Wounded Iraq Vet’s Moving On

Picture courtesy of Reuters

As we all read the latest and greatest news in the world of politics it was interesting to see Pat Robertson endorsing Rudi Giuliani for the Christian Conservatives. Talk about oil and water not mixing. Robertson sited that the people need someone that can deal with world terrorism and radical Islam for his decision to endorse Giuliani for President in 2008.

Republican’s seem to be running on the war against terror for President from a strength perspective and in some respects I agree with them but the world is a far different place than it was on September 11, 2001. Talking tough against terrorism and radical factions in the world is one thing but the cost for that kind of talk is paid in lives by our military. Military funerals are happening all across our nation every single day to the point that people can not comprehend anymore that the person in that hearse was someone’s baby that was being buried. Then you have the forgotten cost, the wounded military members that are sent back home to tend their wounds. That is what lead me to this amazing photo shoot over at Reuters. Please take the time to view the pictures on Reuters. My heart goes out to all of the people that help these soldiers to get back to some sense of normalcy as the world likes to see portrayed. No longer whole, these soldiers prove to the world that they are not done fighting. God bless them all.

IED’s are taking a serious toll on our troops in the field and the road back for many of these soldiers is a long one. The loss of one limb is extreme enough but many of these soldiers are suffering from multiple limb losses. Rehabilitation is brutal and hard on them personally, emotionally, and physically. Learning to walk again is not a simple task when you don’t have the legs you were born with. It’s easy to speak from courage in a political suit when you don’t have to face the results of that speech trying on a pair of prosthetic legs for the hundredth time in an effort to simply walk.

I’m not supporting any candidate that thinks that all of the possible avenues of diplomacy have been exhausted to end this war and that we need to send more American troops to Iraq or Afghanistan. I don’t think anyone in the Republican field of candidates truly understands that our military presence in Iraq now is no longer fighting terrorism as much as it is creating a new generation of terrorists. As far as the Democrat’s in the race for 2008, I believe only Senator Biden and Governor Richardson are advocating an exit plan that makes sense.

War is nothing glorious or moral, it is men killing one another because no other solution existed to stop the conflict. Our next election for President and the Congress should be a loud and clear voice that our American government has the ability to listen and talk to all peoples of the world without calling them a terrorist nation first. Military action comes with a very high price and using it as a first option simply because you can is not what this nation was ever about.

Papamoka

My personal thanks go out to Fisher House that provides local accommodation’s to wounded Military immediate family while our wounded men and woman in our military service fight back from what is a devastating circumstance for most families.

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Joe Biden, Statesman Enough for You?

Picture courtesy of Senator Biden office

For the record I kind of like Senator Joe Biden for a couple of reasons for President. He isn’t afraid to put his neck out on the line on any issue and he backs his stance up with the facts needed to do so. There isn’t an “Um, um, (cough, little bit of throw up there in the back of the throat) when he speaks when asked about any topic. His recall of facts immediately come forth and he tells the voters why he has the position he has and then follows up why the voter should have the same thought process.

Of all of the Democrat’s running for President I would have to favor Senator Biden over all of them when it comes to foreign policy. Unlike a former beauty pageant contestant, Joe Biden seems to know all there is about the world conflicts and he does not need a map to know where they are. I tend to doubt that the rest of the candidates other than Bill Richardson could go toe to toe with him on issues to do with conflict around the world.

Then there is the man that is Joe Biden and his style of campaigning that does not need one hundred million in the bank like Hillary or Barack. Knocking door to door, running for President in Iowa is as grass roots as you get.

Over at Yahoo News they have this story on what Senator Biden is doing for his bid for President of the United States…

By AMY LORENTZEN, Associated Press Writer
Tue Oct 2, 4:05 PM ET

DES MOINES, Iowa - Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden remains mired in single digits in Iowa polls, but he's racking up support from the state's legislators.

