Polling Report.com. Discuss what you thought of the speech in the comments.

President Bush should make public all photos and records of his meetings with Jack Abramoff. Read more on the numbers illustrated in this post at The American Prospect online. Original photo.

Surprisingly in my metamorphosis from a rich know-it-all to a poor know-it-all many of my core values have stayed the same. Even in the midst of my favorite Chomsky book, I have always rejected the idea of a planned economy and I have never wavered in my defense of self-expression and tolerance and personal liberty.

This brings us to the slip-and-slide I like to call the Z-axis. Or as Kyle, posed it ‘the disconnect btw. theory and practice.’ I have written tons of posts discussing the ends and the means in regards to U.S. foreign policy and find myself, more and more, refusing to accept that ideological ends can justify the bloody means we are witnessing.

Determining where people stand on the Z-axis is most apparent in the debate between national security and civil liberties, and so in our post-Sept 11th-world (God, I hate that saying) it has been as divisive as the other, better-known axes.

Now the response I should have given Kyle…

The Z-axis is tricky. Personally, I have chosen to stay down towards the idealistic end because I believe that this unwavering, unapologetic, often naïve idealism is a crucial counter balance these days. From a distance, it seems like the motto in D.C. should be changed to “Abandon Ideals All Who Enter Here.” While the capitol (and the nation) may be polarized along the X and Y axes, on the Z-axis, there is little deviation: and when the ends don't serve to justify the means, they're swaped-out with ends that do! Be they conservative or liberal, all of these sell out stuffed-shirts in Washington added together are worth less than a single unwavering idealist like Martin Luther King Jr. or Gandhi.

So, is there a disconnect between theory and practice?
To quote a display case in the Revere High School Cafeteria, circa 1995:

James Dobson is the founder and leader of Focus on the Family, which is an organization that strongly supports "conservative values." This group includes millions of conservative Republicans. Basically, when you hear about the "base" of the Republicans, people are talking about Dobson and his group. Regarding Dobson, Slate.com has called Dobson "the most influential evangelical leader in America," and believes "Dobson may have delivered Bush his victories in Ohio and Florida."

Dobson and his group obviously oppose homosexuality and gay marriage. Specifically, here is how Dobson feels about homosexuality and gay marriage: "Homosexuals are not monogamous. They want to destroy the institution of marriage. It will destroy marriage. It will destroy the Earth."

Obviously, Dobson has a problem with gays. Well, being the problem-solvers that Republicans are, Dobson has a solution. Dobson explains a way to ensure your boy will not end up gay: "the boy's father has to do his part. He needs to mirror and affirm his son's maleness......He can help his son learn to throw and catch a ball......He can even take his son with him into the shower, where the boy cannot help but notice that Dad has a penis, just like his, only bigger."

Hahahahaha. This guy is serious! Honestly, I think all these anti-gay people are totally gay. I mean, how strange of a proposal is showering with your son, so he can see how big your penis is?!?!?!
(not to mention, how absurd is the notion that teaching your kid to play catch will make him straight. I mean, isn't Mike Piazza gay, and I am pretty sure he can "throw and catch a ball"....but his dad must not of shown him his penis enough.)

Okay, so what's my point? 1) I wanted to make fun of this idiot, because this is freaking hilarious. 2) I would like to remind everyone what goes on in the heads of the Republican "base." 3) I just want to point out that the extreme "liberal base" of the Democrats support such "wild" things as universal health care, independence from foreign oil, a women's right to an abortion, and bringing the troops home from Iraq.....they don't support showing off your penis to little kids.

Dobson/Republican Bonus:
How to discipline your child: "Pain is a marvelous purifier. . . It is not necessary to beat the child into submission; a little bit of pain goes a long way for a young child. However, the spanking should be of sufficient magnitude to cause the child to cry genuinely."

Finally, when you don't have time for a long, drawn out beating, Dobson recommends painful squeezing of the trapezius muscle on the neck to obtain "instant obedience." If you are lucky, evidently, you could put your kid in a comma by breaking the child's neck! You have to love those Republican values!

Lee Fisher will be the running mate of Ted Strickland next fall. I'm not happy with the pick. In fact, I'm pretty pissed. I just don't understand it. Why would we run two white males when the leading candidate for the Republicans is an African-American? Fisher lost in 1998 to Taft 45%-51%. He hasn't held elected office since. Why would we run a loser? What makes Strickland great is that he is from a rural district in southeast Ohio. Fisher is from Cleveland. Why would we pick somebody from a part of the state we are going to win anyway? What does he bring to the table? (continued in comments)

Guest Columnist Ian Sigalow just returned from visiting his sister Emily in Israel. He shares his thoughts on the results of the recent elections in Palestine.

“After returning from Israel on Sunday, I know that the Palestinian elections were an event on the minds of many Israelis. Now is a time of difficult politics in Israel, with nearby Iran calling for the destruction of your country and a newly freed area of Palestine on your border voting for a hostile political leadership that is intent on eradicating your people. As with all difficult times there is a lot of finger pointing in the press. Some blame the US for their insistence on early elections and polarizing presence in the Middle East. Others hold long standing hostility, and claim it is just the nature of the people. Either way the situation is not pretty..."

(continued in comments)

Concerns over Alito’s ideology are a misplaced diversion of political energy

By Peter Pattakos

This article is also published in today's Metro Newspapers in New York, Philly and Boston - www.metro.us

"During the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, Democratic Senators unsuccessfully strained to paint him as a 'judicial radical' or worse, a racist. Despite Alito’s impeccable credentials, many Americans believe that if he will overturn the seminal abortion decision Roe v. Wade, he should not be confirmed. That Democratic Senators are largely appealing to this sentiment in characterizing Alito as a 'radical in robes' indicates their concern with his ideology. This concern over judicial ideology is misplaced, and sheds light on why Democrats are stuck opposing Supreme Court Justices instead of nominating them.

