IWR News

Iraq Body Count: 09/28/2010
Total Americans Killed: 4424
Post Obama Inauguration: 204
Post “End of Combat”: 7 (**)
http://icasualties.org/

“…a small price…” Rep. John Boehner

----------------------------

Latest Confirmed Casualties:

*1st Lt. Michael L. Runyan, 24, of Newark, OH died July 21 in Balad, Iraq.

*Spc. Faith R. Hinkley, 23, of Colorado Springs, CO died Aug. 7 in Baghdad, Iraq.

*Spc. Jamal M. Rhett, 24, of Palmyra, NJ died Aug. 15 in Ba Qubah, Iraq.

*Sgt. Brandon E. Maggart, 24, of Kirksville, MO died Aug. 22 at Basrah, Iraq.

*Sgt. Ryan J. Hopkins, 21, of Livermore, CA died Jan. 8, at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, TX of injuries sustained in Baghdad, Iraq, on Oct. 4, 2008.

**Sgt. Philip C. Jenkins, 26, of Decatur, IN died Sept. 7 at Balad, Iraq.

**Pvt. James F. McClamrock, 22, of Huntersville, NC died Sept. 7 at Balad, Iraq.

**Senior Airman James A. Hansen, 25, of Athens, MI died Sept. 15 at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.

**Sgt. John F. Burner III, 32, of Baltimore, MD died Sept. 16, in Iskandariya, Iraq.

**Spc. John Carrillo Jr., 20, of Stockton, CA died Sept. 24 in Fallujah, Iraq.

**Pfc. Gebrah P. Noonan, 26, of Watertown, CT died Sept. 24 in Fallujah, Iraq.

**Spc. Marc C. Whisenant, 23, of Holly Hill, FL died Sept. 24 in Kuwait.


Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Are the Republicans trying to help close the "Enthusiasm Gap"?

It is very rare for me to re-publish an article from the archives but I have been giving quite a bit of thought lately to this so-called Enthusiasm Gap for Democrats in this election cycle. How did we get here and what can be done to turn out the Democratic and, yes, Independent voters who are now seemingly less motivated than the Tea Party/Republicans? For one possible explanation for how we got here I bring you a post from January of this year.

They are irrelevant to the argument; that is why.

From time to time I get questioned by friends of mine in the Democratic Party who ask why I spend so much of my time and bandwidth assailing Democrats while seemingly ignoring the Republicans; the “party of no”. The answer, especially since the 2006 and 2008 elections is as stated in the title to this piece: They are irrelevant to the argument; that is why.

The fact that the Democrats “are in charge” aside, I offer the following from my lesbian girlfriend Rachel Maddow (none do it better) to explain why the Republicans should be viewed mostly as the comic relief in American government.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

It is not the Republicans that those of us on the left should be worried about. It is that fact that so many who would call themselves Democrats seem to believe they should be worried about the Republicans that should give us pause. The reason we are still engaging in Bush’s foreign policy; the reason we will not achieve universal healthcare coverage via a single payer system; the reason we are still living under policies like Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and the insane “War on Drugs”, has very little to do with Dr. Evil and the rest of the Republican Party and so much to do with the need for Better Democrats. And so, dear readers do not expect me any time soon to divert my gaze from the “relevant players” in this game. Moving toward the "mid-terms" this year, ask yourself, does your Democrat represent you?

When I wrote the post above, congressional Democrats had just gone through one of the most painful contortionist acts in modern political history with the introduction, debate, and passage of their version of Healthcare Reform. The public was subjected to a graphic tour of the “sausage factory” as compromise became capitulation when blatant divisions within the Democratic Party were on display alongside a portrait of orchestrated Republican solidarity. Despite the overwhelming majorities in both houses of Congress (the Democratic majority in the senate had just a month before been reduced to 59 from an unprecedented “filibuster-proof” 60). For many Progressives and Independents who had already been disappointed by the lack of action from the Obama Administration to dismantle the Bush-Cheney era “war-time” policies (perhaps even launch an investigation or two into possible war crimes or other Constitutional violations), this display of timidity on the part of what passes as Democratic Leadership only seemed to increase the relevance of the Republicans in Congress and more importantly really light a fire under the Tea Party movement. The rest is, as they say, history. Can it still be turned around?

