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The Rape Exception

                                                        

 
Blogger Note: This is the final part of my series on abortion in America. (Though certainly not my last post on the topic.) For quick back ground, I was an active member of Right to Life for ten years before joining Planned Parenthood a year and a half ago. It is my belief that everyone should be personally pro-life but politically pro-choice.

I have been pointing out for the last month about the legal reality on the abortion issue, from the fact that Roe will almost certainly never be reversed and that if it was (and that is a big if) that abortion would still be legal in America. I also pointed out the fact that all 9 Supreme Court Justices believe that abortion is protected under the US Constitution. But another side deserves to be looked at, that being what would happen if Roe was reversed and the pro-life political community got its way?

We will look at the one of the biggest problems caused by a Roe reversal, the rape/incest exception. If Roe was reversed, and even in the most culturally conservative state, an exception must be made for the health of the mother and more importantly rape/incest. Even the most fervently anti-choice politicians almost always make this exception and the pro-life community tends to agree that this exceptions most be made. So if Roe were reversed either the courts or most likely the politicians would put in a rape exception. The rape exception however would cause chaos to our criminal justice system. All one would have to do in order to qualify for an abortion, is to say that you did not consent to the sexual intercourse that lead to the pregnancy. You can see how this exception would be abused and how telling real victims and those who are making it up would make handling rape cases a minefield. Also, unfortunately but true many women/girls might make up stories about "fake rape" hurting real victims cases. In cases in which the supposed victim is lying they tend to go for stereotypes, in which they blame young faceless African American men.

This could very well lead to false arrests and convictions, hurting innocent people and doing nothing to curtail the number of abortions in this country. This option would also liked be used by the most poor as getting an abortion, if Roe were reversed would not affect the successful to upper middle class, the wealthy, and everyone in socially liberal states like the west coast and the northeast, along with a few others. The rape exception is one of the biggest reasons why reversing Roe is a bad idea. This is not an argument for abortion but rather for making sure the consequences are known of what will happen if the impossible ever became reality.

The pro-life community would be wise to quit challenging Roe, one because it's a lost battle and two because if they were ever to win, would bring chaos to our criminal justice system while doing nothing to curtail the number of abortions in this country. The battle for life must be made at the personal level by talking to women/girls about their options and making sure they are aware of the reality of abortion but it should not be done by politicians. In time to take this most important issue at a personal level as those of us who are pro-choice have argued and stop the tired fight for legal restrictions that would turn into nightmares for us all.

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Christian Jihad

   This is part of a series "Abortion and America" that I will be talking about for the next month. For quick background I was a member of Right to Life for 10 years before joining Planned Parenthood a year and a half ago. This is to encourage everyone to be politically "pro-choice" while personally pro-life.
 
                       

If one thing unites Republicans it was our tone after 9/11. I really don't like 9/11 being used or shown unless on the actually day. Every year on the day, I put in my tape CNN: 9/11. And I realize again and again the horror I felt. I was 14 at the time and I was so scared, afraid that there would be more attacks. And while I had been a Republican before, President Bush in his tone and manner managed to make me feel safe again with his words "Never Again". Well it has happened again, just this last Sunday when I was in my church in Plymouth, Michigan an unarmed man was murdered in front of his wife at his church in Wichita, Kansas. On holy ground, he died and with him the rights given to us under the Constitution were threatened as well.

   Dr. George Tiller, a man who gave so much for his country, finally gave his life for it. Many anti-choice people like to demonize those who perform abortions as monsters on a Cannibalistic level, when in fact they are exactly like you and me. Nobody...nobody likes abortion. There is not one single child growing up in the third grade right now saying "God, I want to perform abortions when I grow up." If all doctors did what they truly wanted to do, everyone would be a vet delivering Golden Retriever puppies. Under the Constitution, women have the right to an abortion as defined by not just Stevens, Kennedy, Ginsburg, Breyer, Stouer and most like Sotomayor but also by the far left likes of Thomas, Roberts, Alito and Scalia. All of them reject the entire anti-abortion argument that the right of a fetus to live is protected under the Constitution. They disagree only on whether it is a federal or state right to have an abortion. But they consider it a constitutionally protected right all the same.

