Seems like everyone's following the lead of our flip-flopping 2008 presidential candidates -- from Columbia University president Lee Bollinger reversing course and bad-mouthing his guest, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to Verizon changing direction and allowing NARAL to send pro-abortion text messages to its (Verizon's) customers after all. Is a national trend forming? Susannah and Bob discuss in the latest "Running Gags"!


Merci to my muse for mentioning both news stories.

ABSENT: Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, John McCain, Mitt Romney

PRESENT: Sam Brownback, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, Ron Paul, Tom Tancredo, Alan Keyes

What were they thinking? They say a picture is worth a thousand words and the four empty chairs on the podium of the Republicans' recent debate on Thursday, September 27th at Morgan State University spoke volumes. Regardless of the spin or the rationale (reported "scheduling conflicts" for each of them), those candidates obviously did not think it was worth their while to show up and there is no way to interpret that except that they didn't think it was important to reach out to these blocs of voters -- which is interesting, since the over 60, white male, southern voter is probably going to vote for one of them anyway and is a shrinking population. I'm not sure a candidate can win the national election anymore with over 60, while male, southern voters.

Mike Huckabee said he was "embarrassed for our party and I'm embarrassed for those who didn't come."

Sam Brownback said, "I think this is a disgrace that they are not here...a disgrace to our country...bad for our party...I don't think it's good for our future."

The general consensus is that after the primary, whoever the Republicans select will start moving towards the center and reaching out to these other voters. Good luck with that strategy. There are a lot of us around who will remind people of who was important, or not, to the candidate in September 2007.

According to the Bush Administration, the Social Security Administration is approaching a potential deficit of 13+ trillion dollars and an overhaul of the system is needed. This is not the first time the Bush Administration has attempted to address the problems associated with Social Security as this was a major campaign issue in both his first and second term. So far, it has stalled completely and remains, like immigration reform, a domestic agenda that has very little support.

Reforming and fixing Social Security was a major aspect of Bush's domestic agenda, but it never gained much traction. In 2005, as the AP notes, Bush had pushed a privatization plan that would provide accounts for younger voters. This proposal never even came up to a vote in congress as it lacked Democratic and Republican support. Now, Bush is attempting to promote a variant of this plan, but it does not seem there is much progress being made on amassing more supporters. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has gone on record opposing any plan that would involve privatization so if Bush's plan includes any aspects of involving the private sector, it will be dead in the water.

It's been an interesting week in the free speech debate; we have Holocaust denier Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaking at Columbia University next Monday, A Colorado collegiate newspaper that runs an editorial of two words: F**K BUSH and Stanford students and faculty hitting twelve on the outrage meter that Donald Rumsfeld will participate in classes. In other words, we have a strong, healthy dose of reinvigorating the Constitutional debate happening and it's always a good exercise.

First on Ahmadinejad. I, for one, say, "let the man speak." Sunlight is a great disinfectant and perhaps an enterprising blogger or student will ask him some tough questions the media does not. Maybe we'll see him put on the spot for his references to erasing Israel and his steady quest for nukes. Heaven knows that free speech is effectively dead in his home country of Iran, where saying what you think will get you shot. We also see the anti-war people for who they are, rabid socialists who support Palestinians and abhor Israel.

In other words, a man that right-thinking people hate is allowed to speak because the political right values free speech more than the political left. The proof is available in two cases in California involving the aforementioned Rumsfeld and Larry Summers.

I originally wrote about Blackwater back in April, "Outsourcing the War: Blackwater USA". Based on the comments I received at the time, no one seemed to have a big problem with these mercenaries (versus loyal Americans willing to fight for $30,000 a month) operating below the horizon in Iraq (and New Orleans, post-Katrina) . Fast forward five months....

Blackwater is now being investigated by just about everybody for this, that and the other thing. Little things like selling arms to terrorists (as in our weapons, traced through serial numbers, ending up in the hands of terrorists in the Middle East).

One could make a good argument that they were simply doing their job when they killed the 11 (or 20) Iraqi terrorists (or civilians) after the State Department convoy they were guarding (under their lucrative 3/4 billion dollar contract with the U.S. State Department) was attacked. I've heard people say that by definition, our volunteer army is, in fact, a mercenary army. I know or know of many military people, those who have chosen to devote their careers to serving their country, like my brother, and those who volunteered to serve after 9/11 out of patriotism, the sons and daughters and husbands and wives of people I know. Not one of them is in it for the money.

The Iraqi government has said as many as 20 civilians were killed by gunfire from Blackwater USA contractors who were guarding a U.S. diplomatic convoy. Iraqi officials dispute the U.S. claim that the guards were responding to an attack. The Blackwater employees involved in the incident are still in Iraq, but those who fired weapons -- about a third of the guards -- were "standing down," said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.

