Action Alert

NBC is reportedly refusing to air ads for a new documentary about the Dixie Chicks because the ads criticize President Bush. Stand up against censorship. Call NBC and tell them to stop trying to prevent Americans from hearing different points of view.

Dial 212-664-4444 now to be connected with the NBC switchboard!

first?

Posted by Kristen on October 27, 2006 at 06:35 PM

Kristen, I do remember it as well, but to repost it here, not once but twice, for no apparent reason, seems a little shortsighted. It's like posting a racist message over and over because you're angered by its content. Don't you become part of the problem by spreading the objectionable message?

Blue, I completely agree. I found it disgusting the first time and would prefer not to have to read it again and again.

Have a great weekend!

Kristen

I posted a comment to your discussion with Blue on the last thread about the subject (last post). If someone is going to be describe a procedure at least give the information correctly.

J, I try not to put much into Paul H.'s posts because he tends to be overly judgmental on issues and has set himself up as an expert on everything under the sun.

What really angers me is the detachment from which he passes judgement. These are hard situations women and families are faced with every day and his post made it sound as if these were choices of women that took too long to decide what to do.

Kristen

Yes they are hard emotional/painful decisions. If you read my post on the last thread, well it wasn't easy to post, but I just can't stand incorrect information being placed out there.

Take care and have a great weekend.

I have heard very little from any canidate regarding "affirmative action" during the present campaign. Affirmative action has always been a strong Democratic issue. I realize that we have Iraq along with blatant curruption on the part of the pugs, but, I would not want to give minority citizens the impression that we have forgotten them. African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and orientals are a large and important part of the Democratic party. I hope that the grave issues we face do not overshadow our core values.

Posted by rashlimbo on October 27, 2006 at 07:57 PM

I believe affirmative action is something we should stay away from. To give someone a job or a promotion based solely on their race is what this party stands against. We should make sure that no one is discriminated against and land hard on the people or institutions that practice discrimination. Coming from south of the Mason-Dixon line, I see examples of discrimination every day. In fact, our junior senator, Sen. George Allen (R-VA) is a blatant racist and I am doing everything I can to see him defeated. However, the time for affirmative action, in the examples I state above, has come and gone, IMHO. It's the 21st century now. Let's leave the past where it belongs.

Posted by rashlimbo on October 27, 2006 at 07:57 PM

Besides, the vast majority of African-American people know what Michael Steele and Ken Blackwell represent. They are two individuals who've sold their soul to the RNC for a few bucks and some publicity as well as selling out their entire race to a bunch of people who laugh at them behind closed doors for being such suckers.

Bush swung through Des Moines, Iowa, at lunchtime to raise $400,000 for the state Republican Party and congressional candidate Jeff Lamberti, whom the president mistakenly called "Dave" throughout his speech.

I think "Jeff" told Bush jr, "Whatever you do, just don't use my real name".

Two things get me about the Republican attack ads I see on Democratic candidates.

One is that they all say the same thing -- so and so will raise your taxes. Coupla points on that. First, yeah they'll raise taxes. But they really have no choice, unless they want to put off cleaning up the mess they inherited from the borrow and spend Republicans. And that's not fair to future generations. Second point is that the federal tax cuts game is really nothing more than a game of three card monty, and that shouldn't be more obvious anywhere than here in New York. When the feds cut taxes, they short-change the states on many programs, and the states and municipalities make up the shortfall by raising local taxes. My Representative, Tommy Two-Chin, is constantly bragging about what he has done for the district. In reality, what he has done is siphon off more and more of New Yorkers' federal tax dollars for his puppetmasters in the South, while the upstate New York economy lags behind and local taxes go through the roof.

A second thing that gets me is the attacks on Democratic plans for Social Security. This from members of the party that wanted to, of all things, privatize Social Security. Jesus H. Christ on a cross . . .

Peggy Noonan and the rotting pundit class

One of the more corrupt pundit phenomena is the way in which the most loyal and worshippful Bush followers, who spent the last five years praising the President and doing everything possible to enable his most radical policies, are now suddenly pretending to be so deeply dissatisfied with his rule. Now that the Bush movement is collapsing, they all want to pretend that they knew all along that things weren't going well and that the President was deeply flawed. Suddenly, they're not a part of any of it and bear no responsibility for it because, all along, they felt the President wasn't doing the right thing and, besides, he was never really loyal to their political beliefs.

Here is Peggy Noonan in The Wall St. Journal today, trying to demonstrate how objective and intellectually honest she is by claiming that even well-connected Republicans think that Republicans deserve to lose this election. For this, Noonan blames the President: "They want to fire Congress because they can't fire President Bush."

http://glenngreenwald.blogspot.com/

In 2006 the Republicans consider it a "no brainer"....

Waterboarding Historically Controversial In 1947, the U.S. Called It a War Crime; in 1968, It Reportedly Caused an Investigation By Walter Pincus Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, October 5, 2006

Key senators say Congress has outlawed one of the most notorious detainee interrogation techniques -- "waterboarding," in which a prisoner feels near drowning. But the White House will not go that far, saying it would be wrong to tell terrorists which practices they might face.

Inside the CIA, waterboarding is cited as the technique that got Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the prime plotter of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, to begin to talk and provide information -- though "not all of it reliable," a former senior intelligence official said.

Waterboarding is variously characterized as a powerful tool and a symbol of excess in the nation's fight against terrorists. But just what is waterboarding, and where does it fit in the arsenal of coercive interrogation techniques?

On Jan. 21, 1968, The Washington Post published a front-page photograph of a U.S. soldier supervising the questioning of a captured North Vietnamese soldier who is being held down as water was poured on his face while his nose and mouth were covered by a cloth. The picture, taken four days earlier near Da Nang, had a caption that said the technique induced "a flooding sense of suffocation and drowning, meant to make him talk."

