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Five Angry Men, or The Last Gasps of this Cycle of Conservatism

We know that the most recent cycle of conservatism is coming to an end because the wealthy white guys are ranting and raving; the Teabaggers are storming the castle; and Fox News is enjoying its best ratings.  All of these people are banging their drums to remind the rest of us that they still exist. 

Amid all the clatter we saw five Republicans flex their decaying, conservative muscle at the Supreme Court last Thursday.  As some of the last right wingers with any power in this decade, they displayed their anger through an egregious ruling on campaign finance.

By nullifying the campaign reform law, the angry righties gave corporations the same first amendment rights as individual and trashed the voice of most of America.  Because corporations have far more money that any of us, they now get to set an even larger amount of the political agenda.

By all accounts, this ruling ignored precedent and that makes the ruling a classic case of judicial activism.  Why is that so important, because it is exactly what most conservatives complain about the court system as it applies to liberals.  It also goes against everything the Chief Justice said in his confirmation hearings.  But it matches the actions taken in Bush v. Gore!

The Progressive era has yet to realize any momentum.  Most of this can be attributed to the problems inherited from The Shrub, but the right wingers clawing at the coattails of power, e.g., the FIve Angry Men at the Supreme Court, are also slowing it down.

We are encouraged because the country still desires change and slowly, but surely, the moderate Republicans will realize it too.

You Lie!

Conservative white men are slowly losing their minds in the face of change.  It's fantastic that we're talking about Joe Wilson's childish display during BHO's health care speech on 9/11. 

Let's consider that 9/11/01 was the most recent historical turning point for the US and it ushered in our awareness of the 21st Century world.  The re-election of W was a reaction to the pace of that change while his war in Iraq was a way of flexing our old, tired muscles.  Many conservatives were reassured that the change was an illusion.  However, they woke up last November and saw that the rest of us, by electing BHO, are slowly adjusting to the change.

The change and awareness of the change are inevitable.  Our children are growing up in increasingly diverse communities because our demographics are changing.  When we looked back at this first decade of the 21st Century, we will see the groanings of the Joe Wilsons among us as growing pains.  Joe Wilson will forever be the poster child of a bygone conservative era and 'You Lie' will forever be the mantra of the scared children who resist change. 

The change/awareness is critical if we are to survive. 

On this important anniversary, I offer a tidbit of pain reliever to the most angry among us - the US will endure as a bastion of freedom because we're learning to live in the world that we're no longer able to control.

Abstinence...Schmabstinence!

Simply put, this blog post by Bonnie Fuller hits the Bristol Palin story square on the head - she'll get the opposite effect than she intended with her abstinence only campaign.  Even the Palins must realize that they're being used by People magazine for ratings and not the content of their campaign.  Perhaps they don't care and it's all about the money that Bristol can use now that she's put off her plans for college and a nursing career - she'll need that money.  Ms. Fuller's post, rightfully, points out that the magazine makes teen motherhood look glamorous, when it's nothing of the sort.  We know that young people don't read and, I suspect that People readers are really People lookers.  Image and perception are everything, and the Palin's message is not getting through to its intended target.  Good luck to all those young woman whose mothers are NOT the governor of Alaska.

Finally...Lipstick On A Pig!

I'm not suggesting that Bristol Palin is a pig.  By trotting out Bristol Palin to advocate abstinence only, the conservative crowd has put a fresh face on an old pig.

Undoubtedly, it's another way for the Palins to cash in on their 15 minutes of 'lower 48' fame, but what of the baby?  Just like Bristol little brother, trotted out for the adoring right-wing crowd last fall, this little guy is being paraded around the country so that grandma can stay in the national news for a few more minutes.

I don't care if the Palins have their fun (and I hope that grandma gets to be the Republican nominee in 2012) but, hopefully, the unspoken message that Bristol is sending will reach young people - if you're gonna have sex, do it safely.

The Islamo-Mexican Conspiracy Is Here!

Apparently, swine flu is a plot wherein Islamic terrorists infected Mexicans, then convince these same Mexicans that there were construction jobs in the US.  When the infected Mexicans flooded across the border, they spread swine flu among us.  This Media Matters video clip gives you the basic conspiracy plot via geniuses like Michael Savage and Glenn Beck.

It's just a way for these clowns to mask their prejudices.

