Author: Populist Post-Grads

Facing Up and Moving On: How America Can Cope With the Senate’s Report on CIA Torture

Populist Post-Grads

By Matt Bacon

This Tuesday, the U.S. Senate released their long anticipated report documenting the “enhanced interrogation” program that the CIA constructed early on in the War on Terror and enacted throughout most of the Bush Administration. The report was damning of the CIA’s conduct and came to the conclusion that the agency not only violated both U.S. and international law, but was immoral, detrimental to gathering accurate intelligence and to our international image, and strayed from the values that we as Americans would like to promote both at home and around the globe.

We won’t get in to the details of the report here. A good chunk of it was already public knowledge prior to its release, and most of us only need to look back at the haunting images that came out of Abu Ghraib prison in 2003 to get an idea of what was going on inside of CIA black sites. What is important now is how we face this terrible event as a nation, move on from it, and make sure it never happens again.

The CIA’s torture scandal will ultimately go down as a very dark period of American history. However, it hasn’t been the first – we have dealt with slavery and its terribly long legacy, as well as the internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII – and it certainly won’t be the last. Societies, like people, are never perfect and make mistakes. Ours is no different. What defines a society, just like a person, is not so much the mistakes they make, but whether or not they learn from them. And while the CIA’s torture program was truly reprehensible, it is how the American people react and move on from it that will truly define us as a nation.

The first step toward dealing with this issue is accepting the fact that America messed up. Many people, both ordinary Americans and those in the political spectrum, still believe the CIA (and the Department of Defense, if you want to include the abuses at Abu Ghraib) was justified in torturing some, if not all of the people it did. Torture is not only against our Constitution; it is never morally justified and only brings us down to the level of the people we are trying to rid the world of in order to make it a better place. Once our politicians and our general public can accept the fact that wrong was done, we can go about making it right.

After acceptance comes responsibility: making sure that this can never happen again. In this specific incidence this is where things get a little dicey. With responsibility comes accountability. People who actually carried out these acts, and those above them that thought of, authorized, and constructed a legal justification for this behavior need to be punished in order to set a precedent for the people protecting our country in the future. Unfortunately, this will probably not happen in the case of CIA torture. Prosecuting officials from a former presidential administration is an incredibly rare occurrence. On top of that, the Department of Justice would have to prosecute some key members that served in the Office of Legal Counsel – a branch of the DOJ – during the Bush Administration. For the DOJ to go after its own people seems to be a long shot.

The CIA is a great American institution. For decades, it has worked every day to make our country safe from external threats. For that reason, it should not be regulated or stripped of any powers. We need to put trust in our government institutions in order for them to work. However, to prove to the world and to ourselves that we are truly sorry for committing such terrible acts and are committed to preventing them from never happening again, it is imperative to set some sort of precedent and hold those who broke the law legally accountable.

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Something About Bibi: How the Israeli PM is Taking the Country Down a Dangerous Path

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By Matt Bacon

Anyone who enjoys some good, old-fashioned political drama has been following the recent meltdown in U.S.-Israeli relations. In an October 28th article published by The Atlantic, an anonymous Obama administration official told Jeffrey Goldberg “The thing about Bibi is, he’s a chickenshit.” Bibi is a nickname for Benjamin Netanyahu, the conservative prime minister of Israel. This incendiary comment is the most recent in a series of messages to the Israeli government from the Obama administration. Earlier in October, the Israeli defense minister, Moshe Ya’alon, was refused a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, as well as national security advisor, Susan Rice. Ya’alon had recently called Kerry “messianic” and “obsessive.”

The Obama administration took a lot of flak for the “chickenshit” comment. However, pundits are failing to see past the political incorrectness of the comment and realize that however inappropriate the comment may have been, the anonymous official was right. Netanyahu, in the quest for political survival and securing his conservative base, is dragging Israel kicking and screaming down a dangerous path that can only lead to bloody conflict locally, and isolation globally.

