Zinn: Uninformed Americans Are Vulnerable to Government Deception

Zinn: Uninformed Americans Are Vulnerable to Government Deception

Howard Zinn asks: How could anyone listening to the younger Bush believe him as he laid out the reasons for invading Iraq?

Chertoff Says Arab-State Controlled US Ports would be "Safer"

Chertoff Says Arab-State Controlled US Ports would be "Safer"

This is rich. Our Homeland Security chief says we would have been SAFER with the UAE government controlling our ports.

Only a complete idiot would fail to understand that comments like this are political poison while we're at war in Afghanistan and Iraq and because of our lack of control of security in either theater. While there is any risk of regional war in the Middle East, comments like Chertoff's are going to make American citizens extremely non-confident in his commitment to protecting the Homeland.

GOP: From Rubber Stamp to Lost in the Woods

GOP: From Rubber Stamp to Lost in the Woods

David Brooks on Republicans:

If you wanted to put these changes in a nutshell, you'd say the Republicans have gone from soaring Bushian universalism to nervous, dumbed-down Huntingtonism.

More like "Rubber Stamp" to "Lost in The Woods".

Republicans have lost their moral compass (and the one they were using had been defective for some time).

I have this idea for a commercial to define these Republicans. Imagine, if you would, a campaign ad with a cute little animated cartoon Rubber Stamp with arms and legs - walking along holding hands with a cartoon version of President Bush.

Suddenly the (political) wind blows a cloud toward them, and as the cloud gets closer, you see it is chock-filled with terrible Bush approval ratings. The cute little Rubber Stamp looks at the cloud, then at Bush as if he's a monster - and pulls away from him - screaming.

Maybe a slogan or song will pop up, such as these lines sung to the tune of the children's song Itsy Bitsy Spider -

Down came the polls and washed way the ink
Now the Rubber Stamp Republicans will have to learn to think..

David Brooks:

"Today, many Republicans have lost patience with Bush's high-minded creedal statements."

Earth To David Brooks. We're tiring of your gullibility. You seem to be one of the few who hasn't quite figured out that Bush is a broken record.

Semantics is .. only important for those who just want people not to talk about the facts, but rather prefer them lost in translations: translation of human drama into body counts, translation of daily killings into ‘war concepts’, translation of truth into lies.
- Frank Biancheri

Oglala Sioux Woman to Challenge S.D. on Abortion

Oglala Sioux Woman to Challenge S.D. on Abortion

The news is spreading like wildfire. When South Dakota moved to outlaw abortion, I'd had many diiscussions with fellow bloggers about my hunch: the Native Americans would challenge South Dakota's law by opening up opportunities for women's freedom to choose on their reservations. It looks like it's happening.

[Indianz.com]The President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe on the Pine Ridge Reservation, Cecilia Fire Thunder, was incensed. A former nurse and healthcare giver she was very angry that a state body made up mostly of white males, would make such a stupid law against women.

“To me, it is now a question of sovereignty,” she said to me last week. “I will personally establish a Planned Parenthood clinic on my own land which is within the boundaries of the Pine Ridge Reservation where the State of South Dakota has absolutely no jurisdiction.”

Strong words from a very strong lady. I hope Ms. Fire Thunder challenges Gov. Rounds and the state legislators on this law that is an affront to all independent women."

Blogger Kathryn called Ms. Fire Thunder of the Oglala Sioux and got permission to post her e-mail address and other information.

Amanda Marcotte has a thoughtful post at Pandagon.
Mustang Bobby has expressed his support.
PZ Myers suggests: How about if we give South Dakota to the Oglala Sioux?

Note: The Oglala Sioux have a rich history in America. See this post, which includes a discussion of some of that history.

Catching Up

Catching Up

Sorry I haven't posted a lot this week. I was hit by the flu late last week and it wiped me out!

Here's some things I've been writing about:

US Ready to Talk with Iran on Iraq - [One America] )

The Iraq War on its Third Anniversary - [One America]

Raising the Federal Minimum Wage - The Myths vs. The Realities - [One America]