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Friday, March 31, 2006

Obama Votes Nay


“Ironically, after learning today that Jack Abramoff will spend nearly six years in prison, the Senate passed a lobbying reform bill that does little to change the culture that allowed him to abuse the system in the first place. The Senate has missed a once-in-a-decade opportunity to clean up the way we do business in Washington. This bill fails to create an independent enforcement mechanism to investigate misconduct by members of Congress. It fails to stop lobbyists from currying influence by flying lawmakers on private jets. And it does nothing to prevent members of Congress from negotiating for jobs with the very industries they’re supposed to regulate.”
So it goes the way of Washington. Obama's first major effort in the Senate did not carry the day. It is like health care and the Senate. It is a big issue for the Americans across the country, but the Senate never talks about it. There is this democracy disconnect between the people and the rulers. The kings on Capitol Hill don't like the idea of oversight, if it is an oversight over them.

They don't vote it down, they water it down, give it a good name and then vote yes. So it was yes to lobbying reform if you read the surface. It is like Bush and the No Child Left Behind Act. He names it no child left behind, and then leaves most children behind. Bush weakens regulations for industry and calls it a Clearn Air Act. Some thing like that. Dems be learning the game.

Obviously Obama is more popular in the country at large than in the Senate. Call it a democracy disconnect. But it is more the bill than Obama.

Maybe the Dem bosses who got Obama take the lead on this one knew this is how it will end up. Let Obama taste some humble cake.

Let the Senators vote the way they do, and let the people know.

Maybe Obama can learn from McCain's efforts for Campaign Finance Reform. McCain did not succeed on first attempt.

Cleaning up democracy is an ongoing business. Beyond lobbying reform is the bigger issue of public financing of elections. Private financing creates many distortions.

It took an Enron to get campaign finance reform passed. Abramoff is not enough, it seems. Wait for a bigger scandal.

Obama, Ethics Reform, And White Dems
blac
Pan American Desi Caucus: Brown Is Beautiful
Obama Was In Town And I Missed It
Dean-Hillary-Obama Ticket

In The News

Obama: Senate missed ``once in a decade'' chance for ethics reform ... Chicago Sun-Times, United States
Sweet Column: Senate new ethics and lobbying bill falls short. No ... Chicago Sun-Times
Picture perfect: Is Barack Obama too good to be true? Helena Independent Record, MT
Sen. Barack Obama is not the savior of Democratic Party The Olympian, WA
A Rising Star Visits Hartford Hartford Courant
Obama rallies state Democrats, throws support behind Lieberman Newsday
Flubbing Lobbying Reform Washington Post, United States The leading advocates of reform, including the parties' two designated point men on the issue, Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.), all voted against it.... If the Senate bill is disappointing, though, the House is poised to do even worse.
Victory For K Street TomPaine.com The Senate measure, which passed on a 90-8 vote, bans lobbyists’ gifts and meals and tightens some rules for special legislative projects called earmarks. It faces an uncertain future in the House, where new Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, has been busily downplaying prospects for significant changes....... there might be a silver lining in the continuing scandals, which was shared with a laugh by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who joined Obama in opposing the bill: “The good news is there will be more indictments, and we will be revisiting this issue,” predicted McCain........ comprehensive public financing of elections based on working models in Maine and Arizona
Short on reform News & Observer
Washington weak Boston Globe
Liberal Blogosphere on the Senate's Lobby Reform Lite About - News & Issues, NY
Barack Obama Podcast: 21st Century Education for 21st Century ... ProgressiveU.org, CA
Enough already, with the all-hail-Barack-Obama talk Houston Chronicle, United States
Sen. Barack Obama rallies Kansas Democrats Kansas.com, KS

Visitors

Busiest day so far26 March 2006

Page views146

26 March16:42NTL Internet, London, United Kingdom

26 March17:52Rogers Communications Inc., Canada
26 March18:06Road Runner, Kansas City, United States
26 March20:04Level 3 Communications, Chicago, United States
26 March20:07Calpine, Houston, United States
26 March20:32Qwest Communications Int., Phoenix, United States
26 March21:18Covad Communications Group, Chicago, United States
26 March22:44Core Communications, Inc., Philadelphia, United States
26 March22:57The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., United States


27 March05:46@Home, Tilburg, Netherlands, The


27 March06:30Mercantile Communications Pvt. Ltd., Nepal


27 March07:05Road Runner, Cincinnati, United States
27 March08:14Level 3 Communications, Atlanta, United States
27 March08:48XS4all Internet B.V., Netherlands, The
27 March09:07Washington Manual, United States
27 March09:36Verio Inc., United States
27 March09:55Bank of America, Concord, United States
27 March10:37Indianapolis, United States (ind.net)
27 March10:39Cygate Corporation, United States
27 March11:33Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, United States
27 March12:00Suffolk University, Boston, United States
30 March15:50Georgia Institute of Technology, United States


