Culture of Life Foundation: an early dog whistle, campaign contributions, and...
During the first presidential debate on October 3, 2000 between Al Gore and George Bush, Jim Lehrer asked the Texas Governor whether he would overturn the FDA's approval of the abortion pill RU-486 if...
View ArticlePentagon considers de-criminalizing sodomy
According to the NY Times, Pentagon General Counsel has proposed changing the Uniform Code of Military Justice to decriminalize sodomy except in cases of rape or with persons under age 16.The...
View Article$50-60B, tops, for Iraq war...remember that?
September 2002: White House economic advisor Lawrence Lindsey has the audacity to speculate that a war in Iraq might cost $100-200 billion. White House OMB Director Mitch Daniels disagrees, calling...
View ArticleJean Schmidt: extremist position on life support
It's obviously way late in the day, but I think it worthwhile to point out again the extreme and plainly dishonest position Jean Schmidt promotes with respect to end of life issues. I posted much of...
View Articlea thank you from OH-2, from a lifelong native
I'll be forever grateful for the work DavidNYC, Bob Brigham and Tim Tagaris did, and the attention they brought to Paul Hackett's campaign. By calling out the latest tactical smear on Democratic...
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Happy 85th Anniversary 19th Amendment, with thanks to Harry Burn's mum
On August 18, 1920 history was made by way of a telegram sent by a mother to her son. Harry Burn, age 24 and a member of the Tennessee legislature, heeded his mother's plea and fundamentally changed...
View Articlea poll on History diaries
After spending far more time than I should have doing research on a long-ago state election in New York, I wonder now about the interest. Granted, I should have wondered before I immersed myself in...
View Articledocument request on cuts to levee project: accountability
Are there any public records available documenting discussion/analysis on federal cuts to the flood control project (SELA) in New Orleans? Specifically I'm asking for congressional committees,...
View ArticleFEMA Strategic Plan '03: capacity for 4 concurrent major disasters
In 2003, FEMA published a strategic plan titled A Nation Prepared that detailed its goals, and the strategies by which they could meet them for the years 2003-2008. Goal number 2: "Minimize suffering...
View Articlerest in peace Edgar Hollingsworth
According to the AP, the California National Guard has reported that Edgar Hollingsworth died Saturday. He will be buried today.Edgar Hollingsworth, an Army veteran of the Korean War, died Saturday...
View Article16 year old New Orleans evacuee in Montgomery, AL needs a few spare dollars
Some of you may recall I headed to Montgomery, AL about three weeks ago as a Red Cross volunteer. I expected to be sent into the Gulf area after checking in at the Red Cross headquarters here....
View ArticleA laptop for Josh, thanks to Kossack Santa c
This is a follow up to a diary I posted a week ago about a 16 year old high school kid named Josh, a New Orleans evacuee living in a hotel in Montgomery Al. For Josh and his family, as well as 600,000...
View ArticleA New York election, WWI style: November 6, 1917
In 1917 a hard fought mayorial race in New York City pitted the incumbent, John Purroy Mitchel of the Fusion Party (a coalition of Republicans, Jewish and Protestant reformers) against the Democrat...
View ArticleMS Supreme Court to insurance companies: honor your policies
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, property owners who suffered the loss of their homes and entire communities faced the ultimate nightmare: insurance companies began denying claims resulting from...
View ArticleGiving Time: A Group For Volunteers and Non-Profits
Before September of 2005 I hadn't spent much time volunteering, other than for two political campaigns. It was something I thought about on occasion, and intended to do at some vague point in the...
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