I get to post twice today thanks to Gov. Sanford of South Carolina and the late and disgraced President Richard Nixon.
More taped oval office conversations of Richard Nixon have been released. These tapes reveal that he was a racist. While discussing the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion Nixon stated, "I admit, there are times when abortions are necessary, I know that." Nixon cited "a black and a white" as an example. Charles Colson with whom Nixon was speaking added, "or rape." "Or rape," said Nixon. Did the weary Civil Rights Movement know that it had an opponent in the White House?
In another taped conversation with George HW Bush, who was then Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Nixon stated, "I noticed a couple of very attractive women, both of them Republicans, in the legislature, I want you to be sure to emphasize to our people, God, let's look for some … Understand, I don't do it because I'm for women, but I'm doing it because I think maybe a woman might win someplace where a man might not … So have you got that in mind?"
To which Bush replied, "I'll certainly keep it in mind."
Nixon's tapes have ensured that his legacy will be as poor as it deserves to be. More poor than we could have imagined without the aid of his tapes.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Can the Moral Majority still think the GOP represents their Moral Interests?
Two more possible 2012 GOP presidential candidates have likely dashed their hopes for nomination by admitting to extra-marital affairs. Senator Ensign got off easy compared to SC Governor Sanford who "disappeared" for nearly one week without a word to his family, his staff or the State of South Carolina. After telling the press that he was hiking the Appalachian Trail he was caught by a news reporter arriving in South Carolina on a flight from Argentina. Now he has admitted to his family, his state and the GOP, which he had hoped to lead back to the White House, that he has been having a affair with a woman from Argentina.
How many moral scandals can the GOP commit before the Moral Majority realizes that the GOP politicians and leadership are giving them lip service only? I'm not suggesting that the Democratic party hasn't had some moral scandals of its own but the Democratic party doesn't claim to be the sole representative of Christian morals and ideals as does the GOP. Recently, Liberty University, founded by the Moral Majority's Jerry Falwell, banned the Democratic Club from the campus because unlike the Republican Party the Democratic Party with which the Club is affliliated "stands against the moral principles held by Liberty University." Can the university still assume that the Republican Party stands for those moral principles?
Who is left in the GOP that "may" still stand for those moral principles? Rush Limbaugh?
Can you hear me laughing out loud?
How many moral scandals can the GOP commit before the Moral Majority realizes that the GOP politicians and leadership are giving them lip service only? I'm not suggesting that the Democratic party hasn't had some moral scandals of its own but the Democratic party doesn't claim to be the sole representative of Christian morals and ideals as does the GOP. Recently, Liberty University, founded by the Moral Majority's Jerry Falwell, banned the Democratic Club from the campus because unlike the Republican Party the Democratic Party with which the Club is affliliated "stands against the moral principles held by Liberty University." Can the university still assume that the Republican Party stands for those moral principles?
Who is left in the GOP that "may" still stand for those moral principles? Rush Limbaugh?
Can you hear me laughing out loud?
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Is GITMO any better than a North Korean trial?
The following was posted by Mitchell Bard on The Huffington Post:
"North Korea can seize two innocent journalists, put them through a bogus, private, star-chamber trial, and then sentence them to 12 years of hard labor, all without any justification. The United States I grew up in, the United States that fought wars from World War I to the Cold War defending democracy and freedom against repression, could never engage in such conduct like the North Koreans did. And yet, there it is, for all to read, that we took a man and locked him up without a trial for 7 1/2 years, torturing him while in our custody, even though two courts, one in the U.S. and one in Bosnia (one before his detention and one after), found insufficient evidence to charge him with any crime. While we clearly have a more open and democratic society than North Korea does, his experience with us was no better than what the two American journalists are now going through in North Korea. We have to recognize that Bush, Cheney and the rest of the gang did real damage to core American ideals, and that this damage is still being felt, both at home and abroad." Mitchell Bard's full story
Do you feel, like most Americans, that North Korea's treatment of two American Journalists is a crime and that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is a criminal? Is the detention in GITMO without trial of suspected terrorists less criminal? If you are not just as outraged by the abuse of GITMO detainees as you are about the detention of two American journalists then, in my opinion, you have a serious moral deficiency.
"North Korea can seize two innocent journalists, put them through a bogus, private, star-chamber trial, and then sentence them to 12 years of hard labor, all without any justification. The United States I grew up in, the United States that fought wars from World War I to the Cold War defending democracy and freedom against repression, could never engage in such conduct like the North Koreans did. And yet, there it is, for all to read, that we took a man and locked him up without a trial for 7 1/2 years, torturing him while in our custody, even though two courts, one in the U.S. and one in Bosnia (one before his detention and one after), found insufficient evidence to charge him with any crime. While we clearly have a more open and democratic society than North Korea does, his experience with us was no better than what the two American journalists are now going through in North Korea. We have to recognize that Bush, Cheney and the rest of the gang did real damage to core American ideals, and that this damage is still being felt, both at home and abroad." Mitchell Bard's full story
Do you feel, like most Americans, that North Korea's treatment of two American Journalists is a crime and that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is a criminal? Is the detention in GITMO without trial of suspected terrorists less criminal? If you are not just as outraged by the abuse of GITMO detainees as you are about the detention of two American journalists then, in my opinion, you have a serious moral deficiency.
The GOP "Leadership" Is Desperate!
The self-proclaimed GOP leaders are saying anything they can think of to discredit every action that Obama takes. The GOP obviously doesn't care if their statements are true but even I am surprised that they aren't even plausible.
During the BIG GOP fundraiser last night Newt Gingrich charged that Obama's stimulus plan prevents Boy Scouts from holding meetings in public schools. Does anybody with at least half a brain believe that?
