Thursday, November 20, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Congress abolished federal parole for anyone sentenced after November 1987.
Congress abolished federal parole for anyone sentenced after November 1987. Moore remained eligible for parole because she was sentenced before the change, Truman said.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Voter shifts in the 2008 election.
Mitch overcame a strong national tide of "throw the bums out!" and Mitch will probably be voting in the U.S. Senate until January 2015. By then, the 2 wars should be over, warrantless wiretaps should be a thing of the past, torture by Americans should be a thing of the past, the Lilly Ledford Act should be law, and it should be a much better world because most of the country has shifted to the Democrats while a belt of counties in America's border states shifted for Republican statism, war, and trampling on the Constitution. Kenneth Stepp.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
76th Kentuckian Dies in Iraq/Afghanistan War.
Number 76
by: Yellow Dog
Thu Nov 06, 2008 at 18:24:24 PM EST
The 76th Kentuckian to die in Smirky's Iraq/Afghanistan Fiasco is 27-year-old Daniel Wallace of Dry Ridge.
Wallace died on October 31 in Badin Kheyl, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 201st Combat Engineer Battalion, Kentucky Army National Guard in Cynthiana, Ky.
He is the 17th Kentucky National Guard member to die in our War on a Tactic, and the 11th Kentuckian and 3rd KNG member to die in Afghanistan.
Wallace was a 2001 graduate of Grant County High School. He enlisted in the Kentucky Army National Guard in May 2006 and was a member of Company C, of the 201st in Cynthiana. In Afghanistan, he was assigned to the battalion's Company B, out of Olive Hill.
Wallace was mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom in March of 2008 and deployed to Afghanistan in May, where he was part of "Task Force Workhorse", which is responsible for maintaining hundreds of miles of roads and removing roadside bombs or IEDs.
Wallace was serving as a gunner on an armor-protected vehicle. When a piece of equipment was knocked loose, he stepped outside the vehicle and was killed by a single bullet, (Kentucky Adjutant General Edward) Tonini said.
At the time of his death, Wallace held the rank of Specialist (E4), but was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant (E5) and awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the Army Good Conduct medal.
Survivors include his parents, Karen and Kenneth Wallace, two brothers, Charles and Alex Wallace, a sister, Kim and a 6-year-old son.
Cross-posted at Watching Those We Chose.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
The morning after the election.
McConnell Is Most Powerful Republican
By Martin Kady II , Politico.com
posted: 41 MINUTES AGOcomments: 0PrintShareText SizeAAAWith his party in tatters, Mitch McConnell is now the most powerful Republican in the country – the lone GOP senator who can stand in the way of an unfettered liberal agenda in Washington, and a key go-to man to rehabilitate his party.
McConnell, a soft spoken Washington insider from Kentucky with a canny understanding of Senate tactics, is an unlikely pick to be the GOP’s Stonewall Jackson. Yet by virtue of surviving a tight re-election for a fifth term and having no real challenger to his position as Senate minority leader, McConnell is positioned to be both the ultimate dealmaker and the Republican firewall against a leftward tilt in American government.
McConnell's first task will be to figure out how to sooth a decimated Republican Senate caucus divided between conservative ideologues who want to stand athwart history and block every Democratic initiative, and a group of moderates who may want to cut deals to ensure their own political survival.
On the night of Barack Obama's historic victory, McConnell was playing the part of gracious dealmaker. For now.
In his victory speech Tuesday night, McConnell would only say "the time to legislate will come," and he asserted that his party’s priorities would be energy independence, lower spending and strong national security.
Yet McConnell is already being challenged from the right. Moments after Obama was declared the victor, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), a firey conservative, declared that "Our party must start today to admit our mistakes, fight for our convictions, and encourage new conservatives to run for office."
But while the conservative caucus remains ready to fight, McConnell will also have to figure out how to keep moderates like Susan Collins of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania from making the sort of deals that would give Democrats filibuster-resistant majorities on a wide range of economic and social policies.
Over the past two years, McConnell has been more prone to lead filibusters, which require the support of 41 senators, against Democratic initiatives on energy, economic policy and the Iraq war, knowing that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) had virtually no margin for error.
