Marshall Adame; A guy from North Carolina
About the Author
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In the year 2000, American voters unwittingly set themselves, and our country, in a direction none of us ever thought possible. We had, through the election of President G.W. Bush, set a course for U.S. policy that would take America into a desert where many of the things we embraced and held dear, as a people, were about to be turned upside down and, in some cases, forever taken from us, plowed asunder the ground we called liberty. Things like our concept of freedom, governments subordinate position to its citizens, basic rights and freedoms that we had always, until George Bush, considered Inalienable, as stated in our countrys constitution; the sacred document that defines who we are to each other and to the world. Read More »
When did it become acceptable for Americans to allow
Torture? Recently, after congress failed to override a presidential veto of a bill outlwaing "Torture". The president referred to "Torture" as a valuable tool in America's ability to fight terrorism. Now it is absolutely our national policy.
When we all learned about the secret movement of "yet to be charged" prisoners to secret torture prisons in foreign countries, referred to as Rendition; Where was the outrage? Read More »
Torture? Recently, after congress failed to override a presidential veto of a bill outlwaing "Torture". The president referred to "Torture" as a valuable tool in America's ability to fight terrorism. Now it is absolutely our national policy.
When we all learned about the secret movement of "yet to be charged" prisoners to secret torture prisons in foreign countries, referred to as Rendition; Where was the outrage? Read More »
I got a call from my son today. Billy is the son who was wounded in battle in Iraq just outside of Baghdad in 2006. He has shrapnel in his neck and shoulder, still. He has had surgery on his leg and it is well again. He is suffering from, and has been diagnosed with, Traumatic Brain injury (TBI). Consequently he now has a type of Tourette Syndrome and suffers from "tics", sort of involuntary jerks or sudden movements. I am happy I still have my son.
Anyway Billy called to tell me that he has been informed, by the Army Medical Board, that he is being retired with a 50% disability. My son understood the risks of being a career Army soldier. He had seen me serving in the Marines almost his whole live as a young man. It seemed a natural transition for him when he decided to make the Military his home. He also had the understanding that the Army too understood and accepted their responsibilities to him. That part hasnâ��t worked out that well. Our President must not have factored in the cost of wounded soldiers when he let us borrow the money from China to wage war in Iraq. Read More »
Anyway Billy called to tell me that he has been informed, by the Army Medical Board, that he is being retired with a 50% disability. My son understood the risks of being a career Army soldier. He had seen me serving in the Marines almost his whole live as a young man. It seemed a natural transition for him when he decided to make the Military his home. He also had the understanding that the Army too understood and accepted their responsibilities to him. That part hasnâ��t worked out that well. Our President must not have factored in the cost of wounded soldiers when he let us borrow the money from China to wage war in Iraq. Read More »
As reported by Todd Beeton, Thu Dec 20, 2007
DCCCs 40 Seat Target List
"Last month, DCCC chair Chris Van Hollen outlined the essence of his 2008 strategy: go on offense against 40 or so Republican seats that they deemed vulnerable. Today Roll Call is reporting that Van Hollen has gotten more specific": Specifically writing off the South. Read More »
DCCCs 40 Seat Target List
"Last month, DCCC chair Chris Van Hollen outlined the essence of his 2008 strategy: go on offense against 40 or so Republican seats that they deemed vulnerable. Today Roll Call is reporting that Van Hollen has gotten more specific": Specifically writing off the South. Read More »
The clamor for the White House is on. Clinton, Romney, Obama, Thomson, Huckabee, McCain and a fountain of other well known Washington insiders, many steeped in years of cozy relationships, cloak and dagger histories of deal making and inside political trading, not focused on Americas well being, but aimed and purposed for the retention of power or extending ones influence. Political dynasties somehow permitted by the electorate to remain, in many cases, at the expense of Americas democratic health and vitality. We have permitted old money, old influence and all the political experience and seasoning it could buy to get us where we are today, drowning in two wars and a nine trillion dollar debt, trillion with a "T". Read More »
American public opinion regarding the state of the nation today, depending on who you are talking to, can range from -Could be better-, to -In dire straits-, or -On the brink of tyranny-. In any case, it is not usually good. What ever the case, there are plenty of reasons for the doom and gloom. Take your pick; from 9/11 to our having a President who has abandoned the Rule of Law and burdened future generations with incalculable debt. To most we, as a country, have lost our way. To others, finally the opportunity for America to strike her enemies came, real or perceived, and we took it. Read More »
In todays N&O Under the Dome section there was two interesting, but separate stories about the activities of two Democratic Congressmen, Heath Shuler and David Price.
