A Surge of Constitutionalism

From an article by Gary Hart: A Surge of Constitutionalism

The endless Iraq war is decreasingly about Iraq and increasingly about the U.S. Constitution.

President Bush's decision to escalate the war, and to further Americanize it, is based on his flawed and dangerous theory of the "unitary presidency," a theory under which, once war is declared, the president as commander in chief can ignore constitutional checks and balances, disregard the bill of rights, suspend accountability, and concentrate dictatorial power in his own hands.

History has already judged the invasion and occupation of Iraq as an American disaster of epic proportions. But an even more important judgment remains to be made. What damage has been done to the U.S. Constitution and our form of government in the name of the "war on terrorism" as cover for a secret neo-conservative agenda in the Middle East?

The article goes on to say:

Surely now even the most cynical neo-conservative is prepared to declare victory. We destroyed all those weapons of mass destruction that Richard Cheney knew existed. Iraq is no longer an imminent threat to U.S. national security, not that it ever was. We have rid ourselves of the tyrant S. Hussein (though it was never quite clear why he, among several dozen tyrants, deserved our special attention), and we have given the Iraqi people freedom, which they are now using to kill each other.

What we, the world's most dominant military power in history, cannot do is impose peace on a nation with scores to settle.

Needed now is not a surge of military forces. Needed now is a surge of citizen commitment to restore the Constitution of the United States of America.

Read entire article at link above.

Since retiring from the United States Senate, Gary Hart has been extensively involved in international law and business, as a strategic advisor to major U.S. corporations, and as an author and lecturer.

Poll: Americans Oppose Iraq Troop Surge

Washington - Seventy percent of Americans oppose sending more troops to Iraq, according to a new poll that provides a devastatingly blunt response to President Bush's plan to bolster military forces there.

All sides in the Iraq debate are keenly aware of mounting public dissatisfaction with the situation: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Thursday it's one thing on which all Americans - including administration officials - are united.

Yet the Associated Press-Ipsos poll found widespread disagreement with the Bush administration over its proposed solution, and growing skepticism that the United States made the right decision in going to war in the first place.

Just as 70 percent of Americans oppose sending more troops to Iraq, a like number don't think such an increase would help stabilize the situation there, the poll suggested. When asked to name the most important problem facing the U.S., 38 percent of those polled volunteered war, up significantly from 24 percent three months ago.


Here's a brief look at the Ethics of war I found interesting at Wikipedia
on the Philosophy of War page:

Ethical categories

Another possible system for categorizing different schools of thought on war can be found in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (see external links, below), based on ethics. The SEP describes three major divisions in the ethics of war: the Realist, the Pacifist, and the Just War Theory. In a nutshell:

* Realists will typically hold that systems of morals and ethics which guide individuals within societies cannot realistically be applied to societies as a whole to govern the way they, qua societies, interact with other societies. Hence, a state's purposes in war is simply to preserve its national interest. This kind of thinking is similar to Machiavelli's philosophy, and Thucydides and Hobbes may also fall under this category.

* Pacifists, however, maintain that a moral evaluation of war is possible, and that war is always found to be immoral. Gandhi and Tolstoy were both famous advocates of pacifistic nonviolent resistance methods instead of war.

* Just War Theory, along with pacifism, holds that morals do apply to war. However, unlike pacifism, according to Just War Theory it is possible for a war to be morally justified. The concept of a morally justified war underlies much of the concept International Law, such as the Geneva Conventions. Aristotle, Cicero, Augustine, Aquinas, and Hugo Grotius are among the philosophers who have espoused some form of a just war philosophy.

I'm definitely a pacifist. For me war is always immoral, that is for me. With my belief in a form of reincarnation and other spiritual beliefs, including a belief that we are more than our bodies allows me not to make too strong a judgement condemning others who fight and kill and are killed, etc. If they did so on their own dime that would suite me better. But to draw the rest of their society into it, especially financially, I oppose.

Martin Luther King said, "I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become reality. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word."


