No War Left Behind

THE WAR POWERS ACT OF 2009

In March of 2009, after 6 years of war in Iraq, a

Congress that has picked up dozens of Democratic seats in the House and several in the Senate sends a bill to President McCain that is likely to change American foreign policy for the next several generations, a retooling of the War Powers Act to weaken the White House's seemingly unilateral control over military expeditions overseas.

OK, this is probably some type of wonkish fan fiction, but what does Congress do in the next administration to regain some control over governing? Particularly it's Constitutional duty to declare war. There has been no declaration of war in the United States since the early 1940's. Things have been a little crazy over the past few years, kind of a bunch of folks who have no idea what they are doing just kinda seem to be winging it. So, maybe it's time for the grownups to take over. So here is my wacky proposal, I'll work out the details later (you know like Constitutionality and so forth, but really it's just a piece of paper)

The President is the Commander in Chief, a necessary piece of civilian control of the military, and the leader of clear chain of command. There is no need to have a representative from Vermont working on tactical and even strategic missions in theater. In fact under the new War Powers Act the President will have a 90 day period to act to any immediate threats to national security.

After this 90 day period, any further expenditures will have to have the approval of Congress, also at this point at least a 10% income surtax (as a percentage of tax paid, not of income, similar to the Vietnam surtax)

After 180 days, the revised Selective Service Act of 2009 takes effect. This Selective Service is truly selective. The military in consultation with the civilian leadership identifies skill sets needed for the good of the nation and it's defense. Gone are the $900-$1200/day trigger pullers from Blackwater, etc., welcome to Uncle Sam's Army, here's your 45K plus combat pay, sergeant. You need some wastewater engineers, linguistic experts, computer programmers, there you go, right there in public agencies and private corporations.

Sure this is pure fantasy, the suffering in Iraq is done by poor and working class Americans for the most part and their families. But war, as important as it can be for national security, needs to be a last resort and needs the efforts of an entire population to win. So how can a Congress that has become more insignificant year by year, pounding down earmarks like crab rangoons and arguing about steroids in baseball and Terri Schiavo and naming post offices actually regain a little control over governing?

MEDIOCRITY IS THE NEW BLACK

Wow, this election campaign sucks. And I'm afraid cycle by cycle, it's just going to get worse. There will likely never be any more exciting candidates, energizing, experienced candidates who have taken risks, experienced failure and grown into prudent, logical, critical thinking adults who know who to take counsel from and who to ignore and push away. Best case scenario, some blow dried corporate hack like Mitt Romney running the country through focus groups and white papers, worse case scenario, someone makes the leap from American Idol to the White House.

Instead of AC-DC and Minor Threat we get Winger and a bunch of hair bands. Instead of the Barking Crab we get Red Lobster, instead of Fenway we get some bullshit cookie cutter park. Instead of Thomas Friedman, you get some jacked up blogger. You get the drill.

Netroots, 24-7 news cycles, short attention spans and gossip have destroyed any opportunity for clear articulation of policy, any real campaigning but reacting to the latest media manufactured scandal or gossip. What's Hillary wearing, where's Barack go to church, what cute blonde does John flirt with? Just stupid, insipid crap that makes you insane.

March Madness

Wow, what a couple of weeks. McCain comes back from the dead to clinch the nomination, hoping to get Dole to come out of retirement as his running mate to show the vitality that is John McCain. The Democrats fall over themselves in their quest to blow the election. All fun and games here in the American political system, where no politician is too stupid.

MRS ANGRY MIDDLE SPEAKS UP
As democrats consider whether to label themselves with the Dunkin’ Donuts or Starbucks brand, it is worth considering—beyond the sound bite language of the endless campaign—what these labels really mean.

Obviously, the major implication is price- rich snobs drink Starbucks, working stiffs drink DD. This many well be true, but on a price per ounce basis this may not necessarily add up. According to a 10/28/05 article in the Boston Globe, here in New England “Dunkin's small 10-ounce coffee costs $1.46 and Starbucks' small 12-ounce runs $1.58”. While prices have probably changes since then, by my reckoning DD coffee cost over a penny more per ounce. Since Starbucks coffee has as much as twice the caffeine, the price per unit of caffeine consumed makes Starbucks a much better value.

But there are other questions about these two brands a good democrat would do well to ask: how do they treat their workers? Do they provide good wages and benefits? Do they purchase Fair Trade Coffee? What about organic, shade grown blends? And what about those disposable cups and other types of pollution (ie SUVs in the drive-through line)? Does wanting good, green collar jobs (and a strong cup of coffee) somehow make you an effete snob?

If all this talk about balancing costs and social justice makes your head want to explode, you may want to just take the route of the Angry Middle family and brew your own and tote it around in a reusable cup (even if at times you end up a forget-the-cup, have-no-money and have-a headache-all-day Democrat). This could help you save more money toward your kids’ college, homeownership, or retirement… and maybe guns and canned goods. Cause the way this country seems headed, you may need them.

OK, That's nice honey, now go make me breakfast....

SPITZER SWALL.... OK I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT
Dammit, Eliot you were supposed to be one of the good guys. Attacking corporate and organized crime as a prosecutor, moving into the corner office ready to show what good government is.

OK, so it turns out you're just another scumbag, hypocrite. Trying to stop the organized crime that you don't personally patronize. I'll give you this, you weren't afraid to spend daddy's money on some quality dates. Yeah, nobody's ever going to catch you with high class call girls, that never happens.

