If the President orders Administration officials to perform an illegal act, and the Court convicts and sentences the officials, is it reasonable that the President should be able to pardon them?
This situation creates a de facto process for the President to operate illegally without facing any penalties if caught.
At the very least, the President's ability to pardon should be restricted to offenses that occurred before he became President... or four years before that, to cover illegal acts in election campaigns.
December 24, 2008
December 16, 2008
Throwing Shoes at Bush
Muntadar al-Zaidi is a hero who speaks for millions of us in the United States, as well as millions in Iraq.
The 28-year-old journalist has previously been held for questioning twice by US forces, and was kidnapped and questioned by unknown persons who beat him unconscious. He knew what he was risking by throwing shoes at Bush.
Since being taken into custody this time he has apparently suffered a broken arm, broken ribs and internal bleeding.
Unconfirmed stories have Adnan Hamad, former coach of the Iraqi soccer team, offering $100,000 for the shoes, and a Saudi citizen offering $10 million.
Zaidi is a hero. Reward him.
The 28-year-old journalist has previously been held for questioning twice by US forces, and was kidnapped and questioned by unknown persons who beat him unconscious. He knew what he was risking by throwing shoes at Bush.
Since being taken into custody this time he has apparently suffered a broken arm, broken ribs and internal bleeding.
Unconfirmed stories have Adnan Hamad, former coach of the Iraqi soccer team, offering $100,000 for the shoes, and a Saudi citizen offering $10 million.
Zaidi is a hero. Reward him.
December 10, 2008
Memory and DNA
The New Scientist in November 2008 suggested that long-term memory may be stored in the DNA.
Although the study that they reference was done on the brains of mice, I think it also raises the question of whether "junk DNA" throughout the entire body might not have some memory storage capacity. How vast our memory might be!
Depending on when this memory-storage trick was developed, elephants and whales (with enormous brains and enormous bodies) might well have even vaster memories.
If the whole body is used for storing memory, then cryonics organizations should review their policies on whole-body versus head-only preservation techniques.
Although the study that they reference was done on the brains of mice, I think it also raises the question of whether "junk DNA" throughout the entire body might not have some memory storage capacity. How vast our memory might be!
Depending on when this memory-storage trick was developed, elephants and whales (with enormous brains and enormous bodies) might well have even vaster memories.
If the whole body is used for storing memory, then cryonics organizations should review their policies on whole-body versus head-only preservation techniques.
December 8, 2008
Bringing Haitian Democracy to Canada
Sure, it's cute for Canada to have appointed a Governor-General who is a black female immigrant. But you know man, there is actually a serious function to the mostly ceremonial position, and that function requires a person who understands the concept of a sovereign parliament.
Canada, unlike Haiti, does not elect or need a President. The Prime Minister is simply that individual who is best able to command the support of a majority of the Members of Parliament. Mr Harper seems to believe that he has been elected President. Governor-General Michaëlle Jean seems to agree, and is allowing him to avoid facing a vote of No Confidence. That action of hers is contrary to the functioning of a parliamentary democracy.
The Liberals and the New Democrats together won both more votes and more seats than the Conservatives in the October 2008 election. If the Liberals and NDP can form a coalition, they are the rightful government.
But perhaps only a person imbued from birth with the cultural values of a parliamentary system, rather than a presidency, can appreciate this.
Canada, unlike Haiti, does not elect or need a President. The Prime Minister is simply that individual who is best able to command the support of a majority of the Members of Parliament. Mr Harper seems to believe that he has been elected President. Governor-General Michaëlle Jean seems to agree, and is allowing him to avoid facing a vote of No Confidence. That action of hers is contrary to the functioning of a parliamentary democracy.
The Liberals and the New Democrats together won both more votes and more seats than the Conservatives in the October 2008 election. If the Liberals and NDP can form a coalition, they are the rightful government.
But perhaps only a person imbued from birth with the cultural values of a parliamentary system, rather than a presidency, can appreciate this.
November 6, 2008
2012 US Election Results
And the results are in for 2012!
An increased majority for Obama/Biden with 417 electoral votes, against 121 for Palin/Gingrich.