For the record, the first swine flu cases in the US were white American kids from NY, from a christian school, who returned from spring break in Mexico with the flu.  Unfortunately, there are no good ways for a right wing nut job to spin that into discrimination and bias.

Although, cute blondes in dust masks are kinda sexy!!

Conspiracy Nut Gun Owners Strike Again

Another right wing nutcase irrationally protested the non-existent conspiracy to ban guns by using deadly force - with a gun (see the HuffPost story).  After beating his wife, he took out his conspiracy-driven rage on innocent gun range patrons. 

It's not terribly surprising that it happened in crazy-ass Florida, but it is a terrible loss of life for two deputies families.  He killed the deputies before being shot dead. 

On a daily basis, I get links from right-wing friends where claims are made that President Obama will take away everyone's guns. 

Even a smidge of intelligence would assure a person that the President alone cannot effect such laws and that most of Congress would have to be in on the conspiracy, but that doesn't stop my college educated friends from acting like Democrats will rip up the Constitution.  Hey, righties, you should worry about the rights in the Constitution that your bumbling President, Prince George, shit on over the last eight years.  Misplaced rage is becoming all the rage.

Now There's a Recession!

During the financial crisis last week, Bush only came out of his bin Ladenesque cave (i.e., the White House) for two minutes  then 11 minutes to address the nation.  In the interim, he offered a plan that took up an entire 2 1/2 pages and asked for $700 billion.  Now, in a 14 minute speech, he says the entire economy could collapse and we could be in a deep recession.

Is this an attempt to save his economic legacy or feed his deregulation cronies with our money...or both???

Paulson Attempts to be Made King of the Economy

The bailout plan that Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson sent to Congress would give he and his cronies unlimited control over the use of the money and would deny any possible oversight.  Senator Chris Dodd has an alternative plan that requires oversight, accountability, and limits to executive pay.

Jason Linkins of the Huffington Post sums it up very nicely in this post.  He highlights a most egregious power grab scheme within the bailout proposal, i.e., these 32 words: Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency.

Hopefully, the lack of political clout enjoyed by the White House will enable Congress to stand up and demand the Chris Dodd stipulations, including removal of the 32 words.  Senators Obama and McCain appear to be on board with a bailout plan that requires oversight and limited executive pay.

Russians Will Remain in Georgia and No One Can Stop Them

It seems that after signing the cease-fire agreement with Georgia, Russia has decided that the West (i.e., our blustering president and very busy military) has no teeth.  The proof is in the Russians' actions.  Russia will maintain 18 'observation posts' inside Georgia.

That's 'inside' Georgia.  Not inside South Ossetia and nowhere near the locations outlined in the cease-fire agreement (i.e., their pre-August 7th positions outside of South Ossetia).  The Russians realize that our skilled tactician of a President is just pissing into the wind when he threatens them with consequences.

With no one to stop them, where will the Russians go next?

Russia's Sphere of Influence Expanded

The successful cease fire in Georgia is welcomed news around the world.  No one wanted to see continued destruction over two tiny, rogue territories.  The boundary of Russian influence has now been redrawn at the Georgian and Ukrainian borders as well as any other Baltic or Caucasus states.

It's clear that President Saakashvili (pictured at left) made an enormous strategic blunder when he sent troops into South Ossetia.  It was probably unlikely that Russia would have pushed all the way to Tbilisi, but they moved into Georgian territory, and their superior military might and economic strength is a powerful signal to the West (we are considering Georgia and the Ukraine for NATO membership) that Russia will not sit by quietly as it's borders are encroached upon.

The agreement is an embarrassment for the Georgian President because the Georgians are proud of their heritage and they consider South Ossetia and Abkhazia historic parts of their country. 

Saakashvili's brash words that 'Russia has not heard the last of Georgia' is probably just posturing, his future as President is in serious doubt, and they will probably lean more toward Russia than the West in the near future.

The cease fire deal was negotiated by the French President, not by the US President.  This is because our international standing is so tarnished that the Shrub was reduced to posturing on the lawn of the White House, weakly threatening Russia with removal from the G8, instead of having the ability to militarily stand behind the Georgians.  The same Georgians that we promised to walk through their democratic experiment successfully.  Another democratic opportunity is probably lost and the war in Iraq is the reason.

W = Waste!

It seems so simple.  W = Waste.  The City of San Francisco may vote to name a sewage treatment facility after our President.  A story in the LA Times today states that a facility in SF wants its name to reflect a shitty president!  At least his name will be attached to something!