So may it be as it already IS in reality, in the EE, in you dear one and in me.


me in the "lovE will havE the final word."

Nature: Starlings "dance" in flight

From Crooks and Liars

This video doesn't really give you the sense of all these thousands of birds swooping and swarming together in this dance. You can see the individual birds, but they move like a single, undulating entity. It is truly hypnotic to watch. At sunset every day in Marin County, California, residents gather to watch this wonderful sight.

21,500 more troups, why and whose Idea?

Greg Palast has an interesting insite as to whose idea it was to add 21,500 American troups to Iraq. From Waste Deep in the Big Muddy:

George W. Bush has an urge to surge. Like every junkie, he asks for just one more fix: let him inject just 21,000 more troops and that will win the war.Cheney and Abdullah

Been there. Done that. In 1965, Tom Paxton sang,

Lyndon Johnson told the nation
Have no fear of escalation.
I am trying everyone to please.
Though it isn’t really war,
We’re sending 50,000 more
To help save Vietnam from the Vietnamese.

Four decades later, Bush is asking us to save Iraq from the Iraqis....

....Here’s my question: Who asked the waiter to deliver this dish? Who asked for the 21,000 soldiers?

We know the US military didn’t ask for the 21,000 troops. (Outgoing commander General George Casey called for a troop reduction.)

We know the Iraqi government didn’t ask for the 21,000 troops. (Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is reportedly unhappy about a visible increase in foreign occupiers).

So who wants the occupation to continue? The answer is in Riyadh. When the King of Saudi Arabia hauled Dick Cheney before his throne on Thanksgiving weekend, the keeper of America’s oil laid down the law to Veep: the US will not withdraw from Iraq.

Read all at link above.

Quote for Peace

The chain reaction of evil--wars producing more wars -- must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Same-sex Unions

Mexican state moves to allow same-sex unions

The legislature for the northern Mexican state of Coahuila on Thursday approved a law recognizing same-sex unions, the second assembly to take such an action in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation.

The measure, which will provide same-sex couples with numerous social benefits similar to those of married couples, was approved with 20 votes in favor and 13 votes against, said Rep. Julieta Lopez of the centrist Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI. Lopez helped the draft the bill.

Coahuila Gov. Humberto Moreira, who is also in the PRI, is expected to sign the bill into law.

More at link above.

Ke1th0's commentary highly critical Bush 'surge' speech

Some nice things today

First, I got to enjoy some time watching a beaver from my car while on my paper route. He or she was about 15 feet from me, 6 feet off the road, in the dark of the early morning, but lit somewhat by the nearest street lamp. M. Beaver was delighting on some kind of food on the ground and paid little attention to me as I pulled up lights off. Knowing that my dogs weigh around 50 to 60 lbs, I would estimate M Beaver was in the 40 to 50 lb range.

I keep forgetting to look up the Constellations to the right of Orion and Gemini. So, let's see. Yes, that's it. Taurus and above it, Auriga, the chariot driver. I learned of them over a year ago, but I gave up the route that goes into the country where I had my observation spots that I stopped at every clear night and learned many constellations. So now I see very few but still love it.

Many people are glad to have me back on another route which is during the day. I gave it up because I was planning on having chemo and radiation which I have since declined for a holistic healing approach for my cancer. It's nice when people are glad to see you and say nice things. I'm usually very upbeat and humorous even when I don't feel upbeat and humorous to begin with.

Tonight's music included Act III of Lohegrin. When the voice tired a little a slice of orange was all I needed and I was blasting away again. It's operatic singing, not what I do on my folk songs. I also sang some Brahms and some Italian songs. FUN. Must do MORE of that everyday!!

So there, besides keeping a watchful eye on my partner, Jesse who has liver disease and rests alot, and needs to go to the doctor alot, (in another town), and taking care of the dogs and Harlie the cat, I've had a full day and I barely thought about the "goings on" in the world---who needs it!!!



me in the EE

Music by Michael Emmanuel

Also go to my d-music site.

