The John McCain campaign is pushing back hard against the Democrats' use of his "a hundred years" line. The McCain campaign does have a good point. The line has been taken way out of context and plays destructively into the politics of 30-second sound bites and gotcha moments. America faces great challenges and needs an election based on policy and overall vision. What is not needed is a fight over what party can best twist the words of the other.
While John McCain was not advocating a hundred years of war, he still has not answered the most important foreign policy question: If not 100 years, then how many? Rehashing the tired Republican taking point of "until the job is done" will not suffice. I'm not talking about a set-in-stone timetable which foolishly disregards facts on the ground, but an honest discussion with the American people about what level of commitment John McCain wants our nation to make.
Does he expect America to stop taking combat casualties during his first term, during his second term, or will America still be losing young men and women in Iraq even after he leaves the White House? After years of distortions and outright lies, it is time for a hard and honest debate. We need a measurement by which we can determine success. We need honesty about how many lives and how many billions he is prepared to commit. If McCain does not want to commit to a hundred years of war than how great a commitment is too great? Would 5 more years, 10 more years, or 20 more years be too great a sacrifice? It is time for the straight truth about Iraq from the Straight Talk Express.
Collective Amnesia
On Tuesday night I witnessed one of the most bizarre and amazing events on TV: All the cable news pundits were stricken with complete and total amnesia at exactly 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.
I do not mean to demean Hillary Clinton's victory in the Pennsylvania primary. She needed to win, and she pulled off a strong victory. But this should not have been a surprise to anyone. Hillary Clinton was expected to win; the demographics of the state were favorable to her, she had the endorsement of the popular governor, and all the polls showed her winning. As we can see from the image at Pollster.com, the polls indicated that she was expected to win by about 8 points.
Pennsylvania's demographics are nearly identical to Ohio where Clinton won by almost exactly the same spread. In fact, Pennsylvania is older, has more female, and less black people than Ohio. And in both states she also had the endorsement of the popular governor.
Hillary Clinton's win in Pennsylvania was neither something special nor surprising. It did not "raise new issues about Obama"-- all it did was demonstrate that the same patterns which have defined this race held steady. It will be fascinating to see in two weeks if the pundits are equally "shocked" when Obama wins by a large margin in North Carolina like he is expected to.
I do not mean to demean Hillary Clinton's victory in the Pennsylvania primary. She needed to win, and she pulled off a strong victory. But this should not have been a surprise to anyone. Hillary Clinton was expected to win; the demographics of the state were favorable to her, she had the endorsement of the popular governor, and all the polls showed her winning. As we can see from the image at Pollster.com, the polls indicated that she was expected to win by about 8 points.
Pennsylvania's demographics are nearly identical to Ohio where Clinton won by almost exactly the same spread. In fact, Pennsylvania is older, has more female, and less black people than Ohio. And in both states she also had the endorsement of the popular governor.
Hillary Clinton's win in Pennsylvania was neither something special nor surprising. It did not "raise new issues about Obama"-- all it did was demonstrate that the same patterns which have defined this race held steady. It will be fascinating to see in two weeks if the pundits are equally "shocked" when Obama wins by a large margin in North Carolina like he is expected to.
From the Lion's Den to the Tiger's Lair
Recently the state of Texas raided a Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints compound. As a result of the raid, the government of Texas has taken custody of nearly 400 children. But given the current state of the child welfare services, these children are being removed from the lion's den to be put in the tiger's lair. The tragedies of this raid are twofold:
One is left wondering why now. The American government has been aware of the systematic rape and abuse of children by the FLDS for decades. The leader of the sect, Warren Jeffs, was convicted of being an accomplice to rape a year ago. For decades there have been numerous books, articles, and news broadcasts documenting the many heinous crimes committed by the FLDS leadership. It is amazing that the federal government can find the man power to make dozens of raids on California medical marijuana clinics and perform tax audits on thousands of Americans, yet for years turned a blind eye to what has essentially been an independent, totalitarian country run by pedophiles on American soil.
