Bush's 'Ideal' Justice of the SCOTUS

Well, the SCOTUS nomination process, when ever it next happens, will be a hard affair. If you read about Scalia and his methods and opinions, then you should see why it will be horrible if Bush gets the chance to name the next justice. If Bush finds one who favors making homosexuality a crime (or at least a 'moral crime'), as his model for a SC Justice, then we will have a government shut down if he gets the chance to nominate the next judgeship for the top court. This is the real battleground in American political society and the social conservatives are out for blood on the SCOTUS. I find Scalia's views on social freedoms to be down right scary, and his views on religion are nothing short of outright theocracy. No matter who is President, we will have a Senate battle like no other in modern history.

[Link via Wes Flinn]

Chief Meet Jane

Well yes, its a puff piece. Nothing new. Nothing of substance, not already on the record. I want to know who the guy is dating. I mean we got the rest of his personal life. WHO is he dating? (I am fishing here folks, cut me some slack.)

Flawed Rankings?

It might have been wise to have placed this quote higher in the story:

"National Journal's rankings aren't based on anyone deciding what's a conservative or liberal position. Instead, a computer tracks groups of votes, using a complicated statistical model that, well, may not have worked."

Motivation and Purpose

Why does Rep. Keith Faber, Republican from Celina, want to put the State and Federal mottos in every classroom, auditorium, and cafeteria? To see the controversy you have know what those mottos are: "With God, All Things are Possible" and "In God we Trust." Both of these mottos are currently considered "legal" under federal rulings. I consider them both unconstitutional, but that is another topic.

What I want to know is (why do I always seem to want to know something?) what is the purpose of Faber's actions? Well, I can only come up with two reasons. One is that he wants to push his religion using those mottos, the other is that he wants to use this a political issue to try and define himself and Republicans as "god-fearing" and the Democrats as the heathens. For most people who care about such things, I think they know that the Democrats are open to all people, and the Republicans, especially the ones for Texas, require Christianity of some form as a requirement for endorsement.

Yes, that was hyperbole, for those keeping score at home. The GOP and Christianity crack was an exaggeration used to get a rise out of the conservatives. You have now been warned that is what I meant; so don't get your fatigues in a bunch over it.

Michael at Rantophilia also comments.

Delusional Columnist

I know conservative like George Bush. That is fine. Like who you want, but you have to be some what honest about who the man is. In a column Kathleen Parker, a moderate conservative, wrote:

Kerry, whose "soul" quotient makes George Bush look like James Brown, made the remark Tuesday following his anointing as the Democratic presidential nominee: "President Clinton was often known as the first black president. I wouldn't be upset if I could earn the right to be the second."

Now, it might be stupid to try and claim to be the first or second "black president," but to think Bush has more soul than Kerry is delusional. Bush is "whiteness" personified. Now, I think "whiteness" is a myth as much as "blackness" is a myth, but Bush is as much like James Brown as saltine crackers are like filet mignon.

More Liberal Bias

You know, I thought all of those horrible liberals had gotten their anti-Christian rhetoric out of their systems, then comes Charles Krauthammer. Krauthammer comes down hard on Gibson's movie and calls it a "Blood Libel."


Hold on.....you say that Charles Krauthammer is not a liberal. He is a Conservative, who is a Bush backer to the hilt.

Oh, Nevermind.

Bush's Flip Flops

Daily Kos has started a list of Bush's many flip-flops, which compare those he claims Kerry has made. So far there are 19. I like the nation building one, but the budget deficit flip flop goes for more than just George.

Double Standards

This guy should be fired for his racist comments. That goes without saying. I only wonder how they know it was him. I assume it is voice identification, which should be good enough.

What I want to know is, if this guy can get fired, then why does Kabaka Oba still have a job with SORTA? Oba has made racist and bigoted statements on the radio, 1230 the Buzz, countless times. He has been forced out of city council chambers for his conduct several times and multiple times made racist and bigot comments directly to council members during council meetings. Why does he still have a job with a government agency?

