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Hi, Ho! - Hi Ho! It's off to work I go
With handgernades and razor blades
Hi ho, Hi ho.
Three cribs at Christmas: a message from Bethlehem
No, this has not been a good year for how the world's main monotheistic religions have worked together for peace and justice, much less for love.Christmas and the holy seasons of Islam and Judaism offer us an opportunity to look afresh at what could unite us and what could make us act humbly and healingly as true sisters and brothers of one another, daughters and sons of one God. If we started with the births of Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, we might celebrate a season not of one but of three cribs. Their births in these three cribs might get us behind our differences and our dogmas to our human vulnerability and to our need for compassion for one another, for ourselves and for all.
Another Cheney fraternity brother bites the dust?
Turkmen leader dies, uncertainty on successionBy Marat Gurt
ASHGABAT (Reuters) - Turkmenistan's President-for-life Saparmurat Niyazov died suddenly on Thursday after 21 years of iron rule, raising a risk of political instability in the energy-rich country that some feared could have an impact on Europe's gas supplies.
Niyazov, 66, who crushed all dissent in his reclusive state and basked in a unique and bizarre personality cult while ruling a country with huge natural gas reserves, died overnight of cardiac arrest, state television said...
Well, I guess this is another "democracy opportunity" for the GOP gang that can't devise an alternative fuel policy.
jeez, Kristen. Thanks for posting that right after I sang my morning song. :)
Has anyone ever looked at the Illinois Democratic website? http://www.ildems.com
The site is a waste. It was so frustrating during the 100 days activities because most of the activities would say 'go to your state site for more information.' Which was inevitably a dead end as our site has hardly any information. It is not updated at all. I would think one of the biggest and bluest states around should have something more than that.
repost form last thread, and good morningto everyone:
gregg on December 21, 2006 at 07:49 AM,
Yeah, but Greg, you must understand what always win elections for Republicans; fear. We have to keep our country at the brim of holocaust, to maintain the lack of security issue, to maintain the trillion dollar defence industry, to maintain the flow of oil, etc etc. It's all tied together. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that Bosco desires to destabililize the planet by spreading nuclear technology to those coiuntries that he says is okay to have it, while holding the nuclear carrot away from those he tempts into promoting nuclear autrocity.
Posted by davidual on December 21, 2006 at 09:29 AM
salutetheDems...What a great idea...Put all 300 million of us on their plan!!!!Just remember that the name of this administration is "Bush's Folly"..pass it on..ridicule can have it's place and be efffective
Good morning Dors! Dont generally get the pleasure of your company in the morning. :)
I seen an article this morning stating US Troops asked Gates for more troops... I wonder if these meetings were of the hand picked type our Chimp in chief has?
Filet Mignon, Pinot Noir and an MRI
Imagine for a moment that you own an upscale restaurant -- one that offers vintage wines, fine cuts of beef and exotic seafood. But night after night, patrons are leaving before paying their bills. Indeed, so many guests are now stiffing your restaurant that you face a financial crisis
Forgive if this is a reposted article.
Bush "Developing Illegal Bioterror Weapons" for Offensive Use
In violation of the US Code and international law, the Bush administration is spending more money (in inflation-adjusted dollars) to develop illegal, offensive germ warfare than the $2 billion spent in World War II on the Manhattan Project to make the atomic bomb.
Autrocity, au contraire, surely I meant atrocity; and coiuntries is meant to be countries. D'oh!!
Esmeralda on December 21, 2006 at 10:27 AM,
I like the analogy used here, comparing health care to dining out at exclusive restaurant (after all are not health insurance choices called "cafeteria plans"), but I am willing to bet the affluent would never be able to grasp the concept of this article. Their first opinion would be, "Well, then, don't serve them!" Why is it the more affluent one becomes, the more ethically challenged one evolves?
"I have no future" -- Jeb Bush tells reporters
Thu Dec 21, 2006 6:57am ET
and neither does his brother. the rest of us are just hoping the asshole doesn't end our futures as well.
Here in my section of Illinois today and yesterday we've been getting hit with some steady rain. Kinda glad it's not snow...But if it were we'd be like Colorado for sure... All thought we did have that here afew weeks back... Yeah gotta do some errands too...
My feelings on our new Congress... Get the job done,NO COMPROMISES..... Get Our Troops Home..Raise the Minimum Wage...Quit the Out Flow of Our Jobs..Bring Back Our Stature As A Global Leader...
My feelings on our new Congress... Get the job done,NO COMPROMISES..... Get Our Troops Home..Raise the Minimum Wage...Quit the Out Flow of Our Jobs..Bring Back Our Stature As A Global Leader...
****
Good almost afternoon all,
No Compromises - agreed. So what is Barnie Frank doing with the corporate lobbyists trying to cut a "grand deal"? The corporations agree to a minimum wage increase and we relax regulatikons and give them tax breaks. When does this business friendly crap ever stop? The corporations don't need any more help, people do.
Get Our Troops Home - what you said, what yuou said. But is Give Em Hell Harry saying that he can live with a temporary surge? Yes I know he retracted that statement but will the right wing media ever report that? He already gave the Puggies cover to escalate the war. And why won't Dems join the Out of Iraq caucus or sign up to Jim McGovern's bill to cut funding for Iraq to that which is needed to redeploy. So far, I would say our party is just about as stubborn as the Republicans.
Raise the Minimum Wage - yes and with no strings attached. Do you hear that Barney Frank!
Quit the Out Flow of jobs - so, why did any Dems sign up to the Vietnam free trade agreement? Why haven't we hit China with tariffs? Why do we keep ratifying NAFTA and WTO? Each year we have a chance to drop out but we never do.
Bring Back our stature as a global leader - Agreed but quite impossible as long as Bush is President.
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I agree with everything you said. I just don't the energy in our party to confront the Republicans and make it happen - despite the 21006 election! I hope the Dems prove me wrong but so far I am not seeing it based on their recent statements. I even heard that Bush was floating yet another balloon on creating social security private accounts and he got a couple of Dems to listen. This is unacceptable.
Posted by J on December 21, 2006 at 07:10 AM
My daughters have listened to hip hop and rap their whole lives. What has it done to the white youth?
Posted by Esmeralda on December 21, 2006 at 07:58 AM
The study will include ALL youth, but will have a deeper concentration on black youth. I don't know if you're aware or not, but white youth pump millions of dollars into the industry. From just an early glance at some stats/info, I suspect that they are the backbone of the financial side.
First I have to get the funding for the study though.
Nearly a fifth of consumers with bad credit who borrowed money to buy a house in the past two years will default on their mortgages and lose their homes, an industry survey projects.
A study released Tuesday by the Center for Responsible Lending found subprime mortgage loans, or loans to consumers with blemished or limited credit histories, have become riskier due to a cooling housing market and relaxed lending standards.
CRL, a nonprofit research organization that fights predatory lending practices, predicted lenders will foreclose on 19 percent of the subprime mortgage loans issued in 2005 and the first three quarters of 2006.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/12/21/7496/5638
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Think about that - 20% of this country is headed to mortgage defaults. This country is on th eroad to fiscal ruin and the Pentagon has the gall to ask for 97 billion more for Iraq and Afghanistan. While Democrats meekly say they will give them whatever they want. Great! Oh yeah, we won't give Halliburton whatever they want and that's good but it's not good enough.
