Tuesday, June 27, 2006

An Inconvenient Truth

Melissa Etheridge wrote and performed this song - it runs during the closing credits of An InconvenientTruth and is worth waiting 90 minutes to hear.

I Need to Wake Up

Have I been sleeping?
I've been so still Afraid of crumbling
Have I been careless?
Dismissing all the distant rumblings
Take me where I am supposed to be
To comprehend the things that I can't see

'Cause I need to move
I need to wake up
I need to change
I need to shake up
I need to speak out
Something's got to break up
I've been asleep
And I need to wake up now

And as a child
I danced like it was 1999
My dreams were wild
The promise of this new world
Would be mine
Now I am throwing off the carelessness of youth
To listen to an inconvenient truth

That I need to move
I need to wake up
I need to change
I need to shake up
I need to speak out
Something's got to break up
I've been asleep
And I need to wake up now

I am not an island
I am not alone
I am my intentions
Trapped here in this flesh and bone

And I need to move
I need to wake up
I need to change
I need to shake up
I need to speak out
Something's got to break up
I've been asleep
And I need to wake up now

I want to change
I need to shake up
I need to speak out
Or, something's got to break up
I've been asleep
And I need to wake up now

Sunday, June 25, 2006

An Inconvenient Truth

Al Gore has mastered the subject of global warming, and his presentation of this issue to the people of the world in this film, and in countless live appearances, is a tour de force. The former Vice President has been all over this issue -- man-made climate change -- for thirty years, and his preparation for this campaign is evident in his polished script, supporting graphics, and delivery. This is a "must-see" movie. Informative. Powerful. Inspiring.

The contrast between this articulate and well-informed man and the boob in the White House is so stark that it is more depressing than the threat posed by global warming.

Even as I wonder how we could possibly have done so much to destroy the fragile ecosphere, I am even more befuddled by the leadership we have chosen and the complacency with which we accept their policies - from torture to war to rich-man tax breaks to global environmental neglect.

Is it possible that our stupidity will kill us off before the greenhouse gases have done their dirty work?

Friday, June 23, 2006

Gore - Edwards in 2008

I know we need to take back the Congress in 2006, but my thought tonight are on the White House. And I am thinking about my dream ticket.

Al Gore for President; John Edwards for Vice President.

The Democrats have nobody with the qualifications of Al Gore. And John Edwards is already my candidate for 2016.

Hillary is worse than Kerry -- neither one could beat Osama bin Laden at the polls.

Gore may still be a twit -- but I am guessing he will be a much better candidate than he was when he defeated Bush at the polls in 2000.

Peace

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Democrats divided over exit strategy

Some of us want out today (yesterday would have been better - but three years ago would have been better still -- and best of all would have been not to invade Iraq at all).

Some of us want to set a date -- a time soon and certain -- to leave Iraq to the Iraqis.

Some of us - no matter how pointless and immoral the war may be - want to stay the course, or prefer for political reasons to oppose an announced date for the withdrawal of troops.

These are ideas worthy of debate -- it is no shame that Democrats have been wrestling with these ideas.

In contrast, Republicans have rallied to the President - staunchly standing by his side in his commitment to leave this mess to the next President to sort out. One idea - stay the course - is the full extent of the GOP policy discussion.

To the average American, this clearness of purpose is very attractive. If the Democrats cannot agree on a clear alternative, Joe Sixpack will be happy to stay the course - at least that is the reasoning behind the GOP maneuvering in Congress today. They may be right -- even though 70% of Americans agree that the war is a mistake, the GOP may be able to sway some voters to stand with them as they continue this war ad infinitum, ad absurdum, ad nauseum...

Personally, I am happy to be a Democrat -- a party frequently accused of having no ideas (when it is in fact quite clear they have too many) by people who cling to one badly discredited idea (and its badly discredited father).

The GOP have allotted 10 hours for the Iraq War "debate" to be followed by a quick vote -- if they had any intention of considering other ideas 10 hours would not be one tenth the time needed to do the subject justice.

Just 10 hours -- it really is an insult to 2,500 dead, thousands of injured, and many more who have or will serve in Iraq.

If a stunt like this one earns the GOP any political benefit, it will be a disgrace. It is time to throw these bums out.

Compared to the mindless obstinacy, incompetence and corruption of the GOP, any Democrat and any war policy will be better than more of the same.

It is time for a change.