TresSugar

Where I'm Clicking Now: ConservativesForChange

LibertySugar — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:40 -0700

With the electoral map looking like it might be wearing a dramatic shade of blue this Fall, I have to wonder who these trendsetters are. Not the independents or moderates, but those defying voting history and voting for the other party's candidate.

Conservatives For Change interviews Republicans who have not fallen in line, but have chosen their candidate with thought and, in many cases, reservation. Of course, that candidate is Barack Obama, but who's counting. Besides everyone?

Is this too touchy feely? The explanation you've been waiting for? Anyone here voting for a candidate they never imagined?

Front Page: Roman Polanski's Bid For Prison Release Rejected

TresSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:00:12 -0700

Roman Polanski's request for bail has been denied by the Swiss. The filmmaker will stay in jail pending a decision on his extradition to the US. - Bloomberg
David Letterman apologized to his wife and staff on last night's show. - BuzzSugar
President Obama plans to unveil a report pushing for sweeping immigration reform. - Wall Street Journal
Murder suspect Raymond Clark is expected in court today, as police continue to treat the murder of Yale student Annie Le as a case of workplace violence. - CNN
Apple has decided to quit the US Chamber of Commerce, citing the group's conservative attitudes on climate change and opposition to reducing greenhouse gasses. - Politico

Life For Afghan Women: Not Better Under Karzai

TresSugar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:45:00 -0700

Women everywhere fight for their rights - but women in Afghanistan have it particularly bad.

BBC reporter Jane Corbin was invited by a French charity, based in Herat, Afghanistan, that treats women who have self-immolated. Most of these women set fire to themselves to escape a forced marriage or a violent husband. In the photo above, a woman comforts her 20-year-old daughter in the hospital. In an attempted suicide to protest a forced marriage to an elderly man and escape rumors of an affair with a younger one, she set fire to herself and now suffers from burns over 85 percent of her body.

Although women were promised equality and human rights by the introduction of democracy, a new constitution, and President Hamid Karzai’s presidency in 2004, the reality of their situation is still bleak.

Sixty percent of women are still forced into marriage as children, sometimes as young as nine or 10. Since Westerners intervened, this was supposed to have changed under a law that stated girls under 16 should not be married. But police don't always investigate the crimes, and male judges often reduce the sentences of men guilty of harming women.

Some women are standing up to the Taliban, which is trying to turn back any minuscule gains women may have from new leadership. Prosecutor Maria Bashir, who requires security guards and has survived bombing attacks, is trying to protect women from men even though laws are supposed to do this. Bashir does this even though it puts her family in danger - the son of another lawyer was beheaded by people who thought he was her son.

A news story today makes an Afghan woman's plight almost unthinkable: a law has passed that allows a man to starve his wife if she refuses his sexual demands. Some accuse Karzai of allowing this barbaric law to pass so that he can get support from the conservative Shia support in next week’s presidential election.

There is a sliver of hope: there are women activists like Bashir who risk their lives fighting for women’s rights and, in spite of an 80 percent illiteracy rate among Afghan women, girls still dream of going to school and having a career.

How Republican Meg Whitman Plans on Winning Women's Vote

TresSugar — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 07:00:00 -0700

Last week San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom announced his candidacy for CA governor with a tweet heard round the state. But he's not the only candidate with technological savvy. Meg Whitman, the former CEO of Internet giant eBay, announced her bid back in February. Whitman, a Republican, wants to become the first woman to run the golden state. She was a national co-chair of John McCain's campaign, but her work experience lies in the private sector.

I chatted with the chair of Meg's Women's Coalition, Jillian Manis, to find out how Meg plans to appeal to women for votes. From our conversation, I got the sense that Meg sees herself as a different breed of Republican than, say, a certain female governor from Alaska.

While she's fiscally conservative, Meg is pro-choice and has a bit of a tangled stance on gay marriage - she voted for Prop. 8 because she personally feels marriage should be between a man and a woman, but she claims to respect everyone's position. In other words, she doesn't want to make opposition to same-sex marriage a crucial plank in her platform. Here's a recap of my conversation with Jillian.

Why will Meg appeal to women?
First of all, I don't think women vote for a gender. I really don't think they vote for a party for the most part, either. I think they vote for the person. And I think that Meg is a person that represents a leadership perspective that is both domestic and global, which will be extremely helpful right now as this world is flat and we do need to create relationships with other states and countries to move our state forward. (By working at eBay) she understands what interdependence is, what community building is.
Positions on female reproductive rights, especially abortion, typically separate the two parties. How does Meg explain her pro-choice position, since it's unlikely for a Republican candidate?
I think Meg has always preached inclusion. I think she very much respects people's choices. . . She's not going to force her own personal choices on others. That's not about working together that's about driving each other apart. I would say I'm socially moderate and fiscally conservative, but that has been redefined here in California and definitely in the Republican party. We are definitely more progressive and more inclusive than the rest of the country vis-a-vis our party. I know Sarah Palin doesn't represent me.
So Meg is pro-choice because she doesn't want to force her own choices on others. How was her Pro Proposition 8 stance consistence with her stance on abortion?

