On The Internets 06.28.2010
- According to the most recent Gallup poll, 53% of Americans support the decision by President Obama to fire Gen. Stanley McChrystal from his command post in Afghanistan. On the flipside of that, 58% of Americans support beginning a withdrawal of troops in July 2011, and only 38% disapprove. Count me in with the majority on both counts. But don't count former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum (R) who says he supports McChrystal, and says it is the president's fault for the general being insubordinate. Obviously, Santorum's Obama Derangement Syndrome has reached a dangerous level.
- Neo-con "intellectual" leader Bill Kristol is praising President Obama in his new column at Weekly Standard for his recent decisions on the war in Afghanistan. "Can we be confident that Obama is really going for victory? I think so. Consider his speech Wednesday, when he announced the replacement of McChrystal with Petraeus. After referring to our 'vital mission' in Afghanistan, to doing 'whatever is necessary to succeed in Afghanistan, and in our broader effort to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda,' he urged us 'to remember what this is all about. Our nation is at war. We face a very tough fight in Afghanistan. But Americans don’t flinch in the face of difficult truths or difficult tasks. We persist and we persevere.' Kristol's praise should be a warning sign that Obama is doing the wrong thing. Remember, Kristol is one of the geniuses behind the disaster in Iraq. Neo-cons supporting Obama makes me very nervous.
- MSNBC host Dylan Ratigan is profiled in the New York Times. The article focuses mainly on his change from being stock picking, conservative, Wall Street establishment style host on CNBC to his current job on MSNBC railing against Wall Street and the politicians who do its bidding. “It’s like being the guy who was running the casino, and then having an awakening and realizing that the casino is what’s killing the country,” Mr. Ratigan said in an interview last week.
- Sen. Robert Byrd has died at the age of 92. Though he was a reliable vote for the Democrats for many years, I have nothing nice to say about the man. He was a former member of the KKK; and though he has repudiated that time in his life, I don't think anyone who has ever been involved with such an evil, terrorist organization can ever truly be redeemed.
- Former George W. Bush speechwriter David Frum has written a smart column for the Telegraph where he argues that the tea party is bad for the Republicans, and the GOP's enthusiasm about taking over Congress is overly optimistic. "It's difficult for a political party to think strategically after a political defeat as severe as 2008's. But the Tea Party elevated the inability to think strategically into a fundamental conservative principle. Its militants denounce those Republicans who have resisted the movement as ideological traitors: 'Republicans in name only' or even (charmingly) as 'Vichy Republicans'. In fact, the unthinking rejectionism of the Tea Party has strengthened Obama's political position. Now it threatens to deplete Republican strength in Congress, losing races that could have been won."
- Pope Benedict XVI called the police raids of Belgian churches for the purpose of gathering evidence of sex abuse by priests "deplorable." Too bad he can't muster any anger about what they were searching for evidence of...priests abusing children. That should be the #1 priority for the church, not protecting the rights of pedophiles.
4 comments:
1) You are right and Santorum is wrong. (Damn it hurts to type that!) :)
2) Don't dismiss Kristol for giving Obama credit. Isn't this what you have wanted all along? Cooperation from the right? Don't reject an idea simply because you don't like the source.
3)Robert Byrd should never have been elected to office, let alone remain there for 50 years. I agree with your distaste for his having been a Grand Kleagle in the KKK. He was a disgrace to the senate and I hope God has mercy upon him for his sins.
4)If the Beligian police had proper warrants, then I will side against my own Pope. There is unequivocally no excuse for pedophiles or the protection thereof. Anyone found justly guilty of such should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law regardless if they are a public school teacher, Boy Scout leader, or priest.
That being said, Pope Benedict has indeed "mustered anger" at these abuses. The Catholic Church in the US has undergone a complete revamping to ensure a safe environment for all children in regards to prevention of abuse by clergy or lay persons. The conduct is inexcusable.
That being said these crimes of evil are statistically the same or less than what is found in any such organization where children and adults are involved. Further, the Catholic Church as a whole should not be condemned for the evil perpetrated by a miniscule amount of its clergy when the Church stands for so much good in helping the poor and oppressed throughout the world, let alone the salvation of God that is offered through Christ.
Albeit even a single abuse is indeed a travesty and a stain upon the Church.
I've been very supportive of the war in Afghanistan but I'm really starting to wonder how it's possible we could ever truly declare victory there...what does that actually mean?
Yeah, Paine, I want cooperation from the right. But, in the case with Kristol, he is praising Obama for continuing a Bush era policy. Not the kind of support I'd like.
There is a LOT of what Obama is doing that is a continuation of a Bush policy. Gitmo, Patriot Act, drunken sailor spending, expanding of the government, expanding executive power, etc. etc. etc....
Post a Comment