Through the Looking Glass as Americans Celebrate Up as Down and Down as Up

One mans trash is another mans treasure.  Or, to put it another way, if I like a policy, it's good, if you do, and your politics clash with mine, you're an idiot. That about sums up the mess we call Washington these days.  Especially in regards to the current kerfuffle over Benghazi. It used to be that certain tragedies were just that, tragedies and not some partisan cudgel to be wielded for future political gain.  Administration officials were generally given the benefit of the doubt about “fog of war” incidents and responses. The nation came together under President Reagan when our Marines were bombed in Lebanon in 1983 resulting in 241 deaths.  Even though President Reagan’s Sec. Def. Casper Weinberger warned against putting the Marines on the ground in Lebanon, there was no call for impeachment and no charges of incompetence. No one was calling the incident, and our retreat, a giant government scandal even though this happened in the run up to the 1984 presidential elections. In response to the brutal act of terror that took the lives of our Marines, President Reagan relocated the remaining soldiers off shore on ships to keep them safe and then within a few short months, withdrew them totally. Did we hear a peep from anyone denigrating the quintessential conservative president for retreating even though in a February 1984 radio broadcast days before withdrawing our troops, he stated that Americans “never cut and run” right before we did just that? Did we hear people expressing anger for negotiating with Iranian terrorists when in fact President Reagan did just that, even personally admitting it later?  How about when the Bush Admin was actively negotiating with the Taliban?  Was that scandalous?  Of course not.  It was sound government policy based in the Kissinger model of realpolitik. Up until Barack Obama was elected president, our Commander in Chief was given wide latitude by his political opponents in the areas of foreign policy and leadership of the military. Even when those policies led to unspeakable human tragedy, as was the case in Lebanon, Vietnam and later Afghanistan and Iraq, partisanship was generally left at waters edge or engaged in at your peril When Jane Fonda mounted a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft battery in 1972 and was critical of her president and US foreign policy, she was pilloried for being anti-American.  When Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks was critical of the pre war run up to the invasion of Iraq, her career was decimated by Americans demanding to know why she was not being patriotic and supporting our president. And yet when entertainers like Ted Nugent call our president a Nazi and Hank WIlliams Jr. says President Obama hates Americans and essentially state that he is unAmerican, we hear nary a peep from the same voices that slammed people like Fonda and Maines. Clearly, there is a double standard in operation and it looks like this. When it happened on a previous presidents watch, no matter the party, it was a tragedy.  When it happens on President Obama’s watch, it’s because he is, choose one, or all, incompetent, a liar, a communist, a socialist, or just plain stupid. When people were critical of past presidents, they were anti-American, now in some Alice in Wonderland twist of logic, they’ve become patriots. I said earlier that we had not seen this type of behavior before in recent American politics.  I fear that we have left that age behind.  Sadly, the Democrats will be hard pressed to withstand the pressure to respond in kind if and when the GOP finally gets one of their own in the White House again.   Even sadder will be the defense that Dems will mount on behalf of their actions by partisans angered by the foul treatment President Obama received at the hands of the political right. We are a sorry lot.

