They are called Congressional Hearings and not Listenings for a Reason

After the last few days of seeing alot of our nations leaders in front of us questioning the whole Iraq issue and its ramifications, one truly gets a little bit of perspective of just who it is that truly carries the water for the Amercian people and those that are merely playing career politician.

Now, I have no issue for someone hammering hard questions of course but for this whole process has taken my mind back to when Oliver North appeared before Congressional hearings. It was really the first time in my life that I can remember watching hearings on TV let alone seeing a military man being questioned regarding rather political undertakings. I remember though the level of respect that seemed to be given North even by those opposing the reasons by which brought North before him. There was civility and honor it seemed among both sides of the microphone back then. I wonder how North would have been received if he had to come before them now as he did some twenty years ago.

After today and the Senate turn, I find our leaders today much less civil, much less concerned with the greater good and more concerned with political posturing before the cameras. I learned today that there is a reason they call these things Congressional Hearings and that is because most of these leaders on the Hill are great at "hearing" just not too many a long on "listening".

I think it would be great if we could have Congressional Listenings.

To begin the process with an absurd and rather dangerous ad put out by MoveOn.org attacking General Petreaus was afterall rather typical, but for many of the leading Democrats including those who would like my vote come 2008 not to condemn such an outragoues attack against the integrity of our military was striking to say the least.

I recall those same leaders telling us that the organizations like MoveOn are but a small part of the overall Democratic base, and yet these leaders constantly promote that very agenda, turn around and attend the Kos Convention all the while reassuring us that these elements are but a small part of the Party. If anyone was naive enough to believe that then they certainly cannot deny that the lack of condemnation of the ads placed is surely due to the fact that that element is certainly NOT a small faction of the left after all. It is becoming readily apparent IT is the Left.

I respect many parts of the progressive platform but am beginning to truly believe that moderates and fiscal conservatives of the Party have to admit there is I hijack in progress on the Democratic base. I only say thatin light of such observations as the lack of support for the DLC, that brought Bill Clinton to the Presidency I might add, by the very same leaders that say that the far left isn't the power of the left.

Now I realize that we are constantly being told that those old labels of "left", "right", "liberal" or "conservative" are becoming less defined in modern poltics as maybe in the past, but I cannot get over that this hijacking of the Democratic base, at least in terms of lobbying power, cannot be merely of "primary" influence but will spill over into the general election. I am tired of trying to figure out whioch face these leaders are playing on a daily basis while I'll country's domestic policy swings in the balance.

Say what you mean, mean what you say and get to work on moving our country forward. Thats apolitical by the way. My head as many Amercians I presume is tired of spinning. When we as voters have to determine what it is you (ie politcian) mean something is certainly wrong.

I must say that I have been impressed by two politicians over the course of the last two weeks and they are (R)Duncan Hunter and (D) Barrack Obama. Hunter has impressed me on his obvious expertise with regard to immigration and now the Iraq question and like Obama is passionate about his message. A message that comes of as genuine. Obama has taken some licks by the Clinton machine, but whatever his failings in terms of political strategy he seems ready to go after the issues of Afghanistan, Pakistan situation and carry on the war on terror all be it differently and voice his views and positions without regard to posturing. Thats inspiring.It would impress me even more if Obama would come out and condemn MoveOn.org for its attack on the General. Hunter on the other hand took it to those who would support such ads within Congress and I would not be surprised if he and John McCain makes those memebers who support it "famous".

I think that those that would shoot the messenger rather than "listening" and then making judgements does our whole nation a disservice. Whether or not we agree about the war or what to do in Iraq or how to wage the war on terror, you simply do not allow your very soul to come into question because you fail to condemn those that are so obviously indefensible.

Have we no shame anymore? I wonder.

"Timelines" & Such

Well when I guess you get a bunch of legislators together who use the business model as the their example of shaping policy and the government itself all this "timeline" garb is what you get.

These guys use the word "timeline" for than a project manager whose very job is on the line if the timeline isn't met. members of Congress are using the very word"timeline" to politicize the perceived failing of the surge they oppose.

Whats the timeline to leave General?

For someone that Moveon.org portrayed in ads as dishonest and morally questionable in terms of integrity the General did not respond in a manner like us inexperienced watchers would certainly have.

I would have liked to have seen him respond to "Timelines" like this.