As I and many others have written, the Democrats are running on a campaign of “We may have disappointed you but just imagine what the other guys would do if you put them back in control.” In other words, hold your nose and vote. I have never been a big fan of that strategy as I believe most Americans want to vote FOR someone or something and not AGAINST it. The only thing that may be working in the Democrats’ favor this year is that the Republicans are truly living up to the hype. Rather than just forcing the Democrats to go back to their districts and explain why they have fallen short on much of the promise of the 2008 election, the Republicans are actually CAMPAIGNING! I mean all you have to do is watch an ad or watch the evening news to see them actually affirm the charges being leveled at them by the Democrats. They insist if they are elected they will return us to the Bush-Cheney fiscal policies that truly did put us on the path to financial ruin and near third-world status as the largest debtor nation in the world. Just to be perfectly clear on this point, I turn to Jon Stewart to place the cherry on top:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Postcards From the Pledge
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

And so, while I have no allusions that this blog reaches many of the Independent voters out there, I certainly hope that they are watching Jon Stewart and Rachel Maddow (or just paying close attention to their nightly news) to get a real picture of what the Republicans are offering and take the advice of The Who:

“Meet the new boss – Same as the old boss”

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

And the Beat Still Goes On

Over the last two days the Pentagon has released the names of some 26 American troops who have died in the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan over the previous 5 days. The dead ranged in age from 19 to 39. They all left family and other loved ones behind. Are we winning? Did you notice? When was the last time you heard any of your Congressional candidates – Democrat, Republican, or Tea Party – talk about the ongoing carnage in these countries? Osama who?

To date some 1302 American troops have died in the nearly 9 year engagement in Afghanistan. Of those, over half – 672 – have died under President Obama’s eighteen month command. He and the generals only promise it will get worse.

My fellow Americans,

9-11, 9-11, 9-11
Fight them there so we don’t have to fight them here.
Stand them up so we can stand down

Thank you and God Bless America

Today a young Afghan-Pakistani-Iraqi child was left orphaned. In ten years, we will call him a terrorist.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Obama's War

Afghanistan Body Count: 09/23/2010
Total Americans Killed: 1,302
Post Obama Inauguration: 672
http://icasualties.org/

“…We will finish the job…” Pres. Barack Obama

----------------------------

Latest Confirmed Casualties:

*Pfc. Joshua S. Ose, 19, of Hernando, MS died Sept. 20 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

*Senior Airman Michael J. Buras, 23, of Fitzgerald, GA died Sept. 21 in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

*Lt. (SEAL) Brendan J. Looney, 29, of Owings, MD died Sept. 21 in Zabul province, Afghanistan.

*Senior Chief Petty Officer David B. McLendon, 30, of Thomasville, GA died Sept. 21 in Zabul province, Afghanistan.

*Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL) Adam O. Smith, 26, of Hurland, MO died Sept. 21 in Zabul province, Afghanistan.

*Petty Officer 3rd Class (SEAL) Denis C. Miranda, 24, of Toms River, NJ died Sept. 21 in Zabul province, Afghanistan.

*Maj. Robert F. Baldwin, 39, of Muscatine, IA died Sept. 21 in Zabul province, Afghanistan.

*Chief Warrant Officer Matthew G. Wagstaff, 34, of Orem, UT died Sept. 21 in Zabul province, Afghanistan.

*Chief Warrant Officer Jonah D. McClellan, 26, of St. Louis Park, MN died Sept. 21 in Zabul province, Afghanistan.

*Staff Sgt. Joshua D. Powell, 25, of Pleasant Plains, IL died Sept. 21 in Zabul province, Afghanistan.

*Sgt. Marvin R. Calhoun Jr., 23, of Elkhart, IN died Sept. 21 in Zabul province, Afghanistan.


Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Obama's War

Afghanistan Body Count: 09/21/2010
Total Americans Killed: 1,289
Post Obama Inauguration: 659
http://icasualties.org/

“…We will finish the job…” Pres. Barack Obama

----------------------------

Latest Confirmed Casualties:

*Cpl. Philip G. E. Charte, 22, of Goffstown, NH died Sept. 7 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

*Sgt. Jesse M. Balthaser, 23, of Columbus, OH died Sept. 4 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

*Cpl. John C. Bishop, 25, of Columbus, IN died Sept. 8 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

*1st Lt. Todd W. Weaver, 26, of Hampton, VA died Sept. 9 in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

*Sgt. Aaron K. Kramer, 22, of Salt Lake City, UT died Sept. 16 in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

*Senior Airman Daniel R. Sanchez, 23, of El Paso, TX died Sept. 16 in Oruzgan province, Afghanistan.

