Where do we go from here? (Part I)

Today’s post is a bit of a divergence from my usual format. Rather than rant about current events or point out the failings of the current administration and congress from my admittedly serious left bent, I want to toss around some ideas. I’d like to focus on what we could, what we should be doing in this great nation of ours. The first subject I want to tackle is the U.S. educational system.

There is perhaps no other single issue that will more clearly define the future of our country than the quality of our educational system. And the sad truth is the current condition of our nation’s education system is abysmal. Despite the Republican’s silver bullet of “No Child Left Behind”, our schools are continuing to fail, and we remain far behind the rest of the industrialized world in the areas of math and science – perhaps the most important educational disciplines in today’s, and more importantly, tomorrow’s world.

I believe the U.S. educational system needs a complete overhaul, from the ground up. It’s more than just setting standards and trying to boost test scores. It should also be about engaging students in the educational process. Too many children in our schools remain unengaged, unenthusiastic, uninvolved. School has become a chore to our students, or even worse, just a place to pass the time. We need to make the educational process something more than just glorified childcare.

Teaching methods need to be revisited. And our nation’s educational facilities need to be modernized, or even completely rebuilt. The focus must be on interactive education, getting students active and involved in the learning process. We humans are born students of the world around us, and we are naturally inquisitive beings. Educators should take advantage of this from an early age, and seek to instill a lifetime love of learning and discovery. This should be reflected in teaching methods, materials, and facilities. Making education fun is not a new concept. It is simply a severely underused one. School should be an ongoing voyage of discovery, with students able to build on their strengths and learn to overcome their weaknesses. You want a kid to learn something? Don’t just give him the answer; teach him how to discover it for himself.

One area that seems to be “off the radar” in America’s educational system is the subject of parental involvement. Encouraging parents to take an active role in their children’s educational process is something that all educators should do. Sadly, and I speak from personal experience here, many teachers and administrators only pay lip service to the idea of involved parents. Publicly, they “encourage” parental involvement, put in reality; they just want parents to “stay out of the way”. I suppose some of this attitude comes from being defensive about having people tell them how to do their job. But I think if they gave the concept a chance, educators in this country would discover they have a valuable ally in the parents of their students. I’m sure that there are teachers and administrators out there who have figured this out, but this needs to become the rule, not the exception in our country’s educational system.

Access to higher education is still too exclusive in our country. For many students and their families, the only option available for a decent college education is going into massive debt, with the possibility of later defaulting on that debt, which benefits no one. Let’s face it; with college tuition at an all-time high, the average American family can’t easily afford to send even one child to a four-year school. It can be argued that the purpose of elementary and secondary education is to prepare a young person for life in the “real world”. I would argue that the purpose of higher education is to prepare a young person for success, and sow the seeds of the nation’s future. Why then, would this country offer anything less than a higher education to every student who desires it? Without the threat of long-term financial hardship. Without the requirement of military service. Without the need to be a star athlete. The only requirement should be a desire to learn, and evidence of academic accomplishment. This is after all, the future of our country we are talking about. Shouldn’t we, as a nation, be willing to do everything we can to make that future bright?

Critics of overhauling the education system in our country might argue that the system is fine, now that “No Child” is on the books. Let’s stay the course. Now, where have I heard that argument before? The educational system in our country is broken. It has been for a long time. Closing our collective eyes and hoping the problem will just go away will never fix things. Others might ask, “Where are we going to get the money?” My response would be, let’s get our priorities straight in this country. We waste entirely too much of the taxpayers’ money on unnecessary bureaucracies, questionable programs, and needless pet projects. You’ll never convince me that the money isn’t there, it is. It’s simply being used for the wrong things. Perhaps we waste so much money because we don’t care. More likely, it’s because we’re not as good at math as the rest of the world – and the test scores prove it.

A follow-up on my previous post...

An internet angel was kind enough to forward me the following contact information for those truly behind the Carter censure effort. Thanks Sarah!


The folks behind the Censure Carter movement
(from http://www.warblogging.com/archives/000870.php )
Contact these "Domestic Enemies" and tell them what you think.

Executive Director Move America Forward Robert Dixon : robert@moveamericaforward.org

Russo Marsh + Rogers, Inc. 770 L Street, #950 Sacramento, CA 95814
Telephone: (916) 441-3734 Fax: (916) 441-6057

Sal Russo: srusso@rmrwest.com
Ron Rogers: rrogers@rmrwest.com
Teri Smith O'Rourke: torourke@rmrwest.com
Joe Wierzbicki: jwierzbicki@rmrwest.com
Kelley Afghari: kafghari@rmrwest.com
Douglas Lorenz: dlorenz@rmrwest.com

As I said, let's light 'em up!

OK you scumbags, now you’ve REALLY pissed me off!

There is an extreme right-wing gaggle of nutjubs out there who are starting a campaign to censure former President Jimmy Carter. Why do they want to do this? Well, if you watch their TV ad, the primary reason is in retaliation for Senator Russ Feingold having the audacity to call for the censure of a true criminal, “President” George W. Bush. They also claim that because President Carter is willing to have dialogue with world leaders we disagree with, that he is deserving of censure.

This is sacrilege. This is an atrocity. This man, who has been the voice of peace and tolerance for the past 30 years, deserves better from those who would call themselves Americans. President Carter is a patriot. He is a statesman in the truest sense of the word. And "swift boat" tactics used to smear a great man like Carter are an insult to the intelligence of the American people.

