tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-323363602011-07-28T19:06:09.169-05:00Telling it like it is from the viewpoint of a non-religious, progressive-minded, politically independent homosexual stuck in an uptight, bible-belt, Midwestern town.<br> <br> You won&#39;t find political correctness here, just honesty &amp; sensible populism...Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.comBlogger1801100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-61390117495177094802011-03-22T14:18:00.001-05:002011-03-22T14:22:40.258-05:00

I've been very disappointed, though not at all surprised over the hyperventilating over nuclear energy in the aftermath of the disaster in Japan. I noticed even as early as Friday night, the day of the earthquake and tsunami, that some voices on the left, eager not to let a crisis go to waste, had started building the case against the use of nuclear energy. Without question this has been an

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-43006126994879843312011-03-13T12:13:00.001-05:002011-03-14T12:06:55.521-05:00

All the legal wrangling and protests going on in Wisconsin over collective-bargaining, pay cuts, benefit reductions, etc. has had me to thinking about unions lately. I'm honestly not a big fan of unions. I used to be in one and wasn't very impressed by it. It didn't keep mine, nor any of the 800 jobs at the plant I worked at from being shipped to Mexico. I'm not in a union now, but some jobs

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-55142971609755893452010-12-16T13:22:00.005-06:002011-03-14T12:02:56.408-05:00

The U.S. House of Representatives voted 250-175 to pass a repeal of the discriminatory 'Don't Ask; Don't Tell' policy enacted during Bill Clinton's Presidency. As usual, the Republican party overall reiterated their bigotry by voting overwhelmingly against repeal. However, 15 Republicans showed some rare integrity in voting for the repeal. A positive sign that there are some enlightened

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-70747880581596642872010-12-14T14:24:00.001-06:002011-03-13T23:42:17.182-05:00

I saw this comment on a blog and thought it succinctly summed up an inescapable reality few — least of all the pro-corporatist/pro-globalists who have overrun both the Republican and Democratic national parties, as well as mainstream media outlets — will dare acknowledge:: "Globalization, the ability of U.S. corporations to escape domestic environmental and labor standards while still accessing

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-13651829793181756112010-10-13T13:51:00.002-05:002011-03-13T11:22:22.232-05:00

I'm pleased that U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips — who ruled the discriminatory 'Don't Ask; Don't Tell' policy is a violation of soldier's constitutional rights — has now issued an injunction for the military to cease enforcing the policy. Of course, it remains to be seen how the military will handle this order, & whether the administration will appeal. What I think needs to happen now is

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-74445527041790568582010-09-21T11:01:00.023-05:002011-03-12T14:47:37.180-06:00

Today is slated to be a significant day for homosexual equality as the Senate will debate whether to pass a defense authorization bill which will include a provision which would allow for the repeal of the discriminatory "Don't ask; Don't Tell" policy put in place by a Republican Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. Democrats have tied the repeal of "Don't Ask; Don't Tell" {as

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-74966631887015764732010-07-09T13:14:00.002-05:002011-03-12T14:49:17.347-06:00

A federal district court in Massachusetts recently ruled that the federal law known as 'the Defense of Marriage Act' [enacted by a Republican Congress & signed by President Bill Clinton] is unconstitutional. The law prohibits the recognition of same-sex marriage or any same-sex union that in any way resembles a marriage at the federal level. The judge in the case ruled that such a law interferes

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-41549089342954353742010-06-16T05:51:00.003-05:002011-03-11T23:05:40.831-06:00

Soon we will know the verdict in the PERRY v. SCHWARZENEGGER case in California which could overturn Proposition 8 — the effective ban on same-sex marriage — in the state. Closing arguments are slated to be made today. Regardless the decision, the case will go on eventually to the Supreme Court. Of course, I hope all this ultimately comes out in favor of equality, but I actually think our odds

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-26134215232876708932010-04-30T09:25:00.002-05:002011-03-11T14:05:43.080-06:00

Yesterday, the U.S. Navy ended its policy which had barred women from serving on submarines. Oddly enough, this didn't seem to stir up much controversy among conservatives, unlike the hand-wringing and gnashing of teeth that accompanies any discussion of allowing homosexuals to serve openly in the U.S. military (just as we do in some 20 NATO countries now). One obvious reason for this is because

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-15871531471920762642010-02-25T13:52:00.001-06:002010-02-25T13:54:03.222-06:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy It really doesn't have to be as damn complicated allowing homosexuals to serve openly in the military as some people want to pretend it is... Not many issues about women serving. But then, considering the size of the demographic, it's a lot easier to demonize homosexuals these days than it is women.

