Sometimes, desperate times call for desperate measures...

Bush is certainly not going to bring our troops home. He intends to leave Washington with his endless war still raging. President Bush is not serving the will of the majority of the American people to end this war. He has put Congress in an "uncomfortable" position, that is, if our congressional leaders intend to represent the will of the people who elected them into office.

Yesterday, the Senate rejected bold legislation (the Feingold-Reid amendment) which would cut off funds for the Iraq War. At 29-67, the proposal fell 31 votes short of the necessary votes to move it forward.

A number of Democratic congressional leaders asserted that this "drastic" measure was necessary for ending the war. However, Senator Carl Levin, from Michigan--a Democrat and the chairman of the Armed Services Committee--repeated his opposition to legislation that would cut off funding for the war. Senator Levin said, "We don't want to send the message to the troops...that Congress does not support them."

Read the article in ABC news

MoveOn.org has even started a campaign to air radio ads in Michigan, to bring attention to Levin's actions.

I don't feel that Levin is necessarily a bad guy, I just think that he "can't see the trees through the forest."

Of course, I'm very concerned about the possibilty of leaving our troops without the equipment that they need, however, aren't they already doing without the equipment (and the leadership) that they need?

At some point, we need to evaluate what is more "supportive of the troops." Is it to throw more money their way, in order to keep them in this endless war--OR--is it in making bold decisions, in order to get them home (alive) as soon as possible?

I've personally struggled with my position on this issue, but when I take a step back, to look at the bigger picture, here's what I see: The longer this war goes on, the more unnecessary casualties will accumulate. Period.

So, while the Feingold-Reid amendment is "drastic," it may be exactly what is needed to end this "endless war."

I'm going to see John Edwards tonight!

He'll be campaigning in Atlanta this evening!

Here is John Edwards' 25-minute speech at the National Action Network Keepers of the Dream Dinner in New York City, on April 18, 2007---the last 5 minutes are especially good:




http://johnedwards.com/

Darn those college courses that make you think...

I watched this last night on The Colbert Report...

Colbert does a bit involving a college student, who appeared on FOX news, actually whining that he was "forced" to learn about global warming...in his science class, no less!

Great quote to share...

"I'm 'pro-life'-- the life of the troops." – Bill Maher

Ben Taylor - "Nothing I Can Do"

One of my favorite songs...



I highly recommend his "Deeper Than Gravity" EP -which is available on iTunes for a steal at $3.99 for six terrific songs (some are original, some are covers).

Yes, Ben is the son of James Taylor and Carly Simon.

Click here for tour info (he's in the UK now), and to hear some more of his music, on his MySpace page.

Truth is The First Casuality of War

I am now watching the GOP candidates debate live on television. They were just asked if they "support the war in Iraq." Whoa! There is so much rhetoric being spewed. Many half-truths, and just outright, fear-mongering lies are being told, especially by Mitt Romney. Incredible.

Girl Power?

I urge you to read this article about world wide discrimination against girls and women. It was published today in The Independent.

• In the UK, two women are killed every week at the hands of their partners (current and former)

• Female foeticide is on the increase in countries where a male child remains more valued

• two million girls a year still suffer genital mutilation

....the list goes on, and on.

Bring Back Batiste!

Batiste is a victim of censorship for his criticism of the Bush policy in Iraq.

The widely respected Major General Batiste, who served in Iraq, and who until recently was employed by CBS News as a consultant, was immediately fired after he appeared in an ad speaking out against the president's policy Iraq.

The New York Times article is worth a read.

MoveOn.org has generated a petition to urge CBS Corporation/CBS News to re-hire Major General Batiste.

Here is the ad that got General Batiste fired:

Reza Aslan on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Last week, I watched Jon Stewart's interview with the very articulate, intelligent, and witty, Reza Aslan.

I always try to catch Reza when he's on The Daily Show, Real Time with Bill Maher, etc., because he always gives a very insightful, yet humorous interview.

Well, nuff said, you really need to see this video clip of Reza Aslan on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Make sure that you watch it in its entirety, because it gets better and better toward the end.




Check out Reza Aslans's Web site: www.rezaaslan.com

Iraqi lawmakers push for U.S. withdrawal

Speaking of last Friday... On May 11, 2007 this story (by Joshua Partlow, Washington Post) was published in the San Francisco Chronicle:

Iraqi lawmakers push for U.S. withdrawal, Moves in parliament echo U.S. Congress' efforts to limit Bush

Here's a snippet:

A majority of Iraq's parliament has signed a proposed bill that would require a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. soldiers from Iraq and freeze current troop levels, a sign of a growing division between Iraqi legislators and the prime minister that mirrors the widening gulf between the Bush administration and its critics in Congress.

The draft bill would create a timeline for a gradual departure, much like what some Democrats in the United States have demanded, and require the Iraqi government to secure parliament's approval before any further extensions of the U.N. mandate for foreign troops in Iraq, which expires at the end of 2007.

Okay, why was this not headline news on CNN.com? Oh, yeah...

Bill Maher's Accu-Wrath Weather

I must tell you that some of my favorite television programs are--

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report, and Real Time with Bill Maher, on HBO.

Here is a HIGH-larious clip from Bill Maher's show last Friday night.

What are you doing to "Support Our Troops?"

Depending on the people with whom you are speaking, the meaning of "support our troops" varies greatly.

What I read on CNN.com today, is NOT my idea of "supporting our troops." Incredulously, our troops in Iraq are being significantly restricted from using the Internet, or "The Internets," as the President calls it.

Specifically, U.S. soldiers NOW have to rely on private accounts to use the Internet. Furthermore, they are blocked from using YouTube, MySpace, and eleven other Web sites.

You may wonder, what is the "justification" for this so-called "support?" Well, the military asserts that this is necessary for "security reasons," and because the troops' Internet traffic is "hurting system performance." Yeah, you read that correctly!

Read more about it at CNN.com.

Unlike our Administration, I believe that "supporting our troops" means bringing them home soon. This year. It means writing letters, or sending e-mails, to our representatives in Congress. It means raising awareness, one person at a time, through thoughtful discussion:

-Did you know that despite the Bush Administration sending thousands of Americans to "stop terrorist attacks," terrorist attacks have actually increased to seven times what they were before the U.S. invasion?

-Did you know that despite the Bush Administration sending thousands of Americans to "help the Iraqi people," Iraqis are now 58 times more likely to die from violence than before the invasion?

With these sobering realities, how can anyone truly believe that it's not "supportive of our troops" to call for Congress to cut off war funding?

I'll even go one step further...

Given the needless deaths of thousands of troops, and thousands of innocent civilians (not to mention, enormous violations of international and U.S. law) the impeachment of Mr. Cheney and Mr. Bush would be an action far more supportive of our troops than anyone asserting that this war is moral.