*Spc. Deangelo B. Snow, 22, of Saginaw, MI died Sept. 17 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

*1st Lt. Scott J. Fleming, 24, of Marietta, GA died Sept. 17 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

*Staff Sgt. Jaime C. Newman, 27, of Richmond, VA died Sept. 17 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

*1st Lt. Eric Yates, 26, of Rineyville, KY died Sept. 18 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

*Sgt. 1st Class Ronald A. Grider, 30, Brighton, IL died Sept. 18 at Kunduz province, Afghanistan.

*Pfc. Barbara Vieyra, 22, of Mesa, AZ died Sept. 18 in Kunar province, Afghanistan.

*Spc. Timothy L. Johnson, 24, of Randolph, NY died Sept. 16 in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

*Spc. Joshua A. Harton, 23, of Bethlehem, PA died Sept. 18 in Kaftar Khan, Afghanistan.

*Maj. Paul D. Carron, 33, of MO died Sept. 18 at Qalat, Afghanistan.


Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

The 2010 Enthusiasm Gap

[UPDATE - 09-17-2010: 1205PST] Guess I posted a bit too soon...Here are a few words from President Progressive Obama:

“Democrats, just congenitally, tend to get – to see the glass as half empty,” Obama said at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser in Greenwich, Conn. “If we get an historic health care bill passed – ‘oh, well, the public option wasn’t there. ‘ If you get the financial reform bill passed – ‘then, well, I don't know about this particularly derivatives rule, I'm not sure that I'm satisfied with that.’ ‘And gosh, we haven’t yet brought about world peace, and – I thought that was going to happen quicker.’


As his supporters laughed, Obama added, “You know who you are.”


“We have had the most productive, progressive legislative session in at least a generation,” he continued. “And so I want everybody here to – when you are talking to your friends and your neighbors and your coworkers, I want you to feel good about the support that you've provided, because you didn’t send me there to do what was easy; you sent me there to do what was hard. We have tackled some of the hardest problems facing this country and we did so in the midst of crisis, and we are succeeding.”

Sure glad he cleared that up.
***************************************************************

The “Enthusiasm Gap” – that is the big story of this off-year election season. The Republicans have it – the Democrats, not so much. On the Republican side, the Tea Party movement (no matter from whence it came) has brought new blood and purpose to “the dark side.” For the Democrats it appears to be business as usual – spend another governing cycle catering to the “centrist” wing of the party and then come back home for support in the election. And here’s the rub: This time the Progressive wing is not being quite as accommodating as usual and there is real concern that some Democrats (possibly enough to cause a turnover of Congress) might not be able to simply ignore them. Or will they?

You all know the story. Starting in 2004, Dennis Kucinich and Howard Dean started challenging the DLC branch of the party and empowered the Progressives to “take our party back”. Although neither of them were able to get to the finish line themselves, the party did take notice and candidates began to take up the rhetoric and run on a platform of Progressive change – end to the wars in the Middle East – end abuses of civil liberties – end the fiscally insane “Bush Tax Cuts” – enact a real renewable energy agenda – and finally enact true Universal Healthcare. In 2006 (an off-year election), due in large part to a truly motivated Progressive wing, Nancy Pelosi became Speaker of the House (despite running on a pledge that “Impeachment is off the table”). Locally, Rick Larsen bought Progressive support with his assertion that he might be able to move a bit more to the left if there were a Democratic majority. For a while it looked like things might be shifting as the House actually began to start moving legislation through requiring time tables for withdrawal of troops from Iraq and suggesting there might be investigations into war crimes (torture and rendition) but, alas, they still needed a larger majority and a Democratic President. So, in 2008 Progressives again jumped on the bandwagon to help increase the numbers in Congress and (even though he was not embraced universally as Progressive) elect Barack Obama to the White House. Hope springs eternal.

And so here we are. Overwhelming majorities in Congress (at one time, 60 members of the Senate Democratic Caucus) and yet: No GITMO Closure; No end to “renditions” (possibly a continuation of torture); No repeal of the Patriot Act; Universal Healthcare has become a bailout for the Insurance Industry; an anemic stimulus plan that created no NEW jobs; a shifting of the “surge” (and the dollars spent) from Iraq to Afghanistan; an abandonment of any oversight of the Bush Administration for possible war crimes or other “constitutional violations”. And what is the campaign slogan for 2010? “Yeah but we’re not the other guys!”