   But of course, most of those who are in the "Pro-Life" movement do not know that. They are not told that by Right to Life or any other anti-abortion group including the most radical. All you have to do they say is vote Republican and eventually abortion will go away. It is the greatest act of political fraud over the last thirty years. Acts like the death of Dr. Tiller are a result of the lack of clarity (there are other factors as well that will be discussed further in other posts) that fosters acts of terrorism like the one that killed Dr. Tiller.

   Make no mistake; an act of terrorism was committed here. As terrorism is defined as "an act or threat of violence against someone, especially for political purposes" (Dictionary.com) as I define it an act of terror is "an act or threat of violence to try and disturb, disrupt and threaten the freedoms assured under the U.S. Constitution". That is terrorism to me. It was done to us on 9/11 and it was done to us on 5/31. Now it will be harder for women across this country to fulfill their Constitutional protected right to an abortion, not because law has changed but because a man is dead, doctors are frightened and if you leave in the wrong zip code, sorry, you don't have the same right as someone in Manhattan. It's disgusting. Abortion is something I truly hate only on par with the lack of equality in our country. As it is for one, it should be for all. I say that in terms of freedoms only, not in some Marxist way. Those who commit acts of Jihad like the terrorism against Dr. Tiller, commit an attack on all of us. Make no mistake, terrorism lived to see another day, and its evil is exactly like that on 9/11.

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Scalia Is Pro-Choice

                                                At least this sign is spelled correctly.
 
 

I'm starting a new series of posts on my blog to explain why I believe everyone should be politically pro-choice, if personally pro-life. For quick background, I was a member of Right to Life for ten years before joining Planned Parenthood a year and a half ago.

   Anthony Scalia, it is fair to say is the most conservative Supreme Court justice on the court today. So with the recent debate over President Obama's visit at Notre Dame, it has brought back that hottest of hot button issues, abortion into the national dialogue. When looking at this issue, those who are "Pro-Life" need to look at the law and not their emotions, many of which I share.

   Of course as you know, Roe vs. Wade said that a woman had a right to an abortion under the constitutional right to privacy in a 7-2 decision. That decision was reaffirmed in Casey vs. Planned Parenthood in a 6-3 decision. But what kind of right did Roe and Casey establish? It was a federal right to an abortion, meaning that every woman would get the equal opportunity to end her pregnancy regardless of which state she lived in. But what about those who voted against Roe and Casey, didn't they vote against abortion? No, those would held the minority opinion supported a state right to an abortion.

   During this contentious issue we have been having an argument over morality when in reality it is all about a debate over federal versus state law. In fact Anthony Scalia said in his recent interview with "60 Minutes", that he rejected the entire Right to Life legal argument that the equal protection clause of the constitution protected the unborn. He said that violated that original intent of the clause, and that argument was unconstitutional. Scalia saying that meant he considered abortion to be a federalist issue only and that the constitution protects the right to an abortion. Yet Scalia is considered be the most "pro-life" judge. It's because many in the pro-life and even the pro-choice argument have looked at the issue too emotionally, at the end of the day it is all about law. Scalia is pro-choice.

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Jim Bunning's Home Run

 
 

In Kentucky, there is a brawl a brewing and it's between the state's two Republican Senators, Mitch McConnell and Jim Bunning. A lot of it stems with Bunning, who is considered slightly unhinged and is angry over the fact that McConnell has not been as supportive to Bunning's 2010 re-election race instead trying to recruit other GOP candidates to beat him in the 2010 GOP Primary. In McConnell's defense, it's because Bunning barely won a squeaker in 2004 when Bush won the state in a landslide. In other words it's not a Republican thing it's a Bunning issue.

Still loyalty is a trait foreign to Washington but what's so much fun about this story now is the fact that Bunning is trying now out in the open to get McConnell removed as majority leader. It's a move I would favor; McConnell's has been a failure as minority leader and no where near as good as Former Senator Bill Frist. John Ensign of Nevada would be the best of a whole lot of rotten apples. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders and could be the "newer" face of the Republican Party. Sorry we don't have any new ones.

