RantsCounterRants:  Now THIS is humorous!!!

Yet another Bush judicial nominee is being filibustered by Democrats.  First, Miguel Estrada and now Priscilla Owen.

The Republicans are getting peeved off and are talking about options to force a vote.  It’s quite funny that in spite of a majority, the Republicans can’t get their way.  Worse:

Cornyn's Senate Judiciary subcommittee plans a whole hearing next week called "Judicial Nominations, Filibusters, and the Constitution: When a majority is denied its right to consent" to explore the issue and plans to change the nomination process. [Ed: emphasis added]

HAH!!  How’s it feel, Cormyn?  A majority of us didn’t vote for Bush and we’re stuck for two more years!!

As much as I relish the irony, I’m angry with the nature and content of the exchanges that result from these filibusters.  The threats to sue through the court system for a change to Senate laws is a violation of the separation of powers and a waste of time.  In fact, a third or fourth filibuster is a waste of time.  Get a clue: these candidates are not acceptable, by either their credentials or the lack thereof.

Also angry-making:

Senate Judiciary Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah — who is on the front line of the judicial battles — finally boiled over a Wednesday hearing. Schumer was strongly questioning appellate nominee John Roberts at his second hearing for his nomination for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, when Hatch finally tired of the questions.

"Some I totally disagree with," Hatch said. "Some I think are dumb ... questions, between you and me. I am not kidding you. I mean, as much as I love and respect you, I just think that's true."

Dear Hatch, old man, Senator Schumer doesn’t work for you.  He has no need to meet your approval.  He’s employed by the electorate of New York.  Too bad you think he’s stupid; you really should be aiming that charge at the White House since HE works for all of us and refuses to provide any information requested on Estrada.  Perhaps it's that you're ineffectual, Senator Hatch!

5:08:10 PM    comment []

May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month

(A big thanks to Mark Hoback at Fried Green al Qaedas for the reminder!)

There’s so much to say on the subject of Asian/Pacific Americans (APA) that I don’t even know where to begin.

First, for those of you who aren’t Asian/Pacific Americans, a point of education:

In spite of the fact that we may be born in this country, speak not a word of Asian, we are still seen as foreign in this country by many, identified by our race and not as American.  Many Asian/Pacific Americans are still expected to prove they are American.

Yet Asian/Pacific Americans made great contributions to this country over the past 160 years, much of that while being denied rights of citizenship.  Asian/Pacific Americans persevered, building an entirely new history for themselves, separate from their countries of ethnic origin, wholly a part of the fabric of America.

I’ll be featuring APA materials in my blog throughout the month, to celebrate Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month and to provide learning opportunities to anyone interested in the APA experience.

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To learn more about the extent of the Asian connection across the U.S. and the Americans, I encourage you to visit the Ancestors in the Americas website, companion to the PBS series of the same name.  Although the series was aired in 2001, the site has a wealth of information about Asian/Pacific Americans (if you can get the videos from this series, I can’t recommend them enough!  You’d be shocked if you really knew how much of the Americas is Asian!)

National Asian American Telecommunications Association (NAATA) produced the Ancestors in the Americas series; they also have a website dedicated to the 2003 APA Heritage Month.  You can register with NAATA for a reminder that lets you know when any of four new programs air this month to celebrate the scope and the diversity of the Asian Pacific American experience.

This month’s features:

China 21 –  a perspective of contemporary life in China, as viewed by Ruby Yang and Lambert Yam (both Americans born in Hong Kong); contrast life in Asia with life in America.

Desi: South Asians in New York – reflects upon the South Asian experience of the Indian, Pakistani and Banlgadeshi who live and work in Jackson Heights, New York City.

The Floating World: Masami Teraoka and His Art – an examination of Teraoka’s contribution to Asian-American art, as well as his views on consumerism, environmental pollution, sexuality, AIDS, the impact of computer technology, and Japanese and American societies

Forging a Feature: The Journey of BLT – a look at the production and promotion of  Justin Lin's Better Luck Tomorrow, as well as a peek at Asian-American youth.  (Suggestion: catch the review at Salon, as well as the movie, and contrast against this behind-the-scenes peek.)

12:17:37 PM    comment []