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Leon Panetta?

This one hits me a little close to home, as I have spent time as an analyst in a private intelligence firm and seen first hand the gathering, analysis and processing of security related intelligence.  Its not an industry suited to on the job training, or outsiders with no experience coming in to run the show.

My experience is different, of course - I was in an open source intelligence environment with no clearance issues or high level security questions - but I still grew to appreciate the field a great deal, and even in my small corner of the universe, I could see how intelligence is a much different animal.

My appreciation for the industry was enough that when I heard Leon Panetta’s name connected to the CIA I had to pinch myself to see if I was fully conscious and lucid.

I mean, seriously - what is this all about? Read more

Recently, Peter Johnson, Jr., a Fox News Legal Analyst, made this statement:

“The Supreme Court has made it clear with regard to congressman…the Constitution allows them to make a decision, but the decision is based on the parameters upon the constitution…are you the right age? Are you a citizen? That’s it. It’s not a discretionary thing, are you qualified? Do we like the guy that appointed you?” Johnson said.

I disagree with his assessment on several levels. First of all, it is true that the Supreme Court “made it clear with regard to Congressmen”…over 30 years ago. Times change. Opinions change. And, more importantly, the Court changes. Read more

In a pretty bold move, embattled Illinois Governor Ron Blagojevich held a press conference yesterday where he appointed former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to replace President-Elect Barack Obama as the Junior Senator from Illinois.

This is despite a promise from his lawyer a little over a week ago that Blago would not be appointing someone to fill the seat…and despite the urgings from many Illinois politicians, almost the entire current U.S. Senate (including all the members of the Democratic Senatorial Caucus), and many of Illinois’ citizens that he resign and let his replacement fill the seat…or, at the very least, that he just hold off on making the appointment. Read more

As I watch the coverage of Obama’s Transition Team, and the preparations for his Inauguration , as well as the preparations he’s undergone thus far towards completing his future Executive Branch, I can help but think of one thing: Obama is in an awful position.

Let me explain why: All the ads I’ve seen on TV, and all the talk I’ve heard and read about the Inauguration never fail to mention that Obama will be the first Black President the United States has had.

Why is this a negative, you ask?  I am suspicious, that no matter what Obama accomplishes during his Presidency, that is all his legacy will be: The first Black President of the United States. Read more

California’s Attorney General, today, changed his stance on Proposition 8. Where he had originally said that he would defend the initiative, he filed a brief stating that the passage of Proposition 8 was “unconstitutional”, since it deprives a specific group of individuals from a certain right.

Here’s the problem with that stance, though: Proposition 8 AMENDED the California State Constitution. By it’s very definition, a Constitutional amendment cannot be, in itself, unconstitutional. It my bring different parts of the Constitution into conflict with each other…a condition that may need to be remedied in a future amendment…but to amend a Constitution is to change it. An amendment carries the same legal weight as any other Article of the document and can, therefore, not be negated by it. Read more

The absolute gaul that these people have, to sit in righteous indignation of corporate executives taking a private jet to a Congressional hearing and making a CEO’s salary (two things that have about as much financial impact on their business troubles as my dropping a penny out of my pocket yesterday has to do with my bank account), while they silently do this is simply sickening.

Congress just gave itself a pay raise.

Yes, that’s right, after they spent wasted countless hours lecturing corporate executives from the auto industry about “wasteful spending” and “un-necessary salaries”, basically forcing some theatrical farce where they came back later driving cars and pushing them into taking no salary, our fine legislators patted themselves on the back and said, “we deserve some more money for being this awesome!”. Read more

Joe absolutely (and rightly) takes the media to task over sending the troops into Alaska, while completely lacking any investigation into Chicago, and Obama’s rise in the most corrupt political city in America. Absolutely beautiful.

I’ve seen too many of these to not share.

Amazing.

