Democracy in Virginia

Cobalt6 and Perpetual Folly

2007-07-11T11:54:00.000-04:00

With the rapid growth of Cobalt6.net, an exciting venture in which I'm a participant, it doesn't make much sense for me to continue to post here at Democracy in Virginia. I'll leave it up for now, but please come visit our vibrant discussion at Cobalt6.net. Hope to see you there!

And if you have an interest in literature, please visit my litblog: Perpetual Folly!

Impeach Bush!

2007-07-06T07:52:00.000-04:00

I was prepared to hold my nose for the next 563 days to avoid the huge battle that will come with a move to impeach George Bush, even though I believe he has violated the law and the Constitution repeatedly. And his commutation of Scooter Libby's sentence doesn't exactly come as a surprise, but I was really hoping he wouldn't do it. It is so clearly the wrong thing to do. Libby lied. He probably lied to protect Dick Cheney. And now Bush is paying Libby back for his loyalty. And what that confirms for me is this: not only is George Bush the Worst President in History, he is also near the top in corruption. So although it will be an emotional drain on the country, I think we have to do it. Impeach Bush! Impeach Bush! Impeach Bush!

Cobalt6.net

2007-07-03T15:30:00.000-04:00

Voter Registration Confusion

2007-07-02T10:12:00.000-04:00

There has been some confusion about Virginia's new voter registration system. As I understand it, the problems are more likely to affect newly registered voters than others, but it's still a good idea to check your status, which you can do online.

H/T to Phil C. (who in turn acknowledges Jim Patrick) for the information.

What Kind of Liberal Are You?

2007-06-30T21:14:00.000-04:00

I'm proud to be a Social Justice Crusader:

My Liberal Identity:

You are a Social Justice Crusader, also known as a rights activist. You believe in equality, fairness, and preventing neo-Confederate conservative troglodytes from rolling back fifty years of civil rights gains.

Take the quiz at www.fightconservatives.com

Dead Immigration Bill Didn't Go Far Enough

2007-06-29T19:41:00.001-04:00

For a progressive assessment of the Immigration Bill, see "A New Green Card Deal" by Mae M. Ngai in The Nation. She makes the case that we've had illegal immigration problems ever since in 1965 we imposed quotas on countries in the Western Hemisphere.

She concludes:

"We would be wise to rethink the unilateralist premises of US immigration policy. It makes much more sense for our policies to reflect how migration is driven by supply and demand in a world in which population and wealth are distributed unevenly. History shows that policies designed to categorically exclude--from the Chinese exclusion acts of the nineteenth century to the imposition of unrealistically low quotas on Mexico in the twentieth--are doomed to failure."

And she's right. The policy we currently have is neo-colonialist and racist, and needs to be thoroughly reexamined.

(cross-posted at Cobalt 6)

No Democracy in the GOP

2007-06-29T08:26:00.000-04:00

If You Want Democracy, Vote for a Democrat!

Staunton News Leader: GOP members reveal split among party

One of two things. Or both. Either this split in the Staunton GOP demonstrates the weak leadership of Anne Taetzch (who blogs as “Elle” at In-politically Correct), or it illustrates how anti-democratic the Republican Party is. Or both. I’ll pick both.

As I understand it, the June meeting of the Staunton GOP was cancelled because Taetzch was having surgery and wouldn’t be able to attend. (What kind of organization falls apart if the Chairman can’t make a meeting? A weak one, that’s what kind.) So, as they assert, a group of the members led by Secretary Andrew Clem (although Taetzch is now questioning the validity of Clem's election), following the committee by-laws and/or the Republican party plan, called a meeting to heal the rift. Seems reasonable to me. If your Chair cancels a meeting, you ought to have the ability to meet anyway – it’s an important power for the members to have to avoid being rail-roaded by committee leadership. But than Taetzch declared the meeting “illegal” (hey, if it was illegal, why didn’t they call the Sheriff?) and arranges for the state party to rule the same, without citing any basis for their decision.

Lots of irony here. The group that wanted to have the meeting is being labeled renegade, and yet that is the faction of the local party that (successfully) supported the incumbent in the local Republican Primary. So if they’re “renegades” for backing the incumbent, and the dominant faction backed the pretender to the throne, I think a better term for the dominant group is Revolutionaries and the incumbent faction would be Counter-revolutionaries. Except, wait, that means the Revolutionaries are still attacking the group that is tied to the incumbent, and isn’t he their candidate, too? The pretender, after all, was beheaded on the 12th.

To make it even more interesting, the Revolutionaries, led by Queen Anne, are aided by the Augusta County Republican Committee, ruled by Kurt Michael and Lynn Mitchell (SWAC Girl) and Chris Green (Spank that Donkey), who – so the Counter-revolutionaries say – have interfered in the Staunton Committee. I don’t know all the details there, but it sounds like they have a reasonable gripe there, based on what I read in the blogs. (Too bad there aren't any Republicans in the county with the courage to challenge their leaders, whose negativity brings shame to their party.)

The bottom line is that it’s a mess of their own creation. The Revolutionaries are completely insincere when they say they’ll support Hanger in November. How can they possibly mean that and still attack his supporters the way they have? And Hanger and the Counter-revolutionaries need to find the guts to tell Anne (and Lynn and Kurt and Chris) that their kind of politics is a thing of the past and is unwelcome in the party. In the meantime, the voters of this area should get the message: Democracy in the Republican party is dead. If you want Democracy, vote for a Democrat.

(Cross-posted at Cobalt 6)

Live Large Now, and To Hell With The Future

2007-06-29T07:39:00.000-04:00

Dr. Drew Richardson has a solid Op-Ed piece in today’s Staunton News Leader ("Our focus should be on fair taxes, not no new taxes"). The basic point is that the “debate” over the so-called “no-tax” pledge made by local candidate Scott Sayre and discussed recently in the press by Delegate Chris Saxman, is a phony debate. The real question should be how to make taxes more fair and in the piece he cites comments by Warren Buffett, one of the richest men in the world, in which he expressed surprise at how low his tax rate is, even lower than his employees. If we could fix that aspect of the system, we wouldn’t need to worry about phony pledges.

But more than that, in addition to a focus on fair taxation, we need to look at the quality of expenditures. Government expenditures, fueled by tax revenues, should be considered investments. We can all agree that money shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet. That’s bad for the environment anyway. But we should applaud when Government makes expenditures that will pay rewards in the future, whether the rewards are reaped by the next generation or the one after that. Those who advocate cutting Government to the bone are really saying that they aren’t interested in the well-being of society as a whole – they want to live large now and to hell with the future. Given what we’ve seen from George Bush, I’m beginning to think that’s the motto of the Republican Party.

(Cross-posted at Cobalt 6)

David Cox: Defining Dems

2007-06-28T14:57:00.000-04:00

David Cox, Democratic nominee for the Virginia Senate from the 24th District, has a terrific piece at Cobalt 6 about the important of consensus building. We do have common ground, and David Cox is the man to help us all find it.

On the Matter of Alberto Gonzales . . .

2007-06-27T17:15:00.001-04:00

Just because I haven't said it yet today: GONZALES MUST GO!

There is no possible reason for Bush keeping this guy in the most important law enforcement position in the country other than, as a recent commenter said, he must know where the bodies are buried. But, come on, George -- the guy's a huge liability. It's going to be hard enough as it is for you to accomplish anything during your remaining 570 days in office. Remove this obstacle now!

Lugar Breaks With Bush

2007-06-26T17:56:00.000-04:00

If there is any Republican currently in the Senate who understands foreign relations, it would have to be Richard Lugar of Indiana. Being a Hoosier, I’ve enjoyed meeting the Senator once or twice and I have a lot of respect for him, despite his party affiliation. And my admiration has only grown as a result of his comments last night on the Iraq War. Read all about it in the New York Times.

Among other things, the Senator said: “In my judgment, the costs and risks of continuing down the current path outweigh the potential benefits that might be achieved. Persisting indefinitely with the surge strategy will delay policy adjustments that have a better chance of protecting our vital interests over the long term.” Exactly. President Bush has very little time to shift our strategy to a sounder footing, and it would be in his interest -- and ours -- to listen to folks like Senator Lugar who know a hell of a lot more about the world than he does.

The Evil Dick

2007-06-26T07:47:00.000-04:00

Check out Rick Howell's piece at Cobalt 6 about the Washington Post series on the many evil deeds of Dick Cheney. Can you say impeachment?

Saxman Panders to the Right--Again

2007-06-24T20:03:00.000-04:00

Del. Chris Saxman's Op-Ed in today's News Leader misses the point--quite willfully, I'm sure. No one on the planet WANTS higher taxes and no one WANTS inefficient government. However, we do want government to provide services and many of us believe that equity dictates a broader array of services than most conservatives would agree with. His description of cuts in expenditures sounds nice in theory, but those cuts are a drop in the bucket. To accomplish his real goals, he and the other EXTREMISTS will need to cut far more than we can tolerate. Deep cuts in services, almost by definition, hit the poor hardest.

There are a couple of problems with the no-tax pledge, too. First, Saxman's characterization of it is self-serving and misleading, but the actual pledge as quoted by the Editors is different, isn't it? What about a revenue neutral tax reform that shifted tax burdens to the wealthy? Isn't that want most Democrats advocate? Wouldn't Saxman and Grover Norquist moan and groan and characterize such a bill as an "increase" that would violate their precious pledge? The other problem with the no-tax pledge is that it is simply bad policy, bad government and bad public administration to tie the hands of the legislature. It's pandering to his base and it makes him a spineless captive of special interests, not a leader.

If there was any chance that he'd get my vote this year, he lost it with this specious letter. Write-in candidates may not be able to win, but I hope they send Saxman a message. You're in Richmond to represent everyone, not just your right-wing fringe. He should try listening to the rest of us once in a while.

Write in Anybody but Saxman!

(Cross-posted at Cobalt 6)

Canned Gonzales

2007-06-22T19:08:00.000-04:00

Rick Howell Speaks is absolutely right: fire the bastard already!

I'm hungry for some "canned Gonzales" . . . but Bush refuses to serve him up. No wonder the Republicans hate government--right now, ours is the worst, most imcompetent, secretive, dangerous government in the history of the United States of America. Be grateful that there are only 577 days left in this fiasco.

Truth Hurts

2007-06-22T15:08:00.000-04:00

More shameful behavior on the part of the Bush administration.

Donald Rumsfeld is a snake and he should never have been Secretary of Defense. I’m looking forward to war crimes indictments for Rummy, Paul Wolfowitz, Dick Cheney, and even Boy George. In the meantime, check out this story in the New Yorker about the report on Abu Ghraib authored by General Antonio Taguba. The man was doing his duty, trying to find the truth, and of course Rumsfeld denied all knowledge of what was uncovered. Deniability, but hardly plausible. For his efforts, Taguba was forced to retire. Disgraceful.

Chris Dodd for President

2007-06-21T13:22:00.000-04:00

I'm pretty happy with the field in the race for the Democratic nomination. I can easily see myself being an enthusiastic supporter of any of the frontrunners: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards. Bill Richardson has some appeal to me, too. But the candidate I'm looking at closely now, the one I seem to be most aligned with on issues, is Chris Dodd.

Bush Vetoes Progress

2007-06-20T18:17:00.000-04:00

Just when you thought Dubya might be ready to embrace science (in rhetoric, anyway, if not in action), he hits you over the head with a dumb move on embryonic stem cell research. Congress did the right thing and passed legislation to expand funding for important research, research that many scientists believe holds the key for countless medical breakthroughs, and Bush says, “No. I don’t understand it, so I’m gonna veto it.”