As the old saying goes "Even a broken clock tells the time for two minutes a day" such is the case with Jim Bunning. He said "Mitch McConnell has not shown leadership. In 2004 we had 55 Senate seats today we have 40, having lost 15 Senate seats under McConnell’s leadership. In 2010 we're most likely to lose 4 (that's true) and be down to 36. That's not any kind of leadership I want". I'm paraphrasing here but that is what he said. I'm going to say it again; the Republican Party leadership does not exist to make sure the party is pure conservative. It exists to get its members elected until the get the majority of seats. Being down to 40 and most likely down to 36 (that will be the bottom) is not leadership. The strategy being used by the Republican Party leadership is to wait and pounce on failure. That's terrible. We should be trying to come about with solutions that work to the problems Americans are faced with. Not only that but many in the GOP leadership only given conservative ideas lip service but continue to support the high spending in Washington. No one in GOP leadership has talked, proposed, or even thrown the idea out there of how to cut entitlement spending. Bunning is right on this one; McConnell needs to step down as minority leader giving the spot to Senator John Ensign.

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Life's A Mitch

              

   If Republicans should expect good conservative principles from one person that would be their leadership and the single most powerful Republican (in power) is Mitch McConnell (R-KY). Senator McConnell though falls far short of that. There was a lot of talk about earmarks, pork and congressman only coming to bring home the bacon to their district. And this sort of legislative attitude is responsible for a good portion (although not nearly all) of what many call wasteful government spending. To some conservatives, they consider this to be simply a Democrat not Republican issue. That is wrong.

   In fact while Republicans tend to earmark a little less on average from Democrats, they still earmark a lot, especially certain members often the most "conservative". In fact almost the entire Southern delegation has an appetite for pork but just don't want to foot the bill. They’re like dine and dashers who we keep letting into the diner. Remember that big earmark bill just a few months ago. President Obama got a little egg on his face and signed it into law while every single Republican called it wasteful spending and bigger government. Here's the dirty not so little secret, almost the entire Republican Party (particularly in the Senate) put earmarks into the bill, refused to put an amendment up to a vote to strip their earmarks in the case the bill became too big for their taste and then voted against the bill. In other words they put the spending in, refused to take it out and made sure it would pass but not with their vote. It's disgusting, it's like asking you friends to rob a bank, driving them to the bank, refuse to actually go in and rob the bank with them and then getting an equal share of the money stolen. This is the Republican Party today, with the political courage of not just a bank robber but one with poor personal ethics!

   And yes if you were wondering, Mitch McConnell did all of this as well. It's all so sick, at least with big government Democrats they have the courage to stand by what they did, congressional Republicans were selfish cowards. In fact and this sounds like a joke, last fall when McConnell was worried he was going to lose his seat, he actually put a political ad out saying that Kentucky should re-elect him because "I can bring more federal dollars to Kentucky than Bruce Lansford can". Yes, it's a wonder our party is in such a predicament. Even moderates like me would rather have strong conservative leadership on fiscal matters than McConnell's "do as I say, not as I do" philosophy. McConnell needs to be removed from power from his fellow Senators. Until that happens, conservative principles don't have a chance to be honestly heard in the Senate let alone have a chance of implementation.

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I Won't Be Teabagging

                                  Mad Hatter's Tea Party - LTD NEW

Republicans may be many things, but being up to date on the lingo of today's under 40 crowd is not one of them. So while FOX News and certain Republican 527s, have made a "grass roots" movement taking place today called "teabagging", I will be mailing my 1040EZ and getting $750 back. It's good to be an American. This whole tea party idea is beyond stupid, but I am on the record in 10th grade Advanced US History as being against the original Boston Tea Party as well. (On of my shining moments was getting my entire class to agree that the British were right in the situation and the events that followed...this is what you get coming from a family with a long line of Tories). 

Taxes are a good thing. Yes a good thing, Reagan was not against taxes but he was against too many of them and also sometimes what they were used for. There is a legitimate debate on how much we should tax and what we should spend it on. My own voting record is generally against taxes, unless it's for my state's nature preserves, zoos, museums and libraries which account for very little overall revenue. I've voted against park spending that wasn't localized and more new school construction as opposed to just repairs as well as other things.

Our taxes do a great thing, like provide for our military, our children's education, our roads, our libraries, our museums, our parks, food, health care and shelter for the poor, sick, disabled and elderly. We are a great country and we spend our taxes on great things that each and every one of us owns, as an American citizen. Does that mean we should give up our whole paychecks for taxes or not accept a certain refund coming in the mail? No, the private sector is an essential part of America and as such plays a much more dominant part in the average American's life.

