Argue With My Dad

After a busy week here in Northern Illinois,  it is time, once again, for another edition of the AWMD Friday Free For All.  This is the only time of the week when our arguewithmydad.com readers can control the topic(s) for discussion.  All you have to do is get someone else to respond to your suggested topic and then the floor is yours.  Don’t be shy and don’t hesitate.  Get busy and be sure to let us know your views and arguments so everyone can read and react to them.  Right here on arguewithmydad.com.  I will make a suggestion or two for possible topics, but they are only suggestions.  Today is Friday so only you can be the decider.   But you need to tell us what you want to discuss.  So, what will it be?

The first story that I want to suggest as a possible topic concerns more lies and fabrications by the Republican Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky about the Health Care Reform package now making its way through the Senate and through the House.  It seems that Senator McConnell is still claiming that the so-called “Public Option” aspect of the health care reform bill ‘  “may cost you your life” ‘. http://thinkprogress.org/2009/10/29/mcconnell-cost-life/.  This blatant lie is just a continuation of previous lies that Republicans have used to try in their attempts to defeat what a solid majority of Americans want out of health care reform. From the Death Panel lies to fabrications about Seniors being killed by the government under the guise of health care reform, the Republicans have been consistent in only one thing, their lies.  http://thinkprogress.org/2009/07/27/gohmert-conspiracies-alexjones/ &  http://thinkprogress.org/2009/07/16/right-wing-dies-health-care/  How can Republicans look themselves in the mirror when they spin these deadly yarns?  Are the Republicans dead as a party if all they can use to try to defeat reform is to lie about it?  Why won’t the Republicans offer any alternative?   I think the Republicans are not only professional liers, they also have no conscience about what damage their lies do to actual lives.  I think Barry Goldwater would be ashamed of his party if he was alive to see how low the Grand Old party has sunk.  What do you think?

My second suggested topic is the news that after a House Intelligence committee hearing,  Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Illinois) stated that the CIA “lied or misled Congress about the shooting down of an airplane over Peru in 2001 carrying American missionaries, the destruction of torture tapes and a top secret assassination program aimed at targeting leaders of al-Qaeda. She would not reveal details of what the fifth case was.”  http://www.truthout.org/1028094.  And these lies are in addition to the fact that the CIA lied to Congress about torturing detainees.  It is time that Congress pulls in the reins on this out of control agency.  These are lies from the very same organization that President Obama does not want to investigate for its obvious violation of anti-torture laws.  I am encouraged that Congress is looking into the CIA’s rogue tactics and its continual habit of violating the law.  Maybe, just maybe, we will uncover the real truth about the CIA.   What do you think Congress should do about the CIA and its penchant for lying to the government that is supposed to control it?  How can we allow any agency of the government to lie to Congress and why shouldn’t we prosecute the CIA for these crimes and for torturing detainees?  I can’t wait to hear what you think.

I have made my suggestions, and they are just that, suggestions.  Let’s hear what you want to talk about.  I will be anxiously waiting to see what You want to talk about.  It is time to get busy and let everyone know what you are thinking about.  Let’s hear from all of you!  Don’t be shy and do not delay.  It won’t hurt to let us know what you think.

Wow!  That weekend just flew by and now it is time once again for another edition of Monday Musings.  The first topic I want to discuss is the appearance by Senator Russ Feingold who was on CBS Face the Nation on Sunday where he stated that he might not vote for any Health Care Reform bill if it does not include a robust public option. http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/russ-feingold-what-liberals-want-single-pa.  It was refreshing to see a United State Senator correct Bob Schieffer when Schieffer tried to suggest that the public option is what Liberals want.  “Well, that could happen, but the truth is, what liberals want is a single-payer system. Medicare for everybody. So the idea of a public option is really a very moderate idea.”  What Feingold is saying is that the Public Option is a compromise that Liberals will require if single payer is not available.  I couldn’t agree more.  It is time for the Democrats in Congress to take the reins and forget what Olympia Snowe wants. The majority of Americans want at least a public option.  No triggers, no opt outs, but a strong public option that provides real competition for the felons we call an insurance industry.  Congress, the whole world is watching.