These clowns who would criticize Carter for talking with contentious world leaders, when our “sitting” President (yep, that’s about all he does, sits on his ass) will not, forget their world history. Conversation is one of the reasons we are no longer in a cold war with the former Soviet Union, with the threat of nuclear war hovering over us. Conversation is why a lasting peace exists between Israel and Egypt, brokered by none other than President Jimmy Carter. And here I’ll even give Bushboy some credit… conversation is why we are no longer dealing with a potential nuclear terror threat in Libya.

I wrote a blog post about Carter back in March of this year, and while I won’t take up space by reposting it today, here’s a link, for anyone who would care to read it.

As to the thugs who would slander President Carter, here's some background info on the scumbags doing this...

Here's the main "Censure Carter" site:

http://www.censurecarter.org/

Here's the parent organization behind the whole thing:

http://www.moveamericaforward.org/

Here's background on the human excrement running the show:

http://www.moveamericaforward.org/index.php/MAF/AboutUs

Here's the e-mail address for the bottom-feeders pushing for a Carter censure:

Info@CensureCarter.Com

Let's light-em up folks, and put these poor excuses for human beings in their place!

Here's a bit more on the douchebags running this smear campaign:

According to their web site, "Move America Forward is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization committed to supporting America’s efforts to defeat terrorism and supporting the brave men and women of our Armed Forces." If they are so "non-partisan" how come the only people they have on their board are conservative hacks? I personally think that a not-for-profit who claims to be "non-partisan" should lose their not-for-profit tax status if they are proven to be a partisan organization. But, wait a minute, that makes too much sense. So, of course, it will never happen.

The founder of this organization, the (not so) Honorable Howard Kaloogian, was the guy who started the recall process for Gov. Gray Davis in California, and got Ahhnold elected. Says something about who we're dealing with here.

Seriously folks, write these assholes and tell them what you think. Let them know that they cannot so easily disgrace the name of one of our greatest citizens. Let them know that intimidation and “swift boat” tactics will not silence the justified dissent against the criminal regime currently in power in this country.

First Amendment? What First Amendment?

This weekend, Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez fired a shot across the bow of any journalists who still haven’t been intimidated by this administration. Suggesting that the government might prosecute reporters for publishing “classified” information – you know, things like the NSA spying on law-abiding Americans – Mr. Gonzalez seemed to be dropping a major hint to outfits like the New York Times and the Washington Post.

Gonzalez, appearing on ABC’s “This Week” stated, regarding prosecution of journalists, “There are some statutes on the book which, if you read the language carefully, would seem to indicate that that is a possibility”. Well Mr. Gonzalez, I’ll see your statutes and raise you one Constitutional Amendment. I’d really love to see the federal government start prosecuting journalists for exposing illegal activity on the part of the government. No court will uphold any such prosecution, including the dubya-stacked Supreme Court.

Not to mention the media backlash that would follow any Bush admin. prosecution of journalists. Remember something Mr. Gonzalez… it’s the media that helps to frame public opinion of your administration, and not just the media that you control. It wasn’t Congress that brought down Richard Nixon. It wasn’t the American people. It wasn’t the opposition party, it wasn’t his own party. It was the media. It was honest, aggressive reporters, and they didn’t even have an axe to grind. Imagine how kind they will be to you when you start prosecuting their colleagues. The old adage applies here… “Those who forget the past…”

And let’s not forget the hypocrisy here. The double standard. If Mr. Gonzalez were to apply his logic consistently, Robert Novak would be in jail. Mr. Novak after all, who I hesitate to call a journalist, was the one who first published not only Valerie Plame’s identity, but “outed” an entire CIA brass-plate operation, Brewster-Jennings. And then there are those within the administration who have leaked info, sometimes for political gain. Do not ask for whom the bell tolls Mr. Gonzalez, it tolls for thee.

Prosecuting journalists for reporting the truth. What’s next, hauling me off to jail for publishing an opposing view on my blog? Bring it on. If that is what it takes for America to see what this administration is all about, I say, “bring it on.”

Congressman Jefferson needs to “take one for the team”.

And I’m not referring to the Democratic Party. I’m talking about his constituents; I’m talking about his country. In light of the accusations against him, and the evidence made public this weekend, the Congressman should simply resign. This is not a Democrat or Republican issue, it is not a partisan issue at all. It is a question of ethics, and holding our elected officials to a higher standard.

The FBI raided Rep. Jefferson’s offices on Saturday, after a 14-month corruption investigation. Also made public this weekend was the existence of video showing Jefferson taking a $100,000 bribe, and the FBI discovering $90,000 of that same money in a freezer in the Congressman’s home. Here’s a Washington Post article on the latest developments:

FBI Says Jefferson Was Filmed Taking Cash

Rather than wait as long as humanly possible, like Tom DeLay, Congressman Jefferson should be a man, stand up and say, "I did wrong, and now I'm going to do right by my constituents and resign from Congress". Anything less than that, and Jefferson will be no better than DeLay, or Cunningham, or Taft, or Ney, or any of the other elected officials who have blatantly violated the trust of those they swore to represent. Democrat or Republican, such betrayal cannot and should not be tolerated by the American people.

We are deeply divided in this country. Those on the left, and those on the right can’t seem to see eye-to-eye on almost everything under the sun. But in this, we should be able to put aside our differences. In this, we should ALL agree. There is simply no room for, and we should have no tolerance for, the unabashed greed and corruption that we are seeing in public officials in our country.

