LIBERADIO(!)

Paul Craig Roberts, former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Reagan administration, Associate Editor of the Wall Street Journal editorial page and Contributing Editor of National Review, asks, “What does it say for democracy that half of the American population is unable to draw a rational conclusion from unambiguous facts?”

He’s referring to recent polls like the New York Times/CBS poll where “sixty-four percent of the respondents have concerns about losing civil liberties as a result of anti-terrorism measures put in place by President Bush. Yet, 53
percent approve of spying without obtaining court warrants ‘in order to reduce the threat of terrorism.’”

Blaming the media for “playing along with the Bush administration” by framing the question “as a trade-off between civil liberties and protection from terrorists” instead of “explaining this basic truth,” he asks, why do they “enable the Bush administration to escape accountability for illegal behavior by putting false and misleading choices before the people?”

“Americans need desperately to comprehend that if Bush attacks Iran and Syria, as he intends, terrorism will explode, and American civil liberties will disappear into a thirty year war that will bankrupt the United States.”

Read it all.

“In a vote Monday, the United States supported Iran’s recommendation to deny consultative status at the United Nations’ Economic and Social Council to the Danish National Association for Gays and Lesbians and the International Lesbian and Gay Association, based in Belgium.”

They’re going to try and make you believe that it’s because the International Lesbian and Gay Association is in league with NAMBLA. (Oh crap, I just googled “NAMBLA” on my husband’s computer to make sure I had the correct spelling. That could be bad.) It’s not. NAMBLA is not a member of the ILGA. This is pure hypocrisy. “We’re all for your freedom as long a you’re exactly like us.”

Other countries that voted to deny: Cameroon, China, Cuba, Iran, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Senegal, Sudan, United States of America, Zimbabwe. Nice company we keep.

“President Bush deflected questions today about photographs of him with Jack Abramoff, the disgraced Republican lobbyist, saying the photos are irrelevant.” He added, “I’m also mindful that we live in a world in which those pictures will be used for pure political purposes, and they’re not relevant to the investigation.” Read more…

I want to see them. Other people want to see them. Our tax dollars paid the white house photographer, bought the film, paid for the development. Come to think of it, our tax dollars paid for the room they were taken in and the salary of the guy that’s in them.

Release them, please.

“The change in the Medicare provision underscores a practice that growing numbers of lawmakers from both parties want addressed. More than ever, Republican congressional lawmakers and leaders are making vital decisions, involving far-reaching policies and billions of dollars, without the public — or even congressional Democrats — present.” Read more….

Shhhhhhhhhhhhh! Parts 1 and 2.

The President and Republicans are at their weakest point ever, and Democrats are still tripping over themselves to see how quickly they can bungle each opportunity to perform as an opposition party. If the Republicans were not in the grip of the religious right and lobbyists representing the most pernicious elements of the business lobby (e.g., pharmaceuticals, oil, military) and were instead peopled by savvy fiscal conservatives focused on providing effective, efficient government free of corruption and full of civil liberties, I might be less focused on removing so many of them from office. But I would love for my focus to fall on a Democrat that I could be excited about supporting. In light of that, I’ve cobbled together some excerpts from potential speeches and a few strategic highlights.

Speeches

It is time for some boldness in the arena of Democratic speechmaking. It is possible to craft a speech more carefully than Howard Dean often does without sacrificing the inspirational tenor. But why do only a post-presidential Al Gore and Barack Obama seem capable of delivering such a speech? I’m including some excerpts from a national, mainstream Democrat I’ll be advising for the presidential election of 2008.

Culture of Strength, Courage, and Patriotism

“For years now,” my candidate would say, “your President has instilled in you a culture of fear. He converted our shared sense of shock and outrage and, yes, legitimate fear, after 9/11 into a misguided war with Iraq. A war that has cost more than 30,000 Iraqi civilians and more than 2,000 U.S. soldiers their lives. Has it made us safer here at home? No. Has it made our troops overseas safer? No.

“Your President, who claims that his favorite philosopher is Christ because he ‘changed [his] heart,’ has explicitly led you away from a spirit of loving thy neighbor. He wants you to fear your neighbor. Whether it’s because their definition of family is different from yours or because English is not their first language, he wants you to shun them. He wants you to go to the polls because you are afraid of them. He wants you to fear gay Americans, new Americans, and Americans who have been Americans for generations but whose skin is not the same hue as Thomas Jefferson’s or George Washington’s.

