"The distinction between 'political' and 'performance-rated' reasons for removing a United States attorney is, in my view, largely artificial."
---Kyle Sampson, under oath.
We know that's your philosophy, Kyle. But that's not how "justice" is supposed to work. We know that your statement reflects the entire ethos of the Bush administration. Thanks for summing it up.
Politics trumps everything.
How nice of you to give us that very clear picture. "Performance-related" is the same as "political." Doing the right thing in the pursuit of justice and punishing criminals is a function of politics.
Has there ever been a clearer explanation of the theory of Rovian governance? I mean other than that he "goes home and rips the heads off of small animals." Did anyone notice how easily those words rolled off of Rove's tongue. They sounded just like all of his other lies. I wonder which of them we should believe? I choose to believe that there are many headless small animals in Karl's compost.
The "small animal" line is much more credible than anything Alberto Gonzalez has said in the past few weeks….I mean than he EVER said.
All Democrats have to do is swear these people in and let them talk. They'll tell us their morally bankrupt philosophy.
I used to think I was a cynic.
This also appears on huffingtonpost.com
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Monday, March 19, 2007
Notes: 10,000+ On the Streets of Portland, Oregon
Several weeks ago I posted here about my reactions to the antiwar demonstration in Washington D.C. I called it Good Demonstration, Bad Show. It was based upon watching people on TV scream into microphones at the podium before thousands in the live audience…and how that made for bad TV. And how that presented a good point of view badly.
Yesterday, I participated in a similar demonstration in Portland, Oregon. An estimated 10,000-15,000 people marched through the downtown, filling around 20 city blocks with a single purpose, demanding an end to the war. There were other issues and other groups involved including a bunch of those cute anarchist kids who caused a ruckus and got themselves arrested.
Early on, I sought them out because I figured they're would be the only ones who presented any danger (read: entertainment) in an otherwise polite spectrum of lefties of all stripes. They carried a sign which read, "No Gods, No Country, No Masters," (without the commas). As they marched they chanted, no jeered, at bystanders, "While you're shopping, bombs are dropping."
They appeared to be 16-20 years old. They appeared feel they had nothing to lose and were bent on venting their anger. I felt like they were my army. Then I thought, "All armies are always made up of people this age." I must admit it felt empowering to consider that they were fighting in my name. Then I thought, "Does that make me any different from anyone else who has an army?"
That thought didn’t stop me from enjoying their enthusiasm. During the Vietnam protest era, I was having a beer with some guy who was around my (draft) age. He looked at me very seriously and said, "You're into trashing aren't you?" (Note: "trashing" meant busting up things in the name of "revolution," a word that was tossed around a lot back then.) I said, "Uhhh. Ummm. Well, I'm kind of non-violent but I can see your point."
When they caused the dust-up, they spray-painted the backs of several members of the media. I thought, "Good point."
Nevertheless, as far as staging one of these mass demonstrations, it's still a bad idea to let one person after another drone on and on from a stage, through a sound system that about 25% of the crowd can hear while the rest of the folks hang out till it's time to march. It's mostly preaching to the choir anyway, and let's face it, it gets boring, no matter how heartfelt the preacher.
Oh, and one more thing. Could we have about 80% fewer folk singers?
Thankfully, and probably because it's Portland and the West Coast, there was a Burning Man feel to some of the festivities. We need that. If you don't know what Burning Man is, you're part of the problem.
There were a lot of clever signs. Take note in case we need more demontrations in your town:
"The Rapture Is Not An Exit Strategy"
"You're Certainly Too Stupid to Be the Antichrist…But You're Evil Enough," including a picture of Bush with horns.
"Some folks say we're Bush Bashing. In Oregon we call it THINKING."
"War Is Terrorism with a Bigger Budget."
"Empty Warhead Found In White House."
"W Is the New Swastika."
And one that said simply, "Enough."
What's good is being in a crowd of ten thousand people who think more-or-less like you do. It's inspiring. It was inspiring. Inspiring because folks like us have helped turn the tide. The problem is, of course, that in the face of overwhelming public disapproval of the war, the White House sends more and more troops. At the same time we chafe at the pace of Congressional action.