My last topic for this week’s Monday Musings concerns the amendment to a Defense Appropriation bill that United States Senator, Al Franken of Minnesota successfully proposed and passed to allow Defense contractors who are raped while on the job, to actually have their rapists brought to justice.  Prior to the amendment, contractors could force their “employees from taking workplace sexual assault, battery and discrimination cases to court.” http://www.minnpost.com/stories/2009/10/06/12247/senate_passes_franken_amendment_aimed_at_defense_contractors.  The most amazing part of this story is that 30 Republican Senators actually voted against allowing rape victims like Jamie Leigh Jones, who was raped by multiple fellow Halliburton workers while in Iraq in 2005, to take their rapists to court.  We have discussed her case earlier, http://www.arguewithmydad.com/?p=336, but the fact that Halliburton and those disgraced 30 Senators are still working to have the amendment removed from the bill.  I want to ask all of you, what would you do if your daughter, sister or friend was raped while working for a Defense contractor and was told she had no legal recourse except for arbitration?  Why would the so-called law and order Republicans want to prevent a rape victim her day in court?  The answer is simple.  Halliburton and the rest of the Defense Contactors own these Senators.  That’s right.  They own them through their significant contributions and these slimeballs would sell women’s lives for a few pieces of silver.  A lousy few pieces of silver.

After a rainy week here in Northern Illinois,  it is time, once again, for another edition of the AWMD Friday Free For All.  This is the only time of the week when our arguewithmydad.com readers can control the topic(s) for discussion.  All you have to do is get someone else to respond to your suggested topic and then the floor is yours.  Don’t be shy and don’t hesitate.  Get busy and be sure to let us know your views and arguments so everyone can read and react to them.  Right here on arguewithmydad.com.  I will make a suggestion or two for possible topics, but they are only suggestions.  Today is Friday so only you can be the decider.   But you need to tell us what you want to discuss.  So, what will it be?

The first story that I want to suggest as a possible topic concerns the recent speech by former Republican United States Senator, Chuck Hagel, who took his fellow Republicans to task for their stated desire to kill health care reform for political gain. http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/64511-former-sen-hagel-gop-being-irresponsible-on-healthcare. In the The Hill.com article, Hagel says ‘ “As some Republican senators have said publicly — that if we kill Obama on this, and we destroy this, and we defeat his, that will drive a stake through his political heart on this administration,” the former senator, who retired at the end of his term in January, added. “I just find that about as irresponsible of a thing as I can think of.” ‘  Hagel, who was a Vietnam Veteran, has been known to speak his mind when he sees his party going astray, but he was especially critical of the obstructionist policies of the Republican Party in its attempt to prevent the Health Care Reform from proceeding.  I did not agree too often with Chuck Hagel when he was in the Senate, but I have to give him kudos for telling his party that their attempts to gain politically by trying to kill this important reform is not only misguided, but is actually harmful to the future of the Republican Party as noted in this recent CNN poll. http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/10/23/rel15i.pdf.  Let’s hear what you think  of Hagel’s public scolding of his party and what you think of the health care reform that is pending in Congress!

