After their stunned silence during the Egypt uprisings, a frightened Al Qaeda released their first statement on the revolution, warning *against* democracy.
I love how the Egypt and other uprisings are such a smack-down of Al Qaeda. These protesters are showing that they don't need terrorists to bring change; On the contrary, they are proving that the tried and true method of nonviolent protest is the most powerful weapon a people can have. AQ was silent as these uprisings spread, and now they come out with a weak statement on the wrong side of history in their own supposed backyard. If indeed, the uprisings continue to spread across the Middle East and Africa, they will go further to defeat AQ than any of our wars so far.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Time for the Right to Learn: the 1st and 2nd Amendments are NOT the Same Thing
We hear a lot from the Tea Party, about how their identity as gun owners is so important, and how they fear Democrats will take away their rights to guns; as a result, we see a lot of gun imagery and gun-themed campaigns in our politics today. People have even shown up at the president's speeches carrying loaded weapons.
While some say there is not much we can do to quell this violent trend in our politics, I disagree. I believe the violence we are experiencing today is a result of a dangerous equating of 2nd Amendment rights to 1st Amendment rights.
This misunderstanding of our constitutional rights is pushed by politicians in the Tea Party, and the folks that follow them.
So to all you people who believe you right to bear arms is somehow the same as political freedom, I'm hear to tell you its not: the people who were massacred in Arizona were exercising their *1st* Amendment rights of "peaceful assembly."
The Constitution treats your right to express yourself and air your grievances *very* differently than your right to bear arms. The Constitution specifically states that political expression and airing of grievances must be "peaceful."
Even when referring to the people's right to replace the government, the Constitution refers to your right to "petition" a.k.a. your right to VOTE, not your right to armed insurrection.
So all this talk about your freedom to express your gun-loving self needs to be put in context of the Constitution: you have a right to own firearms, but you have no right to bring those arms to political events - such actions are chilling to free speech, and act as an intimidation toward those who would disagree with you.
There is no place for the language of gun play, and the use of violent imagery, or the brandishing of weapons in our politics. I urge my fellow democrats to encourage, and to support an effort to ban guns from political events.
I am willing to bet the Supreme Court will eventually rule on such a separation. Owning a gun has nothing to do with free speech, and our Constitution says so.
While some say there is not much we can do to quell this violent trend in our politics, I disagree. I believe the violence we are experiencing today is a result of a dangerous equating of 2nd Amendment rights to 1st Amendment rights.
This misunderstanding of our constitutional rights is pushed by politicians in the Tea Party, and the folks that follow them.
So to all you people who believe you right to bear arms is somehow the same as political freedom, I'm hear to tell you its not: the people who were massacred in Arizona were exercising their *1st* Amendment rights of "peaceful assembly."
The Constitution treats your right to express yourself and air your grievances *very* differently than your right to bear arms. The Constitution specifically states that political expression and airing of grievances must be "peaceful."
Even when referring to the people's right to replace the government, the Constitution refers to your right to "petition" a.k.a. your right to VOTE, not your right to armed insurrection.
So all this talk about your freedom to express your gun-loving self needs to be put in context of the Constitution: you have a right to own firearms, but you have no right to bring those arms to political events - such actions are chilling to free speech, and act as an intimidation toward those who would disagree with you.
There is no place for the language of gun play, and the use of violent imagery, or the brandishing of weapons in our politics. I urge my fellow democrats to encourage, and to support an effort to ban guns from political events.
I am willing to bet the Supreme Court will eventually rule on such a separation. Owning a gun has nothing to do with free speech, and our Constitution says so.
Dems Get Ready
When the President talked about winning the future, he began the campaign for 2012. And its a good thing. Better to start the campaign now and get as far ahead as we can, because its going to get *ugly*
Notice how none of the mainstream republicans wants to disavow the crazies on the fringe right? They refuse to call Birthers crazy; they allow their spokespeople to pervert American history.
Why won't they disavow this behavior? Because they plan to make use of these crazies and their slogans during the election.
All those hateful signs you see at TP rallies? That's a preview of some of the ads swiftboaters will be airing, and with unlimited corporate money now allowed *anonymously* in the campaign, we are going to see A LOT of those ads...
Sorry to say it, but get ready for a wild ride... its going to be nasty, and they will put *everything* they can into defeating this president.
Its time to start forming our coalition, and time to get the word out: the Recovery Act stopped the recession, and brought down taxes to the lowest point in 50 years.
