Still Fighting

Activism

The National Voting Rights Institute (NRVI) is in the news, and we couldn't be more pleased. Thanks to Kos, we know that the Supreme Court will look at a case in Vermont where the state is attempting to limit campaign spending. What this means is that, in a two-year cycle, anyone running for governor (or to be re-elected as governor) could only spend a maximum of $300,000. Lieutenant Governor, $100,000, and so on. It's a fascinating idea, and the big concern is whether approving this would infringe on free-speech rights. NRVI is involved in this case, and so much more. Check out their website here to get educated and involved!

News

Fehr: New Steroids Policy Could Happen By Series. We don't talk sports much here at Still Fighting. We have our own personal blogs for that. But when sports meets Congress, Senator John McCain gets exasperated. You may recall several months ago, when baseball player Rafael Palmeiro testified before the House Government Reform Committee that he never used steroids. That was in March. In August, he was suspended by Major League Baseball for....using steroids. Congress was a little upset, and invited the heads of the four major sports (MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL) to meetings this week with the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. The goal of this meeting is to create legislation that would standardize steroid policies in professional sports. To this we ask, "Does Congress not have anything better to do?" You see, Congress is tired of the major sports limping around and not getting their act together, so they're creating legislation. They don't "want" to, but they "have no choice." If Congress is so inspired to do things that they don't "want" to do, but they "have no choice" in doing, why not set up that independent commission to investigate Katrina? Or try and get answers about what Rove told who about Valerie Plame? Or maybe, just maybe, where that $8 billion we "lost" in Iraq went to.

Bush Warns Of Upsurge Of Violence In Iraq. Did we miss the downsurge? For the week of September 12 - September 17, 2005, over 250 Iraqis died. Of course, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that this "upsurge" will be caused by next month's vote, but there's Bush for you. It's clear the idea of "supporting our troops" is not at all the same as "supporting the war," but you wouldn't know it from the president's comments. You also wouldn't think public opinion matters at all, as he said, "The support of Congress for our troops and our mission is important and Americans need to know about the gains we have made in recent weeks and months, they need to know the way we're adapting our tactics, and the way we're changing our strategies to meet the needs on the ground." So, the support of Congress is important (because they give out the money), but people should just...know what's going on? That clearly doesn't make sense. Then again, we've all learned that anything this president doesn't want to hear just bounces off of him, so why should we be surprised?

Abortion Foes Win Day in Wisconsin State Senate. These people really are idiots, aren't they? Republicans in the Wisconsin State Senate pass two bills; one that would "[f]orce physicians to tell women considering abortions that the fetus feels pain," the other would "[e]stablish a 'conscience clause' allowing doctors and other health care workers to refuse to participate in such procedures as abortion; sterilization; vitro fertilization; and assisted suicide, which is already illegal in Wisconsin." Thankfully, Governor Jim Doyle has promised to veto both bills. Still, doesn't it bother anyone in the state Senate that there is one non-profit group supporting the bills, and 25 medical and health groups opposed? There's no scientific conclusion that the fetus feels pain, and there isn't any scientific conclusion to say that it doesn't. Trust Republicans to smear science as they see fit, regardless of fact. The state Senate also passed a measure that would "require that abstinence be taught in public schools as the main means of preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases." We're not OK with this either, particularly because of the state Senate's reasoning. Wisconsin has a high rate of out-of-wedlock births, and this bill is designed to lower that. But abstinence is taught in many school districts already, and it's clearly not working. Another reason to teach abstinence, but not to hang your hat on the idea that it'll solve all your problems.

Editorials

A Matter of Honor. What does it mean to be a soldier? To live your life by a code of honor and ethics? It's becoming much harder to know, as of late, because this administration is changing the meaning of the words "honor" and "ethics." Is it justifiable to beat someone into submission if they have intelligence information that we need? Is it OK to make prisoners stand in a naked human pyramid? Where does the blurry line end? While we, as citizens, have been asking this question for months, the Washington Post has published a letter written by Captain Ian Fishback, 1st Batallion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. Captain Fishback wrote the letter to Senator John McCain, who, after introducing legislation a few weeks ago to define torture in the new Army manual, has since not spoken much about it, preferring to spend his time figuring out the steroid policy of professional sports (see News #1). Fishback wants the same answers we do. How can a soldier know what to do when that soldier doesn't have the law to guide him or her? We'd all rest easier knowing that our armed forces have "clear standards of conduct."

Bush's Leadership: Running on Empty. Unlike Mark Twain, the reports of Bush's death have not been exaggerated. Well, the death of his presidency, at least. Joan Vennochi details how Bush has asked both the American public and federal agencies to cut down on their energy use. So why has Bush used Air Force One to fly back and forth from the gulf coast seven times? What could he possibly be doing that isn't hindering the relief effort? Bush's arrogance of power has led him to be mistrusted and condemned by the American people. Now, do we all recognize that Bush is not a rare breed of Republican, but rather the standard? We sure hope so.

Blogger Commentary

Iraq Burns; Dems Look on the Bright Side. Arianna Huffington knows what we know; Democrats have been docile since 2004, if not earlier. Instead of going on the offensive, and attacking Bush's supposed strengths, Democrats prefer to sit back and let it ride; be optimistic, if you will. That's just not going to work. Bush has given Democrats nothing but ammunition, but with no response, there won't be any backing. Journalists and bloggers like us can only do so much. We need our leaders to stand up and attack. Mel, the cook on Alice, prophetized that "The best defense is a good offense," and that standard applies mightily to politics. In politics, you can't just prove your point by letting the other side implode. You're seen as weak. And we don't know about you, but to us, the Democratic party has looked positively anemic lately.

Idiots Abroad. We've made the point several times that Karen Hughes is way out of her element in the Middle East. Not only will Muslims not truly respect her (as a woman), but she then gets blasted in Turkey by women! Mahablog details the trials and tribulations of one Karen Hughes and her Middle East road trip. By visiting White House friendlies, she is not only spending a useless amount of time and money, but she isn't doing her job. In fact, Sidney Blumenthal is quoted in this editorial as saying that Hughes is actually doing Osama bin Laden's job for him! (Remember that guy?)