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-59415752369929703962010-02-15T14:02:00.001-06:002010-02-15T14:24:03.680-06:00

Due to a personal crisis I haven't had much time or enthusiasm for writing. I hope to do some soon. In the meantime, I did read two good articles last week in Time magazine. One was by David Frum in which he discussed the possibility of moderation coming back to the Republican party. An excerpt: “Yes, when unemployment exceeds 10%, the GOP can elect a Senator in Massachusetts. But what happens

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-36430118557351237722010-02-03T12:15:00.004-06:002010-02-03T16:09:45.416-06:00

Interestingly, and I would also say fortunately, the recent debate on repealing 'Don't ask;Don't tell' has revealed the real agenda at work among the anti-homosexual crowd. On Chris Matthews' show 'Hardball' on Tuesday, Peter Sprigg from the Family Research Council, stated in no uncertain terms that homosexuals should not be allowed to serve in the military, period. Even if they keep their

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-3346079232315981272010-02-03T10:30:00.000-06:002010-02-03T15:54:14.472-06:00

The 'Don't ask; Don't Tell' policy, which allows homosexuals to serve in the military as long as they do not acknowledge their sexual orientation to anyone and have never engaged in any sort of homosexual activity at all, is now under serious review. President Obama opposed the policy during his presidential campaign, he has spoke out against it as President, and recently voiced his commitment

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-27736162823282128052010-02-02T08:00:00.005-06:002010-02-02T13:00:51.163-06:00

I admit, I don't know much about the new Senator-elect Scott Brown of Massachusetts, but in some of what I've read about him, about his positions, and given his interview with Barbara Walters, he doesn't seem like an extremist. In fact, at least for a modern Republican, he seems like one of those fairly sensible, moderate sort of guys with strong convictions and humility which you rarely see

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-37746834289541652202010-01-30T10:00:00.000-06:002010-02-03T15:53:04.408-06:00

President Obama had a historic meeting with GOP leaders on Friday.  I had worked up some highlights from it and some commentary, but due to a browser crash and Blogger failing to create a recent draft, it's disappeared into the ether. And I'm not about to start over. . . So, here is a transcript. I really liked what The President had to say, especially his focus on how the political rhetoric

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-42249965165831331382010-01-28T21:08:00.001-06:002010-01-30T00:55:41.987-06:00

Former Mayor Rudy "9/11" Giuliani is caught making stuff up again. He recently claimed on 'Good Morning America'  that, “We had no domestic attacks under Bush; we’ve had one under Obama.” He later claimed that he had meant there were no domestic terrorist attacks “since Sept. 11th.” I'm not sure how Mr. 'noun, verb & 9/11' could have forgotten the terrorist attacks of 9/11, but he did! That

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-28511389898832685942010-01-28T11:00:00.004-06:002010-01-30T00:10:31.475-06:00

I liked this Newsweek article by Howard Fineman. It was an offering of advice, prior to President Obama's State of the Union Speech, in how The President could win back independent voters. I think Mr. Fineman had a lot of things pegged. I especially liked his discussion of the recent Supreme Court decision which gave corporations a constitutional right to contribute unlimited amounts of money to

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-27071606820326659792010-01-27T22:40:00.006-06:002010-01-30T00:11:55.489-06:00

President Obama gave his first State of the Union Speech and I was very pleased at some of the issues he addressed. The following is some of my favorite portions: I'll start with what I thought was the best, first: "People are out of work. They're hurting. They need our help. And I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay. "But -- but the truth is, these steps won't make up for the 7 million

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-18001307523904306542010-01-25T23:50:00.002-06:002010-01-26T04:46:37.672-06:00

Meghan McCain, daughter of Sen. John McCain has taken a lot of flak ever since she started playing a more active role in public political discussions. Ms. McCain considers herself a Republican, and has called for the GOP to be more inclusive and more moderate with some of its stances. Recognizing homosexual civil rights, including marriage equality for same-sex couples, is one of these issues

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-90863278327338223602010-01-25T21:30:00.015-06:002010-01-26T04:26:12.744-06:00

Lt. Governor of South Carolina, Andre Bauer, recently shared a colorful analogy at a town hall meeting, in which he compared poor people, including children, to stray animals. One just couldn't make this stuff up... “My grandmother was not a highly educated woman, but she told me as a small child to quit feeding stray animals. You know why? Because they breed. You’re facilitating the problem if

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-75749830179360494152010-01-24T18:57:00.003-06:002010-01-25T08:17:20.781-06:00

Ealier this week, Jon Stewart detailed very well why I stopped watching Keith Olbermann over a month ago. Basically, Keith Olbermann's program has become mindless, rancid, partisan hyperbole. I used to have a lot of respect for Mr. Olbermann. I liked his coverage, his commentary. He got to the heart of the matter, and hung deserving partisan hacks out to dry. Now, as Mr. Stewart points out, it's

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-48069828819833525342010-01-23T16:39:00.012-06:002010-01-24T05:39:06.913-06:00

The loss this week in the senatorial race in Massachusetts of Democrat Martha Coakley by Republican Scott Brown, to replace the vacancy of Ted Kennedy, took a lot of people by surprise. Normally, in strongly left-leaning Massachusetts, a Republican victory wouldn't be at all likely. But starting in 2006 and becoming more pronounced in 2008, the political climate has become definite anti-incumbent

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-24027154563836255592010-01-22T23:52:00.004-06:002010-01-24T12:34:37.575-06:00

In a recent Time magazine article by Nina Easton, the pitch was made for cutting back on government entitlements to the unemployed. I can agree with some of her points, as I, too, believe that welfare and unemployment can create dependency. But there were many points to Ms. Easton's article that I took issue with. She starts off with this dubious axiom: “Continually easing the pain of jobless

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-81606698926064984202010-01-18T18:30:00.002-06:002010-01-18T21:39:26.469-06:00

Eboo Patel, executive director of the Interfaith Youth Core, recently discussed in USA Today was discussing the inability of moderate Muslims to influence Islamic extremists: “Here's the sad truth: mainstream Muslims have zero influence over extremists. In fact, if one of those guys had a single bullet in his fun and you and I were up against the wall, he would shoot me me first. He hates me more

