See if you can find the logic in this…
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will run out of money on February 27. The DHS is responsible for…providing security for the homeland. Chief among its responsibilities is securing the nation’s borders against illegal or unwanted intruders.
The Republican Party is all about border security. They view illegal intruders in the same vein as canker sores and cancerous tumors. In the eyes of the Republican Party no wall is high enough, no moat wide enough, no electric fence strong enough to adequately protect us from the illegal disease carrying Mexicans and the rabid Muslim crazies who want to infiltrate our country and destroy our idyllic way of life.
The Republican controlled congress is responsible for providing the DHS with the funds necessary to secure the borders. But the Republican controlled congress is refusing to fund the DHS because the DHS is responsible for implementing the president’s recent executive orders on immigration. One of the chief components in the president’s “imperialist” executive order is a “beefing up” of border security. No matter! The Republican controlled congress does not have the authority to overturn the president’s executive orders on immigration but it does have the power to refuse to fund them.
So the security conscious Republican controlled congress is refusing to fund the president’s executive orders and in so doing refusing to provide the DHS with the funds necessary to properly secure the borders against illegal or unwanted intruders.
Are you following me so far?
At the same time the security conscious Republican controlled congress is refusing to fund the department that is responsible for securing the homeland, they are engaged in a contentious debate over the president’s rather tardy request to grant him the congressional authorization to implement the already implemented military operations against ISIS.
The Republican controlled Congress believes that ISIS represents a threat to our national security; and as previously mentioned they are all about our nation’s security. They are also sticklers about adherence to the tenants of the constitution…or so they say. You would expect them to be all over this. Yet they have allowed this president to engage in military operations in a host of foreign countries without a constitutional peep. They have failed to give him the requisite legal backing he needs to fulfill his number one duty as president; protecting the country against all enemies foreign and domestic. And now they are engaged in a debate over whether to authorize actions that have already been taken; a debate they would not consider until after their next term in office was safely secured.
Do you see the logic in any of this?
Friday, February 13, 2015
Thursday, February 12, 2015
This Stuff Makes My Head Hurt
We often hear politicians and pundits comment o the brilliance of our nation’s founders regarding the manner in which they constructed our method of governance. But if you have watched the process over the last six years you have to wonder if the founders knew what in the hell they were doing.
Yesterday the House passed the final authorization for the construction of the Keystone Pipeline. The vote clears the way for the authorization to head to the president’s desk where it will be vetoed. For six years Washington has wasted taxpayer’s money debating a bill that Republicans doggedly said they would pass and the president consistently promised to veto. Six years of political grandstanding and no one in the room thought to offer the other side a compromise that might move the discussion forward? That’s not governance. That’s politics at its worst.
While congress was passing a Keystone Pipeline bill that is dead on arrival the White House was sending congress a request to formally authorize military force against ISIS. The request limits the authorization to three years. It does not offer any restrictions as to where such military force may be executed. It does not ask for specific authorization to use US ground forces in the pursuit of ISIS but it does not preclude their involvement either. Instead the request bans “enduring offensive combat operations.” I don’t know what that means.
The president has been conducting bombing strikes against ISIS targets in Iraq since September 22, 2014. He said that he was authorized to do so under the terms of the Iraq War Resolution passed by congress on October 16, 2002. The president has expanded those bombing strikes to include ISIS targets in Syria. Syria is not Iraq; but why sweat the details. After all he expanded the fight against Al Qaeda in Iraq and Afghanistan by conducting drone attacks against Al Qaeda targets in Pakistan and Yemen. Now we have the president is asking congress to pass a resolution that is far more restrictive in scope than the 2002 resolution under which he claims to have the authority to conduct his expansive operations?
And congress sits idly by! The president grants temporary amnesty to undocumented workers brought into this country illegally as children through no fault of their own and he is labeled an “imperialist president who should be impeached for violating the constitution.” But his decision to expand US military operations into additional foreign countries without prior congressional authorization is met with dumb silence. As I have previously written congress wants no part of another war resolution. War votes can kill political careers. Which is the only reason the president is forcing the issue now. He’s run his last political race and he wants congress on the record. Now that the November elections are over congress is a bit more willing to weigh in. Once again we have politics trumping governance. In my mind playing politics with national security is unconscionable.
