On Thursday, the United States Senate thankfully defeated Mr. Bush's immigration bill, falling 14 votes short of the 60 required to advance. However, that means 46 elected numskulls support this ridiculous piece of legislation. The following list contains all of the Senators who did so. If one of these rocket scientists represents your state, please contact that individual's office immediately to voice your displeasure.
Republicans:
Robert Bennett (UT), Larry Craig (ID), Lindsey Graham (SC), Judd Gregg (NH), Chuck Hagel (NE), Jon Kyl (AZ), Trent Lott (MS), Richard Lugar (IN), Mel Martinez (FL), John McCain (AZ), Olympia Snowe (ME), Arlen Specter (PA)
Independents:
Joseph Lieberman (CT)
Democrats:
Daniel Akaka (HI), Joseph Biden (DE), Barbara Boxer (CA), Maria Cantwell (WA), Ben Cardin (MD), Thomas Carper (DE), Robert Casey (PA), Hillary Clinton (NY), Kent Conrad (ND), Christopher Dodd (CT), Richard Durbin (IL), Russ Feingold (WI), Dianne Feinstein (CA), Daniel Inouye (HI), Edward Kennedy (MA), John Kerry (MA), Amy Klobuchar (MN), Herb Kohl (WI), Frank Lautenberg (NJ), Patrick Leahy (VT), Carl Levin (MI), Blanche Lincoln (AR), Robert Menendez (NJ), Barbara Mikulski (MD), Patty Murray (WA), Bill Nelson (FL), Barack Obama (IL), Jack Reed (RI), Harry Reid (NV), Ken Salazar (CO), Charles Schumer (NY), Sheldon Whitehouse (RI), Ron Wyden (OR)
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Disgraceful Silence of the Week
During Tuesday's Republican presidential candidate debate in New Hampshire, the moderator, CNN's Wolf Blitzer, posed the following question to the ten contenders: "Is there anyone here who believes gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly in the United States military? If you do, speak up now."
Did any of the ten candidates answer? Yep, you guessed it--not a single one. At the same time, any individuals opposed to homosexuals serving in the military never seem to mind when those same homosexuals, among other things, improve their health as physicians and nurses, protect their lives as firefighters and police officers and provide other services as chefs, pilots, bank tellers and store clerks. With that being said, I am pretty sure that there are currently numerous heterosexual members of the U.S. military who are openly prejudiced towards individuals of other races, origins and religions, including Muslims. However, those straight people are not required to leave the military. I am also pretty sure that there are numerous heterosexual men in the U.S. military who do not view women as equals or even feel women should be allowed to serve openly. Regardless of their level of sexism, those heterosexual men are not forced to leave the military. In fact, I am positive that there is also a portion of those heterosexual men who remain in the U.S. military with openly misogynistic views toward women. Therefore, the right wing would rather exclude homosexuals with a desire to serve their country but not remove heterosexuals with negative opinions towards fellow soldiers who are also mothers, daughters and sisters.
Did any of the ten candidates answer? Yep, you guessed it--not a single one. At the same time, any individuals opposed to homosexuals serving in the military never seem to mind when those same homosexuals, among other things, improve their health as physicians and nurses, protect their lives as firefighters and police officers and provide other services as chefs, pilots, bank tellers and store clerks. With that being said, I am pretty sure that there are currently numerous heterosexual members of the U.S. military who are openly prejudiced towards individuals of other races, origins and religions, including Muslims. However, those straight people are not required to leave the military. I am also pretty sure that there are numerous heterosexual men in the U.S. military who do not view women as equals or even feel women should be allowed to serve openly. Regardless of their level of sexism, those heterosexual men are not forced to leave the military. In fact, I am positive that there is also a portion of those heterosexual men who remain in the U.S. military with openly misogynistic views toward women. Therefore, the right wing would rather exclude homosexuals with a desire to serve their country but not remove heterosexuals with negative opinions towards fellow soldiers who are also mothers, daughters and sisters.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Standing Ovation of the Week
With today's and last Sunday's edition of his comic strip Doonesbury, Garry Trudeau lists the names of the numerous U.S. troops who have been killed in both Iraq and Afghanistan from April 26, 2006 to April 18, 2007.
