Current Political Events: July 2005 Archives

The goal of terrorism is not military victory. That is the goal of armies and nations. The goal of terrorism is to provoke such a heinous overreaction on the part of those terrorized and their leaders, that those terrorized become terrorists, anarchists, and murderers themselves, causing dissent, civil strife, and chaos in the populations being terrorized. In other words, the goal of terrorists is to cause their enemy's leaders to fall upon their own swords, so to speak, in the eyes of the people.

I took a look at headlines for the last month on political corruption and scandal. Below is one month's worth which made national media attention. There's more that didn't make national news. Embarassing is what it is. Damned embarassing. Anyone notice a pattern here?

Ky. Republican Party Chairman Indicted

Minn. Lawmakers End Government Shutdown

Calif. Att. Gen. Sues Gov. Schwarzeneggar (R) Over Redistricting

Republicans on the Committee, joined with Democrats in their remarks to support restoration of funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Even Sen. Stevens from Alaska came out in full support for funding CPB. Patricia Harrison, the newly appointed Republican CEO of CPB, made it very clear CPB is necessary for our society and our democracy in the way it provides for an informed public consent, in a way no commercial TV and Radio can or will.

That is the message an abominable U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan delivered on Wednesday. Journalists who report wrongdoings by government officials are the best friend democratic voters in a free society could possibly have. Judge Hogan obviously does not think that is true. Apparent from his jailing of NY Times journalist, Judith Miller, Judge Hogan believes journalists with confidential sources are a threat to government. Since he is a part of that government, such defiance in withholding confidential sources to preserve the free flow of information about government is a threat, and he means to insure that threat to government wrongdoing is incarcerated. It is a sad day for democracy in America and a loss of 1st Amendment protection.

Sandra Day O'Connor's empty seat, poses a real conundrum for President Bush and the nation. Conservative nominees differ widely depending on the topic. President Bush has not been, and is not now, an across the board conservative. He has been a social conservative but, his deficit spending, hard line on Enron and other corporate fraudsters and thieves, and heavy federalism tendencies are contrary to what could be termed economic, business, and constructionist conservative ideology.