Open Thread
For the day...
Comments (484) «
Morning, bloggers.
Who but our illustrious W would propose a fuel "efficiency" standard that would actually encourage companies to make bigger vehicles that are less fuel efficient? Insanity continues to rule this administration, and our bedeviled country. . .
Hi, KimB...second is good too. Are you related to PamB by any chance?
It might be worth contacting your Congressional representative and Senators, not to the mention the Federal Communications Commission, about Pat Robertson. I suspect that if an Islamic leader had made similar comments, they would be on the terrorist watch list and lose tax-exempt status. So why is this behavior tolerated for Robertson?
Here is the text of the message I sent to my representatives and the FCC.
I am writing to voice concern over recent comments made by Pat Robertson advocating the assassination of the democratically elected leader of Venezuela. Mr. Robertson made his comments on a syndicated television program, produced by an organization that enjoys tax-exempt status. In the past, Mr. Robertson has also endorsed the detonation of a nuclear device at the State Department. He has also used the same tax-exempt platform to make disparaging comments about Islam, women, and minorities. I strongly encourage you to review Mr. Robertson’s tax-exempt status. Are these comments acceptable for Mr. Robertson to make on a tax-exempt forum because he supposedly is a Christian leader? If an Islamic leader had encouraged assassination of a democratically elected official of a country, endorsed attacking the State Department or any other federal installation, made derogatory comments about Christianity, and preached bigotry, I strongly suspect the individual would be on a terrorist watch list and denied a tax-exempt forum.
Posted by KimB on August 24, 2005 at 09:52 AM
When those inveterate left-wing Bush-haters at Forbes magazine basically say the misAdministration is full of crap on revised CAFE standards, it seems a sure bet that the game is environmental Three-Card Monte.
"Under our proposal, every pickup, SUV and minivan purchaser will benefit by buying vehicles that are as fuel-efficient as possible, regardless of who makes it or how big it is," said National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator Jeffrey Runge in a statement. NHTSA will take comments on the proposal for 90 days, and then issue the final rule by next spring.
Unless they’re real deal Urban Assault Vehicles like H2s and Ford Explorers. Oops, his nose is growing.
Chrysler's PT Cruiser, a pip-squeak of a car that would have trouble hauling a rowboat, is classified as a light truck under the rules because the back seat folds flat to better carry cargo.
Well it sure brings the fleet average down for ‘light’ trucks. ¾ of the back seat of my 1980 Mazda 626 folded down too. Guess I was driving a light truck and didn’t even know it.
The proposal goes so far as to specifically mention the financial struggles of GM and Ford in explaining why CAFE needed to be reformed. "Under Unreformed CAFE, the cost burdens and compliance difficulties have been imposed primarily on the full-line manufacturers who have large sales volumes at the larger and heavier end of the light-truck fleet," the proposal reads. "Reformed CAFE spreads the regulatory cost burden for fuel economy more broadly across vehicle manufacturers within the industry."
The GK Chesterton test applied to economics: capitalism not tried and found wanting, just too difficult so the car companies need a personalized government bailout. Kind of like Terry’s Laws.
Best of All:
U.S. carmakers complain they now have to sell large numbers of money-losing smaller vehicles in order to sell high-profit larger vehicles and meet the overall fuel economy average. With the size-based system, they could sell no smaller vehicles and still meet the standards.
So, let me get this straight. SUV lemmings are funding the Wahabi terriss front, FingU the air we breath BAR, and they’re getting bilked by the auto manufacturers in the bargain. Guess ther's no fundagelical problem with this brand of Darwinism. Or maybe that's Executive Branch Design.
Holy crap! My message at 10:07 must be a forgery. That 3/4 key wasn't available with that font way back then.
Morning, all. A quick hit and run.
Excellent site regarding the 21 administration officials involved in the Valeria Plame leak. Has very detailed information.
Click on my name for the link
What is the difference between Pat Robertson calling for the assissination of a foreign leader and Ayatollah Khomeini calling for the assissination of author Salmon Rushdie?
To me, not much. Just the faces are different.
Republican cut base closings,can be filled with democrat ideas & ideals!
Now would be an ideal time for a republican made vacuum to be filled by some smart democrats with ideas toward filling closed military bases!
Imagine if you will the closed base that supports a town that is riddled with immigrants ,many poor people,a new jail or prison that is needed or how about a place where sex offenders who served their sentences could go to live in a community made up of other offenders in such a closed base? The offenders would have a place to live without fear of repercussions from the neighborhood they are placed in and not wanted.The could live and work their and perhaps be one of those places that answers phones for a large company such as an AOL call center,a place for a talented offender who might be an excellent painter but still an offender but still,free could sell his work ! Imagine if the illegal immigrants who we need to pick the fields but have no clean place to live suddenly have a base with housing and water that's clean? How about that needed prison or jail?
A closed base could be an industrial incubator or a retirement village complete with medical facilities and all sorts of places for gardens with access to the outside and the community that would still have them on the tax roles! Low cost homes for the ones who worked so hard but have been harder hit by a lousy economy which is sure to get worse not better,(and screwed up by republican at that!) ! It could be a place where the old and the young both who don't have a lot of money could have their own city and open up their small shops ,take care of each other ,and on and on.
Its time for democrats always accused of being unkind to the military in lieu of a republican government with a lot of closings on the table without any place to fill the vacuum of a closed base to have an idea to show people that democrat can do more than complain!
Sell the base for a dollar to some entrepreneur and give them a time limit of 1 year to make it into a an retirement community that people such as myself who will never be able to afford a place in a warm climate might have an opportunity to live behind a gated community ,well lit,paved roads,with a mess hall ,assorted buildings,a runway once for planes might make a hell of a flea market ,or a place to sell homemade goods.
My ideal place would be an area safe,mixed with those on the way up and those in their declining years. Imagine the older people with advise and a willingness to teach the young how to care for their children,baby sit,help with a start up business' and also at the same time,NEIGHBORS!
Think of our own soldiers! Hell there's a need already for those who have been our warriors and been hurt in the field in mind and sprits to have their own community where others like themselves could live. The would have things around them to make them feel in their own element and to feel safe as well as a place to slowly integrate back into society!
Democrats/liberals this might sound rambling and maybe it is but take an empty base and fill it with more than dreams and instead people with dreams and you might have a way to show all that we ,as a party as a liberal sort of people know how to do more than complain!
From Danny in Windsor,NY
'Morning all, Danny your 10:26 is full of great ideas waiting for a gang of determination. Someone with true grit to kick the door of opportunity open and make something happen.
Bush has got some restless folks down on the plantations.
Warner: Defense Closures 'Rigged'
D.C. Area Jobs Long Targeted, Senator Asserts
Virginia Sen. John W. Warner (R) said that Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and a senior aide improperly manipulated the national base realignment plan announced earlier this year to compel the movement of more than 20,000 defense jobs away from the Washington area.
closure riggerd
Piling on the Defenders of U.S. Policy in Iraq
You knew it was a bad day for the White House when even Fox News was piling on President Bush's counselor, Dan Bartlett.
piling on
speaking of base closings, the State of CT is waiting anxiously today to see if the Groton Submarine base will be closed, or not.
Now, anyone who thinks that politics is not going to be working on the final closings, is not real.
In our state, the 3 Republican congressmen, who somehow got elected in this state, are using this issue BIG time to be seen opposing the closing. Rob Simmons got Danny Hastert to write a letter to the Pentagon, making a plea that they should not close Groton. Now how do you think these 3 Republicans will fare next Election, when they are touting that they Saved the Base??? My bet today, is Groton won't close at all.
Maybe once The Carlyle Group see's it's arms investments going under they will want to underwrite some projects like that.
i think we should go into the environmental clean up business. military bases are notoriously dirty. my auto club holds races at an abandoned base. great place to race my car, but i can't imagine raising kids there.
i'm confident if bush won't will allocate the funds necessary to clean up the bases, Rumsfeld will surely cut something in the defense budget for clean up.
"I had been hesitant to speak out before because this Administration is so vindictive. But now I will ... Anybody who confronts this Administration or Rumsfeld or the Pentagon with a true assessment, they find themselves either out of a job, out of their positions, fired, relieved or chastised. Their career comes to an end.
-- Janis Karpinski, interview with Marjorie Cohn, August 3, 2005
Link
(should you ever wonder why guys like Colin Powell, George Tenent and others kept their mouths shut, here's a good reason why)
"Whistleblowers are increasingly in short supply in the Bush Administration. If you inform on the mob, it's a good bet your body will turn up in a dumpster. If you tell the truth about the White House, you'll end up without a job and with your reputation in tatters.
That's the fate awaiting Bunnatine "Bunny" Greenhouse. As the Principal Assistant Responsible for Contracting in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Greenhouse stuck up for American taxpayers by questioning multiple non-bid contracts to Halliburton. The payments -- awarded under questionable circumstances -- total over $20 billion
Link
"What twisted logic: with no W.M.D., no link to 9/11 and no democracy, now we have to keep killing people and have our kids killed because so many of our kids have been killed already? Talk about a vicious circle: the killing keeps justifying itself.
Link
From the conservative Capitol Hill Blue....
The Terrorist of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
By DOUG THOMPSON
My first reaction to George W. Bush’s all-too-obvious politicizing of the memories of September 11, 2001, in his latest lame attempt to justify his illegal and immoral war in Iraq, was anger.
Than anger gave way to sadness.
Sadness over a morality-challenged politician’s use of the deaths of 3,000 plus Americans for his own political gain.
And even more sadness because there are still people out there stupid enough to fall for this kind of crap…
Sometimes it is difficult to decide who to fear the most – the ethically-bankrupt President whose madness drives what was once the greatest country on earth closer and closer to ruin or the blind, brain-dead lemmings who continue to follow him into the abyss.
In more normal times we might be able to dismiss Bush’s followers as just another gaggle of misguided political miscreants who bet on the wrong horse and now try to justify that mistake.
But these are not normal times and the wild-eyed fanatics who continue to buy this charlatan’s snake oil are, in too many ways, as dangerous as Bush himself.
Bush and his klavern of crooks, con-men and thieves have turned this nation into a monster that threatens world peace, an arrogant bomb-throwing bully who poses a far-greater danger than any Islam-spouting lunatic with a turban…
We can hope that Americans recognize that more than one terrorist seeks to destroy America and that the most dangerous terrorist of all lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Guy, your 10:58 is right on (as usual). Can we cast more light on the underlying cause of why Bush et al are doing this? It isn't as simple as just an immoral war.
Posted by letshelpdean on August 24, 2005 at 11:05 AM
Like everyone who opposed Vietnam II, I once thought it was all about oil. Now I realize it was and is just as much about no-bid contracts which will cost taxpayers $1T or more before it's over.....
The War Profiteers (as of 2.3.05)
*Attached, thanks to the Center for Public Integrity is a more complete breakdown of who are the biggest profiteers and their pecking order. First, the Billionaire's Club:
Kellogg, Brown & Root (Halliburton) $11,431,000,000
Parsons Corp. $5,286,136,252
Fluor Corp. $3,754,964,295
Washington Group International $3,133,078,193
Shaw Group/Shaw E & I $3,050,749,910
Perini Corporation (Diane Feinstein's husband, Dick Blum's firm) $2,525,000,000
Contrack International Inc. $2,325,000,000
Tetra Tech Inc. $1,541,947,671
USA Environmental Inc. $1,541,947,671
CH2M Hill $1,500,000,000
American International Contractors, Inc. $1,500,000,000
Odebrect-Austin $1,500,000,000
Zapata Engineering $1,478,838,958
Environmental Chemical Corporation $1,475,000,000
Explosive Ordnance Technologies Inc. $1,475,000,000
Stanley Baker Hill L.L.C. $1,200,000,000
Some other big names in corporate America, you might recognize:
Titan Corporation $402,000,000
Raytheon Aerospace LLC $91,096,464
Lucent Technologies World Services, Inc. $75,000,000
How anyone could call Capitol Hill Blue conservative defies reality. Check out the front page: Vets reject Bush's BS. Here is a list of the editor's rercent rants:
The Rant
Vets and the Coward
The man who dishonored American veterans by hiding out from the Vietnam War in the Texas Air National Guard added insult to injury this week by shamelessly invoking memories of those who died in war as a pathetic excuse to continue his illegal and failed war in Iraq.
Aug 24, 2005, 02:10
The Rant
The Terrorist of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Sometimes it is difficult to decide who to fear the most – the ethically-bankrupt President whose madness drives what was once the greatest country on earth closer and closer to ruin or the blind, brain-dead lemmings who continue to follow him into the abyss.
Aug 22, 2005, 06:13
The Rant
Bush Ignored the Truth About Iraq
Slowly but surely the hardhead who occupies 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is realizing what his military experts and others told him all along – he cannot and will not win the war in Iraq.
Aug 17, 2005, 08:27
The Rant
Is Bush Out of Control?
Buy beleaguered, overworked White House aides enough drinks and they tell a sordid tale of an administration under siege, beset by bitter staff infighting and led by a man whose mood swings suggest paranoia bordering on schizophrenia.
Aug 15, 2005, 05:46
The Rant
Defining Hate
There is a big difference between hate and concern, between patriotism and partisanship, between love of country and blind, destructive allegiance to a political party, belief or ideological position.
Aug 8, 2005, 06:41
The Rant
The Road to Hell is Paved With Partisan Intentions
There comes a time in every political partisan’s life when they start feeling like a Christian Scientist with appendicitis.
Aug 3, 2005, 07:57
The Rant
Destroying America
President George W. Bush’s recess appointment of ethically-challenged John Bolton as the new ambassador to the United Nations is a typical act of arrogant defiance from a man who believes he should be all-powerful and the checks and balances built into the U.S. Constitution are expendable when they conflict with his political agenda.
Aug 2, 2005, 07:39
The Rant
A Hunka Hunka Burning Pork
If anyone can cut through all the excrement spewing out of Washington nowadays, will they please remind those who lead Congress and occupy the White House that, at one time in their sordid history, they promised to curb government spending and bring fiscal responsibility to our government?
Aug 1, 2005, 06:35
Blue rants
But there is more. The Neocons version of the future of the world...and the USA's roll.
LMAO. One has only to LOOK at Capitol Hill blue, and it's topics, to know it is about as Conservative as the Pope is Jewish!!!!!
Take what you read from Capitol Hill Blue with a grain of salt, folks.
Link
sorry bb, I should have looked before I posted, but I was choking on my laughter at the thought that Capitol Hill BLUE was Conservative.
YUP, I knew it.
They just announced that the Pentagon is going to keep Open, Groton sub base!
This entire Farce was nothing more than a Political maneuver, in order to help Republicans in states keep their seats !!!!!!!!
PamB, looks like you were right about the sub base in CT. It has been spared:
Panel spares Navy sub base, saves 8,000 jobs
hey tonito
Just finished a letter to the editor, stating the same thing. Could it be that Rob Simmons,Chris Shays and Nancy Johnson need a lot of help in next election, after lock-stepping with this administration on Iraqi invasion, anti social security, yadda yadda.
Perini Corporation (Diane Feinstein's husband, Dick Blum's firm) $2,525,000,000
Analysis of Feinstein connection to no-bid Iraq contracts. Pretty much takes a Willie McCovey stretch to find much there there. At least seven degrees of separation, but sufficient effort could probably connect Mr. Feinstein to Kevin Bacon.
Charles Lewis, executive of the nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity watchdog group in Washington, says that "regardless of whether there is a direct conflict of interest, it's useful to know that the spouse of a sitting senator is getting richer because of what's going on in the world."
I suppose so, even though it sounds a lot like ‘Don’t confuse me with facts when I’m talking about Progressive Orthodoxy.‘ Anyway, here’s what Henry Waxman’s office thinks about the alleged connection:
"That's a fundamentally different situation," said Waxman's chief of staff, Phil Schiliro. His boss objected to a Halliburton subsidiary being awarded a no-bid contract to repair Iraqi oil fields because the firm had just paid $2 million to settle a claim that it had overcharged the government on an earlier contract, Schiliro said.
“The government didn't allow any other bidders to compete for the contract, and gave Kellogg Brown & Root (the Halliburton subsidiary) the kind of contract it had just abused," Schiliro said.
Copy editor instincts would tend toward favoring a rational assessment from Sen. Waxman’s office over a source that produces hysterical headlines:
Democrats get rich off of George Bush's imperialist wars!
(I've actually worked for consultant's to Perini, and, unlike Halliburton, the company is well-qualified to perform the work DoD has contracted it for.)
As far as base closings go, shouldn't SOA/WHINSEC
and its $8million budget get axed first?
Pam: so what did Joe L. have to do to whom and what does it all mean.
Posted by bb on August 24, 2005 at 11:17 AM
That's on the Great Leap Forward Scale of political orthodoxy, for use in identifying the neo Gang of Four and other footdraggers in the path of the New Cultural Revolution.
Copy editor instincts would tend toward favoring a rational assessment from Sen. Waxman’s office over a source that produces hysterical headlines:
My gut agrees with your instincts!
mj: i'm hoping when the new cultural revolution strikes, the madras shirts hanging in closet mothballed are the uniform.
bb,
funny you should ask that. CNN just interviewed Joe about this ! Not Chris Dodd, but ole Joe.
Joe has tried to be in the forefront of this, and make it look like he was working hardest on this too, because he needs all the help he can get, PR wise also.
His respect level has gone down greatly in this state.
Posted by bb on August 24, 2005 at 12:08 PM
Any fashion statement will be acceptable, so long as tie-dyes aren't co-opted. I'd suggest my still serviceable 'George Bush-Shrub or Noxious Weed' teeshirt from '88, but that's so neoDemocrat. I think I actually saw some madras plaids on Campaign Casual Days last fall.
That's the fate awaiting Bunnatine "Bunny" Greenhouse. As the Principal Assistant Responsible for Contracting in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Greenhouse stuck up for American taxpayers by questioning multiple non-bid contracts to Halliburton. The payments -- awarded under questionable circumstances -- total over $20 billion
Link
Posted by PamB on August 24, 2005 at 10:46 AM
This is one black woman that's not afraid to kick some ass in the process of standing up for what is right. Oh sure her career is in the paper shreader at this point, but one's gotta stand by their principle and Bunny didn't get where she was by "kissing ass or on her back". She took her intelligence, education, experience and skills and was a force to definitely be dealt with.
This sistah is slammin' !!! Take 'um down Bunny !!!
MJ: sophmore year i summered at Hampton Beach NH. Hudon's Restaurant where one of the waitresses was a tye-dye wizard. Her end of season gift to me was a most marvelous treatment of the white waiter coats we wore. magnificent. sure wish i knew what became of that coat.
"I think I actually saw some madras plaids on Campaign Casual Days last fall."
Posted by michaelj on August 24, 2005 at 12:15 PM
Ewww thanks a LOT MJ!! Now I will have that yahoo picture in my head all day! Reminds me of most of our tourist occupation!
Jesse Jackson -
“These comments are morally reprehensible and dangerously suggestive. The international community repudiates Robertson’s remarks, and calls upon him to retract his remarks. Calling for the assassination of world leaders is inciteful and wildly provocative. It is just the latest of Robertson’s outrageous and intemperate declarations; President Bush and Secretary of State Rice should immediately rebuke and disassociate the administration from Robertson’s comments"
Pam,
I'm staying home with Rob this week and he has MSNBC on ("...to keep an eye on those sunsabeaches...", he says :-). They had a hookup for JL, but when they tried to put him on, he had already clicked off.
Too bad. I'd've loved to hear the kinds of spin he'd try to put on it. Base closures rigged? Was there EVER any question or any reasoning other than to try to whup-up support. We've learned from the last two big elections. The liars are going down with their own stinking albatrosses tied firmly round their necks.
Good.
It isn't lost on us, either, that among the bases that were closed, many have had live intelligence gathering missions. BushCo doesn't like real intelligence -- they can't shape, spin, bullshit or lie about it. The only thing left for them to do is to get rid of reality; only then can they continue to bilge-pump out more invented yellowcake and mushroom-cloud lies.
Pull. Leez. At least half of America isn't so stupid as to swallow all that. The pugs are probably hopeless...
Jesse Jackson -
"This is even more threatening to hemispheric stability than the flash of a breast on television during a ballgame,"
Cheney to campaign for embattled DeLay
WASHINGTON - (KRT) - Battered by months of ethics allegations, Majority Leader Tom DeLay has turned for help to the White House, which is sending Vice President Cheney next month to headline a fund-raiser for him in Houston.
A couple of useful links:
Next time you're doing a protest make sure to have some of these "Bullshit Deflectors" on hand:
http://www.wiseass.org/bullshit.html
Perhaps stopping Bush and his team is as simple
as studying how to stop a schoolyard bully:
http://www.nobully.org.nz/advicek.htm
DNC Chair Howard Dean has predicted that the GOP's next targeted-for-hate group will be Undocumented Workers (aka "illegal aliens".) In case you're not sure how essential undocumented workers are to our economy (and how they give multinational corporations a way out of paying American workers decent wages and benifits) check out this film: "A Day Without A Mexican."
http://www.adaywithoutamexican.com/dos.html
Since there is a new thread I don't know if this was posted yet. I got it from Lisa.