This is suicide. I recall clearly what was the result of Vietnam war reckless spending - double digit interest and a recession that lasted years. I think we are headed toward an even worst recession ... maybe even a depression.
Posted by Kristen on December 21, 2006 at 09:21 AM
Kristen,
I don't understand why Christians and Jews don't recognize Muhammad as a prophet.
His Pillars of Faith strike me as a profound continuation of the principles stated in the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mound. Why do we assume that the Lord quit trying to teach us The Way after Christ died? I'd like to think He's still looking out for us.
A Muslim protestor in Turkey posed the above question when the Pope recently visited there. I found it a provocative but relevant query with the Christian holy season approaching.
Instead of running around buying presents we don't need maybe we should be thinking more about peace at this time of year...the ultimate present that keeps on giving. What better way to accomplish this miracle than to take the three major religions that are linked so closely and strengthen the bonds that give us all hope?
Are there any Christian or Hebrew leaders wise or brave enough to approach this issue?
Thanks for sharing, Kristen. And Merry Christmas to you.
No Compromises - agreed. So what is Barnie Frank doing with the corporate lobbyists trying to cut a "grand deal"? The corporations agree to a minimum wage increase and we relax regulatikons and give them tax breaks. When does this business friendly crap ever stop? The corporations don't need any more help, people do.
I agree with everything you said. I just don't the energy in our party to confront the Republicans and make it happen - despite the 21006 election! I hope the Dems prove me wrong but so far I am not seeing it based on their recent statements. I even heard that Bush was floating yet another balloon on creating social security private accounts and he got a couple of Dems to listen. This is unacceptable.
Posted by rjsnj on December 21, 2006 at 11:33 AM
See the above statement is why I really couldn't do politics. I am a negotiator/compromiser and there IS a big difference from the out and out deals that one has to make and the beds one sleeps in with getting legislative action done.
And to tell the truth I am too much of a straight shooter to play the politics game.
Instead of running around buying presents we don't need maybe we should be thinking more about peace at this time of year
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sandy, did you hear that great "Christian" Bush encourage us yesterday to go out and do more shopping! The man is a revolting swine. Here he is talking about how 2007 will be even more difficult for the troops (meaning he plans to get even more of them killed and maimed) and he encourages us to go out and do more shopping.
Posted by rjsnj on December 21, 2006 at 11:53 AM
Ah, but he can't be a Christian because yesterday he said, "I wish you all a happy holiday." O'Reilly's head must be spinning...
"I wish you all a happy holiday." O'Reilly's head must be spinning...
****
blue, I caught that one too! I will report Chuckle Nuts (as Malloy calls him) to the Luffa Boy at once.
Dodd Seeks Call-Back Exemptions For Unfit Soldiers
Submitted by davidswanson on Thu, 2006-12-21 16:06. Congress
By LISA CHEDEKEL, Courant
U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd is asking newly appointed Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to ensure that soldiers debilitated by post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental illnesses are not sent back into combat.
"If experienced VA doctors diagnose military personnel with incapacitating disabilities, such as severe PTSD, it would seem counter to our national security interests for the military services to somehow disregard these evaluations for less thorough assessments performed by military officials," Dodd wrote in a letter Tuesday to Gates. "It seems unacceptable and perhaps even reckless to ask our servicemen and women to entrust their lives to soldiers deemed mentally unfit by medical professionals."
Dodd, D-Conn., said he was troubled by recent reports that some Connecticut veterans who had left active duty and had been deemed disabled with PTSD were being recalled for repeat deployments to Iraq. The Courant featured several of those soldiers in a recent story.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/16597
That's a start! It's cruel what we are doing to the troops calling them back again and again. Some are in serious mental anguish and others are in serious financial problems (in some cases both!).
If Cheney's Talking, He Should Talk to Congress
Submitted by davidswanson on Thu, 2006-12-21 15:58. Congress | Criminal Prosecution
By John Nichols, The Nation
Vice President Dick Cheney should get used to testifying under oath.
It is expeacted that he will start talking soon, as part of a self-serving effort to defend a former aide. But once the vice president's done giving that testimony, how hard would it be for him to head over to Capitol Hill and respond to all the questions that members of Congress have been preparing to ask?
It was revealed Tuesday that Cheney will be called to testify on behalf of his former chief of staff, I. Scooter Libby.
J,
See the above statement is why I really couldn't do politics.
****
So, let me understand this. The Democrats can't even pass a clean minimum wage increase? They have to put in business friendly measures to get a couple of dollars an hour for workers. If that's true then this country is simply a slave of the corporations and there is no government for the people.
Bush 'Brainwashed' Blair on Iraq Pullout - Iraq VP
Submitted by davidswanson on Thu, 2006-12-21 15:55. Media
By Michelle Nichols, Reuters
British Prime Minister Tony Blair was in favor of announcing a timetable to pull troops out of Iraq, but was "brainwashed" out of it by President George W. Bush, Iraq's vice president said on Tuesday.
Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi told New York's Council on Foreign Relations that when he spoke with Blair about three months ago, the British leader was supportive of his appeal for the United States and Britain to say when they would withdraw.
"I had just convinced him," Hashemi said. "He promised he was going to discuss the subject with President Bush, but at the end of the day, it's quite unfortunate, that your president (made) some sort of brainwashing of Mr. Blair."
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/16593
The real question now is has Bush brainwashed Gordon Brown as well. Blair is gone by the end of the year.
I have an idea on compromising with the corporations.
They can get out of our way on increasing the minimum wage or I would increase their taxes!
I think it's almost got so bad in this country that one day a President will have to threaten to throw some CEO's in jail if they don't cooperate. FDR actually did that during the depression era. Of course, I would rather not see it ever come down to that but we have been living with corporate tyranny for over 25 years now. Where has it got us? Shrinking wages, no pensions, poor or no health care, jobs disappearing from the country. Oh yeah, Americans are good for two thinsg according to the corporatists:
Spending money even when it means going into debt.
Fighting wars to protect their overseas economic interests.
gregg on December 21, 2006 at 10:58 AM:
Actually, I'm hoping W and his henchmen have a long and public life on trial at the International Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The war is already lost
Submitted by davidswanson on Thu, 2006-12-21 15:02. Media
Ideological zealotry has helped destroy Iraq, revive the Taliban and increase the terror threat
By Tariq Ali, The Guardian
Once a war goes badly wrong and its justifications are shown to be lies, to insist that a "democratic" Iraq is visible on the horizon and that "we must stay the course" becomes a total fantasy. What is to be done?
In the US a group of Foggy Bottom elders was wheeled in to prepare a report. This admitted what the whole world (Downing Street excepted) already knew: the occupation is a disaster and the situation gets more hellish every day. After US citizens voted accordingly in the mid-term elections, the White House sacrificed the Pentagon warlord, Donald Rumsfeld.
