My Political Opinion

Gay Marriage

2006-02-13T17:05:00.000-08:00

It is a shame that we live in a state where our representatives will pass a gay marriage ban. It is terrible that America who prides itself on being accepting of so many cultures, being a "salad bowl" if you will, discriminates aghast its own citizens based on their sexual orientation. What is the real reason for their such disdain and disapproval of gay marriage, and of homosexuality in general for that matter? "Protecting the sanctity of marriage" is the banner undershirt they flock, in a country where fifty percent of marriages will en in devours. So let me ask you, what sanctity is there to hold on to, and how will admission of gays into the wonderful world of marriage tarnish its already grungy surface?
I think that all law abiding citizens should have the exact same rights, and privileges. I think that gay people should be accepted into this country through the legal system as they have been socially. It is also argued that homosexuals only want to gain the right to marry for the tax breaks, and assuming this is true, what's wrong with that, straight people have that right, shouldn't the homosexuals?
This is one of those issues that really makes me embarrassed to be an American. I think that it is awful that such an important, creative, and cultured section of our society is discriminated against, as if they can not love somebody as passionately as a straight person, or are not worthy to marry as a straight person.

January not friendly to Miners

2006-02-13T16:41:00.000-08:00

In the month of January 19 miners in West Virginia died on the job in at least two different incidents. First of all, it is obvious that mining is a very dangerous job, and that those who died know just how dangerous that it can be. However, it is totally unacceptable that there were measures that could have been taken first of all to provide them with a better air supply, but also improve the safety overall. I am very glad to see the measures that were taken to remedy the issue but I think that more can be done, and I hope that through some process of government, safety can be achieved.
Even though it was good that the media covered the whole catastrophe to alert the nation as a whole of the horrible conditions endured by minors. It was absolutely appalling the manner in which they did it. They attempted to interview the family members while their loved ones were trapped, presumed dead below in the mines, they stayed much longer than what was right and attended the minors private funerals. That is just disgusting, its like commercializing the death of our fellow citizens.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/02/02/mine.safety.ap/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/22/mine.fire.ap/index.html

Bush's Immigration Plan

2005-12-12T17:14:00.000-08:00

This immigration plan sounds great in theory, and if it gets proper funding and if those employers who hire illegals stop and stick to the plan outlined by the president then I am confident that it will work. I think that it really it terrible how easily Mexicans (and anyone really) can get across the border into our country I feel like if it is easier for them to do it legally it is possible that they will stop doing it illegally. Although it seems really horrible to say it I definitely agree that Hispanics immigrants are hired to do the jobs that Americans refuse to do, and it is very interesting the delicate yet outright way that he put it. I think that his plans will be very hard to enact, but I am confident that if they are, then American will be a better, and possibly safer place.

"We do not torture"

2005-12-12T16:49:00.000-08:00

I think that this whole thing about the United States using torture is ridiculous. First of all I think that it is absolutely idiotic and quite naive to realistically believe that the US doesn't use some measures of interrogation that are unorthodox. It is also hard for me to believe that the CIA doesn't have some sort of secret supposes in other country's where interrogations can be carried out. When we have such a large, extensive spy community I imagine that such places are necessary and plentiful. Of coarse nobody in the government is going to admit to such things, and frankly I'm glad that they don't, for if they did it would put us in an even worse light in the eyes of the world, and might compromise these cells missions.
http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/1105/275498.html

Virginia Elections - Victory!!

2005-11-13T18:46:00.000-08:00

I am absolutely ecstatic that Tim Kaine won the race for governor. Actually, in truth I am equally relieved that Kilgore did not win, and thus does not have the chance to derail all the policies and programs that Warner put in place. I think that the fact that a democrat can win in such and overwhelmingly red state is quite encouraging for the next presidential election and is a testament to the continued failure of the republican majority to govern in a satisfactory way. Thank god we still have a competent governor, even though here in Charlottesville we have so many voters who supported the quite unnecessary elected school board. (Probably the same idiots who love to whine to the school board about the achievement gap)

Scooter Libby Indictment

2005-10-31T14:38:00.000-08:00

I am one who for being somewhat interested in politics, is very passionate about how elected officials, or those appointed by elected officials conduct themselves while in office. I find it disgusting when those who we elect represent us in embarrassing and foolish ways, and are not held accountable for their actions. So in that sense, I am extremely grateful that Scooter Libby has finally been held accountable for something that he did, and I am hopeful that the scandal will continue to work itself up the chain, knocking off Carl Rove, and anyone else found guilty. However, if he is found innocent then I will be happy to accept the decision of the jury, no matter how disgusted I am with the Bush White House.