We should expect better than this. The American people DESERVE better than this. And come November, Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative, we should all demand better than this. If we do, we will all be the better for it.

So many right-wing racists, so little time.

I thought perhaps that one blatant racist remark per week would be good enough for the racist-right. Guess I was wrong. Shortly after the new White House Press Secretary, Tony Snow, made his thinly veiled “tar baby” racist remark (twice), the king of intolerance himself, Bill O’Reilly, decided to jump on the bandwagon. On his Faux News show, “The O’Reilly Factor”, Bill chose to defend the “white power structure” in this country (his words, not mine). Mr. “O Really?” even suggested that, “according to the lefty zealots, the white Christians who hold power must be swept out by a new multicultural tide, a rainbow coalition, if you will.” Yes Bill, I'm afraid you’re right. In the words of the immortal Dr. Martin Luther King, “I have a dream”. Difference is, I hold my view because I believe in justice for ALL. You hold yours because you believe in power for the few.

What, may I ask is wrong with the concept of a “multicultural tide, a rainbow coalition” in this country? It certainly speaks to the spirit of the words “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal”. Problem is, that concept is a threat to the institutionalized racism that still exists in our country. It is a threat to the predominantly white power brokers, who roam the halls of power with impunity in this country, and hold all those who are “different” (different race, different faith, different ideology) with disdain and contempt. And it is a threat to the “good ol’ (white) boys” network of corrupt politicians, lobbyists, contractors, and clergy.

But in this, I think the racist-right has underestimated the strength and determination of the average Americans, who are sick and tired of “business as usual” in this country. And the first clue that the righties are going to get as to how badly they misjudged the American people is going to come in the elections this coming November. And the losses that they will suffer in the House and the Senate will be but the first volley in the battle for the very soul of our country.

Not so long ago, I was very discouraged about the prospects of the American people taking back their country. I had lost most of my hope that in the end; the “good guys” would win. It seemed that through their divisive and deceitful tactics, through their fear mongering and manipulation, the scum who had usurped the power of the people in our country would continue to hold the reins of power. But from what I’ve seen happening recently, from the daily public missteps of this criminal regime, from the signs of an awakening of the general populace, my hope has been restored. We WILL take our country back, and we will do it very soon.

My message to the conservatives, to the religious right, to the neo-con fascists, to the “white power structure” in this country… I’ll use a sentiment that you have been so happy to employ in the past: Be afraid. Be very afraid. The people are coming.

The party of Lincoln? “Honest Abe” would NOT be proud.

In the latest example of why most rational people consider the Republicans the party of cheaters, liars, and thugs, a former RNC official is about to be sentenced on telephone harassment charges related to a 2002 election scheme. The scheme involved hiring a telemarketing firm to place hang-up calls to “jam” the phone lines of a Democrat “get out the vote” program in New Hampshire. Here’s a Boston Herald article on the case…

http://news.bostonherald.com/election2004/view.bg?articleid=139653

I hope this is the first of many convictions on Republican election fraud. Because that is what it really is. The Republican party, in typical Rovian style, feels that the best way to win an election is to cheat.

What happened to the old-fashioned concept of offering up the best candidate? Or offering up the best ideas? Has that gone out of style?

Don't the Repubs. realize that when this sort of thing comes to light, it will produce a backlash against their party and their candidates? That voters who were "on the fence" will likely lean Democrat because they don't want a bunch of crooks, tricksters and cheaters in office. Whether that impression is accurate or not, that is the impression that people will have when they see things like this.

This case is one that HAS come to light. What other stunts like this (or worse) have yet to be revealed from previous elections? This type of activity is an affront to everything that our great country was founded upon. Our electoral system MUST be above partisan trickery and manipulation.

The American people will never forgive those who would dare to take away our most basic right, the right to vote for our representatives, through dirty tricks and outright cheating. If the Republicans think otherwise, they’re in for a rude awakening come this November.

This post sums up the frustration that a lot of us feel.

But I warn you, there are some graphic images in this post. Perhaps these will serve to "scare the stupid" out of those who still blindly support this President and his criminal regime.

Here's the link...

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/5/11/22508/2415

“Hug the tar baby” Tony? I mean, seriously, “hug the tar baby”????

Well, our new White House Press Secretary, Tony Snow made his podium debut yesterday… and fell flat on his face. Oh well, after all, it’s his first day at the podium, so we should take it easy on him. I just have one question for you Tony… WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU???

Here’s the context of the “tar baby” remark…

SNOW: If you go back and look through what he said, there was a reference of foreign to domestic calls. I am not going to stand up here and presume to declassify any kind of program. That is a decision the President has to make. I can't confirm or deny it. The President was not confirming or denying. Again, I would take you back to the USA Today story to give you a little context. Look at the poll that appeared the following day [...] something like 65% of the public was not troubled by it. Having said that, I don't want to hug the tar baby of trying to comment on the program... the alleged program, the existence of which I can neither confirm or deny.

Later on, Snow tried to justify his use of the phrase…

QUESTION: What are your personal goals? What do you hope to achieve here? Will you continue to televise these briefings? And would you put into English the phrase (OFF-MIKE) 'the tar baby'?

SNOW: Well, I believe 'hug the tar baby', we could trace that back to American lore.

