Archive for category Joe Biden

American Greatness Liberalism

Posted by Glenden Brown in American People, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Liberal, This Blog on February 5, 2010

Courtesy of EJ Dionne:

For Republicans, American power is rooted largely in military might and showing a tough and resolute face to the world. They would rely on tax cuts as the one and only spur to economic growth.

Obama, Biden and the Democrats, on the other hand, believe that American power depends ultimately on the American economy, and that government has an essential role to play in fostering the next generation of growth.[snip]

. . . Obama’s approach is not about old-fashioned Democratic spending. It’s about patriotism, competing successfully, investing to maintain American economic leadership. John F. Kennedy provided a slogan for such an effort 50 years ago: “Let’s get America moving again.”

Steve Benen:

To keep America on top, the government is going to have to make real investments and establish a new foundation for growth. Republicans are staunchly opposed to making those investments and don’t see the need for such a foundation.

So, let’s have the debate, and take it out of the left-right dynamic and put it the global-competition dynamic. Why not make it the centerpiece of the 2010 elections?

I’ve long believed it creates an opportunity for American Greatness Liberalism — progressive ideas, investments, and priorities needed to keep the U.S. on top for the long haul.

Obama/Biden have a plan to maintain American preeminence in the 21st century; Republicans don’t. Voters can decide whether to look forward or backward.

(Emphasis added)

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Before Piss Tests; There Was Woodstock!

Posted by Larry Bergan in 4th Estate (Media), American History, American People, Bullying, Civil liberties Infringement, Crimes, Human Rights, Joe Biden, Party Politics, Prisons, Privacy, Sex, Society, This Blog, War on August 16, 2009

A very large group of the worlds most pampered, mostly white, youth descended upon Max Yasgar’s ranch forty years ago to watch a mixture of races perform. Although originally, the concert was organized to make money for investors, it became obvious that there was no way they had the resources to gather tickets. The concert became free for lack of walls.

I imagine all participants who attended had the ability to return to their jobs, accepting their employers weren’t angry enough about the incident to take action.

Update:

You can download the directors cut of the movie in iTunes by going to the store and typing “Woodstock” in the search box at the top right. It really is a great document of a much different time. I saw it when I was 17 years old, but didn’t really understand what was going on. I enjoyed it much more with the retrospective time gives.

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Congress Should Repeal DOMA

Posted by Richard Warnick in Barack Obama, Bigotry, Civil liberties Infringement, Democracy, Democrats, Equality, GLBT issues, Joe Biden, National Politics, The Constitution, This Blog on November 8, 2008

Glenn Greenwald, while recognizing that there are higher priorities for the incoming administration, says the time has come to ask Congress to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). An editorial in today’s Washington Post says it’s “time to press Washington to move in the right direction” on DOMA in response to California’s Prop 8 fiasco, and similar unfair and unconstitutional discriminatory measures in Florida and Arizona.

From Greenwald’s post:

Legalizing gay marriage remains very controversial. But extending marriage-based government benefits equally to same-sex couples — which is all repealing DOMA, especially Section 3, would do — is not particularly controversial.

How is it possible to argue otherwise in light of polls which conclusively prove that majorities of Americans favor (and have long favored) such policies, as well as — more persuasively still — the fact that the country just elected, by a landslide, a President who condemned DOMA as an “abhorrent law” and vowed emphatically to repeal it, while his Vice President said, in the debate watched by tens of millions of Americans: “in an Obama-Biden administration, there will be absolutely no distinction from a constitutional standpoint or a legal standpoint between a same-sex and a heterosexual couple.” That statement didn’t create even a ripple of controversy, nor did Obama’s emphatic opposition to DOMA.

We have to restore the Constitution of the United States of America. While we’re at it, let’s have Congress make warrantless surveillance illegal again and bring back habeas corpus. Torture is already illegal, and our new President can end that with an executive order.

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Election memories

Posted by Glenden Brown in 2008 Election, American History, American People, Barack Obama, Bush Administration, Bush Failures, Democracy, Democrats, Elections, JIm Matheson, Joe Biden, John McCain, People Are Nuts, Ralph Becker, Reagan, Republicans, Utah Legislature, Utah Politics, Voting Rights on October 30, 2008

When I was a child, election night was a strange mystery. My parents disappeared soon after dinner and didn’t return until they done the arcane process of voting. It simply happened.

The first election of which I have any memories was 1976. I thought Jimmy Carter’s smile was too broad and Gerald Ford was too grim. By 1980, I was paying more attention. I remember feeling that Carter – a fundamentally decent man – had been done wrong by Reagan in some unnameable way. I said to my mother I thought Reagan should give Carter a job in his new administration.

By 1984, I was, sadly, a Reagan supporter even though I liked both Mondale and Ferraro.

