Redundancy is apparently required

Apparently we need a Constitutional amendment to clarify the United States Constitution. According to Article 8, only Congress may declare war. They still haven't declared war in Iraq, but they readily admit we are fighting a war there, and most of them support the war. 

Our Congressperson, Melissa Bean, continually votes to continue funding the war, even though she is fully aware that the ONLY way to end the war is to quit funding it.

We got in this ridiculous position because Congress said that the President could decide when and if we should invade Iraq. Congress DOES NOT have that authority. The Constitution clearly states that Congress, and only Congress, can decide if we should go war.

I propose a Constitutional amendment to clarify this power and specifically state that Congress cannot be cowards and pass the buck.

In case you were wondering, Melissa Bean supported the invasion while running for Congress.

Filing

Monday (11/5) was the deadline for filing petitions for the primary. I have to say that the State Board of Elections is very well run and efficient. They had on hand the required forms, hole puncher, clips, and notaries public. The filing process itself was very easy and painless. The employees were helpful and friendly. Simply stated, I was very impressed.

I have been keeping an eye on their website (http://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionInformation/CandFilSOffice.aspx?id+21). On this page you can view not only who has filed, but who has requested to view or copy the petitions. On the deadline day Bean apparently had someone there to copy all the petitions. Someone by the name of Aaron Gordon requested and received copies of all petitions for the 8th district (except Bean's). Clearly she is worried, otherwise she'd never bother to pull primary petitions for other parties. It should be fun; I know for a fact that no challenge of Randi Scheurer's petitions will be successful. It would be stupid of her to challenge my petition or a Republican petition. Of course, I've never accused the Democrat establishment of having any intelligence.

Anyway, you heard it here first - Bean is afraid that she's going to lose and she's getting paranoid.

Marriage Proposal

Lets get politics out of marriage. The domestic partnership debate going on in legislatures around the world is based on governmental interference in religion. 

I propose that our government stop sanctioning marriages. Instead of getting a marriage license, you would go to the clerk and get a domestic partnership, no matter who you or your partner is. If you wish to have the word "marriage" attached to your relationship you would then go to the church of your choice to do so. Religious institutions would have the choice of what types of marriages they would sanction.

For those already married, nothing changes. For future, though, all committed couples would be treated equally in the eyes of the law.

Call for submissions

I am thinking lately about a regional prosperity plan for Central America. All too often we look at immigration as simply an issue of law and order, but the fact is that we will continue to have people crossing our border illegally as long as their is such a wide disparity of incomes and quality of life among Central American nations, and between them and the United States.

CAFTA & NAFTA clearly are not the answer. I'm asking you to tell me what you think can be done to help all of Central America improve quality of life. This is not simply economics, although that's certainly part of the equation. 

How can infrastructure be built? What economic ties will help all nations, including the US? How do we ensure quality health care for all? What questions am I leaving out?

Campaign School

I spent today at McHenry County College, attending a candidate school. It was very informative and interesting, but I think the best part was meeting people running for other offices. Dave Kalbfleisch, Green Party candidate for US Representative in the 10th district, as was Frank Wedig (McHenry County Board, district 5) and Steve Alesch (US Rep, 13th district).

Speakers included Presidential hopefuls Kent Mesplay and Jared Ball. I'm not ready to decide who I will support for President, but I truly appreciated these two showing up. I'll be checking out their websites to learn more about their positions; you should, too.

Next up is contacting Libertarians.

H-1B

To date my posts have been based on current news. I'm going to take a departure this time to talk about H-1B visas. They get news attention from time to time, but not very recently. They are part of a much broader immigration debate.

H-1Bs, and immigration in general, are a huge topic and I'm hoping that you will weigh in on this topic in the comments. 

I have mixed feelings on this topic, but it is clear that there is abuse of the system. It's also clear that abuse is being aided and abetted by our leaders at taxpayer expense.

To start, a quote from George Bush's Secretary of Labor, Elaine Chao: "H-1B nondependent employers are not subject to the conditions, and their H-1B  workers may be hired even when a qualified U.S. worker wants the job, and a U.S. worker can be displaced from the job in favor of the foreign worker."

These visas were implemented for the purpose of allowing employers to find specialized workers when they were unable to find legal residents capable of doing the job. The United States government is now on record as telling employers to circumvent the rules and FIRE Americans in order to hire aliens.

