Who blinked?

On my way home last night – the Majority Report was covering the news conferences live that dealt with the apparent compromise between Democrats and Republicans over the use of filibusters and the “nuclear option..” So after I got settled in for the night, I watched both Reid and Frist give their viewpoints on what happened with the proposed settlement. At one point they basically contradicted each other; saying almost the opposite of the other: Reid said they would still filibuster if they wanted, Frist said they wouldn’t.

(Later it was identified that only two nominees would still have the filibuster in effect.)

Now I can’t really say that the news is all that surprising – but the muck of it is – I’m not sure anything was exactly solved. I like the fact that you had Senators that were telling the White House to back off – and to act a bit more responsibly with their nominees, yet I’m reminded exactly how irresponsible this Administration is and how fruitless it would be to shake a finger at them and tell them no.

Bush isn’t going to be intimidated by this, c’mon.

After hearing Reid speak last night – I really felt that the Democrats won – but after thinking about it a great deal, I really don’t think that happened. It gave way to the “up or down” votes that the Republicans wanted. Why do the Reds want that?? Because they know they have the votes to get their chosen ones confirmed.

Yet if you hear the Blues – they are saying that they still reserve the right to filibuster if they choose.

So the question I have is: ”Who blinked??”

Or rather: ”Who caved??”

Both sides are claiming defeat and victory – yet considering that the Republicans ultimately got what they wanted is (in my eyes) prize they wanted – and eventually got.

Was it the cots that were being brought in for the extended session??

Or was it seemingly innocuous, “unannounced” visit by Justice Rehnquist to the Senate that caused the spur to find resolve in this? Renquist’s health only highlights the battle for the Supreme Court that will surely happen during Bush’s tenure.

I’m not fond of the white flag mentality – yet if there was some deeper deal struck that caused the peace, it’s my hope that it is fair for everyone. I hope it’s responsible and conscionable. I’m sick of the pandering, I’m sick of the “gotta have it my way” approach that this administration is stuck on and I’m sick of this political stick and carrot that we live by.

Over 90% of Bush’s nominees were approved.

Meaning that over 90% of the names he put up for appointments and nominees were approved by the Democrats.

Still want to shove it in our face that the Democrats are being unfair during this process? Knowing a little bit about Parliamentary procedure – the Republicans should be eternally grateful that the Democrats have backed down. The President should be a bit more receptive when there are issues with the names he’s putting out there.

He should do the responsible thing, the “let’s get along” thing, and say – “I’ll meet you half way in the road, let’s work this out.”


Problem being: this just isn’t going to happen with this Administration.


So we’ll be going back to “business as usual” and I hope we all don’t get raped because of it.

Coming up:
- Scary provisions in the new Patriot act
- Clear Skies Act isn’t what it’s cracked up to be
- Stem Cell Research will be voted on – and subsequently vetoed by George Bush

The Newsweek Gaffe

This whole Newsweek issue has really made me laugh not because of what was alleged in the article – but the subsequent hypocrisy by OUR government by saying that it gives our country a bad reputation.

Holy Smokes, Batman – please say it’s not true!! America is getting a black eye from a story that was leaked to a major magazine alleging that members of our military have desecrated the Koran by flushing it down a toilet during an interrogation??

What about going to war under false pretenses??

What about LYING to the people of the United States about WMD??

What about LYING to the leaders of the WORLD about WMD??

What about removing a ruthless dictator because of what we perceived??

What about the countless other civil wars, ethnic cleansings, and other atrocities being committed in other nations, under other ruthless dictators??

Black eye syndrome??

Faulty intelligence??

If the Newsweek article was factually incorrect – then they should issue a correction.. But even as they retracted the story on the basis that they made a mistake – we have an administration that admitted that they too acted on faulty intelligence, flawed information when they sent countless thousands to their graves, and tipped the balance of power in an unstable region..