The article said the practice was "fairly common" in part because "those who practice it say it combines the advantages of being unpleasant enough to make people talk while still not causing permanent injury."

The picture reportedly led to an Army investigation.

Twenty-one years earlier, in 1947, the United States charged a Japanese officer, Yukio Asano, with war crimes for carrying out another form of waterboarding on a U.S. civilian. The subject was strapped on a stretcher that was tilted so that his feet were in the air and head near the floor, and small amounts of water were poured over his face, leaving him gasping for air until he agreed to talk.

"Asano was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor," Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) told his colleagues last Thursday during the debate on military commissions legislation. "We punished people with 15 years of hard labor when waterboarding was used against Americans in World War II," he said.

Seems like that is the problem...there are no brainers in the White House only arrogant men and women who abuse their power and the dictates of common dencency.

Good thing they passed Gonzales' alternative measures bill, because some day one of them might visit a civilized country and be charged with war crimes...as a no brainer.

interesting pew polling:

Democrats Hold Double-Digit Lead in Competitive Districts
GOP Troubles Extend into Home Territory

Released: October 26, 2006

Summary of Findings

With less than two weeks to go before the midterm elections, the Democrats not only continue to maintain a double-digit advantage nationally, but also lead by the same margin in the competitive districts that will determine which party controls the House of Representatives. Nationally, the Democrats hold a 49%-38% lead among registered voters, and a nearly identical 50%-39% lead among those voters most likely to cast ballots on Nov. 7.

An oversample of voters in 40 competitive districts ­ identified by a consensus of political analysts ­ shows that voting intentions in the battleground districts are about the same as they are in the "safe" House districts. Among registered voters, the Democrats lead by 11 points in competitive districts (50%-39%) and by the same margin in safe districts (49%-38%).

The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted among 1,552 registered voters - including 528 who reside in competitive districts - shows that Iraq continues to be the dominant issue for voters. More than four-in-ten voters (45%) view the situation in Iraq as the most important, or second most important issue in their vote, the highest percentage for six issues tested. In competitive districts, slightly more (50%) cite Iraq as a top issue in their vote.

Public views of Iraq continue to be overwhelmingly negative, with a solid majority of Americans (59%) saying the U.S. military effort there is not going well. Republicans, who have been steadfast backers of the war, are now rendering more negative judgments about how things are going in Iraq.

pew

Besides, the vast majority of African-American people know what Michael Steele and Ken Blackwell represent. They are two individuals who've sold their soul to the RNC for a few bucks and some publicity as well as selling out their entire race to a bunch of people who laugh at them behind closed doors for being such suckers.

Posted by BobVADemHawk-Gore-Obama2008 on October 27, 2006 at 08:18 PM

I'll leave the affirmative action issue alone, but as for the black REPs, as I stated this morning how could they possibly be asking blacks for their vote when the political party they represent has littered the campaign trail through several states with racist ads and literature?

The RNC is literally mocking us in such raw and disgusting form. There are many Americans saying this is 2006! - how can this be happening? Well very easy - the mindthink that holds this type of ignorant thought has never really gone anywhere. It just decided to take other forms and means of getting their message out. Other forms and means that can be construed as ambiguous thereby leaving the accuser looking stupid, paranoid or worse, as a quick draw with the race card.

As for me, I personally prefer the bigot that is straight up letting me know they don't care for black folk. See I can respect this person because they are man/woman enough to let me know where they stand. But most people can't be that honest and forthcoming, they would rather play games or view themselves as "progressive".

Democrats ain't gonna "raise" your's and my taxes. We didn't get no stink'in tax cut from Bush any damn way. Democrats are gonna make the big corporations who Bush and Cheney are taking bribs from for allowing to have a "tax holiday" go back to paying their fair share. (So we don't have to give up our retirement and our kids their future.)

Terry:

I know I did not read that correcty. Never ever admit or say that democrats will raise taxes. That has polled strongly as a losing position. If a future congress has to, they have to, but let's admit it now. Remember, it is "resdistribute the tax burden" to the wealthy, or "cut the middle class taxes." And yes, democrats do have a choice. Remember what happened to Mondale when he said he would have to raise taxes.

Posted by Domingo on October 27, 2006 at 08:51 PM

Rats abandoning a sinking ship. That's what that is.

Posted by BrianB on October 27, 2006 at 09:03 PM

You're right in that most people won't see a tax increase.

My point, and perhaps I didn't make it as well as I should have, is that we have to move beyond the sound bite approach on taxes somehow. Like I said, cutting taxes at the federal level is, in reality, a game of three-card monty. It results in higher taxes at the state and local level.

The rich can afford it, because the tax cuts they get at the federal level more than make up for the tax increases they see at the state and local level. But it's something different for folks like us.

When what I pay for property taxes is about twice what I pay for federal income taxes, something is drastically wrong.

Posted by Terry on October 27, 2006 at 08:50 PM

I know my state and local taxes have gone up constantly in the last six years.

All the school districts need more money to pay for that unfunded No Child Left Behind legislation. The local police and firemen have increased, mandated homeland security needs and the cost of fuel has hit them hard.

The Republican state legislature has shifted funds from education to pay for the streets and highway repairs. And they shifted money from Medicaid to pay for business tax incentives. They've asked voters to pass higher sales and property taxes to pay for it all...and instituted automatic inflation increases and property reassessments.

It's been a Republican shell game with us paying more taxes and getting less and less services. Meanwhile Bush goes around the country like a carnival shill twirling his cane and blowing smoke and everybody's face. Nice scam.