Democrats have turned the country in a new direction, and have opened the door to a brighter future. All we need to do now is step through that open door into the 21st Century, like the competitive, innovative country we know how to be.
Notice how none of the mainstream republicans wants to disavow the crazies on the fringe right? They refuse to call Birthers crazy; they allow their spokespeople to pervert American history.
Why won't they disavow this behavior? Because they plan to make use of these crazies and their slogans during the election.
All those hateful signs you see at TP rallies? That's a preview of some of the ads swiftboaters will be airing, and with unlimited corporate money now allowed *anonymously* in the campaign, we are going to see A LOT of those ads...
Sorry to say it, but get ready for a wild ride... its going to be nasty, and they will put *everything* they can into defeating this president.
Its time to start forming our coalition, and time to get the word out: the Recovery Act stopped the recession, and brought down taxes to the lowest point in 50 years.
Democrats have turned the country in a new direction, and have opened the door to a brighter future. All we need to do now is step through that open door into the 21st Century, like the competitive, innovative country we know how to be.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
The Failure of Republican Ideology, and its Shattered Remnants in the Tea Party
There's an article in the huffingtonpost today that talks about the how Republicans try to have it both ways when attacking government health insurance, while simultaneously defending Medicare.
It's a good piece I suggest reading, because it points to a deep contradiction in Republican ideology. In the article, Sharron Angle is quoted criticizing the health insurance reforms enacted by Democrats.
Republicans like Angle cynically state the solution to health reform is "simple." Just let "the market" reform itself. I am so sick of hearing that ridiculous talking point. How naive you must be to think that health insurance reform will magically happen if we just have faith in the oh-so-great "free market."
Y'mean that great free market that inflated real estate values, traded toxic derivatives, and made rich creeps richer while bankrupting our nation? That free market that allowed insurers to jack your rates and discriminate against people with preexisting conditions, while making billions of dollars profit? The one that inflated gas prices and collected billions in profit while Americans lost jobs?
If we are to believe the conservative dogma about the oh-so-great and magical free market, we are to understand that health insurance companies would reinvest their profits in new jobs and better services. That Wall St. would put those profits from selling grandma's house back into our economy. That Meg Whitman would hire American workers at a decent wage.
But that doesn't happen does it? No, Ms. Angle the problem is not too much government intervention in the free market, it is a free market gone wild.
We have seen direct evidence of the complete failure of deregulation and unrestrained greed, in the 8 years of Republican rule our country endured.
Democrats have turned us in a new direction. We can either go forward, or we can return to the same failed policies that bankrupted us in the first place.
It's a good piece I suggest reading, because it points to a deep contradiction in Republican ideology. In the article, Sharron Angle is quoted criticizing the health insurance reforms enacted by Democrats.
Republicans like Angle cynically state the solution to health reform is "simple." Just let "the market" reform itself. I am so sick of hearing that ridiculous talking point. How naive you must be to think that health insurance reform will magically happen if we just have faith in the oh-so-great "free market."
Y'mean that great free market that inflated real estate values, traded toxic derivatives, and made rich creeps richer while bankrupting our nation? That free market that allowed insurers to jack your rates and discriminate against people with preexisting conditions, while making billions of dollars profit? The one that inflated gas prices and collected billions in profit while Americans lost jobs?
If we are to believe the conservative dogma about the oh-so-great and magical free market, we are to understand that health insurance companies would reinvest their profits in new jobs and better services. That Wall St. would put those profits from selling grandma's house back into our economy. That Meg Whitman would hire American workers at a decent wage.
But that doesn't happen does it? No, Ms. Angle the problem is not too much government intervention in the free market, it is a free market gone wild.
We have seen direct evidence of the complete failure of deregulation and unrestrained greed, in the 8 years of Republican rule our country endured.
Democrats have turned us in a new direction. We can either go forward, or we can return to the same failed policies that bankrupted us in the first place.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Democrats: Acting Responsibly to Restore the American Dream
If you haven't seen it yet, there's a video on Huffingtonpost today, in which Arianna and Mike Huckabee find some common ground about capitalism and the middle class. Its a great discussion, and I think it illustrates some interesting ways that progressives can engage Republicans on common ground.
I would love to see more conversations like this between people from different political backgrounds, because ultimately our system of government predetermines some kind of compromise in the end, regardless of who is in power.
What's interesting it that despite party differences, Mike Huckabee and Arianna Huffington agree on quite a few things.
