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RSS FeedSeptember 19th, 2009
Joe Wilson is neither a racist nor very smart
On one hand I oppose Joe Wilson and other neo conservatives who try to block the health care reform by obfuscating the debate using irrelevant issues such as immigration, but in the same breath I also do not support racism witch hunts which surface every time two people argue.
Peace guys – hear no evil, see no evil. People disagree for reasons more than one.
September 12th, 2009
Give Justice a Chance
It has become commonplace in Indian politics for media to question the minister after the court gives out a verdict. As an example, when Moninder Pandher got acquitted in the infamous Nithari serial killing cases, the media was all over the Indian Union minister for women and child development, Krishna Tirath.
This is not the most conducive way to further the separation of executive and judiciary. The media in this case wants to see if the minister can do anything to further the prosecution’s angle since the judiciary had decided to acquit the charged individual. If the minister were indeed to try that, should not the same media classify the actions as interference in justice and political vindication?
If, say hypothetically, the charged had been found guilty, and the minister interfered with that, would the media and the public find it acceptable?
The minister’s reaction “What can I say when the CBI is investigating the matter”, is fairly acceptable even if a bit ineloquent, since both CBI and the judge can (and should) hold the minister in contempt if minister does make a significant statement.
September 11th, 2009
You lie!
The polarization of our society and the twisting of each argument into unnecessary, irrelevant complications are the hallmark features of our times. If you say something (like DC needs voting rights) and you need me to agree with it, then you will need to agree with something I say (like gun control is illegal). It isn’t really required that the two things be related – any two things can be intertwined if required. The current focus on the alleged benefits that will be reaped by illegal immigrants (and that is reason enough not to do any health care reform) is a case in point. Obviously these two things are so closely related that congressman Wilson had to shout out! I don’t really know what is worse – Joe Wilson simply being an emotional fella, with no clear judgment on the appropriate ways to bring up his point, or Joe Wilson being a determined Republican who will not go along with the president no matter what? (I get the sense he is proud on both the counts.)
Does Joe Wilson not realize that illegal immigrants (and legal visitors, too) can go to the emergency health institutions at any time anyway (even in the current system)?
Or as we say it inside the beltway – I don’t need to answer your questions, I simply need to question your answers! 
July 28th, 2009
Welcome Justice Sotomayor
It is difficult to be a minority. Let Sonia’s impending success not blunt that for anyone. If a minority member is not being empathetic to her own community, she risks being shunned by her own community, and by other minorities effectively being a stumbling block to her success. If she is being empathetic, then she risks violating the objectivity of justice. Despite president Obama’s call for an empathetic justice, objective interpretation of law is still the more important aspect of being a judge, at least for me.
All that said, I feel obligated to clarify my own position. I would probably abstain, neither support, nor oppose her. I could perhaps yay with some reservations, but I could perhaps also nay with some guilt of not furthering an otherwise illustrious career. Only time will tell if Justice Sotomayor excels as a justice, or is merely a first in a series of racial barriers to be broken.
July 27th, 2009
Good Bye Sarah!!
As governor Palin steps down, and although I was not one of supporters in the presidential race, let me just take this opportunity to pay her one complement.
In the interview where she did not mention a single newspaper/magazines that she reads to be prepared for the Vice President’s job, I do not think it was either due to amnesia or her not knowing publications. The simple reason, I think, was that she was just not sure if it is acceptable for a politician to mention names of magazines as that could be considered an endorsement. That is of course, not true, but it is conceivable that she thought that. Especially, because she really tried not to mention even a single name. I believe that was the case, and I think it is up to us to take her at the face value on that issue.
In either case, it is less pertinent what books/journals/newspapers someone reads, and much more pertinent what they extract out of those works.
May 19th, 2009
Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process (Listening to NPR)
As I drove this morning to work, listening to Dianne Rehm show, I got drawn into the long standing Israeli-Palestinian peace process thinking. Like any other naive bystander who has a dozen suggestions, I offer mine here. The only difference being, these suggestions are not really mine, I have heard them time and again from some speakers, but to my surprise, these suggestions have not yet made into the staple part of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process discussions.
- Involving Jordan and Egypt: All Israeli-Palestinian peace discussions are usually focused naturally on Israel and Palestine. The difficulty with this approach is that these two sides are the farthest apart in terms of thinking and they can view each other as the other party in a zero sum game. The involvement of Jordan and Egypt changes that. The reason being that both of them have peace treaties with Israel, and they also have very good working relationships with Palestinians. They can play a natural mediary role, which other countries such as Saudi Arabia (or Syria and Iran) cannot. Jordan and Egypt also stand to gain the most in terms of tourism and trade if a stable middle east is established.
- Highlighting the inherent commonalities by focusing on human aspects: Norwegian negotiators have long attempted to focus on the common aspects by making the meetings a bit more than pure business meetings. One way that it has been achieved in the past is for all parties to bring full families into the business meetings. The rationale is a bit cheesy, but quite simple. We tend to stereotype people (such as John McCain being “hawkish”), but the same stereotype does not seem to make sense when you see the person holding a 4-yr old. This though is not just a bag of tricks, it is a deliberate and conscious effort to focus on the future and what is common, and not to be susceptible to stereotypes and memories of failure.
Well, that is it really – (not my) two cents there.
November 10th, 2008
Senator Ted Stevens
A lot is being said about Ted Stevens – the senator from Alaska, who has been convicted on multiple counts of corruption. He is still in the reelection race, though. A hypothetical question: In case Ted Stevens stays in the election, and in case he wins the reelection, should the senate move to remove him?
