Last week the whole country ... well, okay, not the whole country, was tuned into the Republican debate and the Ames, Iowa straw poll. While some on the right watch it without taking a breath, others on the left think it the circus. I think it is neither, or both. I think it is interesting politics. And, I think it is good for us to watch and be a part of, no matter what party we belong to and what our political persuasions.
So, what do I think about the debate? It was definitely "politics". In other words, there were not a lot of answers and there were definitely a lot of points to be gained. Here is how I saw it:
Winner: Romney - He had the opportunity to lose, but didn't have any major (or really minor) gaffes. So, he is the winner.
Loser: Pawlenty - Not because he did the worst, but because he picked fights and wasn't able to do anything. First he fought with Bachmann and then Paul. He had the most to lose.
Beats expectations: Gingrich - He was the experienced, older statesman. He knows what he is talking about and is both intelligent and street smart. But, he still felt like the friend you invite just to be nice. No one was listening to him.
Most Refreshing: Paul - As crazy as he is with some of his ideas, he has always stayed true to what he believes. His libertarian streak is attractive to the tea party. But, there are other things that haven't been too comfortable for the Tea Party. They want the government to get more involved. They want to legislate social issues. We'll see if Paul gets farther, this year.
Most forgettable: Cain - Poor Cain really didn't wow anyone. He has some good ideas and points, but he doesn't stand out and, unless he tries to change that, he will fade into the distance.
Most unimpressive: Santorum - Rick seems to have a very good opinion of himself, but he really doesn't come across as very likable to anyone else. I guess if there weren't so many far right social conservatives, he might be attractive to many. But, in the year of Bachmann and Perry and Palin, Santorum offers nothing more and a lot less.
Most reasonable: Huntsman - He is the most reasonable of the group. He has the best ideas and smart. He is impressive on all accounts. But, again .. in the year when people are angry, they don't want reasonable, they want the opposite of reason ("reasonable people got us into this mess"). They don't want solutions, they want blame. Huntsman can't deliver these things to the right, so he won't get a chance to deliver to the full population. It is a shame, because he has the best chance against a full population.
Least impressive: Bachmann - She brings a Palin-esque personality to the race. But, she brings a Palin-esque personality to the race. Unfortunately, the far right is a fickle group. They are big on Bachmann right now. But the same ideas that are getting her notice with social conservatives are the ones that draw negative attention nationwide.
Biggest loser, biggest winner: Perry - For someone who seems to decide on when he enters and seems to think that he is above everyone else, Perry has really snuck by without much from the press or the public. He seems like a darling right now and may end up as the anti-Romney but he will also hang himself with his views, if he continues to only embrace social religious ideas (and not economy).
And, Obama? Well, he has been more on the defensive than he should be. He should focus on being the help and let the Republicans bury themselves. We'll see how things play out over the next three to twelve months.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Kids for Cash ...
Want a parent that truly wants to be a part of her son's life? Meet Sandy Fonzo. Her son was an all-star wrestler who was headed to good things. He was also a kid who was making choices for his life. Some of his choices were not the best choices.
Without any prior arrests or problems with the law, he was picked up for having drug paraphemalia. When he appeared in front of a judge, he was sentenced to 30 days in lock-up and then a long time in an inner city boot camp juvenile lock-up. He was with convicted killers and drug sellers. After 6 months, he told people he couldn't take it and committed suicide. Now, a mother who is without her son, mourns the loss.
The judge was convicted of extortion. He sentenced kids to these facilities in exchange for money.
A judge, who was given a special trust in his position to those in the community. When a police officer acts in haste without honor, it is unacceptable. A judge who knowingly commits errors, needs to be held accountable for his actions even more. Here is the video and the story.
From the Wall Street Journal ...
Last Friday, a jury found a former Pennsylvania judge accused of sending large numbers of children to detention centers in exchange for kickbacks from the builder of the detention guilty on 12 counts of money laundering and conspiracy. The jury also acquitted the defendant, Mark Ciavarella, on 27 counts, including extortion.
But the jury verdict hardly ended the drama.
Ciavarella was allowed to remain free pending sentencing after the conviction Friday. And after the verdict, he made rather strident statements to the media outside the courthouse.
“Never took a dime to send a kid anywhere. … Never happened. Never, ever happened. This case was about extortions and kickbacks, not about ‘kids for cash,’” said Ciavarella, who plans to appeal.
In response to the judge’s being able to walk pending sentencing, Sandy Fonzo, whose son was jailed by Ciavarella — and committed suicide last year at age 23 — screamed obscenities at the judge and even poked him as he and his attorneys held a news conference on the courthouse steps.
“My kid’s not here anymore!” yelled Fonzo. “He’s dead! Because of him! He ruined my f——- life! I’d like him to go to hell and rot there forever!”
Ciavarella glanced at Fonzo, then turned his back.
Fonzo’s son, Edward Kenzakowski, was a 17-year-old all-star wrestler with no prior record when he landed in Ciavarella’s courtroom for possession of drug paraphernalia. She said her son never recovered from the months he served at the detention centers and a wilderness camp.
Tears streaming down her face, Fonzo said she couldn’t believe Ciavarella was allowed to walk out of the courthouse.
“There’s no justice, there’s not. He’s never going to get what he deserves,” she said. “I just wanted to see him handcuffed and taken out. But when I saw him just being released with that stupid smirk on his face …”
The jury found Ciavarella guilty of taking a $997,600 kickback from Robert Mericle, the builder of the juvenile facilities. But jurors acquitted him of extorting Robert Powell, the facilities’ developer and co-owner.
The defense declared victory. “We’re amazed. The jury rejected 95 percent of the government’s case,” said attorney Al Flora.
“I find it interesting,” U.S. Attorney Peter Smith said in response, “that a man just convicted of racketeering is claiming any sort of a victory out there today. I wonder what he would consider a defeat.”
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