A VFW man at the Bush Rally.
And where you can go to buy these ears.
because at first I thought it was a photo shop fake.
Jesse Jackson -
“These comments are morally reprehensible and dangerously suggestive. The international community repudiates Robertson’s remarks, and calls upon him to retract his remarks. Calling for the assassination of world leaders is inciteful and wildly provocative. It is just the latest of Robertson’s outrageous and intemperate declarations; President Bush and Secretary of State Rice should immediately rebuke and disassociate the administration from Robertson’s comments"
Posted by BlackMale on August 24, 2005 at 12:23 PM
BlackMale, don't even contribute to the lunacy of Pat Robertson's statements by posting other comments to them. It just keeps the focus on what this sick individual has/will say. There are more important issues that need publicizing and discussing. Even a word battle with Guy makes more sense than the rantings of this deranged man.
"BlackMale, don't even contribute to the lunacy of Pat Robertson's statements by posting other comments to them."
Posted by J on August 24, 2005 at 12:37 PM
Excuse me? This is one of the hottest stories in the country and blogs all around this planet are on fire with Robertson posts. I'm sure many bloggers like myself will continue to talk about Robertson for the rest of the week or until Robertson bites the dust.
By Gary Hart:
"...It is a great wonder that war opponents, including increasing numbers of Democratic "leaders," are so silent. Some of the most visible simply believe the invasion of Iraq, which they endorsed, has been mismanaged, that more troops (not fewer) are needed! Even today, they seem untroubled by the false statements and manipulated intelligence of the administration. The most difficult political statement in the English language is: I made a mistake.
Speaking only for myself, I will find it very difficult to support any Democratic "leader" who remains silent at this critical moment but who wants to be president in 2008. There are defining moments in political careers and in national life where true character is revealed, where moral authority is achieved, or forfeited. Recall Dante's well-known warning that a special place is reserved in hell for those who, in times of moral crisis, preserve their neutrality.
There are those who earn their moral authority the hard way, by going to jail or, like Cindy Sheehan, by sacrificing a loved one. Such people do not merely earn an audience with the president."
Such people deserve an accounting.
Excuse me? This is one of the hottest stories in the country and blogs all around this planet are on fire with Robertson posts. I'm sure many bloggers like myself will continue to talk about Robertson for the rest of the week or until Robertson bites the dust.
Posted by BlackMale on August 24, 2005 at 12:43 PM
Yeah, it but deflects from some other hot issues that the administration wants you to leave alone such as the anti-war movement that they desperately want to disappear??? And yes to those that continue to post about Robertson and his stupidity, you're only giving credance to his statements (if you can call them that).
Although potent Robertson's rantings are showing a pathetic desperation of the far right. Whoa nellie, they're headed to outer space. And don't have enough sense to know it. Talk about a Tangent.
Good afternoon, all.
J, I think what Robertson and Falwell and the rest say is important. Apparently, so do the British who liken these religious hate mongers to Nazis.
British Set Up Criteria for Banning Hate Preachers
http://news.yahoo.com/fc/world/london_bombings
Makes you wonder if Robertson would be banned from even visiting any civilized country from now on.
Black, you're running and doing exactly what Bush spin machine wants you do to and that is stop talking about the war, the economy ($5.00 a galllon gas), Robert's confirmation hearing, etc. and concentrate on the idiocy of Pat Robertson. They want you to focus on Venezuela and Chavez's oil along his military buildup.
Once you do this, you'll start forgetting the other issues.
Recall Dante's well-known warning that a special place is reserved in hell for those who, in times of moral crisis, preserve their neutrality.
If only this could be gotten through the thick-headed leadership on both sides of the political spectrum (if there are even two sides anymore).
Good point, J. The Repugs do this with regularity. Bring in a sacraficial....who's next?
Posted by J on August 24, 2005 at 12:55 PM
J, with all due respect... I can walk and chew gum at the same time. I just showed up to the blog a half hour ago... Let me get the feel of things. You think the Bush spin machine is controlling this Robertson story?
Posted by SandyH on August 24, 2005 at 12:55 PM
Sandy, they are important in the sense that you will put them formost in your mind and slot back the other issues. Oh they will be important to you, but not like a religious leader running around advocating assasination of world leaders
Posted by BlueinIdaho on August 24, 2005 at 12:46 PM
Hear, hear. Defining moments in the Congressional Democratic leadership have been few and far between. Only Dean and Kuscinich had the balls to question the invasion. When are they going to stop protecting a Presidential policy that doesn't work?
J- Rant on Robertson all day long, but do it from a Christian perspective and divide the base. Give REAL Christians support in their disagreement with Robertson. There are tons of these faithful, God-lovers out there, but they have to withstand the affronts of the Christo-Fascists if they wish to speak out.
Here's my proposal and I have to get back to work after this post. I was blogging WAA-A-A-Y too much a few weeks back. Anyway! Try this on, and the quotes can be found in the Bible, I just can't tell you where.
Satan is the Prince of Lies and this statement reveals who has a hold on Pat Robertson, that he could so carelessly and without compassion declare a "jihad" against Hugo Chavez, and call for his assassination.
The nation needs to take a good, hard look at itself and ask how did we come to discuss cold-blooded murder and assassination so casually, and when did this become something Christians would ever consider. Let's ask the Pope to disavow this. Let's ask the Administation, adamantly and directly, to disavow this. Bush NEVER WILL. He can't even face Cindy Sheehan, never mind Pat Robertson.
Paul tells us to "Test the Spirits!" and elsewhere we are warned to beware of "wolves in sheeps clothing". In the Psalms there is discussion of slippery individuals who stated one thing "while war was in their hearts." Let's not be too frightened by the Bible to beat them over the head with it. The Bible does support compassion and love and tolerance. All their crap comes from the Old Testament anyway. IF they are Christians they have to compare it to the New before it's gospel.
Only thing about Robertson issue to me is, WHY isn't the IRS investigating into a religious organzations sprouting Politics !!!!
Under 501 (c)(3), prohibits Religious organizations fro engaging in political activities, yet this man is able to use his TV show to order assasinations on other country Presidents????????
All I know if, if this was Clinton's era, and one of his Religious supporters ever said this, there would not be one single bit of media not devoted to Blasting him !
"Let's ask the Pope to disavow this. Let's ask the Administation, adamantly and directly, to disavow this. Bush NEVER WILL. He can't even face Cindy Sheehan, never mind Pat Robertson."
Posted by Gregor on August 24, 2005 at 01:03 PM
I agree 100%... Great post.
Posted by J on August 24, 2005 at 12:55 PM
J, with all due respect... I can walk and chew gum at the same time. I just showed up to the blog a half hour ago... Let me get the feel of things. You think the Bush spin machine is controlling this Robertson story?
Posted by BlackMale on August 24, 2005 at 12:59 PM
Hey Black, I'm not downing your abilities here. Just throwing some light in a tunnel that some folks want to keep dark. Do I think the Bush spin machine is controlling this story??? Oh hell yeah!!! Their APPEARANCE is of one who doesn't really know what's going on and are not really connected to this individual, but these folks know what's going on just as sure as the Good Lord made Wednesday and that's today isn't ??
Wouldn't it be funny if it turned out Robertson decided to fall on the sword for W to take the story OFF Cindy!!??
but not likely
J, I respectfully disagree. The other important issues doevetail into this issue. The separation of church and state must be maintained....and a small minority religious faction has no right to monopolize the debate and the law of the land. Their warped view of humankind and God has allowed Republican politicans to destroy everything from the enviornment to human rights...to maybe even social security. It has to stop. And if this statement by Robertson is the first step in destroying their credibility so be it.
Advocating murder for political purposes sounds exactly like what the Phairasees did to Jesus. This can't be left to slide.
See the administration desperately wants Cindy Sheehan and her movement that has bloomed under her to go away. Can't run wars and get people into financing them and offering their young to fight for this so-called "freedom" if they start questioning the reasons for our presense in the Middle East. If these folks were not concerned about Cindy and the anti-war movement then why do they have every resource in this nation working 24/7 to discredit this woman and anyone else that speaks out against our presense in the Middle East???
Posted by Dawnelle on August 24, 2005 at 01:07 PM
This Robertson story just add's to the Bush Republican trash heap IMO...
"Robertson ran for the Republican nomination for President in 1988 and although he didn't win the nomination, he pulled more votes than George H.W. Bush in Iowa, and with the foundation of the Coalition in 1989, accelerated the far-right's takeover of the Republican Party."
Pat Robertson and todays Bush republicans are all in it together and this assasination scandal just proves even more how radical these psychos really are.
I really wish I had known about those ear protectors earlier. I could have made a bundle selling them at the Idaho Center this morning. Shrub is spewing his lies there as we speak.
Advocating murder for political purposes sounds exactly like what the Phairasees did to Jesus. This can't be left to slide.
Posted by SandyH on August 24, 2005 at 01:07 PM
Oh but it will Sandy, it will. As for the line between the separation of church and state, well the very folks like Robertson and the rest of the Fundamentalist fringe have blurred that line significantly. The line has been slowly being erased over the last decade.
I see that more supporters of the Iraq war are becoming more vocal and clashing with those siding with Cindy Sheehan. IMO, what we must make clear to the war supporters is that supporting the troops by going along with this charade does a disservice to the troops. Yes, protesting the war may make the troops question their presence in Iraq, but, not protesting the war increases the risks to their lives tenfold.
The question is no longer whether we will pull out, it is when.
Posted by BlueinIdaho on August 24, 2005 at 01:12 PM
Me too! He comes down here way too often as well.
J - I think Robertson just blew the LID off any credibility to the Fundies hence forth! Don't you? With his crazy remarks? Now that we have Jon Stewart, Al Franken and others to broadcast it over and over and the MSM seemed to latch on to it last night as well. I thought Lou Dobbs would bust a vein!! lmao!
Bush is speaking again in Idaho and once again there is no view of the audience. I think the applause is canned. He pauses for a moment and then the applause begins. There is no spontaneity in this. I really doubt that there is an audience worth noting.
Bush speaking before military and families. The "thin" applause on Mon must have caused concern. The crowd today obviously has 'orders' to be loud and long. What a sham.
Posted by J on August 24, 2005 at 01:06 PM
I think you're on to something here, J.
Bush came into office threatening Chavez, and has used the U. S. funding of Columbian army brigades for a dual purpose. The overt purpose to support anti-drug activities and to protect an oil pipeline from the oilfileds in northeast Columbia to the port of Covenas. The secondary purpose is contained in the language that seeks to promoted economic development and strengthen democratic institutions.
The oilfields span both Columbia and Venezuela, and the brigades protecting the pipeline could easily slip across the porous border should there be a military confrontation between Washington and Caracas.
Bringing up Hugo Chavez, a target of a military coup and a nationwide strike that were both supported by the Bush administration, allows for a change in subject from failed policies in Iraq and the the daily Cindy Shaheen questions.
The Bush administration would love to change it to this other member of the "axis of evil". One that they have been targeting for about the same amount of time as Iraq.
Hey Frances!
He just keeps digging it deeper doesn't he?
Only a fool keeps doing the same failed procedures over and over expecting a different result.
that's beyond stubborn
What Inquiring Minds Want to Know: Does Reverend Terminator's commentary on the continuing communist threat to the Western Hemisphere (far and away the funniest aspect of the wack diatribe) mean that the next cRepbulican pretzeldential candidate is going to kick of campaign 2008 abetting mail fraud on the 700 Club. Fitting venue, in the Big Tent tradition of Reagan gracing Philadelphia, MS with his Oletimerness in 1980, and the Shrubbery's compassionate conservative forgiveness approach to the Bob Jones family's racist fulminations.
Also, is future Hurricane Katrina bringing God's wrath to FLA and the Gulf Coast because she's still upset over gay civil unions, or is she really pissed off about homicidal psychopath TV criminal evangelists?
Something perplexingly, and disturbingly, lost in the Bizarro World excresences of Pat Robertson: This guy was magna and Phi Beta Kappa at Washington & Lee, has a Yale JD, and holds a seriously authentic degree from the New York Theological Seminary. Was it academic pressure that made him a poster boy for the Haldol/Stelazine cocktail?
Posted by francespryor on August 24, 2005 at 01:20 PM
Actually there is an "audience". Military were literally forced to be in attendance in full dress. Congressional leaders and big business were also given tickets. Those that voted him in got a big slap in the face. I hope it smarts for years...
How Old is Pat? Maybe he's suffering from some aged disease like senility? Although my own Mother is 81 and her mind is disturbingly crystal clear.
Something perplexingly, and disturbingly, lost in the Bizarro World excresences of Pat Robertson: This guy was magna and Phi Beta Kappa at Washington & Lee, has a Yale JD, and holds a seriously authentic degree from the New York Theological Seminary. Was it academic pressure that made him a poster boy for the Haldol/Stelazine cocktail?
Posted by michaelj on August 24, 2005 at 01:31 PM
Michael: According to the right --- looks like Robertson's credentials could make him the next nominee. The 700 club has been praying for another Supreme Court vacancy.
More and more Americans find themselves agreeing with Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., that administration leaders seem to be "making it up as they go along."
Wow that was Al Jazeera huh? I feel like I just lost my virginity! hehe ! I've never been there.
The source of the article was Pravda, though.
Interesting that foreign sources commonly refer to Iraq as the "illegal war."
Another Poll Finds Bush Sinking
There's an old riddle that goes: What do you get when you give a reporter two facts and a deadline? The answer is: A trend.
Well, folks, by that standard, we've got ourselves a trend.
The Harris Poll is out today, showing President Bush's approval rating down sharply over the past two months to 40 percent. Just two days ago, the American Research Group also found it down sharply, to 36 percent.
Nowhere fun, Dawnelle. I am just taking a little time off. I am going to oregon for labor day though. I've never been before and am looking forward to it.
Bob
I agree with calling it an "illegal war"
Posted by Dawnelle on August 24, 2005 at 01:55 PM
Me too, it's just a hoot that, while US press pussyfoots around Bush about "any mistakes he may have made", the foreign press just calls it lawlessness.
tureMajority...
A man feeds a largemouth bass in Maranacook Lake. A pair of bass were hand fed by the elderly couple who summered in Winthrop.
ps: check out the large mouth bass
large mouth bass
How's yourself?
Posted by nyeiren on August 24, 2005 at 02:09 PM
Self is good tyvm! Listening to Air America, blogging and eating a late lunch. Oregon sounds lovely! I've never been there. :-) Time off is GUTE!
Posted by bb on August 24, 2005 at 02:17 PM
hey WaTcH-IT buddy! I resemble that remark! lol
Time to finish up here and get something done.
BBL Peace!
Posted by nyeiren on August 24, 2005 at 02:08 PM
Bring umbrella and rain shoes. :-)
As I was saying before my server decided to go haywire on me. Bush and company seem to only have regard for those who are white Christian/Socially Fundamentalist. People of color, any color are not their favorite kind of folks. Hence Chavez ain't exactly their type. And to really piss off the administration because their not in on the gravy train, he's making jillions with Venezuela's oil and the 14,000 Citgo stations they own.
After missing the first deadline for completing the constitution, Shiite and Kurd leaders submitted a draft to the National Assembly Monday only after excluding Sunnis from their negotiations
whaddya expect: this was a bush operation after all. you think they're gonna use different tactics than republican congressmen when they're writing (bi)partisan legislation?
constitution on brink
Posted by BlackMale on August 24, 2005 at 02:21 PM
Sounds great. I love the rain. I lived in Dublin with no umbrella. Good for the complexion
U.S. soldiers plant weapons on fake rebels
The pictures were particularly controversial and newsworthy, in that they appear to show U.S. soldiers planting weapons on Iraqi teenagers. They were passed on to Seymour Hersh of the New Yorker, who mentioned them in an interview on May 11, 2005.
"After I did Abu Ghraib, I got a bunch of digital pictures emailed me, and -- was a lot of work on it, and I decided, well, we can talk about it later…You have some general rules, but in this case, a bunch of kids were going along in three vehicles. One of them got blown up. The other two units -- soldiers ran out, saw some people running, opened up fire. It was a bunch of boys playing soccer. And in the digital videos you see everybody standing around, they pull the bodies together. This is last summer. They pull the bodies together. You see the body parts, the legs and boots of the Americans pulling bodies together. Young kids, I don't know how old, 13, 15, I guess. And then you see soldiers dropping R.P.G.'s, which are rocket-launched grenades around them. And then they're called in as an "insurgent kill"."
aljazeera
I just don't trust Aljazeera. They are always spouting conspiracy theories and even had the US knocking off our own soldiers in the beheading videos.
I always wondered how Shrub's speeches were made:
Don’t say anything
Free land in the heartland draws newcomers
ELLSWORTH, Kan. - Here in the heartland, the prairie homesteading tradition lives again.
Sagging populations prompted economic planners to offer juicy incentives inspired by the land giveaways to settlers in the mid-to late 1800s. And so, in the middle of Kansas, Maribel Juarez has rediscovered the town of her El Salvadoran childhood.
Soon Elsworth will be monopolized by illegal immigrants just like the border states.
Definetly make sure that you always use the expression of "Illegal War", or "Illegal Invasion" or 'Illegal Invasion".
Do not give them use of War, as though we were after an enemy who came after Us first !!!
There were NO terrorists in Iraq prior to the invasion. The Term Insurgent means,
"a person who takes part in an armed rebellion against the constituted authority (especially in the hope of improving conditions)"
They are citizens of the country, fighting in this case, Occupation .
The minority is terrorists, or those who crossed over to take pop shots at Americans where they never could have reached them in the past. Right there on their home ground!
WD, posting quotes from other sources (however dubious) without adding your own thoughts does nothing to contribute to the blog. So, what do you think about the story? Do you believe it? Do you trust the source? What are your thoughts? Posted by aTrueModerate on August 24, 2005 at 03:00 PM
Bullshit! People can think for themselves. We don't have to tell them what to think of an article.
Soon Elsworth will be monopolized by illegal immigrants just like the border states. Posted by BlackMale on August 24, 2005 at 02:53 PM
WTF? Have you decided Maribel Juarez is an illegal immigrant just because of where she is from? Smacks of racism to me. I hope I have misunderstood.
Just popping back in to say hi.
It appears to me that Bush's flim flam tour to drum up support for his pre-emptive fiasco is going over about as well as the Social Security town hall meeting scams. Equating WWI and WWII to Bush's Folley is demeaning to the memories of all those who have died. Do veterans really appreciate this argument?
Maybe it's all those tabloid photos of Saddam in his underwear, but somehow he and Iraq don't seem quite as intimidating as Hitler giving a speech. Most American seem to feel that this is an Iraqi gang war and our gang doesn't really live in the neighborhood so why are we involved. Nation building is bad enough, but Islamic theocracy building is upsurd.
Forget about supporting our troops; time to protect them from the meanace within. No solider deserves to serve a Commander-in-Chief this incompetent and irrational.
Posted by Jen on August 24, 2005 at 03:06 PM
My post had nothing to do with Juarez. My post is aimed at all illegals who choose to break the law to enter this country and a country who refuses to address the border issues. Those that don't understand the illegal immigration issue are obviously not affected by it.
Posted by bb on August 24, 2005 at 02:17 PM
Bigmouth Bass, Bob? Where do the batteries go?
Counterpoint to Bigmouth Ass feeding on fragile fundegelictamental brains.
This collectible is probably heading for Honus Wagner numbers with Pat’s latest nut cake eruption.
I‘d like to know how Pat Robertson gets away with making claims of cancer cures to solicit donations to 700 Club. But at least those miracles are apparently performed directly by God through Her tool, uh, conduit. Apparently the miracle of weight loss requires the intercession of modern nutritional scientists.
And if the Coscience and Scam Artist Entrepreneur decides to run for president again, he‘s ready with a platform: PAT'S SEVEN-STEP PLAN TO SAVE AMERICA FROM NON-FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN TRASH
DONNELLY, Idaho (AP) - President George W. Bush said Tuesday that anti-war protesters such as Cindy Sheehan, who want U.S. troops brought home immediately, are "advocating a policy that would weaken the United States."
There he goes again getting the US confused with Iraq. I honest believe the thinks it's our 51 state.
"Definetly make sure that you always use the expression of 'Illegal War', or 'Illegal Invasion' or 'Illegal Invasion'."
As much as I share your frustration, it's tough to label this an "illegal war" considering that Congress gave the President the power to act and it was approved by the United Nations.
Maybe the term we should be using is "fraudulent war."
Is the Venezula Pres a Dictator? I thought he was elected by the People. Pat Robertson just callen him a dictator while denying he called for him to be killed. WTF?