What kind of universe does this woman live in? Increased productivity is because workers have healthcare? She can’t possibly be drinking THAT much kool-aid, can she? Important issue, yeah - but my lord woman.

Romney sure does look like he’s going to run in four years, doesn’t he? Whatever his reasons for beating the drum on this issue, good for him. He’s the only Republican who has any credibility on this right now.

She is on another planet - the problem is we didn’t explain it good enough?

Try, the American people don’t like subsidizing failure. ::sigh:: Granholm is in absolute la-la land, my lord. She can’t even bother arguing for why the bailout was a good idea, she could only be bothered to cry like a baby about “the Republicans in the Senate”.

Not acting as Americans?

You wouldn’t be assailing Republican patriotism, would you Governor? Wasn’t it your party that got so incredulous over similar language being lobbied at you a few years ago?

Hypocrite.

John McCain was awfully fond of referring to Barack Obama as “The One” throughout the campaign, making light of his cult of personality and iconic status among his supporters as some kind of messianic savior - but I think McCain had it wrong.

George W. Bush is the one - he, my friends, is Neo.

While making a surprise visit to Iraq this weekend, Bush appeared at a press conference to discuss the Iraqi security pact, when suddenly Agent Smith an Iraqi reporter emerged from the crowd and began firing bullets throwing shoes at the president.

Bush, undaunted by the hurling projectiles, initiated what I will forever refer to as “the Bush maneuver”. The American president deftly juked to the side with reflexes that can only be explained by some kind of non-biological ability. Read more

A charismatic and young Democrat, capitalizing on the unpopularity of President Bush, sweeps into office in November by winning roughly 370 electoral votes.

He did this on the back of his personal charm and advocacy for a “change” in government, rejecting “more of the same”.  In so doing, he captured a number of states that were thought to be Republican strongholds.  The candidate had spent a great deal of time overseas before he pursued a political career, and had never joined the military.  “Hope” was a buzzword for the Democrat.

During the election, the economy was in severe recession, something the Democratic candidate blamed on Bush and his Republican allies.  Jobs were lost, the stock market was hurting and the once stratospheric approval ratings of the incumbent were now crumbling, well below 50%.  To top it all off, the country had just fought a war in Iraq, and the country was fatigued from international affairs, much more concerned with kitchen table issues. Read more

With all that’s going on right now with Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D-IL), the question becomes, what does the future hold for the seat in the United States Senate that was just vacated by President-elect Barack Obama?

The fact becomes that that seat is a poison apple. At least while Blagojevich remains governor (which I can’t see will be long, with the amount of evidence supposedly against him), anyone appointed to the seat to finish out Obama’s term until it expires in 2010 would undoubtedly have a huge mountain to climb in their re-election campaign…leading to what could essentially amount to an open Senate seat. Read more

The White Knight of Gotham Chicago - Patrick Fitzgerald. That’s the man’s new nickname.

I’m sure I don’t really have to tell you what this article is about - if you’ve turned on a computer you have likely seen reports from all over the web about Governor Blagojevich of Illinois being arrested for corruption charges.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the man who ran on a promise to clean up Illinois politics after the stain of its previous corrupt governor, who is now in jail, is now himself - in jail.

This is surprising, and also not surprising in many ways. Read more

The Supreme Court today rejected the first of several challenges as to the true nationality of our President-Elect, Barack Obama. This suit, brought about by a New Jersey man who contends that Obama was a British National when he was born, and thus ineligible to be President.

There is still at least one more challenge to Obama’s citizenship status still pending: Philip Berg has filed a lawsuit which has already been rejected by Federal Courts in Pennsylvania. The next (and last) stop will be the Supreme Court.

Finally, a bit of commentary: To put it bluntly…this is all asinine. Philip Berg is a lawyer. My legal expertise extends to having a Interdisciplinary Concentration in Legal Studies from the University of Maine…and still, I can see that Title 8, Section 1401 of the United States Code makes Obama a natural-born citizen of the United States. Read more

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