This stuff makes my head hurt.
Yesterday the House passed the final authorization for the construction of the Keystone Pipeline. The vote clears the way for the authorization to head to the president’s desk where it will be vetoed. For six years Washington has wasted taxpayer’s money debating a bill that Republicans doggedly said they would pass and the president consistently promised to veto. Six years of political grandstanding and no one in the room thought to offer the other side a compromise that might move the discussion forward? That’s not governance. That’s politics at its worst.
While congress was passing a Keystone Pipeline bill that is dead on arrival the White House was sending congress a request to formally authorize military force against ISIS. The request limits the authorization to three years. It does not offer any restrictions as to where such military force may be executed. It does not ask for specific authorization to use US ground forces in the pursuit of ISIS but it does not preclude their involvement either. Instead the request bans “enduring offensive combat operations.” I don’t know what that means.
The president has been conducting bombing strikes against ISIS targets in Iraq since September 22, 2014. He said that he was authorized to do so under the terms of the Iraq War Resolution passed by congress on October 16, 2002. The president has expanded those bombing strikes to include ISIS targets in Syria. Syria is not Iraq; but why sweat the details. After all he expanded the fight against Al Qaeda in Iraq and Afghanistan by conducting drone attacks against Al Qaeda targets in Pakistan and Yemen. Now we have the president is asking congress to pass a resolution that is far more restrictive in scope than the 2002 resolution under which he claims to have the authority to conduct his expansive operations?
And congress sits idly by! The president grants temporary amnesty to undocumented workers brought into this country illegally as children through no fault of their own and he is labeled an “imperialist president who should be impeached for violating the constitution.” But his decision to expand US military operations into additional foreign countries without prior congressional authorization is met with dumb silence. As I have previously written congress wants no part of another war resolution. War votes can kill political careers. Which is the only reason the president is forcing the issue now. He’s run his last political race and he wants congress on the record. Now that the November elections are over congress is a bit more willing to weigh in. Once again we have politics trumping governance. In my mind playing politics with national security is unconscionable.
This stuff makes my head hurt.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
A Punch In The Gut
As a person who follows the news last night’s seemingly simultaneous announcements of Brian William’s suspension and Jon Stewart’s retirement served as a mammoth punch in the gut.
Williams was suspended for six months without pay for misrepresenting the details of his time in Iraq in 2003. William’s had acknowledged full responsibility for his mistakes and placed himself on suspension. But NBCNEWS executives decided that the informality of that personal action was insufficient and made the decision to take a more formal path.
Williams served as NBC’s news anchor for ten years. His broadcast consistently ranked #1 in broadcast news. He was funny, engaging and for me the type of person with whom I could relate. My surprise at his lengthy suspension is only exceeded by my disdain for the mean spirited and almost gleeful response from his detractors. Six months is a long time; so long that I doubt seriously that Williams will return. I hope that this incident will prove to be but one chapter in a long and successful career.
Jon Stewart’s decision to step down as host of The Daily Show is a blow to American pop culture. For seventeen years Stewart used his curiosity, intellect and biting wit to expose the hypocrisy that resides at the very core of American politics and media. His brilliance cannot be overstated. If I could emulate one person in my reporting current events it would be Jon Stewart.
Some wonder why Stewart chose this particular time to make his announcement. His contract doesn’t expire until late in the year. Stewart and Williams, both Jersey boys, are good friends. There is an unconfirmed rumor that Stewart moved up his announcement to take the heat off Williams.
Williams was suspended for six months without pay for misrepresenting the details of his time in Iraq in 2003. William’s had acknowledged full responsibility for his mistakes and placed himself on suspension. But NBCNEWS executives decided that the informality of that personal action was insufficient and made the decision to take a more formal path.
Williams served as NBC’s news anchor for ten years. His broadcast consistently ranked #1 in broadcast news. He was funny, engaging and for me the type of person with whom I could relate. My surprise at his lengthy suspension is only exceeded by my disdain for the mean spirited and almost gleeful response from his detractors. Six months is a long time; so long that I doubt seriously that Williams will return. I hope that this incident will prove to be but one chapter in a long and successful career.