The next story that I want to suggest is the report of one retired General’s response to former Vice President, Dick Cheney’s accusations that Obama is “dithering” in handling the war in Afghanistan. http://www.nsnetwork.org/node/1442.  It seems that a real military expert didn’t pull any punches in his specific response to Count Cheney’s blathering. “But I dismiss men like Cheney who inject partisan politics into the profound deliberations our Commander-in-Chief and commanders on the ground are having to develop a cohesive and comprehensive strategy, bringing to bear the economic and diplomatic as well as the military power, for Afghanistan — something Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld never did.  “No human endeavor can be as profound as sending a nation’s youth to war.  I am very happy to see serious men and women working hard to get it right.”  Those aren’t my words.  They are the words of Retired General Paul Eaton who spent 30 years in the military and was responsible to help train the Iraqi army in 2003 and 2004.  He even went a little further and said “”The record is clear: Dick Cheney and the Bush administration were incompetent war fighters,” Eaton said in a statement released Thursday.”  http://rawstory.com/2009/10/general-calls-cheney-incompetent-war-fighter/.  For a retired General to come out against the former Vice President is both refreshing and telling.  For anyone to listen to Cheney argue that Obama is screwing up the war in Afghanistan would require that person to forget how Afghanistan went from our main emphasis in going after the people who attacked us on 9/11,  to a forgotten theatre of war because Cheney and Bush stole men and equipment to initiate their illegal and immoral war in Iraq.  I can’t imagine how anyone could actually believe Cheney whenever he opens his mouth.  What is your take on this issue? 

I have made my suggestions, and they are just that, suggestions.  Let’s hear what you want to talk about.  I will be anxiously waiting to see what You want to talk about.  It is time to get busy and let everyone know what you are thinking about.  Let’s hear from all of you!  Don’t be shy.  No matter what Qman might tell you, I won’t bite!

After a busy weekend it is time once again for another edition of Monday Musings.  First of all, I want to apologize for losing some of our comments for the last few posts.  I don’t know what happened, but we will do our best to not let it happen again.  I really only have one issue that I need to discuss today.  It is kind of a personal issue, but I have been thinking about it a lot ever since I received a very interesting phone call out of the blue on Friday.  But, before I tell you about the call, I will need to inform you of a few personal historical facts.

Back in March of 1951 my Father was killed in an Air Force  plane crash in the Atlantic, along with over 50 other souls when the C-124 Globemaster that they were passengers on, was lost.  That unfortunate crash happened on March 23, 1951 and I was born on May 12, 1951.  Needless to say, I never saw my Father and I only know him from pictures.  With that background, I received an unusual phone call this past Friday from someone whose Father was also on that fateful flight. He had seen my name on a WWII site that I had visited some time ago that I was frequenting in hopes of finding out more information about my Father’s war experiences, since my Father had also flew B-24’s out of Italy in WWII.  This gentleman,whose name is Don Wagner,  proceeded to tell me that he had information that indicates that the story of the crash that we had known all these years was not accurate.  He said that when the plane hit the water it did not break up as originally thought and all of the passengers were alive and in life rafts when their flares were spotted by a B-29 pilot out of England.  This guy posted an article on the following Walker Air Force Base Museum site: http://www.wafbmuseum.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=86%3Amajor-robert-bell&catid=42%3Aalumni-stories&Itemid=64. Take a look at it.  It is interesting reading.

This version of this accident is important for a few reasons.  First of all, his article states that after the passengers were spotted by the B-29 pilot, the military did not send any ship or plane to the scene for two days. If that is true, it would be a huge development.  It would mean that the Air Force was either negligent in their handling of the crash or someone intentionally let those souls die.  If the Air Force was negligent, I and my siblings and the families of the rest of the lost souls would be very anxious to know what happened.  If their inaction was intentional , we are talking about a crime that needs to be investigated.  The reality in both situations is the fact the crash occurred over 58 years ago.  Throw in a fire at a VA records depository in the 1970’s that destroyed many Veteran’s records,including my Father’s and the situation becomes very difficult.  Of course, this story may not be based in truth and we cannot dismiss that possibility.

I can tell you that there were many newspaper articles about the crash and the subsequent search because of the fact that a Brigadier General of the Strategic Air Command and his staff were among the victims.  In one of those newspaper articles, there was a comment that flares and life rafts had been sighted.  The other articles did not mention any flare or life raft sightings.  That issue may seem small, but if that first news report was accurate it would back up the version that has just surfaced.  In the phone call, the author of the linked article stated that he had additional written evidence of the B-29 sighting so I will be anxious to see that.  I should mention here that in 2001 I found and obtained the official military accident report from a university professor who specialized in investigating crash sites.  It may surprise you that this accident report was classified as top secret from 1951 all the way to the mid 1990’s when it was finally declassified.  Now, it is probably just be a coincidence, but maybe the reason this accident report was classified so long is related to the issues we have already discussed.  I will be following this story as far as it goes and I will be sure to let the AWMD nation in on whatever I uncover. I am just afraid of what we will find.

