Passing Legislation - KOREAN STYLE!

In this interesting video clip, we see how the South Korean government follows the traditional democratic principle of brawling with fellow legislators in order to discuss and pass laws. If only we could be so organized in the United States, we might finally have something done regarding universal health care.

Watch the video here.

Obama Scales Back His Plans

After visiting a Denny's, President Obama has decided to change many of the priorities of his administration.


Obama Drastically Scales Back Goals For America After Visiting Denny's

The War On Drugs

Rolling Stone has published a very interesting history of the United States' War on Drugs. It describes how the presidential administrations starting back with Nixon have tried different approaches towards quelling the production and transportation of narcotics from South America and how the cartels changed and adapted to meet the new restrictions. It describes how the Columbians split up after Pablo Escobar was killed and how the Mexicans began to get more and more power and eventually began introducing methamphetamine into the American market.

What meth proved was that even if the DEA could wipe out every last millionaire cocaine goon in Colombia, burn every coca field in Bolivia and Peru, and build an impenetrable wall along the entire length of the Mexican border - even then, we wouldn't have won the War on Drugs, because there would still be methamphetamine, and after that, something else.

This article is well detailed and teaches a lot about how we've gotten into this mess, and how even $500 billion later, we are no better off than we were in the 1970s. Lobbying by pharmaceutical companies and military executives has led to misguided politics and useless enforcement. Drug use has not changed, drug prices have gone down and purity has risen.

"The lesson of U.S. drug policy is that this world runs on unintended consequences. No matter how noble your intentions, there's a good chance that in solving one problem, you'll screw something else up."

Pretty wise words.

Link to article.

Those Crazy Koreans

Korean politics are fun to follow. They have fist fights and actual violence. Not just name calling.

Here's a link to a recent story of why following Korean politics is so much fun:
Click me for South Korean Political Fun

And here is a video I found on Youtube. I'm not sure if it is what was written in the article. Even if not, it still shows how much fun they have. Ahhhhhh, repressed homosexuality.....

Orwell's Doublethink

Well, I think this statement by President Bush today wins the award for the Most Orwellian Doublethink:  

Bush: Bank Buyout to Preserve Free Market

The War on Drugs

A poll was released on October 2 that indicated 3 out of 4 Americans belive the War on Drugs is failing.

Three in four likely voters (76%) believe the U.S. war on drugs is failing, a sentiment that cuts across the political spectrum – including the vast majority of Democrats (86%), political independents (81%), and most Republicans (61%). There is also a strong belief that the anti-drug effort is failing among those who intend to vote for Barack Obama (89%) for president, as well as most supporters of John McCain (61%).

When asked what they believe is the single best way to combat international drug trafficking and illicit use, 27% of likely voters said legalizing some drugs would be the best approach -- 34% of Obama supporters and 20% of McCain backers agreed.

This "war" has been a way for politicans to fearmonger their way through elections and to funnel money through the industrial criminal system we now have in this nation once founded upon principals of freedom. 

Compare this snippet from the Orlando Sentinel just a few days ago:

In Orlando, officers seized seven AK-47s and similarly high-powered AR-15s in 2003. Orange County deputies seized eight that year. Four years later, those numbers jumped more than 400 percent -- 31 in Orlando, 48 in the county. Total for the five years: 321.

321 assault rifles seized in Orange County, Florida.  I remember while living in New Orleans seeing news footage of a man with an AK-47 attacking a carwash for unknown reasons.  It is frightening to think there are people running around with that kind of firepower and a likely compulsion to use it.  The police in the article say that 9 times out of 10, a gun is involved in a drug arrest.  As we continue to fail in the War on Drugs, it seems our criminals are becoming better armed.  

Much like the War on Terror, this is something that I think we're just going to continue bumbling our way through, unable to really address the root of the problem or treat the symptoms.  

Who does our government represent? You? Me?

Andrew Bacevich is an interesting guy. A BU prof and self-described "Catholic conservative," he frequently writes about his dissatisfaction with the Bush administration and foreign policy. Here are some startlingly true comments from a talk he gave the other night.

The Candidates

And there are many more good ones here: http://forums.fark.com/cgi/fark/comments.pl?IDLink=3920656&tt=voteresults&togglehtml=1&ok=1228507263

Politics, Politics, Politics....

Thank you Tina for this one.....

Political corner
Michelle Obama: "For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country".
John McCain: "I really didn't love America until I was deprived of her company".


Summary
black / female / Democrat white / male / Republican
Loved country initially: no no
Loves country now: yes yes
Verdict: subversive commie or something patriot

Two Styles

Over the past four days, both President Bush and Senator Obama have given speeches that addressed major issues for both men. President Bush spoke on the morning that investment bank Bear Stearns collapsed about the state of the American economy. Senator Obama spoke about incendiary comments made by his former pastor about the evils done by white America.

I watched both and I was very taken by the differences. One man was slammed almost immediately afterwards on CNBC by one of the station's reporters as nearly delusional. One man addresses directly criticism about him and turns that around to raise questions about fundamental problems in American society.

Just fascinating, as these, I believe, are the two most important political figures of the 21st century so far. I cannot embed the video from the White House, but it can be found and watched (only using Internet Explorer) here. Below is the Obama speech. Please watch both.

Ben Stein

Comedian, writer, politico, and beltway insider Ben Stein recently gave this speech about the state of the United States.

It's very interesting and quite funny as well. Click on the podcast button.

Link.

Obama

My man Obama pulled through on Iowa yesterday.

Here's how he first got my attention. Best speech I've heard this century, and I think it's important that we pay attention to those skills of rhetoric and presentation.