American lore?? What, the “lore” of the KKK? Do you have any idea whatsoever Mr. Snow, how offensive that term is to most people? Or at least most reasonable people. You would think that you, as the public face of this administration, would choose your words more carefully. I mean really, didn’t they teach you ANYTHING at Fake Journalism School?

Here’s a bit of advice Tony… Go back to Faux News, where you’ll be free to fire off biased and racist propaganda without the cumbersome restrictions of journalistic integrity. This administration can drop the ball quite easily on it’s own, it doesn’t need your assistance. Trust me Tony, you’re not doing Uncle Dubya any favors by being behind the podium.

Our illustrious President neglected to mention…

That his 2006 budget, released Feb. 7th, 2005, funded only 210 border patrol agents, out of the 10,000 originally agreed to in the “National Intelligence Reform Act”. So now, since we don’t have the border patrol agents we need, it’s time to call out the National Guard?? This is just another example of the shortsightedness and total ineptitude of this administration. First they say they need to add 10,000 border patrol officers. Then they choose not to fund the increase. Now they decide to deploy the National Guard because we don’t have enough border patrol officers.

Or perhaps this was the plan all along? After all, this is the hot button issue that the Republicans CHOSE to use for the mid-term elections. Nothing like getting broad public support ahead of militarizing the border. So the question becomes, what is the long-term goal here? I mean, we are talking about the administration that has turned the concept of a hidden agenda into an art form. So what’s the Rovian scheme?

Perhaps I’m too much of a cynic. Perhaps I give this admin. too much credit. Given their history so far… I think not.

Posse Comitatus

In his latest attempt to divert attention from the catastrophe that is Iraq, the pending indictment of his brain (Karl Rove), his anemic poll numbers, and the most recent revelations regarding his domestic spying scheme, President Bush has tossed out the idea that we should send the National Guard to patrol the southern U.S. border. Never mind the fact that any domestic law enforcement activities taken on by the U.S. military would be a violation of the “Posse Comitatus” act of 1878. After all, Bush hasn’t met a U.S. law he wasn’t willing to violate. Perhaps he can consult with Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez and get one of his “signing statements” amended to the law.

This idea, like the idea of invading Iraq, is a disaster waiting to happen. The National Guard is neither trained, nor qualified to be border patrol agents. The role of the Guard has traditionally been one of responding to domestic crises, oftentimes to natural disasters. And yet nine months after the devastation of hurricane Katrina along the Gulf coast, rather than deploying our National Guard forces to help rebuild New Orleans, Gulf Port, and other areas, we’re going to deploy them to guard the border? Where the HELL are our leader’s priorities?

Many of the guardsmen who would be called up for this deployment have already had combat tours in Iraq, and have already spent enough time away from their families. Now, after being involved in a major military conflict, where “shoot to kill” was often a required mandate for survival, we’re going to send these soldiers down to our southern border, armed no doubt, and tell them to “secure the border.” How long will it be before the first potential illegal immigrants are returned to Mexico in body bags? How long until guardsmen on the border come home the same way? And what, may I ask, will that have accomplished?

Our illustrious President is going to go on national TV tonight to sell this proposition to the American people. The question is, will we be as gullible as we have been in the past regarding this administration’s cavalier attitude towards the lives of our men and women in uniform? Will we allow the further erosion of any semblance of accountability by this administration? And will we allow this President to ignore the Posse Comitatus act, as he has ignored so many other of our nation’s laws since he took the oath of office?

Required reading: PNAC Primer

Many on the left are already aware of the PNAC (Project for the New American Century) and its extremist right-wing ideology. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this organization, it is a right-wing think tank, created in 1997 with the intent of advocating and lobbying for an imperialist bent on U.S. foreign policy. The scary part of this whole thing is that many of the founding members of this organization are now high-ranking members of the Bush administration. We’re talking the likes of Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle, James Bolton, William Bennett, and Jeb Bush.

Let me correct that last part. For all intents and purposes, they ARE the Bush administration. Dumbya is really just along for the ride.

Anyway, back in 2003, in advance of the ’04 elections, Bernard Weiner wrote a “primer” on the PNAC. His purpose was to educate the American people on the real agenda of the Bush administration, in the light of the PNAC’s own paper trail. I’ve added the link below, because even today, it’s relevant to what we all see going on in our country. A quick word or warning though, this may make your skin crawl.

PNAC Primer

And to those who are well aware of the PNAC and say, “this is old news”… You’re right, it is old news. But in light of recent events, I think that the sleeping giant known as “We the People” is starting to wake up. I’m simply providing this as a public service to those among us who HAVE been asleep. Consider this your morning paper. Can I offer you some coffee?

Are you scared yet? You should be.

Because now we’re starting to scratch the surface of the scope of this administration’s assault upon our civil rights. As you may already know, it has now been revealed that the NSA has been compiling a database of all of the phone calls made in this country since shortly after 9/11. Not just international calls. Not just calls made by suspected terrorists. ALL PHONE CALLS. Billions of them.

All that is, except customers of Qwest Communications. The three major phone companies, AT&T, Verizon, and Bell South have happily handed over the information requested by the NSA. Qwest, on the other hand, said, “let’s see your court order.” Bravo for Qwest. It’s nice to see that some members of the corporate community have some scruples, or at least can’t be intimidated.