Now dont get me wrong, I am not denigrating one, or the other, but it was interesting to see where the priorities of each were relative to the interest each devoted their time to this week. I am an analyst by profession, so maybe I tend to see more than is actually there. Or do I? Read More »
Now dont get me wrong, I am not denigrating one, or the other, but it was interesting to see where the priorities of each were relative to the interest each devoted their time to this week. I am an analyst by profession, so maybe I tend to see more than is actually there. Or do I? Read More »
Politics in America has always been a -them- and -Us- sort of event. We have so many different outlooks and avenues of expression and thought. Political philosophy, social engagement, citizen responsibility to government, as opposed to government obligation to its citizens, political correctness and how it effects our societal morays and values is today, as always, wonderfully debated and the list goes on; yet somehow those differences have helped to make us the great people we are, which has in turn forged the social Democratic miracle America still is today.
Opposing thought and spectrums, with a shared love of county, liberty, freedom and rule of law have been the hallmark of American political discourse. We all love this county and our opposing thoughts, with few exceptions, have never really challenged that principle. Read More »
Opposing thought and spectrums, with a shared love of county, liberty, freedom and rule of law have been the hallmark of American political discourse. We all love this county and our opposing thoughts, with few exceptions, have never really challenged that principle. Read More »
I would like to think that I am motivated by the desire to do good and to be of service to the country I was born in, including its people, who have been part and parcel responsible for helping me along the way.
Sometime during my lifes journey I came to the conclusion that: Good always prevails in this world. Although it may take some time, and even though great suffering may occur, ultimately Good always prevails over evil. Long ago I determined to be a force for good in what is left of my life.
In May of this year I filed with the FEC to become a Democratic candidate for Congress in the 3rd district of North Carolina. I still sort-of wonder why anyone would be desirous of putting themselves through the rigors of trying to get elected to The United States Congress. Nevertheless, I always knew I would someday aspire to this office. This story may not be what you are anticipating. Read More »
Sometime during my lifes journey I came to the conclusion that: Good always prevails in this world. Although it may take some time, and even though great suffering may occur, ultimately Good always prevails over evil. Long ago I determined to be a force for good in what is left of my life.
In May of this year I filed with the FEC to become a Democratic candidate for Congress in the 3rd district of North Carolina. I still sort-of wonder why anyone would be desirous of putting themselves through the rigors of trying to get elected to The United States Congress. Nevertheless, I always knew I would someday aspire to this office. This story may not be what you are anticipating. Read More »
U.S. Officials traveling all over Iraq, via ground transportation, are always transported and escorted by either U.S. Army soldiers, or Private security contractors like Black Water Security, Aegis Security, Armor Security Corporation and other security companies contracted by the U.S. Government to work in Iraq. Read More »
The U.S. Department of the Treasury personnel in Iraq, for all practical purposes designed, engineered, printed, distributed to the Iraqi population and set the value of the Iraqi Dinar in 2004. The American citizens at home may be surprised as to just how little the Iraqis actually had to do with any of it. The answer would be, almost nothing. Read More »
The new U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad must be deaf, dumb and blind. He ran the United States Embassy in Iraq for two years and never noticed the U.N. was there the whole time? Now he is announcing that the U.S. welcomes the presence of the U.N. in Iraq.
As a State department official in Iraq, I attended a few meetings with the U.N. members there and the fact is, as far as I could tell, we didnt want anything to do with them. The Bush Administration duplicity and pretence is showing here. Read More »
As a State department official in Iraq, I attended a few meetings with the U.N. members there and the fact is, as far as I could tell, we didnt want anything to do with them. The Bush Administration duplicity and pretence is showing here. Read More »
Americas Federal Government has plenty of armed / intelligence agencies.
