We Love Democracy......when it's convenient

Yes, we are lovers of democracy. According to our President, we want to spread democracy around the world. I am told we are currently bringing democracy to Iraq.

But alas, our love affair with democracy seems to have limits, because democracy is a lot like history - sometimes you gotta take the good with the bad.

The last two Presidential elections have had allegations of voter fraud. Even the recent Iraq elections had some fraud allegations, but I have yet to hear or read about any fraud in the recent Palestinian election.

If you have not been keeping up, Hamas, a Palestinian group who is recognized by the United States and the United Nations as a terrorist organization, recently won a majority of seats in their new government. Yes, the people have spoken, but they have not spoken what the U.S., the U.N. and Israel wanted them to say.

Hamas has said that it does not recognize Israel as a nation, and have basically said that they want to wipe Israel off the map. And of course, like in almost every aspect of politics, there is money involved.

The U.S., the U.N. and even Israel have been giving money to the Palestinian government, which before the elections was run by the Palestinian Authority (P.A.). The P.A. has been working with Israel on a peace process, which had a big boost from the recent Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

The problem now is this: the U.S. and the U.N. do not negotiate or do business with those deemed to be terrorists, and of course, Israel would not want to do business with someone intent on wiping them off the map. The Palestinians have been dependent on the money that has been given to them for their economy. So now what?

Time will tell. It will depend mostly on the new Palestinian government and the way Hamas leads it. It will depend on whether or not Hamas will change its mind about Israel. But with all the variables in this scenario, one thing seems certain: Democracy has its ups and downs.

So I ask, do we support democracy in general or just when it's convenient?

more info:
Palestinians Appeal for Continued Aid (AP)

In regards to yesterday's post about Clinton...

Check out what ThinkProgress.org has to say about the "blame Clinton" defense that I was talking about yesterday.

They start off talking about Attorney General Alberto Gonzales going on Larry King Live. Here's what Gonzales had to say:

"I would say that with respect to comments by the former vice president it’s my understanding that during the Clinton administration there was activity regarding the physical searches without warrants, Aldrich Ames as an example.

"I can also say that it’s my understanding that the deputy attorney general testified before Congress that the president does have the inherent authority under the Constitution to engage in physical searches without a warrant and so those would certainly seem to be inconsistent with what the former vice president was saying today."

And here is what ThinkProgress.org has to say:

"The issue with the Bush’s warrantless domestic wiretapping program is that it violates a federal criminal law, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Despite what Gonzales is implying, the Clinton administration never violated FISA and never claimed they could violate FISA. Here’s why:

"1. Prior to 1995, FISA did not cover physical searches. (With Clinton’s signature, the law was expanded to cover physical searches in 1995.) The search of Aldrich Ames home occurred in 1993. It did not violate FISA.

"2. Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick testified in 1994 that the President could conduct warrantless physical searches, before FISA required physical searches to be conducted pursuant to a warrant. Gorelick was arguing that the President could conduct warrantless physical searches in the absence of Congressional action. At no time did she suggest that, after Congress required the President to obtain a warrant, the executive branch could ignore the law, nor is there any evidence the Clinton administration failed to comply with FISA."

And one reader pointed out in a comment under the ThinkProgress.org post that Gonzales kept saying "it's my understanding." That phrase is great lawyer-speak for really saying, "I'm going to give this statement as 'my opinion' because I know I'm wrong, and when I'm called out for it, I can say I was stating opinion and not fact, so that I don't look like a bigger liar than I already am."

more info:
In Desperation, Gonzales Smears Gore (ThinkProgress.org)

I guess the ol' "blame Clinton" defense never gets old...

Listening to the Kevin Elkins radio show this morning on am 1440, a caller was talking about Bush's wiretaps being illegal, and Elkins jumped to Bush's defense with the question, "What about Clinton?"

Next caller calls in with some information she got from Fox "News" about Al Gore's speech in which he blasted George W for using illegal wiretaps, with Fox "News" saying that in a previous speech during the Clinton administration, he was defending those same wiretaps.

The point was that everybody does it, both Republican and Democrat, and if Clinton did it, then how can anyone complain when Bush does it?

