USA Future

@Berlusconi: Say you are sorry!

2008-11-07T10:01:00.001+01:00

This guy just went too far.
If you mess up your own country and your fellow coutrymen elect yu to do this. Your problem.
But keep your mouth shut about politicians in other countries.
And if you say something silly: Ask for forgivenness. Like a grown-up would.

Background:
Google News: berlusconi obama

Generation We has arrived

2008-11-06T11:06:00.000+01:00

Generation WE: The Movement Begins... from Generation We on Vimeo.

via (un)fencing the mind » Blog Archive » Generation We

Election & Twitter: a visualization

2008-11-05T14:51:00.000+01:00

Tropicana Fresh-Squeezed Tweets!

This is one of the cooler Twitter-Visualizations:

Obamas Victory Speech

2008-11-05T10:07:00.000+01:00

McCains speech after his loss

2008-11-05T09:49:00.000+01:00

Thank you. Thank you, my friends. Thank you for coming here on this beautiful Arizona evening.

My friends, we have -- we have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly.

A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Sen. Barack Obama to congratulate him. Video Watch McCain's speech »

To congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love.

In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.

This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.

I've always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Sen. Obama believes that, too.

But we both recognize that, though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation's reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound.

A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt's invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters.

America today is a world away from the cruel and frightful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African-American to the presidency of the United States.

Let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth.

Sen. Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaud him for it, and offer him my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother did not live to see this day. Though our faith assures us she is at rest in the presence of her creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise.

Sen. Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain.

These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.

I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.

Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.

It is natural. It's natural, tonight, to feel some disappointment. But tomorrow, we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again.

We fought -- we fought as hard as we could. And though we fell short, the failure is mine, not yours.

I am so deeply grateful to all of you for the great honor of your support and for all you have done for me. I wish the outcome had been different, my friends.

The road was a difficult one from the outset, but your support and friendship never wavered. I cannot adequately express how deeply indebted I am to you.

I'm especially grateful to my wife, Cindy, my children, my dear mother and all my family, and to the many old and dear friends who have stood by my side through the many ups and downs of this long campaign.

I have always been a fortunate man, and never more so for the love and encouragement you have given me.

You know, campaigns are often harder on a candidate's family than on the candidate, and that's been true in this campaign.

All I can offer in compensation is my love and gratitude and the promise of more peaceful years ahead.

I am also -- I am also, of course, very thankful to Gov. Sarah Palin, one of the best campaigners I've ever seen, and an impressive new voice in our party for reform and the principles that have always been our greatest strength, her husband Todd and their five beautiful children for their tireless dedication to our cause, and the courage and grace they showed in the rough and tumble of a presidential campaign.

We can all look forward with great interest to her future service to Alaska, the Republican Party and our country.

To all my campaign comrades, from Rick Davis and Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter, to every last volunteer who fought so hard and valiantly, month after month, in what at times seemed to be the most challenged campaign in modern times, thank you so much. A lost election will never mean more to me than the privilege of your faith and friendship.

I don't know -- I don't know what more we could have done to try to win this election. I'll leave that to others to determine. Every candidate makes mistakes, and I'm sure I made my share of them. But I won't spend a moment of the future regretting what might have been.

This campaign was and will remain the great honor of my life, and my heart is filled with nothing but gratitude for the experience and to the American people for giving me a fair hearing before deciding that Sen. Obama and my old friend Sen. Joe Biden should have the honor of leading us for the next four years.

I would not -- I would not be an American worthy of the name should I regret a fate that has allowed me the extraordinary privilege of serving this country for a half a century.

Today, I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much. And tonight, I remain her servant. That is blessing enough for anyone, and I thank the people of Arizona for it.

Tonight -- tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Sen. Obama -- whether they supported me or Sen. Obama.

I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president. And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties, but to believe, always, in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here.

Americans never quit. We never surrender.

Reviving this Blog.

2008-11-05T09:11:00.000+01:00

USA Future: A goup blog revival
The blog USA Future was supposed to be a group blog watching the USA after the events of the election in 2004. well, it was not too successful and at a time I had my studnets of English (they actually had English Conversation with me and where engineers) practice blogging there.

As we again have a situation where it remains to be seen how current events influence the future of the US and as a consequence the world I would love to revive the blog.

As with the 'warscan' blog (which might aklso be an interesting blog to revive) the idea was to habve an interbnational group of interested bloggers to view the happenings both from inside and outside the USA to provide an independent platform for discussion and information.

So if you are interested to patricipate in either blog:

send an email either to
oliver.gassner+usafuture@gmail.com
or
oliver.gassner+warscan@gmail.com

...stating which e-mail address you want to go your invite to and which blog(s) wou want to be invited to.

I will also set up 2 Google Groups to discuss matters.

If you have questions: The comments are open.

