February 28, 2004
Thomas Jefferson Quote #2
No man has a natural right to commit aggression on the equal rights of another, and this is all from which the laws ought to restrain him.
Thomas Jefferson Quote #1
I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors.
February 26, 2004
More FMA
Okay, I have a had a few days to calm down over this whole Federal Marriage Amendment. At first, I was trying to cast firaga every time I saw a FMA supporter on TV. Well, I still do, I guess.
But:
with Hastert saying that he doesn't think the amendment will pass and the president's support merely symbolic, and with Delay saying he doesn't think the amendment is a good idea yet, this is looking more and more like the partisan ploy it is, and luckily more and more people are seeing it that way.
I think this issue might be a good test to weed out the true conservatives apart from the nuts. I don't think a conservative could support an amendment to the constitution telling states how to legislate on this issue. Especially since there is already the Defense of Marriage Act.
In essence we have the President calling for an amendment because he fears the decision of a state court. While the president is securing his religious right base, I wonder how much of his small-federal-government political right base he is loosing. Perhaps he lost that base long ago.
Of course, This is all looking at the issue in a political sense. I think this cartoon sums up the moral issue rather succinctly.
and this is a good summation of the constitutional and legal issues.
February 25, 2004
Amendment Fever
This national experiment with freedom has gone far enough. America is in danger of becoming too free, and it is time to start amending the constitution. "My fellow Americans, we have reached the high water mark"
Seriously though, I have never been as sickened and devastated as a result of a political action as I have today. Perhaps simply because I cannot even imagine being inside the mind of the other side. This is a simple moral issue. It isn't something that can be debated with numbers or alternate economic theories.
I can write more and more but many others are saying it all. This may be the only time I will link to Andrew Sullivan.
No, that's not true. I will probably link to him again someday.
February 23, 2004
Obligatory Nader Post
Nader is running. Not too much of a surprise. More power to him. Democrats, I have to tell you: Attacking Nader isn't the answer. People voted for him. People will vote for him. Calling Nader a spoiler, or acting as if votes for Nader are rightly votes for a Democratic candidate, is only telling many voters that they do not have the right to vote for their candidate of choice. There are people that truly will not vote for President Bush or whoever wins the Democratic nomination.
I don't know what to make of Nader not running as a Green. Some quick googling doesn't provide any more insight.
Perhaps it is because he wants to reserve the right to drop out of the race at a later date.
Perhaps it is because he wants to see the Green Party continue without relying on Nader's celebrity.
Perhaps it is due to some small details of election law.
On NPR yesterday Nader said he is going to focus on taking votes away from Bush supporters that are fed up with patriot act and corporate pornography for kids and some other stuff I can't remember. That has been my theory: Nader could appeal to conservatives just as much liberals. State's rights is a huge part of the green platform which Nader ran under last election. I always thought the Green party should focus more on appealing to conservatives. Nader is saying this will be part of his strategy. Maybe he felt it would be hard to do this as Green party candidate. Perhaps there was too much friction with other Greens over this strategy in the past.
And of course, Nader would be a non-issue to many people (or perhaps a much greater issue?) if this country had a halfway logical election system.
I don't think Nader will make that much of a difference this time. There are not many people that are going to support him. Too many people are scared of a Bush re-election. I think Nader is going to have a hard time getting on the ballot since he doesn't have the Green Party machinery behind him now.
Uncle Moogie also has some things to say about Nader.
February 20, 2004
Blog Update
After a lot of thought, I have decided to keep this blog. Look forward to more posting sometime soon.