From Cindy Sheehan

From TruthOut : Insanity Surge by Cindy Sheehan.

Bloody George, the lamest duck in US history, has announced to the nation that he will be sending 21,500 more troops into Iraq, which some call a "surge," some call an escalation, and I like to refer to as Operation Increasing Cannon Fodder.

The Hypocrite in Chief has said over and over again, throughout nearly four years of his malevolent and dysfunctional occupation, that he would increase troop levels when the "generals on the ground" asked him to. I guess he never said what he would do if his generals on the ground asked him not to send new troops, but apparently one will get canned, as Generals Casey and Abizaid recently found out.

We humans for peace and sanity need to descend on our Congressional offices to avert this calamity in the making. This past week, Speaker Pelosi threatened Bloody George with withholding funds for this newest venture into the abyss and WE need to make sure that she follows through with that threat. Bloody George's funds need to be cut off. He can't perpetrate any more murder or perpetuate any more hatred if the cash cow runs dry.

I am tired of the warmakers making war with our children. I am tired of our tired troops being sent over to do the dirty work for mob bosses who are going to squeeze the life out of Iraq and not leave until every asset and every natural resource has been raped from the country. I am tired of seeing Iraqis burying their loved ones and hearing the reverberating screams of mothers all over our country who are being destroyed for the benefit of a very few.

It seems that as Bloody George's time winds down, his incompetence surges, and it appears that impeachment is more urgent.

An escalation is not acceptable. Sitting idly by and watching it happen is not acceptable either.

In Search of Peace with Cindy Sheehan


Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shalled be called the Children of God.

Blessed are the Peacemakers from the "Eternal Ecstasies". From the music of Michael Emmanuel. Scroll down to Eternal Ecstasies. Enjoy!

me in the EE

The Power and Responsibility of Congress

Precedents for Congressional Power in regards to the Iraq war and Mr Bush's anticipated speech on troup escalation.

"A new report from the Center for American Progress illustrates that Congress has acted repeatedly over the last 35 years to ensure the conduct of military action would "strengthen American national security and reflect the concerns and will of the American people." Congress has passed bills, enacted into law, that capped the size of military deployments, prohibited funding for existing or prospective deployment, and placed limits and conditions on the timing and nature of deployments."

from the same article:
Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) will propose one option, asserting Congressional authority and demanding accountability for the President's policy. Kennedy "will introduce legislation on Tuesday to require the president to gain new Congressional authority before sending more troops to Iraq.

Read all at AfterDowningStreet.org



Peace.

Ten Reasons for Impeachment

At Democrats.com



Ten Reasons to Impeach George Bush and Dick Cheney


I ask Congress to impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney for the following reasons:

1. Violating the United Nations Charter by launching an illegal "War of Aggression" against Iraq without cause, using fraud to sell the war to Congress and the public, misusing government funds to begin bombing without Congressional authorization, and subjecting our military personnel to unnecessary harm, debilitating injuries, and deaths.

2. Violating U.S. and international law by authorizing the torture of thousands of captives, resulting in dozens of deaths, and keeping prisoners hidden from the International Committee of the Red Cross.

3. Violating the Constitution by arbitrarily detaining Americans, legal residents, and non-Americans, without due process, without charge, and without access to counsel.

4. Violating the Geneva Conventions by targeting civilians, journalists, hospitals, and ambulances, and using illegal weapons, including white phosphorous, depleted uranium, and a new type of napalm.

5. Violating U.S. law and the Constitution through widespread wiretapping of the phone calls and emails of Americans without a warrant.

6. Violating the Constitution by using "signing statements" to defy hundreds of laws passed by Congress.

7. Violating U.S. and state law by obstructing honest elections in 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006.

8. Violating U.S. law by using paid propaganda and disinformation, selectively and misleadingly leaking classified information, and exposing the identity of a covert CIA operative working on sensitive WMD proliferation for political retribution.