In 1988 I voted for the first time. Jack Kemp spoke at Grinnell College; I attended and was impressed at his fierce honesty, the way in which he knew he was in a space in which people disagreed with him and yet he was there to speak. I sent in an absentee ballot. Same in 1990. FWIW, in 1988 I voted Bush-Quayle to be contrary. Living in Iowa, I figured my Utah vote didn’t matter.

1992 I was living in Virginia.

By 1994 I was back in Utah and proudly walked from my apartment downtown to my polling place after work and gladly voted. In 1996, I pulled the lever (well, punched the card) for Dole (and regretted it immediately) but voted straight ticket Democratic for every other race. I figured my Presidential vote didn’t matter in Utah. I have not voted for any Republican since 1996.

1998 I voted straight ticket D for every race.

In 2000, I went to my polling place after work, waited in line and then proudly and confidently voted for Gore – and down ticket I voted straight party Democratic. 2002 was another straight ticket year for me. I was by 2002 so thoroughly disgusted with Bush and the Republicans I realized I might never again find a Republican I could vote for.

In 2004 I volunteerd with Paul van Dam’s senate campaign and I loved every minute of it. My friend Dina Blaes ran from Salt Lake County Council (and sadly lost). There was something powerful about stepping into the voting booth in 2004 and seeing a name I knew on the ballot. Seeing the candidate I saw in the office, the candidate for whom I’d made phone calls and for whom I’d delivered yard signs. I punched the card proudly and confidently for the Democratic ticket that year – for van Dam, for Kerry-Edwards, for Matheson-Hale for governor. Peter Corroon for County Mayor – someone I’d seen on the campaign trail repeatedly.

2006 was a great night (you can find my election blogging here on OneUtah). I proudly voted for Pete Ashdown for Senate and somewhat reluctantly for Matheson for Congress (I get that Jim Matheson is a good guy, I don’t think he’s a good Democrat).

My 2007 city election blogging and actions are recounted in detail on OneUtah as well. Ralph won.

So here we are in 2008. Twenty years since I first cast a ballot.

As the Bush Administration had staggered through its second term like a common drunk on the bender to end all benders, I’ve watched in despair at the destruction they’ve wrought. Ruinous wars, insane budgets, destructive social policies. It’s time for a new start, a New Deal one might say.

I voted early – mid morning at the County Complex. Obama-Biden. Springmeyer-Valdez. Corroon. Matheson. Rebecca Chavez-Houck. Jean Welch for attny general. I voted for Randy Horiuchi even though I don’t really like him. I voted for both the County Props.

In a few days, election 2008 will be a memory. Soon George W. Bush will vacate the Oval Office and maybe we will miss him, but we want to miss him.

I hope November 5, I can wake up and say, “Barack Obama – President-elect.”

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Closing Arguments

Posted by Becky Stauffer in 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Elections, Joe Biden, John McCain, Republicans, Sarah Palin on October 28, 2008

I heard a bit of Biden’s speech today. He said (to paraphrase) we can no longer be a red country and a blue country. We are one nation, under God, indivisible. Get up and take back this country we love. This summarizes the final message from Obama/Biden. The desire is to end the schisms of red and blue and bring all sides together.

The McCain/Palin closing argument is as disjointed as has been their entire campaign. And it continues the drumbeat of fear, lies, distortions, and fails to tell us what they stand for. Bottom line, their closing argument is to campaign AGAINST Obama/Biden, and not campaign FOR anything.

Judge for yourself which one is preparing to take office and move forward to serve the people of this country.

, , ,

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Biden Won the Debate

Posted by Glenden Brown in 2008 Election, Elections, Joe Biden, This Blog on October 3, 2008

Yesterday I wrote:

Palin, tonight, has to prove to the people who are tuning in to laugh at her that she’s not a punchline. She actually has to prove tonight that she knows things. Sarah Palin has to prove that she can rise to the challenge of leading a nation in which the overwhelming majority feel we are heading in the wrong direction. “Connecting” with the audience isn’t good enough. Her “down home” style isn’t enough. Tonight, Sarah Palin has to prove she’s ready to be Vice President; simply not failing is insufficient to do that.

Last night, Palin managed to not fail. She didn’t drool on herself, she wasn’t a gibbering idiot, she delivered a few canned one-liners, she avoided any moose in the headlights moments. Palin’s performance last night was about what I expected of her – although even I was surprised when she announced in essence, “I won’t be answering your questions tonight. I’ll talk about what I want to talk about.” Palin stuck closely to her script. In normal times, she’d be fine. We don’t live in normal times. Palin had the misfortune to share the stage with Joe Biden.

And Biden was on fire last night. He brought his A game and it showed. He was confident, knowledgeable, and clear. He knows his stuff. He hit the McCain ticket hard and did a good job of tying them to Bush.

At the end of the day, Biden demonstrated that he is able to rise to the challenge of leading the nation if need be.