Verbally, Netanyahu claims to be a proponent of the two-state solution. His actions, however, indicate otherwise. In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, he encourages the continued, illegal settlement on Palestinian land by Israeli settlers. In Gaza, he refuses to break a blockade that has had devastating economic effects on the tiny, largely resource-less region. On the international stage, he has worked with his more influential U.S. allies to block any and all attempts for the recognition of a Palestinian state. In fact, over 50% of Israelis don’t even believe their own prime minister when he tells them he wants a two-state solution.

Netanyahu’s two-faced agenda serves one purpose – to placate the orthodox right-wing in Israel that has no interest in peace and from which he draws his support. However, there are dire consequences to this provocative strategy that he either does not care about, or is too short-sighted to see. Netanyahu is goading the increasingly frustrated and beaten-down Palestinians further and further towards open conflict. Some pundits, like the legendary Israeli journalist, Ron Ben-Yishai, have already declared a third intifada to have broken out amidst the recent heightened tensions in Jerusalem following this summer’s war in Gaza.

On the global stage, Netanyahu’s aggressive policies are not making him many friends. Sweden has recently gone ahead and became the first Western nation to recognize Palestine as a sovereign state. Britain’s parliament recently held a symbolic vote to recognize Palestine, and plans are being set in motion in the French parliament for a similar vote.

The one nation that has unconditionally stood by Israel since its inception is the U.S., but as recent events indicate that is now changing as well. Netanyahu’s stubborn policy, coupled with his public denunciations  of the Obama administration is now costing him his closest and most powerful ally. He has ignored calls from the administration to end illegal settlements in Palestine. For some reason, he thinks he can dictate to the Obama administration how things are going to happen in Palestine. Bibi would do well to remember exactly which country the state of Israel owes its existence to; which country has defended Israel against accusations of war crimes and general isolation in the UN for decades; which country gives Israel three billion in taxpayer dollars in aid each year. The list of things that Israel is indebted to the United States for goes on. If Netanyahu and his government continue to steer Israel down this destructive path, many of these benefits that Israel enjoys on behalf of the U.S. may be at risk.

The U.S.-Israeli partnership will remain strong. At the end of the day, both countries rely too heavily on each other for security cooperation. Israel is one of four democracies in the Middle East (Turkey, Lebanon, and Iraq being the others), and is certainly the most functional, liberal, and most aligned with American values. However, Bibi Netanyahu is playing a dangerous game. He now believes he “wears the pants” in a relationship where he truly has little leverage, which can come back to bite him in the seat of those non-existent pants.

Soda Tax, Cannabis, and GMO’s, Oh My: A Small Recap Of Midterm Election Ballot Measures

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It has been two days since the 2014 mid-term elections were conducted and the results have kept my eyes keen on the computer screen. The activist within me is thrilled when I find out citizens in the town of Denton, Texas, the very birthplace of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and home to 270 oil wells voted to ban fracking in their hometown! Congratulations to Denton residents, hopefully their tap water still runs clear and hopefully their ban spans the country so that big oil will stop fracking with us (have you seen the documentary called Gasland? Holy crap…)

The state of Missouri also warmed my heart when they successfully passed an amendment conveying that farming in Missouri is a constitutional right. This is huge! With the crazy, crazy amount of genetically modified foods in America and the crazy amount of money funneled into fighting measures like this one, this amendment ensures that farmers and ranchers in Missouri are protected from out-of-state interests. The practice of agriculture is Missouri’s number one industry, and they intend to keep it that way. Farm on, Missouri!

Given successful measures like that in Missouri, it has been a head scratcher trying to unravel why the state of Colorado voted against the labeling of genetically modified foods. A whopping 69% of Coloradans voted no on Proposition 105. It has been stated that the food industry spent $11 million in Colorado campaigning against this measure. Further research conveys that the measure may have ultimately hurt Colorado’s economy, and that can be reason why so many voted against it. The measure would have mandated that a lot of Colorado’s food exports be labeled “genetically engineered,” even though they are not. For example, food from animals would be labeled, despite the fact that the animals themselves are not genetically modified. However, if the animals were fed or injected with genetically modified foods or drugs, the labeling would have to showcase this. I personally would not reach for a label that blatantly states something was genetically engineered, so it does make sense that the state feared decreases in food exports with the new law, thus voting against it! I am hopeful the movement to label GMO’s finds its way back to Colorado with a more tactful measure.