The warlord of Downing Street, however, is still at large, zombie-like in his denials that anything serious is wrong in Baghdad or Kabul. Everything, for him, can still be remedied by a dose of humanitarian medicine (a poison so powerful and audacious that no resistance is possible). His desperate attempts to play the statesman have made him a laughing stock in friendly Arab capitals and Baghdad's Green Zone. Iraq is the umbilical cord that ties him to his fate.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/16586
This is what they are saying across the pond about Iraq, ISG, etc...
What is the procedure for removing a president who is no longer mentally capable to serve?
What is the procedure for removing a president who is no longer mentally capable to serve?
****
I believe it's the "I" word. Impeachment! Now I went and said it.
No doubt posts will follow telling me that we can't impeach W, we shouldn't impeach W, it will rip the nation apart, etc...
But, the man is criminally insane so what do you do about it? The worst approach is to compromise with him.
Bush warns of more U.S. losses in Iraq
Submitted by davidswanson on Thu, 2006-12-21 13:53. Media
By TERENCE HUNT, Associated Press
Acknowledging deepening frustration over Iraq, President Bush said Wednesday he is considering an increase in American forces and warned that next year will bring more painful U.S. losses. New Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in Baghdad that a troop surge was an obvious option.
Bush was unusually candid at a year-end news conference about U.S. setbacks and dashed hopes in the war, which has claimed the lives of more than 2,950 U.S. military members.
He said "2006 was a difficult year for our troops and the Iraqi people. We began the year with optimism" but that faded as extremists fomented sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shiites.
"And over the course of the year they had success," the president acknowledged. "Their success hurt our efforts to help the Iraqis rebuild their country, it set back reconciliation, it kept Iraq's unity government and our coalition from establishing security and stability throughout the country."
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/16576
So the mental defective Bush is plainly planning on killing more Americans and Iraqi while spending at least another 100 billion of your tax dollars. And I am suppose to want to compromise with this monster? What in the world for?
Posted by rjsnj on December 21, 2006 at 11:53 AM
rjsnj,
Even Tweety thought Bush's shopping comment was in bad taste. If any of the evangelicals still support this moron, they are as pagan as he is.
I suppose Bush had privy to the "real" GNP figures that hadn't been posted yet and thought he best drum up some business before the little people found out just how hard the next Bush recession is going to be.
Two recessions in eight years? Boy, those permanent tax cuts to the rich are really trickling down on the rest of us.
WAR CRIMES REPORT ADVERTISED IN THE MILITARY TIMES NEWSPAPERS
Submitted by davidswanson on Thu, 2006-12-21 01:51. Media
By Nick Mottern, Director, Consumers for Peace
“U.S. War Crimes in Iraq and Mechanisms for Accountability” is being advertised for the month of December in the classified sections of the weekly newspapers Army, Navy, Marine and Air Force Times, published by Military Times. The newspapers are distributed to all U.S. military bases around the world and are read by an estimated 1 million military people, according to a Military Times advertising representative.
“We felt that the people who are ordered to fight in Iraq, and those who support U.S. presence Iraq, ought to know of the opportunity to learn about the many ways in which the United States has violated and continues to violate international law there,” said Nick Mottern, Director of ConsumersforPeace.org, publisher of the war crimes report.
Even Tweety thought Bush's shopping comment was in bad taste.
****
sandy, I didn't catch that. Pretty bad when Tweety starts beating on Bush.
If we go bad into another recession it will be much harder to come out of it for these reasons:
1. There is way more debt.
2. The dollar has already dangerously devaluated. That will make cutting the federal funds rate very risky.
3. Structural weakness. Too many low paying jobs that took the place of good manufacturing and engineering jobs.
Sandy, I've heard both Jews and Muslim's ask why Christians cannot accept Muhammad as a prophet when they are able to accept that Jesus was one.
I think this is a very fair question to be asking.
Saudi Royals Snub Bush, Fund Opposition to US Troops
By Jeffrey Klein and Paolo Pontoniere
New America Media
Thursday 21 December 2006
Early in November, National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley recommended, in a memo leaked to the press, that Saudi Arabia play a leadership role in talks about Iraq's future. But even before the memo landed on Bush's White House desk, the Saudis were positioning themselves to directly influence strategy in Iraq:
While the debate about negotiating with the Iranians and the Syrians raged in America's leading circles, Vice President Dick Cheney flew to Riyadh for talks. Topic of conversation? The safety of Iraq's Sunni minority should American forces disengage. Simply put: the king read the riot act to the vice president.
A few weeks later the Iraq Study Group asserted that Saudi private citizens, and probably a few members of the Saudi royal family, have been financing the Sunni opposition in Iraq all along. This is the same opposition that is targeting U.S. troops. Last week, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah confirmed that his loyalty must lie with Iraq's Sunni tribal chiefs, even if his support also helps insurgents who have been fighting Americans and the Brits.
Early in November, the Saudis announced their intention to build a $10 billion wall (give or take a few billion) on the border with Iraq, with Raytheon as the top bidder. Raytheon, one of America's premier weapons manufacturers, has close ties to the neocons, including Richard Armitage, former undersecretary of state and Sean O'Keefe, secretary of the Navy during the Reagan administration. Raytheon's stock price is hovering near a seven-year high.
The Saudis are clear about their bottom line: If the United States isn't careful about withdrawing from Iraq, the Sunni kingdom will have no other choice but to arm Iraqi's Sunnis, especially if the Saudi's arch-rival, Iran, which has already destabilized the regional power equilibrium by launching a nuclear program, rushes into a military vacuum left by the Americans.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/122106D.shtml
Sweet huh? So, we have Iran funding the Shia and Saudi funding the Sunni.
What is the procedure for removing a president who is no longer mentally capable to serve?
The British set up a fake farm for crazy King George in a park in London. Maybe we could do the same for Spunky but make it another fake ranch just like the one in Crawford.
It would have lots of bush for him to clear along with all those drugs out of his system. It would be sort of a Beltway rehab center for every hypocrite, drunken celebrity in the country....a la the Betty Ford Center out west.
We could call it the Bush Dylusional Center for Recovering Hypocrites, Liars, and Con Men...who use drugs as an excuse for their corruption.
Economic Growth Slows to Two Percent
The Associated Press
Thursday 21 December 2006
Pace in late summer held back by housing slump.
Washington - Economic growth slowed to a 2 percent pace in the late summer, more sluggish than previously thought, as the real-estate bust weighed on overall business activity.
The new reading on gross domestic product for the July-to-September quarter marked a slight downgrade from the 2.2 percent annual ra?e estimated a month ago, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.
The economy has been losing momentum all this year. The main culprit behind the third quarter's slowdown was the deepening housing slump.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/122106E.shtml
The last time we had a bust in th ehousing market the country entered a difficult recession. Funny that was also the post Vietnam war period. History is definitely repeating itself.
Posted by SandyH on December 21, 2006 at 12:44 PM
Sandy, doesn't he already have a fake "ranch" to go home to? This should save us some money! ;)
sandy, I didn't catch that. Pretty bad when Tweety starts beating on Bush.
rjsnj,
It was Mathews' lead story yesterday on Hardball. Tweety has been like a recovering smoker these day. He can't stand the Karen Hughes BS anymore. Just the smell drives him wild.