Here's the story in the New York Times, which says, in part:

Democrats were criticizing the veto even before the president had actually wielded his pen. “President Bush won’t listen to the overwhelming majority of Americans who call out for stem cell research,” Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Senate majority leader, said today. As for the morality of Mr. Bush’s stand, Mr. Reid said the president’s veto means that “our best scientists continue to work with one hand tied behind their back,” to the detriment of Americans suffering from cancer, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries and other calamities.

This action on the part of the Worst President in History is inexcusable and unforgivable. For more discussion, see DailyKos.

(Cross-posted at Cobalt 6)

47%? Or is it more like 6%? Or 4%?

2007-06-20T14:15:00.000-04:00

SWAC Girl (cue the self-congratulatory soundtrack) is making a big deal over the fact that her man (does her husband know?) got 47% of the vote in the GOP primary in the 24th Senate District last week. Yes, that sounds good, doesn't it? Good job, pat on the back.

But does it mean that Sayre is supported by 47% of the people in the District (thanks to SWAC Girl's hard work, of course)? Um, maybe not. The turnout was what--12%? Which means Sayre actually was supported by closer to just 6% of eligible voters. And if you accept SWAC Girl's claim that all the Democrats who voted in the Republican Primary voted for Senator Hanger (dubious, but let's buy that for the sake of argument), then only actual Republicans voted for Sayre, and that means his support among the registered voter population as a hole is somewhere around 4%. Does SWAC Girl think that 4% support could possibly have translated into victory in November, after the rift she and her SWACtionary pals caused among Republicans, and with two other choices on the ballot? To me it says that Sayre wouldn't have stood a chance in November--which is why, contrary to SWAC Girl's assertions, I believe a good number of Democrats actually voted for Sayre, the weaker candidate whom we would rather have faced.

New Blog Worth Watching

2007-06-20T13:28:00.000-04:00

If SpankThatDonkey doesn't trust them, they must be doing something right: Virginia Odds Makers.

Democracy for All! (Unless you're Palestinian, apparently)

2007-06-19T19:25:00.000-04:00

I'm no fan of Hamas. They clearly are a significant roadblock to Middle East peace. But didn't they win a majority in the Palestinian Parliament in a free election? Isn't the Bush Regime all about promoting democracy in the Middle East? Isn't that the current excuse for our occupation of Iraq (after the weapons of mass destruction lie fell apart)? And while I can understand not providing aid to the Hamas-led government until they recognize Israel's right to exist, have we not now been complicit in a coup against Hamas? Are we not supporting Abbas and Fatah's elimination of Hamas from the government? What the hell happened to Democracy? Oh, that's right. Democracy is just an excuse for intervention when it's convenient, it isn't a genuine goal. Should have known. Bushwhacked again.

Bush’s War on the Rule of Law

2007-06-19T14:46:00.000-04:00

If the June Harper’s Magazine article “Undoing Bush” was damning, wait until you read “Bush’s war on the rule of law” by Scott Horton in the July issue. Much of the piece describes how the Bush administration has sought to undermine and discredit both the civilian and military lawyers who have volunteered or been assigned to represent Guantánamo detainees (by denying access to their clients, by confiscating confidential records, and by engaging in smear campaigns to make reputable lawyers think twice about taking on such cases). The tactics used are similar to those the unthinking use to attack criminal defense attorneys, despite the fact that the strength of our legal system is based on equal protection, which means equal access to competent representation.

Everyone is entitled to defense, but the Bush administration doesn’t’ seem to see it that way. Horton says this:

“In twenty-five years of work as a human-rights monitor, I have closely observed totalitarian and proto-totalitarian regimes around the world—from the former Soviet Union and its offspring to China, Cuba, Liberia, and Zimbabwe. One of the hallmarks of tyrannical regimes, of whatever political flavor, is their intense dislike of defense lawyers in general, and in particular defense lawyers who do their work effectively and professionally. For a totalitarian regime, the idea of blind justice is laughable. The criminal justice system exists to capture and brand criminals, of course, but it is also understood as an essential instrument of political repression. Tyrannical regimes use the law to destroy the reputation of enemies of the state and to punish them.
Obviously, our predicament is not yet so dire as that of Weimar Germany. Yet the parallels are frightening. The Bush Administration’s reach is long, and its Schmittian concept of lawfare represents an all-out assault on the rule of law.”

No one is arguing that terrorists or any other criminals should be treated lightly.

The point is, though, that we must all insist on “adherence to America’s oldest legal traditions, to our Constitution and its vision, and to the law of nations that nurtured and permitted the emergence of our republic.” Any less, and we will find ourselves on an irrevocable path to tyranny.

(Cross-posted at Cobalt 6)

Update on Peace Corps Tanzania

2007-06-18T18:09:00.000-04:00

I wrote earlier today about the interference by the U.S. Ambassador, a political appointee, in the operations of the Peace Corps in Tanzania. It now appears that the Peace Corps Director (also a Bush appointee, of course) has strongly criticized the Ambassador and backs the displaced country director. It is apparently unrelated to this mess, but it seems that the White House has fired the Ambassador over another matter. See the story at Peace Corps Online.

Ambassadorial Interference in Peace Corps Operations

2007-06-18T08:15:00.000-04:00

Apparently, Ambassador Michael Retzer, a Bush political appointee, has been interfering in the operations of the Peace Corps in Tanzania, according to this blog. If the Peace Corps volunteers who wrote this are accurate, an investigation into Retzer's actions is absolutely necessary in order to preserve the integrity of the Peace Corps, which is meant to be independent of the State Department and not subject to control by local U.S. missions. I'm very disturbed--but given the Bush agenda not surprised--by this development.

Are the SWACtionaries Capable of Making Their Case Without Distortion?

2007-06-17T20:28:00.000-04:00

SWAC Girl (Lynn Mitchell, one of the officers—-for the moment, anyway-—of the Augusta County Republican Committee) just can't help herself, it would seem, after a few months of twisting the truth on behalf of Scott Sayre. In one of her frequent self-congratulatory blog posts recently, she includes the following lie (or distortion, or mis-representation, or just a stupid mistake):

"Many home school classrooms include The Ten Commandments, the Bible, the American flag, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and prayer ... things that are often not allowed in government-run public schools."

Now I'm reasonably certain that classrooms in U.S. public schools are universally allowed to have an American flag, the United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights (which, someone should remind Lynn, is part of the Constitution. It is true though, thanks to the Constitution we all hold dear, that schools should not display either a Bible or the Ten Commandments, or impose "prayer" per se. For which I'm grateful, since that would constitute the establishment of religion. But the rest of what Lynn has to say on this subject is just plain wrong. Does the distortion ever end?

(Cross-posted at Cobalt 6)

6th District Democratic Bloggers

2007-06-17T17:11:00.000-04:00

The shrill voices of the SWACtionaries have a growing counter-weight to contend with: Democratic blogs in the 6th District.

There's me, of course: Democracy in Virginia (and my sometimes-interesting, but usually apolitical, litblog, Perpetual Folly.

Then there's the radioactive Cobalt 6, which promises to never give Reactionaries a break.

And Rick Howell Speaks, from the Lynchburg area.

And a new voice in Rockingham: We Will RockDem.

If you've got a progressive/liberal/Democratic blog in the Shenandoah Valley or the 6th District, let me know and I'll add you to the list!

Did the Democrats Tip the Primary to Hanger?

2007-06-14T09:54:00.000-04:00

I don't think so, and here's why: Although it seems to me that as between Emmett Hanger and Scott Sayre, Hanger would make the better Senator, from the Democratic Party perspective Scott Sayre would certainly be the preferred oponent in November. If Sayre had won, David Cox might appeal to Hanger's moderate Republican supporters and, since the seat would be open, opportunities for shifting allegiances and fundraising would be created for the Democrats. Hanger's victory actually presents us with more formidable opponent and, therefore, if I had voted in the primary (which I did not), I might have voted for Sayre.

With arguments on both sides that it seems to me are equally compelling, I would guess that votes by Democrats in the primary were about equally split between Hanger and Sayre, and therefore did nothing to affect the outcome.

So to all you Sayre supporters and to Mr. Sayre himself, you've got no one to blame but yourself for your loss on Tuesday. If you were smarter about policies and governance, if you were more forthright and respectful in your campaigning, if you had come off as inspiring the trust that we should be able to have in our legislators, you might have pulled it off. You didn't. You lost. Get over it.

(Cross-posted at Cobalt 6)

Come the Revolution

2007-06-14T09:42:00.000-04:00

I'm a little slow on the uptake this week, but I loved yesterday's editorial in the Staunton News Leader that has already been widely reported. I think it's spot on, although since I'm not a Republican (not that there was ever any doubt), it isn't going to be my place to dislodge the current leadership of the local GOP committees. It seems to me that the local Republican elected officials, together with the committees, should make that choice. However, as I said yesterday, I'm expecting an issues-orientated, respectful debate among the three candidates for Senate in the 24th, and if Emmett Hanger allows any of the SWACtionary bloggers to campaign on his behalf then all bets will be off. He should put as much distance between himself and them as he possibly can. Their views and, as importantly, their tactics are not good for the voters in this district. Let's all say goodbye to SWAC Girl, John Maxfield, SpankthatDonkey and General Grievous' Dog.

Cox v. Hanger v. Sime

2007-06-13T10:39:00.000-04:00

Now that the sideshow is over, we can all focus on the main event: the November general election. The SWACtionaries can rationalize and backpedal all they want, but the fact is they pulled out all the stops for their man Sayre, the proved themselves to be vile and unethical, they twisted the facts not only about Emmett Hanger's positions but their own candidate's background, and they lost. I don't expect those wackos to become Democrats (we don't need that kind of hate-filled rhetoric anyway), but I assume that Senator Hanger, if he has a shred of integrity, will not welcome their participation in the Fall campaign. They should now just go away.

And the people who are speculating that David Cox will back off now that Hanger is the GOP candidate are delusional. The Democratic Party does not support Emmett Hanger. Our candidates for all offices will be supporting David Cox, and David Cox is in it to win it. What will be differentiate the Fall campaign from the muddy GOP primary is that it will be--unless the SWACtionaries step in where they aren't wanted--clean and about the issues. It will be about who can best represent the interests of the citizens of the 24th District, and the whole Commonwealth, not whose backers have the loudest most insidious voices.

Let the real discussion begin.

Light Turnout?

2007-06-12T16:59:00.000-04:00

That's what I'm hearing. Personally, I did not vote in the Republican Primary. Even though I do have a preference, I think it is up to the Republicans to wallow in their own mess. No matter which way it turns out, I think they're going to come out of it smelling like manure.

Cleaning up George's Mess—Part 11: The National Character

2007-06-10T12:11:00.000-04:00

The last part of the Harper's Magazine article "Undoing Bush" is by Earl Shorris. This analysis of the damage Bush has done to "the national character" is the most disturbing of all, as it concludes that the Bush administration has a disposition to evil, and that the rest of us by keeping silent (or, worse, cheering) are complicit. The Bush people have fostered our descent toward evil by employing fear, and by banishing virtue. The Iraq war is the predominant feature of this decline.

"The war did not come about because of a political miscalculation or the misreading of an unavoidable accident. It is not an error. It is an ethical failure that has spread through every department of this administration, into the Congress, and down into the states."

As far as virtue goes, Shorris says that none of the preeminent virtues (courage, temperance, prudence, justice) can be found in the Bush Administration or Congress.

"Cutting taxes for the rich and adding billions to the national debt is not prudent. Leaving millions of people, many of them children, in dire poverty in the richest nation in the history of the world is not just. Silencing the press is not temperate, nor is secret surveillance of the citizenry. Failing to put an end to an unjust war because one is afraid, like the Democrats, of repercussions at the polls is anything but courageous."

This is chilling enough, but Shorris explains how we got ourselves into this mess.

