Hersh: Congress Agreed to Bush Request to Fund Major Escalation in Secret Operations Against Iran

Veteran Investigative Journalist Seymour Hersh has published an article in the New Yorker Magazine that asserts that congressional leaders agreed to a request from President Bush last year to greatly increase funding, to 400 million dollars, for a major escalation of covert operations against Iran. This escalation of these covert and secret activities is meant to destabilize the religious leadership of Iran. Hersh wrote his article based upon information from “current and former military, intelligence, and congressional sources.” The article notes that covert activities by the United States are not new in Iran–we have been conducting cross-border operations from Southern Iraq since last year.

The request for the $400 million was described in something called a “Presidential Finding”, signed by President Bush, and, under Federal Law, these Presidential Findings “must be issued when a covert intelligence operation gets under way and, at a minimum, must be made known to Democratic and Republican leaders in the House and the Senate and to the ranking members of their respective intelligence committees”. The article by Hersh noted later that, “In other words, some members of the Democratic leadership—Congress has been under Democratic control since the 2006 elections—were willing, in secret, to go along with the Administration in expanding covert activities directed at Iran, while the Party’s presumptive candidate for President, Barack Obama, has said that he favors direct talks and diplomacy.” This is a glaring contradiction and hypocrisy that is certainly not unfamiliar to the politics of the United States.

I hope that we all can now clearly see that the Republican Party is a war-like party of imperialists and interventionists. And I hope that we can now also clearly see that the Democratic Party is a war-like party of imperialists and interventionists, through their aiding and abetting of policies that are as such. I hope that we can now clearly see that both political parties are about policing the world, and spending huge amounts of taxpayer dollars to do so. We are spending 400 million dollars alone on trying to destabilize one single country. That money could have gone to education. That money could have gone to healthcare. That money could have gone to infrastructure. But, out of all of the needy areas of our country, our political leaders, of both parties, decided to direct the money instead towards destabilizing another country. 400 million dollars! That could not be described as “spare change”. Obviously, though, there is no “change” that our leaders can spare. And the small, superficial change that they do provide is worthless.

But Iran is not the only country targeted by the United States. According to Dennis Kucinich’s 35 Articles of Impeachment against President Bush, “On September 30, 2001, then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld established an official military objective of overturning the regime in Iran, as well as those in Iraq, Syria, and four other countries in the Middle East, according to a document quoted in then-Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Douglas Feith’s book, ‘War and Decision’.” The four other countries in the Middle East were, according to Wesley Clark, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, and Lebanon.

It is my opinion that the United States has been the interventionist policeman of the world for too long. And especially covert interventions, because that promotes “blowback”, defined as a term used in espionage to describe the unintended consequences of covert operations. Hatred in the Middle East towards the United States as a result of our covert operations targeting Middle-Easterners, and then Middle-Easterners demonstrating their hatred in a terrorist attack, is an example of blowback.

Is it honestly in our best interest to undertake operations such as this, especially when domestic issues are in such dire need of attention? And, ask yourself, do we even have the right to interfere in and destabilize another country, someone else’s country, as such? My personal opinion is that we have neither the right nor the obligation to try to destablize the governments of other countries and throw them into political chaos. Aside from the concerns of blowback and the misplacement of tax money, it is very important to do unto others as you would want done unto yourself.

The Young Faithful Leads Democrats to Church

Year after year, more than 40% of Americans say they attended church at least once a week. Americans attend church more regularly and interpret the Bible more literally than even their neighbors to the north, according to a Gallup Poll. This follows other polls by the organization that religious observance in the United States is greater than most of the world powers. It seems as if the Democratic Party has began to realize the importance of these voters, and have begun to reach out to them. It is lead by party organizations like the DNC’s Faith in Action program, the House Democrats’ Faith Working Group, and the Senate Democrats A Word to the Faithful website. Their efforts are combined with grassroots efforts from groups like Matthew 25 and even a new movement that I am apart of in the Young Democrats of America to create a Faith Caucus (www.youngfaithdems.org) that will work alongside the College Democrats of America’s Faith Caucus. Democrats and even more those in the Obama campaign have understood from talking to young people of faith that the GOP grip on this group is loosening, and we have an opening.