That’s why Reid and other Democratic leaders poured so much money and energy into trying to beat McConnell. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spent $6 million in the last three weeks of the campaign to try to knock off McConnell. In a brief interview with Politico on election night, Reid said that Republicans "have nothing to obstruct with. I am not worried about obstruction."
Yet Reid desperately wanted McConnell out of the way.
"His victory is a strategic defeat for Democrats," said Julian Zelizer, a political scientist and congressional expert at Princeton University. "He has proven to be a very good opposition leader, able to maintain discipline in the party and block Democratic initiatives. He will have tougher time this time around, assuming it will be harder to maintain a filibuster."
Even though he has a consistently conservative voting record, McConnell is not known as a firebrand willing to go to the mat for conservative social causes. He is more of a classic fiscal and national security conservative, voting against Democratic budgets over the past two years while leading the filibuster against every Democratic effort to force troop withdrawal from Iraq.
Yet GOP aides interviewed by Politico on election night remain skeptical of McConnell, complaining that he did not stand with them on the economic stimulus and last year's immigration bill.
"If McConnell returns as leader, he will have to make dramatic changes in his muted, Washington-insider leadership style," said one GOP Senate aide. "For the last two years, he has worked more closely with Reid than conservatives, but he will need them now if he wants to fight . . . President Obama and huge Democrat majorities. Republicans felt betrayed by his 'bipartisanship' on the bailout and amnesty, and were appalled that he ran a campaign solely on pork and power."
If McConnell takes on the role as dealmaker, he may begin to see some serious challenges from conservatives like Jon Kyl (Ariz.), the Republican whip, and back benchers like DeMint and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.
"Fewer Republicans will be comfortable trusting McConnell to lead the effort to rebrand the Republican party and hold the line against a liberal onslaught," said another Senate GOP aide. "Plus, if the Democrats achieve a de facto filibuster proof margin his role in keeping Republicans together will be far less relevant. In that scenario, though, leaders like Jon Kyl and Jim DeMint will play a much more prominent role in the party."
Reid said he hopes that McConnell will pay more attention to legislating and less to rebuilding the conservative movement.
"This is a mandate to get along, to get something done in a bipartisan way," Reid said. "This is not a mandate for a political party or an ideology."
McConnell and his top aides seemed relieve simply to have survived a tough re-election, and weren’t ready to speculate on the problems he faces when he retakes the reins of the Republican Senate conference.
"I think it's going to be tough," James Bostic, an aide to Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.). "It will force people to look themselves in the mirror about where the party is going and what they stand for."
By Martin Kady II , Politico.com
posted: 41 MINUTES AGOcomments: 0PrintShareText SizeAAAWith his party in tatters, Mitch McConnell is now the most powerful Republican in the country – the lone GOP senator who can stand in the way of an unfettered liberal agenda in Washington, and a key go-to man to rehabilitate his party.
McConnell, a soft spoken Washington insider from Kentucky with a canny understanding of Senate tactics, is an unlikely pick to be the GOP’s Stonewall Jackson. Yet by virtue of surviving a tight re-election for a fifth term and having no real challenger to his position as Senate minority leader, McConnell is positioned to be both the ultimate dealmaker and the Republican firewall against a leftward tilt in American government.
McConnell's first task will be to figure out how to sooth a decimated Republican Senate caucus divided between conservative ideologues who want to stand athwart history and block every Democratic initiative, and a group of moderates who may want to cut deals to ensure their own political survival.
On the night of Barack Obama's historic victory, McConnell was playing the part of gracious dealmaker. For now.
In his victory speech Tuesday night, McConnell would only say "the time to legislate will come," and he asserted that his party’s priorities would be energy independence, lower spending and strong national security.
Yet McConnell is already being challenged from the right. Moments after Obama was declared the victor, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), a firey conservative, declared that "Our party must start today to admit our mistakes, fight for our convictions, and encourage new conservatives to run for office."
But while the conservative caucus remains ready to fight, McConnell will also have to figure out how to keep moderates like Susan Collins of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania from making the sort of deals that would give Democrats filibuster-resistant majorities on a wide range of economic and social policies.
Over the past two years, McConnell has been more prone to lead filibusters, which require the support of 41 senators, against Democratic initiatives on energy, economic policy and the Iraq war, knowing that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) had virtually no margin for error.
