Sunday Morning Open Thread
The Super Bowl is on February 4th...let's hope the Chicago Bears are there. This is an open thread.
Comments (297) «
good morning bloggers! so Hillary is in. well, you know she's not my choice but I am not going to rain on her parade. not today anyway. I think it's too early for presidential debates. I wish we could just stand together for awhile before the arguments begin. it is supposed to snow here today. we'll see. we don't see much snow in this part of Virginia anymore. but as my (unannounced) presidential choice AL GORE can tell you- there's a reason for that. y'all have a wonderful day! I might catch you later!!
just put the other 300 million of us on their plan!
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goodfoe, I like that answer. It's the one that John Kerry came up with in 2004! I also like the solution of putting all government workers on social security (including and especially the politicians). In general, systems of shared value and risk are the most just for any society.
As I see it there are four systems of health care in the world:
1) Chaos. That's what we have right now. No system at all, just a bunch of bandaids.
2) Socialized medicine where health care professionals (doctors, etc...) work for the government and everyone has coverage. This is
the system in the UK.
3) Single payer where health care professionals are privatized but insurance is provided by a single entity - government/ appointed agency.
This is the health care system in Canada.
4) Multi payer where health care professionals and insurance are privatized. Prices are strictly regulated by the government. Everyone has insurance which may be subsidized by the government according to a person's means. This is the system in the Netherlands.
Examine the rest of the industrialized world and they fall into 2 - 3. The United States falls in with the rest of the 3rd world. Nice eh!
rj...thx for posting that from the prior thread....health care is such an important issue....
rj...thx for posting that from the prior thread....health care is such an important issue....
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goodfoe, to me it's in the top two - ending the iraq debacle and health care. Interestingly enough people in the antiwar movement consistently see it that way. Health care is being traded off for warfare (the exact opposite of health care of course). So when are we going to have a life oriented rather than death oriented culture in this nation?
morning all,
rj, At $8.4 billion dollars EACH MONTH now being spent on this occupation, just think what that money could be spent on here in the USA, fixing SS, Health Care, Katrina reconstruction, securing our Mexican Border once and for all, checking our Ports, etc, etc!!
rj...That will only happen when more people wake up to what is really going on in this country...someone else posted here that it is really a contest of "THE PARTY OF MONEY" vrs "THE PEOPLES PARTY"....we will not suceed until we reach the public with the Progressive Adgenda.....that's why I keep writing...that's why so many people who post here work so hard outside of this blog...we're making progress but have a long way to go...I feel the 50 state strategy that Gov Dean started is a big part of it....John Boy
Flat Earther
by Hunter
Sat Jan 20, 2007 at 07:55:21 PM PST
Think Progress presents the comedy stylings of Iraq War advocate Tom Friedman:
FRIEDMAN: I’m really sorry. Next time — Next time Ishwar [caller], I promise, I really promise, I’ll be a better liberal. I’ll not in any way support any effort to bring democracy to a country ruled by an oil-backed tyranny. I promise I will never do that again. I promise I’ll be a better liberal. I will view the prospect of Arabs forging a democracy as utterly impossible. They’re incapable of democracy. I agree with you on that now.
Estimates put the number of Iraqi dead above half a million people. Even the most conservative (cough) estimates confess the number to be in the multiple tens of thousands.
That's more people than Thomas Friedman will ever shake hands with in his entire life. That's more people than he will ever exchange direct eye contact with. That's more people than will ever serve him a drink or take his plate away in every speaking arrangement he's ever done and billed for. And every six months (or "Friedman Unit") the number of dead again increases by five figures.
They're dead because Thomas Friedman and people like him thought they had a great idea, and wouldn't listen to any of the experts telling them they were wrong. He was convinced that reforming the Middle East via American military attack would be a brilliant and necessary strategy, convinced by his own goddamn notions of what the Middle East should look like and how many bullets it would take to get it there.
And now he hides behind the notion that the only problem, in all of this, was that the damn liberals wouldn't clap hard enough for the transparently puerile "plan". He doesn't have a problem with any of it, except for the criticism he personally gets as a result of the chaos. No, the whole problem was either that the damn Arabs didn't sufficiently greet us as liberators and get on with reshaping their country according to his plan, or that the liberals had the audacity to point out that his "plan" was idiotic.
What a wretch of a man. Honestly, what a foul wretch of a man.
This jackass wins Pulitzer Prizes for peans to rampant corporate-backed militarism (or military-backed corporatism) couched nobly as his personal, hip style of "globalization", and he's wounded that reality hasn't warped itself to conform with his own personal visions of what was to be.
"The hidden hand of the market will never work without a hidden fist. McDonald's cannot flourish without McDonnell Douglas. And the hidden fist that keeps the world safe for Silicon Valley's technologies to flourish is called the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps."
-- Friedman, The Lexus and the Olive Tree
Yep, he gets Pulitzer Prizes for spouting crap like that. Hell, once the death toll passes a cool million in Iraq, I say we give him a frickin' Oscar too. Maybe Rich Little can do an impersonation of a hundred thousand dead people (and I've seen his act, I'm sure he's got it in him) just to sort of set a nice, breezy mood.
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This is why I despise Thomas Friedman and reject the notion that he's a liberal. He's way too gleeful that american workers are losing their jobs to globalization as well.
rj...That will only happen when more people wake up to what is really going on in this country...someone else posted here that it is really a contest of "THE PARTY OF MONEY" vrs "THE PEOPLES PARTY"....we will not suceed until we reach the public with the Progressive Adgenda
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goodfoe, absolutely right. Our best hope is the Progessive Democratic caucus - the largest growing caucus on Capital Hill. People such as Kucinich, McDermott and Conyers are in that caucus. They have been fighting for health care and fighting against the military-industrial death machine.
here is another way the dummie will let everyone down in his big speech. he is determined to do absolutely nothing about environmental crisises in his eight year disaster of a presiduncey:
Calls to act on global warming precede Bush speech
Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:18am ET
By Deborah Zabarenko, Environment Correspondent
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Environmentalists, evangelical Christians and congressional and corporate leaders have called for action on global warming in the days leading up to President George W. Bush's State of the Union speech.
Interest is particularly keen because of what Bush said in last year's address to Congress and the nation: that "America is addicted to oil" and that this addiction should be broken with technological advances and alternative fuels.
Since then, environmental activists and others concerned about the impact of global climate change -- more severe storms, destructive droughts, rising sea levels and higher insurance costs -- have looked for substantial steps from the White House.
the big speech
"THE PARTY OF MONEY" vrs "THE PEOPLES PARTY"...
David Sirota is the source of that, goodfoe.
Pamb...you hit all my hot bottons....I get so angry about all this stupidity by this mis-administration...the Port of Houston is not well secured yet ti delivers 25% of all the fuel our country uses. The hurricanes took out just two of the pipe lines and gas went to $3 per gal overnight...if terrorists took out all 12 pipe lines, our country would be hamstung in 2 days flat.....no fuel, no trucks, no trucks, no food...........anarchy in the streets.......
David Sirota is the source of that, goodfoe.
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Just luv David Sirota! He is a progressive democrat's best friend.
thx Salute...I read so much that I don't remember where I have read something.....how you doing today?......
pumpkin head and saint mccain are on the tube blathering away. this twaddle could be productively replaced with footage of dogs chasing their own tails.
pumpkin head and saint mccain are on the tube blathering away.
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hi gregg, that's why I hate the MSM. Why is McWindVane continually on TV anyway? I am sick of seeing him along with Joe`Weaselman. Does the MSM really think these people are in some way "centrists"? Scary! If you to bring out a centrust, how about a real one such as Vilsak?
Pamb...you hit all my hot bottons....
Posted by goodfoe on January 21, 2007 at 10:13 AM
It irks the hell out of me, that this administration LOVES to use the frame "War on Terror" to get away with murder (literally), yet leave our borders and ports lacking real security!
When Dems came out last week and said Ports must now start checking incoming cargo, the Repubs only reaction??? Where will the money come from for this??? Trying to make the American public think Dems will be raising your taxes, folks, when all we have to do is get out of an occupation in a country where there was no threat and suddenly have $8.5 BILLION each month!
And there are idiots out there, who sit and believe this BS!
McCain on MTP right now. How can you tell when he is lying? When his lips are moving!
When asked why he suddenly flip flopped on the Marriage issue, he claims he saw the error of that over a year ago, not that he now must play to the Religious Right base! What An ass. Plus who wants an old fool like this as leader of our country? If the guy lasts 2 years into this stress laden position, it would be a miracle!
Where will the money come from for this???
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hi pamb,
Easy:
1) End the Iraq debacle.
2) Repeal the tax cuts for billionaires.
environmental disaster in britian:
BBC
Pollution fear from leaking ship
Containers of hazardous chemicals have been washed overboard from a beached cargo ship off the Devon coast, which is also leaking oil.
The containers, which are thought to contain battery acid and perfume, fell from the heavily-listing MSC Napoli during a storm on Saturday evening.
Coastguards fear the ship, in Lyme Bay, could capsize "at any time".
Some of the 200 tonnes of oil in the ruptured fuel tank has leaked prompting pollution fears for nearby beaches.
It has emerged that the ship was previously named CMA-CGM Normandie and ran aground in Vietnam in 2001.
...if we are going to have capital punishment perhaps causing such a disaster should be one crime that requires it. such a draconian law would focus the corporations who are sloppy with our grandchildren's world.
luv David Sirota! He is a progressive democrat's best friend.
Posted by rjsnj on January 21, 2007 at 10:14 AM
He is that indeed, rj. I highly recommend his book: Hostile Takeover; How Big Money & Corruption Conquered Our Government-AND HOW WE TAKE IT BACK
He is being encouraged to write another and I think he will.
near as i can tell hagel just said he is thinking of running for president and he might do it as an independent. maybe we ought to steal him from the republicans and run a hagel/obama ticket? just cooking things up a bit....
He is that indeed, rj. I highly recommend his book: Hostile Takeover; How Big Money & Corruption Conquered Our Government-AND HOW WE TAKE IT BACK
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goodfoe, I second that. One of the best books on politics that I ever read. He clearly defines why this nation is amongst the ranks of the 3rd world with no national health care. This is no longer the home of the free and brave; it's a nation of powerful special interests bilking every dime out of the people. When the multinationals, lobbyists and political hacks reduce us to poverty, they'll simply move on to greener pastures. We'll all be left holding the bag.
how about hagel/spitzer or spitzer/obama or obama/spitzer?
it looks like the only way for me to not get sucked into the 08 presidential prom queen and king contest is to move into the root cellar.
it looks like the only way for me to not get sucked into the 08 presidential prom queen and king contest is to move into the root cellar.
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gregg, I know what you mean. Resist it! The MSM is doing this on purpose to distract Dems throughout 2007. Lots to do in 2007 even if it's just laying the groundwork for legislation that gets passed in 2008 when the putz is out of the WH.
As I continue to state, Obama is not my candidate, I just think if you are going to be voicing opposition, then at least be honest.
And actually an FYI, the job description of Governor in Texas DOES not entail too much, it is a figurehead position much like the Queen of England...
Posted by Robert_Burnsey_Koenig on January 19, 2007
_______________________________________________
I AM BEING HONEST. Obama has little to NO REAL EXPERIENCE.
YOU BE HONEST.
To the degree that the TX Gov has responsibility didn't get debated much , did it? No. And that was sad. Blame the media.
A Senator manages a staff of about 20-30. A Gov manages an entire STATE. It's a huge difference. He has NO EXECUTIVE EXP!
I'm sorry, the state Senate is no proving ground for a PRESIDENT.
It's proving ground for the House of Reps, and he LOST that race. He got in the Senate because of numerous scandles, and a very strong Democratic region that was fired-up. To think that a few bills in the State senate equals experience is very laughable it's so obsurd.
My point is this: Obama ranks almost LAST in experience in the Democratic Senate, and that's a long list. Yes, almost LAST. Is he a respected STATESMAN? NO! It will be YEARS before he's reach that level of experience. He's got Iraq? Big deal, that's a no-brainer.
Even USA Today asked "Is he Qualified?" Funny, they ask now after listing his name as one of two Democrats in the 08 race.
I speak to many people who know Obama is a media hoax. Heck, even Lynn Samuals was saying he's got nothing except "cliches and platatudes." It's all rhetoric that I'd expect from a Harvard lawyer. He's got nothing except hype.
I find it strange he's talking about money mucking up the process when I sure haven't heard him talk or scream for real campaign finance reform. Funny...
***************************************************************
****************** FROM NPR MARKETPALCE***********
ROBERT REICH: The real scandal in Washington is the everyday bribery that remains legal.
I'm talking about campaign contributions given for legislative favors — a particular provision in this or that bill, an amendment here, an earmarked appropriation there.
Lobbyists orchestrate this contemptible process. And members of Congress keep it going because the money buys television time for their reelection campaigns. And television advertising keeps them in power.
The system is out of control. It cost the average candidate three times more to run for Congress in 2006 than it did in 1990, adjusted for inflation.
Members now devote most of their time to fundraising instead of representing their constituents.
The number of lobbyists in Washington has doubled over the past 10 years. Now, there are 60 for every single member of Congress. Lobbyists spent $2.4 billion last year. And at the rate they continue to spend, you can bet they're getting every penny's worth for their clients.
Banning gifts, meals and junkets won't make any difference to this everyday exchange of campaign money for legislative favor. And disclosing who sponsored what earmarks won't reduce the amount of taxpayer dollars going to special interests, because the incentives to make the deal are still there on both sides.
Ten years ago, there were 3,000 earmarks. Last year, there were 14,000, costing taxpayers over $47 billion, according to the Congressional Research Service.
The only way to stop this system of legalized bribery is to cut it off at its core.
Require television and radio networks that use the public airwaves to offer candidates free time. Give public financing to candidates who agree to strict limits on fundraising.
And ban earmarks altogether. There's no good reason why taxpayer money should be appropriated for any special interest.
This ethics and lobbying bill won't change the way business is done in Washington. It will only change the way it appears to be done.
MOON: Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich teaches public policy at the University of California at Berkeley.
gregg, the confusion reflected in your suggestions indicate you should join Patuxant Phil and stay put for awhile. Ugh.
salute, yes confusion is rampant in my brain. i will forbid myself from pondering tickets for 08.
"Obama Explores; Hillary Reacts"
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.phpstoryId=6908894
You know it's bad (and sad) when right out of the blocks the MEDIA IS DEFINING HILLARY as reactive, a bad quailty for an Executive or leader.
Once again we see how the media is using Obama to put Dems in a bad light, ignoring actual ANNOUNCED CANDIDATES, and IGNORES the real stories like the family-friendly legislation enacted by the Democrats in the 1st 100 days. If they continue this, Democrats will not get the credit they deserve, and will not win more seats. THIS IS WHAT WE MUST UNDERSTAND, DEMOCRATS.
I don't care if W didn't have much ACTUAL Executive Experience. I, and I think most Americans, hold my candidate to a higher bar. And if Americans didn't before... you can bet they will this time with the fix we are in now. Agreed?
gregg,
the way the bloggers here are choosing to go negative on a candidate, rather than positive for one, has got me thinking maybe you are right, it is way too early to get into any serious discussions on whom we should be backing.
Let some of these juices settle down into realism, i.e. the bottom line----which is, when all is said, all is done, and there is one Democrat who will go into 2008 elections, will everyone stand up and get behind them and make sure we do not continue with Republican Veto power for another 4-8 years!
heading out to the stores again.
have a good day, all of you, and Christy, if you are reading---Happy Birthday and thanks for all you do!
salute, yes confusion is rampant in my brain. i will forbid myself from pondering tickets for 08.
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gregg, that's the spirit. I fall in the Pautuxent Phil camp. Talk to me about 2008 in the start of 2008! right now, there's lots going on with the new congress, iraq and other issues.
"Obama Explores; Hillary Reacts"
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.phpstoryId=6908894
You know it's bad (and sad) when right out of the blocks the MEDIA IS DEFINING HILLARY as reactive, a bad quailty for an Executive or leader.
Once again we see how the media is using Obama to put Dems in a bad light, ignoring actual ANNOUNCED CANDIDATES, and IGNORES the real stories like the family-friendly legislation enacted by the Democrats in the 1st 100 days. If they continue this, Democrats will not get the credit they deserve, and will not win more seats. THIS IS WHAT WE MUST UNDERSTAND, DEMOCRATS.
I don't care if W didn't have much ACTUAL Executive Experience. I, and I think most Americans, hold my candidate to a higher bar. And if Americans didn't before... you can bet they will this time with the fix we are in now. Agreed?
For the non-Pautuxent Phil crowd, Bill Richardson announced an exploratory committee today as well:
I am taking this step because we have to repair the damage that's been done to our country over the last six years. Our reputation in the world is diminished, our economy has languished, and civility and common decency in government has perished.
The next president of the United States must get our troops out of Iraq without delay. Before I became Governor of New Mexico, I served as Ambassador to the United Nations and as Secretary of Energy. I know the Middle East well and it's clear that our presence in Iraq isn't helping any longer.
Our next President must be able to bring a country together that is divided and partisan. It is clear that Washington is broken and it's going to take a return to bipartisanship and simple respect for each other's views to get it fixed. Most public policy solutions these days are coming from Governors and state government. On issues like the environment, jobs, and health care, state governments are leading the way. And that's because we can't be partisan or we won't get our jobs done. That's a lesson I've learned as Governor and that's what I'll do as President.