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-87184277611482271082010-01-16T10:00:00.001-06:002010-01-18T11:12:12.577-06:00

I found this article very revealing of the sort of paternalism that is increasingly at work in our country these days... This time its smoking that's under attack. Always an easy enough target. Just like hospitals before them, colleges are following suit to go completely smoke-free. It's not a new trend, but it is becoming more extreme. The trend is certainly not new. Here is another Time

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-61043320984227218082010-01-14T09:38:00.001-06:002010-01-17T09:11:32.422-06:00

An excellent op-ed at Time magazine. There has been a lot of debate going on ever since the failed bombing attempt on Flight 253 to Detroit on Christmas day about security measures at airport. Of course there is always a knee-jerk reaction everytime something like this happens. The public has a freakout, demands that more be done, the government imposes new draconian protocols at airports, the

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-44336880914171824892010-01-12T22:20:00.004-06:002010-01-14T10:36:33.462-06:00

I read an interesting article at Time magazine about German Chancellor Angela Merkel. While it is impressive that she was the first East German, first woman, and the youngest German Chancellor, it's also rather impressive that she, unlike some other European powers, has been rather supportive of the United States and our efforts in Afghanistan. I was impressed But I was surprised at her speech

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-64463802993325120852010-01-09T00:30:00.005-06:002010-01-09T02:15:04.774-06:00

A blogger tonight, over at the Daily Beast, attempted to cite a bogus quote from campaign manager for No on 1-Protect Maine Equality, Jessee Connolly. The quote this homophobic bigot provided was, "[we] will not quit until we know where every single one of these votes lives." The suggestion here, of course, was that Mr. Connolly was threatening to find out where every voter who voted to prohibit

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-91880747004644685102010-01-08T20:50:00.018-06:002010-01-09T00:54:44.526-06:00

And so, while I challenge the homophobic Christianist heterosexuals over at The Daily Beast, I, too, must deal with the same sort of anti-homosexual/anti-equality rhetoric over at the Independent Gay Forum. And from one who claims, supposedly, to be one of us. Seriously, what kind of self-respecting homosexual attempts such dubious arguments against same-sex marriage and makes such vitriolically

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-41720431054708626062010-01-08T01:30:00.002-06:002010-01-08T07:26:10.371-06:00

President Obama offered a fairly good speech yesterday in regards to the recent terrorist attempt by Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab on Dec. 25, 2009. Here are some highlights and some personal assesments I have of them: "In our ever-changing world, America's first line of defense is timely, accurate intelligence that is shared, integrated, analyzed and acted upon quickly and effectively. That's what

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-956488174189407862010-01-07T18:36:00.003-06:002010-01-09T00:35:22.701-06:00

Rachel Maddow does it again. She nailed the lies being perpetrated by several leading Republicans, including former Vice President Dick Cheney, Sen. Jim DeMint, Congressman Pete Hoekstra, RNC Chairman Michael Steele, and Congressman Peter King. I'm really glad that these goons are getting called out on this (Huffington Post article). I'm really fed up with the blatant lies being perpetrated by

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-19063675235219505402010-01-06T22:00:00.008-06:002010-01-07T22:45:34.748-06:00

Consider me a skeptic when it comes to many aspects of the economy, including the bailouts of 2008/2009. But I found this article at Time magazine about Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke very interesting. As many already know, Time magazine awarded Mr. Bernanke the 'Person of the Year' back in December. It was quite possibly a good pick. I'm certainly glad they didn't pick Barack Obama. I

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-17442829396350114512010-01-04T06:15:00.009-06:002010-01-04T14:08:24.357-06:00

This week, Christiane Amanpour had a segment on her CNN program {originally aired October 25, 2009} about the horrific sex-trade in India. It was informative and infuriating. {part 1; part 2; transcript} Her guests were Ruchira Gupta, filmaker of "Selling of Innocents" and Taina Bien- Aimie, executive-director of Equality Now. An excerpt from Ruchira Gupta: "Of course, you know,

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-74949659794194655652010-01-02T11:01:00.008-06:002010-01-04T02:21:36.067-06:00

I found this TIME magazine article indicative of ever popular attitudes among the more liberal advocates of "green" technologies and the requisite social engineering that tends to accompany it. Author, Bryan Walsh wrote: “Among those opportunities will be the chance to improve electrical efficiency so much that utilities will be able to forgo adding new power plants. Right now, consumption

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-82879241711028685702009-12-31T11:59:00.046-06:002010-01-02T04:20:57.432-06:00

Soon after the attempted Christmas day terrorist attack to blow up flight 253 bound for Detroit, several Republican politicians and talking-head propagandists have been taking full partisan advantage of an opportunity to score some political points. These persons include former Vice President Dick Cheney, Republican strategist Karl Rove, Republican Congressman Peter King, Republican Senator Jim

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-43382402636476488022009-12-31T00:10:00.014-06:002009-12-31T00:29:16.229-06:00

There was a lot of really good analysis this week on Meet the Press with David Gregory. Guests included: NBC Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell, Gov. Deval Patrick (D), Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I), former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R). They mostly covered the past decade and what is ahead for the United States in the next. Some highlights below:: When asked, "How are

