Iran: Do you really know what you are talking about?

Since Hillary Clinton and John McCain are both well-established Iran-baiters it might be a good idea for the rational humans among us to develop our thinking on Iran based on actual knowledge and understanding of the facts.  Somebody has to do it and in keeping with tradition the major party candidates are not up to the task.

So where should we look to understand the Iranian “problem” better. 

In the book department Scott Ritter, the former Iraq nuclear inspection chief, has written  Target Iran, which  reviews Iran’s nuclear program from the perspective of someone with first hand knowledge of the subject.  In All the Shah’s Men, Steven Kinzer details the CIA sponsored coup that ended democracy in Iran in 1952 and replaced it with the brutal Shah of Iran.

More recently,Trita Parsi of the National Iranian American Council has written Treacherous Alliance. This book describes the tangeled relationship among the US, Iran and Israel. Dr. Parsi was born in Iran, grew up in Sweden and earned his Doctorate at John Hopkins under (among others) Francis Fukuyama and Zbigniew Brzezinski. I’d say that’s a pretty interesting and useful perspective to balance against that of two of our least favorite Senators.

The NIAC has also just launched a brand new blog. I suspect this will be an invaluable source of information and analysis that won’t appear in the mainstream media as well as a great place to make your comments and hopefully enrich the debate in a positive way. I doubt you will have that opportunity on Fox News.

The Myth of Giuliani the Manager

Campaign myth #4762: Rudy Giuliani is a good manger

Fact: Giuliani is a poor fiscal manager

- Today’s Daily News headline story: “Poor Rudy - Cash crunch leaves Giuliani campaign aids without pay”.  Ok so he’s putting his remaining $7 million into Florida and a few aids “volunteered” to go without pay.  What will Rudy do with the Federal deficit the next President is bound to inherit from our current ”conservative” administration?   By the way Rudy’s personal net worth is estimated by some to be between $30 and $60 million.

-While Rudy deserves some credit for controlling spending in his first term,  he left poor Mike Bloomberg with a $6 billion deficit. By the way - this wasn’t only due to 9/11, remember the economy was headed south long before 9/11 and City revenues along with it.  Tax-Hike-Mike’s dismal handling of the deficit will be the subject of another post on this blog.

Fact: Giuliani doesn’t set priorities well.

-In Grand Illusion: The Untold Story of Rudy Giuliani and 9/11, Wayne Barrett goes on for chapters about Rudy’s turf wars with the Port Authority, his failure to prepare NYC for terrorist attack even after the first World Trade Center bombing, his inability to cut through bureaucracy to acquire new radios for the Fire Department… the list goes on.

-Meanwhile Rudy picked fights with anyone who couldn’t defend themselves such as cab drivers, street vendors, night clubs, African hair braiders….

Fact: Giuliani can’t manage his team

In Grand Illusion, Barrett also describes how Rudy failed to resolve the turf wars between the Police, Fire Department and Emergency Management which to a great degree led to many of the problems encountered on 9/11.

 This list just scratches the surface.  Take a look at what Jacob Weisberg said in this Slate post.

“This comparison doesn’t make the case for Bloomberg as president so much as it underscores what a scary place a Giuliani White House could be. President Rudy would give powerful speeches denouncing terrorism while assuming extraordinary wartime powers. He’d reject compromise with his antagonists and ignore the nuts and bolts of running a government. After a few years, he’d be on nonspeaking terms with much of his Cabinet, never mind his fellow world leaders. By the time he got done, he might make us appreciate George W. Bush.”

Fortunately Rudy’s chance seem to be dropping fast.  Unfortunately, it’s hard to tell who would be worse given the choice of Rudy and John McCain.

Of course that isn’t the only choice.  There is still a libertarian choice in the New York primary:  Ron Paul.

Presidential Candidates and Medical Marijuana: Republicans flunk except Ron Paul and Tom Tancredo

I just received a mailer from the Marijuana Policy Project.  If you are not a member - sign up now.  This is one of the most effective organizations anywhere promoting an issue important to libertarians.