Biden Seeing Son Off to Iraq

Biden Seeing Son Off to Iraq

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Can We Get a Commission to Investigate the Bush Administration?

Posted by Richard Warnick in 2008 Election, Bush Administration, Civil liberties Infringement, Joe Biden, Lying, National Politics, Political Corruption, The Constitution, This Blog, War on September 16, 2008

Yeah, those guys

Almost unnoticed by the news media, Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) chaired a Judiciary subcommittee hearing today on “Restoring the Rule of Law.”

The subcommittee heard more than two and a half hours of testimony from the witnesses, who came from all sides of the political spectrum and included former members of Congress, the military and the Bush and Clinton administrations along with legal and constitutional experts. Some of the witnesses at Tuesday’s hearing suggested creating an independent commission to fully examine Bush’s eight years in office once he leaves. (The idea sounded similar to plans advanced by Rep. Dennis Kucinich for a “Truth and Reconciliation” Commission.)

Two weeks ago, Vice Presidential candidate Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) promised that an Obama-Biden government would go through Bush administration evidence with “a fine-toothed comb” and pursue criminal charges if necessary.

“If there has been a basis upon which you can pursue someone for a criminal violation,” he said, “they will be pursued, not out of vengeance, not out of retribution – out of the need to preserve the notion that no one, no one, no attorney general, no president, no one is above the law.”

So, is this going to happen? Is our government going to restore the rule of law next year?

Too bad they can’t do it NOW!

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Biden

Posted by Glenden Brown in 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, This Blog on August 28, 2008

Biden’s speech last night was not perfect – it was however, moving, honest, heartfelt and hit all the right notes. His son’s introduction brought tears to a lot of eyes, including Michelle Obama’s.

Then Biden arrived, did the thank yous, launched the attacks and laid out the economic argument.

Almost every night, I take the train home to Wilmington, sometimes very late. As I look out the window at the homes we pass, I can almost hear what they’re talking about at the kitchen table after they put the kids to bed.

Like millions of Americans, they’re asking questions as profound as they are ordinary. Questions they never thought they would have to ask:

* Should mom move in with us now that dad is gone?

* Fifty, sixty, seventy dollars to fill up the car?

* Winter’s coming. How in God’s name are we gonna pay the heating bills?

* Another year and no raise?

* Did you hear the company may be cutting our health care?

* Now, we owe more on the house than it’s worth. How in God’s name are we going to send the kids to college?

* How in God’s name are we gonna be able to retire?

(The “in God’s name” part was a departure from his prepared remarks.)

Biden is an interesting speaker – he doesn’t have Obama’s gift for oratory but he’s a damn sight better than the Shrub. Ezra Klein, writing in the The American Prospect:

Joseph Biden’s speech last night accepting the Democratic nomination for the vice presidency was not a great speech. The rhetoric did not take wing and soar, the assembled delegates did not leave the arena slack-jawed and astonished. It was a workmanlike address, a blunt object delivered, at times, with great force. In many ways, it was the opposite of Barack Obama’s best speeches. This may be exactly what the Obama campaign needs . . .

Ezra argues that McCain’s attacks have been effective in blunting the effect of Obama’s oratorical skills – even making them a liability. In that sense, Biden is the counterweight – a less then inspiring speaking but a damned effective one, someone who isn’t afraid to get angry, who isn’t afraid to to criticize and attack but not a golden tongued speaker. Biden – the workman politician with decades of experience and that bare-knuckles style Irish-American politicking. The Kennedy’s, for all their charm and speech making skills were born and bred in the heady atmosphere of that East Coast Irish American political machine. Reading histories of Tammany Hall you read about a seemingly endless parade of Irish-American pols who brought to politics a tough-minded, blunt style that did not suffer fools gladly (the same goes for many of big city political machines) Biden is the inheritor of that no-nonsense style of politics.

ps- Obama’s unscripted appearance on the stage was an interesting moment. The camera kept showing Michelle Obama and she was brilliantly unguarded – the look on her face said one thing to me: “I want to run up there and hold my husband. I miss him desperately and I need to hold him and I need him to hold me.” She may be the star of the convention – certainly the camera loves her.

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Biden Acceptance Speech

Posted by Cliff Lyon in 2008 Election, Democrats, Joe Biden on August 27, 2008

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Joe Biden Will Bring Change to Status Quo Politics

Posted by Cliff Lyon in 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Joe Biden on August 25, 2008

I’ve been watching Joe Biden work and speak for many years. C-Span is on 24/7 in my world.

More important than the promise he will crush his republican counter-part in debates, Obama and Biden will govern really well.

Biden ranks in the bottom 1% in personal wealth within all of Congress which means he hasn’t lined his pockets in 36 years in Washington.

He is a warrior for light.