Defenders of this recently revealed program (yes, believe it or not, there are those defending it) have said that it does not violate the law, and that the contents of the phone calls and identities of the callers are not being collected, just the “external data” (phone numbers to and from, time, date). But quite frankly, that’s not the f*cking point!! It’s like saying, “We followed you everywhere you went, but we didn’t see what you were doing while you were there, or who you were with.” In other words, our government is stalking us. As for the argument that only “external data” is being compiled, and therefore not identifying the callers, GIVE ME A BREAK! Anybody who has used a “reverse lookup” on the web knows you can usually identify a person by name and address if you have his or her phone number.

Meanwhile, a Justice Dept. inquiry into the ethics of Justice lawyers involved in the original NSA wiretapping program, was abruptly closed. The inquiry, conducted by the department’s Office of Professional Responsibility (professional & responsibility – two words that are never seen in the company of “George W. Bush”), was stopped because they could not get the security clearance necessary to determine what role Justice Dept. lawyers played in the controversial (and illegal) program.

I have one question: If the Justice department is unable to investigate this program, and the Congress (thanks to goose-stepping, kool-aid drinking Republicans) is unwilling to investigate this program, WHERE IS THE OVERSIGHT of the NSA? Can this agency simply do what it pleases; let the laws and the Constitution be damned? ‘Cause it sure appears that’s what they think.

War on false pretenses. “Faith-based” government. Corporate rights trumping citizen’s rights. Cronyism running rampant. Questionable elections. “Signing statements” to usurp the power of Congress. Government-run gulags. Sanctioned torture. Massive spying on the public. And the hits just keep coming.

The big goose egg that Bush laid with “No child left behind” is coming home to roost.

In a CNN (AP) article posted today, many schools are facing complete restructuring and other drastic measures as a result of the “No child left behind” unfunded mandate. According to the article…

“Falling short of requirements under President Bush's education law, about 1,750 U.S. schools have been ordered into radical restructuring, subject to mass firings, closure, state takeover or other moves aimed at wiping their slates clean.”

Now some would argue that “wiping the slate clean” would be a good thing for many schools and school districts in this country. And as for myself, being a Clevelander, I certainly don’t have much praise for my local school district. But is the “nuclear” approach really the right approach to our failing schools? As it is being applied under the auspices of “No child left behind”, I think not.

The President’s law takes an “all or nothing” approach to determine if a school is meeting the “No child” arbitrary requirements. Basically, if a school fails to meet a single requirement, it is labeled as “failing” across the board. This approach has the potential to take an otherwise successful school, with a weakness in one area, and force it to “reinvent the wheel” as far as management, staff, facilities, and curriculum are concerned.

The “No child” mandate is also encouraging many schools, and school systems to “cook the books” as far as test scores and other indicators are concerned. Thanks to the specific wording of the “No child” law, some schools are able to conveniently not report test scores of some minority students, which allows them to look better in the overall picture. This, of course, is in direct contrast to the supposed purpose of the “No child” law, which was touted as a method to provide a “level playing field” for poor and minority students.

The law also has some very interesting options for schools that fail to make progress for five straight years, and are forced to make a “drastic change”. In such a case, the school has the following options:

1. Hire an outside organization to run the school.

2. Reopen the school as a charter school, with new leadership and less regulation.

3. Replace most or all of the school staff with any ties to the school's failure.

4. Turn operation of the school over to the state, if the state agrees.

5. Choose any other major restructuring that will fundamentally reform the school.

I find it rather interesting (given the obvious corporatist agenda of this administration), that the first two options lean towards privatization of the education system. And again, this flies in the face of the original “intent” on the “No child” law, which was to address problems with education in this country. Sadly (I know from personal experience), and with few exceptions, charter schools and the privatization of public schools is all about the bottom line, NOT about educating children.

But this shouldn’t surprise anyone. Our country is being run by a regime that will sell our nation’s security to the highest bidder, our health care system to the highest bidder, our nation’s very future to the highest bidder. Why should education be any different?

If we keep talking, we CAN make things better...

I had a very nice e-mail from a reader of yesterday’s post regarding Gen. Michael Hayden as the nominee to replace Porter Goss as the CIA director. Below is his e-mail to me, as well as my response. I post it here because this is what I started my blog about in the first place, an honest debate about the issues confronting all Americans. Our nation continues to face serious challenges that will affect our very way of life, and the legacy that we pass on to future generations. I believe that we can, if we continue to seriously discuss these issues, come up with innovative solutions to our problems, and leave to our children a stronger, healthier nation to pass on to their children.



“Hi Marlipern,

I enjoyed reading your blog.
http://truth-for-a-change.blogspot.com/

Your quote....."During his tenure at the NSA, Gen. Hayden oversaw Bush's controversial (and illegal) domestic surveillance program."

First... a statement....I think it is misleading to call this just a "domestic surveillance program". One end of the connection is outside the US....or....one end has made calls to suspected terrorists outside the US. I would define them as international calls making this an International Surveillance program. That is my opinion.

Second......Exactly what law or laws have been broken? Please be specific.

Third.....Does the president have the authority, during time of war, to monitory calls from suspected terrorists? Please be specific.

Finally....What is your biggest fear regarding this program? Why does it trouble you?

I would appreciate hearing your opinion.

Regards”


I refer to it as a "domestic surveillance program" to stress the fact that one end of the conversation IS inside the U.S., and that speaks to one of your other questions. The specific law that is being violated is the FISA law of 1978, which DOES require a court order to perform surveillance on U.S. citizens, even in the case of national security issues. The administration, or any of the intelligence agencies, have 72 hours to apply for that order AFTER the surveillance begins, so expediency is not the issue here.

