Sunday, May 11, 2008

Religious intolerance is alive and well in the USA

"Muslim!" Now Available In Insult Form:

In a 2004 survey by Cornell university, almost half of the national respondents favored curtailing the civil liberties of Muslims. 40 percent of Republicans wanted American Muslims to register their whereabouts. There are some Americans who recognize the demonization for what it is... but we all need to look fairly at religious discrimination.

As Ali EterazAli Eteraz's article points out, even Mitt Romney, a Presidential candidate who comes from a marginalized religious background, cannot accept the idea of a Muslim in the cabinet. Why? There is resistance among many Americans to the obvious truth that Muslims are a diverse group: 1.2 billion humans, living in virtually every nation on the planet cannot possibly be less diverse than, say, the registered Republicans in the USA. When all Republicans can agree on an issue then we can ask the question again.

Meanwhile, Congressman Keith Ellison's faith raises eyebrows (except in his Minnesota district, that is, where he is highly regarded,) and the suggestion that Illinois Senator Barack Obama who has attended a Christian church for decades might be a Muslim is circulated as a smear - the very fact that this can be seen as a potential way to undermine his bid for the Democrats nomination to run for the Presidency of the U.S.A. speaks volumes about the mindset of those who repeat it (never mind those who generated the emails.) Who is the real Barack Obama - and why in a country founded in part to insure religious freedom for its citizens should it even matter what faith he - or anyone else - practices?
"First they came for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time there was no one
left to speak up for me."
Those words are attributed to Reverend Martin Niemoeller, who had been a German U-boat commander in the first World War. They were his explanation of why he spoke out against the Nazis. He spent eight years in concentration camps for leading Protestant church opposition to Adolph Hitler. The Nazis imprisoned him at Sachsenhausen in 1937 for criticizing the Third Reich. He was freed from Dachau in 1945 by US troops. He died at the age of 92 on March 6, 1984.

The very first amendment to the U.S. Constitution forbade, expressly, government interference in matters religious:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Can we, the people of the United States of America, now hold ourselves to a lower standard? Can we accept religious intolerance? If we let them come for the Muslims, if we let it happen here, now, as it did in Germany decades ago, who will be there to protect our rights when they come, at last, for us?

Muslims deserve religious freedom, too.

SNL Hillary Clinton Opening: "My Supporters Are Racist"

This is the most biting Saturday Night Live sketch since the Chris Rock / Obama one of a year ago, and is rooted in some truths. But also it sends a message to Senator Clinton that she can't influnce the SNL comedians. It also shows how they feel about her.

Check out this video: Saturday Night Live - Chris Rock Open



Add to My Profile | More Videos


Like a good comedy work about politics should do, it's got some people upset. Of course, Clinton supporters, who are branded --- perhaps forever -- as racist.

Let's see how the Clinton camp responds.

New World Order Video Against World Government

This video going around repeats the phrase "New World Order" as if it's a bad idea. The feat is that a "World Government" will take freedoms away from people.

Personally I object to this point of view. I'm not sold on the idea that our current World order, which promotes racism and separatism and nationalism, is the best way for us.

At any rate, it's a great video. Here it is:

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Obama Passes Clinton In Superdelegate Lead

The one authentic claim that Hillary Clinton has voiced for months now is that she has a significant lead over rival Barack Obama in the superdelegate count, thus indicating that her colleagues and Democratic allies overwhelmingly support her quest for the nomination and would echo that sentiment come convention time.

Well, that argument, like many others she's made has now been eliminated. For the very first time in this hotly contested and sometimes combative Democratic race, Barack Obama has gained the upper edge after generating increased support and approval this week from many superdelegtes. As presently constituted, Obama holds a 5.5 lead over the self-destructive junior Senator from New York, 276 to 271.5.

Coordinator of GOP St. Paul Nominating Convention quits

Trouble for the RNC's St. Paul convention!


According to an AP story published by the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Doug Goodyear, the man picked by the John McCain campaign to run the 2008 RNC resigned Saturday after a report that his lobbying firm used to represent the military regime in Myanmar. Goodyear, chief executive of DCI Group resigned and issued a two sentence statement, after Newsweek reported online was he paid $348,000 in 2002 to represent Myanmar's junta. According to Newsweek, Justice Department lobbying records show DCI pushed to "begin a dialogue of political reconciliation" with the regime and led a public relations campaign to improve the junta's image.

Newsweek said the firm drafted news releases praising Myanmar's efforts to curb the drug trade and denouncing claims by the Bush administration that the regime engaged in rape and other abuses.



The Newsweek article also reported that some of Goodyear's allies worry that worry the choice of Goodyear could fuel perceptions that McCain is surrounded by lobbyists. DCI Group earned $3 million last year lobbying for ExxonMobil, General Motors and other clients, the report said.

Newsweek further reported DCI has been a pioneer in running "independent" expenditure campaigns by so-called 527 groups, the kind of operations that McCain has denounced in his battle for campaign finance reform.
read more | digg story

Chevron Ecuador Scandal - Claims That Chevron Polluted Ecuador Not True

There's a little war going on regarding Internet-based claims that Chevron was responsible for oil spills in Ecuador.

If one types "Chevron Ecuador" there's a littany of results that point the finger at the oil giant but without solid evidence. Moreover, it seem the people on the anti-Chevron side have launched an effort to block information that would protect Chevron from false claims.

But the fact is that Chevron did not spill oil in Ecuador. The State-Owned oil company Petroecuador did. But Ecuador itself, not a rich country, and influnced by Venezualan President Chavez, has launched a full-scale legal and PR assault on Chevron mainly because Texaco, which Chevron now owns, was partnered with Petroecuador.