Last week I met with a kid named Jonathan in North Carolina. This 6′4, blond hair, blue eyed, clean cut native of the bible belt belongs to what some are calling a “growing minority” of young evangelicals. They believe deeply in God and their church, but have grown tired of the narrow political agenda of some in opposition to abortion and gay marriage. However, if you talk to Jonathan, he will identify a new list of items he and friends want to be active on. They include erasing poverty, fighting HIV/AIDS, the genocide in Darfur, and even global warming. When you ask Jonathan what party he is a member of, his response is a very unexcited, “Republican”. When you seek more insight into his delay, it comes from his confusion over who to support in November. “I am a Republican and have been one all my life. My parents are Republicans, and I think even their parents have been Republicans. It is what I know. Am I voting Republican in November? I just don’t know.” Jonathan’s view isn’t uncommon in many areas of the GOP strongest voting blocs.

According to an August 2007 poll by the Pew Forum and the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, 69% of Americans agree that it is important for a president to have strong religious beliefs. However what has stopped Democrats in the past from wining this group is that a recent poll says 52% of Americans view the Republican party as friendly to religion and only 40% say the same for our party. 10% see the GOP as unfriendly to their faith with 13% saying the same of our party. I look at these numbers with promise. Promise because the problem isn’t as big as it once was. The group with the largest promise for our party is young people.

Just recently Pew put out another survey that showed a 15% point drop in support among white evangelicals aged 18-29 with the GOP over the past two years. What is causing this drop? Well for Jonathan it was issues he determines to be “social economic fairness” or policies to ensure a fairer economy and tackle issues of poverty. However some defections to the GOP have come because of their consistent policies on Iraq while others say they believe that it is the duty of government to respect God’s creation (the planet) and favor stricter laws that often times aren’t in line with the Republican platform.

So once again, as goes the young people of this nation, so goes the country. Today, those young people are turning away from a party that urged us to hate each other, and find out what makes us different, to a party that says lets work together, lift everyone up, and find what we have in common. Democrats today are doing just that, and we are doing it by finally reaching out to voters we’ve often ignored.

Tha-Kid JK

tha-kid@revkitchen.com

The perfect Veep?

I’m going to give you some biographical information about an individual who I think would be a perfect VP choice for Barack Obama. Based on the information, see if you know right away who I’m talking about:

… Graduated from La Salle Academy in Providence and attended the United States Military Academy in West Point, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1971. Following his graduation and receiving an active duty commission, [he] attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where he received a Masters in Public Policy.

[...]

… An Army Ranger and a paratrooper, served in the 82nd Airborne Division as an Infantry Platoon leader in the 325th Infantry Regiment, a Company Commander, and a Battalion Staff Officer. He returned to West Point in 1978 as an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Sciences.

[...]

… Resigned from the army in 1979 as a captain and enrolled in Harvard Law School.

[...]

… Elected as a state senator in 1984 and served three terms. In 1990, was elected to the United States House of Representatives. For the next six years, [he] became well known in his state for his positions on education and health care…

[...]

U.S Senator since 1996… currently a member of the Senate Armed Forces Committee, the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and the Senate Appropriations Committee. Americans for Democratic Action has often listed him as a “hero” as they indicate he has one of the most liberal voting records in the Senate.

[...]

Voted NO on authorizing use of military force against Iraq; voted NO on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage; rated 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record; rated 100% by the NAACP; rated F by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record; rated 100% by the AFL-CIO, indicating a pro-union voting record; voted YES on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility; the list goes on and on.

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Supreme Court fails on 2nd Ammendment

*Picture from ABCNEWS.COM

Many people support gun rights for defense and for hunting uses. But, handguns are not needed for any of those two purposes. Handguns can easily be concealed and used for a series of crimes. You do not need a pistol to hunt for deer or other wild animals. By the means of protecting yourself, you are still allowed to have rifles and shotguns, which cannot easily be concealed.
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Vulnerable Republicans: The Mitch McConnell Edition!

Nationwide backlash against the Republican Party cost them control of the Congress in 2006. This year, the same backlash could cost them 20-30 seats in the House, and as many as 6 or 7 in the Senate. Among the handful of Republican Senators worried about their jobs is none other than Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). From Rasmussen:

United States Senator Mitch McConnell has a seven-point advantage over Democratic challenger Bruce Lunsford in the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Kentucky voters. It’s McConnell 48%, Lunsford 41%.