Timeline? Since this body is so focused on timelines, could you tell me when the Congress is planning to fix the illegal immigration problem in this country? Its been I don't know twenty plus years. How much longer do we have to wait? Whats your timeline?Could you tell me how you plan to solve the health care crisis in this country, I think it was Mrs. Clinton who raised that need back in 1993? Or Senators hows about solving the inevitable failure of the Social Security system or give me a "timeline" for how we are going to cover Medicaid for all the baby boomers getting ready for retirement in a few years?

Fact is all of these things that I would have thrown back at those Senators who question the speed of political reconciliation in Iraq and its failures need only to look to themselves to answer their own questions as to why Iraq has made little progress on that front. Because its politics by definition for Gods sake.

I praise the General for remaining strong to his convictions and sitting there before a body that itself is in need of some reconciliation.

So while I wait for an improving Iraq, I will also keep a keen eye on a Congress that has failed to live up to just about all realistic expectations since 2006 and accomplished very little by way of securing of domestic agenda. I will give credit where credit is do, our Congress did raise the federal minimum wage. Yeah. Run on that for re-election.

Let the General get back on the ground and continue fighting the good fight and please could the Congressman and Senators get back to moving America forward domestically.

How about this gameplan:

Let the military fight the combat operations and provide security, let the State Department undertake diplomatic efforts to secure peace and lets have our legislators go back to passing actual meaningful legislation in Washington.

No that would be wonderful wouldn't it?

"Conceived " on Sept. 11th

I was conceived on September 11th.

My very existance has yet to be embraced

It has brought turmoil to the lives of those who would embrace me

Its brought fear to those who would not

I was conceived on Sept. 11th

I will be born of two families

I will descend from two lines

Yet conception has been entirely at the blessing of a mid-wife

Her sacrifice is securing my arrival

I would not survive nor would my family without her

I seek resolution by way of my two families and hope

And yet who shall raise me up is unclear

I am from the North and from the South

I am from the East and from the West

I am unsure though upon my arrival just who "I "will be

I fear my birth will be laborsome and hazzardous

I fear they will resent the length of its labors

I fear they will not understand the blessing of delivery

I fear I may be abandoned

I fear that in the end my family will not bless my arrival

I fear

I fear

I was conceived on Sept. 11th

My family still awaits my birth

I was conceived on Sept. 11th

I am determined to arrive

I was conceived on Sept. 11th

I am destined to be free

I was conceived on Sept. 11th

I am a new Iraq.

Sept. 11th 2007 and the Times-Dispatch

I woke this morning knowing of course that today marked another anniversary of the attack of 9/11 and felt even more compelled to hug my children a little harder on the way out to school this morning. There was an extra sense of hieghtened awareness more so this morning in large part to some of the expose being done entitled "The Perfect Day" being aired this week by Glenn Beck concerning the potential targeting of our school systems which are relatively unsecure nationwide. After receiving countless email from other parents about the broadcast I was amazed at the lack of information being assimilated at the local level regarding security precautions given the fact most of us just sent our children back to school last week. I do not usually subscribe to the shock guys out there but I felt the need to at least hear out the potential situation concerning our schools and what the experts recommended the average Joe to be on the lookout for. Frightening to say the least.

It was disheartening however to open the newspaper this morning here in Richmond. I felt ashamed that on the anniversary of such an event that has shaped our nations lives the top line atop the Richmond Times-Dispatch reads "I scream at celebrities" with a pic of who else but Paris Hilton and the so-called "controversy" over the Confederate Flag fight the lead in story on the front page followed by the Petreus testimony. On this day , we find the RTD taking a more "political" posture if anyhting else though in fairness they certainly had to cover the Petreus testimony but use of a linking piece for the remembrance of the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks with Hurricane Katrina, Va tech Shooting, and the Tsunami in a piece entitled "No clear way to remember 9/11" may certainly be in light of the other occurances of death and trajedy I suppose but I believe sorely misplaced. This is exactly but one example of how displaced and dysfunctional we have become in terms of recognizing the importance of such an event and its impact on our country and this rather limited and narrow focus of 9/11 itself minimizes the threats we face going forward together as a nation. After six years RTD seems to embrace or reflect the willingness to place 9/11 in the pages of the somber history book instead of using it as an opportunity to reinvigirate the will of our community or in fact inform it.

How is Richmond different since 9/11? What is our emergency response capability? The RTD pays no attention to the Pentagon or those lost souls in PA. Today is a day that should be APOLITICAL. It is a day where we should be embracing the commonality of our community and our nation and not a day where we should on the front page rehash the Confederate flag within the chambers of the Capital downtown or through politics upon the remembrance of our fallen brotheren.

