tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-95371832011-04-21T18:33:43.720-04:00Proselytizing for Reality Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.comBlogger701100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1113399363155865162005-04-13T09:36:00.000-04:002005-04-13T09:49:20.926-04:00

Stop collecting as much taxes on the wealthy. Yes, did you know that taxing the wealthy has a horrible effect on our economy? If they can't buy that new yacht, then the terrorists have already won.Yahoo! News - GOP's Estate Tax Push May Work in SenateWASHINGTON - House Republicans call it the "death tax," but their effort to repeal permanently the estate tax has itself succumbed three different

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1112730313934084962005-04-05T15:45:00.000-04:002005-04-05T15:46:46.443-04:00

David Sirota, fellow at the Center for American Progress, has a post detailing The Loan Shark Prevention Act that has been introduced by Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). The bill does three things.1. Cap interest rates at 8% above what the IRS charges income tax deadbeats. Currently, the cap would be 14%, the same level that the Senate approved by a 74-19 vote in an amendment offered by Sen. Al D’

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1112138329076040272005-03-29T18:12:00.000-05:002005-03-29T18:18:49.156-05:00

Just posted this over at MyDDBoy was I surprised when I got a letter today from the the conservative Christian wackos at the American Family Association that advocated for assisted suicide. But that's just what the letter advocates.The title of the message was enough to really shock me:Terri's Case: The Roe v. Wade of Euthanasia: Terri's father says the courts are in control of this countryYou

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1112107840286556192005-03-29T09:31:00.000-05:002005-03-29T10:36:35.166-05:00

Paul Krugman has been pointing to the rise of the revolutionary Right since Bush was handed power by the Supreme Court. In his column today he takes a look at the Shiavo case and examines the threat that the Theo-Cons pose to our Democracy.Democratic societies have a hard time dealing with extremists in their midst. The desire to show respect for other people's beliefs all too easily turns into

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1111779701224160602005-03-25T14:41:00.000-05:002005-03-25T14:41:41.226-05:00

The New York times has an interesting series today on the replacement of the dot-com bubble with a real estate bubble.eal estate-crazed Americans have started behaving in ways that eerily recall the stock market obsession of the late 1990's. In Naples, Fla., some houses have been bought twice in a single day, an early-21st-century version of day trading. Buying stocks on margin has morphed into

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1111618987550540462005-03-23T18:03:00.000-05:002005-03-23T18:03:07.550-05:00

My man Outlandish Josh Koenig sent me the following link today. If you want to know what schemes and conspiracies Minister Al-X has brewing (other than the usual world domination) give a look at the section Taking on creditors. So what would a newly evangelical kind of progressive movement look like in 2005 and beyond? Here’s an idea. One thing that nearly all Americans share is debt. Building

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1111618383459515182005-03-23T17:53:00.000-05:002005-03-23T17:55:04.383-05:00

Over at Kos, Jerome a Paris has an article which shows, conclusively, that there is no link whatsoever between lower taxes and higher growth rates.Republicans, when contacted for a comment, held their collective hands over their ears and chanted "free market good, Bush good, everything is good and right in the world, liberals are Satan" and other irrational gibirish.

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1111546643926750932005-03-22T21:57:00.000-05:002005-03-22T22:54:16.216-05:00

Just put up a post over at Young Philly Poltics about the PA race... Here's a part:I personally could care less what any of these polls say. PA is going to be hotly contested and anyone out there who found comfort in the polls where Casey was shown to be way ahead is fooling themselves. Underestimating Santorum and the Republicans is suicide.That's why I really can't believe that the PA Dems are

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1111419286822374132005-03-21T10:34:00.000-05:002005-03-21T10:34:46.823-05:00

This site has stories from people who have gone through bankruptcy due to Medical Bills. If you want to know the real effects that this bankruptcy law is going to have, give it a read. These damned deadbeats, with all their lavish spending on medications and emergency treatments! When will they learn that only the strong survive in life? Get Sick, Go Broke

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1111172029268560052005-03-18T13:53:00.000-05:002005-03-18T13:53:49.266-05:00

