To be somewhat charitable to the Bush administration, the symbolism and mythology of their behavior is to recognize that "spin" or "lies" have played an important role in the marketing for the Invasion of Iraq and the attendant discourse that has and continues to follow this overall marketing effort.  But there have been some glitches.

"I have no doubt that the free and well-informed people can and sift through the increasing volume of information and over time develop a balanced view of our government, our Armed Forces, and our values and principles."

                              Donald Rumsfeld
                                June 18, 2005

In a de=-classe contrast, one should consider the following:

John Hawkins:   "How about dashing off a quick sentence or just
                a word or two about the following......John
                Murtha."

Ann Coulter:  "The reason soldiers invented 'fragging'".

Need more be said?  Of course and when it comes to Donald Rumsfeld, argumentation and refutation and where the "unassailable" facts are available, Rumsfeld will always lose the argument.

And in this contrast with Ann Coulter, she deserves to be challenged regardless of when, what, and how, she says it.  Otherwise, her constant attempts to convince others that she should be taken serious, will gain traction, and thereby coarsening our public discourse.  Moreover, her opportunistic and lame attempts at addressing the "deficit needs" of Maslow's Theory for a Hiearchy of Needs, should be recognized for what "it" is.  As for me, a simple-minded fellow that I am, I too recognize 'gutter politics' when it is on full display by Coulter and the like-minded.  Thus, she deserves to be ridiculed, but never ignored.

Now, if I am wrong, then it will be likely be that Donald Rumsfeld too will challenge Ann Coulter, and this challenge will take place in a public forum for all to see.

In Arizona, Governor Janet Napolitano (D) has been engaged in a long-running and hotly-contested battle with the Republican-led State Legislature over funding for teaching English to Spanish-speaking youngsters attending our public schools.  Of course, this battle goes back many years, and has been all about a federal lawsuit in which the judge found for the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest and which brought the lawsuit forward.  This legal case is known as Flores v. Arizona.

However, national right wing ideology intruded into the state's politics in the 1980's in which the Republican Party was determined to eliminate our public school education and to be replaced with an undefined private school systemic.  This view was well-articulated by the former Secretary of Education, Bill Bennett and of course, President Reagan was a firm believer in this nonsense.  

In Arizona in the late 1980's, this Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest the State of Arizona to task for its lack of a Constitutional behavior for adequately funding its public schools, and the federal courts ruled in favor of this public interest law firm.  As such, the State Legislature was forced to go back to square one and to create and implement a mechanism in which equalization was eventually achieved between the poor and rich school districts for delivering quality education.  But to even more surprise for the Republican-led Legislature, the Federal Court Judge in Tucson ruled that equalization must be achieved as well, relative to English Language Learners.

This commentary has been posted at the "Cactus Juice--Commentaries" at www.chicanoveterans.com and posted here for your consideration and commentary, and should you wish to do so.

The New "Rock Stars" of American Politics

For those of you who don't know or  who are unfamiliar with some of what we have accomplished, back in the run-up to Congressional elections of 2002, the Chicano Veterans Organization took on the comprehensive effort to identify four military veterans, and regardless to political party affiliation, we encouraged our backbone of political support and economic support--over fifteen thousand Chicano Military Veterans and as small business owners--to contribute some of their financial largesse to these four challengers.

With this in mind, let us now assess where this effort has now gained traction nationally, and survey the overall results to date.  Of course, one needs to understand that when you have the capacity to be a catalyst, you, of course, "catalyize".

For the Democrats, there are now 35 military veterans running as challengers in the 2006 and are recognized now as the Fighting Dems.  These Vets met in Washington DC on December the 20 and organized themselves as the Veterans for a Secure America.

For the Republicans, there are only 2 military veterans running in the 2006 Congressional elections as challengers.

Note:  You will be hearing more about our Brothers and Sisters through the traditional media as well as from the CVO here at this website.  "Congratulations" to our Brothers and Sisters for stepping up to the plate and accepting your civic duty and responsiblity for keeping the Future of America front and center in our public discourse.

