The KGB

So, today, the Prez unleashed his "new" energy policy.

I don't know what I was expecting from him. I don't know why I was expecting anything from him. But, I am extremely disturbed and disgusted that in order to cut gas prices Bush has decided to attack the environment. I mean, if we would have just gone the sustainable route in the FIRST place (Early auto makers had the ability to make alternative fuel vehicles), we would not be in the mess we are in right now, so attacking the environment by lowering gasoline purity just seems like the most idiotic thing to do. Ever. But, I just have to take a step back, and realize who we are dealing with here.

He is truly the worst president we have ever had. I didn't want to say it at first, but now I am saying it. Harding would be better than this! Fucking Harding! Don't worry, only a 1000 more days!

xo,
kgb

So my mom and I have recently been getting into a lot of arguments about the big political issue of the day: The turning over of the security of several ports to the United Arab Emirates.

I think what is bothering me about the entire situation is the way that the Democrats are going about attacking this "recent" (although, I am not sure where they were back in November when even the Economist had an article about it) move by the Bush administration. I do not appreciate my party approaching this in such a xenophobic manner. Quite frankly, it's embarassing. And by saying: "Well, the government of the United Arab Emirates met with Osama Bin Laden, so therefore they are terrorists," is giving legimitacy to connecting Saddam Hussein with Al Qaeda. Honestly, it's counterproductive.

I just don't understand why all of a sudden the Democrats would be embracing the hate-filled, xenophobic, fearful, post 9-11 rhetoric of the Republican party.

And I think that this illuminates the bigger problem of the Democratic Party's problem right now, it seems as though the only ideology that we are currently showing to everyone is that we are against anything Bush is for. I think that this is legitimate, but it is not what wins elections. We have to offer alternatives, and our alternatives cannot contradict our other ideologies.

I think a better approach for the Democrats on this issue, would be to examine, critique, and offer a solution for the big problem of port security in this country. Something like 90% of all things that go through our nation's ports are left unexamine. This is sort of scary. Although, if we are really expected to compete in a global economy, there is no way we can slow down our ports by examining every container. I just don't know enough about the subject to offer an alternative. I am not sure if it is even a bad thing to have foreign companies managing our port security.

Anyway, my mom and I rarely argue about politics, but this has been one issue that has had us arguing a lot. It's kind of nice.

On an unrelated note, have any of you been watching my new favorite weekend morning politics related show: Maury and Connie? OMG, it is just about the greatest thing I have ever seen. I love it.

xo,
kb

( What is a failed state, exactly? )

I just want to put it out there, right now, that I will vomit if Hilary Clinton is our nominee in 2008. I mean. Seriously. Real vomit. Then, I will take a picture of it.

I can't get behind Clinton. I don't know who could. As much as I used to love her, I just can't anymore. What happened to the trash talking stay at home moms, universal healthcare, commie loving Hil than we all used to know and love? It's like the lady got a decent haircut and all of a sudden she loses all of the values she once had. Comprimising on abortion? Supporting the war in Iraq? Who are you and what have you done with the real Hilary?

And I can't be the only Dem that feels this way. So why the heck is it already a foregone conclusion that she is going to be our nominee? (nevermind the fact that I am quoting someone named MITT on the subject)

People that are better than Hilary that I think are going to run in 2008:

John Edwards - Dude has a PAC already that has been collecting money since 2004
Wesley Clark - Same deal as Edwards
Mark Warner - Same deal as the other two dudes+ Dude has some political capital due to the recent race in VA.

People that may or may not run, but have a better shot at winning in 2008 than Hilary:

Bill Richardson - I don't like this dude very much, but, we need to do something as Democrats to secure the Latino vote. And it's not like we are going to run... um... Bob Menendez?

People who I dislike more than Hilary that will probably run:

Joe Biden - Too. Much. Bronzer.
The Reverend Al Sharpton - Uh...?
The Reverend Jesse Jackson - It's about time for him to run again
John Kerry - Are you kidding me?