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The field is wide open on both sides. I'll deal with it seriously soonest at the end of 2007. Okay I seen my shadow must be at least 9 more months of winter (in a manner of speaking).
King George understands radical Islam.
That's why he stripped power away from the secular Sunnis and empowered the radical Shiites.
LOL!
Senator Brownback:
Wrong on trade! Wrong for America!
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Brownback - the worst of both worlds; neocon + theocon! Egads!
King George understands radical Islam.
That's why he is not worried about the Taliban resurgence in Afghanistan.
LOL!
rjsnj, i like the way the degradation of the environment is becoming a big issue for the congress, corporations and the people of the world. one great success ( with great being defined as carrying out evil works ) of the right wing was to take everyone off these concerns which were so vibrant in the early seventies and get folks focused on their "right" to be piggish. my hope is that the pendulum is swinging back on this topic and not a minute too soon. take a look at those containers ( hundreds of them ) spilling off that 900' long cargo ship off britian. some are carrying battery acid?? and of course the ships oil is leaking all over the beaches....we need strong international regulation of all shipping ( including checking containers for nukes in our ports etc. ) and quick and crippling punishment for any entity that doesn't fall in line.
Keeping in mind, as we continue our repose with Phill, when we awake our candidates will have been defined and our debate framed by the MSM and our enemies. We probly won't recognize our position. We'll need one of those GPS thing-a-mojigs. Just thinkin
Hillary Clinton's Campaign May Be Involved In "Swift Boating" Barack Obama
PROGRESSIVE VALUES
King George understands radical Islam.
That's why he is not that concerned about Osama Bin Laden.
LOL!
rjsnj, i like the way the degradation of the environment is becoming a big issue for the congress, corporations and the people of the world.
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gregg, I ran across a fascinating journal last night that talked about the genesis of the corporate right wing think tanks - Cato, Heritage, AEI, etc.:
http://reclaimdemocracy.org/corporate_accountability/powell_memo_lewis.html
This was an eye opener to me. Why haven't we heard about this before? I believe in the 1970's corporate america built these think tanks to mainly derail the environmental and labor movements. Finally, it's become clear that they made a mess of everything while creating tremendous wealth. But reality intrudes ... even for the most wealthy, they need to breath the air and drink the water just like everyone else. So maybe, environmentalism is making a comeback.
Senator Lieberman:
Wrong on trade! Wrong for America!
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lieberman - neocon + a variety of theocon
huckabee - theocon (not sure about neocon)
All stink on trade issues.
King George understands radical Islam:
That's why he is going to bomb the pro-American Iranian people.
LOL!
Good snowy morning, everyone! Woo-Hoo! Finally! 3-5 inches of the fluffy white stuff! (can't hang laundry out, but I have plenty to shovel)
What would Bill be called if Hillary wins.
Posted by Ch1ck3n on January 20, 2007 at 12:31 PM
Hopefully Secretary of State. ;)
King George understands radical Islam.
That's why he looks the other way when the Saudis fund terrorism in Israel.
McCain on MTP
by ablington
Sun Jan 21, 2007 at 08:11:12 AM PST
I caught about 5 minutes of John McCain on Meet the Press just now, and was actually a little surprised by his performance. My surprise wasn't due to anything he said, which was predictable. What caught me a bit off guard was how old he seemed. Maybe I haven't seen him live on TV for awhile or something, but I was struck by the apparent lack of fire in his belly and the general slow-speaking tiredness that seems to have overtaken him. he spoke VERY quietly and deliberately, as if it took extra effort to string his thoughts together. His jokes fell flat, and he barely smiled.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/1/21/105010/206
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I can't stomach McWindvane. He's cast his lot with the theocons and neocons. That makes him of them.
GOP Delegates Reject Giving Redistricting Job to Impartial Panels
A series of measures aimed at removing politics from the often partisan process of drawing legislative and congressional district boundaries met with swift defeat Friday in a Republican-controlled committee of the House of Delegates.
Along party lines, Republicans, who control both chambers of the General Assembly, defeated several measures calling for independent redistricting commissions to draw boundaries. Although similar legislation emerged from a Senate committee this week and appears likely to win passage on the Senate floor, it, too, is likely to fail in the House of Delegates.
States Act on Congressional Goals
The newly Democratic House may think it responded swiftly to the populist message of the November elections with passage of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's 100-hour agenda. But out in the heartland, many state legislatures and governors hope to leave Congress in the dust.
King George understands radical Islam.
That's why he is going to empower the radicals in Syria.
LOL!
King George understands radical Islam.
That's why he undercutted the Palestinian Prime Minister resulting in the Hamas takeover of parliament.
But out in the heartland, many state legislatures and governors hope to leave Congress in the dust.
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esmeralda, as Bill Richardson said the states across the country have been leading the way already - the ones with progressive leadership.
The Dems in office realy don't really want the troops home.
Posted by FellowDem on January 20, 2007 at 05:20 PM
Radical islam is very real and very true and the dems in office understand this fact. They will let us think their not behind Mr Bush, but they are.
Posted by FellowDem on January 20, 2007 at 05:42 PM
I believe your first statement, that which is taking place in the Middle East, we really can't afford militarily to bring them home. I do want plenty to secure our borders though. I don't think our enlistments are going to surge anytime soon. The marketing isn't there, but war is. The dems won't cut funding. Pelosi has it correct...w is playing his little games...he put them in harm's way...for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Yes, radical Islam is very real & true, and not only do the dems understand it, so do the repugs. Do you believe most religions are getting extreme, or just this one?
Behind Bush? No, they aren't, but they do realize the conflict situation and what is at stake. We do not have the opportunity to fly to other countries and palaver with its heads of state as our elected officials do. Too bad, maybe then the everyday citizen(s) could wrap their minds around that.
Lame Plots Keep Callin' for More Dead
by Dood Abides
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/1/21/10411/2999
Good combo pictures + text journal.
Posted by rjsnj on January 21, 2007 at 12:21 PM
Good afternoon, rjs. Gov. Richardson is a very interesting candidate for President. His credentials, as well as his leadership abilities, are impressive.
For those of us here in OH, our newly elected Dems have to repair what the repugs had control of for the last 16 years. Not an easy task.
Do you believe most religions are getting extreme, or just this one?
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Religions are inherently extreme. I take no comfort in the neocon Christian extremists such as James Dobson or the Jewish neocon extremists such as Benjamin Netanyahu and Joe Lieberman. All are fairly crazy. Anyone who is routing for the end of the world is someone that shouldn't be in politics.
Iraq has nothing to do with terrorism. Never did and never will. It's an insurgency. A civol war to remove America from a land that it shouldn't be occupying. The sooner we get out the better.
ppeal for Redress!!
Submitted by davidswanson on Sun, 2007-01-21 15:38. Nonviolent Resistance
http://www.appealforredress.org
On January 16, 2007, active military and Guard personnel carried an appeal to Capitol Hill to deliver to Congressmen Kucinich (Ohio)and McGovern (Mass.) on the steps of the Cannon Office Building. Signed by over 1000 active duty military and Guard personnel (including over 400 officers), the "Appeal for Redress" stated the following ...
"As a patriotic American proud to serve the nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq. Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price. It is time for the U.S. troops to come home."
Inquiry urged for North Carolina link to torture
Submitted by davidswanson on Sun, 2007-01-21 10:34. Activism | Evidence
Legislators suspect planes used to take suspects overseas
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
RALEIGH, N.C. - State legislators are urging Attorney General Roy Cooper to investigate whether a North Carolina company provided planes to the CIA to shuttle terrorism suspects to countries where they may have been tortured.
The 22 legislators, all Democrats who signed a letter sent to Cooper and the State Bureau of Investigation, urge an investigation into "credible allegations that Aero Contractors conspired to commit federal crimes," according to a copy of the letter provided by advocacy group Stop Torture Now.
In October, SBI Director Robin Pendergraft declined a request from 12 legislators to investigate whether Aero Contractors violated federal laws prohibiting torture as a form of interrogation, saying that the matter didn't fall under SBI jurisdiction. In her response, Pendergraft said she shared the legislators' letter with the FBI.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/17557
Interesting ... supposedly domestic resources were not involved in these renditions.
20 U.S. service members killed in Iraq
Submitted by davidswanson on Sun, 2007-01-21 10:26. Media
By BASSEM MROUE, Associated Press
At least 20 American service personnel were killed in military
operations Saturday in one of the deadliest days for U.S. forces since
the Iraq war began, and authorities also announced two U.S. combat
deaths from the previous day.
The day's worst loss came from the crash of a U.S. Army helicopter
northeast of Baghdad that killed 13 service members. An attack Saturday
night blamed on militiamen in the city of Karbala killed five soldiers.
Roadside bombs killed another soldier in the capital and one in Nineveh
province north of Baghdad.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/17555
From yesterday ... not a good day for the troops. I hate to say it but it's likely to get worst based on past history of escalation.
Laundry, shovelling, and basement wall painting await. Time to get my Sunday Slacker Ass off this chair and get it moving.
Here's one more tidbit from me. I'm impressed with her style and looking forward to the playing out of "the road to our 2008 Democratic Nominee." I do know that in between our watch and wonder, we must hold our congress to what we deserve, and this off year election, I will personally be helping a fellow democrat win his non-partisan township trustee race this fall.
I am leaning more and more toward Clinton, but you all can be assured, I will not personally slander another democratic contender, even if I post news articles that show an opposing viewpoint.
Enjoy the day, everyone.
Throwing Her Hat on The Web
If a Democratic primary were held on sheer production values, Hillary Rodham Clinton would win in a landslide.
In the video on Clinton's Web site yesterday, announcing the formation of a presidential exploratory committee, she chucked the formulaic genre of flag-draped backdrops and stiff monotones, instead delivering a 1-minute 45-second vlog-cast that arrived like a chintz-upholstered, sun-drenched blockbuster.
King George understands radical Islam.
That's why he spies on members of PETA.
As I recall Bush called for a Crusade against Islam twice! I'll accept for a minute that Bush is a Christian fundamentalist. He was a drunk drugged up playboy up to 40 but I think his father threatened him to clean it up or be cut off. Christians who argue for crusades are as dangerous as Muslims who argue for Jihads. To me, there is no difference. End of worlders irrespective of religion are all dangerous.
This never was all a battle of religions - though some frame it that way and have succeeded in making it way worst. This was a group of Arab extremists called Al Qaida who want Europeans to stop interfering in their countries. I have no sympathy for their methods. I do understand where they are coming from though. Hundreds of years of European colonialism / imperialism has led to people who will take extreme actions. Of course, it's dangerous! That's why Dems want to implement all of the 9/11 commissions recommendations. That would be a way better approach than the neocon regime change agenda. Enogh of that. Time to bring the troops home from Iraq.
Condoleezza Rice:
Wrong on Trade! Wrong for America!
****
Blah ... Condi. She's a relic of the cold war era. An expert on Russia. She knows very little about the history of the Middle East. But, she's a devoted neocon.
By the way, the Israeli PM Olmert said today that the Iran warmongers in his party (Kadima?) and here in this country should shut up! They know Iran's nuclear ambition is an issue but they don't war as the answer. Well, I hope some sanity in emerging in Israel because their lobby, AIPAC, influences leadership in this country.
Good day,
The congress is getting off to such a fine start, and deserves more media attention.
The focus of attention, I think, should be on quickly fixing the glaring problems of rendition and torture, and the deaths occuring daily in the Iraq occupation wherein the US has responsibility of security.
The congress can help to open up this secretative administration by passing a more powerful and well-defined law to allow press and public access to government information. Something like in California:
California’s open government law declares, “The people of this State do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created.” (Government Code § 54950.) This statement of the people’s sovereignty is entirely consistent with the Declaration of Independence: “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..."
The U.S. Supreme Court has often warned against permitting unjustified secrecy in government, saying that information is necessary “to ensure an informed citizenry, vital to the functioning of a democratic society, needed to check against corruption and to hold the governors accountable to the governed.” (John Doe Agency v. John Doe Corp. (1989) 493 U.S. 146, 152.) “Neither our elected nor our appointed representatives may abridge the free flow of information simply to protect their own activities from public scrutiny.” (Press-Enterprise Co. v. Superior Court (1986) 478 U.S. 1, 19.)
www.calaware.org/
Throughout history generals have been secret diplomats. They sought war as a "grubstake" which they would then gamble at the dubious roulette table of diplomacy. A prime example is Arik Sharon whom I had a chance to discuss war and peace with long ago.
Please allow me to present my analysis based on those encounters for this current sad example of a man who now suffers the ignoble state of locked into a silent body that cannot make its own case. I do not here offer facts for information but thoughts for consideration.
Sharon came to find those traits in Arabs that he could admire all through his life in Palestine; but he also saw many that discouraged his fondest hopes. Nevertheless, he came to believe that if Westernized enough by pan-Arab nationalists-- much as East European Jews were molded into a nationalist Zionist force-- Israel would be over run and exterminated. But, he also asserted that an Israel, not only repeatedly at war but never knowing when will come its next moment at war, would be bound to fail as a state. The amazing financial largess of the US towards Israel, he believed, would not only one day suddenly stop, but so long as Israel is dependent on it, it will be corrupt and disintegrating while its youth would be dying in minor skirmishes. At one point he said: "As a battlefield commander I have to send a reservist who is a highly educated young engineer and on whose ideas and skills could depend the future of the Mideast, to kill an illiterate Arab on whom ten to twelve children depend for survival; who, after the father is killed, grow up as petty scavengers for survival." This was not an insult on Arabs, but expression of how much that young engineer could offer to both sides with Israel as "a light onto..." and how devastating it would be for the Arab fedayeen to be killed, his children becoming possibly criminals or guerrilla fighters that only perpetuate the hopeless killing to yet another generation.
Sharon, typically of military men, dreamed of a grand peace that would put him out of business. And, he knew that it would not come from war but from diplomacy. Unfortunately, he felt, diplomacy was worthless because while Israel would send a spokesman for this tiny nation who could make commitments for all Israelis, the Arab interlocutor would be a man dismembered as he sits in the negotiations by many unseen and irreconcilable constituencies.
In the face of this dilemma, Sharon became a Jabotinsky-short cutter. By that I mean he looked for dramatic processes through military action that would not make necessary Jabotinsky's dictum: the Arabs are as nationalist as us and so will not settle with us; therefore, all we can do is kill half of them so that the other half will accept any terms in fear. Sharon believed that dealing with Arabs depended for success on how rapidly-- in how few moves with very few pieces-- you can show them that they are check-mated before negotiating. He thus saw daring blitzkrieg type actions as life saving maneuvers. For the farther you get quickly with a mass of helpless prisoners on the other side and minimal casualties on both, the greater the prospects for a negotiator sitting across the table with the authority to solve the crisis as quickly and as peacefully as possible.
Sharon was, since youth, obsessed with the comparatively sterile birthrate of Israelis relative to Arabs. He wanted Israel to inflict severe injury on Arab regimes specifically so that the devastation would stop and Israel could shine the light of modernization on Arabs. His perspective was not the Bush "bring them democracy" mantra-- he warned Bush that it can't be done-- but rather the bringing of technical and economic packages, as was given to Jordan and even, when possible, to Lebanon and Egypt, to make arguing against collaboration between Zion and the Arabs foolish.
For Sharon, the biggest blow was the suicide bombers. He had neither expected so much of that (limitless) nor the impact that would have, derailing his master plan. As a soldier, therefore, he responded to stress under catastrophe in the only way he knew how: destructive military power. But, though some would argue that he proved to be the "butcher" of Palestinians and worse than Milosevic, in truth he was quite different because he was emphasizing destructive blows specifically as a prologue to magnanimous peace, with the casualties minimized through lightning action. Thus, for Sharon, war was an unfortunate prerequisite that made peace mandatory to all who participated in the war. And Sharon was not like Rabbi Kahane. For Sharon peace with Arabs was to bring Arabs to the state of well being of Israelis, moving together. His obsession was to wage a war that is as far from Jabotinsky's "kill 50%" as possible and to bring a peace that is EQUALLY beneficial to both sides.
What is most tragic is that Sharon faced several Transient Ischemic Attacks-- reversible prologues to stroke-- especially at night, before his first stroke. Suddenly, his telescope sort of turned into a microscope because the time frame of his secret scheme would be gravely constricted. He suffered great loss in confidence and much depression as of the TIAs. The one-sided Gaza plan was a desperate move, as was the creation of the Kadima Party, based on his realization that he would have to create a political force to fight not only Arab revanchists but also Israeli ones.
Now Sharon lies motionless and unable to speak. We may lose him soon. But I am confident that history will come to know him as the general who always fought for peace not for war. And, he sought an Israeli-Palestinian community in two states, one land that would equally prosper the next generation of both peoples. Most importantly, for him, the Jabotinsky figure of 50% was a frightful Nazi like perspective that he lived his life to cut down both in means and ends. I will always remember Sharon as the warrior for peace-- wars, lies, errors, chutzpah and all.
Daniel E. Teodoru
deteodoru@yahoo.com
rj
I watched McCain on MTP this morning, and I am glad it was not just me that thought he looked SO old, and was talking like he was an old used dishrag. He looked anything but Presidential.
I think Dobson coming out last week, saying HE would not vote for him, took the final sails out of McCain's ship!