Locally some 20% of the Democrats in the August Primary Election voted against Rick Larsen and Larsen came through in a virtual tie with the Tea Party/Republican John Koster. Since then, Larsen has been campaigning as if the 20% of disenfranchised Democrats will automatically fold in to his column in November. In fact, the leading vote getter of the two “anti-Larsen” candidates quickly announced her embrace of his campaign citing the above 2010 campaign slogan. Just yesterday Brooke Davis from the Larsen campaign issued a press release about a meeting between Larsen and former candidate, Diana McGinnes, saying that they had met to “…discuss the importance of the 2nd Congressional District race.” Davis, Larsen’s longtime political aide and campaign manager, quotes Larsen as saying, “Diana McGinness ran a great campaign focused on issues important to the District. I appreciate her support of my re-election and appreciate that we are united in the goal of moving our country forward.”

While McGinnes has been quick to jump onto the Larsen bandwagon, Progressives in the district are still split on their plans moving forward with a number I have spoken with insisting that they will “sit this one out” and take their chances in 2012. Some long-time activists say they are just tired of having to settle for “rhetoric” and “platitudes” at election time only to be ignored when it matters. Some are even going as far as suggesting a vote for Koster could force the Democrats to open up the nominating process in 2012 to a more inclusive array of candidates because they would no longer have an “incumbent to protect.”

In the meantime, WH Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs says Liberals and Progressives should be “drug tested”, Vice-President Joe Biden goes on Rachel Maddow’s show to, “…tell the progressives out there, you know, get in gear, man.”; and almost every radio host on Progressive radio is urging the Progressive base to “hold your nose and vote.” Surely this has got to be a great motivational strategy.

As for me, I am still pondering my vote for Rick Larsen. To me, voting must be an affirmative act. I do not vote AGAINST someone. While I do have a few reason I could vote FOR Rick, my reasons for not voting are still higher on my list of life’s priorities. For me, War and Peace/Life and Death trump “Economic Policy”. I have noted with great pain that there is NO discussion in this campaign of the continuing carnage in the Middle East that has come about at the hands of this government (Republicans and Democrats). I attribute this exclusion of the issue to the fact that there is no difference between the parties on the subject any longer.

Right now my enthusiasm is focused on the Progressive candidates in my LD and around Snohomish County. I will vote proudly for John McCoy, Mike Sells, and maybe less enthusiastically for Nick Harper in the 38th LD. I will encourage others in the county to continue to work for Hans Dunshee in the 44th LD, Marko Liias and Mary Helen Roberts in the 21st, help advance Maralyn Chase to the State Senate from the 32nd and add Cindy Ryu’s voice to the House, and bring Luis Moscoso’s talents and vision to the House from the 1st LD. Who knows; maybe Rick Larsen might benefit from the coat tails of some of these great Progressive candidates.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Kenny seeks to reform Snohomish County Prosecutor's Office

Originally posted at Examiner.com

With the August primary election results now certified by the Secretary of State, it’s time to start examining some of the races that will be on the general election ballot in Snohomish County.

The race that will determine how the county’s criminal justice system will be administered moving into the future, the contest between county council appointed incumbent County Prosecutor, Mark Roe, and challenger, Jim Kenny will be a referendum on maintaining the status quo or moving ahead with some much needed reform in that office.

While Mr. Roe has spent much of his career as a criminal prosecutor in the office he now presides over as a result of an appointment to replace his former boss (who resigned before the end of her term), Jim Kenny brings a combined two decades of experience as both a prosecutor and an administrator to bear as he seeks to bring reform and the required managerial experience to the job.

While Kenny is currently serving as a prosecutor out of the Seattle Attorney’s office (he previously served as a prosecutor in the Clark County Prosecutor’s office), he has been a Snohomish County resident for over 30 years; currently residing in Everett’s Silver Firs Neighborhood. He and his wife, Susan, have two children. In addition to his responsibility as a prosecutor, Kenny has been serving for the past seven years as an elected Fire District Commissioner in Snohomish County Fire District 1. He has served as Chair of that body for five of those years. As a commissioner, he routinely deals with the district’s $40 million annual budget and its 235 employees; both of which are greater than the size of the Prosecutor’s Office.

As a result of the state’s “Top Two Primary”, Kenny and Roe were both virtually assured a position on the November ballot coming out of that election. Shortly after the results of the primary were certified I had an opportunity to put some questions to Jim Kenny about the issues he will be talking about between now and November, including his somewhat
controversial support of the initiative that would have legalized adult marijuana possession and usage in our state (the initiative failed to make the ballot due to lack of petition signatures).

