The Sad Numbers

U.S. Military casualties in Iraq (as of 11/16/04):
Total Deaths: 1207
Total Hostile Deaths: 940
Total Non-Hostile Deaths: 267
Total Wounded: 8956

Since major combat operations declared over May 1, 2003 ("Mission Accomplished"):

Total Deaths: 1068
Total Hostile Deaths: 831
Total Non-Hostile Deaths: 237
Total Wounded: 8414

Remembering Colin

Colin Powell resigns. It is unclear why. Condi Rice is in. Incompetence is rewarded. At this time, it is worth taking a moment and looking back at Powell's most memorable moment as Secretary of State. His speech to the UN on WMDs to garner support for the Iraq war. Powell's money quote from Andrew Sullivan's Blog:

"My colleagues, every statement I make today is backed up by sources, solid sources. These are not assertions. What we are giving you are facts and conclusions based on solid intelligence. I will cite some examples, and these are from human sources."

Absolutely ridiculous -- not only based on what we know now but also based on what was known then. What he said was simply untrue and Powell knew it at the time. Thus, in four sentences, a man tarnished an otherwise stellar career and reputation that was beyond reproach. They say an honest man's pillow is his peace of mind. So, maybe we do know why Powell resigned. Maybe, he just needed some sleep.

Tax Code Simplification

There may be a reflexive response by Blue Staters against plans to simplify the tax code simply because the 51% president has raised it. There shouldn't be. Dick Gephardt championed this idea in the '80s. I can remember him running around the talk shows with a 3x5 card and telling people: "this could be your tax return." There is a place for progressives in this debate. First, why in the world would WE want a tax code that is difficult, if not impossible, to understand, and is loaded with goodies for special interests? Second, the complexity of the tax code falls disproportionately on lower and middle income folks who cannot afford to have specialists prepare their taxes but are overwhelmed by the daunting task of making out their returns every year. Making government more user-friendly for working folks should be a fast ball down middle for a Blue person.
So, I say, simplify away! Again, why would Blue favor complexity?
The trick for Blue politicians is to make sure that tax simplification does not become an excuse to provide yet another tax bonanza to rich, special interests at the expense of the middle class -- especially during a time of war and when the deficit is huge and growing. Blue should work to make the system simpler and fairer -- while still providing sufficient revenue to fund the war on terror, war in Iraq (that we are stuck with) and other important governmental programs while lowering the tax burden on as many folks at the lower end of the tax-paying scale as possible.
I am thinking that Blue can stake out a good position on this issue because it is almost a certainty that Red is going to use the tax code "simplification" process to reward their corporate owners instead of as a means to make government better. Blue should be there with a straight-forward, fairer alternative.

Squirming Arlen

To those interested in politics, being elected to the US Senate seems like a tremendous achievement. Being re-elected a couple of times, well, that would make anyone's Mom proud. They say the Senate is the most exclusive club in the world -- only 100 members. So, to be a member must be quite heady stuff.
All of that makes Arlen Specter's pleading and begging for the chairmanship of the judiciary committee all the more embarrassing. As you probably know, the day after the election, the pro-choice Senator from PA made a public comment indicating that the President may have a difficult time getting an anti-choice Justice confirmed to the Supreme Court. Uh-oh! One is not supposed to say such outrageous things in Red America -- even if true. A firestorm ensued and some have called for the Republican controlled Senate to change the rules to prohibit Specter from getting the Chair. So what does Slick Arlen do? Stand by his principles? Keep his pro-choice position that the PA voters were aware of when they elected him? Noooooooo! He starts crying and whining like a baby.
"Please, oh, please, let me be chairman. I will vote for an anti-choice Justice." he writes in the Wall Street Journal. Pathetic. What good is being elected only to run from what you believe? We can only hope that conservatives see through his "deathbed" conversion and properly rebuke him for daring to speak out against their extreme right agenda. Trust me, blue people, Specter keeping the Chairmanship in an emasculated state, is no victory us. We will be better off with a true Red senator who makes their agenda cardinal clear. That way there will be no doubt what and whom we are dealing with. That is how we begin to battle back. Phonies and enablers like Specter are no help to the Blue. Arlen Specter a Profile in No Courage.

Big Tobacco and morality

"LONDON (Reuters) - Philip Morris, one of the world's leading tobacco manufacturers, was involved in research into the health effects of smoking 30 years ago but did not reveal data on the dangers of passive smoking, scientists said on Thursday."

This report from Reuters yesterday went on to point out how Phillip Morris allegedly buried a report that found that passive smoke was much more dangerous than was thought at the time. In the meantime, many people who did not smoke, but were subjected to second-hand smoke, got sick. This problem particularly affected people in the service economy such as waiters and bartenders that were, and in some places, still are, routinely exposed to passive smoke over years. Yet, Phillip Morris buried its findings that could have made a difference to hundreds of thousands, if not millions. Despicable.