Doonesbury has been frequently criticized by conservatives ever since the comic strip debuted in October 1970. With that being said, regardless of the strip's political nature, Trudeau should receive credit for bringing attention to these fallen individuals. At the same time, Mr. Bush should be heavily criticized for the fact that Trudeau required two weeks to actually print all of the names. In addition, for someone who feels the struggle in the Middle East is so vital to the future of the United States, Mr. Bush doesn't even devote a few minutes to read the names of the killed troops during his weekly radio address. By the way, if you wish to view the two strips, please visit the following links:
http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/dailydose/index.html?uc_full_date=20070527
http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/dailydose/index.html?uc_full_date=20070603
Doonesbury has been frequently criticized by conservatives ever since the comic strip debuted in October 1970. With that being said, regardless of the strip's political nature, Trudeau should receive credit for bringing attention to these fallen individuals. At the same time, Mr. Bush should be heavily criticized for the fact that Trudeau required two weeks to actually print all of the names. In addition, for someone who feels the struggle in the Middle East is so vital to the future of the United States, Mr. Bush doesn't even devote a few minutes to read the names of the killed troops during his weekly radio address. By the way, if you wish to view the two strips, please visit the following links:
http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/dailydose/index.html?uc_full_date=20070527
http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/dailydose/index.html?uc_full_date=20070603
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
You Get What You Deserve
During Friday's graduate student commencement ceremony at the University of Massachusetts, Andrew Card, the former Chief of Staff to Mr. Bush, received an honorary doctorate degree in "public service".
Along with holding and wearing signs reading "Card: No Honor, No Degree" and "Dis-Card", the students and faculty members (including those on stage) rightfully delivered a shower of boos for more than three minutes after Card was introduced by Provost Charlena Seymour. In order to view video footage of this fantastic event, please visit http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Hundreds_boo_former_Bush_Chief_of_0526.html.
As Chief of Staff until April 2006, Card obviously served as an architect of the Iraq War; however, the University of Massachusetts still decided to award the honorary degree to Card. Card directed the White House Iraq Group responsible for controlling public relations for the war; the deceitful group's members included Karl Rove (Deputy Chief of Staff to Mr. Bush), Condoleezaa Rice (Secretary of State), Scooter Libby (convicted Chief of Staff to Mr. Cheney), Karen Hughes and Mary Matalin. Aside from his international exploits, Card and then White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales attempted in March 2004 to convince former Attorney General John Ashcroft to re-authorize the domestic surveillance program recently determined to be illegal by the Department of Justice. Ashcroft, lying in an intensive care unit at George Washington University Hospital from a severe case of gallstone pancreatitis, refused to do sign the appropriate papers.
Along with holding and wearing signs reading "Card: No Honor, No Degree" and "Dis-Card", the students and faculty members (including those on stage) rightfully delivered a shower of boos for more than three minutes after Card was introduced by Provost Charlena Seymour. In order to view video footage of this fantastic event, please visit http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Hundreds_boo_former_Bush_Chief_of_0526.html.
As Chief of Staff until April 2006, Card obviously served as an architect of the Iraq War; however, the University of Massachusetts still decided to award the honorary degree to Card. Card directed the White House Iraq Group responsible for controlling public relations for the war; the deceitful group's members included Karl Rove (Deputy Chief of Staff to Mr. Bush), Condoleezaa Rice (Secretary of State), Scooter Libby (convicted Chief of Staff to Mr. Cheney), Karen Hughes and Mary Matalin. Aside from his international exploits, Card and then White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales attempted in March 2004 to convince former Attorney General John Ashcroft to re-authorize the domestic surveillance program recently determined to be illegal by the Department of Justice. Ashcroft, lying in an intensive care unit at George Washington University Hospital from a severe case of gallstone pancreatitis, refused to do sign the appropriate papers.
Monday, May 21, 2007
It Keeps Getting Better and Better...
Despite receiving positive reviews at the Cannes Film Festival, Michael Moore and his new documentary, "SiCKO", is still being attacked for the film's criticism of the U.S. health care system.
