McCain’s ‘spiritual guide’ Rod Parsley: “We get off on warfare!”

This is absurdity ad nauseam, and I know Michael Savage isn’t taken seriously by 90% of his listeners, but I can’t even believe he thinks this nonsense is legitimate. Reverend Wright can easily be described as a harsh critic of American foreign and domestic policy, but he’s served this country for 6 years in the military and 3 decades in his Chicago community. His church is ethnically diverse, not an all-black congregation preaching separation. Still, Reverend Wright is an ego-maniac, no doubt.

Rod Parsley, on the other hand, is literally trying to start a religious war and crusade. He believes somehow that America was created to destroy Islam, ignoring the language of the 1st Amendment. It is clear that the government shall stay out of the way, and the affairs of religion. If his extremist church believes there’s a call to arms against Islam, it has nothing to do with the American government. It really has nothing to do with reality. His conception is perverse and incites violence, but by the very Constitution he ignores, his voice is protected.

The same document, complete with our 1st Amendment for 217 years gives Reverend Wright the same freedom to speak his misguided mind. The problem I have is with the coverage and the cutting of 30 years of sermons down to a 30-second clip. If Reverend Wright were truly an America hater and separation advocate, wouldn’t they be able to continually produce clips, rather than simply playing endlessly the same 30 seconds of his long career?

All I believe is that everyone should be fairly informed, not halfway informed. If my coverage appears slanted, I’d implore it is simply because the preponderance of evidence in current events is so drastically slanted in one direction. I’d protect, tooth-and-nail, everyone’s right to freely practice their faith. This includes Islam. Not because, as Michael Savage says, “the libs are gonna jump in and say that they believe in Islam, because most of them would believe in anything except Christianity,” but because I believe in the Constitution and specifically the 1st Amendment. I believe more in this country than religious ideology because it is America — not any church — which has given me most in life.

America promises two basic things, freedom and opportunity. In some cases, opportunity has been found wanting but the goals remain the same. Success rates vary over the years, but we continually find the American dream exist where freedom and new ideas meet opportunity. I’m a political scientist by training, and one who wholeheartedly believes in empirical analysis rather than reactionary zeal.

Here is the article from Media Matters that provoked this diatribe. And here’s a video of Parsley being a rod, and some clips of how Senator McCain sees this “moral compass and spiritual guide.”

“We get off on warfare!” -Rod Parsley

Compare that with the entirety of Reverend Wright’s message in the infamous “chickens are coming home to roost” sermon.

The difference is also evident in the rhetoric of the campaigns. Senator Obama says we should have a dialogue with all nations, not to appease or deal with terrorists as President Bush ignorantly and recklessly stated in Israel last weekend. Two years ago, Senator McCain said we would eventually have to “deal with Iran” in reference to a question about his diplomatic approach with dictators. The question was not about potential military action.

Here’s a clip of John McCain discussing diplomatic dealings with Hamas two years ago.

And today’s video of a McCain campaign surrogate explaining the new, updated stance on what McCain meant two years ago:

Obama wishes to have a diplomatic, yet strong position in the world. Bringing our troops home to rest, be with their families, help the homeland recover from natural disasters and protect our citizens at home will benefit our national security. Endless war at the monetary expense of future generations and the psychological expense of an entire generation of our young, often poor and minority populations.

It’s nothing new that the military is one of the best opportunities this nation offers for youth to move up in the world if they come from an impoverished area. The problem is when unjust wars are waged at their expense. In that sense, supporting the poor and disenfranchised is supporting the troops and those who support and suffer most with the troops — their families.

 
• When three-fifths of our men and women returning from Iraq are diagnosed with PTSD and depression — it is time to support our troops.
• When evidence that our government has urged Army doctors to stop prescribing PTSD and depression, in favor of the cheaper-to-treat “adjustment syndrome” — it is time to support our troops.
• When more children in a region already negatively disposed to America are orphaned in a war they don’t understand, much like those who perpetrated the atrocity of September 11 — it’s time to support our troops by taking them out of harm’s way.
• When there is an “al-Qaeda in Iraq” now, where there was not before as a result of failed policy that takes our attention away from Afghanistan where our real enemy exists — it is time to support our troops by putting them in the best position to succeed and bring justice to the victims of bin Laden.
• When those who fight, risk death and lose mental health and limbs to serve this country for only two years are denied education benefits — we must support our troops.

