Like many, I am appalled that the U.S. Coast Guard would hold a training mission on September 11th, within sight of the Pentagon, at the same time as the President lead a wreath-laying ceremony at the Pentagon’s 9/11 memorial. It is unconscionable. If Thad Allen (or Napolitano, for that matter) knew of or authorized this then he (or she) should be dismissed from his job. If he knew of the exercise, then he was amazingly tone-deaf and complicit in creating a small-scale panic for no discernable gain. If he was unaware that a routine training exercise was scheduled for today, then he would appear to be woefully ignorant of the day-to-day workings of the security apparatus which he oversees, and should therefore be similarly dismissed. This is simply beyond the pale. Did the Angel flyover of Lower Manhattan not make this point clearly enough? Continue reading…
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 Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) heckled Obama mid-speech So the President gave a strong (if mis-staged) speech tonight before a joint session of Congress. Whether or not this will have any effect whatsoever on the attitudes of those refusing to vote for anything, no matter the substance, remains to be seen. I think, however, that Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) is beyond Obama’s wide reach. Mr. Wilson’s attitude, and outburst, as well as the tone-deaf Republican response (“Most of the country” wants Congress to start over? Really?!) typifies the problem in our national debate right now, namely that one side largely doesn’t care what the rest of the country is saying. However, what was just as telling (if not more so) than what was said both during and after the speech was what did not happen during the speech. The GOP, largely, did not stand and applaud (the accepted way to demonstrate whether you are for or against a statement) for the following:
In addition, holding insurance companies accountable for their harsh, even immoral, actions, got rather sparse approval from Republicans. If this is at all indicative of “the character of our country”, then we are in very real trouble. Continue reading… An open letter to the President of the United States Mr. President: You are being advised badly. There is no longer any getting around that. The evidence for this is legion, but the most glaring one today is your speech on health care, to be given before a joint session of Congress. From [...] Nine months ago, the political world in the U.S. was in an uproar. Illinois’ former governor, Rod Blagojevich, having been caught by the FBI on wiretaps attempting to sell Barack Obama’s newly-vacant Senate seat, decided to go ahead and use his appointment power, flying in the face of the United States Senate, Illinois’ political leadership and virtually every non-follicle-centric media outlet (Yeah, I’m looking at you, Geraldo) to give former Illinois Comptroller Roland Burris a seat in the United States Senate. The country was outraged. Markos Moulitsas, of TheHill.com, wrote:
Holder’s Step in the Right Direction Holder selected John Durham (pictured) as special prosecutor. There have been a number of developments on the CIA torture/enhanced interrogation techniques (EIT according to the antiseptic neocon parlance) front, the most visible being the selection of John Durham as the special prosecutor assigned to investigate transgressions of the DoJ’s strangled legal guidelines governing interrogations. Critics immediately began to decry the decision as a partisan witch hunt, as evidence of an administration bent on exacting retribution from the GOP, and as a war on the country’s intelligence community. Dick Cheney and John McCain have both stated their opposition to an investigation on the grounds that it will harm our national security. McCain, to his credit, believes that continuing to bring American actions into the light will only serve to further foment anger within the Arab world. Cheney, however, opposes it because it would mean we couldn’t do it anymore (and you really only need to watch the first 3:10, though you can subject yourself to the full half hour if you’re feeling masochistic): If their actions might be investigated and found to be criminal, “they’re not going to sign up for those kinds of missions.” Continue reading… |
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