Doris Kearns Goodwin on learning from past presidents | Video on TED.com

2008-11-05T01:12:00.000+01:00

Doris Kearns Goodwin on learning from past presidents | Video on TED.com

2006-01-18T16:49:00.000+01:00

On this page you can find a little quiz about some americans presidents an dyou can test you knowledge about America

Problems Abound in Election System

2006-01-18T16:33:00.000+01:00

Problems Abound in Election System

When Americans go to the polls in November to elect a president, they will confront a voting system beset by many of the same problems that produced the bitterly disputed outcome four years ago and led to a 36-day legal standoff ultimately decided by the Supreme Court.
Several of the most hotly contested states -- including Ohio and Missouri -- make widespread use of the paper punch-card ballots that caused so much trouble in Florida in 2000. Concerns about security and recounts have delayed greater use of electronic voting machines in many states. And a hodgepodge of state laws means varying legal requirements for how -- or even if -- recounts will be conducted this time around.

The delays and changes in election laws have prompted both parties and presidential campaigns to gear up early with legal teams in preparation for Election Day and have left local election officials fearful of a repeat of Florida's experience.
Voicing a concern of many election officials and analysts, Bureau of Elections director Denise Lamb in New Mexico -- where the 2000 race was decided by just 366 votes -- said, "God help us if the election is close."

German-American Relationship

2006-01-18T16:29:00.000+01:00

USA Future

Offical statement of the U.S. department of state about The German-American Relationship After Iraq:
http://www.state.gov/t/us/rm/29351.htm
It has been written in February 2004, quite some time before the Angela Merkel was elected as chancelor.

2006-01-18T16:20:00.000+01:00

The USA is interacting around the world.
Since 1945 the interactions have been listed with their aim and the civillians killed as a cause of it

2006-01-18T15:55:00.000+01:00

A thaw in US-German relations?
On the first view it seems like a success but there are still many conflicts in foreign policy

Supreme Court decision on Oregon's right-to-die law

2006-01-18T15:54:00.001+01:00

Court upholds US right-to-die law
"In a 6-3 decision, the court said the states, not federal authorities, had the power to regulate the practice of medicine and the licensing of doctors, upholding an Oregon law that allows doctors to help terminally ill people end their lives."

This article gives a very good summary and background information as well as opinions of politicians and groups on the Supreme Court decision. So you get an idea why the Bush Admistration tried to stop that law. But the articles also mentions that there are many people who want such a legislation in other states, too.
As you can see, euthanasia and the treatment of older and ill people ist an important topic in the US as well as in Europe. As this is one of the most emotional and critical ethic questions of our time (Should we allow doctors to help people to end their lives or punish them if they try to do so?) and there are many different opinions.
Basically can be said that the Republican Party and the Bush Administration tries almost everything to avoid euthanasia. On the other hand, many groups and individuals consider it a matter of individual freedom and of everyone's right to make his/her own decision.

___

Ruling begins a battle
(An opinion written by Jay Sekulow, who is chief counsel of the Washington-based American Center for Law and Justice, which backed the Bush administration's challenge of Oregon's assisted-suicide law.)
The author's opninion is mainly the position of the Administration: Human life should be protected by federal law. He still wants to fight against laws allowing doctors oder anyone else to help people dying. With the Supreme Court decision this fight has become more difficult but their will to stop such laws is unbroken.

___

A wise ruling by the high court
The author of this editorial is a supporter of the Supreme Court decision.

"In this complicated case, where politics and religion have created a passionate debate, the government should remember who's really involved -- real people with terminal illnesses who, through this law, can find some sense of peace and comfort in knowing that they have a choice."

This is kind of the opposite opinion: Human life is seen as the most important thing - decisions on it cannot be made by a government but only by people.

___

Assisted suicide supporters hail Supreme Court decision
Here you can find lots of opinions, especially concerning Vermont, which might be the next State with a law similar to that one in Oregon.

___

Suicide and states' rights
If you are interested in the background of the Oregon law, you can find useful information in this article. There is a brief summary of what happened since the law took effect (for example: More than 200 people ended their lives with the help of this law).

2006-01-18T15:54:00.000+01:00

Here is a list of all presidents of the USA since 1789 till today

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/texte/presidents_usa.htm

2006-01-18T15:49:00.000+01:00

How does the election work?

Voters are voting for electors who are members of a party. And this member will elect the candidate of his party.

When is election day?
Election day is the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. It is every 4 years the same

2006-01-18T15:45:00.000+01:00

Who can vote for a president?

Anyone who is 18 years of age. There is no national list of eligible voters, so a citizen must first be registered. If somebody moves for example from New York to Los Angeles, he has to register new in his new city.

2006-01-18T15:36:00.000+01:00

Who can run for President?

He must be a natural-born citizen of the United States, and at least he has to be 35 years old, and have been a resident of the United States for 14 years.

How long is the President in office?

He is in office for 4 years. Than he probalbly can be reelected for again 4 years. But after 8 years he can't be reelected. 8 years is the maximum.