On the other hand, you have Bill Clinton. He cheated on his wife and then lied to cover it up. Immoral, no doubt. But, do you ever hear the so-called liberal media talk about his moral and courageous stand in taking on the tobacco industry? Nope, never gets mentioned. In the history of our country, his was the first administration to ever seriously take on this industry. An industry that killed millions and systematically hid the truth about the dangerous effects of its product. The effort to stop the dealers of the nicotine-drug has made a huge impact in the lives of Americans. Moreover, taking this stand cost Clinton and the Democrats politically in the South -- and still does. It may have also cost Clinton personally. Do you think it was just a coincidence that it was an attorney that represented big tobacco, Ken Starr, that led the $50 million witch-hunt against Clinton? So, Clinton stepped up to the plate and did the right thing -- potentially benefiting millions -- at much personal and political cost to him. Slick Willie, indeed.

Since we are talking about morality so much these days, I just thought I would weigh in with this case study. Stop an industry from marketing its life-destroying and addictive product to kids, ho-hum. Cheat on your wife, impeachment. Seems a bit out of balance, no?

Good Government

Good GOP government:

"Nevada Lawmakers Impeach Controller in an Ethics Case

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSPublished: November 12, 2004
ARSON CITY, Nev., Nov. 11 (AP) - The Nevada Assembly impeached State Controller Kathy Augustine on Thursday on accusations of illegally using her office workers and equipment to help with her 2002 re-election on state time.
The impeachment was the first of any public official in the state's 140-year history. It came on a series of unanimous voice votes that seThe Senate is expected to convene on Friday to accept the Assembly's report. At that point, Ms. Augustine, a second-term Republican, must temporarily step down.
The Senate could hold a trial starting later this month. If it does not decide to remove her, Ms. Augustine will return to office for the remaining two years of her term.nt three articles of impeachment to the State Senate, where a trial will be held to determine whether Ms. Augustine will be removed from office ."

For Veteran's Day

"The whole earth is the tomb of heroic men and their story is not given only on stone over their clay but abides everywhere without visible symbol woven into the stuff of other mens lives." - Pericles

Terror Alert Lowered

U.S. to Lower Financial Sector's Terror Threat Level
Top Stories - Reuters
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government will lower the terror threat level for the financial services sector in New York City, northern New Jersey and Washington, D.C., an administration official said on Wednesday.

Terror alert lowered. What has changed? Why would that be lowered now. Hmmmmm. Can't think of any big events that would cause it to be lowered. Let's think, I wonder, geez, what could it be? Hmmmm - you know, I seem to recall we had an election last week ....

Always Faithful

Semper Fidelis -- Always faithful. The Marine Corps' motto. Today is the birthday of the Corps founded in 1775 on this date. I have two older brothers that were Marines. I have always been proud of them for that. I had occasion to visit Paris Island a couple of times to watch what new recruits go through. I have also heard my brother's basic training stories -- now told with a laugh but, I assure you, pretty intense stuff.

As a boy, my brothers were my heroes. I remember how sad I was when they went off and how happy I was each time they came home on leave. I can recall seeing them off and crying in the airport when it was time for them to go. I can also recall the sheer joy we they walked down the corridor of the airport -- coming home for the holidays or something. Service takes a toll on the soldiers AND their families. I was lucky, my brothers were not in combat. I can only imagine what some little boys must feel now knowing that their older brothers -- their heroes -- are off, on the other side of the world, bravely serving their country in harm's way.

Today, I wish the Marine Corps: Happy Birthday! One of my brothers still receives Happy Birthday calls on this date every year from his comrades in the service. His friends are, indeed, always faithful!

Tomorrow, Veteran's Day, we should all be mindful of the great sacrifice that soldiers in every branch have made for our country. Thank God they were there in our darkest hours.

Electoral College -- Part II

Some of you have rallied to the defense of the electoral college arguing that it protects the "smaller states" and gives them a chance to be "heard". I suppose. But, to those making the argument, have you any idea precisely how unfair the electoral college is?

Here is a chart that shows how unfair it is:

Compare the three least populated states including the District of Columbia:

51 .Wyoming -- 501, 242 residents/3 electoral votes = 1 electoral vote for every 167,080 residents
50. Washington, DC - 563,385 residents/3 electoral votes = 1 electoral vote for every 187,795 residents
49. Vermont - 619,107 residents/3 electoral votes = 1 electoral vote for every 206,369 residents

to the three most populated states:

1. California - 35,484,453 residents/55 electoral votes = 1 electoral vote for every 645,172 residents
2. Texas - 22,118,509 residents/34 electoral votes = 1 electoral vote for every 650,544 residents
3. New York - 19,190, 115 residents/31 electoral votes = 1 electoral vote for every 619,035 residents

Note that this is not necessarily a red state vs. blue state argument. My calculations show that DC and Vermont (blue) benefit while Texas (red) is slightly more screwed than NY and CA. Rather, it is a matter of fundamental fairness. Perhaps, it is a good idea in some abstract way to give smaller states a bit more bang for their vote -- although I do not concede that point. However, even so, does that philosophical point justify giving them a 3 to1 or 4 to1 advantage in some instances? Besides, I thought the Senate was supposed to protect the smaller states. Why should they get an advantage in two areas of government? It is simply unfair that a Wyoming resident's vote for President has 3x or 4x the weight of a resident of CA or TX. [Ok, CA did elect the Last Action Hero as its Governor and Texas gave us the 51% Pres. so maybe these are not the best examples.....].