It would have lots of bush for him to clear along with all those drugs out of his system. It would be sort of a Beltway rehab center for every hypocrite, drunken celebrity in the country....a la the Betty Ford Center out west.
****
LOL ... that is of course the man's true calling in life ... to clean out the brush that is.
Posted by Kristen on December 21, 2006 at 12:47 PM
And the GOP say Democrats are the fiscally irresponsible. I hadn't thought of that. Send Mel Gibson, Folly, Tiara Tara and all the gang down to Crawford.
As many as eight Marines could be charged in the biggest U.S. criminal case to emerge from the war in Iraq in terms of Iraqis killed.
Full Story:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/12/21/haditha.marines.ap/index.html
2 roadside bombings kill 7 in Afghanistan
Three police officers and four civilians were killed Thursday in separate roadside bombing attacks in Afghanistan.
Two bombs were detonated at about the same time in two provinces, Afghan officials said.
Full Story:
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2006/12/21/bomb-civilians.html
Posted by Kristen on December 21, 2006 at 12:39 PM
The difference being is that most Christians do NOT see Jesus as a Prophet. They see him as the Living Son of God. Game Set Match for the Christians. It is enlightening that other religions give Jesus some sort of recognition, whereas Christianity proclaims that they and only they have found the way...
Baghdad suicide bomber kills at least 10
A suicide bomber has killed at least 10 people and injured a dozen others outside a police recruitment centre in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. Full Story:
As many as eight Marines could be charged in the biggest U.S. criminal case to emerge from the war in Iraq in terms of Iraqis killed.
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kicking,
Haditha reminds me so much of the My Lai massacre.
We are doing the same thing to our troops - bringing out the worst in them. That's what counter-insurgency efforts do - they bring out the worst in the occupation force. Wholesale death, rape and pillaging become norms. For the sake of our nation's soul, we need to get out opf Iraq now.
Sweet huh? So, we have Iran funding the Shia and Saudi funding the Sunni.
Posted by rjsnj on December 21, 2006 at 12:39 PM
So why are still in Iraq? We don't have enough money in the treasury to armour our Humvees. It's obvious that we have no real role in that part of the world but to get in the way of the warring factions.
I thought the Saudis were blackmailing Bush into staying, but maybe they just want to inflict as much revenge on us as they can....by insisting we stay and then fund the Iraqi Sunnis to shoot at us. I guess that is the Iran strategy as well with al Sadr.
It's a shame the Iraq Study Group couldn't hammer any sense into the morons in the White House. I guess they were just born to fail.
Americans' gave President Bush lower marks for his economic stewardship. The president's approval rating on the economy sank to 38 percent in December, down from 43 percent in November, according to an AP-Ipsos poll.
****
Looks like people are catching on to the Bush-it.
Or maybe the economy is catching up to them as they default on mortgages and can't afford to pay the credit cards off. Remember you can no longer declare Chapter 11 and get out of debt easily. The Republicans made sure of that. Do you think they knew hard times were coming? You betcha!
Sandyh... I don't want to pay for it!! If we can't get him frog marched into Sadr City, let's put him under a bridge with homeless people who have no health insurance as see how long he survives!
It's a shame the Iraq Study Group couldn't hammer any sense into the morons in the White House. I guess they were just born to fail.
****
sandy, I think this is the perfect frame for the situation in Iraq. We are paying the insurgency to shoot at our troops!
So, is this what the war mongers mean by supporting the troops - funnel money to the people trying to kill them?
If we can't get him frog marched into Sadr City
****
Or to the World Court along with the other war criminals Rumsfeld and Cheney.
You know I'm with Rosy. I think this beauty queen rehab press conference was just a publicity stunt to get viewers to think about the next season of Trump's Apprentice...just like the racial segregation of tribes was a means to get people to watch a floundering Survivor series.
But then Rosy's pronouncement was a publicity stunt to get people to watch The View....and The Donald's reaction is a publicity stunt to keep the media frenzy going.
The whole frickin world is being run by public relations stunts. Hugo Chevez and the Iranian nut are just following the lead of Bush with his photo op presidency. Shouldn't there be more important matters for these knucleheads to attending?
Doesn't this beauty queen have better things to with her life, too?
But then Rosy's pronouncement was a publicity stunt to get people to watch The View....and The Donald's reaction is a publicity stunt to keep the media frenzy going
****
I detest Donald Trump. In fact, he is a symbol for what's ill in our society. Here is a man who changes wifes just about every year lecturing on morality. Let's not even go there with his business ethics - I actually lived in a Trump apartment building a long long time ago. The man is a crook.
Posted by goodfoe on December 21, 2006 at 01:07 PM
But Bush doesn't see anything wrong with "other" people living under an overpass or doing without medical care. He has no empathy for anyone including his father. He thinks he's a law unto himself and was placed in this position by his other father.
He's as crazy as Nero. And Cheney is as corrupt as Caligula.
Publicity stunt or not, Rosy was right. Trump is a nutbird that carries his nest right there on his head.
And what's really crazy is that even a nutcase like the Iranian President understands what's going on in Washington....but not the people who voted for Bush.
Dinner bell ringing...and my project has to be finished. later.
...and while president dog brain dreams of finding the ring or pulling the sword from the stone or whatever that asshole dreams....
3 More American Servicemen Die in Iraq
By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA Associated Press Writer
December 21,2006 | BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Three more American servicemen have died in Iraq, the U.S. military said Thursday, putting December on track to be among the deadliest months of the year...
...Meanwhile, attacks by deaths squads, bombers and others against Iraqi civilian and security targets continued Thursday...
...A suicide bomber blew up in the midst of a group of police volunteers in eastern Baghdad early in the day, killing at least 14 people and wounded 21 others, police said. At least two of the dead were policemen...
...Officials also announced the murder of Iraq's Olympic cycling coach, killed after gunmen kidnapped him from his home....
...In other violence Thursday:
-- In the northern city of Mosul, gunmen killed five civilians in separate shootings.
-- The morgue in Kut, 25 miles south of the capital, received the bodies of five victims of violence. Two were decapitated, with hands and legs bound, and the other three were pulled from the Tigris river, a morgue official said.
-- Two women were killed and one child was injured when mortar rounds landed in a Shiite area south of Baghdad, police said.
-- A car bomb in Baghdad killed two civilians and wounded two others, police said...
IMPEACH NOW!
He's as crazy as Nero. And Cheney is as corrupt as Caligula.
****
Or the Czar Alexander with Cheney as his Rasputin (or is that Rove's role in this american tragedy?).
Either way it ended up bad for all concerned.
...and while president dog brain dreams of finding the ring or pulling the sword from the stone or whatever that asshole dreams....
****
hi gregg,
and if he "surges" the troops there will sadly be even more funeral "dirges".
And I am suppose to want to compromise with this monster? What in the world for?
Posted by rjsnj on December 21, 2006 at 12:29 PM,
So he doesn't push the button and start a nuke war!!
Only a crazy person will run around the world saying that we don't negotiate with terroriat', and then become one themselves. Everybody is on pins, and holding their breaths for the next two years. Hoping he doesn't go on a 'I want my way' temper tantrum.