My post had nothing to do with Juarez. My post is aimed at all illegals who choose to break the law to enter this country and a country who refuses to address the border issues. Those that don't understand the illegal immigration issue are obviously not affected by it.Posted by BlackMale on August 24, 2005 at 03:10 PM
There is NOTHING in that article about immigration at all! The word immigrant or immigration is not even it it! It mentioned Juarez's roots and Hispanics making up 16% of the population. There was no indication she was here illegally. Perhaps you should pick a better article from which to make your argument.
Robertson -
"You know, I don’t know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we’re trying to assassinate him, I think we really ought to go ahead and do it."
Today -
“I didn’t say assassination. I said our, uh, our special forces should quote, take him out. And take him out can be a lot, a number of things, including kidnapping. There are a number of ways to take out a dictator from power, besides killing him. I was misinterpreted by the AP. But that happens all the time.”
Who is this guy trying to fool? He's been fooling his 700 Club members for years but he can't fool me.
Chavez is not a dictator. Bush is more of a dictator than Chavez.
Posted by Jen on August 24, 2005 at 03:21 PM
Jen,
Take a deep breath. I posted a article about free land in the midwest. IMO, the illegals will swarm to that free land by the truckoads and monopoloize the area like they did to our border states. My post had nothing to do with Juarez in any way.
Mugwump,
The invasion into Iraq was being reviewed by the International Court as an Illegal act. (I do not know where that stands)
that is why I will not call it a War. It was merely an occupation.
Unfortunetly, we do not have any Senators with any gonads, who will stand up and say once and for all, exactly what they had been told by This Administration, and that they were all lies!
Mugwump- That's brilliant! Fraudulent War! It labels the build up perfectly. It's wraps up Memogate and Spygate all into one neat littel package. That's great frame.
Stop the fraudulent war!
Aug. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez may see an increase in popularity because of the death threat leveled by a U.S. television evangelist, according to Datanalisis, the country's No. 1 polling company.
WD, posting quotes from other sources (however dubious) without adding your own thoughts does nothing to contribute to the blog.
Posted by aTrueModerate on August 24, 2005 at 03:00 PM
just a helpful tip.
to come in as a relative newcomer, and start dictating what/how someone should post is not really considered Kewl!
Black, lol, I don't need you to tell me how to breathe. Your comment had nothing to do with the article in any way it, seems to me, beyond speculation. The article itself shows that no one that moves there is even settling on the free land. But whatever, dude, you keep prophetizing on the illegal immigrants 'swarming'.
"dictating what/how someone should post is not really considered Kewl!"
Posted by PamB on August 24, 2005 at 03:35 PM
Amen!
Posted by BlackMale on August 24, 2005 at 03:29 PM
Maybe we ought to land marines at Veracruz, lop off a chunk of the Yucatan, call it Libertadia, build a capital and name it Bushovia, and send 'em back where they came from.
Posted by BlackMale on August 24, 2005 at 03:25 PM
Is sure is getting easier to spot a fundamentalist conservative these days. Just looks for words coming out of both sides of their mouth and the expert ability to backpedal.
"I did not say assassinate".
"I did not say that Cindy Sheehans' story was like forged documents".
"I did not say that I would fire Rove if he was involved with the Plame leak".
Posted by Jen on August 24, 2005 at 03:35 PM
Just like I said in my earlier post ...
"Those that don't understand the illegal immigration issue are obviously not affected by it."
Posted by michaelj on August 24, 2005 at 03:36 PM
No... that's too much. :-)
Simply document the illegals and secure the borders.
Let's be clear, I think we all want to "Win the War on Terrorism". I just don't think invading Iraq is the way to do it. It's a ridiculous policy. Let's continue the War, but in a more intelligent way. We're trying to use a seldge hammer to kill a gnat. We're taking big swings, but we're missing with every blow and the gnats are breeding. Does Bush realize how ridiculous this looks, and all he can state is keep swinging the sledgehammer.
Hmmm...
According to some blog Ed is on... Hagel is forming a commitee to run for pres as Independent.
Black, how do the illegal immigrants affect you personally?
And by the way, it's not just border states affected these days.
Black, just because someone may disagree with you on illegal immigration, doesn't mean they don't understand it or aren't affected by it, btw.
Posted by PamB on August 24, 2005 at 03:35 PM
---------------
Wonder if TrueModerate is related to TrueLiberal who frequents the DFA blog. Similar style. Hmmm...
Posted by Jen on August 24, 2005 at 03:44 PM
Ok... For starters.. A police officer here in my home town was shot in the face the other day by a 3 time felon who entered the country illegally. Luck the officer is still alive.
Illegals make up almost 30% of those in prison right now and it costs taxpayers $1.6 billion a year...
From fast food joints to public schools...
I'm sorry about the police officer, Black. What about fast food joints and public schools?
Hello all - I'm back from my two hour session on the psych couch. "How does that make you feel?" I feel like I've got 32 personalities, how about you?
Good to see y'all! Has gregg checked in today - I have a story for him.
Hey Gregor !! Haven't talked to you in a while. Are you still Greek? :)
My bad, Gregor. You're East European, no? My head is so shrunk today, all my memory has been sqeezed out of it. :(
I'm sorry, Blackmale, but that 30% figure seems awfully hihg. Can you document it?
Posted by BlackMale on August 24, 2005 at 03:40 PM
Modest proposal.
So much for the Rapcha: Satan appears as 700 Club’s End Time guest.
Heading home to West Wing residence says real Dark Lord. It was on my way.
Posted by Jen on August 24, 2005 at 03:54 PM
Ok...
Try being a teenager today trying to get a job at a McDonalds or Burger King that is managed, supervised and ran by all adult hispanics, hatians, guatamalens, equadorians etc and they can barely understand or speak english! Those managers will hire their own. I remember when McDonalds used to hire retired people or teenage kids looking for a summer or afterschool job.. Those days are long gone.
Public Schools...
Before we moved into our new home and moved to a new town, my children were attending a "failing school". We went to the NCLB meeting the scool put on and they flat out told us "this school is failing because they factor in all test scores even if the child can't read or write english" To boot... they don't offer tests in any language other than english and teachers aren't allowed to "help" the child with the test for fear of teachers helping the child cheat.
Therefor, my children were directly affected because the school suffered because of non english speaking kids. When my daughter becomes a teenager and tries getting a job, I don't think that job will be there for her to experience because fast food and lower paying jobs are monopolized by illegal immigrants.
So on the fast food front, all those people from other countries, how did you know they were illegals? Or is your problem with immigrants periods, legal or not?
And with regard to the failing school, instead of blaming NCLB you blame the children?
Okay. I think I see where you're coming from. Thank you for explaining.
Posted by Jen on August 24, 2005 at 04:23 PM
Your right. They don't have "illegal" wriiten on forhead. I assume they're illegal when they are in their 20's & 30's and can't understand a lick of english. Aren't you required to take a test in English to become a citizen in this country anymore or are those days long gone?
Yes, you have to take an English test to become a citizen, but not to become a legal resident. There are many legally resident non-citizens in this country. In fact, you have to be a legal resident for several years before you can apply for citizenship
Posted by christopher_blunt on August 24, 2005 at 04:29 PM
Thanks for the clarification.
BTW... I went to google and found many, many articles on illegal immigrants currently in US Federal and state prisons. www.cis.org is a good place to start though if you don't want to hit up google.
A repug caller on Randi Rhodes says that robberson said bush should meet with Cindy Sheehan and "take her out." hmmmm...
WD, posting quotes from other sources (however dubious) without adding your own thoughts does nothing to contribute to the blog. So, what do you think about the story? Do you believe it? Do you trust the source? What are your thoughts?
Posted by aTrueModerate on August 24, 2005 at 03:00 PM
If the source is Sysmour Hersh, I don't consider it "dubious" at all. I've been reading his stuff since he broke the Mai Lai Massacre 35 years ago and he's never been wrong yet.
Man upset at credit card offer addressed to 'Palestinian Bomber'
CORONA – Sami Habbas was sifting through his stack of mail when he noticed a credit-card offer addressed to "Palestinian Bomber."
The stunned Palestinian-American opened the letter that began with the salutation, "Dear Palestinian Bomber."
"I thought it was a joke or something," he said. "I'm very sad – devastated."
Habbas telephoned JPMorgan Chase & Co., which sent the solicitation, on the company's toll-free number, provided his ZIP code and invitation number from the form and two operators addressed him the same way: "Yes, Mr. Bomber, what can we do for you?"
San Diego
BlackMale on August 24, 2005 at 04:27 PM:
SO, you don't know any families who speak their "native" language at home and have minimal competence in English? I have plenty of such friends here in the Seattle area.
Any guesses as to the language(s) spoken at home?
I'm sure you'd guess Spanish. And in the case of most of my friends, you'd be wrong. The predominant languages are Russian, Latvian, Yiddish, and Hebrew, with one family that uses Spanish.
This country of ours was built through the contributions of all those who immigrated. It has a very long tradition of non-English neighborhoods, whatever the language might be. Yet, it is only since the Reagan era that we see intolerance on the rise, with English-only laws a leading symptom of the problem.
Fact: Is was totally unfair and wrong for the school to be graded as failing based on having a significant percentage of its students lacking English skills. But, this is the fault of NCLB and the recent spate of English-only laws.
Note that NCLB guarentees that EVERY public school will get a failing grade, so there is little point in focusing on any specific reason such as language. If it were not language, it would be something else. The school WILL fail. Period! THAT is the crime of NCLB. It truly is a plot to destroy our public school system. You've just been sucked into the (Il)logic of the whole thing rather than seeing the bigger picture.
By the way... Hi Everyone!
I'm wondering, is everyone on their way to Crawford? There is much less activity here than I've been used to seeing?
Posted by Marc on August 24, 2005 at 05:10 PM
I've posted in here at least a half dozen times how much I despise NCLB. I understand NCLB is a crime but I also understand illegal immigration is getting ignored and it's negatively affecting many things in this country.
Good Afternoon All!
I see President George W. Bush, the Liar in Chief, is desperately trying to defend the indefensible, his illegal and failing War on Iraq.
At least 14 Iraqis were slaughtered today to pursue the unattainable goal of peace in that war-torn country.
The American casualty count is now 1,873.
DoD refuses to publish an account of our boys and girls who have been injured and disabled, but we know it's several times the 13,877 they claim were wounded in action.
I wonder how many of us have written an LTE or called a representative today?
What else can we do to stop this loss of our children?
Now Robertson is apologizing...
He's NOT apologizing! He's denying he ever said "assassination". Dope Head Rush Limp-balls got so much hate mail for saying Cindy Shehan was lying about having a dead son, claiming "her whole story is a lie" that he had to "scrub" the his archives clean and then went on to deny he ever said it too. Thing is there's thousands of copies already "out there" floating around". These people think they can lie their way out of anything. Nice "family, moral values", huh? Keep that mail to these lying pigs coming folks. Let 'em feel the heat.
Good afternoon everyone - just a run through:
Had a very stressful letter from a radio station manager. I wrote her asking her why they aren't providing equal time for progressive talk radio. The reply was upsetting. I'm so pissed right now. When I calm down I'll post it here and maybe one of yous' guys (Wisconsin talk) can help me write back to her..the bitch!
Any who...
Has Robertson apologized yet? I agree that I wouldn't have oput it past Bush putting Patty boy on the block to get the heat off his back since his rating are dropping through the floor..hehehe I just love it when I confront my fellow workers with Bush's ratings...they hate it - just hate it.
Good grief..it's quitn' time right now. Got to go home and burn supper.
Keep on Rockn'
K from IN
Robertson apologizes for calling for assassination
"Is it right to call for assassination?" Robertson said. "No, and I apologize for that statement. I spoke in frustration that we should accommodate the man who thinks the U.S. is out to kill him."
Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Robertson called for the assassination of Venezuela's president
Click here for video
Oh, Just what we need NOW
Reverend Jackson is leading a delegation to Venezuela this weekend.
Can that ham handed egomaniac ever stay away from a camera?
Have No Fear, Jesse's Here!!
"On 2000-FEB-28, Senator John McCain, Republican presidential candidate, made allegations about front-runner Texas Governor George W. Bush. He
alleged that Bush had tied himself to leaders of the Religious Right who, he said, peddle intolerance and division. McCain said in Virginia Beach, VA: "Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, and a few Washington leaders of the pro-life movement call me an unacceptable presidential candidate..."They distort my pro-life positions and smear the reputations of my supporters. Why? Because I don't pander to them,"
Good afternoon everyone.
Well here we go again another pre Labor Day hurricane to look forward to. Katrina is headed for the Florida Coast and it's time to get prepared again.
And that idiot Bush says there's no global warming.
I just hope we don't lose power with these 90 plus temps an no AC!!!
Posted by DPD on August 24, 2005 at 05:41 PM
Did you think he was egomatic when he was the first American to bring hostages out of Iraq and Kuwait in 1990?
Diplomatic Efforts
Oh, Just what we need NOW
Reverend Jackson is leading a delegation to Venezuela this weekend.
Can that ham handed egomaniac ever stay away from a camera?
Have No Fear, Jesse's Here!!
Posted by DPD on August 24, 2005 at 05:41 PM
And the reason being????
He's been an egomaniac since the day he was born.
You don't have to suffer his constant pontificating and camera hogging every time the wind blows. I DO.
WD - Now THAT's what I'm talking about! Where's the Christian Left in all this. The Bible supports anyone in one place or another.
Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
"I didn't say 'assassination,'" Robertson said Wednesday on his Christian Broadcasting Network show "The 700 Club" about remarks reported by The Associated Press and other media outlets.
usatoday
OK, so now he's changing his story again. "I said it!" (The next day) "I never said that!" (then the next day) "I apologize for saying that, I never should have said it!"
J on August 24, 2005 at 05:47 PM:
If only all those Floridians would stop voting for Bush you wouldn't have all of these Hurricanes to deal with.
Yes, I know you didn't vote that way, but we all do have to live with our neighbor's bad choices...
Joan- My blogging is getting limited because ...well... I'm at work and need to limit it to breaks, lunch and later. I'm in Portland, OR, so some of you Easterners won't be here when I get off to get on, but I still try to place blips when I get my 15 minutes. It doesn;t leave much time for exchanges, though. I do miss that.
Battle on, Brothers and Sisters. We're fighting for Freedom, in the Land of the Free. How f@cked up is THAT?!?
Posted by DPD on August 24, 2005 at 05:51 PM
That's strange... I never hear Jesse Jackson bragging and boasting about his accomplishments and diplomatic efforts. He seems humble to me.
"Those that don't understand the illegal immigration issue are obviously not affected by it."
Posted by BlackMale on August 24, 2005 at 03:38 PM
BlackMale I reside in Florida, the land of illegal everybody which of course affects the entire state, but somehow after reading your posts, I have not succumbed to the hard edge you seem to have against their presence.
These people only want to "survive" like any other human being.
The reason being that it's a STORY, and now it's Jesse's story.
BlackMale, Jesse always tags along with OTHER people. He didn't LEAD the Hostage situations. The Serbian thing was led by than Congressman Rod Blagojevich (because he spoke Serbian), the Cuban missions were led by George Ryan, the African trips were led by others. Jesse is a tail hanger who ALWAYS feels the need to put his mug out there to satisfy his own ego.
He had the nerve to show up at the first Farm Aid Concert and interrupt an interview with Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson. He just slapped Kris on the shoulder and walked into the shot. The look on Kris' face was priceless.
Jesse claims EVERY story as his own, and nobody can tell him any differently, or he will cause a stink.
Invite him to move to AZ, please.
BBL, Gonna start the grill.
How many members of the Bush administration does it take to change a light
bulb?
"Ten.
"1. One to deny that a light bulb needs to be changed;
"2. One to attack the patriotism of anyone who says the light bulb needs to
be changed;
"3. One to blame Clinton for burning out the light bulb;
"4. One to tell the nations of the world that they are either for changing
the light bulb or for eternal darkness;
"5. One to give a billion dollar no-bid contract to Halliburton for the new
light bulb;
"6. One to arrange a photograph of Bush, dressed as a janitor, standing on a
step ladder under the banner 'Bulb Accomplished';
"7. One administration insider to resign and in detail reveal how Bush was
literally 'in the dark' the whole time;
"8. One to viciously smear No. 7;
"9. One surrogate to campaign on TV and at rallies on how George Bush has
had a strong light-bulb-changing policy all along;
"10. And finally, one to confuse Americans about the difference between
screwing a light bulb and screwing the country."
For extra credit, read the following article and note that in 1999, Robertson called for assassinations of Saddam Hussein and Kim Il Jung, using cost-benefit analysis, as well:
TV PREACHER ROBERTSON URGES ASSASSINATIONS AS PART OF U.S. FOREIGN POLICY Monday, August 9, 1999
RELIGIOUS LEADER APPROVES OF SENDING 'SQUADS' TO 'TAKE OUT' FOREIGN LEADERS
TV preacher and Christian Coalition President Pat Robertson has called for a change in U.S. foreign policy to include assassination of foreign leaders.
On today's episode of his nationally televised "700 Club," the religious broadcaster explained his views that assassinations and first-strike military attacks are "practical" strategies.
"I know it sounds somewhat Machiavellian and evil, to think that you could send a squad in to take out somebody like Osama bin Laden, or to take out the head of North Korea," Robertson said. "But isn't better to do something like that, to take out Milosevic, to take out Saddam Hussein, rather than to spend billions and billions of dollars on a war that harms innocent civilians and destroys the infrastructure of a country? It would just seem so much more practical to have that flexibility...."
Robertson's critics view this is another example of Robertson's remarkably unusual theories.
"As a Christian, Pat should ask himself, what would Jesus do?" said Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. "In my Bible, Jesus never said anything about assassinating heads of state. Forget schools and courthouses, maybe we should post the Ten Commandments in Robertson's office."
Robertson added that he sees no inconsistency between his Christian beliefs and his desire to see the U.S. kill leaders he doesn't like.
Referring to North Korea President Kim Jong Il and others, Robertson concluded, "They have killed numerous people over there, and the idea that you would take one of them, you know, dispatch him, is not the most horrible thing in the world, Christian or otherwise. I mean, there's such a thing as balancing the good versus the evil and the evil that he can bring about.... I just think it's the intelligent thing to do and I don't see anything un-Christian about it."
In addition to his assassination recommendations, Robertson today also called for military strikes against North Korea to destroy nuclear installations the TV preacher says exist there.
Despite his bizarre views, Robertson is a major political figure in American life.
more at... News2
If I didn't hate the Republicans so, I might even feel a sense of pity for those greedy, lying, bloodsuckers who voted for George W. Bush today.
The Harris Poll today == 40%.
I wonder when the rest of them will get it?
George "Dubya" Bush's record...
>
>Just so you know: I attacked and took over 2 countries.
>
>I spent the U.S. surplus and bankrupted the US Treasury.
>
>I shattered the record for the biggest annual deficit in history (not
>easy!).
>
>I set an economic record for the most personal bankruptcies filed in any 12
>month period.
>
>I set all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the stock
>market.
>
>***I am the first president in decades to execute a federal prisoner.
>
>********In my first year in office I set the all-time record for most days
>on
>vacation by any president in US history (tough to beat my dad's, but I
>did).
>After taking the entire month of August 2001 off for vacation, I presided
>over
>the worst security failure in US history.
>
>I set the record for most campaign fund raising trips by any president in
>US history.
>
>In my first two years in office over 2 million Americans lost their jobs.
>
>I cut unemployment benefits for more out-of-work Americans than any other
>president in US history.
>
>I set the all-time record for most real estate foreclosures in a 12-month
>period.
>
>***I appointed more convicted criminals to administration positions than
>any
>president in US history.
>
>I set the record for the fewest press conferences of any president, since
>the advent of TV.
>
>I signed more laws and executive orders amending the Constitution than any
>other US president in history.
>
>I presided over the biggest energy crises in US history and refused to
>intervene when corruption was revealed.
>
>***I cut health care benefits for war veterans.
>
>I set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously take
>to the streets to protest me (15 million people), shattering the record for
>protest against any person in the history of mankind.
>
>I dissolved more international treaties than any president in US history.
>
>I've made my presidency the most secretive and unaccountable of any in US
>history.
>
>Members of my cabinet are the richest of any administration in US history.
>(The poorest multimillionaire, Condoleeza Rice, has a Chevron oil tanker
>named after her.)
>
>I am the first president in US history to have all 50 states of the Union
>simultaneously struggle against bankruptcy.
>
>I presided over the biggest corporate stock market fraud in any market in
>any country in the history of the world.
>
>I am the first president in US history to order a US attack AND military
>occupation of a sovereign nation, and I did so against the will of the
>United Nations and the vast majority of the international community.
>
>I have created the largest government department bureaucracy in the history
>of the United States, called the "Bureau of Homeland Security"(only one
>letter away from BS).