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-16476570800748126382009-12-30T15:30:00.003-06:002009-12-30T15:33:29.854-06:00

From early on I have been supportive of the war in Afghanistan. Whereas I opposed the war in Iraq, and knew it to be unjustified, unnecessary and reckless, I have believed the opposite is true of the war in Afghanistan. To this day I still support the war there and President Obama's decision to send more troops as part of Gen. McChrystal's counter-insurgency plan. I recall being very impressed

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-56439521206364474272009-12-29T18:50:00.007-06:002009-12-30T19:12:45.121-06:00

There are some highly unusual characters over at the Independent Gay Forum. Dare I say, queer? I've read articles at the site for at least a year or two, and contributed comments on occasion but rarely followed those of others. It didn't seem that very many people posted there and I was busy with a lot of other, more mainstream forums. Sometime in the past 6 months or so it seems posting

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-41997964310633032232009-12-28T18:07:00.002-06:002009-12-29T17:17:39.857-06:00

Leave it to the media... In this case TMZ and the Daily Beast. On the "Cheat Sheet" at the Daily Beast the 22nd story was titled, "JFK on a Boat With Naked Women?" which claimed "TMZ has released a previously unpublished photo that appears to show John F. Kennedy tanning on a boat as two naked women jump off into the ocean, and two more tan in the nude on the upper deck. The photo, believed to be

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-83222555692928487382009-12-28T10:00:00.006-06:002010-01-04T04:30:16.107-06:00

Though I despise violence, I believe in the necessity of revolution at times {when it's justified, Tea Baggers}. What has been going on in Iran since the elections over the summer has been both heartbreaking and inspiring. To watch as common people and opposition leaders organize to challenge the corruption and oppression of the draconian Ahmadinejad regime is inspiring. And, of course, the

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-82107645811404388392009-12-26T12:20:00.005-06:002009-12-26T12:34:43.431-06:00

Michael Arrington, founder of TechCrunch was was quoted as in a Time magazine article about the future of information technology: "A hundred years out, one of two things is going to happen: either we're going to nuke ourselves into the Stone Age, or we're going to perfect virtual reality, like Second Life. I mean, imagine, we can just plug in and be anything we want to be and do anything we want

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-43841462353151902102009-12-25T15:35:00.000-06:002009-12-25T15:47:41.083-06:00

Or at least a Dow that will crash to well below it's recent worst back in March of this year. This, according to Robert Prechter, who bases his predictions on mathematical formulas which he developed from studying Ralph Nelson Elliot, an accountant and market forecaster from the 1930's. Apparently his predictions are accurate — the changes in the market that he predicts do tend to happen — but

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-57937807380964449792009-12-20T00:13:00.001-06:002009-12-20T00:13:00.839-06:00

Here lately I have noticed, with the bad economy and debates about capitalism, etc. taking place, I've been thinking about what the American Dream is. To me, the American Dream for most folks would include at least these three things: Owning your own home and automobile Giving your children a better life & better opportunities than you had For your standard of living to generally increase rather

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-22747880454122700112009-12-17T19:48:00.005-06:002009-12-17T19:48:00.756-06:00

We may have some answers now as to why the Obama administration has reversed course on several campaign promises. Massimo Calabresi and Michael Weiskopf wrote a revealing article for TIME magazine a few weeks ago. In it, they detail some of the events leading up to and following President Obama and members of his staff deciding to end the use of torture techniques against suspected terrorists,

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-69418312289003319382009-12-17T06:34:00.014-06:002009-12-17T06:39:15.437-06:00

I saw a story at the Daily Beast and, for some reason, I just had to vent: "Hmmm... I've been disgusted and often angry at how things are in this country since I was old enough to understand there is injustice in this world. I was pissed when John McCain lost to Bush II in the 2000 primary. I blew my stack after the BS Iraq war was foisted on the country and most of the public cheered for it.

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-62636949311617428312009-12-15T23:50:00.002-06:002009-12-17T08:01:53.141-06:00

Ex-justice of the peace, Keith Bardwell, who refused to marry an interracial couple in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, recently claimed, "I'm not a racist. I just don't believe in mixing the races that way." Ah, yes, and that sort of focus on race and a misguided concern about races "mixing" would, by definition, qualify as racism, which would make you, a racist... This reminds me of those

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-26646388981406365292009-12-14T15:59:00.001-06:002009-12-15T02:20:05.634-06:00

I read this article at the Independent Gay Forum the other day and it got me to thinking about bigots and the difference between bigotry and mere prejudice. I really do believe there is a distinction, one that many of us, including myself, aren't always so good at acknowledging. I know that I've been a bit too quick to use the term "bigot" to describe those who propagate negative stereotypes

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-33207549302715566662009-12-13T23:40:00.002-06:002009-12-14T02:08:11.501-06:00

I have decided to try something new. I often read little blurbs in magazines or hear remarks on TV that, to me, really seem to get at the heart of something or really illicit a response, but, there is no venue to do so. Then I realized, well, yes, actually there is. Right here. This is what I will be doing with my posts titled (and taggged) 'musings'... Consider it sort of like a twitter feed (

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-22762126628312181432009-12-12T23:30:00.011-06:002009-12-14T16:00:49.205-06:00

