Nothing too absurd

I guess there is just nothing too absurd for the Republican party to countenance. Consider the situation in Ohio (remember Ohio, where the last election was blatantly stolen in a variety of ways). Now the very person who was responsible for the theft, Blackwell, is running for Governor. He is already coming up with creative ways to keep minorities from voting. But what is totally absurd is he is still in charge of voting in Ohio, and thus in charge of counting his own votes. Why is this being allowed? Don't ask me. It is utterly absurd and yet so far nothing has been done about it. Of course Republicans won't do anything, they obviously believe this is the way politics works in America.

The Supreme Court has ruled that Bush's plan to try Guantanamo inmates with Military Commissions violates not only the Constitution, but also international law. Bush, undaunted, came through with "people got to understand that I understand we're in a war on terror..." I'm glad he cleared that up. He's on his way to Congress to see if they will let him get away with it. Interesting that he has bypassed Congress on everything else and tried to completely usurp their power and now he wants to do the same thing with their help to the Supreme Court. He wants his way and to hell with law, the constitution, or anything else. We are so blessed to have such a strong "war" president telling us what we "got to understand."

On Democracy Now there was a debate (of sorts) between a spokesman for Israel and a spokesman for the Palestinians. It was the most depressing thing I ever witnessed. It is clear there is no getting through to the Israelis. They are apparently so contemptuous of Palestinians, international law, the UN, and public opinion they continue their genocidal ways no matter what. Their recent complete overreaction to a Palestinian attack indicates they lack any even rudimentary perception of reality. Israel apparently holds 9000 Palestinains as captives (hostages?), while the Palestinians have one (1). But as one of their former leaders said, "one thousand Palestinians are not worth one Israeli fingernail" (that may not be precise but it's close). I no longer believe there is any hope whatsoever for peace in the Middle East. I believe the Israelis are far more at fault than anyone else and I am tired of their constant claims they just have to protect themselves from Palestinian terrorists. They are far worse terrorists than anyone else in the Middle East (and all with the uncritical support of the U.S.) The result of continuing Israeli military superiority and behavior can only mean doom for the Palestinians. The best they can hope for are some scattered ghettos and unremitting poverty and despair.I sincerely wish I could see this differently, but I can't.

The Mexican election will come up in two or three days. If I could vote I would certainly vote for Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. He has all the right ideas about how to help the Mexican people rid themselves of complete corporate control, NAFTA, and etc.