Jon Stewart’s decision to step down as host of The Daily Show is a blow to American pop culture. For seventeen years Stewart used his curiosity, intellect and biting wit to expose the hypocrisy that resides at the very core of American politics and media. His brilliance cannot be overstated. If I could emulate one person in my reporting current events it would be Jon Stewart.
Some wonder why Stewart chose this particular time to make his announcement. His contract doesn’t expire until late in the year. Stewart and Williams, both Jersey boys, are good friends. There is an unconfirmed rumor that Stewart moved up his announcement to take the heat off Williams.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Sweet Home Alabama
Are you old enough to remember the ugliness of Selma, Alabama? Do you remember Alabama Governor George Wallace blocking the school house door?
If you are not old enough to recall these pivotal moments in American history fear not because thanks to the Great State of Alabama you now have the opportunity to relive some of the worst moments in American history. Once again Alabama is taking center stage in the fight against equality for all Americans.
On Monday the United States Supreme Court denied the state of Alabama’s request to prohibit same sex marriage while the state appealed a federal judge’s ruling that allowed such unions to occur.
Case closed…right? If you know anything about the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution (Article VI; Clause 2) you know that whenever there is a conflict between state and federal laws the federal law trumps state.
Apparently they do not teach the Supremacy Clause in Alabama law schools. Or perhaps Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore was absent that day. You see Justice Moore responded to the Supreme Court’s decision by sending a letter to all county judges informing them that the Supreme Court’s ruling was not binding on state courts. As a result 44 of the state’s 67 counties have said they will not issue marriage licenses to gay and lesbian applicants.
Judge Moore’s statement is blatantly false. But in reality it comes down to enforcement. For example, Colorado recently passed a law legalizing the sale and purchase or marijuana. The law violates federal statutes. Thus far the federal government has elected not to swoop in and enforce the federal statute. Judge Moore is banking that the federal government will take the same stance when it comes to gay marriage in his home state. Ignore the federal law until the federal government steps in to enforce it.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to rule on the legality of same sex marriage sometime in June. It is expected that the court will favor of same sex unions making it the law of the land. Until that time Judge Moore will in all likelihood get his way.
This is yet another example of the hypocrisy that rises to the surface whenever right wing ideology meets reality. The far right rails against government interfering in our lives. Yet here we have a state Supreme Court judge denying a group of American citizen’s equal protection under the law. Hard working, taxpaying legal citizens barred from exercising their legal rights because of some deep ceded bigotry born in the stone ages. It is the same ideological bigotry that showed its true self in the streets of Selma and Birmingham in the 1960’s.
So if you are too young to understand the true ugliness of racism and the demoralizing affects that it can have on a society; keep your eye on this story and watch as history repeats itself in the Great State of Alabama.
If you are not old enough to recall these pivotal moments in American history fear not because thanks to the Great State of Alabama you now have the opportunity to relive some of the worst moments in American history. Once again Alabama is taking center stage in the fight against equality for all Americans.
On Monday the United States Supreme Court denied the state of Alabama’s request to prohibit same sex marriage while the state appealed a federal judge’s ruling that allowed such unions to occur.
Case closed…right? If you know anything about the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution (Article VI; Clause 2) you know that whenever there is a conflict between state and federal laws the federal law trumps state.
Apparently they do not teach the Supremacy Clause in Alabama law schools. Or perhaps Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore was absent that day. You see Justice Moore responded to the Supreme Court’s decision by sending a letter to all county judges informing them that the Supreme Court’s ruling was not binding on state courts. As a result 44 of the state’s 67 counties have said they will not issue marriage licenses to gay and lesbian applicants.
Judge Moore’s statement is blatantly false. But in reality it comes down to enforcement. For example, Colorado recently passed a law legalizing the sale and purchase or marijuana. The law violates federal statutes. Thus far the federal government has elected not to swoop in and enforce the federal statute. Judge Moore is banking that the federal government will take the same stance when it comes to gay marriage in his home state. Ignore the federal law until the federal government steps in to enforce it.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to rule on the legality of same sex marriage sometime in June. It is expected that the court will favor of same sex unions making it the law of the land. Until that time Judge Moore will in all likelihood get his way.
