{ personal }

Totality of Life

Ted Kennedy's death raises an interesting question: how much good is needed to offset evil.  Drunk Ted Kennedy drove a car into a lake at Chappaquiddick in 1969, killing Mary Jo Kopechne, his passenger.  That's not the evil part, because accidents do happen, even stupid accidents like drinking and driving.  The evil part is Ted Kennedy didn't report the accident until the morning after.  I won't say he Ted Kennedy got away with murder, but he sure did get away with vehicular manslaughter.  Does all of Ted Kennedy's good deeds, his public service, make up for Chappaquiddick? 

A person's life is certainly not defined by one action.  Life is a totality, some good things, some bad things; hopefully more good than bad.  But I find it very hard to like a guy who won't "own up", who won't say "I fucked up."  Think I'm in the minority, judging by how much praise Ted Kennedy has received in his death.  I guess people are more forgiving.

The Torture Moral Dilemma

Was listening to the news the other day and heard this snippet from President Obama's acceptance speech from last year,

The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals.

That makes a lot of sense, and I think most Americans would support that position.  It's not an extreme position.  The Second Amendment bestows us the right to bear arms, but I don't want my next door neighbor with a history of mental problems stockpiling AK-47s.

So why not apply this same line of reasoning to the current enhanced interrogation debate?  That's essentially what Dick Cheney is saying: don't tell me we can't uphold our moral authority and freedoms just because we water boarded three terrorists who killed thousands of Americans. 

Frankly, to not water board terrorists would be immoral.  Remember, we're water boarding not for revenge or jollies, but to hopefully get information that will save lives.  It would be like not killing one person to save the lives of thousands (ala the classic train moral dilemma).  Killing that one (innocent) person is wrong, but it's unimaginable to not sacrifice him to save the lives of thousands.  When President Obama comes out categorically against torture what he is saying is he won't sacrifice one (guilty) terrorist to save the lives of thousands.  That's immoral.

Geithner, You're Doing a Heck of a Job

Obama's greatest asset was his "change" mantra.  Just the perception of change in Washington might have been enough to get us out of our current slump.  But now that it's been shown that his administration is Washington politics as usual I'm afraid Obama will quickly become my generation's Jimmy Carter.  This AIG executive bonus fiasco might be the start of Obama's downfall.  Executives responsible for AIG's collapse getting bonuses because Obama's Treasury Secretary removed a provision in the bailout bill limiting bonuses, doesn't that sounds like something rich, old white Republicans would do to help their rich, old white Wall Street buddies?  And Obama continuing to say Geithner is doing an outstanding job, isn't that reminiscent of Bush after Katrina?  "G., you're doing a heck of a job."  Let us not forget that Geithner is the same guy that "fogot" to pay his taxes and Obama stuck by him.

Obama to Buy Cardigan

Remember when Jimmy Carter addressed the nation wearing a cardigan, pleading with us to save energy by putting on a sweater instead of cranking up the heater?  Barack Obama did something similar during the campaign trail, asking us to inflate our tires and keep our thermostat in check.  Well by now you've probably seen those photos of Obama in the Oval Office w/o his jacket because he's cranked up the temperature.  Inexcusable hypocrisy. 

Things that Make me Cry

I'm watching "Personal Lessons" on the Golf Channel.  Tonight's episode featured these two guys who've been playing golf for 30 years.  One is a 15 handicap and the other is an 18.  They were almost tearing and ashamed as they confessed how bad they are after 30 years of playing golf.  Made me almost cried too, because I'm thinking that could be me some day.

The Cynic

An Obama Icon of myself through that Obama Icon Me website.

Maybe "skeptic" would have been better, but I'm too lazy to redo it.  I'm very skeptical of Barack Obama.  Take his reported 14 handicap.  I've seen his swing, it's ugly like mine.  There's no way he's a 14 handicap.  I think people are just throwing that number out to make him look good.  If you lie about your golf game what else are you going to lie about?  Oh, lobbyist in your administration.  Forgot about that one. 

Obama Breaks Pledge, On Day 1

Unbelievable this guy.  So Obama makes this grand pledge of no lobbyist in his administration.  Oh, except when he gives a waiver to his deputy secretary of defense William Lynn.  Don't make pledges you break on day 1 of your presidency.  Don't pretend to be of greater moral clarity when you obviously are just another politician.  You know if Bush pulled a stunt like this the media would be all over it, but so far no major criticism by the media.

Obama's First Big Mistake

Closing Gitmo.  We have to release those innocent detainees, cry the crazy left wingers.  Well, here's a story for you tree huggers: Freed by U.S., Saudi Becomes Al Qaeda Chief.  Say what you will, but I felt a lot safer when my President was willing to lock up and torture guys who would suicide bomb us for a chance at virgin pussy--pardon my French.  Lets hope that this mistake by Obama won't have deadly consequences.

Government Priorities

You might have heard that Barack Obama retook the oath of office because the word "faithfully" was omitted.  Leave it to the government to waste time and money to redo something that didn't need to be redone.  Does anybody really think that because he didn't say "faithfully" that somehow he's not a legitimate president?  That Joe Biden might takeover in a constitutional coup?  But idiots in government apparently have nothing better to do than have Obama retake the oath.  Very disappointed.  I want a president who would have said, "Are you kidding me?  We're at war, we're in a deep recession, and you want me to waste time  retaking the oath because one word wasn't said?  You're fire."

Obama's Priorities: the Playoffs and his Blackberry

So I've been listening to sports radio almost exclusively lately.  No more news talk, just can't stand all the incessant nonsense between Democrats and Repubicans, conservatives and liberals, Jews and Muslims.  With sports talk there's also that nonsense but at least over the weekend things are settled when teams play.  My favorite sports talk host is Jim Rome.  I actually delay my morning commute so I can listen to him on the way in.  The guy is such a douchebag but is freakin' hilarious.  Take, for example, his back handed slap on Barack Obama.  Basically he thinks Obama's priorities are awesome because Obama's two main agenda points are 1) replacing the BCS with a playoff system; and 2) keeping his Blackberry despite Secret Service objectives.  That's exactly something I would say.  Seriously, come on Mr. President, you got better things to deal with than keeping your Blackberry and pushing for a playoff system?