I had to roll my eyes when he said we have to give 'this new strategy' a chance! WHAT new strategy? We have escalated troop levels I think it is like 4 times! It failed each and every single time, as has been shown here more than once. WHY these candidates use these frames, that only the naive, slow witted grasp on to, is amazing !
and this is an interesting situation. Kind of like how the Dems last election had to chose between a liberal Democrat and a so-called Centrist one, in Lamont vs Lieberman. My guess is Emmanual will chose Clinton, any bets?
Rep. Rahm Emanuel considers Sen. Barack Obama a close friend. The Illinois Democrats had dinner just last week. They are both from Chicago and socialize together with their wives. But Emanuel got his big break in national politics from Bill Clinton and worked for him in the White House. And now his worst-case scenario has come true - both Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton are running for president and want his support.
Emanuel was widely credited with engineering his party's takeover of the House in November. Now fellow White House veterans are pressing him to take a senior position in the former first lady's campaign. Meanwhile, Chicago allies, led by the powerful Daley family, are pressing him to take a senior position in his Illinois colleague's campaign.
The focus of attention, I think, should be on quickly fixing the glaring problems of rendition and torture, and the deaths occuring daily in the Iraq occupation wherein the US has responsibility of security.
****
Leahy made a good start in the Senate. The arrogance of Abu Gonzalez and the authoritarians who thread on civil liberties of americans + people around the world must be exposed.
rj,
Bill Richardson made a similar statement with his announcement for Pres, i.e. that this administration has so damaged this country over the last 6 years, that it will take a long time to fix it.
The congress can help to open up this secretative administration by passing a more powerful and well-defined law to allow press and public access to government information. Something like in California:
****
Are you all offended by this TV show 24 on Fox of course? I think it's simple wrong to glorify torture and present it as a social norm. I am appalled that this show is winning awards. What does this say about the american people themselves?
I watched McCain on MTP this morning, and I am glad it was not just me that thought he looked SO old, and was talking like he was an old used dishrag. He looked anything but Presidential.
****
Hi Pam, I kept switching to that channel and kept turning it off. I can't stand listening to McWindVane, Weaselman and Dumbya. They are literally grating on my nerves. So, he looked pretty bad? That's a good thing. I don't think there's anyway he will win an election.
I did catch Ted Kennedy. I thought he did a marvelous deflecting deflecting Russert's gotchas. Then I turned the MSM off ... 1/2 of them is as much as I can take.
I am not offended by it, I am just amazed that there is even such an appeal for such a show, when it merely appears to be a continuance of the daily news! If I want to see war, blood, fighting, torture pictures, all I have to do is hit up the latest news. Why on earth would I sit mesmerized by more of the same in my drama series?
personally, I am a Grey's Anatomy fan, and am happy it got top show from People's Choice and Golden Globe. Much more fun.
Bill Richardson made a similar statement with his announcement for Pres, i.e. that this administration has so damaged this country over the last 6 years, that it will take a long time to fix it.
***
pam, I'll be perfectly honest with you all. Bill Richardson was my pick a year ago. I kept hoping he would throw his hat in the ring.
With that said, that's all I want to say about that until much much later this year. Who knows he may even drop out or other candidates may throw their hat in the ring.
Good Afternoon! Well, I'm one happy Democrat today. My candiate is now in the running. This is shaping up to be a great race with many Democrat who all have leadership to run this country. Of course, even Mickey Mouse could do a btter job then the snake who's trying to run it now.
I feel so sad for the 24 more families who have had a knock at their front door yesterday and today. Blood is on Bush's hands. May he fry in hell for the wrong he has done.
I am not offended by it, I am just amazed that there is even such an appeal for such a show, when it merely appears to be a continuance of the daily news!
****
pam, it is a bit disquieting that such a show is so popular. I wonder if the american people are being systematically desentized to torture and warfare by the media machine?
By the way, did you read the journal that the right wing hate radio pundit Laura Ingraham says that 24 proves there is a pro-torture concensus in this country? I sure hope not.
I feel so sad for the 24 more families who have had a knock at their front door yesterday and today.
***
Me too! I am confident that Richardson will be wonderful on foreign policy. He even made headway on Darfur and has an impressive track record.
Posted by Power_of_Equality on January 21, 2007 at 11:03 AM
You are the one to keep moving the goal posts. First he had no experience, now he hasn't had enough "executive" experience.
Once one of your points is defeated with facts you try to expand the argument to include something you didn't include the first time. I know about a guy who does that a lot in regards to Iraq. His name is George Bush.
Why don't you fully flesh out your concerns, and state them acurately, rather than changing the criteria when your assertions are proven wrong.
Video: War, Media, and Impeachment
Submitted by davidswanson on Sun, 2007-01-21 07:55. Impeachment | Media | Video and Audio
With Amy Goodman, John Nichols, David Swanson, Larry Everest, Mark Manning, Robin Andersen, Sam Husseini, Normon Solomon, Jeff Cohen, Peter Hart, Russ Baker, Sunsara Taylor, Peter Phillips
By David Swanson
At the National Conference for Media Reform in Memphis, Tenn., on January 13, 2007, a bunch of us got together and organized a couple of ad-hoc panels about the war and impeachment. On a day's notice, we packed the rooms and drew crowds that wanted to discuss these issues as long as the speakers would stay. If you didn't make it to Memphis, you missed a great conference. You can find videos of Bill Moyers, Jesse Jackson and other speakers here.
Below are the videos and audio of our war and impeachment events. Enjoy!
Lying Like It's 2003
By Frank Rich
The New York Times
Sunday 21 January 2007
Those who forget history may be doomed to repeat it, but who could imagine we'd already be in danger of replaying that rotten year 2003?
Scooter Libby, the mastermind behind the White House's bogus scenarios for ginning up the war in Iraq, is back at Washington's center stage, proudly defending the indefensible in a perjury trial. Ahmad Chalabi, the peddler of flawed prewar intelligence hyped by Mr. Libby, is back in clover in Baghdad, where he purports to lead the government's Shiite-Baathist reconciliation efforts in between visits to his pal Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iran.
Last but never least is Mr. Libby's former boss and Mr. Chalabi's former patron, Dick Cheney, who is back on Sunday-morning television floating fictions about Iraq and accusing administration critics of aiding Al Qaeda. When the vice president went on a tear like this in 2003, hawking Iraq's nonexistent W.M.D. and nonexistent connections to Mohamed Atta, he set the stage for a war that now kills Iraqi civilians in rising numbers (34,000-plus last year) that are heading into the genocidal realms of Saddam. Mr. Cheney's latest sales pitch is for a new plan for "victory" promising an even bigger bloodbath.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012107B.shtml
Frank Rich's latest.
near as i can tell hagel just said he is thinking of running for president and he might do it as an independent. maybe we ought to steal him from the republicans and run a hagel/obama ticket? just cooking things up a bit....
Posted by gregg on January 21, 2007 at 10:47 AM
Please for the love of all that is good and holy people. Check out Senator Hagels voting record before you all start falling in love with him as the next MC Cain. Because much like Mc Cain he is neither a centrist or a maverick!
How do I know because I live in Nebraska. We Dems here have a special name for Senator Hagel Sunday Hagel for what he says to the talking heads (that people who don't check his voting record eat up) and Monday Hagel for his actual Senate Votes!!
How much do you guys want to bet that his voting record doesn't match up to his rhetoric.
As an Edwards supporter, it amazes me the insults that were hurled on the party builder site about Hillary Clinton mostly because of Iraq. What amazes me even further is how so many Dems that blog here are willing to give a Republican a pass on Iraq and other issues without knowing his voting record based on what his says to Sunday Pundits on T.V.
Unbelievable.
Posted by Power_of_Equality on January 21, 2007 at 11:03 AM
If you spent half the time fighting FOR a cnadidate, rather than against a possible one, you might make some headway.
All you do is mock and belittle others, while not giving any type of reasons to vote FOR someone else.
Are you the new founder of the Anyone But Obama crowd? We saw how well the ABB crew did in 2004, keep it up, you follow republican tactics quite well.
The latest lies are custom-made to prop up the new "way forward" that is anything but. Among the emerging examples is a rewriting of the history of Iraq's sectarian violence. The fictional version was initially laid out by Mr. Bush in his Jan. 10 prime-time speech and has since been repeated on television by both Mr. Cheney and the national security adviser, Stephen Hadley, last Sunday and by Mr. Bush again on PBS's "NewsHour" on Tuesday. It goes like this: sectarian violence didn't start spiraling out of control until the summer of 2006, after Sunni terrorists bombed the Golden Mosque in Samarra and forced the Shiites to take revenge.
But as Mark Seibel of McClatchy Newspapers noted last week, "the president's account understates by at least 15 months when Shiite death squads began targeting Sunni politicians and clerics." They were visible in embryo long before that; The Times, among others, reported as far back as September 2003 that Shiite militias were becoming more radical, dangerous and anti-American. The reasons Mr. Bush pretends that Shiite killing started only last year are obvious enough. He wants to duck culpability for failing to recognize the sectarian violence from the outset - much as he failed to recognize the Sunni insurgency before it - and to underplay the intractability of the civil war to which he will now sacrifice fresh American flesh.
****
Frank Rich is right. Bush is again lying. Sectarian violence could be seen during the 2004 election. Even Kerry remarked that the situation was degenerating. Kerry's suggestions are very similar to what the ISG came out with two years later. Simply disgraceful the amount of lying that is going on. Voices of reason have been silenced from the start. Recall how often Scott Ritter was on TV saying that there are no WMD. Ritter was accused of being on Hussein's payroll by the lying pundits that frequent Faux News.
We have escalated troop levels I think it is like 4 times!
****
pam, Kennedy did a great job pointing that out. This is how we should turn the conversation around:
Puggies to Democrats: What's your new plan?
Answer: De-escalation within one year's time.
Democrats to Puggies: What's your new plan?
Answer: ... ... ... Silence ... ...
Listening to football .. Faux Sports ... ugghhh, urrr ...
The announcers want to politicize this and say that "we don't take care of our people" (Terry Bradshaw). "americans have forgot about New Orleans".
Let me tell the Faux pundits this. We have not forgotten or forgiven Bush and the GOP. Now that I think on it. What should be next in the Dems 100 hrs agenda (or the next 100 hours). Rebuilding New Orleand and the 9th ward in particular. Get on it Dems!
rj....great post at 2:15.....it's kick off time....later....john boy
As an Edwards supporter, it amazes me the insults that were hurled on the party builder site about Hillary Clinton mostly because of Iraq.
****
Not me! She has never been my favorite because of her ties to the DLC but I don't demonize her.
If she is the person that prevails in the primaries I will support her. I think there are better candidates though. Time will tell.
In the meantime, it's worth trying to work through what should the "next 100 hours" for the Dems. I am coming up with:
1) Continue to vote on Iraq de-escalation.
2) Fix New Orleans - especially the 9th ward.
3) Eliminate tax cuts for billionaires that don't need them.
4) Pass the Employee Free Choice act to make unionizing easier.
5) A real energy bill for alternative resources. We can use Harry Reid's bill from last year.
6) Eliminate the cap on social security.
7) Single/multi payer health care insurance for all.
Ambitious? Yes but we must make a start on these tougher issues to show the nation that we have real answers to real problems.
rj....great post at 2:15.....it's kick off time....later....john boy
***
yes it is. Looks cold out there in Chicago.
I am so jazzed to see that Governor Bill Richarson is in the Presidential race. On any ticket as Prez or Vice Prez he would be great!
As an Edwards supporter, it amazes me the insults that were hurled on the party builder site about Hillary Clinton mostly because of Iraq. What amazes me even further is how so many Dems that blog here are willing to give a Republican a pass on Iraq and other issues without knowing his voting record based on what his says to Sunday Pundits on T.V.
Unbelievable.
Posted by asop on January 21, 2007 at 02:11 PM
-------------------------
I agree asop. We should be proud as a political party that we have a Woman, an African American, and a Latino in the Presidential ace. History has been made. Each of them including Edwards would make great leaders, any combination would bring great and positive changes for America.
HILLARY CLINTON IS NOT GOING TO HAVE AN EASY RIDE!
Although the media seems to be already crowning her the winner of the 2008 Democratic Presidential Primaries and Caucuses, I think that she is going to have to contend with other possible strong contenders in this race such as Barack Obama, John Edwards, Bill Richardson, and maybe even Al Gore, if he decides to get into this thing. I especially say this because of the way that the early states are lined up: 1. Iowa 2. Nevada 3. New Hampshire 4. South Carolina, for starters, not to mention that a lot of the states that come after these 4 are also from the south, mid-west, and mountain states, which I think are regions that she will probably have some trouble with. Not to mention that she is not polling well right now in Iowa and New Hampshire. She is also a very polarizing figure, and not just with conservatives and Republicans either, but also with some liberals, moderates, Democrats, Independents, and outsiders (outside of Washington).
So, she had better brace for a tough ride. Also, with her being out there in the top teir at 41% all by herself, she stands to get a lot of heat from all of the other campaigns, just like what happened with Howard Dean. And, she's in this thing earlier this time around than Dean was this time 4 years ago, and he was not able to survive. Will she be? I am doubtful. Especially considering that historically, no candidate in first place on the Democratic or Republican side was able to stay on top. They all faultered, and was overtaken by someone else from further back in the pack.
Personally, I like 1. John Edwards 2. Barack Obama 3. Joseph Biden 4. Bill Richardson
America's Last "Long War" Offers Lessons for Iraq, Experts Say
By Ron Hutcheson
McClatchy Newspapers
Friday 19 January 2007
Washington - President Bush has called Iraq a crucial battleground in a decades-long struggle against Islamic terrorism.
"It's important for our fellow citizens to understand that failure in Iraq would be a disaster for our future," he told soldiers at Fort Benning, Ga., last week. "It's a different kind of war in which failure in one part of the world could lead to disaster here at home ... That is why we must, and we will, succeed in Iraq."
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012107F.shtml
the neocon cheerleader Bush has been using this meme for a long time. We need to challenge it. Why is Iraq important at all? Why is expending resources that could be used for security at home and improving the quality of our lives less important than dominance over Iraq? Why wouldn't the terrorists come here now or attack soft targets abroad? Why would they be stupid enough to "duke it out" with out military? Seems like wishful thinking to me.
I think the answer to all questions is that it's more Bush-it. Iraq is a debacle. We should bring the troops home now.
George Bush's Crusading Scorecard (2001-2007)
The Look of a War Against Islam
By Tom Engelhardt
TomDispatch.com
Thursday 18 January 2007
Just five days after the September 11th attacks in 2001, in a Q and A with reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, a President with a new mission, a new cause, and a new purpose in life told the American people that, though they had to "go back to work tomorrow," they should now know that they were facing a "new kind of evil." He added, "And we understand. And the American people are beginning to understand. This crusade, this war on terrorism is going to take a while."
This crusade, this war on terrorism. It had such a ring to it; in the Arab world, of course, it was a ring many centuries old and deeply disturbing. And it came so naturally, so easily off the President's tongue (though it took days of backtracking by his spokesmen and prominent presidential references to "the peaceful teachings of Islam" perverted by "a fringe form of Islamic extremism" to begin to make up for it). But that little "slip" of the tongue spoke volumes. It signaled that George W. Bush was already in his own heroic dream world and, only those few days after the 9/11 attacks, had both a "crusade" on the brain and "victory" in that crusade firmly in mind. As a result, he made this promise to the American people: "It is time for us to win the first war of the 21st century decisively, so that our children and our grandchildren can live peacefully into the 21st century."
Now, here we are, just over five years further into the 21st century, and the President, who only nine months ago was still proudly (if a little desperately) trumpeting his "strategy for victory" in Iraq, now speaks vaguely about "success," or about a "victory," no longer decisive, that "will not look like the ones our fathers and grandfathers achieved… [with a] surrender ceremony on the deck of a battleship." And when it comes to our "children and grandchildren living peacefully into the 21st century," tell that to the 21,500 Americans about to be "surged" into the murderous streets and alleys of Baghdad.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011907H.shtml
Tom Engelhardt's great article. Worth posting once again.
Richardson Joins Presidential Pack
By Kate Nash
The Albuquerque Tribune
Sunday 21 January 2007
Governor makes annoucement today nationwide.
Gov. Bill Richardson jumped on the presidential bandwagon this morning, revealing in English and Spanish on his just-launched Web site that he's in.
The site was activated just as Richardson was telling ABC's George Stephanopoulos that he's the man for the job.
In an interview taped by the network last week in Santa Fe, Richardson said he'll outwork any other candidate, and trotted out a laundry list of his accomplishments.
"Most importantly, I can bring this country together. I'm a negotiator. I've brought countries together, closer, on peace treaties. I've rescued Americans, hostages and servicemen. What we have right now is an opportunity to deal with major issues that really are dividing this country. I have the experience, I've been in Iraq, I've negotiated with Saddam Hussein. I was secretary of energy, I increased energy efficient in our country," he said. "I've been a governor, I created 86,000 jobs in four years, I've cut taxes, I've brought economic growth to our state, I've made our schools better. I've got the strongest record on the environment and dealing with clean energy and fighting global warming," Richardson said.
"A lot of people give speeches on these issues. I've actually done it."
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012107G.shtml
****
okay, okay Pautuxent Phil is out of his hole for awhile but I like Richardson's resume!