So if both parties have done it, the question must be asked, "Does that make it right?"

If a president breaks the law, how is the best defense "Well, Clinton did it?" That does not magically make the law 'unbroken.' That does not excuse Bush from breaking the law. Hell, when Bush ran in 2000, wasn't his theme something about "restoring dignity to the White House" or some such nonsense? Shouldn't he be holding himself to a higher standard? Shouldn't his defense be more like, "Clinton did this, so I'm NOT going to do the same?"

I guess not.

And really, when it comes down to it, if Clinton really did break the law by using illegal wiretaps, then maybe the impeachment process would have been more successful for the Republicans if they had used that instead of who was blowing him.

more info:
Kevin Elkins

Why does anyone still take Pat Robertson seriously?

Comedian Lewis Black asked a similar question about Jerry Falwell in one of his comedy specials, right before encouraging Falwell's followers to wear tinfoil so we could pick them out. The same should apply to Pat Robertson. It seems he is in the news at least once a month regarding some new crazy and moronic quote.

Here he is on his TV show "The 700 Club" talking about Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon soon after Sharon's stroke: "He was dividing God's land, and I would say woe unto any prime minister of Israel who takes a similar course to appease the EU, the United Nations or United States of America." Then Robertson goes on to quote God: "This land belongs to me, you better leave it alone."

Now of course, because Robertson supports the theory of Intelligent Design, which was seen when he threatened God's wrath on the city of Dover, PA, he believes that there is a 'Designer' or 'Creator' who created the earth from nothing, in fact, created the entire universe from nothing. And even though the 'Creator' formed the entire universe, including the earth and all the land masses on earth....well dammit, he wants that piece of land that sits between Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea or he's just not gonna be happy. And he won't stop handing out strokes to prime ministers over the age of 50 until Israel reneges on the deal with the Palestinians and gets renamed "Jesus Land."

During a recent interview, when asked about the recent remarks by Pat Robertson, God was quoted as saying, "Who is Pat Robertson?"

more info:
Robertson Links Sharon Stroke, God's Wrath (AP story)
Robertson blamed Sharon stroke on policy of "dividing God's land" (Media Matters)

Local News: Alabama sues gas stations for price gouging and Porn wants its money from the City of Montgomery

Stop N Go Express at 4714 Mobile Highway and the Cannon Kwik Stop at 1111 Perry Hill Road are being taken to court by Alabama Attorney General Troy King. The civil suit sites price gouging, which they say occurred in the days after Hurricane Katrina.

According to the Montgomery Advertiser, "In the days following Hurricane Katrina gas prices shot up across the nation, in many cases to more than $3 per gallon, prompting 45 attorneys general to investigate."

King says most businesses who have been accused of price gouging did not break the law, however some investigations are still ongoing.


...and in other news...Montgomery's newest adults-only store wants $500,000 from Montgomery...

X-Mart, located at 3500 Birmingham Highway in Montgomery, wants $500,000 from the City of Montgomery for lost income.

Apparently, X-Mart opened its doors without a business license, so naturally, the city shut it down, as if the City of Montgomery wasn't already looking for a reason to shut down a 24-hour porn shop. When X-Mart applied for a business license, the city denied the license.

X-Mart then fought the City of Montgomery in federal court and won on First Amendment free speech grounds.

The City of Montgomery caused X-Mart to be closed a total of 275 days, which Mayor Bobby Bright says was not because of the materials they sold (yeah, right) but because they initially operated without a business license.

City lawyers say that, as of now, a settlement has not been reached.

More info:
Montgomery gas stations sued for price gouging (Montgomery Advertiser article)
Adult store wants Montgomery's money (Montgomery Advertiser article)

What I learned in 2005...at the Capital City Free Press

See "What I learned in 2005," my new column in the Capital City Free Press.

Excerpt:

"In George W. Bush's America, dissent equals treason, and this fact is voiced by members of the 'liberal media' like Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly."

and...

"When a hurricane hits land, you can rest assured that the president will take charge of the situation within six business days."

Read the entire article here.

Read the January issue of the Capital City Free Press here.