I’m tired of the Bush rhetoric that Saddam was an evil person who needed to be removed from power.. Yes, I get that.. But let’s not forget that in addition to those countries going under civil wars, we have two “axis of evil” partners that have slid unscathed under our intelligence radars, Mr. President..

North Korea and Iran have become legitimate power brokers under your watch.. Furthermore, let’s not forget that this administration has placed a time bomb in the Middle East in the form of Iraq.. Set aside the insurgents, set aside the security issues and other infra-structure related problems that remain today (some two years after our initial invasion); I’m referring to the elections that were held earlier in the year..

Once again, everyone seems to be forgetting about the winners of the Iraqi election and the purported connections to Iran..

It seems as though the whole “image” issue is the least of our worries….

So if anyone is TRULY interested in improving our image – let’s start at the top and work our way down.. Let’s consider that whenever someone important is captured, they are being interrogated in countries that permit torture – so we don’t have to..

How convenient..

Wash our hands – someone else did the torture, we gained the information.. Remarkable!!

It’s not going to be until everyone wakes up and realizes that the image of the US has been mortally wounded since the invasion of Iraq.. Were we freeing the oppressed people of Iraq, sure.. Were we hunting those pesky WMDs?? Absolutely.. Are the Iraqi people glad we’re still there?? Um, no.. Were any links to Iraq and WMD ever found?? Erm, no, sorry..

Talk about a stain to wear..

So..

Did Newsweek add fuel to the fire?? Perhaps.. Did they do something wrong?? If it was factually incorrect – yes.. If they were fed the information as a means to control what they right about – absolutely not.. I fear the latter is holding more water and truth these days..

When we live in a society where the Administration can pay off media to write to their advantage, we’re dealing with governmental propaganda.. Further, we’re no better off than the former Soviet Union or those that have endured the atrocities under Saddam Hussein.. Propaganda – any propaganda is wrong..

I don’t care if it’s democrat
I don’t care if it’s republican..

There, I said it..

When we diminish the available information into some sort of sick twisted monstrosity – yeah, I’m gonna get a little bent out of shape.. When it’s funded, fueled, and subsequently catered to a segment of the populous: this is when it should be made illegal..

I’m not against free speech..

I’m against distorted news reporting..

I’m for opinions, editorials, and independent thoughts carefully separated from the news stories I read, hear or watch.. If it’s factual, it should be reported without opinion, without bias, without slant, slander, or manipulation.. I don’t care if you’re Air America or Fox News..

It’s got to stop..

Then maybe we can finally make educated decisions of what is best for our place in the world and not be succumbed by the wishes of a selected few.. Again – I have no care if it’s a red or blue issue.. I care about integrity, I care about the truth, and I care about honesty.. Our founding fathers had no intention to somehow approve of such ostentatious behavior by any party..

It’s gotta start somewhere..

If Newsweek got it right – hang in there.. If they were lied to, so as to set them in a trap that would eventually dirty their news – then I really hope those that engineered that project gets what’s coming to them.. If Newsweek reported an outright lie – shut them down..

Fox News?? You’re next..

Fair and balanced really does need to be held to the same standards, don’t they??

Base closing coincidence??

There's a certain amount of irony in this story about how the base close list coincides with the 2004 Presidental Results....

The Legacy?

I may not be as jubilant as Bill Maher when it comes to the situation in Iraq.. Yes they had elections.. Yes they have representative government.. Yes it seems to be a much more favored way of existing in a land riddled with so many different points of view - it makes one's head spin..

The Iraqi Assembly appears to be sputtering because they can't really come to a consensus about much of anything.. Yes, I realize that sometimes a democracy takes a long time to develop.. But is this really a surprise?? It's not as though their melting pot is on a good bubble right now.. Things take time to change, to adapt, and more importantly - to grow..

I find it really no different than how our two parties can't seem to agree when it comes to Judicial Appointments and other hotly contested issues.. Can you actually imagine what it would be like if our entire governmental system was wiped clean and we were told: "start over.." We wouldn't have a system in place FOR YEARS, DECADES or longer!! We can't even agree if the right to filibuster should be a right?!?!?!!!!

