A Chicken Is Not Pillage

Point - Counter Point

Point.

Counter Point.

For the record, I tend to agree with Sam.  Exclusion is not a good political tactic, and it isn't good policy either.  Yet the MT GOP tends to be really good at exclusion.

Simply Because It Needs To Be In Your Face

From the previous discussion:

Andy Hammond: 

The government's job is to defend and protect us. That is what the military is for and I have no problem at with my taxes going towards our defense.

Andy Hammond (forced into being even remotely consistent): 

Government control of our military will drastically reduce the quality of our defense. Government is inefficient and wasteful.

Gosh, I couldn't agree with that sentiment more, Andy.

Save Me, Mommy!

There's been some bitchen' that the so called "John Doe" provision got 86'd from the recent homeland security appropriation legislation.  Boo Hoo.  Basically, what the provision/amendment would have allowed is that anyone could accuse anyone else of terrorist activity, and be free from the consequences of civil action.  For instance, if a bunch of swarthy men were on your flight, you could cost them a great deal of money by having them thrown off the plane, and then be all "Whoops?  Sucks to be you."

The whole point of tort law is that if one unjustly costs another material damage than that one is libel for paying recompense to the degree of loss, and possible punitive damage.  If someone slips on your sidewalk because you didn't shovel the snow, then it sucks to be you, cupcake.  You screwed up.  Acknowledge, take your lumps and move on.   According to the John Doe provision, you can accuse anyone of anything, and skate.  Don't like the fact that the angry looking guy is in the seat you want?  Send him to Gitmo.  Got a thing against black backpacks?  Report the asshole and let *him* sort it out.  You're just John Doe doing your Patridiotic duty.  Right?

Screw that.  Actions have consequence, sometimes legal.   I'd like to be shocked that the 'party of personal responsibility' is so in favor of releasing people from anything of the kind, but I'm not.   To those who support such tripe, quit being a bunch of frickin' wussies.  Reporting unattended backpacks will not get you sued.  Screwing with others just because you think you can ... will.  And there is no socialist obligation such that I need to protect your ass from being a frightened little wimp.  If you want to report the bad guys, do it.  If you want my help to protect you from you being an overly scared moron, no.  You're on your own.

Interconference Gameday

As odd as many may find it, I'm gonna link to Andy Hammond, and I ain't even gonna make fun of him.

Andy put up a post about why we have to support the war in Iraq.  It really wasn't a good post, mostly your standard Neocon boilerplate.  It basically posited that we have to "win" in Iraq, or we won't be able to bring peace, love, happiness and puppies to the rest of the Middle East, and the Grinch will steal Christmas.  But an odd thing happened on the way to the Forum.  An actual discussion took place between Ryan and I in the comments.  And we didn't just end up insulting each other's genetic heritage.  I have to admit, it's one of the better debates I've had since high school.  If you're so inclined, check it out.

Not 'ALL' Qaeda After All

In a handy coincedence, given my last post, I find this chart posted over at Lindsay Beyerstein's remarkable blog, Majikthise.  The chart, which comes from an extensive report by  RFE/RL,  breaks down the claims of action from the diverse groups active in Iraq.  You will notice, please that al Qaeda comes in third for violent actions in total, and tied for a dismal seventh in operations directly targeting the US forces.  And, as I've been claiming, the bad boy on the block is the Shi'ite Mujahideen, who have something of a weighty hold over Iraqi security forces.

I'm fully aware that it would be specious to draw too many conclusions based on this chart and what it represents.  It's possible that the various groups are claiming credit for actions taken by others (or not actually taken at all), and that al Qaeda may be simply refusing to acknowledge their attacks on US forces.  What should be very clear, though, is that there are many factions involved in the sectarian violence (civil war) that have nothing to do with al Qaeda, nor want to.  Our forces?  Yeah, they're the ones stuck in the middle.

Fire Is Non-Partisan

Since some of the more dense rock-head commenters at the densest Montana InterTube quarry thought themselves clever at positing that my brother and I would start some wildfires on our recent outing (despite the fact that we  both are experienced woodsmen), I 'd be interested to hear their comments on our  fine fighting persons  starting  a blaze that closed an important Montana highway.   I also wonder if the DOJ will be billed for the cost of fighting such a blaze.   Hmmm ...