National Intelligence Agency (NIA)
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
The Treasury�s United States Secret Service (USSS)
Department of Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms (ATF)
Transportation Security Agency (TSA)
The IRS armed enforcement branch, the Criminal Investigation Service (IRS-CIS)
U.S. Marshall Service (USMS)
National Security Counsel (NSC)
National Security Agency (NSA)
US Department of Immigration Naturalization (INS)
Department of Defense (DoD)
State Department Security (DSS)
There are at least ten other U.S. Government security agencies NOT listed here.
Security is not our problem. Never was. Read More »
National Intelligence Agency (NIA)
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
The Treasury�s United States Secret Service (USSS)
Department of Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms (ATF)
Transportation Security Agency (TSA)
The IRS armed enforcement branch, the Criminal Investigation Service (IRS-CIS)
U.S. Marshall Service (USMS)
National Security Counsel (NSC)
National Security Agency (NSA)
US Department of Immigration Naturalization (INS)
Department of Defense (DoD)
State Department Security (DSS)
There are at least ten other U.S. Government security agencies NOT listed here.
Security is not our problem. Never was. Read More »
Today Iraqs Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki shrugged off U.S. doubts of his government's military and political progress on Saturday, saying Iraqi forces are capable and American troops can leave "any time they want." The Gulf between Iraqs Government and its American steering committee, headed by President G.W. Bush, is widening. The death and the chaos is having its effect on the occupied, as well as on the occupiers. The U.S. patience with the Iraqi governments slow progress or lack of any progress at all, has grown thin and the Iraqi patience with the occupying American and British forces has seemingly come to an end as well. Read More »
A Reformation is a new morning, an improvement, a renovation or, restoration. I believe that America is on the verge of just such a new morning, a reformation. I admit to being an optimist, but I am also grounded in a lifetime of real experiences and having been present during many significant worldly events. Because I believe a Democrat will be elected in 2008, to replace President Bush, I feel a renewal to Americas commitment to human rights, justice and the return to checks and balances in our government is just on our political horizon and I am raring to see it happen and be part of its rebirth.
Soon, I believe, America will be waking to the real prospect of universal health care, an end to Americas military involvement in Iraqs civil war and the beginning of a worthy and long overdue American war; a war on poverty, hunger and sickness in America first and to the world as well. Read More »
Soon, I believe, America will be waking to the real prospect of universal health care, an end to Americas military involvement in Iraqs civil war and the beginning of a worthy and long overdue American war; a war on poverty, hunger and sickness in America first and to the world as well. Read More »
1.Suspend the Patriot Act and Detainee Bill for Congressional review.
-The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels-.-For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all--. - H. L. Mencken
2.Deny any additional funding for US Combat roles in Iraq. (This will require the often absent backbone and integrity, but I feel we can do it).-Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare-. Japanese proverb
3.Increase funding for U.S. military operations in Afghanistan. They actually did facilitate an attack on our country. Osama Bin Laden is there, maybe.
4.Prohibit torture in any and all of its forms to include the Presidents approved Enhanced Interrogation Techniques. "What we must face squarely is this: whenever we torture or mistreat prisoners, we are capitulating morally to the enemy-in fact, adopting the terrorist ethic that the end justifies the means." Rev. Kermit D. Johnson, Chaplain (Major General), U.S. Army (ret.) Read More »
-The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels-.-For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all--. - H. L. Mencken
2.Deny any additional funding for US Combat roles in Iraq. (This will require the often absent backbone and integrity, but I feel we can do it).-Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare-. Japanese proverb
3.Increase funding for U.S. military operations in Afghanistan. They actually did facilitate an attack on our country. Osama Bin Laden is there, maybe.
4.Prohibit torture in any and all of its forms to include the Presidents approved Enhanced Interrogation Techniques. "What we must face squarely is this: whenever we torture or mistreat prisoners, we are capitulating morally to the enemy-in fact, adopting the terrorist ethic that the end justifies the means." Rev. Kermit D. Johnson, Chaplain (Major General), U.S. Army (ret.) Read More »
In 2003, immediately after our invasion of Iraq, American contractors began pouring in to the country.
Taking advantage of Paul Bremers order, which effectively dissolved all of the civil institutions and Iraq, the contractors seized buildings and property formally owned by the Iraqi government and even civilian and business property. The area around Saddams Palace where, in 2003, the Coalition Provincial Authority had set up their headquarters, (Now the U.S. Embassy), was the prime real estate for contractors, military command units, government agencies and coalition senior officer quarters. The Green Zone was the place to be. All the money was coming through there, and there was lots of money. If one could establish his foothold there, as a civilian contractor, the chances of getting contracts were greater than being located outside of the Green Zone.