Examiner: First, you say that you want to “clean up” Snohomish County government. What precisely is it that you believe needs to be cleaned up and how will you, as Prosecutor, go about the task?

Kenny: There have been multiple scandals recently in county government: the planning department, the medical examiner’s office, the equal employment opportunity office, and the public works department. Each of these departments receives its legal advice from the Prosecutor’s Office civil division. What did the prosecutors know and when did they know it? Did they raise any concerns to middle and upper management in each department and/or the Executive’s Office? When a crime was alleged to have occurred, did they involve law enforcement for a criminal investigation? These scandals will cost the tax payers significant money. The county has already paid close to $200,000 for outside counsel to investigate these scandals, and the county is facing close to one million dollars in claims for its failure to properly investigate sexual harassment complaints. We need to change the leadership of the Prosecutor’s Office to clean up these scandals. The culture of corruption must be swept out. I will install a public integrity unit with a prosecutor to root out corruption in county government.

Examiner: You want to be “smart on crime”. Please describe what you mean and how you would go about it.

Kenny: Smart on crime means incarcerating serious and violent offenders, but doing things differently with low and mid-level offenders. The end goal of our criminal justice system is to reduce crime. The most efficient way to do that is to reduce recidivism. We can reduce recidivism by addressing the root causes of crime: drug problems, alcohol problems, and mental health problems. If we can help offenders to help themselves to deal with these root causes, we can reduce the likelihood that these offenders will commit new crimes. Problem-solving courts like mental health courts, community courts, and veterans’ courts can make a positive difference in our community, just like they are doing so in other communities around the state. Putting mid and low-level offenders in jail is not always the best solution since jail can be a school for criminals. We can rehabilitate some offenders by using some non-jail alternatives that make the offender take responsibility and give back to the community without significant jail costs, like: work crew, electronic home monitoring, and community service hours. Smart on crime uses our tax dollars wisely while keeping our community safe.

Examiner: Your opponent is making much of the fact that he has a great deal of experience in prosecuting criminal cases right here in Snohomish County. Isn’t that what being Prosecutor is all about?

Kenny: The elected prosecutor is an administrator and not a trial attorney. While some trial experience is necessary (I have tried more than 200 cases), the administrative skills of budgeting, human resource management, strategic planning, and coalition building are the significant functions of the elected prosecutor. As the elected chairman of the Fire District 1 board of commissioners, I oversee the governance of the largest fire department in Snohomish County with more than 200 employees and a $40 million annual budget, which is significantly larger than the Prosecutor’s Office. Public safety governance involves looking at the forest instead of each individual tree. You have to look at the future and plan for how to reach the horizon. I can bring these public safety governance skills from the Fire District to the Prosecutor’s Office.

Examiner: You have talked about mandatory inquests for police involved shootings. Do you believe that this has the support of the general public and what type of feedback are you receiving from law enforcement?

Kenny: Mandatory inquests for officer-involved shootings are supported by the public because inquests promote transparency and accountability. When our officers use lethal force with lethal results, our community wants to know why. Inquests are a judicial fact-finding process where a jury determines the facts surrounding the shooting by listening to in-court testimony. There is no substitute for the truth-seeking function of our jury system. Inquests are good for the slain person’s family, the community, and the police officer.

I find that law enforcement inside Snohomish County is not supportive of mandatory inquests because it is a change in the way they do business, and inquests ask too many questions about why a person was killed by the police. I find that law enforcement outside Snohomish County is very supportive of mandatory inquests because inquests provide a forum for the police officer to explain why he or she used lethal force.

Examiner: You were one of only a handful of elected officials/candidates in the state to give your support to the failed initiative to legalize small quantities of marijuana for adult use. You have also spoken about eliminating unnecessary prosecutions of medical marijuana patients in the county. Why are you speaking out on this issue?

Kenny: It’s about justice. State law allows sick and injured people to obtain authorizations, which are like prescriptions, from medical doctors to possess and use medical marijuana in various amounts. However you feel about marijuana, these authorizations are allowed by state law. Sick people who use medical marijuana should not be prosecuted as felons; they should be treated compassionately like any other medical patient. The touchstone for medical marijuana should be compassion toward sick people, instead of trying to put them in prison.