Crooks and Liars has John Stewart's take on Wolfowitz's nomination up on their blog. Yes, never mind the fact that Paul Wolfowitz doesn't have an economics backgroud, he should run the World Bank because it's a similar sized organization. Too bad they nixed the part of the video about Bush's big balls.... Ah, you can find it here at Comedy Central. I'm pretty sure Bush only has one ball but

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1111163821447017572005-03-18T11:35:00.000-05:002005-03-18T11:37:01.450-05:00

Michael Lind takes Wolfowitz to task a little harder at SalonWolfowitz is the Mr. Magoo of American foreign policy. Like the myopic cartoon character, Wolfowitz stumbles onward blindly and serenely, leaving wreckage and confusion behind.Critics are wrong to portray Wolfowitz as a malevolent genius. In fact, he's friendly, soft-spoken, well meaning and thoughtful. He would be the model of a

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1111157839991893222005-03-18T09:57:00.000-05:002005-03-18T10:26:40.530-05:00

Krugman takes a look today at the nomination ofPaul Wolfowitz to head the World Bank. Krugman chooses not to focus on the numerous failures of Wolfowitz and his neo-Con(artist) ilk in securing Iraq, and instead looks at the free-market ideology behind some of the screw-ups.Before the Iraq war, Pentagon hawks shut the State Department out of planning. This excluded anyone with development

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1111073944884149792005-03-17T10:39:00.000-05:002005-03-17T10:39:04.883-05:00

Apparently the drug war isn't just racist and classist, it's sexist as well. America's war on drugs is inflicting deep and disproportionate harm on women — most of them mothers — who are filling prisons in ever-rising numbers despite their typically minor roles in drug rings, the American Civil Liberties Union and two other groups contend in a major new report. The report, "Caught in the Net,"

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1111070170085310692005-03-17T09:36:00.000-05:002005-03-17T09:47:22.313-05:00

The Rude Pundit has another take on the fake news that the Bush Administration has been spewing out. And I think I have a new favorite blogger! We have located the anti-Coulter, now somebody get this man a TV show!!!What's been lost in the big, mighty hullabaloo over the Bush administration's massive use of fake TV news packages to promote its policies as if poll numbers were Nielsens is this:

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1111069592548168912005-03-17T09:26:00.000-05:002005-03-17T09:33:58.913-05:00

This would be funny if it wasn't so fucking scary. Viewer Beware"WHAT DOES Jon Stewart of 'The Daily Show' have in common with the Bush administration? They're both unabashed about putting out fake news. The Bush administration's version consists of video news releases -- government-produced, government-funded spots packaged to look and sound like regular television reports, complete with fake

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1111010510028214802005-03-16T16:49:00.000-05:002005-03-17T09:48:53.433-05:00

The blogstorm over Tom DeLay is growing. Here are some links to some good posts on the issue.Daily DeLay is a one-stop shop for DeLay news. Jolly Buddha, my favorite non-frontpage MyDD writer, has a good diary about the heat DeLay's taking. Burnt Orange has a roundup of other blogs posting on the subject, while CommonBlog has a roundup of the major news outlets coverage of DeLay's mounting

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1110844194505350582005-03-14T18:49:00.000-05:002005-03-14T18:49:54.506-05:00

I just started a forum discussion over at MfA regarding John Bolton's nomination for UN Ambassador... Sorry for the profanity, but it pails in comparison to the one finger salute the Bush Administration is giving to the world by nominating John Bolton for the post of UN Ambassador. Check out this video of Bolton slamming the UN at some conference. In it he claims that "there is no U.N.", that

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1110835220446420532005-03-14T16:20:00.000-05:002005-03-14T16:25:56.496-05:00

I have seen the future of the Democratic Party, and his name is Montana Governor Brain Schweitzer.Here's Gov. Schweitzer reopening the famous M&M Bar and Cigar Shop (via Kos).A Democrat who likes guns, throwin em back, and kicking Republican ass. Just my kind of guy.