Biden has the backing of 10 legislators, including the House majority leader. That makes him at least competitive with top tier rivals Barack Obama, who has one more endorsement, and Hillary Rodham Clinton, who garnered the most endorsements. He also has more endorsements than John Edwards, who is vying with Obama and Clinton for the lead in Iowa polls.

Biden said the endorsements demonstrate that local politicians think he has a shot at gaining the nomination.

State lawmakers know the ins and outs of the caucuses, and they "wouldn't be endorsing me if they didn't think I could win in Iowa," Biden said in an interview with The Associated Press.

And, he said, their support could be crucial in the days leading to the caucuses.

"An endorsement in a caucus state from someone who gets out and knocks on doors and has an organization is significantly more valuable," Biden said. "You've got to be pretty dedicated to spend a couple of hours on a very cold January night somewhere in the 1,700 (caucus) precincts in Iowa."

Biden, who is making his second bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, has worked hard for the support. - Yahoo News

Our nations highest office has gone from George Washington who could have been the first American King to someone that thinks he is a King. Where George and Martha would put up visitors from all of the land if they ventured to Mount Vernon, George Bush would have the Secret Service have them arrested for trespassing. Granted the times and attempted assassinations on our President’s has made protection part of the job but the simple idea of being able to talk to your President no longer exists in America.

Has anyone actually talked to the current President, the past couple of President’s? Form letters in response to a letter you sent does not count.

If I had a choice of watching a television commercial of all of the candidates running for President or just one of them knocking on my door, I think I would be more persuaded to listen to the actual person standing in my kitchen or living room. Name twenty or more people that you would boast to about having a Presidential candidate in your home? Not on the television but he sat on your sofa or at your kitchen table and told you what he was all about. Then he asked you what you thought, holy crap! I would be telling the world.

You can spend millions on television and radio ads but nothing beats the one on one contact with the voters. In my lifetime I have met many politicians and the personal encounter is far different than what you will ever see in a thirty second advertising commercial. Not one person on this earth can have their entire message wrapped up in one television or radio commercial. Twenty minutes in your home breaks down a plethora of evils in the advertising dollars to be made on Presidential advertising.

Senator Biden is following a tried and true method of campaigning but the time for doing so is growing shorter. With many states vying to be first for bragging rights, the process of actually getting to know all of the candidates is lost. In doing so, the best person for the job of President ends up being in the hands of who can pay for enough advertisement.

It has been said that candidates for President love to press the flesh of the voters. In the same context, the voters need to press the flesh as well with the person that may just be the next President. Shaking hands with a man or woman that wants to be the leader of the free world is kind of important. You cant sell that or describe that emotional moment on television.

Carry on Senator Biden, I wish you luck and the opportunity to meet many interesting and concerned people that will welcome you into their homes in Iowa! Press the flesh my friend.

Papamoka

Cross posted at Bring IT ON!

UPDATE 10/21/2007: The Storm Lake Times endorses Joe Biden for President

It’s hard to go wrong with any of the candidates. We stand with Joe Biden because he has all the professional skills and, more important, the personal strength to get the job done unlike any other candidate.

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Politics and Presidents... And Money!

Politics and running for President is now more about what the people want to hear and not what the government they aspire to represent is all about. Somewhere in the translation of what our nation is really all about the message was lost. Hope and the transition to change for the people was left by the way side for the dreams and aspiration of just one individual to be elected to the highest office in the land.

While Fox News, or CNN of ABC is telling you who is the front runner the message is the same. They are telling you who to vote for by putting candidate X from party Y who you should vote for.

Following the money is an old tale to tell but it is just as true today as it was one hundred years ago when it comes to politics. Those with the largest war chest will have the most coverage and that in the television nation that we are will be the front runners in the election.

My point for this post is simple and it is up to you as an individual to sort out the wheat from the chaff. With our nation politics comes the opportunity to choose a leader for your nation. Whatever position you have on our military events across the world the time to speak you peace is by voting. Be you rich or poor the vote you have is your vote and nobody can ever take that right from you. Unless of course you fall pray to the MSM explanation as to whom is the pre determined winner before the vote ever happens.