The Republican Party... 2013

When is enough enough? After Barack Obama was elected president, we were treated to a barrage of e-mails of black face pictures, caricatures of the president and his wife as monkeys and many other assorted veiled racially tinged attempts at humor. The common thread in all of these was that the people sending them were associated with the Republican Party at either federal, state or local levels. What was also common was that we never heard from our nationally elected GOP leaders a word of real condemnation. Never once did we hear them step to a bank of microphones and declare what most people knew... that these attacks were not politically motivated, but rather racially motivated. Put simply, President Barack Obama and his wife were not being caricatured because of their political stances, but because of the color of their skin. You don't like a politicians stance on an issue, that's fair game, but in 2013, we should not be seeing the kinds of racial political stunts that were common in a less enlightened era.  But perhaps that is to be expected in a country that has a rich history of racial tension and animus. Which brings us to todays little ditty, pictured above... courtesy of the Chairperson of the Republican Party of Yellowstone County in Montana, Jennifer Olsen.  Now I am certain that in a day or two Ms. olsen will make a heartfelt apology, claiming she is not racist and was just passing along what she thought was a funny little joke. But really, would this picture have tickled her fancy if the president was white? And so I ask, at what point will the national leaders of the GOP step up to the plate and publicly condemn this type of behavior? At what point will they go beyond the "It's a local issue" and "I would not have done that" boilerplate responses and call this what it is... a pure and blatant example of racial politics from a Republican leader? For weeks since the election last November, we've heard GOP leaders saying they will not win elections being, as Bobby Jindal put it, the party of stupid.  And for weeks, the rank and file state and local leaders have kept right on going, with nary a word from John Boehner, Mitch McConnell, Linsey Graham or anyone else. After the US was attacked on 9/11, many in the GOP dominated Congress and Senate asked why moderate Muslims remained silent as the more militant branches of Islam struck time and time again in cowardly terroristic attacks across Afghanistan and Iraq. Right-wing bloggers joined in the chorus along with many FOX television personalities to say that a reluctance of moderates to be critical of extremist Islam signaled acceptance and agreement with what the terrorists were doing. To them, there were no moderate Muslims. Isn't it fair to judge the current national Republican Party by the same standards? You tell me?

GOP Whiffs... is the conservative movement in collapse?

The last month or so has not been kind to the Republican Party. Starting with an election they could have won, the GOP has had as much political competence as Barney Fife did with his one bullet in the fictional setting of Mayberry USA. All they had to do to defeat President Barack Obama was nominate a candidate who could seem at ease with common folk and was not afraid to be critical of some of the ways the party has treated minorities in the past. Instead, they put forth an auto-matron who was about as comfortable in his own skin as one of those guys in Disney’s Hall of Presidents.  Come to think of, most of those robots seem more life like than did Mitt Romney. This, along with some less than stellar Senate and Congressional candidates got them spanked pretty hard on November 6. Elections.  Strike 1. As we inched closer to the so-called fiscal cliff, essentially a self-imposed deadline to come up with a plan to address a growing federal deficit, they dropped the ball again. Mitch McConnell, trying to embarrass the Dems, as opposed to actually trying to legislate, decided to hold a vote on the pending debt ceiling.  This was a naked political stunt, and everybody knew it, but that did not dissuade McConnell, who is forever looking for ways to legislate gotchas, instead of actual policy. But a funny thing happened on the way to the vote.  Apparently Senator Mitch missed an episode of School House Rock.  If he had seen it, he would have known you needed a majority to get a bill passed.  Seemingly unfazed, or unaware of this little requirement, he forged ahead, only to find out late he did not have the votes. So what does Senator Mitch do?  Does he admit defeat?  No. He filibusters [a polite way of saying thanks, but no thanks to a bill] his own bill.  That’s right, he uses a stall tactic to essentially kill his own bill because he cannot get it passed. But Senator McConnell is small potatoes compared to the debacle Republican House Speaker John Boehner presided over last night.  Boehner you might recall has been “locked” in negotiations with President Obama over this fiscal cliff issue.  At some point he got frustrated and decided he, and the House of Representatives needed a backup plan, should those negotiations fail.  A sort of Plan B, if you will. Sadly, it appears our Speaker was with Senator McConnell when they ditched the showing of that School House Rock video, because he too forgot that you need a majority of votes to pass a bill. And so last night, Speaker Boehner, after his Plan B failed in his own party, turned out the lights on Congress and sent everyone home for the holidays, because the GOP would not support raising taxes on a few, to benefit the great majority of Americans. Legislating. Strike 2. Which brings us to this morning and the amazing press conference by NRA President and spokesman Wayne LaPierre. Mr. LaPierre said earlier this week, after the shootings in Newtown, Connecticut that the NRA was ready to offer “meaning contributions” to the ongoing dialogue about gun control and gun access in the United States. After numerous other shootings around the country, the NRA has typically followed a strategic formula that called for lying low a few days and then issuing a statement that said essentially that “now was not the time for any type of discussion.” But this was different.  Because most of the victims were children, many in the country are calling for something to be done to limit assault type weapons and over sized ammo clips.  The NRA heard this and signaled a few days ago that they were ready to respond. We were all waiting as the NRA President stepped up for his moment and then it happened.  Not only did he not offer any meaningful contributions, he essentially called on the federal government to fund armed guards at every school in America. Understand what he was saying.  A conservative leader in America was calling for more federal spending so that we could have a retired police office or an ex-war vet with a gun at every school in America. I’m not sure this could have gone worse for the gun lobby, the conservative movement, or the GOP.  It was breathtakingly bad. In essence, the conservative movement, and by extension the GOP, had a week to study for an open book test and failed... epically. Politics.  Strike 3. And with that, just like Mighty Casey, the Grand Old Party struck out.  Frequent Democratic critic and conservative columnist Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post says the Republican Party is incapable of governing. Sadly, at this point, I would have to agree.  What we are seeing is the schoolyard equivalent of a bully getting upset that everything is not going his way.  Rather than try to get along, he decides to just take his marbles and go home. That’s too bad because we need a strong two party system.  America functions better when both parties are serious and capable of governing.  It keeps the other guys honest. Too bad the GOP can’t seem to figure out how they can do that these days.