30 March16:11Department of State, United States
30 March18:52Road Runner, Kansas City, United States
31 March10:50The Cath. Uni. of America, Washington, D.C., United States
31 March10:53National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
31 March11:04Government of Canada, Canada
31 March11:23United States House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., United States
31 March11:32Avantel, Mexico
31 March11:45Yale University, New Haven, United States


31 March11:58Maine Medical Center, Portland, United States
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Sunday, March 26, 2006

Hate Speech, Free Speech: Europe Needs To Learn The Difference



EU leaders want all immigrants to take an entry exam Times Online, UK could eventually be extended to all 25 EU members ..... aims to ensure that immigrants accept Western values ...... a new integration contract that the ministers from Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Poland proposed ..... contract would test their knowledge of Western values, and of the host country’s language and main institutions ...... was first raised by Nicolas Sarkozy ........ possibility of introducing English language tests for any immigrant wanting permanent residence in Britain ...... the growth of parallel communities that feel alienated from the West...... This month the Netherlands began applying some of the world’s toughest entry laws, requiring potential immigrants to take language and culture exams and study up to 375 hours in their home country before emigrating....... To prepare them for Dutch liberal values, they will also have to watch a film with scenes of a topless woman and featuring gay men kissing.
The Jyllands Posten Muhammad Cartoons Controversy
French Society: No Easy Solutions
Sick Sarkozy
Riots In France

These Europeans are going berserk.

There should be designed a course or many courses that all leaders at all levels of government in all of Europe, as well as all journalists at all levels of media, especially in editorial rooms, will be required to take that will teach them the difference between hate speech and free speech, to teach that hate speech might not be illegal, but it sure is wrong, and not something to be protected and be proud of. Those who practice and protect and express pride in hate speech are inherently inferior as human beings. That should be taught.

The cultural fault lines between the West and the Muslim world are being further exacerbated by these ignorant Europeans.

The topic is not that the Arab world does not have democracy, and it needs to get it. Of course democracy is good for all countries in the Arab world. But instead of seeing lack of democracy as a happenstance of socio-economic development, or lack thereof, rather, these Euros see it as an entire group of people being inherently inferior.

Long War

The Dutch example is obscene. Is that "movie" out to suggest that there is not a single Dutch who is homophobic? I can't imagine that being true. So why single out Arabs? Forcing people to watch movies is an expression of a supposition that perhaps that entire crowd is inferior.

There are obvious racist suggestions being made.

The western democracies are inherently inadequate. They need to expand. And that task is as acute as the task of spreading democracy in the Arab world. The west's reluctance/inability/hardships when having to become more accepting of cultural diversity should help the west understand why spreading democracy and the associated values is not easy for Arabs either. If free people can not do it, what chances have the people under the thumb of oppressive regimes often suppoted by the west?

Europe has sinned. These tests are designed to humiliate a people who took offense at humiliating cartoons that were clearly offensive and overtly racist.

This is precisely the wrong way to be waging the so-called War On Terror. White Europeans are out exhibiting their ignorance, if not outright prejudice, which obviously is deep and widespread and infects the highest levels of power.

And this twist only further exacerbates the Middle East conflict. The wounds are real. They need to heal. But instead these people are adding fuel to the fire.

On The Web

Wired News: Europeans Outlaw Net Hate Speech
EXAMPLES OF HATE SPEECH
The truth is "hate speech" only to those who have something to hide
Hate speech - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Religious Right Hate Speech
Policies on Hate Speech and Defamation
Townhall.com :: Columns :: Hate speech from the left by Jeff ...
Spinsanity - The Republican assault on "political hate speech"
Hate Speech
WorldNetDaily: 'Bible as hate speech' signed into law

In The News

Hate Speech Filters in MO Libraries Draw Lawsuit Library Journal, NY
Let memory of soldier drown out hate speech MaineToday.com, ME
S. African hate speech decision delayed Jewish Telegraphic Agency, NY
False Accusations ... Wrapped in 'Hate Speech' MichNews.com, MI
White House 'Hate Speech' Takes on Life of Its Own Media Channel, NY
A Remedy for Hate Speech Pennsylvania Independent, PA
On a serious note... HATE SPEECH questions Represent, South Africa
Father, daughter found guilty of hate speech Independent Online, South Africa

Visitors

26 March13:18Rockefeller University, New York, United States
26 March14:11Cox Communications Inc., Oklahoma City, United States
26 March14:36Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, United States
26 March14:54Comcast Communications, Sacramento, United States
26 March15:18EarthLink, Charlotte, United States
at 2 comments:

Bill Frist's Ancestors Came From The Moon

"I've Been To Europe Once, And That's Enough"

My ancestors are from India, they stayed there, I came to America. Bill Frist's ancestors, on the other hand, came from the moon. That immigration was so thorough noone lives on the moon no more. But memories be fleeting. Frist does not remember. He has now come forth with a highly hostile bill that would make immigration a crime. This guy is nuts. It is like making your own birth a crime, if you could only go back.