>
>I set the all-time record for biggest annual budget spending increases,
>more than any other president in US history (Ronnie was tough to beat, but
>I
>did it!!).
>
>I am the first president in US history to compel the United Nations remove
>the US from the Human Rights Commission.
>
>I am the first president in US history to have the United Nations remove
>the US from the Elections Monitoring Board.
>
>I removed more checks and balances, and have the least amount of
>congressional oversight than any presidential administration in US history
>
>***I rendered the entire United Nations irrelevant. I withdrew from the
>World
>Court of Law.
>
>I refused to allow inspectors access to US prisoners of war and by default
>no longer abide by the Geneva Conventions.
>
>I am the first president in US history to refuse United Nations election
>inspectors access during the 2002 US elections.
>
>I am the all-time US (and world) record holder for most corporate campaign
>donations.
>
>The biggest lifetime contributor to my campaign, who is also one of my best
>friends, presided over one of the largest corporate bankruptcy frauds in
>world history (Kenneth Lay, former CEO of Enron Corporation).
>
>I spent more money on polls and focus groups than any president in US
>history.
>
>I am the first president to run and hide when the US came under attack (and
>then lied, saying the enemy had the code to Air Force 1)
>
>I am the first US president to establish a secret shadow government.
>
>***I took the world's sympathy for the US after 9/11, and in less than a
>year
>made the US the most resented country in the world (possibly the biggest
>diplomatic failure in US and world history).
>
>I am the first US president in history to have a majority of the people of
>Europe (71%) view my presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and
>stability.
>
>I changed US policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government
>contracts.
>
>I set the all-time record for the number of administration appointees who
>violated US law by not selling their huge investments in corporations
>bidding for gov't contracts.
>
>***I have removed more freedoms and civil liberties for Americans than any
>other president in US! history.
>
>I entered office with the strongest economy in US history and in less than
>two years turned every single economic category heading straight down.
>
>RECORDS AND REFERENCES: I have at least one conviction for drunk driving in
>Maine (Texas driving record has been erased and is not available).
>
>I was AWOL from the National Guard and deserted the military during time of
>war.
>
>I refuse to take a drug test or even answer any questions about drug use.
>(wink,wink)
>
>***All records of my tenure as governor of Texas have been spirited away to
>my fathers library, sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view.
>
>All records of any SEC investigations into my insider trading or bankrupt
>companies are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view.
>
>All minutes of meetings of any public corporation for which I served on the
>board are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view.
>
>Any records or minutes from meetings I (or my VP) attended regarding public
>energy policy are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public review.
>
>GEORGE W. BUSH
>The White House, Washington, DC
>Circulate to as many citizens you think would be helped to be reminded
>about this record
Jesse claims EVERY story as his own, and nobody can tell him any differently, or he will cause a stink.
Posted by DPD on August 24, 2005 at 06:00 PM
I respect your opinion but I disagree.
10. And finally, one to confuse Americans about the difference between
screwing a light bulb and screwing the country."
Posted by laurcap on August 24, 2005 at 06:02 PM
Oh I would have to say the country has definitely been f**ked royally by every Bush that ever held an elected office.
Re: Posted by J on August 24, 2005 at 12:50 PM
How wise. Verily.
Just looks for words coming out of both sides of their mouth and the expert ability to backpedal.
"I did not say assassinate".
"I did not say that Cindy Sheehans' story was like forged documents".
"I did not say that I would fire Rove if he was involved with the Plame leak".
Posted by BlueinIdaho on August 24, 2005 at 03:36 PM
Rush the liar. Limbaugh runs away from Limbaugh
There is nothing wrong with an unpopular opinion.
Nor is there anything wrong with a subversive one, nor a crazy one.
Unless you’re Rush Limbaugh.
On his daily radio soap opera, on August 15, Limbaugh said “Cindy Sheehan is just Bill Burkett. Her story is nothing more than forged documents, there's nothing about it that's real…” The complete transcript of the 860 words that surround those quotes can be found at the bottom of this entry.
Yet, apparently there was something so unpopular, so subversive, and so crazy about those remarks that he has found it necessary to deny he said them - even when there are recordings and transcripts of them - and to brand those who’ve claimed he said them as crackpots and distorters. More over, that amazing temple to himself, his website, has been scrubbed clean of all evidence of these particular remarks, and to ‘prove’ his claim that he never made the remarks in question on August 15, he has misdirected visitors to that site to transcripts and recordings of remarks he made on August 12.
Keith Olbermann
I wonder when the rest of them will get it?
Posted by Paul on August 24, 2005 at 06:05 PM
Paul, unfortunetly, the rest will probably never 'get it'. These are the hardcore base, you see on Freerepublic and other sites, who Bush could kill their Mothers and they would not turn against him! To do so, is to admit they are wrong! And God forbid, there are those who will never admit they were wrong !
I wonder when the rest of them will get it?
They're filled with hate. That's why they are the way they are.
This sort of subjective lead in a "news" story drives me nuts:
"WASHINGTON (AP) -- Two influential Washington lobbying groups announced their positions on Supreme Court nominee John Roberts on Wednesday, with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce supporting President Bush's nominee and the liberal People for the American Way opposing the conservative judge."
Note how the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has no adjective before it, while CNN had to stick "liberal" before People for the American Way.
Parity, anyone? How about "the lapdog rightwing Bush-fawning U. S. Chamber of Commerce?"
Canadians Consider Time to redefine ties with U.S.
Outrage over the duplicitous diplomacy used to avoid treaty obligations on Devil's Lake is not enough. Cancelling a meeting of trade bureaucrats in defiance of a NAFTA trade ruling on softwood lumber is blowing smoke in the wind. Telephone tag between the Prime Minister and President George Bush is a sop, not a solution. Huffing and puffing will neither impress nor influence the Bush administration in Washington, nor their regional allies like the governor and senators of North Dakota. The reality is that we are dealing with an American political system currently steeped in the ideology of "empire."
It recognizes few rules, adheres only to those treaties that are expedient to basic interests, and believes that the only political currency that counts is the exercise of raw power. In its mildest form, it practises a la carte bilateralism, co-operating only when it wants to, and when it suits short-term domestic or international objectives. In its bad days, it simply follows a strategy of "take no prisoners," "damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead," "don't tread on me," "America First," or any other of the clich's used by ultra-patriots. These are the extant policy directives from the White House. While most Canadians responded with dismay to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, few could quite grasp that the same cavalier, imperial attitudes exemplified in Washington's rejection of various agreements on disarmament, its fierce opposition to the International Criminal Court, its indifference to climate-change warnings, and its undermining of the U.N. would prevail in our continental relationship as well.
There is a chronic and dangerous failure to fully appreciate the shift going on in the political demographics of the U.S. and how this change affects attitudes not only toward Canada but also to the broad U.S. approach to its international role. The reality is that political power is shifting to the south and west of the United States, bringing with it less understanding or interest in our country and certainly an anti-internationalist notion that the U.S. can and should go it alone. Growing, as well, is the attitude especially prevalent amongst congressional Republicans that the U.S. should legislate extraterritorially to compel other countries to abide by its decisions.
Most vexatious are the free-trade agreements concluded on the basis that each country's trade laws would apply in disputes. This means that any sector of the U.S. economy that feels threatened by competition can use the domestic system to impose penalties and engage in constant harassment ” read, softwood lumber, beef, steel. Meanwhile, Canada is prevented under NAFTA rules from applying any strictures on energy that could be considered by the Americans as discriminatory and the U.S. passes an energy bill that assumes Canadian oilsand reserves are part of their continental supply. Equally noxious is NAFTA's Chapter 11, which allows private industry to sue governments if they think there is a restraint of trade. Under this provision, United Parcel Service has challenged Canada Post operations, British Columbia has fought restrictions on the sale of fresh water, and the Canadian government's efforts to prevent the use of toxic engine additives have been stalled.
Jessie Jackson makes a great point about how the FCC should investigate Pat Robertson's statement. It is more offensive than Janet Jackson's technical problem. And much more dangerous.
Back for a bit. The coals are-a-glowin'
BlackMale, check out Jesse's threatened boycott of Anheiser(sp)-Bush...
He threatened to call a Nationwide boycott of Budweiser, and just dropped the threat when A/B gave his kids the distributorship of the LARGEST MARKET that the Company has. (This is the North Side of Chgo. Lessee....All the Bars, Hotels, Colleges, Yuppie areas, Rush Street, "BOYS TOWN", "WRIGLEYVILLE", and the right to sell Jesse's kids' beer inside WRIGLEY FIELD!!
(BTW, Wrigley Field sells MORE Bud than Bush Stadium).
Jesse's alleged boycot suddenly disappeared.
The Roger Maris family just won their claim against A/B, BTW.
Josh Marshall's fill-in talks about Bush's low approval ratings and how even the Repugs are getting pissed.
tpm
Note how the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has no adjective before it, while CNN had to stick "liberal" before People for the American Way. Parity, anyone? How about "the lapdog rightwing Bush-fawning U. S. Chamber of Commerce?"Posted by KimB on August 24, 2005 at 06:54 PM
And they always refer to people against the Iraq war as "anti-war extremists". That's how they brainwash the public. People against the Iraq war are not "extremists", they're people that know Junior is not going after "the real terrorist" and because of it he's making us "less safe".
Lotsa people don't like Jesse Jackson; lotsa people don't like Hilary Clinton. No reason to argue over it; they both do some good works while being polarizing figures.
About the immigration issue: legal or illegal, it's quite a divisive topic. I have Dem. friends who seem to have inhaled Reagan's poisonous rhetoric about immigrants, and I've heard that the Repugs are gonna exploit the issue like they did gays. Let's not let that divide us. Intolerance is NOT why I vote Dem.
Posted by DPD on August 24, 2005 at 07:09 PM
Hmmm..
Was Anheiser Busch not giving blacks distributorships? If not, good for Jesse.
There has been much talk about the relationship between race and ethnicity and military recruitment. But what about social and economic class? Are wealthier Americans, who are more likely to be Republicans and therefore more likely to support the war, stepping up to the plate and urging their children and others from their communities to enlist?
Unfortunately, there has been no definitive study on this subject. But it appears that the affluent are not encouraging their children and peers to join the war effort on the battlefield.
The writer of the Post-Gazette article, Jack Kelly, explored this question in his story that ran on Aug. 11. Kelly wrote of a Marine recruiter, Staff Sgt. Jason Rivera, who went to an affluent suburb outside of Pittsburgh to follow up with a young man who had expressed interest in enlisting. He pulled up to a house with American flags displayed in the yard. The mother came to the door in an American flag T-shirt and openly declared her support for the troops.
But she made it clear that her support only went so far.
"Military service isn't for our son," she told Rivera. "It isn't for our kind of people."
Washingtonpost
Dude, we must BOTH be grilling Pork Chops.
Part of Jesse's rant du Jour was Executives.
None the less, there were SEVERAL OTHER Consortiums that were better financed (yes, they were Minority owned), but they didn't have ME...JESSE...ME...calling for a NATIONAL BOYCOTT.
Jesse's kids sold their distributorship not to long ago, and won't have to "Work" another day in their lives.
As if they ever have had to.
Wanna hear about how Jesse killed ChicagoFest?
It gets worse.
Can you PLEEEEEEEZE ask him to get his ugly mug to move to AZ?
This Guy will show up for a "Man Bites Dog" news item if he knows there will be a camera there.
(I think he has a scanner)
Chops are done...
BBL
If the rich Republicans can't bring the immigrants to their factories in this country, they will send their factories over to the immigrant's countries. Rich Republicans HATE America.
Posted by DPD on August 24, 2005 at 07:25 PM
LOL... You sound like Rush Limbaugh when it comes to Jesse Jackson.
The US is going down hill thanks to Bush. I'm sure the Republicans like it. It keeps those pesky American workers in line.
Loonie hits new 2005 high
The Canadian dollar finished at its highest level so far this year today with investors flocking to the loonie as the price of oil hit a new record high. The currency finished up 0.41 cent to 83.94 cents (U.S.), its best level since early December 2004.
Good evening. Are we having fun yet? Hope so, as this seems to be my social life lately. :)
friends who seem to have inhaled Reagan's poisonous rhetoric about immigrants
How about Reagan's poisonous rhetoric about Black "Welfare Queens" picking up their welfare checks in Cadillacs. That was another of his "race baiting" schemes. I'm going to have to type up some parts of a book I have about Ronald Reagan's lies called "There he goes again!". Ronald is from where Junior learned everything he knows.
I say let's put the 'Party' back in Democratic Party. I'm tired of politics today. That's OK, you can talk around me. :)
So, I'll attempt to combine politics with humor. AND the topic of the day. I am multi-talented. Here goes:
"Two assassins are hired to kill a dictator in South America. They follow his every move for months, and find out that every day at noon he goes outside and does his stretching exercises.
So the assassins set up shop right across the street, get all of their sights set, load the guns, and have everything ready to go.
Noon comes, no dictator... 10 minutes longer... no dictator.
One assassin turns to the other and says, "Gee, I hope nothing happened to him."
So - this morning I spent half an hour talking to myself. This afternoon, same thing for 15 minutes. Which brings us to this evening. Is this a hint? :) bbl
Robertson Issues Fatwah
The Bible tells us "thou shall not kill." And we consider it a key value to live by. It's a shame that Rev. Pat Robertson, self-appointed leader of America's so-called Christian right, does not.
Robertson's fatwah, calling for the assassination of the president of Venezuela -- in the name of keeping access to a "huge pool of oil," among other excuses -- exposed the warped values of many religious radicals with the ear of the president of the United States.
From efforts to squelch the teaching of sound science in our schools, to the "Justice Sunday" rallies trying to impose religion on the courts, to the quixotic jihad against SpongeBob SquarePants, fundamentalist power grabs make the news and have a huge impact.
I don't think Pat Robertson has made much of an impact anywhere, except to keep the cable news channels yapping for a couple of days, WD. Do you seriously think his words carry gravitas? Besides, he has apologized.
Hi Joan! How are you doing?? Hope things are getting a little better for you. Can't stay long (almost bath time for toddler).
Hey Jen!!
I think Robertson was yet another supremely well planned distraction to get the public's attention away from Iraq and MOST importantly, away from Cindy Sheehan.
hi joan. i am not staying long either. i have to soak my head in a chicken fat bath.
Jen - what is time. Is time an illusion? or is it a tangible element refined thru countless ages of communlal groaning towards trying to attempt some type of control over a world gone mad.
Your friend,
Alexander
:)
good to see that pat robertson apologized but now i think the pope has advocated that we assasinate tom cruise.
Our mission in Iraq has mutated
One of the oddest features of our strange, strange war in Iraq is that we're still trying to figure out the mission. Oil? Religious zealotry? Revenge? Glory? What?
Some critics say President Bush has failed to define just what it is we're trying to do there, but he and his handlers have defined it over and over. The trouble is, just about everyone understands by now that they've been lying all along. So media questioners twist themselves into pretzels trying to figure out some polite way of asking them to tell the truth, just once.
seattlepi
Gregg - can you stay a minute? I have a hairy Eye-talian story for you that will make you proud of your kin.
Domingo on August 24, 2005 at 06:59 PM:
Is there any more evidence needed to prove that the United States of America has become a rogue nation working outside of the community of nations?
I think I'm going to be sick.
Gregg - so Mark and I are in this little Italian deli / tobacco shop a couple of days before he goes. We're standing there trying to figure oput which cigars I should send him monthly while he's in Kuwait. Lack of humidity is a major factor in cigar quality, I have learned, so we are trying to figure out how to package them and seal them fresh.
As we're discussing humidity levels in the Persian Gulf desert (never a conversation I pictured myself having) the owner of the store comes up to us. He says - you being deployed? Mark says yes sire. The little hairy Italian says - wait here a minute.
He comes back with a large CASE of cigars - Cuban blend - and gives them to Mark. I couldn't help myself - I kissed him full on the lips.
Sorry for the double post, I was given a "comment submission error" for trying to post too soon.
So next year at the Hairy Eye-talian Convention, look up Carmello Tenuto, and give him the Nice Guy Award, will ya? And buy him a cannoli on me.
Posted by Joan on August 24, 2005 at 08:07 PM
Oh Joan, that's wonderful! Does this guy do mail order? I can order the hubby's cigars from him, what a great guy.
in the end we will all be italian, sitting in a little plaza, sipping espreso, eating minature pastries and not worrying one whit about the time passing or anything...just soaking up the essence of life itself...great story and i appreciate your waiting for me to be around to tell it.
Paige - I'm not sure but I will check that out. He has an amazing array - very well known in these parts. A little family owned business from way back.
Joan, seriously let me know. Jen has my email address. gotta go, someone wants to take a bath and play Little Mermaid. Have a good evening!
Alrighty then, I need to go watch my soap opera. Save my chair.
Ok paige - will do!!
Is there any more evidence needed to prove that the United States of America has become a rogue nation working outside of the community of nations? I think I'm going to be sick. Posted by Marc
Not when even Canada is getting sick of us, I'd say. Bush is destroying our standing in the world and making us "less safe". Repulicans don't care, they want to fight wars "for generations to come". Body bags don't mean anything to them, it's not their chickenhawk kids who are going.
Looks like here is why the US Chamber of Commerce felt it necessary to endorse Roberts! He has advocated for BUSINESSES. (not the little man, but the business), AND "properly" has intrepeted law on Americans with Disability. " Properly" to business, is to screw those with a disability, and find for the business. Ahh, what do they need all those handicapped bathrooms and ramps for anyways???? Just a waste of money, right?
"In arguing 39 cases before the Court, Roberts has established himself as one of the preeminent members of the Supreme Court bar. Roberts brings substantial experience advocating for the nation’s leading businesses on matters ranging from the supremacy of federal law to the proper interpretation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to the Chamber. If Roberts is confirmed, his experience will serve the Court and the nation favorably.
The Chamber continues its established process of evaluating Supreme Court nominees that dates back to 1987. Candidates are initially reviewed based on their legal scholarship, judicial temperament, and understanding of critical business issues. The board of directors then makes the final determination of an endorsement.
Link
joan i am interested if you saw the closer the other nite? monday?
we can review when your soap is over. hi jen. soon it will be pancake time.
9/11 Attack Reports. I heard on TV it will be years before the public ever hears them. Long enough for Bush and Cheney to maybe be carried away by the Rapture???
"Washington - CIA Director Porter Goss personally delivered to Congress the findings of the agency's inspector general report on the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, opening a debate about how much of the highly classified and critical document should be made public.
The report, which congressional officials had yet to review Tuesday evening, is a hard-hitting chronicle of actions taken by individuals and the CIA bureaucracy before the attacks nearly four years ago.
Link
This one makes me smile !!!!!
"Crawford - With only $3 in the bank, things looked pretty grim for the Crawford Peace House two weeks ago.
More than $150,000 has been donated to the Crawford Peace House since Cindy Sheehan's arrival.
Link
Besides, he has apologized. Posted by Joan on August 24, 2005 at 07:59 PM
Oh my, if he apologized, I know that makes it alright then. What was I thinking?
Anybody else been noticing how Arlen Specter has become less afraid of Bush and Cheney, when faced with his own immortality????
"The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman warned Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts Jr. yesterday to expect tough questions about the court's "judicial activism" and lack of respect for Congress.
The comments mark the second time this month that Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) has signaled plans to use Roberts's confirmation hearing as a forum for sharply criticizing what Specter describes as the high court's tendency to denigrate Congress's thoroughness and wisdom in passing various laws. Specter's questions could present Roberts with the difficult choice of disagreeing with the committee chairman or rebuking justices he hopes will soon be his colleagues. The committee's hearing begins Sept. 6.
Link
Another "blast from the past" on nutso Robertson
Robertson: Judges worse than Al Qaeda
Federal judges are a more serious threat to America than Al Qaeda and the Sept. 11 terrorists, the Rev. Pat Robertson claimed yesterday.
"Over 100 years, I think the gradual erosion of the consensus that's held our country together is probably more serious than a few bearded terrorists who fly into buildings," Robertson said on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos."
"I think we have controlled Al Qaeda," the 700 Club host said, but warned of "erosion at home" and said judges were creating a "tyranny of oligarchy."
Confronted by Stephanopoulos on his claims that an out-of-control liberal judiciary is the worst threat America has faced in 400 years - worse than Nazi Germany, Japan and the Civil War - Robertson didn't back down.
"Yes, I really believe that," he said. "I think they are destroying the fabric that holds our nation together."
nydailynews
Joan,
I know when I buy my Son in law cigars, the cigar store has these bags you can buy inexpensively, that keep the cigars fresh for up to 90 days. I have bought them before.
That's a great story.
Robertson may have apologized but he can't take his words back and words have consequences. Such as American lives in South America.
read this
Now, within hours after this unfortunate statement by Mr. Robertson, we began to see the indicators flutter. And there's no question in my mind that we are going to have Americans hurt and probably killed, not just in Caracas, or just in Venezuela, but throughout the southern hemisphere.
