Pocket Guide to the Budget Debate

Here’s what you need to know when engaging with Republicans and ConservaDems on the budget. Our deficit is about $1.2 trillion a year. We are spending just over $1.2 trillion a year on our military.  We are basically spending our deficit every year on our military. Extending the Bush Tax Cuts is costing us $860 [...]

The New Taliban

What’s keeping me up at night?  Via Majikthise, an article in Rolling Stone by the incredibly brave Nir Rosen.  I couldn’t stop reading it. At one point, I got the distinct impression our leaders are acting like irresponsible doctors prescribing anti-biotics, sending more and more troops.  Amid the same signs of hope for negotiation Rosen [...]

Gays in the Military: Allowed to Die but not to Marry

Its encouraging that 75% of Americans reject McCain’s dangerous stand against Homosexuals serving in the military.  Temper that with the knowledge that the majority of Americans oppose Gay Marriage. Allowed to die for your country, but not marry the one you love.  A large chunk of my fellow Americans have the polar opposite of “make [...]

Call to Investigate Army Murder Cover Up

On July 19, 2005, a US soldier was murdered.  The murder was literally covered up as a suicide, and glaring inconsistencies in the official autopsy with actual wounds ignored.  (Feministing): Retired Army Col. Ann Wright explains what we all want investigated: From the day their daughter’s body was returned to them, the parents had grave [...]

Support Matthis Chiroux, Fight The War

Matthis Chiroux is a soldier in DC fighting back against the war.  His fight is attracting notice (AFP): “I stand before you today with the strength and clarity and resolve to declare to the military, my government and the world that this soldier will not be deploying to Iraq,” Chiroux said in the sun-filled rotunda [...]

Clark’s McCain Comments: Full Media Jacket

General Wes Clark’s comments on John McCain were essential, needed, and to the point.  McCain has a record of exemplary military service and painfully poor judgment.  It is important voters not confuse his service with his judgment. Predictably, the right wing elements in the media have gone into foaming reactionary mode and fired off a [...]

Dear Obama: Listen!

Please listen to Jamelle!  (US of Jamerica): Obama’s little riff here basically sums up his foreign policy approach.  I actually wish he would use this language to challenge John McCain’s national security “credentials,” since it’s a pretty effective characterization. Barack’s language is right on, and applies neatly to foreign policy.  From the difference between talking [...]

When Will We Reach 5000?

We’ve lost 4,000 Americans.  Four thousand lives wasted.  When will we reach 5,000?  What are those thousand people doing right now?  Are some of them home on leave with their families, or on their third extended tour in Iraq?  Are they lying on their bunk trying to forget what happened to a friend and comrade, [...]

Dana Perino Performs Stand Up for Press

AP (emphasis mine): White House press secretary Dana Perino called the charges of stifling dissent “nonsense.” “The president welcomes robust and healthy debate,” she said. “He has many members of his administration that represent different viewpoints. He has dissenting views on a variety of issues that get worked out through a policy process that is [...]

CNN: The Scare Quotes Do Nothing!

Why do outlets like CNN even pretend to be objective?  Take a look at their headline for the Berkeley uproar:  Showdown looms in ‘treasonous’ Berkeley.  The scare quotes do absolutely nothing, they might was well not have them.  Its clear which side of the fence they are supporting: The pro-military demonstrators were met by anti-war [...]

Finding Our Strength in Peace

I’ve been absent a bit, and plan on catching up on my blogging tonight.  I figured I’d start things off with some thoughts on what it means to be a pacifist.  Given some of the topics I plan on tackling, this will help put my perspective in perspective.  Robert W. Smith in Chinese Boxing: Masters [...]

Support Mentally Ill Troops

We need to be united in our rage and speak with one thunderous voice on this (Kay at White Noise Insanity, emphasis mine): Here’s the rundown: Lt. Elizabeth Whiteside served 7 years honorably in the Army and then volunteered to go to Iraq She was tormented by one Officer while in Iraq She tried to [...]

Our Military And Rape

Our military is supposed to be honorable. Reconcile that with this (Feministing): James Allen Selby was a rapist. He raped and assaulted at least 12 women (not including a 9-year old girl). In October 2004, he was convicted on 27 counts, which included armed robbery, rape, kidnapping and attempted murder (for slitting the throat of [...]

Cloverfield and Assumptions

If you don’t like spoilers, if you have not seen this film, go watch it, then come back. I’ll wait…. (Are they gone? Let’s start without them. Posers.) I saw Cloverfield this weekend, and it is a good flick. And hell, anything even tangentially related to this is happy awesome good pop. But underneath the [...]

DADT: Every Republican Candidate’s Failure

Augustin Cline has a brilliant post up at Jesus’ General. It is about the wholesale failure of the entire Republican side of the 2008 race to take the right stand on openly Gay Americans in the military.  This issue is sharply divided along partisan lines: Every Republican candidate is on record as supporting the current [...]