Craig Johnson: Politics

Great article on Korean crisis - with implications

Wed, 22 Jan 2003 15:59:17 GMT

Via Rafe Colburn at rc3.org. Seymour Hersch in the New Yorker provides a lengthy overview on the current Korean crisis. Now that the nuclear cat is out of the bag, policy is likely to be very dodgey until a method of deterring the new stateless threats is devised. I am pessimistic that will be via pre-emptive strikes, as our intelligence in many areas is so bad.

I wish I had said that

Wed, 22 Jan 2003 01:45:21 GMT

Paul Ford at Ftrain writes eloquently on staying the course.

"And yet I want to live there, and so I'm going to keep trying to get to the place, to the big rock candy democracy, for as long as I can."

Often the most important fights are fights we could walk away from. Saying no is a powerful act. Go, read.

Mass Layoff tracking killed again by Bush 2 (like father, like son:))

Mon, 06 Jan 2003 18:05:32 GMT

Ok, so why is it the Bushes felt compelled to kill the messenger on mass layoffs? Must file in the "no news is good news" style of market capitalism:) I am often amazed at how thrifty the GOP can be:). Via Scott at the FuzzyBlog, go read it all from the SF Gate site.

Secret government, no responsibility, again:)

Thu, 05 Dec 2002 16:31:02 GMT

Arianna Huffington via Salon on the amazing immaculate conception of the Eli Lilly exception in the Homeland Security Act. Amazing how the citizen reps will run for cover when the light comes on:)

Woohoo, can't wait until I lose my day in court

Tue, 03 Dec 2002 20:18:56 GMT

From the Washington Post, on how to create a parallel universe. We now have in place a scenario where until this war terrorism is over, our personal freedom can be put aside any time someone in the adminstration says so. How is this different than what the bad guys do, again? How will we know if the war is over? Oh, that's right, it will not be over, so just enjoy your time in prison if you happen to be snagged by these fools.

"At the end of the day in our constitutional system, someone will have to decide whether that [decision to designate someone an enemy combatant] is a right or just decision," Olson said. "Who will finally decide that? Will it be a judge, or will it be the president of the United States, elected by the people, specifically to perform that function, with the capacity to have the information at his disposal with the assistance of those who work for him?"

I'm feelin' better already, no need for no courts to look out for my legal rights!

On the continuing campaign to make us feel helpless

Tue, 03 Dec 2002 17:13:43 GMT

Via BurningBird, Kriselda Jarnsaxa in The Occoquan Inquirer on what we might do to move forward with real focus. Just a hint, it is not helplessness in the face of vague threats:)

Nice homage to Rawls, or why luck vs. merit is at the core of any liberal's heart

Tue, 03 Dec 2002 15:58:16 GMT

Via Dave Weinberger, likely to disappear soon into pay to see content, but still worth the read, the Boston Globe on John Rawls passing.

As a confirmed liberal, amen on the luck vs. merit focus. One of the defining characteristics of we liberals is our commitment to identifying the difference!

Just another surreal day in modern America

Tue, 26 Nov 2002 17:57:35 GMT

Wow, some days the links just poor in and it is hard to keep up.

First (via Talking Points Memo), our friends at the WSJ seem to have been stewing over the unwashed masses who don't seem to pay enough taxes (Dionne in this article via the Washington Post). Isn't this the proverbial class warfare we are always hearing so much about? It's so hard being one of the elite and not having those "lucky duckie" working poor sympathize with you!.

Second (via Rantomatic), let me get this straight, the contact info on every school child in America is required to be given to the military for recruiting purposes??? What the F***!!! My favorite quote is the following:

"The only thing that will get us to stop contacting the family is if they call their congressman," says Major Johannes Paraan, head U.S. Army recruiter for Vermont and northeastern New York. "Or maybe if the kid died, we'll take them off our list."

My goodness, wouldn't want to allow ordinary citizens to refuse to play the game now would we.

Third, Molly Ivins has weighed in on the evolving big brotherism in America.

When conservatives scream treason, why don't they scream at conservatives?