More importantly -- look at our own history and overlay the fact that it took our founding fathers YEARS before we could have a government that we could employ ... and even then we had to have a CIVIL WAR in order to finalize the whole enchilada.....

Iraq is no different..

These are factions of people whose only commonality was the fact they were repressed under the Saddam regime.. They may or may not share the same religion.. They have different issues with the Kurds of the north and the Shiites of the South.. Different ideologies, different cultures and subsets.. The melting pot doesn't like partitions in the tray....

In fact, Iraq has been put in the microwave by the US - and said "please form a democracy in 30 seconds!!" Guess what - not going to happen.. The one fact that everyone seems to agree on is the fact that we need to finish what we started.. But I hope no one forgets that it was the antics of a select few that got us in this mess to begin with..

I digress..

The Iraq condundrum is going to be magnified in the coming years.. Some will say that it is a success - yet I caution not to bring out the champagne just yet.. If they are to follow our lead, there will be an outright Civil War on a scale that will probably make Saddam look like an ant-squasher.. Moreover, there's no way of knowing exactly what form the "final part" will look like.. There were the indications that this new government has substantial ties to Iran -- something that has gone unreported since the elections.. What will happen when some new leader emerges that happens to conflict with America's blueprint for the region?? Will we have to take him out of office too??

(Let's not forget that little nugget of history where we helped get Saddam in office to begin with..)

I find it amazing that we've instilled several of the attributes that democracies like the US are founded on.. Yet even today, some 200+ years in our own infancy, we are completely different than the charters that were originally brought to Massachusetts.. To mention again - the process took YEARS..

For example - women's rights..

I'm a big proponent of women's rights.. I think anytime a group of people has been exiled out of the process is a system wrought with problems.. To be a true democracy instills the intrinsic rights for all -- not just a select few.. But what has happened in Iraq, is something that only America could conceive.. Let's not forget our own past and how it was ludicrous to believe that a woman should have a right to cast a vote in a man's world.. This type of oppressive attitude is magnified on a very deep level over in Iraq -- mainly due to their belief structure that looks to keep women held down, out of sight and definitely not anywhere near any cabinet position..

Iraq has been liberated for just over a year..

The woman's suffrage movement started in 1850 and lasted 70 YEARS before a woman could vote for the first time in 1920.. The first woman ever elected to a position was 1887 when Susanna Madora Salter became mayor of Argonia, Kansas.. The first woman elected to Congress of the United States was 1918 -- Jeanette Rankin of Montana.. It's a process that started in 1848 with the Seneca Falls Convention -- but was not taken seriously until 62 years later..

I am in no way suggesting that women should be excluded from the process.. I am saying that these women will become targets and those who are not ready to share their Assembly with a woman.. As much as the powers that be want to make Iraq in our image -- the country is not ready, the culture is not ready, the people are not ready.. Suggesting that all we have to do is draft a document, have an election, and call it a democracy ... is nothing short of an irresponsible policy at best..

It takes time to change one's belief structure.. Our own history has evidence of this..

Anyone who entertains the notion that all we had to do in Iraq, was to make them a bit more like us - and they will prosper is not saying very much for the process it takes to make such a system work.. In the short-term, at least long enough for Bush to see it - he will finally have his legacy.. He got rid of a tyrant.. But let's have history revisit Iraq and the region in 2105 before adding that second wing to the George W. Bush Presidential library..

In Iraq, we've accelerated the process in a region that is already volatile, already on the brink of some disastrous revolution, and have installed a government that is meant to appease our look in the mirror.. We have an administration that believes that we have a "winning formula" for the people of Iraq.. Yet I'm hesitant to believe that the same people who orchestrated the war with Iraq to begin with - has a winning formula when the equation isn't written in a text book..