Did Joe Klein Have An Ephiphany?

Many liberals like me have been tough on Joe Klein during the Bush years. Early last year I even had a post entitled "The Insipid Joe Klein." I and other liberal bloggers were angered by Klein's eagerness to embrace the neocon worldview about national security, terrorism and civil liberties. Even more infuriating, Klein has always been regarded as a liberal pundit while defending appalling policies.

Apparently, Klein is reading the tea leaves and realizes the center of political gravity is about to change in America. His writing and commentary are quite different this campaign season. Today, in Swampland, Klein posted a thoughtful essay about the role of Jewish neo-conservatives and the McCain campaign. As a Jewish American I've been dismayed by how neo-cons have defended Israel's brutal expansionist policies in the name of our national security interests. Hence, I was gratified by Klein's post today in which he specifically addresses the ridiculous controversy of Khalid Rashidi and McCain's slanderous efforts to link Obama with someone they describe as an anti-semite. To his credit, Klein rightfully quotes, Jeff Goldberg, the author of Prisons that being pro-Palestinian doesn't make one antisemitic:

"But about Khalidi -- he's a fierce partisan of the Palestinian cause, of course, and in my conversations with him, and in his writing, I see that his sympathies frequently cause him to distort Middle East history. But an anti-Semite? I don't think so. In fact, Rashid Khalidi is one of the rare Palestinian advocates who argues, as he has with me, that Arabs must study Jewish history, including and especially the history of Jew-hatred, in order to better understand Israel, and to reach a compromise with it."

I especially appreciated this comment from Klein:

"I find the conflation, by some Jewish neoconservatives, of Israel's interests and America's--and their truly dangerous misreading of both--to be appalling. But much worse is their rush to pin the tag of antisemitism on anyone who disagrees with them, including me."

Whether Klein is sincere or merely blowing with the political winds I don't know. I am encouraged however that he felt compelled to post this today.

Since I've started blogging I've received many hate emails accusing me of anti-Semitism. Although personally agnostic I am also proud of my Jewish heritage and identity. My grandfather escaped Nazi persecution in Poland while other relatives perished during the Holocaust. So being accused of anti-Semitism because I disagree with Israeli policy has always ticked me off. For the record I've also received hate email from people on the right and left simply for being Jewish.

Hopefully, Klein's post today illustrates that we're poised for a new era in which we can rationally discuss the Israeli/Palestinian conflict without silly name calling and guilt by association politics. Maybe, just maybe Joe Klein is a bellwether for what's to come after election day. Both America and Israel too would benefit.

Every Vote Matters

The one response that irks me more than any other when participating in get out the vote efforts is apathy. Even more than people who espouse absurd conservative ideology don't bother me nearly as much. Remarkable to me how some people don't believe their vote matters and rationalize not participating in our democracy. We all should have learned our lesson eight years ago.

What If Joe Lieberman Is Number Sixty?

Just a quick post. As we get closer to election day activism must take priority over blogging. Hence, it's been awhile since I've composed a thoughtful essay. I wanted to pose this question however. Suppose the world we wake up to on November 5th is fifty-nine Democratic Senators excluding Joe Lieberman? Like many liberals I am disgusted with Lieberman. He's taken delight in questioning the patriotism of those who have dissented against our military occupation of Iraq. As a secular Jewish American I am especially dismayed by Lieberman's pandering towards the Christian Right. Hence, I'm hoping an enlarged Democratic majority means Lieberman can be removed as Chairman of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee where he's been a disaster.

Yet what if Democratic Senator leader Harry Reid wakes up on November 5th with fifty-nine Senators and needs Lieberman to ensure a filibuster proof majority? Certainly I would not put it past Lieberman to cynically leverage himself as a player in exchange for supporting the Democratic caucus.

My own view is Lieberman should be jettisoned regardless because he'll only stab the Democrats in the back as soon as it becomes expedient. Better to reach out to specific Republicans for the sixtieth vote on an issue by issue basis such as Maine's Olympia Snow instead.

I suspect however that Harry Reid would rationalize that Lieberman is a "reliable" vote on many domestic issues and overlook the past. And Lieberman would then retain the threat of denying Democrats their filibuster majority. So instead of being marginalized Lieberman could remain relevant. A sideshow issue in the scheme of things but something to ponder.

Has Sarah Palin Ever Watched Schoolhouse Rock?

What is it about Republicans and the office of Vice President? Vice President Cheney has attempted to circumvent the law by claiming he was a member of the legislative and not the executive branch. And now we have this from Sarah Palin.



For the record, under Article Three of of the the United States Constitution:

"If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified."

And article Article One of the Constitution stipulates the following:

"The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided."

Sarah Palin and myself have one thing in common: we're both members of Generation X. Hence, I have to ask, didn't this woman ever watch Schoolhouse Rock?

Sarah Palin Is A Brezhnev Republican

Remember when conservatives delightfully blistered John Edwards for hypocritically paying $400 for a haircut from his campaign treasury? Well, as many of you know by now, Politico reports that Governor Sarah Palin used donations to the Republican National Committee to spend $150,000 on clothes. All this while accusing Barack Obama for the sin of socialism.

A couple years I ago I started referring to politicians such as Palin as "Brezhnev Republicans." Under Lenoid Brezhnev the Soviet Union stagnated while the nomenklatura enriched themselves at the expense of regular people.