America is riddled with a history of the millionaires amongst us that just happened to become President of the United States. It goes all the way back to George Washington. Reflection on our history proves that our nation is an experiment on economics that defends the powers that monetize the system best. Follow the money and that unfortunately is the American experiment.
It does not take a rocket scientist to see that no matter how much we bitch and complain about the loss of freedoms in this nation that we continually elect yet another millionaire President. Money is following money and KBR didn’t do that bad off by this President.

Think about it!

Papamoka

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Religion and Politics is Not like Honey and Bees

Picture courtesy of the White House

No matter who you think you are backing for President of the United States of America you really never know whom the real person is. Running for the highest office in the land is supposed to be of high morals and even higher expectations. I’m beginning to think that that is the problem with the current process. Is it not ironic to think that a candidate for President should mirror the values of all of the people and all of our faiths?

In the upcoming election for President there has been placed an abundance of attention on the candidates religion or practice there of. We even have a Reverend running for President in this latest round of political showmanship and who’s who on the Marquee of politics today that we call a ballot. Who is going to question a Reverend’s faith in God and weekly participation in a religious service? You should and that is who!

Over at the Pew Forum they have an interesting little piece on politics and religion and this little paragraph has my noggin a rocking…

The United States has a long tradition of separating church from state, but an equally powerful inclination to mix religion and politics. Throughout our nation's history, great political and social movements – from abolition to women's suffrage to civil rights to today's struggles over abortion and gay marriage – have drawn upon religious institutions for moral authority, inspirational leadership and organizational muscle. But for the past generation, religion has been woven more deeply into the fabric of partisan politics than ever before. - The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life

In politics and in the main stream media they keep bringing up the question of religion when it comes to our election process for President. It confuses me as to why they do that. If you were to walk up to anyone on the street and ask what that persons religion and practices are you better duck fast because either a shopping bag or a fist is coming your way. Why should it be any different for someone running for President?

We are a nation of many religions and many political factions and ideologies that would make a Suduko champion give up. In the cloth and puzzle that is America there is all of our religions and all of our political belief’s. Looking at any individual thread under a microscope only shows you the make up of that one strand that really isn’t America. Back away from the microscope and sit about twenty rows back on the fifty yard line and right in front of your eyes is the giant quilt that is America. All the faiths, belief, politics, ethnicity and personal choices are melded together to form something beautiful and a pleasure to the spirit of its people.

If our government is based on freedom of religion, freedom of speech and separation of Church and State, then why do people insist that religion should be a top priority for selecting our President today. If our Presidency is to govern to the Constitution as intended, but given the current religious litmus test to do so, then most of our past President’s would never have passed that test. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson would have been just a blip in our nations history as just a General that won a war and Jefferson was just an innovative thinker that lived and dreamed beyond his years.

Religion and politics do not mix for a reason. In one venue the ultimate truth is the ultimate truth and in the other is the combined agreement of man choosing the lesser of two evils that becomes the law of man. It isn’t perfect but it is what we call democracy.

Big difference, HUGE!

We should not vote based on our faith but vote our continued experience that is the American experiment. Faith in change is part of the never ending cycle of politics in America and that you can count on.

Papamoka

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One Word! Okay Tops Two!

Picture Courtesy of the White House

Elections are coming up fast and furious and people are talking and candidates are talking sound bites. This is your chance to participate in the sound bite. Just a little fun too!

List the Candidate for President of the United States of America first that you love or dislike and just ONE word... Okay TWO at the most.... to best describe how you feel about that candidate. Pro or Con on anyone running for President is acceptable. I'm not about to tally the results but it will be a fun read for all.

Post away in the comments and have fun! Just keep it clean...

I may need some help getting this moving so please email your friends and link back here.

http://papastraighttalk.blogspot.com/

Papamoka

Smoke and Mirrors to a bad Comb Over?