I remember what "BlackMale" posted when asked about Steele and Blackwell. Skinfolk is not my kinfolk.

from pew:

In the fall of 2002, married mothers favored the Republican candidate in their district by 57%-34%; today they support the Republican by just three points.

White Catholics were solidly in the GOP's camp in 2002, but now support the Democratic candidate by 52%-35%.

Independents now support the Democratic candidate in their district by 16 points; four years ago, Democrats led among independent voters by just three points.

The analysis shows that much of the change among independents has occurred among voters under age 30 and those ages 65 and older. Independents under the age of 30 decisively favored the Democratic candidate in 2002, and the margin has more than doubled (from 14 points in 2002 to 34 points currently). By contrast, independents ages 65 and older were narrowly divided in their voter preference four years ago, but now heavily favor the Democrat (by 52%-28%).

...the data shall set you free...

I love Keith Olbermann. The Death of "Stay the Course" piece was priceless.

Skinfolk is not my kinfolk.

I thought it was Monica R who always said that.

White Catholics were solidly in the GOP's camp in 2002, but now support the Democratic candidate by 52%-35%.

Posted by gregg on October 27, 2006 at 09:08 PM

Raises hand sheepishly . . .

That would be me. Although I've been a registered Democrat ever since I've been old enough to vote, I did cross party lines and vote for Tommy Two-Chins in '02, because I thought the Democratic nominee was underqualified. Boy, have I ever lived to regret that vote.

This is how those Right Wing freaks are. And what does that troll keep trying to say about this blog when people here won't kiss his @$$? "Oh, so much hate! So much hate on this blog!" Yeah, right.

Authorities: Powder At Clinton Office Non-Toxic

Secret Service To Investigate Envelope At Center Of Alarm

(CBS/AP) NEW YORK Police and Secret Service agents determined Friday that a suspicious substance found at former President Clinton's office in Manhattan was inert and non-toxic.

http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_300180154.html

"redistribute the tax burden" to the wealthy

Posted by BrianB on October 27, 2006 at 09:03 PM

Brian,

You've described exactly what has to be done. Average working stiffs will understand and not be tricked by the Republicans rhetoric. Another way to describe it is "trickling taxes up"...why not use the Republicans terms and strangle them with them?

Posted by SandyH on October 27, 2006 at 09:18 PM

Actually, trickle-down, or supply-side, economics was little more than a ruse to transfer the tax burden from the wealthy to the middle class. Mission accomplished, sadly.

good evening, everyone

nice to be back home, and good to know that not too much has changed. i still diagree with almost everything that hawk-boy says:

It's the 21st century now. Let's leave the past where it belongs.

Posted by BobVADemHawk-Gore-Obama2008 on October 27, 2006 at 08:14 PM

Affirmative action is most definitely not what you defined in your post. What percentage of the dollar do women earn in this twenty first century utopia, Virginia? Look at the CEO's and let's count the women, the people of color...

Get back with me on that, wouldja?

...the data shall set you free...

Posted by gregg on October 27, 2006 at 09:08 PM

yes, my brudda...and the trute shall make you free (one of those oft misquoted biblical phrases)

your sister and pretty bird are in my thoughts, as are you and Jacque.

the sharpelbowed woman brought up an interesting topic with Kuo. the book is interesting.

i'm kinda stuck on the fact that he, like many of the anti-abortion activists, had one.

i wish these fuckers would CHOOSE NOT TO HAVE ONE and leave the rest of the world the hell alone

i wish the child-molester protectors at the catholic church would devote their lurid attention to the filth they have hidden and enabled and get their vile hands off our bodies

Nicaragua has new abortion laws, thank you church.

how about twenty year penalty for doctors that assist women, who might die...and the child is "aborted" ?

i have to campaign in the morning, so i won't post much tonight.

don't worry

I wondered why this story sort of just died?

If this rumor would be even partly true, our military security was been compromised. There isn't any Iraqi translator that can be trusted the longer this occupation goes on. Imagine how the families of these translators must be in peril if it becomes know that someone is collaborating with the enemy invaders?

Come to think of it. Wasn't there an American soldier acting as a translator that was reported kidnapped this week? The media reported that he was visiting relatives without permission?

Iraq: Media coverup of the Camp Falcon Explosion? No reported casualties at Camp Falcon, eh?

falcon_camp1.png
“US occupation forces are accusing Iraqi translators of leaking information on the location of arms and ammunition depots in the Falcon military base (Al-Rashid military base) to the resistance.

“We are sure that two Iraqi translators working with US forces leaked information and gave the base altitudes to the resistance. There are also doubts that a third interpreter had left the base one day before the bombing only and did not join again”.

The Iraqi source, who refused to reveal his identity, said that dozens of American soldiers were killed in those explosions. The source pointed out that six Iraqi translators were killed in those explosions. American forces refused to hand over the bodies of the dead Iraqis to their families without giving reasons.”

Ammo Dump Explosions Investigation October 16, 2006

Who needs translators when there are Google Maps?

There are emailed reports, yet to be confirmed, that the number of dead American soldiers at Al-Rashid military base (camp Falcon) has reached 300. See below pictures on the extent of some of the devastation there as a result of just a few Grad and Katyusha rockets (cost: no more than $300 - Effect: estimated at $billions of munitions, structures and American lives wasted).

Wonder why there is a ’spike’ in American casualties this month?

Wonder why Bush is huddled with his military?

"redistribute the tax burden" to the wealthy Posted by BrianB on October 27, 2006 at 09:03 PM

It's not even that. Bush and gang have redistributed it FROM the wealthy the to middle class, and all we want is it put back the way it was. The way it worked so well for so many decades. The way it was when this country worked the right way.

Posted by SandyH on October 27, 2006 at 09:30 PM

Hi Sandy! Randi Rhodes was talking about it today.