Thu, 21 Nov 2002 15:24:35 GMT

Salon's Joe Conason explains why only liberals are getting branded by the "treason" label. I'm thinkin' it's almost time to start buying that premium edition to support these folks:)

Kinder gentler conservatism - again

Thu, 14 Nov 2002 17:55:40 GMT

Molly Ivins points to a WSJ article on the adventures of Janet Rehnquist's tenure at HHS. Let's get used to the fact that we will be cleaning up after these folks for quite a long time:)

You better watch, better not cry, better not pout, and I'm telling you why...Mr. Poindexter is coming to town

Thu, 14 Nov 2002 15:19:46 GMT

Safire in New York Times (free subscription required).

Every purchase you make with a credit card, every magazine subscription you buy and medical prescription you fill, every Web site you visit and e-mail you send or receive, every academic grade you receive, every bank deposit you make, every trip you book and every event you attend — all these transactions and communications will go into what the Defense Department describes as "a virtual, centralized grand database

Golly, I am gonna feel so much safer when my privacy has been shredded. What are these folks smokin' late at night.

Some thoughtful words for democrats

Thu, 07 Nov 2002 17:19:32 GMT

Sam Smith at Progressive Review has a good article on what democrats must consider going forward.

The most interesting points relate to the negative influence that the "moderation" of democratic policy has had on performance over the past 15 years. My only add would be that the pursuit of "funding" has had a similar negative result. If the democrats continue to pursue an arms race in $$ with the republicans it will not stop this slide.

On the Long Road Ahead

Wed, 06 Nov 2002 15:27:12 GMT

No one who knows me will be surprised when I say I was disappointed by the results of the election yesterday. My congratulations go to the republicans who turned out their vote.

So now we know the future will require harder work and more sacrifice than we had hoped. Protecting our liberty and seeking the truth will be even harder than before. Most of all, democrats must soul-search on the question as to whether being a kinder, gentler republican is enough:). George Bush made the election a referendum on George Bush, and democrats were unwilling (or unable) to attack him on the tilt to imperialism, the soggy economy, the corporate scandals, the energy scandals, ...

George Bush has known from the beginning that when confronted by a split world, attack. Democrats would do to remember that. George Bush is not interested in having me on his side or forming an concensus, he wants me anihilated. I should never forget that.

Go Vote!

Tue, 05 Nov 2002 15:45:10 GMT

Get the heck up from that desk and go vote!! If you are disgusted by your choices, remember that it has always been this way. The lesser of two evils is still incrementally moving in the right direction. And remember that this vote you cast is your connection to the founding fathers, and to all of those who expanded that right or protected that right. America may not be better as a result of your vote, but America will be better if we all vote.

Why I will be standing in line to vote on Tuesday, and voting to protect that right!

Sat, 02 Nov 2002 21:37:47 GMT

We have an amendment on our Colorado ballot this year to make all elections mail in elections (no more standing in line to vote). I will be voting against that amendment. Why, you may ask, do I want to maintain the voting line? Because I LOVE standing in that line, visiting with my fellow citizens, visiting with the poll volunteers, making a public profession of my affiliation and affection for the Democratic party, and participating in a ritual that binds me to all the other citizens that have voted in this way in the history of the USA. I LOVE putting that "I have voted" sticker on my shirt. I LOVE that it takes a wee bit of effort on the part of each citizen to vote. But most of all, I LOVE that there is a line, a sign that these folks care enough to be out in what is usually a cold and dark moment with kids in hand practicing what it means to be a citizen.

I don't think putting my ballot in the mailbox would touch my soul in the same way.

Bush and Air Force One - The Odd Couple

Fri, 01 Nov 2002 18:25:12 GMT

Bendan O'Neill has a good post on Oct. 31, 2002 on Air Force One and George Bush. I will always wonder how George Bush missed the obvious opportunity presented by 9/11 to get on the ground where the danger was and serve as a leader. I can't imagine Bill Clinton flying about while Rudy Guliani stole his thunder, no matter what the "procedures" for such situations. Heck, I can't imagine George Bush Senior allowing that to happen:).

Test

Thu, 31 Oct 2002 22:53:36 GMT

YATM