Think Tank Suggestion

Just yesterday a friend of mine posted an article by Ezra Klein from washingtonpost.com. The article came with this comment by my friend:

"Ezra Klein is doing the best work out there in making a case for why Democrats should be spend the next few years building support in Kentucky so they can defeat Mitch McConnell. He's the single most destructive force in American politics and he ain't never gonna change. He gotta go. Of course, the likelihood that Dems know this is slim since they suck."

With that quote, I submitted a request to my "Think Tank" to provide the blueprint needed to assist the Democrats. Every Democrat in the Senate and Congress should push for "Constituent Polls" to be conducted on every Senator and Member of Congress’ respective page. The poll would look something like this:

I, for one, get tired of hearing Representatives say they are representing the interest of their constituency, yet continue to vote to the contrary. So, in addition to the Political Aptitude Test I suggested in early April, let’s really bring about transparency in the process in which our elected officials operate.

This way we can see if Mitch acts in the interest of the citizens of Kentucky, or in the best interest of himself.

Disclaimer: Eleanor Holmes-Norton's page will have a "Constituents Response" poll, but will not have a Rep. Vote ledger.

What is Al Qaeda?

Al Qaeda announced a new leader this morning. Ayman al-Zawahiri, longtime #2 to Osama bin Laden's, Dr. Evil, has been named the new leader of this terrorist organization. To me, this begs the question, not who but, "What is Al Qaeda?" Many times they are described as, "Muslim Extremist or Islamic Militants, Jihadists, etc." There is always a description that links Muslims and Islam to terrorist. Let's take a look at some of the more prominent faces of Al Qaeda:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/bin-laden-is-dead-but-al-qaeda-is-not/2011/05/02/AFZqpZbF_graphic.html

The faces of the bottom left and right may surprise you:

Anwar al-Awlaki

Nationality: United States. Holds dual American and Yemeni citizenship.Leader of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

Adam Gadahn

Nationality: United States

Propagandist. Grew up in California and converted to Islam as a teenager. Moved to Pakistan in 1998 and appeared in several al-Qaeda videos. Indicted and charged with treason in 2006

From this day forth, I personally choose not to use any term to describe Al Qaeda, than simply referring to them as Al Qaeda. The faith of Islam, based on my own knowledge, is PEACE. But before I get off topic, back to my question, “What is Al Qaeda?” Are they simply a terrorist network? A very well-organized terrorist network with an Org Chart, succession plans, expense reports and healthcare benefits...not to mention hiring from within for positions of leadership.

To quote the Washington Post about the vetting and selection process of a successor:

Zawahiri, 59, is regarded as a deeply religious leader who had the skill and experience to help turn an Afghan guerrilla movement into a global terrorist organization. But he is also considered rigid and lacking in charisma, and terrorism experts say it is unclear whether he can rebuild an organization that has been under siege by U.S. military and intelligence forces.

U.S officials and terrorism analysts had speculated that Zawahiri might face competition for the job of al-Qaeda leader from other candidates, such as Libyan jihadis Atiyah Abd al-Rahman and Abu Yahya al-Libi, both of whom were considered more personable.

But the al-Qaeda’s general command put out a statement on Thursday announcing Zawahiri’s appointment, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors developments in radical Islamic groups.

Really, Zawahiri's weaknesses are that he is “considered rigid” and “lacking in charisma”; other candidates were considered because they are more personable...something about this synopsis really rubs me the wrong way. I'm not sure if it’s because we have the "intelligence" to gather this information, or if it’s the rational thinking makes me believe that the war with this "enemy" could indeed take 100 years (although the question was posed as Iraq) as John McCain stated during the 2008 Presidential primaries.

Will Osama bin Laden become the “Ronald Reagan” of terrorist cells worldwide? That charismatic leader that all vying for a position that he once held will strive to live up to.

Al Qaeda has [jihadist] websites, a la any “.gov” here in the U.S.; they have broadcast networks that lean towards their “political/ religious” positions a la FOXNEWS and NBC depending on your party. Al Qaeda even has different branches located throughout the globe a la the U.S. and military bases/ compounds. The branch that gives the U.S. most concern is in Yemen, which reportedly has emerged as the most powerful and active.

As much as it pains me to admit it Al Qaeda has a global presence, and operates as a Fortune 500 company or any other body of government. They apparently have a selection committee, board members and an unquestionable mission and vision for the world. So for me to finally answer my own question, “What is Al Qaeda?”

