Ruh Roh

This will not end well.

Overriding Western objections, a 150-nation nuclear conference on Friday passed a resolution directly criticizing Israel and its atomic program for the first time in 18 years. Iran hailed the vote as a "glorious moment."

The result was a setback not only for Israel but also for the U.S. and other backers of the Jewish state, which had lobbied for 18 years of past practice — debate on the issue without a vote. It also reflected building tensions between Israel and its backers and Islamic nations, backed by developing countries.

Of delegations present at the International Atomic Energy Agency meeting Friday, 49 voted for the resolution. Forty-five were against and 16 abstained from endorsing or rejecting he document, which "expresses concern about the Israeli nuclear capabilities," and links it to "concern about the threat posed by the proliferation of nuclear weapons for the security and stability of the Middle East."

The result once again exposed the deep North-South divide gripping IAEA meetings.

The United States and its allies consider Iran the greatest proliferation threat, fearing that Tehran is trying to achieve the capacity to make nuclear weapons despite its assertion that it is only building a civilian program to generate power. They also say Syria — which, like Iran is under IAEA investigation — ran a clandestine nuclear program, at least until Israeli warplanes destroyed what they describe as a nearly finished plutonium-producing reactor two years ago.

But Islamic nations insist that Israel is the true danger in the Middle East, saying they fear its nuclear weapons capacity. Israel has never said it has such arms, but is universally believed to posses them.

Here is the deal, it is incredibly unfair for Israel to have nuclear weapons, for everybody to know they have nuclear weapons, but for the international community to continue to look the other way while jacking up arab nations who have nuclear aspirations. Its not that its wrong for the IAEA to be on Iran's and Syria's ass. What is wrong is for them not to be similarly on Israel's ass. The problem of course is that this vote will evoke screams of anti semitism and ultimately it paints the US into the corner of having to defend Israel's right to not have to ever declare their nuclear arsenal, something no other country gets away with, further damaging our image in the Arab/Muslim world. Now the truth is I wouldn't be surprised if I got a comment or two saying I was being antisemetic also for simply saying we should treat everyone the same. Such is the atmosphere now of any major issue dealing with the middle east. I just hope that it doesn't do all that much to hurt efforts at peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

But I wouldn't be too hopeful.

You Want Names? I'll Give You Names!

Here are the names of the 12 House Democrats that voted against censuring Congressman Joe Wilson.

Michael Arcuri (NY), Bill Delahunt (MA), Gabrielle Giffords (AZ), Maurice Hinchey (NY), Paul Hodes (NH), Dennis Kucinich (OH), Dan Maffei (NY), Eric Massa (NY), Jim McDermott (WA), Gwen Moore (WI), Gene Taylor (MS), and Harry Teague (NM).

These 5 House members voted present.

Eliot Engel (NY), Bill Foster (IL), Barney Frank (MA), Carol Shea-Porter (NH), and Ike Skelton (MO).

Now maybe they think they had good reasons not to vote yes. I personally can't think of any. And although there are people on both lists who I like and admire, they all are going to have to answer for their votes at some point. Especially if there is another Republican outburst like that.

It is what it is.

Rock Meet Hard Place

I am glad to see that we have at least a few Democrats in Congress who know how to play hardball. Hell this is pretty much diabolical.....and I love it!

So will Republican members of the House of Representatives choose the mainstream or the fringe? I'm stocking up on popcorn!

The measure Abercrombie will introduce commemorates the 50th anniversary of Hawaii’s statehood. But here’s the rub, his spokesman tells me: It describes Hawaii as Barack Obama’s birthplace.

“In the language of the resolution, there is a statement that Hawaii is the birthplace of the 44th President of the United States,” Abercrombie spokesman Dave Helfert confirms.

That confronts House GOPers with a choice: They can vote for the measure, and endorse the idea that Obama was born in Hawaii, which could earn the wrath of birthers. Or they can vote against commemorating the 50th state’s joining of our blessed Union. Or GOPers can skip the vote, but that could look nutty.

“Far be it from us to try to stir things up,” Helfert said puckishly. “The president was born there, so what are you gonna do? Not mention it?”

I am not the newest member of the Neil Ambercrombie fan club.

Update: I guess we should have saw this one coming. Michele Bachman moves to block the resolution with a parliamentary procedure. Actually I am kind of glad because I wouldn't want a voice vote on this resolution anyway. Make them put their name on it!