The point is to end the war, after all. Point made yesterday, anarchists and all.
This also appears on huffingtonpost.com
Yesterday, I participated in a similar demonstration in Portland, Oregon. An estimated 10,000-15,000 people marched through the downtown, filling around 20 city blocks with a single purpose, demanding an end to the war. There were other issues and other groups involved including a bunch of those cute anarchist kids who caused a ruckus and got themselves arrested.
Early on, I sought them out because I figured they're would be the only ones who presented any danger (read: entertainment) in an otherwise polite spectrum of lefties of all stripes. They carried a sign which read, "No Gods, No Country, No Masters," (without the commas). As they marched they chanted, no jeered, at bystanders, "While you're shopping, bombs are dropping."
They appeared to be 16-20 years old. They appeared feel they had nothing to lose and were bent on venting their anger. I felt like they were my army. Then I thought, "All armies are always made up of people this age." I must admit it felt empowering to consider that they were fighting in my name. Then I thought, "Does that make me any different from anyone else who has an army?"
That thought didn’t stop me from enjoying their enthusiasm. During the Vietnam protest era, I was having a beer with some guy who was around my (draft) age. He looked at me very seriously and said, "You're into trashing aren't you?" (Note: "trashing" meant busting up things in the name of "revolution," a word that was tossed around a lot back then.) I said, "Uhhh. Ummm. Well, I'm kind of non-violent but I can see your point."
When they caused the dust-up, they spray-painted the backs of several members of the media. I thought, "Good point."
Nevertheless, as far as staging one of these mass demonstrations, it's still a bad idea to let one person after another drone on and on from a stage, through a sound system that about 25% of the crowd can hear while the rest of the folks hang out till it's time to march. It's mostly preaching to the choir anyway, and let's face it, it gets boring, no matter how heartfelt the preacher.
Oh, and one more thing. Could we have about 80% fewer folk singers?
Thankfully, and probably because it's Portland and the West Coast, there was a Burning Man feel to some of the festivities. We need that. If you don't know what Burning Man is, you're part of the problem.
There were a lot of clever signs. Take note in case we need more demontrations in your town:
"The Rapture Is Not An Exit Strategy"
"You're Certainly Too Stupid to Be the Antichrist…But You're Evil Enough," including a picture of Bush with horns.
"Some folks say we're Bush Bashing. In Oregon we call it THINKING."
"War Is Terrorism with a Bigger Budget."
"Empty Warhead Found In White House."
"W Is the New Swastika."
And one that said simply, "Enough."
What's good is being in a crowd of ten thousand people who think more-or-less like you do. It's inspiring. It was inspiring. Inspiring because folks like us have helped turn the tide. The problem is, of course, that in the face of overwhelming public disapproval of the war, the White House sends more and more troops. At the same time we chafe at the pace of Congressional action.
The point is to end the war, after all. Point made yesterday, anarchists and all.
This also appears on huffingtonpost.com
Friday, March 09, 2007
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
To My Fellow Jurors Part 2
I actually got started writing a piece on the trial we were on. A few minutes ago, after futher consideration and after looking at the defendant's MySpace page and seeing his friends, I came to the conclusion that I'd rather night write about the trial.
If "Slate" had the nerve to walk up to the victim and threaten her IN THE COURTHOUSE, there's no telling what he or his friends might do should I sell this to Willamette Week or Portland Monthly.
I will use the experience in a piece of fiction I'm working on.
Your notes will live on, just not in a piece of non-fiction.
Thanks again. I still feel like we did the right thing.
If "Slate" had the nerve to walk up to the victim and threaten her IN THE COURTHOUSE, there's no telling what he or his friends might do should I sell this to Willamette Week or Portland Monthly.
I will use the experience in a piece of fiction I'm working on.
Your notes will live on, just not in a piece of non-fiction.
Thanks again. I still feel like we did the right thing.
Oregon's Solution to Universal Health Care
While all eyes are on Washington, on the collapse of the Bush administration and the danger America faces from these wounded Republicans, on the war in Iraq and rumors of wars. While we focus on a premature Presidential campaign which is taking our eyes off the ball and distracting us from the real work at hand, many states are striking out on their own.
