Despite the ambivalence of Iraqis on whether or not our aggressive foreign policy was a good idea, I certainly think it was not. Maybe the answer to Fukuyama’s question wasn’t ready to be answered in 1992, or even 2002. But I’m hoping the lesson that the global community — of which we are a part — learns from the mistake of Iraq is that we are far enough along in history that foreign policy goals should not be pursued with force. Leave that to foreign policy responses. Now, as to the question of Iraq? I’ll leave that to the Iraq Study Group…

A while back (after an experience with a get-out-the-vote effort in 2004, actually; I’ll probably write more about this at some point), I was pondering the notion of the use of political party structures to enact public policies rather than merely relying on the petri dishes of legislatures which produce sausage not resembling the meat in a party platform. For instance, what if Democratic party headquarters around a city, state, or country began maintaining records of living wages and then guaranteeing all party staff a living wage based on the location of their residences. Or what if Democrats began offering a health care plan of some sort (single-payer?) offered to registered Democrats.

Guests: Alma Sanford & Thelma Kidd of Tennessee Democratic Women’s PAC; Former Tennessee State Senator Shea Flinn; and Suezann Bosler, Co-founder & Board Member of Journey of Hope.
Events: TDWPAC’s Third Annual Silent Auction
Links: Keeping track of the Iraq War (NY Times article and chart); Al-Qaeda in Iraq May Not Be Threat Here: Intelligence Experts […]

Summary: The Union Jack Goes Green; Ever more open government is a good thing. Let the Sun Shine In!; Used Soldiers. Battle Ready. Cheap. Check Condition; and finally, a Scandal in the Bush Administration! At Least, One That’s Getting Attention…
Listen: Used Soldiers. Battle Ready. Cheap. Check Condition. (22:13 20.3MB)

“Capital Turns Cold for Bush,” by Jonathan Martin and Mike Allen (The Politico)
The powerful new baby in political coverage — The Politico — gave rise to the title of yesterday’s Note. Competence is the new black. And on the same day as Freddie blogged about the issue of competence completely unrelatedly! (Is that a word?)
“President […]

Summary: Our “most Long Island show ever!” continues with a blast from Mary’s past. In this episode we interview TV Critic Marvin Kitman, who wrote about television for Newsday (Long Island’s news daily) for 35 years. He recently released his latest book, The Man Who Would Not Shut Up: The Rise of Bill O’Reilly, which […]

The notions of an Ownership Society or compassionate conservatism actually have some nobility to them in policy addresses and stump speeches, but they, like most policy ideas, are revealed to be hollow in the face of incompetence. This is what has disturbed me since 2000 about the coaltion of the willing that coalesced around Bush. Did the ends of the philosophies (anti-taxation, religious righteousness, hawkishness, pro-business) really justify this means?

The Always On series illustrates what we’d be talking about if we were on the air 5 days a week.
All the Senate who are independent, throw your hands up at me!
Tennessee state Sen. Mike Williams dropped his Republican Party allegiance Wednesday, choosing to become an independent. 16-16-1.
All the Sununus making statements, throw your hands up […]

Summary: Liberadio(!)’s “Most Long Island show Ever” continues with our interview with Sprout of the all-woman, New York-based (but Long Island-raised!) hip-hop trio Northern State. They’re on their way to stir it up at SxSW. All you Austin Suckamofos better back the f**k up!
“I’m a saint not a sinner I am the prize winner,
Gonna get […]

This is starting to become, you know, a thing with these guys. Yesterday, in an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said that he thinks homosexuality is immoral:
“I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts. I do not […]