USA - politics

2006-01-18T15:23:00.000+01:00

USA - POLITICS

I would say, this is a very huge topic. It is possible to write site after site about this, but my target is to give some special facts which are often search but less found ... e.g. which president was from ... or who was mister of ... Maybe this blog could help you, enjoy and have fun while reading :)

List of ALL American presidents:

1789 - 1797 George Wahington

1797 - 1801 John Adams

1801 - 1809 Thomas Jefferson

...

1989 - 1993 George Bush

1993 - 2001 Bill Clinton

2001 - 2009 George W. Bush

find the complete list:

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerikanischer_PrÃ¤sident

the 2 major parties in the United States:

The two major parties in the USA are the "Republicans" and the "Democrats". It is a bit like "CDU" and "SPD" in Germany.

Good link (also offical website) to inform about the Democrats: http://www.democrats.org/

Good link (also offical website) to inform about the Republicans: http://www.gop.com/

The President of the United States of America:

Really the most powerful man in the world? Read this and you will know if George, Bill and the others really had/have so much power ...

the article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidents_of_the_United_States

The power of us president

2006-01-18T15:17:00.000+01:00

PRESIDENTIAL POWERS

The office of president of the United States is one of the most powerful in the world. The president, the Constitution says, must "take care that the laws be faithfully executed." To carry out this responsibility, he presides over the executive branch of the federal government ? a vast organization numbering about 4 million people, including 1 million active-duty military personnel. In addition, the president has important legislative and judicial powers.

Executive Powers

Within the executive branch itself, the president has broad powers to manage national affairs and the workings of the federal government. The president can issue rules, regulations, and instructions called executive orders, which have the binding force of law upon federal agencies but do not require congressional approval. As commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the United States, the president may also call into federal service the state units of the National Guard. In times of war or national emergency, the Congress may grant the president even broader powers to manage the national economy and protect the security of the United States.
The president nominates ? and the Senate confirms ? the heads of all executive departments and agencies, together with hundreds of other high-ranking federal officials. The large majority of federal workers, however, are selected through the Civil Service system, in which appointment and promotion are based on ability and experience.

Legislative Powers

Despite the constitutional provision that "all legislative powers" shall be vested in the Congress, the president, as the chief formulator of public policy, has a major legislative role. The president can veto any bill passed by Congress and, unless two-thirds of the members of each house vote to override the veto, the bill does not become law.
Much of the legislation dealt with by Congress is drafted at the initiative of the executive branch. In his annual and special messages to Congress, the president may propose legislation he believes is necessary. If Congress should adjourn without acting on those proposals, the president has the power to call it into special session. But beyond this official role, the president, as head of a political party and as principal executive officer of the U.S. government, is in a position to influence public opinion and thereby to influence the course of legislation in Congress.
To improve their working relationships with Congress, presidents in recent years have set up a Congressional Liaison Office in the White House. Presidential aides keep abreast of all important legislative activities and try to persuade senators and representatives of both parties to support administration policies.

Judicial Powers

Among the president's constitutional powers is that of appointing important public officials. Presidential nomination of federal judges, including members of the Supreme Court, is subject to confirmation by the Senate. Another significant power is that of granting a full or conditional pardon to anyone convicted of breaking a federal law ? except in a case of impeachment. The pardoning power has come to embrace the power to shorten prison terms and reduce fines.
Powers in Foreign Affairs
Under the Constitution, the president is the federal official primarily responsible for the relations of the United States with foreign nations. The president appoints ambassadors, ministers, and consuls ? subject to confirmation by the Senate ? and receives foreign ambassadors and other public officials. With the secretary of state, the president manages all official contacts with foreign governments. On occasion, the president may personally participate in summit conferences where chiefs of state meet for direct consultation. Thus, President Woodrow Wilson headed the American delegation to the Paris conference at the end of World War I; President Franklin D. Roosevelt met with Allied leaders during World War II; and every president since then has sat down with world leaders to discuss economic and political issues and to reach bilateral and multilateral agreements.
Through the Department of State, the president is responsible for the protection of Americans abroad and of foreign nationals in the United States. The president decides whether to recognize new nations and new governments, and negotiate treaties with other nations, which become binding on the United States when approved by two-thirds of the Senate. The president may also negotiate "executive agreements" with foreign powers that are not subject to Senate confirmation.

