Month: November 2006

Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson wants former service members to wear their medals on Saturday, Veterans Day. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I would only wear two medals were I to wear mine tomorrow, which I won’t. One of my medals would be the pictured National Defense Service Medal, which is basically given service members during a time of war, or in other words “just showing up.” The other medal would be a Navy Good Conduct Medal which was really kind of extraordinary for me since it signifies that a sailor did not get in any serious trouble during one’s enlistment. That was definitely a little harder of the two to earn.

So, I don’t have anything against Nicholson’s idea. I just wish he would put his brain power to use in other more substantial pursuits such as cutting down the length of time it takes to see VA doctors or dispensing with all the bureaucratic bulls*it that one has to endure when dealing with the VA. Now that would be a really great Veterans Day idea.

I’m going to come back and look at this tomorrow just to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating.

It appears the Democrats have taken both houses of Congress. This makes me happy not because of any particular party loyalty but rather it provides a little hope that maybe some of our country’s problems can be made just a little better. I know, I know. I’m like Charlie Brown thinking he’s going to kick the football “this time.” But I’m an Astros fan. I’m used to disappointment.

It makes me extremely happy to see Rumsfeld go. I don’t recall Rummy doing anything particularly good or bad when he was Defense Secretary the first time, which was during part of my Navy enlistment in the mid-to-late 1970s. But Rumsfeld’s tenure this time could be equated to the Hindenburg crashing into the Titanic. Oh the humanity!

Rumsfeld does not bear the blame for getting us into the Iraq mess. But he can be blamed for his reckless and arrogant leadership which has put our troops into an untenable position. I just hope that both the Iraq Study Group as well as Rumsfeld’s presumed successor, Robert Gates, can find an exit strategy from this ill-advised war that will neither leave our nation completely dispirited nor weakened.

What is with all this hope and optimism from the original founder of the Pessimists club (Our motto: We would have a meeting but we are afraid no one would attend)? I don’t know. I guess I just like to torture myself. I’ve got to get me one of those waterboards … (Warning, danger Will Robinson: Facetious reference)

The changing of the guard at the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill leave our nation with a host of new opportunities. But those leaders who can make things work will be like a dog chasing a car and catching it. Okay Fido, you’ve got the car, now what are you going to do with it?

SecDef resigns. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out, Bubba.

Gee Dubya tried to pull off a miracle in Crawford but to no avail.

The Democrats took back the U.S. House in yesterday’s election rumble. As of this morning, control of the Senate appeared to hang on who wins in Virginia and Montana. Go figure. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. This is especially so since two Nor’eastern Independents were elected.

Bernie Sanders of Vermont has described himself as a “democratic socialist,” so it’s doubtful he will regularly break bread with the Senate G.O.P. caucus. The picture is not so clear about Smoking Joe Leiberman, who was whipped in the Democratic primary but went on to beat the candidate who beat him. Of course, Leiberman playing kissy-face with Gee Dubya didn’t endear him to his fellow Donkeycrats. But Lieberman has said he will vote with the Dems. We shall see.

I guess the best thought about this entire election — aside from the fact that all the stupid ads are over (for now at least) — is that maybe a fraction of that congenital smirk on Karl Rove’s face has been removed. Now I am a reasonable guy. I normally judge people by their character and not by their looks. But once in a great while, someone’s looks pisses me off. Call it a sick (sic) sense. Karl Rove fits in that category.

Here in the Lone Star State there were no big surprises. Gov. Goodhair will have another term. Kinky can make a movie. Carole Keeton Strayhorn Acosta Diablo Von Hindenburg will still be a tough grandma. And Chris Bell? Someone might actually recognize him when he walks down the street. I probably won’t, but someone might.

We shall see what we shall see as for the future. For now, it is time for the victors to celebrate and for the losers to … do loser things. Once again democracy raises its weary head and loudly proclaims: “Keep those drinks a’ coming!”