(Note to Military "Intelligence":  tracer rounds in Montana, in July, with record breaking heat, are a *really* bad idea.  Duh ...)

A Danged Good Question. Indeed.

Cece threw up a hypothetical at Montana Netroots.  Somewhat like Colby, I figure I will respond here, but also cross post my answer over there.  The question at hand:

You are the Speaker of the House. Bush and Cheney are impeached, and suddenly you are president! What would you do in the next year?

Please understand that I think Mark T has offered a bit of wisdom.  Whoever takes over for BushCo will either toe the corporate/militarist line, or they will be little more than a sacrificial lamb.  Iraq, and all it's ramifications is *the* elephant in the living room.  Forget your global warming, or your universal health care.  If the gushing monetary wound of Iraq is not sutured, then the rest is meaningless.  Our world standing is in tatters, and our trading partners (who are also our competitors) have us by the real short-hairs.  These problems are dealt with by a rational foreign policy ... not by popularity contests, or he-man posturing.

First things first, I'd make a decision.  Do I want to retain the office or not?  If so, then my path is clear ... campaign my ever-loving ass off based on the promises of what I'd do "if" elected (which might closely mirror what I'm about to lay out.)  Of course, being a do-nothing campaigner, I'd likely lose.  So, I'll choose to be a lame-duck and actually work for something.

1)  Colby's got it right.  Pick a VP (and Cabinet).  My choice for VP would be Bill Richardson (which he might accept even though he is campaigning).  We need experience in the face we show to the world, and Richardson has that.  That might kill his Presidential run, but if he gets elected, he's toast in a term,  anyway.  His success in rebuilding US relations as VP could make or break his political future.  Call it incentive.  His first assignment would be a Latin American tour, starting with Venezuela and ending in Mexico.  If we can't foster Democracy and growth in our damned hemisphere, then we sure can't foster it elsewhere.  I actually want a military man as my Sec. of State.  I'd offer it to Powell, if he'd accept it.  (Only Nixon could go to China.)  If not General Powell, then General Clark.  I want someone who understands the cost of failed diplomacy, in very real terms, and can articulate that to those nations who think of us as a strike-first kinda place.  His first assignment, the Middle East, starting with Turkey and ending with Pakistan ... and there will be a stop in Iran on the way.  I could go on and on about appointments and assignments, but I'll table it for now.

2)  A public address to the UN.  I would explain that we have, quite simply, screwed the pooch in Iraq.   I would also reiterate our complete commitment to abiding by the Geneva conventions, regardless of whether our enemies do or not.  Torture is for lesser, and we are *not* lesser people.  Someone is going to have to take the blame for the Iraqi clusterfuck, and if I'm a lame duck, it might as well be me.  God knows, BushCo and CheneyBurton ain't gonna take responsibility.

3)  Lobby Congress for an immediate repeal of the MCA (Military Commissions Act.)   In keeping with the spirit of this, I would offer full disclosure of all documents (that have survived) of extraordinary rendition to points in Europe, and  would move all detainees from Gitmo to US prison camps, where they would be given the full protection and rights of US law ... including the right of trial (by judge ... for there is certainly no impartial jury of their peers here in the US.)  If this is a successful effort (a big if) then  I would lobby for the repeal of some (if not all) provisions of the Patriot Acts.

4)  As many have already described very well, begin a phased withdrawal of American troops from Iraq, accompanied by hard benchmarks for the Iraqi government.  Let's face it, people, if the Iraqis want to kill each other, we're not going to stop it ... ever.

5)  Open our borders to Iraqi refugees.  We broke it, we need to fix what we can.  That's simple.

6)  Hire a librarian from Stevensville, Montana to run the National Archives.  As all of this takes place, there needs to be a record.  And hiring cronies to purge the public evidence just doesn't cut it for me.  We need to know what's happened for the last 8 years, and transparency is goal number one.

That ought to about do it... for now.