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1110576811183052742005-03-11T16:33:00.000-05:002005-03-11T16:33:31.183-05:00

Yglesias today offers a frightening look at the amount of time that Congress takes to read a bill before voting on it He notes: Clearly, at times it's necessary to put a premium on speed and it may not be possible to discuss everything in as leisurely a fashion as one might like. Looking at the legislation in question, however, it's clear that such pressing emergencies rarely account for the

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1110565202181830882005-03-11T13:20:00.000-05:002005-03-11T13:47:12.286-05:00

I'm always a bit perplexed and amazed by the causes that evangelicals and right wing Christians take up.I'm no expert in the Christian Bible, but I don't think that Jesus ever mentioned either abortion or homosexuality. I do know that he defended one sexual deviant (Mary), and he scolded the moral hypocrites who were about to murder her that "he who has no sin should cast the first stone." I also

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1110487442962903512005-03-10T15:36:00.000-05:002005-03-10T15:44:03.116-05:00

I find this very interesting given that I seriously dreamed about studying at Annenberg for a few years. Man, good thing I chose to get into Politics instead, it's so much more honest than what Anneberg is doing...Pandagon: Woo-Hah!: I stopped reading Factcheck.org near the end of the 2004 election cycle because of this article. It was the sort of blatant hackery that they should have either

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1110320741248405002005-03-08T17:25:00.000-05:002005-03-08T17:25:41.246-05:00

Joe Biden, along with all of the Republicans in the Senate and a few other DINO credit-company sluts, just sold out our soldiers, the elderly, and the downtrodden, by voting for cloture on the bankruptcy debate. This is a dark day for the working-class and poor people of this nation and a great day for slave labor.

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1110316073345213112005-03-08T16:07:00.000-05:002005-03-08T16:07:53.346-05:00

Actually, I'm just over at the new Draft Zinni blog I started.

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1108950646708108982005-02-20T20:28:00.000-05:002005-04-07T13:23:25.370-04:00

*Please note that this is a draft. The actual posting for this will end up at Young Philly PoliticsLike most Democrats, I’m sick of losing. Losing, however, is a symptom of much greater problems for Democrats and Progressives. One major part of the problem is structural—we lack an effective and efficient party organization, we lack sufficient messaging capabilities—but the other problem stems

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1108653391969768092005-02-17T10:10:00.000-05:002005-02-17T10:16:31.973-05:00

The New York Times today reports that 5 Units of Military Reserve may miss their recruiting goals. I wonder why that could be? Could it have anything to do with the extended duty the reserve is seeing? Could it be that there just aren't enough Americans willing to die for Bush's fucked up crusades?WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 - In a sign of continued stress on the armed forces from operations in Iraq,

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1108652571084197862005-02-17T10:02:00.000-05:002005-02-17T10:09:45.433-05:00

This is really a heart wrenching story.Armstrong Williams, the asshole hack who was paid $240,000 to promote the No Child Left Behind Act for the Department of Education last year is having a hard time finding people who are willing to pay him to spout propaganda for the Bush Administration.In apologizing for blurring the lines between journalism and government work, Mr. Williams says he was not

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1108141585866534492005-02-11T12:06:00.000-05:002005-02-11T15:09:42.533-05:00

Zephyr Teachout, the former internet Director for Howard Dean's Presidential campaign, wrote a very timely piece this week about bringing our online communities offline, a topic which I'm sure a lot of us have been thinking about.She notes that while the internet is surely disrupting the status quo of how politics is waged, most of the energy right now is going into "fundraising, list-building,

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1107965498477784752005-02-09T11:11:00.000-05:002005-02-09T11:13:00.700-05:00

From the Washington Post- In Europe, Rice Issues Warning to Iran Here we go again. How long do you think we are from major military operations when the secretary of state says this: "'I believe that everyone is telling the Iranians that they're going to have to live up to their international obligations, or next steps are in the offing,'"Hmm. I wonder what those next steps could be? And I think

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1107617934725896892005-02-05T10:36:00.000-05:002005-02-05T10:38:54.726-05:00

There is no crisis has some very easy to follow and increadibly useful talking points on the Social Security Debate. Also, I highly recommend checking their latest news if you want to stay on top of the debate that is going to do to the Republicans whay Universal Healthcare did to the Democrats.