Gubernatorial Debate

2005-10-10T14:05:00.000-07:00

I found the debate to be just as I expected except slightly more interesting. Before this debate I had a hard time identifying pertained issues that a governor would be forced to deal with or make policy on. I discovered that many are also the ones discussed in the presidential debates, with the exception of homeland security and foreign policy.
I also found in this debate the vast difference between Kaine and Kilgore, and thus the Democratic and Republican Party. Though I am admittedly a quite biased source I found that Kaine was much clearer, and much more confident than Kilgore who at times stumbled over his words. However in the messages that they were both trying to get across they were both quite clear and successful.
I think that both candidates layed out their drastically different views and made it very clear to Virginians what they are all about.

Osama and Katrina

2005-09-14T18:16:00.000-07:00

Thomas Friedman is right on in this article. It is absolutely true that when 9/11 occurred we were so scared, angry, and blindly attached to George Bush, that we gave him a blank check, and he took it and ran. Bush over the last four years has gotten everything that he wanted, including a war in Iraq, an ambassador to the UN who doesn't believe in it, and attorney general who once called the restrictions set up by the Geneva Convention against torture "outdated", he has handed out massive tax cuts while increasing government spending, and lost many United States allies. Another words he has dug himself and America into a hole that just got even bigger with the Katrina tragedy.
Friedman seems to think that Katrina will either "restore America" from Bushes evils, or "destroy (his) presidency." Whether either is true or not, I am not so optimistic. I just hope that in three years the democrats have a better candidate on the ballot.

The Governments "Response" to Hurricane Katrina

2005-09-11T10:55:00.000-07:00

After every major disaster there is always a brief lull, between the disaster occurring, and relief finding its way to those people. It is simply unchangeable, it flat out takes time for trucks to get loaded with medical supplies, national guardsman be relocated, and stockpile of food be distributed. No amount of government planning, policy making, legislating, or spending will help.
However, when that lull is four or five days, to a week, then there is a problem. When there are thousands of people stranded at one spot and the "leader" of the relief effort has no knowledge of it until watching the news, then there is a problem. When there are predictions from a city engineer that dikes will not be able to hold out the water two days before the hurricane makes landfall and nothing is done, then there is a problem.
This disaster was gargantuan, and has effected millions of lives directly, but it is the governments responsibility the take care of the people, and when that is not done, then something is wrong.

My Private Idaho

2005-08-30T08:10:00.000-07:00

Although I do think that it is important that the president to be in Washington at most times, I know that this is not as big of an issue as people would like to portray it. It is not as though Bush while on his ranch in Texas, does not work. I'm sure that in the world of the internet and in the advent of video conferencing and other electronic tools, that Bush still fulfils some if not most of his job requirements. Also, in the event of a national emergency in Washington, or wherever else it might be, he could jump on Air Force One and be on the scene within hours. I don't really have any major problem with him spending much of his time at his home in Crawford, because after all, being the President has got to be an extremely stressful job.
The only notable problem that I have with him constantly being on vacation, is the message of superiority that it sends and the attitude that he can do whatever he wants, which has been present in all facets of his presidency.

Poll: 90 percent support right to protest war

2005-08-28T19:55:00.000-07:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9084651/

What scares me about this is that it is only 90 percent. Who are the other ten percent, who are so blindly attached to this president, that they would gladly give up not only the first amendments rights of their countrymen, but their own as well. This elusive ten percent are probably the same people out at rallies shouting that gays are going to hell, and that women should forfeit the rights to their own bodies, and I am pretty sure that they would put up a fight if they were being told to stop.

Test

2005-08-25T10:18:00.000-07:00

First Period Test