This is yet another example of the hypocrisy that rises to the surface whenever right wing ideology meets reality. The far right rails against government interfering in our lives. Yet here we have a state Supreme Court judge denying a group of American citizen’s equal protection under the law. Hard working, taxpaying legal citizens barred from exercising their legal rights because of some deep ceded bigotry born in the stone ages. It is the same ideological bigotry that showed its true self in the streets of Selma and Birmingham in the 1960’s.
So if you are too young to understand the true ugliness of racism and the demoralizing affects that it can have on a society; keep your eye on this story and watch as history repeats itself in the Great State of Alabama.
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Does anyone have a problem with that...
The United States is currently conducting military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria and Yemen. It is clear that within the next few months we will be sending arms and munitions to Jordan and Ukraine. Along with the weaponry will be “military advisors” who will train the Jordanians and Ukrainians in the proper deployment and usage of those arms. If you are a student of American military history you know what usually happens soon after the “advisors” arrive. And let us not forget the ongoing debate over whether we should engage Iran by destroying its nuclear facilities. Israel may very well make that decision for us.
By my count that makes eight countries where the United States is either actively engaged or contemplating some sort of aggressive military intervention. And by engaging in the Ukraine the United States would in affect be waging a proxy war against Russia.
Eight countries…
…plus Russia
Does anyone have a problem with that?
And just for the sake of conversation…does anyone have a problem with the fact that with the exception of Afghanistan and Iraq congress has yet to authorize the president to conduct any of these military engagements? In point of fact congress has done everything in its power to avoid addressing these issues. They would much prefer to allow the president to walk this path alone. What better way to avoid taking a politically risky, possibly career ending war vote, than to ignore the whole thing altogether. Better to deflect buy focusing the country’s attention on the president’s “blatantly unconstitutional executive orders.”
Does anyone have a problem with that…
…or is it just me.
By my count that makes eight countries where the United States is either actively engaged or contemplating some sort of aggressive military intervention. And by engaging in the Ukraine the United States would in affect be waging a proxy war against Russia.
Eight countries…
…plus Russia
Does anyone have a problem with that?
And just for the sake of conversation…does anyone have a problem with the fact that with the exception of Afghanistan and Iraq congress has yet to authorize the president to conduct any of these military engagements? In point of fact congress has done everything in its power to avoid addressing these issues. They would much prefer to allow the president to walk this path alone. What better way to avoid taking a politically risky, possibly career ending war vote, than to ignore the whole thing altogether. Better to deflect buy focusing the country’s attention on the president’s “blatantly unconstitutional executive orders.”
Does anyone have a problem with that…
…or is it just me.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Tipping Points?
During the past 24 hours we have witnessed two events that may significantly alter both our domestic and foreign policy.
Yesterday the House passed a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Normally this would not raise an eyebrow as this marked the 67th time in the past 6 years the House had taken up a vote to repeal the president’s signature piece of legislation. The bill will now go to the Senate where the 66 previous bills failed to reach the Senate floor. However this time the House bill won’t find Democrat Majority Leader Harry Reid blocking the Senate door. Republicans now control the Senate and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will most certainly allow the bill to come to the floor for a vote where there is the very real possibility that the bill could pass. The president will veto the bill undoubtedly saying that he will not take insurance coverage away from the 9.5 million Americans who have signed up under the ACA. Republicans will then attempt to muster the votes to overturn the veto. They may succeed. Regardless of whether they succeed or fail what is certain to follow are a series of bills designed to dismantle the president’s agenda…all of which the president will veto. This entire process may seem like a complete waste of taxpayer’s money. In reality it is designed by Republicans to accomplish one thing; which is to transfer the mantle of the “Party of No” onto the president and his Democratic party. To show with clarity that it is the president that is standing in the way of progress. It is the president that is defying the will of the people and their elected representatives. Republicans intend to ride this message all the way to the 2016 elections where they hope to win control of both congress and the White House. Should this all come to pass we may look back at yesterday’s vote on the ACA as a tipping point in American politics.