Long US Work Hours Are Bad for the Environment, Study Shows
By Mark Weisbrot
t r u t h o u t | Report
Wednesday 20 December 2006
Washington - If the world works as many hours as Americans currently do, it would consume 15-30 percent more energy by 2050 than it would by following Europe's model, according to a paper by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR).
"Are Shorter Work Hours Good for the Environment? A Comparison of U.S. and European Energy Consumption," by researcher David Rosnick and economist Mark Weisbrot, looks at the potential environmental effects of European and other countries adopting the U.S. norm of longer work hours. The authors find that the implications for global climate change could be significant.
"Old Europe" currently consumes about half as much energy per person as does the United States. If Europe were to adopt U.S. practices and increase annual work hours to American levels, the paper shows, they could consume some 30 percent more energy than they do at present. Not only could that impact fuel prices worldwide, but the resulting carbon emissions would make it far more difficult for the EU to meet its commitments to the Kyoto Protocol.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/122106H.shtml
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There are other factors such as long commutes, non-green ogffice building that consume way too much energy (you think the corporatists would be smart enough to figure out they could save money by going green) and lack of mass transit.
So he doesn't push the button and start a nuke war!!
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hi david, I meant from the standpoint of a Democrat trying to compromise with Bush. It's a useless exercise. He always gets his way and will lie just to suck Democrats into a "deal" with him. Ask Ted Kennedy about NCLB. Bush suckered him into supporting it and then dropped all the parts about improving conditions in the schools.
Talk about America held hostage! Thirty six years ago it was by Iraq, today we are held hostage by our own president, and he is using Iran as a shield to continue with his asininity. Just the way I see it!
davidual on December 21, 2006 at 01:38,
Irag should have been Iran in last post!! You knew that I'm sure, but I caught it just as I clicked the post button.
held hostage by our own president,
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david, that's pretty much what I think Rove (Bush's brain) is trying to accomplish. He is suckering us into making bad deals with Bush. That gives him plenty of cover to say that Democratic leaders went along with me. We should have learned from 2001- 2002 when we foolishly went along with NCLB, the Iraq AUMF and the Patriot Act. Capitulating to Bush in the name of bipartisianship was the undoings of Democrats in 2004. We seemed to be on the right path in 2006. Now, the Democrats are turning chicken little on us again and are talking about compromises with Bush. What compromises? With an untrustworthy vicious mad man?
rjsnj on December 21, 2006 at 01:36 PM,
NCLB was a schmooze legislation anyway. Bush used this legislation to gain "political capital". It has been underfunded every year since it's inception, so that should tell anybody that cares what Bush thinks about NCLB!!
As for Democrats, especially Ted Kennedy, there's a saying for them and it goes like this, "Fool me once; shame on you. Fool me twice; shame on me!" I'm sure you know it, but all I'm trying to say is they should know better by now, and probably do, but must continually play the bipartisan card--All The Way To Hell--it appears.
Why do I say that Bush is trying to sucker Democratic leaders? He even brought up social security private accounts again! Can you imagine the arroganve of this man? The Republicans lost in 2006 due to a large extent Bush's unpopularity. What started Bush's plunge into the low 30's? Iraq of course and his social security privatization magic show!
Democratic leaders need to learn how to say NO to this man. Be bold and pass the legislation that they campaigned on in 2006. The public will hold the Republicans responsible if Bush vetoes everything in 2008.
rjsnj, instead of a surge and a dirge we need a good old fashioned purge...
but must continually play the bipartisan card--All The Way To Hell--it appears.
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david, there's no reason to continue doing that. Bush has two more years ... unless he declares himself dictator for life and then we have a major problem that politics can't fix. There is no percentage in compromising with Bush. Maybe back in 2001-2002 some Dems still thought it was possible to cut deals with Bush. They had to give the new president at least the benefit of the doubt. There's no reason to do that anymore.
The voters will judge the Democrats harshly if they turn their back on the agenda they ran on in 2006. When we said "had enough", this wasn't just a catchy punch line for the voters. They genuinely had enough and are looking for Democrats to prove they really are different from Republicans. As the saying went in the social security privatization debate - Throw Bush an anvil!
I think the Democrats have been bipartisan with the Republicans long enough. The Democrats have the ball, it's time to get off the fence and play offence. Screw it, let the republicans learn a little bit about bipartisanship. They definitely treat this word as a blasphemy. Sorry just trying to make a pun here, but it did not seem to click.
Remember, too, the NCLB initiative is to discredit public schools. Set high standards, not funded, then when they fail use it as an excuse to issue vouchers for use at private schools. Thus public education withers.
instead of a surge and a dirge we need a good old fashioned purge...
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gregg, that's the motto of the week!
greg,
The purge should be coming in two years, but if democrats continue to sit on Bosco's fence then the Dem2006 victory will be short lived, and we can forget about that purge.
the NCLB initiative is to discredit public schools
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Very true. Also, it gives military recruiters access to schools. There is just something sinister about that.
salutetheDems on December 21, 2006 at 01:55 PM,
Amnother good point!!
rjsnj on December 21, 2006 at 02:02 PM,
Yeah, especially access to middle schools. It's like let us plan ahead, we hate school so just plan in the seventh grade to go fight the next neocon right religious adventure.
A gotta go. Almost time for school to be out. All have a good evening. Oh, I know I jumped right in this afternoon without the proper salutation. Sorry for the rudeness!!;)
Even Tweety thought Bush's shopping comment was in bad taste. If any of the evangelicals still support this moron, they are as pagan as he is.
Posted by SandyH on December 21, 2006 at 12:32 PM
Stop insulting pagans, dang it!
i need to run too to tutor kids. the american public school system is the best vehicle for promoting and building on our democratic, secular way of collective life. schools are our tools, don't turn em over to the fools!
f democrats continue to sit on Bosco's fence then the Dem2006 victory will be short lived
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david, my point exactly. This could all go the other way if the perception of the public is that Democrats lied in 2006 about their platform and passed Republican like legislation in 2007-2008.
We are better off passing almost nothing (I am assuming Bush will veto just about everything or issue a signing statement) than to go against our principles.
chools are our tools, don't turn em over to the fools!
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Good one gregg, have a good day.
From Peter Baker at WAPO:
Bush has traditionally paid public deference to the generals, saying any decisions on moving U.S. forces in the region would depend on their views. At a Chicago news conference in July, for instance, Bush said he would yield to Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the Iraq commander.
"General Casey will make the decisions as to how many troops we have there," Bush said, adding: "He'll decide how best to achieve victory and the troop levels necessary to do so. I've spent a lot of time talking to him about troop levels. And I've told him this: I said, 'You decide, General.' "
By yesterday, however, Bush indicated that he will not necessarily let military leaders decide, ducking a question about whether he would overrule them. "The opinion of my commanders is very important," he said. "They are bright, capable, smart people whose opinion matters to me a lot." He added: "I agree with them that there's got to be a specific mission that can be accomplished with the addition of more troops before I agree on that strategy."
A senior aide said later that Bush would not let the military decide the matter. "He's never left the decision to commanders," said the aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity so Bush's comments would be the only ones on the record. "He is the commander in chief. But he has said he will listen to those commanders when making these decisions. That hasn't changed."