9. Subverting the Constitution and abusing Presidential power by asserting a "Unitary Executive Theory" giving unlimited powers to the President, by obstructing efforts by Congress and the Courts to review and restrict Presidential actions, and by promoting and signing legislation negating the Bill of Rights and the Writ of Habeas Corpus.

10. Gross negligence in failing to assist New Orleans residents after Hurricane Katrina, in ignoring urgent warnings of an Al Qaeda attack prior to Sept. 11, 2001, and in increasing air pollution causing global warming.

Philosophy of Love

Sometimes I forget that only love will put things right and that in love things are right, things are as they are supposed to be. Not that things have to be the way they are, but that nothing, no illusion, no limitation, no misperception can change what IS. That is the EE.

Another word for the EE is simply Love. Love that is all-inclusive, everywhere present, all- knowing, all-embracing. How can this be when people seem to be so UN-loving so much of the time?

Can you love someone who seems to be the cause of so much grief and suffering? Someone who doesn't seem to care about anyone else? The Jesus dude is said to have said, "Love, like thy like enemies, dude." (Of course he spoke in Aramaic, and probably other languages, so the english translations are probably off a little.) Why is this all-inclusive love important?

I believe, most importantly, this idea changes you, the idea holder. Where there is love awareness there can be positive and long lasting change where needs be. Not the kind of change that actually causes more harm than good, the kind that seeks to rid oneself of projected evil, thereby retaining the inward unconcious evil to be revealed again and again in the "outward world". Love changes you from within so that the outer conditions are truely and really eventually changed for good as a reflection of the inward condition established by an alignment with what IS and has always been and will always be.

So... can I love those I have issues with? Can I love George Bush? Yes...when I remember who he really is, not what he does, not what he thinks or says, for he suffers from the results of his limited thinking, his illusions and delusions as do we all from ours. His may seem to have greater effect on humanity because of his position of responsibility, but without the consent of many others, he has no more power to effect negative change than anyone else. So his, and many others seem to have a negative effect, not even knowing so, as they attempt to force change with their sense of what is right and true. We all do this to some extent not realizing that with love these things that occur offer us a clearer choice for good the worse they get.

These forced changes change nothing really. For what is, IS. Cannot be changed ever. Can be ignored, can be unknown, but cannot not BE. Everything else only seems to be. So if we are judging by limited standards, that which seems to be, then we are also dillusional in our thoughts and deeds, however well intended.

It has been said, "judge not, record his deeds". This is a way of seeking truth and seeking "correction" or clarity as things are played out in relation to what IS. Nothing, no thing, no ISness is ever withheld from anyone seeking it. We may simply and in love, be at peace with everyone and everything, while yes, being aware of the illusions, the miscreations, the misperceptions, so that we are not affected by them, as a wise parent is not affected by the nightmares of his child, yet holds that child with tenderness and love and patient understanding unaffected by the onslaught of the childish perceptions.

This is not coddling and giving way to illusions, but a strong and gentle knowing, a "rock" upon which what Is is trusted to be the foundation of your being, so that you are at peace, that peace which passeth understanding. Offering no resistance to "evil" so that evil finds no playmate in you in an attempt to validate it's existence, which only seems to be.

May we delve deeper and deeper into the mysteries of LOVE. That Love which is all-inclusive and ever lasting. That love which allows us to percieve, as limited as perception is, a greater vision of who we are, who we really are.



me in the EE

Would you like it? Bombs are bad... mm-kay?

Would you like another country bombing your town to possibly kill at least one terror suspect from your neighborhood. I don't think Mr Rogers would approve! This is abuse of power, this is insane.

When will we stop this insanity? What seeds are we planting for our future generations? What goes around comes around, as they say. Oh, yes and... WTF?????

MOHAMED OLAD HASSAN, Associated Press Writer

MOGADISHU, Somalia - One or more U.S. military gunships struck at least two sites in Somalia where Islamists were believed to be sheltering suspects in the 1998 bombings of two U.S. Embassies in East Africa and many people were killed, Somali officials and witnesses said Tuesday.


Read all at link above.