It's not even that. Bush and gang have redistributed it FROM the wealthy the to middle class, and all we want is it put back the way it was. The way it worked so well for so many decades. The way it was when this country worked the right way.

Posted by Domingo on October 27, 2006 at 09:31 PM

I'm no fan of Bush, but in complete fairness to him, this one isn't entirely on him. This process was begun back when his highest ambition was still trying to figure out where he could score his next hit of blow. Ronald Reagan and supply-side economics ring a bell?

the sharpelbowed woman brought up an interesting topic with Kuo. the book is interesting.

sharpelbows thinks she found "Th holy Grail" that will bring down the Bush regime, and we're all ignoring it. Fact is we've talked about it for the last week, and it's not an earth shattering event. It's only one more drop in the constant drip, drip, drip that's been going on in the Bush administration for the last six years.

BREAKING: Hastert Office Blocked Corruption Probe

By Justin Rood - October 27, 2006, 7:37 PM

Congressional Quarterly reporting:

Two former House committee investigators who were examining Capitol Hill security upgrades said a senior aide to Speaker J. Dennis Hastert hindered their efforts before they were abruptly ordered to stop their probe last year.

The former Appropriations Committee investigators said Ted Van Der Meid, Hastert’s chief counsel, resisted from the start the inquiry, which began with concerns about mismanagement of a secret security office and later probed allegations of bid-rigging and kickbacks from contractors to a Defense Department employee.

Ronald Garant and a second Appropriations Committee investigator who asked not to be identified said Van Der Meid engaged in “screaming matches” with investigators and told at least one aide not to talk to them. Van Der Meid also prohibited investigators from visiting certain sites to check up on the effectiveness of the work, the investigators said.

Laura Bush will be in my neck of the woods tomorrow, the second time recently that she's come here to stump for Tommy Two-Chins. Is it just me, or does she look like a female version of The Joker, what with that beyond pale complexion and frozen grin perpetually on her face?

Hi, fade.

Hope your trip went well.

It's been a full scale panic over on the Republican side. More blunders and outright lies. Their dirty tricks keep blowing up in their faces.

Liz Cheney had a run in with reality on CNN when she tried to defend her husband's "no brainer" waterboarding torture comment. Then she got caught off guard thinking she could act outraged by Wheeler's "nasty books", when Wolf Blizer knew all about her"nasty novel" and called her on it.

She did the only thing any irresponsible Republican does when confronted, she lied like a dog. Classic Cheney comedy. I wouldn't be surprised if somebody on her pr staff doesn't get shot accidently in the face for setting her up.

And that's one children's book I wouldn't want my kids reading?

Laura better run for the bunker. She's the only on in the royal family that hasn't imploded in the last week.

There's even a rumor that Jenna is down in South America buying up land for the new Ponderosa ranch.

Ah, the Bush smirks and grins just keep coming.

evening all.

nothing more than a drive through for me, too tonight.

Did almost two hours of a WAVE this afternoon at commuter time, with 5 other Lamont fans. It was Very cold out there, and by the time we finished, I was freezing to death. I am just thawing out now. Need to do a door to door tomorrow, unless it rains, then we are doing it Sunday.

Catching up on my emails, and some things that caught my eye, is this one about Cheney's bimbo wife criticizing Webb's book, but wouldn't answer anything about that pukey book of her own!

"Lynne Cheney appeared on CNN's The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer. She dismissed Virginia Democrat Jim Webb as being "full of baloney" but was uncooperative when Blitzer questioned her on her own book.

Cheney, wife of the Vice President, was remarking on US Senate candidate Webb's response to charges last night that novels he has written are "pornographic," with excerpts released by GOP Sen. George Allen's camp and posted by the Drudge Report, as RAW STORY reported earlier.

The Vice President's wife had published a book of her own in the 1970's that, according to a press release today from the Democrats, "featured a lesbian love affair, brothels and attempted rapes," but as Blitzer highlighted the contradiction, Cheney became evasive. Pressed further and visibly agitated, she finally remarked that "Jim Webb is full of baloney," whereupon Blitzer changed the topic.

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/VPs_wife_says_Webb_full_of_1027.html

Posted by fade2bluz on October 27, 2006 at 09:38 PM

Is there anything that they weren't milking?

Foley ain't the only one fired

Oh jeez, she says her sex pervert book is not sex perverted, but Jim Webb's book is, (and he's got a lot of explaining to do, but she doesn't!). And just because her old man supports water-boarding doesn't mean he supports torture. Oh yeah, one more thing, just because people are released without charge doesn't mean they're innocent.

Crooks and Liars

hi pam --you and sandy and that great minds thing...

i was just reading the "Sisters" author lying her ass off story...what a piece-o-lying-crap-in-a-sack that whacko is.

streak would love this one. he used to post that book review with the photo...miss him

Yeah that's rght, put the tax burden on the wealthy job providers. No wait, not the ones that hire people and create jobs, just the wealthy who got their money for nothing.

If you subscribe to TIME mag, you read some interesting facts about "America By the Numbers".

I couldn't access these particular ones from the mag on line, although many of the other facts there are of interest to.

THIS IS WHAT AMERICANS MAKE IN A YEAR:

50% report Income of less than $30,000

70% report income of less than $50,000

90% of income of less than $100,000

9.7 million make $100,000 and $200,000.

2.3 Million make between $200,000 and $500,000

And 0.5% make over $500,000 per year.

THESE 0.5% are the ones who benefit from Bush's tax breaks.

Eye opening numbers, aren't they?

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1549322,00.html

BrianB: No sport, make them pay their share instead of putting it all on my and my kid's back.

got to out for evening.

