Obama’s Second Inauguration: A Great Time To Not Be Republican

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Tony Hymes

On a brisk Monday in our nation’s governmental node, a vast crowd of people gathered on the damp mall, waving flags and cheering the second inauguration of President Barack Obama. After an extremely hard-fought, expensive, and divisive campaign, the result was finally made official as President Obama swore the oath of office. Considering his level of success on advancing social causes like healthcare and equal rights, the nation can look forward to four more years of expert stewardship. There has never been a better time to root for the left.

president obama sworn in for second term

Hope is back

While the tone was much more subdued than the fervor that surrounded his first inauguration, Obama did not disappoint. For the first time in history in an inaugural speech, the President mentioned gay rights, and likened their path to that of other civil rights movements. He heavily pushed the cause of collective good. And, most importantly, he affronted the conservatives.

Baffled at their own demise, Republicans have been grasping at anything that even resembles an opportunity to make it seem like they are still doing anything at a national level. Obama’s speech rebuked the conservatives and particularly the puddle of the agitated far right from where the likes of Paul Ryan spawn. John McCain hypocritically whined that Obama didn’t talk enough about working together. However, no one in the nation believed the Senator, because no one heard him.

TO THE LEFT

The noise of the right was drowned out by the hopes of the left. Obama, who stayed too far to the center for the preferences of many a liberal, might buck the trend of past Presidents going into their second terms. History states that a President tends to gravitate towards the center the second time a nation elects him. With the Senate set (today) to vote on changing the rules of the filibuster, Obama might take the opportunity to move to the left instead and push through reforms on gun control and immigration.

If he succeeds at pushing through major legislation on these points (which seems probable considering the attention some in the Republican rank are getting by promoting reform), by the end of his second term and eight years in office he will have reformed healthcare, gun control, and immigration. But perhaps the most exciting part of his inaugural speech was his frank mention of climate change, and what the US must do to counteract it. This was a breath of fresh air (pun intended). It could mark the beginning of a substantial national shift in energy policy towards renewables for which many have been waiting decades.

Whatever your viewpoint, it is clear that despite the contrary claims, hope is alive and well.

Governor Cuomo Advances Gun Control

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Tony Hymes

The national sentiment after the Newtown tragedy is currently being harnessed by the left to push through measures to increase gun control. As we wrote earlier, it is a surprise opportunity for President Obama and the left to modernize the archaic system guaranteed under the Second Amendment. Now Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo has just completed the first step in curbing the effects of gun violence.

Let’s make this country safer

Though the measures are rather small, including better monitoring those with a history of mental illness and reducing the number of bullets carried in a cartridge, it is the first action of what will become a national trend. President Obama has already stated that he favors using executive action to limit the places where guns can go, who can buy them, and to tighten the process of purchasing a firearm. The nation supports him.

Unfortunately, there is not much that can be done under current law. Most courts nationally support the Second Amendment to the letter (except for the “well-regulated” part which we will get to below), meaning that limiting the places where guns can be carried is nearly impossible. Some around the nation even advocate for everyone to bring a gun everywhere, though these people should probably be included on Cuomo’s mental health monitoring list. The hypocrisy is enormous, especially when looking at the Republican National Convention in Tampa last year where speakers and attendees proudly defended the second amendment while being forced to leave their guns outside of a no-weapon zone. The entire country should be a no-weapon zone.

Action from President Obama should come swiftly, and should focus on the acquisition of guns, one of the few areas where the government has any control. Considering that there are already nearly the same amount of guns as people in the US, it’s not hard to get your hands on a gun. But if you’re not trained to use a gun, it should be hard to get one. The Second Amendment clearly states a “well-regulated militia.” While the rest of the Second Amendment gets pointed to in defense every time a psycho wants to re-enact Grand Theft Auto, the well-regulated militia part is purposefully discarded. It is simple: trained soldiers can have guns to protect themselves from a tyrannical government. The Second Amendment does not guarantee the rights of crazy people to kill as many schoolchildren as they can.

Finally, for the first time since the Revolutionary War, we are seeing progress.

The State of the Gun Control Debate

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Tony Hymes

The tragic events at Newtown at the end of 2012 were a horrendous reminder that we, as a civilized nation, have made no single stride towards curbing the rampant violence of having an armed population. No matter the arguments for gun ownership or control, the culture and national environment have never come close to shifting towards a more responsible, modern, and sustainable society. That is, until now.

Will we finally see progress?