Notes on a napkin... quick takes on the world this week...

Last week Javon Belcher of the Kansas City Chiefs shot his girl friend and then himself... Sportscaster Bob Costas stated a fact on air, when he said that without a gun, Belcher could not have done this... he was immediately pilloried by people that did not hear what he said... here's a great article on the controversy... Vin Scully, longtime, in fact almost eternal, voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers, turned 85 last week.  Guess what, he loves the television show Homeland, as evidenced by his new Twitter obsession... President Obama called for 1.6 trillion in new tax revenue and Speaker Boehnor called for 800 billion in new tax revenue in their negotiations to avoid the "fiscal cliff."  As a Vegas guy, I think they will settle somewhere around 1.2 trillion, the number predicted before all the posturing began... I find it odd that Democrats love states rights when they agree with them... think gay marriage, but less so when they disagree, think abortion.  And yes, this can easily go the other way too.  The GOP hates a strong federal government when they agree with it... think DOMA, but less so when they disagree, think Obamacare... interesting isn't it? Jon Stewart nailed it when he took on the annual "War on Christmas."  As Christmas sales seemingly have extended into summer and Black Friday now begins on Thursday, aren't we really in a war on Thanksgiving and Halloween? Finally, here's a great stat I came across preparing for a class I was teaching... as we cram down thousands of extra, useless, obesity inducing calories, consider this... there is enough food produced in the world today for every man woman and child to receive a daily portion of 2500 calories...

Dear Sean Hannity... welcome to the party...

Dear Mr. Hannity, I try not to be overly political. Yes I supported and even worked to elect Barack Obama to the presidency in 2008, but I try to see the other side of the equation. Some days I am better at that than others and believe it or not, I have voted for, and even worked for Republican candidates in the past. Like many, I believe issues are important and disdain politicians when they are fungible on their views simply for political gain. Which brings me to my subject today, immigration. Mr Hannity, you are a well known FOX News personality and popular conservative radio host.  Apart from Rush Limbaugh, you are the best known media figure in conservative circles and have been front and center in the conservative wars against Barack Obama, the liberal media and the progressive agenda. Which makes what happened yesterday all the more remarkable. You sir, the darling of the right-wing of the Republican Party, the man Dems love to hate for what they see as his extreme views, have "evolved" on immigration. What's perhaps most amazing is that you have embraced a pathway to legalization that you have always derided as amnesty and a reward to lawbreakers. I'm stunned. Stunned, because for years you have been dismissive of any attempts to realistically deal with the millions of undocumented people living in our country.  Short of building a wall and deportations, you, and your network have had no constructive ideas on the subject and have frequently, along with the guests you have had on your shows, fanned the worst flames of anti-immigrant xenophobia. Yet for some reason, you've evolved. Well welcome to the party Sean. Pardon me while I wipe the sarcastic look off my face. You see, it would not be so bad, I mean after all, us realists knew for years that the GOP was going to have to get to this point, except that you and your guests are so often spiteful of President Obama when he changes his views, or evolves.  You were especially disdainful when he in fact used the term "evolved" for his position on gay marriage. So let me ask you a question Mr. Hannity... when did this evolution take place?  And what changed for you? Is there any possibility at all that this evolution, announced 2 days after the GOP lost a winnable election for the presidency and gave up seats in the Senate, had anything to do with those results? Is it possible that you came to this need to evolve after looking at the demographics of the election results and, like some of the other ilk in the GOP, concluded that without some "evolution" you guys would soon be about as relevant as the old Whig Party? Or is it the product of a long process of reflection, prayer and study? Seriously, I'd like to know. Because like you, I wonder whether people who change their positions overnight are just doing so for political expediency.  The type of political expediency that represents all that is bad about politics here in the United States and which you frequently decry as unprincipled on your shows. In all seriousness Sean, we're glad to have you on board.  Even if it was solely for naked political ambition, it's the right thing to do. Sincerely, Dave