Nix On Bush
Submitted by MikeHersh on Sun, 2007-01-21 21:17. Impeachment
by Melinda Pillsbury-Foster, How the Neocons Stole Freedom blog
The time has come in the Bush Administration when George W. has begun to think about his legacy. Murmurs of that have begun to percolate out through various avenues; the latest Surge of rhetoric from the White House was doubtless energized by what that legacy will be. If Bush were an honorable man that legacy would give him the same nightmares that wake so many of us up at those wee, dark hours, worrying about the future that awaits our children.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/Nix_On_Bush
Great pitcure. Bush is approaching Nixonian polling numbers. Time for a resignation? Impeachment?
Posted by rjsnj on January 21, 2007 at 04:48 PM I like Richardson's resume!
It is pretty impressive. Lots of foreign policy experience.
Well, DPD. Let's hope the Bears' offensive line can dominate the 2nd half.
It is pretty impressive. Lots of foreign policy experience.
****
dorsano, also energy secretary under Clinton. Good combination - someone who can repair our broken relationships and make progress on alternative energy. Also, experience in Congress.
Then, there's the wonderful electability factors:
1) Governor - they win more often than Senators.
2) From the west.
3) Speaks well.
4) Head of the DGA.
Posted by rjsnj on January 21, 2007 at 05:12 PM Then, there's the wonderful electability factors:
Most people vote for someone because they like them or the candidate connects with them somehow on a personal level.
That's the only "electability" that matters in the end. The rest is like looking over historical baseball statistics.
Most people vote for someone because they like them or the candidate connects with them somehow on a personal level.
****
yes. I think he has that factor working for him as well. I was impressed at how he came across in the 2004 convention.
So, we have very good choices ahead of us.
I second, third amd fourth the concept that we do not go negative on any candidate. Let's pick the best person based on positive factors.
Okay time for this Pauxtuent Phil to go back into the 2008 election hole. There will be plenty of time to debate 2008.
Right now ... Iraq, Iraq, Iraq. This weekend it's time to protest. Put your "game faces" on.
Most people vote for someone because they like them or the candidate connects with them somehow on a personal level.
*****
Hello, dorsano, right, and many times, I think, judgement is on appearances. Have you seen this study on competent looks as a basis for voting?
Babyfaced Politicians Lose Elections
Alexander Todorov, on the faculty of the Psychology Department at Princeton University, has found that when people are shown quick exposures to pictures of politicians they can rate them on perceived competence and that rating mirrors how those politicians did in elections for the US House of Representatives and US Senate.
www.futurepundit.com/archives/002824.html
Babyfaced Politicians Lose Elections
****
so how do you explain money face Bush?
Right now ... Iraq, Iraq, Iraq.
*****
-did you catch this on the PBS Bush interview?
The commander of US forces saying that the US soldiers were under the command of militia and political leaders in Iraq? That his orders were over-ruled? :
What's different is an Iraqi attitude, and it is - look, failure last time was not enough troops in Baghdad, and the rules of engagement were such that our troops couldn't move when given an order. Their order was countermanded by Iraqi politicians - in other words, you need to go get this guy in a particular neighborhood, and they would be moving in toward him, and then the Iraqis would pull - say, well, we'd better not make that move right now, we'd better - it may be too much politics. And Prime Minister Maliki has assured his commander and our commander that the rules of engagement will be different this time. And so things have changed. In other words, I'm not putting troops into a situation where there hadn't been enough changes to assure me that we can make progress.
www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/white_house/jan-june07/bush_01-16.html
Babyfaced Politicians Lose Elections
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so how do you explain monkey face Bush?
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damn this blog acts so weird sometimes with the hangs.
The commander of US forces saying that the US soldiers were under the command of militia and political leaders in Iraq? That his orders were over-ruled? :
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tom, I missed it on purpose! I can't listen to the chimp. He makes me physically ill. I heard that he said Iraq isn't a broken egg, it's cracked. Personally, I think the chimp is on crack.
Putting american troops under Iraqi command and control? Given that we claim they are not battle worthy that is indeed an odd concept.
I don't believe for an instance that Maliki will do anything about Al Sadr. Bush's latest is just more Bush-it.
Time to end the Iraq debacle.
Posted by rjsnj on January 21, 2007 at 05:32 PM yes. I think he has that factor working for him as well.
He's one of the more popular governors in the country. That's a broader measure.
"Electability" is a game activists play in the primary season. It's also called "guess whom other people will vote for."
The object of the game is to get other activists to vote for your candidate in the primary.
And then you find out if the candidate is really "electable".
As far as my primary vote goes, if one candidate or another makes a strong argument for trade agreements that stregthen organizied labor abroad, I might be swayed toward him or her.
Or if they make a case for a national health insurance policy that's independent of employment - that would get me involved in his or her campaign.
But in the end I'll vote for someone I want to vote for - not for someone I think someone else will vote for.
=======
supreme court
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well yeah, but he chimp face did well enough to make it close enough that it could be stolen.
I think we put too much stock in looks. Not all Presidents have been the best looking people ...
MR. LEHRER: Is there a little bit of a broken egg problem here, Mr. President, that there is instability and there is violence in Iraq - sectarian violence, Iraqis killing other Iraqis, and now the United States helped create the broken egg and now says, okay, Iraqis, it's your problem. You put the egg back together, and if you don't do it quickly and you don't do it well, then we'll get the hell out.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Yeah, you know, that's an interesting question. I don't quite view it as the broken egg; I view it as the cracked egg --
MR. LEHRER: Cracked egg?
PRESIDENT BUSH: -- that - where we still have a chance to move beyond the broken egg. And I thought long and hard about the decision, Jim. Obviously it's a big decision for this theater in the war on terror, and you know, if I didn't believe we could keep the egg from fully cracking, I wouldn't ask 21,000 kids - additional kids to go into Iraq to reinforce those troops that are there.
-from the above pbs link
Lt. Gen. William E. Odom: A Cassandra for Our Times
Submitted by davidswanson on Sun, 2007-01-21 22:22. Media
By William Hughes
“Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest.” - Mark Twain (1)
On September 26, 2006, Lt. General William E. Odom, USA, Retired, testified before the House of Representatives’ Out of Iraq Caucus, at a Capitol Hill forum chaired by Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA). He said: “The longer the U.S. stays in Iraq, the worse it will get!” His wise words are still ringing in my ears. (2) The hawkish Bush-Cheney Gang, however, has no intention of listening to Odom’s sage advise. It now insists on subscribing to a new kind of insanity: “A Surge!” This means escalating the troop levels in Iraq by 20,000 to 30,000. Only the U.S. Congress, echoing the voice of the people, as a result of the Nov. 7, 2006 election, can stop this madness. Odom said: “Wise commanders know when to make tactical withdrawals in order to regain the strategic initiative. The wisdom and moral courage to change course for strategic purposes is what we need today, not mindless rhetoric about ‘staying the course.’ Cutting and running from Iraq is neither cowardly nor imprudent. It is the only way to recover from what is turning out to be ‘the greatest strategic mistake in American history!’” (3)
Cracked egg?
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It takes a crack head (Bush) to recognize a cracked egg.
I don't think it's too early to declare Chicago the winner in the NFC title game. 32-14 7:21 mins to go
Don't mean to drop Iraq but this is a good story in California. The press sent reps to audit the police compliance with the freedom of information law.
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The CPRA, fashioned after the Federal Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA,” 5 U.S.C. § 552), was enacted by the California Legislature in 1968 to ensure the people’s access to vital information about how the state and local governments were conducting their business.
On this past December 4 Californians Aware (www.CalAware.org), a non-profit organization devoted to protecting open government laws and First Amendment rights, coordinated a state-wide public records audit (the largest ever of its kind) to determine how well California’s law enforcement agencies were sharing information about themselves with their communities.
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So how did the more than 200 police agencies perform? Most were miserable.
Despite the fact that the law bars agencies from requiring any disclosures from the records requester or placing any other conditions on providing access, the majority demanded to know the identity of our auditors or told them to go somewhere else to get the information. Some agencies demanded to see and copied the auditor’s driver’s license, while one even wanted to get a Social Security Number, supposedly to check to see if the auditor should be arrested on any outstanding warrants. Many said the crime and arrest information the CPRA requires to be available to the public was confidential; a few said it would not be released without a subpoena.
Some auditors reported facing physical intimidation, overt hostility, and prompt investigations to determine who they were and where they worked.
Even though all but two of our auditors were members of the news media, they did not identify themselves as such when requesting the public records, instead making the requests as any member of the public might.
www.calaware.org/
The sun has a documented 1500 year cycle. 1500 years ago, for example the earth started warming to the point that 1000 years ago the Vikings were growing crops in Greenland. And that is why they named it Greenland. Posted by Frosty-the-ignoramus
Ha! What a moron. This ignorant ignoramus thinks all of Greenland was "green" like North America or something. Ha! What a fool. There were only two small Viking settlements in Greenland, one in the South-East corner of the island called "the East settlement", and one on the South-West corner of the island called "the West settlement". They only had a few hundred feet of unfrozen ground between the seashore and the hillside in which to plant their little vegetable plots. He's talking like he thinks they had large scale farming going on though out the island, when in fact, 99% of it was covered in a thousand foot thick ice sheet. You just can find anyone around more ignorant than " Frosty-the-ignoramus".
I don't think it's too early to declare Chicago the winner in the NFC title game. 32-14 7:21 mins to go
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The Bears!
Chicago vs winner of New England against Indy
The sun has a documented 1500 year cycle.
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Documented by whom? What sort of cycle is that?
frosty is a joke ... a bad one at that.
"Frosty" nutjobs
by algebrateacher
Sat Jan 13, 2007 at 02:24:58 PM PST
Is there something about the name "Frosty" that makes someone unhinged? Frosty Hardison is an activist in Federal Way, WA, trying to ban use of Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" in the classroom. He's the one who has said that "condoms don't belong in the classroom and neither does Al Gore." His wife, an unsuccessful candidate for the school board, said she thinks the film is anti-America. Then there is Frosty Wooldridge, an anti-immigration activist whose first bugaboo (first of many; the fellow is anti-immigration the way Representative Goode, R-VA, is) is the 1965 Act of Congress legalizing the presence of Cuban refugees from Fidel. Links below:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/1/13/17127/3056
Does he get his moniker from this jerk?
'Life' is just a four letter word
by Plutonium Page
Sun Jan 21, 2007 at 02:50:50 PM PST
Today is a very special day for Mister Bush. He has declared January 21, 2007 "National Sanctity of Human Life Day". Check it out, right there on the White House website, a nice, pretty little message.
I filled in the blanks.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/1/21/71529/4924
Another brilliant text + pictures journal. Bush speaking about human dignity is offensive.
Oh, and Mister Bush? I'll leave you with the words of John Prine:
But your flag decal won't get you
Into Heaven any more.
They're already overcrowded
From your dirty little war.
Now Jesus don't like killin'
No matter what the reason's for,
And your flag decal won't get you
Into Heaven any more.
Luv it when we bait the trolly. Just so easy to do and so predictable. Wee!
Peace Activists Must Use All the Tools in Their Tool Box
Submitted by davidswanson on Sun, 2007-01-21 22:20. Activism
Interview with Leslie Cagan of UFPJ: Join us in DC on January 27th to 29th
By Kevin Zeese
The national coordinator of United For Peace and Justice believes peace voters sent a clear message on November 7 and “If they didn’t hear it they have plugs in their ears,” she says in an interview I recently conducted with her. The interview can be viewed at: http://democracyrising.us/content/view/737/151/.
The message of the last election, according to Cagan, was “People want the war to end, and they want a Congress that will act on the mandate that people gave them.” But she was not surprised when they took the power of the purse off the table as the Democratic Party, particularly it’s leadership are “enablers” who have “played a very supportive role for the president.” She acknowledges this is Bush’s war, but “Without the consent of Congress he could not have carried out this war.”
The peace movement must not stop, indeed it has work ahead of it to end the war. “A lot of building up of the back bone needs to happen and it does not happen over night.” She sees it as our job to “keep the heat on as Congress does not act without being pressured.”
Posted by GiG on January 21, 2007 at 06:40 PM congrats to the Bears win!!!
Thanks, {{GiG}}. On to Miami. :)
Bush's Impeachable Offenses, Part 1
Submitted by danielifearn on Sun, 2007-01-21 20:26. Evidence
See Article.
Article has numerous linked citations.
By Jodin Morey
Impeach For Peace
www.impeachforpeace.org
Was Iraq War a 'Blunder' or Was It Treason?
Submitted by davidswanson on Sun, 2007-01-21 10:12. Media
By Dave Lindorff, www.thiscantbehappening.net
New Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), is calling President Bush's invasion of Iraq a "stark blunder" and says that his new scheme to send 21,500 more troops into the mess he created is just digging the hole deeper.
I wonder though.
It seems ever more likely to me that this whole mess was no blunder at all.
People are wont to attribute the whole thing to lack of intelligence on the president's part, and to hubris on the part of his key advisers. I won't argue that the president is a lightweight in the intellect department, nor will I dispute that Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and that whole neocon gang have demonstrably lacked the virtues of reflection and humility. But that said, I suspect that the real story of the Iraq War is that Bush and his gang never really cared whether they actually would "win" in Iraq. In fact, arguably, they didn't really want to win.
What they wanted was a war.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/17554
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That's an easy one Mr. Lindorff - it was treason by Bush and Cheney.
Thanks, {{GiG}}. On to Miami. :)
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Yep ... Should be a good one between Indy and NE.
White House Correspondents Association tells Rich Little not to make fun of the president, or Iraq
Submitted by davidswanson on Sun, 2007-01-21 09:45. Media
By John in DC, Americablog
So much for an impartial press. This is actually quite serious. If the White House Correspondents Association is so afraid of doing anything that criticizes the president, even in jest, then how does this affect their reporting? How can these people write fair, accurate and impartial stories about the increasing woes of this administration if they are so fearful of any speech that may upset this administration?
From Attytood:
Little said organizers of the event made it clear they don't want a repeat of last year's controversial appearance by Stephen Colbert, whose searing satire of President Bush and the White House press corps fell flat and apparently touched too many nerves.
"They got a lot of letters," Little said Tuesday. "I won't even mention the word 'Iraq.'"
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/17550
Ih you mean King George can't take a few jokes at his expense ... poor Georgie
the Greenlandic environment had been depleted of its "natural capital"--its previously untapped grasslands and animal resources-over 500 years of farming practices in this delicate arctic climate. Posted by Frosty-the-ignoramus
Well of course, Frosty-the-ignoramus. Their livestock, mainly sheep, some cattle, ate up all the little bit of grass growing on the nearby hills of the Southern tip of the island and all the top-soil washed away. Then they were really screwed No one knows were they disapeared to, and some think they all starved to death. Greenland was not named Greenland because it was "green", it was named Greenland to sucker fools like you into moving there thinking it was green. Looks like they did a good job of suckering a know-nothing ignoramus like you alright.
These right wingers just can't deal with climate change. Do they think that pumping CO2 + sulfur + other pollutants is a good thing? I guess think even think mercury in the water is no big deal. That would explain their retardation ...
Posted by rjsnj on January 21, 2007 at 05:49 PM I think we put too much stock in looks. Not all Presidents have been the best looking people
If people really voted for president based on looks, then more Italians would have been president over the years. That's how I feel.
The media plays the "electability" game too and so they become a factor. They may claim for example that a woman, or a black man, or a Latino is "unelectable". In the past they used to say that Democrats in general weren't electable.
The media has for years claimed that any male with thick eyebrows that grow together across the bridge of the nose is unelectable.
The latter has had an extremely adverse effect on our politics has far as I'm concerned.
Global Warming -- WashPost fosters disinformation (AGAIN)
by A Siegel
Sat Jan 13, 2007 at 11:07:36 AM PST
Media attempts to show balance too often create distortion for many issues. This just might be worst in with science issues, where advocates of "sound science" are able to exploit the desire for "balance" as they seek to create uncertainty to undermine public will to action on critical issues.
For decades, the tobacco industry managed to forestall serious action through their disinformation and confusion efforts. Efforts to recast Global Warming as somehow natural "Climate Change" are in this tradition -- but threaten the planet's health and humanity's future rather than 'simply' the health of 100s of millions of people.
Today's Washington Post had a clear example of this confusing and distorting pursuit of fair and balanced in their letters section entitled "At the Least, the Debate is Heating Up".
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/1/13/94246/1509
There is no debate. There is not one serious scientific study that shows the global warming models are wrong. In fact, a recent survey found over 900 studies that agree global warming has human factors. So, why do these retard Puggies keep spinning lies? Maybe they are drinking too much mercury spiked water.
rj, I often wonder WHY IS IT only Republicans scorn the idea of Global Warming. Is it so abhorrent to them , that Rich businesses have to fix their leaking gases and chemicals into the waters and air? Aren't they absolutely so sickened by the IDEA that the wealthy get away with this pollution, that warming or no warming, they should be screaming for Companies to come under strict rules for environmental safety? I really just don't get it ! Don't they have kids, too, and care about them? what am I missing, rj?
Here's a good little ditty to send on to all your Republican friends still flying a flag on their cars, or decals, or even those support the troop ribbons!
Chorus:
But your flag decal won't get you
Into Heaven any more.
They're already overcrowded
From your dirty little war.
Now Jesus don't like killin'
No matter what the reason's for,
And your flag decal won't get you
Into Heaven any more.