After a holiday shortened week, it is time, once again, for another edition of the AWMD Friday Free For All.  This is the only time of the week when our arguewithmydad.com readers can control the topic(s) for discussion.  All you have to do is get someone else to respond to your suggested topic and then the floor is yours.  Don’t be shy and don’t hesitate.  Get busy and be sure to let us know your views and arguments so everyone can read and react to them.  Right here on arguewithmydad.com.  I will make a suggestion or two for possible topics, but they are only suggestions.  Today is Friday so only you can be the decider.   But you need to tell us what you want to discuss.  So, what will it be?

The first suggested topic that I have did not get big play in the mass media, but it really caught my eye.  It seems that a Louisiana Justice of the Peace refused to marry an interracial couple allegedly due to a concern for any children that they might have. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jy_z-Zo4fvJEf2TK1LCiiPIe9NDwD9BBNUJ80.  When I read this I thought I was back in the 1950’s!  It amazes me that someone in a position like this has no understanding of how illegal his actions are. ’ “It is really astonishing and disappointing to see this come up in 2009,” said American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana attorney Katie Schwartzman. “The Supreme Court ruled as far back as 1963 that the government cannot tell people who they can and cannot marry.” ‘  The ACLU attorney hit the nail on the head.  This Justice of the Peace is only 46 years behind the times!  Do you think that this Justice of the Peace should lose his job?  Or do you think he was doing the right thing, even though it isn’t legal?  Let us know what you think.

My second suggested topic to discuss is related to the vote in the House to allow the Department of Defense to suppress the release of the photos of detainees being tortured in overseas U.S. detention centers. http://www.aclu.org/safefree/torture/41289prs20091015.html?s_src=RSS.  This amendment that was attached to a Homeland Security bill was offered to exempt the photos from the Freedom of Information Act and to overrule a recent court ruling that ordered the DOD to release the photos. The Bush Administration fought the ACLU in their attempt to release the photographs since 2004.   Even after the court ruled against them, George W. dug in his heels and appealed. After the appeals court affirmed the lower court and ordered the release, the Obama administration originally agreed to honor the court ruling.  Then in May, President Obama reversed his position and asked the Supreme Court to hear the appeal.

The fact that the Obama Administration would not only reverse their position is bad enough.  Now they are doubling down by pushing the congressional action to make sure that the Supremes won’t affirm the 2nd Circuit’s decision.  This disgusting move by the Obama Administration not only flies in the face of his promise of increased transparency, it also continues Obama’s hesitancy to hold the Bush regime accountable for its illegal torture and detention policies. The ACLU put it better than I can, ‘ “It is disturbing that the House would pass legislation that so blatantly undermines the Freedom of Information Act. Authorizing the suppression of evidence of human rights abuses perpetrated by government personnel directly contradicts Congress’ oversight obligations.” ‘  http://www.aclu.org/safefree/torture/41289prs20091015.html?s_src=RSS.  I can only hope that the Senate will reject this obvious and immoral end run around the Freedom of Information Act and the Judiciary.  Do you think these photographs should be disclosed?  If not, why do we have a Freedom of Information Act?  Let’s hear what you think.

I have made my suggestions, and they are just that, suggestions.  Let’s hear what you want to talk about.  I will be anxiously waiting to see what You want to talk about.  It is time to get busy and let everyone know what you are thinking about.  Let’s hear from all of you!  Don’t be shy.  I won’t bite!

