Yesterday, for anyone just waking from a coma, a new era was realized. Out with the fat, old bastard of company-related government thought processes and in with a fresh new way of thinking.
Barak Obama, 44th President of the United States was sworn in, and former President George W. Bush thankfully boarded 'Executive 1' and flew back to Texas. Too bad he didn't move to Florida with Jeb. I can already see the affects from the drop in the IQ when he landed...
In his speech at Midland, the former president stated that he was happy to be back in Texas, and that he left Washington with the same values that he took to Washington 8 years ago. Well, you won't get an argument out of me. The ex-Texas Governor showed those values many many times, allowing big business a strangle hold on Texas Economics for many years, he showed us those values in the very suspicious election results from Florida four years ago, and he continues to show us those values today by finally getting to cash in all of those stocks from Halliburton that have been gaining 300% since he took Office. He might want to unload those quickly, as President Obama is trying to form a 16 month plan to get our kids home from the invasion Bush started.
I have high hopes for the new President, as does the world. Whether he is favorable to the plight of the ex-Offender is high on my opinion list, but as long as he does what he stated he will do for this nation, I will be happy no matter how long he is in office. I am hoping for 8 years, but the republicans still control Ca, Tx, and FL.. so we will probably see another hanging chad event soon.
Yesterday was a momentous occasion. Not only has a little bit more of the bigotry and hatred been pulled from the society of America, but I think now we might actually have a chance at making things happen as a country again.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
UN says we've been bad.. What are they gonna do, spank us?
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/01/19/mexican.execution.violation/index.html
From CNN.com
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A United Nations court has found that the United States violated an international treaty and the court's own order when a Mexican national was executed last year in a Texas prison.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a ruling Monday in an unusual case that pitted President Bush against his home state in a dispute over federal authority, local sovereignty and foreign treaties. Mexico had filed a formal complaint against U.S. state and federal officials
"The United States of America has breached the obligation incumbent upon it" to stop the execution, the ICJ announced in a unanimous opinion.
-- So What else is NEW? We violate our own people all the time, why not a few Mexican Nationals?
Jose Ernesto Medellin's death by lethal injection in August followed a 15-year legal dispute after his conviction for two brutal slayings.
At issue was whether Texas and other states had to give in to a demand by the president that the prisoner be allowed new hearings and resentencing. Bush made that request reluctantly after the international court in 2004 concluded that Medellin and about 50 other Mexicans on various states' death rows were improperly denied access to their consulate upon arrest, a violation of a treaty signed by the United States decades ago.
Their home countries could have provided legal and other assistance to the men had they been notified, the court said.
In a separate judgment, the ICJ declined Mexico's demand that the United States provide guarantees against executing other foreign inmates in the future.
The U.S. Supreme Court last March ruled for Texas, allowing the Medellin execution to proceed.
Efforts stalled in Congress last summer over legislation that would have given foreign death row inmates like Medellin a new hearing before any punishment could be carried out.
State Department officials have said the international ruling will not help other foreign inmates in U.S. prisons, because federal officials cannot force states to comply. Administration officials also said that the president did all he could to force state compliance and that Congress now needs to intervene with specific legislation.
-- BullShit! I CALL BULL SHIT. The legislature passed Megan's law, they passed Jessica's law, and they passed the ADAM WALSH ACT and forced states to go along by mandating they pass 'state' authored laws.. This is horse shit. Again, the government denying responsibility for their actions.
Medellin was 18 when he participated in the June 1993 gang rape and murder of two Harris County girls: Jennifer Ertman, 14, and Elizabeth Pena, 16. He was convicted of the crimes and sentenced to death.
The prisoner's lawyers argued that Mexican consular officials were never able to meet with the man until after his conviction.
Only Oklahoma has commuted a capital inmate's sentence to life in prison in response to the international judgment. Days after Medellin died by lethal injection, Texas executed Honduran native Heliberto Chi Acheituno, who also said his treaty rights were violated.
The ICJ in 2004 ordered the United States to provide "review and reconsideration" of the sentences and convictions of the Mexican prisoners. That world court again in July mandated that the United States do everything within its federal authority to stop Medellin's execution until his case could be further reviewed by American courts.
Based in The Hague, Netherlands, the ICJ resolves disputes between nations over treaty obligations. The 15-judge panel is the principal judicial organization of the United Nations, laying out rights of people detained in other nations.
The Supreme Court appeal turned on what role each branch of government plays to give force to international treaty obligations. After the ICJ ruling, the United States pulled out of that international court's jurisdiction in matters arising from the Vienna Convention.
In allowing the Medellin execution to proceed, the Supreme Court majority noted congressional "inaction" on the issue, efforts that had "not progressed beyond the bare introduction of a bill in the four years since the ICJ ruling."
--
I am not saying what this asshat did was right, nor do I say that the end should have been any different , he raped and KILLED two young girls. For the murder, he got what should have been given. What I take exception to is the sheer bullshit being spewed from the State Department.
The real problem here is though, there is nothing that the UN can do about it. If they threaten sanctions, we'll threaten to either not pay our dues, or be a little 'late' like we did a few years ago, and not a single one of them will say another word.