 

That is the way Senator Obama wishes to support the troops.  Make no mistake, he’ll be going after bin Laden, and anyone else who threatens to attack us or our allies.  He just won’t pretend talking to someone is like giving them Czechoslovakia in an attempt at appeasement.  Talking gives us a chance to look them in the eyes and say, you will not bully us.  And it gives the person with the most power a chance to work toward a solution, rather than simply declaring another war and orphaning another generation of foreign children. Here’s Obama’s response to historically ignorant attacks from President Bush and John McCain:

It is un-American to leave your children worse off than your parents left you, not to exercise your 1st Amendment right to free expression.

Senator McCain was also exposed by the DailyKos for having lied about former President Reagan’s negotiations and dealings with Iran.  This man has clearly lost his bearings.  Whether it is to do with his age or is incredible lust for the presidency, his ideas have become polluted and convoluted in a way that betrays his previous “maverick” status.

Technorati Tags: politics, obama, mccain, war, iraq, iran, appeasement, diplomacy

Everything in moderation, here I stand

One of the biggest gripes I have with the climate of modern politics is that the moment you reveal one position on one issue, you are labeled. You can either be a flag waving, gun toting, Bible thumping, English-only speaking conservative or a soy burger eating, latte drinking, secular, high society liberal. It seems like nobody ever recognizes that everyone as wildly differing views, and don’t fit so nicely in those categories we’re given.

John Adams, one of my political heroes, essentially lost his second term for not being partisan enough. He refused to line up before the issue was at hand. I believe in much the same. I also believe it is possible to get America and Congress specifically to where very few things remain on the docket. It may sound idealistic or even absurd, but I believe that is what the Founding Fathers intended by the phrase ‘to form a more perfect Union’ in the Preamble to the Constitution. I wanted to write out just what my positions are on specific issues. This is based on the organization of issues at glassbooth.org with some variations.

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On Abortion and Birth Control

• I support a woman’s right to choose because they are always the most informed on the situation and the realities of a child being brought into the world and their own health concerns. I would also urge the federal government to leave this issue to the states, this is an example of the power of federalism.

• I support emergency contraception because it is simple, early, safer and to be blunt the earth has a population problem. The United States doesn’t feel that problem, but it exists.

• I support abstinence and sex education, with an emphasis on sexually-transmitted diseases. Children tend to do the opposite of what you tell them. Don’t just tell them not to, tell them why not and how to be safe if they disobey. It’s called mitigation, much more effective than the all-or-nothing policy of abstinence-only education.

On Civil Liberties

• I support extending habeas corpus to Guantanamo Bay detainees, knowing the crimes of the accused will not harm national security.

• I oppose waterboarding and any form of physical or psychological torture, first on the grounds that the counter-terrorism community believes it is ineffective in retrieving actionable intelligence. Especially in a ticking-time-bomb scenario, we need something that produces results. Torture simply undermines democracy.

On Crime and Punishment

• I support the death penalty as a matter of federal concern, again I believe individual states should decide.

• I support a drastic rethinking of the drug war, marijuana scheduling and decriminalization. Non-violent drug offenders should not end up in prison, rehab maybe.

• I oppose mandatory minimum sentencing, instead I support the implementation of Initiative, Referendum and Recall in every state so that judges may be recalled if they do something against the interests of the public. The criticisms of this system are the same as when it began here in Arizona in 1912. That should tell you something, and as a resident, it works. Propositions brought up by the people allow us to offer legislation, which is especially useful in areas where politicians may fear backlash for proposing or voting for divisive legislation.

On Education

• I support the elimination of the Department of Education thereby eliminating the No Child Left Behind Act, electing to trust the states to use their own existing education departments to compete with each other.

• I oppose funding schools based on property tax in the area, this is de facto segregation an serves to create socio-economically segregated schools. With all funding coming from the state level, all schools within a district should receive the same amount per pupil and districts with more schools should be given bonuses. This would discourage branching-off to favor one or a smaller group of schools. There is a school within 5 miles of University of Phoenix Stadium where the Arizona Cardinals play that doesn’t have maps in its social studies classrooms.

