If I had to pick the one thing that has most frustrated me about the Obama administration, it would be their refusal to enforce the laws involving war crimes. In fact, nothing else I can think of comes close. Dick Cheney is a war criminal who belongs in prison, and yet, he remains free due in large part of the refusal of our president to hold him accountable.
I applaud President Obama for banning torture and for taking numerous steps to improve upon the foreign policy of his predecessor. And yet, I find it difficult to have much respect for an administration that has looked the other way when it comes to prosecuting self-confessed war criminals.
Much like how he has handled health care reform, President Obama seems determined to exchange real progress for the appearance of bipartisanship. The problem is that when it comes to something as serious as war crimes, this means that he gives up the moral authority his position might otherwise command. He cannot very well condemn other nations for war crimes when he refuses to hold Cheney accountable for committing war crimes in our names. Worse still, he runs the risk of becoming complicit in Cheney's crimes.
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In matters of foreign policy, one of the markers the U.S. often uses to assess progress in other countries is whether they are holding free elections. Both Democratic and Republican administrations consider free elections a good sign because of their fundamental importance in a democratic society. Democrats and Republicans alike point to the peaceful transfer of power as a very positive sign, and both agree that this is one of the strengths of a democratic system.
So Fox "News" is upset with Bill Maher for referring to the Tea Party folks as "teabaggers" instead of some less embarrassing name they would prefer to be called. I suppose that is understandable. After all, we can't expect the family values crowd to want to be associated with teabagging, can we? What is really going on here, and why would the left select such an uncivil label to apply to the Tea Party movement?
Want to see an African American Congressman getting spit on by a racist teabagger? Oops, I suppose that last phrase was redundant, huh? Anyway, Huffington Post has the video. It was just a matter of time until this surfaced. As hard as it is to watch, I am glad that it is out there now. It just might make it harder for Fox "News" to continue denying that it happened.
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Now that we have a new health care law in the U.S., some are starting to speculate that public education may be the next big political battle. I'm not sure about that, but I am convinced that public education is in serious trouble and in need of assistance. Improving education is rarely given the priority it deserves, mostly because there appear to be few short-term benefits; however, few measures can go as far toward promoting long-term economic security as a strong public education system.
