Beebe grants a freebee

"Hi Pops. I am asking for a second chance at life. I am asking for a second chance to be the man that I know that I can be,"

With those words, Kyle Beebe, son of Arkansas Governor, Mike, asked for a pardon from dear ol' dad for a marijuana conviction eleven years ago. The governor conveniently has pardon power in his gubernatorial tool kit. And Pops Beebe granted the pardon saying, "All of the families that go through that. It's tough on the families, but hopefully the kids learn."

Isn't that special? Actually, we should pardon every single one of millions of folks who have a marijuana conviction and their record and are not otherwise lawbreakers or seriously anti social. Unfortunately, the disastrous War On Drugs has snared and ruined the lives of millions of otherwise decent folks and cost untold billions trying to stamp out recreational (and medicinal) consumption of a relatively harmless plant. Alas, a disproportionate number of them are minorities, poor, or the marginalized, and not related to politicians in high places.

How 'bout a "Kyle Beebe Law" to implement that policy faster than you can say, "Son, you're pardoned. Have a good life"

My favorite election story

As a glass half full (or maybe just a quarter) guy, I'm focused on positives from Tuesday's election rather than the negatives. Minimum wage increases were supported in a number of states. Several governmental bodies voted down fracking. We saw a doubling from two to four in the number of states allowing recreational use of marijuana. We also realized, in the starkest terms possible, the price of staying home on election day, regardless of the reason. So my favorite election day story concerns that issue; voter participation.

My mostly retired tennis buddies and I retire after every fierce two hour doubles match to the local coffee shop for caffeine and conversation. Much of our gabfest concerns politics. One of our group is just 46 and not yet retired. He also has neither voted nor even registered to vote. I would gently chide him about his voter status and offer to register him in my capacity as a voter registrar, but nothing came of it. Just before the election he emailed me asking about my candidate recommendations. I didn't take his request seriously as I assumed he wasn't voting, just curious about my choices. I was wrong. He not only voted, he told me that all my preaching about the importance of doing so is what motivated him to first register... and then vote.

Wouldn't this be a much better functioning democracy if every one of us who cared about public policy encouraged just one non-voter to decide to pull the lever next election?

Have crisis will warmonger, wire Kirk, Illinois

The massive stroke Senator Mark Kirk suffered three years ago sure hasn't slowed down his warmongering ways. Whether it's agitating for bellicose war-threatening action in Iran, Syria, Iraq or Ukraine, Kirk never missies a chance to undercut the sensible, deliberate statesmanship President Obama uses to defuse overseas crises largely US made.

Kirk is horrified by ISIS atrocities in Iraq but ignores the hundreds of thousands killed in our criminal war there Kirk supported with trillions in blood money and endless cheerleading. He lamented when the president failed to bomb Syria, accusing the prez of wimping out in the eleventh hour. When Kirk talks about Red Lines, he's actually referring to the oceans of blood he has no trouble generating. Then there is Ukraine. Kirk ignores his Senator buddy John McCain, and other neocons inside and out of government who fomented the immoral and illegal coup which triggered the crisis. But in Kirk's delusional mind the whole crisis was the fault of Obama's 'weakness.'

But the corker in Kirk's lust for conflict concerns Iran. Kirk co-authored the extreme sanctions law against Iran putting America on a collision course for war there. He's joined up with his fellow hardline senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Bob Menendez who will use their Senate leadership status next year to torpedo any rapprochement the administration is delicately negotiating. The war party and the Israel Lobby, who issue Kirk's marching orders (and campaign funds), demand nothing less.
Kirk almost lost his bid for Senator back in 2010 upon revelations of his embellishment of his military record. Once safely on Capitol Hill, Kirk has traded fake military resume padding for beating real war drums.
He reminds me of Paladin, the gun for hire in 1950's TV land. Instead of "Have gun will travel, wire Paladin, San Francisco," it's "Have crisis will warmonger, wire Kirk, Illinois."

New national voting hoiday not needed

We don't need to make a third national holiday in November for our bi-annual national elections. Simply tie in these elections with the November 11 Veterans Day every two years. When Veterans Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, hold the election on the following Monday, again to coincide with the federal holiday. This will allow millions of workin' folk, who skip voting because of work, to not have to choose between the vote and meal money. 

 

Can't think of a better way to honor our Vets.  

Roskam record on immigration reform a broken record

My Sixth District congressman Peter Roskam sure hasn't much to say on immigration reform. Here is a summary of his erudite musings on this critically important subject during his first 8 years in Congress:

2007 "Build a bigger border fence."

2008 "Build a bigger border fence."

2009 "Build a bigger border fence."

2010 "Build a bigger border fence."

2011 "Build a bigger border fence."

2012 "Build a bigger border fence."

Then in 2013, a remarkable thing happened. On June 27, the Senate approved the bi-partisan Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013. Rather than do the responsible thing and inform the Sixth District of its substantial improvements to our broken immigration system, the Congressman mused:

2013 "Oh, my goodness gracious, this will never do. We cannot possibly allow the House to consider such a huge, unwieldy bill. We must legislate immigration reform in little, itty bitty chunks. And little, itty bitty Chunk One is: Build a bigger border fence."

Sadly, Roskam abdicated his congressional responsibility to advise his constituents that the bill will save many millions by offering a path to citizenship which will stop the wasteful deportation of most law abiding undocumented who contribute substantially to our economy. He wouldn't inform the 6th District that this sensible bill was put together by Senators, business groups, labor unions, agricultural interests and immigration advocates. Roskam passed on stressing that besides offering a path to citizenship, the bill will implement innovative temporary workers' programs, increase critically needed vises to skilled workers and create a nationwide employer eligibility verification program.

As a result, GOP House Chief Deputy Whip Roskam helped keep immigration reform from being passed. Then, celebrating the GOP Senate win last week, Roskam returned to his old refrain:

2014 "Build a bigger border fence." 

Plea to incoming Senate Majority Leader

Mother Earth to incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell:
"Don't frack me, bro!"

3,000 new boots in Iraq bad omen for Veterans Day

It's a bad omen for celebrating Veterans Day that the war party has convinced the president to send 3,000 new boots (1,500 GI's) to continue our defilement of Iraq. This will double the 3,000 current boots being forced to pound the depleted uranium pavement of Iraq after our 8 year war of conquest was mercifully ended in 2011. While the war party uses Veterans Day as a shameless commercial for endless criminal war, we've just found out the number of US canon fodder damaged by the 1980's WMD we supplied Saddam Hussein for his war against Iran is 600, not the 17 first reported. Once again, the best way to honor our Vets is to demand an end to war madness, which has become the Great American Pastime. Sadly, one of the worst aspects of the GOP Senate takeover next year, is that America's most virulent warmonger, John McCain, becomes Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. McCain never met a pair of military boots he didn't want to put in harm's way.