When schoolchildren get massacred, tempers flare higher than usual. Not many shed tears when an armed drug dealer is gunned down in the streets (we do). But when helpless and innocent children become the target of a sick shooting spree, the nation naturally looks to find a way of preventing another such tragedy. It’s how we evolved. We adapt to situations to continue the pace of time and ensure our own survival.

The pressure for change is on. Gun control groups are finding unprecedented national support for pressing the government to do something. Obama, who was hoping to wind down Afghanistan and make his mark on immigration reform in his second presidential term, has an unexpected challenge and opportunity. The left has been begging for tougher restrictions on gun access and the places where people can legally carry them. Many on the left viewed Obama’s first term as too centrist and not progressive enough. Nothing was said about gun control during the 2012 election. But now Obama — and particularly Joe Biden — are pushing for at least a symbolic move to stem the free flow of guns through our population.

Change will not come easily. The NRA wants its members to keep selling guns, and its other members to keep buying them. In response to the Newtown tragedy, they famously recommended putting armed guards at every elementary school. Completely ignoring the fact that an assailant could arm himself with assault rifles, snipe the guard from a distance, and then manage to kill as many children as his bullets will allow, the underlying motive was clear: the answer to guns are more guns. Why the nation still pays any attention to the NRA is itself a big discussion point now after so many sensible people realize that the NRA only cares about themselves, even at the expense of the lives of our children.

The marginalization of the NRA has been happening naturally but their insensitivity and clear greed have accelerated it. The people want to be safe, safe from guns, and one does not feel safe when everyone around them has a gun. Life is too tenuous to allow people to carry devices that could effortlessly extinguish it. The current possibilities toward increasing gun control might be merely symbolic, but like the Affordable Care Act, it is a step in the right direction, and must come before the steps after it. If Obama and Biden can leverage the national outrage into action, it might be the beginning of the end for the second amendment’s ridiculous application.

Republicans Bring Down Susan Rice

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Tony Hymes

The onslaught was immediate. After jihadists attacked the American embassy in Benghazi Lybia, the Republicans followed in their tracks and continued the offensive. Presidential candidate-at-the-time Mitt Romney’s criticism came immediately. Since Obama had no major foreign policy gaffes or missteps throughout his first term, the Republicans needed to find something to draw attention to as a fault. At the center of the controversy, US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice, Obama’s top choice as the next Secretary of State.

republicans stop susan rice because of benghazi attack controversy

It’s not right

It was the comments around what happened in the attack in Lybia that lit the fuse. Confusion over whether the attack was a protest gone awry or an organized strike by a terrorist group caused a period of time when information went back and forth. The real problem was completely ignored: the question of the safety of America’s officials who work overseas. The issue that came up was how the State Department talked about a rapidly unfolding event with little outside information.

While it is the duty of officials to present accurate information to the people who elect them, in the world of counter-terrorism information is very hard to come by. When a few individuals act with the complete element of surprise, it is natural that it takes some time to get any sort of bigger picture. Under normal circumstance, the nation would unite against the attackers. Susan Rice is a target only because the controversy managed to stick.

Republicans are desperate for some sort of victory, and Susan Rice just handed them one when she formally withdrew her candidacy for Secretary of State. It is a shame, since Rice is a highly educated and experienced diplomat who spent many years outside of the United States. She is in every way qualified and deserving to go through the application process to be Secretary of State. Instead, Republicans, who dislike the UN anyway, wanted to show that they could still impact national politics. Since nearly every opinion poll shows the Republicans on the wrong side of the table on almost every issue, it was really their only option. It is unfortunate for the nation as a whole, but if predictions come true and Senator John Kerry is tapped, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

The End Of The Majority

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Tony Hymes

It is predicted that in 2042, the White Non-Hispanic majority will no longer be an actual majority, but rather merely the largest minority. Hispanics will nearly triple their numbers by 2050, meaning that nearly one in three people will be hispanic. Texas, a Republican bastion, could turn blue if Republicans don’t adjust their stance on immigration. Losing Texas would effectively eliminate any chance of a Republican winning the presidency.

Here are some quick projections:

DEMOGRAPHIC DECEMBER The Wrong Wing | Infographic

Demographics December

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Tony Hymes

The Republican party is scattered like seeds in the wind, blowing aimlessly in different directions by contrasting convections. Within the right of the political spectrum are the extreme conservatives, the fiscal conservatives, and some moderates. The cross section changes by the day, and while different elements may contrast with each other, there is one overlying fact that cannot be ignored: demographics.