• I strongly support across-the-board raises for schoolteachers, progressively based on level (elementary, middle, secondary). There is absolutely no reason teachers shouldn’t be able to afford to live in whatever neighborhood they are teaching in, on their own salary. Teachers across this country are many of the ones facing losing their homes due to predatory lending and yes, false optimism on the teacher’s part.

• I oppose standardized tests at the national level. States should be free to do as they please in this regard, but I ask this question: are the tests in the poor schools the same as the ones in the wealthy schools? It’s interesting we put them on the same scale, but not in the same building.

• I oppose vouchers for education. The biggest problem with vouchers is the disparity in cost between your average private school and the amount these vouchers would grant. In Arizona, private schools’ tuition averages about $6,000-9,000 per year. Schools are only paid on average just shy of $4000 per student, per year. Anyone with another few grand can easier afford to send their children to nice schools, but poor families who have no way to pay or transport their children are out of luck.

• I oppose merit-based pay. There is no fair way of brokering this system. Teachers who inherit stronger students (affluent areas with less crime, strong feeder schools) are at an advantage. This would only serve to discourage any teacher from looking to work in areas in highest need of teachers.

• I support a period of mandatory public service for youth. When you feel like you own the house, you take better care. It’s the same with a nation, everyone should take part in building it and making it better.

On Environment and Energy

• I support taking action to reduce the impact of Americans on the environment. Preliminary debate should be aimed at collecting the issues which establish consensus, such as gaining energy independence. Not only would renewable energy sources stabilize our economy and create jobs, but also reduce fossil fuel dependence (if not emissions).

• I support pushing for international consensus points on the issue of environmental friendliness. Begin with broad and basic examples, and work with the international community on a truly global problem.

• I support a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions, where businesses may purchase carbon credits to offset emissions. It would really do nothing but push money in different directions, but it would reward those who are best on the environment. In my eyes these are well aligned incentives.

• I support the pursuit of nuclear energy. We’ve got to get past stigma and phobias to realize, cleaner is better than dirty and dependent. We should always be working toward the best, most efficient and cleanest energy sources available. The problem is becoming complacent.

• I strongly support a drastic effort to improve public transit, not only within urban centers but also interstate. There is no reason we cannot have bullet trains and an alternative to the airlines, one that doesn’t take days to reach a destination or confine us on a small bus with odd people.

• I support increased fuel standards for automobiles in the United States. If only to make sure the domestic auto companies can compete, because in reality we’re getting killed in the auto market. It isn’t really even wise to buy an American car if you truly want to make the best purchase for your own self-interest.

On Gay Rights

• I support civil unions for gay couples. I wouldn’t oppose gay marriage in any way, I just know this issue is the kind of thing that will require baby steps to overcome the hypocrisy in any “separate but equal” government stance.

• I support extending spousal benefits to same-sex couples, to strengthen those families. They are, in fact, families. They shouldn’t worry about custody or inheritance if one dies simply because they aren’t a traditional couple.
  

On Gun Control

• I support background checks for the purchase of firearms. This is just a matter of conscience. Our government keeps better tabs on people buying fertilizer than guns. I don’t think it should go any further, but making sure people aren’t violent criminals isn’t too much to ask.

• I oppose a ban on assault rifles. “When guns are outlawed, outlaws will brandish cologne.” Did I get that right? No, that was Dave Barry, but I do think that if we outlaw assault rifles then the only people who will have them will be true violent criminals.

On Health Care

• I support a universal system of health care. I believe that modern technology and government transparency will make this system work. The exact same people will be doing the diagnosis, treatment and surgical procedures so I don’t understand why people think the service would crumble. The truth is, you can go to Canada, you can ask a Canadian. They will tell you, their system works and people are happier and healthier. This would have collateral effects far beyond just health care.

• I believe the government involvement in health care would help to bring costs down, because the pharmaceutical companies wouldn’t be able to swarm such a large group at once.

On Immigration

• I support a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants existing this country. The process of deportation would be lengthy and expensive.

• I support deportation of all illegal immigrants convicted of a felony. With some exceptions, such as known gang members with a history of deportation and re-entry.

• I oppose a physical fence along the US-Mexico border. Barriers don’t keep people out, they keep you in. Whether you realize it or not, this kind of thing will make us no safer but will speak volumes to the rest of the world and future generations. A border fence would only bolster the human smuggling trade and send business into a dangerous criminal cartel.

