And the American public, still feeling guilty over the admittedly terrible treatment of returning draftees from the Vietnam War, has retained its awe of the now voluntary military as an institution, even as it has soured on the Iraq and Afghan Wars.
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and the 10th Amendment
By
Somehow, I suspect Pawlenty is more interested in the impact of his idiotic comments on the GOP’s dwindling base of lunatics than he is in my comments. If I hear back, I’ll let you know.
Marriage – Gay Grassroots Style
By
I had conversations with four recently married same-sex couples during the first week of January. There were two lesbian couples, one from the Sacramento area (Davis) and the other from West Hollywood. The two gay couples were from the Bay Area and Orange County. Along with my spouse, we represented five of the over 18,000 [...]
Can Illinois Again Lead by (Bad) Example?
By
Illinois politicians’ sordid reputation for selling seats in the U.S. Senate to the highest bidder is, sadly, at least a century old. As embarrassing as that history may be to residents of the Land of Lincoln, it is a past that suggests ways to deal with the current mess. One hundred years ago the corrupt [...]
Just Go, Mr. Bush. Please, Just Go
By
President George W. Bush will be finally leaving Washington after what seemed an eternity. He will be leaving behind a country that is poorer, weaker, more polluted, more indebted, more divided and more unequal. He soiled the U.S. Constitution and breached the wall between Church and State. The whole society is less scientifically literate and [...]
Pardon Me: Is Our Long National Nightmare Over, or About to Begin Again?
By
by Gene Rothman – Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), in response to the issue of potential legal actions against the Bush administration’s for violations of the U.S, Constitution, wrote: “Thank you for your letter concerning impeachment proceedings against President George W. Bush and his authority to grant pardons. I appreciate the time you took to write [...]
Federal Precedent Provides Logic to Nix Prop 8
By
Brian E. Gray, writing for the Los Angeles Times, sees something cool: The long history of the battle for equality for all in this country includes many court fights — some that pro-justice forces have won. A particular early-1990s fight in Colorado, Gray says, may offer another avenue for challenging California’s unjust same-sex marriage ban. [...]
Voting Away Others’ Rights
By
by Thomas A. Foster – The recent decision of California voters to take away the right of gays and lesbians to marry highlights the danger of exposing civil rights protection to popular vote. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court of California ruled that under the California constitution gays and lesbians had the same right as [...]
Mourning in America: Reagan’s New Steal
By
The Republican death wish for the U.S. government almost came to their hoped-for fruition. Kill Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal and replace it with Reagan’s New Steal of privatization and corporate control. It’s not what our founding fathers or our U.S. Constitution had in mind. “Death and fear’ was the message from the Republicans when [...]
China’s Robber-Baron Ways
By
Only a short time after China’s magnificent Olympic coming-out party, the land of Mao’s successors found itself making less celebratory news.
The Historic Election of 2008: Hope vs. Fear. Unity vs. Division. Success vs. Failure.
By
“In the future days which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. “The first is freedom of speech and expression. … “The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way. … “The third is freedom from want. … “The fourth [...]
Barack Obama Supports “Equality for All”
By
Barack Obama has spoken out against Proposition 8, the proposed California constitutional amendment which takes away the right of same-sex couples to marry. In a letter to the Alice B. Toklas Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Democratic Club in San Francisco, Barack said: “I am proud to join with and support the LGBT community in [...]
A Condolence Letter, Part 3
By
In the Constitutional Constellations, a condolence letter sent by a 21st Century Progressive, informed our two foremost Founding Fathers, 1st President Washington and 3rd President Jefferson, regarding the passing of their noble experiment, the U.S. Constitution and the formation of our country.
PCL offers monthly Open House Events on the 2nd Saturday at 2pm and 3rd Thursday at 6pm. Click here to learn more.
A Comment Submitted by “Dixie Dawg”
Every Friday the LA Progressive features a comment that was particularly noteworthy. This week we are featuring a comment that was submitted in response to Sharon Kyle’s piece, “Six Degrees”. The writer goes by the moniker “Dixie Dawg”. Here’s Dixie — A comment by Dixie Dawg Excellent article, Sharon! You’re absolutely right in that we, [...]