More broadly, I am convinced, as are many others, that this is a breach of the fourth amendment to the Constitution. Ironically, the ONLY word in the fourth amendment that was capitalized in the original document, is "Warrant". I think the founding fathers believed in the old adage, "absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Does the President have the authority, during wartime, to monitor suspected terrorists? Absolutely. I would never deny the President, or any government agency involved in law enforcement, defense, or intelligence, from doing their sworn duty to "provide for the common defense". It's crucial to future of our nation. However, there is the mechanisms, within existing law to achieve this. My beef here is that the administration feels that it can operate outside the law, and that is unacceptable, AND unconstitutional.

My biggest fear regarding this program? That it sets a precedent that may encourage a further disregard for civil rights, the rule of law, and the system of checks and balances that were established by our Constitution. I would submit to you that if, as a result of the attacks on 9/11, and in response to the ongoing threat of terrorism, that we set aside the freedoms and responsibilities that were established by the founding fathers, and for which our fellow countrymen have fought and died to defend; that in the end, the terrorists HAVE won, because they have made us give up that which has made our country so great.

You really gotta love Lee Iacocca...

In a previous post, I had referenced an interview with Lee Iacocca in Calabasas magazine. I had jokingly suggested that Bush name Iacocca as his new press secretary. A reader of the blog was kind enough to send me the rest of the interview, which I’ve posted below. After reading it, I say, forget press secretary. This guy should be President!

Q: How would you rate the priorities Bush and his friends have set?

Lee Iacocca: Forget the economy, global warming, our infrastructure of roads and bridges that are rotting away. And forget health care, which is a scandal, and is our Achilles heel. A civilization that doesn’t take care of its young people and their young minds through education, and that doesn’t take care of its aging parents? Do you think our priority was going to Iraq, really? They didn’t have nuclear bombs that I knew of. We’re in a war we should never have gotten into, and yet they haven’t resolved the nuclear powers like North Korea and Iran, so the priorities are wrong. Meanwhile, it’s going to be a half-trillion-dollar war in Iraq. And we brought what to them? Democracy? I think we brought them civil war. We’re after oil. Hitler bombed the hell out of Romania because he wanted the oil fields. Before Pearl Harbor, we forget how we were twisting the Japanese in the wind and shutting off their oil supply. No matter what you talk about, every real confrontation is based on fossil fuel because we’re just hooked on it. Selling nukes to India? Common sense has gone out the window. You can tap my phone without a warrant? Where is the media? I would think they’d be outraged at the way they’ve been conned. And the Democratic Party is sitting on its hands. What are they doing, worrying about running Hillary? Where is our country headed?

Q: We have plenty of opinions on that score, but we’d rather hear yours.

Lee Iacocca: When I go to Europe, they love Americans but they hate Bush and think he’s nuts. Through the debacle of Iraq, I would have first fired all his speechmakers. “Shock and awe,” “axis of evil,” “dead or alive”? That’s old Europe, not new Europe. How can you write s--- like that without insulting your friends? Those are fighting words. [Bush] had to call his nanny, Karen Hughes, back from Texas because he needed her to write speeches for Iraq and she wrote most of that s---. It’s time for the press and the loyal opposition, the Democrats, to be enraged and obnoxious. I think the press should stop all this political correctness and just tell it the way it is and not worry where the chips fall. I’m asked to speak at a lot of college commencements, and you don’t want to scare these kids, but we’re in debt for trillions and leaving them the mortgage, saying, in effect, “You pay it back.” Instead of “shock and awe,” we ought to be saying things like, “Cool the rhetoric” and asking, “Where have all the thinkers gone?”

The “decider-in-chief” may have miscalculated this one.

Following the abrupt and mysterious resignation of Porter Goss as CIA director (more on that below), President Bush has nominated Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden to become the nation’s top spy. Hayden, currently John Negroponte’s top deputy as Director of National Intelligence, is a four-star Air Force general, and former director of the National Security Agency.

During his tenure at the NSA, Gen. Hayden oversaw Bush’s controversial (and illegal) domestic surveillance program. Hayden has been one of the most vocal defenders of the wiretapping program, arguing that the program is necessary to help defend the nation against terrorist threats. I would argue that the violation of the Constitution and the laws of our nation by our own government is a greater threat to our country and our way of life.

Another issue that is making Hayden a controversial pick to head the CIA is his current status as a U.S. military officer. Many are arguing that the CIA should be independent of the military, and should be headed by civilian leadership. Some defenders of Hayden have suggested that this concern could be diffused by the general resigning his commission. While on paper that may look good, the choice of Michael Hayden will still be tainted by his close ties to the military, especially the unpopular Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld.

And those of us on the left aren’t the only ones questioning the choice of Gen. Hayden. Several Republicans have also raised concerns over the President’s choice for CIA director. The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Pete Hoekstra, was quoted as saying of Hayden “I do believe he's the wrong person, the wrong place at the wrong time”. Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss, a member of the Intelligence Committee, said that while he respected Hayden, the CIA "is a civilian agency; it operates differently." With this type of concern on the right side of the aisle, I’m betting that the President will have an uphill battle getting the general confirmed. As a matter of fact, this choice may backfire on Bush, as it will allow a critical, public debate over the details, scope, and legality of the NSA domestic wiretapping program. Bush’s brain (Karl Rove) may not have thought this one through. Of course, how can you blame Rove for being somewhat distracted, after all, he’s about an inch away from being indicted.

