Real 'Little Rocket Man' in North Korea dustup sits in US Senate

North Korea tests a missile and Sen. Lindsay Graham says this:

"The US will go to war with North Korea if things don't change. A lot of people would get hurt and killed. If we have to go to war to stop this, we will. If there's a war with North Korea, it will be because North Korea brought it on itself, and we're headed to a war if things don't change."

Sen. Graham should look in the mirror to find someone bringing on war. He's supported every criminal US war of regime change, all against non-nuclear states, that have got hundreds of thousands killed for nothing. He threatens North Korea with regime change; then threatens war when they do the sensible thing to thwart US led regime change...obtain a nuclear arsenal. Graham is always first in the well of the Senate threatening war, whether it's Iraq, Libya, Syria, Iran or now North Korea. It does no good for North Korea to seek peace with the US by abandoning nukes. Iraq tried that and got their regime changed. Libya tried that and got their regime changed. 

Sen. Graham can't wait for the 'rocket's red glare' over Pyongyang. He, not Kim Jung Un, is the original 'Little Rocket Man'.   

How about a little 'Me Too' to stop senseless war?

I was shocked that MSNBC followed the NBC Today show yesterday with lengthy coverage of an obscenely overpaid talking head being fired for sexual harassment, possibly even assault, in the workplace. What shocked me was not the story being revealed in endless detail. It was that the more important story, impending war with North Korea was alluded to, then dropped to cover improper sex in the workplace. The teaser was virulent Senate warmonger Lindsay Graham (R-SC) saying this after North Korea's latest missile test: "If we have to go to war to stop this, we will, We’re headed toward a war if things don’t change.” Then an overpaid talking head still working said: "but first we cover the bombshell story of Matt Lauer's firing for improper sexual conduct at NBC." The twisted juxtaposition of those two stories highlights what's wrong with mainstream media which always uses sensationalized entertainment to avoid dealing with the most critical events affecting war and peace, a sustainable environment, and the billionaires' fleecing of the middle class. The truth is the talking heads near tears over their colleague's downfall offered little of value. They all took management's insincere line they knew knowing about what we've come to learn was fairly common knowledge around NBC. The entire story required only a fraction of the interminable time spent dealing mostly with conjecture and unanswered questions. But  obscenely overpaid media executives have learned that war and environmental survival and billionaire greed doesn't fill their coffers. Sexual accountability in the workplace and on the campaign trail is too important an issue to wallow in endlessly to spike ratings and profits. And war, environmental survival and economic justice are too important to ignore. Time to boycott mainstream media till they get it right. 

Prosecutors shouldn't waste court's time seeking natural life for Michael Jones

DuPage prosecutors are worried. They're in court Monday seeking an extended sentence for Michael Jones if he's convicted of the 1985 rape and murder of teen Kathy Wesselman of Glen Ellyn. Under sentencing laws of 1985, Jones could be sentenced for up to 80 years for murder and assault, also making him eligible for parole after serving half his sentence. That would allow Jones, if he behaves in the pokey, to seek release when he's 104 years old. To combat this imagined threat to the public and miscarriage of justice, Jones' prosecutors will ask the court to invoke another sentencing provision that allows extension to natural life for a crime "accompanied by exceptional brutal and heinous behavior indicative of wanton cruelty."

Sentences of natural life, like the death penalty, do nothing to protect the public and serve justice. They amount to prosecutorial grandstanding to display their tough on crime bonafides to the public. Seeking natural life for a man eligible for parole at 104 is almost certainly moot. For anyone no longer a threat to society it wastes precious prison resources. It removes an incentive for prisoners to behave, further squandering precious prison costs. Time off for model behavior should be available to every prisoner, regardless the heinousness of the crime. Parole can always be denied in the case of truly evil, antisocial folks like Charlie Manson.

DuPage prosecutors should not waste one minute of Judge George Bakalis' time on this sentencing issue. They should spend every minute making sure Jones, if guilty, is convicted and required to sit till at least age a century plus four.

The school talk Roskam should give

My congressman Peter Roskam (IL-6) likes to tout his regular trips to local schools to explain to impressionable youngsters the role of a congressman. Hear's the talk he should give on his plans to enhance education:

"The 'Tax Bill and Jobs Act' I'm helping to slam thru Congress will funnel $1.7 trillion of desperately needed tax dollars back mostly to the wealthiest Americans over the next decade, but also a few dollars to your middle class parents as well. This will create such a gigantic expansion in debt that we must cut out much of the free stuff to the 'little people.' In education we're being prudent in eliminating the tax deduction for interest on student loans. You future college students must simply learn how to become rich so you don't get trapped in the capitalist college loan interest scam. We're also teaching fiscal responsibility by eliminating the tax free tuition received by thousands of university employees for their children. Your teachers must learn fiscal responsibility as well by our eliminating the $250 deduction for purchasing school supplies in cash strapped districts. Obviously your teachers don't value wealth by choosing to enter such a low paying profession. 

My lesson for today? Get wealthy like me...and live happily ever after."

Roskam will never say that...but he's sure thinking it.