After 40 years of a failed war on drugs, it is time to start taking small steps in a different direction. The federal government recently abandoned the phrase “war on drugs” and started looking at illegal drugs as a public health issue to be addressed by drug treatment and community support instead of prison. Marijuana is currently an illegal drug for which people in Snohomish County are being arrested and imprisoned every day. In 2007, approximately 1300 people were arrested for marijuana offenses across all Snohomish County jurisdictions. In 2008, more than 12,000 people were prosecuted for marijuana offenses across the State of Washington. Prosecuting marijuana offenses in 2008 cost approximately $18 million. We cannot afford to keep prosecuting nonviolent offenders in this manner. Legalizing marijuana for adult use will save us money and stop needless incarceration.

Examiner: Conventional wisdom would suggest that your numbers in the primary pose an almost insurmountable challenge in the general election. What will you differently in the general election to bring in new voters and perhaps even sway some of your opponent’s supporters over to your camp?

Kenny: The voter turnout in the general election will be close to double the turnout in the primary election. I have a plan to reach these voters with my message of cleaning up county government, being smart on crime, and transparency. I want voters to see the choice they have between the status quo and a change for the better. I believe that when voters listen to my call for justice, accountability, and compassion, they will vote for me. Together, we can meet the challenge of tomorrow.

Examiner: Finally, if folks want to learn more about your campaign, where can they find that information?

Kenny: The campaign is on the net at http://www.jimkenny.org/ and the email address is info@jimkenny.org. Folks are also welcome to write directly to the campaign at:

People for Jim Kenny
21911 64th Ave W, Unit B
Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043

or feel free to phone us at: 425-774-0362

I thank Jim Kenny for taking the time to answer these questions. Ballots for the November general election will be arriving in mail boxes across Snohomish County in mid-October. I urge voters to become acquainted with the candidates and issues that will affect them for years to come and then cast your vote wisely.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

No to greater access to liquor for our children

As a parent and grandparent I stand opposed to any change in our state laws that would put a bottle of Jack Daniels next to the can of Red Bull at the local AM/PM.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Yes on I-1098 - It's a Start

While I wish the state legislature would have stepped up to the plate and acted on this last year, I hope that the voters of this state are wise enough to know that we have to make changes in the way we do business in this state. When one of the state's wealtiest people says, "Tax me", I say we accept the offer.

The link to the campaign is on my side bar.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Obama's War

Afghanistan Body Count: 09/08/2010
Americans Killed: 1,277
Americans Wounded: 10,000+
Post Obama Inauguration
Americans Killed: 647
http://icasualties.org/

“…We will finish the job…” Pres. Barack Obama

----------------------------

Latest Confirmed Casualties:

*Lance Cpl. Christopher B. Rodgers, 20, of Griffin, GA died Sept. 1 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

*2nd Lt. Mark A. Noziska, 24, of Papillon, NE died Aug. 30 in Malajat, Afghanistan.

*Staff Sgt. Casey J. Grochowiak, 34, of Lompoc, CA died Aug. 30 in Malajat, Afghanistan.

*Lance Cpl. Joshua T. Twigg, 21, of Indiana, PA died Sept. 2 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

*Staff Sgt. Vinson B. Adkinson III, 26, of Harper, KN died Aug. 31 in Logar province, Afghanistan.

*Sgt. Raymond C. Alcaraz, 20, of Redlands, CA died Aug. 31 in Logar province, Afghanistan.

*Pfc. Matthew E. George, 22, of Gransboro, NC died Aug. 31 in Logar province, Afghanistan.

*Pfc. James A. Page, 23, of Titusville, FL died Aug. 31 in Logar province, Afghanistan.

*Pfc. Diego M. Montoya, 20, of San Antonio, TX died Sept. 2 in Laghman province, Afghanistan.

*Capt. Jason T. McMahon, 35, of Mulvane, KN died Sept. 5 in Bagram, Afghanistan.

*Lance Cpl. Ross S. Carver, 21, of Rocky Point, NC died Sept. 3 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.


Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

McGinnes urges support for Larsen; mis-states vote total

[UPDATE 1930 -8 GMT 09-02-2010] Apologies where apologies are due:

After further review and enlightenment from others, I have determined that I was in error in declaring Diana McGinnes had mis-stated her voting totals in the post below and I do apologize to Ms McGinnes and my readers for this error.
My error stemmed from an unintentional lapse of reading comprehension of McGinnes's clear statement that her campaign had taken 11.23% of the DEMOCRATIC vote. In fact this is a true statement. when adding the totals of only the Democrats (Larsen, McGinnes, and Kalb; 91,909) McGinnes total of 10,548 is indeed 11% of the total DEMOCRATIC vote.
It is always my intention to only post my personal opinions or facts that can be verified by the data. In this case I have failed to do the work and, again, I apologize.
*****

Diana McGinnes, would be Progressive congresswoman from the 2nd CD, has issued a statement of support for incumbent Democrat, Rick Larsen, on the front page of her campaign website. Saying that Larsen is, “…not what we want him to be…” and offering that “…he will not vote the way we want him to vote on many issues…” she urges her supporters to nevertheless help him be re-elected for a 6th term.

She begins her statement by thanking supporters for a good showing in the primary,

“I cannot tell you how pleased I am with the results of our campaign. For a campaign that had little money, no name recognition, and few volunteers, we truly made an impact! Our campaign took an incredible 11.23% of the Democratic vote.”

However, nowhere in any count can I find where she came even close to that number of votes. According to the Washington Secretary of State’s website, McGinnes finished 3rd overall in the voting with 6.01% of the total vote cast. Only in King County; which cast a mere 150 votes in this race, did McGinnes break double digits in percentage. There, her 16 votes gave her some 10.67% of that county’s vote.

Larsen finished the primary in a virtual dead heat with Tea Party/Republican, John Koster. If McGinnes is able to bring her 6% into his camp, Larsen would be able to claim a certain amount of breathing room. His other Progressive opponent, Larry Kalb, has made it clear that he has no plans to endorse Larsen at this time and will wait to see which way Larsen leans (right or left) moving into the general election before he makes any new commitments. Some of his supporters have already said that they will sit this race out or write in Kalb’s name rather than be forced into a “lesser of the evils” vote.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Obama's War

Afghanistan Body Count: 09/02/2010
Americans Killed: 1,273
Americans Wounded: 10,000+
Post Obama Inauguration
Americans Killed: 643
http://icasualties.org/

“…We will finish the job…” Pres. Barack Obama

----------------------------

Latest Confirmed Casualties:

*Pfc. Justin B. Shoecraft, 28, of Elkhart, IN died Aug. 24 at Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan.

*Petty Officer 3rd Class James M. Swink, 20, of Yucca Valley, CA died Aug. 27 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

*Master Sgt. Daniel L. Fedder, 34, of Pine City, MN died Aug. 27 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

*Spc. James C. Robinson, 27, of Lebanon, OH died Aug. 28 at Paktika, Afghanistan.

*Pfc. Chad D. Coleman, 20, of Moreland, GA died Aug. 27 in Paktiya, Afghanistan.

*Pvt. Adam J. Novak, 20, of Prairie du Sac, WI died Aug. 27 in Paktiya, Afghanistan.

*Capt. Ellery R. Wallace, 33, of Utah died Aug. 29 at Nangahar, Afghanistan.

*Pfc. Bryn T. Raver, 20, of Harrison, AR died Aug. 29 at Nangahar, Afghanistan.

*Gunnery Sgt. Floyd E. C. Holley, 36, of Casselberry, FL died Aug. 29 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

*Capt. Dale A Goetz, 43, of White, SD died Aug. 30 in the Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan.

*Staff Sgt. Jesse Infante, 30, of Cypress, TX died Aug. 30 in the Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan.

*Staff Sgt. Kevin J. Kessler, 32, of Canton, OH died Aug. 30 in the Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan.

*Staff Sgt. Matthew J. West, 36, of Conover, WI died Aug. 30 in the Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan.

*Pfc. Chad D. Clements, 26, of Huntington, IN died Aug. 30 in the Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan.

*Sgt. Joseph A. Bovia, 24, of Kenner, LA died Aug. 31 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

*Lance Cpl. Cody A. Roberts, 22, of Boise, ID died Aug. 31 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.


Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

My 2011 Challenge

I really want to prevent the Republicans from regaining control of our government – I really do. BUT…

It is incredibly hard for me to get motivated to vote for the same Democrats who have squandered historic majorities in the House and Senate and support a Whitehouse that condones the actions of the previous administration. I am struggling to find anything salvageable beside the Lilly Ledbetter bill to pin my hopes on. PLEASE don’t run down the list again of all the supposed accomplishments of this congress and president. It reads to me as a wish list at best and, in some cases, it is a slap in the face to anyone who was hoping for real change from the policies of the Republican regimes of the past 30 years.