I have not been and do not plan to be Senator Stevens’ supporter. However, in this hypothetical scenario, I have a clear view that such a move by senate would be against the spirit of democracy. The people who are voting in this reelection are fully aware (or if they are not, the opponent has the full chance to make them aware) of the incident, and if they still choose to vote for the person, then we must respect that. Since the senate has no rule saying that a convicted felon cannot serve in the senate, we should not make up rules as and when they suit us. If such a rule does make sense, then of course, it can be made, using a regular amendment process, and in that case it should be applicable to all, including Stevens.
Some of you have argued that Stevens brings so much money to his cronies in Alaska that he might win the reelection anyway. Well, that is just a problem that we have to deal in a democracy, perhaps handled by limiting or removing pork projects, but to deal with this problem by removing him is not in the spirit of democracy. If he keeps his constituents happy, they can vote for him.
As mentioned up front, this is a hypothetical, and possibly unlikely scenario, still playing out these scenarios is what active participation in democracy is all about.
November 3rd, 2008
Palin boost for Obama
It is a day before the Nov 4th election day, and whatever I write here today will be utterly meaningless and out of date tomorrow – either as obvious understatement, or as an obvious lack of understanding by a politics neophyte; still, I must document what I saw yesterday.
For the record, I was a Hillary supporter. When she lost, I went to center, between Obama and McCain. Then came Palin. I ran and ran and ran and ran. Towards Obama. It turns out that I was not alone (though I certainly did not see other people running with me). As I talked yesterday with friends and other members of the community, this effect was very common. Some people were simply angry that McCain would try to win female votes using any woman. Others were aghast at this gambling behavior, picking someone he just met 18 hrs ago (thats what I hear – seems unlikely, at least to me).
Still, there are more things upsetting about Palin than simply the fact that she does not have significant experience. For one, her rhetoric conveys a lack of depth in many things. As an example, her labeling the troop withdrawl as a “white flag of surrender” shows that she simply does not realize that the Iraqi people now want the US forces out of there – indeed even the Iraqi govt (that the US itself helped form) is now asking for a 2011 troop withdrawl guarantee. Then, on what basis is the war that Palin wants to keep fighting till infinity?
Now, it seems that Palin is really helping Obama, and it is also possible that this “close” race finishes with well over 300 votes for Obama. Till tomorrow.
October 31st, 2008
Shock over attack on Syria
What is the new power structure in the world today, that a country can attack another country, kill 8 people, and not have to respond at all? On Sunday, October 26th, 2008, US allegedly carried out a raid on the Syrian territory some 8 km from the border. A week later, the officials have still not accepted or denied it. The only comment has come from a military official in Iraq, who said that “the area has been used to move insurgents”. Syria has since released pictures and significant media coverage seems to convey beyond doubt that the 8 people were civilians.
It is especially concerning that no explanation seems to be necessary anymore – no denial or admission is necessary. The incident in general has received scant media coverage in the US.
Apparently, I am not alone in my shock at the raid on Syria. Michael from Glasgow, Scotland wrote to BBC: “Whether they could justify a raid or not is irrelevant. They killed eight people in an unannounced attack on an uninvolved country.”
September 30th, 2008
Sarah Palinisms
Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin is in town. John McCain took her over to the U.N. to introduce her to all the world leaders. It looked like Take Your Daughter to Work Day.”
David Letterman (CBS)
“President Bush met with John McCain and Barack Obama. John McCain showed up without running mate Sarah Palin, which is a shame because she actually has a lot of experience with financial matters. You know, she lives right next to a bank.”
Jimmy Kimmel (ABC)
“John McCain wants to suspend his debate with Barack Obama until the economic crisis is over. And Sarah Palin wants to suspend her debate with Joe Biden until she can find Europe on a map.”
Jay Leno (NBC)
“And all this week, the McCain campaign is trying to prevent Sarah Palin from talking to reporters covering the news, you know? They said, ‘you can take her picture, but you can’t ask her any questions.’ What is she running for, vice president or ‘America’s Next Top Model’?”
Jay Leno (NBC)
“Sarah Palin, you know, was at the U.N. yesterday, and she was a big hit. She’s over there meeting all of the world leaders. She’s still learning who the world leaders are. Right now, she thinks that Warren Buffett is the head of Margaritaville.”
David Letterman (CBS)
“John McCain and Sarah Palin attended a campaign rally in Vienna, Ohio, today. They were in Vienna. Apparently, they went to Vienna so Sarah Palin could get some foreign policy experience.”
Jay Leno (NBC)
“Sarah Palin’s been spending the last couple of days being briefed by advisers on what she needs to know to be John McCain’s vice president. That’s true. Yeah, apparently, the first thing they taught her was CPR.”
Conan O’Brien (NBC)
“Because of Sarah Palin, people are now asking the question: Is she ready to be president? If, God forbid, something happens to John McCain, is Sarah Palin ready to be president? I don’t think we need to worry about that, because Bush has lowered the bar so tremendously.”
David Letterman (CBS)
“I kind of like that Sarah Palin. You know, she reminds me, she looks like the flight attendant who won’t give you a second can of Pepsi. No, you’ve had enough. We’re landing. She looks like the waitress at the coffee shop who draws a little smiley face on your check – Have a nice day!.”
David Letterman (CBS)
“She’s old enough. She’s a U.S. citizen.”
John Harris, Alaska’s Republican speaker of the house, responding to questions about Palin’s qualifications for vice president
“It’s great to see another part of the country.”
Sarah Palin (herself), campaigning in Pennsylvania
“Absolutely. Yup, yup.”
Sarah Palin when asked by People magazine if she was ready to be a heartbeat away from the presidency.
[If I missed some other funny ones from Leno/Letterman, please leave me a note.]