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WTF? The Decider is now deciding even military matters and totally ignoring the experts. He just keeps getting more psychotic. Make no deals with this maniac!
Will Bush Even Be In Office By 2008?
by Maccabee
Thu Dec 21, 2006 at 10:16:46 AM PST
My wife saw Bush’s press conference Wednesday. She described it to me. He was a confused, pathetic liar. A small boy, stumbling, and fidgeting, hard to watch because he is so uncomfortable in his own skin, he is on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Pragmatistas from Baker to Bush 41, allied with Peter Pace, significant Senate Republican leaders and retiring General Abizaid have all come out against the Administrations current direction in Iraq. They may love the US more than they love W.
We could suffer a surprising military setback.
Here is how two scenarios might play out.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/12/21/131420/17
maccabee's scenarios are ultimately funny. i could come up with way worst ones though. There is no doubt that we have an out of control and out of his mind president. That last news conference was surreal.
Top US commander in Mid.East annouces his retirement
by oscarguy
Thu Dec 21, 2006 at 10:00:34 AM PST
Gen. John P. Abizaid,top U.S. commander in the middle east and critic of Bush`s so called " Surge Policy " announced his retirement according to a Washington Post story. This story also noted he had been highly critical of increasing the force size in Iraq in statements before Congress. It has also been noted in an earlier story I read on MSNBC that all the members of the joint cheifs of staff have also opposed this " Surge Policy " of Bush . These are pretty extrordinary events . The military leadership is standing up to and opposing the President. They have good reasoning to support thier opposition to the President.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/12/21/114154/56
Looks like yet another General is disgusted with Bush and has resigned. Of course, the press will never frame it that way but we all know that the military can't stand this idiot.
On Scarborough someone brought up the idea of a military coup due to the insanity of Prince George. Typically, in recent history, we only have seen this in third world countries. What sort of banana republic have we become? Congress needs to step in and demand that Prince George step down as commander in chief.
Even the righties had enough of Bush:
SCARBOROUGH: And Michael, as long as he said that—exactly. As long as he said that, it didn‘t matter that only 12 percent of Americans support this president‘s effort to send more troops to Iraq. But when all of his generals abandon him, when the Joint Chiefs abandon him, the admirals abandon him, when John Abizaid abandons him, when Colin Powell abandons him, everybody abandons him, he‘s standing alone! He just doesn‘t seem to have any credibility. And this is extraordinarily disturbing to me, as a guy who supported this war and supported this president twice.
CROWLEY: No, there‘s something almost kind of alarming about it. I mean, he‘s been telling us the whole time, These guys know what‘s best, I take their lead. And they‘re saying, This is not—not uniformly, but many of them, many of the senior guys, the smartest guys, Abizaid, people with a lot of credibility, are saying this is not the way to go, and it looks likes he‘s not going to listen to them. And there‘s something quite alarming about that.
SCARBOROUGH: Well, this is uncharted territory. And Josh Green, I want you, if you will, to imagine, how would Republicans have responded if President Bill Clinton had ignored the advice of all of his Joint Chiefs, his top general in the war zone, his former secretary of state, and 80 percent of Americans? Is it not a stretch to say that many Republicans would have considered impeachment proceedings against Bill Clinton if this situation were identical?
JOSH GREEN, "THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY": I think they would have launched a coupe. It probably would have been—probably would have been centered at Fox News. They‘d be going crazy, the way, you know, frankly, quite a few of them are beginning to get with Bush.
MIKE BARNICLE, MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR: Well, I think, Joe, that more Americans ought to be truly depressed by what they saw today on TV, the latest press conference. We have a president of the United States who is isolated. He‘s delusional. He is stubborn. He has had one intervention that clearly didn‘t work, the Baker-Hamilton report. He is clearly in need of another intervention. [snip]
BARNICLE: You‘re going to get more Americans both killed and captured. And the only services that we will have ended up improving in Baghdad are funeral services.
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All we are saying is give impeachment a chance! It may have come down to that. Democrats should concentrate on investigations ASAP and quickly decide whether there is a smoking gun. If there is, impeach these scoundrels. That's how I see it. I know not everyone on this blog agrees. That's okay.
bush has totally flipped his lid (what little lid he has that is).
On Scarborough someone brought up the idea of a military coup due to the insanity of Prince George.
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blue,
I posted the transcript above. This is absolutely amazing. Right wingers are considering a coup? Well, that's right wingers for you. I prefer impeachment procedures according to the constitution to a coup. But, you are right. This shows how crazy this situation is and how disgusted the American public is with Bush/Cheney.
This is like a rotten 50 gal. drum of magots: the deeper you get into it, the worse the stink! I prefere to simplify identify the whole deal by refering to it as "Bush's Folly" which is how history should refere to it, if we live long enough to even have any "history" with the mad bomber at the red phone...right on rj!!!
Military is broken? So what do the Generals know that we don't? If by broken they are saying that there are troops who refuse to go back, then we already have the sort of conditions that lead to a mass mutiny.
I can't think of a way that troop levels can be increased short of asking troops to rotate back sooner or making those that are there stay longer. That will only make the situation more broken.
I hope Bush is not so insane that he would ignore such conditions. If the chain of command breaks down, there's no telling what could occur.
I prefere to simplify identify the whole deal by refering to it as "Bush's Folly"
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goodfoe, it really is madness. But, I am getting genuinely worried about talk of a broken military and all of these generals resigning on Bush. Even the Chiefs are telling the Lunatic from Crawford - no sir, we can't send more troops. If Bush pushes it too hard who knows what may happen. We have mass mutinies on our hands. It's already happened on a small scale in Iraq. In Vietnam, we had cases of troops "fragging" over-zealous Lieutenants but never entire brigades refusing to follow orders. This is getting quite bad. Dems must jump in right away and have serious hearings on the "surge". Don't just give in to Bush. Call all of the Chiefs to the Hill if necessary. I suspect Abizaid might have something to say as well.
I fear for our safty, and I have yet to hear or see one Democratic leader step up and ask Mr. Bush, "Just what in the hell do you think you're doing with that naval attack fleet off the coast of Iran?" Where is Jack Nurtha? Where is John Kerry? Oh, Congress is in recess! Grea! Now the mouse can get us into ww3 while the cats are away!!
Yeah I agree, We need to have these Generals and Joint Chiefs of Staff attend a hearing and let their side be heard. The pres is going "mental" and we need to have him stopped before he does even more damage... Save the Ship throw the Captain Overboard....
The downside: Darth Cheney becomes president...
Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.
Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.
Where is Jack Nurtha? Where is John Kerry?
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Murtha was on TV lately ... Wolfie Blitzer. He talked again about passing a redeployment bill.
John Kerry is in Iraq right now (or at least he was a few days ago). I got an email from his web site - he is definitely against a "surge".
Hillary Clinton has also been on TV talking against a "surge". She says that she now regrets ever supporting the war. I think she really is coming around to the point of view that it's time to redeploy.
Just about the only lunatics that are enthusiastic about a "surge" is McWindVane and Weaselman.