Happy Columbus Day to everyone.  Although he was not the best example for our society, it is still good to get a day off from work!  After a very busy weekend, it is time once again for our regular Monday Musings feature.  There is just one news item that I want to talk about today.  I knew that the explosion would be coming soon.  I purposely held off writing much about the event until I could witness the right wing’s collective heads explode over it.  Of course, I am referring to the news on Friday that President Barack H. Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize! 

The pundits on the right and even some on the left have been barking away since Friday on how ridiculous it was that President Obama was honored so soon into his tenure as President.  Of course, these were some of the same people who bristled at the notion that George W. Bush was responsible for the attacks on 9/11 that happened 9 months into his first term. They muttered and screamed that it was too early in his administration to hold them accountable for the worst attack on US soil.  However, now they are chirping that it is too early in President Obama’s term of office for him to  have done something good enough for the Nobel Committee to honor him.  I detect a hint of jealousy in those comments.  Here is a small sampling of the screams from the Right:  “Obamamania comes as little surprise to Rush Limbaugh, who e-mailed us this morning after we asked him to share his thoughts. “The Nobel gang just suicide-bombed themselves. Gore, Carter, Obama, soon Bill Clinton. See a pattern here? They are all leftist sell-outs. George Bush liberates 50 million Muslims in Iraq, Reagan liberates hundreds of millions of Europeans and saves parts of Latin America. Any awards?” Limbaugh says “Obama gives speeches trashing his own country and for that gets a prize, which is now worth as much as whatever prizes they are putting in Cracker Jacks these days.” ‘  http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thegaggle/archive/2009/10/09/rush-limbaugh-nobel-gang-just-suicide-bombed-themselves.aspx   Rush actually tries to claim that George Bush “liberated” 50 millions Iraqis!  That is an amazing take on the illegal attack on Iraq over lies and cherry picked information.  Rush even tries to repeat the fabrication that Reagan freed “hundreds of millions of Europeans” in a sad attempt to discredit an international award given to the President of the United States.  These guys never stop hating America. These same idiots applauded when Chicago did not receive the 2016 Olympics because Obama attempted to assist the United States Olympic Committee’s bid on behalf of the City of Chicago. 

Rush’s comments were just the beginning of the wailing from the right.  That beacon of light from the far Right,Glenn Beck wants Obama to give the Nobel to the 9/12 protestors and the tea-baggers because they allegedly prevented Obama from accomplishing his agenda.  http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200910090017.  The linked Media Matters audio clip from Beck’s radio show will amaze you.  It seems that the Right just can’t get over what the Nobel Peace Prize committee considers important.  They stated that President Obama has begun the work to change the way the United States deals with the rest of the world.  You know what change they are talking about.  The change where we actually talk to people instead of threatening them and lying about what they are doing.  And attacking them without provocation.  No wonder they wanted to give Obama the award.  Rachel Maddow on MSNBC stated it like this: “The Nobel Peace Prize not always, but often awards effort. It recognizes people trying in big ways to get the world on a more peaceful path.” http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/rachel-maddow-nobel-peace-prize-and-obama. 

Liz Cheney (where have I heard that name before??) stated that Obama should have the US Military accept the Peace Prize because they are the ones that kept the world safe.  And right wing pundit William Kristol was hoping he would get the Peace Prize and he claims he has done as much as Obama in promoting and bringing about world peace.  This from a guy who was and is the biggest promoter of the war in Iraq and has consistently asked the US to bomb Iran.  http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/liz-cheney-peace-prize-should-be-dedicated-u  He has also been wrong on just about everything he has spewed about in the last 8 years.  Here is a link to an article on the blog, “at-Largely”, that provides a comprehensive look at the some additional right wing heads that have exploded over the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize.  http://www.atlargely.com/atlargely/2009/10/republicanistan-a-country-of-its-own.html. 