CONSTRAINTS ON PRESIDENTIAL POWER

Because of the vast array of presidential roles and responsibilities, coupled with a conspicuous presence on the national and international scene, political analysts have tended to place great emphasis on the president's powers. Some have even spoken of the "the imperial presidency," referring to the expanded role of the office that Franklin D. Roosevelt maintained during his term.
One of the first sobering realities a new president discovers is an inherited bureaucratic structure that can be difficult to manage and slow to change direction. The president's power to appoint extends only to some 3,000 people out of a civilian government work force of about 3 million.
The president finds that the machinery of government often operates independently of presidential interventions, has done so through earlier administrations, and will continue to do so in the future. New presidents are immediately confronted with a backlog of decisions from the outgoing administration. They inherit a budget formulated and enacted into law long before they came to office, as well as major spending programs (such as veterans' benefits, Social Security payments, and Medicare health insurance for the elderly), which are mandated by law. In foreign affairs, presidents must conform with treaties and informal agreements negotiated by their predecessors in office.
As the happy euphoria of the post-election "honeymoon" dissipates, the new president discovers that Congress has become less cooperative and the media more critical. The president is forced to build at least temporary alliances among diverse, often antagonistic interests ? economic, geographic, ethnic, and ideological. Compromises with Congress must be struck if any legislation is to be adopted. "It is very easy to defeat a bill in Congress," lamented President John F. Kennedy. "It is much more difficult to pass one."
Despite these constraints, every president achieves at least some of his legislative goals and prevents by veto the enactment of other laws he believes not to be in the nation's best interests. The president's authority in the conduct of war and peace, including the negotiation of treaties, is substantial. Moreover, the president can use his unique position to articulate ideas and advocate policies, which then have a better chance of entering the public consciousness than those held by his political rivals. President Theodore Roosevelt called this aspect of the presidency "the bully pulpit," for when a president raises an issue, it inevitably becomes subject to public debate. A president's power and influence may be limited, but they are also greater than those of any other American, in or out of office.

Politics weblogs

2006-01-18T15:09:00.000+01:00

A la Gauche: Proud to be a Liberal

Andrew Sullivan - The Daily Dish

Howard Dean Was Right

Just a Bump in the Beltway

Little Green Footballs

mediabistro.com: FishBowlDC

PERRspectives Blog

Right Minded

Search Feed for bush politics

Search Feed for Schwarzenegger

TEST BLOG for Fair Elections

2006-01-18T15:03:00.000+01:00

A thaw in US-German relations?
There is an inprovement but differences in transatlantic relations still remain

Politics of the USA

2006-01-18T14:58:00.001+01:00

Political history of America and why other countries geared to themselves

Why the most countrys oriented at the USA in the 20th century?
Why the USA become the state of the power?

You want to know that?
Than you have to klick on this link and you get some interessting informations about that topic.
http://www.scaruffi.com/politics/usapolit.html

2006-01-18T14:58:00.000+01:00

The Congress
The Congress is based on a bicameral legislature. It is made up of the Senate and the
House of Representatives.
The Senate has 100 Senators, two from each state. One third of the Senators are
elected every two years for six-year terms of office. The Senators represent all of the people
in a state.
The House of Representatives (representing the people) has 435 members. They are
elected every two years for two-year terms.The number of Representatives from each state is
based on its population. There is no limit to the number of terms a Senator or a Representative
may serve.

Microsoft Is Hutcherson's Bitch

2005-05-31T17:12:00.000+02:00

Howard Dean Was Right ? Microsoft Is Hutcherson?s Bitch: "Dr. Ken Hutcherson of the Antioch Bible Church in Redmond strong arms Microsoft to roll over on HB1515, and rather than just taking the win (mean, discriminatory and small-minded as it was), the freakshow bitchslaps Steve Ballmer who?s been claiming publicly that the meeting with Hutcherson was not the cause of Microsoft?s decision to go neutral on the bill as opposed to its support of the bill in previous years."

lgf: Millennium Bomber Faces Sentencing

2005-05-31T17:09:00.000+02:00

lgf: Millennium Bomber Faces Sentencing: "Millennium Bomber Faces Sentencing
The Los Angeles Times has a detailed report on Ahmed Ressam, the Islamic terrorist who planned to commit mass murder at Los Angeles International Airport. Ressam has been very helpful to investigators in the past (although he has clammed up recently), and defense lawyers are trying to use his cooperation to get him a reduced sentence"

Memorial Day Note from Jim Dean - Blog for America

2005-05-31T16:56:00.000+02:00

Blog for America: "Memorial Day Note from Jim Dean
'I hate war, as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity.' -- Dwight David Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States"

Google bomb, Rycroft memo (also known as the Downing Street memo)

2005-05-31T16:53:00.000+02:00

This comes from Scoobie over at the The Googlebomb Project.

The Rycroft memo (also known as the Downing Street memo) ,which was
recently revealed to the public, shows that in 2002 George W. Bush
decided to overthrow Saddam Hussein and was planning to game the
intelligence to support his decision. According to the founders, this
constitutes a high crime and misdemeanor. For some reason the
mainstream media is not concerned with the implications of the memo.
One thing we can do is to use the googlebomb to put relevant sites at
the top of a Google search.

