Senators Hillary Clinton of New York and Robert Byrd of West Virginia will be introducing legislation to rescind the 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), the legislation that allowed the invasion of Iraq, in October 2007 on the fifth anniversary of the AUMF’s initial passage. From Senator Clinton’s speech on the SenateContinue reading “On Rescinding the President's War Powers”
Category Archives: Politics
On the Bush Dyslexicon
I’m sorry, this is one I can’t let pass. President Bush referred to himself today as, and let me make sure I’ve got this exactly right, “the commander guy.” Referring to the Baker-Hamilton report Bush said: By the way, in the report it said, it is — the government may have to put in moreContinue reading “On the Bush Dyslexicon”
On Mission Accomplished, Plus Four Years
Said President George W. Bush on May 1st, 2003: Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed. And now our coalition is engaged in securing and reconstructing that country. Wrote I in September 2006, for the Star Trek: Constellations annotations: On May 1,Continue reading “On Mission Accomplished, Plus Four Years”
On Looking Back Four Years
I like to read Tom Tomorrow’s cartoons. He’s a political cartoonist, and his weekly cartoon–entitled This Modern World–are usually carried in the alt-weeklies. In Raleigh I read them in The Independant. Here in Baltimore I find them in City Paper. If you have an alt-weekly, chances are you can read Tom Tomorrow. Alternatively, you canContinue reading “On Looking Back Four Years”
On the Absent Liddy Dole
When I lived in North Carolina my two senators were Liddy Dole and Bob Burr. I’d write letters to both, pester them about supporting non-Republican causes (which was, itself, a non-starter as both are loyal Republicans). Burr, at least, would write back. Dole, except for one letter on a proposal to raise the Minimum Wage,Continue reading “On the Absent Liddy Dole”
More on Alberto Gonzales
I love the NPR news quizshow Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me. They offered the best explanation yet for Alberto Gonzales’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee this week. (And I’m paraphrasing from memory here.) “Alberto Gonzales blacks out. His body is taken over by an evil spirit who fires US Attorneys, lies before Congress andContinue reading “More on Alberto Gonzales”
On Alberto Gonzales
Dear Mr. Gonzales: It’s time for you to go. You’ve lost Republican Senators. You’ve lost the New York Times. When their editorial page writes: If Attorney General Alberto Gonzales had gone to the Senate yesterday to convince the world that he ought to be fired, it’s hard to imagine how he could have done aContinue reading “On Alberto Gonzales”
On a Non-Theist in the House
Congressman Pete Stark of California made news this week as being the only member of Congress to “come out of the closet and [acknowledge] that he does not believe in God.” This revelation came from a survey done by the Secular Coaltion for America. From their press release: Rep. Stark is the first open nontheistContinue reading “On a Non-Theist in the House”
On New Mexico Laws
Two interesting legislative initiatives are winding their way through the New Mexico legislature. One would deal with Pluto. A law was passed declaring March 13th, 2007 “Pluto Planet Day.” An excerpt from the legislation: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that, as Pluto passes overhead through NewContinue reading “On New Mexico Laws”
On War Powers
After two attempts in the Senate to pass a non-binding resolution expressing discontent with the President’s plan to “surge” twenty-one thousand troops to Iraq the Senate leadership is planning a new move, to rescind the President’s war-making authority in Iraq. Four years ago, Congress passed legislation authorizing President Bush to go to war in Iraq.Continue reading “On War Powers”