What's Really Important Just A Few Things
I thought instead of writing a major blog about one topic, I’d briefly talk about a few things on my mind. It seems that every day something annoying occurs that deserves mention.
This whole waterboarding debate is remarkable. I can’t believe there is anyone on the planet actually believing it does not represent torture, and, if it doesn’t why use it? It appears all too many believe torture is confined to procedures that only leave physical marks, deformities or disabilities, regardless of the emotional and psychological scarring. Many come back from war zones with no physical injuries but suffering in various degrees from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Does it not count when it leaves no physical scars or injuries?
I heard one political pundit (guess which party) refer to it as splashing a bit of cold water on someone. No doubt that will make them talk! Perhaps that pundit would volunteer for a session himself to confirm this belief? Matter of fact, why don’t we just line up everyone claiming it’s not torture and let them experience it for themselves; and it won’t be for just two minutes, and they won’t be told when it will end. Sound fair?
This leads me to Senator Diane Feinstein. I’ve always voted for her, believing she was better than the alternatives, something I now question. I sent a strong email of disapproval to her when she voted “aye” on the Senate resolution to censure the MoveOn Petraeus ad. I don’t believe it is the Congress’ role to censure political ads. This is a free speech issue.
The straw breaking the proverbial camel’s back, however, was her recent statement that she would vote for Judge Mukasey for Attorney General in spite of the fact that he can’t decide if waterboarding is indeed torture. According to her, “he isn’t Roberto Gonzales” and he “is the best we are going to get.” I’m sorry, but 1) I don’t want another Attorney General who condones torture, 2) I expect a member of Congress to go beyond this level of mediocrity, and 3) I’m sick and tired of people in Congress enabling what I consider the worst presidency in my lifetime, and perhaps ever, simply because the president gets petulant and goes on TV telling us anyone disagreeing with him is unpatriotic or doesn’t want to keep America safe. This would be funny in a TV sitcom, but not in our national leadership.
And speaking of a petulant president, we have one who now stomps away from those who challenge him, slams the door on the way out, and then a day or so later accuses Congress of wasting time with Congressional oversight. Of course it’s not really surprising he is unaware that oversight is one of the primary roles of the Legislative Branch. Up until the midterm elections of 2006 he had gotten use to co-existing with a same party rubber stamp Congress that gave him whatever he asked for.
The very next day he warns us on national TV that by holding up the confirmation of his new Attorney General nomination the Democrats in Congress are subjecting the nation to a possible Bin Laden attack (the guy he says he doesn’t think about much anymore). First, I don’t buy into that flawed logic, and secondly, this nation doesn’t just confirm presidential nominations because it’s what the president wants. There is a process for a purpose, and the need for it in this situation is discussed in paragraphs two and five above.
What I find curious is that although many Congressional Republicans are beginning to speak out against various presidential actions and edicts of late, they don’t seem to follow that talk with the appropriate vote against them. Talk doesn’t make change, action does. And why aren’t more voters outraged over the diminishing of the Constitution and gross empowerment of the Executive Branch under this president? Does partisanship now take precedence over the welfare of the nation and it’s people?
As a change of pace, did you know there is a religious group known as the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas that actually pickets the funerals of soldiers killed in action? Albert Snyder, whose son was killed in Iraq is suing this church of fundamentalists for picketing the funeral services, and carrying signs saying things like “Thank God for dead soldiers” “Thank God for IEDs.”
Two of the people holding such signs were ten and thirteen year old members of the founders of the church, namely the Fred Phelps Sr. family, which has apparently “picketed at more than 30,000 events in the last 17 years” according to the Sacramento Bee. The Bee goes on to claim the Phelpses say they protested the funeral because the dead soldier “was a member of the military, defending a country they said has institutionalized sodomy.”
Geeeeeeeze, I have to wonder if the pictures of this family don’t show up in dictionaries next to the word moron. I would imagine that a vast majority of Christians in our nation would be quite offended by the way this family and church represents the teachings of Christ! Thank God most people aren’t totally insane!
I’ll end this on a lighter note. If you watched the last presidential debate you noticed that Dennis Kucinich was asked to confirm a statement he had once made saying he had seen a UFO (simply an unidentified flying object). He wasn’t going to lie about what he had said, being unlike so many other politicians and a religious leader I can think of (all of whom seemed unaware that all their statements were on video tape), so he acknowledged having made such a claim.
After the debate, the commentator of Hardball, Chris Matthews thought this was the most incredulous thing he had ever heard. He went on and on about it in a tone filled with ridicule. I guess he was trying to make a point that Kucinich did not belong in the White House, but in Bedlam instead.
I believe something like fourteen percent of Americans (at least 42,000,000) have stated they believe in UFOs, and personally, I’d much rather have a President who is open minded about UFOs than one who doesn’t believe in evolution.
Just a few things worthy of mention.