That’s why Reid and other Democratic leaders poured so much money and energy into trying to beat McConnell. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spent $6 million in the last three weeks of the campaign to try to knock off McConnell. In a brief interview with Politico on election night, Reid said that Republicans "have nothing to obstruct with. I am not worried about obstruction."
Yet Reid desperately wanted McConnell out of the way.
"His victory is a strategic defeat for Democrats," said Julian Zelizer, a political scientist and congressional expert at Princeton University. "He has proven to be a very good opposition leader, able to maintain discipline in the party and block Democratic initiatives. He will have tougher time this time around, assuming it will be harder to maintain a filibuster."
Even though he has a consistently conservative voting record, McConnell is not known as a firebrand willing to go to the mat for conservative social causes. He is more of a classic fiscal and national security conservative, voting against Democratic budgets over the past two years while leading the filibuster against every Democratic effort to force troop withdrawal from Iraq.
Yet GOP aides interviewed by Politico on election night remain skeptical of McConnell, complaining that he did not stand with them on the economic stimulus and last year's immigration bill.
"If McConnell returns as leader, he will have to make dramatic changes in his muted, Washington-insider leadership style," said one GOP Senate aide. "For the last two years, he has worked more closely with Reid than conservatives, but he will need them now if he wants to fight . . . President Obama and huge Democrat majorities. Republicans felt betrayed by his 'bipartisanship' on the bailout and amnesty, and were appalled that he ran a campaign solely on pork and power."
If McConnell takes on the role as dealmaker, he may begin to see some serious challenges from conservatives like Jon Kyl (Ariz.), the Republican whip, and back benchers like DeMint and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.
"Fewer Republicans will be comfortable trusting McConnell to lead the effort to rebrand the Republican party and hold the line against a liberal onslaught," said another Senate GOP aide. "Plus, if the Democrats achieve a de facto filibuster proof margin his role in keeping Republicans together will be far less relevant. In that scenario, though, leaders like Jon Kyl and Jim DeMint will play a much more prominent role in the party."
Reid said he hopes that McConnell will pay more attention to legislating and less to rebuilding the conservative movement.
"This is a mandate to get along, to get something done in a bipartisan way," Reid said. "This is not a mandate for a political party or an ideology."
McConnell and his top aides seemed relieve simply to have survived a tough re-election, and weren’t ready to speculate on the problems he faces when he retakes the reins of the Republican Senate conference.
"I think it's going to be tough," James Bostic, an aide to Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.). "It will force people to look themselves in the mirror about where the party is going and what they stand for."
McConnell is the most powerful Republican.
McConnell Is Most Powerful Republican
By Martin Kady II , Politico.com
posted: 41 MINUTES AGOcomments: 0PrintShareText SizeAAAWith his party in tatters, Mitch McConnell is now the most powerful Republican in the country – the lone GOP senator who can stand in the way of an unfettered liberal agenda in Washington, and a key go-to man to rehabilitate his party.
McConnell, a soft spoken Washington insider from Kentucky with a canny understanding of Senate tactics, is an unlikely pick to be the GOP’s Stonewall Jackson. Yet by virtue of surviving a tight re-election for a fifth term and having no real challenger to his position as Senate minority leader, McConnell is positioned to be both the ultimate dealmaker and the Republican firewall against a leftward tilt in American government.
McConnell's first task will be to figure out how to sooth a decimated Republican Senate caucus divided between conservative ideologues who want to stand athwart history and block every Democratic initiative, and a group of moderates who may want to cut deals to ensure their own political survival.
On the night of Barack Obama's historic victory, McConnell was playing the part of gracious dealmaker. For now.
In his victory speech Tuesday night, McConnell would only say "the time to legislate will come," and he asserted that his party’s priorities would be energy independence, lower spending and strong national security.
Yet McConnell is already being challenged from the right. Moments after Obama was declared the victor, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), a firey conservative, declared that "Our party must start today to admit our mistakes, fight for our convictions, and encourage new conservatives to run for office."
But while the conservative caucus remains ready to fight, McConnell will also have to figure out how to keep moderates like Susan Collins of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania from making the sort of deals that would give Democrats filibuster-resistant majorities on a wide range of economic and social policies.
Over the past two years, McConnell has been more prone to lead filibusters, which require the support of 41 senators, against Democratic initiatives on energy, economic policy and the Iraq war, knowing that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) had virtually no margin for error.