Of course, Hayden does have his defenders as well. A Kool-aide drinking recent convert to the dark side, Sen. John McCain, trying to downplay Hayden’s military ties, said,”Gen. Hayden is really more of an intelligence person than he is an Air Force officer... As you know, his career has been spent in that area, and his background -- of course, he comes from the [National Security Agency]”. Beside, the Senator said, “He is the President’s choice.” Oh, well that makes it all OK – If the “decider” has decided on Hayden, who are we, as mere mortals, to question it?

As for the mystery that started this whole fiasco, the abrupt resignation of Porter Goss as CIA director, there is much speculation as to the reasons. Administration leakers have suggested that there was an ongoing power struggle between Goss and DNI head John Negroponte. That may well be the case, but you do have to wonder, given the recent scandal involving Goss’s hand-picked number three at the CIA, Kyle "Dusty" Foggo, whether there was much more to this than meets the eye. Don’t be surprised if sometime in the not-too-distant future, we hear about a connection between Goss and the mess that Foggo got himself into, involving bribery, shady defense contractor deals, and wild poker parties involving prostitution at the infamous Watergate complex.

This administration just keeps stepping on land mines of it’s own planting, and keeps working overtime to create diversions in the hopes that you and I won’t notice. America, don’t be fooled, and don’t ease up on the pressure. As more and more of this administration’s “base” distances themselves from the “thug-in-chief”, more of the truth will come to light. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and it’s a freight train that is going to plow this illegitimate regime right out of office.

Are you righties sure you want to pick this fight??

The mainstream media is jumping on the story of Rep. Patrick Kennedy crashing his vehicle early Thursday morning, and the suggestion that alcohol may have been involved. Some have suggested that Rep. Kennedy got preferential treatment, since no field sobriety test was administered. And the rightwing pundits will no doubt be all over this one, pointing their crooked fingers the Congressman and calling him a “boozer” or worse.

Now, I would agree, that given the circumstances of the accident, the time of night, the swerving witnessed, the reported staggering of the Congressman; that a field sobriety test should have been performed. And if any preferential treatment was given, that was just plain wrong. No elected official deserves a blanket “get out of jail free” card.

Having said that, I have to ask the conservo-republi-fasci-nutjobs whether they really want to pick this fight? Are you SURE??? Because turnabout is fair play. I would hope that I don’t need to remind you of the recent right-wing history on alcohol/drug abuse? Just in case, let me refresh your memory…

We have a former (?) cokehead and drunkard sitting in the White House these days. His DUI history is a matter of public record, and his coke use is legendary. We have a V.P. who shot a man in the face while reportedly under the influence. In this instance, the authorities were not permitted to even interview the V.P. until 14 hours after the incident, so no sobriety test was performed. We have the biggest name in conservative talk who was just at the local police station to finalize his plea deal on drug and “doctor shopping” charges.

So if those on the right want to play-up the incident with Congressman Kennedy, I say bring it on. ‘Cause those of us on the left will continue to pummel you with the baseball bat of your own hypocrisy.

It’s not just the oil companies… there’s plenty of blame to go around.

Obviously, one of the hot button topics being beaten into the ground these days is the high price of gasoline. And many, if not most Americans have laid the blame squarely on the oil companies. Now, I’m no defender of big oil, far from it. But I feel that not enough attention has been paid to the other culprits in this whole oily mess

Take, for example, the automakers. The big three in the U.S. continue to offer and promote gas-guzzling SUV’s, trucks, luxury vehicles, and vans. They claim that this is what the public wants, and who are they to argue with John Q. Public. And perhaps this is what the public wants – Americans are not known these days for their practicality. However, I would submit that if offered an alternative that would save them money, many Americans would jump on the bandwagon. Also consider the fact that Detroit continues to lobby for the status quo as far as the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards are concerned, even though raising the standards would force America to be more fuel-efficient. Not to mention the fact that the big three, as well as their Japanese and German counterparts, are offering products in Europe that get 50, 60, even 70 mpg, while simultaneously having better emissions. So why, may I ask, aren’t the automakers offering the same products to American consumers?

And then there is corporate America in general. Perhaps big oil has no incentive to develop cheaper alternatives to petroleum-based fuels, but what about the rest of corporate America? Who wouldn’t want to be the innovator who came up with a gasoline replacement that was cheaper and friendlier to the environment? Don’t tell me it can’t be done. Brazil is doing to today. Perhaps we’re too lazy. Perhaps we don’t have the resources. Perhaps we need some of that good, old-fashioned Brazilian ingenuity. Nope, I think we’re just too lazy.

What about the government, whose job it is to promote the welfare of the nation, and provide for our national security? I would certainly say that this nation’s energy needs falls into the government’s realm of responsibility. So screw Detroit! Screw big oil! Increase the CAFE standards, and I mean a serious increase. Nothing sold in this country under 40mpg. You want an SUV? Fine. But it’s going to have a fuel-efficient engine under the hood. Offer generous development incentives for alternative fuels. And while you’re at it, tax the living daylights out of the oil companies. I’d even propose an additional tax on fuels produced from foreign oil. And put a cap on gasoline and diesel prices in the U.S. If we did that, how quickly do you think the oil companies would start re-thinking their approach?