"If there was a method for the accomplishment of the fall, it may have been the wish of the country to engage life at a distance, to think, as I am doing here, of grand issues, the works and minds of philosophers and fools, but not to engage a world where white bread is sold by the slice or a man must labor for an hour to earn a tomato. Distance is a means of managing fear."

We see this disengagement everywhere. Where is the willingness to help?

It gets worse.

"The fear that drives the government comes of the inescapable logic of history and self-regard: if we are good and we killed 140,000 people, maninly women and children, on a single morning in summer and soon thereafter repeated the act in Nagasaki as if to prove our willingness to engage in mass destruction, what can we expect of our enemies who are not good? If we responded to an attack on the World Trade Center by invading a country that had no part in the attack and we are good, what can we expect of our enemies who are not good? We are not gods. We have no sense of atonement."

How will we ever recover? As a nation, as a people, and as individuals we need to understand that the actions of the Bush administration, in which we all have been complicit, have been wrong. As Shorris says, we need to understand that "a disposition to evil is not a resolution of fear." What Bush has done will do nothing to end fear. It's only getting worse. But understanding this will be the first step back to virtue.

Meet the Candidate: David Cox

2007-06-09T09:40:00.000-04:00

By now you know that David Cox is the Democratic nominee for the Virginia Senate from the 24th District, to face in November the Libertarian candidate Arin Sime and the winner of the Republican Primary (June 12), Emmett Hanger or Scott Sayre. Check out this profile of David Cox by Kestrel9000 at the new blog in town, Cobalt 6.

And the winner in the 24th is . . .

2007-06-08T20:06:00.000-04:00

Okay, I guess we should wait until Tuesday to count the votes, but already it looks clear to me that Emmett Hanger will win the Republican Primary in the 24th Senate District. And he's run a very interesting campaign, one that allowed Scott Sayre's handlers to spin hopelessly out of control until anyone who is paying attention (maybe not a lot of folks, actually) has seen them behave badly, at times viciously, and always a bit like a scene from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Virtually all Republican elected officials have endorsed Hanger. The Staunton News Leader is practically frothing at the mouth in its denouncements of the Sayre campaign workers and their criticism of the candidate for not even being willing to meet with the Editorial Board. Guess who SNL will be endorsing? In fact, the only folks who have lined up behind Sayre are the leaders of the local Republican Committees and what that tells me is there has been a concerted effort of the far right wing of that party to take control of the committees, which probably wasn't too hard to do given that the jobs are, at best, thankless. Too bad (for them) that the rank and file haven't followed suit.

For a while, thanks to the pretty red signs all over Augusta County (not sure they're anywhere else, though, and by the way every time I see them I think of the flag of the People's Republic of China), it looked like Sayre had a chance. Now, though, I think Hanger has momentum and I don't think it will even be close. And Sayre, who seems like he might be sincere in his beliefs, can look to his blogging friends for taking him down with them in their frenzied attempt to sink Hanger's ship.

Conservatives Beware: Cobalt 6 Discovered!

2007-06-08T07:31:00.000-04:00

A new element, deadly to conservatives and other wrong-thinkers, has been discovered in the Shenandoah Valley. Check out: Cobalt 6.

Support the Brady Campaign

2007-06-07T21:43:00.000-04:00

Support the Brady Campaign.

WHY WOULD CONGRESS PROTECT CRIMINALS INSTEAD OF POLICE?

2007-06-07T21:23:00.000-04:00

Tell Congress to Repeal the Restrictions on Crime Gun Trace Data

From Stop the NRA:

"The gun epidemic is our monthly 9/11, our weekly Katrina, a continuing Iraq war on our streets and in our schools. It is our daily Virginia Tech. Yet, we don’t focus on this threat until we get a Virginia Tech.And then our political leaders deliberately delay, hoping that we will stop caring. But we must send them the message that we are paying attention . . . that we don’t want tragedy after tragedy to happen while they do nothing. On that day, 33 people were killed by guns, including the shooter, and since that day, approximately 2,430 more Americans have been killed with guns. And for every death, there are another two or three seriously injured."

Thanks to the NRA, thousands die each month in the US from gun violence and the police are not given the tools to stop them. I support the Brady Campaign's efforts to end gun violence in America and you should too.

On another note, I see that local blogger "Johnathan Maxfield" (Alex Davis) is spreading his particular brand of irrationality beyond the confines of Staunton. A thinking person will see the flaws in Davis's logic; but the more I read about his fondness for guns and his juvenile behavior, the more I think he's exactly the kind of person we should not allow to get his hands on a firearm. You can read my original post after the tragedy and my correspondence with young Alex: here

Cleaning up George's Mess—Part 10: Diplomacy

2007-06-07T15:04:00.001-04:00

American foreign policy today is arrogant. It has been that way for some time, but the Bush administration has taken arrogance to new heights. According to Anne-Marie Slaughter's section of the Harper's Magazine article "Undoing Bush,"

"The paradox of American foreign policy today is that the United States, though more powerful than ever, has rearely been so lost in the world and never more reviled."

She points out that a majority in the Middle East believes that the "war on terror" is meant to secure our oil supply and/or achieve world domination. (I think a lot of Americans believe the same thing.) In addition, majorities in several European nations are less confident that we want to promote liberty, as a result of our actions in Iraq.

Remember that brief period after 9/11 when the world was on our side? And the Bush Administration decided we didn't need international organizations or treaties and if the rest of the world wanted to follow us that was great, but otherwise—too bad.

"An entire generation of citizens around the world is being reared with no memory of the role the United States played in World War II and the Cold War but with plenty of evidence that the world's lone superpower is arrogant, incompetent, and indifferent."

The next President "must launch a diplomatic offensive to restore American moral and political leadership."

Specific actions to be taken: (1) close Guantanamo—we can't lead a fight on terror while stooping to the level of the terrorists, violating international law; (2) get serious about nuclear disarmament; (3) join the International Criminal Court (although then watch for indictments against Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld!); (4) reform multilateral organizations that are considered ineffective because of US dominance; (5) work to reverse global warming.

"These five steps would go a long way toward restoring America's political influence and diplomatic leadership in the world."

More importantly, it seems to me, these steps would restore the values that hold the country together. If it doesn't happen, I see us spinning dangerously out of control.

Cleaning up George's Mess--Part 9: The Military

2007-06-06T12:48:00.000-04:00

Edward Luttwak writes about the military in Harper's Magazine's article, "Undoing Bush." He describes a military that is severely depleted, that Barry McCaffrey, a retired 4-star General, says is starting to unravel, and that Colin Powell calls "about broken." It's all due to mismanagement of a war that was a mistake in the first place. The remedy, to allow the military to recover post-Iraq, will be to shrink the services, especially the Navy and Air Force. It is interesting to see how Luttwak talks about the Army's different circumstances, though, since it is already smaller than it should be. At least, he says, it won't be necessary to expel large numbers from the Army for behavior problems as it was after Vietnam.

"Today's all-volunteer Army, which endures drinkless, sexless, funless tours in the featureless landscapes and remarkably ugly towns of Iraq, has by contrast behaved with saintly restraint and shown a grim devotion to duty."

That speaks well for the men and women in the Army and is the reason we can support the troops but not support the war. But that doesn't mean there aren't problems. It is clear that fighting terrorism with an occupying army is a no-win proposition. Tactics need to be refined and the Army needs to become more nimble in order to deal with in the future the the mess that we're creating today.

HaHaHaHa!

2007-06-06T07:14:00.000-04:00

Democrat for Supervisor, Beverley Manor District: Lee Godfrey

2007-06-05T20:39:00.000-04:00

The Augusta County Democratic Committee last night nominated Lee Godfrey to run for Supervisor from the Beverley Manor District. Lee has extensive experience in business and local government and has worked with county comprehensive plans in the past, an important function of supervisors in Augusta County. We'll share more about Lee in the coming months. Plan to Vote for Lee Godfrey in the Beverley Manor District come November 6th!

Democrat for Supervisor, Pastures District: Tracy Pyles

2007-06-05T20:36:00.000-04:00

The Augusta County Democratic Committee last night nominated Tracy Pyles to run for re-election as Supervisor from the Pastures District. Tracy was first elected to the Board of Supervisors in 1996 and brings to the position a wealth of experience. He has also served the Augusta County Service Authority, the Central Shenandoah Planning Commission, and the Virginia Association of Counties, among other worthwhile organizations. If you live in Pastures District, Vote for Tracy Pyles on November 6th!

Cox is Not an "In-Case-of-Emergency" Candidate

2007-06-05T15:23:00.000-04:00

Just saw a post at Anne Taetzch's In-Politically Correct that was so disingenuous it was practically vomit-inducing. First, she wilfully misinterprets the Chris Graham interview with David Cox at The New Dominion this morning. There is no "in-case-of-emergency" aspect of Cox's candidacy. Emmett Hanger is not a Democrat and isn't acceptable to the Democratic Party. David Cox plans to battle for election to the Virginia Senate NO MATTER WHICH REPUBLICAN wins the Republican primary. Make no mistake--both Hanger and Sayre are Republicans and the People need a Democrat. I believe that and so does David Cox.

The other thing that was sickening about Anne Taetzch's comment was the phony underdog pose. Haven't Sayre's people been claiming their guy is the frontrunner? Don't they claim that all Republicans in the world except for their own party's elected officials support Sayre? If that's true, how can you be surprised when anyone suggests that, gosh, Sayre might be the candidate? You all might not have so many enemies in your own party if you'd just talk straight.

Let me say this again. The Democrats don't care who the Republican nominee is.

David Cox is in it to win it.

Libby Gets What Cheney Deserves

2007-06-05T12:40:00.000-04:00

The New York Times reports that Scooter Libby has been sentenced to jail for perjury and obstruction of justice. Poor Scooter. He lied, probably to protect Dick Cheney, and he got caught. Worse yet, he got prosecuted (which is a bigger sin, in this administration). But there is no doubt in my mind that we caught the wrong fish, and that George and Dick have dodged a bullet on this one (to mangle my metaphors) thanks to their fall guy.

David Cox in The New Dominion

2007-06-05T11:09:00.000-04:00

David Cox, the Democratic Party nominee for Virginia Senate from the 24th District, talked to The New Dominion's Chris Graham. Read the interview.

Lee Ervin – Democrat for Augusta County Commonwealth’s Attorney

2007-06-05T10:52:00.000-04:00

Last night the Augusta County Democratic Committee nominated Lee Ervin to run for Augusta County Commonwealth’s Attorney.

Lee has served in this position for 25 years and has the wealth of experience we need in Augusta County.

Vote for Lee Ervin on November 6th!

Breaking News: Augusta County Nominating Caucus Meets

2007-06-04T22:32:00.000-04:00

As expected, the Augusta County Democratic Nominating Caucus met this evening and made the following nominations:
Commonwealth Attorney: Lee Ervin
Supervisor, Pastures District: Tracy Pyles
Supervisor, Beverly Manor District: Lee Godfrey

More details tomorrow . . .

Cleaning up George’s Mess—Part 8: Intelligence

2007-06-04T10:48:00.000-04:00

By now we all know that the Bush Regime not only pressured the intelligence services to produce evidence that would justify the invasion of Iraq, they actually distorted it when they didn’t like what they saw. James Bamford tells the story in the “Intelligence” section of “Undoing Bush” in Harper’s Magazine.

He begins by reminding us that the most significant intelligence error by the Bushies has been to treat terrorism not as a crime to be dealt with by intelligence and law enforcement agencies, but as “an existential military threat.” (Among other consequences of this decision, our policy has actually pushed much of the Middle East into the arms of terrorists who easily use our military excesses as recruiting tools.)

“An April 2006 report from the administration’s own director of national intelligence found that ‘the Iraq conflict has become the “cause celebre” for jihadists’ and was ‘shaping a new generation of terrorist leaders and operatives.’”

Meanwhile, where are bin Laden and his main henchmen?