The mailer includes a report card for 16 Democratic and Republican presidential candidates and the results are pretty interesting.  The only real surprise is that Hillary Clinton got something right for a change - indicating (according to the report card) that she would end federal raids on legal medical marijuana users.

Did you know that the federal government ignores state law in medical marijuana states and arrests and imprisons law abiding citizens?   After you read this you might want to take a look at what’s happening Pakistan.   Constitution? - we don’t need no stinking Constitution.

 The Democrats actually do pretty well in the report card.  Only Joe Biden scores less than an A.   Chris Dodd seems to have read the Constitution and says he would leave it to the states - yeah Chris! .  Mike Gavel says he would legalize marijuana - yeah Mike!.

Then we have those pillars of small government the Republicans.  Of course Ron Paul scores an A+.  No surprise there.  As a doctor an a libertarian Dr. Paul hits yet another bulls-eye referring to people making their own choices and to state law.  Tom Tancredo also earns an A+ referring to state law.  Good work Tom - I can see you read the Constitution too.  

Every other Republican earns an F.  FDR would be proud.  Shouldn’t the candidates of the party of small government read the Constitution and resist using the federal government to enforce their own view of morality - especially when the will of the people in those states has been made clear in the democratic process? 

Giuliani, the big “liberal Republican” in the bunch proves his big government instincts referring to the FDA’s assessment that marijuana has no medical benefit.   Well Rudy - a lot of doctors and a lot of voters think the FDA is wrong.  Rudy is big on obeying the law. Perhaps he should make it clear whether he would obey the law in this case.  Rudy - does the FDA over-rule the Constitution?

Romney’s comment is classic.  “I don’t want medical marijuana…”  Well Mitt - no one is forcing you to take it are they.  And I don’t think the sick people in medical marijuana states really care what a Governor of some other state thinks as long as he doesn’t become President.

I really can’t believe this is the crop the Republicans have raised up.  Except of course for our hero, Ron Paul, there isn’t an ounce of leadership in the batch.  I can’t wait til after the primary to change my registration back to Libertarian. 

Mitt, Rudy and you other flunkies - just keep pandering to your “big government conservative” base.  Hillary is counting on it.

Proposed New Democratic Strategy: Vote for Ron Paul

Sometimes I amaze myself.  I never really thought of myself as much of a political strategist - duh! I’m a Libertarian after all.  But today - things are different. First, I re-registered as a (gritting of teeth) Republican so I can vote for Ron Paul in the primary.   Years ago I used to be a Republican - something for which I will surely go to hell - and I swore I would never do it again.  But I didn’t expect Ron Paul either - so things are different.  In case you are wondering I will change back to Libertarian instantly after I have voted for Ron Paul in the primary. BTW - In violation of the law - the BOE requires you to write it in on the “Other” line in order to register Libertarian.

So today we were out in Union Square registering people to vote in the primary and the Impeach Bush crowd (a fun group who do important work) from the Village Independant Democrats set up next to us. That’s when it hit me.

Democrats should re-register Republican to vote for Ron Paul in the primary in order to hand Rudy Giuliani a crushing defeat in his own back yard. And of course it will be that much more fun if Ron Paul is the guy that beats him because as we know, Rudy isn’t a fan of Dr. Paul’s non-interventionist foreign policy.

Think about it.

Rudy has already ready informed us he is the only Republican that can beat New York’s most hawkish Senator. Certainly not Ron Paul, a peace candidate who wants to abolish the IRS. I mean, the American people really LIKE war and taxes right? Ok then - so if Rudy isn’t the Republican nominee then Hillary will surely coast to victory next November. It’s not like Hillary will need the votes to win the New York primary.

As you might expect I am no fan of our junior Senator. But if you happen to be a pro-war, socialist you have to admit my logic is impeccable.

Rudy can’t get nominated without New York. He has assured us no other Republican can beat Hillary and America’s mayor wouldn’t lie to us, right?

So that settles it then. Democrats need to run out and change to Republican by October 12th. Then of course you have to remember to vote for Ron Paul in the primary - just to - as Miracle Max (almost) said - give Rudy a nice paper cut and rub lemon juice in it.

Have fun stormin’ the castle…..