The question is not how far we have come but rather how much we have forgotten. The RTD questions "whether we are becoming numb" to all the horrors when in fact is is the telling of the story from a politcial perspective concerning everything these days that has the community numb. The Unity following 9/11 has been lost in large part because of the will of the people to be divided in the face of messages like the front page of the RTD sends this morning. On a day of remembrance it is unimporatnt to be reminded of the sacrifice of those lost, or celebrate the achievments of Tuesdays Children, those of whom lost parents on 9/11. Where are their stories? Where is the picture of Amercia today? Could it be that that picture is still out of focus? Maybe that picture is exactly the challenge we face together as a nation in the face of trajedy how do we become whole when so many among us are driving a wedge right through the very soul of our nation. The RTD is quick to right about "commemeration" not "celebration" for the 150th Civil War anniversary (a soley political underscore I might add) and yet forgets about the sanctity of "remembrance" in the context of 9/11.

We were unified once in this endeavor following the loss of thousands of innocent lives. May we not have to withstand another trajedy the likes of 9/11 again for us to re-focus that picture of America and come together once again, I pray.

Independents Well To Do

Local canvassing and get the vote outs are showing that there is certainly a growing number of voters from the two major parties that moving in the direction of supporting Independent candidates in the elections for the 69th House of Delegate seat where Katherine Waddell (I) is the incumbant as well as threeof the five districts of Chesterfield County with seats up for the Board of Supervisors.

Surprisingly the Midlothian District which went Republican with the election of Don Sowder in the special election in 2006 is seeing a potentail shift to (I) candidate Dan Gecker (current Planning Commissioner from Midlothian) who lost last Fall to Sowder while running as a Democrat for the seat. Support for Gecker is growing in the Bon Air area through juristictions of Crestwood, Bon Air up into the Greenfield area along Robious Road. Supporters have been out knocking on doors and speaking with residents about three major concerns:
1. Growth Planning and Transportation
2. School construction and Class sizes
3. Illegal Immigration Impacts

Overwhelmingly by the way residents are opposed it seems to another bond referendum to pay for the growth projects going forward in this district. There are scheduled debates/forums right around the corner coming in October for most of the district contests in Chesterfield.

Independents have work to be done in Mataoca where there are both a Democrat and Republican candidate seeking the seat of Supervisor and Bermuda right now appears to be a dead heat based on feedback from residents. That one is going to be very interesting to watch.

Throughout the 69th touching parts of Chesterfield Katherine Waddell appears in good position to face off Republican manoli Loupassi , former City of Richmond Councilman. An election office for Waddell is up and running on Midolthian Tnpk across from the Koger Center and next to Wawa.

llegal Immigration and the Hypocrites

The debate has continued regarding"illegal" immigrants in large part throughout the summer and now going into the Fall. It is largely due to the impass on any political progress by the National Democrats with regard to the Iraq issue as well as the State Republicans with regard to solving the transportation abuser fee promise.

The issue will certainly play a larger part in the election of 2008 than in statewide elections but officials are using the rather negligent Congress as an excuse for attempting to solve the issue of illegal aliens at the State level. And as they should.

Much of the heat State Republicans are taking is by way of progressive and liberal blogs piggybacking the transportation dilemma and focusing much of their scopes on folks like David Albo of the 42d House district (Fairfax) and to a lessor extent Jay O'Brien 39th Sen district both of course Republicans in Northern Virginia.

Albo was the first official to propose legislation that would prevent illegal aliens from the ability to secure Virginia driving permits as well as sponsoring bills that would prevent illegals from securing benefits from state and local taxes. O'Brien, an Irish-Amercian has supported such measures in the Senate as well and has been quoted as saying:

"the time has come for Virginia to stand up to criminal illegal aliens and protect families...and stop rewarding illegals the benefit of in-state tuition for higher education" (deemed as hate mongering??)

O'Brien has been a big proponent of propping up Virginia law enforcemnt agencies and the ability for those to turn over illegals to the Department of Homeland Security in SB 1045. O'Brien represents some 30 localties in Fairfax and 9 in Prince William County where the issue of illegals is red hot. O'Brien is supported by many Virginia associations including the Virginia Farm Bureau, Association of Realtors, State Police, Va Medical Society, Va Society of Certified Public Accountants, Va Independent Insurance Agents and Independent Auto Dealers.