"The primary function of the judiciary branch is to apply and interpret the laws that are enacted by 'we the people' through our elected representatives. However, it is impossible to deny that a judge’s individual beliefs may influence her/his decisions in the closest of cases. Despite this inevitability, judicial ideology should not be taken into account during the confirmation process, but rather when 'we the people' elect our representatives who appoint the judges (such as President Bush). Concern over a nominated judge’s politics during the confirmation process leads to ugly and ever-escalating mudslinging (which undoubtedly damaged the Democratic Party during the Alito hearings), and the appointment of unpredictable, wishy-washy, or 'blank slate' judges; this directly diminishes the transparency of the political process. Alternatively, a focus on judicial competence rather than ideology would reinvigorate the political process in at least two ways..." (continued in comments)

According to documents released this week, the White House was told hours before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans that the city would probably soon be inundated with floodwater, forcing the long-term relocation of hundreds of thousands of people. These documents prove that President Bush LIED when he said, "I don't think anyone anticipated the breach of the levees." These documents verify my firm belief that Bush should be prosecuted for criminal negligence, at a minimum (along with Brownie and Chertoff made, who made similar claims). The man was told that hundreds of thousands were about to dislocated, and Homeland Security studies said about 60,000 people would die.

However, Bush decided to stay on vacation. This SOB went on vacation when it appeared reasonable that 60,000 could die. In fact, he spent 3 hours getting a massage in San Diego, and then spent time playing some guitar. All the while, thousands of people were stranded, without food or water for five days! These are facts. But still, I have had to here you pathetic Republicans defend this man and his Katrina response. You should go to jail along with him. It is disgusting, and so are you.

Well, here is some of what is happening now in New Orleans. The White House is barring administration officials from answering questions and failing to hand over documents....this is making the Senate investigation impossible. Also, in a severe blow to state and local plans for rebuilding hurricane-devastated areas, the Bush administration came out against a homeowner bailout proposal that many Louisianians say is the key to economic recovery and the rebirth of a redesigned New Orleans....this will prevent many people from rebuilding.

Despite these major stories, the only headline I have heard out of New Orleans is how clearly burned-out Mayor Nagin said, New Orleans will be a "chocolate city" again. I heard a lot of criticism for Nagin, but I never heard anyone explain that this majority black city currently consists of mostly white people running around. Hence, all Nagin was saying to a primarily black audience, on a holiday for the most famous black American (MLK), was 'don't worry, our black brothers and sisters will be a part of New Orleans future.' Sure, I think the now-apologized-for statement he made sounded a bit silly, but it wasn't so bad, especially if anyone paid attention to the surrounding circumstances in New Orleans.

Sadly, the nation's attention for New Orleans is over. This has freed up the Bush administration to get away with their prior lies, along with their current failing of the people of New Orleans.

Related: Kanye West is on the cover of this week's Rolling Stone. He does not apologize for saying, "George Bush doesn't care about black people" or that America was set up "to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off as slow as possible

Ohio Governor Bob Taft will give his final State of the State address is today at noon. What a corrupt eight years it has been. It should be interesting to hear what his "accomplishments" are. Listen to his speech online.

In the comments I've posted a portion of a press release titled "The State of Black Ohio." It is both interesting and sad.

Yesterday, Bush took some questions from students at Kansas State University. These events are usually totally scripted, but yesterday sophomore Tiffany Cooper slipped through the cracks. The Bush folks obviously did not perform the proper spying tactics on this Kansas audience......

Cooper: "Recently, $12.7 billion was cut from education, and I was just wondering, you know, how is that supposed to help our futures?"
The Crowd: (Howling and scowling from the deeply partisan crowd at this traitor)
Bush: "Education budget was cut - say it again. What was cut?" (imagine a "slow" person speaking)
Cooper: "12.7 billion dollars was cut from education. I'm wanting to know how is that supposed to help our futures?"
Bush: "At the federal level?"
Cooper: "Yes"
Bush: "Actually, I think what we did was reform the student loan program. We are not cutting money out of it.....We're just making sure it works better...."

Well, of course, Bush is LYING. They did cut $12.7 billion from education. However, what Bush calls "making sure it works better", could actually be considered true.....for him and his rich friends. See, under the new Republican law, interest rates on student loans are about to go up a full 2%, far over the market rate. Then that 2% extra goes to pay off the national debt. See, when you need to cover your ass on your disgusting tax cuts for the rich, this education "reform" does "work better" for the rich.....it allows poor college kids pay for their tax cuts.

Unrelated Question: (from yesterday)
Questioner: "You're a rancher, a lot of us here in Kansas are ranchers. I just wanted to get your opinion on Brokeback Mountain, if you'd seen it yet?
The Crowd: (heavy laughter)
Questioner: "You would love it, you should check it out."
Bush: "I hadn't seen it. I'd be glad to talk about ranching, but I hadn't seen it. I've heard about it. I hope you go. Huh, huh. Huh, huh. I hope you go back to the ranch and the farms is what I was about to say. Uh, I hadn't seen it."

Update: Click here for the video from the Brokeback question. The White House transcript alters reality and says that Bush said, "I haven't seen it" on several occasions. However, any person that listens to it will hear our President say, "I hadn't seen it" on several occassions. This is not important, but I just find it funny that the White House website has to publish lies to make the President sound close to intelligent.