Update II: The resolution passed tonight with not even a single no vote. Although there were quite a few members who didn't vote at all. I am not saying that in and of itself is an issue, but I would love to know why the ones who didn't vote....didn't.

At What Point Do You Get Off The Crazy Train?

To all my Republican brothers and sisters, is this REALLY the kind of party you are proud to be a part of?

Republican state party leaders are rebelling against new Republican National Committee Chairman Michael S. Steele for failing to dub President Obama and the Democrats as "socialists." And the rebels insist that the label matters.

Even though Mr. Steele has called his Democratic adversaries "collectivists," at least 16 state leaders say the term lacks the pejorative punch needed to sway public opinion and want all 168 members of the Republican National Committee to debate and vote on it.

It is the first time in memory that a sitting national leader of the Republican Party has faced a public challenge over his ideological leadership by conservative members of his own national committee.

snip

Mr. Bopp, a constitutional law lawyer and hero to conservatives for arguing a Supreme Court challenge to the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law, said he had presented Mr. Steele with a petition bearing the signatures of RNC members from 16 states - the number needed under RNC rules to convene an extraordinary meeting of the full committee next month.

Mr. Steele has twice rejected requests by Mr. Bopp, who leads two conservative caucuses within the RNC, to call the special meeting.

The petition calls for open debate at the extraordinary meeting on three conservative resolutions that for the first time directly involve the RNC in policy and ideology.

"In just a few months, the goal of the Obama administration has become clear and obvious - to restructure American society along socialist ideals," Mr. Bopp said in summarizing the first resolution. The resolution's chief sponsor is Washington state RNC member Jeff Kent, and it calls on the Democrats to be "truthful and honest with the American people by renaming themselves the Democrat Socialist Party."

snip

"Just as President Reagan's identification of the Soviet Union as the 'evil empire' galvanized opposition to communism, we hope that the accurate depiction of the Democrats as a Socialist Party will galvanize opposition to their march to socialism," Mr. Bopp wrote in his e-mail.

Mr. Steele previously offered to issue a joint statement with signers of the resolution, but they turned down his offer and insisted on a debate and vote by the full RNC membership - a state party chairman and a national committeeman and national committeewoman from all 50 states and five territories.

Oregon RNC member Solomon Yue, a founder of a conservative caucus among RNC members, said, "We must refocus the public's attention to the Democrat Party's stampede to socialism and we must make our socialist president's every legislative victory so costly that he will lose the war in 2010 and 2012."

Publicly, Mr. Steele has shied away from using the socialist line.

"We don't see this president so much as a socialist as we see him as a collectivist," he told Fox News. "When you strip away this idea that the individual matters, for this concept of the collective - all of us pulling together and working towards some governmental goal - that's what I'm more concerned about."

But in an April 6 memo to RNC members, Mr. Steele said that "Democrats are indeed marching America toward European-style socialism, and I will continue to criticize their dangerous policies in that regard - but I believe these proposed resolutions will accomplish little than to give the media and our opponents the opportunities to mischaracterize Republicans."

I have no words.

My Two Heros Of Today

This morning I made the unfortunate choice to watch the House of Representative debate the passing of a resolution declaring that the U.S. stands with Israel in this current conflict and condemns the actions of Hamas. It wasn't so much the resolution that got me, but the bullshit justifications brought forth by Congressmen and women from both sides of the aisle over and over and over again. I had to hear about everybody's trip to Sderot in Israel and how they had to run for cover. Not a one of these ass hats gave any indication that they had ever made it across the border to see the inhumane conditions in the Gaza Strip created by the blockade of the border crossing by Israel. It was a totally fucking disgusting portrayal of a fraud on the American people and every single Democrat that stood up for that resolution today repulsed me and seriously have me rethinking my support of our party.

Well two people stood out today and spoke truth to power on the record on the floor of the House of Representatives. Congressman Dennis Kucinich and Congressman Ron Paul both got up and spoke truth to power and for that I am acknowledging their political courage in doing so. Even though I don't agree with either one of them on every single issue I want to share what they had to say today so everyone can see what real courage looks like.

Dennis Kucinich




Ron Paul




P.S. Rep Keith Ellison was admittedly in a tight spot being the only muslim serving in Congress but the fact that he chose to vote present instead of no was truly dissappointing.