Anybody else been noticing how Arlen Specter has become less afraid of Bush and Cheney, when faced with his own immortality???? "The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman warned Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts Jr. yesterday to expect tough questions about the court's "judicial activism" and lack of respect for Congress.
Pam, I was listening to Air America last night and they were talking about Lincoln Caffee in R.I. and they were saying the Republican Party is putting up a more extremist Republican to go against him in the next primary there because he dared to not follow the party line 100% of the time. They went on to say that the Republican Party has been doing this for the last 30 years. That's how they achieve party purity and get all there members to vote in lockstep.
i have to soak my head in a chicken fat bath.
Posted by gregg on August 24, 2005 at 08:01 PM
I prefer vanilla or mango bubbles with my head slightly above sea level myself.
I don't believe Robertson's apology. He only says he apologizes in public because he caught too much heat, but he still thinks that way in private. He always has and he always will. It just a matter of time before he says something like that again. It might be months from now it might be years, but he'll say it again.
Has Robertson every apologized for his dealings with Charles Taylor?
It's like that line from Eve of Destruction, WD
Hate your next door neighbor but don't forget to say grace...
Here's your "Republican Family Values" right here. Don't you remember? "Man on dog Santorum" said it was Boston Liberalism that caused priests to molest young boys.
Republican Committeeman Accused Of Molesting Boy
A state Republican committeeman in the Poconos has been charged with molesting a teenage boy at an underage beer party in a Stroudsburg motel, police said Friday.
John R. Curtin, 20, of Stroud Township rented a room Monday afternoon at the Days Inn on Park Avenue and threw a beer party for several boys ages 13 to 17, Stroud Area Regional police said.
About 10 p.m., Curtin and a 17-year-old boy walked to the motel's parking lot, where Curtin molested him, police said.
On Thursday, Stroud Area Regional police charged Curtin with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, furnishing liquor to minors, corruption of minors and unlawful contact with a minor.
Curtin was arraigned before District Judge Anthony Mangan of Stroudsburg, who set bail at $50,000 and gave Curtin until Monday to post bail or go to jail.
mcall
DLC Helps Spread Claim That "Progressives Destroyed America" David Sirota
There is a case to be made that Democrats should go on Fox News, even if it is a right-wing network, because the network blasts its content to the general public. But there is no case to be made that any non-right-wing lunatic should take part in an event at the fringe-conservative Heritage Foundation entitled "Did the Progressives Destroy America?" Unlike a Fox News show where you are speaking to potentially swing voters, there is no "general public" audience at this event - it is an event designed to perpetuate among the Washington, D.C. insider establishment the worst right-wing dishonesty. Any participation by our side helps legitimize this nonsense. Yet, incredibly, the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) is headlining the event.
That's right, Will Marshall - President of the DLC's Orwellian-labeled "Progressive Policy Institute" - is lending his name to the event and taking part. I guess we shouldn't be surprised - this is the same Will Marshall who calls Iraq War critics "anti-American." Sure, Marshall will disingenuously argue that he will be speaking at the event to "debate" the issue. But he's been in Washington long enough to know exactly what he's doing: deliberately helping to legitimize the worst right-wing lies. If there was ever a question as to whether the DLC is actively trying to undermine Democrats and the progressive movement in general, there shouldn't be anymore. The answer is, yes they are.
FYI, Joan's ref to that Italian restaurant...I've been there.
I don't know if they are allowed to ship tobacco accross State lines, but HERE is the Google page for them:
Tenuta's
You can post the questions you want John Roberts to answer online at:
My Question would be
"IS PARTY MORE IMPORTANT THAN COUNTRY, AND IF GEORGE W. BUSH WAS BROUGHT UP ON CHARGES, WOULD YOU RECUSE YOURSELF?
Also, WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ANYONE THAT YOU WERE UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR A SCOTUS JOB WHILE YOU WERE RULING ON A BUSH SUIT? (Isn't there a conflict of interest?)
let'shelpdeans's link
Thanks DPD, havn't gotton the knack of the Link thing yet. Those are great questions. Bet we can come up with some more.
Dear CODEPINK Texas,
The vigil of Cindy Sheehan and the other Gold Star moms in Crawford has struck a chord with the American people. Like these Gold Star moms, we ask the President to take a few moments of his five week vacation to tell them why brave Americans like Casey Sheehan have been sent to their deaths in Iraq.
Cindy has also hit a nerve. The President and his right-wing supporters know that Cindy Sheehan and her simple quest for answers threaten their hold on power. That’s why the White House has coordinated a smear campaign against a grieving mother, rather than hear her concerns. The conservative pundits have been turned loose on talk radio and cable-news to slander Cindy and the other grieving moms.
Now they are organizing a giant rally in Crawford to further demean Cindy and mock her sacrifice. But Cindy's position is unmovable and now she's back!!! Tonight at 6pm Cindy will arrive at CAMP CASEY 2 with a caravan of other military families.
We are also putting together our own rally to support Cindy and the Gold Star moms. Show the Bush administration that all Americans demand to know the truth. Come to Crawford this Saturday at noon for a rally to support America’s Gold Star moms at the new Camp Casey.
With only days before the encampment is over, it is more important than ever to show that Americans support these mothers and demand answers from our President.
These families have paid the ultimate price for the administration’s lies leading up to the war in Iraq and we all deserve answers. Please join us in honoring their sacrifice and demanding answers from a President who sent our troops off to war under false pretexts.
Caravan to Crawford to Rally Support for Cindy Sheehan and the Gold Star Moms.
Saturday, August 28th at Noon
Join us afterward for Hoe-Down BBQ!
We’re Inviting George and Laura to join us for some good food and conversation.
We have a few questions to ask him!
[sorry for the length, from emal]
Watch "South Park". They are rerunning the "Illigal Aliens" working here show.
Posted by Jen on August 24, 2005 at 09:11 PM
If you think Fox true believers aren't lemmings 'trapped in shiny little boxes', Keedo, I guess. And HL was just a pessimist.
Current events?
Well, he didn‘t grace the Ivy League with his presence, and he‘s sort of a peasant class pug that bears a passing resemblance to Rocky Balboa, but Hugo Chavez seems to have picked up the nuances of economic diplomacy without the Yalie gentleman Cs cachet. The latest Latin American liberator manque is using Venezuela’s petro-riches to make friends and influence neighbors and global big boys. And it is frustrating the hell out of Shrubco.
What’s bugging the Executive branch of US/Exxon/Mobil Government by Petroleum to such distraction their born again bellwethers are advocating corporate murder? Beaten at their own game, hoist on the petard they thought they’d patented?
…critics charge Chávez is buying friends and influence with the objective of extending his regional hegemony - and undermining the US.
Quelle horreur! Once those outsourcing and zero interest loan deals purchased participation of Poland and Turkey (well, sort of) in the Coalition of the Shilling, wasn’t buying friends and putting the arm on antagonists assumed to be the sole intellectual property of New American Centurions? Nothing’s going right. Busheviks unleash the fundagelictment pit bull and he’s so freaking clumsy he brings up Venezuelan coup that was bought and paid for by some ghastly Chinese menu consortium of AID, Richard Mellon Scaiffe and Halliburton, and wonders why they didn’t jump into the breach they broke international and US law to create. Tres gauche.
What TF could be next? Well the Mail Fraud Preacher raised the Red Scare, but it doesn’t seem that could fly. Given the mood of this country, is there a country these aholes could get away with invading? I wish they’d try it in Congress. F**king Republicans would crush them like bugs.
I lived in Massachusetts for more than half of my adult life. I tend not to be patriotic. I figure aside from being the last refuge it’s also a philosophically and intellectually bankrupt cover for avoiding moral commitments. On the other hand, in the cradle of rabid but enlightened political discourse was born and where important American rivers coincide, we frequently elected Republican governors who were undoubtedly great Americans--Frank Sargent and Bill Weld
Things you've never done? Somebody (Dawn? Joan?) I don't recall.) Used to shoot 70s when I was 16 but inconsistency in shotmaking drove me to the Lighthouse at the End of the World and I buried my clubs.
Shop at WalMart? Sure, when Sam was the ringmaster. I have an abiding idea that, when the Old Man moves far enough up the celestial food chain, his sorry, ingrate heirs are in for lightning bolts.
Prison? When I was a little kid in the late 50s, we had the FBI crawling all over our house. Been in jail personally a few times since then, but my mom and dad hovering on the witch hunt outskirts, and our unseemly large FBI files are pretty close to prison. 'Stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage' Fairport Convention, and Strawbs, I believe.).
The only prison that confines is recrimination. If we've got brains, we've an ample supply. 'Please don't confront me with my failures, I had not forgotten them.' Jackson Browne may have written this song, but it belongs to Gregg Allman.
To the purveyors of the spectacularly maladroit 'neo-Dem' horsecrap, I suppose you would have thought the same thing about the 'Happy Warrior'. Maybe, but the usage is still drivel. When it comes to social security or Medicare, you want Joe Lieberman voting without the AIPAC collar or Trent Lott? No duh.
LBJ? Read history, since you weren't there. Bobby Kennedy? Kiss my ass. You can't even claim Eugene McCarthy, who would have recoiled from the idea of making Vermont America Offshore Confidential. Look, this was Kennyboy‘s Pal, not anybody’s antiwar savior, What for that matter were were his anti invasion statements.? HoDean may be a hellacious fundraiser (I hope) but he's got lots of 'splainin' to do if we're dealing with some political purity test.
Crying over milk spilt into sour grapes in Iowa in 2004 is counter-productive.
Hi Jen, everyone. Jen, I'm fine - arguing with my son over the computer - he wants to play skater videos - I said no - my turn
I had "Fairport Convention", and "Strawbs" albums in my LSD days, is that it?
So sad about the lead singer, though.
Posted by letshelpdean on August 24, 2005 at 09:49 PM
Cut loose, grasshopper. url between the quotation marks, your deathless prose and witty text between the <>, whatever those are called.
On the subject of posting a link without commenting: May as well. People are going to blame the opinion on you one way or another. Any number of opinion pieces I figure are worth reading, or interesting, or valuable exposure to off-center opinion somewhere down the road. I know that I'll be stuck with some sort of association, whether one exists or not. Regrettably, sometimes I pull a punch because I don't want to deal with repetitive anathema.
Cases in point: Overtly Catholic sources discussing the innate depravity of the death penalty (I know it's going to lead to some unmannered discussion of abortion.) Base Closings.
Base Closings? Well, shit. how do you do away with a civilian base job in a FUBAR economy while we spend more than $8mil on SOA?wHINSEC? This is something that should be part of the debate on declining American government committment to morality in foreign policy. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to have captured the moral imagination of anybody so much as
, but that's a Catholic organization and it's guaranteed to produce screeds about clergy abusers, without consideration of the astounding unreliability of the cottage revcovered memory industry.
Posted by michaelj on August 24, 2005 at 10:10 PM
Posted by Jen on August 24, 2005 at 10:24 PM
I thought he hit on a variety of topics. ;)
Time to get back to studying for my finals. (and filling out the zillion papers for my Necee to return to school)
Peaceful rest, everyone.
Hi, and Bye {{Butters}}. I didn't see you.
Sorry you have so much going on now, but you seem to thrive on it.
Take care, I may actually sign in in the A of M.
Ah. I forgot. You can't post HTML code tags since they're invisible by nature.
I just got done hearing on the CBS evening news Bush Junior telling a crowd (talking about the war dead) that "The best thing you can do with your life is give it for a cause you believe in". You know, this sicko is sounding more and more like Osama bin Laden every day. What's next? He'll be calling for suicide missions? "We must complete the mission! We must complete the mission!" What is the damn mission? I thought the mission was already "accomplished". And if giving your life is so great, why do these chickenhawks keep proclaiming how important it is for them to get on with theirs?
How to file a FCC complaint against Kill em all and let God sort em out Pat Robertson.
There is a case to be made that Democrats should go on Fox News, even if it is a right-wing network, because the network blasts its content to the general public.
Well, apropos that. That would amount to walking into the furnace, and I don't see Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego making the case for sanity with characters from Ghostbusters playing interlocutor. People literally believe that Barbados or Antiguilla or Whatever girl was reasonable 24/7 in a 'slow' news cycle.
There are truth, intelligence, honest self-assessment, the Winter Soldier model, that actually identified terriss banking combine and, for a while, stopped him Ole Dirty Bin in his Wahabbi tracks, but that presented an immense embarrassment to the Houses of Faud and Bush. Apparetly, none of this ever happened in the parallel and conjoined worlds of Bushevik true Believers and self-proclaimed Democrat Long Marchers. Can't speak for the neo-cons, but y'all that think to purge the Democratic Party, you weren't here when the shit hit the fan.
Not macho enough for the gut-loaded NASCAR electorate? It seems there have been inroads made against terrism. Seems they've all been the direct result of police work, not Shock and Awe mass destruction and illegal invasions.
So sad about the lead singer, though.
Posted by DPD on August 24, 2005 at 10:26 PM
Which lead singer? Anny Haslam died, but Linda Thompson is doing fine I'd imagine, living off the 'Hokey-Pokey' money from her husband Richard. Just my opinion (why it came from my mouth, of course) LSD days aren't ever left behind, and most people wouldn't want that to happen.
Hey folks,
Just got back from Crawford where I have spent most of the last two and a half weeks. I have new photos and stories at http://www.thebillboardproject.com/
With a few exceptions, the Democratic Leadership Council/Blue Dog faction of the Congressional Black Caucus are elected by overwhelming majorities of Black voters who are totally unaware of the DLC’s racist, corporate origins – or even that their representatives are members of the DLC. A Black progressive grassroots political education project of huge dimensions is clearly in order.
We never stop hearing that Blacks need to seek alternatives to “the Democrats” because “the Party” ignores Black aspirations and “takes Black voters for granted.” All true; that’s the DLC’s modus operandi. But these corporate-wedded Democrats also comprise one-fifth of the Congressional Black Caucus, and include the mayors of Atlanta (Shirley Franklin), Detroit (Kwame Kilpatrick) and the disastrous, voucher-sucking, always gentrifying and constantly lying Anthony Williams, of Washington, DC.
Will Black anger at “the Democrats” lead to a deep malaise and wholesale withdrawal of African Americans from the political process? Yes, a great disengagement is likely in the absence of a practical, credible and inspirational path to African American empowerment. Is a Black political party such an alternative?
The truth is, African Americans are “the Party” in the places where most of us live. In fact, African American Democrats are majorities of the Democratic Party in Louisiana, South Carolina, Georgia and Mississippi, yet allow (mostly DLC) whites to run the party machinery. In many cases, Black Democratic leaders join the DLC, themselves, with full knowledge that the faction was created to prolong the illusion that whites remain the dominant presence in “the Party.” In much of big-city America, the Black vote is the electoral party, for Democrats.
blackcommentator
I followed the "askroberts" link to submit a question for Senators to ask Supreme Court nominee John Roberts. Here's the big question that I posed:
There is a big mystery surrounding article II, section 2 of the Constitution on recess appointments. The article specifies that the "president, heads of executive departments, or the courts of law" have the authority to make nominations of "Inferior officers of Government", such as UN Ambassador. This authority is contingent on the approval of Congress.
Though the last paragraph of the section grants the president the power to make recess appointments, it is not explicitly apparent that, when Congress votes to recess, it is an implicit surrender of their power to grant nomination authority -- authority that Congress is Constitutionally-obliged to keep, unless there is a vote to grant it.
We know historically that this last section was a concession to Alexander Hamilton who was a conservative loyalist of the monarchy, who didn't see anything wrong with the system, but instead just wanted America to be a monarchy. Clearly he wanted the president to have status and glory that could have rivalled the then-kings of England, France, and Spain. But those days are long gone.
There are also arguments that the Constitution largely (aside from the few concessions to the stubborn Hamilton) was to give Congress ultimate authority in these matters, manifested in the idea of "popular sovereignty". The last thing anyone wanted after the tyranny of a king was to allow executives to go hog-wild accumulating power through "status and glory" that Congress and the Supreme Court historically have failed to check.
Is Judge Roberts more inclined to support the view that the executive should have the power to make nominations without Congressional confirmation (and the American people), or is he more inclined to support the true interpretation of the Consitution that reflects "popular sovereignty" and affirm the authority of the Congress (and the American people) over the executive?
Does Article II, section 2 thus represent a fundamental contradiction in its application in practice if the president makes recess appointments that Congress hasn't approved and further, representing power that Congress has not voted to give to the president -- power Congress is supposed to keep to protect the American people from tyranny? The excuse that it has "always been done this way" is not sufficient to justify ritual violations of the Constitution by presidents.
If anything, I would suggest that the interpretation be that Congress and Congress only can grant the power to either heads of executive departments, the president, or courts of law, but the last paragraph serves to confirm that when Congress gives nomination authority, they should give it to the president, since nomination power is a form of status and glory for the president.
If anything, the only explicit action the Constitution permits the president to take is to direct Congress to begin nomination proceedures, and once Congress confirms the nominee or, grants the president appointment power by a vote at the time of recess, to officially present the nominee in his/her position as an Inferior officer of Government.
This can be the only true interpretation of Article II, section 2 of the Constitution, and a proper compromise that protects the people's sovereignty through Congress and the president's glory.
mj, so you think the DLC people SHOULD participate in the event at the fringe-conservative Heritage Foundation entitled "Did the Progressives Destroy America?"
I just got done hearing on the CBS evening news Bush Junior telling a crowd (talking about the war dead) that "The best thing you can do with your life is give it for a cause you believe in".
I suppose it's a matter of time 'til he's talking about divine consideration for the dead in the worthy cause.
How many virgins? Did anybody ask the virgins agbout the reward redemption system?
I've read the New Testament fairly exhaustively in Greek, and I''ve studied the Aramaic in the 'side agreements'.
Intelligent Designer* never figured on wilfully ignorant jihadi vs. wilfully ignorant jihadi.
It's drab and it's predictably stupid when the PNAC regime is compared to Nazis. Problem is, it's a battle for rapture between two groups of born again fundamentalist true believers.
*Read Teillhard. It's difficult but all is revealed. One way or another, mankind doing its obtuse worst, everything's gonna be alright. No woman no cry.
See, these Right Wingnuts are happy with mothers who are glad to let their kids die. They just can't stand the ones who have the nerve to complain about it.
At the end of a long and mostly innocuous article in the New Yorker about the ups and downs of NBC's Today show, Ken Auletta relates a "late lunch" he had with Katie Couric. Couric was "worried" that hard news didn't appeal to viewers. During a brief chicken-and-egg discussion between Auletta and Couric ("are we giving people what they want?" "Or are people watching what we give them?"). Couric then forthrightly declared, "I always felt it was our responsibility as journalists to explore issues and talk about subjects and have serious stories that people need to know about to be informed citizens." Admirably put, I thought. Then Couric recounted a story of which she was especially "proud," a "terrific story" that was "honest and very well produced."
In this year of endless blood flowing in Iraq, of Rovegate, of the ongoing venality of an administration with almost no constraint on its dishonesty, what was the story in question? You guessed it - Couric's exclusive interview with Jennifer Wilbanks, aka, the "runaway bride."
mydd
lexander Hamilton who was a conservative loyalist of the monarchy, who didn't see anything wrong with the system
That is in fact a common slander. It's based historically on Hamilton's hedging his bets about the French Revolution. Hamilton was right, Jefferson, in all of his paleo-hippy glory was wrong about the French contre-temps. Pygmy bastards slaughtered everybody that got in the way of some twisted neo-orthocoxy. Did anybody ask Madame DaFarge whether or not she supported offshoring insurance accounts for the profiteering insurance company? Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
Hey michaelj, me and you don't agree about much anymore, so as a contrarion, I was wondering what you though about my "U.S. soldiers plant weapons on fake rebels" at 02:34 PM? True, not true? Maybe, maybe not?
Posted by Jen on August 24, 2005 at 11:13 PM
Not unless they rename it. 'Did the Onanistic Cult of Personality Progressives FU the 2000 Election BAR By Succumbing to the Cult of an Odious Personality, and Are They About to Compound the Error?'
Did anybody ask Madame DaFarge
Jeez michaelj. If you're basing all you opinions about the French from that P.O.S. book, "A Tale of Two Cities" I feel sorry for you. That book was about the most racist crap I ever read in my life. If it wasn't for the French, we wouldn't be here.
Posted by michaelj on August 24, 2005 at 11:26 PM
Actually, it's based on his reading of Hobbes, who was himself a default conservative defender of the monarchy because after Cromwell killed the king, there was anarchy and Hobbes wasn't clever enough to figure out anything new, so he "ran home to momma" and suggested the ever-original strong and glorious leader. Hobbes believed that since he was experiencing anarchy, and it sucked, even somehting as odious as tyranny would be preferable to anarchy.
Hamilton had also read Machiavelli too and he understood the power of "glory".