And yet the progressive blogs are somehow enraged at what they call the hypocricy of State Republicans largely because of the fact Republicans, and they are not alone on this score, have secured large contributions from employers such as Smithfield that have less than clean records with regard to employing illegal workers.

In effect this is where the debate is moving, the so-called hypocricy and not focused at the very issue at hand and that is the illegal alien issue itself.

It seems Progressives would largely like to make or keep illegal immigration a Federal issue and yet we see time after time where members of the Federal Government attempt to pass the responsibilities of dealing with illegals off to the States. The following measures in the very least provide instruction for the States under the Federalist system:

Immigrant Childrens Health Improvement Act :
addreses XIX XXI of the Social Security Act to provide States with option to cover certain immigrants under medicaid and childrens health insurance programs

DREAM Act: co sponsored by Hillary Clinton in fact to address the Illegal Immigrant Reform Act to allow for States to review and determine State residency requirements for higher education with regard to immigrants
Also here the DREAM Act says "the US should protect its borders and enforce its immigration laws. The consequences of illegal entry should be deportation"

So if this debate is being shaped by "hypocricy" why is it we are not talking about the fact that liberals are attacking Republicans calling them proponents of hate and linking them to KKK circulations in PWC for simply emphatically calling for what the DREAM ACT seeks in SB 1545.

The hypocricy might just be that Clinton, Schumer, Spector, and Mikulski all NOW very critical of how Republicans are shaping the arguement against illegal immigration in Congress are all co-sponsors of legislation that states that "the consequences of illegal entry should be deportation."

This blitz to judge Republicans and yet not acknowledge the language that very Democratic leadership have drafted in the past is worrisome at the very least. It very well may represent a shift solely based on political posturing and not the solving of the issue before our country.

The above mentioned Democrats in the Senate also sponsored along with (R) John McCain and Sam Brownback the Agricultureal Job Opportunity Benefits and Security Act sponsored by none other than SD (R) Larry Craig....yes that Larry Craig whom all of these folk have distanced themselves from in the last two weeks. The irony. This measure seeks to address the H-2A worker program and in particular Section 218. Then there is also the Access to English/Employment Acquisition Act that further places it upon the States to determine programs for bilingual education for immigrants.

So we have the Congress placing in large part much of the issues around immigration and its impacts upon the States and yet we are surprised when there is a call for accountability in the area of determining just who is eligible for all these programs. Is it immigrants of any status or is it the "legal" or "documented" aliens? If it is left to the State to make the distinction, so be it.

If a State is to use tax payer , public revenues, should they not perform due diligence to insure that state revenues go for the purposes of funding individuals who are indeed of legal status and residents of the Commonwealth? Should that not be the requirement? Is it not logical then for us to demand that illegals not be granted in-state tuiton? Is that not what SB 1545 from Congress is saying?

And it seems to me many of the more liberal folk tend to forget or never read "Hope and History" by Bill Clinton where on page 133-34 he states that :

" we are both a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws.Immigrants who enter our country legally and begin the process of attaining citizenship today are little different from the striven who were our ancestors..we must not tolerate illegal immigration...since 1993 we have removed 30 thousand illegal workers from jobs across the country"

Again we have reference not only in legislation but also in the works of Bill Clinton making the case against "illegal" immigration and yet it is the Republicans portrayed as hate mongers going after immigrants in an effort to identify those that are illegal and have them uniformly turned over to ICE for hearings and deportation...ie following the intent and protocal of the law.

It seesm to me that :

Addressing illegal aliens and eligibility of driving on Virginia roadways

Addressing illegal aliens in terms of securing in state tuiton rates for Virginia Universities

Addressing illegal aliens from securing State/Local tax benefits

Addressing the requirement for providing proof of citizenship ( if we would require it to leave the country why do we not have the same expectation of people already in the country )

It gets us off to a good start since the Federal Government is leaving it to the states under the basis of the Federal System and its own own hypocricy on the very issue itself. Let the debate begin.

Let see who carrys the water forward.

"

Breaking News from Richmond: Willey back in the news after break-in of home

Out of Richmond, Va today, the home of Katheryn Willey the former accuser of Bill Clinton some ten years ago , house was broken into in suburban Richmond in an apparent attempt so alleged by Willey to secure notes or sources for her upcoming new book characterizing the Clinton Years and her experience in the Oval Office with Bill Clinton as well as facts concerning Hillary Clinton. More to follow as this breaks into the main media I am sure. It seems the break in in Willey's opinion may be politically motivated but it is still to early in the investigation for anyone to comment. More to follow.