Never Again

1:07 pm EST July 27th, 2006 | Politics | 60 Comments

In the 1960s foreign policy idealogues pushed the idea of unprovoked intervention in a foreign country in order to – via proxy – fight another ideology they considered evil. They didn’t fight themselves, of course, but sent an entire generation to die in their stead, refusing to ackowledge reality until the nation said “no more”.

You think people would learn from their mistakes, but it happened again. Again America has been engaged in a war of choice that not only has led to misery and destabalization, but has also allowed our true enemies to operate globally with a free hand. Never again. Don’t be conned by the Cons.

Respect Matters

11:07 pm EST July 26th, 2006 | Politics | 14 Comments

A lot of conservatives like to pooh-pooh international opinion. “Who cares what the French think?” they say, “what does it matter what our allies say about us?”. And aesthetically it may not matter at all. But especially in the post-Cold War era, America is the leader of the world. What we say matters, what we do reverberates across the globe. We are not on an island of our own.

Americans have clearly recognized that under George W. Bush, our nation lacks respect. That means if we want to do anything, forget building coalitions of the willing or otherwise. This arrogance predated the 9/11 and the Iraq War, but those two events along with a whipped opposition party gave the right a free hand to trash our good name. Now when our chief diplomat meets others around the world, our word is useless.

The words of the United States ought to mean something. It isn’t all bluster and acting like a petulant child. Under presidents of all parties, we’ve been the “shining beacon on the hill”. That’s gone now. I just hope it can come back someday.

I Too, Hate

11:07 pm EST July 26th, 2006 | News | 4 Comments

This is only going to make sense if you live/work in the Metro DC/MD/VA area, but I too seriously hate the new woman’s voice on the Metro.

“Dingy-dingy STAND BACK, DOORS CLOSING”

Shut. Up.

Topic: Maryland

Twilight Of The Insane “Religious” Right Wing?

11:07 pm EST July 26th, 2006 | Politics | 21 Comments

For years we’ve discussed the crazies who form the backbone of the Republican party. The anti-choice crusaders who get excited about abortion clinic bombings and would like nothing more than to replace the constitution with the Bible. We’ve heard much about how glad they are to have one of their own in the White House, the supposedly born-again George Bush.

But in this most recent incidence of violence in the middle east, does it seem to anyone that the religious right is a little too eager? A little too… excited at the prospect of judgement day being near?

In a July 22 commentary posted on WorldNetDaily.com titled “On the threshold of Armageddon?” Rev. Jerry Falwell, founder and chairman of the Moral Majority Coalition, wrote: “It is apparent, in light of the rebirth of the state of Israel, that the present-day events in the Holy Land may very well serve as a prelude or forerunner to the future Battle of Armageddon and the glorious return of Jesus Christ.”

I’m curious. Is it possible that Bush is of this belief as well? He’s always done a good job of hiding the crazy side of his supposed fundamentalism, preferring to speak in code of “the culture of life” while refusing to actually stand side by side with his fellow abortion prohibitionists. But it would be nice for some reporter to dig into this. Does the president have a messianic view of the current situation in the middle east? Or is his base just crazy?

“The Year Of The Black Republican”

11:07 pm EST July 26th, 2006 | Politics | 7 Comments

If you listened to the Republicans and the MSM you’d think every year was the “Year of the Black Republican”, because according to them someday sometime soon the party of Willie Horton is going to have somebody (anybody) to parade around in elected office besides J.C. Watts.

Of course, dovetailing with the Republican attempts to invalidate or deny the votes of black Americans, the GOP couldn’t get the black vote if they were handing out free money. Black Americans are simply not going to reward the party of Katrina, sluggish employment growth, and Trent “I Wish The Segregationists Had Won” Lott with their votes.

That’s why you have the spectacle of Maryland’s Michael Steele shucking and jiving because while he likes the dollah dollah bills the GOP blesses him with, he knows that he’s dead in the water if anyone puts two and two together about his Republicanism. Hence the attempt at a (sloppy) extreme makeover.

