I’m a big fan of John Hodgman, probably best known as PC in the ‘I’m A Mac and I’m a PC” Apple commercials. He a fine comedian and has sharp and pointed intellect.
After the fold is a video of John Hodgman performing at the Radio and Tv Correspondents Diner and he provides not only fine humor but a unique way to look at the changing of the guard in Washington. It’s about 14 min long and it’s best viewed by geeks and nerds.
With James von Brunn’s attack at the National Holocaust Museum and Scott Roeder’s assisination of Dr Tiller in Kansas, there has been a real push to identify the killers as right or left wing.
With Scott Roeder there was not not much pushback on describing his views as being on the right. Anti-abortion is pretty much found only on the right these days and in fact a primary definition of what it means to be on the right. With James von Brunn the situation is much more murky.
Takes a look at this picture. It a group a group of people protesting the agenda of the current administration to expand healthcare coverage in this country.
(It is interesting to note that there has not been a detailed plan put forward, do people are protesting the mere idea of expanding coverage not the method by which it is expanded.)
There’s a very good chance that every person in this picture is currently on Medicare. Medicare is socialized medicine, the very thing that they are ‘protesting.’
Government healthcare for me but not for thee?
Breaking news today of an abortion providing doctor shot dead while at his church. It’s terribly that there are those who when they feel powerless strike out with violence and vengeance. I expect that for at least the next two years, and maybe longer, we will see an uptick in this sort of right-wing terrorism. I am not saying that because I think the right is more prone to terrorists acts than the left. Eco-terrorists and animal rights activist as engage in terrorist activity to promote there causes. While I do not have the data at my finger tips I would not be surprised to to find that the left-wing terrorist actions spiked from 2000-2006. During that time the congress, both houses, and the executive were controlled by the conservatives. The extremist faction on the left feeling powerless and helpless before their enemies would then become more prone to violent action. I think the same dynamic is at work now, but on the right. the Liberal control the congress, both houses, and the executive. the extremists on the right are going to feel powerless and under attack. That is a recipe for violence. We should not condemn everyone on the right or everyone everyone who feels that abortion is not a right. (That does NOT include me. I feel it is a right protected by the 9th amendment.)
I can’t say I am surprised by the decision of the California Supreme Court to uphold proposition 8 and revoke the right to marry for gay couples, but I am saddened and concerned that we have to travel down this road.
My personal belief is that it isn’t the government’s business who we marry. I’m a fairly libertarian kind of guy always preferring to live and let live. However, because I want gay people to have fully the same rights I have does not mean I will gnash my teeth and spit venom over this ruling.
The state constitution is unclear what is a revision and what is an amendment. I could see the argument to overturn Prop 8 based on that premise — that it is a revision and not an amendment — but I can also see the weakness in the argument. The argument did not carry the day and now the fight returns to the ballot box. In the end I think the fight will be won by the right side and if the GOP continues to align itself strong with the opposing side then they are in for hard times.
However there is cause for concern. Right now in California any right not already secured and protected by the federal government is subject the whim of the majority. Fifty percent plus one is all it takes to revoke a right in California.
A constitutional republic is supposed to be about protecting the right of the minority and then has been terribly weakened this week.