Although we can’t change the fact that we’ve screwed up in Iraq, Bamford says the next president can at least undo Bush’s “aversion to intelligence.” Some of the intelligence bureaucracy could be eliminated, including the director of national intelligence and the undersecretary of defense for intelligence, both redundant positions that impede intelligence and bypass the CIA. Shifting control of intelligence away from the Pentagon to the CIA could help avert the kinds of manipulation that Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld will be remembered for.

Coffee Shop Talk with Sam Rasoul

2007-06-03T18:10:00.000-04:00

From Sam Rasoul For Congress:

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release
6/3/07

ROANOKE...Sam Rasoul, campaigning to be the
Democratic candidate for Congress from Virginia's 6th
District, will be at the CODA Cafe across from the
Grandin Theatre, on June 5th at 6:30 pm as part of a
series of "Coffee Shop Discussions" he has initiated
throughout the district.

The focus of discussion will be on education and the
economy, with issues such as SOLs, minimum wages,
outsourcing, and rising tuition costs.

This is an opportunity for the public to participate
in a face-to-face conversation with Rasoul who seeks
the Democratic nomination to challenge Bob Goodlatte
for Virginia's 6th District Congressional seat.

For more information, see Sam Rasoul's website at
www.SAM2008.com.

###

Warmest regards,

Sam Rasoul
Democratic Candidate, Sixth Congressional District of Virginia '08
"Common Values For The Common Good"
P.O. Box 126
Blue Ridge, VA 24064
540 312 9449
sam@samrasoul.us
www.sam2008.com

To volunteer for this campaign of truth, please email me at believersoftruth@samrasoul.us.

To contribute to Sam Rasoul For Congress visit Act Blue

Wine Tasting

2007-06-03T15:49:00.000-04:00

Nothing to do with politics. Just got back from a wine tasting at King Family Vineyards in Crozet. Virginia has lots of wineries and I've been to a few of them, but I love taking people to KFV because the people are friendly, the facility is inviting and expansive, and Ellen King gives an outstanding tour. There were 25 people in our group, we tasted 6 wines and nearly everyone bought a few bottles. A very pleasant afternoon--even though the polo match was rained out . . .

Lies of the Right

2007-06-03T15:47:00.000-04:00

I swear it's a fulltime job correcting all the lies and misinformation that the Rightists spew. Here's a great story about it at Raising Kaine.

The Big Lie

2007-06-03T08:36:00.000-04:00

Not just a lie, a "Big Lie" at DailyKos.

New Blog: Teddy's Truth

2007-06-03T08:19:00.000-04:00

It was only a matter of time. I didn't want to believe that all Republicans in Augusta County and Staunton were as shrill and . . . (the list of adjectives I could use here is endless) as Ann and Lynn and Alex and Chris and Kurt, the so-called grassroots leaders of the party committees in those jurisdictions, but there was only poor Andrew Clem, a rational and calm (if misguided) voice in the darkness, to suggest otherwise. And we saw what they've tried to do to him.

Now there is Teddy's Truth, a new blog by one Teddy Roosevelt, who is courageously speaking out against the extremist cabal. (Softly, I suppose, with a big blog.) He, whoever he is, like Clem, is supporting Hanger, so there still isn't going to be a whole lot we agree on politically. And he's going to get dragged through the mud in short order by the SWACtionaries, so it isn't clear how long he'll be able to keep it up. But even if we disagree on substance, it looks like we can keep the discussion rational. Welcome, Teddy.

End State-sanctioned Murder

2007-06-02T08:34:00.000-04:00

There’s an interesting article in today’s Staunton News Leader by Terry Shulman about the history of the death penalty in Virginia. One tidbit, which Shulman learned from the Death Penalty Information Center, is that since Virginia’s first execution in 1608, 1,277 people have been put to death here, more than any other state. Quite an achievement. And here’s the conclusion he reaches:

There can be no doubt, thanks especially to the ever-increasing number of DNA exonerations nationwide, that not all those who have been put to death in Virginia were guilty of the offenses they were executed for.
Doesn't this mean that if the state hangs, electrocutes or lethally injects an innocent person, it is no less a murderer than the individual who takes innocent life? And if we the people are the state, doesn't that make us murderers as well?

This seems absolutely right to me. It’s only part of the case against the death penalty, but it’s powerful. If the citizens of Virginia respect life as much as we claim to, how can we continue this barbaric practice?

Cleaning up George’s Mess—Part 7: The Marketplace of Ideas

2007-06-02T08:11:00.000-04:00

In the Harpers Magazine article “Undoing Bush,” Jack Hitt writes about the Bush administration’s assault on debate.

“The Bush strategy basically takes any argument that does no comport with the forward momentum of the Bush agenda and, by means of numerous tactics, seeks to tamp down, crush, sideline, segregate, circumscribe, cordon off, isolate, maroon, raze, shunt aside, eschew, or quarantine that idea.”

The tactic of choice, which I can testify has filtered down to the county level if our local Republican operatives are any measure, is to not to attack ideas but to attack the people who hold them:

“The one tactic that has yielded the best results, though, is to enfeeble entire arguments by destroying the reputation of the most prominent person making them.”

It doesn’t matter that the ad hominem attack contains no truth. Once made, it takes on a life of its own, and the brilliant thing is that there are no consequences. Bill O’Reilly calls people “kooky” if he can’t come up with a substantive response to an opinion. Defectors from the Bush administration are accused of criminal behavior or otherwise distracted from reality. Because no one in the Bush administration is ever permitted to change his mind, they see no need for debate and as a result, debate itself has suffered. Hitt’s solution:

“Just as the cure for bad speech is more speech, it seems that the best antidote for our debatelessness may be, quite simply, debate.”

A good idea—if we can find anyone courageous enough to stray from the Bush administration’s tactic of killing the messenger.

I'm Still Tired

2007-06-01T09:54:00.000-04:00

United Conservatives of Virginia today recycle's SWAC Girl's post ("I'm Tired") which itself is something of a chain letter that has been circulating among the blood thirsty. I did a response to SWAC Girl's post, which I'll also recycle: I'm Tired, Too.

An excerpt:

I'm tired of the so-called “patriots” who would deny the right of Americans to speak out against a policy they find wrong and dangerous, and who cannot see that America's behavior in the Middle East is making things worse, by driving a new generation in the arms of terrorists, thereby making the world are far more dangerous place than it was.

Drew Richardson’s Column on GOP “shady practices”

2007-06-01T07:34:00.000-04:00

Be sure and read Drew Richardson’s column today in the Staunton News Leader, in which he takes a closer look at Monica Goodling’s testimony. Among other questionable practices that came to light in her remarks was the practice of “caging voters”.

"If these claims are true, the real story behind the firing of the U.S. attorneys is not about removing prosecutors disloyal to Bush — it's about replacing those who refused to aid the theft of the vote in 2004 with those prepared to steal it again in 2008."

We need to ensure that our democracy is protected by making the vote available to everyone eligible, not let the Republicans decide who they want to show up at the ballot box. The first step: Gonzales must go!

Cleaning up George’s Mess—Part 6: The Economy

2007-05-31T15:50:00.000-04:00

In this part of the Harper’s Magazine article, “Undoing Bush,” Dean Baker tells us that one of George’s “economic calamities” isn’t entirely his fault. He inherited an overvalued dollar, which has made American goods uncompetitive abroad, and hasn’t done nearly enough to solve the problem which has led to the growth in the trade deficit and to losses of manufacturing jobs. Baker points to the housing bubble as another “economic calamity,” owing in part to historically low interest rates.

How can Bush’s successor solve these problems? Unfortunately, a slow fix will only make the problem worse as new home buyers add their expectations to the bubble. The same is true for fixing the value of the dollar which, if it were to decline slowly, would keep interest rates (which have moved higher, exacerbating the housing problem) too high. In the case of housing, Baker suggests both talking the bubble down (warning new buyers that at unrealistic prices their investments are risky) and regulating risky mortgage products. (It isn’t clear that these steps will be necessary, given what is already happening in the housing market.) In the case of the dollar, a public commitment to seeking a lower value by a specific date will prompt the market to follow suit.

Baker also believes that the Federal Reserve Board should be forced to concern themselves with more than just inflation, that they should take steps to avoid the formation of future bubbles. Lastly, the Bush tax cuts need to be rolled back. That, combined with an end to the war expenses, will go a long way toward eliminating deficits and relieving that pressure on the economy.

Something Baker doesn't talk about is the growing gap between rich and poor, and the risks that the inequitible health care system puts on the poor. With downward pressure on wages, this is another vulnerable aspect of the economy the next President will have to address.

Self-inflicted Dirty Tricks?

2007-05-31T09:08:00.000-04:00

Reactionaries4Sayre are whining this morning about someone messing with their campaign signs (not to mention the news spread yesterday about Scott Sayre's wife). I didn't realize the defacing of signs was as widespread as it apparently is. I saw one yesterday as I drove up North Augusta Street in Staunton.

The Sayre folks are blaming the Hanger campaign, of course. This seems unlikely, to me. Getting caught doing something like that would be devastating. Possibly there are some folks who are just tired of hearing the poison the Sayre campaign workers keep spewing about Hanger and are seeking a little payback. (As noted last night, what goes around comes around and if that's what's happening you're getting what you deserve.)

But there's another possibility that I think shouldn't be discounted. Faced with a flagging campaign and a one-note candidate, isn't it possible that the Sayre people defaced their signs themselves? Think about it. They know they've been underhanded up to now and the electorate is sick of it. If they can turn the tables and point fingers at Hanger, they can win the voters back to their side and claim the moral highground. (Not that they don't already do that, but this might give that argument some credibility, false as it is.) I wonder if they also planted the news about Mrs. Sayre, in order to gain sympathy for their man? Wouldn't surprise me. Interesting tactic, if that's what happened. Will it work?

Sam Garrison

2007-05-31T08:59:00.000-04:00

Raising Kaine takes note of Sam Garrison's Passing. I worked with Sam on the 6th District Democratic Committee and was always impressed with his tirelessness and passion. He will be missed.

I'm Tired, Too

2007-05-31T08:38:00.000-04:00

Recently, SWAC Girl posted a “letter” that purports to be from an American soldier who says he’s “tired” of the lack of support from his countrymen for a war he says “we are winning.” I’m sure this particular tidbit is quite popular among belligerent militarists like SWAC Girl and her Reactionary friends, but it turns my stomach, whether or not it's a legitimate letter. And you know what? I’m tired, too.

I'm tired of spineless politicians, both Democrat and Republican, who lack the courage, fortitude, and character to admit that we made a colossal mistake by invading Iraq.

I'm tired of the hypocrisy of politicians who fabricate evidence in order to win support for a war that is unjustifiable, just because they want to earn a place in history.

I'm tired of the so-called “patriots” who would deny the right of Americans to speak out against a policy they find wrong and dangerous, and who cannot see that America's behavior in the Middle East is making things worse, by driving a new generation in the arms of terrorists, thereby making the world are far more dangerous place than it was.

I'm tired of a biased segment of the media that refuses to recognize the hundreds of thousands of people whose lives have been destroyed by American arrogance in the Middle East.

I'm tired that military leaders think you can impose a democracy on anyone by military force.

I'm tired that so many ignore the sectarian rift in Iraq that our presence has made deeper and that is likely to undermine the legitimacy of any government we may manipulate into power.

I'm tired of the belligerent militarists who claim that dissenters are traitors; that is a mark of fascism and I’m especially tired of fascism.

I'm tired of lies about antiwar protesters, about so-called radical organizations that merely want to educate Americans about their shameful government's actions, and I’m also tired of a military, taking orders from civilian leaders, that tortures its prisoners. That's not the American way.

I'm tired that my generation is still so arrogant that they think America rules the world and can make everyone else behave like us. Peace will only come when we stop treating the rest of the world like our servants.