As a realist and a default non-original defender of the monarchy, Hamilton believed that the chief executive of the new union had to be strong (tyrannical, absolutist, and totalitarian if necessary -- if it kept him out of anarchy and his money out of the hands of the poor). Reading Machiavelli, he knew that a strong executive would only properly be taken seriously by the Great Powers in Europe (England, France, Spain) if the president had glory that would rival kings.
But Hamilton, having no rational limitations to his own personal greed, failed to consider the dangers of this sort of executive, and his compatriots moderated the Machiavelli-Hobbes-Hamilton view by their readings of Rousseau and Locke and adopted the philosophy of "popular sovereignty" or "democracy" or "rule by the people" as a way of checking the tyrannical chief executive, drunk and dangerous on his own glory.
"U.S. soldiers plant weapons on fake rebels" at 02:34 PM? True, not true? Maybe, maybe not?
Posted by Domingo on August 24, 2005 at 11:32 PM
I'd believe in a heartbeat that boots on the ground (odious phrase from chickenhawks) exerted pressure. We may not 'do body counts' but the actual count of the murdered innocent is certainly unsustainable. In fact, it hit six figures on the first night of shock and awe, probaably. I don't think I'd express an opinion that wasn't based upon the sanctity of human life in this connection, so 'my country' is an international pariah by its overt actions, and continuing lame and ludicrous attempts to connect this unseemly attack with vengeance are repulsive.
I'm not exactly sure what it is we disagree about. If this has to do with the Architect of reinsurance tax haven in Vermont, continental Bermuda in the words of the spinally-challenged mogul-bumper, well, those facts are immutable, and it was a Kennyboy world. Feet of Clay.
The idea that the entire Democratic power structure is wormsood and needs to be gouged away, which idiotic and jejeune idea seems to dominate this journal lately, is stupid on its face. If that's what you're identifying as the source of our disagreement, guess you're right.
This is why we need to make sure that Judge Roberts will NOT be "in the mold of Scalia and Thomas" -- the type of judge who believes that a tyrant is better than democracy.
We need a judge that will allow Congress to retain their Constitutionally-prescribed power back from the executive, since our presidents are rogue and uncontrollable.
We need a judge that believes in "popular sovereignty", not "absolute totality".
Posted by Alexander on August 24, 2005 at 11:12 PM
Alexander, what I don't like about these "strict constuctionist" like Scalia, Thomas and Roberts is they claim that anything the founders didn't put in the constitution 200 years ago we have no right to now. Why can't we increase our rights as time goes by? I think they just don't like us to have any rights at all.
"I don't think I'd express an opinion that wasn't based upon the sanctity of human life"
Posted by michaelj on August 24, 2005 at 11:50 PM
Another religious fundamentalist (zealot) revealing just how biased he is against reason and "immutable facts".
But I'm not here to say anything that wouldn't ordinarily fail to be perceived as "truth" because it would mostly just make me look bad, probably. And people just wouldn't be able to understand and my time would be wasted. But since I'm not wasting my time, and neither are all of the other blue-blooded Democrats on "this journal", the truth is all too self-evident.
President Bush expressed an "opinion" the other day in the mold of "sanctity of human life".
"1864 men and women have been killed in Iraq".
Yep, that's certainly an honest and candid sentiment by the president about just how much he cares for the "sanctity of human life".
Scalia and the Pindick from Pinpoint are 'strict constructionists' so far as it serves their hidebound conservative principles. It's disgusting that they get away with pulling wool over everybody's eyes in service to Grover Norquist activism on the bencPut this simply. You have no Constitutional rights, because we are the elit and we say you have no Constitutional rights.
Roberts and 'choice'? A mere bag o' shells. Roberts and habeas corpus, and the rest of the Bill of Rights? What Bill of Rights. Baby, bathwater. Bathwater, baby. Approving the rape of Constitutional protectioons against fascist prosecutorial abuse? Priceless when your interviewing with the torture architect for the job.
Strict constructionism: it is mostly strict (e.g. based on absolute AUTHORITY), and its defenses are mostly constructed out of thin air (conjured), since they mostly involve "speculations" about how the framers of our Constitution "may have felt" when they were writing it, rather than interpreting where the law logically fails when compared against the explicit wording of the Constitution. The law is the law.
We should not be subject to the insecurity and uncertainty due to the creative aggrandizement of our president and Supreme Court and their colorful "interpretations" of the Constitution, that lead police to violate every civil liberty we have because they can't even keep up with all the changes. So they just treat everyone like the Enemy. This is intolerable.
If you Google "Bush Blows" you get THIS (879,000 items)
Bush Blows
If your "Lireral" PBS Station carries The Nightly Business Report watch it.
Some clown is whining that base closings will hurt the stocks of Lockheed/Martin and Northrup/Grummin in 3 to 5 years.
IKE was right.
The point is, what use is a jury (Congress)? Isn't it more efficient just to have a judge (Supreme Court) and an executioner (president)?
What needs to be decided? Everyone is guilty, because in a democracy, every citizen is a threat to my power... the easier it is to supress freedom, the more free I can be...
"Move America Forward" was founded by, and maintained by, a Republican PR firm out of Sacremento. Mike Malloy says that we should let CNN and everyone know the nature of the organization out to "swift boat" Cindy Sheehan.
Force is never a "contingency" -- it is the primary option.
Hi folks. I am half asleep, but I wanted to get the above message out.
Shoot first, ask questions later.
Shoot for money, shoot for honor, shoot to eliminate all the competition.
"I don't think I'd express an opinion that wasn't based upon the sanctity of human life"
Posted by michaelj on August 24, 2005 at 11:50 PM
Another religious fundamentalist (zealot) revealing just how biased he is against reason and "immutable facts".
Coming from somebody that used the hilariously inept and mindless term 'born again Catholics' a day or two ago, I suppose this isn't surprising. I'm a religious zealot? A fundamentalist?
Well, CS Lewis said 'Whenever you find a man who says he doesn't believe in a real Right and Wrong, you will find the same man going back on this a moment later.'
Which exactly are the immutable facts, Alexander? Just keep plodding in manure and undoubtedly you'll erect a monument.
I never said I know what I'm talking about. I would say that one way or another we're kind of inexorably tied to the idea that there's something important about human life, if we're human, of course, and alive, and sentient. The ignorance of you're presumption about anything I think would be twice as obnoxious as your bogus inference, if you hadn't already spouted so much pseudophilosophiical bullshit.
I make it a point not to deal in pompous and overblown generalizations that can be proved sophistically one way or another. Go on and spout bullshit, but leave me out of it. Dumbass.
But that's just my opinion. That's why it came out of my mouth, asshole.
"Move America Forward" was named BECAUSE it sounds like "Move On"
Just like Art Linkletter's Pug outfit "United Seniors of America.
They had to change their name after a mail fraud thing, which the Pugs refused to prosecute.
"I suppose this isn't surprising. I'm a religious zealot...
That's why it came out of my mouth, asshole."
Posted by michaelj on August 25, 2005 at 12:21 AM
JEB knocked up a Catholic. Instant marriage.
Not like W during his coke and booze days when he could arrange an aboution for his 17 year old rape victim, and have Daddy cover it up.
Hey, that abortion was in 1971.
Hmmmm....Roe v. Wade was in 1973...
HHmmmm...
Baby, bathwater. Bathwater, baby.
Posted by michaelj on August 25, 2005 at 12:02 AM
Aside from claiming presidential authority and demanding the assassination of world leaders, what other stuff do these guys REALLY preach behind closed doors?
Alex,
the answer is "Screw YOU"
Swiftly followed by "Screw Them"
Immediately followed by "Screw Everybody"
And the chain continues.
DPD, Ah ha I see you and Alexander are holding down the fort? Couldn't sleep and decided to stroll through.
The point is, what use is a jury (Congress)? Isn't it more efficient just to have a judge (Supreme Court) and an executioner (president)?fundamental to objecting to the invasion of Iraq, make yourselves heard. I thought J2P2 was restrained by political Cardinals from hauling his weary bones to Baghdad, to provide a human shield.
Sound of one ignoramus clapping, Alexander, but spout stupidity if you've got 'em.
J
I have been getting up a 3 for the past few days, but never log in. I see the breakfast spread being laid out, but I don't wanna elbow my way in front of GG ;)
Today I am determined to stay up and try to narmalize my sleep patterns.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/08/24/bush.speech/index.html
But Celeste Zappala, whose son, Army Sgt. Sherwood Baker, also was killed in action in Baghdad last year, told CNN these families "all deserve answers."
Sheehan and Zappala are founding members of Gold Star Families for Peace, an anti-war group led by relatives of fallen troops.
Zappala said she didn't know exactly what should be done about the ongoing war but suggested, "We think the president might learn something from us if he could possibly listen to the people who didn't agree with him."
-----------------
And this president might even be able to represent Americans, least of all mothers of fallen soldiers, with honor and dignity, if he and the Republicans weren't so actively engaged in campaigns to silence Americans through voting fraud, to silence the free press by jailing journalists for doing their jobs, to silence Americans by giving tax breaks to the corporations that ship their jobs overseas and then raise interest rates on student loans making it impossible for them to get re-educated for a different career, and then cutting their social security and health care nets out from under them.
This isn't just about silencing Americans. It's about making 49% of Americans extinct.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/08/24/bush.speech/index.html
So if that is the sense in which you speak in terms of "sanctity of life" then that may have clarified the source of your disagreement.
Goodnight {{{All}}}
if you get bored
We Are Right behind youBethany Berry tapes a sign on a fence displaying support for President Bush at Camp Bush, a pro-Bush camp that is gathering across from Cindy Sheehan's anti-war camp near Crawford, Texas, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2005. (AP Photo/ Donna McWilliam)
I hear ya DPD. Im ging to try the sleep thing again. check you in the morning.
F Bethany
She looks healthy enough to GO THERE along with the First Booze Whores.
Good Morning all,
Just a quick drive by to post a poem I wrote back in Nov 2001. I thought it too radical to present four years ago, but now that my life and most regrettably the life of my eight year old son has gone through hell from this radical right bullshit government I will let the folks here decide the radicalness of my very little ditty. Do you think it qualifies me as a terrorist, insane, treasonist?
Say Uncle
Oh, say ma,
By the way,
I do love you!!
Sorry ma, for being so deadened
In the name of freedom, there
Is no reason for resentment.
You must agree, though, lately
The temper tantrums,
Are much out of hand. Huh, what say?
I cannot hear your blighted
Utterance over the sound of our equality.
I love you, ma, but only because I do agree
With your main argument: that
There is only one God.
My heart has been saddened, that
Through our agreement, we learn
Only disagreement and hatred.
We are the stronger victim all right,
Now you’re a man without a world.
What do you mean the world hasn’t changed?
We annihilated your annihilation, we offered your
People our freedoms. They bit from our apple
And saw it is good.
The world is black and white,
We’re up and you’re down, in and out, back
And forth, over and under, through.
Bigger,
Better,
Righter.
A spade is just a shovel, Muhammad and Jesus,
Two men under God. With liberty
And justice…
God bless America,
And forgive us our sin.
Please, thank you, and Amen.
Oh well, I am glad that's over!!:| Y'all have a good night.
"Honor God with your finances and watch God honor you back."
If this is what these fundamentalists like Pat Robertson are preaching, in addition to making erratic statements like "we should assassinate the president of Venezuela", then it would likely seem that these folks are planning a coup-d'etat. Isn't this what we commonly call "terrorism"?
Ordinarily it might be an issue of free speech, which means it is a non-issue. Except in the case of representing a tax-exempt denomination soliciting funds for action and then making inflammatory remarks inciting to violence. The Supreme Court has already weighed in on this matter and the issue is clear: Pat Robertson and all of the other religious fundamentalists are terrorists.
But somehow, Mr. Bush doesn't feel compelled to sick the FBI on them. Furthermore, the president's first-term pardons include criminals who used religion to commit grand larceny and fraud. Essentially, Bush has pardoned and condoned Christian terrorism.
If this president is going to be serious about the war on terror, he ought to nominate a judge that will treat all terrorists fairly in the eyes of the law, whether they're Christian terrorists like Pat Robertson and Tom DeLay, or Islamic terrorists like Osama bin Laden.
Without the documents our Senators are requesting, we'll never be able to know whether this judge will allow Congress and the president to truly fight this war on terror.
i guess j got back to sleep. good for her. its almost too cold here already this morning. must be llike 50 or less outside. the pooch who is living in the little closed in porch until she doesn't need to eat all the shoes in the house has a toy frog we got from a pet store. i can hear her making it go croak, croak every now and then to entertain herself. she is about 45 pounds now, all black with chocolate highlights as if a hena is wearing off and with a tiny patch of white on her chest. she has started to stretch out and is really sleek and shiney. sometimes we call her sleekster. the favorite game is chasing after a liter plastic soda bottle i have added some small rocks to and then teasing me with it until i outsmart her and grab it or until she feels sorry for me and lets me have it. this is my first dog in about 20 years and while caring for her is more work than i remember i find her amazingly amusing. my wife (who has been around for 10 years) asked me if i like dogs so much why did i wait so long to get one? i have no idea but maybe there is some sort of lesson in all this.
so this is why it was so important to get bolton to the united nations:
"U.S. Wants Changes In U.N. Agreement
By Colum Lynch
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 25, 2005; Page A01
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 24 -- Less than a month before world leaders arrive in New York for a world summit on poverty and U.N. reform, the Bush administration has thrown the proceedings in turmoil with a call for drastic renegotiation of a draft agreement to be signed by presidents and prime ministers attending the event.
The United States has only recently introduced more than 750 amendments that would eliminate new pledges of foreign aid to impoverished nations, scrap provisions that call for action to halt climate change and urge nuclear powers to make greater progress in dismantling their nuclear arms."
yup we can't let foreign aid to the starving, reversing the pace of climate change or taking down the tens of thousands of nuclear warheads on the planet to get in the way of ripping the top ten floors off the building on the east side of manhattan....all of these pigs-bolton,bush,cheney,roberts- need to be in chains.
bolton and bush bash the world
Good Morning, Dems!
Today's Picture
Woo-Hoo! Left over mj for breakfast. What a way to get the gray matter thumping.
this is a quote from today's washington post editorial:
"Mr. Chavez, who, like Mr. Robertson, is infatuated with the absurd, fancies that the United States is out to kill him."
this is very funny. robertson who is glued to the hip to bush is calling for assasination, we have a long history of overthrowing and or attempting to kill foreign heads of state...but chavez's fears we might try to kill him are "absurd". my, my is the washington post taking its editorial lead from the washington times and the rev sung moonie bear now?
morning jaline. lets get breakfast from the bakery in town. how about morning glory muffins, bagels with lox and cream cheese, foccacia with olives, tomatoes and onions, dark roast coffee, cream and fresh cantalope from the garden.
Posted by michaelj on August 24, 2005 at 11:50 PM
Feet of clay! Wormswood!
You my dear man, are too much.
Good morning gregg and Jaline. I'm sorry about breakfast. didn't sleep last night because my AC system has finally bit he dust withthe problem from last year's hurricanes. Consequesntly with temps in the 90's during the day and 80's at night, I have no AC. Well a call to my attorney will definitely get things moving seeing that I am a cardiac patient.
Breakfast looks good. I'm going straight for the bagels with the lox/cream cheese and the coffee.
mj, has a way with woids. he finally sent me a decoder ring and now i am in tune like a lorna dune...
sounds like a plan to me, gg. can we buy fresh cut flowers at the market too?
NOw I have "wormwood" on the brain. I'll have to ry this. I'll probably have nightmares.
An Old Love Charm
'On St. Luke's Day, take marigold flowers, a sprig of marjoram, thyme, and a little Wormwood; dry them before a fire, rub them to powder; then sift it through a fine piece of lawn, and simmer it over a slow fire, adding a small quantity of virgin honey, and vinegar. Anoint yourself with this when you go to bed, saying the following lines three times, and you will dream of your partner "that is to be":
"St. Luke, St. Luke, be kind to me,
In dreams let me my true-love see." '
Good Morning, all of you great people.
Greg, the "puppy" sounds amazing. Nice to get an update to see how she (and you) are adapting. I think everyone should own a pet. They can teach us all sorts of things if we take the time to listen.
ok, gg, here's the bunch I want. I'll make a wreath when they dry. (double the pleasure)
The color purple
now I'll go find some news...
Beautiful flowers Jaline and dried hydranga are so nice for arrangements and wreaths.
jaline we can get flowers and here is some wormwood furniture to clean out your brain of bad images:
wormwood
Jaline, see you have a love for flowers. I met a woman last weekend that was camping with her family in the Adirondacks. She promised to send me tubers for red Calla Lilys as soon as she digs them up. I can't wait to plant them, but will have to wait to do so next spring.
Cyn,
I like animals, but I do not want to own a pet. I'm too selfish, (at this time in my life) definitely not a "supporter" type personality.
Yes, greg, it has cooled down considerably. But, I refuse to put my heat on. So, I jump out of bed, check the thermostat, see that it is 58 degrees in the house, and keep moving before I realize I am freezing!
Whoopdee friggin' doo regarding bush's ranking! You would have to be a nonfunctioning exalcoholic/druggie/newborn Christian lying middle finger toting Texas republican to still believe in georgie porgie...
Why are we even discussing this scumbag? We need to discuss, support, and volunteer our efforts to the 2006 and 2008 elections. Yes, bush is a liability, but do you think people aren't going to vote for McCain or Guliani just because of poor little george?
Oh, and please buy a democracy bond if you haven't yet!!
Jaline, that's because you still have your girls at home. Once they leave the nest for good, you may find yourself with a pet. Believe me, they are easier to care for than men! And, much more appreciative ;-)
Chris,
I'm concerned about 2005 elections. Filing deadline for non-partisan races in OH is 4 p.m today. (with a board meeting to certify following at 5)
Do you all know who is running for school board/trustee/village council seats in your tiny hamlet? Do your research now, we don't want no DLC types in any office.
Bush Secretly Undermines State Efforts to Curb Global Warming
With the Bush administration asleep at the wheel, states have been forced to take the lead in combating global warming. Last year California adopted rules which “will require a 30 percent cut in carbon dioxide emissions from cars and light trucks by 2016, a target that will most likely be met by big increases in fuel efficiency.”
The approach is gaining popularity. The New York Times reported last Sunday:
The Bush administration hates the California plan, and industry has challenged it in court. But George Pataki of New York and other Eastern governors have pledged to emulate it — which means the states may end up carrying a ball that Congress dropped. That would not be a bad thing at all.
Yesterday, the Bush administration released new federal fuel efficiency standards. (Not surprisingly, the standards will do little to increase fuel efficiency and may actually encourage automakers to produce bigger, more inefficient vehicles.)
Buried on page 150 of the draft rule is a provision that would totally undermine state efforts to curb CO2 emissions:
[A] state may not impose a legal requirement relating to fuel economy, whether by statute, regulation or otherwise, that conflicts with this rule. A state law that seeks to reduce motor vehicle carbon dioxide emissions is both expressly and impliedly preempted.
In other words, no state can have a fuel efficiency rule any different than the federal government. So much for state’s rights.
ahem...in line with cyn's line i don't appreciate being compared to a pooch and i rarely if ever will chew a shoe unless its seude and kinda blue...chris good morning to you. would love to slip into an alternate universe where bush doesn't exist but he does still have his boot on the neck of the american people even if they are beginning to turn their heads and attempt to bit his ankle.
Cyn,
My oldest only visits, the younger is here half the time. They aren't "with me". Maybe they will "need" me again when they have a few more years on them, right now, I think the 3 of us are rather selfish. And we like it that way. ;)
Now, I'm going to kiss the younger as she heads off to school.
Cyn,
If I ever get another man, he sure as hell isn't living in my house. He can visit and then I'll roll him out in the morning...hit the road, jack...indeed. ;)
All you folks with temps in the 50's and 60's. Ugh! Why can't it be us??? It's 84 already!!!
George W. Bush and his top aides seem to believe in red-white-and-blue violence with a fervor akin to religiosity.
by Norman Solomon
Building Agendas for War
The Bush administration may ratchet up the Iraq war.
That might seem unlikely, even farfetched. After all, the president is facing an upsurge of domestic opposition to the war. Under such circumstances, why would he escalate it?
A big ongoing factor is that George W. Bush and his top aides seem to believe in red-white-and-blue violence with a fervor akin to religiosity. For them, the Pentagon's capacity to destroy is some kind of sacrament. And even if more troops aren't readily available for duty in Iraq, huge supplies of aircraft and missiles are available to step up the killing from the air.
Click my name for the link
Jacque, I love your independence! You are a strong role model.
I'm off to work, friends. Have a Yippie Coyote Day!