Bill Frist is part of the crowd that fantasizes every day to turn abortion into a crime. Now they have turned their guns on immigration.

This is reason for the pro-choice and the pro-diversity forces to seek common ground so as to scuttle Frist's presidential aspirations. The guy had no chance in the first place. His future now only got dimmer.

The anti-choice and the anti-diversity people are one and the same.
Kiss Me, I'm Illegal New York Times "terrorists." ... "illegal aliens." .... "economic refugees." ... "illegal immigrants" .... "undocumented immigrants." ..... To give a person, an act or a group its name is to define it, assert a measure of control over how it is perceived....... Guest workers ..... Willing workers ..... Permanent temporary residents..... a contest for the public mind...... felon ..... in the most restrictive version, it is perhaps a little like the homey status of the political prisoners in Frank O'Connor's short story "Guests of the Nation." The prisoners are treated like friends of the family until one is ordered executed in the national interest....... Guillermo Gómez-Peña, a performance artist and writer born in Mexico known for his observations about the cultural life of the border, has coined his own term for the movement of people, legally or illegally, temporarily or permanently, willingly or not, from south of the border to the north. In a recent performance, he mordantly referred to it all as "original sin."
QUICK HIT Immigration reform: whose bill says what Kentucky.com McCain .. Kennedy Illegal immigrants who pay a $1,000 fine and pass a criminal background check could apply for a six-year work visa allowing them travel in and out of the country. They later could apply for permanent residence.
Los Angeles sees second day of proimmigration rallies Boston Globe, United States
500,000 Cram Streets to Protest Immigration Bills Los Angeles Times
Frist bill cracks down on employers Mohave Valley News, NV
Securing America's Borders Act - A New Immigration Bill by Frist About - News & Issues, NY
Workers, growers concerned about immigration Yakima Herald-Republic, WA
As Senators Debate Immigration Bill, Frist Offers His Own New York Times, United States
Bill Frist's Double Washington Post, United States
Frist Immigration Bill Would Target Bosses CBS News
Frist Immigration Bill Would Target Bosses San Francisco Chronicle, USA

McCain, Feingold, Iraq
McCain, Feingold Air Views In Iraq Washington Post ..... said they had come not to air their divergent views but to urge Iraqi politicians to speed up the process of forming a government...... Several visiting politicians, including McCain, have warned that the American public was turning against the war and urged Iraqi leaders to move more quickly in building a coalition government...... Feingold .. said he was dismayed not to hear any of the military commanders he met with mention al-Qaeda as a source of the problems in Iraq
McCain sounds good on campaign finance reform, on lobbying reform, on broadband, on immigration. If these two can at least agree on a future course for Iraq, their past differences might not get in the way. Could McCain be thinking McCain-Feingold for 2008?

Russ Feingold And 2008


Talk Of The Moon
US Planning Base On Moon To Prepare For Trip To Mars Washington Post ..... Bush in 2004 announced to great fanfare plans to build a new spaceship, get back to the moon by 2020 and travel on to Mars after that..... moon ... is a lethal place, without atmosphere, pelted constantly by cosmic rays and micrometeorites, plagued by temperature swings of hundreds of degrees, and swathed in a blanket of dust that can ruin space suits, pollute the air supply and bring machinery to a screeching halt..... moon .. 250,000 miles away, while Mars is 34 million miles from Earth ...... if the United States does not return to the moon, others will..... Could we bypass the moon and go to Mars while India and China are going to the moon?
Looks like Bill Frist's ancestors' desendants want to go back to the moon where they came from.

I think the idea is Bush' poor attempt to imitate Kennedy. This idea has not been thought through, it is too expensive.

If and when a mission to Mars happens, it will be a global and not an American effort. Only makes sense.

Universal broadband, and universal spread of democracy are more worthy goals than a trip to Mars, and both are technological challenges, just like a trip to the moon.

Visitors

25 March14:29Telecommunication Company of Iran, Iran
25 March19:03@Home, Tilburg, Netherlands, The
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