I'm tired that some who point to the mistreatment of our soldiers when they are captured and claim that our own misdeeds pale in comparison, forget the point that we claimed moral superiority in the first place. An enemy's evil does not justify your evil.

I'm tired that the belligerent militarists believe the media are not reporting the news; it’s there, day after day--the good, the bad and the revolting--but they blame the media for their own poor image, caused by their own mistakes, and so refuse to see it.

Mostly, I'm tired that the people of this great nation didn't learn from history that there is no substitute for humility. We have embarked on Empire building and through our arrogance we have turned the world against us, just as the world turned against Rome and England. It will be our downfall.

Memo to Reactionaries4Sayre: You Brought This On Yourselves

2007-05-30T19:27:00.000-04:00

I have to agree with SWAC Girl and others that the comments circulating in the blogosphere about Scott Sayre's wife are inappropriate and irrelevant.

But, having said that, Scott Sayre should take note that his blogging supporters have created the environment in which such comments seemed acceptable to someone. It's called 'blowback.' For weeks now the supporters of Senator Hanger have seen SWAC Girl and Maxfield and SpankthatDonkey and others attack Senator Hanger's character, not just challenging him on the issues but twisting the facts and, it seems to me as a detached observer, lying about his record. Add to that the gang-tackle and pile-on tactics when anyone so much as breathes a word of objection to these misrepresentations, we see more attacks on the character of Hanger supporters, not to mention innocent bystanding Democrats who wish both Hanger and Sayre would just go away (and then get their yards vandalized for their trouble, presumably by Sayre's people). So, Reactionaries4Sayre, you get no sympathy from me. You started this ugly war and now you're stuck with it.

Is Zoellick the Right Man for the World Bank Job?

2007-05-30T09:35:00.000-04:00

I'm not so sure. The New York Times reports this morning what I heard yesterday on NPR, that President Bush will nominate Robert Zoellick as President of the World Bank to succeed Paul Wolfowitz.

"The selection of Mr. Zoellick caught the bank board by surprise. The board, which under bank bylaws elects the president, met in the day and in the evening issued criteria for the new president; it said nominations would be accepted before June 15, with a choice made by June 30.

Administration officials expressed confidence that the board members would be guided by finance and development ministries from their home countries and would quickly ratify Mr. Bush’s choice. Nevertheless, bank officials expected some lingering unease over the way the United States treated the board a kind of an afterthought."

My sense is that Zoellick, while respected (far moreso outside the Administration than Wolfowitz) and qualified, may be (or may be perceived to be) too close to the Bush regime to be accepted by the skeptical Executive Board of the Bank. This was, I believe, at the heart of the problem with Wolfowitz--no one trusted him because of his ties to Bush. If the goal is to strengthen the World Bank, then a Bush insider isn't going to be able to do it. So that tells me Bush is continuing his goal of undermining multi-lateralism and I hope the Bank's Board holds firm. I expect Zoellick to be confirmed, but I hope in some fashion Bush is made to commit to the Bank's mission.

Cox for Senate

2007-05-30T07:36:00.000-04:00

As reported here last night, David Cox of Lexington received the Democratic Party nomination for the Virginia State Senate from the 24th District. David will make a terrific Senator, one who won't ignore his constituents the way our current representatives in the General Assembly do. See the related stories in the Staunton News Leader and in The New Dominion

600 Days Left

2007-05-30T07:33:00.000-04:00

Barring some extra-constitutional grab for power (which I wouldn't put past the Bush-Cheney crowd), only 600 days remain in the reign of Bush II. I'm afraid it's going to be a long 600 days.

David Cox Wins Democratic Nod for 24th Senate District

2007-05-29T21:44:00.000-04:00

At the 24th Senate District Democratic Party Caucus this evening, David Cox of Lexington won the party's nomination. Both Cox and his opponent, Wil Hrovat of Augusta County, spoke to the meeting and both made their case with passion and affection for each other and the party. It was a stark contrast to the mud-slinging we've seen in the Republican party contest between Emmett Hanger and Scott Sayre, and should tell the public something about the state of the Democratic Party in Virginia today: we are united in our goal of restoring fiscal responsibilty and people-centered policies to our General Assembly. Despite the loss, Wil Hrovat vowed to help the party reach out to workers and ordinary citizens in order to help reverse the damage done by Republican control of the legislature. Cox, a Minister who ran in the 24th House of Delegates race in 2005 against Ben Cline, is a seasoned campaigner who is well-known in the area. I'll have more to say about his positions on issues of importance to us in the coming weeks. Thank you to both Wil and David for a contest fought with integrity on both sides. And good luck to David in the campaign!

Devolution: The Creation Museum

2007-05-29T18:04:00.000-04:00

Evolution is a fact. Get over it. If there is truth in the Bible (I'd argue no), it isn't literal. Science tells us so. But if there were any reason to doubt my certainty in these beliefs it might be the very existence of the The Creation Museum, a chamber of horrors designed to warp the minds of the young and proof that at least some Americans are evolving in the wrong direction. Is there any wonder why math and science scores in America are behind the rest of the world? It's because so many get their scientific information from the wrong place.

Hate Mongers

2007-05-29T13:58:00.000-04:00

A local reactionary blogger recently commented on the Pew Research Center study that Kathleen Parker in her syndicated column today also attempts to interpret. For them both, given their twisted logic and biased, anti-immigrant and anti-Islam points-of-view, the news in the study is that as many as 6% of American Moslems (26% of “young Moslems”) think that suicide bombings are justified “often, sometimes or rarely.” Why would anyone be surprised by this finding? I would have been surprised that such a large number approve of suicide bombings before America’s illegal and deadly invasion of Iraq, before we instigated a civil war that has chased millions from their homes; I would have been surprised by this finding if tens (maybe hundreds) of thousands of civilians hadn’t already died in Iraq and Afghanistan in the name of their “liberation.” I’m frankly surprised, given that the Christian Right in this country wants to obliterate Islam, that right now the number isn’t far higher.

And of course both our local blogger and Ms. Parker ignore another recent study, this time of all Americans, not just Moslems, showing that only 46 percent of Americans think that "bombing and other attacks intentionally aimed at civilians" are "never justified," while 24 percent believe these attacks are "often or sometimes justified." That is, a far larger percentage of the general population than the Moslem population approves of suicide attacks. But that's an inconvenient truth for the Reactionaries. In other words, in an effort to fan the flames of hatred toward immigrants and Moslems, these Reactionaries ignore the fact that apparently American Moslems are more peace-loving than everyone else around them.

This kind of hatred and unbalanced reporting is what makes our world a dangerous place.

Thanks to Waldo for the link.

Breaking News: 24th Senate District About to Get Even More Interesting

2007-05-28T20:02:00.000-04:00

The Democratic Party Nominating Caucus for the 24th Senate District will meet on Tuesday evening, May 29, 2007, and the news is that a second candidate (in addition to Wil Hrovat, who announced his candidacy two weeks ago) has pre-filed. Because the candidate has not yet made an announcement of his/her candidacy, we aren't relaeasing a name at this time, but by tomorrow night we should know who our nominee will be to face the winner of Emmett Hanger-Scott Sayre primary bloodbath and the Libertarian candidate Arin Sime.

Lacrosse Champs!

2007-05-28T07:59:00.000-04:00

The Northwestern University women’s lacrosse team won the National Championship yesterday in Philadelphia—for the third straight year—by beating the University of Virginia in a tough match. It must have been amazing to watch! Congratulations to the Virginia women for a great effort and more congratulations to the Northwestern women for an incredible feat: The Three-peat! Go Northwestern!

Cleaning up George’s Mess—Part 5: Science

2007-05-27T08:08:00.000-04:00

Chris Mooney’s section of the Harper’s Magazine article “Undoing Bush” brings to mind the new Al Gore book, Assault on Reason. “Under the Bush Administration we have seen scientists suppressed, scientific reports forcefully edited or censored, scientific advisory committees politically tilted, and widespread distortion and misrepresentation of scientific knowledge.” This is nothing less than a “war on science” designed to pander to the Republican base and to “manage inconvenient scientific information.” And all of this shady public relations and misinformation has wasted time that we could have spent working to solve important problems. Mooney suggests that cleaning up George’s mess could begin with the appointment of a distinguished science adviser to the next President, but of course it will be up to the President to listen to him or her and not marginalize the position as Bush has done. Mooney also thinks the scientific reputation of federal agencies needs to be restored after the damage Bush has done.

It continues to amaze me that conservatives would rather argue with scientific data than consider the consequences of ignoring the data. The problem, I suppose, is that the truth is inconvenient and gets in the way of the right-wing agenda. The next President has an opportunity to involve the public in the discussion of scientific evidence in a way that could introduce a new Enlightenment, or at least bring us out of the Bush dark ages.

Cleaning up George’s Mess—Part 4: The Environment

2007-05-26T09:15:00.000-04:00

Across the board, Bush has weakened environmental protection, according to Bill McKibben’s section of the Harper’s Magazine article “Undoing Bush.”

“We already faced daunting environmental challenges in 2000, of course, challenges that would have taken decades of good-faith effort to overcome. But rather than attempt the difficult and slow reversal of our cheap-energy economy, Bush has eagerly raced forward into whole new worlds of environmental turmoil.”

Not only have carbon-dioxide emissions increased but gas prices have doubled; and we forfeited our leadership role in global environmental protection by abandoning the Kyoto treaty.

“With real effort and real resources, we might have nudged the emerging economies onto a different energy trajectory in 2000, but by now their path appears set.”

The Bush administration, of course, doesn’t believe in multilateralism, which is one reason it finds itself in the mess its in, a mess of its own creation.

Among other steps, besides strengthening environmental protection standards, the next administration must appoint regulators who don’t come from the organizations they’re meant to regulate, a hallmark of the Bush administration. Furthermore, we can’t expect the relevant bodies to do their important jobs without the necessary resources. Bush’s tax cuts combined with pouring money we don’t have into a senseless war have drained resources away from important environmental work. McKibben also notes that the next president will have to put the environment at the center of global diplomacy.

Cleaning Up George’s Mess—Part 3: Civil Service

2007-05-25T13:34:00.000-04:00

The third part of the “Undoing Bush” article in Harper’s Magazine is on the damage the administration has done to the civil service. You don’t have to look any further back than the White House’s interference in the corps of U.S. attorneys and the firings of at least 8 in the middle of their terms for political reasons (all the while claiming that the dismissals were performance-related—a lie). But the problem is much bigger—Bush has planted a boat load of political hack’s without the requisite experience or skills throughout the civil service: Kyle Sampson at DOJ, Michael Brown at FEMA, Patrick Rhode at FEMA, Claire Buchan at Commerce. And on and on. All administrations make political appointments, of course, but the Bushies have gone further than their predecessors. Ken Silverstein, an editor of Harper’s, says,

“Where the Bush Administration has undeniably broken new ground is in its insistence that ideological purity and devotion to the president himself serve as a litmus test for appointees, and the rigor with which it has chosen and vetted candidates on only these grounds.”

It’s fair to expect a Republican to appoint Republicans, but they appointees need also to be minimally competent. The same has applied to government advisory panels, where loyalty hardly seems relevant and competence everything, and yet the Bush litmus test was applied there as well.

Furthermore, political pressure has affected research on controversial subjects and the editing of reports to alter conclusions to be more politically desirable. And of course we’re all familiar with the widely suspected interference with pre-war intelligence so that the Bush administration’s decision to invade would seem justified.

To solve these problems, Silverstein suggests having Congress reduce the number of presidential appointees; political interference should be avoided; decision making in general should be more transparent. Finally,

“Above all, we need laws that hinder future administrations from censoring the speech of experts and regulators within the federal government.”