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1107617797847869262005-02-05T10:29:00.000-05:002005-02-05T10:36:37.846-05:00

When Bush decided to scare the U.S. into a war with Iraq he used the threat of a U.S. city getting hit by a Weapon of Mass Destruction as his "rational". When Bush argued that he'd make America more secure than Kerry, he again used the "rational" of preventing a WMD attack. So it should come as no surprise that this serial lying son-of-a-bitch (sorry to the bitch- I didn't mean to insult you) has

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1107529908296974212005-02-04T10:11:00.000-05:002005-02-09T11:51:25.976-05:00

The Atlantic Monthly has an interesting editorial this month titled "Cosby in 2008?", which provides a list of possible candidates with "star-power" (and I would add "framing-power") who the Dems could run for office in 2008. Their list includes Tom Brokaw, Lance Armstrong, the New School's Bob Kerry and Tom Hanks amongst others. Some of them may have a real chance of winning the nomination,

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1107528326342989802005-02-04T09:45:00.000-05:002005-02-04T09:45:26.343-05:00

I've been getting in a few arguments over at MfA about just how many Generals were against the Iraq War. I found this nice little recap today from ParaPundit: 7 Retired US Generals And Admirals Speak On Iraq

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1107526791255978342005-02-04T09:19:00.000-05:002005-02-04T09:20:13.646-05:00

Bush Officials Spell Out Cuts in Money for Housing So we have money to start wars of choice against nations that have not attacked us and give large tax cuts to the very wealthy, but we don't have the money to help our own working poor keep a roof over their heads? Even Scrooge would blush...

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1107526444168178042005-02-04T09:14:00.000-05:002005-02-04T09:14:04.166-05:00

Carbon Monoxide From Heater Kills Georgia Premier. Well, at leat he didn't get green acne.

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1107464890624743872005-02-03T16:08:00.000-05:002005-02-03T16:08:10.623-05:00

One question that I always asked my hawkish friends during the buildup to war was this: Would the war be worth it if we ended up creating another Iran-like theocracy? The answer was always "the Iraqis will never choose to be ruled by an Ayatollah." Well, guess what, the theocrats won big in this weeks Iraqi elections, while the more secular Sunnis chose to to sit it out The New York Times >

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1107296363173448552005-02-01T17:19:00.000-05:002005-02-01T17:19:23.173-05:00

Jesse at Pandagon, lists the right wings messages to African-Americans Which include, amongst other jewels: 1.) You will die early. Rather than do anything about it, let's end a program tremendously helpful to you in general (partially because we also don't care about higher poverty rates, higher infant mortality rates, or higher concentrations of minority in high-risk jobs and high-crime areas)

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1106866192486429892005-01-27T17:49:00.000-05:002005-01-27T18:06:24.560-05:00

More great news for the poor this winter. The New York Times reports today that the New York Housing Authority will be receiving 50 million dollars less than what it needs to provide low-income housing assistance for the year. The budget gap, part of a nationwide squeeze by the Bush administration in spending on housing programs, could mean that the authority would have to reduce the number of

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1106703393595507472005-01-25T20:29:00.000-05:002005-01-25T20:38:33.316-05:00

Today Kos has called on all bloggers to sign on and oppose the nomination of Alberto Gonzales for the post of Attorney General. I am writing this to add my voice to the opposition- No to Gonzales for Attorney General! As the post notes: Unprecedented times call for unprecedented actions. In this case, we, the undersigned bloggers, have decided to speak as one and collectively author a document

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1106688438696231062005-01-25T16:27:00.000-05:002005-01-25T18:30:45.280-05:00

A recomended blog on Daily Kos yesterday points to an extremely worrying trend, ie thedumping of US assets by foreign central banks As the post notes: The Financial Times this morning arrived with the headline US assets shunned by central bankers. The article reports on a survey of 65 central bankers controlling $1,700 billion in assets which reveals that they now deem the Eurozone as attractive

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1106686366301854662005-01-25T15:52:00.000-05:002005-01-25T15:56:28.996-05:00

Chris, of MyDD, had a great "rant" yesterday asking if it was possible to be MyDD Anti-Labor and Pro-liberal. It's funny to me that I didn't even notice the dearth of debate in these leftwing blogs around the topic of labor organizing and rights, and it's very refreshing to get the topic out into the open, where hopefully we can finally purge ourselves of the free-market idiots, I mean ideolouges