({{{fade}}} it is a compliment to be thought of as a same mind as Sandy! :))

Thank you for All the work you have been doing!

night good dems.

streak would love this one. he used to post that book review with the photo...miss him

Posted by fade2bluz on October 27, 2006 at 10:08 PM

Yeah, he was a good one. What happened to him anyway? (Not that I should talk, as erratic as I am.)

Democrats ain't gonna "raise" your's and my taxes. We didn't get no stink'in tax cut from Bush any damn way. Democrats are gonna make the big corporations who Bush and Cheney are taking bribs from for allowing to have a "tax holiday" go back to paying their fair share. (So we don't have to give up our retirement and our kids their future.)

Posted by Domingo on October 27, 2006 at 08:59 PM

That is dopey, Democrats always raise our taxes. Bill Clinton's campaign promiss was not to raiese taxes on the middle class and then he turned around and raised taxes on everyone including the middle class.

Big corporations don't pay taxes - they collect them. They just raise their prices and everone else pays.

sandy is probably watching the cardinals, who are ahead now 3-2.

goodnight Democrats...premium day tomorrow to volunteer for your local candidate. keep those calls going.

thank you for all that you do.

Posted by Terry on October 27, 2006 at 10:22 PM

it's good to see you, Terry. erratic is fine! he comes around sometimes. i always enjoy reading his distinctive style.

Oh jeez, she says her sex pervert book is not sex perverted, but Jim Webb's book is, (and he's got a lot of explaining to do, but she doesn't!)

Posted by Domingo on October 27, 2006 at 10:05 PM

Lynn Cheney doesn't have to explain anything because she is not running for anything. Webb, on the other hand, has to explain why he writes kiddy porn so as to convince the voters of Virginia that he is not a pervert. Or why having a pervert in the Senate is good for VIrginia.

Big corporations don't pay taxes - they collect them. They just raise their prices and everone else pays. Posted by FrostyMacCowpie

I know you're an ignorant moron who doesn't know "beans" about math, you think 250% of one dollar is five dollars, but prices of goods aren't determined by taxes fool, they're determined by "supply and demand". If you really were a Right Winger, you'd know that, but you don't know $#!t.

Terry, excellent comparison of Bush tax cuts to three card monty. The taxes that are cut at the fed level are made up at the local level.

I was considering the GOP tax policy akin to the PayDay Loan Center operation. The tax cuts are funded by borrowing more money (almost always from other countries). Then more money is borrowed to pay off the interest on the loans from the money borrowed earlier. Add more tax cuts to the mix and that means borrowing more money and paying even more interest. It is a vicious cycle the GOP has gotten us into. People say that our grandchildren will be paying off our debt. But that is what they said when Reagan was doing the same thing: giving tax cuts and borrowing money.

Guess what? We are the grandchildren! I would like all the tax cut happy voters to know just how much of those taxes they hate to pay are merely being used to pay the debt on another administration's tax cuts.

BrianB is right. It is suicidal for the Democrats to mention anything but more tax cuts. But at some point we are all going to have to face the realty of paying off the enormous debt.

The GOP really has nothing to run on, since they have "cut and run" from their own record. Instead they raise fear and hatred since those two emotions are the last refuge of political scoundrels. I am not surprised by the bigotry expressed in the Corker ads. And I expect to see some really ugly ads after the recent New Jersey ruling. If you are surprised, all you need to do is read the GOP motto:

"Welcome to the Republican Party. Where hate found a home."

Tax revenues are up thanks to the Bush tax cuts.

Boy, we got the Repugs swarming in here today, howling, "No! NO! Don't force the poor rich folks to pay taxes! Make the middle class pay for it all!" Sheesh.

Tax cuts leave more money in the economy. More money in the economy means more jobs and more taxpayers. More taxpayers equal more taxes and that is why tax revenues are up since Bush cut taxes.

Tax revenues are up thanks to the Bush tax cuts.

That's another damn Repug lie. They're not up due to "tax-cuts", they're up due to Bush's corporate tax penalty amnesty. Another "give away" to the big shots that brib him with money.

I cannot see that a sex act written into a fiction novel as perversion. No one is physically or mentally harmed.

Attacking another country on the pretext of destroying WMDs and killing thousands of innocent civilians and American Servicemen and Servicewomen. Employing the use of torture to make detainees say what you want them to say. Whoring yourself out to lobbyist to line your own pockets instead of looking out for the interest of the American citizens. That, ladies and gentlemen is perversion, An obsenity which we will try to eliminate on November 7, 2006.

If everyone was required to read this blog before voting, the Democrats would get about 12% of the vote.

Higher wages put more money in the economy. More money in the economy means more consumer spending and more consumer spending means jobs and more taxpayers. That's why the the economy ALWAYS works better when Democrats are running the economy, because they let working people earn a fair wage. The economy doesn't work as well under Republicans because Republicans want the wealthy to get it all. They want things the way they were back in "the good old days", back in the great depression.

Tax revenues are up thanks to the Bush tax cuts.

That's another damn Repug lie. They're not up due to "tax-cuts", they're up due to Bush's corporate tax penalty amnesty. Another "give away" to the big shots that brib him with money.

Posted by Domingo on October 27, 2006 at 10:40 PM

It worked when Kennedy did it, it worked when Reagan did it and it worked when Bush did it.

Yeah, I recall that wonderful economy under Carter with 18% morgages and record inflation and all time high gas prices.

Tax Facts

"All time high gas prices"?

I don't recall paying $3.00 + a gallon for gas during the Carter Administration. I'm having a senior moment, I guess.

"Higher wages put more money in the economy. More money in the economy means more consumer spending and more consumer spending means jobs and more taxpayers. That's why the the economy ALWAYS works better when Democrats are running the economy, because they let working people earn a fair wage. The economy doesn't work as well under Republicans because Republicans want the wealthy to get it all. They want things the way they were back in "the good old days", back in the great depression.