Outside experts may be brought in to help review the "protective service details" in Baghdad, McCormack said. Such details usually have 15 to 20 guards. The "full, complete review" would look at rules of engagement and overall operations, with consultation with lawyers over what authority contractors operate under, he said.

Sunday's shooting has created new tension between the U.S. and Iraqi governments. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed regret about the incident in a phone call to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and promised an open and transparent probe into what happened.

The problem with outsourcing government services is that private firms are in business to make money, not serve the greater good. When billions of dollars are being loosely thrown at no-bid contracts (those would be our tax dollars at work, thank you) that will be administered by private firms whose only purpose in life is to make a profit, contracts awarded without competitive bidding, without any oversight afterward or accountability by or to the American people, the end result is pretty much predictable.

As an aside, one could also make a comment about how safe conditions have become in Iraq since the surge was implemented. Just a stroll in an Indiana open marketplace. Not only were Blackwater operations suspended after this incident, but all non-military personnel were forbidden to leave the so-called "safe" Green Zone. As of Saturday, all Blackwater "services" have been resumed, so it is now okay for our congressional delegations to venture out so they can return home to tell us how wonderful everything is over there.

The Orwellian period is in full swing. Our wonderful, all exalted big brother is now taking into account not only where we travel but what we read or even what letters we write to the local newspaper and I presume what we write on blogs (some people's files must be getting thick):

The U.S. government is collecting electronic records on the travel habits of millions of Americans who fly, drive or take cruises abroad, retaining data on the persons with whom they travel or plan to stay, the personal items they carry during their journeys, and even the books that travelers have carried, according to documents obtained by a group of civil liberties advocates and statements by government officials. The personal travel records are meant to be stored for as long as 15 years, as part of the Department of Homeland Security's effort to assess the security threat posed by all travelers entering the country.

And it's all innocent, they're just trying to protect us, to make us safe from all those terrorists. It wouldn't be to intimidate Americans would it? It wouldn't be part of stifling of dissent would it? It would never result in a firefighter being questioned for letters he sent to his local paper would it?

Zakariya Reed, a Toledo firefighter, said in an interview that he has been detained at least seven times at the Michigan border since fall 2006. Twice, he said, he was questioned by border officials about "politically charged" opinion pieces he had published in his local newspaper. The essays were critical of U.S. policy in the Middle East, he said. Once, during a secondary interview, he said, "they had them printed out on the table in front of me."

And some of you are thinking that with that first name he should probably be deported. Sick. Why does it take until a family member gets 'interviewed' or arrested that we get how far the current Republicans will go to keep power. That's what this is all about. Staying in power by scaring us. This cancer of consolidating power by fiat in the executive branch is what is scaring. I'm a Democrat and I don't want any President, D or R, to continue down the road to total power. The abuse of power must be stopped before it gets much worse.

Beginning in October 2007 the Department of Homeland Security will open a new office called the National Applications Office (NAO) charged with civil/domestic intelligence gathering. This new division of Homeland Security was conceived entirely by the Executive Branch, with no Congressional input, and will serve as a clearinghouse for requests to access the data provided by military spy satellites, with a resolution of inches, to view the territorial United States. That's right a resolution of inches and they are charged with domestic spying.

There's a funny thing tho. Americans might not like the idea of cameras peeping in anywhere and everywhere. In fact, there's a law that doesn't allow the military to undertake activities like this on Americans. It generally

prohibits Federal military personnel and units of the United States National Guard under Federal authority from acting in a law enforcement capacity within the United States, except where expressly authorized by the Constitution or Congress.

Of course this is an administration that thumbs its nose at both. You may have heard of this law. The Posse Comitatus Act ? When is it going to sink in to Americans that the Bush administration is not out to protect Americans but to control Americans. Recent polls show the public is no longer buying the excuses and 'mis-statements' of the Republican Administration. Through fear, by co-opting a willing media and intimidation they have tried to mislead the public. This is just one more case. Every Republican candidate has no problem with the NAO office. Let's make sure they are stopped. Public awareness makes a difference if we act on it.

There will be no links or photos in this post. This is just a bunch of predictions and thoughts. We'll see how they come out:

- We're in Iraq for 2-5 more years. Even if we started withdrawing tomorrow it would take at least a year to get out. Still that's better than General Petraeus's ten years or the neo-cons century. What President Bush started he certainly will not finish.

