Palin and Tancredo in "The Emperors New Clothes"

Tom Tancredo and Sarah Palin are blazing their way to the front & center of the new conservative movement. The Voice for the National Tea Party (NTP) Movement. However, it is not because they are the dynamic leaders that the GOP has been in desperate need of. Actually, it is because of the GOP's lack of leadership that enables Palin & Tancredo to run around unchecked and unchallenged.

Without this strong leadership, the GOP’s message has splintered and lost it’s focus. It still as the basic structure: Control spending, reduce taxes, and state rights. But it has lost definition and has become a conversation of bullet points & sound bites without any substance. The GOP has unintentionally unlocked their Pandora box. The diseases that are creeping out are based in irrational demonstrations of intolerance, hate, oxymoronic contradictions and hypocrisy.

They way this is playing out in the public forum, I am reminded of a childhood story about an Emperor and his new clothes. Tancredo suggested that people who cant spell the word ‘VOTE’ and / or who cant say VOTE in English, are responsible for electing a socialist into office. He went on to suggest that we should have literacy tests as a pre-qualifier for the right to vote. Just like the ones we used to keep black voters out of the voting process. These literacy tests had been used for more than 70 years until President Johnson ended these practices in 1965.

More surprising yet was the applause that he received for these statements. I am always the optimist, so I must assume that the audience doesn’t really share his views. The nation as a whole has a large number of people whocant or struggle with reading. I have seen signs at protest in DC, where English speaking people cant spell at a 3rd grade level. They must realize that they too would also be required to take “The Test”. Equalliy, I must believe that, as they applauded the speech, they weren't really supporting a practice that has been used as a racist tool to keep blacks out of voting booths. I am sure if someone would just speak out, they would that the Emperor is wearing no clothes.

Link to portions of his speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-7hlUgCIXo

Equally, Palin took center stage at this 1^st NTP convention. Once again she took shots at the president, which is expected. But almost each of her criticisms were either direct contradictions of her own behavior, or contradicted the behaviors of the Republican Party. Most noticeably were her comments on the teleprompter. While these were funny and endearing comments, they were delivered to her audience atthe same time as she herself was reading from her note cards and displaying he crib notes on her hand. Let’s not forget the comment about Obama speaking from a lectern, as she is holding tight to a podium. I think Chris Matthews has captured the single sound bite that can best sum up Sarah Palin: “She is an empty vessel.”

Link to her speech: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6182081n

Now, enter the child in our story, Megan McCain? That’s right. The GOP does have a voice of reason. Megan was captured on “The View” speaking out clearly against Tancredo. She was making it perfectly clear that the emperor has no clothes. As if she was tell the Republican Party: “There is still reason within the GOP, We Can disagree without losing ourselves and our values.

She also pointed out, the Republicans of the next generation do not,.. will not,.. participate in any type of irresponsible racism and hateful bantering.

She took no stand against Palin or even address she speech. And no one would expect her to. So far, Palin has spoken in such generalities that there isn’t much to work with. And of course that is the challenge with Palin. During a pre-screened interview at the NTP Convention, were Palin was staged and rehearsed, she was unable to memorize a script. This was not a impromptu speech. It has been on the calendar for months.

I continue to be hopeful that the NTP movement will eventually understand that “sound Bites” does not a policy make and the emperor is wearing no clothes.

Unfortunately for Megan is she is too young to be President, and too young to be taken seriously by the Good-Ol Boy structure that controls the GOP. But she is speaking out, and she is able to address issues with substance. Lets all hope that her of voice will be the voice that puts some details to the sound-bites and brings the Republican Party off the right of right

Detainee by any other Name

This is frustrating. The rule of law is so clear, that this does not rise to the level of debate. Unfortunately, Obama has demonstrated that he does not have a strong counter-punch.

Below is the URL to Eric Holder's Letter to Mich McConnell. Please read it. If you read that, you don't need to continue reading my comments.