Posted by Domingo on October 27, 2006 at 10:51 PM
"

That is the fact.

"All time high gas prices"?

I don't recall paying $3.00 + a gallon for gas during the Carter Administration. I'm having a senior moment, I guess.

Posted by rashlimbo on October 27, 2006 at 11:01 PM

In todays dollars, gas prices were higher in the Carter Admin then they have ever been under Bush.

why would bush need to mess with google maps for kicks, doesn't he have access to much cooler satellite imagery stuff? maybe he doesn't believe in satellites? maybe he thinks the moon landing was a hoax. funny to see them try to wipe the blood and entrails from cheney's face today....i wonder how harry the face is doing?

But then Carter was/is a worthless POS.

As for the 18% mortgage: Lets just remember that a fairly luxurious home sold for about $30,000.

Reagan also spent billions (of borrowed money) on defense programs, like missiles and the laid to rest Star Wars program. That created thousands of jobs in the defense industry. That did pick the economy up, but it also left the country in massive debt. A debt that was partially cleared by George (Read My Lips) H.W. Bush, when he in fact, did raise taxes (which of course cost him the presidency). Our hero, Clinton, did raise taxes, balanced the budget, produced a surplus and presided over one of the most successful economic periods this country has ever seen. Bush Jr. did not borrow money to create jobs. He borrowed money to give tax cuts to the wealthy, who as previously stated above, did not deserve the cuts, because they will very often invest it outside the country -- in places where they see better investment opportunities. The junior Bush did not create jobs. He waited around for the economic cycle to change, as it always does and then to take credit for it when it happened. However, now we are saddled with the enormous debt of the Bush tax cuts. And an annual budget deficit of $250 billion is still money that we owe. How can he brag about increasing tax revenue when we are still saddled with that kind debt?

It worked when Kennedy did it, it worked when Reagan did it and it worked when Bush did it.

Posted by FrostyMacCowpie on October 27, 2006 at 10:52 PM

Kennedy's tax cut gave only 6% of the benefits to the wealthiest 1%. Bush's gave 42% of the benefits to the wealthiest 1%, and Reagan's was similar to Bush's. Therein lies the difference between Kennedy's tax cuts, on the one hand, and the other two.

And of course, it goes without saying that the top 1% had a much higher marginal tax bracket and were doing much worse viz. the rest of the country when Kennedy was President than was the case when either Reagan or Bush was President.

pew, 10-26-06:

White Catholics were solidly in the GOP's camp in 2002, but now support the Democratic candidate by 52%-35%.

Independents now support the Democratic candidate in their district by 16 points; four years ago, Democrats led among independent voters by just three points.

Approval ratings for President Bush have remained basically unchanged since June of this year. Currently, 38% of the general public approves of the way Bush is handling his job as president, while 53% disapprove. Views of the President are similar among registered voters: 41% approve, 53% disapprove. In competitive districts, however, registered voters take a somewhat more negative view; in these 40 House districts, 36% give Bush positive marks, while 57% give him negative reviews. Registered independents also take a dim view of the President's job performance - only 33% approve, while 56% disapprove.

The Carter Administration published the inflation rates almost on a daily basis. Why does the Duh-bya administration cover it up?

Posted by DaveInSeattle on October 27, 2006 at 11:08 PM

Thank you for posting that, It's always nice to know what the airheads are thinking.

Democrats Get Late Donations From Business


By JEFF ZELENY and ARON PILHOFER
Published: October 28, 2006
WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 — Corporate America is already thinking beyond Election Day, increasing its share of last-minute donations to Democratic candidates and quietly devising strategies for how to work with Democrats if they win control of Congress.

The shift in political giving, for the first 18 days of October, has not been this pronounced in the final stages of a campaign since 1994, when Republicans swept control of the House for the first time in four decades.

....the piglets are snorting about wondering if a new slop pen has opened and wanting to be the first to dive in....hopefully they will have to drag their snouts thru some brambles first.

Posted by gregg on October 27, 2006 at 11:10 PM

If the pugs could read and comprehend, Duh-bya's approval ratings would be 0.

I remember after the 1979 oil crisis near the end of Carter's term, gas went from .65 cents to $1.30. Last summer I was paying $3.29 for regular at the cheapest place in town. But you know how Repugs are, they'll try to tell gas is cheaper under Bush. They'll also try to pee on your lag and tell you it's raining, that's how much they lie.

Official in Abramoff Case Sentenced to 18 Months

By Susan Schmidt
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, October 28, 2006; Page A03

A federal judge yesterday sentenced David H. Safavian, a former top Bush administration official, to 18 months in prison for lying and concealing unethical dealings with lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

I vividly recall that the phoney gas shortage and the rise in gas prices began during the Ford administration (1974, I believe it was)

Last Updated: Friday, 27 October 2006, 23:21 GMT 00:21 UK
BBC
Global warming 'threat to growth'

Environmental issues have jumped to the top of the political agenda
Global warming could cut the world's annual economic output by as much as 20%, an influential report by Sir Nicholas Stern is expected to say.
While that is a worst case scenario, the report claims that at the very best the cost of tackling global warming would be 1% of annual economic output.

Sir Nicholas's comments are expected to form the core of The Stern Review that is due to be released on Monday.

It is important because it looks at economic, not environmental, arguments.

Wide audience

According to BBC business correspondent Hugh Pym, the report will carry weight because Sir Nicholas, a former World Bank economist, is seen as a neutral figure.

Unlike earlier reports, his conclusions are likely to be seen as objective and based on cold, hard economic fact, our correspondent said.

It also may help win over sceptics in the US, where climate change has often been accused of being based on shoddy science.

environmental degradation, its so funny we will be laughing forever and ever and ever...