Sarah Palin (I still can't believe that anybody takes her seriously) charged that after Obama bails out and buys up all the corporations he will start bailing out and buying up all the bankrupted state governments. At that point Obama will not only be able to hire and fire corporate CEO's, he will also control the states and the People. Does anybody with at least half a brain believe that?
As stupid as those claims are to you and me, there's a large number of people that believe them. I don't wonder why moderate Republicans are leaving the GOP?
During the BIG GOP fundraiser last night Newt Gingrich charged that Obama's stimulus plan prevents Boy Scouts from holding meetings in public schools. Does anybody with at least half a brain believe that?
Sarah Palin (I still can't believe that anybody takes her seriously) charged that after Obama bails out and buys up all the corporations he will start bailing out and buying up all the bankrupted state governments. At that point Obama will not only be able to hire and fire corporate CEO's, he will also control the states and the People. Does anybody with at least half a brain believe that?
As stupid as those claims are to you and me, there's a large number of people that believe them. I don't wonder why moderate Republicans are leaving the GOP?
Friday, June 05, 2009
Law Enforcement Could Have Prevented Dr. Tiller's Murder
Scott Roeder, an extreme anti-abortion activist, has been charged with murdering Dr. Tiller, who performed abortions, some late-term, in Wichita, KS. I don't believe in abortion unless it is a medical necessity. Dr. Tiller performed abortions that were legal in Kansas. The legality of his abortions was upheld in court.
The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, 1994, forbids the use of force, threat of force or physical obstruction to prevent someone from providing or receiving reproductive health services. Violation of the Act is a federal crime. In 1994, the Dept of Justice prosecuted 17 violations of FACE. In the years 1994 through 1998, the DOJ prosecuted about 50 violations. While GW Bush was president, the DOJ prosecuted an average of 2 violations per year. The number of DOJ prosecutions would be expected to decrease because the number of FACE complaints per year decreased. However, the ratio of prosecutions to complaints during the Bush administration was only one-third as much as throughout the Clinton administration.
Violations have not decreased for all clinics as much as they have for some because of differences in the enforcement of the law. Law enforcement in Wichita, KS where Dr. Tiller had his clinic was poor to none. After one Wichita city attorney failed to act on one of Dr. Tiller’s complaints, the attorney explained that he would rather be sued by Dr. Tiller than the anti-abortionists.
Many complaints about Scott Roeder were filed with the FBI over a period of years yet Roeder was never prosecuted. The FBI received two complaints from a Kansas City clinic about Scott Roeder one week before the murder and the day before the murder. In the second incident a clinic employee confronted Roeder while Roeder was trying to super glue the clinic’s access doors. Roeder was also videotaped by the clinics security system but the FBI did nothing.
While local law enforcement and the FBI did nothing, Cheryl Sullenger, an advisor to Operation Rescue, an anti-abortion group in Wichita, provided information to Scott Roeder regarding the time and place of various court hearings in which Dr. Tiller was involved. Cheryl Sullenger served two years in jail for conspiracy to bomb a California abortion clinic. Sullenger claims that she was only providing answers to Roeder’s questions and was not otherwise involved. It appears to me that Cheryl Sullenger, if not Operation Rescue also, conspired to murder Dr. Tiller.
Scott Roeder was able to murder Dr. Tiller because the DOJ, the FBI and local law enforcement in Kansas repeatedly and consistently failed to act. I expect Scott Roeder to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. However, I question whether Cheryl Sullenger and Operation Rescue will be investigated to determine if either or both conspired with Scott Roeder. I also question whether the DOJ, FBI and Wichita law enforcement will investigate their neglect that enabled this crime to be committed.
The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, 1994, forbids the use of force, threat of force or physical obstruction to prevent someone from providing or receiving reproductive health services. Violation of the Act is a federal crime. In 1994, the Dept of Justice prosecuted 17 violations of FACE. In the years 1994 through 1998, the DOJ prosecuted about 50 violations. While GW Bush was president, the DOJ prosecuted an average of 2 violations per year. The number of DOJ prosecutions would be expected to decrease because the number of FACE complaints per year decreased. However, the ratio of prosecutions to complaints during the Bush administration was only one-third as much as throughout the Clinton administration.
Violations have not decreased for all clinics as much as they have for some because of differences in the enforcement of the law. Law enforcement in Wichita, KS where Dr. Tiller had his clinic was poor to none. After one Wichita city attorney failed to act on one of Dr. Tiller’s complaints, the attorney explained that he would rather be sued by Dr. Tiller than the anti-abortionists.
Many complaints about Scott Roeder were filed with the FBI over a period of years yet Roeder was never prosecuted. The FBI received two complaints from a Kansas City clinic about Scott Roeder one week before the murder and the day before the murder. In the second incident a clinic employee confronted Roeder while Roeder was trying to super glue the clinic’s access doors. Roeder was also videotaped by the clinics security system but the FBI did nothing.
While local law enforcement and the FBI did nothing, Cheryl Sullenger, an advisor to Operation Rescue, an anti-abortion group in Wichita, provided information to Scott Roeder regarding the time and place of various court hearings in which Dr. Tiller was involved. Cheryl Sullenger served two years in jail for conspiracy to bomb a California abortion clinic. Sullenger claims that she was only providing answers to Roeder’s questions and was not otherwise involved. It appears to me that Cheryl Sullenger, if not Operation Rescue also, conspired to murder Dr. Tiller.
Scott Roeder was able to murder Dr. Tiller because the DOJ, the FBI and local law enforcement in Kansas repeatedly and consistently failed to act. I expect Scott Roeder to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. However, I question whether Cheryl Sullenger and Operation Rescue will be investigated to determine if either or both conspired with Scott Roeder. I also question whether the DOJ, FBI and Wichita law enforcement will investigate their neglect that enabled this crime to be committed.
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