arely staircase
arely staircase's JournalSyria, thinking aloud
On the one hand I do believe the use of chemical weapons against civilians crosses a line that makes me want to support military action against the Assad regime. I do not buy the pacifist position that the US shouldn't ever intervene militarily under any circumstances (I wish Clinton had intervened in Rwanda and I supported his use of force against the Serbs in Bosnia and Kosova.) I supported Bush's toppling of the Taliban and wish he had seen it through instead of shifting to an illegal war of aggression in Iraq, thereby leaving both Afghanistan and Iraq the mess they are today.
But then I fear we will be a catalyst for something worse (a fundamentalist/Taliban like replacement.) I feel like our only choices are sitting back and watching a Rwanda style massacre or aiding and abetting Al Qaeda/Taliban fundamentalists.
What Is my position then? I don't know what I would advise the president. It makes me so sad and all I can do is pray for the poor people of Syria and that the president makes the right decision.
Really, as anyone here at DU who knows me understands I am very opinionated (but on this my heart just breaks) I can't endorse military action nor can I say it shouldn't be done.
Sad, so sad.
Thank You Mr. President. Thank You Gen. Holder
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Justice Department sued Texas on Thursday over the state's voter ID law and will seek to intervene in a lawsuit over its redistricting laws that minority groups complain are discriminatory, but Texas Republicans insist are designed to protect the state's elections from fraud.
Attorney General Eric Holder said the action marks another step in the effort to protect voting rights of all eligible Americans. He said the government will not allow a recent Supreme Court decision to be interpreted as open season for states to pursue measures that suppress voting rights.
"This represents the department's latest action to protect voting rights, but it will not be our last," the attorney general said.
http://www.chron.com/news/texas/article/Gov-t-to-sue-Texas-over-voter-ID-law-4752989.php?cmpid=hpbn
As Republicans try to disenfranchise us through redistricting and take us back to Jim Crow with onerous ID laws, we are blessed to have these two men fighting for our rights, just as Democratic Presidents and Attorneys General have since JFK and LBJ.
Special Prosecutor to Investigate Rick Perry
AUSTIN — A San Antonio senior judge confirmed Thursday that he will appoint a special prosecutor to investigate possible charges of abuse of office and coercion against Gov. Rick Perry.
Judge Robert “Bert” Richardson said he expected to select someone early next week, at which time “an order will be prepared and filed with the court.”
The investigation stems from the governor’s veto of $3.7 million in annual funding for Travis County’s Public Integrity Unit, which oversees public corruption and malfeasance complaints.
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/state-politics/20130815-special-prosecutor-to-investigate-rick-perrys-threat-to-veto-public-integrity-unit-funds.ece
Rick Perry is one of the most corrupt Texas governors ever - quite an accomplishment.
The Big Dog
Cut taxes for fifteen million low-income families raised taxes on the wealthiest 1.2 percent of taxpayers - without a single Republican vote and presided over the longest period of peacetime economic expansion in American history.
Signed the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 on February 5, which required large employers to allow employees to take unpaid leave for pregnancy or a serious medical condition.
Signed the Brady Bill into law on November 30, 1993, which imposed a five-day waiting period on handgun purchases.
Expanded the Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income workers.
The first President to select openly gay persons for Administration positions.
Lifted the ban on security clearances for LGBT federal employees.
Banned discrimination based on sexual orientation in the federal civilian workforce.
First Democrat since Franklin Roosevelt to be elected President more than once.
Signed legislation forming the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
Appointed Ginsberg and Breyer to the Supreme Court.
Upon leaving office, Clinton's Gallup Poll rating of 66 percent was the highest approval rating of any postwar, three points ahead of both Reagan and John F. Kennedy.
In March 2010, a Newsmax/Zogby poll asking Americans which of the current living former presidents they think is best equipped to deal with the problems the country faces today, found that a wide margin of respondents would pick Bill Clinton. Clinton received 41 percent of the vote, while George W. Bush received 15 percent, George H. W. Bush received 7 percent, and Jimmy Carter received 5 percent.
I do not support what Manning did (release thousands of diplomatic cables) but
I have come to believe he was motivated by good, but naive intentions, and I believe he was/is a troubled soul as it relates to his sexuality and gender identity. Those facts do not excuse his guilt but they should mitigate his punishment. If I were the judge I would give him 5-10 minus time served. More likely the 5.
Egypt unrest: Muslim Brotherhood 'fired on police'
A TV station, which backs the government in Egypt, has aired infrared footage which the authorities say shows Muslim Brotherhood gunmen firing on police.
The claim follows the deaths of scores of protesters in Cairo, as security forces stormed the camps of Muslim Brotherhood supporters.
A state of emergency has been declared in Egypt and a curfew has begun.
video at link
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23701960
For the record, I am not saying this is correct, only that the BBC says the gov says it and claim the video shows it. I am praying for an end to the bloodshed there. That is all.
Racist Idiot Steve King Says Idiotic Racist Crap to other Racist Idiots, Just Not Very Many of Them
Rep. Steve King (R-IA) launched another attack against immigration reform Monday evening at a “Stop Amnesty” rally in Richmond, Va., saying immigrants from Latin America would bring violence to the U.S.
“If you bring people from a violent civilization into a less-violent civilization, you're going to have more violence right?" King said to the less-than-anticipated crowd of 60, according to Politico. "It’s like pouring hot water into cold water, does it raise the temperature or not?"
Politico reported the Iowa firebrand also said that the further south one goes in Latin America, the more violent the societies become. King's comments follow those he previously made about young immigrants who were brought illegally to the U.S. when they were children, describing them as drug mules with “calves the size of cantaloupes because they’re hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert.”
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/steve-king-immigration-reform-will-bring-violence-into
Weiner needs to STFU. Opining on Hillary '16
Smith: Do you know what her role in Hillary's 2016 campaign is going to be?
Weiner: I do.
Smith: What will it be?
Weiner: I'm not telling you.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/08/12/live-at-630-p-m-et-politics-beer-with-anthony-weiner/?hpt=hp_t2
If I were me in Russia
I would probably be arrested.
I would certainly not be allowed to teach children.
All hail Snowden, the man who seeks the protection of those who think I am a subhuman.
what was the first rock concert you attended and how old were you?
me - KISS, Oct. 21, 1979 at the Summit in Houston (now a megachurch, lol) I was 11 years old.
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