Politics

07.04.08 /
4th of July
Personal, Politics | Permalink | Comment?

I’m not much for celebrating the 4th of July. Far be it for me to turn down a chance to barbecue, or to see fireworks (I got some great pictures last night that I put in my flickr account here), but more and more these days the US seems like a blight on the world. Here’s hoping that by next July 4th, the Democrats will have solid majorities in the House and Senate, Obama will be in the White House beginning to repair our international reputation, troops will be on the way home from Iraq, and liberal nominees will be waiting to replace aging Justice John Paul Stephens. In the meantime, I can at least take solace in this news item.

NP: MC Hawking, Why Won’t Jesse Helms Just Hurry Up and Die?

Why no, I don’t believe in the ridiculous taboo about speaking ill of the dead. While I’m at it, fuck Tim Russert too.
03.20.08 /
Five Years is Too Many
Chicago, Personal, Photography, Politics | Permalink | 2 Comments

Five years ago now, George W. Bush launched an elective, “preemptive” war of aggression against the sovereign nation of Iraq. It’s not necessary to paint Saddam Hussein as some sort of false saint to note that this is a war crime, and one need not be a leftist to point out that Sen. McCain and Sen. Clinton are both tarred with their support of that decision. In a similar period of time, the United States and its allies fought the Axis powers to a complete standstill; but thanks to the ineptitude of this administration, we are still mired in Iraq and figure to be for some time. Five years is too many, and thousands of Chicagoans took to the streets (as they have every anniversary of this invasion) to protest. This year, I was one of them.

The protest convened in Federal Plaza, which filled up quickly as the start time of 6:00pm passed. There were people of all ages, races, and ethnic backgrounds. Many young parents came with their children, a wonderful experience for both, I imagine. We assembled peaceably and listened to speakers while waiting for the rest of our brethren to arrive. During this time, some of the more outspoken protesters donned the familiar orange jumpsuit of the hapless souls that disappear into the CIA’s own Gulag Archipelago of classified detention facilities. Kristy noted what a dramatic suggestion the Federal building behind them provided.

After some minutes had passed and the crowd fully assembled, we began to march. Our route took us through the heart of the loop, up Clark to Wacker, then through the Magnificent Mile up Michigan to Oak St. The temperature being relatively comfortable, the majority of the crowd seemed to have little difficulty with the mile-and-a-half route. Chicago’s finest saw to it that we did not interrupt the important consumption-related program activities of tourists and yuppies on Mag Mile, lining our route ominously, sometimes in riot gear.

At right, what the Chicago Police Department thinks of your right to freedom of assembly. At far right, what I think of their presence–it can be hard to separate my resentment at the powers that put them there from the officers individually.

Our permitted route ended at Washington Square Park, near Oak St. and Dearborn. Although the crowd became rowdy, huge numbers of police showed up and were able to successfully disperse us, though not without some histrionics. Although I can admit to a side of me that was spoiling for a fight, ultimately I agree with some of the more veteran protesters that thought this behavior was unfortunate.

One thing that was unfortunate: Kristy was laid low by a cold and could not join me. Still I’m very glad she encouraged me to go. Not only was it a remarkable experience, but it also felt really good to step away from the sideline a little bit. I’ve been blogging about politics for nearly as long as our troops have been killing Iraqis, but, aside from voting and internet demagoguery, this is my first foray into activism. What an important cause to be able to support.

More images in my Flickr account or at my gallery.
10.12.07 /
It’s Getting Hot in Here
Politics | Permalink | Comment?

Not that it will do anything to silence the climate-change deniers, but I was vastly cheered to see once-and-future president Al Gore win the Nobel Peace prize. Suck on that, conservatives!

Here’s hoping the next international jury discussing a United States VP will be in the Hague, indicting Cheney.

By the way, since GWB took office, winners of the Peace prize have included Dem. former president Jimmy Carter, Dem. former president Al Gore, some Iranian dude, and the International Atomic Energy Comission (whose greatest hits include “Dude, there is no nuclear program in Iraq”). Think the Nobel committee is trying to send anyone a message?
06.18.05 /
so much for job satisfaction :(
Politics, Work | Permalink | 2 Comments

From this month’s Mother Jones,

Yet even as the corporate leviathans have neglected [high-speed internet in] outlying areas, they’re waging fierce battles to prevent local governments from filling the gap. By the time the Tri-cities fight was over, in late 2004, citizens like Simon were shocked by the hardball played by SBC and Comcast in staking out Tri-Cities turf. “This was the epitome of corporate greed,” says simon, “where you have big companies trying to put one over on the little people.”

Founded more than 150 years ago along a scenic stretch of Illinois’ Fox river, the Tri-Cities—Geneva, Batavia, and St. Charles—are in many ways the heart of the mythical…

[...]