Equal Employment Opportunity has various rules concerning how an employer must advertise a job. If you don't believe that many employers are spending money to violate those rules, check this out www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCbFEgFajGU. 

When discussing immigration keep this in mind; it's not just a question of crossing the Rio Grande illegally, we're also talking qualified U.S. workers being turfed out in favor of lower paid aliens. Those brought in at a cheaper salary will be required to return in a few years, never qualifying for a pension, and replaced with another foreign applicant.

Democrats Still Unable To Lead

It's become a familiar scene, Bush asks for the world and the Democrats compromise by saying "You can have Australia, North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Antarctica and most of the islands, but you can't have everything!"

This time it's about wiretapping. Two months ago the Dems promised to roll back the broad, over-reaching wiretapping authorities given to the National Security Agency. A Democratic bill being released to the House today shows that they have no intention of doing any such thing. Nancy Pelosi's office stated that the bill gives the NSA what it legitimately needs to protect America.

Why do they ever need to wiretap without without a warrant? A FISA court can be called in secret at any time of day or night. These courts can issue warrants in secret on the authority of a judge knowledgeable in national security, yet the Democrats don't think even that should be required.

Stepping Back a moment

First off, I am led to believe that Obama missed the Kyl-Lieberman amendment vote due to a sudden change in scheduling by the nefarious Mr. Reid. If that's true, apologies are in order and we'll all be expecting Mr. Obama to not approve the Defense Reauthorization bill as long as said amendment remains attached.

Now, on to new business. 

This week is banned books week. Celebrate by reading a banned book. If you have kids, read one to them. If you participate in a book club, make sure to discuss banned books with your friends. Apparently the most challenged book of 20o6 is "And Tango Makes Three," the story of two male penguins that raise an orphaned baby penguin together. Come on, people! How silly can you get? I'll be going to the bookstore and looking for this book very soon; I think my boys aged 3 and 6 will likely enjoy it.

My favorite title among the top ten most challenged books of 2006 is "The Earth, My Butt, And Other Big Round Things." That sounds like a winner to me! Off the list is "Catcher In the Rye." If you haven't read that one, you should. Especially if you're male aged 16 - 25.

This brings to mind a story my father told me. While in the army he was reading "War And Peace" by the Russian author Tolstoy (I think that was the book, but it was a Tolstoy of some sort). One day he left it on his bunk and, when he returned in the evening, it was gone. A sergeant, or other officer, called informed him that he was not to be reading any more communist literature. I couldn't help wondering if something by a red-blooded American author, maybe  Steinbeck's "The Grapes Of Wrath," would be more acceptable. You can take your own lessons from this anecdote, but I feel like the vast majority of those who call for banning a book are no more intelligent than the sergeant that thought the czars were commies.

Shame on you Durbin, Shame on you Obama

Our Illinois Senators failed to stand up to their responsibilities today. Amendment 3o17 was approved for the Defense Reauthorization bill. This amendment was watered down, but still provides room for war-monger Bush to attack Iran.

Mr. Obama failed to vote on this amendment, while Mr. Durbin voted "yea." Durbin, you cannot claim to be a peaceful man. Mr. Obama, if you approve the Defense Reauthorization bill with this amendment, and make excuses about not wanting to hold up the funding for our troops, you are a snake. Shame on both of you for failing to vote against this amendment. There are no excuses. If there is war in Iran, you are  to blame. Do not insult your constituents' intelligence, claiming that Bush lied his way to war.

Why should we let him speak?

Iranian president Ahmadinejad made some outrageous statements at Columbia today. He questioned both the September 11, 2001 attacks, and the holocaust. Some say it's wrong for Columbia to have provided him with the opportunity to make those statements here in the U.S. 

It may have been stupid for the them to have done so, but there's no harm in it. If you, personally, are opposed to the idea, ask yourself why it's harmful. Do you think his audience can't think for themselves? Do you think he speaks the truth, but you don't want to hear it? Clearly they can think for themselves, and I seriously doubt you believe him. Anyone who buys his line was already thinking along those lines. To most of us, though, he's only managed to further marginalize himself.

If we were to prevent him speaking, many people would think we are afraid of what he has to say. If we are afraid of his words, they will think, there must be some truth to them. Our actions would speak louder than his words.

Benjamin Franklin said, at the opening of a hall in Philadelphia "if the Mufti of Constantinople were to send a missionary to preach Mohammedism to us, he would find a pulpit at his service." Historians have debated the specifics of Franklin's religion, but he was clearly a Christian and did not advocate Islam. 