Of course, I do not need to tell you what this means, since we all know what that means for America.  Perhaps, I am preaching to the Choir of Angels?

Jim Gonzales
President
Chicano Veterans Organization

This past Sunday, I took the opportunity to see how Howard Dean would come across on the Meet the Press, and I thought he came close to hitting a home run out of the ball park, to use a sports analogy.

In particular, I was intrigued when he touched on health care, and moved somewhat tentatively to Indian health care, but then stopped short. At that point, I thought he's "got it", but obviously not. Therefore, his "wrong-headed white guy" syndrome must have kicked in.

Why?

With the Bush-Cheney Combine's attempts to decrease funding in the health care arena, the primary issue among Native Americans is Indian Health Care and this is evidenced by the political support that was tossed by the Navajo Nation to Republican Congressman Renzi from the First District in Arizona.

Thus, Native Americans see both pro-choice and pro-life issues as the embodiment of "human rights" and therefore consider this contentious paradigm to include abstinence, use of birth control, pre- and post-natal care as all the same
in the political context.  But to accomplish this viewpoint and vision requires money, and the powers that be, either Republican or Democrat, will not make these funds available in sufficient quantities.

Perhaps, the gaming revenues of the various Tribes will help in this regard, and if so, then the American People will come to realize that exemplars of success will demonstrate the Universal Health Care is in fact do-able.

And our political "elites" need to begin the serious process of how to "roll" universal health care into an existing organization such as the Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital System.  

Otherwise, we will be discussing Universal Health Care for the next several generations where our children's children will continue to suffer the educational and medical consequences of our national neglect.

And needless to say, and often overlooked is that a coalition of military vets, seniors and low-income would prove to be a considerable political force that is currently unobtainable by the Right AND is being wasted by the Democrats.

As a new arrival here at mydd, this is my first post, and my overarching purpose is to share a tad of thoughtfulness as to why the progessive community is falling short in its objectives.

And by way of background, I am a Vietnam Vet and use my underwhelming skills to advance the objectives of the Chicano Veterans Organization (www.chicanoveteran.org.)while my political efforts are in a self-isolated corner of the Democratic Party. Although I am of the perspective that if I do not describe myself, others will always do it for me.  As such, I am an "aggressive" moderate in constrast to a "passive" moderate or even a traditional progessive.  Although there is much in common with the Progressive and much to be gained according to the Sweat Lodge of the Grand Compromise and where the readily available Coronas are ice-cold.  But you have to bring the hotter than hell salsa.  Of course, the blue chips are optional.

For example, when the late Senator Goldwater of my home state of Arizona, terminated the military draft with substantial Democratic allies, the 'bell tolled' for the Democrats in the arena of national security and defense.  To wit, ask any thoughtful conservative, and he or she will tell you that Democrats have little, if any credibility in this arena.

On the other hand, I have worked for four solid years to engender the requiste support to get a national organization to endorse the notion for an "Academic-Military Draft".  In this manner, 'fairness' as viewed throughout America can be the fulcrum for the Democrats to regain the ascendance for national security and defense issues. And Kerry proved me correct.

In any event, the "academic-military draft" requires that the majority of 18-year olds enlist for a minimal period of three years, and in which fifty percent of the enlistment is spent in academics and the remaining fifty percent of the time, is dedicated to the military mission.  At the time of honorable separation, each enlistee will have acquired at a minimum, a GED and two years of college equivalent to a community college degree in general studies.  Therefore, each newly-minted military vet can walk into any local lending institution and borrow the financial resources to complete the third and fourth year of academics at a college or university of his or her choice.  And the Federal Government will guarantee the loans as per the GI Bill.

Consequently, self-empowerment is the nexus for ambition and opportunity. And by Democrats being focused on self-empowerment initiatives, the political Right will be effectively sidelined.  And needless to say but will, Norquist and Crowd have positioned themselves behind the proverbial eight ball.  Put simply, the Right cannot compete in this arena for lacing up the combat boots and strapping on the body armor, and all that follows politically and economically. And by organizing our national resources accordingly, individual aspirations can be achieved easily. To me, that is 'real' reform.