This whole Tea Party idea is wrong, mostly because it's misses the historical point of the original Boston Tea Party, which was taxation without representation. Today we are taxed with representation, ergo these events are foolish. The taxes being screamed about by the Tea Parties are those under George W. Bush. And if he were the one getting yelled at by conservatives, I would be right there. The time for grass roots efforts is at the ballot box or on certain legislation not on April 15th, which I consider one of the most patriotic days in our country.

Before I end, please end the whole "tea bagging" verb. In case you don't know to 99% our today's under 35 crowd (I'm 21), does not consider tea bagging to actually involve tea bags, in involves something much more graphic than I can write here. Conservatives do not use it as a verb again or you are as clueless as the average FOX News host, and I believe you are better than that.

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Darkness In California

 

                                        

We'll soon hear the Supreme Court's decision about Proposal 8, the amendment that passed last November restricting basic human rights from our fellow citizens. It was sad to see a state considered to be so progressive, turn out to have so many bigoted people often low income, less educated minorities. It's been common practice, that once one group gets accepted by the mainstream of society, it turns against another fellow minority group.

As someone who is so close to so many members of the gay community, it pains me to see the hatred and vitriol thrown at them. The only thing that keeps me sane when hearing and seeing such bigotry is knowing that one day, sooner rather than later, we will look back at this moment in time as the embarrassing contretemps it is. Replace the word gay when discussing any civil rights issue with African American, Latino, Japanese or Chinese and we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.

I had a debate with my political science professor a few years ago in which we argued over the role of the judiciary over direct democracy as what happened in California. I argued for direct democracy, she for the judiciary. But in hindsight, I agree with her, that the protection of minority groups can not be left up to the electorate. We may say that America is the beacon of light and equality for all but in reality hatred is still all too common particularly in certain areas. David Duke would have been the governor of Louisiana in the 90s if only white people had been allowed to vote. Over in certain southern states, white supremacists candidates still get hundreds or a few thousand votes. You can go to certain places in Alabama or Mississippi and still hear words that make any sane person cringe, even up here in metro-Detroit, Michigan, I still hear and see many things that tell me the bigotry is a perennial evil that must be fought at all costs.

I'm hopeful, although not confident, that the California Supreme Court will overturn Prop. 8 for the evil and unconstitutional force it is. But if not it will go down as the Dred Scott case before it and that makes me feel just a little bit better.

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Truly "Mad Men"

         mad-men

Over the last month, I've been writing about the American economy not in terms of how the system screwed up so badly but rather the business culture over the last two decades which we are finally paying for. Outsourcing, moving to states with lower wages and worker's rights, cutting wages/benefits/retirement plans. All of this is contributing to America's race to the bottom so that every one will pay their employees less and less making their product or service more competitive in the market. Technology has also been a huge factor in all of this, with more and more jobs not having to be done by humans at all, it's America's dirty little secret that many jobs being done by Americans today are not necessary. Yet, more companies are firing employees and using technology to enhance the bottom line.

Yet there is a last bit of American business culture that we still must discuss and that is the now adversial position between management/executives and the companies well being. Surly, employee wage cuts eventually hurt the company but it is rather how executives look at the companies that they run that is the biggest problem. From the financial cornerstones of AIG and Merrill Lynch to companies like Home Depot, executives no longer look at how to help their company but rather how to help themselves. Don't mistake this simply as populism paranoia. While many executives particularly if it's a family business want the business to succeed others only stay on for a year or two and during that time are locked into contracts that make the incentive to perform next to nil. In fact such lush contracts like those given to AIG weren't even for performance based pay merit but rather just a retention bonus. Meaning that just staying at the company or being dismissed on the company’s prerogative is enough to earn such a bonus. The people awarding these contracts were the same people receiving them. Yet all of this is not just legal it's the way that business has been performed over the last two decades.

In America, executives use to find a place to work and did so for the next thirty years as depicted in AMC's "Mad Men", yet now in the business climate they only stay on for a few years whether or not they do well at their job. Executives either leave for more money at another business or are removed from their position usually soon finding another. And every time, they do leave under less than favorable circumstances, they often get the amount owed to them on their contract in full. This culture has caused many institutions to fail most particularly in the financial services division. We can change this by requiring that more compensation be locked into company stock and stronger selling regulation on said stocks. Until we do such, this culture will continue to damage the American economy in ways we might not be able to repair.