I was very impressed with the President's Nobel peace prize acceptance speech in Oslo, Norway. I was proud as an American to have a President who is as able to convey such a sincere, high-minded and articulate message to the world. I also agreed with most of his sentiments. Below are some highlights from the speech. The entire transcript can be found here. I thought he was very clear in

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-7358703744042246732009-12-10T23:45:00.193-06:002009-12-12T04:13:11.765-06:00

Chris Matthews had a good show on Wednesday. A testy exchange between Republican neoconservative apologist Ron Christie and left-wing, son of the former President, Ron Reagan. They discussed the joke that is Dick Cheney, though it's not a damn bit funny that this amoral former Vice President and not-yet-convicted war criminal, has gone on the rampage again, declaring that the current President

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-32720263035666024492009-12-09T06:26:00.003-06:002010-01-12T09:27:55.584-06:00

A contributor to the Independent Gay Forum has the right idea about the harm that stunts like Adam Lambert's at the American Music Awards can inflict on our community by perpetuating stereotypes of licentiousness. It's a good article with some great points. This segment summed it up nicely: "Adam Lambert, you may say that “I’m not trying to lead the fucking way for the civil rights movement that

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-66790057091494039832009-12-06T23:19:00.010-06:002009-12-29T17:15:50.967-06:00

More knee-jerk over-reaction from some members of the homosexual community. Some are all fired up, invoking "bigotry" and "hypocrisy", and ready to start a boycott. Soon to follow from the anti-homosexual crowd: more claims that the gay community yet again defends the indefensible. All this because Adam Lambert has been criticized to some degree and apparently censored by ABC for his lewd

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-73246716496850640402009-12-05T21:50:00.024-06:002009-12-31T12:38:37.237-06:00

Harry Jackson is an outspoken bishop who has become a celebrity among right-wing groups for his dogmatic stance against same-sex marriage, including extensive lobbying in an effort to deny marriage to same-sex couples. He spent a great deal of time and effort trying to prevent any sort of recognition in Washington, D.C. of same-sex marriage, but recently failed in that endeavor. He has since

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-74034162967500608682009-12-04T19:14:00.010-06:002009-12-14T14:55:37.468-06:00

The Newshour program with Jim Lehrer is about to undergo a fifth name-change since it's creation in 1975. On Monday the program will become the PBS Newshour. The plan is to work more with local Public Television stations and integrate more with the Internet. Other than that, while there will be some changes to the format there doesn't appear to be any drastic changes and the new program will

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-59180219304366638022009-12-03T23:23:00.045-06:002009-12-04T01:23:04.700-06:00

Due to some personal issues in my life at the moment, I am not going to provide as much detailed commentary as I had planned, but I will say that I was very impressed with President Obama's speech at Westpoint this past Tuesday on the "Way Forward in Afghanistan and Pakistan". I emphatically agree with his take on the Afghanistan situation, our role in it, and why we should put an increased focus

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-13933163835830607202009-11-27T21:40:00.267-06:002009-11-27T23:53:05.087-06:00

An interesting article over at The Washington Post regarding how benefits for same-sex couples are expanding even as the same-sex debate rages on and the losses for our community mount. This ties into a very brief article over at the Gay Agenda.com where I left a comment. I also left a comment over at The Daily Beast. Naturally, the usual long-winded, vitriolic, impassioned debate ensued. Some

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-33294726932188179742009-11-23T03:46:00.067-06:002009-11-23T14:42:02.503-06:00

Last week I heard about a young boy from Arkansas who had decided that he would not stand to recite the pledge of allegiance while homosexuals in this country are treated like second-class citizens. I thought it was very touching that someone would take such a principled stand, but the fact that it was by someone so young made this truly extraordinary. The boy, Will Phillips, a ten-year-old in

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-40787836134170449322009-11-20T17:02:00.101-06:002009-11-23T06:47:42.831-06:00

While I think he put much too sharp a point on his argument, conservative talk-radio host Michael Smerconish brought up an important subject and made some good points on his morning show (article version) about political correctness gone wild in our society. In particular, Mr. Smerconish is suggesting that it is political correctness that kept the military from acting on the suspicious activity

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-61550651808787840132009-11-19T16:35:00.001-06:002009-11-19T21:46:04.313-06:00

Author and public speaker, among other things, Frank Schaeffer is a a former right-wing conservative Christian who has become disenchanted with the conservative movement and the Republican party. He's written several novels and even some non-fiction books, including his autobiography Crazy For God. He's also done various interviews on TV and radio, plugging his books and discussing the dangerous

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-46033471299636966022009-11-18T21:35:00.005-06:002009-11-18T21:44:39.420-06:00

Is it possible, technically speaking, that in an effort to ban domestic partnerships, same-sex unions and same-sex marriages, that a Texas constitutional amendment passed in 2005 has effectively banned all marriage, including opposite-sex marriage, in the state? According to Barbara Ann Radnofsky, Democratic candidate for attorney general in Texas and also a lawyer, some of the language in the

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-40786339079769598422009-11-18T18:11:00.033-06:002009-11-18T19:37:25.475-06:00

Andrew Sullivan's Daily Dish blog has temporarily paused while he and his staff take the time to read, digest and dissect ex-governor and VP candidate Sarah Palin's new book 'Going Rogue'. This seemed, to me, a massive waste of his/their/our time. While I think it's extremely important that journalists and analysts take great pains to actually study a subject or an event or a piece of work and

