Redefing Crude

Here is a link to a public statement by a previously disgraced political hack and convicted criminal, which lays bare the depths that extreme partisans will go to inflame and promote conflict.

Fortunately Conservative, aka Republican, politicians have begun to realize how damaging their most ideological spokespersons have become to their cause.

G. Gordon Liddy has taken it over the top, even more egregious that O'Reilly, Limbaugh, Gingrich, Yoo, Cheney et al.

Their contributions to the public discourse rival the 1970's movie, Deliverance, for the grossest and crudest award.

Leanderthal

No Balls Update

Oops. Old Dude reminded me that I forgot to provide the link I mentioned in the post on the California Supreme Court Prop 8 ruling.

Just another senior moment.

I fixed it.

Hat tip to Old Dude

But What About

No Balls At All

Here's a link to an article which outlines the basis on which the California Supreme Court upheld the validity of Proposition 8, banning same sex "marriage". They didn't make it retroactive, and they didn't take away any of the rights of marriage, only the right to say they are married.

Note that the lone dissenter in the 6-1 decision is the only Democrat on that court, and that the members of that court can be recalled by the voters.

No balls at all.

Just goes to show how long it takes to rid the populace of prejudice. Ask any black person.

Leanderthal

Gene Robinson on Obama and Cheney

Here is a really good piece by a really good guy.

Leanderthal

Going For Broke in Afghanistan?

Here's a link to a piece by Tom Englehardt that should be a cause for great concern.

It has to do with the change in leadership in Afghanistan, and the reputation of the new general in charge.

Seymour Hersh is not known for making stuff up, and he has recently shone a bright light on the dark side of this guy.

Someone recently said that Afghanistan is Vietnam for slow learners.

Leanderthal

That's More Like It

Here's a report on Obama's speech about detainees today. This is more like the guy I voted for.

Leanderthal

The "Gooey Mess" that is Gitmo

Here's a column which lays out the problems Obama is facing on the detainee issue. The best line is that Obama inherited a "gooey mess" from Bush.

Leanderthal

Disgusted and Ashamed

Here's something that's so outrageous and utterly stupid that it makes me "disgusted and ashamed", to quote Hilzoy of the Washington Monthly.

We not only have Pelosi digging her own hole, and still digging, we have Reid saying idiotic things like those quoted in this Washington Monthly piece.

All that's on top of Obama endorsing one thing after another of the past Bush horror show.

Right about now we, who voted for people we thought were progressive politicians are supposed to be watching and enjoying positive, progressive things happening in Washington and around the world. Instead we're watching absurd, childish school yard behavior.

Where have all the adults gone?

Leanderthal

Patently Absurd and Sickening

Here's a piece about the Dems' spineless approach to detainees.

If our prisons were not considered adequate in keeping the public safe, they would all be empty.

This is NIMBY in the extreme. Obama caved on this issue too. He just didn't seem to be willing to work hard enough to keep his house in order.

It's baffling that the GOP , which seems to be known more and more as the laughing stock party, is winning on virtually all fronts. What's the use in having a majority in Congress if those in the majority lack the guts to be honest with their constituents, and if the majority party president caves too?

Leanderthal

How Sad

It saddens me that this column by Glenn Greenwald of Salon.com even had to be written.

Who would have thought what Obama is saying and doing about detainees and civil liberties since becoming president? If I thought just one thing about Obama as a candidate it was that he was honest and sincere in what he campaigned on. I can't say that now.

How sad.

Leanderthal

Two Faces of Evil

Here's a link to Frank Rich's column in last Sunday's Times, which pours more light on the dark side of the Bush presidency.



We've all heard stories about the power of former V.P. Cheney's influence on the actions and decisions of George W. Bush during the the past eight years, and he seems to be determined to justify his actions and exonerate himself. It's rather frightening to know that someone who occupied the second highest office in the land(and actually functioned as the highest officer) still believes so strongly in the war crimes he committed that he actually wants to pour light on that darkness.

And now it is coming to light that Rumsfeld spun Bush with Bible quotations on the cover pages of his briefings to the president, appealing, in an appalling way, to the born again Christian's simple mindedness.

It seems there was a bloodless(but only in the White House) coup eight years ago. Cheney and Rumsfeld pulled it off and Bush didn't get it until the end of his presidency. They made "that small dim man", to quote Garrison Keillor, a boy king, and he loved it. He woke up each morning for several years thinking he was President of the United States.

Here we have a new meaning of the phrase two -faced, with both images being faces of evil. The third face, Bush's own, was an incarnation of Narcissus.

The hypocrisy is stunning.