“I want to abandon this President’s Culture of Fear and help us rediscover our shared Culture of Strength, Courage, and Patriotism. We should always be proud of displaying the American flag. We should fly it in times of shared vision and strength. And those times should not come when we have been hit hard by enemies or natural disasters. Those times should come when we use common sense to find common ground for good public policy. Those times should come when we put our heads together to solve problems in the three areas of public policy that should concern us most: education, health care, and retirement. We should cultivate a culture of compromise and civil dialogue with our neighbors and in our Congress. We should encourage the culture of our nation’s capital to be one that makes us all proud to display our nation’s flag.”

Voters Are Smart

“We have suffered for the better part of a decade now under a presidential administration that banks on the fact that voters are stupid. But I know otherwise. I know that voters are smart. Your President thought you would be too stupid to notice him pushing an agenda he was not elected to push using his ‘political capital’ from 9/11. I know better because we have all seen his approval descend from towering heights to embarrassing depths. Your President thought you would be too stupid to notice that neither were there weapons of mass destruction in Iraq nor were there ties between Saddam Hussein and Al-Qaeda. I know that you are smart enough to realize you were misled about both things and to wonder how we will win the peace in Iraq now that we have started the war. Your President thinks that our senior citizens will be too stupid to realize that the new drug benefit prevents the government from negotiating better rates with the pharmaceutical companies and adds a layer of bureaucracy that did not exist before.

“The bottom line is that I know that our senior citizens and all Americans are smart enough to see through sound bites and to listen to reasoned arguments and make tough, smart decisions. This process is not always easy. And your elected officials often try to make it more difficult. And they collaborate with talk radio hosts and others in the media to make it even more difficult. We need to work together to change that.

“President Bush and his administration think that you are stupid. Help prove to one another and to the rest of the world that America is a smart country. This is an era in which the world is more complicated than black and white, good and evil. Competence is key. Help put an end to the Era of Incompetence.

“Your President was counting on your desire to have a beer with him. I am counting on your desire to have competent leadership in the White House. Leadership that does not use social wedge issues to separate us. Leadership that knows how to deal effectively with crises, whether domestic or foreign. Leadership that knows that the best way to make our nation safe is to ensure that expertise and experience govern important appointments rather than college roommates or large contributors.”

[This section is admittedly difficult. The implication is that voters have been treated as if they were stupid, but Americans are clearly smart enough to decipher complex political issues when they put their minds to it and when they decide to show up to the polls. I would love it if so many politicians didn't specifically employ a strategy specifically designed to cause voters to tune out.]

God is Not a Republican

“President Bush and Karl Rove have convinced thousands of congregations across this country that God is a Republican. I am here today to tell you that he is not. I, like many other Democrats across the country, am a practicing Christian. And just because some Democratic elected officials do not consider abortion to be murder does not mean that they are not deep practitioners of Christianity or other faiths or even a secular humanism that helps them clearly and easily perceive right from wrong. God and religion are not partisan issues, and capital punishment, abortion rights, assisted suicide, and anything that crosses the life/death divide are complex moral issues for which no one has an accurate compass. It is our job as politicians to guarantee that we discuss these issues in the public forum. And it is our pastors’ and preachers’ and ministers’ and rabbis’ and mullahs’ jobs to ensure that they get fair treatment in the pews, as well. But when we leave our congregations and come to the public square, we must remember that America is not a Christian nation. And, further, among Christians, there are many denominations, each of which interprets the Bible and Scripture differently. And any preacher who confuses the word of God with the Constitution or laws of Congress does a disservice to his or her flock.

“God is everywhere. This means that He is in budget discussions. He is in the war room. He is in the room with politicians who take bribes or otherwise accept favors in return for other favors. If He is not, then He is nowhere. And we should not do Him a disservice to relegate Him to a short laundry list of convenient political issues when it comes to seeking His approval. Public policy of all sorts involves moral politics, and we need always to be mindful of that.”

