Religion and Politics

Last week, Senators John McCain and Barack Obama were interviewed by the Rev. Rick Warren.  It is hard to believe that these two presidential candidates would mix religion and politics to the extent that they did, especially since religion is a private matter.  It shows how  religion has high jacked our political process.

 

The Rev. Billy Graham over the past 50 years met with many presidents and candidates for that office but never questioned their religious beliefs in public or private that we know of.  The idea that McCain and Obama was questioned about abortion 30 plus years after the supreme court decision and was even asked, "when does life begin" is frightening. 

 

Abortion is legal in the U.S. and the anti abortion people still try to convince others that those who support a woman's right to choose are advocating abortion.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  I know of no elected official who supports a woman's right to choose who has promoted abortion or is for abortion.

 

The religious right hates those laws they oppose and use religion to justify their actions.  Sadly the conservatives and the news media are still playing the abortion issue out in order to divide the country and its people.

 

As for asking the question, "when does life begin" is as divisive as you can get.  There is no common sense answer when we mix science with religion because it brings out the extreme.  Religion is personal in nature and should stay that way when it comes to politics.  This country and its people went through its best years at a time when we did not question the faith or religion of our elected officials or those running for office.

 

The last three republican presidents elected to that office ran on an anti abortion platform, but none would publicly support a constitutional amendment to reverse Roe v. Wade.  In other words their political position on abortion was to secure votes from their base to be elected to office.  That should tell how they used religion for political purposes to divide the country and its people.

Bush And Musharraf: A Losing Foreign Policy

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf announced his resignation on Monday, August 18 after facing the thought of impeachment proceedings.  Musharraf came to power in a military coup and President Bush embraced his leadership after the tragic events of 9-11, pouring billions of tax payers' dollars into that country in the fight against terrorism.  Mr. Bush told the American people Musharraf and Pakistan would be an ally in the fight against al Qaeda in the tribal areas where they are hiding and training along with the Taliban.

 

Our latest intelligence reports, however, not only have said that al Qaeda's operations have become stronger in the tribal areas, but Pakistan has become an unreliable ally.  Bush and Republican leaders have a history of doing business with dictators and giving them billions of dollars and over looking the sad results of that kind of relationship.

 

President Bush's reckless behavior and incompetence in fighting the real war on the terrorists who struck us on 9-11 is still being played out 7 years later.  This administration is still fighting the wrong war with the surge in Iraq over WMD that did not exist.  We are still paying the price with American lives and there is still no time table for withdrawal. 

 

Mr. Bush as President and Commander in Chief has failed every reasonable test as what it takes to protect our country and our men and women in uniform.  If the resources that were committed to Iraq were committed to Pakistan at the start, almost 7 years ago, al Qaeda as we know it would be nothing but a pain today instead of the threat our intelligence people tell us they are.  Mr. Bush's War on Terror has been not only a failure, but a myth.

Biden is VP --- But What Now?

Barack Obama made the right choice.  I know what I've said before about potential veeps for Obama, but Biden was the best choice out there.  Biden brings experience, enthusiasm, and possibly most important of all, an absolutely captivating background story.  Obama, in addition to needing someone to bring experience and blue collar workers to the Democratic ticket, needed someone to play the role of the "attack dog".  We all know that the Republicans are going to go after Obama head on, holding nothing back.  Biden is uniquely positioned to hit back on John McCain and to do it with a smile.  I believe that I speak for millions of Americans when I say that I am truly looking forward to seeing Barack Obama and Joe Biden in the White House. 

But now what for Obama?  He's named his VP and the convention is coming up.  But what else can he do to assure voters that he should be the next President of the United States?  I have a suggestion.  Barack Obama should come out and name who his Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Treasury, and Attorney General will be.  Not only would it assure some uneasy voters if Obama makes the right picks, but it will also give Obama four more high profile surrogates and campaigners.  Let's look at some suggestions for these four positions:

Secretary of State: If anyone but Biden was named VP, then Biden would have to be the frontrunner for this position.  But since Biden was rightfully named the VP nominee, Bill Richardson has to now be the considered the leading candidate for Secretary of State.  In addition to Richardson's experience in foreign affairs, Richardson, if named by Obama to be his Secretary of State should he win, would be able to almost certainly deliver New Mexico, and possibly Colorado, for the Democrats.

Secretary of Defense: This is yet another position where naming the right person could help Obama immeasurably.  Who would I name?  General Wesley Clark.  Clark, despite the ridiculous attack on him by the media a few months ago, has earned the respect and trust of the American people.  Wes Clark could be yet another surrogate to go talk to white voters uneasy about Obama in Appalachia.  

Secretary of the Treasury and Attorney General: I'm not sure who would be considered a frontrunner for these two positions.  Surely John Edwards was a leading contender for Attorney General before his scandal.  Now, however, I'm not sure.  As far as the Treasury Secretary is concerned, someone like a Mike Bloomberg, who is well versed on economics, could bolster Obama's poll numbers on this election's number one issue. 