- A third party candidate will enter the race (probably next year). I think Chuck Hagel will be a part of it and Michael Bloomsberg will either run or bankroll it. Altho the country is pretty receptive to change, it will not go third party in this time.

- I'm still amazed by the lack of focus on how corrupt and inefficient this administration is. With the combined wars we have over $750 Billion in defense with little results and we're seriously in huge debt. Yet, our obsession with entertainment and sports goes on and on.

- Every time I hear another in the endless talking points on why we can't leave Iraq and then I hear a report of more American or Iraqi deaths, my heart sinks. This war has gone on for more than we were in WW2 and for far less noble a cause.

- I wish any of the leading current Republicans running would tell the truth. Something like: 'The American people are right. This war is a quagmire, there's no solution and the longer we stay the worse it gets. i can't say that because the current President is from my party.'

- At the current rate, Democrats will have a veto proof majority in Congress and no matter who is president, the war will draw to a close faster rather than sooner.

John Dean, Nixon's lawyer, has written a book, Conservatives Without Conscience, which was started with Sen. Barry Goldwater, just before the senator's death. Dean, who is not a liberal, takes his party to task for falling under the hold of fundamental authoritarians.

Most conservatives today do not believe that conservatism can or should be defined. They claim that it not an ideology, but rather merely an attitude...The glue of the movement is in its perceived enemies. Conservatives once found a common concern with respect to their excessive concern about communism (not that liberals and progressive were not concerned as well, but they were neither paranoid nor willing to mount witch hunts). When communism was no longer a threat, the dysfunctional conservative movement rallied around its members' common opposition to anything they perceived as liberal....While not all conservatives are authoritarians, all highly authoritarian personalities are political conservatives and authoritarians took control of the conservative movement in the 1980s, and then the Republican Party in the 1990s.

A conservative used to be someone who prided themselves on 'thinking for themselves' on 'individualism' and 'resisting the encroachment of government on individual rights'. Today, anyone who resists the message of the central government in its endless war abroad or the Constitution is a suspect. The common enemy is anyone perceived to be not supporting the troops (by wanting to bring them home). Today, a few authoritarian leaders decide how and what the followers should believe. Their message comes out in talking points dutifully repeated by the traditional media and talk show hosts and bloggers. My hunch is the voters have had enough. More analysis here and here

Sirius and XM radio have announced that they would like to merge and make better music together. I own stock in Sirius and it is believed that such a merger will help the stock rise. I am not so sure about that, but that is not what this story is about.

It was just announced that Sirius and XM have spent over $800,000 lobbying to make sure this merger works. On the other side, The National Association of Broadcasters have spent over $4 million to prevent the merger. Meanwhile, the fat cats on capital hill are getting richer. Do you really think they care about cheaper music for the public?

This story appeared on the financial pages but nobody really cares. We would rather concentrate on a senator trying to get a little sex in a public bathroom. He is villified by fellow senators. Meanwhile, nobody cares about the crime of lobbying. No, cause this game is perfectly legal.

The latest housing numbers are coming out and it's not a pretty picture. This is more than a market correction, more than a few people with ARM's blowing up or a few stock funds with bad investments. This is looking like more than a ripple in the economy. This is not about who to blame but it does give one pause:

The federal government is expected to report Thursday that the U.S. median home price fell for the first time since it began keeping statistics since the 1950s.

That's one shoe.

it could be hard for people to disregard the onslaught of negative housing-related news. A separate report Tuesday showed U.S. consumer confidence taking its sharpest plunge in nearly two years in August in part because of ongoing housing woes.

That's another

And representatives of home builders said that problems in the housing market had become so severe that they urged government intervention, including cuts in short-term interest rates.

And now it's raining shoes. Next up? Watch what happens with credit card rates, foreclosures are up 90% and it is already affecting the economic reports, the stock market and more. The Wall St. Journal blamed poor people for buying instead of renting and radio pundits claim the market will handle the problem and say it's an individual responsibility. Sure, for people who currently have a stable mortgage and rate, they're probably ok. The housing market, the value represented in people's homes is a major issue. There are market corrections all the time. This is a more serious issue. It's crunching credit, it will feed job loss and it's already affecting buying on the stock market. It could be a speed bump, it could lead to the R or the D word (and I don't mean political parties). What's your take? And before you reply, please take the time to read the articles. Blogging is opinion but it doesn't have to be uninformed , knee-jerk skim.

Berkeley Breathed's "Opus"cartoon was pulled from print editions of the Washington Post because they believed it would inflame Muslims around the world. In other words, they censored themselves.