[...]

Still, any incumbent who polls below the 50% level of support is considered potentially vulnerable and McConnell remains in that category.

Under Senator McConnell’s leadership, the Republican Party has engaged in almost-unprecedented obstructionism, using parliamentary tactics to consistently block promising pieces of legislation put forth by the Democratic majority. The only factor in play making McConnell a tough challenge is the generally-Conservative nature of his home state. However, while Kentucky may be Conservative, I can’t conceive of the people of Kentucky appreciating counterproductive politics and politicians any more than the people of any other state in the nation. That could make all the difference.

My Parents Voting for John McCain?

I was talking to my mother yesterday because Senator John McCain had recently made a visit to my hometown of Fresno, California. She said that actually she was unaware that he was even in town until after it happened, but she wished she knew. She will be voting for John McCain. What!? She will be voting for John McCain! My mother has been a Democrat since she knew what the word meant. She has NEVER ever even considered voting for a Republican. So what could get her to vote for one now?

Let me tell you, it is not because John McCain has used his charm and political leadership to win over her vote. For my father, who has likely been voting Republican for years, it wasn’t anything new. What was new on that front is that he might NOT vote for McCain but a third party. For my mother it was Hillary Clinton. During the days that at times Sen. Obama called the divisive days of the 90’s, my mother stood tall in her support of President Bill Clinton. She loved his leadership, and felt he was being wronged. In 2008, when Hillary launched her campaign, my mother was right on board. She even refused to give my younger brother a ride to the polls because he might have voted for Obama. As the campaign went on, and the attacks got greater, my mother got more mad. When it seemed to come to an end, lets just say she was pissed off. Those wounds haven’t healed, and in my mothers words, “They won’t, unless he picks her.” Picks her? Yes, my mother won’t vote for Sen. Obama unless he selects her to be his running mate as Vice President.

I don’t think that my mother is unique. I think that she represents the voice of millions of women and other voters who gave their time, tears, and painfully helped wage a historic campaign for the White House on behalf of Mrs. Clinton. To many of them, she should be awarded with the Vice Presidential nomination, and I am proud to announce I agree.

Senator Clinton has spent her life fighting for people in poverty, people who look like me. She has spent a career advocating for just what America needs at this time, and that is healthcare for all Americans, that is affordable and works. Her experience on the details of this issue that cripples many family budgets, is bringing down budgets of states and local governments nationwide, and is the largest expense of businesses that drive them to other countries, is what he needs. Her willingness to fight for things that are important regardless of what the storyline might be tomorrow is what he needs. Her ability to seek compromise, but only good compromise, and have friendly relationships with countless numbers of people on the other side of the aisle is what he needs.

So when it comes to who should be selected to the job of inquiring daily as to the health of the President, and preside over the proceedings of the Senate, I nominate Hillary Clinton.

Tha-Kid JK

tha-kid@revkitchen.com

NOOOO To Jim Webb as VP

Senator Barack Obama is knee deep in the search for a candidate for the Vice Presidential slot on his ticket. A backer of Senator Clinton’s bid for the White House, I disagree that she is the only choice he can make to win, however I believe that he must choose someone (hopefully her) from her camp like Evan Bayh or Ed Rendell. That said, there is this large argument out there that is sad, wrong, and even worst, will doom his chances with some. That choice is Senator Jim Webb from Virgina.

Countless numbers of Democrats are pushing the Junior (soon to be Senior) Senator from Virginia in order to win that state, build up his military and international experience, and moderate his positions. WRONG!
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Who Am I? Tha-Kid JK

Think Youth welcomes Joseph Kitchen

I am happy to join the writing team of ThinkYouth.org, and hope to be as much of an informative contributor as possible. 2008 been for most of the year thus far, a decision year. Americans on a very deep and personal level are being forced to make some real decisions, and think about the real world consequences of those decisions. As the nation and the world faces these decisions, lots of times we ask ourselves ‘What made someone make that decision?’ I ask that question all the time. So, as a way to introduce myself to you all I’d like to lay out my decision making process.