Obviously a large portion of the criticism directed at the film comes from the Internet. As a matter of fact, one of those sources is an anti-Moore web site called MooreWatch.com. However, here is where it gets good. When Moore discovered last year that Jim Kenefick, the owner of MooreWatch.com, was planning on closing the web site because of his ailing wife's accumulating medical bills, Moore sent a $12,000 check to Kenefick. The ever grateful Kenefick recently commented that "[Moore] paid $12,000 so that you, the press, would focus on what a 'nice guy' he is and, in the same breath, make me look like a jerk". Where did Kenefick make that wonderful remark? You guessed it--on his web site, which is still running a year later. I certainly do not want to sound callous but maybe we should approach this situation like a high school principal's office and ask for a doctor’s note as evidence that Kenefick's wife was truly sick. Are we sure that $12,000 wasn’t used for some sort of plastic surgery?
Obviously a large portion of the criticism directed at the film comes from the Internet. As a matter of fact, one of those sources is an anti-Moore web site called MooreWatch.com. However, here is where it gets good. When Moore discovered last year that Jim Kenefick, the owner of MooreWatch.com, was planning on closing the web site because of his ailing wife's accumulating medical bills, Moore sent a $12,000 check to Kenefick. The ever grateful Kenefick recently commented that "[Moore] paid $12,000 so that you, the press, would focus on what a 'nice guy' he is and, in the same breath, make me look like a jerk". Where did Kenefick make that wonderful remark? You guessed it--on his web site, which is still running a year later. I certainly do not want to sound callous but maybe we should approach this situation like a high school principal's office and ask for a doctor’s note as evidence that Kenefick's wife was truly sick. Are we sure that $12,000 wasn’t used for some sort of plastic surgery?
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Embarrassing Legislation of the Day
An agreement today between a group of Senators (both Democrats and Republicans) and the Bush administration focuses on an immigration reform bill which would grant legal status to the estimated twelve million illegal immigrants currently living in the United States.
I can honestly say I am utterly amazed that the Bush administration and other Republicans are supporting this ridiculous piece of legislation. Although obtaining this new Z visa still means that illegal immigrants are still approximately 8-13 years from permanent residency, the bill magnifies our pathetic approach to immigration. What is most frustrating is that, in my job as an IT Recruiter, I am constantly speaking with foreign nationals (primarily from India) who the majority, ever since their arrival in the U.S., have spent the necessary time and money and followed all of the rules and regulations in their path towards a Green Card. Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-CA), Chairman of the Immigration Reform Caucus, stated it best: "The 'compromise' announced today by Sen. [Edward] Kennedy will reward twelve million illegal immigrants with a path to citizenship -- what part of illegal does the Senate not understand?".
I can honestly say I am utterly amazed that the Bush administration and other Republicans are supporting this ridiculous piece of legislation. Although obtaining this new Z visa still means that illegal immigrants are still approximately 8-13 years from permanent residency, the bill magnifies our pathetic approach to immigration. What is most frustrating is that, in my job as an IT Recruiter, I am constantly speaking with foreign nationals (primarily from India) who the majority, ever since their arrival in the U.S., have spent the necessary time and money and followed all of the rules and regulations in their path towards a Green Card. Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-CA), Chairman of the Immigration Reform Caucus, stated it best: "The 'compromise' announced today by Sen. [Edward] Kennedy will reward twelve million illegal immigrants with a path to citizenship -- what part of illegal does the Senate not understand?".
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Debate of the Day
After criticizing filmmaker Michael Moore in the National Review Online, actor, former Senator and potential presidential candidate Fred Thompson (R-TN) declined to accept Moore's invitation for a one-on-one debate on health care.
As I mentioned in an earlier posting, the Treasury Department is currently investigating Moore for taking September 11th rescue workers to Cuba even though the United States has repeatedly violated the Cuban-American Treaty over the last 100+ years. However, Thompson, being the man of principles that he is, would never ignore the trade embargo with Cuba, would he? Take a look at this excerpt from an April 23rd article on Thompson in "The Weekly Standard" (a conservative magazine owned by News Corp., parent company of FOX News):
"Thompson's work space looks just like what the home office of a successful politician or CEO should look like--though a little messier: a large desk, dark wood, leather furniture, lots of books and magazines and newspapers, a flat screen TV and box upon box of cigars--Montecristos from Havana."
