The enslavement of Africans and African-Americans. The Pequot War. The Olowalu Massacre. The Trail of Tears. The Mexican War. The Civil War. The Sand Creek Massacre. Wounded Knee. I've seen this Feb. 9 Vox.com post from Ezra Klein, titled "The rise of Donald Trump is a terrifying moment in American politics," a few times already in my … Continue reading Donald Trump is scary because America is scary
Tag: George W. Bush
Leaving Maui, Part II: Things I did
I arrived on Maui on Aug. 28, 2003 as something of a misfit. Rather than spend my life working so that I could move to a tropical paradise, I had actually rarely given living in Hawaii any thought. Instead, moving to Maui meant a promotion–in this case, from a general assignment, sometime investigative reporter at … Continue reading Leaving Maui, Part II: Things I did
7 days to go
Like many of my friends and neighbors, and much of the rest of the world (we're talking just about every conscious person out there), I'm looking forward to a time now slightly less than a week away when George W. Bush will no longer be President of the United States. That this will be a … Continue reading 7 days to go
Cox sucks (as well as blows)
You have no idea how much I enjoyed writing that title, which refers to current Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Christopher Cox. See, back when I was a reporter in Orange County, California, Cox served as a U.S. Congressman representing the extremely affluent and conservative people of Newport Beach, so I learned first-hand just what … Continue reading Cox sucks (as well as blows)
Iraq can be fun!
Here's a fun little exercise you can do if you get bored this weekend: 1. Read this, a transcript of President George W. Bush's December 6, 2008 Weekly Radio Address in which he discusses why our occupation of Iraq has lately been so successful that we will soon be able to begin withdrawing some of … Continue reading Iraq can be fun!
‘Outsourcing Intelligence’
Now there is a truly glorious contradiction in terms. In this era when the Bush Administration sees privatization possibilities in every corner of government, and government effectiveness and accountability is at its lowest point since the Hoover Administration, I suppose it makes perfect sense that it would hire L-3 Communications, a New York-based publicly traded … Continue reading ‘Outsourcing Intelligence’
Bush’s Legacy, Part 2 (or 1, I can’t keep track anymore of what I’ve written)
Wow, George W. Bush is really taking this whole "legacy" thing seriously. This kind of amazes me, since he's never really taken anything in his whole life seriously (well, maybe executing people when he was Texas governor). Anyway, this article in yesterday's Los Angeles Times says Bush Administration officials are distributing a two-page "talking points" … Continue reading Bush’s Legacy, Part 2 (or 1, I can’t keep track anymore of what I’ve written)
The numbers are in
I love ProPublica, a website entirely devoted to investigative news. Today they posted a fantastic new rundown of statistics on what exactly the Bush Administration has accomplished. Some stats show real progress over the last eight years (AIDS funding is up!) while others show some real decline in society (deportations are way up, too!). With … Continue reading The numbers are in
Dissing the ‘commanders in the field’
Today the Honolulu Advertiser editorial page heartily approves of President-elect Barack Obama's "apparent" choice to keep Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense. "That's a smart move," the unsigned editorial puffs. "With the nation's economic turmoil rightly Obama's top priority, Gates' understanding and proven leadership in Iraq and Afghanistan will help us continue to chart the right … Continue reading Dissing the ‘commanders in the field’
Sometimes I hate it when I’m right
I usually feel good when I find that a certified smart person thinks the same way I do about politics. But in the case of Noam Chomsky's recent 7,700-word take on the election of Barack Obama in Znet, not so much. I've been watching a lot of my left-leaning friends take serious satisfaction in Obama's victory … Continue reading Sometimes I hate it when I’m right
Anthony Pignataro 