Also dear friend, are you watching what's happening in regards to Iran, Israel and the US?

Who is Planing Our Next War? by Patrick Buchanan

"Israel's war, says Bibi, must be sold as America's war.

We are thus forewarned. A propaganda campaign, using Israeli agents and their neocon auxiliaries and sympathizers, who stampeded us into war in Iraq, is being prepared to stampede us into war on Iran."

Goddamned piece of paper

"Stop throwing the Constitution in my face," Bush screamed back. "It's just a goddamned piece of paper!"

Bush on the Constitution: "Just a goddamned piece of paper"
By DOUG THOMPSON


"Cataclysmic Fight to the Death"
By Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith


Worse than Watergate? The Mother of All Constitutional Crises
by Judith Coburn

From Raw Story:

On Saturday, over one thousand protesters occupied the sands of San Francisco's Ocean Beach - part of new Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's district - in order to spell out the message "IMPEACH!"

"America is a great country," Brad Newsham, a local cab driver and author who organized the event, stated in a press release. "But President Bush has betrayed our faith."

"He mislead us into a disastrous war, and is trampling on our Constitution.," Newsham continued. "He has to go. Now. I hope Nancy Pelosi is listening today."

spOILs of war

Was it and is it all about oil? Our soldiers lifes for the big oil companies' profits? DUH!

'Blood and oil; How the West the will make a killing on Iraqi oil riches'
Ron Brynaert



President Bush's new strategy for Iraq: fire anyone opposed to his flawed policies and rev up the troup numbers? (Oh, and toss in another billion for street sweepers.)

Frank Rich: Surge is a sham; Forces that killed Sheehan's son now run Iraq


Saw these at Raw Story



Over at Antiwar.com from Rep Ron Paul:

We have been in Iraq for 45 months. Many more Americans have been killed in Iraq than were killed in the first 45 months of our war in Vietnam. I was in the U.S. Air Force in 1965, and I remember well when President Johnson announced a troop surge in Vietnam to hasten victory. That war went on for another decade, and by the time we finally got out 60,000 Americans had died. God knows we should have gotten out ten years earlier. "Troop surge" meant serious escalation.

Interesting Debate: Life After Death

Michael Shermer of Skeptic magazine and Scientific American reviews Deepak Chopra's 2006 book "Life After Death: The Burden of Proof." What follows is Deepak's rebuttal.

One of the underlying ideas is: is mind contained by the body, the physical, or is the body or the physical "reality" contained within mind. Is there a mind that serves all that seems to be, all that has existence and thereby extends beyond the physical death of an individual? Are we individuals or part of a greater whole? Are we many individual minds forever separated by physical boundaries that only exist while the body has life? Are there more dimensions to our existence than the physical?

A possible clue. The lesser is contained in the greater. Which is greater? Which is more aligned with what IS, the EE? Which is seeming and which is Being?

Go to article HERE.

Found this at IntentBlog.




me in the EE

Case for Impeachment

Read it.




That's all I'm saying.






me for the impEachmEnt

Flying Man

I thought this was pretty neat. Don't know if I'd try it.

From Reuters at Yahoo. (They have a slide show of more pictures.)

Former professional Swiss military pilot Yves Rossy, the 'jet-man', flies in the sky like a rocketeer in the southern Swiss Alps near Nyon in November, 2006. Rossy is the first man ever to successfully fly with wings, full-powered by four engines in his back.





me in the rocketEEr

Being Gay, it's O.K. in the Czech Republic

Who knew that the former Soviet bloc country, along with Slovenia were so advanced in regards to thier gay legislation.

The Czech Republic and Slovenia, which also acted last year to legalize gay and lesbian partnerships, are the first ex-Soviet Bloc countries to do so.The Czech law allows couples who register their partnership with authorities to have inheritance and health care rights similar to those given to heterosexual married couples.

The law, however, does not permit marriage or adoption of children by same-sex partners. Recent public opinion polls show most Czechs support same-sex couples having the option of registering their partnerships.