All you have to do is copy the code and paste it to your blog or webpage and it will look like this:

Downing Street Memo
Downing Street Memo
Downing Street Memo
Downing Street Memo
Downing Street Memo
Downing Street Memo
Downing Street Memo
Downing Street Memo
Downing Street Memo
Rycroft Memo
Rycroft Memo
Rycroft Memo
Rycroft Memo
Rycroft Memo
Rycroft Memo
Rycroft Memo
Rycroft Memo
Rycroft Memo

Here is the code:

<a href="http://www.bluebus.org/archives/20050510_update_on_the_d.php"> Downing Street Memo</a>
<a href="http://www.tomjoad.org/downingstreetmemo.htm"> Downing Street Memo</a>
<a href="http://downingstreetmemo.com/"> Downing Street Memo</a>
<a href="http://www.salon.com/opinion/conason/2005/05/06/bush_blair_iraq/"> Downing Street Memo</a>
<a href="http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=426&row=0"> Downing Street Memo</a>
<a
href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/12/AR2005051201857.html"> Downing
Street Memo</a>

<a href="http://www.tompaine.com/articles/proof_bush_fixed_the_facts.php"> Downing Street Memo</a>
<a href="http://www.tompaine.com/articles/iraq_when_was_the_die_cast.php"> Downing Street Memo</a>
<a href="http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/letters/bushsecretmemoltr5505.pdf"> Downing Street Memo</a>
<a href="http://www.bluebus.org/archives/20050510_update_on_the_d.php"> Rycroft Memo</a>
<a href="http://www.tomjoad.org/downingstreetmemo.htm"> Rycroft Memo</a>
<a href="http://downingstreetmemo.com/"> Rycroft Memo</a>
<a href="http://www.salon.com/opinion/conason/2005/05/06/bush_blair_iraq/"> Rycroft Memo</a>
<a href="http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=426&row=0"> Rycroft Memo</a>
<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/12/AR2005051201857.html"> Rycroft Memo</a>
<a href="http://www.tompaine.com/articles/proof_bush_fixed_the_facts.php"> Rycroft Memo</a>
<a href="http://www.tompaine.com/articles/iraq_when_was_the_die_cast.php"> Rycroft Memo</a>
<a href="http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/letters/bushsecretmemoltr5505.pdf"> Rycroft Memo</a>

OpinionJournal - Featured Article

2005-04-14T13:09:00.000+02:00

OpinionJournal - Featured Article: "This 'is not democracy,' a frustrated Governor Schwarzenegger told reporters recently. 'It is a political elite building a fortress to keep the politicians in and the people out.' Hence, the Governor wants Sacramento lawmakers to relinquish their power to redraw district boundaries to a nonpartisan panel of retired judges--the type of reform that has led to more competitive races is places like Iowa and Washington State."

JustOneMinute: Hillary's Plan Crystalizes

2005-04-14T13:04:00.000+02:00

JustOneMinute: Hillary's Plan Crystalizes: "Hillary's Plan Crystalizes
The NY Post explains the political strategy motivating Bill Clinton to snuggle up to Georges I and II - it's all about Hillary! (we knew that by default; it is always about Hillary!):"

mediabistro: FishBowlDC - Hunting for Humor

2005-04-14T13:02:00.000+02:00

mediabistro: FishBowlDC: "Howard Kurtz picks up on some fun PETA had with reporters last week--and the fun that the Washington Times' outdoor editor had with PETA.
Last Friday, April Fool's if you remember, PETA sent out an release entitled 'New Study Links Hunting to Small Penis Size,' which pointed to research by the 'Diminutive Male Genitalia Disorder Research Organization' (which given today's NIH stories might actually exist for all we know)."

Down With Bush: Capital Punishment and Jewish Law

2005-04-14T12:54:00.000+02:00

Down With Bush: Capital Punishment and Jewish Law: "Capital Punishment and Jewish Law
A commenter notes that not all conservatives are Christians, and therefore not all have a dilemma in reconciling their religious views with capital punishment. But it is a mistake to think that our ancestors went around executing people willy-nilly, as some might infer from Leviticus. The Talmudists required legal procedure even besting California's, such that executions would almost never happen."

Blog for America

2005-04-14T12:51:00.000+02:00

Blog for America: "You don't have to be straight to shoot straight.
Breaking with GOP leadership, Republican Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Miami has joined 70 House Democrats in supporting the Military Readiness Enhancement Act?a bill that will allow gay men and lesbians to serve in the military without 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' restrictions and the threat of military discharge for disclosure of sexual orientation:

'We've tried the policy. I don't think it works. And we've spent a lot of money enforcing it,'' said Ros-Lehtinen, a member of the Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations, who Tuesday co-sponsored a bill allowing gays to serve.
'We investigate people. Bring them up on charges. Basically wreck their lives,'' she told The Herald. 'People who've signed up to serve our country. We should be thanking them.'"

Blog for America

2005-04-14T12:49:00.000+02:00

Blog for America: "Torture and the Courts
Even when people talk about the right-wing assault on the judiciary, they probably don't have appointing a known torture advocate to a high appeals court in mind. But, well, here we are [emphasis added]:

Newsweek has learned that an investigation by the U.S. Southern Command in Miami has confirmed some ... allegations in recently disclosed e-mails by FBI agents, reporting that military interrogators sexually humiliated prisoners at Gitmo. The inquiry largely concerns a small group of mostly female interrogators who say they were urged by superiors to be 'creative' in late 2002 when Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld expressed frustration about the lack of actionable intelligence being gleaned from prisoners at the base. "

A la Gauche: Political News and Commentary from the Far Left

2005-04-14T12:46:00.000+02:00

A la Gauche: Political News and Commentary from the Far Left: "A dangerous trend has started in campuses all across the nation. Liberals are attacking 'Publicans ... with pastries. Disturbing, I know, right? This is worst than ... than ... than selling guns at Wal-Mart, than bombing countries that have never attacked the United States, than shredding the United States Constitution for political gain, than rigging elections."