notes on a ballot... quick takes on the news...

Allan Malamud used to write a sports column in the old Los Angeles Herald Examiner.  He called it "notes on a scorecard" and it was series of thoughts you might write on your scorecard as you were watching a game. I think I'll call mine notes on a ballot... I saw recently that Democrats favor jeeps as their car of choice and the GOP, BMW's... since I drive a Hyundai, i asked my wife what that makes us... she said poor... If I am backed into a corner, I'd say the odds of President Obama winning a second term are less that 50%... There is something wrong when a presidential election comes down to just the few states that are not totally politically decided already... Las Vegas got some good news recently... we are now only the third worst state in the foreclosure debacle... News of even more dalliances coming to light makes it clear that there is a reason it is called secret service... Please tell me how it is that i can usually read about a US covert program on the front page of a newspaper... Why is it Dems support states rights when they like the issue, but oppose them when the disagree... and for that matter, the GOP too... This mess in Syria is horrible... but is it our responsibility to fix it? When will we be seeing a time when US forces are not active in combat? Finally, I know everyone thinks they have the solution to what ails us a country... but until we can agree on the problem, we'll never get to the best solution... I'm just sayin...

Primaries, Caucuses, and the GOP...

As many of you know, I am in working to get a well on line for our farm in Tlacolula, Oaxaca. I got here in mid-January and will not return to the states until well after the Nevada Caucus dates. That means I will not be getting a chance to participate in, or read all of the breathless blather that will try and tell folks that anyone else other than Mitt Romney has a shot at the Republican nomination. Folks, here is what the GOP needs to understand. The nomination is going to Mitt Romney barring an 11th hour move by the party big-wigs to choose a different type of candidate. No matter what their supporters think, the reality is that Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, and Ron Paul have absolutely no chance to actually capture the nomination. Santorum has no money and is too far to the right on social issues for the average GOP voter. Paul is too old and not enough of a military hawk to appeal to the military industrial wing of the party. And Gingrich, well he’s Newt. In spite of all of the money Las Vegas zillionaire Sheldon Adelson is pumping into his campaign, Newt can’t out run the facts... he makes Bill Clinton look like a paragon of moral virtue. And so that leaves Mitt. And a bunch of questions as we move achingly slow to the Republican Convention in Tampa later this year. Why are these folks still in the race? In 2008, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama battled all the way through June. Why? Because there was a conceivable path to victory for both of them. Not a single partisan supporter of the three GOP losers can give a reasonable explanation of how their candidate will get the nomination. So I ask again, why are they still in the race? It must be because while they believe Mitt will be wrong for America if he wins and that he cannot beat President Obama, they are hoping to get something out of staying. Is it a nice book deal? Is it the Vice Presidency? Is it a cabinet spot? Or is it front runner status in the 2016 presidential elections after Obama wins reelection this year? There has got to be reason, or maybe these guys are all just folks with oversized egos who can’t understand that they have already lost the election to a man named Mitt. You tell me. PS... the postcard is in honor of Dmarks, a big post card guy and another blogger who occasionally checks in here at the mission...