Sarah Palin epitomizes the mentality of Communist elites under the rule of Lenoid Brezhnev. It is the same mentality that allows them to loot while criticizing Barack Obama for daring to value work over wealth. Under Republican leadership the wealthiest have paid the least and horded their capital like lard. Nothing has trickled down to wage earners. This past month Brezhnev Republican George W. Bush nationalized the banking industry.

Yet, whenever Democrats such as Obama dare to address the sort of economic injustice faciliated by George W. Bush, John McCain and fashionista Sarah Palin, they're accussed of "socialism," "class warfare" and wanting to "redistribute" wealth. Well, John McCain who sold out to Charles Keating in the 1980s and Sarah Palin and her shopping spree are examples of Brezhnev Republicans.

Oh Yeah, Health Care

Remember when our callous and reality challenged President noted everyone has access to healthcare through the emergency room last year? The same president whom John McCain supports 90% of the time with a healthcare plan designed to warm the cockles of the Ayn Rand Brezhnev Republicans who regard healthcare as a priviledge and not a right?

Today, the Associated Press reports that Amber Joy Milbrodt claims a hospital without insurance billed her $162 when she didn't even see a doctor! According to the article, Ms. Milbrodt broke her leg and waited nineteen hours before a nurse assessed her injuries at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas.

The same article noted that prior to Ms. Milbrodt's visit, a 58-year-old man who went to the emergency room of the same hospital with stomach pains also waited 19 hours — and then suffered cardiac arrest and died.

Our market based healthcare has resulted in the rationing of medial treatment in America. And anyone who believes John McCain and the Republican nomenklatura will make it better is a fool.

I want my country back!

Is A Day Of Reckoning For the Bush/GOP Crime Syndicate Coming

A provocative blogger named Gottlieb recently posted a diary entitled "The Reckoning" over at The Wild Wild Left. Among the questions he asks are:

"Will Bush/Cheney get a pass so 'we can all move forward together' or will Obama demand his predecessors face a reckoning for the horror they've perpetrated?

Will Barack Obama prove to be the man he claims or in the tank for the money power?

Does he have the character worthy of the trust of a nation or will he prove just another in a long line of disappointments?"

There were numerous thoughtful responses to Gottlieb's thread. I posted the following comment:

"I don't believe there will be any reckoning. I hope I'm wrong. Rather, I believe upon taking office the system that inhabits the body politic will advise Obama: you can promote your progressive agenda or you can hold people accountable for the past but you won't be able to do both. And since the so-called new order doesn't have clean hands either, most of the Bush-Cheney cabal that have been looting right to the end (Halliburton, the bailout and so on) won't pay a harsh price in proportion to their crimes.

I know both Obama and Biden have suggested otherwise in their public comments. And I very much hope that a reckoning of justice takes place with convictions and jail time. But it won't. The law catches up to OJ but it won't really catch up to Bush, Cheney, or most of their cabal. Some collateral damage perhaps such as Abramoff or Scooter Libby but a wholesale reckoning won't happen.

Remember Ollie North? He ultimately got rich over Iran-Contra."

So what do readers here think about a so-called day of reckoning for the Bush crime syndicate? Are you expecting one? Do you believe the body politic can support the pursuit of justice against the criminal perpertrators of the Bush years as well as health care?

Personally, I'm inclined to demand both and believe it's a matter of will and leverage. Actvists and truth tellers such as the progressive blogosphere must insist on accountability should Obama prevail in November. However, as I wrote on Gottlieb's thread, I don't believe a true reckoning will take place just as Bush and Cheney were never impeached while in office.

Instead, we will be given a choice between promoting progressive policy such as health care reform and infrastructure development or justice. If forced to choose then I pick the economy over frog marching Karl Rove, Dick Cheney and George W. Bush. But damn it we shouldn't have to choose. Our country needs accountability for redemption.

Al-Quaida Prefers McCain

The Associated Press is reporting that an Al-Quaida linked website suggests in a message to their supporters they prefer John McCain over Barack Obama.

Here is a quote from the Associated Press's report:

"The message, posted Monday on the password-protected al-Hesbah Web site, said if al-Qaida wants to exhaust the United States militarily and economically, 'impetuous' Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain is the better choice because he is more likely to continue the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

'This requires presence of an impetuous American leader such as McCain, who pledged to continue the war till the last American soldier,' the message said. 'Then, al-Qaida will have to support McCain in the coming elections so that he continues the failing march of his predecessor, Bush.'

SITE Intelligence Group, based in Bethesda, Md., monitors the Web site and translated the message.

'If al-Qaida carries out a big operation against American interests,' the message said, 'this act will be support of McCain because it will push the Americans deliberately to vote for McCain so that he takes revenge for them against al-Qaida. Al-Qaida then will succeed in exhausting America till its last year in it.'"

Of course none of this is news to those of us who protested the post 9/11 policies of President George W. Bush and his merry band of corporatist theocratic neocons. Electing John McCain will only continue polices that profit plutocratcs and help facilitate Armageddon as those who subscribe to endtimes are praying for. That is the real John McCain coalition: people who exploit war to fleece America and religious nuts hoping Armageddon will bring about the Kingdom of God. And Al-Quaida knows it.