Again, why stop at the Vice-President?  Let's show the American voters true transparency by letting them vote not just on the President/VP, but the next administration as a whole.  As I've said, if Obama makes the right choice for cabinet members, he can more easily win this election.  

VP Update

NBC News is now reporting that Evan Bayh and Tim Kaine have been informed that they will not be the Vice-Presidential choice of Barack Obama.  So, on that note, I suppose that you can disregard that previous announcement.  

So I guess that leaves us with Joe Biden or a surprise pick.  We'll just have to wait and see.  

Stephanie Tubbs Jones: A Tribute

Senator McCain Steps on His Own Tongue

Republican Presidential Candidate McCain once again stepped on his own tongue when he said, "Obama tried to legislate failure in Iraq and failed to admit the surge was working."  It was McCain who tried to legislate success in Iraq over WMD when they did not exist.

 

The reasons McCain said we went to war was bogus so there can be no victory when the reason given for going to war proved to be a lie.  McCain, elected republicans and conservatives who continue to support this war in Iraq and continue to lie about why the war has to continue are a disgrace to our men and women in uniform who are still paying the ultimate price. 

 

If McCain's military experience is used to justify our occupation and war in Iraq for the next 100 years and is a window to see how he would act if elected president, that should be very disturbing to the american people and the country.

 

We have many veterans in public office but McCain is one of a few who truly have no concept of the serious consequences of committing our nation and military to unnecessary wars.  McCain is also one of a few veterans who try to talk tough to cover up their arrogance and character flaw.  Cue, what has Bush's tough talk accomplished?

 

The country and our people deserve better from the next president.  McCain's actions show he lacks the fundamentals to be president.

Stephanie Tubbs Jones: 1949-2008

I would like to send my condolences to the family of Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones.  I think I speak for all of us when I say that I will for always remember her enthusiasm during this primary season.  She was a woman of great accomplishment who served Ohio proudly in the Congress and will be greatly missed.  

The Olympic Games: A Study In Diplomacy

The Olympic games --- a gathering of nations and its people in display of their collective spirit in sport competition.  This despite all the turmoil going on all over the world.  That should be a positive story about how nations and people can live and work together in peace and for the common good.

 

How can this mass of humanity in the games get along so well despite the various difference in background and etc?  They show genuine enjoyment about being together and sharing the same stage.  How come world leaders, including our president can't get along as well to work for the common good.  One gets the idea if it were left to the people to run the worlds countries we would not have the problems we have today. 

 

Why do our leaders commit these men and women to wars over ideology and other lame excuses to show how tough they are.  The bottom line is that our leaders are not problem solvers.  They take advantage of their positions and try to impose their own will on others.  World leaders don't withhold their people from the Olympic games because of their differences, on the contrary, they promote the games.  So why not promote the same Olympic relationships among our leaders?

 

Leaders of the world would do well to rethink their attitudes and always have the well being of their people in mind when approaching problems.  Leave your ego's at home and think about the people.

Now Comes The Reckoning

Five and half years ago President Bush ordered the invasion and occupation of Iraq over WMD that did not exist.  Iraq was a sovereign nation and Mr. Bush decided to bypass the U.N. to address a bogus problem.  Most of our major allies opposed the invasion and sat on the sidelines.  There's no need to go over all the mistakes made during the Iraq War, but one consequence we are now realizing more clearly than ever is that Bush opened the door for other nations to take the same actions against another nation regardless of a threat that was real or a threat that was manufactured.

 

Now it is Russia's turn to act the story out in Georgia.  Mr. Bush says Georgia is a sovereign nation and Russia should end the war and pull all troops out.  The U.S. still has 140,000 troops in Iraq after 5-1/2 years, so the presidents words ring hollow. 

 

I have mentioned on several occasions in the past that two can play this reckless game and now its Russia's turn.  There will be more leaders who will take their turn if this ideology is not reversed.  The day of reckoning has arrived for our reckless decision concerning Iraq.  The most frightening part is that the people responsible for the war in Iraq have convinced the American people to forget about the real reason we went to war in the first place and instead we are debating the surge --- a surge over WMD that did not exist and Americans are still dying because of that reckless behavior. 

 

Part of the silent reason of Russia's action in Georgia is the push to have Georgia become a member of NATO which Mr. Bush supports and Mr. Putin opposes.  Also a missile defense system in that part of Europe close to Russia that Bush supports and Putin opposes.  Mr. Putin is sending a message to stay out of Russia's back yard.

 

There will be more days of reckoning ahead if our next president does not change this dangerous and reckless policy and change this copy cat notion that world leaders can do what ever they want.  If that effort is not made the men and women in the Olympics will be facing each other in war instead of sports competition.  Is that what leadership is all about?