That’s why Reid and other Democratic leaders poured so much money and energy into trying to beat McConnell. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spent $6 million in the last three weeks of the campaign to try to knock off McConnell. In a brief interview with Politico on election night, Reid said that Republicans "have nothing to obstruct with. I am not worried about obstruction."
Yet Reid desperately wanted McConnell out of the way.
"His victory is a strategic defeat for Democrats," said Julian Zelizer, a political scientist and congressional expert at Princeton University. "He has proven to be a very good opposition leader, able to maintain discipline in the party and block Democratic initiatives. He will have tougher time this time around, assuming it will be harder to maintain a filibuster."
Even though he has a consistently conservative voting record, McConnell is not known as a firebrand willing to go to the mat for conservative social causes. He is more of a classic fiscal and national security conservative, voting against Democratic budgets over the past two years while leading the filibuster against every Democratic effort to force troop withdrawal from Iraq.
Yet GOP aides interviewed by Politico on election night remain skeptical of McConnell, complaining that he did not stand with them on the economic stimulus and last year's immigration bill.
"If McConnell returns as leader, he will have to make dramatic changes in his muted, Washington-insider leadership style," said one GOP Senate aide. "For the last two years, he has worked more closely with Reid than conservatives, but he will need them now if he wants to fight . . . President Obama and huge Democrat majorities. Republicans felt betrayed by his 'bipartisanship' on the bailout and amnesty, and were appalled that he ran a campaign solely on pork and power."
If McConnell takes on the role as dealmaker, he may begin to see some serious challenges from conservatives like Jon Kyl (Ariz.), the Republican whip, and back benchers like DeMint and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.
"Fewer Republicans will be comfortable trusting McConnell to lead the effort to rebrand the Republican party and hold the line against a liberal onslaught," said another Senate GOP aide. "Plus, if the Democrats achieve a de facto filibuster proof margin his role in keeping Republicans together will be far less relevant. In that scenario, though, leaders like Jon Kyl and Jim DeMint will play a much more prominent role in the party."
Reid said he hopes that McConnell will pay more attention to legislating and less to rebuilding the conservative movement.
"This is a mandate to get along, to get something done in a bipartisan way," Reid said. "This is not a mandate for a political party or an ideology."
McConnell and his top aides seemed relieve simply to have survived a tough re-election, and weren’t ready to speculate on the problems he faces when he retakes the reins of the Republican Senate conference.
"I think it's going to be tough," James Bostic, an aide to Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.). "It will force people to look themselves in the mirror about where the party is going and what they stand for."
By Martin Kady II , Politico.com
posted: 41 MINUTES AGOcomments: 0PrintShareText SizeAAAWith his party in tatters, Mitch McConnell is now the most powerful Republican in the country – the lone GOP senator who can stand in the way of an unfettered liberal agenda in Washington, and a key go-to man to rehabilitate his party.
McConnell, a soft spoken Washington insider from Kentucky with a canny understanding of Senate tactics, is an unlikely pick to be the GOP’s Stonewall Jackson. Yet by virtue of surviving a tight re-election for a fifth term and having no real challenger to his position as Senate minority leader, McConnell is positioned to be both the ultimate dealmaker and the Republican firewall against a leftward tilt in American government.
McConnell's first task will be to figure out how to sooth a decimated Republican Senate caucus divided between conservative ideologues who want to stand athwart history and block every Democratic initiative, and a group of moderates who may want to cut deals to ensure their own political survival.
On the night of Barack Obama's historic victory, McConnell was playing the part of gracious dealmaker. For now.
In his victory speech Tuesday night, McConnell would only say "the time to legislate will come," and he asserted that his party’s priorities would be energy independence, lower spending and strong national security.
Yet McConnell is already being challenged from the right. Moments after Obama was declared the victor, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), a firey conservative, declared that "Our party must start today to admit our mistakes, fight for our convictions, and encourage new conservatives to run for office."
But while the conservative caucus remains ready to fight, McConnell will also have to figure out how to keep moderates like Susan Collins of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania from making the sort of deals that would give Democrats filibuster-resistant majorities on a wide range of economic and social policies.