The cartoon is fairly innocuous as it portrays a recurring character who becomes a radical Islamist because it's fashionable. Here's some background from Fox News:

A popular comic strip that poked fun at the Rev. Jerry Falwell without incident one week ago was deemed too controversial to run over the weekend because this time it took a humorous swipe at Muslim fundamentalists.

...Sources told FOXNews.com that the strips were shown to Muslim staffers at The Washington Post to gauge their reaction, and they responded "emotionally" to the depiction of a woman dressed in traditional Muslim garb and espousing conservative Islamic views.

There was also considerable alarm over the strip at the highest echelons of The Washington Post Co., according to the sources.

Who's left from the crew of neo-cons that took over the nation? So far, they have reduced us to something less than a superpower, deeply in debt to just about everyone, an endless war in Iraq (and coming soon to Iran?) and a long list of elected and appointed officials who let us down. Go ahead, I dare you, take a look at the list of people who have been indicted or left under a cloud. Give yourself some time but it's worth it. A reminder of what we bought. Supposed moral order turned into the most corrupt administration ever. (and that list is from Dec. 2006)

No wonder the public is less than enthralled with Republican candidates. That doesn't mean Democrats are being given a free ride, they just don't have an R after their name. It doesn't end with the administration. Remember the NY fire fighters and police who yelled foul when Rudy Giuliani claimed to have spent as much time as they did at ground zero? Well, Giuliani spent more time at Yankees games than Ground Zero. Sen. Larry Craig was just arrested for lewd behavior in a rest room, and who knows what else happened lately. Oh yes, after scores of right wing pundits and bloggers said President Bush would not let Congress get Gonzo to resign, Bush kicked him to the curb. Heck of a job Mr. AG.

I'm sure many others thought it was a conflict of interest to have Alberto as the chief defender of the Constitution president. It's no surprise he's going (with no recess appointment either) but the circle of who is left is shrinking. There's Rice, Cheney, Hadley, Hughes, Bolton and not many others. This is a White House in bunker mentality seeking to run out the clock and hand the bag of war and debt to a Democrat. Well, the last Democrat was just plain stupid with the zipper but did a heck of a lot better with the economy, the debt, the Balkans, and our reputation. I'm not sure if we can afford to leave Dick Cheney in charge. Can we appoint a guardian for the next 15 months? I'll nominate Sandra Day O'Connor. You're welcome to nominate someone as well. We sure need some adults in charge.

For my day jobby job, I work in youth politics. One of the first questions I get when I tell people that is, "Oh, so you work with college students?" Well, yeah, I do. But I work with other folks, too -- people who are out of college, trying to find their way into a career, young parents who have some job stability and are trying to make ends meet, high school students trying to find their way, and people who don't really plan on going to college.

One of the biggest mistakes the political establishment makes is conflating "youth in politics" with "college students in politics." Why is that? Probably for two reasons. First, college students have a lot more free time and their easier to find to organize than other young people. Second, most people in the political establishment went to college and grad or law school, so for them youth=school.

Nevermind that this perception is way out of touch. Only a relatively small percentage of Americans finish a four-year degree. An even smaller portion go on to graduate or professional school. Most of us drop out of college, get a two-year degree, attend a trade school, or hop straight into the job market.

But here's some good news -- at least some people in the political establishment are waking up. Hillary Clinton's team saw an opening and they're going for it. Hillary Clinton is actively stumping for the non-college majority. While I'm far from a Hillary fan, I've got to say: Good for her. My friend Mike Connery dismisses some of this discussion (and he's got some solid arguments, even though I think he goes too far). But there's a very solid nugget of wisdom to what Hillary is doing: no candidate can ignore the realities of daily life for a majority of the electorate and expect to beat someone who is paying attention.

Talk about a bad Monday....

According to the Associated Press, five more ministers announced a boycott of Cabinet meetings, leaving the prime minister's unity government without unity, i.e. no Sunni members -- just as U.S. military officials start expressing cautious optimism with respect to progress on security and strides against insurgents.

A suicide bomber killed at least 28 people in a northern Shiite city, including 19 children.

Our military announced the deaths of five U.S. soldiers, four in a combat explosion in Diyala province and one in fighting in eastern Baghdad.

On the plus side, our Ambassador to Iraq is meeting with his counterpart in Iran (yes, IRAN), described as "frank and serious".

It is really hard to figure out what is going on these days given the amount of double-speak and spin coming out of Washington, but I'd be willing to bet a fair amount of money that regardless of what happens "on the ground" between now and September, that there is not a chance in hell that Bush would admit things weren't going according to plan and that we would begin redeploying troops out of Iraq to other hot spots where they are needed. Republican candidates are just going to have to deal with that reality as the American people become more and more angry.