Comments
I am always amazed at how much of what you say, Stephen, goes through my mind. You wrote: "And why aren’t more voters outraged over the diminishing of the Constitution and gross empowerment of the Executive Branch under this president? Does partisanship now take precedence over the welfare of the nation and it’s people?" And why are the politicians not acting? I am so thoroughly disgusted with this inaction. What is the reason? Are they being threatened??? Is it like the fear portrayed in the movie "All the President's Men"? I don't understand.
Posted by: Sharon | November 5, 2007 07:06 PM
I've seen a UFO. I'm not saying I think it was alien craft, but it was in the sky, it was really strange, and I sure as hell couldn't tell what it was.
Unfortunately, Mukasey's inability to denounce waterboarding is not the most serious count against him, in my book. I am seriously disgusted with Shumer and Feinstein, but maybe they'll read our email messages tonight and have a change of heart. Tune in to C-Span in the morning to find out how the Judicial committee votes.
Posted by: dougt | November 5, 2007 07:28 PM
It has continued to be a puzzle to me as well Sharon. The only thing I can come up with thus far, as concerns the general voting public is that the Democrats have been so villified and demonized by the right wing media bash machine that they honestly believe there is no fate worse than having a Democrat in the presidency. They have even been brainwashed into forgetting how really well they and everyone else had it during the Clinton years.
As for the Republicans in Congress, God only knows, or perhaps "the Shadow" does? Why those people are willing to sell out their own power as members of the House and Senate is beyond me. They are an equal branch of government, and act like they are subserviant to the Executive Branch. It makes no sense. That they are gutless is one part of the equation; the why I have no answer to.
Posted by: Stephen | November 5, 2007 07:34 PM
i like this assorted subject comments blog and hope you write more of them - so many things to keep up with...waterboarding - i remember as a kid watching Emma Peel being tied to a dunking plank and repeatedly submerged into a pond (The Avengers episode "Murdersville" 1961)... of course this was done by the EVILDOERS, who else would torture people? ... Diane Feinstein is worse than Lieberman, her and her husband Blum are major war profiteers and she is as corrupt as anyone in govt... this article has the goods:
http://www.metroactive.com/feinstein/.
as for Kucinich seeing a UFO remember that Carter did too and the media forgets Reagan did on more than one occasion... not to mention his & nancy's astrologers hahaha... thanks for your blog and thanks to all who comment.
Viva Chavez!
Posted by: heartfood | November 5, 2007 07:43 PM
Doug, what do you see as the more serious count against Mukasey? I have to admit I don't know that much about him. The fact he didn't have the balls to admit waterboarding is torture was enough for me. For a judge, he sure doesn't seem to know how to make a valid judgment.
heartfood, are you sure those weren't jelly beans Reagan saw, perhaps Nancy was dropping them from the White House balcony?
Emma Peel was HOT! lol. Was she wearing a Tee shirt? I hate to admit it but I went to the Broadway play Abelard and Heloise many years ago just to see her nude on the stage! Me bad.
Thanks for that Feinstein URL, I will look at it presently.
Posted by: Stephen | November 5, 2007 08:17 PM
Yes there are so many things and as I told you shorter is better and we have we are a collective mind searching like ancient warriors trying to find the switch to open the temple of doom only to find an ad for your favorite beer. You gotta figure that one out.
I see lemmings WHO REFUSE TO SEE WE WERE THE TERRORISTS,we invaded a country as terrorists with a cheney, bush twist. Wonder why they didn't tell anyone...? They would have been stopped right there. This was all put in place eons ago as THE NEW WORLD ORDER...whether they didn't know how dumb this little man would be with his title I don't know. WE LOST ALREADY, we are the country losing face and the lemmings flock behind him....
As for UFO, yes they have been spotted for years. The American Government has tried to shut down that reality for eons......we do have real UFO's and many of us have done the deprogramming of the victims. However, by no means do they want to hurt or destroy our planet......you may be talking to one of the children from the third planet where they are the mixture of us and them. They look like us...they do have emotions..unlike the aliens that we call the second planet who do not experience emotion and are trying to gain what they need to survive. I wouldn't wish this on an enemy.
Why have we got so much to say that bothers us, and it just gets worse.
We know DA BUSH is already planning another invasion before he leaves. He is really a very sick man mentally, emotionally, and as I have seen sexually.
The Republicans have been such capitalism pigs that they failed to care about people, and our country. They have killed what we stood for. At this point in time, Clinton would be welcomed in the White House as the first laddie.
How does this is end? Will the weather destroy our lands as the old prophecies predicted?
Will man just keep just killing each other off? That is open for discussion as is anything I say. Sorry, I am not into using the big words, or the political words. Long words are dull people. If you are talking to someone, as we are here, why talk down to them when we can pretend we hear each other clearly and pointedly sharing our minds..(that is a stupid joke)
Steven there are more questions than answers. Our entire political system is so brainwashed themselves that everyone is running in all directions since the democrats stepped in.
It is also time to abolish the electorial votes. The person we chose as by popular demand doesn't count......we would not be at war if it did.
Sorry, I do ramble don't I?
I think it is time for a meeting of the minds at a higher level of being that is what we must reach for basic sanity.
Posted by: BENITA | November 5, 2007 10:17 PM