For example, they both agree that an erosion of the moral basis of capitalism is destroying the American middle class. But Mike seems to reflexively think this erosion is because of too much government intervention, and Arianna makes a great point that government itself is, in fact bought and paid for by capitalist interests.
These special interests purchase influence on legislation to benefit their greed - even if it hurts the country in the long run. In fact, that's how we got where we are now.
What we need here, is a way to persuade conservatives like Huckabee that government is the problem inasmuch as it is influenced by lobbyists and special interests.
From this perspective, passing health insurance reform and Wall St. reform was about government acting morally, to restore a sense of fairness to industries that had become too powerful and abusive of the American people.
We progressives wanted stronger reforms, but our conservative brethren thought if we tampered any more with the system we must be "socialists," so we went for a moderate approach. In the end, we implemented reforms that in fact changed a lot of things: we ended discrimination for preexisting conditions, and covered millions of uninsured Americans. We ended the insider dealings of Wall St. by requiring derivatives to be traded openly. And we stopped the recession, while at the same time investing in green industries that will lead our country into a new era of prosperity and freedom from foreign oil.
Socialists? Tyrants? Hardly. Democrats have acted morally and responsibly, and history will vindicate them for how much they achieved in two short years.
I would love to see more conversations like this between people from different political backgrounds, because ultimately our system of government predetermines some kind of compromise in the end, regardless of who is in power.
What's interesting it that despite party differences, Mike Huckabee and Arianna Huffington agree on quite a few things.
For example, they both agree that an erosion of the moral basis of capitalism is destroying the American middle class. But Mike seems to reflexively think this erosion is because of too much government intervention, and Arianna makes a great point that government itself is, in fact bought and paid for by capitalist interests.
These special interests purchase influence on legislation to benefit their greed - even if it hurts the country in the long run. In fact, that's how we got where we are now.
What we need here, is a way to persuade conservatives like Huckabee that government is the problem inasmuch as it is influenced by lobbyists and special interests.
From this perspective, passing health insurance reform and Wall St. reform was about government acting morally, to restore a sense of fairness to industries that had become too powerful and abusive of the American people.
We progressives wanted stronger reforms, but our conservative brethren thought if we tampered any more with the system we must be "socialists," so we went for a moderate approach. In the end, we implemented reforms that in fact changed a lot of things: we ended discrimination for preexisting conditions, and covered millions of uninsured Americans. We ended the insider dealings of Wall St. by requiring derivatives to be traded openly. And we stopped the recession, while at the same time investing in green industries that will lead our country into a new era of prosperity and freedom from foreign oil.
Socialists? Tyrants? Hardly. Democrats have acted morally and responsibly, and history will vindicate them for how much they achieved in two short years.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Dobbs, Whitman, and The Lie of Tax Cuts for the Rich
I hope you have all been following the story about how Lou Dobbs had illegal immigrants working for him, because this issue - along with the recent Meg Whitman scandal - says something very important about the difference between Democrats and Republicans.
Dobbs crusaded on his show against companies who hire illegal immigrants. Dobbs made it clear that he thinks there is NO excuse, even if a subcontractor hires them.
Now, we find out that Dobbs is hiding behind the same excuse. The problem with Lou, is that he is a hypocrite with his "Do as I say, not as I do" attitude. He isn't even denying that contractors hired illegal workers.
The larger point that needs to be made, though, is this: Dobbs, Whitman, Romney, and all the other *wealthy* right-wingers who have been caught benefiting from illegal workers, are addicted to cheap labor.
And that's what really gets me. These people are RICH, for gosh-sakes, they have PLENTY of money to hire American workers at a decent wage if they practiced half the things they preach!
Don't blame the immigrants, who work harder for less than our own citizens. Blame the rich folks like Dobbs, Whitman, and the rest, who have every opportunity to hire American workers, but who are so cheap they just won't do it.
These rich right-wingers benefit from illegal workers, while at the same time they use the immigration issue to divide American workers and illegal workers. What we really need is for American workers and immigrant workers to band together to end the addiction to cheap labor for rich hypocrites like Dobbs.
One final point: Republicans have been selling us on this idea that if we cut taxes for the rich again, they will create jobs. The failure of this idea can be illustrated so well in cases like Dobbs, Whitman, and Romney. Those rich people who have every means of creating jobs for Americans, have been caught in a lie. Their actions have proven they have no intention whatsoever of creating good jobs for Americans. Cheap labor only. That's the Republican way!