If we listen to those we disagree with, we will always learn something. We may find some truth in their words, we may find the weaknesses in their arguments. Whatever happens, we grow stronger in the truth. Only if they have something of value to say will it benefit them. Let us not forget to speak our own thoughts, but let us pause from time to time and allow others to speak. 

Now that more people know that Ahmadinejad speaks foolishness, they may pay more attention to what his opponents have to say. Ands that is one of the few things I have in common with President Bush, we both oppose the Iranian government. Of course, I have vastly different ideas on what should be done about that.

Blackwater

Does it seem that Blackwater security has a very appropriate name? 

They are obscuring the truth about Iraq in every way imaginable. First off, they are helping to convince Iraqi resistance that all Americans are legitimate targets. If American civilians are wandering around Iraq with weapons and not subject to US military rules or Iraqi law, why should American citizens be anything but targets. If you're already angry about having no electricity, no water, and no security, it doesn't take much to make that leap in logic.

Blackwater doesn't like their employees to be called mercenaries. Can anyone come up with a better word? A mercenary is someone hired to work for a foreign army. They aren't working for the US army and they aren't working for the Iraqi army. I guess if I saw them kill my neighbors I wouldn't be splitting hairs. Maybe they are their own army, or does that give them too much legitimacy?

Frankly, we need to stop hiring mercenaries. The US military budget is half of the entire world's military budget, yet we are paying outrageous sums to paid brigands operating outside of the law. 

If elected I will introduce a bill to require that the military do jobs that belong to the military. And that includes ALL jobs that Blackwater is doing.

Black water bring to mind swamp water, with who knows what hiding beneath the surface. We've recently seen a glimpse of what's beneath the water, and it's not pretty. Blackwater Insecurity is being used to hide the truth about Iraq.

Mrs. Robinson

Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon

Going to the candidates debate

Laugh about it, shout about it

When you've got to choose

Ev'ry way you look at it, you lose

The lyrics above are from Simon and Garfunkel's Mrs. Robinson. It's easy to believe them, and they are sometimes true. They don't have to be, though. 

It seems that most Americans have forgotten what democracy means. When a celebrity makes a comment on politics, you can always hear someone say "What does he know? He's just an actor (or baseball player, or whatever)." The response should be, "he knows what is important to him." Democracy means that everyone, from Bill Gates to the homeless person on the street to the person bagging your groceries is supposed to be able to participate equally. 

We all know that no society can ever be completely fair and democratic, but we can get a lot  closer than we are now. When I tell people I'm running for Congress, the reactions are interesting. Some people, clearly "small d" democrats, immediately understand and are supportive. Others are surprised that someone they know can run. They technically know that anyone can, but they don't believe it. The best part, though, is when those who clearly disagree with me on most issues clearly state their support for what I'm doing. They may not vote for me, but they are glad to know that democracy can happen.

If I achieve nothing else, my campaign is already a success because more people understand what it means to live in a democratic society. The Republicrats have tried to keep us out but, so far, they haven't achieved it. Do I think our next President will be any good? No. But lightning will strike someday and it might just be 11/4/08. Look at the Illinois gubernatorial race in 2006. The Greens needed 5% for a ballot slot, and surpassed 10%. Let's see what happens next. That was the same environment that gave the Mods a slot in the 8th.

That's what my campaign is about, on the most basic level.

How to make my last post relevant

I ended my last post stating that it was irrelevant. The reason I say that is we aren't going to fix any of the problems we're passionate about unless we can end the Republicrat duopoly. 

Although we can mostly agree on what our problems are, fixing those problems requires upsetting some people. There will always be someone who will disagree with a fix. That's no excuse, however for allowing poverty, war and environmental destruction to continue.

The ruling parties have managed to quash meaningful debate on most of the big issues, preferring to interfere in the life of Terry Schiavo and her family. That was, and is, a big issue for the family, but was a welcome distraction for Senators and Congressmen that don't want to chance upsetting a constituent through meaningful discussion. As long as trade unions and the Sierra Club continue to endorse Democrats because they aren't as bad as Republicans, and as long as right to life organizations and second amendment groups endorse Republicans for the same reason, neither party will feel the need to step out on a limb.

We need to begin NOW to put serious pressure on the parties. The only thing that will make them change is loss of power. It's time to open the debates and the ballots. It's time to vote third party and independent.