While it may seem as a joke and as traditional conservatives are laughing behind their hands at the Federal paralysis they've wrought, state government is still government!
States are moving quickly on global warming and health care. California has a health care bill working and here in Oregon, which made physician-assisted death a health matter, rather than a moral one, a bill has been introduced which makes a lot of sense.
The front man for the bill is former Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber (D), himself an M.D. The bill has this simple statement, which blows away all of the complexities that the medical industry throws at us, "the objective of our health care system is health, not just the financing and delivery of health care services."
Oh yeah. The object is not making money for the medical industry. What a concept!
The law "Requires (the) Governor, within 90 days of passage of Act, to request congressional approval to redirect federal moneys into (a newly formed) Oregon Health Fund." That means all of the money that the federal government feeds to the state would go to a central fund which includes, "(a) Medicare funds under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act; (b) Medicaid funds under Title XIX of the Social Security Act; (c) General Fund moneys that would otherwise be spent in the Medicaid program; and (d) The value of state tax expenditures for employer-sponsored health insurance coverage."
The law argues that, "the ability of states to maintain the public's health is increasingly constrained by those federal policies, which were built around 'categories' rather than a commitment to ensure all citizens have timely access to the effective treatment of essential health conditions."
Federal policies were written by those beholden to the medical industry, not to insure the health of Americans but to make money for that medical industry.
The proposed Oregon law recognizes that, "clinging to the system of employer-sponsored coverage as it is currently structured is not an option," and similarly, "that clinging to the current structure of Medicaid is not an option." It aims to, "eliminate the need for a special program for the poor by ensuring that all Oregonians, including the most vulnerable members of our society, have access to treatment for at least the same defined set of essential health conditions."
The bill goes on to explain the nuts and bolts of how the Fund would administer health care. Read it for yourself.
While Congress talks itself to death, some states are actually doing something about health care, our most important problem.
The organization pushing the Oregon bill is We Can Do Better. This bill may or may not be the best solution, but it's an open and honest one. One that has just one objective: to keep us healthy and get us health care that doesn't bankrupt us.
The medical industry has had its day. It's time to put the brakes on them. Overtime.
This also appears on huffingtonpost.com
While it may seem as a joke and as traditional conservatives are laughing behind their hands at the Federal paralysis they've wrought, state government is still government!
States are moving quickly on global warming and health care. California has a health care bill working and here in Oregon, which made physician-assisted death a health matter, rather than a moral one, a bill has been introduced which makes a lot of sense.
The front man for the bill is former Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber (D), himself an M.D. The bill has this simple statement, which blows away all of the complexities that the medical industry throws at us, "the objective of our health care system is health, not just the financing and delivery of health care services."
Oh yeah. The object is not making money for the medical industry. What a concept!
The law "Requires (the) Governor, within 90 days of passage of Act, to request congressional approval to redirect federal moneys into (a newly formed) Oregon Health Fund." That means all of the money that the federal government feeds to the state would go to a central fund which includes, "(a) Medicare funds under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act; (b) Medicaid funds under Title XIX of the Social Security Act; (c) General Fund moneys that would otherwise be spent in the Medicaid program; and (d) The value of state tax expenditures for employer-sponsored health insurance coverage."
The law argues that, "the ability of states to maintain the public's health is increasingly constrained by those federal policies, which were built around 'categories' rather than a commitment to ensure all citizens have timely access to the effective treatment of essential health conditions."
Federal policies were written by those beholden to the medical industry, not to insure the health of Americans but to make money for that medical industry.
The proposed Oregon law recognizes that, "clinging to the system of employer-sponsored coverage as it is currently structured is not an option," and similarly, "that clinging to the current structure of Medicaid is not an option." It aims to, "eliminate the need for a special program for the poor by ensuring that all Oregonians, including the most vulnerable members of our society, have access to treatment for at least the same defined set of essential health conditions."
The bill goes on to explain the nuts and bolts of how the Fund would administer health care. Read it for yourself.
While Congress talks itself to death, some states are actually doing something about health care, our most important problem.
The organization pushing the Oregon bill is We Can Do Better. This bill may or may not be the best solution, but it's an open and honest one. One that has just one objective: to keep us healthy and get us health care that doesn't bankrupt us.
The medical industry has had its day. It's time to put the brakes on them. Overtime.
This also appears on huffingtonpost.com
Check out Art Levine's blog
Despite being an old friend of mine, he's a terrific journalist and a funny guy. His blog is listed on this page.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Portland Girl
A few years ago Greg Bond and I created this music video of a John Callahan tune. It was shot on the rainiest night of the winter, and for Portland that's saying something.
John is known for his good sense of bad humor. It was a revelation to us that he wrote so poignantly.
Clara Aho plays the Portland girl. Quite a trooper, huh?
A few months ago John released "Purple Winos In the Rain," a CD of his songs. A different version of Portland Girl is on it. You can buy it here.
John is known for his good sense of bad humor. It was a revelation to us that he wrote so poignantly.
Clara Aho plays the Portland girl. Quite a trooper, huh?
A few months ago John released "Purple Winos In the Rain," a CD of his songs. A different version of Portland Girl is on it. You can buy it here.
Here's My Appearance On Evening Magazine
Last spring, Seattle's Evening Magazine (KING-TV) ran a piece on me and the Rabid Nun Infects Entire Convent book.
They re-ran it last week. Watch it here.
They re-ran it last week. Watch it here.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Understanding the Reactions to the Cheney Bombing
In once sense I can understand why this site would delete comments on the bombing near Dick Cheney in Afghanistan that might lament that the bomb wasn't close enough do personal damage to the VP. Most of us, no matter how grudgingly, approved of Michael Dukakis' answer to Bernard Shaw's question during the campaign for President. Shaw asked, "Governor, if Kitty Dukakis were raped and murdered would you favor an irrevocable death penalty for the killer?" Dukakis said, "No, I don't, and I think you know that I've opposed the death penalty during all of my life."
What most of us thought at the time was, "If somebody raped and murdered MY wife, I'd like to see the bastard die a slow death, but I refuse to lower myself to his level."
When the planes hit the buildings on 9/11 and thousands died, most of us wanted to retaliate. We thought it right to retaliate. That means killing the people who were responsible for those deaths. It was roundly agreed upon, except from those who think any killing is wrong.
So when Dick Cheney, the one man responsible for the deaths of thousands of American men and women in his boutique war in Iraq, and the maiming of tens of thousands of other Ameicans in his war. And the one man responsible for turning America into a nation who comitts atrocities and war crimes in torturing prisoners and illegally holding others.
And the one man responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands (hundred of thousands?) of Iraqis. And the one man who wants to start another war with Iran.
And when the one man who has hijacked the American Constituion and has tried to turn our country into a Presidential dictatorship has a bomb go off near him, is it so far-fetched to wish him ill? How many of us would have the courage of Michael Dukakis and say, "No. I've opposed the death penalty during all of my life?"
If I heard he had been blown up? It's never good to take a life but I would not have been unhappy to have someone else as Vice President of the United States.
This is also on huffingtonpost.com
What most of us thought at the time was, "If somebody raped and murdered MY wife, I'd like to see the bastard die a slow death, but I refuse to lower myself to his level."
When the planes hit the buildings on 9/11 and thousands died, most of us wanted to retaliate. We thought it right to retaliate. That means killing the people who were responsible for those deaths. It was roundly agreed upon, except from those who think any killing is wrong.
So when Dick Cheney, the one man responsible for the deaths of thousands of American men and women in his boutique war in Iraq, and the maiming of tens of thousands of other Ameicans in his war. And the one man responsible for turning America into a nation who comitts atrocities and war crimes in torturing prisoners and illegally holding others.
And the one man responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands (hundred of thousands?) of Iraqis. And the one man who wants to start another war with Iran.
And when the one man who has hijacked the American Constituion and has tried to turn our country into a Presidential dictatorship has a bomb go off near him, is it so far-fetched to wish him ill? How many of us would have the courage of Michael Dukakis and say, "No. I've opposed the death penalty during all of my life?"
If I heard he had been blown up? It's never good to take a life but I would not have been unhappy to have someone else as Vice President of the United States.
This is also on huffingtonpost.com
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