Politics Information

Iowa Caucuses up for grabs

No clear winners in 2008 presidential election caucuses on either side.  threeway race in the Democratic race and some say as many as five republicans are in the running. With Clinton’s status as a cear front runner in question they seem to be playing dirty tricks and down playing expectations. It should be interesing to say the least how all this will play out in Iowa. The Des Moines Register is expected to make presidential endorsements on it’s website tonight.

Democrats & Republicans

Are you a donkey or an elephant?

Influence of contributions on policy

The obvious assumption is that big money contributions have an affect on elected officials. However I don’t think it is as much of a problem as many would assume. Especially when it comes to mainstream issues. If this was true then the flow of money would be much different than it is reality. Simply following the money doesn’t support the corruption assumption. For example if the money had as much impact as many would have you believe then right to life groups would give huge amounts to pro choice candidates. If the money influence assumption was true the pro-choice candidate could easily be converted to a pro-life lawmaker. In fact the reality is that in most cases “special interest groups” more typically make large donations to candidates who already support their cause. This has the affect of influencing elections but not individuals positions. Money does influence “who” is elected but not typically how officials make decisions. Of course it does give added pressure on those elected to stick to the positions they expressed which prompted the donations. Money does indirectly affect policy by directly affecting election results.

2008 Democratic Presidential Candidates

Democrats announced and exploring:

• US Senator Joe Biden (Delaware) STATUS: ANNOUNCED CANDIDATE.
  Joe Biden for President
• US Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (New York) STATUS: ANNOUNCED CANDIDATE.
  HillaryClinton.com
• US Senator Chris Dodd (Connecticut) STATUS: ANNOUNCED CANDIDATE.
  Chris Dodd for President
• Former US Senator John R. Edwards (North Carolina) STATUS: ANNOUNCED CANDIDATE.
  John Edwards for President
• Former US Senator Mike Gravel (Virginia) STATUS: ANNOUNCED CANDIDATE.
  Gravel 2008
• Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (Ohio) STATUS: ANNOUNCED CANDIDATE.
  Kucinich for President 2008
• US Senator Barack Obama (Illinois) STATUS: ANNOUNCED CANDIDATE.
  Obama for America
• Governor Bill Richardson (New Mexico) STATUS: EXPLORATORY CANDIDATE.
  Richardson for President
• Warren R. Ashe (Virginia) STATUS: ANNOUNCED CANDIDATE.
• Randy Crow (North Carolina) STATUS: ANNOUNCED CANDIDATE.
  Randy Crow - Democrat For President
• Laura Davis-Aaron (Tennesse) STATUS: ANNOUNCED CANDIDATE.
• Michael K. Forrester (Colorado) STATUS: ANNOUNCED CANDIDATE.
• Dan Francis (New York) STATUS: EXPLORATORY CANDIDATE.
• Alfonzo Jones (California) STATUS: ANNOUNCED CANDIDATE.
• John Joseph Kennedy (Georgia) STATUS: ANNOUNCED CANDIDATE.
  John Joseph Kennedy The People’s President for 2008
• Karl E. Krueger (South Dakota) STATUS: ANNOUNCED CANDIDATE.
• Sal Mohamed (Iowa) STATUS: ANNOUNCED CANDIDATE.
  Sal Mohamed for President
• Jim Prattas (Hawaii) STATUS: ANNOUNCED CANDIDATE.
• Ole Savior (Minnesota) STATUS: ANNOUNCED CANDIDATE.

Iraq

Could the Kurds Kill Iraq?
By: Stephen J. Morgan, Wed Apr 11th, 2007
Kirkuk and the Kurdish borderlands - Iraq’s “Bosnia.”
The Kurdish autonomous north has long been held out as an example of peace and security for the rest of Iraq. Today, however, it threatens to become a source of its greatest instability and an issue, which might tear Iraq apart. In particular, the question of the status of the mixed city of Kirkuk threatens to ignite civil war tensions that will reverberate throughout the country and possibly threaten the intervention of outside powers, especially Turkey.