Where are the GOP Leaders? Is What we are Seeing the Fringe, or the Mainstream?

You be the judge. Last night before some friends arrived, I was watching the GOP Debate from Florida. Most of you know I tend to lean more to the left politically than many of my friends. However, you also know I am not reflexively anti-GOP, have worked on Republican campaigns in the past, and on occasion, when I believe it is the best option, will vote Republican. But last night, I was stunned. After hearing GOP partisans cheer the death penalty a few weeks ago, I was taken aback. After hearing people say "Yeah, let him die" if someone does not have health insurance, I wondered how far the GOP might go. Last night I got my answer. The crowd in attendance booed a US Serviceman serving in Iraq, simply because he said he was gay and was in support of the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. If you don't believe it, follow this link to Andrew Sullivan's commentary where he has posted the video. And just like in previous debates, not one candidate for President from the GOP said that type of response was wrong. We have watched over the years as many conservative pundits and politicians have tarred and feathered Muslims for their faith. We have been told that in the absence of any public rebuke of extremist Muslim views, that we can safely view the entire religion as extremist. We have been told that at least 10% of the Muslim people are terrorists. And we have been told that we, as Americans, have a right to look suspect on an entire people group. Why? For two reasons. One, a relatively small number of the followers of Islam have gone off the deep end and believe in terrorism. And two, the apparent lack of Muslim leaders who will publicly say that the actions of that relatively small number of terrorists are wrong and have no place in civilized societies. It is time that those that advocate this type of stance, step forward and accept their due. Unless and until we see national leaders from the Republican Party stand up and disavow the words and attitudes of people like Mr. Santorum and the crowds that cheered the death penalty, said "yeah, let him die" and then booed a gay serviceman, it is safe to assume that these views are representative of the entire party. Where are the national GOP leaders that will say these people do not represent our party? Where is one elected GOP congressional leader who will publicly state that what we have been watching the last three weeks is wrong? Republicans, this is your dancing in the streets Palestinian moment. Your masses are booing US Servicemen, celebrating the death penalty, and saying let 'em die to your fellow citizens. In the absence of any leaders stepping forward, why should we not tar your entire party with the same brush you have used for years to tar Muslims?

A Call to Personal Responsibility... From A Democrat

It is taken as an article of faith among Democrats, Independents, and some Republicans that Ronald Reagan could not win the GOP nomination these days. People point to his willingness to raise taxes, grant amnesty to illegal immigrants, and dare I say it, compromise with the Dems on a host of issues to get things done. I would agree. I see no way any serious Republican candidate could reasonably expect to win the necessary primaries with a record such as the one Reagan held both as Governor of California and as President. But lest the Democrats get smug, let's turn the tables a little. Last night I watched an excellent special from ABC News. It was about the here to fore unheard tapes of Former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, wife of President John Kennedy. Diane Sawyer did an excellent job of taking us back to that time and giving real insight into the couple and their family. Full disclosure time... while I was a young kid back then, I have always held the Kennedy's in high regard. While flawed, few American families have a record of public service that can match that of the Kennedy's. That being said, here is what got my attention. During a segment on the inauguration, we once again heard the line for which perhaps JFK is most famous... "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." That one line, at the end of this great speech is a clarion call to personal responsibility. Certainly President Kennedy did not believe, as the current crop of GOP contenders does, that government has no place in the lives of Americans. But this President, even though he was a strong advocate of Keynesian economics, and a fighter for universal health care, also believed government should not be your first option. I do not believe a Democrat would be elected, or supported by a majority of voters in his or her party with a view of personal responsibility like that of John Kennedy. Our system has changed and if the Dems demand that the GOP recognize how far they have shifted from the ideals of Ronald Reagan, it is only fair that the Dems also realize how far they have shifted from the ideals of JFK. Are we better for it? Time will tell.