• I oppose making English the official language in the United States. This is frivolous and sort-of xenophobic, and would only create problems getting care or court services. We should instead be mandating all American school children learn two or even three languages throughout their school years, beginning in elementary school.

On Iraq and Foreign Policy

• I support beginning withdrawal of troops from the war in Iraq and a shift in focus to Afghanistan and Osama bin Laden.

• I support the President urging China to cease selling weapons to those committing genocide in Sudan and urge Hu Jintao to meet with the Dalai Lama.
  

• I support a lifelong commitment to the health and mental well-being of anyone who enlists in the military.

• I support a foreign policy of tackling all issues diplomatically. I’m tired of presidents who think 4,000 dead American servicemen is better than even trying to a conversation with an adversary.

• I support multi-lateralism in every major global action, through the United Nations or NATO.

• I support using foreign aid to combat poverty and disease, and to provide business opportunity through microcredit loans.

• I support ending the trade embargo with Cuba and beginning a new era of relations with our neighbor ninety miles from Florida.

On Medical Marijuana and Drug Policy

• I support doctors making marijuana available for medical use. Many medical professionals would put their years of education and professional reputation on the line for something that millions of Americans believe should be legal for medical purposes.
  

• I oppose federal raids on sick or dying patients prescribed medical marijuana, and their health care providers. This is cowardice and going after the lowest man on the totem pole.
  

• I oppose the wasteful War on Drugs. The money only creates a giant bureaucracy and a court and prison system flooded with non-violent drug offenders, costing the taxpayers billions.

• I support the rescheduling of marijuana, from Schedule I to Schedule III on the federal drug scheduling system. Compare for yourself.

Schedule I

• The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.
• The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
• There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.

Examples: Heroin, LSD, Marijuana, MDMA (Ecstasy), methaqualone (Quaalude)

Schedule III

• The drug or other substance has a potential for abuse less than the drugs or other substances in schedules I and II.
• The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
• Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.

Examples: Anabolic steroids, ketamine (Special K), synthetic THC (Marinol)

On Social Security

• I support privatizing social security. While simply stopping the highway robbery of the social security trust fund would probably right the ship, privatizing is more American. To be honest, nearly everything needs competition. Everything that isn’t a matter of true government concern. I think the government is more responsible for promoting a healthy population than for giving them peanuts by garnishing their grandchildren’s paychecks during retirement, but that’s me.

• I oppose raising the earnings cap on social security. The more you make, the less you need social security for retirement.

On Taxes and Budget

• I support the elimination of the Internal Revenue Service in favor of a Fair Tax system, which generates the same revenues by taxing consumption rather than income. The dumbest thing America does is tax the one thing it needs every able-bodied American to do, work. We don’t tax rampant consumption aside from marginal sales taxes, which often create negative externalities which tax dollars must address. Under the Fair Tax, you can make as much money as you want with no increase in tax due to income. Read more about the Fair Tax.

• I support an amendment requiring Congress and the President to balance the federal budget every year.

On Trade and Economics

• I support free trade with few restrictions. Trade can be the most powerful vehicle for positive change in the world, we must always prepare for creative destruction.

• I oppose any increase in the federal minimum wage. This generally only leads to more inflation with little actual benefit in the long run. In the short run hours are usually cut, so the benefit is moot.

• I support many government subsidies for farmers, however I believe fruits and vegetables are disgustingly underrepresented(around 3% of overall subsidies). This relates to illegal immigration as well, because if we subsidized fruits and vegetables more we might be able to attract American workers to pick strawberries in California or lettuce in Arizona. Just a thought.

• I support normal trade and diplomatic relations with China. Our President should, however, continually be urging Hu Jintao to meet with the Dalai Lama and make visible strides in the area of human rights.

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Let me know if there’s anything I should add to this list, and feel free to discuss my stances. You don’t need to waste your time just to attack, but reasoned debate is very welcome.

The election storyline America doesn’t want to tell

A lot of hype and excitement is surrounding this historic election, and the potential for the first woman or first black man being elected president.

What isn’t told is the potential for this storyline: America returns to rich, old white man and balks at the notion of making history. America is given two choices that say much more than any single presidency in the history of this country but chooses to return to the familiar. No matter how you try to spin this outcome, it will appear to many Americans, and the rest of the world that we haven’t changed or learned a thing.

