Where’s the Outrage?

If democracy is a mirror of the people, what does consistently poor voter turnout in our nation and restrictive term limits for elected officials reflect?

We often say people don’t vote because they’re not interested in politics or because they are busy. People say that candidates on the ballot offer no real options. I’m sure all these things are true to a degree.

I’ve wondered sometimes to what extent poor voter turnout also reflects a lack of confidence people have in their own judgment. Or to what extent it reflects the fact that people feel bad about the place they live.

Turning over control of who gets elected seems to indicate resignation over the future and even a measure of self-loathing. Would people who feel hopeful about the future or who feel good about themselves willingly allow others to determine how they’ll be governed?

Term limits are always a bad idea. In my home town of Houston, City Council members are, if you can imagine, limited to three two-year terms. Why would voters limit their own options? Do voters feel they need to be protected from themselves?

Democracy is a synthesis of public and private. The views we hold about public issues are formed by our personal experience of the world. Our private thoughts are a result of the world we see around us.

When democracy seems to be falling short of its potential, we should look for the reasons why in the mirror and in the private thoughts and feelings of individuals.

Tags: Other Political Thoughts by Texas Liberal
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So, President Bush was completely beaten back with his Al Qaeda in Iraq scare from last week. Almost every major new outlet had an expert that stated the connection was an overreach at best and at worse it was a lie!

This morning low and behold, we capture an Al Qaeda in Iraq insurgent. He just so happens to be a major figure in that well structured organization. You would not believe what he said. Bin Laden has direct command and control over Al Qaeda in Iraq. That’s so amazing. We just so happen to capture the exact guy that knows how the connection works. He’s the man. (Where have I heard that before? We have captured a #2 who knows everything… About 1000 times before as our President trotted out one number 2 after another.)

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From Cnn.com:

The U.S. military on Wednesday announced the arrest of a senior leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, an insurgent who, the military said, is casting himself as a “conduit” between the top leaders of al Qaeda and al Qaeda in Iraq.

Khalid al-Mashadani, an Iraqi also known as Abu Shahed, was seized on July 4 in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul and is in coalition custody, the military said.

“He served as the al Qaeda media emir for Baghdad and then was appointed the media emir for all of Iraq,” said Brig. Gen. Kevin J. Bergner, Multi-National Force-Iraq spokesman, who briefed reporters.

Tags: Al Qaeda, Iraq by ecthompson
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Uncle Joe is a drunk.  We hate to invite Uncle Joe to family parties because he always drinks too much.  He always gets out of control and passes out.  We then spend the rest of the day trying to pretend that we didn’t see what we all saw.  In my opinion, this is America’s response to the Republicans.  We all know that they are in different forms of denial.  We hate to see it.  Nonetheless, it is there.  Harry Reid, Carl Levin and Dick Durbin have forced us to see the Republicans clinging to their security blankets - cut and run, will follow us home, Al Qaeda in Iraq and retreat and defeat.

It is curious that I didn’t hear more from Senator Russ Feingold.  He was the leader in the get out of Iraq plan.  He has been relatively very quiet in the last several months.  Interesting.

 

 Senate forcing the issue [1:43m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Iraq, Senate by ecthompson
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$600 million is paid out by the LA archdiocese. As I mentioned in my book, I’m amazed that Dems haven’t called out a religious president out on this. Why hasn’t the president reached out to these suffering Catholics? Is that what a religious man - leader would do?

This is sad but the Daily Show makes it humorous.

 

 TDS - La settlement [1:49m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Religion, The Daily Show by ecthompson
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BBC photographer is embedded with the Army’s 2nd Infantry’s Division in Baghdad.  Leave it to a brother man to lay down a dose of reality.  He says he wants the president or someone in Congress to walk with him day in and day out.  He doesn’t say it but it is clear that he believes that they would end the war tomorrow if they had his experiences.

 

 Embedded reporter - surge [4:09m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Bush Administration, Congress, Iraq by ecthompson
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I’m not sure what they are going to accomplish. Think Progress is blogging throughout the night. Bob Geiger is also blogging late into the night.

It seems that the moderate Republicans are pushing the Iraq Study Group report. The guys at Think Progress have stated that the Iraq Study Group report is already old and out of date.

Update:  Video posted.  The Dems have to find a way to continue the pressure on the Republicans.  There is no surge.  This is a squirt. We have had several other “major” offenses to stabilize Iraq over the last 2 - 3 years.  Why is this any different?  To quell the violence and stabilize Iraq it will take the US 5 - 7 years.  Look at history as a guide to put down insurgencies.  Who wants to hang in for 5 - 7 years?

 

 Senate overnighter [1:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Congress, Iraq by ecthompson
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