Picture courtesy of DebbieSchlussel.com

I’m not by any means a great fan of Rudy Giuliani (Me too Republican But…) in the upcoming elections and he continuously reaffirms my sentiment and personal dislike of him. While he is trying his best to scoop up the Republican base, or for that matter what Bush has left of it, he fails to come off even remotely sincere. Rather than offering guidance and hope to the American people he is offering four more years of George W. Bush. More shiny objects over here while he will continue the Bush policy of hiding what he too as President will be doing somewhere else.

In the former Mayor of the Big Apples case it will be a diversion in hair care and the comb over might be straight back, to the right, or to the left. It will not matter what kind of hair cut you want from the Mayor because he is going to do things…”My way”.

Over at the Washington Post they have a great piece on the Mayors comments recently about Democrats being losers for offering something, anything in regards to the Iraq, Afghanistan wars. The reply from Senator Joe Biden was to the point and right for the jugular of Giuliani’s remarks.

On Thursday, during a stop in Houston, Giuliani called Democrats "the party of losers" for demanding a scheduled pullout of U.S. troops from Iraq.

"Democrats have already declared we've lost," the former New York mayor said. "It's really strange. The Democrats want to give our enemies a timetable."

That drew a quick retort from Democratic candidate Sen. Joe Biden.

"It is absurd for Rudy Giuliani to call Democrats 'losers' after five years of failed Republican policies in Iraq," the Delaware senator said in a statement issued Friday.

Biden said cheap shots wouldn't make the United States or its troops any safer.

"Giuliani and the rest of the Republican candidates continue to cling to this administration's failed policy that a strong central government can be propped up in Iraq," Biden said. "If these are the positions he wants to defend, I invite him to debate me on these important topics."

Giuliani sidestepped a question on whether embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales should resign, saying the case has been distorted by partisanship in Washington.

"I think in the last six months it is quite possible the Democrats in Congress have set a record for subpoenas," he said. - Washington Post

Just a general correction for the former Mayor to think about, subpoenas are issued only when there is enough evidence to suggest that the law has been broken. Who were the ones that allegedly broken the laws of our land? Why did they allegedly break the law? I’m pretty sure that you just can’t make stuff up and issue subpoenas like lottery tickets.

What Giuliani is selling the moderates will not or should not buy. He is selling the horror of 9/11 and what it did to the people of his city on that tragic day. Personally, I think he should be ashamed for selling himself off as America’s strongest Mayor in a time of crisis like we all as Americans had on that day. He was not the one to bring America together, President Bush gets some credit for that but the people of America deserve the credit for more so. Together as a nation we all felt the need for revenge at one level or another. That is something none of us can deny. Our nation was aggressively attacked on that day and if you honestly think about it, revenge was in your mind. Eye for an eye was there in the back of your mind eating away at you. Action and reaction to the attack was called for and delivered by somewhat devious ways.

There have been some major mistakes by OUR government in the lead up to this multi front war and the perpetuation of mistakes to cover it up have only divided our great nation further. We need leaders that will speak from the heart and not from any political party play book sent down from the RNC or the DNC. America needs a new leader with fresh ideas and a very much different perspective from our current President. This coming election for our nations President should not be about George W. Bush. It should be about where we as Americans want to go from the point in time when he leaves office.

We can all bitch and moan over what one political candidate says against the other over the past mistakes on both political sides of the isle till the cows come home, or we can look to the future nation we want to pass down to our children. What we need to focus on is our nations future. We can continue down the road of this President or we can choose a path that is better and wiser.

Diplomacy from America is not dead, it has just been put on the back burner for a couple of administrations. We can either send out ten thousand diplomats to talk to nations around the world or propagate the Bush Doctrine of sending more troops to die for a cause that will never end.

Pick one? Peace amongst men by talking or foreign nations living in fear of America? That is the guts of this upcoming Presidential election and “We the People” have the power to make that choice.

Papamoka