Whatever happened to the traditional, upperclass Democratic skirtchasing of socialites? The Palm Beach crowd that didn't benefit from it being known that they are philanderers? Is this some type of 21st century multitasking, going to DC anyway to lobby, may as well get me one of those 22 year old hotties. It's hard to say what was going through his wife's head, another woman's life destroyed as she heads up to the podium in a Xanax-like haze. How do you know the center of the scandal was a Democrat, adult woman.

HOLY CRAP
I know almost nothing about the minister of Obama's congregation. I do know that the IRS for some reason is looking at our entire church organization, The United Church of Christ, because Obama spoke at the synod. I'm unsure if they have looked at every conservative church for the same purposes but that's a different issue altogether.

Barack's minister came up with some crazy crackhead conspiracies not often heard outside the buzz of a black helicopter or the whining of a spoiled brat Larouchite. Certainly many of us are often disturbed by the leaders of our faith and in Barack's case, he bought the whole boat with this guy. Obama made an amazing rhetorical response and saved face among the "readers" in the country. It's difficult to understand why someone would stay in a church with a pastor like this, unless perhaps one can have an understanding of what being "saved" is, perhaps this is where Obama stands, but this is not for me, not for me to understand his heart and soul. How this benefits his being while hearing words that may revile. Either that or he makes Slick Willie look like mumbly jones.

There is a profound challenge in this day of a 24/7 newscycle, Hillary has certainly faced this for years, the constant abuse. There is a long trail ahead.

CORPORATE WELFARE
These are strange economic times, huge swings in the markets and the economy based on the news of the day. These are times when the big corporations cry out for government intervention. The "revenooers" don't seem so vicious when they are dishing out the dough. The big investment banks have the government over a barrel, they know that their failure will reverberate throughout the American economy, and the government will happily use the taxpayer's money or the money we borrow to ironically bail out those companies that have become overextended.

It's different to collect welfare when you have lobbyists, 6 and 7 digit bonuses and a three piece suit. It comes quickly and by wire. There is no shame to it, no social worker coming to check up on your family, no hiding the man of the house. Companies now are dumping their dirty laundry on the American taxpayer, hiding it in hedge funds, bundling it in impenetrable derivatives, moving around money faster than a Flatbush Ave three card monte game. The beauty of this of course, every high executive gets their golden parachute, stock options at levels that existed only on paper on a particular date, not based in reality and the Wall St. shuffle to another firm instead of a bus to Danbury to do some federal time. And when this shakes out, there is incredible growth in financial stocks, the herd thinned not by the free market but by taxpayer largess.

March On

REMEMBERING WFB
I'm not sure for most of my life I could be so different from someone politically. A cold warrior from a well to do background compared to a social misfit from a working class background. As a younger progressive I always assumed that people like Buckley would be my political foil for the rest of my days.

Alas, we never knew the route that politics and life would take us. The Republican party of Buckley has vanished, gone is the intellect of the party, the fiscal conservatives that you could argue policy with, now the party exists of the fear purveyors, long distance diagnosers, anti-science advocates, single syllable articulators and warmongers. Buckley feared foreign entanglements, likely believing in the case of Iraq that 12 skulls and bonesman could easily do the job of 150,000 regular people in toppling Saddam, as in the case of Iran in 1953, Guatemala in 1954, Chile in 1973 ad infinitum.

I always hated his arrogance, and his adopted accent but what made him different from the monosyllabic perpetrators who co-opted his party was his amazing use of language and the way he could insult people without people even realizing it. His magazine while sometimes repugnant politically to me, always had the best writing in it. The policies well articulated beyond words like "evil doers", "freedom" and "they hate America".

A bit of me has passed with WFB. Now the one's to argue with are armed with a couple of internet articles, the disciples of Rush and Ann fueled by gossip and innuendo. Surely a sad day.

THE STUPID GETS STUPIDER

Yup, he's here to overthrow the government. Which Manchurian Candidate do you want, the Muslim extremists or the one that was prepped in Vietnamese prison camps to bring Communism to the United States. (ed. note Sinatra's the Manchurian Candidate is the best political movie ever made)

I'm not sure who Barack's handlers were in this shot. There's nothing wrong with it, there's probably a picture of me somewhere in leiderhosen after one of my uncles or grandfather came back from the service, doesn't necessarily make me a nazi but seriously if you're ever thinking of running for President, even if you're being polite, leave the Somali gear for the Somali's. for a guy who looks like he wakes up in a suit and tie, he doesn't even look comfortable as a Somali elder.

Again, this is the bullsh!t that passes for news nowadays. Fueling the fire that Barack Hussein Obama is a tool of Islamic extremism. It's a stupid fire, but relevant in what passes for discourse nowadays. Barack is about as Muslim as I am a cobbler, if you go back to my grandmother's father's profession back in Puerto Rico.


DRUDGE IS A TRAITOR
If there is a king of bloggers, that is the person that has the most effect in the "blogosphere" or the semi-news Internet is Matt Drudge. Drudge cut his teeth on Clinton and has continued with his gossiping, occasionally making the big score but existing on Washington Times and British tabloid articles that feed the right wing ahole public. There have been lefty attempts at the throne, but things like the Daily Kos are not checked daily by the mainstream media looking for scoops.

When does gossip become irresponsible? Certainly Prince Harry is soon going to come under some type of weird right wing chicken hawk spin. But this crap is inexcusable. Support the troops? Just an enigma, a passing fad. Is this war or just confusion?