I am a young African American male who was born and raised in the inner-cities of California. I have seen up close and personal what the effects of a life cycle of drugs and crime do to a family. What it does to an individual. How it rips at the very soul of a person. It is what has prompted me to dedicate my entire life thus far to education and preparing as many minority males to survive in their communities and have a hope and dream that both involves a service back to it, but a viewpoint of what else the world has to offer. It prompted my friends and I to found the National Center for Democracy (www.nationalcenterfordemocracy.org), educating young people how to advocate for their peers, and adults how to work in collaboration with young leaders. It has also sustained me in my efforts to take a hard line stance against guns, gangs, violent crime, and drugs, but at the same time advocating for stronger effective policies to get at the root of the problem.
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Supreme Court Gives a Hand to Criminals, Twice

We have a seriously messed up court here in America. Yesterday the Supreme Court voted to ban executing child rapists. Today the courts struck down Washington, DC’s murder prevention law, a handgun ban. So in one week’s time, our nation’s highest court has effectively protected the lives of child rapists, while threatening the lives of the 600,000 residents of DC, plus of countless other jurisdictions with tough anti-crime measures.

At stake was a question over a coma. The Second Amendment says:

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Those who believe the constitution says you can bear arms, so long as you’re a member of the military cite the fact there’s a coma and not a period between “free state” and “the right.” I believe that the framers of the document meant for the right to bear arms to be in conjunction with military or law enforcement service. However, five justices felt that the coma was better read as a period. (Insert joke about justices needing better reading glasses).

Even though the ruling has granted the broad rights that radical groups like the NRA believe are present in the Second Amendment, it doesn’t rule out laws that cities dealing with high crime, and regular murders could use.

The District of Columbia should enact a law banning the purchase and importation of out of state weapons by it’s citizens. In conjunction, they should also require a license to be issued to sell firearms, and then not grant these licenses to any business. Nowhere in the constitution is a right to be able to purchase weapons found, which is the reason bans on automatic weapons are constitutional. Second, DC and other cities should enact vast gun free zones in high crime neighborhoods racked by near nightly murders.

I’m not anti-gun. I’ve been to shooting range several times, and enjoyed my time there. What I believe is that communities, like DC, and NYC should be given the power to reign in gun violence by enacting stronger laws. If someone lives in a  low crime suburban community, or a rural town where hunting is a common way to provide for your family, then let gun ownership be legal. But don’t take the right to safety away from urbanites that live in places racked with gun violence.

Flickr photo by Drab Makyo. Cross posted at my personal site.

Obama’s VP shortlist loses a few names

Barack Obama’s possible Vice Presidential candidates are dropping like flies. I think it’s safe to say that these names can be cut from the list.

Mark Warner of Virginia - The former Governor and now U.S. Senate candidate plans to focus solely on his current race:

“Let me be clear about this: I have been working very hard these last few months to ask the people of Virginia to give me the honor of being their United States senator,” Warner said. “I will not seek, and I will not accept, any other opportunity.” [WaPo]

———-

Ted Strickland of Ohio - The current governor of Ohio said in a Shermanesque fashion when asked about a VP slot, “Absolutely not. If drafted I will not run, nominated I will not accept and if elected I will not serve” [Political Radar] Strickland has promised to do everything he can to help elect Barack Obama president.

———-

Chris Dodd of Connecticut - The former presidential candidate and current United States Senator recently has found himself in some hot water. Dodd is being investigated for allegedly receiving VIP treatment from home mortgage lender, Countrywide. In all fairness to Dodd, he did say, “If anyone had ever suggested to me that somehow I was going to get preferential treatment because I was a United States senator, that would have ended the relationship immediately. Terminated. Immediately — never do business with that organization again.” [Political Ticker]

Regardless, this would be an unnecessary distraction after presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama has publicy criticized specifically Countrywide.

———-

Jim Webb of Virginia - Webb’s first controversy came up during his senate race in 2006, after it was uncovered in 1979 that Jim Webb wrote an article in The Washingtonian titled, “Women Can’t Fight.” I doubt Clinton’s women supporters would be happy about this.

On June 10, 2008, The Politico reported that Webb has, “An affinity for Confederacy.”

Most recently, Webb has sided with Bush and McCain in favor of offshore drilling for oil. Obama is opposed to drilling. [The Hill]

———-

Sam Nunn of Georgia - The former United States Senator has a gay problem. It’s been reported that in 1982, Nunn allegedly fired his staffer for being gay. [Washignton Blade] This was not Nunn’s only anti-gay issue. During the ’90’s Nunn actively campaigned and fought against gays serving in the military through his support of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. [WaPo]

In the past, according to Wikipedia, Nunn has taken more moderate voting stances while in the U.S. Senate from 1972-1997.