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The Ford Model

                                                
 
While the major economic crisis we are dealing with as a country right now is the freezing of th credit market due to the bank's poor liquidity and poor asset value, the story really getting lost is the fact that many companies are using the credit crisis as an excuse to reap all the benafits of the American economy without any of the costs.
 
   When looking at the huge economic boom during the 20th century, the strongest factor in all of it, was the Ford economic model. He thought that by paying his employees more than they were worth, he would make them fiscally solid and by extention (not to mention most important) customers. The bottom line that Ford saw was that by not trying to exploit his workers he actually helped his company by making sure more product would be sold.
 
   It was brillant, brave and really the model for the best of the business world. Helping your employees and your bottom line and the same time. Yet, those days are over. Now, we look at employees as a burden rather than a help. The realtionship between employee and employer has never been so contentious. Certainly exceptions remain but the realtionship between boss and worker is more adversial than friendly.
 
   Because of our "free markets" even a good employer as the Big Three and many more companies as well, can be impossible. In fact Toyota, Honda and all have made their product more competively priced because they pay their employees less, don't give them adequate health care, and have horrible retirement plans. Not to mention they are "at will" non-union employees meanining they can lose their job at any time for any or no reason at all. Then the public buys the cheaper car. That in turns hurts the companies that pay their employees well. Then you hear from the business community, politicos and the general public to lower wages, benefits and retirement plans in order to stay in business.
 
   Anybody can see that eventually Ford, GM, Chrysler have done all of that and will probably have to do more. Yet, lost in all this talk is the fact that by lowering the worker's standard of living they are less likely to be able to buy A.) the product they make but also B.) the product/service offered by the chattering class. And while I've focused on the automobile industry the same old song is being played across the country in every industry be it production or service.
 
   And while everybody's yelling and pointing to the basic economic math that, yes, you can make a product or provide a service for less money, you also make sure the standard of living across this country goes down and down and down. It's a race to see who can truly win this country's race to the bottom.
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Race You To The Bottom

                             Stock Photo titled: Triathletes Running Down Steep Hill (2), USE OF THIS IMAGE WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED
 

We are told of the many causes of this financial crisis, many blaming the Republicans, many blaming the Democrats... mortgage backed securities and a gluteness American lifestyle. There's plenty of blame to go around but in fact we are now paying for a business cultural norm over the last three decades, the race to the bottom of employee pay.

   The American workplace has never been in a more precarious position than today under the threat of three major factors that tie into one another, globalization, the advancement of technology, and the lowering of wages to remain competitive. And to state the obvious, employee pay is the blood that flows in the American economy. These three factors are killing the American workforce, spreading a virus of economic death from one victim to another.

   Now I don't agree with Pat Buchanan and Phyllis Schafley that we need protectism but unfettered trade is equally as bad. Globalization in relation to product is good, products made in America can be sold in China and things made in China can be sold in America (just one specific example) by allowing global product trade we get more products to choose from and even more important more customers to buy our product. But when we allow American companies to move from our country and build factories elsewhere, we in fact lower the wages of all Americans.

   A recent article caught my eye regarding a company called Rowe International that makes jukeboxes (http://www.roweinternational.com/) who announced last week they were moving from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Mexico and sadly not just for spring break. Many southern states have operated under the economic impression that lower wages and non-unionization would make them an appealing place to do business. And it did for a while but in the race to the bottom of wages, if you are leaving Michigan where you pay $20 an hour why go to Alabama to pay $12 when you can go to Mexico and pay $3. It makes no sense, not just that but you don't have American labor laws or safety "regulations".

The tie between globalization and the lowering of American wages is unquestionable intertwined. And while I've only talked about manufacturing of product, customer service has been outsourced as well. And it would seem to reason many other jobs would follow as face to face interactions dwindle, employees in your country are a luxury not a necessity. To Be Continued...

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Stalling In The Motor City

                                  
 
I love living in Detroit. I'm proud to call myself a Detroiter. For the longest time as a suburban white kid with strong ties to the jewish community, I was embrassed whenever people asked "Where do you live?". "Livonia" I'd reply. "Where's that?" "By Detroit". And invariably their inquistor's face would cringe. Never mind the fact that my city, Livonia, is the most segreated white community in the country.
 
