Money More Valuable Than Life?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will sanction more Iranian companies if it receives hard evidence of wrongdoing, U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said on Wednesday.

19 June 2007

Why is it our leaders need "hard evidence" to impose economic sanctions against Iran, but all they need to start a war is a bad feeling in their gut?

Lowering Standards, Increasing Insecurity

The New York Times reports that the Army has once again increased the number of waivers Army recruiters are allowed to issue to incoming recruits. In 2006 alone, over 8,100 men and women who, in normal times would have been turned away, were welcomed into the ranks of the US Army. And 820 of them had felony convictions.

When you realize that all of America's domestic terrorists -- Timothy McVey (Oklahoma City), Eric Rudolph (Atlanta) and John Allen Muhammad (Washington, "Beltway Sniper") -- were ex-military, admitted under far stricter standards, you have to wonder what's in store for us in the years to come with this modern crop of trained killers.

NH Political Events

Venezuela acts like Republican Congress

Venezuela follows the lead of US Republicans:

Chavez Gets Powers to Remake Venezuela
A congress wholly loyal to President Hugo Chavez granted him authority to enact sweeping measures by decree.

(NY Times, 31 Jan 07)

What a difference a day makes

Twenty-eight days before the election:

"The Democrats are the party of cut and run."—George W. Bush, Oct. 10, 2006

Fourteen days before the election:

"But if the Democrats were to take control, their policy is pretty clear to me: it's cut and run."—George W. Bush, Oct. 24, 2006

One day after the election:

"I don't know how many members of Congress said, "Get out right now." I mean, the—candidates running for Congress and the Senate. I haven't seen that chart. I—I—some of the comments I read, well, they said, 'Well, look, we just need a different approach to make sure we succeed.' Well, you can find common ground there."—George W. Bush, Nov. 8, 2006

What a difference a day makes.

Shameful.

A week after her husband issued a despicable warning that to vote for a Democrat on 7 Nov would ensure "the terrorists win, and America loses," Laura Bush wagged a reproving finger at Democrats admonishing them to engage in "conversations conducted with civility and respect."

The hypocrisy, of course, will not make a single news cycle.

Meanwhile, the President and Republican leaders rally around Rumsfeld and Cheney, and blame the troops for the situation in Iraq. There is a certain brilliance in the "we're listening to the generals on the ground" sound bite. If things go well, you puff up your chest and claim to be a brilliant leader. If things go poorly, you just shift the blame.

Is it possible...

I've been in a bit of a theolocial and religious identity crisis for the past several years. After much reading -- though I wouldn't say extensive -- and some thought -- though I wouldn't say deep -- I've come to the conclusion that I'm a non-Trinitarian Christian.

Is that even possible? Maybe Deist is the better term.

I just think the whole Trinity thing is more complicated than it needs to be: One God in three beings? Either there's one God or there isn't. I really like the teachings of Jesus, but do I have to believe he was God in order to believe he spoke Godly things?

And don't even get me started with Paul, Constantine and the whole Nicean Council... :)

Maybe I'm a Deist, maybe a non-Trinitarian Christian.... I dunno. I'll have to do more thinking. And remind me to check into my family tree. I'm getting a sneaking suspicion there might be some Jewish blood back there on my father's side...