Their public power utilites had already started to… install fiber-optic cable for their own purposes… so residents decided to extend that network to homes and local businesses.

[...]

The only hurdle was to hold a referendum, required by Illinois law. Then “all hell broke loose,” says Geneva’s mayor Kevin Burns. “Fear and trepidation were delivered en masse” by SBC and Comcast.

[...]

Ultimately, in the Tri-Cities, Comcast and SBC defeated both referenda, winning between 53 and 60 percent of the vote.

[...]

Yet, although residents did get their broadband, they got no control over it—over pricing, growth, or financing. And Comcast—with a near-monopoly on the area’s cable TV service—jacked up its basic cable rates after the referenda, for an increase of more than 30 percent since January 2003.

How does this rather long story make me feel shitty about my job, you ask?

Because I wrote the software that Comcast is using to survey those cities for broadband access.
02.12.05 /
putting my money where my mouth is
Politics | Permalink | 2 Comments

Well, today they tapped my man Howard Dean to be the chair of the DNC.

w00t!

How does that relate to the title of my post? Well, I sent a rather snippy reply to the DNC telling them that I wouldn’t be donating any more until I saw who they chose to be their next party chair. Since they chose correctly, I sent them $50.00 through the ActBlue system that Kos and Atrios are pushing.

In about 6 hours, they’d already raised more than $50,000 and so I’m just a drop in the bucket. But damn it, that drop is me.

*ahem*

Here, if you’re thinking about contributing but confused where to start, this should help.

Contribution amount:
$

I’m blue and I’m proud!
01.13.05 /
the new math
Politics | Permalink | 7 Comments

brought to us by The Daily Show:

let x = “whatever the administration wants”

Sept. 11 + x = SHUT UP!
12.09.04 /
makin’ a list… checkin’ it twice…
Politics | Permalink | 7 Comments

So, despite some clamoring about the subject, I haven’t finished a Christmas wish list yet.

I do have a list of another kind, however.

Courtesy of BuyBlue, a list of businesses that gave big to the Dems or the Thugs.

If you haven’t already done so, PLEASE don’t buy me anything from the stores in the red column. I’d honestly rather get nothing at all than have someone I care about spend money at those places to get me something.
12.06.04 /
goon squad
Politics | Permalink | 10 Comments

Kristy has a post up mentioning that she’s caught CIFA surveilling her blog.

I think it’s safe to assume that they’ve been here, as well, one way or another—either by spidering Kristy’s links or, possibly, arriving at her blog from this one, since I’ve had some fairly charged political commentary. So fair warning to those of you who’ve commented on those threads: Big Brother knows what you and I have said about this corrupt maladministration.

Kristy boldly encouraged CIFA to make like Sen. Leahy and go fuck themselves. I’d like to expand on that a little bit.

Dear CIFA,

You sorry, worthless excuses for hackers, you corrupt, clumsy, neophyte spies, you would-be political censors, you bootlicking curs of the most worthless and corrupt administration in history, should be ashamed of what you do. You should be drummed out of your cushy government jobs, you should lose your pensions to greedy fund managers as your former employers look on, you should be shunned by the industry, you should live out your miserable lives as homeless, crazed street people this administration would like to pretend are responsible for their own plight.

In short, fuck you and your weak world. Die.

Regards,
int argc
11.19.04 /
what is left to say?
Personal, Politics | Permalink | 3 Comments

You’ve all been over to SorryEverybody by now, right, right?

Today I stumbled on ApologiesAccepted. How can something so well-intended make me feel so bad? I felt like crying after about 2 pages’ worth.

PS. I just want to send a big fuck you to the people at http://www.werenotsorry.com. If I recognize any of you crossing the street in front of me, I will kill you with my car.
11.05.04 /
it ain’t here, folks.
Music, Personal, Politics | Permalink | 19 Comments

Let’s lay our bad day down here, dear and make-believe we’re strong, or hum some protest song. Like maybe “We Shall Overcome Someday.” Overcome the stupid things we say. Say I needed more than this, say I needed one more kiss. We left that light on way too long now. Let’s plant a bomb at city-hall and kill an MLA. We’ll talk the night away. You call in sick, I’ll quit the word-games that I play. I swear I way more than half believe it when I say that somewhere love and justice shine. Cynicism falls asleep. Tyranny talks to itself. Sappy slogans all come true. We forget to feed our fear…

Confessions of a Futon-Revolutionist, The Weakerthans

Anyone who still wants to chat about the elections, but finds the previous post somewhat too full of invective should go ahead and use this one instead.

Today’s Election Reaction Alert Level:

~~Denial~~ ~~Anger~~ Despair Bargaining Acceptance