March 11, 2008
Published a short blog only a couple of days ago, but it is a big week for news. President Bush just vetoed a bill to ban waterboarding as torture. Senator McCain, who in the past has fought the President on torture issues, agreed with the President that the government should not tie the hands of the CIA in this way. Outrageous! There simply is no merit to the argument that we may need to waterborad someone in order to stop a ticking bomb from going off. That is just an excuse to violate our own constitution and the Geneva Conventions. Time to stop this nonsense and get new leadership. And John McCain is not qualified. He will stay in Iraq 100 years, if necessary, he says. And he supports Bush's efforts to pack the Federal Courts with those who are willing to ignore the Bill of Rights to give government more power. No more.
I cannot help but comment on the predicament of Governor Elliot Spitzer of New York, who was caught paying for high price hookers. One would think that high ranking politicians would know better, but it keeps happening. And the Republicans in the New York legislature are threatening impeachment! Why have they not moved to remove the Republican Senators from Louisiana ( whose name appeared last year on a list of call girl customers in Washington, DC) and Idaho (you all know what he did)? I previously called on Senator Craig to admit what and who he is, and join the Libertarian Party. I now call on Governor Spitzer to do the same. We do not care who they have sex with, or how they pay for it (unless they use government or stolen money). But the hypocricy is unberable. How dare these guys claim to be such examples of purity and virtue. And how dare the Republicans in the New York legislature claim that Spitzer is worse than their own, who remain unpunished! Let us legalize private relationships, and stop the con games.
And lastly, the State of Utah has agreed to pay the sum of $40,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a motorist who was tased by a UHP trooper, apparently for not being compliant enough when stopped for a speeding ticket. The incident was posted on YouTube, and created considerable discussion as to the propriety of the use of such force. It appeared to me that the troopper was out of control, and on the verge of hysteria. Others thought differently, of course. But, despite the payment to the motorist, the trooper was not disciplined in any way. I would suggest that he be given a desk job where he cannot threaten others, and that he be ordered to pay a portion of the settlement out of his own pocket. Otherwise, it will likely happen again. What a waste of taxpayer funds.