Here are the quick highlights of Holder's letter: since 2001, there have been over 300 terrorists convicted in US Civil courts. In that same time, there have been two people (ONLY TWO) who have been transfered to "Law of War" detention. (Jose Padilla & Ali Saleh Kahlah Al-Marri) In both these cases, the process to use the "Law of War" placed significant risk to the prosecution process. All this resulted in was a much longer legal process, under two different court jurisdictions, where one court decided that the President did not have the authority to hold Padilla under the Law of War, and that Al-Marri was not afforded proper process to challenge his detainment. In the end, both detainees were transfered back to Civilian law and were convicted.

Lets be clear, McConnell, McCain, Collins and other Republicans are asking Obama to prosecute both KSM & Abdulmutallab using a:

a) Process that has never been successfully prosecuted before under Obama or Bush

b) And which has the highest likelihood to fail.

So as yet another example of how the Republicans are Obstructionists and are tuned to a single message: "Oppose Obama at all cost", McConnell & Sue Collins are willing to risk the strongest case against Abdulmutallab, and risk conviction, in order to gain their political stature.

If Obama were to follow their lead, there is a high probability that the prosecution would fail and be sent back to the Civil Process. Rest assure, the Republicans would make that a circus. If Obama, rejects their recommendation, Republicans continue this talking point.

The ctritical point in this argument is: They are wrong, They never followed their own advice and when they tried, it failed.

There should be no discussion here. But since the Republican Party is short on Leadership, short on credible solutions without working with Democrats in some way, they can only defuse, deflect, obstruct, mislead and blur the national conversation.

Eric Holders Letter to Mitch McConnell

http://www.justice.gov/cjs/docs/ag-letter-2-3-10.pdf

Amendment 8 - Cruel and Unusual Punishment. Ratified 12/15/1791

Amendment 8 - Cruel and Unusual Punishment. Ratified 12/15/1791. - Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

So I looked at this for over an hour last night. Occasionally switching back to the Constitution, and then back to this.

I did recognize one critical nuance throughout this document. There is a clear mention and uses of terms such as Citizen, or Persons, or even "The People". As I read the 8th Addendum in context of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. its overwhelming obvious that none of those terms are present.

Now, I'm not a Judge. Don't even play one on TV. But I can not see any disseminate or any difference in how a "Person", "People" or "Citizen" qualifies or disqualifies any constitutional due process

I'll go one more step and refer to the Declaration of Independence and attempt to capture not only the spirit, but the letter of that declaration.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal," Now I realize that we have had issue with these terms in the past. When these words were written down, they did not intend to be all inclusive. This did not include servants or labourers (aka: slaves) . We know this because those issues were resolved through constitutional amendments:13th & 24th Amendments. And we know that the framers did not intent to include women. We resolved that in in 1920 with the 19th amendment.

But we must assume that the term "All Men" applied to all men, and by todays standards we can argue that they must be at least of an age of 18 years. And we can assume that the national orientations could not have played a roll in the definition, or it would have excluded all the founding fathers. Many of them or their parents, or other family and friends were either a citizen of other countries or only one or two generations removed.

More current than this is the direction the President offered in his election bid and continues to support in his administration: We Do NOT Torture. Do the republicans get it? It doesn't matter if the suspect is is detained under any rule of law, we will not interrogate prisoners using any "Cruel and Unusual Punishment"

Ok, back to camera three,.. Damn! not a TV Studio, just a Blog

Closer to Common Ground

So the 2010 Election season has kicked off and is quickly shifting gears. The theme this year crosses both parties: "Throw the Bums Outs!"

Just over one-third (36) of the Senate seats are up for elections. All of the seats in the House of representatives are open for election. The Democrats and Republicans alike face challenges. Some of the more contested races will be no race at all.

Chris Dodd, Moving to Montana, or Iowa,

Byron Dorgan is retiring

Marion Barry - Duh!!

Parker Griffith - Switched Parties

Colorado Gov Bill Ritter, not seeking re-election

Michigan Lt Gov John Cherry has ended his bid

Truth be told, this is better for the Democrats than trying to run as an incumbent. In Connecticut, the State AG, Richard Blumenthal will run in Dodd's place. He is a strong candidate who can not be married to the current tit-for-tat that is going on inside the DC Beltway.