Another Simple Question

I understand the ridiculously token head-nod to the soon to be grieving, but why report an accident if you won't even disclose who was involved? 

"And here's Shine McWhitesmile with the road-smear news."

"Thanks, Sincere O'serious.  Many people died on the roadways this past weekend.  We won't tell you who they are, until the cops show up at your door ... hehehe.  Those who got to enjoy the traffic delays know the fun of hoping to see dead bodies, and the gut-wrenching pain of mangled metal.  Fun wasn't it?  A guy hit a cow today, half past the Fish Creek junction in a County not close to you.  Man, what a mess, hehe.  To those who didn't encounter such, pay no mind, until we have worse news for you .. hehehe.  Back to you, Sincere ..."

Really, why bother?   This has bugged me for a long damned time.   Only in the most egregious instances do reports ever follow up (except as a bury on the far-back pages or if the person was a local celeb ... and then they'll report the name, next of kin be damned.  Accidents happen, a lot.  Why 'report' them if there really isn't anything to report  ... other than there was an accident.

"Oh, someone got hurt or killed.  Heh.  Guess who?"

I don't like this.

August Feels My Pain!

I've encountered some terrific individuals through Metafilter;  David, Oliver Willis and August Pollak just to name a few.  August is a comic artist, and his latest absolutely nails my frustration with much of the idiocy coming from the right.

Montana Women For

As I've indicated elsewhere, I was on the radio show, Citizen's Voice, this past Saturday.  It was fun, as always, to have another sit down with Captain B and Feral Cat/the Montana Maven.  The treat was especially sweet for me because I got to spend two hours sitting next to a bona fide movie star.

I've never been much of a fanboi, and I don't tend to get all giddy in the presence of the rich and famous.  I wanted to punch Dennis Quade 'cause he's an arrogant smart-ass (but you should see the size of his body-guard *yikes*).  I've had a truly terrific and genial conversation with Peter Fonda about the look of the Great Yellowstone fires from 20,000 feet at night.  I've met Hank Williams Jr. so snockered off his ass at 2:00 in the afternoon that the babe on his arm had to hold him upright.

Meeting Margie Kidder was a different kind of thing.  Though I'm not nearly the fan that Oliver is, I still adored the Superman movies ... and yes, I had the hots for Margot Kidder.  She was fresh, spunky and just delightful in those films.

She came in between the first and second hours of the radio show.  I was out having a cigarette, as she pulled up, and my first impression was that she was a rather frumpy and self-assured matron, a woman on a constant mission that she finds humor in.  (I can't apologize enough for saying this, Margie, should it offend)  She looked old, but in that wise been-there-done-that kinda way.  As I greeted her, I said (rather clumsily) "You must be Margot Kidder."  Nope.  She's Margie from Montana.  I can accept that.  We went inside and did the show.

I'm a little bemused in writing this stuff, because the supernatural had a hand in the conversation that day.  Margie got ... younger ... as we talked to folks over the airwaves.  It might take a certain degree of composting on the part of the male of the species, but I actually think our vision changes (improves) as we get to see the person more for what they are.  And damn, guys, few things are cooler/hotter than a woman who is so greatly intelligent and well spoken to boot.  Margie impressed my socks right off.

One of the things that she brought up is something that I've been temped to write about before, but failed to do so.  That would be the organization, Montana Women For.  You might ask "for what?"  but that would be kinda silly.  Montana women can be for a great deal, and Margie with her cohorts have offered Montana women the forum and venue for being 'for' whatever they feel is pressing.  Margie encouraged a caller who felt abused by the political system to look up and join MWF, and I second, third and fourth the call.   Very much like Forward Montana appeals to the young, Montana Women For should appeal to and foster any women who feel they have a voice and say in our country.  That's a damned fine thing!

As we left the station, Margie was cracking jokes and discussing the puppy that she had to find a home for.  And I'll be damned if she didn't have the same charm and eye-twinkle that made so many of us love her as Lois Lane.  But I giggle at the full understanding that Margie isn't a comic book character.  She's the real thing; a strong, defined and committed woman.  I, for one, hope well beyond hope that Margie Kidder plays a great role in Montana, and shows many of us how to be ourselves.