But over the last few years, I have fallen in love with the city I use to hate. What can I say, I have a thing for Spencer Tracey-Katherine Hepburn romances. Today the city of Detroit votes for a new mayor and while many hated the last one Kwame Kilpatrick, he also did a lot of good for the city. I personally am supporting Ken Cockrel the current mayor who is in a tough primary race aganist Dave Bing (a former Piston) and Freman Hendrix (former Deputy mayor). I like all three and all are compotent and for a nice change quite boring.
 
But even decent leadership in my city, won't calm the fears everyone here is experincing. With Ford, GM and Chrysler all in major danger of closing any of the three closing would kill the entire state of Michigan each to varying degrees. Even our sports teams are going through a depression, the Lions becoming the first 0-16 team in history, the Tigers falling from their former glory, and the championship Pistons now at .500 are probably lower. Only the Red Wings are doing well even if their ticket sales aren't.
 
Yet through it all, in good times and bad, I remain convinced that we are a city, a state of great people who will rise to whatever challenges we are given. At the end of the day I can only hope for the strength that I have seen the people of Michigan demonstate time and time again.
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President Susan Collins

                     Susan Collins
 
You know that whole presidential election we had a few months ago? Forget it, there is a new leader in our country and her name is Susan Collins and for people like me we couldn't be happier. She is a brillant woman, bold and insightful, pro-choice and pro-gay equality. She is a strong enviromentalist, and above all else she is someone when presented with a divisive issue finds ways to compromise at every turn. She is truly the best our country has to offer.
 
She is loyal to her friends (John McCain and Joe Lieberman) and always honest, upfront and kind to those she may disagree with on a particular issue. She is a realist, a pragmastic someone who came to our nation's captial to get things done not get into trivial battles over ideology. In this whole stimulus drama of the last month, she has been the one holding all the cards and letting everyone know it. She also knows that her power will dimish in two years when the Democrats gain yet another 2-6 senate seats bringing them up to 61 to 65 in the Senate but she is prepare to be the voice of Republicans when they need her the most.
 
Now I know many conservatives cringe at the idea of some New England Rockfeller Republican being the most powerful Republican in our country. But get use to it. The time to define ideology is in elections not in trying to sound good for Rush Limbaugh on a particular bill. Principles are important but more so are results. We have 58 (59- If Al Franken wins) Democrats in the Senate. Just voting with the Democrats all the time would make Sen. Collins popular but not a major player. No her agenda is to not have one, realizing that what she wants and what many other Republicans would want will not pass. She puts through the changes she wants and doing what women across this country do, she tries to find a way to give everyone something that they want.
 
Republicans would do well to follow Senator Collins example and use their power not do try to obstructe the new President but instead find ways of compromising, poinitng our flaws when necessary in a tone more somber and quiet then screaming and crying. While many Republicans will try to villanize Collins calling her a RINO and I'm sure plenty else, it's important to realize that she got more Democratic concessions than Mitch McConnell did. I'm going to enjoy these two years under her watch.
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Caroline In The City


                                   [Caroline in the City]
The recent debacle in New York over the Clinton senate seat has cause no lack of opinions. Russ Feingold has put up an admendment that would end goveranational appointments and replace them with special elections. It's probably a smart idea, and with all the money getting thrown around lately what's a few more million? Both the Obama and Bush administrations have shown the same contempt for balance budgets, with economists now saying it's so bad right now at least Obama is right to do so. I don't know, it seems you can only go so long before your credit card gets denied.

We can look at the New York senate drama for what it shows. Not that Caroline Kennedy is somehow bad or unqualifed (most people in the Senate are there because of their families). It doesn't show the Cuomo-Patterson-Clinton-Kennedy-Gillabrand drama of New York as somehow being such strong personalities. Every state has them.

No what this whole mess has shown us is that New York has a very high opinion of itself, so much so that they think that their Senator is somehow so much more important than anyone else's. In fact as all politicos know, no one Senator is more powerful then another. You are just one of 100. Can anyone name who the Governor of Colorado appointed, Delaware? I doubt it. In fact no one here would even care about Obama's seat if the governor hadn't been a villan straight out of some bad B-movie.