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1106332709435994852005-01-21T13:38:00.000-05:002005-01-25T17:15:21.010-05:00

Media Matters for America inventoried guests on the cable news networks during the inaugaration and found, surpirse-surprise, that there was "No room for progressives." Media Matters for America inventoried all guests who appeared on FOX News, CNN, and MSNBC during the channels' January 20 inauguration coverage. Between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Republican and conservative guests and commentators

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1106332285836395422005-01-21T13:31:00.000-05:002005-01-21T13:31:25.836-05:00

Yahoo! News - FCC Chairman Michael Powell Stepping Down Normally I'd think that this was good news, but I'd be willing to bet a large sum of money and/or alchohol that the his replacement is even worse, at least I suspect he'll be a lot friendlier with the fundies.

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1106146050432067832005-01-19T09:42:00.000-05:002005-01-19T09:47:30.433-05:00

Today I received a letter from the blowhards at the Aemrican Family Association asking that I help them file a complaint with the FCC over a CBS show in which a bunch of kids have sex (oh, the horror! It was so hot and heavy that I almost forgot about all of the real suffering in the world). Anyway- here's the letter that I sent: Dear FCC and Commissioners, As a member of American Family

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1105729552242984672005-01-14T14:05:00.000-05:002005-01-14T14:07:37.960-05:00

This plea for drinking partners was just posted on MyDD: I need large amounts of alcohol. Well, there is a need, and there is a want. I need drinks because of all this Bush news today. First, the need. I mean, I think it is time for God to end his little experiment of seeing if one person so dumb and feeble could really destroy the world in 8 mortal years. Only alcohol can numb the pain

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1105545432847801202005-01-12T10:45:00.000-05:002005-01-12T10:57:12.846-05:00

Here's a wonderful(ly frighening) piece at Vox Popoli (via Pandagon), innocently titled, and this isn't a joke, The Merits of Anti-Semetism. It ends with this very thoughtful statement: I'd never understood how the medieval kings found it so easy to get the common people to hate the Jews in their midst. But if those medieval Jewish leaders were anything like the idiots running the ADL, the ACLU

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1103900080382180362004-12-24T09:54:00.000-05:002004-12-24T10:00:18.803-05:00

America, the indifferent (International Herald Tribune). Just in time for Christmas: ...the Bush administration has reduced its contributions to global food aid programs, and it has told charities like Save the Children and Catholic Relief Services that it won't honor earlier promises. Instead, administration officials said that most of the country's emergency food aid would go to places where

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1103855250047993762004-12-23T21:27:00.000-05:002004-12-23T21:52:12.650-05:00

One question I'm always asked when I tell Democrats that I would love to see Anthony Zinni run for senate is "is he even a Democrat"? And I don;t know (or really care) about the answer to this question, because one thing is clear, Anthony Zinni has a strong liberal mind. As this quote, which I have already posted, notes, Zinni's thinking is flexible, rational, and open minded- the exact qualities

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1103478279446092782004-12-19T13:13:00.000-05:002004-12-19T23:14:36.326-05:00

Throngs of people will, as always, fill Times Square this New Year's Eve to watch the ball drop. This year, however, if these revilers were to let their gaze drift down and across the street they would find themselves staring at a curious banner exclaiming "Freedom is Drug Free!" If one of those curious revilers was to go up and get a closer look they would realize that the banner is part of an

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1103209637318578632004-12-16T10:07:00.000-05:002004-12-16T10:59:43.820-05:00

Governor Rendell proposed earlier this week to move PA's presidential primary voting from April to January or February, in order to give PA a bigger say in who becomes the Democratic nominee. As Rendell noted "We're one of three key states in the general election, and we have no voice in the primary process". Now, it seems obvious to me that the bigger blue states should get a bigger say in the

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1103159053601555162004-12-15T20:04:00.000-05:002004-12-15T20:04:13.600-05:00

Anthony Zinni - Wikiquote Look, there is one statement that bothers me more than anything else, and that's the idea that when the troops are in combat everybody has to shut up. Imagine if we put troops in combat with a faulty rifle, and that rifle was malfunctioning and troops were dying as a result. I can't think anyone would allow that to happen, that would not speak up. Well, what's the