Site Announcement #1

I've got iainabernathy.org up, but it redirects here. That will become the active site in the near future, so you may want to go ahead and start navigating directly there. You'll get redirected to this site until I add actual content to official site, at which time I'll disable the redirect.

Thanks to Andrew & Pat for all of your help!

Iraq is probably the most talked about issue right now, so I'll add my two cents on the Moderate Party plank of Peaceful Security. This, to me, is about much more than the current catastrophe in Iraq. We need to not only redouble our efforts at diplomacy in world hotspots, but also work to rebuild our credibility. Step 1 - stop supporting dictatorships. Step 2 - if someone we don't like wins a democratic election, don't undermine them. Step 3 - send our troops only to places they can do good, such as Darfur. Step 4 - apologize to the world for our illegal invasion of Iraq, and ask the UN to fix our mess. There are many more required steps, but those would get us off to a roaring start.

It doesn't matter what one thinks of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, he was democratically elected, survived a recall vote easily, and was re-elected with 62% of the vote. We cannot continue to undermine his government. This may seem innocuous to some, but it is hugely damaging to our reputation and to our national security. When we intervene in the internal politics of Venezuela, we make ourselves a legitimate target for those who want to inflame the world against us.

In Iraq, it's time for self-serving politicians and pundits to stop saying "cut and run." Does anyone really think we should "cut and run?" I really don't think so. It's time to admit that we have failed. The invasion itself was a recipe for disaster because there was never an attempt to win. We took out Hussein and handed the country over to Al Quaida. Remember, there was only one small Al Quaida group in Iraq before the invasion, and they were in the US controlled northern no-fly zone. If we apologize to the world it's possible that maybe, just maybe, the United Nations will come up with a stabilization plan. Forces will need to be stationed there, but ours cannot provide net gains for the United States or for Iraq. It will need to be someone else. That's unfortunate, but true.

I'm sure that many people consider the previous paragraph naive. Sorry, but it's far more naive to think we can win a war that we lost as soon as we crossed the border.

In a future post I'll tell you why this one is irrelevant.

Why I Am Running

Welcome to the Iain Abernathy for Congress web journal!

I am running for the the US House of Representatives (Illinois 8th district) under the Moderate Party banner. The Moderate Party platform has two planks:

• Peaceful Security
• Open Democracy

Over the campaign season I will explain my take on those two ideas, and also give my opinion on various issues of the day. Post a comment to tell me what issues are important to you; I look forward to learning about the daily concerns of those living in the Illinois 8th district.

The reason I am running is that the two major parties, the Democrats and Republicans, have attempted a hostile takeover of the United States and are failing to deliver on the promises of our Constitution. We are supposed to be a democratic nation, yet the vast majority of Americans feel completely disconnected from their elected officials. We can't be a true democracy unless we reconnect and take responsibility for our own governance. I want to be a part of that.

The Moderate Party is a perfect springboard for the re-emergence of our democracy. With Bill Scheurer leading the charge, many people put together a fantastic effort to get on the ballot and secure established party status. This is no small feat! The two parties in Springfield set overly restrictive ballot access rules in place, all in an attempt to prevent Illinois citizens from feeling like they can take part in the government without becoming a Republican or Democrat.

I don't believe that any party, with a long list of vague positions, can truly represent anyone. That's why we need to open up the system to allow everyone a voice, and multiple parties that can work together to deliver those voices. This can be accomplished through various methods, including: instant runoff voting, abolishing the electoral college, decreasing the size of Congressional districts, and many more. I will discuss those ideas here in the future. Again, please post a comment with your ideas and concerns.

A little about myself - I was born in Alabama and have also lived in Scotland and Guam. I moved to the Illinois 8th (Zion) in March of 1999. I now live in Round Lake Beach. By profession I am a benefits analyst, specializing in pension plans. I have two wonderful young sons, Gabriel and Malcolm, that help me keep my perspective. They attend elementary school and pre-school in the Round Lake area. One of my goals in life is to help them grow up as active citizens in a truly democratic United States of America.

I have enjoyed living in northern Illinois these past eight+ years, meeting new people with a huge variety of ideas on how to make our country better. I love summer, but I have to admit that spring and fall here are astoundingly beautiful seasons. From the dunes by Lake Michigan, to the farmland in the west, and the vibrant villages, towns and cities all over the district, there's no end of things to do and see all year long.

I will be expanding on the web journal in the near future, adding a website that will make it easier for you to explore my ideas and learn more about democracy. I look forward to hearing from you!