(no subject)

I'm pimping http://www.koolrockradio.com/ still. I don't think that they actually play electroclash - it's mostly classy indie oldies, kind of electroclash predecessors.

Va voters: VOTE TODAY!!!

more info,
http://www.miller2006.org/
Against national debt / against deficit spending
Pledges to help middle-class, end corporate welfare
Increase min wage, give health-care tax credits to small businesses
Education - more teacher recruiting, accountability (uh oh), and don't forget vocational education (remember this guy worked in a steel mill!), mid-career loans and grants!
Fuck Iraq, get exit strat
Energy - increase fuel efficiency standards, tax oil companies, create alternative fuels
Manage growth

http://www.webbforsenate.com/index.php
This guy used to be a vet, and had great abs! Just sayin...
Iraq - we went in wrong, but leaving we should be cautious (I'm with that)
Uh, here you look him up yourself at http://www.webbforsenate.com/issues/ because the illusive sonofabitch doesn't actually voice any views. His website paints him as every bit the whore people accuse him of being.
His views on transportation are awful. He wants to get federal dollars for VA roads. This same guy is pledging that he will attack the huge federal deficit. See a slight inconsistency? Sure Fed - stop paying for special state projects, except in our state!

I voted Miller. No, I don't feel guilty for these long political posts.

(no subject)

Last night in our criminal procedure class we had Jack Einwechter speak to us. He was a prosecutor in the office of military commissions, now with Greenberg Trauig (big ol firm). He described himself as a conservative democrat after 21 years of military service, and not a fan of the Bush admin. He has been there, lived on the base, worked with the very prisoners in question - his opinions were based at least in part on direct experience. He noted he has been on NPR about 4 times, and many other programs I now forget. He said that on every front the actions of detaining combatants was perfectly legal in both US and foreign law. He said while you should always question these conclusions, it was really hard to argue against them. However, the harder question was if what we were doing was right (legal and right are not synonymous).

Here is a link to one of his appearances on NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5005799

( A long post about war, US, Israel, and terrorist enemies. No grand conclusions, lots of pondering. )

I think the more I learn about these complex situations the more I am glad I don't have to make these decisions in the heat of battle. It's very easy to paint the issues as simple for both the left and the right, and I have more and more respect for those that are willing to admit, discuss, and address the complex issues head-on.