To see Jillian's response to this question, and for more on Meg's thoughts on gay marriage, read more.

Meg never gave money to Prop 8. She never made a public stand on Prop 8. It basically came down to when she went into the voting booth she voted for her personal choice. And that is something we have to respect. It doesn't mean she's going to change the laws. I am personally pro-life, but I am publicly pro-choice. I would never force my choice, nor would she, on somebody else.
Miss California came out against gay marriage personally, which she says cost her the crown. Obviously Miss USA and governor are different, but do you think that Meg's personal support of a constitutional amendment that ended gay marriage could derail her chance to be governor?
Well, I would hope not because we have too many big problems on our plate here in California and everything that Meg Whitman represents should be weighed equally. . . Her ability to stimulate this economy, to give people jobs, to re-energize, to apply technology to make government more efficient, to look at clean tech solutions for our environment, these are things that we should look at. . . So to make gay marriage the center piece of this election than shame us! And by the way we need to respect her as she's respecting us. And she does respect a women's right to choice and she does respect every body's choice.

From what you've read, do you think Meg sounds like a different kind of Republican candidate, or do you find her stances predictable?

Source

Tyranny Has Come to Our Shores With Potato Day

CitizenSugar — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 10:30:38 -0700

Jon Stewart called out a few high-profile Republicans last night who are terrified of President Obama. One example: conservative Andrew Breitbart thinks Obama somehow made his kids' school change "St. Patrick's Day" to "Potato Day." Sounds like fascism to me!

After playing video of Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Rep. Michelle Bachmann, and the like, Stewart said: "I think you might be confusing tyranny with losing." Even so, Jon didn't hesitate to point out the cult of personality surrounding Barack Obama. Did you buy your commemorative plate yet?

Watch the clip, and tell me: do you think the conservatives make a good case that Obama will take away some of our freedoms?

Conservative Imagines Dream Obama Administration

CitizenSugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 10:30:00 -0800

Conservative columnist David Brooks has outlined his vision for an Obama Administration all Americans could get behind. In today's New York Times he painted a picture of an American leadership free from extreme partisanship and ideology:

Walking into the Obama White House of my dreams will be like walking into the Gates Foundation. The people there will be ostentatiously pragmatic and data-driven. They’ll hunt good ideas like venture capitalists. They’ll have no faith in all-powerful bureaucrats issuing edicts from the center. Instead, they’ll use that language of decentralized networks, bottom-up reform, and scalable innovation.

Brooks went on to suggest that Obama appoint Republicans to crucial positions, push policy with broad support such as middle-class tax relief and an energy package, and hold off on health care reform until success in fixing the economy and reducing the budget defect has helped gain the trust of most Americans.

Do you think the Obama Administration can succeed in pleasing both conservative and liberal Americans? What does change you can believe in look like?

Source

What Should Be America's New Year's Resolution?

LibertySugar — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 08:00:54 -0800

Every year individual Americans vow to lose weight, pay off debts, quit smoking, or volunteer. It may be time for the entire country to make a commitment to reform in 2009. The country sure has a lot of debt to pay off, government policy could do more to fight obesity and volunteer programs are crucial to keeping social programs running. This year, America could resolve to become more healthy, by joining other Western nations by creating universal healthcare. Or, as a nation the US could become more environmentally responsible, proving a domestic and international commitment to conservation.

Obviously, there is lot Americans want to, shall I say, "change" this year. What do you think the country should make its number one priority for 2009?

Source

"Paying" Politics: Check Out What's Behind Your Purchases

CitizenSugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:00:06 -0700

I've been hoarding examples of this phenomenon forever - and I got to thinking about them last week when foxie reminded me that Wal-Mart has been named one of the lowest carbon, greening businesses - admirable, even though many still find faults with their business practices and treatment of their employees.

My mind wandered to this question: when you make a purchase, are you funding more than just a business? Are you tithing toward the bigger philosophy of the company? I will now present my examples to you in the grand tradition of the "trend story" - the secret political and religious lives of your bucks, once you've spent them on burgers and beer.

Forever 21: Ever upended one of their bright yellow bags? Behind that bargain (and probably hot) shirt, is a little religious message. John 3:16. Though they might sell itty-bitty ripoffs, the couple who owns the store Do Won "Don" Chang and his wife, Jin Sook, are a private, deeply Christian couple who've built the company for 24 years with revenue topping $1 billion in 2006. For those who don't know, John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Eternal life and cheap shirts? Sweet.

There's so much more! Burgers and beer, just read more!