Forty years after Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed we still have surprising work to do in the way of civil and worker’s rights. Before Dr. King was assassinated he was set to begin working for jobs and worker’s rights. He delivered his famous ‘I have a dream’ speech at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. After years working for freedom, he was preparing to work more for jobs and gaining economic independence. Much of that work is yet to be done.

What would speak volumes to the effectiveness of the March…for Jobs and Freedom, would be for the American people this November to give the most important job in the land to Barack Obama, or even Hillary Clinton. In many ways the histories of the civil rights and women’s rights movements have been intertwined. Less than half a century after de facto freedom was earned in this country, a black man could be given the most powerful job in the world. As a lifelong student of history, as well as someone who has heard “those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it” ad nauseam, I believe this opportunity must be seized.

Both Senator Obama and Senator Clinton are great candidates who would do a lot within the first 100 days. Neither would destroy the fabric of our nation, or even approach the kind of damage done to our Constitution by the Bush administration. Both would help average Americans who want only to work and send their kids to college and be left alone. Neither would threaten or challenge the rights of responsible gun owners or sportsmen. Most importantly, both would initiate the withdrawal process from Iraq.

Doing this alone would spur our economy, rejuvenate our troops looking for Bin Laden in Afghanistan and improve American favor around the world. I can get behind that.

A collection of links and video on waterboarding

This will be sporadically updated and possibly organized better in the future. I want to have a good place to go for all of the information I constantly find myself sharing with people in chunks.

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7185648.stm

US national intelligence chief Mike McConnell says it would definitely be torture if HE were subjected to it.

• http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Highlevel_members_of_Administration_pressured_underlings_0402.html

There are some accusations of top level administration orders and pressure on underlings to follow-through with the torture. This is starting to have ‘war crimes’ written all over it.

• http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/03/our-torturous-vice-president/

Our Vice President and his chief of staff, David Addington were where the buck stopped for torture. At least until a memo surfaced with the president’s signature.

• http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/13/mccain-waterboarding-fail/

McCain was against waterboarding before he was for it!

• http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/004931.php

Torture gave them nothing but ‘crap’. If the information is useless, and you are still ‘ok’ with the torture, you’re just a sadist.

• http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=4631535

ABC News reporting that Dick Cheney had to OK the harsh interrogations.

• http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/09/07/opinion/meyer/main1981479.shtml

President Bush says we don’t torture. We’ve said we don’t, so we don’t.

• http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Waterboarding_drowning_water_torture_expert_testimony_1110.html

“This is not a simulation.”

• http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Romney_Ticking_time_bomb_justifies_torture_0113.html

Mitt Romney believes we must leave waterboarding open for the ticking time bomb. I wonder how effective drowning someone is in getting them to give up actionable intelligence? Making them go brain dead, temporary or no, will hinder any suspect’s ability to give credible information in the “ticking time bomb” scenario.

• http://www.newsweek.com/id/131298

Torture, specifically an internationally unacceptable method like waterboarding makes it harder for us to get criminals and terror suspects extradited. This is from an ally like the UK. There are just some times when you have to act as a responsible and moral nation and times you go in both guns blazing. After 9/11 we had the all clear to go into Afghanistan locked and loaded. We don’t have that anymore, and we never really had it with Iraq. Now it’s hurting our international relations and our ability to pursue our own justice against those who plot against us.

• http://arstechnica.com/journals/science.ars/2007/03/05/psychological-torture-as-damaging-as-physical-torture

Psychological torture is reported to be as damaging as physical torture.

• http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/06/07/sensory_deprivation/#

Sensory deprivation – the military’s number one form of ‘torture’.

• http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22548731-5001028,00.html

Not like we shape national security policy by what others think, but the Australians read that our House Majority Leader calls this torture. This is how our war on terror makes us less safe.

• http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-intel6feb06,1,1477654.story

The US government finally comes out and admits to waterboarding on February 6th, 2008. The memo referred to surfaced 2 months later.

• http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/03/waterboarding-abc-news-levin/

Dan Levin, a former Department of Justice offical was forced out of his job after conducting his own tests on waterboarding and determining it was not legal. He actually underwent the procedure himself, a rare insight in this debate.

