Democracy in the Middle-East and George W. Bush - 03 Feb 11

With the final outcome very much still in doubt; is democracy actually gaining a strong foothold in the Middle-East? What’s your guess?

Regardless of which side you stand on; how much of this current movement do we (or are we) going to give George W. Bush credit for? Would it have been taking place had GWB not directed the invasion of Iraq back when he did? Maybe you might even add token credit to the senior Bush – you could probably make a case there also.

Without the fall of Saddam, would any of the current movement have taken shape?

I’m sorry. It just seems that today I have more questions than answers. The entire situation could still go almost any direction, particularly in Egypt. Who has the power and power could still be used to put the entire situation down.

Who stands to be the biggest winner in the region? If the extremist don’t manage to gain the upper hand; it will be the people – the ones that deserve it. It would be a shame for the people to have started this all and then have the country fall into the hands of the undeserving suppressors of human rights who manage to use their biased religious outlook to blindside others into directing their hatred at us instead of working for the betterment of their brethren. Let’s hope this does not prove to be the final direction.

It would be a just and fitting outcome for democracy to prevail and the people of the region become valued players on the world stage.

I guess the biggest question still looming out there is: Does the movement stand any chance whatsoever making its way into Iran?

Obama Opportunity Squandered? - 01 Feb 11

A great opportunity (as I see it) is right on our doorstep and it will be, very unfortunately, squandered. I do not see that there is anything we can do whatsoever about making something worthwhile out of the situation that confronts us.

It seems to me from what video I have seen on the world and broadcast channels that the people of the Mid-East feel that they have a friend in Barack Obama. It looks to me very much like the roar that was raised overseas when the Nobel Prize was announced. They feel like there is a kinship there that probably doesn’t actually exist. The race issue may be the link; I do not know but it just seems to me to be the most direct link.

Every broadcast I have seen there has been just as many Pro-Obama signs and there has been Anti-Mubarak signs. It could be they the press is leading me astray but I don’t think so in this case. They haven’t seemed to make the link.

In any event, here we sit – probably on our thumbs. What can we do? All the diplomats that I have seen and heard interviewed have stated that we are diplomatically trapped between the preverbal rock and hard spot. If we support Mabarak and he topples; we have made the wrong choice. If we support the protestors and Mubarak prevails; we have made the wrong choice. Can we just sit it out? Probably not for long.

Wouldn’t it be nice for our leader to be the one with all the right answers for a change – lately this hasn’t been the case. It should make no difference witch party our leader stands with. This is a REAL opportunity for world leadership and in this case Barack Obama is exactly the right leader at the exact right time and the exact right place. Like it or not, not one of any of our recent presidents have had this unique kinship with the populous of that region of the world – not one. Mr. Obama is it – the only it.

I hope there are great minds thinking this through and I hope that those great minds are seriously working the right and appropriate angles. Let’s hope they make the right choices.

Voter ID bill - Texas Legislature - 25 Jan 11

I took some time yesterday to go down to the capitol to sit in on the Texas Senate debate of the Voter ID bill (SB 14). Initially it was scheduled to start at 1330 but they were still resolutioning and recognizing Texas Wounded Warriors (this is Wounded Warrior Week evidently, I didn’t even know there was one). It seemed as though every Senator had a constituent from their district that needed to be recognized; all of them very deserving soldiers and former soldiers. The recognition took quite some time as therefore the Senate debate didn’t start until much later than advertised. Besides the wounded; the county holding Garner State Park and the Tigers de Sur, a mariachi band from Laredo’s Martin High School, were also recognized – they had performed earlier in the rotunda – good lookin’ bunch of kids.

Eventually they got to it, well almost. The members spent the rest of the afternoon discussing the rules to be adhered to under the “Committee of the Whole” procedure. The same discussion took place two years ago when the same question was addressed by the Senate – later to die and not become law. I heard some of the exact same questions asked by the exact same Senators – wouldn’t ya know it? – nothin’ ever changes much down there. Having spent the afternoon and not even debating the first line of the bill, they adjourned for the day. This is probably a good thing. Two years ago the Senate went through the night and well into the next day ; hearing testimony, observing exhibits and generally getting nowhere.

Of particular note: there still hasn’t been found to be any evidence of significant voter fraud anywhere in Texas – I imagine Duvall County might have been looked at very closely. An Austin American-Statesman editorial, running 25 Jan 11, stated:” And there is no evidence to support that there has been an outbreak of it (voter fraud) either now or in the immediate past.” The State AG has prosecuted 26 minor cases of which some 18 involved proper handling.

The Statesman editorial went on further to state: “When a similar bill was proposed in the 2009 session, the actual costs of implementing the law never were fully established.” This remains the case today.

Watching the debate from home (http://www.senate.state.tx.us/bin/live.php), Senator Troy Fraser (R-Horseshoe Bay) was again ask the question on costs; both actual and hidden. His answer was that they “hoped to use the HAVA funds.” HAVA funds are federal funds for “Help Americans Vote Act (signed into law by President Bush in October of 2002).” When pressed on the use Sen. Fraser didn’t know if the funds could really be used for this purpose or not – it would be “better to ask the Secretary of State that question.” The question of training funds was the next challenge – Sen. Fraser had no good answer for this question either.

The question of legal challenges arose it’s ugly head and Sen. Fraser stated that he didn’t see any reason that “the legislation would be challenged.” When pressed on the subject – more than the majority of other states with such laws have been sued in the legal system. Sen. Fraser didn’t seem to see Texas having that problem – a dream world exists in the minds of many.

Pressing the question of training Senator Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) and a member of the Finance Committee entered an exhibit into evidence – a blown up photo of a actual Texas Driver’s License and ask if the members could recognize the individual pictured. She gave them time as all looked around. Giving them clue after clue – a very recognizable figure known to them all – the members still not one seemed to recognize the picture. Finally Sen. Zaffirini identified the holder to be her Chief of Staff who had been sitting right beside her the entire afternoon. She then proposed that just maybe the driver’s license might not be the appropriate document to use for identification. Chuckles all around.

My best guess is that is one more try by the Republican majority to highjack the Legislature. They have a majority in both houses and if wanting to do so; this legislation will surely pass. I routinely vote Republican and side with these guys; most of the time. The Governor having made Voter ID a fast track issue has almost assured that it will receive favorable consideration. The Gov has also given sonograms as a condition of abortion an emergency legislation designation. I for one feel that anything that detracts from Fixin’ the Budget is a complete waste of time and an attempt to highjack the current session – maybe its all just headline grabbing and we shouldn’t care! Make up your own mind.