Letters to the Editor
Bill Owen
Published Letters: 509 Editor's Choice: 6
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@ aych - Obama
[Read the article: McCain embraces Bush's radical views of executive power]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Yes, you are right. Obama is just as bad on the drug question as the rest - which makes him a hypocrite given his own admitted history. I assume he knows better. I agree with everything you say about the drug war, as I have told you before. And I agree that locking up 2.2 million (mostly black/Latino/poor) is insane and evil. I used to work for the prison service here in Canada at their national headquarters, and I know very well that prison, as a British Home Secretary said back in the 50's, is "a good way to make bad men worse".
But seriously what do you do? The American attitude toward drugs/incarceration is not really changing much. I am sure that you would agree with me that if Obama was to say the drug laws are stupid and counterproductive, let alone make noises about changing the laughably named "correctional" system, he would be finished.
All we can do is to try to educate people. It's a long slow, probably generational, process, but I can't think of a better alternative.
Here in Canada, our last Liberal government (yes they actually call themselves "Liberals") was actually going to legalise marijuana! Unfortunately, our new Prime Minister, elected with the help of Republican consultants, is now bringing in an American style crime bill with mandatory minimums et al. I am told that we will have to build 5 or 6 new prisons (we now have 42) just to handle the increase in bodies. Harper even plans on a new law that will mandate 6 months in jail for the possession of a single marijuana plant.
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@ DHK220
[Read the article: McCain embraces Bush's radical views of executive power]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I read the interview with McCain that you posted and I must admit that it is thought provoking in the sense that he seems to be with the angels on a number of issues. I just hope that he is sincere. Given his history of flip flopping, and earlier statements which run counter to what he said, I am not sure how much weight we can give them. This may be a case of him pandering to independents and those Hilary supporters who would not vote for Obama and vice versa.
I would like to see a clear and unambiguous promise from both candidates to dismantle the imperial "unitary executive". No dictator is a good dictator.
I don't agree with you characterization of Glenn. He may be partisan, but everything he says is supported by facts. In this I think he is pretty much at the pinnacle of his profession.
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Generally Compromised
[Read the article: CNN, the Pentagon's "military analyst program" and Gitmo]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I used to work in the prison system here in Canada, and although it is in no ways as brutal as Gitmo there were, and certainly are, abuses. Torture happens here too.
Occasionally, a group of MP's (Members of Parliament) or 'journalists' would come through. It was always the same routine. The place would get a paint job, and a thorough cleaning, the visitors would be taken to an empty range, no visit to the hole of course, and they would get to talk to a couple of tame inmates who knew that their parole would not happen were they to make noises about ill treatment or bad conditions. Everyone would get a delicious lunch with the Warden, and the inmates were happy because we would always put a steak on the menu for lunch.
Of course the real problem was not 'us' covering up, it was the 'journalist's and the MP's who were, shall we say, remarkably uncurious.
Everything was wonderful. Wonderful. (as Lawrence Welk used to say)
The networks will never cover this story. Never. Mea culpa? Are you kidding?
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Bush will never be investigated for anything
[Read the article: This Modern World]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The attack on Iran is on, the ensuing blowback will ensure that mccain will win the 'election' over the prissy, non-bowling obama. One of first acts of office will be to pardon buhs and chtheney the undead.
Good cartoon though! The really funny part is the idea that buhs is capable of managing anything, that was hilarious!
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His age matters very little
[Read the article: McCain Veepstakes]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Actually McSame has only a 0.022346 "death probabilty" and can be expected to live another 12.4 years on average. http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/STATS/table4c6.html
His VP will be Lieberman. Someone has to whisper in his ear...
Chtheney on the other hand will never die, sans stake anyway.
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Petraeus for VP!
[Read the article: McCain Veepstakes]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Oh, wait, he'll be busy! Bomb, bomb, bomb. Bomb Iran.
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@ electro
[Read the article: Finding Obama guilty of insufficient devotion to Israel]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Please give us your definition of anti-semitic. It's important to define terms. I would then very much appreciate some concrete examples of Glenn's antisemitism.
Glad to hear the confirmation about the orbiting Jewish nuclear platforms and the mind control rays, I always suspected as much. Too bad about the power coupling, I suspect Palestinian infiltration, they are, after all, like 'cockroaches'...
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11479.htm
I am a little surprised about the mind control rays though... I thought that was FOX news' job.
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Poor David Frum
[Read the article: Finding Obama guilty of insufficient devotion to Israel]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Imagine, living you life when your sole claim to fame is that you are a "former Bush speech writer". He couldn't even hold that job after his wife shot her mouth off and got him fired.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/feb/27/usa.matthewengel
I wonder how many "I wrote the Axis of evil speech, and all I got was this lousy t-shirt" he owns.
Who listens to this guy anymore? Does anyone remember his magnum opus, "An End to Evil: How to Win the War on Terror"? From Publishers Weekly: "In direct, often bulleted prose, the authors voice strong support for President Bush's current policies and initiatives, including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and for his policy of preemptive strikes where there is a perceived threat. They also push for a more vigilant "self-policed" America, the use of national ID cards, unwavering support for Israel, a hard line with Libya, Syria and the Saudis, and indifference toward European governments that stand in our way."
What a cipher.