The Good News in the Amnesty Report is that We're Not the Only Bastards on the Planet

2007-05-24T18:03:00.001-04:00

The Amnesty International Human Rights 2007 report is fascinating and should not be ignored, but I'm confident that it will be dismissed by the Bush regime and its Right-wing apologists as "liberal propaganda." But it's not wrong and we all need to take it seriously.

The USA, unrivalled in military and economic terms in the region and the world, continued to maintain a dual discourse on human rights as it pursued its "war on terror". It claimed to be the leading force for the promotion of human rights and the rule of law, while simultaneously pursuing policies and practices that flouted some of the most basic principles of international law. In so doing, it undermined not only long-term security of which the rule of law is a central pillar, but also its own credibility on the international stage.

Any sensible person who reads this report should be horrified at American hypocrisy and arrogance.

Arming Students and Teachers is Not the Answer

2007-05-24T18:00:00.000-04:00

Arming students and teachers is not the answer to the problem of gun violence in America. You owe it to yourself to read this report from the Brady Center. The Gun Lobby wants to make the problem worse and the “gun-enthusiasts” are just helping them get richer at the cost of thousands of lives every year. What are you doing about gun violence?

TP4Sayre

2007-05-24T17:53:00.000-04:00

I read with interest today at Alex Davis's blog about the record of Senate candidate Scott Sayre in the war on terror (back in the 80s, before Alex was born, before the so-called "War on Terror" existed) and I had to wonder if the army is where he learned his skills at decorating sycamore trees with toilet paper--surely this is an accepted counter-terrorism tactic, a warning to the bad guys: "we know where you live and the next time we'll hit you with our big stuff--the paper towels." Oh, wait, it probably wasn't Sayre himself who vandalized my yard Tuesday night. But does he know what his supporters are doing when they're not flinging mud at Emmett Hanger? If he's really the respectable businessman we've been led to believe he is, he'll rein his munchkins in.

Cleaning up George’s Mess—Part 2: The Courts

2007-05-24T14:27:00.000-04:00

Another area that will require fixing when we’re finally free of George is the nation’s court system.

“Under the guise of rolling back decades of judicial activism, he has instead a small army of jurists who think of the law in strikingly active terms.”

So says Dahlia Lithwick, a senior editor at Slate, in “Undoing Bush” in Harper’s Magazine. But the worst that he’s done is appoint to the bench believers in the President’s vision of executive authority, sending the balance of powers out of whack. Among other things that Bush has done is change how judicial appointees are vetted and approved. And then there is the case of the fired U.S. attorneys, which

“bears all the hallmarks of Bush’s tendency to view the courts as extensions of his political will.”

What the next president should do, proposes Lithwick, is “dramatically reform the judicial-nomination process” so that nominees cannot hide their views, and they should have to answer questions about their records. Lithwick also argues that we need to “reclaim the language of the rule of law,” and “recognize . . . that ‘activist judges’ and ‘strict construction’ are political, not legal, code words.” The sooner the better.

Does Evil Justify Evil?

2007-05-24T11:29:00.000-04:00

No.

SWAC Girl says:

“Don't even begin to complain to me about America "torturing" prisoners of war when we continue to find our American soldiers tortured and killed by terrorists in Iraq.”

Which sounds to me like she wants America to imitate the terrorists, to ignore our own principles and Constitution, to reject international norms and treaties, and basically to become like the terrorists we say we are fighting. George Bush has already turned America into a rogue nation. SWAC Girl wants us to carry out our own brand of terrorism. If that happens, we’ve lost--not just this war but our place in history as a great country. That's apparently what she wants, but I believe most Americans have higher standards for our own behavior.

Sam Rasoul's Blog

2007-05-24T07:17:00.001-04:00

Sam Rasoul, candidate for the 2008 Democratic Party nomination for Congress from the 6th District, has launched a blog.

Toilet Paper Shortage in SWAC?

2007-05-24T06:47:00.000-04:00

Late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning I had an unwelcome visitor to my home who did something that hasn’t happened to me since the late ’60s (when I was a teenager): he/she tee-peed my yard. I came out as usual around 6:30 AM to get the paper and there it was, about a dozen rolls “decorating” the big sycamore in front of my house, the two big pine trees and some smaller trees as well as the fence around my yard. A couple of rolls were inside the fenced area where my dog had already found them and started chewing—which could have been fatal if I hadn’t been there to take them away from him (Picture a roll of toilet paper in a dog’s stomach as it absorbs moisture and expands. Not pretty.)

Who do you suppose would pull such a juvenile stunt?

Well, let’s see. I live a pretty quiet life here in Augusta County. I work at home and I live alone so I have to assume that I was the target. My main local community activity is with the Democratic Committee along with the nearly fulltime job of following the SWAC Reactionary Bloggers (SWAC Girl, Johnathan Maxfield, Spank that Donkey, General Grievous’ [sic] Dog, especially) and trying to educate them while pointing out their errors (of fact and logic) and/or their lies. They have frequently been childish on their blogs and in comments left on the blogs of others.

So: two guesses (I bet you'll only need one) who did it?

Impeach Gonzales

2007-05-23T14:33:00.000-04:00

Impeach Gonzales
and restore accountability
and ethical leadership to the
United States Justice Department

Go to http://ImpeachGonzales.org and sign the petition.

Spread the word!

Cleaning up George’s Mess—Part 1: The Constitution

2007-05-23T13:03:00.000-04:00

In the Harper’s Magazine article “Undoing Bush” David Cole discusses the damage George Bush has done to the Constitution of the United States.

“For a short parlor game, challenge your friends to name a constitutional right that Bush has not sought to undermine. After the right to bear arms and the guarantee against the quartering of soldiers, the game will be over. Those who prefer a longer game can reverse the exercise, but be prepared for an extended and dispiriting evening.”

Cole goes on to describe how the Bush administration has eviscerated the First Amendment right of association, trampled on the Fourth Amendment right to privacy, ignored the Fifth Amendment right to due process, and repeatedly attempted to cut the legs out from under the constitutional principle of separation of powers on which so much of our strength is based. As Cole notes,

“Restoring the Constitution will be a monumental task, but doing so is critical to maintaining the character of our democracy.”

The first step back is the next election, in which the public must demand fidelity to our founding principles. When the next administration comes to office they must put the separation of powers back on sound footing, restore due process, and take additional actions to fix the worst excesses of the so-called Patriot Act. It’s a pity we can’t start this process sooner, but we can keep our focus on 2008 and finally saying goodbye to George Bush.

The Assault on Reason

2007-05-22T12:35:00.000-04:00

This looks like an important book. Al is right on about what the Right does with twisted logic--we see it in our own SWACtionaries here in the Valley.

Says Al:

In the months following the release of An Inconvenient Truth, I began to focus on why our democracy has been so slow to deal with the climate crisis. The unwillingness to solve this problem is not only the result of a lack of political will, but it has also been caused by the emergence of a new political environment dangerously hostile to reason, knowledge, and facts. In the long-term, this poses a threat to the very basis of American democracy: the ability of a well-informed citizenry to use the rule of reason to hold government accountable.

This Assault on Reason is the focus of my new book that goes on sale today. You can purchase the book at your local bookstore or by visiting:

Assault on Reason

When George Bush launched his preemptive war in Iraq, more than 70% of Americans believed Saddam Hussein was linked to the terrorists who caused 9-11. After the 2004 election, when asked what stuck in their minds about the campaign, voters in Ohio named two ads playing to the fears of terrorism paid for by the Bush Campaign. One pattern that has held true since 2001 is that this White House is less interested in openness and truth than any previous administration.

We are facing so many long-term challenges, from the climate crisis and the war in Iraq to health care and social welfare. To solve these problems and move forward we need to reverse the damage done to our democracy. We have little time to waste.

My goal in The Assault on Reason is to explore why our public forum now welcomes the enemies of reason. More importantly, the book focuses on what we can do together, individually and collectively, to restore the rule of reason to our democracy.

You can purchase The Assault on Reason by visiting:

Assault on Reason

See You in a Hundred Years, by Logan Ward

2007-05-21T21:35:00.001-04:00

Taking a little break from Short Story Month . . .

Heather and Logan Ward and their son Luther moved from New York to Swoope, Virginia (in the Western part of Augusta County, where I also live) in the Spring of 2001 (at about the same time I moved here to the Southern part of the county). Their plan was to move not only in space but also in time as they began their “1900 Project”—a year in which they would live as if the year were 1900. No car, no electricity, no phone. You get the picture. Except you probably can’t really get the picture and really should read the book that resulted, the just-published See You in a Hundred Years. It’s a rewarding (and surprisingly compelling) read of how Heather and Logan rediscover each other and in the process learn so much, far more I’m sure than Logan was able to fit into the book: how they de-snaked the hen house, how Logan learned to drive the wagon hitched to a horse, how they learned to cook on the wood stove, how they learned to can a year’s worth of food and store it in the cellar. It must have been an amazing experience for them.

"For two days now, the wind has howled through our little corner of the Valley like a ghost train, snapping maple branches, rattling the tin roof, spooking the animals, whistling through gaps in the house. It hectors us, tugging hair and crowding the mind with sound. I'm in the kitchen when I hear a crash from the wasroom. I rush in to find shards of glass strewn across the floor. The wind has ripped the windwo out of its frame."

Instead of the 1900 Project I had my “Millennium Project,” in which I was going to put one career behind me at the dawn of the new millennium, move to the country, and begin my life as a writer. It’s been challenging for me—and I didn’t give up my car, or running water or . . . anything, really.

I highly recommend this wonderful account of an unforgettable year.

Wil Hrovat Speaks to New Dominion

2007-05-21T19:32:00.001-04:00

Check out the interview with Wil Hrovat at The New Dominion.

Cleaning Up George's Mess

2007-05-21T13:12:00.000-04:00

Harper's Magazine this month has a great series of essays called "Undoing Bush: How to repair eight years of sabotage, bungling, and neglect." Here's the intro:

"George W. Bush has done more to transform the nation than any American president since Franklin D. Roosevelt. Indeed, he may well be the perfect anti-Roosevelt. He has taken a prosperous nation and mired it in war, replaced our national composure with terror, and left behind him a legacy of damage so profound that repairing it will likely be the work of generations. Before the next administration can return to solving the already considerable problems the nation faced in 2000, it must begin to correct the misdeeds and missteps of the current one."

Over the course of the next week or so, I'll be summarizing the conclusions each of the commentators made about George's Mess and then talk about what needs to be done: a road map for the next administration.

"Most Radical of Radical Liberal Groups"

2007-05-21T13:00:00.000-04:00

SWAC Girl has some hilarious stuff today. She must have been tortured by someone as a child because she sure has grown up to be a frightened adult. Every Moslem is a terrorist out to kill her, she seems to think; every European is a communist; every public school teacher wants to indoctrinate children and feed them--horror!--evolution; and ever Democrat is a hated liberal. Not to mention that she's convinced herself that MoveOn.org is a "radical" organization or, as she posted today, "the most radical of radical liberal groups." Are they planning to toss bombs in health clinics, like some of her anti-choice friends do from time to time? Are they planning to blow up a federal building because they don't like government interference in their right to bear arms? Come on, Mrs. Mitchell! Somebody is playing you for a fool if they've convinced you that MoveOn.org deserves to be called "radical." It's a community organizing tool. So what if they're paying a few interns to help out? What's wrong with that? You're participating in someone's smear campaign and, once again, spreading lies. What a joke.

"Worst in History"

2007-05-20T10:24:00.000-04:00

I don't think Jimmy Carter went far enough. He is quoted in the New York Times and elsewhere today as saying that George Bush is the worst president in history in international relations, but I don't believe we need that qualifier. Bush is the Worst President in History. Period.