The action was in the palace. In 2003 and 2004 the spacious lobbies of the Palace were like the floor of the stock exchange. Deals were being cut and money was changing hands seven days a week, 24 hours a day. It was the wild west. Read More »
Taking advantage of Paul Bremers order, which effectively dissolved all of the civil institutions and Iraq, the contractors seized buildings and property formally owned by the Iraqi government and even civilian and business property. The area around Saddams Palace where, in 2003, the Coalition Provincial Authority had set up their headquarters, (Now the U.S. Embassy), was the prime real estate for contractors, military command units, government agencies and coalition senior officer quarters. The Green Zone was the place to be. All the money was coming through there, and there was lots of money. If one could establish his foothold there, as a civilian contractor, the chances of getting contracts were greater than being located outside of the Green Zone.
The action was in the palace. In 2003 and 2004 the spacious lobbies of the Palace were like the floor of the stock exchange. Deals were being cut and money was changing hands seven days a week, 24 hours a day. It was the wild west. Read More »
Why America went into Iraq is something for the pundits, academics and the politicians to discuss into the next century. What has happened there since our arrival is something I can only hope will be fully realized and understood by the American public and every elected official in our country.
From my personal experiences of living in Iraq for three years, I have concluded Americaâ��s leadership is solely responsible for the entire country of Iraq becoming a living hell of suffering, poverty, starvation and depravation, unimaginable to either Iraqi or U.S. citizen just prior to our arrival in Iraq in 2003. Read More »
From my personal experiences of living in Iraq for three years, I have concluded Americaâ��s leadership is solely responsible for the entire country of Iraq becoming a living hell of suffering, poverty, starvation and depravation, unimaginable to either Iraqi or U.S. citizen just prior to our arrival in Iraq in 2003. Read More »
I have always been a Democrat. If my definition of the word Democrat were in the dictionary, it would simply say -The People-.
I remember being in my 5th grade class at Sunset Elementary school in La Puente California when, one day in 1963, our School Principal, Mr. Hackleman, came into the room. He was sort of crying. He told us that our President, John F. Kennedy (JFK), had been mortally wounded in Dallas Texas. He sent us home.
As the next few years went by, we were all taught about the greatness of John F. Kennedy and how he had a dream for America where we would all be free and happy, where all Americans would enjoy the fullness of liberty promised to us by our U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. He talked about a strong America, second to none; whose primary goal in the world was peace, freedom and prosperity. Read More »
I remember being in my 5th grade class at Sunset Elementary school in La Puente California when, one day in 1963, our School Principal, Mr. Hackleman, came into the room. He was sort of crying. He told us that our President, John F. Kennedy (JFK), had been mortally wounded in Dallas Texas. He sent us home.
As the next few years went by, we were all taught about the greatness of John F. Kennedy and how he had a dream for America where we would all be free and happy, where all Americans would enjoy the fullness of liberty promised to us by our U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. He talked about a strong America, second to none; whose primary goal in the world was peace, freedom and prosperity. Read More »
President Bush Has lost All Sense of What He Has Wrought in The World
The Associated press reported today that President Bush warned Congress Friday that he will continue vetoing war spending bills as long as they contain a timetable for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.
The President made clear that if Democrats insist on including timetables again, he will not hesitate to bring out his veto pen. Bush said "If they want to try again that which I've said is unacceptable, of course I won't accept it."
So then, if I understand the President correctly, he is saying that no matter how many more Americans and Iraqis are killed, tortured, maimed or otherwise effected, he will stay the course and continue using his Veto pen? Read More »
The Associated press reported today that President Bush warned Congress Friday that he will continue vetoing war spending bills as long as they contain a timetable for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.
The President made clear that if Democrats insist on including timetables again, he will not hesitate to bring out his veto pen. Bush said "If they want to try again that which I've said is unacceptable, of course I won't accept it."
So then, if I understand the President correctly, he is saying that no matter how many more Americans and Iraqis are killed, tortured, maimed or otherwise effected, he will stay the course and continue using his Veto pen? Read More »
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