbin, but that includes the ability to be more controversial and unpopular because of his constant need for attention. In a New York Jewish way, he would be as hard nosed a leader as Lyndon Johnson, and might very well be more effective than either Durbin or Reid.

But it seems to the author that President Obama might prefer Durbin as more diplomatic and more a conciliator, which could be major pluses for the Illinois Senator.

Of course, if Reid wins reelection, this is all academic as it is highly unlikely that he would be challenged for the leadership, and were he to be, he probably would win the struggle.

Of course, if by a complete collapse, the Senate goes Republican, then this whole matter is resolved in an unpleasant way!

The Character Assassination Of Democratic Congressional Leaders: Unwarranted!

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These days, it is hellish to be a politician, but particularly to be a leader in Congress.

I am referring to Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Both have their personal idiosyncrasies, and both have personal financial assets in the millions of dollars. Both have views and beliefs that annoy millions of Americans, particularly conservatives and Republicans.

Having said that, the same could be said to be the description of Republican leaders, except that it is liberals who object to their views and beliefs.

The point that is being made here is that both Democratic leaders are truly committed to back Barack Obama’s agenda, as one would expect. Both have worked very hard, and have had to deal with the reality of a total of 535 egos clashing on Capitol Hill, including their own, plus the power of lobbyists.

We hear constant bitter attacks, but if one looks at the record, one sees things very differently.

Nancy Pelosi has presided over a total of 290 plus bills that have successfully wended their way through the House of Representatives, due to her strong leadership skills. This includes all of the major agenda items of President Obama, including but not limited to health care reform. Whether one agrees or not with all of these bills, one can say that the Democrats have brought about a mountain of legislation that marks them as one of the most active of all Congresses in history, at least in the lower chamber. But the fact that the Speaker is female has become an added incentive for bitter attacks on her.

But of course, the Senate has stood in the way because of the filibuster threat, and the fact that Harry Reid, as decent a man as he is, is no Lyndon Johnson or even Bob Dole. Reid is trying to figure how to overcome GOP opposition with 59 Democrats, and follow through on what the House has done. The conservative and GOP opposition has been unrelenting, as well as talk radio and Fox News Channel. They will stop at nothing to destroy the Obama agenda and prevent the Senate from completing the extensive, far reaching work of the House of Representatives.

Now, on top of everything, Harry Reid has a personal crisis with the auto accident injuries of his dear wife and daughter, and is shuttling back and forth from his duties to the hospital. He is faced with a tremendous burden, along with the need to deal with a tough re-election contest, with very poor public opinion polls.

Neither Nancy Pelosi nor Harry Reid are truly appreciated in the nation at large for their sacrifices and efforts. One sometimes wonders why any person of their talents and abilities, who may have wealth as they both do, does not decide that the constant attacks by political and ideological opponents and the news media, and the constant public disdain they face by masses of Americans who have no real clue as to what they do, and how they sacrifice their time and efforts under great adversity, is not worth it, and decide to give it up and leave it to others.

There is an old saying: When alive, you are a “dirty politician”; only when dead, are you seen as a “statesman”. Despite the bitter attacks and character assassination, I think it is likely over time that both Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid will get their due in history.

But realize the treatment given these and other leaders, and politicians in general, many of whom REALLY care about the citizens they serve, will lead to many, as seen already, giving up, and leaving future leadership to mediocrities, who are only interested in their own self advancement and self aggrandizement!

The Census Bureau Projection Of Future Population Trends: Age, Race, Ethnicity

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New Census Bureau projections show that very soon, a majority of children born in America will be from minority groups, particularly Hispanic, but also African American, Asian American, and Native American.

A majority of Americans under 18 will be minority heritage in about a decade, and a majority of the entire population in about 30 years.

So a majority of older, and elderly people will be white Anglos, who might be unwilling to pay more school taxes and do other things to support a youthful population that is alien to their own heritage and experience when they grew up in America.

This could lead to new conflict between young and old, and make for tensions beyond the ones already present of race, ethnicity, and economics.

This situation portends new issues and problems as America continues to age, being older on the average than at any time in American history! The future leaders of the nation will have this new challenge to face very soon!

The Texas State Board Of Education And Distortion Of American History!

Ronald 4 Comments

The Texas State Board of Education is attempting to distort the story of American History and to establish a right wing version, and just at a time when membership of the Board is changing! Textbook decisions that affect not just Texas, but the whole nation, due to the large number of students in the Lone Star State, which encourages textbook publishers to tend to follow Texas standards of what should be taught in the publication of nationwide textbooks, endangers history education as we know it!

The conservatives want to emphasize the free enterprise system; organized religion; the conservative resurgence in politics in the 1980s and 1990s; and the role of pressure groups such as the Moral Majority and the National Rifle Association.

They also want to deemphasize the New Deal and Great Society; the civil rights movement; treatment of American foreign policy as imperialistic; and take such people as Ralph Nader and Ross Perot out of the curriculum and promote the significance of Jefferson Davis and Stonewall Jackson on an even keel with Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant!

The role of racial and religious minorities would be toned down, and the concept of American as a Christian nation would be promoted. The concept that the federal government regulation and intervention is evil would also be emphasized, and the significance of the new Tea Party Movement would be taught.