You Might Not Be a Republican

2007-05-20T08:57:00.000-04:00

This blog has been running for about nine months now, a "spin-off" of my other blog, Perpetual Folly which has been going for more than two years. Mostly I have tried to write about what I believe but I have on occasion criticized other bloggers--mostly the SWAC Reactionaries--for spreading lies, twisting facts and generally misleading anyone who stops by. I've also had to respond to their attacks against me, which have ranged from the childish to libelous. So I am puzzled by comments like those left by Chris Green of the SpankthatDonkey blog last night on my post from yesterday about why I don't support either Scott Sayre or Emmett Hanger--basically, why I am a Democrat and not a Republican. I guess he was trying to compliment my post, but he implies that my tone was somehow different from my "first 40 or so posts." To see what he was talking about I actually did take a look at my prior posts--nearly 150 of them, not 40--and I concluded Chris hasn't read them. And since he is regularly vicious on his own blog, in posts and in comments, he's got no room to give me advice on what constitutes responsible blogging.

I thought, then, that I'd recycle one of my early posts, from October 2006, where I reprint a letter to the editor. The endorsement of Jim Webb is outdated of course (and I'm still thankful that we won that election), but the sentiment is going to apply this fall when voters are considering their choises on election day:

Many people in this area think they are Republicans, because that's the way it's been for years and the lies and twisted rhetoric of the Republicans sound convincing. Now, before the election, is a perfect time to take stock. Valley citizens might be surprised to learn they have more in common with the Democratic Party than they realized!
If you favor fiscal responsibility, vote Democratic. Under President Clinton, the federal budget was balanced; under President Bush, we are experiencing deficits that threaten to derail the economy and jeopardize our well-being. Democrats don't love taxes any more than Republicans, but we do believe that it is critical to balance the budget and invest in essential services to assure an equitable future for all.
If you favor national security, vote Democratic. Republicans would have you believe that Democrats are weak on national security, but that is not true. Most Democrats believe security resources can be used more effectively. We are wasting lives and money in Iraq; that must change. But America must also remain strong, we must stay vigilant against terrorism; we must restore our international relations with our allies. After 9/11 we had an opportunity to unite the world against terrorism; instead, our arrogance has inspired new generations of terrorists who will threaten world peace for decades, if not centuries.
If you favor personal responsibility, vote Democratic. Legislating behavior doesn't work. We are all motivated by personal interest — Republicans understand this better than anyone — and resent when someone else's views are imposed on us.
What we ought to address is poverty. There is a shocking income disparity in this country, with many millions of people living in deplorable circumstances. Before we tell people what they can or cannot do with their own bodies, we ought to ensure that there is opportunity for the poor to participate in the economy. Right now, thanks to Republican policies, our economic system is pushing more and more women and children into hunger and despair. That's just wrong.
If you favor freedom of speech, vote Democratic. If you favor civil rights and fairness, vote Democratic. If you favor better health care and education for all citizens—not just a privileged few—vote Democratic. The list goes on, and the conclusion is clear. Support Jim Webb and the Democratic Party on Nov. 7.
Staunton
CLIFFORD GARSTANG

Gingrich Panders to Liberty Grads

2007-05-19T15:22:00.000-04:00

Gingrich is spreading lies. Again. Here's an excerpt from an AP report on his commencement address at Liberty University:

LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) -- Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich challenged Liberty University's graduating class Saturday to honor the spirit of school founder Jerry Falwell by confronting "the growing culture of radical secularism" with Christian ideals.
Gingrich, a Republican considering a 2008 presidential run, repeatedly quoted Bible passages to a mournful crowd of about 17,000 packed into the university's football stadium four days after Falwell's death.
"A growing culture of radical secularism declares that the nation can not profess the truths on which it was founded," Gingrich said. "We are told that our public schools can no longer invoke the creator, nor proclaim the natural law nor profess the God-given quality of human rights.
"In hostility to American history, the radical secularists insist that religious belief is inherently divisive and that public debate can only proceed on secular terms," he said.

There's no such thing as "radical secularism." There is, however, a growing number of rational individuals who resist oppression by the Christin Right. Gingrich's views are exactly what Christopher Hitchens was talking about when I blogged about it here: On Bullshit. Newt is free to believe in whatever god he pleases; but the Constitution guaranties that he can't make me agree with him. I also blogged about the Affirmations of Humanism. I know Gingrich was just pandering, but talk about divisive. That's Newt all right.

Why I Don’t Support Sayre (or Emmett Hanger, for that matter)

2007-05-19T13:36:00.000-04:00

Recently, SWAC Girl (Lynn Mitchell) blogged at length about why she was supporting Scott Sayre against incumbent Emmett Hanger for the Republican nomination for State Senator from the 24th District. Although I disagree with her conclusions, I have to give her credit for a thoughtful piece that didn’t depend on attacking either Senator Hanger or his supporters, or his suspected supporters (a tactic that some of her SWAC Reactionary colleagues employ and that she herself has been known to put to good use as well). It was a good example of responsible blogging, in my opinion.

But as I say, I disagree with much of what she had to say.

Her argument begins with the assertion that she favors fiscal responsibility in government. That, it seems to me, is a bit like saying she favors walking upright on two legs, or breathing air. Is there anyone who doesn’t favor fiscal responsibility in government? Republicans like to accuse Democrats of being “tax and spend liberals,” but that’s always been nonsense and in any case doesn’t preclude fiscal responsibility. Fiscal responsibility is living within your means and Republicans tend to forget (or deny) that it was Democratic President Bill Clinton who was the most fiscally responsible of recent Presidents, measured by the erasure of the budget deficit, the creation of surplus, and the beginnings of a program to reduce the national debt. Talk about fiscal responsibility! And if you want to talk about the opposite, fiscal irresponsibility, Exhibit A is George W. Bush, beloved of Republicans, who has saddled us again with mountain debt and is throwing away billions (see the exact total in the counter at upper right) on a war that should never have started in the first place. So I’m surprised to see Mitchell complain about the relatively light tax burden in Virginia when the waste at the federal level, created by Bush, threatens to bankrupt the country. (She also states the obvious that County Government cannot fund ever project that is proposed to them, and I would suggest that there is no resident of Augusta County who thinks otherwise.)

Mitchell goes on to compare a government’s budget to the family budget as a way of making her case that government should not overspend. Whether or not the analogy is apt, the argument actually works against her position. Many, if not most, families own a home and at least one car. Many, if not most, of those big ticket items are purchased with debt, a mortgage and a car loan. You can argue—and I would—that carrying credit card debt is a dangerous road for a family, but it’s hard to worry much about mortgages, which support the ownership of a significant investment, or car loans, which are generally low interest and support ownership of what is for most people in our area a necessity. For other items, luxury items or even food and clothing, fiscal responsibility suggests saving first before spending. How does this apply to government? Families with mortgages and car loans practice “deficit spending.” Governments can also, but Mitchell seems to be arguing that they should not, that they should only spend what they earn. She also seems to be saying that if they earn more than they need in one year they should return it to their “employers,” the citizens who pay taxes. And yet a fiscally responsible family that runs a surplus in one year is going to save that money for emergencies or for investments that will pay off in the long run, or that will improve their lives in some way. An addition to the house, perhaps, or a more efficient car. They don’t turn that money back to their employers.

The point here, I think, is that Republicans in general and certainly Mitchell in her blog post, mischaracterize government spending and they do it because they hate taxes. They hate sharing their money with anyone, for anyone other than themselves. I find this to be a very limited sense of community and, frankly, greedy. Money spent by government is not being flushed down the toilet (unless you’re George Bush, apparently). It’s not being handed out to anyone who asks for it, as Mitchell implies. Government should be (and generally is) spending money on things that have a return. That is, government spending isn’t really spending. It’s investment. Government builds roads because people need to travel on roads to conduct commerce and get to work and there is a benefit there that can be quantified. A road should not be built in the middle of nowhere because its return will be negligible, and a government that does that is wasteful and needs to be reined in. Expenditures for schools, for water, for environmental quality, for countless other services that government is involved in are actually investments that pay off over time. I have a degree in Public Administration and spent good deal of time examining how to evaluate projects quantitatively to see if they made sense. That’s what governments do.

But not all investments are wise investments and I suspect that is really where the discussion should lead us. The Grover Norquist disciples seem kind of silly to me. The question isn’t whether taxes are evil, as they seem to suggest, but which investments we want government to make. Clearly, reasonable people can disagree over what our priority investments should be and if we were speaking truthfully that’s what the debate would be about. Not taxes.

So on that score, Mitchell comes close to talking about priorities but even here she isn’t completely forthright. She uses as an example of misspent government funding the grants that the Blackfriars Playhouse/American Shakespeare Center receives. She admits that she’s never been to a play there (claiming that the tickets are too expensive), but that she doesn’t see why her tax dollars should be spent in this way for something she doesn’t use. Quarrels over government spending often revolve around spending for the arts and humanities, but I think the Blackfriars is a bad example for Mitchell to have chosen. First, she should probably admit that Shakespeare doesn’t do anything for her. There’s nothing wrong with that. Lots of people don’t care for Shakespeare. But the excuse that the tickets are too expensive doesn’t fly. Yes, regular tickets are more than triple that of a movie ticket, but there are pay-what-you-will performances that are, essentially, free. There are ways to get discounted tickets. I myself have seen several shows on free tickets from various sources, provided as a promotion by the theater. So if she were inclined to go she could go even if she didn’t want to pay. But the fact that she’s never been once in the 5 and a half years of the theater’s operation tells me she just isn’t interested. Which is fine. But it’s also interesting to note that the Blackfriars returns to the local economy in tourist revenues and additional taxes far more than the government grants it receives. As expenditures go, it is an outstanding investment for government, one that would make little sense for private sources of money to undertake. Because of the additional taxes generated, it’s even likely that Mitchell’s local tax burden is somewhat lessened because of the broader base, so there may in fact be a direct benefit to her that she can’t see. Even though she doesn’t like Shakespeare.

As I noted, Mitchell says that because she doesn’t use the theater, she doesn’t think her tax dollars should support it. It’s an attractive, but flawed, argument. There are also probably lots of roads in the county that she never uses, but should only the people who use them pay for them if they benefit the county as a whole? I’ve never once been to a county park. Or a county school (except to vote). Or any number of other facilities that tax dollars support. Would Mitchell eliminate them all? Would she turn them all private?

Perhaps. And that’s really the crux of this whole discussion and the reason I don’t support Sayre, or Hanger, or other Republicans. It is my belief that fairness and equity (not to mention efficiency) dictate that in some matters—not all, private enterprise works fine for most things—government should gather resources from the people to invest for the benefit of the people. That includes, in my opinion, investments in the arts, in libraries and in schools, to ensure that society has access to our shared culture without regard to ability to pay. We can disagree about exactly what our spending priorities are, but I think this is an important principle. Personally, I think SWAC Girl and her Reactionary buddies would benefit from a trip to Blacfriars. It might make them better citizens of the world.

Examining the Electoral College, Part 4: Nationwide Popular Vote

2007-05-19T11:21:00.000-04:00

As noted in my earlier comments, the functioning of the Electoral College today bears little resemblance to the intention of the founding fathers, negating the argument that we should introduce no change now because the founding fathers knew what was best. As Robert Bennett says in Taming the Electoral College,

“In some ideal world the method might have been splendid, but that splendor could not be realized in the real world of American politics. For that reason alone, if we were searching today for a way to select the president, it is thoroughly unlikely that we would come up with something even remotely like the electoral college.”

Furthermore, as Bennett notes, “the electoral college seems always to be a work in progress.” Given changes that have occurred on the federal level and the changes in state selection of electors, this is clearly true.