Exxon Condemned For "Manufacturing Uncertainty" About Global Warming
by Lefty Coaster
Fri Jan 12, 2007 at 10:53:59 AM PST
Exxon has long tried to obscure the almost unanimous consensus among scientists that global warming is caused by humans. Now in their new report the Union of Concerned Scientists exposes Exxon's buying scientific Astroturf, and GOP policy.
... ExxonMobil has funneled nearly $16 million between 1998 and 2005 to a network of 43 advocacy organizations that seek to confuse the public on global warming science...
...Smoke, Mirrors & Hot Air: How ExxonMobil Uses Big Tobacco's Tactics to "Manufacture Uncertainty" on Climate Change details how the oil company, like the tobacco industry in previous decades, has
~funded an array of front organizations to create the appearance of a broad platform for a tight-knit group of vocal climate change contrarians who misrepresent peer-reviewed scientific findings
~attempted to portray its opposition to action as a positive quest for "sound science" rather than business self-interest
~used its access to the Bush administration to block federal policies and shape government communications on global warming
e WSJ
by DWG
Sun Jan 21, 2007 at 04:41:00 AM PST
The Wall Street Journal published an editorial attack on Al Gore and the issue of global warming by RICHARD S. LINDZEN. Dr. Lindzen is the climate scientist that has served as ExxonMobil’s manservant and poster skeptic for the past decade.
What You Should Know About Richard Lindzen
Richard Lindzen is not an industry hack. He hasscientific bona fides.
More below the fold.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/1/21/61626/6211
This is a very good one. Lindzen is a fraud. he doesn't have one study that contradicts global warming. Look at the list of front organizations opposing global warming bills. They are all industry shills.
Ha! He never wants "to argue" when his bull-crap gets blown out of the water. Tell us some more about "el nino", ignoramus. Even thought you got the wrong ocean, the wrong hemisphere, the wrong coastline, the wrong season, tell us all about it, dummy.
I have gotten to the point that I feel we should re-read the Declaration of Independence I did. It's mostly a rant against King George. Its about taking control of our future and that's what the leaders of the day did.
Now is the time to re-write the Declaration of Independence and take control of our future. I took a stab at it with this. It is also a call to action we all need to work to get the government out of the hands of the fascists and the corporations.
WHEN in the Course of human Events,
it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political System which have disconnected them from one another, and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Declaration.
WE hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness -- That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient Causes; and accordingly all Experience hath shewn, that Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while Evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the Forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security. Such has been the patient Sufferance of these Peoples; and such is now the Necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The History of the present usurper, the supposed boy-king or President Bush of these United States, has a History of repeated Injuries and Usurpations, all having in direct Object the Establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States and the World through the Project for a New American Century. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid World.
HE has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public Good. And has caused to be passed the Patriot Acts I & II.
HE has encouraged his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing Importance, suspended the basic protections of the Bill of Rights through fear and coercion, via the Patriot Acts I & II.
HE has refused to pass Laws for the Accommodation of large Districts of People, Laws that would provide for the security of those people, forcing those People to relinquish the Right of Representation in the Legislature, a Right inestimable to them, and formidable to Tyrants only. This through lies and intimidation.
HE has called together Legislative Bodies at Times unusual, uncomfortable, and for the sole Purpose of fatiguing them into Compliance with his Measures. Thus passed the Medicare Act in 2003.
HE has discounted the rules of Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly Firmness his Invasions on the Rights of the People and falsely establishing his right to Preemptively Invade Sovereign Nations.
HE has refused for a long Time, to be honest with the citizens concerning the security of this nation; the States remaining in the mean time exposed to all the Dangers of Invasion from without, and the Convulsions within, due to inadequate reserves and resources.
HE has endeavored to prevent the Prosperity of these States; creating and obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; encouraging their Migrations hither, and to allow for an abundant workforce ripe for exploitation.
HE has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by appointing conservative nominees who would further restrict freedoms for those who are not Christians and believe as he does.
HE has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the Tenure of their Offices, and the Amount and Payment of their Salaries.
HE has erected a Multitude of new Offices, and sent hither Swarms of Officers to harass our People, and eat out their Substance.
HE has placed among us, in Times of Peace, Standing Armies of Spies, intent upon keeping voices of descent quiet.
HE has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
HE has combined with others to subject us to a Jurisdiction foreign to our Constitution, and unacknowledged by our Laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
FOR supporting the dissemination of propaganda among us;
FOR protecting the elite, by a mock Trial, from Punishment for any Murders and assorted Mayhem which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
FOR cutting off our support and cooperation with all Parts of the World:
FOR squandering the World’s good will with arrogant protestations of need for preemption and unilateral action:
FOR de-imposing Taxes on the elite without our Consent:
FOR depriving us, in many Cases, of the Benefits of Trial by Jury, through the auspices of the Patriot Acts I & II:
FOR transporting enemy combatants beyond Seas to be tried for unknown Offences without benefit of a trial by jury of peers:
FOR seizing Citizens and holding them without benefit of counsel or trial or even charge:
FOR abolishing the free System of International Laws in Iraq, establishing therein an arbitrary Government, and enlarging its Boundaries, so as to render it at once an Example to the rest of the Middle East and fit Instrument for exploiting the resources of Iraq:
FOR taking away our Freedoms, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
FOR ignoring our own Legislatures, and declaring himself invested with Power to decide for us in all Cases whatsoever because he knows more than we do:
HE has made a mockery of our Constitution by declaring free speech zones:
HE has allowed the plunder of our Seas, our Coasts, our natural resources by corporations and destroyed the Lives of our People via the exploitation by these same corporations.
HE is, at this Time, transporting large Armies to complete the Works of Death, Desolation, and Tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty and Perfidy, scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous Ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized Nation. Iraq is just the first nation targeted.
HE has constrained our fellow Citizens to invade a Country, to become the Executioners of their Fellow humans, or to fall themselves by their Hands, to further the profits of a few corporations.
HE has excited domestic Insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the Inhabitants of our Nation, the merciless Corporations, whose known Rule of Warfare, is an undistinguished Destruction, of all Ages, Sexes and Conditions for the profit of a few.
IN every stage of these Oppressions we have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble Terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated Injury. A President, whose Character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the Ruler of a free People.
NOR have we been wanting in Attentions to our Corporate Brethren. We have warned them from Time to Time of Attempts by their actions to extend an unwarrantable Jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the Circumstances of our Lives here. We have appealed to their native Justice and Magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the Ties of our common Kindred to disavow these Usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our Connections and Correspondence. They too have been deaf to the Voice of Justice and of Consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the Necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of Mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace, Friends.
WE, therefore, the People of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World for the Rectitude of our Intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these States, solemnly Publish and Declare, That these United States are, and of Right ought to be, FREE AND INDEPENDENT of the Tyrannies of the Usurper President Bush; that they are absolved from all Allegiance to the Bush Dynasty Crown, and that all political Connection between them and the State of Bush Tyranny, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as FREE AND INDEPENDENT PEOPLE, they have full Power to avoid War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which INDEPENDENT STATES and Free Peoples may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
Aren't they absolutely so sickened by the IDEA that the wealthy get away with this pollution, that warming or no warming, they should be screaming for Companies to come under strict rules for environmental safety?
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They use to be but in the 1970's they decided that the way to beat Democrats was to destroy the labor and environmental movements. They contracted right wing think tanks such as AEI, Cato, Club for Growth, Heritage to discredit environmentalists and bust unions. Big business poured billions into these think tanks, lobbyists, etc... That's how we ended up with the corrupt Puggies who are slaves of big business and get their propaganda from these think tanks.
Dems should have understand these dynamics a long time ago and fought back. But, they were very good at hiding the subversion of the Democratic agenda. No more though as the Internet is a powerful vehicle to discover the truth.
If people really voted for president based on looks, then more Italians would have been president over the years. That's how I feel. Posted by dorsano on January 21, 2007 at 06:59 PM
And we would have a new category, National Food, and that would be pasta and meatballs, right? ;)
Another brilliant text + pictures journal. Bush speaking about human dignity is offensive.
Posted by rjsnj on January 21, 2007 at 06:42 PM
Excellent! bush and cheney are f*****g pathetic liars that live in rayguns world of hate and think they are the "good guys".
bush and cheney need to be arrested, slapped into chains and frog-marched to the Hague to be tried for crimes against humanity by the International Court which they hate so much.
Oh jeeez, here we go with that "six months" B.S. again. They'll be trying to pull that "six months" scam on us for the next 30 years. How long do we need to put with being lied to until someone tells Kristol "to STFU"?
Kristol tells Congress to STFU
"William the Bloody" Kristol says that Congress is irresponsible and should keep quiet for 6-9 months to honor the President's decision.
Crooks and Liars
It's hilarious to hear these righties call scientists and academics liberals. They just can't deal with the truth. Science is about the investigation of facts not politics. Only right wingers distort facts for political gain. Look at how often Bush has directed government scientists to change the facts. Amazing. What a bunch of dinosaurs.
Judi,
I love your Declaration of Independence. Our Government has lost its way and must be brought to heel. The people that have created this situation must be removed from office and imprisoned.
Like his hero Joe McCarthy, Frosty-the-ignoramus has no sense of shame. He is a childish thinker and writer tackling subjects about which he knows little to make arguments that reek of political extremism.
No need to re-write the constitution. It works well enough. We just need to get rid of those who ignore it.
Cowed critics' silence leads to debacle in Iraq
"With President Bush's decision to send more U.S. troops to Iraq, it becomes clear that Gen. Eric Shinseki was right all along. In February 2003, weeks before the invasion began, Shinseki, then the Army Chief of Staff, testified at a Senate hearing that "several hundred thousand soldiers" would be needed to pacify Iraq after the early rounds of combat.
For his candor, he was attacked, defamed and denounced by Bush administration officials, retiring with his reputation in tatters. Only in the movies, it turns out, do the good guys — the courageous, self-sacrificing types — get the glory. In the real world, they get hammered.....
Retired Maj. Gen. John R.S. Baptiste, who once commanded the 1st Infantry in Iraq, said last fall that Rumsfeld threatened to fire the next person who mentioned postwar plans. So they shut their mouths to keep their jobs.
There were many officials — military officers, intelligence experts, strategic thinkers — who doubted either the rationale for the war in Iraq or the planning for it. But few were willing to risk their careers by speaking up.....
In retrospect, it's not clear that President Bush could have been pushed back from his disastrous insistence on toppling Saddam, even if he had met firmer opposition. Given his continued resistance to reality, it's unlikely.
Still".......
Posted by Johnedwrd on January 21, 2007 at 07:16 PM
I agree. These people need to be held to the highest standards of democratic principles. Only when the people get vocal and lead do the leaders fall into line.
bush and cheney need to be arrested, slapped into chains and frog-marched to the Hague to be tried for crimes against humanity by the International Court which they hate so much.
****
john, it's amazing that people have not caught on to Bush's fascist games. He claims to be all for freedom and human rights while he violates both.
It's a trick that dictators have used throughout the ages. Denounce the evls that they are committing. If at all possible, blame / scapegoat someone else, anyone else.
By all means, impeach Chimpy and Darth Vader.
Here's what racist Ann "the man" Coulter has to say.
On the January 16 edition of his nationally syndicated radio show, Sean Hannity hosted right-wing pundit Ann Coulter for a discussion of, among other things, prospective Democratic presidential nominees, specifically the qualifications of Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL). Coulter compared Obama to former President Gerald Ford, saying, "Everything they were saying to point out how little qualified Ford was as this accidental president is surely true … tenfold in the case of Obama." Coulter went on to say: "I do think it does show — it further confirms my point that Democrats are racist, and they're just stunned to find a black man who can walk and talk. And, you know, not being a racist, I'm not really that impressed with a black man who can walk and talk."
Crooks and Liars
Good evening all
GIG! Had some awesome weather today for you. High 70's, beautiful sunshine and skies.
Now if the political scene only looked half as good.
I hope with so many Dems declaring for the presidency that they don't shoot the party's opportunity by bickering among themselves. Lets see some real discussion of the issues and solutions. Build on each others strength and ideas. All candidates from Kucinich to Hillary have viable ideas. We need to discuss ideas and consensus after so long being out of the loop.
Posted by GiG on January 21, 2007 at 07:11 PM that would be pasta and meatballs, right?
Are you calling me a meatball? Or are you saying I'm full of pasta?
Domingo
This brainless woman is pathetic. shouldn't even be mentioned in the same breath with sane and rational people.
Here's what racist Ann "the man" Coulter has to say.
****
By the way, she is another right wing plant that is paid to write outrageous propaganda.
A real moron.
Frosty-the-ignoramus doesn't want "to argue" with me, so he looks for a "newbie" he might have better luck with. Tell us about "el nino" some more, Frosty-the-ignoramus.
they're just stunned to find a black man who can walk and talk.
****
Hmmm, the CBC would just love that one. They all know that Ann Hole Coulter is a hate mongering plant. Along with Hannity, Limbaugh and the rest of the worthless right wing pundits.
I hope that many are able to attend the March on Washington on Januray 27th.
Frosty-the-ignoramus doesn't want "to argue" with me,
****
frosty the red-faced puggy! Isn't it amazing how easy it is to bait this trolly? Just write about Global Warming and the trolly bites.
J on January 21, 2007 at 07:30 PM
{{J}} Send it on up, it was in the 40s, miserable and raining today!!!
This brainless woman is pathetic. Posted by J
I agree with you 100% on the "brainless and pathetic" part, J. The part about "woman" I'm still having some doubts about. She's got a bigger one, Adam's apple that is, than I do.
I hope that many are able to attend the March on Washington on Januray 27th.
****
Be there with a large contingent.
The part about "woman" I'm still having some doubts about.
****
Actually, the part I doubt is that she is a human being.
dorsano on January 21, 2007 at 07:32 PM
Hmmm... I was just saying that if Italians ran this country we'd be overwhelmed with pasta, meatballs, and god help up, seafood...talk about scary ;)
Looks like
Chicago versus NE
Sorry Indy fans so far it's not looking too good.
Still lots of time.
Another "inconvenient truth:" 2006 was the warmest year on record
by TheLiberalProgressive
Wed Jan 10, 2007 at 08:16:42 AM PST
I wrote a brief entry on the weather the other night, and now, I offer more proof that global warming is indeed REAL. In 2006, the federal government reports that temperatures in the United States were the warmest ever recorded:
Last year was the warmest on record in the continental United States, the federal government reported Tuesday, attributing the temperatures to the natural El Nino cycle as well as to long-term warming linked to human emissions of greenhouse gases.
TheLiberalProgressive's diary :: ::
I wrote a brief entry on the weather the other night, and now, I offer more proof that global warming is indeed REAL. In 2006, the federal government reports that temperatures in the United States were the warmest ever recorded:
Last year was the warmest on record in the continental United States, the federal government reported Tuesday, attributing the temperatures to the natural El Nino cycle as well as to long-term warming linked to human emissions of greenhouse gases.
In a statement released by the National Climatic Data Center, BOTH 1998 and 2006 were about 2.2 degrees above the 20th century mean average of 55 degrees Fahrenheit. They also said in the statement that the last nine years have been:
"Among the 25 warmest years on record for the contiguous U.S., a streak which is unprecedented in the historical record. After a cold start to December, the persistence of spring-like temperatures in the eastern two-thirds of the country during the final two to three weeks of 2006 made this the fourth warmest December on record in the U.S., and helped bring the annual average to record high levels."
Among the most above average cities in the United States were Boston which averaged eight degrees above normal, Minneapolis-St Paul averaged 17 degrees above average the last three weeks of 2006, and EVEN DENVER saw temperatures average 1.4 degrees warmer than the 1971-2000 average, despite it's third snowiest December on record (meaning I don't want to get any comments from anyone saying "there's no such thing, look how much snow Denver is getting")
Five states — Minnesota, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire — had their warmest December on record and no state was colder than average in December, the center added.
According to the MSNBC article online:
The center said that a moderate El Nino, a periodic Pacific Ocean pattern that affects weather worldwide, had limited Arctic blasts across the continental United States.
"A contributing factor ... also is the long-term warming trend, which has been linked to increases in greenhouse gases," it added.
But here's the kicker:
A key greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide, which cars and industry emit by burning fossil fuel. The gases add to a natural greenhouse effect around Earth that traps in heat. Many scientists fear that humans are adding too much on top of pre-industrial levels of greenhouse gases.
Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have increased by 30 percent since the start of the industrial revolution, and that has paralleled a warming trend.
Of course, as we are all well aware, the Bush administration simply refuses to require emissions restrictions, for fear it will hurt the economy Bush's friends in big business, most notably BIG OIL.
Worldwide, 2006 was the fourth warmest on record. On top of that, Britain's National Weather Service has predicted that 2007 will be the warmest on record GLOBALLY.
I'll close the same way I did in my post on Saturday: I seriously weep for our planet today.
Sen. Envi. Cmtee. Comm. Dir./Swiftboater attacks Gore, Global Warming with Holocaust
by raines
Fri Jan 19, 2007 at 05:48:18 AM PST
A blog entry (disguised as a Press Release) featured on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee homepage by committee staffer and noted SwiftBoater Marc Morano (formerly of CNS News) is disingenuously attacking Al Gore, The Weather Channel's lead climatologist, and Global Warming science, framing their efforts as an attack on Holocaust Survivors, believe it or not, and triggering a conservative blogswarm attack on The Weather Channel UPDATE: with the attack continuing in a fresh post just minutes ago.