Cyn,
If I ever get another man, he sure as hell isn't living in my house. He can visit and then I'll roll him out in the morning...hit the road, jack...indeed. ;)
Posted by Jaline on August 25, 2005 at 07:46 AM
I hear ya Jaline, but first of all he had better have afreight train load of money.
j, we're holding a pent house on fifth avenue looking out over central park and a weekend place in the catskills with a wrap around porch that lets you watch the sun rise and set from an easy chair for you.
Is the rest of the country really this behind the times? I'm shocked.
St. Louis County gets peek at scan, touch voting systems
The public can get its first look Thursday and Friday at new voting systems that St. Louis County election officials are considering to replace the punch card ballots that have been used since the mid-1970s.
j, we're holding a pent house on fifth avenue looking out over central park and a weekend place in the catskills with a wrap around porch that lets you watch the sun rise and set from an easy chair for you.
Posted by gregg on August 25, 2005 at 07:53 AM
Must be readin' my dreams gregg!!! Perfect!
You know Jaline the punch cards here in Florida were really not a problem. Tthe fiasco of 2000 MADE them a problem.
j,
I've got the cool nights/mornings here as well, but then I'm not far from NY. I love the gossamer feel of Fall here too, but dislike the winters.
We'll all be jealous of you & Dawnblogger come January.
Jaline I bet it's just gorgeous there in the fall say about October. When your folige is in it's full fall color, post a pic for me.
j,
sitting here lmao! train load of money. The men in my age bracket are either divorced with child support payments or ones who have never been married and are stingy.
I decided when I left almost a year ago, it's just me taking care of me.
Now, it's time for me to hit the 3-D world as well. Math class then a full day of petition filings.
Love to all!
Enjoy the morning!
I bet it's just gorgeous there in the fall say about October. When your folige is in it's full fall color, post a pic for me.
Posted by J on August 25, 2005 at 08:05 AM
It is, I will.
Now, I'm gonzo!
Hey Jaline, I hear ya again and don't think you can't do it because I have been doing it for 23 years.
Well gotta go too to work on a proposal for a hopeful bid on a project for a maybe non-profit. Sounds real definite there, huh!! check you later.
Morning all. I have to admit, I'm enjoying the rest from the heat. Can't wait for fall. fall in new york makes even the winters worth it.
Hey Jaline, two words; younger men. I highly recomend them.
Morning all, had trouble sleeping because of a pulled muscle in my back and of course, my daughter decided to get up at the crack of dawn to keep me company, bless her heart.
So, Robertson decided to apologize for incredibly inflammatory, decidedly un-Christian remarks. He should be in jail.
According to someone who just called into the Stephanie Miller show, the Christian Right is now pushing for putting the SEVEN Commandments in public Buildings:
The first day Robertson broke Thou Shalt Not steal, and thou shalt not kill.
The next day he lied about saying it, breaking Thou shalt not bear false witness.
Morning PamB and paige!! Seems everyone else has left for work! And I am just getting settled in here at work. Hope everyone has a Happy Thursday!
George Bush in Idaho on Tuesday:
"I think those who advocate immediate withdrawal from not only Iraq but the Middle East are advocating a policy that would weaken the United States."
Cindy's reply:
"This is the biggest smokescreen from him yet. I didn't ask him to withdraw the troops; I asked him, what 'noble cause' Casey died for. I am still waiting for one of the press corps to ask him that. I am still waiting for that answer.
First, we were told WMDs -- false. Then we were told Saddam=Osama -- false. Then we were told Saddam was a bad man to his own people and we had to get rid of him -- he's gone. Then we were told the Iraqi people had to have elections -- they did. Now we are spreading 'freedom and democracy' but we are building 14 permanent bases, some the size of Sacramento, California. To me that indicates that we are spreading the cancer of imperialism and usurping THEIR natural resources."
From an email, sorry for length
had to take a break from this proposal. hving problems writing because I'm not all that crazy about the non-profit. Oh well ......
Hi paige, sorry about the pulled muscle.
nye, how's it going?
PamB, ever the attentive one with the news. If no one has ever said it, Thanks for all you do.
tonito, haven't spoken with you in awhile either. doing alright?
Hi William!
The Minister of Sinister actually claimed he was misquoted by the press, the liberal kind I assume, and tried to redefine "take him out" as possibly kidnapping. Yeah take him out like to the Olive Garden? Then he had a guest on who gave an expose on Chavez that depicted him as a strong man who puts down all forms of free speech that criticizes him, manipulates the media and discredits his opponents. Hey we have someone in america like that too!
Very warm greetings to all this morning.
I have some new thoughts on the evolving firestorm that Pat Robertson has created for himself where a number of Christian pastors have now become critical of his unChristian comments promoting the assassination of the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were all regrettable chapters in this incident, with an apology from Pat Robertson finally forthcoming later today after first claiming that AP misquoted him this morning on his 700 Club program.
Whether this helps to trim so of the silly politics promoted on his program or leads to some scripting of his comments before presenting them remains to be seen. But his 700 Club program is a strange mix of uplifting spiritual stories and bad far right lunatic politics. A strange concept for what should be a Christian program, that often offers healing prayer for the sick or stories of missionary efforts to provide drinking water to a poor village in China or Africa.
PROGRESSIVE VALUES
tonito, We're waiting for Katrina to come and dump a ton of rain. We are already getting some 10 to 20 mile per hour winds and the sun is in and out.
Hope Pat Robertson doesn't have plans to visit Great Britain. Under their new security guidelines, HE WOULD BE DEPORTED!
Tom Curry
National affairs writer
WASHINGTON - In 1994, Hillary Clinton suffered the worst setback in her political career when a Democratic-controlled Congress rejected a massive overhaul of the nation’s health insurance system that she and her advisor Ira Magaziner had devised.
Clinton’s goal in 1994: mandated medical insurance for every American from birth until death. Her plan was scuttled, partly because its design was too complex for the public to fathom.
Now, 11 years later, Clinton has found an alternative
Click my name for the link
As Gary Hart says we're "Waist deep in the Big Muddy and the big fool[s] said to push on,"
Who Will Say,'No More'?
The real defeatists today are not those protesting the war. The real defeatists are those in power and their silent supporters in the opposition party who are reduced to repeating "Stay the course" even when the course, whatever it now is, is light years away from the one originally undertaken. The truth is we're way off course. We've stumbled into a hornet's nest. We've weakened ourselves at home and in the world. We are less secure today than before this war began.
Yep, J looks like Katrina will head our way after she dumps on you.
We've not only stumbled into a hornet's nest, we've swung at it and hit it with a baseball bat.
Why should it be a surprise that we're being stung?
How does anyone still take Pat Robertson seriously?
----------------
Most don't, but the man has a following, or he would not be on TV so much. This guy is a former Presidential candidate who actually won the 1988 Iowa caucus. Indeed, Bush Jr. & Rove learned from that victory the potential of pandering to the religious right. For someone with so much TV face time to be calling for a foreign leader to be assissinated or "taken out" (by whatever means) is something that should be taken VERY SERIOUSLY.
OK, let me rephrase, after all of that "god wants me to be president," "god's gonna kill me if I don't raise (x-amount of dollars) for my presidential campaign", bizaro-land stuff when he ran for president in 1988, how is he still on tv? How is it he managed to keep his followers? I don't get it. I guess they'll let those freaks get away with anything that doesn't include sex with prostitutes in motel rooms.
I actually have a real question (as opposed to a rhetorical one). Did Robertson ever explain how he connected muslim fundamentalists with Venezuela or did he just not bother?
Yeh, TM, he's batshit loony, but hundreds of thousands of people listen to him and believe what he says and that needs to be taken seriously.
Posted by aTrueModerate on August 25, 2005 at 10:55 AM
It may not be my place to defend someone else's post however I think the point of taking the statement seriously wasn't that Robertson would have any great influence over the mainstream. I suspect it had more to do with a possible rogue, crackpot follower trying to "take him out." Personally, I doubt that's likely. Chavez, I'm sure, already has plenty of people trying to "take him out." I am not convinced one more loon from Virginia Beach is going to make much difference.
I wish the media was giving Robertson the attention he truly deserves. He's whacky.
Speaking of loony: here's a little tidbit for an Absurd Thursday: David Brooks shilling for the Iraqi Constitution in today's New York Times.
Brooks endorses Bush's deluded view of Iraq by serving up the views of two experts who think the putative Iraqi Constitution is peachy keen. And ends his editorial with this piece of ludicrousness:
"The U.S. has orchestrated a document that is organically Iraqi.
It's their country, after all."
It's THEIR COUNTRY after all! so what the hell are we doing there?????
ok, gg, here's the bunch I want. I'll make a wreath when they dry. (double the pleasure)
The color purple
now I'll go find some news...
Posted by Jaline on August 25, 2005 at 07:30 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good morning all, I was not going to sign in but could not resist commenting to Jaline's graphic of one of the most beautiful bush's in the world:). The Blue Hydrangia, exquisite quite really my favorite. Who said God did not make beautiful bush's; some however need to be burned:|, preferably at the stake.
Okay, all have a good day. And continue being real and seek reality from total asininity!
Someone is double voting!
The Question:Which action seems most important to saving America!
Their Answer:Put more pressure on the MEDIA to do their JOBs!!
Poll User IP:24.14.18.169
stop that! :-\
Final Vote (minus one on #7)
Which action seems most important to saving America!
Answers Votes Percent
1.
Stop the Roberts appointment! 1 3%
2.
Kick Bolton to the curb! 0 0%
3.
Demand a revote on CAFTA 1 3%
4.
Investigate more fully the FIXING of the evidence to go to war! 6 21%
5.
Demand full disclosure from the WH on the Rove/Plame scandal 5 17%
6.
Investigate and OUT the 15 traitor Democrats who voted for CAFTA 1 3%
7.
Put more pressure on the MEDIA to do their JOBs!! 14 48%
8.
Sell the farm, pack up the kids and move far, far away! 0 0%
9.
Blame Clinton! (this is a joke) 1 3%
10.
Dig deeper into Prison abuse and arrest more criminals!
(thinking up a new question for the locals)
back later! Peace! :-) {{tonito cya soon}}
Posted by aTrueModerate on August 25, 2005 at 10:46 AM
Of course, I didn't say that we are less secure today than before 9/11, Gary Hart did.
Not to quibble, however, I agree with him.
We now spend 9 times as much on the military as we do on preventative measures and homeland security. The Iraq war is draining away volunteers for the National Guard to fight a war, making them less available for normal peacetime activities like fighting fires and participating in the response to other natural disasters.
In my area of the country, the Hanford Nuclear facility in south central Washington has the highest level of nuclear pollution in the country. The makings for dirty bombs and worse are in many places within its 556 acres. Just yesterday some of it became a threat to 20 workers there when the top of a container came loose and some brown nuclear sludge poured out. Little is being done to prevent terrorists from absconding with a few pounds of this stuff for use in explosions in Seattle and elsewhere. The EPA is spending less to remove this hazard, and security for it while it remains, in the form of homeland security funding, is inadequate.
National Security Priorities Project
I highly recomend them.
Posted by nyeiren on August 25, 2005 at 08:41 AM
Hell NO! I'm only a mommy to my daughters and they are grown!!!
Back to the grind for me.
Enjoy the day!
no deal
Iraq lawmakers won't meet on constitution
BAGHDAD, Iraq --Parliament announced it had no plans to meet Thursday night and no date for a future session, signaling Iraqi factions were failing to reach agreement on a new constitution before a self-imposed midnight target.
The statement from National Assembly's top spokesman, Bishro Ibrahim, came as negotiators struggled for consensus on a draft by the close of a 72-hour extension granted Monday night by parliament, after Sunni Arabs blocked a vote on a charter accepted by Shiite and Kurdish negotiators.
sorry, George
Posted by aTrueModerate on August 25, 2005 at 10:55 AM
------------
No. You presume to know what I think, but you don't.
I take Robertson seriously, not because I believe him or think he has any credibility, but because he has constant TV exposure and a following of people who believe he IS credible.
Indeed, I take quite seriously his disregard for the principle of separation of church and state, along with his desire to put HIS religion in public schools, specifically BECAUSE he is on TV a lot and has a faithful following.
I would also take it seriously if a foreign religious leader with a large following called for the assissination of any of our government leaders, even the ones I don't particularly like.
I took it seriously when Ayatollah Khomeini called for the assissination of author Salmon Rushdie. So did Salmon Rushdie.
"I suggest we never take him seriously. He's as loony as they come."
Loony + out of power = laughing matter
Loony + in power = reason to be nervous
Considering that we have a president who believes he is doing "God's work on earth", Congressional majorities who support him lock-step, plus an extremely powerful conservative evangelical population who support Robertson and Bush, it's tough to dismiss this confirmed liar as a "laughing matter."
this is unreal. Jacoby says we should leave Iraq when the troops say we should leave.
Iraq is no Vietnam
By Jeff Jacoby, Globe Columnist | August 25, 2005
IRAQ WAR skeptics and critics have been invoking Vietnam almost from the day the fighting began. So Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska was hardly breaking new ground when he joined the invokers on Sunday. ''We are locked into a bogged-down problem," he said on ABC's ''The Week," ''not . . . dissimilar to where we were in Vietnam."
Run-of-the-mill stuff on the Democratic left, but since Hagel is a Republican, his words instantly leaped to the top of the news cycle. ''GOP Senator Says Iraq Looking Like Vietnam," was the headline on AP's widely reprinted story.
Yet in so many ways, Iraq doesn't look like Vietnam at all. Vietnam was never the central battleground of the Cold War, while Iraq has become the focal point of the war on terrorism. Americans had no reason to feel that their own security was at risk in Vietnam, whereas 9/11 made it clear that the enemy we face today poses a lethal threat here at home as well. The jihadis in Iraq don't have the backing of superpowers; North Vietnam and the Viet Cong were armed to the teeth by China and the Soviet Union. In South Vietnam, the United States was allied to an unpopular and incompetent regime; in Iraq, the United States toppled a brutal tyranny and is trying to nurture a democracy in its place.
But of all the ways in which the Iraq war is not like Vietnam, perhaps the most telling is the attitude of the troops....
Things have gone wrong in Iraq as they go wrong in every war. Bush's strategy of defeating Islamist terrorism by draining the swamps of dictatorship and fanaticism in which it breeds carries a high price tag. Nearly 1,900 US soldiers have been killed and more than 14,000 wounded in Iraq so far. There are more casualties to come.
But another Vietnam? No -- not when such strong support for the war comes from the very soldiers who are in harm's way. Their high morale, their faith in their mission, their conviction that we are doing good -- those are the signals to heed, not the counsels of despair on the TV talk shows. It will be time to give up on Iraq when the troops give up on Iraq. So far, there's no sign they will.
Jeff Jacoby's e-mail address is jacoby@globe.com
pretzel logic
Hi all!
The sky is bluer, birds are singing again, the smell of rotting flesh has cleared...YEP, Bush & Rove have left the State of Idaho!
Blue, I'm so happy for you! It's nice when that black cloud lifts.
"Vietnam was never the central battleground of the Cold War, while Iraq has become the focal point of the war on terrorism."
------------------------
Here's a big fallacy in his argument. Whether it actually is or not is a different matter from whether it's accepted as such.
During Vietnam, many people believed the same lies that we have been told about Iraq "We have to stop them there before we have to fight them here."
It was rubbish then and it's rubbish now.
It wasn't our presence in Vietnam that kept Communists from coming here - just like it's not our presence in Iraq that keeps terrorists from attacking us here.
Iraq was not an attractive place for terrorists before we invaded. It is now. I'm sure the Iraqi people will always remain grateful to Bush and the USA for using their country as our battleground. But the idea that there is some finite number of terrorists, and that they are now somehow all contained in Iraq is preposterous.
GW Bush is Al Qaeda's best recruiter.
Cindy is back in TX, maybe W will meet with her now.
Hahahhahahahahhaha!
Truer words were never spoken. Now we wait patiently while the rest of the nation gets it.
Regarding Cindy Sheehan
I believe the protest is justified. She however is not making the correct case for what is wrong with the current direction that this country is being taken in. I would refer her to Robert Merry's new book "Sands of Empire" for some historical perspective and analogy. In sum, the book argues:
The west is locked in a "civilizational" war with Islam as opposed to some war on terror
It is the conceit of this Idea of Progress (that says "the west is the culmination of mankind's development" and "the universalization of Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government") that finds us pursuing a path of pushing our culture on other "inferior" cultures as cure (i.e. will be good for the savages )
It is human nature to be creative, generous, loving, wise, violent, jealous, selfish, cruel, pleasure seeking of all kinds and that this fact negates the idea that somehow the western culture and its progress has "fixed" those realities of human nature".
That we should not base foreign policy on the Wilsonian idea's of morals, righteous , crusading, humanitarian or presumed universal values (and now worse yet tie that to necessary for our security), but rather on balance between opposing but legitimate forces and interests of different but equally valid cultures. I.E. it would not be better for everyone else to be like us.
We are born in a state of narcissism where we see everything as an extension of us (child gives dad present the child would like assuming everyone would like it) because you don't recognize others as not simply an extension of oneself. Hopefully you mature and see that other are different, have different values and there is no since to the thought that if they would only be like us the world would be a better place, safer, and at peace.
lw @ 12:12. i'm trying to compose a letter to the editor of the Boston Globe. i agree with your points. further, with mainstream media columnists like Jacoby offerring illogical justifications for Bush's failed policies, is it any wonder America is on the brink of disaster?
Very nice Billtg
but I don't think Cindy has been thinking too much beyond her OWN son being killed for a lie!
Sounds like a good read though. :-)
Good day, Dems. There is a col in my Myrtle Beach, SC Sun News today about a State Law in GA which requires a voter to present one of only six forms of ID before voting. Currently there are 17 forms of ID acceptable. The rationale is that it will cut down on imposters voting. Problem: according to Cathy Cox, St Atty Gen., there is NO problem. Problem may be with absentee votes: no ID required. Equal> Minority votes squelched. Where are the 'crackers'? Tonito...? Col written by David J Becker, former trial atty with the Justice Dept's Voting Section.
Posted by Dawnelle on August 25, 2005 at 12:21 PM
Exactly, Cindy has stated repeatedly that she just wants a meeting with the little man for him to explain the "noble cause" her son died for.
Thanks!
And that is the heart of the matter. If the primary concern is that her son was killed for a lie then for the sake of that concern she (we) must seek to understand the underpinnings of what is leading us down this path if we are to do anything about it. It is a matter of whether certain ideas are being embraced (on all sides) that impede our ability to see the situation as it really is, come to some understanding of the root cause(s) and take some more appropriate course of action to prevent that very real problem Cindy can't see beyond.
who can help me? wish mj were here.
there's gotta be a name for the failure of logic that Jacoby exhibits in attempting to make his case that Iraq is not Vietnam. what do you call an faulty syllogism based on incorrect premises?
my logic & rhetoric class was a long time ago and it was way too early in the morning.
I was watching Ralph Neas last night talking about Roberts on CSPAN.
I think his group is doing a LOT to push the cause of the democrats. Along with all the other groups. Money helps, marching helps, emails help, just talking about it (IMO) furthers the spead of knowledge.
At least it does for me. I learn a LOT here.
Posted by bb on August 25, 2005 at 12:31 PM
I can help you - it's called Republican shill logic.
I would have a question (rhetorical): By asking the question: "why" is Cindy wanting to expose the Bush agenda?...or will she be satisfied with a "...freedom...democracy...human rights..." explanation and let him off the hook. Does she (do we) have a plan for after?
yeah, lhd: just another way to disenfranchise minority voters.
Bush authorizes 1500 more troops to be deployed to Iraq. Well at least Bush is a man who pays his debts, although not to grieving mothers of fallen soldiers who disagree with his Iraq policy.
1864 sons and daughters killed in Iraq.
1500 more troops deployed.
Current troop deficit: 364.
I guess Bush didn't have the heart to further dishonor the dead sons and daughters of our nation's mothers by making the statement that these 1864 troops were completely replaceable and expendable and worthless.
What's the noble cause Mr. Bush is fighting for? It's all a numbers game at this point. Just like General Westmoreland criticized following the failed Vietnam war: too much emphasis on body count as a measure of policy success in Iraq is where presidents go so horribly wrong.
But Mr. Bush boldly declared this sentiment to a pre-screened audience in Idaho, who, fanatically enough, roared approval.
What's the difference between Tammy Pruett and Cindy Sheehan? Nothing except the fact that Mr. Bush only will talk to the mothers of fallen sons and daughters who agree with his policy.
NEWS FLASH for Mr. Bush: YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE RE-ELECTED. Stop the gamesmanship and start telling America the truth.
Thanks.
And that is the heart of the matter. If the primary concern is that her son was killed for a lie then for the sake of that concern she (we) must seek to understand the underpinnings of what is leading us down this path if we are to do anything about it. It is a matter of whether certain ideas are being embraced (on all sides) that impede our ability to see the situation as it really is, come to some understanding of the root cause(s) and take some more appropriate course of action to prevent that very real problem Cindy can't see beyond.