All this talk about good and bad food has me feeling like I have the onset of the munchies. Speaking of which cannabis, anyone? On Tuesday, the state of Oregon joined 23 other states that accept the use of medical marijuana. The state of Alaska celebrated the passing of a measure that makes recreational use legal. Unfortunately, the state of Florida did not pass the medicinal use of marijuana, even though it received 57% of the vote. The measure apparently needed 60% to pass. The good news for Florida, however, is that 75% of people voted for a conservation effort that would dedicated billions of dollars over the next 20 years to start restoration projects in the Everglades. YAY! Overall, 19 states approved measures that dedicated more than $13 billion for land conservation. DOUBLE YAY!

A LOT happened on Tuesday night, you guys. A few other things to touch on are that the city of Berkeley, California passed the nation’s FIRST tax on soda! Starting in January, there will be as much as a 10% increase in price for sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks, and a few other sugary liquids! This is a major win for public health and hopefully other places will catch on. In light of health, the state of Arizona overwhelmingly passed a measure that will allow terminally ill patients to receive ‘experimental drugs’ that have yet to be approved by the Food & Drug Administration.

This recap has only been the tip of the iceberg! It is important to know what is trending or receiving attention in other parts of the nation, because often times the outcome can be applied close to home anywhere! Did I forget to mention that West Virginia elected an 18-year-old to its House of Representatives? She ran the campaign from her freshman dorm room. Be the change, people!!

President v. Republican Congress: How the 2014 Midterms will Affect Obama’s Relationship with Congress

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By Matt Bacon

“Get the Veto Pen Ready,” Senator Bernie Sanders (I – VT) titled a post on his Facebook account the morning after the Republican Party took back the Senate by storm in an impressive showing over the Democrats. For many who may be wondering how the new Washington dynamic will affect the relationship between President Obama and Congress, Sanders’ five words may provide an ominous warning.

Throughout his term, Congress has given Obama enough trouble as it is. For the last four years, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives has opposed Obama at every turn, ignoring key issues facing our country in order to concentrate on things like voting over 50 times to repeal Obamacare. The Republicans in the House have been the primary source of Washington gridlock throughout Obama’s term, and that is only about to get worse.

Yet, leaders from both sides of the aisle have expressed hope that they can work together on some issues. “We ought to start with the view that maybe there are some things we can agree on to make progress for the country,” said Senator Mitch McConnell (R – KY), who won his own race on this year’s election night against Democratic challenger Alison Lundergan-Grimes. The Senator’s comments came in his first press conference since his victory. McConnell is in line to become the next Senate Majority Leader.

Obama responded in his own first public statements since election night that he is “eager to work with the new Congress to make the next two years as productive as possible,” citing corporate tax reform as an area where the two parties may reach an agreement. The President also made it clear, however, that he does not see his party’s tough day at the polls as a sign he needs to shift his policy. In fact, four states that elected Republicans as governor also voted to raise the minimum wage – a policy change Obama has been championing for awhile.

Obama clearly believes that instances like that show that while he may be unpopular, the general economic agenda of his party is not. He has also made it clear that while he is more than willing to work with the new dominant party in both Congressional houses, he will not make sacrifices or comprises with the Republicans at the expense of policies he believes will truly benefit the American people.

The next two years are going to pose an immense challenge to President Obama. He must find a way to make an even more volatile Congress pass legislation that will help our damaged, though slightly improving, economy. He must find a way to work with Republican leaders in Congress without sacrificing leadership, authority, and the values that he truly believes will help Americans. These years will be crucial to cementing his primary legacy as the man who helped pull America out of recession.

“I’m going to squeeze every last bit of opportunity to make the world a better place over these last two years,” Obama said in his press conference today. While cooperating with the “Party of No” may seem like an ideal means to his well-intentioned ends, the President may end up having to take the advice of Senator Sanders more than he would like to. While it always looks better when a President cooperates with Congress, Obama may need to resort to vetoes and executive orders to protect the American people from the somewhat selfish policies of the Republican party, and to advance our well-being.