Blog for America

2004-11-24T10:07:00.000+01:00

Blog for America: "The non-partisan group Taxpayers For Common Sense has come out with a top-20 list of 'the most egregious earmarks' in Congress' $388 billion spending bill, passed over the weekend. "

Opinion/Editorial: Remembering Margaret Hassan

2004-11-19T14:43:00.000+01:00

Opinion/Editorial: Remembering Margaret Hassan: "Remembering Margaret Hassan E-mail this
Print this
Kirsten Zaat, BBC News, 17 November 2004

Margaret Hassan
Margaret was a human rights defender of unequalled vigour. Her vitality, her verve and her uncompromising stand on protecting the innocent was unparalleled in Iraq."

Blog for America

2004-11-18T08:54:00.000+01:00

Blog for America: "It is amazing that House Republicans have the gall to run on a claim of moral superiority. Today they approved a rule change which would allow current Majority leader Tom DeLay to retain his post, even if convicted of a felony which would carry a two year or longer jail sentence (for example, felony money laundering, as was the case with two of his top aides). "

Up With Kerry!: My Final Post

2004-11-14T20:46:00.000+01:00

Up With Kerry!: My Final Post: "Look, this was not a mandate election. Fine. It was, however, an equilibrium election. We can repeat this election repeatedly, and absent a shift, we will lose by 2 points every time. Maybe we will take Ohio sometime, maybe not.

So how do we win? We do so with a complete and utter rejection of their ideas."

Urban Legends Reference Pages: Politics (War Between the States)

2004-11-13T23:00:00.000+01:00

Urban Legends Reference Pages: Politics (War Between the States): "According to exit polls and analysis of county-by-county election returns, the sharpest geographic distinction between the two candidates did not primarily correspond to region but to size of community: Senator John Kerry had a substantial 60%-39% edge in large cities (representing roughly 13% of the total U.S. population), while the reverse was true in rural areas (representing roughly 16% of the total U.S. population), where President Bush garnered a 59%-40% majority. What we saw in the 2004 election was more of an urban vs. rural division, regardless of state."

Urban Legends Reference Pages: Politics (War Between the States)

2004-11-13T22:59:00.000+01:00

Urban Legends Reference Pages: Politics (War Between the States): "It is true that a map showing the locations of free and slave states (and territories) in the pre-Civil War U.S. bears a rough resemblance to a map showing the electoral vote results for the 2004 U.S. presidential election."

www.AndrewSullivan.com - Daily Dish

2004-11-13T21:15:00.000+01:00

www.AndrewSullivan.com - Daily Dish: "'We're everywhere any sane person wants to be. Let them have the shitholes, the Oklahomas, Wyomings, and Alabamas. We'll take Manhattan.' - Dan Savage, celebrating the urban archipelago, in the Stranger."

Blog for America

2004-11-13T21:12:00.000+01:00

Blog for America: "Mass Exodus From the Bush Administration
How bad has the Bush record been over the last four years? So bad that his staff is fleeing, or has fled, in droves. "

www.AndrewSullivan.com - Daily Dish

2004-11-13T09:55:00.000+01:00

www.AndrewSullivan.com - Daily Dish: " 'You have four years -a brief time only- to leave an imprint for righteousness upon this nation that brings with it the blessings of Almighty God.' - Bob Jones III, of Bob Jones University, reminding George W. Bush who Karl Rove's friends are."

Blog for America

2004-11-12T22:14:00.000+01:00

Blog for America: "What has been reported is that almost 93,000 votes will go uncounted due to Nader being 'accidentally' included on the ballot as well as other issues."

The New Yorker: Fact

2004-11-12T12:56:00.000+01:00

The New Yorker: Fact: "BUSHSPEAK
by PHILIP GOUREVITCH
The President's vernacular style."

via: http://www.writersblog.de/broeckers/

Blog for America

2004-11-12T12:47:00.000+01:00

Blog for America: "Public Hearings on Election Irregularities and Voter Suppression
Dean Dozen's Mary Jo Kilroy wants you to be aware of the following public hearings in Franklin County, Ohio.
Anyone who experienced or observed election irregularities or voter suppression this election season is invited to come and give testimony at a public hearing before public officials, community representatives and the media. "

"Submisssion" by Theo van Gogh

2004-11-12T11:56:00.000+01:00

The site Genoeg nu has a download of the Film "Submission" by Theo van Gogh. The film-maker was killed by a religious fanatic.