Texaco had long ago taken steps to clean up it's matters in this issue, but Ecuador has not.

Look, I'm not a fan of big companies just because they're large, or small firms for the opposite reasons. But I do support telling the truth, and Petroecuador has not been forthcoming in this at all.

More soon.

Friday, May 09, 2008

Obama Camp: Problematic if or how to help w/ Hillary's debt

Will Obama pay Hillary's debt?

Many of Obama's grassroots and netroots backers appear to be somewhere between concerned and irate at the thought that the Obama for America campaign might step in to lend a hand to get Clinton out of a financial hole -- and out of the race...And further outraged that skunk Mark Penn would be standing in line with his hand out, as Clinton reportedly owes Penn a very large sum.

From the FEC:


According to an associate of mine who decided to call the FEC for the straight scoop asked their opinion of the situation. Here are the relevant facts, quote from the email I got earlier today:
"I just called the FEC to get some clarification. (Nothing like going to the source.)
  • Obama can only donate $2300 to Hillary's campaign. [Ed: Michelle Obama could, also, bringing the total to $4600 obviously]
  • He can donate money to the Democratic National Committee (DNC), and they can donate money; that is limited to $5000.
  • The DNC can pay for a variety of things, such as commercials, out of hand expenses, but that is limited to the general election.
If Obama wants to help Hillary with her debts, he has to do it with a separate funding program."
Now I'll be the first to admit it's not carved in stone since it was a verbal exchange, but it seems to suggest there are some real limits to just how magnanimous Obama can be financially regardless of his willingness to make gestures in the pursuit of party unity.

Bill Clinton Argues With West Virginian Voter Over Health Care - Video

Well, here's Bill Clinton fighting again and this time with a West Virginia voter who turned out to be an Obama supporter and who dared take on the former President at a rally yesterday. Clinton always seems like he's itching for a fight in situations where his speech is interrupted by a heckler, and where Senator Obama just goes right on talking, Bill stops his entire speech to enter a confrontation.

I used to think this was part of some weird strategy but now I think it's just Bill being a meany. See, President Clinton's done a lot for a lot of people and so he has to -- to a degree -- run on his Presidency all over again and almost as if he's running for a third term. In his mind we should remember all that he has done and we should think of Senator Clinton as by extension to his administration. And more to the point, we all should be grateful.

But all are not. Well, it's not so much that as people do remember that Bill and Hillary didn't succeed in passing health care reform and then did kind of give up on it. But Bill's having none of that. Coupled with the face of losing to Senator Obama for the Presidential Race and a drying well of donors -- or more to the point, seeing his wife lose the race and money -- Bill had to lash out at someone. And so he did:



But it's not what they need at this time. Of course, as an Obama supporter myself I watch with glee, but also with some sadness because I thought Senator Clinton would make a great VP choice, but now I'm reconsidering. Not sold on Jim Webb - yet.

The End Is Approaching In The Democratic Race

The transformative and relentless race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton appears to be precipitously narrowing down as the Illinois Senator can finally see the goal he worked tirelessly to achieve turning into reality. Yes, the distinction of becoming the Democratic nominee will undoubtedly be Obama's as the waning weeks of this contentious fight between two highly qualified candidates is quickly ending

As superdelegates continue to flock to Obama and the prospect of winning for Clinton seems bleaker day after day, a firm resolution and closure can be peacefully brought to the Democratic race.

Voters from over forty states have thunderously asserted over the past five months that they are desperately seeking change and unity, and that their candidate to lead them into the future is Barack Obama. It's evident that he's about to be propelled from the goal line to the finish line, while Mrs. Clinton will have to wait and wonder how she butchered up her campaign and quite possibly her future political aspirations.

The Past V. The Future In The Democratic Party

From dangerously failed policies and brutal incompetence, to an immunity to tell the truth and work in the best interest of their constituents, members of Congress have eliminated the hopes and dreams that so many Americans tirelessly worked for.


Unfortunately, the junior Senator from New York, Hillary Clinton, has been encapsulated in the failed policies of Washington as an individual who consistently touts her thirty years of experience (marginal at best), and unquestionably deserves to be labeled as the candidate of the past who's overwhelmingly out of touch with the values, opinions, and interests of everyday people.


How can she expect to run a White House when she can't even run her campaign? It's as if a baseball player in Triple AAA continuously batted below .200, but expected to perform exceedingly well once he was promoted to the major leagues. That's not how it works.


As the weeks before Mr. Obama is officially nominated, one component is evident. He's the future of the Democratic Party and the glistening ray of hope that will catapult to victory in the fall against Republican John McCain.

Obama: Proud to be an American

From the lakes of Minnesota
to the hills of Tennessee:

Obama is clearly a patriot who is putting the good of the country ahead of his own personal goals, an inspiring and visionary leader. His impact on our national dialog will last for years regardless of what office he holds. Set to music by Lee Greenwood, this is a stirring portrait of the Senator from Illinois.



Thursday, May 08, 2008

Barack Obama On Capital Hill To Meet and Greet House :Leaders

Fresh from his win over Senator Hillary Clinton in North Carolina and his near-tie with her in Indiana, thus increasing his delegate lead over her and with the addition of more Superdelegates has only seven fewer lined up for him than Clinton as of this writing and stands at 173 delegates away from the needed 2025 to clinch the Democratic Presidential Nomination.

Obama was doing a meet-and-greet, much as Clinton herself had done a day before. This video was made during that event.