You Don't Have to be a Czar, Baby. . .

I don't really have any position on "czars." I find it to be a puzzling moniker for a sub-cabinet department head, what with it's imperialist Russian connotation, but whatever. I remember (latter day saint) Ronald Reagan having a czar or two, Bill Clinton too. And not surprisingly, George W. Bush enlarged the number of czars beyond his predecessor.

By now, a precedent has been set. Presidents are in the habit of continuing previous Presidents' conventions, and it is not unusual for them to expand them. So, the practice of naming czars for this and that has continued into the Obama Administration. As is now usual though, right-wing world has found themselves in an uproar over President Obama's "unprecedented"--and un-Constitutional, they argue--use of czars. It really doesn't matter that Dubya did it too, IOKIYAR. Especially if you are Glenn Beck.

Sarah Palin's Pastor Problem

Photo from LiveJournal

There are many things I'm sick and tired of in politics. One of them used to be candidates that promised "change." It is an often used phrase, but this time, I'm hoping that my candidate (guess who) delivers.

Another thing I'm tired of is IOKIYAR. To the uninitiated, that means it's OK if you're a Republican. Now, don't get me wrong, there are some parallels on the other side of the aisle, and I'm sure right-wingers probably have their own IOKIYAD laments. But that is not what seems to be as strongly in play right now.

Here are just a few examples:

- Barack Obama, not well known, gave a good speech, celebrity. Bad.

- Sarah Palin, not well known, gave a good speech, celebrity. Good.

- John Edwards cheated on his wife, and that somehow reflects badly on Barack Obama.

- John McCain cheated on his wife, and we're not supposed to comment on it.

- John McCain's history as a POW 40 years ago tells us about his character.

- John McCain's behavior 30 years ago (adultery), and 20 years ago (Keating 5) are irrelevant.

- Barack Obama attended a radical (black) Christian church for 20 years. Bad.

- Sarah Palin attended a radical (crazy) Christian church for 20 years. So?

[Excerpt]

And If She Weighs The Same As A Duck...

. . .The pastor whose prayer Sarah Palin says helped her to become governor of Alaska founded his ministry with a witchhunt against a Kenyan woman who he accused of causing car accidents through demonic spells. . .

Read more at: DailyKos

Attorney General: Not all Illegal Activities are Crimes

Photo from source, Raw Story

Really? Maybe Attorney General Michael Mukasey should release a list of laws that are "OK" for us to break, so that we'll know for future reference. Honestly, are Republicans still going to try and pretend that they are the "law and order" party? If there were ever a clearer sign that IOKIYAR (It's OK If You're a Republican), I haven't seen it. And they're still aghast that Bill Clinton lied to Congress about sex? Do we really have to continue taking them seriously?

[Excerpt]

Mukasey: No prosecutions in Justice hiring scandal

Former Justice Department officials will not face prosecution for letting improper political considerations drive hirings of prosecutors, immigration judges and other career government lawyers, Attorney General Michael Mukasey said Tuesday. . .

Read more at: Raw Story