TP: The Tyranny of the Two Party System in the US

2004-11-12T11:45:00.000+01:00

TP: The Tyranny of the Two Party System in the US: "The Tyranny of the Two Party System in the US
Ronda Hauben 10.11.2004
What Lessons are there to Learn from the Outcome of the 2004 US Election?
The post election commentary in the US is divided between questioning the accuracy of the count of votes, or wondering whether the Democratic Party had to pay more attention to discussing 'moral' values as part of its election activity."

Brain Drain?

2004-11-11T21:40:00.000+01:00

November 8, 2004 -- SSTI Weekly Digest: "Increased global competition, changing visa policies and diminished perceptions of the U.S. abroad have lead to an overall decline in first-time international graduate student enrollment, according to a survey from the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS). Overall enrollment decreased 6 percent between 2003-2004, the third straight year of decline after a decade of growth, survey results show.
First-time international graduate school enrollment fell 10 percent between 2002 and fall 2003 and fell 8 percent the year before. "

Just a Bump in the Beltway: Stop Digging

2004-11-05T12:39:00.000+01:00

Just a Bump in the Beltway: Stop Digging: "Via Analysts Call Outlook For Bush Plan Bleak

Too Much Deficit, Not Enough Revenue

By Jonathan Weisman

Washington Post Staff Writer

Friday, November 5, 2004; Page A08

President Bush signaled yesterday that he would add personal investment accounts to the Social Security system, simplify the tax code without raising taxes and cut the budget deficit in half, all before he leaves office in 2009.
Ambitious as those promises are, they may be mathematically impossible, budget and policy analysts say."

Informed Comment : 11/01/2004 - 11/30/2004

2004-11-05T12:33:00.001+01:00

Informed Comment : 11/01/2004 - 11/30/2004: Levine Guest Editorial: "We're all Israelis Now."

Informed Comment : 11/01/2004 - 11/30/2004

2004-11-05T12:33:00.000+01:00

Informed Comment : 11/01/2004 - 11/30/2004

www.AndrewSullivan.com - Daily Dish

2004-11-05T10:51:00.000+01:00

www.AndrewSullivan.com - Daily Dish: "According to the Washington Post, 'Green described one piece of mail from the Bush campaign that featured a beautiful church and a traditional nuclear family. It was headlined, 'George W. Bush shares your values. Marriage. Life. Faith.'' That's how they did it. The war was not the issue. Gays were."

www.AndrewSullivan.com - Daily Dish

2004-11-05T10:50:00.000+01:00

www.AndrewSullivan.com - Daily Dish: "Gays: Kerry 77, Bush 23. Jews: Kerry 74, Bush 25."

Talking Points Memo: by Joshua Micah Marshall: October 31, 2004 - November 06, 2004 Archives

2004-11-05T10:42:00.000+01:00

Talking Points Memo: by Joshua Micah Marshall: October 31, 2004 - November 06, 2004 Archives: "The dollar continued its decline in global currency markets yesterday, intensifying worries among some economists that mounting U.S. budget and trade deficits could send the U.S. currency into a tailspin. "

THE WAR IN CONTEXT:: Iraq, the War on Terrorism, and the Middle East Conflict - in Critical Perspective

2004-11-05T10:35:00.000+01:00

THE WAR IN CONTEXT:: Iraq, the War on Terrorism, and the Middle East Conflict - in Critical Perspective: "The day the Enlightenment went out
By Gary Wills, New York Times, November 4, 2004

This election confirms the brilliance of Karl Rove as a political strategist. He calculated that the religious conservatives, if they could be turned out, would be the deciding factor. The success of the plan was registered not only in the presidential results but also in all 11 of the state votes to ban same-sex marriage. Mr. Rove understands what surveys have shown, that many more Americans believe in the Virgin Birth than in Darwin's theory of evolution."

Secession: RadicalButtons.Com

2004-11-05T10:29:00.000+01:00

Secession: RadicalButtons.Com Some Americans voice their displeasure with the election results via buttons.

US out of SF!

2004-11-05T10:27:00.000+01:00

US out of SF!: What if San Francisco wants to leave the USA?

CNN seems not to...

2004-11-05T09:36:00.000+01:00

... like Bush: see this image

the cowmonkey: mexico or bust

2004-11-05T09:30:00.000+01:00

There are already talks about the 'secession' of the red states. Or: would this be an option? Join Canada?
the cowmonkey: mexico or bust

President Bush Thanks Americans in Wednesday Acceptance Speech

2004-11-05T09:09:00.001+01:00

President Bush Thanks Americans in Wednesday Acceptance Speech

Silicon Valley - Dan Gillmor's eJournal - Four More Years

2004-11-05T09:09:00.000+01:00

Journalist Dan Gilmore gives a projection of what is to come:

