Vouchers; and the new AG

November 2, 2007 -- Just a couple of short notes today. Without taking a position on the big debate on school vouchers in Utah (on the ballot next week), I am just dying to make an observation. The pro-voucher crowd is advertising like crazy that "eastern liberals" like Ted Kennedy oppose vouchers. That, it seems is good enough reason to support them. While Senator Kennedy may well oppose the principle of private school vouchers, I would bet money that he doesn't even know about the ballot measure in Utah. The thing that makes it funny is that the pro-voucher people are now running non-stop ads that claim Mitt Romney and Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida support the vouchers. I just have to ask (to no one in particular): Is it OK for eastern conservatives to weigh in on this question, but not eastern liberals? What business is it of Mitt Romney's anyway? Just a question, for what it is worth. Either way, get out next week and vote. It is good for the soul.

And now for a quick word about the new AG. Seems he was almost scuttled when he refused to say that waterborading is torture, and therefore illegal under the U.S. law that prohibits torture. Well, it seems that a majority of the Senate will confirm him anyway next week. And perhaps we will have a new legislative act to prohibit this outrageous practice. This is necessary because President Bush repeadedly claims that we do not torture, but refuses to give us his definition. Like President Clinton, he apparently reserves the right to have his own private definition of words (with Clinton, it was "sex"). It is time for those of us who know torture when we see it; and who do not think it is OK for our government to do it, to make sure that the next election ousts the present power elite, and replaces them with those who do not believe that we should stoop to the degenerate policies of our worst enemies. That is what makes us different from thsem (or at least it should). Please do your part to bring about change. There is so much to do.