Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Well, duh...

Five years of invasion/occupation and it finally occurs to our leaders to offer the Iraqis jobs to clean up the damage we caused? Five years to figure this out? WTF?

The good hurt

Back in high school, the football coach told us when we were complaining that certain calisthentics were painful (I particularly despised the repeated running-in-place, then dropping to the ground, then up again), that we were feeling "the good hurt." Well, now, torn between voting for Obama and Edwards in the upcoming California primary, I'm experiencing the good hurt. They're both fine candidates and although my preference--based on positions alone--is for Kucinich, I realize he's not going to get the nomination, so I feel compelled to vote for someone who might.

Nader endorsed Edwards. Kucinich recently told those in Iowa who were caucusing for him in the first phase, that if he didn't get the required 15% of members, he'd want them to support Obama. This might be enough to give Obama enough votes to win in Iowa. However, I read today a piece by Michael Moore that mirrors my thoughts precisely, and it tends to favor Edwards for many of the same reasons I do.

Oh, the good hurt.

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Iowa, where are ya?

Here's an important endorsement for Edwards, and a telling commentary on Hillary. I mean, with all his baggage, Nader is, to me, still the man!

Stories like this

make my blood boil--and, if you didn't deduce it from my name, I'm a whitey. If I were black or brown, I'd be heaving Molotov cocktails everywhere.

One step forward, ten steps back

Here's a description of the final "amnesty bill" that has been passed by the Iraqi parliament. (Scroll to bottom of article.) Under its terms I wonder who will be released? The way it reads, it looks like only innocent Shiites will be freed, as one would expect from a Shiite-dominated government. It sure doesn't feel like a significant move toward "reconciliation," does it? Next question: What the fuck are we doing in Iraq, spending our billions and our blood? The worst nightmare, to me as to Franz Kafka, is being persecuted without explanation, without reason. That's how I feel these days, as Americans drive by our protests of this ongoing occupation, heedless, apathetic, busy shopping.

One good thing about the new year...

It can't be worse than 2007. Can it?