Is this what we should expect from a committee chaired by my own Senator, Barbara Boxer? Is this another wacky Inhofe story? What can we (and the Senate and committee leadership) do about it? What's in the release? Do you need a Weatherwoman to know which way the wind blows in the Southern Hemisphere? Find out below the fold.
Be there with a large contingent.
Posted by rjsnj on January 21, 2007 at 07:40 PM
I'm still trying to figure out a way to get up there but it's not looking too good. If you make it, please make sure to let us know all about it.
Here's a good story about how Dershowitz, the Zionist Org of America, etc, have all made Carter's book soar to the top of the charts!
Tooo funny!
"Suppose the movers and shakers in the Israel lobby here -- Abe Foxman, Alan Dershowitz and the rest of the crew -- had simply decided to leave Jimmy Carter’s Palestine Peace Not Apartheid alone. How long before the book would have been gathering dust on the remainder shelves? Suppose even that Dershowitz had rounded up his unacknowledged co-authors in all their tens of thousands and sallied forth to buy up every copy of Carter’s book and toss each one into the Charles River, would not that have been a more successful suppressor than the blitzkrieg strategy they did adopt?
Of course it would. For weeks now the lobby has hurled its legions into battle against Carter. He has been stigmatized as an anti-Semite, a Holocaust denier, a patron of former concentration camp killers, a Christian madman, a pawn of the Arabs who “flatly condones mass murder” of Israeli Jews. (This last was from Murdoch’s New York Post editorial, relayed to its mailing list by the Zionist Organization of America.)
But the assault on Carter is all to no avail. With each gust of abuse, Carter’s book soars higher and higher on the bestseller lists, reaching number 4 on Amazon itself. This doesn’t prove the lobby has no power. It proves the lobby can be dumb. Adroit lobbying consists in preventing unpleasing material reaching the light of day. Lobbying thrives in furtive darkness: slipping language into a bill at the last moment, threatening to back a campaign opponent, making quiet phone calls to the Polish embassy. Pressure is now being exerted on Farrar, Straus and Giroux to abandon its impending publication of Mearsheimer and Walt’s attack on the lobby.
The Israel lobby retains its grip inside the Beltway, but it’s starting to lose its hold on the broader public debate. Why? You can’t brutalize the Palestinian people in the full light of day, decade after decade, without claims that Israel is a light among the nations getting more than a few serious dents.
I'll close the same way I did in my post on Saturday: I seriously weep for our planet today. Posted by rjsnj on January 21, 2007 at 07:50 PM
I hear you.
Take care rjsnj.
'High Confidence' That Planet Is Warmest in 400 Years;
Less Confidence in Temperature Reconstructions Prior to 1600
WASHINGTON -- There is sufficient evidence from tree rings, boreholes, retreating glaciers, and other "proxies" of past surface temperatures to say with a high level of confidence that the last few decades of the 20th century were warmer than any comparable period in the last 400 years, according to a new report from the National Research Council. Less confidence can be placed in proxy-based reconstructions of surface temperatures for A.D. 900 to 1600, said the committee that wrote the report, although the available proxy evidence does indicate that many locations were warmer during the past 25 years than during any other 25-year period since 900. Very little confidence can be placed in statements about average global surface temperatures prior to A.D. 900 because the proxy data for that time frame are sparse, the committee added.
Scientists rely on proxies to reconstruct paleoclimatic surface temperatures because geographically widespread records of temperatures measured with instruments date back only about 150 years. Other proxies include corals, ocean and lake sediments, ice cores, cave deposits, and documentary sources, such as historic drawings of glaciers. The globally averaged warming of about 1 degree Fahrenheit (0.6 degrees Celsius) that instruments have recorded during the last century is also reflected in proxy data for that time period, the committee noted.
http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=11676
So, are we to believe that all the national science foundations, universities here and throughout the world are just liberal "weenies" trying to make life hard on big business? What paranoid rubbish!
Ice Caps Are Melting Even in Winter, Global Warming Evidence Mounts
By Jane Kay
The San Francisco Chronicle
Wednesday 13 September 2006
Greenbelt, Maryland - The vast expanses of ice floating in the Arctic Sea are shrinking in winter as well as summer, most likely a result of global warming, NASA scientists said today.
"This is the strongest evidence yet of global warming in the Arctic," said Josefino Comiso, a research scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
If the ice caps continue to melt, Comiso said, it could have very profound effects on the polar bear and other marine mammals living in the Arctic.
A greater number of polar bears have been showing up in Eskimo communities in the Arctic, apparently searching for food, scientists said today. They usually hunt for seals and other marine mammals out on the sea ice, and fast when they are on land.
Ian Stirling, a biologist in the Canadian Wildlife Service, and NASA scientist Claire Parkinson released results of their new study that shows that just because there are more sightings doesn't mean that there are more polar bears.
http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/64/22513
I suppose NASA scientists are also liberal weenies. Only a weenie right winger would believe that.
"Frosty" nutjobs
by algebrateacher
Sat Jan 13, 2007 at 02:24:58 PM PST
Is there something about the name "Frosty" that makes someone unhinged? Frosty Hardison is an activist in Federal Way, WA, trying to ban use of Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" in the classroom. He's the one who has said that "condoms don't belong in the classroom and neither does Al Gore." His wife, an unsuccessful candidate for the school board, said she thinks the film is anti-America. Then there is Frosty Wooldridge, an anti-immigration activist whose first bugaboo (first of many; the fellow is anti-immigration the way Representative Goode, R-VA, is) is the 1965 Act of Congress legalizing the presence of Cuban refugees from Fidel. Links below:
****
I think the author has it right. It's something about the name frosty. Fits a right wing nutball.
frosty the cow pie indeed. Full of Bush-it.
ooops, forgot I always like to give the link:
****
pam, we should kick AIPAC out. They were caught spying and shouldn't be allowed in this country again. The right wing Israeli crazies are dangerous as the american neocons.
I did find it interesting that Olmert said today that the warmongers in his country and in this country should stop baiting Iran.
rj,
this is a repeat of one I posted previously !
Speaking of Greenland, it may soon live up to it's name. Now this is facts, Just the facts:
There's a newly discovered piece of land in Greenland, according to The New York Times. It's one of the new islands being found around the Arctic as shoreline glaciers melt away. This new island in Greenland was first noticed in 2005. Old maps show it as part of an ice-covered peninsula. No longer.
Cartographers can't keep up. Several new islands in Greenland have been recently uncovered, literally. And there's at least one new island in Norway's Svalbard archipelago.
Greenland alone has more than 27,000 miles of coastline. More islands could be appearing soon. If all Greenland's ice cap melts, the sea levels on Earth could rise more than 20 feet. Last month scientists premiered a video showing Arctic ice melting before 2040. The cause: global warming
Cartographers can't keep up. Several new islands in Greenland have been recently uncovered, literally. And there's at least one new island in Norway's Svalbard archipelago.
****
yes indeed. These right wingers are the equivalent of flat earthers but with a financial agenda.
More Troops, More Death By
More troops, more death. The BBC reports:
More than 3,000 US troops have arrived in Baghdad, the first deployment of extra forces promised for the Iraqi capital by US President George W Bush.
As the deployment began, the US military said four soldiers and one marine had been killed in the restive western province of Anbar.
It took to 25 the number of US deaths in Iraq on Saturday - one of the worst days for US troops since the invasion.
The Iraq Veterans Memorial
Gold Star Families Speak Out · Military Families Speak Out · Iraq Veterans Against the War · North Texas Vets · Veterans for Peace · Soldiers of Today and Yesterday · GI Special · United for Peace and Justice · Brave New Foundation
Inspired by the AIDS Quilt, the Vietnam memorial, and the New York Times biographies of the 9/11 victims, Robert Greenwald and Brave New Foundation, in partnership with numerous Iraq veterans groups, are creating a living online memorial to U.S. soldiers killed during the Iraq war. The Iraq Veterans Memorial will bear witness with the video testimonies of family, friends, co-workers, and military colleagues of those lost.....
It will be unveiled on March 19th, 2007 all across the internet.
Contribute your video testimonial
Host video memorial on your site March 19th
A project of the Brave New Foundation
Dershowitz stupidly did not just let the book go by and get a few sales. OR do like the article says, buy up the copies and forget out it.
NO, he drives it up to #4 on the charts with a Lot of people reading it, NOT because they think Carter is wrong, but to see what he is pointing out!
Just another foolish, simple Republican. I wonder----are they born that way, or does choosing Republicanism turn them that dumb!
Huddle Up!
Submitted by davidswanson on Mon, 2007-01-22 00:40. Activism
By David Swanson
Team, huddle up. Huddle UP! Now, listen. I'm not going to even tell you what to do in the second half unless you understand what you did in the first half. Do you?
You think you're tired and worn down and you got beat bad, right? Is that what you think? When you pulled off the most powerful offensive attack in league history on February 15, 2003, putting millions of people in the streets against this war, you think no points went up on the board, right? You need to understand that you sidelined three-quarters of their lineup. They've been using the same players without a break ever since. You sent most of the nations on the globe and the United Nations out of the stadium. You left them with a couple of skinny Brits and a fat Italian as substitutes, and that's it. Now, do you think you're the ones who are dog tired? Their uniforms look bright and clean, but they're hurting bad.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/17573
"Coach" Swanson gives us a pep talk. Seems appropriate on a playoff Sunday. As I said above, Saturday protest is coming, time to put our game faces on.
I wonder----are they born that way, or does choosing Republicanism turn them that dumb!
****
It's the mercury laced coolaid - makes them into retards.
On Sunday, Biden said despite the competing proposals, there was overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress against the war. He said Vice President Dick Cheney was absolutely wrong in suggesting that a resolution against the war would "embolden our enemy."
"Every single person out there that is of any consequence knows the vice president doesn't know what he's talking about. I can't be more blunt than that," Biden said. "He is yet to be right one single time on Iraq."
ICEM Condemns Killings Within Iraq’s Oil Industry
Submitted by davidswanson on Mon, 2007-01-22 01:36. Media
By International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions
Two recent and separate attacks by lawless militia groupings in Iraq have incensed the ICEM, the Global Union Federation for the energy sector. Both attacks, one random, on 16 January, in which a dedicated trade unionist was slain, the other, on 11 January, a targeted slaying of oil engineers in route to a union’s press conference, “reflect the failures of both the occupation forces and of the al-Maliki government,” according to ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda.
The ICEM was appalled to learn of the death of Mohammed Hameed, a dedicated trade union organiser of the Federation of Workers’ Councils and Unions in Iraq (FWCUI). He was among a group of 15 civilians who were randomly gunned down in an open marketplace in southern Baghdad near his home. Hameed had been out on a walk when he was caught in a hail of gunfire.
Unwanted invaders
Submitted by davidswanson on Mon, 2007-01-22 01:32. Media
Letters to the Edtor, The Oregonian January 21, 2007
One day while I was in a bunker in Vietnam, a sniper round went over my head. The person who fired that weapon was not a terrorist, a rebel, an extremist or a so-called insurgent.
The Vietnamese individual who tried to kill me was a citizen of Vietnam, who did not want me in his country. This truth escapes millions.
MIKE HASTIE Southeast Portland
The Surge in Iraq - What's the Toll on America's Soldiers?
NOW
t r u t h o u t | Programming Note
Airdate: Friday, January 19, 2007, at 8:30 p.m. on PBS.
(Check local listings at http://www.pbs.org/now/sched.html.)
NOW asks: Are we asking too much of our soldiers, many of whom are on their second and third tours of duty? This time on NOW.
As President Bush adds to the US military presence in Iraq, NOW asks: are we asking too much of our soldiers, many of whom are on their second and third tours of duty? On January 19 at 8:30 p.m., NOW follows the troops from Georgia's Fort Stewart as they prepare to leave loved ones this month and head back into harm's way. Through their personal stories, we witness firsthand the strains both the war and our expectations are placing on America's military.
Michael Murphy is one of the Fort Stewart soldiers deploying to Iraq for a second tour. "I think my biggest hope for this next year is just for it to go quickly and smoothly. I don't want anything major to happen to any of my guys or the rest of the squad or platoon," Murphy tells NOW. "But my biggest concern also is just to make it home with ten fingers and toes."
U.S. Toll in Iraq Is 27 for Weekend
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By DAMIEN CAVE
Published: January 22, 2007
BAGHDAD, Jan. 21 — The United States military said that two marines died Sunday in western Iraq and that an additional seven service members died Saturday. The deaths brought the weekend toll to 27 and made Saturday the third-deadliest day for United States forces since the war here began.
Multimedia
Interactive Feature
Faces of the Dead
On Dec. 31, the United States reached another grim milestone in the war in Iraq: 3,000 military deaths.
The Faces
Analysis of the Casualties
Their Stories in Audio
Reach of War
Go to Complete Coverage »
Seven of the deaths announced Sunday, including those of three marines, were caused by “enemy action” in Anbar Province, a restive stronghold of the Sunni insurgency, while another soldier was killed Saturday in Baghdad by a roadside bomb, the military statements said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/22/world/middleeast/22iraq.html?ref=world
Tax Benefits For Private Health Insurance Proposed By Bush
Main Category: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance News
Article Date: 21 Jan 2007 - 10:00 PSTArticle Also Appears In
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During his State of the Union address, January 23rd, President George Bush will propose that people of lower incomes who purchase private health insurance, rather than having a company plan, receive a tax benefit. The benefit will be similar to the what people currently enjoy for the interest paid on mortgages.
The President said "The current tax code encourages home ownership by allowing you to deduct the interest on your mortgage from your taxes. We can reform the tax code, so that it provides a similar incentive for you to buy health insurance.''
****
What a chimp. This latest scam is DOA.
Pats come back for TD on 80 yd KO return and pass...28-21 1:18 3rd
Pats come back for TD on 80 yd KO return and pass...28-21 1:18 3rd
****
Tep, that catch in the end zone was close to being out of bounds. I think this is going to be a cliff hanger.
Colts and Pats tied
Posted by salutetheDems on January 21, 2007 at 08:59 PM
Redundundundant
Brothers and Sisters,
by pastordan
Sun Jan 21, 2007 at 06:02:10 PM PST
let us pray* for our communities, for the world, and for all in need.
pastordan's diary :: ::
In peace and for the peace of the world, we pray:
—For an immediate halt to the war in Iraq, and a safe and speedy return of US troops. We pray especially for peace and security for the peoples of Iraq and Afghanistan, and an end to terror everywhere in the world. May we finally learn a better way to resolve our differences than shedding one another's blood.
—For an end to the nuclear programs of North Korea, Iran, and all other nations tempted by madness, and for a cessation of the bullying and ineptitude that pushes them into it.
—For Darfur, Congo, Somalia, and all the war-torn nations of Africa. Turn their guns into plowshares, and relieve this misery.
—For the good earth, its seas and soil and polar ice caps. May it be protected from oil spills, deforestation and atmospheric warming, overpopulation and misuse. Allow us to recognize our environment for the precious gift it is, and to align our needs and wants with long-term sustainability. May we all reject dominion for partnership, and may we hear in the bird's song and the rushing waters mighty hymns.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/1/21/21039/6332
I like Pastor Dan's journals.
Colts and Pats tied
Posted by salutetheDems on January 21, 2007 at 08:59 PM
Redundundundant
Posted by salutetheDems on January 21, 2007 at 09:25 PM
31 all
What a chimp. This latest scam is DOA.
Posted by rjsnj on January 21, 2007 at 09:13 PM,
Most people that would qualify for this tax deduction would not have enough deductions to itemize anyways, so what do they gain? The standard deduction is at what $4600 now? Unless one has many medical deductions they can't reach this limit, so they end up using the standard deduction. Therefore, this is another way of looking like he's doing something, but is not
doing anything of real value to help the people that need help the most.
I know last year I had college tuition I could deduct, school loan interest, and child care expenses. I do not have a mortgage, just a school loan that islike a mortgage, and I cojld not itemize. On top of that, under Mr. Bush's plan I would have to pay a tax on the medical benefits that I had. All I can say it, Thank you Mr. Bush, but my ass is getting a little raw, could you please next time take the sand out of the vaseline.
Kristol On War Critics: ‘It’s So Irresponsible That They Can’t Be Quiet For Six Or Nine Months’
This morning on Fox News, Weekly Standard editor William Kristol said that opponents of escalation in Congress are “leap-frogging each other in the degrees of irresponsibility they’re willing to advocate.” Kristol said, “It’s just unbelievable. … It’s so irresponsible that they can’t be quiet for six or nine months,” adding, “You really wonder, do they want it to work or not? I really wonder that.”
NPR’s Juan Williams told Kristol his analysis was “totally ahistorical,” and pointed out that yesterday was the deadliest day for U.S forces in Iraq in two years. “There’s something going on here you might pay attention to as opposed to just the politics of, ‘If you don’t support this president, you don’t really want us to win.’”
****
The neocon Bill Kristol is the one who should shut up.
As Bush Celebrates ‘Sanctity Of Human Life Day,’ NIH Official Says Stem Cell Policy Is Blocking Cures
President Bush yesterday issued a formal White House proclamation declaring January 21 to be “National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 2007.”
National Sanctity of Human Life Day helps foster a culture of life and reinforces our commitment to building a compassionate society that respects the value of every human being. …
One of our society’s challenges today is to harness the power of science to ease human suffering without sanctioning practices that violate the dignity of human life. With the right policies, we can continue to achieve scientific progress while living up to our ethical and moral responsibilities.