From CNN.com
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A United Nations court has found that the United States violated an international treaty and the court's own order when a Mexican national was executed last year in a Texas prison.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a ruling Monday in an unusual case that pitted President Bush against his home state in a dispute over federal authority, local sovereignty and foreign treaties. Mexico had filed a formal complaint against U.S. state and federal officials
"The United States of America has breached the obligation incumbent upon it" to stop the execution, the ICJ announced in a unanimous opinion.
-- So What else is NEW? We violate our own people all the time, why not a few Mexican Nationals?
Jose Ernesto Medellin's death by lethal injection in August followed a 15-year legal dispute after his conviction for two brutal slayings.
At issue was whether Texas and other states had to give in to a demand by the president that the prisoner be allowed new hearings and resentencing. Bush made that request reluctantly after the international court in 2004 concluded that Medellin and about 50 other Mexicans on various states' death rows were improperly denied access to their consulate upon arrest, a violation of a treaty signed by the United States decades ago.
Their home countries could have provided legal and other assistance to the men had they been notified, the court said.
In a separate judgment, the ICJ declined Mexico's demand that the United States provide guarantees against executing other foreign inmates in the future.
The U.S. Supreme Court last March ruled for Texas, allowing the Medellin execution to proceed.
Efforts stalled in Congress last summer over legislation that would have given foreign death row inmates like Medellin a new hearing before any punishment could be carried out.
State Department officials have said the international ruling will not help other foreign inmates in U.S. prisons, because federal officials cannot force states to comply. Administration officials also said that the president did all he could to force state compliance and that Congress now needs to intervene with specific legislation.
-- BullShit! I CALL BULL SHIT. The legislature passed Megan's law, they passed Jessica's law, and they passed the ADAM WALSH ACT and forced states to go along by mandating they pass 'state' authored laws.. This is horse shit. Again, the government denying responsibility for their actions.
Medellin was 18 when he participated in the June 1993 gang rape and murder of two Harris County girls: Jennifer Ertman, 14, and Elizabeth Pena, 16. He was convicted of the crimes and sentenced to death.
The prisoner's lawyers argued that Mexican consular officials were never able to meet with the man until after his conviction.
Only Oklahoma has commuted a capital inmate's sentence to life in prison in response to the international judgment. Days after Medellin died by lethal injection, Texas executed Honduran native Heliberto Chi Acheituno, who also said his treaty rights were violated.
The ICJ in 2004 ordered the United States to provide "review and reconsideration" of the sentences and convictions of the Mexican prisoners. That world court again in July mandated that the United States do everything within its federal authority to stop Medellin's execution until his case could be further reviewed by American courts.
Based in The Hague, Netherlands, the ICJ resolves disputes between nations over treaty obligations. The 15-judge panel is the principal judicial organization of the United Nations, laying out rights of people detained in other nations.
The Supreme Court appeal turned on what role each branch of government plays to give force to international treaty obligations. After the ICJ ruling, the United States pulled out of that international court's jurisdiction in matters arising from the Vienna Convention.
In allowing the Medellin execution to proceed, the Supreme Court majority noted congressional "inaction" on the issue, efforts that had "not progressed beyond the bare introduction of a bill in the four years since the ICJ ruling."
--
I am not saying what this asshat did was right, nor do I say that the end should have been any different , he raped and KILLED two young girls. For the murder, he got what should have been given. What I take exception to is the sheer bullshit being spewed from the State Department.
The real problem here is though, there is nothing that the UN can do about it. If they threaten sanctions, we'll threaten to either not pay our dues, or be a little 'late' like we did a few years ago, and not a single one of them will say another word.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Yes We Can.. Lie to the people
UPDATE-- I was absolutely incorrect. Anonymous pointed out that you CAN find the topics, if you know where to look. Do not attempt to search the topics on the first page, you have to go to the link Anon provided. I need to spend a bit more time searching and less getting angry. I take responsibility for flying off the handle...
Prez-elect Obama's transition team created a Citizen's Book at change.gov.. Seems they wanted to hear about what problems the president should hear about and look at fixing. I have been following several regarding the re-vamping of SO laws and regs. Last told, I saw 110 or so regarding the registry, re-vamping the laws, repealing AWA. Funny, but since they closed the ability to allow topics today, ALL of the requests for more just and less illegal laws, they were ALL deleted.
Funny..
Yes, We can.. oppress over 600 thousand American citizens...
Way to Go Obama, you have just proven that politicians truly are the lowest, most lying group of individuals on the planet. With this as an example of how you promote 'change' I guess we can look forward to many more years of business as usual politics...
Great Job.. You..
Prez-elect Obama's transition team created a Citizen's Book at change.gov.. Seems they wanted to hear about what problems the president should hear about and look at fixing. I have been following several regarding the re-vamping of SO laws and regs. Last told, I saw 110 or so regarding the registry, re-vamping the laws, repealing AWA. Funny, but since they closed the ability to allow topics today, ALL of the requests for more just and less illegal laws, they were ALL deleted.
Funny..
Yes, We can.. oppress over 600 thousand American citizens...
Way to Go Obama, you have just proven that politicians truly are the lowest, most lying group of individuals on the planet. With this as an example of how you promote 'change' I guess we can look forward to many more years of business as usual politics...
Great Job.. You
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)