The other significant event that occurred is the horrific torching of the Jordanian pilot by ISIS. The event has sparked an explosion of outrage throughout the Islamic community. The burning of the pilot is particularly offensive to the Muslim world because cremation is specifically forbidden in the teachings of the Koran. Protests against ISIS have erupted throughout the Middle East. Jordanians had previously been critical of their government’s participation in the war against ISIS. Jordan has been overwhelmed with Syrian refugees fleeing the ISIS rampage. The Jordanian government has called on the US and its coalition partners for help but it has received little assistance. Locals took to the streets in protest. They saw no purpose in helping a coalition that they perceived offered nothing in return. But the mood shifted after the brutal murder of the Jordanian pilot. Crowds in the streets now call out in support of the government; urging it to take revenge against ISIS. The Jordanian government responded by quickly executing two Jihadists who had been convicted of terrorism. King Abdullah, who happened to be in Washington visiting the president when ISIS released the video of the murder, asked President Obama for arms and munitions “so we can take the fight to ISIS. He has promised publically to avenge the pilot’s murder. Since ISIS made its appearance on the world stage it has been desperate to draw attention to itself. The bombings in western cities…the beheading of western journalists and aid workers…all done to antagonize the west…to draw the west into a holy war…to generate a response from the west in order to gain credibility and attract others to their cause. But now ISIS has attacked the Muslim world; attacked it in a way that violates the very tenants of the Koran that ISIS purports to defend. Killing infidels is one thing. Killing Muslims, particularly in such an offensive manner, has galvanized the Muslim community. Will this one senseless act of murder prove to be a tipping point in the war on terror?
Yesterday the House passed a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Normally this would not raise an eyebrow as this marked the 67th time in the past 6 years the House had taken up a vote to repeal the president’s signature piece of legislation. The bill will now go to the Senate where the 66 previous bills failed to reach the Senate floor. However this time the House bill won’t find Democrat Majority Leader Harry Reid blocking the Senate door. Republicans now control the Senate and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will most certainly allow the bill to come to the floor for a vote where there is the very real possibility that the bill could pass. The president will veto the bill undoubtedly saying that he will not take insurance coverage away from the 9.5 million Americans who have signed up under the ACA. Republicans will then attempt to muster the votes to overturn the veto. They may succeed. Regardless of whether they succeed or fail what is certain to follow are a series of bills designed to dismantle the president’s agenda…all of which the president will veto. This entire process may seem like a complete waste of taxpayer’s money. In reality it is designed by Republicans to accomplish one thing; which is to transfer the mantle of the “Party of No” onto the president and his Democratic party. To show with clarity that it is the president that is standing in the way of progress. It is the president that is defying the will of the people and their elected representatives. Republicans intend to ride this message all the way to the 2016 elections where they hope to win control of both congress and the White House. Should this all come to pass we may look back at yesterday’s vote on the ACA as a tipping point in American politics.
The other significant event that occurred is the horrific torching of the Jordanian pilot by ISIS. The event has sparked an explosion of outrage throughout the Islamic community. The burning of the pilot is particularly offensive to the Muslim world because cremation is specifically forbidden in the teachings of the Koran. Protests against ISIS have erupted throughout the Middle East. Jordanians had previously been critical of their government’s participation in the war against ISIS. Jordan has been overwhelmed with Syrian refugees fleeing the ISIS rampage. The Jordanian government has called on the US and its coalition partners for help but it has received little assistance. Locals took to the streets in protest. They saw no purpose in helping a coalition that they perceived offered nothing in return. But the mood shifted after the brutal murder of the Jordanian pilot. Crowds in the streets now call out in support of the government; urging it to take revenge against ISIS. The Jordanian government responded by quickly executing two Jihadists who had been convicted of terrorism. King Abdullah, who happened to be in Washington visiting the president when ISIS released the video of the murder, asked President Obama for arms and munitions “so we can take the fight to ISIS. He has promised publically to avenge the pilot’s murder. Since ISIS made its appearance on the world stage it has been desperate to draw attention to itself. The bombings in western cities…the beheading of western journalists and aid workers…all done to antagonize the west…to draw the west into a holy war…to generate a response from the west in order to gain credibility and attract others to their cause. But now ISIS has attacked the Muslim world; attacked it in a way that violates the very tenants of the Koran that ISIS purports to defend. Killing infidels is one thing. Killing Muslims, particularly in such an offensive manner, has galvanized the Muslim community. Will this one senseless act of murder prove to be a tipping point in the war on terror?