The downside: Darth Cheney becomes president...
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Get Cheney first. He's the one that really comes up with these ideas and Rove implements them politically. Bush is just the chief lunatic cheerleader fcr these ideas.
Bush and McCain, Sittin' in a tree...
by Devilstower
Thu Dec 21, 2006 at 12:12:29 PM PST
In the last few months, we have seen John McCain folding his "principles" on torture after putting up a perfunctory fight. We've seen the amazing spectacle of McCain wearing out his knees as he goes crawling back to the same right wing fundies and Bush strategists who attacked and smeared him in the 2000 primaries. And we've seen McCain providing his own full employment plan for right wing sleazebags.
So what is McCain's reward for this butt-kissing blitz? It's all about the money, honey.
Sen. John McCain has tapped into President Bush's vast network of campaign contributors in greater numbers and amounts so far than has a leading potential rival for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, Rudolph Giuliani.
Why has McCain been more successful that Rudy? Insiders are reporting it's because Bush has passed the word for his network of "Rangers" to turn their vast machinery of fiscal support in McCain's direction. The same insiders indicate that the word has gone down to the White House staff that they should feel free to split their posts at lame duck central and sign on to the McCain All Talk Express.
Personally, I find these developments thrilling. If there's anything that can blow away McCain's "moderate" smokescreen, it's his whole-hearted endorsement by the decider.
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Okay, so enough with McWindVane the moderate, McWindVane th emaverick. He's an extreme right winger who is signing up to the Dominionist agenda. he wants to escalate the war in the Middle East. He is for privatizing social security. I am not all that impressed that he believes in global warming. It won't be a priority for a President McWindVane.
D-i-s-r-e-s-p-e-c-t
by demetroula
Thu Dec 21, 2006 at 12:46:44 AM PST
Dear Mr. Bush:
In your news conference a few minutes ago you said that Iraq "would require difficult choices and additional sacrifices because the enemy is merciless and violent."
With all due disrespect, what is this crap?
demetroula's diary :: ::
You’ve already admitted that your difficult choices aren’t losing you any sleep. And what additional sacrifices are you making? Your own twins seem a bit busy partying (clearly a genetic trait) to roll bandages, not that they even have a draft to dodge like their old man.
My 20-year-old son and only child is a U.S. Marine stationed in Iraq. Instead of going straight to university, he enlisted in the Corps in response to your post-9/11 propaganda that terrorism was not a noun but a tangible enemy that could not only be vanquished but would then thank us for doing so.
But my son hasn’t been trained as a counterinsurgent.
He didn’t enlist to become a lab rat for bigger and better roadside bombs.
He didn’t enlist to join an occupying force of a country whose basic needs — jobs and security — are beyond his brief.
He did enlist to defend the United States of America, not the divided state of Iraq, which isn’t the least bit grateful to see him.
In fact, not once in three months has he been greeted as a liberator (unless being shot at is an Iraqi term of endearment).
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/12/21/34050/779
Read on good letter from a person with skin in this american tragedy.
Be Very Wary of Bush Support for Minimum Wage Increase
by Mike Hall, Dec 20, 2006
Is President Bush building the foundation to veto a minimum wage bill?
Today, he told reporters he supports raising the decade-old rate of $5.15 an hour to $7.25—but he wants to combine it with tax and regulatory relief for businesses.
Didn’t he hear the message from voters across the country who not only overwhelmingly passed minimum wage increases in six states, but also threw their support behind congressional candidates who pledged to boost the federal minimum wage. Voters sent packing many Republican incumbents who blocked wage-raise bills.
Says AFL-CIO President John Sweeney:
Today’s remarks by President Bush calling for a minimum wage raise only if coupled with even more tax breaks for business makes it painfully clear that the president has learned nothing from the message working people sent at the polls in November.
http://blog.aflcio.org/2006/12/20/be-very-wary-of-bush-support-for-minimum-wage-increase/
Isn't horrible to have a president who is bad in all respects? Bothe his foreign and domestic policy are immoral. They are a product of an elitist deranged CEO president.
A Rollback of Enron-Era Reforms
Chris Huang from the AFL-CIO Office of Investment notes the recent backlash from Big Business trying to weaken post-Enron corporate reforms.
Even as the multibillion dollar accounting scandals of Enron and Worldcom slowly recede into the past, a new wave of corporate crime, such as backdating stock options, is unfolding. Yet Big Business is trying to roll back post-Enron reforms.
Responding to Big Business criticism that the post-Enron reforms make U.S. markets less competitive, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently issued several deregulatory orders intended to lower costs to public companies. (Charles Niemeier, a board member of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, directly counters this view, stating that the U.S. share of world IPOs rose to about 15 percent from 2002 to 2005.)
The SEC proposed a loose interpretation of a provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which was originally enacted to increase corporate accountability, according to The New York Times.
The next day, according to The Times, the Justice Department placed new restraints on federal prosecutors conducting corporate investigations, helping companies defend themselves by
making it easier for corporations to say no, and not having to worry about the decision being held against them.
Never mind that corporations can access company assets, or shareholder money, to fight any litigation–funds that also can be used to pay for the millions in legal fees of employees caught up in an inquiry.
http://blog.aflcio.org/2006/12/20/a-rollback-of-enron-era-reforms/
Not even ten years have passed since Enron and the CEO president wants to roll back provisions of Sarbanes-Oxley. It would seem that SOX is not business friendly. Now you know why I am sick and tired of hearing about business friendly politicians. The american public have been friendly enough. It's time that people issues become the priority on Capital Hill.
This holiday season, while Wal-Mart continues to deny nearly half of its employees' children health care, Sam Walton's daughter Alice -- a billionaire heiress -- is going art shopping. And guess what she has her eyes on?
A $68,000,000 painting of a doctor treating a young boy.
Can you believe it? When it comes to using her considerable power to secure health care, Alice can't see past her own walls.
So let's give her something to look at. What can you put together that best expresses the health care disaster Wal-Mart refuses to address? We'll take the best stuff and make sure the humbugs at Wal-Mart hear about it. Whether it's poetry, finger-painting or sculpture, give Alice the art she isn't looking for:
http://action.walmartwatch.com/page/m/lw0s72xac8v/xsOIBB
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Yep, those people friendly folks at Wal-Mart's. They were the people pushing for the estate tax repeal that was tied to the last attempt by the Republicans to raise the minimum wage. Can't we just pass a clean minimum wage increase without bowing down to the richest 1% in this country?
Rep. Waters: Americans Should See Through President's Staged 'Strategy Meetings', Diplomacy is Only Real Plan
Submitted by davidswanson on Thu, 2006-12-21 20:54. Congress
Contact: Mikael Moore (202) 2250-2201
Washington, DC - U.S. Representative Maxine Waters (CA-35) today urged President Bush to make diplomacy the guiding principle of his new Iraq policy which is to be announced sometime next year:
"The President's Iraq policy is an utter failure - for our security, our military and our reputation in the world. For the past several weeks, the President has been holding high-profile meetings with various experts in an attempt to reverse Iraq's downward spiral into chaos and intensified civil war. However, these meetings appear to be staged. It appears that the President has all but decided to send more troops to Iraq - in spite of the concerns of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and many other military experts."