Ah yes, we live in a Republican made Utopia. They have had the majority for how many years? Seems like forever. Republicans were against gay marriage, so it must be unconstitutional by now, right? Republicans were against abortion, so it must be unconstitutional by now, right? Republicans were against illegal immigration, so it must be unconstitutional by now, right? Clever liars they are. If Repbulicans gave what they promised, those that they deceive would then notice that the Republicans were the reason there are fewer good jobs with benefits to go around. Clever liars they are...

why would bush need to mess with google maps for kicks, Posted by gregg on October 27, 2006 at 11:06 PM

He says he uses "the Google" to look at his ranch. The lazy bum can't wait to get back to it and lay around on his @$$ some more. Why won't he use those maps to catch Osama? Oh that's right, his daddy makes money off Osama's family and he doesn't want to kill the goose that lays the golden egg for his family. He going to inherit all that money real soon you know, and he wants it all. And none of this paying tax on it like the working chumps do. It's nice when you can write all the laws to benfit you and yours, ain't it? Culture of corruption, anyone?

well another great week for the republicans. they are on fire! gonna get me some sleep and will see you in the morning. that pew study put out yesterday is pretty amazing. and the population surveyed was around 1500 with a subset of 600 or so drawn from the areas of competitive races, which were more pro-democrat than the larger population.

hope bush keeps using the google to look at the ranch and that cheney stops getting in the way of bush splainin iraq to us all....hee ha...!

Even the Iraqi Prime Minister thinks Bush Jr doesn't know what he's doing.

Iraqi Prime Minister Criticizes U.S. Policy

domingo, kinda weird and almost sad the presidunce sittin around the white house looking at his fake ranch and wishin he was there...of course the blood of innocents is dripping from his fingers as he moves the mouse around which takes some of the mirth out of it all...

GOP Ecconomics at Work

Poll Shows Rural Voters Shifting to Democrats

Twelve days before the midterm elections, Republican congressional incumbents are struggling to corral a key voter group -- rural residents. A new bipartisan poll indicates that Democrats now dominate rural voters, a critical part of the Republican base.

It's the Economy

The poll also found that rural voters more strongly committed to Republican ideals are unenthusiastic about voting Republican now. Scientist and teacher Brian Cox counts himself as one of the disenchanted, citing the economy, the growing federal budget, and what he calls a general malaise in a party in power too long.

Posted by Denimblue on October 27, 2006 at 11:24 PM

Some things don't have to be unconstitutional because they are illegal. Queer marriage is illegal most places, illegal immigration is illegal everyplace. Abortion is illegal in South Dakota.

g'nite Dems, time to get off the "internets" and give "the google" a rest.

It will be fun to see Webb sink into oblivion in Virginia next week.

Posted by Denimblue on October 27, 2006 at 11:24 PM

Some things don't have to be unconstitutional because they are illegal. Queer marriage is illegal most places, illegal immigration is illegal everyplace. Abortion is illegal in South Dakota.

Posted by FrostyMacCowpie on October 27, 2006 at 11:33 PM

The supreme law of the land is the Constitution. Lying Republicans like you would re-define the meaning of the words of the Constitution so that your un-constitutional laws would be enforced such to deprive the citizens of their rights.

Bedtime. I don't have time to argue with a republican... I am going to vote straight Democrat come hell or high water.

The Democrats should run this add in the southern states!

Maybe they can relate to it!

http://www.dccc.org/stakeholder/archives/005468.html

James Webb

First in his class of 243 at the Marine Corps Officer's Basic School in Quantico, Virginia, he then served with the Fifth Marine Regiment in Vietnam, where as a rifle platoon and company commander in the infamous An Hoa Basin west of Danang he was awarded the Navy Cross, the Silver Star Medal, two Bronze Star Medals, and two Purple Hearts. He later served as a platoon commander and as an instructor in tactics and weapons at Marine Corps Officer Candidates School, and then as a member of the Secretary of the Navy's immediate staff, before leaving the Marine Corps in l972.

Imagine electing a man with this sort of combat knowledge to officer during a time of war. After all, he might just be able to teach those draft dodgers in the White House a thing or two.

Posted by rashlimbo on October 27, 2006 at 11:01 PM

I remember paying 17 cents a gallon back when the Cardinals won their last World Series.

Good night, baseball fans.

Who's he running against anyway, some racist?

The supreme law of the land is the Constitution. Lying Republicans like you would re-define the meaning of the words of the Constitution so that your un-constitutional laws would be enforced such to deprive the citizens of their rights.

Posted by Denimblue on October 27, 2006 at 11:43 PM

Oh, I see - now i get it.

Please forgive the lack of typing skills this time of night, I'm apparently more tired than I thought. I think you got the picture at any rate.

So because a guy had a successful career in the Marines he is immune from being criticised for writing kiddy porn.

Or because Max Cleland blew himself up with his own hand grenade we have to go along with all of his goofey ideas forever.

Lol, kiddy porn.

You come up with that yourself?

It gets even better, Marine. His son is a 24-year-old Lance Corporal in the USMC and is currently in Iraq. Webb would not allow photographs of the two of them before his son deployed because his sons service is separate from his fathers political career.

Thats Honor.

By the way - Hi. I've never been here before. The trolls at Political Animal are geting tiresome, so I went shopping.

Congratulations St Louis Cardinals. How many days to spring training, because the world just got a little darker here.

Last one outta the stadium pick up your hot dog wrapper. Lights

out.

Can't we just say, "Hey, he was a Republican when he wrote that"? I mean, after all, it's OK when a Republican does it, right? No, but seriously, I showed this list of Republican child molesters to a Repub troll one time and out of a hundred guys on there, one was about how Strom Thurmond had sex with and impregnated that 15 year old Black girl (all the while being a racist) and the troll read the list then said, "Ah-hah! Strom was a Democrat when he did that!". And that's all he cared about on the list.

http://www.armchairsubversive.com/

How about John McCain?