In Ohio, Ken Blackwell – the handpicked candidate of the religious right crazies – is down 20 points to Ted Strickland.

If this trend keeps up, I’m asking the GOP for another “Year of the Black Republican” two years from now. We Democrats would really appreciate it.

Cons: Full Of Crap

2:07 pm EST July 26th, 2006 | Politics | 9 Comments

You didn’t need Oliver to tell you that, but here you go.

Another Reason I’ll Never Be Dumb Enough To Be A Conservative

9:07 am EST July 26th, 2006 | Politics | 78 Comments

Andrew Sullivan and one of his readers have come to the brilliant conclusion that the reason liberal blogs aren’t pounding out opinions on the Israeli-Lebananon (latest) crisis is that liberals support terror group Hezbollah and/or are anti-semitic. Ever hear anything so dumb? I didn’t think so. The conservative mindset on this and other issues is never capable of anything more complex than “Israel = Good”. As such, the only way they are ever capable of commenting on the story is to defend Israel the way they defend the Bush administration, without regard to any sort of actual facts. I don’t speak for the online left, but the story is clearly more complex than that.

Israel clearly has a right to defend itself, but the question is does the right to such defense come at the expense of innocent bystanders whose only sin is being in Lebanon? At what point does understandable defense turn into blind retaliation?

And it is true, as Duncan points out, that the ongoing media orgy over “Day X of the Middle East Crisis” absolutely ignores the fact that today is Day 1,224 of The War In Iraq In Which American Soldiers Are Dying.

Rumblings…

8:07 pm EST July 25th, 2006 | Uncategorized | 10 Comments

Gibbs eyes Super Bowl return

With Saunders in tow, Gibbs is able to focus on what he does best: Select the players he wants, motivate them and mold them into a unit. Besides, his old offense really wasn’t doing that well. It took nearly a year back from retirement for him to realize his attack was antiquated, and last year’s run ended with tepid performances in the playoffs against Tampa Bay and Seattle.

Most importantly, the lighter load offers Gibbs the stamina to accomplish his main goal. Gibbs did not leave NASCAR for the NFL just to prove he can make the playoffs again – he wants a fourth Super Bowl ring.

Saunders and Bugel recalled a recent offseason speech in which Gibbs told the team: “Winning is good, but we’re here to win it all.”

“Ten-and-six is unacceptable,” said Bugel, referring to last year’s record. “Just getting to the playoffs, that’s ho-hum. One great thing about Joe Gibbs is when he looks around and thinks he has a good football team, he won’t be ashamed to talk about what his goals are.”

Topic: Redskins

Steele’s Makeover Attempt

7:07 pm EST July 25th, 2006 | Politics | 5 Comments

It’s been admitted now that the Post story from this morning is Michael Steele, attempting to hide his conservative Republican credentials in order to be seen as different from his party, the Republicans.

“He realizes that he can’t win being a conservative Republican in Maryland in 2006,” said Maryland Democratic Party spokesman Arthur Harris. “He’s out of touch with the majority of Marylanders.”

In a statement, Democratic Party Chairman Terry Lierman pointed out that Steele, despite distancing himself from Bush, has held fundraisers with numerious Republican luminaries, including the President himself, Vice President Cheney, Bush adviser Karl Rove and Republican Party Chairman Ken Mehlman.

Nationally, Democrats eagerly pointed to Steele as an example of Republicans running away from Bush in the mid-term elections.

A Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee news release dubbed Steele “a premier member of Republicans Anonymous” and highlighted the fact that Steele’s campaign Web site does not mention he is a Republican.

The Clinton Legacy

5:07 pm EST July 25th, 2006 | Politics | 26 Comments

I hear what some people say when they don’t feel President Clinton was progressive enough in his eight years… but frankly, Clinton got crap support from the left during his presidency. It wasn’t until he faced impeachment that House Dems rallied around him.

Sure, I’m an avowed Clintonista but even from an objective point of view the only two-term Democratic president in a generation who balanced the budget, reformed welfare and actually caught terrorists on his watch is worthy of praise.