Where do I sign?!

Gary Hart Talks About Hope in '08

I was a college student in 1984 and I was vehemently anti-Reagan, so it should be no surprise that I lept with both feet onto the Gary Hart bandwagon (even if he did resemble my buddy, Jim Seery!).  The fact that he made a critical mistake with a woman who wasn't his wife and got caught on a boat with the most unfortunate name, Monkey Business, was devastating, but not career ending.  This erudite and thoughtful guy has stepped up over the years to try to bring some progressive clarity to the rightward turn of the this country since 1980.

Last Wednesday, he published a light but thoughtful NY Times op-ed piece about cycle of American history.  It borrows from the Arthur Schlesinger, Jr's book, Cycles of American History (one of my favorites), and offers 2008 and Barack Obama as a possible new cycle.  We all know that we could use it!

The following paragraph from Mr. Hart's piece is fantastic in it's simple summary: "Senator Obama’s attempt to introduce the next American cycle should include, at minimum, three elements. National security requires a new, expanded, post-cold-war definition. America must transition from a consumer economy to a producing one. And the moral obligations of our stewardship of the planet must become paramount."

Let's hope!

Never Mind the Word 'Militias', Mr. Scalia!

The five conservatives on the Supreme Court once again opted for judicial activism instead of restraint.  So anxious to make a mark on individual rights when it fits their political agenda (unlike criminal rights, say) that they took up the 2nd amendment in order to be able to say that 'individuals have the right to bear arms' for self defense (the case was about owning guns in the District of Columbia and was originally filed and paid for by a gun rights activist).  There is no restriction on the types of guns DC residents can now possess.  Thank you for the Uzi, Mr. Scalia.

Loosely, judicial activism overrules laws and invalidates precedent while judicial restraint defers to exisitng law and precedent.  For all of the conservative uproar over activism on the bench and 'original intent', they say fit to make a political statement with this case.

Justice Scalia stated that the ruling was narrow and wouldn't affect certain types of gun restrictions (no rights for felons and mentally ill persons, etc.), but that won't stop the zealous gun owners from offering numerous challenges to any and all current restrictions (not to mention how right wing legislators will argue against new restrictions).  This means that another gun case will probably make it back in front of Mr. Original Intent before he dies on the bench - let's see if he invalidates existing laws the next time.

Roe v. Wade's Importance in Election '08

In yesterday's New York Times, Dr. Waldo Fielding, wrote an informative and disturbing piece regarding the consequences of overturning Roe v. Wade.  Many of the horrors of the 'bad old days', before abortion was legal, are recounted.  They are based on Dr. Fielding's own experiences.  It is worth reading this piece to remind yourself about how important this issue is the health and well being of many, many women in this country.

It also casts a powerful light on this year's presidential election.  If John W. McBush is to be believed, then he will pander to the conservative wing of his party, and that pandering will include the appointment of judges willing to overturn Roe.  I think we've had quite enough of the right wing's idea of the courts. 

I'm not an advocate of single issue voting, but I urge everyone to calmly talk to their friends and family about the importance of balancing our federal courts by voting for Barack Obama.  The alternative is a legacy that McBush won't live long enough to feel the consequences of, but many of us will.

Gay Marriage in California

With a somewhat surprising but welcome ruling yesterday, the California High Court  gave same sex couples the right to marry in California (as soon as mid-June).  For those of you arguing court activism (which it kind of is!), the 4-3 decision consisted of three pro votes by justices appointed by Republicans.  It has broad language to eliminate discrimination for sexual orientation in most California laws.  This ruling comes in advance of an-almost certain ballot initiative this November (the anti-gay marriage forces have enough signatures to get on the ballot).

The Governator, in his gradual but decisive slide to the left reiterated that he would uphold the ruling and would NOT support the ballot initiative in November (the initiative would amend the Ca. constitution to ban same sex marriage).  There is a strong 'domestic partners' law on the books in California, and the justices cited it in their ruling.  In addition, they noted a 60-year old law outlawing discrimination against interracial couples.

For the millions of Americans who continue to keep their heads in the sand on this issue, in much the same way that interracial prejudice was outlawed this ruling is another small step in the inevitable federal law banning sexual discrimination (actual year TBD).  For the good of our society, sometimes ignorance is defeated and the majority does NOT win.