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-20755399955429160502009-11-17T12:53:00.008-06:002009-11-23T06:51:08.953-06:00

It is exceptionally rare that I agree with former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gringrich, but this Sunday was one of those occasions when he, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Rev. Al Sharpton were on Meet the Press. They discussed improving education in the country by creating more accountability among school administrations, getting parents and communities more involved, ensuring

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-91345074014349264702009-11-14T23:12:00.005-06:002009-11-23T06:45:58.075-06:00

I got on my soapbox today over at the Daily Beast. I was outraged over what has, sadly, become increasingly typical — our elected representatives being bought and paid for by lobbyists who represent special interest groups and corporations that most definitely do not have the nation's interests at heart. In particular, according to the New York Times (you will need to get a free account to view

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-83859845377614832282009-11-11T20:48:00.028-06:002009-11-11T23:00:52.303-06:00

I wanted to thank our soldiers both at home and abroad, and both actively serving and retired for their service to our country. Many of us take for granted the sacrifices that you and your families make every day for our sake. It's something we should be far more mindful of, and not just a few days out of the year. I also want to apologize to those who have served, those who are serving, and

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-21187768646271600512009-11-10T23:13:00.008-06:002009-11-23T06:51:50.295-06:00

Keith Olbermann revealed a lot of truth about the Carrie Prejean farce on his show tonight. But I must say, Mr. Olbermann closed with a gesture at the end of the show that was downright crude and I'm wondering how much attention it will get. He signed off the show making a reference to honesty while holding up two-fingers, mimicking the Boy Scouts oath. He then looked off camera and paused, for

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-23448882713140489122009-11-05T19:54:00.005-06:002009-11-23T06:44:28.941-06:00

In spite of all the things going on I haven’t written much about the huge healthcare dilemma in this country. I suppose in light of news reports which claim we're getting close to voting on a final health care bill in congress, that I should give my take on it all. Getting a final vote would be good news if serious reform were included in the package, but from what I've seen — and it is

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-36906765995551326652009-11-05T15:24:00.002-06:002009-11-05T17:36:53.026-06:00

I was glad to see that the Justice of the Peace, Keith Bardwell, from Louisiana who had refused to marry an interracial couple several weeks ago has now resigned his office. While I felt that the appropriate action was for him to be removed from his official duties by the proper Louisiana authorities, in the end what mattered most was for Mr. Bardwell to no longer have a position of

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-76727019497638176092009-11-04T19:40:00.012-06:002009-11-23T06:41:35.373-06:00

What a truly depressing day for everyone in this country who (actually) supports egalitarian principles. Maine voted 53 to 47% in favor of repealing same-sex marriage, which had been legalized (though not yet legally binding) by the legislature last spring.  What an embarrassing travesty of justice that a majority of American citizens actually voted to strip their fellow American citizens,

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-18839224484981854822009-11-03T22:21:00.009-06:002009-11-04T03:10:35.517-06:00

As of now it appears that Conservative party candidate Doug Hoffman is going to lose the special election in the 23rd congressional district of New York. Democrat Bill Owens has a 4-point lead, though there are still some precincts that have not reported and there are potentially some 10K absentee ballots which could make a difference. If Mr. Hoffman does lose then this is a fantastic outcome!

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-56533143523790920102009-11-02T17:34:00.005-06:002009-11-23T06:52:59.257-06:00

The talking heads have been giving the special election in New York’s 23rd district a lot of attention over the past few weeks. But while some might want to write off all this as mere hype, I actually think a lot of them are right about the importance of this election. More so even than many of them acknowledge. Ever since I first heard about this election between moderate Democrat Bill Owens,

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-2983470046798081542009-10-27T11:26:00.002-05:002009-10-27T15:00:40.928-05:00

The Washington Post is reporting that senior White House official and former marine corps captain, Matthew Hoh, resigned in protest over the war in Afghanistan. The liberals seem to be just eating it up, too. It's headline news over at the Huffington Post. Look for it tonight all over MSNBC tonight. Speaking of which, this ties in nicely to what Arianna Huffington called for a few weeks back when

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-21227861049719149972009-10-25T10:55:00.002-05:002009-10-25T10:56:37.661-05:00

I saw this story last week but didn't get a chance to write anything about it. A Springfield, Virginia man is being charged with indecent exposure for being naked in his own home. Apparently a woman was walking her young son to school and crossed the 'offender's' yard, and saw him naked through a window as he was making morning coffee in his own kitchen. She complained and the cops came and

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-85997355742313704052009-10-22T11:27:00.003-05:002009-10-27T11:28:24.785-05:00

The propaganda of Fox News is legendary among reasonable people these days, count me as one of them. In fact, recently White House officials Anita Dunn, David Axelrod and Rahm Emanuel have been making the rounds on the cable shows criticizing Fox News. While I agree with their characterizations overall, I also believe they're making a major mistake in pointing this out. For one, it reduces the

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-43089225699052598012009-10-21T11:00:00.010-05:002009-10-27T11:28:51.183-05:00

I was extremely disappointed to see Rachel Maddow, on her MSNBC program, seemingly approve of the latest unscrupulous hoax by the so-called “Yes men”. The "Yes men" are a bunch of anarchist thugs who deceive the media and thereby the public into believing that they (through websites, interviews, or public speeches) represent large organizations, corporations or even individuals. They make highly