Noone ever said that they were very bright, Domingo.

Hi, BlueGirl.

How about John McCain?

Posted by Marine on October 28, 2006 at 12:00 AM

He should pick up his own wrapper. Just cause he's a Senator doesn't mean he can't be tidy.

Didn't McCain suggest that torture was not effective when explaining why he wrote those terrible things he wrote about our government during Vietnam?

I believe he claimed to have been coerced into making false statements.

Apparrently torture was effective on John McCain.

hmmm new folks. welcome blue state red girl. thing is marine the republicans have somehow made it honorable to dishonor war heroes...it is some sort of deal they made with devil or something. our own coulter troll is slamming a guy who lost his limbs...it was his fault he says...guess he just took the subway to nam and was juggling grenades for spare change....

Posted by Marine on October 27, 2006 at 11:48 PM

Smear only works for so long and then it gets tuned out. To counter, the GOP has gradually had to become more and more outrageous.

Right now, they look downright unhinged.

dors, take a look at that pew poll ( shit i thought i was going to bed?) it splains why the trolls are getting so nasty...they are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel and it is the A-train bearing down and they are tied to the tracks...

If you are looking for false information, McCain says it works.

Wow. Letterman just slapped the snot out of Bill O-Lie-ley. It'll be on YouTube within the hour. Here are three of the better bitch-slappings Letterman dished up:

"You're putting words in my mouth just like you put artificial facts in your head."

"A reasonable person can't believe a damned word your saying."

"I have no idea what I'm talking about, but I don't think you do either."

Oh, how I long for the good ole' days, like when Ollie North was heading to prison for disgracing his Marine Corps uniform instead of to Fox News.

My husband is a retired Major from the USAF. he was enlisted the first six years.

well i am going to bed but bluegirl and the rest of the newcomers and oldies who are showing up here lately...canvas, phone bank, light candles and just maybe we will do the happy dance together late into the morning est 11/7...peace.

Jim Webb was a Republican before he became a Democrat, for those who didn't "get the joke" I made above. The DLC leaders of our Party (Emanual, Schummer, the Clintons, etc.) want to enlist so called "ex-Republicans" to run on the Democratic tickets of every race they can.

I went the same route BlueGirl.

Posted by gregg on October 28, 2006 at 12:08 AM the republicans have somehow made it honorable to dishonor war heroes...

The GOP has used the U.S. Military as political prop for the last 4 decades.

It's no different than cheap labor economics. The treat workers like they are incredients for moulding compound to be bought at the lowest possible price.

Hey Frostycowshyt, Boogy man is gonn'a getcha

Bootstraps are a wonderful thing.

I never have seen a set of those, BlueGirl. What do you think they look like?

Posted by BlueGirlRedState on October 28, 2006 at 12:15 AM My husband is a retired Major from the USAF.

My uncle taught math at the USAF Academy after Vietnam. One of his sons flew for SAC when they were still flying and flew in the first Gulf war.

What pisses me off is their assumption that they have exclusive rights to the loyalty of the troops in uniform. That's bull. It's a pretty even split just like it is in everyday civilian life. Where the hell do citizen soldiers come from again?

I watched my husband take his oath more than once, and my father take his more than once too (dad retired a CPO - he was a swabbie). Neither of them ever pledged to uphold the platform of the Republican party. They pledged to uphold the Constitution.

Posted by gregg on October 28, 2006 at 12:10 AM it splains why the trolls are getting so nasty...

Actually, I think the "nastiness" level is the result of the natural progression of Rove style politics.

In order to make themselves heard, they have to become more and more absurd, sort of like a freak show at a carnival.

Bootstraps? I think they look like two years of busting ones ass getting an Electrical Engineering degree 15-18 hrs. a semester, and paying back the years in the Lt. ranks for the priviledge.

Dorsano: My husband was a Titan II guy, he served the dual mission of deactivation and maintaining readiness simultaneously. He was a brand-new Airman with a mosquito wing on his sleeve when the missile at Rock Kansas had the oxydizer leak, and Wichita realized just what the hell was in their wheatfields.

There is also that suggestion that we should always support the CiC, although we know for a fact that the same did not occur while Bill Clinton was in office.

The scene of WWII convinced me that vocal military commanders ensured that we would fight a logical and successful war.

It's a tough degree. You have to love all the math though, I did.

I remember. My husband and I deliberated a lot of long nights after the kids were in bed while the Supreme Court decided the 2000 election. He put in his papers the Monday morning after the decision was handed down.

He said "I can't serve this guy. He's gonna get a bunch of young men killed and a lot of middle aged men like me are going to be responsible for it. I want no part of him." I said Fine - you always stand up and you have in 20 plpus, so go to CBPO and resign your commission."

So he did.

He, no doubt, heard the warmongers coming. I was reading them loud and clear on the inside long before Bush even took the election. That McCain thing was my sign.

I'm past my bedtime. I have date stuffing envelopes at 8:30 tomorrow morning.

Goodnight, Democrats. Take care. Thank your husband for me, BlueGirl.

cya

goodnight. Nice meeting you. He thanks you for your service electing Democrats.

Richard Perle. When he became a foreign policy expert, the first horseman topped the hill.

Posted by BlueGirlRedState on October 28, 2006 at 12:42 AM He thanks you for your service electing Democrats.

Shit. With this brood of gooper, that's a no brainer. He pulled the tougher duty I'm afraid.

Nice meeting you too, BG.

Goodnight, Marine.

So what was your take on the Rumsfeld meltdown yesterday, Marine?