Coors Brewing Company: Thirsty? Though the company's practices toward employees appear progressive, if you follow the real money earned by the company, you'll find it leads right to a six-pack of super right-wing causes. The entire Coors family has been active in conservative philanthropy, among other things, founding the Council for National Policy. This is a hush-hush group where influential conservatives discuss the future of conservatism in the United States, attending meetings with conservative big-wigs like the late Jerry Falwell and Phyllis Schlafly. Joseph Coors also donated an airplane worth $65,000 to the Nicaraguan Contras.
In-N-Out Burger: Want a Double-Double Monster-style? Prepare to get a helping of the holy spirit along side. The wrapping you'll get with your sandwich features a pointer toward Nahum 1:7, "The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him." The Snyder family is deeply religious and still privately owns the chain of restaurants. Oh, if you want a little dessert, you'll get a dose of Proverbs 3:5 along with your milkshake. Now if they could only replace the wine with an In-N-Out milkshake at communion. . . .

Does the bigger picture of what a company stands for (and I'll include Wal-Mart in this group) affect your decision to spend? Have you ever passed on a purchase because your philosophies don't jive? How badly do you want a Double-Double right now?

Source

George W. Bush Is Getting Results, Even If No One Notices

CitizenSugar — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:00:11 -0700

I'm sending around an apology card for everyone to sign - it seems a lot of us have been selling Bush short. In an editorial opinion from the Wall Street Journal (newly purchased by Rupert Murdoch) Bush’s commitment to helping the poor and sick abroad has been largely ignored. The piece asserts that once the G-8 summit, now wrapping up, completes its country tally on who is providing the most money to combat disease and hunger, the US will emerge as the conclusive leader - thanks in large part to Bush.

According to the piece, AIDS relief is booming. Before President Bush launched his Emergency Program for AIDS Relief in 2003, only about 50,000 afflicted in sub-Saharan Africa were getting medical treatments. Since the implementation of his plan, the program has expanded to $15 billion reaching an estimated 1.5 million people. And then there's this big rock we call home. To see how Bush's environmental leadership has been overlooked, read more.

The WSJ piece says that Bush is actually much more environmentally friendly than his opponents give him credit for - as shown by his attempt to toughen the standards set at the Kyoto Agreement, hailed as a pivotal climate change accord. President Bush’s contention was that no agreement regarding the environment would be viable without the cooperation of China and India while costing developed nations untold sums. As a result, the G-8 is bringing China and India into the summit to discuss greenhouse emissions, a feat that would not have happened without Bush’s insistence.

On another note, remember Paul Wolfowitz? He was the US Deputy Secretary of Defense and major architect of the Iraq war who then went on to head the World Bank. It seems that some remarks he made during a speech are echoed and perhaps reaffirmed in another opinion piece - this time from the less conservatively-owned LA Times - warning against aid money, which is then used to prop up corrupt African leaders.

The piece asserts that all financial assistance to corrupt African governments should be cut off so that they collapse allowing “organic African political structures [to] emerge”. Saying that corruption is so endemic to countries like Kenya and Nigeria that police extort bribes, soldiers murder and rape, and teachers merely collect salaries while rarely visiting their classrooms. This 2008 piece suggests that Wolfowitz had the right idea in 2006 when he made the then controversial statement:

We simply can’t afford to turn a blind eye when we do encounter corruption in our projects. In fact, sometimes it’s not just a waste of money; it sometimes leads to buildings that collapse or to medicines that are harmful being given to pregnant women. These are not hypothetical examples; these are real ones.

Could it be that Wolfowitz's call to action is finally being taken up by the mainstream? Is it possible that President Bush’s approach to global warming and AIDS relief will actually earn him the compassionate conservative ribbon he’s been aiming for, silencing detractors? Or as the WSJ piece concludes, "Maybe one day we will all wake up to a world willing to give [Bush] some credit for it." Will this happen?

Source

Front Page: Joe the Plumber Speaks, Social Security Benefits to Rise, EU Firm on Climate Goals

CitizenSugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 07:00:42 -0700

Joe the Plumber Speaks:
After being the star of last night's debate, mentioned conservatively a dozen times, "Joe the Plumber" has come forward. His name is Joe Wurzelbacher, an Ohio man who wants to buy a plumbing business. He had spoken with Obama in Toledo this week, and told him his tax plan would prevent him from buying the business. He said of being the example of the night, "It's pretty surreal, man, my name being mentioned in a presidential campaign." He won't say who he's voting for - if he's registered - "That's for me and a button to know."

Social Security Benefits to Rise:
Social Security benefits will go up 5.8 percent for 50 million people next year. It's the largest pay rise in more than a quarter of a century. The increase will begin in January and will mean $63 extra per month for the average retiree. The raise is double increase from January this year.

EU Firm on Climate Goals:
European Union leaders are resolved to meet their targets and timetable for addressing climate change, despite objections from some countries. Worries that given the global economic situation cutting greenhouse gas emissions will be too costly has caused some countries to threaten to block the plan. French President Sarkozy says, "The climate package is so important that we cannot simply drop it, under the pretext of a financial crisis."