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1103157438833521262004-12-15T19:37:00.000-05:002004-12-15T19:45:59.043-05:00

Zinni and other Generals wrote a 'friend-of-the-court brief' in defense of Affirmative Action. As the brief states:Based on decades of experience, amici have concluded that a highly qualified, racially diverse officer corps educated and trained to command our nation’s racially diverse enlisted ranks is essential to the military’s ability to fulfill its principal mission to provide national

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1103146214961092922004-12-15T16:30:00.000-05:002004-12-15T17:50:59.450-05:00

You know, if my 21 year old self could see me openly advocating for a General to run for Senate, I'd probably want to spit on me. But this is because in my youth I misunderstood the military, and especially the military mind. Whereas I used to see rigid men, who I assumed to be dumb cogs in a brutal system, I now see extremely well educated and mentally flexible individuals, with strong

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1103089036479341652004-12-15T01:37:00.000-05:002004-12-15T01:35:12.683-05:00

I haven't seen anyone else talking about this yet, but I think that the perfect candidate to run against Rick Santorum for U.S. Senate is General Anthony Zinni. Zinni is perfect for many reasons- as Frank Kaplan, of Slate, wrote: His final posting, before retiring in 2000, was commander in chief of U.S. Central Command—the command that, under his successor, Gen. Tommy Franks, ran the war in

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1103092396023006242004-12-15T01:31:00.000-05:002004-12-15T01:33:38.676-05:00

This is exactlly how we frame our national security agenda. And who better to serve as spokesman? I have spent my life as a U.S. military man in the Caribbean, in the Far East, in Africa, in the Middle East, in Southwest Asia, and in Central Asia, in Europe, Eastern Europe. Our biggest flaw is that we never take time to understand the culture. Some things we do that make perfect sense to us do

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1103092085890918622004-12-15T01:27:00.000-05:002004-12-15T07:52:08.810-05:00

note- I published all three of these at the same time, but I don't know how 2 and 3 got switched in order- my bad Also, all of this post is from GLOBAL VIEWPOINT's interview of Anthony Zinni Don't think those anti-war liberals could support a military guy? Hmm. What did Zinni say about the threat that Iraq posed to us and about the Bush Administration's plan? Zinni tried to warn the U.S. public

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1103088232306456492004-12-15T01:23:00.000-05:002004-12-15T00:28:16.270-05:00

The AP reports that Companies Rapidly Cutting Health Benefits. Just in time for the holidays! Eight percent of employers with at least 1,000 workers said they had eliminated subsidized retiree health benefits for some workers this year, and 11 percent more said they probably would do so next year, according to a study released Tuesday by the benefits consulting firm Hewitt Associates and the

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1103034747737588572004-12-14T09:32:00.000-05:002004-12-14T09:32:56.660-05:00

Pa. Police Apologize for Scissors Arrest PHILADELPHIA - The police chief and the head of the city's schools apologized Monday to the mother of a 10-year-old girl who was arrested and handcuffed after she brought a pair of scissors to school in her backpack. Although officers were following protocol when they drove the girl to a police station with her hands cuffed in front of her, discretion

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1103033756297501832004-12-14T09:15:00.000-05:002004-12-14T09:15:56.296-05:00

This Harry Reid charachter just keeps on looking better and better. If he doesn't watch out he may end up as the Democratic nominee in 2008. Yahoo! News - Senate Dems Plan Investigatory Hearings New Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said Monday his party will launch investigative hearings next year in response to what he said was the reluctance of Republicans to look into problems in the Bush

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1102961538440430472004-12-13T13:12:00.000-05:002004-12-13T14:10:09.376-05:00

Kos has a post today aon how religious right-wingers have refocused their energies on states- and why not, the state level is where a good deal of the legislation that effects our lives happens. My question is, besides the candidacy of Elliot Spitzer, where is the evidence that the Dems have shifted focus as well? Oh- and the article contains this choice quote: "It's like when the hijackers

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1102953241632238112004-12-13T10:54:00.000-05:002004-12-13T12:15:07.390-05:00