People who other people want to run more than anything, but it's not going to happen, sorry people:

Al Gore - No.
Howard Dean - He promised he wouldn't
Joe Lieberman - Just kidding
Barack Obama - Too young.

Of course, I'm still hoping that GWB gets foolish and gets rid of the 22nd amendment. Then we would have the ultimate battle between Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, and the United States would become the greatest country ever under the Bill Clinton DYNASTY. Awww yeah.

Also, I would like to start the no-holds barred 2008 VEEP debate. Who is it going to be? The spritely young jr. senator from Illinois? The experienced governess from Kansas? Bob Menendez? YOU BE THE JUDGE.

As for the Republicans. Who gives a fuck. I guess it will probably be any of these losers: Rudy Giulasdfkdsafj (you can't be president if no one can spell your last name), Bill Frist (unlikely since everyone knows what an asshole he is now), Chuck Hagel, Mitt Romney (you can't be president if you don't have a real first name), or John McCain. Let's just say the Republican field is looking pretty weak. Pretty darn weak. Interesting.

( After Al Gore's (recent) awesome speech, my aunt made this )

The entire speech is awesome, and if you haven't heard it yet, you best get on that.

I looked out of my 4th story window today at work and noticed 3 military choppers escorting a plane across the sky. I thought it was sort of odd, since the closest military base is in Milwakuee (I think). It's just not something you're used to seeing every day.

As I sat and ate my lunch at Golden Nugget, there was a threesome there talking about how Bush was in Chicago today. This would be the second time that I have seen Bush flying up in the air.

The first time was when I was in Omaha, NE. It was the day of 9/11 and the news was telling all of us Freshman at Creighton that there was an official no-flying rule in effect for all of the country. It was then that we heard the eerie sound of a plane flying overhead. We looked outside our window and there he was, getting ready to land at Offutt to hide from the terrorists.

I find it strange that today, Cheney was in Kansas City (my old home) and Bush was in Chicago (my new home). Sort of cosmic, if you ask me. I don't like that much bad karma to be around, you know? I always feel a little relieved when he has left the city where I am living.

It is strange living in a city where people talk openly about how much they hate President Bush. In Kansas, I feel as though there is a universal understanding that you are supposed to be quiet about your liberalness. You certainly wouldn't hear people openly bashing President Bush (as this threesome were doing at the golden nugget today) at a restaurant like the Golden Nugget. It is a comforting feeling.

With all this news of wire-taping, nuclear proliferation, potential bombing of Iran, and George Bush being generally incompetent, I am moving to Chile.

Especially since Michelle Bachelet is about ready to become the first woman President of Chile.

What do you you need to know about this remarkable woman? Well, you can read all about here in this BBC article.

To summarize: Woman, single mother, agnostic, socialist. Sign me up, please.

It is a remarkable feat that this woman is about ready to win the presidency. Chile is so Catholic, that it was only last year that divorce was legalized. You stil have to get married twice down there (once with the church and once with the state) and only 4% of Senators are women. For once, the United States wins at something!

Also, in Chile, looms the *ahem* legacy of General Augusto Pinochet, a man who has plenty of supporters still. Plenty of people who claim that Pinochet's rule was actually good for Chile.

So how did she manage to pull this off? Narrowly missing the majority it would have taken for her to win it outright in the general election? 46% of the vote?

She has a backstory. She was tortured. Her mother was tortured. Her father was tortured.

And, Ricardo Lagos is making socialism work in Chile. Way to go, Lagos.

The left-ward swing (not to be confused with The Western Swing) is taking Latin America by storm... I wonder if it will ever reach up here. *sigh*

xo,
kb

There is so much to write about, and I have little motivation to write about it. My passion for reading the news went out the window after that fateful day in November of last year, and my passion for writing about politics left me after I walked down the hill. Nevertheless, there is so much to write about, to comment about, that I would be doing a great diservice to myself not to write about it. So here goes nothing.