Truck Driving in Iraq: You Think It’s Tough Here?
By: Allen Smith, Mon Mar 5th, 2007
Truck driving undoubtedly has its challenges here in the United States. Crowded highways, not enough parking areas and long hours are just a few of the problems drivers face on a daily basis. I was enjoying a meal at a Petro Truck Stop the other day when I heard another driver complaining about the food. It appeared that he felt that some of the items on the buffet were not hot enough. I agreed that some of the entrees could have been warmer, but I really didn’t care. I was just enjoying the meal.

Iraq: The wild, weird and ferocious Counter-Surge
By: Stephen J. Morgan, Wed Jan 31st, 2007
Monitoring Iraq is now like watching a weather map of the Mid-West in tornado season. From every, unexpected direction all hell breaks loose with an unpredictability and novelty that we haven’t quite witnessed before. In the madness and complexity that is Iraq, the US surge is provoking a counter-surge of exceptional clashes, which are wilder, weirder and fiercer than in the past.

Lost on the Couch - the psychological reasons for the defeat in Iraq
By: Stephen J. Morgan, Wed Jan 24th, 2007
In many ways the decisive factors which lost the war in Iraq for the US are the moral and psychological questions. This has two dimensions - firstly the cause for which the American troops believe they are fighting and the manner in which it has been transmitted; and the way in which the insurgents view their cause against that of their internal rivals, as well as the aims of America. Secondly, is the impasse arising from conservatism of thought on the part of the political and military leaaders.

Politics Information

• Please Tell Me What is Going On In The Middle East
  (Wed Jan 17th, 2007, by Ellen Carpenter)
  Recently I have been trying to keep up with current events. I have been watching the news on the television and reading the news in the newspapers and online.
• Bush is Leading US Into A Deadly Trap
  (Wed Jan 24th, 2007, by Karen Fish)
  My fellow earthlings. I come in peace. What is peace to one person may be war to another. War, what is it good for? It’s especially good for selling newspapers. I read the news today oh boy, 300 people shot in Lancashire.
• Sierra Leone presidential elections in 2007: the search for the right deputy.
  (Sat Jan 6th, 2007, by Sheka Tarawalie)
  The race for the 2007 presidential and general elections is gearing up day by day. In his state opening of parliament a few months ago, President Kabbah has virtually said good-bye to the nation, opening the doors for speculation as to who will su…
• The E.U. Will Brutally Betray U.S.
  (Wed Jan 17th, 2007, by David Ben-Ariel)
  John Blundell of the Heritage Foundation questions: Is the E.U. America’s Friend or Foe? It’s great to see some are beginning to ask uncomfortable questions that few folks consider or want to know the answers to, preferring to believe that the F…
• Costa Rica Economy; Recovering and Expanding
  (Wed Jan 31st, 2007, by Charles Kassotis)
  Costa Rica lies between Panama and Nicaragua and it is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the east and the North Pacific Ocean to the west. It is comprised of 51,100 square kilometers and the territorial waters take up about 589 square kilometers. It i…
• Imperfect Presidents
  (Wed Jan 31st, 2007, by Lee Goins)
  More important than proving perfection on your parties side, is a willingness to seek out the mistakes and correct them; to improve; to monitor your integrity. In the face of the opposition bashing away it is tempting to deny any fault at all; but it…

Politics Articles

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A Presidential Platform
By: Brent O. Smith, Wed Apr 11th, 2007
It’s already time for the next Presidential race (As if it ever ended). Many, me included, think it is far too early to be starting this process. My fear is an unknown candidate can no longer be elected. There will be no more straight talking candidates (and I don’t mean the McCain, double talk express types). A real straight talker. A man who will simply speak his mind without first polling & focus grouping. Someone that will tell us as it is without pulling any politically correct punches. For this reason I feel a man like me could not be elected Dog Catcher.