The Washington Post today leads today with an article on how the GOP May Target Use of Filibuster in the Senate to push right-wing extremists through the judicial appointment process. It seems like Bush is getting ready to ram through a truly god-awful Supreme Court candidate down our throughts, one who will help to destroy our environment, erode our civil liberties, and deny women the right to

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1102870481634331472004-12-12T11:54:00.000-05:002004-12-12T11:54:41.633-05:00

Are we trying to start a war with Russia? Maybe not, but you couldn't tell by the actions of the Bush administration. Imagine the response if Russia tried meddling in Mexico's elections with the express purpose of tying in our biggest neighbor's economy and military into our adversiaries. Or, imagine if we found out that the French were contributing heavily to the Kerry campaign- the shit would

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1102867417294372182004-12-12T11:03:00.000-05:002004-12-12T11:12:46.223-05:00

Chris Bowers from MyDD has a great piece on Taking a Hard Line On Social Security. The Dems need to stand firm on this, and Bowers has some great suggestions for how to do this: Loudly proclaim the Republican arguments that there is a Social Security funding crisis to be a lie and the corporate media has been duped. Don't be afraid about using the words "lie," "duped," and "corporate," as they

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1102865616517244012004-12-12T10:33:00.000-05:002004-12-13T10:55:45.993-05:00

Over the last few days I've been reading a lot on other blogs about the DNC and the choosing of the next DNC chair person. I can't say I had even thought about how the DNC chair was chosen before the bloggers started to bring the process to my attention. To me, it seemed like a huge positive- a whole lotta progressives getting involved in the process of a party that has often seemed aloof from

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1102787706507345962004-12-11T12:55:00.000-05:002004-12-11T12:57:41.740-05:00

'Southern Slavery, As It Was,' a booklet that attempts to show that blacks really liked Slavery has helped me realize that it was that damned 'liberal elite press' that convinced Northerners that Blacks didn't like to be slaves. Damn liberal elite! Here are some of the more darkly (no pun intended) humored quotes: "...The 'peculiar institution' of slavery was not perfect or sinless, but the

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1102784662801477292004-12-11T12:04:00.000-05:002004-12-11T12:10:13.760-05:00

Something that I enjoy studying is security, and within these studies one thing that has fascinated me is the idea of non-traditional security. Basically, non-traditional security studies are predicated on the idea that since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the ascendancy of America to an unparalleled position of global power, that the threats to America will not come from a big state that

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1102782493559735942004-12-11T11:28:00.000-05:002004-12-11T11:28:13.560-05:00

No, we're not talking wedding registries for gays, we're talking about a gay man forced to register as a criminal sex offender in California because he was caught kissing a man in ithe 1950s. Finally- those wacky Californians are coming to their senses. Now if only we could get them to register all those stinking Hollywood Jews we'd be getting somewhere. LA Weekly: Features: The Sex Files

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1102781917717373172004-12-11T11:18:00.000-05:002004-12-11T11:18:37.716-05:00

A friend of mine pointed me to THE DAOU REPORT a few days ago, and now I'm hooked. This page posts blurbs from the best blogs on both the right and the left, and is a quick and easy way to get your finger on the pulse of the activist minds on both sides.

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1102715347745600932004-12-10T16:49:00.000-05:002004-12-11T11:30:09.000-05:00

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "'Political criticism is our enemies' best friend.' -Bernard Kerik, October 20, 2003 (As reported by Newsday)" Yes, and anyone who disagrees will get their hands chopped off or their testicles set on fire.

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1102714032606661722004-12-10T16:27:00.000-05:002004-12-10T16:27:12.606-05:00

Ex-CIA agent says sacked for not faking Iraq WMD reports. How dare he not comprimise National Security to fool the Americans into going to war?

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9537183.post-1102713304195416292004-12-10T16:15:00.000-05:002004-12-10T16:15:04.196-05:00

O'Reilly is a racist and antisemetic asshole- Imagine That!!! Hey Jews- suck it up! This is a Christian Nation and you are not welcome! Here's the choice lines: "Remember, more than 90 percent of (our) homes celebrate Christmas. But the small minority that is trying to impose its will on the majority is so vicious, so dishonest -- and has to be dealt with." Is this Hitler or O'Reilly?

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625472176533667379noreply@blogger.com0