• http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/05/AR2008040502099.html

Could the president have a prisoner’s eyes poked out? John Yoo says maybe.

• http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/08/AR2007120801664.html?hpid=topnews

Some issues with the Democrats’ handling of this issue. It’s not like they’ve done anything since 2006 when they took over both houses of Congress. I still think a snake rots from the head, and that this president bred a climate in Washington that made it impossible to get anything done without kick-downs to his buddies at KBR and Halliburton.

• http://www.pensitoreview.com/2007/10/29/mukasey-wont-say-waterboarding-is-torture/

In 1947 the US condemned waterboarding as torture and yet our new Attorney General won’t admit it? That sounds barbaric.

• http://waterboarding.org/water-based_torture_history_with_pictures

A nice time line of the history of waterboarding, from the Spanish Inquisition to Cambodia POW camps circa 1975. I wonder how many other Inquisition torture techniques would work to maim our enemy and bring us more sadistic revenge for 9/11?

• http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/02/AR2007110201170_pf.html

Waterboarding used to be a crime. In 1983 federal prosecutors charged a Texas sheriff and three deputies for violating civil rights by forcing confessions through waterboarding.

• http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/28/romney-torture-black/

Former presidential hopeful and no-doubt future candidate Mitt Romney talks about deferring to a “counterterrorism expert” on the issue. His expert is connected to Blackwater, the independent contractor (see militia) group working in Iraq which is linked to at least 30 deaths of Iraqi civilians. Yeah, I’d say he’s considerate of human rights and the implications of condoning torture at a national level.

• http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/08/bush.torture.ap/index.html

As recently as March 8th, 2008 President Bush vetoed a bill banning waterboarding.

• http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Pres._Carter_US_tortures_prisoners_I_1010.html

President Carter argues he knows for a fact that the US tortures prisoners. Why not believe a former president, who has held that office and knows its inner-workings?

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5368360.stm

Then there are the reports that Iraqis feel the torture is worse in their country after Saddam Hussein’s regime has been removed. Who knows how widespread these feelings are, but it’s not a small matter when the administration already patronized us with phrases like “we’ll be greeted as liberators”.

• http://firedoglake.com/2008/02/13/mccain-standing-up-or-standing-down-on-torture/

McCain has talked a big game, but failed to deliver on a torture bill. His claim was that President Bush would inevitably veto the bill. Way to stand up to make sure no one in the military you wish to lead must endure what you went through for five and a half long years.

• http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/77151/

Congress’s priorities are reflected by the will of the public. A recent CNN poll showed tha 68 percent of Americans said waterboarding was torture.

So what does the White House claim? That the Congress is just being influenced by far-left bloggers. Thats hilarious, if 68 percent of Americans were doing what I am right now we’d be a far less productive nation.

• http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKN0852061620080208?rpc=401

The United Nations also believes that waterboarding should be prosecuted as torture. I know a lot of Americans are told to hate international governmental organizations, but we actually control the UN more than we have to go along with it. It takes a lot more for them to sanction us than for us to put harsh economic crunches on inter-war Iraq, for example.

Brave New Films on the unsuspecting civilians asked to carry out horrific acts, authorized at the highest level. Very powerful! It’s always interesting to hear the private thoughts of people carrying out these orders.

A Scranton native explains how it was partly John McCain’s father who helped communicate the warning of the military industrial complex to President Eisenhower. He also warns against military-funded think tanks.

Would waterboarding be torture if Iranians did it to our soldiers and civilians?

I doubt anything would actually come of this, but the idea of people being called on their transgressions and possibly even taking responsibilty for them gives me a warm feeling. Ahh…fantasy-land.

Matt Lauer confronts President Bush on waterboarding and torture. The president basically says “don’t look behind the curtain…” I wonder if he knows we’re smarter than this, or if he thinks he’s got us duped? Oliver Stone needs to use the song Big Balls by AC/DC in his docu-drama, maybe as W entrance music during the coke-daze in college.

Below are the declassified documents alleged to be memos authorizing torture, which are signed by President Bush. You be the judge, and we’ll see as people with resources investigate. Originally posted at DKos.

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, saying that torture isn’t a violation of the 8th Amendment, not because it isn’t cruel or unusual, but because it isn’t punishment.

Technorati Tags: waterboarding, politics, news, torture