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-62047115727094779382009-10-20T09:15:00.010-05:002009-12-04T21:21:23.862-06:00

I am not going to say anything about this "Balloon boy" scam, hoax, farce, whatever you want to call it, other than to add myself to the growing list of those who are disgusted at the media circus surrounding it. Everytime something outrageous happens, from O.J. to JonBenet, Elian & Anna Nicole, Michael Jackson, Princess Di, a polygamist ranch in Texas, a Governor on the Appalachian trail, a

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-45030827877878171932009-10-19T17:41:00.003-05:002009-10-21T11:41:12.121-05:00

This weekend was the season finale of Real Time with Bill Maher. It was a good show, guests including Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson, political commentator Chris Matthews, activist/actor Alec Baldwin, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, and comedian Garry Shandling. The topics covered included much of the big hot-button issues of today and those over the summer. Here is my take on some of

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-83953589012667483492009-10-17T20:16:00.003-05:002009-10-17T21:18:24.553-05:00

The Pakistan government is finally turning up the heat on the Taliban and al-Qaeda along the Afghanistan/Pakistan border. This is just what the region has been needing. Supposedly this time they are going to employ a more effective strategy, not just clearing but actually holding the areas they clear. This worked well in Iraq and needs to be a focus for Afghanistan, as well. This isn't the

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-59832109229172448992009-10-17T02:00:00.004-05:002010-01-16T09:18:04.342-06:00

For those folks who believe that anti-miscegenation attitudes are a thing of the past, you're wrong [replaced broken link]. As has been pointed out countless times before, anti-miscegenation attitudes and laws once prevented interracial couples from marrying in this country, and today the same sort of prejudice is preventing same-sex couples from marrying. Of course, many who oppose same-sex

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-11961569545370224302009-10-16T19:42:00.003-05:002009-10-17T23:29:03.736-05:00

I was watching the Daily Show the other day and Jon Stewart had Jennifer Burns on the program. They were discussing her new book—'Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right'—which is obviously about conservative novelist, anti-altruist & free-market heroine Ayn Rand. You see, now that conservatives are in the wilderness, so-to-speak, and Democrats are in charge of the government, Ayn

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-39130695523543628662009-10-16T14:53:00.009-05:002009-10-17T21:37:45.869-05:00

Last weekend Fareed Zakaria interviewed two members of the Council on Foreign Relations on his CNN program called GPS. They discussed the war in Afghanistan and whether we should escalate the situation there. One of his guests was President Richard Haass, the other a Senior Fellow by the name of Stephen Biddle. While Fareed is also a board member of the Council on Foreign Relations, he neglected

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-17456287473126036502009-10-15T19:36:00.014-05:002009-12-29T17:16:58.333-06:00

First saw this on Andrew Sullivan's Daily Dish. Last Friday night a New York City gay man was attacked and beaten nearly to death by two men. The incident was fortunately caught on surveillance camera. Both suspects have been arrested, one Daniel Aleman and one Daniel Rodriquez. A friend of Rodriquez (picture below) claims that the beating wasn't a hate crime. He claims the victim wasn't beaten

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-81644440346133749712009-10-15T07:05:00.001-05:002009-10-15T07:10:09.595-05:00

I will not be getting my news from them anymore.First, a little back story. As I recall, the first time I heard about the Daily Beast was soon after it's online debut. Tina Brown was on Joe Scarborough's morning program discussing the site and I was instantly interested. I checked it out immediately and was quite impressed from the beginning.The idea of an aggregated news website wasn't a new

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-51788606863922658692009-10-10T15:25:00.003-05:002009-10-12T04:33:18.267-05:00

I just had to take Christopher Caldwell to task for his article this week in TIME magazine: “Cherish is not too strong a word for how American feel about what they get out of their health-care plans, however much they grouse about access and cost.” ~ Christopher Caldwell Newsflash: if medical costs are not contained {EDIT: the CBO estimates only a $41 billion savings over 10 years

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-62430431193960993532009-10-09T15:50:00.001-05:002009-10-10T11:37:04.161-05:00

When I first heard about it, I seriously thought it was a joke. I didn't even realize Nobel prizes were being given out at the moment. Nope, sure enough, President Barack Obama receives a Nobel Peace prize! So my next question was: why? Apparently it was for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." My next though was: right-wing nuts will

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-63746014099053189832009-10-08T14:12:00.003-05:002009-10-17T21:39:21.308-05:00

I read an article recently about the war in Afghanistan and what the U.S. should do next. There is, unfortunately, a growing movement to either draw our forces out completely or basically stay the course. {EDIT: And, as I've recently discovered, a major propaganda effort by the Council on Foreign Relations via the mainstream media.} I've been wanting to write about what I think should be done

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-28106669739517136952009-10-07T12:19:00.000-05:002009-10-10T12:20:54.027-05:00

Very interesting article in TIME magazine about the devolving situation in Yemen. We absolutely cannot afford to ignore this, but it appears as though we are...