The Democrats need to work on a message. The problem is, the Republicans are much better at creating effective sound bites than the Dem’s. Always have been.

But all is not lost for the Democrats. The path to capture the drifting Independent vote may best be provided by the Republicans themselves.

The Republicans are facing a a tough incumbent challenge too. As Obama pointed out at the Republican Caucus last week, a Republican who makes any measurable compromise with the Obama Administration, puts themselves at risk to be challenged by their own fringe base. So the Republicans can not afford to meet Obama in the middle of any ideological issue. Equally, they can not appear to be the “Party of No” as the left has made claim. This would paint them as Obstructionists.

So the day-to-day political tactics for Republicans is now a double edge sword. Offer no middle ground for any legislation, less they risk the backlash from their own base. Make enough progress or create enough static background noise, so as not to be labeled an Obstructionist.

The 2010 election-cycle strategy for the Republicans boils down to semantic and word play. Regardless of the actual result or effect of a policy, bill or idea, the Right will colour every solution as more of the “Bank Bail Out” or more of “Socialist Obama-Care” plan. Even if the proposed plans would reduce deficit spending and limit how big, big-banks can be, and limit the risks banks would be allowed to take with tax payer money. Or how these plans would eliminate “Pre-existing” conditions as a reason to refuse benefits. With indifference to the actual content of the legislation, the Republicans will spin every policy to the negative, and stop all legislation.

Lets be clear,.. this is NOT because the Republicans are evil, or because they want to see the country fail. As we go through this election cycle, the Left must be consciously mindful, not to make wild and unfounded statements. The Republicans are simply trying to retake as much control of both houses as they can. No one can fault them for that. I’m pretty sure the Democrats are doing the same.

Unfortunately, the conservative engine that powers the political resistance is driven mostly by the hard-right media. This has created a hostile climate that makes it almost impossible for any Republican to openly cooperate with this administration. Somewhere between, Glen Beck, Bill O'Riley, Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh and other conservative hosts, they have taken control of the Republican Party. Any move toward the middle, yet to mention the left, will be met with full retaliation from all the right wing media.

Don't get me wrong, the Democrats are faced with a similar problem. They have had several seats filled by the "Blue-Dog" Democrats. While we did have that "Super Majority" until the MA election, the Blue-Dog Democrats have been problematic for Obama because these Blue-Dogs won their seats in conservative districts or states. Advantage: Democrats, They are in power. They don't have to go on the attack. They do have to play nice. Actually, they can even do better than nice. The Democrats now need to pull together all their most conservative policies and put them to a vote. This is a WIN/WIN strategy for 2010 because it forces the Republicans to the front.

If the Republicans approve or agree, they have to fight their base. If they reject it, the Democrats can prove that the Republicans are obstructionist who are worried about their jobs, the jobs of their constituents. And finally the best reason for this strategy is this. The Democrats never have to risk their integrity or their ideals. They just need to shut-up and play nice.

While I am obviously left of center, my hope for this year is not for sweeping power shift to the left or right in the mid-term elections. If I can hope for any change, I hope that we can temper the rhetoric and find a way that makes our elected officials understand that we are watching. We have expectations, and we demand better. Also, reassure them that we can start somewhere new, somewhere closer to common ground.

Final Note: As seen on Meet The Press this weekend, the executive from FOX News Network clearly articulated that their News Cycle is driven purely by Rating. And in his own words, He is winning. If that is true we should be able to agree that "Fair & Balance" is more of catch phrase than it is a model for reporting the news. The reason FOX stopped covering the President during the Republican Caucus Meeting last Friday was not motivated on weight or worthiness of the news. It was because it did not meet expectations of its viewers.

Think about that for a minute. They are not bringing you "News You Can Use". They are not interested in news for news sake. They are covering news that their viewers want to see.

I watch NBC, CNN and other News. If any of those broadcasts would have delivered the News the way FOX does. And if all other news Media outlets are liberal media, we would have last seen GW Bush on 9/12. But I don't think they ever pulled away from Bush in the middle of a speech.