To say that President Bush is in trouble, would the understatement of the century. He is, without a doubt, heading for a path that many presidents have travelled. I'll give you a clue which path I am talking about by providing you with some key names: Andrew Johnson, Chief Justice Samuel Chase, Richard Nixon, William Clinton, and the esteemed William Belknap. If you guessed the path of impeachment, you are absolutely corrected.

I know what you're thinking: "Impeachement, really? Are you serious? Have you looked at the breakdown of Republicans vs. Democrats recently?" And to you, I say, well... this:

1. Look, all politicans care about one thing, and that thing is re-election. It doesn't matter who you hurt or who you help as long as it helps you get re-elected. There is a huge mid-term election coming up, and some of these lovely senators and congressmen are in for the fight of their lives.

2. Look, nobody likes being spied on, not even Republicans. This wiretap scandal is just getting started, and pretty sure it will be the only thing we will ever hear about. Do you remember that time Bill Clinton got head? I do, and this will be bigger. This huge demographic group/voting bloc (maybe you've heard of them, they're called "baby boomers" i think) were politically socialized during this big wiretap scandal (maybe you've heard of it, I think it's called Watergate). To say that this scandal will hit a little too close to home for this entire generation, is, well, you know, an understatement.

3. The Democrats up in Congress (save for Hillary Clinton) appear to have grown "some." Maybe it's a backbone, maybe it is some "huevos," who knows. But they're actually doing things! Like propsing investigations! Who knew!

and the real wild card here

4. Sen. Chuck Hagel (R - Neb). This dude has the biggest presidential hopeful boner since, I don't know, Hillary Clinton? Howard Dean? John McCain? Let's just say that it is out there. And because of it, he is trying to make a name for himself. This guy has been attacking Bush for a while now, and I think that this just might be the scandal that will push him right up to the front of front-runneringness for the Republican ticket. If only he can get Tom Osborne to run with him. It would be a red dream. Ooh, sorry. Anyway, a respected (and very conservative) Republican senator calling for Bush's head is not good news for President Bush. And although Senator Hagel is not quite calling for President Bush's head yet, he has been getting more and more vocal.

And. Well, I'm spent.

xo,
kgb

Morrison to run as a Democrat for DA (Requires free registration)

Today, Paul Morrison, the District Attorney for my county in Kansas, announced his decision to run against Phill Kline in the 2006 election for attorney general of Kansas. Anything embarassing regarding Kansas in the past few years you have heard on the national news is probably related to Mr. Kline in some way. The man is crazy. No, really.

Morrison, who has previously been associated with the Republican party, decided to switch parties in order to run against Kline. He'll win. It's awesome. And it's a coup for the Democrats of Kansas.

You see, we're not all stupid slack-jawed yokels.

This is also pretty personal to me. One of my best friends in middle school (yeah, I had friends, believe it or not) is Paul Morrison's daughter. She is one of the most kind-hearted people I've ever met.

Also, the Morrisons have been known to frequent my parish. I mean, that means that two high ranking Kansans frequent Good Shepherd.

So, good on you, Mr. Morrison. This decision is almost enough to make me want to move back to Kansas in the fall and do everything I can to help you beat that wacko Phill. Although, I have a feeling, you're not going to need much help.

George W. Bush reveals that his favorite book is no longer My Pet Goat, but rather, this spine-tingling thriller, the Great Influenza by John M. Barry. Lucky for us, it is currently a bargain book on amazon.com! Get it while you can kids, at this low low price: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0007XWMZQ/qid=1128438553/sr=8-2/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-4447103-8242367?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Is anyone else listening to this news conference today? It's pretty ridiculous. He just said this: "bird person person." And he got really bitchy when they talked about the investigation of the CIA leak. Oh, Bush, my little gentleman.

Also, it looks like Turkey is IN to the EU. Which is interesting. Austria hates Turkey, and doesn't want them in, and they take over the presidency of the EU pretty soon. So we'll see how that works out. Poor Croatia, you'll never get your shot. Okay, maybe you will, one day. Who cares about Croatia anyway?

- kgb