Tag Archives: progressive

Yes, I Give In, It’s Historical

Back in the ‘dam… and barely able to keep my eyes open. Naturally it is good to be back, my boat has NOT sunk, and slightly more importantly, I wanted to share what I find interesting about some recent developments in the land of the United States and my state-of-birth, New Jersey.

First off, the world doesn’t really need another blog to mention the historical swearing in of Nancy P as speaker of the house, but I have to admit it is a positive development.. or at least it sounds positive thus far. For firstclass nonstop, these-people-never-sleep coverage of whenever a senator says boo… read Americablog. Unfortunately in a few hours I was supposed to travel to Paris to meet Chris and John the Americabloggers, but Ive simply spent too much money and energy so I now need to sit here in the Old West and recharge til it is time to run again. No Paris for me right now.

Here’s what is really interesting, and I only FIRST noticed over lunch today when Ellen said.. hey look... and there in the Dutch newspaper, is a thing about how New Jersey’s governor wants to abolish the death penalty..and it looks like he may do it! YOu can read New Jersey’s official Death Penalty Commission report here. Maybe present it at school for show and tell or something, because it is yet more hard evidence of a failed policy and a necessary change.

Hearing this, and the continuing battle to have civil unions, which hopefully becomes law soon, makes me just a bit prouder of my home state. Or is it too soon for any of this?

bm160 Mayor Rocky and Salt Lake City

Progressive, green, defender of minority rights, critical of the bush administration, none of these things are usually associated with the state of Utah. But the city of Salt Lake marches to the beat of a very unique and active drum. My friend Catherine joins me at my beloved soup stand here in Amsterdam, to discuss the mayor Rocky and the priorities of his government.

Rocky Anderson’s Wikipedia Entry

What About Tasini

Today I’m coming to you from the suburbs of Brussels, Belgium, where I’m staying this weekend in celebration of my godson’s 12th birthday. But now onto more serious matters:

I tend not to talk about US senate races and republicans versus democrats and crap like that. Mostly because there are a zillion blogs working for either party fulltime, so why bother further beating one very dead horse.

Yet for all the bla bla bla about this guy named Lieberman who is a disgrace of a human being even though all the haters voted for him oh-so-often, and how he was beaten thanks to the internets, you don’t hear much about one Jonathan Tasini. Even though he puts the small d back in democrat.

Honestly, I could care less if the democrats take back the senate or the house, as they are as guilty of being the architects of all the death, destruction, and decieving as their republican counterparts. But when it comes to upsurping the comfy two faced democrats who think they’re going to cruise to victory just for having the big D next to their names, I’m all for that.

But what I really wish is that more people took Jonathan Tasini seriously. Who you ask? Jonathan Tasini.. former leader of the National Writers Union, who is running against Hillary Clinton for the democratic nomination in the state of New York. It should be a “slam dunk” for Tasini, since he’s running against a senator who supported the war in Iraq, and has generally betrayed the principals of civil liberties, human rights, and international law, since the day she got into office. Hillary Clinton hasn’t respected democracy or the values of a real “Democratic” party since her early days as the first lady. She is fake as fake can be, and lets be honest, her speeches have that terrible tone like listening to someone scrape their nails against a blackboard.

Yet the bloggers aren’t talking much about Tasini’s challenge. They’re too scared to attack their most well known senator… everyone knows the name Hillary Clinton. So much for independence and the freedom to be critical on the blogosphere.

Therefore I’m delving into the senate races from now on, to give much deserved attention to senators who need to be sent packing. And I’ll be very busy, since an overwhelming majority need to be replaced.