Good afternoon, everyone.
On Scarborough someone brought up the idea of a military coup due to the insanity of Prince George. Typically, in recent history, we only have seen this in third world countries. What sort of banana republic have we become? Congress needs to step in and demand that Prince George step down as commander in chief.
Posted by BlueinIdaho on December 21, 2006 at 02:42 PM
Blue,
What kind of a banana republic have we become? A dysfunctional one. Since the Supreme Court put Bush/Cheney in power, they have been acting like Saddam Hussein on steriods.
The GOP was too busy shielding Foley and taking bribes to notice until they lost Congress in November. The loss of lobbyist income woke them up.
The only time they want to talk about impeachment is when sex is involved. Considering what's been going on over in the Cheney household with Lynne's book and Mary's pregnancy, maybe they are ready to make some adjustments.
It's pathetic but so true. The GOP only cares about government when they are sexually stimulated. Maybe that fake Bush ranch/rehab center (for the mentally/chemically challenged) should include a brothel to get them all going.
Meanwhile, our guys are too busy deciding what they are going to investigate first or running for president. I do hope they remember the 100 hour agenda. Things seem to slipping Reid's mind of late....or maybe he's worried about Senator Johnson (I'll give him a pass under the circumstances).
And how are we going to pay off the national debt, if we can't override Bush's veto to keep those tax cuts to the rich permanent? We need to be addressing this along with so many other things. An impeachment trial seems like a bad diversion under the circumstances.
Posted by rjsnj on December 21, 2006 at 03:57 PM
rjsnj,
Let's hear it for Rep. Waters for keeping her eye on the ball. Everyone else is still talking about troops strength instead of diplomacy.
Posted by rjsnj on December 21, 2006 at 03:40 PM
I hear that painting, The Sceam, has some damage beyond repair. Maybe she would like to buy it, although I don't think she would see the irony.
Good afternooon
I told everybody that Maxine Waters has been saying for a year and a half that there should be immediate withdrawal and the folks over in Iraq will figure things out for themselves.
My girl is straight shootin' it. No discussion, gradual withdrawal, no timetable. Let's just pack up and come home.
J,
See the above statement is why I really couldn't do politics.
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So, let me understand this. The Democrats can't even pass a clean minimum wage increase? They have to put in business friendly measures to get a couple of dollars an hour for workers. If that's true then this country is simply a slave of the corporations and there is no government for the people.
Posted by rjsnj on December 21, 2006 at 12:05 PM
The problem rj is that everyone wants something out of doing the right thing when the right then is doing the will of the people that placed their asses in office.
No we aren't slaves to big business and the corporations though they would like everyone to think that elected officials need them like a fix. Check this out, if one goes into office from day one stating that they are NOT going to be beholding to anyone but their constituents (and there are some Congressman that are) then the lobbyist know whose door to camp outside of.
Basically big business is like the dope man down the street and around the corner. They have a product that they know their customer wants and they want something too for the product.
One just has to be strong enough to turn down the "fix".
Posted by rjsnj on December 21, 2006 at 03:32 PM
rjsnj,
There are so many forces in this nation that work against the will of the people.
We just passed a state constitutional amendment to allow stem cell research. Already some conservatives are talking about putting another ballot initiative on the ballot in 2008 to negate it.
It doesn't matter how the American people vote. These insects will not be denied. They think they can get their way if only they can evolve into other forms and confuse people.
Just a quick post before dinner:
J,
That's what we did in Vietnam, just packed up and went home in 1975, with scores of people trying to pack into the final helicopters to leave with us. We did not have normalized relations with Vietnam for 25 years, and they still are not to the point where they could be considered normal. This is the predicament that our idiot in chief has gotten the US into. How can we not have normal relations among middle eastern countries when our economy is so tied to the oil reserves that is there? We cannot go 25 years with no relations with this part of the world. It would be devastating on our economy.
However, increasing troops is just plain ignorant. We need to freeze the funding for Iraq, and begin the process of redeployment for the purpose of exiting that country, and handing sovereignty back to the Iraqi'. They will figure out what they need to do; self-governance.
Posted by davidual on December 21, 2006 at 05:22 PM
Because of he way this war has been handled we are almost backed into a corner with having very little choice to just pack up as we did in Vietnam. I watched that withdrawal fiasco 30 years ago and it was not a pleasant sight and I see signs of this happening again.
continually play the bipartisan card--All The Way To Hell--it appears.
Posted by davidual on December 21, 2006 at 01:49 PM
All the way to hell. You can't make deals with the devil. But Democrats seem to be suckered time and time again into doing it. We are not dealing with Goldwater, Dirksen or Rockefeller. This new breed of insects controlling the GOP don't make deals.
Has everybody seen THIS Scumboro clip from last night? Bush has basically lost his mind, and some of his biggest cheerleaders are calling him on it.
MoveOn's Holiday Ecards:
President Bush's Christmas
Moveon.org has put together a bunch of MoveOn-spirited holiday e-cards. They're funny, they're cute and they're optimistic about the work we can do together in 2007. Check them out and send a few to your friends, to spread the message of hope and progress for the new year.
Posted by davidual on December 21, 2006 at 05:22 PM
Why can't we have normalized relations with Iraq after we leave?
When the Iraqis finally get down to establishing a stable government, we approach them with economic incentives and a renew promise that Bush broke whereby we help re-build their infrastructure.
The only reason we are staying in Iraq is because Bush is forcing the current Iraqi government to offer long-term oil field leases to western multinationals...instead of auctioning them off to everyone including Russia or Asian interests.
It's the oil industry and their favorite president putting the lives of all those currently in Iraq at risk...till the oil fields run dry.
Let's hear it for Rep. Waters for keeping her eye on the ball. Everyone else is still talking about troops strength instead of diplomacy.
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sandy, I agree. The ISG for all it's flaws at least did talk about diplomacy. But for Bush, diplomacy in the Middle East is an oxymoron.
Check this out, if one goes into office from day one stating that they are NOT going to be beholding to anyone but their constituents
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J,
That describes Bernie Sanders exactly (and perhaps some others). If a corporate lobbyist comes knocking they get thrown out.
I don't buy the argument that the government can't be clean just because it's a capitalistic society. Business deserves a chance to be heard but they shouldn't buy favors. People also deserve an equal right to be heard and of course shouldn't buy favors as well (but they rarely do as they don't have the serious bucks).
When it's all said and done, how hard is it to pass a clean minimum wage increase? Even liberals act as if it must be an act of congress ... oops that's what it is. It's only hard because politicians have allowed themselves to be bought by business. Clean elections is the ticket!
Scarborough Sees The Light—Barnicle: “Bush is delusional”
Posted by DPD on December 21, 2006 at 05:40 PM
DPD,
They do this periodically; and then when there is a new outrage, they come right back to his defense. I wouldn't trust any Republican again after Foley...and most other women in this nation feel the same way.
"Average" Joe is a fake. Unless he personally does a John Wilkes Booth, I'll never believe he's not still in the Rove camp. The same can be said for the rest of the Republicans.
They may be frustrated, but if they had a chance to nominat