I still don’t know…

Party Distractions: The Left Hand Doesn't Know What the Right Hand is Doing

On the Right side we have Sarah Palin; the greatest single political distraction in my lifetime. However, only the press, Late Show comics and those on the Left show her any attention. Republicans and Tea Party members don't take the bait though, treating her as the (insert description) aunt that has an opinion on EVERYTHING although she knows nothing. She has a book deal and a tour bus to travel the country and dispell american history. She was made a grandmother from a pre-marital sexual relationship her daughter had; the Republican National Committee spent more than $150,000 on clothing and make-up for then Gov. Sarah Palin, her husband, and even her infant son in the midst of an economic crisis; and most of all, SHE QUIT HER JOB AS GOVERNOR TO PROFIT FROM A PUBLISHING OPPORTUNITY.

On the Left side we have Anthony Weiner; a New York Congressman, who by all acounts is very good at his job (although he had unfunfilled dreams of being a Chip-N-Dale dancer). He too gets attention from the press, Late Show comics and those on the Right. The difference here is, those on the Left take the bait- taking stabs at Weiner that cut deeper than Lorena Bobbitt. Yes, his actions were inappropriate for a married man and I will not attempt to defend him; I will also not call for him to resign as his colleagues in Congress are doing. What Congresman Weiner tweets is between him, the recipient and his WIFE.

Not much about Sarah Palin screams conservative or intellectually qualified; she is a sound-bite machine used by the RNC to deflect the fact that they are holding up job creation...

They are holding the economy hostage by FIGHTING AGAINST HIGHER TAXES and FOR TAX BREAKS (for people that don't need or want them).

Anthony Weiner on the other hand (Left) represents his constituency well. As a New York City councilman 1992-98: Weiner initiated programs to tackle quality of life concerns. He started a program to put at-risk and troubled teens to work cleaning up graffiti. He spearheaded development plans for historic Sheepshead Bay that led to a revival of the area; and, when supermarkets started leaving the neighborhood, Weiner worked to reverse the trend. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on public housing, he fought to increase federal funding, to ban dangerous dogs, and to add more police officers to the beat. His investigation into the cause of sudden, fatal stairwell fires made headlines; he exposed dangerous practices that eventually led the city to replace the paint in developments citywide.

He is also a big supporter of gay marriage (human rights if you will)...because he fights for his constituency; his party though, would much rather fight amongst themselves instead of showing the solidarity that the country needs to see. The democratic base will falter along with the elected political leaders because their focus continues to be deflected away from real issues.

The Right hand showed this solidarity during the first of the GOP Presidential Nomination debates. There were plenty of opportunities for them to turn on themselves, yet they took the platform to show a unified front against the current White House...without involving Sarah Palin...who is somewhere near Mount Rushmore looking for the image of Limbaugh.

The Right to Choose; Quality of Life and Death

Usually when the phrase, "The Right to Choose" is used, it’s the beginning of a Roe V. Wade debate. Not many know of Oregon's Death With Dignity Act:

On October 27, 1997 Oregon enacted the Death with Dignity Act which allows terminally-ill Oregonians to end their lives through the voluntary self-administration of lethal medications, expressly prescribed by a physician for that purpose. The Oregon Death with Dignity Act requires the Oregon Department of Human Services to collect information about the patients and physicians who participate in the Act, and publish an annual statistical report.

In 2006 the United States Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling that stated that "Death With Dignity protected a legitimate medical practice.” Of course, by this time Dr. Jack was one year away from being released from prison for a second degree murder conviction in which he assisted a terminally ill patient in committing suicide (by injecting the patient himself, as opposed to the patient taking the “final action). I point to a paragraph of the Hippocratic Oath that justifies the Dr. Kevorkian's actions:

I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given to me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God.

Dr. Kevorkian provided a medical service to patients that was not available to them; to stop being a patient. All of these people were of sound mind; with family members that may not have agreed with the decision, but respected the wishes of their loved ones. Bedside manner and hospice care for the terminally ill has changed for the better since Dr. Kevorkian; and I don't see anyone seeking to prosecute Congress for the assisted suicide of our economy. Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Back to the topic at hand, the right to choose. Many of us are currently without health insurance, PERIOD, and lack the financial means to be able to make any medical decisions that could possibly save our lives. If the best medical decision for a patient is to end their own suffering, is that not the same as denying treatment that could “possibly” cure them? The real problem society had with Dr. Kevorkian is that he made it clear that we will all die one day. Death wasn’t supposed to be viewed as a cure…and that was the cure that Dr. Kevorkian offered to end the pain and suffering involved with terminally ill patients. The great doctor often referred to his medical critics as, “hypocritic oafs;” because they could not see the big picture.

Dr. Kevorkian was the first to propose giving murderers condemned to die the option of being executed with anesthesia in order to subject their bodies to medical experimentation and allow the harvesting of their healthy organs. He delivered a paper on the subject to a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1958.

How can we call someone that had the foresight to advance medicine by way of soliciting organ donations from a previously untapped source, Dr. Death? As unlikely as this is, I believe that Dr. Kevorkian deserves a posthumous pardon.