Posted by letshelpdean on August 25, 2005 at 12:26 PM
I think the question should, is fradulent voting where an imposter votes in the guise of a registered voter a serious concern.
The historical prospect of dead people voting in Chicago is being used, but the real problem is the denial of the voting right to people who warrant it. A very large proportion of the cases I have seen where fraud was charged were accounted for by a voter with a similar name signing on the wrong line in the poll book.
Concerning steps to keep dead people from voting, while it is true that someone showing up in person to sign the poll book reduces the chances of this, and in jurisdictions where a signature check is done on absentee ballots, I think the absentee ballots are more secure.
The real solution is better coordination between the county health departments and voting officials. ID checks at the polling place are just going to slow the process, and increase the potential of denying voters their rights.
This could be a repeat too.........
Cindy Denounces Bush's Smokescreen
George Bush in Idaho on Tuesday:
"I think those who advocate immediate withdrawal from not only Iraq but the Middle East are advocating a policy that would weaken the United States."
Cindy's reply:
"This is the biggest smokescreen from him yet. I didn't ask him to withdraw the troops; I asked him, what 'noble cause' Casey died for. I am still waiting for one of the press corps to ask him that. I am still waiting for that answer.
First, we were told WMDs -- false. Then we were told Saddam=Osama -- false. Then we were told Saddam was a bad man to his own people and we had to get rid of him -- he's gone. Then we were told the Iraqi people had to have elections -- they did. Now we are spreading 'freedom and democracy' but we are building 14 permanent bases, some the size of Sacramento, California. To me that indicates that we are spreading the cancer of imperialism and usurping THEIR natural resources."
from BuzzFlash
Base panel turns attention to Air Force
Commission earlier agreed with Pentagon to close Walter Reed hospital
Click my name for link
Christian Responses to Pat Robertson
...
It is important to add that even very conservative religious voices are denouncing Robertson's words. According to Christianity Today's blog Al Mohler, dean of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has said of Robertson, "He has brought embarrassment upon us all."..."With so much at stake, Pat Robertson bears responsibility to retract, rethink, repent, and restate his position on this issue. Otherwise, what could have been a temporary lapse of judgment can become an enduring obstacle to the Gospel."
And the same blog entry tells us that American Family Association spokesman Ed Vitagliano objected to a call for violence in the name of Christ
(click for the rest)
"Honor God with your finances and watch God honor you back."
If this is what these fundamentalists like Pat Robertson are preaching, in addition to making erratic statements like "we should assassinate the president of Venezuela", then it would likely seem that these folks are planning a coup-d'etat. Isn't this what we commonly call "terrorism"?
Ordinarily it might be an issue of free speech, which means it is a non-issue. Except in the case of representing a tax-exempt denomination soliciting funds for action and then making inflammatory remarks inciting to violence. The Supreme Court has already weighed in on this matter and the issue is clear: Pat Robertson and all of the other religious fundamentalists are terrorists.
But somehow, Mr. Bush doesn't feel compelled to sick the FBI on them. Furthermore, the president's first-term pardons include criminals who used religion to commit grand larceny and fraud. Essentially, Bush has pardoned and condoned Christian terrorism.
If this president is going to be serious about the war on terror, he ought to nominate a judge that will treat all terrorists fairly in the eyes of the law, whether they're Christian terrorists like Pat Robertson and Tom DeLay, or Islamic terrorists like Osama bin Laden.
Without the documents our Senators are requesting, we'll never be able to know whether this judge will allow Congress and the president to truly fight this war on terror.
ID checks at the polling place are just going to slow the process, and increase the potential of denying voters their rights.
Posted by c_at_l_bob on August 25, 2005 at 12:48 PM
That is in fact the goal of the Georgia ID law.
"We have to stop them there before we have to fight them here."
This seems to be the last line of reasoning for supporters of the war. But if you accept this logic as true, then another question must be asked:
"What right did the United States have to arbitrarily decide that Iraq was going to be our battlefield for the war on terror?"
The logic of the "kill them over there" argument collapses when people realize that we don't have the legal right to simply pick and choose any country for where we want to fight our war.
America already had a battlefield. It was called Afghanistan. It was full of terrorists, Taliban, and Osama bin Laden. We didn't need a new battlefield. We could have done all our necessary killing in Aghanistan and left the innocent Iraqi people alone.
We were already "killing them over there." We didn't need to start killing people in Iraq. We didn't have the right to make their country our battlefield.
And now that Walter Reed has been closed, there are a lot of dismembered soldiers out there who are not going to get the proper attention they need to be able to live the rest of their lives in relative freedom and comfort.
I only think of Oakland A's pitcher Barry Zito, whose "Strikeouts for Troops" program is benefitting the troops in Walter Reed, who Mr. Zito has regularly visited for at least the last year.
This administration has pointedly tried to extinguish hope for Americans and troops. Barry Zito could strike out 4000 batters this season and it still won't help these brave sons and daughters to get prostethics.
fallacy, in logic, a term used to characterize an invalid argument. Strictly speaking, it refers only to the transition from a set of premises to a conclusion, and is distinguished from falsity, a value attributed to a single statement. The laws of syllogisms were systematically elaborated by Aristotle, and for an argument to be valid, it must adhere to all the laws; to be fallacious, it need only break one (see syllogism). The term fallacy has come to be used in a somewhat wider sense than the purely formal one. Informal fallacies are said to occur when statements are ambiguous or vague as to the logical form they represent, or when a multiplicity of meaning is present and the validity of the argument depends on switching meanings of a word or a phrase in midstream.
Answers.com
Posted by Alexander on August 25, 2005 at 12:55 PM
It's all the luck of the draw on where Robertson was born. Had he been born in Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia, Robertson would likely be OBL's right hand man.
Furthermore, it makes me sick to think of how Republicans "swiftboated" former Georgia Senator Max Cleland, who gave the Democratic Radio Address last week, calling for more protection and a clear plan for our troops to get out of harm's way and complete the mission.
How courageous and brave can the troops be if they know that the nation's best military hospital is going to be closed and all of their veteran's benefits are being cut? How motivated will they be to "complete the mission" and die to do it (since they know that surviving success would be more horrific than dying)?
Is Mr. Bush actually trying to make Americans extinct? It's awfully hard to argue against the facts. 1864 sons and daughters dead. And the rate is accelerating.
Posted by BlueinIdaho on August 25, 2005 at 01:01 PM
ooo thats a delicious theory! lol
While P Robertson's statement calling for assassination was/is reprehensible we are not looking at his thinking behind the statement. Who is the man he called for to be assassinated and what does he stand for? Why did Robertson think he should be 'taken out'? Robertson called him a 'tyrantical dictator'. I thought he was duly elected, by the free people of a soverign state, with the rights and priveliges of Democratic Freedom which we cherrish so. What's wrong with this picture? Oh! He has the People's interests at heart. Not the elitist. Well, heck...
Dawnelle,
Great points - and below the surface of these facts you address is neocon position that the "spreading freedom and democracy" is best for all other cultures since they are "inferior" and the new twist that this is key to our security.
We all need to focus on factors "driving" decisions. Seems undue focus on the "evil Bush" which is an alluring, and comforting approach to be sure. However, this goes way beyond Bush and even if he were jailed as a war criminal this would not stop. It is the cycle had been going on forever on all fronts, Bush is just the latest.
We need more Vietnam vets to call for this war to end. People would listen to them if they did this in great numbers. Unfortunately, so many of them dislike Clinton because of the drawdown of the military, that they still are supporting the little man they think of as "pro-military".
It is the cycle had been going on forever on all fronts, Bush is just the latest.
Posted by Billtg on August 25, 2005 at 01:04 PM
as I said earlier, I learn a LOT from this place.
Posted by bb on August 25, 2005 at 11:42 AM
What a friggin fruitcake!! Certifiable!!
Some body has to explain to me what they mean by Pro Military?
I'm an X Vet and I would consider myself Pro-America's Military (as well as the rest of the Nation) but I don't understand what that means?
Does it mean if you are NOT pro military that you won't fund them or provide the troops when necessary? I really don't know?
Other than this FRAUD of a WAR? I can't imagine not being for our side?
S-plain LUcy please?
Posted by letshelpdean on August 25, 2005 at 01:04 PM
The Communist bugaboo rears its head with Chavez, good friend of Fidel, you know.
Forgotten is Ho Chi Minh going to FDR for help and offering his allegiance. Castro was OK until he wanted to nationalize Cuba's sugar plantations.
When it is attempted to give the poor a fair shake, the oligarchs revolt.
They simply must have it all.
Posted by Dawnelle on August 25, 2005 at 01:13 PM
Understand, that I know this as BS but the kool-aid drinkers don't: Some people believe that Shrub is pro-military, i.e., he will pay the troops a better salary, take care of thier health benefits, not downsize...etc.
Dawnelle, You are a Vet...not x vet. Me too..lol...did you ever get out any more pics of Camp Casey, Korea?
Just for argument's sake, if one admits the "kill them over there" policy is feasible, JUST FOR ARGUMENT'S SAKE, leaving the borders unprotected, leaving the ammo dumps undefended and allowing the 200 nuclear scientists to flee Iraq is an example of incompetence. We have the wrong people running the show and they have shown themselves to be inept. Only Zom-Bushes can support them in their pathetic efforts to "kill them over there".
If the military was a business, the CEO and the whole Board would be fired by now. If a corporate secret was revealed by someone on the Board, that memeber would be identified and fired within a week. More then a year later, Rove remains. Really, truly, objectively speaking, the War on Terror is completely out of control and has no measures of success except Saddam is in jail and they voted...once...but still lack the ability to police themselves.
Dawn, I'm guessing the term should be pro-war rather than pro-military.
Clinton may have downsized our military (and I don't even really know cuz I didn't follow politics until Bush came and destroyed this country!!) because we didn't NEED to be a military superpower since we knew how to get along without bombing nations...well, at least for the most part.
Then the chimp came in and started shit with a country that was minding its own business, IMO.
Pro-military means you support a well-trained, well-equipped military that serves the nation's defense needs, and can contribute to world stability when required by acting in concert with the family of nations. It means you honor the men and women who choose to serve. It does not mean you support war, expecially aggressive war, and it certainly does not mean you are a lying warmongering whore who leads the military into harm's way in a pointless, fruitless war for Haliburton profits and dreams of world domination.
Sad News in the Post Today -- BRAC Closes Walter Reed
I am sorry to see the Republicans closing the Army Medical Center. Making the Naval hospital at Bethesda even bigger won't provide improved medical care, even if it appears to save money.
Sending the wounded to a new facility in Virginia will only mean relatives will need to commute much further. It will hide the problem from the public. There is an established support infrastructure around Walter Reed that is going to take years to uproot and transplant.
Since we have had nearly 20,000 wounded in active combat and another 17,000+ wounded in other than combat duty, they all need premiere in-patient care facilities. Instead, the military is following its usual practice of nickel-and-diming our boys and girls -- even those in direst need.
We don't need a BRAC to fuck up the military's health-care delivery system; they are just a bunch of greedy, lying bloodsucking politicians--mostly Republican reprobates.
link
I do hope you will write and call your representatives to ask that the military hospitals be off limits to base closing.
Posted by letshelpdean on August 25, 2005 at 01:16 PM
U R right I am a VET but I always want to be careful not to put myself up there with true VETS who served in War, Conflict, Skirmish, etc!
No new pics up - scanner doesnt work with my puter (it's my daughters and she let her aol lapse, so.... hideeho she's gotta pay to play ya know?)
BYE BLUE!! enjoy your day!
;-)
Posted by at August 25, 2005 01:20 PM
We miss the point (of the Bushovics): "victory" (as we would normally define it) is not the real aim...sustaining a very profitable venture...that's the idea. 'scuse me while I throw up for having the thought.
Posted by RoseZ on August 25, 2005 at 01:19 PM
That's when I started to FOCUS my attention on government dealings indeed!!
Paul - I see Lieberman's ass kissing of W paid off for him. Same with is GF from Maine.
Poor poor Trent lost his Mississippi burning!
Mugwump,
I am thinking the misguided belief is that our culture is the latest greatest and when others catch up the world will be a better place. That is what opened the door to IRAQ - we are just helping them catch up faster.
"If only these benighted people would join us at the culmination stage, the reasoning goes, they wouldn't be so brutal and evil, and then we could chalk up one more world region into the column of civilization and peace. In the meantime, we'll just have t bomb them".
This is a quote from 1980 justifying the demonization of the Serbs. Iraq now is nothing new. We cannot afford to miss the forest looking a tree. All it would take is for Saudi Arabian oil to fall in the hands of the extremists and then perhaps the nukes in Pakistan and then game over.
Posted by letshelpdean on August 25, 2005 at 01:24 PM
Remember the scenario in "1984?" Three Blocs, permamently at war? Thought control through language manipulation? Rewriting history? Total intolerance of any form of dissent? It took longer than Orwell thought, but it's coming baby, it's coming.
Dawnelle, you put on the uniform, you served. The fact that we had leaders instead of idiots to keep us out of shooting someone is no detraction of your status. Be PROUD. Salute!
Posted by Paul on August 25, 2005 at 01:21 PM
This is insane!! They're closing Walter Reed? WTF? I'd rather they reverse the decision not to close our Groton subbase.
It is criminal (go figure) of this administration to be closing their main hospital!
I think the karma coming back on this one will end up on his front porch in Crawford! Oh wait, some of them already are!!! hahahaha!
The one base they really should be closing is Guantanamo.
Tequila...1:28. Orwell didn't have 'vision'. He saw clearly into the future. Robert Parry describes Reagan's forming the "perspective managemnet" team...headed by an x CIA (x only because he didn't want to taint the group with active CIA)to 'guide' the information fed, not only US citizens but world wide. In other words: Propaganda. This was originally used for sanitizing the Contra action...but was extended to all aspects of governance. That guy (Reagan) was a real piece of work. W Casey at CIA was too.
I hear the first "cracks" of thunder here!
I guess we will have some fun the next few days here in Fla. Hope I don't lose connection. Tropical Storms can be fun actually! Even a Cat 1. No time for it to intensify beyond that for my area's sake (thankfully) but woe to the panhandle of FLA again if it emerges back out in the GULF after passing me by........
start packin now folks
hear the first "cracks" of thunder here!
I guess we will have some fun the next few days here in Fla. Hope I don't lose connection. Tropical Storms can be fun actually! Even a Cat 1. No time for it to intensify beyond that for my area's sake (thankfully) but woe to the panhandle of FLA again if it emerges back out in the GULF after passing me by........
start packin now folks
Posted by Dawnelle on August 25, 2005 at 01:47 PM
I am here in Central Florida Dawn and getting some light breezes. Dunno know what we will get if anything. Gotta check Katrina's position.
Thanks J and good luck to you as well. Center of the state always gets nailed!! (seems like)
My place is 2nd floor and all windows face either north or west. WE are perfect for observing but not suffering too much. Again (knocking wood) ......
Time for me to watch some weather news as well.
BBL
Peace!
Dear Boston Globe Editor:
Regrettably, my Logic & Rhetoric class was many years ago and was held much too early in the morning for me to remember the name of the term describing the fallacy of logic utilized yesterday by Jeff Jacoby in attempting to put forward his proposition that "Iraq is no Vietnam." Busted syllogism? Certainly, dubious propositions supported by inaccurate evidence do not yield a correct conclusion.
Jacoby offers five points. The first, "Vietnam was never the central battleground of the Cold War, while Iraq has become the focal point of the war on terrorism." Two mistakes linked don't make either correct. If Vietnam wasn't the central battleground, what was? Name another battleground during the cold war era where fifty six thousand Americans died and more than three hundred fifty thousand were wounded. The mistake Jacoby commits in the antithesis portion of his statement is not recognizing that Iraq should never have become the central focus in the global fight on terrorism. By making Iraq the central focus, George Bush has created more terrorists than he has killed, by many multiples, while the primary target remains ensconced in Afghanistan.
Jacoby's second point includes the contention that Americans "had no reason to feel their security was at risk in Vietnam." That's not what I remember. The spin masters may not have been as skilled in the sixties as Bush's team is now, but I certainly remember the theory that dominos starting to fall in Vietnam would lead to communist nuclear bombs landing on top of my school desk with my butt underneath it.
Jacoby's fifth and concluding point is "not like Vietnam, perhaps the most telling is the attitude of the troops." He goes on to offer quotes from five soldiers whose morale is "over the top" as evidenced by their apparent desire to "kill bad guys." On the basis of these statements, Jacobs makes the breathtaking logic leap that America should not reconsider that its Mission might be (un) Accomplished and remove her troops as long as her troops feel this way. Goodness gracious. My problem is Jacoby's logic in making his final contention does not involve the adequacy of the meager sample size giving the testimony. I would never question the motivation of solders, either as to why they enlisted or how they feel about their mission. Soldiers are trained to take orders, period. Jacoby, however seems to wish to give them policy making participation in American foreign policy and affairs of state. Soldiers do not set national policy. They kill bad guys. If yesterday's column is indicative of Jacoby's logical powers, he should stick to reporting and leave policy matters to others, preferably not in uniform. With mainstream spin masters like Jeff Jacoby, George Bush doesn't have to worry about Karl Rove getting indicted for leaking names of covert agents.
Bob, I think I would argue the point thus:
* There IS no "War on Terrorism"
* There is George W. Bush's illegal and failed War on Iraq
War on Terrorism is a lie.
George W. Bush lied.
1,873 American boys and girls have died.
George W. Bush has blood on his hands.
If you voted for him, you do too.
Lying is a sin.
Murder is a mortal sin.
George W. Bush will burn in Hell forever.
Repent!
Sincerely,
letshelpdean
What is really interesting is the role Rumsfeld / Cheney played in the Regan era, especially regarding the '1992 defense Planning Guidance' document which "essentially urged all actions necessary to prevent the emergence of ANY rival power, particularly among the " advanced industrial nations" - a reference to Japan and Germany but also to Europe generally (thus suggesting that our key allies would be our allies only so long as they accepted junior status). It went on to suggest that the US might have to forge "ad hoc assemblies" of nations, supplanting permanent alliances, in pursuit of particular ends- foreshadowing George W. Bush's later "coalition of the willing."
In short, it posited the powerful notion that America didn't fight the cold war to save Western Europe from the mortal threat of Soviet communism and then allow the Europeans themselves to seek their own destiny. It fought the cold war to gain world dominance and to keep down other powers, including the very European entity we had saved.
Those two (Rumsfeld / Cheney) hooking up with Wolfowitz and Perle have formed the Bush approach and drive the decisions you see today."
I am far from unique in my opinion of George W. Bush
Dear Paul,
Cindy Sheehan's courageous protest outside George Bush's ranch in Crawford, TX has captivated tens of millions of Americans from coast to coast. Her poignant and heartfelt pleas have focused the nation's attention on Iraq in a way that nothing else could.
Yet after 28 long months of our occupation of Iraq, and after 1,873 brave American soldiers -- including Casey Sheehan -- have lost their lives, President Bush has still failed to develop a success strategy. This cannot continue any longer.
Shortly after the Senate reconvenes in early September, and when George Bush returns to Washington from his five-week vacation in Texas, I am personally going to deliver our petition to the White House, calling on President Bush to spell out his plan for Iraq. And I want your name to be on it.
Call on President Bush to develop a success strategy for Iraq -- sign my petition now!
link
I'm proud to stand alongside my colleague Russ Feingold from Wisconsin as a co-sponsor of Senate Resolution 171, calling on President Bush to define a timeframe for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. Because it's time -- in fact, it's more than time -- for President Bush to clearly lay out a strategy for the American people that can succeed in Iraq, defuse the terrorist insurgency, and bring our brave men and women home.
That will only happen when the President brings credibility, accountability, and responsibility to a war that has been lacking in all three.
Credibility: It's time for President Bush to stop using sound bytes like "Mission Accomplished" and be honest and truthful with the American people.
Accountability: We need to hear from the Bush Administration about exactly how many Iraqi forces are needed; how to meet that goal; and by when.
Responsibility: We must honor our soldiers and their families -- including mothers like Cindy Sheehan -- every day, by giving them the equipment they need while they are deployed and the health care they deserve when they come home.
Add your name -- today -- to the petition that I will deliver to the White House next month!
More than 40,000 Americans have already signed my petition, urging President Bush to develop a success strategy for Iraq.
* But we need tens of thousands more to make our voices heard, loud and clear.
* We need tens of thousands more to stand with us, urging President Bush to set a timeframe for withdrawing American forces.
* We need tens of thousands more to stand with Cindy Sheehan and all the grieving mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, and family members who have lost loved ones in this war.
Urge President Bush to develop a success strategy for Iraq -- sign my petition to the White House now!
Thank you so much for your support. I'll keep you updated on our progress in collecting petition signatures and will let you know exactly when we'll be delivering them.
I look forward to carrying your name with me to the White House in September.
In Friendship,
Barbara Boxer
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