2006 is upon us, and a new year brings opportunities for change. Since 2006 will be a Congressional election year, we know that we can expect a year filled with campaigns and political sparring. We should also expect this mid-term election to be more attended than previous similar elections, as the American people find themselves […]

America is a nation built on hope. From the earliest settlers to our most recent immigrants, people have come to this land in hope of a brighter future and a better life for their families. They come to share in the freedom that native-born citizens take for granted. They come to have a steady job, […]

It seems that the American people stand in stark contrast to the Bush Administration when it comes to humane treatment. The evidence of this comes as both the House and Senate resoundingly denied the administration any further leg to stand on when it comes to torture. Bills passing in both houses roundly, and rightly, condemn […]

The United States government is complicit or actively engaged in the torture of terror suspects. U.S. prosecutors have admitted as much when they dropped several charges against alleged “dirty bomber” Jose Padilla late last month because the testimony supporting those charges had been obtained from informants under torture. The White House admits as much in […]

The first time my dad died I was only two or three years old. In fact, he died several times that day. My father has the misfortune of being born with a congenital heart defect. The aortic valve that he was born with couldn’t quite do the job it was meant to, so at the […]

The long holiday weekend was blissfully spent avoiding any real news beyond learning that the turkey was indeed done. Returning to a mound of newspapers to be read quickly brought me up to speed on some of the more noticed comings and goings in the world. Some reflect positive steps by governments to improve the […]

Thanksgiving is one of our oldest national holidays, and is purely American in its origins. Ostensibly, we are honoring the European settlers who managed to carve out a living in a strange and not altogether hospitable new land. They began this holiday themselves, to rejoice at their good fortune for staying alive against the odds. […]

In the midst of an expensive war, spiraling deficits, hurricane disaster expenses, rising energy prices, and ongoing tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and corporations, Congress had the courage Friday to extend themselves a $3,100 annual pay raise, bringing the salary for a U.S. Congressperson to $165,200 a year. I don’t know about you, but […]

Waging War on Americans According to the FBI’s latest annual uniform crime report, the Bush Administration is doing a spectacular job in combating what is surely this nation’s number one problem- marijuana users. In fact, more people were arrested for marijuana offenses last year than at any time in this country’s history. Over 770,000 people […]

For over 200 years, Americans from all walks of life have answered their country’s call to arms during times of war. They have sacrificed their security, their future, and their lives to defend this country and our way of life. They march, sail, and fly into battle at the behest of our leaders with a […]