The “wrong winner” problem that we saw in 2000 (where Bush was elected by the Electoral College even though Gore won the popular vote) isn’t necessarily the reason for changing the system to a direct popular election. If such a system had been in place in 2000, both sides would have campaigned differently and the outcome might have been different, just as the outcome in 2004 might have been different. But as noted earlier, there are other potential problems with the current system and there are numerous proposals for reform. The most prominent of those reforms is the Nationwide Popular Vote (NPV) movement. And this is not surprising given, as Bennett notes, steady movement toward relegation of decisions to popular election: popular election of Senators, under the 17th Amendment; referenda, as practiced in many sates; the popular election of electors, which all states now practice.

There are defenders of the electoral college system. One argument against shifting to NPV is that it is too big a change. But Bennett notes that “the electoral college has changed over the years in ways that are fully as momentous as direct election would be, and far from being brittle, the system has proved remarkably adaptable.” Defenders also argue that the “winner-take-all” system of selecting electors requires candidates to concentrate on states as integrated units, but it isn’t clear why that’s a particularly desirable outcome. And while under the current system the presidency could be captured by a candidate who wins the electoral votes of the 11 most populous states, the NPV would require candidates to campaign nationally, since votes everywhere would count equally.

Next: Problems with the “Contingent Procedure”

Wil Hrovat, Democrat for Senate in the 24th District

2007-05-18T13:59:00.000-04:00

The Harrisonburg Daily News Record has reported what yesterday was only a rumor, that Wil Hrovat of Augusta County is seeking the Democratic Party nomination to run for Senate in the 24th District. Those of us on the Augusta County Democratic Committee knew that, of course, but now that word is out, even though Wil has not yet made a formal announcement, I guess we can start talking about what a great guy he is. He's not a slick politician. He's low-key, a spiritual and serious family man whose moderate/conservative views will appeal accross the spectrum, and he will introduce a new way of conducting business in our area: he'll listen. We'll have more here about Wil as he kicks off his campaign.

The Affirmations of Humanism: A Statement of Principles

2007-05-18T10:02:00.000-04:00

From: The Council on Secular Humanism

• We are committed to the application of reason and science to the understanding of the universe and to the solving of human problems.
• We deplore efforts to denigrate human intelligence, to seek to explain the world in supernatural terms, and to look outside nature for salvation.
• We believe that scientific discovery and technology can contribute to the betterment of human life.
• We believe in an open and pluralistic society and that democracy is the best guarantee of protecting human rights from authoritarian elites and repressive majorities.
• We are committed to the principle of the separation of church and state.
• We cultivate the arts of negotiation and compromise as a means of resolving differences and achieving mutual understanding.
• We are concerned with securing justice and fairness in society and with eliminating discrimination and intolerance.
• We believe in supporting the disadvantaged and the handicapped so that they will be able to help themselves.
• We attempt to transcend divisive parochial loyalties based on race, religion, gender, nationality, creed, class, sexual orientation, or ethnicity, and strive to work together for the common good of humanity.
• We want to protect and enhance the earth, to preserve it for future generations, and to avoid inflicting needless suffering on other species.
• We believe in enjoying life here and now and in developing our creative talents to their fullest.
• We believe in the cultivation of moral excellence.
• We respect the right to privacy. Mature adults should be allowed to fulfill their aspirations, to express their sexual preferences, to exercise reproductive freedom, to have access to comprehensive and informed health-care, and to die with dignity.
• We believe in the common moral decencies: altruism, integrity, honesty, truthfulness, responsibility. Humanist ethics is amenable to critical, rational guidance. There are normative standards that we discover together. Moral principles are tested by their consequences.
• We are deeply concerned with the moral education of our children. We want to nourish reason and compassion.
• We are engaged by the arts no less than by the sciences.
• We are citizens of the universe and are excited by discoveries still to be made in the cosmos.
• We are skeptical of untested claims to knowledge, and we are open to novel ideas and seek new departures in our thinking.
• We affirm humanism as a realistic alternative to theologies of despair and ideologies of violence and as a source of rich personal significance and genuine satisfaction in the service to others.
• We believe in optimism rather than pessimism, hope rather than despair, learning in the place of dogma, truth instead of ignorance, joy rather than guilt or sin, tolerance in the place of fear, love instead of hatred, compassion over selfishness, beauty instead of ugliness, and reason rather than blind faith or irrationality.
• We believe in the fullest realization of the best and noblest that we are capable of as human beings.

On Bullshit

2007-05-18T09:13:00.000-04:00

The latest issue (June/July 2007) of Free Inquiry includes an op-ed by Christopher Hitchens (whose book God is Not Great I discussed a few days ago) entitled, “Bullshitting about Atheism” in which he is critical of the Christian Right’s attempts to smear Secular Humanism. It’s a great article but the best part is the quotation he takes from Harry Frankfurt’s book On Truth in which Frankfurt summarizes his own earlier book, On Bullshit:

“Bullshitters, although they represent themselves as being engaged simply in conveying information, are not engaged in that enterprise at all. Instead, and most essentially, they are fakers and phonies who are attempting by what they say to manipulate the opinions of those to whom they speak. What they care about primarily, therefore, is whether what they say is effective in accomplishing this manipulation. Correspondingly, they are more or less indifferent to whether what they say is true or whether it is false.”

When I read this I realized it was a perfect description of so much of what the far right does in political discussion these days. It brought to mind Fox News. Rush Limbaugh. And of course those wonderfully twisted local bloggers the SWAC Reactionaries. And now we have a word to sum it all up.

Confirmed: Wolfowitz Out

2007-05-17T19:57:00.000-04:00

He'll leave the World Bank by the end of June. Below is the statement of the Executive Directors. (Wolfowitz issued a self-serving companion statement that I won't bother to include.)

Over the last three days we have considered carefully the report of the ad hoc group, the associated documents, and the submissions and presentations of Mr. Wolfowitz. Our deliberations were greatly assisted by our discussion with Mr Wolfowitz. He assured us that he acted ethically and in good faith in what he believed were the best interests of the institution, and we accept that. We also accept that others involved acted ethically and in good faith. At the same time, it is clear from this material that a number of mistakes were made by a number of individuals in handling the matter under consideration, and that the Bank's systems did not prove robust to the strain under which they were placed. One conclusion we draw from this is the need to review the governance framework of the World Bank Group, including the role as well as procedural and other aspects of the Ethics Committee. The Executive Directors acknowledge Mr. Wolfowitz's decision to resign as President of the World Bank Group, effective end of the fiscal year (June 30, 2007). The Board will start the nomination process for a new President immediately.

We are grateful to Mr. Wolfowitz for his service at the Bank. Much has been achieved in the last two years, including the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative, the Clean Energy Investment Framework, the Africa Action Plan, and the Avian Flu Initiative. 2006 was a record year for IDA lending, especially in Africa. The Bank has launched emergency action programmes in Liberia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic, and played a key role in the Lebanon and Afghanistan donors conference. In March, after an unprecedented global consultation process, we adopted a new strategy for the Bank's work on Governance and Anti-Corruption. And we have new strategies for Rapid Response in Fragile States, for the Health Sector and for the Financial Sector. We thank Mr Wolfowitz for his leadership and for championing the Bank's work across so many areas.

It is regrettable that these achievements have been overshadowed by recent events. Mr Wolfowitz has stressed his deep support for and attachment to the World Bank and his responsibility, as its President, to act at all stages in the best interests of the institution. This sense of duty and responsibility has led him to his announcement today. We thank him for this and underscore our appreciation for his commitment to development and his continuing support for the World Bank and its mission.

DOJ Prediction:

2007-05-17T19:24:00.000-04:00

Gonzales will resign before a No-Confidence Resolution comes up for a vote in the Senate, which means it will be no later than early next week. The vote is almost a certainty and the Bush Administration, already hobbled by countless scandals and disasters, will push Gonzales out rather than add to the burden. It will be too little, too late, however, as the administration of the Worst President in History is irretrievably sunk. Will the last Bush appointee leaving the regime please turn out the lights?

Wolfowitz to Resign

2007-05-17T13:56:00.000-04:00

In what amounts to a "plea bargain"--his cooperation/resignation in exchanged for softened allegations of his misconduct--it appears that Paul Wolfowitz will soon be ousted from the Presidency of the World Bank. See the New York Times article for the details. At last report he was still negotiating with the Executive Board, but with that kind of deal on the table there is no way he can go back to running the organization anyway, so it is effectively over for him.

And not a minute too soon in my book. I have a very high regard for the World Bank (unlike many other progressives) because I've seen its work from the inside. I know its mission, I know the specifics of how it works, I know what doesn't work so well, and I know how dedicated its staff members are. It has flaws, many of which are the result of being under the thumb of the U.S. government and its own agenda, and it would be nice if a more independent leader could really take on the challenge. But Wolfowitz could never be that guy. I believe that George Bush appointed him in order to weaken the institution, and that is what has happened. I hope the Bank will recover once Wolfowitz is gone.

24th Senate Race To Get Even More Interesting?

2007-05-17T13:44:00.000-04:00

While we've all been enjoying the Hanger-Sayre squabble, there's been other action in the 24th Senate District. From The New Dominion:

With Republicans in the 24th Senate District now openly fighting amongst themselves, Democrats in the Valley are content to sit back and let them brawl away.
“We recognize our nominee will have work to build a campaign and name recognition, and that has already started behind the scenes while the GOP brawl is quite public,” said Tom Long, the chairman of the Augusta County Democratic Committee, confirming today that Democrats in the 24th do plan to run a candidate in the November general election.

Well, now, isn't that interesting!

Dirty Laundry

2007-05-16T09:50:00.000-04:00

I shouldn’t gloat because it’s not like it never happens in Democratic Party Committees, but I can’t help chuckling over all the infighting among the Republicans in Staunton and Augusta County (and probably Waynesboro, too, for all I know; at least that would round out SWAC). Since I don’t have personal contact with any of those folks--other than accidental--all I know is what I read in the blogs, but there has been a particularly nasty exchange in Spank that Donkey. The SWACtionaries (my new term for the local Reactionaries) have pounced on Andrew Clem, a calmer local blogger whose crime, apparently, is that he supports the incumbent senator instead of the insurgent challenger favored by the extremists in their coming primary. Apparently the committee meetings have included lots of fireworks. [Among the accusations being made there, by one Thomas D., is that Clem has a connection to me, and through me to MoveOn. Thomas D., you’re clueless. I don’t attack Clem personally the way your SWACtionary friends do because he writes rationally on his blog. From what I’ve read, there isn’t anything we agree on other than the need for civility in social discourse. It’s clear that none of the SWACtionaries has the same belief, which is a pitty, but it's the reason the rest of the blogsophere considers them all a joke.] Then there’s a post on SWAC Girl that goes over some of the same ground and makes the Staunton chair out to be some kind of a saint. Not from what I've heard.

I can understand why Maxfield behaves like a kid. He is one. But the rest of you need to grow up.

Ray's Road Review

2007-05-16T09:05:00.000-04:00

Take a break from politics and peruse Ray's Road Review, a new Virginia-based online literary magazine. You might just like it.

Goodbye Jerry

2007-05-16T08:28:00.000-04:00

Not to speak ill of the dead or anything, but lets just say I'm not going to be joining the pilgrimage to Lynchburg for Jerry Falwell's funeral. It's my opinion that Falwell did a great deal of harm to America. Arrogantly, he tried to turn us into a theocracy, tried to impose his values (not just Christian values, but his own version of those values) on the rest of us, interferred unforgivably with the political process, and passed judgment on millions just because they happened to disagree with him. He contributed to a culture of conflict in this country and it is largely because of him that the Christian Right is such a negative force. My wish is that with his death the Christian Right will also disappear.

Given many of Falwell's absurd pronouncements about God's punishment for America's decadence, I can't help wondering if we can't assume that God punished Jerry for being arrogant. R.I.P. Reverand Falwell. But I bet it won't be in heaven.