Shifting demographics have already made an impact on national political campaigns, and white people are no longer an absolute majority. All of the centuries of treating those with different skin colors as lesser individuals has finally caught up to Republicans, and they are getting rebuked at the polls by pretty much every demographic that’s not purely white.

There are many other major causes for the permanent decline in the Republican party and their influence. The waning sway of the church, the liberalization of young people thanks to access to information, the increasing amount of wealth in our nation, and the loss of a key voting bloc: the elderly.

For this politiblog, it is worth exploring all of these points in extended detail, to outline exactly how the forces of progress will always prove too much for all of the energy spent trying to keep things the same.

It is fitting after Obama thumped Romney that we take some time to explore why the Republican party today is crippled, and why they must change their platform to better reflect America. If they dont, they will go the way of the Whigs.

Look for articles this month on The Wrong Wing that focus on why the decline of the Republican party is not temporary, and how the nation’s political future will be determined.

UN Passes Resolution Naming Palestine A State

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Tony Hymes

In the most recent flare up in violence between Israel and Palestine, things looked set for a ground invasion by the Israeli army into Palestine. Luckily, and just in the nick of time, the plan was averted, sparing countless lives and major amounts of damage to Palestinian infrastructure. Then, just yesterday, in a move that has Palestinians celebrating in the streets, the UN overwhelming approved Palestines bid to up their status from observer to a nonmember observer state. It might sound like a technicality, but that word ‘state’ is oh so important.

UN resolution recognizes palestinian state

Some good news in the gloom

The event overall was not a surprise, most countries in the world side with the Palestinian cause. The only nations that opposed it were Israel, America, and the nations that lie well within the American sphere of influence. Surprisingly, western countries like France and Italy also sided with the Palestinians, which may reveal a greater shift in the political approach to the Middle East.

Now, Palestine has greater access to the UN including international courts, and it will use this as bargaining power with Israel. Even in places like America, most people believe the best option for lasting stability is a two state solution. The problem is Israel’s defense. Since many Middle Eastern leaders and people despise Israel for its conception after World War II, returning to the pre-1967 borders probably won’t be satisfactory. In the case, Israel needs distance between them and people that might attack them. This has been the logic since the Six Days War: lock down Palesine to keep a buffer between Israel and other threats.

But you can’t keep an entire population in what is essentially a vast prison because of the threat to your security. The conditions imposed in Palestine by Israel are inhumane, and a solution must be found. The UN’s decision is a major step towards legitimacy, and will hopefully start to change the dynamic between Palestine and Israel, not nearly enough to put them on level-footing (we are decades away from that) but it’s a step up, and a cause to celebrate.

Budget Negotiations Underway in Washington

Posted on November 27, 2012 by Tony Hymes

Negotiations are underway to find a solution to America’s public finance problems. Cuts and tax raises are necessary. Not having to face the nation’s vote again, Barack Obama can afford to lead the charge for tax reform and a return to the tax environment pre W Bush. The pressure is on.

Compromise is the only way forward

With congress basically crippled, Obama needs to act. The loss of moderate politicians who were central to deal making has meant that no bill stands a chance, unless it is something obvious and cross party. The budget is neither. It requires compromise from both sides to even the books. Some of the cuts must be painful, and some of the taxes will have negative effects on the economy. But politicians have to take responsibility and pass a budget.

There is a divide between the two sides on how to approach the balancing. Republicans, ever mindful and beholden to their rich donors, dont want to see tax cuts expire. They also are unwilling to cut from defense. They have proposed closing loopholes as the answer, which would only hurt middle and lower class families who cant afford to pay financial advisors to find loopholes for them. In this strategy, nothing changes for the rich.

The Democrats, for their part, are unwilling to cut from Medicare and social security, two staples of their base. They want to see a return to the tax structure of the 90s, and refocus spending from the defense department.

OPPORTUNITY

There is opportunity here to find a balanced solution that gets us back on track. However, the politicians in congress are playing their own strategy games, and no one wants to have been on the wrong side of a budget deal when re-election comes up. But there are two sides: and in fact they are not down party lines. There is passing a budget, or not passing a budget. Let’s hope they get it done.

Morsi’s New Powers

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Tony Hymes

With the birth of democracy in Egypt has come much uncertainty. Tangled between the different groups that have seen the efficacy of protesting lies the direction of Egypt’s future. When Mohammed Morsi took victory in the first elections since the fall of Mubarak, the western world waited to see the path he would select. Many worried that because he was a Muslim Brother, the US would lose an ally that has been central to peace in the region. While up until this point he had operated admirably, events just took a turn for the worse.