Over the past two years, McConnell has been more prone to lead filibusters, which require the support of 41 senators, against Democratic initiatives on energy, economic policy and the Iraq war, knowing that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) had virtually no margin for error.
That’s why Reid and other Democratic leaders poured so much money and energy into trying to beat McConnell. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spent $6 million in the last three weeks of the campaign to try to knock off McConnell. In a brief interview with Politico on election night, Reid said that Republicans "have nothing to obstruct with. I am not worried about obstruction."
Yet Reid desperately wanted McConnell out of the way.
"His victory is a strategic defeat for Democrats," said Julian Zelizer, a political scientist and congressional expert at Princeton University. "He has proven to be a very good opposition leader, able to maintain discipline in the party and block Democratic initiatives. He will have tougher time this time around, assuming it will be harder to maintain a filibuster."
Even though he has a consistently conservative voting record, McConnell is not known as a firebrand willing to go to the mat for conservative social causes. He is more of a classic fiscal and national security conservative, voting against Democratic budgets over the past two years while leading the filibuster against every Democratic effort to force troop withdrawal from Iraq.
Yet GOP aides interviewed by Politico on election night remain skeptical of McConnell, complaining that he did not stand with them on the economic stimulus and last year's immigration bill.
"If McConnell returns as leader, he will have to make dramatic changes in his muted, Washington-insider leadership style," said one GOP Senate aide. "For the last two years, he has worked more closely with Reid than conservatives, but he will need them now if he wants to fight . . . President Obama and huge Democrat majorities. Republicans felt betrayed by his 'bipartisanship' on the bailout and amnesty, and were appalled that he ran a campaign solely on pork and power."
If McConnell takes on the role as dealmaker, he may begin to see some serious challenges from conservatives like Jon Kyl (Ariz.), the Republican whip, and back benchers like DeMint and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.
"Fewer Republicans will be comfortable trusting McConnell to lead the effort to rebrand the Republican party and hold the line against a liberal onslaught," said another Senate GOP aide. "Plus, if the Democrats achieve a de facto filibuster proof margin his role in keeping Republicans together will be far less relevant. In that scenario, though, leaders like Jon Kyl and Jim DeMint will play a much more prominent role in the party."
Reid said he hopes that McConnell will pay more attention to legislating and less to rebuilding the conservative movement.
"This is a mandate to get along, to get something done in a bipartisan way," Reid said. "This is not a mandate for a political party or an ideology."
McConnell and his top aides seemed relieve simply to have survived a tough re-election, and weren’t ready to speculate on the problems he faces when he retakes the reins of the Republican Senate conference.
"I think it's going to be tough," James Bostic, an aide to Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.). "It will force people to look themselves in the mirror about where the party is going and what they stand for."
Monday, November 03, 2008
Lunsford leads among votes already cast.
KY-Sen: McConnell (R) with the edge, but anyone's game
by kos
Fri Oct 31, 2008 at 05:20:04 PM PST
Research 2000 for Daily Kos. 10/27-29. Likely voters. MoE 4% (10/15-16 results)
McConnell (R) 47 (46)
Lunsford (D) 44 (42)
Already voted (16% of sample)
McConnell (R) 44
Lunsford (D) 56
Amazing how we're leading everywhere in early voting, huh? Well, not in the presidential, where McCain leads in the early voting 52-44, and 56-39 overall. But in the races that matter, early voting seems to be going nicely our way.
So where are the undecideds? Eight percent of whites are undecided, and those guys are breaking 53-39 thus far. 13 percent of African Americans as well, which is par for the course in these southern-state polls, where a significant portion of black respondents refuse to tell pollsters their voting intentions. Given that blacks break for Lunsford 82-5 thus far, chances are that 13 percent will likely fall on Lunsford's side. That should be worth another point or so for Lunsford in the toplines.
The big other question mark is Independents, which currently fall 46-41 for McConnell, but with a large 13 percent still undecided. The fate of this election rests on their hands.
On the web:
Bruce Lunsford for Senate
by kos
Fri Oct 31, 2008 at 05:20:04 PM PST
Research 2000 for Daily Kos. 10/27-29. Likely voters. MoE 4% (10/15-16 results)
McConnell (R) 47 (46)
Lunsford (D) 44 (42)
Already voted (16% of sample)
McConnell (R) 44
Lunsford (D) 56
Amazing how we're leading everywhere in early voting, huh? Well, not in the presidential, where McCain leads in the early voting 52-44, and 56-39 overall. But in the races that matter, early voting seems to be going nicely our way.