On the very same day, Story Landis, the National Institutes of Health official overseeing President Bush’s restrictive embryonic stem cell policy, suggested that Bush’s approach is delaying life-saving cures in “an unusually blunt assessment for an executive branch official.”
When Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) asked her how the policy was affecting medical research, she said, “We are missing out on possible breakthroughs.” The ability to work on newly derived stem cell colonies — precluded from federal funding under the Bush plan — “would be incredibly important,” she added.
Landis also declared that “science works best when scientists can pursue all avenues of research. If the cure for Parkinson’s disease or juvenile diabetes lay behind one of four doors, wouldn’t you want the option to open all four doors at once instead of one door?”
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/01/20/stem-cell-sanctity-life/
Most people that would qualify for this tax deduction would not have enough deductions to itemize anyways, so what do they gain?
****
david, it's another scam to extort money from the middle class. So now, the Puggies are proving that they are not all about tax cuts. They only want tax cuts for billionaires and oil companies. This won't help anyone and will hurt lots of people. This will make the middle class hate the Puggies even more. Given that we have a Democratic Congress, this garbage is dead on arrival (DOA). It just shows what an obnoxious arrogant chimp Bush really is.
38 - 34 1:00 4th ...
First lead I think for Indy, late in the game.
Very good game. A cliff hanger as I thought it would be.
For the first time in history, two African American head coaches are in the Super Bowl. Congratulations to both!
That's it for me tonight. BBL
For the first time in history, two African American head coaches are in the Super Bowl. Congratulations to both
Two of the finest gentlemen in the NFL
Posted by salutetheDems on January 21, 2007 at 10:47 PM Two of the finest gentlemen in the NFL
I think those coaches are close friends also which is neat.
I think those coaches are close friends also which is neat.
Posted by dorsano on January 21, 2007 at 11:35 PM
I think Tony Dungy of the Colts was a mentor to "Lovie" Smith of Chicago. Should be a great Super Bowl. Good to see two of the 'good guys' get there.
Frosty* I'm afraid you don't have any chits with me to ask that I do anything. However I think Your indignation would be better spent in ranting at the VA for not taking care of guys who come back from the ill conceived wars of the neo cons with debilitating conditions. Rant at the Pentagon for sending the guys back for 2, 3 or 4 tours; for not offering treatment for the horrible wrecked nerves some of them have, for sending them into a civil war without the proper training or equipment...you get the picture...maybe the GI's wouldn't be there needing mats if they weren't being exploited; if they were properly equiped. Why don't you go there and see to their needs, Frosty?
Posted by Christy McConville on January 21, 2007 at 09:12 AM The Super Bowl is on February 4th...let's hope the Chicago Bears are there.
Well, Christy - a bunch of us here hoped. It looks like it was enough - Chicago's in the big-time for only the second time (in over 40 years).
We probably bored any lurkers not watching the games and checking up on this thread. :)
It's funny, when the Bears played the first time in the Superbowl it was against NewEngland in Louisana Superdome.
Posted by TheRightHonorable*Frosty* on January 21, 2007 at 11:44 PM This has been verified as TRUE
The problem is, Frosty, your credibility is in the tank here. It's a just a hobby for you afterall.
Frosty* I really don't appreciate your tactic to use a "strawman" issue thinking you could put us in the middle; either agree with you or be damned. It won't work. The Repuglithugs try this all the time and it explodes in their face. Better check your fingers...you may be missing some. And don't try to pick my pocket again.
Posted by salutetheDems on January 21, 2007 at 11:57 PM Frosty* I'm afraid you don't have any chits with me to ask that I do anything.
My sentiments exactly. I've written enough LTE's writing a letter to a company in West Alis wouldn't take all that much time.
I'd gladly tell the company that while I think the president did the country and the people who serve a great disservice by taking us to war the way he did
it makes good business not only to ship to an APO address but to consider making a gift of the product requested.
Posted by salutetheDems on January 22, 2007 at 12:16 AM Better check your fingers...you may be missing some. And don't try to pick my pocket again.
I'm gonna leave you, saluteTheDems. Remember, in this one's mind, logic doesn't exist and all arguments are circular - leading nowhere. Don't waste too much time.
cya
And maybe he is a product of some Repuglithugs scheme. When I was in the Army we had procurement chanels...didn't include seeing if someone would ship to an APO address. Frosty* you been had.
Good Early Morning,
Well,
It appears that there are Liberal Democrats out there who seem to dislike Hillary Clinton even more than I do. At leat I did'nt post this one.
Picture of Hillary Worth A Thousand Words.
Posted by salutetheDems on January 22, 2007 at 12:24 AM Frosty* you been had.
It wouldn't be the first time.
Oh, Noone cool is here except the troll. Well, I'm going to Huffington Hillary Hating Post to see what's going on over there. i'll lurk if anyone normal get's back up.
bbl......
dors is right of course...and I am fully aware of what a waste of time it is to respond to you, Frosty*. But sometimes your sleazy tactics are just beyound the pale. Hope you get the guys who need mats some help...then get yourself some.
Posted by FreedomOfSpeechForBarackObama2008 on January 22, 2007 at 12:26 AM Picture of Hillary Worth A Thousand Words.
Clinton had one of the most sucessful presidency's in recent times - a buget surplus and a financial plan to payoff the national debt. Record job growth. Peace in Northern Ireland.
By mixed, lower middle class neighborhood blossomed in those years.
-------
Obama's a great candidate, FOS. He has no inclinaation nor need to sling mud at any of the others.
If he did so, he'd be doing those things which have made the country so disgusted with the GOP.
I think this is going to be a very exciting election cycle. Two years and lots of great Democrat candidates. The debates should be a real gas. I do hope we don't throw mud at each other to the point that we turn independent voters away. There are so many real issues to debate.
And FOS, I'm going to let your comment slide. Good luck on finding someone "normal" to blog with.
FreedomOfSpeechForBarackObama2008 on January 22, 2007 at 12:26 AM,
I can understand your sentiment of Hillary Clinton, but please don't start the blood-letting of our own (Democrats). I liked Russ Feingold, but he didn't happen I guess because he was cut above the rest much to early.
Obama has said a lot of good things, and has a good chance. Edwards is moving in the right direction. Richardson, same, don't know much of him, but he is keeping his message positive.
Hillary, evryone knows, would love to be that first woman president! She was running long before she was running. My problem with Hillary is for some reason the republicans seem to want her to run. I had this feeling when Rove (of all people) had her in the ring a year and a half ago, and it was that time that Bill Clinton was schmoozing Pappy Bush. That scares me. What's up with that, you know? My point is we need to stay positive, not on the attack, and I know there will be enough attack information on Hillary to fill ten threads a day. Like the obligatory trolls, we need to ignore the negative and remain positive, and hopefully the person of our objective is on top at the end.
That being said, I must get to bed. Have a great night!
Obama's a great candidate, FOS. He has no inclinaation nor need to sling mud at any of the others.
If he did so, he'd be doing those things which have made the country so disgusted with the GOP.
Posted by dorsano on January 22, 2007 at 12:35 AM
Obama would never sling mud at Hillary. He's just like Sen. Russ Feingold in that respect. To much of a dear heart. So, someone has to be a becth for them. I have the experience.(LOL)
In any event, I don't want Obama or Edwards to be mean to her because that's the only way she wins elections. That's why she won last time. Guilianai got sick and that other guy physically intimidated her and she played the role and everyone fell for it. The reason why she won this time was because noone wanted to go up against her and those who did, dropped out immediatly. So, I want then to be very very gentlemanly and when Hillary starts talking like Betty Crocker it will turn the Democrats off.
:)
Posted by TheRightHonorable*Frosty* on January 22, 2007 at 12:36 AM Hey, FOS just called me cool and you guys not cool!
Yea, but did she share her stick of chewing gum with you? When she does, look out!
And FOS, I'm going to let your comment slide. Good luck on finding someone "normal" to blog with.
Posted by salutetheDems on January 22, 2007 at 12:45 AM
What? I only saw the troll. Quit being so darn touchy and toughen up dude. Shheeeezeeee!
;p
DAMN IT!
I MEANT "THERE'S NOONE HERE WHO'S COOL. JUST THE TROOL IS HERE." NOT THAT HE'S COOL. WTF PEOPLE C'MON! HOW FLIPPEN OLD ARE WE?
SHEEEEZE,
Posted by FreedomOfSpeechForBarackObama2008 on January 22, 2007 at 12:47 AM someone has to be a becth for them.
The way I figure, you can be a becth if you debate Ann Coulter. That works!
But if you punch out your neighbors (or people at work), who might be considering voting for Hillary, and then ask them to vote for Obama,
that probably will not work.
Posted by FreedomOfSpeechForBarackObama2008 on January 22, 2007 at 12:54 AM WTF PEOPLE C'MON! HOW FLIPPEN OLD ARE WE?
Thanks for bolding that. I left my reading glasses upstairs and I was having trouble making your other posts out. :)
That being said, I must get to bed. Have a great night!
Posted by davidual on January 22, 2007 at 12:46 AM
Hmm. May I ask why, when I doged out Evan Bayh far worse than I am Hillary, you didn't have anything to say? Look. I don't want her. I don't want to her to win. period. I don't like her. She's a fake. I don't care how much she wants it. I'm sick of people always feeling sorry for her just because the Republicans hate her more and bill cheated on her.If only victimes got elected to office, Congress would be full of Blacks, Native Americans and Women. Hell, I'm a victime. Should I run for office too? I'd love to be the Mayor of Greeen Bay so I guess my slogan will be,
"I got raped by a Black Ministr. Vote for me"
I'm just sick of Hillary Clinton and John mc Cain playing the victim game and taking advantage of the pity to the point where noone wants to talk bad about them like they're too darn senstive.I don't want to just win this time liek most people. I want to win with a REAL Democrat. Hillary is like Joe Lieberman which, if i remember, when i pointed that out last year, i got snapped at about him too.
"We need to win. Now is not the time"
Funny.
Good Night,
:)
Thanks for bolding that. I left my reading glasses upstairs and I was having trouble making your other posts out. :)
Posted by dorsano on January 22, 2007 at 12:58 AM
Oh, you're too cute.
;p
But if you punch out your neighbors (or people at work), who might be considering voting for Hillary, and then ask them to vote for Obama,
that probably will not work.
Posted by dorsano on January 22, 2007 at 12:54 AM
Wait a minuet. I'm the one for Obama. I'm not trying to sway people here. You guys will vote for who you want. I already know that some here will never vote for a Black man even if Jesus told them to. I'm no fool.
As far as my work goes, I live in a Republican City. They HATE Hillary worse than I do but guess who they like? Obama and Edwards. They warm up to the idea of them. So, as far as locally here, it's pretty safe to say everyone here hates the hell out of Hillary in a Bi-Partisan manner.
Ha Ha ha
:p
Posted by FreedomOfSpeechForBarackObama2008 on January 22, 2007 at 01:04 AM Oh, you're too cute.
One of the advantages to being an old fart is that you've you'd had a lot of practice at being a smart ass.
Are you saying I souldn't be a becth? or whatever the male equivalent is?
Posted by FreedomOfSpeechForBarackObama2008 on January 22, 2007 at 01:09 AM I'm not trying to sway people here.
Maybe not - but if there are any people here who haven't made up their minds yet, consider that you might be swaying them in the wrong direction.
Posted by FreedomOfSpeechForBarackObama2008 on January 22, 2007 at 01:09 AM As far as my work goes, I live in a Republican City. They HATE Hillary worse than I do
I grew up in Wisconsin, FOS. In a Republican family in a Republican part of the state.
What I hear is that "Republicans" see Hillary as a "Corporate Democrat", someone they are comfortable with. And any Republican looking to put a kabash on the anti-government, deficit spending agenda of the current GOP leadership have fond memories of Bill Clinton's tenure as president.
Wisconsin does have an open primary, but it's primarily Democrats who vote in the Democratic primary.
Are you saying I souldn't be a becth? or whatever the male equivalent is?
Posted by dorsano on January 22, 2007 at 01:15 AM
Wait a minuet. What is the male equivalent anyway?
;p
Maybe not - but if there are any people here who haven't made up their minds yet, consider that you might be swaying them in the wrong direction.
Posted by dorsano on January 22, 2007 at 01:20 AM
Oh. So, I should post as if I were a Campain Ad for Obama? Are ya kidding me? Just how many hits do you think this website gets a day? I see your pint though.
LOL
Geeze,
I leave the country for a week and the troll becomes honorable, four more Democrats throw their hats in the ring, and the Bears end up in the Superbowl. I suppose stranger things could have happened.
Good to see that Pelosi mopped up the House with her 100 hour agenda as promised; and hopefully, she's working on another 100 hour agenda for her next House "cleanng" feat.
Glad to see you have all been holding down the fort and keeping the dream alive. Speaking of cleaning...I need to unpack and get the laundry going. See you all tomorrow. Good night.
Nancy Pelosi for President 2008!
Barbara Boxer For President 2008!
No HILLARY! No Landreau ! No Lindsey Grahms! These Republican women do not need to be running this great nation.
LOL
Posted by FreedomOfSpeechForBarackObama2008 on January 22, 2007 at 01:31 AM I see your point though.
Thank you, FOS. This sort of engagement is not really something I enjoy. It sucks for the most part. If I'm gonna piss someone off, you're at the bottom of the list.
Think of it as a measure of how important I feel that Obama gets a chance to make his case to the country.
Posted by SandyH on January 22, 2007 at 01:31 AM the Bears end up in the Superbowl. I suppose stranger things could have happened.
Sandy!!!! :)
I'm outta here too. Glad to hear that you're home safe and sound.
Thank you, FOS. This sort of engagement is not really something I enjoy. It sucks for the most part. If I'm gonna piss someone off, you're at the bottom of the list.
Think of it as a measure of how important I feel that Obama gets a chance to make his case to the country.
Posted by dorsano on January 22, 2007 at 01:44 AM
Awwwww, (tear)
Now that's why I share my gum with you.
;p
TTYL. I'm digging up "info" that relates to Obama vs Clinton.
;p
Wonderful proof, a Conservative comedian is your "source". What's the matter, Dennis Miller wasn't available?
You are the one to keep moving the goal posts. First he had no experience, now he hasn't had enough "executive" experience.
Why don't you fully flesh out your concerns, and state them acurately, rather than changing the criteria when your assertions are proven wrong.
Posted by Robert_Burnsey_Koenig on January 21, 2007
________________________________________
Good MORNING DEMOCRATS!
RBK,
I'm sure many people here will confirm that I've stated here that Obama has very little experience, and NO Executive experience. I didn't feel like I needed to list the numerous problems with Obama for Pres. I did not want to go back over this discussion now. YOU don't disprove the facts I posted about the lack of his experience, common AND Executive. I hope I've clarified my position.
All Dems, and Frosty "I miss Foley" the Snow job Ho-man,
In four years, Obama may very well prove to be a good Senator. Until then, he gets no consideration for Preident because Dems have a long list of PROVEN leaders. Sorry, Obama does not make that list in my book. He was in the State Senate just 2 years ago. You call this an assertion?
Sorry, he's done nothing except make a couple speeches. And "talk is cheap." I'd expect a Harvard lawyer to talk well. Sorry, a good speech does not near make a person qualified to lead the Democrats, and the Free World.
As for his talk, I'm finding that I'm really not that impressed with someone using such measured tones and niceness for people who call Democrats all sorts of bad things, twist our policy, and question our patriotism. I want someone who can stand up to the right-wing slander, not someone who stands down just so he/she appeals to the middle and right. Get a backbone, and fight for Christ's sake.
Lynn Samuals was calling him "Robot-Obama" because of his speech pattern, and "all cliches and platatudes." One African American woman caller said she doesn't understand the hype either. She said, "just because he's articulate is not impressive because we know plenty of black people who are articulate." She said that in her community, people are NOT impressed with him.
I continue to believe that voters want and deserve an experienced and proven leader in these times of W...ar. LOL.
Funny, the MSM has said that the "LIKELY" Democratic primary match-up is Hillary and Obama, when it was just yesterday that they both have ANNOUNCED mere exploration committes.
What about all the candidates who are PAST the exploration stage, and have announced 08 bids already??? Hack job???
Could it be that this is a MSM hack job on the REAL DEMOCRATIC candidates???
Is this how corporate America CONTROLS the Democratic Primary/Party???
Could it be that the MSM is keeping MILLIONS of Americans from warming up to the Democratic Party by annointing two people who have questionable issues???
(These swing voters often make the difference.)
Does the MSM annoined '08 Obama/Clinton match-up keep the Southern swing states cold to the Democratic Party???
WHERE ARE ALL THE MSM STORIES ABOUT SPEAKER PELOSI KEEPING HER AND THE DEMOCRATS PROMISE OF REFORM IN THE FIRST 100 HOURS ????
Good morning FOS and anyone else!
FOS don't even waste time this morning debating Obama. Save that for another time.
We have TWO black NFL coaches going to the the Super Bowl!!!
Bears and Colts, Oh yeah, it's sweet.
Now "Marching 100" take it away at half time!
Oh hell, I might have to get me a home equity and scalp me a ticket from somewhere (dreamin')
SINCE I CAN'T SAY IT NICELY, I'LL LET SOMEONE ELSE DO IT.