And then there’s us. You and me. We as a society have been far too complacent, for far too long. This is not a new problem. It’s not like we didn’t have any warning. OPEC fired a shot across our collective bow 30 years ago!! And we’ve done nothing. We don’t hold our government accountable, we don’t hold corporate America accountable, we just grin and bear it. And until we demand action, that is what we will continue to do. Because Uncle Sam, GM, and Exxon ain’t gonna do anything that they don’t have to do. So it’s time for We The People to get off of our fat, lazy asses and make things happen. Now, where’d I put my bicycle?

Truth to power... Colbert style.

This past Saturday, April 29th, was my birthday. And unbeknownst to me, Stephen Colbert was providing me with a wonderful birthday present… The lambasting of President George W. Bush in front of a live audience.

Colbert performed at the annual White House Correspondent’s Dinner, and much to the President’s chagrin, Mr. Colbert’s parody of a right-wing-media-nutjob was superb. Here’s part of the transcript of Colbert’s monologue:

“So don't pay attention to the approval ratings that say 68% of Americans disapprove of the job this man is doing. I ask you this, does that not also logically mean that 68% approve of the job he's not doing? Think about it. I haven’t. I stand by this man. I stand by this man because he stands for things. Not only for things, he stands on things. Things like aircraft carriers and rubble and recently flooded city squares. And that sends a strong message, that no matter what happens to America, she will always rebound with the most powerfully staged photo ops in the world. Now, there may be an energy crisis. This president has a very forward-thinking energy policy. Why do you think he's down on the ranch cutting that brush all the time? He's trying to create an alternative energy source. By 2008 we will have a mesquite powered car. And I just like the guy. He's a good joe. Obviously loves his wife, calls her his better half.

And polls show America agrees. She's a true lady and a wonderful woman. But I just have one beef, ma'am. I'm sorry, but this reading initiative. I've never been a fan of books. I don't trust them. They're all fact, no heart. I mean, they're elitist telling us what is or isn't true, what did or didn't happen. What's Britannica to tell me the Panama Canal was built in 1914. If I want to say it was built in 1941, that's my right as an American. I'm with the president, let history decide what did or did not happen. The greatest thing about this man is he's steady. You know where he stands. He believes the same thing Wednesday, that he believed on Monday, no matter what happened Tuesday. Events can change, this man's beliefs never will. And as excited as I am to be here with the president, I am appalled to be surrounded by the liberal media that is destroying America, with the exception of Fox News.”

A website has been set up to thank Mr. Colbert for proving he has “muchos huevos grandes” for taking on this buffoon who calls himself our President. The site also has links to video of the event. Enjoy!

http://thankyoustephencolbert.org/

The U.S. would rather keep the oil flowing than stop the bloodshed.

The United States is supposedly engaged in a “global war on terror”. So naturally, we are focused on ending terrorism around the world, for the benefit of all mankind. Sounds great on paper, but why is it that the only “terrorism” that our government seems to want to take on is that which exists in oil-rich Middle Eastern countries? Where are our nation’s efforts to end the terrorism that has gone on for years in Darfur?

Unless of course our government doesn’t consider genocide to be a form of terrorism. I’d sure like to hear their explanation on that one. The fact is, Darfur doesn’t appear to be a “priority” for the U.S. government. We would rather invade a sovereign nation, under false pretenses, to depose a leader we don’t like than to prevent the needless murder and mutilation of hundred of thousands, perhaps millions, of innocent people. As a nation, we should be ashamed of ourselves.

Nobody knows for sure how many have died in the ethnic strife in the Darfur region of Sudan. Low estimates are at 70,000 people; higher (and more accurate) estimates put the number at more than 400,000. My question is, how many will it take before the United States, the world’s only remaining superpower, gets involved? And I’m not talking about the lip-service type of involvement that we’ve seen so far. You know, where Condi Rice, or dubya issue a sound bite about what a human tragedy this is, without actually doing anything about it. Talk is cheap, and talk doesn’t stop death squads.

Our nation in general, and this administration specifically, will be harshly judged by history over our inaction in Darfur, and rightly so. For I would submit that we have a responsibility, if not simply as the most powerful nation in the world, but as citizens of the world, to act to end this bloodshed. I know people have argued over the years that the U.S. should not be the world’s police force. Perhaps. But how ‘bout being the world’s referee? How ‘bout being the world’s peacemaker, rather than the world’s warmongers? If you would argue that it’s not our job to end the slaughter in Darfur, then I would ask you, whose job is it? And who will guarantee that the job gets done? If we are truly the leaders of the free world, then when, exactly, are we going to start to lead??

And our government, and our nation’s people are not the only ones complicit in a criminal failure to act in this situation. A good portion of the guilt should also be placed at the feet of the mainstream media. The genocide in Darfur has gotten a passing reference in the national news, but no real in-depth coverage. But suddenly, when someone like George Clooney gets involved in drawing attention to the issue (thank you Mr. Clooney, you’re a great American), the media is all over the story. Why? Because corporate media feels that the can “sell” an “entertainment” story, but not a story about a humanitarian tragedy.

Today, tomorrow, and for the foreseeable future, countless of innocent people will die in Darfur because the U.S., and the rest of the world has failed to act. So President Bush, as the leader of the free world, I have one question for you: Why is killing insurgents in Iraq more important to you than saving the lives of innocent people in Darfur? See if you can give me an answer with a straight face.