Aside from the Lilly Ledbetter Act (which, by the way, should have been approved by ANY Democratic administration and even some moderate Republican ones), the list of so-called accomplishments over the last two years leaves me asking; when Democratic values become so unrecognizable from the party of working people?

• GITMO – Still open. Well over a year since Obama’s inauguration America’s own gulag is still operating – thanks in no small part to a determined group of “Blue Dog” Democrats.

• TORTURE – In the view of a number of independent watchdog groups, torture of “enemy combatants” is still taking place either at the hands of US operatives or third party jailers acting on our behalf.

• WIRETAPPING – The Obama Administration has found itself on more than one occasion defending the use of warrentless wiretaps; leaving open the argument that the Holder Justice Department has just picked up where Bush left off.

• ENDLESS WAR – While President Obama declared the end to “Operation Iraqi Freedom” and the US combat role in that country; still some 50,000 American troops and an unknown number of private mercenaries will remain in that country for at least another year with many, including myself, believing that there will always be a significant US military presence there. By the way, US tax dollars will continue to flow there almost unabated to keep “our interests secured.”

Meanwhile in Afghanistan, President Obama indicated that a major benefit of the combat draw down in Iraq will be more resources available for his own personal Commander in Chief game. With US deaths understandably on the rise with the increase of troops available as targets, Obama insists that ‘We will fight them there so we don’t have to fight them here’. Now where have I heard that before? And even though there are a dedicated group of Progressive Democrats in the US House who steadfastly oppose the Obama surge, there are still enough; just as my own Rick Larsen, who simply cannot fathom the reduction in military spending that an end to our policy of fighting wars against ideologies would make possible. Even though he has just returned from Afghanistan complaining about the rampant corruption within the very government we are sending our young American lives to defend; Larsen will not entertain the notion of “Bring them Home.”

• HEALTHCARE – Far from the universal healthcare plank of the party platform (or even real healthcare reform), President Obama and what passes as Democratic leadership brought us a caramel pickle. A bitter dill pickle that mandates an additional 20 MILLION American buy a health insurance policy from the same companies guilty of gouging consumers for years. Even with the caramel coating of provisions that should eliminate prohibitions on pre-existing conditions and the inclusion of dependent children up to 26 years of age, the plan is still pinned to employment (leaving my son at 30 years of age, out in the cold) and still fails to cover every American.

• STIMULUS/EMPLOYMENT – Defying the best advice of almost every Progressive economist and Labor advocates; staring massive long-term unemployment in the face, congressional Democrats and the Obama Whitehouse eeked out a stimulus so limited that we are facing phase two in an almost certain “double-dip” recession. While proponents continue to tout the fact that the car was stopped from going over the cliff, you will be hard pressed to find anyone who will say they turned the car around. Rather than create any new direct government jobs repairing infrastructure or building a new high-speed railway or cleaning and maintaining our national parks or any number of other productive endeavors, the best this batch of Democrats could do was to prevent additional job losses over and above the natural gain/loss ratio.

Unfortunately there is more but I think you get the picture. People tell me that you cannot make the kinds of changes people like me are asking for overnight. That may be so but the worst of what I see is not the lack of action but rather that lack of desire to make these changes. Obama came into office declaring he would reverse our roles in Iraq and Afghanistan. Rick Larsen has likewise made it clear that he will not exert any effort to bring our troops home. Nancy Pelosi became Speaker of the House on a pledge that,”Impeachment is off the table.” fully supported by my congressman. The healthcare “debate” began with “Single Payer” thrown under the bus and ended with a watered down “public option” jettisoned for some ridiculous effort toward “intra-party bi-partisanship.” A 2nd stimulus? Forget it. We are now “deficit hawks.”

So I find myself asking the question: what exactly does the country gain by sending the same folks back who are in charge today? I know it’s not protection from the anti-choice brigades. Roe v Wade will be decided one state at a time and finally reaffirmed or overturned in the Supreme Court. Civil Rights? The Environment? Energy? Maybe in 2011 (the year that no one is up for re-election) they may grow a temporary spine and do something in these areas but, as they have not yet, what are the odds anything of consequence will happen two years out from a presidential election year? Will the Republicans repeal the half-efforts that this group created? Maybe, but most likely they will simply not enforce any of the legislation. That is what they do anyway. Besides, a repeal would assume the ability to override a presidential veto. Surely the Democrats who are left wouldn’t allow that to happen – or would they?

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue