“When The American People Realize They Have A Problem….”

(Joe turns to Jack as they watch the President’s news conference on TV at the Cheers bar in Boston)

Joe: Hey Jack, you must be pretty stupid. You don’t realize we have a problem. The President just said so.

Jack: What are you talking about? I know we got a problem.
Joe: Oh yeah, what is it?

Jack: Um, must be something to do with…with…
Joe: See, you don’t know.

Jack: Wait a minute. If you’re so smart, what’s our problem?
Joe: See, you just proved my point. I don’t know either.

Jack: Wait a minute, how do we know that we don’t know we have a problem?
Joe: Because the President just said so. That President is one smart dude. He’s got us figured out.

Jack: I’ve had enough of this. Hey bartender, turn the TV to the Red Sox game. I’m getting tired of being called stupid. Good thing my Social Security check came in today. How about another beer?

Setting the Wrong Example

As you may have heard:

An Army inspector general's report has cleared senior Army officers of wrongdoing in the abuse of military prisoners in Iraq and elsewhere, government officials familiar with the findings said yesterday.

The only Army general officer recommended for punishment for the failures that led to abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison and other facilities in Iraq and Afghanistan is Brig. Gen. Janis L. Karpinski, who was in charge of U.S. prison facilities in Iraq as commander of the 800th Military Police Brigade in late 2003 and early 2004. Several sources said Karpinski is expected to receive an administrative reprimand for dereliction of duty.

Military discipline and effectiveness in our forces has always been heavily dependent on accountability for your actions, especially from leadership. 'Walk-the-talk' has been a core value, long before private sector MBA degree programs began to see its importance.

The Army had a chance with the Abu Ghraib revelations - not a chance to witchhunt, but a chance to show how military justice ought to work. Yes, this justice and the associated penalties are more stringent than in civilian courts, but it's that way for a reason. This isn't the same thing as firing a baseball manager when his team goes belly-up.

Setting the example from the top has implications not found in civilian life. Personal accountability in leadership, if undermined or ignored, sets the wrong example, and worse, creates widespread cynicism among the troops - exactly what we don't need. The lack of placing accountability on appropriate leaders in the chain of command for Abu Ghraib is inexecuseable. It starts at the top, and it's another reason that I haven't removed the Rumsfeld-ought-to-be-fired calendar on the right side of this blog.

Read what one Army vet has to say.
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Thanks to Buzzflash for the link

You Are Either With People of Faith, Or...

Those of you that follow this blog (when I have been a little more consistent, day-to-day) know that I have not broached the subject of religion here, because this blog is aimed primarily at the needs of veterans, the active duty troops etc. and their families. But now, as a person also of faith (not the Bill Frist kind), this all has changed for me - because the idiots of the Fascist American Right are forcing the issue - and, yes, even veterans should have an interest in this latest development.

There is ranting, which we all like to do from time to time, but now there is a raving lunacy coming from elected Senators and our own version of self-appointed religious crusaders who have aligned their purposes together to derail our Constitution - in the name of the Constitution. They didn't need a white smoke stack to announce their absolute position of righteousness. As far as they are concerned, they speak for God - that is, for anyone against the filibuster.

No longer are the courts necessary for justice, unless it's their judges at stake. No longer are the rights of minorities an issue with them. Going nuclear will take care of that - at least they think so.

George Bush started this during the campaign - and now the tiger has him by the tail. Notice he hasn't said a word about this latest Holy Empire of the Right. Is it possible that even he knows that Frist, DeLay, Lott and their pope James Dobson are way over the top?

DeLay Grows Increasingly Out of Touch With Reality

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's sanity now has to come into into question, not just his ethical collapse as a Congressman. Increasingly wild accusations are coming from this "leader" of the far, far Right. Now it's Supreme Court Justice Kennedy who ought to be removed because he did some research on the internet while working on some cases. DeLay is hoping that by accusing others, the heat will be removed from him. It's not going to work. Mr. DeLay is the only one in need of removal from office - and the sooner his supporters in Congress realize it, the better.

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Thanks to Buzzflash for the link

Priorities of the Right - the New Math Revisted

Let's see: Closing in on $200 billion for Iraq. And now we know that the TSA has also wasted tens of billions of dollars and the airports are no safer at all since 9/11, as reported by a Repub senator (no surprise to the rest of us).

But last week the right refused to adequately fund returning troops VA medical bills for a little over $1 billion. Support the Troops rides again.

So a lot of vets from this war will be out on the street as in previous wars, because they will have lost their jobs, and many will try bancruptcy to survive - only now they won't be able to do that either - courtesy of all the Repubs and more than 70 Dems.

What does it take to disgust you, vets?

Support the Troops and Dump on the Vets

It comes down to this, vets. You who voted for this president or for your Republican senator. It's time for accountability. Better yet, it's time to come to your senses. You who still sport your W stickers along with your Support the Troops stickers on your cars. You are living in a dream world - no, a world of betrayal to your brothers and sisters in arms. In my opinion, and it is my opinion, after yesterday's vote in the Senate, if you still support any one of these Republican senators (with the exception of Arlen Specter), you are a traitor to other vets, and to the active duty troops on their way home, in need of medical care.

Take your ribbons off your cars today. Instead put on a bumper sticker with the title of today's blog post above - because that's what you are doing. What's it going to take for you to see you've been used before, and now after, the election?

Tax-Free Combat-Related Compensation Available to Veterans

Applications for Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC) pay have not increased as officials expected...the benefit has expanded to include all combat-related disabilities rated as service-connected by the VA at 10% disability or higher.

...the lack of participation may be because many retirees have not heard about the program or are confusing CRSC criteria with the Concurrent Retirement Disability Payments program. When in doubt, retirees should apply. CRSC is awarded to active duty retirees with 20 years or more active duty or to Reservists or Guardsmen who retired at age 60.

Note for Vietnam Vets: Disabilities from Agent Orange are eligible to apply.

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Source DFAS newsletter December 2004

It's Getting Too Smelly Even for the Repugs...

The real morality from the right...

Parallel Universes

OK, I know I'm late to this story, but I just have to comment after reading this article today:

Representative Tom DeLay, the House majority leader, escalated his talk of a battle between the legislative and judicial branches of government on Thursday, saying federal courts had "run amok," in large part because of the failure of Congress to confront them.

Delay should be in jail now. He has flagrantly used the power of his office to set a new low in political morality and ethics - if that's possible. To top it off, last week he used a dying woman to further his own claims of victimization from the left.

Delay is a disgusting human being, who needs to stop blaming everyone else for the problems he created for himself. His disregard and contempt of those whom he is supposed to serve is currently without parallel in Congress .

Congress should censor him and then he should be tried and thrown in prison for a long time. Of course that would be difficult to do if we got rid of the judiciary, as Delay wants to do.

That's My Story and I'm Sticking To It...

Yes, I've been taking a bit of a break from blogging for various reasons, but I am on the way back, perhaps at a slower rate than the past for awhile. I am not planning to abandon ship anytime soon, however...