Strategy

Iraq War Veterans

The DNC should find, recruit, and fund as many Iraq War veterans who are Democrats as it can. This should be a national campaign, and these people should get elected at the local, state, and federal level. And the Democrats should be very public about it. Veterans should repeat, sincerely, the refrain of Andrew Horne of Kentucky: “It became a realization that we are less safe than we were, not more safe.”

Clearly, the theme will be Strong on Defense. It is time to go after Bush and the intelligence apparatus he has used so poorly so often. For a particularly caustic attack, something like, “Do any of you remember 9/11? Do any of you remember being told about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and a costly war that ensued? Do any of you remember a time when you, as Americans, actually felt safe? Do you remember that the presidency and the Congress were controlled by Democrats during that time? Let’s return to that time as Americans.”

Divide and Conquer

I would hit the Republicans on issues where they are currently divided. The issue that is going to cause the most consternation amongst GOP candidates and elected officials (primarily because of the variety of ways that it plays with the party base) in and beyond 2006 is immigration. The Democrats should use this to their advantage and couple it with reinvigorating America’s Culture (see above) of Strength, Courage, and Patriotism. Find alliances across the aisle, and talk continuously about it.

When railroaded with opposition to civil rights framed with gay politics, bring the issue back to immigration and the GOP desire to create a divided America. E.g., “Look, the Republicans did this back in 2004 with a series of discriminating legislation in the states, and they’re doing it again now. They want to create a divided America. Democrats want a united America that can discuss issues and disagree in a civil fashion. We don’t want hate radio; we want talk radio. We don’t want sensationalism or controversy. We want to reach across the aisle and find a hand to shake.” And Democrats should not shy from framing this issue with competition. E.g., “This country thrives with a market economy that relies on the best of competition and cooperation. We want to ensure that our employers abide by laws, and we want to ensure that every American who wants to work can work and can find work at a living wage.”

Affirmative Activism

Democrats should relocate (or at least annex) their campaign headquarters in urban locations to inner city or low-income demographic regions and pay staff to participate in community improvement and involvement. Democrats should make a very public show of not taking disadvantaged populations for granted by constantly involving them in the political process instead of rolling in every 2-4 years with cash for voter turnout on street corners. This should be a prolonged, proactive push backed by Democratic dollars. And Democrats should engage their donor base in engaging these communities with volunteer programs. A return to victory at the national level anyone? This is the way to do it.

According to the latest Zogby poll, by a margin of 52 to 43 percent, citizens want Congress to impeach President Bush if he wiretapped American citizens without a judge’s approval. Read more…

On the home page of the Metro Human Relations Commission is this quote from Martin Luther King: “”Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

We are pleased to welcome, Kelvin D. Jones, III, Executive Director of the Metro Human Relations Commission (since April of 2004), to the show on Monday.

Kelvin joined Mayor (of Nashville, Tennessee) Bill Purcell’s office on September 22, 1999 as his Special Assistant for Legal Affairs. In his capacity as Special Assistant for Legal Affairs, Kelvin represented the Mayor on Nashville’s Airport Authority, the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency and the Nashville Convention Center Commission. Kelvin also served as the Mayor’s liaison to the Nashville Sports Authority, Health Department, Hospital Authority, Nashville Electric Service, the Metro Human Relations Commission and served as the Mayor’s legal advisor on public policy issues.

In January of 2003, Mayor Purcell appointed Kelvin to serve as Deputy Director of the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Community Development and on September 1, 2003 Mayor Purcell appointed Kelvin to serve as the Interim Director of the Metro Transportation Licensing Commission where he served until his selection to lead the Metro Human Relations Commission in April of 2004.

Kelvin, a native of Huntsville, Alabama, earned his baccalaureate degree from Howard University (Washington, D.C.) and his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Alabama. After graduating from law school, Kelvin began his practice as a mergers and acquisitions attorney with the law firm of Holme Roberts and Owen in Denver, Colorado and continued his practice with Bass, Berry and Sims in Nashville, Tennessee until he recruited to join Mayor Bill Purcell’s administration in September of 1999.

Kelvin, an alumnus of Leadership Nashville and Leadership Law, is the Chairman of the Nashville Summer Business Camp, a member of CABLE and a member of the board of Trustees for the United Way of Nashville, the Girl Scouts of Cumberland Valley, the Boy Scouts of Middle, TN, the Nashville Bar Association, the Lawyers Association for Women, the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl and the Tennessee Alcohol and Drug Council.