So why does the Right Wing hate America so much that they would object to their President from being awarded a prestigious award?  Why are they applauding when a job producing Olympics game is lost for Chicago?  I guess for some of these answers we would need to review why the Birthers are still making news and why the tea-baggers are still on the scene?  The answer is that the Republican Party has been overrun by the same insane far right wing extreme elements that make up those misguided groups that think the President was not born in Hawaii and that the States can secede from the Union.  The Republican Party has been taken over by the same people that claim Obama is a Nazi and a Communist and who carry guns at some of his speeches.  The Grand Old Party has been infested with those that claim that Terry Schiavo was still alive and tried to dispute the doctors on the ground and the courts of Florida in their attempts to keep her tied to machines against the will of her husband. They have worked hard to push religion over science and to break down the constitutional barrier between Church and State and they will say and do anything to try to get their way.  They even dishonored America’s history and broke our laws and international law by ordering and authorizing the torture of detainees.  Fortunately for the majority of Americans and the World, the policies and lies of the Republicants did not stop the Nobel Committee and they have not stopped the Obama Administration from trying to pull the United States out of the George W. Bush Dark Ages.

After a long week, it is time, once again, for another edition of the AWMD Friday Free For All.  This is the only time of the week when our arguewithmydad.com readers can control the topic(s) for discussion.  All you have to do is get someone else to respond to your suggested topic and then the floor is yours.  Don’t be shy and don’t hesitate.  Get busy and be sure to let us know your views and arguments so everyone can read and react to them.  Right here on arguewithmydad.com.  I will make a suggestion or two for possible topics, but they are only suggestions.  Today is Friday so only you can be the decider.   But you need to tell us what you want to discuss.  So, what will it be?

The first story that I want to suggest is the Senate amendment that passed with some bipartisan support.  The amendment outlaws military contractors from forcing employees who are rape victims into mandatory arbitration.  http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/halliburton-employee-jamie-leigh-jones-testifies-senate-rape/story?id=8775641.  This amendment was proposed by Minnesota Senator Al Franken and it was designed to prevent the horrific situation that former Halliburton employee Jamie Leigh Jones faced when she was raped by U.S. contractors and held captive by two guards from U.S. contractor, KBR.  The amazing part of this story is the fact that Franken was able to garner the support of “10 Senate Republicans voted for the measure, including all four female Republican senators.” http://rawstory.com/2009/10/gop-votes-against-prevent-rape/.  The mostamazing aspect of that vote was the fact that 30 Republican Senators voted against the amendment and against giving rape victims their day in court!  How can any fair minded Republican justify voting to deny rape victims access to the judicial system?  Do these Senators think contractors like KBR and Halliburton are more important than our citizens?  What do you think?

The next suggested topic is one that just makes me shake my head in disbelief.  It seems that a 15 year old special needs student was beaten at his school for having his shirt untucked.  You read that right.  He was beaten by a security guard in his school in Suburban Chicago. http://rawstory.com/2009/10/camera-catches-cop-assault-of-15-year-old-special-needs-student/.  You really have to look at the linked story and watch the Channel Two news video of the incident.  It will turn your stomach.    I can tell you that if that was my child on that video, that school and that guard would have some serious problems.  The school claims that the assault was justified because the student was violating their dress code and they have a zero tolerance policy.  Wow!  Imagine that.  The school has a zero tolerance rule on tucking in your shirt and if you violate it you don’t get a detention, you get the crap beaten out of you!  This school should be checking into their liability insurance coverage and the guard should be arrested for assault.  What do you think? 

I have made my suggestions, and they are just that, suggestions.  Let’s hear what you want to talk about.  I will be anxiously waiting to see what You want to talk about.  It is time to get busy and let everyone know what you are thinking about.  Let’s hear from all of you!  Don’t be shy.  We won’t bite!