This attempt by the Right in Texas is a plan to propagandize their version of history, a totally distorted view that any American historian, and really any educated, open minded person outside of the history field, would condemn! This is an attempt at brainwashing to promote the views of an elite that already has distorted science, and will not stop until people of principle step up and fight for freedom of thought, rather than distorted views of the history of our nation!

Yes, we can mention a lot of what the Texas State Board of Education has proposed in the curriculum, but NOT at the expense of alternative views and free inquiry! The historical associations (the American Historical Association and the Organization of American Historians), and local and regional historical associations, and universities, museums and historical societies, need to unite against this attempt to destroy and distort history education and knowledge by these right wing extremist activists in Texas!

It’s About Time: National Standards For Public Education Proposed!

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In what is an extremely important move, a committee of educators empaneled by the state governors of America and school superintendents has proposed a uniform set of academic standards in English and Math, year by year, so that all of the nation’s public school students would have the same standards and expectations.

This is far preferable to the hodgepodge of state and local standards which has undermined public education and led to mediocre education, particularly in many Southern states and poorer states elsewhere.

Every child is entitled to learn what needs to be learned to succeed in life, and to promote higher education after finishing K-12. With these proposed national standards, the way teachers are trained would change, and textbooks would have to be revamped to reflect the new expectations.

Of course, conservatives predictably do not like the national standards idea, as they seem to think state standards, already proven inferior, are better. There is no way that these ideologues can be won over, and as it is, the states of Alaska and Texas have refused to participate, which is sad since both rank very low in their performances educationally.

But when one considers the lightweight governor of Texas, Rick Perry, and the lightweight former governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, should it be any wonder that these two states should be the ones to continue to promote inferiority, and not concern themselves with the high failure rate and poverty levels they both have?

It is indeed tragic when “know nothings” are governors and give not a whit about those who most need nurturing: the children of their states! 🙁

Chief Justice John Roberts, The Supreme Court, And Barack Obama

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In an unusual move, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts criticized the atmosphere at the State of the Union Address, when President Obama, in the presence of most of the members of the Court, openly criticized the Justices majority for allowing corporate influence in political campaigns to become unregulated, after a century of control of corporate spending since the time of Theodore Roosevelt.

The Chief Justice certainly had the same right before a university audience to speak up, as the President did before a joint session of Congress.

But the fact that the Chief Justice sees no problem with the radical right turn of the Court under his stewardship, by the bare majority of 5-4 when Justice Anthony Kennedy joins the conservative majority, is troubling, as supposedly the conservatives believe in a strict interpretation of the Constitution. The Court is becoming a “political football” by its own actions, although Roberts claims it is the fault of the other branches rather than his.

But the Court has not been keeping to the strict interpretation, and Chief Justice Roberts can be seen as a disappointing leader, who worships Justice Scalia too much, and has been a divisive leader of the Court. Leaving the impression in his hearings in 2005 that he was a moderate centrist turns out to have been a mirage, bordering on dishonesty, although of course no Justice can be held accountable legally for his actions on the Court.

But right now, the Roberts Court can be compared with the early New Deal Court, trying to push America backwards, and creating what may be a real constitutional conflict with the President and Congress in a time of deep recession, much as they did in the Great Depression years.

That is not good for the nation, and the conflict is not bound to dissipate in the near future, but the importance of Barack Obama selecting the best people to replace retiring Justices that may occur in his time in the Presidency cannot be overemphasized!

Vice President Joe Biden: Obama’s Secret Weapon?

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Vice President Joe Biden was thought to be likely to fade into the background, and be an insignificant factor in the Presidency of Barack Obama, but instead he is being seen as the secret weapon assisting Obama in many ways.

His experience, contacts, and warm relationships with many members of the Senate, plus his years as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and also as past Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, all are putting him in good stead as the administration faces the challenge of gaining Health Care reform, and dealing with intractable diplomatic issues.

In his role as presiding officer of the Senate, Biden could well be the decisive factor in the passage of “Reconciliation”, which would bring about the enactment of the most significant social legislation since Medicare in the 1960s.

Biden is now in the Middle East, trying to promote diplomatic negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians, and rallying Arabs against the rising threat of Iranian nuclear weapons. He has excellent contacts with many world leaders and is able, therefore, to assist Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in her diplomatic activities.

A totally different Vice President than Dick Cheney, Biden could well be seen in the future as a major factor in the successes of a much younger, less experienced President whom he loyally serves!

Another Excellent Reason For Health Care Reform: Rush Limbaugh Will Leave For Costa Rica! :)

Ronald 1 Comment

Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh has threatened that if Health Care reform passes, he will leave the country for Costa Rica, as soon as it goes into effect in 2014. 🙂

I think a good suggestion is leave even sooner, and when he leaves, make sure he is not allowed to claim citizenship overseas and avoid American taxes, as it is certain he would still broadcast his show, as he is so materialistic and would never give up making the obscene amount he earns for his propaganda!

As long as he is heard on the radio, even if in Costa Rica, pay your fair share of income taxes, Rush, as you owe it to this nation for the opportunities you have had to spew propaganda and divide the nation and promote hate!

One day, we will learn of your true, hypocritical nature, and how you have managed to “pull the wool” over millions of people’s eyes for so long. After all, you are a master of the Big Lie technique–that the more you lie, the more you convince people to believe you because of their gullibility! 🙁