With a divisive campaign over gay rights and abortion rights, Obama carried all his states from 2008, plus Arizona, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri, South Carolina and Georgia.
Palin carried only the Moralizing Majority of the least educated states.
You read it first here.
An increased majority for Obama/Biden with 417 electoral votes, against 121 for Palin/Gingrich.
With a divisive campaign over gay rights and abortion rights, Obama carried all his states from 2008, plus Arizona, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri, South Carolina and Georgia.
Palin carried only the Moralizing Majority of the least educated states.
You read it first here.
November 5, 2008
Theft-Proof Majority
I'm so grateful that Barack Obama didn't just achieve an Electoral College majority, but a majority that was large enough to be theft-proof - unlike the stolen Democratic majorities of 2000 and 2004.
Never trust a Republican with your money, your civil liberties, or the programming of your voting machine.
Never trust a Republican with your money, your civil liberties, or the programming of your voting machine.
Proud to be in the USA
For the first time in 8 years, I'm not embarrassed to be living and working in the USA.
Free at last, free at last! Thank God Almighty, we're free of Bush at last.
Free at last, free at last! Thank God Almighty, we're free of Bush at last.
September 3, 2008
John McCain
Fred Thompson said, "Being a POW doesn't qualify anyone to be president, but it does reveal character." Meaning, vote for John McCain.
He could equally have said, "Coming home from years of war to find your lovely, faithful wife has had a horrific accident and lost six inches in height from her legs - dumping her and the kids and picking up a younger, prettier filthy rich heiress - doesn't disqualify anyone from being president, but it does reveal character." Meaning, yup, if you want an cynical opportunist - again - to run the country, vote for John McCain.
He could equally have said, "Coming home from years of war to find your lovely, faithful wife has had a horrific accident and lost six inches in height from her legs - dumping her and the kids and picking up a younger, prettier filthy rich heiress - doesn't disqualify anyone from being president, but it does reveal character." Meaning, yup, if you want an cynical opportunist - again - to run the country, vote for John McCain.
September 2, 2008
Big Government
It's not a matter of more government or less government, it's a matter of good government.
More government doesn't make for better government, it just makes more bureaucracy and worse government.
Less government doesn't make for better government, it just makes for holes in a structure that get fixed with new structures, which generates overlapping and conflicting bureaucracies, and worse government.
Better government is the goal. That means transparency, accountability, and an independent Ombudsman where anyone can go when the government administration is being bureaucratic, unfair or illegal.
More government doesn't make for better government, it just makes more bureaucracy and worse government.
Less government doesn't make for better government, it just makes for holes in a structure that get fixed with new structures, which generates overlapping and conflicting bureaucracies, and worse government.
Better government is the goal. That means transparency, accountability, and an independent Ombudsman where anyone can go when the government administration is being bureaucratic, unfair or illegal.
May 3, 2008
2008 Kentucky Derby
Yesterday Hillary Clinton was saying about today's Kentucky Derby, 'Put a bet on Eight Belles for me - she's the only filly in the race."
So what happens? Big Brown wins! And Eight Belles not only places second, but collapses right afterwards and breaks both front ankles, and is euthanized immediately....
Um, Hillary, any comment...? Isn't this going to be a talking point for the next couple of days? Have you just lost yourself the primaries in three days time?
And just how does this happen? Is this Jung's theory of synchronicity in action? Was it foreknowledge on her part? Was it an inadvertent curse she set? Is it simply too funny, and the gods do it so that (almost) everyone can laugh at the mysterious poetry of the universe?
So what happens? Big Brown wins! And Eight Belles not only places second, but collapses right afterwards and breaks both front ankles, and is euthanized immediately....
Um, Hillary, any comment...? Isn't this going to be a talking point for the next couple of days? Have you just lost yourself the primaries in three days time?
And just how does this happen? Is this Jung's theory of synchronicity in action? Was it foreknowledge on her part? Was it an inadvertent curse she set? Is it simply too funny, and the gods do it so that (almost) everyone can laugh at the mysterious poetry of the universe?
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