He voted in favor of school prayer, capping punitive damage awards, amending the U.S. Constitution to require a balanced budget, and limiting death penalty appeals. On certain issues like abortion, the environment, gun control, and affirmative action, Nunn took a more moderate line. [Wikipedia]

McCain and His $300 Million Prize

McCain calls for $300 million prize for a better car battery. He believes this will further the technology advancements for better fuel and environmentally friendly cars.”The prize would amount to $1 for every man, woman and child in the U.S. a small price to pay for helping to break the back of our oil dependency,” McCain said during a town hall-style meeting at California’s Fresno State University.

But this seems contradictory to what McCain also believes, ‘Market Competition’. McCain cites numerous  studies that the competition of the American Market is enough for American companies to have competition and to further their own advancements. If that is true then why is a compensation/prize needed? Many car manufacturing companies are already researching and experimenting with technology. It seems that this plan is just a “headline” and not a solution

A series of picks for VP

In the past, the vice president has usually been ignored, and has not been given much to do. But this year is different. Since the assemblyman from Chicago got the Democratic nomination, I thought I would most definitely be screwed this election with nobody to support. Until I thought of Hillary as VP. She will be more then vice president, since Obama doesn’t really have much experience. Hillary Clinton was cheated out of the Democratic nomination by a flawed primary process of kindergarten games and not counting votes. She has earned at least to be second on the ticket.

Also, the Obama/Clinton ticket appears to be the only democratic ticket that will win. (Yes, sorry to inform Obama supporters, but if the election were held today, he would lose.). If Obama makes a mistake and does not pick Clinton as a VP, here are some other choices.

My top choice: Hillary Clinton

Joe Biden - Would bring foreign policy experience to the ticket.

Chris Dodd- Would win support of many teachers and education unions.

Ted Strickland- Would get independents and NRA supporters to vote for the ticket.

Ed Rendell- Would win support of steel and other labor unions.

Colin Powell- Would bring a lot of moderate republicans to vote for the ticket.

John Edwards- Could win votes of white working class voters.

The Bad Choices:

Kathleen Sebelius- Is not known around the country, and would probably lose her own state.

Bill Richardson- Not trusted, not tested.

Claire McCaskill- Please see Kathleen Sebelius.

Obama Aids Flood Relief

Call it pandering if you like, but at least it is pandering for a good cause. In an effort to help out with the recent floods in the Midwest, Obama filled sandbags yesterday in Quincy, IL and sent out an email to his supporters urging them to donate to the Red Cross. The homepage of his website also has an appeal to support the flood victims

Comparisons to President Bush and Hurricane Katrina are inevitable. While Bush was holiday, people’s homes were destroyed. Obama, on the other hand, took time off of his work to help people. The man isn’t even president, but he is already doing the work of one. Instead of focusing on his campaign and how great he is, Obama has decided to use his influence to help those in need.

To those who might say that Obama is just doing what a good presidential candidate would do, that may be, but neither of the other two major candidates have messages on their homepages about the disaster. And besides, even if he is just doing what a good candidate would, it should not take away from the fact that he is doing something good that helps other people.

Here is a link to the Red Cross if you wish to aid the victims of these recent floods.

The Conservatives Rosy View of the Economy

McCain’s most famous quote on economics probably appeared in the Wall Street Journal when he said “I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated.” Apparently Wall Street knows a lot less too, at least if you believe this Reuters article declaring McCain as the “best choice” for the economy:

Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s tax policies have given him an edge as the better man for the economy, various Wall Street experts said at this week’s Reuters Investment Outlook Summit.

McCain plans to extend the Bush administration’s tax cuts, eliminate the Alternative Minimum Tax, and slash corporate taxes. Obama, who has derided the Arizona senator’s plans, has pledged to raise taxes on the wealthy and introduce a broad range of refundable tax credits.

The truth of the matter is Wall Street was better off during the Democratic presidency of Bill Clinton, then it has under the “pro-business” administration of George Bush. The simple reason why is because Bush’s economic plan doesn’t work - because consumers, the one’s powering the economy, aren’t very high up on Bush’s or McCain’s list.

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