In a swift move designed to accelerate his ability to implement new legislation, Morsi has consolidated power and in effect risen above the powers of the legislative and judicial pillars. To many, this is not a good sign.

MOTIVATION

egypt transition to democracy after arab spring

How far will he go?

Democracy is a messy process, and even in mature democracies, change is a battle. The American congress is grid-locked. European multi-party governments get dissolved on a monthly basis. The competing forces of left, right, and everything in between are seldom in harmony. Sometimes, democratic leaders wish they could just drown out the noise and pursue their agenda. But it doesn’t work that way.

Egypt needs a new constitution, and with unrest and novice politicians it is a monumental challenge. In the meantime, Morsi needs to act. He wants to open new investigations into the former army and government leaders’ involvement in resistance and treatment of the Arab Spring protesters who filled Tahrir Square until Mubarak was gone. This made a lot of people happy. But he also took the step to effectively uncouple the limits to his power to the rest of the government to further his reforms, a move which his opponents claim is tantamount to immunity and would place him on a level of a dictator.

REALITY

The move might be getting blown out of proportion by his opponents, and thus the media. Egyptians are not used to speaking so strongly against their leaders due to the fear of reprisal under Mubarak. The language of politics is new to them. Head on over to the United States to see how many people labelled W Bush a dictator (us, more than a few times) and how many people today see Obama as a socialist nazi (whatever that is).

Will the move actually enable Morsi to infringe upon the democratic process or is it just a symbolic step to show his willingness to change Egypt and send a signal to other parties that it’s time to get their act together? Morsi does not seem like the man that would consolidate power until the point of tyranny, but there have been a lot of democratically elected leaders who slowly tighten the noose until their power is supreme. If Morsi uses the new abilities to push through a democratic constitution and then takes a step back, Egypt and the world will breathe a sigh of relief.

Israel Readies Ground Assault on Gaza

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Tony Hymes

When the rockets began hitting the ground in Israel, the world tensed. The globe had been witness to this before, and the ensuing retaliation on the part of the Israelis. In an area of the world that has really never seen lasting peace since the beginning of civilization, the armies mobilize. Israel is now days or maybe hours away from sending ground troops into Gaza.

The Right to Defend

Hundreds of Palestinians have already perished in the Israeli missile and aerial attacks since last week. Gaza is very densely populated because of its tiny size. Palestinian and Hamas fighters are concentrated in the heart of civilian areas. Normally, this would shield them from a western style power that is restricted by the laws of war. But Isreal has seen too many rockets, and has been dealing with this dilemma for too long to care anymore. They are going after Hamas no matter where they are.

THE RIGHT TO DEFEND

In the United States, where support for Israel is deep and unwavering, no one wants to see war. But one cannot deny that rockets shot at Israel with the intention of killing people constitutes an attack worthy of defense. The response will not be proportional, nothing in war ever is. Therefore, not much is going to come from the US in terms of disuading or outright stopping an Israeli ground invasion.

Egypt, the normal moderator between Israel and the Arab world, is, for the first time, led by a Muslim Brother and not a dictator propped up by the west. So far, their position has not changed significantly. They continue to negotiate for a cease-fire and for peace. With the history of wars between Israel and Egypt, and Egypt having been on the losing side, there is almost no possibility that Egyptian forces will be sent to mediate the invasion. Though they are prodding — along with Qatar and increasingly Turkey — for peace, there is not much they can use for negotiation.

THE MISSED OPPORTUNITY

The circle of violence has become institutionalized. It is the classic chicken vs. egg dilemma: Israel responds to attacks, killing many people, which causes new animosity and the need for revenge, which propels Palestinians to mount resistance movements and fire more rockets. Israel attacks again, and the cycle is repeated.

The only way to break the cycle of this violence is to improve living conditions in Palestine enough that people start feeling less animosity towards Israel and instead start to place a greater value on what they have. It is up to Israel and the world to rebuild Palestine the way that it rebuilt its own country after World War II up until this very day.

Now, as it stands, the Israeli grip on Palestinian land and the destructiveness of its attacks — which level entire blocks of cities, destroy communication, leadership, and infrastructure — means that the standard of living will never improve, it only continues to worsen. No amount of controlled buffer zones will provide lasting security for Israel. Its only option is to mount a humanitarian campaign to improve living conditions for Palestinians, open up trade, and integrate Palestinian businesses into their economy. If enough Palestinians are dependent on Israel for financial success, it will become less of a target.

The chances of this happening are close to zero.

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