The Week Ahead

A few things to keep tabs on as the last week of June 2006 comes to a close.

• Keep an eye on Iraqi immigration in the months (and years) ahead. In the past 10 months, the Iraqi government has issued 2 million passports, and more than 40% of Iraq’s professional class have fled the country since 2003. If this keeps up the insurgenct attacks will stop because there won’t be anyone around to attack. (Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought the whole idea of the US ‘liberating’ the country was to keep people IN the country. Did I miss something???)
• Pay attention as a few conservative members on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee are throwing the idea out there that the Bush Administration should have direct talks with North Korea in order to attempt to resolve the ongoing tensions. Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) stated that “We (the US) need to talk directly with North Korea. The sooner we do that, the sooner we’re going to get this resolved.” Well, there’s a radical idea… talking. We’ll definitely have to keep an eye on this to see how it plays out… stay tuned.
• Pay heed to the calls for Iraqi amnesty. Read some articles about it HERE and HERE as they’ll do a better job of explaining it than I would.
• One should keep an eye on the goat and put this under the “You have got to be fuc**** klidding me” files. The British army has a goat as their “offical” mascot… named Billy (wow, the army must have taxed their considerable originality and creativity in coming up with that name) The goat participates in various ceremonies and events… but no longer. He’s been knocked down a few pegs and demoted. Why? Because during a parade to mark Queen Elizabeth’s birthday, the goat marched out of line… (the horror… it marched out of line… the bast***) One soldier accused Billy of “trying to head-butt the waist and nether regions” of some drummers (but really, who hasn’t tried to do that a couple of times?). Now, with the goat’s demotion, soldiers of a lower rank are no longer expected to salute the goat.
• Pay attention as the Senate takes up (once again) a constitutional amendment to outlaw burning or otherwise desecrating the U.S. flag (because it’s something that people are SO worried about right now) As of right now, 59 senators have signed on as a co-sponsor of the bill that was originally introduced by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) but it’s still doubtful that the bill would get the 67 votes needed for it to be approved. (This is a shameful election year ploy that has no bearing on anything going on in this country right now. Various polls have shown that people don’t give a damn about this issue right now, but once again the Republicans show they don’t listen to the people and take up an issue that has no merit. Brilliant strategy everyone… absolutely brilliant)
• Keep your eyes (and lungs) open as the Supreme Court gets ready to consider whether the Bush administration has to regulate carbon dioxide in order to combat global warming. The original suit states that the EPA is under an obligation to limit carbon dioxide emissions from motor vehicles under the Clean Air Act. The Bush administration disagrees (imagine my surprise) and maintains that carbon dioxide is not a pollutant under the Clean Air Act. Stay tuned…
• Pay attention to Sen. Joe Lieberman’s (D-CT) heart and blood pressure. Everywhere he turns he’s being rebuffed for their support. Even from his old pal and running-mate Al Gore declined to offer his support to him, and now Sen. Fuss Feingold (D-WI) has poured more gasoline onto the fire by refusing to back him as well. Oh well. Lieberman has aligned himself with the GOP too many times and now the voters are taking notice and are making their feelings heard.
• Keep an eye on lobbying reform as it seems to have come to a ‘sudden, arboreal’ stop.
• Pay attention to the deep chasm that is US citizens’ and their feelings about Iraq and a possible US withdrawal. According to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, people are vastly divided over whether or not a deadline for withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq should be made or not with 47% favoring a deadline and 51% who oppose a deadline.

Take 'em as you will...