Blasphemous Hypocrisy

Is this column from Bronson Blasphemy? Granted it only is if you believe in Christianity as Bronson does. I don't, so it is no skin off my ass, but what puts sand in my sandals is Bronson's hypocrisy. "The Last Temptation of Christ" was one person's interpretation of the biblical story with some extrapolations. What was Mel Gibson doing? The same thing; one person's interpretation of the biblical story with some extrapolations. Why did people like Bronson protest Martin Scorsese for not portraying what they believed was the "right" story, and now Gibson's movie is getting similar (all be it less pious) criticism, but is being praised as the "greatest movie ever made."

I have not seen the movie. I have no plans to see it. I don't care if anyone does or does not, but what I would like would be for bible thumping columnists to try and be consistent on treatment of art. Peter, when you hit Corpus Christi for not being "truth," I hope you don't mind that I point out "The Passion of the Christ" is not "truth" either.

UPDATE: Greg Mann comments on Bronson's column as well.

Theoretically Sound

Ok, so the Ohio Board of Education is expected to allow into school curriculum "a critical look at the theory of evolution." I have to wonder, will they include "a critical look at" the Germ Theory of Disease? There very well might be criticism of the germ theory out there, and it might even be taught in high schools, but if you are going to open up science to criticism, then you better do it to everything, not just those topic which conflict with certain religious fundamentalists.

The Enquirer has guest columns from the Anti-Evolution crowd, and the Pro-Science crowd. As well as letters. Thursday's Editorial was just peachy too with its "lets appease the fundamentalists" attitude. I really have to laugh at those who want "debate" in education. Where is the debate on the theory of gravity?

Just a reminder, ID (Intelligent Design) is nothing but a philosophical argument, not a scientific argument.

Calpundit: Blair and Bush

Kevin Drum at Calpundit referenced a recent speech from Tony Blair on the Iraq War and terrorism in general. Drum makes the observation that Bush would never say what Blair said. Blair basically made a " I understand that reasonable people can differ on this, but...." argument, which is not new, but something Bush couldn't or wouldn't pull off. His with us or against us type of rhetoric is why the world dislikes him so, and emblematic as to why don't like him.

Ohio, Ohio, Ohio Continued

BushCo has opened their Ohio campaign headquarters up in Columbus with a plan for 12,000 volunteers with plans for the number to grow to 50,000. Now, those are campaign numbers, so when they say volunteers they are including the guy who puts a sign in his yard.

The numbers indicate to me that it is going to be an in your face race here in Ohio. I have seen Bush's commercials already aired on Cincinnati TV stations, which simply may be the case for all media markets this size.

Michael over at Rantophilia disagreed with my concerns about potential violence in the Presidential Race this year. He seems to be dismissing it outright, calling it "silly." Well, blood in the streets is silly; I am not talking about a full civil war or anything here. What I am talking about is a 19th Century style of strong-arm politics with a touch of European Fascism. I predict that in Columbus, for example, it is likely that counter protestors at a rally for one of candidates will go over the edge and start a pushing and shoving match, which if tempers are not in check could end up cracking a few skulls.

I normally would say that those who follow politics are generally pussies, when it comes to actual fisticuffs. We use big words because we generally don?t have the footwork to back up our verbal jabs. This year I see something different. I see more people actually paying attention. I see growth in frothing at the mouth on rally goers. I am very fearful that some idiot will cause a media circus akin to the über-hyped Janet Jackson boob fiasco, thus making people angry that one side started a fight, and then the beatings would really begin. I see American politics as a powder keg, damp, but drying out quickly.

Downs on Politics

Good! Maggie has a column about politics. I hope to read more columns on political and current events issues from Maggie. The Enquirer has no other non-paleoconservative columnists in the Metro section, or at least those that do far more reporting than commenting (like Korte).

Chabot Plays the Shill

Rep. Steve Chabot is leading the charge against Gay Marriage in the House. I wish he would look beyond the end of his nose:

'The people and their elected representatives - and not a handful of rogue judges and officials - should have the right to make decisions regarding marriage policy,' he said.