So where are the undecideds? Eight percent of whites are undecided, and those guys are breaking 53-39 thus far. 13 percent of African Americans as well, which is par for the course in these southern-state polls, where a significant portion of black respondents refuse to tell pollsters their voting intentions. Given that blacks break for Lunsford 82-5 thus far, chances are that 13 percent will likely fall on Lunsford's side. That should be worth another point or so for Lunsford in the toplines.
The big other question mark is Independents, which currently fall 46-41 for McConnell, but with a large 13 percent still undecided. The fate of this election rests on their hands.
On the web:
Bruce Lunsford for Senate
Get out and vote!
November 3, 2008
Dear Reader,
The day has arrived - get out and vote.
Peace voters make up a majority of Americans. One way to show our political power is voting. We have a variety of candidates to choose from. Exercise your right and get out and vote.
Many feared an October surprise. We've actually had several. In the last few weeks the U.S. has attacked Pakistan more than 20 times, killing scores of civilians. Last week, the U.S. attacked Syria, also killing civilians. U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, where the war is escalating, have also killed many civilians - sometimes the U.S. military leadership has even apologized. In Iraq, the U.S. is unable to reach agreement on a Status of Forces Agreement because the Iraqi's really want the U.S. to leave, and the Bush administration really does not want to leave. In Iran, the U.S. continues to fund what our leaders would describe as terrorist attacks in an effort to change the leadership of Iran. All of these military endeavors are creating a much wider war that stretches across the Middle East into Afghanistan. It is interesting that this escalation of conflict did not create an October surprise that was a highlight in the final weeks of the presidential campaign.
No doubt, the wars were dwarfed by the failing economy. The economy is forcing Americans to face reality. One reality that is dawning that the U.S. cannot afford to re-make its economy and continue wars on multiple fronts as well as the gigantic defense budget. Rep. Barney Frank, the chairman of the House Banking Committee, is calling for a 25% cut in defense spending.
Change is in the air. Circumstances will force change beyond where any of the candidates are currently promising. Our job now is to show that peace voters vote as this is one measure of our political power. After the election we will be pushing whoever is elected to rapidly end the Iraq war, focus on non-military solutions in Afghanistan, emphasize diplomacy over militarism and re-think the defense budget. Donate now to support our efforts.
But for now - get out and vote.
Sincerely,
Kenneth Stepp
Dear Reader,
The day has arrived - get out and vote.
Peace voters make up a majority of Americans. One way to show our political power is voting. We have a variety of candidates to choose from. Exercise your right and get out and vote.
Many feared an October surprise. We've actually had several. In the last few weeks the U.S. has attacked Pakistan more than 20 times, killing scores of civilians. Last week, the U.S. attacked Syria, also killing civilians. U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, where the war is escalating, have also killed many civilians - sometimes the U.S. military leadership has even apologized. In Iraq, the U.S. is unable to reach agreement on a Status of Forces Agreement because the Iraqi's really want the U.S. to leave, and the Bush administration really does not want to leave. In Iran, the U.S. continues to fund what our leaders would describe as terrorist attacks in an effort to change the leadership of Iran. All of these military endeavors are creating a much wider war that stretches across the Middle East into Afghanistan. It is interesting that this escalation of conflict did not create an October surprise that was a highlight in the final weeks of the presidential campaign.
No doubt, the wars were dwarfed by the failing economy. The economy is forcing Americans to face reality. One reality that is dawning that the U.S. cannot afford to re-make its economy and continue wars on multiple fronts as well as the gigantic defense budget. Rep. Barney Frank, the chairman of the House Banking Committee, is calling for a 25% cut in defense spending.
Change is in the air. Circumstances will force change beyond where any of the candidates are currently promising. Our job now is to show that peace voters vote as this is one measure of our political power. After the election we will be pushing whoever is elected to rapidly end the Iraq war, focus on non-military solutions in Afghanistan, emphasize diplomacy over militarism and re-think the defense budget. Donate now to support our efforts.
But for now - get out and vote.
Sincerely,
Kenneth Stepp
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