Why some Democrats worry that Clinton can't win
Updated 1/22/2007 12:36 AM ET
By Jill Lawrence, USA TODAY
She's a celebrity with an impressive résumé, major-league supporters and five consecutive years of being the Gallup Poll's "most admired woman."
Yet as New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton plunges into the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, she faces resistance from fellow Democrats who don't like her, don't like her positions on issues or don't think she can win.
"We've got to find somebody else," says David Newman, a retired teacher from York, Maine. "I think she's great. If she had a chance of winning, I'd vote for her. She's dragging a ball and chain behind her. There are too many people who have an aversion to her."
Clinton is a complicated package. Her constituents and Senate colleagues generally view her as smart and hard-working. On the challenge side of the ledger, there's her personality (perceived in some quarters as chilly), her vote on Iraq (she supported the war) and her gender (are Americans ready for a female president?).
Then there's that husband of hers. Could there be a more complicated marriage in America?
Speaking of husbands, if we are going to really consider Hillary, we need to know what to do about Belinda Stronach because the Republicans have already hit the pavement running with that one. Google her. Do we really want to go through this mess all over again? Really.
For the record. As A Black Female American, I don't choose candidates with my skin or my uterous so, I can care less about the gender/race issue. It's the other stuff.
Oh hell, I might have to get me a home equity and scalp me a ticket from somewhere (dreamin')
Posted by J on January 22, 2007 at 05:51 AM
Or, you can always try to win the tickets from some Radio Station contest.
;p
Oh, LOOK ! Bagdad Has Breaking News!!
The new crop of Troops that Bush sent to Bagdad Iraq has just arrived. Wanna know how Iraq is doing with that big ole Troop Surge?
Car bombings kill 60 in Baghdad
POSTED: 5:56 a.m. EST, January 22, 2007
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- At least 60 people were killed and 110 wounded in a pair of nearly simultaneous car bombings in central Baghdad's Bab al-Sharqi district, an Interior Ministry official said Monday.
"Body parts everywhere, many bodies charred, it was horrible," the official said.
According to the official, the midday bombings targeted civilians in a second-hand clothing market, the site of several attacks in the past.
Separately, mortar rounds fell on an elementary school in southern Baghdad's Abu Dhseir section, killing one woman and wounding eight children.
Attacks and the crash of a Black Hawk helicopter brought to 25 the number of American troops killed in Iraq on Saturday, making it one of the deadliest days for the U.S. military since the war began almost four years ago.
On Sunday two Marines, both members of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit based at Camp Pendleton, California, were killed in separate battles in western Iraq, bringing the weekend's toll to 27.
The U.S. military is investigating the cause of Saturday's helicopter crash northeast of Baghdad that killed 12 soldiers.
A senior military officer said the initial indications point to hostile fire as the cause of the crash.
Walmart passing non organic veggies off as organic.
Now why am I NOT surprised at this accusation?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/01/21/walmart-under-investigat_n_39218.html
Bush is now discussing global warming? Well at least he has graduated from "voodoo science".
Looking ar FOS post at 6:13 I ask myself, "What kind of people car bomb a second hand clothing market to kill civilians?...What kind of people target an elementry school to kill children?...The last question: why are our troops there?".....
before I go any further folks, the capital "a" has gone to the graveyard of aphabets on my keyboard here. time for another so bear with the even terrain of letters.
J,
Walmart passes crap along as "savings" what do we expect?
He better address Global Warming. Ohhhhh, I can't wait till tomorrow. I will be blogging from home after 4:00 unless there's some change or something.
The South america/Latin america research that I did with the Bush family opened my eyes to much that I suspected anyway.
No one is ever saying that Hugo Chavez is correct in his actions and statements, BUT the actions of the US over many decades in South america has brought this on full circle. Most of the nations within this continent feel the same way about the US because of our meddling for our own selfish purposes and those of the money mongerers.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070122/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/venezuela_us
J....Mr. Bush is not capable of "discussing" much of anything....he just spouts out what Rove and Cheney program him to say...
Oh yes! Miami bound!! Whole state gonna party.
Very obvious I'm excited and folks so is this state to host this very historic Super Bound.
Joe Robbie Stadium - actually just about in Fort Lauderdale
Gotta run. Take care everyone
FOS keep the faith, girl :)
Peace \/
J....Mr. Bush is not capable of "discussing" much of anything....he just spouts out what Rove and Cheney program him to say...
Posted by goodfoe on January 22, 2007 at 06:57 AM
But won't it be fun watching him do that with two powerful Democrats standing right behind him with smirks on their faces? They won't be applauding.................
I hope they won't ......................
They better NOT be applauding.
;p
FOS....Gritting their teeth will be more like it...or...trying not to roll on the floor in unconstrained laughter...my bet is for gritting their teeth.....
FOS....Gritting their teeth will be more like it...or...trying not to roll on the floor in unconstrained laughter...my bet is for gritting their teeth.....
Posted by goodfoe on January 22, 2007 at 07:16 AM
Yep. I don't even think our Democratic Diva Pelosi can dawn that bright smile for a whole hour. (LOL)
I wonder what kind of week we are going to have.
Politically, of course.
I know they will be talking about Bagdad 60k/110w. What else?
Good morning, Dems. This landed in my inbox this morning :-)
Densest element discovered
A major research institution has just announced the discovery of the densest element yet known to science. The new element has been named "Bushcronium."
Bushcronium has one neutron, 12 assistant neutrons, 75 deputy neutrons, and 224 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 311.
These particles are held together by dark forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.
The symbol for Bushcronium is "W".
Bushcronium's mass actually increases over time, as morons randomly interact with various elements in the atmosphere and become assistant deputy neutrons in a Bushcronium molecule, forming isodopes. This characteristic of moron-promotion leads some scientists to believe that Bushcronium is formed whenever morons reach a certain quantity or concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as "Critical Morass".
When catalyzed with money, Bushcronium activates Foxnewsium, an element that radiates orders of magnitude more energy, albeit as incoherent noise, since it has 1/2 as many peons but twice as many morons.
"When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world." ~ John Muir ~ 1838-1914
Posted by Cyn_NY on January 22, 2007 at 07:26 AM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I like that.
;p
good morning Democrats
{{{Sandy}}} is back!!! Whoooohoooo!!!
Hope you had a wonderful, relaxing vacation and still have some sand in your shoes.
I look forward to reading about your adventures later in the day.
Wired to report US unwittingly evolved superpathogen in Iraqi combat hospitals
John Byrne
A drug-resistant bacteria that is infecting wounded US soldiers in Iraq -- and has spread to civilian hospitals in parts of Europe -- accidentally evolved in US military hospitals in Iraq, Wired Magazine will report in a massive expose on Monday, RAW STORY has learned.
The several thousand word expose is set to bring uncomfortable new light to the bacteria Acinetobacter baumannii that Pentagon officials previously said was likely a product of Iraqi soil.
"By creating the most heroic and efficient means of saving lives in the history of warfare, the Pentagon had accidentally invented a machine for accelerating bacterial evolution and was airlifting the pathogens halfway around the world," the magazine reveals.
The story will go live online early Monday, newsroom sources say, and appear in February's print edition.
DEVELOPING...
Impeach Turtle Head Alberto Gonzalas.
Petition:
Hi Fade,
:)
I Love New Yawk, New Yawk
::
Concerns about monopolies and fears of a possible "fascist" takeover of the US media have prompted a Democratic congressman to push to restore the Fairness Doctrine, RAW STORY has learned.
"Media reform is the most important issue confronting our democratic republic and the people of our country," Representative Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) said at the Free Press National Media Reform Conference held in Memphis, Tennessee last weekend. "This is a critical moment in history that may determine the future of our country…maybe forever."
Hinchey told RAW STORY he plans to reintroduce the Media Ownership Reform Act (MORA) that would break up media monopolies and restore the Fairness Doctrine, which was eliminated by the Federal Communications Commission under the Reagan administration.
“If Rush shoots his mouth off, he must give equal access to our side,” Hinchey said. “The American public will begin to get both sides or all sides of an issue.
::
Have a Great Day everyone.
I'm outtie.
Don't forget to read the Party Builder. It's been getting very , oh what's the word I'm looking for? Oh yeah. It's been getting very interesting lately.
;p
Peace Out!
good morning friends and neighbors. from internet weekly report:
litlle billy the k
thanks for that link fade. i was wondering how the trial was going.
will look at the party builder fos.
morning j and cyn.
Gregg....Little billy the K needs to be in prison somewhere with a very bad hombre' for his new "daddy".......
Good morning, John, Cyn, FOS and gregg
If you missed it last week, since it was barely mentioned in the "media", try to catch the Senate Judicial hearings with Alberto VO5-Torture Boy, under oath! What a difference an oath makes.
Well, not that much of a difference. He is still beligerant, defiant and uncooperative. But the beauty is our Democratic committee members, notably Leahey, Fiengold, Fienstien, Schumer and Kohl.
Milwaukee's murder rate is escalating. Kohl asked the AG for help, subltly pointing out the loss of focus on the heartland, while the obsession with "homeland" and "security" has actually made us much less safe.
For those of you who actually have done your homework for the last five years, this is an exciting and entertaining event. I forced my family members to view, explaining here and there, which breaks the unwritten rule that weekends are supposed to be "fun".
Yeah, go bears...
bread and circuses has cost us a good deal of freedom. i lay a major chunk at the door of the corporate media, and bread crumbs at the doors of the masses who do not participate.
Scathing attack
The grand ayatollah complained that people kept on shouting slogans about nuclear rights, but he asked: "Don't we have other rights too?"
It was a pointed reference to concerns about diminishing freedom of speech in Iran under Mr Ahmadinejad.
Grand Ayatollah Montazeri also launched a scathing attack on the president's handling of the economy.
He said some gentlemen claimed inflation was only 13% in Iran, but everyone knew the cost of housing had risen more than 50%.
He asked why the government went on useless trips and spent money on others abroad, seemingly a reference to President Ahmadinejad's recent tour of Latin America and Iranian aid to Palestinian groups like Hamas.
make it a great day, y'all...keep it lit~
looks like ahmadinejad's poll numbers may follow bush's....good for both of them:
Confidence in Bush Leadership Continues to Drop, Poll Finds
By Dan Balz and Jon Cohen
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, January 22, 2007; 7:00 AM
President Bush will deliver his State of the Union address on Tuesday at the weakest point of his presidency, with dissatisfaction over his Iraq war policies continuing to rise and confidence in his leadership continuing to decline, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
With a major confrontation between Congress and the president brewing over Iraq, Americans overwhelmingly oppose Bush's plan to send an additional 21,500 troops to the conflict. By wide margins, they prefer that congressional Democrats, who now hold majorities in both chambers, take the lead in setting the direction for the country rather than the president.
Iraq dominates the national agenda, with 48 percent of Americans calling the war the single most important issue they want Bush and the Congress to deal with this year. No other issue rises out of single digits.
The poll also finds that the public trusts congressional Democrats over Bush to deal with the conflict by a margin of 60 percent to 33 percent.
going down...
looks like the turkey has lost about seven points since the elections:
on 1/19 his approval/disapproval was at 33%/65%
on 11/4 his approval/disapproval was at 40%/57% in this poll.
Back, Good morning again
I'll be dancing all over this blog along with the rest of the state today! We are all so excited for this historic Super Bowl being held here in FL. TWO black coaches that have worked very hard to get themselves and their teams where they are now.
as a black DJ dubbed the game this morning: "First Super Bowl with two black head coaches in Black History Month, oh yeah this is the "Soul Bowl" in where else? melting pot of ethnicity - MIAMI !!!
Can't forget our own HBCU - Marching 100-famu
giving some half time entertainment.
Bears and Colts - Feb 4
Gregg...I just hope he does not break down and start crying during his speech with a "Why you all pickin' on me" theme........John Boy......
goodfoe you mean like this:
Charlie Brown, Charlie Brown
He's a clown, that Charlie Brown
He's gonna get caught
Just you wait and see
(Why's everybody always pickin' on me)
the world is just getting in the left lane and zooming right past the right wingnut presidunce. from the washington post today:
Climate Policy's Odd Man Out
Debate Is Fast Passing Bush By
By Sebastian Mallaby
Monday, January 22, 2007;
Last week the administration embarrassed itself on climate change, and today will be excruciating. A confluence of forces -- the Democratic takeover of Congress, freak winter weather, Al Gore's documentary on global warming -- has conspired to create an exciting moment in the climate debate. But the Bush team seems determined to be a wallflower, and to step on its own toes as it watches.
The embarrassment began when James Connaughton, the head of the White House's Council on Environmental Quality, told me that he accepts the case for a cap-and-trade system, at least as a concept. After I quoted him last week, Tony Snow, the White House spokesman, issued a denial: "Let me just walk you back from the carbon caps story," he said firmly. That sounded clear enough, but on Thursday the New York Times quoted Connaughton reiterating his openness to the cap-and-trade concept.
While the White House was sorting out its message, the rest of Washington was busy. Over at the Reagan building, a conference on carbon trading sold 600 tickets at $595 a pop and turned away 150 executives hungry to study the intricacies of permit allocation. Meanwhile, multiple climate bills were floating around Congress, and the House leadership promised to create a special climate committee to force legislation past the auto lobby...
...Eight months ago, when Gore's climate documentary was released, this state of affairs was inconceivable. Not only was Bush still a player, the case for climate change was widely doubted. Chortling climate-deniers, expecting an easy propaganda victory over the man whose energy-tax proposal they killed in 1993, greeted Gore's movie with glee. A group called the Competitive Enterprise Institute put out two TV commercials asserting that climate science is inconclusive. A House Republican hearing ridiculed a graph that features prominently in Gore's movie showing the world's temperature puttering along in a steady state before shooting upward like the handle of a hockey stick.
But this time around, Gore has proved a tougher adversary. His movie has grossed an astonishing $24 million, not counting foreign sales...
...All of which makes for a surreal situation. Al Gore, the man who lost the agonizing 2000 election, has emerged as a force in the debate of the moment. George Bush, his nemesis, is so completely marginal that business guys ignore him...
bush trampled by environment
Hi J,
didn't know you were still here and most definitely wanted to congratulate you on this historic win.
good morning...
j, i caught the coach of the colts on the tube talking about how for the players most of whom are pretty young black coaches seem like routine and how years ago the common wisdom was african americans couldn't make it as quaterbacks and coaches. good to see another stereotype or two fall though it does seem they hang on a bit longer than reasonable....
gregg, fade, goodfoe and anyone else
Doesn't matter who wins folks, let's all have some fun on Feb 4
Good morning, everyone.
Da Bears. It's going to be a good match up. And of course the MSM will act as though an all Midwestern Superbowl is a travesty or something...let them eat cake and hype American Idol instead. Ha.
I hadn't been out of the country in over a year and found the reaction to Americans by foreigners to have changed. Most seemed to feel almost sorry for America a year ago. Now they just want to know when we are going to stop the maddness. Patience is running thin.
Sympathy has turned to disgust. And the rest of the world wants to know why the American public is letting the slaughter of so many innocents to continue. They aren't just blaming Bush anymore.
Iraq is no longer an internal political debate. We are losing enough prestige overseas that it could truly threatening our economic and stategic position in the world in coming decades. You don't realize how much this war has cost us till you talk to those who have a clear prespective from the outside.
I'll never forgive the Republicans for what they have done to my children's future....both foreign and domestically.
And what they have done to our liberty...
Pa. man's letter brings Secret Service
Sun Jan 21
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - An elderly man who wrote in a letter to the editor about
Saddam Hussein's execution that "they hanged the wrong man" got a visit from Secret Service agents concerned he was threatening
President Bush.
The letter by Dan Tilli, 81, was published in Monday's edition of The Express-Times of Easton, Pa. It ended with the line, "I still believe they hanged the wrong man."
Tilli said the statement was not a threat. "I didn't say who — I could've meant (Osama) bin Laden," he said Friday.
Two Secret Service agents questioned Tilli at his Bethlehem apartment Thursday, briefly searching the place and taking pictures of him, he said.
The Secret Service confirmed the encounter. Bob Slama, special agent in charge of the Secret Service's Philadelphia office, said it was the agency's duty to investigate.
The agents almost immediately decided Tilli was not a threat, Slama said
"We have no further interest in Dan," he said.
Tilli said the agents appeared more relaxed when he dug out a scrapbook containing more than 200 letters that he has written over the years, almost all on political topics.
"He said, 'Keep writing, but just don't make no threats,'" Tilli said of one of the agents.
It wasn't Tilli's first run-in with the federal government over his letter writing. Two
FBI agents from Allentown showed up at his home last year about a letter he wrote advocating a civil war to unseat Bush, he said.
Foreigners look at this sort of stuff and see something familiar and ugly from the past. Why can't American citizens criticize their own government without being harrassed by the police?
America has become less free, cash poor, weaker militarily, and a destablizing element in the world since the GOP took over from Clinton six short years ago. We are no longer perceived as the land of the free and the home of the brave.
And now if you dare to say it publically, the FBI or miliary police will pay you a call. You have to ask yourself why "They" feel so threatened?
Gotta run. later.
I stand corrected: yeah it does matter who wins, BUT let's still have some fun!
Yes! Let's do the "Super Bowl Crunk"! Radio station dubbed the "Super Bowl Shuffle" to the "Super Bowl Crunk". Have no idea how to do these dances.
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