Q: What do Aaron Burr and Dick Cheney have in common?
A: They are the only vice-presidents to shoot someone while in office.
Of course, Aaron Burr meant to do it, and his aim was true.
But then, we knew Cheney couldn’t aim. He went shooting for terrorists and ended up in Baghdad, a miss of about 1400 miles.
President Washington, President Lincoln, President Wilson, President Roosevelt have all authorized electronic surveillance on a far broader scale.
It’s a new game, anyone can play
(Mouseover for explanation)
On second thought, given the recent activities of the FBI and NSA, perhaps I shouldn’t be showing where Horsham Friends meet.
My own congressman is Michael Fitzpatrick. I’ve known Mike for a long time, though not closely. He was a county commissioner prior to getting the GOP nod for congress when Jim Greenwood stepped down unexpectedly, leaving a democratic challenger, Ginny Schrieder, in the surprise position of opposing not a long-standing congressman but a new candidate. Ginny, while an admirable person, was not (in my opinion) up to the challenge of a “real” congressional race.
Mike as a county commissioner has done a lot for the local Boy Scouts, and served on the BSA Council Executive Board. He even came and spoke at my oldest son’s Eagle Court of Honor. I have a lot of respect for Mike; he’s done good things. It’s unfortunate that he has gotten caught up in the Republican culture in Washington. He has recently gotten some national attention for his support of the Delay/Abramoff corruption machine.
Honestly, I think Mike is a good man who is just over his head with the machinations of the government-for-hire Republican national scene. I sincerely wish he had stuck to doing his best for the county on a local level.
While I wish Mike no ill, I am pleased that Bucks County, and PA’s 8th Congessional District, have a true reform candidate running. Patrick Murphy is an army veteran and a paratrooper, having served in both Bosnia and Iraq, where he earned a Bronze Star. He also is the youngest person ever to serve as an instructor at West Point. Mike recently traveled to Iraq to get some photo opportunities, Patrick did the real deal. Having met Patrick Murphy in person, I was amazed at his depth of knowledge in constitutional law, and his understanding of the issues facing America and ordinary Americans. He is a prime face in the group of (so far) 48 “Fighting Dems” running in congressional races.
I truly wish Mike Fitzpatrick well. As a scout leader, I appreciate his tireless efforts to support that organization. As an American though, I actively support Patrick Murphy’s attempt to gain Mike’s congressional seat. We need Patrick in congress, and Mike back at the local level, doing what he does best, unassociated with the Republican scoundrels currently in Washington pulling his strings.
There are true heroes in war.
Some, of the Alvin C. York variety, overcome incredible odds to show extraordinary bravery in defense of their their fellow soldiers, and their country. Like any nation, we are grateful, and quick to acknowledge the amazing courage they have shown.
Others show another kind of bravery – fighting against all pressure for what is right, bringing a measure of morality and honor to what is basically an evil and immoral activity.
Such a man was Hugh Thompson, Jr.
From the BBC:
Hugh Thompson Jnr, a former US military helicopter pilot who helped stop one of the most infamous massacres of the Vietnam War has died, aged 62.
Mr Thompson and his crew came upon US troops killing civilians at the village of My Lai on 16 March 1968.
He put his helicopter down between the soldiers and villagers, ordering his men to shoot their fellow Americans if they attacked the civilians.
“There was no way I could turn my back on them,” he later said of the victims.
Mr Thompson, a warrant officer at the time, called in support from other US helicopters, and together they airlifted at least nine Vietnamese civilians – including a wounded boy – to safety.
Hugh Thompson served first in the US Navy, and then enlisted in the army to fly helicopters, where his role was draw fire from the enemy, in order to locate them. After My Lai, he continued to fly the OH-23 helicopters, being shot down a total of five times. More details are at wikipedia or US News and World Report.
Sadly, it was 30 years before the United States recognized the courage of Hugh Thompson by awarding him the “Soldier’s Medal”.
I was fourteen in 1968, and remember being shocked that Americans could do what was done at My Lai. It was a revelation to me that Americans were not always the “good guys”. I remember wondering about how those people could exist, and also recognizing the courage of those who put a stop to it. While the name of Lt. Calley is burned into my memory, I don’t remember hearing the names of those who stopped him.
Mr. Thompson represented, I believe, the best tradition of American soldiers – fighting bravely and serving when needed, but also remembering the principles for which he fought.
Requiem en pacem, Hugh Thompson
“When the president does it [something illegal], that means it is not illegal”
In what seems like an extraordinary effort to reach out and tap the wisdom of previous administrations, President Bush recently met with living prior Secretaries of State and Defense. It is an impressive picture:
But if it was a bipartisan consultation, as advertised by the White House, it was a brief one. Mr. Bush allowed 5 to 10 minutes for interchange with the group – which included three veterans of the Vietnam era: Robert S. McNamara, Melvin R. Laird and James R. Schlesinger – before herding the whole group into the Oval Office for what he called a “family picture.”
Those who wanted to impart more wisdom to the current occupants of the White House were sent back across the hall to meet again with Stephen J. Hadley, the national security adviser, and Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. But as several of the participants noted, by that time Mr. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld had gone on to other meetings.
When cameras were in the room, Mr. Bush displayed no hint of defensiveness, only gratitude. “I’m most grateful for the suggestions that have been given,” he said. “We take to heart the advice, we appreciate your experience and we appreciate you taking the time out of your day.”
Typical, just a photo-op.
All hat, no cattle.
Oh, and eleven american soldiers killed in Iraq yesterday alone, not to mention 150+ Iraqis.
“If laws were broken, he must be held to account for what he did.”
I guess others need to obey the law, at least when they get caught.
Maybe someone should point him at Article 1, Section 9 of the United States Constitution (re habeus corpus), Article VI of the US Constitution, the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution , or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
Here’s hoping to make 2006 a year of indictments and impeachments:
You can’t indict a sitting president. The only option is impeachment, but in the classic example of “It’s not what you’ve done, it’s who your friends are.” I’m sure the scoundrels who control the house of representatives will never consider that, no matter how egregious his acts. (Unless, of course, one thing happens).
The government will make use of these powers only insofar as they are essential for carrying out vitally necessary measures…The number of cases in which an internal necessity exists for having recourse to such a law is in itself a limited one.
The following is a quote from a speech Bush gave in Buffalo, in April of 2004. It is available from the whitehouse website.
So the first thing I want you to think about is, when you hear Patriot Act, is that we changed the law and the bureaucratic mind-set to allow for the sharing of information. It’s vital. And others will describe what that means.
Secondly, there are such things as roving wiretaps. Now, by the way, any time you hear the United States government talking about wiretap, it requires — a wiretap requires a court order. Nothing has changed, by the way. When we’re talking about chasing down terrorists, we’re talking about getting a court order before we do so. It’s important for our fellow citizens to understand, when you think Patriot Act, constitutional guarantees are in place when it comes to doing what is necessary to protect our homeland, because we value the Constitution.
This is more than a year after he started the procedure of the NSA wiretapping American citizens without getting a constitutionally mandated warrant.
Lying Bastard.