Now, hmm, Rep. Chabot is concerned about the right of some of the people to tell other people what they can and can't do, but when individuals want to do something that is no threat to him or anyone else, he holds hearings. Almost ironic, if it were not so typical of a politician.

Doug White, State Senator, supports it, but I am perplexed by this:

In Ohio, Senate President Doug White, R-Manchester, said he would help ratify an amendment if Congress acts. He said he would support it for the same reasons he supported the Defense of Marriage Act that passed in January. Gov. Bob Taft signed that bill, making Ohio the 38th state to pass such a law in recent years.

We'll see if Washington acts," White said. "And then we'll see what the will of our citizens are when it gets out here."

Ok, what were the reasons White supported the Ohio law? Why, Why, Why does he and the rest of the law's supporters think homosexual marriage will harm anyone? I have been asking this constantly and it is a bit of baiting question, so I don't really expect an answer. The only answer given is hollow: "Marriage is defined as the union of a man and a woman." That is about all you will hear a politician say.

Well, Steve Chabot, Rob Portman, Mike DeWine, et al: Why do you support this (if you do)? Please be specific. Don't make the reporters answer follow-up questions. If you are going to keep homosexuals as second-class citizens, please have the "courtesy" of being fully honest as to why.

Ad Bitz

Get used to the phrase I am {Insert Candidate's Name Here} and I endorse this message. Ohio will be the dumping ground for every political advertisement possible in the Presidential race. We are in for wall to wall TV commercials that will really start to wear on you. I would get used to it for while. Your only hope is that the polls swing to one candidate's favor over 15%, so the other candidate might give up on us.

City Worker's Racial Slurs

Well, I hope they fire this idiot. This guy sounds like a Klansman. What I hope people understand happened is this:

The suspect even made some of the comments after he was verbally confronted by fire and police personnel who were monitoring the radios.

"Why don't you be a man and identify yourself?" one of them asked.

Now, I hope this is not played up into some wide conspiracy of KKK infiltration of city government. I hope the boycotters don't go McCarthy on us.

Springer Back in Town

Jerry is moving back to Cincinnati, or so says his aides. Maybe Jerry is going to run for Mayor in 2005.

Cranley and Ghiz?

Korte is reporting, well mentions in passing that Leslie Ghiz used to date John Cranley. This is not the first I heard of this, but I thought someone was just kidding around. Damn, the political class in this city sure moves around in small circles.

In the same article Korte writes in what I can assume was Steven Reece corning him and forcing him to listen to him go on and on about the plans he has for his daughter. Statewide office or Mayor? Does she need to learn to walk before she can fly?

Bronson and Amos Clarification

Yesterday I wrote about Bronson's column and need to clarify my comments about Denise Smith-Amos. She sent me an email and mentioned the her Jan 12 Q&A did include a section on the topic Bronson covered. She also mentioned that her Q&A is not an opinion piece, therefore she does not express her views, as I suggested she should have.

My intent in mentioning her was to more point out that Bronson was the wrong person to be making the points he made in his column, and my asking why she did not cover it in her Q&A failed to mention the linked article above. I did not mean to suggest that she failed in reporting this issue. What I intended to ask is why the Enquirer Editors did not have her tackle that subject, and then I brought up that she might not share Bronson opinions, which is of course understandable.

If I offended her, I apologize.

Primaries

Kerry won BIG. He will be the Democratic Nominee. Ohio I think is officially in play.

DeWine is winning big.

Monzel is losing. That means it will be Grossman vs. Portune.

Museum Levy is passing big.

Voter turnout in the county was about 28%. Not horrible for just a primary.

The biggest joke of the primary is that Kabaka Oba got 14,110 votes. We have over 14 thousand people who voted for a racist. I would love to see the breakdown as to where these voters came from. Did Kabaka win any precincts? Or even any wards in the City? I can't imagine that Oba got the Burb vote. I am ashamed that an open racist was able to get that kind of support. The "so called" black militant wants to break away from the United States and form a separate "black dominated" country. So lets all give big cheer to the fools who voted for someone who made his name making religious and racial slurs at City Council meetings. Oh, happy days.