The only reason anyone even noticed the New York seat is because most of our media is located there, and somehow what effects them effects us. It's a folly mindset. In fact if you go for politics in New York it has the feel of a national election because you have the nation's attention even though they don't want to give it to you. We lose good people like Caroline Kennedy to this New York mindset. Who wants the pressure of nation-wide attention for a state-wide seat?

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Rick Warren's Problem

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I don't like Rick Warren. He just comes off kind of sleazy, but I guess I'm kinda tele-evelaglisiticphobic. This is a common condition, known to many old time Christians like me, who just do not like the whole mega-peacher phenomon that seems to have overtaken Christianity. With the exception of Billy Graham, almost all of these pastors use their fame and power to get themselves mansions while preaching the word. It feels dirty, like those who exchange money in the temples before Jesus threw their tables over.

Many people including the majority of Christians get uncomfortable around the mega-preacher because of course, the preacher is simply a vessel to speak to our spirtual condidtion, of ourselves and our world. There are many mega-preacher-phobes out there including Geroge H.W. Bush, Barbara Bush and Chuck Grassley. I have problems with Rick Warren politically, I'm pro-choice and pro-gay marriage but my bigger problem is with him spiritually. And for those who are about to have an anerisum let me clear it is his style that disturbs me not his philosphy which many good people agree with.

My grandparents, the Eckles, (who many long time readers will note I love dearly) and I had a discussion about Rick Warren's book "A Purpose Driven Life". We were not kind in our reaction, Warren would seem to be a Charleton who uses basic psychology and hand picked "feel good, think less" scripture to present a worldview that is certainly less than challenging.
 
Warren also feels the need to interject himself into every discussion. Abortion, stoping equal rights for gay people, global warming, poverty, Darfur. No matter where you stand on these issues, do we really need to focus on Rick Warren? His sermons are like a lot of mega-preachers, the hot topic of the day and forgotten the next. 
 
And who can forget his pathetic Presidential discussions he held at his church. A political debate at a church. This bothers the bejebbers out of me, one on the obvious level of seperation of church and state but more deeply on the level that a church is a holy place for worship and spiritual thought not where you host a Presidential forum with cameras from CNN, FOX, and MSNBC. It's wrong but not with the new breed of Christian that gives us Rick Warren.
 
While many like Star Parker in her recent smut piece are angry that Warren would allow Barack Obama in his church at all (what a nasty person) to many on the left who don't want Warren at the Obama inaugration (who cares?... Obama will keep Roe legal and make signifant progress on gay rights, if a two minute prayer for a homphobic preacher is what bothers you get over it) it would be a shame to miss the bigger point, it isn't Warren's views or his friends that make him a person less than diserable. It's his constant use of God to build himself up and not Jesus himself.
 
It's for that reason that he is the Jesse Jackson of the right.
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Two Weeks Notice

Quitting | Adult Education
 
Want to know a real bi-partisian problem? You would think with so many people wanting to go to Washington to represent "us" that they would actually go to Washington at the very least if we elected them. But instead many lawmakers just decide to call it quits after  losing an election or even after they annouce that they will not seek re-election and just don't vote at all but still keep their title and their paycheck until they are offically out. It's not right. And it involves politicians I like and politicians I don't.
 
Part of the problem is the fact that many of the congressional resources are cut off from "retiring" representives. And while the House and Senate are in session they should be able to keep their offices. After all isn't all the time in January enough?
 
Even with a bill as important as the Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act, no matter where you stand on the issue you want your congressman to at least vote. That is why your paying them.
 
But these congressional representives couldn't be bothered to vote.
 
Costa
Cubin
Delahunt
Doolittle
Ellison
Emanuel
Everett
Gilchrest
Gordon
Gutierrez
Hastings (FL)
Hooley
Johnson, E. B.
Keller
Kuhl (NY)
Miller, Gary
Peterson (PA)
Pryce (OH)
Renzi
Rohrabacher
Sensenbrenner
Snyder
Tancredo
Walberg
Watson
Weldon (FL)

Almost all of them retiring congressman and woman.  Of course, Emanuel is chief of staff, and Renzi (AZ) is in prison but you get the point.
 
We should also be clear many of these people are never going to run for elected office again and so they say "Why Bother?"  but they are not being true to the oath of office they took less than two years ago. So note to future losers and retirees, you still stuck with us until the next guy is sworn in. It's a match made in heaven.
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