Another week has flown by. I am waiting for the right wing to blame Obama for that. With our economy moving up, the GOP needs something new (not Newt, though) to focus on.

My apologies that our usual weekly columns were omitted from some of last week's issues. You can go to the Internet and read the columns there. The reason was space limitations, given the large number of Valentine's Day ads. After all, a free weekly newspaper has to make money to pay its employees and printing and other costs. Seth, Harry and I do not get paid, which is fine with me, as the exposure I've gotten has helped the Coalition for Peace and Justice build its membership and volunteer lists. Finding new members is how we can continue to grow as a regional peace and justice group. So, on to the issues at hand.

The Republican Demolition Derby crashes on. Many talking heads on cable had written off U.S. Sen. Rick (no abortion, let the mother die) Santorum, who surprised every pundit as well as Mitt (I'm richer and I'll continue to get richer) Romney by winning Minnesota, Missouri and Colorado primaries or caucuses.

Romney won Maine last weekend. The four remaining GOP candidates can take some time off. Santorum and Newt are trying to keep afloat until the southern states hold Super Duper Tuesday. Raising money is a total pain, and applies to all CongressCritters.

For me and other politico junkies, the 2012 campaign is a great source of humor. What a shame that is for important issues like Iran getting nukes and Syria in turmoil; only Ron Paul addresses these issues head-on. For the other three surviving candidates, its “duck and cover,” as Romney will toss 16 million bucks at any candidate who tries to oppose him. In previous debates the GOP plan seemed to be to bomb the bleep out of Iran. When it comes to foreign policy, the GOP acts as if foreign policy is foreign to them.

The biggest political news was not how do we help the Syrian people and what do we do about Iran, it was Clint Eastwood's Chrysler commercial during this year’s Super Duper Bowl: Halftime in America. I was busy watching Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl, but I've seen the ad several times on various cable news stations. You know that the GOP campaign is losing its focus (what little it had) when the Republicans accuse Clint Eastwood of being a shill for the president, but that is precisely what has happened. Clint has consistently voted Republican. Eastwood, and the movie actors who are nobody's Democrat by any stretch of the imagination, starred in a stirring Super Bowl commercial for Chrysler about the resurgence of Detroit's auto industry that was, in essence, a gravel-voiced pep talk for all of America. Go ahead GOP – make Eastwood's day.

Locally, look at the furor mounting against the infamous Parkway security fence, a long and gleaming monument to wasteful government spending. Supposedly the fence will stop terrorists from capturing the Tuckahoe Inn.

Our representatives, with their crack (meaning quick and smart) staffs, had to know about this “fence to nowhere” and could have united as one and fought this. There has to be a trail of dollar bills going from Stimulus HQ to the states that got the grants. Just kidding, folks. But had Obama made me the Stimulating Czar, with me being very frugal, I'd have not given AIG and their ilk anything.

On the Stop Terrorists Now fence, I propose that our elected representatives agree to host the Testing of the Stimulus Bridge Fence.

Could mean big TV ratings. Students in AP physics could participate as interns. May the strongest wire cutters win.

Campaign. Learn more at www.coalitionforpeaceandjustice.org and www.unplugsalem.org. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (609) 335-8176. Comment at www.shorenewstoday.com.