Silicon Valley - Dan Gillmor's eJournal - Four More Years: "There's no secret about what's coming. We don't have that excuse this time.
Here comes more fiscal recklessness -- as we widen the chasm between the ultra-wealthy and everyone else, cementing a plutocracy into our national fiber, we'll pay our national bills on the Treasury Bill credit card for the next few years. Many economists expect a Brazil-like financial crisis to hit the U.S. before the end of the decade. If we muddle our way though the near term, we'll still have left our kids with the bill.
Here comes an expansion of the American empire abroad, a fueling of fear and loathing elsewhere on the globe. This is also unsustainable in the end. Empire breeds disrespect.
Our civil liberties will shrink drastically. This president and his top allies in Congress fully support just one amendment in the Bill of Rights, the Second Amendment's right to bear arms. Say goodbye to abortion rights in most states. Roe v. Wade will fall after this president pushes three or four Scalia and Thomas legal clones onto the Supreme Court. Say hello, meanwhile, to a much more intrusive blending of church and state.
The environment? We'll be nostalgic for Ronald Reagan's time in office.
This is not sour grapes. This is reality."

OSCE latest news releases

2004-11-05T09:02:00.000+01:00

OSCE latest news releases: "WASHINGTON, D.C., 4 November 2004 - The 2 November elections in the United States were conducted in an environment that reflects a longstanding democratic tradition, including institutions governed by rule of law, free and professional media and an active civil society involved in all aspects of the election process. "

CNN.com Election 2004

2004-11-04T12:34:00.000+01:00

CNN.com Election 2004

- all the results

John Kerry - Official Web Site

2004-11-04T12:28:00.000+01:00

John Kerry for President - Official Web Site: "John Kerry"

MSNBC - More 'them' than 'us'

2004-11-04T12:25:00.000+01:00

They donâ€™t care that the Bush presidency has made us less safe by creating more terrorists, inspiring more anti-American hatred and refusing to engage in the hard work that would be necessary to make a meaningful dent in our myriad vulnerabilities at home.

Welcome to the White House

2004-11-04T12:17:00.000+01:00

Welcome to the White House: "President Bush on Wednesday said, ' America has spoken, and I'm humbled by the trust and the confidence of my fellow citizens. With that trust comes a duty to serve all Americans, and I will do my best to fulfill that duty every day as your President.' "

- "will do my best..." please try a bit more!

No Stolen Elections

2004-11-04T12:16:00.000+01:00

AlterNet: Election 2004: News Log: "Thousands of lawyers are on their way to Florida to observe the counting of votes in precincts across the state on November 2. People for the American Way's Election Protection project still needs more people to volunteer, even though thousands have already signed up. The Election Protection project has been set up to ensure the votes of minorities in urban communities count just like everybody else's. "

terrorist attacks is on the rise

2004-11-04T12:08:00.000+01:00

Arianna's Blog: "Georg Bush - in four years, Starts two wars, Loses two "

memounderstanding.pdf

2004-11-04T12:07:00.000+01:00

Memorandum of Understanding - contract between Kerry and Bush about the debates

AlterNet: Election 2004: News Log

2004-11-04T12:05:00.000+01:00

AlterNet: Election 2004: News Log: "Deanna Zandt, who is in the Election Protection offices in Columbus Ohio reports that some precincts are reporting a 80% turnout rate in Columbus. Some of the precincts, she reports, have a 3 hour-long wait.

Deanna says that there have been reports from election protection officials that there is some voter intimidation going on. She has heard that groups of Republican-backed intimidators have been walking up and down voter lines, misleading voters about their eligibiity to vote and telling them that they need to vote in another precinct. "

Memorandum of understanding

2004-11-04T12:03:00.000+01:00

The Official Kerry-Edwards Blog

2004-11-04T12:00:00.000+01:00

The Official Kerry-Edwards Blog: "Statement from Kerry Campaign Manager Mary Beth Cahill on Ohio"

John Kerry 2004: The Unofficial Kerry for President Blog

2004-11-04T11:59:00.000+01:00

John Kerry 2004: The Unofficial Kerry for President Blog: "John Kerry fought the good fight with truth and dignity. Our country will never know what they have lost. George W. Bush is a divider not uniter. "

powerbook _ blog: Neue Osama bin Laden Botschaft

2004-11-04T11:52:00.000+01:00

powerbook _ blog: Neue Osama bin Laden Botschaft: "OBL today is probably a very satisfied, very optimistic man, and if he can skew the last-minute dynamic of the election in Bush's favor, he'll have cause to be all the more satisfied."

Blogs For Bush / map

2004-11-04T11:50:00.000+01:00

Blogs For Bush: "Bush Country, 2004

Matt Margolis blogged for Bush in category The Campaign Trail at 11:55 PM Comments (13) TrackBack (1) "

you can find a map red / blue map.....

USA Future

2004-11-04T11:29:00.000+01:00

"USA Future" is a weblog set up to scan and filter news and blog postings from and about the US to keep an eye on what is happening after the fall 2004 elctions. Anyone from the US and abroad is welcome to join the team. If you want to be in send an e-mail to bm@carpe.com and explain why you would like to join.