Leanderthal









Frank Rich uses his column in the Sunday Times, a well read column in a well read newspaper, to draw needed attention to new revellations about how Donald Rumsfeld

Obama at Notre Dame

Here's a link to an article which deals with what Obama had to say today at Notre Dame.

It's natural for me to want to hear good stuff about Obama, and I'm not at all happy when I am disappointed in him as president, and write about it as I have lately.

This article reveals Obama's wisdom in how he dealt in his commencement address with the Solomon -like dilemma of abortion.


Leanderthal

Obama Reneges on His Passionate Campaign Promises

Here's the Sunday Times editorial on Obama's apparent backing of Bush era detainee policies.

Frank Rich and Maureen Dowd address the issue as well, here and here.

Two years ago I wrote about not expecting much if any difference regardless of who was elected. Sadly, I guess I was right.

I might as well have voted for McCain.

Leanderthal

Glenn Greenwald on Obama's Reneging on Photos.

This column speaks for itself. I'll only add that I agree with the author.

Leanderthal

Is It Just The Far Left That's Concerned?

Here's an opinion column which deserves some serious consideration.

Obama's recent decisions and stated opinions seem to be at serious odds with what his most ardent supporters, this one included, expected of him.

For the most part this disappointment is about his positions on national security, torturing, secrecy, detainees, relations with Israel and his decisions about Afghanistan. He seems to be walking away from the principles on which he campaigned and which got him elected.

I doubt that the growing disillusionment is limited to the far left.

In a few days Netanyahu will be here. He brings a reactionary view of Middle East politics with him. Obama has gone on record in favor of an approach, the two state solution, to solving the Israel/Palestinian problem.

We can only wait and see if Obama sticks to his guns on this one.

Leanderthal

Humor The Voice Crying, If You Please

The name of this blog is A Voice Crying In The Wilderness.

I've recently(two weeks ago) installed a counter on my blog because I had no idea if anyone was listening. Is it really a voice crying in the wilderness, a question kind of like the old philosophical chesnuts; 'If a tree falls in the forest and there's no one there to hear it, does it make a noise?' and 'What is the sound of one hand clapping?'.

The counter stats make it clear that The Voice doesn't have the following of a Times columnist, but that, on average, five or so people visit the site on a given day and about half of them view more than one post.

It would be nice to get some feedback from readers. While I do moderate comments I only weed out the gross and the profane. Agreeing or disagreeing is what I'm interested in.

So if you are so inclined, please consider leaving a comment.

Leanderthal,
The Voice

Will The Real Obama Please Stand Up?

Then again, maybe he has.

Here's Glenn Greenwald on how far Obama has gone to protect torturers.

We also learned today that Obama has replaced the top general in Afghanistan with a guy who has been reputed to have ignored his soldiers' maltreatment of prisoners, if not actually encouragedit.

What the Hell is going on here?

Tell us what you think.

Leanderthal

Credibility Gap at the Times

Here's a link to an article set to appear in The New York Times, Sunday, May 10, 2009. according to the Times' web page on Saturday, May 9.



I draw your attention to this particular piece primarily because The Times Web Site announced that the article would appear in the Sunday Times on page A1. The announcement makes no mention of whether it will appear above or below the fold.



When you read it please pay attention to whether you consider its content to be news or opinion.



If it's opinion it has no place being on page A1, whether above or below the fold. And if it's place is on the editorial page or the Op-Ed page, the Times' editors should come clean on to whom it attributes the opinion it clearly endorses.



Recently, a Times' reporter received a Pulitzer for exposing the cozy relationship between the Pentagon and some retired military officers. It's apparent that the powers that be, at that time, bought and paid for the officers' willingness to appear as our military patriots in support of what most of us have come to wonder was worth the sacrifice of lives and fortune. They tried to equate the situation with the reality of WWII.

These officers were shills for the Pentagon and the Bush administration. They were paid to spin the news and to spread the Bush propaganda.

The Times didn't even mention that their own employee won the Pulitzer for his uncovering of this sham.

Leanderthal

Being Critical of Israel is OK

Here is an important point of view by a young adult Jewish woman.

It's worth reading in its entirety.

As the meeting between Obama and Netanyahu approaches this view needs to made as public as possible.

Leanderthal

Roger Cohen on the Mellow Doctrine

Here's why Obama's approach in foreign policy will be successful in reversing the disastrous axis of evil foreign policy approach of the past eight years.

Break The Status Quo Position on Israel

This is a very interesting piece about the Israel Lobby, or the Status Quo position.

It speaks against the strong arm tactics applied to members of Congress to support the status quo, meaning no peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

Leanderthal

Defecting To Faith

I really like this column. Charles Blow does some straight talking about the attraction of houses of worship. He nailed it for me.

Leanderthal