Dobbs crusaded on his show against companies who hire illegal immigrants. Dobbs made it clear that he thinks there is NO excuse, even if a subcontractor hires them.
Now, we find out that Dobbs is hiding behind the same excuse. The problem with Lou, is that he is a hypocrite with his "Do as I say, not as I do" attitude. He isn't even denying that contractors hired illegal workers.
The larger point that needs to be made, though, is this: Dobbs, Whitman, Romney, and all the other *wealthy* right-wingers who have been caught benefiting from illegal workers, are addicted to cheap labor.
And that's what really gets me. These people are RICH, for gosh-sakes, they have PLENTY of money to hire American workers at a decent wage if they practiced half the things they preach!
Don't blame the immigrants, who work harder for less than our own citizens. Blame the rich folks like Dobbs, Whitman, and the rest, who have every opportunity to hire American workers, but who are so cheap they just won't do it.
These rich right-wingers benefit from illegal workers, while at the same time they use the immigration issue to divide American workers and illegal workers. What we really need is for American workers and immigrant workers to band together to end the addiction to cheap labor for rich hypocrites like Dobbs.
One final point: Republicans have been selling us on this idea that if we cut taxes for the rich again, they will create jobs. The failure of this idea can be illustrated so well in cases like Dobbs, Whitman, and Romney. Those rich people who have every means of creating jobs for Americans, have been caught in a lie. Their actions have proven they have no intention whatsoever of creating good jobs for Americans. Cheap labor only. That's the Republican way!
Friday, October 1, 2010
"How Democrats Can Pull Off the Mother of All Upsets
I hope you all get a chance to read Michael Moore's great piece on Huffingtonpost today, in which he shares prescription for victory, and argues for five things Democrats can do to win in November
He then asks his fellow democrats to contribute their own ideas, so I thought I'd share mine here. Feel free to add your own, or go over to Huffingtonpost and share them with Michael Moore, too.
Voters like candidates who stand for their values, as opposed to those who waffle on them. Therefore, Democrats should stand proud for the historic achievements they made in 2 short years, despite the GOP obstructing a record number of bills.
Democrats have passed smart, moral, and financially sound reforms.
Stand proud for the Affordable Care Act, which ended discrimination for preexisting conditions, and covered millions of uninsured Americans, all while remaining budget neutral.
They should be proud of Financial Reform, which prevents another collapse like the one we had in 2008, by creating a new market for derivatives trading, updating regulations, and creating a consumer watchdog agency to protect us against unfair business practices.
Democrats should be proud of the Recovery Act, which stopped the recession, while at the same time cutting taxes for working Americans to the lowest point in over 50 years.
They should speak out about the 100 billion investment in private green tech sector growth, which will lead to a renewal of our American manufacturing infrastructure and will put America on the leading edge of the coming green economic boom.
The Democrats have shown vision, as opposed to the other party which just stands there and says no.
Democrats should be proud of making that vision a possibility.
They turned this country in a new direction, and opened the door to a brighter future.
In November, we need to get out the vote and walk through that open door.
He then asks his fellow democrats to contribute their own ideas, so I thought I'd share mine here. Feel free to add your own, or go over to Huffingtonpost and share them with Michael Moore, too.
Voters like candidates who stand for their values, as opposed to those who waffle on them. Therefore, Democrats should stand proud for the historic achievements they made in 2 short years, despite the GOP obstructing a record number of bills.
Democrats have passed smart, moral, and financially sound reforms.
Stand proud for the Affordable Care Act, which ended discrimination for preexisting conditions, and covered millions of uninsured Americans, all while remaining budget neutral.
They should be proud of Financial Reform, which prevents another collapse like the one we had in 2008, by creating a new market for derivatives trading, updating regulations, and creating a consumer watchdog agency to protect us against unfair business practices.
Democrats should be proud of the Recovery Act, which stopped the recession, while at the same time cutting taxes for working Americans to the lowest point in over 50 years.
They should speak out about the 100 billion investment in private green tech sector growth, which will lead to a renewal of our American manufacturing infrastructure and will put America on the leading edge of the coming green economic boom.
The Democrats have shown vision, as opposed to the other party which just stands there and says no.
Democrats should be proud of making that vision a possibility.
They turned this country in a new direction, and opened the door to a brighter future.
In November, we need to get out the vote and walk through that open door.
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