Why Obama flipped on Torture pix

Obama last week announced a reversal of his policy on releasing photos. Andrew Sullivan says Obama's playing a "Long Game" by reversing his campaign promises of transparency. Personally, I think Obama actually does believe that releasing the photos would harm (do we really need to see MORE pictures of this abuse? That would do what, piss us off MORE?)

The fact is there's little to be gained by releasing the photos. We already know there was torture and abuse going on in military prisons. Obama releasing the photos would only make any future action seem partisan, and true accountability and prosecution can happen if it's truly bi-partisan.

I suspect we'll continue to see a series of leaks that continue to illuminate the who-knew-what-and-when of all this. Pelosi might be the unwitting fall-gal to Obama's long play of bringing change.

What's up with the new RNC guy?

I guess when the RNC picked Steele to run it, they were really looking for someone who'd represent the average Republican and who exemplified the values of the Republican Party. Looks like they got just what they were looking for.

Let's stop calling it a Crisis and call it like it is - a transformation.

The "Financial Crisis" is actually a wakeup call to our culture of consumption.

The result of this will be a transformation of our relationship to business, government, "stuff" and each other. People are starting to wake up to the lies we've all been living and are coming to terms with how unsustainable our system is.

Out with the old In with the New
Growth Sustainability
Command and Control Cooperation and connection
Consumption Conservation
Independence Interdependence
Nationalism Communitarianism

Each of these shifts represent a fundamental transformation in context, and I think that's exactly what's happening.

Finally a sign of sanity

The CIA said no Iranian Nukes. Seems like the VP Death grip on intelligence has softened somewhat. I wonder what Biden will discover sitting in the VP's office.

What I'd like to See...

I'd like to see Obama take the oath of office, walk off the stage, shake a few hands, take a few pictures and go straight to the oval office, turn on a camera and start laying out a vision for the world's future, starting today. I want Hillary Clinton ON A PLANE to Isreal, where she reminds them that the reason there IS a state of Isreal at all is because of the United States of America, and that we demand an immediate cease-fire. And the CIA on the phone with Hamas telling them to be in Geneva in 48 hours.

I want to see an announcement of a Bush Administration criminal investigation over "lost" public records. Let's just start there.

I'd like to see Obama callup the Senate Leadership and tell them we're not giving another dime to banks without an accounting of how it's spent.

It's an absolute LIE that banks don't know where there money went. If they don't know where it went, then maybe we shouldn't be loaning them any money.

Please.

A Matter of National Security

The financial crisis and the war in Iraq are two of the most expensive absolute and utter failures of the Republican party and the forces behind it. The so-called War in Iraq is actually a war of attrition against an insurgency, and given the costs of operations, it's unlikely that we can afford to stay there indefinitely. The risk is becoming the next Russia. A failed superpower. Our sheer financial and military strength ensured that we were taken seriously as a superpower. Now our financial house is in ruin (not what you want or expect from 8 years of supposedly-Republican rule), our diplomatic strength is losing ground.

This is not good.

Economic understanding and leadership is what's required now. This is a matter of national security. John McCain simply does not have a clue about economics, he said as much just a year ago. 1 year experience is not enough to be running the country.

Personally, I think Ron Paul ought to launch a write-in campaign. I think it would be brilliant and disruptive as hell. And he could pull it off with the network he's built.

Alaska's poverty problem.

1 out of 10 Alaskans live in poverty.
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/02000.html

And woe be unto you if you are not a white person in Alaska:
http://www.ecanned.com/AK/2007/01/income-and-poverty-in-state-of-alaska.html

This from a woman who claims to be a follower of Jesus. I can understand going to church. I don't understand "being responsible" for a $40 billion oil pipeline when you've got children in poverty.