The second great tragedy is the horrible state of our nation's child welfare services. The children, taken from a religion which has failed them, are being turned over to a government bureaucracy which is almost certain to fail them as well. The sins of the FLDS are numerous: failure to provide a healthy environment, failure to provide a proper education, failure to provide a future, and a long history of physical and sexual abuse. But our child welfare system is all too often guilty of the same crimes. These children are being taken from one horrible system to only be put at the mercy of another.
One is left wondering why now. The American government has been aware of the systematic rape and abuse of children by the FLDS for decades. The leader of the sect, Warren Jeffs, was convicted of being an accomplice to rape a year ago. For decades there have been numerous books, articles, and news broadcasts documenting the many heinous crimes committed by the FLDS leadership. It is amazing that the federal government can find the man power to make dozens of raids on California medical marijuana clinics and perform tax audits on thousands of Americans, yet for years turned a blind eye to what has essentially been an independent, totalitarian country run by pedophiles on American soil.
The second great tragedy is the horrible state of our nation's child welfare services. The children, taken from a religion which has failed them, are being turned over to a government bureaucracy which is almost certain to fail them as well. The sins of the FLDS are numerous: failure to provide a healthy environment, failure to provide a proper education, failure to provide a future, and a long history of physical and sexual abuse. But our child welfare system is all too often guilty of the same crimes. These children are being taken from one horrible system to only be put at the mercy of another.
A Bit of Comedy - Guns
In Pennsylvania, it was inevitable for the Democratic presidential primary to turn to the issue of guns and the Second Amendment. Barack Obama believes that people facing tough economic times are "clinging to their guns," and Hillary Clinton is touting her childhood filled with hunting. Both candidates are feverously trying to convince voters that they respect the Second Amendment.
But for anyone who's watched Democratic politics, it should come as no surprise that the Democrats seem so fearful of gun ownership. If you were part of a group which had a strong habit of forming circular firing squads, you would be scared of guns, too.
A Bit of Comedy – Possible VP Picks (Clinton edition)
Clinton/Gore
Hillary Clinton and Al Gore
Vote Nostalgia
(On the plus side, they finally have a use for that storage unit full of old Clinton/Gore '92 merchandise)
Vote Nostalgia
(On the plus side, they finally have a use for that storage unit full of old Clinton/Gore '92 merchandise)
Clinton/Bloomberg
Hillary Clinton and NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg
I Heart NY ticket
I Heart NY ticket
Clinton/Pelosi
Hillary Clinton and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
The Screw Everything Between San Francisco and NYC Ticket
The Screw Everything Between San Francisco and NYC Ticket
Clinton/Byrd
Hillary Clinton and 90 year old West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd
A Century of Experience
A Century of Experience
A Bit of Comedy – Possible VP Picks (Obama edition)
Obama/SebeliusBarack Obama and Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius
Yes We Kansas
Obama/ZinniObama and Former Marine Corps General Anthony Zinni
Dorothy's Dream Ticket
or Vote OZ
Obama/Kaine
Obama and Virginia Governor Tim Kaine
'08 will be OK
or OK in '08
Obama and Virginia Governor Tim Kaine
'08 will be OK
or OK in '08
Obama/Bloomberg
Obama and Jewish Mayor Michael Bloomberg
The "KKK's worst nightmare" ticket
Obama and Jewish Mayor Michael Bloomberg
The "KKK's worst nightmare" ticket
Obama/Richardson
Obama and half Caucasian/half Hispanic New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson
The Black and Tan Ticket
(On the plus side, they can try to get a beer to sponsor their campaign)
0r "Together We Add Up to One White Male" Ticket
Obama and half Caucasian/half Hispanic New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson
The Black and Tan Ticket
(On the plus side, they can try to get a beer to sponsor their campaign)
0r "Together We Add Up to One White Male" Ticket
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