Daily Archives: 3 January 2012

NDAA 2012

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If anyone has any good articles (either for or against) the NDAA for 2012, I’d love to see those links. Just been reading up on this, and am totally fascinated. Not appalled quite yet, but it holds lots of promise :)

 

updated 1/5/2012:

thanks frank for the link (comments section)! i did some digging of my own, and came up with some links, too. (as a point of reflection, can I just comment on how fascinating it is that people were up in arms all over the internet about SOPA, but i didn’t get a lot of any tweets or posts begging me to write my congressperson about the 2012 NDAA…although i would have. oh, i definitely would have. now, the online outrage is at a high, but since it’s been signed into law, things are a little trickier):

“Obama Signs Military Spending Bill.” Mark Landler, New York Times, 12/31/2011. This article contains one quote that I find particularly frightening: “’The fact that I support this bill as a whole does not mean I agree with everything in it,’ Mr. Obama said in a statement issued in Hawaii, where he is on vacation. ‘I have signed this bill despite having serious reservations with certain provisions that regulate the detention, interrogation and prosecution of suspected terrorists.’” Um…. #leadershiworries #gulp

“Guantánamo Forever?” Charles C. Krulak and Joseph P. Hoar, New York Times, 12/12/2011. This op-ed is interesting because its written by two four-star generals—against the act. “Having served various administrations, we know that politicians of both parties love this country and want to keep it safe. But right now some in Congress are all too willing to undermine our ideals in the name of fighting terrorism. They should remember that American ideals are assets, not liabilities.” #gulp

“President Obama Signed the National Defense Authorization Act – Now What?” E.D. Kain, Forbes Magazine, 1/2/2012. This is a great article if you want more info–it has a ton of embedded links to other articles and op-eds on the act. “…these laws suggest that the legal apparatus available to us is insufficient to the task. While due process may work for any other criminal act, terrorism is unique and requires new and expanded powers that ignore the Constitution.”

So is anyone in favor of this act? I couldn’t find any articles defending it, but I did find this list of lobbyists who, well, lobbied, in favor of it… I also found this statement from Congressman West (R-FL) explaining why he voted in favor of the NDAA…

(if you want to see how your Congressperson voted, go to Project VoteSmart and search for their last name and “voting record.” (you may have to click “more key votes” if it doesn’t come up in the first few.) my senators both voted yea. that’s kinda strange, since they are both raging democrazies. #hmmmm but my representative didn’t even vote. #unacceptable #FAIL)

the games begin! #woot

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Republican voters await the beginning of the Iowa Caucus at the Holiday Inn in Coralville, Iowa, on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2008. (Jonathan D. Woods/The Gazette)

Yay! It’s here! The primary season kicks off tonight with a rollicking caucus in Iowa! That may seem hyperbolic, but it’s not far from the truth this year :) Some years, the Iowa verdict is obvious well before the votes are counted. Iowans tend to take the caucus seriously, knowing full-well the significance of their place in the election season. But this year, that seriousness has translated into caution and wariness. While some voters seem certain how they will cast their ballots, others are still wavering. With the close poll numbers coming in, it should be very interesting to watch. #eepsooexciting

I’ve always wanted to attend the Iowa caucus; it’s sort of a vague dream of mine. Maybe next time :)

Maybe you’re wondering what is so special about it, or even what the caucus really is… Here’s a few articles that will help you with that. (Basically, the Iowa caucus is so special because it’s first. And it’s first because…it is. :). The Iowa caucus only predicts the Presidential winner every so often, but it does tend to foretell which candidates will survive the primary season, and who might as well drop out of the running early on.

For those of you wondering about the difference between a primary election and a caucus: FactCheck.org has a great write-up on this (it’s really short–take a look!)

Caucuses are unique in that they allow participants to openly show support for candidates. Voting is often done by raising hands or breaking into groups according to the candidate participants support…Primaries are a direct, statewide process of selecting candidates and delegates. Similar to the general election process, primary voters cast secret ballots for the candidates of their choosing. -FactCheck.org

For a more detailed answer, check out this wisegeek.com article.

And for those of you wondering how the Iowa caucus itself really works: here’s a great resource from Iowa.

The primary season (caucuses included) is always more fun when both parties are contending, but this year, given the roster of GOP candidates, I still expect a lot of exciting stuff.

And Tonight is Important Why?

As for what’s happening tonight: The New York Times Election 2012 column has an article today, “Iowa Caucus: Five Things to Watch,” that’s well-worth a read. It’s a snappy, SHORT article that sums things up well (or at least I think it does). I recommend a quick look for anyone who wants to jump into the election season, or for anyone who loves people-watching, patterns of behavior, and other such interesting things!

And Then What’s Next?

After Iowa, there are a few more primaries this month:

  • New Hampshire (Jan 10)
  • South Carolina (Jan 21)
  • Florida (Jan 31)

New Hampshire is the first official primary (not a caucus), so there tends to be a lot of pressure on that as well. Stay tuned; I’ll try to keep general updates posted. If you want a true election center, though, I recommend the nytimes.com 2012 campaign center (they have a great app for phones, too) or the cnn.com election center. Both of these sites usually do well with infographics—or at least PICTURES ;)