Monday, February 2, 2015
The President's Wish List
Many of us remember as kids scribbling out a Christmas wish list for Santa Claus. We filled it with all sorts of goodies and waited with great anticipation for Christmas morning to see if the jolly old guy had granted our wishes.
Today President Obama will unveil his wish list in the form of a $4 trillion dollar budget that calls for higher taxes and a 7% increase over sequestration spending limits. Unlike the rest of us he won’t have to wait for Christmas morning to see if he got everything he wanted. Republicans in congress have already responded with a big “bah humbug!”
The president is calling for a massive $4 trillion dollar budget that includes tax credits for child care, paid sick leave, two years of free tuition for community college and a comprehensive infrastructure program. The president proposes to pay for these goodies by closing tax loopholes that allow companies to shelter profits overseas and levying a 19% tax on all foreign profits as they are earned. The good news is the president’s budget does not add to our country’s staggering $18 trillion dollar debt. The bad news is it does nothing to answer conservative calls to reduce it.
Congressional Republicans have already said that anything from the White House that even sniffs at a tax increase is a non-starter. They argue that tax hikes, particularly those on small businesses and corporations will hinder economic growth; and that any new spending programs that aren’t paid for with offsetting spending cuts will only add more debt burden on future generations. The way to go about this they say is to roll back restrictive policies and regulations that hamper corporate growth. Free corporations from the shackles of Obama’s restrictive policies and the profits will flow down to the middle class in the form of job growth and higher wages.
The president’s policies are good for the middle class. But somehow he has to find a way to pay for them without playing the “income distribution” card that offends conservatives to their core.
Conservatives need to get over their fantasy that corporate profits trickle down to the middle class. Corporations profited from a decade of the Bush tax cuts while the country hemorrhaged jobs at a rate of 700,000/month. Even though the Bush tax cuts are gone corporations have continued to produce record profits under the president’s “restrictive policies.” But those profits have not trickled down to the middle class. Middle class wages have remained stagnant for over thirty years and corporate profits are more likely to be invested overseas or sheltered in off shore tax havens.
Once again Washington finds itself at an impasse.
The president has his wish list. I doubt many of his wishes will be granted.
Today President Obama will unveil his wish list in the form of a $4 trillion dollar budget that calls for higher taxes and a 7% increase over sequestration spending limits. Unlike the rest of us he won’t have to wait for Christmas morning to see if he got everything he wanted. Republicans in congress have already responded with a big “bah humbug!”
The president is calling for a massive $4 trillion dollar budget that includes tax credits for child care, paid sick leave, two years of free tuition for community college and a comprehensive infrastructure program. The president proposes to pay for these goodies by closing tax loopholes that allow companies to shelter profits overseas and levying a 19% tax on all foreign profits as they are earned. The good news is the president’s budget does not add to our country’s staggering $18 trillion dollar debt. The bad news is it does nothing to answer conservative calls to reduce it.
Congressional Republicans have already said that anything from the White House that even sniffs at a tax increase is a non-starter. They argue that tax hikes, particularly those on small businesses and corporations will hinder economic growth; and that any new spending programs that aren’t paid for with offsetting spending cuts will only add more debt burden on future generations. The way to go about this they say is to roll back restrictive policies and regulations that hamper corporate growth. Free corporations from the shackles of Obama’s restrictive policies and the profits will flow down to the middle class in the form of job growth and higher wages.
The president’s policies are good for the middle class. But somehow he has to find a way to pay for them without playing the “income distribution” card that offends conservatives to their core.
Conservatives need to get over their fantasy that corporate profits trickle down to the middle class. Corporations profited from a decade of the Bush tax cuts while the country hemorrhaged jobs at a rate of 700,000/month. Even though the Bush tax cuts are gone corporations have continued to produce record profits under the president’s “restrictive policies.” But those profits have not trickled down to the middle class. Middle class wages have remained stagnant for over thirty years and corporate profits are more likely to be invested overseas or sheltered in off shore tax havens.
Once again Washington finds itself at an impasse.
The president has his wish list. I doubt many of his wishes will be granted.
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