Well, I guess I stand corrected.
As I mentioned in an earlier posting, the Treasury Department is currently investigating Moore for taking September 11th rescue workers to Cuba even though the United States has repeatedly violated the Cuban-American Treaty over the last 100+ years. However, Thompson, being the man of principles that he is, would never ignore the trade embargo with Cuba, would he? Take a look at this excerpt from an April 23rd article on Thompson in "The Weekly Standard" (a conservative magazine owned by News Corp., parent company of FOX News):
"Thompson's work space looks just like what the home office of a successful politician or CEO should look like--though a little messier: a large desk, dark wood, leather furniture, lots of books and magazines and newspapers, a flat screen TV and box upon box of cigars--Montecristos from Havana."
Well, I guess I stand corrected.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Consistency of the Week
In the Republican presidential debate on May 3rd, Tommy Thompson, the former Secretary of the Department of Health & Human Services, provided this response to a question regarding an employer's right to terminate a homosexual employee: "I think that is left up to the individual business. I really sincerely believe that that is an issue that business people have got to make their own determination as to whether or not they should be."
According to Thompson, he misinterpreted the question because he (1) lost his hearing in one ear and the battery for his other ear was dead, (2) urgently needed to use the restroom and (3) was suffering from both the flu and bronchitis. Well, it is comforting to know that Thompson, who is also the former Governor of Wisconsin, has three good reasons for his supposed error. However, please keep in mind that, at a conference organized by the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in April of this year, Thompson offended the audience by stating that "I'm in the private sector and for the first time in my life I'm earning money. You know that's sort of part of the Jewish tradition and I do not find anything wrong with that." What was Thompson's excuse for these comments? He was apparently suffering from fatigue and a persistent cold. You would think that a former Secretary of Health & Human Services would still have some connections and avoid being sick all of the time.
According to Thompson, he misinterpreted the question because he (1) lost his hearing in one ear and the battery for his other ear was dead, (2) urgently needed to use the restroom and (3) was suffering from both the flu and bronchitis. Well, it is comforting to know that Thompson, who is also the former Governor of Wisconsin, has three good reasons for his supposed error. However, please keep in mind that, at a conference organized by the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in April of this year, Thompson offended the audience by stating that "I'm in the private sector and for the first time in my life I'm earning money. You know that's sort of part of the Jewish tradition and I do not find anything wrong with that." What was Thompson's excuse for these comments? He was apparently suffering from fatigue and a persistent cold. You would think that a former Secretary of Health & Human Services would still have some connections and avoid being sick all of the time.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Waste of Time and Money of the Day
The Associated Press reported that Michael Moore, an Academy Award winning filmmaker and amazing individual, is currently being investigated by the United States Department of the Treasury for taking ailing rescue workers from the September 11th tragedy for a segment in his upcoming documentary called "SiCKO". Aimed at emphasizing the numerous issues with the U.S. health care system, the movie focuses on large pharmaceutical companies and corruption within the Food and Drug Administration.
According to Treasury Department regulations, all U.S. citizens and permanent residents are required to obtain licenses in order to travel to Cuba. However, isn't there just a small chance that Moore is being investigated by the Bush led Treasury Department because Moore's previous movie, "Fahrenheit 9/11" exposed the Bush administration for what it truly is? By the way, isn't it a little ironic that a country investigating an individual for traveling to Cuba as part of his job as a filmmaker is the same country which has maintained a Naval base (Guantanamo Bay) in Cuba since 1903? I wonder if the Bush administration will publicize the fact that their actions violate the 104-year-old Cuban-American Treaty. What do I mean by that? The treaty limits the use of Guantanamo Bay to "coaling or naval stations only, and for no other purpose", which obviously does not permit the various detainment and torture operations conducted by the Bush administration. Furthermore, the treaty also prohibits any individual, partnership, or corporation from establishing "a commercial, industrial or other enterprise" within Guantanamo Bay. However, the U.S. military base contains a McDonald's restaurant, two Starbucks outlets, a Subway restaurant and other American concessions.