Kelvin, a resident of historic Edgefield, is licensed pilot who enjoys golf, philosophy and international travel.

Metro Human Relations Commission: One City. All People.

A Brief Primer Designed to Help You Understand the Workings of Our New, Streamlined American System of Government

by Jon Carroll
San Francisco Chronicle

Perhaps you have been unable to follow the intricacies of the logic used by John Yoo, the UC Berkeley law professor who has emerged as the president’s foremost apologist for all the stuff he has to apologize for. I have therefore prepared a brief, informal summary of the relevant arguments.

* * *

Why does the president have the power to unilaterally authorize wiretaps of American citizens?
Because he is the president.
Does the president always have that power?
No. Only when he is fighting the war on terror does he have that power.
When will the war on terror be over?
The fight against terror is eternal. Terror is not a nation; it is a tactic. As long as the president is fighting a tactic, he can use any means he deems appropriate.
Why does the president have that power?
It’s in the Constitution.
Where in the Constitution?
It can be inferred from the Constitution. When the president is protecting America, he may by definition make any inference from the Constitution that he chooses. He is keeping America safe.
Who decides what measures are necessary to keep America safe?
The president.
Who has oversight over the actions of the president?
The president oversees his own actions. If at any time he determines that he is a danger to America, he has the right to wiretap himself, name himself an enemy combatant and spirit himself away to a secret prison in Egypt.
But isn’t there a secret court, the FISA court, that has the power to authorize wiretapping warrants? Wasn’t that court set up for just such situations when national security is at stake?
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court might disagree with the president. It might thwart his plans. It is a danger to the democracy that we hold so dear. We must never let the courts stand in the way of America’s safety.
So there are no guarantees that the president will act in the best interests of the country?
The president was elected by the people. They chose him; therefore he represents the will of the people. The people would never act against their own interests; therefore, the president can never act against the best interests of the people. It’s a doctrine I like to call “the triumph of the
will.”
But surely the Congress was also elected by the people, and therefore also represents the will of the people. Is that not true?
Congress? Please.
It’s sounding more and more as if your version of the presidency resembles an absolute monarchy. Does it?
Of course not. We Americans hate kings. Kings must wear crowns and visit trade fairs and expositions. The president only wears a cowboy hat and visits military bases, and then only if he wants to.
Can the president authorize torture?
No. The president can only authorize appropriate means.
Could those appropriate means include torture?
It’s not torture if the president says it’s not torture. It’s merely appropriate. Remember, America is under constant attack from terrorism. The president must use any means necessary to protect America.
Won’t the American people object?
Not if they’re scared enough.
What if the Supreme Court rules against the president?
The president has respect for the Supreme Court. We are a nation of laws, not of men. In the unlikely event that the court would rule against the president, he has the right to deny that he was ever doing what he was accused of doing, and to keep further actions secret. He also has the right to rename any practices the court finds repugnant. “Wiretapping” could be called “protective listening.” There’s nothing the matter with protective listening.
Recently, a White House spokesman defended the wiretaps this way: “This is not about monitoring phone calls designed to arrange Little League practice or what to bring to a potluck dinner. These are designed to monitor calls from very bad people to very bad people who have a history of blowing up commuter trains, weddings and churches.” If these very bad people have blown up churches, why not just arrest them?
That information is classified.
Have many weddings been blown up by terrorists?
No, they haven’t, which is proof that the system works. The president does reserve the right to blow up gay terrorist weddings — but only if he determines that the safety of the nation is at stake. The president is also keeping his eye on churches, many of which have become fonts of sedition. I do not believe that the president has any problem with commuter trains, although that could always change.
So this policy will be in place right up until the next election?
Election? Let’s just say that we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. It may not be wise to have an election in a time of national peril.

Copyright 2006 San Francisco Chronicle

Democrats.org has a post called “New DNC Web Video: Wiretap” that’s worth checking out…

On April 20, 2004, President Bush said, “Now, by the way, any time you hear the United States government talking about wiretap, it requires — a wiretap requires a court order.”

The DNC Communications team put together a video that looks at Bush’s reassurance, the subsequent revelation that he isn’t getting a court order, and Nixon-like defense he’s laid out since.

“I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky,” seems tame by comparison, don’t it?