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‘Democrats have a history of just giving in’

Posted by Richard Warnick in 2008 Election, 4th Estate (Media), Barack Obama, Civil liberties Infringement, Democrats, Disaster, George W. Bush, JIm Matheson, Joe Biden, National Politics, Political Corruption, The Constitution, This Blog, Wiretapping on June 20, 2008

This morning, 105 Democrats voted for the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, including our own Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT) (R-UT). This legislation is unconstitutional and a total capitulation to White House claims of unlimited executive power. It also stymies future efforts to investigate the full extent of the Bush administration’s illegal surveillance activities.

Members of the House of Representatives take an oath every two years to support and defend the Constitution of the United States– believe it or not.

Big Brother

An article by Mike Lillis in the Washington Independent attempts to understand why the same Democrats who stood up to the Bush administration’s illegal domestic surveillance programs in February are backing down now.

Why did the majority party cave in to the worst and least popular President in the nation’s history?:

Julian E. Zelizer, a congressional historian at Princeton University, had a guess. He said the Democrats, who are largely expected to pick up congressional seats in November’s elections, don’t want to risk their current advantage over an issue that could brand them as “soft-on-terror.”

“It seems that’s the calculation they’re making,” he said. “We’ve seen this before. On defense and national security issues, the Democrats have a history of just giving in.”

[Caroline] Fredrickson, of the ACLU, also suggested that Democrats are running scared from the 30-second campaign ad. “They’ve just bought this argument that they’re weak on defense hook, line and sinker,” she said, “and it’s caused them to act like Republicans.”

Now the “battle,” if there is one, moves to the Senate next week. Senator Christopher Dodd stopped this nonsense last December with a filibuster threat. At the time Senators Clinton, Biden and Obama all supported him. Now, Barack Obama’s spokesman says he doesn’t know how his boss will vote.

Will the Democrats give in again, or can they change history?

UPDATE: Senator Obama couldn’t even let us dream for one news cycle. No, he has already caved. Yuck. He’s against retroactive immunity but for widespread domestic surveillance. Did I mention this guy wants to be our next President?

UPDATE: Amanda Simon was masochistic enough to watch today’s floor debate: FISA Debate: Not So Much a Debate as a Death March for the Fourth Amendment.

UPDATE: Glenn Greenwald has more horrifying details. He also notes the latest poll showing that the Democratic Congress is more popular with Republicans than among Democrats.

UPDATE: Hunter on DailyKos parses Obama’s “milquetoast, self-congratulatory justification for choosing the easy way out.”

It is complete acceptance of an illegal program, dressed up as hard-fought victory, and by God the Democrats responsible for it and voting for it, Obama included, naturally presume that if they type up some lovely-sounding bullcrap about it, they’ll be able to pretend it is something other than strategically planned and executed cowardice in the face of lawbreaking.

Previous One Utah posts:
House Democrats Demand Accountability For Illegal Wiretaps (March 17, 2008)
Total Information Awareness Never Went Away (March 10, 2008)
Bush Cries Wolf and Congress Doesn’t Panic (February 15, 2008)
Dems Threaten to RESTORE Warrantless Surveillance (October 9, 2007)
Congress Has Suspended the 4th Amendment (August 5, 2007)

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Gravity and Grace

Posted by Firmage Ed in 2008 Election, Joe Biden, War on December 18, 2007

Red Dog suggests that gravitas sounds like a thyroid disease. While the quotation that always stays in my mind and my heart doesn’t directly deal with our discussion of presidential candidates with gravitas, allow me to suggest for your reading a brilliant book by a brilliant and courageous woman who wrote on the topic.

Simone Weil is a major figure in mid-twentieth century theology, politics, and non-violent protest to the giving of her life. In her work, Gravity and Grace, she says: “God has provided that when his grace penetrates to the very center of a person, and from there illuminates all his being, he is able to walk on water without violating any of the laws of nature. When, however, a person turns away from God, he simply gives himself up to the laws of gravity. Then, he thinks that he can decide and choose, but he is only a thing, a stone that falls. And if we examine human society and souls closely enough and with real attention, we see that wherever the virtue of supernatural light is absent, everything is obedient to the mechanical laws as blind and as exact as the laws of gravitation.” (Simone Weil, Gravity and Grace, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1972)

I can’t think of a damned thing I’ve been reading and writing on this blog to link this to. But I love her writing so much that I can’t think of any word, e.g., gravitas, that has as it’s base the concept of gravity and the necessity of gravitas in ourselves and those we support for high office, without thinking of this patriot and disciple of iron-minded truth, wherever found. As many of you know, she was a leading atheist for much of her short life.

Merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah past, and may we all have a ray of peace in this sad world of war. For those of us believing in this or that religious persuasion, or for the huge number that prefer the Marlboro Man to God, nevertheless, my god’s grace go with all the human race. Pace e bene, shalom, salaam, and my god be with you, this day, and always.

ed firmage

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