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-30339372476274967082009-10-03T10:01:00.011-05:002009-10-06T15:41:08.624-05:00

It's official, the United States will not be hosting the 2016 Olympics. Now me, someone who isn't the least bit interested in sports nor the Olympics, I don't really care much. I don't see much reason, really, to respect the Olympics when horrendous human-rights violators like Nazi Germany and Communist China have been allowed to host the games. Nevertheless, this time around I'm interested

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-41540207489468547482009-10-01T09:06:00.007-05:002009-10-01T10:45:05.864-05:00

Hypocrisy is just business-as-usual in the halls of Congress, and while the Republicans have been wallowing in it for the past several years and most specifically the past several months, I think the latest example is the most blatant and most pathetic that I've seen in a very long time.I'm referring to the feigned outrage being displayed by several members of the Republican party to Congressman

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-77631305602776955422009-09-27T16:34:00.004-05:002009-09-28T00:07:30.158-05:00

Former President Bill Clinton recently told Anderson Cooper in an interview on CNN that he has changed his mind on same-sex marriage. While he says he always opposed an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to ban same-sex marriage, he used to believe that "marriage" should be reserved only for a man and woman. Now he says that if same-sex couples want to make such a commitment that they should be

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-74338404561155465282009-09-25T01:56:00.001-05:002009-10-25T22:51:55.567-05:00

I found this article to be another case in point of the regression that civilization is (still) undergoing these days. The article discusses some of the new designs in clothing that allows Muslim women to be more physically active whilst conforming to Islamic "modesty" standards. While I can understand how Muslim women who are interested in conforming to patriarchal standards would prefer these

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-48145182489552114922009-09-24T16:07:00.005-05:002009-09-25T04:34:23.039-05:00

It's been about 9 months since I posted anything here. I've been less active on other blogs and forums over this time, as well, but no less interested or involved in politics. In fact, I've been even more involved than before. The election of Barack Obama has had a great deal to do with this.One of the reasons I've often been sporadic about my posting on journals and blogs is because I have a

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-63148710107772715542009-01-21T10:43:00.010-06:002009-10-06T15:50:44.118-05:00

I was very impressed with President Barack Obama's inaugural address. In fact, after having read it in its entirety, I was even more impressed. While I know I am going to disagree on some policy decisions that he will advocate and no doubt sign or decree into law, I completely embrace the ideology he expressed. Having a president who seems to truly 'get it'... In all honesty, it just seems too

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-37251157627456457702009-01-19T08:42:00.010-06:002010-01-28T07:54:52.577-06:00

So tomorrow is the big day. Barack Obama will be sworn in as President of the United States of America. As someone who supported Mr. Obama both in the primaries & general election, and also as someone who has despised President George W. Bush & nearly everything he's done to this country over the past 8 years, I'm far more enthusiastic about this inauguration than I have been about any other in

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-30377183434122672422009-01-15T16:32:00.005-06:002010-01-29T03:52:03.794-06:00

Great article with some fascinating information about The Presidency, as well as some excellent suggestions on improving the office: http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/print/200901/founders-mistake

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-49007864959979320492008-08-21T10:21:00.005-05:002009-10-14T14:51:47.600-05:00

Just a few days ago, Richard Land was saying on the Newshour with Jim Lehrer that several years ago, even he wasn't "optimistic" enough to believe that the first forum between the presidential candidates would be a televised event in an Evangelical church with a fourth generation pastor asking the questions. He went on to say that he couldn't have envisioned something like this. Yes. Neither

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-19596057640142956942008-05-23T10:01:00.012-05:002009-10-14T14:38:52.625-05:00

A few weeks ago, on May 2nd, Mildred Jeter Loving passed away due to pneumonia. Mildred, a black woman, was a plaintiff in one of the most important civil rights cases in American history. It was 1967 when the United States Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Earl Warren decided unanimously to overturn anti-miscegenation laws, in this case the state of Virginia's "Racial Integrity Act of 1924",

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-42884406282923595202008-05-08T05:14:00.005-05:002009-10-14T14:55:13.449-05:00

Well, as I'm sure everyone is by now aware, all went well for Barack Obama in the primaries. He did very well in North Carolina, 56 to 42%. This was a strong margin which counts for a lot at this stage in the game, particularly after the recent suspicions that his bubble had burst. Things were quite different in Indiana - Hillary 51 to 49%. A win is a win, yes, but Hillary needs landslides -

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-37521762707810737262008-05-06T03:14:00.004-05:002009-10-14T14:55:44.165-05:00

So tomorrow {technically today} is the big day in North Carolina & Indiana. How many of these "Super Tuesday's" have we had now, anyway? Too many! Some -mostly Republicans- are saying {hoping} that it's going to be a Clinton upset. I don't see that happening. Even after seeing the national humiliations that were the 2000 and 2004 elections, I just can't believe that there could really be that

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-64935190799119487432008-05-04T02:44:00.008-05:002009-10-14T14:40:02.113-05:00

Anyone who even slightly knows me should know I’m not some uptight conservative prude. However, contrary to the assumption many conservatives who have read my opinions may have of me, I am actually a bit of a social conservative. Like them I am disgusted by the level and glorification of sexual promiscuity in society. I am strictly monogamous and quite unapologetic in my belief that monogamy is

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336360.post-1841429002446707012008-02-11T02:46:00.005-06:002009-09-24T19:21:42.477-05:00

http://www.newsweek.com/id/107492/output/printSome interesting revelations in a new book dealing with the Bush administration ignoring the threat of terrorism prior to 9/11.Some excerpts from the article:"In the summer of 2003, Warren Bass, an investigator for the 9/11 Commission, was digging through highly classified National Security Council documents when he came across a trove of material

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391013435559198411noreply@blogger.com0