According to Treasury Department regulations, all U.S. citizens and permanent residents are required to obtain licenses in order to travel to Cuba. However, isn't there just a small chance that Moore is being investigated by the Bush led Treasury Department because Moore's previous movie, "Fahrenheit 9/11" exposed the Bush administration for what it truly is? By the way, isn't it a little ironic that a country investigating an individual for traveling to Cuba as part of his job as a filmmaker is the same country which has maintained a Naval base (Guantanamo Bay) in Cuba since 1903? I wonder if the Bush administration will publicize the fact that their actions violate the 104-year-old Cuban-American Treaty. What do I mean by that? The treaty limits the use of Guantanamo Bay to "coaling or naval stations only, and for no other purpose", which obviously does not permit the various detainment and torture operations conducted by the Bush administration. Furthermore, the treaty also prohibits any individual, partnership, or corporation from establishing "a commercial, industrial or other enterprise" within Guantanamo Bay. However, the U.S. military base contains a McDonald's restaurant, two Starbucks outlets, a Subway restaurant and other American concessions.
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Slap in the Face of the Week
Aside from recently serving as a substitute for Sean Hannity on FOX News's "Hannity & Colmes", Mark Steyn is a Canadian journalist who frequently contributes to the National Review Online (NRO), the web version of the conservative "National Review" magazine. Following the tragedy at Virginia Tech last month, Steyn commented on both the deceased and injured by saying "They’re not 'children'. The students at Virginia Tech were grown women and — if you’ll forgive the expression — men...We should be raising them to understand that there will be moments in life when you need to protect yourself — and, in a 'horrible' world, there may come moments when you have to choose between protecting yourself or others. It is a poor reflection on us that, in those first critical seconds where one has to make a decision, only an elderly Holocaust survivor, Professor [Liviu] Librescu, understood instinctively the obligation to act."
In other words, according to Steyn, the students and faculty members, the students' parents and we as a society should be ashamed for not stopping a mentally disturbed individual with two semiautomatic weapons. (I would love to see how Steyn would react in a similar situation.) With his insulting statements being directed at college students and educators, Steyn definitely has a lot of nerve making those statements, especially considering the fact that he dropped out of a high school in Great Britain at 16 and returned to Canada to work as a disc jockey. Not to be outdone by Steyn, John Derbyshire, a British born journalist and U.S. naturalized citizen, also provided one of his insightful contributions to the NRO:
"Where was the spirit of self defense here? Setting aside the ludicrous campus ban on licensed conceals, why didn't anyone rush the guy?...It's true — none of us knows what he'd do in a dire situation like that. I hope, however, that if I thought I was going to die anyway, I'd at least take a run at the guy."
At least I can say that, unlike Steyn, Derbyshire actually obtained a college degree. However, Derbyshire does admit to previously living as an illegal immigrant in the United States, which is one thing that Cho had over him.
In other words, according to Steyn, the students and faculty members, the students' parents and we as a society should be ashamed for not stopping a mentally disturbed individual with two semiautomatic weapons. (I would love to see how Steyn would react in a similar situation.) With his insulting statements being directed at college students and educators, Steyn definitely has a lot of nerve making those statements, especially considering the fact that he dropped out of a high school in Great Britain at 16 and returned to Canada to work as a disc jockey. Not to be outdone by Steyn, John Derbyshire, a British born journalist and U.S. naturalized citizen, also provided one of his insightful contributions to the NRO:
"Where was the spirit of self defense here? Setting aside the ludicrous campus ban on licensed conceals, why didn't anyone rush the guy?...It's true — none of us knows what he'd do in a dire situation like that. I hope, however, that if I thought I was going to die anyway, I'd at least take a run at the guy."
At least I can say that, unlike Steyn, Derbyshire actually obtained a college degree. However, Derbyshire does admit to previously living as an illegal immigrant in the United States, which is one thing that Cho had over him.
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