After a very busy weekend, it is time once again for our regular Monday Musings feature.  There is just one news item that I want to talk about today.  The headline jumped out at me and I had to write a post about it.  It seems that the government has been hiding the fact that it had videotaped the torture of alleged 9/11 plotter, Mohammad al Qahtani.  http://rawstory.com/2009/10/government-admits-recording-torture-of-alleged-911-plotter/.  Pursuant to that information;  U.S. District Judge Rosemary M. Collyer ordered the government to produce the videos produced between November 15, 2002 and November 22, 2002. http://ccrjustice.org/files/MAQ%20Order%20to%20Disclose%20Videotapes.pdf.  Why is this information important?  It is important because for years the Bush Administration hid this information from many investigative and judicial bodies.  One of the Center for Constitutional Rights attorneys put it best, “”After the intense scrutiny of the government’s torture and interrogation of Mr. al Qahtani, it is shocking that the government has hidden the existence of these tapes from the public for so many years,” said CCR Attorney Gitanjali S. Gutierrez. “The government’s interrogation of him has been the topic of multiple military, Justice Department and congressional investigations. These tapes should have been acknowledged long ago.”  These acts of torture were authorized all the way up the chain of command to former Bush Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld. 

The big question that comes to mind here is when will the Obama Administration actually hold these felons accountable for their acts of torture?  I know what some of you may be asking.  How do I know the Bush Administration’s “enhanced interrogation techniques” were actually torture?  That one is easy.  Susan Crawford who was in charge of the Military Commissions told us that the techniques were torture and dismissed the charges against Mr. Qahtani. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/13/AR2009011303372_2.html. The court’s order for the government to produce the video tapes should provide additional evidence that Attorney General Holder cannot ignore.  It is time for the Rule of Law to return to the United States and for Bush Administration officials to be held accountable for their illegal and immoral torture activities.

After a crazy week, it is time, once again, for another edition of the AWMD Friday Free For All.  This is the only time of the week when our arguewithmydad.com readers can control the topic(s) for discussion.  All you have to do is get someone else to respond to your suggested topic and then the floor is yours.  Don’t be shy and don’t hesitate.  Get busy and be sure to let us know your views and arguments so everyone can read and react to them.  Right here on arguewithmydad.com.  I will make a suggestion or two for possible topics, but they are only suggestions.  Today is Friday so only you can be the decider.   But you need to tell us what you want to discuss.  So, what will it be?

The first story that I am going to suggest as a possible topic is the latest Republican reincarnation of the Nixon Saturday Night Massacre. Except this time it was in Texas and it was the Governor of Texas, Rick Perry firing people to prevent the truth from coming out. http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/01/texas.execution.probe/index.html.  “An investigation into claims that faulty evidence led Texas to execute an innocent man in 2004 was at a “crucial point” when the state’s governor replaced three of its members this week, one of the three said Thursday.”  Of course, our good friend and Governor of Texas, Rick Perry refused to stay the execution of Cameron Todd Willingham in 2004 and says he is convinced that the late Mr. Willingham was guilty.  Don’t worry about the fact that the commission looking into the case was knocking holes into the evidence produced by the State of Texas.  Perry is facing a reelection challenge and his efforts to quash the investigative commission is an attempt by him to prevent the damaging information from ever seeing the light of day.  Never mind that an innocent man died at the hands of Texas and its anxiousness to execute somebody for the fire that killed Willingham’s three daughters.  You would think that a Texan Republican Governor would know better. On second thought, our luck with former Texan governors is not too good!  What do you think?

The last suggested topic that I have is the good news that Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa has gone on the record to promise a health care reform bill, with a strong public option, will be on Obama’s desk before the end of the year. http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2009/10/01/harkin-sees-no-gop-at-senate-bill-table/.  Harkin also stated what I have been saying for months now, that since the Republicans will not bargain in good faith, that they will not be part of the process in combining the House bill and the Senate bill.  It is really nice to see a Democrat with the stones to speak the truth and not be afraid to tell the world. I am glad that Harkin is picking up the reins left from the death of Ted Kennedy.  What do you think?

I have made my suggestions, and they are just that, suggestions.  Let’s hear what you want to talk about.  I will be anxiously waiting to see what You want to talk about.  It is time to get busy and let everyone know what you are thinking about.  Let’s hear from all of you!  Don’t be shy.  Progressives Democrats don’t bite!